Page 70 of My Tiny Giant
Chapter 14
“L IEUTENANT DRANKAI ?” The AI screen attached to a hovering gurney inquired as soon as Agan and I walked into the reception area of the Voranian Army Headquarters. Well, I walked in, Agan was riding on my shoulder.
The examinations that Agan was supposed to go through on a daily basis were conducted in the military lab here.
“Yes. I’m Lieutenant Drankai.” Agan gave the screen a mock salute. “Arriving to be poked, prodded, and probed.”
“You failed to appear yesterday, Lieutenant.” A tall Ravil male entered the reception area. Wearing the combat pants and the chest plate, he undoubtedly belonged to the Ravil Army. “From now on, we’ll be housing you in this building, to ensure your attendance in the future.”
“Fuck no!” Agan leaped up, standing on my shoulder. “I’m not staying. I’m not trading one lab for another. And who are you, anyway?”
“I’m General Hicrai, the new leader of the Ravil Army. Calm down, Lieutenant, and show some respect.”
With the disgraced General Trulgadi currently getting ready to face a tribunal, it had been a matter of time until someone else took his place. Staring at the new leader’s severe expression, I feared the change was hardly for the better.
He hadn’t acknowledged my presence.
Agan gave his new leader a quick salute then plopped back down onto my shoulder.
“I’m not staying here,” he muttered, stubbornly.
“As your superior, I will order you to remain at the lab.”
“General...” I saluted then rested my hand at my shoulder. Agan quickly got hold of one of my fingers. “Sir, please don’t detain Lieutenant Drankai. His quality of life here—”
“And who are you?” He measured me with his stare, from my black pumps all the way up to my blonde bun. Since the evaluations took place at the Army Headquarters, I’d worn my dress uniform for this visit.
“I’m Lieutenant Nowak, of the Special Armored Unit from Earth. I was present at the lab on Tragul when the experiment that shrank Lieutenant Drankai took place.”
“Ah, you’re the female,” he said.
I forced down the irritation that rose inside me at his dismissive tone.
“Please, General,” I said, keeping my voice as calm as possible. “Lieutenant Drankai experienced some...um, transportation difficulties yesterday. That’s why he missed the evaluation. Due to his greatly reduced size, he can’t order an aircraft on his own. I will assist him with that from now on. I promise to bring him here daily, on time. He won’t miss it again.”
The lingering resentment in the Ravil general’s yellow-green eyes didn’t give me much hope.
General Craxus of the Voranian Army entered at that moment, followed by another Voranian male in a white lab coveralls.
“General Craxus,” I rushed to him. “Lieutenant Drankai wishes to reside outside of this building.”
“Is that true, Lieutenant?” the Voranian moved his dark-orange gaze to my shoulder.
“Yes.” Agan stood up again.
“He failed to appear yesterday.” General Hicrai stepped in front of me, visibly irritated that I went around him.