NOVEL NEXT Ch35 Lorna: Frost Hjerte
20:59, February 23, 2295
Front Desk, The Quantum Pour, 1820 Maple Avenue, Evanston, IL, 60201, Terra Alliance territory
"Relax, Xin, it's just a drink." Lorna's boots clicked against the floor, her voice playful. Her midnight blue jumpsuit hugged her figure, complemented by the blue orb in her Nordic pendant. "Or are you afraid I'll outpace you again?"
The air was filled with the scent of cocktails, faint aphrodisiacs, and her lavender perfume.
Beside her, Xin was visibly nervous, his eyes scanning the crowd. He wore a dark olive green shirt under a winter jacket, fidgeting with its cuffs, and relaxed jeans. His worn leather shoes gave him a hipster look, his black-rimmed glasses reflecting the light. "I've been, well, practicing all day."
"Practicing?" Lorna raised an eyebrow, touching the silver pendant with its deep blue center. She looked down at Xin, aware of his slightly shorter height. "I didn't know drinking required so much dedication."
"Oh no, not drinking," Xin blushed as he raised his Quantum Watch. "I meant practicing 10mm shooting and driving the Space Rover. You've taught me well, so I thought —"
"No work talk tonight," Lorna interrupted, putting a finger on Xin's lips. "Can you do that for me?"
Xin's eyes widened before he nodded. "Yes, I can."
The entry scanner beeped as they walked by, until a soft chime interrupted them. Red lights blinked as Lorna stood there.
"Excuse me. Miss Weiss, correct?" a staff member approached with a professional smile. "Your scan indicates an infection — protocol dictates we can't allow you inside."
The words hit Lorna hard. Her heart sank. "I'm — this — there must be some mistake," her voice betrayed her calm exterior.
"There's no mistake," the staffer held up a tablet. 'NV Fenris 1', it read. "Due to your carrier status, I can't allow you inside. There's been talk about Radi-Mons across the Inner Sol. We must consider the safety of other guests, especially where intimate encounters happen frequently."
Anger flushed through Lorna. She had wanted one evening free from the weight of her condition.
"Perhaps we can find another bar?" Xin's hand brushed hers.
"Easy for you to say," she snapped, though she knew it wasn't his fault.
Through the glass walls, she could see the bar's fusion core in the basement, its crystal structure casting blue-white light across the patrons. Helionite waste flowed through tubes in the walls - part of the bar's decoration. But to Lorna, those glowing green tubes now felt like accusations, exposing what she wanted to hide.
Lorna sighed heavily, looking at the blinking scanner, arms crossed. The music seemed distant now. "Eric, I've been coming here for five years. We just need to go to my usual booth."
"No, Miss Weiss. Please understand!" the staff raised his hands and spoke loudly. "The Nucleus Virus is highly dangerous and strictly forbidden by Alliance law —"
"The Nucleus Virus!? Who has it?" A nearby patron gasped.
"That Valoran girl over there?" Another patron added.
"Eagle News said it's airborne. We need to leave!" More frightened comments followed.
"Hold on," Xin stepped in front of Lorna. "Don't Terra Alliance laws protect confidential medical information? Only the person themselves can disclose it in public."
"I apologize, but it was necessary to ensure your cooperation," the staff member said, embarrassed. "I hope the message is clear - you're not welcome here anymore, Miss Weiss."
"You didn't have to mention the virus publicly!" Xin's voice rose.
"What do you know about laws, Imperial? You've got Alliance citizenship?" A patron shouted as people gathered around them.
"Hey, maybe that guy's infected too? The blonde must be his bitch, right?" Another patron added aggressively.
"Come on," Xin turned to Lorna, his voice steady despite his uncertain expression. "Don't let these people ruin your mood."
Lorna looked at him and saw not pity but shared resilience. In another life, perhaps they would have met without these barriers.
"Yeah. This place isn't for us," she agreed with a hint of a smile. The rejection weighed on her as they walked away, with murmurs and skeptical comments mixing with clinking glasses behind them.
A few moments later, they reached the parking lot as snow fell around them.
Lorna smiled bitterly. "Well, isn't this a cosmic joke. Banned from my favorite bar like some unruly teenager."
Xin shifted beside her. "You didn't deserve that from those bigots," he said. Lorna could hear his protective tone.
"Five years," she spat. "Five years I've come here, and not once did they care about 'safety' until now." Her fingers touched the Nordic pendant at her neck. "Just my luck, I guess."
"Lorna. Are you still up for it?" Xin whispered. "Maybe we could turn it into, well, an outdoor adventure."
Lorna looked at him - his earnest eyes seemed untouched by what now marked her existence. He didn't see her as tainted; he saw her. The walls she had built began to crumble.
"An outdoor adventure?" she asked, her voice rough.
"Exactly," Xin pointed at the SIMU vehicle beside them. "We'll find our own quantum pour. In there."
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Their rover sat in the dim parking lot, its white form standing out against the city's neon blue signs. Snowflakes fell on its thick tires. The mounted Gauss Cannon added a looming presence even while inactive.
"In the Space Rover?" she asked, her breath visible in the cold air.
"Yeah," Xin nodded, smiling. "In the Space Rover."
21:30, February 24, 2295
Near Raymond Park, Evanston, IL, 60201, Terra Alliance territory
Outside, the world was covered in white, with Osram's light reflecting off the distant hills.
"I love the winters in Valoran countries, you know. The snow feels like magic," Xin said as he drove the Space Rover through swirling snowflakes.
"Is it not like this where you come from?" Lorna sat in the passenger seat, watching Xin's face as he handled the rover's controls.
"My hometown is tropical. The first time I saw snow was in an ice planet simulation by ZenFusion Terraforming. Was all artificial, so to see the real thing now —" Xin replied, focused on the road as he sped up. "I like it."
"Ease up on the throttle," Lorna said quietly. "Let the machine adapt to the terrain." She leaned closer, her fingers lightly touching his, guiding his hand.
Xin glanced at her before looking back at the path ahead. He adjusted his grip, following her suggestions. A small smile appeared on Lorna's lips.
"Good. Now, engage the stabilizers gently…like this." Her voice was soft as her hand briefly covered his, steadying the control.
The rover responded, moving smoothly over the snow. Xin's shoulders relaxed as Lorna pulled her hand away.
"Thanks," he glanced at Lorna again, admiration in his dark brown eyes. "Maybe I could make up for..."
"Stop," Lorna interrupted firmly. "You owe me nothing."
They drove in silence, with only the sound of snow crunching beneath the tires. The quiet moment stretched out as they followed the ice-covered road under Osram's glow.
Ahead, a small structure came into view, glowing in the distance. Its modern design stood out against the trees, with curved metal arches lit by blue lights reflecting off the snow.
"Hey, let's stop here for a bit," Lorna suggested.
"A Fusion Battery Station," Xin said, stopping the rover beside a vendor machine under the station's canopy. "Need to recharge the rover?"
Lorna smiled mysteriously. "You'll see."
The station's holographic panels flickered, showing available services. The machine was a simple cylinder with a glowing blue interface at its center.
The station hummed with power. Under its canopy, Zephyrium processors glowed with blue-white light behind frosted panels. Unlike the large reactors powering most Midwest cities, these roadside stations were compact – each processor no bigger than a coffee cup, yet able to charge multiple vehicles.
Through the floor grating, Lorna could see the station's Helionite processing system. The waste product's green glow was barely visible, contained by recycling technology.
Above them, displays showed the station's power metrics – current draw, efficiency ratings, projected waste accumulation. The numbers moved in precise patterns, monitored by AI systems. It was much better than the dumping grounds they'd found earlier, where corporate greed had created breeding grounds for Radi-Mons.
The cold air bit at Lorna's skin as she leaned out of the rover. "I don't know what it's like in the Imperium, but the FB Stations in the Midwest have these. One of them literally saved my life."
"Saved your life, huh?" Xin repeated. The machine had several compartments with snacks and drinks visible inside.
Lorna tapped her Quantum Watch, bringing up holographic menus connected to the vending machine.
"So, what's your poison?" she asked playfully.
"Uh, a hot drink. FusionBrew Matcha. Do they have that?" Xin answered quickly.
"A lot of Imperial immigrants order that one," Lorna nodded, selecting his drink. For herself, she chose 'GlacierMist Blue Lagoon' then added two servings of french fries and chicken nuggets.
As she waited, her hand touched the pendant at her neck, a silver crescent holding a sapphire orb that contained memories from before the virus.
The machine beeped and displayed 'Paid: $15.20 Atomic Dollars' before dispensing their order. She took the bottles and self-heating boxes, feeling the warmth of Xin's drink contrasting with her cold GlacierMist.
"Welcome to America," Lorna joked, handing Xin his Matcha. "Fast food's still fast, like the old days." She grinned.
"Thanks," Xin said, his eyes meeting hers as he took the drink. He also took the other containers and set them down.
She felt his sleeve brush against her arm as they settled back into the rover's heated seats.
As Lorna closed her window, she took a long sip of her blue-hued GlacierMist, tasting the sharp vodka, contrasting with the hot fries between them.
"This isn't so bad," Lorna said, breaking the silence. "Of all the things to do on an average evening."
Xin chuckled and nodded, sipping his mint green Matcha. "The snow's got a charm to it. Among other things."
As Lorna watched, Xin paused, looking at her before his eyes moved to her pendant. "You know, that pendant really stands out."
Lorna's fingers touched the blue crystal, trying to sound casual. "Yeah. It's a souvenir. A reminder of better days."
Before Xin could respond, a soft whirring sound interrupted them. Lorna frowned, instantly alert, though the sound was too quiet to be threatening.
She looked down as something small – about the size of a lightbulb – floated out of Xin's jacket pocket. It hovered in the air, its metallic surface catching light from the dashboard. Lorna recognized it as an Omni-drone, but sleeker than the standard models used by SIMU scientists.
The drone was green and black, made of lightweight carbon alloys. It had thin, spider-like appendages folded against its rounded body. Beneath its surface, faint pulses of light throbbed rhythmically, casting a green glow onto Lorna's face.
Its center was a transparent glass orb showing circuitry and micro-processors working inside. The green light flickered as it took in everything around it.
It floated between them, lights blinking as it spun slowly. Lorna leaned back with a smirk. "That Omni-drone doesn't look like a standard one."
Xin blinked nervously. "Oh — Pawan! Sorry," He tapped the drone, which bobbed in response. "He tends to activate when there's too much activity in my pocket. I guess he's curious."
Lorna noticed the small compartments under its main body – probably for attachments or tools. Under its curved wings was a small nozzle.
"Pawan, huh?" Lorna repeated playfully. "You named your Omni-drone?"
"Yeah. He's a prototype right now. Might get better with time — upgrades and all that," Xin said proudly as he let Pawan rest on his lap. "I built him while you were asleep in St. Elara's. Equipped him with a Medi-Vap dispenser — should be good for healing small injuries. Plus some detection systems."
Lorna studied the small robot while tracing the rim of her drink. She could see how carefully it had been built.
"You built this? On your own?" she asked with a hint of admiration.
"Mostly. Diego let me use the spare parts and the workbench at the Stardust Command. I should buy him a drink sometime." Xin nodded, then tapped Pawan, making it hover at shoulder height with its glass dome facing Lorna. "Pawan, this is Lorna. Say hi."
The small robot tilted slightly, then extended two of its thin appendages in a wave.
Lorna smiled, her guard softening. "Hi, Pawan," she said, watching as the drone hovered near her. It made soft, musical chirps like a curious bird, helping Lorna relax.
"You're full of surprises," Lorna said, leaning back in her seat with a sly grin, feeling the effects of her drink. "Maybe I'll have to keep you around after all."
Xin chuckled, relaxing as their playful conversation continued. "I'll take that as a win."