General Markov lay on his bunk with one boot resting on the blankets and the other standing on the floor. He had locked the door and configured a proximity alarm. Anyone stepping within twenty metres of the door would trigger an audible warning through his enhanced cochlea implant. It wasn't much, and it didn't set his mind at rest, but he felt like he the needed to do something to improve basic security within the towers. They all had to be extra vigilant. He knew all too well that the smallest mistakes could turn the tides of war.
Central Command had always been at war of one kind or another, but now that Jacob Helleron had taken control of the Kamari army, a bloody, ground war was almost inevitable. Few men overthrew their fathers to continue with diplomatic plans. They overthrew them because they wanted to pursue their own goals, and they were unwilling to let anyone stand in their way.
So far the Kamari had been playing cat and mouse, attacking small targets without taking any great risks. Havers Compound had been the exception that was now likely to become the rule. So be it. Open warfare was often simpler to deal with than more subtle strategies. Central Command was strong. It had stood against many armies before.
The commanders had been informed about Jacob's plans to launch an attack on the towers. None of them had been particularly surprised. Some had been around long enough to be surprised by nothing anymore, while others seemed to already know the news before Markov had told them. Rumours travelled fast in the towers, but it was obvious that someone had leaked the news before Markov had officially released it. It didn't matter now. It was just another problem in the chain of command. A lot of things would have to be straightened out when all this was over.
Markov rested his head on his pillow as he tried to untangle several stiff knots in his neck and shoulders. It had been a long time since he had last slept. Turning his head from side to side, a murmur escaped his lips and his mind soon drifted to familiar and foreboding places. Lord Hades might have brought him to the towers, but the depths of his mind had never really left the Southern Territories.
Dark shapes flew in the night. The caves were full of the sounds of unseen flapping wings as stusskats and mazerals sped from one cave to another. Markov listened to strange noises in the distance, sounds that echoed in the cold, damp corners of his mind. What was that, there and there, and all around him? He stood in silence, trying to slow his breathing. He couldn't afford to give away his position. Did they already know he was here? How could they not hear his heart pounding in his heart and the blood roaring through his veins? Spores stuck in the back of his throat. Panic rose up inside him. He had forgotten his mask! The spores were inside his lungs!
'No!' General Markov threw a fist into the empty air above him, rising up from his bunk as he coughed and spluttered, clawing at his own face. His hand instinctively reached for the Lightning Shard beneath his pillow and he almost fired it straight at the wall before his thoughts caught up with him. Doubts swirled through his tormented mind. Where was he?
The door alarm wailed its furious alert through his cochlea implants. He was alone in his quarters, but he still reached up to touch his neck, half expecting to find something warm, furry and wet tearing at his throat. His searching fingers found nothing but smooth unbroken skin. He was sweating hard but nothing had attacked him.
There were no spores clogging up his lungs or sticking in his throat. The air was clean and dry. Markov tried to slow his breathing, to take control of his racing heart. His eyes darted to the small console mounted next to the door. He could see Parker standing in the hallway outside, staring up at the ceiling with his shoulders hunched. What was he doing out there?
'General? Is everything all right?' Parker said through the door console's internal comms unit.
Markov lowered the Lightning Shard and deactivated the door alarm before wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. The door slid up into the ceiling with a peaceful chime that didn't match his mood at all.
'General? Should I bring help?'
'No,' Markov said, his voice catching in his throat. 'I'm fine. Everything is okay.'
Parker stood in the doorway, rubbing a hand through his shock white hair. He held his impact pistol in his hand as he stared at Markov with bright pink eyes. His head leant to one side as though he was considering something and a twitch ran up the side of his pale white cheek.
Markov gestured for him to step inside. Parker stepped in slowly, gazing around the small room as though he expected to find Kamari jumping out of the walls.
'It's all right,' Markov said. 'It's just a door alarm. You triggered it when you approached.'
Parker nodded, gazing into Markov's eyes. 'What happened?'
'Nothing. I was sleeping.'
'I heard voices, shouting.'
'A dream. Nothing more.'
Parker slipped his impact pistol back into its holster and nodded, but he didn't look convinced. Markov was relieved when his eyes lost focus and his gaze drifted down towards the floor.
'I came with news,' Parker said.
Markov straightened his hair and took a glass of water from his bunk side table. He took two long gulps before turning to face Parker once more. His expression showed no sign of what had just happened. 'Tell me,' he said.