Winds of Fire

Chapter 11

-This has to be a joke, Kal'tsit!! You can't be possibly telling me that...!!!

-As you've heard. – Calmly answered the lynx as she took a sip from her coffee. – I won't be authorizing a rescue mission.

Right across her desk was the Doctor, standing with his gaze locked onto her. He had gone to her office to present his plan and get her to accept it... but, as one could see, it hadn't gone quite as well as he had expected.

-But Kal'tsit!! You were in that room with us; we all heard the woman's message!! We have to send there...

-Doctor. – With stoic face, the lynx stood up from her chair, and without rolling her eyes from him said. – That transmission came from a region deep in Ursus, one which is dangerously close to the frontlines... Conducting a mission of such scale there is very risky... and what's more, from what we know, it may well be the Russians trying to lure us into a trap!

-You think I don't know the risks?! I do, Kal'tsit!! I understand it'll be a tough mission, but we have to do it. Someone sent us that message calling for help, Rhodes can't just ignore it and sit idly by....!!! – He suddenly slammed his fist against the table. – Kal'tsit, please!!! Just give me the authorization and I'll...!

The lynx let out a sigh, and only after the Doctor had finished did she give her answer.

-I'm sorry Doctor, but my final answer is no. There's nothing else left to discuss, you can leave.

Her words left the Doctor in outrage. He wanted to stay and make her reconsider her stance... but then he realized it was futile. It didn't matter what he said to her, Kal'tsit wouldn't change her mind.

Without saying any word, he turned around and walked away.

Outside Kal'tsits office, Amiya stood next to the door waiting for the Doctor to finish his meeting. That's why, upon seeing him blow the door wide open and storm outside the room, she ran towards him.

-Dokutah!! What happened?!

Without even noticing her, the Doctor walked past Amiya while muttering something to himself. With a worried expression on her face, the young cautus went after him, disappearing between the halls...

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Back in the office, Kal'tsit was exhausted from the argument minutes prior. Letting out a deep sigh, she walked back to her desk, and with an audible bump let herself fall on the chair.

-Good Lord.... – She closed her eyes and simply sat there, enjoying the calm... but at that moment a robotic voice broke the reigning silence.

-Dr. Kal'tsit, my sensors are picking up abnormal levels of stress in your vital sings. It's everything alright?

The lynx couldn't help but emit a low grunt.

-Ugh... yeah, I'm fine, PTRS.

-That's a relief to hear. Your argument with the Doctor was very intense, so I was worried it had affected you in some way.

-Me getting affected by that? – She scoffed. – Don't be silly. It's just that I'm tired of everything, nothing else...

For a brief instant, it seemed like the IA assistant had gone silent... but then it suddenly spoke.

-If I may, Dr Kal'tsit, there's something I can't quite understand. Why you did you deny the Doctor's request? I've performed an analysis of the transmission, and the voice there matches perfectly with *********'s. It's genuine.