Area-1

Nathaniel Grey

Nathaniel Grey “Welcome back, Nathaniel,” I greet the man in glasses as my heels go tack, tack, tack against the flooring. He is sitting behind a working station, a set of covered artifacts and tools in front of him. He is wearing his usual lab coat, a standard Arean clothing. People commonly modify their uniform lab coat to suit their personal style, but Nathaniel never does anything to his, unlike me who has completely remodeled my lab coat. It looks more like a fashionable jacket now, hugging my figure perfectly on top of my full-on body suit.

Nathaniel Grey is the Head Department of Forensic Archaeology. He and his team have recently uncovered a few artifacts from their latest expedition. Knowing my interest, he invited me to view some of the unearthed discoveries the first chance he got, and in return I will be giving an extra hand as per usual. I got my own hands-down experience from a couple of years back, though he commented that it was unfortunate that I decided to not explore it further.

Nathaniel is the type of man that stays up late when work becomes really interesting. So when all of his workers return home to their family and friends, he stays back all night until his working time becomes way past overdue.

It is strange how we get along, people say. He who digs the past and me who seeks the future. We are known to be an odd pair of friends. Most do not even expect him to be friends with me, or anyone at all for that matter. But the real reason people talk is because it is rare to see Nathaniel conversing with people, even between the people who work for him. Due to his certain sorted priority and lack of interest in socializing, I happen to be the only person considered to be his friend so far.

Nathaniel lifts his head from his work, pausing just enough to spot me walking up to him. “Hello, Lini. It’s good to see you again,” he says politely, before returning to the artifact he is currently cleaning. He quickly brushes off some dust before setting his tools down and gives his full attention to me. “Have you eaten yet?” He asks.

“Just some dinner pills,” I answer. In order to fulfill the demand of more time for work, our society has evolved food in the form of pills. It is fulfilling just like wet food, can be compacted in small spaces, and has a decade long of expire date. There are a variety of flavors from breakfast to dinner. “I got the sirloin steak flavor. You want some?”

I ask as I ransack the inner pocket of my jacket to produce a small canister and give it to him, which he accepts. He takes a couple of my pills and popping them into his mouth and return the canister as he chews.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

We first met during one of his visits with my dad at home. I was seven, just returning from school and in a damper mood. I think it was because someone tried to take my stuff. Scissored boy, if I’m not wrong.

He wore glasses, too, back then. It was before he was promoted to the Department’s Vice Head. He should just be a couple of years older than me now. Dad introduced us and explained briefly what field of work he did.

I looked into his eyes, and instantly I could relate to the way his gaze emits. It was loneliness. The same loneliness that I had constantly felt. I don’t really understand why I sometimes felt that way. I still feel lonely from time to time, though not as much as I was then. It just happens. And when it does, I crave. Bad. But I didn’t really know what else to do with it, aside from letting it eat me away.

Back then, I didn’t really interact with strangers well, but the moment I saw him, I felt an enormous urge to comfort him. I remember pressing my hand on the gist on his knee, giving it a light squeeze. That made him really look at me then.

“I like you. Want to be my friend, Nathaniel?” I ask generously.

He lifted his face, his dark eyes soften when he replies, “Yes. I would love to, Lini.”

It was such an innocent introduction, and it became the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Spending time with Nathaniel is relaxing. We share the same understanding of the importance of quality time, rather than the fast-paced luxury that most people enjoy. I am talking about getting dirty while exploring uncovered caves from unnamed planets, swimming in muddy ponds in search for clues and trying to remove crystallized feces of some extinct species.

There is no room for being shy, either in the lab or during expedition. The thrill of finding something new and learning it mostly conquers how gross things turn out to be. Besides, we always make sure to wear suits and helmets to protect our bodies. And we get to enjoy showers and warm baths afterwards.

Nathaniel gets back to work, lowering an x-ray down to the piece of artifact on his station. It is about the size of a tree trunk, still covered in red dirt for most of its surface. I see unidentified carvings on some of the parts that I can see, but recognize nothing.

“What is this supposed to be?”

“The detector showed that there is something buried inside, but the x-ray couldn’t get through it until I removed most of the red soil—it consist a high level of magnetism. I trying to see what’s inside once more.” He turns on the x-ray and the blue screen shows a skeleton of the outline shape, along with something hard in the core.

“Let’s crack this thing.” He pushes the x-ray back and lowers the laser beamer. He quickly punches in a few instructions in the keypad and presses start. We watch in silent thrill as the laser cuts open the chunk in a precise and clean movement. In two seconds, the chunk is cut in half.

“Would you like to do the honor?” Nathaniel offers.

Pulling up my gloves, I reply, “Don’t mind if I do.”

He restores the laser beamer back while I move in place. I grab a big cut portion of the chunk and lift it up, revealing blue concentrated dirt inside. Judging by the way my gloves light up slightly, this chunk is pretty heavy. I put it to the side and turn back to the exposed part of what I first thought was the artifact. My fingers brush away the dust, getting blue all over my gloves. I make a mental note to wash it off before tugging away the pair.

I see something small shining at the bottom. The lighting is too dark for me too see it properly. I try to grab it, moving it as careful as possible. It turns out to be firmer than I expected, so I assume it might be something made out of metal. I grab a knife from the pile of tools at the side, carefully digging out some of the blue dirt that is still persistent. As I make enough room I start to feel the small piece of metal going loose.

A feeling of satisfaction seeps into me when I finally remove the object successfully. I quickly raise it to the light, allowing it to shine on the object. I am surprised at how mundanely familiar it seems. It appears to be a ring. Blue diamond, perhaps, with titanium framing the piece of precious stone as the ring. I know that it is, in fact, titanium because I often work with this type of material.

“Nathaniel, is this—” I turn, searching for my friend, only to find him gone. I look around, but the lab is empty except for me. He can’t be leaving his lab, not when we are in the moment of uncovering something. Then I see a movement from below, and my gaze shifts down. That is when I spot him. On the floor. With one of his knee bent.

His eyes locked into mine, and I see a new determination in his eyes. It is the kind of look that I see everytime he goes into one of his expeditions; just before he goes for the leap into an abyss, before he takes a dive into an ocean full of predators, or how he was just before he steps into somewhere that is obviously dangerous. He likes the rush. It thrills him. Just like it thrills him now. Only there is something else mixed in those dark eyes of his.

“Nathaniel?” I suddenly find myself standing awkwardly.

“Lini Dynasty,” he addresses me by my full name out of nowhere. I don’t really like how serious his tone is right now. Nathaniel always sounds serious and collected by the normal Nathaniel standard, but this is something else.

“What are you doing?” I cut him during his sentence, getting the feeling of where this is heading to. I give him a look that says, “Don’t say whatever it is you are about to say.”

“—will you marry me?”

And there it is, the four words that I have been dreading to hear. Why, Origin, why? Why did he have to ask me that question? We were getting along just fine as friends. Why did he have to put me on the spot by asking me to marry him? I thought we were friends?

And why does it have to come from his mouth? Why can’t it be anyone else? I can break a stranger’s heart. But Nathaniel is one of the colleagues that I consider as a friend. I can never break his heart, but that does not mean I can accept his question, too.

He knows that I am not interested in any form of this. Not in dating, and certainly not in marriage. The whole concept of having a romantic relationship is not what I can picture in my mind. Not now, not ever. I am asexual. Certainly he is aware of that…. Or is he not? But since he is asking the questions….

And the artifact. Is it fake? I can’t really imagine him making a fake piece of artifact just to ask me to marry him. But then again, it is not like a situation such as this has ever happened before. And the ring. Origin, the ring! I stare at the blazing blue diamond in my hand, staring threateningly at me, making it feel heavier than it actually is.

“Nathaniel, I—” I try to talk, but the words come out as a whimper.

He stands up so fast, I am surprised by the way he towers me. Still keeping his gaze locked on me as he speaks. “You don’t have to say anything right now. You can take the ring; keep it or wear it. It does not matter. I’m giving it to you regardless of how this turns out.”

I can only stare at him with wide eyes in return, still in shock. Seeing the way I react, his eyes soften. He doesn’t show any sign of being angry or disappointed, which I am thankful for. I don’t how I should react if he becomes upset with the lack of reaction on my part.

“Look, I know for a fact that you have no interest in this sort of thing.” Then why did you do it? I want to ask. “But I wanted to at least try and give this a chance, rather than regretting not trying at all. You can take as much time as you want, or never say anything at all. I don’t want to pressure you by thinking that I am expecting something in return. I just want you to know my feelings for you.”

“Your feelings?” I ask meekly. Aren’t we friends?

He cracks a smile. “I love you, Lini. Not as a friend or as a mentor, but as a lover. I thought you’ve figured this part a long time ago. I guess I wasn’t that obvious compared to others.”

I love you. Three simple words. Three destructive words. I am struck by his words. The way he says it. The look in his eyes. He is serious. Oh, Origin. Oh, Origin. Oh, Origin! I scream in my mind a dozen times.

“Wait, wait, stop.” I back off a few steps and look around the lab. “These artifacts, the expeditions, are they not real? And what do you mean by ‘others’?”

“The artifacts and expeditions are real. It’s just that one piece that I faked, using the real materials, of course. My team and I had uncovered a few pieces a few days back, and there were enough leftover for me to use. As for the ring, blue and titanium are your favorites, so I wanted to make something that you like.”

He made this piece of jewelry? All by himself?

“Of course I had to take a few courses before I tried it for real. And a few failed attempts. But I got everything by myself. The blue diamond, from the rocks of erupting ice. And the purest type of titanium. All for you.”

“Oh, Nate. You shouldn’t have.” Erupting ice is located in a never-ending winter planet. It is one of the most dangerous places an explorer can venture into. What if he got hurt? But then again, having his job requires a certain period of time of being in danger. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

“Thank you, but—”

“Please, Lini. You don’t even have to think about it. Accept the ring as a gift, if you must. No obligations.”

“No obligations,” I repeat. My act might just be too great, or he really is oblivious. I can feel my chest collapsing, struggling to breathe. I quickly excuse myself before I fail to maintain my act, stepping out of the Forensic Archaeology Laboratory.

He loves me. Nathaniel loves me.

And there is not a thing I can do to stop the wheels from turning.

Mechanical GlovesUsed to lift heavy objects without tiring out the user. There is no limit to the weight this device can lift, as long as it is fully charged and has enough energy to keep working.

These gloves are commonly used by mechanics, fixers and those who work in the engineering department.

Aside from helping with the heavy lifting, these gloves can also function as hand protectors. Most of the scientists in Area-1 handle dangerous hazards almost every single day, thus making this tool a must-have that plays a huge role in Area-1’s everyday life.