Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Are you free?

Sand Jondy gave each other a cold look.He said, "You mean, gone?" Richter touched his flushed face.He said: "Something is missing. I don't know what it is. Of course, it could be the document we're looking for. All we know about it is that the document is dated at between the fifteenth and twenty-first centuries, and it is a dangerous document." "Is there any solid reason to think that the missing document is the one we're looking for?" "It's just an indirect speculation: the Earth government is closely guarding this document." "That's no reason. Earthlings have a reverence for any historical document about the prehistoric galaxy. It's their absurd worship of tradition."

"But the document has been stolen, and they haven't made that fact public. Why are they guarding the empty locker?" "I can imagine that they would rather hold on to the empty chest than be forced to admit that the sacred relic was stolen. I cannot believe, however, that young Farrier has finally got his hands on it. You have been, I suppose, Watching his actions." The other party smiled and said, "He didn't get it." "how do you know?" Jondy's agent quietly delivered a shocking news: "Because, that document has been missing for twenty years."

"what?" "It hasn't been seen for twenty years." "Then this can't be the one we're looking for. Because the rancher knew of the existence of such a document less than six months ago." "Then someone was there nineteen and a half years before him." After a moment of thought, Jondy said, "Never mind, it doesn't matter much." "why?" "Because, I have been on the earth for several months. Before I came here, it was easy to believe that there might be some valuable intelligence information on this planet. But, thinking about it now, when the earth is the only planet in the Milky Way that is inhabited by humans At the time, it was quite primitive in military terms. The only weapon of note they had invented was the botched and ineffective nuclear reaction bomb. Even for this weapon, they had not yet developed a reasonable defense system With a graceful wave of his arm, he pointed to the thick mud wall, and the dizzying radioactive blue light flickered on the distant horizon.

He continued: "As a resident of this place, I can see all this clearly. It would be absurd for anyone to think that there is anything to be learned from a society with this level of military technology. But, always The fashionable view is that there is a lost art on Earth, a lost science, and there are always people who worship primitivism and make all sorts of absurd claims about Earth's prehistoric civilizations." Ritzer said: "However, the rancher is a smart man. He told us clearly that this is the most dangerous document he ever knew. You remember how he said it, I can recite it. He said: It is the most dangerous document. What was doom to the Tyranids is doom to us. But it could mean that the galaxy will eventually live forever."

"Like all humans, ranchers make mistakes." "Come to think of it, sir, we don't know anything about the nature of the document. It could be someone's never-published lab notes, for example. Or it could be a weapon related to a weapon the Earthlings have never acknowledged." Something, something that doesn't appear to be a weapon..." "Nonsense. You are a soldier, you should know. If there is a science and technology that people are constantly and successfully exploring, it is military science and technology. There is no such thing as a potential that has not been recognized by people after 10,000 years." Weapons. I think, Richett, we're going back to Lingen."

Richter shrugged.He is not convinced. Jondy was a thousand times more incredulous. The document was stolen, which meant something was wrong.It turned out to be worth stealing!Now, maybe everyone in the galaxy has a share. He couldn't help thinking that the Tyranids might have it.The rancher was the most vague on the matter, and even Jondy himself could hardly be fully trusted.It's deadly, ranchers say, and it's impossible to use it without losing both sides.Jondy pursed her lips.What a stupid suggestion, the fool!And now the Tyranids had him arrested. What would it be like if someone like Aratap had actually gotten such a secret?This Aratap!Now that the rancher was dead, he was the only one who remained elusive, and of all the Tyranids, he was the most dangerous.

Simoc Aratap was a short, bow-legged, squint-eyed fellow.He has the stocky, thick-limbed appearance typical of Tyranids.However, even though standing in front of him was a strange, unusually tall and muscular alien from the planet, he was very calm and composed.His ancestors left the wild, barren and barren planet, crossed the vast and empty universe, and seized and occupied the nebula sky area.He is a descendant who prides himself on being the second generation of his ancestors. His father had once led a squadron of small spaceships across space, striking, disappearing, and striking again, smashing to pieces the huge, clumsy ships that had once fought against them.

The planets in the Nebula region fought in the old way, but the Tyranids had learned a new set of strategies and tactics.Whenever the gigantic, gleaming ships of the enemy space fleet attempted to engage in one-on-one combat, they found themselves attacking empty space, wasting stored energy.The Tyranids are different. They don't just pursue the power of the spaceship, but emphasize speed and coordinated operations.In this way, the hostile kingdoms fell one by one.They each waited and watched (and even secretly gloated at the failure of their neighbors), absurdly attempting to survive behind a fortress of steel ships until doom fell upon them.

But those wars were fifty years ago.Now, the Nebula Sky District has become a jurisdiction that only needs to be occupied and taxed.Aratap thought annoyedly, in the past, there were still planets to seize, but now, there is nothing to do but compete with others. He looked at the young man standing before him.He was a young man indeed, tall, with really handsome shoulders; a pensive, absorbed face; and hair remarkably short, no doubt in the manner of what is called a student.As far as his personal feelings were concerned, Aratap felt a little apologetic in his heart.The young man was evidently frightened.

Byron did not think of this feeling in his heart as "fear".If he had to give him a name for this feeling, he would say it was "nervous."Ever since he was born, he knew that the Tyranids were overlords.Although his father was strong and vigorous, had a huge family fortune, and made great promises, but when he saw the Tyrens, he was so docile and almost humble. The Tyranids also made occasional courtesy visits to Wildmoth to inquire about the annual tribute they called taxes.The Wildmoss rancher was in charge of collecting the funds, paying tribute on behalf of the planet Neferos, and the Tyranids were just sloppy checking his books.

The rancher himself helped them off the little spaceship.When eating, they are at the head of the table, and the food must be served to them first.When they opened their mouths, all the seats were silent. As a child he had been amazed to see such a small, wretched man treated with such respect.However, when he grew up, he realized that they were to his father what his father was to the shepherds, and even he himself learned to speak to them in a soft voice and call them "Your Excellency". He understood very well that in front of him now was such an overlord, a Tailun.He felt himself trembling with nervousness. The spaceship he had regarded as a prison had officially become his prison the day they arrived on Rhodia.They pressed the light signal on his door, and in came two burly crewmen, one on either side of him.The captain of the spaceship followed, and he said in a flat tone: "Byron Farrier, as the captain of this spaceship, I have been ordered to detain you and send you to His Majesty's commissioner for interrogation." His Majesty's commissioner was the little Tyranid sitting before him.At first glance, it seems that he is a little absent-minded and careless. "His Majesty" refers to the Tyranid Khan who still resides in his fabled stone palace on the Tyranid home planet. Byron stole a glance at him.Although he didn't have any shackles on him, four guards in blue-gray uniforms of the outer planetary police of the Tyranid Empire stood on his left and right.They all carry weapons.The fifth wears the Major's badge and sits at the Commissioner's desk. The Commissioner finally spoke to him. "Perhaps, you already know"—his voice was high and thin—"the old rancher of Wildmoss, your father, has been executed for treason." His dull eyes watched Byron motionless, and there seemed to be tenderness in them. Byron remained as impassive as ever, and he was distraught that there was nothing he could do.It would have been much more enjoyable to rant and curse at them, but it wouldn't have helped his father's death in the slightest.He thought he understood the point of the opening statement, that they were trying to crush him mentally, to discourage him.Hmph, don't think about it! He said calmly: "I am Byron Meilein from Earth. If you have any doubts about my identity, then I am willing to get in touch with the Earth Consul." "Ah, yes, but at the moment we're talking totally casually. You mean, you're Byron Melain from Earth. However," - Aratap pointed to a stack of papers in front of him - — "Here's the letter from the Widemoss rancher to his son, and a college registration receipt and a degree-conferencing ticket to a man named Byron Farrier. They're all from your luggage found." Byron felt despair in his heart, but his face was still calm. "My luggage was illegally searched and therefore I do not admit that it has evidentiary value." "We're not in court, Mr. Farrier, or Mr. Meilein. How can you account for these things?" "If that's from my luggage, then someone put them in there." Byron was taken aback when the commissioner ignored his reply.How far-fetched his defense sounded, how obviously absurd.The Commissioner, however, made no comment, simply tapping the black bulb-shaped airtight container with his forefinger. "So, what about this letter of introduction to Governor Roja? It's not yours either?" "No, it's mine." Byron had already made up his mind.The letter of introduction did not mention his name.He said: "There is a plot to assassinate the governor of Rhodia..." He didn't go on, but he was stunned.When he finally started to say what he had thought carefully, it sounded totally unconvincing.The Commissioner must be sneering at him, right? However, Aratap did not laugh.He just sighed slightly, took the invisible glasses off his eyes with a quick and deft movement, and carefully placed them in the salt water on the desk in front of him.His bare eyeballs were a little wet. He said: "How do you know? Even on the earth five hundred light-years away from here, you actually know about it? But our Rhodia star police haven't heard of it." "The police are here, and the conspiracy is brewing on Earth." "I see. Are you their agent, then? Or are you here to warn Hinrique against them?" "Of course it's the latter." "Is that so? Then, how did you come to warn him?" "Want to get the big rewards I'm looking forward to." Aratap smiled. "Your statement at least sounds like such a thing, and at the same time, it adds a certain truth to what you said earlier. What are the specific details of the conspiracy you mentioned?" "That can only be said to the governor." Aratap hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "Okay. The Tyranids have no interest in or involvement in local political life. We will arrange for you to meet the Rhodian Governor yourself. This will be our part in ensuring his safety. My men You will remain in custody until you can claim your luggage. After that, you will be free. Take him down." The last sentence was addressed to the soldiers in arms.So they escorted Byron away.Aratap put on the invisible glasses again, and the indifferent and incompetent look that seemed to be caused by not wearing glasses suddenly disappeared from his face. "I think we'll have to keep a close eye on this young Farrier," he told the major, who remained there. The officer nodded slightly. "Yes! For a moment I thought you might have been blinded. It seemed to me that his words were full of flaws." "That's right. That's why, at the moment, he's usable. Those little fools who've learned about interstellar conspiracies from TV detective shows are easy to manipulate. Of course, he's the son of the dead rancher." This time it was the major who hesitated. "Are you sure? Our charges against him are vague and not strong." "You mean, after all, it might be evidence of manipulation, don't you? But for what?" "That said, maybe he's just a bait to distract us from the real Byron Farrier elsewhere." "No. Not necessarily so dramatic. Besides, we have a photohexahedron." "What? The little guy's?" "The son of the rancher. Would you like to see it?" "Of course I would." Aratap picked up the paperweight on his desk.It was an ordinary glass hexahedron, three inches on each side, black and opaque.He said: "I mean, if it's the best way, I'd like to confront him with it. It's a wonderful form of photoengraving, Mr. Major, and I don't know if you understand it. It's The last one developed on the inner planets, it looks like an ordinary optical hexahedron on the outside, but when you turn it upside down, the molecules rearrange themselves so that it becomes completely opaque. What a wonderful idea .” He turned the hexahedron over with the image side up.After flickering for a while, the opaque substance began to curl up, flow away, and slowly dissipate like black mist in the wind. The hexahedron gradually became clear.Atalap folded his arms across his chest and gazed at it calmly. When the hexahedron became as clear and transparent as water, a young man's face appeared on it, and he was always grinning and smiling brightly.The photographic image is realistic and ready to come out. "This thing," said Aratap, "is a relic of a deceased rancher. What do you think?" "There is no doubt that this is the young man." "Yes." The Tyranid official observed the optical hexahedron thoughtfully. "You know, using this same kind of photolithography, I don't see why I can't get six pictures in the same hexahedron. It has six sides, and flipping each side in turn creates a new set of molecular orientations. .When you flip the hexahedron, the six interlocking photographs will change from one to the other, and the static photograph will become a moving picture, which will give it something new. Major, This will be a new art form." Slowly, he became more and more excited as he spoke. However, the major, who was silent, had a slightly disdainful expression on his face.Aratap put aside his artistic opinions and said suddenly: "So, you go to keep an eye on Faril?" "certainly." "Keep an eye on Hinrique, too." "Hinrique?" "That's right. That's the whole point of freeing that little guy, and I'm going to get some questions out of the way. Why did Farrier go to see Hinrik? What's the relationship between them? The dead rancher wasn't alone. Behind him there is — and there must be — a well-organized cabal. And we have yet to detect how this cabal operates.” "However, Hinrique will certainly not be involved. For, if he has courage, he has no stamina." "Let's just say that. But because he's pretty much an idiot, they can use him as a tool. If that's the case, then his example shows a weakness in our staffing. Clearly, we This possibility must not be ignored." He waved his hand casually, the major saluted, turned and left. Aratap sighed, flipping through the photographic hexahedron in his hand thoughtfully, watching it tumbling ink waves and turning black again. Life in his father's day was simpler.Defeating a planet is both a cruel act and a great feat, but now this kind of effort to manipulate an ignorant youth is just an act of cruelty.However, it is very necessary to do so.