Shadow Slave

Sunny had no particular reason for this visit, apart from simply wanting to check on how the old man had settled in. From his first impression, the dormitory apartment was too small and bare-bones for someone of Professor Obel's stature.

There were five compact bedrooms connected to a shared living room, kitchen, and bathroom, with three of the bedrooms occupied by other people. He could hear a child's voice behind one door, which meant that there might have been entire families of refugees living here. In that regard, maybe the fact that the Professor and Beth each received an entire room for themselves was already a privilege.

'Still... what the hell...'

Maybe he should not have been surprised. Professor Obel was indeed a distinguished scientist who had made great contributions to humanity, but the Antarctic Center was the administrative center of the whole Quadrant. With two hundred million people concentrated in Falcon Scott, there must have been a whole lot of distinguished people waiting for their turn to be evacuated.

Beth led him to the kitchen and put a kettle on the stove. Now that they were not busy trying to keep the caravan from falling apart, Sunny noticed that the young woman looked a bit haggard in comparison to how she had been at LO49.

There were dark circles under her eyes, a slight uncertainty to her movements, and a grim slant to her brow. Beth's temper, however, had not changed one bit.

"Tell me straight... is the wall going to hold?"

Sunny lingered for a bit, stumped by the frank question.

"How should I know? Sure, it is going to hold... until it doesn't."

Beth scoffed, pouring synthetic tea into three cheap alloy cups.

"And yet you seem to be terribly calm."

Sunny scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"Do I seem calm? Well, I guess I am. I mean, what's the worst that can happen?"

The young woman stared at him with outrage.

"Death! You can die!"

thought about it for

rather not die, of course. But death is definitely way better than some other things. Believe

to by his shadowy steed. It seemed that he had developed an abnormally high tolerance to pain and fear

would look

to console Beth, somehow, but at that moment, Professor

Sunless! How nice of you to spare time for

three of them settled behind a small dining table, enjoying tea.

defenses are in good condition for now. Ah, but we expect a big assault tomorrow. Make sure to remain inside, and don't go to

For some reason, the young

everyone received instructions on how to behave when an air attack alert is activated. Thank you for

then hesitated for a while. Eventually, he asked in a

here? I would think that you would be put on the

in the city was designated as a member of a certain group, each having a

strait first, with all the rest placed in a long queue by a randomized algorithm. Various factors could affect one's "weight" in the algorithm, though - families with

affected the algorithm, which meant that non-citizens from the local version of the outskirts would be evacuated

'Figures...1

ships out of the harbor. The giant vessels had been coursing between Falcon Scott and Eastern Antarctica for several days now, bringing

gave the old man

Professor. Why are you

could say anything, the young woman turned to

And since I have nothing to do with the high-value

a couple of

"Is that true, Professor?"

looked

you kids don't understand. I am an old man, you know? My bones still hurt from the long weeks spent on the road. Can't I rest a

scoffed, and this time, Sunny was inclined

bullcrap reason

Beth behind... which was already stupid... if he was on some self-sacrificial mission,

to say something, but at that moment, the kid he had heard earlier barged into the kitchen, holding a