It had been several days since Erik had spoken to the journalist. He had returned to and remained in Black Brush as he waited for what he knew would come. He was somewhat surprised when the young and confused Flame messenger arrived and started asking about him. He let the recruit look for awhile before making himself known. No sooner had the messenger delivered his paper then Erik took to Fury, Montblanc riding behind.
The Flame Hall was alive with movement, and none seemed unnerved or surprised as Erik entered, business as usual. He dismissed Monblanc and Fury to their base, to survey the damage and to reopen and organize the Hall. As they did, he took a deep breath and moved on to Commander Ryder's office.
There was no fanfare as he entered. Ryder looked up and spoke softly as he returned his gaze to the papers, "Lock the door behind you Captain and sit down." Erik complied, pulling down his hood and sitting. Ryder looked again, holding a copy of the Tomberry in his hands, "This is by far.... I don't even know what to say other then what is your neck size? I have heard more then one voice talking about how they would see you swing." Erik smiled, "Thirteen ilms Sir." Ryder was not amused, "Captain, this is no time to be funny." Erik stiffened and took a serious tone, "I had to do something drastic, not only to stop the rot, but inoculate against it. The faction responsible is still in play, as is their Roe front man. You cannot redact or make disappear someone known." Ryder stood up, anger noticeably, "Several of your people have left, many unhappy with the way things were done." Erik smiled, "Torture, terror, unorthodox recruitment, these are things that are part of the load we must carry. It was to much for some of them. If their morality was troubled, or they were to paranoid, or simply not cut out for the life, maybe it is for the best. I wish them well. But sometimes, some must sometimes dirty their hands so others will not have to. That is how I protect my nation, by doing the work no one wants to. I have that freedom, my soul is already weighted and bound for the Void."
Ryder pulled out a stack of papers from his desk and tossed them to the Captain, "You gambled high and won, had you lost we would have all swung. I stuck my neck out for you to help you and you turned and bet it all on a single hand of Triad. I will not stick my neck out again Captain, am I clear?" Erik nodded, "Sir." Ryder nodded and sat, "You can read those orders but the gist of it is the Red Wing's status as a classified covert unit is revoked. Your cover as a humanitarian aid is also revoked. In short, you will remain a covert action unit, but will be held to government oversight now as well as public scrutiny. As for the people who left you, it seems like a good time to restructure." Erik nodded, "Already done, I used the last few days to do some head hunting. I have leads on ten good officers waiting to fill the gaps. I assumed this would be the new rules, so I took the liberty to add some security to my operatives." Ryder eyed him, "Codenames Captain.... really? You are just a child in a man's body." Erik smiled and stood to leave, taking the papers as he stood. Before he turned to go, Ryder stopped him, "Captain, this whole event was nothing but trouble, causing strife in your ranks, confusion, and almost by some's hopes, the destruction of the Red Wings. But you carried on as if nothing was wrong. Even now you act as though none of what has happened bothered you." Erik reached the door and stopped, turning to the Commander he smiled, "The colours of the Red Wings' sigil, the same as the heraldry of my father's family, do you know what it is?" Ryder thought then spoke, "A red bird on a white field, what of it?" Erik turned to leave, speaking over his shoulder as he did, "The field is the stillness after the devastation of total war. The red bird is a Phoenix, rising from its ashes. It is not a symbol of hope, it is a symbol that no matter the force our enemies bring upon us, both from without and within, no matter the total war brought onto us, we will rise again."
The Flame Hall was alive with movement, and none seemed unnerved or surprised as Erik entered, business as usual. He dismissed Monblanc and Fury to their base, to survey the damage and to reopen and organize the Hall. As they did, he took a deep breath and moved on to Commander Ryder's office.
There was no fanfare as he entered. Ryder looked up and spoke softly as he returned his gaze to the papers, "Lock the door behind you Captain and sit down." Erik complied, pulling down his hood and sitting. Ryder looked again, holding a copy of the Tomberry in his hands, "This is by far.... I don't even know what to say other then what is your neck size? I have heard more then one voice talking about how they would see you swing." Erik smiled, "Thirteen ilms Sir." Ryder was not amused, "Captain, this is no time to be funny." Erik stiffened and took a serious tone, "I had to do something drastic, not only to stop the rot, but inoculate against it. The faction responsible is still in play, as is their Roe front man. You cannot redact or make disappear someone known." Ryder stood up, anger noticeably, "Several of your people have left, many unhappy with the way things were done." Erik smiled, "Torture, terror, unorthodox recruitment, these are things that are part of the load we must carry. It was to much for some of them. If their morality was troubled, or they were to paranoid, or simply not cut out for the life, maybe it is for the best. I wish them well. But sometimes, some must sometimes dirty their hands so others will not have to. That is how I protect my nation, by doing the work no one wants to. I have that freedom, my soul is already weighted and bound for the Void."
Ryder pulled out a stack of papers from his desk and tossed them to the Captain, "You gambled high and won, had you lost we would have all swung. I stuck my neck out for you to help you and you turned and bet it all on a single hand of Triad. I will not stick my neck out again Captain, am I clear?" Erik nodded, "Sir." Ryder nodded and sat, "You can read those orders but the gist of it is the Red Wing's status as a classified covert unit is revoked. Your cover as a humanitarian aid is also revoked. In short, you will remain a covert action unit, but will be held to government oversight now as well as public scrutiny. As for the people who left you, it seems like a good time to restructure." Erik nodded, "Already done, I used the last few days to do some head hunting. I have leads on ten good officers waiting to fill the gaps. I assumed this would be the new rules, so I took the liberty to add some security to my operatives." Ryder eyed him, "Codenames Captain.... really? You are just a child in a man's body." Erik smiled and stood to leave, taking the papers as he stood. Before he turned to go, Ryder stopped him, "Captain, this whole event was nothing but trouble, causing strife in your ranks, confusion, and almost by some's hopes, the destruction of the Red Wings. But you carried on as if nothing was wrong. Even now you act as though none of what has happened bothered you." Erik reached the door and stopped, turning to the Commander he smiled, "The colours of the Red Wings' sigil, the same as the heraldry of my father's family, do you know what it is?" Ryder thought then spoke, "A red bird on a white field, what of it?" Erik turned to leave, speaking over his shoulder as he did, "The field is the stillness after the devastation of total war. The red bird is a Phoenix, rising from its ashes. It is not a symbol of hope, it is a symbol that no matter the force our enemies bring upon us, both from without and within, no matter the total war brought onto us, we will rise again."
The End
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