1.
The Colonel is reporting to General Warfield via video link. Wendel is standing side by side with the Colonel.
"Colonel Zilong I know you must have questions about Colonel Wendel." Says Warfield. "All I can say is, the order to release him comes directly from the Emperor himself. So is the order to promoted him directly to the rank of Colonel. From now on, Colonel Zilong and Colonel Wendel, you two will have to work together to protect this base. Colonel Zilong I have read your report. I understand your concerns. But the weapons lab is vital to the Dominion. Your successful deployment of the Thor confirms its importance. I know the scientists are the brains behind new weapons, but without the lab itself, new weapon development will be set back for at least a year. That is simply unacceptable."
Continues Warfield. "As to the biological lab studying the Zerg, it is just as importance as the weapons lab. We have not seen before the new strain of Zerg unit developed by the hatchery imprisoned within the biological lab. This so-called Lurker unit can be devastating to our troops without detections. So we must not let other Zerg brood acquire the know-how to evolve this Zerg unit, and we must also learn more about how Zerg develop new unit type. However, if base defence is compromised, your order is to destroy the special hatchery in your custody."
"Yes General." Comes the answer from both Colonels.
"Unfortunately we cannot send reinforcement." Says Warfield. "Augustgrad is being attacked by both the Zerg and the UED as we speak. The situation is dire because the attack seems to be coordinated. We think the UED may be controlling the Zerg, or at least the Zergs attacking the city. You will be first to be notified if the situation changes."
"Acknowledged, General."
"Dismiss."
2.
After General Warfield ends the call, Wendel immediately turns to the Colonel.
"Colonel don't let the rank trouble you." Says Wendel. "You and I both know I am not a soldier. The rank is just the Emperor's way of saying you should listen to me from time to time. Don't worry, I will not interfere with military matters, the Dominion forces will only listen to you anyway. So please do NOT address me as Colonel in public. Just consider me as a special advisor to you. Instead I will take ownership of intelligence matters. As you have no doubt read my dossier, I am more than qualified."
"Very well."
"But I will ask two things from you. First, you have to change how you are treating Beth and Fry."
"Those two are enemies of the Dominion. Soon they will be tried, found to be guilty of treason and then be executed." Says the Colonel.
"Do you think I went to all that trouble just so you can kill them by firing squad? Fry is too good of a soldier to let him die willy-nilly. Beth can become our mole in Raynor's Raiders. So keeping them alive serves the strategic purposes of the Dominion."
"Why do you think they will listen to you?"
"They won't listen to ME, but they will listen to reason." Says Wendel. "The second thing I want you is to prepare for an exit strategy. I know the order is to hold this base at all cost. But given the the Zerg blockade, and given the number of Mutalisks in orbit, it would be wise to hedge our bets and build battlecruisers ourselves to break the blockade."
"The Thor prototypes are working as intended, they can hold back the Mutalisks."
"No, the prototypes are just that, prototypes. The original spec for the Thors is to have heavy armour, but in order to boost the power of the missile, they now only have light armour. Thors right now are glass canons, they work as a short term solution. However, when it comes to a war of attrition, as it is likely given the situation elsewhere in this sector, the Thors won't cut it even in the medium term."
"What you are suggesting is disobeying a direct order." The Colonel fumes. He does not trust a person with shifting loyalty like Wendel.
"No Colonel, the labs are to be protected at all costs, I'm not asking you to disobey that order, and I will never disobey a direct order either. The scientists, however, can leave. If the Zerg threat is neutralised, the scientists can come back here right away. But if the Zerg threat isn't neutralised, the scientists can at the very least continue their work somewhere else. But only if they can get off planet. You know all of this. All I am asking you is to be flexible."
After some thoughts, the Colonel finally relents. "You can deal with the prisoners as you see fit, they are your responsibility now. The Battlecruiser plan, however, I need to think this over. Even if I am convinced by your argument, there are huge logistics challenges, because I'm not sure how we can find extra resources to build battlecruisers. I will give you my answer soon though."
"Thank you Colonel." Says Wendel. "One last thing Colonel. I admire your loyalty to the Emperor. You know protecting this base is a fool's errand given the situation, yet you still try your best to do your job."
"It may be a fool's errand on our end, but on a strategic level it is significant. Denying new unit to Zerg as long as possible is important, so is tying down Zerg forces in this planet so they can't overwhelm our forces elsewhere. We all have a job to do."
"Indeed Colonel. You see the big picture. If only the Emperor has more people like you and General Warfield, and less people like General Duke."
"You mean the Emperor will benefit by having less people like you around?" The Colonel can't help but point out the irony.
"My loyalty has always been with the Dominion, even though on the surface it may not seem that way. You and I believe in the Dominion because it is a meritocracy. You get the job done, you get promoted. Simple as that. Unlike the Confederacy. In the old days you have to know the right people, or pay enough bribe in order to be promoted. People with humble origins, like you and me, never did get a chance in the Confederacy."