Chapter 2 - Admiring You

                                    

                                          




                          
851
                          


                          
[Naomi]




                          
"I close this argument for now, Your Honor, and respectfully divert the next issue on my superior, Commander Zoe." I announced firmly, politely gesturing to Hanji by my left as I sat back down on the courtroom bench, in the middle of the military conference we held in front of Darius Zachary's jury about the next Scout Regiment Expedition. 
                          
I sat by my Commander's right hand, as she arose with the same resilience and ardor about her as always, beginning her dialogue with the Premier that I was going to support a few moments from then. 
                          
My hands were still shaking like a baby's rattle. As I looked up at my Commander explicating her ideas, I rubbed my palms against my white pants, trying to calm myself down. My pulse was ticking like a time bomb, my nerve ends tingling. Until I felt a warm touch over my right hand, enclosing my fingers in reassurance. 
                          
It was Levi, sitting by my right. When I looked to him, his deadpanned face was straight and strict, and no one would think that he was holding my hand in such a way under the bench's desk. His caring gesture was hidden away from others to see, for only me to be eased by. 
                          
I smiled softly to myself, as Levi's thumb ran gently over my knuckles, pausing at the ring on my finger and playing with it for a second, before continuing his careful motions over my fingers. 
                          
He was able to calm me down, by furtively telling me "You got this.", in that loving manner. And as moments passed on, I didn't even notice that I was already standing up from my seat and speaking towards the high jury after being ushered in by my Commander. 
                          
"I will relate my proposal in a manner of simplicity, Your Honor, to my best efforts." I said as a starter. The Premier nodded his head at me and gestured with his hand for me to proceed, as all measuring gazes from the soldiers around settled onto me, the niece of Commander Erwin Smith. 
                          
"The first time we have arrived on the shoreline, I have observed that the water oscillates, and the motion only decreases in intensity as it arrives to the beach." I explained as I walked to the high bench where Zachary and his assistants sat in the Trost courtroom. "Meaning, by my own hypothesis, that the waves would only grow higher and more violent as we tread distance towards the horizon. The limited machinery of our zip-lined boats would not be able to withstand the force of the waves as they get stronger, so we would need more horsepower on the engines to support the propellers." 
                          
Zachary put his intertwined hands under his chin, his usual pensive stance as he observed the way I gesticulated with my hands. "In order to achieve greater horsepower, we would need to venture into more ambitious processes and production of materials." 
                          
I sensed pride in my small self, standing in the middle of an older audience with the same bright presence I always used to have, I lost, and now bringing back. I felt enlivened, like I was back from my long, mourning repose. I'm almost a complete person again. 
                          
I climbed up the short-flight stairs, feeling a slight pain up my calf as the scout onlookers of all ages and positions, including some members of the Military Police, witnessed my explication of this serious advancement matter. 
                          
"Your Honor, these are the proposals I have drafted meticulously on behalf of the Scout Regiment." I said, my voice still taking on the similar firmness it sustained since the beginning of the hearing. "In brief explanation of my report, I, as the Section Commander of the Fourth Squad and Second Scout to Commander Zoe, would like to request an extension of time to annex and observe the behavior of the environment more in order to create a more reliable blueprint of the aimed mode of surveillance."