High School Soldier
67. Towards another world 2: the feelings of the older brother
August 20, 2321, at 19:41 WIB.
**
Provisional Government Center, Jakarta, Indonesia.
7 Buses carrying all personnel of Company 406 and 32 have arrived at the meeting place, which is none other than the State Palace. The entire Warrior got off the bus in an orderly manner, and a face that showed a sense of admiration towards this place. Because, all the personnel of the Company 406 and 32 new for the first time was in the State Palace.
In addition to the buses carrying the soldiers, 10 armored vehicles were also dispatched to guard their security. Armored vehicles were not allowed to enter the area within the State Palace, that was why they were parked by the roadside without fear of being fined.
The soldiers in charge of guarding the area of the State Palace were quite numerous, so only officers were assigned to greet them. The faces of those soldiers show a taste between ‘amung’ and ‘iri’. Because the personnel who come to this place have more combat experience than them.
In addition to the officers assigned to welcome, dozens of reporters and field reporters were also at this place and directly approached them. News-seeking groups from different TV stations must wear neat suit clothes if entering the State Palace area.
A field reporter who still looks young with his camera chooses the most strategic place for their live broadcast. These news seekers must scramble just to take a photo. Therefore, they were lucky enough to get a strategic place, which even the cameraman got the picture of Nio.
“I broadcast live from the State Palace, the soldiers from the Karanganyar Garrison have arrived here to attend the invitation from the President. They had just arrived at this place, yet their faces did not show any fatigue at all. Also seen a soldier who quite often his picture is plastered in the newspapers, he is a soldier named Nio..”.
Spotlights from cameras and reporters reporting on the current situation made the personnel even more nervous. They thought if their faces were visible, then fame would get closer. Because the entire camera is connected to the news broadcast that is aired on time alias directly from the location.
Nio immediately shuddered as he heard the reporters talking about him. He then reenters the bus, but Rio, Sima and Jo pull and force him out by lifting his body.
“Damn it, why are you more famous huh?” rio asked in a really upset tone. Rio's words were approved by the other soldiers.
“How do I know huh!?” Nio replied in a tone that was no less upset.
There were dozens of medium tanks and anti-aircraft artillery on standby around the State Palace. Not surprisingly there is a lot of combat equipment in this place, because Indonesia is still in the condition of ‘National War Emergency’.
Dozens of helicopter gunships every few minutes also passed over the State Palace.
The soldiers did not have time to answer questions from the reporters and reporters.
Together, all the male and female soldiers of the Company 406 and 32 walked into the State Palace for the first time.
**
Somehow Suroso prefers to approach Nio first, but in this place is invited also soldiers who have the rank of 3 and 4-star generals. And don't forget about a 5-star general here. Several high-ranking officers of the TNI AL and AU were also invited at this meeting.
First Lieutenant Nio's assistant, a commander of Queen Sigiz's royal guard team, now stands firmly in front of the President. His perfect attitude, made his nervousness almost invisible. Although his heart was beating very fast from going head to head with the President, his stern face hid the nervousness he felt.
It was difficult for him to get to the State Palace, but all his achievements on the battlefield were proof that he deserved to stand face to face with the President.
At first he had no interest in joining the military, let alone almost becoming an officer like now.
“The reason I became a soldier, is to want to protect my family and this country!” that was what Nio said when following the recruitment of soldiers for the Student Army Unit.
It did make the recruitment officer astonished at Nio's reply. Because most would-be soldiers if asked why they joined the military is “Ingin protect the country!” or “Want to make our enemies regret having fought a war with us!”.
It is rare to find a soldier who puts his country in second place as something he wants to protect.
Perhaps Nio was the only soldier who put his family in the first place as the thing he wanted to protect. Because Arunika is the only family she has now.
Suroso then asks Nio's purpose of being a soldier. Several journalists invited at this meeting immediately swarmed Nio and Suroso after the President asked about it.
“My goal as a soldier was to protect my brother, until he found his happiness! Also, protect this country from all the enemies who dare to fight with us!” nio's resolute-sounding answer was enough to make Suroso smile a little.
It was hard to guess what Nio was thinking, yet somehow he had succeeded until now.
Someone once said to Nio, and his words are always remembered in Nio's brain, “For ever, you will only be a burden on your brother!”. However, Nio could answer the President's question casually and nervously about his goal of becoming a soldier.
People who have said that, like looking for trouble with Nio.
Because, after Suroso asked, “Is there any other words you want to say?”
Nio immediately faced the tithe of the camera and the reporter, then said with a slanted smile, “Hopefully my dear sister, Arunika, watched this lousy little sister over there with friends. Also, thank you to the neighbors where I used to live for helping us after our family was hit by a disaster. The reply I can give you, just be a soldier and protect you. One more thing, I say thank you to someone who made this wound on my face.”
The sound of camera shots was heard many times after Nio said that, moreover he said the last words by pointing at the scar on his face, he spoke in a threatening tone.
The top military officials abandoned their intention to approach Nio, as they felt something after Nio said that. Like very thing ‘threatening’.
Nio used this moment as if to just let out his teardrops, he was so calm even though his heart was not. Because after saying that, maybe the person he offended even more held a grudge against him.
This meeting was actually a tribute to all the soldiers of the 406 and 32 Company, after the biggest battle against the otherworldly forces.
The promotion received 50 soldiers from the 406th and 32nd Company, because they risked their lives to direct the citizens who were in the middle of the battlefield to a safe place. Excluding Nio as he only gave the orders of the fifty soldiers to rescue the civilians.
The increase in rank received was up one rank, where 15 soldiers who rank as Corporal Two was appointed as Corporal One, and the rest who rank as Sergeant Two was appointed as Sergeant One.
The embedding of their new rank marks, carried out directly by the President and General and witnessed by everyone who attended this event.
For soldiers who only engage in combat, they will also receive a reward, namely promotion of promotion if they return to make achievements.
**
Members of Companies 406 and 32 have returned to the underground city with a very birth, but Nio is seen still able to run to his dorm quickly. After all, all of them on this day had a two-day leave ration.
Without knocking on his dorm door, Nio opened the unlocked door and immediately hugged the person he really wanted to meet.
Arunika returned Nio's embrace tightly as well, although Nio did not tell the time of his arrival. But Arunika could tell if the one who was hugging her from behind was Nio.
Long enough for the two of them to embrace, rather they both did not want to immediately let go of this moment that they would rarely get back.
Because Nio will soon be sent as part of the troops that will enter the Gate.
The news was stated directly by the President during a meeting with the 406 and 32 Company forces at the State Palace. Of course, all Indonesians can know this news.
Ten minutes later, the two of them had just let go of a hug.
“Before I leave, what do you want?” Nio gave a look towards Arunika if she now had enough money to make her brother happy.
Nio had hundreds of millions in his savings from the rewards he received from the achievements he made in the previous war. The money he had was enough to buy a house complete with a car. But that's not what Arunika wants.
Arunika cannot ask Nio to go to another world, because no one knows what kind of place there is. Although it is his wish than just ‘dating’ with Nio.
“What do you want to buy?” after Arunika's question, Nio rolled his eyes like he was thinking about a lot of things to spend.
The first thing Nio thought about was, he could now own a private vehicle.
“Buy motorbike, order a house, and pay the rice debt sit down mbok Yem first,” Nio's last answer throws enough to make Arunika laugh.
Actually, Arunika just remembered about it now. Because he had been with Nio for too long in the underground city, and did not know the state of their neighborhood in the suburbs just yet.
Nio and Arunika are also worried, because after the ‘langgele’ disaster there were very many fatalities and heavy damage to the building.
“But if it's home, it's better for now don't be.”
“Why? If you wait a long time, the price of the house will be more expensive,” Arunika can not answer anything from Nio's words.
“Kan, I can still stay in the underground city?” after her brother's reply, Nio's face suddenly turned flat.
“So, you know what's in the other world? No one knows what danger I will face there, sis. If something bad happens to me, at least I leave something for you..,” Nio stopped his words because Arunika showed a sad face.
Without saying anything more, Arunika opened the closet and took out the contents. It was like he was looking for something that he was hiding there.
After that, Arunika brought a brown envelope and came back closer to Nio. Arunika's face still showed sadness because of Nio's remark earlier, but her heart still tried hard to give the envelope she brought to her sister.
“Father and mother also left this for us,” Arunika gave the envelope to Nio.
The envelope was not sealed, so Nio could directly remove a piece of book paper that contained writing. Nio thought that the paper he was holding was ‘wasat’ from his master, then he read it in his heart slowly.
Arunika was immediately nervous when Nio started reading the writing on the paper. Because he had read the writing on the paper first.
But Arunika also feels guilty to their parents, for making Nio know this letter is not yet in time. He was already annoyed at Nio who seemed to be able to die in another world, so he wanted to leave something for him.
Nio's hand instantly trembled and his eyes widened in shock at the contents of the letter he read. It was not that Nio had to read this letter when he was about to get married. He gulped in disbelief if his master's people gave this fact to him.
Nio felt compelled to trust the contents of this letter, because this writing is indeed the result of their mother who died a few years after their father who had died first due to an accident at their workplace.
“Are you serious, brother? We're not siblings? Why are you keeping this a secret to me? What was your purpose in delivering this letter before I got married?” nio's consecutive questions according to Arunika are tantamount to threats because of the gaze given by Nio. Her tears did not stop after a moment before.
“That's because you thought you were going to die in another world, I didn't even previously agree to you being a soldier, I didn't want you to go to another world that might be very dangerous, anyway, I really want to be with you. Let's just say I'm crazy, because I love my own sister....!!!”
Without further ado Nio also said, “A-I also love you sister, that's why I will keep fighting until you find your happiness.”
“Already expected, our feeling of love will be different,” Nio's eyebrows dropped sharply after hearing the answer from Arunika.
She did not expect that her brother's love feelings would be like that. Even if the two of them were really not siblings, Nio would call her brother crazy for loving her own sister.
Nio clasped his head because he did not understand this incident, he was really dizzy until the veins on his head appeared. Without a second thought, Nio gave a much tighter hug than he did in the beginning.
Arunika felt that Nio was crying too, just like her. Arunika had been relieved to have already said this feeling that kept making her heart ache.
Then in a whisper, Arunika asked Nio.
“How are your answers?”
“Can you wait?”
“Can, but promise me that you will come back here alive.”