"Statics reported" The Deputy chief ordered. The air was thick with tension, his face a mask of stoic indifference but few familiar enough with him could tell he wasn't the least bit happy with the current situation. The mood in the office was a similar affair, sober almost to the point of grim.
"As per you orders. The new appointed Team Counter moved to investigate the power station currently control by the Rapture." Shifty, curiously enough, the navigator to said team offered. Similar to other occupants in the room, she don a serious demeanor, forgoing her usual cheerful one for the sheer gravity of the situation.
It was no laughing matter...
"Am aware... What I want to know Is why all three Nikki assignment to that mission are in critical condition and their Commander dead." The Deputy bristle at how badly the mission has failed.
True, the simulation had predicted as much...but he had honest thought...What exactly? That their somewhere beat the odd? Survive against some of strongest rapture out there including a Tyrant class? Even knowing they were basically an inexperienced field commander and a rag tag group of nikke?
It seem he misjudged them and badly as that...
"The team was on route to complete their mission...but were ambushed by the tyrant-class grave digger and Rapi was taken out first and the situation deteriorated from there. The others try to escape but were surrounded by raptures at all side, presumably summoned by grave digger...the commander didn't make it." She finished, schooling her feature to the point were she actually emotion and options on the event was hard to discern.
"I see..." The Deputy could feel his hair turn grey. Truly he had been foolish and now he only reward, a dead subordinate to farther weigh in on his conscious. While Commander mortality was unfortunately high in their line of work, it doesn't mean he derive any pleasure for it or this for that matter...till.
" The Commander was female, correct? Perhaps..." He started but the operator quickly shot it down.
"That unfortunately not possible at the moment, we was unable to recover the body".
"Ah!...I see. In that case, I prepare to notify the family members, after the investigation has been concluded. You may leave". The Deputy orders as much for him as for her. He need time to think to process all this to understand how it all went so wrong.
The blue haired girl made for the door but hesitated. Turning back to her superior as if she till had something to speak. The Deputy chief eyed her curiously.
"Something the matter?" The gathering her nerves she responded.
"Yes sir, before we lost contact with Counter. All Nikke from that squad had taken seriously damage and gone into emergency repair mode...in otherworld they were unconscious." The Deputy listened on not sure what the point. It was a know fact that in cases of extreme damage, a Nikke's body might go into overdrive in a desperate attempt to save itself, shutting down all non-essential function to save power which sometimes include their own consciousness.
"Yes am aware what of it?". He asked. The operator pause then continue.
"When we lost contact. The squad was still deep in the power station but by the time we regain it. The squad was several meter away from the plant...and still unconscious". The Deputy eye widen at the underlining implication.
"So what you are saying is...someone else got them out?! But who?" The Deputy questioned.
"...we don't know Sir. I did a complete scan of the plant before, during and after the mission. No one was there aside from the Raptures". Operator finished. The Deputy chief coned his hair in frustration as he process this. The operator was correct. No one's human or Nikke personal was given permission to be there aside from the Squad owning to just how dangerous the power station was...so who?
"Are you sure, we didn't caught anything on live feed?." Deputy questioned, trying to find any evidence he could on their possible benefactor. The operator deliberate for a moment before her eyes widen in realization and quickly replied
"No not live feed but Rapi's black box should still have been active during that time. Maybe we can find something there." The Deputy mowed down the suggestion. Yes, that could definitely work. He had to contact Ingrid later to asked.
"I see...very well then, I personally look into it...now if there nothing else?" Nodding the operator get the message and existed the room. The Deputy sigh long suffering, thoughts going back to the now decrease commander.
The Commander, he thinks remind he far too much of his younger self. Back when Hopefully eyes, a respect for life, talent for making connections and a insane amount luck was enough to see him though the worst of it. Hell! Even their blood type was same, if the report are to be believe...and that perhaps was where the problem laid.
Knowing or not, he started projecting himself on her, his expectance growth to match that. That she could succeed where he failed, right the wrong he couldn't, redeem him somehow.
Such lofty goals as ever fell short of the reality...
The girl was not his second coming, simply another victim of the endless war and the callousness for life it's breed.
He sighed, there was no point continuing with that line of thought, what done was done.
So he pick up his documents and made for the door, making a note to call Ingrid at a later date. Tomorrow, he notify another grieving mother of their dead children of war and then he be back in his office to do it allover again because the world never stop turning, not for him or her or for the many in between.
And God! He hated it.