Alright, alright, don't panic, Alyss. I still have Beatriz's mind, if I go through her memories, I can figure it out. You can do it, Alyss. Just don't let anyone know the truth.
"Quite perplexed, aren't you?" the chief's voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Well, it's the final run, so I suppose."
"Worry less, Adrian will be at your side."
Adrian? Is that the guy the women talked about? And he will be with me? This is really bad.
ding!
The elevator stopped with a whirr, and the chief pushed the chestnut-clouded door aside and then slid the iron gate of the elevator, which made a light bang, and guided me into the lab
This lab is pretty good, I can't believe they got an entire unit under a old fashioned office.
The lab had air-conditioning units and long ceiling panels that provided the lighting. The floor was pale, smooth, and clean. There was a metal rack with white coats arranged by size hung straight along one wall. The only sound in the room was the constant, loud hum of the air conditioners that were positioned close to the ceiling. Large worktables filled the center space, each supporting a ship model fixed onto clamps and frames.
The models… these must be built to scale.
Each cubicle belonged to a separate section of the ship. One was on hull balance and water resistance. Another handled engine placement. Bulky terminals stood beside the tables. Cables ran from the terminals into the tables and floor ports. The remaining walls were lined with cabinets that held spare parts, measuring equipment, and tools.
Damn, this lab is cool…can't believe Beatriz worked in such a place.
Why do they have such a good lab with all these facilities and tools when they don't even have roads and pavements? Why spend so much on a shipbuilding unit rather than people?
"Did you offer your prayers today, Roza? It took us much hard work to reach this point. We ought to be grateful."
"I did, chief."
"Wearing your aeglet?" the chief said, going through some files and signing a document.
Aeglet?? What the hell is that? Is it like some sort of device that makes work easy? It must be nothing important, let's just say yes.
"Yes, I am."
"That's great. Well, you proceed. Adrian will join you sooner. I have to finalize the patent; I am heading above."
"No issues, I will handle it."
"Good luck, and call me if something turns out wrong."
In that case, you have to stay here because everything will go wrong.
The chief turned and made his way back, leaving me alone in the facility.
Sigh!
"That was close, can't let them catch me," I said, getting a cup of water.
gulp!
"Damn, that's better...what should I do first? I can't believe I managed to trick them into believing I was Beatriz. Glad I kept up my act, unlike with Sis, where I lost in minutes...so that's the difference between lovers and friends, huh?"
Should I just loaf around waiting for this Adrian guy to show up? Or should I enter that cubicle already? According to Beatriz's memories, there is an azimuth thruster with a propeller on it submerged in the fluids. If Adrian notices me outside of the cubicle, that might cast suspicion, better just enter and loaf in it.
I took a tentative glance around and braced myself to enter it, hoping I don't mess up.
Buzz!
The door buzzed as I pressed the red button on the side, and the pressure lock released, allowing me to enter the cubicle, and it locked itself the moment I let go of the knob.
"Feels like a horror movie."
thip!
I tripped on a standing table next to the door, the logbook fell down.
"Ugh, this body is very hard to balance, my chest is pulling me forward all the time."
I bent down to pick up the book, and it was relatively easy compared to in the morning.
Guess I am getting used to this body.
"What's that?" I said, picking up a miniature model of a ship.
"This is the ship they are working on, it looks good, and now it's going to be messed up because the final run is on me."
I should use Beatriz's knowledge, but I couldn't get the knowledge right.
"This ship...is this it?"
My words hung in the air, my jaw dropped.
"Is it the Arc of Triteus? the legendary ship that crossed the three oceans? Are they engineering it in here?"
Did Beatriz and her friends design the propeller? Damn, they are great, but why did I transmigrate at this moment? during the final run?? The ship succeeded, right? In other words, nothing's going to happen, so I will be fine.
I placed the model back to where it was and pushed aside the PVC strip curtains that blocked the entrance to the center of the cubicle.
There was a huge test basin in dark green, which contrasted the all-white interior nearly reaching my shoulders, and the width was at least ten meters, in the center of it was a replicated base floating.
I took a small peek inside the tub; underneath the base, there was an azimuth thruster attached with a propeller. The blade was almost half the size of me with a curved fin.
Damn, it's huge. I wonder how big the actual propeller is... Why isn't there any protective barrier around it? What if someone falls around?
"What do you think you are doing, Beatriz?" I heard a flirtatious tone and felt hot air breathing down my neck.
I shrieked instantly and turned a one-eighty as soon as I felt the sensation of someone touching my back.
"Looking pretty as always," I heard the guy say, his face inches away from me as I looked at him, my face as red as a tomato.
Is this guy Adrian? And why does he think so highly of himself?
Sniff! Sniff!
"New shampoo? Smells great."
Creep and you will be surprised that I didn't bathe.
"Get lost," I said, moving aside, breaking free from his hold.
"Stingy today? I heard it from them. They're not going to invite me to the revel?"
"Only if you pay."
"When did you start to charge him?"
"The hell did—"
"I was just joking, Beatriz; don't fret it."
Joking my a*s...what is Beatriz's relationship with this assh*le?
I sized him up for a moment as he headed to take some documents and stood near the control panel.
What is he wearing on his ankles? Is it an anklet? No, it isn't. Why is it glowing? Is it the aeglet the chief mentioned?
"I'm looking rather hot today, am I not? I caught you staring." Adrian said as he bent down to touch the aeglet, and it activated.
Should I bite him back?
"I was staring because I wondered how much thought the Luminaries must have spent to fashion someone so ugly as you."
"You don't mince your words," Adrian said, pulling down a lever as the basin started to whir.
"Activated your aeglet? looking confident leaning on it."
Right! The Aeglet works through magnetic force. When the lever is pulled, the basin activates its north magnetic pole. The Aeglet is also set to a north magnetic polarity. Because identical poles repel each other, the two forces push apart and form a protective barrier around the basin and my body. ...It's alright if I stay far away from it; I would be fine. Besides, even if I slip, I would fall forward due to my chest. Still, it's safe to stay away from.
"Turning it on in three… two… one."
The water in the basin began to vibrate, then shifted into motion, mimicking ocean waves striking the azimuth thruster from three directions. The propeller started to spin, slowly at first, then gaining pace, pushing the water aft as the flow steadied and gathered force.
This looks cool and also noisy; I might go deaf if I stayed here.
I felt Adrian touch me on my shoulders, and I immediately turned around, taking a step back to put distance between us.
"What are you doing?"
"Uh? Cannot hear you!" Adrian yelled back with a brown writing pad in his hands.
"Stop being touchy."
"I can't hear you, come closer," Adrian shouted.
I can't be near this creep.
I took a step back, my heels tripping me backwards.
Why am I falling backwards? But my chest would have pulled me to the front
Splash!
I fell in the tub. I heard Adrian's rushed scream muffled through the water as he tried to reach me, but the barrier didn't allow it.
"Am I going to die? I can't breathe,help me!" I said the words muffled as my body was being pulled in by the waves created by the basin and crashed against the propeller. The blade struck me, knocking me down as my body got ripped apart between the rotors, and I died again.