Chapter 6
Shortly After…
The Simple soldier led me to Sieg's Private quarters.
No guards around it?
Only makes this simpler…
I waved the Octotrooper goodbye, looked around, and entered.
Hm…a bigger personal room than the ones I've seen…
Stranger considering I've been told Commanders usually get personal domes…
I started looking around…
Where's Sieg?
Wait…the card!
It snatched it from an end table next to the bed.
I pulled out the others and moved them all to the corresponding clamps. They unfastened and came off.
Yes!
Not to find a way out of here…
Unfortunately, a side-door opened and I quickly went prone.
There were footsteps and I quietly crawled under the bed, moving the clamps underneath as well.
From underneath here I could see bare feet. Obviously Sieg's
Wait…was that a washroom?
He gets a private washroom and I have to share with everyone else?!
The nerve of that Octopus!
Wait…I took the card…he's sure to notice that…
I peeked out.
His back was turned.
Well, he's semi-clothed…and he put his left-hand glove on…
Wait…are those…Scars?
Why are the ones on his back larger than the others?!
Could that be why he's more…covered…than the others?
…What life did he live?
I then heard a communicator go off just as he put his shirt and goggles on. I didn't get a look at his eyes.
"Hello?" Sieg said into the device. "…What?"
That didn't sound good…
"She's what?" He was surprised to hear. "Elise and Sharp?"
Oh dear…here it comes…
I saw him rush over to the end table.
"Gant, check the security footage." Sieg called someone of that name on the other side.
Wait, security footage?
"Yes…right…" He seemed to be thinking.
He then took a deep breath and went completely silent.
…What's he doing?
"I didn't take you for a mouth-breather…" He said, turning towards me. "But I'm not surprised…"
He heard me breathing?!
"Now, are you going to come out of there?" He asked. "Or should I force you?"
I shifted forms, rolled out the other side, shifted back, and bolted towards the door. Before I could exit, he grabbed my arm and threw me onto the bed.
"I suggest staying there…" He hissed.
"Is this how you always get a lady in your bed, Commander?" I narrowed my eyes.
"Don't test me, Inkling!" He sounded quite frustrated now.
Great…my escape plan failed…
Later…
Back in these stupid clamps…
Forced to sit in this chair…
And Sieg was even less happy now…
Speaking of whom, he came back in.
He stood next to me.
"So it seems I've been too lenient with you." Sieg said. "From now on, you will have Elite Octolings constantly watching you as you work. After your shifts end, they will escort you to my office where I won't let you out of my sight."
"What?!" I was shocked.
"It's clear you can't be trusted on your own, so you will instead, be constantly monitored." He continued. "I'll be watching you like a hawk."
"Do you think I'm a child?" I narrowed my eyes.
"You act like one," He replied. "So I'll treat you like one. Your father seemed to not know when to spare the rod and spoil the child, but I assure you I won't make that mistake."
Ugh!
"I suggest you apologize to the members of my squad before you return to work." He turned to leave. "Guards?"
Two Elite guards entered the room and stood at my sides.
Great…
Later…
I feel as if my situation got even worse…
Not only am I stuck here, but now I'm constantly watched and not allowed to more around wherever I want…
I was sent to apologize to Sharp and Elise. Sharp took my typing pad away before returning to fix his weapons while Elise was out of the storage room and back to being all smiles by the time we got to her...weird…
I just finished a shift, now time to see Sieg…
Joy…
I was sat down in one of the cushioned chairs in the office. It was comfortable I suppose…
The guards then left the office, leaving me alone with the Commander. He had his focus on his computer and some paper work. Actually, not too different from when I'd be in my father's office…
I looked around.
Not much to look at here…
Hm?
I walked to something on the wall.
It was a picture of a lot of younger Octolings, all lined up to have this picture taken.
"Who are these people?" I turned and asked.
"None of your concern." He replied in his usual calm manner.
I just walked around the office some more, eventually finding myself at his desk. He seemed to be carefully eyeing me as I did while continuing his work.
I couldn't read anything of what he was reading or typing.
I could see a picture frame on his desk…one of three Octolings, two boys, one girl. They looked happy.
"Who are they?" I wondered.
He grabbed the picture frame and put it face-down in the desk.
"None of your concern." He replied again.
I just sat back in one of the chairs.
"…So what was with those two Elites?" I asked. "They reacted pretty strangely."
He looked up, glaring at me, then sighed and returned to a more neutral expression.
"Sharp cares deeply for his weapons" Sieg finally answered a question. "He makes them himself, treats them with great care, and refuses to use a weapon he didn't make. His passion is admirable, if nothing else."
I suppose…
"And Elise?" I wondered.
"She has bad experiences with dark rooms." He explained. "The very same one you locked her in to be specific.…"
…Oh…
"She…seemed fine when I last saw her, though…" I pointed out.
"Her father taught her to not hold grudges." He told me. "She also has trouble understanding emotions because of how she was raised. Odd considering she's a natural…she probably feels what happened to her, but it's bottled up somewhere…"
I looked down.
People have layers.
I suppose so, Two-eyed bartender…
…
…But what about the one sitting before me?
What layers does he have…?