Page 80 of My Tiny Giant
“Madam, this is a private meeting.” The AI screen mounted by the door came to life.
“I need to be there, too,” I insisted.
It’d been well over twenty minutes since the end of Agan’s evaluation. What were they doing to him, now? Where did they send him? I knew he didn’t want to stay in this building a second longer than necessary. They must be detaining him against his will.
The screen flickered as the system’s voice and facial recognition software kicked in.
“Lieutenant Nowak, you were supposed to be in the cafeteria,” the AI reprimanded, a sulking note filtering through its often-impassive voice.
“I decided to drop by here, first.”
“You’re not on the list of the approved participants.”
“Well, I should be.” I placed both hands on the door, trying to slide it open. “Could you let me in please?”
Maybe if I hurried, I still had a chance to talk sense into the people keeping Agan captive.
“Please step away from the door. You’re not on the list—”
The frustration at the AI’s resistance collided with my anxious worry for Agan, setting off an explosion of anger.
I snapped, losing my patience.
“Okay, you know what, that’s enough! If you don’t want to let me in, I’ll get in myself.”
Hiking up the skirt of my uniform, I kicked my leg, slamming my foot into the glass door as hard as I could. The milky-white glass shattered from the impact of the hard heel of my plain black pump.
The AI screen flashed red. “You will face a disciplinary action for vandalism and for—”
“Fine. Send the report to Captain Miller.” I stepped over the shards of glass into the room.
“What is this all about?” General Craxus rose from his seat at the hexagonal table, menacingly angling his horns my way.
Professor Kidreks leaped up from his chair with a strangled noise of shock. “Lieutenant Nowak!”
“That’s why the army is no place for women!” General Hicrai jumped to his feet, too, his face quickly turning bright red under the fine layer of the short, golden-brown fur. “They’re untrainable!”
Sitting on a wide board placed atop armrests of a chair at the table, Agan was the only one in the room who remained seated after my admittedly dramatic entrance. His eyebrow raised, he gazed at me with a warm smile on his face and a spark of amusement in his eyes.
“Oh, Eleven...” He shook his head before dropping it into his hand.
The tormenting anxiety inside me eased somewhat at seeing him there, unharmed.
“What’s going on here?” I darted my gaze from Agan to everyone else present.
“Do you realize, Lieutenant, that you have no right to ask any questions?” General Craxus said gruffly, his horns still trained in my direction.
“Exactly!” General Hicrai raged. “And you have absolutely no right to be here, either.” He turned to the nearest AI drone. “Make sure to send a report to her superiors. She needs to be removed from Neron as soon as possible. Her place is on that spaceship from Earth.”
I drew in some air to argue.
“I’m not doing it!” Agan said quickly, loud and clear. “If you send Lieutenant Nowak off planet, I’m not doing what you want me to do.”
“You can’t refuse!” General Hicrai roared. “It’s your duty to Ravie. And to Tragul. It’s an order, soldier!”
“What are they forcing you to do?” I asked, taking a step closer to Agan.
“What we’ve discussed here is not to be shared with anyone, Lieutenant Drankai,” General Craxus’s voice rose with a warning. “Lieutenant Nowak is not part of this meeting, or your mission.” He turned to me. “Please leave the room, immediately.”