EARTH 1

Day 5; 0600 (Morning)

Focus: TL7

Back on Earth, TL7 strolled into a conference area where a large, oval-shaped oak table sat perfectly centered and distanced away from the walls of the hexagonal room. The table’s distinctively ominous markings beckoned the team leaders and group managers present for the conference, to immediately seat themselves according to their assigned locations.

As he walked towards his assigned seat, wearing a Bob Ross graphic tee with the slogan “HAPPY TREES” written in all caps, TL7 was greeted by unwelcomed stares and judgemental frowns.

Man 1: “Who does he think he is, wearing that outfit? Here, of all places!”

Man 2: “Tell me about it. Never seen that guy before. Must be new or something.”

Woman: “Quiet down, there is no strict dress code for these meetings.”

Man 1: *scoffs* “Dress code? This isn’t about dress code! It’s about professionalism!”

Woman: “Says a man who gets heated over a non-issue.”

Man 2: “Pffft.”

Man 1: “Tch.”

Slightly amused by the banter between his three colleagues, he looked towards their direction and gave them a faint smile, noting that he wasn’t offended. He then turned his attention to the rest of the room which was filled with close to thirty people, all of whom surrounded the large oak table. Most had already seated themselves, while a few rebels hovered next to their chairs, refusing to give into the table’s menacing invitation to sit.

TL7 quickly grew bored of staring at corporate drones dressed in business attire and stereotypical lab coats -- people he thought were only good for squawking and complaining. Instead, his eyes meandered over to the walls of the uniquely shaped room. The contrast between the equally spaced paintings and the dull white background of the painted stone walls, elevated the mystique of the fantastical artwork representing the many exotic environments of Halios.

Thoroughly enraptured by the paintings, TL7 unconsciously muttered a single word of praise.

TL7: “Remarkable.”

His impromptu comment gained him a few more unwelcomed stares, but he didn’t mind. He had no interest in forming shallow friendships with people that didn’t matter.

Finally seating himself, TL7 looked towards the entrance of the room as the mumblings of those present for the conference slowly died down.

Woman in red: “Everyone be seated, the meeting will begin shortly.”

The commanding and sultry voice of the slender woman dressed in red delivered words of authority. In her hands, she held a writing utensil and notepad -- implements used for drafting notes of her observations. Just behind her was a tall, middle-aged man dressed in a tidy, navy blue business suit, donning a well-groomed beard. As he and the woman in red made their way towards the head of the oak table, two men seated next to TL7 started up a conversation of whispers.

Man A: “His secretary is so fucking hot.”

Man B: “Shut your mouth, idiot. What if someone heard you. In fact, I’m sure someone heard you.”

Man A: “Eh, I don’t mind. Section Chief is too laid-back to issue a reprimand. We good.”

Man B: “Don’t bring me into your problems. There is no we, just you.”

Man A: “Ey, bro. Don’t be like-”

Before the men could finish their conversation, the woman in red sent a cold, icy glare towards their direction, causing them to uncomfortably sit upright in attention. Their eyes stayed awkwardly glued to the oak table as their not-so-private conversation abruptly ended in embarrassment. [Probably a good idea not to cross her.] TL7 mentally noted to himself while observing the body language of the two men who trembled in fear.

Bearded Man: “NOW THEN!”

The bearded man’s voice boomed out, grabbing the attention of everyone present for the conference. The room remained deathly silent as he seated himself down on the chair meant for the Section Chief of the 4th Research Facility. Once comfortable, he started the conference.

Section Chief: “Whether or not our current experimental phase proves to be auspicious will depend on what will be discussed here and now. Layla, please read forth today’s itinerary for these lovely people.”

The section chief stroked his well-groomed beard as he waited for his secretary, Layla, to carry out his order.

Layla: “Today marks the fifth day following the force-transference of test subjects for our current round of experiments. As such, you have all been gathered here to discuss several events that have occurred during that time and now.”

Scanning the room in-front of her, she paused to make sure she had captured everyone’s attention.

Layla: “Now that I have your eyes and ears, I will read off today’s topics for discussion. In no specific order, they are as follows: illegal operations within facility grounds; unsanctioned alterations of multiple test subjects; and finally, Alpha team reports.”

“Please pass these amongst yourselves.”

After Layla finished delivering the short itinerary, she handed a small stack of papers highlighting the talking points for the conference to one of the team leaders to pass around to the rest of the attendees. Amidst the shuffling of papers, an uncomfortable silence slowly encapsulated the room.

*RUSTLE* *SQUEAK*

It wasn’t long before awkward squirming and nervous shuffling was heard amongst those whom were guilty of wrongdoings. Some were even bold enough to stealthily make their way towards the exit before being stopped by armed guards. As they were forced to return to their seats in shame, TL7 quietly watched in amusement. He didn’t mind being an observer to an impending shitshow.

*MUMBLING*

The mumblings of TL7’s colleagues steady rose as more of them realized the gravity of the situation. Before things got out of hand, the section chief spoke up.

Section Chief: *clears throat* “Thank you Layla.”

The section chief stunted his orders as he waited for the room to quiet down.

Section Chief: “Good. Now that you have all settled down, I would like to begin by saying that I am fully aware of my given persona within Project Prometheus. The “Laid-Back Chief” of the 4th Research Facility. Though it is a humorous name given credence by my unconventional approach to management, it does not accurately depict my level of competence.”

The section chief paused once again as he stared daggers towards the lecherous man sitting besides TL7. Naturally, the man fidgeted nervously as he was ousted by his boss, in a room filled with his contemporaries.

Section Chief: “To my dismay, I was notified of the aforementioned discussion topics just minutes prior to this meeting. If one word can sum up my feelings towards how you have all conducted yourselves in my short absence from the facility, it is this: disappointment. I am disappointed that several of you have chosen a path that could jeopardize the true essence behind the 1st Beta Phase.”

“I need not remind all of you that the importance of this specific round of experimentation is to provide a clean slate, a baseline from which future experiments and expeditions will be compared against. Tainting this fundamental objective should not be tolerated. And it will not, so long as I remain section chief of this facility.”

Taking a break from his monologue, the section chief casually took a sip from his extra large cup of coffee, then slouched back onto his comfortable chair.

With eyes closed, the section chief resumed his address.

Section Chief: “However…”

The people around TL7 perked up as they heard the section chief speak. Though he had uttered only a single word, it was a profound light of hope amongst those soon to be punished.

Opening his eyes, the section chief breathed out a heavy sigh.

Section Chief: *sigh* “However, I will postpone any corrective actions for those involved in dealings adverse to our mission for a later date. I am commanding everyone involved in these misdeeds to provide me, and those who I have assigned as judges, their testimonies and reasoning behind their actions. Only then will I issue out a decision.”

“For clarity, those of you guilty of wrongdoing are entering a state of limbo where you wade through the waters of my patience. Do NOT test me. Your survival depends on the decisions you make moving forward and how well you reconcile your faults. If you fail, you drown.”

“Do not think of this opportunity as lenience, but rather a brief moment of respite in the midst of thorough investigations.”

Pausing once again, the section chief casually took another sip of his coffee while he waited for the seriousness of his address to sink into everyone’s minds.

“Given the circumstances, two of the three topics for today’s conference will NOT be up for discussion. But do not worry, Layla will provide a short briefing of the details regarding these topics before we move-on to discussing the last.

“Layla, if you would, please.”

Layla, who had been standing diagonally behind the section chief, nodded in agreement and stepped forward while adjusting her oversized glasses.

Layla: “For the topic of illegal operations within facility grounds, the details are as follows: two male scientists were detained for their loud and questionable conversation on Observation Platform C. From their interrogation, we were made aware of an illegal brothel that had taken root in the 5th Research Facility. Several of you here have been implicated in the brothel’s activity, either as patrons, organizers, or willing participants.”

Layla looked around the room, eyeing several people before continuing her briefing.

Layla: “Just as the section chief has said, those involved with these activities will be given a fair trial. The punishment will depend on your level of involvement.”

“Moving onto the topic of unsanctioned alterations of multiple test subjects...this topic is broken into two parts. The details for the Part A are as follows: Subjects 501 through 530 have all been tampered with and therefore, do not qualify as baseline test subjects. From our investigations, the reasoning behind these unsanctioned alterations are, and I quote ‘to create a set of class-based archetypes that are beyond exceptional in their field of expertise. Imagine having the ability to produce a class of heroes on-demand, the possibilities could be limitless.’”

*MUMBLING*

TL7 couldn’t help but shake his head as those around him voiced their own concerns in the form of hushed whispers.

Layla: “Ahem.”

Layla cleared her throat to settle down the crowd, before continuing on.

Layla: “The methods used in the attempt to achieve these class-based archetypes, are crude at best. Simply altering a subject’s behavioral patterns through the use of chemical injections is not an exact science. The likelihood of chemical imbalance is high. Furthermore, corrective adjustments cannot be made after the subjects transfer to Halios...but I digress.”

“Those of you involved in these affairs-”

*THUD*

A chair slammed into the ground, interrupting Layla’s briefing. Beside it was a woman fuming with rage. [Looks like she doesn’t approve of Layla’s criticism.] TL7 mentally noted as he watched his colleague, TL3, angrily stomp away from the conference table.

Shrugging off the display of dramatic behavior, Layla resumed.

Layla: “Those of you involved in these affairs will also be given a fair trial. However, the severity of punishment will solely rely on the success of this class-based archetype system.”

“For Part B of the topic, I will hand the floor over to TL7.”

Turning to face TL7, Layla gestured for him to stand and give his portion of the briefing.

Layla: “TL7, please continue where I left off.”

TL7 adjusted his Bob Ross graphic t-shirt as he leisurely stood up from his chair. With both hands grasping the edge of the oak table, he leaned forward and took-in a deep breath just before lifting his head to survey the thirty or so pairs of eyes staring at him in anticipation.

TL7: *sigh* “Where to begin...let’s see.”

He released all the air he had sucked-in to calm his nerves as he stalled to find a good point to start.

TL7: “I suppose I’ll just get to the thick of it.”

“One of the scientists under my very short tenure here as a newly appointed team leader, is the culprit behind Subject 513’s mental collapse.”

*GASP*

A series of unconvincing gasps resounded around the room upon hearing TL7’s revelation. He wasn’t sure if it was an unconscious reaction or purposeful act to show they had some semblance of shock or remorse. He fought hard to stop himself from rolling his eyes before he resumed.

TL7: “Hmm. Well, let’s take a step back for a minute. For the topic of unsanctioned alterations of multiple test subjects...Part B entails the tampering of Subject 513.”

Taking in another slow, deep breathe to control the speed at which he spoke, TL7 readied himself to present what he knew.

TL7: “The details are as follows: upon having a candid one-on-one conversation with a scientist named Bernard Miller, I was able to piece together a somewhat complicated sequence of events that lead to Subject 513’s demise. From our conversation, I had learned that Bernard was blackmailed into forging documentation that allowed his nephew -- the one doing the blackmailing -- to become an ideal candidate for the 1st Beta Phase.”

“Once his nephew was acquired and sedated, Bernard altered records to prevent his nephew from receiving the SubSplit procedure, a required procedure for anyone force-transferring to Halios -- this death sentence was Bernard’s act of revenge against his own kin.”

“Unfortunately for Bernard, he entered the wrong subject name when he falsified the records; he altered Subject 513’s records instead of Subject 531, which was his nephew’s assigned subject name. Whether or not this was due to a lapse in memory or simply a dyslexic moment, Bernard meant to and did harm one of our test subjects, so he will be receiving punishment fit for his actions.”

Turning his attention to the section chief, TL7 made his case for a private audience.

“Section chief, given the previous topic, I would like to discuss further implications of Subject 513’s status in private...if you don’t mind, that is.”

*MUMBLING*

As TL7 had expected, his colleagues were not too happy with his request. Information was a commodity in their field, and being denied access to it bred distrust.

Section Chief: “Very well. It seems that my declaration has put you in a difficult position, so I will grant you this private audience you have requested, but at a later date...People, people. Settle down. Must I remind you that the current topics are NOT up for discussion? Do not blame TL7 for taking the only path available to him.”

“Is there anything else you would like to add, TL7?”

Moving his head from side-to-side, TL7 responded.

TL7: “No. My report has concluded.”

TL7 then turned towards Layla and gestured for her to take over.

TL7: “The floor is yours, miss.”

A faint smirk appeared on Layla’s lips as she gave TL7 a satisfied look, before resuming the briefing.

The rest of the conference continued without much incident. The Alpha team reports simply verified the arrival locations of the test subjects on Halios. The discussions that followed the report focused on [1] how to monitor the test subjects without inadvertently influencing their movements, actions, and decision making; [2] if any form of intervention should be considered; and [3] how to accurately forecast the subjects’ affect on the local populace.

TL7, who was a newcomer to these conferences, simply kept his mouth shut and observed how the rest of the attendees conducted themselves. From their speech patterns, their choice in words, their body language, etc. TL7 took mental note of it all; he might have to use the information to defend himself one day.

◊◊◊◊◊◊

Staggering back into his office, TL7 weaved his way around piles of documents still littering the floor -- his office was a chaotic, but organized mess. Slumping into his mesh work chair, he looked up at white ceiling he had strangely become familiar with and closed his eyes to meditate. [What a day.] He thought to himself as he twirled a pen in an intricate sequence of tricks. [The shitshow has just begun, hasn’t it.] He continued to muse. [When’s the next time I’ll see real daylight, I wonder?]

The pen hit the floor as TL7 slowly lost consciousness. He had been kept awake for over forty hours preparing for the conference, only for the conference to finish in under six hours.

TL7: “Are you still alive, 513?”

TL7 faintly muttered before succumbing to sleep.

---Chapter End