The Gen

Chapter 14

NAL GHANIK WAITED in the jungle again. He sat on the hood of his e-car and listened with his eyes closed. Not even the slightest breeze helped to cool him down. Countless insects chirped, whizzed, and hummed. Something bigger, a lizard maybe, rushed through the underbrush. In the distance, monkeys hooted. It was never quiet in the jungle. The air smelled moist, heavy, a bit rotten, something sweet among it as well, a flower calling for insects.

He wiped his face with the ends of the towel he wore around his neck. Sweat everywhere, always--he hated it. It caused a rash at his lower back, too.

He opened his eyes at the sound of another e-car approaching. The faint buzz of its engine faded in and out between crushing leaves and twigs.

The backup arrived.

Nal seriously wondered whether she could be trusted and whether she was up to the tasks ahead. Well, at least she had come.

Ennie Darias, daughter of the first officer, ergo second in command of the Gen, approached him. She looked cute, just a few years older than Taila, small, compact, and energetic.

"Nice to finally meet you, Nal."

"Nice to meet you too, Ennie."

Nal jumped off the hood of his car and held his hand out. She shook it for a long time. She looked frightened, but also excited.

"This stuff with Sirid, wow. I knew him rather well, or I thought I did. I had no idea he was one of us. Amazing. I also know his girlfriend, Kania. She's the one who uncovered him, right?"

"Yes, she overheard a conversation between Sirid and myself."

"Too bad. She's a nice girl. I like her. She's a devoted Gen lover though. Well, I thought Sirid was too. Well, everyone thinks that I am."

"Why are you not, Ennie?"

"Oh, very simple. My mother more or less forced me to become Gen personnel. I never asked for that. She's selfish. She's divorced. I'm her only child. For her it's a matter of course that I join her. She never asked me whether I want to spend the rest of my life in a tin can. She should've asked."

"Yes, it can be dangerous to demand of your children that they share your believes."

"Exactly. I'll help you to blow up the damned thing under one condition. I don't want my mother to be on board when it blows."

"We don't have any means of knowing who'll be on board when the time comes, Ennie."

"Well, you could tell me when the time is and I'll see to it that my mother won't be on board."

Nal stretched his back and thus stood a head taller than her.

"Ennie, are you aware that you might have to be on board when the Gen blows?"

She cleared her throat. "Can't we trigger the thing remotely?"

"Please don't get me wrong and please don't be upset, but are you fully aware of the consequences of what we're planning to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"The probability that this is a suicide mission is very high. Even if you're not on board the Gen when it blows, the chances to escape are slim at best. The RSW will most likely capture, torture and kill every single one of us."

Ennie opened her mouth and closed it again. "Wow. I thought we'd plan an escape."

"Sure we do, but we have to be aware of our chances and we have to be prepared for the worst."