Over a hundred members of Ernef’s government, scientists and advisers sat in the auditorium. Hovering over them, quadrotors recorded everything and sent it to the representatives of the Union from nearly a thousand other systems. The deliberations were underway when Delian entered the room. People turned their heads towards him and mumbled something under their breaths. The Kehrian, who was making a speech, silenced and gave him a dismissive glance. Paying no attention to it, Delian pushed past armchairs, found his seat and turned a desktop on.
The speaker continued, “By this, we’ll be able to monitor their condition, location and conversations on the battlefield.”
“I disagree,” interrupted Delian. He settled into the armchair and adjusted an earphone. “Those devices aren’t supposed to monitor but to control minds.”
“How can you know that, Mister Felvennis?” asked Azhi from a few seats away. “As I recall, twenty years ago you were deprived of access to the top-secret project data.” He covered his mouth, pretending to feel a scratch in his throat, then raised a corner of his lips. Once more he’d reproached the ineptitude of his former co-worker who’d delayed Project SynthBreed development further.
I could have saved so many lives if I had gotten rid of him earlier, thought Azhi.
“But I remember exactly what happened twenty years ago.” Delian clenched his fists under the table. “And you were responsible for it.”
“Assault on Gavida facility wasn’t our fault,” explained Azhi. “We couldn’t predict that the terrorists from Jalandhara would attack us.”
Delian gritted his teeth and gazed at the desktop. His heart began to beat in the same rhythm as it did twenty years ago.
Visions of the last few hours that he’d spent in that facility returned to him. Clothed in vivid red armours, with faces hidden behind golden masks of monsters, Kehrians of Jalandhara stormed inside the station, firing their rifles. Their weapons made the characteristic sound of roaring beasts that echoed inside Delian’s head even today. They tore to pieces everything that they could get their claws on and slashed the heads and limbs of the Unions with their golden plasma swords.
Delian survived only because his wife, Astrid, arrived just in time and stood between him and the enemy’s bullet. The final memory that Delian had was of the long, last few seconds while he was carrying a dying Astrid and new-born Seth aboard the rescue ship. Several minutes later, he saw how the entire station exploded, lighting the space with flames from the remains of the burning gases. The memory of new-born Seth remained in from of his eyes for a while. Delian blamed him for Astrid's death. Seth slowed them down. A few seconds more and Delian and Astrid would be safe.
“It’s not the right time for lectures in history,” spoke the Kehrian and raised his hand, ordering silence.
“Does no one see this?” asked Delian, spreading his arms. He brushed the damp hair away from his forehead and stood up. “Dahaka sold you a story of miraculous technology. He’s going to use it for his own agenda, all he wants from you is financial support.”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“I’m going to use it for the defence of the Union from rebels attacks,” said Azhi. “Capturing the biggest ship that we’ve ever built, assault on Gavida, more frequent hijacks of our crafts, ravages in the Peripheral Zones, do I need to enumerate more?” He waited a moment in silence but did not receive any answer. “We can’t let that happen again. I need support from the Union to defend us all.” He pointed at Delian. “Including you.”
Delian frowned for a second, then sniffed harshly, when a wild fury overtook him. “I will not accept that you break the brains of innocent citizens.”
Silent, hesitant grumblings sounded over the auditorium. All eyes turned towards Delian, who was just standing and shooting a piercing glance at his opponent. Azhi shrugged and let the awkward moment for Delian last as long as possible.
The Kehrian spoke again, “Can we get to the vote?”
Nobody objected, but Azhi spoke, “So, you’re not going to give up?”
Delian turned his head and sat down. He tried to overcome the tremor of his hands so as to not tap the wrong icon. Every second seemed longer to him while he was waiting for the three squares of the vote to show up with the headings "Yes", "No" and "Abstain".
He hated his former employer almost as much as he did the rebels. Azhi spoke about the event in Gavida with a poised calmness and a hidden satisfaction that he’d reopened his foe’s old wounds again. It was just another legend for him that would be spoken for the next few years which would then pass into oblivion. Delian attempted to forget it too, but the sound of Astrid’s last gasp, the touch of her hand sticky with blood and Seth’s piercing cry took root in him like a parasite that was slowly exhausting its host.
Hearing the door open, he looked behind and narrowed his eyes. Two masked and armoured men in dark blue guard uniforms entered the room. One of them held a LiqBoard and turned on a microphone attached to his helmet.
“Everyone must leave this room,” he said. “This is not a drill.”
Whispers of suprise and amazement spread around the gathered.
“What’s going on?” shouted someone from the other end of the auditorium.
“We are forced to suspend the vote because of riots,” informed the anonymous person. “A guard and transport to your places of residence will be assigned to all of you.”
In the past few years, the members gathered had repeatedly been trained in the evacuation drills in case of attack, so out of habit, they walked to the nearest exit one by one. Some of them discussed and talked, but no one ran or panicked. The Union discipline did not accept behaviours like that, especially amongst the respected dignitaries. Despite the relative calmness and order, Delian sensed a rising tension. He saw what had happened earlier. He did not want to have the view of the rioters rushing at the policemen in front of his eyes again. Breathing rhythmically, he focused on what was going on now.
Taking advantage of the commotion, Azhi halted until majority of the people had left the room. He followed the last few members at a lazy pace. He pressed his lips together and gulped hard. He’d expected that the motion for financing the Project SynthBreed would be considered positively and that he would be able to predict the profits and plan their use accordingly. He was not going to wait another week for a new session, while Delian and the opposition were gaining power.
Azhi spent almost half of his savings on bribes to the politicians who supported his project, to the local committees to not give him up to the Union authorities and to the scientists working against their conscience and moral values but afraid for their future.
He turned on his LiqWatch and wrote a message:
“You know what to do ”