Helianthus had promised that the board would keep our request in mind.
That's good, I guess.
The remainder of the meeting remained uneventful. The moon had risen when we logged off.
Commander yawned. A long one.
I glanced downwards to see a pile of notes.
[G36]: "Y'know, I can always just write for you; be your scribe, or something like that."
[Heiden]: "Ehh, I guess I'm too old. Anyways, thank you for attending this meeting with me. You may go off duty."
Didn't he have a bunch of paperwork to fill in?
I mean, sure, I'd fucking kill to go to sleep. But it felt necessary to play the "nice person" card.
It really did.
[G36]: "I don't mind starting my adjutant duties one day prior."
He looked at me with that funny expression.
[Heiden]: "You sure?"
I just couldn't let him succumb to insomnia while I slept my crap out.
[G36]: "Yes, I'm sure."
I said firmly, and then emphasising.
And so I followed Heiden, both of us falling into silence and finding comfort in the sound of boots clicking against the ground.
More thoughts and comments came to me, renewed by the commander's close proximity.
[G36]: "Master, I never knew your surname was "Leigh"."
[Heiden]: "Well I guess now you do."
He continued before I could comment.
[Heiden]: "And before you ask anything, no. I feel more comfortable if you just referred to me as Heiden. Feels closer, you know?"
I cracked a smile.
[G36]: "Hey, how d'you know what was going on in my neural cloud? It's like you can read my mind?"
Commander regarded me for a moment.
It was one of those gazes that made me feel exposed, like he knew something about me that I didn't.
Commander probably does, though. Like literally.
But then he shrugged, eyes lighting up and flashing a grin.
[Heiden]: "Dunno. Probably the super competent confidante commander within myself."
Hah.
[G36]: "Definitely."
***
The trip to his office was nice.
Seeing four piles of mountain-like paperwork did not.
Commander smiled weakly.
[Heiden]: "We've got a lot to go through, including misplaced files from the last commander, damage reports, combat reports and logistics forms."
At least I could do something.
[G36]: "Well, I know what my companions are like on field, so I'll help with the combat reports."
He grinned.
[Heiden]: "There's no need to treat these papers so seriously. Nobody checks them anyways."
I smirked in response.
[G36]: "Alrighty, commander."
***
One hour in and any traces of my smirk were gone. It was bedtime. And there were still three quarters left for me to get through.
Two hours in and I wanted to kill myself. Efficiency was non-existent.
Three hours and forty six minutes in and I was finally done.
A stack of reports lay on the projection table.
I don't even remember what I wrote. Hope I'm not overly derogatory with stuff.
"Commander?" I asked after an infinitely long and satisfying yawn.
"I'm here." He croaked in response, looking weakly at one pile that remained untouched.
I left my seat for some coffee.
As I set my eyes on the mug, a thought surfaced.
I smirked at the idea.
Very clumsily, I fetch the kettle and pour the rather strong brewed coffee into the commander's cup.
"Thanks. I don't need too much."
He said, without looking up.
I continued pouring.
Even when the cup brimmed.
And let the overflowing coffee soak the base of the mountainous pile.
He looks at me in bewilderment. Then realisation.
"Oh dear, master!" I say sarcastically, "It appears that I accidentally damaged some of the files! I'm afraid that we'll have to let it dry for a day or two!"
Commander snickered quietly.
"Very well, G36!" He sounded much more lighthearted, "We're done for tonight. You're dismissed. Good night."
"Good Night"
