CHAPTER 15259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgdlcxH2yq
CONSEQUENCES259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXiEWdr0QK
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Sophia left the room with a weird look on her face. We talked a bit about what was going on around Sol while I was lost without contact with the rest of humanity, and I told her something about the Fortress I had escaped from, omitting John. I was surprised to find out what truth the world knew about the attack on Hobson's Rock, how the Dean really punished the cadets upon their return from France because of me and my behavior, how poor Anne wept at the sight of Erik's body returned to the academy for the funeral. According to Sophia, the attack on the base in the English Channel had been merely a huge and terrible accident due to the explosion of the base's reactor. Covering it up must have seemed the right thing to do. A third of the land-based air fleet wiped out in a matter of hours by an unknown military force, without anybody knowing. Such a rout would have had apocalyptic media consequences. Heads would have popped starting from the Army General Staff down to the Defense Adviser and related staff of minions.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLisi8qjMR
Charon's speed and discretion had proved to be a double-edged sword: while they had enabled him to raze the fortress quickly and effectively, he had missed an opportunity to be able to destabilize the Grandmaster's power. Or perhaps that was his plan all along. John considered the army officers to be a bunch of idiots, and it suited him to have them stay firmly in their chairs to self-sabotage themselves with their own stupidity.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpj2CmdTEG9
Regardless of my brother's strategic considerations, the facts remained the same. Soldiers had died defending the base and everything had been dismissed as an accident. This seemed decidedly unfair, but what could I do? Disclosing my version to the media would not have done much good. Humanity wouldn't even have had to bother holding a press conference to refute me; no one would have believed me.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBVVZLEJw4
Lying on my bed I looked at the ceiling of the room, feeling tired and also hungry. I wanted to close my eyes and sleep, but I knew it wouldn't be worth it. Matt would come back and end up waking me up anyway. Not to mention that I was afraid of seeing Deena again in some horrible nightmare.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8CfVftfJN
I waited with an empty mind for 6:30 in the evening. The school bell not far away called me back from the fog in which I was wandering, and after five minutes Matt burst into the room.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktoeHszE6R
"Hello lieutenant!", he shouted as he entered.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fkSCm4nla
"Matt! Don't mess around", I replied irritated by that sudden wave of liveliness.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8Ka7YZz7o
"Sorry. They saw Sophia come out just now, did she comfort you a little?", he asked mischievously.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbL6hpNy9OP
"He helped me get it together, Dunn put in a couple of pretty good hits”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmNThXrU42
"Well, it serves you right. You've done worse to him", he said, throwing a small clear plastic bag at me. "Everyone already knows, you haven't made any new friends”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡER8cCWrldN
"He started it”, I replied childishly as I observed its contents. In my hands was that ugly earring Deena had given me on the island, saved who knows how for the umpteenth time.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1poE27ZuN
"The contents of the pants pockets you were wearing when they found you”, Matt explained.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1mc5FlVUm
"A severed finger, Erik's dog tag, and that thing. Do you ever stop to think about your life?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ts13xkNuO
"The way you tell it, it almost sounds like a funny story”, I said, setting the baggie down beside me.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzBaw4KfZB
"The finger was given to the Services, I don't think you were attached to it”, he continued. "The dog tag was given to Anne as per tradition and that earring since it was devoid of interest was returned to you. For the rest, however, that's the way it is in a nutshell”, he said closing the door. "You will have to catch up with your classes. You’ll go to school in the evening to study what they tell you, tomorrow they will give either you or someone else for you a letter with the schedule, since you are still without SAI. You'll like the goniometric functions you'll see...”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmqMwyEPUR
"Oh yeah, I like the sound of that”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5uErMwaIm
"Then tomorrow morning at 1000 in front of the inquisition. Dress nice. Tonight, after dinner in the Dean's office on the Ryan Dunn matter. And a word of advice: don't go out alone, because the asshole's friends plan to take you to the Slaughterhouse disguised as a cow”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kbe8SNylB
The last thing I needed was more enemies to fight. But at the end of the day, I had asked for it.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjx9QWSRRo3
"Anyway, what I've told you is worth little, in my opinion”, he said as he sat down at his desk and looked at me curving his back, his brown coat thrown on the bed. "Surely the deans will have a poisoned tooth tomorrow, I doubt you will remain on the premises to serve whatever disciplinary measures they will dispose of against you. You have a pretty good string of charges. If I were you, I would join the resistance somewhere and fight directly with the rebels”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDJJpAif3L
"So funny Matt. So fucking funny”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28GK2YqpGd
"Or you could go into hiding in some alienation zone. You're on time, get an aerotaxi and get taken to the spaceport, then take a transport to New Moscow and from there it's only a ten-minute flycar ride. Backpack, Kalashnikov, sleeping bag and off you go, into the ruins to live by expediency. Romantic, so edgy, it suits you”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxJVTDefpP
"You spend too much time playing in the metaverse. I don't give a shit what they're going to do to me. I'm only concerned about not being the one to take out Charon”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MutKUOQE1
"Charon?", asked Matt confused. I had forgotten that Matt knew nothing about the whole thing. "Looks like you have an interesting story to tell”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxyh6uGH82
I stood in silence. I had talked for a long time, never so long in my life, and still I was not sated. "He is alive”259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOapwEvyv7X
"He who?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZB5tF4J9a
"Sean is alive”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhH4EbEBnWI
Upon hearing that name Matt winced. "By Sean you mean... John Lester?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOr48LstKi0
"Hm. And it's much more dangerous than it used to be”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mfnYRprqn
"But you saw him fall! You killed him, didn't you? There were witnesses too!".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpx0xcCNmp
"Sean fell that he was definitely alive. He was badly wounded, I thought he wouldn’t survive without treatment. I had no idea how much we could heal, Matt. I was surprised even at myself; John will be able to do even more”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzPcbjeEYE
"Didn't it fly off the cliff?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vfYzEVfON
"Yes. But I said I had hit him on the head, remember? I lied, for fear they would accuse me of complicity. I really thought he was dead, although my hand slipped. Fuck”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjFUEm0AoD
"So, he is alive”, whispered Matt incredulously. "And he calls himself Charon? What's he up to?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6LxX0pg8l
"He paid for the mercenaries at Athena Tower”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNINCw7bKlE
"Why?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfUvX7KW0y
"He wanted girls like Deena”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YAT61x5Nz
"Girls like Deena?", she laughed. "And what does she do with them? A harem? Well, gourmet”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWP0jhbCGc
"I wonder if I can talk about that. In short, those like Deena have a connection to the weapon he developed. He needs one of them to keep the safety off. At the cost of their own lives, apparently”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxpFT7WyGI
"Wait, are you saying that in charge of that strange space station that landed three days ago is him? That you were on board? Did you see him? Did you talk to him?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAULXlKof8
"Don't tell anyone. They all hate me enough already for what he did, I don't want to have to answer for what he might still do as well”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KtJVaMM6D
"But what have you been doing for months?"259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30Q0IMlOV8
"We crashed on an uninhabited island. Until he discovered us and the army intercepted him coming to kick his ass”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzM9JL9cBhj
"But they found you in Tunisia! And you say we, but they only found you!"259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxjiEEKfVY
"I ... it's complicated”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAswRZnMeS6
"Ah Daith, what a fucking mess you've made this time, uh? You'd be captain by now if you weren't such a, such a... jerk! You fight with everyone, you're insubordinate, do you know we've been hoeing fields like rednecks for over a month? I did it in the infirmary healing from the wounds of a shooting that you started! I didn't hoe, though, so maybe I got better...”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB88X2pqwiP
"Matt there is a lot of top-secret shit in this story! I don't know how much more I can tell you than the crap you already hear about. All I can tell you is that if nothing else, events led me to find out about John's operation and some valuable details, so you didn't get shot for nothing”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqVK6cTzHe
Matt huffed contritely. I could tell I had really pissed him off this time. But he didn't give up his charge. "What about this Deena?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBoxNM2zjt
"What should I tell you?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNAcSeZPK4
"All this eventually happened because you wanted to cover for that chick at any cost. Was it worth it in the end? You ruined your existence for her, you know that right? Your career is almost gone now! Was it worth it?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHI2YT5PaRs
"Ruined my existence, you say? No”. I smiled, trying to remember her face looking at me irradiated by flames and stars.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs924ie92aV
Matt looked at me, then widened his eyes as if he had seen a ghost.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU81MbrtJoG
"Did you finally switched off?", I asked puzzled by noticing him with that silly expression on his face.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoEggQBjyY
"You have fallen in love! You!", he exclaimed.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bdvRR8AcI
"What would be strange about that?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtHnAGcgPI
This question of mine froze him. "First, it's the first time that after a remark like that from me you don't start with excuses like «she's just a friend» or «we didn't do anything Matt», «it's neither hot nor cold to me», he said mimicking my tone of voice badly. "Then second”, he interjected with some laughter, "Daith fucking Lester, the ice man, mister stay away from me and go fuck yourself! So, out of the blue, he falls in love! You've given us huge balls with this character and now you lose your mind and make a mess?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTulN2rdm9k
"Do you think I’m in love?", I asked with such innocence that Matt stopped teasing me.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTMfx496Qy
"That's a question only you can answer Little D”, he replied, shrugging. "From the outside you certainly don't look like you anymore, and it seems to me that to your usual dullness you are also adding a new destructive emotional component to rubbish your choices”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD147Wo70W
"Maybe I should put it out of my mind and think only of my duty”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6d3NcF9bQW
"C’mon Daith, I didn't mean that. I am happy for you. I really am. You have changed, and for the better. Hey, all it takes is one psychotic Lester around!".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSrpnsqmdK
"Yeah. Two could destroy the world”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5b5DzIDxq
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I didn't have the courage to go to the cafeteria to eat, so I stayed reading in my room until it was time to go to the Dean's spartan office.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWkurXbQ1E
Burris didn’t get too upset after I told him my side of the story. "You broke his knee”, he remarked as he looked at me sitting at his desk without hardly opening his eyes, immersed in networking or who knows what business with his AI. "You gave him a good beating. He could sue you. And win”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6n0PdVICy
"As I said, he called my family a disgrace, sir”, I retorted in my defense.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aDUnnooxB
Carter was present at the interview. After all, he was in charge of my class. "How can you blame that boy, Evan”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBx6ZjQHKLx
"Now don't go too far”, Burris shot him back. I bit my tongue lest I attack him as well.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjRNZnCmhD
"Too far? Your friend Cillian wasn’t known for being light and his son? Well, we all know here what he was good for. Now even this brat gets it into his head that he is worth more than the law. What will happen if we lose control over him too? Who will die of us at that point?", insisted Carter on the verge of losing his composure.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUYCnVPIY5
"Get out”, Burris merely replied. "We'll talk later”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWNs0Zc7xX
"You are protecting him for the wrong reasons”, he replied, waving at attention. "Sir”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkUc5xQ5Nj
Carter left the room and the dean returned to stare the void. "A disgrace he said. Really?", he asked almost amused.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJboY8C55Z
"I swear”, I nodded.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9I8alrWXlt
"Yeah”, he sighed. "You are getting more and more detractors, as you just heard”. He had already gathered all the necessary information and knew full well what a troublemaker the cadet who answered to the name Ryan Dunn was. "I know there was a promise of honor involved. You will not demand the flake and he will not sue you. I will be the guarantor of the gentleman's agreement. Do you accept, lieutenant?"259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkP223VPQ7I
"Yes, sir”, I replied still on a formal rest pose.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOm8cvT7Lp
"Dunn and Carter are not the only ones who think this about you”, he added. "Several cadets I've heard nod when the major doesn't spare his thoughts. You Lester are… complicated. There are those who think you are to be put down and those who think you are valuable”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7wz9m5lCY
"What do you think, if I may ask?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAHq4ZGftV
"I think I was and always will be a close friend of your father, lieutenant”, he replied. "But I can't protect you indefinitely. If you don’t help me do that, sooner or later someone will pull the plug on you. Your father had friends but we are not infinite”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnG6jWhreoW
"Sir, I know I probably shouldn't be talking about this right now but... well, along my way I met just an old friend and colleague of ours. I, well...”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeKxniyNlG
"Yes”, Burris stopped me. "I know. The Services update me. I can tell you he's fine”. He looked at me with a relieved smile and then waved his hand to send me away, an order I gladly carried out. He did not even write the incident in my official personal file.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCMvKupRYh
It didn't cost me much to pardon Dunn. I didn't care about him. In my mind I had one person to save and one to kill. Nothing else mattered to me.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXokRngXXej
You know baby, I was so caught up in my troubles that Burris' words went in one ear and out the other. I didn't take that speech seriously, and maybe I couldn't have done it even if I had been smarter than that. Had I followed his warnings, we would not be in this situation today, don't you think so too?259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsEFy0T5EA
I walked out of HQ soothed, with one less problem on my mind, but the worst was yet to come, I knew it well. The next morning a fierce panel of deans would grill me for hours in what would be an in-depth interrogation. I was going to have to tell them everything I knew. I was supposed to tell them why I followed Deena. Who almost killed me and how. But most of all, to reveal the identity of the destroyer of Hobson's Rock and the murderer of the daughter of a Humanity officer.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBcyKVbibw
Between me and Sean it was personal, I didn't want others to get involved. What if they had caught him? A firing squad or lethal injection would not have satiated my thirst for revenge. I wanted to face him alone, face to face. I had to avenge Christelle and my family's honor. I had to be the one to make them pay. What if I had been kicked out of the academy instead? How was I going to fight him?259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyAKyUZ762
Walking through the yards trying to juggle the problems, many memories came back to me. Sean tearing me up on the basketball courts, Sean getting transferred to Seattle as an instructor, Sean returning from Mars having changed.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcNOP9LxRk
Yeah, Mars. That planet has always been a place full of experiences and changes for my family. My father stayed there for three years before returning home for a short time and then leaving again never to return. Upon his return, our mother told Sean that Cillian had changed, that he had learned something from that trip. The same was true for John.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuytQpfzt5
He came home with his eyes devoid of light and his hands full of hideous scars, he who had flames in his eyes and had come out of horrible situations without ever even a scratch. Up there he saw or learned something that boggled his mind. Perhaps on Mars John had made contact with that Judge, and perhaps on Mars he had disrupted his mind, planting in it the seed of madness. That truth he, according to Christelle, was not prepared for.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMqXMS1SNn
"You can't get away Lester”, a voice behind me suddenly said.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LvknWqZWm
"I never run away”, I replied without even seeing who was speaking. I turned around and saw three guys armed with iron bars. "I always chase”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIayZcya6A
"This time it's over for you. Dunn can't make you pay for now, meanwhile we'll take care of it”, said another voice escorted by two other cadets, who were blocking the way to the men's dormitory. There were six of them, some with bars in their hands and others with chains. I was bragging, but I didn't stand a chance. Those guys were trained like me.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTIzCr1WMA
“Bring it on”, I said and put myself on guard. 'Before I die, a couple of them I'll take with me for sure'.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcpscCd0bq
"Yeah, bring it on faggots!", a third voice interjected. This one, however, was familiar.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsyGFGpLv5
"What do you want Fowler?", the one who first started threatening me asked arrogantly. "Introduce you to a couple of friends!", replied Matt. The guy was stunned. Behind Matt, in the shadows you could see a real crowd. Half of Seattle's academy now crowded the avenues near the HQ and the gyms, boys and girls armed with baseball bats, Kendo swords, displacing sticks, and tonfas.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGHPIL8s39
"What… what the fuck do you want?" asked the same guy.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VxPYad9Pz
"Leave him alone, or you’ll deal with us”, said a female voice in the crowd.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLSt86Kkf0
"Yeah, go away!" intimated another. "You better run!" and again, "Go sleep in the woods if you want to keep waking up!".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBeu0Yc13M
The little turmoil that had assailed me, after a moment of panic had no more doubts about what to do and in a short time, they went in earnest to take refuge in the woods, running wild.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Kh4za3o7i
I could not believe my own eyes. I looked at Matt in amazement.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uf5133Ecd
"What does this mean?", I asked in amazement.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFvgl3vMaw
Matt smiled. Then he came toward me, whistling the music of the cavalry charge. "Here comes your friends, Daith”, he said proudly.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVInQ9T9y1N
"Friends? What are you talking about?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOM4gkh71YC
"What am I talking about? No one has to say anything?", asked Matt addressing the crowd. "I do”, said a voice in the darkness. Its owner stepped forward and stood under one of the street lamps that lit the driveway so that I could see him.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfUDwy9mwk
"Oh, hello Andrea”, I greeted him confusedly. I couldn't understand what was going on.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOKY7lkGJY
"Hi Daith. It happens that we all owe here, good or bad. Even me”, he recalled. "When that accident happened, you stopped him even though he was who we know and you saved my life”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGThqy7DlT
"I also have something to tell you. Do you remember me?", said another voice. A boy stood beside Gates. "I'm Chris Davis, second year. You came to pick me up...”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLSaeOeVAv
"...in Algiers, a year ago”, I interjected. I was beginning to guess.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgumTDjnLL
"Yeah”, he said, smiling. "I was lost in that slum. I would have been kidnapped or worse but you alone came looking for me”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonLCHeOeUh
"I have something to say too, D”, said another voice. This one I knew well. "Ceres, the occupied mining base. They wanted to lynch me and my team. None of us have forgotten that day. For all of us were doomed on that rock, but you and Dutronc still came for us”. Sophia spoke with her heart in her throat.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZUR0oUhmD
"Dunn ordered us not to come and greet you”, Andrea confessed, "not to visit you in the infirmary. Not to talk to you or support you during the meeting. At first, we were afraid. Many of us were still angry about the punishment we suffered because of you. But Matt brought us together one by one and we discovered that there are many of us. There are many of us who owe you a debt. Sophia told us some of the things that happened and what you saw with your own eyes. We are with you Daith”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8pgb60LtH
"Do you see that Daith? You can be an endless source of trouble for us, but in the end”, Matt said, smilingly putting a hand on my shoulder, "in the end you also have a family within these walls. And if they try to throw you out tomorrow rest assured along with you, they will have to throw all of us out of here as well”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PjwvUAvIx
"You don't resent me for... what happened to you in Paris?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQIndaGSNP
"Yes”, he laughed. "You're an asshole, Little D. But you're still my buddy”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbR9gBv73Mn
I had never felt so much like crying in my life. For that perhaps, my only response was a bow with my back straight and my arms paralyzed along my sides, followed by a toothy thank you. I had to leave quickly.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OiwYZv6ry
Matt must have read my mind, as soon afterward he offered to accompany me to the dormitory. "It's going to be a big day tomorrow for everyone”, he said, waving for us to disperse, and we set off together, escorted by all the boys making our way. First, however, some of the girls who were there came to greet me, some to wish me luck. Sophia greeted me with a kiss on the cheek and a hug. I did not feel like refusing it. I went to sleep with incredible serenity. I finally laid my head on the pillow. I was tired as hell. I collapsed.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9E5M8zZrT
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The next morning, I got up like any other day. Waking up at dawn, making up my bunk, a quick dressing, and off I ran to the flag plaza for the assembly and salute to the Federation's banner. Arriving at the mess hall for breakfast I was greeted by myriads of smiles and greetings. I was very astonished, but laughed as I had never laughed in that place. I felt light and serene. I was invited to every table, but I did not want to let my head get too big, and as every time, I placed myself at the first empty table I set my eyes on. The race to quickly fill the seats around me was on. I hoped I could remain in peace, but underneath I didn't mind it at all. Immediately they began peppering me with questions. What had I been doing during that time of absence, who was this Deena that was being talked about, where had I been... I saw myself being forced to disappoint my audience. My only answer was, "I will tell you everything the committee will allow me to say”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv41jhY822B
The thing that puzzled me the most was that people were telling me about that Flying Fortress, if it was true that I had discovered it first and had been in it. I didn't know how long I had slept since I had been thrown out by Deena, but it was still true that the appearance of something as huge as that base certainly should not have gone unnoticed.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO92Nf1Hygn
I went to the infirmary and found the EW technician who had arrived in Seattle the night before on time. The woman connected to my SAI via cable, plugging in through the connector under my left ear.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3FngYRxVF
He made a backup as I had been predicted and rebooted the SAI, resetting all settings and the system, reassuring me that fortunately there was no need to replace the hardware. It was weird to find oneself connected to the network again after all that time. SAI is like a second voice in one's head, similar to one's consciousness. After a while one gets used to living with the symbiote but doing without it after years had not been so difficult and it was more of an annoyance than anything else to see writings and numbers obstructing my worldview again.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKLYrWvVDD
Quarter to ten arrived and I set off for HQ, while Matt and the other students were instead at school as they were every morning. Sophia insisted that she could wish me good luck in her own way, deserting class time to come and hug me.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3poauOLZq
"Sophia, I think you should accept the fact that…”, I tried to say gently but firmly pushing her away.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOsa4lrjoG
"In love and war everything is allowed”, she said, smiling. "I'm a soldier and I'm in love. So that Deena doesn't stand a chance against me. Good luck, D”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm68b5Oa8ID
'In love?", I thought panicked. I watched her walk away feeling guilty and confused.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0WpaNckZA
I shook my head as I returned to my problems, settled my uniform in front of the glass doors of HQ and took courage. I drew a deep breath and entered. I walked briskly toward the courtroom and arrived at the door, a large soldier ordered me to wait there until I was called. At 1000 o'clock the door opened. Hell, they were accurate!259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDzLUtp0pr
"Good luck lieutenant”, whispered my fellow guard. "They've really all arrived”. I would have deduced it on my own from the twinkling of his amphibians. Without paying attention I entered the hall. I was terrified.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOeKSxpTD2
The courtroom was a cramped circular room, resembling a miniature football stadium. In the center was the defendant's seat with a nice spotlight shining on it with an annoying light perpendicular to the floor. The defendant usually stood, and all around slightly elevated from the floor was the ring that housed behind a small wall-desk the seats of the members of the board of Deans. It was dark to the point that I could hardly see the faces of those who would be questioning me. I positioned myself under the beam of light and stood at attention. "Lt. Daith Cillian Lester of Seattle Military Academy, Fifth Year, Third Section, reporting!".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVuthVMFXc
"Rest”, ordered a voice from the darkness. I obeyed that ghost.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50B1AzHZk4
"Lieutenant. You are here to answer for the following charges: desertion, insubordination, multiple and aggravated disobedience to a direct order, unauthorized use of firearms on city land, kidnapping, multiple damage to private property, aiding and abetting, conspiracy to commit murder. How do you declare?", the same person asked again.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt741KEnFkR
"That's a lot of charges”, I replied, feeling immediately at a loss. "Some guilty some not, sir. Shouldn't I have a lawyer or something right now? I don't even have a link to request an assistant via the network”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDu3XeK67yF
"You will be aware that this committee has already gathered all the information necessary to confirm your guilt in every case mentioned before. Are you confident in your position?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QKZF1nmP4
"Yes, sir. I believe I have often acted in good faith and in extenuating circumstances”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW97KITnRtp
"I reiterate the concept to you. The entire Council of Deans is gathered here today. Do you therefore understand that the charges against you are quite serious and that the matter in which you are meddling is of fundamental importance to the security of Humanity?"259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH66EWEr2pV
"I am aware of that”, I replied still breaking into a cold sweat.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdq0ysWMR1o
"Good”, sighed another dean. "Your AI has lost a lot of data, we need your testimony”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0IG3iGs4b
"How did you act from the beginning of the shooting at... the Hotel Jaurès in Paris, France, which began supposedly at about 7:30 a.m. on June 26, 2278, costing the lives of the following civilians: to Mr. Parolin Enzo, age 47 hit by stray bullet, Mr. Gillot Jean, age 30 hit by stray bullet, Mrs. Tapie Nathalie, age 30 mortally maimed by laser beam. Do you confirm date and place?", resumed the first voice, which would continue the questioning.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3kCGHC5La
"I confirm, sir”, I replied with a squeeze in my heart. The shooting had resulted in innocent deaths, I had no idea.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8Co37vKzC
"Proceed therefore”. It was time to spill the beans. I had to be cautious. They already knew much more than I could imagine.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmznhqHspm
"I admit that I proceeded to the unauthorized pursuit and capture of a civilian, Deena Dumas, a citizen seized along with others by the criminal group that our joint operation with the FMP dismantled at Athena Tower. I tracked her down and kept her under surveillance because I believed she was somehow connected to those criminals. I acted alone and on my own initiative. The group that attacked the Jaurès was a competitor of the Athena group. Their purpose was to kidnap her and hand her over to an unspecified commissioning organization for profit”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9b7M9o7mf
"Why this personal initiative of yours, lieutenant?", another voice asked.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayOxv3ulkH
"For equally personal profit, sir”, I admitted. "I wanted to... solve the case myself”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSAqePYGB6
There was a murmur and even some mocking laughter.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iAEGVX40D
"So you admit that the shooting involving you was your idea!", they pressed.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTQJhc1Pl2
"I certainly couldn't imagine they would burst armed into the Jaurès, sir. I suspected simple organ trafficking or something like that. The kind of business where you don't expose yourself that way. I couldn't have known that something as powerful as what I later found out was behind them!", I defended myself.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZirq9tQt1N
"Exactly lieutenant, what is it that you found out? This civilian by whom was she wanted?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJhy5QfrP4
"Deans, there is a powerful criminal organization led by a powerful individual, nicknamed Judge, whom you have recently been able to see at work. The Flying Fortress as you call it is actually called Diĝir-ga-šum and it is their weapon and their base! They are the ones who were looking for girls like that Deena Dumas! Also, they attacked Hobson's Rock to kidnap another person, Christelle Teyssier”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCN7DSDaLqJ
There was another murmur and a nervous voice shushed everyone authoritatively. "This Teyssier! How much do you know about her lieutenant? What about the activity at Hobson's Rock?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QGU2S9vUR
"He doesn't know anything brother!", another voice in the shadows replied. "Some of us have already seen Lester's memories taken this morning. The lieutenant is not aware of vital information concerning Hobson's Rock. What he says is true. What he does not say is that the key man in that organization calls himself Charon. That is, a revenant John Lester, a name with which each of us is familiar”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUhmQWPaE8
'Shit,' I fretted. I was sure SAI had patched inside DGS, perhaps they had memorized something on the island that had suggested to them John's identity. I might as well have been truthful. "I would have gotten there, sir”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHoJ1PZcRl
"So, John Lester needed these two people for his purposes. Do the cadet's memoirs explain everything?", asked the voice from before. "Then why this hearing if we have the evidence and the memoirs?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWuLt6oEjP
"In truth there is a hole. His SAI stopped interfacing with his memories for the entire period of time he was inside the Fortress. For what reason? How did you manage it lieutenant?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqWZBUhJaO
"Do you think that... I have purposely...? No! I did not tamper with my AI! The Judge has the ability to create a strange barrier, an energy field that acts on the human mind and damages even symbionts! They called it an ESP shield. More than a shield, it is an area where your mind sees what he wants to. Specifically, the vision of yourself scattered and floating in space. It was used to mask the presence of the base and cause accidents to ships that for one reason or another got too close to it. From what I understand, the Fortress was invisible to instruments, and the moment it could become visible to the naked eye, the area covered by ESPs acted as the ultimate safety device. Even moving inside without protection was impossible because of this hallucination”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTuujppWV3
The murmuring became louder. Everyone seemed unconvinced by my words. "What technology makes it possible to create something so far-fetched?", one skeptic asked.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLb5XbmETF
I didn't know what to answer. It was Burris who said something sensible. "The Fortress itself is something far-fetched! We have never seen such a large man-made object move through space and even land in the atmosphere. Those who possess that tech could certainly possess what the lieutenant is describing as well”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeohn4qa50S
"That's not all”, I continued. "Charon needed people like Teyssier and Dumas to activate a weapon whose name is Viral Inducer. I have no idea what the hell it is but Teyssier claimed with certainty that it was a weapon of mass destruction. I don't know how she knew such things, but...”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjlIzeOtZC
"He needed them?", asked one of the Deans. "What do you mean?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjj9OANsUuP
"I didn't understand much”, I replied. "But he called Ms. Dumas and those like her huri and called Teyssier... s... uhm... suck-something. I apologize but my SAI has yet to synchronize with my mind. I think it was... sukkal, I'm not sure”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXHPFlSxbU
A murmur rose from the dimness, an excitement that I did not expect. To me those words meant nothing, but to those top-level Freemasons everything was clear.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALHe12iK5U
"So that Dumas girl was ... a huri?!", exclaimed an excited voice. "A real huri? Have you seen any others?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPB2TDDXT8
"No... I think not... why?", I answered hesitantly.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7tzaWCezW
"Don't worry lieutenant, we will take care of that”, someone else interrupted me from the dimness. "You have survived a rather arduous captivity to endure”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqIowloX8T
"I would like to be clear deans!", I exclaimed resolutely. "I fought Charon with all my might, I never offered to cooperate with him. I only want to quickly serve whatever sentence you have in mind for me and return to fight him as soon as possible!".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKYiUWoxVb
Someone was perhaps astonished by my words. "He's his damn brother!”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBLnudeb1K
"I know! That madman throws mud on my name, on my father's name, and continuously performs evil and horrible deeds against Humanity! There is no more bitter enemy for him than yours, truly! I can testify that in his madness Charon will use that weapon of his very soon and that his goal is to destroy us!".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡletYpnZbNP
"This is worrying”, said yet another different voice. "The lieutenant's memories suggest that this Charon also has in his sights what is sacred. He has been instructed in the mysteries by an apocryphal source or worse, by a traitor. The Grand Master should be informed of this and immediately request an audience with...”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSh6R7LEL8
"Brothers not now!", he was interrupted by another thundering voice. "Let us dismiss the defendant first”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCeQTxSaxre
"Right”, confirmed another voice. I began to suspect that the only one who didn't know a damn thing in that hearing was me, who ironically was there specifically to give them intel. "Our SAIs have finished reviewing the backup of your memory. You saw a lot of things that you were not supposed to, cadet, however, you didn’t understand any of it, lucky you. There is nothing more you can tell us”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05IHXbxPdy
"Lieutenant Daith Cillian Lester”, the voice that had spoken first called out to me. "You acted motivated by self-interest, violating the law and military regulations that are beneath that law. You endangered innocent lives and indirectly caused deaths that perhaps could have been prevented. At the same time, as is evident from your memoirs, you nevertheless acted at all times in defense of yourself and civilian lives. However, aiding and abetting the escape of an illegal is a serious act, Lieutenant. Your situation is complex. On the one hand, your insubordination and the crimes you committed condemn you to severe punishment. On the other, the heroism you have shown and the information you have uncovered mitigate virtually every single offense you have been guilty of. You will not come out of this well, Lieutenant. But neither annihilated. You are suspended from your obligations until we have delivered the verdict. Agdgadu”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJl04kHIZM3
I stood at attention and walked out of the hall. The light from the hall blinded me. I was drenched in sweat. I barely moved but I was as exhausted as after a wrestling match. I started toward the exit, breathing heavily as if after a long apnea.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0fUPL6Apg
I passed the glass door and made to head for my dorm, when a manly, authoritative voice intimated that I should stop.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGfukILrCc
I didn't know the man, but I knew immediately from his uniform that I had to stand at attention. "Lieutenant stop, I need to talk to you!", he said. He was an imposing, muscular man with marked, decisive features, very short brown hair and eyes that would have incinerated even Charon with a glance.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDVinax8cw
"Sir”, I replied willingly and also quite suggestively.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIA2S8yV5Q
"Do you know who I am?".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOOc33Al25
"No sir”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLyb3GwgUu
"I am Colonel Teyssier. I'm Christelle's father”, he told me. It was like taking a stab with an ice blade straight into the stomach. "I wanted to know the truth. I want, or rather I order you, no, please… how did my daughter die?", he asked.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjeHHOPK55
All that grandeur was no longer enough now to hide the man's true personality: a loving father who now no longer had his daughter. I looked at him just long enough to catch my breath. He had very dark skin, wide nostrils and large hands. I wondered if the man was really Christelle's father so dissimilar were they.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtLKYAtoVk
"I...”, I tried to say, but to no avail.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBzStwZKlw
"Please”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHNXRHw3Y4
"Sir forgive me”, my eyes began to fill with tears. "Your daughter was an outstanding girl. I was not able to...”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91K2uzSOQ9
"What happened?!", he asked, grabbing me and hurting me with his deadly grip. He had two clamps instead of hands.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1QW4lxm2z
"A terrorist. Charon. An execution. I'm sorry...”, I told him close to bursting into tears.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbAibfpXvX
"Son”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDfXJYCwIt
"I... couldn’t stop it. Forgive me, sir”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiE102M3oWp
"Boy... it wasn't you who shot her. It's not your fault”, the man told me lovingly.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuYghgBX6x
"Christelle was an angel. She saved our lives while we were prisoners and with cold blood engineered our escape. In a way she also saved my soul, with the right words...”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNEpa96RG7
"An angel. Yeah. My daughter saved your life so… She died, but in a brave way! I am very proud of her”.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisScQO9uMC
"You have every reason to be. I loved her. Sir I will avenge her! I swear on my life! I will take out her murderer!".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkz290SXKr
The colonel looked at me sadly. "You may go”. He dismissed me in a resigned tone and walked away inside HQ with a heavy step. At that moment I felt pity and hatred for him. Pity for a father who had lost what was most precious to him in the world and hatred because he had forced me to remember that terrible day. Inside me the slumbering hatred for Charon also awoke. I would no longer remember him as Sean. Sean was dead now. I would have killed him, and I would not have allowed Deena to suffer that fate. It didn't matter how. That would be my life's purpose until the day of revenge.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mRs5L1in0
At 1600 hours I was urgently summoned to HQ to receive the verdict of the Deans' Council. I did not expect such a quick conclusion, but in that matter the attention and resources of Humanity had to be at full disposal.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGS1cWiIOBc
I was sentenced, in justice to my comrades, to one month of hard labor and detention, serving the exact same sentence given to them. In addition to this, I was sentenced to six months of military prison, during which time I would still continue to study to keep up with the academy curriculum. Finally, I was demoted to a simple cadet, thus lacking internal rank. Nice gain I obtained by being an off-schedule hero. I walked out of HQ in handcuffs and escorted by two soldiers to an FMP aircraft waiting to take me away. It was raining outside, however, the downpour did not stop everyone who believed in my innocence and good faith. Matt was screaming like hell, promising me that he would fight to get me out of trouble. Guards from the academy had to intervene to stem the tide of angry students. My gaze fell on Sophia: she was crying desperately in the rain, supported by a couple of friends who were hugging her.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyR9S0tISE
Dean Burris suddenly appeared behind me and began shouting for silence. As if he had cast a spell on the crowd, all of a sudden rain was all that was heard.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKjeRvPHyS
"Cadets!", he began, calling for order, "Be calm! This comrade of yours has been convicted of crimes that by his own admission he committed! It is not for you to challenge the verdict, just as it is not for us deans to judge the purity of his heart! He may have acted according to conscience but the law of Humanity is sacred, the law is what makes mere human beings citizens! Sometimes the heart dictates its own law but a soldier, even more than a citizen, must always remember that it is never superior to the will of Humanity! Unfair as it may seem, the world thrives because there is the wisdom of laws written between a square and a compass! Let us greet cadet Lester together and wait patiently for his return among us!".259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7aVJFZYJu
Having said these words, the Dean greeted me by placing his outstretched hand on his forehead. One by one the cadets, staring at me, imitated that gesture.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIC4427GBQs
Matt stopped protesting. I attempted to respond but having my hands tied, I simply stood still and kept quiet. Sophia burst into tears again. Shouts of disapproval went up from the crowd, and also insults against Burris. This had not happened since he had been there. The soldiers dragged me to the aircraft, which turned on its sirens.259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrO6R0Qw50
The academy grew smaller and smaller, until it became invisible. I hid my face in my hands and realized again how lonely I felt.
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