[center][h1][color=007236]Six Months Later[/color][/h1][/center] [center][h3][color=007236]Zandorian Empire[/color][/h3][/center] [hr] Alin City. Military Facility, Civil Investigations Division. 09:45 [indent]Dezlic Blaid was a lean, strong man, dressed in black slacks and white shirt. His presentation was nothing amazing, and being the only fine clothes he had to wear for the last year was made evident by the faded knees of his slacks and frayed trimming of the shirt. His brown hair was also groomed, swept to one side, although his measure of care in that area had taken a noticeable dive of late. In addition, Dezlic had neglected to shave this morning, most likely deliberately, yet a five O’clock shadow seemed to enhance his rugged, commoner appeal, and certainly didn’t conflict with the heavy lashes that rigidly framed his green eyes. SOC (Senior Operations Commander) of Civil Investigations, Flax Elter – dressed in a deep green suit, tie and white shirt – didn’t feel the need to get out of his chair when Dezlic stepped into his office. Instead he remained slumped behind his desk, face flat with apathy, index finger slowly tapping on the open file in front of him. His abandoned lust for life was further exhibited by his empty stare, the greying, unkempt fall of his hair, and the pendulum on a nearby dusty bookcase that had long since lost its will to keep swinging. The squeaking of Dezlic’s rubber sole boots on the tiled floor was gracelessly loud, and emphasised his own sense of being an imposition as he crossed the room. He wasn’t nervous, nor was he intimidated by being alone in the company of the highest ranking civilian liaison officer, it was more a feeling of loathsome irritation towards the lack respect the man had for his visit. As dezlic arrived in front the desk, he turned his eyes down for a brief view of the open case file in front of Flax, which included a photo and an abundant amount of information about his daughter, then lifted his look to regard flax with a quizzical curl of his brow. “My name Dezlic Blaid,” He started as a manner of obligated courtesy, “I’m here about my daug –“ “I know why you’re here.” Flax interrupted with a flat drawl. He then seemed to take great effort to regard the empty chair beside Dezlic, while forcing back a long breath to prepare his next words. “Take a seat.” “At this point I think I prefer to stand.” Dezlic told him straight, leaving no secret to the annoyance he was feeling. “I’ve been doing enough sitting for the last year and a half, waiting for some sort of positive response from you miserable lot of insensitive pricks.” Flax replied with unchanging lack of expression, convincingly oblivious to the insult slung at him before delivering the small shrug of one shoulder. “Alright then.” He said, and let his eyes fall to the case file. “So here we are.” He perused the information for a while. His finger stopped tapping. He slowly extended his arm and lifted the photo for a closer look. “And this is your daughter, Camilla… huh….” He rolled his eyes up at Dezlic. “Strange name, Camilla, can’t say I’ve heard of it before.” Dezlic sneered at the man, noting his disdain, because obvious his daughters name was the most important part of his reasons for being here today. “I mean… don’t get me wrong.” Flax explained numbly; “It’s pretty or whatever. Yeah. Just unusual.” “I’m not here to discuss my daughter’s name with you!” Dezlic snapped, fists clenched at his side. “What the hell is wrong with you people? I’m here to discuss launching a search party to find her already! It’s been a year and half since she disappeared – I think the time to start looking is way the hell overdue, don’t you think, sir??" Flax managed to lift one side of his brow, closing the case file as he nestled in his seat and turned to look out the window at the view of the very ugly building next door. “Perhaps.” He mumbled very softly, possibly even putting some thought into his words. “But then… it appears to me to be too late.” He looks back at Dezlic. “We have been warning the public for close to a century not to enter the Badlands. They’re called bad for a reason. People go missing there. It’s not a secret. Everyone knows this. If you swim with the sharks, expect to get eaten.” “She was sixteen,” Dezlic retorted, “Just a child, exploring with friends – she can hardly be blamed for reckless behaviour.” “But you can.” Flax said, still as flat and unexcited as ever. “You are aware of the law. Until the age of 17 all commoners are recognised as being under the supervision of their parent or other registered guardian types. By all accounts, you’re lucky you weren’t incarcerated for neglecting a minor under your supervision, hence, you really only have yourself to blame for all this. You’re daughter went missing because you were negligent in your duties as a parent. So please…” He motions with hand, inviting Dezlic to take a seat once more, “How about you stop directing your rage at people who are trying to help and take a seat so we can talk about the situation like civilized men. Or perhaps…” Flax glanced at the door, “You would like to reschedule this meeting for a later date?” Dezlic knew he would have been justified in continuing to argue the matter, for various reason, but doing so wasn’t about to get him very far. His main priority right now was persuading Flax to launch a search party for his daughter. So he held his peace, gritting his teeth with a firm shake of his head; rescheduling wasn’t on the table, obviously. Sucking up his pride he took a reluctant seat in the provided chair. “Now be honest with me.” Flax leaned forward, resting both elbows on the desk and gazing into Dezlic’s eyes. “After all this time, what do you think the likelihood is of your daughter still being alive?” Clearing his throat, Dezlic took a moment to find his words. “Camilla’s alive. I know it, there’s no doubt in my mind, there’s no doubt in the mind of spouse either. We know it. You’re a parent yourself, aren’t you, SOC Flax? According to the media, you’re a father of three children. So I don’t need to explain that a parent knows when something is going on with their children. Nothing needs to be said or even seen. As a parent you can feel it, and right now I can feel her. She’s screaming out for me, for my wife, for help to anyone who can hear her. She needs saving, sir, and you are the only man who can help.” Remaining rested forward with elbows on desk, Flax took his own moment to consider Dezlic’s words. “And I, Dezlic, have no need to explain to you what you’re asking of me right now. The Badlands are off limits, not just to the common folk, but to everyone.” “I’m aware of the reputation the Badlands have, sir.” Dezlic said, “The Badlands are prohibited. But you know that my daughter and the three friends she was with aren’t the first to go missing in that place. Hundreds if not thousands of people have had the same fate for as long as we’ve been a nation. Isn’t it at least time for us to launch an investigation to find out what happened to all of those who have gone missing over the years? Don’t we care? Are we just going to sit back in our office chairs and continue to let our courageous citizens be taken by whatever evil lies out there? I’m not the only one who shares this view….” Flax smirked lightly, rolled his eyes. “You apparently don’t see the big picture.” He stuck his little finger in his ear for a scratch to allow himself time to consider what information to divulge to this commoner. “It’s not about that. We aren’t heartless. It isn’t that we don’t care, and we are certainly aware of the citizens who have gone missing in the Badlands – and I’m telling you now, more people have gone missing than our government is willing to share.” With that said, Flax stood. He rolled his shoulders back to stretch out the kinks in his aging bones then walked over to the window, peering stringently at the ugly building next door as he proceeded to inform Dezlic of certain matters: “The Badlands is a big place. We don’t own it. It’s not our country, and if someone out there does in fact own that sorry excuse for a land, then they, by their own laws, may be well justified in seizing any trespassers. But that right there is the thing, Dezlic, if there are a people living in that place, then they have done a fine job of keeping themselves hidden from the severance satellites we have in orbit – and make no mistake,” Flax turns from the window to glare at Dezlic, “that’s exactly what scares the hell out us.” Dezlic too rises from his seat and approaches the SOC, standing face to face with the man. “So what you’re saying is - despite being unable to detect any life - the fact that so many people have gone missing is evidence that someone or something [i]does[/i] actually live there. But… since they have the power to elude our own [i]prestigious[/i] surveillance technology, you’re too damn scared to go after them. Our military is chickenshit…. Is that what you’re telling me, sir?” “That is more or less the truth of the matter.” Flax admitted; “But wouldn’t you too be scared of an enemy you can’t see?” “No.” Dezlic screwed up his face, expressing the disappointment in his countries own military. “If it were up to me, I would have found them already. I would have put them on trial for what they have done to the citizens of our Empire. There is no fear. Justice for my people would supersede all else. You, Flax, and all of our military, are pathetic in my eyes.” “That’s funny.” Flax chuckled. “Just what do you expect me to do, send soldiers out to meet almost certain death? Think about those soldiers, Dezlic, they have families too; children, parents, loved ones. Do you truly expect me to send them out on a suicide mission to search for one little girl who shouldn’t have even been out there in the first place?” “That’s what the military are there for, isn’t it?” Dezlic asked; “To put their lives on the line for their people? Or did I miss something?” Flax walked away and nestled into his seat again before posing the question; “Dezlic…. Tell me what you’ll do, if I were to deny your request today, what’s your next move? …Something tells me you have another plan up your sleeve.” “You’re more observant than you look.” Dezlic had turned, still standing as his eyes followed Flax to his seat. “But I can’t tell you that, sir.” “Of course you can’t….” Flax nodded firmly. “And don’t get me wrong, I understand what you’re going through. Had I lost my own daughter I’d be standing where you are today. You need to understand, I can’t justify launching a search part to the Badlands for the sake of one missing girl, or even all three of her friends for that matter. But perhaps… if I wasn’t entirely ignorant to what other plans you might have after leaving my office today, I may find a way to justify launching a… [i]Different[/i] type of rescue?” Dezlic cocked his head, gleaming at the officer with intrigue. “Is this the part where people are usually too stupid to say the right thing to you?” “It is.” He gives Dezlic a wink as he adjusts his tie. “Besides, this office is getting a little stuffy.” “Then I suppose there’s no real harm in telling you.” Dezlic smirked cordially, taking a few paces to the center of the room and sliding both hands in his pockets. “If I were to have, hypothetically, gathered a couple of hundred outraged citizens to go out on our own search for missing Zargonian’s in the Badlands, then….” “- Then I suspect I would be forced to launch a retrieval squad.” Flax concluded, as he took the case file and tucked it away in a tray on the corner of his desk. “For example, deploying a Century of troops to go after those law breaking citizens and bring them home, would seem to be a more than reasonable response. Wouldn’t you say?” Dezlic nodded in agreement. “That does sound like an appropriate course of action.” “In which case,” Flax rolled his eyes thoughtfully to the ceiling, “The only question remaining is…. How soon would a large group of outraged citizens be planning to do such a thing?” “It would be nothing but hearsay, really,” Dezlic surmised, “But at a guess I would probably say… two days from now?” “Then I guess this matter has been settled. Nothing more to be said.” Flax regards the door. “Be sure to kick the dust from your boots on your way out.” “Indeed.” Dezlic confirmed and turned away. The soles of his boots once again squeaked loudly on the tiled floor as he made his way to the door to let himself out. “Thank you for your time, sir.” “Oh, and just one more thing.” Flax called after him. Dezlic paused to listen with the door half open. “Welcome to the secret war, Dezlic.”[/indent]