Regardless of the prohibition from his father, Stairmount was still stuck with his choice – becoming the personnel of Chrono. At first, they were all welcoming him warmly. Stairmount himself indeed possesses an appealing face as well as demeanor it becomes his additional value for being easily accepted. But soon afterward, inter-ethnic sentiment increased. Racial discrimination against the Ethnic Saturnian of Jupiterian citizens began to mushroom, and quickly swept over the entire Jupiter. Actually, it is Saturn whom they hate, but because they have branded Saturnian-Jupiterian as Saturn people, they also commit lots of racial indiscriminate acts against the Ethnic Saturnians. Of course, Stairmount is not spared from their target victims. And inevitably, some Chrono personnel – especially the seniors – have a higher antipathy to Saturn as they are often involved in clashes between Jupiter and Saturn recently. Moreover, the senior members of Chrono are a bunch of disdainful people who often do arbitrary acts, especially towards their juniors. However, there are much more members who are kind to him it reduces the suffering Stairmount has to endure. For example is James, his best friend.
“My goodness, Stairmount! Why do you let them beat you again?!” James shouted loudly as he saw Stairmount come out of the room in limping manner.
Stairmount forced a smile. “Come on James… you know who Field is? What can you do to fight against him?”
James stared at Stairmount in silence, as if he was deep in thought.
“You mustn’t let all of this go on, or else you will die. I find that they just arrange intensive military training for all personnel. You can try to learn about military there.”
“But, I’ve totally no idea about military!…”
“Precisely because you are dumb in martial arts then it lets Field bully you. Your departure to Pluto is on next year, isn’t it? You can learn there while waiting. Who knows, a year later, you’ll be on par with that bully.”
Slowly, Stairmount nodded in agreement. And then, he attended the military academy, and also trained hard for it.
What actually pushes Stairmount so that he can gain these achievements, is adversity and humiliation. Just like when he studied like a psycho to master biological and medical science. What encourages him, is that he is unwilling to live in a low class anymore. Previously, the economic status of his family could be categorized as low-class status, that was the main reason why his parents were driven to immigrate to Jupiter – to try their luck in order to live a better life. They had to work hard in order to reach this current position – and yet, this current condition is still very far from the category of the upper class. Then, when Stairmount managed to study at Millennium University and got many achievements, he found that those who insulted him before now turned their manner; currying favor with him, wishing to get his attention. It makes Stairmount realizes that bitter fact; In order to live a happy life, then he needs power for certain. Whether it comes from the ownership money, or status, or achievements, whatever it is, he must have power to be happy.
And it is the same at this time. In order to escape this humiliation, he must have power. Coming from the ownership of strength.
It had been a year since he began the training, he thought it was enough for him to get a bit of that power. And indeed, it seemed as he thought, since military personnel can sometimes include him when they lack qualified personnel, for example, in this military project in Sapphire. He also earns a lot of money since the salary as Chrono personnel is really fantastic. Everyone looks at him in admiration and great respect – but not his father. His father is even more antipathetic to him right now, perhaps because he thinks his son has chosen to be a traitor to his ancestors.
But Stairmount doesn’t even care. For him, the countries on this whole Planet are all the same. Whether it is Saturn, or Jupiter, they are all the same – all of them have their respective political interests, and finally, for their selfish personal interests. So, why does he still maintain to devote himself so faithfully to the extent that he should do this stupidity only for those egoistical people? Besides, he is not the citizen of Saturn either – Saturn addresses him as a foreigner. Of course, he’d better defend Jupiter, his motherland where he was born and grows up. After all, the reason why Saturn people honor him is because of his Jupiter citizenship. If he remained becoming a Saturnian, his relatives would not respect him at all – as they always did to his father. And, he would never become a personnel of such a prestigious organization like Chrono.
What he cares about, is all for his own interests. Because no one will support him but himself. Only he can do it. As well as money. And power.
He is indeed still in the process of achieving all of this, but he is sure that he will eventually gain the real power, and at that time, no one else dares to insult him – not even God.
He always believed that.
Until now.
Copyright ©️ by boundless_universe
True, at this time, Stairmount’s principle has turned one hundred and eighty degrees. He begins to doubt whether his principle is correct, or not. Can it be, his way of thinking was incorrect? Can it be, it is his father who makes correct thought?
“You’ll regret your words if you still keep that thought. Just wait and see.”
“My father never agrees with my choice,” Stairmount mutters as he ends his story. “And it turns out, that he is right… this job, isn’t a good job. It’s an evil job. We have committed many great sins. By betraying everything. Betraying humanity… betraying other people… betraying blood, and ancestors…”
” … Passports may change, but blood will never change forever.”
Stairmount looks up, staring at the night sky with a gloomy look.
“Blood…” Daphne, who has been silent all this time, finally opens her mouth. “… why is blood important? Why is ethnicity important? We are all Plutonians despite the blood we have. Despite our ethnicity, the passport we have is a Pluto passport, we are Pluto citizens, not Neptune citizens. Neptune does not recognize us as their citizens, Neptune addresses us as foreigners. It must be our own country that should protect us… but why…”
Daphne’s voice trembles, and so is her whole body. Stairmount stares at her. He just thought that Daphne is about to cry soon. But to his surprise, the young woman doesn’t cry at all. She just continues in a hoarse voice, “Why do they instead slaughter us? Why does Pluto become a dangerous place for us? Why?!?…”
Stairmount knows the answer very clearly. That is the kind of answer he uttered to his father when they argued about the reason why he persisted in joining Chrono and by then chooses to ‘betray’ his blood and ancestors. However, unlike before, now he can’t talk about it in front of Daphne.
Because evidently, that is the principle embraced by that group of vicious human beings who had carried out the cruel operation just now.
And that principle, indeed lets him be included in the group of cruel creatures who have no integrity and morality.
“… You are indeed an unfilial person, for daring to disobey your parents… and moreover, betraying your bloodline!…”
“Why does Pluto prefer to cooperate with Jupiter and slaughter us, just because they hate Neptune and want to win the war? Ordering the females and the elderly to fight, forcing civilians who have never held weapons to stand in the front line, and even now, murdering their own people just because they hate the invader… how can such a country exist? Isn’t that because of the people, then a country can be established? Hence, if the country loses its people, then it will bring destruction to the country? But why does Pluto have the opposite principle instead? And… and… why do we have to be so unlucky, being born as Neptunian on Pluto? Born as hated groups in a land that hates us?!?”
“God…” Mrs. Yalle yells. “Why do You allow them to do such evil things freely, without receiving any punishments? Why are they still allowed to live happily, while we the innocent people must suffer? Where is the justice, God? Where is it???…”
Mrs. Yalle’s yell is only responded to by the cold winter night breeze, and the long silence that seems to be endless.
Copyright © by boundless_universe
