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A thousand years into the future humankind is thriving on Earth and a multitude of habitats orbiting around the sun, where Imperatrix Mundi guarantees universal peace. Technology has made possible a society where people are forever young and have everything they want. There are no worries and people should be happy. They are, but for how long? There is this inner awareness that science has reached its limits and that it is impossible to reach the stars. The feeling that civilization has reached a plateau and the future is gloomy. There is nowhere to go. Lorenzo, a son of the Imperatrix is marauded on Earth, where he finds Dianne, a scrawny teenage girl. Their destiny sets them on an adventurous path that collides with the ambitions of centuries old people. However, when Lorenzo is assassinated, Dianne finds that she is in charge. What can she do?  Sequel of:
The War that Saved the World |
Vignettes I stroll calmly, but when I accelerate my body, my eyes flash with new insight. Five, at least five, are furtively looking at me. The women are less obvious. My birdie brains establish a defense routine, a cloud of my sensors is already in the air and they make it clear that they are waiting for me. I see Kiko, far away and detached from the action. Dianne has somehow sensed something and is now standing up, quite calm. My sensors reconnoiter for a way out and there is none. I moderate my motions, hiding my accelerated mode. I will take some of them with me. This is a good exercise. ‘Lasers, pointing.’ I know. I am moving fast. I reach the first layer of the ambush and roll under. Laser lights pass overhead. I trip one, two; insert my fingers in their thorax. Use another as a shield. Jump, land between two. My fingers plunge their eyes and I duck. More laser lines. One touches me. I can move. I roll and go over someone who must be sunbathing. I feel another slight burn. I crawl between the legs of the panicked beachgoers and break the leg and spine of another. I have five more to go, plus the second and maybe third layer of the well-planned ambush. A woman is in front of me; I jump and break her neck. I look towards the beach and Dianne is looking at me, horrified. I jump again. My left leg is hot. I see it fall on the sand. I grab another and crunch his skull. I did well, eight are down. I stay where I fall. ‘I already sent out these memories, I will revive.’ A barrage of laser lights blinds me. |