WARNING:
Sorry, this is a super long chapter |D
Enjoy~
“Alright,
move out.”
Isugoro
taps Cent’s shoulder as the others in their craft start to stand, looking over
to find him lost in thought. As the two walk out, Isugoro leans over,
whispering, “You good?”
“Yeah,
yeah,” Cent replies, sighing as they follow the other eight out, “Just totally
hype about all this.”
Isugoro
chuckles, turning back to face frontward, “Oh yeah, totally bursting with
excitement, I see.”
Cent
grins a little as they make their way down the ramp and into what can they can
assume is a holding room. The room is bare metal square with high walls,
florescent lights shining a dimmer hue across the space. Their group stops in a
single file line, the second of the three ten man sections. In front of them
stand two men. One watches them with a warmth to his expression, seemingly
pleased by the first impression the group gives. Isugoro appraises him,
instantly finding the man’s pale brown eyes. They’re calm, but present, an ere
of wisdom in his gaze. The man is a good ten years his senior at least, but
with short ebony hair that shows no sign of grey. He’s a bit shorter, but still
has a strong presence, backed by the symbol on his collar; Major.
Glancing
away a second, Isugoro’s attention is captured by the man beside the Major. Wrinkles
are lightly carved into his blank countenance, what hair that can be seen under
his cap greyed from time and stress. His presence is different than the Major’s,
intimidating in a way that Isugoro hasn’t seen before. His eyes are dark,
strangely lifeless. His gaze is hard as he scans over the group, and for an
instant, the man’s eyes meet his. The man looks surprised for a moment, then,
without a second past, he sends a type of glare toward him. Isugoro doesn’t
look away; while a bit taken back, he’s never been the type to back down from
something like a stare down. The man is probably just probing, trying to weed
out the weak among them. Nothing else happens, the man just continuing on.
After a moment, Isugoro glances at Cent, his expression a bit confused as he
meets his eye. He had obviously seen the whole thing, but like him, Cent
doesn’t seem to have a solid theory on why it had transpired.
“Attention!”
Per
usual, they go into a salute, and a grin rises on his darker face. “Well then,
it appears that this group is all quite young,” he comments with a strong tone,
looking to the man beside him. The man just nods vaguely, seemingly unimpressed
by everything he sees. The Major turns his attention back to them, gesturing as
he speaks, “At ease.”
They drop
their arms, crossing hands behind their backs in unison. “Welcome to your new
station; I am Major Julian Sumpti. I oversee our research and engineering
sectors here at Gelus,” the Major says, prompting Cent and Isugoro to glance to
each other knowingly, “You are one of the few groups chosen to come to Gelus
based on your prior accomplishments or contributions, either on the battlefield
or in overall performance in the military. I am honored to call you fellow
Gelus soldiers from this point forward.”
Behind
him, a young woman walks forward, a stack of files in her hands. Major Sumpti
grins at her, gesturing to the stack. “These are your Gelus profiles. Inside
are details of where you’ll be stationed within Gelus, room number, and in some
cases, squad mates,” he explains, “You will receive your stations at the end of
a tour of the base.”
Isugoro’s
expression falls in confusion, just as do some of the others. Why would they
wait?
Major
Sumpti seems to sense how they feel as he smirks. “You will all understand in
due time, I assure you,” he says, before he looks over, “Now, before we begin,
I must introduce the man beside me; Commander Rossa.”
Everyone
tenses. Isugoro’s eyes widen. The man beside Major Sumpti with mute eyes, he is
the Commander of the base?
The
Commander clears his throat, coughing a bit before he steps up some, looking
out among them. “I expect nothing but exceptional work from those at Gelus. We
are the one of the most influential bases in Vesperia, if not on Earth. Do not
do anything lightly here,” the Commander says, his voice higher than expected,
considering his commanding presence, “We of Gelus are the strongest of our own.
Remember that.”
His eyes
find Isugoro again. “Keep your place, and you’ll be fine.”
He
salutes the group, all thirty men replying with the same salute, before he
drops his hand, looking to Major Sumpti as he turns, “They’re all yours.”
Major
Sumpti nods, speaking quietly as the Commander’s pale form walks away, the
young woman handing off the files to him before following him, “Of course,
Sir.”
His
steps are heavy, resonating against the metal with a short clank as he leaves.
We all stand stock still as his steps fade off into the distance, before the
Major sighs, waving at us. “At ease,” he says, waiting for us to relax before
gesturing to a large hangar style door on the far side of the room, “We will be
starting by going through the dormitories, then making our way down through the
sectors from there. If you’ll follow me.”
With
that, the Major walks on, the group forming a living blob as they follow him
toward the door. As it opens with a loud clanking, Cent leans over to Isugoro,
whispering, “What the hell was up with the Commander glaring you down like
that? You met him before?”
“I don’t
remember ever seeing him before, I’d imagine I’d know his face,” Isugoro
replies quietly, “But he wasn’t doing that to everyone, was he? Was it really
just me?”
“From
what I could see, it was just you, Man,” Cent replies, patting him on the back,
“Tsk, tsk, only been here ten minutes and the superiors here already kinda
suck—“
“You
can’t say that, people can hear you, idiot!” Isugoro whispers harshly.
“Free
country, I can have an opinion,” Cent replies.
“An
opinion of what, young man?”
The two
freeze, turning to see the Major and a few of the others staring at them. Cent
gulps, Isugoro opening his mouth to try to find an answer, but nothing happens.
The Major chuckles, then gestures to them, “You two; come forward.”
Isugoro
shoots Cent a glare as they work their way to the front of the group, both
standing on either side of the Major. The Major hums slightly to himself as he
looks through the files, before he pauses. “Ah, Chief Warrant Officer Cent
Armasons,” Major Sumpti reads, “Recently promoted I see, after being named a
key in three human advancements over captured territory.”
“. . .
Yes, Sir,” Cent replies cautiously.
“You’re
intelligent it seems. Tested out of all advanced strategic courses and were
recorded with the highest score on the technical sciences exam at Academy for
someone of your age,” the Major continues, glancing at him, “Tell me, you like
to think out loud, Officer?”
Cent
gulps, choosing his words carefully, “. . . When it’s best to do so, Sir.”
The
Major just laughs. “Well, that won’t do. Everyone I have so far in the
engineering program is a “Yes man.” Can get the job done, yeah, but won’t make
a peep even if they know they’re right,” the Major says, glancing then to
Isugoro, “Tell me, you seem to know him. Is he that kind of man?”
Isugoro
meets his gaze, speaking clearly, “Honestly, he’s one of the most opinionated
men I’ve ever known.”
Again,
his expression warms, his countenance optimistic. “And you’re honest; that’s a
good trait . . .” the Major starts, trailing off as he tries to find the file,
speaking again once he spots it, “Second Lieutenant Isugoro Jintez.”
“Thank
you, Sir,” he replies, giving a knowing glance to Cent that he just saved his
ass.
The
Major gasps a little, his expression becoming one of surprise as he looks back
to Isugoro. Isugoro blinks, curious. “Is something wrong?” he questions.
“Well,
I’m just surprised, is all. You don’t come off as someone with over three
hundred kills, Lieutenant. . . .” the Major trails as he reads, the men around
them quickly looking to Isugoro in amazement, “Also tested out of all advanced
strategic courses, extremely high scores in hand-to-hand combat, long and short
distance weapons detail. . . . Master level granted for swordplay and long
range marksmanship. . . . Deemed leader of squad on 96% of missions.”
“Only
96?” Cent questions without thinking.
“I
didn’t lead the first two or three,” Isugoro comments, looking over to Cent,
“Remember?”
“Oh
yeah; Kino didn’t think you could handle combat or something,” Cent replies,
smirking to himself, “Turns out it was him who couldn’t handle it.”
“You two
were in the same squad?” the Major asks, surprised.
“We’re
contracted together under the Plannis Decree,” Isugoro explains, “Where ever
one goes, the other is intended to follow.”
“Oh, I
see. That explains a lot . . .” the Major trails, before he clears his throat, closing
the files as he turns to face the rest of the group, “Enough small talk; Gelus
being as prestigious as it is allows each human soldier their own sleeping
quarters with an attached bathroom. The higher in standing, the better the
room.”
As he
speaks, the group enters a much nicer lengthy hall, tan plaster walls lit with
detached AG lights. Along the hall every ten feet is a solid metal door, a
number printed on each, with a duffel bag sitting in front of three we pass.
“When our tour is done you will be sent to your rooms to be settled and look
over your assignments,” the Major says, “Gelus has six human dormitory
sections, ranging from five to 13 floors. There’s an additional two for
Terrestrial Transfer Soldiers.”
“Interesting,
so they do have Terrestrials stationed here permanently,” Cent whispers as his
eyes scan over the doors, glancing back to Isugoro, “Seems the theory that the
“advanced soldiers” was simply a confused tale of Terrestrials is accurate.”
The
Major seems to catch part of Cent’s mumbling, and continues on, “. . . Next, I
will be escorting you to meet the advanced soldiers.”
The
group members look among each other in confusion, Cent specifically. Isugoro
starts to say something to him, but before a word can escape his lips, Cent
steps out from the crowd to walk beside the Major. “Wait, so there really are
advanced soldiers no one knows about?” Cent questions.
Isugoro
face palms.
Cent, we’re going to be kicked out of here
before the sun goes down if you keep it up.
Major Sumpti meets his gaze,
and grins. “Well, I guess it’s not necessarily something no one knows about if
you’re asking me about it, now is it?” he replies.
“They’re
believed to be rumors, simple propaganda stories,” Cent answers, “They actually
exist?”
While
Isugoro does his best to listen in without prying, the rest of the group gels
closer together in an attempt to hear the answer. Everyone holds their breath
as the Major just watches Cent. Then, he just chuckles, replying simply, “Of
course, why would we lie about that?”
Instantly,
the rest of the group backs off, breaking into pre-determined cliques to debate
what these soldiers could be. Isugoro stays silent, only acknowledging Cent’s
gaze of confusion when he turns to face him with a shrug. On the inside,
Isugoro starts questioning himself on what they’re about to see, his eyes
trailing the floor boards.
What makes these soldiers so advanced? Are
they strong? Artificial Intelligence?
Are they human?
The group eventually goes
quiet as they walk through the massive hallways, the structure that is Gelus
becoming more intimidating in the fact that it’s such a maze, all the halls the
same metallic grey with the occasional Vesperian Flag or Crest hanging from the
wall. Isugoro’s eyes travel like the rest, but Cent suddenly grabs his
attention as they turn to walk down a ramp, pulling on his forearm. Isugoro
looks over to him. “Cent—“
“Goro,
look to your right, fifty degrees,” Cent interrupts, whispering quietly.
Isugoro’s
expression becomes more confused, following Cent’s instructions as his eyes
dart up and he turns. It’s only a second before his eyes lock on what Cent
must’ve been talking about. Walking down an adjacent hall, there’s two figures.
A quick glance, and it’s easy to assume that the two are human, a man and a
woman. However, another thing sticks out at short glance.
His hair
is gold, hers is purple.
The man
turns, and it’s even stranger as Isugoro makes out his eyes, caught off guard
by the same golden hue that matches his hair. Immediately, he looks away,
puzzled as he tries to understand what he just saw. Cent notices his
expression, and leans over, whispering, “You saw them too?”
He finds
himself second guessing his eyes, thinking over the situation. They’re walking
a good twenty feet apart from the pair in the other hallway. There’s a chance
that the lighting may be affecting the tint of what he’s seeing from that far
off. That, or he’s having a sudden spurt of color blindness. He glances back to
Cent, whispering, “It’s probably just a trick of the eye. . .”
Cent
immediately raises an eyebrow, his countenance becoming more of a sarcastic
look, his eyes reading something along the lines of “You have got to be kidding
me.”
Isugoro
just ignores him, following the group until the Major stops them in front of a
hangar door, double the size of the one from earlier. As he turns, Major Sumpti
looks hesitant, but he sighs, speaking carefully, “Alright, behind this door is
where the advanced soldiers are located. The reason they are kept to their own
sector is something you will all discover in just a few moments. I will warn
you now that what you are about to experience is nothing like what you’ve felt
before, so don’t be surprised if your body is unable to handle it. No one’s
really can until they adjust to it, and even then, there are few who simply
flinch.”
Everyone
looks among each other, unsure how to respond. The Major looks among the group,
until his eyes fall on Isugoro, and he turns. He snaps his fingers, clanking
noises starting over which they can barely hear him say,
“Welcome
to the Jeweloid Sector.”
What
follows is a blinding force that plows into everyone. Some shout in surprise,
others just fall straight to the ground without a word able to escape their
lips. Cent falls to his knees, panting heavily as the surge overtakes them. He
coughs, unable to look up for a few moments, until the worst of it seems to
pass. He glances over to see those who weren’t knocked out helping a few
others, but the rest are all staring past his head. His brow furrows, and he
follows their gaze, shock taking over him as he finds what they’re staring at
is Isugoro. He wasn’t knocked out, but he also wasn’t taken to his knees, the
breath taken from him.
He
stands straight, his expression perplexed as he finds that for him, nothing
happened. He glances around, then meets Cent’s eyes, searching his gaze as if
one of them could figure out why he didn’t react. Isugoro holds his hand out to
him, and after a moment, Cent takes a tight grip of it, allowing him to pull
him to his feet. Both of their attention is pulled from the other however as
they see Major Sumpti walking toward them with a speechless look on his face.
“J-Jintez, you didn’t react?”
“Uh,
n-no,” Isugoro replies, a bit confused by the situation.
“So,
he’s impervious to Power Shocks? Interesting.”
Everyone
turns to see two figures walking up. Isugoro and Cent glance to each other as
they realize who they are. The pair is the same they had caught a glimpse of in
the nearby hallway. Isugoro’s brow furrows as he finds his reasoning destroyed.
Clear as day, the man’s hair and eyes are a bright gold, while the woman’s are
a bluish purple. Both also have strange tattoos on their cheeks beside their
eyes. The man’s are zig-zagged, similar to lightning bolts. The woman’s tattoos
look like abstracted checkmarks, a random short line sticking out on the other
side. Despite them having such strange qualities, their overall appearance is
human. In fact, the man, older, laugh lines etched into his pale skin, is the
kindest looking person they’ve seen thus far. His eyes are warm, as if lit by
his very soul. The woman, while definitely a bit more contained than the man,
also looks quite kind, only a bit older than Cent and Isugoro with a very
elegant aura to her.
When the
man finds Isugoro, however, another odd thing happens. His breath seems to
catch, his lips mouthing something Isugoro can’t make out. He looks to the
woman, her expression falling in concern once she meets his gaze. Though, she
too makes a similar expression to the man when she also finds Isugoro in her
sight, but unlike the man, something escapes her lips, “D-Der—“
“No, no,
it’s a trick of the eye,” the man replies, taking a deep breath as he looks to
the woman, “A very good trick.”
The
woman glances back to Isugoro, and nods, not saying another word as the man
steps up to him, holding out his hand. “You must be quite strong to be able to
withstand a power shock, young man.”
Isugoro
stands awkwardly a moment, before he takes the man’s hand, speaking a bit
cautiously so his confusion doesn’t get the best of him. “Thank you . . . if I
may ask—“
“Don’t
know what a Power Shock is, Son?” the man says with a slight chuckle, looking
over his shoulder to Major Sumpti, “Sumpti, I’m guessing you’re going to have
me explain.”
“If
that’s alright with you. Being one yourself, I thought you’d have a better
handle on all of this, GOLD,” Major Sumpti replies as he walks over.
“No, not
at all, common sense, really,” he replies as he turns his attention back to
Isugoro, “A power shock is basically the release of a Jeweloid’s raw energy.
Depending on the power level of the Jeweloid, power shocks can be very
dangerous to enemies. Or, in your situation, new soldiers.”
“Uh, if
I may ask for him . . .” Cent interjects, releasing Isugoro to stand on his
own.
The man
blinks in surprise, looking to Cent. “My, you certainly didn’t stay affected by
it too long. Seems that you’re both very strong people,” he comments, “But
yes?”
Cent
glances to Isugoro, swallowing hard before he speaks. “Um, what exactly . . .
is a Jeweloid?” Cent asks slowly.
The
man’s eyes widen, before he suddenly starts laughing. Major Sumpti steps
closer, looking among the others who’re just now coming to. “Alright, the
advanced soldiers tend to be a bit of complicated thing to explain.“
Wait.
Isugoro
looks from Major Sumpti to the man and woman, and blurts, “Y-You’re the
advanced soldiers?”
The man
chuckles, “Well, yes. We’re Jeweloids.”
“But
you’re human, Sir,” Cent interjects, following Isugoro’s lead in blurting out
his thoughts.
The
words send a hush over everyone. The man and woman stand silent, their eyes
fixated on Cent with a strange sense of disbelief. The air seems to become
thicker in the intense silence, broken only by awkward glances between
different people in the group. After what feels like ages, Cent breaks his gaze
from the man and woman, finding Isugoro in his sights. His eyes read help,
unsure what to do. Isugoro looks from him to the pair, who’ve turned their
attention on him, seeming to sense that he had been thinking something along
the same lines. Isugoro’s eyes connect with the man’s and an unexpected link forms.
The gold of his stare warms, and the man’s expression softens, becoming more of
a grimace. “Human . . .” the man trails.
Everyone
turns their attention to him, Major Sumpti even watching the man as the
suspense builds. The man just sighs, his eyes moving from Isugoro to the rest
of the group. “Allow me to explain to you all; Jeweloids are not Human. However, we were Human at one point,” he says.
Mumbling
starts to float among the group. Isugoro’s brow falls in confusion. Cent just
stares, crossing his arms as the man continues. “Jeweloids are Humans that were
introduced to a molecule called Vicis;
it thrives specifically off of Human body heat. It exists only in large bodies
of water, normally connected to the ocean, and in the event that a Human comes
in contact with a large body of the molecules, they instantly attack and
attach, trapping the Human in a substance best compared to ice,” the man
explains, “As the Human is exposed to the molecule in a type of hyper sleep
over a long period of time, the DNA is distorted, changed, and eventually, we
become a what is known as a Jeweloid.”
The
group just stands in silence, processing what he’s said. Isugoro glances over
to Cent, noticing his eyes are focused, staring hard. The science of the man’s
explanation seems to play through his head, testing theory and hypothesis
alike. The woman steps forward, speaking elegantly, “We appear Human, but there
are key differences between us. For starters, our DNA is simply not the same.
Another thing is that Jeweloids are usually hundreds of years old.”
Ok,
what?
The
expressions of those in the group must be something to behold, as the man
starts to chuckle. “Yes, that’s an idea that usually gets people. Take myself
for example; I may not necessarily look it, but I am 857 years old,” he says,
before his expression becomes a bit more serious, “I was born in what was once
known as Maui, when this land was still the United States of America.”
“The
USA?”
“He’s American?”
“But the
United States ceased to exist when the Great Uniting happened five hundred
years ago!”
All
around, whispers float among everyone, and after a few moments, it seems Cent
just can’t contain himself any longer. He starts to laugh to himself, catching
the eye of everyone around him. Isugoro’s expression becomes one of concern,
and honest uncertainty as he watches the man and woman turn their attention
toward him. Cent sighs, before meeting the man’s eyes, speaking bluntly, “This
is a joke, right? It’s common that when new soldiers come to a base, the
regulars mess with them in some way. A way of passage, if you can call it
that.”
Many of
those around him seem to nod in agreement with Cent’s logic. Isugoro holds his
breath, something in him, while understanding Cent’s reasoning, unable to
believe that all of this was simply a ruse to make them all look incompetent.
The man’s expression seems to back Isugoro’s line of thought, as his face
falls, his eyes losing some of their warmth as he steps forward, holding Cent’s
gaze. Cent’s confidence cracks as he watches him, gulping slightly. The man
sighs, speaking plainly, “Son, there’s nothing to joke about when it comes to
the Jeweloids.”
Cent’s face
goes blank, his eyes unable to maintain contact as his pride breaks a bit. The
man glances back at the woman, and she nods. Major Sumpti seems to take the
exchange as a chance to step in, clearing his throat to get everyone’s
attention back on track. “Now then, this man will be leading the tour for the time
being. Be respectful now, as he is the leader of the Jeweloid Sector; Major
GOLD,” Sumpti says.
At the
sound of his title, everyone straightens up a tad. Cent pales slightly, realizing
he’s just disregarded an officer of higher standing. Major GOLD glances at him,
and grimaces, before his eyes find Isugoro’s again. “Alright, if you will
follow me, we have a demonstration to show you,” Major GOLD says, his eyes
leaving Isugoro only as he turns toward the door.
Before
long, they’re walking down a long corridor, everyone silent as they look around
the space. The air is much more electric, alive. Though, it’s not long before
the walkway opens up to reveal an amazing labyrinth; seven stories of
breezeways and landings under a large skylight, stacked in a Tetris assortment
above a concourse on the ground floor. Of course, what makes it amazing are the
occupants. As they walk, beings with similar attributes as the first two
suddenly appear on certain levels, vanishing just as quickly before reappearing
somewhere else. Some even jump from the high floors, only to appear safely on
the ground floor below them, unphased by the incredible feat. Soon enough, some
of the “Jeweloids” start to pass them, saluting the three leading respectfully
before their eyes find the group following.
It’s an
odd mix of reactions. Some just stare as they pass, others seemingly startled
by the group, hurrying off as quickly as possible without appearing rude. Then
there are those that try to meet their eyes, as if daring the other to look
back. Most of those in the group have one of two reactions in response;
intimidation or irritation. Considering how the first thing the group
encountered was a massive shock that left many of them knocked out for a minute
or two, it’s easy to assume that some would be fearful. The rest just see the
first impression as rude, and depending on the rank, downright insulting. Major
GOLD watches out of his peripheral vision, a shadow crossing over his eyes, an
empty acceptance. His eyes then find the two men that had somehow become the
most vocal, and his mind pauses.
Cent and Isugoro are slightly
different. Cent appears curious, his eyes tracing each person carefully as he
seems to make mental notes. He occasionally meets one of the stares, and he
nods, showing a respectful grin, even whispering a short hello. Isugoro takes
it to a new level. He doesn’t inspect like his best friend, rather, he tries to
diffuse the apparent anxiety by giving off an aura of kindness. Many of the
Jeweloids are caught by him, stalling as they seem to have the same inherent
desire to do a double take. Those who glare meet his eyes, and their
expressions soften to a perplexed form of surprise. He just smiles, and says
hello as they pass. Major GOLD glances to his associate, and she nods, looking
over to Major Sumpti and gesturing to the files.
As if he knew, Major Sumpti replies
by giving her the two’s files. She opens one, her eyes scanning the information
carefully, before she looks to the Major. “You sure?” she whispers.
“You question me?” he chuckles,
“Farah, you’re usually so apprehensive to speak like this.”
The woman, Farah, her purple eyes
waver, a small hint of red rising at the tips of her ears. Her brow furrows,
closing the file. She moves a tad closer to Major GOLD, whispering, “You
mentioned bringing on another Human Representative, but two?”
“Well, I’m still wavering on one.
However . . .” Major GOLD replies, his eyes falling away, sneaking a glance
back as Isugoro smiles at a pink haired woman, chuckling warmly as her face
flushes and she stutters a hello, “. . . it’s as if I’m staring at a
photograph. I’d be a fool to let him go.”
Farah’s eyes widen, glancing back
herself. Unlike Major GOLD, Isugoro catches her eyes. Farah blinks, caught off
guard as she holds his stare. The tranquil blue doesn’t fade in warmth as she’s
used to, instead it mirrors the sea, reflecting the sun at midday; kind. Even
with her preexisting truths of herself, Farah can’t help her face from heating
up, prompting her to whip around. Major GOLD looks over at her as she composes
herself, sensing that Isugoro just seems perplexed by the interaction, glancing
to Cent. Cent shrugs. Major GOLD holds in a laugh. Truly the men, boys really
in comparison to him, show the truth of their bond. They act like brothers,
Isugoro promptly rolling his eyes at Cent’s mute input.
Major GOLD glances to Major Sumpti,
and after a moment, he hands back one of the files, catching Farah off guard.
Major Sumpti even pauses, leaning in as he takes the file, “I assumed you’d
take both.”
“That would be greedy, Sir,” Major
GOLD replies, before he looks back to him, “Besides, you’re in need of bluntness,
aren’t you?”
Major Sumpti blinks, then chuckles,
gripping the file tightly as he whispers, “You and that Ability of Mind of yours
have my thanks. You had me worried.”
“Well, you keep your mind wide
open, Sir. Besides, it would be rude to take the one man you wanted in your personal
squadron,” Major GOLD replies.
The two Majors just chuckle. Farah
watches silently, her expression calm, though her eyes burn warmly, the only
hint of her happiness. Cent’s eyes continue to trace each Jeweloid, before he
leans in toward Isugoro, whispering, “Only 20% of the Jeweloids are male.”
“How do you know that?” Isugoro
whispers back.
“In the past five minutes, only eight men have walked past, in comparison to the roughly forty women that have walked
by or appeared,” Cent replies, his usually relaxed vocabulary becoming more
inclined as he theorizes.
“That’s hardly proof that there
aren’t more.”
“True, but from what I gather from
how the women portray themselves, they’ve been conditioned to fight without
male assistance,” Cent elaborates, “They don’t seem at all intimidated, some
have more masculine walking patterns, they use types of body language usually
associated with men, and the few men I have seen looked extremely respectful of
each woman they encountered.”
“What? Being a gentleman means a
fewer body count?” Isugoro retorts.
“Not necessarily, just means that
inferiority isn’t instilled in these women like at most male-centered bases or
institutions,” Cent replies, before a smirk rises on his face, “Rather
attractive if I do say so myself.”
It takes every ounce of restraint
Isugoro has to keep from groaning. Of course, while Cent usually focuses his
mind on numbers and sarcasm, it’s also true that he gets a kick out of
flirting. He’s never really chased a girl in their time in the military, but
it’d be a lie if he hadn’t charmed a few, his intelligence and easy going
demeanor a natural pull to most. In fact, it could be argued that he was the
most popular bachelor of Liber during their time there, even with their
attempts to keep to themselves.
Still, despite all the admissions
and notes he’d received, he never went farther than a kiss, usually a passing
interest that would only dissolve after a few days. Isugoro has commented on it
a few times, but doesn’t usually intervene. He knows Cent won’t do anything
stupid.
Doesn’t mean, however, that he
can’t get tiring. “Cent—“ he starts.
“What? It’d be a fun story,
romancing an exotic girl, much less a Jeweloid,” Cent comments.
The three leading them pause,
catching everyone, including Cent and Isugoro, off guard. None of them move a
moment, before Farah turns around, her eyes dulled as she stares down Cent.
“Unfortunately, there won’t be an opportunity for that.”
“What? Why—“ Cent starts.
“I will only say this once, men,”
Major Sumpti interrupts, his voice much more serious, cutting through Cent’s
words straight to his confidence, “The strictest and highest law, the Law of
Gelus; under no circumstances are a human and Jeweloid allowed to be in any
kind of romantic contact, much less a relationship.”
The majority of the group is
unphased by the news, but some are caught off guard by the seemingly unnecessary
rule. Isugoro and Cent stand among the confused, Isugoro pushing the question,
“But why?”
The Major still doesn’t turn
around, speaking plainly, “There are many variables at play when it comes to
the reasoning behind the Law. Do not question it. If it is found that someone
has broken the rule, they can be penalized severely; demoted to Private without
question, dishonorably discharged, or even charged with treason, perhaps worse.”
A new sense of suspense wafts
through the group. A pin could be dropped, and ring through the silence.
Isugoro can’t help his expression falling into a look of shock, while Cent just
stares blankly, his mind unable to understand why there would be such drastic
countermeasures for something like romance. Farah, the only one of the three
facing the group, fades, her aura becoming fragile. Isugoro traces her face
with his eyes, seeing that behind the similarly blank expression, there’s a
hint of sadness; almost torment. Curiosity continues to swell within him, but
he holds his tongue. It’s easy to tell there’s more to this “law” than meets
the eye.
She meets his gaze, and as if to
apologize for the topic coming up, he grimaces at her. Her expression lightens
with surprise, though it’s short-lived. She acknowledges him with a short nod,
then turns, prompting the two Majors to continue forward. The group follows
silently. Cent and Isugoro don’t speak another word.
After a few minutes, the group finds itself
entering a large shooting range right off of the labyrinth. A few Jeweloids
stand at the cubbies, aiming at targets at varying distances with a vast array
of firearms. One in particular catches everyone’s eye. A curvy woman, towering
in comparison to those around her, leans against a super-sized bazooka, the
weapon seeming to be illuminated by an inner fire as it glows warm yellows,
oranges, and reds. Her hair is pulled up in an interesting side bun-ponytail
hairstyle, fitting in among the odd bunch as her hair is a bright orange.
Though she stands out as her skin is the darkest of the Jeweloids they’ve seen
thus far, olive perhaps, a tone usually associated with parents of opposite
complexion. It peeks through her uniform; a minimal padded jacket that crops at
her natural waist, connected to her tighter black pants by leathered straps.
Isugoro turns his attention away, but is
caught as he sees that despite the warning they all just heard, Cent is staring
at her intently, his eyes seemingly glued to her as they all stop behind her
and the other girls she’s with.
Once they all come to a standstill,
the girls that surround the woman hastily walk off. Cent watches her closely,
his curiosity rising, waiting to see if she turns around. As if to spite that,
she doesn’t move to face them, amazingly picking up the large bazooka with only
one hand as Major GOLD steps out in front of them.
“This is QUARTZ; she is one of the
Jeweloid Sector’s top long range shooters. Today, she is helping out by
demonstrating one of the countless ability types Jeweloids possess. The bazooka
you see her holding and starting to aim is what is called a Soul Weapon. This weapon is specific to
each Jeweloid, and is a manifestation of their powers,” the Major continues as
QUARTZ props the weapon expertly on her shoulder, aiming, “In the case of
Jeweloids with firearm Soul Weapons, they usually shoot a high density energy
blast, the range and accuracy depending solely on the Jeweloid and their power
level.”
“Permission to raise power, Sir?”
she says, her voice a little lower than the women they’ve seen so far, but
warm, as if matching the fiery aura she gives off.
Cent’s brow rises, and he leans,
whispering just so Isugoro can make him out, “She’s got an accent; southern.”
“I can hear too,” Isugoro replies,
his tone slightly sarcastic.
“What?” he replies, unable to stop
a grin from forming as he glances back, “It’s cute.”
“Are you seri—“
“I’m just pointing it out,” Cent
interjects, knowing what Isugoro is thinking.
“Permission granted,” Major GOLD
says kindly. Immediately, the air becomes more electric. The group is
speechless as QUARTZ unexplainably starts to let off an actual glow, a yellow-orange
light enveloping her as a sound similar to a jet engine firing up slowly raises
in volume. Isugoro glances to Cent, neither sure what to expect. As the sound
increases, so does the strange static everyone feels, their skin raising with
goosebumps. Distracting everyone a moment, a holographic screen appears above
QUARTZ’s head. On the screen they can see three targets, marked at three
kilometers away.
“What . . .” Isugoro trails, taking
in what is being implied. He looks from the screen to QUARTZ, unable to
understand how she could possibly hit –
“Targets locked, power stabilized,”
QUARTZ says, “Permission to fire.”
“Granted,” Major GOLD replies.
“Fire in the hole!”
There’s a moment of silence, before
a bright spark engulfs them in unison with a roaring boom. At once, almost
everyone in the group falls to the ground under the strength of QUARTZ’s power.
Even Major Sumpti can’t help but fall to his knees. Cent doesn’t fare any
better than he did before, struggling to keep himself from crumbling like the
others, much less stay conscious. As the shock subsides, a blaring ringing
takes over; Cent, Major Sumpti, and a few others cough, panting as they do
their best to look around. Major Sumpti finds Major GOLD and Farah staring,
following their eyes to find that impossibly, Isugoro still stands. His
breathing is a bit harder, but it can’t be said if it’s from the actual shock
of her power, or just, well, being startled.
Farah opens her mouth as if to say
something, but nothing comes out. Major GOLD just watches as Isugoro leans
over, checking on Cent, a small grin rising on his face as he turns his
attention to helping Major Sumpti. “I believe I’ve made a good choice,” Major
GOLD comments.
“T-Targets hit . . . Sir.”
Isugoro and Major GOLD look up at the same
time, Isugoro’s eyes widening as he finds the screen. Against all odds, the
image shows a fading dust cloud, exposing the three targets . . . are no longer
there, completely destroyed. His jaw almost drops, totally caught off guard.
Major GOLD on the other hand is totally unphased, smiling as he stabilizes
Major Sumpti. “Good job, QUARTZ. For helping, I’ll give you the rest of today
and tomorrow leave,” he says with a kindness to his voice that’s easy to admire
as he helps Major Sumpti to the other side of the room, probably to discuss a
decision.
Isugoro’s eyes move from the screen
to QUARTZ, seeing that she’s now kneeled on the ground, panting heavily, and
mysteriously, her bazooka vanished. After a moment, she laughs a little as she
calls after the Major, “Well then, thank ya, Sir. Think you’ll take you up on
that.”
“Damn, that packed a punch.”
Isugoro looks down to see Cent
finally sitting up, leaning his head back as he breathes a little easier.
QUARTZ turns, and she giggles, her warm accent woven through her words, “I’d
hope so, that’s one of my best attacks, newbie.”
Cent smirks, enticed by the sound
of her laughter. He chuckles himself, moving his head to finally look at her.
“Newbie, eh?” he starts, “Well, I must say it’s pretty . . .”
Isugoro’s brow furrows slightly as
he hears Cent’s voice trail off, glancing again to get an even greater shock;
Cent frozen, his face blank, speechless as he stares. Isugoro follows his gaze,
and he’s caught off guard as he finds QUARTZ at the other end. While a majority
of the women they’ve passed have been attractive, QUARTZ is beautiful. Her eyes
are sharp, but kind, the same warm orange as her hair. The tattoos every
Jeweloid seems to have crisscross like abstract barbed wire with tiny circles
here and there on the higher part of her cheekbones, standing out just barely
against her tanned complexion. She has a few piercings; both ears with double
cartilage and lobe piercings, a right nose stud, and a belly button ring
exposed by the slight crop off of her uniform jacket. It can even be seen that
a beauty mark dots her face, right below her lip on the left side. She’s in
shape, but her body is voluptuous. That said, the aura she gives off is elegant,
confidant, definitely the kind of woman that deserves respect.
“. . . breathtaking. . . .”
Isugoro’s eyes widen in shock as he
turns his attention back to Cent. For the first time in either of their lives,
his entire attention has been consumed by a girl; Isugoro’s entire synopsis
thrown out in a single moment. An odd mixture of dread and surprise form as he
realizes the situation; the impossible has just happened before his very eyes.
Cent has a legitimate crush, and on a woman he can’t have; a Jeweloid.
QUARTZ doesn’t seem at all put off
by Cent, meeting his eyes with a similar look, except her face is a bit flush.
Isugoro glances to the Majors, feeling better that neither of them are paying
attention. However, Farah’s expression is alarmed, a bit paler. She seems to
sense him watching, turning and meeting his gaze. He swallows hard, unsure what
to do. Farah though seems to take it as a signal, and moves toward QUARTZ,
leaning over and whispering, “You’re dismissed, go now.”
QUARTZ breaks her trance, glancing
at Farah a moment, starting to speak, “AMYTHEST—“
“Go,” Farah says, before her
expression softens, whispering lightly, “C’mon Sammy, you know better than to be
looking at a Human.”
The comment causes QUARTZ’s
expression to harden some, her brow furrowing. She sighs, allowing Farah to
help her up. She watches her a moment, then turns her attention back to Cent,
who’s still sitting, staring at her, speechless. Those around him are starting
to stir, but still aren’t paying attention. She makes a split second decision,
and walks away from Farah’s grip, catching her off guard as she steps up to
Cent. His face becomes more stunned as she smiles at him, leaning over slightly
and extending a hand to him. “Need some help?”
He’s frozen, before it clicks in
his head what’s happening, and he quickly nods, taking her hand as he stutters
out a response, “T-Thanks.”
QUARTZ giggles as she pulls,
helping Cent to his feet. Her grip is warm, gentle, just like the rest of her
presence. Cent just watches her; unable to look away from her eyes as he gains
his bearings on his feet. He does acknowledge though that they’re actually
close to the same height, a minimal difference of centimeters, which is pretty
tall considering Cent is around 185-186. Her cheeks warm as he stumbles
slightly, falling against her some. His expression becomes one of
embarrassment, and he looks away at last. She just responds by leaning a bit as
she helps him, whispering in his ear, “My real name is Sammy.”
Cent blinks, face flush. He pulls
away, meeting her eyes and sees her smiling, before she raises her free hand
up, putting her index finger to her lips as a sign to stay quiet. Finally, the
awkwardness in his body subsides some, as he grins, nodding slightly. Isugoro,
seeing that the majors are about to walk back, turns and lightly nudges Cent,
catching him off guard. He jumps a bit, jerking his head around to look at him.
He gestures to the Majors, and Cent’s expression falls. QUARTZ, Sammy, watches
the exchange, and glances down, her eyes widening when she realizes the two are
still holding hands, Cent’s grip not showing any sign of releasing. Her face
reddens more, but then, a grimace forms; a shadow falls over her eyes.
Farah, who by this point is almost
red with embarrassment from watching the illegal intimacy, strides forward,
pulling on Sammy’s shoulder, whispering a bit harsher, “Go . . ! If Kasami
sees—“
“I know,” she replies, glancing
back at her, before her eyes find Cent once more, her expression softening,
“Bye. . .”
Cent’s expression actually saddens
as Sammy finally loosens her grip, though her fingers linger around his as she
starts to walk off, falling limply to her side as their hold finally breaks.
Isugoro notices, as well as makes note of something else. He sighs, making sure
the Majors haven’t turned back yet before he grabs her wrist. Sammy jerks, Cent
immediately looking to him in confusion. Even Farah seems surprised, holding
her breath. As Sammy looks back at him, she’s caught off guard as a grin rises
on his lips, and he whispers, “His name is Cent.”
Sammy blinks in surprise while Cent
face palms in embarrassment, realizing his mess up. After a moment though, she
smirks a little, chuckling some as Isugoro releases his grip. She nods in
acknowledgement, then glances back one last time at Cent, watching as he takes
a deep breath, his face flush again. As her cheeks warm, she looks back to
Isugoro, before she finally walks off, passing the Majors as they finally walk
back. Farah stands flabbergasted as Isugoro smirks, leaning some as he whispers
to Cent, “You’re welcome—“
“Oh shut up,” Cent interrupts, even
his voice notably affected by his embarrassment; quieter, but quick, flustered.
Isugoro just grins, before he looks to Farah, his expression falling as they
make eye contact. Her eyes are sad, almost guilty. Then, of course, what they
were just told runs through Isugoro’s head.
“.
. .under no circumstances are a human and Jeweloid allowed to be in any kind of
romantic contact, much less a relationship.”
Isugoro
looks back to Cent, his expression harder as he seems lost in thought.
Major
Sumpti claps, grabbing everyone’s attention as the others finally start to
stand themselves, no one aware of the predicament that just arose. Major GOLD
grins as he speaks, “As you can see, Jeweloids are quite capable. QUARTZ’s
abilities are only one of the many Jeweloids have, so each if important in
their own way to the cause.”
He
gestures towards the entrance, continuing to speak, “The rest of the sector is
private, due to the Jeweloids’ current situation. Only the Human
Representatives have access to the other areas, so with this, I will turn over
your tour back to Major Sumpti.”
Major
Sumpti grins as he steps forward, pausing until everyone is standing. “Alright
men, we are going to exit the Jeweloid Sector and head to the gyms,” Major
Sumpti says, stopping and looking directly at Isugoro, “Except for you,
Jintez.”
Cent
snaps out of his thoughts as Isugoro is called out, Isugoro himself becoming
stock still as everyone stares at him. Major Sumpti gestures to him to step
forward, and Isugoro follows hesitantly, glancing over at Cent. Major Sumpti
chuckles, “You’re not in trouble. Actually, I should congratulate you.”
Isugoro’s
eyes widen in surprise. “Why, Sir?” he questions.
Major
Sumpti looks to Major GOLD, smiling brighter. “The Jeweloid Sector is in need
of a new Human Representative. You were already on a short list of choices, but
it was officially decided that you will fill that position,” Major Sumpti
replies, before he gestures to Major GOLD, “Major GOLD will be your supervising
officer from here on out. Your room is going to be changed so that you are in
the wing closest to the Jeweloid Sector, so when you get your file, ignore the
number printed originally; Major GOLD will give you the correct number. While
the rest of the group goes to tour their areas of work, you are to stay here
with the Major to tour yours. Does that make sense?”
He just
stands there, speechless. He hadn’t expected to be chosen for anything like
this; a position personally working with the Jeweloids. Cent seems off, his
brow furrowed, realizing that the two are going to be separated from here on
out. Considering what just happened, it’s a low blow. They won’t be able to
discuss anything.
Isugoro
nods. “Yes, Sir.”
Major
GOLD grins, while Major Sumpti looks to the rest of the group. “Alright men,
the rest of you follow me,” Major Sumpti says as he turns, walking toward the
entrance.
The
group follows like a herd, some glancing at Isugoro only to lose interest.
Isugoro watches silently, turning a little to see Cent hesitating. They make
eye contact, and it’s easy to tell Cent still has a lot on his mind. Isugoro
grimaces, gesturing to the group. “Don’t fall behind. I’ll see ya.”
“. . .
You better,” Cent trails, his voice quiet as he turns. Isugoro’s expression
falters, watching as Cent follows after the group, alone.
Major
GOLD watches the exchange, but waits until Cent is gone, as is everyone else,
before he sighs, stepping up and patting Isugoro on the shoulder. “It’s easy to
see that you two have known each other for quite some time,” he says as Isugoro
looks over to him, showing a kind expression, “You will see him again before
you know it. Come, let’s get started.
You have
a lot to learn.”
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