Wake me up in 2395

Chapter 13: You shall become an Astarria

Chapter 13: You shall become an Astarria

Hindi ko alam pero dahil sa sinambit ni Mayor Chun Lee ay biglang napukaw ang atensyon ng lahat ng mga tao sa paligid sa aming nasa cubicle ng Tre dito sa arena. The spotlight was on us, specifically, me... Hindi ko alam pero sa mga sandaling ito ay gusto ko na lang magpalamon sa mundo. I was not mentally prepared for this situation and I did not expect this at all. In fact, I never thought this would even happen, all I did was share my idea to Mayor Chun, who would have thought that he will listen and make a big deal out of it? Now, in this Imperium Union Forum, all attentions will soon be locked on me. I wanted to stay lowkey, so that I can investigate the dark secret of the current government, but now—I know it will be harder to achieve as it has been declared worldwide that I have made a feat.

Halata naman ang pagtataka sa mukha ni Empress Astarria dahil sa deklarasyon ni Mayor Chun, tumaas nang bahagya ang isang kilay nito, tila nagtataka kung sino ako... Nakaupo pa rin ako ngayon at bahagya akong yumuko... Tumingin muli ako sa Empress. She had no reaction at all, it was only that time where Mayor Chun stated that I was the adopted sister of Lag that there is this change in her facial expression. She must be truly fond of Lag, and I cannot blame her knowing that Lag is very much good looking. Pero hindi ko rin alam, I cannot bring myself to picture Lag and the Empress together. They had no chemistry... I sighed. Ito pa talaga ang iniisip ko sa mga sandaling ito na ang atensyon na ng buong mundo ay nasa akin?

“I request this lady Primrose Ghani that Mayor Chun is speaking of to stand up. Let yourself be known to us.” Deklara ni Empress Astarria matapos ang ilang segundo ng katahimikan. Her voice resounded and echoed across the entire arena, and it was amplified by the speakers as well. Ramdam ko ang pagbilis ng pintig ng aking puso. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako kikilos sa mga sandaling ito. Why would Mayor Chun do this? Masyado siguro itong natuwa sa mga sinabi kong impormasyon sa kaniya... But all I said were things I learned when I studied Quantum Physics out of curiosity.

Si Lag naman ay nakatingin lang sa akin at tila tinatanong ako ng mga nito. I sighed, and without a word, I stood up—I had no choice too, since the words of the Empress is the law, and I had to comply even if I am not really from this world, because if I do not obey, it will be marked as an act of defiance and deviance, and I will be labelled a traitor. That is how crucial obeying the command of the Empress is, I know that since Lag has made sure that I know it. A spotlight seems to directly hit me after, it was blinding at first. I felt isolated all of a sudden as everything around me was dark, it was only in the spot where I was rooted at that was light.

I saw my face projected through the holograms across the arena. I felt out of place, I was too minimal and simple while the rest of the people here wore these grand clothes and makeups. I was normal, I carried the style of my old world—and I guess I did that out of rebellion, because I missed the old world and the people I used to be associated with. This new world is very alien to me... All of the attention of the people were already on me, and I know this event was also being livestreamed and broadcasted—the entire world is watching me. The thought of that somehow pressured me to the point that I felt my armpit building up sweat, and I felt uneasy. My knees were like jellies now as well...

“Are the words of Mayor Chun Lee true?” The empress wanted to verify. She was directing the question to me. Hindi ko alam pero nakakatindig ng balahibo ang kaniyang boses at kahit man na malayo kami sa isa’t isa, parang nasa harap ko lang siya. She was being transmitted after all by this 3-dimensional hologram, that is why she somehow looked real while she was in front of me, the only difference is that she was glowing because she was being projected by these rays of light. “Your answer?” She added, it was as if she was commanding me, which she was, and it seemed like I had no choice but to concede and obey.

“Yes.” Tipid na sagot ko. Nakatingin lang sa akin din sina Mayor Elizabeth at Mayor Marina, halatang hindi sila makapaniwala sa binalita ni Mayor Chun.

“You forgot to honor the empress...” Bulong ni Mayor Elizabeth sa akin. Halata ngayon ang kaba sa tinig din nito.

Tila bumalik ako sa huwisyo, at saka ako tumikhim. “Y-Yes, Your Excellency. It was my idea in regards to the proper application of Quantum Physics which seems to have helped in Mayor Chun’s Project Light...”

Suminghap naman ang lahat ng mga tao. Nagkaroon ng bulung-bulungan. Is it really that much of a big deal? I guess it is... Hindi ko alam pero sa mga sandaling ito rin ay gusto ko nang bumalik sa Tre. Hindi ako sanay na ang atensyon ay nakatuon sa akin.

Biglang napalitan ang mukhang pinapakita sa hologram at nabalik ito kay Mayor Chun. He started to talk once more after he was being projected already by the hologram and the livestream.

“Your Excellency, my scientists at my laboratory in Lexus City, Uno, have already sent me a footage. As I have said, after my talk with Lady Primrose, I have already sent the information she has given me back to Uno, in my laboratory at Lexus City. We have rewritten the system of L-Machine in order for it to be able to read and transfer information at a certain location that has been designated... And it was a success. It was all thanks to Lady Primrose’s brilliant idea that it is impossible to teleport matter in general and is beyond Science, however, it is possible to break the boundary by reading the information of a certain object and transferring it to your desired position.”

While he was narrating it, the hologram projected this machine that Mayor Chun called as the L-Machine, there were two of them and they were at separate locations and areas, and it seems to be just like different rooms. There is this one scientist that has put a gun towards the machine and it seems like the machine has deconstructed the gun, turning it into molecules and atoms, and the data encrypted unto these figures were scanned accordingly, and it was suddenly gone. Then the gun started to appear at the other L-Machine which was at another location. I could not believe my eyes—it was just my own words which I told Mayor Chun a few hours ago, and it was my words that made his long-term project to be successful in an instant.

I made quantum teleportation possible in this world?! Hindi ko alam, but I felt a sense of self-actualization. I felt proud of myself, but at the same time—I felt uneasy because the eyes of the world will surely be unto me now that I have made a significant contribution, now that I have made a marking in the history as the girl who has made quantum teleportation possible.

Suminghap ang lahat ng tao rin matapos mapanood ang clip na pinakita ni Mayor Chun. Biglang nagpalakpakan ang lahat, hinawakan din ako sa kamay ni Mayor Marina at halata ang tuwa sa kaniyang mukha rin. For Tre, I was also their pride and honor already...

“This will surely bring our share higher than usual!” Mayor Elizabeth grinned at me, as if telling me that I did a good job. I looked at Lag and he only looked at me with this grim expression, as if asking me once more with his own eyes what I have done.

“We are already one step closer to a new means of transportation already—of goods, services, and even ourselves. However, there should still be more researches conducted in order to find out the applicability of quantum teleportation on life-form, which is why as soon as the Bicentennial Foundation Week of the Imperium Union is done, I shall immediately go back to my laboratory in Lexus City and perform an experimentation. Safety must be prioritized still... However, Your Excellency, I would like to ask for you to greatly reward Lady Primrose Ghani for her remarkable contribution that will surely change the way of our life soon. Soon, all cities will be connected already and people can already go to cities they want in an instant—without the need of hovercrafts.”

Biglang nagkaroon ng katahimikan. Nagulat na lang din ang lahat nang biglang tumayo ang matandang nakaupo sa likod, ang founder ng Imperium Union, Warez Astarria. Tumabi naman agad si Empress Wynzelle dahil sa inasta ng kaniyang ‘lolo’? Hindi ako sigurado kung ano ang tamang salita, but I guess ancestor would be a perfect choice of word since this ex-Emperor Warez is already a few generations behind, from 200 years ago.

“I am Warez Astarria, the founder of the Imperium Union.” Ito ang unang pambungad niya. His platinum-blonde hair was shining, and his golden eyes were like of a lion’s as well, he has this poise and this aura that he is not a man to be messed with, and I do not know why but I find him scary, as if he was a tyrant... Sa mga sandaling ito, gusto ko na lang talagang magpalamon sa lupa. I wanted to run away, but I could not. I was rooted on my spot, as if there was this glue that is making me stay.

“I see so much promise in this lady Primrose Ghani, for this, I must also express my deepest gratitude to Mayor Lucius Arturius Ghani for bringing this brilliant woman to Imperium Capital, where her existence has been made known with this radical information that she has bestowed unto us, where her words through Mayor Chun Lee of Uno has finally made quantum teleportation possible. As the former and the first Emperor, the founder of the Union, and the brain behind the rise of doom-cities to protect us from the hazardous environment outside the walls, with the power and sovereignty that is vested in me and my name Astarria, the leader of the Union, I give one of the noblest title to Primrose Ghani, the title of ‘The Most Phenomenal Scholar of all Time’, she shall be hailed as a national treasure from now onward and will be compensated as well with twenty million Imperium Cash, and she shall be awarded formally during the Parade of Superiority and Awarding of Excellence on the sixth day of the Foundation Week celebration.”

“Wow... Twenty million Imperium Cash...” Hindi makapaniwalang saad ni Mayor Elizabeth na nasa tabi ko lang. Judging by her expression, I guess the worth of that money is very big. I guess this man has been very generous to me if he awarded me with this big sum of money.

Mukhang hindi pa tapos din si Warez sa pagsasalita, at muli nga itong nituloy ang kaniyang mga deklarasyon para sa akin matapos ang ilang segundo ng katahimikan.

“In addition to this, I ask her to consider the idea of becoming the lady of my great grandson, Wrath Astarria.” Tinuro niya ang lalakeng nasa likod niya... He seems to be around the age of Lag as well.

Wait... Tama ba ang aking narinig?

“You shall become an Astarria if you will it.” Warez declared, and I know there is only one person here whom he was referring this message to. And it was me.