The Eternal Guardian

- Alfrun Station Research Section, Rec Room 01, Sol Calendar 2687-07-09, 1200 Hours -

Zuman walks into the room they've booked for the party. He notices that everyone on his team is already there. There's also General Gustav (Alfrun Station's Chief of Operations), Commander Albert (Alfrun Station's Political Commissar and No.2) and Dalbir attending among others.

"Hey there boss! You're late!"

Josh shouted to him from across the room, his excitement evident in his voice.

"You pup. This is just a celebration party, no need to be so impatient right?"

Zuman retorted.

"Boss, you can fool them but you can't fool me. Who was it that kept prodding the team to make sure we have grilled beef today? It's certainly not me that's for sure."

Josh smirked.

"Tch. Impudent pup. You see how I settle you down."

And saying such, Zuman grabbed the champagne bottle, gave it a good shake before aiming it at Josh and letting the spray drench Josh.

"There, that ought to cool down your head."

"Aaaaa.. Chief! No fair starting the party without us!"

"Eh? What the…. Boss!! We want to join in too!"

And the party kinda degenerated into a food slugfest after that.

Meanwhile, as the partygoers starts really having fun and forgetting the others, Zuman went to the 3 person mentioned before and greeted them.

"Greetings General Gustav. Glad to see you could make it. I trust you can ignore that unseemly display earlier."

"Greetings Professor. It surprises me, as always, of how loose you keep hold of your team. Even more surprising, as always, is how efficient they are despite, or maybe because, how much of a loose rein you're allowing them. I have seen other research team leaders and some are so tyrannical that their team needs to toilets on a rotating schedule."

"Thank you General for the compliment. I like to think that the efficiency is because the team reciprocates my trust in them. Of course, I don't let the go of the rein. I just kept it slack, but it's still in my hands. After all, all of them are most certainly not children. While one or two might be quite childish (shoots a glance at Josh while saying so), on the whole, they are most certainly adults with their own views and personality. Before coming on my team, I've already briefed them of how I work and what I expect from them. Those that I can't integrate in the team, I let them go to other teams. After all, we're not short of projects to do. Only short on manpower. And I trust you're enjoying yourself Commissar Albert."

"Professor, thank you for your concern. I most certainly am. And I am most happy on your behalf towards this latest advancement. Might I expect any good news soon that I can pass to the GHC (Government High Command, the Military branch of the World Government responsible for administration and R&D of the Military) soon?"

Commissar Albert replied, with a hint of eagerness. After all, reporting a big project such as this would give him bigger visibility in the eyes of the higher ups.

"Well, I most certainly hope so. It's been quite a long run now. As for how much longer, I can't say with certainty. I do hope however that we can finish this before I turn 300. Personal release and freedom from this would be quite a good birthday present don't you think?"

"Why Professor, do I detect resentment in your tone?"

"You misunderstand me. I have no resentment towards the government for this immortality. In fact, I am very much grateful for it. However, such a long project has grinded my mental will for quite some time. Add to that the fact that it was my own initiative to propose this project to the government and you can see how I am quite impatient now. Sometimes I wonder how naïve I was to think that this project could be done in a normal person's lifespan back then. There are times when I did seriously consider ending the whole thing, but only regret kept me back. Regret for all the things I pushed to the side for this project. Family, personal career, wealth, influence, all the things that the human psyche intrinsically craves."

A moment of awkward silence. All the people around him are aware that when he talked about 'ending' he actually meant suicide. Such endings are not unique, especially among their type of people. The secrecy, the unending grind of work, the long project with no end in sight. Those that have gotten tired of their unending unchanging life, ending it seems to be a release for them. While there exists arguments of how much a waste it was for such endings, especially when the projects they headed went on to achieve monumental breakthroughs soon after their death, for some people, their will and patience reached the breaking point just before reaching their target. It is quite tragic for such cases.

"Unlike some lucky dog here (a glare at Dalbir) who got married with such a hot wife, tch, I was single throughout my life. The only family I had was my sister's. I did have fun posing as my nephew/nieces descendants. I'm sure you guys heard that I was supposed to end that singledom prior but something happened."

Such an understatement. As the Head Researcher for the Heaven's Gate project, a project that holds endless promise for both military and civil use, the focus and surveillance on him as always been intense. As Dalbir gave him the all clear during check-up months before, he also gave a warning to the GHC of the risks inherent towards Zuman's psyche. As such, the station higher ups are aware in detail of what happened, not just 'heard' of it.

"So, yes you are right. I have resentment. But not towards the govt Commissar, so no worries there for your reports. I feel it towards life in general. As such, I am happy to see an end for this project. For me, it couldn't come any sooner. I just want to finish it up, close shop, and go incognito for a while. Or as incognito as I can anyway, knowing that our GHC will monitor me after the project. I just want to be a normal civilian again for a while."

Silence all around him. While they knew him to be a generally direct and honest person, such deep sharing surprised them very much. Especially towards that last part. His team that is lurking behind them is most especially affected by that. Some of them grew up learning of his contributions towards scientific advancements. This group particularly have long thought of him as a surrogate mentor or an especially wise elder brother. Knowing that the wise mentor has his own moments of weakness, gives them a weird mixture of respect and humility.

"Well damn. I spoiled the party mood. Tsk. Who gave me this drink? Must be wine in it to make me so damn melancholic."

He tried to pass off the dark mood of his as an effect of the wine, even though they are well aware that he doesn't drink, and haven't yet touched any drinks aside from water today.

"Alright, I'm going to go get my grilled beef. Excuse me please, gentlemen."

"Sure Professor, enjoy yourself."

"Enjoy the beef professor."

"Tsk, why is it beef. Why can't you demand for chicken or fish instead?"

This last was by that incorrigible Dalbir.

"Precisely because I don't want you to hover around me stealing my food. Tch."

"Damn man, you're not a good friend."

"Fine, fine. JOSH!! Bring in that thing."

Zuman shouted to Josh.

"Right-o Boss."

Josh replied and went outside for a bit. He came back in carrying a big tray of grilled swordfish slices.

O_O "That for me?"

Dalbir asked Zuman, shocked.

"Yep. I know you'd be noisy if I don't give you something, even though ITS MY PARTY. Tsk."

"You're the best man. I don't regret saying to hi to you all those years ago."

"Only because of a fish huh. I'm sad how cheap our friendship is."

Sarcastic retort by Zuman.

-

- Alfrun Station Research Section, Rec Room 01, Sol Calendar 2687-07-09, 2100 Hours -

After the party has slowly wound down, Zuman addressed the partygoers.

"I know some of you are gonna resume partying. Don't overdo it. I expect to see you guys at 1500 hours tomorrow. Why so late? Because I know some of you are going to be incapacitated tomorrow morning. So tomorrow will just be the post-mortem and nothing else. Any questions?"

"No… hic.. boss!"

"Cheers boss!"

"Chief is great!"

"Long live the chief!"

"Sure prof! And… teach… us tomorrow how you're dividing yourself right now… Prof!?"

"…. You guys are hopeless. Good night."

Speechless, Zuman can only bid them goodbye before going off.

As he is leaving the room, Dalbir goes behind him and taps his shoulder.

"???? Oh. It's you. What do you want?"

"That's cold man. I just want to tell you news about something."

"What news?"

"It's about her."

No need to elaborate on who the 'her' is. Zuman's face changed when he heard that.

"And why, pray tell, would I want to hear any goddamned news about her?"

Zuman asked him in an increasingly upset voice.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because it's something nice to hear for a change?"

"As if anything associated with that harlot can be called nice. Tsk."

Still in upset voice.

"I'm speaking the truth man. I'll just say it then. Her husband's business came crashing down once word got out of what I said back then. Nothing direct, mind you. Oh, by the way, it seems he owns a company that used to supply some medical equipment and is also a middleman dealer for medicinal herbs, more bad luck for him. Anyway, after word got out, people started staying away from him. Hospitals and pharmaceutical companies won't deal with him or anyone involved with him now. Apparently he's still surviving, if barely, by dealing at rock bottom prices. He's not making a profit. Heck, he's barely breaking even. He's been asking around who did he offend (chuckles). I told my friends to let the scuttlebutt trickle to him that the new wife is the source. Apparently he's still in love with her enough to ignore it, but we'll see whether he still thinks the same once he's bankrupt."

"Bankrupt? The heck you planning Dalbir?"

"Oh nothing much, just ruining some business opportunities here, some totally unexpected 'accidents' there. And maybe like 20 or 30 of those for the next few months."

"Stop it Dalbir. I appreciate what you're doing, seriously. But don't lower yourself down to this. You're better than this."

"Oh come on Zuman. We're just immortals, not Gods. We're still human. We still think like humans and feel like humans. I know you're still giving her mercy because that's how you are."

"Just stop it. And trust me, it's not that I want to give her mercy. I just want to finish this project first. After that, we'll see what happens. For the past few months, when I'm not immersed in the project, I can't stop thinking of her."

"Ah. Apparently the old saying that love and hate is just a different side of the same coin is not wrong after all huh?"

"Just keep whatever you're planning on hold. I want to do it myself."

"Okay old friend. Goodnight yeah."

"Goodnight Dalbir. Oh, give your medical team a heads up. Tomorrow morning they might see some cases of hangovers, the idiots."