Steel Hearts

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - The GAICS

       I tapped my fingers on my legs anxiously.

        The flickering lights of the mini stage hurts my eye. Dapat ay steady nalang iyon dahil hindi naman ito party, military conference ito. Whoever the event organizer is, he sucked at this.

         Nevertheless, I was not here to judge how this event is organized or designed. Today I am here as one of the few chosen representatives of our National Armed Forces to witness the launch of a project that as the creator described, will change the future of the military we know.

       I was here seating in a mini-theater with other colleagues. Estimated ko ay less than fifty personnels lang naman ang guests ngayon. Ako lang ata ang pinakamababang rank dito, 2nd lieutenant. Others were Captains, Majors, Colonels, and Generals. But still I was considered because of being the only female to lead the troops during Marawi's upfront which happened three years ago.

         I see a lot of veterans and medal of valor awardees. There is also of course, the DND secretary himself that came to my sight. Puro malalaking personalidad sa pwersa ang nandito.

    Kitang kita ko ang lahat dahil I am only two rows away from the front of the stage. Sa harap ko halos nauupo lahat ng bigatin. I wonder why I had this seat.

"Bored?"

        I shifted to see a familiar face.

"Captain del Mundo." I acknowledged him.

       He smiled and his dimples showed. His flawless face irritates me. Ewan kung insecure ako sa kakinisan nya dahil parang hindi sya nagkakaroon ng tigyawat. Unlike my skin that's so roughly textured.

"Thought you had forgotten." The young Airforce captain said. "Well, I can be really hard to forget."

       I smirked. Here we go again with his attitude. Noong nasa Marawi pa kami ay madalas nya rin akong paandaran ng kanyang ugali. Sobrang kulit at madaldal. Naiirita pa naman ako sa maiingay na lalaki.

"I don't forget brothers in force, sir." I told him so he doesn't feel special.

       He shooked his head and was about to say something again when the microphone sounded.

"Good evening. Sorry to keep you waiting." I turned to look at the stage ahead.

       Captain Riego del Mundo took the vacant seat beside me. Everybody else settled with the sight of the woman wearing a bright yellow dress.

        She must be Catherina Fuentebella. I expected her to be a bit older because of her achievements. A nobel prize awardee. Renowned scientist all over the world. Most Influential Person of the year. The list goes on and never ends.

        Pero mali ako. She is like only 27 or less. Also, she doesn't look nerdy. She is astoundingly beautiful and sexy. Para syang modelo sa kanyang blonde hair. Napahawak tuloy ako sa aking buhok.

"I am Catherina Fuentebella. And I welcome you to my project launch especially made for you." She was applauded so she smiled.

         I uncomfortably gazed at her stilettos as she freely transitions from one part of the stage to the other. Masakit yan sa paa, malamang. Can't imagine wearing anything aside from my combat boots and sneakers.

"I am a straight-forward person. Ayoko ng paligoy ligoy. So let's get straight to the point of this gathering." She said.

       The lights dimmed except for the projector behind us. In no time, a gruesome image of war was displayed in front. It contained mutilated parts of soldiers and civilians mixed in shrapnels and debris of a torn down society. 

"War." She said. "Every year, thousands of our soldiers die defending our country."

       The image shifted to a soldier carrying another brother in force, while the former winces in pain. Blood stained their uniforms. Dirt enveloped their bodies while thick smoke emerges from behind.

"There were many families left behind. Ang daming pamilyang nawawalan ng mahal sa buhay." She said. "Anak. Kapatid. Asawa."

     I wasn't sure if it's intentional but she caught my eye and locked gazes with me as she spoke the last word.

"Ama."

       I broke eye contact as I remembered a nightmare that kept haunting me up to these days.

       She knows me? Kilala ba nya ako? O nagkataon lang?

       I refocused to the presentation projected behind her.

       The image shifted to an aerial view of Kalayaan Island, Panatag Shoal and then Philippine Rise. All of them focusing on warships, dredging vessels and countless naval vehicles of China approaching and dominating our territories.

       My teeth gritted at the sight. The territorial tension has been increasing these days at naiipit ang mga kababayan natin. Nayuyurakan ang soberanya ng bansa na pinoprotektahan ko.

"Lagi nalang tayong inaapi ng ibang bansa. Our National Armed Forces is always looked down on. We are considered inferior when in reality, we have so much potential."

         The image then shifted to a picture of random soldiers in a familiar setting. Some aiming guns, others running to save lives. When I saw my face saluting to the raised Philippine flag, and another one with me again running while protecting a pack of civillians; I knew where these pictures are from.

       Marawi's ground zero. The center of the war.

      I heard Capt. del Mundo chuckled beside me as the presentation halted to a pause --- my face as the last display.

"Artista ka na pala. Sikat ka na." He mocked. "Exposure, huh?"

       I rolled my eyes.

"We lost so much in Marawi, three years ago. Tatlong taon ang mabilis na lumipas and I dedicated those three years, to my life's greatest work. I worked so hard to make this country on top." Catherina said knowingly. "I believe, this will change the world of war you knew."

        I don't know where it came from but in her hand was a small remote control.

"Ladies and gentlemen! My life's greatest work, our key to being distinguished as the top military in the world and the future of an unbeatable NAF..." She exclaimed, beaming. "The GAICS."

        She pressed the remote and the screen behind her suddenly sounded to open up.

         Dahan dahan iyong naghiwalay at iniluwa ang mukha ng limang lalaking naka-uniporme ng militar. There is no branch of service indicated on their breast plates, only the clearly embroidered word GAICS.

       All the other four were mere lieutenants but the man in the middle, has a rank of a Captain. Above them all, he stands out the most because of his facial feature and charisma.

        I don't notice men usually but I cannot stop myself staring and analyzing him from the distance. His eyes are something.

       They walked to the center of the stage. Sobrang snappy ng pagkaka-dala nila sa kanilang mga sarili as their eyes looked ahead ---- emotionless.

"They are my Genomgineered Artificial Intelligence Cyborg Soldiers." Catherina introduced them to the small crowd she had in the room. "GAICS for short."

          She smiled as she motioned towards them. The room was filled with silence as we await her to speak again.

         When she did, I probably had my jaw drop to the floor.

"And they aren't humans."

       What. The. Hell.

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