My Professor is a Bastard

Chapter 25:Discerning

25:Discerning

Rheanelle's PoV (October 11, 2134)

''The Crevasse War was a war waged by coalition forces from 35 nations led by the United Kingdom of America against North Korea in response to North Korea's invasion and annexation of Kuwait arising from oil pricing and production disputes. On 14 August 2080, the North Korean Army invaded and occupied Kuwait, which was met with international condemnation and brought immediate economic sanctions against North Korea by members of the UN Security Council. UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher and US president George H. W. Bush deployed forces into South Korea, and urged other countries to send their own forces to the scene.''

My uncle, Professor Khan Wister, our history and architecture professor.

''Mr. Eldone.''

''A-Ah. What is it, sir?'' He stuttered? Ehh.

''What countries are we discussing right now? Since you have plenty of time staring at my niece, I believe you used your ear for listening.''

''As if she is truly your niece...'' He said in a small voice that only, I believe, I can hear.

''What?''

''Ah. The countries, United Kingdom of America and North Korea.''

''You may now sit. The initial conflict to expel North Korean troops from Kuwait began with an aerial and naval bombardment on 6 January 2081, continuing for six weeks. During this period, North Korea launched Scud missiles against coalition targets in India and Indonesia in an attempt to provoke a coalition-jeopardizing in Hinduism response, which failed to materialize. This was followed by a ground assault by coalition forces on 24 February. This was a decisive victory for the coalition forces, who liberated Kuwait and advanced into North Korea's territory. The coalition ceased its advance and declared a ceasefire 110 hours after the ground campaign started. Aerial and ground combat was confined to North Korea, Kuwait and South Korea's border. The war marked the introduction of live news broadcasts from the front lines of the battle, principally by the UKA network C--''

*knock *knock

''You can enter.''

''Is Mr. Denver Eldone and Ms. Rheanelle Wister here?''

''Yes. What is it?''

''The test for Doctorate will begin at 13 o'clock in the afternoon. Please prepare at the library after break.''

''Okay. We got that.'' Denver replied. The lady closes the door.

''Your applying for doctorate, Rheanelle?'' Uncle suddenly asked. I didn't have his permission. He wanted me to be in the architectural department.

''Yes, uncle.''

''That's not what we agreed upon. Let's talk about this at break. Now, where are we? Ahh. Scud missiles will be taught by Professor Aaron in the---''

*Sigh

It'll be a troublesome day. But I need to know the truth of my past, of where I belong.

''After losing the Crevasse War, North Korea have pledged to never touch any properties of all the other countries...''

I just look at my uncle. I love him and I see him as a father. But lying to me from where I belong is not something I can forgive so easily.

''...This matter will be continued next meeting. Goodbye, Class 1-A.''

''Goodbye, Professor Khan.''

''Rheanelle. I'll wait at the teacher's room. You better prepare yourself in explaining.''

He walked out of the room.

''Is this about what you told us the other day?'' Peach asked.

''Yes, it is.''

''That must be so hard. But we will always stay by your side.'' Stella encourages me.

Professor Glenn entered the room.

''Good day, Class.''

''Good day, sir.''

''I'm sorry if I couldn't attend during the homeroom earlier. The principal called me for you guys. Now, I have to settle this matter.''

What matter?

''...*sigh* Okay. Akira, Ryuu. Occupied. Japanese Ambassador from Caylon. Philunkantaar Ayatachikan. Occupied. Biologist. Mhessy Carter. Occupied. Military Spy. Are these three correct?''

''Sir, Yes, sir.'' The three agreed.

''Cian, Xing Woo. Unoccupied. Why is that?'' he asks.

''My boss haven't said what is suitable for me.''

''Then pick your own. Your boss isn't the one who will be engaging in battle. Tell that boss of yours that I picked your position for you. Now, what position are you interested in?''

''Bomber, sir.''

Bomber? We haven't discussed that yet.

''Then, its settled. Wait for Professor Unvecinelle to teach you that. Next will be...Denver Eldone...Semi-Occupied. Your taking the exam today. Stella Fleandear, my dear...''

Ugh! This is a class.

''...Occupied. Pair sniper with Caspian Hutton from Class 1-B. Lee Dae Jun. semi-occupied. Why?''

''I'm still under training to drive as a Pilot of Aeromedical Evacuation. Professor Aaron haven't pass me yet.''

''Then do your best as a Medevac. Yura Kovichkov.Semi-Occupied. Still under training in driving the airship?''

''Yes, sir.''

''Yuriy Kovichkov. Occupied. Battle Tank Gunner. Kenny Lau. Occupied. Frontline Squad. Arianne Rodrigues. Unoccupied. Why?''

''Still cannot choose sir.''

''Well, don't be picky. Peach Tarnille. Not allowed to join due to the World Leaders request to stay out of the battlefield along with Brent Fleandear from Class 3-A.''

Now that I think about it. Why do Peach need to stay out. Maybe because she's the princess.

I'm next.

''Rheanelle Wister. Occupied. Commanding Team as Strategist...''

''Sir!'' I stood up.

''Is there something wrong?''

''I am applying for Doctorate this noon sir. If you can still change that, then please change it. I am still semi-occupied.''

''O-Okay. Louise Anthony Yorochyve. Occupied. First year strategist and Assistant Leader. Last will be Giovanni Zeus. Occupied. Tank Driver. That's it for the homeroom. Now, I'll be teaching the military strategy. I have taught Louise about this privately because he is very interested in it. Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek word strategos, the term strategy, when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", or "'the art of arrangement" of troops. Military strategy deals with the planning and conduct of campaigns, the movement and disposition of forces, and the deception of the enemy...''

Uncle taught me this too. He really wanted me to be far away from the field. But I just can't ignore the doubt I had in him.

''... father of Western modern strategic studies, Carl von Clausewitz, born in 1780 and died on 1831, defined military strategy as "the employment of battles to gain the end of war." B. H. Liddell Hart's definition put less emphasis on battles, defining strategy as 'the art of distributing and applying military means to fulfill the ends of policy'. Hence, both gave the pre-eminence to political aims over the military goals. Strategy differs from tactics, in that strategy refers to the employment of all of a nation's military capabilities through high level and long term planning, development and procurement to guarantee security or victory. Now, get all your military textbooks and open to page 46. Strategy and Tactics Background.''

I just followed his command and forget the 'talking' later.

''Military strategy in the 19th century was still viewed as one of a trivium of "arts" or "sciences" that govern the conduct of warfare; the others being tactics, the execution of plans and maneuvering of forces in battle, and logistics, the maintenance of an army. The view had prevailed since the Roman times, and the borderline between strategy and tactics at this time was blurred, and sometimes categorization of a decision is a matter of almost personal opinion. Carnot, during the French Revolutionary Wars thought it simply involved concentration of troops.''

Trivium. The trivium is the lower division of the seven liberal arts and comprises grammar, logic, and rhetoric.

Tactics. Military tactics encompasses the art of organizing and employing fighting forces on or near the battlefield. They involve the application of four battlefield functions which are closely related – kinetic or firepower, mobility, protection or security, and shock action.

Guess, Uncle already taught me the basics.

''Professor Khan must have explained to you the French Revolutionary Wars. Force concentration or Concentration Of Troops is the practice of concentrating a military force so as to bring to bear such overwhelming force against a portion of an enemy force that the disparity between the two forces alone acts as a force multiplier in favour of the concentrated forces. We will get to Concentraion of Troops tomorrow...''

Then I saw a name in the bottom of the book.

Georges Benjamin Clemenceau. I heard this name before.

''Georges Benjamin Clemenceau was a French statesman who served as Prime Minister of France from 1906 to 1909 and again from 1917 until 1920.'' the voice of uncle echoed in my head.

''...As French statesman Georges Clemenceau said, "War is too important a business to be left to soldiers." This gave rise to the concept of the grand strategy which encompasses the management of the resources of an entire nation in the conduct of warfare...''

I look at Glenn. Why does he need to repeat the name!

''...Grand strategy or high strategy is the long-term strategy pursued at the highest levels by a nation to further its interests. Issues of grand strategy typically include the choice of primary versus secondary theaters in war, distribution of resources among the various services, the general types of armaments manufacturing to favor, and which international alliances best suit national goals...''

''Sir! Does the Principal prepared a Grand Strategy?'' Giovanni asks.

I look at Glenn.

''...E-ehhh. The Principal will be briefing you this weekend. He will explain, okay.'' he answered.

''Hey, your boyfriend seems to be in a stress lately...'' I said to Stella.

''Yeah. I don't know why, but I'll spend the night at his dorm. Is that okay with you guys?''

''Of course.'' Peach answered.

''...The Nazi's strategy. Hitler's strategy for war was laid out in Mein Kampf from year 1925 to 1926. Whether Hitler intended global or merely European conquest, or whether he even had a plan for war in advance is debated. In Mein Kampf, Hitler had imagined a short war against France, and then the conquest of the USSR. He had wrongly assumed that Britain would be a German ally in the west against France, and so he did not foresee an enduring war in the west. In June 1941 Germany invaded the USSR, Operation Barbarossa, to carry out the second part of Hitler's strategy. The campaign plan envisaged defeating the USSR in a single summer / fall campaign, but Barbarossa failed to achieve any of its major objectives. In December 1941 Japan attacked the USA and Germany declared war on the USA shortly afterwards. Through the summer and fall of 1942, German strategy to win the war remained based on defeating the USSR.''

This is history not strategy!

*Ring

*Ring

The bell rang, ending the lesson.

''Rheanelle and Denver will not be available this afternoon, right?'' Glenn asked.

''Yes, sir!''

We got out of the room, leaving Stella to talk with Glenn.

''Let's head now.''

''Let's buy food first.''

After leaving Peach to Brent at the canteen, Denver and I goes straight to the library and wait. I didn't go and see uncle.

Professor Crystellica is there.

''Professor Xyron?''

''Oh, dear! Thank god you'll be applying for the doctors position. I will recommend the two of you as my assistant during war and I hope your okay with that. Surgeons right?''

''Ah...yes..'' we shyly answered.

''That's good to hear. Denver, give it your all, my dear nephew. Your mom and I are having high hopes for you.'' Professor Xyron is Denver's aunt.

Guess, their family is doctors. And if I am one of those, it'll somehow explain my love in science and stuff.

After a few moments the library was filled with students.

''Okay, I'll be your examiner. Please stay away from each other for 2 meters.''

We followed her instructions.

''That's more like it. Now. Relax and Prepare.''

I let out a deep sigh.

''Pass all the sheets. Left to right, horizontally.''

As all of us had our sheets, she said, ''Now. Begin.''

The test lasted for 3 hours. Yes. For two hours. The sheets are 12 pieces, back to back.

''Goodbye, Denver.''

''Goodbye, Rheanelle.''

As we got out of the school, both of us parted.

I was walking to the dorm when I saw uncle's silhoutte.

Guess this is his confrontation.

''Rheanelle...Walk behind me...'' I just followed him.

What seemed like a long walk brought us to the west shore.

''Why didn't you talk this about with me as your guardian. As your uncle, I have the right to choose what's for you!''

''Are you sure?''

''What?''

''Are you sure that you are my uncle? That you are my legak guardian? That you are the brother of my mom? Are you even sure that I have a mom?''

I said as tears rolled down on my cheeks.

''W-What are you saying?'' He said with this shook look on him.

''Somebody...Somebody recognizes me Uncle. Not as Rhea's daughter! But as a experimented Specimen!''

''Where do you get that from?! It cannot be Peach nor Stella? You are my sister's daughter!''

'No! I am not! I look nothing like her or the man you introduced to me as my father!''

You were a father-figure to me uncle.

But I wanna discern.

I wanna know the truth!

''I cannot lie to you if you already gain your memories.''

Huh?

''Yes, you're not my niece or my sister's child.''

No. Don't confirm it.

''I am very sorry if I lied to you. But you were given under my hands. I just pick you up. Now, it's time to throw you back to where you belong.''

''There is no need for that. Because you were a father to me. I just wanted to know the truth that's all. But please keep me by your side.'' I covered my soaked face with my hands and sobbed.

Everything's gonna change.

My friends will look at me as a creature.

''And...you...uncle..*sobs*...wil treat me different...'' I got down on my knees.

He rushed towards me. Knelt and hug me.

''Ssshhh. Dry those tears now. It's gonna break your uncle's heart...'' I can hear his sobs too.

''You are still the niece that I cared for...''

Those warm words cooled the hatred in me towards my uncle.

''All will be fine, Rheanelle...''

I'm glad I talk this out with him.

''Can I participate as a doctor?''

''Of course. It seems like the persons who created you wanted you to be a doctor.''

''That's what he said.'' I murmured.

''What?'' Uncle asked.

''Nothing. I'll cook dinner at my dorm.''

''Then, I'll have dinner with you guys.'' He said.