Title: The Wrong Side of the Line
Author: Rylee Jane
Rating: PG-13/ moderate language, some violence
Summary: In a world where a lot of things are different, some things are always the same. B/S
Disclaimer: They aren't mine. If they were, I'd be a millionaire. But I'm not.
Thanks to my beta-reader, Spoikes-pet, and to Shaw_thang, just because she's a sweetheart.
The outposts that lined the river were all silent during the day, although anyone entering would have found a great deal of activity deep inside. Of course, no one entered during the day. There were guards just inside every entrance, and they had standing orders to shoot any unauthorized beings on sight.
In the concrete bowels of outpost 14, just to the north of Kimble Road, the officers meeting was starting. "Sorry to call you all here so late," Colonel Alexander Harris began, "but there's a situation that needs to be handled quickly. Our scouts have located a camp about two miles east of town, and we believe it to be hostile. We have not yet been able to determine their intentions or their numbers, but I think our best of course of action would be to attack as soon as possible and head off any aggressive moves on their part."
At the far end of the table, their leader listened with growing impatience. When he failed to respond to the colonel's suggestion, the man continued. "They could pose a threat if they attack during the day. I think an offensive move on our part is not only justified, it's totally necessary." The colonel again waited for a response that didn't come. Finally, he took his seat.
"Are you done now?" the leader snarled.
"Y-yes, sir."
"Fine. Denied."
Colonel Harris sighed. "Sir, if we don't attack them, they will certainly attack us. If they chose to attack during the day, as these cowards tend to do, we will be severely hampered. We may well be defeated."
The general leaned back in his chair, smirking. "If that happens, Colonel, you have my permission to say 'I told you so'. Gentlemen, let's get one thing straight. Those creatures out there may be barbarians, but we are certainly not. I know that the belief in this world is that all creatures which are not like us are against us, and must therefore be killed. Well, I disagree. These hostiles have done nothing to threaten us in any way. They deserve the chance to stay there, so long as they continue to let us be." He stood, placing his hands flat on the metal table and leaning towards his inferiors. "You've all heard the order, don't fire unless fired upon. From here on out, that is the standing order here. If they make no move to harm you, you will let them pass. Is that understood?"
There were grumbles at the table, but everyone answered in the affirmative.
"Good. Glad we're on the same page then. Anyone failing to follow this order gets a one way ticket to the brig. Meeting adjourned."
Colonel Harris followed the others out of the meeting room, then turned to wait for his superior. "Spike, are you sure this is the best plan of action? They could be members of the rebellion, and if they are, they won't hesitate to kill us. You know that."
Spike sighed, running his hand through his hair. "We can't just go and shoot them just because they may be against us. They're outnumbered, no matter where they turn. I'm sure they know that by now. They won't attack us without the numbers being on their side. If we force them to fight though, they will. Let's just sit on it a while and see what happens."
Xander shrugged. "You're the boss, boss. I'll send a unit out tonight to keep an eye on them. Just in case."
Spike nodded. "Keep them at a distance. Don't want to provoke anything."
Spike started off in the direction of his quarters, his shoulders slumping. When had things stopped being so black and white for him? There had been a line there once, hadn't there? Where the hell did this gray area come from?
He knew where, although he wouldn't admit to anyone, not even himself. She was the reason there was a gray area. Her and her damned friends. They didn't play by the rules, and somehow, they'd managed to change exactly what the rules were.
He remembered a time when there was no gray area at all. They were nasty creatures and had to be taken out. They were all that way, there were no exceptions. None of them ever lived after being captured. There was no rehabilitation, there were no second chances, no deals. Humans who were caught were put to death. There was no other option. They were savages and had to be removed.
The ones that really hurt were the children. He knew they were doing the beasts a favor by ending their wretched existence, but the children--- it was hardly their fault that they were turned into evil creatures. They couldn't help what had happened to them. Still, they were as savage as the adults, and had to be taken care of. Spike had always refused to do the deed himself, but he didn't stand in the way when others did. Even when he'd been no more than a foot soldier, he couldn't bring himself to put down the young ones.
Now he didn't have to. He could give orders like the one he'd just served, because the human species was dwindling away, and most of them had taken to hiding in the remote areas that the vamp armies tended to ignore. As long as they kept to themselves, they usually weren't bothered. Their numbers were kept in check well enough, just so an overthrow wouldn't be possible.
Spike stretched out on his bed and shut his eyes. He tossed and turned for hours before he finally drifted off to sleep, and all he dreamed about that day were shades of gray.
Author: Rylee Jane
Rating: PG-13/ moderate language, some violence
Summary: In a world where a lot of things are different, some things are always the same. B/S
Disclaimer: They aren't mine. If they were, I'd be a millionaire. But I'm not.
Thanks to my beta-reader, Spoikes-pet, and to Shaw_thang, just because she's a sweetheart.
The outposts that lined the river were all silent during the day, although anyone entering would have found a great deal of activity deep inside. Of course, no one entered during the day. There were guards just inside every entrance, and they had standing orders to shoot any unauthorized beings on sight.
In the concrete bowels of outpost 14, just to the north of Kimble Road, the officers meeting was starting. "Sorry to call you all here so late," Colonel Alexander Harris began, "but there's a situation that needs to be handled quickly. Our scouts have located a camp about two miles east of town, and we believe it to be hostile. We have not yet been able to determine their intentions or their numbers, but I think our best of course of action would be to attack as soon as possible and head off any aggressive moves on their part."
At the far end of the table, their leader listened with growing impatience. When he failed to respond to the colonel's suggestion, the man continued. "They could pose a threat if they attack during the day. I think an offensive move on our part is not only justified, it's totally necessary." The colonel again waited for a response that didn't come. Finally, he took his seat.
"Are you done now?" the leader snarled.
"Y-yes, sir."
"Fine. Denied."
Colonel Harris sighed. "Sir, if we don't attack them, they will certainly attack us. If they chose to attack during the day, as these cowards tend to do, we will be severely hampered. We may well be defeated."
The general leaned back in his chair, smirking. "If that happens, Colonel, you have my permission to say 'I told you so'. Gentlemen, let's get one thing straight. Those creatures out there may be barbarians, but we are certainly not. I know that the belief in this world is that all creatures which are not like us are against us, and must therefore be killed. Well, I disagree. These hostiles have done nothing to threaten us in any way. They deserve the chance to stay there, so long as they continue to let us be." He stood, placing his hands flat on the metal table and leaning towards his inferiors. "You've all heard the order, don't fire unless fired upon. From here on out, that is the standing order here. If they make no move to harm you, you will let them pass. Is that understood?"
There were grumbles at the table, but everyone answered in the affirmative.
"Good. Glad we're on the same page then. Anyone failing to follow this order gets a one way ticket to the brig. Meeting adjourned."
Colonel Harris followed the others out of the meeting room, then turned to wait for his superior. "Spike, are you sure this is the best plan of action? They could be members of the rebellion, and if they are, they won't hesitate to kill us. You know that."
Spike sighed, running his hand through his hair. "We can't just go and shoot them just because they may be against us. They're outnumbered, no matter where they turn. I'm sure they know that by now. They won't attack us without the numbers being on their side. If we force them to fight though, they will. Let's just sit on it a while and see what happens."
Xander shrugged. "You're the boss, boss. I'll send a unit out tonight to keep an eye on them. Just in case."
Spike nodded. "Keep them at a distance. Don't want to provoke anything."
Spike started off in the direction of his quarters, his shoulders slumping. When had things stopped being so black and white for him? There had been a line there once, hadn't there? Where the hell did this gray area come from?
He knew where, although he wouldn't admit to anyone, not even himself. She was the reason there was a gray area. Her and her damned friends. They didn't play by the rules, and somehow, they'd managed to change exactly what the rules were.
He remembered a time when there was no gray area at all. They were nasty creatures and had to be taken out. They were all that way, there were no exceptions. None of them ever lived after being captured. There was no rehabilitation, there were no second chances, no deals. Humans who were caught were put to death. There was no other option. They were savages and had to be removed.
The ones that really hurt were the children. He knew they were doing the beasts a favor by ending their wretched existence, but the children--- it was hardly their fault that they were turned into evil creatures. They couldn't help what had happened to them. Still, they were as savage as the adults, and had to be taken care of. Spike had always refused to do the deed himself, but he didn't stand in the way when others did. Even when he'd been no more than a foot soldier, he couldn't bring himself to put down the young ones.
Now he didn't have to. He could give orders like the one he'd just served, because the human species was dwindling away, and most of them had taken to hiding in the remote areas that the vamp armies tended to ignore. As long as they kept to themselves, they usually weren't bothered. Their numbers were kept in check well enough, just so an overthrow wouldn't be possible.
Spike stretched out on his bed and shut his eyes. He tossed and turned for hours before he finally drifted off to sleep, and all he dreamed about that day were shades of gray.