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Matt Hein / Journal / WeekFour / | |
| Week Four, Answering her request Already the amber hues of autumn had graced the city, although I was braced more for a departure from my emotional ‘tree’, Kariss. Let’s face it here, in an ironic twist of fate, it seemed to me that after a long week of studies, a lack of sound communication and a general chill about the wind served to divide us further than I expected. Well, that and this breeze which spirited me away one aptly named Luca Aurelle, that mysterious girl who I found to stand in wait for me each and every morning, although she soundly knew I had something going with Kariss. Week Four, answering her request. Logging on to /Luc.gov/ server, starting session. Welcome Corporal Osprey, you currently have three messages. Osprey, dammit, Lieutenant Adrian reporting! Did I not warn you not to violate our archival security protocols? Seriously, the state cannot afford to tolerate errata within the MIA’s system! Just last night when my agents were attempting to retrieve several of our 2010 reviews for information audits, they found several files which belonged in or late T.E 1970’s cache! I want to talk to you ASAP! Hey, Osp, I found this in the government network just a few hours ago! Since you’re probably sleeping right now or out on the field, or...doing something else productive, you lucky dog you! I’ll just leave you this message, anyway. It seems your godfather, Kiyne has appeared in the media once again! We have reports from the tribunal bureaucrat which link him to several more underground dealings...seriously, he looks so much like you, but... I need to talk to you about this! Get back in touch immediately! Over and out, Dracon. Osprey, hey, Luca here! I just wanted you to know we’re going to have a very enjoyable time in Botany study today! (maybe even later we can pair up at the park?) Hey, I reserved us several seats for the holiday lectures at the academy as well, isn’t that wonderful? Hey, call me back ASAP, okay? Gotta go, LuAre Well, for myself that was another typical start to an autumn morning with a variety of bothersome contact intrusions. However, the furor laden commnuncations from ever petulant Lieutenant Adrian or Dash’s information didn’t serve to stir me, but rather those emitting from Luca. Why? I’ll tell you about it...Just a few days after colliding into her in the library, I again enountered her in the botany lab during a routine delivary of government files. I strolled in as usual, handed the professor her manila folder by standard procedure, and turning to leave, bumped into her by chance, only for the dear lass to drop a few potted plants to the ground. I should have just bolted from the scene right there, but my chivalrous instincts immediately kicked in. Next thing I knew I had a casual conversation with her and oddly enough, received a request for my governmental contact information. Considering that pooling for the numbers of various girls was usually a task laden in failure for me, I was to put it frankly, quite surprised. You see, I had fond reccollections of approaching women in class, attempting to strike very casual, ‘spit into the wind’ conversations, and the next thing I knew I either had a notebook shoved in my face or a typical cold shoulder ‘thanks, but no’ treatment. Even being handsome and intelligent, picking up contacts was a very difficult task in the academy. However, this time around the tables had turned in my favor, or so I thought. Kariss had her suspicions already, by god she did, just the other day I found her crouched behind my projection set, and demanding an explanation of her wherabouts, received a reply stating that she was repairing some of the connection wiring. What wiring? The damn system was internal to the central mainframe! Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I switched off and folded my tablet PC, as I reclined in my office chair, fastening my tie and afterwards adjusting my collar. Preparing for another day of study and late night archivist work under the watchful eyes of Lieutenant Adrian, and possibly some conversation with Dash and Kariss, I realized right then and there that Kariss had promised me a date for lunch today, Aurelle’s day, of all days in the week! This thought felt both calming and striking to the senses. Striking, in the effect that Luca would be ‘devastated’ if I couldn’t make it...hell, she could enjoy her lectures, however, I still felt uneasy about it, but shrugged that feeling off. From there on, I procured my briefcase and left my unorganized dormitory room to make the early session of military ethics class, an area of study which could be easily marked as asinine. Ethics in military duty? Please! This was just as bad as our patriotism classes or the ‘courting studies’ the state orgsanized prior to soirees and evening galas held by high ranking officials. Stepping into the elevator shaft, I was already making some good time, having a few hundred seconds to spare before roll call was taken. But of course, that was rarely enough time to savor for myself, since just a single moment away from the hectic system constituted a rare luxury, like water to a desert region, which had to be rationed accordingly. Receiving my fill of sanity for the moment, I leaned against the cylindrical glass panel of the capsule-formed elevator lift and looked towards the artificial morning sky of our sky_sphere, reserve, which seemed contrasted between shades of vermillion and azure hues. My eyelied seemed weighted and heavy from my lack of rest as my knees buckled, unable forthe moment to sustain my weight. Kneeling to the cool floor, I set my briefcase aside and ran my hand through my silver hair, but quickly recovered at the sound of approaching footsteps, alerted by the thought that it could possibly be Lieutenant Adrian or a higher ranking officer. ...or probably just another errant student... I thought to myself as I crossed my arms and stood astute by the panel, my eyes barely open. As the quickly approaching footsteps stopped to my side and the glass lift doors secured tightly with a hydraulic hiss, ready to begin its vertical descent towards the congested network of shafts below. However, I heard a voice speak to me, confirming my fears. “Osprey! There you are cutie, you look distracted? Did you get my message?” Dammit, it was Luca...she must have been standng in wait for my company again. In a sense, I considered her a tad too friendly, although she was a pretty lass. Still, I could not see what she saw in me! I mean, I held an occupation best described as austere and tedious, spent my free time on the internet and considered politics an enjoyable endeavor. Seriously, what a girl would see in that...well, of her type, I wasn’t sure. Kariss on the other hand was brought up in a very formal setting, so we held much in common, particularly in tastes. Shrugging off her greetings, I aptly replied with disinterest. “Oh, it’s nothing...nothing at all, Luca.” “Osprey...you’re not pleased to see me, are you?” Opening my eyes, I took a deep breath and spoke to her. Still, I couldn’t admit to her of my dislike for her gregarious ways. “Its not that, Luca...just...” “Oh...you’re tired...that’s right, the evening shift, eh? Yes, it can be quite a burden. That’s why I picked para-psionics as my area of study, there’s so much free time to practice. It’s a shame you couldn’t visit me last night...it was pretty lonely without you.” Frankly, I had more important matters to concern me. “You know the schedule...saturated as usual.” “Oh...” “Yeah...” I replied, as I turned away from her and surveyed the approaching computer science level of the academy floor, my escape still at least fifty seconds away. “Osprey...you’ve been acting rather evasive lately, particularly towards me. What gives, already?” Turning towards her, I picked up my briefcase and eyed her. “Look, Luca...If I’m seen with you, sooner or later those rumors are going to reach my girlfriend Kariss Aurant...and right now we’re really on a rocky basis. If she suspects trangression...I...” “Osprey...you’re just too worrisome...I mean, it is a rather noble attrbute to be so considerate, but you really should relax. I mean, after class...” “I have to attend military ethics class.” “Oh, come on, Osprey, we all now there are no ethics in killing the enemy except making sure they’re dead! That’s what my commander told me last week. That class is a joke.” “Hey, it’s not that bad...a good friend of mine, Dracon attends it regularly, and has no problem with it.” “Dracon...you’re talking about that...Dash, right? He’s so interesting...commanding, almost.” And right there, I saw my glaring opportunity to bait and switch Luca to Dash...all I needed was some fast talking and some charisma. Even if successful, I knew ash would get back at me somehow...he could not stand highly energetic women...well, unless they were off their feet. That was another story, though. “Dracon...yeah. He’s a good friend of mine! He’s be more than happy to talk to you..heck, I believe he also has a schedule similar to yours, computer science, psionics training, botany...and get this, he has a tail, like a fox.” “What? I never noticed!” “Tell me, why does he always step around in armor from the waist down and light equipment above? Simple, he wishes to hide it from public view because he fears opinion of it. Of course, he’s an antipode, no surprise. Aren’t you one as well?” “Yes, I am...but...waita moment, you’re not attempting to set up somesort of date, are you? I don’t have feelings for him, and...” “Give it a shot anyway...who knows, you might even connect.” “I’m not so sure about it...” “Luca, he even told me, but don’t tell him I said this... he has a liking to you...just the other day he was checking you out. Remember our session in philosophy studies?” “Oh, come on, Osprey! That’s nonsensical!” “Whatever you say, Luca...” “However..I guess I’ll speak with him on a later occasion.” As the elevator prepared to break its descent and whisked to a stop on the ground floor lobby of the academy, I ran my hand through my hair once again and prepared my leave, although Luca was quick to interrupt me. “Hey, you’re going to join me later for the lectures, right?” “Maybe...however I’m compelled to speak with several of my superiors on a potential rank increment...” I replied, as the darkly tinted lift doors once again opened with its distinct hiss, only to reveal a very crowded lobby hall, streams of students and military authorities passing by its central statue of an armored horseman, as it sat below a brilliant circular array of incandescent light. “Later then, Osprey...I hope to see you soon...” Luca spoke to me softly, as she trotted away towards her respective destination, possibly the natural phenomenon studies hall. And so, after that rather uneventful ride, I still felt some animosity for not admitting to Luca the verity over the situation... Stepping out of the lift and proceeding towards the library hall, a long wooden cooridor laced with polished bookshelves and paintings, I stopped short of the hall only to see an unexpected figure stand in wait, rather disappointed in me. Oh god, it was Kariss. “Kariss...you’re back from the preparatory academy this early? You must have finished your shift early...” “Osprey...who was this...lady...you were speaking to! I demand to know!” “She was just a casual acquaintence...another student from the academy...” “Hmmph...sheesh, Osprey.” She spoke, as she straightened her bow tie and rubbed her forehead. “Well, the last time I visited, I noticed you were speaking with the same girl...I’ve had my suspicions...” “Which explains your croutching between that projection set, no?” “Hey, I already told you! I was fixing those wires, I mean the transmission.” “Whatever you say, Kariss...” “Osprey, I need to know who that girl is...you never know in this day and age. She could very well be an agent from a foreign country...” “That’s nosnense, Kariss!” “Could it be, though...a relationship would serve as a legitimate reason for entry into one’s private affairs. Imagine if you entered into your account, left to procure a report and she siphoned that data! Could you fathom the ramifications?” “Well, I’d probably receive a demerit for negligence...” “Worse than that, this information would trigger a war, a terrorist attack, or even compromise the structure of our intelligence network.” “Kariss, you’re overreacting here! She’s essentially harmless, just very gragarious.” “I see...I still need her identity. I’ll run a background check ASAP.” “Seriously, don’t you believe entrance into the university would necessitate that same procedure. Calm down and relax, already.” “Osprey...it’s not only that...she’s also a threat to our fidelity. Perhaps I should just skip our lunch date and reconsider this...” She spoke, as she motioned for me to step back, her sepia eyes rather watery. “Kariss!” And yet, I was too late, only to see her dart past me and into the crowded distance of the lobby. It was at that moment I realized that ‘hectic’ was a rather poor explanation for the situation,and made a plan to catch up with her later for a coffee, or at least some time away from the university. I now felt strongly compelled with the option of answering Luca’s request to attend the lectures, but decided against it... Other links of interest. |
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