The Secret of Atlantis by Kir Lukovkin

Author:Kir Lukovkin [Lukovkin, Kir]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Magic Dome Books
Published: 2018-02-25T22:00:00+00:00

L

“YOU HAD AN INTERESTING selection today.” Lee was not even looking at Rick, who was standing to attention as he sat at his desk and cleaned the dirt from fingernails using the end of his combat knife. “Everything is usually decided in the first few minutes. But it all got drawn out with you. Why did you hide the knife? You could have immediately shown it to Gareth, I'm sure you would have been one of the first people he chose.”

“I wanted to test you, commander.” Rick stared straight ahead, because Lee stopped digging into his nails and looked up at him in astonishment.

“You should not lie to me. I can smell lies a mile off, like the stench of a corpse.” Lee got up and walked around the table, standing in front of Rick. “I know what you're thinking. Of course, killing those like you in stupid arguments is disgusting. But there's no other way in our line of work, believe me. There's no place for the weak here. It's better that they die than the strong die because of them when the time will come to fight for the division. Cowards always run from the battlefield. But you're no coward.”

Lee looked like he was about to sit down, but he spun around and shouted “Am I right?” in Rick's face.

“Yes, Commander Lee!”

The platoon commander nodded, sat back behind the table and continued, “We sort the wheat from the chaff. We select those who truly are the best and the most able to survive in difficult conditions. That's the only way to protect society from internal and external threats. Now, answer me. Why did you hide the knife when Gareth began the selection?”

“I did not want to show my advantages.”

“That's cleaver for those who are watching, but not for you in that situation.”

Rick blindly stared straight ahead.

“Commander Fritz said the same thing, as well as some of the highest ranking officers. And these people don't make mistakes. Do you agree?”

“What about?” Rick moved his eyes to look at Lee.

The platoon commander raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

“Have you even worked out where you are, son?”

Rick did not answer.

“This is the Division!” Lee stood up ramrod straight. “The first fully operational military organization, which was created after the Great Departure out of wild bands of scavengers who hid in the depths of the landscape. This is a new world! Do you understand? Our new world, our homeland, created through blood, sweat and tears, the hope of humanity!”

“Then why are they making people fight like animals in the pit?” Rick could not resist bursting out. “Anything for the cause.”

Lee looked at him for a while with his jaw hanging open, then gathered himself together and continued, in a surprisingly calm tone of voice.

“I will give you some leeway for being young and stupid. If an experienced soldier had said something like this, then he would be hanged inside a quarter of an hour. But that's not what we're talking about now. The Division is preparing for an important expedition to the sector of the inner ring by the tower.

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