Chapter 13
I was expecting that UASA would be here at the end of the day to get us, but no one came.
We're almost one week in this country, with no news and no updates from the outside. We tried to communicate with the UASA by asking for help from US military team but we didn't receive any response from them.
There is something serious going on.
I have this habit of playing with my dog tag while having my hard thinking. This is the consequence of my actions, they probably suspended me. But they should have informed me about my punishment.
I knew that rules are rules, no matter how I reasoned out. I need to follow, I need to take a command.
Yes, I got command from Commander Mitts but that was a force command, pinagpilitan ko. Natatakot ako nab aka nadamay si Commander Mitts dahil sa mga ginawa ko.
But why aren't they contacting Pedro as well? Is it possible that we're both suspended?
Everything was my fault, I initiated everything.
Tonight, I'll be meeting the president. Kagabi ko pa napag isipan ang mga salitang sasabihin ko sa kanya. Kung totoong suspendido ako, pagkakataon ko na para tapusin ang bagay na sinimulan ko.
I won't leave these people hanging, I ignited the war and I'll definitely finish this. With or without my license.
Kung tutuusin ay dapat ay hindi na ako makialam sa bansang ito, hindi ako dito ipinanganak, wala akong kilala at lalong wala akong posisyong manghimasok sa takbo ng bansang ito.
Pero naging saksi ako ng kahinaan nila, kahinaang hindi na nakikita ng mga taong siyang naninirahan dito.
While everybody is blind, should I dictate myself to be blind too? That's a never.
Bandwagon mentality is always toxic.
Kasalukuyan akong nakaupo sa tuktok ng sirang eroplano na siyang aking pinabagsak, hindi pa ito naaalis ng mga sundalo ng Myanmar dahil may mas mahalaga silang dapat gawin.
Hindi nalalaman ng mga tao sa mundong ito na may mas hihigit pa sa kalamidad na dulot ng kalikasan. Kalamidad na dulot ng mga taong may baluktot na paniniwala.
And their damage will always be the worst.
Nakatanaw ako sa kumpulan ng mga taong muling madadamay sa mangyayaring sagupaan ng mga militar. We need to evacuate them to the safer place. At kailangan kong kausapin ang president tungkol sa bagay na ito.
Kahit malaki ang tsansang hindi ako nito pakinggan.
Myanmar is now at their weakest point and everybody is now blind about this. Mahina ang kanilang militar sa pagkakataong ito, kalamidad naman ang nasa mga mata ng mga tumutulong.
Yes, they got the US military's back and other countries. But this isn't enough. Nagkalat na sa mga karatig probinsya ang mga teroristang anumang oras ay maaari nang umatake.
I tightened my grip on my dog tag.
Sa dalawang pagkakataon sila maaaring umatake, bukas na siyang pagdating ng president at sa paglabas ng ilang mga eroplanong dala ng US military. Dahil limitado lamang ang mga eroplanong ipinadala dito para sa sekyuridad, ito na rin ang ginagamit nila bilang pagkuha ng supply ng pagkain mula sa iba't ibang bansa.
Pagkawala ng isang eroplano ay kawalan na ng depensa. Gusto ko nang ipagbigay alam ito sa Commander na Airbase, pero natatakot ako na mabigla sila at agad siyang magbaba ng desisyon na hindi magiging pabor sa aming lahat.
Pressure will definitely give him uneven decisions, lalo na at hawak niya ang buhay ng mga taong nasa lugar na ito.
Naputol ako sa pag iisip nang may kumalampag sa jet fighter na sinasakyan ko. I looked down and saw him.
After that punch he didn't approach me again.
"Kumain ka na?" He climbed up and sat down beside me.
"Not yet,"
"Diet?"
"Do you think I can still think about that diet Commander?"
"Oh sorry, yes you're sexy enough." Umawang na lang ang mga labi ko at ilang segundo akong napatitig sa kanya bago ako umiling at muling tumanaw sa kalawakan ng field.
"You are really impossible."
"Uhuh?"
"You are not bothered,"
"Ofcourse I am bothered,"
"How about the communication with UASA? Do you think we're suspended Commander?"
"Maybe? I really don't know. As long as you're with me I won't get bored inside this country."
"Can you please stop doing that?" Iritado na ako.
"What? Anong ginagawa ko?" pilit niyang pinagmukhang inosente ang kanyang mga asul na mata.
"You talk like an asshole,"
"Woah, you're harsh baby. I am just trying to be sweet." Muntik na akong mapamura nang ihaplos niya ang kanyang malamig na dogtag sa pisngi ko.
"What the—I am getting annoyed Pedro!" Isang malakas na pagtawa ang sumagot sa akin.
Now, he learned something from me. He is now using his dog tag.
"I never thought that the Tagalog version of my name would be this cuter."
"You are so---" nanggigigil ako sa kanya. Gusto ko siyang suntukin at itinulak. Ayaw na ayaw kong pinagtatawanan ako.
"Don't worry, hindi naman kita isusumbong kay Ginger. She hates it when someone is calling me with different names, especially beautiful girls."
"I can still remember your bad robot, one of these days I'll definitely throw your robot to any junk shop I know. She almost killed me."
"You can't do that Lieutenant, huwag mong gagalawin si Ginger. Not my robot, she's the love of my life." Natahimik ako sa sinabi niya.
There is something about his robot, it could be from someone he cherished the most.
"Well it depends, if she's good on me then I'll be good." Hindi siya sumagot sa akin makalipas ng ilang minuto.
Pero hindi din nagtagal ay siya ulit ang nagsalita.
"Ginger was my biological father's gift, he's a great scientist. He's one of the scientists in the first exhibition that was transported to Mars, but unluckily after 20 sols an unexpected storm happened on Mars killing all of them, the instruments, and the research data. They haven't successfully downloaded all the important data making the whole UASA start all over again."
He is no longer looking at me, instead he's now staring down. Shit. I hate this atmosphere.
"Oh, I'm sorry for that Commander." Bahagya kong tinapik ang kamay niya at nang ilalayo ko na ito ay mabilis niya itong hinawakan.
"Thanks for calming me baby," mahinang sabi niya na parang hinuhuli ang aking simpatya.
I have this urge to pull away my hand from him, but there's another side of me telling me to keep him calm because it was my fault. Damn.
Hanggang sa maramdaman kong nilalaro na ng dalawang kamay niya ang mga daliri ko.
"Commander,"
"It's okay baby, just don't fight with Ginger okay? Be good girls together. Ayaw kong pinag aawayan nyo ako." Nawala ang simpatya ko sa kanya nang marinig ko ang huli niyang mga sinabi at marahas kong inagaw ang kamay ko sa kanya.
Tumalon na ako mulaa sa aking kinauupuan.
"I have to go, Commander, let's see each other tomorrow."
"Sure, don't use alcohol. You'll break my heart." Sigaw nito sa akin.
Nagkibit balikat na lamang ako sa kanya at nagpatuloy na ako sa paglalakad. Hanggang gabi ay hindi na ako lumabas na tent at hinayaan ko na lamang ang sarili kong maghanda sa magiging pag uusap namin ng Presidente.
Mabilis ang takbo ng oras, nasa malayo ako habang tanay ko na ang eroplanong sinakyan ng kanilang presidente. Sumalubong dito ang si Commander Thanh San, ilang mga sundalo.
"Are you ready?" tanong ni Pedro sa akin na bigla na lamang sumusulpot.
"I am born ready," muli akong napalingon sa kanya. He's not wearing his usual uniform.
Nagkaroon ng pakikipag kamay ang presidente sa mga tao at nanatili lang kaming nakamasid. Hindi rin nagtagal ay pumasok na ito kasama ang kanyang mga bantay sa kaayos pa lamang na kampo.
Lumapit sa aming dalawa ni Commander ang isang sundalo at sinabing hinihintay na daw kami ng Presidente.
Parang tambol sa pagpintig ang puso ko habang nagsisimula na kaming maglakad hanggang sa makarating kami sa harap ng pintuan. May dalawang military na bantay dito na kapwa tumango sa amin.
Pinagbuksan kami ng mga ito, sumalubong sa amin ang pormal at may katandaang presidente at dalawang military na bantay nito sa kanyang magkabila.
Tumayo ito nang makita ako.
"So this is our beautiful hero, the bravest pilot of UASA." Lumapit ako dito ay nakipagkamay sa kanya. Ganito din ang ginawa ni Commander.
"Have a seat," sabay kaming naupo ni Commander.
"On behalf of the all people from Myanmar, I would like to say thank you for protecting my people, Kyay zuu tin par tal. Thank you for risking your own life for this country." Tipid akong ngumiti dito.
"I was wondering, what made you protect this country that you can't gain even any kind of benefit? What made you think that this poor country is worth risking for?"
"Every country is worth risking for President, poor or rich. As long as there is a beating heart inside a country, risk is always there. You shouldn't think twice for life."
"There you go baby," pansin ko na tipid na tumawa ang dalawang sundalo dahil sa sinabi ni Pedro.
"And I have to tell you something President, we're all aware that the incident happened was from the terrorist. What can you say about this? Do you think there are lots of them in your country?"
"We shouldn't talk about this Pilot, this is for military matters."
"You should be aware, you are a leader." His eyes are uneven, he can't look at me. Pansin ko na nakakunot na rin ang noo ni Pedro.
May nalalaman ang presidente sa sitwasyon ng kanyang bansa.
"Your country is being nested by terrorist President, we should do something." Nanlaki ang mata niya sa sinabi ko na parang hindi siya makapaniwala.
"Stop meddling in a countries affair Pilot, we have agreed that they won't do anything against----" hindi na kinaya ng kalooban ko ang narinig ko.
Natagpuan ko na lamang ang sarili kong nakasakay sa lamesa ng presidente habang marahas kong hawak ang mga kwelyo nito sa aking nangangatal na kamay.
"You let the terrorist manipulate you?! You agreed with them under the table?!" sigaw ko.
Natatakot na mga mata ng presidente ang sumalubong sa akin. Hindi na siya naawa sa mga taong nadadamay.
Agad akong tinutukan ng baril ng dalawang sundalo sa aking ulo na hindi man lang nagpaalarma sa akin.
"Put your guns down soldiers, not my stubborn Lieutenant. Not my baby."
Sa repleksyon ng salamin sa likuran ng presidente ay nakita kong nakatayo na si Commander. Holding silencer guns in both of his hands.
Nakatatutok ito sa dalawang sundalo.
Nanatiling nangangatal ang kamay ko sa kwelyo ng president. How can a leader like him agreed with terrorist?
"Tell me, tell me the big reason..they had your neck. Why? Why president? We're talking about the lives of people, they are not playing the agreement you agreed upon! They've attacked us, they deceived you. No, you are letting them deceive you!"
"They have my daughter! They have my princess, Pilot. My princess.." tuluyan nang lumuwag ang kamay ko sa kwelyo ng presidente.
Tumulo na ang kanyang mga luha. Nothing could ever beat a father's love.
"Who are you people? What are you doing in my country?" itinaas ng presidente ang kamay nito dahilan kung bakit ibinaba ng dalawang sundalo ang mga baril nito.
"We are the suspended Pilots." Matabang na sabi ni Pedro.
"And she's the boss, what will we do next baby?" Hindi ako sumagot sa kanya sa halip ay sinalubong ko ang mata ng presidente.
"We fight and we'll return your daughter."
"They will kill my daughter right away once they notice." Nangangatal ang boses niya.
"Who told you that we'll be noticed, President? We won't light a fire, instead, we'll throw them poison. Let them be deceived by our weakness while we're silently digging our success." Narinig kong sumipol si Pedro.
"What is your plan pilot?"
"We pretend as fools to trap the fools." Sagot ko.
"We'll deceive them by playing weak and unaware," Pedro added.
"From where on earth are you getting your courage woman?"
"It's not somewhere. I was just born for survival President."