File 10.14 - Empty Victory

The battle reached its conclusion on the monitors of the conference room. Unlike the previous encounter there was less energy in the room. It was kept to only the Committee and the doctor rather than being in the Command room.

Two heavily damaged AESIR machines, the Od and Njord held on screen. While nearly as bad, the Skadi carried the same concerns. Melted plating and damaged weapons, it didn’t escape the battle unscathed. Only the late arriving Freya came out with no damage. But the presence of the arriving Freya to the field altered the mood of the staff.

Shizuka’s efforts and ending to the fight became the final note needed to put to rest the debate between the Committee and Doctor Kitawara. While they could be pleased that it wasn’t a failure, none of them wanted that, it still came as an annoyance. Narrowed expressions and furrowed brows filled the room as they stared at Kitawara. Confident and bearing a little bit of a smug look, he looked across the table at the three.

Begrudgingly, they looked between each other in agreement. The lights came open as the General stood up. “Shizuka Kitawara will remain the pilot of the Freya. You’ve proved your case, Kitawara.”

Admiral Marthrow looked over the now incoming preliminary combat report. “While they were successful, three of the machines were heavily damaged. We remain cautious about their suitability for the battles to come.”

“The battles that come will be where the AESIR shine. They were never designed for dueling or low combatant engagements.”

“As you’ve assured us in the past, Doctor.”

“For the sake of our survival, I hope your confidence isn’t misplaced,” Nellon added before stepping out.

Kitawara looked at the data of the Freya and Shizuka. A pleased smile came across his face seeing the data. “The first phase has been passed. It won’t be much longer now. I’ll see it soon…”