The military ship landed on the mobile platform overlooking the stratospheric skyscrapers of Center, the presidential world of the Administration. With the nimble step of an elite soldier, Parraligne stepped out and took a transport disk that brought him to the level of the pedestrian bridges.

Barely blending into the crowd, which easily parted at his sight, he began to walk towards his current assignment.

The population of the center of the universe was most varied. His scanner analyzed individually each individual he encountered and their history, while an additional part of his electronic brain studied them independently of his main thought. He heard all conversations, including those transiting through the Network, and used this rumor to keep himself informed of current events. Even if he had made the necessary updates before his departure, nothing beat listening to public rumor.

Of course, the main topic remained the assassination of the president, a few standard months earlier. The topic might have been dated, but it was nonetheless the most shocking event to have occurred in the universe since the end of the war. A commando of terrorists from various sides, allies of circumstance, had penetrated the presidential palace with the complicity of certain officials. If they had all perished in the operation, they had nonetheless accomplished their objective.

The president, Xerina, had disappeared, most likely disintegrated down to the smallest particle. She was of the Xerinaean species, as they were unofficially called despite the official absence of a species name. This elderly woman was part of a recently discovered race but whose destiny had long been linked to that of the Administration.

Long slaves, working in the shadows for one of the administered nations, this small race of barely a few million individuals was responsible for most of the great technological advances that had allowed the survival and prosperity of the Administration in the face of its enemies. Their revolt against their oppressors had suddenly brought them into the spotlight and, having moved the entire universe with their tragic story, their queen Xerina had attracted enough sympathy around her to be elected universal president.

Her assassination had given rise to multiple conspiracy theories. Some suspected that survivors among their former masters had thus taken revenge on the Xerinaeans, similar suspicions weighed on her political opponents. Some had even thought of an internal conflict within the Xerinaean monarchy, but this was the most absurd theory. During the elections that followed, the new Queen Xerina had not gathered enough support to be elected, but the influence of her people was enough for the new president to choose one of theirs as minister of the institution of sciences.

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The Vermilion smiled. He found it amusing that such a small people could have had so much influence in such a short time when the universe was infinite. His socialization program therefore proposed that he show his good humor on his face.

Yes, knowing that the universe was infinite, and that the Administration too, it was impossible to count the myriads of citizens and yet these few million were both the main scientific supporters of technical progress and, for the moment at least, one of the most popular species. As a Vermilion, he did not understand why ordinary citizens allowed themselves to be so influenced by the broadcasts on the Network and the mob movements. For his part, if he had had the right to vote, he would have voted for Xerina. Not because her people are popular, but because they have a very pragmatic vision of society and that with them in power one could hope for a solid defense of the Infinite Administration against its enemies.

And yet, the notion of Infinite Administration, the foundation of civilization, was threatened. The frozen space of sector I on one side, the vast Zcarbb front on the other, the Hogloos territories... so many borders that limited infinity. There were still many areas of expansion, but the more time passed, the rarer the new habitable planets became, the fewer new peoples were encountered... It seemed as if they were approaching a limit. The limit of the habitable universe... maybe even of the universe itself... . The universe was infinite, as scientists had proven. Of course, he did not question that.

Parraligne stopped in the middle of a wide passage, perplexed. He felt like he had forgotten something, but he had no idea what it could be.

His gaze scanned the surroundings in search of some kind of clue. Nothing. The stream of passersby came and went in all directions. Lawyers, bureaucrats, engineers, directors of multi-planetary corporations, and other busy citizens crossed paths, each going about their own business. On the facades of the buildings, holograms invisible from the inside transmitted multiple information.

It showed artificial weather, indicating that a light shower was expected for 367 Tiks in Sector 23 of Zone H. New advertisements touted the SECURA-02 neural identity chip, which provided perfect security for banking functions, identifiers and thoughts, protecting the user against telepaths, direct use of T energy and even Zcarbbs hacks. Recommended by governments and implanted only in the most secure establishments for a low-cost subscription, it was the big trend of the moment.

SECURA-02… Developed by the Neru-teque company… Yes, he remembered now: the Neru-teque company had had… ah, yes, he had to ensure the security of a person collaborating with the Neru-teque. And, according to the planetary time, he was probably going to be late…

Secondary thrusters came out of his legs and he rose into the air at full speed: when you represented authority, there was always a way to move faster, even in a no-fly zone.