Time over.

The entire command bridge went silent as Admiral Kael Voss himself stepped out of the shadows, his gaze like a thunderstorm brewing over a calm sea. Every officer on the bridge froze, and even Leena's expression slipped just for an instant, before she regained her composure.

"Admiral Voss," she said, inclining her head ever so slightly, but her tone was tinged with a faint challenge. "I wasn't aware you were observing."

"Clearly," Voss replied, his voice a quiet storm. His gaze shifted to the screen, watching Rex and his troops battling their way through the sandstorm below. "You call these soldiers 'disposable.' Do you think they'd see themselves that way?"

Leena straightened and answered. "With all due respect, Admiral, they are the first wave. It's standard practice."