I saw Duke reach for something behind him as the light faded and I just stood there like a moron, to in shock to move for a moment. I thought they came set at zero! What the fuck was this horse shit?

“For the Confederacy,” Duke said in a calm, cold voice. He fired the gun, the bullet aimed right at between my eyes, and was intercepted by a shield as large as I was. I turned to see Trenton aiming a rifle at Duke. “On your knees, hands behind your head or I will kill you.” Oh, I could have fucking kissed him right then and there, then promptly denied it ever happening to save my sanity.

“What’s this? Another one hmm?” He turned his pistol toward Trenton and unloaded three shots at him, one hit his shoulder, punching right into his armor, though not fully piercing it, the others were deflected by his shield. That’s when Duke screamed out in pain and was brought to the ground face first with a knee buried in the middle of his back, both arms held behind him at an angle and small feminine muscle bulging while she attempted to rip his arms free from his body. Oh shit.

“No! Stop Nova! I need him alive!” I had no idea if him dying would remove the option to obtain the Norad II or not and I needed that fucking ship. Nova looked at me, her eyes glowing an eerie blue before snarling and quickly snapping a hand to the back of Duke's head, a grunt and he was out cold.

Nova was breathing heavily while Trenton stood, shield at the ready, and favoring his injured shoulder. “Go get checked out Trenton, Nova can take out.” He didn’t move, fine you stubborn ass.

“Why!? He shot at you, tried to kill you, and you save him? Are you insane?” She had a point if I was being honest.

“No, I am not insane Nova. I..” - “Oh my, Boy Toy, what kind of fun is happening in here?” I paused, flabbergasted at that voice, the voice of a man I wanted to kill very, very badly. Following that was Georgie calling out. “Get back here you ass!”

“How in the fuck did you get out of your cell? Fernando wouldn't have let you out until I ok’d that deal.” He shrugged while grinning at me, mostly looking at Nova who was aiming a rifle I had not seen anywhere on her body right at his head. Right, the Quick Swap skill.

“I was never really imprisoned. I could have escaped whenever I wanted, but my Darling sister isn’t as gifted as I am and I wanted her alive.” I...well goddamnit! What was today? The day shit hit the fan and went sideways?

“I...Get the fuck out of my quarters! Trenton, Georgie, please get him back to his fucking cell!” He smiled at me then, morphing in a disturbing way, like his flash was molding itself and shrinking. When it finished I was looking at a copy of Nova, her voice going through his lips. “Now Boy Toy is that any way to treat…” - “Finish that sentence and I will let Nova kill you, deal or no deal!”

He shrugged, morphing back while I held my vomit back at the display of moving and shifting muscles. “Oh fine, let the little girl and Rumbles here take me away, but we will speak, and soon Boy Toy.”

They left and I turned to Nova. “Can I kill him?” She asked me, and her voice was pretty god damn heated. Apparently, she disliked the man more than I did, and he had fucking kiss...poisoned me!

“No, not yet. We still need him if that deal Fernando panned out is real.” I thought a bit, Nova was the second Hero I obtained, Fernando I just classified as one and more regardless. I’d known her the longest and shrugged. Fuck it, shit happens. I pulled the Loyalty and Trust Card from wherever it rested and frowned at it, hating myself for what I was going to do.

“What the hell?” Nova whispered, rare to hear her curse.

“This is why you won’t kill him. We will need him in the coming battles.” I said and crushed the card while thinking of Duke.

Congratulations Player! Hero Unit: Edmund Duke is now maxed in Loyalty and Trust! You have gained the following Passive Perks.

Bottom Line - All men have a line they will not cross, a soldier simply follows orders. All soldiers under your command will follow any order without question. -WARNING- After effects can lead to betrayal if it goes too far against their morals.

Ship Born - All ship crews are trained at half the required time a normal crew would need.

Fleet maneuverability - Increases the speed, turning ability, and warp accuracy of all ships in your fleet.

I looked at the Perks, he really was a fucking Admiral, General, whatever. I just wish I had a way to get Norad II now, I’d need to find another Unit Card somehow in the future. For now, He’d just get that Battlecruiser and its crew.

Attention Player. Edmund Duke may specialize one Battlecruiser into the Norad II Unique Unit if he is made its captain.

Ok, well that solved that. “That...was not natural, whatever it is you just did. It reminded me of the Ghost Program and you...You promised that wouldn’t be how you ran things.” I closed my eyes, kind of regretting what I’d just done in front of her.

“I know, Nova, and my promise holds. This case was...special. I can only say that I will never use it on you, your people, or anyone that is under my command. We need Duke though, we need him badly for the coming war. My actions, to you, were wrong. To me they ensured everyone under my command, you included, might have a chance at surviving.”

Nova looked at me as she slowly stood up, and I do mean really looked at me. I was sincere, at least I thought I was. When she moved toward me in a slow, careful manner, I was almost certain she planned to kill me. I wasn’t positive mind you, but I had women do crazier shit for less of a reason.

When she stood before me, just a little shorter than I was and actually looked into my eyes, hunting for whatever it was she had to find, she lifted up on her tiptoes and kissed the side of my face softly. “I know, I still hate it, but war makes all things right, within reason. I’ll forget what I saw today, Trenton will be made aware to keep his mouth shut. We can talk later, I need time away from you now.”

I felt my heart break in that single moment, it was like she had just told me goodbye in the most painful way possible, even while we had seemed to slowly grow into more, but I nodded silently. She left the room a moment later and my door shut behind me with a kind of finality that I hated. Closing my eyes I let out a long, weary sigh, and moved over to Duke.

I slapped him a bit, rousing him from the unconscious state he was in. While he got his bearings I looked at his status screen.

Name: Edmund Duke

Age: 55

Kill Count: 0

Rank: Admiral

Level: 1

Attack: 15

Defense: 15

Trust: 100/100

Loyalty: 100/100

Desire: 75/100

LIkability: 75/100

Skills: Bottom Line +1, Fleet Maneuverability +1, Ship Born +1, Undying Loyalty +1, Rapid Yamato +1

Undying Loyalty - All units under your command will remain loyal until the end -WARNING- Blatant abuse will void effect

Rapid Yamato - Allows the Norad II to fire three Yamato blasts without straining the power core

Yea, he was a Confederate leader if I remembered right to begin with, was good to his men. These skills would be useful, more so with that Rapid Yamato ability. “I, where am I?” He said groggily, and I smiled down at him.

“You’re in Bastion, and we need you to help keep us all alive. I need you to fight for me, ensure my skies stay clear and help me keep my people standing.” He looked at me, a bit of firmness entering his gaze before rising up with my help.

“Boy, I have no idea what is happening but you must have your reasons for betraying the Confederacy...I trust you and will follow you. I’ll fight.”

Congratulations Player! You have ensured the loyalty of a powerful figure originally of a faction you are at war with. Personal Achievement unlocked - Turn Coat

Turncoat - All men have a price, all men have a breaking point. You find ways to turn them to your cause, benign or malignant, and show them you’re right. Twenty Percent more likely to turn enemy agents to your cause.