For Olivia Mayberry, the most work she ever had to do in her former profession as a school teacher for young children was grade tests and hand-out assignments. But now, as she started her first day of training to become a member of the UAC, Olivia discovered how much more would be asked of her. When Samur said that she'd start her new career as his assistant alongside his Intern, oh, he meant it. Both Olivia and the Intern would be tasked with organizing his schedule by a whole week from the start of each day, going to each of the primary divisions to assess their work via a checklist Samur made, checking in with all new hires to make sure there were no issues, and the list kept going from there.
Now, some might assume Samur was dumping all of his responsibilities, or most of them, onto his proteges to have more time to focus on personal endeavors. However, the truth was that what Olivia and the Intern had to do daily, on top of the things they had to learn themselves, was but a fraction of what Samur managed all by himself. For example, fixing the planet and getting humanity back to a stable and safe lifestyle was something that could only be accomplished on a global scale; although all three of them worked at what could be called the UAC's headquarters, by this point, it was present worldwide. This meant that Samur, EVERDAY, was talking, overseeing, and advising every part of the organization, on top of being in constant communication with all Maykr angels that were on Earth, monitoring the progress of removing the malformation caused by the Dark One, and SO much more.
Honestly, neither Olivia nor the Intern knew how he could handle all of that. Even when you considered Samur's age, intellect, robotic body, and general skill in managing such things due to his position of Seraph within Urdak and Heaven as a whole, it just seemed like it'd be too much for anyone. But he never said anything about it; he never complained or needed any help unless someone could off some form of valuable input. In short, Samur was essentially putting the world back together mostly on his own, and only Olivia and the Intern were given the privilege to know the full details.
And the reason why they were granted such an honor is that he wanted to show that he trusted them. Samur meant it when he told both of them separately that he saw potential in them, and by letting both Olivia and the Intern know as much as they did, he hoped that they'd help run the UAC beside him in due time. That is why, as of now, all three of them were sitting in his office, for he'd asked them to help interview the angels arriving today. This also led Samur to get more chairs for his office, as he believed everyone would be more comfortable if they each had a seat.
"...They're late," Samur said after he, Olivia, and the Intern had been sitting in silence for nearly ten minutes.
"Not by much, sir." The Intern replied. He and Olivia had spent that time using their PDAs for various things.
"Hmph. They've been waiting for this meeting for months. So you think they'd be punctual." He commented.
"Sir. Your impatience wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Vega wanted you to speak with these angels, would it?" Olivia asked while pushing up her glasses.
Upon hearing that, Samur slowly turned his head to look at the Intern.
"Sh-She asked!" He defensively exclaimed.
"...No." Samur responded, speaking to Olivia as he looked back at her, "Although the father's relentless insistence that I see these angels has been annoying. The reason why I am not pleased about this meeting is due to yesterday's unpleasant surprise." He explained.
"Oh right, the man and the woman." The Intern recalled.
"Or, more appropriately, the psychopathic idiots." He corrected.
"Sir, I thought we discussed this last night. They weren't psychopaths." Olivia said in the duo's defense. Still a bit upset that he wouldn't give them another chance.
"Regardless of whether they are insane or not, that man and that woman are not suited to work here." He argued.
"Even though they stated they had experience dealing with things like demons and other supernatural entities or phenomena LONG before anyone in the world took it seriously?" She asked.
"By that logic, we should hire every homeless person who stood on a street corner claiming that the end was nigh." He countered.
"Um, if I may?" The Intern spoke up, wanting to give his opinion.
"By all means." Samur welcomed, for even if his assistants' opinions differed from his, he wouldn't ignore them.
"I think you're both right. But only to an extent." He began as he looked at Olivia, "You're right in saying that the man and the woman should be given a second chance." He continued before he switched over to Samur, "However, you're also right in saying that they were out of line. The UAC is an organization focused on maintaining peace and order. So, we can't condone anyone who works here to behave the way they did as it doesn't reflect the image we're trying to show. But again, that's where Olivia is right. Those two should be given another chance, but with punishment to reflect their error. At least, that's what I think." He concluded.
Silence fell onto the room for a few seconds afterward, the only noise being the rhythmic tapping of Samur's fingers on his desk.
"...I...agree." The robotic Seraph said slowly, which brought a smile to both Olivia and the Intern's faces.
"You...You do?" The Intern questioned, wanting to be sure he understood was his superior was saying.
"Suppose the man and the woman do agree to a more grueling start to their careers with us. Then I will give them a second chance that Olivia has been so persistent about." He told them.
"I think that's a wonderful idea, sir." Olivia complimented, which made him chuckle.
"Of course you do. I ended up agreeing to your suggestion in the end. Albeit, with some terms." He replied.
"A compromise. Courtesy of my fellow assistant." She said while looking at the Intern.
"Ah, it was nothing. Honestly." The Intern responded, "With that decided, should I set up another meeting with them, sir?" He asked.
"Yes, But make sure it's sometime next week. I need a small break from all of these new hires." Samur requested.
"Understood." He replied.
However, right as the Intern held up his PDA and was about to schedule that meeting, the door to Samur's office opened. Looking towards the entrance, Olivia, the Intern, and Samur saw the three angels they were expecting...and...well...behind them was...the man and the woman from yesterday.
"Oh...no..." The Intern said quietly, both he and Olivia's eyes were now wide open once they saw the pair.
"Goooooooooooood morning, mister Samur!" Cletus greeted as he and the others entered the room. A big smile on his, Keenie, and Collin's faces.
"..." Samur said nothing. His fingers were no longer tapping on the desk. All the while, his optic focused on only two of the five that entered his office.
"Oh, we're sorry. Did we interrupt something?" Collin worriedly asked, noticing the presence of Olivia and the Intern.
"N...No...we were waiting for you..." Olivia answered, right as the group reached them.
"Well, we're sorry to have kept you waiting then." Keenie said before gesturing to the man and the woman behind her with a smile, "But we ran into these two unfortunate souls! In their time of need, they said that we could help by bringing them to the head of the UAC. Who, we just so happened to have a meeting with!" She explained.
"And WHAT kind of angels would we be if we ignored them? Right, Samur?" Cletus asked.
"..." Samur remained silent. He just...kept staring at the man and the woman.
"Samur?" Cletus addressed, curious as to why he wasn't saying anything.
"...Is this some kind of joke to you?" Samur finally spoke, issuing a question towards the well-dressed duo.
"Heh, why would you ask that, sir?" The man asked with a nervous smile and chuckle, which he shared with his partner.
"First, you barge onto our property as if you have the right to do so. Then, as I am expecting the arrival of the angels who stand in front of you, you latch onto them like a pair of lost puppies." Samur said.
"Hey now, there's no reason to be so mean to them! They, like everyone else in the world, are going through a tough time right now!" Keenie interjected, standing up for them.
"Miss...Keenie, correct?" He asked, receiving a nod in return, "The UAC is meant to not only be a beacon of hope for the survivors of the invasion, as well as the souls who are being returned from Heaven who were sent there prematurely. But it is also meant to help guide this species of humanity to a brighter future. The only good thing to come from the Dark One's attempt at usurping the father and laying claim to all of creation is that it has given all of us a second chance at being better than we were before. So now, with all of this being said. Do you HONESTLY believe I'd allow the two people in your company, whose first impressions lacked any semblance of respect and restraint, and who used you to get another unpermitted audience with me to work within this organization?" He asked, having leaned forward to drive his point home.
"Hmm...well, when you put it that way, I guess we have to agree with you," Cletus answered for Keenie, catching everyone but Samur by surprise.
"Cletus!" Both Keenie and Collin exclaimed, shocked that he'd take the Seraph's side.
"No, no, no. Samur's got every right to deny these two if he so desires. After all, he is the head of the UAC." He stated before a smile came onto his face, "Just as I have the right to contact the father and bring this matter to his attention." He added.
Upon hearing that, Samur's hand immediately clenched into a fist, which startled everyone but Cletus.
"You. Wouldn't. Dare." Samur said slowly, tightening his fingers to such a degree they could hear them start to strain.
"Oh? You think so?" Cletus asked as he crossed his arms, "I think you're forgetting, Samur. This is OUR world. OUR pantheon is the one responsible for it, along with Lucifer's circle. And yet, for some reason, it has taken you MONTHS after the invasion to let us help and do our jobs finally. Which is something I know the father isn't too pleased about just as much as us." He told him.
By this point, both the Intern and Olivia were scared to be sitting where they were, as they were directly between Samur and the very brave, or very stupid, Cherub named Cletus. Their fears worsened when Samur suddenly rose from his seat, then walked over to stand in front of the angel. But, to continue standing his ground, Cletus used his wings to raise himself into the air to be at eye level with Samur.
"Do you know WHY I haven't asked any of you to help? Or any other pantheon within Heaven?" He asked, speaking at a low volume, "It's because the only ones who EVER did ANYTHING about Doom were us. The Maykrs. Granted, that is why the father created us. A countermeasure to this unprecedented evil spawned from the war. Even so, the rest of both Heaven AND Hell ignored it. Without us and our allies, the Sentinels, as well as a figure who need not be named. Doom would have conquered and slaughtered everything and everyone. Because of this, we are the foremost experts on their particular type of corruption. Therefore, we are the best suited to cure the planet and to help humanity through this disaster. In contrast, you and your flock are as clueless about anything as the humans are. The only things that separate you are your halos and wings." He explained.
"Well, MAYBE, just MAYBE, if the Maykrs hadn't been so secretive and had thought to be more inclusive with who knew what and such. Then perhaps that unnamed individual wouldn't have lost HIS world and HIS people because YOU failed! And instead of admitting that you failed, you're choosing to remain stubborn even when it's not your jurisdiction! Because again, THIS is OUR world!" Cletus countered.
Olivia, the Intern, the dapper duo, Keenie, and Collin were all shocked beyond words. Never had any of them seen or heard of someone speaking to a Maykr, let alone Samur, in such a tone and with such directness. But Cletus held his ground, he felt passionate about this matter, and he was confident that Vega would take his side in this dispute. And seeing as how Samur hadn't grabbed the angel and thrown him out of the window or into the hallway, that told the others that there was some truth to what he'd said.
Even so, the tension was thick; Cletus and Samur kept staring at each other as neither dared to show weakness or admittance of defeat. But, eventually, as the seconds turned into minutes without anyone saying or doing anything, it was Samur who finally ended this spine-chilling stalemate.
"...You two." He spoke while turning his head to look at the man and the woman, "What are your names?" He asked.
"John!/Jane!" They answered simultaneously, straightening out their posture as they did.
"Well, John and Jane, you two as of now are UAC employees, with your immediate superiors being the three angels that brought you here." He told them.
"W-Wait...really?" Jane questioned for both, not wanting them to get their hopes up.
"Unlike Cletus, I don't allow nonsense to leave my mouth. So, when I say something, know that I mean it." He replied.
"Y-Yes, sir!" Both spoke in unison again, still nervous due to the tension that lingered.
"With that out of the way, allow me to inform the five of you what your new jobs will be." He began as he moved to be behind his desk again, "You'll start your prosperous futures with us in engineering. It's the best place to get you educated quickly and familiar with everything we do here." He said.
"Uh...s-sir?" Collin spoke up with a timid smile, "W-We're more s-suited for something like interacting with people. S-Such as the survivors. We've n-never done anything that could be called engineering b-before." He informed, his nervous stutter starting to show.
In response, Samur sat down in his chair, put his hands on his desk, and looked down at the slightly frightened purple goat.
"Let's be clear, I acknowledge and accept this is your world. And these humans are yours as well. But THIS is MY operation. We have rules, a system, an overall order that ensures everything runs smoothly. And your skills, while certainly helpful when dealing with people, will not help us with the very reason why this organization was created in the first place. YOU need to learn. And you will either do that like everyone else who works here is, or you can be deadweight. Which will it be?" He asked.
"Say no more," Cletus answered for Collin as he landed back on the floor, "Just point us in the right direction, and we'll be on our way." He said, being surprisingly friendly towards the Seraph as if their argument hadn't happened.
"My assistants will take you there before they get started on their tasks for today," Samur replied.
"We will?" Olivia and the Intern questioned together as if they were taking notes from John and Jane.
"Yes." He confirmed, his tone alone telling both of them that they shouldn't press the matter.
And with that, this uncomfortable meeting was over. As Olivia and the Intern rose from their seats then guided John, Jane, and the trio of angels away, Samur sat motionless in his chair, watching them until they were well beyond his vision.
Meanwhile...
"So, Ted. How's the family?" A man, somewhere in his early thirties, asked as he sat on top of a countertop inside of a break room.
"Eh, same old same old. Nothing new or exciting has happened in a few weeks. Not even trailers for movies or anything." Another man, somewhere in his late forties, answered as he got himself a cup of coffee.
These two average Joes looked to be your typical office workers, putting in that nine to five so they could make a decent living. But, in reality, these two worked for a multi-international collaboration between the nations of the world, dedicated to exploring the unknown frontiers that man had yet to venture into. Ted, the man, getting himself a paper cup full of brew, and his coworker and friend Steve were in charge of overseeing the research and development of what very well could be humanity's most outstanding achievement. Yet, as of now, these two were on their regularly scheduled break, although they were considering ending it early due to the excitement in the air that permeated throughout the whole complex.
"Yeah, I hear you. It feels like the world's going through one of its slow periods." Steve replied with a sigh.
"Mhm. But hopefully, we're going to change that." Ted said as he finished getting his drink.
"Yeah, emphasis on HOPE. We've had more issues with this piece of shit than any other before it. I'll be glad when it either explodes or finally decides to work for us." He responded, which made the other chuckle.
"Aw, come on. Breaking through boundaries and writing the next exciting chapter in human history isn't easy. There's bound to be setbacks." Ted argued.
"Careful, Ted, your dad is showing while you're at work. I might have to report you." He joked backed as he hopped off the counter.
"Just you wait, I've got money in the pool that says today is the day. We're going to be famous." Ted told him, both men walking away from the counter and out of the break room.
"And I've got money that says you're a delusional optimist." He said, which elicited another chuckle from his friend.
"We'll see." Ted confidently replied, not worried at all.
Making their way through the building, passing by other employees and friends, the two men would soon arrive at the location where today's scientific outing would occur. Inside a large, heavily reinforced chamber sat a massive machine, the kind one may find in certain sci-fi shows or movies. And like those works of fiction, this machine was meant to open what would be mankind's first REAL portal, where it would lead, well, they weren't sure. The main point of this research was to show it was POSSIBLE to create rifts within reality, fixating those rifts on specific locations would come later.
Anywho, after showing their identification badges to the guards on duty, which both Ted and Steve thought was utterly pointless, they entered the control with where they'd oversee and directly control today's experiment.
"Okay, time to make history!" Steve exclaimed as he sat down, clapping his hands and rubbing them together as he did.
"I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not," Ted commented as he sat down alongside him.
"Hey, as I said, I want it to either work or explode. I'm just more of a realist than you." He said, which made the other roll his eyes.
"Yeah yeah, keep telling yourself that," Ted responded.
With a bit more chit-chat out of the way, the men got the experiment underway. Now, one may question why only these two were handling this experiment, and the answer was quite simple and obvious. Everything that could be done from a single room, and if two people, such as Steve and Ted, knew how to operate the gateway and what to do if things should go amiss, then there was no need for extra personnel since they could be in danger.
"Beginning charge," Steve stated as he began the activation sequence; the first step was to charge the gateway to full power.
"System checks all passed. Running second tests to ensure no false positives," Ted replied.
"Charge is at twenty-five percent," Steve said.
"Second tests complete. Beginning third tests." Ted responded.
"Charge at fifty percent. Coils are starting to heat up." Steve informed.
"Third tests passed. Systems are assuredly running as they should." Ted told him.
"Charge at seventy-five percent. The light show has arrived." Steve stated with a smile, a light blue glow beginning to pour into the control room as lightning sparked between the gateway's coils.
"Energy is balanced across the board. No signs of overheating." Ted replied.
"Charge at one hundred percent. Constant streams of electricity between the coils has been achieved." Steve said.
"Proceeding to increase system output to the first level. Gateway test is a go." Ted responded.
With the press of a button, all of the coils shot intermittent energy streams at the center of the gateway. When this happened, the gateway itself began to glow, doing so as it attempted to focus these streams into a spherical shape.
"Come on, come on, I won't be mad if I lose the pool if you finally work..." Steve muttered as both men stared at the gateway.
"All systems are performing as expected, no irregularities or errors so far. Increasing output to the second level." Ted said.
After doing so, the orb-like mass inside the gateway began to grow and stabilize slowly.
"Hmm...systems are getting a little warm...but not within concerning range just yet. So, moving onto the third level." Ted noted before increasing the output again.
By this point, the sphere was the size of a bowling ball, the biggest it had ever been.
"Holy shit, holy shit! It's going to work!" Steve exclaimed with a grin, excited beyond belief.
"Easy, cowboy. We're not there quite yet." Ted replied, although he did feel the same way, "Systems have only acquired a bit more heat from the previous stage; no indications going further will damage or even destroy the gateway. So, we're moving ahead to the final level." He decided.
This was it, the make it or break it moment. With the gateway's coils giving as much energy as possible, the sphere kept growing, soon reaching a size where a person could fit inside its radius. Then, however, something strange occurred; the light blue color of the rift and the energy creating it was slowly...turning...orange? Both men noticed this, which caused them to look at each other with shared confused expre-
BOOM
...
...
...
Ringing...pain...vibrations in their bones...Steve and Ted felt these sensations and a few more...but neither was in a state to determine what was going on. As both men felt around themselves, or at least they tried to, they could've sworn they were surrounded by...shattered glass? No, that couldn't be right; the glass that was installed in their control room could withstand gunfire, so the force needed to shatter all of it at once was...terrifying. Did...something happen with the gateway? It had to. There's no other explanation for this situation otherwise.
Unfortunately, Steve and Ted had to wait for some of their strength and senses to come back before they could even attempt to do anything. However, the first thing to return was their hearing, and instead of the noises they expected like a raging fire or people coming in to check on them, they heard...gunfire? I mean, what else could it be? It was a loud popping noise that happened in rapid succession, and as their hearing continued to clear up, they heard...screaming.
And yet, somehow, that wasn't the most disturbing thing that happened in the moments that followed, for as that loud popping sound kept going, the screams they...they...started going silent, until eventually, there were no sounds. A deathly stillness, that's how Ted and Steve would describe it. Did they die from their injuries, were they having auditorial hallucinations, were they blacking in and out of consciousness and not realizing? The answer to these questions soon arrived when the door to the control room was slowly pushed open by someone. But whoever it was didn't make any noise, not even when they walked, and the only way Steve and Ted knew this person was there was when they came into view.
An armored figure, whose suit was pitch black, and in both hands he wielded-
POP-POP
The last thing either man heard, that sound was caused by two pistol hammers hitting the bullets inside the guns' chambers. Staring down at the holes in both men's faces, perfectly placed where noses once were, the Marine added two more bodies to his current count. Before he arrived, the Marine made sure to memorize how many people were in this facility; the tally came out to one thousand, two hundred, and fifteen. As of right now, only twenty-two were handled; all were present within the immediate vicinity of his entry point.
But the Marine didn't need to worry about any escaping, which was thanks to the recent upgrade Harut and Marut gave his suit. He could now generate a field around himself, essentially trapping anything within its radius inside the created barrier with him. So far, with Harut and Marut's testing, it could reach an area of about one mile; they planned to improve it to cover an ever more significant amount of ground. However, it was WELL beyond suitable as it was currently; the Marine could easily fit the entire facility inside the field, ensuring no one could escape.
And thus, another mission was underway, the first of many he planned to carry out now that he was given full permission to be as proactive as he so desired.