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"I suppose i should congratulate you on your promotion." Ironwood said, keeping his tone Neutral. He almost felt Heydrich grin behind him.
"Well, one doesn't become the Hero of Vytal without some recognition, I suppose."
Ironwood, feeling like he was almost floating without the weight of his rank pins, clenched tighter on the handle of his briefcase. He'd known this was coming. To think, 15 years prior, everything had been so different....
"I'm sure the Academy will prosper under your leadership-"

"I refused it, of course."

Ironwood, all decorum lost, whirled, eyes wide, to meet the silver gaze of his one-time roommate. Heydrich's expression was neutral, save for the small grin on his lips.

"You...refused?"

Heydrich scoffed.
"I've come to realize, James, that you booting me off to Command of the Expeditionary fleet was the best gift you ever gave me. It gave me far more opportunities, to say nothing of ensuring the deployment of our overseas assets was swift and succinct. You've seen the results of my handiwork."
the smile dropped from his lips.
"And one does not hand off something like that idly."

Ironwood gaped, his decorum forgotten. Heydrich, the man who had once stood as his only competition for leadership of Atlas academy, had....turned it down? To remain in the field?

"If not you, then-"
"why, I recommended Winter Schnee, of course!"

Ironwood continued staring as Heydrich turned away.
"She's been kept suitably busy, running all over the world for you. I felt she deserved recognition for her outstanding efforts, and her attention to details and discipline is superlative. She will make a fine headmistress, and the rank promotion to Major is not without benefits either."

he closed his eyes, a bemused smile on his face.
"of course, this will require her to remain in Atlas for extended periods, and she will naturally have to be taken off your personal staff, along with her own subordinates."

Ironwood stiffened: THERE it was. He should have known Heydrich, ever the crafty player, wouldn't be so overt to give up command of what had all but become his personal army, just to stick it to him: He was instead taking away his support base.
Taking away Winter...

"Anyway, it's been delightful catching up, James." Heydrich said, as he began to stroll away "But I must depart, to resume command of the Northern Fleet. While I'm sure Sterling has kept things well in order, It's high time to restore normalcy to command. Good Day, General."

For a moment, James was silent, as he turned back to resume his reluctant march to his new post in the Quartermaster's office. He supposed he was fortunate to keep his rank, even if his position was demoted to what was essentially a paper pusher. Running supply logs and dispatch orders was a far cry from command of the Specialists and head of the Academy, and at his age (to say nothing of reputation) prospects for promotion would be few and far between.
Still...

"General?"

Ironwood stiffened, as he turned to Heydrich once more. the newly-promoted Field Marshal's rank pins glowed in the sunlight reflected off the glaciers outside.

"Don't forget, James." he said, his tone measured and calm. There wasn't the slightest air of triumph around him...which only made such an aura resonate ever brighter.

"All Glory is Fleeting."

Ironwood managed not to stagger at the words....the same words he himself had said to Heydrich when their roles were reversed, all those years ago....

Clicking his heels together, Heydrich turned and strolled away, arms clasped behind his back, Field Marshal's Code baton clutched tightly in his hands.

Ironwood watched him go, stared at the cylinder for a moment, at a rank even he had never achieved, access he had striven for for years...

And then he turned and, managing to hide the melancholy that washed over him, marched towards his new role.

for all intents and purposes, he knew, he was officially off the chessboard.

Description
"I suppose i should congratulate you on your promotion." Ironwood said, keeping his tone Neutral. He almost felt Heydrich grin behind him.
"Well, one doesn't become the Hero of Vytal without some recognition, I suppose."
Ironwood, feeling like he was almost floating without the weight of his rank pins, clenched tighter on the handle of his briefcase. He'd known this was coming. To think, 15 years prior, everything had been so different....
"I'm sure the Academy will prosper under your leadership-"

"I refused it, of course."

Ironwood, all decorum lost, whirled, eyes wide, to meet the silver gaze of his one-time roommate. Heydrich's expression was neutral, save for the small grin on his lips.

"You...refused?"

Heydrich scoffed.
"I've come to realize, James, that you booting me off to Command of the Expeditionary fleet was the best gift you ever gave me. It gave me far more opportunities, to say nothing of ensuring the deployment of our overseas assets was swift and succinct. You've seen the results of my handiwork."
the smile dropped from his lips.
"And one does not hand off something like that idly."

Ironwood gaped, his decorum forgotten. Heydrich, the man who had once stood as his only competition for leadership of Atlas academy, had....turned it down? To remain in the field?

"If not you, then-"
"why, I recommended Winter Schnee, of course!"

Ironwood continued staring as Heydrich turned away.
"She's been kept suitably busy, running all over the world for you. I felt she deserved recognition for her outstanding efforts, and her attention to details and discipline is superlative. She will make a fine headmistress, and the rank promotion to Major is not without benefits either."

he closed his eyes, a bemused smile on his face.
"of course, this will require her to remain in Atlas for extended periods, and she will naturally have to be taken off your personal staff, along with her own subordinates."

Ironwood stiffened: THERE it was. He should have known Heydrich, ever the crafty player, wouldn't be so overt to give up command of what had all but become his personal army, just to stick it to him: He was instead taking away his support base.
Taking away Winter...

"Anyway, it's been delightful catching up, James." Heydrich said, as he began to stroll away "But I must depart, to resume command of the Northern Fleet. While I'm sure Sterling has kept things well in order, It's high time to restore normalcy to command. Good Day, General."

For a moment, James was silent, as he turned back to resume his reluctant march to his new post in the Quartermaster's office. He supposed he was fortunate to keep his rank, even if his position was demoted to what was essentially a paper pusher. Running supply logs and dispatch orders was a far cry from command of the Specialists and head of the Academy, and at his age (to say nothing of reputation) prospects for promotion would be few and far between.
Still...

"General?"

Ironwood stiffened, as he turned to Heydrich once more. the newly-promoted Field Marshal's rank pins glowed in the sunlight reflected off the glaciers outside.

"Don't forget, James." he said, his tone measured and calm. There wasn't the slightest air of triumph around him...which only made such an aura resonate ever brighter.

"All Glory is Fleeting."

Ironwood managed not to stagger at the words....the same words he himself had said to Heydrich when their roles were reversed, all those years ago....

Clicking his heels together, Heydrich turned and strolled away, arms clasped behind his back, Field Marshal's Code baton clutched tightly in his hands.

Ironwood watched him go, stared at the cylinder for a moment, at a rank even he had never achieved, access he had striven for for years...

And then he turned and, managing to hide the melancholy that washed over him, marched towards his new role.

for all intents and purposes, he knew, he was officially off the chessboard.