William looks inside the door. A regular-looking office that he had seen before in the orphanage is right before his eyes. Simplistic nature of the room, with empty space, with a desk in the back of this space.
Sofa, chair, carpeted floor, with semi-open space where Luke continues to walk.
“Come. Come.” A voice of an older gentleman sounds from behind the table. For some strange reason or another, he wears a cowboy hat with a nice-looking open jacket of leather quality material. He seems more out of place than one would guess, but William doesn't judge anyone.
Luke is already seated before the table in no time, while William looks around and finds this to be abnormally normal looking. For a most likely secretary of The Federation.
“I appreciate the finished mission. Captain Irwin.” Older gentlemen offer a handshake to Luke, which is plainly refused by a stern-looking Luke.
He has grey short hair with a thinly shaved beard around his chin in a try to look younger. He still radiated much vigor and life, but the passing of years is quite visible on his wrinkled face. 50 to 60 years old is the bare minimum of what William guesses about his age.
“Yea right. Right. I was not the one who tasked you with the mission regarding the retrieval of Gale's kid. I know. I know.”
“I am wondering what an old man like you is doing here. Is Mi-Yung not here? I would rather be done with her than you, sir Kaufman.” Luke bluntly says.
“She has her own troubles with missions, so she left me in charge of yours. Truth be told, I knew about the reasons from the beginning, so it doesn't matter if it is me or her.” Kaufman explains while leaning against the soft cushioned chair. He apparently enjoys a position that is not even his.
William walks forth and sits on a chair beside Luke with hesitation and wonders what sort of reasons are behind everything. Curiosity with many questions could not eat his brain even more.
“I have never heard a Rank 4 Walker retrieve a kid. That is one of a kind mission, sir. That is all.”
“Me too. I have no idea what Mi-Yung thought. Perhaps it was because you served with Victor Gale, or it could be because she wants to use you? Heheheheh.” Kaufman jokes around. He understands the type of people involved in this mess.
“She told me that. I agreed with the mission so it matters not, now...” Luke leans his legs on the table and looks in expectation about further reasons for this mission.
“Reasoning, right? Nothing much here on my side, unfortunately. Mi-Yung obviously left out some things for herself. I will go over it briefly until she returns. According to some rule or decision, the boy was retrieved because of the coming of his age, and one reason being the whole unknown of even his existence to higher-ups. They want him here, in The Federation and that is the basis of everything.”
“Why?” William asks, not even understanding better from this reply that answers nothing.
“The order came from someone higher up. Sorry to not be able to say much else. It seems your parents were the main issue when it came to this mission.”
“Are they truly missing? I already resigned their deaths.” William tells his worry, but it comes back with a shaking head of Kaufman.
“I don't know, kid. Being missing for 10 or so years is already considered dead in the military. That's how are things done. Personally, I have no idea what are higher-ups thinking.”
“So what is gonna be with him?” Luke voices his concern.
“I have instructions from Mi-Yung for gaining him a free will on himself. As well as apply for the incoming examination which will happen in 6 weeks. He will enroll in his decision. Without influence from any organization, I was told that... At least.” Kaufman explains.
“Free will? What does that mean?” William asks.
“That you are a common citizen of The Federation. At least if you want to, or won't choose any organization that has certain rules and cuffs put on the Walkers.” Kaufman explains and specifically looks at Luke.
“Like here, with Irwin, for example. A Walker of rank 4 with quite a bit of experience, yet can't do much with rules put around himself because he chose a Yondu Division of the military. Right with the rules, that states any mission has to be taken, while the majority of the ordeals of the military are absolutely mandatory.”
“Bullcrap. My talent is not the best. You know, William. The statistics seem to tell me that Walkers in the fields will die within the first 2 years of their service. Barely accomplishing their full adult potential. If not even coming out of their shells of teen years.” Luke crudely states, while the face of Kaufman frowns.
“Am I wrong, sir Kaufman?”
“T-those are some harsh factual statistics. I won't argue about them.”
William, with ice-cold sweat on his back, feels speechless upon the harsh reality. Those statistics can cause a simple problem... lack of good instructors, too hard missions in the first 2 years, or a lack of experience. All of which are subjectively understandable, but equally harsh in the Outside world.
Die? I don't want to die. He thought.
“Well, at least you have plenty of time to worry about that in the 6 weeks,” Luke says and pats William on the shoulder.
“You are terrible with this, Luke.” Kaufman chuckles upon seeing them like that.
“Well, what am I supposed to do then? The kid will figure it out as everyone who comes here.” Luke argues.
“About that... Mi-Yung also states that you will take care of him for the time being...” Kaufman awkwardly says.
“What? Do the apartments not apply for him as every recruit for the examination?” Luke asks in a questionable tone.
“Well, it is Mi-Yung we are talking about... so.”
“Fine, I get it. When she will come back, this will get sorted out.”
“Good. Anything you need to know, Luke? If not, I will have a private conversation with the kid.”
“Beats me... I will take a nap in the hallway.” Luke scratches his chin, before walking out of the office. Not paying much attention to William, who listens to their exchange in a try to get a better understanding. More than anything, it backfired back to more questions and uncertainty.
Kaufman leans further back in his chair as he glances at William.
“How has been your life?” He asks.
“Uhm... Normal... so far.”
“So far? Great response. While I am finding it believable, the amount of struggle must have been quite big. An orphan at the age of 5, while struggling with the destruction of the Ontario region and borders. Then, traveling to wherever is safe until the camp of Roshwell in Quebec.”
“You know quite a bit, sir.”
“This is from the report that we were given. A lot of information had to be dug up for better understanding. And most of the thing was from the orphanage you spent the last 2 years of your life. At least you remember the few tips and tips of your past. Without them, we would not recognize you as well.”
“I... see. I indeed had an interesting life growing up. Life is just life. What sort of answer you are trying to get out of me? Sadness or pity is not something that I am seeking to come here.”
“Right, because you have no choice because of this...” Kaufman pulls a leather glove from his right hand and reveals an emblem on the opposite side of his palm. Orb-like gem swelled from the skin quite a bit, with the white color of matter inside that beams forth in the light of unordinary. William, unsurprised by this reveal says. “I have not seen any visible Walker outside. Do many Walkers keep their hidden like you, sir?”
“It is not mandatory but preferred. Life outside of the military is simpler because it is a burden for some people, after all.” Kaufman casually replies, while resting his hand on his temple.
“Burden?” Wiliam asks in uncertainty.
“Yes. Every one of us is living the lives of the Walkers since we were around your age. While some have earlier responsibilities than others, most have a general perception of freedom. Once outside of the field, you are a regular citizen of the Federation,” Kaufman explains meaningfully.
“I don't understand...” William mumbles while underestimating his own abilities. In truth, he is being rather realistic with himself, and he has no intention of having some wishful thinking.
“Right. Right. You are as clueless as a new person could get. Unfortunately... Wait! I could get you into a library. I was a member of it for quite a few years. You can spend some weeks there to make some friends or even comprehend the new life in this safe land.”
William deeply breathes, clenching his fist. He agrees that his general knowledge is not great. Especially considering the high level of development in the Federation, which he did not expect. He knows... even if he doesn't want to admit it, that his experience as a Walker could still be bad, because of a lack of common sense in this place. William needs to learn.
A few of the small stories he heard from some people in the camps made it sounds like the Federation is a paradise, but not a lot of details are shared about the whole land. Only a few glances here and there, to make it seem like a place worth the visit or to live there for a better life.
“As a future Walker, I will work hard to get my knowledge up to the common standards in the Federation,” quenching his fists, William resolutely replies.
“Great! Take this. For the future.” Kaufman tosses him a small paper card. William catches it with his hand and looks at it.
A full pass for the Grand Library of the Federation is written on the card.
Library of the Federation?
“Make sure to study hard, maybe you will get a high position in the examination.”
“Is study important?”
“No, but it makes things much smoother when dealing with the delegates from the organization who want new recruits. Don't fret too much about it. It is not a school or anything like this. The library is a good place to get some interest and understanding of the whole world of what was once known. While it's obviously less important for others, you will get much more out of this than a regular person.”
“That is great, even though I am more interested in the present and the future,” William says with a sight, after taking the hard wooden card into his pocket.
“Present? That is rather particular, boy.” Kaufman smirks as he looks at William with a sharp look, leaning his hand on his temple, which shows his emblem.
“I don't mind the past. Maybe I will learn much from this place called the Grand Library of the Federation, sir Kaufman. I am sincerely thankful for your help.” William, unbothered by his gaze, made a small bow, which he learned from madame Anderson.
“Such manners. Heheh. Alright. Mi-Yung, who was previously in charge of you, will hold more of such discussions, so in the meantime, spent some time with Luke and get accustomed to life in a proper city. You can leave now.” Kaufman says as he puts back his glove. There is not much else he is curious about, and even if there is more, he is a patient man. He can wait. William has a lot to understand and see in the world of Walkers.
William, upon hearing his discharge, left the office. Slightly surprised and a little glad as well, he thinks this went rather well than he expected.
“Already done?” Luke lazily asks from not so far sofa. He lays there as if no one would come here. Dust? He cares little about that.
“Yea. Mister Kaufman seems like a chatty person. Almost like a scholar, but I bet he is not like that at all, from the sight of his Emblem.”
Luke frowns and asks. “He showed you his emblem?”
“Yea, he also got me a card for the library.” William pulls the card from his pocket and shows it to Luke. “F-full pass? That is rather generous of him. You better use it well in those 6 weeks. It usually costs 10 credits for a week to get inside.” Luke sits down and clarifies what is within William's hand. Not fully, since even he himself hasn't seen this card very often.
“Credits?”
“Not everyone can get inside, you know? Credits are like money, a place to get some meaningful actions from the citizen, and Walkers alike.”
“Sounds terrible.”
“It is good enough for a stable nation, though. You may think whatever you want, but it is what is currently in the Federation.”
“I am used to bartering all my life. I guess using such things as a made-up currency will be hard for me.” Wiliam sighs and guesses.
“As long as you understand,” Luke says and gets up on his feet.