"I'm a captain now?!" Larion exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock. Simon doubled over with laughter, his whole body shaking with amusement. "Oh, man, you should see yourself! Priceless reaction, my friend!" he managed to say between fits of giggles. Rolling his eyes, Larion retorted, "Oh, ha! ha! very funny." As Simon's laughter subsided, he plopped down beside Larion, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "But I must admit, it would be an honor to serve under your command." "Yeah, dream on. I was hoping for a quick promotion," Larion muttered under his breath, earning a quizzical look from Simon. "What was that?" Simon inquired, leaning in. Larion waved it off casually. "Oh, nothing. Just wishing for a boost up the ranks." Grinning, Simon nudged Larion's shoulder. "But hey, rumor has it the Lieutenant General is preparing a recognition award for you!" "Really?" Larion replied, masking his surprise with a calm demeanor. Beneath the cool shade of a tree, the tw