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A/N: Just one abstract rhetorical question: Why Nina Einstein when she is a genuine Oppenheimer? :D Anyway. Enjoy, if you wish.
Prince Schneizel with his retinue had disappeared to solve the urgent war problems; Lloyd and Cecile had left engrossed in an upsetting conversation about their Crimson Lotus SEITEN Eight Elements. Nina was left all alone at the deserted observing station. Still bowing over her visual display unit, she stared continuously at the image of unbelievably tremendous crater, and shackles of horror were gradually squeezing her throat.
'What's all of this…' she whispered in a state of utter shock. 'What for all goodness did I do?..'
You made a bomb, prompted a little imperturbable voice in her head. Your hard work didn't come to nothing; everything worked perfectly as calculated.
Calculated…
Right, it did work without a hitch. But where was her expected jubilation? Elation, contentment, congratulations, celebration of the personal victory?..
Everything was wrong. Was that what she toiled for? How could it happen that the only purpose and meaning of her life resulted in…
The popup window of the worldwide public information channel was already filled up with endlessly sliding list of presumed deceased.
All those people… Elevens, the same prim voice tried to blurt out. Just the elevens, a bunch of useless wretches, nothing to regret, they totally dese…
The inner voice choked and lapsed into silence. Devastation – as if a mini-FLEJA had exploded inside her brainpan and obliterated every vain thought. Anguishing realization descended on the perturbed girl, and the spacious room was suddenly diminished into a poky, stuffy cell. Nina emitted a suffocated sobbing, and her legs gave way.
"I killed them… – No, I didn't. – I killed them all… – No, it wasn't me! It was not I who activated FLEIJA! – But it was I who urged Kururugi to do it… – Though it was he who made the ultimate decision, he pressed the fatal button…
"Oh, stop prevaricating, Nina Einstein!" she mentally screamed out. "…Whom do you hope to deceive? You created a horrible unprecedented weapon for slaughter. Millions of people were exterminated all in once, and it is your, and only your guilt. What an abominable brainchild did you produce?!
"You will be blamed and cursed forever.
"And you entirely deserved it."
Nina sank upon the floor, terribly shaking with sobs. Though hazy about true nature of the grief she was suffering from, Nina wept helplessly, mourning less for the countless innocent murder victims and more for her own ruined soul, and the peaceful sky above the Texas desert was spangled with eternal cold stars.