Darling in the Franx: Alternate Core

Chapter 11: About oaths, burdens and speeches...

Orion: - Simulator bots... we install this little things in room of interest and they will make it look like a normal session while in reality we will be talking them about those forbidden subjects. -

Sally: - And you think they will remain silent about them? I bet my month's salary that Zorome will be the first to spill the beans. -

Orion: - I have an idea for that, but it will require an oath and something to emphasize the importance of it... -

Sally: - And how can we get this sort of situation in which the kids have to doubt what has been basically ingrained on them since childhood? Not to say that they live in a golden version of that text called '1984'. -

Orion: - Hmmmm... well, one of the things that opened their minds, albeit relunctantly, was encountering Wolfblade. Maybe that's what they need: encounters with the way of the world outside of APE. -

Sally: - Easier said than done... most of the blue dinos out there are of the hostile kind and good luck trying to get them to interact with basically everyone else. The moment Papa realizes that even a slight 'hello' was said, is the moment they will wash their memories... -

Orion: - Which is why... and I hate saying this... we have to play like them with the long game... *sigh* you know, I miss the time when it was only you and me, playing around at the villa, not giving a care of the world outside... -

Sally: - I do remember that period too... but then Raven arrived and helped open our eyes to it. And I like to think that it is thanks to him that you and I are forever united as one... -

Orion: - It WAS thanks to him... after all I asked him to be my best man, remember? -

Sally: - Oh... I think I may have forgotten... maybe if we do some of the same 'activities' we did will help me remember? -

She said the last part in that lusty tone that Orion both loved and hated to hear...

Orion: "Well, there goes our lunch of food for another one is prepared in front of my eyes"

Before he could respond however, both heard their holodevice beep. Checking the message it read: "Eat FOOD for lunch, sortie at 15:00 hours. Only SMC units. Raven."

Orion: "Damn you Raven" - Well that will have to wait... we're being sortied again, this time only SMC. -

Sally: - Huh... weird... why only us this time? -

Orion: - Beats me, but now Raven basically texted me to hold back from having fun and to eat actual lunch... fortunately... *picks up Sally and both go inside their tent where she sets her on a 'special' bed while he opens a kit of 'exotic' food* I know how to multi-task... -

3 hours later...

At the hangar, the 4 LYNX were discussing about the briefing earlier at the command room... Squad 13, surprisingly, was told to attend even though they wouldn't be participating...

Raven: - So let me get this straight... only Atlas squad will participate in what essentially is a recon mission? Why not have Squad 13 participate along too? -

Douglas: - This is something SMC units are more experienced with and we also think it is unnecessary for them to do so considering their Franxx require Magma energy that doesn't last that long on the field. This is no mere recon mission LYNX Raven, this is a pathfinder mission. -

Orion, Sally and Raven: - Ooooooh... that explains it... -

Naomi: - What's the difference between the two? -

Raven: - Recon is what you expect to do: go around, see the area around and report back once you find something interesting or different to what you expected. Pathfinder is a recon operation but cranked to a harder difficulty. We are basically tasked to find a shortcut through the nearby mountains to see if we can cut our travel time towards the arc for both Plantations... -