Chapter 27 S2

Azur advanced to the edge of the cliff. The wind swept through his mane. In the distance, he gazed at the arid lands stretching as far as the eye could see; Eliomid was a planet hostile to life, and yet crowded with recluses and undesirables living in monstrous poverty. But the Pegasus didn't have the energy to look into the matter, so he contented himself with staring at the desolate landscape with empty eyes. Behind him, Inja and Meica stopped and stared straight ahead. In silence, they exchanged words they no longer spoke. They were exhausted. The long months of searching had finished them off, and the three comrades no longer had the energy to speak. 

With a weary movement, Azur turned around and started back down the slope to the town hidden in the wall below. This was their last stop. Inja and the pegasus followed without saying a word. All they had to do now was board the diplomatic ship waiting to take them to Yirim. There, they could hand over the fragments they had collected to the organization, which would secure them before transporting them to Niris. After that, Niris would have to assimilate them, while he, Inja and Meica would have to go back for the remaining fragments. 

Just thinking about it made him despair. Even if the slope was downhill, putting one paw in front of the other was an effort. Without exchanging a single word, the little group soon found themselves at the entrance to the spaceport. After a check of their identity chips, they were allowed to board the aircraft. They were greeted by a crew member who led them to their cabins. 

There, the three friends nodded to each other before entering and collapsing onto their respective beds. They had a short week's journey ahead of them, and barely had time to look up before the week had already passed. Pegasus grunted when he had to leave his cabin after his week's hibernation. He still felt tired. Meica and Inja looked no better. 

Keeping pace with the crew, they waited for the artificial planet to dock before disembarking. On the dock, machines and robots moved back and forth between passengers and ships, hauling various tools and loads. Following the well-organized line of passengers disembarking on Yirim, the Pegasus and his travelling companions walked for a while along the various control and direction lines. 

After a while, they arrived in front of a delegation obviously waiting for them. A woman in her thirties, clad in an elegant black suit, approached them. 

"Hello, I'm Epine, the head of the unit in charge of monitoring the recovery of Nyarii fragments and securing them. 

-Azur," replied the Pegasus, who had no patience for formalities. 

With a wave of her hand, she invited the group to follow her. They complied without protest. The bodyguards accompanying the director quickly surrounded them, forming a security barrier between them and the rest of the world still swarming around the squared-off spaceport. 

-Your arrival has been announced, the depository of the fragments awaits you," began Epine. I apologize for not being able to give you a rest, but we'd like to secure the fragments first. It won't take long. 

-I understand," replied the Pegasus, who was delighted to learn that he would be relieved of his burden. 

Behind him, Inja and Meica walked like zombies. 

-The custodian is Supéfac Vick, from interstellar station MH34," continued the director. He specializes in highly sensitive security and political transport, so the fragments will be safe with him. He'll deliver them directly to Prince Niris. 

Azur nodded slowly, adding nothing more. Out of the corner of his eye, he leered at the young woman walking along, looking strictly ahead. 

-You're a mangelac, aren't you? 

Epine turned to him, visibly surprised by his intervention. 

-I felt you trying to read my mind," added the Pegasus. 

The young woman blinked and pushed her rectangular glasses up her nose, obviously looking for a way out. But Azur caught her unawares. 

-You'll never be able to penetrate the thoughts of a Pegasus," he said in a deep, almost threatening voice. We're dragons, don't forget. 

-Ah..." began the director with an embarrassed smile. 

But she caught Inja's gaze staring at her forehead, and quickly turned away, embarrassed. Bringing her hand to her forehead, she realized that her third eye had opened in panic. She winced and quickened her pace without adding anything. 

The group finally arrived at the room where the transfer was to take place. Here, guards lined the walls. Military personnel from the Organization were also present, much more heavily armed than the guards. The tension was palpable. 

In the middle, the tall, greenish body of the Supéfac stood out from the crowd, still too small for him. His big smile contrasted with the stern attitude of the assembly. 

-Messire Azur, I'm delighted to see you again," said the Supéfac with a hint of impatience in his voice. 

Azur frowned. 

-I don't believe we've met before? he raised an eyebrow. 

-Ah... really?" said Vik, looking from right to left, surely realizing his blunder. Please forgive my memory, it doesn't improve with age haha! 

The Pegasus inspected him suspiciously. This man had a strange attitude for a supéfac. Something was bothering him, but he couldn't say what. 

-Please hand the fragments over to the Supéfac," said Epine, gesturing with his hand to a small box Azur knew well. 

It was a seal box. Once closed, it had no opening, and only the person for whom it was intended could open it. 

Azur approached and eyed the box with suspicion. He couldn't see the organization's logo engraved on the side, which was a guarantee of the box's proper destination and use. He hesitated for a moment, watching the man who handed him the box with the same blood-curdling smile he'd seen on his arrival. There was something wrong with this man, Azur was sure of it, but he couldn't say what, and it irritated him. 

-Sir? urged Epine, who didn't seem to understand the Pegasus' attitude. 

Around him, the tension had risen to a new level, and the guards were looking at each other to see if they should intervene. He shook his head slightly, as if to dispel his doubts. Perhaps the badge was on another side that was invisible to him, after all he had no reason to be suspicious of a Supéfac when the operation was being carefully monitored by the organization. 

With a nod, he indicated to Inja to open her keychain and hand over the fragments. The angel obeyed and returned the pieces of violet stone to the case. Azur did not detect the suspicion he felt towards Supéfac in the young woman's eyes. He dismissed his doubts once again, inwardly calling himself paranoid. And then fatigue overrode his judgment. He didn't have the strength to think any longer. 

-Héhé, they're in good hands," said the Supéfac as he closed the box. 

His strange excitement made Azure wince, and he decided not to pay it any further attention. 

-The fragments will be handed over to Prince Niris of Egea in three days' time to ensure his assimilation of them," continued the director. A team will take over for you while you regain your strength. 

-Really? For how long? For how long?" asked Inja. 

The angel's face lit up at the news. 

-One or two months at most. It's a delicate operation, and we can't entrust it to just anyone because it's so dangerous. You'll be deployed as soon as the support team has secured at least one fragment. 

Azur nodded. He'd been expecting something like this, but the announcement had more of an effect on him than he'd expected. He needed a month to recover from all the fatigue and energy he'd expended in this search. 

-We'll show you to your lodgings for the night, and a ship will take you to Egea in the morning. 

The three friends nodded enthusiastically. They were dreaming of a nice, soft bed! So they began to trot along behind Epine, who led the way. As for the guards and soldiers, they had left with the Supéfac, who was about to take a ship to Niris. They were alone at last. 

As he trailed a little behind his two comrades, Azur watched Meica slow down to level with him with intrigue. 

"Didn't you smell something strange in the room earlier?" she asked him telepathically. 

Azur frowned. 

"A smell? What kind of smell?"

"You know, something like a persistent deodorant, a strong smell covering up other smells." she clarified. 

Azur cocked his head to one side. He'd been so focused on the Supéfac's strange smile that he hadn't really noticed the smell... It was then that he remembered his first sensation when he had entered the room. He had noticed a lingering odor, exactly as Meica had described it to him. A smell that had bothered him greatly for a second before his attention was diverted by the Supéfac's strange smile. 

"Liputions are very sensitive to odors, so it's odd that he's wearing such a strong perfume, isn't it?" the Pegasus pointed out. 

Suddenly, Azur stopped and looked up. Meica was right. Something was wrong with this Supéfac! He should have listened to his instincts rather than pretending nothing had happened. Without warning, the Pegasus turned and trotted off in the direction of the room they'd been in a few minutes earlier. Meica called out to him for an explanation, but the pegasus wasn't listening. 

His ears were pricked forward and his muzzle on the alert. As he passed the room they'd just left, he took a deep sniff to soak up the remnants of the scent he'd smelled. Fortunately, there were still traces. Without waiting, he resumed his run through the tunnels of the artificial planet, almost galloping at times, jostling a number of passers-by as he went. 

Meica followed him at a distance. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew something was wrong. So she tried to keep up with her friend at a moderate speed to avoid hurting anyone. Unfortunately, Azur, who seemed to be possessed by something, distanced her and she lost his trail between two corridors. 

Azur had landed in a smaller spaceport than the one they'd landed in, and this time was galloping straight towards the group who'd left them a few minutes earlier. The military and guards still surrounded the Supéfac, who was about to board a space-light transport. Azur threw himself forward and tried to get between Lipution and the device, but was stopped by the guards. 

-Let me through! This guy isn't Supéfac Vik! He's an impostor! the Pegasus struggled. 

But the guards wouldn't let him pass. He tried to reason with them, but none of them would listen. Azur let out a whinny of rage and charged the armed platoon. They warned him to stop or they would open fire. Sweating, the Pegasus watched the false Supéfac climb quickly into the aircraft, the little black box in his arms. He glanced fearfully at the Pegasus, who confirmed his doubts. The man was an impostor.

-He's going to get away with the fragments! Do something!" he began again, trying to force his way through, this time with his teeth. 

-If you persist in trying to get through, I'll order my men to shoot you on sight! replied the captain of the group of soldiers blocking his way. 

-You're on his side, aren't you? Are you with him too? began Azur. He stinks of death, can't you smell it? He's put perfume on to hide the smell, but behind it is the smell of decay! Have you ever seen a Lipution wearing perfume? 

The soldiers looked at each other, a little disconcerted. Some seemed to realize that what the Pegasus was saying made sense. The captain, however, was adamant. 

-You're tired from your long journey, and I understand that it's difficult to accept parting with these fragments for which you risked your life, but they're in good hands, I guarantee it. 

The Pegasus curled up its lips to show its sharp fangs to the captain, who froze in horror at the sight. 

-And if anything happens to the fragments, you'll guarantee it with your life? As you say, we risked our lives for these fragments. How do you think we'll feel once they fall into Zorkiel's hands because of you? It'll be too late to do anything about it! 

The captain swallowed. He seemed to be hesitating, but kept his weapon trained on the Pegasus' forehead. In the distance, Azur saw the false Supéfac enter the aircraft. He was about to leave. In a desperate attempt, the Pegasus tried again to break through the wall of armed men and women blocking him, but his strength failed him and he barely managed to make them take two steps back. He was too exhausted to fight back. 

Then he heard the sound of wings above him. He looked up to see Meica flying over the armed platoon and landing just behind them. From there, she galloped as fast as she could to the aircraft, whose door was closing. At the same time, Azur saw a soldier raise his weapon in the direction of the Pegasus and rush to stop him firing. 

-NO! he shouted at the same time. 

A shot went off, but he had managed to counter it and the bullet ended up in the ceiling of the spaceport. For her part, Meica was two strides away from the aircraft. She jumped up and blocked the door with her left foreleg. Without waiting, she inserted her head into the slot and grabbed the black box held by the Supéfac. Surprised, he had no time to defend himself and the Pegasus turned to join Azur when another shot rang out. 

This time, the bullet tore into the Pegasus' neck, piercing her dragon skin, which offered no protection against the ultra-hard-hitting bullets developed by the organization. She barely had time to throw the box in Azur's direction before she collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from her wound. 

-MEICA!" shouted the Pegasus, who threw himself forward. 

But again the military stopped him. Carried away by anger, he struggled like hell, wounding a man with his powerful jaw. He reached the black box lying on the ground, but again a soldier intercepted him. 

-STOP IT!" ordered the captain who still had him in his sights. 

Opposite him, the false Supéfac looked completely panicked. He rushed out of the aircraft and stumbled on the steps trying to get down quickly. He then stumbled to the box containing the fragments. On the way, Azur saw a finger from his right hand fall off. He couldn't move his left arm either. And his attitude was not that of a Supéfac. 

These guardians of intergalactic platforms were over-trained never to give in to panic and to keep their cool even in the most delicate situations. Seeing him run and stumble, completely panicked, confirmed what the Pegasus thought. Something had taken possession of his body. 

As he reached out to pick up the box lying on the floor, he toppled forward and hit his head. One of his legs was unresponsive, and he pulled on it to try and put it back in its place. Seeing the strange scene unfold before their eyes, the soldiers began to have doubts. As the captain watched the man with intrigue, running footsteps were heard. Epine and Inja came up behind the group, out of breath. 

-What's going on here? What's all the fuss about?" asked Epine, who pulled her glasses up over her nose as if to hide her annoyance. 

Inja stepped forward too, then rushed forward when she saw the pegasus lying on the ground in a pool of blood. 

-MEICA! MEICA ANSWER ME! ANSWER ME! 

She took the pegasus' head in her lap, her trembling hands roaming over its sweaty fur. She was still breathing. 

-FAST, CALL A PHYSICIAN! she shouted to the group standing there in the confusion, like a cat thrown into a basin of water. 

Taking advantage of the angel's distraction, the false Supéfac grabbed the box and straightened up to get back to the docked aircraft. He limped to the door, but eventually his leg gave out. With barely a backward glance, he threw himself as best he could onto the steps leading up to the aircraft under the bewildered gaze of the military. 

DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY, SHOOT!" was Azur's impatience, as he was fed up with the immobility of the men-at-arms.

Seeing that they still didn't react, he tried again to free himself from their grip, when he saw Epine pull a pistol from her blazer and aim it at the man who was trying to escape. Without a second's hesitation, she fired two shots. The false Lipution collapsed to the ground, but no red liquid escaped from his wounds. He tried to get to his feet and climbed another step. 

Once again, Epine fired. This time, the arm holding the box separated from his body. With a groan, the false Supéfac tried to turn to retrieve it, but his body rolled down the steps, too atrophied to respond to his commands. This time, Azur put all her strength into her movement and managed to break through the human barrier that prevented her from passing. Ile threw himself forward and grabbed the black box to which the false Supéfac's hand was still attached. 

Without waiting, he returned to Epine, who still had his gun pointed at the fugitive. 

-No! No, give it back! It's mine!" protested the impostor with a grunt. 

Epine took a quick look at the arm hanging from the box and confirmed the Pegasus' fears. 

-This man has been dead for some time, his body in an advanced state of decomposition. It's not Supéfac Vik but an impostor who has taken his place. 

The soldiers looked at him in dismay, as if they couldn't believe what they were hearing. Azur swallowed her anger. They had more pressing matters to deal with at the moment. The false Supéfac, who knew he had been discovered, sneered. 

-You won't be able to open the box anyway," he grumbled, barely comprehensible. The whole body seemed to give out. Then something shapeless came out of his mouth. Azur made a disgusted face, so shapeless and foul was the pile of flesh. Epine fired at the thing, but it moved with incredible speed. 

She fired three more shots in the hope that at least one would wound it, but the thing's speed was incredible. It disappeared into the aircraft, which closed and began to take off automatically. 

-What are you waiting for? FIRE!" ordered the director to the soldiers, who had been stunned by the scene unfolding before their eyes. 

A host of bullets rained down on the machine, but most of them ricocheted. It was a state-of-the-art aircraft designed to protect high-ranking individuals and important objects. Seeing how ineffective the shots were, Epine swore and headed for the control tower. She activated her chip and shouted into the voice MIE. 

-Close the pontoons, close all accesses to the high-security spaceport, FAST! He must not escape! 

She ran towards the tower while the soldiers continued to fire. Ahead of them, the aircraft was moving away. The access doors opened, but too late. It slipped through the still visible opening and disappeared into intergalactic space. 

-DAMN! YOU REALLY ARE ALL INCAPABLE! she shouted at the soldiers who had been watching helplessly.

She shook her head and called out to the curious pilots who had come to see what was going on. 

-Assemble an emergency team to follow the runaway! We must intercept him before he reaches his destination, or we'll never be able to open the box! 

The pilots activated, and a group of three pilots and five members of the intergalactic militia jumped into an emergency aircraft, designed and equipped for situations like this. Without waiting, they activated the craft and took off immediately. 

Azur, the box still in his mouth, headed for Inja and Meica. He was quickly overtaken by a team of rescuers heading for the injured woman. He arrived in the middle of the noisy crowd, looking haggard. Meica lay unconscious on the floor. Electrodes on her skin were trying to revive her with electric shocks. Inja was in tears, her friend's head still on her lap. 

The medical team repeated the operation a dozen times, then gave up. A deathly silence fell over the spaceport, barely disturbed by the angel's sobs. With an apologetic gesture, a nurse nodded before ordering his team to remove the electrodes. Defeated, the medical team withdrew in silence. 

Then Inja's sobs of pain pierced the veil of death that had settled over the harbor. Azur stood there, stunned. Not far from them, the body of Supéfac Vik lay on the ground, half dismembered and rotting. With the black box in his mouth, he stared at the scene in despair. He had just lost a dear friend. Meica was dead.