General Grawl x Captain Charles

Glipforg Celebration

Everyone in Glipforg gathered around with their necks craned, looking up into the sky as the ship flew off into orbit, becoming a tiny speck to them. Just hours before, they all believed that they were being invaded by an alien species, who would corrupt them and turn them into zombies using mind control. However, that actually wasn't the case, and it was all thanks to Lem and his friends proving to their neighbors that Captain Chuck Baker wasn't actually who they thought he was.

As a way to celebrate the event, the town put together a party with some musical numbers along the way. Lem stood on the sidelines, watching as his peers had fun. Neera noticed him and went over to him. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Lem felt himself blush. "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just worried about Chuck."

"He'll be fine," she reassured. "I'm sure that he'll have a safe journey back to Earth and that he'll be there in no time."

Lem felt a little better after hearing her say that. He smiled and nodded at her. "Okay. Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't be so nervous."

Neera smiled at him and grabbed his hand. She laughed a little when she said, "Come on, Lem! Dance with me!"

Lem laughed too and let Neera take him into the crowd of moving bodies, feeling the music.

Some of the army guards had put aside their weaponry and were dancing as well, feeling safe and relieved to know that they weren't in real danger. General Grawl though, like Lem, kept to the side at first, like he was supervising the crowd of dancing aliens, looking out for any danger. He kept glancing back up at the sky, looking for the ship. Even though al he saw was blue clear skies, if he squinted a little, he could've sworn he'd seen even just a tiny speck of the rocket ship.

After the day he had, including the previous days, he felt relieved that all of his suspicions of a dangerous creature posing hazard to their planet weren't true, and that the town of Glipforg was safe once more. However, while it wasn't necessarily fear anymore, he couldn't help but still feel curious about the "alien" Chuck Baker. Like, if it was capable of empathy, and sacrifice, and forgiveness, what else could it do?

Then again, perhaps he was thinking too much...

"Ahem, General Grawl," said someone clearing his throat, and the tall general turned around to see a slightly shorter guy approaching him, wearing a similar brown military uniform and having a mustache. It was the captain. As if on que, General Grawl raised his hand to his forehead in salute, as did the captain.

After mirroring the salute, the captain gestured to the General to follow him. Surprised, Grawl quietly followed the shorter alien away from the crowd, a little nervous as to what he was going to say.

Once they were far enough from the celebration, Grawl forced himself to ask, "What is it that you need, Captain?"

"General," the captain started. "You have been protecting this town and informing our military for more than 20 years. You've earned multiple awards, whether that be physical medals or internal successions. You have done a lot for not only the community but also for the good of our planet."

General Grawl nodded, feeling praised, yet a little bit of paranoia still lingered there.

The captain took a deep breath. "HOWEVER..."

There it was.

"In these past few days, you have done some very reckless things, so much to the point of endangering the civilians of Glipforg including the soldiers, as well as destroying military equipment. That recklessness will not be tolerable."

General Grawl nodded again, his hands behind his back, keeping his back straight and his chest puffed.

"Therefore, I have decided that the best thing that we'll do, at the moment, is to temporarily relieve you from your duties."

While he half expected something like this to happen, hearing it was just as crushing as suspecting it. Although, there was that one word: relieve.

"For how long?" Grawl asked.

"For as long as we deem necessary," was the Captain's response. Then, without another word, he left, leaving Grawl to ponder about what just happened in silence.