Chapter 16 Chapter fifteen

At noon, the guard brought a bowl of greasy food.Another hour later, Brian and Gast appeared in the hallway outside the cell.Jenkins hurried forward and grabbed the railing, and asked in a low voice, "Can't you get me out?" Gast shook his head. "I can only bail Mr. Brian out of prison," he said nasally, as if in a hurry, "because he's not on the Liberty Star. You're in a serious condition, and you're the only person alive who has studied CT. Your initial trial has been postponed. No one will accept your bail." Jenkins looked at his uncle hopelessly.

"Nick, I'm sorry," he said, still in the nightgown he was arrested in.Smiling sympathetically through the iron fence, "We've tried our best, but the situation is really bad." Jenkins looked around the filthy room and nodded silently. "The situation outside is worse than expected. The whole host area is already in panic, and there are too many rumors. The news broadcast by the host channel is different every hour, and it is always inconsistent. No matter what, people believe it." "What things?" "For example, the Martians captured our Liberty Star laboratory, the Jupiter fleet participated in the military operation of bombing Port Burroughs with CT missiles, Venus bombed the moon, the asteroids have revolted under the leadership of O'Barian, and established the Republic of Free Space."

"Really?" Jenkins was almost out of breath. "Nonsense!" Brian tossed his hair back out of habit, with casual arrogance. "People are so excited, you're safer here, Nick." Jenkins licked his lips, "Why?" "People are blaming you, Nick." A regretful expression appeared on Brian's face, "Now everyone else on Liberty Star is unconscious, only you are not hurt. missile." "It's the other guy!" Jenkins exclaimed in pain. "It's Jean Lagerina!" "He escaped and was not caught. You were arrested. People who lose their minds are looking for a scapegoat, Nick, and so is the government. You're safer here until the real attacker is found."

Jenkins clung to the bars tightly. "Don't be sad," Brian said kindly. "Wait until things get better outside. Mr. Gast will get you out of jail." "Yes, Mr. Jenkins." Gast smiled quickly, but it seemed to make a face.He tugged on Brian's sleeve and muttered something. "You should trust us, Nick," Brian said, turning his head again, "and we trust you as well. Mr. Gast said that there may be certain planets that will put pressure on you to use your CT technology to serve them. " "Already here." "Look!" He nodded to Gast. "Nick was right." He put his hand through the bars. "Goodbye, Nick. You have to trust Mr. Gast."

"Can you do me a favor?" he whispered to Brian. "You let Miss Harding come and see me." Jane was nothing like the predator Brian was talking about, and there was a world where they could still be true friends.Brian laughed unabashedly, and Jenkins felt a chill in his heart. "Sorry, Nick. That beautiful girlfriend of yours doesn't work with us anymore. She quit this morning." He snorted again. "Fleeing back to Earth like all frightened marauders." Jenkins just shook his head silently, in disbelief. He spent the rest of the day pacing his cell or sitting on the cold floor.He tried to catch every little sign he could see or hear, trying to understand the impact of the CT war on people.There were no windows facing the city in the room, but he could see the guards who occasionally hurried past the door, the expressions on their faces becoming more and more disturbed and gloomy.They didn't say anything to him, but he could see their confusion and panic.

Once, he heard faintly a distant commotion, which seemed to be mixed with orders and screams of fear, and he actually heard the explosion of shells. After fifteen o'clock, the entire prison vibrated, the iron walls rattled, and a cloud of dust rose in the air, carrying a pungent smell.The sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor. At first, he thought that the underground anti-gravity equipment had exploded, so he couldn't help but took a deep breath, waiting for the last trace of air to dissipate. Yet the air remained, and an ominous silence hung over the prison.He suddenly suspected that the CT missile had exploded on the outskirts of the city, and hurriedly looked at the Geiger device, which still belonged to normal radiation.

He shrugged wearily and began to walk around the cell again. Time flies too fast, and in three to five days, a series of symptoms such as bleeding, blindness, and vomiting will appear.Until then, I can't do anything. He thought of the unfinished transmitter, the conductive alloy in the cellar, and the CT war, and couldn't help laughing out of pain. "Fool!" he cursed to himself, "how can a dying man transform all the planets?" Do people really need a better world?He sat on the floor, facing the wall, thinking hard.Twenty years ago, Brian also tried and failed to create a fifth freedom.The enemy that defeats him is people, not technology.The current enemy is still human, and I finally feel this personally.Is this what happened to my uncle?If this is the case, he should not be too much accused of giving up this ideal halfway.Jenkins didn't hate him that much anymore.At sixteen fifty, a nervous guard opened the door.

"Mr. Jenkins?" The guard looked a little anxious with respect, "Your initial trial is about to begin. I'll take you to the court, we have to hurry up." The earthling looked at him again, " Sir, you must have many friends!" "Really?" He frowned.He asked in a low voice, "What happened?" The guard looked across the aisle hastily, but did not hear him.A terrified Turk released them from prison, and Jenkins stood in the street, looking around. "Go." The guard pulled his sleeve worriedly, "Judge Benedict is waiting for you."

Jenkins hurried forward, watching as he walked, trying to see through the shattered windows and bullet-riddled metal walls what had happened.The dull sound of gears turning suddenly came from behind his ears, and he was startled. Turning around, he saw a gray tank driving slowly, with several automatic guns mounted on it, constantly spraying bullets. He suddenly saw a person lying in front of the tank's tracks, wearing the dungarees of an asteroid miner, who seemed to be moaning, and one arm twitched slightly.Jenkins yelled loudly and gestured desperately, but the tank drove past and didn't stop at all.The huge crawlers ran over the man's body, and his head was crushed, and something spewed out.Jenkins only felt sick for a while, and turned his head away.

"Go quickly." The guard urged again. Jenkins hurried after him, his mind blank.The tank was still moving forward lumberingly and slowly, and Jenkins no longer dared to look back at the traces of the tank.He asked again, "What happened?" "The asteroid mob tried to storm the government building," the guard said briefly, "and the tanks dispersed them. "How's the CT war going?" The warden shrugged.At this time, they had come to the side door of the court, and the guard showed a certificate to the guard.The guard nodded, and they hurried into an empty corridor.

"You know..." "Nobody knows anything." The guard cut him off. Passing through the empty courtroom, they entered Judge Benedict's room.The judge was an earthling, sitting behind a large table waiting impatiently.Jenkins was expecting to see his uncle or Gast here, but instead it was Jane. She sat quietly next to the anxious court clerk, and gave him a nod of greeting.Then he turned his head and looked at the sweaty judge. The judge cleared his throat and said hastily, "Nick Jenkins. Not guilty. Bond $100,000." Jenkins looked at Jane with questioning eyes, she only smiled slightly, and quickly pressed her finger to her lips, signaling him not to ask. He was wondering what was the matter when he heard the judge's voice again: "The prisoner is released under the guardianship of Miss Jane Harding." Jenkins looked at Jane blankly. "It's all right, Mr. Jenkins," said the judge, putting the papers in his briefcase. "You can go." "But," he licked his lips, "when will the trial take place?" "Who knows!" Judge Benedict shrugged impatiently, "I suggest you get out of here before you get shot in the back." He closed the folder, muttered something to Jane, and then talked to the secretary The staff went out together.Only then did Jenkins realize that the guard had left early, and he and Jane were left in the room. "Thank you. I don't know what's going on outside. I'm going crazy in the cell. Did my uncle send you here?" "No, I have already left CT Company." She quickly walked to another door and looked out cautiously, "Let's go quickly, people from Mars, Venus and Jupiter will definitely be furious if they find out that you have been released from prison. " He followed her slowly into the empty corridor, and said frankly, "I've never made a CT weapon, and I don't plan to make one now." Her tense face couldn't help laughing: "But you are a CT engineer." As soon as she finished speaking, she frowned, and quickly glanced behind her, "If the enemy happens to know that you have been released, then you can damn." Jenkins kept his composure as they walked past the open door of an office.He felt a chill down his back, but luckily no bullets came.He lowered his voice and asked, "What happened?" "war." "Who initiated it?" Her blue eyes looked at him seriously: "I only know what you told me on Tor, but I saw more CT flares. A nurse I know said All the hospitals are full of people dying from CT radiation. The trusteeship won't allow them to leak anything." "Was there a war here too?" He remembered the scene he saw on the way to the courthouse, and he tried his best to convince himself that the man died before the tank ran over him. "Those sick people participated in the war?" "It's just a rebellion." At the corner, she stopped him until she saw that there was no one in the dark corridor ahead, it was the asteroid people's rebellion. "She motioned him to keep going," said the underground group, the Free Space Party, as if attempting to rein in the chaos. "Hearing Jane's contemptuous tone, Jenkins felt very uncomfortable. He himself had this sense of superiority, but that was before he knew Drake, Mackey, and the asteroid people like Ann. "Of course the rebellion was defeated, at least in Port Burroughs. Rumors say they've captured Albania..." "Obanya!" Rellen and Ann appeared in his mind, and he didn't want the trust tanks to run over them. "It's just a rumor. Asteroids are not a threat. How can drills and hammers compete with atomic bombs? The real danger to the trusteeship comes from that unknown attacker..." They had come to the edge of another corridor, and Jane stopped He spoke, looked around carefully, and signaled Jenkins to retreat to the hut where the water cooler was placed.He looked at his watch anxiously. "We've got another five minutes to wait," she said softly. "Earthlings will come to change the squad of Martian guards at the back door later." "Where are we going?" Jenkins grabbed her slender arm. "What trick are you playing?" Suspicion suddenly arose in him.She was beautiful, but that didn't matter to a dying person.He could forgive her superiority towards the asteroids, she just didn't understand them.The only thing he can't forgive is the conspiracies planned by him in collusion with his uncle. "What trick am I playing?" She opened her eyes wide, looking aggrieved, "I just want to help you, Nick." He stared at her fiercely: "My uncle didn't send you here," he demanded sharply, "Who sent that?" Jenkins knew very well that an ordinary secretary was simply incapable of going through all the complicated and expensive procedures required to get out of prison, and his distrust was evident on his face, but Jane smiled lightly. "No one sent me," she argued softly, "I just wanted to help you." "I do need help," Jenkins admitted bitterly, "but you said you didn't trust Brian Sender." "That was before I saw the war break out with my own eyes." Her beautiful face was covered with a cloud, "Before I saw tanks crushing asteroid barricades and machine guns shooting at innocent people hiding everywhere. I always wanted to What you said, Nick. I found your uncle's book in his office this morning, and I re-read the chapter on energy freedom. I made up my mind to help you. I told Mr. Brian that we Gotta help you get the transmitter up and running." "How did he say?" "Just laughing. I don't know your uncle very well, Nick. He said he was once as idealistic as you are now. He also said transmitters wouldn't stop wars and you'd be safer in jail. I almost Going crazy and resigned to come here." "Really?" Jenkins concealed his excitement, watching her calm face, "Do you really want to help me?" "Haven't I proven it?" Jenkins shook his head.He is willing to trust her, but suspicion is always with him. "You've got to come with me anyway," she said with a small smile, as if mocking his doubts, "unless you want to get shot in the back." "Lead the way, I have nothing left." Even my life, he added silently in his heart. "It's time." She quickly went out to have a look, and turned to gesture to him.The guard at the door was expressionless, and nodded slightly to them: "Come here quickly." They went out into the street.Jenkins didn't dare to walk too fast for fear of Iron Man's attention. "Don't be too slow." Jane grabbed his arm, walked quickly across the road, and walked to a small electric car, ignoring the gray tank parked at the intersection. "Get in," she whispered, "you drive, I have a pass." Jenkins started the car nervously.Jane thrust two small gray cards into his hand.He glanced at: N. Jenkins, court clerk; Jane Harding, court typist.The soldiers standing by the tank looked at their business cards and snapped, "Go, sir, get off this street!" Jenkins drove off again. "Okay," he whispered, "what now?" "Now you are free. I took you out of prison, and the rest is up to you." She opened her blue eyes and looked at him with a defiant expression. "Don't you even have a plan?" ?” "Plan?" He burst into a short, dull laugh.What other plans might a dying man have?He stopped laughing suddenly, remembering what he was going to do. "I have a spaceship parked at the emergency landing site, can you help me get the conductive alloy in my uncle's cellar?" She widened her eyes in surprise: "Robbery?" "If you want to get out of the car, please do." He slowed the car. "That's the alloy for the Liberty Star. I'm going to get it." She stared at him calmly, and said softly: "Hurry up, Mr. Jenkins, we have to stop this war as soon as possible."