[b][i]Ashton and Flame - Not a GM Post[/i][/b]

[b]Flashback, Before Arrival on Plenty[/b]

The Xuanzang's observation deck was empty most of the time, and so Ashton and Flame were able to just go there and look at the stars peacefully. They had spent a few minutes just enjoying the beauty before Flame broke the silence.

"Ashton," he looked at the other boy, before saying in a serious tone, "We managed to pull the wool over Mr. Kherol's eyes today, but we both know that won't last forever. So tell me, why aren't you more worried?"

Ashton looked at his boyfriend and said, "I am. I am very worried." He paused before continuing, "Mr. Kherol... He's smart and he treats us like his own folk and I believe he's a decent person in general. But there's a saying in the Galactic Web - [i]fear the anger of a gentle man[/i]. I don't know the original source, and Kherol isn't always gentle, far from it, but it rings true."

A pause as his gaze steeled, "And that's why I want to be more like him."

[b]Flashback, The War, Several Months Before Proxima[/b]

Ashton and Flame had just returned to Kherol's current flagship after a planetside combat mission in the Rau've-held world of L'eve, an Earth-like planet desired by the Ascendancy's high command as 'living space'. As they walked to their assigned quarters after their regular decontamination and checkup, they expected nothing at all except a good night's rest after their excursion, followed by another combat mission within three or so days.

This was why it was a surprise when they came across Grand Admiral Kherol and Lt. Carina. It was even more of a surprise when, after the two boys had saluted them, Kherol had said, "At ease, Marines. Also, happy birthday - You two are turning fifteen today, right?"

It was then that the two discovered that 1.) they had the same birthday and that 2.) the Grand Admiral cared enough to greet them on it. But there were more surprises in store, bits of actual respect that Kherol took for granted, but which the two Star Marines, even Flame, greedily lapped up. For Kherol's next words were:

"I heard you two risked your lives to save seven hundred of my men and women from the enemy partisans just hours before. While I cannot remove the Star Marines from combat duty entirely, I can give you the rest of the day off - No training, free run of non-classified parts of the ship, and extra ration cards. Go enjoy yourselves."

As the Grand Admiral left after having said those last words so casually, Lt. Carina looked back and said to them, "Happy birthday from me, too."

Then she left as well.

[b]Flashback, Before Arrival on Plenty[/b]

Small kindnesses. Proper gratitude. And of course, sheer tactical and strategic acumen, that was what Kherol showed to them. This was why Flame was able to say to the person he loved, "I understand why you want to be like that, even if I personally don't believe it's possible. But tell me, if it meant fighting against him, why did you choose to seek out Moonstrike and fight the Ascendancy? I know you're not so naive as to say that Kherol will just 'turn good' and help us overthrow the President-for-Life and his ilk. So what is it?"

Ashton's answer surprised him. "Because I want to prove myself to him. Because I want him to acknowledge me. Because I admire him yet at the same time envy him. And, I know you think this is a fool's errand, but I want to defeat him, even in some small way." He then smiled, "I wasn't being entirely honest when I said that I wanted closure, or rather, you guys assumed that I wanted 'justice', preferably a bloody end to the Ascendancy. But the truth is always that for me, closure means confirming that the Ascendancy was abusing us [i]on purpose[/i], and I don't mean the experiments or them forcing us to fight."

Flame looked back at Ashton, eyes glinting with reflected light, "So you've noticed it too. Their humiliations and experiments and torture, it's done with deliberate inefficiency. If they really wanted [i]us[/i] to be efficient soldiers..."

"They'd have treated us better," Ashton said. "Flame, I talked with the Rau've about the effects of Kaisoken dust on other species, nowhere does it say that it works only on children and teenagers. Humans might be different, but tell me, have you ever seen our tormentors do more than imply that Kaisoken dust [i]doesn't[/i] work on adults?"

The redhead said, "I haven't, and I'd bet no one else has. Ashton, we need to tell everyone else this -"

"I don't have solid proof," Ashton interrupted. "And the very thought will just make everyone else angrier." He sighed, "Right now, we need to wait, maybe we'll find proof while fighting for Moonstrike..."

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