Part 48: Cry Havoc

One month later …



Captain, I feared this would happen.



Thanks to my convalescence, you are now hopelessly behind on paperwork. Ugh, this requisition approval form is already THREE DAYS overdue.
Don't worry, I told Icari to accept the new equipment on the elevator the other day.
O-on the ele--? And on what day!?
*shrugs, gestures vaguely*
Captain, the prototypes remain at large and PACT is still a formidable military power! We must be vigilant against the risk of subterfuge! That is why all paperwork must be done both digitally and on paper, and be filed promptly!
All right, all right … Despite the fact that you’re yelling at me … I'm happy to have you back. I was scared we lost you there.



Ahem. Well captain, I have no intention of allowing you to run this ship by yourself.
Good.
...
...
I think that seeing that ship gone will do us all a lot of good.
Indeed. The galaxy has become a much safer place now without either the Legion or the Paradox Core.
I don't mean that. I mean for us. I still haven't forgotten Maray … but now I think I can go on living. And I have you to thank for that.



So … how’s the arm?
A little numb. But that's the least of my problems now.



Because now I have this stack of paperwork to deal with.
…
There is another matter as well.
What is it?
Regarding the prototype ... and our chief engineer …
It's finally finished, captain!



Here, take a look!
Well, would you look at that. My tea set, all fixed up. How'd you do that, Chigara?



Eh-heh ... I managed to gather up all the fragments and bond them back together, piece by piece. It was a little challenging to find replacements for some of the missing pieces, but I managed to restore the whole set!
This is amazing!



Eh-heheheh …



Ahem.
O-oh! C-commander. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt ...
Heh, don't worry. Ava here was just drilling me about the importance of paperwork. Ava, you’ve made your point. I'll behave myself from now on. Here you go, one completed supply requisition request, signed and everything. Now, what were you going to say earlier?
...
Nothing at all, captain. We are scheduled to remain in dry dock for two more weeks to patch this ship back together after our latest beating. Please try not to wreck her so thoroughly again.
No promises. Dismissed, commander.



Eh-heh ...
Well Chigara, you heard the boss. I better get back to work.
Understood~
Catch me again later when I'm less busy.
Okay.

Later …



*indistinct yelling*
(Oh boy ... I wonder what's going on now ...)
Is something the matter?
Captain! Unbelievable! Look!
Ah, yes … the Havoc. Looks like it’s almost repaired.
I walk in here to inspect the repair work to the hanger launch systems and instead I find this ... instrument of criminality being restored to its original state!



And what's more, I find your signature in the paperwork authorizing all this!
(Huh, I must have approved this by accident. I guess I should actually read the things I sign more often.)
U-uhh ... Well, it's a perfectly good ryder, right? Hey, who knows! Maybe Cosette will have a change of heart and fight with us! I-it's worked out pretty well for Icari right?



...
Okay, nevermind. Forget I said anything.
Captain, the Havoc is inextricably associated with one of the most heinous criminals of our time.
Well, that might be overstating things a little ...
It's directly responsible for hundreds, if not thousands of deaths, including innocent civilians and our very own crew! The mere thought of it sharing the hangar with the rest of our ryder squad is too abhorrent to even fathom!
(She does have a point there … Not to mention that oversized chainsaw's got “workplace safety violation” written all over it ...)



Captain, commander, my apologies, but if I may ...
Lieutenant? Wait, you're the one responsible for all this?



Yes, sir, I am. The restoration of the Havoc was my idea.
Well, you're the last person I expected to end up getting lectured by Ava … what do you have to say for yourself, lieutenant?
Sir! My personal opinion is that the Sunrider is still short on heavy bomber-type ryders. While the Paladin can perform the squad's anti-capital ship duties sufficiently, sound military doctrine calls for at least one fail safe. And with all due respect to the Bianca's pilot, a support-type ryder's kinetic cannon is nothing compared to a heavy bomber like the Havoc. I believe it can be repurposed, this time for the cause of good!



The Havoc's a morbidly obese, hideous lady, but soldier boy's got a point. When it comes to swallowing up bullets and nuking capital ships, the Havoc's pretty much got no equal. There's still room left in this hangar for one more ryder, and besides, it's that pirate runt responsible for everything. The Havoc's just a tool. A tool we can take advantage of now for ourselves.

Choose one:

A:

Well commander, I think our pilots have a point.

B:
We can't use a ryder associated with the murder of innocents. Scrap it.