Translate by DeepL (sorry)
Chapter 16: Quarrels and challenges
She stood up and headed for the door. As soon as Jack knocked on the door, it opened, revealing the young woman.
-"To what do I owe this late visit?"
-"It's not that late. I'd like to talk to you", Jack remarked.
Jack didn't know how to tell her. He was searching for the right words when she invited him in. But he was clumsy all the same. He told her he was worried about her isolation. Angéla reassured him that she wasn't avoiding them. It was just that she wasn't used to living in a community. She promised him, as she had promised Cameron, not to isolate herself so much for the rest of the trip. Jack left her thirty minutes later, reassured. The interview had gone well.
Everyone was in their respective rooms, and silence settled in. Even the ship made no noise as it sped along. Before going to bed, Angéla checked the ship's trajectory for the second time; it was moving along at a good pace in the immense galaxy. Unfortunately, Sam didn't want to push the engines 'as they hadn't been used for a long time'. So it was moving slower than its true capacity. Reassured, she lay down. And her gaze lingered on the red dot that was gradually moving in a curved line towards their destination. She wondered what awaited them at the end of these lines. The red dot gradually hypnotized her.
Angéla woke up, putting an end to a restless sleep. Like every morning, she jogged, but this time alone. Mitchell was having trouble getting up this morning, apparently. She'd been running for 20 minutes when she noticed that the stars in the plot had changed their viewpoint again, not only on the ceiling but also on the walls. She assumed they were changing as they progressed through space. Soon, she hoped, they would see their destination. After this short pause, she set off again. She set her strides at a steady pace, counting in her head as she passed through the many corridors she now knew well, without really paying attention. The ship knew her too. Doors opened as she passed, so she didn't even need to slow down. She finished her jog with a sprint towards the cafeteria, her jog shorter than usual, but in this confined space, there was only so much she could do without falling into monotony. She took the opportunity to pick up an apple as a snack from the supplies they had brought from the Montana base. It was too early for breakfast, no one was up yet, and she didn't want to eat alone in the eerie silence. She also took a hot chocolate and sat cross-legged in her favorite spot in front of the aquarium, waiting to catch her breath. She bit into her apple, but stopped. In front of her, an animal was staring at her. It was a kind of balloon-shaped fish, but also resembled a sea urchin. Long spines ran along its oval body. It looked like a transition from sea urchin to fish or teleost. Perhaps this animal challenged the theory of evolution: Neo-Darwinism in favor of Darwin's 1859 theory of transitional forms between species. She fell into intense reflection, for in this new world, unanswered questions could be resolved, such as the creation of the universe, or indeed the evolution of species. Until now, the fish had only passed them by. This mutual observation didn't last, as the fish continued on its way as if nothing had happened or it hadn't seen her. She ignored him too, and decided to return to her room. But as she passed the infirmary, she heard a thud, as if something had fallen or someone was banging against the wall. She stopped dead in her tracks. Vala's idea that the ship was haunted crossed her mind. The noise had obviously faded away and she hadn't had time to pinpoint its precise location. She assumed it was coming from the infirmary. She hesitated to go back there, but wanted to be sure. No one had been back there. But curiosity got the better of her, and she entered the room. There was nothing there. Nothing had fallen, nothing had moved. But she lingered in the room all the same. She went to the control console and learned that there had been a problem with her blood test, as she had suspected on arrival. It had detected the virus and recognized it as strain DIA999. It must have been a classification code. The database was well aware of its virulence and toxicity. It was classified in the database as a very dangerous virus, highly transmissible by simple contact. In fact, in the 20th century, this virus had caused the most deadly infectious disease, killing millions of people - around 30 million between 1918 and 1919.
We'd managed to eradicate it thanks to naturally immune people, but unfortunately, they'd been few and far between. On Earth, this plague was known as the Spanish Flu, the H1N1 strain.
Angéla remembered very well the circumstances of her contamination. But now was not the time to remember. The database hadn't yielded the cure, since the program had stopped its research beforehand. She wondered why. But for the moment, Angéla didn't want a cure, but she did want to erase the data on her. But the system wouldn't let her. She deleted what she could. Then she left the room. The noise was coming from somewhere else. She came face to face with the famous closed door. She pressed her ear against the door, hoping to hear something. But she knew in advance that this was impossible, given the thickness of the armored door. Yet her intuition told her she wasn't mistaken. The noise was coming from the other side, if not from somewhere else. And since the noise hadn't been repeated, she didn't insist, she let it go. Time was running out, the others would soon be up and she wanted to take a shower. So she went back to her room. As she undressed, she looked at herself in the mirror and saw that her eyes were tired and practically gone. She looked pale. What's more, those white streaks were getting thicker, much to her dismay and regret. She remembered Daniel's remark. She made a decision. Forty minutes later, she got out of the shower and looked at herself again in the mirror. She was rather pleased with the result. She'd wanted to do it for a long time, but her studies wouldn't let her. She wouldn't be getting any more remarks about her hair color, well almost. She smiled, imagining the looks on other people's faces. Her new color made her even younger. She had decided to dye her hair to hide its white color. It was as if she'd gone back to her daredevil teenage years. She smoothed her hair into a point, as she did when she went out, so that it ended in a curl outwards, as if she'd put her hand in a plug. She began to daydream about the crazy years she wished she'd never left, which weren't all that long ago. She left the bathroom still wrapped in a cotton towel and headed for her bag to look for some loose-fitting clothes. Once ready, she went to the library where she had an appointment with Mitchell for a game of chess. She passed Sam and John on the way and they looked at each other, Sam looking pleased with her new haircut and John surprised if not shocked.
Daniel quietly ate his lunch as Jack O arrived.
-"What's up? Daniel".
-"Nothing new. I just can't concentrate when Vala's around".
-"Yeah, she's got that effect on everybody", Jack laughed.
-"Yeah"
-"In fact, where have they all gone?"
-'"I don't know," Daniel said.
-"Well, they can't be far away, since we're all in the same boat".
-"Well, I've got to go, I'm going to start studying the contents of the amulet in the hope that it will help me with the prophecy".
-"You really think it's worth paying attention to?"
-"Yes, we can't neglect anything".
-"I'll go with you, I can help you with my open mind", Jack suggested.
-"Well, if you like, a fresh pair of eyes could help me, and I can see you've got nothing else to do".
-"yeah, I couldn't find Teal'c".
-"Oh, I see", Daniel said, rising to his feet. "I thought so too".
Daniel, followed by Jack, headed for the library, which was now Daniel's regular place of work. As they approached, they heard voices and laughter. Daniel, astonished, entered the room. The scene before him seemed like something out of an old movie from the 70s. Indeed, everyone was seated around the piano, either on the footstools or in a chair, or even on the piano in Sam's case. Angéla played a tune while Sam sang and Vala clapped her hands, laughing. From time to time, everyone would repeat the chorus. Jack and Mitchell whistled to encourage them to sing along. As they entered, Sam sang a Madonna song. She sang breathtakingly. Her voice bewitched everyone, and then Angéla took over. It was a duet. Their voices were clear and in perfect harmony. They resonated throughout the room. At last, they were all bathed in an unearthly light. Daniel and Jack O waited until the end of the song to make their presence felt. They didn't want to break the spell. Sam finished the song. They burst out laughing as Jack O applauded him. He broke the spell. All activity ceased and he turned back to the two intruders.
-"Hey General", Sam said cheerfully. Her cheeks were flushed as Jack stared at her intently.
- "Can you sing us a tune?" Angela asked , wanting to erase Sam's annoyance.
-"I've got to work", Daniel said.
-"Come on Daniel, just for a few minutes, you can leave your manuscripts for a while", Vala said. "Don't be shy".
-"Come on, Jack, you've got an old army song", Angéla said.
-"Not that I remember, maybe because we were trying to be discreet", Jack replied.
-"Well, in that case, there's nothing more to do here", getting up.
-"Wait for our chess game", Mitchell indicated.
-"Ah yes, that's right, that's what I came for".
-"I seem to have ruined the mood", Jack said to Teal'c as everyone dispersed.
-"Indeed, but we couldn't force you to sing".
-"Speaking of which, you're doing pretty well, Colonel".
Which made Sam blush.
-"I think I'll go back to what I was doing", Sam said, disappearing as quickly as possible.
-"What's going on here?" Jack said to Teal'c. "I'll leave you alone for ten minutes and you can have a party, dancing on the table".
-"There's no table", Teal'c remarked.
-"I know, it's just an expression", Jack grumbled.
-"Mitchell talked to Angela and you too about his isolation, and this is the result".
-"But I wasn't thinking about that, Teal'c".
-"And then you put the hierarchy labels back on, and called Sam Colonel again".
-"Yes, and that's normal".
-"Yes, but you abandoned him with Angela and then with the others too, including Sam".
-"Really? I did that and she got used to it...pf", Jack sighed, understanding the situation.
-"I think she liked this new complicity in the team and that everything was so simple between you. And then, with Angéla, you put protocol to one side".
-"Normally it's easier with Angela, who's my superior. Sam must think I'm macho by now", Jack concluded.
-"Indeed. And thanks to your intervention, they're still isolated. The team is still broken up", Teal'c remarked.
-"Yeah, the team will survive".
Just a few steps away.
-"Black or white?" Angéla asked.
-"Hm ...White, it doesn't make any difference anyway because I'm going to lose again".
-"No, because I have to let you win".
-"Ah ah very funny, I was joking", Mitchell said as he settles down opposite her. "But it's true that you play rather well".
-"Pretty good! I'm the best".
-"I meant piano".
-"Oh yeah, I'm pretty good at it, I've got it in my fingertips, it's almost innate, my mother...taught me everything. She taught me how to read sheet music. She also taught me to open my mind when I played. She used to say that melody could be the expression of your soul, of your desires. Even the heartbeat has its own rhythm, its own unique music. The music of your soul could heal the most serious wounds. She also said that you put a little bit of yourself in when you played or sang, a little part of you, like in a spell, especially when the music was perfectly played".
-"Your mother must have been a wise woman".
-"Yes, she was, in every sense of the word", Angéla laughed.
- ?
-"In the village where I was born, she was ... let's say a wise woman".
-" mage? as in witch ?' Mitchell said, intrigued.
-"No! She delivered babies", Angéla laughed." She always knew when it was the right time, and she could also sense the baby's state of health. You watch too many films, witch, you're talking nonsense".
-"A midwife then".
- "Yeah, except we called her a wise woman. You've got too much imagination to think my mother's a witch".
-"We've seen so much".
-"But you can't believe it!"
-"We met a dragon and it seemed real".
- "A dragon?" Angéla said, startled.
-"Yes, and if someone tells me Harry Potter exists, I'm ready to believe it".
-"I read that mission report, it was a hologram, you're naive Cameron. There are some things that just don't exist".
-"Not so much, you exist".
-"I'm not a witch", Angéla complained, whispering and gritting her teeth.
-"I know, but you know what I mean, and you're the one who started with sage-mage. What's mage for anyway?"
-"I don't really know. I didn't live there enough but I know there were degrees like in judo with the belts. You start a trade as an apprentice and then you become a master like a professional and..."
-"Mage must be the boss".
-"Perhaps. But from what I remember, there were very few. It's like a Paddawan and the Jedi Master".
-"What would you be now if you were still there?" Mitchell asked out of curiosity.
-"I don't know, I'm gone for good and I don't want to go back, at least not before I die. I'll be buried there, that's the tradition",Angéla explained .
-"You don't have a clue".
-"No, I chose a different path that my mother wanted, that's all".
-"Which one? Military, of course".
-"No".
- "No?" Mitchell said, surprised because he couldn't think of anything else.
-"I don't feel like talking about it".
-"then it's not the military career".
-"No', repeated Angéla. "It's secondary, let's say a hobby".
-"Secondary. What can you rank better than general".
-"I did an apprenticeship in China", Angéla said simply, as if it were obvious and explained everything.
Mitchell didn't insist. He took a turn and ate Angéla's rider, who smiled.
-"You're doing it on purpose".
-"What? I've made a mistake...I can't see where", Mitchell said, inspecting the tray.
He picked up his rook and put it back in its place. Then he moved his rider.
-"You're really unbelievable. You insist on taking a pawn from me when I've told you the best strategy is to sacrifice pawns to form the trap. And you fall for it every time".
-"I don't see the problem at all", Mitchell said, looking closely at the game.
-"It's normal, in this game you have to anticipate your opponent's moves several turns in advance".
-"I know".
-"Yes, but you only plan one move in advance, whereas I sometimes plan up to 4 moves in advance. Really? You still don't see".
-"No", Mitchell admitted.
-"pff", Angéla sighed as she moved her queen and laid Mitchell's king. "Echec et Math, you're hopeless".
-"I don't understand why!"
-"Because in any case, I've got you, even if you move your king to protect him, you'll sacrifice the queen and you won't have a barrier two moves later, you'll only be avoiding the inevitable end. Go ahead, move as you wish".
-"Okay, I'll eat the queen".
-"Okay, I'll do that".
-"And I'm stuck. What was that you were saying about China?"
-"Sorry you lost".
-"No problem, we'll have our revenge".
-"Ok".
-"You're not going to answer me about China".
-"No, I won't say anything".
-"Then let me guess".
-"If you like", Angéla laughed .
-"Ok then tell me why you don't want to talk about it?"
-"It's ancient history, that was my old life. And I'm not allowed to talk about it".
-"Secret défense?"
-"No, I took an oath".
-"Okay, I'm starting to make assumptions. You said you learned to fight partly in China".
-"Yes" Angéla said as she puts the pieces back in place.
Meanwhile, a few steps away, Jack had joined Daniel.
-"So what's new with this prophecy?"
-"No, it's too vague and I can't concentrate on it. It doesn't mean anything to me".
-"It wouldn't be because of the young lady sitting over there", Jack said, pointing at Angela.
-"No, Jack".
-"Have you spoken to him since?"
-"No, not yet, well not really. Because I always throw in a misplaced retort that spoils the mood".
- ?
-" Such as "I love your new color'"".
-"Ouch, it's true that it's rather clumsy. That's why she changed her hair color, to hide those white streaks. I like it. She looks even more like a...well, you know, with that electric blue hair, like a superhero. Well, at least now you can tell her whether you like her new dye job or not. But don't worry, we're all like that, clumsy when it comes to our feelings, we can't express ourselves properly anymore, we become homo-sapiens-like scatterbrained men. And we end up talking nonsense".
-"You've never wanted to stop",Daniel said pensively, staring at Angéla.
-"All the time, everyone wants to stop talking shit, to stop looking stupid in front of the woman you love", Jack said, remembering his awkwardness whenever he was a little too alone with Sam. There was always an awkwardness between the two of them.
-"I wasn't talking about that".
-"Oh, what were you talking about then?"
-"And you?"
-"To hide our feelings, but we're not talking about that, are we?" Jack said, wanting to cut the conversation short before it went too far. He didn't want to reveal these feelings.
-"No, I was talking about letting it all go",Daniel said , pointing to the room and continuing. "You never wanted to stop these missions, to live a peaceful life".
-"Yes, but every time, I come back at full gallop. The proof, I'm here again".
-"Yes, it's true, but you've never wanted to have a personal life, to start a family".
-"Ah here we are. You're talking about Angéla".
-"Not only that", Daniel confessed. "I left my wife for this project. She died for it. I think it would be good to start a family again. There'll be nothing left of me when I die, because everything we do is secret".
-"And you're thinking of a particular person?" Jack said provokingly. "Okay I'll stop with my teasing". Seeing Daniel's grimaces. " Well for now. To answer your question, of course I'd like to stop, but we're needed and, not to brag, but we're the best".
-"We can be replaced. And now we're involving innocent people, who aren't there for the fun of it like we are".
-"Angéla is not really innocent, who is it how many people she has killed?"
-"No one, at least involuntarily".
-"Really?"
-"she admitted it to me", Daniel said.
-"That's the best, then we'll have a problem", Jack said. "That wasn't planned".
-"We can't force him to kill a person".
-"Yeah. But she's still involved now. I hope she'll do the right thing at the right time in case of danger. And as for the innocent side, that happens sometimes because there are always leaks. Every time we go through the gate, the population is involved, only they don't know it. We've saved their skins several times without them knowing it".
-"It's not just that. I'd like to see more than just missions. Okay, you're always out in nature, discovering new things, but there's more to life than that. Sometimes I'm fed up with this life", Daniel concludes.
-"Oh...you really want to stop after this mission. Take your well-deserved retirement. But you wouldn't see any more manuscripts".
-"I can live without manuscripts, Jack".
-"Really? You're not sick, are you?"
-"I'm not talking about stopping completely, but about slowing down".
-"To be able to have a life on the side. But it's hard to reconcile the two", Jack said. "More you have to find a partner who understands that you come home so late and who doesn't ask too many questions about your job, it's complicated that kind of relationship".
-"Unless she knows what I'm doing".
-"You mean tell him, but that's impossible".
-"Or that she already knows".
-"I can't think of many people who know except..." said Jack, beginning to understand. He imagined Daniel at home, greeted by his wife, Angéla with a big belly, accompanied by her two children, noisy and restless. "Angéla and I don't imagine her as a housewife", erasing the image of pregnant Angéla," but rather as the widow of several men", Jack joked, imagining a widow murdering her husbands. "Well, we'll talk about that after all".
-"Yeah, I'd have to understand that prophecy first, it sounds like a rebus".
-"Cool ! An enigma. Old-timers are little jokers, you know that. They love vague and fanciful explanations".
-"That's right", Daniel said, remembering the invisible labyrinth in the Grail Quest mission.
-"And the tablets?" Jack asked.
-"I still don't know what order to put them in, I was thinking of numbers but they're not numbers, they're children's doodles".
-"I'll leave you alone with your riddles then".
Angéla had beaten Mitchell at chess again. The latter had grilled her on her life in China without getting any more information. She left him alone in front of the board. Jack joined him.
-"I've just had an interesting conversation with Daniel".
-"Oh yes", Mitchell said, putting the pieces back in their place.
-"He wants to stop".
-"Really? but it's her whole life".
-"Not completely, but good".
-"Why?"
-"Starting a family".
-"Then I don't see the problem. He's getting on in years and wants to settle down peacefully'', Mitchell said understandingly.
-"Hum... yes, there is. Because if he's looking for peace... and if he wants to found it with Angéla".
-"I can't see..."
-"Well, he'll be unhappy, she's dying and she's not the type to sit still".
-"But that's what she'd started doing", Mitchell said.
-"Maybe, but she had a hectic life all the same".
-"A game", Mitchell said, pointing to a coin.
-"Why not. It's like when I arrived, you were having a party, she set the mood".
-"Sam too".
-"Would Sam have done it if Angéla hadn't been there? their duet was amazing".
-"Yes".
-"You're letting yourself go, Colonel".
-"That's true, sir, but the important thing is that Angela wasn't isolated, so we weren't going to...".
-"Everything spoiled, yeah apparently I did. But be careful. Where's she going anyway? 'Cause we're here, Sam's in her room and Vala's wandering around the ship looking for something to steal, I guess. So maybe she's alone with John or Jack or both".
-"They won't do anything to him", said Mitchell, starting the game.
-"But it's not her I'm worried about".
-"Ah she won't do anything to them then", Mitchell laughed.
-"Yeah, not so sure".
-"She's already settled the score with".
-"Yes, but only if they provoke it. Anyway, let's talk about other things. But what an idea it was for her to dye her hair blue!" Jack said.
-"I like it".
-"It suits him too, better than those white locks, but it accentuates his strange behavior".
Angéla headed for the gym. Sam's song was still playing in her head. She had changed into her gym clothes just before. She was wearing black jogging pants and a purple sports tank top. This outfit highlighted her new dye job. Once there, she settled down on a cushion. She began to bandage her right knee, which had started to ache again in recent days. Indeed, her cartilage in this area was worn, due to the intensity of her physical exercise and dangerous stunts. She liked windows a little too much. She massaged first, to warm up her weakened joints and muscles, then took a bandage to consolidate the whole.
-"What do you want", Angela said a little abruptly after a moment.
She had sensed that someone had been watching behind her for a few minutes.
-"We need to talk", John said. "We can't stay in this situation".
-"I don't feel like it".
-"So you'll just listen and answer me if you want".
Angéla shrugged her shoulders as John settled across from her, but at a safe distance - you never knew how she'd react. She wrapped the bandage around her knee methodically, careful not to interfere with his movements.
-"Are you in pain?' John said, not wanting to frustrate her from the start.
-"No, it's just embarrassing".
-"No, I meant...", John hesitated.
-"To be here?"
-"Yeah partly for making you come here and...".
-"I don't want to talk about it".
She finished her task by attaching the Velcro to hold the band in place and stood up to test its solidity.
"Jack told me about your identity", John continued. He wanted to know what had happened in her life after their separation. He wanted to study her reaction.
-"What do you mean?", Angéla asked suspiciously.
-"It must be hard not to exist, especially for your loved ones".
-"All my family are dead except my brother and my grandfather, and they know I'm still alive".
-"Yes, but all the same..."
-"What do you want from me?"" Angéla asked , wanting to get this discussion over with.
-"Understand you. You left without saying goodbye. You can put yourself in my place for a moment. You can't imagine the state I was in. I thought the worst. I was supposed to find you..."
-"Come on, you really want to talk about this. Looks like you're the one who's been betrayed. You thought I wouldn't find out about your little scheme. I knew everything from the start, I knew what you were hiding from me and not once did you tell me the truth".
Flash back
Angéla had just returned from a successful mission. She was to retrieve a chemist of French and English nationality from Lithuania. He had been kidnapped two months ago by the Russians, and she had been preparing the mission for two weeks. Now, with John Smith's help, she had succeeded in recovering the hostage that very morning. They had taken refuge in a large hotel in Kaunas, to catch a plane the next morning. She had chosen this hotel for its proximity to the airport. In addition, it offered numerous escape routes, just in case. Finally, it was very lively and many people were staying there. So it was easy to blend in, and the Russians would never attack with so many people around. She checked that the hostage was sleeping well and that there was nothing to report. As a precaution, she made a round of the corridors. Her team-mate kept an eye on the hostage. After a hard day's work, she decided to take a shower and relax at last. The last few days had been tense. She showered, dried off and wrapped a towel around herself. As she was about to leave, she stopped in front of the door and opened it.
-"We've got the package...yes no problem, it was a success...no, we didn't leave any trace...yes, I destroyed them myself...it'll be done...no there won't be any problems...but are you sure you don't want to...ok", John said into the phone. His back was to her.
At this point, Angéla stepped out of the shadows.
-"Who was it?"
-"Our airport contact", said John. "How long have you been back? How have you been?"
-"Yes, nothing to report", Angéla said as she sits on the bed, looking for things in her travel bag.
-"You should rest", John said, settling down behind her.
-"You too", taking a top.
-"And your wound", John said , beginning to massage it;
-"What injury?"
-"I saw you, you were hurt".
-"It's nothing, it's just a scratch".
-"That's what you say, in fact you always say that", John told, letting his hand slide to his shoulder where there was a cut.
Angéla shivered.
-"See, you're hurting",John said, whispering in her ear.
-"What makes you think it was pain that made me react?" laughed Angéla.
-"Ah... indeed it could be something else..., tell me if I'm on the right track", John said, brushing his lips against her neck.
Angéla sighed.
-"I see, or maybe it's a bit of both".
He forced himself to concentrate on the wound. He gently examined it, planted a kiss and disinfected the wound before applying a compress.
-"Maybe we should take a vacation", John suggested.
-"Maybe", Angéla mused, relying completely on John.
Her head on his shoulder, she looked at him intensely. John put his hands on her hips and kissed the hollow of her neck. She was still in her towel and he could feel her body quivering at his touch.
-"What do you think...of him", John asked, pointing to the next room.
-"He's sleeping, he won't hear us and he won't run away".
-"No, I mean his situation. He still sold important information to the Russians".
-"He was tricked into thinking his family was in danger. Then you complain because he betrayed England more than France. And we have an agreement".
-"Yes, but he knows too much and he's dangerous".
-"I am too, what do you mean?"
-"I'm not going to hide from you that England wants him dead".
-"He's a man with rights, and he has the right to be judged, to be defended by a court. Our agreement was to repatriate him alive".
-"Yes, you're right", John said. "Let's sleep".
Angéla let herself go, drawn by John into the bed, into John's comforting arms. Angéla's eyelids were heavy. So they slept together in each other's arms, and spent their first quiet night in a long time.
But she was awakened early by a lump in her stomach. John was no longer in bed. From the noise in the bathroom, he must have been taking a shower. She noticed that she was still in her towel. She got up and looked at the alarm clock on her cell phone; it was 5:30. The sun was just rising. They had planned to leave the hotel by 9 a.m. and take the plane at 10.30 a.m., bound for Roissy where a French army plane was waiting. She wanted to check her security devices around the suite, which she had installed to warn her of the arrival of an intruder. Those on the window were intact, but those on the door had been removed. She had a bad feeling about this. She opened the door to the chemist's room; it was empty. The conclusion forming in Angela's mind was obvious. John had betrayed her by delivering the chemist to certain death. But how could she have heard nothing? She was usually a light sleeper and the slightest noise woke her up. She calmly stepped into the shower and turned off the spray, not even surprised that no one was there. As she left the bathroom, her eyes fell on a glass on the table. It was the cocktail she'd drunk the day before, and there was still some left. She sniffed the contents for any trace of sleeping pills and took a sample. But she knew in advance that she'd been drugged. Unfortunately for John, the drug hadn't had the desired effect, because now she was awake and on her way to track them down. So she dressed quickly, dropping the towel to the floor, and connected her laptop. She did a quick search for John's whereabouts on her phone. She had no difficulty in triangulating the signal. A dot appeared motionless on a map of the city of Kaunas. It indicated a position at a river: the Nemenas. She gave up tracking because she knew John had discarded his cell phone and had hoped his chip was dead. So she looked for his car. John always took his car on missions. It was a habit of his. It was a classic car with a high top speed. He liked to have it with him, in case of an escape. She knew he'd taken it with him on this mission, somewhere in the city a few days before the mission. As a precaution, she had installed a tracker on a previous mission to track him, just in case. She hadn't thought she'd ever need it, but now she was glad she'd followed her intuition. At the same time, in her search, she picked up another signal. She had also placed an undetectable tracer under the chemist's skin, which dissolved after a few days. She decided to take care of John first. She didn't want to think about it, but she was hurt by his betrayal. She turned her sadness into anger. She noted the different positions. Tidied up her belongings, which were scattered everywhere. She took a box from the bottom of her bag with blue, red and yellow wires, then armed herself lightly. She checked her ammunition and phoned a friend who owed her a favor. She had dressed modestly, put on a red wig and applied a little make-up. She called and asked the bellboy to take care of her luggage, giving him an address where it could be sent. She went down to reception.
-"You have what I asked for', Angéla said, passing her room 255 key to the butler.
-"Yes, Madame Eva Kolovich, here, I've taken the liberty of choosing an 1859 and a bourbon for you. Is that all right?"
-"That'll do. Please put it on Mr John Smith's bill".
-"You're leaving already, my lady, I hope you enjoyed your stay".
-"Yes, very good".
-"Well Madam, I'm glad your trip went well".
-"And there's more. Here's his bank account number".
-"I hope you have a nice trip and I'll see you next time", the receptionist indicated, giving her back the number.
-"Thank you very much. Ah, in fact, there are still some of monsieur's trinkets in the room, please donate them to a charity for the poor".
She left the hotel and decided to find John. She found the car with no problem, close to another hotel. She made her way back to reception.
-"Hi, I'd like to know if my friend John Smith has arrived", Angéla said to find out if he's booked a room.
-"Wait a moment, madam... No, he's not in. Would you like to leave a message?"
-"No, it's just that I had a present for him. Do you know what time he'll be back?"
-"No madam".
-"I've got to catch a plane and I'd really like to give it to him first", Angéla explained, showing him the bottle of bourbon and making eyes at him.
-"Oh a French wine, I understand it's an excellent gift. You can leave it with me and I'll give it to her".
-"Yes, thank you very much,' Angéla said, slipping him a bill. "You've saved my life".
Then she headed for the car. There was no one in the parking lot. After a few minutes, she looked again for the chemist's signal. He'd moved on since last time. In any case, there was nothing left for her to do and John wasn't there. She rented a car under her false name Eva Kolovich and drove calmly to her destination, singing. She turned on the music as if nothing had happened.
For his part, John was on his way to his appointment. The scientist in the back of his car couldn't stop complaining. He would have liked to explain to Angela before leaving, but hadn't had the courage. He'd rather do it on his return, hoping she was still asleep. He arrived at a small, isolated airfield outside the city. He stopped his car and turned off the ignition to wait for his contact. A few meters away, an English military aircraft from West Germany landed. He got out of his car and leaned against the hood, waiting for the plane's occupants to arrive. Once everyone had left, John took his prisoner out of the car. His boss's secretary from MI6 was quietly walking towards him.
-"I see you finally succeeded. Put it in the hangar until we leave', the secretary ordered to the soldiers.
-"Yes, thanks to the French agent we work with".
-"Yes, I know. She's good at what she does, and we asked her to be your partner".
-"Yes, and he was betrayed, as was his country", John said.
-"Yes, and we'll suffer the consequences, well maybe not if everything goes according to plan. And you know as well as I do that it was for the right reasons".
-"I don't like lying to her, she'll get even for sure. We'll make a formidable enemy if she finds out".
-"I'm not taking any great risks either, but if you've done what's necessary, nothing will happen", the confident secretary said.
-"I sent a team as you asked".
-"Very well, you've done your nation a great service".
-"She won't be hurt, will she?"
-"Of course not, and you'll be there to see to it".
John's phone rang.
-"This is the team in question".
-"Put the speakerphone on", the secretary ordered .
We have a problem
-"What kind of problem?", the secretary asked.
There's nobody left.
-"Impossible, she took a sleeping pill",John indicated.
The room is empty and the keys have been returned.
John hung up.
-"Don't worry, we'll be leaving in a few moments".
-"If it is!', says John, 'there's a mad woman out there who's going to hunt us down relentlessly".
-"She doesn't know we're here".
-"Yes, I've cut off all contact and thrown away my mobile, which she knew. But she'll find out where we are eventually".
-"But it'll be too late".
-"I hope so", John whispered as he looked around, believing he saw Angéla, furious, appear out of nowhere.
-"And the Russians?" the secretary asked.
-"As long as we were close to Angéla, we were safe, she was watching our backs but now I don't know where they are in their search, I think we still have time to..."
An alarm sounded. The secretary's bodyguards quickly and efficiently surrounded him to protect him. The soldiers took up defensive positions as the noise approached from all sides.
-"What the hell", the secretary said, hearing shouting around them.
- It's not Russian, anyway", John learnt him.
John had instinctively retreated into the shadows. Within seconds, the secretary and his men were surrounded and pointed at by hooded men.
-"Don't shoot, we're English", the secretary said confidently.
An unarmed man stepped forward and spoke in Lithuanian, giving orders to his men. John had been right.
-"We have authorization to land on this runway", the imperturbable secretary continued , pulling a sheet of paper from his inside coat pocket.
The man, who seemed to be at home, stepped forward to take the letter as Lithuanian soldiers entered the hangars. The secretary glanced worriedly at John, but he was no longer there. He was worried because, if the soldiers were allied with the Russians, the mission would have failed. The mission would have failed.
-"I'm sorry, but we've had an alert in this area. Russian terrorists are believed to be here. For your safety, we have to evacuate you", the man said with a horrible English accent.
-"That won't be necessary, we're leaving in..."
-"No one leaves this area. I have orders to set up a security perimeter. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait. The Russians could be anywhere and I can't risk them taking you hostage. They could even be on your plane", the man continued suspiciously. "But it'll only last a few moments. It's only a matter of time before these people are arrested".
The secretary weighed up the pros and cons. On the one hand, he wanted to leave quickly to avoid the Russians and get to safety in London and finally finish the mission. But he didn't want to draw attention to himself by rushing their departure. Besides, he seemed to have the situation in hand regarding the Russians. What's more, they would prevent Angela from reaching them.
-"Of course, as you wish, we'll cooperate".
The man sank into silence and led them into one of the hangars. While John slipped away. Because something fishy was going on. Behind the hangar, a car was leaving the area. What's more, the soldiers were encircling only this hangar, where the secretary was being held. The further away John got, the fewer soldiers he encountered. The secretary was becoming impatient, as the wait was going on a little too long for his liking. John, on the other hand, had managed to leave the area without a hitch, and once in the shelter, he tried to contact the secretary.
The Lithuanian received a phone call. The secretary tried to understand the conversation, but he was speaking in Lithuanian. His phone vibrated. He looked at the message discreetly and blushed:
"We have a problem, it seems too long"
"What's the problem?" the secretary sent back a message.
"The prisoner is with you".
"No. A trap? Russian".
'"Yes no doubt".
"Fall back and try to locate the hostage", the secretary ordered in his final message.
-"Is there a problem?" the secretary asked, turning his attention back to the man who had hung up.
-"No, your papers are in order".
-"Of course they are, and your suspects?"
-"Suspects?"
-"Terrorists", the secretary suggested suspiciously.
-"Arrested, you are free to go".
-"Thank you"
The man followed the secretary outside as his soldiers withdrew. In the distance, the secretary saw hooded and bound prisoners being loaded onto a truck.
-"The Russians", the man said simply, seeing the questioning look on the Englishman's face.
The secretary began to doubt his secret agent's speculations. Gradually, the Lithuanian soldiers left the scene, leaving them alone.
-"Sir, we've got a problem", a soldier indicated running up to him as the last convoy left.
-"What now?"
-"The chemist. He has disappeared".
-"How did it disappear. Did it escape?"
-"No, sir, the soldiers..."
-"They took him away. Find out who they are".
A few kilometers away, Angéla was driving her rental car. She received a call and took it in Lithuanian.
-"You received my message, Colonel...did you find him where I told you?...very well...is he all right?...Yes, we're even...thank you".
She smiled, hoping that the rest of her plan would work just as well. In a few hours, she would receive confirmation that her coli had arrived at its destination in Roissy.
For his part, John decided to go to his second hideout, close to the meeting place with the secretary. He hurried to the hotel where he had booked a room. Arriving in the parking lot at the back of the hotel, he hurried to his car, where he had weapons and other items to track the chemist. He looked for it and headed for a sports car, fumbling in his pocket for his car keys. Then he remotely activated the automatic door opener, a few meters from his car. Suddenly, he was thrown backwards by an explosion. His car had exploded. John tried to stand up, half stunned and half astonished. He was covered in micro-cuts caused by the debris, but there was nothing to break. He looked at the damage: his car was on fire. His car no longer existed. Once up,
-" Shit!" John shouted , throwing his car keys to the ground.
He reached for his car, trying to salvage a few things, but it was rapidly disintegrating into ashes. Then an approaching siren wailed from a fire engine. John, still moved and surprised, stood there motionless, watching his favorite car disappear. This was a declaration of war. He picked up his keys and drove off to avoid the arrival of the fire department.
A few miles away, Angéla was listening to a Céline Dion song on the radio: Titanic. Just then, she heard a call on the radio from the fire department for reinforcements for an explosion near a hotel. She smiled, everything was going according to plan.
John, still in shock, entered the hotel in question. He had no desire to flee. He asked for the key to the room reserved in his name. He entered his room at a leisurely pace. Reflexively, he tossed the keys to his useless car onto a coffee table. The only good thing was that the intensity of the explosion would erase all traces of his passage and all traces of his belongings that might have been compromising. He fell back onto the sofa in despair. Then he sat up abruptly. On entering, he hadn't seen the bottle on the coffee table. It was a bottle of champagne and one of wine. He picked up the accompanying box and saw the reference to the hotel where he had stayed with Angéla. He eyed the bottle suspiciously, fearing it would explode in his hand. On the back it said SURPRISE. Finally, he picked up the bottle and looked at the label. It was a good bottle, even a very expensive one.
He telephoned the reception desk:
-"Do I have a message in my name?... No and I haven't had any visitors...ah...you have her name, I suppose...no...was it a redheaded woman?...no that's fine thanks for the info".
He reached into his travel bag hidden under the bed and took out a laptop. He checked his various files. Apparently she hadn't touched them. He checked other information and decided to debit money from his card, as the spare cash was in the car and had gone up in smoke with it. He noticed a large transfer. He swore. She'd put the expenses on his account, including the bottle. He cursed her. He took a cell phone from his bag and dialed a number, hoping it still existed.
-"Hi, I've been waiting for your call', a happy voice said. "Did you like my presents?'
-"I knew it was you, you shouldn't have, you're..."
-"Enough chatter, John. It won't be long before the Russians find you, and I think they'll be very happy to find the person who blew up half their military complex. You tried to betray me, now you're paying the consequences".
-"I'll explain, it's not what you think, I...hello! hello!"
She hung up. He tried to call her back, but to no avail. The number no longer existed. The message 'The number you have dialed is no longer in service' had echoed in his mind for a long time.
End of flashback
-"You had it coming', Angéla said simply.
-"You reacted a bit violently after all!"
-' Violement! What was he going to do with the chemist?"
-"I...kill him."
-"And we agreed. We were partners in delivering him to protect him, not to kill him".
-"Yes, but we decided otherwise. How did you do it?"
-"I had a friend in the Lithuanian army who had a favor to do for me".
-"A service?"
-"Yes, so I asked him to keep you busy and take the chemist with them. He put our friend safely on a plane to Paris".
-"So he came back to France".
-"Yes, he's got a new life and since you want his head, we thought it would be better this way. It's better what you're proposing".
-"It wasn't my decision".
-"Maybe, but it's the one you've decided to take and follow. You're an agent, damn it, you're supposed to be resourceful, and be able to make the right decisions and refuse orders on your own, finally think for yourself. We could have talked about it and then you could have said that we'd escaped you and that I was better than you, which is true. Or we could have found a solution together".
-"I had orders and I'm loyal to the Queen. I promised to keep it a secret, to tell you would be to betray my loyalty to my country".
-"You're capable of letting someone die for your loyalty, for a feeling of belonging to a nation, for loyalty to an image. A country that isn't even loyal to you! You're pathetic", Angéla snapped.
-'What do you mean, not loyal?"
-'Your mission in Iraq', says Angéla simply, 'You've been betrayed".
-"By whom? So what? I got away with it all the same".
-"Yes, you were lucky, but you still suffered physical damage. You were betrayed by your own country for political reasons", insisting on. "Own country, to hide an American blunder".
-"What do you know?" John asked, wary of this information.
-"I just know. I had to investigate after hearing rumors of unequal torture of Iraqis by American soldiers. Of course, they kept the story quiet and shut me up in the process, even though I managed to get reparations, albeit in secret. So don't talk to me about loyalty to an image. You should rather be loyal to a person and still as long as you follow your own ideas".
-"I'm loyal to my boss. But I'm not interested in your advice, because I can see where you stand. You're on your own".
-"Yes, maybe, but I'm free", Angéla indicated.
-"Are you free on this ship?"
-"Yes, I could refuse. And you see what I mean. I don't take orders and don't follow them if I don't adhere".
-"It's easy, given your rank. You know you've become public enemy number one".
-"Really?"
-"Yes, you're still alive because no hitman or even spy wants to deal with you. You're scary and you're still highly respected. But the day you let your guard down..."
-"Did they ask you to kill me?" Angela asked, having just understood the meaning of his sentence.
He was in the best position to do so, even if she would have chosen Jack C. She had declared war on him after all.
-"Yes", John confessed frankly.
-"Are you here to do it?' Angéla asked, uncomfortable and suspicious.
She had moved slightly away from him.
-"You always ask the wrong questions. You really think I'm here to kill you".
-"Maybe, and what other questions should I ask myself?"
-"How did you accept?"
-"You don't think for yourself, you just obey orders, because you're loyal. If you don't accept, you're betraying your country. You're asked and you do".
-"It's not the case here, I've refused and what's more, I'm sure I'll lose, at least for now".
-"Compared to other people, you've already killed".
-"Everything", John said earnestly.
-"No. Nothing changes", Angéla said angrily. "Unless you think my life is better than the chemist's or anyone else's".
-"You're worth much more than anyone else, the proof is in the pudding".
-"How do you know I haven't done something very wrong?"
-"You're incapable, you're just".
-"I wanted to kill you".
-"But you didn't".
-"Because you were away from the car".
-"You had good reason, let's say", John admitted.
-"I'm no better than him. If you have to save someone, save the other one, before me, and you know it, because I'd blame myself for the rest of my life".
-"You'd rather wait for us to kill you".
-"I didn't say I wouldn't defend myself".
-"Yes, but you prefer to be attacked and then defend yourself. You'd never attack first".
-"Yes".
-"I'd rather be warned than killed first".
-"You'd rather kill".
-"Yes clearly".
-"But who are you to decide who lives and who doesn't?"
-"I never said I was choosing!"
-"You're not God, and even he shouldn't have any right over someone's life. You don't get to choose who dies and who doesn't, or who gets saved. I'd rather be killed than killed, especially if my life is at stake", Angéla said.
-"Which explains a lot".
-"What?"
-" You're actually weak. I always wondered why you missed your targets, now I know".
-"I don't miss any of my targets, I'm...".
-"But for me, you miss your targets because you don't kill them. You just disable them, temporarily. You don't know how to do what's necessary. You've never killed, have you?"
-"You're wrong, I've got blood on my hands too! My soul isn't as pure as you think, like everyone else in this business".
-"Yeah, you killed by accident, I'm sure".
-"My bosses know that if they're not happy, they'll find someone else who's as capable as you are. They trust my judgment. If I judge that there's no need to eliminate someone, they trust me".
-"Would you kill to save us?" John asked .
-"Yes", Angéla said without hesitation.
-"And to save you?"
-"No".
-"It's a paradox, this situation. But why?" John asked, not understanding her.
-"Because I choose to save you, to do what I can, but my own life doesn't count".
-"Your life means nothing to you. Then you're not loyal either if you let yourself die. To be loyal is to survive. You say you have to be loyal to someone and you're not even loyal to yourself".
-"I never said I was loyal to anyone. The difference is that I'm closer to death, what difference does it make if I die sooner without suffering or live a few more years in pain. I'm dying".
-"So that's it, you give up because of your illness, you don't want to live anymore. You hide behind..."
-"I've got a brain tumor, John. It's a big deal. I'm in the final stages of metastasis and I'm going to suffer even more, the pain will be excruciating. It's going to reach the hippocampus and the prefrontal lobe where memory resides. I'm going to lose my most precious memories and it's already started, my condition is deteriorating day by day".
-"I didn't know that..."
-"And who are you loyal to?" Angela cut in, not wanting to dwell on his cancer. She didn't want him to feel sorry for himself.
-"My country".
-"Something other than this stupid propaganda image!"
-"My boss".
-"Really, no wife, lover or wife?"
-"No".
-"You disappoint me, your boss has betrayed you".
-" She has always protected and supported me".
-"Not in the Iraq affair".
-"You come back to this case, but maybe she didn't know about it".
-"Really? You're naive, you're blindly trusting. Were you loyal to me?"
-"Yes", John said without hesitation.
-"Yet you betrayed me".
-"You know what I mean, loyal outside work".
-"It's a reason to take cheap shots at me as soon as I let my guard down".
-"You weren't supposed to know".
-"You drugged me. You asked yourself just once if it might have an adverse effect on my health".
-"Yes, I know, but I didn't know at the time that you were ill. I shouldn't have known and I wanted to explain. I wanted to apologize".
-"You had to ruin everything. You didn't intend to continue this relationship from the start, did you?"
- "No, on the contrary", John said. "I was serious. I mean I wasn't pretending but I hadn't planned to fall in love and I really wanted to build something with you. I tried everything not to betray you but I was afraid and I couldn't find any other solution. I was afraid that you didn't share the same feelings as me. That I'd just be a passing fling for you and since you're young. I thought that afterwards you wouldn't want me and that you wouldn't understand certain things and that later you would understand my actions. But in reality, you're much more mature than me and too stubborn to change your mind".
-"These excuses are bogus".
-"Maybe, but I wanted to live with you for the rest of my life, to grow old with you. I imagined us graying and still so attracted to each other after so many years together", John confessed.
-"Old age is not for me".
-"You know what I mean".
-"Yeah, and I..."
-"Hello, you two", a cheerful female voice said.
-"Hey, Vala", Angéla replied.
-"I'm disturbing you", Vala asked.
-"No".
-"Yes", John said at the same time.
-"I was bored, so I said to myself, 'Let's go and get some exercise'. I'm craving action, aren't you?"
-"So you want a little fight", Angéla concludes. "I'm sick of talking and I'm tired of warming up my muscles".
-"I don't feel like it", John said. "I've got nothing more to say", as he leaves.
-"Looks like I saved you", Vala said, waiting for John to leave.
-"?"
-"Boring conversation".
-"Uh indeed".
-"What are you talking about?"
-"you're curious! " Angéla laughed. "It'll cause you trouble".
-"That's a quality too, isn't it?" Vala asked. "And so I'm waiting for the answer".
-"Bare hand or stick'.
-"the gun, you avoid the question".
-"A personal story", Angéla replied, passing him a long stick. "So it's none of your business".
-"I'm sure you would have answered me a long time ago".
-"Curious and perceptive", Angéla approved, attacking to silence her.
Which worked, for she attacked quickly. Vala was quickly overtaken and Angéla ended up giving her a swift kick on the buttocks.
-"Eh! I see it was a spicy discussion then, are you angry?"
-"No, it was for something else, I've already told you not to send me away".
-"Oh yes, that's right", Vala whispered, 'you don't like to be upset either".
-"Indeed, but we agreed on this point. Wasn't it clear?'
-"Yes, but I'd forgotten", Vala confessed, massaging herself.
-"Oh next fight, you'll remember, I'm sure".
-"Oh yes, I will", grumbled Vala. "How long have you known Daniel?'
-"More than two years'.
-"What about Cameron?"
-"Longer, we knew each other at the hospital. What about you?"
-"For the last two years or so".
-"Just after I've gone, then".
-"I hear you've worked on the ship before?"
-"Not exactly, I was initially in charge of base surveillance".
-"And that's where you met Daniel and Sam".
-"Yes".
-"I heard you and Daniel got close", Vala said, catching her breath.
-"Ah here we are! If you want it, take it. There's nothing left between us,' laughed Angéla, seeing her coming".
-"So it's over", ignoring his remark.
-"Yes, there's room", Angéla insisted .
-"It's not that at all, I was just asking", Vala defended herself.
-"You ask around. You don't trust me".
-"How?"
-"Yes, I can feel it. You don't trust me or you don't like me, well for me it's the same thing. Are you jealous?"
-"No, it's just that I'm suspicious".
-"Either you're afraid I'll take your place on the team or it's my old relationship with Daniel that's bothering you".
-"No! I'm wary of your abilities...which I'd describe as abnormal", Vala confessed.
-"I don't trust them either".
-"Really?"
-"You think I'm crazy now, don't you?"
-"No, not at all, you're honest".
-"But I have a feeling it's not just that, there's something else", Angéla said, hitting her on the left shoulder.
-"What!", surprise. "No".
-"Si".
-"You're always reading other people's minds like an open book, that's bad manners".
-"I don't read, I guess, and you mean it so loudly I can almost hear it from here".
-"And can you guess my attacks in advance too?" Vala asked.
-"Yes, because you plan your attacks in advance and position your body before the execution and direct your eyes where you want to hit".
-"That's cheating!"
-"No, you just have to hide your intentions, that's all. Your body expresses itself too much".
Jack told me the same thing, and he's a good-looking man, by the way.
-"Really, though, that was one of his weak points too".
-"You think it's normal that you have powers like mind-reading".
-"I can't read minds", Angéla complained.
-"it's an ancient power like telepathy", Vala continued without listening to him.
-"What's your point? What are you thinking?", Angéla asked, pausing for a moment.
-"I don't know..."
-"You're lying", Angéla said, resuming the fight and stepping up the blows. "You've got a little idea in the back of your head".
-"Not exactly, I'm just guessing".
-"And I have the right to know them, it's my life after all!"
-"Did you hear about the prophecy? The one about the amulet", Vala said, jumping in.
-"Daniel told me quickly".
-"What do you think?"
-"Nothing... I don't really care. I don't trust tall tales written a long time ago. But...you believe it...you believe that the prophecy is about me".
-"Yes', admitted Vala, who was beginning to run out of steam, 'we should take a break".
-"No, just stop talking, save your breath to fight".
-"So you don't have to answer me".
-"It would be an idea, but if I don't want to answer you, I don't. And I don't think she means me. And I don't think she means me".
-"You have ancient powers".
-"Because I've been genetically modified, my DNA...I wasn't born like this", Angéla said. "And what's more, she's talking about a child".
-"The elders don't use...the same vocabulary as...us, the young can represent innocents,...what haven't acquired enough wisdom ...for example", Vala said completely out of breath while Angéla didn't seem to tire.
-"Do I look innocent?"
-"No", Vala admitted, holding her ribs.
-"I'd like to make one thing clear to you: once this mission is over, I'm out of the game. You might want to stop before you cough up your lungs".
-"I don't mind. What do you mean, disappear? Hide?"
-"It's easy for me to disappear, it's my specialty, my job. I won't hide, it's not my style, but let's say I go somewhere where nobody knows me".
-"You'd better move to another planet, then', Vala said.
-"That would be a good idea", Angél laughed. "A bit definitive and radical as a solution, but effective. Tell me, what do you think the outcome of this mission will be?" Angéla asked, putting her weapons away.
-"Worried?" Vala said.
-"A little. I'm not really up for a risky mission".
-"Yet you're in good shape".
-"I'm trying to keep in shape, don't get me wrong. I'm on my best day right now".
-"So in the worst-case scenario, we find nothing and go home quickly. You'll go back to your quiet life, but the peace will be temporary because the Oriis will still be there. I don't think we'll be in any danger on this planet, as it seems to be well protected".
-"And if it's colonized. What if they're aggressive?"
-"Yeah, but generally speaking, we don't meet many people more civilized than us, I mean more technologically advanced".
-"But if they do have a gun, I suppose they'll want to keep it for protection".
-"We'll just study the weapon and hope it won't take too long to rebuild it at home", Vala said.
-"How do you manage to get out of these situations every time?"
-"Luck and instinct".
-"So let's hope your luck hasn't run out", Angéla concludes.
Vala didn't insist in her questioning. She understood that Angéla had ended their conversation. She had nevertheless obtained some information about Angéla, but it hadn't alleviated her anxiety and unease.