The Never-Ending War 26

"Lieutenant," The headmistress walks up to the young soldier, "I am sorry for your losses." The Headmistresses' cold fiery eyes stare into the young man, "I cannot say a single thing to you that will undo this disaster. And I will not lie to you and say it will get better, it will get easier, and I will not tell you that you will ever forget any of it. I cannot even ask you to stay on post, the huntsmen have sworn fifteen years of their lives to the system, you and yours have not." She stares at the man as he stands in front of her in his base uniform. "You and your men have done more than could be asked." The woman stares forward, "General Pictus left this to give to you." She holds out the sealed envelope, in a shaking hand, "I am sorry, you and your men will always be welcome at my school."

The young Lieutenant takes the letter, and stares at it. His jaw stiffens, "Ma'am," The Headmistress looks at the young man's eyes, "My men died under the command of Beacon, I request they be buried under the Kings Crest."

"Of course."

"That is all I can ask." The Lieutenant stares at the letter, "do you know what is in it." He shakes the piece of paper.

"No."

"I cannot force my men to stay, but I will lead those that do."

"Thank you." The Headmistress turns to leave.

The letter is opened and the Lieutenant curses, "Headmistress."

Alec wakes up with a start as a man walks in, "Alec didn't think you would ever make a move on two of them." The Lieutenant smiles as he walks in, "I mean I had heard rumors about Mimi but your little Bat friend, Rita, too."

"Oh, please Gregory, I am gonna have enough trouble once they wake up. Don't make this any worse for me." Alec shifts himself upwards to talk. "Take a seat I assume we have a lot to talk about."

"Well, it seems they wouldn't let me bring my pistol to shoot you so, talking seems like a good option."

"Ah you heard about that."

"Yeah, I don't blame you." Gregory pulls around a chair, "you sure it's safe to have this talk with your arms encumbered."

"They will probably kill me in the morning, but it is only two in the morning." Alec smiles, "what can I do you for before my inevitable demise at the hands of my arms encumbrance."

"The General was not the threat we thought he was, I think there is a rogue faction in the military."

"Impressive, I feel a bit bad for assuming he was the threat." Alec sighs, "I am sorry for making you feel that you had to lie to him."

"Your assumptions had good reason, but that is not why I am here," A piece of paper sits in the young man's hand, "I have had a responsibility placed at my feet that makes everything I have faced in my short life seem pitiful."

Alec looks at the young soldier, "Gregory what are you talking about?" Without a word the letter is passed to Alec. With a shift of his arms Alec stares at the letter for a handful of long minutes.

Gregory

I write this with a heavy heart, but I know you have lied to me I am not sure how or why I will learn in the morning what the situation is as I meet with Crimson Imerta. I wish that is all I could say is happening something is wrong with my army. It has a tumor in it, and I don't know here it is from. As its General I must find that tumor and excise it with extreme prejudice. Vale must stand.

As such Gregory you and the cadet corps will be disbanded as a part of the Valean military. Instead, the Cadets will have a choice to join a group based out of Beacon, A Security Corps if you will. I hope that you will lead this corps and that it will serve the people of Vale well. You have a better estimate than I do of how many of your fellow cadets will heed the call. I am afraid after this I cannot provide you any more advice or equipment. You will have to rely on your contacts at Beacon.

Gregory I am sorry for the men you have lost, and I am even more sorry that I am asking you to lead more into battle, but I can only ask you. You are a creative and strong leader. Someone I am proud to call one of my Cadets.

Gregory Smith you are in ways a son I could never have, and I am sorry that all I can do is provided to you in the paperwork provided along with this letter.

Good Luck

Augustus

Alec looks at Gregory, "So I guess you will not be a Lieutenant anymore."

"No, I will probably be considered a Colonel."

"How many cadets are you expecting?"

"Well, I would guess about two thousand or so. They will need weapons and armor, vehicles," Gregory waves his hand.

"Two thousand rifles, pistols, bayonets, enough machine guns, support weapons, rocket launchers, and not to mention all the kit needed. You know my contacts will want money."

"The General gave me a substantial amount of funds in the letter and the Headmistress says that she can get us more money. She seemed almost giddy at gaining more students. We would be students by the way; we have to go to classes and the whole deal. She had that smooth smile when I told her about it."

"Pass me my scroll I have a bit of a block going that way." The smile on Alec's face grows as he shifts the sleeping woman on his side.

"Of course," Gregory grabs the scroll, and passes it to Alec, "I think you enjoy the situation." He gestures towards the pair on Alec's sides, "then again who would complain." With a serious turn of face the soldier speaks, "I want you to know you have earned my loyalty Alec, I have you back no matter what."

Alec nods as he types into his scroll, "And you have mine Gregory hopefully this will last a long time, I am helping you arm an army after all." Alec smiles as he puts the scroll to his ear. "Hey Bianca." He is silent as the weapons dealer answers, "I am afraid no on the dance. I am actually calling in to arrange an order." The yelling on the other side of the call is noticeable, "Don't worry the call is secure but I am going to have to introduce you to a new friend." Alec sighs, "No this one is not a girl. And no, I will not allow you to discuss anything with Mimi." A roll of his eyes, "Fine the usual place and you can bring a plus one also. Fine I will tell him to dress nice, yes, it is a him." Alec stares at Gregory a bit before replying, "probably a good choice, no one too," Alec waves his arms around a little, "Pushy, demanding, you know like you." Alec places his fingers to the bridge of his nose, "Yeah, I will get him something proper. Goodbye Bianca." Alec closes the call and looks at Gregory, "You don't have proper clubbing clothes, do you?"

"Uh, no."

"Well, we are going to meet my supplier and a 'friend' of hers at midnight tonight. So, we had better get you something. Normally I would ask Danny, but she is still out cold."

"I am sure I could find something."

"You have any idea where to start?"

"Uh."

"Yeah, I thought that."

"So, who is this that we are meeting?"

"Do you promise not to get too mad or legal about this."

"Oh gods."

"She's an arms dealer I know from the Strip."

"Great."

"Don't worry she is cool, and a good person, mostly."

Gregory shakes his head, "I assume she is very flirty with you?"

"Um, a bit why?"

"Mimi growled when you said her name." Gregory smiles as he walks out, "I have someone that can help me get the right clothing." Gregory walks towards the door, "Have fun explaining to the girls."

Rita shifts in Alec's arm as the door shuts a bit too hard. Mimi and Rita shoot up. Alec slams his head against the pillow as the pair look at each other. Mimi and Rita look at Alec as they stare at each other.

Mimi leans over her friend, "Alec, we think you…"

Rita leans over Alec's other side, "… have some explaining to do."

"Rita, you know why you are here."

"I meant your hand on my ass."

"Keeping you from falling the pair of you wanting to share my bed resulted in you being a bit close to the edge."

Mimi stares at Rita and then to Alec, "Alec," she says sweetly, "Explain," She growls.

"Please Mi, Rita was having problems sleeping and I asked the nurse to move her over here, it seemed to work."

"Oh really." Mimi, "That doesn't seem too responsible. One of us could have fallen off the bed." Mimi presses herself against her friend's side.

Rita smiles as she presses against Alec's other side, "You can't hold that against him Mimi he was worried about me."

"Ladies," Alec raises his hands, "please not right now."

"Oh really, it doesn't seem like you have anything better to do."

"I actually have a meeting with Bianca to order some more weapons for Gregory."

"Who is Bianca," Rita looks at Mimi.

"Our weapons supplier, who also has a thing for Alec."

"Ah so."

"Yup."

"We are coming with you."

"You can't, only two people can go to the meeting and Gregory, and I are the ones going."

"Oh right, of course."

The nurse walks into the room, "Oh good you are all awake. The night duty nurse explained to me why three of you are in the same bed, so I won't ask, with that said please don't fight in the bed." The nurse flips through his files, "The doctor will be in soon looks like the three of you will be released on light work." The nurse starts removing needles from the arms of three. "Your friends are unfortunately going to be with us for a longer while." With a nod the nurse finishes his job and leaves.

Alec looks at the pair of women, "I am going to have to deal with this aren't I?"

Mimi gives a quick hug, "Don't know what you are talking about."

"Yeah, no idea what you are talking about Alec," Rita mimics Mimi as she squeezes Alec with a hug.

"Am I interrupting anything?" A Man walks in, "I am Doctor Filmore." He looks at the chart sitting next to the door. "I am prepared to release you three from medical." Doctor Filmore looks at the three teenagers in the same bed, "With the single understanding that you are on light duty for the next forty-eight hours, not training, no heavy lifting, no," He waves his hand in a circular motion, "um, extracurricular activities. If you agree to these terms, I will have you discharged and allowed to leave."

Alec smiles as he nods, "Agreed, we will keep to light duty, Doctor. As long as you are alright with me going to a Club with the Cadets Leader, Gregory Smith."

"With these two?" The looks from Mimi and Rita answer his question. "Well yes you can go just no over exertion or drinking in excess." The Doctor looks up, "Or getting shot, stabbed, blown up, punched, or injured in anyway shape or form." The serious look on his face stiffens, "Yes I do feel the need to say all that."

"I will try to avoid any fighting for two days."

"You three are discharged then, your clothing is under your beds. Eh, under your original beds not the one you are in right now ladies."

"Thank you, Doctor," Rita replies getting up from the bed and heads to her bed. "What about Raven, Danny, and Paul."

"Paul will be up and about in twenty-four hours, he burnt his aura, but also, he did not use any caution when he attempted his little blood transfusion. Thankfully his aura started building back fast and we were able to use that to help him. Danny is going to be down for longer, her aura is weaker than Paul and also her body has much more damage, it is a miracle that we did not have to do invasive abdominal surgery. Raven is more of an odd case she should be fully healed in two days, but her aura is not kicking in."

Alec raises his hand, "I can explain Raven," he shrugs, "Raven has something weird with her aura, it is not as active during her sleep cycles. I figure it is some kind of trade off for how much she has." Alec looks apologetically, "I am afraid your best bet is to wake her up and give her pain killers."

"Noted thank you for the information," The Doctor looks at Alec, "I assume this was put in the paperwork somewhere."

"I do not know what Strip decided to put in our files to be honest."

"I forgot you were from strip. Raven will be awake in an hour."

Mimi looks at Alec, "Go get the clothes you need for your meeting, I will stay with Raven, and I will tell you if anything major comes up." The smile and smirk she was wearing a minute earlier is gone. "This meeting is important, and you can't miss it Gregory needs you." She turns to the doctor, "I bet our weapons are in the lockers and not allowed up here."

"Correct."

"Thank you, Doctor," Mimi walks into the bathroom to change with Rita taking the other bathroom.

"You doing alright Alec," Doctor Filmore places his hand on Alec's shoulder.

"I am terrified what will come of those two."

"Wise man," the doctor turns around, "come on you can change in the staff rooms"

Crimson Imerta stares at the paperwork in front of her. "I wish he had given me more waring about the Cadets."

"We have the room for them," Azul Pendragon replies with a shrug as he fills out paperwork.

"I am looking forward to having more students but would have liked more than a vague response about taking care of his cadets."

"How many do you think will come along?"

"Our young Cadet thinks that he will be receiving two thousand recruits."

"We can convert more Storage spaces to barracks, we will also have to get them garage space for heavier equipment." The Assistant Headmaster shrugs, "Luckily, we have the unused space, hell we could hide a full armored battalion in here. You know that's a thought."

"I don't think we can get enough tanks to do that Azul. Probably would look bad."

"Fair enough but they will need to be motorized."

"Gregory seems to think that Alec Tross would be able to get him what he will need."

A knock at the door draws the attention of the pair, Alec stands in the doorway. "Ma'am I need to know exactly how far I can go with this equipment requisition."

A pair of women, one in a red and one in white stare at a map. The one in red smile, "Well Mel I think that the boys did well."

"They did Mil, a lot of them got hurt or killed though."

"I know," Miltia says looking out over their warehouse, Wounded are getting treated by hired doctors and the pile of body bags off to one side seems to get larger every time they look. "What do we do now?"

"Well, I think your criminal empire is probably a bit too public right now." General Augustus Leonard Pincter smiles as thirty guns are drawn on him. The bladed weapons of the two women are at the ready, "Oh ladies please I come in peace I didn't even bring the artillery. I am General Pincter of the Valean Military."

"We know who you are sir," Miltia says with a cruel smile.

"Boys lower your weapons," Melanie waves her hand, "if he wanted trouble we would be in for a fight."

Miltia sits down on a weapons crate at a folding table, "Jimmy, get us some tea please."

Melanie sits down next to her sister, "What can we do for you General."

The General of Vale sits down right across from the pair, "I could use your help."

Inside of the palace King Ecru reads a note his brow furrows as his wife looks at him with worry. "What seems to be the worry?"

"My love, I know you gave up your ways when we married but please tell me that you have kept up on your practice."

"Oh, my love, are you asking if I still have my fighting leathers." The woman smiles as she leans over, "I can fight." She looks at her husband, "What is going on?"

"I got a letter from the General." The King hands the paper over to his wife.

"Oh my."