Chapter 281: The Third Choice
Just then, Mower, who had been silent as a shadow, suddenly spoke up with her metallic synthesized voice.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in this tense silence. "I can infiltrate the factory and find out the situation with the workers."
This statement came so abruptly that Maine and the other team members couldn't help but look at her.
Mower usually only acted when given clear orders; this kind of proactive suggestion was extremely unusual.
Her modified cyber-eyes looked calmly back at Maine, as if what she had just said was the most ordinary thing in the world.
Maine's thoughts raced.
He looked at the fully armed Inquisition squad, then at the grim-faced Count Gresham and the Adeptus Arbites officials.
If they acted according to the Arbites' plan, although relatively mild, it was essentially still suppressing these workers struggling for survival.
This reminded him of those days in Night City, when they too stood on the workers' side.
And the "purification" plan proposed by the Inquisition... just thinking about that number made him shudder.
More than three thousand workers, more than ten thousand family members, all executed? This completely exceeded his acceptable bottom line.
Mower's proposal offered a new possibility.
Maine quickly weighed the options in his mind.
Understanding the workers' true demands might be the key to breaking the deadlock, but this meant simultaneously dealing with the expectations of the Arbites, the considerations of the Count, and the closely watching eyes of the Inquisition.
The risks were obvious—the slightest misstep would not only doom the entire squad but could also bring unpredictable trouble to Lord Sage Joric.
He could feel the gazes of his teammates.
Rebecca tapped her weapon casing impatiently; Pilar fidgeted uneasily with his mechanical arms; Dorio stood silently to the side, her clenched fists revealing her inner turmoil.
"Maybe we should contact the Lord Sage," Dorio suddenly suggested. "Let him decide."
"No." Valerie's voice immediately came through the Iron Guard's communication channel, calm and decisive. "If we have to ask for instructions for even this kind of on-site decision, what will the Lord Sage think? He'll think we're worthless, just a bunch of rookies needing hand-holding."
She paused, then specifically added, "In Night City, what we looked down on the most were those corpo dogs who had to ask their superiors about everything. Now, we have to prove we're worthy of the equipment and modifications we wear."
Maine remained silent. He knew Valerie was right.
They had been granted sufficient authority and equipment; now was the time to prove their value.
Every choice meant a different path: safe but unconscionable suppression; thorough but cruel purification; or a risky investigation.
Time was ticking away. Inquisitor Karras's gaze was locked on them, and his patience was clearly not infinite.
Maine took a deep breath, knowing he must make a decision immediately.
He could feel the scrutinizing gaze of Inquisitor Karras, and he could also sense the implicitly expectant look from Count Gresham.
The Adeptus Arbites officials waited nervously; their futures likely hung on the developments of the next few minutes.
Maine's fingers unconsciously rubbed against the metal casing of his prosthetic limb, a subtle movement betraying his inner weighing.
Finally, he issued an order through the encrypted internal channel. "Mower, execute reconnaissance mission. Infiltrate the factory, find the worker representatives, and understand their true demands and specific situation.
"Maintain concealment. Do not expose your tracks. Avoid conflict with any party. We need concrete intelligence."
This order surprised a few team members slightly.
Rebecca raised an eyebrow, and Pilar nervously pushed up his goggles.
Mower, however, simply nodded slightly without any superfluous expression.
In the next moment, her figure quietly slipped into the shadows, as if she had never existed.
Maine then turned to the Inquisitor and the Count, speaking in a deliberately steady tone. "Lord Inquisitor, Lord Count. Before taking any further action, we must first assess the damage to the equipment inside the factory.
"This is not only related to the completeness of the test data for the 'Iron Guard' prototypes, but directly affects the Lord Sage's accurate judgment regarding the recovery time for production."
He deliberately used terminology and logic unique to the Mechanicus. "Decisions without sufficient data support do not conform to the teachings of the Omnissiah, and may also lead to unnecessary waste of resources. Please give us the necessary time to complete the assessment."
These words caused Count Gresham's brow to relax slightly; he clearly understood Maine's underlying meaning.
Inquisitor Karras narrowed his eyes slightly, his right hand unconsciously brushing over the bolt pistol at his waist.
The Imperial Fists warrior behind him remained as still as a stone statue, but Maine could feel that sharp gaze piercing through the helmet.
"I have heard of the Mechanicus' obsession with data." The Inquisitor finally spoke, no emotion discernible in his voice. "But remember, the work of purging heresy brooks no delay. You have... one standard hour."
This time limit was clearly far from enough, but Maine knew this was already the biggest concession the other party would make.
He nodded slightly, without bargaining.
During this brief exchange, he could feel that Valerie's Iron Guard prototype had quietly adjusted its position, standing exactly between the Inquisitorial Stormtroopers and the factory entrance.
The other Iron Guard piloted by Jackie moved in coordination, its heavy footsteps exceptionally clear in the silence.
The presence of these two war machines invisibly added weight to Maine's decision.
Maine understood in his heart that this seemingly technical excuse was actually a dangerous gamble.
He not only needed Mower to bring back key intelligence within the time limit, but he also had to ensure the situation did not spiral out of control during this period.
But these were not the main points. What choice he should truly make was the crux of today's matter.
Maine stood before the factory gate, feeling the struggle within his heart.
Three entirely different paths unfolded before him, each leading to a completely different ending.
He instinctively wanted to help those workers.
In the years in Night City, they too had been people standing on the other side of the fence, struggling to survive.
The familiar despair in the eyes of those workers reminded him of the powerlessness he once felt facing corporations.
But Valerie was right; they now represented the Mechanicus.
Lord Sage Joric did not give them these powerful equipments and modifications for them to act on personal feelings.
Every mission was a test of their value, proving they were worthy of this power.
However, the "purification" plan proposed by the Inquisition... just thinking of that number made him shudder.
Over ten thousand lives, to be entirely executed just for participating in a protest? This completely exceeded the bottom line he could accept.
Maine realized that this decision not only concerned the life and death of the workers in the factory but would also determine the future path of their team.
Choice 1: Assist the Adeptus Arbites in suppression.
Choice 2: Assist the Inquisition in purification.
Choice 3: Understand the situation and help the workers.
(End of Chapter)