Chapter 13: I am Neon (SOTU)

=Chapter 13=

Dr. Bloch and the Kilonian stood next to a shiny brand new uncrated HERMES unit. The massive thing in the white and blue color scheme of the science corps had been configured for the body shape and requirements of a Vantax. It was clearly evident that this Hostile Environment Robotic Mobile Exoframe System was a closely related to the famous Quasimodo destroyer suits worn into battle by Union marines. It featured the same computronic assisted syntho muscles, the same super dense armor plating made of fish scale like, diamond shaped Ultronit plates. Highly flexible yet virtually impenetrable Ultronit micro mesh wave, layers of self repairing Intelli Fab and direct neuro linked robotic move assist. Along with its ability to establish triple layer ParaDim shields there was almost no environment known to Union science that could not be explored wearing one of these.

Scientists and explorers had worn these diving into the nuclear fire hell of stars, waded through streams of magma, and crossed the jungles of Green Hell and similar extreme planets. Compared to these environments, the atmospheric conditions of Shirrocco planet were nothing special.

The system was able to fly of course. Marines could attach mini ISAH pods to their versions and go translight. Transforming these suits effectively into small interstellar space craft.

The small Holdian himself wore a flight belt and hovered near the shoulders of the exoframe and over three hundred fifty centimeters of the hangar floor. In its paws it held a remote control unit that would help him assisting Dr. Yolti getting into the suit.

However the Voltar was not present.

Dr. Bloch impatiently looked up from the personal data device she was holding. “The number of concentrated gas swirls has quadrupled every ten hours so far and the electric discharge patterns between them has also drastically increased in frequency and intensity. Where is Dr. Yolti? We need to have a closer look of that cluster. Expose it to small doses of Arti grav radiation and take gas samples. Chimmie page him again!”

The Kilonian did ask the stations AI to relay another summon and it was answered moments later by the Voltar coming through the double access doors that lead into the interior of the station.

The female Xeno biologist, was never known to be a people person. She was utterly confident in her intellect and her academic expertise and naturally believed that anyone would accept these aspects of her. She was completely unaware of this abrasive side of her. She was highly respected by her colleagues, feared and sometimes worshiped for her brilliance like in Chimmie’s case, but she had very few friends and virtually no social contacts outside her work environment. She also firmly believed that scientists and scholars of other disciplines were solely there to provide supportive data and information for her work, she gave others little credit for whatever contribution they provided to her work.

This was the core reason for her seeing Dr. Yolti as nothing more than means to an end and getting her the information and data she needed. She was especially oblivious to all these things when she was close to a discovery or exciting conclusion. There was no doubt in her mind anymore, Neon existed. Neon was an entity and it would be a new definition of life and textbooks for decades to come citing her name as the discoverer.

She rolled her eyes.“Could you not be any tardier than that? You have been summoned three times already. I wish you would show more enthusiasm. I expected you to be here already so that tech helper can get you in that monstrosity and out there where the answers are.”

“I am no Tech helper!” The small Holdian protested. Holdians loved engineering and were often found in engine rooms and in engineering roles. They took their work and positions very seriously.

The Voltar was surprisingly calm.“You can not tell me what to do, Dr. Bloch. You are a guest of the Kilonian and nothing more.”

“But I can issue you work assignments,” The Kilonian snarled and I want you to assist Dr. Bloch. Don’t you want to help us finding out how this new life form could have possibly developed out there or how it manages to retain memories and have a conscious mind without some sort of physical ego center?”

“No you can’t do that either, Dr. Chimeer. I seen your blatant falsifications of my personal records. I have, as of three hour today resigned. I am no longer part of the Science corps. I have tendered my resignation along with a very sharp formulated note by the way.”

That caused the Kilonian to pause.“What are you accusing me off?”

“Stop pretending. You have been a very competent researcher and scientist. I respected you but you have lost all my considerations since that woman came aboard. You treat her like she stepped down from the Ivory tower itself and disregard the opinions and expertise of any of us. No, my decision is final. I am leaving this station at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Chimeer was not prepared for this. “You resigned?”

“I resigned indeed and your conduct will have consequences!”

Claudia interrupted.“Will he take the samples and measurements or not? We are losing valuable time with this immature behavior.”

The Vantax extended one of his very long fingers and pointed it at her.“Take those samples yourself. We Vantax are a peaceful kind indeed, but you Dr. Bloch are taxing my patience. You haven’t spend a day on a field assignment. Experience wise you are not even in the same class as the Stik!” The Vantax turned and stalked back from where he had come from.

Claudia glared at the Kilonian. “It appears your assigned team is not up to science corps standards. Now who’s the one going out there? I recall there was a planetologist, was there not. Is he trained in using one of these?”

Chimmie was still coping with the for him so sudden and strange behavior of the Vantax. He marked it to stress and to the easily bruised ego of the Vantax. “George? I think he should be able to. We all are trained and cleared to use the HERMES units.”

The Stik who was present as well raised his hand. “I am not.”