Mother Love

[abugslife]

[News spread quickly in Unity Group. General Mukantagara, the leader of the Gebian attack force that caused so much damage to Sparta, turned out to be Hetepheres' daughter. Nobody knew... Up until the end, when Hetepheres killed her.]

[After the fight, the Gebian general can be found in her office, sitting behind the desk - the room is mostly dark, the light is not even on. Her terminal is, but she's not really looking at it - just staring somewhere with a distant gaze. Until someone enters or contacts her, at least.]

...Yes?

Comments

[jianai]

[Ren knocks at the door before entering. The darkness inside... not good. But it spares one explanation, at least.]

Are you satisfied with this outcome?

[abugslife]

No.

But if I had a change to repeat it, I would do the same.

[jianai]

I see...

[Ren shuffles forward.]

To be honest, I feel guilty.

I could have used my power to save your daughter's life. But I didn't. It feels like a mistake, now.

[mistaken_for_monster]

I... I'm sorry for what happened... I... that...

I don't...

[He trips over his words near constantly... how do you try to help someone who had just killed her own daughter feel better?]

I'm so sorry... I wish things could have been better...

[abugslife]

You did the best you could in the situation that was given to you.

...If we did not stop Mukan, more Earthlings would have died.

[mistaken_for_monster]

I know... but.. that doesn't help at all...

I know we saved a lot of people but...

You're a good person Hetepheres... something like that... it shouldn't have happened...

[Not to you or anyone else in the Unity Group.]

[caressthedarkness]

General...

[Seta wants to say something, or try, but it isn't easy after that mission...]

[abugslife]

Seta.

Is there something on your mind?

[caressthedarkness]

...She...could not have been convinced, could she?

[ships_full_of_missiles]

[There is a knock on the side of the open doorframe.]

You left your door open...mind if I come in?

[abugslife]

Come in, captain. You are not interrupting anything.

[blackhole_sunattack]

"How're you taking it?" Though the terms are far different, Banjou knows well the loss of family.

[abugslife]

I did what I should. If I had a chance to do it again, I would still pick the same option.

Does not mean I am happy about it.

[keep_your_dignity]

GENERAL.

[Look at that, is the other stoic military person around]

[abugslife]

Major.

[actuallyselfish]

"Heptepheres." Dido says, hands clasped in front of her humbly. "I'm so sorry."

[abugslife]

Do not be. We arrived late, but in the end, the battle was won.

[empress_without_a_throne]

You look like you could use some rest. How long have you been in here?

[abugslife]

Short enough. My body is still fine.

[tillallareone]

[Well Hetepheres it wasn't exactly a someone but a something. A small wheeled drone with the Autobot insignia... and what seemed to be a holographic projector on it, one that displayed a rather familiar mechanical face.]

General Hetepheres... I wanted to thank you for your efforts... and offer my condolences for your loss.

[abugslife]

I do not require thanks or condolences, Optimus Prime. I merely did what I had to do.

[ugyuuya]

[There is a sudden brightness as the lights come on and looking to the doorway Stella is standing there. Waiting to be acknowledged she enters and closes the door behind her.]

Hello General, I wanted to come by and see how you were doing. I know that you did what was right and had to be done but having the death of someone close to you on your conscience like that is never pleasant, I know that from experience.

[abugslife]

Unfortunately, I am not the only one who has to bear such a burden. As long as a war goes on, such things will keep happening.

...Tell me more about it. About your experience.

[srwjunker]

Russel comes upon his alien ally and seems concerned from the look on his face.

"Hetephere hey, I just thought I'd drop in."

Russel does't know about how an alien feels entirely after all they might have some emotions human did not but to have to kill your own kid? That's something he's not sure he could do if he had to. He was clearly here to check up on her but he wasn't being pushy about it.

[abugslife]

And so you did.

You seem conflicted. I can read it from your face.
[Her own face, on the other hand, is as stone-cold as usual.]