“So, here is Mister—” He looked at the man and his Captain.
“Ethan, Sir,” the man replied without looking and waiting for Captain Evan’s response.
“Right, Ethan. I don’t even remember the name anymore.” Lux gazed at him with so much disappointment.
She disagreed inwardly. Fact is, he doesn’t remember their names at all, not unless you are an officer, or he has really wanted to know them.
“So, Ethan, what made you decide to do that?” he queried to the man who is already looking pale.
“I-I…”
“I didn’t ask you to stutter!”
“Yes, Sir!” he yelled back. “I wanted to go to see the sea—”
“That is a foolish reason, young man! You can see it just by going to the upmost floor of your building!” Lux eyed him.
The man gulped. “S-Sir, it is my late mother’s birthday. I want to at least visit her grave today,” he uttered, almost not hearable.
She is sure of it! She saw how guilt quickly plastered on Lux’s face!
“Regardless of the reason, it is clearly and well discussed, written in the contract that you have signed that you will stay here; and won’t attempt to leave until your contract ends.” The superior one nodded, but remained looking serious.
“I don’t want this to happen again.” He then dismissed Ethan and motioned him to stand still behind his Captain.
She felt sorry for the man as his mood lightened when he’s finally beside the Captain, like he’s already protected from the evaluative and oppressive glances from everyone.
“However, rule is rule. No one is above and exemptions to the law. Captain Evan, you know that too well.”
The man became pale once more upon hearing one of the upper’s judgement that was agreed by the rest except for them—the Captains.
She bravely raised her hand. She can read her fellow Captains’ warning faces, telling her not to get involved if she wants her team to stay away from suspicions. Even Captain Evan furtively shaking his head towards her.
“Yes, Eve?” Lux acknowledged her.
“May I ask, Sir, what are the punishments for each offense?”
“Don’t think so highly of yourself, Captain Eve. Just because your team had gained recognitions and praises for the mission well done, had the chance to celebrate the success of the project with the boss and uppers, doesn’t mean you are already given the right to assume that you can suggest whatever suggestions you’ll come up with.” One of the uppers belittled her.
She gritted her teeth inwardly while hiding her hatred through smiling at the gentleman.
“Sorry for that, Sir. But, I don’t intend to be such a kind of person…” She paused, sweetly coated the message she wants them to understand.
She will never dream of becoming like them. “I see no wrong with knowing what are the consequences of defying the organization’s orders. As a Captain, we are entitled to know what will be the punishments for not following the rules here. That way, we can give at least a hint to our team members what they should be prepared for in case they think of disobedience inside the organization.”
She breathes in and comfortably glimpse at their reactions.
“Oh, I have forgotten. I am new to this position and the newest one here. I am sorry for being rude to ask. Pardon me for—” She excused politely yet meant to give them a bit of shame, but it seems like she has already hit the boundary line. The man stood up, failed to hide the humiliation she has inflicted on them but for some reason, he owned all the disgrace.
“Captain Eve, you being a Captain won’t give you the protection you need in case the organization decided to chastised you for being irresponsible for not knowing those things upon accepting the position you have now. I feel sorry for your former Captain and Heads, as well as to your members. It seems like they have voted the wrong person to succeed the position of our Eulysis. Your team used to be one of the most proper, well-disciplined and obedient teams that the organization has ever had. But I can already see how it will flank under your supervision now,” the officer litany.
She remained calm, posing the most innocent face she has.
“I am deeply sorry for that, Sir. I promise not to do this again.” She bowed, showing submission.
The man sat down again, feeling proud of himself.
“Are you done?” Lux looked at the man, to which he nodded as he replied.
“Yes, Sir. Excuse us for the commotion.”
“You are an officer, having a higher position than the Captains. Behave like one. As far as I can tell, I was the one she has asked.” He gazed at her.
“Go ahead, Eve. Ask what you want to ask. And to you, officer, just to inform you. She didn’t have a formal declaration of her position of being the new Captain of her team. Meet me at my office after this meeting.” He glanced at her and to the man.
As much as she wanted to show off her victory smile, she stayed serious to not make things worse.
Lux gazed back to her, giving her the signal to proceed asking.
“That, Sir. If I may ask, I want to know the punishments for defying the rules.”
“Not that I am saying that you don’t have the right to know about it, just like what our gent here said earlier. But, I am telling you, you won’t like it.”
Her heartbeat suddenly became turmoiled and so is her mind.
“I am prepared, Sir,” she insisted.
The man looked at her. “The lightest is to either be estranged from the team for a month or be a testing subject for the experiments of the organization. Usually, it is the latter one. And the most serious one...” He stopped and throw a glimpse at the man behind Captain Evan.
“Be buried six feet below the ground, earlier than you are supposed to rest for eternity.”
Eve almost forgot to breathe. No wonder the man was shaking terribly.
“Thank you for letting me know, Sir,” she thanked.
Lux smiled as if it is no big deal. “By the way, I remembered in our memorandum, if a team succeeded in the mission given to them, they are allowed to ask for five favors. Have you already decided what favors to ask, Captain Eve?”
The idea of having the privilege to have such right gave her few thoughts on how they will use those five favors.
“I and my team is still deciding about it, Sir.” She smiled back.
“Okay then. I think we are all clear now—”
“We are not yet done, Sir!” the upper who is just the sole one who talks among the officers of his kind opposed.
“We already are, officer.” Lux stated, glaring at the man.
“If you say so, Sir.” He surrendered and looked away from the boss.
“So, it ends here now. And to you, young man—”
“Sir!” She stopped Lux.
“Yes?”
“Can I have a moment with you before dismissing this gentleman’s judgement?” She pled.
The man thinks for a while, giving her the fear that he might turn down her request.
“Well, I still have an hour here.” He checked on his watch.
“Stay then. The rest, you may go now.”
The Captains are looking at her as they leave, wondering what kind of silliness did come to her mind while the uppers are glaring at her; as if they were threatening her not to dare to be their foe or else, not even a ray of morning sunrise will light up on her team by tomorrow.
“What is it that you want to talk about in private, Captain?” the man asked right away after the door closed.
Even with the distance between them, she can hear him clearly.
“Regarding about the man earlier. The one who tried to escape.” She paused and wait for the man to stop her, but he didn’t.
She continued. “I want to use one of my team’s favors to free him from any charges for the disobedience he did.”
He creases his forehead and stared at her for a minute. “Are you sure? You have to discuss this one with your teammates, Eve. You can’t just decide in behalf of them.”
“Not unless I will be giving them the right to decide for the other four, Sir.”
She remained eye to eye contact with the man. Letting him know that she is serious about her decision.
“Are you aware that this, too, your request, is a disobedience to the organization’s rules as well? Considering it is just like you are asking me to let this one passed and defy the policy myself; telling me to disregard it and be an accomplice of defiance instead.” He raised his voice.
“No, Sir. What I am asking is for you to take some consideration in giving him the judgement. His reason may be unreasonable for the organization, but it wasn’t reasonably punishable either,” she persuaded.
“I understand that violations are violations and there is no way that it will be dismissed from being labeled as one. But, Sir, isn’t it too inhumane for us to disregard the man’s humanely act of wanting to pay a visit to his beloved mother? That is beyond horrible, Boss.”
The meeting room became silent. Even more when he stood up.
“Come. Follow me,” he ordered and walked ahead of her.
At the far end of the facility, for the first time, she was able to see the city across the island where they are residing.
“That man should be thankful of you, Eve. Tomorrow, take him here. Somewhere out there is the cemetery in his place. Worry not, I will inform everyone to let you get through the passage ways leading here.”
She is in awe to know that the man wasn’t that bad at all. She had traced a sound of compassion on his voice as he said the words.
“Thank you, Sir!”
He just nodded without looking at her.
“You can leave now. I want to have some rest.” He then breathed out.
“Yes, Sir!”
She was about to open the door when the man called her name.
“What do you think of me? About the organization?” he asked and turned around.
She would lie and a hypocrite if she’ll say the opposite of her thoughts.
“I—”
“Never mind. Keep it. But I want to hear and know your thoughts someday,” he cut her off and turned his back on her, dismissing her.
Before the door finally closed, she heard him uttered something she barely understood but if she had heard it right, that confused her why.
“I’ll be waiting for you, Eve.”