[hr][hr][center][color=olive][h1]GRAHAM[/h1][/color][b]COMMANDER GRAHAM's OFFICE, NEW ANCHORAGE
[sub]AFTERNOON[/sub][/b][/center]
[hr][hr]
[color=olive]“Are you sure? It’s only been nine days. I’m surprised you’ll be opting out of your contract.”[/color]

Michael Graham crossed his arms as he looked across from his desk— the black matted hair of the pilot known as Alexander Sky looking back at him with a look of unease. 

Out of all of the new pilots he had contracted that arrived nine days ago, Alexander Sky, much like Yeshua Horowitz was on the last of suspects to request a dismissal. But while Yeshua gave him little comprehensive reasoning Alex seemed to be the exact opposite as he glanced around the office nervously. Graham thought maybe he could convince him to stay on as a pilot if it was a problem with his confidence in Graham or the incident with Dupoint in the Mess Hall— an incident that had led to him reclusing into his quarters when it wasn’t mandatory to be elsewhere. The young man grabbed the cuff of his jacket, straightening it out as if to calm his nerves before responding to Graham outright.

“I’m not opting out of my contract—” He muttered under his breath as he moved his eyes from a nearby wall to look back at Graham.

Alexander was mostly definitely [i]nervous[/i], but that’s not what caused Graham to reach for the handgun that was underneath his desk, holstered in case a conflict came when he could not properly react due to his position behind his desk. He hoped his gut feeling was wrong— but he had been in similar situations with raiders and fellow comrades. The mania of conflict and the crisis of ideology was one he had seen cause others to instinctively react with a viciousness that befitted monsters. Alexander was letting his past define his present and as a byproduct was likely to pull the trigger as soon as he drew his handgun— Graham’s eyes moved to Alexander’s belt where he could see the Red Star-issued handgun that the black-haired pilot and soldier hadn’t parted with. He returned his glance to look at Alexander so he didn’t notice that Graham was looking at his body language as hostile.

“I know who you are and I know what you are doing, Graham. I thought my instincts were wrong when I stepped off the tram, I thought that you couldn’t possibly be what was hunting me, I thought you could be someone I could respect and admire. But you just want to turn me into a [i]slave[/i] again— you want to [i][b]enslave[/b][/i] [i]New Anchorage[/i]. I [i]know[/i] it. I’ve seen people like you at [i]Red Star[/i]. You almost tricked me.”

Graham’s brows narrowed as Alex looked at him with a nervous confidence.

[color=olive]“I’m not sure what you’re on about, Sky. You have the wrong idea.”[/color]

“Do I? Your military ‘administration’ has turned soldiers into obedient little drones, threatening that if anyone steps out of line gets thrown down if not killed— the soldier at the Mess Hall? T-That’s proof of it. I should’ve been allowed to object to your treatment of Percy! Your order is not absolute… and definitely not perfect. You’re holding chains and I won’t be swayed by your lies. You may not believe in morality— but let me tell you that it exists and it was only going to be a matter of time before someone stepped up to oppose you. I’m not going to let you enslave these people. New Anchorage will be liberated from this [i]junta[/i] you want to create… I should’ve told the others but they will understand after you’re [i]dead[/i]. We’ll elect someone else… someone better.”

Graham kicked himself up to his feet— handgun raised at Alex. [color=olive]“Think about this, Sky. It does not go down well for you.”[/color]

“Heh… should’ve known you’d be ready. That won’t matter. I will [i]rescue[/i] everyone.” 

Graham cursed to himself as he saw Alexander reach for his own handgun.

[color=olive][i]Damn it.[/i][/color]
[indent][h3][i]BANG! BANG! [b]THUD![/b][/i][/h3][/indent]