"There's gotta be something else going on," Snell muttered into his tin coffee mug, "Why else does he keep avoiding us?"

Mad replied, but Tanlon did not hear what he said. He was too busy looking at Haylock from across the cafeteria hall. Ever since Haylock had stepped up in front of an assembly of the remaining Vanguard troopers three weeks ago, he had done his best to avoid Tanlon and the others. During the formation, Haylock had explained to his fellow troopers that he was not going to go "ten and out", but instead wanted to reup into the Stormtrooper Corps. This had garnered the expected celebration shouts and boot stomping from everyone present, what else should they have done with such a patriotic gesture for their beloved Empire? Yet Tanlon had felt uneasy. For one thing, Haylock's voice had cracked during his speech and for the other, he wore his gasmask the entire time he spoke. When Tanlon finally saw Haylock's bare face the next day after the announcement, he had been shocked.

Another man walked around wearing Haylock’s face. The old man he knew was confident, if maybe a bit cocky at times, but the new one was broken. He slunk around corridors and constantly checked his back. Not only that, but he had a driftlessness to his steps that carried a thousand pounds of weight in careless stumbling. Tanlon had tried charging up to his friend, to ask him why he joined the stormtroopers, but there was barely any light of recognition in Haylock’s eyes when he clapped his shoulder.

“Tanlon.”

“Haylock! Been a hot minute since we saw you older bro!”

Whatever else Tanlon may have said or asked was cut off by a black fatigued stormtrooper coming up next to his old friend. Then another and another until the young men were surrounded by scowling faces.

“What are you doing bothering our comrade here for?” A solid hand shoved Tanlon off Haylock and he measured for a moment the strength of the other man’s jaw before unclenching his fist. These men were not just engaging in childish bullying, they were older for one, and for the other, their eyes told a different story. Unveiled threat emanated from their gazes, like snakes about to pounce, but Tanlon did not feel like backing off.

“I’m speaking to my friend, is there a problem with that?”

The stormtroopers grew grim and leaned closer, but it was Haylock who spoke back. “Hey Tanlon, now is not a good time. I’m just trying to adjust to the Corps life.” Tanlon stepped back from his friend and tried looking at Haylock, but the man never so much as met his eye. “Maybe we can catch up later.”

The way he just let those words fall flat, uselessly dripped from a fount empty of any power had stuck with Tanlon to that day. The man who had fought alongside him on Paradise and challenged the Mountain of Death itself was gone, replaced by another man in a pale skin suit imitation.

“Tanlon, it’s your turn.” Mad shook his shoulder and the young trooper saw that the other two had already moved their game pieces on the board.

“Forget the game, Mad, there’s something wrong with Haylock.”

“That’s what I was saying too,” Snell trilled.

Mad clenched his already broad and flat face and looked at Haylock and then the game board again, then Tanlon. His beady eyes carried a measure of arrogance common to the rural imperials and their usual sky blue eyes.

“Get yer heads outta his and think more about the moment. Goggling him like he’s the prettiest pig in the sty ain’t gonna make him come over and hang with us again. He’s a stormtrooper now, gots no reason to be finagling with us. Simple is as it does.”

“Your way with words, as always, leaves the listener dazzled and amazed my friend.” Snell rolled out his insult with a refined accent that was the polar opposite of Mad’s thick tongue despite them both coming from the same planetary academy.

“And your pretty mouth woulda been punched more often if’n I didn’t watch your back at the academy,” Mad replied. “Though I think I knocked a tooth out once or twice myself.”

“Thrice, actually. You made me quite popular with the dentist back home. Though I’d say I was adequately recompensed each time.”

“Kicking a man in the square ain’t no way to fight.”

“Honestly, I was aiming for your face, but I couldn’t tell the difference.”

Snell and Mad laughed at their own inside joke, but Tanlon was left out since he had never gone to academy with them. The fact was that he was a bit of a loner, even in the academy days. Not that he was outcast, he got along with others, but he never made an “academy chum” like so many other young men had. Someone to watch your back and swap stories with in the dark times. That’s part of what made Haylock’s departure so heartbreaking, because he was the closest thing Tanlon had to a best friend and with him gone, he was back to being by himself.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

A solid thwack in his tricep ripped him out of his gloom and he glared at Mad. The short man glared back and said, “Roll them dice, man, I’m gonna win this time.”

“With the way you play, you’re as likely to win as you are to solve a math problem.”

“Pretty boy poet, lecturing me on my math when he can’t even range his gun without my help.”

“Thick skulled serf!”

“Parrot!”

“What does that even mean!?”

“It means if I have to keep on repeating myself, I’m gonna lose my mind! Tan, just throw the dice for the Emperor’s sake!”

With as cast and a roll that had Mad’s hopes for winning utterly deflated, Tanlon rejoined the game and considered the fact, that even if Haylock was gone, he still had comrades he could count on.

----------------------------------------

“A member of the Three is dead. This is utterly unacceptable.” Two holographic projections stood in Schultz’s office, both of severe looking men in Senior commissar uniforms. One was fat, by Imperial standards, and had the beginning of a Turkey neck swabbling his jaw line. It grew larger as he stared down at Schultz sitting at his desk and wobbled with every word spoken. “And look at you, sitting there, telling us that the Paradise operation was a success.”

“Well Melvin, if you consider the waste of over ten thousand trooper lives a success, then I’d agree with you,” Schultz kept his voice cool and measured, not flipping the switch that would have sent him into a barking rage. “But as it is, Paradise was a colossal failure. No air support, no armor support, no nothing! Just a bunch of poor kids thrown into a meat grinder and forgotten!”

“You would pity the death of dogs?” Melvin sneered.

“I’d pity the waste of good resources, Commissar. Maybe a century ago the loss of ten thousand men in a single engagement was considered acceptable losses, but the Imperial Reserves are dwindling. At this current rate, they’ll be drained in twenty years, maybe less.”

“If they’re drained, they’re drained and the debt is finally repaid. Whether the vault worlds are empty in ten years or ten days is not your concern, Schultz, it’s above your station.”

“I asked for this meeting because I did think it my concern. I want to replace Langrin.”

Melvin’s hologram stepped back, a snort distorted into electric static, and the other member of the Three replied.

“Ah yes, Langrin. Your report was quite clear about how he died. Foolish on his part to be the only one to activate his void generator and draw that Eidolon’s attention.” The third man’s tone lowered. “It’s too bad that you did not warn him of that.”

“Holzman, don’t banter words and speak straight. He died because he was an arrogant krantz. Check the logs and you’ll both see that I clearly sent him schematics and contingencies for the defense network I planned. If he failed to read those, then his blood is on his own head.”

“How did you know that the enemy might employ such a weapon?” Melvin rubbed his thick neck and glared with one eye open.

“It was a friggen Eidolon factory, why wouldn’t I plan for the worst case scenario?”

“I just don’t see why we should reward failure with promotion? If it were up to me, I’d toss you into the line infantry and the first wave of the next jump,” Melvin replied.

“It’s a good thing that it’s not up to you then,” Schultz said. “Isn’t that right my lady?”

All three of the senior commissars waited, not daring to interrupt if the fourth member of the meeting spoke. She did not have a hologram like the other two, but her voice was presence enough when she replied.

“We are inclined to agree with Senior Commissar Schultz. Langrin’s actions would have led to the failure of the operation, had Commissar Schultz not picked up the pieces.” Schultz bowed at the words and the Voice of the Queen continued.

“However, he is as of yet untested in managing more soldiers than the ten thousand of his stormtrooper corps. We should think that the current emergency at the vault world should be a good gauge of his capabilities as one of the Three.”

“Those Harvester ships will loot the whole planet if they are not stopped, my lady. I can bear the full might of my forces instead of this paltry Stormtrooper Corps,” Melvin whined and Lady Margaret held up her hand.

“And so you would be chosen, if it would not take you two weeks to arrive. As it is, our scouts estimate the aliens will arrive at the planet in twelve standard hours.”

Schultz dared to speak and interrupt, “And I can be there in ten.”

“As it is, Commissar, as it is. So you see gentlemen, this is the best course of action. We grant Commissar Schultz full authority in defense of the vault world and will minister reward or punishment according to how well he performs.”

Melvin looked like his eyes were going to bulge out and Holzman had a straight face except for severely pursed lips, but both military men nodded at their superior’s orders. They knew there was no point in arguing now.

“You are both dismissed.” The commissars’ holographic projections flickered off, whether by their own hand or Lady Margaret’s, it did not matter, since Schultz was keenly aware that she was still on the line.

“Commissar Schultz.”

“My lady?”

“I know that Langrin’s death was not purely accidental, as do the other members of the Three.” Schultz breath caught and he wondered if he had been fully exposed, but Lady Margaret continued. “It was a deft display of intrigue and play though, I must admit. Orchestrating his death at the hands of the Yabanchi while officially keeping your own clean. It was nicely done.”

“Uh, thank you, my lady…” Schultz trailed off and did not know what to say.

“A little ambition is acceptable, knives driven between equals, and not bombs thrown between worlds, but just know that there is a line that should not be crossed. If you aim too high, the fall may be fatal.”

“Ah, thank you for the advice, my Lady.” Not only was Schultz surprised, he was disgusted. Disappointed in himself that his plan was so obvious and even more disillusioned with the disgusting political games that were tacitly approved by this corrupt kingdom. Yet in his core, past the surface feelings of hate, he was relieved. They did not know everything.

“Thank me if you successfully carry out this next operation. Whether you rise or fall is now up to you. See to it that my faith in you is not misplaced.”

Lady Margaret’s voice cut off with a click and Schultz was left alone in his office again. He felt like taking off his uniform blouse and letting some of the heat dissipate, but there was another world to save from alien clutches and death to deliver to the enemies of mankind. He opened up another comm channel, to his officers and the ships’ captains.

“Gentlemen, redirect toward Vault World eighty nine and begin preparing the troops. We’re jumping tonight.”