"Do it."
Hindi na ako naka angal pa dala ng pagkasindak ko sa tono ng boses ni Admiral Maris at marahang kinuha ang lighter mula sakanyang mesa.
Walang kahit anong kinang sakanyang mga mata, Walang kahit anong bahid ng katiting na pagdadalawang isip o di kaya emosyon.
I know whenever she's like that, she's dead serious about it.
Madali kong kinuha ang trash bin at walang panamang isinalaksak ang aking hawak na report. Nanginginig kong sinindihan ang lighter at pinagmasdan ko ang tuluyang pagkalat ng apoy saaming pinaghirapang report ni Melrey.
I'm screaming deep inside. Ghad damn it. Ano ba ang nangyayari ngayon? And at this point, I'm too afraid to ask.
Smoke and ashes from the burnt paper then raises above, but napukaw ang aking atensyon nang hindi nag activate ang fire alarm and sprinkle system sa loob ng silid.
Natigilan ako nang may ma-realize akong isang posibleng dahilan ng kanyang biglaang pag dedesisyon. Agad akong napaharap sakanya.
"Everything's on purpose. Am I correct Admiral?" agad kong dire-diretsong pagtanong.
She then smiled at me while maintaining her seriousness as she then opened her desk and handed me a peculiar paper.
Wala akong sinayang na oras at agad itong binasa. I found myself standing frozen for what I've had read. So this was the main topic on the emergency meeting that I failed to attend.
Looks like the tables had been turned around due to these confidential findings. I gazed through Admiral Maris' serious navy blue eyes.
"Now that proofs had been established and verified, are you going to let Vaughn and his accomplices get in much further deep trouble?" She said as she then slowly hands over me a neat looking compilation of papers in a secured in a red folder.
Agad akong napatingin sa nasabing folder at natigilan nang ma realize na isa iyong replica ng aming report.
Atat kong binuksan ang nasabing folder at binasa ang bawat linyang maabot ng aking paningin.
It stated that the three of them, including Ielvy were successfully sent to the Galactic Space Prisons, taliwas sa katotohanang nasa Xavierheld parin ang tatlo.
With the affixed approval of the most powerful woman on the Xavierheld Military in this report, the higher officials would think that this case is closed and will not give them the burden to investigate further.
Nanlamig ang aking buong kalamnan saaking mga nalaman ngayong gabi.
"Why are you putting yourself in trouble, Admiral?"
Napapikit at napangiti lamang siya saakin as she then rests her chin on her intertwined fingers.
"Stella came back, as well as Vaughn, Howard. And you know that's an advantage for us. I enlisted him. Hindi natin masasabi kung hanggang saan lang ang tinatamasa nating kapayapaan ngayon, knowing the situation of the EAF now. Let Stella do her job, and you as well."
"I am confident regarding your ability to contain such sensitive information and events, Howard. You shall never speak to of it to anyone as hindi lang ako, ikaw at ang Xavierheld ang malalgay sa piligro, as well as that girl whom, resembled like Edward will also suffer the consequences."
Umugong ang isang panandaliang katahimikan. Naramdaman ko ang pagbagsak ng aking mga pilik mata as a realization and understanding of the said matter settled inside my mind.
"Makakaasa po kayo, Admiral. I'll deliver this to the higher ups first thing in the morning."
With one final salute ay agad akong napatindig ng tayo at tumalikod na. Kinakailangan ko nang maglagay ng pahinga saaking katawan.
Everything happens for some reasons ika nga nila. Ngunit hindi ko akalaing ganito ang tatambad saaking isipan ngayong gabi.
Sa kabila ng paggamit ni Admiral Maris ng kanyang kapangyarihan, I know, her good intentions had persuaded her to do such things.
But still.. It's way too risky. I can't blame her. She's just preparing for worse, and I hope she too, will be prepared.
"Umaasa ako sa iyong katapatan, Captain Howard Alfonsce."
My feet stood still at tuluyan akong natigilan nang marinig ang kanyang itinawag saaking pangalan. Especially that title she managed to mention before my name.
Agad akong napalingon and I could clearly see the Admiral's famous smile despite of her sleeplessness.
And alam kong, ako rin ay hindi pa maaring matulog.
Things are just starting.
Tristan's Point Of View
Light of the calm morning sun welcomed my newly opened eyes. Damang dama ko ang lamig ng umagang sumulyap saaking buong katawan.
Unti-unti akong napabangon at agad na napalingon sa wall clock na nakasabit sa puting dingding ng tahanang minsan aking kinalakihan.
Napaupo ako at pinagmasdan ang iilang malalaking kahon ng aking mga gamit na nakalapag sa sahig ng sala kung saan ako tuluyang nakatulog kagabi.
Tanging ang pagtakbo lang ng second hand ng wall clock ang naririnig sa buong bahay. Mariin akong napatayo at napahawak sa mga puting talukbong na nakabalot sa iilang furniture saaking dating kanlungan.
Naroon parin ang iilang larawan ng na sumasalamin ng aking kabataan kasama si Tiyo Vincent. Marahan ko itong pinagmasdan.
Sa larawan ko lang nakita si tiyo na ngumiti. Sa apat na sulok lang ng condo-unit na ito naging masigla ang aking kabataan malayo kay Stella at kay Vaughn.
And now, muli akong nagbabalik. Balik parin sa dating gawi.
Ang mamuhay ulit ng mag isa.
It's too painful for me to go back to the refuge Stella and I once had been. Too many memories was made there that I find it difficult to move on.
Hindi ko alam kung babalik paba ang aking kapatid. And I clearly understand such things. Being in the military is not that easy.
Napabuntong hininga ako at naglakad na patungo sa kusina nang makarinig ako ng isang maagap na doorbell mula sa labas ng aking unit.
Who could that be? It's way too early in the morning.
I did not hesitate to go through the doorstep. I gently opened the door with my calm hands.
I tried to contain my astonishment and curiosity through my calm eyes as I gazed through a tall man wearing a Xavierheld Uniform and a serious looking woman in black and red EAF uniform.
You can't barely see their emotions but their eyes were reflecting some good intentions.
Hindi matinag ang kanilang titig saakin as they both present their familiar crests in front of me.
Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, those were the Intelligence Insignia Crest of both military parties.
"Mr. Tristan Aldebert?"
*** To be continued
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VON'S PREVIEW SCENE
They sent me on Earth for this mission-shit. Well.. if ito lang ang paraan upang maging mas maayos ang buhay ng aking mga kapatid, bakit hindi?
But what is this?
AAaaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhh!!!!!
Next on Code 365 Project Memory : Datum 24 : Chaos At First Sight
"Nagkamali ako! Binabawi ko na ang aking mga sinabi!! Flat is definitely justice!!!!"
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Code 365 Project Memory
Science Fiction2 years had passed since the infamous Battle Of Valfreya had came to an end, isang Peace Treaty between the Earth Alliance Forces and Xavierheld Government ang matagumpay na nagpalaganap muli ng kapayapaan at katahimikan sa bawat sulok ng Planet Ear...
Datum 23 : Good Intentions
Start from the beginning
