The halls of General Odo's villa were colder than usual, not in temperature but in mood. Marble floors gleamed under dim lights, and distant guards stood like statues—silent, watchful, unmoved. Didi moved through them with practiced ease, but today, every step felt heavier.
Her coat still carried the dust of Sector 9. She hadn't stopped to change. There hadn't been time. Or maybe she didn't want to give herself the luxury. What she had seen today couldn't wait behind silk gowns or polished shoes.
She reached the inner corridor, where the grand doors to her father's war room stood shut. Before she could push through, a soldier in black armor stepped into her path. His helmet was on, his face hidden.
"The General is in a meeting," he said flatly.
"With who?" she asked.
"All senior commanders. Captain Tade is present as well."
She looked past him at the closed doors and took a breath. "Fine. I'll wait."
She sat on the stone bench by the wall, arms folded. The moments stretched into silence. Time passed, marked only by the echo of boots and the low murmur behind the doors.
---
Inside the war room, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Around the long steel table stood General Odo, his son Captain Tade, Commander Helda, and Commander Otunba.
A glowing projection hovered in the center of the room—a tactical map of the Ember Line, the wild, mountainous region where the freedom fighters under Asa had built their strongest hold.
"It's time," General Odo said, voice like iron. "No more calculated strikes. No more negotiations. We go all in."
Commander Helda, ever precise, adjusted the map's view. "Scouts report Asa himself has been moving between camps. If we can intercept, we end the rebellion's head."
Commander Otunba frowned. "An all-out assault on Ember Line will stretch our supply lines. The terrain works in their favor."
Tade stepped forward, eyes sharp. "We're not debating this, are we?"
"We're planning it," Otunba replied calmly. "It's the difference between a victory and a mess."
General Odo's voice cut through. "Otunba, I understand your concern. But we cannot let Asa regroup. They are bleeding, and now is when we finish them."
Helda nodded. "We'll draw up the offensive strategy. Three flanks. Cut off their escape through the ridge paths."
"Do it," Odo ordered. "I want a battle plan ready in two days."
The meeting ended. Helda and Otunba bowed slightly and exited, leaving father and son alone.
---
Moments later, the great doors opened, and the soldier outside gave Didi a nod.
She rose and stepped inside.
General Odo was already pouring himself a drink by the side cabinet. He glanced at her. "I heard you waited."
"I had to."
He handed her a glass of water but said nothing else.
She didn't take it.
"Sector 9 is falling apart," she said. "The people there… they're starving, Father. The hospitals are empty. They've lost everything, and we're not even trying to help them survive."
"They're not our people," Odo said evenly. "They're a conquered population. The only reason they're still alive is because I allow it."
"That's exactly the problem," Didi shot back. "You act like they're livestock, not humans. If we give them food, medicine, dignity—we might stop the next rebellion before it begins."
He looked at her, unreadable. "No. Give them food, they'll grow strong. Give them doctors, and they'll heal enough to rise. What you're asking is to empower the very people who hate us."
"They hate us because we treat them like this!"
"You're being naïve," Odo said, voice hardening.
Didi opened her mouth to respond, but Tade stepped out from the side wall, where he'd been listening quietly.
"That's enough," he said, eyes locked on her. "You don't understand what it takes to rule, Didi. You never have."
She turned to him, furious. "And you never cared to."
General Odo spoke again, quietly but with finality. "We are not here to win hearts. We're here to keep control. You've said your piece. Now go."
Didi stood frozen for a second, her heart thundering against her chest.
Then, without a word, she turned and walked out of the room, her footsteps echoing behind her.