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| 09- Warlord and Priestess. |
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Finally
the Music, thoughts flow harmonically. Upper casts of
soldiers and scientists meet to focus the situation, Proteena is
recognized and put under the protection of a high Priestess (that's
how they call scientists of higher grade), loosely kindred to
her. Next to the Priestess stands Hermitokratos, a towering figure,
constantly speculating about decadence and revenge. We get to know that
the camp collects billions of Cycledwellers of every given sex, so
reproduction lines are already working.
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Soldiers
and scientists debate on what happened to the Cycle, like if a big
explosion had overturned everything. Soldiers are sure that Living
Machines have invaded the Cycle, scientists do not agree, the Cycle has
changed, we don't hear the Music of the Cycle anymore. Here stand
a billion of us, but in fact we are few, as if we were marooned
somewhere outside the Cycle. But Hermitokratos, the Warlord, violently
disagrees: "We are in the Cycle, but we have been decimated by the
Machines. The internal sea itself, as reported by reconnaisance, is
infested by Machines much more dangerous than the Zeppelins. But
invasion itself may be a resource, the Machines have vivificated the
Cycle, transforming it into a Mine. Enormous riches may be found now in
the Internal Sea if we only dare to hand them, for the sake of the
Cycle!" But the Priestess wants to see clearly, she doesn't trust the
warlord's words, and orders the scientists to embed into the
reconnaisance and report about the conditions of the Internal
Sea. |
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Troops climb on the
Modified, followed by the scientists, and let themselves be seized by
the wind that rushes rythmically towards the Internal Sea. Proteena, led by the Lieutenant, joins a patrol. |
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| 10- An Egg. |
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Firmly
bound to the Modified, they take off. After a moment of indecision, the
Lieutenant opens up his helmet and in a mechanical way vomits an
enormous egg, pressing it on Proteena's mouth. Pleasently surprised,
she swallows.
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11- Kerenskij and Hu
reach the Lab, Communication Failure.
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