Read Online Talosian Chronicles 5: Raptor Squadron by Ben Winston - Free Book Online
Authors: Ben Winston
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harsh? Why can’t you let her rescue the hostages?" Sam asked.
"She will be allowed to rescue one of them, as I understand it, she'll have to choose who she saves. The rest of us will die," Ian explained.
"Sir, none of us could pass this test," Ben said quietly.
Ian shook his head. "This isn't about passing or failing, she will fail. This test is about what she'll do afterward; how will she handle the grief and guilt. Will it shut her down, or will she face it and accept it?"
"We are landing, Admiral. Damocles is now on lockdown," Lissa reported.
"Thank you Lissa, please join us when you can," Ian said.
TDF Star Dancer
Raptor Damocles Birth
High Orbit of Earth
Sol System, Sol Sector
Commander Jennifer Williams, Commanding
"We can watch what she's going through, Da?" Sasha asked.
"We could, but Lissa and Star didn't recommend it as it might introduce a lag into the simulation that she could detect. Ty said we shouldn't watch because of what she's going to see and be forced to do," Ian explained. "The doctors are monitoring her though, and we'll be able to review the mission after the fact."
"How long will this take?" Ben asked.
"At least a couple of hours, maybe longer," Ian replied. "It all depends on her."
Ian and the Damocles team sat and waited. They ate lunch and talked. During the time, Ian could see that Lissa was getting upset. She was one of the AI controlling the reality Cindy was in, so she knew what was going on in there.
"Mishka, are you alright?" Sasha asked gently.
Lissa nodded. "It's coming to an end. Doctor Williams has been killed, Commander Williams and the Admiral are both badly wounded, but the Commander was… I'm very glad this is only a simulation. The Admiral and Cindy split up; Cindy went to save the children while the Admiral went to try and save the women."
Ian sighed. "I'm sorry to have to order this, but everyone but Lissa, please seal up your suits and arm yourselves. She may be violent when she is released."
"Perhaps you should put your helmet on as well, Admiral," Lissa suggested.
Ian shook his head. "No, I want her to be able to see my face and know it was all fake."
"The children were put in the same situation as the ones on Talos had been, so far, Cindy has not lost control even though she knows one of them has already died. However, she is not allowing the bad guys to surrender either," Lissa said. "This time, she is very aware of her actions."
Ian only nodded. "I would do the same, but I would want to make them suffer more."
"She is at the final stage. She has to choose which child to save," Lissa replied.
Ian closed his eyes. He had been dreading this part.
"Huh?" Lissa said surprisingly. "She just… She saved all three?"
Ian looked at her." I thought that wasn't supposed to happen?"
"It wasn't. She used her suit to move very quickly and she shot all the bad guys before they could kill the children. She did accidentally wound Sean, but it's not life-threatening," Lissa explained. "Scenerio ending. Unsealing her suit."
The armored statue that had been Cindy moved slightly, as if looking around. Slowly she reached up and removed her helmet. She was covered in sweat and had tear streaks on her cheeks. "It was a test? It was all a fucking test ?" she said almost hysterically.
Ian nodded to her. "Yes it was. I'm really sorry, Cindy, but we needed to know how you would react in a worst case. I'm really sorry we had to do this to you."
"No one was hurt or died?" Cindy asked, clearly controlling her anger.
"No hon, no one was hurt. The kids, Beth and Jenny are all right outside the Raptor," Ian replied. "Everything was a set up so you would believe the test was real."
She saw her team mates standing around armed and armored and nodded to them. "I'm alright guys. I'm not homicidal." She turned back to Ian. "Can you please put your helmet back on for a minute?"
"Sure, but why?" Ian asked, confused.
"So I can punch you in the face without ripping
"She will be allowed to rescue one of them, as I understand it, she'll have to choose who she saves. The rest of us will die," Ian explained.
"Sir, none of us could pass this test," Ben said quietly.
Ian shook his head. "This isn't about passing or failing, she will fail. This test is about what she'll do afterward; how will she handle the grief and guilt. Will it shut her down, or will she face it and accept it?"
"We are landing, Admiral. Damocles is now on lockdown," Lissa reported.
"Thank you Lissa, please join us when you can," Ian said.
TDF Star Dancer
Raptor Damocles Birth
High Orbit of Earth
Sol System, Sol Sector
Commander Jennifer Williams, Commanding
"We can watch what she's going through, Da?" Sasha asked.
"We could, but Lissa and Star didn't recommend it as it might introduce a lag into the simulation that she could detect. Ty said we shouldn't watch because of what she's going to see and be forced to do," Ian explained. "The doctors are monitoring her though, and we'll be able to review the mission after the fact."
"How long will this take?" Ben asked.
"At least a couple of hours, maybe longer," Ian replied. "It all depends on her."
Ian and the Damocles team sat and waited. They ate lunch and talked. During the time, Ian could see that Lissa was getting upset. She was one of the AI controlling the reality Cindy was in, so she knew what was going on in there.
"Mishka, are you alright?" Sasha asked gently.
Lissa nodded. "It's coming to an end. Doctor Williams has been killed, Commander Williams and the Admiral are both badly wounded, but the Commander was… I'm very glad this is only a simulation. The Admiral and Cindy split up; Cindy went to save the children while the Admiral went to try and save the women."
Ian sighed. "I'm sorry to have to order this, but everyone but Lissa, please seal up your suits and arm yourselves. She may be violent when she is released."
"Perhaps you should put your helmet on as well, Admiral," Lissa suggested.
Ian shook his head. "No, I want her to be able to see my face and know it was all fake."
"The children were put in the same situation as the ones on Talos had been, so far, Cindy has not lost control even though she knows one of them has already died. However, she is not allowing the bad guys to surrender either," Lissa said. "This time, she is very aware of her actions."
Ian only nodded. "I would do the same, but I would want to make them suffer more."
"She is at the final stage. She has to choose which child to save," Lissa replied.
Ian closed his eyes. He had been dreading this part.
"Huh?" Lissa said surprisingly. "She just… She saved all three?"
Ian looked at her." I thought that wasn't supposed to happen?"
"It wasn't. She used her suit to move very quickly and she shot all the bad guys before they could kill the children. She did accidentally wound Sean, but it's not life-threatening," Lissa explained. "Scenerio ending. Unsealing her suit."
The armored statue that had been Cindy moved slightly, as if looking around. Slowly she reached up and removed her helmet. She was covered in sweat and had tear streaks on her cheeks. "It was a test? It was all a fucking test ?" she said almost hysterically.
Ian nodded to her. "Yes it was. I'm really sorry, Cindy, but we needed to know how you would react in a worst case. I'm really sorry we had to do this to you."
"No one was hurt or died?" Cindy asked, clearly controlling her anger.
"No hon, no one was hurt. The kids, Beth and Jenny are all right outside the Raptor," Ian replied. "Everything was a set up so you would believe the test was real."
She saw her team mates standing around armed and armored and nodded to them. "I'm alright guys. I'm not homicidal." She turned back to Ian. "Can you please put your helmet back on for a minute?"
"Sure, but why?" Ian asked, confused.
"So I can punch you in the face without ripping
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