I found the line “There is nothing in this world that a man can gain that is not the loss of another” very interesting and very telling. I would have counted things like wisdom among the things that contradict this “rule,” but a case can be made that even gaining wisdom has associated costs although they might not be at the expense of another.

Lots of fairly minor errors but I’ve gone gun-shy now. If you want them, note me.

The General’s understanding of ‘give and take’ is part of his character makeup. I am trying to delve into a persona that none of us are.

Nice fleshing out of the backstory here. You draw the obsessive, slightly paranoid character of the General well – he seems to be working very much to his own agenda.

I’d change poured to pored – sounds like they’re making a nasty mess of the battle plan otherise.