He had offered the Wardell a hand, and it had refused. He had told it the truth, as much of it as he could, and asked it to trust him, and it had chosen to fight instead.
If he stepped in now to save it, he would be taking a choice it had already made. And if he stepped in to stop it, he would be taking a side in a war he had just promised to stand between.
So he watched, and did nothing.
It was over in minutes.
The final barrage from the station struck the Wardell near the center of its body, where the vast presence that filled it was most concentrated, and the carrier broke apart.
Great sections of its twisted structure drifted away from one another in the darkness, trailing debris and fading light, and the Mechas that had surrounded it slowed and began to circle the wreckage.
Ning felt the soul within it leave.
