20 Lies of Edward Lores 1

Ten days after the discussion. I separated with the Captain to get hired as a crewmate on the refinery. My job specifications is being this idiot who would deliver food and water to the higher ranking officials inside the refinery. To put it bluntly I wear this stupid red vest and black tie combo with black slacks while I push a food cart all over this giant maze of a refinery, that was half refinery and half compound for people that cannot deal with the working class people. Can't believe these people just sit on their office, letting their drones do the work.

Most of the refinery requires human operation since automated AI has been limited ever since the UEA got their ass almost handed trying to deal with rogue AI. Most of mother earth is nothing more than old an ancient ruin of concrete and steel supported by giant structures to keep the civilization alive from the gaping mouth of earth's waters. Monoliths with giant table-like structures that hold up at least four layers of earth's city. I heard that most of the Earth's continents are filled with these structures. From the pictures that I saw from the net. Earth has become a solar farm. Even some of the islands have been turned into this fourteen floored solar farm. It is odd that while the rest of the solar system is suffering pollution from the siphoning on the natural resources. Mother Earth has started to heal after she was sucked dry by the forefathers of humanity. The children of mother earth is healing the planet that gave birth to the human race.

As for why I am wondering about mother earth while pushing a food cart all over the matted floor of this facility. It is because the place imitated the building procedures of earth back during the oldest. It has this woody feel to it that it was quite comfy to walk around. Honestly, this job was quite easy as long as you don't piss off these corporation people. You get to enjoy a high-paying job while slightly disgracing your existence because of the rags they gave you. And that you don't find yourself in front of a degenerate who wants to be serve in their birthday suit.

It won't be long until the Captain starts the mission. She's too high profile after what she did and even the data wipe about her achievements didn't affect the fact that she was still a demon to others. Sometimes I dreamed of that face staring at me. Then her back being a goddamn wall of certainty that she will get out of whatever mess she was in.

Henry Jims calls me insane. I may have my disagreements with Captain. I despise her stiff upper lip act that is outright annoying to look at. But I will follow her out of loyalty. Hence why I am in this goddamn refinery pushing a food cart. These people are making someone personally deliver the food instead of letting a goddamn robot do it.

Opening the room that belongs to the executives of the refinery. I pressed the red button that says 'deploy' and unfolded his meal. Since he was too good to take his meal to the table. I delivered the meal near his bed where his augmented mistresses lay on their silk robes. After placing the meal I got out of the room and went to the next room. The door was slapped shut behind me.

An orb drone roamed the area. I raised the bracer that was attached on my left arm. The orb drone scanned the bracer and have it identify my credit and affiliation data. It also did a scan on my face for some reason when they could have done that instead of letting us wear this bracer. After the usual security check when these tiresome fuck appears on the hallway. I delivered the rest of the food in my cart until I finally got back to the kitchen where a pretentious chef was making some abomination he called food through the use of his augmented tongue that could differentiate thousands of flavors. His kitchen spans about five large rooms and his apprentices were trying to carefully craft the ingredients for this meal they are going to serve to General Charlotte Belford.

On the digital clock it says '11:54', and knowing that they were close to their deadline. I sat around the kitchen while the head butler is shitting his pants, not knowing that he drank four glasses worth of laxatives when I graciously poured four glasses into that teapot he thinks no one could find.

Smelled wonderful despite the Chef being a pretentious abomination. It is not that it is 'abomination', it is just that I rather not eat this food they call shrimp. I don't know what kind of sea cockroach is that, but I rather not eat what they are serving the general. The rest of the food was wonderful and was made specifically to cater the General's taste.

Aroma was covering the corners of the room. Each sound they make was rhythmic and mechanical that I might as well call them drones. When the cooking was done, and the head chef was preparing the last touches. I inspected the area and was surprised to find that there was still no one other than me who was going to deliver.

The bell was rung. The head chef waited for the butler. Seeing that no butler was appearing to answer his summons. He turned his anger towards the only one in the room that can deliver the food. "You there," he said loudly. "Where is the head butler!?"

"Toilet," I said to the chef.

His eyes widened. His pupils dilated as a vein popped on the side of his head. The clock ticks and seeing that it was getting closer to the appointed time. The Head Chef arranged his chef and that handkerchief wrapped around his neck. He gestured at me with his fingers. "Follow me, don't say anything other than follow my orders, understand?"

I nodded.

***

It was a quiet walk to the penthouse of the General. Her double-door alone was guarded by two mechanized soldiers ready to throw plasma at my face if I say anything. They had the food checked with all of the equipment available, though they did not insist on actually ruining the arranged food. The butler who usually delivers the food was expected, so I have to answer their questions on why I was the one in his stead instead. I explained that he was in the toilet, and after checking that he was indeed in the toilet suffering from the laxatives that I applied on his teapot. The chef and I was invited to the penthouse of the General.

Entering the room, I immediately spotted the jacuzzi and the swimming pool separated by reinforced thin glass walls. The General herself was on her work desk typing about. Raising her head to looked at us. She raised a brow at the person that should be around.

"Chef Ike," said General Charlotte. "It seems that you are not accompanied by the Butler. I have been informed through the notification."

She turned the holo-office and moved to the big table not far from the swimming pool. Dressed in tight black uniform and wonderful blonde hair that reached up to her butt. General Charlotte was one of those people that were born out of pure eugenics. Raised to become a heir for the Belford Family and inherit the position. General Charlotte Belford did not rely solely on nepotism to get this position. She was a well-known prodigy and her 'achievements' has caused roars around the solar system. I found her on magazines, articles, tabloids, and news site shilling her talents and achievements in the short time she became the head of protection and resources. The bio-ship incident only made her name prettier and yet I still don't find her clever enough knowing that she tried to fuck over Captain Regina. But it seems that whatever she was high on, it was preventing her from realizing that she made a stupid move. But I am not about to tell her that. I stood on the side of the food cart while watching every dish that the chef gave placed on the table.

Whatever the fuck the Chef wanted I picked up mechanically. I imagined myself as if I was back on hallway patrol with my rifle, but instead of a rifle, I am carrying plates filled with dish. Besides, it was easy to do what the chef wants. Not that the General would ever think about the Chef or care about the little bug. That little bug which is me. When the dishes were placed on the table after a painful introduction of the food. After the Chef was done, he proudly raised his head and returned to the side.

I stayed on the side as well. The General stoically enjoyed her plate of dishes without raising a voice or giving the Chef the compliments. It was an utter silent that the Chef was probably shitting himself thinking and hoping that his meals are worth it.

"Leave," said General Charlotte.

I was about to leave when the General opened her mouth again. "But not you, hmm, are you a soldier?"

"Former soldier, Ma'am," I said to General Charlotte.

"I see. Your name?"

"Edward Lores, General!"

"You must have survived quite a lot."

I didn't reply. I don't know what she was doing, but this was no lie. Edward Lores is a legit name that I entered as a soldier. A name that I got from one of the trips outside of the solar system. A suicide trip where I unfortunately survived.

"Strange, that a soldier is now pushing a cart."

"Better than fighting acid-spitting aliens, Ma'am."

General Charlotte nodded. She was a great pretender. She had more emotions when she was speaking to the Captain. I know that keeps her appearance, but the way she makes it as if she was some mysterious woman didn't bother me. It was garbage compared to stiff upper lip act that Captain does.

I stayed still like a tomb guard. My back straightened and chin up. It was only when the last bite was done that she wiped her perfect red lips with a handkerchief. With the General's meal done, I started to sort the plates and placed them back carefully in the containers. This was after all the General's own plates and it probably cost ten times more than the plasma pistol that I am hiding inside my luggage.

After I was done placing the plates. The General called for the head chef. The Head Chef looked at the General nervously. Her eyes bouncing from the Chef and back to me. I hardened my face. I didn't leak a single goddamn movement.

"Return this to the kitchen, Chef. You, I would like to have a word with you."

The Head Chef looked at me for a moment before putting his hands on the cart. I kinda feel bad that he'd be seen pushing the cart. A Chef as sensitive like him would probably need a drink or two to get over this. I guess he'd been trying to make the General genuinely happy about the dishes he serves.

When the Head Chef was gone, I was left alone inside the penthouse of the General. She was staring. It bothers me what she was doing and my face was starting to crack from all the questions that I have in my head.

She approached with a small thud of her shoes. She looked up to my face and then circled around me like I am some kind of statue.

"Hmm, you'll do just fine," said General Charlotte. "I have been needing an assistant for a time now. And having a former soldier with discipline should be better than the ones they keep sending to me. You are promoted."

Huh, it seems that I was just promoted by one of the most powerful people in the solar system. God fucking damn it.