If Sif thought I was going to leave her alone with Loki, she was sadly mistaken. Loki’s glare alone would make me bite my lip in shame, and I would no longer be able to fulfill my duties, knowing that I had failed so utterly. It was hard enough to keep my chair before Loki joined the Council, and now it is almost impossible, all with the chaos, insubordination, and internal strife, that he is capable of conjuring even –or so it seems- without intention. I know he has been up to something for a while, but even my most shrewd investigators have not been able to put their finger on it. Maybe his unexpected company on this “excursion” will help me find out what he is scheming, and finally have him expelled from the Council.
But this will have to wait. In the meantime, I must get some rest. Even with the latest technology on friction fracture propellers, it is always uncomfortable to travel from Valhalla –on the Europe orbit- all the way to Earth, especially when all you’ve got is the strange world of your Meka’s pilot cabin. This cabin resembles a polymer placenta, to which I connect my conscience through a fiber optics cable that turns the Meka, the ship, the clones, and all the equipment around me into a part of myself, or rather, into me.
But as I swim in this unpleasant protein liquid, scientifically designed to taste like chicken…
[Aegis, simulation load SIF-00X]
[LOADING SIMULATION]
“Earth, the breathtaking pearl of the Solar System that harbored the terrestrial race in their childhood, before their emancipation to space and its infinite natural resources…”
[Sif, always a poet]
“…During the first few centuries after Exodus, the planet has shown virtually no indication of recovery (see Midgard Report XXCXCX-045). With an atmosphere charged mainly with carbon monoxide, its entire surface deserted, nearly every water source polluted, and scarce fauna, it is very difficult to establish the existence of any activity that would interest the strategic plans of the Council. The following are a series of virtual modules where you may interact with the different forces that currently affect the terrestrial ecosystem.”
[Aegis, stop the presentation. Load presentation SIF-00Z]
[LOADING PRESENTATION]
“Special Report 00Z on the changing conditions in Earth’s atmosphere. The analysis of data collected by the Ullr catheter, and cross-check with data previously gathered by Hugin and Munin (jointly referred to as “Crow”), evidences the presence of unusual atmospheric activity in the areas surrounding the African Continent. Over the last few years, there has been an unexpected recovery of the area’s flora, which has improved the levels of oxygen, and brought about other ‘cascade’ effects that seem to be restoring the planet’s ecosystem.”
[And what the hell does this have to do with Loki’s line of research?]
[I AM SORRY. I NEED MORE INFORMATION TO PROCESS THIS REQUEST]
[Classify as rhetorical. Proceed with the presentation]
“Preliminary analysis shows an unusual concentration of electromagnetic charge and other as yet unidentified sub-particles in the area affected by the atmospheric change. Further Council support is required to extend the scope of this research. Following are the models and data gathered from the above mentioned sources.”
[ACCESS DETAILED INFORMATION?]
[No. Draft a report on Loki’s projects, cross-check with any acquisition of quantum technology equipment. Highlight projects related with biochemical projects]
[DRAFTING REPORT. ESTIMATED TIME OF READINESS 8h36m54s]
[Perfect. Time to get some sleep…]
But this will have to wait. In the meantime, I must get some rest. Even with the latest technology on friction fracture propellers, it is always uncomfortable to travel from Valhalla –on the Europe orbit- all the way to Earth, especially when all you’ve got is the strange world of your Meka’s pilot cabin. This cabin resembles a polymer placenta, to which I connect my conscience through a fiber optics cable that turns the Meka, the ship, the clones, and all the equipment around me into a part of myself, or rather, into me.
But as I swim in this unpleasant protein liquid, scientifically designed to taste like chicken…
[Aegis, simulation load SIF-00X]
[LOADING SIMULATION]
“Earth, the breathtaking pearl of the Solar System that harbored the terrestrial race in their childhood, before their emancipation to space and its infinite natural resources…”
[Sif, always a poet]
“…During the first few centuries after Exodus, the planet has shown virtually no indication of recovery (see Midgard Report XXCXCX-045). With an atmosphere charged mainly with carbon monoxide, its entire surface deserted, nearly every water source polluted, and scarce fauna, it is very difficult to establish the existence of any activity that would interest the strategic plans of the Council. The following are a series of virtual modules where you may interact with the different forces that currently affect the terrestrial ecosystem.”
[Aegis, stop the presentation. Load presentation SIF-00Z]
[LOADING PRESENTATION]
“Special Report 00Z on the changing conditions in Earth’s atmosphere. The analysis of data collected by the Ullr catheter, and cross-check with data previously gathered by Hugin and Munin (jointly referred to as “Crow”), evidences the presence of unusual atmospheric activity in the areas surrounding the African Continent. Over the last few years, there has been an unexpected recovery of the area’s flora, which has improved the levels of oxygen, and brought about other ‘cascade’ effects that seem to be restoring the planet’s ecosystem.”
[And what the hell does this have to do with Loki’s line of research?]
[I AM SORRY. I NEED MORE INFORMATION TO PROCESS THIS REQUEST]
[Classify as rhetorical. Proceed with the presentation]
“Preliminary analysis shows an unusual concentration of electromagnetic charge and other as yet unidentified sub-particles in the area affected by the atmospheric change. Further Council support is required to extend the scope of this research. Following are the models and data gathered from the above mentioned sources.”
[ACCESS DETAILED INFORMATION?]
[No. Draft a report on Loki’s projects, cross-check with any acquisition of quantum technology equipment. Highlight projects related with biochemical projects]
[DRAFTING REPORT. ESTIMATED TIME OF READINESS 8h36m54s]
[Perfect. Time to get some sleep…]
