Chapter 14
Facing Failure
Aix-Clovin, Ăle-de-Clovis, Clovingian Empire
StabskapitÀnleutnant Lunden stood stiffly at attention as he faced the image of Admiral Beck. It was always difficult to read the Admiral's expression as he was not known to give himself over to any great displays of emotion. Many superiors would rage and foam like mad dogs when displeased to terrorize their subordinates, but it was far more unsettling when you could not get a firm grasp of the degree of displeasure.
"Tell me, KapitÀnleutnant Lunden," the Admiral began, "exactly how you failed to apprehend Oberleutnant Van Houten."
"Oberleutnant Van Houten resisted more... actively than anticipated. We misread her modus operandi after the first attempt to capture her at Sainte-Camieux."
If he were more selfless, Lunden would have said 'I' instead of 'we', but he was not prepared to have his be the only neck to stretch for this failure.
"And how did you misread her modus operandi?" the Admiral asked.
"She avoided direct engagement and prioritized escape. We thought that if we could hit her fast enough and hard enough, we could overwhelm her."
"You studied her profile, did you not? You knew she was the seventh-ranked combat Arcanist in the Fleet."
"Then perhaps I should have been provided with a higher-ranked Arcanist, Herr Admiral."
Lunden immediately regretted his words. You do not talk back to a superior, much less to the admiral of the Fleet. He may well have torpedoed his entire career with a single ill-advised remark.
The Admiral simply gave him one of his inscrutable looks. It may have just been Lunden's imagination, but he was almost certain he had stirred the Admiral's wrath. However, Admiral Beck's tone did not change in the slightest as he spoke.
"Perhaps you're right. I underestimated Oberleutnant Van Houten's resolve and have allowed this to drag on longer than it should have. Any more incidents and it might jeopardize negotiations with the locals.
"I will prepare someone more fit to deal with the situation. In the meantime, KapitÀnleutnant, I want you to reacquire Oberleutnant Van Houten's location and maintain surveillance. Do not engage. If you can manage this much, you will escape the worst of the consequences of your failures."
"Aye-aye, Herr Admiral. Thank you, Herr Admiral."
Without further ado, the Admiral cut the feed. Lunden closed his eyes and exhaled a long, unsteady breath. He may have gotten out of the fire, but he was still somewhat scorched. As much as he might feel tempted to go beyond the scope of his orders to reclaim some of his lost honor, he was at least sensible enough to know that would only make things worse for him. The Admiral had granted him a measure of mercy. He would do well not to spurn it.
* * *
Due to the narrow framing of the camera, StabskapitÀnleutnant Lunden saw little more than Admiral Beck's face. Had the frame been any wider, it would have revealed much more. Sitting on the Admiral's lap, cradled in his arms like an oversized baby, was Leutnant Reyes. She was clad in a hospital gown and had an IV running into her arm. Her injuries were not so trivial, but it could have been much worse for her if Oberleutnant Van Houten had not pulled her punches.
The Admiral stroked her hair as she was fighting back the tears.
"I'm sorry, Herr Admiral," she said in a frail voice. "I failed you... I'm so, so sorry..."
"Oh, it's not your fault," the Admiral said. "It's my fault. I thought the kitten wouldn't bare her claws against her own baby sister, but I was wrong. You did well. You did the best you could."
"But, but..."
"Sh, sh, sh," he hushed her. "You focus on getting better, and once you're better, will you go back to KapitÀnleutnant Lunden for me? He'll need your help finding the kitten. You won't have to fight her again. Or do you want to go back to sleep?"
"I... I don't want to go to sleep," Reyes said. "I'll do what you say, whatever you order me to do, Herr Admiral."
"That's a good girl," the Admiral replied. "You don't have to worry about the kitten anymore. I'll wake up your big sister. She'll take care of things."
He continued to stroke Reyes' hair. However precious he found his little pets, they were precious because they could fulfill their purpose. It was in part because he had given this one a task that exceeded her parameters that he was more inclined to be forgiving. These things were far too expensive to discard carelessly, but they were also far too expensive to maintain if they did not properly function. For Oberleutnant Van Houten, he at least wanted to see her one more time before he made his decision on what to do with her.