The Wars of Zegandaria by Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov (find a book to read .txt) 📕

especially since he was well aware that if he screwed up, he might never get that chance to leave the planet again. He'd be trapped between four walls for the rest of his life fixing various mechanisms.

- 'Boy, you weren't sent here by accident. So I am amicably advising you to thank fate for this chance,’ began Ennio Hammer calmly. 'You are expected to jam the speeders' radars during the battle, which hasn't even started yet, but will definitely be inevitable after a while. This is how we will protect the capital city of Imgradon.'

- 'Okay, but let me ask you something too.,' Dislan snorted slightly. 'Does Governor Elmbaum have anything to do with sending me here?'

- 'The Governor is personally concerned for your safety,' Hammer ventured to say.

- 'Is that supposed to flatter me?,' countered Dislan.

- 'Perhaps a little at least,' Ennio smiled. 'But you seem to want to be aware of your duties here, don't you?'

- 'Yes,' the technician replied curtly.

- You'll soon have it all sorted out in your head. And now you can go and get some sleep.

Although she was in the room with her husband and guest, the petite Mieru was simply inconspicuous. But still she remained a true lady. Well mannered and reserved. She had an important role in the whole plan. Their real goal was to dig out the secret information about the battleship under development. Dislan had naturally thought of this long ago, but he was playing the fool to buy time.

His isolation here wasn't going to last forever after all. Somehow he might still come out of the situation with dignity. He wondered, though, if the constructed super-ship was the only reason he was here, or was something still left unsaid?

Dislan wondered what kind of psyche the inhabitants of such a place had. Not everyone would last six months or a year here. And some had lived here almost a quarter of their entire lives until the new shift of technicians arrived.

Too many pictures and too many events mingled in his mind. He had barely survived playing his role as a harmless technician. He didn't bother anyone. He was just doing his job. There were so many interested in him failing. But he wasn't failing. On the contrary, he was quietly and peacefully progressing in his work. At least for now. Somewhere there in his ears raged the sound of death, which had escaped by some miracle. He'd heard that Paley didn't forgive anyone. There must have been some very specific reason for sparing him. Known to some, but unknown to Dislan.

Dislan mentally tried to imagine how long it would take him to get used to living in a place like this. Maybe five months at least. He wasn't the quickest to adjust, but he definitely knew how to manage to gain followers. It was no coincidence that Andrew Dislan was the best. There was something about him. Something that could make anyone help him when they saw him feeling threatened. And he was starting to feel that way.

After dinner, Ennio called him over to show him around his domain. Off they went again on the Equanati 'gut'. They walked for some time until they came to a particular door. It was quite different from the others. With a slightly darker obsidian color and a special card that was needed to open it.

- 'Here we are,' Ennio encouraged him and opened the door.

Dislan gasped. A veritable garden in the middle of space, and not just any plants grown in etonian glasshouses or pure imitations of such, but an almost pristine forest. Some rare plant species were even visible to the naked eye. It was hardly too big, maybe no more than a hundred square meters or a little more, but it was still impressive. He had heard of such a thing before, but had never seen it with his own eyes.

- Look, you're not here to look at my plants, you're here to be my eyes and ears to what's going on on the ship. I know some are trying to prepare my death as commander because this facility could decide the outcome of the war. This has been brewing for far too long, but still.

- 'I will keep your secret,' Dislan replied, never taking his eyes from his.

- 'You'll find out the rest later,' Ennio said cryptically.

THE SECRET ROOM

 

CHAPTER FIVE: THE SECRET ROOM

 

Ennio Hammer was a different type compared to Dislan, but inwardly he felt some need to guide and protect him, or at least he insisted that it be so.

Dislan himself didn't mind. He didn't want to miss his chance, which was shaping up to give his life some meaning.

Dislan was forced to admit that they had been too lenient with his character, giving him a chance to prove himself in such a responsible position. He was sure they knew a lot more about him than they were letting on. They just sort of forgave him, but even if it was just for the sake of the secret developments of a ship like the Emzirou, it still didn't add up. They could have just inquired about the other designers who were more or less on his level and put the puzzle together too easily. Why him? Even if the Governor had stood up for him, many of the things were too well arranged.

He went back to his settled room. He had no intention of protesting the new place's ways, as he didn't usually complain. He tried to find the necessary arguments for what he was interested in and failed again.

He had already fallen into a half-sleep when he felt...Some scratching, like scraping...It lasted a few seconds...He fell asleep again...The scraping continued...There was no doubt...Something was happening on the other side...But what...

Dislan sat up...They had taken his weapon before he even left. Each technician had a laser cutter. Just in case. Then they put a special chip on him to make sure he didn't leave the base. Very strange.

Dislan saw Mieru standing in the doorway, more tempting than ever. She quietly walked in to him.

- My husband is old and sick. Expensive medication barely keeps up his deceptive good looks. He can't cope with everything here. Don't listen to what he's telling you at all. But there is something special about you.

Dislan listened to her as if spellbound. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

Her voice was like honey. And her figure seemed to dissolve into the darkness.

- The governor is not the man who sent you to us. That was arranged by Gene Paley. This trump card could decide the outcome of the war.

- 'I'm not sure I understand,' Dislan called reluctantly.

- He thought about why you were so important. Is it just because of your skills as a technician or is there a secret lying in there somewhere that you don't know?

Dislan was silent. He'd been the victim of backstabbing more than once. But still.

- 'Let me tell you something about your origins,' Mieru called, 'It happened not so long ago. Before the war for Au Kaktir. Governor Elmbaum is your grandfather. And your father is Viar, the warden of Labor Colony 206. You've been well hidden, but it's getting dangerous for you now. Gene Paley realized the only way to keep your father in line was to send you to us. But he missed me. You know we women are gifted with a fine sensitivity. Ah, you, Mr. Dislan, will help me, as in fact I am helping you. Of course, you'll get your share of the earnings. You will not upset the enemy's speeders, but Elohia's speeders.'

Dislan listened and did not believe. It didn't even sound good even if it was a joke. He turned pale.

- At the appointed time you will be brought to the command room, but everything must be between the two of us. If we are discovered, we will be killed immediately. And you will say goodbye forever to the opportunity to do something extraordinary.

- 'Why are you doing all this?,' the technician turned to her.

- Let's just say I've had enough of the corruption in Imgradon, it's time for things to stop here. My mother suffered back during the last war in Au Kaktir. She perished beneath the ruins of Sor In Tum Cathedral.

Dislan nodded silently. That meant 'Yes!'

The two of them exited the station and walked along the intertwined Equanat 'guts'. They looked like fellow travelers, off on a journey. They passed through all sorts of rooms. One was full of embosat coils, which were themselves in terrible demand in the zegandarian market. It immediately crossed Dislan's mind that they were stolen, and that wasn't by statute. In the next chamber, special hyon breakers were placed, which further ensured the jamming of some of the signals. It had to be touched carefully. Dislan was amazed that there was no security at all. Apparently his companion had issued some sort of orders. The all too distinct presence of sulphur compounds made everything seem very strange. The technician didn't think much of it. He had already made his promise - now it was time to tread very carefully. They came to a room full of aileron ropes holding up a certain object that was quite bulky.

- 'It's what's called an anti-radar accelerator,' Mieru hastened to explain. 'It converts frequencies and returns precisely defined discrete values to the pilots. In other words, there's no way they can be sure which way they're flying without proper confirmation from us.'

- 'That sounds interesting,' Dislan replied, stroking his beard. 'So why is everything working out this way?'

- It's too likely that somewhere out there the excesses are being hacked and copied,' Mieru suggested.

- Not if we just make a last-minute change to the parameters of the entire machine before the new shift.

- 'They do a check every time before they turn it on,' she interjected.

- 'Some of these specialists might just miss something,' he coughed quietly and got to work.

The secret would be between them. They returned the same silent way they had come and didn't arouse anyone's suspicion.

- 'You're a brave woman,' said Dislan. 'Your kindness to me will be rewarded and you will have your revenge. But remember one thing - it is yet to become terrible for all those who dare to fly in the shared airspace over the Elandon field. Then we'll figure out how to leave the base.'

The way back was far easier. They didn't utter a word. Mieru quietly went back to her husband. She knew all too well what might happen if they discovered she had helped Dislan. And Dislan himself knew that a man like Hammer wouldn't compromise and send him directly with a burial capsule, writing that he had mysteriously disappeared into deep space.

Somewhere in there, the idea flashed through his mind that he himself was to blame for his own situation. Alone. Yeah someone seemed to be helping him out from behind his back. But he was making mischief after mischief. Maybe that someone was going to get tired of helping him. Dislan realized how much Mieru had done for him. This woman had sacrificed almost everything for a stranger who could possibly do what she had asked him to do.