Chapter 6: Doing Physics Is Bad, M'Kay?
Lelouch approached the girl that managed to cause his death five times. Nina Einstein. During all these years, FLEIJA remained his main threat, his kryptonite, and every time he went back in time Lelouch's top priority was to stop her from developing this nuclear weapon. Of course, she wasn't exactly the only responsible for this, since Schneizel had been funding a research team in Nuclear Physics to try to exploit the fission of the big atoms.
They just needed a seventeen year old student to be their leader in order to get some proper results.
It seemed like Physics researchers and Japanese terrorists weren't that different.
"Hey Nina." Lelouch said casually, approaching the shy girl. "What are you doing on your computer?"
She was staring at the virtually modeled U235 schema on her computer, and some differential equations whose role was to calculate the particle's speed or something complicated.
"Nuclear Physics." She replied, without even looking away from the screen. "I've found a surprisingly high result of the Energy while virtually bombarding neutrons to …"
Lelouch sighed. 'Ah, scientists. They jubilate when they find a high level of Energy, but they never set a foot in the World I know. They are clever, but they never truly understand the geopolitical issues behind these discoveries.'
While Lelouch was busy thinking, Nina kept saying her Physician explanation. "… And that's why I need to have some help from the Science department, in order to make some concrete experiences."
He cleared his throat, finally getting Nina's attention.
"You know, I can fix you up with Euphemia." Lelouch decided to say.
Nina looked at him oddly.
"Who?"
He cursed internally. 'Oh yeah, I forgot, my half-sister hasn't been introduced yet. Oh, well, time for Plan B…'
"Listen, Nina, I know that you're introverted and you consider Physics and science in general as the most important things in the world but …"
She blinked. "But?"
"This recent discovery of yours could provoke great disasters in this World." He said wisely. "I'm sure the adults who rule us will find a deadly use for this invention. After all, the adults are stupid enough to trigger wars for such a petty thing than power. That's why I'm telling you to stop your researches."
"But you don't understand!" She shouted desperately. "Science is all I got! It's easy for you to judge me when your road is paved with gold! On the contrary, I …" She lowered her gaze. "My intelligence, it's everything I have…"
"Exactly." Lelouch retorted. "Intelligence is your best quality, but is it a good thing for you to show it to society? The same society that left you behind just because you showed imperfections? I'm telling you how everything will happen for you if you continue in this path: One day, Britannia will find your researches and take an interest in them. They know how to manipulate you, they'll help you realizing your experiments, your dreams of an amazing Energy source, and will use it to create a weapon of mass destruction. Then they will use it, and at this precise moment, you'll realize that I was right. They'll kill millions of people right in front of you, and you'll begin to say hypocritical things like 'If only I had known, I should have become a watchmaker'."
Nina gaped like a fish for a few moments, astonished by Lelouch's speech.
"Do you understand what I'm saying?" He continued coldly. "The adults don't give a damn about your self-fulfillment; they only care about getting more power for themselves. That's why I'm telling you to use your cleverness for other things way more harmless and way more developmental for you than Nuclear Physics."
Nina and Lelouch stared at each other for a moment. The brown-haired teenage scientist was digesting Lelouch's words. It was a hard decision for her to stop her researches on the subject, but Lelouch had some good arguments… Nina decided that she would make her hard decision by using common sense, objectivity and reason.
"Besides." Lelouch continued. "If you create a weapon for Britannia, the other countries will try to kidnap you. The Chinese Federation, especially…"
She widened her eyes. "What?"
He nodded. "Yeah. And it is widely known that they have bonds with the terrorists in this Area. The Chinese will probably send Elevens to capture you…."
"Then I don't want to be a scientist anymore!" Nina squealed intstantly, closing her eyes.
It was really rare for Lelouch to play with fear in order to gain what he wanted, but he was satisfied.
At least in his twenty-first life, he wouldn't have to worry about FLEIJAs for at least five years.
It was a completely selfish action, because he was doing it for his own well-being and nothing else.
But the fact remained that Lelouch made another great service for humanity.
