Weary Loube Section 1 Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sid Enoo entered his apartment after the gathering completely flabbergasted and excited with the day replaying in his mind.  He couldn’t believe he had met Dredona, he had been a fan for years and collected Binary Lucy Disk.  As he walks into his study, he remembers what Natelia had said about calling his mentor in the 54/39 program and decides to call him on his Binary Lucy Disk.  He uses the voice command and states, “Hey BLD, call Blake Jett.”

The BLD whirs and replies “Calling, Blake Jett, Mentor, 54/39”.  A few dial tones and Blake Jett’s voice comes through on the phone.  

“Hello, Sid?” Blake greets Sid.

“Yes Mark, it’s Sid, how are you?” Sid replies.

“Fine, Sid.  What’s up?” Blake responds attentively.  Out of the 500 plus people he sponsored, most over the phone, Blake prefers Sid despite Sid struggling the hardest.  Sid was always incredibly hard on himself, and it reminds Blake of himself before he started working the 54 principles and 39 virtues to freedom from addiction.  At Sid’s age, Blake hadn’t had any success with his music, but he joined 54/39 and was a successful musician in Markaedium with show’s nearly every day as well as 500 mentees that mostly met with him for his online talks that he had just finished before Sid got on the phone.  

“I am great! I was at Natelia’s rally, and I think I had some clairvoyance about wanting to stop the opiumlite drinks.” Sid says enthusiastically.

Blake hesitates for a second and then says, “Great! You know that principle 36 states we don’t have opinions on the societal powers, but I think that if Natelia’s activism works for you, or provided some motivation, then I am all for it.  Plus, to be honest with you, how are we supposed to not have an opinion on societal powers when Triunfeo’s administration is collaborating with NanoI on giving the masses an addictive substance.  I refrain from talking about it in my groups but to be honest, I am fed up.  Half of these guys are supporting Triunfeo and don’t see a problem with drinking these mind-altering drinks.  Plus, all the people dying on Synthetic Isle. It’s horrible, how can I stay silent Sid?”

Sid laughs and says, “You should speak up in your groups.  That’s heartening to hear.  The rally was incredible though.  You won’t believe it.  Guess who I met?”

Blake asks back, “Who?”  “Dredona!” Sid exclaims.  

“No way! Really?” Blake replies.  Sid laughs hysterically and explains, “Yes, she has been a fan of Addiction to Action for a while and Natelia introduced me.  I am seeing her in a couple of days at one of her independent locations.”  Blake laughs with incredulity, “Wow Sid.  Of course you had some clairvoyance.  I think that’s just great.  Are you going to show her your music?  I think your music is a jewel, don’t be embarrassed or intimidated to show it to her if you get the opportunity.”  

Sid replies “Thank you, I wasn’t even thinking of that to be honest.  I told her I make music, but I am sure she gets flooded with requests for listens.  As do you. What are you at? 500,000 listeners per month?”  Blake coughs and replies “Yes, sounds about right, but Dredona is the real deal, she is on the next level if you understand what I mean.  It’s not even about plays.  Your music’s no different than mine.  I just stayed sober.  Listen, if you stay sober, I have a lot of faith in you.  I would even like to collaborate.  I know it’s against our 24^th principle that says we shall not conduct business together, but I have a feeling about you.  Your stuff, with the right exposure can go far.  I am upset our lives are getting micromanaged by the monopolies, but you are in contact with the free-thinking queen of the underground, Dredona Lotus.”

“Yes,” Sid begins. “I am very excited about this, thank you so much.  At the same time, I want to stay focused on how we can effectively act against this monopoly regime.  After all, we met under those circumstances, but if the opportunity arises, I will play her some of my music or learn from her.”

“Very good Sid, Call me tomorrow.  It’s good to hear from you. Bye.” Blake ends the conversation with a smile on his face waiting for Sid’s goodbye and after receiving it hangs up the receiver.  

***

Meanwhile back at the Addiction to Action building about a mile from the gathering, Natelia’s absence stirs worry from the group of collaborators.  In the group of 6 people, there was Max Dee, Izzy Luna, Diego Tank, Robert Lack, Lucee Diamante, and Ashay Task.  They all looked at each other perplexed and worried about Natelia who 6 hours was late and phone was shut off.

“What the cannibalistic past?!” Diego says, “Where is Natelia!?”

“Maybe she’s with her friend Sid or Dredona?” Ashay offers, “She was with them, wasn’t she? Maybe we should call them and ask if they have heard from her.”  

“I agree,” says Izzy. 

 “Let’s call Dredona first, then Sid” Max orders with urgency.  

The group puts a Binary Lucy Disk on the table and call Dredona on speakerphone.  “Hello?” Dredona’s voice comes through.

 “Hi, yes Dredona, this is Addiction to Action.  We are still waiting for Natelia to show up.  She was supposed to be here 6 hours ago.  Is she with you?  Have you heard from her?” Max anxiously asks.

Dredona sitting in the independent location’s living room on her couch while making new beats with her binary lucy disk cuts off the music and replies, “No, she isn’t with me and I haven’t heard from her or seen her.  Did you try Sid?  Let me call him.”

Max responds, “We were just about to try him, would you?  We’re worried something might have happened to her.”  

Dredona responds “I’ll call him.  I also have ways of checking proximity to Binary Lucy Disks with her biometrics, I usually don’t use my biometric technology due to privacy issues, but I can check that as well.  Hold on, I will connect Sid directly to this line.” 

Dredona dials Sid’s BLD and after a few rings Sid responds on the phone, “Hey! I am so excited…” 

Dredona interrupts, “Sid, its Natelia...  Is she with you?  You are on the line with the collaborators at Addiction to Action and me.”

Sid stammers, “Well no… I…”  

Dredona interrupts Sid again to address everyone, “Listen, I had a fear something like this might happen.  Her event was massive and I don’t trust these leaders one bit.  Everyone come meet me at my independent location as soon as possible.”

 Sid gets a pang of fear shoot through his spine and says, “You don’t think Triunfeo and M abducted her?”  

Dredona responds, “It’s better we meet in person.”

Max responds “We will be there within 45 min Dredona.  Let’s roll everyone.” 

Sid responds, “Give me one-hour Dredona.  I hope on Giestian that she’s alright.”  

They all hang up and disconnect the call.  Max, Diego, Izzy, Robert, Lucee, and Ashay shuffle out the door of Addiction to Action and cram into their Technoize Van to the location.  Meanwhile, Sid grabs some Exoh fibers and makes his way outside to the tram.  Some snow flurries start to fall as the temperature drops below freezing.  

At Dredona’s, Dredona opens her Binary Lucy Disk biometric scanner and inputs Natelia Ophen as it projects a screen in front of her.  The system scans and brings up an aerial view of the BLD with blood on it.  

Dredona zooms in and asks her BLD “Go backwards in time 6 hours.”

The BLD goes back 6 hours.  She sees Natelia sitting meditating by herself.  Then her horrors are realized as the scene unfolds before her.  She sees a NanoI agent sneak up and fire a shot in her head.  Dredona puts a hand over her mouth and shakes.  “Oh my god!” She cries out as tears stream in her eyes.  

She witnesses the agents put her body in a NanoI vehicle and drive off after clearing up the scene.  

“That’s good, clear out!” Triunfeo’s voice is picked up on the BLD.  Dredona wipes her eyes with a deep breath orders the BLD, “record the past 10 minutes.”  

As she waits for the arrival of the collaborators and Sid.  Dredona ruminates with rage at Triunfeo and M.  Now they had really crossed the final line.  She felt threatened as well as saddened about the loss of her new acquaintance and collaborator.  Her anger was immense which Dredona disdained because she did not want to be tricked by her emotion.  She decides to pull up a history of Triunfeo and scan to see if there was any data that might hint that he had committed these assassinations before with anyone else.  

“Scan Triunfeo records, show me all inputs with lifeforce on the biometric data ceasing like this situation.” Dredona orders sharply. 

The BLD whirred and then emits a resonant tone, “Inconsistencies found, error fetching data at point, 43,000 A.G., 42,500 A.G. …”

As the machine continues to count backwards by 500 all the way until year 0.  Dredona attempts to interrupt, “Override, what do you mean?”

The machine finishes and then states 1.7 centillion instances found from present to date 0.  A graph of the instances finds a cluster at every 450-500 years.  Biometric data reaching a zero happens around many erratic instances of the population of Terloub which increments from 1 to 10 billion since 0 A.G.”

Dredona yells, “What?  How does this have to do with Triunfeo and M?”  The BLD responds “Biometric data for the two individuals requested seen appearing every 450-500 years for fifty years then disappearing.  I cannot scan outside of Terloub but there is resonant glow emanating their biometric data for the rest of the 450 years on planet Venoo.”  

Dredona thinks about planet Venoo, the 7^th planet.  Terloub’s only the fifth planet.  Was it possible that Triunfeo and M are aliens?  Why doesn’t their biometric data cease less than a century prior?  

She is puzzled and says, “Please record all the records you just showed me and flag as important and protect with invisibility wall.”  

“Yes creator.” The BLD responds.    

At that second, the ringing of the secret hatch being open alerts Dredona that the collaborators have arrived.  

She looks at them with wide eyes and says, “I don’t know where to begin.  Let me make some tea while we wait for Sid.”  

She goes to her electric stove and heats a teapot.  When it’s ready, she gives it to them, and they sit for a second sipping their tea in silence.  Then Sid arrives as the ringing of the hatch alerts his entrance into the independent location’s living room.