“Sub-Commander Reik, can I have a word with you?” Kiel called out as he approached Reik in the lower halls of the Compound.
“Certainly, Commander.”
“I wanted to commend you on efficient work and on the quality of the new compound wall.”
“Thank you, Commander, but it was the collective efforts of the engineers and workers that helped to put it up in a timely manner.”
“Don’t downplay your ability to coordinate your subordinates, Sub-Commander. Accept this compliment.”
“Thank you, Commander.”
“I hear the 1st Narce Avahloh was impressed as well.”
Reik’s facial expression changed. “I’m pleased he was pleased. If you’ll excuse me, Commander, I have to meet Sub-Commander Coto in the Command Room soon.”
“Of course, Commander,” Kiel excused Reik, then stood there contemplating Reik’s tone and sudden departure. It didn’t quite mirror Coto’s, but there was definitely something there.
Kiel turned to see Sub-Commander Coto heading down the hall, to the meeting Reik referred to no doubt. Coto walked up to Kiel.
" Have you given anymore thought to what we discussed earlier?" Coto asked.
"All day, actually. And yourself?" Kiel replied.
“Every day, actually," Coto returned.
"It's a good thing we are on the same page. It may also be time to find others who are on the same page to help come up with a plan to uproot current leadership."
"You sound as if you have someone in mind," Coto fished.
"I'm not certain yet, but I'm sure we'll soon be able to tell."
"Good. Quite honestly, the quicker we get that behemoth out of Central Command, the better I will feel."
Kiel looked over Coto's shoulder and saw Avahloh coming their way.
“The subject in question as we speak,” he said. Coto glanced down the hall and saw Avahloh. “I understand you and Sub-Commander Reik have business to attend to in the Command Room, so I’ll see you on your way Sub-Commander.”
Coto nodded and made his way to the Command Room. Kiel waited for Avahloh.
“Commander Kiel,” Avahloh greeted.
“1st Narce. I was just expressing our contentment with the construction to the Sub- Commanders.”
“They should be pleased as well. This wall will help us continue to defend this compound.”
“Agreed. Where are you headed?”
“I am going to follow up on things in Command. Would you mind joining me?”
“Not at all, 1st Narce.”
The men made their way to the doors of the Command Room. When they walked in this time, it was calm. There was none of the previous activity of responding to an attack.
They strolled down the center aisle as usual. Avahloh glanced over the room and its different sections. As he did so, his eyes settled on a young cadet who was talking into his com relaying whatever bit of data he was in charge of filtering. Avahloh looked above him at the flashing red light on his control center. He looked to see what that cadet was in charge of and noticed it was weather. He looked a little longer, gave it no more thought, and then continued on to the Holo table. He tapped the table and pulled up the Green Holo schematic of the compound.
“What are you studying?” Kiel asked.
“I’m analyzing the overall defense strength of the compound with the added structure intact.”
“Do you think it will open up opportunities for new strategies?”
“Definitely,” Avahloh said as his attention drifted back to the weather station. The light was still flashing. He turned his attention back to the schematic. “What immediate opportunities can you see, Commander?”
“We’ll definitely be able to explore better weapons placement with new angles of defense -” Kiel began to point out.
Avahloh’s head jerked back to the weather station and the still flashing light. He looked around the rest of the room and noticed no other alert lights flashing. He straightened abruptly, left the Holo table, and tapped his com as he walked. Kiel looked up, caught off guard by Avahloh’s movement as it cut him off mid-sentence.
“Cadet, how long has your warning light been flashing?” Avahloh startled the cadet with his booming inquiry as he walked up to the weather station.
“Only about fifteen minutes, sir. I’ve been watching the screen. It’s only an indicator of a small sand storm that has been trying to brew a few miles out. Well, it started a few miles out.”
“Why didn’t you alert your Commanding Officer of this? I specifically ordered anything out of the ordinary to be brought to my attention.”
“With the threat of attack on us, sir, I didn’t want to concern you with something as trivial as a sand disturbance. It’s just gusts of wind that stir up the sand and show up on our weather radar.”
“Cadet, do sand disturbances have the tendency to move this laterally? Have you experienced such a small cluster of a sand storms in your time here?”
“No, 1st Narce,” the cadet admitted.
“I didn’t think so,” Avahloh said as he eyed the cadet with ice daggers. “Sub- Commander Reik, Looks like the Heavy Weapons team will be put to use sooner than expected. Are they ready for detail?"
“As we discussed, the personnel is dispersed throughout the compound. It will take them time to get prepped and ready."
"Understood. Order them to the front gates - as many as they can manage in ten minutes.”
“Yes, 1st Narce,” Reik said then glanced at Kiel before rousing to the command. Kiel gave him a curious smile then turned back to the weather station cadet. He eyed the cadet with sympathy.
Avahloh looked back at the data on the screen and then rethought his order.
“It’s too late for that,” he said softly as he studied the data. “Actually, Sub-Commander, belay that last order. Have them exit the back gates and come around the west side of the compound.”
“But it will take the soldiers some time to get prepped and travel a mile from the back gate to the front.”
“That is hand we are dealt, Commander,” Avahloh said. "That is the nature of our current thing."
“Yes, sir,” Reik answered. He didn’t totally understand, but he knew there had to be a reason. He didn’t have time to think too much about it, as he was shocked by the sight of two Grim Reaper soldiers entering the room.
“Reapers, take this cadet out into the hall,” Avahloh said as he turned back to the screen. The room was heavy with tension as Avahloh's entire body showed intense irritation. He turned back to Kiel and Sub-Commander Coto, and then strolled past them. “Commander Kiel and Sub-Commander Coto, join me in the hall.”
The two men followed behind Avahloh, out into the hall where the two Reapers waited with the cadet, who had obviously just irritated Avahloh.
"1st Narce, if I could have a word with you," Coto called out, his eyes screaming with fear. His words fell on deaf ears. Avahloh continued on in his stride without as much as a pause of acknowledgement
“Place him against the wall,” he ordered. As they did so, then turned to face the cadet, Kiel knew what was coming. Coto looked on nervously at his subordinate as he wondered if this really was going to happen. His subordinate looked back at him in fear, his eyes begging Coto to do something.
Kiel stepped close to Avahloh and dropped his voice to a whisper. “1st Narce, I am not questioning your orders, but do you think this is…?”
Avahloh turned his head towards Kiel, which stopped him midsentence. Kiel quickly lost all enthusiasm to plead any further. It was not his head on the chopping table and he would not willingly place it there.
“Exterminate this failure,” Avahloh ordered.
The two Reapers pulled out their side arms and fired at the cadet until his body fell lifelessly to the ground. The sounds of the gunfire echoed into Central Command and everyone inside stood frozen in shock.
Sub-Commander Coto simply stood and stared at his cadet, who lay on the ground, but he didn’t dar
e speak about it in fear of facing the same fate. One that, obviously now, he only escaped a day ago.
“It is necessary, Commander,” Avahloh said evenly. He held Kiel’s gaze for a moment and then walked over to Sub-Commander Coto “You may find this harsh, Sub-Commander, but I need soldiers who will follow my orders, even the simple ones and especially in Central Command. You will make sure that happens. After today, Grim Reapers will run Central Command. This is the one place I require Grim Reaper-like discipline. Reassign your men as you see fit.”
Avahloh walked back toward Central Command. Kiel locked eyes with Sub-Commander Coto before leaving to catch up with Avahloh.
Curiosity overcame Kiel's fear and he gathered the confidence to entertain it. Given the extreme nature of the previous events, this curiosity was one that had to be quenched now.
“Commander, after the speech I heard you give to Grim Reapers of your own command, how could you find such a demonstration necessary?” Kiel asked.
Avahloh looked at him as he strode but did not respond.