26: Making Amends

The meeting with General Volk Durren was to be expected. The hard-faced, veteran officer personally came up to the Toa-3 Orbital Training Facility. Toron had assumed he would be meeting the man back on Tornya, in the Proving Grounds. It seemed that Durren had found the recent events troubling enough to spur an abrupt visit to the station.

Toron waited patiently in the empty office. It was little more than a side room, unused by any of the station personnel and kept for the use of visitors. He was alone whilst he waited, his head throbbing dully despite the painkillers that he was dosed up on. His knuckles also ached, and the odd bruise had darkened his deep blue-black complexion to an even darker shade in uneven splotches. To the outsider, he looked genuinely roughed up, a man who had been thoroughly done over by his opponent. For Toron, he could at least rest easy in the fact that his opponent looked worse than he did.

Corporal Norvak was still in the station infirmary, if only for observation. He was otherwise awake and lucid, even if his head had been thoroughly rattled by the beating he had received. According to Lieutenant Varsla, who had paid the arrogant Corporal a visit earlier, Norvak was in a dour mood and had not been at all pleased to see his team's second-in-command. Toron had wondered if there was some element of jealousy in play, that Norvak was irritated by Private Pelinos' apparent affections for the young Lieutenant. It seemed more likely that Norvak was simply upset that he had 'lost' the fight.

It hardly seemed like a win to Toron. And now he had to face the General, who strode into the room without so much as knocking before he set himself down in the space across from Toron.

The young Captain was dressed in a fresh uniform, carrying the grey of the Tornyan Defence Force. General Durren's uniform was similar, albeit adorned with the insignia of his rank and the coloured bars that indicated some significant commendations. The General's hard face eyed Toron carefully for a moment, as if trying to get a read on the otherwise straight-faced Captain. Toron met the man's eyes in turn, and it was as if on that cue that the General finally decided to speak.

"As you are a Captain, I'm sure you're aware that officers don't generally beat their troops." Durren gave the smallest hint of a smile. "That sort of thing went out of fashion a long time ago. It's more likely to instil a hatred of one's commanding officer, rather than a proper respect. Besides, do you really want to go into a fight with a man who hates every fibre of your being watching your back?" He leaned forwards in his chair, just a little. "Officers in those circumstances generally end up getting shot from the rear. The confusion of battle does bring itself many opportunities."

"I hardly doubt that Corporal Norvak plans on shooting me, sir." Toron was not completely certain of this, but it was a safe enough bet. Norvak may have disliked him, even intentionally tried to disrupt his flight earlier, yet it seemed more out of a desire to be seen as the dominant one than an actual attempt on his life.

"He's an experienced soldier," the General said. "But he was always trouble. Got his Sergeant's stripes then upset the wrong officer. In that case, they settled for demotion rather than a beating. I'm not sure which is preferable. From what I gather, Norvak prefers being among the rank and file. Being a Sergeant, I suspect, brings with it too much responsibility for his liking." He paused for a moment then, allowing his words to sink in. Toron had expected some sort of chastisement, yet so far, the General was being almost pleasant. It unnerved him somewhat, and he found the General a difficult man to read at the best of times.

"Fact of the matter is, Captain, you need these people on your side. Beating them won't win them over."

"I could have died out there…"

"I'm well aware of that. What the Corporal did was foolish, and he will be reprimanded, same as he will for taking part in the brawl. Nonetheless, I understand that you did start it. He was speaking out of turn, certainly, but at the end of the day a good officer doesn't resort to throwing punches. You have a problem with him, you refer it to the people higher up the chain."

"He would only hate me even more if I had him officially reprimanded." Toron leaned back in his seat, feeling some small ache in his shoulders as he did so. He had overexerted himself during the fight. Then again, so had Norvak. He was probably feeling it even more than Toron was.

"Maybe." The General nodded his head in agreement. "Thing is, you threaten to undo your career with something like this. You should be thankful we're at war, otherwise you might be sent on your way to some boring, far-flung outpost."

"And the Corporal?" Toron quirked one brow ridge, curious. "What would become of him, sir?"

"Probably another demotion," Durren admitted, and he let out a tired huff. "Not that this would bother him much, I suspect. He is the most veteran Sky Rider we have, and we need him. Simple as that. Same as we need you and everyone else on the team. This mission, it's more important than you realise, Captain. The Union forces cannot be allowed to get an edge in terms of air superiority. That facility must be destroyed."

"With all due respect, General, but it's a suicide mission."

"You volunteered for it." He was right about this, of course. Toron did not expect to come back alive, yet he would certainly do his best to survive. That is, after he had done as much damage to the enemy who had taken Kavi from him. For that, they would pay dearly and he would make damn sure of it.

"Some of the others didn't, sir," Toron countered.

"That is true. Corporal Norvak's probably acting up because of this. He doesn't trust you because he doesn't think anyone other than him can get the team out of it alive. The last commanding officer of the Sky Riders knew best to take advice from Norvak."

"Right before he ran off to join the Union side," Toron added.

"Yes, that is true. This damn war is tearing us apart from the inside." General Durren shook his head slowly. His countenance became grim, and Toron sensed something more behind it than a general dissatisfaction towards the conflict at hand. "One-thousand years, Captain. A little more than that, really. One-thousand years of unity, and it all gets torn apart because some upstart couldn't keep his ambitions in check." He of course referred to the High Protector, Tarva Garall, who had ascended to leadership of the Calsharan Systems Union and kickstarted the entire conflict. He had taken power illegally, and evidence had been found that made this clear. And yet, despite this, a good portion of the Calsharan population still supported him. If anything, many did not believe what the Alliance side was offering. They saw the evidence as falsehoods, and they saw the breakaway 'Alliance of Free Systems' as an insurgent force. In a way, they were right. The Alliance had been part of the Union, and by separating had essentially become an illegitimate state in the eyes of that Union.

"We're not winning this war, Captain," the General said, suddenly. Toron was surprised to hear this, as he had heard previously that both sides were evenly matched. "The fact of the matter is, the Union have more than we do. More people, more industrial capacity, more resource-rich worlds within their sphere of influence. Eventually, they will whittle us down to a point where we won't be able to fight any more, certainly not effectively."

"I prefer to remain optimistic, sir."

"And I prefer to be realistic, Captain." The General's tone hardened. "We need a proper win; we need to pull off something that will undermine the Union side. I think this raid could be it. And I need everyone involved on the top of their game. That means no fighting amongst yourselves, Captain. Save it for the enemy."

"And Norvak?"

"You and Corporal Norvak need to learn to get along, simple as that. Shake hands, share drinks, kiss, I don't know, just make it up to each other. He will need to learn to respect and trust your leadership, whereas you need to learn to heed his advice and the wealth of experience he has behind him. These things go both ways, Captain." The General watched Toron for a moment, expecting an answer. Toron said nothing, he only mulled over what had been said and wondered just how difficult it might prove to be to get Norvak in line.

"I know you've lost people," the General added then, having grown wary of the awkward silence that had developed between them. "Lieutenant Norrok, for one. Your mother, your father, even your brother. But whatever you do, Captain, do not take it out on others. We've all lost people in this war, and chances are we'll lose some more before it's over. This mission might be your means of getting back at those who took your woman, but you need to keep in mind that there are others counting on you now. Other lives in your hands."

"I understand, sir." Toron nodded his head.

"I hope you do, Captain, because the timetable's being moved up." At any other time, General Durren might have offered a small smile at news such as this. A smile that told of an inside knowledge as to just how chaotic things were becoming out here. However, his expression remained dead serious, and Toron frowned when he heard this latest statement.

"You have a week," the General said. "And then you're going to Jur's Anvil. One week to get your team ready. You will run the training simulation over and over again in that time. And then, the day before you are scheduled to leave, I'll see you back down at the Proving Grounds."

Toron had hoped for more time, and what they had been given initially had not been enough. Now, to have it closed in further, troubled him on a deep level.

"Why the change, sir?" Toron asked.

"Because we have an opportunity," the General said. "We'll have a fleet making a move near that sector, and so we'll have more ships at our disposal to run interference. We also have word that the researchers at the orbital facility at Jur's Anvil may be close to making a breakthrough. We don't know what they're doing, exactly, but we assume it's something to do with their combat aircraft. Fighters, bombers, both for in-atmosphere and within vacuum."

"You know this for a fact, General?"

"We hear second-hand rumours through our intelligence operatives and informants, but none are close enough to what's happening in that facility to get anything solid. We act on what we know, and what we have on record. That's one benefit of a civil war: you already know the battlegrounds since they're usually on your home turf." The General scratched at the bony stubs of his chin, an absent gesture whilst he thought over what else to say. "Nothing for certain, I'm afraid."

"I'm sure the team will love to hear the news, sir."

"Is that sarcasm I detect in your voice, Captain?" The General narrowed his eyes, although he spoke half-jokingly. "Hardly befitting to talk to your General in such a way, wouldn't you say?" He rose from his seat then. Toron did the same, suspecting that the meeting was over.

"This incident will go on record, but it won't be such a black mark," the General explained. "In this war, we're not about to rid ourselves of experienced officers. And you are the 'Hero of Vargania' after all."

"Sir?" Toron was mildly surprised, for he had expected a much harsher reprimand.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again, Captain. And Norvak will receive much the same advice. It takes two to have a fight, as you no doubt know."

"I don't know how open the Corporal will be to me befriending him, sir."

"You can't force these things, Captain. They come naturally." He offered the younger officer a small smile then. "I'll see you soon, Captain. Just make sure it's about something other than a brawl, is that clear?"

Toron nodded his head. He stood up straight and offered the General a sharp salute. The General gave a dismissive wave of his hand, before he headed for the room's exit. Toron allowed himself to relax, and for a moment there he felt a wave of relief flow through him. It was soon replaced with a mild anxiety, as he remembered that now he and the team had even less time to prepare for what was practically a suicide mission. He would have to break the news to them that the timetable had been moved forwards, and he doubted most would take the news well.

He found Corporal Norvak sitting at a corner table of the station's mess hall a few hours later. The Corporal had been discharged from the infirmary, visibly bruised from the fight but otherwise in one piece. He sat alone, eating from a bowl of some kind of mass-produced stewed meat that passed as food on the station. The mess hall itself, a large and mostly grey space populated with seats and tables, was mostly empty at this hour. Norvak ate now simply because he had been stuck in the station's infirmary for the last twenty-four hours with barely anything decent to eat.

Norvak saw him coming but did not look his way when he approached. Rather, he continued spooning the stew into his mouth. Behind him, a large window offered a view of the barren moon below and the belt of asteroids around it. Even further off hung the blue-white disc that was Tornya.

"Corporal." Toron paused by the vacant chair opposite the Corporal. "Just to make it clear, I'm going to sit here whether you want me to or not."

Norvak looked up at him then, frowned slightly, before he went back to eating. Up close, the bruising was even more pronounced. One eye socket had taken on a much darker hue than the surrounding red, scaly skin. He seemed to wince as he swallowed his latest spoonful, and Toron realised that was likely down to the aching pain that throbbed through his jaw.

"We need to talk," Toron said, and he sat down in the empty chair. "And I mean talk, no throwing punches."

"With all due respect, sir, but there is an officer's mess down the hall." Norvak looked up at him then, his face showing some thinly veiled contempt. "You should be eating there."

"Not just yet," Toron said. "Now, Corporal, since we've met I've gotten the distinct impression that you don't much like me."

Norvak had paused in his eating and was now regarding Toron with a look that suggested a mix of befuddlement and contempt. He could hardly believe the gall of the Captain to confront him like this, yet for Toron he much preferred tackling his problems head-on. That meant unruly Corporals such as Norvak. Usually, 'head-on' often meant getting physical, but seeing as how the two of them had already passed that stage, an actual conversation was in order. General Durren wanted them to get along, and so Toron would do all he could to make it happen. And Norvak would have received much the same instructions, probably with the added threat of being up for another demotion. As adverse to rank as Norvak may have been, even he must have been unwilling to fall back into being a lowly Private.

"I can guess as to why you have it in for me," Toron continued, giving Norvak no real chance to interject. "For one, I'm a new commander for your team and that brings with it all kinds of problems to an already established status quo. Secondly, I'm from the home world and you Tornyans can be fiercely independent in a lot of ways, so you probably don't like getting ordered around by someone from Calshae Prime. And thirdly, you just don't trust me. You don't trust my experience, my method of leadership or anything else pertaining to how I operate this team. That extends as far as having little to no faith in leading this team through its upcoming mission." He paused then, allowing himself a brief moment to catch his breath. Norvak was glaring at him, although his expression had lost the contempt and instead displayed a certain measure of bemusement.

"Am I at least close to the mark, Corporal?"

There followed a long pause. Norvak sighed, before he put his spoon down and leaned back in his seat. From here, he laid a lingering, curious gaze upon Toron. It seemed he was mulling over what to say, seemingly at a loss for words. For Norvak, that was a rare occasion.

"You know, Captain, the last time an officer got in my face like this I hit them. Hard." Norvak no doubt referred to the officer who had had him demoted some months prior. At the end of the day, losing his Sergeant's stripes had been worth it

"Well, you've already done that. Why can't we talk instead?" Toron put a hand into a pocket of his uniform, and from within he pulled a shoulder patch. It was the emblem bars of a Sergeant, and he threw it upon the tabletop in front of him. Norvak's eyes widened a little when he saw it, and then he looked back to Toron with something approaching annoyance creasing his features.

"Oh no, Captain. I can't."

"I need a Sergeant I can rely on. This team is woefully short of one. Take the rank, Norvak. I won't take 'no' for an answer."

Norvak let out a quiet, if irritated, huff. His brow narrowed, and he watched Toron with renewed curiosity.

"Are you all right, Captain?" He asked, and he sounded sincere. "Did I hit you a little too hard?"

"I think I hit you even harder, Norvak."

The Corporal, soon-to-be Sergeant, nodded his head in acknowledgment of this. With one hand, he picked up the patch and turned it over, examining it as if it were a scientific curiosity.

"A good officer follows the advice of his Sergeant," Toron said. "And a good soldier heeds the orders of his officer."

"Yes, you make it all sound so simple, Captain," Norvak stated, with only a small degree of sarcasm evident in his voice. "Is this for real?"

"Of course it's for real, Norvak."

"I mean, it could be some stupid joke," Norvak added. After a further pause in which he deliberated some more, he finally gave Toron a nod. "Okay, Captain. I'll be your Sergeant. If I think you're taking any unnecessary risks, then I'll be the first one to tell you."

"And I'll be the first one to listen, Sergeant Norvak." Toron gave the grizzled veteran a smile. Rising to his feet, he went to leave the newly promoted Sergeant to his own devices. "I'll have it made official shortly. Very shortly, since I just learned we have about a week to the mission." This latest piece of news caused Norvak to look up at him again, his eyes widening noticeably in alarm. "That's right, Sergeant. We're going to be jumping into the fire a bit sooner than we expected."