The Novida Code (5 page)

             
Then it was our turn. In a quiet, faltering voice, Lauren introduced herself: “Hello, I'm Lauren, student.”  She smiled shyly at the lecturer, who remained impassive. He turned his gaze on me. I was shaking a little, but managed to introduce myself.

             
He went on staring at me silently for a while. I felt totally defenceless under his gaze, which he kept fixed on me. I didn't know it was possible for anyone to stare like that, boring right through you and probing you so mercilessly. I could already see myself being unmasked and carted away for interrogation.

             
But he turned towards another student and carried on with the introductions. I glanced at Lauren and saw that she hadn't experienced the same feeling that I had. She gave me an encouraging smile and I guessed that she was thinking that I was already losing my nerve. But I knew that this individual with his white gloves was something different. Something to be very wary of.

             
The rest of the class passed without incident. The teacher didn't look at me again, and I might almost have thought that I'd been imagining it. But I made a mental note to warn Lauren about him during our first exchange of information.

             
That day, we learned a few details on the Efeghi culture. Their government was an empire. The Emperor's authority extended over three planets: Efeghea was its principal world, followed by Eliya and Sarados. In addition, numerous colonies had been settled on other planets, which possessed relative autonomy in exchange for part of their resources.

             
The Efeghis planned to accord the Earth the same status as these colonies. The Efeghi army was supposed to leave our planet and to leave us with a government of collaborators and a certain amount of independence. Of course, before that could happen, all fighting on Earth would have to have ceased.

             
Apart from their plans for our world, we also learned that Efeghi society was divided into four main groups: the imperial family, the Army, the nobles and the auxiliaries. Each group consisted of several families, each with a different sphere of influence.

             
The lecturer didn't dwell on Efeghi politics, nor did he explain to us what the auxiliaries were, but I did nevertheless infer that the Emperor's power wasn't absolute. To get his policies enforced, he had to juggle with the various groups. I was sure Lauren was avidly taking in all these details.

             
After that first morning, we had lunch in the refectory – still with no sign of the Efeghis – and then we had two hours free before returning to class. It was during this break that I recorded my first message to Lauren, explaining this morning's incident and warning her to watch out for our teacher. I also suggested she might look into the subject of the auxiliaries.

I
'd just finished when I heard a knock at my door:
“It's me,” said Lauren.
“Come on in!” I replied, faking a cheerfulness I certainly didn't feel. I was afraid I'd let her down this morning and was worried about her reaction.

“
Well, what do you think?” she asked me eagerly.
“Afren is a very nice teacher, and has such beautiful eyes!” I exclaimed with a slight laugh. “Do you think he realised that I fancy him?”
“He couldn't fail to! You didn't stop ogling him for a good five minutes. I thought you were going to eat him!”
“You're exaggerating”, I laughed, and chucked a cushion at her head.

             
She laughed too, and stood up to throw it back. At the same time, we exchanged our crystals. For several minutes, we continued to discuss the morning's events, exchanging views on our comrades, the Efeghis and the lessons.

             
At a pre-arranged signal from Lauren, I switched on the crystal by gripping it very tightly in my hand. Lauren's voice was loud and clear in my head:

“
Auxana, I don't think we should continue like this. It's not your fault, but mine.
I should never have put you in this position. It's far too risky; you must go back home. You'll have to stay here for a while so as not to attract attention, but then you'll be able to claim you've learned enough, and go home safely to your family.
Meanwhile, do nothing, and merge into the background. That's an order, Auxana.”

             
The shock nearly made me lose my composure. I couldn't believe Lauren had simply dismissed me, without even trying to understand. I signalled to her that I was going to speak – long enough for her to listen to my message. I was hoping she'd change her mind, but at the end, she merely shook her head slightly. She'd made her decision and wasn't planning to go back on it.

            
 
But I had every intention of making her change her mind. And, unfortunately, I already knew just how to go about it.

              I didn't hold it against Auxana for panicking during the first lesson. It was myself I blamed. I knew she had a very ingenuous nature, and yet I'd thought she could keep up this act for months on end.

             
But when I saw her go to pieces under the gaze of the Efeghi professor, I realised my mistake.

             
I didn't feel this incident would have any serious consequences, but it could arouse suspicion, and from now on, she was likely to be monitored. What's more, if she was that easily fazed, she'd have no chance on the path I was about to follow. It would be more sensible for her to back out, and as I knew she wouldn't listen to reason, I'd been forced to give her an order.

             
I felt sorry for hurting her, but I knew I was doing it for her own good. I didn't pay much attention to her remarks about the Efeghi lecturer. I hadn't noticed anything particularly unusual about him. I put Auxana's overreaction down to stress and her lack of confidence, and spent the next few days concentrating on gathering information.

             
We learned through Afren that terrorists had attacked an Efeghi convoy. Commandant Amar, out of the goodness of his heart, had contented himself with tracking down and imprisoning the culprits. The population had suffered no repercussions.

             
I had got into the habit of walking with Auxana during our lunch breaks to the market in the city to gauge public feeling. I took this opportunity to verify this information. It was clear Afren hadn't been lying. Only those responsible for the attack had been arrested.

             
This was bad news indeed. Commandant Amar's lack of repression removed any public incentive to risk life and limb fighting the Efeghis, who were posing no threat to them whatsoever. As I overheard beside a market stall, they were even nicer and certainly less corrupt than our former government.

Impotent
rage boiled up inside me. I was biding my time, hoping that the ongoing acts of resistance would end up wearing Amar down and pushing him over the edge.

             
Two weeks later, we were treated to a demonstration by Efeghi soldiers of a sport that was very fashionable in their world and which very much resembled fencing. This sport took the form of a duel with a weapon rather like a sword, but with a double blade: one part being far longer than the other. Afren told us that this was the traditional weapon of the great Efeghi families. We also learned that the duellists almost all belonged to the great families from the war party.

             
Split into pairs, there were six of them in the inner courtyard of the general headquarters, with its magnificent private garden belonging to the town hall. This garden had been created specifically for the personal enjoyment of the mayor, and had formerly been reserved exclusively for him despite having been financed out of public funds. There was a certain irony in the thought that it was thanks to the invasion that we now had access to it.

             
Like all the Efeghis that we'd seen until then, the duellists were young and good looking. I often wondered whether the Efeghis had altered their appearance to influence us, or if their species really
was
so physically perfect. What's more, I didn't even know if our two species were genetically compatible.

             
This was an avenue worth exploring. Until now, we'd only set eyes on male Efeghis. Maybe they had invaded us because they didn't have females to perpetuate their species. Whilst trying to devise a way to verify my theory, I was keeping a close eye on two duellists called Elden and Oniar. I'd noticed that Oniar often sat next to Commandant Amar in the refectory, and I supposed he must be influential.

Elden,
however, was new. Like Alden, he wore white gloves, and I'd noticed that the other Efeghis seemed a little wary of him. They appeared to be avoiding physical contact with him. Was he sick? Could one collect and cultivate the microbe in question and use it to infect other Efeghis? There again, there were numerous possibilities. I had therefore decided to watch them and, if possible, to hang around with them.

             
They were very skilful, with graceful, lightning quick movements. This was bad news: physically, they would be formidable adversaries, especially against amateurs. I had hoped that their technological superiority would be coupled with some physical debility, but I was quickly disillusioned.

             
I was able to observe how their weapon was used, with its double blade serving to grapple the enemy's main blade and wrest it off him. At the end of the duel, when Oniar sent Elden's blade flying through the air, I clapped my hands and shouted: “Bravo!”

Oniar
turned towards me with a smile:
              “Thank you, Miss.” He had that slightly slow diction typical of the Efeghis, and which was not lacking in charm. I stood up and went towards him:

“
Can I have a go?”

             
My request surprised him, but he very soon regained his composure:
“Of course. But we'll take it slowly; this weapon can be dangerous.”

             
I'd suspected as much, but, given his skill, even if I tried to harm him, the only person likely to get hurt was me. I gave him my brightest smile and decided that if he had to be eliminated, I'd probably resort to more devious methods.

             
He showed me how to hold the weapon, which wasn't light. I took the opportunity to look slightly flustered by his touch, and could tell by his expression that he quite liked me. All the same, he hid it well and remained totally professional. I had feared – at the start of our infiltration process – that our enemies would force themselves upon us physically, but I was soon proved wrong. It seemed that the Efeghi culture was totally respectful towards women.

             
In fact, their code of honour appeared to allow men to make only discreet advances, as I'd been able to ascertain on several occasions. The women opted freely to respond. Oniar refrained from going even this far as he showed me the various Efeghi combat positions.

             
I supposed that in his elevated position, he had to be more circumspect in his choice of bed partner. This suited me for the time being. I wasn't yet ready to go down that road. Meanwhile, it would be a good idea to get to know him. So I asked him to fight a duel with me.

             
I sensed his hesitation, and then he replied: “I think that this display will do for today, young lady.”
“Please”, I asked plaintively, “just once.”

             
Elden and Oniar exchanged glances. Elden found my insistence amusing, apparently attributing it to his friend's charm. Oniar still hesitated.

“
Please!” I repeated. I was counting on the politeness of the Efeghis, who seemed to find it hard to refuse a woman anything.

“
Very well, but promise me you'll be careful!”
“It's a promise”, I smiled.

             
We took the duel very slowly to start with, then speeded up a little. Oniar easily adapted to my pace, and the bout began to seem like a real duel. I was careful not to appear too adept, but there was no need: Oniar was far better than me. His desire to prolong the duel was all that prevented me from being disarmed within the first few seconds.

             
The other spectators, earthlings and Efeghis together, soon gathered around us to cheer us on. I'd have preferred to be able to observe
them
, but the duel required all my concentration. I would have liked to be able to say that I did it deliberately, but it was entirely by chance that the accident happened: during an ill-timed movement, Oniar's blade scored my arm.

             
I dropped my sword with a cry. Oniar immediately let go of his, and gently took my arm. The wound was bleeding and I heard a cry followed by a thud. One of our companions had just fainted. I had no time to see who it was, for Oniar was already ripping off a piece of his tunic and compressing the wound.