Estrellas: Book 2

CHAPTER TEN: YOUR FIRED

(told in perspective of Zana)

"You did what?!" Supreme commander Marcell had just been told that I had aloud Matthew and his team to escape with stolen property from the Medias while I had a chance to send people after them.

"Ma'am, with all due respect, letting them go was the best choice." I told her.

"Oh? How so? How is letting people leave with stolen Media equipment A GOOD CHOICE?" Commander Marcell spit.

"Simple, if I had sent people after them, it would've waisted two more of our vehicles, and of course, this is considering that Matthew and his team are one of our most skilled field teams. Not to mention, if I had stopped them there, they wouldn't have stopped trying to go. You know how persistent they can be..."

"That still doesn't explain why you let your nephew do whatever he so well pleases!" Captain Trenton yelled angrily from across the room. He had been trying to take my job for years, and obviously, now he saw this mistake as the perfect opportunity to do just that.

"This has nothing to do with my nephew and you very well know that." I snapped at him. "As you all know, I have been more careful with my nephew than I was with his parents, and I have worked considerably hard to conceal that he is my nephew, as the board has asked. In fact, I have done everything I could possibly do for the board, bending over backwards in fact. And of course I make one mistake and you guys can't look past it."

"And we all know that, Zana, but if word gets out about your little mistake, people might start to get bad ideas and then, before you know it, all of our equipment will be stolen. And especially, if you are putting your own personal problems ahead of what you need to focus on as a Commander, it doesn't exactly make this base any safer." Commander Marcell said.

"I-I..." I started to say.

"Look, I know that you have done a lot for this board, and I respect that, I really do. But this mistake just put our entire base into jeopardy. Commander Zana Crustello, it is with a heavy heart that the bored has decided to fire you." Supreme commander Marcell looked down and her face grew solemn.

"What?! Fire me? Have you guys gone completely insane?" I yelled.

"And it is for the Media base's best interest that you, Zana, leave this base immediately, having Captain Trenton taking the role of Commander in your squadron now." Commander Marcell said sadly.

"YES! YES! In your face Zana!" The board looked at him. "I mean... Thank you for this great honor, I will accept it with a heavy heart and use this position of power wisely." He started squealing under his breathe. I rolled my eyes.

"If it is in the best interest of the board, I'd like to propose a deal." I smiled when Trenton's smile slowly faded.

"And what might this deal be?" Commander Marcell asked, intrigued.

"If my nephew comes back with a mission success, I get my position back as Commander..." I started.

"And if he doesn't?" Trenton interrupted.

"Then I will hang up my badge, go home, for good, and never even look at Media base again." I sighed, I knew this was risky, but what choice did I have? Matthew can do this, I know he can. "Do we have a deal?" Supreme Commander Marcell sat there for a second, thinking about it.

"Let me discuss this with the board. We will have a ten minute recess in the mean time." Commander Marcell said finally.

Trenton walked up to me and whispered into my ear, "Man, you've lost your touch Zana. Putting your job on the line for a kid who probably isn't gonna come back?"

"It's better than giving a sector of Media base to the likes of you." I snarled. "Plus, if his mission succeeds, we won't even need commanders anymore." I laughed, then I walked away, leaving Captain Trenton frozen.

(ten minutes later)

"The board has reached a decision." I sat anxiously in a seat facing the board's table. "And let me just say, this decision wasn't easy but... We accept your deal and it's terms, in the mean time, you can continue to be commander, but know if you have any more slip-ups, the deal is OFF!" Commander Marcell said.

"Yes ma'am." I said, then I gave Trenton an I told ya so look. He rolled his eyes and we all got up. I went back to my office, closed the door and sat down. I sighed. What do I do now Marge? I've believed in him, just like you asked me to, I'm putting my job on the line in fact. I just wish you were here to help me. I started to tear up. Then I slid open my desk drawer and found a brown file that was labeled with big, bold letters: Margaret Crustello; they read, then I read below it: INACTIVE. I wiped away my tears and opened the file. Inside, there was a picture of her in her first day, happy, excited, cheerful, then under it, it read, missing in action. Oh Marge, if only I could stop him, he's so determined to find you, he feels so alone, and I don't know how to tell him that he isn't alone. I heard a knock on my door and I quickly shoved the file back into my drawer and slammed the door shut. Wiping my tears away, I shouted towards the door, "Come in!" The door knob jiggled and the door slid open, revealing Supreme Commander Marcell. "Is everything ok?" I asked her, concerned.

"Yes, I just wanted to let you know that we are conducting investigations on your nephew, and we are seeing if we have any clues for where he was heading or what he was trying to do. I was actually wondering if you had any information." She sat down on my second chair I kept in my room for guests.

"Well, I know what he was trying to do, he wanted to end the war, using an old prophesy his parents had once found. But as to where he went, I have no idea." I told her.

"Thank you, I'll make sure it's out in the records."

"No problem." I said. Commander Marcell stood up and started walking out the door.

She turned around and smiled, "I'm glad that for now, your still the Commander of this section."

"So am I." I waved and she left.
TO BE CONTINUED