Asking Maritsu to join - Gabriel POV

"Do you remember how it told you how my comrades in arms died?"

It might have been a long time ago, but since then I have been committed to building an organization which would prevent any similar losses.

An organization which lurks in the shadows, but also is in the light of the armed forces. An organization which supervises all conduct displayed by armed forces personnel.

To make that organization successful and to have it not go out of control. I also want to build a military code of conduct, a military law and a court system.

The court system in question would be dedicated to only judging cases originated in the armed forces, or a crime where someone from the armed forces was involved in.

For that, we need to build a comprehensive and coherent military law. A law that didn't exist before.

So, that the case like I told you what happened with the general, all those years ago, never happens again.

Gabriel's voice cracked for a moment, clenching his fist hard on the table in front of him, and he said: "The fact that the armed forces only discharged him is ridiculous!"

Just because there were no military regulations and laws at that time. The general could only be discharged on not conforming to the oath he took, never paying for the lives that perished because of his choices.

Regaining the calm in his voice, and unclenching his fist, like the flair up of emotions seemed to never have happened, he continued.

I want that to never happen again. I have been working hard all these years to push through laws that armed personal must abide by and I have succeeded in some, but it's far from enough.

One law I pushed through is that if desertion leads to death, it can cause life imprisonment. Before desertion was always a fixed term in prison and being discharged from the army.

However, if you abandon the backs or your comrades in arms at a critical time, just doing a fixed term in prison, without considering the lives lost or the time that someone deserted, is something I never understood.

One desertion isn't the other. Deserting while everyone is on shore leave and not coming back to report a fixed term of 3 years in prison might make sense.

However, the same 3 years of prison, when you deserted the backs of your comrades in arms in the middle of a battle or conflict, which resulted in the deaths of soldiers which might not have died if you stayed in position, is just laughable.

Those people would never return home and the person who caused it only had to sit 3 years in prison and then be discharged from the army. A discharge that person always wanted. To be as free a bird, having done is "punishment".

I was really glad I could change that law to not just always punish with 3 years' imprisonment, but to consider everything that happened as well.

Another law I helped create was that if any civilian attacked a person of the armed forces, they cannot just persecute you for assault.

You would be get a heavier sentence for attacking a first responder or someone serving the motherland. If you have no good reason to do so.

On the other side of that coin is, however, if someone in uniform promotes misconduct, has misconduct or doesn't honor the code of the military, it can lead to community service, being discharged from the army or even jail time depending on the crime.

There are several more, but these are still not enough. The officers and commanders higher up the ranks are holding on to power for dear life.

Therefore, there aren't rules to restrain them yet.

They are like kings in their domain and nobody is allowed to oppose their rule.

Some of the "kings" use the squads which fall under their command, as personal soldiers and or mercenaries.

To this day, this is something I still cannot prevent. They have too much power, and your brother might have become a victim to one the whims of these "kings".

Also, promoting someone unqualified up the ranks still isn't punishable by law. A law I have tried to push through with all my might and I still failed to succeed so far.

That doesn't mean I will stop trying, but as long as that law isn't in place an incident like the with the general can happen again any day.

As long as that law isn't created and enforced I won't be able to sleep well at night.

It is simply a situation I cannot allow to continue to exist and either I get the laws in place to protect all other soldiers and armed forces personnel from this or I will die trying.

Of course, I would like you to join me on this mission. However, you have to consider it carefully.

I didn't tell you to contemplate it, because the process will be long and hard, but because dying might actually be in the cards before I reach my goal and if you joined me, you might die as well.

Why? Because some commanders and officers are none too happy that I am sticking my fingers in their cake.

They figure as long as I die, it will solve their problem. They have already made several attempts on my life, but I refuse to let it slow down my footsteps. I do, however, want you to be aware of the dangers before I get your answer.

Standing up from the chair, Gabriel turned towards the window in his office, putting his hands behind his back. Almost like he stood at attention and he looked intently down on the training field where the soldiers were training.

Bearing witness to how my comrades died, right in front of me, without me being able to do anything to stop it, impacted me. Just like your brother's death changed your life as well.

Therefore, I can understand your thirst for vengeance, but every time I think of vengeance, I think about my comrades in arms and the promise I made to them.

I also try to remember how I don't want my comrades' names to be stained by a murderous friend who killed in their 'honor'. Simply, because it wouldn't be honoring them, it would discredit everything they worked their entire careers and life for and risked their lives for several times before.

Until eventually, they actually paid the ultimate price: death.

The reason why I chose my office to be in this place, while I could have a bigger office by now in another building, is so that I can look out this window every single day and use it as a reminder to show me what I am fighting for.

Which is their safety.

My goal is to protect them from higher ups who would use them as cannon fodder. Or maybe their lives would be risked by stupid decisions by those who are in command or because of nepotism. I want to prevent that at all costs.

My goal is to create an organization. A force whose sole job it is to police the armed forces and track down any wrongdoings.

To prevent meaningless deaths of the brave soldiers in the armed forces everywhere. If there is only a hint of nepotism, impropriety, sexual harassment, or war crimes, this organization would take action.

It would go to where the alleged crime took place, investigate, arrest and bring before a military court the perpetrator's.

The organization would have people on the bright side and also in the dark. So that their eyes are everywhere and they can prevent unnecessary losses.

Only when that force has taken shape I would have fulfilled the promise to my friends and fallen comrades in arms who were like family to me.

When this organization is in place, the army would become a safer place for everyone in it and the people out there who are training so hard right now would know their backs are protected and watched and they only have to worry for the enemy in front of them.

They would no longer have to be worried about someone hindering their footsteps or holding their hind legs.

It is very possible I would lose my life before I can accomplish this, because several people out there have tried to kill me before.

So, I always hoped I could find someone with the drive and the passion to work with me on this, side by side.

The work however is very dangerous and we might lose or lives, or we might never see the results of our efforts in this life, because it is such a big task, but if that's the case I am happy for the changes I made already and for the foundation I laid down.

Based on this foundation, others could continue to build where I left off.

My wishes are very far from accomplished, but the laws I helped create so far are already protecting the people you can see here outside of my window and others in places I cannot see.

This goes for both the civilians and the military personnel alike and that's why I have my office here to remind me daily, especially on days I am tired and want to give up, of everything I have already achieved to protect everything in front of me.

Therefore, I apologize for testing you, but if you would have lied or still not have given up on revenge you wouldn't have been suitable to join me.

Simply because the person joining me should be fair, and honorable, loyal, and caring. The difference between justice and revenge is just too big. Only when you see the difference, would you be able to shoulder this mission with me.

I knew your punishment made you see the difference and returned your soul back to light. I saw that with my very own eyes, but I need to know if the light infused back into your soul was enough to help me shoulder this burden.

You might wonder why you should join when it seems to have nothing to do with you?

If that is your question, I just want to remind you how much you would have been willing to sacrifice for such an organization while your brother was in the armed forces.

The people you met during bootcamp, you saw it they are just like your brother.

Their lives are so similar to his once upon a time. I could see you saw his reflection in them.

So do it for them and all the people like them, so that no other family member has to lose their loved one again in a power play. Honor Jason in this way, like I honor my deceased comrades in arms.

What do you say? Will you help me carry my burden and promise? From now shall we work towards building a safe future for all of them?

Turning back from the window, Gabriel stared straight into Maritsu's eyes when asking these questions. He wanted to see with his own eyes if Maritsu's eyes wavered when asked or if they would show a bright, fiery determination and calm?