by Alex Sapegin
From the very first day, the Hindu literally lived and breathed the world of Ilanta. Her eyes lit up with fanatical splendor every time they opened the “window.” For less than a month, despite her position and foreign origin, she had already several times sent requests to command to be included in a group of training “parallel astronauts.” The papers remained unanswered; the leadership did not hurry to let one of the best personnel go. However, it made certain concessions, and by their carelessness inadvertently did Paul Chuiko a bad turn. Once she received permission and a pass for access to the group three operator’s room, Mehdi often came to the “launches” into the magical world, into which the son of the deeply respected Iliya Kerimov had the misfortune of transferring. But simple contemplation was not enough for her. Her restless nature longed for action. For a long time, Shrestha carpeted the floor of Chuiko’s office with requests to entrust her with the second operator’s chair, arguing that she needed something to do besides correct errors in computer translation. Paul’s response that management was required to pass a certification and without the approval of the higher-ups, he couldn’t allow the outsider to manage complex equipment went in one Indian ear and out the other. She demanded an examination, during which she showed excellent knowledge in the fields of nuclear physics and chemistry. She’d been on a first-name basis with computers for fifteen years. Soon the fortress of command, with the sweeping signatures of a long line of officials and custodians of state secrets, surrendered and put up the white flag: Mehdi received the coveted chair and a control panel. Along with the panel, she received full admission to the third group’s work and signed a pile of papers, in which she was informed in bold print and no uncertain terms what would happen in case of violation of the requirements specified therein. The newly-baked operator then learned that everything was not so rosy in the magical world.
All Chuiko’s doubts about whether he’d done the right thing were dispelled by Iliya. Kerimov felt inwardly that the new operator was capable of surprising the leadership more than once and hastened to reassure his former subordinate. His feelings did not deceive him. During her third launch in the role of the second operator, Mehdi discovered an anomalous zone in the mountains known as the southern Rocky Ridge. Approaching it, even in observation mode, caused a load dumping. She suggested that the “zone” was a man-made formation. Further studies confirmed this. The “zone” was a shield, an obstacle preventing the building of subspace portals.
To study the phenomenon in the mountains, they opened a gate and released several long-range drones, which headed south. The drones, packed with scientific equipment, filmed and photographed dozens of characteristics and returned. The data obtained allowed the second group, which dealt with direct hyperspace transitions, to create effective barriers against unauthorized portal openings. Mehdi earned her second thank you.
The restless member of the third group proposed organizing a permanent tracking point on some educational institution of magical orientation. There were no objections, and a week later, a thin black folder and an 8-gigabyte flash drive containing information on the so-called reference points on the planetary surfaces in which the most favorable conditions for creating stationary portals are present was laid on Kerimov’s desk. In addition to the dry formulas, figures and conclusions that emerged from the “Bandar-log stomping grounds” of the second and third scientific groups, several educational lectures were recorded on a digital medium, which were given by researchers in the magical school of a foreign city called Orten. The video was accompanied by subtitles with a translation.
The resulting materials produced the effect of a bomb. On their basis, Alex compiled and provided mathematical proof that the directions of the opening of a subspace portal could be tracked. Remezov poured gasoline onto the fire. He defended the hypothesis that the residual radiation or track could be determined when a particular portal was opened.
Passions in the academic environment ran high. Half the staff almost lost their heads. If the regime had been slightly more lenient, the thing could have escalated to fist fights, but for now it included only screaming, swearing, name-calling, and a headache for the main boss. The major general did not show up to meetings of the scientific council without a bottle of aspirin. To test all the crazy hypotheses, several express expeditions were formed to the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the north of Russia. The results of the fieldwork stunned many. All the old sailors’ tales about dog-headed people no longer seemed like fiction or a fairy tale. Homer’s immortal “Iliad” was painted with new colors, and the tale of Atlantis was perceived in a completely different way. Many conclusions were drawn from the results, the main one being that several thousand years ago, inter-world portals were open on Earth. What caused their opening and closing remained to be seen, but the information fascinated all and alarmed many, first of all, the military. The third group was ordered to reorient towards studying military conflicts with the use of magic. The generals decided to study the experience of others in detail.
Iliya Evgenevich was quietly rejoicing at the decision, hoping that the researchers would be able to get on Andy’s trail. Olga, who, after the memorable “launch” fell into a strange prostration and apathy, gradually came to her senses. His daughter did not talk in her sleep for more than two weeks, was pale and ate practically nothing. A week ago, getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, he heard a whisper coming from Olga’s room in an unknown language. Iliya went to the kitchen and sat down and rubbed his eyes, relieved. Funny thing, life: the conversations that scared him earlier were now perceived as a sign of some kind of normalization and recovery. The next morning, Olga was eating an omelet prepared by her mother and went to school in high spirits.
Without delaying the matter, that morning Kerimov phoned the major general and asked to meet. Leonid Vladimirovich was very surprised at the scientist’s actions and asked first of all for an explanation. He did not like ambiguities. The box holding the secret was opened simply: the scientist demanded to be shown the latest data of the group that was watching his daughter. Kerimov did not believe that the state security had removed surveillance. And he was right: the remote observations did not stop day or night. After the initial meeting, the general asked for a timeout until 17:00.
By five o’clock in the afternoon, a short report with a dozen photos attached was ready. The specialists’ general estimation on the supernatural was that the younger Kerimov was cut off from certain energy sources. The photographs of the strongly faded aura indirectly confirmed this hypothesis. Recently the dynamics had reversed. The girl’s aura was gradually recovering. Five of the photos clearly demonstrated improvements. Meanwhile, the psychics involved in the project noted the child’s growth potential. If before, she had been “drinking” energy indirectly, now Olga was replenishing her losses herself. Two color photos with circles and arrows indicating characteristic changes in the girl’s external energy field were attached. It could be said that a sharp break in the external power-up initiated a certain qualitative leap, and the renewed connection spurred the recent changes. Iliya Evgenevich, after reading through the rubbish on the paper, asked for oral explanations. The psychic invited by the general looked at Kerimov, shrugged his shoulders, and explained his conclusions in plain Russian.
First, the psychic reminded him that he and his colleagues assume a certain connection between Olga with Andy. Kerimov nodded; he had not forgotten the major general’s revelations. So, for a while, the relationship had become thinned out or disappeared. The chief of state security and the chief of science exchanged glances. Both gray-haired men recalled the memorable opening of the “window” and the short assertion: “there,” with the child’s finger pointing at the planet emerging from behind the clouds. The disconnection had a negative impact on the, um, child’s health… (The psychic cast a quick glance at the general’s guest.) ...And Olga had to look for ways to fill the loss, because…. Here the supernatural “charlatan” he
sitated, twirled his fingers in the air, and said that it was impossible to explain the phenomenon in simple words and that the guesses and conjecture that were spinning in his head were simply inexpressible. In short, Olga had found a different way to restore her energy. How did the experts determine that the daughter was once again connected with Andy? The “specialist” took the photos of the auras and outlined a certain area in pencil as if to say, the color scale in this area corresponds to the observation data up to the sad moment the external connection broke off, which allowed them to draw the appropriate conclusions. With no more questions, Iliya thanked his colleague. The psychic quickly said goodbye and left the office.
The conversation left an unpleasant aftertaste. The invited “miracle-worker” clearly feared Kerimov and hardly concealed his feelings. Iliya folded the photos into a folder and set it on the general’s desk.
“Iliya, do you have any other questions?” the major general asked sympathetically.
“No, Leonid Vladimirovich, no questions. Perhaps, a couple of thoughts are running around in my brain, but I couldn’t rightly call them questions.”
“What thoughts?”
Kerimov put his broad palm on the folder with the documents, held it for a couple of seconds, then pushed the papers forward to the general.
“Do you think I believe this lie?” The general smiled sadly. “No, no, there is truth in it, but not the whole truth, and not just the truth. And your psychic, the ‘soul conjurer,’ only called up doubts about Olga and in a strange way about myself. I could feel his fear physically. What the hell is going on?”
“I assumed something like that,” replied the general, turning to the window. “I will be frank with you. They, psychics, are afraid of the changes taking place in your daughter and in you.”
“What?!”
“You heard me, and you understand me. Dammit, Kerimov, don’t play the fool. Olga is affecting you somehow.”
“You said something about changes?”
“Alright,” the almighty general’s shoulders drooped. “You asked for it. The photographs you’ve just seen are fake. Olga’s real aura, according to the ‘soul conjurer,’ is not human. Do you understand now? I reinforced the group; now there’s 24-hour surveillance on your daughter. In case of unforeseen excess, I will have to isolate her, but I sincerely hope it won’t come to that. Now for your unforgettable person. According to recent observations, on your aura there’s an intense glow that allegedly speaks to the discovery of extrasensory abilities. You felt someone else’s fear and separated the truth from the lies. Do you understand, Iliya, that you’re becoming a dangerous person? I can keep the secret for now, but as soon as it gets out, they’ll come after you for real. I’m not kidding.”
“Is that an offer?” Kerimov asked, after a moment’s reflection. “My loyalty and obedience for your silence?”
“Oh God, Iliya! What do I need your loyalty and obedience for?! Can you even hear me? Please put two and two together, finally, will you? Last time we talked, I told you about the influence of the other world. Let me say it again: the other world has penetrated into our dimension, and your family has become the vehicle for the changes it initiates. What do you think, what actions should I take?”
“I see; thank you for your frankness. I have a lot to think about.”
“Please, if it’s not too difficult, let me in on your enlightening thoughts. If you come up with something, let me know. That’s not an order. It’s a simple human request. Maybe our thoughts will converge, or your decision will allow us to solve the problem. No matter the benefits it might promise, it’s still a problem.”
After their conversation a week ago, Iliya spent the whole day feeling frustrated. He was mostly upset by what the general left unsaid. His son was influencing his younger sister. What then was the youngest Kerimov? If Olga wasn’t human, what was Andy? Was Olga turning into a mage? Didn’t the general himself say they were fantastically lucky that Andy is a mage and was able to integrate into the local society beautifully? And now there was a note of panic in his voice, and he was throwing up his hands helplessly. He seemed deliberately obscure. If only he could find out what kind of game the secret services were playing, what buttons they were pressing in his soul and what they were trying to achieve. After a while, the conversation with the general seemed more and more like a theatrical performance. All the world’s a stage….
Iliya looked at Mehdi and reflected on the vicissitudes of fate. The Hindu had said more than once that she would gladly leave this old Earth and move to a secluded world, and that only Valentine was keeping her from such a rash step. Or she might even take Valentine with her. Mehdi was not afraid of the war that broke out in the north and east of the largest continent of Ilanta. Full of optimism, she firmly believed in the existence of calm, quiet, peaceful corners with untouched nature and a lack of civilization. Kerimov wanted to believe, but the madness on the screen made his heart sink. Scientists could not get to the bottom of the causes of the war. They got the impression that everyone took up arms against one another and staged mass slaughter with the use of magic. In the north of the continent, humans fought against the green orcs and the gray-skinned orcs that joined them. The same humans, having overcome the steppes and mountains, besieged the fortresses of white-haired elves and short people with luminous hair. A huge army of northerners fought their way inland. The green orcs, fleeing from the north, destroyed everything in their path. They left only dead, scorched earth behind them, and every settlement they crossed was wiped out down to the last cat. In the east of the continent, the white orc armies were loaded onto ships and sent to capture large islands two hundred miles from their shores. During one of the last “launches,” scientists recorded on the cameras a real amphibious operation with the use of carrier-based aircraft consisting of large griffons. Hundreds of griffons with riders on their backs soared into the sky and headed west. Strange pieces of wood were tied to the magical creatures’ saddles, which turned out to be magical torpedoes. The universe can joke: in the fairy-tale world, a battle was unfolding, an analog of Earth’s Pearl Harbor. The “torpedoes” thrown by the griffons successfully reached the huge rowing vessels standing in rows in the vast harbor. In only twenty minutes, all that was left of the navy fleet, caught unawares, were the tops of masts protruding from the water and a bunch of wooden debris floating on the surface of the sea. The landing troops that came with the half-birds finished the job.
If not for the war, Iliya would have found his son and handed Olga over to him. No matter how scary it was for him to admit it to himself, his daughter did not belong on Earth. He could indulge in self-deception and illusions about a peaceful life, but the circle of political war closing in on his discovery was invisible only to the blind. The two world wars that raged in the last century served as a reminder, by their millions of victims, of the fact that one wrong political decision or word was the difference between political battles and combat. How long could those in power continue to balance on the brink? From the realization that Pandora’s box was open to him too, things became even more terrible. The secret service put him on the front line and actively turned him into a public figure, presenting him to the world as a genius, looking beyond the horizon. But beyond the horizon was the emptiness that settled in the soul.
Mehdi was right. She was absolutely correct in her efforts to be sent into the unexplored world…. If Olga could help him find Andy, then Iliya would send her to him. The problems she was going through needed solving. That would be the best way….
Nelita. Miur territory on the border with the Principality of Ora.
“Where are we going?” Ania asked the tall, well-built Miur.
The cat laid aside her sword, which she was polishing with a special stone, and looked at the elf of the princess’ retinue with the piercing gaze of her green eyes.
“The shortest road to your prince lies through the gorge of Singing Waters.”
The cat
woman wanted to add something else, but changed her mind. Turning away from the retinue, she continued polishing. What, Ania wondered, did the Miur use blades for in their skirmishes with the orcs? They wanted to show daring and strength? Stupid. Every feline who accompanied the small caravan of the princess and the Great Mother’s ambassador had magic holsters attached to her thigh for fire-starters. Two mighty Miurs carried heavy gunners, one shot of which left a deep funnel in the ground up to fifteen feet in diameter. In a short battle with the imperial mercenaries that appeared on the path, not one warrior took advantage of the technical superiority of the weapons. Their masking armor was more than enough. The orcs, who did not expect a scanty bunch of elves and humans to be covered by a dozen “ghosts” of the ruler of the Miur’s personal guard, paid dearly for disrespecting the borders. The “ghosts” seized the three dozen fanged creatures from both sides and immediately chopped the enemies into cabbage. It’s tough to fight with a blurred spot that is not detected by true vision and against which search amulets refuse to work. After a twenty seconds or so, the sound of clanging metal ceased; the Miur removed the camouflage and finished the wounded robbers who inadvertently decided they could cash in on what might be going on in the borderlands. Two cats dragged the deafened orc commander into the bushes. Loud cries that made the birds fly from the branches and get as far as possible from the terrible place testified to the prisoner’s cruel interrogation. The warrior who covered the dragons pricked her ears and listened to what was happening fifty yards from the camp. Her tail twitched from side to side, but the stone that stroked the blue steel did not stop. The cries soon fell silent. The sudden silence led to two possible scenarios: the prisoner could no longer tolerate the torture and the breaking of his will by the cat mages and went to Manyfaces’ palaces, or his tongue was untied and, having gained the necessary information, the felines bashed his brains in. The second was more plausible.