บท 117: Alistair - 015
Phulnos took a deep breath, his eyes softening as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Alistair, you're a brilliant officer, one of the best I've ever seen, but this… this path you're on, it's dangerous. It's going to split your mind between the side of wrath and the side of remorse."
I felt the weight of his words settle on me, heavy and suffocating. For a moment, doubt crept in, whispering that maybe, just maybe, he was right. But then the image of Kellan, lost and alone, flashed in my mind, and the anger surged back with renewed force.
"Commander," I said, my voice low and steady, "I've made my choice. If you're here to punish me, then do it. But don't try to stop me from doing what I know is right."
Phulnos studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he let out a resigned sigh. "Your punishment is two weeks of restricted duties and no command privileges. You'll be under direct observation. During that time, I want you to think about what you're doing and why."
I stiffened but nodded. "Understood."
Phulnos hesitated, his eyes searching mine once more. "I'll leave you to your thoughts, Lieutenant. But remember this: Revenge won't bring Kellan back. It won't change what's happened. It will only take you further down a certain route that offers no exit to regrets in the future."
With that, he turned and walked toward the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the dark plans I had made. The door slid shut behind him, the silence in the room suddenly oppressive.
The two weeks of restricted duties felt like an eternity. I had been sidelined, relegated to overseeing menial tasks and administrative work that any junior officer could handle.
It was humiliating, but I endured it, channeling my anger and frustration into my work. Phulnos's words still echoed in my mind, but I couldn't let them distract me. I had to stay focused, had to bide my time until I could act again.
But as the days passed, I began to notice something odd. Phulnos was more distant than usual. He was always a private man, keeping his cards close to his chest, but now there was an air of secrecy around him. He avoided me more than necessary, and when our paths did cross, he seemed distracted, almost… evasive.
At first, I dismissed it as my imagination, a side effect of the isolation and my own growing paranoia. But as I watched him interact with other officers, the feeling of unease only grew. He was hiding something, and whatever it was, it had him on edge.
I started paying closer attention, watching him whenever I could. I noticed small things at first—brief, hushed conversations with other high-ranking officers, a few glances my way when he thought I wasn't looking, and, most telling of all, the way he would suddenly fall silent when I entered a room.
Phulnos was a master of control, both over himself and the people around him, but even he couldn't hide the subtle signs of stress. His shoulders were a little tenser, his eyes a little harder, and his tone a little more clipped when he spoke.
Then, about a week into my probation, I caught wind of something strange. One of the enlisted men, someone I had worked with before, mentioned that Phulnos was planning a planetary visit. Draconis IV, to be precise. It was an unusual move, a vessel commander stepping foot into the front lines.
There was no reason for someone of his rank to personally visit a planet still reeling from the recent assault, especially not without a clear reason or a significant operation in the works.
I didn't trust coincidences, not in this line of work. If Phulnos was going to Draconis IV, it wasn't just for a routine inspection. And if he was keeping it under wraps, it meant there was something more at play. The more I thought about it, the more suspicious I became.
As the day of Phulnos's departure approached, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being kept in the dark. The restrictions of my probation only heightened my frustration, leaving me feeling powerless and caged. But I wasn't going to sit by and let this happen without a fight.
On the morning of his departure, I made my move. I intercepted him as he was leaving his quarters, catching him off guard. He stiffened when he saw me, a flash of something—guilt, perhaps—flickering in his eyes before he masked it.
"Lieutenant Galen," he greeted, his voice carefully neutral. "What can I do for you?"
"Commander," I replied, forcing my voice to remain steady, "I heard you're planning a visit to Draconis IV."
He raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "That's correct."
"Is that so?" I said, stepping closer, my gaze locking onto his. "Because it doesn't seem routine to me. Not when you've been acting strange these past few weeks. Not when you've been avoiding me."
Phulnos's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't respond immediately. When he did speak, his tone was measured, almost condescending. "You're on probation, Galen."
"I know that," I snapped, my patience wearing thin. "But this isn't just any operation, is it? I can see it."
For a moment, the mask slipped. I saw a flash of anger, maybe even fear, in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the calm, authoritative demeanor he always wore.
"Lieutenant, you're treading dangerous ground," he warned, his voice low. "You're still recovering from your last mission. You're not thinking clearly."
"That's where you're wrong," I said, stepping even closer, lowering my voice so only he could hear. "And I'm going to find out what you're hiding, whether you like it or not."
Phulnos held my gaze for a long moment, a silent battle of wills. Then, without another word, he brushed past me, his posture rigid, and continued down the corridor.
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