Chapter 59. Transformed into a snake and discovered the Republic
Otis strolled home disappointed. The last few days had been bad enough, but today's meeting had left him even more distraught. So he let his driver go back on his own. He needed a break from the cool nights. He must consider whether it is possible to continue fighting or whether he should give up.
Since Parliament actually dissolved and he returned to his hometown, he has been trying to fulfill his promise to his fellow plant Cindy. He made every effort and took advantage of every connection he knew. He does everything he can to build a fleet capable of destroying the Crawling Cindy's weapons. However, no matter what he did, he encountered resistance and rejection everywhere. Almost all of the Sindy's kind distrust him, and no Sindy believes that the Creeper's weapons pose a threat to the Sindy race. So one door after another closed for him.
Shan Mo, the representative of the Plant Cindy Council, is also in bad shape. Despite his promise to do his best to rally support among the Plant Cindy against the Crawling Cindy fleet, his success was no better than Otis's. They seemed to be fighting a hopeless battle.
Today's meeting had made it clear to him that this fleet would never appear. And it's simply too late. Those in power have already stepped in. Two days ago, he received an invitation from the Senate. It's actually more of a summons than an invitation. But it was an opportunity for him to make his request there again. Therefore, he prepared very thoroughly. He thought through each argument multiple times, envisioning various possible responses from senators to be fully prepared. He believes there will be a breakthrough this time.
However, he didn't even get a chance to speak. He was prohibited from speaking and was explicitly told that if he did not stop, he would lose his position. To make matters worse, they had planned to detain him in this situation to permanently silence him. He has become a nasty troublemaker. They suggested that he take a few days off and disappear for a while. This way, he will calm down and let things fade away.
With no other option, he compromised. He agreed to meet their demands. But as he was now on his way home, he was no longer sure it was the right thing to do. Because there was absolutely no way he could keep his promise, as he now knew. He must take measures to deal with the threat of the Crawling Cindy, even if everyone else closes their eyes and ignores it. Or maybe that's why. At least one person is doing the right thing.
Ultimately, it seemed there was only one way to convince the Senate. He needs proof. Conclusive evidence that those responsible cannot ignore. He had to go and see for himself what was happening in area 859J. Only then can he stop crawling Cindy.
Reaching that area shouldn't be a problem for him. He still has access to diplomatic ships and can use them at any time. Although armed with little equipment, not even the crawling Cindy dared attack a diplomat. So he made a quick decision. He will witness the atrocities of Creeping Cindy firsthand.
The next day passed uneventfully. Everyone on the ship performed their duties step by step, and there was no special excitement. It was like the calm before the storm, even though there were no signs of the storm yet.
After completing the work, Alva Daisy also went to Captain Noah's office on the second floor. She had had little chance to talk to him since setting off. She has been busy testing and researching modifications and new equipment for the ship in order to respond immediately in the event of an emergency. Additionally, there are some less critical systems that need to be installed along the way. As a result, she stayed extremely busy and worked beyond her assigned shift. So there is no time for leisure.
She pressed the doorbell, heard a firm "come in" from inside, and walked in. Noah sat behind his desk, looking at a data tablet.
"Hi Daisy. Nice to meet you," he greeted her.
"Hello, Noah." She took a chair from the small conference table and sat down. "How are you doing?" she asked.
Noah sighed. "What can I say? I've had complaints about system glitches, complaints about unbearable roommates. Plus, there's been speculation and rumors about our mission. That's always the case when a new mission begins." He put the data tablet away. Put it on the table. "And you?"
"Everything is running so well, I've never seen such a harmonious team, it's almost a daily routine and we're almost bored." There was sarcasm in her voice. "If you want to know the truth, you've seen my report."
Noah nodded. He hadn't experienced so many system failures in a long time. But actually, this is not unexpected. How could a ship that was first severely damaged, then almost completely renovated, and finally not even fully tested, run smoothly? No matter how much the headquarters emphasizes quality assurance, if they don't put in the effort themselves, the result will be this.
"But actually I'm not here to deal with official business. I just want to see how you are doing and ask if you would like to play a game of billiards with me tonight," Daisy said.
"My pleasure," Noah smiled. "But really just one inning. I still have some reports to read, and I deserve some rest. Not much sleep the last few nights."
"And apparently the watch was too long," added Daisy, who understood how the captain felt.
Noah just nodded.
After a brief silence, Daisy couldn't hold it in anymore, her curiosity couldn't wait until night. "Is there anything new in Area 859J?"
"No," Noah shook his head. "We're not within sensor range yet." His voice betrayed disappointment, even though it had been clear from the start that they wouldn't get answers until they reached their destination. Starfleet is able to make larger measurements because fixed sensor arrays have a longer range than smaller spacecraft.
"What a shame," said Daisy. "This uncertainty is really upsetting. If there is really a time experiment going on there, we might disappear the next moment. It's like we never existed." She exaggeratedly described the current situation.
"Well that's just hypothetical," Noah replied dryly.
Daisy smiled and shook her head. "I know, you don't believe this." As she said that, she stood up. "I look forward to seeing you tonight at the pool table in the lounge. If you don't come, I'll have our new psychiatrist give you a hard time." She raised her index finger and threatened.
"Then I will definitely go," he replied seriously.
Daisy squinted at him. "There's something else, you didn't tell me all. Is there anything that's bothering you?"
Noah avoided her gaze and did not answer.
"You can choose to tell me, or tell the psychiatrist." When she found that Noah didn't respond, she walked around the table and put her hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"
Noah sighed and picked up the datapad from the table. "We have received communications from Starfleet. The Enterprise has been attacked. The circumstances are not specified, but many lives were lost, especially among the freshman crew." He paused. It is not easy for anyone to learn of the senseless deaths of so many young people and to come to terms with it immediately. This is especially true for a commander. In this case, the captain's responsibility is particularly heavy. "Among the dead was Captain Oversmont. Like I said, we don't know exactly what happened. But it seemed to be a routine patrol. No one expected any danger. That's not the case with our situation. very similar."
Daisy was shocked. Captain Overmont is a living legend, like so many others on the Enterprise crew. His death will be a serious blow to Starfleet, that's for sure. "It's not exactly the same. The Enterprise's crew is almost entirely freshmen. And we have a great crew. And we're probably better able to anticipate what might happen. We'll be better prepared for the unexpected."
Noah looked at her gratefully. "Yes, I think so too. I will not pass on information about the Enterprise for the time being. I don't want to cause unrest on the ship. We simply cannot afford such consequences now. Please keep this matter confidential."
"Of course," Daisy nodded. "In that case, tonight's distraction will be more important than I thought." She left the room, not knowing that tonight she would vastly surpass her own captain in a game of pool.
The snake looked around at the data displayed on the computer. He purred with satisfaction from his reptilian throat. He is convinced that the hard work of the past few years has been worth it. All those power struggles, many sacrifices, and repeated setbacks will soon pay off.
He looked up at the three scientists standing before him. Two of them are arboreal races, and the other is a reptilian race. Unfortunately, his own Sindy tribe had few scientists. This is a fact that he has always been proud of. They are a race of warriors, not timid nerds who sit in the corner trembling in battle.
However, in planning the project, he became painfully aware that this could be a huge disadvantage. Because in this regard, the Reptilian race must rely on other Sindi races. Especially relying on those arboreal and humanoid races that he despised from the bottom of his heart.
Snake has no choice, so he decides to incorporate plant Cindy into his plan. At least some of its members. They were sworn to secrecy and had no contact with the outside world throughout the project. They did not involve the humanoid Sindy as the Serpents were even more distrustful of them. Furthermore, humanoids are more difficult to control. Plantfolk are at least a little annoying, but other than that, they do what they're told.
"You did a great job," the snake said appreciatively.
"Everything is ready, the countdown has started," Cindy, one of the plant tribe, said hurriedly.
"Very good," the snake nodded. "I'm looking forward to the results. Then you'll get paid and go back home."
The scientists thanked them and were led out of the room. Only the reptilian scientist remained. After the dazzling whiteness of the laboratory, he enjoyed the dim atmosphere and the red glow of the soft lights. This atmosphere suits his nature.
"Can the countdown still stop?" The snake asked him.
"No, sir. Everything is going according to plan," the reptilian scientist replied. His voice was deep even for a reptilian creature.
The snake nodded. "Then, you go to the refuge room now. I will arrive soon."
As the reptilian scientist turns to leave, a soldier enters the room. He gave a respectful military salute and then began to speak, although he was not asked to. This is actually undeserved, and in the reptilian hierarchy, is severely punished. The snake wanted to interrupt him, but after hearing what he said, he decided to remain silent.
"There is an unauthorized craft approaching our work area in Area 859J," the trooper reported.
"What kind of spaceship is it?" The snake's attention was attracted. Never fail when your goal is about to be achieved.
"It's a humanoid spaceship," the soldier said disdainfully. "They're barely armed."
The snake's nervousness eased slightly. "When will they arrive at the building?"
"In about two hours, they will be within weapons range."
Now the snake is completely relieved. In that case, they would definitely be too late. Only the soldiers cannot know this. Because no one knows the real mission except a few insiders.
"Let the fleet enter a state of combat readiness. Once the humanoid creatures enter the range, destroy them immediately." He ordered, knowing that this order would not be implemented.
He believed he knew who was on that ship. He suspected that his fellow former councilman Otis might not be able to control himself and had to fly to Area 859J himself to see what was going on there. If everything went according to plan, Otis would never know. He will only be there to witness his own death.
The snake didn't care. He has no concern for the lives of lower creatures. Furthermore, he was about to accomplish the greatest achievement of his life. Although he wanted to kill Otis, an extremely arrogant guy, with his own hands, this wish could not be realized. Time is too tight, and the snake is too far away. The shelters are built on reptilian planets.
The snake took one last look at the monitor and then set off. Time is up. He had to get the shelter sealed off, and the energy barrier around it had to be tuned to the correct frequency. No mistakes can occur.
He could barely bear his impatience. The Serpent has been working for this day for years. All tests indicate everything will go smoothly. But absolute certainty does not exist. Therefore, the tension is heightened. In a few hours, he will reach the pinnacle of his life.
The energetic Ingemar walked out of his dormitory this morning and almost bumped into Tiny, who was running past the door at that very moment.
She said, "Good morning, Mr. Ingmar. Are you so excited today? I'm guessing last night was a success?" She winked provocatively.
Ingmar frowned. "No, it's not what you think." In fact, last night was a complete failure. Although he was looking forward to this day very much. He picked out his best clothes and put on his best perfume. Then he went to pick her up. Anna. She looked just as stunning as she did when I first saw her a few days ago on the spaceship. He almost choked when she opened her dorm door, she looked so beautiful. The skirt seemed to wink at him. It would be best for him not to go out and get rid of her right there. But of course it's not that simple. They went to a bar and Ingmar planned to get her so intoxicated that the rest of the night would be a breeze.
But things developed somewhat unexpectedly. They are unable to communicate reasonably. She had a completely different sense of humor and could barely understand his jokes, but still laughed, obviously to please him. Normally, he would ignore the situation, but last night he couldn't stand it. He was usually fearless, but on this night, he couldn't. His usual plan of action also failed to proceed. His stories of adventure and heroic deeds defy easy telling. Even though she explicitly asked to listen. But suddenly he could no longer bear this submission. In fact, he holds all the initiative and has the best chance of having sex with her on the same night. But the idea suddenly seemed strange to him. Anna was no match for him. Normally he would enjoy this, but what about that night? What's up with him? At one point in the evening, she didn't have a witty response to a few of his words. Completely different from Shu Ran the night before. Throughout the night, he thought more about Shu Ran and almost wished he could replace Anna with Shu Ran. Just to have a more pleasant communication. But since he couldn't do that, and he didn't want to admit it, he had to make do with the night. Although Anna is a boring person, her appearance is definitely several grades better than Shu Ran. Anna will definitely win the modeling contest easily. But there’s more to sexiness than just looks, right? Despite his bad mood, the situation didn't go as usual. He walked her back to her dormitory and hurried away.
"If it wasn't last night, why are you still so happy?" Tini interrupted his thoughts.
"We're going to achieve our goal today and finally understand what's going on here. And I'm naturally curious, so of course I'm looking forward to it." He didn't say out loud that he would meet Shu Ran at the end of his shift.
"Then I wish you good luck and hope something interesting happens," Tiny said with a smile. "Of course, I also hope to be safe." She was tired of the danger and didn't want to encounter it again, at least in the next few years. She asked Ingmar to go first. He was going to the ship bridge two floors up, while she was going to the transfer room two floors down.
Ingmar reached the bridge via the right turbine elevator and found that the entire second shift was still there. Only Jeffrey was already standing by the science station. If Ingmar remembered correctly, Jeffrey always seemed to be present every time he entered the bridge. The Vulcan seemed to rarely stick to shift schedules, working two consecutive day shifts most of the time. Apparently he wasn't interested in resting. Such quintessential Vulcan.
A quarter of an hour passed, and the first class gradually took over from the second class. Finally, a familiar face appeared on the bridge. The first few hours of the morning passed uneventfully. Everyone worked in silence, and there was an atmosphere of anticipation in the air, but not particularly nervousness.
Finally, Nilf spoke up. "Captain, we are about to reach area 859J."
