Blood Impulse

Part 15.2 - WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Homebound Sector, Haven System, Battleship Singularity

After they left, there was a moment of silence, and the Admiral began to contemplate his situation once again. Faced with the decommissioning of his ship, even he couldn't keep up his act of being wholly confident in his plans. Things were slipping out of his control. As much as he told himself that he could undo the decommissioning, he was growing ever more certain that Reeter wouldn't give him the chance.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?"

Turning, he found that the ghost had appeared behind him, a wry smile on her face. "Maybe." It wasn't every day he got to show off his authority like he had with the Sergeant. He did enjoy tearing the self-importance and feeling of control from arrogant soldiers. It was entertaining to watch them squirm, helpless as they were.

"Stars, you're evil sometimes." What kind of person thought like that? But still, "Do you want me to give her a crash course in the operation of the artificial gravity field?" It could exert even more control than the inertial dampeners.

"No," he answered, "it would be best to leave her be for now." He started towards the door, his footfalls quiet against the deck.

The playful expression quickly vanished from the ghost's face. "Admiral, I'm not mad at you." He had gone through the trouble of explaining the situation. "You leaving, it's... it's difficult for me, but I'm not angry with you." It had taken her a long time to comprehend the reasoning, but he was trying to do the right thing, so why was he avoiding her now?

"I'm glad you are feeling better," the wounds of Clarke's orders had seemingly healed. A part of him was glad to see it, and the other part just reminded him that this was all his fault. If he had taken direct action against the New Era instead of trying to stay out of the way, then he could have preserved the decaying peace. He could have done his job.

"Admiral, don't avoid the subject." She wasn't going to fall for that routine anymore. "Listen to me, I'm not angry with you. I understand that you are leaving to protect me and the crew." That wasn't something that deserved her spite. "I wanted to thank you." You're a good commanding officer.

He nodded, and simply started to leave again. He couldn't face her with the realization of his failure.

"Admiral," she said. "Talk to me." This avoidance was not like him.

"What do you want me to say?" He gestured to the scars of the structural support that loomed behind her. "We both know what happens next." She could ignore it, and he could avoid it, but they both knew that his plan was failing.

All the damage had been repaired, but it would still be the only excuse Command's corrupted corpse needed. The ship would be decommissioned. If he couldn't stop it, she'd be stripped for parts and melted down. He didn't want to consider what fate that gave the ghost. "This is what the New Era wanted. They have gotten everything they wanted, manipulated this entire situation. I never stood a chance." He should have fled like the coward he really was.

He might convince himself otherwise in the presence of the crew, but he wouldn't mislead the ghost. Nobody could stop this war. "The only peace you're ever going to see is that earned by the selective slaughter of the weak," but if she cooperated with the New Era, she would see it.

It registered on her then, with all the impact of a railgun round, that he didn't think his plan was going to work. She was going to lose her crew. They would be taken from her and at best, scattered, at worst, executed. Everything that was good, that was kind would be taken from her. She would be left alone until she ceased to exist or was driven mad. "You told me I wouldn't be alone." She had trusted that.