Test Site. Part 2. Still water
Dr. Condrad Dimeni hunched over the table, which occupied a significant part of his office. Before him was a three-dimensional model of the new ship's structure. He closely examined one part, then, turning the model with a gesture, moved to the next. There was always peace and quiet in his office. The intercom was in a silent mode, nothing could interfere with his research. Nobody could even knock on the door, without waiting in the vestibule for ten minutes, and that's why most visitors were not in great mood, when they were let inside. Such privileges were part of the conditions for his work on the Ellydium projects and ensured him maximum concentration. But what was his surprise when he heard a voice coming from the entrance.
— Conrad, we should talk. — Cortés never bothered treating the doctor with respect.
— How did you get in here? — The three-dimensional model flickered and disappeared in a beam of light in the center of the table, and the doctor's voice was irritated.
— I have access to all the premises provided by the Council, you should know.
— And when am I supposed to work? Such appearances only slow me down and believe me, I will remember to mention this in the weekly report.
Having walked around the table, Dimeni sat down in a single armchair in the office and looked appraisingly at Natasha Cortés, who was not his direct subordinate and allowed herself not to stand at attention in front of him.
— Then remember to point out that most of the network of spies and saboteurs on our base were personally selected by you.
— Nonsense, no more than two weeks have passed between graduating from their scientific institutions and the invitation to the station Ellydium Theta. In such a short time a scientist will not become a spy.
— Who said they came to us as enemy agents? My data allows me to say that they have become agents here.
— You're getting to something, Cortés, but you're awfully vague, get down to business, and leave your hints for the Council.
— You're right. I think they learned too much about the Test Site. — Her cold look was glued to Conrad's face and tried to catch the slightest change in facial expressions. But he either skillfully concealed his emotions, or really did not yet guess what she was implying.
— They'll find out about it in the first months. We are primarily scientists and it is unlikely that deaths at the Test Site wouldn't have broken them. A soldier like you will never understand that science always stands above human life, and this knowledge has been hammered into my people over the years, so if this is all you have, then leave me and take care of your work.
— Oh no, Conrad, I'm not talking about test subjects, I'm talking about this.
A small piece of plastic flew in an arc in the direction of the table, swept over its surface and froze a few centimeters from the edge, just so that the doctor could reach out to it with his hand.
— What is it? — Dimeni restrained the impulse of curiosity and did not reach out to the item.
— What your lab assistant tried to pass on to our competitors. It's the code, structure, something else, my people only went over it briefly, but they do not have enough knowledge to understand the information, that's why I came to you.
— Why do you think it's something important, and not another attempt to steal our technology?
— Because the enemy angents put too much effort into getting the information. — Natasha took a step closer to the table and only now Conrad noticed a bandaged hand and a medical brace on her leg.Doctor Dimeni felt compassion for a moment, but it was extinguished as quickly as it had appeared. She is doing her job, and he is doing his. Finally he took a piece of plastic from the table and placed it in a panel located at the edge of the table and a three-dimensional model unfolded over the entire area of the table. Nothing out of the ordinary at first glance, but as soon as he zoomed in a little, he immediately noticed a marker attracting attention. With a motion of his hands, Conrad brought the point of interest to him and looked at the code for a long time. So long that Cortés spoke first:
— Well, what can you say?
— I will say that if everything is true, then we created a monster. His voice was on the verge of a whisper, he himself was afraid of the words spoken, but there could be no mistake. He was shown a different angle and he finally saw what could have caused the betrayal of the people of science, because now not only the test subjects, but the whole mankind were under threat.
Sincerely,
Star Conflict Team