Every day at 5 p.m., find a new episode of Mortal Derby X on 20 Minutes , Rocambole's soap opera, the app for reading differently. This series of SF projects us into a post-collapse world, the king sport of which is Quad Derby, a confrontation halfway between Roller derby and Rollerball. Its author, Michael Roch, is not an unknown. He has already published science fiction novels and hosts the YouTube book brigade.
Summary of previous episodes: During an accident in a Quad Derby match, Molly Pop, star of this sport, is violently kicked off the track by another competitor. She wakes up in the hospital with prosthetics in place of the legs and hatred deep in the heart. What is not tolerated in the Cocoon, the only protector of the human species since the Great Collapse of 2030 ... Molly is condemned to exile. Barely out of the Cocoon, she falls on Tob who makes him discover Althen, the largest city in the Free World and enlists him in his team to participate in the Mortal Derby X. The first leg is a failure but Molly noticed a staircase on the course, which leads to a bomb threatening the Cocoon and Althen.
EPISODE XV - Incoming connection
The pack rushes around the old monitor. On the screen, connected to an old touch keyboard, a gray tone interface flashes. A centered message asks for confirmation: "Allow the incoming connection? "
With a half-word, Tob admits that he did not really manage to penetrate the Cocoon network in an invisible way, or even to break its security. He ended up sending a simple plain text connection request. The network deliberately rejected it a few minutes later. It is because they had noted his presence. He then relaunched the loop request, before coupling it to a hastily coded spam module, just to be insistent. And after a few dozen refusals, an incoming connection request from them popped up on the monitor.
"What are you waiting for to accept it," Broody said, trotting his back.
At the touch of a button, he accepts the request. A window opens, then the module establishes a video connection. The face of a bald man, tarnished by obvious annoyance, appears in the center of the screen. Another person, to his right, out of scope, nonchalantly points his fingers towards the display console, indicating invisible positions. The bald, after having nodded, opens his mouth.
- Who are you ?
The pack remains silent. Tob specifies to the girls that the other can neither see nor hear them.
- What do we do ? Shall we tell him? Molly, who is this zigzag?
- He's one of the requisitioners, that of Homeland Security.
- So what's the plan?
- "Molly Pop, for urgent business" tape.
Tob looks for confirmation from Broody, but she lets nothing show through. The boy sweats, motionless. Molly, about to explode, takes control.
- If you don't want to assume, get out. I take my share of responsibility.
She taps quickly and sends her answer. The bald cuts communication. The screen goes back to black.
- He got away, Tob made almost relieved.
- The bastard! I don't believe it.
Molly Pop accuses the blow, then strikes the visioboard, swearing against the one who has just sent her back below ground. Broody steps in.
- We have all our illusions, believe.
Then the jammer turns to her team.
- Girls, pack your bags. We take off as soon as we can, and we get away from this Althen shit.
Molly Pop objects once again.
- Are you shit or what? You were not brought up on a rink. Team spirit, brotherhood, does that speak to you? Never give up, always fight, does that mean anything to you? Do you prefer to turn your heels in front of the obstacle, turn your jackets when the wind changes and run away?
Brood B. Queen slaps him and puts him on the wall, making the workbench tremble.
- We all make our own choices. Respect them. We're not on the Track for fun. We are there because it is our only chance to escape our destiny. We are there for the money that there is at the end, because we want to catch the nest egg, despite the blows, the wounds and the deaths that we leave behind. So do not try to convince us with your beautiful words. It looks like a requisitioner.
- So what do you need to convince yourself?
A ping sounds in the room. The monitor displays a new incoming request. Broody releases Molly. Assisted by Tob, the young woman responds to the order. The viewing window opens again. The faces of his parents appear.
- Molly? Molly, is that you? How are you doing out there?
- I'M FINE. I AM IN GOOD HANDS.
Molly's mother holds a sob from her hand. His father seems less worried.
- Molly! he repeats. We are in full negotiations with our lawyers and the requisition. It is possible that we may manage to reinstate you, on an exceptional basis, given your sports reputation. Molly, do you hear?
- I HAVE TO TALK TO THE REQUESTERERS. IT'S URGENT.
- We don't see you, Molly. How is it outside? The Requisitor Lenoch wants to know if this is really you. Finally ...
Her father's voice is hesitant. It continues, however.
- If we speak well, currently, to our daughter. So he planned a series of questions that you - that you have to answer right.
- IT'S URGENT, DAD. THE REQUESTERS MUST INTERVENE OUTSIDE, A BOMB WILL BE LAUNCHED AGAINST THE COCOON.
Father's voice trembles.
- What is your date of birth ? What is the name of your pet? What year did you join the Rocket Warriors team? What -
- I HAVE NEVER HAD DOMESTIC ANIMAL. WHERE IS THE LENOCH REQUISER?
Molly's father stops his questionnaire when the mother puts her hand on his shoulder, showing him the screen.
- It's her, he admits reassured. It's her, I tell you!
He turns to someone outside the field, who seems to insist that he continue with his questionnaire. The father gets carried away.
- But there is no more personal question! All the other information is certainly available anywhere on the network!
- LENOCH, SHOW YOURSELF!
After a few seconds of chaos, the Bald Requisitor shows his head and grabs the microphone.
- Tell us where you are, with whom and what are the claims.
- THERE IS A CITY AROUND THE COCOON: ALTHEN. SHE -
- We know that. We know what's around. Answer my questions.
- WHAT WILL IT BE FOR YOU? SOMEONE PLACED A BOMB UNDER THE ALTHEN TRACK, ABOVE THE COCOON REACTORS. I AM NOT INVOLVED. THE BOMB WILL BE BROUGHT THIS EVENING DURING THE RACE. YOU MUST STOP IT.
- We cannot risk opening the Reclaimer in front of such a crowd, on pain of being overwhelmed.
- INTERVENE BEFORE THE RACE! GO DOWN NOW!
- You don't understand, said Lenoch, keeping an Olympian calm. We do not have time to intervene in such a short time. We are sending a team to come on the scene as early as possible overnight. Until then, it will be up to you to do your best.
- I CAN NOT.
- We know that you are part of the Ravin Sud team. We know a lot about Althen and the Free World, even if there are obviously some things we still miss ... We know you're in the finals tonight, so do it.
- RAVINE SKULLS WILL NOT RUN THIS EVENING. THEY HAVE BEEN DEFINED.
- Do your best to persuade them. If you stop Trevor Rigbal's business, we will agree to reinstate you in the Cocoon. Under no other conditions.
Communication is cut off. Tob is just as clueless as Molly. The room is empty. The pack is upstairs, emptying the barracks, preparing to leave the premises. Tob shrugs and joins his square. When she meets the gaze of Broody who watched them from her catwalk, Molly Pop then understands what remains to be done.
To be continued…
Discover the next episode on our site on May 12 at 5 p.m. or on the Rocambole app for iOS or Android.
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