The unit faced off against a harbinger will all the highest spirits anyone can get. However, none could believe that it was soulless enough to entirely ignore those attacking it and instead target the innocent people of Brighton. The NADUR has also finally seen action from its new weapon, the ZZ-01 Aegis.

  The battle was finally over, it was costly but a victory nonetheless.

  "Report on our losses, I need statistics. Tell everyone to get a good night's sleep this time.", the captain ordered.

  "Captain, reports have gone through, we've lost 43 Challengers, 15 FOBPA's amounting to nearly 58 losses.", reported their radio operator.

  "However, when that harbinger fired at the city, we can only estimate losses no lower than 3,500 people...", she hesitatingly added.

  "Excuse me, Deputy Chief, you're in charge."

  She then made her way to her private office and requested a digital meeting with HQ. A few minutes later, she would see this wish granted.

  "Captain Eleanor, your first report I see. What happened? I hear a battle took place and Brighton was severely hit. Any excuses Captain?"

  "General Winston, unfortunately, I do not have much excuses for the incident but only the fact that we were already engaging the harbinger in battle.", the captain replied.

  "This has caused us so much in damages, we, the military, will get all the blame! How do you account for this?"

  "I can only ask that you forgive our miscalculation and instead look into the fact that our new weapon beat the enemy with ease. Please see that we are capable of being a competent fighting force."

  "Eleanor! This is your unit's first battle and it ends up like this? How do you think I should trust you?"

  "With the Aegis now fully operational, I request that you send our unit supplies and at least 30 more Challengers and 10 FOBPA's. Afterwards, we ensure that our operation in the Netherlands will be successful."

  Humiliated, the general said, "How dare you ask us for support when you failed in your first battle. We can't possibly believe you won't fail again!"

  "General, I humbly ask of you, please, grant us one more chance in the Netherlands and we will succeed. I will take full responsibility in any failures along the way."

  The general hesitated. After all, this was humanity's hope to fighting the harbingers.

  Eleanor waited for what felt like ages. The silence of her communication device was deafening. Waiting for an answer.

  "Eleanor, you better not mess this up again! If you do, we will have no choice but to relieve you of your command do you understand me? Do you understand me, Eleanor?"

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  The captain brightened up, she was shocked that the general actually agreed.

  "Yes, sir. I will, no, this unit will not let you down."

  Meanwhile in the hangar, the Aegis had returned.

  "Suzina! That was amazing. You took out that beast in one hit!", celebrated those in the hangar.

  "Suzina, how did you even do that?"

  "Suzina, how did you know where to hit?

  "Suzina, you were so cool out there!"

  "Suzina, nice first battle!"

  "Suzina!"

  Her comrades kept cheering for her, but she had nothing to be happy about it seemed.

  "Shut up will you people? I wasn't victorious at all. In fact, it's my fault so many of our comrades had died." If only I had arrived sooner, I could've... I could've saved all of them!"

  "Suzina!"

  However, she was already long away from them, running to her quarters.

  "Hey Justin, what's up with her?"

  "What do you mean? Don't ask me, why would I know anything?"

  "Maybe because you two are kinda like... you know."

  "Oh shut up will you people, there's nothing going on between us!"

  "Yea right.", murmured their comrades as if it was an echo.

  He would then follow Suzina's path and start making his way to her room.

  "See? He's going for her anyway, I guess we were right."

  Justin knocked at the door of Suzina's quarters.

  "Hey 'Zina, would you mind a talk? I'll be waiting for your response.", but no reply.

  "'Zina, just to remind you I'm still out here.", but still nothing.

  He then laid his back on the door to rest, still waiting for any response.

  "Suzina, are you even there?", he asked as she abruptly opened the door to her room making Justin fall to the ground.

  "What is it, Justin? I'm fine so can you just leave?"

  Her voice had changed to a raspy and sharp tone.

  "Well, I was just checking up on you after you left our comrades earlier. You don't seem alright at all. Did you cry or something?"

  "A little bit, it's nothing I promise just leave me alone."

  "Can I stay for a bit at least?"

  She considered the offer for a while.

  "I like my peace but if you insist on ruining it then fine."

  He got up and looked around, but of course, it was just like his. A boring room that had no decorations yet. These were usual military quarters.

  "Are you done snooping around?"

  "Well actually, I still did want to talk about earlier."

  Her eyes rolled in frustration.

  "Can we please just forget that part? I'm sorry for being rude now please just leave."

  "But I know that there is something wrong you are not telling me. As your friend, I need to know!"

  "Oh you want to know? You want to know that bad, huh?! Then fine, I'll tell you how I saw entire city blocks got destroyed by that harbinger and I could do nothing about it! I wanted to save them so badly but I couldn't do anything! I was too late! If only I was earlier then I could've saved them all. I could've saved so many innocent lives, but I wasn't able to... so Justin, there you have it. Now please just leave!"

  Justin was speechless. This was a totally different side of Suzina that he had yet seen in her.

  "Suzina! Why are you blaming yourself instead of those things! You had nothing to do with it, you had no fault in it! It was that monster that did it, not you! Now wake up to reality, Suzina. It already happened and there is nothing you can do about it!"

  "Justin..."

  Suzina then burst into tears as she finally grasped the events that happened. It was true she couldn't have done anything, after all, the city was the harbinger's target the whole time.

  "Oh Suzina you mindless innocent girl.", out of nowhere did Jolina say, interrupting their dialogue.

  "Well, I'm afraid you cannot continue this drama since Justin is being called back into the captain's quarters. In the meanwhile, get a good night's sleep will you Suzina?"

  "... You're right. Goodnight you two."

  "So what's the meeting for? Nothing, I was just told to get you two to sleep."

  And even thought Justin was annoyed upon hearing this, it was clear that Jolina's tactic had worked.