EARTH 2A

Day 12, 0815 (Morning)

Focus: TL7

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* KNOCK*

Unrushed by the knocking at his door, TL7 casually took a sip from his oversized cup of dark, black coffee, and continued writing inside his journal.

TL7: “Ah...door’s open, come-in if you want.”

Without looking-up from the mess of paperwork chaotically organized across his desk, TL7 called for his guest to enter the room.

Section Chief: “Ahem! This is a rather peculiar way of welcoming your superior, is it not?”

Clearing his throat, the section chief of the 4th Research Facility protested against his reception.

TL7: “Hmm? Ah...right. I’ll be right with you in a second.”

However, TL7 cared little about the man’s well-being, continuing as he did before the section chief arrived at his door.

In response, the section chief did nothing; he dismissed TL7’s rudeness, believing their conversation was an ideal exchange between two eccentrics.

Expecting that he would not receive the pleasantries that normally came with introductions, SC4 decided to take the initiative by positioning himself closer to TL7’s desk.

He skillfully maneuvered his way around the columns of books, journals, and miscellaneous documents littering the floor and piled-up high, reminding him of the oddly-shaped stalagmites found at the entrance of the facility.

Eventually, he reached a part of the room clear of any obstacles. There, he found two unoccupied chairs and a small coffee table -- the ideal place where he could wait for TL7 to give a proper response.

Section Chief: “Your demeanor; your choice apparel; your methodology -- nothing has deviated since we last met, has it?”

In a tone that was more of a statement than an inquiry, the section chief questioned TL7 as he sat down.

TL7: “Yes, yes...almost done.”

Responding as-if he had ignored everything that was said to him, TL7 rushed to finish his notes.

TL7: “Okay. And...done. What can I...well, greetings Section Chi-”

Raising his hand to stop TL7 from completing his long, overdue introduction, the section chief decided to take control of the conversation.

Section Chief: “It is quite alright, Thoma...ahem, my apologies...TL7, was it? Yes, yes, it is quite alright TL7. You may call me SC4, for the sake of continuity.”

With a slip of the tongue, the conversation between the two men resumed as awkwardly as it began.

TL7: “...very well. What brings you to my humble prison, SC4?”

SC4: “Prison?...Nevermind that, I am here to discuss information not privy to wandering eyes. Information that both of us may benefit from, don’t you agree?”

A devious smile appeared on SC4’s face, just as he finished talking.

TL7: “...”

Not quite understanding SC4’s intentions, TL7 stared at his superior with a blank face.

The two sat in a deadlock; neither moving an inch; both holding their facial expressions in a heated staring contest.

SC4’s smile twitched as his cheeks began to tire, but he held-on strong -- he wasn’t going to lose to TL7’s look of pristine existentiality.

It was only after Layla’s entry into the room, did both men retract back to their neutral positions; both had lost.

Layla: “Excuse the interruption, perhaps we should close the door, sir.”

Layla’s intervention was well-placed, almost calculated.

SC4: “...please, do. Layla.”

Realizing he should err on the side of caution, SC4 agreed with Layla’s request. She in turn, closed the door and activated the sound-proofing.

With Layla taking his attention away from SC4, TL7 decided to open with some idle banter.

TL7: “Curious...is Layla a code-name?”

Layla smiled and moved her head from one side to the other.

Layla: “Of course not. It is my real name.”

She said, as she moved towards the empty seat, next to SC4.

TL7: “I see-”

SC4: “Is there an issue with her name?”

SC4 quipped defensively.

TL7: “No, I just expected someone of her position would be given one. With the level of information we have access to, it makes sense to use pseudonyms for promoting control, compartmentalization, and restriction.”

“After all, attachments are meaningless, given our type of work.”

SC4: “And what kind of work is that, exactly?”

TL7: “The amoral type.”

SC4: “Well, whatever type of work you believe it is that we do...Layla is Layla.”

TL7: “...”

Befuddled by SC4’s answer, TL7 shot a glance over at Layla’s direction. In response, she smiled and nodded at TL7.

SC4: “Let’s think about the situation a bit, shall we? Do our contracted scientists have access to such superficial...grandeur? Do our janitors? Guards? Attendants?”

SC4 stared at TL7, neither waiting-for, or expecting an answer.

SC4: “The answer is unequivocally NO. Only us few are privy to such...delights.”

TL7: “Right...I’ll drop the subject, what are you here for again?”

Irritated by his superior’s way of talking, TL7 hurried the conversation along.

SC4: “Method, TL7. Method. You would do well to remember that.”

TL7: “...”

*CLAP* *CLAP*

Believing he had properly squelched TL7, SC4 clapped his palms together, announcing his triumph.

[So this is how he wants to play.] TL7 thought to himself, realizing SC4 had pulled a powermove against him, forcing an unscheduled meeting to occur. [He wants to gain the upper-hand by catching me off-guard. How pitiful.]

SC4: “Right. On to business. Regarding the-”

TL7: “Bernard Miller. I have a few options in mind for his punishment, but I would like to know if you have any recommendations.”

[He must have come here under the pretense of granting me the private audience I had requested, but with no intention of touching the topics I want to discuss.] TL7 mused as he became rigid and more decisive.

SC4: “Ahem. Before that I would like to-”

Clearing his throat, SC4 attempted to steer the conversation in his direction, but was interrupted, yet again.

TL7: “Bernard Miller. Recommendations.”

The two men stared daggers at each other in quiet frustration as they battled for dominance.

In the end, only one came-out victorious.

TL7: “Well, since you’ve chosen to remain silent, I will tell you how I intend to carry-out his punishment.”

"The goal is to: 'do unto him as he did to others.'”

“In other words, we will replicate the same conditions Subject 513 underwent, using Bernard Miller as the test. I want to know if we can, and more importantly, if we should replicate this version of natural transfer."

SC4: "Quite a lenient sentence, don't you agree? I assumed a harsher outcome, coming from a man of your background."

TL7: "You misunderstand. If we are successful in replicating Subject 513's natural transfer process, then Bernard Miller will arrive in Halios as a shadow of his former self; an empty shell; a mass of incoherent screams.”

“His mind will degrade and reach the cusp of lunacy the very moment he wakes...and if we fail, well...he dies.”

After a brief pause, TL7 leered at SC4 and continued.

“I don't think either option aligns with your choice of words...this, coming from a man of my background."

SC4: "...I see-"

TL7: "And what exactly is it that you see?"

TL7 cracked in irritation.

Feeling inadequate and boxed-in, SC4 looked for a way out.

SC4: "AHEM! Information! The information regarding the state-of-mind an individual would be-in if the procedure is successful...how did you ascertain it?! How did you quantify it?!"

With his words rushed and voice raised, SC4 blurted out whatever came to mind -- all to save face. Unfortunately, doing so only painted him as a man who had lost his cool.

TL7: “...”

SC4: “...”

TL7: “Haaah.”

Disappointed with where the conversation was heading, TL7 let-out a weary sigh. [Perhaps a moment of reprieve is necessary.] He thought to himself.

Closing his eyes to meditate, he blindly reached for his large cup of coffee and took a long sip. Then, slouching back onto his mesh work chair, he slowly opened his eyes, stared at the ceiling, and resumed the conversation.

TL7: “This may come to no surprise to you, but to me, as a new player in this...testing ground, I found this particular information rather uncouth.”

Dropping his gaze towards SC4’s direction, TL7 continued.

“The cocktail of drugs and supplements administered to every subject...you are aware of their drawbacks, yes?”

SC4: “...”

TL7: “Mental collapse over-time -- the most severe drawback, and one that we witnessed first-hand with Subject 513’s case.”

“Just as I had said in my report during the most recent conference, the cocktail, when taken on its own, is a death sentence. You see, once the mind degrades, that's it. There is no going back; there is no recovering what was lost.”

"Waking up from such a thing will leave a person fragmented; scatter-brained."

"What is a worse fate for a scientist than forcing them to helplessly watch the culmination of their own hard work, accomplishments, and discoveries fade into nothing? To have their intellect shattered and scattered into the far-corners of their own mind?”

TL7 waited for SC4 to respond before he continued.

SC4: “...but what of the subjects not affected by this affliction”

TL7: “Every single subject is affected. The question is ‘by how much?’ In most cases, it is negligible, like experiencing a minor bout of forgetfulness. So long as the subjects undergo the SubSplit procedure, they shouldn’t experience any adverse effects...at least nothing that wouldn’t happen naturally over-time anyway.”

The two men sat in their chairs in silence as TL7 finished giving his answer.

One waited for his counterpart to speak, while the other contemplated how to steer the conversation towards his own interests.

Finally, SC4 broke the silence.

SC4: "You asked for recommendations regarding Bernard’s punishment. My recommendation to you is simple: keep him surveilled if the test is successful. The data gathered from such observations could prove useful in the future.”

TL7: "Noted...with that out of the way let's talk about-"

SC4: "In relation to Bernard Miller, I would like to hold a brief discussion into the dealings of his nephew, Joseph Miller, posthumously known as Subject 531."

TL7: "...go on."

Interested, TL7 gave no objections.

SC4: "His time on Halios, though short-lived, has managed to create a political rift in our relations with the local populace, particularly the Kingdom of Colesty, where he had transferred to."

TL7: "..."

Expecting to be complimented for his insider knowledge, SC4 was crestfallen when he was denied that satisfaction.

SC4: "...with a disgruntled population in the midst of our operations, the movements of our people on the ground will be hindered. Opposition is not what we want at this time."

TL7: "You are speaking of the situation which occured in the Saren residence, correct?"

SC4: "Correct. Countess Saren has expressed her extreme disgust with how we Travellers have conducted ourselves in her home. She is enraged by how Subject 531 treated her chosen heir, claiming that we must pay for sullying her family’s name…"

"I swear, of all the households that buffoon could have been assigned to...why did it have to be the Saren residence?"

TL7: "SC4, I don't care for politics. None of this information should affect our operations in the long-run. There are plenty of other kingdoms and nations to work with."

SC4: "Ah, but you are mistaken. Politics in Halios directly affects how we are able to operate; just like in our world, politics are a necessity, and Countess Saren holds a lot of sway, not only in her own nation...but I digress. We have contingencies in-place for scenarios such as Subject 531's shenaniganry. It may take some time, but relationships with the locals will heal."

TL7: "Then why bring this up?"

Peeved by the delivery of useless knowledge, TL7's irritation grew.

SC4: "Our relationship with the Kingdom of Colesty must be strengthened if we are to learn more about the dangers lurking in Halios...perhaps to even locate 513's whereabouts, assuming he still lives."

SC4 understood TL7’s motives, so he gave him just enough information to keep him interested.

TL7: "...explain."

TL7 had caught-on to SC4’s contradictions, which further aggravated his irritation, but for the sake of gaining information on 513's location, he bit his tongue.

Conflicted, he let SC4 continue.

SC4: "First, I need your word that you will work to stabilize our relations with said kingdom."

TL7: "..."

Staring blankly at SC4, TL7 gave his answer.

SC4: "Tch. Stubborn. No matter…back to the Saren family. They not only control the public image of Travellers inside the Kingdom of Colesty, but also serve as protectors of a legendary family of seers.”

“You see, this family of seers are responsible for allowing the kingdom to maintain their position of neutrality for thousands of years. The kingdom’s military and economic strength also attribute their success to this family’s unique contributions.”

“Before I go-on…”

Turning to face Layla, SC4 issued-out a direct order.

SC4: “Layla, dear. Mind making us some tea? This may take a while.”

Without hesitating, Layla stood-up from her seat and responded promptly.

Layla: “Of course, please excuse me.”

Feeling comfortable, SC4 stroked his beard with his right hand and paused the conversation for a brief moment. He spent this time gently humming an unfamiliar tune with a dirty smirk plastered all-over his face.

He enjoyed himself when he had control.

On the other-hand, TL7 contemplated what SC4 was scheming.

SC4: "Hmm. where was I-ah, yes. The family of seers -- the Teroseribe family -- are so profound that other nations travel far-and-wide seeking their services.”

“You see, the male descendants of the family have the unique ability to recall memories of true, absolute terror -- serving witness to others' pain. Often, these memories include persecution, torture, and other vile forms of misery people inflict upon one another. However, sometimes the trash heap of sorrow produces an unpolished gem; something that benefits all.”

TL7: "SC4, please get to the point. I care about the facts, not your long-winded, distorted, vague versions of it."

Tired of his antics, TL7 scolded SC4.

SC4: "Haaah. No one seems to appreciate my theatrics. Not even Layl...ah, nevermind that.”

“Ahem. Using their unique abilities, the Teroseribe family produced a compendium listing every dangerous beast and monster identified by their recall abilities. The compendium, which is aptly titled, The Halian Bestiary, is used by just about every kingdom and nation; by every soldier, mercenary, and protectorate force.”

“The bestiary provides methods for prevention and dispatch; for avoidance and subjugation. The information provided by this bestiary, allows small villages to thrive and frontier towns to survive.”

TL7: "In short, they are intelligence brokers."

SC4: "Ones that control the flow of information going-out into the public...and for a premium, will provide additional information missing from what is commonly known..."

Leaning-in towards TL7, SC4 continued.

SC4: "...therein lies our gateway to your obsession."

TL7: "My obsession?...if you are talking about 513, he is not an obsession. He's an unsolved mystery."

TL7 caught-on to what SC4 had alluded-to quickly.

SC4: "Well, then you'll be happy to hear that the Teroseribe family has recently uncovered information regarding several new, undocumented monsters. Monsters that have been witnessed by a man dressed in...suspicious attire."

TL7: "That is a bit of a stretch, even for you."

TL7 responded, unconvinced.

SC4: "Not at all. Not. At. All. There was mention that the monsters had already been given names by the man-in-question...English names.”

"The False Arachne -- named after a giant spider with a figure of a woman on its thorax; The Funnelhead -- a grotesque creature with reciprocating rows of teeth; The Corpse Shroom -- a giant mushroom colony that lures-in prey with the its bioluminescent light; The Echo Serpent -- a giant-"

Before he went off-track, TL7 interrupted the mildly excited SC4.

TL7: "SC4, you're indulging yourself again."

TL7 quipped, as he brought both hands to his face to complete a double facepalm.

SC4: "Ah-haha-ha...Ahem. You must forgive me. It is invigorating learning all about the dangers our test subjects will have to face in the near future. It’s rather overwhelming…”

SC4 trailed-off after realizing he had admitted something he should not have.

TL7: "..."

SC4: "...the monsters, yes the monsters. After the Teroseribe family publicized the discovery of the new monsters, word of their potential location was received.”

“Apparently, based-on description alone, at least two of the monsters reside near the frontier village of Rasa; names for the monsters were never officially given, as no records of capture or subjugation had ever been made.”

"This means that...it may be the first time that a Traveller has named a new type of monster in the new world! Isn't that exciting?!"

“Speaking of which, the frontier town of Rasa borders the Forbidden Forest of the Northern Lands -- a large, unclaimed territory that Daedons, Haelics, Elders, Dwarden, and even Humans have all failed to capture and assimilate...just imagine the number of yet-to-be discovered monsters that live in such a place!”

SC4 was on the verge of drooling as he finished talking.

TL7: "..."

SC4: "Don't give me that look, I'm close to making my point…"

Smacking his lips together, SC4 fired a judgemental glare towards TL7.

TL7: “Then get to-”

SC4: "Did you know that during the force-transfer procedure, our Alpha and Pre-Alpha teams monitored the energy signatures of every arriving subject to ensure they reached their proper, predetermined locations?"

"No?"

"Well, one of the teams recorded a weak energy signature coming from the Forbidden Forest, around the same time 513 went missing...I don't think any of this is a coincidence."

TL7: "Are you telling me that 513 is somewhere inside the Forbidden Forest, fighting-off monsters that are so dangerous that even locals are unable to survive their attacks?”

SC4: “Yes.”

TL7: “...”

It was at this point TL7 admitted to himself that SC4 was a lost cause.

SC4: “...”

TL7: “Where exactly does maintaining good relations with the Kingdom of Colesty come into play in this scenario?

SC4: "..."

TL7: "Is Rasa a contingent of the kingdom?

SC4: "No."

TL7: "Is Colesty the closest nation to the forest?"

SC4: "No."

TL7: "Do they have field experts or travel guides that can take our teams into Forbidden Forest?"

SC4: "...no."

TL7: "So why are they needed? We have all the information required to start a proper investigation."

SC4: "Archetypes."

TL7: "Pardon?"

SC4: "Archetypes, one of the talking points of our recent conference. I want to use one of the subjects with an archetype to find 513, which was also given an archetype."

[What the hell?] TL7 questioned inwardly, not quite sure how to process the situation.

TL7: "...the likelihood of 513 having access to such power-"

SC4: "That doesn't matter. In order to make-up for our blunders, we need to ensure the archetype system is successful. One way to do this is to prove the system works."

TL7: "And the reason for all this...there is a subject with an archetype inside the Kingdom of Colesty, isn't there..."

Rubbing his temple, TL7 couldn't help but respond in frustration. [This bastard loves moving in circles just to draw a line.] TL7 complained.

With the dirty smirk reappearing on his face, SC4 replied.

SC4: "Yes, Subject 502, the holder of the Hero archetype. He is currently living and training in Colesty...and he happens to have undergone a peculiar change to his physical form."

SC4’s eyes glittered while mentioning the changes to 502, but before he could elaborate, Layla walked back into the room.

Layla: "Excuse me. Tea is ready."

Distracted by the presence of tea, SC4's mood...remained the same.

SC4: "Oh! Good, good. Why don't you join us TL7, we can resume afterwards."

[This guy…] Still trying to process the situation, TL7 couldn’t help but shake his head in disbelief. [He’s all-over the place...shit I need time to think.]

Taking a deep breath, TL7 looked down at his half-finished cup of coffee, and stared at it for a brief moment. [Damn. It’s cold.]

Relenting, he shrugged his shoulders and took-up the offer for tea time, joining SC4 and Layla at the coffee table. [Let’s hope SC4’s thoughts stay organized while Layla is present.] TL7 mused as he poured himself a cup of tea.

---Chapter End