I was at my villa outside Guayaquil, reading the works of Che Guevera, when I was disturbed by the sound of explosions, a tremor coursing through the ground. Stepping outside, I see panicked soldiers, confused, and unsure. I then receive a call from Colonel Salazar.

"Hello Colonel?"

"General! This is urgent! The Paternians have attacked!"

I was stunned, speechless. Never in a thousand years did I think the cowards would risk an attack on Ecuador. Now it is clear that they did so.

"I will be at Headquarters as soon as possible."

"Good. Thank you."

A fifteen minute jeep ride later, I was at the military headquarters. Along the way, I saw the panic and chaos the Paternian warplanes were causing. It was here that I learned of the extent of the attack; they were advancing from all directions at full speed, crushing our divisions under the tracks of their tanks. Local counterattacks are mounted, but overrun quickly. In short, we had no cohesive fighting force that can be described as an army.

At the headquarters, I saw that all the generals were at the table. They were as confused and nervous as I was, taken by surprise by the sudden boldness of the Paternians. They were also quite chatty about the situation, and nobody could hear each other over the babble.

"What do we do?"

"Where is our army?"

I yelled "Silence!", and the whole room fell silent. I asked "Does anyone have orders from the President?"

After a few moments, a colonel said "I have a message from the President."

"What does it say?"

He cleared his throat. "Destroy everything. Leave nothing for the monsters. Every rail tie cut, every building made into rubble, every field salted. Nothing shall grow."

I pondered at this. Destroy everything. I contemplated following these orders. Orders were orders, and having something to do was better than nothing. And many agreed to this action.

But to destroy everything that I sought to defend? If we are so defeated, then Ecuador will certainly survive and live on. But to leave them nothing? I could not do that. I could not destroy what I pledged to defend twenty years ago.

And so I said "Do not destroy anything."

The room fell silent once again. "Don't destroy everything? That's disobeying orders!"

"And are you going to let a madman tell you what to do? It is better we not destroy what we have all pledged to defend. It will not matter if we burn the crops and salt the fields. There is nothing we can do to stop the Paternian Army, but slow the inevitable at the suffering of our people. Our men are brave and courageous, but that alone cannot counter the fact that they have more soldiers, guns, and material."

The men were suspicious, but listening. "So you say that we should not fight the Paternians?"

With a tear in my eye, I said "Yes. We have lost way too many to mount any defense against the Paternians. It is best we not prolong this more than we need."

"Do you mean, surrender?"

"Yes. Let it be my dishonor, so that yours may be preserved." The men were astounded, but continued on with my orders. When the door shut closed, I was with myself and Colonel Salazar.

"I would like to have this time to myself."

"Yes sir," he said before he gave a salute and marched out.

Now in the conference room by myself, I see the flag of Ecuador. The proud nation which I sacrificed all to defend. Including my honor.

I drew a Carlton .38 revolver, a gift from a Paternian general on a visit. Such a fitting fate, I suppose. Opening the cylinder, I see that all six are filled. Locking the cylinder, I place the muzzle to my right temple and cock the hammer.

A tear on my cheek, I mutter "Long live Ecuador" before I pulled the trigger.

I saw the wife, stolen from me years ago by a bullet meant for me, flash before my eyes moments before we would be reunited.