“You mentioned being ambushed by a squad of rogue CSF troopers? And they were right outside of the walls?”

“Yes…and as soon as they knew who I was and confirmed that everyone else was gone, they got ready to ambush me.” Alexander went on with a little lie. “Luckily for me, I noticed what they were going to do and fled in time.”

The young man sighed before continuing, his tone getting angrier. And rightfully so.

“What is going on, Admiral? There was a firefight that lasted at least half a standard hour, and not a single reinforcement arrived! In the Count’s mansion on his capital planet, no less! I mean...I get it that the comms are jammed, but the gunshots! How come no one realized it?” He questioned aloud. “What was Battlefleet Obsidian doing? Why didn't you send in the Marines? And the rest of the Wolf Guards? Where were they? Not to mention all the local security garrisons and Imperial Army detachments...I only saw a single squad of Capital Security Forces there, and they were working with the enemies! I need an explanation, Admiral!”

Admiral Lamb was clearly a little taken back by Alexander’s outburst, but he quickly recovered and did his best to explain.

“To answer your question, my Lord, yes...it seems like there are a number of high-level officials and commanders, people your father trusted, working with Countess Valentine and...Duke White, you say? These traitors have been doing everything possible to delay sending help. As for me…” The Admiral sighed. “As you know, my Lord. I am in a rather unique situation. For all intents and purposes, I am the second in command of this star system. This means if anything happens to your family...with all due respect, I will be the one taking over.”

He bit his lips. His face was covered with guilt.

“As such, there is quite a motive for me to be after your father. When news of the attack on Wolf Den first came to light, I wanted to drop in Marines ASAP until I received a warning from Commander Perkins of the CSF. Essentially, he claimed the CSF will take care of this. I, and therefore the entire Battlefleet Obsidian, is deemed to be untrustworthy. If we send any reinforcement, I was told the CSF will see it as treason and open fire. He...claimed that the CSF and the Wolf Guard will be enough to deal with whatever infiltrators there are, and all Battlefleet Obsidian has to do is blockade the planet so the infiltrators can’t flee. I...I did just that.”

It was clear Admiral Lamb was regretting this decision, and Alexander couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. After all, while he lost his father, the Admiral lost a brother in arms. Making things even worse, it was his mistake that let that happen.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Alexander whispered.

Admiral Lamb nodded at him before moving onto another topic.

“By the way, my Lord...how did you make it all the way here? I mean...I know about the Serpent Sentinels of Valentine. They are fierce and deadly warriors. With all due respect...I don’t know how you managed to get away from them. And the CSF squad outside the walls...”

“That...that is irrelevant.” Alexander did his best to change the topic and pretend like he just got lucky. Of course, someone as experienced as Admiral Lamb could tell that was a lie. The Admiral took a step back.

“With all due respect, my Lord, it is quite important. Clearly, we don’t know who we can trust. Even in Battlefleet Obsidian, there may be undercover enemy agents lurking in high places. The people who saved you are clearly loyal to the Wolf family. Perhaps...they are the only ones who we can truly rely on.”

It was a brilliant reason, and in this age of chaos and betrayals, it made a lot of sense. If Alexander could tell the Admiral, he would, but since he was saved by an interdimensional god who represented a universal concept...Alexander suspected if he told the Admiral the truth, Lamb would think he had gone mad.

“I got out by myself.” He declared once again. “Now, where are the Marines…”

And then Admiral Lamb said something. Two sentences that were enough to make Alexander’s heart sink and body shiver.

“I doubt it, my Lord. Not with two bullets lodged in your body.”

Alexander never told the Admiral he was shot. Never. Both men were very aware of it, as well as what the Admiral’s words meant.

In that instant, Alexander leaped up from his seat. He was about to pounce on Lamb with all the fury in the world...until he found himself staring at the muzzle of an Arbiter-N handgun.

Admiral Lamb was very fast on the draw, and his steady hand told Alexander that the veteran was perfectly fine with pulling the trigger if he needed to.

Alexander collapsed back in his seat. For a second, all his strength and dedication have left him. So many betrayals. In a few brief hours, he had gone through so many betrayals. Duke Wells. Countess Valentine. Capital Security Forces and their supposedly loyal leader, Commander Perkins. Even the one person who he thought he could trust...

One thought suddenly crossed Alexander’s mind. Perhaps his father deserved what came to him, since every single person he trusted turned out to be liars and traitors and the lord himself didn't have a damn clue.

He had a thousand things to say, but all of that came out in three words.

“Why, Admiral? Why?”

As Alexander stared into Admiral Lamb’s eye, he still had hatred. But aside from that, there was also exhaustion.

Admiral Lamb could only sigh. He was still holding the handgun, but his tone turned a little softer.

“Gerard was...an interesting person. As a military commander, he’s brilliant. As a friend, well, he is the most honorable friend a person can have. As a subordinate, he is selfless and self-sacrificing. Of course...I’m sure you know all about that, my Lord.”

“In that case, let me tell you something you don’t know.” The Admiral continued. His tone had become flat, as if he was merely stating the facts and there was nothing to be emotional over. “Despite all his strengths, as a leader, he is completely unaware of what his subordinates want. What his people want.”

Alexander bit his lips. As much as he wanted to defend his father, he needed to hear what the Admiral had to say first.

“Gerard is a noble person. He fights because he swore an oath. He fights because he is a subordinate to his superiors. That is enough for him to risk his life...and it suited him well. That mindset made him a Count.” Lamb chuckled with a mixture of sorrow and anger. “That’s fine. In fact, I appreciate his sentiments. His issue...is that he believes everyone else shares his morals. He believes that everyone else, like him, fights for honor and duty and nothing else.”

“That can’t be further away from the truth, my Lord.” Even after the betrayal, Lamb still called Alexander Lord. “People fight for credits. They fight for land and privileges and nobility and a thousand other things. Loyalty? Honor? Those are based on material benefits. Without the reward to back them up, they are nothing.”

“When I was tortured by the Republic interrogators...when they were tearing my nails off one by one, I didn't refuse to talk because of honor. I didn't talk because, for one thing, they’ll kill me if I become useless. At the same time, I am willing to bet that if I make it out, which I did, I will be greatly rewarded for my loyalty and persistence.”

“Instead, Gerard thanked me for my service and feasted for my return...and proceeded to act as if nothing happened. After all, I merely did what I swore to do. Serve him with loyalty.”

“That was disappointing, but I remained loyal. After all, he is the legendary Obsidian Wolf, and back then, I was fine with tolerating his minor flaws. Even when he nationalized a planet that had been the private territory of my family for three generations, a property that is befitting of my rank as an Imperial Baron, I remained ever loyal and ever vigilant. He claimed that people shouldn’t be gifted to nobles like they are properties...well, that happens to be one of the things I fought for. That my family fought for. And just like that, in the name of human rights, he stripped my family of our homeworld.”

“Nonetheless, I remained loyal, as he expected of me.” The Admiral tilted his head, his eyes staring into a distance. “What truly convinced me and made me see the true nature, the true weakness, of the Obsidian Wolf...is how he interacted with Duke Wells.”

“For four times, Republic fleets marched into Duke Wells’s domain, ravaging through planetary defense fleets and wiping out any attempt by the pathetic Duke to resist. For four times, countless Barons, Counts, and Dukes watched in mockery as the old man cried out for help...and for four times, Gerard alone marched Battlefleet Obsidian right into the bloodbath.”

“Every invasion, the Republic mobilized dozens of fleets, their ship count equating to around three to four Battlefleets. Every time, with Gerard’s genius tactics, we won despite taking significant losses. And every single damn time, after saving the Duke’s skin, we were sent home with nothing to show for our blood and sacrifice! Four bloody times!”

“Battlefleet Obsidian is one of the strongest fleets in all the Holy Phoenix Empire! It is the product of the blood, sweat, and tears of billions! This is an Empire where fleets equate to power, and the Supreme Commander of Obsidian can easily become a Duke with multiple systems under his command! Instead, our noble Wolf decided to burn this mighty fleet against invaders who never threatened him! And what did we get for our sacrifice? Nothing. Nothing but...honor. Empty, hollow honor.”

The Admiral pulled his gaze back to Alexander.

“Do you understand it now, my Lord? Gerard was as noble as a saint, but we are not. We, officers of Battlefleet Obsidian, want power. We want wealth and titles. We want Battlefleet Obsidian to be a sector-conquering legion, not a mere blade of some drunk old fool!”

Admiral Lamb stared into Alexander’s eyes, and the young man stared back fearlessly.

“As I said, Gerard is not a good leader. On the battlefield, he is brilliant, but when it comes to politics...I tried to convince him to take over Duke Wells’s territories. No one will challenge him, not when he may be the only one to keep the Republic off their back. Gerard...he called me an ungrateful traitor and a bastard for making such a suggestion.”

“What Gerard didn't realize was that not everyone is as determined as he is. As loyal. The Duke and the Countess have been after him for a year now. They blackmailed Commander Perkins into working for them, and Gerard didn't realize it. They contacted and turned me, and he didn't notice a damn thing. They even bought his butler and got into his own household. Again, he had not a single damn clue.”

“As the head of a star system, he didn't even have his own secret police. The closest thing we have, the Obsidian Naval Intelligence, had been under my influence for years. Once again, Gerard had no idea.”

“Someone as naive and trusting as him…a betrayal like this is only normal.”