Chapter 183: The ‘Parasite Code’ Left Behind by Chamonidine [Part 1]
Falvey led Cillin to a low-rise semi circular building. Without a word, he started the ID inspection process and caused a scanner display to pop out of the door. After the duo was scanned and their IDs were confirmed, they entered the building and took the lift straight up to the fifth floor. They arrived beside a door.
“Father, I’ve brought him over.” Falvey said.
The door opened with a beep after Falvey’s voice.
An old man sat inside the room. In reality he wasn’t that old, he just had a full head of white hair and looked like he had gone through a lot in his life. Judging from Falvey’s hair color, Nata should not have a head filled with white hair, so it could only be an acquired change.
Age wise, Nata might not necessary be much older than Barthus or Songba Leruo. However, it would seem that fifty years in prison were an ordeal to Nata.
“Father.” Falvey’s face grew much gentler when he was facing Nata. The feeling of estrangement from before was gone.
Nata gave a smile that was completely different from Falvey’s. Nata’s smile was very cordial, although for some reason his current smile had a very vague hint of sadness in it. Perhaps it was because he had just returned from Sector S.
Nata was holding a book when Cillin and Falvey had come in. It was a printed book that looked rather old.
“Take a seat, Cillin.” Nata pointed at a chair at the side and turned to Falvey, “You may leave first. I will call you later.”
Falvey opened his mouth, but chose to say nothing in the end. He left in silence, but there was a shred of reluctance in his eyes.
After Falvey left, Nata examined Cillin closely once more. He looked like he was looking at a junior he valued greatly.
“I never thought that the Sixth B Squadron could produce someone like you.” Nata sighed.
Cillin was puzzled. A person like me? What kind of person are we talking about exactly?
Nata smiled again when he saw Cillin’s puzzlement. He asked, “You’ve read some of Chamonidine’s notebooks in Enji’s possession, haven’t you?”
Cillin nodded.
Enji was brought up by Chamonidine, and Chamonidine was originally a member of the Third B Squadron.
Nata felt like sighing a little. He had taken it pretty hard when he heard of Enji’s death earlier. The original group was almost all gone. Back then Chamonidine was even relieved by the fact that he had transferred Enji to the Sixth B Squadron, but in the end they weren’t able to meet each other after he came out of Sector S.
Nata stood up and said to Cillin, “Come with me.”
This place was probably Nata’s private property. After going through a few doors, Nata had led Cillin into a study. Yes, it was a study.
Many of the books here were printed, and most of them were notebooks, diaries and pertinent records.
Some of them looked almost just the same as the few books Cillin had in his possession. They were probably Chamonidine’s belongings.
“Most of the books in Enji’s possession are duplicates and incomplete. All of Chamonidine’s records on the research of parasites are here. Right, there’s also that.” Nata took out a thick notebook from a closet. The notebook was half electronic and half paper, different from the other normal printed books. It was similar to some published newspapers where the images on the paper were movable.
Cillin carefully accepted the thick notebook from Nata for a look after he saw the cherishing look on his face. Cillin did not open the book and look at its contents immediately, and instead looked at Nata with puzzlement.
Nata explained, “This is the opus Chamonidine was never able to complete. We call it ‘Parasite Code’. There are many kinds of parasites recorded inside the book, and almost all of them were seen with his own eyes while Chamonidine was performing missions with the squad everywhere in the galaxy. The records are incomplete however, and many in-depth researches to be conducted were cut short. One reason was that there wasn’t much idle time to research a particular parasite, and the other reason was that he was working with limited resources. Back then, there were many people including the original members of the Third B Squadron who had doubts about Chamonidine’s parasite research. Then the incident happened fifty years ago, and everything came to a stop.”
“Then, you mean…”
“Cillin, whenever you think to research anything in this respect, you may pay this place a visit whenever you want. Although some of these documents were considered classified by the regiment and should not be given access to non-key researchers, most of the A Squadron’s research personnel are not working on a project in this respect. In order to keep Chamonidine’s research findings from being wasted, I’ve decided to share these data with you.”
“Although I am very glad to be given access to these materials and to read senior Chamonidine’s research findings, but can you please explain your intentions a little clearer to me, senior Nata?” even now Cillin still did not understand where Nata was going with this. Was he planning to have him take over Chamonidine’s research project and continue his research? But Cillin was the Sixth B Squadron’s lieutenant commander right now. While he couldn’t claim to be swamped by work on a daily basis, but he definitely did not have much free time to research this specifically either.
Nata shook his head, “I simply did not wish to see Chamonidine’s research go to waste. In reality, there are very few people who truly understands the value of ‘Parasite Code’, and I am one of them. Perhaps it is because I don’t understand these things. However, when the incident was over the admiral* classified ‘Parasite Code’ as a secret document, and no one knew about this record’s existence barring some key research personnel. Most of the people who knew about it had died fifty years ago.” Nata’s voice sank a little when he said this. He had obviously recalled the bad memories of the past.
*or colonel-in-chief. Army wise, the head of a regiment should be a colonel, but Vanguard is not the army and the highest rank of a fleet is admiral, hence the choice. I am happy to correct my mistake if someone believes that I’ve made a mistake here.
“You think too highly of me.” Cillin wasn’t really overjoyed by Nata’s words. Nata was a person who had just returned from Sector S. On what basis did he think so highly of Cillin’s abilities? There was no way it was because of Enji. From Enji’s diary, Cillin knew that Enji wasn’t all too important in Nata’s eyes. If it wasn’t for Chamonidine, Enji would not have entered Nata’s eyes at all.
While caressing a notebook, Nata said slowly, “After I came back, I was no longer commander of the Third B Squadron and had entered the A Squadron straight away. Logically speaking, I should not be bothering myself with these things any longer. However, Chamonidine was a good friend, and before he passed away, he transferred all of his research findings to me. I have a right to decide what to do with these data; it is the responsibility I have chosen to bear after all. I believe that these things that he valued so much must be of incredible value. Even during the time I was in prison, I would often think: what should I do to make them shine?
After I came back, I learned about Vanguard’s current situation, and came to realise your achievements, Cillin. Marthus and Songba Leruo had communicated with me, and they both knew that I am rather concerned in news related to parasites. That is why they’ve recommended you to me, Cillin. That being said, it wasn’t until I checked your data that I realise just how far your abilities had exceeded my expectations.”
While saying this, Nata brought up a piece of information. Cillin was very familiar with the data flashing across the screen. It was the data on the two parasites he used to eliminate ‘Poison Fang’ back then. The analysis was incredibly detailed. The A Squadron’s key research institute had probably conducted an in-depth research into the two parasites’ samples since back then, or they could not possibly have obtained such a detailed conclusion.
“According to the explanation provided by the research institute, both kinds of parasites had been purposely implanted with a series of death inducing genes. The parasite would perish as long as a segment of the series of death inducing genes was activated, and the deciding factor of this trigger was time…”
It was true. Although that planet was filled with the parasites Cillin and the gray cat had unleashed at the time, there was a decline point in the life cycles of both parasites. This decline point was the time when the death inducing genes were activated, and once triggered the parasites and its colony would slowly decline and die out. Cillin had no wish for the entire planet to become the parasites’ nest, because if that happened Vanguard would be hardpressed to bring the planet fully under control. Not everyone had a constitution like Cillin’s, and a rare species of space like the gray cat was difficult to come by even in ten thousand years.
Nata couldn’t help but grin after he said that, “You don’t know this, but your former commander, Seru was bursting with joy when he talked about you.”
This time Cillin was truly surprised. This was the first time he heard of their former commander, Seru’s opinion about him. He didn’t think that their former commander was still paying attention to them.
“Oh, I guess you probably don’t know much about Seru. He just doesn’t like to brag about, that’s all. I heard that Seru was the one who escorted the military spy who went undercover in Poison Fang, Emmus, to negotiate his release with the military. He was so happy he could die back then.”
In reality, those who had been promoted to the A Squadron would often pay attention to the news of their former B Squadron. When they met up with one another, they would compare their B Squadrons like a parent talking about their own children. After all, who wouldn’t want to talk about the glorious achievements of their own children? They couldn’t wait to boast even their slightest achievements. However, Seru was gloomy for a few years, and during the low times of the Sixth B Squadron, Seru had the impulse to kick down the Sixth B Squadron’s door and beat the shit out of those disappointing brats every time he talked about the squad with Barthus and the others.
However, Seru had gotten increasingly cocky ever since the Sixth B Squadron had gotten out of Sector Z. When Cillin was added into the mix, forget Seru, even Barthus and Songba Leruo praised Cillin a lot.
Talents and abilities weren’t something that could be gotten just because you wanted too.
“Do whatever you want. Seru had said that you are the only one who had some drive in you in the entire Sixth B Squadron right now. Back then, Seru had led the Sixth B Squadron in a way that did not promote much independence. They were completely reliant on him, the commander. As a consequence, those who were left behind immediately lost drive the moment Seru was promoted to the A Squad.” Nata said sincerely and earnestly.
Nata told Cillin that he could come over and check the data anytime he had a need. Everything in the study was taken over from Chamonidine, and the average person might not even have the privilege to read the duplicate copies of these documents, much less the original. Naturally, Cillin knew about this. There was no chance that he was letting a boon like the right to read Chamonidine’s research findings and relevant records slip by him.