Frustration

[abugslife]

[After the return from the attack on Shadow Mirrors, Scaraber is severely damaged - a result of the fight with Teremun. It's located in Sakihama's hangar for the time being, the one closest to the operation area. Hetepheres watches as several of her beetle-like technicians ascertain the damage, one of them holding his (her?) head and shaking it.]

We have recovered Lamia Loveless, and the enemy base was destroyed, as planned. The mission, technically, went better than expected...

[Despite her words, something is not right. Hetepheres, who usually keeps her face stone cold, is seething with barely constrained anger right now.]

High Commander Teremun... You really should have killed me. You will regret your decision.

Comments

[jianai]

It is not love that has caused this. You have been hurt Hetepheres, not by fate but by hand of fellow human.

But I want you to know, love is not a weakness. Falling in love such a long time ago was not a mistake. Even if the other person abused your trust, it was his fault alone.

Not yours.

[abugslife]

On the surface, Teremun projects the image of a dashing, cultured and honorable officer. I should have seen underneath this thin layer and realized his true nature earlier. But I did not, not until after we were already married; my own emotions made me blind.

This will not happen again.

[jianai]

Let me stress this out again - it was his fault for projecting that image, and that you believed in it. Not yours.

[abugslife]

I do not care who is to blame. There is nobody left in this world I love anymore - the last person I did, I killed with my own hands. I am incapable of loving anyone anymore.

And it does not matter. I have more important things to worry about, such as how the support for AEP on Geb will grow after they spin the results of today's battle as a grand victory for their cause.

[jianai]

I do not think that's true. You wouldn't do half the things you did if you didn't love humankind - both the humanity of Earth, and Geb.

But it's true, we have important things to worry about now. It was not my intention to seek a confrontation, Hetepheres. Please excuse me.

[abugslife]

Once again, you take me for more of an altruist than I am. What I feel towards humanity is not love.

[jianai]

What is it, then?

[abugslife]

This question is not easy to answer. Fascination, perhaps?