I wasn't sure where to start with the video files I'd opened up. There were so many, and all likely had interesting secrets within. Oh, which one should I choose?

Eventually, I settled on the first one following the one I had already watched - presumably, whatever order they were in right now would help me understand their contents better. Hopefully.

With my choice made, I selected play and let the video begin.

CXXXXXXXXXX

Melissa and Celm sat in a room, examining a large set of computer screens, with each screen displaying several lines of data on them. What those lines represented, I couldn't tell.

"Preparations on the Commander Chasis are going smoothly, so I believe it to be time to decide who will pilot it," remarked Celm. "So, what would you like in that pilot?"

"...I need a moment to decide."

"Of course, though there are a few things I want clarified now."

"And those are?"

"Any physical preferences? Gender, age, hair color, skin tone, the like? I disdain bias toward one type or another, but you are the one heading this experiment."

"No physical preferences."

"Alright. So, have you made up your mind on what you would like in our guinea pig?"

"...yes, actually."

"Shoot."

"Well, I don't want them to be an ass, or a complainer. That gets annoying to listen to after a while."

I think anyone who ends up in a commander is going to have a lot of complaints about it.

"Ok, continue."

"...they should also be willing to think outside the box. Solving problems with dakka is fun to watch, but inevitably grows boring."

"Good to know. Anything else?"

"...one last thing."

"And that is?"

"...I'd like them to be someone who would be inclined toward heroism."

"...Aren't all Commanders inclined towards heroism!"

"Glitch would beg to differ."

"...Point conceded. Is that al?"

"Indeed it is."

"Then please be on your way, I have much to work on before our task is finished."

"Of course."

"One last thing, though: even with the criteria offered, there are still roughly a million subjects that match your specifications."

"Then you pick."

"Are you sure?"

"A surprise would be nice, so yes."

"Very well, and farewell."

"Goodbye."

XXXXXXXX

...Really? She thinks I'm heroic? Or at least inclined toward heroism?

That...actually felt kid of nice.

Whom...what's on the next video?

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The new scene was on a giant hall, filled with...actually, it was really empty. Nothing of interest in there, except for some people, among them Melissa. Strangely, they all looked human, even though I was pretty sure most of them, if not all of them, weren't.

Right now, two of those people were watching Melissa walk down a hallway. A green haired boy and an orange and red haired girl, the duo looked at one another, smirked, then started walking on an intercept course with Melissa, who seemed to be beaming with joy. Once she was close enough, the Cyan haired girl stuck her foot out, sending Melissa tumbling toward the ground. The duo, along with some of the onlookers, broke into laughter, while others just stared on, amazed, before moving in to help. Or, at least, they tried - their companions restrained them before they could get far.

"So, Omega," began the girl, "why are you so happy? Has our master decided to promote you to being is next teaching assistant? Or did he decide to give you some far away, barren dimension to add to your domain?" While her words sounded like compliments, the way they were delivered told me that these were meant to be insults.

"No, not at all. Frankly, though, I wouldn't mind having a barren dimension added to my realm, Zeta."

"And why's that?"

"I'd be able to turn it green with life. You...it'd probably crumble into nothingness if you tried anything with it."

The girl's face contorted with rage, but a gesture from her male companion stayed her hand. Seeing an opportunity, decided to try and make some conversation of his own.

"Well, then, what did happen in there? I mean, surely it couldn't have been much - you are the last among us to take an oath of servitude toward him."

"Last does not mean least, Tau. And I believe that what I was offered is worth far more than what you could possibly hope to obtain?"

"Ha, ha, ha. What, pray tell, were you offered?"

"Oh, nothing big. I was just asked to head the Commander project."

The room practically froze when she said that. Then, to my immense surprise, both Tau and Zeta tackled Melissa to the ground and pinned her down, eyes full of envy and hatred.

"How did you get command of that project? You are the most inexperienced among us, the ones whose loyalty is most in question, yet you received such an important task. HOW?!"

I think they were going to hit her, but they were interrupted when an armored, cloaked figure promptly knocked them off of Melissa, sending them flying to one of the walls. After a moment, the gathered crowd promptly helped the now unconscious figures get out of the wall, before heading on their way. As for the armored figure - wait, is that the guy who stole that whole planet from me? - he helped Melissa get up.

"Are you unscathed?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"You're welcome...how many times has this happened now?"

"Three times in the last week, but this is the first time they've been that aggressive. They don't like my promotion, it seems."

"Well, they wanted it. No surprise they're mad at you. You're the newest here, even if you aren't new to me and my siblings, yet you've gotten a position that is pretty high on our pecking order. Of course they'll be steaming that they didn't get it."

"They only have themselves to blame there - their loyalty is unquestionable, but their motives are not. They'd break a Commander long before he'd achieve our goals."

"Indeed...good luck in you future endeavor, by the way."

"Thanks."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Wow. Those tow were pricks.

XXXXXXXXXXXC

AN: Read and Review! This is Flameal15k, signing off!