A matter of honour

“Afternoon, Lieutenant Proel.”

“Captain Tylo? Er… Forgive me a silly question, sir, but aren’t you dead?”

“Yes. Your point?”

“No point, just checking.”

“Always pays to be thorough. Your looking a little rough by the way.”

“I’ve not been sleeping so well, being on trial for murder and all. Your murder as it happens.”

“Did you tell them what happened?”

“No; I thought I’d save that little tit bit for a surprise at the end of the trial. Of course I bloody well did.”

“There’s no need for that language, or the tone. I fell a little behind on current events after you killed me.”

“Sorry about that.”

Oh don’t be. A swift death or slowly digested… as tough a call as that is the swift death always seem to win. It was a good shot by the way, easily your best.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Perhaps you should have lied.”

“I considered it but I thought I had made the honourable choice so felt no need to hide it. Now I’m not so sure. It’s the new commander, he wants to make some point or other.”

“That it’s not a good idea to kill superior officers?”

“Was that a pop?”

“No, it just sounds like he is the sort that would need the protection.”

“I’d let him get eaten.”

“You should have told him that, maybe he’d have changed his mind.”

“He’s convinced I could have killed the Terzin, apparently the eye may be vulnerable to attack, I should have tried.”
“That’s nonsense. I drove my sword in hilt deep, I was struggling to get it out when you shot me. I wanted to stab myself.”

“So that’s what you were doing. I thought you were trying to get it’s attention.”

“It was eating me, how much more attentive should it have been?”

“As fun as this reminiscing over the worst day of my life has been, was there a reason for the visit? Or are you bored with the afterlife already.”

“Oh yes, I clear forgot. I’m here to collect you. It took a lot of persuading but I mentioned what you did for me and they agreed, you can serve on my squad.”

“What squad? Your dead, you don’t have a squad anymore.”

“I’m in Mavour’s army now. I tell you you’ll love it.”

“Sounds great, except I’m not dead.”

“Oops, did I forget to mention that bit? They warned me some didn’t always know, I should have noticed how preoccupied you were with my…condition.”

“I am not dead.”

“Yes you are, that trial you’re worried about is over. They executed you this morning… So come on, Mavour doesn‘t like to be kept waiting.”


(word count 449)