Incipience

Chapter 11 pt 2

She bats her eyelashes at Rombag facetiously, "Then you should have no problem leaving. I am not particularly inclined to speak while in your sour company and this cadet seems to be a much better alternative."

Rombag silently hands me a knife before taking a step toward the door. "Very well then. Cadet, be careful. Our prisoner is one of the most nefarious members of the Quinzentenian army, keep your guard up."

"Why thank you, commander! I appreciate the compliment." She laughs, "your reputation proceeds you as well, or else I would not be in this situation. Though I have to say, the knife is unnecessary. As you can see, I am restrained at the moment."

The only response Rombag gives her is the slam of a door. The two of us sit in silence for a few moments.

"The Inovarians are such stern individuals," she quips. "Of all the species I've interacted with, they are by far the most rigid."

I know I shouldn't be as surprised by her casual approach to the situation at hand, but I am.

"In all fairness, if someone invaded your ship in the middle of the night, wouldn't you be on edge as well?"

She rolls her violet eyes, "We are in space, night is relative to the ship you are on. Besides, is there a convenient time for a ship to be boarded, cadet?"

I open my mouth to rebut her statement before decided against it. As much as I hate to admit it, she has a point.

"What is your name? I would much rather call you by your given name than a title you obviously never wanted."

"My name is Charlotte-Amalie," I respond coolly. "What makes you so sure that I never wanted to be a cadet? People typically don't fight the way I do unless it's for a cause they're passionate about."

"Well it seems to me that you are not a typical person, now are you?" She leans forward as much as her restraints allow. "Tell me, Charlotte-Amalie, who exactly are you?"

I don't miss a beat. "I am a soldier that mourns for her family in arms. So many people I care about lost their lives last night as per your orders. I just want to know why."

The woman has the audacity to snort, "your attempt to make me feel guilty for my actions is admirable, but not very effective in my case. There were casualties on both sides of this conflict, but no actual deaths as far as I know."

"Lives, no, but people definitely lost their livelihoods," I rebut. "The human soldiers shot down were all athletes who dedicated their lives to being the best they can psychically be and now some of them are laying in the infirmary wondering if they'll ever be able to use their hands again. You people made sure that they'll never be able to move as they always have which is just as bad as dying for most of them."

She shrugs, "I'm sure your planet has a saying about not investing all your resources into one aspect of life—every world that I've visited thus far has one—so I am sure they have other plans. They will adapt."

I return the nonchalant gesture. "I guess the crippled Quinzentenians in our brig will too if we're going by your logic."

"Oh they will," she smirks. "The medicinal practices of the Inovarians are archaic compared to ours. The only thing irreversible on our planet is death."

"Really? Then why go to all of this trouble to steal Inovarian data? Was yours not good enough? Or could you not stand the idea of a so-called archaic society knowing more than you do?"

"This whole incident has been no trouble at all."

"What is trouble, then, if it's not your people bleeding and broken down by your enemy?"