Days had passed since Neptune first stepped foot into the AMRI. Apart from the higher food standards, everything else about this place made him sick. The emptiness. The long commute back and forth on foot. And most importantly, not having a phone.
As he had not received the clearance to participate in classified work, his days were spent in the holding room reading unclassified documents he could have searched about, or watched in documentaries. He tried napping to pass the time until he noticed the constant surveillance.
Luckily, Neptune possessed a functioning brain. Not just any amazing brain but a superiorly amazing one. After extensively observing and analysing the compound, he knew the only locations in Ravens Camp that were not under surveillance. And that’s why the luxurious washroom and its spacious cubicles had become his unofficial second home in the institute.
“What took you so long?”
Unbeknownst to him, his mentor had entered the room while he went to the washroom.
“I needed to answer nature's call, sir.”
"For that long?"
That's when it dawned upon him that he spent too long catching a quick one. Neptune knew his mentor wasn't buying it, but he still nodded.
“I'll take your word for that. Your camera phone. In the locker. Now.”
Neptune placed his hands in his uniform pants to reveal the emptiness within.
Ivan waved his hands dismissively to change the subject, whipping out another giant stack of paper from within his lab coat and slamming it on the desk his mentee occupied.
“I need you to read through this. It is pretty self-explanatory, so fill out the forms accordingly. If need be, here’s a phone to ask your mother for more information.”
Ivan dropped a phone on the table as he walked over to the door’s exit, “Don’t even think of using it to surf the internet; it can track everything down to your keystrokes.”
“My mother?”
“Yes, your mother.”
Neptune found it strange for someone to mention his family.
“Sir, why would I need my mother’s input for these forms?”
“I don’t think you know enough to fill everything up. Besides,” Ivan stroked his moustache before pressing the door’s button to exit the room, “I don’t like this ‘cat and mouse’ game that you and Captain Graves have been playing.”
“What do you mean, sir?”
Ivan walked away from the door, his large frame towering over Neptune, who remained seated at the desk, his hands placed on the stacks of paper. “You don’t have to play coy with me.”
An intense staredown between master and student ensued, with neither backing down. A master trickster himself, Ivan knew the trick to pull.
“You don’t know what your father did to your OC and his allies, do you?”
“I have no idea what you’re saying–”
“There’s a reason for his disdain for you…”
Their fallen allies never returned home. Those who survived could not speak of the tragedy of that day due to confidentiality agreements. It was all because of the mentor he trusted. Ivan thought he could forget, but some wounds…just do not heal.
“Your father is the Federation’s biggest black mark in its history. A literal black sheep–”
Ivan heard a loud slam on the table that his mentee occupied, unleashing a vortex of untamed anger. That fit of fury he had witnessed several times as a young researcher fourteen years ago, whenever a trial experiment went sour in this lab. The vehement hostility one could sense from geniuses who lacked moral compasses.
He glanced at his mentee, knowing he had triggered him by that simple bait. Fourteen years ago, he was an immature researcher who believed in the words of his mentor. Everything his mentor instructed him to perform would come to fruition in the name of science–even at the cost of unethical experimentation–to achieve progress and innovation at any price.
“Why, professor, why?”
“Ivan, you never knew me. And you never will.”
Those were the final words of his mentor before he gave in to it.
He truly believed his mentor wished for the same thing. All the scientific arts they performed. The hidden practices that the ethical board had made them swear never to practice. The desecration of the departed. They shared a bond of cruelty as master and student to create a shared future for the Federation, shrouded in secrecy.
But that all changed on that fateful day when their work of progress transformed into the instruments of destruction. Fast forward fourteen years, and it has become the Empire’s turn to play these instruments and change their tune into a symphony of vengeance.
“Don’t you dare talk about my father in this manner!”
“...I’ll assess you again some day.”
Neptune gave his mentor a bewildered, murderous look.
“You’re still immature and weak. Both in mind and body. You have so much potential, yet you cannot fully grasp the raw strength that lies within.”
Neptune’s rage faded once his mentor's words started making sense.
"Don't take people’s words personally. Those who can't keep themselves in check often get manipulated by someone else."
Neptune took a moment to calm himself down and realised he had overstepped his boundaries by unleashing an uncharacteristic burst of unfettered rage. Carefully crafting his emotion matrix, he bowed his head solemnly, portraying his regret for his immaturity.
“I’m sorry.”
Ivan sighed loudly. “You better get used to this, young Smith. This institute has researchers carrying massive egos, where you’ll tend to butt heads often; arguing over work is commonplace. If you think what I said earlier was harsh, wait till you meet the rest who do not mince their words.”
“...Yes, sir.”
“You understand that the final assessment is coming, right? Nobody can survive the wild when they can't control their emotions.”
Neptune widened his eyes, understanding the implications behind his warning.
“The environment you’ll be in during Field Camp is significantly different from this cushy ‘four-walls’ kind of playground you recruits have trained in for months. None of you are prepared, even when you might claim to be. If you can’t control your emotions there, you’ll lose it. Imagine just one,” Ivan raised his index finger, “Just one soldier unprepared for the wild, losing his marbles. Can you imagine the morale of the platoon? Even better, the morale of the entire company and battalion?”
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Neptune swallowed hard. Every word his mentor preached sounded like the gospel.
“Control your emotions. Keep yourself in check. Never let external circumstances control you. Remember to work together as a team, as one coherent unit. Like they say, one for all and all for one.”
“Thank you for the advice, sir.”
“Also, your mother.”
Neptune swallowed nervously. “What about her?”
“I know the arrangement. You want to know what happened, don’t you?”
Neptune nodded and silently observed his mentor place his hand on the door’s scanner.
“Young Smith, you must understand that all actions have consequences. Some day, when the time is right, I’ll tell you.”
Turning around, Ivan spoke the last thing on his mind before letting his mentee start filling out the forms.
“...Yes, sir.”
“One more thing: this is more important than anything we just discussed,” Ivan reverted to his deep-sounding professional voice, prompting his mentee to sit up straight.
“These forms…please write your entry above the black line. Do not touch the black line, you understand!”
“Yes, sir!”
“If you fill those forms wrongly, I’ll need you to fill them again with a new copy. No matter what you do, do not touch the black line! The processing time for these security clearances would take months. If you screw it up by writing on the black line, I’ll send you to a ‘line drawing’ competition. You understand?!”
“Yes, sir!”
“You understand what I just said?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Good, then repeat what I just said.”
“For this form, write above the black line. Also, do not touch the black line. Ever.”
“Perfect. You have a good memory. One that is needed for our work in these four walls.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“That concludes lesson number one.”
“Huh–”
The automatic door slid shut before Neptune could probe his mentor further.
When he was first posted into the AMRI and traversed this maze within the institute, he slammed his head when walking through the wrong walls. Neptune wished there was a guide, an administrative assistant on the institute’s payroll, to guide researchers to their respective rooms. However, that was not the case. His wish would never become fulfilled based on his observation. From his short stint of two weeks, the institute had nobody apart from commissioned officers, amounting to a total headcount of fewer than ten people, including himself.
“Now I have to–”
“Let me help you with that, Recruit Smith.”
Neptune widened his eyes, for he recognised the sweet, delicate voice. For a maiden trapped in the recesses of war, only a victory by his hands would save her from the clutches of a uniform unworthy of her god-given natural curves.
“M-ma’am! What are you doing here?”
Brenda quickly gestured for her recruit to stand at ease. “I have some work to tidy up before heading back. Some loose ends to keep in check.”
“I seem to have lost my way again.”
“You’re lost again?”
“I’m not the best with directions.”
“Understandable, you can’t be good at everything. Before that, have you remembered to retrieve your phone?”
Neptune placed his hands in his pockets and froze. “Erm…”
Brenda chuckled as she accompanied her recruit back to the locker. Sometimes, Neptune had forgotten that they shared the same youthfulness. But that thought quickly faded into despair upon knowing she could have lived a more meaningful life without the Federation and its selfish, draconian policies. And that, tragically, mirrored him, too.
“Let’s head back, we don’t have time to waste.”
Neptune, with phone in hand, could hardly believe his luck. If he had left the research institute without it, the entire night would have become an insufferable night of listening to his batchmates talk about their miserable combat vocational training.
“Luckily, I just happened to bump into you after leaving my room. Who knows if someone else would have helped you? This institute will be empty for a while, as the total headcount the Wartime Budget Committee gave us has yet to fulfil its quota. Also, we won’t have any other recruits from this cohort join the institute. Most of them just don’t fit the cut.”
“Then I must thank the heavens for they sent you to aid me, ma’am.”
“Yeah,” Brenda flashed a big smile, “I finally have the chance to help out a capable soldier under my command. You do not know how much time you have saved your commanders on disciplinary stuff.”
“You implore me, ma’am.”
“Every other batch causes problems for their commanders, except for Batch 77 and us.”
Brenda stopped in her tracks, turning around to tap her recruit on the shoulder lightly.
“Over there, we have reached the pass office. Can you remember the way back?”
“I’ll try my best, ma’am. Like I said, I’m terrible with maps and all that.” Neptune sighed, causing his commander to chuckle lightly. Sensing his commander’s authenticity, Neptune knew he had to go for it. He wanted to make himself accountable for his goal.
He dropped his laughter to look his commander straight in the eyes. “I have made a vow, ma’am.”
“What is it?”
“Batch 123 is going to get a first-place finish before this phase of military training ends.”
Seemingly impressed, Brenda gave her recruit a thumbs up. “I look forward to it, Recruit Smith.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you for the help today. I’ll see you during Field Camp.” Neptune saluted again, to which his commander returned it.
“Are you prepared for it?”
Neptune sensed danger in his commander’s tone. “Any advice?”
“Remember to work as a team, and you all will do fine. See you soon, Recruit Smith.” Brenda walked toward the military vehicle with a transport operator waiting for her in the driver’s seat. She turned around to speak her parting words, smiling at Neptune while the setting sun basked her beautiful olive skin. “I hope you don’t get lost returning to the bunk!”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Oh! Before I forget!”
Neptune tilted his head, confused.
“You won’t like me as much during Field Camp!”
“What do you–”
Before Neptune’s words reached his commander, she had already ridden off into the sunset. The sound of a jeep driving off toward the officer’s quarters in Ravens Camp started loud until it became softer. And eventually, silence.
“She’s gone–”
“Neptune!”
Then, from a distance, an enthusiastic voice erupted from behind.
“Perfect timing!” Bray, who had left the ammunition institute, shouted at Neptune from a distance.
“What a coincidence.”
“You wouldn’t believe it,” Bray nodded excitedly, flashing a big grin, “I can’t believe how I even got it.”
“If you have something to say, say it quickly. I’m getting hungry.”
The only thing on Neptune’s mind was what he would feast upon during chowtime as his stomach began to growl.
“Come on, say it.”
“I got it!”
"What did you get?"
"It!"
"What's 'it'?"
"His name!"
Neptune looked at Bray intensely. Once droopy from hunger, his eyes were reignited by the revitalised will within him. He knew this was a game-changer, the coup de grace that would end the humiliation he suffered once and for all if it was what he speculated it to be.
“His name is…”
Bray whispered the words into Neptune’s ears, causing him to widen his eyes before they gradually returned to their natural state. Smirking ever-so-lightly, Neptune placed his hand on Bray’s shoulder. “The Field Camp is the day we claim first place.”
“Yes.”
“How in the world did you get his name?”
Bray winked playfully. “That’s a secret.”
“Come on, you’re good at this. Spill the tea.”
“Another time.”
“Regardless, it’s time we go on the offensive during Field Camp.”
