Chapter 89: Gaps

Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Gaps

Today was the 12th of December, three days short of the day they would receive the first batch of guests coming for the trial.

There was no need for outsiders to assess it, the people on the planet discovered the problems first themselves. This morning, Isabella and Sebastian went for a morning run together, their goal being to run to the far side of the man-made waterfall to watch the sunrise together.

However, as Isabella ran past the stream, she happened to slip off a moss-covered rock, her whole body dropping in with a splash. Where she fell was the head of the stream where the waterfall poured down, the water running very fast. Isabella was swept away by the water for a very long stretch just like that. Luckily Sebastian reacted quickly, with a grade-B Mecha to help him besides, and so managed to get Isabella out. But she had still drunk her fill of water in place of breakfast.

Liam immediately had the staff and the retainers present on the planet go and experience every place for themselves, to find the hidden problems affecting the safety of the customers.

Everyone took a day to go all round, and by late afternoon the reports were on Liam’s and Daniel’s desk. Leonardo was enjoying a long holiday after several hard months, so he was still on Sirius. He sat down with the tourist area’s two leaders as well, turning over the reports one by one.

"The houses are tilting?" Leonardo rubbed his chin, reopening the final assessment made before the works were handed over: "At the time of assessment they were not tilting, so why after a few days are they tilting this much?"

Liam looked at the 3D projection, then quickly spotted the problem: "The houses are not tilting, it is the section of mountain on the left that is subsiding." He sat up straight, pointing at the ground at the mountain’s foot: "This is not down to poor quality in the works, but to the movement of the planetary core. At the start we only surveyed the surface five geological strata, confirmed there was no erosion and only then raised the mountains on top, but we forgot that the cyclical movement of the planetary core can also cause changes in the structure of the strata."

Daniel was worried: "Then what are we to do? Surely we do not have to move it somewhere else? That would cost a great deal more time."

Leonardo shook his head: "There is no need to move it, we will subsurface-vitrify the fifth geological stratum. So long as the fifth layer does not move, the layers above it will be fixed in place."

Liam tilted his head: "Will that affect the planet’s original structure?"

Leonardo stated it firmly: "No effect whatsoever, on the contrary, locking the fifth stratum also helps against wide-area erosion, slowing the degradation of the planet’s surface."

Daniel let out a breath of relief: "Then get on with it at once. A third of the Northern Hemisphere is mountains, three days will certainly still be enough. Have your people work overtime through the nights, try to finish before the 15th. Overtime at 300%."

Leonardo nodded: "Fine, I will send people over tonight. Subsurface-vitrifying only the fifth layer will be done by the morning of the 14th. I will have people test it personally with a high-level tremor generator, and only hand the works back to you once absolute safety is guaranteed."

Liam went on turning over the other reports, all of them small matters, needing only machinery to put right.

For instance, the planting density of the roses and the milk flower trees on roads six and nineteen was too thick, so that people with gland inflammation or respiratory illnesses would not be able to bear the scent. This problem needed only the plants moved further apart and it was solved.

Or the chestnut trees on the mountain were growing too fast, the nuts falling in such numbers that they could not be gathered up in time and would pierce straight through the soles of passers-by, even Gabriel in military boots had a chestnut burr go clean through his foot. This was the drawback after improving the chestnut with restoration fluid. The chestnut tree matures fast, the nut is as big as an Alpha’s fist, the spines harder even than a porcupine star-beast’s quills. The advantage is that the kernel is large, more fragrant and richer than the original chestnut.

This problem was no cause for worry. He was certain that once that crowd of tourists had tasted how good the chestnuts were, they would strip the trees bare, let alone the nuts fallen at the foot. All that was needed was to equip them with protective gear and give them thorough instructions, making sure no chestnut cracked anyone’s skull open.

Daniel gave his view as well: "The other faults can all be handled by manpower, but what are we to do about the gap in the system of invisible wall surrounding this planet?" He pointed at the red dot the retainers had found: "The wall in this area is thinner and more brittle than elsewhere, and if anyone discovers it, our planet could be invaded by star pirates before we know it."

Liam tapped the tabletop, then called Alexander, asking: "Brother, is there any way to improve a gap in the protective wall?" He showed Alexander the area marked in red: "Radius fifteen kilometres, thickness and hardness at least sixty per cent below standard."

Alexander knitted his brows: "There is, indeed there is, but the technology for patching gaps in a protective wall lies in the hands of the Vance clan. Lincoln Vance is an old fox, he will not patch the gap for you easily unless he can gnaw some piece of flesh off you."

The Vance clan? Was that not his own Papa’s family?

Liam remembered Benjamin’s conversation with Eldest Uncle Vance, and it seemed the relationship between the two families had not reached the point of being beyond saving. Only that, if what had happened to Elijah really was the same as what played out in the film, then it was hard to say.

In the film, that youngest uncle of Wyatt’s had arranged to go home with him but forgot it halfway, leaving Wyatt standing waiting in the fourth-floor corridor until nightfall. Only after that was Wyatt lured by that Alpha into the music room, where the foul business was done...

"I will work this out later." Liam said coldly: "First of all strengthen the line of defence in this area, so that when something moves we can detect it in time."

Alexander did not cut the call either, discussing with Liam’s group the problems to be repaired before the real trial began.

On the afternoon of the 14th of December, the day before the opening, a signal came in from outside the protective wall that there were guests arriving. The two soldiers responsible for guarding the gate called Liam directly:

"Master Liam, there is a private ship bearing the Vance family crest, claiming to be the head of the Vance family coming to visit relatives, may I ask whether to let them in?"

Liam was left blank. Two days ago they had still been talking about the Vance family, and two days later the people had turned up of their own accord. If this case were set on Earth, people would joke that it was "so uncanny that even lighting a mosquito coil summons the spirit". Liam put aside his complicated mood, saying to the gate guards:

"Let them in."

Lincoln and Julian were standing tensely in the ship’s cockpit, staring at the several battleships and military ships outside with hearts full of worry. Why were there so many Hall family battleships and ships out here?

What was more, the family crest mounted on the planet’s gate looked most unfamiliar, not the Martinez family crest at all. Surely the three Martinez siblings had not truly run into trouble?

Just at this moment, the Vance family’s ship received the signal permitting it to land, and the planet’s gate slowly opened for them to come in. The protective wall was a two-way membrane, from inside looking out it was a sheet of transparency, while from outside looking in nothing at all could be seen until the planet’s gate was opened.

So, right after coming through the gate, the two Vance brothers along with several of their subordinates were overwhelmed at once by the scene before their eyes. Everywhere brimmed with bright colours, there were hills and mountains and rivers no different from a primordial planet. If there had not also been a great many tiny little rooftops below, they would have thought they had strayed onto some primordial planet.

The Vance family’s ship landed on the parking ground. The two Vance brothers stepped down carrying complicated feelings.

What struck their eyes were two rows of people standing dead straight on either side, their two hands clasped together in front of their stomachs. The clothes on them were all exactly alike, their hair tied back neatly, looking exceedingly simple yet lacking nothing in dignity. The moment that line of people saw them, they bowed down at a forty-five degree angle, calling out in one voice:

"Welcome, honoured guests, to the planet Sirius!"

The Vance family’s bodyguards were frightened out of their wits and were about to draw their hardware to defend themselves when a female staff member politely stepped forward, the standard smile of a service worker on her face. Following her were two grade-A Alphas and a male Omega, in the Omega’s hands a tray holding a row of keys.

The female staff member stood in front of the two Vance brothers, speaking in a tone that was polite without being deferential:

"Sirs, the planet Sirius’ regulations do not permit Mecha or weapons to be brought inside. Would you kindly put your belongings into a secure locker and register the locker number with our staff. On your return, you need only scan your identity ID card to retrieve your belongings."

The faces of the two Vance brothers went cold, and the bodyguards behind them all drew their laser guns at once and levelled them at the female staff member. The female staff member kept her professional smile, yet the words that came out were exceedingly cold:

"Failure to observe the regulations, kindly leave Sirius."