"Sergeant Jayda Cerise was among one of the finest soldiers Second Unit has to offer," the General said solemnly. "She served her country valiantly, and with the utmost dignity. She will be dearly missed by all those who knew her. Her death was, indeed, a great tragedy."

Aiden shifted restlessly in his seat, tuning out Xylem's meaningless words. The General had requested the presence of every soldier in the Unit to gather in the Foyer three days after the laboratory raid, in order to properly acknowledge Jayda's passing. They had all been instructed to wear formal black clothing for the ceremony, and Aiden hated the gravity of it all. It shouldn't be like this. He, Virgil, Zariah, Rania, Theo and Jayda should be meeting for lunch in the dining hall by now, making jokes and highlighting the events of the day.

Today, Jayda's memorial would be one of those highlights.

Theo had skipped out on the assembly, disgusted by the idea of General Xylem giving a speech in Jayda's honor. Aiden couldn't blame him. Jayda had meant everything to Theo. The couple had often talked about leaving the Program together after their fifteen year service was up, settling down in one of the nearby cities and starting a family together. That dream was shattered, along with Jayda's very existence altogether. Theo had managed to slip out of attending the ceremony unscathed, which was a fortunate break for any soldier of the Program. Protocol stated that all soldiers who failed to meet curfew would be severely punished in the Pit; a holding cell for soldiers who acted out of order. Jayda's death had shook everybody to the core, but it had hit Theo the hardest of all. He lacked his usual wide smile and steady energy. Instead, it was replaced by the shell of a broken, damaged man. Aiden couldn't bear to face Theo.

Aiden yearned for vengeance upon Xylem. He had allowed the General to control him for years, and he'd obeyed hardly without a second thought. Jayda's death had completely changed his perspective towards what was right and what was wrong. All his experiences in the cities, with Roman, with Zariah and with his friends had made him ask real, genuine questions for the first time in his life. This wasn't right. None of this was right. Aiden couldn't do it anymore. The Program could take away his memories, his influence and his life; but it could never take away his friends. 

Virgil was seated next to Aiden, seething in fury. Their group often joked around about Virgil always being a huge flirt with Jayda, but everyone knew better than to take it seriously. Jayda had been one of the only girls that Virgil had seen as a true, genuine friend. She had treated him much like a younger sibling, and the two had interacted in ways that resembled kinship. The loss of Jayda was heavy on everyone in Second Unit.

Aiden had been the last person to see her alive. She had asked him to deliver her final message to Theo, and yet, Aiden struggled to talk to him. He felt as though Jayda's blood was on his hands. If he had acted more efficiently, taken out the guards faster to make up for wasted time...

The scene replayed in his mind a million miles per minute. Jayda's deteriorating figure slumped lifeless in the gas chamber, her fist slamming against the bulletproof glass to alert Aiden of the approaching guards. It all came crashing down on him at once, and the tears threatened to re-emerge from his eyes. Aiden fought them back, of course. He wouldn't dare risk being noticed by one of his friends, or another soldier in Second Unit. He could cry later, on his own time. Right now, he had to be strong.

"...a confident, loyal and earnest friend," Xylem continued. "Sergeant Cerise was adored by many, and her sacrifice will forever be remembered. Every soldier could learn something from her actions, and she was always keen on bringing out the best in those around her."

It felt unnatural to refer to Jayda in the past tense. To Aiden, she was still very much alive in the sense that all of his memories surrounded the fact that she had lived. He refused to remember her as a still corpse, but instead as a living, breathing human being who'd made a huge impact in his life. He'd been with her when she was alive, and he was with her as she died. Aiden was thankful he had known her. Despite all the guilt that he still felt from her passing, it didn't change the fact that Aiden had loved Jayda like a sister. 

The ceremony ended as quickly as it had begun. Xylem had initially requested that Aiden say a few words on Jayda's behalf during the assembly, but he'd declined. He wasn't ready to talk about her. Not yet. Even if he had agreed, it would have taken all his willpower not to strangle the General as soon as Aiden had walked onto the podium. As much as Aiden knew he was partially to blame for Jayda's death, he knew that Xylem had played an even larger role in what went down. He'd tried to kill all of Aiden's squadron; not just Jayda. He was going to use their combined deaths to showcase the true strength of the rebel forces. They would have been catalysts in a war that was completely preventable, if Xylem were only willing to change his ways. The Program was more corrupt than Aiden could have ever imagined. 

"How're you doing?" Aiden asked Virgil once they had made their way out of the Foyer.

"I've been better," Virgil sighed. "We're all in a tough place right now. We'll heal with time."

Aiden nodded in understanding. "Definitely. I just... I was the last one to see her alive. She wanted me to deliver a message to Theo."

"None of this is on you, brother. You didn't ask for Jayda to be... you know," Virgil assured him. "No matter how hard we try, we can't save everybody. You can tell Theo when he's ready."

He had a valid point. It was a philosophy Aiden had grown up with throughout his time in the Program. He knew the context of the phrase well, but he hadn't expected the weight of it to be as heavy as it was. 

"What have you got next?" Aiden inquired, changing the subject. He figured that a dash of normality would cheer the two of them up somewhat. In no way would it change what had happened, but at least it would allow Aiden and Virgil to take their minds off things.

"Training," Virgil replied casually. It was as if their previous conversation had never even occurred. "You?"

"Same," Aiden said. "Wanna spar?"

Virgil smiled halfheartedly. "You really want me to beat your sorry ass again?"

"You wish," Aiden grinned. "All I'd need to do is climb up to the rafters and you'd be so scared, you'd piss yourself."

"Shut up, infer!" 

The two of them departed in the directions of their bunks to change. Aiden and Virgil's quarters were just down the hall from each other; Virgil at the beginning of the corridor, Aiden at the end. He quickly dressed himself into some durable army pants and a breathable t-shirt. He strung his dog tag around his neck before promptly exiting his bunk and heading towards the training centre.

***

"Keep your jaw locked! You've got a big mouth and it sure does like to talk, but your opponent doesn't want to hear any of it!" Aiden scolded Virgil.  "That's a rookie mistake, brother."

"Ease off!" Virgil muttered. "You're just like Alena; grumpy and uptight. I feel bad for the new recruits you'll have to train."

The two circled around the mat methodically, carefully analyzing every subtle movement either of them made. Aiden and Virgil had grown up sparring with each other, which meant that they both knew the others' default moves and techniques by heart. However, Aiden's styles had changed drastically since training with Zariah, making Virgil even more frustrated when it came to predicting Aiden's next actions.

"You really know how to sap the fun out of this," Virgil grumbled. "How am I supposed to beat you if I don't know what you're going to do next? Why can't Zariah show me her super awesome fighting moves?"

"Because you're an infer, and we had the same training slot," Aiden answered flatly. Virgil shook his head in disapproval. He lashed out at Aiden with his leg, which Aiden deflected with a swift, immaculate movement. Aiden swung his arm in Virgil's direction, knocking his friend flat on his back.

"See? This is what I'm talking about," Virgil groaned. "I'm so much better looking than you are. How did you get so lucky?"

"You've even got a larger ego than I do, too," Aiden rolled his eyes, cracking a wistful smile. Virgil rose to his feet, crossing his arms across his chest.

"I know! This is too unfair."

Aiden laughed, and the two of them continued to spar like this for another hour. Aiden would pause to show Virgil the occasional new technique, and after a few tries, Virgil would start to get the hang of it. Then they would move on to a different activity. Aiden enjoyed training with Virgil specifically because his friend gave him a competitive edge. It was enjoyable to train with someone who wasn't afraid to push him to his limits. It was one of the most fulfilling, satisfying things a soldier could endure. 

Their training session was cut short by an Official marching into the training centre. The Official walked up to Aiden and Virgil with a hard expression before nodding to the two soldiers and addressing them stiffly.

"Colonels," the Official's eyes wavered between Aiden and Virgil in turn. "General Xylem has requested your presence for an important administrative meeting. Don't bother changing. The assembly is of the utmost importance. Follow me to Debriefing Room Four, and quickly."

Aiden and Virgil shot each other uneasy glances. Neither of them were in any position to trust the General, especially after all that they'd been through. However, they trailed after the Official to the debriefing rooms anyways. Obviously Xylem had important news, and now that Aiden and Virgil were colonels, they were obligated to be informed of such information. Aiden still didn't like the idea of attending this meeting, but he didn't have a choice. If he refused, he and Virgil would be liable for treason charges, and they would be executed in a heartbeat. Considering the fact that Xylem had wanted them dead to begin with, the alternative definitely didn't sound appealing. Virgil seemed to have the same conclusions, and they both said nothing as they pushed their way through the doors of Debriefing Room Four and took their seats towards the end of the long metal table. Xylem and the other Officials were already seated in their designated spots, leaving Aiden and Virgil as the last soldiers to arrive.

"Welcome, Colonels," Xylem greeted them. Aiden nodded curtly, unable to offer the General a warmer greeting. He supposed it was an appropriate way to welcome someone who had just killed his friend and ordered the deaths of his entire squadron. The General hid it well, but Aiden knew, deep down, that Xylem was fighting to keep his composure. His plans had been foiled rather severely, and he had in no way expected Aiden or Virgil to be sitting at this table with him a second time. Aiden and Virgil should have been dead by now, in his eyes. Unfortunately, the two colonels would live to see another day; and Aiden was determined to keep it that way for a long while yet. 

"I've called all my Officials here today for some very pressing news," the General began. "But first, I would like to offer my condolences to Colonel Lycroft and Colonel Aeriona. I am aware that the two of you were very close with Sergeant Jayda Cerise. She died long before her time, and I hope that the two of you are recovering well."

Aiden clenched his fists to keep himself from snapping. The small comment towards Jayda hadn't been sincere. It was Xylem's subtle way of reminding them that he was in charge, and he would repeat his actions again in a heartbeat. Aiden swallowed his anger and allowed himself to take on a professional tone.

"Thank you, General Xylem," Aiden said smoothly. "Colonel Aeriona and I appreciate your sympathy."

From across the table, Virgil's eyes were dark with fury, although he hid it fairly well. If Aiden didn't know any better, he would assume that the young soldier was listening intently, rather than burning with anger. 

"I have received news from Askus City indicating that Colonel Lycroft's squadron successfully infiltrated the laboratories and acquired the necessary intelligence we needed in order to prevent the rebel forces from using the chemical weaponry designs on the people of Creatan. The weaponry was created by the top research scientists in Second Unit's sector. Unfortunately, during the raid, a close associate of ours, Agent Noam Toryn, was killed in the fighting. He sent a transmission to us informing us that he had indeed obtained the data, but we were unable to get to him in time. By the time that Colonel Lycroft's squadron's explosive devices detonated, Agent Toryn was incapable of escaping the building and perished, along with most of the other rebels inside."

General Xylem's eyes drilled into Aiden's at the mention of Agent Toryn. Aiden knew for a fact that he hadn't killed the agent back in the laboratories, but he had stolen the data disc containing the intel from Agent Toryn while the man was unconscious. Aiden had a feeling that the information was much safer with him than the General or any other rebel organization in Creatan. Currently, he morally stood for neither side of the civil war, and was opting to take on the role of whatever was necessary in order to protect the people. So far, the Program had done a shitty job and the rebels had fought completely in vain. The disc was hidden away in a location unknown to anybody but himself, and Aiden was prepared to die in order to keep the information away from the hands of any interested parties. 

"We are unsure of what became of the intel that Colonel Lycroft and his squadron operated so cautiously to acquire. We do know that the data discs used in the raid were made from glass plates infused with nano-technology in order to ensure that the rebel forces could no longer access the information. Our best theory suggests that the disc was destroyed in the series of explosions that followed, and therefore it is lost, indefinitely," Xylem continued. "Colonels, do either of you have anything to report following the events of your mission?"

Aiden paused. Virgil didn't say anything, which left Aiden with the responsibility of coming up with a calculated summary for Xylem.

"Sergeant Cerise and I were the ones who delivered our intel to Agent Toryn," Aiden explained. "A few moments following our interaction, we were were assaulted by three rebel guards, and Sergeant Cerise was fatally shot by one of the attackers. I was unable to revive her. When I left Agent Toryn, he was still alive. I'm unable to confidently explain what exactly became of him. I trusted him with the data, and I trusted that he would be able to escape the laboratories that night."

Aiden was met with silence after he'd finished his explanation. The Officials took a few moments to let his story sink in, before murmuring appreciatively. Apparently, he'd played out his ruse convincingly. Aiden let out a sigh of relief, thankful to be out of the spotlight. The attention was redirected to Xylem, who nodded, seeming to accept Aiden's tale.

"Thank you for clearing things up, Colonel," Xylem cleared his throat. "I think I speak on the behalf of all of Second Unit when I say that we are grateful that the rest of your squadron was able to make it out safely."

Yet another jab at the fact that Aiden and his friends had been set up. Aiden nodded seriously, appearing to be unfazed by Xylem's comment. He brushed it off as if the General hadn't even said anything.

"On a separate note, I have received urgent transmissions from our neighboring Fourth and Sixth Units," Xylem announced. Aiden tilted his head curiously. Fourth Unit and Sixth Unit? It seemed unlikely that two Units would send emergency transmissions to Xylem, especially since the Units were forbidden to have contact with one another, unless Xylem was checking in. What was the significance?

"The two Units offered me very distressing news. It seems that Fifth Unit, the Unit specializing in the handling of coordinated rebel attacks and illegal revolutionary propaganda was viciously infiltrated by a large collection of rebel forces operating under the name of Eskium. Our soldiers fought as hard as they could to overthrow the rebel army, but they were unable to overtake them. It is unclear at this time as to how many of these soldiers were able to escape the invasion, but according to Fourth and Sixth Unit, they received no refugees from any foreign Units. It seems that, in short, there are no survivors left to rescue."

"General, sir, what does this mean?" an Official spoke up in horror.

"It means, Lieutenant General Eyan," the General elaborated, "that Fifth Unit has fallen to the soldiers of Eskium."

Aiden's thoughts spiraled out of control. Fifth Unit, gone? It seemed utterly impossible. Never before had an entire Unit of the Program perished before an impending rebel army. The name Eskium rattled his memory. He'd heard someone use that phrase before, long ago. But where?

Memories of the warehouse stakeout swarmed his brain. He remembered Zariah's initial composure towards the mission, until she'd been seemingly triggered for no apparent reason by the use of a simple word.

Our allies need this shipment. Eskium has inner workings everywhere. You saw what they're capable of.

Aiden froze in his tracks. Eskium. Zariah knew Eskium. Somehow, she'd encountered these rebels before, in some element of her past. But according to Xylem, Eskium had taken over Fifth Unit only recently, hadn't he? The General had mentioned receiving the transmissions... but had he mentioned when? And did the fall of Fifth Unit account for any of the reasons why Zariah had been transferred to Second Unit?

All the questions that had haunted him for months reappeared in this sudden, unexpected revelation. They had lain dormant for ages, but now, each and every one of them had resurfaced, more alive than ever before. 

He had to visit Zariah. He had to tell her what he had discovered. She must know something - anything - that could aid him in finding out what exactly the General was hiding. 

You can't save everyone.