The Supreme Commander General paced the receptionists office, holding a small box under his arm. The receptionist looked up from her infoscreen "The President will see you now, General"
"Thankyou Helen"
As Brian reached out for the doorknob his hand shuddered. He shook his shoulders, composing himself, and entered the room as a General should, head held high with force in his step.
"Ahh Brian what an unexpected pleasure" said the President "I've been looking through the intel reports... very interesting reading, when will the first shipment of goods from our sister world arrive on the new trade route? My usual supply of cigars wont reach us for another 8 months, that damn Bishop cleaned me out at my last garden party!"
"Well sir, I have have a box here..." the President interrupted, grabbing the box "Excellent, wont you share one with me?"
"Err yes of course sir"
The President broke the seal and immediately gasped "Amazing! These really are fresh, an aroma i have dreamed of for years! This is the beginning of a new era, I cannot wait to meet the President of our sister planet in person, now, sit general, sit!" the president motioned at the sofa to the side of the room.
Whilst the General was apprehensive of the informalness of their meeting so far, he was in no hurry to deliver his news. Instead he sat down, picked up the cigar cutter from the coffee table, clipped the end and as he put the cigar to his lips the president produced a massive flame from a very tiny lighter. He sat back and tried not to choke on the thick smoke while the president lit his own.
"Yes these fresh cigars really are another world"
"Indeed" the general spluttered
"I take it they were smuggled in? I havn't recieved a report that the trade routes are clear."
"No sir they aren't and umm they might not be for some time."
"WHAT!!!!" The president spat his cigar across the room.
"Let me explain sir, did you read about sector 3?"
"Yes, most troubling, highly powerful ships neighbouring our world, they have moved to block the trade route?"
"No sir, I took the decision to take them out"
"A wise move"
"Perhaps, but our limited intel was not complete, the strike team managed to destroy its primary target, and one of the secordaries, but we had no way of knowing that they too had teleportation technology"
The president got up and walked back to his desk, the general put his cigar down and got up to stand in front of him.
"Exactly how badly did this operation go General?"
"Their retaliation was swift and brutal, we lost the spaceyard, andcommand station one. The hostiles are surrounding the planet as we speak."
"So you came to me to sit around smoking cigars? General Brian Lunder, you have made a fool of me, I made you supreme commander and this is how you repay me? All those years and your nickname comes true eh? General Blunder!!!! Why exactly did you come here?"
"I came to offer my apology sir"
"Well then get on with it man!"
The General stood to attention, saluting the President, he then reached to his side, pulled out his service laser pistol and shot himself in the head.
"At least he got that right" said the president, looking around the room for his cigar. It was lying in a pool of blood.
The president got up and walked over to the coffee table "mind if i finish yours off old boy?" he chuckled to himself.
He sat back down and pushed the intercom button "Helen, send a cleanup team in here, and get me General Watt, i have a new assignment for him."
"good old Tim won't let me down" he thought.
