Read Dhungwana 2117: A captivating sci-fi novel: The Dhungwana Chronicles (2117-3451) Part 1 for Free Online Page A
Authors: Baibin Nighthawk, Dominick Fencer
wristsynk alarm woke him: the cameras at the entrance showed two men in uniform that had sent their recognition code.
Ian got up, opening the door to the two policemen.
“Good morning, Dr. Lonvell. Sorry about the early hour, but we have to ask you some questions.”
“Come in” said Ian, still not fully awake.
“It’s about Orlando Steiny... The staff of the cleaning company found him half an hour ago in his lab... unfortunately he was dead.”
Ian gasped, he sat down on the sofa, holding his head in his hands.
“Orlando... What happened?”
“The coroner certifies that he died of a brain aneurysm... you were the last person who saw him alive last night. Among other things you are the new Commodore. Did he tell you anything about an illness? Was he under stress? I ask these questions because the insurance department must carefully analyze Steiny’s dossier before compensating his family. The insurance assessor will make his report” said the older cop.
“No, he didn’t seem to be under stress at all. We talked about this and that, our ongoing projects, and the symposium which we had just attended. Poor Orlando! He was so happy with the result of his son at the federal swimming competition.” Ian replied, lying even though he knew the cameras of the laboratory had recorded their meeting. “How long had he been ill?”
The younger cop replied: “He had been treating and monitoring himself for the last five years; at least that’s what his card says at Health Fleet Research Unit n.65. Ok, Dr. Lonvell, so you were unaware of Steiny’s health problems... ”
“That's right. I have just been appointed Commodore, but they only send me record updates and new events. Today they’ll probably inform me of Orlando Steiny’s death. I’m really sorry, I'll offer my condolences to his family. I know his wife and his son personally.”
“Thank you for your cooperation, Dr. Lonvell. We apologize again for waking you up at the crack of dawn. We have to close our part in the procedure so the insurance assessor can begin his work immediately.”
The two policemen shook hands with Ian and left his apartment.
Ian sat back on the couch and ordered a light breakfast of cereal, milk and coffee; he would eat quickly and go straight to the laboratory.
Ian had read Orlando’s healthnet card and there had been no mention of any risk of cerebral hemorrhage. As Commodore, it was his duty to make daily checks on all the health records of the people in his Health Fleet Research unit, and to track any anomaly that could prove hazardous to the related communities; and, since Steiny had become quite strange, Ian had analyzed his card thoroughly.
17
Ian Lonvell looked out the large window of his laboratory on the 374th floor of BlueGray Corporation. He always did this when he needed to concentrate.
The sea moved slowly in an endless rhythm, wave upon wave, rising and falling, again and again, filling him with nausea and a sense of insecurity… reflecting his mood.
Orlando’s healthnet card had been changed: it now showed he had an inoperable brain aneurysm, and included a series of validated and signed prescriptions and medical recommendations dating back five years.
‘A perfect world... but only as long as you remained blinkered by the system... ’ Ian thought, shocked. He couldn’t help thinking that Orlando’s death hadn’t been accidental.
All his certainties had imploded and now rubble covered him as if he had been submerged under a high magnitude earthquake. Yet, outside BlueGray Corporation, life seemed normal.
He suddenly realized that it was past 9.30 am and he had not heard from Dayla since the night before, so he called her to start a video call.
Dayla took several seconds to answer, but she saw that it was Ian and so gathered her strength and accepted the call.
Ian saw that Dayla was crying and from her face that she was very upset.
“Ian, Blake is dead... his shuttle crashed while
Ian got up, opening the door to the two policemen.
“Good morning, Dr. Lonvell. Sorry about the early hour, but we have to ask you some questions.”
“Come in” said Ian, still not fully awake.
“It’s about Orlando Steiny... The staff of the cleaning company found him half an hour ago in his lab... unfortunately he was dead.”
Ian gasped, he sat down on the sofa, holding his head in his hands.
“Orlando... What happened?”
“The coroner certifies that he died of a brain aneurysm... you were the last person who saw him alive last night. Among other things you are the new Commodore. Did he tell you anything about an illness? Was he under stress? I ask these questions because the insurance department must carefully analyze Steiny’s dossier before compensating his family. The insurance assessor will make his report” said the older cop.
“No, he didn’t seem to be under stress at all. We talked about this and that, our ongoing projects, and the symposium which we had just attended. Poor Orlando! He was so happy with the result of his son at the federal swimming competition.” Ian replied, lying even though he knew the cameras of the laboratory had recorded their meeting. “How long had he been ill?”
The younger cop replied: “He had been treating and monitoring himself for the last five years; at least that’s what his card says at Health Fleet Research Unit n.65. Ok, Dr. Lonvell, so you were unaware of Steiny’s health problems... ”
“That's right. I have just been appointed Commodore, but they only send me record updates and new events. Today they’ll probably inform me of Orlando Steiny’s death. I’m really sorry, I'll offer my condolences to his family. I know his wife and his son personally.”
“Thank you for your cooperation, Dr. Lonvell. We apologize again for waking you up at the crack of dawn. We have to close our part in the procedure so the insurance assessor can begin his work immediately.”
The two policemen shook hands with Ian and left his apartment.
Ian sat back on the couch and ordered a light breakfast of cereal, milk and coffee; he would eat quickly and go straight to the laboratory.
Ian had read Orlando’s healthnet card and there had been no mention of any risk of cerebral hemorrhage. As Commodore, it was his duty to make daily checks on all the health records of the people in his Health Fleet Research unit, and to track any anomaly that could prove hazardous to the related communities; and, since Steiny had become quite strange, Ian had analyzed his card thoroughly.
17
Ian Lonvell looked out the large window of his laboratory on the 374th floor of BlueGray Corporation. He always did this when he needed to concentrate.
The sea moved slowly in an endless rhythm, wave upon wave, rising and falling, again and again, filling him with nausea and a sense of insecurity… reflecting his mood.
Orlando’s healthnet card had been changed: it now showed he had an inoperable brain aneurysm, and included a series of validated and signed prescriptions and medical recommendations dating back five years.
‘A perfect world... but only as long as you remained blinkered by the system... ’ Ian thought, shocked. He couldn’t help thinking that Orlando’s death hadn’t been accidental.
All his certainties had imploded and now rubble covered him as if he had been submerged under a high magnitude earthquake. Yet, outside BlueGray Corporation, life seemed normal.
He suddenly realized that it was past 9.30 am and he had not heard from Dayla since the night before, so he called her to start a video call.
Dayla took several seconds to answer, but she saw that it was Ian and so gathered her strength and accepted the call.
Ian saw that Dayla was crying and from her face that she was very upset.
“Ian, Blake is dead... his shuttle crashed while
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