German - 2010
Boss now stood in front of a small apartment building, facing a charming cafe called Pandora's Box on the ground floor. The owner, sharing the intriguing name of the establishment, wasn't just a subordinate but one of the rare individuals universally respected by Boss. With Mnemon by his side, Boss entered the cozy cafe, welcomed by the enticing aroma of coffee, fried pork belly, and eggs. Despite the late hour, the simplicity of this combination constantly stirred a craving within him.
In the corner of the coffee shop sat a striking young black woman with an impressive afro hairstyle, a fashionable jumpsuit, a modern-looking laptop, and a pair of glasses. However, her mood seemed sour, judging by the mountains of paper nearby. That was Pandora, the manager and one of his board members at VoidTech.
'German paperwork is no joke, huh,' Mnemon telepathically told Boss.
'It's the only reason Ma and Pa don't want to stay in Germany,'
'Pretty sure Ma wants better dental healthcare.'
Making their way towards the cashier, the staff was momentarily stunned at Boss's presence, immediately bowing.
"Wel-welcome, Big Boss," stammered one of them.
"It's okay. I promise today's not that day," Boss reassured with a smile and a subtle gesture to ease their nerves. His sudden visits tended to strike fear into the hearts of his employees, given Boss's reputation as the audit boogeyman.
"Just Boss. I just want to talk with your lady-in-check," he pointed towards Pandora. "Personal stuff only, so don't you worry about anything. No audit, no funny business," he crossed his heart.
The employees exchanged glances before returning to their tasks, an audible collective sigh of relief escaping them.
"So, do you want to order anything, Boss?" The cashier asked.
Boss looked around briefly. The restaurant had few customers; only about 3 had finished their meals. It was already 9 PM. He immediately went to the door, flipped the sign from open to closed, and returned to the cashier counter.
"So," he clapped his hands. "I want all the bacon, eggs, fries, mash, steaks, ham, and hash browns you have." The cashier quickly nodded, though briefly stopped by Boss.
"Hold it," he gestured to her, "I'm afraid you probably think I mean 'give me lots of stuff.' What I meant was giving me all of them. All you have left. Load them up on your biggest plate, multiple if you don't. Make them look like a heart-attack version of Schlachteplatte. You understand me?" The cashier just nodded in bewilderment.
"Now, what about the pancakes?" Boss inquired.
"Oh, today we have apple cinnamon, buttermilk, and chocolate chips."
"Wonderful," Boss smiled while tilting his head. "All of them, please."
"Next, for the drinks, six mugs. Yes, mugs, not cups. Two oranges, two milks, and two coffees. Extra cream and extra sugar, please."
"I-I think I will have to check with the chef first," the cashier turned toward the kitchen.
"Please, take your time," Boss assured her.
Boss then went to Pandora's place. Without looking up, she knew who was coming to her.
"Wassup, Boss, Mnemon." She waved at them, still sticking to the laptop.
"Pan, work ended at 4 o'clock. Why are you still sitting here doing this?" Boss took a seat.
"It's never-ending shit when it comes to this shitty company."
"Now, now, I know it sucks being a member of the Council, but it has its perks. Good ones."
Pandora just frowned. He was right. The privileges of being on the Council of Voitech were no joke, but so were the work and responsibilities.
Pandora looked up from her laptop, her eyes widening in surprise as the staff brought out an impressive spread of food, each dish stacked precariously on oversized plates.
"Well, that was awfully fast," Boss commented. The staff just smiled at his words.
"You weren't kidding when you said 'everything left,'" Pandora remarked, her frown transforming into a curious smile.
"Nope, I don't mess around when it comes to good food," Boss replied with a wink. "Have to support my favorite place after all."
"I'd rather have your support with this," Pandora pointed at the papers.
"Nah. Here," Boss handed her a plate of food.
"Thanks, but I have to pass. My cholesterol level just rose by looking at all of this."
"Welp, more food for us."
Boss turned around to see if there were any guests left. Seeing there was no one besides the three of them.
"Okay, buddy," he said to his crow friend. "You can go all out now."
"Finally," Mnemon exclaimed as they settled at the table, relishing the delectable meal. "God," they shuddered in delight. "Greasy food's always a guilty pleasure."
"So, what did you guys want to discuss with me? My gut is telling me it's something serious," Pandora asked, sensing a weighted conversation looming.
Boss grinned, savoring his pancakes. "Well, it is serious. First—" Boss began, only to be interrupted by Mnemon.
"Fucker has a girlfriend now," The crow blurted out, a mischievous glint in their eyes. Pandora, who had been quietly observing, frowned at the revelation from the duo.
"You're kidding," Pandora directed her disbelief at Mnemon.
"Homegirl," Mnemon spoke with a mouthful of steak, "Since when do we lie?"
Turning her attention to Boss, she sought confirmation, receiving a nonchalant nod as he indulged in his towering stack of pancakes.
'Holy shit... This old timer got some bitches before my gay ass does,' Pandora thought, slumping in her seat and staring at the ceiling in mock despair.
"One day, kiddo," Boss addressed her with a smirk. "Wait about, hm... 10 more years? Yes, 10 years from now, and I'm sure you'll get some wenches."
"Shut the fuck up, you millennial," Pandora retorted, launching the syrup bottle at Boss in a fit of frustration.
Boss effortlessly caught the bottle mid-air, his attention unwavering from his plate. "Thanks," he casually added syrup and returned the bottle to its place.
"So, how's the gal?"
The question wasn't for Boss but for Mnemon. Over the years of working with both, Pandora had learned that, despite Mnemon's foulmouth, they were the more rational ones in the duo, while Boss was undeniably eccentric.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
To Pandora, the bird was like that stoner plus alcoholic friend yet offered the most sage, profound, and logical advice all the time. Boss, on the other hand, was a charismatic leader, a jack-of-all-trades type, and sometimes an actual parent figure, but damn, his common sense was... indeed something else.
'It seems like that time we split into two. I took his common sense too,' Pandora recalled Mnemon's revelation about their shared history.
"Absolutely batshit insane."
'Okay, that doesn't sound promising at all,' Pandora thought. "Uhm... how bad?"
"Noira."
Pandora stopped what she was doing, closed the laptop, and set it aside. She adjusted herself and took a deep breath.
"What. The. Balls," she calmly said, stressing every word. "I understand your... questionable taste in women, but her? Why?"
Pandora did know who Noira was. After all, she is one of the few beings outside his family who knows about his past.
"Are you sure you don't have Stockholm Syndrome, Boss?" Pandora continued.
"Homegirl, give it up. I did, too. Too late to convince him."
"Well, to answer your question," he said as he wiped his mouth. "No, I don't have Stockholm syndrome. Second, as I told both of you before, Noira will chase me down to the end of everything. She's just that obsessive. It's just a matter of time, and she has all the time in the world."
"Wait a minute," Pan realized something. "I've worked for you since the founding day of VoidTech on this planet, back in the day of the American Civil War. Yet, nothing happened. Why now?"
"What. Did. You. Do?" she turned to the big man himself.
After finishing his mountain of pancakes, Boss put the plates aside. He took off the necklace and gently placed it in front of Pandora.
"I found my home planet."
Pandora didn't say anything; she carefully picked up the necklace and looked closely at the pendant. The ethereal beauty of the cosmos is now in the form of a mesmerizing piece of jewelry. The pendant, suspended from a gracefully slender chain, showcases a miniature galaxy captured within a pitch-black orb.
Boss then snapped his fingers. The miniature galaxy zoomed in on a specific planet.
"Terran world. System stellar classification: G9V," Boss described. "In general, the weather conditions are colder than our current Earth, and the geography is completely different, as you can see."
"Civilization type?" Pandora asked.
"Unknown. At that time, Mom asked to come home for breakfast, then sat and talked with Noira, so I didn't consider that."
Pandora returned the necklace to Boss. She finally knew the reason for today's meeting.
"You're going to resign from your current position, right?"
"Not quite. There will be another person to replace the current Overseer, but I will still take the position of Chief Enforcer."
"Boss, are you sure this individual will fit your position?" Pandora asked. "Your current position is no joke whatsoever."
"Personally, yes. However, if they don't do well, then deal with it according to protocol."
Pandora said nothing for a while but then nodded.
"If you recommend that person, the entire Convocation of Seven will probably agree. 'In Boss, we trust' never fails once." She gestured at the slogan.
"I swear one day I will make a law to punish anyone who opens their mouth to say that," Noira chuckled at Boss's annoyance.
"So, you need me to handle the new guy or lad, is that it?"
"Not just that," Boss opened his palm, and a paper sheet suddenly appeared. "I need your service and authorization for many things," he handed her the note.
"Ugh, DIY again?" Pandora scowled.
"Yep," Boss nodded, sipping from one of his mugs.
Pandora briefly reviews the initial pages—mainly focusing on house and interior building materials like rock, stone, plaster, etc. However, with this abundance of materials, it seemed the devil was planning to build a villa rather than a small house.
"About this, I'll have everything ready for you in about 2-3 days. Just share your address, and I'll deliver it to you."
"Fantastic," Boss smiled.
Yet, the next page caused Pandora's eyes to widen. She could only look up at Boss in disbelief.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Nope."
"This... Well, isn't this a little bit overkill?" Pandora inquired back, unsure of his choice.
"There's no such thing as overkill."
"Of course, you dingus. It's called WAR-FUCKING-CRIME."
"It's just a defense to protect my home planet. I don't see anything wrong here. Look," the man pointed at her. "If one day some idiots decided to rob your house, what would you do?"
"Well, yes, I would blow those smacks to smithereens. The other ones, okay, I agree. But wanting to bring that thing with you is technically outrageous! And even I agree, what about Convocation's thought on this?" Pandora exclaimed.
"They won't say a word on this matter. After all, I did warn them before. That thing is my personal creation; I'm the one who decides what to do with it."
Pandora dropped her head on the table with a bang. Damn this stubborn bastard. The new Overwatch thing will create more work for her, let alone Boss bring this back to his planet.
"Promise me not to create more jobs for me," Pandora surrendered. "I don't care what you do with it, as long as it doesn't cause trouble for me or the company later. Pinky swear?" Pandora held out her pinky finger.
"Pink swear," Boss smiled at her childish behavior but took it nevertheless.
"Sooo?" Pandora sat up, giving Boss a curious look.
"So what?" Boss continued sipping from his mug.
"I mean... Girlfriend? Noira? Hm?" She shrugged at Boss.
"Well, to start with..."
Boss began recounting everything—from the journey to the old planet to the Noira discussion.
"What's your take on this?" Boss asked for Pandora's opinion.
"Hmm, sounds like a weird case of OLD combined with psychopathy," Pandora pondered, scratching her chin.
"OLD? As in 'old'? And since when did you become like Doc?" Mnemon finally spoke up.
The two switched their attention and noticed the crow had devoured all the food Boss had ordered, leaving nothing behind. Boss had only touched a plate of pancakes and a mug of orange juice. Frankly, Pandora wasn't too surprised by this.
"Obsessive Love Disorder, OLD for short, isn't officially recognized as a separate mental health disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)," she opened her laptop and showed it to the bird.
"I've been reading some psychology papers lately, accidentally stumbled upon Doc's psychology reports, found them interesting, and decided to look them up. So, yeah."
"Please elaborate," Mnemon requested further explanation.
"Uhm... Dude, Boss here has a degree in psychology. Why not ask him?" Pandora pointed at Boss. "Psychology isn't my forte; logistics is."
"Do you think it's wise to ask the one who agreed to go on a date with his tormentor?"
Both turned to Boss, who just smiled and nodded.
"Plus, I want to know your personal view on this case, a truly sane one," Mnemon added.
"Fair. Uhm, as you can see here," Pandora pointed to the laptop. "OLD refers to a fixation on another person as if they are a possession or object. Symptoms of OLD may include an overwhelming attraction to one person, possessive thoughts and actions toward them, feeling the need to 'protect' the person you're in love with, extreme jealousy over other interpersonal interactions, and low self-esteem."
"The first and second are correct. The third sounds... eh,"
"Well, she intended to give Boss a new body, right? Or his old body? I don't know. Anyways, she knew about his condition, which is bad, and forced him to take it. So yeah, the third's true," Pandora explained.
"More like putting a choke on his neck," Mnemon retorted.
"What about the fourth?"
"If Noira was truly jealous of my interactions with that other individual, Pan would suffer worst," Boss casually stated.
"I'm right here, you know?"
"I know, and I'm not joking. You haven't seen the things Noira did in the past. A quick death is probably the most merciful act Noira could bestow; I have you know that."
"Jeez, thanks for the warning," the woman snarked.
"The final one, though, so wrong," Mnemon commented.
"Agreed," both Boss and Pandora said at the same time.
"But one thing I wonder is, why did you agree to go on a date with her?" the girl asked Boss.
The man beside her just sighed as he slipped a photo out of nowhere to her. Pandora took it and checked its content.
"Smash," which was her immediate answer. "Wait, wait!" she cried as she broke her trance.
"Okay," Pandora took a deep breath. "This," pointing to the picture of Noira, "is a certified baddie. But I want a real proper reason. Real one."
"You also know Moira's personality through the story just now and my past. A bonafide psychopath who has an extreme obsession towards me," he said as he continued his drink. "But the past story I told you was a more family-friendly version. Noira is the type that is willing to sacrifice or burn her own people and friends if need be."
"Now, imagine," he put the mug down. "Two powerhouses decide to go to war against each other. Who will suffer the most?"
"Of course, the innocence, for that is the nature of war," Boss continued. "But the important question here is: who would take the most damage, more than the bystander?"
"You," Boss pointed at Pandora. "The ones who are close to me. Those who choose to follow me. When that happens, who will you blame? Me or her?"
Pandora was silent, not saying anything. His intentions now were clear.
'I am trying to save you guys by taking this bullet,' was his message.
"But then again, there's hope, I guess." Boss chuckled.
"Hope?" Pandora confused.
"This is the first time I've seen such behavior from her. The conversation between us before, her expression back then... really surprised me," Boss recounted her blushing and the kiss.
"As for you, buddy," he said, turning to the crow, "I get that you're skeptical and having a blood with Noira, but do try to give a chance, will you?"
"Regardless of chances or not, if she genuinely loved you, she should've changed her ways earlier, not now!" Mnemon exclaimed.
"I think you're misunderstanding something. Back then, she did not love me in the conventional sense. It was more like a bored kid stumbling upon an incredibly interesting toy, deciding to push its limits to the extreme," Boss clarified to Mnemon.
"But Noira is different now. She's still a psychopath, but I sensed a change. I don't know what happened to her after my past self died, but because of that change, I'm willing to give her another chance."
"And if she messes up again?"
Boss picked up his mug and took a final sip.
"I'll finish what I started."
Silence hung in the air for a moment. Pandora decided to break it.
"It's already past 10 PM," she pointed at the clock on the wall. "Go home, or do you want your mother to nag you guys again?"
"Scheiße!" Boss fumbled around and pulled out his wallet. "Uh, how much for all this?"
"Let me see..." Pandora glanced at the stack of plates. "10 classic breakfasts with hash browns, sausage, ham, and bacon. 7 full-stack traditional pancakes, including 2 chocolate chips, 2 apple cinnamon, and 3 buttermilk. 2 cups of lemon juice, 2 cups of coffee, and 2 cups of milk. That would... 194 and 83 cents."
"Split the remaining tip evenly for the staff," Boss handed over 500 dollars. "Remember the list I gave you! Three days later, okay? Bye!" Boss bid farewell and hurried home, with Mnemon trailing behind.
Pandora chuckled and took the money to the cashier.
"Here," she handed three $100 bills to the employee. "Split it equally among the employees working on this shift. Bossman's tip."
The cashier could only stare in astonishment.