Olivia walked into the dining room with Tara, the time nearing 6 p.m. As they entered, they spotted Kalvin sitting at a table in the corner, having his dinner.

Suddenly, Marcus appeared from a corridor, a warm smile on his face as he greeted Tara. "Hey," he said, his face brightening up.

"Hey," Tara replied, her own smile widening in response.

"Where were you all day?" Tara asked, her tone curious but cheerful.

"I was studying the weather of the area. I had to rearrange the data," Marcus explained, his smile unwavering.

Marcus, who was holding Tara's hand, stood behind Olivia, his expression far from pleased. As Kalvin's eyes met Marcus's, Kalvin offered him a friendly smile.

"If you want to learn about sailing a ship, I can teach you today. The sea is calm," Kalvin said, his voice warm and inviting.

However, Marcus's response was curt and dismissive. "No thanks, Clarence will teach me some other day," he said, his tone laced with rudeness.

Marcus's reaction did not surprise Kalvin, but the hurt was evident in his eyes. He had seen Marcus as a good friend, but now he was being treated like a criminal.

Tara, displeased with Marcus's judgment, spoke up. "Why? Kalvin is one of the best sailors in the security sector. Clarence is just a guard," she said, her voice tinged with complaint.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"I don't like to have criminal friends. Who knows, he might kill me next," Marcus retorted, his gaze fixed on Kalvin with a ruthless expression.

Kalvin, having faced countless instances of rudeness, judgment, and isolation throughout the day, remained silent. He grabbed his water glass, took a sip, and quietly left the room.

Olivia noticed that Kalvin's plate was only half-finished, with a sandwich and chicken wings left untouched. She could see the anguish in his eyes as he walked away.

As they walked past Kalvin's table, Olivia took a moment to address him. "Bell is worried for you. I think it's better if you talk to him. He's at the main mission control centre now," she said, her voice friendly and sincere.

Kalvin turned his head towards Olivia, nodding lazily. "I will," he replied, his tone surprisingly soft – a stark contrast to the frustration and defeat he had displayed earlier.

Tara, appalled by Marcus's behaviour, turned to him. "Since when did you start to judge people like that?" she asked, her voice laced with frustration.

"Since the day Elsa sentenced my parents to death," Marcus replied, his anger directed towards Olivia.

Tara, deeply upset, desperately wanted to slap Marcus. "Elsa was like a mother to me. She was the only one who cared for me after I lost my parents. You better keep that in mind," she yelled, before turning around and leaving.

"I'm sorry, Olivia, but I have no appetite," Tara said gently to Olivia, her appetite lost.

Olivia let out a heavy sigh as she watched Tara leave. Marcus, clearly upset, wiped his forehead nervously before turning around and departing as well.

Olivia then approached the vibrant and lively Norman Erien, who was dancing to a song. "Erien," Olivia said, a smile brightening her face at the sight of his ridiculous dance forgetting everything happened before a moment.

"Oh, yeah, what do you want, Miss Blake?" Norman asked, turning around and smiling.

"Can you pack Kalvin's plate? He's left it half-finished," Olivia requested politely.

"Okay," Norman replied, his smile gentle. "On my way," he added, saluting in a comically exaggerated manner before heading off to fulfil Olivia's request