The Silence of Zegandaria, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov [classic novels for teens .TXT] 📗

I used to like a girl, love her, crave her, desire her, believe she was the one for me. I assumed I had a chance. But I soon realized that it was all a facade to hide behind. Somewhere in there, a secret and hypocritical voice was laughing at me mercilessly. It was trying to get in my way, and my romantic fantasies were honestly working against me.

In my dreams I had no friends, and I was walking along a beaten country road, dotted with a sparse third, and somewhere nearby there was a most ordinary country kenef with a glass door. You heard me right. It was almost sanitary.

I still couldn't understand the symbolism of this dream, as I had never resided on Earth. It was more distant to me than even Zegandaria itself.

I also always wondered why people kept averting their eyes from me. I do not wish to draw attention to my humble persona, but few will properly appreciate the truth of my life.

My Jake Enroad. He's always been my rock and never asked for anything.

In the morning we were awakened by an ugly cry. I was pinned to the anti-gravity bed and couldn't turn my head freely. It was like deja vu. And there was Enroad lying next to me - dead in his sleep with his mouth twisted. He was downright scary. Only his eyes were calmly closed. He had died with dignity.

I don't remember crying that day. And I had definitely suffered the greatest loss to date. And I was unlikely to meet another as loyal as him. A true friend. A real man. Not so easy to forget.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: ERTOL GIS CORPORATION

The Ertol Gis Corporation produced all sorts of interesting things, and one of its most serious developments was tied to the making of bulletproof vests. These were designed to protect subjects from a variety of different phenomena.

When Ertol Gis began her activities very few guessed that she would form a secret partnership with the Korolan Bru Corporation.

The two super-powered entities had made a serious partnership not only because of historical tradition, but also out of sheer pragmatism.

As for Earth's Korolan Bru, its ties to Zegandaria were strictly kept secret.

Many would question what the point of this close cooperation was, but other things came to the fore here - one of them being the sheer insight into the psyche of all the people inhabiting the two celestial bodies infinitely distant from each other.

On Earth, there were constantly huge wars for supremacy and the thirst for resources had led to endless changes of governments in the past. Some measures have been taken to avoid this problem, and this may have solved the problem somewhat.

Ertol Gis had not occupied the entire planet, like her partner, but she had no less capability.

On one occasion, Endugus Mylrow, one of her chief developers, made a statement that has remained forever in the memory of her population:

- We are here to serve, we are here to deal with hardship, we are here to survive. Ertol Gis assures you it is the latter, and that is what sets us apart from everyone else. We want you to live! I hope you understand that well!

Endugus Mylrow shared very different terminology and views to his colleague. Rufus was trying to revolutionize his entire planet. Ertol Gis wanted to change the mindset of the population and help it better defend itself. This was essential.

Every constant defined the relationship between them. The one and only major constant had to do with the mutual benefit between them in terms of trade.

Commercially speaking, there were not too many things that could be exchanged. The raw materials that went from Zegandaria were Kevlarite and of course Quizon. Earth had been engaged to send technology for manorium turbines. They were of some interest to certain groups of scientists on the planet.

Manorium turbines weren't all that necessary on Zegandaria, but they were a valuable source of oxygen for Kikluk Sor. So soon they were able to get large monetary transfers from Kikluk Sor specifically.

Ertol Gis was impressed by all those brains like Rufus Ebendhaus. But there was no taking them away from his competitor, depriving him of intellectual power.

Endugus Mylrow was trying his best to succeed in imposing a variety of techniques and forcing their advanced weaponry on Zegandaria.

Mylrow knew something strange - it wasn't Om Gur Nal enforcing the rules of the Ertol Gis Corporation, but the setting itself. But the funding was coming not only from the sovereign, who was long dead, but also from a powerful Kikluk Sor banking trust.

The bankers had listed the shares of the powerful corporation on the Kikluk Sor stock exchange, and it was mired in utter mystery and secrecy.

Ertol Gis had developed both of the supercomputers, making a link between them, which had been destroyed by Detective Boss's men.

After the Sovereign's death, the activities of the powerful corporate organization were taken to the most backwater places on planets like Osonia, Cebur Nag, and Kikluk Sor. And no one noticed.

But the leadership of Ertol Gis did not depart from Zegandaria. It stayed there a little longer. To look for some things. And that had a huge impact on the future events of our existence on Charon.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE SECRET OF VON BLASK

Von Blask died in a way that was not preferable. Rento concealed some of the facts concerning their altercation. They met on a Cerberus industrial platform. He was traveling incognito and clearly realized how strange it would be for a former commanding officer to be challenged in this manner. Von Blask dreamed of achieving great things in his exile and helping many others as well. But all was soon forgotten. No one was giving five bucks for him. Von Blask realized that he was not the true leader, but quite different forces had been driving him all these years. He realized that people had perceived him not on the basis of his outward image, but on a specific aura coming from others. It had kept him alive and craving this life. Von Blask - Hans' father - came from a prominent class. It wasn't widely known that they were actually true aristocrats who craved to deal with problems in this way. Von Blask had left that family for that very reason. There was no other reason for him to give up his huge family inheritance. The Von Blask family came from a special part of Zegandaria where everything was their property.

On the day of Von Blask's death, the nurse looked around and stirred him. She'd heard that ghost warriors sometimes looted significant amounts of money or valuables.

Von Blask believed in his principles. He hoped his soul didn't fall prey to some demons because he had appropriated something that simply wasn't his. The Ghost Warriors had their own morals, which differed greatly from the generally accepted beliefs and understandings of normal people. Von Blask could die with a clear conscience. He knew that he might face a harsh retribution in the afterlife for the vast number of lives he had taken.

He pretended to be asleep while the nurse stirred him most insolently. Suddenly she did something super unusual. She stood close to him and started praying - praying so fervently it was almost heartbreaking. Von Blask was nearly dead, and the only reason he hadn't closed his eyes in ages was the small amount of saline solution that had been poured over him, which had briefly revived him. He'd expressed a desire to see a priest, which Cerberus had practically none. He had been promised that the platoon commander would come and he would give his soul comfort. But he lingered. Von Blask wondered if he would live to share the secret that burned his breast. When he had lost hope altogether, he heard someone approaching. He strained what little strength he had left in an attempt to cope with the immense pain he felt from the wounds Rento had inflicted on him.

When the two had met on the platform, Von Blask realized that this fight would be his last, and he had no chance against a far younger (Rento was at least twenty-five years his junior) and cocky opponent. Von Blask still nearly finished Rento and only pure chance or divine providence had saved him from the fatal blow of his laser cutter.

When Von Blask collapsed, Rento didn't finish him off - he didn't see the point, but did his best to ease his end. Bandaged his wounds! This was ridiculous! And arranged for his admission to Cerberus' infirmary.

Yes, Von Blask was alive because of his worst enemy. Because of his mercy! His blood was nearly drained, and if it weren't for some of the nanoprobes temporarily patching up some of his most serious injuries, he wouldn't have even waited for the greedy nurse.

Von Blask was aware that in this life everyone looked to get the most and didn't protest - on the contrary, he found it natural. As natural as killing in his professional career. A true stallion, ready to castrate or kill!

The platoon commander walked up to the dying man and tried to look him in the eye. They were closed. But beneath them raged a fire of images-the events of a lifetime.

"He must be a righteous man!" thought the commander curiously. "But what is he looking for here! In my colony!"

The platoon commander was not yesterday's man. He was also more corrupt than the rulers of Korolan Bru. He wanted to do his job decently, but he also wanted to be able to profit. The nurse's brutal and predatory nature did not escape his gaze.

"She must have taken everything!," he thought. "It would be a pity if I really had to come for nothing! It will be a very hard night! It's practically Cerberus's eternal night! So what!"

But then he remembered something, and started. What if he knew something really important - that information could be traded away a lot more dearly than some dumb ents that weren't even real currency of exchange on a backwater companion like this.

He decided to search his memory, but didn't think to recognize the sufferer.

He examined his wounds carefully - they looked mortal. And the one who had inflicted them was hardly a novice. On the contrary!

Of one thing he was certain - it was none of his subordinates in the colony, and he later realized that this subject might not even be of this