The rooms prepared for the delegates were lavishly ornamented and themed with relaxation and leisure. Despite the serious agenda of the WAC, it was made to feel like a holiday. Alec just learned earlier about the recreation amenities that grazed one of the floors of the airship. Phil shared to him that it's a tactic to highlight the prestige of the WAC and enthuse more achievers. They also learned that the whole airship structure is five-storey soccer stadium huge. Each floors seemed to have appointed purposes; the top floor being the symposium site.
Their room is masculine and well equipped. There were two beds and a Visual Comlink for external and internal communication is built-in. These Comlinks are hi-tech but any WDF militiaman would know that it's not hi-tech enough to link up with the sophisticated communication network system of the System.
Alec was lying on one of the beds, looking up the ceiling with his hands behind his head. "I didn't tell her who I am, Phil," he was saying to Phil.
"Good. Keep it that way," said Phil, not even looking up from his little laptop computer he brought with him from Sybil. He would be busy with communication reports to HQ, in hacking the WAC's database to locate 'the girl', and in structuring the report complete with diagrams and what-nots. Alec deduced. He thought it paranoid. The mission is so simple: get the girl. And it's not even like kidnapping.
It's early dawn on their second day on the ship. They were up early not only because of military routine but because Phil wanted to start early with the mission.
"We can't jeopardize this mission. We have to remain anonymous here. Not a single real information about us should leak out. We have to protect the affairs of the WDF. Any single movement of the System is highly confidential. I'm sorry Alec but this mission is not an opportunity to socialize," Phil went on lecturing. 'So you can't be bragging about your heroics in Alaska to that girl."
Alec sighed in disdain. Yeah, of course, that's how it is.
"But what if we see someone we know and who knows us? You know I came from Harvard...drop-out nonetheless, but the point is--" he contended.
At that, Phil finally looked up and sat upright, cutting him off. "Fact is, Archer, it wasn't by chance that you were chosen for this mission. The WDF will not entrust a mission just for the sake of punishment---especially not for this mission. It's just by coincidence that you're on suspension. You were actually a candidate for this mission because in your profile and oath of allegiance, you stated that only your brother knew that you join the WDF. Further background check reinforced that. And we are banking on the fact that you went to Harvard, dropout nonetheless, so you'll know what you'll be talking about. And we don't believe a lot of people would know you from Harvard. You barely attend your classes. However in the event someone does recognize you, hence the cue cards, as you know."
"Wow, you guys are freaky," Alec said, referring to the Intelligence Division. He exhaled. Phil is making a big deal out of this secrecy thing, he thought.
"Where are you going?" Phil asked when Alec suddenly got up.
"I'm getting bored in here while you are doing your thing. Can I do some sightseeing?"
"Come back in an hour. We're going to do some more briefing about this mission."
Alec walked out of the room into the long corridors. Seven months into the service and this is the first time he's been out of Sybil. Military life hasn't really gone into his veins yet. Seven months is too raw. He joined the WDF not for anything but to escape his father and his life. So far he hasn't regretted that decision. The WDF has become his home, at least for the time being.
Ah, his family never knew that he has enlisted himself in the WDF up until now. They probably don't care much about him ever since he abandoned his father's wishes for him to finish business school. Ah, he is such a rebel. He can't help it. But then again, he doesn't know where he can be good at. Military life seemed to be a good course. If there is anything that he found out about himself in the past 7 months, is that he has a strong sense of duty. To what, he doesn't know. To protect something or someone is the only thing he can pin down. The only time he felt he has a purpose is when he is up in space in battle. Oh but how he hated protocols! Perhaps growing up in the lap of luxury made obedience a bit of a challenge for him.
He walked along the narrow carpeted hall of the hotel, across many other quarters, went down through the elevator that gave a full view of the outdoors as it traversed through the Australian terrain, then out into the third floor—the recreational area of the ship.
He had never seen a more beautiful structure than this airship: The sparkling walls and floors, the beautiful bay view outside made possible by transparent glass walls, the vintage style interiors coupled with contemporary designs, were all a lot to take in. Now he understood why the ship has been deemed a phenomenon. However as to what the convention is really all about, he is clueless.
He stepped out onto a wide expanse of what appeared like a mini-town. The ship is already abuzzed with activity even in the early hours. Well from what he heard ship's activities starts early and it never sleeps. Day in, day out the establishments are always operating.
Mini-buildings lined up the city-like streets: from restaurants, shops, to bars. And a lush, green outdoor-like park occupied a good part of the mini-city that afforded a good view of the exteriors through the wide translucent walls.
Young men and women were everywhere, up and about, marveling just like him.
His phone rang. He heard Phil's voice on the other line.
"Alec, I have located her quarters. Meet me at the West Wing lobby. We need to pay her a visit now."
A few minutes later he caught up with Phil.
"Got it, Lieutenant. We must be careful with everything we do. Got it," Alec heaved with rolling eyes, finishing off Phil's repetitive lecture to him as they strode along the carpeted floors of the West Wing lobby that is now deserted with everyone flocking into the recreational and exhibit areas.
They have to act now. They have to retrieve Ava Kinski before the airship leaves the territorial boundaries of Australia where they have a recon waiting--- and that's in less than two days.
"So we knock on her door and say...what, 'Hello, Miss Ava Kinski'?"
"She is not using that name," Phil said as a matter of fact.
Alec raised both his eyebrows. "Why is that? And how is that? You haven't told me the whole story about this Kinski girl yet,"
Phil halted his steps and beckoned Alec to sit in one of the benches on the hallway.
"Ava Kinski grew up in Sybil," Phil began.
Alec was visibly astonished to hear that. "What? She grew up in ---- just what do you mean 'grew up' there? You mean literally?"
"She was raised there; lived a secluded life within the parameters of the base..."
Alec waited for more.
"She came with her father when she was four years old. She lived within the confines of Kinski's manor in Sybil,"
Phil went on. "Seven years ago, at the age of 13, she finally left the base, to live a normal life, as they say. She was to vanish without a trace. She got herself a new identity that not even WDF officials know or should know about. It was agreed - she was going to have a new life---a life cut off from the WDF. Her new identity was to ensure her safety, y'know, being the daughter of an important man."
"Yeah well it makes sense. It isn't quite safe for her to be out there roaming around by herself as Kinski's daughter," Alec concurred.
"The System granted her that privilege. She was given sophisticated means & assistance to change identity, which of course, is one of the powers of the System. You know, she's the daughter of the foremost scientist. Her father is one of the most powerful men on Earth. The system will bow down to his every whims and caprices. And he doesn't even hold office!"
"So now we are going to bring her back to Sybil?" Alec said.
"Which is in breach of the the agreement,"
"Agreement?"
"More like a restraining order. The WDF should by no means contact Ava, locate her whereabouts, or discover her identity. It's an agreement of complete detachment. Kinski pushed for this agreement like it's a matter of life and death. The WDF thought it nuts because in the first place, they have nothing to with his daughter's personal life. Well, they always thought of Kinski as a mad scientist. A nutcrack. They thought of it as just one of his quirks. Now with all this, we obviously understood the idea. Right now we are doing just as what the Professor had feared. We are involving her daughter in all this! He will definitely take this against the WDF if he learns about this."
"So after she left Sybil?"
"After she left Sybil, she has kept herself out of reach for 7 years now. There was no contact with her ever since she left, not even to her father---oh well, that's what the WDF is made to believe though."
Alec was nodding his head up and down, mincing the information. "A girl grew up in a very secluded and sophisticated war base in the middle of Greenland..." he uttered.
"Pretty much shunned from the world," Phil added.
"But not from the war. Now how is it growing up like that?" he pondered in disbelief. And he thought he had issues.
Alec for one would know it is not the most conducive place to be, let alone by a young girl. You hear nothing, see nothing, but casualties...deaths... his thoughts trailed off.
Alec shook himself back into reality and turned to Phil, "Now why did they send us here to retrieve her amidst all these stories about Kinski's defection, lieutenant? Is that classified information to your Intelligence Division?"
"Well, this is really a breach of the agreement between Kinski and the System but Alec she's the only daughter of a foremost scientist. Her safety is also their interest and responsibility. Besides, Ava Kinski is not far from being a genius herself. She could help the federation. Classified information? Actually, we don't have information yet as to the real purpose of this mission."
Alec was curious-eyed. "You believe all that?"
Phil looked away. "It's not for us to work it out. We have to trust the System."
"But is that really all?"
"What do you mean?"
"There might be some other things,"
Phil's brow raised a notch. "Like what?"
"I don't know,"
"Well, if there are other things, it's not our discretion,"
"But how did you even know that she is here on this ship right now?"
"We are banking on the fact that Ava Miriya Kinski was a brilliant girl who possessed her father's genius. Back in Sybil, she had no formal schooling. Her classroom was a vast library in their manor where she taught herself with the aid of her father. She was a voracious learner. So even without formal schooling she was very intelligent. She was her father's aid in the lab so to speak,"
And Alec couldn't help but conjure the image of a weirdo girl who grew up in a war base.
"And so she is really here?"
"Alec, that was the hypothesis," Phil said, then with a knowing, proud smile he added, "And that hypothesis was verified of course and I didn't spend an hour hacking the ship's mainframe for nothing."
"And how is this girl the same person?"
"Simple - I ran a composite of her childhood photo, aged 12, which is the only one we had considering that Prof Kinski shuns all picture taking except for this one, against her photo in the WAC register. It's a perfect match."
Phil punched a few buttons on his handy tablet and an image appeared of a group of laboratory men and women, about 20 of them, lined up in their white lab coats. There standing among them is Professor Kinski and next to him is a red-head young girl with a solemn face. Alec could barely make out the little faces of the people in the photo especially that of little girl but he strained his eyes enough to make out her distinctive facial features - well-defined and sharp eyes, nose and lips.
"I don't even know how they got them to pose in this one," Phil quipped.
"So what name is she going by then?" enquired Alec.
"Ava Pearce. It appears she retained her first name."
"How are we going to recognise her then?"
"I'm sure we will recognise her when we see her. President Dunreft assured she is hard to miss."