The Hom entered his hold for the first time. Although he had already seen it through a camera, or via the plans, he appreciated the view of this empty immensity. If you except an extension of the hangar from the floor above, this large room could contain a good quantity of goods and had multiple modular partitions. For the moment, only one room had been thus created.

Libre had hung around his head a control strip, barely visible in the form of a wire. This allowed him to give orders more quickly to the computers under his control, with a simple thought. Of course, the system was secured so that the A.I.s would not mistake the slightest idea for an order.

The modular partition unfolded in front of him, revealing the three large cylinders, while maintenance robots were already busy removing the stealthy packaging that enveloped them. The agent’s personal energy shield was activated at a sufficient intensity to form a small halo of light around his body: it was not impossible that a self-destruct system or radioactive leaks would suddenly appear, depending on the nature of the mysterious objects that were causing him so much trouble.

“Oh… I could have guessed…”

Yes, talking to oneself was not necessarily a very good sign. Perhaps he should activate the social function of the ship’s Z.I.A. in order to have the impression of talking to someone? In any case, what he discovered was both a surprise and an obvious fact:

The three cylinders were stasis pods, themselves housed in larger security cylinders. These bore the prison department's insignia and instructions promising alpha-level prosecution to anyone who triggered the opening system without authorization. Of course, the system was secure enough to be nearly impossible to open.

But I could do it. I have the necessary accreditation and, even if I am declared an outlaw, my software is capable of making it considered as still current and even of falsifying a Network verification request… Well, as long as the category of those criminals does not exceed alpha…

With the “alpha” symbol painted in large letters on the plate indicating the reasons for the conviction, it was certain that these criminals didn’t belong to the higher, theoretically non-existent categories, of state secrets. They were nevertheless dangerous characters, responsible for billions of deaths or equivalent crimes.

So, this is an escape. Even if a Hogloo is involved, how did they manage to get the pods out of this level of security? If an entire fleet attacked this type of prison fortress, it would be able to resist until the army intervened... even if jammers were used, or false reports were sent to the Network... it would be impossible to carry out such an operation without triggering the alert; so, managing to leave the fortress with the cylinders...

The robots had finished setting up the interfaces of the tubes to give him remote control, so he ordered the first protective measure to stand up. Technically, he wasn’t breaking the law with this one yet…

The heavy metal protections of the security cylinders moved aside, revealing silhouettes protected by indestructible transparent glass. Frozen in time, the three criminals appeared in his sight.

The one on the left was a massive figure, a male Ktn-Ktn. Bovine in appearance, humanoid, heavily muscled, he seemed ready to burst his convict suit with a simple movement of his hairy shoulders. It was surprising to find a creature of this species in prison because his people were generally very withdrawn and rarely left their colonization zone, between sectors F and G, at the shifting borders of the Administration. This mysterious people had, in the space of a century, inexplicably changed their morphology to become stronger and capable of more precise manipulations with their hands. They had also multiplied at a very rapid rate, going from five billion individuals to fifty thousand billion. More or less integrated into the Administration, they were on the list of species to be monitored, but not on that of dangerous species... unlike the Homs.

He was incarcerated for murdering administrative agents and espionage. There was no detail explaining why he was considered an alpha criminal rather than a beta.

The central character was a small female. She was the only one not wearing the standard prisoner suit, but rather a sort of rather sober work clothes. The name of her species was not indicated on her condemnation plaque. Her skin was green and her skull was extended by two large ears, each as long, or a little longer, than her head. Her species had no name, but he recognized it because it was the same one as the president who were in charge a few years before: the one that had been assassinated by a coalition of terrorist movements. This species was considered one of the most intelligent in the universe.

The reason for the conviction was: attempted mass murder of universal level. That is, an attempt to deliberately kill billions of individuals indiscriminately. If the attempt had been targeted, the motive would have been “genocide” and not “mass murder of universal level.” The plaque also specified that she was a universal genius with a specialization in computer science.

Finally, the character on the right was a Cyclops of a species named as such. Almost as tall as the Ktn-Ktn, a little over two meters tall, his single eye darted a hateful gaze, although frozen in time. It was said that his species had sided with the Titans during the war and had received dangerous abilities from them.

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His crimes were: war crimes, treason against the universe, and non-payment of taxes. A warning followed, stating “Major T-energy infection, do not open without proper precautions.” Although he was also an alpha-level prisoner, his cell had additional protections of a higher level. Libre had not studied this energy source in particular, being content to have protective devices against it, but he knew to what extent its use was monitored by the Administration: the security of the entire universe depended on it.

The three people before him had committed various crimes, although the details were as inaccessible to him as the names of those prisoners. They had therefore been sentenced to the harshest punishment provided for by law: lifelong stasis. Frozen outside of time in pods intended never to be opened, in the event of a possible pardon in the distant future they would find themselves separated forever from their loved ones, dead for an eternity.

A sentence worthy of the crimes committed.

Libre turned his back on them and left on foot. He could teleport, but walking felt good and helped him gather his thoughts.

What would happen if he surrendered to any agent, or even to the forces of Law and Order in any locality? He could certainly use their channels to convey his version of events… But would anyone believe in the possibility that his software had been rigged? There would be an investigation but they would find no trace.

“Computer! Permission granted for use of sociability software. Use juridical software to analyze my situation... and its possible outcomes.”

Immediately, a very simple hologram appeared in the air, representing a vague circle and a few lines supposed to represent states of mind that the machine was mimicking.

“Activating the visual interface of the sociability program. By default, the personal parameters of your identification bracelet will be used...”

“Yes, yes, go ahead! The legal result, now!”

“According to the data collected and the one you are currently broadcasting via mental detection; the probabilities indicate with certainty a very long trial. Your analysis on the probable impossibility of finding evidence seems to tip the scales in favor of your conviction. The crime of participating in the escape of category alpha prisoners is accompanied by a category beta conviction. Your inability to prove your innocence and your semi-legal background give a 99% conviction. The remaining percentage corresponds to the scientific rule of the uncertainty principle.”

“Okay. Could my juridic defense software get me out of this, by legal or illegal means?”

“No. The current context of the fight against terrorism has given rise to many laws that will be unfavorable to you. Probable sentence: minimum of ten years of confinement in stasis and removal of agent status.”

It was bad: without agent status he would never be able to prove his innocence. After such a sentence, it would be quite hard to find an equivalent job in a legal framework. Even the officially declared Hom’s rebellions would refuse to welcome him into their ranks for fear of being associated by the media with the terrorists.

But, not surrendering meant spending the rest of his life hunted throughout the universe. The defection of an Alpha agent could only end in its death or imprisonment and all means were used to guarantee one of these outcomes.

Of course, he could join the terrorist movements. He could leave the galactic spaces in the hope of meeting Nomads and join them without ever again setting foot on a planet, or betray the entire universe by joining the Zcarbbs and living like a slave… Even without taking into account his loyalty to the founding principles of the Administration, he refused these solutions, at least out of pride.

How to reestablish the truth? How to be exonerated?

If he were the hero of some movie, he would probably infiltrate the administrative center where he had been accepted, on Center. He would then find, by chance, an essential clue that would identify the culprit. Of course, there would then be a few other adventures before discovering the big bad guy who was pulling the strings, confronting him in a final scene and getting a “happy ending” ...

Well, the reality was a little more disappointing: even if he managed to infiltrate the highly secure installation where some of the most powerful defense software wanted his skin, without even talking about what the person responsible for these events could do, there certainly was not the slightest clue. There was no pre-written script with improbable twists of fate that would guide him towards an end that would satisfy the spectators... Assuming that these hypothetical observers did not already wish for his downfall...

He could turn himself in, find himself ten years later and start a more modest career, which after all was not so terrible... Even if he could be sentenced to more and thus lose sight of his family. Also, if he took thirty years, his parents would no longer be there...

However, if he chose to join the criminal world, he wouldn’t see them again either without the Intelligence services spotting him. The criminal career, despite its romanticized aspects by many media, was also the worst possible career. Most criminals too close to the law would refuse to compromise with him, while the others would be afraid that his presence would attract the hitherto passive gaze of the authorities. The most hardened criminals were monsters who sought to bring anarchy to the universe, and so they weren’t an option for him.

Finally, there was a third option. If he could not prove his innocence, he could perform a feat that would earn him amnesty.

And here I am diving back into a stupid romantic scenario! And what would I accomplish? Wipe out the Zcarbbs all by myself?

He needed time to think. A place to hide, too: a hideout, as they called it in the jargon.

“Ship, use custom coordinate seven. Use the best stealth movement possible to get there.”

The screens projected an illusion of movement by blurring the position of the stars in the old image as the spaceship crossed the most cut-off parts of the universe to reach the indicated coordinates.

Libre put on the large coat he had ordered from the matter synthesizer and that a droid brought him. Wearing capes or loose clothing floating in the wind was so fashionable among the Homs that current models had artificial gravity that maintained a stylish movement even in the event of a headwind or lack of air movement. Letting his new garment flap in the air as he gazed at the stars of a now hostile universe, he couldn't help but feel an unhealthy excitement at what rightly frightened him.

“Ship, I have found a name for you. Save the name ‘Lost Truth’!”