I hop on one foot as I attempt to strap my boot on with a single hand, using my other hand to comb my unkempt hair. Based on the loud sound of the battalion training downstairs, which normally happens around noon, I had definitely overslept the mandatory meeting with Jack. A few minutes later would make no difference at this point, but I still decided to make a fool of myself by attempting to get dressed, comb my hair, brush my teeth, shave my legs, and file my taxes simultaneously. Well, maybe not one of those.

        One accident simply begets another, as I begin to tumble down the stairs from hopping on a single foot. Once I finish tumbling down the stairs, my face crashes directly into Jack’s boot – apparently, the universe is trying to force a concussion on me since Noel couldn’t. I scramble to my feet, saluting to Jack! My uniform is half on and half off, only one arm is through the vest’s sleeve, my boot has fallen off on the way down the stairs, and the comb sticks in my disheveled hair.

        “Good morning, General Jack! S-Sir…”

        Jack shakes his head in clear contempt and disgust. Not only did I fail my first order from Jack, but my poor presentation is embarrassing him in front of the other Units of the squadron. My heart sinks, not only imagining that I had probably already lost my job, but also imagining how Jack must feel right now.

        “I – I just don’t have words. What is that on your forehead?” Jack exclaims.

        “What is what on my forehead?”

        Jack reaches into his duffle bag, and pulls out a hand mirror, shaking his head all the while. There was a sharpie representation of a poop emoji drawn onto my forehead. Noel, no doubt. I just want to disappear at this point, I don’t even care about the stupid job anymore.

        Jack grabs me by the arm forcefully, pulling me away from the squadron training in the middle of the open lobby, and into his office instead. The room is filled with dead silence for several minutes until I finally mumble an apology in humiliation. I take my Unit badge off of my vest, and lay it on the table in front of me.

        “I suppose you want this, I’m so sorry for everything, Jack. This is entirely my fault. I want to believe that this is just my first step in a long journey of self-improvement, but – I can’t shake the feeling that maybe I’m just not up to snuff. If I can’t be in the Second Squadron, maybe I could just do some general recon work for you and Froh?”

        Jack shakes his head, deciding to finally let off steam.

        “First off, it’s General Jack, not Jack. Doctor Froh worked his ass off to get a doctorate, and he deserves a title too. The least you can do is show respect. Second, I simply cannot describe how gutted I am right now. You walk down those stairs looking absolutely bonkers, and act as if nothing’s happened. You want to cause a fucking exodus of Units, do you?”

        “No, no, that’s not it at all–”

        “Shut up! I’ve already told you how much pressure it’s been to keep Units from leaving as it is. Now, you make me look like an incompetent leader. How are we supposed to undergo a migration in such a bloody chaotic world of psychotic giants if we haven’t even the resources to do so?”

        Silence continues to linger. After it seemed Jack had exhausted all of his anger for a second time, he hovered over me in a manner that made me feel threatened and uncomfortable. He takes my badge on the table and hands it back to me.

        “Look. You’re not off the squad just yet. Redeem yourself by taking this proper seriously. You follow my, or any First Unit’s orders to a T. Your first job isn’t particularly demanding, but what it is is daunting. You will be on recon duty. We have a map of the area, your job is to mark any potential hazards along the way to our migration point, and in the immediate vicinity of our current tree. You exit the hollow, circle about half a klick in all directions, and then continue down the path to our next nest. You aren’t expected to reach it, but you are expected to mark this map with some new findings. This isn’t just for us, but to acquaint yourself better with the vicinity, since you will be expected to leave the nest often as a Unit.”

s down some further details before leaving me to my own devices. I was certainly fortunate to not have been demoted, but this would definitely be a permanent stain on my record. I grab some equipment from storage that I believe would be useful in defending myself and alleviating hunger, stuffing what I could into my backpack behind. I get some rude and mocking stares from other Units in passing, but I do my best to ignore them. My flushed cheeks tell a different story. I wash off Noel’s present on my forehead.

        Before I head out, I decide to pay a visit to Doctor Froh. He may not be a Jack, but I would certainly call him a jack of all trades. He studies rifts and Lebenssaft, he designs new equipment for the Unit, he compiles data on the world around us and how it differs from Earth. All of his research and contributions make him an irreplaceable asset. He used to work alongside other researchers until he was requested out here. Our migration nest is much closer to his most esteemed research partner, which seems promising, since word spread that our messenger told Doctor Froh that his colleague was close to “cracking the code on rifts”. Unfortunately, a note on his office door reads “On an expedition”, which means he is not around. It also worries me, since Doctor Froh is frail and old, and unless he’s being accompanied by a Unit, he is at risk of putting himself in serious danger. No time to waste then.

        I exit the hollow of the tree, pushing aside the drape that hangs in front of it. The hollow is artificial as all human-made hollows are. The drape is painted with a camouflage that looks like the tree itself, in order to hide the door which would give away our location. Humans are not exactly welcome here in the world of macros, especially since our reliance on Lebenssaft damages, and eventually kills the trees we inhabit. It is not something we do out of greed, but necessity. Still, the campaign to eliminate all humans rages on, as the situation of a pest is of no relevance.

        My vest matches the color of the grass around, as it is imperative that Units do not reveal the location of our nest. No one else is allowed to leave without explicit permission from a First Squadron officer. The alternating guards who stand outside of the hollow are close to the only exceptions that have been granted recently, as they are viewed as essential to monitoring outside situations when a Unit is not doing so. The guard nods to me with a slight smile, clearly unaware of the situation that unfolded inside.

        “Congratulations on your promotion, Lin. You’re going to knock it out of the park, I know you will.” He says to me.

        I almost wish I could take him along, as it is difficult for me to admit that I am trembling at the thought of scouting such dangerous terrain. Indeed, everything looks like an inflated version of Earth, so familiarity is a non-issue. The only real differences are the animals and some of the plants that inhabit the area. There is virtually no wildlife from what we have observed, but of course, that may be because humans have not discovered the end of the urban sprawl. Still, even insects are extremely uncommon, which is a stark difference. Most obviously, Arpakies, nicknamed macros for their size, are not human. They are humanoid, resembling somewhat of elves with pointy ears, but also a mixture of other distinct attributes such as short pointy horns and fanged teeth. Shockingly, their body barely differs at all externally, not even their feet or hands are different. They were more or less human with a few distinct quirks. The other difference is that they all appear to be female, at least, by appearance. Doctor Froh tells us he has not quite discovered yet how they are able to reproduce.

        I cut off my own train of thought, reminding myself that I will likely see plenty of Arpakies during my recon mission. Whether I’d have the balls to study them up close or not was another story.

        I start to wander aimlessly through blades of grass that individually stood a bit taller than I was. Traversing unfamiliar terrain that seemed somewhat repetitive over large distances is ironically terrifying and banal at the same time. The lack of any wildlife or almost any noise in what was otherwise very familiar territory is eerie. The grass is freshly cut, the field of which is adjacent to a macro university building. The fact that, according to Jack, the colony’s DEFCON level was never raised above five, was likely a result of the fact that our particular tree was pretty far out in the meadow. Students who study or spend recreational time underneath trees likely choose trees that are closer to the school itself. Those trees are rich in Lebenssaft, but the few people who dared travel to those trees to prevent a migration were unfortunately never heard from again. At this exact moment, I am heading in the very direction of those trees, closer to the building, closer to macros. No one is loitering the area for the time being, which only makes the entire trek more daunting. I was ordered to travel all the way to the entrance of the building's courtyard, despite it not being in the direction the migration would be taking place. The radius is simply impossible to cover in a single day, so I come to the decision that I will head to the courtyard, return to our tree for a break, and then travel as far as I can towards our migration nest. For a time, things remained repetitive and dull.

        My journey has taken me to the canopy of the behemoth tree directly adjacent to the courtyard entrance. The tree looks similar to an American Elm, yet has to be far larger, as it would envelop even macros in its colossal shade. Still, the tree seems to be devoid of life, no birds, no raccoons, no insects. There is a sudden rush of tranquility that overcomes me. I stand underneath the tree's inviting aura with soft breezes that pass around and through its aerodynamic structure. It is vacant of hollows, and most interestingly, its bark has a soft yellow glow, reminiscent of a fictional magical object, or maybe just a selected object in a video game. I rub my hand along its bark, and I suddenly feel at peace to the degree that I could take a nap. I lean back against the tree, accepting its invitation for a well-needed break. I rest my backpack underneath my head, staring at the drawing that Noel and I had made together yesterday. I smile and place it over my face to block out any sunlight that the tree couldn't.

        A short while passes, when suddenly there's a rustling of paper, light permeating through my eyelids, and breath rolling over my body. It couldn't be, an Arpakie couldn't have spotted me already, I would surely feel the tremors of students set home free, idle chatter that alternates rapidly between a language I can understand and one that I cannot, and of course, frantic screaming that a human was spotted on site. It doesn't make an ounce of difference, however. I was now in fight-or-flight mode. I spring right up from where I was laying, my head smashing directly into something up above. It feels like a nose…

        "Arto! What the hell, don't scare me like that!" I shout on impulse.

        Arto collapses to the ground himself, blood running down the side of his face, his gloved hands covering his eyes from the pain. Small whimpers exit his mouth in distress, clearly as caught off-guard as I was. Now snapped out of my earlier trance of primal reactions, I come to Arto's immediate aid. I have a sudden temptation simply to snatch the newsie cap off from the top of his head and use that to wipe away the blood. I reach into my backpack and pull out some gauze, just about the only thing I have that would suffice.

        "Sorry, Arto, I didn't mean to do that. You caught me so off-guard, I thought an Arpakie spotted me. I'm sure you were just here to deliver a letter to me after all though, huh? You should have come accompanied with a Unit though, the trek here is dangerous."

        Arto carefully sits up, his cap uneven on his messy hair. He rubs the tip of his nose with his eyes squinted, trying to alleviate some of the pain from the headache I likely caused. He is probably the most innocent, and maybe youngest boy in our entire colony. He is just a delight to be around, he always carries a smile with him whether he is out scouting, delivering a letter, or passing along confidential information among Unit Divisions. Even now, he manages to force out a smile, looking up at me with doggy eyes you can't help but adore.

        "It's okay, Lin. It's my fault for taking your drawing and all like that. I had a hunch that was Lin lying out under that there tree, but I couldn't say for sure. I had to make sure, you know? Didn't want to look silly shouting out the wrong name. I wanted to congratulate you and all for becoming a Unit. I knew it was your dream and all, wasn't it?"

        "Oh, Arto, you didn't have to come all the way here for that, I'm happy you did, though," I found myself impulsively caressing his cheeks. "I am so excited for it, yeah! My first mission was a recon one, isn't that neat?"

        Arto starts twirling his hair, laughing a bit uncomfortably. 

        "Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to get your hopes up. I wanted to see you, but I just happened to bump into you by accident, I didn't know at all where you were at. I was out here passing a message on from Jack to Norris. I'm actually a bit late, but I'm really so glad—"

        "To Norris?! Arto, you know where Norris is, right?" I point across the pathway leading out of the courtyard. "He is all the way out of the school district near Central. It's constantly bustling there, day or night. Not only will you have to deal with a hurricane of students, but thousands from every walk of life not even minding where they walk as they go off to nightclubs and the sort. You know what nightclubs are, right? Chances are by the time you get to Central, it will already be past evening. You can't just… you're putting yourself in danger! You won't even grab a Unit to accompany you?" I can't help but let my maternal instincts to protect Arto seep through. Arto showed up unaccompanied by a Unit on his way here, and now was throwing himself into the most dangerous possible situation without one.

        "I really appreciate your concern, Lin, honest. I need to start taking on more daunting tasks on my own, though. I need to grow stronger, so I can protect the colony too. If I can't even make this journey alone, how would I ever become strong like you, Lin?"

        The moment of flattery immediately dissipates under the weight of the situation. I put my hands on either of his shoulders.

        "I'm gonna level with you here, kid. Not even I would make that trip alone right now. It's literal suicide. I'm telling you this not only as your elder but as your friend. You are not making this trip, do you understand me?" I wag my finger like a teacher disciplining a child. Which may actually be an accurate representation of the current situation.

        Arto looks down, dejected, but then right away back up, with newfound passion in his eyes.

        "Once I come back from doing this alone, you'll have no choice but to respect me! Right, Lin? I would have done something even you're afraid to do."

        He is challenging me at this point. I don't mind, though. His safety is more important than my pride.

        "Look," I sigh, clearly unable to compromise. "If you're dead set on this, then at least let me accompany you. I want you to have faith in me, but at the same time, you have to understand this is still a huge risk. Still, I'm giving you my word that I will give up my life to protect yours."

        Arto shakes his head with a smile. "With all due respect, Lin, I really think I ought to… to…"

        I grab Arto's hand, lacing my fingers in between his. I hope that he can feel the warmth of my hand even underneath his gloves. I have to do everything to give Arto a sense of security. Despite his innocence and his bubbly personality, he has always been somewhat reserved and afraid to accept outside help. He wants to be independent, but he is taking risks far beyond what could be expected of him. I tightened my grip, lifting his hand up to my chest, swearing to protect him. As my smile grew, his smile dissipated, along with his grip on my hand. He bows his head in silence, seemingly deep in rumination. After a short silence, he lifts his head again, now appearing in mild distress.

        "Lin, you really do make me feel safe, no one else tries nearly as hard as you do. I have to," Arto seems to be at sixes and sevens, tentatively choking out his next words. "I have to be honest with you… th-that I haven't been honest with you. You were the only person I would have ever felt comfortable saying this to, but you were always around Jack, and I was, I was going to keep it all inside, but it's something I need to tell someone, because I don't know how much time there is left, and I can't do this alone…"

        My mind turns to static. Arto's behavior took a major shift, and his words were nonsensical. Could the pressure of the situation be messing with his brain? I grab Arto on both shoulders, putting my forehead up against his, softening my voice to slow his racing heart.

        "Arto, please calm down, hon. Everything you say is going to be safe with me. Just back up a little, and—"

        I cut my own words short as I discern a group of Arpakie runners sprinting up towards the school courtyard, and consequently, towards us. Each of them is barefoot, the stampede of their feet making contact with the asphalt reverberating into nothing more than soft slapping noises. They slow down to take a breather, keeping a steady pace towards us.

        "Arto, mission abort! This is too dangerous now! We need to head back to the colony."

        Arto's eyes glaze over, the situation freezing him over into a statue. For the first time since I first met Arto, all emotion and desire just seem to have drained out of his form. Whether or not this is simply his unorthodox response in processing the situation falls into irrelevancy with so little time to react. I spent no more than a couple of seconds contemplating the situation, and then formulated a plan. I would sweep Arto up from off the ground and carry him back to the sanctuary of our colony. I knew I would. I had to.