Alcyon | Shrine of Winter
BGM: Code Geass R2 OST: Boy From Britannia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtxNw8Rs8Ds
"I see... Alien race. Monkey tail-like appendage. Post-traumatic Stress symptoms... Possible near-extinction of race, despite being sturdy and durable... Possibilities include a virus, being hunted down... or his planet suffered the same fate as the Earth..." Phenom rattled all of this off with his chin in his hand, talking to himself. When he finished, he looked back at Bardock, "My condolences for the loss of your race, Bardock. I have not introduced myself. My name is Phenom Ortus."
As the group continued down the way, Phenom could make out the shadow of a young girl, resting atop a block of... some... black substance. He wondered what puzzle might await them in the next room.
Celestora System | Alcyon Space
Space Station "Heaven" Interior
BGM: EVE Online OST: Red Glowing Dust https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iKA2wJp97s
Lachesis sighed as she signed off from Phenom's Hard Light display. When would he ever learn that authority can only get you so far? And it won't get you very far when you're in an uncharted galaxy, face to face with people who's presence alone is visible from space. She leaned back in her chair and spun around, staring at the ceiling.
"Phenom... Whatever happened to you... You used to be so compassionate. So kind." She said to herself, under her breath.
"He lost something very important to him, First Lieutenant." Said a voice from behind Lachesis. The voice was rather familiar to Lachesis, for it was her mentor.
"Colonel Valli? What are you doing here?"
"Just checking in on my favorite students. How's my boy doing down there?"
"Oh... you know.. Phenom's just being Phenom. What did you mean he lost something important to him? I mean, I've known him my whole life and he used to be so much more cheerful. Now he's just a brick wall who only emotes with me. For everyone else, he may as well be a machine."
"Well," Valli began, "what he lost was his Pride and Self-respect. He failed as a unit commander that night, after all. At least in his mind, he did. And to lose his father shortly before that... Soren may not have been around for much of Phenom's life, due to his work with the Organization, but when he was, he made every effort to make Phenom happy."
"I'm afraid I don't follow..." Lachesis said, confused.
"Let me put it like this. Phenom has an imposing presence as he is, and he knows this. He uses that and his perfect stoicism to intimidate people. He feels that that is the most effective way of getting his job done. Remember when he nearly broke Alaina... excuse me... Lady Luck's arm when she refused to tell him where Morkt's doomsday weapon was?"
"Yeah...?" Lachesis responded.
"Had he not done that, she would have gone to destroy it on her own. She would have died, and the world would have been destroyed. Speaking of which, he probably feels remorse for being unable to prevent that from happening 6 years later. I would say that Phenom is rather trying to repent. Or honor the memory of his father and fallen comrades by doing things the way he finds is most efficient. He's picking up their slack in his mind. You're right, he's compassionate. But he's lost the ability to express that to anyone besides you. Do you know why?"
"Is it because we've known each other for so long?"
The Colonel chuckled as he left the room. "Maybe one day, you'll figure it out."