Once seated at the left end of the horseshoe shaped table, at which about six people were now sitting, Dickson slouched back in his chair and produced another cigarette. He didn't really want another smoke but he figured it would get up the noses of the people who had called him here.

Sure enough it did.

"What in blazes are you playing at? This is a council of war not a-"

Dickson turned to face the speaker, a moustached man sitting next to him, and breathed out, sending a cloud of smoke straight into the man's face. The man promptly burst into a series of spluttering coughs as he doubled over the desk.

"Colonel Vangarre, it is cigarette smoke not brog gas. Must you make such a scene?"

Dickson turned away from the still wheezing Vangarre to face the exasperated new speaker.

"General Evander, it's nice of you to call me over. I guess I should've known your visit to the Weapon Development Lab the other day wasn't just a social call."

"Believe me I'm very sorry Dickson. Both for dragging you out of bed and for the whole purpose of this meeting but it is my duty as the head of the Defence Force to look into every possible option as to how we might defend ourselves."

As much as Dickson disliked this whole situation, he couldn't really sustain any sort of anger towards General Evander whose politeness, kindness and concern for the people of Colony 9 was near legendary. He was a few years older than Dickson with shoulder length grey hair that contrasted with a distinguished face that had not aged badly. Perched on his nose were a pair of spectacles and people often remarked he looked more like a scholar than a soldier.

"I understand your duties general, but we are not done researching the Monado yet."

There was a snort from one of the other officers.

Dickson turned to see the insufferable Colonel Arean as being the source of the noise. Arean was a man of incredible arrogance with a sense of superiority and self-righteousness like no other. Unfortunately, Arean was also an excellent soldier and was the clear favourite to succeed Evander in the position of general once the latter inevitably retired. Dickson only hoped the transfer of power would take place after the current crisis because the thought of following a man like Arean into battle was unbearable.

"Something amusing Arean?" Dickson inquired with a hint of menace in his voice.

The Colonel bristled, "I think you'll find that's Colonel Arean, civilian."

"Oh is that right?" Dickson replied sarcastically, "Well I'm afraid there's nothing civil about me so I won't be bowing to you anytime soon."

"Don't push me. You are mocking the future head of the Defence Force."

At this comment the other Colonel in the room, the permanently irate Vangarre, went a violent shade of crimson before he leapt to his feet. His moustache bristled ferociously and it took all of Dickson's self-restraint not to laugh.

Vangarre drew himself up to his full height, nothing special, and began to talk, well shout, at Arean.

"You may think your some kind of hotshot but that doesn't make you a leader! You can fight sure, but where's the experience that makes a great commander? If you'd been through half the things I have then you'd know what makes a leader! You could do a hundred million push ups and still be a mere rookie next to me!"

"Why forgive me Vangarre. Engaging in P.E. exercises and being beaten up by bunnits does indeed grant you all the experience necessary to lead Colony 9 to ruin."

"What did you say!"

Evander chipped in politely, "Could you both please sit down?"

The two fuming colonels obliged.

Evander sighed, "Now if I could bring this meeting back to its intended subject matter I would like you, Dickson, to tell us why you are so against the use of the Monado in this coming war. It's a weapon unlike any other and if what we've heard is true, our enemies are nigh invincible against conventional weapons. Surely we should at least try it."

"Just cos the Monado is fancy looking and I dug it out of an ice temple doesn't mean it'll possess some sort of magical powers." Dickson knew this was bare faced lie so added, "Besides, our research is only in its early stages."

Arean snorted again in disbelief, "You've had at least a decade working on it. And you've had that pasty, scrawny kid you brought back from where you found the damn thing helping you as well. Are you telling me you've both spent all this time polishing it?"

"I'll remind you, Arean, of the circumstances in which I brought the Monado back from the ruins. Shulk was the only survivor from that expedition. There were no visible marks on the dead bodies but it doesn't take a genius to see it isn't coincidence they dropped dead at the exact same moment they found the Monado. The Monado has dangerous power that we haven't even scratched the surface of. It's not just another weapon for an oafish orluga like you to swing around. It's a total unknown and you want to introduce it into a war?"

Evander considered this before he replied. "Everything you say is true Dickson but this war has been filled with unknowns. For one we know nothing about our enemy or how to beat them. Throwing in an unknown of our own may just give us a chance."

Dickson sighed, there was no way he could win this argument just as he'd expected, "Fine you can use the bloody thing. I guessed things would end up like this. Just thought seeing as I'm Shulk's guardian I had a duty to at least try and put you off."

Evander smiled genially, "Thank you my friend. I wouldn't force you into this if I had any alternatives."

Dickson wasn't done just yet though. He hadn't managed to prevent the Monado being used but he could at least implement control over how it was going to be used. "I have two conditions to fulfil before we use the Monado in battle though."

"Name them."

"Firstly we actually have to field test it on the enemy. Find out if it really does do better than the weapons we already have."

Evander grimaced, "That shouldn't be a problem given the enemy is only past Tephra Cave."

"Also you need to find people who can actually wield it."

"What do you mean?"

"As we've already discussed, the Monado is a weapon like no other and has seen fit to provide measures of its own to stop us using it."

Evander looked quizzical, "Go on."

"Some people cannot use the Monado at all and are wracked by crippling pain, seemingly caused by an electrical discharge, if they even try. This pain can last up to hours. Most people can at least activate it though without harming themselves but then we have a different problem; controlling it."

Evander looked even more quizzical as indicated by his ever rising right eyebrow, "Continue."

"Once it has been activated the person wielding the Monado has at best limited control over it. The Monado seems to wield itself and the unfortunate person holding it is no more than a passenger. The blade swings at will and chooses which direction to go in. The person holding on can't just let go either and the Monado has to run its course before it lets them release it. One poor technician got dragged into the lake the other day before the Monado finally deactivated."

Dickson looked around the table at the confused and unsure faces. "Essentially the Monado is, more often than not, out of our control. Does that sound like a good weapon to you?"

Arean snorted again, "Rubbish! It's a sword; nothing more, nothing less. The problem here is that you've only let weakling, lab nerds test it out."

Dickson shrugged, "Let's just say I'm glad the Monado can't hurt Homs. Cos if it could you would not want to be in the room with it when it goes off on one."

"Oh come on Dickson! Give it to a real man to use and the problem will be fixed."

Dickson ignored Arean and continued, "Then there are the potential consequences of prolonged expos-"

The doors to the conference room burst open and the new recruit, who had failed to show Dickson to the very room he was now seated in, stumbled in.

"You found it alright then?" Dickson chuckled sarcastically.

The recruit didn't hear him and was speaking to Evander in what would have to be described as a total panic.

"General Evander the enemy is on the move! Their vanguard is moving through Tephra Cave far quicker than we expected and our units in the cave reckon their scouts will make it through the cave tonight. First contact will be made tomorrow."

For the first time in all his years of knowing him, Dickson saw Evander's calm demeanour drop. The general thumped the table hard, making everyone jump. Evander got to his feet and thumped the table again.

"Damn! Our last report was that they were still mustering their forces on the Bionis Knee. Did our units have time to activate any traps?"

"The enemy surprised them. Captain Cartez says he lost a lot of men in the initial attack and they had to fall back immediately. They've activated what traps they could but they couldn't block every passage so at least some enemies are bound to make it through. Cartez is going to hole up inside the cave with his surviving troops and activate more traps in case the main body of the enemy force begins advancing."

Evander allowed a ghost of a smile to cross his face. "Cartez was always a madman. His men madder for following him! He'll keep them busy alright. We have to focus on dealing with the enemy that poses the most direct threat to the colony and at the moment that is the enemy scouts."

Evander turned to Dickson with a glint of mischief in his eyes, "Good chance for a field test eh?"


I have edited this chapter from when it was first uploaded to address an issue that was pointed out to me by Martin III. Namely Arean jumped to a rather far flung conclusion about the Monado possibly being possessed. While it was originally intended to simply be Arean being a bit of a jerk and doubting Dickson's findings about the Monado, the line grew to bug me after the ambiguity of it was pointed out, and so I have edited that section.

In the next chapter Dunban will make his first appearance as will a certain someone of considerable infamy and importance. Reviews are always appreciated.