15
Elpidios: Two weeks later
Commander Mena Rue stood at attention. It was not that hard to do, really. She was frozen with fear. The Grand Ruler sat in the seat on the other side of the desk from her, but he could have just as easily been holding a blade to her throat.
She swallowed again as bile rose, threatening to choke her. She had not only returned to Elpidios with no crystals, but she had returned with a tale so huge, so ludicrous she would be surprised if the officers she left outside the room were not ordered in to remove what was left of her body. The Grand Ruler was not someone you wanted angry at you. He was not only angry at Mena, he was beyond furious as he looked back down at her report.
“Do you really expect me to believe this?” he growled out in a low, dangerous tone.
