The Way It Is

time to go - part 2

I feel myself getting pissy. This stinks. The whole thing stinks to the stars. What am I going to do about it, though? Not a damn thing. Time to move on, so I finally speak.

"Permission to speak, Sir?"

"Granted." The Commander-in-chief permits me. If I had been a proper Marshal, he would be my boss, so to speak. I get the feeling neither of us wants this.

"It has come to my attention we may have missed survivors on our sweep of this continent."

This is bloody embarrassing, but I will be punished more if they find out later without my confession. As my mother always said, "If you're afraid of something, do that first. Once you've faced your fears, they lose the power to scare you."

She will never know how right she had been.

I swallow my trepidation and keep my face blank, staring directly at the Commander. His eyes narrow coldly at me. Yup, I am fucked.

He turns, stepping a few feet away, mumbling something into his communicator that I can't hear. He comes back looking only slightly less annoyed.

"We'll take care of it, Captain Zea!" He says the last part like it is the worst insult in history.

Perhaps if I gave a fuck what Commander-in-chief of lying, cheating, stealing dishonourable douchebags thought, I would be offended. Yet the idea of being demoted to captain instead of returning to being a Major, stings a little if I am honest.

Between my training and lack of 'give a damn,' though it is easy to keep my expression blank at his jibe.

Until he continues, that is. "I am sure you did all you could, Captain. I am sure it was unavoidable. Especially with your inexperience."

What the fuck is this guy's issue? He sure has some serious hate on. But he succeeded. I am finally pissed off.

"With all due respect, if it is so damn easy for you and your men, Commander-in-chief, why the hell have we been here for so long? Perhaps we wouldn't have had to deal with the Zu'Lar. Perhaps soldiers wouldn't have had to die needlessly... Sir."

I keep my voice in control, only letting the tiniest hint of my contempt slide through. I am pissed, but I am not completely stupid. Well, that may be debatable.

I am already at risk of severe punishment as it is. The Commander's nostrils are flaring, but he keeps his hair black and face stony. Impressive control.

"Enough, Izka. Your penis is bigger, don't worry." The Secretary of Defense, her name still escaping me, shoots the Commander an impatient glare. "We'll discuss her rank and competence at a later date, as I had already said." She is pissed too. It is easy to see there is no love between them. I get the feeling she wants to rip his throat out.

Looking back at me, she schools her features, removing the death glare from her eyes and replacing it with a look of admiration and respect. Huh?

I somehow manage to keep my face blank, even though this unexpected act has shaken me to my core. She has to be to playing with me. Well, I will play along. Why not. Then she shocks me again by sticking out her arm in greeting.

"Sorry, I should have introduced myself. But time is short, as mentioned. I am Sica, Secretary of Defense for the United Galaxies." I try to control my surprise, but I can't help the slight hesitation as I reach out to grasp her forearm in the Universal greeting of friends.

"We don't have much time before the Zu'Lar figure out how to get around the damage we have done to their ship." Ahhhh, the explosion in the sky that at any minute would turn what is left of this continent into a pile of dust.