found himself strapped to a chair within a domed tent of fogged plastic before a table with two seats behind it. Commander Dulo entered the tent, and sat down in front of Abreon, “Now, why have you torched your own town?”
“It is not my town, but I have saved it from you.”
The commander nodded, “Explain, it is not your town.”
“I mean I did not originate from it. I came from the Nenthar people’s corporation.”
The commander interest was piqued, “They have been enslaved, destroyed.”
“Yes, this is true however, I am one of its survivors.”
“I see.”
Abreon, “Look,” showing him the scars along his fingers, arms and neck, “I have survived the Xelon Dru's ore processing facility at Aswan.”
Dulo surprised, “Then you have honor and luck on your side. So then, perhaps I can aid you?”
“You can’t, just leave this town.”
Dulo frowning, “We can't do that, we need the facilities you just burned down.”
Abreon wringing his wrists against the metal of the chair he was strapped to, “I know, but what were you going to do with them?”
“We were going to use them to aid in the fight against the Xeion Dru.”
“You are going to die if you fight them.”
Dulo, “If you help us…”
Abreon interrupting, “If I do not help you?”
“Then you die.”
“I see then, help you with what?”
“Help us fight the good fight.”
“I suppose I must, then I shall do so.”
They began digging trenches, around the perimeter of the burned town along two parallel tangents angled toward the bridge and along the roads that intersected at the center of the town. Then the Srax as they were known began to move in their weaponry, positioning it along the trenches they dug. The Srax weapons were aimed toward the bridge, which was called Linar, by the Srax. Abreon, Nece, and others were in charge of the wideband radio wave linkup for the commanders of each company, as each company in turn were to receive a live feed from the division commander. The feed and signal routing was to be coordinated by computer unit, of which Abreon was working on. In his hands were a pair of pliers and cabling.
“Their bringing in domes?”
Nece holding a pair of pliers and insulation tape, crimping wires together, “Yes, behind the lines, starting this week. The domed tents were being brought in from Srax camp and vehicles as well as personnel to staff those tents.
Abreon, “I wish Jake was here with us.”
Loss came over and sat down in the dirt with them, “I have strange news.”
Nece bitter, “Yes?”
Loss repeating himself, “I have news.”
Abreon to Nece and Loss, “When I cut the signal they are going to lose the battle.”
Nece, “What are you talking about?”
Abreon: “When the battle begins and there comes a moment where all of it hangs in the balance then I will cut there transmission capability.”
Nece, “But, Abreon, you vowed to destroy the Dru.”
Abreon nodding, “I know Nece. The Dru are pushing the remaining Nenthar and Tamar from their positions back this way. If they then intercede, then no one will win and from the ashes we shall rise.”
Loss, “That’s what I was going to tell you.”
Abreon, “Tell me what?”
“An advanced team of Srax have scouted ahead and found a company of Nenthar forty days’s journey from here.”
Nece, “How do you know?”
“Because, Abreon may now be our leader, but I’m the people’s representative and their town. It is still mine. I’m building connections with some if the lower ranking officers in exchange for land grants and other such rights.”
Abreon, “They can just take it.”
“They don't know that and besides, who is going to have any land less they have a legitimate claim to it.”
Nece, “Is that enough for you to pull the trigger?”
“No.”
“What is?”
“Total destruction.”
Abreon was sitting in a domed tent set within the town limits, a table and a Major before him. H spoke, “Tell me Abreon, who do you wish to win the battle? Do you want the Xelon Dru to win or us? Neither are your home corporation.”
“I wish for you to win, so that the war will be prolonged and it will burn both their and you’re people out leaving only the meek to live and thrive.”
The Major nodded, “Good.”
“Am I matching up with your psychological profile of me?”
“Not quite.”
“You could always buy mine from Diggaco, they hold the keys.”
The Major smiled, “We prefer to build ours from scratch. It’s cheaper.”
Abreon, “Tell me something, why did you decide to incorporate?”
“Someone had to fill the vacuum.”
Abreon irritated, “But, you were living fine without one.”
“One can always live better. Isn’t that what drives you, Abreon?”
“No, the perfection of body and soul.”
The Major pulled his chair up closer, “You know you can never be perfect, you know.”
“No.”
“Then you must realize you’re being somewhat insincere with yourself. Perhaps, you want to leave your sins behind?”
Abreon sweating, angry, “No.”
“You must want to forget?”
Abreon standing, “No!”
“You can't leave your sins behind, Abreon!”
The Major standing, leaning over the table, “So, tell me Abreon, how many men have you really killed?”
Abreon shaking, sweating and then sitting back down, closing his eyes, “My name is Abreon rank serial number 45932-001A, commander of companies in the Nenthar Corporation rank B2.”
“Well?”
Abreon opened his eyes, “And, yes I have killed many, commander.”
The Major stood, “Good, then let’s continue with building your profile.”