Week of 2023/3/13 - SSFF - Chapter 17 - Chapter 19

Chapter 17: Leaving Morgo IV

As the last of the Republic marines were captured or terminated, the research outpost belonged to the Venya Imperium once again. Of course, that didn't mean the work was over. If anything, for many involved, the work was just getting started.

Imperial naval commandos took full control of the outpost. Patrols, mainly composed of fresh troops from the second wave who didn't take too many losses in the battle, were set up. A number of combat engineers tried to determine the status of different parts of the outpost, including its perimeter defenses and life support systems. Medics tended to the wounded, friend and foe alike.

A number of naval commandos arrived at the lab and joined the legionnaires in securing Doctor Payton and her research. The legionnaires still maintained the standard level of caution when dealing with the commandos, but they weren’t too worried about another betrayal. Naval commandos, as a part of the Imperial Navy, were much more selective than Imperial Army soldiers. It was almost impossible for entire units of them to turn the way the 432nd Company did. Even if there were somehow betrayals, there was too much Imperial presence here to achieve anything.

As the situation was safe, Instigator Kendrick quickly handed the lab to his second in command and left to interface with the commodore leading the small Imperial fleet that reinforced him. The Instigator was a little disappointed to hear the enemy ship, a Republic light cruiser, had managed to escape.

Then again, it was somewhat expected. Even starships at the light cruiser level were built to withstand a ton of punishment, and there was just so much space for a ship to dodge and maneuver. It was often difficult to stop a combat-ready warship from simply fleeing without overwhelming firepower, and the small fleet of three light cruisers didn't have that.

Not wasting much time on what was already done, the Instigator moved on and began interrogating the captives. There were fewer enemies taken alive than he had hoped, but as a veteran himself, he knew it wasn’t the fault of the commandos. These targets weren’t unarmed civilians or shackled prisoners. They were armed troops more than capable of shooting back, and in many cases, the commandos had to apply lethal force if they didn't want to be gunned down themselves.

Only when the situation was mostly under control did the naval commandos use non-lethal methods like stun grenades and electro-batons whenever possible. By then most of the enemies were already killed in the battle.

With the help of interrogators among the commandos and some of his own legionnaires, Instigator Kendrick was able to get enough information from the captives to piece together a simple picture of what happened.

The rebels were members of the Venya Revolutionary Guard. Many of them started off in other units in the 329th Infantry Division and were gradually rotated into the 432nd Company. The reinforcements they received came from the Republic. More specifically, according to the handful of Republic prisoners taken alive, they came from one of the many black-ops divisions within the United Republic of Dorn.

Their goal was as expected. They were here to kidnap Doctor Payton and take her back to the Republic. The captives didn't know why, but Instigator Kendrick knew there was plenty of value to be extracted from a researcher at the Imperial Research Academy.

Still, it wouldn’t make much sense if the Republic went through all this trouble just for a Class D researcher.

Most of the information given up by the captives was more or less expected by the Instigator already, but there was one thing that he was still a little confused by.

Back in the lab, Athena told him about witnessing a beast that attacked a small group of rebel soldiers. Now, the surviving Guard fighters mentioned something similar. Some of them claimed they were attacked by a number of beasts capable of moving underground and using strong acid to dissolve armored troops. These beasts were the reason the Guard troops were so weakened and had no heavy weapons by the time the naval commandos arrived. A number of scenes of carnage across the facility supported this story. In every location, next to melted armor and flesh, there were always fractures in the steel floor that suggested something large had once dug its way out of the ground.

There was no doubt these beasts did exist. The question then became…where were they now?

These acid-spitting beasts somehow dug their way into this outpost and attacked many Guard fighters. And then they just…left? The naval commandos never encountered even a single one of them after deploying into this building.

A little confused, the Instigator coordinated with the leader of the naval commandos and searched the outpost again, but once again they couldn’t find any of these beasts. Unsurprising, given by this time Athena had recalled all her roaches already. Even the best detectives wouldn't be able to find them.

A theory formed in the Instigator’s head. Most likely, these beasts were a somewhat intelligent race native to Morgo IV. They had been observing the Imperials, and when they saw the mutiny, they took it upon themselves to strike in the midst of the chaos. After killing a number of troops of the Guard, for some reason, they left. Maybe they had satiated their bloodlust. Maybe they were happy with killing so many Imperials and weakening the garrison. Maybe they sensed more threats incoming. Ultimately, they were gone.

These beasts were, without a doubt, a deadly threat. The fate of many rebel troopers was a testament to this fact. That being said, they weren’t really Instigator Kendrick’s issue anymore.

They weren’t going to stay here after what happened. He, along with Doctor Payton, would be tagging a ride with the fleet and heading back to an Imperial world. He had reports to make to his own superiors. A betrayal like this would likely result in plenty of investigations and purging. Doctor Payton would also likely be kept on the world for her own safety. The naval commandos and the fleet wouldn’t stay here either. They were a part of the System Defense Fleet, and they wouldn't be stationed on a random world like Morgo IV.

The outpost would be abandoned in the near future. Maybe one day the doctor would return to Morgo IV to continue her research. Maybe the IRA would even be interested in looking into the beasts themselves in the future. But as of now, the Instigator had more important things to worry about than some native beasts.

To his credit, he did take the time to write a few reports on this matter, recording the descriptions of the captives and giving a few suggestions to whoever might be responsible for holding this outpost in the future. Trenches to prevent the beasts from traversing underground. Maybe seismic sensors and reinforced floors. These beasts might be of some interest to the Imperial Research Academy, but the Instigator hardly found them to be as worthy of his attention as treacheries and corruption within the Imperial ranks.

During the battle, a number of soldiers of the 432nd were discovered throughout the facility. Many of them were unarmed and were simply hiding in their living quarters or in other corners of the base. Without exception, the commandos took them captive. In these cases, there was just no way for the Imperials to tell if a soldier was a loyalist who knew nothing about this treachery or a rebel who was trying to save his skin by lying.

Given the Imperium’s tendency to rather let an innocent die than let a guilty go, it was only likely that these suspected traitors would be dealt with as if they were confirmed ones. They would be heavily interrogated for anything they might know, and most likely their interrogation would end with a bullet in the head. Just in case.

Luckily, the measures Athena took once again paid off. Neither Instigator Kendrick nor any of his men suspected Athena, the one responsible for foiling the plan by the rebels, of being a traitor.

As a result, when the time finally came to leave the planet of Morgo IV behind, Athena earned herself a spot on one of the Imperial light cruisers.

Athena stepped back to her living quarters on the Minotaur-class light cruiser and let out a sigh.

She knew it was an optimistic thought, but a part of her prayed that being aboard the light cruiser would allow her to unlock the Terran starport. The starport would give her access to a number of powerful Terran spacecraft. Unfortunately, despite wandering around all the parts of the ship she was allowed in over the span of several days, no notification came to her.

It seemed like it would take so much more for the unlock.

“Back from your daily walk?” In the cabin, Adrianna asked as she lay on her bed. A PEI was still in her hand.

Much to her relief, Athena wasn’t the only survivor from the 432nd Company. Adrianna was held by the naval commandos for a while, but when Athena got onto the light cruiser, she was joined by her squad member. Uncoincidentally, they were assigned to the same room.

“It’s not like there are too many interesting things to do here.” Athena made her way to the small bed in a corner of the room that belonged to her. It shouldn’t be too surprising that the living conditions on the ship were even worse than in the outpost. At least in the outpost, she had the space to go for a jog. On a warship, space itself was an incredibly expensive resource.

“Well, it could always be worse. Remember the light cruiser that brought us to Morgo IV? A cabin like this had to fit 6 people. One of the worst experiences in my life. Sometimes you just have to be grateful for what you have.” Adrianna tried to cheer Athena up before her voice went a little quiet. “Then again, I guess there is nothing to be grateful for when your entire company gets wiped out…although, as one of the two people still alive, I guess I should be grateful. Hmmm…”

Athena glanced at Adrianna. She could see her squad mate wasn’t as nonchalant about all that had happened as she tried to pretend to be. Adrianna was a war veteran, but she was still very human. Losing so many comrades, some of whom could even be considered friends, wasn’t something she could just get over so soon. Athena herself never got to know her new squad too well during the few short days, but Adrianna had been with them for quite a while.

Even the old Athena had some friends in her squad. Michael and Ren. The old Athena would be quite sad if they suddenly died.

Adrianna let out a sigh before putting down her PEI and turning to Athena.

“I never got to say this, Athena, but I’m grateful for what you did for me. I know I wouldn’t be here without you. I will never forget this. If you need something from me in the future, all you gotta do is ask.”

Athena’s heart jumped a little. What did Adrianna mean? Did she save Adrianna back in the base? As far as Adrianna considered, the answer should be no. Did Adrianna somehow know about her use of the roaches to clear up the Guard rebels?

“Give yourself some credit. You could’ve made it to the lab without me.” She replied, doing her best to act relaxed.

“Maybe,” Adrianna said quietly. “But I would’ve been shot the moment I made it to the lab. Even if I wasn’t shot there, I would not have made it onto this ship. I would have ended up like the others who survived the mutiny.”

Athena was silent. Now she knew exactly what Adrianna meant. Adrianna wasn’t referring to being saved by Athena from the rebels. She was referring to being saved from the purge of the Imperial Security Corps. Adrianna was smart enough to know she was only allowed to live because Athena vouched for her. Athena confirmed Adrianna’s actions ever since the uprising happened. If Adrianna was a traitor, then she was really bad at her job.

For most of the other survivors of the 432nd, given that the surveillance footage had all been destroyed by the rebels, it was impossible to know for sure what they did during the uprising. Given the circumstances, that automatically made them guilty.

“It would be quite ironic,” Adrianna shrugged and added. “If I survived so many years fighting against the enemies of the Imperium, only to be executed by the Imperium for treason.”

Athena didn't reply, and the redhead scoffed and picked up a bottle of drink she got from the storage back in Outpost Delta before they left. “Then again, it was the right thing to do. So many in our unit were traitors. How was anyone supposed to know if we were loyal? Even if we were loyal, just the fact that we weren’t able to discover and report the treachery going on around us is enough grounds for our execution. If anything, the others deserved it, and we got lucky. This is just how the Imperium works. And what do I know? I’m just a grunt. Who am I to disagree with the policies of our empire?”

She raised the bottle and spoke before starting to drink. “Cheers. Glory to the Imperium!”

As the conversation came to an end, Athena tapped her chin. It was obvious Adrianna was quite bitter about how the Imperium treated its soldiers, but what could she do? She was just a trooper. If she refused to fight, she would be executed. If she tried to desert and got caught, she would be executed. If she tried to protest how things were done in the Imperium, she would be punished and maybe executed. The only option she had if she didn't want a likely painful death was to give in. To fight for the regime that treated her like a slave.

This was the reality for so many within the Imperium. If you can't leave it, love it.

Honestly, this was good news for Athena. She knew she was getting out of the Imperial Army as soon as she had a good chance to do so. Despite only knowing Adrianna for a short while, Athena shared an odd friendship with the redhead. It was good to know Adrianna had no real love for the Imperium either.

Chapter 18: 9A2-C-8

9A2-C-8. Imperial Sector 9A2. System C. Planet 8.

For the last three hundred years, the world of 9A2-C-8 had been, more or less, an ordinary Imperial planet. Like all populated Imperial planets in Sector 9A2, the people of 9A2-C-8 paid their taxes and offered their sons and daughters for service in the various military and civil branches of the Imperial government.

One of the largest of these branches was the Imperial Army. Like all planets, 9A2-C-8 had an annual quota of fresh recruits to produce for the Imperial Army. These recruits were usually made up of volunteers, although sometimes conscripts would be called upon when not enough citizens give themselves to the meatgrinder that was the Imperial Army. In years with ongoing wars or anticipated conflicts, hundreds of divisions would be raised at once from the planet’s massive population of 15.6 billion.

The 329th Infantry Division was one of the many divisions raised and stationed in the world of 9A2-C-8. When Instigator Kendrick reached out to the 34th Imperial Army Formation, the Army Formation in charge of all Army assets on 9A2-C-8, staff from the Formation arranged for a company from the 329th to be deployed as security detail. The company, the 432nd, traveled to a remote world alongside Instigator Kendrick and Doctor Payton.

The rest was all history.

After the Imperial light cruiser reached 9A2-C-8, Athena and Adrianna parted ways with the others. Instigator Kendrick had to report what happened to his superiors. What was left of his squad of legionnaires went with him. Athena and Adrianna returned to the fort occupied by the 329th Infantry. They were still soldiers, after all, and desertion was a serious crime.

For a week, Athena, Adrianna, and the others from the 329th watched as individuals from numerous agencies visited Fort 127. Several Instigators from the Imperial Security Corps. A number of uniformed officers from the 34th Imperial Army Formation. Groups of men and women in black uniforms who Adrianna suspected came from the Imperial Intelligence Agency, also known as the Imperial Security Agency.

Over the span of a week, these individuals interrogated numerous officers and soldiers of the 329th Infantry. Some were released after a while. Others were never seen again.

Most within the division had no idea what was going on, but Athena was not among them. It was obvious many high-ranking Imperials on the planet didn't take the operation by the Guard too well, and this was retaliation. For the Guard to infiltrate so much of the 432nd Company, the 329th obviously had members who were, willingly or accidentally, helping the Guard.

She pitied anyone behind this plan who was captured by the Imperials. The embarrassed and vengeful Imperials wouldn’t allow them to die until they have given up every ounce of information, and even then the death would likely be public, slow, and excruciating. Examples had to be made, after all.

When the series of interrogations finally ended after two weeks, Athena and Adrianna waited another three days for their assignment. When their assignments arrived, they came with a surprise.

---

“Captain? You’re a captain now?” In their temporary quarters, Adrianna was completely off guard when Athena told her about the promotion she received. ‘That’s…wow. From a private to a captain. This is not unprecedented, but it is extremely rare. I think the largest leap in rank I heard of before this was from corporal to captain.”

She grinned and gently punched Athena on the shoulder. “I guess I should salute you, ma’am.”

Athena smiled as well as she set her PEI down. Like Adrianna, she knew how rare such a promotion was, but unlikely her friend, she wasn’t as excited as one in her position should be.

Yes. She was a captain now. Yes. She would have her own company of hundreds of troops to command. No. It wouldn’t change her mind and get her to stay in the Imperial Army in the long term.

If a private was a slave, then a captain was a slave in charge of a group of slaves. As a captain, she would still be an expendable piece on the chess board. She would still have to be at the frontline, and if things went wrong, she would still be abandoned without a second thought alongside her troops.

Only colonels and above held true power in the Imperial Army, and they were often staffed with graduates of military academies. It was quite rare for troopers to make their way to become officers of that rank.

As for the reason behind such a promotion…Instigator Kendrick’s recommendation likely helped, but there was more to it.

“They want to make an example of me, in a good way.” Athena reasoned. “After what had been going on in this fort for the last week, morale has been at an all-time low. They want to use me as an example to show that as long as you serve the Imperium, you will be heavily rewarded. I'm sure rumors about what I did back on Morgo IV will be circulating around the division for a while.”

“Well, whatever the reason, I’m sure you’re qualified for the job. At least you’re much more qualified than a fresh academy graduate.” Adrianna said, and she wasn’t wrong. Athena had been in the Imperial Army for seven years. She never held command before, but she had the knowledge needed for the rank. Give her some time, and she would be a fine captain.

“I, for one, am glad to have you as my captain, sir,” Adrianna added. She was also assigned to Athena’s new company, and she was obviously quite happy about it. She had been under the leadership of so many officers over the years, and she had seen how being on good terms with one’s captain could make things a lot easier.

“Very well.” Athena nodded and stood up. Regardless of her plans for the long term, she had to put up a good act now. “Pack your stuff. We’re going to meet our new unit.”

---

Despite being of a relatively low rank, captains still enjoyed a lot of privileges compared to the common troopers, and as someone who made the leap from private to captain in one go, Athena felt the drastic difference firsthand.

As a captain, Athena had her own office and living quarters. Her pay was five times that of a private. She had access to the officer’s lounge and dining hall, both of which offered expensive food and drinks 24/7 at no cost to the officers. Her Guardian class power armor was replaced by the Indominated class, which offered additional protection and communication capabilities while having no visible difference from the Guardian class from the outside.

These were just some of the privileges on paper. As someone who had been in service for years, Athena knew a captain would have near-total authority over her men. She could discipline her troops at wish, whether with physical punishments or imprisonment, or docking their pay. It wasn’t uncommon for officers to use these as threats in exchange for all kinds of favors from their subordinates. There could be consequences to doing things like this, but often as long as the officers didn't take things too far or had a semi-decent justification, no one important would care enough to intervene.

A few hours later, after getting some basic information on the unit, Athena called all the sergeants and corporals in her new company, the 437th Company, for a meeting so she could introduce herself to them and vice versa. This was a common procedure whenever there was a new commanding officer present.

Since there were dozens of people, Athena had the meeting take place in one of the open courts in Fort 127.

When it was time, Athena and Adrianna were the first to get there. One by one, the sergeants and corporals in the 437th came to the field. The sergeants introduced themselves to their new captain, and they were all more or less respectful.

“Captain Dane, sir.”

One of the sergeants, a man in his late thirties, wore a wide smile on his face as he saluted Athena. Despite being old enough to be Athena’s father, the man was groveling in an attempt to get on the good side of his new commanding officer. “I have heard about your accomplishments in Outpost Delta, ma’am. My respect for foiling a plan by the despicable traitors. It will be the greatest honor for my men and me to fight under your leadership!”

Most sergeants were polite and respectful, but this one took things a little too far.

Athena was quite uncomfortable, to say the least. This wasn’t something either she or the old Athena had experienced.

“What a kiss-ass,” Adrianna whispered to Athena after the sergeant left to sit down alongside the others. “I bet he got his rank by doing the same thing to his last captain. Now that the old guy is arrested, he’s wasting no time and trying to do the same thing to you. I’ve always hated spineless people like him.”

Athena nodded gently but didn't say anything. She didn't like what the sergeant was doing, but his actions were understandable. If Athena disliked the sergeant, she could easily make the man’s life hell. In his eyes, it was better to submit and grovel than to potentially be targeted. He wished to do his best to get on her good side, even if it meant he had to act more like a servant than an NCO. Perhaps this was how he survived in the Army for so long.

Athena didn't want to comment on this. Self-preservation was only human. Who was she to judge?

One by one, the sergeants greeted Athena and gave a brief introduction before sitting down in the open field alongside the corporals. As no more men were coming, Athena frowned and turned to Adrianna.

“Is it just me or did I only count five sergeants?”

“That’s what I counted as well,” Adrianna replied with a frown. “Shouldn’t there be six?”

“Yeah.” Athena nodded. She had read the file on the company. The company’s previous captain was arrested for treason, but none of its six sergeants was imprisoned or replaced. “There should be one more. Sergeant…Parker. I think. Of the 3rd Platoon.”

“The number of corporals isn’t right either. There should be four more of them.” Adrianna realized as well as she scanned the crowd.

The two waited there for a few more minutes, but no one else came. Athena frowned and tossed this question behind her. With a deep breath, she stepped in front of the sergeants and corporals and started introducing herself.

Her speech, if one could even call it that, was quite brief. She introduced herself and gave some information on her background and experience. The purpose of this meeting was simply so most of her officers could put a face and a voice to her name and rank. Of course, for the sergeants and even some of the corporals, this was a good networking opportunity. If they got on their new captain’s good side, maybe she would give the easy tasks to their platoons and forget about them when wondering who to send on more dangerous missions.

In the end, Athena, like any good Imperial officer, reiterated that they must work together and fight as a single unit if they wanted to achieve the most for the Imperium. As she concluded, all the men cheered.

As the meeting ended and the officers were about to leave, Athena turned to a pair of sergeants.

“Where is Sergeant Parker?”

“I’m not sure, sir.” One of the sergeants paused before seeing something behind Athena. “Oh, there he is.”

Athena’s brows darkened as she turned around. There, five figures approached slowly. Sergeant Parker and four other men, likely the four missing corporals. They arrived fifteen minutes later than when they were ordered.

Sergeant Parker was a large man. He was in a black tank top with an Imperial Army sigil on the chest. Athena was by no means short, but the man still towered over her.

“Oh, you must be our new captain.” The sergeant said loudly as he approached. “What’s your name again, sir?”

“Sergeant Parker.” Athena glanced at the man and the four corporals standing behind him. “You’re late. You were ordered to be here 15 minutes ago.”

“Huh? Well, my apologies, sir. My boys and I…we were busy. We only just saw the message.” Sergeant Parker shrugged. “Sorry we didn't make it in time for your…coronation.”

“Busy? Busy doing what? Drinking?” Athena pushed. She could smell the alcohol from the five men. “You’re a veteran yourself, sergeant. You know the rules. No drinking while on duty, and I don’t believe you requested time off today.”

Athena knew she was being quite harsh on the man, but as soon as the sergeant approached her, she noticed many sergeants and corporals in the company gathering around her and observing the exchange. While otherwise she might let the sergeant go without a fuss, this changed things.

Back on Earth, most leaders often earned the respect of their subordinates by being understanding and respectful. Athena was fine with that, but she also knew this wasn’t exactly how things worked in the brutal war machine that was the Venya Imperial Army.

In the Imperial Army, being a nice and understanding person wasn't a good thing. Athena knew that here, respect wasn’t earned by getting people to love her. It was earned by displaying strength and the willingness to use it. It was by showing everyone that if they disobeyed or disrespected her, she would make them pay tenfold for it. Submit, and everything would be fine. Resist her, and they would suffer for it.

In a sense, this was the philosophy of the Imperium. The Leviathan maintained control over the Greater Houses through the threat of extermination. The Greater Houses controlled the Lesser Houses in a similar regard, and the chain went on. Fear, for better or for worse, kept people in line in the Imperium.

Plus, she questioned if this was truly an accident on the sergeant’s part. The man was absent for the entire meeting, and the moment it was over he showed up? And he happened to be drinking with four other corporals in his unit, all of whom failed to see the electronic order she sent them? All of them had military-grade PEIs that would alert the users as soon as an order was received. It wasn't like these NCOs just happened to have the volumes on their devices muted.

More likely than not, the sergeant was doing it on purpose to show his dissatisfaction with the new leadership. It really wasn’t that difficult to see, and others likely saw through it as well. This was a challenge to Athena’s authority. They all knew exactly what was going on, and they were eager to see how Athena would react.

If she proved herself to be a tough leader, they would continue to be the loyal subordinates they have appeared to be so far.

If she was a weak leader who was easily intimidated by the sergeant, well…perhaps their loyalty to her didn't need to go beyond the surface.

Chapter 19: Authority

Athena looked at the sergeant and the four corporals before making a decision.

“I am docking two weeks of your pay. Don’t let this happen again.”

This was well within Athena’s rights as a captain to order, and as far as disciplinary actions went this was quite moderate. What the sergeant did could technically be painted as conspiring with others to willingly disobey the orders of a commanding officer. In extreme cases, this could qualify as treason.

Of course, Athena couldn’t discharge or execute Sergeant Parker for such a small thing, but it was within her rights to file a report to the regimental command staff and advise punishments. In many cases, the command staff would simply take the captain’s words. It was also within her right to dock a lot more of the sergeant’s pay, temporarily imprison him, or exert a moderate level of physical punishment.

Such was the authority of a captain. In many cases, to the men in the company, their captain was their lord.

Unfortunately for Sergeant Parker, he didn't see this as a lenient action. While the four corporals behind him were fine with accepting this punishment, the sergeant felt more insulted than anything else.

Athena was right in her deduction. The sergeant missed this meeting on purpose for a simple reason. Originally, as one of the more senior sergeants, he was on track to be promoted to the rank of captain when an opportunity presented itself. When one did in the form of the old captain being arrested by military police and the Imperial Security Corps, the sergeant eagerly waited for his promotion, only to hear that a lucky girl, a former private, would take the place that rightfully belonged to him.

Yes. As far as Sergeant Parker saw, Athena was just a lucky girl. There had been plenty of rumors in the division about what happened to the 432nd Company that led to the investigations. Sergeant Parker heard that this Athena, one of the two survivors from the 432nd, had done something impressive during the same mission that doomed her entire company. Not knowing what exactly happened, he simply decided she was being lucky.

What right did she have to suddenly go from being a simple private to his commanding officer? The more the sergeant thought about it, the more pissed off he became. When Athena called on all the officers for a meeting, the sergeant decided to arrive late on purpose with four of his close corporals. For what purpose? He himself honestly had no idea. It wasn’t like this was a logical, carefully thought-out decision on his part. If nothing else, he wanted to show his new captain his displeasure.

“You want to dock my pay, girl?” The sergeant snapped and took a step forward. “Who do you think you are? I have been fighting for the Imperium when you were still in your mother’s womb! What right do you have to discipline me?”

The man was tall and large and he could almost certainly beat her in a hand-to-hand fight, but Athena didn't falter as the sergeant might have hoped. Instead, she simply turned to the four corporals behind the sergeant. Her gaze was cold and fierce.

“How about you four? Anything you want to say to me?”

“I…no sir. I mean…ma’am.” Under Athena’s gaze, one of the four corporals was the first to speak up. Unlike the sergeant, he had no intention of pissing off his new captain.

“It’s a fair action, ma’am.” Another corporal lowered his head. He knew Sergeant Parker might not be too happy about this, but he had already done more than he should have for the sergeant. He wasn’t about to stand against his captain for such a stupid thing.

Without a word, Athena turned back and stared into the sergeant’s eyes. She could see the anger in the man’s eyes. She didn't know what she did that pissed him off so much, but this anger made her a lot more comfortable with the order she was about to give.

She might not stay in the Army for too long, but while she was in the Army, she had to be a good officer if she wanted to maximize her own chances of surviving and escaping. That meant doing what any good officer would do in situations like this.

“That is ma’am to you, sergeant,” Athena said quietly. “You should know, sergeant, that disrespecting a commanding officer is a serious offense. An army is nothing without discipline.”

The sergeant was certainly no stranger to combat. She would be no match for the sergeant in hand-to-hand combat. She might not even be able to best him in a firefight. It didn't matter. Athena had something so much stronger than her fist or her rifle. She had her authority.

Athena turned to the four corporals standing behind the sergeant. The four men who had bailed on the meeting alongside the leader of their platoon.

“Take him to the square. 20 lashes.”

The four corporals looked at each other, and for a second no one moved.

Behind Athena, Adrianna took a step forward. She was well aware of her current situation. She had no connections in this new company, and for all intents and purposes, her fate was tied to that of Athena. But before she could act, Athena raised a hand and stopped her in her tracks.

“How dare you? I have bled for the Imperium alongside these men!” Sergeant Parker snapped. Once again, if he was in a more logical mood, he would gladly go along with it and take the punishment, but he had a lot to drink right before coming here and his brain wasn’t working too well. “You are the outsider here, girl! No one in this company will lay a hand on me!”

Many of the corporals and sergeants observing the exchange frowned. Regardless of how she came to be, Athena was still their captain, and her orders had to be obeyed. A number of them stepped forward, but once again Athena stopped them.

The entire time, her eyes were trained on the four corporals. She didn't want Adrianna or the others to seize and punish the sergeant. She wanted the man’s own subordinates to do it.

“You four wish to disobey the orders of a commanding officer?” Athena’s voice was quiet, but there was no doubt in the weight it carried. “It is treason, then. Tell me, corporals. Are you traitors?”

Sergeant Parker froze as he heard Athena’s words. He was just steps away from Athena, and if he wanted to there was no doubt he could hit Athena. But then what? All that would do was increase his transgressions even more. If disrespecting a commanding officer could get him 20 lashes, assaulting a commanding officer could easily get him the noose or the flamethrower.

As things progressed and the alcohol began to wear off, a part of the sergeant was beginning to realize what he did, and he was horrified by it. He wanted to give in. To apologize. But before he could say a word, the four corporals suddenly leaped onto him from behind and pressed him to the ground.

These men knew all too well what would happen to them if they continued to refuse Athena's order, and they had no intention of potentially being burned at the stake as a traitor, something their new captain was obviously capable of doing to those who hesitated when executing her orders.

As the four men dragged the corporal away, Athena turned to face the rest of her men. All of them immediately stood up straight when her eyes landed on them. After the display Athena gave them, it sufficed to say that they would think twice before refusing any order from Athena.

Athena might just be a young woman, but there was little doubt that she was capable of as much strength and cruelty as her fellow officers. Wrong her, and there would be consequences.

---

As the meeting ended and Athena and Adrianna headed back to Athena’s office, Athena honestly felt a little conflicted inside.

“The sergeant may harbor a grudge against you, sir.” Adrianna reminded Athena. “Most in the company weren’t involved in that incident, but Sergeant Parker likely will not just let this go. I don’t think he will be stupid enough to do anything to you, but you can never be too sure.”

“I know,” Athena replied quietly. “That’s why I’m going to file a disciplinary report to the regimental staff about this and try to get Parker out of my unit or out of the Army. I’m not going into combat with a threat like him by my side.”

Athena knew most troops in the Imperial Army wouldn’t be stupid enough to try to frag their commanders or shoot them in the back. The risk was just too much. If a soldier did something like that and was caught, the only doubt would be how they would be executed. There were many possibilities. Crucifixion. Flaying. Burning. Castration. Any combination of the above. The only thing for sure was it would be public, and it would be painful. Anyone conspiring with the soldier would face the same punishments while anyone who exposed them would be heavily rewarded. It was just too risky.

Then again, she didn't want to take the risk with someone as irrational as Sergeant Parker. He clearly wasn't someone good with self-control.

“It seems like you have considered everything. I have to say, sir, command suits you.” Adrianna noted as the two of them returned to Athena’s office. She was experienced enough to see the effects of Athena’s actions. With Sergeant Parker as an example, Athena had easily established her power in the eyes of her men.

“There is no one else here. You can still call me Athena.” Athena suddenly said.

“Very well, Athena.”

Athena nodded. She paused for a second before bringing up something else. “If you’re fine with it, from now on you can be my personal bodyguard.”

Almost all individuals in the Imperium who meant anything had their own advisors and enforcers who were loyal to them individually and not just their ranks. As the leaders of hundreds of troops, captains were no different. Each captain in the Imperial Army was allowed to have a maximum of four bodyguards. These bodyguards would report directly to the captains and would often act as their messengers or overseers when needed. When a captain was promoted, they would bring their close guards with them. If the captain somehow, miraculously, ended up founding a Lesser House, the close guards all had a chance of becoming Imperial nobles with their own land and wealth.

“I am happy to oblige. As I said before, I owe you my life.” Adrianna nodded. She knew this meant her fate would be tied to that of Athena. If Athena did well, she would promote and reward Adrianna. If Athena did poorly…the old captain of the 437th Company had his own bodyguards. Where were they now? Even if those guards claimed they didn't know about their captain's crimes, no one would believe them.

Then again, Adrianna knew this was her best option. Regardless of whether she accepted the offer, everyone in the company already believed she was one of Athena’s close subordinates given how close the two of them were. Plus, as far as she could see, Athena was a good leader to work for.

“Good.” Athena let out a smile. “I will send a message to the regimental command staff about this. Go and get settled in. If you have time, go through the personnel files and see if there are any good candidates to recruit to join you.”

As Adrianna left the office and closed the door, Athena leaned back in the leather seat of her new office. The cold air blowing into the room via the air conditioners made the place quite comfortable, and after years as a trooper with little privacy or freedom, having a big office and a living room all to herself was quite satisfying.

As she had more time to herself, Athena couldn’t help but go over what just happened out there once again. Neither the Athena from Earth nor the old Athena ever had such a level of authority before. The old Athena, as a trooper, had only been on the receiving side of punishments. Even with the Zerg units who would obey her every command, it just wasn’t quite the same.

Now that she experienced what it felt like to be able to punish her disrespectful subordinates with a single order, she had to admit she saw the appeal of authority.

In a sense, she began to understand why so many people in the Imperium were willing to do whatever it took to climb to the top. In most levels of the Imperium, separation of power was nonexistent. Those with higher ranks could do whatever they wanted to those beneath them, often with impunity. Those tormented, with no other option, would in turn let off their steam on those below them.

The entire time, everyone was doing their best to climb the social pyramid so they could be above as many people as possible.

Athena sighed. Adrianna told her command suited her, but the truth was she only did what she did to Sergeant Parker because she had no choice if she wanted to maintain her authority in the company. She herself took no pleasure in intimidating her subordinates or punishing her men. It just wasn’t something she, who was a student on Earth not long ago, was comfortable with. She was willing to do what had to be done, but that didn't mean she had to enjoy it.

Perhaps she could put up the act of a loyal Imperial for a brief while, but how long could she last? Even more concerningly, would she really want to spend several years in the Imperial Army, fighting for the Venya Imperium? Going one step beyond that, did she really want to start enjoying life as an Imperial officer?

The answer was obvious.