Subnautica: A Rise of Time

Chapter 12: Argument Disaster ||| Perspective: Eri Laurchel

Eri sat in the lunchroom, snacking on a half-full bag of chips from the vending machine across the room. There were two water bottles sitting next to him as he ate alone. Eri still did not have enough information to finish editing the Sea Dragon PDA entry, and Ryley had not even come into Operation Alpha yet today. And he wasn't at Operation Alpha yesterday, and Eri was theorizing that Ryley was taking a break somewhere from Jafer and everyone else in the main base of operations.

Eri was staring out one of the windows in the lunchroom, gazing at the Grand Reef that Operation Alpha sat over. The base sat on a cliff edge that overlooked the Grand Reef, and only from certain places could someone get a good view of the Grand Reef. So not a lot of sunlight made it through down to Operation Alpha, and it was always dark and murky, the only lights coming from the Grand Reef's bioluminescent plants.

Eri shoved another handful of chips in his mouth, crunching and chewing them with his sharp teeth. Eating alone was relaxing, as he wouldn't have to talk to anyone or worry about other people's work. And he could also get lost in his mind without getting distracted. So he would always prefer to eat alone rather than eat with other people. Or at least sit at a table alone, but Recil and Erry would never let him sit alone. They would always strike up a conversation with him, but even if Eri wanted to end it, he felt like he could never end it.

Eri was shoving some more chips in his mouth when he heard someone walk into the lunchroom. Eri looked at the doorway and saw Recil walking in.

"Jafer wants everyone down in the main area, for some reason." Recil said.

Eri finished swallowing and chewing his chips before he responded. "What for?"

"I have no idea." Recil said. "He's been acting weird lately, or mainly aggressive and snappy."

"I know that." Eri said.

"I guess that's a good thing." Recil said, "but everyone is down there but you, and he really wants everyone to listen to something he wants to say.

"I would like it to be quick so I can go back to eating my lunch." Eri complained.

"I hope it's quick too. Recil agreed.

Eri then followed Recil out of the lunchroom. He wanted to sneak out back to the lunchroom after making his presence clear, but he had no idea if anyone would notice him. Eri could sneak out to the moonpools and take the long way around, but he had no idea if he was still allowed to go to the moonpools or not. And if Ryley somehow noticed he was in the moonpools, he could just be sent all the way across the crater to the Void Base.

Eri and Recil walked into the main room, and Eri slowly walked to his desk. Recil didn't follow him, as he went to stand by Aerica. Iri and Kayia stood in one of the corners alone. Mace sat at his desk, attempting to focus on some unfinished work that needed to be done by midnight. And then the two extremely silent dragons who barely went anywhere but only to their quarters at night, the lunchroom to eat, and then their desks to work; and they were at their desks, not even acknowledging everyone else's presence. It was Gollum and Halie, but Gollum was the quietest. Eri had to admit he had never heard a single sound come from the gray and dark green dragon. And then Halie was argumentative, but silent when she never got her way.

Jafer was standing near his desk, but in the middle of a walkway that split through the main room and led to two different corridors. Eri ignored Jafer's smug face, staring at his empty desk and grabbing a notebook and a pencil to look busy.

"Has anyone even paid attention to how cruel Ryley is?" Jafer suddenly asked.

"No, because I don't care." Mace said from his desk.