Artificial Horizon - A César Fernando Basa x Reader story

* Creating the world of AH *

As I've mentioned in the previous chapter, Timeline of AH's creation, I've conducted an immense and wide research to stick to facts. Compared to the creation of Dead Reckoning, which focused on Gregorio del Pilar, Artificial Horizon focused on Lt. César Basa, a man whose history was definitely an enigma in an era where information was definitely easily recorded and accessed. To be honest, it was surprising that there were more records of del Pilar than Basa at all, and I doubt that it was because del Pilar served more in the military than Basa did, when both of them died serving the country; and not because of the great feat del Pilar did, as Basa also had achievements of his own that made him a hero, too.

Anyhow, written here were trivia in the creation of the story that fully formed its own world.

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1. Lt. César Basa and his family
Lt. César Basa was the son of Fernando María Basa and Rosario Tianko. He was born at Isabela, Negros Occidental where he was said to finish his early education. Some sources mentioned that he had a sister named Maria Clara Basa. As there weren't any further details about it, I decided to omit the existence of a sibling if he had one or not at all.
However, regarding the status of the Basa family was left as a question. Records noted that Basa was from a normal family with no evident connections to political or military officials of the time. But the fact that his school records denoted him to be a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University since grade school until college meant that his family was part of the well-off middle-class to support his education, as Ateneo was a private institution ever since the taking over of the American Jesuits.

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2. Lt. César Basa's education
Though records agreed that Lt. César Basa graduated Bachelor of Science Major in Chemistry with honors at Ateneo de Manila University, there were contradictory records when he actually graduated. There were claims of him graduating as part of class 1938 (at 22 years old) or class 1939 (at 23 years old).
However, further records showed that the education system in the Philippines during the American regime had been a strict one that at seven years old, everyone should be in school for their primary education. The education system was comprised of 3 years in primary elementary school, 4 years in secondary elementary school, 4 years in high school, and college.
As Lt. César Basa was born on 21 June 1915 and classes started at June, he could've enrolled for primary education before he turned seven years old. Doing the math, he would've graduated as part of class 1937 (ahead than the records claimed; at 21 years old). If ever not, that he started primary education at seven years old, almost eight years old, he would've graduated as part of class 1938 (supported by one document). This was much more ideal as there's a record, too, that he entered the Philippine Army Air Corps Flying School in the same year and graduated in 1940. Though this would mean that it took him about two years to complete the flying course, when other records denoted that he finished it in a year.
But then, a record of him graduating as part of class 1939 was further detailed with records from Ateneo de Manila University. According to the Fabilioh IV, Lt. César Basa was part of the 1988 Induction as "Cesar Ma. "Tarzan" T. Basa, GS '30 HS '34 BS '39 - Basketball, Football, Swimming, Track & Field". I'll be honest that I was doubtful that it would be him but those doubts was cleared up when he was mentioned to be part of the 1937 NCAA along with Fermin Fernando (one of the Ateneo student part of Felipe Buencamino III's unit as mentioned on his diary of 30 December 1941, the same entry that mentioned Lt. César Basa's death and him saying that they used to swim together that noted he was also a swimmer in Ateneo). To add, the same In Memoriam listed such years of his graduation class.
For the purpose of the story, I've decided to take in the latter and consideration that he graduated as part of class 1939 (at 23 years old) and indeed took a year of flying course at the Philippine Army Air Corps Flying School.