Chapter 10 third chapter

The day before Jared returned to the Phoenix space station with Baba in his arms, the special forces cruiser Osprey jumped into the Nagano galaxy to investigate the distress signal sent back from the Kobe star mine by the jump drone.Contact with the Osprey was lost. Jared was supposed to report to Colonel Robbins, but he walked right past Robbins' office and broke into Mattson's office before General Mattson's secretary could stop him.Mattson was in his office, looking up as Jared entered. "Here," Jared shoved Baba into the astonished Mattson's hand, "Grandson, now I know why I beat you."

Mattson looked down at the stuffed animal and said, "Let me take a guess, it's from Zoe Butin, it looks like you've recovered your memory." "Remember enough," Jared said, "enough to know you were responsible for her death." "Interesting," Mattson put his paw down, "Why do I think it should be from Le Rey or Obin?" "Don't play dumb, General," Jared said.Mattson raised an eyebrow. "You ordered Butin to come and work here for a month, and he asked to take his daughter, but you refused. Butin kept her daughter, and she died. He blamed you."

"Apparently you too," Mattson said. Jared ignored him and asked, "Why didn't you let him take his daughter?" "Private, I don't run a nursery," Mattson said. "I need Boutin to focus on work. Boutin's wife is dead. Who's going to take care of his daughter? He has friends on Kovill Space Station who can help, So I told him to leave his daughter there. I didn't expect the space station and the colony to be attacked, and his daughter to die." "Phoenix space station has a lot of civilian scientists and staff," Jared said, "and there are a lot of people with their families. He can find someone here or hire someone to look after Zoe while he is working. This request is reasonable, and you know it yourself." .To be honest, why didn't you let him take his daughter?"

Robbins was notified by Secretary Mattson and walked into the general's office.Mattson shifted uneasily and said, "Look, Boutin has a great brain, but he can have a weird temper, especially after his wife's death. Cheryl is like a heat sink, absorbing his weirdness." Temperament, she keeps Butin normal. With her gone, Butin is very off, especially when it comes to his daughter." Jared opened his mouth, and Mattson held up a hand. "Private, I don't mean to blame him," Mattson said. "His wife died, and he had a young daughter, and of course misses her very much. I've been a father, so I know how it feels. But he also has problems with teamwork." Flaw, which makes the problem worse. His research is already behind schedule. This is another reason why I transferred him to the Phoenix space station to complete the test. I hope he can do his job well and not be distracted by other things. The result is not bad , we finished the test ahead of schedule and it went so well that I ordered him to be promoted to Director rank, which I would never have done before the testing phase anyway. He was on his way back when the Kovill space station was attacked."

"He thinks you rejected him only because you're a narrow-minded tyrant," Jared said. "Well, he does think so," Mattson said, "totally Boutin's style. Now, he and I never get along. Our personalities don't match. He needs a lot of work, if it's not this guy Fucking genius, no trouble at all. Me and my guys are always watching him over his back and he hates that. He hates having to explain and prove what he's doing right. He hates me and doesn't care if he hates it or not I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks I'm the only one who's a scumbag."

"Are you trying to say that's not the case?" Jared asked. "Of course," Mattson said.Jared cast a skeptical look, and Mattson raised his hands. "Okay. Well, maybe I played a small part in his unpleasant history with him. Maybe I'm more reluctant to let him go than anyone else. I admit it. But my main concern is whether I can let him out. The result. Besides, I even promoted that turtle grandson." "But he never forgave you for killing Zoe," Jared said. "Private, do you think I was trying to kill the little girl?" Mattson said. "Do you think I didn't know that his daughter would be alive now if he had granted his request? God! Hate me, I don't blame him at all. I don't want to kill Zoe Butin, but I admit I'm partly responsible for her death. I said that to Butin too. Find it in your own memory .”

Indeed.Jared mentally saw Mattson walk into his lab, embarrassed to offer his condolences and sympathy.Jared recalled how he felt when he heard those stupid words, Mattson's implication was that he was not to blame for the child's death, and he was so shocked at that moment.He felt cold anger welling up in his heart, and had to remind himself that these feelings were from someone else, and it wasn't his daughter who died. "He didn't accept your apology," Jared said. "I already know that, Private," Mattson said after a moment of silence, "where did it go? You obviously have Boutin's memory. Are you him? I mean, deep down Department, are you him?"

"I'm still me," Jared said. "I'm still Jared Dirac. But I feel what Charles Boutin felt. I understand his behavior." Robbins repeated: "You understand what he's doing. Does that mean you agree?" "Treason?" Jared asked.Robbins nodded. "Of course not. I can feel how he feels, how angry he is, how much he misses his daughter. But I don't know how he betrayed all mankind for this." "Can't feel it or can't remember it?" Robbins asked. "Both," Jared replied.After the epiphany at the Kerviel space station, more memories came back one after another, all of which were specific events and fragmentary data related to various aspects of Butin's life.Jared could feel that what had happened had changed him, created more fertile soil for Boutin's life.But gaps remain.Jared had to suppress his worries. "Perhaps continuing to think will bring up more memories," he said, "but I have no information on that."

"But you know where he is now," Mattson woke Jared from his daydream, "Boutin, you know where he is." "I know where he used to be," Jared said, "at least where he was going when he left." The place name clearly appeared in Jared's mind, and Butin seemed to be very focused on this place name, as if it was his amulet , Imprint the place name in memory. "He went to Arrest." Mattson and Robbins used BrainPal to retrieve Arrest's information, and the two were silent for a moment.Mattson concluded by saying, "Oh shit." The home system of the Obin has four gas giant planets, one of which is called Cha, orbiting in the habitable zone of carbon-based life, with three planet-sized moons and dozens of smaller moons.The smallest of the larger moons is called Saruff, orbiting at the edge of Chasing's Roche limit, broken into an uninhabitable magma ball by enormous tidal forces.The second one is called Obino, which is one and a half times the size of the earth, but lighter than the earth due to the lack of metal elements. It is the parent star of the Obin people.The third is called Arestor, which is about the size and mass of Earth.

Arrest has a large population of native animals, but few Obin inhabited, and only a few outposts of varying sizes; but it is so close to Obino that it is almost impossible to attack.Defender ships could not infiltrate, and Arrest was only light seconds away from Albino.They will be culled by the Obin as soon as they appear.It is impossible to take Butin away from Ares unless a large force of armed forces is assembled.Taking Butin away would mean declaring war, and even if the enemy was only Obin, the Colonial Alliance was not ready. "We've got to talk to General Schillard," Robbins said to Mattson.

"Indeed," said Mattson, "if there is a mission that requires special forces, this is it. Speaking of—" Mattson looked at Jared, "when we tell Schillard, you You have to go back to Special Forces. How to deal with it is his problem, which means you will also be his problem." "I'll miss you, General," Jared said. Mattson snorted: "You are really talking more and more like Butin, which is not a good thing. It reminded me, go down and meet that bug and Lieutenant Wilson, let them check your brain again. I want you Back to General Schillard, but I promised I wouldn't break you. By his standards, being too much like Butin seems like 'breaking'. At least it does to me." "Yes, sir," Jared said. "Okay, you can go," Mattson said, picking up Baba and throwing it to Jared, "take this thing with you too." Jared caught Baba, faced the general, put it on Mattson's desk, and said, "You should keep it, General, and think about it." Before Mattson had a chance to object, he turned to Robin. Stein nodded and walked out. Mattson stared at the stuffed animal for a few seconds, then looked up at Robbins, who seemed to be about to say something. "Colonel, don't say a damn word about the elephant!" Mattson said. Robbins changed the subject and asked, "Do you think Schillard will take him again? You said it yourself, he's talking more and more like Butin." "Tell yourself," Mattson waved his hand in the direction where Jared's back disappeared, "don't you forget? You and Schillard were the ones who assembled that bastard from parts. Now he's in your It's in, or it's in Schillard's hands. God." "So you're worried," Robbins said. "I've been worried about him from the beginning," Mattson said. "When he was here with us, I always hoped he would do something stupid so I could find a legitimate reason to kill him. I don't like two traitors, especially this one with a military body and brain. If I had the final say, I would prefer to lock Private Dirac into a large room with only a toilet and a feeding port. until it rots." "But he's still your man," Robbins said. "Skilard made it very clear that he wanted Dirac back for God knows what fucking stupid reason he had," Mattson said. In his hands." Mattson picked up Baba and looked and looked. "I just hope for heaven's sake he knows what he's doing." "Well," Robbins said, "maybe Dirac isn't quite as Boutin as you think." Mattson snorted contemptuously and waved at Robbins. "See? It's not some goddamn souvenir. It's a warning from Charles Butin himself. No, Colonel, Dirac is just as much like Butin as I thought." "Without a doubt," Kennan said to Jared, "you have become Charles Boutin." "Damn it," Jared said. "Damn it," Kennan chimed in, pointing to the monitor, "your mental model is almost identical to the one Boutin left behind. There are differences, of course, but subtle enough. In every way, your consciousness is exactly the same as that of Charles Boutin in the past." "I don't feel any different," Jared said. "Really?" Harry Wilson said from across the lab. Jared opened his mouth and was about to speak when he stopped suddenly.Wilson grinned. "You do feel the difference," he said. "I can see it, and Kenan can see it too. You're more aggressive than you were before, and you're sharper in your rebuttals. Jared Dirac is quieter and more withdrawn— More innocent, though that's not entirely accurate. You're not quiet and withdrawn, and certainly less innocent. I remember Charles Boutin, and you're more like him than Jared Dirac used to be." "But I have no intention of betraying mankind." Jared said. "Of course not," Kennan said. "You have the same consciousness as him, and even some memories. But you have your own experiences that shape the way you see things. You and him are like identical twins, Same genes, but different lives. Charles Boutin and you are conscious twins, but your experiences are still your experiences." "So you don't think I'm going to be a bad guy?" Jared said. Kennen gave a Le Rai shrug.Jared looked at Wilson, who gave a human shrug.He said: "You said you knew Charles' mutiny was motivated by the death of his daughter, and you now remember his daughter and how his daughter died, but your behavior and what we've seen in your mind proves that you will not So broken. We're going to recommend that you be allowed to return to active duty. Whether they will take our advice is another matter, after all, this guy in your head is the same dude who planned to subvert humanity a year ago. But I don't think it's What you have to worry about." "Of course this is something I have to worry about," Jared said, "because I want to find Butin. I will never stand idly by. Not only do I want to assist in completing the mission, but I also hope to find him personally and bring him back to the human world. " "Why?" Kenan asked. "I want to understand him, I want to know what makes a person do such a thing, what makes a person rebel," Jared said. "You'll be amazed at how trivial the reasons are," Kennan said, "even a little kindness from an enemy is enough." Kennan turned his back, and Jared suddenly remembered Kennan's situation and the object of his allegiance.Kennan looked away and said, "Lieutenant Wilson, can I have a private conversation with Private Dirac for a few minutes?" Wilson raised his eyebrows, but walked out of the laboratory without saying anything.Kennen turned to Jared. "I want to apologize to you, Private," Kennan said, "and remind you of something." Jared smiled inexplicably at Kenan, and said, "Kenan, you have nothing to apologize to me." "I disagree," Kennan said. "It is my cowardice that made you. If I was strong enough to survive Lieutenant Sagan's torture, I should be dead. You won't know that this crime against humanity War, and won't know that Charles Boutin is alive. Good and evil aside, but if I'm strong enough, there's no reason for you to be born, and you won't have another mind occupying your mind. But I'm fragile and want to live, Even if I live as a prisoner and a traitor. Some human colonists will say that this is karma, and the karma can only be borne by myself. "But I have unwittingly committed a crime against you, Private," Kennan said, "and I am more qualified to be your father than anyone else, because without me, they would not have committed such terrible crimes against you." The evils of human beings. Human beings use artificial consciousness - your bloody brain mate - to create living soldiers. It is terrible enough, but for you, to be born just to host another consciousness is a blasphemous sin. Violation Your right to be yourself." "It's not as scary as you say," Jared said. "Oh, it's so scary," Kennan said. "The Le Rai people are spiritual and principled, and faith is at the heart of how we live. Our highest value is the sanctity of self - we believe that each individual should have autonomy." The right to choose. Uh—” Kennen shook his neck, “Of course, every Raleigh. Like most races, we rarely pay attention to the needs of other races, especially when the needs of the two parties conflict. "But no matter what," Kennan continued, "choices are important. Independence is also important. The last time you came to see me and Wilson, we gave you the choice to continue. Do you remember?" Jared nodded . "I have to confess that I did it not only for you, but also for myself. Since I caused you to be born without a choice, it is my moral duty to give you the opportunity to choose. You accept this opportunity, By making a choice, I feel that I have alleviated some of my sins. Not all. My bad karma has not been eliminated, but it has been eliminated after all. Private, I want to thank you for this." "You're welcome," Jared said. "Now I want to remind you," Kennan said, "Lieutenant Sagan tortured me when I first met her, and finally I gave in and almost confessed our plans to attack humans, but there is one thing I spilled. Lie. I said I never met Charles Boutin." "Have you seen him?" Jared said. "Yes," Kenan said, "meet once, he came to explain the structure of the Brainmate to me and other Raray scientists, and discussed how to modify the Brainmate for the Raray. Very attractive human. Very enthusiastic. There is He has a unique charisma that even a Le Rai can see. He has passion, and we Le Rai resonate with passion. Very passionate. Very urgent. And very angry." Kenan leaned closer to Jared: "Private, I know you thought it had something to do with Butin's daughter, and in a way, it did, but Butin had other motives. The death of his daughter may have just caused an idea to take shape." The accident, the idea that drives him, makes him a traitor." "What is it?" Jared asked. "What was that thought?" "Don't know," Kennan confessed, "revenge is the most obvious reason of course, but I've seen him, and revenge doesn't explain everything. Private, you'll have a better perspective on that. You have his consciousness .” "I have no idea," Jared said. "Well, maybe you will," said Kennan, "and I must warn you to remember that, whatever his motives, he has yielded to that motive, completely and utterly. It's too late. Your danger is that if you meet him, you'll identify with him and his motives. After all, you're designed to understand him. Given the chance, Boutin will take advantage of that." "What should I do?" Jared asked. "Remember who you are," Kennan said, "remember that you are not him, and remember that you always have a choice." "I'll remember," Jared said. "I hope so," Kennan said, standing up. "Good luck, Private. You can go. Tell Wilson to come in on the way out." Kennan walked to the cupboard, deliberately turning his back on Jared.Jared walked out the door. "You can go back," Jared said to Wilson. "Okay," said Wilson, "I hope he's useful to you." "Very useful," Jared said. "This guy is interesting." "That's not bad," Wilson said, "You know? Dirac, he sees himself as your elder." "I see it," Jared said. "It's good, though I didn't expect such a father." Wilson chuckled and said, "Life is full of surprises, Dirac. Where are you going next?" "Probably to see Kenan's granddaughter," Jared said. Six hours before Jared returned to the Phoenix space station, the Kestrel activated its jump engine and jumped into a galaxy with a faint orange star. From the earth, this belongs to the Circinus galaxy, but your telescope is powerful enough to see it. get.The Kestrel's goal was to examine the wreckage of the Colonial Alliance cargo ship Handy, and the black box data sent back to Phoenix via the emergency jump drone said Handy's engines had been sabotaged.The Kestrel did not send back the black box data, and the Kestrel disappeared without a trace. In the pilot lounge, Lieutenant Crowder raised his head from his lair—the so-called lair is actually a table with bait (scientific name: a stack of poker) for the unwary—and saw Ya Columns stand in front of them. "Oh, isn't the joke master himself coming?" Claude said with a smile. "Hello, Lieutenant," Jared said, "long time no see." "Don't blame me," Cloud said, "I've been here the whole time, where have you been?" "Go out and save humanity," Jared said. "You know, daily work." "It's dirty work, but someone has to do it," Claude said, "Fortunately, you're not me." Claude stretched out a chair and raised his hand to pick up the poker. "Why don't you sit down? I'm going to go through the take-off procedures for the supply mission in a quarter of an hour, and I just have time to teach you how to lose Texas Hold'em." "I already know how to lose," Jared said. "Look, your style of joke is coming again." Claude said. "I'm actually here for your supply mission," Jared said, "I hope you'll let me go down with you." "As much as I am willing," Claude began to shuffle the cards, "Send me your departure permit, we just board the ship and play two games. The supply transportation boat basically relies on automatic navigation all the way down, so I have to take it Go up, just in case the plane crashes, it can be said that there are still people dead.” "I don't have permission to leave Hong Kong," Jared said, "but I need to go to Phoenix." "Why?" Claude asked. "Sweeping the graves of dead relatives," Jared said, "and I'm on a mission soon." Claude smiled and began to cut the cards. He said, "When you come back, the dead relative should still be there." "I'm not worried about the dead relative," Jared said.He pointed to the cards and said, "Can you?" Claude handed him the cards, and Jared sat down and began to shuffle them. "I can tell you like to gamble, Lieutenant," he said.He shuffled the cards and put the poker in front of Claude. "Cut cards," Jared said.Claude cut the deck from a third.Jared picked up the smaller stack and set it in front of him. "Let's pick one at the same time. I have high points. Take me to Phoenix Star. I'll meet the person I want to see. I'll definitely be back before you take off." "If my points are high, we'll win two out of three games," Crowder said. Jared smiled and said, "That would be unsportsmanlike. Are you ready?" Claude nodded, and Jared said, "Draw the cards." Claude showed the eight of diamonds and Jared the six of clubs. "Damn it!" Jared said.He pushed the poker in front of him towards Claude. "Who is the dead relative?" Claude picked up the poker. "It's complicated," Jared said. "Let's hear it," Claude said. "Create a clone of the master of the consciousness that I house," Jared said. "Well, it's really good that you said it's complicated," Claude said, "I didn't understand half a word." "He's like a brother to me," Jared said, "but I don't know him." "You're only one year old, and life is so colorful," Claude said. "I know," Jared said, "it wasn't my fault." He stood up. "See you later, Lieutenant." "Oh, don't go," Claude said, "give me a minute, I'll take a piss and we'll go. You mustn't open your mouth when you get on the shuttle, I'll do the talking. Also remember, if If there is trouble, I will blame it all on you." "Need to say?" Jared said. It's ridiculously easy to fool the cabin crew.Jared followed Claude closely, and Claude finished the pre-flight inspection with businesslike efficiency and talked with the management staff.They turned a blind eye to Jared, thinking that since he was with Claude, he had the right to board the ship.Thirty minutes later, the traffic boat flew out of the Phoenix space station leisurely, and Jared showed Cloud that he was not very good at losing Texas Hold'em, and Cloud became furious from embarrassment. When they arrived at the ground spaceport of the Phoenix space station, Cloud talked with the ground personnel for a while, then returned to Jared and said, "It takes three hours for them to load, can you make a round trip within three hours?" "The cemetery is just outside Phoenix," Jared said. "That's all right," Cloud said, "Do you know how to get there?" "Not at all," Jared said. "What?" Claude said. Jared shrugged and said frankly, "I didn't expect that you would actually bring me down, so I didn't prepare." Claude laughed. "God favors fools," he gestured to Jared. "Come on, then, and let's go see your brother." The Metairie Catholic Cemetery is located in the heart of the Metairie District, which is one of the oldest residential areas in the Phoenix Star. When it was established, the Phoenix Star was still called New Virginia, and the Phoenix City was still called Clinton. Early colonies were razed to the ground, forcing humans to rally to reclaim the planet.The oldest tombstones in the cemetery date back to the early colonial days when Metairie was just plastic and mud houses settled by proud Louisianans who called it Clinton City's first residential suburb. Starting from the first row of tombstones, the tomb that Jared was going to visit was at the other end of the cemetery.There is only one headstone for the three graves, with three names engraved on it, each with a different date of birth and death: Charles of the Boutins, Cheryl, and Zoe. "Jesus," Cloud said, "family." "No," Jared knelt before the tombstone, "not quite. Cheryl is buried here. Zoe died far away, like many others, and no body was found. Charles is not dead. Someone else was buried , is a clone he created so that others would think he committed suicide." Jared reached out to touch the tombstone, "So this is not a family." Claude looked at Jared, who was kneeling in front of the tomb. "I'll go for a walk," he said, wanting to give Jared some time alone. "No," Jared said, looking at him, "don't go. I'll be right away." Claude nodded, looking toward the nearby woods.Jared turned his attention back to the tombstone. He lied to Claude, the person he wanted to see was not here.Jared showed no emotion other than a modicum of pity for the clone killed by Boutin to pretend to commit suicide.Butin's memory is still emerging in Jared's mind. Butin has the most calm and objective attitude towards the clone, and does not even arouse any emotion; in Butin's eyes, the clone is not a human being, but a tool to accomplish the goal, but Yared Lew had no memory of that target, because Boutin backed up his consciousness before striking at the end.Jared tried to sympathize with the clone, but he was here for someone else.Jared hoped that the clone never came to life, and that he would stop thinking about him. Jared focused on the name Cheryl Butin, feeling vague and contradictory emotions echoing in his memory.Jared realized that Boutin liked his wife, but calling "like" "love" was a bit of an exaggeration.They got married because they both wanted children, understood each other, and enjoyed being with each other, but Jared felt that emotional bond faded towards the end.The reason why the two did not break up was purely because they both loved their daughter. Compared with the trouble of divorce and the harm to her daughter, a cold relationship is more tolerable and acceptable. From a crack in Jared's mind emerges an unexpected memory: the trip that killed Cheryl, not alone, but with a friend, whom Boutin suspects is her lover.Jared was unaware of jealousy.Butin doesn't resent her for having a lover, and Butin himself has women outside.But Jared felt Butin's anger at the funeral. When the body said goodbye, the guy who was suspected of being his wife's lover stayed too long in front of the grave, which took up Butin's time mourning his dead wife and Zoe's time to say goodbye to his mother. zoe. Jared ticked Zoe's name on the tombstone, said her name, she should rest here, but she didn't.He felt the mourning flow from Butin's memory into his heart.Jared touched the tombstone again, feeling the name engraved on the stone, and he wept. A hand fell on Jared's shoulder, and he looked up to see Cloud. "It's okay," Claude, "everyone loses someone they love." Jared nodded and said, "I know. I lost someone I loved. Sara. I felt her death. I felt a hole she left in my heart. But this one is different." "Because it's a child?" Cloud said. "A child I didn't even know," Jared said, looking up at Claude again. "I wasn't born when she died. I didn't know her. Impossible to know her. But I did." He Pointing to the temple, "Everything about her is here. I remember her birth, her first steps, her first words. I remember holding her at her mother's funeral. I remember the last time I saw her. She. I remember hearing about her death. All here." "No one has other people's memories," Claude tried to comfort Jared, "that's not how the brain works." Jared smiled wryly: "But yes, I do. I told you. I was born to carry another person's consciousness. They thought it wouldn't work, but it did. Now his memory is my memory. memories. His life became mine. His daughter—” Jared stopped, unable to continue.Cloud knelt beside Jared and put his arms around his shoulders, letting him mourn the dead. "It's not fair," Crowder said finally. "It's not fair for you to mourn this kid." Jared smiled softly, and replied calmly: "To be fair? You have found the wrong universe." "That's true." Claude agreed. "I want to mourn her," Jared said, "and I feel for her. I can feel my love for her—his love for her. I want to remember her even though it means I have to mourn her. Remembering her isn't all that unbearable, don't you think?" "No," Claude said, "probably not." "Thank you," Jared said, "thank you for coming with me, thank you for helping me." "That's how it should be, friend," Claude said. "Dirac," said Jane Sagan.She stood behind the two of them, "You have been reactivated." With a snap, Jared felt himself reintegrated into the collective, felt Jane Sagan's awareness rushing towards him, feeling slightly repulsed, but mostly rejoicing in the return to his larger self.Jared knew in the back of his mind that fusion was not just about sharing information and building a higher level of consciousness, but about control, binding the individual and the collective together.The reason Special Forces soldiers are so rarely discharged is that discharge means loss of integration, and loss of integration means loneliness. Special Forces soldiers are almost never alone, even when physically alone. "Dirac." Sagan said again. "Speak in a normal way," Jared said, standing up without looking at Sagan. "You're being rude." Sagan hesitated for a very short moment, and then said: "Okay, Private Dirac, it's time to go. We must return to the Phoenix space station." "Why?" Jared said. "I can't say that in front of him," Sagan said, referring to Cloud, "no offense, Lieutenant." "It's okay," Claude said. "Make it clear to me," Jared said, "or I won't go." "I order you," Sagan said. "Stuff your ass with your orders," Jared said. "I'm suddenly tired of being part of the Special Forces, tired of being pushed around. Either you tell me where and why, or I'll Stay here and don't go." Sagan sighed and turned to Claude: "If you dare to tell what happened today, believe it or not, I'll shoot you? Hit the head." "Sister," Claude said, "I believe everything you say." "Three hours ago, the Obin destroyed the Red Hawk," Sagan said. "The Red Hawk launched the jump drone before it was completely destroyed. We lost two other ships in the last two days—disappeared." We think the Obin tried to repeat the old trick on the Red Hawk, but somehow failed. We got lucky, although we don't know if this is lucky. Except for these three ships, the Special Forces last month Four ships are also missing, apparently the Obin are targeting Special Forces." "Why?" Jared asked. "Don't know," Sagan said, "but Admiral Schillard has decided we can't just sit back and watch the ship get attacked. Dirac, we're going to get Boutin. We're off in twelve hours." "Crazy?" Jared said. "All we know is that he's in Arest. There's a whole moon to find. How many ships can we use? It's the home system of the Obin to attack." "We know where he is on Arrest," Sagan said. "We have a plan to get him out of the Obin." "How?" "I can't say that aloud," Sagan said. "The discussion is over, Dirac. Are you going to go or not? There are still twelve hours before the attack. You have already wasted my time to come down and find you. Don't go back." Stop wasting my time."