Chapter 2
A monitor, hanging from a ceiling that screened over an entire wall, played the courtroom sentencing of inmate 2354 that was pre recorded in the Allegiance archives.
Ava strolled in, seeking Ryan’s presence in the meeting hall. She’d find him staring into the screen as the recording played. Slowly joining to his side, she hoped to not interrupt his train of thought.
“It started here.” He commented.
She looked over to Ryan.
“We were afraid because what Orion said was true. Had the corrupt authorities not threaten our careers earlier, he would still be on our side.”
“Ryan…”
“No! Eitherway, we should have been there for him!”
She went on to hug him to calm his anger down. It was evidently clear that they were the roots that crafted the tyrannical monster, Monarch. The recording paused as the static glow of the screen flooded the room.
“We were afraid.”
“Do you not feel remotely guilty?” His piercing eyes stared over to Ava.
She gave a slight pause to his expression.
“I am.”
Ryan realised he crossed a line. His anger faded as he became calm once again.
“I’m sorry.” His tone descended.
“We’re all troubled by his return. It’s our fault that such evil roams the galaxy.” She continued as she slowly turned Ryan’s dreaded face over to her. Their eyes connected, forming a bond. A bond inseparable.
“The plan’s drafted. Majority voted to kill him.”
“What does your heart tell you?” She asked, tearing up alongside Ryan.
Ryan teared as he closed his eyes.
All he could see was the face of his friend. A friend he once knew. A friend dear to him.
Ava closed her eyes as well. They rested their heads on each other as slowly their lips touched. The comfort of warmth from each other. An imperishable force of love.
~
The briefing room, slightly sparkling of broken fuse, was filled with the core members of the war.
Soon enough, Ryan and Ava joined the mix. They marched in with a vengeful spirit within them. The chaotic tension of silence in the room dissipated.
“We’re gonna go over a few things. Starting with…” Barely finishing his sentence, he laid his hands over the briefing table. In doing so, a holographic figure emerged, mostly forming an identity figure.
“There’s been some debate as to how we’re gonna handle him. I wanna take it up for a vote.”
“What’s there to vote? I don’t care what face is under that mask. Monarch has to get out of here.” Kal stood from leaning on a wall. His calm stance went quickly into aggression . He was absolutely certain of their best course of action.
He marched towards the table as he rest his revolver on the dashboard.
“We’d be doing him a favour.”
“I say we should interrogate him. Find out more of what the Dominion’s plan is.” Ava spoke out, forming herself to be opposition to this decision.
“We already know what they are going to do. We’d just be stalling! I know why YOU want him alive.” He pointed across the table as he stared down the archer.
“LET GO!”
Kal shouted. His screech was distorted due to his vocal cords struggling to emit such a volume.
“He chose the decision to be against us! We didn’t put him in the position for him to be a fucking war machine!”
“Did you…forget?” Destoria asked, spinning her chair to Kal’s direction.
“We voted to oblige the given order to abandon him and scrap away the evidence.” She continued, appearing more tearful as she stood up.
“We are the reason he ended up in that prison.”
She made her way to the table as her piercing golden eyes lit up in a hue.
“We…”
She inhaled sharply.
“Created Monarch.”
Kal’s eyes dropped. The room, once again, grew silent. The fate of the decision, such as before, jumped at a crossroad. Almost seemingly decided, it inevitably became undone.
“But I agree.”
“Des, that’s Orion.” Ava pleaded desperately over to her.
“No. That’s Monarch.”
Ava’s eyes narrowed over to Destoria in utter disbelief. She’d expected the heart of Orion to be the one who would strive to redeem him. Though it may seem that the heart has turned cold, deprived of hope for him.
The attention then drew over to Athena, who has yet to decide.
“Athena?”
Neka was beside her. Her eyes dwelled onto the ruined streets just outside the fort with the Battlemaster to comfort her thoughts. Her decision was at an unstable scale, slowly drowning in the thoughts that would consume her.
Perhaps if she shows mercy to the king, it would mean slaughter to the innocent. Even so, she couldn’t possibly abandon her teacher.
She was not involved in the decision of Orion’s imprisonment. She, too, felt the pain of him being ripped away from her arms without the comfort of farewell. He was the only person she relied on. The only person who took her in and made her family. A brother undying to her heart.
“Orion took me in when I was astray in darkness. I shall do the same.”
Kal grunted, turning over to Neka.
“I know you have your input.” He demanded.
“Though my perception remains to be, in my humble opinion, the best course of action, the fate of Orion Hubolt rests in your shoulders. The Head Operators are responsible for the future of this planet. This galaxy. This universe.”
The eyes turned over to him.
“And one has yet to decide.” He pointed over to the Spectral.
The eyes now shifted over to Ryan. He knows his decision will ultimately seal the fate of his friend. Ajay would have been the tie breaker though he is fighting for his life. Even so, the tides of disparity came to an inevitable end.
“I will do what I must. For the future of this Allegiance, and the future of our galaxy.”
The fate is sealed. Conflict within the leadership has ended. The duel has begun.
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