Kapitel 7: Welcome To The Board

"Look alive, sunshine. Have a nice nap? I have a feeling I know what kind of dream you just had."

Mason couldn't help but blink in confusion, though he kept silent for a moment. The face he saw sitting on the other end of the table was one he was familiar with, and for several reasons he wasn't that surprised to see. The frivolous voice was unmistakable.

"...So you really do have a job."

The good yet lazy looking man sitting across from Mason with a half smile on his face was Zack. His lips twitch in response to Mason's nonchalant words.

"I'd figured you'd be more surprised. Guess you found out things were fishy huh? I never was good at acting."

'You are acting the exact same as you did previously though,' Mason thought to himself.

Flicking his eyes to the individuals standing next to Zack, a new yet familiar man stood next to the female officer, wearing a similar straight laced expression. It was the salaryman who assaulted him on the street just a while earlier- though their face was completely intact and without a mar, a far cry from the twitching body that Mason had last seen.

Though the moment Mason had glanced at the man lasted only an instant, Zack caught the confusion and suspicion he had. He opened his mouth with an explanation forthcoming.

"Yeah, sorry about that whole assault thing- we had our reasons. It really was quite suspicious that an assault would take place in Dynamo, wasn't it? After all, who would be so stupid as to commit a daylight crime in the city with the best standard of living in the galaxy? Their residence permit would be thrown out immediately and they'd be shuttled off to another planet. The man is one of my colleagues- along with his beautiful wife standing next to him. I'll fill you in on his not-beaten-in face later. You guys wanna introduce yourselves?" Zack says as he turns his head slightly to face in their direction.

Stony silence and displeased stares meet his gaze, responding to his question. Zack rolls his eyes and resumes facing Mason, holding the same lackadaisical smile.

"They aren't very talkative. Anyway, you're here because you're important. Immensely so. We will support you in so many ways you'll be left reeling from out sheer hospitality. We are the ones that sent you the invitation, as well as the ones that put your life in danger- after all, we needed to test you... and you passed with flying colors. So worry not- your attendance to Dynamo university in guaranteed. Any questions?"

Mason just blinks in confusion at the whirlwind of information, before opening his mouth.

"Zack, this is the most effort I've seen you put into anything you've done this past year."

"..."

The salaryman and officer pair lightly cough in sync in response to that, before Mason adopts a more serious demeanor.

"So, I'm important? How so?"

Pleased with recovering tempo in the conversation, Zack explains.

"You showed up a year ago with nothing to your name, minimal memory, and no purpose, yet you suddenly got a place of residence with little asked, as well a normal job soon after arrival. Soon after you arrived, you were drawn into exosuit research and analysis, and with the minimal information you had you even concocted a fantastic method to utilize mental energy both consciously and unconsciously, independent of exosuit use yet with the potential to be used with exosuits as well as your body- how much of this did you think to be coincidence? None of it was, in case you're wondering."

Zack leans forward slightly with a seldom seen serious expression.

"Me and the rest of Dynamo's board of directors have been waiting for you for quite some time- you were an arrival with the greatest chance of combating a threat to our galaxy... And that's the most I'm going to tell you right now," Zack says as he leans back in his chair, back to seeming as lazy as could be. "Any more questions?"

"...This seems more than I expected, yet I can't really say that I'm that surprised, somehow. So, you guys are a part of the board of directors? You all seem quite young."

"Heh, looks can be deceiving. It wouldn't be deceitful to say that we've lived exclusively to deal with what is to come. We are not only the current board of directors, but we are the founding board of directors. We are far older than we look. Dynamo university- and by extension the city of Dynamo- were founded with the basis of countering the oncoming threat. The training of elites to utilize exosuits, the cultivating of military know-how, and so on, are just the beginning of our preparation. Oh, the most senior member of the board isn't in this room right now. You'll meet him later on."

Mason, even with this unbelievable discussion taking place, still is far from phased. He can't help but feel confused at his calm, as well as questioning who exactly he is to receive this treatment- after all, he isn't even a legal adult yet, so how could he possibly be the key to fighting... whatever?

"...I'm not going to say no to free support, assuming it is indeed free. What do you expect from me in return, really? I very much doubt that this is just from the kindness of your collective hearts, people of the "board.""

At this point the female officer takes a step forward and speaks.

"We wish for you to actualize your potential, and cooperate with our efforts toward ensuring our galaxy's future. We will support you from the shadows, but we won't outright train you, nor will we coddle you- we expect you to participate in chamber explorations through our affiliate exosuit pilot explorer organization, the AEPEO, to train yourself as well as prepare for the oncoming threat in various ways, through your gained experience as well as your spoils through your exploration. In addition to this, you will be granted a role as a professor at Dynamo University, as well as a place on the board of di-"

"Wait, hold up, give me a second."

This was the first time Mason was truly confused about where the hell this was going.

"A professor? Not a student? What the hell am I supposed to teach? I thought I was going to be taught? Also, aren't I far too young to be a professor?"

The salaryman steps forward to reply in his wife's stead.

"Yes, a professor. You are more than qualified to teach, despite what you may think- the extent of your knowledge will be more than enough for the curriculum for an exosuit pilot in training, and you will see that firsthand. We also have our methods to protect your identity- after all, all of use are professors as well, the best of the best, though we are not the only ones teaching. Welcome to the board of directors," The salaryman's monotone voice says.

Zack smiles, pleased with the way the conversation(?) has gone, leaving Mason completely befuddled, yet strangely excited.