RP: IPG [IPG Operators] Breaking Blood Explosion Extraordinaire!

"I performed zero terminations and three assists," piped up Nelew, unaware that this was not a good time to be saying things like that, much less drawing attention to herself. "The secondary targets were unexpectedly difficult."

"That's not the point. You were... careless and overly zealous, and it led to a breakdown of the operation." Cyrene sighed, rubbing her back. The other initiate's words did little to alleviate the situation. "Not that I did much better. I may need maintenance soon, if I am to return to operational levels."

"Sir," Alaster said, looking to Flins. "Our plan did not go how we wished yes, but such things do happen, even to the most careful, and well crafted of plans. We cannot foresee all possible outcomes, and missteps." The Initiate had his hands in his lap, fingers interlocked as he spoke with a calm, even tone of voice.

"However, we did complete the mission, and got out alive with minimal harm to my fellow Initiates, leaving no survivors, and with the primary target terminated, not to mention we've secured the ordinance he had in his possession. Forgive me sir, but we are new to this, we all come from different fields, military, police, so on and so forth. And each field has a different way of doing things, but we all managed to come together and completed the mission, given time and proper training sir, I believe we all could be well suited in the IPG where our individual talents will help the greater whole, and Nepleslia in general." Alaster finished, knowing he had put himself on the spot, and taking responsibility should Flins wish to exact punishment.

But he had been honest, and the lives of his team were intact, and the mission complete. In his mind that was all that really mattered at the moment.

Flins simply stood watching the initiates for several moments. "Initiate Langford, in the future, I trust you to watch more closely over those under your command. Especially Initiate Enev'Rana." The Captain turned and headed into the cockpit, speaking over his shoulder.

"We will be arriving back at headquarters shortly. You will be debriefed, allowed time for medical assistance, and enter your first combat training simulation in the morning."

The door shut, and the Initiates were left in darkness.

"Great." Chandler looked over at Nelew and fixed her with an icy stare. "Things would have gone better if you had just done a bit of research on Nep culture before you joined..."

Typical marine.

Nel turned her yellow-eyed gaze on Chandler. The eyes were still lacking any spark of feeling behind them, but her speech was becoming more natural-sounding than it had when she had first set foot in the compound.

"I did as much research as I was able before arrival. This mission was unanticipated event. I was expecting further training and/or experience testing before being assigned to a field operation." She turned her eyes forward after speaking, then brought up one of her feet to rest over her other knee to examine the wound on her calf.

The fabric of her uniform was mostly intact, only one shot had hit. That shot had been a high-speed round, so the hole was only as big as the shell and the bullet had gone completely through. Very little blood was around the wound, and the clot was thick. Nelew pushed the clot in and watched as new blood surrounded it, then formed into fresh skin over the hole. Her healing factor was strong, but she couldn't activate it while under fire or other sorts of stress. It took concentration to control it, to direct the system, but it came naturally to her. Her eyes closed, and she wouldn't respond to anything said to her until she was done.

The bullets that hit her shoulder still throbbed a little. Those, and the one in her thigh, were of a smaller caliber than the high-speed one, so they had hit and lodged themselves inside instead of going clean through. She mentally located them and set the system to work dissolving the slugs and the clots, then sealing the holes left behind. The entire process took several minutes.

"Being overzealous to prove one's self would've also had the same possible outcome. Things of this nature require a cool head. Not marine bravado." Alaster said offhandedly as he stared at Chandler with a calm, even gaze. "While our initial plan did not succeed, we completed the mission, and can take this as a learning experience for us all. I would suggest we leave it at that."

The Initiate then turned his gaze to Nelew. "How're you doing?" He asked, his tone still the same as before, calm and level, not betraying a hint of his true emotional state.

She didn't answer as her focus was on healing was still in progress and wouldn't be interrupted unless she was moved. But, with her eyes closed and an expressionless face, any number of conclusions could be drawn as to Nelew's presumed emotional state.

If no one bothered her, though, she would answer Alaster's question when the process finished.

Alaster said:

"Being overzealous to prove one's self would've also had the same possible outcome. Things of this nature require a cool head. Not marine bravado."

Click to expand...

Chandler looked up from cleaning the action on the GP-1 with an oily rag.

"Hey! I was perfectly cool-headed. If you had seen me back there instead of hiding somewhere waaay far from the battlefield, you would have seen me sniping on top of a building and disabling two guards. Quietly, might I add, not shouting hoo-ahs and cursing like a regular."

Athrylis remained quiet, just like on the ride to the target zone excluding her one argument of course. She kept her eyes on the limp forearm of her right arm that she laid across her lap. With a large hole in the middle of it, she doubted it was repairable, and she wandered if the IPG could replace it... somehow. At least the upper half of the arm was still mostly working.

Athrylis took a brief glance up, to check on the others, before returning to the confines of her own mind.

"I was not hiding, I was the leader, a leader directs his team. Having me there would've been a crutch for you all. Had I been captured or shot what then? You were military and you know the need of a reserve unit should one be pinned down. I was also acting as reserve." Alaster asked and explained as he still looked at Nelew, slightly puzzled.

"And on top of that, I informed you and the rest of the team I was coming in, when you barged past me even though I had informed you all once again I had the rocket launcher. You should've stayed in positon assisting your squad mates in keeping him pinned, and him from shooting them. Instead you did what you did."

"I was ordered to get that rocket launcher, and that order wasn't over-ridden previous to my departure, so I was acting within the parameters of the orders issued by Lenz. Not exactly an order, but I was still willing to get that rocket launcher." Chandler continued cleaning his gun.

"And yet despite your ability to use proper judgment you left your squad mates to retrieve said rocket launcher." Alaster pointed out, leaning back in his seat, arms folded as he continued to look at Nelew curiously.

"Despite the fact you heard on your SPK-R that I was on my way down with one. Then you barrel right past me when I had live ordinance attached to my shoulder." He said, wondering just how much longer until they returned to base. He wasn't agitated, quite the opposite. Alaster just wanted to find out what came next, after what Flins had said, his mind was working, wondering if there would be a punishment or what.