NARRATOR: Mall-One, Sol System, the General's story continues, now with more bourbon...
GEN. TAGON: I hesitated for just a moment, but once I knew what had to be done, I moved fast.
I grabbed Mirali and the girl, pulled them close.
I barked an order at Kaff: "Incendiary! My position! Now!"
See, Mirali had already inhaled. Not even immediate cryostasis could save her.
GEN. TAGON: Since the cloud hadn't dispersed yet, I hoped we could disrupt or destroy the nannies before they got to anyone else.
Kaff hesitated. I was asking him to firebomb his parents and his girlfriend, so he hesitated.
The boy hadn't figured it out yet. Slow.
GEN. TAGON: I had grenades in my belt, same as his, standard issue. But I had to let go to get at them.
I had to let go.
Soon as I did, the girl spit a cloud of swarming, microscopic death clear across the room.
Kaff got his helmet up in time. The rest was fire, screaming, and then silence. And then there was a war on.
The end.
KATHRYN: Refill, sir?
GEN. TAGON: They don't make bottles big enough for this kind of empty.