I burst into the command tent, the flap snapping shut behind me. The air is thick with tension as soldiers scramble to their positions, boots scuffing on the dirt floor.

"Attention on deck!"

My gaze sweeps the room, locking onto an unfamiliar face. The soldier's BDUs are wrinkled, collar askew—a clear break from our unit's standards.

"Private," I growl, my voice low and menacing. "Do you think this is some kind of costume party?"

I close the distance in two swift strides, towering over the soldier. The tent falls deathly silent, every eye fixed on us.

"I asked you a question, soldier. You will respond."