Meltdown Ophilion - Book One

34_ARCANE III

Orion felt his throat constrict and his heart rate increase.

"He was one of the few who raised a voice about the dangers of the first weapons tests which were set five cenro ago. He is the one who predicted the possibility of a hexolium sub-nuclear explosion in the meteor belt if quantol explosives were used. The thing is, he couldn't prove it conclusively without actually running the tests. So, the Council of Science dismissed it and told him not to investigate further. He followed their orders – officially – but he kept working on his project on the side. He secretly spoke to a few of the science chiefs, those he thought he could trust: Carlin, Roshil, Renro."

Orion gasped. Those were people he knew. Two of them had visited his home when his father was still alive. He was connected to all of this: to the Science Circle, to the rulers. He felt that his head was swimming.

"They were now heading up the explosives project. He showed them his further research. After examining it they agreed that the risk was too great; something had to be done. When they were sure that they could not convince the Kypro Science Council to stop the tests they proceeded to sabotage the science facility and destroy all of their research, effectively saving most of the population of the com-zones and close-range farm zones. When an investigation was made, your father and the other scientists were implicated. All of them were publicly discredited – your father and one other scientist were killed.

My father... Orion thought, is a hero. And, he realized, he saved my life... Mom's life. He felt a sudden affinity with the other scientists: Carlin and Renro – those who had visited them, before, when he was Keneso.

"The other eight science chiefs escaped with their families before they could arrest them. They tried living in another com-zone with different identities, but the Qonaar investigators stayed on their trail. They realized that the only thing they could do was go into deep hiding, so they did, in a place where the Qonaar would never look for them."

Orion's eyes were wide with wonder. "Where?" he asked, wondering if he was eligible to know this information.

"In Kypro," The Almaron gave a conspiratorial smile, "quite near the science center – underground... deep underground. Their security is very good, the Qonaar have no clue where they are." Orion slowly shook his head.

"During these five cenro many more have joined them, people who share their views about the Keneso and the com-zones and the Order. They don't have the same understanding Jenna's people have, but we have come up with a plan that includes them; a plan that might help us save many lives – if it comes to that, which it probably will.

"It's taken five cenro for the Science Council to re-develop the technology and the rebel Science Chiefs know that they are close to developing the quantol charge. They realize their only option is to try to destroy the lab again; only this time it will not be possible: the labs are too heavily guarded. The chance that the tests in the asteroid field will go forward is high."

"And the rulers would risk everything just to break into Quarinor?"

Miguel raised his eyebrows. "This is where it gets complicated. Quarinor has a biological energy source that does not exist on Ophilion; it's renewable and abundant. If the rulers in Kypro could get their hands on it they would be able to dominate Quarinor and all of the other com-zones of Ophilion. That's a lot of power; too much to turn down once it's on your radar. If power is your goal, there is never enough."

Orion was using all his mental abilities to assimilate and somehow categorize everything Miguel was telling him. "So, Quarinor... you don't hear much about Quarinor. What's happening there anyway? What are the people like?"