MidReal Story
Unsanctioned Valor: A Soldier's Dilemma
Scenario: The soldier is called to his Commander's cabin. A soldier is punished by his commander for taking a decision out on the field mission without asking commander's permission
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Commander Robert Stern
authoritative leader, superior to John and Sarah, stern appearance with greying hair, strategic and strict
Sarah Jennings
supportive fellow soldier, friend to John, long blonde hair, resilient and loyal
John Miller
disciplined soldier, relationships with his commander and fellow soldiers, short brown hair, determined and impulsive
I was in trouble.
Big trouble.
The kind of trouble that could get me kicked out of the military.
I’d been summoned to Commander Stern’s cabin as soon as we’d returned from our mission, and I had a pretty good idea what this meeting was about.
I’d deviated from the mission plan without authorization, and now I had to face the consequences.
I knocked on the door, and a gruff voice called out for me to enter.
I stepped inside, saluted my commander, and waited for him to acknowledge me before taking a seat across from his desk.
"Miller," he said, his voice low and menacing.
"Sir."
He studied me for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he took in my appearance.
Chapter 1
He was a tall man, with broad shoulders and a military haircut that made him look even more intimidating than he already was.
His face was stern, with sharp features and greying hair at the temples.
"Miller," he repeated, his voice filled with disappointment and anger.
"What the hell were you thinking?"
I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry.
"I . . . I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking, sir."
"Cut the crap," he snapped.
"You know damn well what I’m talking about. What were you thinking when you decided to go off-mission without proper authorization?"
My stomach dropped as I realized that he knew exactly what had happened on our last mission.
We’d been given strict orders not to engage with enemy forces unless absolutely necessary, but I’d made the call to deviate from those orders in order to protect my squad.
It was a critical decision that could have put us all in danger, and it was one that I wasn’t authorized to make on my own.
"I’m sorry, sir," I said quietly.
"I made a mistake."
"A mistake?" he barked.
"You call that a mistake? That was insubordination, Miller. You went against direct orders and put your squad at risk. Do you have any idea how serious this is?"
I swallowed hard and shook my head.
"Of course you don’t," he continued, his voice tight with controlled rage.
"You’re too busy running around like some kind of hotshot hero to think about the consequences of your actions. Well let me tell you something, Miller. This isn’t some goddamn video game where you get to hit reset when you screw up. This is real life, and out here mistakes cost lives."
I flinched at his words, knowing that he was right.
I’d been lucky this time—my squad had managed to complete the mission without any casualties—but it could have easily gone the other way.
"Your decision put us all in danger," he continued.
"You exposed us to enemy fire for longer than necessary, which could have gotten us all killed. And do you know what the worst part is? You didn’t even think about that when you made your little power play out there. You only thought about yourself and what you wanted."
I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to silence me.
"In the military, individual decisions like yours can have far-reaching consequences," he said.
"We were lucky this time—your little stunt paid off and we managed to take out the enemy stronghold. But that was only because we were well-equipped and well-manned. If the enemy had been better prepared, or if they’d called for reinforcements sooner, we would have been screwed. And do you know why? Because you decided that you knew better than your commanding officer what needed to be done."
I hung my head in shame as his words sank in.
He was right—I’d screwed up big time by going off-mission without proper authorization.
But I’d also saved my squad from certain death by taking out the enemy stronghold before it could be reinforced by additional troops.
It had been a tough call, and I’d made it knowing that I was putting my career on the line.
But I hadn’t expected my commander to be so angry about it.
We both knew how important this mission was—if we hadn’t secured the stronghold when we did, the enemy would have had time to call for reinforcements and we would have been outnumbered and outgunned.
We’d all be dead now if that had happened.
And yet Stern didn’t seem to care about any of that.
All he cared about was the fact that I’d disobeyed orders and gone against military protocol.
"You think you’re some kind of hero, don’t you?" he continued.
"You think that because you managed to complete this mission without getting any of your men killed, you can do whatever the hell you want out there and get away with it. Well let me tell you something, Miller. You’re not a hero—you’re a goddamn liability. I can’t have someone like you running around out there thinking they know better than their commanding officer what needs to be done."
"I’m sorry, sir," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I won’t let it happen again."
"You’re damn right you won’t," he said.
"Because if it does, I’ll have your ass in front of a firing squad so fast you won’t know what hit you. Do I make myself clear?"
Chapter 2
The tension in the room was palpable as Stern’s words hung in the air.
He stared at me with an intensity that made my skin crawl, his eyes boring into mine as if trying to read my thoughts.
I could see the anger and disappointment in his gaze, and it sent a shiver down my spine.
Stern was known for being a tough commander, but this was the first time I’d ever seen him this angry.
And I knew that I had no one to blame but myself.
Sarah Jennings, one of my fellow soldiers who had been right beside me throughout the operation, tried to interject on my behalf, but Stern cut her off with a sharp look and a raised hand.
"Jennings, be quiet," he said.
"This is between me and Miller. You can speak when spoken to—until then, keep your mouth shut and pay attention."
Sarah nodded silently and took her seat next to me, her long blonde hair falling across her face as she looked down at the ground in front of her.
Once she was seated, Stern turned his attention back to me, his eyes still locked on mine as he continued to speak.
"Now then, Miller," he said, his voice calm but firm.
"I want you to tell me why you decided to go off-mission without proper clearance or consultation with me or any other superiors. I want you to explain to me why you thought it was a good idea to put your squad at risk by exposing them to enemy fire for longer than necessary. And I want you to do it right now."
His tone was filled with disappointment and a hint of frustration, and I knew that he wasn’t asking for an explanation—he was demanding one.
I could feel the weight of his gaze on me as I tried to gather my thoughts and come up with a response.
This was the moment of truth—I knew that I had to explain myself, and that my future in the military depended on how well I could do so.
But under Stern’s intense scrutiny, finding the right words was easier said than done.