Ten more days Ten more days

Wolter SmitTen more days.Ten moreTen days.days.What are the Atlantean authorities hiding and whyWhat do certain are astronomers the Atlantean and physicists authoritiesdisappear?hiding and why do certain astronomersand physicists disappear?Novel - Fiction.Editions Jean VoltaireCourcelles Sur Seine ­ France

Éditions Jean VoltaireCourcelles Sur SeineFRANCEThe text of this work is “copy-left”, which means you can copy, print, send to others,include it as is in your documents and use the content of this work to the followingconditions:• to inform me,• not to make commercial use of it,• to put the translations also “copy-left”,• clearly indicate in your source, adding a “thank you” to the author and by placing a linkto the website of the author in your site if it’s published on the Internet, or mentioningthe address of the site of the author if it’s published on another media.Any other use is regulated by the terms of Article L 122-5,2° and 3°a and Articles L 335-2 and following of the Intellectual Property Code of France.© Wolter SMIT - 2009ISBN : None

To my parents,it’s thanks to themthat I exist andyou can read this.

Introduction.Thank you for taking the trouble to download this work. I ask you hereby my apologiesfor the many errors of spelling, sentence construction, conjugation and othersbecause English is, as French is, not my mother tongue and far to be perfect and acceptthereby my scribbling I dare to call English. I know, in spite of my efforts and supportedby specialized software that these texts contain, statistically speaking, a few hundred errorsat least. You will surely ask: “Why don’t you take a proofreader? ” Note that this is rather expensiveand out of reach for a nearing retirement living of French welfare (RMI), as I am.Then, a correction takes between 80 and 160 hours of work with rates up to 90,- € thehour. I am, on the other hand, not a follower of making people do any work for free undercoverage of “voluntary”, as unfortunately too often happens in publishing. (Any workdeserves a reward!) I know, on the other hand, from some of my friends that this book is,despite its errors, legible, so please accept my apologies, I did what I could.Now the origin of this story. As you have guessed, I am passionate about Atlantis. Itwas after writing “Was this Atlantis” that I wanted to continue with this topic. Itherefore made a tour of my visions and dreams I have had about this which I combinedthen with other information, those of Edgar Cayce for example. You will also note thatmany names of people, places, countries and others come from his readings. (For more information,log onto the website: Association for Research and Enlightenment, Inc.. www.edgarcayce.orgARE ®) My own visions and dreams had curiously one thing in common: a fairly modernlifestyle and being very close to our “Belle Epoque”. Most of my flash experiences have occurredin the same city xhich is very similar to the one described in this book. The onlydifference was that mine was by the sea, east side of the country. This was not the maincity, Poseidia, because she did not look alike at all. To get an idea of how it looked like; it’srather as Lausanne on the Geneva Lake. Some of our equipment, they did not know.Among them: cycling and the internal combustion engine. They knew, in spite of the factthat they have become very materialistic to the end, not the phenomenon of society wehave today; that of throwing everything after use and accumulate objects serving only personalcomfort. To get an idea of wealth, we must look towards the behavior of noble andwealthy of the late nineteenth century. Another thing that I could not see, is that the Internetgossip tell on that what Egar Cayce calls “things”. Some of us want to see in there a referenceto animal-human crosses. What I could see, on the other hand, is that a certaingroup of people was treated like animals, or rather as the people from India address currentlystill the low level, the untouchables. They were not slaves, but it was alike. (Just lookat how we still treat today the workers of third-world!)The story itself starts a little before the young Leith finds his old mentor, philosopherand astronomer murdered. He knows then that he must go with his partner and childhoodfriend, Princess Ussa, in search of the culprits. Then, they find during a chaotic journey,4

Ten more days.putting their lives and those of others in danger, the terrible secret that the authorities tryto hide from the population. He is assisted to do so by a young person, a being who comesregularly in his dreams. That what he believes to be an angel, is actually a girl of his age living11'800 years in his future, our present. She narrates him the story of Plato related thedisappearance of his country. He realizes, on the other hand, very quickly that there is almostno information, no trace left of his country at the time his girlfriend of his dreamslives. He then makes the connection between the old myth telling the destruction of Atlantis,followed by a deluge, and the mysterious disappearances and assassinations of astronomersand scientists working on the subject of Arcturus, a comet which has a tendencyto come a little too close to the Earth. What the two friends have not provided for is thatthey fall in love with this girl and her brother. Will they ever meet in the flesh?I wish you, hoping that you succeed to read this text, a good reading.Wolter SMIT5

SAngelica’s Dream.he runs, runs, out of breath she slows down her pace to look behind her. She noteswith relief that she was not pursued. But time is short and there is the last train to theport to be taken. There are few vehicles that travel at this time and she feels alone and illat ease on this almost deserted road which joins the station. In the distance she sees a vehiclecoming in her direction which stops going further and makes a U-turn. Her heart hammersher in her chest and she says to herself: “ Shit, they come and there is no place for me tohide! ”‘Miss, Miss!’ Exclaims the man. ‘Stop, don’t worry and get in!’Then she recognizes the detective who had already worked for her father.‘Good evening to you and thank you for coming. You come across on the way here, oris there a reason?’‘Hello, I just came to your rescue, but I’m glad to see you released.’‘But they are not the ones who freed me, I escaped. I managed to open the lock, youknow a fairly old model, with a hairpin. Fortunately I was already visiting the place withmy father and I remembered that there is a secret exit made by monks in the remote times.That’s where I could get out on the road by a chapel dedicated to Zeus. But how did youknow they were holding me here?’‘It’s too long to explain now, we have to hurry up and join the station.’‘It may already be too late, the train may already be gone. The seats? Are there any forus with this evacuation plan?’‘Do not worry, I did the necessary. I made the steps at the station and the train will bewaiting. Then, in regard to the place, you know well yourself that there is always a cabinreserved for your family.’Arrived at the station, they find that the train is not yet ready to go. There is a diversecrowd of people and various objects on the platform: men, women, children, luggage, suitcases,chests and even animals that will make the trip in a car specifically designed forthem. Most cars are already full to overflowing and here and there voices are arguing for aplace to sit down or to deposit their luggage. The station master guides them across thecrowd toward the front of the train, where the reserved compartments are. Once aboard,she feels sorry to see that this compartment is also used as a prison cell and is, despite theefforts of the Railway Company to provide every comfort, welcoming little.‘But it’s disgusting,’ she shouts, ‘you want me to travel in a prison cell?’The station master, a little embarrassed by her reaction, says:‘Sorry Your Highness, but we did not know that you wanted to go to the port by train.We would have added a car for you. But we assure you that this compartment is very comfortablebecause designed for this dual function. If you miss something, Miss, do not hesitateto ring the controller, he will give you what you desire, we have embarked hot and coldbeverages and some food.’‘Thank you, I think it will go, this unit is not very cheerful, but still comfortable. I don’tlike bars in the window, they remind me too much at my detention just now.6

Ten more days.‘Do you bring luggage? Does the gentleman accompanies you?’She wanted to say: “ Luggage? What luggage! Since when are kidnappers concerned about the luggageof people taken in hostage? ” But it’s the detective who came on board with her to ensureher proper installation, who responds in her place:‘No, I don’t think that Miss has any luggage, kidnappers have taken her hostage fromwhich she has just escaped and I fear that the kidnappers did not have the discretion todeal with any luggage of Miss. I do besides that not accompany Miss because I still havethings to finish. I expect the police to go there where she was hidden, hoping they havenot yet found her to miss. Thank you very much.’She looks around her and finds that they have left lecture to read to her intention and afew drinks and things to eat in the cupboard designed for this purpose. She sits down in achair in the direction of travel and says:‘You don’t join me then?’‘Unfortunately, as I said, I still have things to do here. I will inform your father that youare on the way to the port of Amaki. Your father is no more at the palace, but has alreadyjoined his ship. Sailors will wait for you to take you with a quick shuttle used as ferry whenyou arrive at the seaport terminal.‘You are not part the evacuation plan? Won’t you join the European continent?’‘Perhaps, if I manage to reach the fishing barge with the team of Leith and Penelope,who will wait for me until early morning.’‘Take care of yourself and good luck.‘Have good trip.’‘You too.’She had to be asleep because she did not notice the departure of the convoy and hasawakened when the train sopped in this countryside station. On the platform are womenwho chatter, crying children, men who argue, cries of animals who refuse to go on board,the noise of carts of luggage, all this mixed with the sounds of cars maneuvering and thescreech of wheels on track. She sees a railway employee. Calls him and asks:‘What happens? Why do we stop here so long?’The employee, apparently in a hurry and without realizing the identity of the young traveler,says:‘There are more people than expected and we add cars to the convoy’, before continuingwithout waiting for an answer.She takes one of the magazines offered to her at the departure station, but fails to concentrateon the text. Letters, words and phrases begin to dance and become out of bounds.She could not have been reading for a long long time, well-sealed in her travel armchair shedid not realize that she fell asleep with the reading in her hands.Something has waken her, though she has not been able to tell why. The trip has takenlonger than normal, the day starts to rise and shows off the first rays of sunlight pierce thehorizon. She can see the port area of the city now that is fast approaching. While the trainruns along the port towards the seaport terminal, she sees here the boats dock to be loadedor unloaded, thereby boats in a state of advanced wreck waiting for the coup de grace of atorch and a little further rows of fishing boats and yachts. Suddenly she feels a seismic jolt,then another more violent. The train engineer is trying to halt the convoy, but the soilseems to stall below and despite his desperate attempts to stop it, the convoy accelerates7

Angelica’s Dream.and derails. The young woman clings to the structures of the car during the derailment andcries desperately for help. The last thing she sees before losing consciousness, is that thewater goes up and someone takes her by the arm to try to draw her out of there.Julian, who has difficulty sleeping and is getting ready to drink something in the kitchen,hears screams and cries for help coming from the room of his sister Angelica. Believingher unwell, he enters her bedroom where she continues to cry and call for help as a shipwrecked.He takes her by the arm and shakes her awake.‘Angelica, what’s going on? Got a nightmare?’Angelica, unable to respond immediately, breathless as if she had finished a marathon,takes her breath and rubs her eyes.‘It’s terrible, I dreamed that I was drowning in a train compartment which crashed intothe sea during an earthquake.’She then tells the whole story, the hostage-taking, opening the door with a hairpin, theflight, the encounter on the road with the detective, the train journey in a compartmentequipped with bars, until the derailment. Then, she finishes her story with:‘In this dream I was a princess of Atlantis,’ she says to her brother, ‘but I don’t knowwho I were.’‘Come, we’ll drink something in the kitchen, I just wanted to go there too. I find it hardto sleep these days.’‘Yes I know. Since Melissa has left you; you have sleepless nights, you drown your sorrowin alcohol and you wake up with a painful head. But my poor brother, forget her,there are other girls!’‘That is easier said than done. Okay, this is not your problem. Not yet anyway.’In the morning, a morning like all the others, when the sun rises over the city of Osuo,the door of the workshop of Master Amilius opens and his student arrives for his usuallessons.‘Hello master.’‘Hello Leith, how are you? Slept well? No nightmares?’‘No master. Did you plan something special for today?’‘No my child, I have nothing special planned, but it could be that you have a topic toheart. Or is it that I am wrong?’‘Indeed master. We talk a lot these days about Arcturus which seems to be back seventeenyears too early. You know, many people see in this appearance, signs of the end of theworld, as announced in the holy rolls.’‘Maybe are you making here an allusion to the section describing the destruction of theearth by a star falling on the Earth, followed by very heavy rains flooding the earth to theheights of the highest mountains, don’t you?’‘Yes master, if I retained my lessons well, the prediction of the star falling on the Earthis one of the seven plagues, isn’t it?’‘I will read part of this prediction, but do you know how this prediction is composed?’‘Certainly master, these are the seven signs and the seven plagues. It are the sevenplagues which contain the prediction of the star that falls on the Earth.’8

Ten more days.‘Well, I don’t ask you to list them, but I will read the first stanza of the prediction. Doyou know the difference between the part containing the prediction and the remains of sacredtexts?’‘Yes master, I know. The predictions were written in future tense, while the rest of thetexts are mostly in past tense.’‘Well, but do you know of other passages of text written in future tense?’Leith, embarrassed, looks timidly at his shoes and dares not to respond that he ignoresthe answer to this question. His master, Amilius, pretending not to see his discomfort,continues:‘Come on my dear Leith, I don’t mind not knowing the answer to this question. It’s infact a small trick question. You may not have realized it, but the seven prohibitions arewritten orders in future tense which simply one of the most important is: “Thou shall notkill.”Amilius gets up and goes to the library shelves filled up to the brim with old leatherboundbooks to take one. He sits down, opens it, puts his glasses and starts to slowlybrowse through the pages of old paper with a tiny precaution to stop at the section thatcontains the myth of the end of the world.‘Listen well Leith, I will read the first verse.’Amilius raises his head and looks Leith straight in the eyes, as he wanted to emphasizethe content of his words by doing so, automatically adjusts his glasses and continues withthe reading of the first stanza by reading slowly and thus putting the weight on the mostimportant words.‘For many generations, the kings heed the laws and remain committed to the divine principleto which they are related. When the divine diminishes in them, as a result of crossingwith many mortals, they will fall into indecency.’‘Don’t you agree that the story is fairly close to the situation as it’s currently in a state ofAlta and its capital Poseidia 1 where King Ra-Ta reigns supreme. I don’t approve in any wayits dogma, “The law? That’s me ! ” 2 This despicable character thinks only of wealth andpower, he is worse than the worst of usurers and his evil god of war, Ares. If someone fellinto indecency, that’s him. Moreover, it seems that his secret service, the BIS, torture peopleat some of their interrogations. 3 ’Amilius, thoughtful, watches attentively his pupil, surprised by his unexpected reactionand relative hard thinking, and thinks for a moment before answering:‘You are absolutely right my friend, on the other hand, beware, even the walls in herecould well have ears. You must remember, it’s sufficient to criticize him to get into thehands of the BIS. Do you know by the way the meaning of this acronym?’‘Yes master, the Brigade of Internal Security. It’s they who intervene when there are riotsand popular uprisings. I think they are also active in espionage and against espionage.’‘That’s it, but let’s talk politics another day. I will read the following verse of the myth,it contains the reason that Zeus, they speak of Zeus in this verse, even if our god is Ra,would destroy the world.’1 That’s how, according to the medium Edgar Cayce, was called the capital of Atlantis.2 Comes in reality from King Louis XIV.3 Like the state’s service of a mustache wearing dictator of the second World War did.9

Angelica’s Dream.‘Yes I know, the Belials 4 have him as supreme deity, whereas ours is the sun god, Ra,which is our only god. I understand they also have a sun god, but call him Helios.’Amilius seeks his way in the old leather-bound book, automatically adjusts his glassesand continues to read as he usually does; slowly emphasizing the most important words:‘The divine portion that is in them will deteriorate by its frequent mix with considerablemortal elements and the human nature will prevail. Therefore, unable to bear prosperity,they will conduct themselves indecently and for those who can see, they will appear uglybecause they will lose the most beautiful on their most valuable, while those who cannotdiscern what the real happiness is, will find them just perfectly fine and happy while theyare infected with the unfair, envy and pride. Then, the god of gods, Zeus, ruling accordingto the prevailing laws and who can discern these kinds of things, will realize the sad state ofa race which has been virtuous and will decide on the punishment to render them moremoderate and wise. For this purpose, he will meet all the gods in their homes, the mostvaluable, which is located in the center of the universe, see all that what is involved in thegeneration and, together with the…’He lifts his head, watching his pupil, who does not seem to note that there is a missingout page in the prestigious book and that is why his teacher stops reading. Noting that Leithalways listens and waits for what will follow, he says:‘Sorry, my boy, the rest is lost already a very long time ago. I am still sorry about it becauseI would like, like you, to know more. It’s possible that the library still keeps archivesthat contain the rest of this story, but we must invest time and willingness to look for it.You return this afternoon to continue? We could discuss a little of what we have red andread the seven signs, could we?’‘Sorry, master, this afternoon I wanted to review my math lessons, but I will first go fordinner in Abdubu’s place, the tavern “The Gardens”, near here.’‘You eat Persian dishes now?’‘No master, not specifically, he has also dishes from here, it’s good to be there and myfriends are there to discuss a bit.’‘Enjoy your meal my boy and see you tomorrow.’‘See you tomorrow to master.’The town of Osuo is named after the river feeding the Parfa lake and joining the Saadriver, which is, coming from the mountains, joining the sea near the city and port ofAmaki. The town itself is situated on the border of the lake where the river leaves it to jointhe Saad. The river Osuo cuts, leaving the lake, the lower part of the city of the same namein two, thus leaving the most modest to the right whose homes spacing out increasinglytowards the sea, gradually turning into countryside with farms of various sizes and housesof artisans. On the left bank there is a boulevard that, when coming close to the lake,makes a curve to run alongside the small fishing and marina port. One might be surprisedto find a fishing port in a country where the majority of the population is vegetarian byconviction 5 , but not everyone is strictly practicing and do not forget the other faiths whodo not have the restriction of respect for all living things. Between the left bank of the4 The polytheist group of Atlantis; “Sons of Belial”5 The authors of the book “ Les Autres Vies et la Réincarnation ” of Bernard et Duboy, (Éditions du Rocher) certify onpage 204; that Alanteans where vegetarian.10

Ten more days.mouth of the Osuo river and the harbor shaped in half a circle, is a park of about tenstadia 6 long and half a dozen large, normally reserved for walking. You can also find streethawkers there, tolerated provided they remain discreet. We can see there statues of variousheroes, musicians, two writers, a composer, kings and queens and even some military.There is on the other side of the boulevard, i.e. the part from the city between the harborand the high city, a steep shopping area. There are shops of all kinds, cobblers, florists,grocery stores, bakeries, hardware stores, hairdressers, furniture stores, small cafés of allkinds and even a beauty salon owned by a young lady named Penelope. But buildings donot only have shops, there are also workshops for artists, lawyers and other representatives.In this part of town you can find the home of Amilius, astrologer, astronomer and physicsteacher. Most buildings have at least one floor or more, and it’s in one of the apartmentslocated in the upper floors where Leith lives, the student of Amilius. It’s at the corner ofone of these alleys that you will find the tavern of Abdubu, “The Gardens”, which takes itsname from the previous owner, a native of the state of the same name. Even if Abdubuwanted to make a small Persian restaurant, as he had in his home country, he had to takeaccount of existing customers and especially the regulars who have different taste. Hereyou will find regularly Leith, the two Macs, Celts from the north and true to their habits, ascore that everyone knows by the name of Jou-el and who nobody knows by true tribename, Penelope the beautician and then the neighborhood merchants. The two Celts,Macdonald 7 and Macintosh 8 , known only by the tribe name and are accordingly calledMacdo and Maci or simply the Macs because we never see one without the other, are fromnorth of the island. Many clients also feel that they are brothers or even twin brothers anddo not know that they do not even belong to the same clan. (The Celts prefer to use theterm clan in place of tribe as the people of Mayra say.) When Penelope comes in with thenewspaper under her arm, the Macs have already ordered their food and are, awaiting it,about to finish consuming their first mugs. Penelope joins them at their table and exclaimsat Abdubu:‘Dubu, Dubu quickly a tea with ice cubes if you like, I still have two elderly under themask.’Abdubu accustomed to this behavior because he knows she has about twenty minutes togo, looks for something in the cooler and serves it.‘Hi my dear, here is your tea-something and take care not to freeze your sweet lips.’‘Eh!’ she shouts, ‘you forgot the ice cubes!’‘Drink it, you’ll see, this tea isn’t very hot.’‘Bééh!’ she shouts, ‘it’s cold, even frozen! What did you do?’‘Simple, I knew you were coming and prepared your tea this morning and left in thecooler for cooling. You come always for lunch as a draft and drink your tea quickly claimingice to cool it. Do you want your tea in the future like that or do you prefer as usual?’‘No, it’s okay, I take it as usual.’She starts to open her newspaper, folds it double in the other sense such that an article,surrounded by a red line, appears clearly and continues:6 Stade or Stadia, is a Greek measure and it takes ten stadia to make up a Mile.7 A eye wink to Amy MacDonald, a singer whose song can be heard hourly on the radio whilst writing this lines.8 To Eric, to only unique Mac that runs on beer and plays bagpipes without needing a soudcard of five point something.(He was in charge of the CERN software department when I used to work there!)11

Angelica’s Dream.‘Eh! You see that! They found the astronomer-physicist Ar-Arart murdered at hishome in his town Poseidia.’‘Was this not the one who led the research on the anomaly of Arcturus, which seems tocome back with a lead of seventeen years?’ Asks Abdubu without specifying to whom hespeaks.‘I’m not keen on their stars and others,’ responds Macdo, ‘but I believe that it isn’t thefirst suspicious disappearance. Last week, there was a disappearance of the same type andif I recall correctly, there were others before.’‘I don't remember the details,' says Maci, 'but I think they all have one thing in common:they all worked more or less on the same project. So I think there is something that's notright.’‘Yes,’ says Penelope, ‘that’s what I think, but we should perhaps ask Leith, if he comesjust now.’‘You know what he does?’ Asks Maci.‘No,’ says Macdo, ‘he is nice, discreet and can be seen rarely in the evening in the taverns,but I don’t know exactly what he does. It seems to me that he follows high schoolteachings from Amilius, but for what. This is the mystery!’‘But he is only sixteen!’ Says Penelope. ‘The teaching that he follows with the master isof general nature, but I don’t know his future plans. Dubu, Dubu’, she exclaims towardsrear room.‘Eh! Dubu,’ exclaims she again, ‘do you know what he does, Leith?’Abdubu, who has other things to do than listening to customers, turns surprised becausehe has only partially understood the question and asks in turn:‘What's it about Leith?’‘We would like to know what he is doing or rather what he is going to do?’ Asks Penelope.‘He said that he would like to become an approved teacher-coach in the Indians part ofthe European continent.’‘Approved, authorized, approved,’ asks Macdo ‘how?’‘You know that the education of Europeans is a long-term project and only contact is allowedby skilled people 9 ’ says Abdubu.That’s the moment where Leith enters and sits down at the table with the Macs andPenelope.‘Hi everyone, how are you?’‘Hi,’ says Maci, ‘we’re just talking about you, you take your lessons from MasterAmilius?’‘Yes that’s right, we talked today about the myth of the end of the world. I am just wonderingif the appearance seventeen years before its timetable of Arcturus has no connectionwith it.’‘Didn’t you read the newspaper?’ Asks Penelope.‘No,’ says Leith, ‘is there something serious?’‘They killed the astronomer Ar-Arart’, says Macdo.9 The authors of the book “ Les Autres Vies et la Réincarnation ” of Bernard et Duboy, (Éditions du Rocher) certify iton the pages dealing with Atlantis.12

Ten more days.‘Damn,’ says Leith, ‘he just worked on this project, I fear that we have to do it all overagain now. It seems to me that there is something strange, a center for research and an observatorywere burned and several physicists and astronomers have been killed or disappeared.There is decidedly something hidden behind.’‘Again,’ asks Penelope, ‘again? How again?’‘Well,’ says Leith, ‘he had the tendency to work alone and we fear that his notes havebeen destroyed. You have the newspaper on you. Read it carefully. I bet that his studiohas been ransacked. For sure that they wanted to make us believe in a robbery which hasgone wrong.’Penelope begins to read the article a bit more carefully than she suddenly raises her headand exclaims:‘Shit, I’m forgetting the time, I still have my two elderly to finish. Leith, I think you areright, read the rest of the newspaper and leave it here, I will return later to pick it up.’Poseidia, with its two million inhabitants, both the capital of the state of Alta and of thefederation and named after the god Poseidon, is a city that has preserved its ramparts anddefense ditches of yesteryear. Although the legend of its creation and Atlantis says that itwas Poseidon who had created it along with the country, the reality is quite different. Onemight doubt that its defenses are designed to repel attacks from the outside since beforethe attack, one must first successfully pass the fjord barely sixty stadia large, giving accessto the inner sea on the edge of which the city is located. No, these defenses were designed,like all major cities in the distant past; to repel attacks by gangs of bandits. In the past, thecity growing, several ditches and ramparts were built. But the city had, unlike other citieswhich had mostly leveled them to reuse the space becoming free, retained its formerditches to convert them to be a seaport.From the outside defense wall remain only pieces here and there where they could findtheir integration in the rather dense buildings and streets. Remain only visible of the wallstructures the parts of the Sea Gate 10 , which was once used to block access by canal to thecity by boats and swimmers. Concerning the city center, there are no more people since along time. The center itself serves only as a royal residence, the king’s religious buildingsand the arena used to fight bulls for ritual sacrifices. Then, there are some residences ofnobles, the racetracks, the buildings of state, the state and federal police and the commandof the army. The third ring essentially serves as space to house offices and commercial areas.It’s in the second ring, the area where the services of state are that we can find amongothers the feared BIS and the BSO, the Brigade of Secret Operations.The man, uniquely known by his code name “Ach”, climbs the narrow streets of the administrationcity and stops in front of a building that was once the consuls palace. A hugedoor, Grey-Green, stands before him, high at least twelve feet and more than ten wide.The wings look very heavy, metal close to brass, in which are embedded in huge nails. Herings. The wings open from the inside and he enters the court following the columnswalking at a brisk pace. Reaching the other side of the court, he climbs the stairs to enter aroom of disproportionate dimensions. The marble floor is slightly veined with pink. It’s10 The Dutch city Sneek has still such a gate, now tourist attraction. When there was an outside defense wall, such a gatemust have existed and integrated in the whole.13

Angelica’s Dream.very mild this third day of Leo 11 , almost hot. A deadly silence surrounds him, sometimescut by felted steps of other employees passing under the arcades of the palace. His stepsresonate in the hall. He passes between the rows of thirty-one pedestal columns, cut tothree feet high, on which we can find the busts of the Ra-Ta dynasty, governing for the lastforty centuries. He takes a chair and sits, without asking, down at a decorated table marryingperfectly the decor expressing the excessive wealth and greets the caller.‘Hello Aker.’‘Hello Ach, you alright? You are assured of not being followed?’‘No, only the doorman saw me, but he is one of ours.’‘Anything new? Your part of “Operation Silence” takes place as planned?’‘Of course, my college, it’s obvious that I did not make the steps myself, but had to delegatethem to a member of the BSO.’‘Indeed, I did see it in reading the newspaper whilst waiting for you. Are there others inyour area to deal with?’‘No, there is no immediate danger, Alpha had many students, but I made arrangementsfor monitoring them.’‘Well, proceed to the next topic. The city of Osuo, the capital of the state of Mayra, youknow?’‘Yes and no, it’s in the east, but I never went there.’‘Well, you know well and if you do not know yet, you know now. “Operation Silence” hasbeen created to facilitate the evacuation of part of the people chosen by our king. The goalis to evacuate as many people as possible without creating a movement of panic in the population.The news of what will happen, as calculated by Alpha, may not under any circumstancesbe disclosed. Is that clear?’‘Yes!’‘Do you go to Osuo yourself or do you have contacts there?’‘No, I will use the agents placed there, they would conduct the operation. Do you havesuspects, apart from Zeta, in this city?’‘We should perhaps monitor his students, there is among them a boy of sixteen yearswho is very gifted. Another thing to take care of is the library there. They have apparentlystill a very impressive archive of ancient texts in the basement. You don’t take action immediately,monitor it and if a suspect is entering to see them, feel free to do whatever isnecessary.’‘It seems to me that I know the boy. He came here in Poseidia to take lessons from Alpha.He has been reported with a girl of about his age. A very pretty girl with jet shinyhair and brown almond eyes, like the only daughter of King Bel-Ra.’‘That’s right. But it was not a likeness. It was her for good! We know almost nothingabout her except that she is eighteen, called Ussa and the nonsense that newspapers tellabout her. They have blackened the pages well while she appeared here with a boy of hercountry! The henchmen of Bel-Ra did a good job, impossible to get closer to these twothen within one stadia. Don’t touch especially, our king, as dominant as he is, does notpardon and it will be the ultimate punishment: a slow death spread over five years and verypainful! 12 ’11 The month August, our names are Roman and those did not exist yet at that time.12 Type of torture practiced by the Alanteans.14

Ten more days.‘But it could be an accident. It arrives quickly an accident, isn’t it?’‘You don’t have my blessing and in case of problems.... I don’t know as for the boy. Idon’t think he is dangerous, but I will not cry over his body if something happens. Thenthe girl, forget her. I can no longer protect you with a code name. I will be obliged to denounceyou. The slow and painful death does not interest me! I hope I have made myselfclear? Did I?’‘One last thing, the temple. What are we doing?’‘You’re referring to temple of Ozin, used to communicate with the dead and ancestors?’‘Yes that’s right.’‘It’s a good idea, but we could record only the comments expressed in this temple. Asyou know, the telepathic communication used by this process can never be intercepted andit’s precisely here that we focus the most. But I think the cast recording of words will suffice.It gives us an idea of what they say and then intervene or follow the suspicious if thesubject of their conversation is in within the framework of “Operation Silence”.‘I will keep you informed on further action.’‘You can leave.’The man code-named “Ach” slowly leaves the huge meeting room walking thoughtfully,passing under the arches, descends the stairs, goes through the court, and is accompaniedby the guard to the huge entry door.15

AThe End Of The World Myth.milius, who got up early this morning of the fourth day of Leo to watch the sky beforeit comes too light, goes down the stairs leading to the observatory in the shapeof a dome housed in a part of the attic, to join his workshop and await his pupil. He putshis notes on the table used for both bureau and worktable. In the room we find tablesused as storage along certain walls with various heterogeneous objects, an astrolabe here, ahalf-disassembled telescope pending repair there, a globe representing the Earth, a book oflogarithmic tables open at a page with figures ranging from 10’000 to 10’200, a map of thesky and even a dictionary of mathematical formulas. He goes, after having filed his notesof this morning on the table, to the library shelf to the other side of the room and takes abook with references of celestial objects. Starts to leaf and, realizing that references heseeks are not in there, gets up again to take another book. That’s when his student, Leith,makes his entrance.‘Hello Master, I’m surprising you at work?’‘No my boy, I had just checked the coordinates of the stars I saw this morning.’‘You have to make re-calculations on Arcturus?’‘Yes, that was my intention in any case, but I could not see everything I wanted.’‘Without being indiscreet, what you’d expect to see exactly?’‘There is nothing indiscreet in your question, my boy. I wanted to take accurate coordinatesof the big planets to be able to calculate the trajectory of Arcturus, but I should havestayed up all night for it. So I woke up too late this morning. Some of them weren’t visibleany longer at the time I went to the observatory.’‘Did Ar-Arart not already calculated it?’‘That’s right my boy, but as you should have learned from the newspapers, his workshop-officehas been fully ransacked and the most valuable documents have disappeared.Unfortunately I don’t think that he had sent me them yet.’‘I have confidence in you, master, that you will be able to remake his calculations. Youwill certainly make other observations coming night, don’t you?’‘Of course my child, I hope to have all the information and be able to complete my calculationstomorrow. About your math lessons, you advancing well?’‘Yes master. I learn how to use logarithmic tables and tables of angular conversion tocalculate positions and distances of celestial objects.’‘It’s good, but know that you need a lot of experience and exercise before you master thesubject. Regarding the lessons of yesterday, do you have issues relating to them?’‘Yes master, a very small one. The sentence: “When the divine portion that is in them alters byits frequent combination with mortal elements.” Does this target the frequent mixtures of royalblood with the population?’‘Obviously! Even if there are persistent rumors about brother-sister-marriages in thepast, the truth about it has never been proven. Surely the nephew-niece, cousin-cousinmarriages were and are still are common. But over the past centuries, marriages betweenroyal families and children of the people have become increasingly frequent. You can also16

Ten more days.take as an example the dynasty of Ra-Ta, whose ancestors reigned almost millennium, butat the moment, they reach an age to be little more than mortals.’‘Don’t you find that it corresponds to the prediction as the sacred texts are teaching us?’‘Unfortunately yes, my boy. It’s for this reason that I am interested in Arcturus its path.I fear that, as you had already said during your yesterday lessons, he is the falling star fromthe prediction.’‘It’s not only that master, but there are other signs that seem to match.’‘I will read first the seven warning signs before we continue to discuss them. The firsttwo who speak both of the bearded knight. Have you any idea what he is?’‘It’s certainly a comet because that’s how we called them in the old days. It meant forthe people then, now for superstitious, the Messenger misfortune.’‘Yes that’s right. Let’s continue with the reading of the seven signs.’Amilius gets up, goes to the library shelf, but notes that the book he seeks remained onthe table with a bookmark at the place where he had stopped reading the day before. Hetakes the book, opens it to the page marked, adjusts with an automatic gesture his glassesand continues with reading by making a small pause between each sign:‘First sign: when the small share Aries and Pisces and their big sisters Virgin and Libra,the bearded knight joins Ares 13 in Aquarius. Second sign: the bearded knight returns ratherthan expected in the sign of Aries. Third sign: a blue star will appear and becomes visibleduring the day. Fourth sign: people revolt and oppose the ruling classes. Fifth sign: thepopulation diverts divine virtues and begins to worship the golden calf and games. Sixthsign: the country will be cut by ribbons of flown stone 14 , such as a spider’s web. Seventhsign: the water of rivers turns to blood.’‘Master, can I conclude that, if I followed the reading correctly, the bearded knight is noother than Arcturus? It seems to me he is expected in seventeen years?’‘Yes, that’s what I was going to check my boy. That’s why I need accurate positions ofstars and to establish an astrological map of hundred and three years ago. That way I cancompare the astrological map of that period with the first sign of the prediction. Concerningthe second sign, Arcturus appeared indeed seen in the sign of Aries.’‘The third sign, master, the blue star, have you noticed?’‘Yes, I believe. This is certainly not a planet that becomes visible during the day, as wesee Aphrodite 15 sometimes in the morning or just before sunset, but a star that explodes 16 .You must know that, if you have reminded your previous lessons, some very bright starsexplode sometimes and then disappear. Such star becomes visible on the day for a week,sometimes more, sometimes less. There is indeed, at this moment, a star that becomes increasinglybrighter day by the day in the constellation of Lyra.’‘Properly understood master, as regards the fourth and fifth sign, the observation ofPeople’s behavior is enough to convince me it’s that what they wanted to say. For revolts,it’s mainly young people who oppose the wars that the country leads to the four corners ofthe globe, then they no longer accept the dominant attitude of the ruling class. For games,13 The planet Mars.14 Concrete: these types of structures have effectively been found in areas inundated by the rising of sea level, 12’000 yearsago.15 The planet Venus, they must have been using Greek names instead of Roman names.16 That’s we call a supernova today.17

The End Of The World Myth.no comments, just to see how the players of the last Pelote 17 competition were venerated.With regard to the golden calf, it’s the materialism of population, the attitude of accumulatingobjects representing the wealth is to me the worship of the golden calf. The sixth signare perhaps the roads that have been constructed right and wrong throughout the country,or am I wrong?’‘I totally agree with you, my child. Regarding rivers turning blood, it may be said to becolored red. Sometimes the fact that telluric movements and small tremors release materialsthat could well cause the coloration of the sources and thus the river water. This isnothing new, it has already happened, but is not absolutely predictable. You can, concerningthe veneration of the golden calf, also see that, if you remember well, Hebrews actuallyworship the golden calf and even if this is contrary to their religious dogma.Angelica, Julian, their boy and girlfriends gathered on the beach of Étretat before theirhouse of windsurf board renting 18 enjoying the few rays of sunshine this August. Angelicadoes not babble, she has put her walkman on and is listening to music. Suddenly one ofthe girls, Alicia, shakes her and asks:‘What are you listening? Another one of your corny old stuff I bet!’‘Yes, it’s certainly Sidney thing or Miles something’, says Andrew.‘That something is called Miles Davis, a jazz trumpeter and that thing is known as SidneyBechet, which you should certainly know, or you seriously lack cultural education’, says Julian.‘Angelica,’ says Alicia, ‘Angelica pass me your headphones, I want to know what you’relistening.’Angelica, who had removed the headphones meanwhile, rewinds the album she was listeningto the beginning and passes it on. It’s Alicia turn to put the headphones on andhears the Pogues just starting the first issue of the album, also the title, “If I Should FallFrom Grace With God.” She gets up in outlining small dance steps on the shingle beach inalmost twisting her ankle and screams:‘WHAT IS THIS MUSIC?’‘Stop screaming, we aren’t deaf!’‘WHAT?’‘Stop shouting and remove your earphones before replying’, says Julian.‘WHAT?’Alicia continues to listen, does not hear what her friends tell her and continues herdance steps while the Pogues continue with “Turkish Song Of The Dammed”. She asks again:‘IT’S NOT BAD, IT’S WHO?’It’s Andrew who then rises up and snatches the headphones and says:‘Put those things away when you speak, you understand nothing of what you’re told andyou are screaming.’‘No, I don’t scream. Who is this group?’‘You scream, it’s always like that if we speak with a walkman turned on’, says Julian.17 “Pelote Basque”, the ancestor of today’s tennis, has nothing to do with the French card game having a similar name;“Belote”.18 Even when there is a place to rent small boats, don’t try to find the little house where young people are renting surfboards,it exists, but in this story.18

Ten more days.‘They are “The Pogues”, an Irish group of the eighties,’ says Angelica. ‘I found this CD inthe collection of my father. I have pinched two CDs of them and one of the group Celtica19 . He doesn’t seem to listen very often because it’s a year that I have them. I cannot rememberthe title, it’s something with Grace and God, but that’s all I remember.’‘Angelica, your brother told me that you had a rather bizarre dream’, asks Andrew whoobviously wants to change the subject. ‘You were, what seems, a princess of Atlantis whowas drowning, isn’t it?’Thus Angelica tells, even if she does not recall all the details, her dream to her friends.Her brother, Julian, assists her, he remembers more details of what she had narrated himduring the night.‘You believe that Atlantis really existed’, asks Alicia.‘I don’t know,’ replies Angelica, ‘but some details were too sharp. There were for examplethe boats in the harbor. They all had sorts of wings as sails, as the second boat ofCousteau have had them. The only boats with ordinary sails were small fishing boats.There was also the cart of the detective, there are no similar ones in France at this time.They looked a little like to these post-war tricycles built by the Italians and Germans, but Inever saw one in reality, only in a book dealing with the post-war area.’‘But Atlantis, wasn’t it a Greek island’, asks Alicia.‘I don’t know,’ replies Julian in place of Angelica, ‘but I think it was Plato who had mentionedit.’‘I doubt a little whether it was an island that fits in the Mediterranean,’ says Angelica,‘because in my dream it was a rather long trip to reach the port. Something like from hereto Paris and an island of this size takes up place!’‘You told me last night that there was an evacuation plan to the continent of Europe.This suggests that it was an island in the Atlantic’, says Julian.‘You should perhaps go to the library,’ says Alicia, ‘to consult the documentation or seeon the Internet.’‘It’s a good idea,’ replies Angelica, ‘I will go this afternoon. I think they are open.’‘There was someone in the book fair of Andé,’ says Alicia, ‘who was selling posters andbooks on Atlantis, but I have no idea where he comes from or where he lives. You couldperhaps contact the organizers or the City Council over there to find out.’‘Andé? Where is it?’‘In the department of Eure, near the Seine, not far from the new City of Val de Reuiland Louviers, or take a map and look!’‘But it’s far!’‘You don’t know how to use a phone or what?’Andrew, tired of listening to the discussion, grabs the walkman of Angelica, puts the earphoneson, disgusted removes them immediately and cries out:‘Bèèèh, you’re listening tips like these? It’s old, it’s for old men it’s corny, it’s zero, howcan you listen to that?’‘You talk about music,’ replies Angelica, ‘the crazy stuff you listening to is like throwingcontents of a glass recycling container down the stairs. I don’t like your stuff of you, it’staste buddy. And give me back my player please.’19 Local group over here paying Irish and Brittan folk music. (See: www.celtica.fr)19

The End Of The World Myth.‘That’s it,’ says Alicia, ‘and don’t forget the yelling of the housekeeper down the staircasewho gets the merchandise in its face.’‘She does not like RAP too much either,’ says Julian, ‘one or two issues is okay, butthereafter ....’‘Yes,’ says Angelica, ‘that’s not music, it’s accelerated reading of newspapers referring tothe suburban problems with a background noise.’‘Or insults, sex and violence, if you listen to this American M or N something’, says Alicia.‘Do we go?’ asks Julian looking at his watch. ‘Does someone come with us to have a littlefood? We might see us this afternoon.’‘Without me,’ replies Angelica, ‘I take something at home and then I go to the library asAlicia suggested to check the things I dreamed last night.’Leith, who completed his lessons in the morning from Master Amilius, climbs the streetpassing the small shop of Penelope, who he salutes in passing, and goes to the tavern ofAbdubu. “The Gardens” is not very large and is on the corner of the street. The entrancedoor has a curiosity that it’s at the corner of the building. This building, whose angle isrounded, has apartments on the upper floors with windows having a balcony located in thecorner just as the door below them. The owner lives there, as well a student and anemployee of Commerce. Leith enters, takes a circular look and sees that, without notingthat banal customer, much too banal, seated discreetly at a table in the corner of the room,there are still few customers and goes to the table where Abdubu and Jou-el are in debate.He sits down and asks them:‘Hello, how are you? I am a little early for lunch, isn’t it?’‘No, you aren’t,’ replies Abdubu, ‘it’s not you who is too early, but the people are a littlelate today. What do you take? As usual?’‘Does it happen that you take something else’, asks Jou-el.‘Yes,’ says Abdubu in place of Leith, ‘but he agrees rarely on my dish of the day. He is avegetarian and sticks to his principles 20 .’‘That’s right,’ says Leith, ‘our religion prohibits in principle the consumption of flesh,but most people don’t practice except for special occasions such as births, marriages andfunerals.’‘Are there any exceptions?’ Asks Jou-el, who is not practicing.‘There is,’ replies Leith, ‘in case of necessity, but he owes a prayer to soul of the beast inorder to apologize for having taken his flesh 21 .’Leith, who had just finished his lessons, obviously wants to change the subject and asks:‘Is there anything new about Arcturus and the murder of Ar-Arart? Because it seems tome,’ as he continues, ‘that he gets closer day by day. He will soon be visible at daytime andit will be too late to do something in case of problems.’It’s Jou-el, who gives him a kick under the table and points out to the stranger sitting atthe table in the corner and puts his finger on his lips. That’s when the two fraternal twins20 The authors of the book “ Les Autres Vies et la Réincarnation ” of Bernard et Duboy, (Éditions du Rocher) certify onpage 204, that Alanteans where vegetarian.21 North American Indians mostly still do this.20

Ten more days.and true Celts are entering. They sit down at the table with Leith and Jou-el and it’s Maciwho asks:‘Hi Leith. Hi Jou-el. Eh! Abdubu get us another round,’ and continues speaking to Leith,‘does he fall or doesn’t he?’Forcing Jou-el to repeat the same gesture of a while ago to the two Macs to describe thestrange visitor sitting alone at the table in the corner to indicate them to change the topicof conversation.‘So,’ says Macdo who understood Jou-el’s gesture, ‘she comes, Penelope?’‘I don’t know,’ says Leith, ‘I passed her shop just now and she had a client, but I thinkshe will not take long to come.’The men continue the discussion on the relations of Penelope, an unmarried girl whodoes not seem to find shoes to her feet, and they do not notice that the too banal strangerhas got up from his chair and has been asking a communication in the cabin from wherecomes a barely audible monologue:‘Hello?’‘Hi, it’s Ach, pass me Aker please.’‘Yes.’‘Yes.’‘No.’‘Yes, suspect IV already knows too much and the word begins to spread among the population.’‘Yes.’‘No.’‘Certainly, I will take the steps now.’‘No.’‘Of course, I do not carry them out myself. I will also take measures to monitor hispupil, he does not know too much yet, but monitoring is not a luxury.’‘Yes of course.’‘Of course, if he goes to dig into the basement, I will need to.’‘Pardon?’‘No, I will be careful, no one here knows me anyway.’‘Yes, I will contact you as soon as I can again.’‘Yes, soon.’The man steps out of the cabin, pays the communication and his consumptions, thenleaves the café almost hurting Penelope who just comes in. She follows the man who cameout without an apologize with a questioning look and launches at her friends while she sitsdown:‘Who is this? He is limping in the street in front of my shop throughout the day.’Poseidia, at the headquarters of the BIS, the man known by his code name Aker passesunder the porches, goes down the grand staircase at the back of the courtyard and alongthe colonnades to enter the office of chief of operations of groups “A” and “B” so namedbecause the first letter of the code names of agents. The man, having a grade equivalent ofa colonel and only known by code name Seth, casts a cold look at him and waits for adignified salvation as his rank imposes it.21

The End Of The World Myth.‘Hello sir, Brigadier Aker to serve you’, he says making a military salvation.‘Sit down Aker. Do you have news of Osuo. You have been able to convince one ofour agents to go there himself to lead the operations?’‘Yes sir.’‘Which agent did you send there?’‘Ach, sir. That is all we had available at the time.’‘You could not release another and send him in his place? This man is capable of committingthe worst nonsense. I don’t want to be mean to him, but a bullet, we fire him inhis head, will take at least three months to find the slightest trace of brain! All he knows isto shoot and kill.’‘Yes sir. “Operation Silence” takes a lot of resources in manpower and equipment and wecannot afford to withdraw men from their positions. The state of Mayra poses no majorrisk, even though the population seems to suspect something. The youth of this state ismore concerned about the wars in progress at this time. Regarding Zeta, my agent comesto communicate me that he has managed to recalculate the data of Alpha and draws thesame conclusion. We cannot afford to keep this man alive. Its elimination has been decidedand will be executed today or tomorrow at the latest.’‘Well! Have you anything else? Zeta had or still has a fairly good student isn’t it?’‘Yes sir. He isn’t dangerous for now, he doesn’t know much more than people and hisskills are not sufficient to recalculate the data of Zeta’‘Is he not the same young person that had been reported in the company of the onlydaughter of King Bel-Ra?’‘Yes sir. That’s him.’‘So be careful. According to our information, this girl, she’s called Ussa I believe, will bein love with him. Which could mean that he is in discreet surveillance by henchmen ofBel-Ra.’‘Yes sir. Ach, I think, with his birdbrain, decided to eliminate them, making it look likean accident because he believes that this girl knows, according to him, too much.’‘Oh woe. Can’t we recall him and attribute him another task?’‘No sir. He will only communicate once the process completed.’‘Do all you can. You know that you are responsible for what happens to this girl. Youknow very well that only an extraordinary meeting of the ten kings may decide the fate of amember of a royal family. In case of problems, our skin would not be very expensive. Bel-Ra and his cronies are well-aware of our actions. If the slightest thing happens to his onlydaughter, we will no longer be part of the evacuation plan because dead before. Did youget this right?’‘Yes sir.’‘You can leave. And recall this dummy before he does too much damage.’The agent Aker leaves the office and wonders how he can avoid the damage. He walksup the court following the colonnades, goes upstairs and returns to his spacious office nearthe meeting room. He takes a list of his officers on in the field and finds to his regret thatthere is no officer in the state of Mayra he can contact in less than two days. He cannoteven contact his own agents, who have no means of personal communication, a securitymeasure put in place to avoid the possibility of being located. A decision that proves to be22

Ten more days.counter-productive in this crisis. He takes the only decision that seems right to him at thismoment: he withdraws an active agent in the city and sends him by express to Osuo hopinghe finds the so-called Ach before he commits the irreparable.23

LWarning!eith, Penelope, Jou-el, the Macs and Abdubu are still at the table in open discussion.Customers, accustomed to come to eat the dish of the day at noon, beginning tocome one by one or several. Abdubu stands up and apologizes to his friends and begins toserve drinks to those who wish. The five friends continue their usual babbling, to reviewthe different characters of the neighborhood, when suddenly, Penelope, remembering thecustomer who had just come out, asks:‘Hey! You’ve seen this person leaving just now? I am sure that he is a spy. He does noother than go back and forward on the street in front of me and the next street, where livesMaster Amilius. I am sure he is watching him. What do you think Jou-el, you who knowsall and knows everything about everyone?’‘Yes,’ says Maci who responds in place of Jou-el, ‘I noticed others like him also, it seemsthat something is brewing. These are perhaps not spies, but surely agents of the BIS.’‘I agree with you,’ says Macdo, ‘it seems to me that they keep an eye on Amilius.’‘Sorry for the kick just now,’ says Jou-el to Leith, ‘but I could not do otherwise. It wasAbdubu who recognized him first. This is probably an agent of the BIS. It seems to methat I know him and he is not one of their best agents, if that’s him.’‘Yes,’ says Abdubu who had just submitted another tour, ‘he took a communication withPoseidia. What is suspicious in itself, but I seem to have heard him talking about suspectsand execution or executed.’‘But you wanted to talk about what just now?’ Asks Jou-el Leith.‘Oh! It’s just about the murder of Ar-Arart. I wanted to know if any of you have anythingnew in the meantime.’‘No,’ says Penelope, ‘but I think I have heard of this comet approaching day by day. Butthe observatory of Poseidia says there is no danger. He, this comet thus, will as usual passvery far from the Earth. Look at the paper of this morning, there is half a page on thisevent.’‘I know,’ says Leith, ‘I have heard. But I am not too sure that these articles which appearedrecently in newspapers are really coming from the observatory. Normally thiscomet, whose name is Arcturus, has a path coming between Pisces and Aquarius and leavingagain between Sagittarius and Scorpio and does not cross the one of Earth. But thenext problem arises, he came back too early and we don’t know why.’‘But,’ says Maci, ‘wasn’t he supposed to return only in seventeen years?’‘That’s it,’ says Leith, ‘Master Amilius told me that he also became visible in Aries.’‘It seems to me,’ says Penelope, ‘that we cannot observe Aquarius at this time and are,therefore, unable to observe the arrival of a comet there.’‘You may be right,’ says Leith, ‘which is why we saw him for the first time in Aries.What worries me on the other hand is the fact that his first appearance in Aries matchesthe predictions made in the sacred texts.’24

Ten more days.‘The texts don’t they say that the country will be destroyed in one fateful day and a terriblenight?’ Asks Abdubu who came back to take the orders and continues without waitingfor a reply:‘Everyone takes the dish of the day? You could also Leith, it’s a traditional dish of theIberian people which contains only eggs, grated cheese, potatoes and mushrooms, accompaniedby vegetables. Is this alright to you?’‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘I make one myself sometimes, it’s a kind of omelet, isn’t it.’‘Five dishes of the day?’ Asks Abdubu, without addressing the issue of Leith.‘No,’ says Maci, ‘I would like the same thing as yesterday.’‘Sorry, I have no more, I’ll pass the card?’‘No leave it, I take the dish of the day.’‘Drink? A beer for you two’, he says with a head movement to both Macs and continues:‘Penelope, tea with ice cubes, perhaps,’ he asks her and continues without waiting for areply from her: ‘Leith, wine, cider, a glass of water perhaps?’‘Water,’ says Leith, ‘I still have lessons this afternoon and I wish to remain seriously.’‘Jou-el? As usual?’‘No, says Jou-el, ‘I will take a carafe of wine.’The five friends continue their gossip babbling and tells about the inhabitants and shopkeepersof the district until Abdubu returns with the drinks. He says without speaking toone in particular:‘It seems to me that your texts do not only speak of a total destruction by a star fallingon the Earth, but also about earthquakes and a flood.’‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘but also that there are survivors.’‘All those who have fled into the mountains, I think’ replied Penelope to him.‘You are amazingly well-informed,’ says Leith, ‘how do you know all this?’‘Well. I talk with my clients, you need to be able to speak about anything if you do myjob, my dear!’‘We do have a similar legend,’ says Abdubu, ‘but he says at the end: “After the flood, a new,less sinner race emerges to repopulate the Earth.”‘Hey!’ exclaims Penelope, apparently eager to change the subject by turning to Leith,‘when do you get married?’‘Me married? Me? How, to get married? With whom?’‘But our dear Ussa! The beautiful princess of our king! You are lucky to have her asgirlfriend.’‘But,’ replies Leith, a little embarrassed by this intrusion into his private life, ‘you reallybelieve what gossip newspapers tell?’‘We’ll see you well as a future prince,’ says Macdo, ‘a handsome young man like youwould be as successful as your beautiful girlfriend.’‘No, we are friends, nothing more. I like her, but me being a prince? I don’t know’,replies Leith.‘But,’ says Penelope him, ‘she is in love with you and doesn’t have a character to let ahandsome young man like you escape.’While his friends continue to tease him for a moment, it’s Abdubu who returns with thedishes and silence settles slowly leaving up to the sound of knives and forks on plates.25

Warning!Angelica, alone at home, looks a little incredulous, while she eats her sandwich she hasmade herself, on her computer screen. “Shit, 286’591 answers! ” she says to herself, “I need ayear like that.” She begins to watch the sites, first one by one, then others by taking themhere and there following the display text. “Shit, still shit.” she says again to herself, “these aregossip sites, nothing to do with what I dreamed.” Then she gets across a site related to Plato’sspeeches on Atlantis. “Let’s see,” she says to herself, “there are the speeches of Timaeus and othersof Critias,” and notes the references on a sheet of paper. She begins to list the things tocheck, including dates, as she into time gets across a site detailing the date of a flood, priorygiven on a zodiac from the temple of Denderah in Egypt, which took place at 9792 yearsbefore Jesus Christ. “Let’s see,” she murmurers to herself, “according to this site, Solon livedabout three hundred years before Plato and the story he was telling was nine thousand years before that.This leads us to three hundred added to the nine thousand years plus the lifetime of Plato, which was fourhundred twenty-seven to three hundred and forty-eight before Jesus Christ, which gives me a range of ninethousand six hundred and forty-eight to nine thousand seven hundred and twenty-seven years before JesusChrist.” She notes them, underlines the one of the zodiac of Denderah and adds a commenton it: “to verify”. She continues a moment to browse the various websites, noting theinformation and then calls the library, from which could be heard the following monologue:‘Good afternoon madame. Angelica Leblanc talking. The library, is it open this afternoon?’‘Half past three? 22 Sure. You have documentation on Atlantis?’‘What?’‘Yes, I know Charles Berliz, but Otto H Muck, I’ve never heard of him. Yes, put it asideas well. No, I don’t borrow, I would consult them on the spot.’‘Pardon?’‘A book on Geek mythology? Yes set it aside as well.’‘What? An atlas of legends and astrology? Yes it may be well to have on hand.’‘Yes and thank you, see you in a moment’, she says and closes the cover of her cellphone.She is still a moment thoughtful and begins to note other dreams, she still remembers.While she spends a time in revising her dreams she remembers best, she finds that some ofthem have one thing in common. It’s not even one point, but several, the dreams seem tobe in the same city on the edge of a lake with narrow streets with shops of all kinds. In themiddle of what looks to her like a Middle Eastern bazaar, is a very nice little bistro on thecorner of a sloping alley. She remembers especially the customers because the evening, sheremembers that it was the evening, there were two guys looking Scottish that played music.Among the guests there was also a girl of about thirty years, a man of indeterminate age, aman of Middle Eastern origin who was obviously the owner of the bistro and more importantly,most importantly, a handsome young man of her age. She takes a thoughtful thinkingabout this young man, which she does not remember the name, Le, Li or somethinglike that. She loved him well, he was like her brother, who is two years older, but thinnerand having a less athletic look.Angelica then continues to take notes of these things she deems important and realizesthat she had another dream two years ago when there was also this young man, this time22 Does not correspond to the real opening times of the library of Étretat. Please consult their website for more information.26

Ten more days.accompanied by a girl having mid-long shiny black jet hair and brown almond eyes, whosename she also remembers, Ussa. This girl followed, as the young man, a training course inthe place of a guy looking like the sage-like in the turret of a TV game show: Fort Boyard 23 .She is now beginning to write on a separate sheet the key elements of the dream of theday before and wonders if Ussa and the princess, because Ussa was one, she was in herdream, weren’t one and the same person. While she notes that what she remembers of herdream, she thought to herself: “Shit, how was the name of this boy? They were intimate and he wassomething with “Hei” or “Lei”. Ah yes, I remember, Leith, his name was Leith and he was on the stageto become a wise man.” Thinking, she continues: “This Ussa appeals well to my brother. She was, isperhaps, like Melissa, but more bloody, more proportionate, knows what she wants and does visibly notsuffer from anorexia.” So she goes, taking a small bag with her notes, to the library while shecontinues to daydream about this young man, Leith, she likes to meet in the flesh. Enteringthe library, she greets the lady at the desk:‘Hello ma’am.’‘Hello, you are the girl who called me just now?’‘Yes ma’am, it’s me. Could you find the books?’‘I’ve put on the table there. Check them quietly, such a reading is not very common fora summer day. Why do you do this research? In your place, I would take advantage of thegood weather today and I would stay at the beach.’‘I’m curious’, she says, and continues to narrate her dream of the day and others that shehad previously, putting much emphasis on the strange similarities between the differentdreams. She tells the journey by train, the evening at the tavern, the training with the oldmaster and the fact that the princess of the course and she has been in her dream may wellbe the same person.‘I don’t know if they had a technology so advanced as ours’, says the librarian. ‘Whatever.Whatever. I have a brother-in-law who is very focused on the clairvoyants and clairvoyanceand I once talked about this if I recall correctly. There was a medium that, withwhat seems, made references to Atlantis while in trance. I think he was, he no longer livesby now, American.’She turns to her computer, starts up the most popular search engine and enters: “medium”,“atlantis”, “american”.‘You forgot the emphasis on medium and american,’ says Angelica, ‘and why not writingAtlantide?’‘No,’ she says, ‘the words “medium”, “american” and “Atlantis” are English. He wasAmerican and it’s better to look for the English-language sites.‘But my English is not as good’, she says, even if she had wanted to say I do understandnone.‘We’ll figure out, otherwise there will be many sites in French.’After a few minutes of surfing and visiting many websites, they just get across a site withsummaries without unnecessary bells and whistles.‘You may be right, they claim on this site that, according to this medium, the peoplefrom Atlantis were technically also advanced than we are today. They had television, radioand even public and private transport. Your dream might be right when it referred to atrip by train.’23 Summer game of the French television, collecting money for welfare projects.27

Warning!Angelica notes the name of the site and sits at the table with her books. She remainsthere until the librarian asks her:‘You come back tomorrow? It’s time. I am going to close.’‘No, I will come another day,’ says Angelica, ‘thank you very much anyway.’Master Amilius hears the noise of the door of his office-workshop and goes down thestairs leading to the observatory located in a part of his attic where he wanted to see if wecould observe the blue star at daytime, the one that explodes as his observations of thatnight had confirmed. But he noted that it has not yet become visible to the naked eye bynow. When he enters his office, he sees that Leith is already sitting and reading a book thatwas there. He praises his young student:‘Hello Leith, did you eat well my boy?’‘Hello Master, I did, thank you. For once the dish of the day suited me, which is rare.You know, I stand at the belief of our ancestors and I don’t eat flesh.’‘It’s very wise of you my boy.’‘You just came from your observatory, master, could you observe something?’‘No my child, I was going to check if this bright star was already visible at daytime, but Icould not see it. It’s a question of day or two, I think.’‘Another thing, Master. A question. Nothing to do with the lessons. Have you seenthis strange person limping in the streets here near you?’‘Yes my boy, he observes us. Be careful and don’t talk too much in public about whatwe do here.’‘But Master, the lessons are quite ordinary. Why do they focus on us then?’‘I suspect he is an agent of the feared BIS. They monitor all those who work more orless closely on the appearance of Arcturus. They are perhaps the ones who killed Ar-Arart.’‘Our life, will it be safe? Perhaps you were one of the best students of Ar-Arart, weren’tyou’?’‘I don’t want to be pretentious my boy, but there were many other very good studentsamong them.’‘It seems to me, master, that most of them have disappeared at this time or were killedby thugs or in suspect accidents.’‘Yes, unfortunately my child. Then, the fact that they all worked on the project Arcturusis surely no coincidence.’The Grand Master stands up and looks for the book with the sacred texts, which is sincethis morning on the worktable among different heterogeneous objects, opens it to the pagewhere they had stopped reading, and says to his student:‘Let’s continue with the reading of the first five of the seven plagues. We make a separatereading of the last two.’The master takes his book, automatically adjusts his glasses and starts to read it as usual,slowly building on the most important words and making a small pause between sentences:‘First plague: the harvest will be eaten by millions of locusts. Second plague: a new diseasewill appear and make thousands of victims. Third plague: there will be thirst, hunger,sun and heat. Fourth plague: man oppose to man, the region to another regions, religion28

Ten more days.to another religions and the nation to another nations. Fifth plague: a star falls on theearth. Do you have comments or questions, my boy?’‘Yes and no, master. I find that with a little imagination the first four could be appliedto events as they occur regularly on Earth.’‘But they should not be interpreted one by one, and here and there, my boy. They mustbe regarded as a series of consecutive events. Do you remember the invasion of destructiveinsects in the country?’‘Yes master. It seems to me that there has been a particularly devastating one a fewyears ago in the state of Alta. They were lucky that not the entire country had been invadedby locusts. And if I recall correctly, their crops had been lost entirely, for the ninetenthsat least. We can therefore consider that this could be the first plague.’‘Very well my child, well thought out. Do you have an idea for the second plague?‘Yes master. The second is not very difficult to guess. It’s the bird disease transmittableto humans and that looks like flu. It’s a disease from the country of the dragon, isn’t itmaster?’‘Yes my child. It, the disease, was brought home by soldiers on leave from this terriblewar against the Saneids 24 , causing millions of deaths a few years ago.’‘Would you have an idea for the third plague, my child.’‘You may be referring to the fact that the climate seems to warm up, isn’t it master?’‘Yes my boy. There are some who attribute this global warming to intensive and excessiveuse of Star-Energy, but it might be something else. Sages and scientists don’t knowexactly. The riots which take place from time to time having this as subject, have little todo with this, but are organized for political reasons, to oppose to the ruling classes.’‘Yes master. It seems to me that you have already responded in regard to the fourthplague. I also believe that this afternoon there will be a demonstration of young peopleagainst the war with the Saneids.’‘That’s it my boy. This unnecessarily led war causes far too many victims among thepoor youth who drew the wrong lot and don’t have enough means to buy off their freedom.’‘Yes master, it’s this despicable individual Ra-Ta who wants to show the world that he isthe one who is in command. But this war has to me no interest, neither military nor commercial.’‘You’ve done a good analysis, my child. You show very wise for your young age, I ampleased with you.’Amilius takes a circular look around him and sees that he had put the book he wassearching for ahead of him. He takes it, always open to the page with the seven plagues,and by adjusting his glasses with an automatic gesture he continues reading:‘Sixth plague: there will be tremors with such an intensity that it will change the courseof the sun in the sky, extraordinary floods and, in the space of one terrible day and night,all that you have as fighters, of wealth, mortals falling into indecency, will be swallowed inone go into the ground with the island which will crash into the sea and disappear as well.’‘Well, master. I think the star of the fifth plague of the prediction, is nothing more thanArcturus. Concerning the sixth plague, it’s not difficult to imagine that a star, the comet in24 The people of India. Atlantis was having war with them on the moment of its disappearance. The name “Sanieds”comes from the Egar Cayce readings.29

Warning!this case, leads to terrible earthquakes and heavy rains, if it falls into the ocean. It’s to me,on the other hand, difficult to believe that an island as large as ours, can sink into theocean. All this land and mountains still take up place. How will this be possible?’‘Good my boy. You are right to believe that everything we see today cannot disappearin nothingness, but I have yet to see things. Not only the position of certain planets andthe last position of Arcturus, but also see what books I have in geology. Tomorrow I’llgive you the double of some of my documents and the results of my calculations, whichyou need to keep in a safe place. You immediately go home now?’‘No master. I go to Abdubu, the Macs have an evening of music. But I don’t plan to returnlate, don’t worry.’‘Goodbye my child and see you tomorrow.’‘See you tomorrow master.’The long boulevard which goes along the river Osuo and continues, after making acurve, along the port and then the lake Parfa, is normally a fairly quiet artery. During thedry season, the months of Sagittarius, Capricorn and Aquarius, mostly we can find therepedestrians and people on vacation. Traffic there isn’t very dense since the bypass hasbeen built. Only deliveries, public transport and cars of the city inhabitants are still in circulation,which gives an air of tourist to the city. This afternoon, on the other hand, thereis unrest. The youth of the city are starting to revolt against the various wars that the federationconducts mainly against the Hellenic people and especially the particularly deadlyagainst the people of Saneid. Even if the demonstration had started peacefully on the partof the artery along the river, disruptive elements begin to intrude among the protesters.The anti-riot units of the BIS are already at the place where the boulevard has a curve,where the mouth of the Osuo is, the park and the harbor entrance. When the first arrivein front of police in battle dress, others try to cross the old city, where the shops are, toreach the boulevard behind the police. In seeing them pass, merchants are beginning topanic. They remember very well the recent skirmishes, many shops were forced to leavetheir windows or worse. Even though most of them have metal blinds or at least a grid,there are others less fortunate. Among them are many older people who continue to runtheir shop, more to fill their time then earning a living, but also those who had just managedto open their trade. Penelope’s shop is between the two situations. Because of extensiverepairs necessary since the last earthquake, she has not yet been able to afford a storeof protection. She has protective panels of wood, built by the two Macs, in case of problems,but she cannot put them on alone. Her latest client parted, she searches desperatelythe street for someone who can help her. Unfortunately, everyone is busy protecting itsown property and she begins to panic. Especially when she sees the agitators move increasinglyin her street. Then, she sees her café friend, Leith, and calls him an anxiousvoice:‘Oh Leith, you come at the right moment. Help me, please. I can’t hang the panels ofprotection, they are too heavy for me alone.’‘What happens Penelope? I have never seen you like this and you have tears in youreyes.’‘Oh Leith, I am afraid’, she continues with the same anxious voice. ‘There are, what itseems, thugs and racketeers of Belzebub among them. They already had, four years ago,30

Ten more days.ransacked all the stores of those who did not want to pay an amount of protection. Oh, Iam so afraid Leith, I have repaired everything since the last earthquake and I can’t pay forother repairs. What would I be without my shop, it’s all that I have my friend? I havenothing else!’It’s then that her emotions are becoming too strong. She takes him in her arms, putsher head on his shoulder and begins to cry. Leith, a little embarrassed by the spontaneousreaction of this young woman, barely younger than his mother, lets her cry, keeps her inturn and prefers not to say other than little words of solace. This is how both Macs findthem when they move up the street to get to the tavern of Abdubu. It’s Macdo who seesthem first, and exclaims:‘Hey, Leith. you’re courting Penelope now?’‘No,’ says Leith a little embarrassed, ‘she is afraid and she fears for her shop. She can’thang her panels of protection herself and she cracked.’‘Bring her to Abdubu, we take care of her shop,’ says Maci to him and continues speakingto Penelope: ‘the keys to your shop? They are on the door?’‘Hey guy, do you have a problem?’ Yells Macdo at a young man who was preparing toenter the shop, seizes him by the collar, carries him through the door at arm’s-length as likehe was a dirty rag and throws him in the street, saying: ‘go and look a little further on, man,if you don’t want to have problems with us.’Both young man prefer thereafter to join three of their friends in front of Asian a shop.The Macs enter the store without waiting for the response of Penelope and look for panelsin the back room to hang them.‘Go, Penelope, we await the end of the demonstration and will follow you later’, saysMacdo.‘You are feeling better? You don’t you have any more customers, do you?’ Asks Leithafter a while.‘Yes it’s better now,’ replies Penelope, ‘I still have clients, but I doubt they come withthe hell they are making at this moment at the boulevard below.’‘If they come, they would know where to find you anyway. They know very well thatyou are often at Abdubu’s place and they will get you there, don’t worry’, says Leith. ‘TheMacs are making music this evening and you could stay a while with us. You live there andnobody is waiting for you anyway.’‘Unfortunately, no,’ she says with a little voice, ‘why don’t you have ten years more, Ilike you. But, did you see that?’ She says, turning her head towards the other end of thestreet. ‘Such things!’‘What then?’ Asks Leith.‘The Asian, the one of the country of the Dragon, who has slanting eyes, the little shopthere. He is walking around with something strange, two sticks attached to each other witha chain, which he has just been using to knock out five of those guys in a flash. They didnot see anything coming.’‘Me neither,’ says Leith, ‘I don’t see other than five bodies on the floor with the royalguards around them. In any case what they will see now is a prison cell from the inside.’‘Let’s go to Abdubu,’ says Penelope, ‘business is damned for today.’‘You certainly owe a tour to the Macs when they return.’‘They deserve no less. These are guys that can be relied upon.’31

Warning!‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘with the build they have, it’s better not to seek a quarrel with them, asthe two young people have done just now.’They climb the narrow street to the tavern, where she quickly forgets emotions of justnow, to continue, awaiting the two Macs, with the usual babbling with Abdubu and Jou-elwho has also joined them.32

JThe Message.ulian has got up early this morning to go to the sailing club where he plays the role ofinstructor, not only to fill his time, but also improve the state of his bank account, hearssmall noises coming from the room of his sister. He pushes the door, puts his headthrough the ajar and notes with astonishment that his sister, usually not very early risers, isalready at work.‘Hi my angel, you fell out of bed?’‘No,’ she says, ‘I woke up after having again a dream where was this boy my age. It’ssurely on Atlantis because he is an Atlantean and he was at home.’‘Got a new nightmare then?’‘No, but it was so real that it seemed. He lives, perhaps lived, in a studio housed in theattic of a townhouse.’‘How do you know that he is an Atlantean then?’‘He told me. I did maybe not tell you, but I did dream before of this boy. I saw him togetherwith a girl a little older than him, about your age then, who is, was perhaps, the onlydaughter of the king of his country and followed the same course with an old sage. Youknow, like the guy of the TV game show Fort Boyard in his turret.’‘You have talked about what then? Based on that I know you, you’ve tried to seducehim.’‘Seducing? No. We were focused on dates and reference points, as our calendar is basedon the birth of Jesus and that reference did not yet exist their days. The names of theweekdays and the names of months neither anyway. He had not understood when I toldhim that we were in August. Then, he asked me the zodiac sign, Leo thus, then he understoodme. He told me that they, themselves, were the fifth day of Leo and they have celebratedthe winter solstice a little over two weeks.’‘They were, therefore, 26 July.’‘Or 27 perhaps because I believe that Leo started 22 this year, but I am not sure and Ihave the check it.’ Looking at the time, she continues: ‘let’s have breakfast, otherwise youwill be late for the club.’Once alone in the kitchen because the parents working both are already of to work, theycontinue their discussion of a just now.‘So,’ says Julian, dipping his craquotte 25 in his hot chocolate, eating it and continuingwith his mouth full: ‘you think they use dates based on astrology?’‘No, I did not say that. It’s your conclusion, whatever, this is not stupid idea.’‘Concerning our names of days of the week and the months, it should not be surprisingthat they don’t know them. They are Roman. It’s more than likely that the same goes forthe names of the planets because they too have been named after Roman gods. For example,it’s likely that Venus is called Aphrodite.’‘But Julian, you know things, how do you do that?’25 Invented name by the author, standing for toasted bread as we can buy them in the stores.33

The Message.‘You know, little sister, I also read and not just sports newspapers. The rest is pure logic,the Roman Empire did not exist at nine thousand years before our era.’‘I must try to identify the moment at which they live and if that time is the time of Platoor the one of the zodiac of Denderah.’‘Zodiac of Denderah? Where did you seek that,’ asks Julian, ‘I have never heard of itotherwise that it was an Egyptian temple.’‘I found a website that spoke of floods 26 because they, the guys on this site, were convincedthat there were several. The Zodiac had what seems a lion in a boat, whose datewas estimated at 9792 BC.’Julian, who wishes to change the subject, looks at the time and tels his sister:‘So my little sister, I go to the club. You’re coming today?’‘Probably my big brother,’ she says with emphasis on big, ‘I am almost as big as you.’‘That’s right. But do you know where the details are that bother?’‘No? Asks she with a surprising look.’‘It’s in the “almost” my little sister. See you later.’While he is preparing, his waistcoat becoming mandatory since a few years, the combinationof swimming, his bag of utensils and sandwiches he had prepared, his sister says:‘Take care Julian, against drowning in the deep of the blue eyes of a Swedish, no jacketwill help you!’‘You don’t risk much at this point, they are mostly British who come to us. Apart fromthat I like, you know, the brown and black haired. But don’t plunge too deep into the watersof your Atlantis, since you fold our ears with your Leith.’‘No, my dear. Anyway, the poor believes swear that I am a white angel.’ When she seesthat Julian has put sandwiches in his purse, she continues: ‘you don’t come back at noon? Isee that you have prepared food.’‘No, I eat there. It may be fine weather and we expect the world today.’ Julian is aboutto close the door behind him as he turns around one last time and says: ‘if your Leiththinks you’re an angel, let him believe it, he will find the truth soon enough.’Angelica sticks out her tongue as he closes the door behind him. She returns, once herbrother has left, to her room and begins to seek and create documents that she had begunthis morning in the first hour. “Come,” she says to herself, “spring begins according to this siteevery two thousand one hundred sixty years in another sign and, me if I recall correctly, Leith had celebratedthe winter solstice in the middle of Gemini.” She notes this fact and notices that there is a differenceof five and a half months. “Damn,” she says to herself, “it makes a difference of eleventhousand eight hundred years and some dust and corresponds roughly to the date of Denderah. Geez, howcan I warn him? ” She continues, without paying attention to time passing, to note, in preparationfor any eventuality, the equivalence of the Roman and Greek names. After a moment,watching the time she says to herself: “Geez Angelica hurry up, otherwise your morning sungoes away without you.” She takes her needs for the beach and leaves home to join her brotherat the club. Once arrived at the club, her friend Alicia, who is also there, says to her:‘Hi Angelica. Your love let you go?’‘My love?’ Asks Angelica a little surprised, ‘what are you talking about?’26 It’s in fact Plato who talks in plural about floods.34

Ten more days.‘But don’t play the innocent, your brother told me everything. According to him, you’rein love with a boy that you see only in your dreams. How is he? Charming prince on awhite horse?’‘Not at this point, but you know if I take an issue to heart, it’s for full. I have the impressionthat something not too clear is brewing in his country. They, his countrymenthus, eliminate one by one the guys who know too much about a certain topic, a comet inthis case.’‘And how do you think to help your Leith because that’s how he is called isn’t he?’‘Exactly, I don’t know. It’s clear that we can’t call him.’‘Will have to try a medium or a “Ouija board ”, says Julian, who came on the scene in themeantime.‘What is an “Ouija board ”?’ Asks Alicia.‘A kind of plank with letters and numbers one uses to talk with the dead’, answers Julian.‘But that’s all I know, apart from that we must be more to do it.’ ‘You come with mewindsurfing?’ He asks the two girls.‘No, just go with Alicia,’ replies his sister, ‘I will enjoy the sun here at the moment.’Master Amilius is not feeling himself this morning. A sort of profound unease, an evilbeing, grabbed him. An undefined premonition mobilizes his mind when he observed thesky in the morning to see if the blue star was visible, which was the case. He descendsfrom the observatory and tries, after having noted the observations of the morning, to focuson the calculations he planned to do. That’s when his young student, Leith, enters hisoffice and workshop.‘Hello Master. How are you? You seem to worry about something. What happens master?’‘Hello young friend. It’s nothing my child, I just have the impression to be in danger.’Leith, astonished to hear for the first time the term “young friend,” looks at him with aninterrogative eye and says:‘It’s true that there are strange people in the streets of Osuo in recent days. I don’t knowif this has something to do with the controversy around the comet Arcturus, but it may beadvisable to stay quiet for a week or two and let things settle.’‘You are and you keep being optimistic my child. That’s right. But I hope like you do,that we, my master Ar-Arart and I, went wrong in the calculations.’‘You have anything new master?’‘Yes my boy, the star which became brighter over the last few nights has become visiblein the day.’‘Which matches the prediction’, replies Leith.‘Unfortunately yes, my boy, but before continuing the discussion, I will read the seventhplague.’Amilius raises his head and takes a circular look around him as if looking for somethingand sees that the book sought-after is laying below a pile of papers with his calculations.He files the papers, takes the book, still open to the same page where they had stoppedreading the day before, and continues, adjusting with a mechanical gesture his glasses, reading:35

The Message.‘For seven days and seven nights, extraordinary heavy rain will dilute the soil which coversthe mountains and the plains, leaving them bare. Earthquakes occur along this amazingwaterfall, which will be the third after that destruction which took place during the battleof the dragons 27 .’‘The battle of the dragons,’ questions Leith, ‘is certainly not the current war lead formany years with Saneids because we refer to the Asians with the name of dragon people,don’t we?’‘No, actually it’s neither one nor the other, my boy, this is the battle against these verylarge animals that the country had to carry out forty thousand years ago, just before thefirst destruction.’‘The second is the one that had taken place twelve thousand years ago, isn’t it?’‘Yes my boy. Twelve thousand two hundred eight years to be precise since we are currentlyusing it as the reference for our dating system.’Amilius lifts his head to his pupil, looks at him and still finds him a little thoughtfullyand wonders whether he is really attentive to the topic and continues:‘What is happening Leith? Do you have something that worries you? A girl? Maybe.Note that this is normal for your age.’That’s when Leith tells his dream to his master, then all those he had before. He describesto him the girl he believes to be a white angel, as well the place where she lives, asmall town by the sea between cliffs. He tells some particular details that the girl was ableto communicate. Master Amilius watches his young friend and guesses that probably a partfrom the conversation is missing, but says nothing about this topic and prefers to continuethe current one:‘Your admirer of your dreams Leith, she, because it’s a she, has done an outstanding job.She, a quick scan of my hand, is a real alive person in the flesh as us who lives somewhereelse. In time? Elsewhere on Earth? I don’t know, I need to do more analysis of your geographicinformation. I know some places like you described, but none of them is by thesea. You have not yet learned, but the texture of the cliffs of your dreams is chalk. Thefirst thing of great concern, arising from information provided by your girlfriend of yourdreams, is that our country does not exist any more there where she is at home. Secondly,as worrying as the first concern is that the year, where she is, has nine days more on thecalendar. Third, it becomes more and more worrying, is the fact that they can no longer affordtwo crops per year. Regarding the fourth point, it must be said that the data providedto you by interposed dream, lacks precision. What is worrying, however, is the fact that thewinter solstice is at the beginning of Capricorn. A difference of five and a half monthswith us! I’ll have to check the data just now, while you take your meals.’As he begins to put documents in a briefcase for transport, he continues:‘I wish you to carry a number of my important files to one of my confidants. You surelyknow, the beautician, I take care of the administrative side of her shop. Thus, a documentthat you bring will not be suspect in the case of surveillance. I have already made heraware and she will explain you the rest.’Amilius looks thoughtfully at Leith, who does not answer and reflects on what he cameto hear. Then he continues:‘You will join your friends at Abdubu’s tavern, don’t you?’27 The battle against the big animals. (50’000 BC, according to Edgar Cayce)36

Ten more days.‘Yes Master, but first I will go to see Penelope in order to give your records to her as yourequested. It’s more than likely that she comes to eat there as well.‘Go, my boy good appetite, I will, in the meantime awaiting you, check that what youradmirer of your dreams has given us. See you later my child.’‘See you later, master.’Penelope, just finishing off her last client of the morning, sees to her surprise that Leithis waiting in the corner fitted out as waiting room. She has neither seen nor heard him enter.Leith, sitting there waiting that she finishes her client, is reading, or rather browse, thenewspapers, mostly women’s magazines and what is not usual these days, up-to-date. Hedoes not notice that Penelope approaches him and requests:‘Hi you! It’s for a beauty mask?’‘Hi Penelope,’ responds Leith as if he were to wake up, ‘it’s Master Amilius who sendsme to leave here some files.’‘Yes I know, he told me yesterday that he would do so. I saw you reading my newspapers.You are interested in women’s magazines now?’‘No, not really, but you do have, apart from the today’s newspaper what I have alreadyread, nothing else to read.’‘This is not true Leith, look here, there are water-sports magazines, then there, that onewith photos of horses, is a riding newspaper. What do you think, we, girls, do also sports,it’s not only for men.’‘I think you play the Pelote 28 , isn’t it?’‘Yes a little, but I am not a very good player. Most club members are men and goodplayers, too good for me. Do you play? We could have a game if you have time.’‘Sure, but I warn you that I am not a sports figure and I don’t intend to become one.I’m not playing to win either, just to have a good time.’‘Hey!’ She says watching the time, ‘let’s not forget the time. Abdubu must be waitingfor us with aperitifs. Come on, we file these records in my office and go off.’When they enter into their neighborhood tavern, only the Macs can be found at the tablewho are already at their second tour. Maci, seeing them first, launches:‘Hi, lovers! Still flirting?’ Alluding to the scene of the evening of the day before.Leith beginning to be ashamed desperately seeks an answer, but Pelelope leaves him notime to reflect and responds in his place:‘Yes I know, Maci, you would like to be in his of place, hey! Leith is a great guy, the onlydrawback he has, is that he lacks fifteen years on the meter. Yes I know, I have manyclients who would like to be in my place and who don’t impair the age difference. PerhapsI should thank the beautiful Ussa to have kindly given up her place to me for a few moments.Isn’t Leith?’‘In fact, Leith,’ asks Macdo finishing off his beer by wiping off his mouth with thesleeve of his jacket, ‘how long is it that you know her?’‘I don’t know exactly, but we know each other from our childhood and are often at thesame training courses. We are like brother and sister.’‘So, when is your wedding?’ Asks Maci.28 “Pelote Basque” ancestor of our tennis, not to confuse with the French card game having a similar name, the “Belote”.37

The Message.‘Stop us backing the ears with this subject,’ says Penelope, ‘don’t you see that they arenot ready yet? Neither he nor she!’Leith, tired of hearing the same subject repeatedly, wonders if someone knows where tofind a town named Étretat. Apparently nestled in a chalk cliff. On seeing the interrogativefaces, he continues with his stories as he had told his master two hours earlier. It’s Penelopefirst to react:‘Are you sure that you talk about an angel because I thought you did not believe in angels.’‘No,’ says Leith, ‘I believe that angels actually do have their place in polytheism. But shehas something with white and angel in her name and she is so real and at the same timestrange. Already her clothes, if she puts on a sort of toga, it’s for going to sleep. She wearsmostly pants, as her brother, formed from a canvas for tents or sails, mostly blue, but alsobrown, black and even red, strengthened with nails here and there. A beautiful girl and especiallynice. But don’t ask me where she lives or where she is. Regarding the angel andwhite, she told me herself.’‘But,’ says Macdo, ‘white may be her tribal name. As we have tribes who are called Baker,Butcher, Knight and so on.’‘Surely,’ says Penelope, ‘and Angel or maybe Angelica is her name.’‘That something with cliff of her is puzzling me,’ says Maci, ‘the land of our ancestorsactually has such cliffs everywhere and it goes for a good part of Gaul, the western part ofEurope thus. But I don’t know, on the other hand, any place where the cliffs are down tosea level. I do neither believe that we have cities down there, not there where you just described.’‘So,’ says Macdo, ‘the admirer of your dreams is surely Celtic or Gallic. But how did youcome across her?’‘I don’t know, I started to dream about her some time ago. I also know that she dreamsof me, or she sees me in her sleep and she helped me a lot in recent days to complete myinternship at Master Amilius. She was able to access the information that is normally reservedfor confirmed priests, the King and Crown Princess. What is puzzling me is thatshe knows our country only as being a myth. She has no idea where our country is nor itsgeographical shape.’Abdubu, who comes in the meantime to the place to take the commands, launches withoutworrying about the current subject:‘Leith, special menu I presume, isn’t it. Three dishes of the day? And drink? A smallcarafe of wine for everyone?’‘That goes for me’, says Leith.‘Me too’, says Penelope.‘So Macdo, Maci, take another mug?’Macs make a head movement to confirm and the conversation begins, as usual, to turnaround the people of the area concerning the previous day. Especially the prowess of theAsian is reviewed in length. It’s when Abdubu comes back with the dishes and drinks thatthe table has a toast to the admirer of the dreams of Leith.38

Ten more days.Ussa, usually ad hoc, slows to join her parents at breakfast. When she finally makes herentrance, the servants come to serve her, but she casts them a cold look, keeping for herselfwhat she would have wanted to tell them: “Leave me in peace! ”. But comes to whisper:‘Thanks, Ra gave me two feet and two hands to serve me! Hi Mom, hi Dad, did yousleep well.’‘Thank you, my daughter,’ responds her mother, ‘you have had a restless night? Is theresomething that worries you?’Seeing that she does not answer, her father asks her:‘Is this the young man, your childhood friend that you’re concerned about, my daughter.’‘No father.’She remains a moment silent, loiters at her breakfast, which worries her mother, watchingthe dishes that she loves otherwise with empty eyes and continues:‘It’s despicable! He dared! This bastard would kill his own son if it’s to retain his power.But how can we be so vile? Ar-Arart didn’t harm to anyone and making believe that a burglaryhad gone wrong, is still the height of stupidity.’‘You have harsh words for the head of the federation’, says her father.‘Sorry Dad, but one shall not kill! If master-Ar Arart had to stay quiet on a subject, hewould have done so, no need to kill him, you see. These are methods of thugs.’‘What are you doing today?’ Asks her mother who wanted to change the course of thediscussion.‘I don’t have a clear idea Mom, but I could go to the temple of Ozin. I would like to talkto the souls of grandma and granddad, I’m missing them. They may be able to take thestone away of my heart that weighs me since the disappearance of my friend, mentor andmaster.’She turns to the servants and calls one of them:‘Make a reservation for me of a compartment in the next fast towards Ozin, I will beready in half an hour. Oh yes, tell me a quarter of an hour before departure. I don’t expectpeople to wait, I must, like them, be on time for departure.’‘Be careful, my daughter’, says her mother.‘Yes Mom, I will go and prepare myself now. Have a nice day, Dad’, she says to her fatherwho stood up to continue his activities for the day.Comfortably seated in her compartment with reading courtesy offered by the RailwayCompany, she contemplates the landscape that is unfolding before her eyes. The west suburbsof Osuo and the lake Parfa had quickly given way to fields and crops. In a distanceshe starts to distinguish the first hills and the valley of Saad. But the train does not followthe valley of Saad because he takes the direction of one of its many tributaries, the Ozin.The city and the temple of the same name are located further up the valley, where there aremany hot springs, all of a very good reputation. Upon arrival, she feels it as a kind of happiness,well-being. Is it the effect of the trip, the atmosphere generated by this spiritualplace? She walks on the transparent pavement way to the temple under which runs astream. A soft and melodious music accompanies her and seems to escape from the temple.She goes, parvenu at the entrance to the temple with its white columns and a friezearound, through the waterfall of energy that glides silently, like a curtain. This temple is,apart from a place of prayer also a place of spiritual regeneration. Thus, the energy curtain39

The Message.at the entrance is used to symbolically purify the soul. Ussa is, as each time she enters thisplace, seized by the beauty of crystal. The stone speaks to her. “Be welcome, we expectedyou…” she hears. It’s a spirit, a very wise soul, the one of her master Ar-Arart accompanyingher grandmother and her grandfather. Once arrived at the center of the temple shefinds herself in front of the mirror surface in perpetual movement, having an indecisivecolor that is both transparent and bluish. On the other side are the beings that she lovesand who died and they are just three of them who want to talk to her: her granny, hergrandfather and her master.‘Hello Grandma. Hello Granddad. Hello Master. How are you?’‘Hello my child,’ says master Ar-Arart the first to respond. ‘I see that you are very saddenedby my sudden death.’‘Hello my dear,’ answer her grandparents in a choir, ‘you have done well to come. Wewelcome your coming, each of your visits is for us a feast. How is your young friend? Heis like a brother to you. You need him and he needs you. Bring him the next time withyou, we know him well.‘This next time will be tomorrow at the end of the morning here’, says master Ar-Arart.‘Can you come my child?’‘Yes master, and with regard to Leith, do I have to warn him that he comes with me?’‘No my child, destiny provided to you both because I have a message for you two, but Ican only disclose it when Leith is also present. Do not mourn my death my child, stay assured,the perpetrators will not escape their terrible punishment.’It’s after expressing his words that master Ar-Arart disappears from the screen.‘You know, my dear,’ says her grandfather, ‘you must be very strong in the followingyear. But before I continue, did you and Leith not consult a Gallic clairvoyant for fun whotold you your future using Gallic playing cards?’‘Yes grandfather, she told us that we will never leave until death, but that we will neverbe husband and wife. I remember well, she told us that we will be married to a brotherand sister of the same age as us. The only thing I did not understand, is the journey withno possibility of return. Apart from death, you can return from any trip, can’t you?’‘Yes my dear,’ answers her granny, ‘that’s right. This trip is also coming soon. Wewould like to warn you that, even that we are forbidden to tell the future to mortals, tomorrow,between late afternoon and early evening, you’ll need all your courage. Don’tpanic above all in front of danger.’They, Ussa and her grandparents, continue their conversation still a good time talkingabout anything and everything before she is going to reach the station. Thoughtful, shesettles into her compartment and reviews the conversation with Ar-Arart and her grandparents.Especially the fact that her grandfather and grandmother prove the Gallic womanto be right is puzzling her. She remembers well the fear she had when she had drawn acard with a skeleton. Because she, the visionary thus, saw a change in there without thepossibility of return and not the death that the card was showing. The other card, with awheel, meaning to her that the changes had already begun and showed that the course ofevents could not be changed. Destiny is in progress and the wheel turns, she said. The onlything that she had failed to explain, was the number eleven thousand eight hundred.This figure was part of the prediction, but she did not know the exact nature. A distance,perhaps? Ussa, relaxes her legs, takes a women’s magazine in the compartment and begins40

Ten more days.to read it until the arrival of the train at the station of Osuo where two members of theroyal guard are waiting for her on the platform.41

Crisis meeting.The big palace located in the second ring of Poseidia housed formerly a consul or acleric of high rank and is one of the few to offer a spacious courtyard. This superbbuilding is currently used for less peaceful purposes; because the decision-making center ofthe BIS is found here. Even the general management of the feared BSO, the Brigade ofSecret Operations, have their space allocated in a wing separated from the remaining offices.The weather is fine, no spot in heaven is presage of what is going on inside. Especiallythat this beautiful sky hides a terrible and dangerous secret, one we try to hide at allcosts from the public. It’s for this reason that the “Operation Silence” has been set up. Thisprogram is to convince, willingly or by force, any person having an astronomical and astrologicalknowledge sufficient to calculate the trajectory of the celestial object, to remainsilent and not to disclose information other then by order of the King at the time wanted.Unfortunately, there are recalcitrant and zealous low-level employees. It’s mainly thosewho are the most dangerous because the number of violent deaths where the author hasn’tbeen identified is growing. An accident here, a burglary that went wrong there, a researchcenter on fire and even observatories vandalized by unknown people. Among the recentcrimes, the one that was too many is the murder disguised as a burglary of Master Ar-Arart.The error committed by the gangsters was simple, at burglary we steal the valuables, but;the only thing missing in his home were working documents and calculations on a comet.It’s true that the local press of Poseidia had not played an echo of this event because understrict control of the organs of state. Even the national press of Alta, the main state of thefederation and greater than the other nine together, has made this case a small article undermiscellaneous facts. The press of other states had, on the other hand, made much noise ofthis and had put the news on the headlines. The last few days, some nervousness is installedamong the population of the main state and precisely because of the lack of responsefrom the local and national press. They believe, rightly, be duped by their localgovernment blindly obedient to the central executive power of the state of Alta. It’s in thisclimate of incubating rebellion that a crisis meeting is held in the great hall of this mythicalplace with its thirty-one statues of the Ra-Ta Dynasty. The King has unfortunately notseen the need to invite the other kings and even less their delegates and ministers. He didnot come himself, but merely did send his instructions to the direction of the BIS indicatingto the director to represent him. The only representatives of the federation present are:the chief of the Army and the Admiralty, as well some guests from other states. The tableis topped with a large world map with miniature boats each representing the position ofone or more naval vessels. In addition to miniature vessels are here and there figures representingdifferent ethnic groups and their destination. The only group that is not representedare the poeple of Saneid with which the federation is conducting for years a deadlywar. The only ones who are notable by their absence are the Air Force and civil aviationauthorities. Gossips say they are already requisitioned by Ta-Ra himself to serve himselffirst and then the noble and wealthy. It’s the director of “Operation Silence”, known to codename Ptah, who opens the meeting:42

Ten more days.‘Hi Gentlemen, I thank you for coming. You all know the reason for this meeting andyour invitation here. Is there anyone among you who would like to add an item on theagenda?’‘Yes,’ says the head of armies, ‘I would like to discuss the distribution of people by stateand ethnicity. It does not seem fair to me that a quarter of the population is assigned atenth of transport capacity.’‘Are there any other points?’ Asks Ptah.‘Shouldn’t we have better excluded the Hebrew from the selection?’ Asks the prefect ofPoseidia.‘Can you give me the reason for your proposal?’ Requests Ptah, knowing his personalopinion. ‘I know that you don’t particularly like them. But please know that we are nothere to discuss the grievances of all, but to develop a crisis plan.’‘The reason for my request, Mr. Director, is the following: The Hebrew of my city haveset up for many years themselves an evacuation plan. It would be better to speak of an exodus.A legend of their sacred rolls speaks of the arrival of a spiritual guide that willemerge in their community in Egypt. Since the rumor spread that the event will be soon,they move all over there as expatriate workers.’‘Do you have figures?’ Asks Ptah.‘Alas, I can’t provide exact figures, but from my estimates it could include more thanhalf the local Hebrew population.’‘Have you been able to count them?’‘No sir. They come along from all counties to replace the ones who leave and awaittheir turn of departure.’‘You believe that they are perfectly able to arrange their own departure?’‘Yes sir.’‘Please send me an estimate of land and sea transport capacity they need.’The Director of “Operation Silence” takes a circular look fixing each member of the meetingone by one and continues:‘Gentlemen, the point made earlier was the first item on the agenda. We are going tocontinue with what had been planned long ago and the date changes we will have to make.So we have seen that one of the twelve communities of the federation takes itself care ofthe organization. I charge the prefect of Poseidia to give them the means of transport tothem within the framework of the operation. As regards the Celts, I understand they wantto return nearly all to the land of their ancestors. Can anyone in this assembly affirm methat?‘As for me,’ says the chief of police of Poseidia, ‘they have begun to desert their placesof work and their homes to join their land in the north.’‘Is there a representative from the Celtic state in the room?’ Requests Ptah with a circularlook and noting that no one answers.‘Mr. Director,’ asks the representative of the state Mayra, ‘is the allocation of means oftransport as expected, or is it changed?’‘Good question, our king has decided that the transport capacity will be distributed accordingto the number of people and not one hundred twenty vessels by state and ten peopleper community and ship, as foreseen in the original plan. Therefore, Mr. Minister, yourstate will be allocated one hundred twenty ships because it represents one-tenth of the pop-43

Crisis meeting.ulation. In addition, our king has ordered the requisition of any vessel capable of carryingfifty people or more and invites his colleagues in other states to do likewise.’‘How do we select candidates for exile?’ Asks the Chief of Police.‘The same as the selection of army recruits,’ responds Ptah ‘by drawing lots.’‘I guess that’s up to us to ensure the right approach?’ Asks the chief of land forces.‘That’s right, you will make yourself available to the police because skirmishes are to befeared. Unfortunately we can’t evacuate, but one person out of twenty at most. For theothers, we simply do not have sufficient transport capacity.’It’s in inviting everyone present to consider the model representing the evacuation planthat development of its details can begin.‘Triple six and that for the second time! You’re cheating!’ Exclaims Jou-el. ‘Are you aprofessional player or what?’‘Nono,’ says Abdubu, ‘you had a good result just now. It’s a gamble anyway.’ He raiseshis head and looks at the table in the corner, and then continues:‘You see what I see?’‘What then,’ asks Jou-el without looking back, ‘our zoro has come back?’‘Yes, that’s right. He sits at the same table as yesterday morning.’‘I fear that our master will have problems one of these days. Leith should be careful tonot get caught too.’‘You think Master Amilius was able to find something?’ Requests Abdubu.‘Definitely! But where will he hide it because he knows very well that they bring his studioand apartment upside down to find it. He will therefore necessarily hide that informationfrom them. I think that it’s unlikely that he puts the life of Leith in danger. He hidesthe results of their study therefore necessarily elsewhere, but where, I don’t know morethan you.’‘Have you seen Ajax recently?’ Asks Abdubu.‘No, but I will pop over to Penelope, she may know.’‘Penelope?’‘Yes, they often go out together and she seems to know where to find him if necessary.She will warn him of the presence of our client here.’‘Do you intend to monitor the house of the master?’‘I actually started to watch, but alone I will not be able to do much. I cannot permit myselfto do hideaway at night and work at daytime’, says Jou-el.‘Couldn’t you inform your friends of the police, requests Abdubu.‘No, as long there is no crime, they don’t intervene. I also think there is somethingfishy, as in other similar cases, the police remained silent too many times. I haven’t heardabout a follow-up or investigation and neither of the opening of a judicial case. I believethat all cases were closed with the mention: “homicide by person or persons unknown.”‘The so-called hush up of a case’, says Abdubu.That’s when the door opens with a bang and it’s Penelope who enters like a gale in exclaiming:‘Dubu, Dubu. Prepare me three teas to take away. I’ll bring back the cups in a moment.’44

Ten more days.Looking discreetly to the table in the corner, she goes to the service buffet where are alreadyAbdubu and Jou-el and goes on with a lowered voice:‘He is still there. I haven’t seen him this morning, but he returned in the street aroundnoon. Should I warn Ajax? We had planned an evening at the theater, I will see him in amoment anyway. But,’ she continues still speaking in hushed tones, ‘my clients have foundothers like him. Two them that aren’t member at all of the royal guard follow our dear Ussaeverywhere. I fear for her and Leith.’‘Don’t trouble for cups,’ says Jou-el, ‘I’ll come and take them in a moment. We couldtalk a little bit at your store.’‘It’s nice, thank you.’‘Here are your teas’, says Abdubu coming back after having served other clients.‘See you in a moment, Jou-el’, says Penelope.‘Wait,’ says Abdubu, ‘I’ll open you the door.’‘Can you give me a communication,’ demands Jou-el, ‘I want to ask a friend if he cancome here and make a few portraits.’‘From?’ Asks Abdubu by pointing the thumb to the table in the corner. What Jou-elconfirms by making a head movement.‘Where were we?’ Asks Jou-el watching the dice game dragging on the service buffet.‘Who is playing?’‘You, I think. I made a triple six.’‘Sleek, nada.’‘Maybe yes,’ says Abdubu, ‘if you replay the five there, you’ll have a chance to make a sequel.’‘Yeah, but brings us a drink first.’‘What do you want? Another jug of wine?’‘You’ll take one with me?’Penelope has just put the cups of tea she had drunk with her two clients away, whenJou-el accompanied by a person that she does not know make their entry in her shop. Theladies present, surprised to see men sit down in the corner fitted out as waiting room, exclaimin chorus:‘You’re doing men’s hair now?’Penelope goes to them to say “hello” and passes her hand in the hair of Jou-el and says:‘So, since when did you wash your hair? You washed it at least once since your birth,didn’t you. Present me your friend; because I can’t imagine that you just came here to say“hello” to me. Rather, for what is going on right now concerning Leith and Master Amilius,isn’t it?’‘Yes,’ says one client, ‘we were in discussion. I have a friend who told me the presenceof strange guys here and there.’‘This is exactly the reason of our presence’, says Jou-el. ‘The gentleman here is not onlya good friend, but is also a photo fitter of the police. We want you to stay a little while tohelp us developing portraits of these men.’‘Ajax will also come’, says Penelope. ‘We’ll go out tonight for theater, you will, the timeI prepare myself, have ample time to discuss the subject.’45

Crisis meeting.‘Ladies,’ says Jou-el, ‘will it be possible to obtain the addresses of your friends. Wewould like to visit them discreetly and make portraits of these people you mentioned.’‘Do you know a little astronomy, Jou-el?’ Asks Penelope. ‘We, my clients and me thus,saw a star visible on the daytime, but we are not sure whether it’s the comet or anotherstar.’‘Me neither,’ replies Jou-el, ‘but from what Leith said, the comet will not yet be visibleduring the day. According to him, the star we see at the moment is one that is boomingand is very bright for a week. He told us that it could be one of the seven signs of the endof the world.’‘There are already many people, as it seems, to provide for their departure in the comingdays’, says a client. ‘But I don’t go away, what do you have me do? Go to live as a wild Indianon the continent with a hunter as husband and making fire as as in the old days. Livingwithout any comfort there, with nothing? No, if the country goes under, I go with itand I have a lot of male and female friends who feel the same.’‘Yes,’ says Penelope, ‘my parents speak the same. They find that young people can try anew start, but that one does not move old trees.’‘I am afraid,’ says the designer, ‘that this time is identical to the previous two cases. Youknow the one that had taken place twelve thousand years ago and then the other of fortythousand years ago. They, the scientists of the time, therefore, had also announced the totaldestruction, creating a wave of panic. Yet, even if the country has suffered significantdamage, the majority of people survived and the country was quickly rebuilt. Rather, ourcountry or our confederation is still an impressive piece of earth and mountains and I findit hard to imagine the disappearance of this total.’‘Me neither,’ says Penelope, ‘but I think that Leith has another opinion. He tried to explainto me the situation. I did not understand everything but the floor of the ocean thatsurrounds our country seems very fragile and unstable. He claims that our country hasbeen for very long only sea-mounts. He thinks, this is what his master explained to him, incase of collision between Arcturus and the Earth in the Atlantic Ocean, the soil will not resist.’‘It’s for when that Arcturus crosses the Earth’s orbit?’ Asks her client.‘In about a week’, replies Penelope. ‘Fairly early in the morning I believe.’‘Do you remember what Leith claimed’, asks Jou-el.‘What then?’‘That what he had said this morning concerning his dear Gallic girl.’‘Ah! The girl he regularly sees in his dreams. Yes, he has no idea where she is or whereshe lives. The places he describes don’t correspond to anything similar. What worries himmost is the fact that she doesn’t know our country otherwise as being a myth. She seemsto have only a vague idea of its geography and location.’‘He claims that our island sank deep into the ocean?’‘No my dear, he never claimed this, it’s your own conclusion. He has claimed that hisgirlfriend of his dreams doesn’t know our island otherwise as being a myth.’‘I persist,’ says a client, ‘I agree with this gentleman that the country can’t easily disappearinto nothingness. We might lose the lowest plains or we will have quite destructiveearthquakes, but I’m not going to change my mind. I stay.’‘Me too’, says the other client.46

Ten more days.‘I think Leith’s family does not want to leave either’, says Penelope. ‘They are, like mine,very attached to their land and don’t leave for whatever reason. These are people of the region,rather die with their land then leave to an uncertain future. Can you imagine rebuildall in Gaulle or in the Celtic country? No, those who leave must be able to rebuild a country,as the conquerors and scientists have done in the past.’‘So, does it look alike?’ Asks the designer to the client by showing her the drawing hehad done on her instructions.‘Yes,’ she says referring to the location on the sketch paper, ‘I would say he lacks a scarthere.’‘Have you seen other suspicious’, ask the designer.‘Yes she says, but I have not seen him very well.’‘Concentrate on what eyes he had’, he asks her by showing his drawings of different eyetypes.’She chooses one and the designer continues alike with the other elements of the face.Once finishing the questioning of the client, he continues with the second client present.He realizes fast enough that they saw different suspicious men and decides to make someoverall sketches.‘Are it them who you have seen’, he asks the two customers.‘It looks like him,’ she says, showing one of the drawings, ‘but the other, there wassomething that I don’t know or the nature escapes me at this time.’‘That’s it,’ says the other client, ‘he had an ugly button on the nose. You know a buttonhere’, showing first the drawing and then pointing her finger on her own nose to indicatethe exact location.‘It seems to me,’ says Penelope, ‘that I saw him too and he was headed in the oppositedirection. He had a line on the other side and his hair also badly treated as Jou-el has.’It’s just that the last two customers of the day prepare to leave that Ajax enters the shopin turn. He takes a questioning look to those already present and asks:‘General meeting?’‘No,’ says Penelope, ‘but you come at the right moment, while I am preparing, you couldchat with Jou-el and his friend who came questioning me and my clients regarding thesesuspects who are wandering around last days in our city. Look well Ajax, I am sure I sawone of them roam around the library.’Penelope launches, once the two customers left after having settled their service, to herfriends:‘I will prepare myself. Meanwhile you can review the drawings that the friend of Jou-elhas been done. I’m sure you know them’, she says to Ajax. ‘I’ll be back quickly, we will allhave a drink at Abdubu’s place before we go to the theater, don’t we? Ajax?’When Leith pushes the office door of the Master Amilius’s workshop early this afternoonof the fifth day of Leo, he finds his mentor in full calculation. Who ranges the fewpapers he has been using for his calculations, raises his head and greets his student:‘Hello Leith. You are well? Eaten well my boy?’‘Thank you master. Were you able to see something interesting? I could discuss thematter with my friends just now. Both Celtic know the land of their ancestors, but theydon’t know a place where the cliffs slope down to the sea.’47

Crisis meeting.‘I thought about this conundrum, my boy. It could be the global warming taking placeright now. Of course there are voices here and there who accuse us to have abused the energysources, but nothing proves this.’‘The Macs, it’s like that we call them, told me that these cliffs are between two hundredand three hundred feet above sea level Will this say that the sea level will rise as high?’‘It’s not impossible boy. We have already seen an average increase of one foot over thepast two years. The melting of two-thirds of the ice on the entire earth could well result insuch an increase.’‘You are therefore not at all convinced that this is the use of energy resources that iscausing this increase.’‘No my boy, although some attribute this increase to the gas produced by the intensiverearing of cows and pigs, there is no evidence of that because the earth climate has increasedat regular intervals and at the last ones, human activity did not generate greenhousegases yet. However, the increase was indeed there.’‘Happens this often?’‘No my boy, once every hundred thousand years on average with some intermediate increaseshere and there.’‘Then, master, where lives my white angel might well be three hundred feet above sealevel today?’‘Yes my boy.’‘I haven’t followed the evolution of this increase, master. It’s how much at themoment?’‘It’s a trend already under way for some hundreds of years now and it will continue a fewhundred years. The melting of ice will accelerate during this time and the sea level couldrise up to three feet per year.’‘The time when the city of my angel will be by the sea, is still distant, and is accordinglyin the future, isn’t it, master?’‘Yes my boy. The city where she, because she is a girl, lives does certainly not exist yet.With regard to the angels, they do not fit our spiritual gifts boy. I thought you don’t believein the existence of angels.’‘Yes master, but she told me.’‘You can have misunderstood her, my child.’‘That’s what Penelope says master. She believes that it’s her name. She, our neighborhoodbeautician thus, says that angel is her name and white will therefore be her tribename.’‘Yes my boy, she is absolutely right. Also, if I take your description of this morning, thegirl of your dreams isn’t often dressed in white. You described to me a person of your agewho prefers to wear, like boys, pants of various colors with associated shirts. Then, as regardsthe name, it may be Angelica, which means like an angel. It’s also likely that her tribename, a color in this case, is not alone, but preceded by a personal pronoun. Do you rememberif she mentioned a date or other references, such as astrology.’‘Yes master, they had the two thousand and eighth’s year since the birth of theirprophet. But I am unable to locate this date.’‘You see my boy, you remember a lot more than you think. Think carefully. What didshe say to you about the legend of our country? I’m sure that there was a date.’48

Ten more days.‘No master, but she spoke of a Hellenic philosopher who had narrated the legend tofour hundred years before her era and had this from his great grandfather who had made atrip to Egypt. The legend himself said that nine thousand years had elapsed since. Angelica,then it may be preferable to call her by name, did not remember very well the exactterms used. She had to learn more, but it seems that their legend takes a large part of thetexts of the sixth and seventh plague.’‘Well my child, whereas the event foretold by the sacred texts has not yet taken place,the girl of your dreams lives, a quick addition, eleven thousand seven hundred or perhapseleven thousand eight hundred years in the future.’‘Oh! Our journey of no return’, says Leith astonished.‘How journey of no return my child, explain yourself.’‘This is perhaps nothing master, but Ussa and I had visited an old Gallic woman on aPoseidia fair. It was she who predicted us that we would never leave and we would make atrip with no possibility of return and which was related to the number eleven thousandeight hundred.’‘Traveling in and seeing other than present is normally not possible my child. Whatever,some ancient texts refer to such involuntary trips. One example is the old shepherd wholeads his flock to graze and crosses when coming down an old man, surprised to see him,turns out to be his little son. But tell me, your Angelica, in what kind of world does shelive?’Thus, it’s like this that Leith continues a moment to discuss the world of Angelica withhis mentor. These objects who are strange and familiar at a time. Especially the fact thatshe moves with a device having two wheels placed one behind the other and driven bypedals. They discuss a time by which physical phenomenon this thing stays up and allowsmoving without falling. They review and discuss a lot of possibilities, backed up by drawings,without finding a satisfactory explanation. When Leith leaves his master at the end ofthe afternoon, the riddle remained full.49

Crimes and reasons of state.She climbs slowly the sloping street and heads towards the intersection where the streetcrosses a major boulevard. She continues then on the other side up to a small squarewith trees to the left. She has a pang of heart when she approaches the library. A crowdof people is there, police officers and firefighters. The first flames begin to leave the windowsof the in-between basement. Tears come to her eyes and she says to herself “Oh!Geez, our beautiful library. All these beautiful works several millenniums old. What a drama. Howwill we rebuild all this? ” To her right, an elderly woman has collapsed in tears, the shock wastoo great for her. Her daughter and her granddaughter are still inside. They have takenover the management of the library since she handed over. Her family took care of it sinceher great-great grandmother. All suddenly she hears in the crowd voices that say that thereare still people in the basement. A second voice behind her, meets the first and is certainthat it’s the princess Ussa and her childhood friend Leith. She moves towards the entranceand attempts to go down into the basement, but a police officer is trying to prevent herfrom entering. It’s there that she perceives that she is not really of this world because shesucceeds, to the astonishment of all, to cross the policeman throughout. She begins tolook left, right, goes up a staircase, comes down again, goes down another one and movesinto the smoky basement on fire by groping around her. She runs into a reinforced doorwhich she crosses as she did with the policeman and hears voices in the back of the room.She seems to recognize the voices of Ussa and Leith which are not yet aware of the danger.She checks whether the door is closed and hopes that he holds out. She calls, but they donot seem to hear her. Then, she goes to them and beckons to follow her. Ussa and Leith,surprised to see someone enter through a closed door, look a little dumbfounded. It’s Leithwho recognizes her the first and greets her. She welcomes him in turn and waves out tothe emergency door. Unfortunately, the door appears to be blocked from the outside.Meanwhile, the room where the most valuable works are fills, in spite the fact that it’s supposedto be fireproof, gradually with smoke. She remembers a course is in high school byfirefighters that one should crawl on the ground in case of fire. She shows thus the exampleto be followed to her two friends locked in. They ramp to the back of the room wherewe can find a cabinet filled with various objects and signals to open and empty it. Ussapushes a loud cry because in one of the cupboards contains study skeletons. Once the cabinetemptied and cupboards removed, a trapdoor becomes visible. When Leith opens it,wet and smelly air comes up from the narrow, dark and dirty corridor where a staircasedown is. She descends and sees that Ussa follows her. Leith, however, returns to thesmoky room trying to find the works to be saved at any cost. Ussa, panicking, calls him tohurry up, but Leith in turn gives a sign to his childhood friend to do the same and takewith her as many books she can. The door seems to hold, but for how long? It’s hopedthat the water and smoke damage will not be too much and that these works stored in thesubsoil could be restored. Leith, who does not want to take risk, brings with him the mostvaluable books. He closes the door behind him and locks it from the inside. They moveall three forward by small steps in the corridor where it’s dark as night groping the walls as50

Ten more days.suddenly, to the astonishment of the two friends, she pulls out her cellphone and pressessome button. Leith and Ussa first look at each other and look a little surprised at her to seeher amusing herself with a gadget from which they know neither the operation nor the use,before realizing that she uses it, leaking any better, as a flashlight. The descent seems to beendless. The two friends follow her obediently in this maze of corridors and stairways.Suddenly she sits down and waits in front of another trapdoor. Neither Ussa nor Leith rememberhow long they waited sitting there in the dark on a staircase in this moisten, dirtyand stinking corridor, but it’s by hearing the small noises over the hatch that they begin tocall relief. The door opens and blinded by the light she exclaims:‘Finally! Saved.’‘How, saved,’ says Julian, ‘my little sister is having another nightmare?’‘No.’‘Yes! You were gesturing and shouting stuff like “here”, “attention”, “left”, “right” andmore. You dreamed of what this time? Yet, your Leith, I bet.’‘I dreamed this time that there was a fire in their library and Leith was stuck in the basementwith his childhood friend, Princess Ussa.’‘But how did you do to get them out?’‘I don’t know. I just knew. What was strange, that I could pass through closed doors.There was even a cop who tried to prevent me from entering the library, but I passedthroughout without resistance on his part.’‘You were nothing but a ghost, or alike.’‘Yes, roughly.’‘But how did you know where to go?’‘As I told you, I don’t know. I knew it, that’s all.’‘You have taken them where then?’‘I don’t know because at the moment the door out opened, it’s you who lit the light andI woke up.‘You couldn’t have seen the face of the person who opened it then?‘No when it opened, a face appeared, but for me it was yours that I saw.’‘Do you know something about the origin of the fire?’‘No, but approaching the library, I heard people say that some had seen a suspiciousman coming out of an emergency door.’‘Come, we’ll go and take something in the kitchen whilst you tell me that what you’vedreamed. You go back to bed after?’‘I don’t know. What time is it?’ She looks at her alarm-clock and exclaims: ‘half past six!It’s too late to go back to sleep. I remain up. I think I’ll take a small breakfast and I continuemy filing thereafter. So I will be well advanced and I can join you at the club.’‘You’re surprising me, usually you are rarely up before ten and now you start work atsuch hours. What happens?’‘I don’t know. I will finish what’s puzzling me. I like this Leith and I’ll be very upset ifsomething happens to him.’‘But how do you think to help him?’‘I am looking for the texts of Plato, a reasonable translation, not the pitch we find hereand there on the Internet.’‘And then? What do you do?’51

Crimes and reasons of state.‘Don’t know. Read them aloud in the hope that he sees and hears me in his dreams. Sohe may write down most of it as soon he awakes. But I have yet to see how.’‘Did you think of going to Monique, the visionary who works with a crystal ball?’‘I don’t know. Do you think it would work?’‘You can always try. Especially convincing her to offer you a friendly price.’‘Maybe. But I want to drink my coffee with milk now and then I see what I can do.’‘So, come and take breakfast. Thereafter, I do a little jogging before going to the club.’Leith got up early this morning of the sixth day of Leo. He sees, by looking outside, thatit has rained during the night and the sun begins to emerge. Leith still takes care to bring,contrary to his habits, his records with him, even if his master has, apart from a few geographicalchecks, planned nothing special. He slowly descends the stairs, thinking abouteverything and nothing. He has the unfortunate impression that something has happenedand that the day will not be like any other, without being able to put the finger on the exactnature of events. It’s when he closes the entrance door behind him that he sees an unusualanimation in the street. There is an unusual number of police both uniformed and civilian.Upon approaching the house of his master, it’s the detective Ajax who comes towards himand takes him aside and says:‘Hi Leith, I fear that the news is not good this morning.’‘What is?’ Asks Leith with an anxious voice.‘Here, sit down there on the stairs.’‘But what is wrong?’ He asks with a little voice.‘They found Master Amilius stabbed in his office. This is the same scenario as the assassinationof Master Ar-Arart. They, the false burglars thus, have ransacked his office andhis library and nothing of value seems to be missing. They didn’t touch the cash-box withhis money neither. According to initial investigations books and documents of the ownerare lacking.’Leith looks at the detective with tears in his eyes and does not know what to answer. Heobserves with great sadness the house of his master when the police comes out with the remainson a stretcher covered with a white cloth. Then, he gets up and says to Ajax:‘It’s too painful for me to stay here watching the police. I guess you take care of thiscase, don’t you?’‘Yes, I planned to get involved more. There is something fishy in all this. You know,this is not the first case in our country. I don’t know if you remember it, but there was thiscase in the south where two physicists were burned alive in their laboratory. Again, theywanted to make us believe in an accident, but according to firefighters, the fire had takentoo quickly. In addition, it appears that there were several centers of fire, with the emergencyexits blocked from the outside.’‘I think that I’m going to the temple to see if I can get in touch with him. If I hurry up,I could be there with the express that arrives over there at noon and return by the evening.Could you bring this bag at Penelope’s place in the meantime, she knows where to hideMaster Amilius his documents. It may be that Master Amilius took precautions and hasput the most important documents elsewhere.’‘Could someone have seen you with his documents?’52

Ten more days.‘No, they are hidden in files where Penelope keeps her accounts he was doing for her.Then, in my case, I walk all the time around with a bag full of school books from him.’‘Alright, I’ll go to see Penelope in a moment.‘You’ll take care of it then? I dash to the station, the train leaves in half an hour.’Ussa, who does not know that her childhood friend is also on the way to the station,takes this time special care of her appearance. She has confused feelings, it’s like somethingis, a meeting may be, preparing. She likes Leith, but not like a girl loves a boy, he isfor her especially the brother she desired so much and never had. Her maid had told herwhat they are telling about her friend in the beauty shop she is attending. She told her thathe would be very infatuated with a Gallic girl that he doesn’t see but in his dreams. It upsetsher a little, but she must still admit to herself that more and more when she thinks ofLeith, another image is superimposed filled without she can identify him. This boy is likehim, blond, shorter hair, more muscular and has a more athletic look. She now thinksabout the reaction of her maid, a peasant’s woman, when she told her that what the fortuneteller at the fair of Poseidia had foretold them: “But for sure, you will marry a brother andsister. So you’re becoming brother and sister-in-law! ” “So,” she says to herself “this handsome youngman that I see from time to time in an indefinite way, would he be the brother of this Gallic girl of Leith?No,” she continues “this exists only in stories for children that begin with; once upon a time… Stopdreaming Ussa” she thinks, “it’s ridiculous.” In light of the image of this young man superimposingthe one of Leith she leaves her room to go to the station, but not without sayinggoodbye to her parents. Arriving at the station, with a pang of heart she sees Leith on theplatform. She calls him and when approaching him she sees a great sadness in his eyes.‘What is happening?’ She asks.‘They murdered Master Amilius’, he says, and then tells all he had seen and heard thismorning. Ussa, seeing that he is very saddened by the death of his master, puts her arm onhis shoulder and says:‘Come with me, we could chat a little during the trip.’ Seeing the station master, shetakes the ticket of Leith and gives him it by saying:‘Reimburse it! This young man is traveling with me!’‘But I miss ....’ but the station master fails later in his sentence because Ussa says in adryly tone that suffers no opposition:‘Do what I order you!’ She turns then with a big smile to her childhood friend and askshim: ‘Leith, tell me all about your beautiful Gallic girl. How is she alike? Does she have abrother as beautiful as you?’‘But how do you know?’ Asks Leith surprised.‘Ah! If you knew, I am aware you see,’ she says making a break and continues: ‘it’s mymaid who told me. She regularly goes to a beautician in your neighborhood. So, tell me.’As they climb in the car, he tells all he knows about Angelica, where she lives, herstrange lifestyle, the strange way of dressing herself, the strange device with two wheelswhich she uses to travel, the cliffs and many other things. Ussa, happy to have managed todivert his attention on something else, raises him lots of questions, to which he is not alwaysable to respond. Finally, they arrive at the station of Ozin before Ussa could satisfyher curiosity.53

Crimes and reasons of state.Abdubu, very surprised to see Ajax enter accompanied by Jou-el at such an early morninghour, wonders if there is not something serious going on and questions his two regularcustomers:‘What’s happening? You have been falling out of bed? I don’t usually see you so soon.You take something for breakfast?’‘Yes willingly’, answers Jou-el.‘Me too’, says Ajax. ‘You haven’t yet learned what happened to Master Amilius?’ Heasks Abdubu.‘No. What is with Amilius?’‘They, the unknown then, have murdered him.’‘WHAT?’‘Yes. We found the apartment open early this morning, the inside upside down and thelifeless body of the master lying bloodied in the middle of this all.’‘But who could be interested in it,’ asks Abdubu, ‘he did harm to anyone.’‘I don’t know,’ says Jou-el, ‘this is surely to be classified in the series of unexplained murdersin recent days.’‘It’s curious that these crimes affect especially the scientists’, says Ajax.‘Hey Jou-el!’ exclaims Abdubu, ‘your friend, hasn’t he made portraits of suspicious customers?’‘Yes,’ he replies, ‘he has taken them with him to the police.’‘You didn’t retain a copy by chance?’ Asks him Ajax. ‘While these killings are a matterof state, primarily a matter of state of Alta, you will not see any investigation.’‘Why then?’ Asks Abdubu.‘Because they seek to hush up some of these crimes’, answers him Ajax.‘That’s it,’ says Jou-el, ‘they all worked on the same subject: the comet Arcturus.’‘I think they want to silence anyone who knows too much about this subject,’ says Abdubu.‘I don’t know if you made the connection between this comet and the sacred texts,but Leith and his master have and they are certainly not alone in having done so. Onecould imagine that the central government of king Ta-Ra seeks to avoid a stampede in orderto evacuate smoothly his family, nobles and wealthy.’‘And forget the rest of the population’, says Jou-el.‘Well. That’s right’, meets Ajax.It’s then that Penelope enters as a draft and cries to Abdubu:‘Prepare me a tea and a chocolate to take away please, I’ll bring the empty cups back in amoment,’ and continues speaking to her friends: ‘hideous isn’t it. I fear for our Leith. Ifhe is not very careful, he will have the same treatment as his master.’‘Hi Penelope,’ launches Jou-el to her, ‘you are early this morning.’‘No. I have two clients and offer them something to drink, isn’t it normal? By the way,you know that Leith took the train with his childhood friend just now? I’m sure they go totemple of Ozin to speak to his master.’‘How do you know this,’ asks Ajax with some surprise, ‘you never left your shop since Icame to see you just now.’‘Hey! Says so, I do have customers you know. One of them is servant at palace and shehas accompanied Ussa at the station. It’s where the two met and took the same car towardsOzin. You should also have seen how she had sent away the station master. She54

Ten more days.had demanded him to repay the railway ticket to Leith. But I hope that these guys of theBIS did not put the temple on surveillance because in this case Ussa and Leith will be ingreat danger. What do you think Ajax?’‘So you think it’s they who killed all this man?’‘But of course, who else. Don’t you see that nowhere valuable items are missing and onlyscientific papers?’‘Yes,’ says Jou-el, ‘it’s the same thing at Master Amilius. At his home are lacking books,others have been punctured, the observatory was ransacked and his cash-box with hismoney and values is still there, they have not even touched it.’‘It was the same at Ar-Arart his place in Poseidia, the same modus-operandi’, says Ajax.Abdubu who came back serving in the meantime gives a small plateau of service toPenelope and says to her:‘Don’t worry for the cups, you can bring them back at noon if you come to eat here.’‘See you in a moment,’ she says, ‘I will join my clients, otherwise they will think I spendthe day at the bistro.’‘Hey Abdubu, you haven’t seen back our killer of service by chance?’ Asks Jou-el.‘About whom you’re talking? This strange customer we saw the other day?’‘Yes. Who else?’‘Do you really think that he made up?’‘I don’t know,’ replies Jou-el, ‘but there is a strong chance that this will be him.’ Andcontinues addressing Ajax: ‘Hey! Ajax, couldn’t we discreetly monitor Ussa and Leithwhen they return from Ozin?’‘That’s what I planned to do.’‘Okay, I’ll contact my friends from the royal guard and see what they can do.’‘Why the royal guard?’‘First, it’s not suspect that Ussa is guarded by them, and secondly you can have full confidencein them.’Going up the street that passes in front of the tavern, “The Gardens” of Abdubu, we arecrossing the Grande Rue, which goes through the upper part of the city. This street startsat the west, where it joins the Boulevard Parfa and ends on the other side at the PlaceRoyale. The street we just climbed, continues on the other side passing the library, whichis the pride of the city, and the small place with trees next to it, then passes over the railroadtracks and ends in the northern part of Osuo. Once at the Main Street you can turnright where you pass by the great city hall, which is also theater. Farther away is the greattemple of the city with its columns who look like supporting the sky next to governmentbuilding with a roof like a reversed boat hull and covered with blue slates. Beside this andabove the old city walls we can find the royal palace, a building rather classical and sober.At the other side of the place ends a street that, passing over the railroad tracks, comesfrom the northern part of the city. The railroad tracks, they, continue eastwards passingover the Boulevard Parfa and the river of the same name as the city, the Osuo. This railwaydivides the right bank in a residential and small industrial zone. This line joins thenthe main line going north-south towards the port city Amaki. On the other side of theGrande Rue, up to the hall, is the railway station with its typical shops orientated to travelingcustomers, as we can find in all train stations and airports. But there are other things,55

Crimes and reasons of state.other buildings, including one, which is the home of the prefecture of the region and thepolice. Then, today, this morning the sixth day of Leo, the prefect Assen-Ni summonedthe chief of police in the region, Ax-Tell, in his office.‘Hello Mr. prefect what did you desire?’‘Hello sir, sit down please.’‘It’s about the events of recent days and especially the killing this morning that youcalled me?’‘That’s correct, sir. Could you identify those responsible for these crimes? Where areyou?’‘For now, we do have only a few sketches collected from the population, but we do nothave the slightest indication.’‘Well, I just received a communiqué from the Federal Bureau of Posseidia asking us tobe very discreet about certain crimes.’‘What do you mean, they ask us to hush up cases?‘Yes that’s it. I think if we stick to our career, we are obliged to take into account.’‘How then? If we refuse, it’s over with our career and on the contrary, if the King learnsabout it.....’ and he does not finish his sentence, leaving it up to the prefect to guess whatmight happen.‘Close them as a homicide committed by person or persons unknown.’‘You can put a little pressure on the press because it’s feared that they will pick up theaffair and we will be forced to continue in this case.’‘I will see what I can do sir.’‘Goodbye Mr. prefect.’‘Goodbye, sir.’56

AThe arson of the library.t the end of this Tuesday morning, Angelica and Julian meet their friends again,some, like them, leaving soon on vacation in August, while others, Rodolphe, Philipand Audrey, are already back. Angelica, currently storing its surfing board, is launching toher brother:‘I return home to take a shower and eat a little, will you come with me?’‘Wait, someone must keep the place. There are still these two English girls who returnat noon.’‘I’ll stay here with Philip and Audrey,’ says Rodolphe, ‘I’ll be eating here. I can keep thehouse if you want.’‘Thank you, I’ll return around half past one.’‘Hey!’ Exclaims Alicia, who came on the scene in between, ‘when do you go?’‘Saturday,’ says Julian, ‘my father took a day off and will go to pick up the sailboat theday before at Chérbourg and bring it to Fécamp.’‘Sailboat? What the hell are you going to do with a sailboat?’ Asks Rodolphe.‘Well, it’s a bit Angelica’s fault,’ says Julian, ‘she has been folding our ears so much withher Leith, Alantis and the Azores, that we decided to go there by sailboat. Only mom wasnot very hot for this trip, she prefers S-T. But dad is delighted, it’s been years that he hasnot navigated and he wants us to learn it. We, Angelica, dad and me, will take the helm inturn.’‘S-T,’ asks Rodolphe, ‘what is it?’‘Oh!’ says Julian, ‘it stands for Silly Tanning. Mom is a follower of grilling like a sausageon a Mediterranean beach. We managed to convince her that she could be total tanning onthe deck and no one could see her.’‘Is it not too expensive to hire a yacht?’ Asks Alicia.‘Indeed, yes,’ replies Julian, ‘but we pushed the buy of another car into the next year. Anew car isn’t essential for the few that we’re using it.’‘Is it large, this sailboat?’ Asks Alicia.‘Yes quite. It has three cabins, a kitchenette and enough space to be comfortable allfour. We even included a satellite TV. We have, on the other hand, no phone, just a shortwave radio or VHF.’‘You will be away for how long?’ Asks Rodolphe.‘Two weeks. We rented the yacht for two weeks in any case’, says Julian. Then, lookingat his watch he says, ‘damn, we need to go home. See you in a moment.’‘See you in a moment’, says Angelica.‘Bon Appetit and see you in a moment’, reply the others.That’s when Angelica and her brother Julian take the way home. Once at home, Juliangoes to the kitchen warming up a pan of water to cook spaghetti. He begins to prepare asalad and heats the contents of a box of spaghetti sauce. Angelica, who does not like thesalt on her skin, is, pending the preparation of meals and awaiting the parents to come, takinga shower in the bathroom.57

The arson of the library.At the end of this morning of the sixth day of Leo, Ussa and Leith, who made the triptogether and have taken the advantage of travel time to eat a small thing, are walking up thealley in the direction of the temple. Arriving at the temple, Ussa uses her authority to reservethe exclusive access time on the screen of dialogue. They go, time to wait until theyare given access, to a section for prayers. Although Leith meets the requirements of his religion,he is not too pious. Ussa, she, much more devout, wants to make prayers, mainlyfor her grandparents. Leith follows her, more to please her than for the prayer itself.Once the prayers ended and the dialog screen available, they go in the central part of thetemple and see that Ussa’s grandparents are already awaiting them.‘Hello Ussa. Hi Leith. We are pleased that you came together. How are you Leith, youare very saddened by this horrific murder of Master Amilius, aren’t you?’ Asks the grandfather?‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘I should be a big boy and not cry, but it’s difficult to hold back.’‘It’s not good to hold back, my boy,’ says the grandfather, ‘that makes the sadness evenmore painful. The masters Amilius and Ar-Arart will come in a moment to speak to you.’‘But Leith,’ says the grandmother who wants to change the topic by seeing the sadnessof the boy, ‘you haven’t even noticed that Ussa has dressed up for you. Did you say nothingto her? A girl likes to hear it, especially from her best friend.’Leith, very embarrassed by this remark, begins to blush and does not know where tolook and replies:‘Of course I’ve seen, but I did not dare tell her. I once made the comment “you are goodlooking today” to Penelope and she answered me: “thanks for the other days.” Thereafter, I nolonger dared to say that I find her beautiful.’‘Never mind, grandmother,’ says Ussa, ‘Leith speaks with his eyes. The way he looked atme at the station goes on every word. But I don’t know myself why I did. I had a sort ofpremonition that something is going to happen.’‘Yes my angel,’ her grandmother says to her, ‘it’s for just now, but I don’t want to tellyou now.’Then Ussa takes over and talks to her grandparents where Leith remains rather spectator.Her grandparents remain, on the other hand, rather vague on the meeting the twoyoung people will have and end with these words:‘Goodbye my children, it will be in five days for one last time.’This is where Ussa’s grandparents will make room for their master educators, Ar-Arartand Amilius who greet their former students:‘Hello Ussa. Hi Leith. It’s our pleasure to see you together.’‘Hello Master Ar-Arart. Hello Master Amilius’, says Leith.‘Hello to you’, says Ussa.‘Do not cry my disappearance my child’, says Amilius addressing Leith. ‘My death ismore painful for those left behind then for me. I am very sorry to see you sad, my child.What happens should happen my child, we cannot change the course of history, we mustaccept it as is.’‘Thank you master,’ says Leith, ‘but could you calculate the new parameters of thecomet.’‘Yes my child, it’s in seven days between six and half past six and the likelihood of a collisionwith the earth is ninety-three per cent. I, on the other hand, could not calculate the58

Ten more days.exact location of the collision. We have neither the measures nor the instruments of sufficientaccuracy to calculate it. This is where your beautiful Gallic girl can help. She needsyour data, the precise positions of all the planets within seven days and those of hundredthree years ago. You can find this information in the books in the basement of the library.This is where Ussa can help you because it’s she, her family and confirmed priests whohave access there.’‘Is there something else master?’ Asks Leith.‘Think provide her seemingly insignificant details’, says master Ar-Arart. ‘Such as the inclinationof the axis of the Earth’s rotation, the position of the north pole and the springequinox compared to astrological signs. Or even better the true position with respect tothe constellation’Leith and Ussa still continue a moment to chat with their masters of the past, who areeager to tell Leith to use technology which Angelica can provide him because she can, accordingMaster Ar-Arart, search the whole world for information with her calculating machine.Angelica, unsuspecting, takes the same time of day a shower in the bathroom. Suddenlyshe hears little noises and does not look at what is happening and shouts:‘Hey! Julian, what are you doing in the bathroom? Pass me a towel since you are there.’By failing to obtain a response, she repeats her appeal without further success. Irritated,she leaves the bath where a shower has been built and is about to take her towel herself.It’s then that she sees that what she thought to be Julian and a girlfriend are actually Ussaand Leith. Embarrassed, she thinks on the fast as possible. She then decides to adopt thestrategy of “attack is the best defense” and says to Leith making a little turn in front of him:‘Hi my love, I please you?’Ussa watches, amused, her childhood friend, who knows, embarrassed, no more whereto look. The latter remains embarrassed without being able to say something and cannottake his eyes off of some parts of the body of Angelica. Julian, who had heard his sistercall enters in its turn in the bathroom. This is where the eyes of Ussa and Julian cross.Both young people remain there as hit by lightning, temporarily off on another planet. Angelica,who had time to dry and put on her underwear, her jeans and a T-shirt, says to Leith:‘Come my love, you were certainly coming to see me for what I could find isn’t it? Letthe two lovers get acquainted.’Leith, himself, recovering hardly from the treatment suffered, follows her in her roomand looks with great astonishment the objects found there. He is pointing to the televisionon the end of the bed and asks her:‘Your Bioscope?’‘Bioscope?’ questions Angelica, ‘you mean perhaps television. That’s how we call themover here. They say Bioscope at your home?’‘Yes,’ says Leith and continues by pointing his finger to a device on her desk, ‘that is alsoa television?’‘No it’s a computer, a calculator if you want, with memory and linked to others througha network that we call the Internet.’59

The arson of the library.‘Ah! It’s Ar-Arart who told me about that just a moment ago. According to him we useit to exchange information, don’t we?’‘Yes, that’s it.’Angelica soon begins to work, she enters the information provided by Leith and seeks tocoordinate them with her own. During this work she notices the weird eyes that her Atlateanboyfriend throws at globe functioning as office desk lamp.’‘What’s wrong?’ She asks. ‘Is there something not right?’‘Yes! Even two things. My country is not there and the poles are not in the right place.They should be there’, he says by pointing somewhere on the continent of Greenland.‘How much is the earth tilt?’‘Twenty-three,’ she says, ‘why?’‘Well. It’s only ten at home. It makes a difference of thirteen degrees, which is enormous.You really told me that you had nine days more in the year, didn’t you?’‘Perhaps, we have three hundred and sixty-five and a quarter days per year.’‘So that’s correct, it’s nine more than we have. You have to have shorter days I think.Your device knows how to calculate dates from the astrological positions of the planets?’‘Not mine, but there are sites on the Internet where it can be done. Give me your detailsand we will see what we can do.’On making the calculations, which unfortunately confirm the worst fears of Leith. Angelica,who smells a bad smell spreading, cries addressing her brother:‘Hey! Lovers! Monitor the kitchen anyway, something burns.’By continuing to seek information for Leith and noting hers in a spreadsheet, they donot notice time passing and it’s Julian who calls if she does not want to eat. That’s whenAngelica takes leave of her friend and says him:‘You’re really gorgeous Leith, I’d like to see you back, but in the flesh! You come seeme, don’t you?’‘I hope. I hope that the Seer of Poseidia was right with her prediction of the journey ofno return and the number eleven thousand eight hundred.’‘Eleven thousand eight hundred?’ Asks Angelica, ‘but wait a little, we are here in twothousand eight and you are nine thousand seven hundred and eighty-two before JesusChrist, our spiritual guide, you see, which makes a total of eleven thousand eight hundred.But they are there your eleven thousand eight hundred. And your journey of no possibilityof return will surely be in time, which is fair because we cannot retrace our steps. So tellme about this seer, all that what she has told you, everything.’It’s when she takes the direction of the kitchen in order to eat something there with herbrother and their parents who can come in any moment that Leith tells her their journey inPoseidia, the visionary of the fair, strange trip she had foreseen, that they would becomebrother and sister and what Ussa understood.’‘You see, my love, I am, as Ussa, your childhood friend, convinced that we will see usagain, in the flesh. I can unfortunately not kiss you with your device that enabled you tocome and see me, but I do it mind. So big kisses, goodbye and take care of Ussa.’On the way back, they walk silently side by side, each immersed in his thoughts. It’s Ussathe first to break silence:60

Ten more days.‘So you are as impressed as me. She is really good looking your Gallic girl and rathermuscular for a girl. She must have a physical activity like her brother.’Noting that Leith does not answer, she continues:‘Don’t worry Leith. I’m sure that her reaction earlier on was her way of hiding her embarrassment.I’m sure she was as embarrassed as you. She was quite embarrassed by yourreaction, she became all red anyway.’‘My reaction,’ he says, ‘but I said nothing.’‘Yes, even if you said nothing, the reaction you had was clearly visible for us girls. I amsure you love her and she loves you too.’‘Yes,’ says Leith who does not want to discuss his reaction at the moment and continues:‘I still have her image before me, I can’t detach myself from it. But, tell me, you, you werealso very impressed by her brother. You were on a cloud when you watched him. It tookyou in any case an impressive amount of time to return to the Earth. What did you do?We haven’t seen you while Angelica was fiddling her calculating machine.’‘Calculating machine? I thought it was a Bioscope, but when I think about it, Julian hadalready one running, what they seem to call television, and where we could see a game thatresembles the Pelote, with the only difference that the players are face to face and notagainst a wall. He told me that they say Tennis. The other device was, as you say, equippedwith a board full of keys, but it did not run because the screen was black.’‘Yes, Angelica is using it for lots of things. She uses it to make documents, search for informationon the world. Then, that’s what Angelica told me in any case, these machinesare interconnected through a network they call the Internet.’‘Do you have seen something interesting?’‘Yes. It seems that masters Amilius and Ar-Arart are unfortunately right. Our countryno longer exists in their time. Then, the most crazy theories circulating there. There are somuch of them that it becomes difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. But a thing whatworries me is that they have nine more days in the year. What it means: an Earth whichturns faster and shorter days. This unfortunately can only be the result of a collision with alarge celestial body, such as Arcturus.’‘For when crosses it the Earth’s orbit?’‘In a week, in the morning hours, local time.’Arrived at the station in the meantime, they go together in the dining car where they takea light menu. After eating a while, it’s Ussa who breaks the silence and asks:‘There is something that I don’t understand. From what you say, they are eleven thousandeight hundred years in the future. I do well, but I always believed that the futuredoesn’t yet exist, then how could we communicate with people who don’t yet exist?’‘It’s, if you recall, a theory of master-Ar Arart, which says there is neither past nor future,but only the present, separated by a distance called time. He saw time as it was a distance,a length or height. He said that there are many stories 29 reflecting a journey throughtime. That means past, present and future exist simultaneously. But we live all in present,you see! They live in their present and we live in ours, you see!’29 The most famous one is the story of two English woman who found themselves at the beginning of the XX th century in thegardens of Versailles in company of Marie-Antoinette.A second story comes to us from a German reporter who witnessed the bombing of Hamburg by the English many yearsbefore the second world war started.61

The arson of the library.‘You mean,’ she says looking dreamy at the ceiling, ‘that Julian exists for true and is notthe fruit of my imagination?’‘Yes my dear,’ says Leith, ‘like Angelica.’‘Oh! Isn’t that pretty,’ she says by looking outside, ‘your family is in the process of cuttingtrees. It’s so pretty, all the trees aligned and cut in ball. They must have the afternoonbreak because I don’t see anybody there. There is a ladder against a tree, but apart fromthat, nobody. Wouldn’t you not take over the estate later?’‘No, although I am an only child, we are enough with my uncles, aunts and cousins.Sometimes even too many. The area belongs anyway to my grandparents. That’s may bewhy my parents prefer to see me become an educator and perhaps master much later. Buttell me,’ he says to change the subject, ‘you talked about what with Julian?’‘It’s then that Ussa tells him her chat with Julian, her disappointment that neither he norhis sister were vegetarian, the funny threads of pasta that they call spaghetti, the burnedsauce, the windsurfing device, cycling and many of other things.’‘We are going immediately to the library?’ Asks Leith.‘No,’ answers Ussa, ‘I must go to the palace to pick up the keys to the basement. So wecould say “hello” to mum and dad, they will be happy to see you.’The man, discreet, too discreet, enters the library, climbs the stairs to the reading roomand begins to search for books to consult. That is what he wants us to believe because inreality he monitors the reading room and the access to the borrowing room. After a while,he goes from rank to rank in taking a book here and there, putting them in their place onceconsulted and continues until he reaches the emergency door, where an evacuation map is.On this map appear all the rooms, including those of the in-between ground and basement.He tries to remember well the rooms, access points, their locations and emergency exits.Then, he goes to the desk and asks the person that what he should know right now; wherethe toilets are. He wants to ensure that his presence in the in-between basement is not suspicious.We can make the mistake to open the wrong door in an unknown building, isn’tit? He descends the grand staircase and faces a series of doors. By pretending to be wrong,he opens one. Alas, it was a broom cupboard. Suddenly he sees two young people enter aroom using their keys. He goes, for a diversion, first to the toilet and waits that they bothentered the room because he knows that it’s they who should be eliminated. He knowsthat it’s against the orders received from Poseidia, but he does not want to take any risksand says: “an accident happens quickly.” When he hears a second door close in this room, hedecides to enter. Unfortunately, the young people have closed the door behind them. Hetries to open it with tools for the perfect little thief he has on him. Success! The second iscausing him more problems because equipped with a newer security system from whichonly the priests, the staff of the library and the royal family have the keys. He is tryinghard to harp on the lock, but it resists and the door remains closed. Then, an idea comesto him. The room below has no ventilation to the outside and the smoke of a fire will inevitablyspread across the tiny openings in the door and the ventilation ducts. Both youngpeople are currently locked in this room in the basement and cannot leave, but by theemergency exit. He checks that the emergency exit of the room whether it works well andis not equipped with an alarm. He checks the outside and finds that there is a small staircasethat goes up and below he sees another emergency door, the one from the room62

Ten more days.where the two youths are. He comes secretly back in the basement where the toilet is andgoes to the broom cupboard and takes just a few tools at random. Then, he returns againin the archives room, closes the door, put a cloth soaked with a flammable product in a lineof books, empties two bottles of rum on the floor and puts the fire. He then leaves theroom by the emergency door, goes down the staircase to the other door and jams the openingmechanism with the handle of the broom, he had cut to the proper measure. He leavesthe rest of the stolen equipment on site, goes quietly up the stairs and imagines not to beidentified, which is, unfortunately for him, not the case.The city of Osuo has, like any town of any importance, a library of national prestige anda reputation known throughout the federation. It are especially the in-between ground andthe basement which are housing the most prestigious works, some of which are severalmillenniums old. The building itself has not always been a library, but once housed a highrankingperson of state. The in-between ground and the basement have been used as nowas storage of archives and rare documents. However, even if security was reinforced, ascandal was triggered by a journalist. He had managed to get into supposedly secure roomsusing rudimentary burglar tools bought in a hardware store. The fact that the rooms communicatethrough ventilation ducts is also a source of criticism. The argument is: if there isa fire, the fire could spread through the ducts, despite that rooms should be fire-retardant,of which many doubt the effectiveness. So at the end of this afternoon of the sixth day ofLeo the first passers alarmed, there’s smoke coming out of the in-between ground. Somerun to warn the police and firefighters, while others go to get out the people still inside.The system, which is supposed to make the rooms fireproof, is actually ineffective. Thefirst flames are coming through the windows of the in-between basement and the smokebecomes visible in the reading room above it. While firefighters and police secure the area,the rumor spreads that Ussa and her childhood friend are just in the basement where thefire is. An old woman cries and collapses, she no longer bears the spectacle of desolation.She came to forward the management to her daughter and her granddaughter. It’s herfamily who has managed the library for several generations.Locked in the basement, Leith and Ussa do not notice anything initially and continuetheir research by taking the oldest books one by one. It’s Leith who notes that strangesmell of smoke and says to his companion:‘Don’t you smell anything?’‘What then?’‘It seems to me that something is burning.’‘Yes, I smell too.’That’s when Leith goes to the door, but when he opens it, the smoke enters the roomand says:‘There is a fire Ussa. We must leave by the emergency door.’Ussa runs towards the door, but can’t open it and shouts at Leith:‘Lock the door and come help me open it, it’s too hard for me. I can’t open it.’Leith comes to her rescue, but he does not succeed either and he says:63

The arson of the library.‘They blocked it from the outside. We can no longer get out of here Ussa. Even if thereinforced door resists, we will die suffocated by the smoke.’For Ussa emotions are just getting too strong, she puts her head on the shoulder of Leithand begins to cry. Leith seeks to console her by saying that there is still hope, but sherefuses to believe it. Suddenly he sees a pretty unusual spectacle, a girl comes through thedoor as it did not exist and comes to meet them. It’s now that he recognizes her, it’s Angelica.Angelica moves her lips to say something, but they do hear nothing. Angelica, onthe other hand, seems able to hear their words, she reacts in any case on what he says. Thesmoke, which comes by the ventilation slots, begins to come thick enough in the room andAngelica shows how they should move forward on all fours to avoid being bothered by thesmoke. She guides them towards the back of the room and signals to open a cupboard.‘Iiiiih’, exclaims Ussa when two skeletons falling when opening the doors.Leith transports them immediately by crawling to the reinforced door. Opens it, whileUssa cries to him to stop and come back, and tries to put the two skeletons, in despite theheat and smoke, on the other side of the door. What he finally, with some difficulty, succeedsto do. Back to the girls, remained in the back of the archives room, he sees that Ussahas meanwhile cleared the cabinet and tries to open a trapdoor. As he opens it, she turnsaround and asks him:‘But you’re absolutely crazy, what do you want to do?’‘But it’s logic ...’ But Leith does not get any further, Ussa interrupts him and says:‘Logic? What logic? That of making us burn?’‘No, don’t you understand that this fire is not normal and there is someone who wantsto kill us. So I give him satisfaction in putting these two skeletons, those of a man and awoman, on the other side of the door. They will believe that it are ours once the fire extinguishedand the few remnants of bones found.’And he leaves again to great despair of Ussa and Angelica who begins to worry too.Looking back he says to Ussa:‘Come, come look for the most valuable books and take as many with you as you can. Ido this, so we could consult them and they might be saved.’‘But hurry up! Angelica dies of concern’, says Ussa. ‘So come, take what you have nowand look no further, we have no more time. I want an alive Leith without books ratherthan a death Leith with books. So you’re coming? Do not play the hero please, Angelica iswaiting impatiently. She also entitles to a living Leith. So come on!’Once the trapdoor closed, they see that Angelica has, like them, a communicator, whatshe calls a cellphone, and from which she uses the light of the screen to light. They followher in this narrow, smelly and gloomy corridor without they know where they are. On theright, left, down a staircase, up another until she sits down on a small staircase just below adoor and waits. The wait seems endless and when they hear small noises, they call for help.After a moment the door opens and the surprise is complete. Not only that Angelica dissipatesinto the air, but they see the head of a person well-known to them in embrasure ofthe door, she, also surprised as they are.When Penelope enters, as usual, as a draft in the tavern of Abdubu, she sees the sadfaces of the people present. Addressing Abdubu because she came to pick up drinks forher last client and herself, she asks:64

Ten more days.‘Hey! Guys, what’s up? Is this the burning of the library what puts you in this state? Bythe way, if you see Ajax, tell him to come and see me. I saw a strange guy coming out ofthe staircase leading to the exits a while ago when I was passing by the library. But I said,what’s going on? Why have you sad faces?’Abdubu who prepared a tea with a double ration of rum for her, says:‘Sit down. You must be very strong now.’‘But,’ she shouts, ‘you’re crazy? I have not ordered a tea-rum. But what are you doing?’‘Sit down and try to be very strong.’‘But what’s going on?’‘It’s the burning of the library,’ says Abdubu, ‘it’s terrible.’‘Yes,’ she answers, ‘it’s a real tragedy. All these beautiful works burned. Up in smoke.Pffft! Gone! Terrible.’‘It’s worse than you think,’ says Abdubu, ‘did you know who were inside?’‘No,’ she says very worried, ‘who then?’‘Ussa and Leith,’ replies Abdubu, ‘the fire was contained while ago and after initial investigations,calcined bones of a woman and a man were found at a closed and locked door.They were trapped. The more that at the entrance, according to the police, the remains ofa flammable product were found.’Penelope can no longer hold back her tears and starts whining incomprehensible littlewords. Abdubu sits beside her, pushes the tea-rum to her and says:‘Drink this! They have certainly joined the realm of the beautiful Gallic girl and herbrother they dreamed of. Even if they never imagined that it would be this way.’‘Yes,’ says Jou-el, ‘tomorrow or after tomorrow we will all go to the temple of Ozin andtalk to them.’‘Oh,’ says Abdubu, ‘I give you drinks for your client and you, you can bring me cups tomorrowif you want. Hey!’ He says, addressing Jou-el, ‘accompany her to her shop, andstay a moment with her waiting for Ajax.’They walk silently to her shop. Penelope still cannot control her pain and becomes concernedabout her client. How to say Mélia, also a very fervent admirer of Ussa and hercompanion, without having her collapse in tears too. Once in the shop, Mélia doubts alreadythat something terrible happened and looks at Penelope with a worried face.‘What’s happening my dear?’ She asks her.‘Oh! Melia it’s terrible, the library was burnt, which is already terrible in itself, but theyhave found charred skeletons of a man and a woman in front of a door. We believe, as Ussaand Leith were in the basement to see the old works, that they are theirs.’It’s at this point that Ajax enters the shop and sees this little spectacle of two ladies cryingand asks:‘Hey! You don’t have rum at your place, Penelope? You really need it. Stay with toyour client, I will look for it.’When he returns with the bottle, he makes a good bumper in their cups of tea and says:‘Penelope Tell me, what you have seen exactly when you’re passed by the library this afternoon?’This is when she gains control of herself and begins to tell everything she saw, the manwho appears to be the “client”, the other two being the lookout. It’s at this point that Ajaxrequests Jou-el to get copies of drawings made the other day. The time it takes Jou-el to re-65

The arson of the library.turn, she recounts the details of the afternoon. The client of Penelope, Mélia, gets involvedin the conversation and she has also seen suspected man in the vicinity of the library. Jouel,who came back in the meantime, shows the drawings to Penelope and Mélia, whichboth recognize the “client” and the other two being the lookout. While Penelope is recoveringslowly from her emotions, she remakes her client’s mask and requests Ajax kindly topick up other teas in Abdubu’s place, but without extra this time.66

AUssa is alive and well.ngelica and her brother Julian have talked until late into the night. Both were veryimpressed by the untimely visit of their Atlantean friends. Angelica, she, is very worried,she remembers very clearly her dream of the previous night. Then, she recalls all toowell what Ussa and Leith have told them at noon; that they were planning to go to the libraryafter their meeting to consult books in a room from which only Ussa and her familyhas the keys. Her brother, more pragmatic this time, is trying to consolidate her a bit bysaying:‘But you told me that in your dream of last night that it was you, who was able to helpthem escape. Isn’t it?’‘Yes,’ she says with a little voice, ‘but I’m afraid, very afraid that something terrible willhappen.’‘Keep hope my little sister, the night will give you advice. Have a good night and try tosleep. Do not turmoil. It’s going to go. You’ll see tomorrow what are telling you yourdreams. Don’t forget to put a piece of paper and a pencil next to your bed. So you couldnote your dreams as soon you wake up and try now to think of something else and sleep.’‘And you, you don’t think about your dear Ussa. Don’t you worry for her?’‘Yes. Of course. But I am for nothing. I can’t do much. Of course it upsets me, especiallythe fact that they live behind a barrier of eleven thousand eight hundred years. Iwould like to believe, as you you do, that we will meet in the flesh as the gypsy on fairgroundhad told them. But for now I don’t know by what miracle they can cross the barrierof time. But my little sister, focus yourself may be on important facts, as they seem tobe able to see you in one way or another. Try to sleep now and do not worry, otherwiseyou’ll spend another sleepless night and have nightmares.’‘Good night, my big brother’, she says emphasizing the word “big”.‘Good night, my little sister. Sleep well and see you tomorrow.’But sleep will not be for resale, not for Angelica anyway. Turn left, turn right, sleep onback, stomach, back on the back, right side, from left, then she ends with great difficultyup falling asleep in the “fetus” position. As soon asleep, she begins a new dream. Angelicais suddenly in a nicely decorated room, apparently the work of a woman with taste, whereUssa and Leith are sitting around a table waiting for a meal. It’s Ussa who first sees herand greets her. But it’s for her the same as for the previous night, she cannot say anything.What she is trying to say is not perceived by the others. Once again it’s Ussa who speaksand says to Leith, who has not yet seen the presence of Angelica:‘Look Leith. It’s Angelica who comes to visit us.’‘Ah. Well’, he says looking around to see where she is and says: ‘Hello my love. It’s niceto come and see us. Can you hear us? We can’t hear you.’‘Hey,’ says Ussa, ‘I will prevent Penelope, otherwise she will believe that there are ghostsin her house.’Alone with Angelica, Leith continues:67

Ussa is alive and well.‘It’s great that you can come to see us, but how are you doing this? You don’t havecommunication devices as we have the temple of Ozin.’She does answer with a shrug and lips that move, but without sound. There, he understandsthat the presence of his girlfriend is not complete and that he should ask questionssuch that she may respond with gestures. When asked if she understands him, she noddles.‘Thank you for saving my life last night, how did you do it?’She responds with another shrug to say that she does not know it.‘You don’t know yourself?’ Asks Leith.She nods.‘So I will explain you what I believe. The henchmen of Ra-Ta, the BIS therefore, seek tosilence anyone who knows something about the upcoming events. For now, we don’tknow how they knew that Ussa and I would visit the library. But it’s clear that they are notafraid even when it comes to eliminate a member of the royal family. They probably fearof panic when the news of a global catastrophe is spreading. I don’t know if you have noticed,but the murders of masters Ar-Arart and Amilius are part of their plans. Then, it’s usnow who know too much according to them and that’s why they tried to burn us alive. Igotta say that putting these two skeletons on the other side of the door was not for fun andI needed a lot of courage to do so. But I think it was a good idea; because everyone nowbelieves, because of these few burnt bones, that it was us. I am sorry for the trouble I’vecaused to the people, but we have no alternative. They are just Penelope and Ajax, whowill come in a moment, to be aware of. Now I ask you something, Ussa, even if it’s painfulto her, could not agree more. You don’t say anything to anyone, not even to the Dad ofUssa, King Bel-Ra. Tell them that we are safe, that’s all. You say nothing to anyone else. Ihope you have understood. I am also sorry for what has happened this night, especiallysince you and Ussa even more, very worried, feared for my life. See there, Ussa and Penelope,who come back with the dishes. I can unfortunately not offer you because you’re notphysically there.’While the three friends settle around the table in the dining area, Penelope says to Leith:‘She is good looking your Gallic girl, Leith. She has the same age as you I believe, hasn’tshe?’‘Yes,’ he says, ‘a little more because she is a Taurus and I am a Gemini.’‘And you Ussa,’ asks Penelope, ‘your Julian because that’s how he is called, isn’t he?How old is he?’‘Eighteen years old like me and not only that, he is a Libra like me. Two Libra’s together,you realize?’‘And you, your name is Angelica, isn’t it’, she says in addressing a translucent Angelica.Which she confirms with a noddle.‘You don’t have a good friend in his thirties for me? No? If you know one, I will comewillingly with them in your country, even if I don’t know how we can go there.’Then she begins to question Angelica on her parent’s friendships, the parents of her boyand girlfriends by asking questions such that Angelica can always respond with yes, no or Idon’t know. It’s at the same time as the ringing of the door bell that the image of Angelicabegins to dissolve and disappears. Penelope goes down to open and returns in the roomwith Ajax because it was he who rang. He can only believe his three friends by saying thatthe beautiful Gallic girl was there, just before he came to enter.68

Ten more days.Angelica, awakened by a ringing noise, feverishly tries to write down what she dreamedand finds that she had been awakened by the ringing of her cellphone, which warns for anincoming text message. “Shit,” she says to herself, “a wrong number! ” And deletes the message.She looks furiously at her alarm clock, showing the figure “03:32”, and tries to resleep.It’s early this morning of the seventh day of Leo that the man known by his codename“Aker” has put on his desk the message received earlier this morning from the state ofMayra and files it with the newspapers from the same state because the news is not good.This is the time that a female employee, his secretary, puts down the newspapers originatingfrom Muri, the state of Celts north of the federation. Here, the titles are clear. Theyinclude drawings of all their agents in the states of Muri and Mayra with the words in theirlanguage and red on two lines: “WANTED, dead or alive” and below in bold and underlined“PREFERABLY DEAD.” He reads then the little message received this morning whereis written with a disconcerting ease, “three suspects eliminated.” He regrets to not have beenmore clear in giving instructions to the agent supposed to intercept the so-called Ach. Heknows now he should have given him the possibility, or rather have given him the order toproduce a fatal accident to the officer Ach, if this was the only way to stop him. He fearsabove all, the reaction of his superior, Seth, who is not an example of compassion and tenderness,but rather the opposite. Then, there is not just Seth, but also King Ra-Ta himself,who does not tolerate that one will take on the royal families. Especially the fact that theso-called Ach was able to burn alive two teenagers, the very popular princess Ussa and hercompanion and childhood friend Leith. He arranges the papers and leaves his office forthe meeting with his superior, Seth, who should be at the office in the meantime. He fearsabove all that meeting, as Seth, as King Ra-Ta himself, do not enjoy what they write in thenewspapers. Especially the newspapers from states Muri and Mayra which are not underthe control of state and free to write whatever they want if that is the truth. He knows thatin case of problems, he is the fuse and it’s for him court-martial with its predictable verdict.He leaves his office, downs the grand staircase, crosses the courtyard along the columnsand knocks on the door of the office of his chief.‘Enter!’He enters the room and by seeing who is there, his heart tightens. Apart from his chief,there is the King himself and awaits him with the newspapers laying ahead on the desk ofSeth. King Ra-Ta, in his full uniform, stands behind Seth, and leaves him no time to standwith dignity and says clearly very unhappy:‘On your knees! There! Shut your mouth, wait and do not respond but to the questionswe ask you. The king seizes one of the newspapers on the desk and continues:‘We have all received this morning a little message saying: “Three suspects eliminated”. Youcall it suspects! The future queen of Mayra and her friend! Two teenagers the more theyare! And to make matters worse, this is not enough! He must burn man’s former worksseveral millenniums old, some of which copies were unique and irreplaceable.’‘But…’ The king does not allow him to end his phase, and launches:‘I told you not to talk but in case of a question and not otherwise. Shut your mouth.You’re an incompetent. Instead of mounting a section of a Secret Service worthy of thename, you collect criminals organized in gangs who do not know other than to steal, de-69

Ussa is alive and well.fraud, destroy and kill just for the pleasure of killing. It seems to me that the “Operation Silence”is drowning into the water. The entire population is considering the strange eventsthat have occurred in recent months. The operation has made too much noise these daysand they are your criminals who are the main culprits. Do you know what we do in thestate of Mayra with these kinds of people?’‘No sire’, he says.‘Well, I’ll tell you. As you know, people of “law of one” cannot kill themselves, their religionforbids them. Or ants for example have no such constraint. In particular the red,which are organized into federations of several nests, just like us. It’s not easier than attachinga convict on an anthill. The ants will warn the whole of their federation and feaston his flesh leaving only the bones and tendons. The agents, your criminals thus, as we cansee on the pictures in this newspaper, will all undergo this treatment and I can assure youthat their death will be slow and very painful. I have sent a very strict order to all police officersand the public services not to oppose it. The Celts reserve also special treatment tosuch individuals; they attach them to poles and leave the work up to the crows and otherbirds of prey. So get up and come here!’ He says, referring to the desk where there is asheet placing him under investigation for the court-martial and a small hand gun with onebullet.‘Then,’ says the King to the so-called Aker, ‘take one of these two. You can withdraw inthe next room there behind that door. If you choose the court-martial, this will be theshame of your family, otherwise there was an unfortunate accident, and the honor of yourfamily remains saved. Did I have made myself clear?’‘Yes sire’, he says, and seizes the weapon and goes into the room designated by the Kinga moment ago where one could hear a snap and a thud of a body falling to the ground.‘Seth,’ says the King, ‘evacuate the body in the next room and organize him a nice funeralwith all honors and tralala. Then, in regard to the “Operation Silence” try to avoid thedamage, tell the public that it will be like the two previous cases. Tell them that there is nogreat danger, but that time will be hard. There are enough scientist’s miserly to money toconfirm this thesis, especially as they are told the importance of having to avoid a wave ofpanic. Am I clear enough?’‘Yes sire. At your service.’‘Guards, we’ll go, prepare me my car.’It’s not the joy this morning at the royal palace. The atmosphere is rather cumbersome.In the private apartments of the royal couple, Selena and Pâris Bel-Ra take their breakfastalone in silence, without the presence of the servants they have sent away. The queen, Selenamust regularly dry her tears with a handkerchief, which she left beside her plate. Shechews without much taste her toast with jam, a delicacy that she loves otherwise. The king,Pâris, is not better off, he has finished his plate no more than half. He pushes it away andwatching his wife he says:‘What did we do to offend Ra in such a way that he takes our daughter and her partner?’‘It’s terrible,’ she moans, ‘being burned alive. I hope they have not suffered too muchand they were dead suffocated by the smoke before being burned.’70

Ten more days.‘Do you agree, dear wife, to give her friend and companion Leith a royal funeral. I preferto bury them together. They were inseparable from their lives, let us remain them togetherin death.’‘Do you want, dear husband, to give them a posthumous marriage?’‘This will be a good idea, I will discuss it with the clerics.’In this moment a servant enters with a message from which the King does not recognizeimmediately the emissary.‘An urgent message sire’, he says.‘Go, I’m not there for anyone.’‘But ...’ The king does not allow him to finish his sentence and says:‘Go and leave me this message, I look at it later.’It’s when the servant puts the roll with the royal seal of Ra-Ta on the table beside hisplate, half finished, that the King understands that he should better read it immediately andnot wait. He breaks the seal, rolls out the royal parchment and reads:Dear colleague,I am also saddened as you and I offer you my sincere condolences for the lossof your daughter, the future queen, and her friend.I gave the order to all law enforcement officers, police of state security andmilitary not to oppose the popular anger. I encourage you to identify those responsiblefor this heinous attack, as they have appeared in your newspapers andlet the population do whatever they want. But beware, most of these so­calledsecret agents prove to be gangsters from the former Belzebubs organization andare very dangerous. Knowing the quality of your services, do not hesitate topursue them, including in my state, I give you Carte­Blanche.With regard to your child and her companion, I guess you will bury them together.Do you accept my presence at the funeral? If yes, communicate me thedate, I will attend in person at the ceremony.Receive, dear colleague, the expression of my respectful friendship.On behalf of my people, Ra­Ta.Pâris Bel-Ra lifts his head and looks at his wife, who does not stop wiping her tears andsays:‘I’ll cancel all my appointments for the day and I intend to visit the temple of Ozin.Would you come with me, Selena? We could talk to our loved ones. They are perhaps theones who know best what to do now.’‘I don’t know if I have the force my dear’, she says between two sobs.When he looks toward the door, Pâris Bel-Ra sees that there is a royal guard which waitspatiently with a person, apparently an officer of the forensic science, to be granted the rightto enter into the room.‘Come in, what news you’re bringing me?’71

Ussa is alive and well.‘A difficult topic sire,’ says the man, ‘it’s about the bones that were found in the basement.’‘I don’t want to know about it. Put them each in a coffin and leave us alone.’‘But sir this is not possible because…’ But the King does not allow him to finish hissentence and says:‘Go! Our sorrow is too great at this time to discuss these kinds of things.’‘But listen to me sire, please.’‘I don’t want to discuss the subject now, if you like, give me a written report and I willread it later.’‘Yes sire.’Once the officer of the forensic science has left, the King recalls his guard and says:‘Prepare us a car, we go to temple of Ozin. Make us an exclusive reservation of the centralroom where the communication screen is.’‘Yes sire, when do you leave?’‘In a half-hour.’‘Selena please, come with me to talk to our children, it’s very important.’What the couple does not yet know is that a surprise awaits them at the temple.Angelica, angry being awakened at night by a bogus text message, tries to bring order,not only in her notes, but also in her head. The place she was dreaming of, was surely thelounge of the apartment of Penelope, she knows now. She suddenly hears a noise behindher in her room. She turns around and is as surprised as the royal couple Bel-Ra is, who’sthere.‘Hello,’ she says, watching the two visitors a little more carefully and says: ‘you are thefather of Ussa, spat his portrait.’ And speaking to the lady, ‘in this case, you’re the Mom,aren’t you.’‘Yes indeed,’ says Pâris Bel-Ra, ‘we are her parents and we expected to talk to her. Wedon’t understand why it’s you who has come to talk to us.’‘Me? Come? But it’s you who have just landed in my room. I just started to sort mynotes because I was in touch with Ussa and Leith just now. The only thing that I am authorizedto tell you, is the famous phrase here in Normandy, the region where I live thus,“maybe yes, maybe no” or the “neither yes nor no.”‘You want to tell us that our children are not dead?’ Asks Selena.‘That’s precisely what I meant’, replies Angelica.Julian, who hears talking in the room of his sister, enters without knocking and stays surprisedat the show and says to Angelica:‘You still do have visit? But present them to me.’‘Monsieur Bel-Ra, madame, this is my brother Julian, the lover of your daughter. JulianI present you Mr. and Mrs. Bel-Ra, your future parents-in-law.’‘I’m pleased to meet you.’ Says Julian.‘I’m happy to have got your acquaintance’, says Selena.‘Me also’, says Pâris.‘I’m sorry Pâris,’ says Angelica, ‘I can use your first name, can’t I? But I can’t tell youmore, for your own safety, the one of your daughter and her companion. The templewhere you are at this time may be monitored by people not too honest. I’m sure that my72

Ten more days.words can’t, contrary to yours, be listened to. So pretend to be very saddened by the deathof your daughter and arm your guards. It’s for your own safety. Don’t leave this templebefore your guards return with weapons and return only thereafter at your palace.’Julian, after listening for a moment passively while his sister continues to discuss with aroyal couple as they were high school buddies, looks at his watch and says:‘I can leave you? I must go to the sailing club. They are awaiting me there. Goodbye toyou, goodbye my little sister.’‘See you in a moment my big brother’, says Angelica with an emphasis on “big”.‘Bye Julian, says Selena, ‘you must appeal much to Ussa. She likes boys like you.’‘Bye Julian,’ says Pâris, ‘you’re much like Leith. Ussa was folding our ears with her journeyof no return to an unknown kingdom where she and Leith would marry a brother andsister. I am very pleased to meet you, although I have no idea where you are.’‘Eleven thousand eight hundred years in your future in a country you call Gaulle’, repliesAngelica.She continues to tell him what she knows about the future of their country and upcomingevents, but she does not show herself too optimistic about the consequences of the collisionof the comet with the earth.‘Do you mean by this that the theory advanced by the master Ar-Arart and Amilius isnot an invention of their own and a real disaster will occur?’‘Yes my dear Pâris, in five to six days at most.’This is the time that the King throws a look at the globe-lamp on the desk of Angelicaand requests by designating her desk lamp:‘I see that an important change took place in the meantime. I don’t see our country onthis globe and the poles are not in the right place either.’‘Hey,’ she says. ‘Leith had the same reflex. You must seek contact with the masters, theywill be able to provide you with more details. But say, as a precaution, yourself the least, letthem talk. We, my friends, girlfriends, my brother and I are going tomorrow see a psychicwho works with a crystal ball to get in touch with you and yours.’‘See you tomorrow then’, says Pâris.‘See you tomorrow Pâris, goodbye Selena’, says Angelica. ‘Oh yes, before I forget, makesure to analyze the calcined bones by experts of the forensic science, you will get a surprise.Then, in regard to your sorrow, play the comedy a few days and especially don’t talk here inthe temple about your daughter or Leith. Wait to be at home or in a safe place. Outside,surrounded by your guards for example.’The royal couple, after having sent the guards pick up their weapons, have a long conversationwith the masters Ar-Arart and Amilius about upcoming events and possible action.Once outside and sufficiently far from the temple, Selena launches at her husband:‘I am very saddened that we could not see Ussa and her companion. Normally, in thistemple we can communicate with those who died, right?’‘The temple only allows communication with the dead. This could mean that Ussa andher companion are not dead. I notice by the way that this temple apparently allows alsocommunication with beings elsewhere, in other, how to say, presents, maybe.’‘Angelica, why did she not say where the children are?’‘I think,’ answers the King, ‘that Angelica is right. She, Angelica thus, cannot give us theplace where the children hide and that for their and our security. I should have listened to73

Ussa is alive and well.the police officer just now. I hope he made a confidential report, otherwise I will convenehim. Remind me that I will convene the prefect Assen-Ni for the afternoon. I’ll give himCarte-Blanche to clean our country of these criminals.’‘Don’t forget to contact Ajax. He is the man for the job!’ Says Selena.Penelope, feeling very uncomfortable this morning, loiters at her breakfast she eats withoutmuch taste. She eats because she must have eaten in the morning to do her work. Shehopes to have a little support, compassion from her clients, who, like her, have difficultybecause of the death of the Crown Princess and her companion. She leaves a part of herplate and then goes down one floor to open her shop. She begins, like all other mornings,by getting out her utensils out of the cupboard, when suddenly she hears cries for help undera different wardrobe. She remembers that there is a door and a staircase to the cellarsin the basement, but to free access, she must clear the cupboard and open the door that’sthere at the bottom. She starts to empty, while the cries for help continue and finally managesto open the hatch. It’s the shock. There below are three people, Leith, and two girlsfrom whom she recognizes one, Ussa, but the other, a big blond girl having a rather athleticlook and still young, about the age of Leith, she does not recognize. The height is thatthe girl begins to dissipate slowly in air and disappears. Leith and Ussa come with her helprather difficult out of the hatch, which is quite narrow. It’s Leith who speaks first:‘Hi Penelope, is there something wrong? You have a sad face. What happens there?’‘But,’ replies Penelope, ‘we are all convinced that you were dead. We found yourcharred skeletons. But, how is it possible that you are there? Tell me.’Leith and Ussa tell her what happened to them. The fire, the emergency door blocked,the appearance of Angelica guiding them to a secret exit, the crazy idea of Leith to putthese two study skeletons on the other side of the door and leave the door closed andlocked, the journey through the corridors and finally the waiting beneath the door. Leithends with these words:‘Don’t say anything to anyone, play the comedy of a woman in pain and call urgentlyAjax.’‘You can, if you don’t mind of becoming intimate,’ says Ussa, ‘hide us a few days I hope.For now only Angelica, Ajax and you know where we are. Let the rest of the world believethat we are dead. It’s better for our security. I’m sure my parents after the first momentsof sorrow will try to contact us at temple of Ozin. This is where Angelica will explain thesituation to them.’‘Help us to bring up the books,’ says Leith, ‘we have brought a few. The oldest andmost valuable.’‘A few?’ Says Ussa, ‘tons. I still have pain in my arm. You should have seen the show.We, Angelica and I, died of worry and the gentleman, here, strolls quietly in the smoke inthe search for books, as if he were having a walk of health in the fields.’‘The most difficult,’ says Leith, ‘was to put these two skeletons on the other side of thearmored door. There was already a hellish inferno with a lot of smoke, but it should bestaged. It was not enough to just put the skeletons, they should be put as it looks like twopeople trying to flee the fire.’‘Then,’ says Penelope, ‘you have succeeded. One hears in the city nothing else thentalking about you and your death. Then, it seems, the rumors circulating in any case, that74

Ten more days.Ra-Ta does not oppose to the anger of people, which means in plain language that theagents whose drawings have appeared in newspapers were declared outlaws.’‘We can stay here for some time then? You can hide us, can’t you?’ Asks Ussa.‘Sure, but help me first to put everything in its place. I don’t want my customers to suspectsomething. Ah yes. You must mount your books first. Mount them in the attic.This is where you will install at the moment and then we’ll see. You will see this is not theroyal palace, but there is comfort. I lodge there my visit when the family of the campaigntoo far to go back on the same day comes to see me. I just warn you when you can comedown for dinner. I will try to contact Ajax and invite him for dinner, so we could discuss alittle. You can stay here in my apartment, provided that you don’t make noise, otherwisego to the attic, there you will be quiet.’Ussa and Leith then go up with books and Leith’s student bag in the attic where they remainto dig into books and continue the work started the previous evening in the basementof the library. Leith has, even if the research remains unsuccessfully until now, the opinionthat the so-called myths aren’t and that they are the result of calculations based on longtermobservations made by the former prior to the last date of destruction. This is preciselythe reason that he had brought the older works. They don’t see the time pass by and it’sPenelope who calls them for dinner.‘So you aren’t annoying yourself too much up there?’‘No,’ says Leith, ‘we did not see the time pass by. Reading these books takes time, youknow.’‘Then you have found what you were looking for?’ Asks she Leith.‘No, not yet, but we remain hopeful.’‘But what are you looking for exactly.’‘References and calculations made by the elders,’ answers Ussa, ‘because Leith is believingthat they had higher knowledge of astronomy and mathematics than we have now. Hethinks that these so-called myths are nothing more than their warnings to their descendants.’‘Warnings disguised as myths?’ Asks Penelope.‘Yes’, says Leith.Penelope then goes to the kitchen to prepare dinner and hears the two discussing in herliving room as there was a third person.It’s Ussa who comes suddenly in the kitchen and says:‘Can you come for a minute, you have to know a person.’‘Who?’‘It’s not a ghost who is in your living room, but Angelica repeated her feat of last night,she came back to say us hello.’‘Take these two dishes there, the dinner is ready’, she says to Ussa.When Penelope enters accompanied by Ussa her living room, dishes of food in theirhands, to settle at a table with others, she sees a girl, blond and fairly big, almost as big asLeith. She and he are talking, in other words he speaks and she responds with gestureswithout being able to speak. She says her hello, and then Angelica replies with gestures.It’s then that Penelope begins to question her so that she can respond with yes or no byhead movements. Penelope is especially pleased that she replies in the affirmative thequestion if she does not know a buddy for her in the thirties or forties. The conversation75

Ussa is alive and well.ends with the ringing of the door bell because Angelica becomes, as she did in the trap,more and more transparent to dissipate completely. Penelope, who went down to open thedoor, comes back with Ajax.‘Hi everyone,’ he says, ‘you’re okay?’‘Yes,’ says Ussa, ‘it’s okay, but there is better.’‘Who of you who had the idea to put these two skeletons behind the door? The wholecountry believes now that you were burned alive.’‘Oh! That’s me,’ says Leith, ‘I’ve noticed that there were people, you know who, whowanted to kill us at any cost. So I wanted to make them believe that their trick worked forthe time necessary to identify and neutralize them.’‘Yes, there you have succeeded’ replies Ajax, ‘but the coup was a little hard for Ussa’sparents, they have great difficulty and do still not believe that you are alive.’‘I am not only sorry,’ says Ussa to him, ‘but very sad for them to undergo such treatment,but I think Leith is right. It’s better for our safety and that of my parents.’‘That’s what Angelica has told them’, answers Ajax.‘Angelica?’ Asks Ussa, ‘how then?’‘Well, they went to the temple of Ozin to seek contact with you and it was she who cameto talk to them. She did not want to tell them if you were alive or dead or where you are.She also told your father that he should arm his guards and not to talk about the events butin a safe place.’‘Yes, we just talked ourselves to Angelica a while ago’, replied Ussa. ‘She is of the opinionthat we should shut down our communicators so that they cannot find us through it.’‘I will take the necessary steps and try to convince your parents that you are safe.’It’s then that Penelope calls from the kitchen, where she went to pick up something, toask if anyone of them cannot put a dish more on the table for Ajax. They talk during mealof different things and especially the event just now that Angelica had come to talk tothem. It’s Ussa who feels rather uncomfortable and becomes red when they begin to questionher about Julian, the brother of Angelica. She is on the other hand, very pleased toknow that her parents have made his acquaintance in the temple while they talked to hissister. What makes her smile is the fact that she didn’t care about the protocol and spoke toher parents as she does to her teachers, friends and school buddies.76

Wthe subject of their conversation and asks:‘It’s about the fire in the library?’The “Client”hen he arrives at “The gardens”, Ajax sees that his accomplice Jou-el is already therein great discussion with Abdubu. He sits down at the same table as they, guesses‘Yes,’ says Jou-el, ‘there are several people who saw our “client” in the vicinity when thefire broke out.’‘Yes,’ says Ajax, ‘this is what Penelope said just a moment ago. I come from her home,she offered me dinner. We ate both and discussed this dastardly attack. She also saw thatsame individual who dragged in the streets, just before the murder of Master Amilius.’‘Was it not she who had seen our man come out of the staircase leading to the emergencydoor?’ Asks Abdubu.‘I think,’ says Jou-el him, ‘that she had talked about this yesterday afternoon, when wehad to bring her home.’‘I have heard,’ says Abdubu, ‘that the emergency exit of the basement was blocked witha broom handle cut to the right size.’‘It’s possible,’ says Ajax, ‘but I have no confirmation of this rumor.’‘Wasn’t it there any more?’ Asks Jou-el.‘No, when the police came to inspect the premises and environments, they found nothingsuspicious.’‘It’s curious that they could not escape through emergency exit. Ussa had the keys to thebasement and they could go down there and wait for help, what do you think?’‘This is the problem,’ says Ajax, ‘the room of the basement, even considered fireproof,was filled with smoke. Then, there is something else that does not stick. It’s that the cabinetat the bottom was emptied, as if someone was looking for something.’‘The lock on the emergency door of the basement, has it been inspected?’ Asks Jou-el.‘No, I don’t think so, but I have to check with the forensic science.’‘Have fingerprints been taken in the basement?’‘Yes, but they are those of Ussa, Leith and the staff of the library, which is normal, asthey have access and go there regularly.’‘But I don’t understand why Ussa and Leith have not returned to the basement if theyhad the keys?’ Asks Jou-el.‘This is the problem,’ answers Ajax, ‘the door was closed from the inside so that it couldnot be opened from the other side.’‘Now another thing, what will we do with our shooting Zoro?’‘Have you seen the newspapers of Muri?’ Asks Ajax.‘No.’‘So read!’ Says Ajax in throwing a newspaper of the state of Celts. ‘Not a bad as title,huh?’‘We could make posters and distribute them on hand, people will do the rest.’77

The “Client”‘Yes, that’s it,’ says Ajax, ‘I wish the red ants good appetite and that they not hurry uptoo much by eating them.’‘What do you think to do presently,’ asks Abdubu, ‘who silently listened to the conversation.’‘It may be a good thing if we started the hunting’, responds Ajax. ‘You can join us Jouel?’‘Of course, but I must first see my friends of the royal guard, if you know what I mean.’‘So Abdubu, bring us another round.’‘The same thing?’‘Yes, that’s fine’, says Jou-el.‘I’ll take a beer’, meets Ajax.When Abdubu returns with the drinks, he asks, without going to someone special:‘I have heard that several people saw an apparition of a blond girl, details of which couldcorrespond to those Leith has made of his Gallic girl.’‘I’ve heard this also,’ says Jou-el, ‘I was told that she has crossed a police officer, wantingto stop her, throughout.’‘A firefighter has also seen her going through the door of the in-between basement onfire without opening it’, says Ajax.‘I know that neither Leith nor Ussa believe in angels, but this phenomenon is very similar,’says Abdubu. ‘Perhaps she had come to look for them. Not then?’‘I don’t know,’ replies Jou-el, ‘but it seemed to be her ectoplasm who came to rescuethem.’‘Ectoplasm? What is it?’ Asks Abdubu.‘Her soul, if you want,’ says Jou-el, ‘but it’s only people with a gift of medium that arecapable of. The Gallic of Leith is perhaps one. It’s even possible that she does not evenknow it herself.’‘How? Doesn't she know? How is it possible?’ Asks Ajax?‘For her, as for most of us,’ responds Jou-el, ‘it happens in dreams, it’s where the soulparts to go wander elsewhere. Never heard of this old man who came every day to sit on abench in front of the city hall?’‘Yes, vaguely,’ answers Ajax, ‘why.’‘Then,’ says Jou-el, ‘he once said to a kid, he came in dream from another planet whoselight takes four hundred years to come to us. One day he left early and has not been seenback since. He is maybe dead.’‘But,’ asks Abdubu, ‘how did he come and leave?’‘We never saw him coming, but when he left, he dissolved into air. Pffft, like that’, Jouelresponds by making a gesture with his hand in the air.Once their drinks consumed, the two friends go each in a direction to take care of the“client” and his associates.When the King goes up the double staircase of his palace to join the royal apartments,first he does not find his wife, Selena. He finally finds her in a room at the end, beautifullydecorated with oriental carpets, where their daughter Ussa has her neighborhoods. She sitsthere on Ussa’s bed crying with a little girl’s dress in her hands. The king, sorry for thepain of his wife, sits down next to her and tries to console her.78

Ten more days.‘Selena, dear wife, why are you weeping? Keep hope! She is certainly not dead.’Selena Bel-Ra, surprised that her husband starts to be intimate with her, looks at himand replies in the same way:‘How can you remain so unmoved by the sorrow, my dear? I cannot believe that she isstill alive. You see this dress? It was passed from grandmother to daughter and mother todaughter, each time for the eldest. I have great trouble accepting that Ussa was the last tobe baptized in that dress.’‘Dear wife, I have just now an appointment with the police and the prefect and I willcome to see you and say what the mid-legal institute was able to find.’‘But how can you be so hard, my dear husband?’‘I am beginning to believe that this Gallic girl, we saw this morning, is real and tries toprotect us. Let us therefore trust her. If Ussa and Leith are still alive and still with us, theyeventually resurface in a timely manner. Try to calm yourself down a bit. Would you that Icall a doctor?’‘No, that’s fine.’‘I think it’s best that you can sleep a little this afternoon. I call a doctor and I return atthe end of the afternoon to see if you’re feeling better.’The king descends the grand staircase and turns right towards his office. The conveningof this afternoon does not require huge meeting spaces, which are normally held on theother side of the ground floor. He might therefore receive the prefect and the few policeofficers in his spacious office. Awaiting the guests, he opens the document that the officerof the forensic science wanted to show him this morning and reads it. “Damn,” he says forhimself, “I should have read it this morning. It would have spared us much of the sorrow.” The documentis formal, the calcined bones found at the door could not be in any case those of Ussaand Leith. They were, first, too old, at first sight several centuries. Secondly, there aresmall holes made to attach bones to each other, as for a study skeletons. When he raiseshis head, he sees a guard accompanied by the prefect waiting for permission to enter.‘Come in and sit down.’‘Good morning Your Excellency.’‘I don’t hide you my discontent regarding the events of recent days.’‘I am sorry, Your Excellency, but the crimes are difficult to investigate and require a lotof patience.’‘I am sorry,’ he says in a dry tone, ‘my dear prefect, but there you lie to me, I am in factbeen informed by my secret sources that you asked the police to hush up some cases. Themurder of Master Amilius for example, which has affected very much my daughter and hercompanion. You know, you have no orders to receive from Poseidia. All that the federationdecides passes by me first and I take the provisions in our country. There is, therefore,no police or prefect or other person to receive orders from Ra-Ta and his secret police.Do I make myself clear?’‘Yes Your Excellency.’‘Good! I don’t want you to undergo the defects which Ra-Ta prefers to use; then, hewould have put in front of you a sheet placing you under investigation for the court-martialand a firearm loaded with one bullet. The only thing I ask you, is to hunt those people alreadyidentified and to identify others. I just received Carte-Blanche from my colleagueRa-Ta. You can hunt on his territory because he has more confidence in our forces as in79

The “Client”his own. So, also Carte-Blanche and focus mainly on the Belzebubs because it’s they whoare the most dangerous.’‘Yes sire, on your orders.’‘You can leave and bring in these two police officers who are waiting out there.’The prefect bows and leaves, as he should, by backing out of the office.‘Come in and sit down, he throws to the two policemen who have been patiently waitingto be received. What good news do you bring me?’‘Does Your Excellency has been able to read my report?’ Asks the officer of the forensicscience.‘Yes, I just read it. Do you accept my regrets not having listened this morning?’‘It’s just nothing Your Excellency I understand your pain. I would have reacted thesame way.’‘Drop that “Your Excellency” and please tell me rather what has happened. Do youhave any idea where my daughter and her companion hide?’‘No sire, no idea. They were probably in the basement when the thugs set fire to it. Butwe don’t know how and where they were able to escape.’‘Through the emergency door. Didn’t they?’‘No, it’s precisely here we have a problem. The mechanism was unlocked, but we havefound traces of wood on the outside of the lock and on the wall on the other side. Thedoor has been blocked and someone has removed the device just after the fire. We interviewat this time all those who witnessed the sad spectacle to see who could have removedthe device. What is certain, is that your daughter and her companion could not get out bythere. With the number of spectators that were there, surely one would have seen them.The conundrum we have left to solve is to know where the secret exit is because so far nobodyhas been able to find it.’‘Continue your research and be very discreet. Don’t say anything to the press. Forthem, Ussa and her childhood friend must remain dead for as long as you don’t put yourhands on the gangsters of Ra-Ta and Co.’‘Thank you sire, we’ll do our best.’‘Okay, you can leave.’The King leaves his office at the same time and accompanies them to the staircase. Hegoes then back to the royal apartments to tell the good news to his wife, who is still in thereserved rooms from Ussa and watches with tears in her eyes the little girl’s clothes.‘Selena, dear wife, don’t cry’, he says sitting down next to her. The forensic science hasbeen able to identify the charred bones.’Selena collapses in tears again keeping a little dress from Ussa in her hands and says:‘Don’t tell me more of these poor children, I cannot stand it any longer.’‘But listen to me,’ says her husband, who starts to get excited, ‘that’s just what I wantedto tell you. These bones are several centuries old and cannot be those of Ussa nor those ofLeith. This is certainly a crazy idea of Leith to suggest to everyone that they were burnedalive. He wanted to hide with Ussa the time required to neutralize the thugs who travelthese days in our country. Remember, what this Gallic girl had told us: play comedy for afew days and see.’‘But. They hide. So where and why are they hiding?’80

Ten more days.‘Where? I don’t know more than you or the police. For whom? Yes I know. Theyhide for the henchmen of the BIS, former members of the rogue group Belzebubs. I alsoplanned to go again to the temple to talk to this Gallic girl, if she wants well, to learnmore.’‘Her name is Angelica, isn’t it?’ She asks.‘Yes. And Ussa’s lover, Julian, which is a Roman name I think. A beautiful boy. If sheever goes there where he is, we can no longer speak to her or him or with great difficultybecause she will be, like him, eleven thousand eight hundred years into the future in acountry, which is now only tundra and covered with ice and snow.’‘I fear for Ussa she is quickly homesick. I hope Julian and Leith succeed to support herin her difficult times. I don’t fear for Leith, he adapts to everything. He keeps both feeton the ground and tries to do best.’‘Yes, he has kept his head cool if it was he who did put the skeletons on the other sideof the door.’‘Of course he is. This is certainly not Ussa, she dares not do these kinds of things. Shefears the fire first.’‘What grieves me most is that in a week everything will be finished here, no more cities,no more people and a country that is twelve thousand feet below the level of the sea.That’s what says Leiht’s girlfriend, his Gallic girl. She does not say so directly, but in herpresent, our future thus, our country is not there any more.’‘It’s heartbreaking to know this in advance.’‘It’s may be better, so we can organize and prepare an evacuation plan.’Angelica, who did not return to the club after dinner because the weather is not to good,is at home with her girlfriend Alicia and are searching on the Internet to find informationabout Atlantis. Alicia continues a chat on MSN, while Angelica phones the library to see ifit’s open this afternoon. The manager says: In principle no, but she could come at half pastthree. Angelica closes the cover of her cellphone launches to Alicia:‘It’s Okay, we have the lib for us alone.’‘Do we go immediately?’‘No, in an hour, she, the manager thus, is not there yet, she comes at half past three.’‘Then,’ says Alicia, ‘once you have the texts, what do you intend to do?’‘I know that my guy often dreams of me, I will therefore read the most important textsof Plato and hope he is listening.’‘You say “my guy”, you’re already sure of him? You’re sure you’ll meet him in the flesh?’‘But I told this morning what had happened to me yesterday afternoon, isn’t it?’‘Yes, the poor guy. I bet he has never seen a girl naked and you find nothing better thanto do a striptease.’‘I have to confess you that I was as ashamed as he was. He had just landed in the bathroomwhile I took a shower. What do you want me to do? I didn’t know what to do, so Ichose the frontal attack. I felt myself come all red when I noticed his reaction, he saidnothing, but he had responded in a clearly visible way, you know what I mean. Then, Ihurried up to dry myself and put my clothes. You should have seen my brother and Ussa,when their eyes crossed. It was love at first sight, but not as struck by lightning, more like81

The “Client”a short-circuit in a nuclear power plant. It took them quite some time to come back onearth.’‘And you,’ asks Alicia, ‘weren’t you too impressed as they were with your guy.’But Angelica feels ashamed, and does not answer and just looks dreamy at ceiling of herroom. Alicia noting that she does not answer, changes the subject and returns to what theywere looking at and says:‘Regarding your Atlantis, didn’t you look for something else?’‘Yes, I forgot, places where they were able to escape, or rather what remains there astraces. Like Basques, Berbers, for example. Then, not only that, we should find where thisdarn comet fell. Leith seems to think that it must be somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle.’‘I’ll ask my father,’ says Alicia, ‘he sometimes plays billiards.’‘Billiards? Where did you seek that?’ Asks Angelica her, ‘what have billiards to do witha shift of the poles?’‘I don’t know if you’ve seen someone play billiards,’ replies Alicia, ‘but to make a twistedstroke, they make the ball rotate on itself, what they call an effect’‘I still can’t see where you’re getting’, says Angelica.‘Then, to achieve this,’ says Alice to her, ‘they hit the ball offset from the center and thismakes it turn on itself. That is certainly what happened to the Earth, in my opinion. It hasreceived this big rock, this comet thus, in its face and that’s what made it change the angleof rotation. I don’t see otherwise. On the other hand, to achieve this, it, the comet thus,should have struck the Earth at an angle and offset from the center, as this is done with abilliard ball’‘But, how do you mean?’‘Well, in order to displace the poles, you will have to displace the angle of the Earth’s rotation!’‘Very good, my math teacher, I thank you for the lesson’, says Angelica who does notfeel to go on with the subject. ‘We therefore seek a hole or a submarine crater and ask myguy to check whether this hole exists in his time and they may be in deep trouble if thehole does not exist yet.’‘Say So, you didn’t you tell me something about the Bermuda Triangle, where boats andaircraft go lost. I am sure that your guy and his childhood friend, Ussa, come to us thisway, but in the opposite direction.’‘But how do you see that?’‘But, it’s simple,’ says Alicia, ‘in the time that everything drowns in the water, their powerplants explode because of short-circuits and projects them to our time. Don’t worry Angelica,they will finally arrive. Remain optimistic. We will have a small celebration whenthey are there, what do you think?’‘I don’t know. I will see. So, do we go?’ Asks Angelica looking at her watch. ‘Save meall that what you have found and turn off the computer. I read the texts tonight and everynight before going to sleep, so he could write it down when he dreams of me.’Penelope, who goes often in Abdubu’s place after closing her shop, is now too much ina hurry to go up to her apartment. She does not want to leave her guests alone and wishesto keep them company. When she climbs the stairs to her attic, she sees them still immersedin their books, peeling them carefully by taking notes here and there.82

Ten more days.‘Hey lovers, did you find something? I see that you take notes.’‘How, lovers?’ Asks Ussa.‘Well! You’re both of you in love with a brother and sister? Aren’t you?’‘Oh, if you see it like that. Yes!’ Says Leith.‘So you’re becoming brother and sister-in-law later. But I don’t see very well how youwill make the trip.’‘We neither,’ replies Ussa, ‘but it might not be a walk of health in the fields.’‘About your books and notes you seem to take, did you find something.’‘It’s heartbreaking, but even if some details are not there, Angelica seems to be right.Hey, Ussa, pass me that book, there is a world map in there. You see,’ he tels Penelope byopening the book to a page where it shows a map of the polar area, ‘our North Pole ishere, but Angelica had on her desk a lamp shaped as a globe and the North Pole wasthere’, he says by pointing his finger somewhere in the middle of a sea between Greenlandand Siberia. ‘It makes a difference of thirteen degrees. The Arctic and our country are forthis reason thirteen degrees further south and the movement was made on this longitude’,he says by indicating a line with his finger on a map of the Atlantic with their country.‘Now we seek the point of impact the more likely in this area’, he says, by making a circlewith his finger on the Bermuda Triangle and the coast of North America.‘How do you want to find the place, then?’ Asks Penelope?‘Well,’ he says, ‘Angelica must have an impact crater somewhere in this area, where wehave not.’‘You think it falls into the sea?’ Asks Ussa.‘Of course,’ says Leith, ‘an impact on the continent would have the same effect as theone who killed all the dragons sixty-five million years ago. The fact that Angelica lives ateleven thousand eight hundred years, indicates to me that the comet will fall inevitably intothe sea, creating a flood. Then, if it falls into the sea of Bermuda, the crust will not hold,too fragile and too thin. The impact of the comet will push the Earth’s crust in the areasmost vulnerable to the bottom and brings our country with it.’‘Good,’ says Penelope who wants to change the subject, ‘you come for dinner in a moment.I’ll close the curtains, it’s more discreet.’While Penelope goes down to dress up the table and begins to prepare dinner, the twofriends continue to search and browse the books until she calls that the table awaits. Onceat the table she asks:‘You will stay here, or would go elsewhere?’‘I think it’s better that we go somewhere else’, says Ussa.‘Yes, I believe,’ says Leith, ‘that it’s better for your safety and ours. I know that MasterAmilius has built a room in the attic, like yours. This piece has a secret entrance, but youcan access it from the rooftops. It’s comfortable and I am sure that the henchmen of Ra-Ta wont find the access.’‘Okay, you can go through the roof in my attic, I leave the window open. So you couldcome and see me, if necessary. But it would be better that Ajax checks if the way is clear.’‘That’s it,’ says Ussa, ‘I don’t think that someone will be looking in a house supposedempty.’‘We will see tomorrow, isn’t it?’ Asks Penelope.83

The “Client”‘Yes,’ says Ussa, ‘we can stay here for tonight and even tomorrow. We will be discreet,but we cannot make the light up there. It will be too visible.’84

TThe tampered temple.his beautiful morning of the eighths day of Leo, our two compatriots, Ajax and Jouel,are in a back room of the tavern “The Gardens” awaiting other clients. They preferredin fact to meet here rather than in a more visible place. Especially now that the hunton tugs has started. An unusual come and go to the police station will necessarily be suspect,but in a pub like Abdubu’s place such comings and goings are quite normal. On a tableis a map of the city, marked with small dots as fly-shit. They are the places where individualshave been seen by the population, which is very cooperative. Some do not hesitateto contact Abdubu in his café in order to leave him a message or a hint, which he puts onthe table in the improvised meeting room.‘Hi you two,’ says Abdubu, ‘you take something?’‘Me a coffee with hot milk and some pieces of toasted bread and jam if you have any,’says Ajax, ‘I haven’t eaten this morning.’‘How can you swallow this Abyssinian shit?’ Ask Jou-el.‘Nothing better to take shape in the morning’, answers Ajax.‘And you,’ Abdubu request to Jou-el, ‘as usual?’‘Yes, that’s fine’, he says.While he is looking for drinks and a few things to eat, the two friends begin to planstrategy. It becomes clear that some of these individuals they are looking for, hide in goingfrom hotel to hotel, where they stay rarely more than two or three days. They decide tocontact colleagues of Ajax in other cities. Ajax is convinced that they do not even want tobe paid for the work, if it’s for the interest of the country. Whilst waiting for the contactsof the Royal Guard and the forensic science to come and join them, they set up a list of hotelsand hostels to watch, even to pay a small premium from the royal accounts becauseAjax is convinced that the King is so mad that he will not hesitate to pay the premiums andbelows the table. It’s this moment that Abdubu comes back with drinks and a few smallthings to eat and joins them a moment.‘If you see Penelope,’ says Ajax, ‘can you tell her to come here.’‘Of course,’ says Abdubu, ‘she will certainly come as she usually does, as a draft.’‘We want to ask her something,’ says Jou-el, ‘she sees a lot of people, you see.’‘I warn you,’ says Abdubu, ‘that I am closing in the afternoon. Tomorrow I’m on guardon the “Phénix 30 ” and I stick to do my duty.’‘Do you need help to transport timber,’ asks Ajax, ‘if yes, we’ll give you a hand.’‘No it’s okay,’ responds Abdubu, ‘there are always enough volunteers to make the wood.It’s to bring it to the top of the tower, which is the hardest.’‘You have to carry it up?’ Asks Jou-el.‘No, we have a manual winch at the center of the tower.’30 Invented name for a temple having a tower shape with an eternal fire on the top. Edgar Cayce tels us that the “Law ofone”, a monotheist religion of Atlantis, were using such temples, where they maintained an eternal fire. This type oftemple were also used by the first Persian monotheist religion, at 900 year BC. They are perhaps the ancestors of ourlighthouses.85

The tampered temple.While they were discussing a moment, they did not notice that Penelope had just comein. By not seeing anyone, she calls:‘So guys, you’re sleeping in the back room?’‘Come to see us for a minute,’ says Jou-el, ‘we have something important to ask you.’Then he continues, addressing to Abdubu:‘Bring her something to drink and shut the door please.’‘But,’ she says surprised, ‘I didn’t come than to take something for me and my twoclients.’Abdubu, coming back in between with tea with ice cubes, asks:‘Do I prepare something to take away?’‘Yes,’ she says, ‘a chocolate and two teas.’As Abdubu parts preparing the beverages requested by Penelope and closing the doorbehind him, she asks her two friends:‘What do you want, is it about Ussa and Leith?’‘Yes,’ replies Ajax, ‘among others. You can talk here, Jou-el is on our side. He alsoknows where the two are hiding.’‘You told him?’ Asks Penelope.‘No. He guessed. He was not born since the last rain you know.’‘This is serious,’ replies Penelope, ‘this means that there are others who could draw thesame conclusion. In fact,’ she continues, ‘Leith believes that they could hide in the attic ofAmilius. To do this, you must first check if the way is clear. Leith said that nobody wouldlook for someone in a supposedly empty house.’‘It’s not as serious as you think it’s,’ answers Ajax, ‘we have information that the pressand ordinary people have not. We know for example that the calcined bones found couldnot be in any case those of Ussa and Leith. We also know that they could not escapethrough the emergency door. Where they went, we don’t know. As regards the placewhere they hide, it’s a slight change in your attitude that triggered it. On the day of the fireyou were really sad, and then the next day, you were only pretending. It’s not visible toothers, but we know you well and we’ve seen. Don’t worry, the idea of Leith is good andwe will check that.’‘I have contacts with the royal guard,’ says Jou-el, ‘they will do the job. Come find us tomorrowin the afternoon in the tea house in the park.’‘The park, how the park?’ Asks Penelope.‘Well! Abdubu closes in the afternoon and re-opens after tomorrow at noon.’The prefect, Assen-Ni, awaits in his office Ax-Tell, the chief of police in the region,which he convened at the behest of the King. Ax-Tell does not need to come from afar, asthe police office is in the same building as the prefecture of the region. The prefect hasspread in front of him the various newspapers where most of the suspects are appearing.Especially the newspapers of the neighboring state, Muri, the state of the Celts, leave nodoubt of the fate that awaits them there. The order to close the borders, especially thosewith the state of Alta, is already given. All trains, roads and air-crafts are controlled. It’swhile he reads the report of the forensic science that the police chief arrives and saluteshim:‘Hello Mr. prefect, you want to see me?’86

Ten more days.‘Hello Ax-Tell, sit down. You probably guess the subject of our conversation, don’tyou?’‘Indeed, my dear Assen-Ni, we took too many risks in listening to the orders of Poseidiawithout going to the King.’‘Did you read the report of the forensic science concerning the fire in the library?’‘Yes, my friend. What you need to add is that the remains of the bottles indicate thatthey contained rum with a high degree of alcohol. In addition, but this was marked in thereport, traces of a flammable product were found.’‘Do we know how he or they could enter, I think the door is supposed to be secure,right?’‘I don’t know if you remember, but there was a journalist who had managed to open thedoor with tools purchased from a hardware store. Then, thieves and agents of the BIS,which are no other than recycled thugs, have no problem entering.’‘The charred bones, how could they get to where they were.’‘We assume that it was the companion of the princess who had done this. He had probablyrealized that it was they who were targeted by the attack.’‘We can therefore assume that Ussa and he were in the basement, then locked up becauseif I read the report, the emergency exit had been blocked. I also note that nobodysaw them coming out from there. What I do know that there were several people who hadseen suspicious individuals corresponding to this drawings coming out of the fire escape.’‘Do you know where Ussa and her companion are hiding at the moment?’‘No, I have no idea. We don’t know how and where they could get out of this room inthe basement. The only strange thing that a police officer reported me, was that he saw agirl enter the library and wanting to stop her, she crossed him throughout as if she did notexist physically. A firefighter also reported that the same girl went through the door of thein-between basement on fire without opening it. Of course she was it who rescued Ussaand her companion, but where and how, nobody knows. We suspect that there is a secretexit in the basement from the feudal era, but nobody has yet managed to find it. Then,there is also below our town a maze of corridors, staircases and other accesses, such thatonly a knowledgeable person can enter there without getting lost.’‘Put yourself on the hunt and find me these individuals sent by Ra-Ta. The King givesus Carte-Blanche. Perhaps try to contact the Royal Guard. They have an internal secretservice that works primarily with private detectives. You may be able to put officers incivilian on the job, what do you think?’‘Carte-Blanche you tell me? We should not bother to imprison them in this case, wehave some informers who know what to do. We avoid diplomatic problems with Ra-Tathis way.’‘There is no problem with him, the suggestion to do what you say comes from him. It’sin these words, he has given Carte-Blanche to our King, including on its own territory. Ihave unconfirmed information that the head of the secret operations had an accident witha firearm.’‘Yes, I heard it too. He had the choice between suicide and court-martial.’‘Apart from these individuals, former employees of the BIS, we must take care of theBelzebubs. It’s they who the most dangerous. They could try to obtain a safe conduct toappear on the evacuation plan since no money nor other will still have any value in a week.’87

The tampered temple.‘In a week? So this story of a star falling to earth is true?’‘Alas, yes.’‘But this evacuation plan? Who takes care of it?’‘This happens on the direct orders of the King and the army takes care of it. The bulkof the troops have already returned home. We have a hundred warships at our disposal. Iam also certain that the King will commandeer commercial vessels. But back to our subject,now contact the detectives and journalists who worked on the subject. They are wellinformedand you can save labor and forces and concentrate on the essentials.’‘Have you something else, my dear Assen-Ni?’‘No, that’s all for today.’Angelica turns around in her room. She is unclear with what to start nor where norhow. She had read the texts of Plato, the day before she went to sleep, but would like toknow if Leith, her guy like she is calling him now, heard her lecture. She has made an appointmentwith the old Monique and awaits now Alicia and her brother who wanted tocome too. She is a little upset against herself because she would have had time yesterday tomake a return trip to Le Havre, seeking a maritime map in a specialized store. She spentthis morning searching the web, but without much success. All information she could findlack precision. It’s as if the geographical knowledge stops beyond a few miles offshore.It’s on the moment that she wants to get back to research on the Internet, that she hearsher brother enter along with Alicia and Audrey, who wanted to come too.‘Hi my dear’, says Julian.‘Hi Angelica, say Alicia and Audrey in chorus.‘Hi,’ she says without speaking to someone special, ‘what did you do this morning?’‘Oh. Nothing special,’ says Julian, ‘it’s pretty quiet.’‘We have the appointment at what time?’ Asks Alicia.‘In a half hour’, she says looking at her watch. ‘We must go now, if we don’t want to belate.’They discuss, while cycling up the street leading to the small building where Moniquelives, about everything and nothing, even if the main subject is that what they will see.Once arrived, it’s Monique who attends them already on her doorway and greets them:‘Hi, young people, what good wind brings you here?’‘Hi Monique,’ says Angelica, ‘it’s nice to help us.’‘I have the impression that you want to help your Atlantean friend, don’t you?’‘Yes,’ she replies blushing a little, ‘it’s to help my guy. But communication is rather difficult.Do you think it will work with your ball?’‘I don’t know,’ says Monique, ‘I have never been asked such questions. These days it’s inorder, the money, the job, love, and sometimes they want to know if their partner was thecuckold, but I send those to a buddy who has an office of private detective. I don’t do hisjob and he doesn’t do mine, everyone his own thing, isn’t it? But talk and talk, enter andlet’s try to contact Angelica’s guy.’Whilst the young people enter, Monique takes her utensils to lay them on the coffee tablebecause her office, which is located in a former bedroom is too small to receive all ofthem. She puts a few sofas and chairs in a semicircle around the coffee table where she88

Ten more days.lays a purple table carpet. She carefully places the crystal ball in the middle and two chandeliers,lights them. Once the blinds down, she invites the young people to take place:‘Angelica, you sit there, next to me. Julian you sit down on the other side. Alicia andAudrey you can choose to sit next to Julian and Angelica, as you want. You must chooseyour position such that you don’t see the candles in the bowl, but only their glow. Then’she continues, addressing Angelica: ‘did you explain to them how to concentrate?’‘Yes Monique, that’s done. Can we can start?’‘So, focus on the whereabouts of your friends. They are still in the house where livesbeautician, isn’t it?’‘I think so,’ says Angelica, ‘they had planned to go elsewhere, but this isn’t done yet.’‘Then,’ says Monique, ‘we’ll go.’After making a few unsuccessful attempts, an image of a beautifully arranged attic, whereyou can observe two young people in the process of leafing through old books, becomesvisible. After a while all group members cannot only see, but also hear them. It’s Angelicathe first to attempt to call:‘Leith, do you hear me, it’s Angelica who speaks to you.’Leith, who hears Angelica, looks around him to see where she is, but it’s his companionwho responds first:‘Oh I hear the voice of Angelica who is calling you.’‘Yes, I heard,’ replies Leith, ‘but I see nothing.’‘We see you,’ says Angelica, ‘don’t you see us?’‘I don’t see anything anywhere,’ he replies, ‘but what means we?’‘Well! Me, my brother Julian and two friends, Alicia and Audrey. Damn, I forgot tomention Monique, our medium. But I have a question for Leith. Could you hear metonight when I have read the texts that you asked me. I will read them this night again, focusyourself so that you don’t miss the reading.‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘I heard just a part, I will try to listen again tonight. One question, ifyou remember well the texts, is it marked “one day and one night” or “one night and one day”? Idon’t remember well.’‘No,’ replies Angelica, ‘it’s first the day and then the night, but why do you ask that?’‘Because the comet crosses the Earth’s orbit early in the morning. But could you find acrater somewhere?’‘No,’ replies Angelica, ‘I broke my head all morning on that, but in vain. It are the detailsthat I’m missing. I need a good map of the sea, such as marine uses because it lists alldepths.’‘But we will have one after tomorrow,’ says Julian, ‘when we take the yacht at the Fécampport.’‘Hi Julian,’ says Ussa who hears his voice, ‘I don’t see you, but it’s so good to hear you. Ilook forward to be near you, hold you in my arms and to feel me in yours.’‘Angelica,’ says Leith, ‘don’t say anything yet to the parents of Ussa and to anyone else,say that we are safe, in good hands and that we come back tomorrow or after tomorrow.Okay.’‘Yes my love’, she says.It’s then that the young people talk for a moment together, but suddenly it’s the image inthe crystal ball which begins to change. They see the inside of a temple and what is more89

The tampered temple.worrying, is that a technician seems to fiddle circuits of the screen. What he is fiddlingwith looks more like a sneak then a circuit that must be present. After a while, they see acouple enter that Angelica and Julian recognize as being Pâris and Selena Bel-Ra.‘Hello Selena, hello Pâris,’ says Angelica, ‘how are you.’‘How could you see us,’ asks Pâris Bel-Ra, ‘we don’t yet see you, the screen doesn’t workyet?’‘We are seeing you in a crystal ball’, says Julian.‘Yes,’ says Angelica, ‘it’s not just that what we see, there is also a technician who recordseverything you say and do. He is located in the basement, below your feet. Then, say theleast, he does not seem to be able to hear us. Answer, if possible, only with yes or no, andtry not to show your emotions. We had just now been in touch with Ussa and Leith andthey asked us to communicate only the news that you will have tomorrow or the day after asign of life from them, the time necessary to eliminate the dangerous individuals.’‘Thank you, Angelica,’ says Selena, ‘we see you at the moment and you should see uswithout your ball.’‘But you see that,’ exclaims Monique, ‘I have never seen such alike. Look at this. Theyare in my living room. Who are are they Angelica, present them!’‘May I present,’ says Angelica, ‘his Excellency Mrs and Mr Bel-Ra, Selena and Pâris forfriends. Madame, sir, here on my left Alicia, on my right Mrs. Monique, our medium, thenmy brother as you already know, right from my brother, Audrey. Our crew is not completebecause it lacks Andrew, Philippe and Rodolphe, who remained at the sailing club.’Pâris and Selena Bel-Ra, prepare their journey by car to visit the temple of Ozin. King,Pâris Bel-Ra, was able to convince his wife to accompany him. Even if they know theycannot communicate with their daughter, they can with Angelica and her brother, whopromised to be there. He hopes that she can give some guidance or at least news about hisdaughter and her companion. Suddenly he remembered his dream that night because hesaw the Gallic girl that told him to take guards with him to inspect the temple, but failed tosay more. Since, obviously important to her, he takes the precaution of inviting an officialof the police who has taken identification drawings with him.‘Selena, are you ready?’ He asks his wife.‘Yes my dear husband, can we go?’On the way, they pass in front of the stud farm and equestrian center of the family ofPenelope, the Axarz’s, overloaded with history because that is where Ussa and Leith havemade acquaintance. His mother was often coming with him from the neighboring immenseproperty of the Ajahel’s, producers of apples, pears, cherries, plums, cider and variousspirits. Selena for now prefers to forget the circumstances that led her to rest in thecountryside with Ussa being only six years old at the time. This is where Ussa took a littleboy for her little brother she had lost. A friendship of two people who became inseparableand which lasts until today. Arrived at the temple, the couple passes between the greatcolonnades and through the purifier curtain at the entrance. It’s just that they entered thecenter of temple and even before the communication screen could be activated that theyhear the voice of Angelica who welcomes them. Once the screen activated, they see thatAngelica is accompanied by friends and is in a woman’s place who uses a crystal ball to90

Ten more days.communicate. It’s after the first informal introductions of those present that the King asksher:‘Angelica, I can call you by your first name, can’t I? Do you have good news for us or isit still too dangerous to talk about?’‘Regarding Ussa and Leith, you will receive news in two days at most. They made meanyway promise to say nothing because the suspects are still not identified. But before Icontinue to talk, I would like to tell you that this temple is tampered and all that you sayand do is recorded. Don’t answer other than no, yes or say the least. On the other hand,we, my friends and I have just seen, by using this ball there, individuals who are in thebasement of the temple and they are the ones you’re searching for. Did you take enoughguards and police with you to act?’‘Yes.’‘So don’t show emotions, which also prevails for Selena, and do as if you know nothing.I suggest, once outside you inspect the building from top to bottom. It might be nice ifyou can disconnect all the links to the outside, including the one that provides the operatingpower. Connect it to an independent source, such as those that provide energy foryour ships.’‘Yes, it will be a good idea,’ says Pâris, ‘concerning the event, it’s for when?’‘There is Leith who has more information because mines are too vague, too remote intime to calculate the day closely. He said that this will be in six days, early in the morning,you have thus five days left to prepare.’While Angelica gives him a few more details, it’s Selena which starts a chat with Julianand the other two girls present, while the King continues to talk with Angelica about upcomingevents. It’s suddenly that Monique intervenes because she had drawn, under theincredulous eyes of the couple Bel-Ra, tarot cards, telling them:‘I see in the cards that you will have a painful separation, get ready. Nor your daughternor her companion will be in danger, even if it will be a frightening experience. Prepareher waterproof suitcases, capable to float with all her little girl stuff and all that what sheneeds in her new life, and entrust it to her companion. Do it, it’s very important and doanything as for a major trip. I see homesick problems for her.’‘She had such problems in the past,’ says Selena to her, ‘I know what she needs.’‘It’s strange what you do,’ says Pâris, ‘Ussa told me about a person on a fair that was likeyou and used the same types of cards. What else do you see?’‘She will become, sorry Julian, very old. Well beyond hundred years. Her companion,Leith will have, as Angelica in the ninety years of age and will die with a gap of six monthsonly. Your daughter will have more children, but I am not saying when and how becauseit’s not good to know in advance, isn’t it Julian. It’s best to keep the surprise because thefirst, she will be a surprise and come by surprise.‘You talk in female tense,’ asks Julian, ‘will it be a girl?’‘Yes my dear, but you will see it when it’s the right moment.’ Then watching the coupleBel-Ra, she continues: ‘even if communication is difficult, you will stay in regular contact.My guarantee you have, if it does not work otherwise, I am able and I will bring you newsfrom here from time to time.’91

The tampered temple.It’s after a few terms that the royal couple takes leave of the friends present at Monique’splace. They promise to resume contact as soon as possible. Once the royal couple comesout of the temple, he launches his guards:‘Check me everything. Close all accesses and bring anyone with you that they don’tknow over here and especially those contained in drawings.’92

PHiding.enelope knows well the tearoom of the park, an octagonal glazed building with a terraceon the front with tables and chairs made of iron, painted, as the construction itself,in white, held by Mélia, daughter of a client of her. She does not often go there becausea little too far from her shop. But today she has scheduled a little time. She goesthere with her client, Mélia’s mother. When they arrive, they see Ajax, Jou-el and two othermen sitting around a table and talking, leaned over a map of the region, another of thecity where the points fly-shit have increased and also a lot of cards with drawings. On herway to their table, Penelope says to her client:‘Go say “hello” to your daughter and order a tea with ice cubes for me. I have a fewwords to say to them.’Whilst her client goes to see her daughter, Penelope sits down at the table with the othersand greets them:‘Hello, you’re okay? They are friends of you, Jou-el’, she asks in identifying the two menshe only knows vaguely.‘Yes,’ he replies, ‘they are Midas and Laïos, two members of the royal guard. The onlyone we expect to come is Jason, a fellow of Ajax. He must come from the other side ofthe lake.’‘Oh,’ says Penelope, ‘there is a boat that has just arrived in port, it may be him.’‘It’s possible,’ says Ajax, ‘he has a boat he shares with others. He can cross as fast asmaking the contour of the lake by train or car.’‘Is there anything new concerning our “client”?’ Asks Penelope.‘Yes,’ says Jou-el, ‘we found our “client”. He lives in the “Rising Sun”. 31‘Well! He does not bugger himself’, says Penelope. ‘It’s not particularly cheap. He didreceive a good bonus I think. He stays there since a long time?’‘No,’ replies Jou-el, ‘since last week. But it’s already too long for those who try to hide.’‘What’s what you’re going to do now?’ Asks Penelope?‘We are the ones who will do the work,’ says one of the men present, ‘but say nothing toother people. Tomorrow he will not be any longer on this world. We have enough volunteersto deal with them. It’s even possible that he has already his ass on an anthill by now.’‘But it’s disgusting to die like that’, says Penelope.‘Then,’ answers Ajax, ‘trying to kill the Crown Princess and her companion in a fire isn’t?Stab and maim an old scientist who is only interested in stars, isn’t? Both physicistsburned alive in their lab, isn’t. Don’t have feelings for those louts! Please.’‘Well, if you see it like that, okay’, answers Penelope. ‘But a question, can we hide ourtwo young friends in the attic of Amilius, or should they stay another day at my home?’‘We will visit the master’s house now’, says Ajax. ‘We’ll pretend to look for clues, whileothers secure the building. We can go in the attic of Amilius by the roofs from your attic, Ithink. Can’t we?’31 Little eye wink to a song of the Sixties, “The house of the rising sun”.93

Hiding.‘Yes that’s right’, she says. ‘That’s what we had planned to do at nightfall. If it’s good,just pop over at my shop and tell me.’Mélia comes in between with the drinks and her mother and sits down a moment at tablewith them. The topic of conversation quickly drifts to a hot topic; the upcomingevents. It turns out, in fact, that there are many more people who know and like-minded asthe families of Penelope and Leith. They see in this disaster a divine punishment and donot want to leave. Mélia’s mother is like the rest of her family, she doesn’t leave. Méliaherself has provided, like Penelope, to take a boat and join friends in the north in two days.Penelope, she, wants to go with her cousins and Ajax, but they cannot leave until four days,which is, she knows well, very risky. Leith did tell her not to wait too much and that thecomet will hit the Earth the thirteenths day of Leo in the early morning, what is in fivedays. In that moment, Penelope sees a man coming who is vaguely familiar to her andgreets him:‘Hi, it’s been a while that I haven’t seen you. Are you okay?’‘Yes,’ replies the man known by the name of Jason, ‘it’s fine, but there is better.’‘You could come more often, we don’t see you no more since you live on the other sideof the lake’, says Ajax to him.‘Hey, girls,’ says Penelope, addressing Mélia and her mother, ‘let’s go on and let thesemisters alone. They have something important to discuss and don’t need our ears. Then,’she says addressing Ajax, ‘you come in a moment?’‘Yes,’ he says, ‘see you in a moment.’‘Then,’ says Ajax to Jason, ‘do you progress in your shadowing?’‘Yes, I think I could take pictures of this guy there,’ Jason replies by appointing a designon the table, ‘he stayed at the “Bel Horizon” 32 with those two’, and takes two shots out ofhis pocket.‘Hey, you have one of these new devices for making instantaneous pictures?’‘Yes, the expenditure was worth it,’ responds Jason to Ajax, ‘it saves us from having tomake drawings.’‘But! I know that guy!’ Says Jou-el, ‘he is the regional godfather of the Belzebubs. Theother is familiar to me, but I can’t put a name on him.’‘I know him,’ says Laïos ‘I’ve already seen him, but not here, it was in the harbor regionof Amaki.’‘Yes,’ says Midas, ‘he could be the local godfather there. It seems to me that I saw himthere too.’‘Well gentlemen,’ says Jou-el, ‘we must take care of them. We have therefore evidencethat this so-called secret agents are working with the local underworld and are no otherthan former thugs.’‘That’s it,’ says Ajax, ‘the prefect fears that they could try to obtain a safe conduct for theevacuation plan by capturing the princess Ussa or another member of the royal family.’They discuss still a time to refine the plan for identifying and searching for formeragents of BIS before leaving.32 A place well-known by those who, like the author of this story, worked at CERN.94

Ten more days.Ajax, after having settled his note, leaves the park, crosses the boulevard to go up, accompaniedby Laïos and Midas, the little street with lots of small shops to the crossingwhere the shop of Penelope and the office of Master Amilius can be found. He sees thatthe police and the locksmith that he had asked to come, are already waiting. He greetsthem by saying:‘Hello, did you have to wait a long time?’‘No,’ replies one of the policemen, ‘we have just arrived.’‘It’s okay,’ says the locksmith, ‘I was already afraid of making you wait.’‘Then,’ says Ajax, ‘have you taken a new secure lock with you? The one that is here nowcan be opened with a hairpin.’‘What should we look for?’ Asks a policeman?‘Fingerprints, traces such as hair and other small dust to allow us to identify the culprits.’‘Wasn’t this already done by the other team?’ Asks a police officer.‘No,’ answers Midas, ‘it has been deliberately neglected on the order of Poseidia.’‘How, orders from Poseidia?’ Asks Laïos, ‘since when do we obey to orders of there?’‘It’s precisely here that there is a problem,’ replies Ajax, ‘the prefect responded after receivingstrict orders from the federal capital. He believed that the King was aware withoutchecking it and he gave the order to Ax-Tell, the chief of police, to remain silent and classifycases. There was for this reason no serious research. We need to start over fromscratch and secure the building for some reason we cannot tell you at this time withoutputting people in danger.’‘Ah yes,’ says Laïos at the policemen, ‘try to catalog the books and especially those whoseem to lack. Total the missing weight because it could be that Amilius has hidden books.According to reports, there was no movement of cars on the morning of the murder. Thegangsters therefore did come on foot, which means they could not take many books withthem.’‘Should we inspect all the rooms here?’ Asks a policeman.‘Yes, including the observatory in the attic,’ says Ajax, and then continues by addressingone of the policemen: ‘you are going to start with the observatory. Take all the usual signsand tell me when you have finished up there. Let us start with the kitchen and continuewith his living room’, he says, addressing Laïos.It appears quickly that all important books are missing, as well are some notebooks fromwhich the master had dozens. A little calculation learns Ajax that it was virtually impossible,even for two or three men, to carry such a weight, not to mention the volume it represents.At the same time, one of the police officers responsible to inspect the office, reportshim that rather bulky and heavy objects seem to be missing. Among these items is a globewith a size of two feet. A police officer remembers having seen it in the master’s office.It’s therefore impossible to have taken it without being noticed. But the surprises don’tstop there, the telescope found in pieces at the observatory, is being dismantled and notbroken. Moreover, that some indefinable small parts found in the office were belonging tothe telescope in the observatory, where they seem to lack. The question “where” remains.Where could he hide all this equipment and books? For the books, Ajax has his own idea,which he does not communicate to the others because he will see Penelope in a momentand it’s she who knows something for sure. He likes to seek access to the so-called cachethat the master had built, but it’s necessary that the police finishes their investigation and95

Hiding.leave with Laïos and Midas. For the rest, only Jou-el, of who he awaits the arrival, wasplaced in the confidence and they would seek access to this hidden room, the master hadbuilt in the attic, to check its security.Penelope, finishing off her last client of the day, is not much surprised to see Ajax enter.She actually awaited him to see what she should do with her two guests. While she putsher client under a hair-helmet because she had only done her hair, she launches at Ajax:‘Sit down there’, by appointing a hairdressing chair.‘But,’ replies Ajax, ‘I didn’t come to give me haircut or a beauty makeover.’‘Have you seen your hair,’ says Penelope, ‘it’s a bird’s nest. You call this being cured? Idon’t go out with a guy who doesn’t know how to treat himself. So’ she continues makingher client smile, ‘let you do that, I’ll arrange that.’While Ajax sits down in a hairdressing chair to get his hair washed and cut, the conversationresumes fairly quickly the subject started in the park a few hours earlier. This clientseems to have seen suspicious individuals who could, according to her descriptions, be thesame as those on the pictures of Jason. She had seen them around the station and concludedthat they had come from there. She does not know where they went, the only thing sheremembers is that they went on foot along the Grande Rue in a westerly direction. Ajaxdecides to take her name and address and return with his colleague Jason for a formal identification.Penelope who has finished in between her client, asks Ajax whilst she finisheshis haircut:‘It’s okay Ajax, I closed the door. You can talk now. Could you secure the room in theattic of Amilius’s house?‘Yes, there is no danger. The henchmen of Ra-Ta found no access. The telescope, theglobe, two astrolabes, most of the missing books and notes are there. It seems to me thatthere must be a will stating that Leith is his heir.’‘Take in a moment a look in my office, he gave me important things to keep. They arehidden in filings with the accounts and are mixed with mine.’‘Really? It’s you who has them?’‘Yes,’ she answers him, ‘he gave them to Leith in an account files, who brought methem. But let’s go up a floor, I will prepare a small dinner for the four of us and then, afterdark, we can accompany them to the attic of Amilius.’‘Do you want me to come with you?’ He asks.‘Yes, it will be better. That way you can assure them a little. They fear being seen andunmasked.’While Penelope goes in her kitchen to prepare a light supper for herself and her threeguests, Ajax goes to the attic and takes a surprised look around him. He was not expectingto find a beautifully arranged room there. The two youngsters have not even heard himenter and are surprised to see him so suddenly appear before them. It’s Leith who greetshim first:‘Hi Ajax, how are you?’‘I’m okay,’ he says, ‘always in your books, aren’t you? What are you looking for, still thisdarn star?’96

Ten more days.‘No,’ replies Ussa, ‘we are just curious how a trip across eleven thousand eight hundredyears may occur. We look at the moment the ancient texts if there have been similar casesin the past.’‘Have you found any?’‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘at least one story in the sacred texts of an old shepherd grazing hissheep amount; he would have found by going down his grandson at the age of eighty years,telling him that everybody thought he was dead or had disappeared.’‘Don’t forget this story that had appeared in newspapers a few years ago’, says Ussa.‘There was a guy who had come to see an Amaki newspaper, telling them he had seen thecity and the port sink into the sea. He said it was awful to see, all these people in the processof drowning. There were also a train who derailed at this point, of which only the fewfirst car passengers were rescued, thanks to the fact that it disintegrated during the derailment.He saw passengers floating on pieces of the car being carried out to sea. What remainedhim in memory was that one of the castaways were rescued by a sailboat who cameout of nowhere, which in addition, went of into nothingness shortly after having rescuedother passengers from a boat apparently in difficulty.’‘Yes I remember vaguely,’ answers Ajax, ‘we all thought that it was a crazy wanting to beinteresting.’‘This is perhaps not as far-fetched as thought,’ replies Leith, ‘we now know that this isthe one that could happen in five days in the early morning.’Suddenly they hear someone climbing the stairs. It’s Penelope who comes to seek themfor dinner. She did not want to call down from the stairs, as too intrusive. She says byputting her head in the opening of the door:‘So, do you come for dinner or what. You don’t live on old books. No? Don’t hurryyourselves to leave because we must wait for nightfall before going to the home of Amiliusby the roofs.’The four friends do not speak during the dinner other than banalities and facts mentionedby the colleague from Ajax, Jason. Discussions are drifting quickly enough on thenovelty that he had used, his device to take pictures using small plates with an emulsionsensitive to light. Suddenly, it’s Leith who remembers that Angelica has a similar one, exceptthat she uses neither a plate nor other support. This, according to Leith, that the unitremembers the images itself, we can then print, using a suitable device. The discussioncontinues on the strange device with two wheels driven by a crank that Angelica and herbrother are using to get around. Ussa, who is involved in the conversation, says she andLeith do not understand how one can stay up on such a mechanics. Ajax, he, is of theopinion that there is surely a trick, as with magic. Penelope, who had cleared the tablemeanwhile, returns with four glasses and different bottles. After having enjoyed quietly theproducts, part of which are coming from the fields of the Ajahel’s, the family of Leith,Penelope says:‘It’s time children, we must go.’‘I’m afraid’, says Ussa.‘Don’t look down,’ says Ajax, ‘Leith will hold you.’‘It’s not so serious,’ says Penelope, ‘we don’t go at the edge of roofs. Ajax, did you unlockthe window in the attic of Amilius just now?’‘Yes, it can be opened from the outside.’97

Hiding.‘The people who live between the two houses, don’t they might hear us?’ Asks Ussa?‘No,’ replies Penelope, ‘they left in the north with their families for a few weeks.’‘They would not return in this case’, says Leith.‘That’s what I think,’ says Penelope, ‘it’s like the two Macs, they will not delay and leavesoon too. Those who stay put, as my family and that of Leith, their fate in the hands ofRa.’Having completed their journey over roofs, the four friends enter the attic above theapartment of Amilius, right next to the observatory. The place is not as comfortable asthat of Penelope, but is, like hers, equipped with a little place to dress and wash yourself, atoilet and a small kitchenette. Penelope has prevailed for food for a few days such thatthey do not need to leave. Leith and Ussa find that Amilius was aware of the danger andhas put several objects, in his eyes, of value in this room. It’s Ajax who sees that the largetelescope, the globe of his office, astrolabes and apparently its notebooks are there. Leithbegins to inspect the contents of the cabinets where are different books including the onethat the master has used to read the myth of the end of the world. Ajax inspects the doorgiving access to the observatory to see if it has not been violated and that the lockingmechanism works well. He then shows them the spies in which we can see the room belowand the observatory.‘Won’t you get bored?’ Asks Penelope?‘No, this is why we took the books, then Amilius has left enough others. We will continueour studies here and we don’t risk boring us.’‘Ussa you feel able to come to my home alone over the rooftops?’‘I’m not sure, but I will try it when needed’, she says.‘For me, no problem’, says Leith.‘So, I leave the top window open, so you can come to see me if there is a problem’, saysPenelope without going to someone specific.‘Then Ajax,’ asks Leith, ‘have the henchmen of the BIS been able to find this place. Arethere microphones, spyware or other stuff in here?’‘That’s what I am trying to verify’, says Ajax.‘Hey!’ Says Penelope to Leith, ‘the master left me a letter for you, it should be opened ifsomething happens to him. I think he felt something coming because he gave me this letteralready some time ago.’Leith opens the rather thick letter, sees that it contains a sheet looking like a will and alist of objects, as well a letter to Ussa to be given to her on her nineteenth birthday.Dear Leith,when you read this, is that I am no longer of this world. I don’t know how Iwill leave this world, but be sure that where I will be, I will be fine. Having nofamily, I can have no heir other than you. You are the person able to continue mywork, to deal with my clients, making their official letters and approaches, guidingpeople in the neighborhood in their lives and provide the necessary support insorrow and pain. They have as much confidence in you than me. Apart from aninheritance, this document promotes you officially to the rank of Journeyman,98

Ten more days.which means you are allowed to perform a baptism, to perform a religious marriageand lead a worship burial. Needless to remind you that you have alreadywon the right to guide people in their path to wisdom. You should read this letteraloud in front of two witnesses at least; so it takes effect officially.I master Amilius Axis gives and bequeaths to Leith Ajahel all movables andimmovables, all rights and obligations related to my function, which makes up myestate without exception or reservation. I further declare that I revoke all willsand other provisions that I have taken previously.Done and written entirely in my hand at Osuo the fifteenth day of Gemini,12’206.Amilius AxisLeith, when finished reading the letter, explains to his companions what this letter is andreads it again, but this time aloud. He finishes by saying:‘This letter is already a little over two years old since now we have the eights day of Leo,12’208.’It’s Ussa the first to react by saying:‘You can marry me then! You do, don’t you, Leith? You owe me that!’‘I’m recalling you,’ he says, ‘that we have the same rights now. So you could marry me inreturn.’‘Well!,’ Says Penelope, ‘the brother-in-law marries his sister-in-law and the sister-in-lawmarries her brother-in-law.’‘What do you mean?’ Asks Ajax, who is clearly not on the same page.‘Didn’t you know it yet?’ Asks Penelope, ‘they are both in love, but in a brother and sister.’‘Then,’ says Ajax to Leith, ‘your good looking Gallic girlfriend has a brother.’But it’s an Ussa becoming red who replies:‘Yes, it’s in the temple of Ozin that I met him, rather astounding. I was completely lostwhen I saw him for the first time. I was not expecting that. I knew from Leith that Angelica,his Gallic girlfriend thus, has a brother, but that he produces this effect on me, I didn’tknow.’‘You’re obviously very much in love, what is well visible,’ replies Penelope, ‘especiallythe red color on your cheeks.’‘Don’t tease her any further,’ says Ajax, ‘you never know what will happen to you.’‘You should have seen Leith,’ says Ussa, ‘when we were in her bathroom. Angelicawashed herself under a faucet pouring water into rain, she was all naked. She came out thislittle cabin in the belief that her brother was there. When she realized it was me and Leith,she felt very embarrassed, but didn’t want to show it and performed a pirouette to Leith byasking: “I’ll please you? ”‘So,’ requests Penelope, ‘she was really beautiful? She pleases you?’But it’s Ussa who answers: ‘he did not say anything, but he responded well as a healthymind and body should react to the girl of his dreams when she is naked before him.99

Hiding.Thereafter, she dressed and we left everyone in a room. He followed Angelica, whereas Ifollowed Julian, this is how he is called, in his room.’‘You have talked about what then?’ Asks Penelope.‘Everything and nothing, I don’t remember well. All I remember is that he is at a sailingclub at the sea. They have small sailing vessels, but also things we don’t know, a kind ofplank along six to seven feet capable of carrying a man having a sail on it.’‘What wood was it made?’ Asks Ajax.‘I don’t know because the one that Julian had in his room was painted white. I thinkthat it should be of balsa or other very lightly matter. He came to lift it with one hand, or aplank of wood is usually too cumbersome to do so.’While they discuss different topics as they come up in their minds, they do not see thetime pass by. It’s well after midnight that Ajax and Penelope take leave of the two youngpeople who are quick to go to bed.100

Plato’s text.Ussa, half awake, does not realize where she is this very early morning of the ninth dayof Leo. The day is just beginning to break and it’s a light and small noises whichawoke her. By believing home, she calls her mother:‘Mom!’ Since she receives no response, she calls again, but louder: ‘MOM!’She turns in her bed and tries unsuccessfully to re-sleep. But she cannot fall asleep andangry for not having received an answer, she shouts again:‘MOM, what do you do in my room, you look into my affairs now, you have no moreconfidence in me?’It’s at this moment that Leith, surprised by the calls of Ussa, realizes that his companionfeels at home and says:‘Ussa! Ussa, you’re not at home! Wake up!’Ussa, who has not yet returned from the country of her dreams, rubs her eyes andwatches her companion and asks:‘What are you doing so early in the morning? Couldn't you let me sleep a little? I don’tusually wake up so early!’‘Sorry Ussa,’ says Leith to her, ‘but I’ve got to write that what Angelica has read me awhile ago, before my memories of this dream evaporate.’Ussa, who understands that it’s absolutely necessary that she should not disturb herfriend while he writes, stands up and goes into the washing room to wash and dress. Leithmeanwhile continues to write and completes the information provided by his girlfriend ofhis dreams. He cares little what happens around him because he must have written everythinghe had dreamed in the minutes after waking up. Ussa, having finished washing anddressing herself, comes to him and reads what he wrote. Surprised by the context of thestory, she goes to the shelf with old books of Amilius and starts taking a look, browse, restoreand re-start with another. Leith who sees her digging into old books, asks her:‘Ussa, what are you looking for.’‘Well! What you have written sounds familiar to me. Even if a part of what you havewritten is contained in the seven plagues, there is one that sounds familiar. I don’t know ifyou looked well, but this story speaks of an army equipped with horses, knights, and otherslike javelin man, whereas the one we have now has many other weapons. It seems to methat the elders had already buried in the temples information about our society, as scientistsand sages have done a few years ago.’‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘I remember. It seems to me they did the same as in the olden days; inthe countries of Yuk, Egypt and in the pyramid of Sus.’‘That’s it,’ says Ussa, ‘the situation described in the stories that you’ve just written ismatching the life of a few hundred years back. I would say three to five hundred years becausetechnical change has been quite fast these last two centuries.’‘I think,’ says Leith, ‘that the story of the end of the world has been transmitted orally, asit refers to a war with the Hellenic people, which we might have lost, but not the one withthe people of Saneids, which yet mobilizes all our efforts at this time.’101

Plato’s text.‘You may be right because we have repeated problems with the Hellenic and especiallywith those in the county of Athens. The survivors had surely conveyed the story of thedisappearance orally and added one plus one equals two when they found the writings ofthe ancients in the Egyptian temple.’‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘this also means that the information hidden a few years ago, hasn’t yetbeen found by the contemporary of Angelica.’‘What I find bizarre,’ says Ussa, ‘that the society, in which Julian and Angelica live, couldnot find our information nor our footsteps. What I don’t understand, is that the people ofYuk could not convey the slightest clue. Didn’t they find it? Did they destroy it, perhaps.’‘I think,’ answers Leith, ‘that you’re right to believe that some traces and clues have beendestroyed. You know, any new religion considers the old ones it replaces as heretical andstories relating to it are often destroyed. This is what probably happened to the ancienttexts hidden in the land of Yuk. It’s hoped that the pyramid of Sus resisted and that the informationin there remained intact.’‘Why do you say that?’ Asks Ussa.‘Because a society able to dive and look at a depth beyond thousand five hundred feet, isnecessarily as advanced as ours today and has certainly the wisdom not to loot and destroythe knowledge of the elders.’‘I hope you are right.’‘How?’‘A technically advanced society has not necessarily developed its cultural and spirituallevel. It’s even possible that the technological and industrial development has led to a lossthereof.’‘Do you know,’ asks Leith, ‘what kind of religion Angelica and Julian have? Angelicadidn’t mention this when we discussed together, but she does not seem to be very pious.What upsets me a bit is that she isn’t vegetarian. Her brother, I think, isn’t either.’‘I believe,’ replies Ussa, ‘they worship a single god and their religion is derived from theHebrews.’‘I think you are right’, says Leith. ‘They have a calendar that counts the years since thebirth of their spiritual guide. Then, what is curious is that they use astrology not as a calendar,as we do, but as a means to predict the future. Furthermore, they haven’t adapted fora long time the positions of the signs so they have a discrepancy of two thousand one hundredsixty years at the time they live. I noticed it when I tried to re-calculate data. The informationAngelica has already been able to provide me is on the other hand correct. It arethe astrological positions that are not sticking well. She therefore had to use a basis otherthan astrology.’‘How discrepancy?’ Requests Ussa.‘You should remember that the relationship between the spring equinox and the astrologicalcalendar shifts a day every seventy-two years. Where Angelica lives, they haven’tdone this adaption since two millenniums and find themselves with a little less than amonth of difference. So that the sign of Cancer is their position of Leo, Leo at Virgo, Virgoat Libra, and so on. Which means that a person born Libra, like you, is in reality a Virgo.’‘But this is not serious,’ says Ussa, ‘they have not noticed the error?’102

Ten more days.‘Surely, but this has no importance since they don’t use it any more as a calendar, but onlyto tell nonsense.’While Leith continues to study his notes he had made, Ussa begins to dig into cabinetsof Amilius without seeking something specific. She wishes only to satisfy her curiosity.Ajax, who has come early to the shop of Penelope, finds it still closed and surprises itsowner at her breakfast. Penelope is also surprised to see him come at such a morninghour. Above all they have finished rather late the night before, or rather early in the morningbecause after leaving the two young, they still took a few drinks at her place before hewent home. As they climb the stairs leading to the apartment of Penelope, she asks him:‘So? You’re not too tired? I haven’t seen you as early at my home. What happensthere?’‘Oh, it’s fine. I have seen worse than that. I quite often have to ensure shadowing severalnights in a row. Our job is not easy, you know. And you? Don’t you risk mixingcomb and scissors?’‘Come off it, you know that I still bear shortcut nights, or should I make you a drawing?’‘Certainly, but the other times we went out, you did not work the next day and you couldstay in bed in the morning.’‘You know, when we are used to get up early in the morning, we wake up anyway. I picka nap early in the afternoon in these cases.’‘Do you have news about our friends? Did they sleep well? What are they doing rightnow?’‘But! We just left them rather late last night, they are perhaps not up yet. We can’t gothere anyway because too visible during the day. You should come back this evening whenit starts to come overnight.’When they arrive in her flat on the second floor, she puts her breakfast, she has taken inthe kitchen, on the coffee table and adds a plate and asks:‘You get what? A tea? Or do you prefer something else?’‘You have some coffee?’ He asks.‘Yes, I have this Abyssinian shit, I take it sometimes myself. Nothing better to cut sleep.You take it with warm milk, don’t you. That’s what I remember anyway.’‘Yes, that’s right.’‘I am going to grill some toasts? I think you like it with jam. Don’t you? ‘‘Yes, thank you.’‘You know,’ says Penelope, ‘I do still not get used to that everything will be finished herein a week. I was talking to Mom a moment ago, then she believes, as the family of Leithwho lives next to them does, that we would have a good chance to get away with it. Whatdo you think?’‘No one knows, apart from Ra. Master Amilius had calculated that the comet crossesthe Earth’s orbit in five days in the early morning and the chance to get away with it wasseven percent. On the other hand, the officials of Poseidia aren’t altogether wrong whenthey say that this is like the last two times and that the island will certainly suffer damage,but that the majority of the population will survive.’‘This is what my family thinks. They want to go along with the Ajahels to the temple topray Ra to save them or to grant them a favor for the next re-birth.’103

Plato’s text.‘You believe in it?’ Asks Ajax.‘I don’t know, I am personally not practicing, but my parents and especially my motheris very religious and pious, like those of Leith.’‘Me neither, but I still hope to get out. Your cousins, don’t they want to go north?Don’t you leave with them?’‘Yes, I have planned so. We will join the Macs, they still have land on the other sidewhere you can graze sheep during the summer. Then, the area is very good for fishing.We are not likely to die of hunger over there. You could come with us, if you want. Butyou have to be in port in the morning at the latest. It’s, unless unforeseen, in four days,which is a bit late, but still not too late.’‘But it could be,’ replies Ajax, ‘that I have a possible alternative. You know Jason, perhaps?He has with two other friends a large boat on the lake and he wanted to do thesame. His boat has a machine purchased from the Saneid, which works with oil and has anautonomy of around two thousand nautical miles. He simply wanted to await in the middleof the lake the sinking of the country and then go of north. I know it’s risky, but he has achance to succeed.’‘I don’t know,’ she says, ‘but I made some time ago a dream, which is puzzling me. Inthis dream I woke up in a poor state in a very sophisticated hospital. There were machineseverywhere, I was attached to a bunch of different devices with wires, hoses and others. Atechnology I have ever seen over here. I am convinced that this was the land of Gaulwhere I was. You think I’ll make the trip with them?’‘I don’t know my dear, you never know. Remain hopeful!’‘Hey!’ she shouts watching the time, ‘we need to hurry. I have customers! Me! I worknow you know. End of the world or no end of world, customers require serving. Manyare still unaware of what will happen or simply don’t want to know. They should beserved. Don’t they? So, you come tonight to see our two guests?’‘Yes, tonight at the closing.’‘See you Ajax, at this evening and thank you for your visit.’It’s when he leaves the shop of Penelope, that he sees Jou-el going toward the tavern ofAbdubu and decides to do the same.When Jou-el joins Abdubu, he sees that there are not many people yet this morning.There are some shopkeepers who take their breakfast failing to have taken it home. Then,a few regular customers, retired for some time already, seeking to fill their free time playingdomino or dice. Jou-el sits down at the table as usual and waits until Abdubu has time toserve him. Just sitting, it’s Abdubu who calls him because he had received a communicationasking to speak to Jou-el or Ajax and leave a message to call the police station whenthey arrive. As it seems, they both switched off their personal communicator for not to beidentified by the BIS. It’s Ajax who just comes to enter as Jou-el takes a communicationwith the police station. Abdubu greets him:‘Hi Ajax, how are you. You seem to be a little tired, you had to watch?’‘Hi Abdubu,’ replies Ajax, ‘I actually stayed up late, but not there where you think. I finishedthe evening with Penelope, we discussed late into the night.’‘You end up marring her, don’t you think so?’104

Ten more days.‘You know very well that no one, not even Penelope, will replace my late wife. I hadtoo much pain when she left me to join the Kingdom of Ra. A sorrow that endures.Maybe that time heals me, but for now, I have sought to live with it.’‘Sorry, I didn’t want to hurt you’, replies Abdubu.‘It doesn’t matter. You bring me a coffee with hot milk, please?’‘Small breads, toast and jam?’‘No, it’s all right, I have just eaten at Penelope’s place. I came to say “hello” to her inpassing and she was at her breakfast.’‘Oh, hello Ajax,’ says Jou-el, who comes back at the table, ‘we have news. We have togo to identify someone. The police has picked up early this morning a severely mutilatedbody out of the marina and fishing port.’‘They don’t know who it is?’ Asks Ajax.‘Yes, they have an idea, but they would like a formal identification because it may be ourclient. In addition, they caught four others, we must also identify.’‘Then, do we have news from Jason?’‘No,’ replies Jou-el, ‘and you?’‘None either, but it was yesterday we left in the afternoon. I know he works quickly, butas quickly as that. Then, our two rogue supreme of the Belzebubs, is there anything new?’‘Yes,’ says Jou-el, ‘they live effectively in “Bel Horizon” and are monitored by agents ofthe Royal Guard.’‘But, well really, they don’t bugger themselves, they steal and extort money to lead thegood life.’‘I think they are hiding. They seem to think that these palaces as the “Bel Horizon” aresafe.’‘Surely,’ says Ajax, ‘but it was without counting on the curiosity of a client of Penelope.’‘Concerning her customers, do they come for the identification?’‘I don’t know,’ says Ajax, ‘it’s not sure that they dare to come. I know that the suspectsdon’t see us, but is this adequate for clients of Penelope.’‘We could ask her,’ replies Jou-el, ‘what do you think?’‘Abdubu! Hey! Abdubu where are you?’ cries Ajax, ‘just bring us another round, thenwe go off.’It’s a bit later that Penelope sees, to her surprise, her two bistro friends enter and greetsthem:‘Hi guys, it’s for a beauty mask or a haircut?’‘Hi good looking,’ says Jou-el, we have a question to ask you.’‘Ask! I am not sure to answer, but you can always ask.’‘So,’ says Jou-el, ‘it’s to identify suspects at the police station. Obviously, the suspectscannot see people on the other side of the mirror, but we are not sure if your clients arelikely to come. Do you think we can ask? It’s better that they come on their own ratherthan being called. We will be with them to provide for the identification. It might be niceif you can get yourself to the police station too, as you have also seen them around the library,didn’t you?’‘Yes,’ she replies, ‘I will go there later in the morning, when I have free time. I need todo my shopping anyway. With regard to my customers, I think they would agree if you arethere too.’105

Plato’s text.In this moment a client gets involved in this conversation and asks:‘You want me to come with you to identify the individual they have picked up thismorning?’‘They picked someone up this morning?’ Asks Penelope.‘Yes,’ says Ajax, ‘this is probably our “Cient” and he isn’t a pretty sight. Not for sensitivesouls. You can madame, but we warn you that it will be pretty painful to see. If you haveseen other suspects, don’t hesitate to come with us. We can wait a little while Penelope finishesher work.’‘Yes I will, it seems to me that I have seen other zozos that have nothing to look aroundhere in our city. But if the one they have just recovered this morning is really horrible tosee, I prefer not to have to identify him.’‘No,’ says Jou-el, ‘there is no problem.’‘We’ll do it’, adds Ajax.While Penelope finishes of her client, Jou-el, Ajax, Penelope and the client discuss a littleof everything and anything where the subject that hurts are still the events to come. It’ssurprising that some have the same ideas, the client also has family in the north and goesthere within days. She argues that this distant family has, as the two Macs, land on the continent.She knows that to survive as do the wild, is perhaps not very amusing, but we needsomeone that can rebuild a society.’‘Then,’ she says, ‘I’m ready, I come with you?’‘We’ll go off now,’ says Ajax and continues speaking to Penelope, ‘you come in a moment?’‘Yes,’ she replies, ‘but don’t wait for me, I come later in the morning, I have a client whomay come at any time.’When they go along the street to the upper part of the town, all immersed in theirthoughts, they exchange few words. Passing the city hall, they all look to see if the old manmight have come back, which is not the case. When they enter the police station, they givea sign to the lady to wait while they go to the morgue where the body of the “Client” isstored. It’s Ajax who recognizes him first.‘Yes,’ he says, ‘that’s him. I recognize him from the scar left on the face. It’s a mark andnot an injury.’‘But there is no great thing left of him,’ exclaims Jou-el, ‘and it’s not just ants that havedone this.’‘Well,’ says Ajax, ‘we will identify the others to see if we know some of them.’Passing through the reception, where the lady awaits them patiently, they go to the identificationroom where the suspect must be chosen from among the false suspects through aone-way mirror. Of the four suspects, three were formally identified by the three people.‘You join me?’ Asks the lady the two friends.‘Yes, why not. You come with us? We go to Abdubu’s place.’‘Abdubu?’ The lady asks them, ‘who is it?’‘Ah,’ replies Jou-el, ‘it’s at the tavern “The Gardens”, it’s like that how we call it.’‘It’s the name of the owner,’ says Ajax, ‘he is originated from Persia. We eat very well athis place.’‘That’s it,’ says Jou-el, ‘even Leith, a student of Master Amilius, who is vegetarian, findsthere something for him.’106

Ten more days.‘So I come with you, I have not yet had my breakfast.’‘Really?’ says Ajax, ‘but even if it’s a little late, Abdubu manages it, he always has somethingfor his customers.’The conversation, going down to the café of Abdubu, is very fast diverting to the neighborhood’sinhabitants on reviewing all the little gossip that is told about them.Ussa, in systematically exploring the cabinets of Amilius, came over a device that sherecognizes. This is a small pedestal with different buttons and settings having a crystal ballmounted on it. She remembers that her grandparents had one. They used it formerly tocommunicate and receive messages. She gets the old machinery out of the cabinet, puts iton the table and starts to fiddle. But the device, not being used for a long time, has nomore power and the feeding cartridges, containing a zinc and graphite electrode in an acidsolution, no longer exist since some time.‘Hey! Leith! You know how to operate this thing?’Leith, very focused on his texts turns surprised by the call of his companion, asks:‘What thing?’ Seeing what Ussa is doing at present, he says: ‘Ah! An old Biovox, itworks with cartridges we called once batteries, they no longer exist.’‘We cannot make them?’‘Oh! It’s simple, two different metals in a receptacle containing acid or salt water. Butlook good, Amilius may have old appliances that feed on sunlight. You could disassemblethe cell for use on the Biovox.’‘I will look.’While Ussa continues to search systematically the cabinets to see if there is something, atinker or other usable utensils until Leith calls her and says:‘Hey! Ussa! Look in the cupboard there, Amilius has his books and utensils for hisphysics lessons, I saw them just now when you were digging in this cabinet.’‘I don’t like lessons of physics’, she says.‘Look well, there is certainly enough stuff to run your Biovox. But what do you intendto do?’‘I don’t know. But if I recall correctly, this device uses telepathy and it’s precisely thetechnology that is used by the temple of Ozin where we contacted Julian and Angelica. Wecan always try. We can only win. We have nothing to lose, let’s try.’While Leith continues to write what he remembers, Ussa got an old trunk out of thecupboard and managed to open it despite the fact that she hasn’t the key. It appears thatthe trunk contains objects that the master was using for the lessons in physics and, as Leithsuspected, there are various containers, plates of zinc and copper, all very corroded, differentwires and a small tool to test the presence of electricity. A device normally used inphysics courses to test the presence of current if quenching two different metals in an acidsolution or salt water. Ussa who has meanwhile dismantled the compartment for the cartridgesand verifies that there are terminals for attaching the wires, asks her companion:‘Hey! Leith, it requires how many zinc-copper units to replace four cartridges?’‘Half of it more, I think. But check it, you have a physics book just beside you. It certainlymarked, look in “galvanic elements”, it’s like that how we are calling them.’107

Plato’s text.‘We have to plug which wire on the red terminal’, asks Ussa who in the meantime hasfilled six receptacles, not having any better, with salt water and has put the plates of zincand copper in it.‘The copper one and the zinc on the blue terminal, then you attach every time a plate ofzinc to copper.’‘That’s what I did, it was just to know how to connect that thing.’‘Note maybe exactly what you all do and in order, you never know what it can serve’,says Leith.‘Yes master’, answers Ussa with a smile.Leith continues to make his notes and looks here and there the information in the oldbooks of his master, while Ussa pursues mercilessly her fiddling. She has completely disassembledthe unit to remove a circuit that was used to identify other side’s equipment andwithout forgetting to note carefully her actions. Suddenly, after many unsuccessful attemptsmaking her more and more nervous, she exclaims relieved:‘Leith! It works! Come and see, we see Julian and Angelica on a pebble beach. They aredealing with customers who want to use these boards with a sail on it. Angelic sleeps, shelays on a mattress in front of the cabin of her brother on the beach.‘Call them, maybe they hear us’, says Leith.‘Julian! Julian, you hear me? It’s Ussa who speaks to you.’Julian, surprised, throws a circular look, but not seeing anyone he asks:‘Where are you? I don’t see you.’‘It seems to me that I heard his voice,’ says Leith, ‘you could not ask Angelica something.’‘But just ask her it yourself,’ says Ussa, ‘she will be glad to hear your voice.When Leith perceives in the crystal bowl that Angelica sleeps, he says: ‘Angelica, don’twake up right away. I have something to ask. Listen well and note my questions as soon asyou wake up. The first thing is very simple, do you always use degrees of latitude and longitude?If yes, how is the earth divided into degrees? Second thing, from what you haveread me, the highest mountains of our country are still above the level of the sea. Can youget me the coordinates of the highest mount that should be in the middle of Atlantic. Thethird thing, the coordinates of the columns of Hercules, which are certainly not called assuch with you. This is how we call the Strait between the Iberian Peninsula and Africa.Once found, go to your psychic, so we could chat a bit.’‘Julian quick! Bring me a pen and a piece of paper. It’s Leith who asks me to verifythings and go to Monique for response’, exclaims Angelica.‘But,’ says Julian, ‘he hears and sees you, you can say “hello” anyway. Ah yes! BeforeI'm going to forget. Ussa hello, a big kiss my beautiful. I don’t see you, but you seem to beable to see us. You are where? In the sky?’‘Yes, above you’, says Ussa.‘Big kisses my love,’ says Angelica, ‘referring to her Atlantean boyfriend.‘You too Angelica, big kisses’, he says.Julian and Angelica watch, while they talk to their Atlantean friends, a little incredulousinto the sky without seeing something. After a while it’s Ussa who says: “Yes, it’s here, youlook in the right direction now.” Alicia, who came to arrive on the scene with her board says:“Hey Angelica, I heard your boyfriend. Where is he? I cannot see him! ” Ussa, good observer,108

Ten more days.watches them a moment and thinks by herself: “Oh la la, Angelica is jealous as a tigress and Aliciawould like to pinch her boyfriend. That promises! ” And turns off the device.‘I’m hungry and want a tea or coffee with milk,’ says Ussa, ‘do you want also? I’ll lookwhat’s in this cupboard.’‘Cupboard?’ Asks Leith.‘Yes this little corner there that serves as kitchen. It’s hardly larger than a cupboard,don’t you think so?’‘Bof! This is not a palace, just a place to troubleshoot. Mine is hardly any bigger.’‘I prepare us a breakfast. I’ll call you when it’s ready.’109

AFeeling danger.jax and Jou-el are, after having left their company in Abdubu’s place and having traveledto the city of Ozin, in “Au Bon Accueil”, where they wait for the technicians andother members of the royal guard. They have just finished a light meal because they couldnot eat before they went off on trip. They are accompanied by two priests of the temple,who took care of closing it to the public with the words: “Closed for technical maintenance”.The two clerics have not understood why such inspection is necessary, neither why someonewould like to know the words and gestures of the visitors. For them it’s clear, Ra decidedto destroy the country and its population, as it has become too sinful. They thinkthat one can’t escape his destiny, it makes no sense to panic, they should have thought earlierabout it and continue to respect the divine order. It’s when they ended their drinksthat the people expected enter and sit down at their table.‘You take something’, asks Ajax them.‘Yes,’ replies Laïos, ‘the same thing as you.’‘What same thing,’ asks Jou-el, ‘beer, wine or tea?’‘No tea, I’ll take a beer,’ says Laïos, and continues: ‘but what are we looking for upthere?’‘There seems to be listening equipment installed by the henchmen of Ra-Ta and then forsecurity reasons of the King, you must unplug the power and put it on a generator. Youhave taken one with you?’‘Ah! It was for that! We did not understand why we should take one with us.’‘Let’s go now’, says Ajax after having finished the tour ordered and without forgetting toreview the steps to follow.Upon entering the whole of the land surrounding the temple, Laïos says to the priest:“look well around you and notify us all that seems unusual to you.” It’s one of the priests,intrigued by a strange-looking stone, who calls them:‘Tell me, it’s normal that thing there? I haven’t seen it before.’‘No, that’s not normal,’ says Ajax, ‘we’ll be better to see it up close. Can you do that?’He asks to one of the technicians and continues in the direction of the temple withoutwaiting for a response from him.‘Along where can we take the generator,’ asks a technician, ‘it may be too heavy to passon these tiles of glass.’‘Take the first left and then the second,’ says the priest, ‘there you run into a service grid.We’ll going there to open it.’‘Laïos, Midas,’ says Ajax, ‘you can accompany Mr. priest and take a walk in the gardenbecause I see another one of these boxes there. Look, there are certainly wires leading tothe basement of the temple.’‘I come with you to inspect the temple’, asks Jou-el.‘Yes. We’ll first inspect the contact room and then we continue in the basement and thetechnical rooms.’110

Ten more days.After a painstaking inspection, they found a dozen pick-up points and two of this pointswere taken images, all connected to a box in the basement. This box is connected to theelectrical supply system coming directly from Poseidia. The box has been disconnectedand removed, then the power has been disconnected from the network and connected tothe independent device.‘It works with what this machine?’ Asks one of the priests to whom they give a smallhandling course: how to start, stop and fuel up.‘It’s oil,’ says Jou-el, ‘most boats are equipped with. The majority of these machinescome from the country of the Saneids, they have invented this technology. It works always,everywhere, on condition that we put the oil in of course, and does not depend onthe proximity of any power station.’‘Can we re-open now,’ asks the priest, ‘there are people at the entrance, who want tocome pray and talk to their ancestors.’‘For me it’s okay,’ says Ajax, ‘what do you think Jou-el?’‘For me too, we will eventually eliminate all these wires and we go after. The technicianscan take care of the rest. They don’t need us nor you. I think we should perhaps go to thepalace and inform the King. What do you think Ajax?’‘Yes, it may be best to inform him personally, but we need to go now. We can’t cometoo late there. And’, he continues by contacting the team of technicians: ‘We have to leavenow, you can take care of it yourselves, can’t you? Place the removed equipment maybe atthe forensic science to be analyzed.’‘So Ajax, here we go?’‘Yes, it’s as if we were already gone.’It’s in saying “hello” to the priests and technicians that they went into their car to takethe way home.The Macs finish their day as usual; at Abdubu’s place. It’s there where they wait fortheir friends at their usual table consuming their first tour of mugs. To everyone’s surprise,it’s Penelope who, in-usually early for a regular afternoon and a face a little pale, just comesin and sits down at their table and exclaims:‘Geez! You should have seen this butchery.’‘What then,’ says Macdo, ‘you’re still pale. What happens there? What did you do to beso moved?’‘Well! I come from the police station to identify suspects, including the one in themorgue. They told me not to go, but I insisted and it’s not a pretty sight.’‘They have caught our “Client”, or what?’‘Yes,’ she responds to Macdo, ‘they recovered him in the marina and fishing port in aterrible state. A butchery. Even if it’s well deserved, they could have saved him a little.It’s just that they did not cut him into pieces.’‘Don’t have mercy please’, says Maci. ‘He has burned alive two teenagers, has brutallykilled a scientist and other so on. No, for me it’s like that. With us he would have beentied up to a pole and left to the crows and other birds of prey.’‘But it’s also disgusting’, says Penelope.‘What would you have done then?’ Asks her Macdo.111

Feeling danger.‘I don’t know? Have left him may be locked up? In a week he would eventually bedrowned in a jail cell.’‘This is what is going to happen with the others, I think’, says Maci. ‘Because they furthercaught others, what it seems.’‘Yes, that’s right,’ replies Penelope, ‘I had to identify them. They had four of them, but Ithink there are still some very dangerous individuals in the wild. One client of mine perceivedtwo of them that Jason, a fellow of Ajax, knows and who are the godfathers of theBezlebubs in the region.’‘We can’t lock them in, those’, asks Macdo.‘I don’t think they have enough evidence against them’, answers Maci.‘Say so,’ says Penelope changing the subject, ‘it’s when, when you’re going north.’‘Tomorrow,’ answers Macdo her, ‘it’s in the afternoon with the night express. So we willbe with ours after tomorrow early morning. Our wives await us at the boat.’‘Wives? You are married? Both of you?’ Asks Penelope surprised.‘Yes,’ replies Maci, ‘what do you think? We are here to work. Did you not notice thatwe were going home sometimes on weekends.’‘Yes,’ she says, ‘now you said, I never paid attention, especially since I go myself oftensee my family on weekends. But you know the stud of my parents, next to the field of thefamily of Leith.‘Yes! Of course we know,’ replies Maci, ‘we have done work at your home. Don’t youremember?’‘Are you drinking something?’ Asks Abdubu, coming to their table in the meantime byaddressing Penelope.‘Yes,’ she replies, ‘tea as usual.’‘Does it happen that you drink something other than your tea-something?’ Asks Maci.‘Yes, of course, it depends on time of day.’It’s in this moment that the door of the tavern opens to let Ajax and Jou-el pass, returningfrom the intervention in the temple of Ozin, who head to the table where the othersare already seated and sit down as well. Jou-el throws a newspaper on the table where wecan see an image of a man brutally mutilated on the front-page. The title of the related article,too, is unambiguous: “Finally”. Beneath the article there are drawings of the wantedpeople and which have not yet been found. Abdubu awaiting that they order him drinks,asks:‘What do you take? A beer, perhaps?’‘Yes it’s alright for me’, says Ajax.‘A jug of wine for me’, says Jou-el.‘You’re going?’ Demands Penelope to Jou el.‘Go? Where?’‘You don’t join the continent?’ She asks?Jou-el makes her big eyes and does not seem to understand what about she speaks andasks again: ‘but where do you want me to go and why?’‘But according to Leith and Amilius, everything will be finished here in a week’, saysPenelope. ‘The Macs leave tomorrow in the afternoon. We, my cousins, a few nephewsand nieces, are leaving in three days. I don’t know where yet, but we go.’‘But,’ says Macdo, ‘it was expected that you come and join us, right?’112

Ten more days.‘You still have much work to finish in a moment?’ She asks him?‘Not so much, why?’‘So you could pop over to my family’s place, they are already all there. You can explainit to them, how and where to contact you. I think it will be best if we go directly to the locationof your land. But tell me, did you plan to hide your animals during the storm thatfollows the collision of the comet with the Earth. Because, if I remember rightly, Leith’sGallic girlfriend said that a deluge will follow. Then, your boat, is it big?’‘It’s an old military ship,’ says Maci, ‘fairly robust and enough space for men and beasts.It was, indeed, well planned to wait out the storm, but it could be that we go on the heightswith all and that we hide in the caves there. But you, you should leave earlier, it’s threedays of sailing from here before arriving with us and you will find yourself in full storm.Then, don’t forget to take your personal communicators with you and put them in peer-topeer33 mode. Like this, we might talk and identify us. But, what kind of ship you have andwhere is it?’‘Oh! It was a fishing boat designed to withstand storms, it works with a device of theSaneids or sailing.’Jou-el who had listened the conversation silently adds: ‘I had planned to join Jason, thecolleague of Ajax. He also has a large boat, a former military ship, but it’s on the lake. Hehad planned to go to the middle of the lake and await there the sinking of our land. Thereafter,they will leave.’‘You go where’ asks Penelope.‘We will follow the royal vessel, but we may be going north as you.’‘If you go north, throw us a call, we will tell you where to go.’‘You, you come with us, don’t you, Ajax?’ Asks Penelope.‘Yes, that’s what I had foreseen, but it may be that I cannot join the port in time. I willgo with Jou-el in this case.’The friends discuss still a moment of whom does what and how, then the Macs give allthose interested the coordinates of the port located in a fjord of their land. They claim tobe immune there to the storms and that we are not risking anything. It’s thereafter thatAjax and Penelope are leaving for allegedly having a drink in her home and go out afterwards.What they do not say is they intend to visit their two friends hiding in the attic ofAmilius.Angelica who has yet called Leith a few times more without obtaining a reply, concludesthat they probably turned off their communication device. She begins to dress and preparesto go home to look for what her friend asked her. Alicia would also like to comewith Angelica to Monique to chat, but does not dare to ask. She begins to understand thatthis time it’s serious for Angelica and that she has no intention of sharing her love. Angelicatakes her phone and tries to get an appointment with Monique by explaining the situation.She closes the clap of her phone and turns to her brother and says:‘I will come and get you by an hour and a half?’‘No, I don’t have the time’, says her brother.‘But you’re a bastard!’33 A term coming from the Information Technologies saying a communication from one device to another without passing bya server or central service.113

Feeling danger.Her brother incredulously, watches her, surprised by her words and without understandingher answer, asks her:‘Bastard? You call me a bastard in front of everyone now? What did I do to you so thatyou treat me this way?’‘For Ussa, of course! She is dying of wanting to see you and to talk to you! She will beterribly disappointed if you don’t come. You have no right to disappoint her. You cannotset her aside for a few unfortunate surfboards! You think the King of the beach hut cannotleave his kingdom for an hour to someone else for him to go and see his favoriteprincess! Philippe or Rodolphe may well keep it for a while. See, they are coming this way,ask them!’‘Yes,’ says Alicia, ‘I think she is right. It would be better if you come with us.’Although the phrase “with us” has escaped to Julian, Angelica has well recorded it, butprefers not to say anything at this time. She feels very nervous, tense and, very worriedabout her Atlantean friend, does not want to pour oil on the fire.‘So I’m going home to search for that little information that Leith asked me and I’ll beback later.’She jumps on her bike and goes toward the neighborhood where they live. This is whenJulian turns to Alicia and says:‘It’s maybe not a good idea to come with us. Have you seen how Angelica respondedwhen you said the phrase “with us”. I think Angelique is right. I don’t want you to feel offended,but I would like to talk myself alone to Ussa with Angelica. I hope you understand.’‘Sorry,’ replies Alicia, ‘I had not imagined. But tell me, you think it’s serious this time.She reacts like a tigress whenever I talk about her boyfriend. Is she afraid that I am goingto steal him, or what?’‘Yes,’ says Julian, ‘I find her changed in recent weeks since she works like a dog for him.Imagine that she paid half the rent of the yacht. She is so convinced that we will meet thatshe absolutely wanted to go, making the happiness of my father who has not navigated forages.’‘Me too, I find her changed,’ says Alicia, ‘it’s like, if she became an adult.’‘ So what are you waiting for’, says Julian.‘Wait? What? You talk about what now’, asks Alicia.‘Well! Become an adult. Don’t you think that you should become a little more serious.If you continue as now, you’ll end up like your mother. Drop your loves and look forsomething more serious.’‘Yes papa,’ says Alicia, ‘you speak like my father, he keeps repeating me the same thing.’But before she could even say anything, it’s Rodolphe who arrives and greets them:‘Hi the band, what’s up, you look all serious. You don’t dispute I hope. Angelica, she’snot here?’‘No,’ replies Alicia, ‘she has things to check for her boyfriend. You know, her Atlanteanfriend who is almost as beautiful as Julian. She will surely come back in an hour becauseshe and Julian go to Monique to talk to their loves.’‘Then,’ answers Rodolphe, ‘do you want that Philippe and I keep the house until you’reback?’‘Thank you, my sister will be relieved.’114

Ten more days.‘And especially your dear princess,’ says Alicia, ‘as it’s for her that you’re going toMonique, aren’t you?’The band begins to take care of some clients who are coming in the meantime and waitfor Angelica to return. It’s after a while that Julian receives an SMS from his sister who telshim not to wait and go directly to Monique.When Julian arrives at Monique’s address at the scheduled time, he sees that Angelica isnot there yet, but that Monique awaits him already and says:‘So you in love, you make your dear princess wait?’‘How? Wait?’ He asks, ‘I’m even ahead of time?’‘Oh, it’s nothing,’ Monique replies while getting into her apartment, ‘they came to talk tome first. They, or rather she has cobbled together a device similar to mine and contactedme first, just to chat. I have managed to see them and it seems they are still hidden, but inanother attic this time.’‘You talked about what with them?’‘Oh! Everything and nothing. They especially need to be reassured. And she is so eagerto talk to you, she really loves you. Her companion is still in his books, he fills his timepursuing his studies. Ah! I hear the doorbell, it must be Angelica.’‘Hi good looking,’ says Monique, ‘come in, your friends are already waiting for you.’‘How, already?’‘They have contacted me a half hour ago, we chatted a little bit of everything and nothing.You know, like neighborhood gossip and more.’‘Hi my love, big kisses’, says Leith to Angelica.‘You too, big kisses Julian,’ says Ussa, ‘you’re well?’It’s after this introduction that Angelica prefers to start with the topic for which thismeeting takes place.‘So my love, as regards to your first question, the division of land; it’s divided into threehundred sixty degrees to the equator, then ninety south and north. I bet it’s the same withyou, isn’t it?’‘Yes, that’s correct,’ says Leith, ‘but I think you have certainly not the zero meridian atthe same location as we do. But that does not matter if you give me the coordinates of thetwo places that I have asked you.’‘So, I listen well,’ says Angelica, ‘the mountain is called “Mount Pino 34 ” and is located at28 degrees 13 minutes West and 38 degrees 25 minutes North. The strait, which we call“Straits of Gibraltar”, is at six degrees 20 minutes East and 35 degrees 55 minutes North.But tell me, how can you calculate everything with only these two pieces of information?’‘But,’ says Julian, ‘it’s triangulation, you have forgotten your math lessons, or what?’It’s after a few explanations and the surprise of their Atlantean friends that they learnthe same lessons to girls and boys that the conversation becomes more intimate. Thelovers are increasingly confident they will meet in the flesh, even if all four of them do notknow how.34 Angelica makes here a mistake, it’s the highest mountain of the Azores and is called “Mount Pico”115

Feeling danger.Pâris Bel-Ra is still in his office, when they announce him the arrival of the detectives.He is not in a very good mood and has a lot of work. The planning and development of anevacuation plan is not done off-the-cuff at the last minute. He asks to bring the two detectivesin, he knows well.‘Good afternoon Your Excellency’, says Ajax.‘Good afternoon Your Excellency’, says Jou-el.‘Hi Gentlemen, drop your “Your Excellency” and please sit down. What good news doyou bring me?’‘Well! Sire, I am not sure if this is good news, but we just come from the Temple ofOzin. It seems from the initial investigations that the temple has been tapped. We found adozen sound taking devices and two for taking pictures inside the temple, in the communicationroom. All those who came to pray or talk with the elders were recorded. This ishow they knew that Ussa and Leith wanted to go to the library. That’s an act of the henchmenof the BIS, the secret services of Ra-Ta’, says Jou-el.The King says nothing, but becomes red and explodes:‘This despicable individual dared to attack my daughter. An act which my wife has stillnot recovered from. I know, even though it’s hard to believe, from the friend of Leith thatthey are alive and safe, but my wife does not believe it. She believes them dead. She sheltersin Ussa’s room and passes and re-passes her little girl’s clothes in her hands. She haslots of sorrows you see!’‘I can assure you,’ says Ajax, ‘and Jou-el is witness that they are alive and greet you well.’‘What do you mean, you know where they are?’‘Yes sire, there are only three people who know, we two and the beautician who upheldthem.’‘Why not have said something,’ answers the King, ‘am I not entitled to know what happensto my daughter?’‘We had to promise it to your daughter herself, sire,’ says Ajax, ‘hand on heart. Shefeared for her life, the one of Leith and yours, then I think she is right to believe that. Youhave seen the newspaper? The individual who appears as a prime suspect? It was he whoorganized everything. Four of his close associates are in the hands of the police. We leavethem for the time being in prison, they will drown with the country. Regarding the others,we are looking for them, but the risk that people will find them before the police, is veryhigh.’‘When can you bring my children here?’ Asks the King?‘Tomorrow or after tomorrow at the latest’, replies Ajax.‘Okay, I’ll say it to Selena, she will be happy to know. Can you keep me up personally?Oh yes, before you leave, send me my secretary. I will convene an extraordinary meetingof the ten kings to discuss the steps to follow.’‘You will go to the city of Sus,’ asks Jou-el, ‘it’s still a bit far, don’t you think so.’‘No,’ replies the King, ‘for an informal meeting we may use a screen of communication.A screen like the one in the Temple of Ozin, you know. All royal residences are equippedwith. I’ll send the invitation right now and we could hold the meeting tomorrow.’‘Regarding Ussa and Leith,’ says the King, ‘you give me the news as soon as possible,don’t you?’116

Ten more days.‘Yes,’ says Jou-el, ‘of course, but there is a but. We have identified the two godfathers ofthe Bezlebubs here in the city and we fear, as the prefect does, that they could try to takeUssa or Leith as a hostage in order to extract a safe conduct for the evacuation plan thatyou are setting up at the moment.’‘Can’t we lock them in as a precaution?’ Asks the King?‘This is perhaps not very prudent sire, they don’t know that they are monitored by yourguards. We were able to place some of your staff among the staff of the palace where theylive. I think if they are locked, the lieutenants will take over and it would make the situationeven more dangerous. No, it’s better to watch them. They have a den near the templeand the priests are willing to inform us of all that what they are doing.’‘Well, good evening, then see you tomorrow if you have something new.’‘You too, sire, good evening’, says Jou-el.‘Good evening sire and good luck to your wife’, says Ajax, ‘I commend Ussa and Leithfrom you, I will see them in a moment.’‘So say “hello” to them from my wife and me’, says the King.The King stands up and accompanies them to the great door. Returning, he calls hissecretary to follow him in his office because Pâris Bel-Ra believes that it’s better to discussthe approaches for dealing with events taking place within four days. Especially the onethat will take place in four days in the early morning.117

IAlready gone!t’s just at daybreak that Penelope hears already the doorbell at the entry. She hasn’teven begun her breakfast and just leaves the bathroom. When she goes down to open,surprised, she sees that Ajax and a member of the royal guard is at her door. She greetsthem and asks:‘Hey guys, you’ve been sleeping outside my door? What good wind brings you home?’‘It’s for our friends up there in Amilius’s place’, replies Ajax. ‘You think we can disturbthem or should we wait a bit.’‘It’s still a little early,’ she replies, ‘I understand that Ussa never rises so early. Come andhave breakfast with me, which I just started. So I have an excuse not to eat standing in thekitchen. It seems that we must take our time in the morning and especially not hurry. Thisis not good for morale as it seems. But present me your friend. It seems to me that I havealready seen him, but I don’t know where.’‘Then,’ says Ajax to Penelope, ‘this is Midas, he is a member of the Royal Guard. Youmust have seen him the other day in the Tearoom of the park, but I did not present him toyou. Midas,’ as he continues, addressing the man who accompanies him, ‘this is Penelope.’‘Nice to meet you’, he says.‘Nice to meet you too,’ she says, and continues: ‘you come up with me because I don’tthink you can go to see them through the house of Amilius. I believe they have locked theaccess to the attic from the inside. You’ll be forced to go over the roofs from my attic.’Arrived at her home in the living room, she installs her breakfast on the table and addstwo plates and asks them:‘Ajax, coffee with hot milk, I bet. You sir, you want tea or as Ajax, a coffee?’‘Call me Midas and drop that “sir”. I would like tea if you have any.’‘Of course I have tea, I drink it myself. For the rest, toast, butter and jam?’‘That’s okay for me’, says Ajax.‘Me too’, says Midas.‘Take your time, I have a client in an hour and a half. We have enough time to eat andpop over to the friends up there. But why do you want to go and see them?’‘We believe that the danger is fading away, it may be preferable that they, especially Ussa,return to the palace. In addition, we wanted Leith to come with us to the library to seewhat documents they must save and take with us during the evacuation plan.’‘So it’s serious,’ she says, ‘he is implementing an evacuation plan?’‘Yes, that’s it,’ replies Midas, ‘the King is currently working with other Kings and theirservices on the development of it.’‘But is it not too dangerous for Leith’, she says, referring to the preceding topic.‘This is precisely where we need you,’ says Ajax, ‘you must turn him in a manual workerof the Royal Guard. You can do it, right?’‘No problem, I will.’118

Ten more days.It’s just that Ussa woke up when she hears the sound of the roof window that opens.She looks out of the door of the bathroom and sees that Ajax, Penelope and another manshe vaguely knows come in. She says to Leith, who is already up since a certain time:‘Hey, Leith. Serve them something while I dress.’‘Okay,’ says Ajax, ‘we just took a little lunch at Penelope’s place. Don’t bother Leith.’But Leith has already left in the cupboard, as his companion calls the kitchenette, andbegins preparing breakfast.’‘We haven’t yet taken any breakfast, I make for us and three cups more won’t make adifference. You take what, sir,’ he continues, addressing Midas, ‘it’s a tea for Penelope andcoffee with hot milk for Ajax, but you? Coffee or Tea?’‘A tea,’ says Midas, ‘I would not dare ask for something else because you have definitelyneither beer nor wine here.’Ussa who finished in the meantime her washing and dressing comes out of the bathroomand greets them before sitting down at the table with them.‘Then,’ she says, ‘is this a visit of politeness?’‘Yes and no,’ says Ajax, ‘we wanted to see if you are well and if it was suitable if you goto the palace today.’‘YES,’ she says, ‘when are we going?’‘We come to pick you up in the afternoon, but there is a but. We would like that Leithwould come with us. We go to the library where books must be identified to be carriedaway. It’s him alone who can do that, he is the only one to know.’‘But is it not too dangerous?’ Asks Ussa.‘I will dress him like a worker of the Royal Guard’, says Penelope. Ussa looks very anxiouslyat Leith and asks:‘You dare to do that? Think of Angelica! I wouldn’t do it.’‘I am sure she would’, says Leith. ‘It’s you who is and was targeted, me alone, I don’thave much value in their eyes.’‘But,’ she says, ‘I still fear for you Leith. And don’t leave me here alone, I am afraid.’‘Then,’ says Penelope, ‘come home with me I’m all morning at the shop and at noon andwe can eat together. What do you think?’‘So I come with you, our things, we collect them later on.’Selena Bel-Ra contemplates the view on the left bank of the Osuo, the river of the samename as the city and regrets not having a good view on the lake because partially blockedby the roofs of Parliament and the great temple of the city. She knows from Ussa thateven the small studio of Leith has a better view than her apartment, which is in the southeastcorner of the palace. She is happy to see her daughter again, who is coming back inthe afternoon. Selena intended just going to inspect the wing where the rooms of Ussa andLeith, who comes, even if he is not a member of the royal family, so often visit Ussa at thepalace that he has his own room. Selena suddenly hears her husband swear like a sailor.Surprised, but outraged, she goes down to the ground floor where the office of her husbandis and asks him:‘PÂRIS! I forbid you to swear as alike! What’s happening?’Pâris Bel-Ra, being very angry, doesn’t hear or doesn’t want to hear what his wife telshim and continues:119

Already gone!‘Manure! The bastard! The trash. Thunder of Ra, this pain in the ass is pulling us all aleg. He buggers us all with his supposed secret services and now when we need everybody,he is gone. Pfft! Like that.’‘But,’ asks Selena, ‘of whom are you speaking?’‘But this motherfucker Ta-Ra of course’, responds Pâris without realizing that Selenatalks intimately to him, something she almost never does. ‘Who else?’‘Departed? How departed? Where? Calm down a little and explain yourself.’‘So when I wanted to meet the ten kings to discuss upcoming events and make somepoints clear, it appears that this gentleman had already developed its own evacuation plan.All civilian and military air vessels were taken by him to serve him and the wealthy of thestate of Alta. He left himself three days ago already, when the Bardera started in his homesate. And then what seems, he will be left with all air ships capable of travel into space towardsa planet of the star Vega. It’s disgusting to let people behind in this way. We arethere for them and not the opposite. It’s now that they need us.’‘The other air vessels, those who do not have the ability to go into space, where they leftthen.’‘They evacuated the rich and the wealthy to the black mountains of the country of Om 35and in Dragons 36 , where they believe to be safe.’‘So what did you decide?’‘For now, we have appointed a prince who wants to volunteer to try to take matters inhand and send him to Poseidia as governor. The people there are for the most part of themovement of Belial and are very materialistic. They have mostly lost their faith in their religion,which is for them no longer a refuge. They are afraid of not being on the list of theevacuation plan and the first skirmishes are beginning to point their nose. We must seek tocalm them a little because the army and the police really have other things to do at thispoint then being busy with revolts.’‘Is it not better that this prince is the same religion as them?’‘Yes indeed my dear, this is what we decided. We have sent a prince of the same religionas governor.’‘Were you able to discuss just a bit and develop your evacuation plans.’‘Yes, my dear, I am happy that others had also begun to think about it and we could atfirst sight evacuate more people than expected. It suits, on the other hand, to encouragepeople to coordinate and not go anywhere, anyhow.’‘How?’‘Well! Many have their own boat and other vessels that can go their own ways. This requiresthat food is preserved for a very long duration, the seed for sowing soil again afterthe flood. Small animals such as chickens, goats and others. And then not to be forgotten;tools.’‘Where do we go, do you have an idea, maybe.’‘No, not yet. I thought to go north. Towards the mountains between Iberian peninsulaand Gaul. But it may be good to wait until the flood ends before docking.’‘You think the boats are strong enough to withstand bad weather?’35 Actually the US.36 China, it’s where certain people locate the country of Mu in the dessert of Goby.120

Ten more days.‘I have an idea. I don’t know if you remember the room of Angelica, but there was apicture on the wall of a double vessel. There were two shells linked together providing agreat stability. I weighed, although I don’t know what my naval engineers think about it, tolink my boats in this way. The large military vessels on the outside as a breakwater and themost fragile on the inside. According to Angelica, the Gallic thus, it requires several weeksat sea before we can dock safely.’‘Why?’‘She does not know exactly because too far in the past for her. Her story speaks of aflood drown all the land sparing only those who lived in the mountains. In addition, thesea level goes, as it seems, up four hundred feet over a hundred years. We must take thisinto account when we build our new cities.’‘Why aren’t we going where the others go?’‘On the African continent? How do you make so many people survive in a desert region?’‘Are there a lot of people to evacuate?’‘The sacred texts had originally planned to evacuate 144’000, but if you add all thosewho go their own way, it will easily be double. But don’t forget that this is only a half percentof the population. Also distressing as this is, there is no exit for those who stay behind,the bulk of the population then. This is why I called all religious leaders for tomorrowmorning.’‘It must be quite painful for the families belonging to the movement of Belial because ifI remember rightly, they do not believe in re-birth. They believe that they live only onceand thereafter they join either the sky or the world of the dead.’‘Unfortunately yes. But for now, only the Hebrew to have developed an evacuation planfor some time.’‘They? Why?’‘They are awaiting, as it seems, a spiritual guide that will arise in their communities inEgypt. That’s why they all go there as an expatriated worker.’‘You don’t find that we should talk again to the friend of Leith.’‘That’s what I planned for tomorrow in the afternoon. You’re coming with?’‘Yes, of course! Hoping to say “hello” to Julian, the friend of Ussa. And not to forget:Angelica. We owe much to her.’‘Yes, it’s true. In addition, since we met this girl with her spontaneity, we are muchmore intimate.’The family Leblanc rose up early this Saturday, as they, with the exception of Angelicawho fiddles an old laptop that she borrowed from a girlfriend, should pack their bags, loadfood and other utensils necessary for a stay at sea. Armand, the dad of Angelica and Julian,left the day before picking up the sailboat from Chérbourg in order to bring it to Fécamp.The place must be released before ten, eleven at the latest. What Cecilia, the mother, doesnot understand is that Angelica absolutely wanted to take food and water for several weeksor several additional people. As regards fuel, the boat was delivered with full tanks andmust be returned so. Cecilia is angry against Angelica, who instead of loading bags fiddlesher computer. It’s Julian who was able to calm his mother because he knows that his sistertakes all that what she has collected of data with her. He knows his sister well enough to121

Already gone!know that she manages to predict the unpredictable. Hence, the astonishment of hermother, who is a nurse, when Angelica had asked her to take as much first help materialswith her as possible. Her argument was simple: she must be capable of treating someoneawaiting the rescue, if for example one of them falls and bumps his head in such a way thathe remains in a coma for an extended period.‘Angelica, what are you doing’, asks Cecilia her.‘I need my documents and I can’t take my computer. I load everything on this old laptop.I also put games on it, if ever we get bored.’‘You can still help us! Don’t you think so?’‘All I need is already in the car and you’re three to walk on each other’s feet. Remaincool Mom, the boat will not sink for ten minutes late and if there are others to take theplace, they’ll wait.’The road from Étretat to Fécamp is certainly not long, but someone must bring them tothe port, as it’s impossible to leave the car there for the two weeks they go on sea. It’sBernard Mercier, the dad of Alicia, who brings them to the port and thereafter their carback to Étretat. It’s also him who watches over the house during their absence, a servicethey render each other during the holidays. Empty the publicities in the mailbox, open theshutters in the morning and close them at night and move the car from time to time.Loading the boat, once in Fécamp, turns out not to be as easy as expected because theboat is a bit away from where they can park their car. Fortunately there are carts for transportingluggage and other things to the dock. The installation takes less time than wasoriginally imagined and Bernard has the time to visit the boat before they go to leave.‘But,’ he says, ‘it’s large enough, I thought you wanted to take a smaller one.’‘Yes,’ says Armand, ‘that’s what we had planned, but the one we had reserved was damagedand is on the way of being repaired. So we could take a larger model for the sameprice. This one has four cabins and is scheduled for eight in place of six as the other. Inaddition, I think he has greater autonomy for fuel, if there is a lack of wind.’‘Armand,’ says Cecilia, ‘I go quickly buy some crossword magazines. You don’t mind, Ihope?’Angelica, who has managed to find how to connect her computer, switches it on andsearches for a document that she had made the previous day. She opens it and a check-listappears on the screen. It’s she and her brother who begin, under the astonished eyes ofthe adults, to systematically check all the items on the list, one by one.‘You talk about efficiency,’ says Bernard, ‘that’s Angelica, she goes never by half-measures.None of us thought of doing that because once at sea you could not quickly go backand buy something.’‘Yes,’ says Armand, ‘I am afraid that there are no floating shops on the path.’‘The mobile satellite antenna,’ asks Angelica, ‘where is it, then does it work?’‘It’s there,’ says her father, ‘but I have not tried it, connect it and look.’‘The satellite subscription card,’ asks Angelica who is busy unpacking the antenna andconnect it to TV, ‘it’s you who has it, Dad? Otherwise, we could only watch free channelsand weather reports.’‘No darling, I’ve taken it with me. Can you imagine your mother without TV for twoweeks?’122

Ten more days.‘Oh,’ says Angelica, ‘there she is, it seems to me that she bought the complete shop. Shehas at least a month of lecture with her. She might not be bored.’‘Do you hoist the sails in the harbor here?’ Asks Bernard.‘No,’ says Armand, ‘we can’t do that but once outside. Have you seen how this port is?No we leave on engine, and we hoist the sails once well outside. It’s a job for men. Isn’t itJulian?’‘Oh,’ says Cecilia who came back in the meantime, ‘you know that old guy there.’‘Yes,’ says Armand, ‘we called him “the captain” at the time. He just might say “hello.”It’s been years, we haven’t seen.’‘Hi old friend,’ he says, ‘you’re leaving at sea, but that’s good. It’s a pleasure to see youleave and with your family moreover. You go where? Based on that I know you, yougonna do a tour in the Azores with them. Don’t you?’‘Yes that’s right,’ replies Armand, ‘but I must confess that I owe this to my daughter.She has convinced us to make this trip.’‘When do you go then?’‘Now. Our friend Bernard Mercier, here, deposited us here and brings the car back toÉtretat. We cannot leave it here for two weeks.’‘Are you going for two weeks?’‘Yes, that’s what it takes for this trip, I do not race you see, just a stroll with the family.’While Bernard gets of the vessel, “the captain” drops the lines, which Julian collects. Armand,who has already started the engine, engages the reverse gear while the others aregreeting. Those remaining at the dock are wishing the Sunday sailors a good wind. Thefriends have their last farewell while Armand pilots the boat to the exit of the port towardsthe English Channel. Angelica sent a pang at heart when she sees the Alabaster Coast fadingaway. “Things are getting serious”, she says to herself.‘Angelica,’ says her father, ‘take the helm for a moment while we raise the sails. Thereafter,we will cut the engine. You can keep the cap I think? Don’t you?’‘Yes, captain, I’ll do’, she says with a smile making a military greeting.Leith, after Penelope has smeared him, as she calls it, and turned into a worker, hasjoined with Midas a cleaning team charged to rid the basement of the library. It’s they whoare responsible for assessing damage and possibly leave these works that can still be saved.Among the other workers are police officers, who usually work in such conditions. Theyreceived the task to put aside all the evidence, even if a trial is no longer within the probabilities.For the simple reason that the number one suspect was picked up from the marinaand fishing port, moreover that a trial may not take place but in a few weeks. However, allpolice officers know what will happen in four days in the early morning, as being commonfor different reasons. For the other workers, it’s simply a cleaning task like any other.‘Ulysses do you have the keys to the basement with you?’ Demands Midas to Leith whostill has the keys on him.‘Yes, I will open it.’After several unsuccessful attempts to open that door, apparently locked from the inside,they manage to open it. It’s Leith, working under the false name of Ulysses, which signalsto Midas to close the door.‘You have drawings of the suspects on you?’ Asks Leith?123

Already gone!‘Why?’‘But, you haven’t looked good, there are among the workers two individuals as shownon your drawings. Look good! You’ll see!’‘What do we do?’‘Contact perhaps Ajax. We should follow them and see where they have their nest.’‘It’s not stupid as idea, I had the intention to arrest them, it may be better to monitorand let it up to the population to act.’Midas takes his communicator and contacts Ajax and explains the situation. Ajax feelsthat it’s indeed better to shadow them in order to see where they hide and then monitorthis location to see if there are others around. After completing the communication withAjax, Midas contacts Laïos and communicates him the zozos to follow, but not to take actionimmediately. He says that it will be better if he contacts Ajax first. Leith, who doesnot pay too much attention to the conversation starts to go around the basement to inspectthe works stored there. He notes, taking one here and there, that, in spite of the appallingfilth, most works have withstood the smoke well. Water damage is limited too because itseems that water has passed by spears into the same labyrinth they had taken the day of thefire.‘Hey! Midas, you could not ask the carrier to park in front of the fire escape? We couldload the books faster. We would not need to go around in the in-between basement andthe library entrance.’‘I’ll do it. Is there anything else?’‘Yes, it might be better to make these two suspects work here while I make an inventoryof what remains in the in-between basement, what do you think?’‘This is what I just wanted to propose to you.’Leith meanwhile begins a tour of the shelves containing the precious holy rollers. Henotes that the idea of putting them in cardboard tubes turns out to be invaluable. Thesetubes have relatively well resisted and the entire rolls of sacred texts have been spared. Thenext shelf contains old leather-bound books which have suffered and obviously need agood cleaning.‘Then,’ says Leith, ‘you can begin to evacuate the row of rollers, they did not suffer andcan be stored in the state they are. The books of this row is to be transported to a place ofcleaning. The paper has not suffered, but the books are in an appalling state.’‘I begin immediately, or should do something else first?’‘No just help me here, these books are perhaps not as valuable as others, but they havewater damage and need to be repaired. They should be put with caution aside and it maybe better to carry them separately.’‘But tell me, where did you escape out of here? I don’t see any hatch, or any other wayto get out of this sub-ground other than the emergency door.’‘By there, in this cupboard opens a door if we apply a specific manipulation. It’s Angelicawho knew how, but I can’t remember exactly the manipulation to be done. Then, themaze below there, you go lost for sure. I don’t know how she came to find her way thereand I think she doesn’t know it herself. So if you could get our zozos to do the job, I goout by the emergency door and if you open me the other, I could enter the in-betweenbasement without these guys would see me.’124

Ten more days.Once arrived in the in-between basement, Leith begins the work for which he came. Henotes that there are remaining, although most works have almost completely been burned,copies of which only the cover or binding burned here and there. It’s one of the police officersof the forensic science who explains why. The work takes great care and he does notnotice that lunch hour is very fast approaching.‘So Mr. Ulysses,’ says Midas, ‘you come eat with me at Penelope’s place, the beautician,she invited us to come eat at her home.’‘Yes I come with you,’ replies Leith, ‘we can resume our work in the afternoon, can’twe?’125

AThe Celts go too.s agreed, Leith and Midas go at noon down the street, pass the tavern of Abdubuand enter the shop of Penelope who is awaiting them to wash Leith. Midas climbsthe stairs to the apartment of Penelope and sees that Ussa is busy setting the table for dinner.Midas, very surprised to see her busy, asks:‘Hey! Good looking, it’s you who makes the dinner now?’‘Yes, why not? I cook you know. I like to look after manual tasks, cooking, sewing,crafts, drawings and even painting. I don’t know if you noticed, but I know how to use myhands.’‘Yes, I know. Already in the palace, no lock is safe for you, if we had lost the keys, weshould call Ussa. Who taught you that?’‘Oh! For the locks? An old man to do all when I was a very curious little girl. It was hewho gave me the worm for crafts.’Penelope, who finished up to remove Leith’s make-up meanwhile, goes accompanied byhim up the stairs to her apartment and says at Midas:‘Our Ussa defends herself as a chef in the kitchen, don’t you think so? I did not expectthat she is capable of. In addition, she had the time to repair two locks on cupboards thatdidn’t close well. But,’ she continues, addressing Ussa, ‘who did lteach you to cook likethat. You don’t only know more than me, but you do it as a true chef.’‘Our personal cook,’ she replied. ‘I assisted her often, against the advice of my motherwho found that it’s not a task for a heir princess, in our kitchen of the apartment. We havea kitchen aside for us alone you know. Even if we take most of the meals prepared by thekitchen of the palace, we have a personal cook to prepare our meals separately. She taughtme to cook. I fortunately have a good memory for recipes and I don’t need to note them.’‘Will I prepare drinks?’ Asks Penelope. ‘Is there someone who takes an aperitif? Ussa,you just take a fortified wine I think? Don’t you? Leith, I am not asking you, I know youdon’t drink alcohol if you work after. Midas, a fortified wine as well?’‘Yes, that’s alright’, replies Midas.‘Yes, a fortified wine’, replies Ussa.During the meal, the two men narrate their morning, the water damage, the books coveredwith dirt, the sacred rolls remained intact in their cardboard tubes, these books whichmiraculously escaped the flames, the two suspects among workers, making shudder Ussa,who fears for the life of her friend, and others. It’s especially Leith, who is happy that thedamage in the basement proved to be less serious than had been imagined.‘Your father will take all these books with him during the evacuation?’ Asks PenelopeUssa?‘I don’t know, ask Leith’, she says. ‘He is certainly better informed than me.’‘Personally,’ Leith says, ‘I thought of the sub basements of the Temple of Ozin. It’sbuilt on basalt, being very resistant. All that is important and refers to our present society,can be stored there for millenniums. The only problem that remains unresolved is thetightness of the coffers. Then, if I have to believe the information obtained from Angelica,126

Ten more days.the area where we live will be in the tens of thousands of feet under water. I had thoughtto fill the coffers with a preservative liquid, so that sea water cannot penetrate. Like theone used to repair and preserve old books.’It's then that the discussions are focusing on the upcoming events and why not to hidethe books at the surface. Leith is of the opinion that it's better to hide in a safe place until anew society is again able to appreciate the ancient texts of another society without wantingto destroy them.Assen-Ni, on the way to his office after taking his dinner at home, decides to change hisprogram for the afternoon and does not, as usual, go directly to the prefecture, but first entersthe police station where he asks the man at the counter to warn Ax-Tell. The Chief ofPolice, already present, is not surprised because he expected an invitation from him.‘Hello Mr. prefect’, he says when Assen-Ni enters his office.‘Hello sir, you may have guessed that I would come to see you, didn’t you?’‘No sir, I was expecting an invitation from you. It’s about the individuals that we havefound that you came to see me if I’m not mistaken.’‘You are where, at the time being?’‘To begin, I don’t need to present to you the number one suspect. We have all seen himin the headlines. He was formally identified by at least three people, one saw him leave thelibrary by the fire escape, just before the fire. We have four others, identified also, in custody,from which we are awaiting the results of the forensic evidence in relation to communicationsat the same number in Poseidia.’‘Same number you say?’‘Yes, it’s suspected that this is a number of the BIS.’‘Do we know whether the suspect number one has made communication at this number?’‘Yes, that’s right. He did make most of his communications in the tavern “The Gardens”,held by a Persian named Abdubu. Again, he contacted the same number as the others.They are, therefore, agents of BIS.‘What will we do with them now? A trial?’‘Officially, yes. They were indicted and said that legal proceedings will begin the twentieththis month.’‘But that is after the fatal date, they were actually sentenced to death by drowning. Dothey know what will happen?’‘I don’t know. Probably. But it’s not sure whether they know the exact date. Then, Ibelieve that even within the BIS, the number of people knowing the date is limited.’‘This is the case with us I think’, says the prefect. ‘Most of the population is unaware ofthe extent and date of the disaster. Perhaps it’s better like this. Then, I think that only avery small part, Princess Ussa, her parents and friends know the details. Master Amiliushas not had time to communicate it to others or to the press.’‘We know where she hides? Because officers of forensic science are undeniable, thebones found are in no way the ones of the two young people.’‘Only two detectives working for the King are aware and no one else. It’s better, so theyare safe. Nobody would have the idea to search for people supposed to be dead. An inter-127

The Celts go too.esting thing is that Ajax has identified two other members of the BIS, who are currentlyworking as a laborer in the basement of the library.’‘Should I,’ asks Ax-Tell, ‘question them?’‘No,’ says the prefect, ‘you’ll put some plainclothes officers at the disposal of the royalguard. They want to monitor their nest whether there are others in nature. The approachis interesting because we can in this way know where they go and arrest them within twodays.’‘And offer them a simple way in the direction of the kingdom of Ra, isn’t it?’‘No, I thought rather the one of Hades.’Penelope, who has done the makeup of Leith again, asks him:‘You come tonight at Abdubu’s place?’‘No,’ says Leith, ‘probably not. I am sure that the mother of Ussa will be very disappointedif I don’t come with her tonight. I am sorry for both Macs, they are very nice, butI think they are still unaware that we are not dead. But you can say goodbye to them in mybehalf, can’t you?’‘Yes, I think is better. I will say “hello” and wish them a good trip on your behalf, theywill understand. It’s actually better to stay with your beautiful girlfriend and her parentsbecause they are aware that there are only a few days left before the big event.’‘But tell me,’ asks Leith, ‘the Macs, they leave early, right? I thought they left at the endof the afternoon?’‘Yes that’s right,’ replies Penelope, ‘I have goofed when I told you tonight because theypay a general tour around three in the afternoon. It would be nice if you can come. You'recoming? Finish your work a little earlier, those who are there may very well get along withoutyou. Then, come just about half past two or quarter to three to me and I’ll will removeyour make-up.’‘Hey Midas,’ launches Leith at his companion of work, ‘our two zozos, they come backthis afternoon? If so, they should be working to clean the in-between basement, so I couldfinish the classification of books in the basement. What do you think?’‘Yes because I understand that you wanted to leave early, don’t you?’‘That’s right. I haven’t more than an hour of rankings to be done, then it’s the work forreal workers. Ussa,’ he says, addressing his companion, ‘you can perhaps pick up theBiovox at the attic before the guards come to take you. There are boxes you can use tosave the material and I am sure that Penelope will give you a hand, don’t you Penelope?’‘But,’ says Penelope, ‘what do you want to do with this fiddled thing? You use it to dowhat?’‘But,’ says Ussa, ‘it’s clear, we would like to chat a little with Julian and Angelica.’‘Ah yes, I forgot it,’ says Penelope, ‘then, will we pick up the machine before the arrivalof the guards?’‘Then Penelope,’ says Leith, ‘see you in a moment’ And speaking to Ussa: ‘see you thisevening my beautiful and say already hello to your parents on my behalf.’It’s on the way that Leith notes that Penelope has done a good job because many peoplehe knows well are greeting him by saying “hello sir.” At the library, Midas first sends twoagents from the BIS to work in the in-between basement and gives a sign to Leith that hecan enter through the emergency exit. Whilst working, Midas remarks the absence of cer-128

Ten more days.tain books and asks Leith after checking that the door is closed and designating emptyspaces on the shelves:‘Do you know where these books are?’‘Oh yes, I forgot it. We must go around in Amilius’s place. He also has very importantthings that must be stored in a safe place. You could ask Laïos to join the team that picksUssa up and secure the office of Amilius? I’ll go there before moving to Penelope in awhile.’‘Why?’‘Because it’s I who took these books when we had escaped the night of the fire. Thereare some books at his home that are copies or duplicates that I want to take them with me.You never know. If this trip to the kingdom of Angelica is real, I might need them.’‘Do you really believe it?’‘Yes all four of us.’‘Four?’‘Yes of course, Ussa, Julian, her love, Angelica and me.’‘How do you plan to travel? With what? So far, none of our scientists could figure outhow to travel in time.’‘Yes and no’, says Leith. ‘However, we must not forget that what appeared in the newspapersa few years ago. You remember this guy who has seen the sinking of the port ofAmaki into the sea.’‘Yes,’ says Midas, ‘I remember. You think he has done a round trip of a few years in thefuture?’‘Yes, that’s right. I checked the old stories and archives on this subject and there wereothers. What is curious, they happened all in the same places: the proximity of the port ofAmaki and in the middle of the lake. I don’t know if you remember, but there have beenboats that have disappeared. As if by magic.’While they still chat for a while they continue to work there until it’s time for Leith to goto Penelope passing by the office of Amilius.Penelope, who has just finished her last client of the day, sees that Leith comes, alwaysdisguised as a laborer, in her direction to be washed. She beckons him to sit down whileshe accompanies her client to the door which asks her a little surprised:‘ You cuff men now?’‘Just friends, I am not making it a habit, but it happens to cap my friends. Good bymadame and see you the next time’, she says, even if they know both that there will be nonext time.Laïos, who knows Leith vaguely, comes back from the second floor with Ussa and greetsLeith:‘Hello sir, we know each other?’Ussa which retains herself not to laugh out, says to her companion:‘Hi Leith, it makes me laugh to see you as this. We’ll take you for a worker if we don’tknow. Penelope has done a good job of makeup, it’s really successful.’Laïos, looking at both with an interrogative eye, still does not recognize Leith andsearches in his memories where he could have seen this man. His trouble is complete129

The Celts go too.when Leith greets Ussa and more, becomes intimate. It seems, he knows the voice, but stilldoes not know where to put it. Suddenly his face lights up and says:‘But yes, I’ll see. You are Leith, the companion of Ussa. But who is it, who has you disguisedthis way? We don’t recognize you at all.’‘It’s Penelope’, replies Ussa and continues speaking to Leith: ‘You’d maybe keep themakeup while you finish with the remains of Amilius his office. We must go through theroofs to open the door to the attic because it’s still closed from the inside.’‘Hey, Ussa! We should take Biovox we tampered with us to the palace, we could use ittonight.’‘Yes Leith, that is what we have foreseen.’‘How are you going to the palace?’ Asks Penelope. ‘You’re not going to walk, I hope.It’s too visible.’‘We will move in the carrier car that is parked in front of the house of the master whilewe move the most important books’, replies Laïos. ‘Then they come back tomorrow or aftertomorrow to pick up the rest. We have the most dangerous individuals in custody.Meanwhile we are going to use, with the blessing of Leith, the master’s office as office ofthe Royal Guard to organize the evacuation.’‘So? Shall we?’ Request Ussa and continues speaking to Leith: ‘you come and join melater at the palace, don’t you.’‘Yes,’ says Penelope, referring in the place of Leith, ‘he will accompany the Macs at thestation and Leith may join you later.’When Macdo and Maci see Peneope and Leith enter the back room, they had reservedfor the occasion, they exclaim in chorus:‘But we thought you were dead. This is the return of a living dead.’‘Hello everyone, you’re all right?’‘We? Yes! Where were you hidden with your princess?’ Requests Macdo.Thus Leith tells their misadventures at the library. The fire, the emergency doorblocked, the appearance of Angelica who allowed them to get out of the basement by corridorsexisting under the city, the trapdoor in a cabinet of Penelope and the days they havespent in the attic.’‘Yes,’ replies Maci, ‘we participated in, when the master constructed his attic.’Abdubu, coming into the back room in the meantime to see if the guests want something,is relieved to see Leith alive. He asks them nevertheless what they want:‘You drink something? A few appetizers, perhaps?’‘You have any?’ Asks Macdo.‘Yes, I have prepared. I knew you were going to give a party. Are there still many peoplewho will come?’‘Ajax is still awaited, Jou-el, Jason, Midas and Laïos too. And then, if you see others thatwe might have forgotten, send them as well. But Abdubu tell me, don’t you go away?’‘Go? Where? No, I do like most people here, I give my destiny in the hands of the lord.Let him see what he wants to do with me. I am alone and I have no family, both here andat home. I see what happens. The King needs people capable of building a new society. Amanager of a tavern is certainly not a priority and that’s all I can do. I am not,’ he says addressingthe two Macs, ‘a hands-on as you two.’130

Ten more days.‘And you Leith? Where are you going?’ Asks Maci.‘Oh, I will surely join the Royal ship with Ussa, even if we believe all four that will meetin the flesh. According to Angelica, it’s the two of us who will finish at her home and notthe reverse. But to tell you if it really happens and if so, how, that remains a mystery.’‘You’re believing swear, don’t you?’ Says Penelope.‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘all that I know is that, according to Angelica, you are playing a very importantrole in there without being able to say why.’‘Me? Why me? I’ll join my two friends present here in two days. You could come withus if you are not able to join Ussa and her parents. There is enough room on the boat youknow. One more or less.’‘But take Abdubu with you,’ says Macdo, ‘if Leith goes with Ussa.’Abdubu who came back in the meantime to put some drinks that he knows that everyoneconsumes, asks:‘Are there people who drink something else?’‘Yes,’ says Penelope, ‘a fortified wine, please.’‘WHAT,’ says Ajax, who came to enter in the meantime, ‘you drink something else thenyour tea-something?’‘But yes,’ she answers, ‘I finished my day and we celebrate the departure of our friends.I don’t want to stay to drink tea whilst you’re amusing yourselves. But tell me, where arethe others? Don't they come?’‘Of course,’ says Ajax, ‘they are still in the palace to unpack and sort the goods whichmust be transported to the temple of Ozin, and besides that Jason must come from theother side of the lake.’‘Temple of Ozin?’ Asks Maci, ‘why there?’‘I don’t know exactly, but it was Leith who had the idea to hide everything in the subterrainof the temple built by the elders.’‘Yes that’s right,’ says Leith, ‘it’s basalt over there, the region is stable and can withstandmajor earthquakes so that the objects stored there are under cover. The only thing that remainsto be done is to enclose all in sealed boxes filled with a preservative liquid to protectthem.’‘Won’t it be better to transport them to the mainland?’ Demands Maci.‘It has already been done some years ago by scientists. And then at times of Angelica thecaches have not yet been discovered. What is perhaps better.’‘How? Why hide the knowledge of ancient texts?’ Asks Maci.‘But,’ Macdo replies, ‘not all religions do respect the wisdom of others. It’s likely thatthey are imposing their views in arms, as Ra-Ta does.’‘Did,’ adds Penelope, ‘he left, what seems, to a star where a scientific basis exists. But,’she continues speaking to two friends leaving, ‘are you the only ones leaving or are thereothers to go with you?’The discussion focuses primarily on the organization, the venue and other details oftheir flight, but it quickly drifts to other subjects. Amongst others is the long awaited tripof Leith and Ussa, which clearly puzzles Penelope because she does not hide her desire tocome with them. But also the upcoming events and possible consequences because nobodydares to imagine that the country will sink completely. In time, everyone gets up andleaves towards the station. Everyone takes over a hand luggage of the two friends because131

The Celts go too.they have a few. Arrived in the square outside the station, Leith slaps them on the shoulderand points to a window of the palace where Ussa greets them. Arriving at the platform,they all give a hand to the Macs helping them to settle down and exchange a lastgreeting when the station master gives the sign of departure. The Macs throw then a finalword to Penelope, noting that she wipes her eyes with a handkerchief before the trainstarts moving.‘Hey Penelope, you’re coming, don’t you? We are awaiting you on the continent!’‘I hope,’ she says, ‘but I have, like Leith, a strange feeling, which doesn’t leave me, thatI’m going elsewhere, perhaps even with them. Have a good trip and good luck in your newlives.’‘You too’, they say all with tears in their eyes.Everyone quietly leaves the station. Some, including Penelope, with tears in their eyesbecause they know all they will ever see again. It’s with this big stone, called sadness, in hisheart that Leith goes towards the palace where he will spend these few days that remain beforethe final event. Suddenly a window of the palace opens and it’s Ussa who shouts:‘Hey! Leith, invite Penelope to come with you, my parents love to talk to her and thankher.’Penelope, who heard what she yelled to her companion, turns around, leaves the groupand goes to Leith by asking:‘Are you sure that I can come with you?’‘Yes, come,’ he replies, ‘they will not eat you.’What he had not noticed is that there are two men in the street who, despite all the precautionsand monitoring by the royal guard, took note of the fact that Ussa and Leith arealive and head to the street where “Bel Horizon” is located to inform their patrons.When they ascend the stairs of the palace, it’s Ussa who awaits them already at the door.She comes to them and sees that Penelope has wet eyes. Intrigued, she asks:‘But what is going on my dear? Are you crying? Why? Why this sadness?’‘Oh,’ says Penelope, ‘I am very sad, we all come from the station. We have said goodbyeto two of our friends who return home. It’s like a funeral I’m sure I’ll never see them backand it makes me very sad.’‘Then,’ says Ussa to her by putting her arm on her shoulder, ‘my parents love to meetyou. I told them everything that happened. But why are you sad, didn’t you plan to go attheir home within a few days?’‘This is the problem, I believe in my dreams because I do sometimes have premonitorydreams that have the unfortunate tendency to become true.’Then she tells, while they are going up to the royal apartments, her dream to her twofriends and doesn’t forget to mention the hospital, the sophistication of care, her wakingup with this terrible headache, the visit that had made her four friends, accompanied by ahandsome man who is apparently the father of a friend of Angelica. The three friendshave in the meantime reached the floor where the apartments of the royal couple and Ussaare. It’s Pâris Bel-Ra who awaits and wishes them welcome.’‘Hello my friends, thank you for coming. It’s you who we call Penelope?’ He asks her.‘Yes Your Excellency, Penelope Axarz to serve you’, she replies with a small curvature.132

Ten more days.‘Let these formalities please, you are here at Ussa’s parents home, the King has his officeone floor down and it’s there where he is hearing people. You are our guest and we mustthank you for what you did for our daughter and her companion. You stay with us for dinner?You have someone waiting for you?’‘Thank you,’ replies Penelope, ‘I will stay gladly for a moment because I have, unfortunately,nobody who waits for me.’Selena, who has noticed the sadness expressed by this saying, decides to learn a littlemore and says:‘Call me Selena’, and then continues pretending to ignore the large eyes that Ussa makesher:’ You don’t mind that I become intimately with you, don’t you?’‘You realize,’ says Ussa to her, before her mother could respond, ‘my parents becamemore intimately since they have known Angelica. I was myself very surprised when I heardthat. But we do between us. When there is no staff on the floor.’‘Penelope,’ says Pâris, ‘you can call me Pâris. We are now under us, we gave leave tostaff and it’s Ussa who prepared us something.’‘Yes I know, she defends herself very well in the kitchen,’ Penelope replies, ‘and not justthe kitchen. Since she spent a few days at my home and in the attic of Amiluis, I have nomore problems with locks.’‘We know something about that,’ he says, ‘it’s the same here. She is very skillful withher hands and she makes a lot of her clothes herself.’‘She even made me a ceremony gown’, says Leith, who silently listened to the conversation.‘I am the contrary, if something goes wrong I call a specialist. I can do small things,but as Ussa does? No!’‘And you,’ says Ussa, ‘don’t play yourself down. You read ten pages once and are capableof re-writing them as is. Angelica, for example, dictated you a dozen pages in a dreamthat you have faithfully copied once awakened. If I remember a dream I write just a dozenlines and you easily blackened a dozen pages full of details.’‘Well Ussa,’ her father asks her, ‘you leave us without anything to drink? And snacks?Where are they?’‘Let Ussa,’ says her mother, ‘go and look for snacks that you have made in the kitchen, Itake care of madam Penelope.’‘It’s still miss, Selena. It does not matter, my clients also call me madam.’‘You like what? I suppose an aperitif.’‘I usually don’t drink but tea during the day, but I no longer work hereafter and I candrink something else. You’… Then she stops and restarts saying in becoming more intimate,‘you have fortified wine perhaps because I like it.’‘Well,’ she says, ‘I don’t need to ask the others, at least if one has changed his mind.’‘Hey! You call that snacks,’ says Penelope to Ussa who came to put her creations on thecoffee table, ‘we won’t need a dinner if we have finished all that!’‘That’s what I intended to do. Isn’t it fun? I still have bowls of mushroom soup forthose who want and beignets that I keep warm for the time you finish the entries. Ah!Yes, I would like to contact Julian and Angelica after that, wouldn’t you?’‘Yes, it’s a good idea’, says Leith.Everyone agrees that an attempt to contact will be made after the meal. The topic ofconversation during the meal of snacks quickly becomes, after that Penelope has narrated133

The Celts go too.her dream once more, the common past. The first time they have met Penelope, whocame to open her business when a Selena spent her days off campaigning with her parents.The fact that Ussa brought a little boy she took for her little brother. They discuss the situationuntil the middle of the evening where Ussa rids, assisted by Penelope, the table andinstalls the old tampered Biovoix. Ussa shows all the manipulations to her parents andshows them the paper, describing the mode of employment, she had done. She begs herparents to deal with this device better than any gold and diamonds, as it’s invaluable.’Armand, who left Angelica steering a moment, takes radio contact with a piloting stationof Cornwall, as he must announce his position and learn about the presence of other vesselsin the area and inform them of the direction he wants to take. He ascends to the deckand slightly modifies the cap following the instructions received by radio. According to thepiloting station of Cornwall, they will be quiet until morning. Once engaged the electronicdevice intended to stay at course, he descends with Angelica in the cabin where they arestill discussing a time together and teach Angelica and Julian most of the navigation. It’sAngelica who is a little sorry to see that they have advanced on the Maritime card bearingthe number 6561S 37 , only four and a half centimeters, while her father believes that theyhave well advanced. Cecilia sometimes cast a questioning look to her little family, but isnot participating, she is plunged into another kind of matter: her crossword books. She isindeed happy that nobody has seasickness, it’s that already what is saved. From what surprisesher most is the effect of the sun. Even if she did not see it the whole day, she feelsvery good the effect. Armand warned her to put on cream, but since there was no sun, shedid not and the effects are beginning to be felt. Suddenly, Cecilia raises, surprised, her headand looks around her because she had the impression to hear other voices and small noises.It’s Angelica who also hears and reacts to the surprise of her parents, immediately:‘Hi my love, big kisses to you, it’s you and Ussa who are there?’Her mother launches a surprised look and before she can say something, it’s the voice ofLeith that greets Angelica:‘Big kisses my love, yes it’s us. We are not alone, there are five of us at the moment.There are besides Ussa, also her parents and Penelope.’‘Hello everybody’, she answers.‘Hello my love, big kisses,’ says Ussa, ‘what do you do there?’‘Hello my love, big kisses to you too. My father tries to teach us a bit of marine navigation.Oh! Yes, before I forget, hello everybody.’‘Eh! Leith,’ says Angelica, ‘tell me, where are you?’‘He will look at a map, wait a little while my parents are presenting themselves’, says Ussa.‘So let me introduce myself,’ says a man’s voice, ‘my name is Pâris Bel-Ra and I am, forthe few days that remain, one of the ten kings of our federation, better known by you asAtlantis and the father of Ussa.’‘I,’ says a female voice, ‘am Selena Bel-Ra, Pâris’s wife and mother of Ussa.’37 Official Maritime map; “Route du Rhum” supplied by: “Établissement principal du Service Hydrographique etOcéanique de la Marine – B.P.426 – 29275 BREST cedex”134

Ten more days.‘Pleased to meet you’, says Cecilia, continuing to look around her to see from where thevoices come, and continues: ‘I am, as you probably have guessed, the mother of Angelicaand Julian.’‘Pleased to meet you,’ says Armand, ‘I am the father of this Sunday sailors.’‘But,’ says Ussa, ‘where you are at this moment is not your living room. It’s my motherwho just had a reaction that your living room isn’t very large.’‘No,’ says Armand, ‘indeed. We are on the way to where you lived. We are here in thecabin of a sailboat, which we rented for the occasion.’‘You’re there Angelica?’ Asks Leith, ‘note may be that what I could find. Look on yourmap for the highest mountain that you call “Mount Pino”.‘No,’ says Armand, ‘she was wrong with the name. This is surely the highest mountainin the Azores, which is an island and is called “Mount Pico”.‘Well, “Pino” or “Pico”, it’s here a volcano and a sacred mountain and we are in, note thewell Angelica, two degrees forty minutes East, and four degrees fifty minutes South thereof.You will be able to find it this way, don’t you. I cannot give you our references, then Ifear that they won’t be very useful to you.’After this brief introduction, the two families continue to chat for a while until they decideto meet again the next day in the afternoon by the temple of Ozin interposed wherethe royal family wanted to go anyway. Angelica promises Leith to look for a place thatlooks like a crater of two hundred to three hundred nautical miles because they discoveredthat the nautical mile has remained the same, one minute of arc at the equator. It’s Leith’sopinion, since the crater is usually ten times larger than the celestial object that made it, thatit should, given the size of Arcturus, have this size. They say that the comet will come tomorrowcertainly visible during the day. Leith tels them that one can already see it grow bythe hour during the night. Both families take then leave of each other after having wishedgood night and a few customary greetings. Angelica, who has since identified the whereaboutsof their friends, notices with her father that it’s far more than expected and thatthey need to work twice to be in time.‘But why do you want absolutely to be there in such a short time’, asks her father?‘It’s important, I don’t know myself why, but it’s important that we are on schedule.’‘But,’ says Armand, ‘you know that in this case we cannot go with a pace of walking.That means everyone on the bridge and make the race, as in my good old days. This pleasesme well, but I don’t know if Mom will agree.’‘Bof, if it makes you happy, do so.’‘So, I'll be at the helm until midnight. Who takes over? You Angelica?’‘Yes it’s okay to me, I wake up Julian at four o’clock then.’‘Okay’, says her brother.‘We keep the same cap?’ Asks Angelica her father.‘Yes, up to four o’clock, I will get up also to change the course slightly. We can movethen better forward. And keep the eye everywhere, avoiding freighters which don’t havefeelings. In principle there are none, but keep an eye open well anyway. It’s better to avoidthem.135

LUssa’s nightmare.eith gets up, prepares himself in the bathroom and goes, as he usually does when heis invited to Ussa’s place, to the room arranged as a dining room to have his breakfast.Ussa’s mother, Selena, is still there and has already finished her breakfast. Both aresurprised that Ussa has not arrived yet, not any noise can be heard coming from her roomwhich could indicate that she has got up. Selena decides to see if there is no problem.When she goes to the apartment where the two young people live, she hears little noisescoming from the bathroom and asks:‘It’s you, Ussa?’But Ussa does not answer and groans incomprehensible words. Her mother, very worried,enters the bathroom to see what has happened to her daughter and sees her wettingher forehead and head with cold water. Ussa, hearing her mother enter, turns around andlooks at her with a burial face. Her mother, still worried, asks her:‘What happens to you my baby. Why this burial face. Have you perhaps mixed toomuch of fortified wine and old cider brandy 38 ?‘No Mom, it was this horrible dream that I had. I’ll tell you in a moment. I have the impressionto have struck my head violently against the head of my bed. I must have agitatedduring my dream.’‘I’ll call the doctor darling. It’s better to watch if you don’t have something. So I leaveyou dressing yourself and we will wait for you at breakfast.’When Ussa enters the dining room, the doctor awaits her already. Leith, surprised bythe face she has, looks at her with an interrogative eye and asks:‘But what happens there? The face that you’re having, what happens my dear? Theseare certainly not the few drinks of last night, you did have other parties and you have neverhad a headache afterwards.’‘It was perhaps this terrible dream that I had. I may have banged my head against thehead of my bed.’‘Keep quiet for a moment, miss, so I can examine you.’The doctor is making all the usual checks without finding the cause of headache. It’swhen he exterminates her head more closely that he finds a graze which confirms the assumptionof Ussa. He prescribes a mild medication and gives her the instruction to restduring the day. He believes that it’s certainly not serious and that there is a very importantemotional side. He suggests her, to tell them her dream, what she does.‘Then,’ she says, ‘the beginning of my dream is still a little flaky. I have, unfortunately,not such a good memory for these kinds of things as Leith, but I remember that we wereon a boat with other people. In this dream, I was certainly not the person I am now becausethere were a large number of nephews, nieces, cousins and a man who ran a bistro.It was suddenly that certain members thought to have heard someone call Leith from far.Leith, who was with us, and I climbed on deck and saw a beautiful white yacht as you cansee no more today. On the bow Angelica was screaming with all her despair the name of38 Better known over here in Normandy as being Calvados!136

Ten more days.Leith looking toward the coast where the seashore areas were disappearing under the watersof the sea. It was there, where Angelica was looking for Leith. She believed himdrowning and she was screaming as if skinned alive. Leith, who had time to search all thebags, unsuccessfully called her. I felt happy to see that Angelica and her family had reallycome to pick us up. It was when we were only ten feet away from their boat that Angelicasaw us. She helped Leith to get on board and began to store our bags. What is curious andmakes me think that I was surely someone else, is that I saw myself in the arms of Julian.But. When I wanted to board in turn, I must have slipped and the last thing I remember isthat I knocked my head against the side of the boat. Needless to say that I woke up with ajump, and it was then there that I must have hit my head against the head of my bed. I rememberonly that I was next to my bed with a terrible headache. Then, I laid down again,but I was unable to re-sleep.’‘You stayed like that for how long?’ Asks the doctor?‘Oh! An hour at most. Evil has decreased a little since. You may be right that it shouldbe emotional.’‘Rest for today,’ says the doctor, ‘we will see tomorrow how you feel.’‘Can I still go with my parents and Leith to the temple,’ asks Ussa, ‘can’t I? This is whatwe have planned and promised to our friends. They will be too disappointed if I don’t.’‘But of course. Take maybe a pellet against headache before you leave.’‘Me,’ says Leith, ‘I made some time ago already also a dream where there was a whiteboat. This may be the same one. I dreamed that I was aboard on a white boat with a girlmy age. Suddenly, when I did not look, she fell into the water and disappeared under thewaves. I was shocked because I thought she would drown. Another man who was onboard, in your company Ussa, jumped into the water in turn to save her, that’s what Ithought anyway. I don’t remember the details because it’s already some time ago and thatwas before I made the acquaintance of Angelica. But there is certainly a relationship betweenour dreams.’‘That’s right,’ says Selena who had listened silently the stories, ‘it’s likely that your dream,Ussa, is what may happen to Penelope, the poor.’The doctor promises before he leaves to go and see other patients to return at the end ofthe afternoon, after they have returned from the temple, to check the health of Ussa. Theothers continue their discussion of whether a dream can be prescient or not. Selena is ofthe opinion that the part that dreamed Ussa corresponds to an accident putting Penelope ina coma until she wakes up in the hospital as she had described the day before.While his wife, daughter and Leith babble in the dining room on a late breakfast, PârisBel-Ra already puts chairs and a table in the meeting room at the ground floor for this purpose.The King who awaits the clerics on the steps of the palace, greets them and accompaniesthe priests and priestesses because there are priestesses among them, personally oneby one in their place. Most already know about because the comet can be observed duringthe day with a long view. What the people ignore is the extent and the exact time of thedisaster. The clerics already suspect what difficult task awaits them because evacuating everyoneis not feasible because of the transport capacity available. This meeting should clarifyhow to allocate those leaving and those who remain. It should at this time to reassure137

Ussa’s nightmare.the people and especially bring non-practicing crib back and convince them that there isanother life after life. This is, according King Pâris Bel-Ra, the only way to avoid panic.‘Hello all,’ Pâris says, ‘I guess you know why you are here. You have on the table beforeyou a detailed document made some time ago by the companion of my daughter and hismaster. You will see that the star, becoming visible since this morning through a longview, tears along right at us and the hope it misses our planet is minimal. I know that suchaccidents have occurred in the past and that the country coped with it. I cannot, as yet,raise my sources without ridicule me, but it’s a certainty that what will happen to our countryis what the seven plagues have predicted. I must, how distressing it may be, add that it’snot like the country Lémuria, who disappeared seventy thousand years ago, a slow descentallowing the evacuation of the population, but a quick imperil.‘Do we know the date and time?’ Asks David Levy representing the Hebrew.‘I’m going to come to the point,’ says Pâris, ‘the time was calculated by three differentpeople and it’s for day after tomorrow early morning with certainty of ninety-three percent.’‘What criteria do we use to select candidates for exile?’ Asks a representative of themovement of Belial.‘You will see quite well yourself,’ replies the King, ‘we need everyone, but especiallythose who work the land and feed those that build new cities. Don’t forget that the resourcesare scarce in the future and that adaptation of the society will be required. The scientistswho know everything and teach the wisdom and expertise of the former must belisted. Don’t bring especially wealth and devices used for personal comfort, they will be ofno use.’‘Wouldn’t it be better to focus on those who remain and volunteer to help those whocannot leave?’ Asks the head of the temple of Ozin representing the followers of “The Lawof One”.‘This is exactly the reason I’ve called you here’, says the King. ‘Are there those amongyou who fear problems? We must ensure that people who can’t leave won’t clog the roadsin the direction of the ports to not prevent others from accessing it.’ He continues by addressingthe responsible of the Hebrews: ‘it seems that you have your own evacuation plan.Do you have many members of your community left to evacuate?’‘Most of us have already reached Poseidia for embarking on the fleet that we have at ourdisposal. Those who remain will volunteer to assist those in pain who cannot or don’twant to leave.’‘The organization that you have done, is it an evacuation or is there another reason?’Asks Pâris.‘It’s an exile,’ answers David him, ‘our community expects, indeed, a guide who will beborn among us in Egypt to lead us to the country promised by our God.’‘We can therefore consider that your community is already safe, isn’t it?’‘Yes, indeed sire.’‘Communicate them anyway that the danger of a flood is very high, even in Egypt, andthat they need to shelter men and cattle for a few weeks.’‘You may be right, our holy rollers mention it indeed. I will contact my nephew NoahLevy, who is already in Egypt, and tell him he must take the necessary measures, if he hasn’talready taken. He wants, in fact, to construct an arch.’138

Ten more days.‘Tell him to hurry up, he has only a few days left’, says Pâris to him and continues addressingthe Celtic community: ‘You, you have many of your citizens left who should stillleave because as I understand they have already left for the most part in direction of thecontinent at their own means, didn’t they?’‘We have some who are married to people here or those who no longer want to leave.Much of them say that if our country dies, we die with it.’‘This is the case for many of us,’ says Helena, a beautiful priestess of the movement of“The law of One”, ‘they don’t want to leave. Some feel too old, others unable to re-startfrom scratch and those who are simply attached to their land and want, as my colleaguesaid, die with the country.’‘The big problem,’ says Djen, a representative of the movement Belial, ‘is that many ofus have lost their faith and they believe nothing. It’s quite dramatic for them not to leaveand go to a certain death. We are trying to put the maximum number of people still havingfaith on the job to assist them in finding the path to their destiny.’Then the discussion begins on the modalities of where and how, but especially on howto support those who remain. All guests are all in agreement that we must avoid panic andfoolish popular movements, who don’t benefit anyone. The decision was taken to regulatetraffic at the next morning. The agenda continues then with the meeting points and thereare even some who want to make a draw as it’s done in the state of Alta and its capital Poseidia.Most consider however, that people should be sorted according to their need. Itshould be explained to the willing of exodus that start over and rebuild a society fromscratch is not a case of everybody. The Assembly considers that it’s highly likely that thesociety must return to flint stone and wooden tools because the lack of other resources, especiallyminerals, metals, coal to extract iron ore and others.Leith was surprised to see Hector, the astrologer and astronomer of the King, enter theirprivate apartment. The man, who Leith knows of view, says him that it was the King himselfwho told him to go see him in the apartment on the first floor. The man by the nameof Hector is indeed curious how Leith was able to know the displacement of the axis of theEarth’s rotation. He and his colleagues have just determined that a fatal meeting Earth-Arcturus is more than probable and would likely take place at dawn in two days, but the accuracyof their calculations do stop there. Leith, on the other hand, would like to calculatethe new location of the north pole, but cannot because the calculations considered workonly for a flat surface and are not valid for a sphere, which he explains to Hector.‘You see, I tried to calculate the new location of the poles, but my formulas don’t workfor the system of latitudes and longitudes such as is used for navigation and mapping.’‘But, how do you want to recalculate? You must know therefore at least two positionson the earth of which we know the old and new coordinates. But to get the new ones, weshould be able to watch and measure in the future. And this is where we have a problem.Until now, nobody who has been able to do so.’‘It may be curious and will probably work against our scientific knowledge, but Ussa andI are in regular contact, becoming more as just friends with two young people, a brotherand his sister, of our age living in the likelihood of eleven thousand eight hundred years inthe future.’139

Ussa’s nightmare.He then tells in a few brief lines their history, the first contacts interposed by dream andthe interview in the bathroom of Angelica. The contact using a tampered Biovox, themeeting of Angelica and her friends with a psychic and others.‘So if I summarize, it’s she who provided you the information needed?’‘Yes, that’s it. However I have left my notes in the attic of Master Amilius. Do youwant me to come with you to pick them up? The place is secured by the Royal Guard atthis time.’While they go down the street to the office of the master, Leith tells him that what hecan remember. What astonishes Hector most is the fact that Angelica, Leith’s girlfriend,has nine more days in their calendar year. Which is enormous and requires a significantimpact of unprecedented violence. He quite agrees with his young friend that the countryhas no chance of escape if the comet strikes the earth west side of the Atlantic Ocean.Once in the house of Amilius and having welcomed Penelope in passing by, they ascendthe stairs to the attic.‘This is where the pole was on a globe which stands on the desk of Angelica,’ says Leith,pointing a finger on the globe of Amilius. And continues by pointing his finger on theircountry, ‘and then all this was gone. The coastal regions here and there had also disappearedunder water’, he says, referring to the areas concerned.‘Where do you have your figures’, asks Hector?‘Ah! Yes, I would forget them. Here they are’, he says in presenting him a school notebookwhere he has scribbled his notes.’‘I can take your notes until this evening? I would like to copy them, check your commentsand information of your friend with mine. By the way, does she know where thecomet struck the earth? There must be a crater, given the size of Arcturus, of several hundrednautical miles.’‘No, she didn’t find it, she promised to look at her maps while coming here. Whatmeans, they will come to the place where our country should be. In her society they havean annual rest period they call vacation, and then it’s precisely during their holiday they willbe on a symbolic visit to us. We, Ussa, her parents and me thus, planned to talk to themthis afternoon at the Temple of Ozin.’‘But, what makes you say that the comet will fall into the sea and not on the continent?’‘But for me it’s clear because, according Master Amilius, such an impact on the continentcreates a ball of fire burning everything in its path. The mere fact that Angelica livesat eleven thousand eight hundred years, means to me that not everything has been destroyed.Otherwise, she would have lived much later, millions of years perhaps, or even notat all.’‘As the one who has burned most of the dragons sixty-five million years ago’, adds Hector.‘It’s assumed that there was a comet or asteroid that fell on the country of Yuk at thetime.’‘Do you think the flood announced will be the result of the fireball of the impact thatwill be absorbed by sea water, thus evaporate a large amount of water falling elsewhere astorrential rain?’‘May be. We have, alas, not quite accurate stories of previous floods to see what hadhappened. We just know that there have been other floods before.’140

Ten more days.‘You probably think,’ says Leith, ‘of those of twelve thousand two hundred and fortyeight thousand years ago. Many people believe the country will survive as the two previouscases.’‘Does your friend know how much time we have during the day?’‘No, nothing specific,’ said Leith, ‘however, she speaks of a terrible day and a terriblenight.’‘It’s in that order? Not vice versa?’‘No, that’s right, I’ve had the same reaction and she had to check.’‘I see you noted that the highest mountain of our country, is called “Pino” at her place, athing you’ve changed to “Pico”, which is two thousand three hundred meters high. What isa meter?’‘Oh! It’s their unit of measure, it makes up one ten millionth of the distance from thepole to the equator.’‘At approximately seven thousand feet then’, he says after a moment of mental arithmetic.‘This means that our country is in their time at more than twelve thousand feet underwater. To believe their story, we have forty-eight to sixty hours to organize, after thatwe have to be far from shore. It’s better to return to the palace and inform the King thatthere is urgency. The exact location of impact will determine how much time we left forthe day, let’s call it “Day-J.”‘How do you mean?’‘Well! If it falls near our shores, we would have a little time. If it falls on the other side,on the coasts of Om thus, we would still have a little time during the day.’The prefect Assen-Ni, who attended the meeting of the King and religious, enters, beforegoing to his office, the police station and asks to announce him to the chief of police,Ax-Tell, which receives as soon. He greets him:‘Mr prefect, be welcome. Is there something I can do for you?’‘Yes, my dear, there are a few things that must immediately be executed on the orders ofthe King. The first thing is to requisition all commercial vessels that can carry more thanfifty people or a hundred tons of goods. Secondly, you have from this moment onwardsthe ability to command the military and the navy. Their ships are already waiting for orders.You just apply the evacuation plan now. Which brings us to our third point, which isthe regulation of traffic. People will no longer be allowed to move freely. Everyone cango and visit his family and go back, but can no longer go to the port area without a permitor when necessary to go to his own boat. Everyone who owns a boat, sailboat, fishingboat or other is invited to take the maximum number of people and goods with him. Themodalities will be available early in the afternoon.’‘The Railway Company, is it informed?’‘Yes, they will make every effort to facilitate people to travel to the ports.’‘What about those who are in prison right now?’‘We leave them there, they are offered a single trip to the kingdom of Ra or Hades dependingthe case.’‘What about the rioters, if they exist?’141

Ussa’s nightmare.‘The soldiers will take care of. Every rioter automatically falls under martial law. Thereis really no time to lose because of them. The military do whatever they like, don’t dealwith them.’‘They are who, who will select those who leave and those who remain?’‘Religious leaders have agreed on modalities. But it seems to me that they want to selectthose who are able to live in conditions close to the stone age. Those who are able to copewith it.’‘Do not tell me that it’s as dramatic as that!’‘In what appears. Yes! The King was able to obtain this information from friends ofUssa, apparently living in the distant future. Their stories of our country and its destructionis beyond all imagination. It’s far worse as you can imagine.’‘Do the people know what will happen or are they in the dark as we were?’‘I believe that the magnitude of the disaster has not been provided. Not here anyway.Either the newspapers remain silent, or they know nothing either. And this is perhaps thebest. In this way, the evacuation appears to be a simple precaution. It’s as such that the religiouswant to submit it because everyone knows the stories of the two previous cases.Again, there was significant damage, even floods, but the bulk of the population was ableto survive.142

IThe evacuation plan.t’s already a moment that Penelope is sitting at the usual table in conversation with themanager of the tavern, Abdubu. She tries to convince him to close his establishmentthis evening for, ostensibly, family reasons because she just discovered that her friend was aseaman and knows navigation, how to identify at sea by the stars using appropriate tools.She came just to order her tea-with-ice-cubes, when Ajax accompanied by Jou-el enters.‘Hi guys, you all right?’ She launches to them.‘Hi good looking,’ they reply in chorus, ‘still at work?’‘But yes, I still have customers, even if it runs significantly lower. You can also look andsee the customers who come still here. I try to convince Abdubu to come with me to myfamily. We would anyway need a good marine to go join the Macs.’‘Good marine? Abdubu? You were once marine? I can’t get over it’, says Ajax.‘But yes, I have been navigating. I started deckhand, coming up navigation officer.This was before I took over a small restaurant in my country. There was a revolution athome, which forced me to leave. So I could take over this bistro. But that was long ago,you know well.’‘Then,’ says Jou-el him, ‘you go anyway, don’t you. You don’t stay here when peopleneed you elsewhere. Isn’t it?’‘I don’t know, must see. But I think it’s better to close. I offer in this case a free drinktonight. You come back tonight? I’ll prepare something. It’s sure eh, Penelope, I cancome with you and your family? Can’t I?’‘But of course, what you think. I’ll present you Felicity, my cousin, you will enjoy her.We will need everyone where we are going in two days in the early morning.’‘In two days?’ Asks Ajax, ‘but that is the day of the disaster.’‘We couldn’t leave before, we have too much to organize.’It’s suddenly Laïos who is entering to say them hello with a newspaper under his arm.He welcomes them and throws the newspaper on the table and says:‘Did you see that? They found half a dozen individuals, all maimed as the other that wehave fished out of port a few days ago. Do you have your designs on you, Ajax. I wouldlike to compare those of the newspaper with pictures of yours.’Penelope, who just takes a glance at the newspaper, perceives there a picture that could,in her eyes, be one of the men who lived in “Bel Horizon”.‘Did you see that,’ she says, ‘they maimed a godfather of the Bezlebubs. That promises!I am sure that the lieutenants will get angry and try to do something.’‘You think,’ asks Laïos, ‘they will blame the royal guard and try to take revenge by capturingthe princess Ussa?’‘I don’t know,’ says Penelope, ‘but it’s just a hypothesis. But,’ she continues, addressingAjax, ‘you know them, don’t you?’‘I think they will try to extort a safe-conduct for the evacuation plan. Caution should beused at this time. I fear less for Leith as for Ussa. It’s better that she does not come alone.143

The evacuation plan.Can you ensure that she doesn’t come out unless accompanied by bodyguards’, he asksLaïos?‘That will complicate us things, they, Leith and Ussa thus, have planned to come retrievetheir affairs at his home and the one of Amilius tomorrow morning. It’s important that weare on our guard. Ajax, may we ask you to intervene in case of a problem?’‘Ask the monks of the temple of Ozin, they promised to monitor a former monasterywhere the Bezlebubs have a hideaway. If they hide someone, it’s probably there becausethey know the city too well guarded by the military and those have received the order tofire without warning on all the thugs, looters and thieves.’Everyone takes thereafter a small thing to eat in the almost desert bistro. Even Abdubuis sad to see so few people and realizes that it’s better to close and leave with Penelope inthe evening.The king, having dined at home, summoned the military leadership, the prefect Assen-Ni and the chief of police Ax-Tell in the meeting room having already served in the morningfor the meeting of religious leaders. He has put at each seat a document prepared byhim the previous days and adds the document that Leith and his master have preparedsome time ago. The meeting should not take very long because he has yet to join his wife,daughter and Leith at the Temple of Ozin. The military don’t have a lot of time either,even though the country remains, unlike the country of Altla, quiet, we should monitor thecity to prevent looting. Then, many people, as what it seems, already joined their familiesin the country, leaving their homes empty. The office established in the former home ofAmilius drew fewer people then expected. We have expected a rush of applications in exile,but most people living downtown have either left to the countryside or don’t want toleave. They feel, for one reason or another, more secure at home, with family, then intown. The only people who remain are the elderly, the foreigners with no family in thecountry and still those whose family has lived for generations in Osuo and refuse to leave.It’s in this context that the meeting can begin.‘You’re welcome,’ says Pâris Bel-Ra, ‘you undoubtedly know the reason for this meeting.I will let you view documents that are before you and we can discuss the points then. Imade refreshments available on the buffet there, take it. Feel free to ask questions. If youfind that it’s better to modify an item, tell me. Nobody is infallible and it may be that I forgotsomething important.’‘What is our role?’ Asks a member of the Army?‘Before any, surveillance!’ Says the King, and goes on: ‘perhaps assisting people and logistics.Place the soldiers there where they are familiar with the terrain and know the people.This will avoid complications with badges and passes. Nothing better than peoplewho know each other.’‘Who will have the coordinating role?’ Asks a master mariner.‘I have appointed our chief of police, Ax-Tell, here, as coordinator and commander inchief. It’s the prefect, he learns it himself at this moment, who will take the coordinatedfollow-up of the selection of people into exile. This selection is primarily driven by religiousleaders. They are the ones best placed to be able to select people to exile. Most arealso willing to accompany in their sorrow those who cannot leave.’144

Ten more days.‘Will we make a selection from our soldiers, if there are some who prefer to stay in thecountry?’ Asks the chief of land forces, ‘then it seems to me that many believe that we willemerge as the two previous cases’.‘You are yourself in the best position to know’, says the King. ‘We don’t need as manysoldiers in our place of exile. If there are volunteers to accompany those who remain, letthem.’‘What are we going to do with members of the movement of Belial,’ asks a police officer.‘They do believe anything for the most of them. It’s quite dramatic for them. Shouldwe not better monitor them?’‘Their religious leaders have already discussed this problem and will put the most oftheir volunteers on the job’, replies the King. ‘But keep an eye on them, you never know.’‘Should we not make all the transport capacity available to the army?’ Asks the head ofthe army.‘I wanted to come back to this point’, says the King. ‘The most will be transported bythe Railway Company. You, the Army, you are providing local logistics and in the port areas.’‘Without being indiscreet,’ asks the head of armies, ‘where did you get the details shownin this document? What you claim could not be calculated by our scientists, so you musthave another source of information.’‘You are absolutely right,’ replies the King, ‘but I hesitate a bit to uncover. It may, infact, that I covered ridiculous. As you know, I have a daughter and she and her childhoodcompanion got in touch with young people, a girl and her brother, of their age living in thedistant future. The contact took place at the temple of Ozin, where Leith, that’s how thecompanion of my daughter is called, wanted to seek contact with the girl of his dreams,who apparently knew a lot of things on our country and what will happen. The informationhe has obtained is unfortunately consistent with ours and it’s my personal astrologerand astronomer who has validated this. I can assure you that the event will take place asdescribed in the seven plagues. You see that the bulk of the transaction must take placewithin thirty-six hours preceding the collision, for after tomorrow morning thus. We haveperhaps a few hours on the morning of the event, but this is not a guarantee.’‘Were you able to know how soon the country will sink?’ Asks a master of a ship?‘The account of the Gallic girl, as the friend of Leith is one, talks about one terrible dayand one terrible night, leaving little time during the day. To give you an idea of the forceof the collision, they, there, where the Gallic girl lives thus, have nine more days on theircalendar. The impact causing the acceleration of the Earth’s rotation corresponds, accordingto my astronomer, to forty billion of our most powerful bomb 39 .‘But that completely destroys the Earth!’ Says section chief of the police. ‘How couldhe calculate this?’‘It’s simple,’ says the King, ‘you multiply the mass of Arcturus with the square of itsspeed and with a few tables of conversion you’ll have it.’She will need it.’39 Like the bomb “Little Boy”, dropped August-6, 1945 from a B-29, the “Enola Gay”, on Hiroshima, being 17’000tons of TNT! Myths from India describe us in fact the use of such arms at 12’000 to 15’000 BC.145

The evacuation plan.The King Pâris Bel-Ra sets off by a private car to the temple with his astronomer, astrologerand man of science to do everything because his wife Selena, his daughter Ussaand Leith are in principle already there. Pâris doesn’t expect major discoveries because heknows that Angelica could not have much more useful information. For him, knowingwhere the comet falls has little importance, especially when it became virtually clear thatthe country has, unlike the two previous cases, no chance of escape this time. He is alreadyvery saddened by the fact that he must leave behind the bulk of its citizens. It’s verypainful for him to know that the transport capacity of just over two hundred boats, representsmerely half a percent of the population. Passing the field of Ajahel’s, the family ofLeith, he promises to stop on the way back. He planned in fact taking a load of youngtrees and other plants with him, including the people who know how to treat them. Heknows that the family of Leith is very devout and that they refuse to leave their land, evenwhen they have to die there. He knows that it will be hard to convince some of them tocome with him into exile. When he arrives at the temple, the others are already in the centralhall, where the communication screen can be found and chat there with his parents-inlaw,the grandparents of Ussa. The latter try to convince Ussa and Leith to not lose hopewhen all seems lost because a very tough experience awaits them the next day.‘Hello Pâris’, they say, when the King makes his entry into the holy of holies of the temple.‘Hello everyone,’ he says, ‘in conversation I see. But I fear that this will be the last time,isn’t it?’‘Yes my dear Pâris,’ says his father-in-law, ‘because there where you go, will be no templelike this. We will have no more than your dreams to talk to you, so be very careful ofwhat you dream. The only people you can still talk to, are Ussa and her friends, then herhacked device, which is absolutely essential to take with you, will be able to communicatewith the place where she, Leith and another friend go.’‘This is where, this place?’ Asks Selena, ‘are you allowed to communicate it to us?’‘No, we’re not allowed to communicate it. We know, of course, and we will watch overour little darling and her friends, but we can’t give you any other indication then the pathof life to follow. That is why we insist that you don’t lose hope. A point to remember isthat it’s imperative to give Ussa’s baggage to Leith, who should not under any circumstancesleave it. Yes Leith, my dear it seems strange to you, especially since your luggageand that of Ussa is rather heavy. You will have help. Don’t worry! You’ve promised Angelicaanyway, didn’t you?’‘Yes, that’s it’, says Leith.‘So my children,’ they say, ‘we’ll leave because I see that some are impatiently waiting foryou. So goodbye my dears and pay attention to your dreams, we will see you again.’After that the grandparents of Ussa have disappeared from the screen, the interior of theyacht, rented by the family Leblanc, is slowly becoming visible. The only person missing isArmand, the father of Angelica and Julian, who is at the helm at this time. Angelica andJulian are studying a navigation map and look obviously for something at the other side ofthe Atlantic. Cecilia, their mother, is as usually immersed in her reading and crosswords.It’s Angelica the first to hear some small noises behind her, which indicates that the familyof Ussa and Leith have kept their promise. She turns around and says:146

Ten more days.‘Hi Pâris. Hi Selena. Hi Ussa,’ and continues speaking to Leith, ‘big kisses my love.Hello sir’, she says to the astronomer and astrologer. ‘Thank you for coming to see us.’‘Hello and big kisses my love’, says Julian to Ussa, ‘Hi everyone and thank you for comingto see us.’‘Mom! Mom, here are Pâris and Selena Bel-Ra, Ussa their daughter and Leith, you couldat least say “hello” to them! I will present you,’ she continues talking to her mother who,surprised, interrupts her reading, ‘Selena and Pâris Bel-Ra and their daughter Ussa, the loveof Julian. The last time you haven’t heard but their voices, now you can see them. Thisboy here is my love, Leith Ajahel. On the other hand, the other gentleman, I don’t knowhim.’‘Hello,’ says Cecilia a little embarrassed, ‘it surprises me as the last time that my daughterdares to address you as high school buddies.’‘Don’t you worry my dear lady,’ says Pâris, ‘we like her spontaneity. We are here as theparents of Ussa, I left the King at the royal palace, it’s there where he receives his hearingits citizens. Let me introduce to you this gentleman. He is my astrologer, astronomer andman of science to do everything. I think he would like to ask some questions to Angelica,who seems just to study a map on this issue.’‘Hi madame, miss, sir, could you find the place that your friend asked you a few daysago?’‘I think. Are you able to see our map? Here? Julian and I have found a place likely tobe a crater, which is compared to your highest mountain, our “Mount Pico”, eleven degreesSouth and forty degrees West. The approximate size is two hundred and forty nauticalmiles. Does this fit you? Does this correspond to your expectations.’‘Alas, yes!’ Says the astrologer, ‘we expected roughly this value, given the size of Arcturus.It will make a hole of three thousand six hundred stadia in the bottom of the ocean,’he says to the King, ‘it’s huge. Our country will have no chance to cope with it. The distance,however, leaves us a respite of about twenty minutes between the impact and thefirst tremors over here.’It’s in that moment that Armand, curious to hear voices that he doesn’t recognize, entersthe cabin bay and remains speechless in seeing the scene in front of him.’‘What is happening here?’ He asks without addressing someone in particular.‘Papa,’ says Angelica, ‘I’ll present you the loves of Julian and me: Ussa Bel-Ra and LeithAjahel, and then the parents of Ussa, King Pâris Bel-Ra and his wife Selena, the other manis a scientist, astronomer and physicist. You couldn’t hear but their voices a few days ago,now you see what they look like physically.’‘Hello to you all’, says Armand.‘This blue areas on your map,’ says the man, ‘they represent what?’‘These are areas with less than two hundred meters’, says Armand. ‘It are these areasthat were above sea level at your time.’‘What is a meter?’ Asks the King?‘A little over three feet,’ says the physicist, ‘I had the same reaction when Leith was talkingmeters. It’s their unit of measure, they brought everything down to units of ten.’‘Your sea level is about one hundred twenty meters lower than ours,’ says Angelica, ‘thesea will necessarily go up as much. It’s believed that it’s in about hundred years, but I amnot sure. Keep this in mind if you build your new cities.’147

The evacuation plan.‘How do you know that?’ Asks her father?‘But, it’s simple,’ says his daughter, ‘you remember the Erika accident? All the beachespolluted by the oil? So to put the new sand on the beach, they searched between a hundredand one hundred and thirty meters of depth. If there is a sandy beach below, meansautomatically that there was a beach and a seashore. The difference corresponds to the risingof the sea level. What we do not know is how long. This gentleman Otto H Muckspeaks in his book of a hundred years, but there is no evidence of that. It’s a reasonable estimateof its share, but that’s all.’‘You’re still far from our home?’ Asks Ussa Angelica.‘No, not so far, we are here and you’re there’, she says designating locations on the navigationmap.‘A day and a half, two at most,’ says Armand, ‘we well advanced. We will be symbolicallyat your home at “Day-J”, even if I don’t know how Angelica accounts doing the rest. Sheis convinced that it’s we who come to pick up Ussa and Leith. I don’t know how, but Iknow my daughter well enough to know if she says that something will happen, it will happenfor sure. Isn’t it darling?’But Angelica disappeared to get something in her cabin and returns with an identitycard. Before anyone could ask her the reason, she aims to Pâris and asks him:‘Hey! Pâris, this is called an identity card. Make one for Leith, Ussa and Penelope.They’ll need it.’‘What language should we put on there? For I fear that our language is not understoodby the authorities of your country because it’s certainly for them that you want this card,don’t you?’‘Yes, that’s right,’ replies Angelica, ‘it’s better to have identification papers with you overhere.’‘According, as I understand from the stories of my daughter,’ says Cecilia always surprisedthat the intimate is mutual, ‘it’s probably the Hebrew, Egyptian hieroglyphics andGreek.’‘Greek?’ Questions Pâris, ‘you mean the Hellenic language may be.’‘Yes, that’s right,’ replies Cecilia, ‘we say Greek.’The discussions then become, despite the reluctance of the parents of Angelica and Julian,a little more familiar. The young people talk to them during their parents exchange informationabout their respective companies, their professional activities and others. Theastrologer, surprised that astrology is used as a divinatory art, starts to take informationfrom Angelica, who turned on her computer in the meantime. Their conversation continuesuntil it’s time to leave the temple. It’s Angelica who launches a last farewell by saying:‘See you after-tomorrow morning. It’s then when we will meet one last time. Rememberto prepare a bag for Ussa! She will not be able to do so herself. As soon as you see us,come to us and take everything she needs in her new life. See you next!’With these words the appearance of Ussa, Leith, the royal couple and astrologer disappears,giving way to the sides of the boat.‘Well!’ Says Angelica, ‘the next time we will surely meet in the flesh, and then the understandingwill probably be more difficult.‘It’s heartbreaking, but that will be the last time that Ussa sees her parents alive’, says Julian.148

Ten more days.Abdubu has taken care to put up a panel saying that he will close for an indefinite periodand that a farewell drink will be offered to everyone in the evening. To his surprise anddespite the fact that there were only a few customers during the afternoon, his tavern beginsto fill. Many faces are sad because most of them know very well what may happenand the topic of the day is obviously the possible collision of the comet with the Earth.Even though many think they will get by, they begin to doubt this. The newspapers havepublished an analysis of the facts, but do not know what a small group of insiders know.Many believe, as the newspapers say, that it is as the last two times and that it’s enough toseek the heights. Others think that it’s of no use because they believe that the Earth willbe destroyed. The merchants of the neighborhood, regular customers of Abdubu, have forthe majority come with a small gift, and insist to pay a general round on their behalf. Manyof these traders do as Abdubu and Penelope do: they close tonight. Abdubu suddenly seesa carrier car, usually used to transport horses, stopping in front of his bistro and sees Penelopecome out. That’s what he believes in any case.‘Good afternoon madam, good afternoon gentlemen,’ she says by taking a circular lookbefore addressing Abdubu: ‘Abdubu that’s you, isn’t it? My cousin has well described you,we can’t go wrong. To describe beautiful guys, she never goes wrong. Oh! Before I forget,I’m called Felicity. I am her cousin and I just come to pick you up after this drink.You can load your stuff in the carrier and don’t fear, I’ve cleaned. She is not yet there? Mycousin?‘Hello, says Abdubu, observing her carefully from head to toe and replies: ‘Penelopemight come in any time. She came to close her shop because I helped her putting on thepanels for protection.’‘I didn’t see anything, when I passed at her home. It was closed and she did not answerthe doorbell.’‘She may be in the flat of Leith,’ says Abdudu, ‘he will also move. I think they haveplanned to come back and retrieve their stuff tomorrow morning.’‘Yes that’s right’, says Felicity. ‘She wants to safe everything with us. She’s right, younever know. We share with four families a former military bunker, it’s there where westore our equipment. Tonight we’ll take with us whatever you want to take with. I guessbecause you will have things to be taken. Then, you don’t leave your good things here,don’t you? We may desperately need them!’Then they hear the door open, look and see Penelope enter with Leith.‘Hi everyone’, says Penelope.‘Hi to everyone’, says Leith.‘You were where?’ Asks Felicity, ‘I have searched you at the shop, but you were gone.We thought you were at Leith’s place to take care of his business.’‘No,’ she answers, ‘I went to pick him up at the palace. He is part of the team and wantedto come have a drink with us.’‘And Ussa, you have not taken her with you?’ Asks Abdubu Leith.‘No, she would have come if I insisted, but it may be too dangerous. There are still zozosbelonging to the Bezlebubs in nature and no one knows what they are capable of. Alreadyfor tomorrow she insists to pick up our stuff. I don’t agree that she comes, evenwith the protection of the royal guards, but she sticks to it.’149

The evacuation plan.‘You go where?’ Asks Penelope him, ‘are you coming with us, or do you leave with theroyal family. You’re apparently still convinced that you will join your beautiful Gallic girlfriend,don’t you?’‘Yes,’ he says, ‘even if I don’t know how. I will surely join the Royal ship with Ussa ifthe trip doesn’t take place, I owe her that.’‘You are lucky, you. The more that Ussa seems to be very in love with her brother, isn’tshe? But as I said, if this journey does not take place or if there is a failure, you’re takingcare of Ussa?’‘But of course. That’s what I had to promise to Angelica’, says Leith.‘What is this story of travel?’ Asks Felicity.It’s then that Leith tells her what happened. The initial contact by interposed dream,then the meeting in the temple of Ozin, until the one just now. Penelope feels to add commentsand tells her dream where she woke up in a poor condition in a hospital with unknowndevices. It’s certain that this dream was in the land of Gaul, but is much less clearthat this dream comes true really. What delights her least is the fact that the hospitalizationis probably preceded by a serious accident. She hopes that this dream means nothing, asusual. She retains in the back of her head the description of a handsome man, the father ofa girlfriend of Angelica, made by her, but is careful enough not to say. Penelope and Leiththen go and say, each in turn, hello to various residents and shopkeepers of the neighborhood,they know well. Many people are wishing them good luck and a good trip. It appearsthat many artisans are on the evacuation plan. The elderly, on the other hand, don’twant to leave. For the most attached to their city. Others will join their families in thecountryside. Leith and Penelope did not pay attention to the fact that Felicity had meanwhilebegun to lend a hand to Abdubu. It’s Leith who suddenly noticed that Abdubu hasan aide resembling mistakenly to Penelope and says quietly:‘Hey Penelope, look, your cousin has managed to seduce Abdubu. She helps him at theservice.‘It’s better for both of them’, she says.Later, when the room starts to empty, Penelope and Leith offer Abdubu to assist him inloading the carrier. While Felicity continues to deal with recent clients, Penelope and Leithbegin to load the goods of Abdudbu in the hors-carrier of the Axarz’s. A little later, Leith,not wanting to delay because he has to join Ussa and her parents to spend the evening withthem, takes leave of Penelope, her cousin Felicity and Abdubu by making an appointmentfor the next day before the house of Amilius.150

UUssa disappears anew.ssa and Leith got up earlier and are alone in the dining room. Selena, the mother ofUssa, already has joined a charity that wants to take care within the framework ofthe evacuation plan of difficult cases. Specifically those who cannot leave. They, as this associationis composed almost entirely of women, are responsible for monitoring those whono longer believe anything and have lost faith in their religion and those who don’t belongto any religion. Ussa is quite happy to be with her half-brother and true forever companion.They planned to pick up the affairs of Leith and those who remain in the attic of thehouse of Amilius, now belonging to Leith. They await the arrival of the carrier car withdriver, to go then along with two guards to the office of Amilius. It’s Leith who breaks thesilence that has settled while they take their breakfast.‘I still don’t agree that you come with us. It’s too dangerous. You never know. I agreewith the prefect, who believes that you run a danger of kidnapping. They may try to catchyou to extract a safe-conduct. You should stay here.’‘But Leith, the brave man of the other day, is he suddenly scared? There is no risk!There are guards with us and there are in the office.’‘I don’t know, but I have a strange feeling. I don’t dare to appear before your parents ifsomething happens to you. I will certainly make every effort to liberate you, but I confessthat I don’t dare to present myself at the palace in such a case.’‘Don’t tell me that! You have no right to do that. They need as much you, as you needthem. Promise me that you don’t flee. Contact at least Penelope or Ajax if you’re in grief.They will do the work and take care of you.’‘Take at least a micro-spy with you and put it there’, he says, referring to her breasts. ‘Itallows the tracking by Ajax. That’s how we can identify you in case of abduction. Yousurely won’t be able to call using your communicator. Hide it too.’‘Take yourself one too, you never know. I will ask the guards to find two.’During that a guard goes and fetches two surveillance devices, the two friends descendedthe stairs to the ground floor where they await the carrier car with driver. The two guardssupposed to accompany them, are already there and put the different trunks of transporton the porch of the palace. Suddenly Ussa sees that Leith begins to lug a relative large suitcasewith him, she recognizes to be hers.‘What do you do with my bag? I don’t leave yet!’‘But,’ he says, ‘I respect the fact of both your grandparents and Angelica. I don’t knowmyself why, but it seems that this is important. Don’t you remember what they told us?’‘Yes, of course. But I did not understand why.’The discussion doesn't go any further, then the carrier car has come in between. Leithfinds the fact that the Royal Guard has rented a car with driver rather than use one oftheirs a little suspect, but does not want to worry Ussa more. Trunks, which contain materialto be transported later to the port of Amaki, have already been loaded. Leith and Ussatake seat in the vehicle, as do the two guards. Leith is, going down to the office of Amilius,a bit saddened to see so many shops closed. Passing in front of the tavern “The Gardens”,151

Ussa disappears anew.Leith is invaded by a strange sense of sadness by seeing the blinds down and the protectivegrid in front of the door. The blinds of the apartment of Abdubu are also lowered, whichmeans that he has indeed left with Penelope and Felicity in the direction of the stud of theAxarz. Penelope’s boutique, located not far from the office, also has the protection panelson, made in the past by the Macs. The guards meanwhile unload the trunks and want tostart loading because there is still material of the master to be transported to the palace andthen later to be taken to port. Leith and Ussa descend with their bags and go first to theapartment of Leith.‘What do you want to take?’ Asks Ussa, ‘your clothes?’‘Yes,’ he says, ‘but also these books there. These are my study books and I would like tokeep them.’Leith begins in the meantime to fill his bag and adds some personal effects inside.Memories mostly.’‘What are you doing with those worthless trinkets?’ Asks Ussa him.‘Leave them me, they have great sentimental value for me. You should also take with.You never know. If we really join Angelica, this will be the only memories we have.’Once the bags loaded, they descended to the office of Amilius, where they enter withoutsuspecting the changes that have occurred in the meantime. Leith, respecting the instructionto never leave the bags, places them at the entrance and that will be the last thing heremembers.When Leith wakes up, the first thing he sees is Penelope who is tipped over him andasks:‘But, what are you doing here sleeping at the door of the office of Amilius. By the way,where are they, the guards? I don’t see them!’Leith, who has a heavy head, doesn’t answer. He looks sadly around him and begins tocry. Penelope, pained seeing a big boy, almost a man, crying, sits down next to him, putsher arm on his shoulder and tries to console him.’‘Don’t cry my boy. I guess, they caught Ussa, isn’t it. You feel terribly guilty, don’t you.I bet it’s Ussa who was determinated to come with. I am sure you have tried to dissuadeher. But wait, I will immediately call Ajax. He may know where they go with her.’She goes up in the former office of Amilius and notes that the present royal guards havebeen neutralized by means of chloroform. The smell is still strong enough to be out of fornot falling too. She decides to take Leith with her and asks him:‘These are the bags that you must take with you?’‘Yes’, he says with a small voice.‘So, help me to load your stuff of your apartment and mine. It’s good that I have a manto help me. Thereafter, we go to our home at our stud. You could spend the last day withour family and yours. We have decided to spend it together. Sure, hey. You’re comingwith us? Don’t you?’‘I don’t know, I had to promise Ussa to go with her family. She believes that they needme, if something terrible happens to her.’‘Leith you know, we’ll see it tomorrow morning. We’ll contact them and if they’ll holdwe’ll transfer you to the royal ship. In the meantime, you come with us spend one last daywith my family and yours. You’ll owe them that too. Ussa can maybe take you as her half-152

Ten more days.brother, but you, you still have a family who loves you. You have your parents, yourgrandparents and all your nephews, nieces and cousins. We will make a farewell party andthen we go to the boat by horse riding in passing through the fields. It’s better becauseyou will see, all roads will be blocked from the afternoon onwards. You know, I got alreadyup early this morning because I come from the port where I have loaded our boat.Your suitcases and the ones of Ussa, we take them with us from midnight. It’s at midnightwe will go towards the harbor. It takes one or two horses to carry the luggage. Then, theanimals come back alone, they know the way home. Then, you just help me? Come on myboy, don’t look at your feet, look at the sky. Where is life, is hope.’‘Yes,’ he says with a still small voice, ‘it’s necessary that I do. I promised.’‘But what do you have screwed with these bags? They seem heavy, but aren’t.’‘Oh! They contain only a few clothes and trinkets. I have distributed the heaviest booksamong the three bags so they float if dropped into water. That’s what Angelica asked us todo, you remember?’‘Ah yes, I almost forgot. I remember now. But,’ she says, ‘wasn’t it the visionary whosaid that? You know, how is she called? Something with Mo.. or Ique.’‘Monique,’ says Leith, ‘it was when we were with you in your attic. She works with acrystal ball, like the one Ussa cobbled.’‘Well, you just now, I need strong arms of a man!’It still takes time to load all of the apartment of Leith, then he was able to accumulate,although this is a furnished apartment, a lot of things during the years he has lived there.Then, they go to Penelope’s apartment where they take the objects to her heart, theclothes, some books, and especially not to forget her samples of herbs, earth, and othernecessary for her work. She puts them in a bag specially designed for, but, as she says, thisbag does not float. It’s after having taken her main tools, she has also put in a bag, thatthey take the way to the area of Axarz, where the whole family of Penelope and Leithawaiting them already. It’s his mother who greets him first:‘Hello my boy, thank you for coming to spend the last day with us. We were alreadyafraid that you were going to spend it at the royal palace with Ussa. Where is she in fact?You have not brought her with you?’Noting that Leith has once again tears in his eyes, she suspects that something serioushappened. It’s Penelope, just finishing a conversation with Ajax, who answers in his place:‘Helena, Alas, we come from the town and it’s there I found Leith unconscious on thedoorstep of the office of Master Amilius. He had come there with Ussa to recover theirbusiness and I have found only Leith. The guards have been neutralized. I just talked toour detective, he will take care of it. He will also inform the King.’‘Then you spend the last day with us?’ Asks his father. ‘It’s nice boy. But? Tell me!This trip, you still believe in it? You still think to join your Gallic girlfriend?’‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘three different people told me that this trip will happen.’‘I hope for you my boy,’ says his mother. ‘You surely find better living conditions thanthose who attempt to build a new society on the continent.’‘Who knows,’ says Felicity, ‘she may be a distant descendant of us. Then, that’s wherewe go. Abdubu explained everything to me, tried in any case because I don’t know muchin navigation. On the other hand, what he does not understand, is that the place you havedescribed there exists, you know, the cliffs of Gaul near a large river. The snag is that it’s153

Ussa disappears anew.four hundred miles further inland. The more you said that she swims and sails on a plankby the sea where she lives.’‘This is perhaps not so complicated,’ says Ilosa, the father of Leith, ‘the climate warmsup rapidly and in a hundred years the sea level will increase three to four hundred feet. Weshould not have screwed up everything, as we did this last half-century. We should havecontinued to live in harmony with nature, respect it and the global warming would nothave happened.’The families begin to organize their farewell party because as it seems there are also Leith’sfamily members who join the evacuation vessels. They have already made several tripswith saplings ready for planting. They are now just waiting that we come to pick them up.They leave, if all goes as planned, with an army convoy between midnight and one o’clockin the morning. The members of the family of Penelope, the Axarz, leave at the sametime, but on horseback and across fields. Until then, the two families are celebrating thedeparture of their children and there are even some neighbors who have come to say goodluck. Members of both families who do not leave claim to want to finish their lives inprayer in the temple of Ozin.Pâris Bel-Ra has, contrary to what one might have thought, a lot of work with the evacuationplan. Assen-Ni, the prefect, and Ax-Tell, the head of the police are doing what theycan, but the central role is still him. Towards the second half of the morning he watchesthe time and is surprised to not see his daughter and Leith accompanied by their twoguards come back. He tries to call them on their communicators, but those seem to beswitched of. Concerned, he calls his guards and decides to go to the place where she andher companion went. Pending the arrival of his personal vehicle, he quickly makes a tourof the apartments, just to see if the two young people have returned without having hadnoticed. Which is not the case. Suddenly a strange feeling takes him and he fears not onlyfor his daughter, but especially for the poor Selena who has barely recovered from the previousordeal. He decides to go see her doctor and inform him that he must prepare for apsychological follow up. Going down the street in his car, he looks sadly at the distressingand unenviable spectacle of the old city where is normally animation with its little shops.More than two thirds of the blinds are lowered. He sees that even the small café whereLeith had his habits, is no more open, as is the beautician shop. Arrived at the office of theformer master, he finds that there is something abnormal. The carrier car, hired this morningby the Royal Guard, is no longer there. He sees inside four guards lying on the floor,some with bruises on the head and elsewhere. He asks his guards because coming out ofthe office by feeling strange, to immediately call health services and the forensic science.The trunks supposed to be filled, are only at half and are still there. The suitcases of Ussaare as she and Leith; missing. What he fears most is that the kidnappers don’t know howmuch time remains until the disaster. He knows very well that they want to obtain a safeconduct and that the army is very well able to free his daughter. But the time factor playsagainst them and that is what he fears most. He hopes that the two young people do notpanic and not let them go away with that. Awaiting the health service and police to come,he begins, helped by the guards, to serve the people coming to present their cases for theevacuation plan. There he becomes aware of the disarray of its citizens. Many are questioningwhy and they feel be abandoned by Ra. Then, there are those who accuse Sanieds154

Ten more days.to have altered the trajectory of Arcturus and that in retaliation with the war waged by thefederation. For the King, however, this argument does not stand up because the changingthe trajectory should have been done hundred three years ago. But at that time the federationhad good relations with them. The war is since the time that Ra-Ta took over powerand his ambition to control the world militarily and economically. It’s during that heserves its citizens that he receives a communication from his favorite detective; Ajax.‘Good morning Your Excellency, I am afraid I have bad and good news for you.’‘Tell me first the bad, I guess.’‘Indeed, sire. It’s Ussa; she was captured and is currently near the temple of Ozin.’‘How do you know?’‘She took by precaution, a micro-spy on her and this told us the place. But we cannottake action until that evening has come. It’s an isolated area and too light during the day.Only the monks of the temple have been able to visit her. The kidnappers don’t know thatthey work for us.’‘And Leith, her companion, he is where?’‘He is in shock with his family and that of Penelope, the beautician. He has a lot of worries.He is sorrowed for you and is full of reproaches. I’ll visit him a little later. Heplanned to spend one last evening with his relatives and the Axarz. They will then jointheir boat. They lead Leith, if possible to your ship, before going north.’‘You believe that we, my wife and me, should make him a visit? I think we owe it to Leith.I’m heartened that he cares about our pain because of Ussa and there is no reproach todo so. He is her friend and not her body guard.’‘Sure! He himself needs your support sire, it’s mutual.’‘See you in a moment in front of the stud of the Axarz.’‘See you in a moment sire.’Pâris suddenly remembers what Angelica asked him yesterday. He decides to send aguard at the palace with the mission of it. He may as well give them these pieces of identificationfor Penelope and Leith, and the one for their daughter. He remembers that he hadto hand over everything what is important for Ussa to Leith, even if he doesn’t understandthe reason. It’s not only Angelica who insisted on this, but also his parents-in-law. Thehealth service, which has come in the meantime, begins to ventilate the premises and tocarry the victims of aggression to the nursing room of the palace. He awaits the changingof the guards who continue to take care of people that come with their records. Thereafter,he must go to the palace to begin a very difficult task: inform his wife Selena. Hehopes she will be courageous, not loosing, like her parents told them, hope and that everythingwill be fine in spite of the appearances.Ajax has, as he had promised to Penelope, joined her family at their stud. It hasn’t beeneasy for him to find the place. He has deceived many times in spite of the detailed explanationsof Penelope and the mention of the field of the Ajahel’s. When he enters the domainof Axarz, nothing suggests that here people are preparing to flee. Although Arcturus is asmall star visible to the naked eye, no one is able, if we don’t know, to suspect that this littledot in the sky appears to be a killer star who has set his appointment for the next earlymorning. Ajax looks around and sees the boxes where they continue to care for horses asif nothing has happened. He seeks the place where the meeting takes place because Pene-155

Ussa disappears anew.lope has told him that there were many people. It’s when he wants to go to one of thepeople who treats a horse in its box in that moment that Penelope comes towards him andsays:‘Hi my friend, could you find us?’‘So, your explanation! I repeatedly went wrong. I had to ask people and they sent meback. I was much too far. You don’t live so far from the city.’‘But you, there was no easier. We are here on the main road for Ozin and just stop justbefore the arboricultural field of the Ajahels, they are the only ones in cutting trees likethis. But come, this is not serious. You could find and that’s the principal. Just comfortLeith. The poor blames himself in a unimaginable way. I’m sure you can release Ussa,can’t you?’‘Yes, that’s why I came. I intend to go there as soon as the evening starts to fall. Youknow, where she is, is fairly clear and easy to monitor. Only the monks of the temple wereable to enter without being suspicious. They were able to talk to Ussa and fortunately shespeaks Egyptian. So they could suggest her, to wait until it starts getting dark before tryingto get out. This former monastery, she knows, has a secret exit. But she could not attemptan escape until the night, otherwise they will see her. The police and army are around andwhen she comes out and at a secure place, the assault will be made. I guarantee you therewill be some travel with a single course to the kingdom of Ra. We also know that theyhave replaced the driver of that carrier car that the guards had rented this morning. Thevehicle was also reported stolen.‘The guys who’re in the “Bel Horizon”, what we’ll doing with them?’‘Well, one died and the other is just being arrested with his lieutenants. They were put incharge for an indefinite period, if you see what I mean.’They come in between to the place where the meeting takes place. It’s a barn that hasbeen cleaned and arranged for the occasion. When they enter through the large doors,Ajax sees Leith with two people who are obviously his parents because the resemblance isstriking. He goes towards them and sits down beside his mother on the bench andpresents himself. Leith’s parents present themselves in their turn and say they are saddenedby what has happened to Ussa. They are, unlike their son, more optimistic and believein a favorable outcome, which confirms Ajax. He continues to chat a moment withLeith and his parents, as a sudden excitement is spreading among the people and for a goodreason. On the outside come stop two transport vehicles and from one of them descendsthe King himself. He goes first to the house, but sees that Penelope comes to meet himand greets:‘Good morning Your Excellency, are welcome. Your wife is not coming with you?’‘Hello my dear,’ he says, ‘here she is.’‘Hello Penelope,’ she says, ‘how are you?’‘I’m well, it’s Leith who doesn’t go well. He is worrying. He did not even dare to contactyou. He feels guilty and responsible for what happened.’They are moving silently toward the barn where the guests are. Once entered, the Kingand his wife welcome everyone present and go to the location where Leith and his parentsare. He signals to Penelope to join them and reaches out of his bag three plastified documentsas Angelica has requested. He tells them:156

Ten more days.‘These are the documents necessary to reach your love. Penelope, my dear, don’t be surprised,you will need it. Even if I don’t know, like you, the way you two will join togetherwith my daughter, the kingdom where Angelica lives, these documents will there be required.This copy is the one of Ussa and must be carried by Leith. Don’t ask me why, all Iknow is that it appears very important to Angelica and my parents-in-law who are, likemines, no longer of this world as you know.’‘But,’ replies Penelope, ‘I have no intention to follow them, even if I want to.’‘Alas, my dear, I have confidential information, provided to me by my parents-in-law,that you go too.’‘Oh! Will this be my dream that comes true?’ She says.What she does not see is that Leith changes the color of his face to become pale becausehe remembers all too well what Ussa has narrated them the previous day, which is certainlya serious accident. It’s Selena who saves the situation:‘But surely you find a handsome man there. If Ra sends you there, it’s that someone iswaiting for you. I’m sure you’ll meet someone, as Leith and Ussa did.’Penelope sees that some of her neighbors are left with the guards who came with thesecond vehicle and asks:‘Still looking for things?’‘Yes,’ says Pâris, ‘we wanted to take seed in waterproof bags. I ordered the guards to goaround the peasants to take the maximum. The seeds will be useless here and people knowit. I don’t know how and how long we should withstand the situation, but I take the precautionto take as much as possible with me. There is a risk of several years, very, very difficultlife. Everything will to be started over again. I doubt even if our descendants will beable to pass our knowledge and wisdom to their children.’It’s thereafter that the King will talk a little bit everywhere and with everyone before returningto the table with the parents of Leith. He is pleased that there are not too manyproblems in his country, as this is the case in the neighboring state, Alta. There are skirmishesacross the country. The capital, Poseidia, is, according to his information, fully ransackedby looters. He is feeling a little pinch of heart when he thinks of this brave princewho, sent there, is trying whatever he can since Ra-Ta has buggered of. The evidence isthat we have no more emissions from Poseidia on the Bioscope. Emissions from four othersof the ten states have also stopped since a few days ago. It’s after having discussed awhile that they perceive that Ajax has disappeared. It’s Penelope who exclaims:‘Wow, Ajax goes without saying goodbye.’‘But my dear,’ says Ajax, ‘what you think. I was out with Felicity and Abdubu to seewhere we should go. I’m not sure whether I can come with you. I’m going to join theyacht with Jason and we will, I know it’s very risky, go to the middle of the lake and awaitthe sinking of the country there. It’s sufficient to leave after.’‘That’s right,’ says the King, ‘I circulated a document on this subject. I invited all thosewho have a boat to do that and come to join our armada thereafter. We will have then justa day to protect us against the heavy weather. According to my man of science, we willhave a quantity of rain for a millennium in two weeks only.’‘It’s as serious as that?’ Asks Helena. ‘It’s unimaginable. There will be nothing left butmud after.’157

Ussa disappears anew.‘Unfortunately yes, dear lady,’ says Pâris, ‘this is why we take young trees ready for plantingand seed with us.’‘Then,’ she says, ‘the seven plagues have not lied?’‘No Mom,’ says Leith, ‘that’s it. Moreover, Angelica confirmed it. All her stories speakabout it. She told us that it will preferable to avoid the Mediterranean and go further northor south.’‘Or in Egypt as the Hebrews have done’, says Selena.‘Then,’ says Pâris, ‘if they wait there for their guide, they may have to wait for a longtime.’‘What do you mean,’ says Ilosa, who had listened silently the conversation, ‘althoughthey expect the next coming of a guide who will guide them to the promised land, right?’‘I believe,’ says Leith in place of Pâris, ‘they have to wait eight thousand five hundredyears.’‘What do you mean,’ says his father, ‘how do you know that?’‘It’s Angelica who told me about that. I have narrated her the story of the Hebrew, andshe was able to put a name on him. He’s called, as she said, Moses and was born one thousandthree hundred years before her era. Since we are roughly nine thousand eight hundredyears before hers, make the difference.’‘Then,’ says Ajax to Penelope and Leith, ‘I’m going and I’m not sure if I will see youagain. I wish you good luck and have a good trip.’The friends have a long curly and have tears in their eyes as they greet and accompanyhim to the exit. The King, too, must go along with his wife and greets everyone. He says afinal word to Leith and Penelope:‘If you are not going to go with Angelica, assure me that you two are going to join myvessel, don’t you. I am sure that Ussa will be released by tomorrow. Leith, don’t worry, it’snot your fault. You have you tried to convince her not to come. So do me a favor andcome join us. Penelope, you take care of it, isn’t it. You come with your boat to mine andthen transship you and Leith, your luggage and those of Ussa. See you to tomorrow.’‘See you tomorrow Pâris’, they say in chorus.They accompany the royal couple to their car where they greet them at length by seeingthem leave in the direction of Osuo. Everyone enters with a heavy heart because theyknow they will perhaps ever see again during this live 40 . They want to benefit of the fewmoments they can stay together, before those who leave start heading for the port and theothers for the temple of Ozin where they want to end their lives in prayer.40 A part of the inhabitants of Atlantis, “The law of one”, believed in reincarnation!158

The last evening.Ussa has a heavy head. She thinks that it comes from the product, which they haveused to make her asleep. If you can call it sleep, it’s rather being knocked out. Ussadoes not remember at all how it happened. She remembers only that she entered with Leiththe office of Master Amilius, but nothing else. When she awoke, she found herself alreadyin this small room in the in-between basement of the monastery. She has later beenvisited by two priests of the temple of Ozin These two priests who came back visiting herjust a moment ago with the pretext to bring something to eat and drink, have promised toremain talking with the kidnappers for a diversion so that she could open the lock. Theyhave indicated where the hatch is and what path she should take once in the underground.She sees that night has fallen in the meantime and is on the lookout. She reads every noisefrom the rooms on the ground floor. Fortunately, the cells of the monastery in the in-betweenbasement are still fitted with locks of the same type as the former majority on thepalace. She knows them by heart. Since she hears no more noise coming from upstairs,she goes to work. She welcomes that her hairpins are solid models and well suited for thedelicate task she undertakes. “Shit,” she says to herself, “they left the key in the lock.” Sheturns the key gently in the upright position and pushes it slightly outside the lock withoutmaking it fall, which could alert the kidnappers. “So,” she says to herself “if I lift this latch, Icould release the one below”. After several unsuccessful attempts, due to a lock a little rusty, shemanages to release the locking mechanism. Thereafter, she needs the strength of the twopins to push the latch off the seat. Once outside the cell she listens carefully to determineif there is a danger, but all the kidnappers seem to sleep. It’s certain that the priests, whotook wine and food, have done something with it to make them sleep a little. Now shetries the trapdoor, hidden in a cupboard, like the library and at Penelope’s place. Themechanism appears to function similarly. Suddenly, she comes back on her steps and closesthe door of her cell, as she says: “It’s like a miraculous disappearance.” Coming back to theplace, she believes that her heart is going to stop. She hears a noise. “Shit,” she says forherself, “I’ve been caught.” But at the very moment that she thinks it she must retain herselfwith all her strength not to cry out loud because she has just crossed a big rat. She staysglued to the wall, with a face turning from red to purple, having the more and more difficultyto retain herself not to scream out loud, until this beast is willing to continue his path.But her suffering does not end there. Especially when he had the bad idea to come andsniff her shoes. Which is, however, certain, is that she now knows where the smell of badlywashed clothes came from. When this big rat, almost as big as a cat, decides finally tocontinue his way, she says for herself: “Whew! ” Arrived again at the place of the trap, sheactivates the mechanism and frees the entrance to the corridor of the underground. Oncethe door closed, making still enough noise, she is in complete darkness. She not only feelsuncomfortable, but has, since she was a child, a senseless fear of being in the dark. She realizesnow the courage demonstrated by Angelica and Leith. She says to herself: “if they arenot afraid, why me? ” She begins to follow the right wall, as the religious people have said it.She knows she is not entitled to the error, it’s the second right. Then, as they have said,159

The last evening.follow the left wall and behind the third door, is a staircase that finishes behind the altar ofa chapel dedicated to Zeus. But for now, she isn’t there yet. The corridor seems endlessuntil the first portion to the right lane. She says to herself: “This was the first, I have to takethe next one.” She has the impression that the corridor, which is not as dirty, wet and stinkingas the other one they had taken in fleeing the library on fire, turns slightly right. Sheloses contact again with the right wall and knows that she must enter into this corridor.She follows, as the men of faith have said, the left wall up to the third door. She opens thedoor and feels the fresh air that comes to her. Over her is another trapdoor, which sheopens. It’s, as they said, behind the altar of a chapel open to all winds. She sees, leavingthe chapel, that she is on the main road which goes from the temple to the station. Thereis, on the other hand, a way to run until the first houses and up to there, she may be seenby her captors. She starts to run as long as she can. She now regrets not having done thatwhat clearly Angelica has done: maintain physical activity to stay fit. Ussa has difficultymoving forward. Suddenly she sees a car, just beyond her, make a U turn and stoppingnext to her. She says to herself: “Shit, they came back and there is no place for me to hide.”It pleases Ajax that the vehicles are equipped with automatic navigation. That’s whatpermits him not only to greet the guests of the meeting in the Axarz place for a long time,but also to relax from the effect of coffee with this great old cider Brandy made by the Ajahel’sbecause he didn’t remain at the party with nothing to eat or drink. Once on the road,he gets out his detection device to see if Ussa is always in the same place, which is nolonger the case. His device indicates a very low signal, which means that she is in the undergroundcorridors. But before going to call Ax-Tell, he decides to go to the station ofOzin to reserve a cabin for Ussa and tell them to put reading, food and some drinks. Hetries several times to contact the King on his communicator, but he does not answer, andfor good reason, as being always busy. He does, however, not leave a message to the standardof the palace, you never know. The case of kidnapping and eventual release of Ussamust remain secret. He tries in between the communicator of Ussa which displays wellthat she is no longer in the monastery, but seems to be in the “stand-by” position. All it saysis that she is not far from where Ajax is now. The signal of the micro-spy remains low, butmoves. Ajax no matter where he looks at, can see nothing. He goes therefore first to thestation of Ozin to perform the necessary steps to reserve the cabin for Ussa. He then returnsin the direction of the signal, but without result. He sees a little chapel on the roadsideand in the middle of nowhere, but the signal remains low, even if the device indicates apoint in the middle of the field. He looks at the distance between this point and themonastery and finds that the daughter of the King is advancing rapidly. Suddenly he seesher changing direction. She has taken a right angle, which seems to go in the direction ofthis little chapel. He must, on the other hand, take a tour of the fields to join the mainroad and once on the road he just crosses Ussa, which runs as pursued by lions. He turnsaround and stops next to her, steps out of the vehicle and calls her:‘Miss, Miss! Stop, don’t fear and come in!’But she must be called several times because she seems to be panicking, fear of death.Then, she recognizes the detective who had worked for her father.‘Hello to you,’ she says, ‘and thank you for coming.’160

Ten more days.She climbs into his car and they go together to the station where the train to the portcity of Amaki is waiting. There, she has all the time to settle because the train is not readyto go, many people with baggage must be boarded yet. As soon as the train sets in motion,he greets the princess and wishes her a good trip and good luck because he is almost certainthat they will ever see again. The trip itself will take place as Angelica had dreamed tendays ago, who was also careful enough not to tell her. It’s when Ajax is back in his vehiclethat he takes communication with Ax-Tell.‘Hello my dear, how are you at this late hour?’‘Like you, I work, but I don’t think you call me for a small talk, do you?’‘No, indeed. I would like to point out that Ussa just left with the train in direction of theport of Amaki. I note that unfortunately the train is very late. I loved driving her to theport myself, but I know that the roads are impassable there.’‘You could have led her among the family of this Penelope, the Axarz, I think they jointheir boat on horseback through the fields.’‘I thought about that, but the time I go there, the Axarz are already gone for an hour.’‘I hope the train will arrive at the dock in time, in other words before the first tremorsbegin. Otherwise, he risks a derailment and that’s not what we need.’‘The zozos,’ says Ajax, ‘what about them?’‘I give the army order to attack, they are unlikely to leave with the evacuation plan.’It’s with these words that Ax-Tell closes the conversation. Ajax, tries again to get communicationwith the King, who answers this time.Penelope is happy that Leith remains with her. They do, not to overload these poorbeasts, take two horses for their own luggage and those of Ussa. The solemn meeting-stylefeast continued until midnight and this is when the guests begin to take the long, emotionalfarewell hugs. They all know they will never meet again, not in this life in any case for thebelievers among them. The ones set en route to the temple of Ozin, while the others arebeginning to prepare their horses. Some of them have already left with a military convoywhich came to pick them up just a moment ago. It’s Penelope who takes her favorite oldhorse, Phebus, and Leith takes his brother, of the same dam and the same standard,Ephebe, which has one year less. Leith assists Penelope to get into the saddle becausedrinking a little more than usual, she has some difficulty to get in all alone.‘Are you okay?’ asks Leith. ‘You manage to stay in the saddle? I don’t like see you fallingbecause there will be more hospital tomorrow.’‘No,’ she answers, ‘it will go. Have you checked if we have all our luggage. Don’t forgetthose of Ussa. Where is she right now?’‘I don’t know, her communicator indicates a fast movement, which means that she hastaken the train. I hope that the train is not too late because he must be at the platform beforethe tremors begin.’‘You know the exact time?’ She asks.‘No, I know it’s early in the morning, but nothing else. The King says he will overseecommunications with countries in the west, Oz, Om and Yuk. We have a good chancethat they will be cut at the time of impact and the shock wave comes to us in almost twentyminutes thereafter.’‘We must be far from the coast in six o’clock, seven at latest if I have understood, right?’161

The last evening.‘Yes, that’s right. So they are ready? The others?’ Asks Leith.‘Yes, I think so. So we go? It must be us that precede because it’s you and me who havepasses.’‘Passes? Why then?’ Asks Leith.‘But,’ replies Penelope, ‘from here, we have to pass north of the city and cross the riverOsuo. Bridges are guarded by the military and it’s only you and me who have a safe-conductfor us all signed by the King.’‘Yes, I hadn’t thought about it’, says Leith.They go silently up to the entrance of the city of Osuo. Noting that traffic is not as terribleas expected, they stop and it’s Penelope who asks Leith and the others:‘What do you think of it? I want to say last goodbye to our town. From here we cantake the Grande Rue to the palace and the railway station, go down passing the old town tothe boulevard and cross the bridge near the park. It must be feasible since it seems to methat those who have cars have already left the city.’‘I agree,’ says Leith, ‘what do the others say about it?’It’s after a few talks that everybody will agree. They continue the road to reach the citycenter by the Grande Rue. Leith is the first to feel sad. He sees, when they move up themain road towards the Place Royale, to his left on a side street next to a small beautifullyarranged place with trees, the library destroyed by arson. The Grande Rue itself is not asfriendly as before since most stores are lowered. There is some animation in front of thecity hall and the temple. Even as the authorities did not release the date and time of thecatastrophe, Arcturus is enormous and you can see it moving towards the west to the nakedeye. The most of the population guesses already that the next day comes perhaps ever.That’s why people do as the Axarz’s and Ajahel’s did, some finish the night in prayer at thetemple while others are celebrating in a solemn meeting and a little sad the departure oftheirs to a future more than uncertain. The small shopping street, where Penelope has hershop, offers the same show; stores closed and here and there some animation. Penelope aswell as Leith, but first of all Abdubu, who also makes the trip, have tears in their eyes whenthey pass in front of the tavern “The Gardens”. Many of the people and merchants who arenot leaving, are greeting them, surprised to see them travel as is, in passing. Penelope’sshop offers the same sad spectacle with its protective panels on the windows and shuttersclosed to the first floor. The only other place where are people, is the office of MasterAmilius. There also it’s Leith who has again tears in his eyes because normally he wouldhave continued his work. Arrived at the boulevard and passing the park, they see that evenMélia preferred to stay because there is light and music. Only Penelope wonders if it’sMélia herself because it could be that it’s her mother, she also a not leaver. Crossing thebridge of the river Osuo is not a problem either. In spite of the presence of military, aselsewhere in the city, there is neither control nor movement.‘Then,’ says Leith, ‘everyone said goodbye to his hometown? I must confess that I havesorrow, a lot of sorrow. And you, Penelope, what do you say?’‘It’s not that I am sad,’ she says between sobs, ‘these are sorrows I can’t get rid of. I ambeginning to believe that those who don’t want to go, are right, but I’m too young to diewithout trying to get out. I am also still convinced that I come with you. I don’t knowwhy, but I stick to it.’162

Ten more days.‘Hold on,’ says Leith to her and the others, ‘the hardest remains to be done. We stillhave six hours to go.’The rest of the road takes place like any ride, except it’s the last one and at night. Whenthey leave the suburbs where the houses spacing out increasingly, they take the path ofpeasants and pass through the fields. It’s like this, they arrive at the small harbor wheretheir boat is moored. Everyone descends from his horse and puts away his last luggage inthe hold of the boat. Penelope and Leith, on the other hand, leave, to the astonishment ofall, their luggage in the cabin. Once finished, they remove the harness from the horses andleave them free. These poor animals do first understand nothing and remain at the dockwatching their masters on board, before they begin to return. The sailors because they existamong them, verify all one last time the whole and drop the lines. Penelope and Leith,who remained at the stern look a little sadly the dock leaving while Abdubu puts the machinein full power. They both realize that their trip without return begins and that theywill see their country ever again. Abdubu is sad, but not for the same reason because it’sthe second time for him that he loses everything and must flee to an unknown destiny. Heknows how others feel, but for him it’s déjà vu, except that this time the conditions of survivalwill surely be tougher.‘Did you hear that?’ Asks Penelope, ‘I thought to have heard a roar.’‘You may be right,’ says Abdudbu, ‘the horses are crazed, they don’t know where to go.The poor.’‘What do you look at,’ asks Penelope him after a moment, ‘it’s like something that’s puzzlingyou? ‘‘That! There! This fog bank, it’s not normal. There is a strange glow inside, I never sawthat. Keep it in the eye!’‘But,’ asks Leith Abdubu, ‘why did you head for the east? I thought we were goingnorth, right?’‘The impact will certainly generate a tsunami,’ says Abdubu, ‘it’s better to be far fromshore.’Pâris-Ra Bel welcomes that there are not so many problems with the evacuation. It’s theopposite of what he feared. The only thing he fears now is that the impact of Arcturus willsurely, according to astrologer, astronomer and physicist, create a big wave flooding thecoast. His wife Selena took some tranquillizers and is currently in her cabin to rest. Theyare both very anxious for the life of their daughter. They eagerly await the call of their detective.It’s suddenly that he receives the long-awaited communication on his communicator.‘Hello Ajax,’ says the King, ‘how are you?’‘Good afternoon Your Excellency, I am sorry for the late hour, but I have an importantcommunication to make. Ussa, your daughter, has just left with the last convoy to the portof Amaki. What is not so good is that the convoy was delayed and it’s feared that this delaywill worsen. Your daughter is in a reserved compartment just behind the locomotive. Employeesof the Railway Company told me that the arrival, taking into account the delays onthe way down, will be between half past six and seven o’clock.’‘Thank you,’ says the King, ‘what do you do yourself? Can you join me, or is it to late?’163

The last evening.‘No, I cannot, I still have to go with a host committee to the kidnappers and then I willjoin Jason and Laïos on their yacht. I could not even go with the Axarz family, you know.They are gone when I get to stud.’‘So good luck and have a good trip. But where will you go?’‘We had planned to join the families of Macdonald and Macintosh in the north, theyhave land on the continent. The far north is certainly harsh, but safer at this point then thesouthern part of Gaulle. We must not forget, sire, that we will find ourselves thirteen degreesfurther south and it will be warmer thereafter. But before I forget, you and your wifehave a good trip and good luck.’‘Thank you very much.’‘One more thing, sire. Can you send me news of Ussa and Leith, I’m curious if they willget out of it and especially if their journey is really going to happen.’Angelica, who has taken the helm since an hour and a half after being awakened by herbrother, focuses on the map. She sees that they are only an hour of sailing from the placeindicated by Leith. She memorizes all the manipulations of urgency that her father taughther during the trip. Especially how to make a U-turn, approach another ship and others.From time to time she scans the horizon with her binoculars, even then when she is convincedthat their boat is going to them, she does not exclude to see them as survivors.From time to time she thinks, as she says, of her guy and wonders what he is doing at thistime. She knows very well that this “at this time” is eleven thousand eight hundred years inthe past, but it does not bother her. It’s for her in her head as if they are beside and thatit’s enough to just go there. She can’t get rid of this strange feeling of danger. She feels athreat to one of the four, probably Ussa. She decides to focus on navigation and not todaydream because the time and place of the appointment is coming near. She has only adozen minutes left to go to be there. She blocks the bar and goes down to wake up her fatherand brother, and then ascends again. Back at the helm, she sees that they are enteringa layer of fog. She says to herself: “Angelica don’t panic, there is worse.” It’s on throwing aglance at the GPS, that she finds that something goes wrong, the device displays a placecorresponding to the north pole, with all zeros everywhere and a small red light to indicatethat there is no satellite signal. Another glimpse at the magnetic compass learns her thatit’s also panic-stricken as her.‘PAPA! JULIAN! HELP!’Suddenly the fog lifts and a sad sight is showing. She sees a coastal area where a trainderailed, people in the process of drowning in the waters of a port where small boats aretrying to recover these poor people in the middle of the various debris that have been carriedoff shore by a tsunami. In looking at a large wooden wall of a wagon, not far to starboard,she recognizes the silhouette of a young woman, with jet black hair, lying unconsciouson it. Then she shouts again:‘PAPA! JULIAN! HELP! There’s Ussa to starboard. She’s drowning! Come quickly!’She begins in the meantime the emergency procedure to return the boat and stop, likeher father has taught her and as one must do when someone fell into the water.164

TRien ne va plus!he day starts to rise, this morning the thirteenth day of Leo, the fateful date. Theroyal ship is still docked where Pâris, the King, seems to be very busy with the lastwho leave. He likes to be present, he feels responsible for the correct approach. He is, onthe other hand, as his wife Selena, very worried. He fears that his daughter cannot reachthem before they must release the quay. The captains of vessels have actually decided toget off at the time of impact or shortly thereafter. To monitor this fateful moment, the radiooperators of the royal ship verify communications at all times because they know,thanks to information supplied by Angelica, that communications with friendly countries inthe west will be the first to be cut at this time there. Pâris went to see an officer of themaritime railway terminal, to see if there is a chance that the train will arrive soon. Theemployee does what he can and informs him that the train has just left the station of Osuo.The King knows that the journey, even if the employees do what they can, is a good halfhour to the port area of Amaki. He is, like the others have done in the meantime, backaboard his boat where Selena awaits him. She is very anxious, much more than her husband.The doctor has prescribed her some tranquillizers and wanted even to give herenough to sleep. She did not agree, remembering what the beautiful Gallic girl told them:to come to them with the luggage once they have seen their sailboat. She decides to regroupher forces and do what Angelica asked her: prepare the luggage of her daughter. Shehas come back up on deck in the meantime see her husband because she wants to add gifts,not only for Angelica, but also for her family. She could keep the baggage if Ussa evercomes to join their ship or if Angelica and her family do not come to pick her up. In thecase that she joins Angelica and her family, she could give her what she needs in her newlife. Selena knows that farewell will surely be emotional and that we must not let us go.Suddenly she wonders what Leith could be doing. She regrets that they remained withoutnews of him. She puts the bags in evidence on the bed and climbs on deck, where is alreadyPâris, her husband, also anxious as she, even if he does not show it.‘Pâris, my dear, do we have news about Leith? I thought he would come with us.’‘No, my dear, he has, however, foreseen to come to us with the fishing boat of Penelope.’‘We will take them with us, don’t we. Penelope also, no?’‘Of course my dear, but be sure they arrive first. I don’t see them anywhere. I don’teven know where their home base is. I think it’s further south and that they wanted to dothe journey on horseback in order not to be bothered by traffic. They had planned toleave between six and seven o’clock. They can logically show up at any time.’‘Sire! Sire! Says an employee, ‘radio contact was lost with the countries of Oz, Yuk andOm. We have just informed the captain and he probably wants to leave the port within tenminutes.’‘Damn, don’t tell me that. Where is my daughter? Where is the train?’165

Rien ne va plus!‘PÂRIS!’ Says Selena, who sees that her husband was about to get off the ship, ‘youdon’t go off now. Allow them to deal with the arrival of Ussa. She could come on boardusing a ferry. This is what we had originally planned anyway.’‘I’ll see the captain. We must decide what we will do now. It’s fine to continue toaboard a maximum of people, but we can’t endanger those who are already on the boats.In addition, we must notify the harbor authorities that they send a message to ships to stayaway from the coast during the initial shock. Then, we can see and assess the damage.’‘Should we not send a message to people on the dock to go further inland,’ asks Selena,‘they could be rescued later, isn’t it?’Hector, the train engineer, is angry against himself and is mainly against those responsiblefor railway stations. They have in fact received a communication that they should certainlynot delay the last convoy, as painful as this for those who remain behind. Now thereis a delay so dangerous that in case of problems, passengers will no longer be rescued. Heknows since the departure of Ozin, that he has Princess Ussa on board and it’s imperativeto save her at any cost, he owes that the King. It was annoying having to wait the addingof cars on this countryside station near the city of Osuo. The convoy has become unnecessarilylong and difficult to drive now because the old cars added do not support highspeeds. He finds himself thus with a delay of thirty minutes, which is twenty minutes toolate to get safely to the maritime terminal of Amaki. He knows that military and evacuationvessels will not wait beyond this period because the collision of the comet with the earth isexpected in any minute from now. Specialists have said that there would be a delay ofabout twenty minutes between the time of impact and the first earthquakes over here. Hebegins in the meantime to perceive the port area of the city that is fast approaching whilethe train runs along the port towards the maritime terminal with its crowds of people andtheir baggage awaiting shipment. Suddenly he feels a seismic jolt, then another more violent.The locomotive is pitching dangerously. Hector tries to slow down his convoy, butthe soil seems to stall below and in spite of his desperate attempts to stop it, the train acceleratesand derails. During the derailment, he runs back and enters the compartment wherethe princess is. The latter clings already to the structures of the car. He takes her by thearm and tries to get her out of there. It’s in that moment that the car breaks down. Hectorhas just enough time to put the princess on one of the walls of the first car disintegrated,which is rapidly swept away by a current out to sea. Hector himself is trying to move tothe rear of the train holding on the remaining structures to try to save other people. Thereis little doubt that the military will do its best to evacuate. Even if the big ships have alreadyleft the port by precaution, there are many small boats which go forth and back betweenthe disaster area and evacuation vessels. Hector himself does not even matter if he issaved or not, he puts, like many other believers do, his destiny in the hands of Ra.Leith, who holds Pénélope by her shoulder, looks at the sad spectacle of the coast oftheir beloved country go away. Abdubu, who steers the boat, explains to him the path totake and why first go away from the coast. Penelope still has tears in her eyes. She feelsterribly sorry and fears that she will be homesick, like Ussa. Selena had told her how Ussa166

Ten more days.felt during her study visit to Egypt. The disorientation, the feeling of being abandoned, herperiods of nostalgia and other ills still less well defined.‘Come on,’ she says to Leith, ‘let’s go in the cabin. I voluntarily take a drink, and you?’‘Yes, it’s a good idea. I have anyway to prepare a conversion table for the seafarers.’‘Conversion table? Why?’‘Well! In a couple of days at most, we will find ourselves with an Arctic moved thirteendegrees further south on the axis of the twenty-first Ouest 41 longitude. It’s necessary thatAbdubu and your cousins should be able to correct their position, right? You don’t wantthem to be six hundred nautical miles of their correct position, don’t you?’‘You’re right,’ says Penelope, ‘I haven’t thought about that.’Felicity, who ascended to the bridge in time, comes down after a while and says that theroyal ship has left the port. Suddenly the roar of just a moment is now growing. They allfeel how the boat is taken by a big wave. They must keep to the sides. Once finished, Felicityis going back to the bridge to see what happened. Leith and Penelope also ascendand they see all this horrible spectacle. In the distance, at the port of Amaki a train derailedin the quake, and not only, there was a tsunami which swept away all in its path. From thefront of the train, is only a pile of debris left worn off by the wave. They note that thelarge ships have already left the port and only small boats are trying to do their best. It’s aspectacle of desolation and many people are carried off, screaming for help. Animals thatwere at the rear of the train, were released and are looking to save towards the inland. It’sAbdubu, having kept an eye on the strange fog bank, who sees first the white sailboat. Felicity,who sees it too, says:‘Listen well! There is someone who desperately calls Leith. I think it comes from there’,she says showing the sailboat with her finger.‘Yes, I hear it too’, says Abdubu. ‘Where is Leith? I’m sure that it’s his girlfriend thereon the bow of the boat. She looks in the wrong direction. She believes him in the processof drowning.’‘You have a long view?’ Asks Penelope him. ‘I have the impression that they have recoveredour Ussa.’‘Oh, there it is.’‘But yes, it’s she’, says Penelope looking with the long view. ‘She is in the arms of herlover. Abdubu, put the cap on them, we will join them. Isn’t it Leith?’ She says turning tohim.What is curious, is that there is no one on the sailboat who sees the boat of the Axarzcome closer. It’s Cecilia, Angelica’s mother, who first sees them and tries in vain to call herdaughter, who continues to scream as being grazed alive on the bow. Only when the fishingboat, looking live a Newfoundlander, but smaller, is already very close that Angelica, intriguedby the noise, turns around and sees her Leith on this boat. She jumps from onevessel to another without worrying about the relatively large distance still between themand heads for Leith, kisses him and whispering him, to him incomprehensible, smallwords. All he understands is that she is madly in love. She then proceeds with her presentationto the crew shaking hands with everyone. Once the boats approached, Leith andAngelica transship with his bags on the boat and it’s Penelope who wants to follow the lat-41 Old position of the North pole, 77° North, 50° West. To know more; read « Était-elle l’Atlantide » from the sameauthor. (We imagine that they had their meridian « Zero » at their sacred mountain, our Mount « Pico »).167

Rien ne va plus!est bags of Ussa and say them “hello”. It’s Angelica who reacts as she is used to do, with areflex of a wild cat because she heard, like everyone else; a “boom”. It’s Penelope who justdrag on board and fell into the water hitting her head violently against the side and disappearsunder the waves with one of the bags.‘SHIT! SHIT!’ She shouts, ‘JULIAN, COME QUICKLY.’Leith, who has noticed anything, turns around and sees Angelica disappearing beneaththe waves in turn. He rushes to the edge, shouting her name looking disappointed thebubbles coming up. It’s Ussa, still a bit stunned by the accident of the train, who puts herhand on his shoulder and says:‘Don’t fear Leith; she can swim. They are trying to save Penelope. You see, her motherhas already released her first-aid kit.’It’s now that Armand, the father of Angelica, gives them a sign to go away from theedge because his two children come back up with Penelope having a bloodied head. Whilethe two get on, Cecilia makes mouth-to-mouth to Penelope while Armand does her, alternatelywith his wife, cardiac massage. Suddenly, Ussa moans something. She sees her bagfloat away from the boat because Penelope came with hers. She tries to explain that to Angelicathat it’s her bag and Angelica, who does understands nothing of that Ussa says her,but understands that the contents is very important to her. She therefore makes a new diveand leaves as a torpedo a trace of bubbles toward the bag by coming back to the surfacebehind it and returns to sailboat with it, pushing it before her, creating therefore admiringglances from all sides. It’s Ussa who says to Leith:‘What a great idea you have had to ensure that it floats, otherwise I would have lost everything.’‘This is not my idea, but that of Angelica.’‘Hey say me,’ says Abdubu to Leith, who came on board to say “hello” to the assembled,‘your girlfriend reacts like a wild cat. I hadn’t understood yet what was happening yet, asshe already plunged to recover her.’‘Except,’ says Ussa, ‘that cats fear in principle water and don’t dive as she did just now.’Ussa looks out to sea, sees a shuttle that is rapidly coming closer and adds:‘Oh! My parents accompanied the board doctor.’‘Mom,’ says Angelica, back on board with the bag, ‘you can save her, can’t you? Don’ttell me that the poor Penelope is going to die.’‘No darling, she breathes again, but has a fairly serious head injury. She should be transportedto a hospital as soon as possible. I will, meanwhile, do what I can, but I fear theyhave no more hospitals here. I doubt that even the ship there, the one of the King, has asufficient sophisticated health service on board for such an intervention.’‘Look Mom! It’s Pâris and Selena who are arriving with another man. He has a bag likeyou, it’s surely the king’s personal doctor. Maybe they talk a little old Greek there. So youcould talk a little. I am sure they saw what happened and took their doctor with them.’Pâris Bel-Ra is very saddened by the fact that the captain refused to wait any longer.The sailors are preparing to cast off. According to the captain, who is, as everyone knows,the only master on board, the shock wave could come here within ten minutes. The controloffice has sent a message to all vessels to leave the port and wait offshore. Expertsfear in fact a big wave breaking on the coast and this is why they prefer that all vessels168

Ten more days.leave the port temporarily. Pâris and Selena feel weariness when the royal ship leaves thedock to go off. They know that it’s for the best of the many people already on board.They should not be put more in jeopardy. It’s also time to start to assemble the armada ofdifferent boats so that the smallest vessels are inside and the large ones of the army abroad,to be able to protect others from the big weather that will surely follow. The royal couplescans the horizon with a long view to see if the train with their daughter arrives in time.The army left a fast launch near the dock to the transship her. Their ship comes in themeantime to stop just there, where the waters are deeper and less risky.‘Here,’ says Selena, ‘I see the train coming.’‘Where is it,’ says Pâris, ‘I see nothing.’‘Here in the distance,’ she says, ‘take the long view and you will see.’‘But it’s still far’, he says, ‘he never arrives in time. It’s very dangerous what he does. Heshould wait there where he is now. The tremor may begin at any time.’‘Sire,’ says a radio operator to him by submitting a paper, ‘I have a message for you fromthe west.’He opens and sees skimming though the message that tremors began on this side there.The message speaks of a wave going up to the sky. The message also says that sea waterhas drawn back before forming a big wave. Only those residing in highest places havebeen spared and the large vessels that had already searched the depths.‘My dear,’ asks Pâris to his man of science by showing him the message he received,‘how much time do we have left?’‘Five minutes at most, sire.’‘But it’s horrible,’ says Selena, ‘the train is not yet at the station and I fear for the life ofour daughter.’‘Don’t forget that all those other poor people in the same train,’ says the King, ‘they alsohave right to live. But the damage is done and we must now try to make the best possibleway.’‘Here,’ says Selena, ‘he comes. He enters the port area. With a bit of luck he may reachthe station in time.’But she has just expressed her wishes that the engine starts to pitch dangerously. Youcan easily hear the screech of the brakes. The engineer tries to make an emergency brake,but a new jolt derails the convoy. At the same time, the ground below seems to stall belowand the locomotive and the first cars brake in seawater. Pâris must hold his wife, appalledby aspects of the disaster.‘Oh! Pâris what do we do without our daughter?’ She says between sobs, ‘look, her caris completely destroyed. Only the walls are left.’‘Quiet baby, there is a brave man, I am sure that it’s the engineer, who has saved peoplefrom the first car and has put them on the walls. Pass me the long view, I see our girl onone of them.’The reflux preceding the big wave had not occurred. The water rose very high, like awave on the country and immediately receded, taking with it the debris. On one of thesedebris, a wall of the car, is actually Ussa. There are also among the debris: people, somedead, others clung to a beam and some onto their luggage. It are the small vessels not affectedby this movement of water, which are trying to save them and bring them to larger169

Rien ne va plus!vessels waiting outside offshore. It’s Selena, looking with the long view in the direction ofa fog bank, who says:‘Pâris, look here. Have you seen this beautiful sailboat? I think it’s turning.’‘Yes, I see,’ he says, ‘I am sure it’s the Gallic girl and her family that came. I didn’t see itcoming from elsewhere. They came from nowhere.’‘No,’ says his wife, ‘they came out of this weird fog bench, there. I’ve seen them comeout of there. But they picked up our daughter! Quickly, let us prepare a quick a fast shuttle,we will join them with her luggage. Don’t forget to take the board doctor because Ithink she is unconscious.’‘You have done more luggage for her?’ Asks Pâris.‘Yes, mostly small things to which she sticks terribly, the little girl clothes, jewelry, ornamentsand other souvenirs. I kept some for us to keep a memento of her. But she willneed it in her new life. And not to forget them, the gifts about which I have talked to youa moment ago.’‘Ah! Yes, I’ve almost forgotten it,’ says the King. ‘Oh,’ he continues, ‘there is anotherboat goes out to them, I think that it’s the family of Penelope with Leith aboard.’As they approach the sailboat from the Leblanc family, they are powerless in seeing theaccident of Penelope and the courageous response of Angelica, especially when she repeatsit to recover a bag that Selena recognizes as being Ussa’s.‘Have you seen how this girl swims?’ Says Selena.‘Yes, I saw. Poor Leith, he thought she would drown too. But note that they swim bothvery well. Moreover, her brother and her father know the gestures that save lives. Theyprobably spend most of their free time by the sea and are accustomed to these types oftasks.’Angelica and Cecilia, her mother, brought Penelope gently into the cabin where Cecilia,who is a nurse, conducts first aid. Penelope, only unconscious and not in a coma as theyfirst feared, is groaning from time to time little incomprehensible words. Cecilia takes advantageof this to try out her reflexes.‘Why are you doing this, Mom?‘To see if the spine is not broken, she wouldn’t react to picks on her feet if this was thecase.’‘I see, fortunately for her. But the head, she must have a fractured skull, isn’t it.’‘Yes, that’s it, it’s not broken completely, but surgery must take place very quickly.While we are at sea, she must remain in this position and let her sleep. I will put her on infusion.Once on land, she should be transported by emergency in a hospital.’Leith, who followed, tries, by making signs with his hands, to ask if it’s serious. He approacheshis bistro girlfriend and gently caressing her hair. Then, he points to the bloodiedlocation and says with a questioning eye; “AY”. Cecilia tries to make him understand thatit’s delicate. They then leave the cabin, intrigued by an engine noise, followed by fragmentsof voices. It’s Cecilia which reacts first:‘Still more bags? It’s a move!’‘Than Mom,’ says Julian, ‘this is Pâris and Selena Bel-Ra, the parents of Ussa in the flesh.This gentleman here is a medic, try to speak to him in ancient Greek, perhaps he understandsyou. About moving, these bags appear to contain memories of Ussa to which she170

Ten more days.holds, then those are the ones of Penelope, for as I believe they cannot take her in the stateshe is. We have enough room to fit all, don’t worry.’‘So Ussa, Leith,’ says Pâris, ‘you don’t come with us I guess?’‘No, Dad,’ says Ussa, ‘I love you and I will never forget you, but my place is next to Julian.To speak we will do well. Use the Biovoix if you want to talk to us. I think Julianand Angelica had planned to go from time to time see this Monique in order to talk to you.’‘Hello,’ says Leith, ‘I think staying with Angelica. I think we will soon try to returnhome. They will certainly go to where they came from just now. I can’t wait to discovertheir country, although I find it difficult to leave mine. I think however, looking at thespeed that the land goes down, that in only a half day everything will be below sea level.’Julian, who came in between, takes a questioning look because he does not understandto the words expressed, even if the language seems him familiar. He begins to reach hishand out to Pâris and asks him something that the King does not understand. Then, he repeatsthe same thing to Selena by making gestures towards Ussa.‘Pâris,’ says Selena, ‘I understood what he meant, he asks the hand of Ussa!’‘It’s good Selena, let’s accept it. Do we have something with us for offering him?’‘Give him your ring of our engagement.’‘But you don’t think about it, don’t you!’ Says Pâris.‘Si! You got it yourself from my father. Now it’s up to you to retransmit it. Ussa willexplain what this gesture means.The King removes his ring from his finger, takes the hand of Julian and puts him it,adding words that Julian does not understand, but who guesses the meaning. It’s Ussa whothanks her parents in his place:‘Thank you Dad, thank you Mom, I’ll do the same with his parents, but I doubt they willgive me a ring now.’Then follows the long curly farewell between daughter and parents. It’s Selena whotakes the initiative to take Julian in her arms and wishes him good luck. Pâris follows herexample.‘Attention,’ says Leith coming on the scenery, ‘the Gauls have the habit of kissing betweenfriends, with the exception of boys. Therefore only girl-girl and girl-boy. A kiss oneach cheek, twice between good friends.’In this time the doctor comes out of the cabin with Cecilia and expresses reservationsabout the fate of Penelope:‘Ussa, Leith, you are the only two to understand me. This woman can’t come with us,we have no surgical instruments needed for an operation. If she goes with her family, itwill be for her funeral. Angelica’s mother is very capable and was able to understand me.She knows how to keep her alive for five days at sea. It would be the best that she couldbe quickly transported to a hospital, but she has a chance of survival if she is well treatedduring the trip. However, those who sail must watch over her permanently.’‘Leith, my boy, watch well over Ussa and your little tigresses’, says Selena. ‘Good luck inyour new life. I think, looking at the anxiety of Angelica, that it’s time for them to leave.’And she continues by addressing her daughter: ‘Ussa my child, watch well over yours and Iwish you the best and good luck in your new life. Do not hide in a cupboard when somethinggoes wrong, they will help you.’171

Rien ne va plus!“Armand, Cecilia,” she says toward the parents of Angelica and Julian waving them tocome to her and her husband. It follows shy braces between the parents and it’s Selenawho dares to kiss first. Pâris follows timidly her example. The words, on the other hand,exchanged by the four are not well understood, but that is unimportant. On the other sideof the boat, the same ceremonies take place between friends of yesteryear. Leith and Ussapromise to keep in touch by Monique interposed. They promise to provide news aboutPenelope, since it’s Felicity who has great difficulty because of the accident of her cousin.Abdubu as being more optimistic, tries to console her by saying she will surely be in a betterworld, but is on the other hand careful enough not to say what he means by “betterworld”. It’s Angelica who ends this appointment not as another by putting the jib and mainsail in position. She seems to be in a hurry because in addition to the sails she started, tothe astonishment of all, the engine and is ready to put it in the position “Full Forward”.‘Hey guys! Time of departure! Off the moorings.’‘But what are you doing,’ says her father, ‘suddenly in a hurry?’‘YES! Look there!’ She says pointing with her hand in the direction of the fog bank,‘our window is closing. I like this country, I like these people, but I want to go home.’She doesn’t wait for the rest, nor whether it pleases or not to others and puts the enginein full power, making Ussa shiver, worried by the strange noise coming from the belly ofthe boat. The two other boats tries in vain to accompany them to fog bank, but must recognizethat this beautiful white bird takes a speed well beyond the capacity of their meansof propulsion. It’s especially Abdudu who is full of admiration. He says to the King andothers close to them in their boat, whose crew try in vain, as Abdubu, to follow the yacht:‘Wow! You saw that? It’s at least twenty knots, if not more. I am at maximum powerand no way to do more than half of its speed. It’s not an ordinary yacht. This is certainlyone which we can use for racing.’‘I think this girl is right,’ says Pâris, ‘she does not want to stay here. She wants to gohome there from where they came from.’It was after the last wishes of everyone that the boat disappeared in the fog as it came anhour and a half earlier. Although nobody has paid attention to the lightning coming out ofa small box of Julian. It’s Ussa who finally understood what Cecilia and Julian have doneand she tels Leith designating Cecilia with her finger:‘You see Leith, she did as Julian, she takes images with that little box. We will havememories of our own.’When they look again behind them, their country has disappeared, leaving the place tothe ocean and nothing but water to see. Suddenly there is silence, Angelica has just cut theengine and only the waves against the hull remain audible.172

A11’800 years later.ngelica, who still holds the helm, looks a little incredulous the display of the navigationinstruments. She tries to, making gestures with little words, explain Leith howto stay at course. She descends, whilst Leith does, a little uptight, that what he can, to lookfor maritime map in the cabin. Her father, surprised to see her coming down, asks:‘You’re not steering?’‘No, my guy is doing very well. He is still a little tense, but he succeeds staying atcourse.’‘What do you want?’‘There is something wrong. Can you check a position using the sextant?’‘Why?’‘I feel that the GPS goes wild. It displays a different position and four days later than wesupposed to be.’‘I’ll verify it, I have anyway to contact the ships around. I wonder whether it’s not betterto call for help because of Penelope.’While Angelica goes back with the map her father seeks contact with ships in the vicinityusing the VHF on channel six, eight, seventy-two and seventy-seven, provided for that purpose.Leith, who stoically takes the helm, follows with a loving eye all that what his girlfrienddoes. He suddenly understands that she seeks to find her way on a sea map usingthis small device displaying digits 42 resembling those used by the Sanieds. Suddenly Leithunderstands, even if unable to read the Gallic hieroglyphics, what the two names next to asmall cross mean. He asks:‘Leith? Ussa?’She nods and sees that her friend has tears in his eyes because the cross is in the middleof nowhere. While she explains the best she can where they are and where they have to go,using the card as support, her father comes up to see the navigation system.‘Then my daughter, your GPS does not go wild. We are well and truly in the position indicated.In addition, the unit has updated himself with the time and date. We are staggeredby four days. This is what the captain of the Charles De Gaulle said to me. They were inour research since that time, as declared missing at sea. It’s one of their planes making anexercise who saw us disappear and it was he who gave the warning, they remained sincethen in the area to seek us. Regarding Penelope, they send a helicopter with a medic, asthey want to recover and put her on a shuttle to Paris-Villacoublay and from there on tothe hospitalization center of La Pitié Salpétrière. With bit of luck she will be on the operationtable before tonight.’‘They come in how long?’ Asks Angelica.‘In a half hour or so. They are more north and this is the flight time. I think they wantto delay the shuttle to Paris pending the return of the helicopter with Penelope.’‘But Dad, if we fail four days, we will come four days later at home. Do we haveenough time? We must return this boat, don’t we?’42 Our digits 0-9 come from the Arabs, who inherited them in their turn from India.173

11’800 years later.‘Okay, we had planned to stay a few days in the area, remember you. We will haveenough time to return the easy way, if we go right away. Do you know if our two additionalchildren are seasick?’‘No clue Dad. I have, on the other hand, something else to say; Julian received an engagementring from his father-in-law. I fear that Mom has now to surrender one to Ussaand it’s up to you to provide one for Leith at the time. I am also sure that the mother ofLeith has instructed either Ussa or Penelope to deliver her own to me. It seems to me thatit’s a habit for them to do so.’‘You don’t even want to get engaged at sixteen years?’‘I love him and he loves me too.’‘You’re still a little young, but I know you well enough to know that I can’t stop youfrom doing what you have in mind. I believe that I must prepare for a storm. I already anticipatethe reaction of Cecilia. Go easy my daughter.’While they focus on navigation and route to be taken in the sight of a Leith seeking tounderstand, a helicopter noise is heard. They then maneuver the boat into neutral positionand move the veils so that the helicopter can lower a stretcher with a doctor. Ussa, appalledby noise, comes out of the cabin where she had watched over Penelope to see whathappens. She asks, anxiously watching the helicopter, Leith: “War Machine from theSaneids? ”‘No, don’t worry,’ says Leith, ‘it’s theirs. They come to pick up Penelope and take her toa hospital. This is what I could understand anyway.’While one of the men, the doctor, treats Penelope and puts her, assisted by Cecilia, Armandand Julian on the stretcher, the other man listens carefully to Angelica who tells himall the adventure they have experienced. She also asks whether it’s possible to take a bloodtest at the other two for a search of ethnicity and transmit the result to the custom servicesof Fécamp. Her father involves in the conversation and says: “If my daughter says it’s important,believe me, then it will be important. She never goes mistaken with these kinds of things.” Whatman does not immediately understand, is that she asks him to include the bones of eight toten thousand years before Jesus Christ found in the Pyrenees in the comparison, but hepromises to do the necessary steps.‘Then,’ says Armand, ‘say goodbye to Penelope. They will go back on board of theCharles de Gaulle and from there they lead her to a Paris hospital. They will contact us assoon as we return from our trip. I think the diagnoses are reserved. I know now, shewould not have survived the trip without lasting sequelae. Let’s be happy that our aircraftcarrier was found nearby.’Cecilia, who is out, did not notice that her daughter Angelica has begun, helped by Ussa,to store the various bags. Ussa who did not initially suspect something, suddenly understandsthe intentions of her fiancé’s sister and becomes red when she realizes that Angelicawants her to share the sleeping cabin with Julian. It’s when Angelica stores Leith’s businessin hers that her mother, Cecilia, comes in the cabin and objects:‘You don’t think of it anyway! Once you see a boy, you want to sleep with him. You’retoo young! Put me this elsewhere!’‘NO!’‘How NO? YES!’174

Ten more days.‘Mom stop me …’‘You must …’‘MOM! Stop your “musts” and imperatives!’Ussa, who remains there without saying anything, watches the fight and thinks to herself:“Hey! Well! Two tigresses that clash. They do not even take time to listen.” Armand who iswith Julian and Leith at the helm, says, hearing the roars of voice, to his son:‘I think we have a storm down there. I can’t make Cecilia understand that she should nolonger talk to Angelica as a child and especially not to speak at the imperative tense. Shehas a short fuse when we do that.Leith has joined Ussa in the meantime to try to understand why they fight. Ussa explainswhat she understood about the sharing of cabins and adds:‘She wants to ensure your love. She fears her girlfriend Alicia. She believes to lose youand wants at least spend the days at sea with you. Reassure her! She needs you.’Nothing but that Ussa pronounces the word “Alicia” is sufficient to trigger an attack ofhysteria among Angelica. Ussa believes that this dialogue of the deaf has gone on longenough and charges.‘Oh,’ says Armand to Julian, ‘look yours. She eventually stopped to be a nice and prettygirl. She turned into lioness that charges.’Ussa is placed before them by putting up right, taking a hard look and talking as an armysergeant does to new recruits in having lowered the tone of her voice as a man. She makesunderstand Cecilia, by putting her finger on the mouth followed by the gesture by pointingto the ear to listen and not to talk. She then makes understand Angelica to talk.‘I am no longer a little girl Mom. Your little girl is dead Mom. Dead! Dead! Dead!’‘But …’ Cecilia fails to get any further, she finds her words cut off with a furious look ofUssa, which signals to Angelica to continue.‘I became a young woman Mom, why did you not see anything? Why didn’t you see yourlittle girl grow up? She is dead Mom! She doesn’t exist but in your memories! Hey! I’llshow you something that’ll marvel.’To the astonishment of all, she goes in the sleeping cabin of Julian and comes back witha bag of Ussa who is making big eyes, but says nothing. She opens it and takes out a littlegirl’s dress and goes on to say:‘You see Mom, the mom of Ussa, she kept all! You see how she’s cute her little girlsdress? Why didn’t you do that? I so loved to have few memories of my childhood, but allI have are a few photos.’‘But …’ Cecilia finds her words cut again by Ussa who wants Angelica to continue.‘Yes, Mom, I spun all my loves off to Alicia. She doesn’t care. She takes them andthrows them away after use, such as dirty rags. I can’t. I have always sought someone wholoves me. There is a little less than two years that I gave in to the request of one to sleepwith him. It hurt me horribly. I felt dirty and I was scared to dead to be pregnant. Themore, he was pretty brutal. The whole hasn’t been of any use anyway because he left thenext day with someone else. They are rotten these little guys, once they got what theywant; they throw you away like a common paper handkerchief. I then dropped all the boyswho didn’t want other than sleep with me. There was no one that really loved me. You rememberwell my depression, but you never wanted to know why. It was as usual, youdon’t listen to me. You cut me the words off and you start with your “musts” and impera-175

11’800 years later.tives. In addition, you did not find better than send me to this dumb psy. Mommy, whydo you not understand, I am also a woman, who needs to talk to another in whom shetrusts. There are things I can’t discuss with Dad or with Julian or with the therapist becausehe is a man too. And I don’t want to discuss this with Alicia or other girls. I haven’tbut you. Mom. Then, listen to me when I need you. I do have Leith now and I don’tshare him. If Alicia dares to touch him, I’LL KILL HER! Let him me now. What mattersif I spend the night with him here or elsewhere. So Mom treat me as a young woman andnot a little girl.’‘Come,’ says Ussa to Leith and Julian, ‘let us go on the bridge and leave them alone.They need to talk.’Ussa must repeat what she said, using gestures to communicate to Julian that he mustleave his parents and his sister a moment between them. She picks up the sea map, takesJulian by his arm, and goes to the helm. She makes a circle in the air with her finger, thenpoints on the map with a questioning look. Leith wanted to intervene, but suddenly understandsthat Ussa wants Julian to explain it and keeps silent. She is surprised to see that theyadvanced only a few fingers, their centimeter.‘Leith,’ she says by turning to him, ‘these hieroglyphics, they mean our names?’‘Unfortunately yes, there are things to learn. This sign, the cross there, is not one oftheir letters, this is where our country was. We are here at this time’, he continues by designatinga place in the middle of nowhere on the map. ‘This device indicates our position,you see.’It’s Julian, trying to follow the words, who sees that his love one has tears in her eyesand understands that she is in grief because of her beloved country disappeared. He triesto comfort her by whispering sweet words in her ear. He then shows, for diversion, howto hold the course and he shows her the route they are taking. Armand who comes back,nods his head to Ussa to descend into the cabin to join the two other women as they havebegun to watch her wardrobe and her memories of little girl and need her presence. Armandgoes towards the front of the boat and beckons Leith to follow him. He wants himto show how to adjust the jib and main sail against the wind because he noticed that theboy is interested.’In the evening almost everyone, except Cecilia who remained in the cabin to watch TV,sees an image that seems to float in the air beside them. It’s Leith who recognizes her firstand that for good reason, she’s his mom.‘Hello Leith, hello everyone, let me introduce myself. My name is Helena Ajahel and Iam the mother of the boy there.’‘Hi Mom, nice to come and see us. Tell me, where are you now? I thought you wantedto go to the temple end your life in prayer?’‘Yes, that’s it, but the priests have moved a portion of the screen that was not damagedby the first quake and the generator in the basement below the temple. We are thus alwayslocked up in the its catacombs. I believe because the tremors have stopped that we are onthe depths of the ocean at this time. We have, on the other hand, enough to eat and thereis strange enough no shortage of fresh air. There is here a real labyrinth 43 which runs, as43 This is the case for the Andes in South America, as well a part of the USA. Nobody knows why and when thosegalleries have been build. A part of these infrastructures is actually used by the CIA and is better known as “Zone 51”176

Ten more days.what they say, through the whole country. Leith my dear, tell me, where you are now, isnot the country of the dead, isn’t it?’‘No Mom, let me present them, Angelica, your daughter-in-law. Julian her brother, thefiancé of Ussa. This is Armand Leblanc, the father of Angelica and Julian. But Mom, tellme, how could you see us? Is there something special?’‘Yes my boy, I wanted to see my next re-birth because the girl you love so much andwho you are holding next to you, my boy, is no other than me!’‘Wow’, says Angelica. ‘Hello myself, how are you?’‘Okay, I am fine,’ she says and continues with her previous subject, ‘I’ll finish this lifedown here as do the monks. Take over Angelica and take good care of my son. Leith, myboy, take good care of her.’Meanwhile a new face is showing up and wants also to say something:‘Hello everyone, hello Leith. About me: I’m Iliosa Ajahel and I am the father of Leith.We have unfortunately not the opportunity to meet in the flesh, as the parents of Ussacould do, but I think this presentation does also a good job.’‘MOM! COME QUICKLY! The parents of Leith are there for a time’, shouts Angelica.‘This is Cecilia Leblanc, our mother’, she adds once her mother has come at the bridge andcontinues: ‘There Mom are: Helena and Iliosa Ajahel, the parents of Leith.’‘Nice to meet you’, says Cecilia.‘Nice to meet you too’, answer the parents of Leith.‘Since we’re all here,’ says Angelica, and continues by addressing to the two people floatingin air next to their yacht, ‘can I ask you formally the hand of Leith?’‘With our blessing and that of Ra my child’, replies Iliosa.’‘Ussa,’ says Helena, ‘where is Penelope? I had given her the ring for Angelica.’‘We took her baggage with us,’ she says, ‘but Penelope herself had to be transported to ahospital with a serious head injury. We will look in her bags. She will certainly agree, isn’tit Leith?’They spend still a moment to chat together. Especially the fact that Helena and Angelicaare one and the same person is not well understood by everyone. It’s above all Armandwith his clear and logical spirit who’s having difficulty to accept it. To know that he existedbefore and will exist after and elsewhere in the skin of someone else has on him a bizarreeffect that is for him difficult to admit.‘Ussa my child,’ says Helena, ‘could you pass the ring on the finger of Angelica in my behalfat the right time? I will thank you. You see,’ she continues, addressing the assembly,‘we have this custom here at home. This ring was forwarded to me this way, from motherinlaw to daughter-in-law.’‘Don’t you think that they aren’t a bit young to get engaged?’ Asks Cecilia.‘No,’ answers Iliosa, ‘we were having ourselves that age when we got engaged.’‘I fear that we must also do the same,’ says Armand to Cecilia, ‘we have still rings of ourparents. Don’t oppose,’ he says to his wife, who wants to protest, ‘we owe them that.Don’t you see how happy they are?’‘Sorry,’ say the Ajahel’s, ‘we must give away our place to other people. We wish you asafe journey and good luck.’It’s with these words that this image disappears, but not without having made any lastwishes of the hand.177

11’800 years later.‘Do you realize what you have done by accepting that Ussa gives to you his mother'sring?’ Asks Cecilia her daughter.‘Yes Mom! I’m happy. Now I understand why we felt so attracted to one another.’Ussa, half awake, feels that she is not alone. She does not realize right away where she isand believes that Leith is sleeping next to her. It’s when she prepares to ask: “But what areyou doing in my bed? ”, that she realizes that the man beside her, who holds her in his arms,in this tight little bunk in the sleeping cabin of the sailboat is not Leith, but Julian. She rememberssuddenly the evening they spent together on the deck under the starry sky. It’sArmand who steered until midnight and it’s Angelica and Leith who took over. Theyshould have wakened up Julian at three o’clock, but have obviously forgotten it. When sheraises her head, she sees Angelica standing in the doorway with a big smile and asks:‘Then the lovers? Slept well? You come for breakfast?’‘What happens,’ asks Julian still half asleep, ‘you’re asleep at helm? Forgot to wake usup?’‘Not at all. It was so cute to see you with Ussa in the same bed that we let you sleep.You deserve these few hours of happiness. You slept so well that you did not even noticethat we have taken a photo of you.’‘Have you taken a picture of us? When we slept? You must be kidding!’‘Yes, you can come and see it. It will be a good memory you know. You’re coming,we’ll await you for breakfast.’Cecilia, who just gets up also, looks at the eyes of Angelica and Leith with an interrogativeeye and is about to say something, but Angelica is more quickly and says:‘NO MOM! It’s not what you think! Leith and I have wakened all night. We left Ussaand Julian sleep, they were both so cute. So happy together. Leith showed me, had tried inany case, the stars and even the astrolabe. He uses it as a sextant.’‘He must also show it to me’, says Armand. ‘They don’t exist any more in a completesate and those in museums are all in tatters such that nobody knows how to use them. Wenow know that the ancient sailors used them to locate themselves before the invention ofthe sextant.’‘And the accurate time,’ says Angelica, ‘because I believe that a sextant is not worthmuch if we don’t have the correct GMT time. We could determine latitude, but never thelongitude without the accurate time. This is what you have told us anyway.’They continue to discuss this for breakfast and then go up the bridge. There is no greatthing to do for navigation because they can maintain the same course for at least a day.This leaves time for other occupations. Angelica goes down in the cabin where Cecilia triesto explain Ussa what she is doing. That we must have only once the same number in abox, in a column and in a row.‘Mom? Do you have a moment?’She signals Ussa who wanted to leave that she should stay and continues:‘Ussa, surely wants to ask you and Dad officially hand of Julian. You should perhapslook for a ring for her. You have still rings of grandmother and you have taken them withyou.’‘You want me to seek one for Leith at the same time maybe?’178

Ten more days.‘No, we can wait a bit. We aren’t in a hurry, he can wait. Anyway I need to talk to youand you now know why.’‘Yes,’ says Cecilia, ‘the first time was not good and you have fear now. Stay a momentwith Ussa, I’ll see what I have for her.’Ussa blushes when she sees Cecilia coming back with her jewelry box and she suddenlyunderstands the contents of the conversation of Angelica and her mother. Angelica nodsher and goes to seek Julian and her father.’‘Papa, Julian, you must descend because Ussa wants to ask you something very important.Leith and I will stay at the helm in the meantime.’The following night, it was the turn to Julian and Ussa to forget to wake up Angelica andLeith. Ussa, delighted with the ring received from her mother-in-law, has managed to explainto Julian and Armand that Leith had not slept two nights in a row and it would bebetter to leave him alone overnight. They slept, to the astonishment of Julian and Ussa,who wanted to wake them up as they did to them the day before, everyone quietly in acouch. They closed the door and let them sleep.‘Leith and Angelica, don’t they come for breakfast?’ Asks Cecilia.‘Let them sleep,’ says Julian, ‘they look tired all two. They did not even dare to sleep together.They sleep each wisely in a couch.’The way back is simply not as fast as the outward journey. They are not in a hurry andeven Cecilia has, despite the clouds, been able to tan. Especially the easy tempo lets herwatch TV, even then when the reception is because of the movements of the boat, not thatwhat it should be. During the outward journey, the boat was moving too much for a goodsatellite reception and Cecilia had to rely on her crosswords. So it’s this morning that Angelicaand Leith, coming to breakfast, find very surprised that the others are ready for dinner.‘So far recovered?’ Asks them Armand. We have let you sleep. Hungry? There remainsa bit of coffee in the thermos, if you want any. We should, on the other hand, put across on the croissants, we did not have time to go to the bakery.’‘We have enough craquottes and jam, isn’t it.’ Asks Angelica. ‘I had planned for many.’Ussa, who did not see come back her two friends, descends into the cabin and sees toher astonishment a mixture of disparate things on the table. Angelica has in fact taken outher laptop and enters one by one the data of Leith in a spreadsheet, from which she tries toexplain to him the operation.‘Come and see Ussa,’ says Leith, ‘we put my details in her machine. This thing can makemillions of calculations before we have time to make a wink. The impact changed the precessionand I have errors if I use my astrolabe. Come and see, she has a superb clear imageof Andromeda.’‘Hey Leith!’ She says looking at the picture without paying more attention to it, ‘did youtry to learn the words of their language. I am beginning to know a few.’‘Yes, it was for fun to designate parts of the body. Face and others if you understandwhat I mean.’179

11’800 years later.‘Yes,’ says Ussa with a smile, ‘it’s the same for both of us. But, tell me, didn’t you sharethe couch with her? Why?’‘I did not dare ask her and she has, I believe, fear. I think I do have to be a little patience.I don’t understand why, but she needs time. She knows now that she has nothingto fear from her girlfriend Alicia. The rest will come when it comes.’The days go by and are not alike. The watching at the helm becomes on the other handmore delicate because they are coming closer to the area of the English Channel with its intensemaritime traffic. The Leblanc decided to have shorter shifts so that there is one atthe helm and the other one watching. Armand and Cecilia feel happy that their childrendeal with the night watching. They are young and better bear shortcut nights, but it’s especiallyCecilia who does not feel good enough sailor to take the helm or to do the watching.During the day, it’s okay. We see the boats from far. It’s a sudden thrill of Leith who attractsthe attention of Julian. He actually comes with the sea map which he shows Ussaand explains that they are not far from where the family of Penelope wanted to go.‘But my dear Leith,’ says Ussa making a circular gesture around her, ‘there is no trace ofany land over here. There is water, water and nothing but water. Where do you want tofind land over here?’Julian, who begins to understand a little, seizes the map and shows it to his girlfriend.He tries to explain to her that the blue area on the map is where once the continent was.‘Dad,’ he says, turning to Armand, ‘I understand what Leith wants to tell us. We are atthe place where the family of Penelope wanted to go.’‘Yes land’, says Leith and designates areas in the open sea and next to Cornwall.‘I understand that this land belonged to two of their Celtic friends’, says Angelica. ‘Theythought they had a greater chance of survival there than further south because of the floodthat would surely follow.’‘Our Irish and Scots are descendants of their friends and fellows then?’ Asks Armand.‘Yes, certainly,’ replies Angelica, ‘and our Basques are surely the descendants of the evacuationplan of Paris and Selena, as it’s in the Pyrenees they wanted to go.’Armand explains to them that he wanted to go north to the Isles of Scilly and then moveon east along the south coast of England. He begins to change course, to head towards thenortheast. He tels them that it will be another nine hours before we must head east. Hetels them that this road is due to the wind, not so fast as now, but safer.‘If all goes well,’ he says to the others, ‘we will be at Fécamp tomorrow afternoon.’Ussa who spent most of her time watching the English coast with Angelica’s binoculars,descends into her cabin and opens by chance another of her bags her mother had entrustedher. To her surprise, she sees a gift package with the remark “For parents of Angelica.” Shegoes up with this package and shows it to Leith and says:‘My parents have put a gift for my parents-in-law in my bags. I’m ashamed for not havingimmediately found it five days ago. You think they blame me to have kept it so long?’‘No,’ says Leith, ‘give them it immediately. It will make them happy. But look good ifthere is not one for Julian and Angelica. It would surprise me if they have forgotten.There are surely other packages for them.’180

Ten more days.While Armand and Cecilia unpack the package, Ussa goes down again and finds actuallytwo for Julian and Angelica. When she returns with the other two packages, the parentshave already opened their own and are watching a little incredulous the two devices resemblinga cellphone, but nearly devoid of buttons and with a wide screen sparkling as crystal.Julian’s package also contains the same device, from which he guesses the use. Angelica,unpacking her own, finds that there are two boxes inside. One of the two of them alsocontains that what Ussa calls a communicator, but the other contains a box with a beautifulpearl necklace with three rows and a thanks to you letter, bearing the official stamp of KingBel-Ra.’‘So what do you say now’, says Cecilia. ‘Her father was generous with you.’Angelica looks, becoming red, stunned by the gift, a moment silently the assembly, getsup, goes to Ussa and gives her a kiss on each cheek, saying that it’s for her father. Julianwho climbed on the bridge see if everything goes well, just coming back in the cabin andsees the collar and says:‘Pâris has been generous with you, you must now buy a beautiful dress that goes with it.You don’t intend to wear it with jeans and a tee-shirt, don’t you?’‘This box, how does it work?’ demands Armand. ‘There are no buttons whatsoever todial a number because it’s obviously a kind of phone.’‘It works with the thoughts,’ says Angelica, ‘just put your thumbs on these buttons andthen think of the person to whom you want to talk. Try it yourself between yours and theone of Mom. I understand that it works everywhere, even here at sea. This thing doesn’tuse any network, it works with telepathy.’While the four Lebanc call them each other for fun, Ussa signals to her childhoodfriend to follow her to the empty cabin where the other luggage is. She closes the door andasks him:‘Why don’t you want to ask the hand of Angelica to Cecilia and Armand?’‘She wanted to wait, right?’‘Listen to me Leith, is nice to try to be wise, but Angelica is waiting for you to take theinitiative. It’s up to you to act now. You’ll see, she will be happy. She needs you. Sheneeds to rely on you. You’re the man of her life. I know you’ve never had something witha girl and you feel quite uncertain, but don’t forget that she had only one experience, whichis not well. So don’t wait more. She has confidence in you. Help me now, I want to findthe ring of your mother because I have to give it to Angelica, do you remember?’They excavate a time the bags of Penelope and actually come across a package whereLeith recognizes the handwriting of his mother. “To be handed over to the Gallic girlfriend ofLeith, offered by his mother.” Ussa coming back with the little box containing the ring forAngelica, calls her and says, although she knows that her words are not all understood:‘Angelica, I give you this ring of the mother of Leith. That means that she has acceptedyour request and considers you as her daughter-in-law.’She takes her hand and to her amazement, the ring fits her very well. Neither too largenor too small. She gives a little nudge to her childhood friend to indicate him that it’s upto him to play now. Armand, who ascended to see Julian at the helm is surprised that Ussacalls him to come in the cabin. Ussa herself remains with Julian at the helm during Leithtakes all his courage and asks Angelica’s hand to her parents, as the custom of his country181

11’800 years later.wants it. It’s Julian who first sees that his mother gave a ring of her dad to Leith. Angelica,who follows, is obviously thrilled, a thing that had not escaped Ussa’s notice.‘You see,’ she says to Leith, ‘how happy she is? She was waiting for it!’182

TAshore.here is some excitement on the sailboat. Ussa and Leith, who share Angelica’s binoculars,do notice that the English coast goes away after having changed the course andthey see many different vessels passing near. It’s especially Leith who seeks to locate onthe maritime map whilst Angelica is at the helm. He has taken the task upon himself towatch over maritime traffic. He is aware that the big boats cannot stop easily and are bestavoided. He understands now why Angelica and her father did not want to cross walk in adirect line. That is what he tries to explain to Ussa.‘You see,’ he says referring to a location on the coastal map to an Ussa moderately interested,‘we have avoided this sector here. You see yourself now that the movement of shipsis particularly high here. We have left the coast here and we are going there. We’ll take thesouth-east. You see that Armand and Julian are changing the orientation of the sails. Wewill cross during the four hours following this area with a fairly intense maritime traffic.That’s why I keep the double long view with me for watching the boats that cross.’‘The cliffs of the coast we saw here in the north,’ asks Ussa, ‘are they the cliffs of theCeltic countries?’‘Yes my dear,’ says Leith, ‘they call this country, England, from which we have just leftthe coast. From what I understand, we put the cap on the city they had left two weeks earlier.’‘We will be there at the end of the afternoon because we have just eaten.’‘Yes, Armand has already contacted a friend, to retrieves us when we arrive at the port.It’s the father of Alicia who comes with a vehicle big enough for all of us.’‘He contacted him how? With this little box of them?’‘Yes,’ says Leith, ‘they are their communicators, which they call cellphones. They can’t,on the other hand, use them but provided that they are fairly close to a relay station. Armandwas a moment ago close enough to the coast to be able to use his own and it’s therethat he was able to contact his friend.’‘I saw,’ says Ussa to him, ‘that Angelica also fiddled hers. It seems to me that she took asnapshot of you. They can, from what I have understood, not only talk, but also send eachother text and images. I suspect that all her friends know now that she has engaged withyou.’‘I could understand too,’ replies Leith, ‘that not only friends of Angelica and Julian to beaware, but also the press. The fact of their disappearance for four days at sea has not goneunnoticed. According to Angelica, who spoke to her girlfriend Alicia, we are expected bythe press. You have interest to put your most beautiful gala dress on in a moment beforesetting foot on land because they already know that the family Leblanc has recovered aqueen of Atlantis in the flesh.’‘How do you know all this? You’re able to talk with Angelica?’‘But yes,’ says Leith, ‘it’s stupid. I wanted to show her the operation of the communicatorand it’s by putting our thumbs on the keys simultaneously that we noticed that wecould talk normally.’183

Ashore.‘Oh,’ she replies surprised, ‘I haven’t thought to do so. But tell me,’ she continues, ‘Ihave something to ask. Don’t you feel that the days are shorter? I want to go to bed laterand get up later.’‘This is normal,’ says Leith, ‘they have, you remember, nine more days on their calendar,which is about thirty-five minutes less per day. That’s why you are disturbed in your daily.I’ve noticed, but this must be done. It’s not huge and we’ll get use to it.’Ussa descends and comes back with a second pair of binoculars, the ones of Armand.She starts to scan the horizon where a thin line begins to emerge. She guesses there, all excited,their new country. Armand told Angelica to slightly modify the course such that theypass Étretat. They can in this way begin to put the sails away while Leith and Ussa can admirethe Alabaster Coast and see their new city from the sea. Ussa begins to distinguish toher right, Leith told her that the sailors here say “starboard”, the mouth of a big river andis surprised that they are not moving in this direction because she saw the big ships gothere and concludes that there is a sea port. Leith, on the other hand, trying to follow whathis girlfriend does, is well aware of the change of direction. He goes with the coastal mapto Ussa and says:‘You see! They go through this,’ he says referring to a location on the coastal map,‘there is no port there, but it’s the city where we will live. Since you have the double longview on you, look well ahead, we should begin to see it. The port where we will moor is abit more on the left.’‘I think to know,’ she says to Leith, ‘they say “port side” here in place of the left. That’swhat you told me anyway. But, as I said, how is the name of the city where we are going tolive? I can’t even read their hieroglyphs.’‘It’s called Étretat, if I pronounce the name correctly.’Armand and Julian have meanwhile started to descend sails for storing them away, whileAngelica started the engine to take over. They are now very close to the coast and the cityis clearly visible even without binoculars. Ussa is particularly enchanted by the charm ofthis small town with its diadem-shaped beach, enclosed between the high cliffs mixing thegreen of highland with white chalk. She clearly distinguishes the small rental boats and theboards with sails, the main occupation of Angelica and Julian during the summer. She continuesto admire the coast until a bigger city with a port becomes visible. It’s clear that it’sin this port city that they will tie. Leith, who still wears old jeans, cut just above the kneesand a tee-shirt of Angelica, gestures to his compatriot that they must dress for the reception.‘Ussa,’ he says, ‘it’s time to prepare. I don’t know how official this country will react, butone thing is certain, they believe you queen, dress and behave yourselves as such. Haveyou checked if you have enough means to pay if they claim you a right of entry, as somecountries our time did?’‘I’ll see what I have,’ she says to Leith, ‘I did not check my bags because I have some.Those that you have taken in addition to those that my parents handed me.’It’s when they enter the marina and fishing port of Fécamp that Ussa comes back, alongwith Leith, dressed in gala dress looking mistakenly like the last queen of Egypt. The reactionof Angelica is as expected:‘Oh,’ she says, ‘Caesar and Cleopatra.’184

Ten more days.‘No,’ says her father, ‘Caesar had never worn togas, he had the habit to wear roman militaryclothes. Leith looks more alike Socrates or Plato.’‘It seems to me,’ says Cecilia watching Ussa closely, ‘that our little queen is nervous.She’s may be afraid to land in our country? Fears she customs?’‘It’s probably the first time that she has to represent her country’, says Armand.Armand, who took the helm in the meantime, steers the boat to the place assigned tothem until tomorrow. On the dock is already a host committee, including the old man betterknown as “Captain.” It’s he who is attaching the lines of the yacht and greets them all.‘Hi, buddy, you brought two additional children with you? We talked extensively aboutyou. Your mysterious disappearance has not escaped us. The third person that you haverecovered, where is she?’‘Hi captain, all this is a long story, but I think we should make a visit to these gentlementhere’, he says by pointing to the customs officers. ‘The more, I think that those people ofthe press there would like to question us too. Can you help Bernard to put everything inthe car? I will thank you. I will pay you later a pot, we could discuss what happened to us.I think Julian and Angelica took pictures and filmed a part with the camcorder.’The questioning at the office of customs has not been as terrible as feared. The employeeat the counter certainly behaved in a manner somewhat unpleasant, but was quickly replacedby one of his colleagues who, to the surprise of all, partially understood the wordsof the two survivors. Leith, has nothing else to declare than his clothes, his books andthen a few bits and pieces consisting his memories. The baggage of Ussa, who took thewhole lot with her, has declared diplomatic courier as belonging to a sovereign of a country,even disappeared. To everyone’s surprise, another employee comes in with a documentcertifying their ethnicity.‘Hello sir, hello Your Highness, you have requested a research of ethnicity on the daythe helicopter of the Navy recovered a person injured to the head.’‘No,’ interrupts Angelica, ‘it was I who requested it.’‘Well,’ he continues, ‘regardless of who had made the request. It’s the result that counts.It attests, in fact, that you all are of European origin, even if it’s very ancient. The so-calledPenelope Axarz has a DNA code that is very close to the Irish. Regarding miss Ussa Bel-Ra, we could find the bones of her parents. She is related to the Basque, of pure blood, asis the so-called Leith Ajahel. What’s important is that this test proves that you are definitelythose who you pretend to be. Which confirms me that what I always believed to know,it’s that my people are originated from Atlantis.’Angelica who translated the words to her best using her communicator, looks at her futuresister-in-law who stays there and takes a moment before responding.‘My parents?’ She stammers. ‘You found their bones?’Once again it’s Angelica who must be the interpreter before the man could answer.’‘Yes Your Highness, it’s a museum that has them. They would be delighted to meet you.Would you excuse us to have disturbed the tomb of your parents. We did not know, allthat we knew, is that it was a tomb of a couple of very important people aged eighty toninety years old buried somewhere in the Pyrenees.’‘Are you sure these are my parents?’ She says by using Angelica as intermediary.185

Ashore.‘Yes, Your Highness, with a margin of error of one in a billion. That’s why I’m a strangeto see you here in the flesh. Can you give us the full names of your parents? The museumwould like to have them. I think they have planned something special, but it’s best thatyou are going to them to discuss it.’The employee stands up and takes leave of his guests wishing them welcome on behalfof the republic. It’s in leaving the customs office that Ussa, Angelica and Cecilia see awhole Committee who turns straight around to them. But before her sister-in-law and hermother-in-law were able to say something, it’s Ussa who tells them:‘Don’t fear, I’m used to that. Angelica,’ she says to her sister-in-law, ‘can you tell themthat I grant them five minutes. Thereafter, they should request a hearing in writing.’Armand, who awaits them outside, is in great discussion with the people of the press andthe captain, who is also waiting because he has loaded, helped by Julian and Leith, all theluggage in his old 4L. He told Armand that he would never fit all in the car of Bernard.What he does not say is that the wants to drink a pot with Armand and Cecilia and discussa bit. He is curious how the trip unfolded. Suddenly it’s the phone of Armand who’s ringing.‘Hello, Armand Leblanc on the phone, I listen.’‘Pardon?’‘Awakened you say? Of course, when?’‘Okay, room 689 44 . Yes, I guess you need an interpreter. She speaks a language, which isnot very common over here. The Basques are able to understand them, I think. You mayhave one who learned the language of his grandmother, isn’t it? It’s worth trying anyway.You have one, right?’‘Ok, I’ll call you back on this number, right?’‘Yes, you too, see you.’The captain, who tried to follow the conversation, asks:‘What’s there? A patient in the family?’‘No,’ says Armand, ‘it’s our third passenger. She was seriously injured on the head andwas transported in a Paris hospital. They called to tell us that she woke up and calls herfriends.’‘We can visit her?’ Asks Bernard. ‘I’ll be off tomorrow and I could go to Paris with theband. It will be hard with six in this car, but it’s feasible.’‘You dare to drive in Paris?’ Asks the captain, ‘you gonna get killed there. They drivelike savages.’‘The problem of Paris,’ says Bernard, ‘is not driving. Your problem begins when youstop driving and start to look for a parking spot. In Paris you have two possibilities;banned and unavailable. But remain seriously, where is she, your Penelope? At PitiéSalpétrière? If it’s there, I will have no problem. That way we could make a little trip andshow them Paris.’Armand gets in the 4L of the captain, while others go with the car of Bernard to Étretat.The captain is delighted that Armand comes with him. Thus, they can discuss the adventureexperienced by the family Leblanc. Arrived at home, Ussa makes Julian understand44 Don’t try to understand, this number doesn’t probably correspond to any existing room, but is chosen for its symmetry.Write it on down and turn the paper around and you will see.186

Ten more days.that he must store her bags in “our” room. She will do the final put away later, leaving timefor Julian to rid up his business and make space. Leith and Angelica are doing the same in“their” room. Cecilia wanted to protest, but sees that they have no extra room and thatthey have to live like this for a while. Ussa leaves the room, looks for Angelica in hers andgoes into the kitchen by waving to Cecilia to deal with aperitifs and her guests. Both girlscome from time to time join the others, so far the preparations permit it. It’s Julian whoreacts first seeing his sister busy in the kitchen:‘I knew Ussa, though vegetarian, is a cordon-bleu, but Angelica, I never saw her doinganything other than warm up a pizza in the microwave.’‘Fortunately they get along well’, says Cecilia.Both girls have, before continuing with other preparations, started go around the bottlesin the buffet. Suddenly, it’s Ussa, busy to open the bottles one by one in order to sniff thecontents and taste it with her fingertip, who calls Leith brandishing a bottle of Calvados:“Hey! Leith, come and see! Something you know! ” He comes to her and seizes a glass, pours ina little and tastes it as a connoisseur. “Mmm, it’s good.”‘Says so,’ says the captain, ‘a connoisseur! They had calva at home?’‘Yes,’ says Angelica returned to the lounge between two preparations, ‘his family had anarboricultural field. They had all kinds of fruits, fruit juice, cider and that. It was his greatgrandfatherwho invented it; he had actually forgotten a cider spirit barrel, which theyfound five years later.’‘Angelica, come’, calls Ussa, who wants to serve food, followed a few words unintelligibleto all except the two girls.The evening continues eating the snacks, Ussa’s way, until a late hour, such that Armandand Cecilia fear for the safety of the captain who insists to return. He even wanted to returnthe next day to pick up Armand who must bring the boat back to Chérbourg. It’s Ceciliawho ensures that she comes with and that because they still need to clean their boat.Especially as she will then retrieve Armand at Chérbourg by car. It’s mainly Ussa and Leithwho are excited for what will follow the next day as they go along with Angelica, Julian,Alicia and her father, not only see Penelope, but also the capital of their host country. Leithand Angelica also feel anxious, happy and excited at the same time and that for anotherreason because even if they have shared the same cabin on the return trip, they have notshared the same couch and that night will be the first they also share the same bed.As agreed the previous evening, the whole family gets up early and after a quick breakfast,the parents go to Fécamp to clean the boat before Armand can bring it back to Chérbourg,where is the company who has rented it. The four young people need not wait forlong because Bernard comes, accompanied by his daughter Alicia, already quickly to pickthem up. They decide to leave immediately and make a coffee-croissants stop just beforethe toll station of the bridge of Normandy because of its beautiful view over the bay ofSeine. However, afterwards they will have to rush to be in time for the visiting hours at thehospital. Ussa and Leith spend most of their travel time in trying to locate themselves onthe map of Bernard who knows the way and does not need it. The two friends conclude,given the gradual increase in housing and traffic that they are approaching the capital oftheir host country. It’s Leith who asks a time given to the girls where this road bearing thesymbol A14 is because he doesn’t see it. It’s Ussa who reacts:187

Ashore.‘It’s surely an old map, the road is probably more recent than the map.’Gradually as they approach the city of La Défense, the high buildings are increasinglyvisible. Here, it’s Leith who is particularly intrigued. He remembers many conversationshe had with the Macs. He knows that from a certain height, the walls of a building becometoo heavy to build above. He promises to get more information because asking one ofthree girls is useless, they are not interested. It’s Ussa, also watching the buildings, whoasks without going to someone special:‘Are there people who live in there?’‘No,’ replies Angelica, ‘these are offices. The buildings where people live are far moreugly than these. You must have seen some, as we passed by a moment ago.’Unfortunately for them, they enter a tunnel that goes underneath the esplanade of “LaDéfense”, thereby cutting their view. Again, it’s Ussa who would have preferred to go elsewhere,the smell and noise of the traffic inconvenience her. Coming out of the tunnel theygo onto a bridge of a large river and it’s Leith who is requesting by communicator interposed:‘Is this the same river as we crossed a few hours earlier?’It’s Angelica who nods and adds: “It’s called La Seine. We’re going in a momentthrough that what is called the most famous avenue in the world, the Champs Elysees.Look to your right, you can see a tower in the distance made of iron and a thousand feethigh. It’s called the Eiffel Tower. It’s the symbol of our capital.” She continues by identifyinga monument ahead becoming visible in the meantime: “You see right in front of usthat what is called the Arc de Triomphe, built by an emperor two hundred years ago.”It’s above all Ussa who is delighted by the appearance of the large avenue with shops ofall kinds. Leith, who sees her looking around in all direction at a time, launches:‘If we let Ussa get out here, we won’t see her back for two weeks.’‘Oh!’ Says Angelica, ‘this is nothing you haven’t seen the boulevard Haussmann with itsdepartment stores yet.’‘Hey! Dad,’ asks Alicia who uses since a moment the communicator of Angelica, ‘willwe stop at the Champs Elysees when we return, right?’‘Of course,’ he says, ‘provided that we find a parking place.’‘Here lives our president’, says Angelica designating a building to their left.‘What is?’ Asks Ussa.‘A king elected by the people,’ says Leith, ‘as some states do in our federation.’‘Did,’ corrects Ussa him, ‘remember that we are eleven thousand eight hundred years later.’She continues by identifying with her finger the obelisk in front of them on the Placede la Concorde: ‘See here, an Egyptian monument!’In the meantime they have reached the borders of the Seine in the direction of Gare deLyon, where Barnard intends to park his car. He wants to visit Penelope during the visit ofthe morning, go eat something to the Latin Quarter, return for the visit of the afternoonand stop thereafter at the Champs Elysees on the way back. But before all this, they firstpark the car and take the subway, first experience with a device that our survivors of Atlantisdo not know. It’s especially Leith who is surprised, unlike Ussa who is anxious inthis underground corridors. He exclaims:‘An underground train, you had to think about it!’188

Ten more days.Bernard had to explain that they could have walked, but we are not every day in Parisand there is no subway in Étretat, so enjoy it. The crowd of people running in all directionsimpresses them, they wonder where they can go. Ussa is a little afraid the first timeshe had to put her ticket in the automatic gate giving access to the platform.After having followed a maze of corridors, they finally managed to find room 689,where Penelope is. Even before opening the door, they hear the cries of joy of Penelope,not only hearing the language of her country, but first of all the voices of her two friends.‘Enter! Come in!’ She exclaims, ‘finally, people to whom I can talk!’‘Hi you’, says Leith.‘Hello my dear,’ says Ussa, ‘how are you?’‘I am okay! It’s my head that goes less well. I just missed, what seems, to have my soulmoved to another world. You know, I woke up here as it was announced in my dream, exceptthat I had no idea where I was. They tried to talk to me, but our language doesn’t correspondto any of them.’‘Do you remember what did happen?’ Asks Leith.‘No, I remember we had left the port with our ship, and that is all, but talking about otherthings, introduce me your friends.’‘Before that, Penelope,’ says Leith, ‘perhaps take your communicator. We can talkthrough this intermediary.’‘Julian,’ says Angelica, ‘pass yours to Bernard. I have lent mine to Alicia and I share theone of Leith. You can very well share the one of Ussa.’‘Then,’ continues Leith, ‘this gentleman here is Bernard Mercier, our driver and the fatherof this girl, Alicia, a friend of Angelica, here beside me. The young man you see withUssa is her fiancé Julian, the brother of Angelica.’‘Then Penelope,’ says Angelica, ‘delighted to make your knowledge in the flesh. Thisyoung man next to me you, what seems, know well, is my fiancé.’It’s thereafter the tour to Julian, Alicia and Bernard to present themselves. Once the introductionsfinished, they exchange news and tell Penelope their journey at sea, but also theanguish of her accident. Penelope in turn tells her stay in the hospital, the meeting with awoman of eighty and a few years and that they understand a word out of three of what theysay. This allows them to chat a bit. Penelope asks them to tell her everything about thecity where she is located. It’s Bernard who takes care of it because the only one to knowParis quite well. Leith and Ussa say they are sorry not be able to say more about their newlife because they came the day before in the afternoon. Time passes so quickly and it’s alreadytime for dinner. Nurses make them understand the need to return in the afternoon.Leith has already studied the small leaflet of the RATP of Paris and says they should takethat line and go up at the fourth stop.‘We say to get off, if you get out of a train’, says Ussa.‘I say go up because all these trains circulate in the underground and it’s then up to thesurface with these automatic stairs.’‘You talk about what?’ Asks Penelope him. ‘Trains moving underground?’‘Yes, I would have preferred to remain on the surface,’ says Ussa, ‘these unhealthy corridorsscare me a little, but it’s worth to see that. But we will talk about that in a moment,189

Ashore.the caregivers are impatient to see us leave. We will take a short ride in their capital, eatand come back after to see you and talk to you. See you in a moment my dear.’They decided to take the metro at St Marcel and change at Gare Austerlitz instead oftaking line ten by going to walk to the station. Thus, the youth were able to train a littlehow to find themselves in this maze of underground corridors. En route, Bernard explainsthat the Sorbonne, the name of the station where they go, is a university in Paris and theneighborhood where they will eat is part of the city where we find many students. Whenthey leave the subway, it’s above all Ussa that attracts attention. Starting this morning, shehas put the same dress as the day before, strengthening her allure of queen. Our twofriends feel both a little nostalgic when they walk in the narrow streets in search of a pizzeria.It’s Leith who reacts first.‘Hey Ussa, I feel we will get across the shop of Penelope or the tavern of Abdubu at theturn of a street.’‘Yes,’ she answers, ‘that makes me have sorrows. But. What are we looking for?’‘I think they are looking for a place that makes food for us.’Bernard and Alicia have in fact told their friends that it’s better to eat a pizza, if youwant to find something vegetarian for Leith and Ussa. It was not very difficult to find oneand they are quickly to table. When the server comes to ask if they want a drink, it’s Ussawho claims, as she has usually does, a fortified wine. Leith quickly follows her example,followed by Angelica. Julian and Alicia, who didn’t want to drink an aperitif, eventuallycrack as well. Only Bernard renounces, the road is still long and he wants to stay sober.‘Miss looks very similar to the last queen of Atlantis which landed yesterday’, says theserver.‘No,’ says Angelica, ‘this is not a likeness, it’s herself.’‘Let Your Highness be welcome in our establishment,’ he says making a little bow, ‘it’san honor for us to receive you.’ He continues by addressing Angelica: ‘does she understandFrench?’‘No, not yet, but she has guessed your words.’Leith and Ussa have followed the recommendation of their friends and are a little surprisedto see the server come with a sort of pancake with tomato sauce and cheese, visiblybaked in the oven. Angelica had to promise to find recipes for Ussa, who wants to try it ofcourse and certainly not a warmed up one in the microwave oven. The meal is followed byice cream, a delicacy that especially Ussa loves. To her surprise, some are accompanied byhot chocolate. For her it’s unheard of, but apparently good. She promises to take one thenext time because hers is made up of half of a peach, ice and whipped cream. As for coffeeat the end of the meal, Ussa and Leith create the surprise by claiming both of them thattheir coffee is accompanied by a calva, one of the few drinks they know here. The walkback to the subway station goes by Boulevard Saint Michel, where Ussa complains aboutthe noise and smell of traffic. Leith remarks that Poseidia wasn’t any better and that bigcities never sleep.Back in the room of Penelope, who awaits them impatiently, they talk about this area ofstudents and tourists there. Leith points out that it looks to them as theirs in Osuo, exceptthat it’s flat here. The bed next to Pelelope is now occupied by another patient. She saysto understand a little of what is said. Leith and Ussa even manage, as Penelope did, to talk190

Ten more days.with her. She says she is originated from the south-west of France and is delighted to heartwo young people talk like her grandmother.‘My name is Armelle’, she says to the others. ‘They also operated me in the head, likeher, except that I had a tumor. Please excuse me as I speak in her place, but the doctor saidshe could go out next week if all goes well. You come back to pick her up, don’t you?’‘You come to fetch me then?’ Asks Penelope who guessed what she said, ‘we couldmake a tour in town before returning. I look forward seeing the city. I have only a smallbook for tourists with images. I can’t even read their hieroglyphs. You teach me, isn’t itLeith because if one is able to learn anything, it’s you.’The discussions last untill the end of visiting hours. They take then leave of Penelopeand her roommate and promise her to speak on the communicator, as Penelope has herswith her.If we make a promise, we keep it. The same goes for Bernard. Even if it’s not easy forBernard to find a parking spot, he finishes in finding one and not too far from the most famousavenue the more is. It’s Ussa who expresses her surprise that there are more shopson one side than the other. The time to stop in a famous perfume shop was long, too longfor Bernard and Julian. Leith, meanwhile, could not hide his curiosity and stayed with thegirls. After that they also stopped at a famous record store, where they have not only takena café on the first floor giving a good view on the avenue, but also to go around listeningto the exposed discs, presented in this purpose. Unfortunately for the five young, it beginsto come late and the time has come to go back. They return to their car after a finalround of the Champs Elysees. Leith is sad that they could not visit the great temple he hadseen from afar at noon and, not to forget, the high iron tower. He will definitely comeback and take a tourism tour among young people. He wants to talk to Angelica about it.He has taken with him his savings and even if the currency has no longer court, they mightbe collectors items, like he has had. The way back is, besides the stop at Heudebouville foreating a little, not very exciting. Arriving at the home of Leblanc, they discover that theparents have just returned accompanied by “the Captain” who has made the trip on sea withArmand. Alicia, who remained a little behind with Angelica, says:‘Have you seen how my father and Penelope have watched each other? I’m happy forhim. For him it’s time to trust someone again. She is nice, I would like her well as mystepmother. But don’t talk above all to Dad, do you?’‘Don’t worry, I’ve also seen and there were others who saw it.’‘You know what kind of work she does?’‘The same as you, but I think she is also beautician. Leith said that she knows very wellnatural products. She knows how to make the products for her masks herself. She hascertainly a bag with samples with her.’‘But it’s great!’‘In addition to this, her family had a stud and riding school, you could do horse ridingwith her.’‘Was she married?’‘No, single with no attachments.’191

LUssa’s anniversary.eith has kindly wanted to sell some of his collection of money, but Angelica is againstit. No way for her to touch the inheritance of Amilius which Leith has taken withhim. The merchant has told them in all honesty that a complete collection would bring inmuch more. Leith and Ussa, regretting to depend on their friends and not having theirown means of payment, have been around for what they have in the currency of theircountry to see if they can make a dozen boards with a certificate of origin and sell them tocollectors. It would be better to leave the sales, according to Angelica, up to a specializedauction house. So Angelica, once again, drowns from her savings account to pay for thisoffer of a stay in Paris, she found in an advertisement. Ussa and her Julian, as she says,have done the same. For now it’s Angelica and Julian thus who advance the necessarymoney for the trip. They wanted Alicia to come with them, but they had difficulty in convincingher because the poor feels terribly alone. The fact that her close friends becameengaged to the former, like in the last century, came to her as a shock. She saw her bestfriend metamorphose during the summer vacation of an adolescent into young womanwho knows what she wants. She realizes now that Angelica had stowed her memories ofchildhood and adolescence in a box in the attic of her life. She did not want to come aloneand has, as suggested Ussa, invited Andrew to come with her. The offer includes a travelby train and one night in Paris. They got therefore up early this morning to go to Le Havreby bus and take the train from there. Bernard, the father of Alicia, comes the next day becausehe must pick Penelope up at the hospital, the ultimate goal of this trip. He even, seeingher unhappy, paid the trip for his daughter and her boyfriend. Andrew has, to the surpriseof everyone, come see them the night before because a little anxious for clothes. Hewanted to ask if Julian had not by chance something for him because he saw the name ofthe hotel and feared to make a bad impression if he comes dressed as he usually does.Now they are on their way. The train just left the station of Rouen and they study the mapof the Parisian subway. This time there is no father of Alicia to guide them. They knowthat making mistakes is easy. That’s why they make a plan how to move from the SaintLazare train station to the hotel to drop off some luggage they took with them, mainly toiletriesand some clothes. Bernard has warned them before they left, to look well after theirwallets and portfolios. Where Ussa made him a reflection: “as many thieves here as in Poseidiathen! ” At the reception desk of the hotel, it’s again the appearance of Ussa which makes athe difference. The receptionist at the counter initially wanted to deny adolescents alone,but a furious glance Ussa was sufficient, as being recognized as the last queen of Atlantis.Once their luggage deposited and keys returned to reception, they take the subway again,where even Ussa is beginning to overcome her fears about the automatic gates and beingunderground. They go, as they have planned, to the Champs Elysées and from there theytake a bus tour. A boat’s tour is also planned, but in the evening because there were severalof their friends who have told them that it’s worth it. The bus tour has the advantage thatone can drop off and resume later. Thus, they have landed on the boulevard Haussmann,192

Ten more days.in the department stores there. When pushing the large doors, Ussa launches a furious regardto Leith when she hears him say:‘I thought that we were going back tomorrow, not next year!’‘Don’t worry Leith,’ says Angelica, ‘they put us well out of the door when they close ateight o’clock tonight.’Thus the evening comes too quickly for them, they have even given up to enter in theLouvre and go up the Eiffel Tower because of the far too long waiting times and there isso much to see in Paris. It becomes time to reach the riverboats for a tour on the Seine.They initially planned to take dinner on the boat, but it’s Angelica who is opposed to it.Then, a quick verification on the Internet before they have left learned her that the pricesare well beyond their budget, besides that there was no vegetarian dish on the menu. Sothey decide to put the dinner at later and possibly seek a pizzeria. After the boat tour,which has particularly pleased Ussa, they go, like many young people with a limited budget,in a large American shop sign at the Champs Elysées, triggering by Leith the reflex: “Hey,the same name as one of our Celtic friends, surely one of his descendants! ” Later in the evening, thesix young people who have initially wanted to finish the evening, as they say, in a nightclub, end up on a terrace of a café of the most famous avenue, watching passers-by.Thereafter, they are going to the hotel on foot because it’s Ussa who wants absolutely seethe city at night, even if she is not quite at ease on the way back. At the hotel bar, Ussa andLeith creating again the surprise when they claim a coffee-calva, an example immediatelyfollowed by Angelica, who tells to the bartender; “The same thing, but without the coffee.” Theothers limit themselves to a fruit juice. The next day, they are all at breakfast and Aliciaand Andrew, who apparently slept little, are the ones to come last. They decide to bringluggage to the left-luggage of the station and go from there visit the Notre Dame de Paris.Leith is eager to visit this temple. It’s the architecture what is intriguing him. Then, theyplanned to do a little walk in the same neighborhood as the first visit a little more than aweek, as they must then already quick enough go to the waiting room of the hospital,where the appointment is given. When they leave the mouth of the subway station “Cité”,Ussa asks pointing to the Palais de Justice:‘They are who, who are living there?’‘The thugs and their judges,’ says Andrew who shares the communicator of Angelicawith Alicia, ‘it’s the courthouse. This is where there the police is. It’s better not be invitedthere.’‘What is this symbol here?’ Asks Ussa by designating a CRS van.‘I guess,’ says Leith, ‘it’s surely their BIS. I’ve seen guys get down and they have thesame look and feel as those of Ra-Ta.’‘Only that ours don’t lead secret operations’, says Angelica him.‘I do believe,’ says Andrew, ‘that it would be better to compare their BIS and BSO withthe German SS and Gestapo of the second World War.’‘Yes, that’s it,’ says Alicia, ‘and that Ra-Ta with Hitler.’‘The temple we will visit,’ asks Leith who doesn’t feel to go on with the subject, ‘is itfar?’‘No,’ says Angelica, ‘it’s just next door, but we don’t say temple over here, we saychurch. The latter case, it’s called a cathedral.’193

Ussa’s anniversary.When they enter Parvis de Notre Dame at the turn of a street, they all watch the showof the enormity of this building. The cathedral is already impressive on photo, but to see itin reality is still something else. They decide to visit it and enter through a door itself inone of the huge wings of the portal. Regarding our two Atlanteans, one is also impressedas the other, except that Ussa instead has fear and she holds very strong hands with Julian.‘There must be a powerful armor inside the walls to hold everything in place’, says Ussa,watching the height of the building giving the vertigo.‘No,’ says Andrew, who has listened to Ussa by interposed communicator, ‘there is noarmor. The building stands up by itself. The arches are not there for decoration, but forstrength.’‘I want to get out of here’, she stammers anxiously by looking at the ceiling and thecolumns as they are ready to collapse at any time. ‘This building is at least one stadia inlength and half a stadia in width. How do you want this to stand up?’It takes tact and persuasion of Julian and Leith to restrain and prevent her from runningaway screaming. This small household isn’t missing to attract obviously the attention of apriest passing by, curious to know why Ussa has been afraid.‘What happens?’ He asks. ‘Is miss afraid? But, tell me,’ he says watching her a littlecloser, ‘it seems to me that your picture was in the newspaper a week ago.’‘In fact,’ says him Julian, ‘I’ll present you; Ussa Bel-Ra, the daughter of one of the lastkings of Atlantis.’‘Let Your Highness wants to apologize, but what fears you.’It’s then that settles a small dialog by Julian interposed, where the priest tels her thatwhat he knows about the cathedral. The construction, architecture and others. A storyclosely followed by Angelica and Leith, who looks a little incredulous the columns andarches at the top. A height that gives him vertigo, only by watching it. They then touredthe building accompanied by the priest because it’s not every day that we receive a high dignitaryat a moment’s notice. Ussa doesn’t, like at the hotel, shirk to sign the guest-book,she does, to the surprise of the priest, in writing Egyptian hieroglyphics. She then asks Julianto write the translation, she dictates him, below. Upon leaving, they find that there isnot much time left to stop in the student’s area, but they can go through to take the subwayto the hospital. When they finally arrive at the hospital, Bernard and Penelope are waitingalready at the rendezvous point. They have taken, like them, a daily RATP ticket and haveleft the car where it’s parked. The six tell them what they did the day before and thismorning. Especially the fear of Ussa in the great temple, which they call cathedral. Arrivedat the subway, it’s Penelope who hesitates before the automatic portal. She sees wellthat other people bring their ticket in, but continues to look alternately her ticket and themachine. It’s suddenly Leith, who understands her hesitation and says:‘Don’t worry Penelope, that thing takes the ticket in all directions. I’ve tried. Above-below,reverse, it always works. Don’t seek above all to understand. If the ticket is not good,it does not open the door, but renders it. Don’t lose especially this one because it’s a ticketfor the day and can be used as many times as you like.’They take then the same line as a week ago and go of in neighborhood where they haveeaten. This time they have a little time to enjoy themselves and to wander the narrowstreets. Penelope has the same reaction as Ussa and Leith have had a week ago, she is sureof seeing the bistro of Abdubu at the turn of an alley. To eat they go to the same pizzeria194

Ten more days.as the week before, where the server is very glad to review his famous client and herfriends.‘Hello Your Highness, you’re okay? Welcome to our establishment’, he says her.After eating, they decide to visit the district of Montmartre. Bernard explained to themthat it’s the neighborhood of artists, especially painters. When they come up to the surfaceat the station “Anvers”, on Boulevard de Rochechouart, he had to explain that here, just belowthe neighborhood of artists and painters, is the one of the oldest profession in theworld. Arrived at the top it’s Ussa who cannot can hold back her excitement and exclaimsthat this temple is more beautiful than the other one. When they finally come to strollthrough narrow streets, it’s already time for the six to take the train and let Penelope aloneto discover Paris with her new friend. They travel together to the Saint Lazare train station,pick up their luggage at the deposit 45 and take a coffee while waiting for the train toRouen-Le Havre. Bernard knows that it’s a bit tight for the bus, but also knows that thekids will do well.‘Leith, you can let me now, I want to try to make the trip alone.’‘But,’ he says, ‘it’s the fourth time that you go alone. I did but pretense’‘WHAT! You made me ride alone without my knowledge’, she says on getting of Angelica’sbike.‘Yes, my dear. You see, this is not as complicated as that. These widgets stay right up asfar you continue to pedal. They are self-stabilizing, even if I don’t know why.’‘You can? Have you already made a trip here in the garden?’‘Yes, but I still have difficulty maintaining balance. I think this is a matter of training’,he replies.‘Don’t you think we should buy a helmet as the children wear them. It saves us a misadventurelike the poor Penelope had lived.’‘And this stuff on the elbows’, says Leith. ‘About Penelope, how is she? We haven’tseen her for a while.’‘She gives a hand to an association. She does the hair of the elderly at home. It enablesher contact with people. She likes to chat, as you must know. Julian told me that she isdoing well already.’‘Oh,’ says Leith, ‘Julian. Go towards him with the bike, he will be glad to see it.’‘Ussa! Wow,’ says Julian when he sees her coming, ‘I’m pleased that you have managedto put you in the saddle. It’s not as complicated as you thought, isn’t it? Would you dareto come with me to the beach this afternoon? You could do a little windsurfing becausethere also you already doing not badly.’ Then he continues, addressing Leith without waitingfor a response from his girlfriend, ‘you could come with Angelica on foot, don’t you?Ussa could like that use the bicycle of Angelica.’‘I think,’ he replies, ‘that Angelica wants me to train swimming. She told me that what Ido is not called swimming, but paddling. She finds that I swim like dogs.’‘Have you already done a trip on the board alone?’ Asks Ussa.45 Would you please note that the Saint Lazare train station is, at the moment that this story takes place, in the process ofbeing renovated and that there is neither a luggage deposit nor a restaurant. They’re existing only in this story.195

Ussa’s anniversary.‘No,’ answers Leith, ‘she finds that I don’t swim well enough, we have only been doingtrips together. I like to do so. I wonder, however, if she doesn’t use that as an excuse tohold me in her arms.’‘Yes, it may be that,’ says Julian, ‘because Ussa swims like you. Do we learn it this waywhere you were?‘Yes, that’s right’, says Ussa.‘We call it the Crawl’, replies Julian. ‘Ussa you too, you must improve your techniquebecause it’s too tiring as you do it now. I will touch a word with Angelica,’ he says to Leith,‘it may be better if you improve that what you know.’‘That’s it’, says Ussa, ‘it’s, what seems, better to seek to improve that what is familiar,rather than trying to fill gaps.’‘I am,’ says Leith, ‘anyway not a great athlete and I have no intention of becoming one.But,’ he continues, ‘it’s so nice to be two that I almost prefer to continue to do windsurfingtogether. We have well done horse riding together the other day.’‘WHAT? Horse riding? Angelica and horses is as compatible as fire and water’, says Julian.‘How did you manage that?’‘Oh! I wasn’t alone. There was also Penelope and Alicia with us. But I must admit youthat it wasn’t easy. It was three of us to convince her. So she did not want to strip from itand ended up with me on the same horse. The poor is afraid of them as if they were lions.What has happened to her to have fear as that, an accident perhaps?’‘I don’t remember the details,’ says Julian, ‘but I believe she has been seeing a serious accidentwhen she was not yet five years. There was, if I remember rightly, a horse who hasstruck backwards seriously injuring someone. These are things one should better not seewhen only five years. Ah! Here she is. Go and see her with the bicycle Ussa, she will beglad.’‘So Ussa,’ says Angelica by seeing Ussa coming towards her, ‘training for the Tour deFrance now? But it’s great. We lack only two bicycles now to make trips together.’Ussa feels a little nervous this morning of eight October, or as she prefers to say: on thefifteenth day of Libra, the day of her nineteenth birthday. She knows from Leith that it’snot quite right because of the precession and the error induced by the collision Acturus-Earth. She knows that the true sign Libra is a month later, but she prefers to celebrate herbirthday at the time of their “Libra”. Just as the transition of the eleven thousand eighthundred years took place the same day, the thirteenth day of Leo. Not just their “Leo”, butalso their thirteenth day. However, she has other concerns right now than worrying aboutthe astrological signs. She took it upon herself to prepare dinner that will take place later inthe afternoon. They did not want to start eating too late because there are among theguests those who work the next day, and others who, like Julian and Angelica resume theirstudies. Everyone could come, on the other hand, earlier, at around four o’clock in the afternoon.Julian remained a little longer at noon to rid the living room, so we could add atable borrowed from Bernard. She tries to count and to remember those invited; Ceciliaand Armand, Julian and Angelica, Leith, Bernard, Penelope and Alicia and Alicia’sboyfriend, Andrew. “Yes,” she says to herself, “I am forgetting myself. It’s ten in all.” Sheawaits the arrival of Angelica who decided to dry a course. She said that her guy explainsas good as her teacher, if not better. In the meantime, she begins to arrange the chairs196

Ten more days.such that we can still do the rounds of tables because we must be able to serve the guests.Angelica wanted to make a cold buffet for salads and vegetables, but it lacks a little roomwith ten in the lounge. They might well have rented a tent and partying in the garden, butit’s still October and the weather begins to come quite fresh, especially when it becomesnight. Cecilia and Penelope took on them to serve people during the meal. They don’twant Ussa be doing, in addition to the kitchen, the service. It’s still her birthday. Theyneed to sit near the kitchen, so to not hinder anyone. In the meantime she has taken out ofthe oven her last cakes. They will not be served hot anyway and can be put on a shelf untilthe service hour of the coffees. She looks at the time and begins to prepare the potatogratin by keeping the oven warm. While the gratin cooks, she can then prepare herbeignets, a specialty of Ussa, in which she holds the secret of manufacture, consisting, withother small cookies made the day before and just now, snack foods for aperitif. It’s Angelica,when she comes in a moment, who will handle the vegetables.‘Hi good looking,’ launches Angelica when she comes in, ‘already in full swing I see.’‘Hi Angelica, you still intend to catch up once more your math course with Leith?’‘Yes, he explains better than this old dummy teacher. I don’t understand anything hesays. Therefore, better ask Leith. It’s the result that counts and not the teacher. But talkingabout serious things, where are you with the preparations?’‘I begin to prepare my beignets for the aperitifs during the gratin cooks. Can you startwith the vegetables?’‘Of course, Of course, with respect to your vegetable cakes you made yesterday, shouldthey be heated up right now?’‘No, just before serving. We’ll put them eight minutes in the oven, just after the gratin.’They shouldn’t wait for long before Julian points his nose too. However, he does notcome in immediately, but awaits Bernard who comes with Penelope and Alicia. The four,once arrived, unload something wrapped in gift paper, they put in the garage. It’s obviouslya surprise for Ussa who is not suspecting anything. After having put the object away,they enter the house, where nothing but the smell of the kitchen makes already hungry. Julianputs his head in the door jamb of the kitchen and asks the girls:‘Can we do something?’‘Of course,’ says Angelica, ‘put the glasses and bottles with aperitif. Eh! Penelope, justtake the cookies and put them on the table.’‘But! Can I still come to say happy birthday to our beautiful princess’, says Penelope.‘Do it quickly then,’ replies Ussa, ‘I cannot let burn my beignets. You can take in thesame time the first ones to put them on the table. I’m ready with the others in twenty minutes,after I have to monitor my gratin. The rest is ready to be served.’It’s after Penelope that Bernard and Alicia come in turn quickly in the kitchen, give akiss to Ussa in wishing her happy birthday. Julian begins, aided by Leith who has comeback too, to put the bottles and glasses of the aperitifs on the table. They only await Armand,Andrew and Cecilia who still have to come.‘Oh,’ says Alicia, ‘that noise there can only be Andrew. He seems to think that it goesfaster when it makes more noise.’‘It amazes me,’ says Bernard, ‘that he hasn’t been stopped yet by the cops. He risks evento have its tampered equipment confiscated.’197

Ussa’s anniversary.‘Hi band,’ says Andrew who has just entered before continuing addressing Angelica:‘you’re right to not have come, this prof is really zero. You can’t ask your guy to explain itto me too.’‘But!’ Ask yourself.’‘I don’t speak their language quite well.’‘So, how do you think that he explains you then?’‘We could not revise the course together? You have to revise it also, I could also come,therefore, can’t I?’‘For now it’s screwed, but you could come tomorrow at the end of the afternoon. I willtranslate that what you don’t understand. But,’ she continues, ‘don’t forget Ussa, it’s stillher birthday.’‘Shit,’ he says before going to the kitchen to give Ussa a kiss, ‘you’re right, I’ve almostforgotten it.’‘Hello everyone,’ says Cecilia just entered, ‘at the aperitifs already I see.’‘Hi Mom,’ says Ussa, ‘just put the last cakes on the table along with other things preparedthe day before. You pour me a glass of fortified wine?’ She says at Julian.‘Yes my dear, it’s already done. It’s waiting for you there.’‘Then,’ says Cecilia, ‘we’re missing only Armand. He will soon return from his job too.It’s his assistant who closes the store today.’As guests moved to table, Cecilia and Penelope go to the kitchen, as they take over fromUssa now. Angelica makes Ussa understand that her place is at the head of the table andJulian on the other side. Other places, she assigns such that men and women are seated alternately.It’s Armand, just entering, who exclaims when he sees that the others have alreadybegun with the aperitifs:‘So, didn't you wait? Am I the last served now?’‘No Dad, we have not yet begun yet’, says Angelica. ‘I just placed the guests and pourthem the first drinks. Take place and taste the creations of your daughter-in-law.’After everyone is seated, the assembly sings the traditional song "happy birthday Ussa”,followed by a “cheers.” Then, Julian gets up and asks everyone to follow him to the garage.They leave the house and accompanying Ussa to the garage where she sees a big deformedpackage with her name on it.’‘Unpack it,’ says Julian, ‘it’s a gift of us all.’She takes a circular look on those present without saying a word. Full of emotions shebegins to gently remove the paper. It’s when the first metallic structures become visiblethat she pushes a shout of joy.‘But it’s too much! A bicycle! Thank you all! I don’t know what to say. I wouldn’tneed to borrow that of Angelica any more. We might even make trips together. It’s toomuch, I can’t believe it’, she says with tears in her eyes.Back at the table, she finds there another gift. A cardboard tube, but she is not the onlyone to have received one. Penelope has one too. They open it and the one of Ussa containsa poster showing her parents standing on their boat. It’s an enlargement of one ofthe photos Angelica and Julian took. The tube of Penelope contains one where we see hercousin Felicity with Abdubu and a little more behind on their boat, the other members ofher family. The two women silently contemplate the enormous photos and then Ussa hasanew tears in her eyes.198

Ten more days.‘Thank you for everything’, she stammers. ‘I am very impressed by this gesture. We willhang it in our room, don’t we Julian?’But before Julian, can answer, a man’s voice seems to come from nowhere, creating asurprise at Bernard, Alicia and Andrew, saying:‘Happy birthday my daughter. I am glad that you are well. For those here who don’tknow me yet, I’m Paris Bel-Ra, one of the last kings of the Atlantic Federation, betterknown at your home as Atlantis.’‘Happy birthday my daughter’, says a female voice. For others, I’m Selena Bel-Ra and Iam her mother. We are also pleased that Penelope has emerged from her accident.’Then everyone presents himself in turn, before a dialogue occurs. It’s during these talksthat Penelope and Cecilia begin to serve the entries. The couple Bel-Ra tells what theyhave lived and that everything has gone well in spite of the loss of many boats. He describesthe place where he is now, which is the Pyrenees, just around the corner frompresent Spain and France. While the conversations continue, the main dish is served as everyonecan take what he wants. Cecilia who initially feared that Ussa has a little forced onthe dose, sees that it’s not too many. Clearly, a meal for ten people cannot be done impromptu,but before she could ask Ussa where she takes her know-how, it’s her motherwho enlightens her.‘Cecilia Yes, I see that you wonder from where my daughter has this knowledge. It’sfrom us, our personal chef. I could never stop her from cooking. To me it’s not a task fora Crown princess, but once she has something in mind, she hasn’t it elsewhere.’‘Yes, I know something my dear, I have a daughter like that.’‘Paris,’ says Angelica, ‘thank you again for the gift. It’s too beautiful.’It’s before Paris can say something that Julian says:‘You could have put it on for the occasion this afternoon. Put it, show us that whatParis offered you!’‘Yes, Angelica’, says Ussa. ‘I come with you, I will lend you a beautiful dress that goeswith it. You haven’t any yourself.’When the girls finally return, small whistles can be heard because Ussa has changed tooand has put on her gala dress.‘Are they not beautiful, aren’t they’, says Paris. ‘Angelica, regarding your gift, the serviceyou have rendered us is for us invaluable and you deserve it. Your information, as meageras it was, allowed me to save many lives. Leith, my boy, you received with the legacy ofMaster Amilius a letter to Ussa to be handed over to her on her nineteenth birthday. Thisletter, it’s to you that I am talking Ussa, contains a certificate, signed by all of the kings ofAtlantis, declaring you queen survivor. This letter was prepared for all Crown princes andCrown princesses, already very long ago and is to be opened by the last survivor prince orprincess. However, my daughter, this last survivor is yourself. Open it and read it aloud infront of two witnesses.‘Ussa,’ says Selena, ‘we must leave you because life here is not easy and we give ourselvesa hand. We will be in touch later. So have a good party my girl.’‘Happy birthday my daughter,’ says her father, ‘at later.’The assembly begins in between time with ice. Ussa has got what she wanted the otherday in Paris, an ice cream with hot chocolate and whipped cream. But what everyone ignoresis that a surprise awaits them in coffee time. Ussa and Leith, don’t change their199

Ussa’s anniversary.habits. They understood that the coffee is there in their new life and also the drink discoveredby chance by the great-grandfather of Leith, who wonders if that drink has not beenre-invented the same way. Angelica points out that we will have to enjoy it until next yearbecause then alcohol will be prohibited for the under eighteen years. Andrew makes herthe remark that to him you can still drink at home, it means nothing. He says that if someonewants to remain reasonable, he does not need laws. On the other hand, the others willalways find that what they want. The drugs are a proof that it’s not a ban that stops theconsumer, but the monitoring of those who don’t know how to control themselves. Whilediscussions continue on this subject, a small ringing is heard. By surprise, some look attheir cellphone, but the signal is quite special and seems to come on the side of Penelope,who looks a little disbelieving at her communicator showing a request for an incomingcommunication. She takes it, launches “answer” and exclaims:‘AJAX! What are you doing. Where are you? I thought you were joining the Macs?’‘Yes, that’s it, but there is nothing there where we are, but where are you?’‘At the home of the parents-in-law of Ussa and Leith, celebrating the nineteenth anniversaryof Ussa.’‘YOU ARE IN THE GALLIC COUNTRY?’‘YES!’‘Shit!’‘How? Shit?’‘That’s why we don’t see land at the place indicated. We are supposed to have landwhere we are, but there is only water over here.’‘Hey! I’ll pass a sailor, he explains you where you should go. But. Tell me, how muchare you and with what boat you’re coming. Don’t tell me you’re coming with this nutsshellbelonging to Jason.’‘Yes, that’s it my beautiful, but as I said how are you?’‘Do you have something to hold on?’‘What?’‘Hold yourself solidly on something!’‘Okay, but I do not understand.’‘You will understand now. Here, I found a handsome man with a daughter of seventeenyears who has the same profession as me. Then, it’s not all we’ll get married!’‘WHAT? I feel as if the sky is falling on my head. You invite me to your party?’‘Yes, of course, it does not hurry, but you still not told me how much you’re in thisboat.’‘There is me, Jason with his wife and two girls of six and seven years, then Laïos with hiswife and son of eight years.’‘And Jou-el?’‘I haven’t seen him back, he remained with the royal guards. He surly has been able tojoin the armada of the King.’‘Oh, I’ll pass you our marine of service.’Penelope gets up and hands out her communicator to Armand, who explains the courseto take. Leith, who understandingwhat is happening, has already picked up a sea map andgives it to Armand. He explains to them the route to be taken and promises to send someoneto guide them to the port. Armand hands the communicator to Leith, who continues200

Ten more days.to chat with his old buddies, whilst Armand takes the good old phone and dials the numberof the “Captain”.‘Captain? Armand speaking here, WE HAVE A PROBLEM!’201

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe author wishes to express its deepest gratitude to authors Jean Louis Bernard andBernard Duboy and Éditions du Rocher, which have provided valuable information inpreparation before writing this book. This thanks do not include consent or refusal on thepart of authors Jean Louis Bernard and Bernard Duboy and Éditions du Rocher on theoriesadvanced by the author.Éditions du Rocher101, Boulevard Murat75116 PARISWork:“Les Autres Vies et la Réincarnation”(The Other Lives and Reincarnation)By:Jean Louis Bernard and Bernard DuboyISBN: 2 268 0130 642The author also wishes to express its deepest thanks to:NASA Headquarters, Public Communication OfficeSuite 5K39WASHINGTON DC20546-0001For the provision of the image on the cover.202

Printing on demand by:SprintOO230 rue de l’Arbrisseau59043 Lille CedexÉditions Jean Voltaire15 rue du 13 Août 194427940 Courcelles sur SeineISBN : NoneRegistered: July 7, 2009 / 1A 025 693 0915 0Publication number: 2009-02