Operation Smoke Screen -

[Zen_Mechanics]

The last thing David sees before the lance takes him full in the chest is the glint in his opponent's eyes behind the visor. He should have been concentrating on

his own lance-tip, guiding it onto its target in the split second before the riders pass. But he has always been more interested in the techniques of the joust than

in its outcome. What makes a participant successful? Quick reactions? Absence of fear? An unusual ability to concentrate?

A few seconds later, Samuel was already standing over him, grinning.

"You're not getting any better," he said. "That's eight in a row."

"Good on you!" David said hoarsely, shaking his head. He felt in mild shock, and in pain from psychosomatic bruising. He pulled himself up, brushing aside the

headpiece and inhales his mystical powder..

"Why do you think that is?" he asked.

"Easy," Samuel replied. "You're half-hearted - or scared, if you don't mind my saying so."

"And you're not scared?" said David.

"Why should I be?" Samuel answered. "It's only a simulation."

And that, thought David, was part of the problem. How could one really understand the subtleties of jousting - or of real combat, if it came to that - when those

taking part knew there was absolutely no danger of their being hurt or killed? You needed a vessel - which completely removed awareness of their being small

and helpless.

David's work as a combat instructor had led him to the same conclusion on several occasions. David had put out feelers to various factions, "Outcasts"

included, in the hope that one of them would have made a helpful breakthrough in countering what he had come to think of as the "awareness problem". None

had. Indeed he was given to understand that even Cardamine conflicted with established ethical standards: entirely removing the ability to tell what was real

risked creating lasting psychoses. After a number of futile runs with various unsatisfactory products, David was ready to abandon the whole approach.

As far as I'm concerned," David said, "I want a clear distinction between real fear and fear of being minor"

After taking his usual beer pong game with Samuel, a woman suddenly apporached them. She was stocky, dark-haired with flattish features, but not

unattractive, and with a surprisingly firm handshake.
She was the technical assistant of Livadia's production facilities, "Kelly" was her name. She gave David one of her curious, lop-sided smiles, peeping sideways

through long, dark hair from her station across the aisle. A quiet woman, perhaps in her early thirties, she had come to them from a small but expanding

BorderWorld company based in Bering. She claimed to have met David, though he couldn't remember it, at a conference run by the "Zoner Corps "Interaction

and Cooperation between Combat and Sciences". Apparently he had made an impression.

Her Security card had revealed extensive experience as an econometric modeller both on academic projects and for governmental bodies. Why she had

decided to leave this high-profile field for the relative backwater of Livadia was not clear. She was obviously brilliant. Perhaps she had hit a glass ceiling.

Perhaps she had felt too old in a field teeming with teenage geniuses, or fools?

According to Samuel - who did not get on particularly well with the older woman - beneath her shy exterior Kelly was seething with frustrated ambition, feminist

resentment or lust, or perhaps all three. He doubted her ideas could amount to much. Anyway, he too, was working on a new approach.


"I am Kelly" she said with an accent David couldn't quite place. "We understand what you look for...A ship that delievers fear and horror

David nodded.

"You look to become stronger and more secure than before, Yes?"

David nodded again.

"But is dangerous to do such things around here, And I don't expect the local administration to welcome any un-scheduled production, but then again rules

were meant to be broken and what comes from the underground;stays there"

David realised he was, in principle, interested.

"How?" he asked.

"Answer is pre-con-dit-ion-ingg," Kelly answered, each syllable of the word stressed as if she were spelling it out. "You get me the blueprints and I will provide

you with an advanced technology never seen before"

If that were really so, David thought, This could be "it".

Despite some excitement, David told himself to proceed with caution. It could all be untested theory, or even some kind of scam



Two more questions," he said, looking straight at Kelly. "Where exactly are your facilities? And how much will it cost? You probably know my budget is limited.

"Right here" Kelly replied. "The lower decks of livadia belong to me and it has plenty of space and equipment to get the job done".
"We charge only very small percentage of your budget. Main cost, in fact, is the engine".

David was only mildly surprised.

"Well, fortunately I don't have much of a team," said David. "In fact I'm probably the only one that needs this. All the preliminary work can be done here."

"I know this" Kelly replied, So.. do we have an understanding?"

"Yes," he echoed, "I think we do have deal…a deal - subject, what subject? of course, to tender documents, estimates, contract and so on... and.. what?. How

do you want to proceed?"

Kelly rose from the table and held out her hand.

"I need you to send your ship requirements and blueprints, including documents tomorrow, Me and my staff will begin working on it as soon as it arrives. Thank

you. Is nice to meet you."

And following another firm handshake, and without turning back, Kelly left.


Next morning, David woke up all swetting as if someone beat him all night and struggled him, he had a weird sensation, as if someone touched him during the night. He quickly rushed out from the bed and called his personal assistant to ready the designs. "But what should it look like" he thougth".. he then casualiy looks over the ceilling and theres an ancient painting of an eagle. This could work, so he imagined.


Reminder to put the other part, Nov10

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Were fools to make war on our brothers in arms.