SIMONE'S DIARY

'Hyenus kept inquiring about Him. Reevaluating my opinion a bit. He instantly discerns the contradicting claims in Brown's narrative. What a nitty-picking bastard! I really must act accordingly. Got used to alternative mentals from the University of Enlightened Idiocy. Forgot there are still people who can understand and analyze facts. The conversation with a normal thinking human being is so refreshing. But dangerous! Treading on the thin ice everywhere.

Fortunately, he was stricken by another fit before he could dig any deeper. Before he collapsed, he said he saw ghosts. Clearly, a man who should've never obtained the pilot license.

Did my best to keep him alive. For several moments I doubted he could make it. For five long minutes, he stopped breathing and had no pulse. Panic! Without him, the ship is useless. It would be great, but I cannot exclude the possibility the ship has a tracking emitter. Better stick to the plan and become Hyenus' lover.

I was so relieved to see him coming back that I almost failed to play dumb Simone. So I started to strike him to get him distracted. It worked. My first aid displeased him. No wonder!

Quite a persisting fellow, anyway. Cannot catch up with his thinking process. Suddenly, Hyenus lost all interest in Him and instead brought the topic of microbiological infection, inquiring about signs found in the base. I must have stayed careful. Hyenus knows about how these cases are handled; he said he had participated in one of the "nuclear" disinfections.

Can't stand how matter-of-factly he can speak of thousand lives evaporating at once. Compared to him and SF, my personal record, undoubtedly appalling, seems almost innocent. The conversation was so disturbing that I lost my nerves calling Him a saint. Thankfully, Hyenus did not care anymore, disgusted by our amateurish exploration.

The same day later

The real drama came afterward. When Dwarfus learned about pictograms, he had an epiphany. "This is bad! This is bad! This can lead to terrible misunderstandings! If he reports it, we may be in trouble!"

I asked if the word trouble is not an understatement when talking of nuclear explosion. Just the notion put Dwarfus into denial. "Nonsense! Nonsense! But we have to soothe the captain's consciousness! Perhaps we should adjust our records. Get rid of all misleading evidence."

So we spent a couple of hours deleting all incriminated photos and videos. Fine with me. The less stays behind, the better. Personally, I doubt Hyenus is such a good boy scout to bring himself into disaster, especially if he is aware of the consequences. The moment he took us aboard, he became involved.

Anyway, Dwarfus is scared of Hyenus, so the dubious pleasure of confronting Hyenus with "adjusted" proofs is mine. In a few minutes, I am off to see the sick bastard. Not that I want to. The seduction has to wait until the situation settles down.'

...

After he finished with the diary, Gromov looked at Doll. "So Simone thinks I'm an epileptic?"

"Impudent conclusion, my dearest father. Should I take care of the nasty insect? Her very existence is repulsive."

"Not yet. We have one spare cabin, if I remember correctly. Let's make her life more comfortable. After all, sharing a room with Professor Zhutra may be too demanding for any rational being."

"I see. No one will hear her scream there."

"Not exactly. Would you mind accompanying me? I want to give the tablet back to her."

"With pleasure, my dearest father."

Since Gromov could not consider Simone a harmless passenger, having Doll by his side was reassuring. Even though the extent of Simone's training remained unclear, Gromov had no doubt that the android would manage to deal with that woman.

After knocking on the door, Zhutra opened and eyed his visitors cautiously.

Gromov smiled in a friendly manner: "Don't worry, Khamal. You were absolutely right. I found no problem with the records. With your undeniable professionalism and integrity, no one could ever dream of accusing you of any misconduct. Suspecting viral infection was absolutely baseless."

Nodding slightly, Zhutra took the words at face value, not commenting on the lingering irony.

"Naturally, Sava. Simone insisted on proving you as much, but I knew it was some misunderstanding. By the way, how do you feel, my friend? Simone..."

Zhutra did not finish tactfully.

"Oh, that! A regular fit of epilepsy. Space Forces thought I was no more able to fly fighters, so I had to quit. A funny thing is they did not revoke my pilot license, don't you think, Khamal?"

Zhutra had no idea how to respond, but Simone's lips twitched.

"No need to respond, Khamal. I am not bitter or anything. Simone, the tablet you kindly lent me broadened my horizons. I have to apologize for my negligence. You're most likely cursing me for letting you stay in one cabin with Khamal for so long."

Simone stepped back. Evidently, the cues Gromov was nonchalantly uttering were enough for her to understand.

"I'm fine."

"No, you aren't!" Gromov flashed a wide predatory smile. "Rejoice! It's time to find you more proper accommodation. By some weird coincidence, a spare cabin next to mine is available so that we can continue our educational debate anytime we want. You have five minutes to pack up your stuff."

When Simone did not take any action, Doll moved forward: "Four minutes and fifty-nine seconds. Please, do hurry up!"

Only then the woman resigned and started frantically throwing her clothes into the suitcase.

"Sava, why does Simone need to change the room?"

Zhutra's question revealed traits of horror and timid bravery. Gromov hugged him amicably.

"Comfort, Khamal," he said. "And convenience. What if one of us found your tiny buttocks irresistible so that he would remove unwanted nuisance out of the way? Do you prefer to pack up instead of Simone, my handsome pal? Be thankful. She volunteered to protect your precious backdoor virginity."

"Enough!" shrieked Simone. "Enough! I'm going! I'll be OK, Khamal. I asked Sava to give me the spare room. He pulls your leg."

"Did you?"

"She did," confirmed Gromov. "Mostly indirectly, of course, but a man can take the hint. Aren't you with me, sweetheart?"

"Absolutely!"

Stone-faced, Simone pushed her face to make an unnatural smile, then she took her belongings and, to Doll's dismay, kissed Gromov when she was passing by.

Admiring her presence of mind, Gromov winked at flabbergasted Zhutra and whispered to her ear: "Performed perfectly! Looking forward to the new entry in your fascinating diary, Actressies Simonies."

"You..."

Simone moved forward as if running away. Gromov caught her.

"Why rush, darling? Doll, be so kind and give our friend a hand. What if serial murderers were lurking in the corridors?"

In Doll's iron grip, Simone was left with no other chance than to proceed obediently. Before they departed, Gromov winked once again at petrified Zhutra: "Khamal, my dearest, hm, acquaintance, be decent and do not disturb us. We'll be making it like rabbits."

Not waiting for a response, Gromov and Doll escorted Simone to her new cabin. As soon as they came in, Gromov ordered Doll to hold the woman tightly.

Under his scrutinizing stare, Simone's brain exuded a variety of different colors, most likely the mental images Samara was mentioning before.

Gromov had no idea what they could indicate, but soon enough, the spectrum became more relaxed and less disturbed, similar to water being calmed down.

Even Simone's outer appearance changed, her posture reminding of a cornered wolf, ready for immediate defense. Her facial features altered from slightly agitated to a blank indifferent expression, like she did not care about her visual appeal anymore.

The half-mocking tempting smile vanished, and eyes grew colder, almost icy. Surpassingly, their color seemed to switch from green to blue as her irises narrowed.

None of them spoke up as if the first one should lose the staring contest. Finally, Simone made the first step.

"You read my diary, didn't you?"

Gromov sighed: "We both love having a conversation with intelligent people. So skip the unnecessary questions, and I omit the part when I'm threatening you. Offer me your honest analysis of recent events. Continue sine ira et studio."

[Pavel Morava's remark: Sine ira et studio (from Latin) - without anger and fondness, i.e. impartially]

"As you wish," Simone said. "Correct me if I'm mistaken. First, since you have not exposed my identity in front of Khamal, you want him to stay unaware of the whole affair."

"Very well. I prefer him to avoid me as much as possible. It's my personal preference. I do not enjoy dealing with scientists of his kind."

"Second, you still need me to clarify some points. Otherwise, you would have given your android the order to kill me."

"The correct term is to extinguish, at least in Doll's parlance."

"You do not have epilepsy, don't you?"

"My pilot license has not been revoked. Stop asking unnecessary questions."

"Sorry. You are right. You showed me your documents before. Taking into account you did not pretend your collapse, and you appeared genuinely disturbed with the viral infection, I must conclude something unusual is happening with you."

"A very astute deduction. It's not only me; the ship and Doll are undertaking rather worrisome updates, not to speak about a certain ghost popping up here. But what does it mean, Simone? Try harder!"

"Since you kept inquiring about the Emperor and the Egg and since you want my opinion and not Khamal's, I guess you think the inexplicable events are related to them."

"Let's say I decided to consider that eventuality. What exactly will happen if the Gift from the epitaph is awake?"

Simone shook her head. "I have no idea, Sava. The egg-shaped object is often depicted in Elven sources. In fact, they made it a sacred symbol of their religion, but even they do not know what it represents. There is no proof that the Egg is the Gift."

"Let's suppose to be that case."

"If so," Simone lost her blank expression, looking horrified. "If so, and if you have activated the Egg, Sava, it can only mean that His ultimate objective has been achieved."

"What objective?"

While Simone hesitated, Doll, who stood still behind her, started to glow with apparent joy, as if the following sentence that had to come was bringing her immense happiness.

"What objective?" Gromov repeated the question.

"To my best knowledge," Simone stated, "when the owner is ready, and the Egg activated, it implies only one thing."

"What thing?"

But Simone refused to answer, watching Gromov with growing uneasiness.

Without warning, Doll pushed the woman down on her knees: "Lower your hideous head, discourteous annoyance, and congratulate my dearest father. The enemy of humankind has been born! We all shall serve our master with diligence and alacrity."

There was no protest from the humiliated woman, only tears slowly looking their way down on trembling chin.

"So be it," Simone whispered at last. "So be it!"