The reprimand was harsh. Serah appeared to be taking it well and when it came upon Harold he performed likewise, standing stock still and rigidly in a fine display of Navy discipline. He hadn't been chewed out like this since he was a Cadet two years ago, and since he was a Cadet [i]now[/i], then perhaps it wasn't entirely undeserved, especially given Team Sigma's horrible performance. The scientist, whom he thought was more relaxed earlier, yelled like a lion; each word coming from him was like a bite from sharp fangs. Perhaps because what he said was true.

But to be fair, Harold thought, they were a barely organized, duct taped-together unit. The only briefing they were given was a short one with barely any information while people tried to claim that most coveted position of command. Team Sigma was also composed of complete strangers who had met each other just a few hours ago, and then there was this and that... everyone was confused throughout the whole affair, and...

[i]Oh hell,[/i] he thought. [i]There really is no excusing our performance. Looking back, it's cringeworthy as hell.[/i]

[i]That, and my Rostosov could really use some more armor around the guns,[/i] he added.

After Lorenzo had said his piece, and Ritsu given hers, he said crisply, "Sir, yes sir! The Cadet will remember it, sir!"

Harold then listened to Lorenzo chewing out the others, learning of how the battle went. Having had combat tunnel vision and with his unit not at all possessed of a clear communication structure, he did not know what was happening outside of his immediate environs during the mock battle. As the debriefing went on, the timeline became clearer: Serah was reprimanded for giving up; Sigma for ignoring Harold's [i]suggestion[/i] that he snipe the artillery mech (Ha!); Lora had been buried by the artillery strike and kind of gave up; Katya had [i]not[/i] been buried but kind of gave up; Elora was daydreaming and kind of gave up; Rooney did something like banging his head against the wall and Zim Hero actually got the best evaluation from Lorenzo. Even then, his was full of venom. The scientist clearly had a talent for making all of them, Harold included, look like imbeciles.

Lorenzo then said that even though they sucked, then didn't suck all that badly since they [i]did[/i] take out Irina - and also that they earned a parfait for their troubles. He then called out one of the new arrivals for 'gawking like a barbarian.' The scientist did ask for questions, however, and Harold had a good one.

He stepped up,

"Sir! My Rostosov was way too quickly firepower-killed due to having insufficient armor on its main guns. The Cadet asks whether it would be possible to up-armor the gatling guns to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Then Ariin spoke, and Harold frowned. He spoke again of a sense of duty, talking as if he were some kind of hero - and did he just say that he opened his Framewerk's hatch and actually peeked outside? The former lieutenant nearly scowled, confused about Ariin more than ever before. He'd met lots of soldiers before, each with their own colorful personality, but he'd never seen an actual hero type. Hotshots, gloryhounds, yes, but not hero types who combined the characteristics of both a hotshot and a gloryhound.

The guy spoke with such audacity and arrogance. It went against the Navy's code of conduct when conversing with a superior officer.

Then again, Harold reminded himself - the people around him were not regular soldiers. Besides, didn't he ask for this? Things that applied in Air Group Three might not be so here. He still had lots to learn about Framewerks as well.