"Greetings, Gray Demon," Gihren said with a malicious smile. "Please step forward."
I followed Gihren's instructions, stepping up to a small desk that was placed equidistant to the four guards standing next to me. A latched box had been placed on top of the desk, and I looked down at it fearfully. It took all of my focus to not let the fear show on my face.
"As you say, Supreme Commander," I said, giving Gihren the most formal salute of my life.
Gihren responded to my salute by casually pressing two fingers to his brow in a lame approximation of a salute. With a smirk, he said, "Do you know why I called you here today, Captain Dogwood?"
"I have a few guesses, but I can't say for sure," I said.
Danger flashed through my mind, and I turned toward one of the guards with my hands in a fighting stance. I could feel it as the intent to harm appeared in that guard's mind. It was happening now! Gihren had decided it was time for me to die! My only chance at survival was to take one of Gihren's guards hostage!
The guard hadn't moved yet, but I knew he would in a few seconds. I took a step toward the man with my hands outstretched, but I never reached my target.
Gihren let out a bark of mirthless laughter, and I stopped in place. None of the guards had moved an inch as if they were expecting my behavior. I knew that something was wrong, so I decided to let the moment pass.
"As I expected, Dogwood, your instincts for battle verge on the supernatural," Gihren said as he slowly rose from his seat. "You reacted before Filius even took a step forward. Behold, men! The Newtype heralded by Zeon Zum Deikun has arrived! Side 3 stands at the pinnacle of humanity militarily, technologically, and evolutionarily!"
What? Did Gihren call me here just to give a speech? It didn't sound like Gihren was angry at me. His tone almost sounded celebratory.
"Excuse me, Supreme Commander, but what are you talking about?" I said, returning to a neutral stance. "Why did you call me here?"
"Our war has just begun, Captain Dogwood," Gihren said with a smirk, "and I just want to give our greatest soldier, our Gray Demon, the chance to prove himself. In truth, I believe that you might be the perfect soldier. You take the initiative when necessary, even though it might push you in the wrong direction, and you always follow orders without hesitation. Unfortunately," Gihren said in a completely unbothered voice, "there are some people who disagree with me. Some say you're disloyal; some say your instinct to take the initiative and your aggression in combat are too dangerous. I think this is simply evidence of your superior Munzan genetics. I tell them I've already tested you, but they are… implacable."
What the Hell was Gihren talking about? They? He was the most powerful person in Zeon! Gihren didn't have to spare a thought about the concerns of others, and he clearly didn't considering all the enemies he had in Zeon high command.
"Thank you, sir?" I said, my uncertainty turning my statement into a question. Gihren was framing his speech as a compliment. After a second, I fully comprehended Gihren's entire statement. My eyes widened as I asked, "You tested me? What does that mean?"
"The attack last night," Gihren said casually. "It was orchestrated by me."
"What?" I sputtered. Did he really just admit that he was behind the attempt on my life? That bold declaration was so unexpected that I was left at a loss for words.
"That's right," Gihren said. "In this entire universe, only one thing matters: power. The strong thrive and the weak die. I had to test you, Char, and Gaia in the only way that matters. Like the extant animal species of Earth, you survived the wilderness and proved the superiority of your genetics."
"Okay," I said, blinking in confusion. Gihren was in complete control of the conversation, and I just had to wait and see where it was going. "Does that mean I passed your test?" I sincerely hoped that was the case, and Gihren wouldn't force me to do something heinous.
Gihren said, "I'm afraid not. You have proven your skill as a soldier, but the others are still concerned about your loyalty. They're concerned about your meeting with my sister and your presence at Zeonic HQ. There's no need to worry, though," Gihren said with a smirk. "I have thought of a perfect way for you to prove your undying loyalty to the rightful leader of Zeon. You should be grateful for this rare opportunity."
Gihren snapped his gloved fingers, and the sound filled the room. The four guards stepped out through two rear doors. Moments later, they came back into the room, each dragging a prisoner with a cloth bag over their head. Two of the prisoners were women, and two were men. One of the prisoners was missing her left arm, and I could see where the bandages covered the wound I had given Aiko a few days before.
My eyes widened with fear as I saw long blonde hair poke out from the bottom of the hood covering the other woman's head.
"Open the box," Gihren said. The artificial charm was gone from his expression, leaving only a deep and powerful malevolence directed squarely in my direction.
I unlatched the box and saw its terrible contents. Inside of the box was an ornate revolver covered in gold filigree. As I checked the revolver, the four guards forced the prisoners to their knees and retreated back to their earlier position flanking me on four sides. Gihren stepped away from his desk in order to get away from my firing cone.
"There are four shots in that revolver," Gihren said coldly. "As the Supreme Commander, I command you, Captain Dogwood, to take that revolver and execute the prisoners in front of you."