Chapter 1228: Shared Burdens
"How is it?"
The bridge was full of activity, with a dozen people controlling the Yphelion's many systems. None among them emitted very strong auras, and most of his sealbearers stood to the side so as not to get in the way. Like himself, most of his direct subordinates specialized in battle. Unfortunately, few issues inside the Imperial Graveyard could be solved with a well-aimed cut.
"We're being squeezed between two major storm formations. The turbulence will only grow worse before it gets better. It should be within our shielding capacity," Mark Marshall answered as Zac walked over.
The earlier chaos and high pressure didn't seem to have broken the former fighter pilot's concentration, even if his face was pallid like most of the other non-combat personnel. Thea's uncle was the pilot in command, and now also their only one. Over a dozen of Zac's crew members had their minds destroyed by the combination of the [Epiclesis Bell] and the Sangha's Dharmic world. Among them was one of the most promising outside hires, a D-grade pilot who'd lived in the Million Gates Territory for over a millennia.
His skill in traversing unstable regions like the Imperial Graveyard far eclipsed Mark's. The Marshall descendant had stabler foundations and a better class thanks to the Atwood Army's heavy investment, but that wasn't enough to make up for the huge gap in experience. Mark was only the head pilot because Estra Wind was such a recent hire and couldn't be fully trusted yet. Mark had also trained in the Yphelion before, and understanding the vessel you piloted was of utmost importance.
With Estra Wind dead, Mark had to carry the responsibility on his own. Others could take over when he needed to rest, but their control was not nearly as good. A pilot didn't just steer in a certain direction. Energy and array management was a critical aspect of their job. They constantly calibrated the motors and arrays to achieve the greatest results with the least amount of strain and energy consumption.
The Yphelion could automate this process, but a seasoned pilot could reduce consumption and strain by as much as thirty percent. That was of critical importance in a region like the Imperial Graveyard that would push any Cosmic Vessel to its limits and beyond. A D-grade ship's arrays couldn't possibly react to sudden and unpredictable changes either.
Zac thanked their lucky stars that the System had upgraded the Yphelion. Everything from engines to energy generation had seen significant improvements, which gave his novice pilot better margins to work with.
"So what's the problem?"