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The annoying sound of an alarm buzzed loudly, dragging Relv from what was the most peaceful and relaxing sleep he had experienced since the start of the war. He rolled over in the bed and reached out to hold Mira only to find the bed empty beside him. Instinctively he sat up, suddenly wide awake.
"Mira?" he called as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and bashed clumsily at the nearby touchpad to turn off the alarm. At the end of the bed there was a fresh uniform neatly stacked and folded. He climbed out and took a closer look. It was in fact his actual dress uniform from the Prominence. On top of the uniform was a new security chip. As soon as he grabbed it a message broadcast to his neck communicator, like all the other chips she had given him in the past if was coded to detect his genetic code and would only activate for him.
The message was simple.
"Get dressed my love and come to the Audience Chamber. I have something to show you."
Relv dressed as quickly as he could and quietly hoped that whatever she planned to show him also included breakfast because after a long night of love making with Mira he was famished, not to mention still a little tender.
He made his way hastily down the corridor and into the audience chamber. He stopped short just a few steps into the chamber as he realized he was not going to be alone. Already seated at the large meeting table in the middle of the chamber were Ibek and another man in the dress uniform of a commando. They both stood and saluted when he entered and he fired one straight back out of habit.
He walked over and shook Ibek's hand firmly and then turned to the commando and shook his too. Relv immediately noticed the metallic silver sheen of his skin. It almost sparkled in even in the artificial light of the audience chamber. He was from the colony world Hebra. Hebra was one of the very first colony worlds ever established. In those early decades when terraforming technology was still in its infancy the best way to adapt to a planet was through genetic manipulation of the colonists. The practice was quickly outlawed in fear of creating worlds that were divergent from the original Vaslusian identity. Therefore as a Hebran he was unique amongst Vaslusians as a descendant of one of just four worlds where genetic manipulation had been the preferred and allowed.
"This is Major Del Kelba of the thirteenth commando battalion," said Ibek.
"Pleased to meet you Rear Admiral, your reputation precedes you. I am pleased to be fighting with you on this mission."
"Major, that's impressive. I didn't think many commando's lived long enough to get promoted that high. You must be very good."
"That's generally the commando way Rear Admiral. The longer you live and the higher you get promoted the deeper shit they drop you in until they don't need to promote you anymore."
"You might want to hold that thought when the Primariate gets here and explains the mission."
"For you to be assigned my entire battalion I am expecting nothing less than a suicide mission, sir."
Relv smiled. "It won't be the first one I have been on. I think we are going to get along quite well Major. Now if you would excuse me I'd like to speak to my executive officer in private for a moment."
Relv moved over into a corner of the chamber with Ibek close behind.
"I was wondering how you and the crew have been these past few days. How are they being treated?"
"We have been allowed just about every liberty we could ask for. Almost like the last meal before an execution," he said, half joking half serious.
"You might not be far from the truth old friend, which is why I want you to sit this one out."
"I won't do that sir. I am in this with you all the way."
"Don't be a damned fool you have done enough."
"And so have you, but it's not stopping you."
"I don't have a choice, you do!"
"I swore an oath to serve Vaslus above all else long before we crossed paths. So with all due respect it's not you who has to power to free me from that oath."
Relv was about to lose his cool with Ibek and threaten him with a mental health discharge if he did not see sense when the Primariate entered the room.