Major Verle's question came out of the blue.
What did guilt have to do with Ves?
"I don't understand what you mean." Ves replied while squirming in his seat. "What's this question about, sir?"
His default dark green mech designer uniform made him feel awfully exposed and vulnerable. He badly wanted to get back to wearing the Squalon.
"The psychoanalysis programs analyzing your expressions state that you are shouldering a considerable burden of guilt. Therefore I'm asking you whether you feel guilty."
"I don't." Ves answered simply.
"Truly?"
Ves shrugged. "I have some regrets. I regret not finding a way to save the ground forces. I regret not being able to help the mission more. I regret…"
He regretted having to kill Venerable Karol Xie in the eve of battle. Though it seemed unlikely that Xie could have turned the tides against Venerable Relia Foster and her ridiculously extravagant Belisarius mech, perhaps Xie might have still been able to mitigate the losses somehow.
