This was the only vaguely nice room in the entirety of the facility. It had a warm, fluffy carpet on the floor, a fancy, wooden desk, a plump couple of chairs and a second, tiny room behind it which had been completely converted into one large, cushion-filled bed. Another small room had been converted into a private bathroom, but it always seemed sparkling clean and unused. There was a smaller third room as well, but it was permanently locked. The whole area belonged to General Litvir, and he did have other offices throughout the facility, but this one was the nicest.
“Uh, General?”
Captain Trismit knocked cautiously on the door, not sure whether General Litvir was in the room. He remained in the doorway for a few moments, waiting for an answer. When he didn’t get one, Trismit turned to leave, but as soon as his back was turned, a response echoed back at him.
“Trismit! Come in! Is there something you need?”
The captain hesitated, twisting his head round to make sure that General Litvir was actually there. To his surprise, the general was sitting quite happily at his desk. How he had gotten there, Trismit had no idea, and he was in no position to ask. Instead, he did as he was told, awkwardly entering the office and making his way over to the free chair.
“There is… actually…” Trismit stuttered. He never felt right talking to the general. “I wanted to ask about… about the other captains… and what you are… planning to do with us.”
Litvir leaned across his desk, examining Trismit. After a brief pause, he smiled. “What do you mean?”
“You are planning something. Something with us six captains. But I do not understand what. And I would like to know. I understand that us members of the 11th Legion are bound to you and your will, but I also know that other 11th Legion captains have… disappeared.”
“None of them have disappeared!” Litvir beamed reassuringly. “I have kept track of every captain I have employed. The problem is that none of you are ever capable of returning to proper Rethan society.”
“So where are they?”
Litvir smiled some more. “You know how many of you are… incredibly volatile. I do my best to keep you all calm and sincere, but the sad fact is that Rethans like yourselves simply cannot lead healthy lives. Something which I intend to try and fix.”
“How though?”
“I am going to send the six of you through a ritualistic portal into the space between spaces, a treacherous domain outside of most modern science, filled with wonders few can even truly imagine. In doing this, I have high hopes of pleasing the Voidborn Lord Kenon and finding evidence of eternal life or at least eternal healing, while also proving that the four deities have nothing to do with extended life in any way what so ever and that we have all been barking up the wrong tree.”
Trismit blinked in confusion. He only understood about half of those words, and even then they were not in an order that made much sense.
“What?”
Litvir was still smiling. “I am joking.”
“Really?” Trismit shook his head, trying to work out if Litvir was being sincere or not.
The general clapped his hands together, stifling vague laughter. “Of course I am joking. What sort of general would I be if I told you intricate plans like that? No, I am simply getting my six current captains to work together on team-building exercises so you all get along and do not try to kill each other.”
“… Oh…” Trismit was lost for words. Litvir got up and walked around the desk, patting Trismit on the shoulder.
“Do not fret. I would never put you in pointless danger. Now I do believe you have things you should be doing, correct?”
Trismit sighed, then nodded. He stood up, then immediately left the room, leaving the leering general behind.