Bajes was on the brink of complete recovery, yet everyone around him insisted that he stay confined to his quarters for further rest. Da'Lana, Maria, and Lithugaraha took turns handling command duties in his stead. Bajes didn't object, but an unshakeable restlessness consumed him. Today marked the day when the military was scheduled to unlock the final shelter—a plan that had faltered due to a sudden loss of energy supply. And why did this weigh heavily on Bajes? It was because he had been the one to direct power redistribution towards the central and eastern shelters. The northern and southern shelters were never meant to be utilized; however, amidst panic, many sought refuge there—far too many than initially anticipated.

Maria and Da'Lana stepped into the room, their gazes falling on Bajes. As their eyes locked, Da'Lana quickly averted her gaze, but Maria held his stare unflinchingly. She spoke up, her voice steady, "You still have a chance to back out if you wish. Are you determined to join us in reopening the final shelter?"

Bajes returned Maria's unwavering look, his voice firm as he replied, "Yes, I am." A soft string of curses slipped from Da'Lana's lips. Bajes understood her sentiment - he was silently swearing under his breath too. From the information they had gathered so far, nearly 300,000 individuals had tragically perished from cold within those shelters. Today marked the day they would reopen the last one to recover what remained of the victims. The plan was to restore power and warmth to it today.

Bajes rose to his feet and gave a solemn nod, prompting the room's occupants to depart in silence. Da'Lana began to question him, "Bajes, you can't really believe that you're resp..." But Bajes cut her off abruptly. "I am accountable," he declared firmly, "I was the one who commanded the shutdown of all non-military equipment in those zones. Their deaths are on my hands. The least I can do now is witness the aftermath of my decisions." Maria acknowledged his statement with a nod of her own, her tone icy as she retorted, "Refusing to disregard military protocol during a planetary assault doesn't make you culpable."

With an icy detachment, Bajes echoed, "Naturally, you wouldn't. The command wasn't yours to give. If we were dealing with soldiers, my reaction would be different. They're prepared for such scenarios. But this...this is a different matter entirely." He paused momentarily before continuing, "The civilians who lost their lives during the planetary siege were here because their families were here. That implies that either soldiers or researchers were their spouses or parents."

Maria maintained her frosty demeanor as she retorted, "Naturally, it was their duty to heed military commands in such circumstances. I suspect you're wallowing in self-pity over something that isn't your fault." A sorrowful Da'Lana interjected, "I detest her, but she's hitting the nail on the head, Bajes." Bajes remained silent, offering no response. Maria fixed him with an icy stare and continued, "If you're so inclined to drown in self-pity, then lament over the fact that out of a planet and city of 10 million inhabitants, only 2 million perished during heavy bombardment - primarily military personnel at that. Why not take pride in the fact that you rescued 8 million lives? Is your pride so inflated that you're blinded to reality? When our allies arrived and scrutinized the reports, they suspected we had made them. They interrogated thousands of officers before they finally accepted the truth."

Their psi skeletons hummed to life as they stepped outside, where a contingent of guards had assembled in anticipation of their departure. The journey was bathed in silence, the air heavy with tension, and they reached their destination within five short minutes. As they descended, Bajes could see a flurry of activity below; soldiers and personnel were already swarming around the third door to the shelter, attempting to gain access. A knot formed in Bajes's stomach, but he swallowed his unease and kept his face impassive. Another quarter of an hour passed in hushed expectancy before the final barriers yielded. With a deep breath, Bajes crossed the threshold first.

The sight that greeted Bajes was a challenge to articulate. It was a vision of torment, an inferno of despair. Thousands of bodies lay strewn about, some still encased in icy tombs, others gradually thawing. Bajes pressed on through the corridors. A multitude of soldiers marched alongside him, many among them seasoned killers or bearers of burdensome command decisions. The lifeless forms were those of women and men, children and elders... individuals spanning every stage of existence were there. All gone. One soldier struggled to cope with the horror unfolding before his eyes, retching uncontrollably within his suit's confines. The commanding officers promptly dispatched him outwards and absolved him from further participation in this grim task. Not everyone possessed the mettle for such atrocities.

Maria voiced, "Bajes, every leader harbors a cemetery of their own. I too have dispatched many to the abyss." Bajes gave a solemn nod, then declared, "As I've mentioned before, if these were merely soldiers, I wouldn't be here. But observe this." Bajes proceeded to stride towards the lifeless form of a girl. He bent down beside her and examined her features - she was unmistakably human with chestnut locks and eyes of deep forest green. She couldn't have been more than six years old. Bajes tenderly brushed his hand against hers; her body still held the chill of death. Turning his gaze towards Maria, he stated, "One reason I can bear to send thousands of soldiers into battle is my firm belief that we fight to safeguard innocents like her. So what in the cosmos am I doing as a soldier if I'm taking the lives of those I'm pledged to protect?" For the first time since their conversation began, Maria averted her eyes.

Bajes hoisted the icy corpse onto his shoulders, preparing to make his way towards the transportation apparatus designated for the deceased. He paused, casting a stern glance at Maria and Da’Lana. "Are you two going to lend a hand or just stand there?" he challenged. Maria and Da’Lana promptly began assisting him, ferrying the frost-covered bodies to the awaiting vessel outside. As they worked in solemn silence, moving body after body, Maria broke it with a soft murmur. "You know Bajes," she started, her voice barely above a whisper, "I'm not as unfeeling as you might believe." Bajes shot back without missing a beat, "I'm aware of your tough exterior, but I also know where your loyalties lie." Maria nodded in acknowledgment before adding on a somber note. "After witnessing the horror of the second Mars catastrophe, I thought nothing could match that degree of despair. But this..." She trailed off, leaving her sentence hanging in the cold air around them as they continued their grim task.

Da'Lana voiced, "Naturally. The second Mars catastrophe resulted in only 150,000 fatalities, predominantly military personnel. This situation is on an entirely different scale." Maria questioned, "Is it really?" She continued, "Post our aerial assault, we were directed to recover the corpses of our own soldiers that we had just slain." Bajes' memory was stirred by her words, vividly recalling that day. The visuals from then were undoubtedly more gruesome but carried less sorrow. At last, their troops could be decimated and overrun by the enemy forces and there was risk of enemy reaching civlians which led to the deployment of a split bombs towards them. A split bomb upon impact has dual consequences; initially dispersing several thousand mini explosives and once it encounters a psi shield, it detonates. Given that soldiers equipped with psi shields generally engage in close combat, the aftermath was a horrific sight of severed limbs and dismembered bodies strewn around. Lost in these memories Bajes responded, "For me, the circumstances are vastly dissimilar. I was acting under orders from my brother. I dutifully followed his command and he assumed accountability for it. Simultaneously though, I could also rationalize his decision. The soldiers would have met their end regardless and if the enemy had reached civilians...the chaos would have been far worse."

With a practical tone, Maria suggested, "Next time, allow me to take the lead in giving orders. I don't mind shouldering that responsibility." Bajes gave a dismissive shake of his head and asked, "Maria, do you recall our conversation that day?" Maria nodded in affirmation and replied, "Indeed. You mentioned that if we had been more powerful from the start, we could have spared our soldiers some casualties. What are you hinting at?" Bajes remained silent. He was cradling another youngster - an 11-year-old this time. A sour taste filled his mouth as he grappled with the uncertainty of whether the child's parents were fortunate to have perished too or unfortunate like their son. The natural order of life dictates that parents precede their offspring in death. The calamitous day they had referred to was significantly different; the more he witnessed such scenes, the more he became certain of it.

Bajes was scheduled for a diplomatic rendezvous with his human counterparts, to be held on the moon that circled Earth. As their psi warp materialized in the vicinity of Jupiter, an urgent distress signal pierced through the silence. Hostile insurgent vessels were locked in combat near Earth, and Mars was under siege. Maria, holding the reins of command at that moment, summoned Bajes from his slumber within his cabin. He rushed to the deck without delay, poring over successive reports as they flooded in.

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As soon as he set foot on the deck, the reins of command swiftly shifted. Maria settled into her chair, and Bajes issued an order to transmit a cautionary message to their adversaries. The enemy, however, dismissed the warning and resolved to seize control of the planet by deploying ground forces. Bajes calculated their arrival time and potential engagement in combat - a mere two hours. He made some somber predictions. Victory was certain for them, but the enemy's spacecraft would delay them long enough for the terrestrial assault to reach innocent civilians. Bajes initiated contact with Maria and posed a question, "Do you believe we should dispatch ground reinforcements? It carries risk, but I reckon we could significantly strengthen our terrestrial defenses." Maria responded, "I believe that's unwise. During descent, it's highly probable that the enemy will launch an attack and our psi shield will only withstand a few hits. The enemy could decimate half our troops before they even touch down."

Bajes was well aware of that, yet he harbored a different idea. He proposed, "I understand, but consider this - what if we employ one of our large vessels as a protective barrier against the enemy while our troops make their descent?" Maria, ever the pragmatist, countered, "The ship lacks remote operation capabilities. You'd be risking an invaluable craft and its highly trained crew on a gamble."

Lost in thought, Bajes decided to initiate a fleet-wide communication with the commanding officers. "Gather your subordinates and join this conversation," he instructed. Gradually, the com channel filled with thousands of voices, all tuned in to hear what Bajes had to say. He meticulously laid out his plan before them, concluding with a firm statement: "I will not issue this as an order. I leave it up to you - if you believe your ship and crew are prepared to take on this risk, step forward voluntarily." A hush fell over the communication channel. There were a few attempts at alternative suggestions, but none held water. After a period of deliberation, human commander Valdo broke the silence. "I've discussed it with my crew," he declared confidently, "We're ready to proceed."

Bajes was far from pleased with the situation, yet he knew that given the choice, he would always prioritize a thousand civilian lives over a thousand soldiers. He promptly instructed Maria to assemble and ready the crew for descent and terrestrial combat. Bajes found himself engaged in an intense discussion with Valdo, ironing out minute details. The atmosphere was heavy with tension and Bajes had to concede that he'd never pegged Valdo as courageous before. Yet his perception of him shifted dramatically in that moment. Valdo and his crew listened intently as they were briefed on how to sacrifice themselves most efficiently to maximize their time advantage. It was a lesson no school could ever impart or prepare you for - instructing your team on the art of dying effectively. What a bad joke.

Approximately three-quarters of an hour before the impending conflict, Bajes once more communicated with the entire fleet. He proposed, "We'll conserve our mines, disrupt their formation and then deploy them all at once. This should create sufficient disorder within the enemy's ranks. We'll seize this opportunity to bring down our transport ships while Valdo's vessel provides a protective shield." It's uncommon for large ships to land on a planet due to their immense size and weight. Hence, just as they approach the atmosphere, it becomes necessary to overload the fusion core leading to its explosion. If not done so, the planet could face catastrophic consequences.

The onset of combat made it evident that the adversary had a singular objective: to halt any reinforcements from reaching the ground troops. Bajes had foreseen this, but their maneuvers were painfully slow. Ships were being obliterated one after another, and at this pace, even the Valdo vessels would survive. To Bajes, it appeared as if the enemy fleet was operating with a skeletal crew. Maria's voice cut through the chaos, "Sir! I suspect they're short-staffed because they've deployed too many soldiers on the ground. We need to abort our descent." Bajes concurred wholeheartedly; an ominous sensation gnawed at him. He craved to issue that command, but it was futile — the descent had already commenced and there was no halting it now.

Just when victory seemed within grasp, a swarm of hostile vessels locked their trajectory on the Valdo ship. Their attention was undivided, fixated on it. It was a tactic of desperation, a suicide approach. Bajes' fleet was relentlessly tearing through the enemy's ranks one by one, but their firing rate wasn't rapid enough. The Valdo ship was gradually incurring damage, yet the most devastating blow came from the fusion core detonation of a nearby adversary's vessel. As gravity took hold and their descent began, they made the decision to trigger their own fusion core before reaching the planet's atmosphere. Bajes raised his hand in salute, echoed by many on his deck including Maria.

Maria voiced her thoughts, "They're launching attacks on the descending ships. However, if we establish a blockade, they won't be able to penetrate it. Should we proceed?" Bajes nodded in agreement and their spacecraft started to reconfigure gradually. The warfare was escalating yet their side remained relatively unscathed. The opposing fleet had dwindled down to just a handful of vessels when the initial reports began trickling in from the planet below.

Bajes found himself rising to his feet without conscious thought. Three battlefronts were in play, each bolstered by an array of formidable weaponry and a force of approximately 50,000 soldiers. However, one front was suffering devastating losses at an alarming rate. Bajes initiated communication with the ground commander on that front. "Sir," the commander's voice crackled through the psi-link, tension evident in his tone. "We're up against Arachnex armed with the most advanced military gear available. They're overpowering us sheerly by numbers." He paused for a moment before continuing, "It appears they've deployed around two million troops and... their behaviour is odd, sir." The commander sounded uneasy now. "It's as if they're under some sort of influence or drug - they show no concern for their own safety. You could take out twenty right in front of them and they'd just keep advancing."

"Close combat puts them at a disadvantage; sigma weapons aren't designed for rapid reloading," Maria voiced her concern. "We must wrap this up swiftly and handle the situation ourselves." Bajes was already steps ahead, his mind reaching out to other vessel leaders through psi technology. Yet, the universe had its own plans. Suddenly, an unexpected surge of ships materialized in the system - not just one fleet but judging by their sheer volume, at least three separate armadas. An urgent communication punctured the silence.

Bajes scanned the update, the crown prince's armada had surfaced, trailed by two interstellar fleets. An urgent communication from the allied forces landed in his psi link. "Ta'Bajes, brother," crown prince said urgently, "you must commence an immediate bombardment of the planet where our troops are engaged in combat. Our sister and a council member from the Arachnex race are present there between civilians. Execute without delay. This is an order." Bajes was rooted to the spot. This would mean initiating fratricidal fire... As he attempted to decipher this complex predicament, Maria responded affirmatively, "Acknowledged."

Bajes' gaze met hers, a retort on the tip of his tongue. But he knew it would be futile. Instead, he reestablished connection with his fleet. "Instructions have been relayed," Bajes began, his voice echoing through the communication channels, "We are to initiate bombardment across all three fronts to ensure absolute enemy eradication. Get ready for planetary assault and dispatch split bombs." He paused briefly before continuing, "In parallel, we'll gear up for complete descent. All ships must operate with minimal personnel - the rest will join the ground forces. We continue the bombardment until our soldiers touch down." The finality in his voice was clear as he concluded, "Begin immediately - I anticipate a sortie within half an hour."

Every eye in the command room was on Bajes, undoubtedly seeking clarity for his command. He recognized that look of uncertainty; they were about to unleash hell on their comrades below. "Is there a need for me to reiterate?" he questioned sharply, "My directives were explicit. Launch the attack!" The air in the room grew heavy with dread, yet they complied without hesitation. Bajes monitored the aftermath of the initial assault - countless lives snuffed out in an instant, with thousands more perishing each passing second. Although he couldn't physically hear their agonized cries, he could vividly envision the pandemonium unfolding beneath them. After overseeing several waves of devastation, he turned to Maria, his gaze unwavering as he declared, "You're accompanying me down there."

Maria's eyes widened in astonishment as she countered, "But I'm your second in command! Who will maintain order on the deck when you're not here?" Bajes' patience had finally worn thin. With a flare of irritation, he retorted, "Must I echo my words to everyone today? What do you think validates my position? If this deck can't function without both of us present, then consider yourself dismissed and the crew replaced. I have no room for incompetence under my command."

Without hesitation, Maria snapped a quick salute and murmured her apologies. She fell into step behind Bajes, their quarters conveniently situated side by side. Their next task was to transition into their ground psi skeletons. In the span of just 20 minutes, they found themselves aboard transport ships, plunging towards the red landscape of Mars. Everyone on board shared an unspoken understanding of what awaited them there.

Their ship touched down, and Bajes was the fifth to disembark. His eyes met with a sight that defied expression. Fragments of bodies strewn haphazardly, some still bearing a gruesome semblance of their original form. The majority of these remains were charred beyond recognition, the acrid smoke wafting from them was nauseating—like meat left too long on a fire. Maria's face was a mask of sheer terror. Turning towards her, Bajes' voice cut through the eerie silence, "This is the reality behind the order you so eagerly accepted." He paused momentarily before adding, "Now let's retrieve the council member and my sister. Let's pray we don't have to witness such horrors again."

With a tender touch, Maria lowered the lifeless form of an aged man to join the other departed. Her voice was soft yet resolute as she addressed Bajes, "You know, I believe you're right. It's somehow less heart-wrenching to witness fragments of warriors strewn about than to see unscathed civilians meet their end."

Bajes, understanding the grim truth in her words, merely bobbed his head in silent agreement. Da'Lana watched them both from a short distance away, her eyes reflecting a deep empathy for their shared sorrow. She reached out with a comforting hand and traced a soothing path down Maria's back before nodding at her to carry on with their somber task.