The Children of Zegandaria, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov [first color ebook reader txt] 📗

bugs, he was well aware that his mind was chipped. But that virtual demon "Nastarog" I'd put on him had worked well. You mean it was all one huge simulation and he was that patient who was hopelessly ill or?

- Look, Joseph Zerdakil, the brute did him a favor by taking him to me. But his sick imagination went out of all bounds. That finished him off for good.

- "You mean he never left Emvor Na?," tried Ser Mac Zon to clarify.

- You might as well say so. Surely his spirit is in a better place and wishes to be free. According to his understanding. In his own world, where possible, to survive.

- "Then who killed him?," puzzled Ser Mac Zon.

- "Well, he killed himself with one of the kerium needles that are soaked in poison," was Gad ‘Di Enn 's reply.

- "And where did he get it from?," followed another question.

- "We can only guess at that," Gad ‘Di Enn  raised his eyebrows. "That is the key to the mystery. But the truth will come out sometime. Anyway, I'm going on a long journey. I'm going into exile to clear my thoughts. As a representative of our guild, you know how it is," he smiled sourly.

Ser Mac Zon pretended he didn't hear the joke. But he was absolutely right. Medical mistakes had been buried since time immemorial.

FRIENDS EVEN IN DEATH

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWO: FRIENDS EVEN IN DEATH

 

After the explosion at the Maerx refinery, no one could pretend that absolutely nothing had happened. It was too trivial. But deep down they felt the infirmities of the whole distorted reality. Things were different, and everything was the same old same old.

They buried Ryan's ashes near his friend Namuro. The two of them would keep each other company in death. But the cemetery park, though a bit gloomy, was filled with life-giving light. The light of new life. Birds sang in the branches of the emery blossoms brought by Sebur Nag. The androids were left to care for the dead whose remains would be preserved for all time. And so it was best.

Zorin's mother wasn't much further from them either. Here among beautiful plants, their End was seemingly a little better. The two friends died not for an idea of justice, for there was none, but because they needed each other to live in their own world.

Ryan had never liked school, had never had parents, and had absolutely never had friends. But with Namuro, things were different.

But why did people forget so easily?

On their shared electronic tombstone was the following dedication, „In this world there is neither good nor evil, but we remained friends until the end!“

And all sorts of legends were floated about this amazing friendship for a long time.

When the young men saw the world with new eyes, they were quite ready to go and, through tears, bid farewell to their idols. But that is a story for another time and other people.

The futuristic refinery had robbed so many people of a reason for being. The director and the entire staff had perished. Of course the ghost warrior caste still existed, but any mystique associated with them had fallen away. The greatness of the military career was scorched by a realistic view.

When everything fell into place, many people breathed a sigh of relief. It relieved them.

The beautiful, the sublime, and the impressive were the new dreams to reach people willing to see real life without the need for various artificial substitutes.

Kickluk Sor's wealth was not plundered, or at least not completely. With the remaining electronic credits, they decided to change some things and prepare their departure from the planet Zegandaria. A lot of things had to be settled. This time there would be no one left here. And so it was for the best. They never found out exactly which planet Om Gur Nal's mysterious transfer had gone to, but they assumed it was to one of the planets in the so-called Outer Ring.

Namuro had never had the opportunity to see alien worlds like his glorious parent, nor would he experience anything else in life. He had, however, felt that "blue spring" that perhaps Jail Hunter himself had experienced while still a believer in his military field. The wars of Zegandaria had long since ended. Virtual and physical reality would never be the same. But the humans - would, or at least should, retain their humanity.

The narenzianan chips were collected most carefully. Their missing numbers were described and this was archived as a memento for future generations.

And what happened in the end to all those who wanted some change? Well, Imaya left for a distant planet, Rento continued to work as a bounty hunter because that was what he enjoyed. He kept his sharp tongue and his strong fists ready at all times to dispense justice. Big John was forgotten. But they buried him anyway. They owed it to him for the indispensable help he had given them in finding the answer to the riddle.

Joseph Zerdakil received a suspended sentence for his acts and a little later he really reformed. And abandoned his old habits. His gang disbanded and its members began a new life. They passed the meter and were not tried.

The Shore Tuk 2 prison continued to exist, and it was this that caused some interesting patterns to emerge.

Scientists decided to use the genetic pool in the crypt. It could have been useful. They harvested and packaged everything most thoroughly. How much more did they have to learn and discover about the purpose of their race's existence?

THE END

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THREE: THE END

 

In the end, the Zegandarian Confederacy established the following solution. That the planet be turned into a museum, to remain there in perpetuity. They weren’t going to change anything. The proposal was accepted with complete unanimity by all the victims.

No matter how hard they struggled, they could think of no better solution. Little by little, people began to leave the place, and so it had to be. The past would be easily forgotten. But many souls would find no rest. Never!

Jeramiah Zerdakil was buried with military honors and that was the only show of respect for the dead. None of his friends or even his relatives were present. Even his own son was long gone in an unknown direction which he wished to keep secret. He was happy - happy to have broken away from the burden of coercion and brutal violEnce that everyday life itself had drawn him into.

If anyone had gone to Ecclestone's tavern, they would have seen a small chain hung there by Imaya, who had decided to pay his last respects to Shame. Yes, this gangster had lived in the neighborhood, hung out in the neighborhood, but left his heart in the "blue spring", whatever that meant. He had died young and green!

The Tarashdukian sect had received its baptism again at one of the last ceremonies where it chose a lifelong bearer of its values and disbanded itself. This was after pressure from the authorities themselves.

The period of realization had come and was now visible around the corner.

On the wall of the restaurant Imaya scrawled the following inscription "Friends forever. We stayed here. May our souls find rest! This planet was our home!"

The more time passed, the more the memories faded.

After a while, if anyone came to see the remains of the polis and some of its most famous landmarks, they'd be surprised as hell. And perhaps would shed a tear in remembrance of the past.

People were already leaving. At the Urus Onx 2 interstellar spaceport, which had also inherited the previous one, the crowds swarmed like buzzing insects preparing to emerge from a hive. Each bumping into the other, eager to rush forward and see the new places.

But no one wanted to go to Kickluk Sor. The atmosphere there was too snobbish and the heavy bureaucratic hurdles were not their style. Of all our heroes, only Archibald Peos, Imaya, Rento, Averia Downs, Milo, and Gad ‘Di Enn remained alive. Six lonely souls

- Six new lives. Archibald Peos was sure to make a stranger proud of his accomplishments. Yes, he had looked with different eyes.

Some wished they were going to a random planet like Imaia, and it happened to be one of the far ones outside the asteroid belt, others wanted to be closer - perhaps somewhere around the Outer Ring - though that area was dangerous for some reasons, mainly to do with controlling the star trade routes.

The futuristic construction was impressive. Stars twinkled merrily through the huge endosiant dome, full of real life - some distant semblance of caress. But what would it really turn out to be? It was hardly predictable.

What awaited them in infinity? Perhaps this was only the beginning of a long journey? Perhaps new adventures lurked for them there?

Kibera was also utterly unrecognizable. She had shown unheard-of bravery and insight, and they had solved the mysteries to the end. Charlie Tennow was one of the few who decided to build a small memorial in honor of Detective Boss, who had been so instrumental in saving everyone. He was the real hero!

As for the Arthasan people, they followed their leader, Casilio Vega, and settled on Kickluk Sor with the few surviving Arthasan. The local population didn't mind, because for the first time they realized what the notorious guilt meant. However, this only happened when all the Outer Ring planets ceased their banking transfers and the rich funding sources dried up.

Casilio Vega became a local hero and hastily dealt with Arrudoth, who had killed Equius. Not that Equius was a saint, but his death should not have happened in this context and under these circumstances.

Upon closer investigation, it turned out that the money from Om Gur Nal's transfer had been transferred to an unknown company on a small asteroid just after the trist quadrant. Casilio was able to get there and to the redeveloped Kickluk Sor, which became the new home for the Arthasan people. Here began the true renaissance of their thought and they achieved remarkable results.

No one ever denounced Elsamore, but after he had accomplished his mission he was poisoned, for he was tormented with remorse when he realized whom he had really served, and Father Bonayas strictly performed his duties. Before they all left, he died in a distant colony on the planet Oros Hinto, which was still friendly to every inhabitant, be they former, of Zegandaria. He performed many sacraments that еnnobled