“… take.”
Roy sat in the officers’ room at Eastern Command, sorting through his belongings.
“… Don’t take.”
Several days had passed since the chimera incident had finally been put to rest.
“Better leave these files for my successor … Don’t need this book. Oh, here’s that pen … Hmm. Out of ink.”
Roy leaned forward in his chair, taking careful aim at the wastebasket in the corner. He had just tossed the pen when there came a knock at the door.
“Excuse me, sir.” It was Havoc. “Mind if I come in?”
“Not at all. What’s up?” Roy continued sorting, motioning Havoc into the room with a tilt of his head.
“Update on the chimera incident: That Balerea Dell fellow’s regained consciousness. He’s talking again too. Has a lot of colorful things to say about the academy—and us, sir. Oh, and he gave me a message for you.”
“What’s that?”
“To the commanding officer at Eastern: I’ll never forgive what you have done to me. Consider yourself warned.”
Roy glanced up at Havoc. “You haven’t told him that I’m transferring?”
“Not a word, sir,” Havoc said, giving a thumbs-up. Roy nodded. His successor was more than welcome to any grudges this Dr. Dell might have for him.
“Think you’ll be able to wrap up that incident report, then?”
“Luon Egger is being very cooperative, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Oh, and some good news: remember Brigadier General Bason? He’s been demoted. They found out about some shady deals he made a few years back.”
“I see.”
This was good news indeed. Roy found himself liking Bason even less after the night spent at his mansion. The man was clearly overdue for some punishment.
Havoc ran through the rest of his report, then looked over the boxes and luggage piled up in the room.
“If you’ve got anything that can go on the freight train for Central, I’ll bring it downstairs.”
“That box can go, thanks.”
“Yes, sir.”
Havoc picked up the box and pried the door to the hallway open with his foot. He was about to leave when he stopped and turned back to Roy. “Oh, sir?”
“Hmm?”
“I know a commanding officer’s got a lot of responsibilities, but you should try to look after your own skin a bit more. That’s a message from all us officers here at Eastern.”
Roy’s eyes widened slightly.
So they had been worried about him out on the front lines, fighting the chimeras. He was about to offer a message of thanks in return, when Havoc spoke again.
“Not that you’ll listen, sir.”
“That’s one message too many, Second Lieutenant,” Roy said with a glare.
Havoc shrugged. “Just telling it like it is. Oh, and there’s something of yours in the night-duty room. First Lieutenant Hawkeye’s saying she’ll throw it out if you don’t come pick it up.”
“W-wait!” Roy stammered. “Tell her I’ll come look at it later, so don’t go throwing anything out.”
Havoc saluted and retreated down the hall.
Roy sighed and returned to his sorting. He would be leaving tomorrow for good, headed for Central with a handful of the officers in tow.
Through the open window, he could hear sounds of boxes and crates being placed on the bed of a waiting truck on the driveway outside.
“Hey, Colonel! Can I get your signature on this shipping label?” one of his men called from the ground below.
“Right! Coming!”
Roy closed the last box and opened the drawer to his desk. He reached in and picked up the single photograph lying inside.
“Well, I’m finally off to Central,” he told his friend smiling in the photograph.
Roy had decided he would continue on up the ranks, and there would be no stopping him.
“I’ll get to the top, Hughes,” he said softly. “You just watch me.”
Then Roy slipped the photograph into his shirt pocket, closed the empty drawer, and walked out of the room.