Chapter 2: Explosion

Outside, in the darkness of space, the symbolic emblem of the Federal Central Scientific University, a flame emerging from the top of a square-based pyramid set on a sphere, flashes blue-white along the submarine's length, seeming to float in the void. The shiny black submarine is moving along its main transport route, a route with precise travel corridors and surveillance beacons deployed every 100 UIGs, intergalactic units. Sometimes it passed other ships in an orderly fashion, sometimes it passed structures on a precise schedule. All around was quiet.

 

In the cabin Neith had finished a thorough check of the owners, everything seemed in order. Leaning with her elbow on the arm of the armchair, 'playing the piano' with her right, sipping from her glass with her left, she pursed her lips.

Each individual result was optimal according to the Federal Media Officer's scale but taken together they were far too good. The owners were too by-the-book. Separating the history of travel and social activities together they began to sort out friends, check out important associations. Structuring the whole investigation chronologically from the party where the idea of the 'Prima Voce' channel infusion appeared 5 years ago to the present he noticed that they visited every art exhibition organized by the Federal Council but none organized by a single nation.

When they discovered that the archaeological exhibitions did the opposite, they went to all those organized by local governments but none under the Federal Department's tutelage decided to report them for federal environmental grade supervision. Before they open the form they get the media channel's live broadcast notice.

    Curious she opened it and saw that it showed without any filter a Nebulian transformation. She stared as the Bujorian man, in his 50s, trembled all over, as his hair gradually whitened, his skin changed to light green followed by his eyes and angle. He watched and felt his pulse rise with anger, this person, his family deserved more consideration.

It was not yet known how 'Nebular Frenzy' alters the molecular structure of people, how it cancels any existing emotional bond. Nor how Nebulians recognised by their King/Queen managed to mask this green.

When the military medical team sedates the person and takes them off the street, they breathe a sigh of relief. It was a tragedy and the bastards passed it on without any moral concern.

How he detests such deeds!

With double typing speed complete the report ticking 'danger to public peace' You bastards let's see who organized and approved your report.

    Little did anyone know that Neith Comidava was one of the people responsible for overseeing and optimizing the Intergalactic Media Network. She was assigned the S* access grade, the highest granted by the five leaders of the Federation. A detective's curiosity, intuitive/innovative thinking were the reasons why often the results obtained individually were better than the personal assistant system.

     This was one of the necessary   secrets because she was the fourth Chameleonian princess, because the Federation was at war, because it was impossible to predict exactly when a Federal citizen would become contaminated and turned Nebulian.

     With violin music blaring throughout the room, wine glass and biscuits forgotten, Neith buttoned up the unfurled keyboard component of the multimedia bracelet.

     She was immersed in comparisons of lists of people, events, procedures. Look for the reason they didn't attend any federal archaeological exhibitions. Working she began to be uncomfortable with the automatically imposed traffic limit because they were flying. Couldn't use any of the personal shortcuts marked on the network.

     Without insisting on copying, compress all the data found and send it to the monitoring team. With any luck, the department will send him the results before landing. Neith finished his wine, grabbed another biscuit and headed for the common room.

     "No need to get up. What are you doing? Are the rest of you resting?" Neith rolling her shoulders and elbows headed for the console of the seating table. She opened a session, typed in the bracelet and projected the images onto the double doors.

     "Princess? The rest of you do the mandatory bio-energetic training. I've assigned them two-on-two and one-on-three drills. I admit, the juniors are particularly talented, if they keep up the pace in eight months I'll enter them for the 2-leaf exam. What happened?" Dynxe Marcoda had a warm voice, you could feel the smile hidden by the closed visor.

     "This trip is a visit to Eliada but it is also to discover the truth about the ship unearthed in the polygon."

     "Um, did the ambassador assign you this inquiry or did the queen call you?" Dynxe had an ounce of discontent in his voice. If only he knew how to pack more offensive sets.

     "No, none of them... the other day by chance I saw the ad of the Bujorian entertainment channel 'Prima Voce', curious I started the investigation.

     "Really? You left 2 days before the opening of the exhibition on your own initiative without any official assignment? Princess you surprise me! I thought you were looking forward to cutting the ribbon of the memorial symposium with the eagle Olabisi Shu. I thought you'd be more of a stroller."

     Neith smiled cattily "Dynxe you know me best, but you don't understand the implications of such a discovery. If it is true, if they have evidence from the first cases of Frenzy many University departments will change course of research. It's something more important than any exhibition."

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     Dynxe looked at her suspiciously "Princess, let's resume our discussion after we get to personally inspect the remains. Shall we have an accuracy contest?"

     He stands up, tapping the console table. Four boxes full of parts were open on its surface.

    "There are 100 black pieces of the public version, i.e.: spheres, hexagonal prisms, cubes and tetrahedrons. They range from 0.5 to 12 cm and weigh from 20g to 500g. A game without the use of antennae and ears. What do you say? Shall we start?"

     "Oh, of course! We only leave the Personal Integrated Systems protection function active. What are we playing? I've long wanted to persuade you to make me a few sets of neutral arrows. Do you agree?" Neith ultra-quickly keys the bracelet to shut down ORIN's other functions.

     "Neutral arrows are the most difficult to make... OK, I accept but I want 20% more material. If I win I want you to compose a flute song for my youngest. Two months ago he turned 10 and he can't do the 'picking apples' pose either. He starts well but after a few seconds he leans to the left."

     "Agreed, of, dear Dynta must be very distressed. Regardless of the outcome I will compose a song to correct. I'll officially grant you the right to use it but not to sell it, neither in the kingdom nor in the Federation. How do we play? Do we color the pieces or wrap them in bio-energy types?" Neith with his legs apart breathed slowly, steadily, rotating his hips keeping his back straight. Beside the body the arms followed the free rotation and the fingers had a wave-like movement.

     "Princess, thank you on behalf of the Marcoda family! I think it's more interesting to assess them from a fixed position. One stitch for each plain wrap, two for a combination of two different yarns, three for a trio, etc... We can combine shades of just one type with different ones in the construction of the wraps. If you add shades of the same kind in one, 10 points are deducted. For a full range of bio-energy 20 points." Dynxe keys the bracelet and the visor of the helmet opens. The helmet retracted to his shoulder blades, his gloves to his forearms. He had an angular face, pink eyes with black irises, antennae twisted up past his ears. Unlike the princess, he inhaled slowly and exhaled quickly, turning his head in sync with the inches while keeping his fingers curled.

     "Why does the combination of the same yarn type but different concentration drop 10 points? At University for nuances no points are given but no points are taken?"

     "Princess, this is the score applied to the game by the Federal Guard. If you wrap a piece in three shades, it means you lack constant concentration. When building defense/assault formations such a person is the biggest internal danger... To win you have to get the maximum in more categories than me, the total score has no relevance. If you manage to bag 30 pieces in full game you win without any calculation."

     "Wow... 30 whole games in one game? Who can do that? It's too difficult!" Neith vociferates with a hint of hostility.

     "Princess, I had the opportunity to see the recording of a match in which captain Nicholas Reed shot 35 and one of his opponents shot 32. There were 6 participants with 300 pieces. It would be interesting to play against him. Once we get there it would be useful to organise a game with him." Dynxe had a challenging look on his face.

     "O! What a rare achievement! Nicholas is more complicated than I suspected. Did you know that he also has the S* access grade? It's very interesting!"         

     "I wasn't curious to find out. Are you ready? Shall we begin?"

     Neith nods, Dynxe presses 'Start' on the console table and the pieces begin to levitate around the lounge. They begin to inhale/exhale as evenly as possible concentrating on conducting bio-energy. From the fingertips, brightly coloured threads of light could be seen unfurling.

     Observing Dynxe's strands out of the corner of her eye, she smiled provocatively, turning her attention to the first sphere.

 

     While they were playing, the submarine was exiting to the right of the main supervised route. It continues steadily towards the test range, crossing a deserted area, with no inhabited structures, no other ships, no beacons.

     When it was 10 minutes away from its destination, the 'Scientific FC5' passed through an encirclement of 12 semi-transparent spheres and was attacked. Twelve shuttles in cloaking mode targeted four dozen hexagonal golden minicylids each. Then at full speed they disappeared into the darkness.

     Mini-cylinders, at different speeds, simultaneously stuck to the surface of the submarine. When they reached the hull they triggered danger sensors but within moments they could not be neutralised and after 9 seconds they exploded fragmenting the submarine.

     Within a radius of two km the area was full of floating fragments, some larger, some smaller, some distinguishable, some not. There were parts of the submarine, pieces of mini-ships, fragments of boxes, decor, equipment and grey capsules. Automated life-saving devices for the people on board. Most of them, 60, were egg-shaped, saving the science team. Six in the shape of cylinders with pointed heads housed Neith and his guards and 20 in the shape of enclosed minibars were for the submarine crew. Emitting red beacons, the capsules began to move towards each other, building a hexagonal rosette.

     Suddenly, from the direction of the polygon, a bright yellow-green beam appeared and enveloped one of the cylinders. After building up a compact envelope it disappeared without a trace of direction.

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