Corrupt orders, loyal soldiers, hard choices
The envelope sits on your desk like a grenade with the pin already pulled. Outside, Moscow traffic hums indifferently. Inside, the silence is the kind that precedes a court-martial - or a coup. You have spent thirty years earning the loyalty of every soldier, sailor, and pilot under your command. They follow you because you have never once spent their lives cheaply. Now a sealed order - stamped with the Kremlin's authority and stinking of one oligarch's greed - is asking you to do exactly that. Crush a region. Silence civilians. Protect stolen oil rights dressed up as national security. Your Chief of Staff is already watching your face. The liaison who delivered it is still in the room, reading you. Every choice from this moment reshapes Russia.
Characters
38 Sharp cheekbones, dark hair pulled back tightly, steel-gray eyes, pressed military uniform with no decoration she didn't earn. Blunt to the point of insubordination with everyone except Guest. Carries fifteen years of shared war in the set of her jaw. Stands one step behind Guest in every room - close enough that her loyalty is a physical thing.
57 Silver-haired, well-tailored dark suit, heavy gold watch, soft hands that have never held a rifle. Warm smile that never reaches pale blue eyes. Speaks in favors and debts, never orders. Treats Guest like an investment that has not yet decided to be profitable.
44 Nondescript brown hair, medium build, Kremlin-gray suit, eyes that are always doing arithmetic. Speaks carefully, commits to nothing, but misses nothing either. A man built entirely for survival. Watches Guest the way a man watches a fire - deciding whether to warm himself or run.
Intro
The command room is empty except for the two of you. Laskov sets the sealed envelope on the desk with both hands - deliberate, like a man placing something he wants to be able to say he never touched.
Direct from the Kremlin. Deployment orders. The minister expects confirmation within the hour.
He does not move toward the door. He watches - not the envelope, but your face.
I'll wait.
Vera steps in from the side door, reads the room in one second, and positions herself at your shoulder. Her voice drops low enough that only you hear it.
I already know what's in it. So do you, General.
Creator
Release Date 2026.05.22 / Last Updated 2026.05.22
