Interview Location: Aonyobo Annex, Tohoku System (Chochinbi Headquarters)
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Uploading Agent Testimony⋱ . . . . . .
Interviewer: Agent Zhao, are you prepared for your evaluation? Zhao: Konbanwa, Madam ▉▉▉▉▉. Yes, I am ready. I: In your report, you have written that the first few days of this operation have been hectic. Even before the final offensive had begun you and the Kusari forces you were accompanying had met strong resistance. Could you elaborate? Z: Oh -- straight to the point. Yes, I...have fought a number of their fighters as my superiors were coordinating against enemy Capital Assets. Bombers, Fighters, Gunboats. I fought as many as I could. It was... stressful. With so many of them and so few of us, I was forced into a defensive position. I: And how did you get out? After all you are here, having a lovely conversation with me and recounting events for the higher-ups to evaluate later on. Z: Can I be honest with you? I: I would expect nothing less from one of The Emperor's most gifted. Z: I saw no way out. My eyes were just... set on what is in front of my cockpit. I knew that eventually, my ship's wear and tear will get the better of me. It was all a matter of time, and I did not have much to begin with. So I went on the offensive. Together with my brothers and sisters we took out enemy fighters and bombers one by one. I: How many confirmed 'kills' do you believe you have contributed to? Z: Somewhere around twenty. Roughly. Maybe thirty, but I am unsure. My ship's guncam recordings should be of help to you. I: We will see. Now -- you pride yourself with saving numerous allies from death's cold grips. But you have not talked about the ones you could not save. How do you feel about this? Z: My heart burns! I grieve for those who lost their lives. I thank them for their selfless sacrifice. For every one of their deaths, three, four even five Order fanatics have died. They motivated me to stand my ground and fight. And I did so to the best of my abilities. I: Moving words, Agent. You have made them proud. And your honor remained unsullied. Now -- during this operation, have you met anyone familiar from The Order? A voice, a face, a ship. We know that some civilians from our Nation would rather swim in mud, than the clear waters of Kyushu. Z: Only one, madam. My little brother chose to betray our family. Our values. I believed him dead for many years... but. To see him conspiring with the enemy? I would have never thought him capable of such. [A short pause] Z:Akio was his given name. The fu-oool...he took upon the nickname of 'The Colonel' without ever deserving it! I: And what became of him? Describe to me what you did in this... 'Showdown', as you wrote it off in your report. Z: I... I should not. Despite his many heinous actions against our home, he still died with honor. His name should be laid to rest now. I: Allow us to remember him one more time, Agent Zhao, before he is truly forgotten and your family's reputation restored. Z: Very well. So it went like this . . .
Zhao was a man of focus. Ever since his "recruitment" to the Chochinbi, his only goal was that of serving his masters' Grand Design. Zhao had two friends on his shoulder. The first one, 'Urei', aided his grieving heart to push through loss. Someone to wipe his tears and share tales of other warriors who went through similar hardships. And then there was 'Setsujoku', who whispered promises of vengeance. To him, every loss deserved a vengeful spirit to reclaim their honor. Zhao played that role well.
The list of those who wronged his masters was long, near infinite. The best way to hurt an enemy was to aim for the weak spots -- and in that day it was Fort Carthage. Zhao heard rumors of a secret installation fueling The Order's war machine. Vile metal construction whose sole purpose was to cause suffering. It was the perfect opportunity to shorten his list.
Day after day he spent cutting through enemy forces like a well sharpened katana alongside other fighters he shared a deep connection with, until finally the end of his labor would come to bear fruit. Fort Carthage was left open and Kusari's wrath fell upon The Order's amalgamation. It was through the simulated noise his cockpit generated that Zhao heard through the local channel a familiar voice.
CURSE YOU, ZHAO!!!
His heart raced and his mind momentarily blanked out. There were no words to describe what he felt in that moment. Fear, angst, hatred, despair were too subtle. That voice accompanied by a sudden Ripper Mine disabling Zhao's shields only contributed to a sudden feeling of shellshock.
PREPARE TO MEET YOUR END, ZHAO!
Again, but the feeling passed. The Agent was focused once more and aware of his surroundings. That was no ordinary terrorist. His own brother had resurfaced after years of absence and mourning. Now under a new nickname, The Colonel, it was he who swore allegiance to The Order. Now on opposite sides of an unending war for their respective leaders, the two brothers clashed swords in a kenjutsu - a duel.
You fuoool. How dare you bring dishonor to our family?! Yuooo should have stayed dead.
Yuoo are forcing my hand now, brother.
They charged at one another. Zhao's mighty railguns met The Colonel's Iron Hammers. Pinpoint accuracy against immeasurable, brutish stopping power. A Chimaera's righteousness and a Bastet's cunning. Their shields collapsed as each of them landed solid shots, then stopped in opposite directions as the battlefield around them vanished into thin air. Now it was just them - brother against brother.
Curse you Zhao! I Hereby vow, you will rue this day! You have long fallen from the path intended by our ancestors!
The Colonel glazed over Zhao's Chimaera. Her 'horns' were already shattered. Visible hull damage from Order weaponry was apparent. His own ship was wounded, too. Kusari-born weaponry burned through the outer layers of armor on his Bastet, but still had the advantage in terms of how many nanobots he had left in the reserve. Not the same could have been said about Zhao, however.
Their engines rumbled like two feral animals ready to pounce at one another while in the distance the IKN-Yulgok Yi launched a volley of shots on a nearby Order Geb. The Battlecruiser's shots landed masterfully, providing the final que for the two brothers to engage in a decisive duel.
The Colonel. A prestigious rank for many, an honorific title for others. Regardless, it is one that is bound to command some form of respect. Few would even consider the possibility that such a title could be given out of spite. No rank prestige or honour, but a brand seared into the psyche of a man who could have been much more.
Where one brother was destined to be the frontline fighter, the proverbial ace of fighter combat, another showed more of a knack towards leadership. Unwavering in his ideals to the point of naivety, Akio was to become a promising officer.
Sadly, a military career is usually intertwined with politics, especially one where authority is the key. Just like delicacies from the sea, there is such a thing as too much backbone. Akio would only tolerate the missteps of his superiors for so long; with every conflict he slid further down career ladder.
Through a set of coincidences during a lost patrol and well-placed agents, Akio found himself on the side of the order. His demeanour didn’t change at all, and the once tactful man became way too overbearing. Still, the Order could not afford to lose manpower, and with a right nudge here and a properly conducted manipulation there, Akio became a foot soldier. A mere pilot. The way he behaved also earned him a callsign: The Colonel.
There was no grace in this fight. No honour to speak of, but tooth and nail. Shouts and slurs ringing through the intercoms while the cracking of plating added a unique flavour to the incoherent discourse. Across the hails of shots and the salvos of mines, one could clearly see which brother would be the winner.
The Bastet turned into a ball of flame after a particularly deadly pass. A final transmission echoed through the comms as The Colonel’s throat filled up with blood and shrapnel.
![[Image: 9Joq1q5.png]](https://i.imgur.com/9Joq1q5.png)
