- Preface: Following is a transcript of communications during SCP-BK-01 management operations.
- Coordination of Operations: Dr. Tullio Cruciani, Site Vulcano director; Dr. Mauro Bellini, Site Plutone deputy director.
- Operations Support: Cpt. Longitano, command of SSM-IX; Cpt. Facchinetti, command of SSM-III.
- Operations Supervision: Direct Supervision of the Superintendence S5.
- Place of Coordination: Site Vulcano Operations Room.
Dr. Cruciani: Welcome to Site Vulcan, doctor Bellini.
Dr. Bellini: Thank you, doctor Cruciani. I'll try not to hurry along as much next time.
Dr. Cruciani: Indeed. We have audio comm-link with S5 Overwatch.
Dr. Bellini: Good morning, gentlemen.
(Silence)
Dr. Bellini: Laconic as usual, I see. Can you please give me a brief summary, doctor?
Dr. Cruciani: MTF-III "Para Bellum" and MTF-IX "Machinamenta" have been deployed. Captain Longitano and Captain Facchinetti will assist us in ops.
Dr. Bellini: What's Para Bellum's mission objective?
Dr. Cruciani: They have deployed a squad of two Tornado class fighter in the area around the zone.
Dr. Bellini: Have you read the preliminary report I've sent you? A direct attack is not advisable.
Dr. Cruciani: I know, they're there just in case something goes wrong.
Dr. Bellini: So be it… what's their weaponry? The object is protected by a force field.
Dr. Cruciani: Yes, that's why one of the two fighters is armed with our own EM warheads.
Dr. Bellini: What about the other?
Dr. Cruciani: … a .1 kilotons nuclear warhead.
Dr. Bellini: What?! Just above Florence?! How in the world did you menage to convince the Ethic-Moral to approve such a thing?
Dr. Cruciani: It was a direct order from the S5.
Dr. Bellini: (murmuring) For Hades' sake…
(Pause)
Dr. Bellini: What about the operations team?
Dr. Cruciani: We have an NH90 helicopter from MTF-IX on standby. Owl, do you read me?
Cpt. Longitano: Loud and clear, doctor Cruciani. Captain Longitano reporting.
Dr. Bellini: Greetings, captain.
Cpt. Longitano: And to you, doctor Bellini.
Dr. Cruciani: Agents Despirito and Laudanna are with him; the Divina ginoid will also be involved in this mission.
Dr. Bellini: A ginoid? Coff, is it that project from the Ethic-Moral to substitute Class-Ds with robots for ethical reasons?
Dr. Cruciani: That's correct.
Dr. Bellini: And how many are there now?
Dr. Cruciani: Only one, the budget was barely enough.
Dr. Bellini: I see. Why the feminine look, anyways?
Dr. Cruciani: They're all nerds at the Advanced Designs Section, doctor Bellini.
Dr. Bellini: Oh… anyways, I'd prefer if a human was the one to go down to the anomaly, I imagine a machine is not well suited for a first contact.
Dr. Cruciani: Don't worry doctor, Divina is only there for logistic support. She's good with numbers.
Dr. Bellini: Ah, very well then. Who is the agent who will descend to the anomaly?
Despirito: I will, doctor Bellini. Agent Elena Despirito reporting for duty.
Dr. Cruciani: Agente Despirito has freediving training.
Dr. Bellini: Well, agent Despirito, did you read the report I sent you?
Despirito: I memorized both the report and the attached RIDIA documents as per your request, sir.
Dr. Bellini: Very good. Do you also have two parachutes as per my suggestion?
Dr. Cruciani: We've done much better, doctor: Agent Despirito is wearing an armoured exoskeleton fitted with a fall-breaker jetpack.
Dr. Bellini: (Scoffs) I'm getting too old for this kind of things…
Dr. Cruciani: It is a small retrorocket. It has enough fuel for two landings, one on the anomaly and the second one to come back to the ground. The exoskeleton will also protect her from possible explosions.
Dr. Bellini: Is she armed?
Dr. Cruciani: She's not, as you ordered.
Dr. Bellini: Excelent. Let us begin then.
Dr. Cruciani: Captain Longitano, it's in your hands now.
Cpt. Longitano: Roger that. Divina, estimate current height from the anomaly.
DIVINA: 6 170 meters, directly above the city center.
Cpt. Longitano: Send exploratory drone.
Owl: Drone is away, sir.
Cpt. Longitano: Proceed with an exploratory flight of the area.
DIVINA: Exploration underway. Current distance from the anomaly is 600 meters.
Dr. Bellini: Why are we sending out a drone now?
Dr. Cruciani: E-MRS directives: if possible, always send drones before agents.
Dr. Bellini: I specifically told you not to! Did you read the documents from RIDIA or not?
DIVINA: Current distance from the anomaly: 300 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: With all due respect, doctor Bellini, con tutto il rispetto, those papers are almost a century old. They didn't have the technology we have now.
Dr. Bellini: That's the point! That anomaly is obviously technological in nature, and is thus more sensitive to advanced technologies that–
Dr. Cruciani: I'll stop you right there, there is no time for debates. Let us make only a close pass-by to appease procedures, OK?
DIVINA: Current distance from the anomaly: 100 meters.
Dr. Bellini: So be it, doctor Cruciani. Make it quick.
DIVINA: The drone has breached the energetic barrier of the anomaly. Beginning ground flight. Ideal LZ spotted.
Owl: Captain, I've lost signal to the drone.
Cpt. Longitano: Divina?
DIVINA: Confirmed, we lost radio contact. The drone is currently falling on the anomaly. Impact in seven seconds. Four. Three. Two. One. Impact.
Cpt. Longitano: Report.
DIVINA: Radio echo signal emission at 9.68 MHz detected. It interfered with the drone link.
Owl: Sir, the anomaly is now moving.
Aquila 1: Confirmed, anomaly is descending.
Dr. Cruciani: What?!
Cpt. Longitano: Divina, report.
DIVINA: Sir, the anomaly is accelerating downwards. Estimated velocity 10 kilometers per hour, estimated altitude 6 100 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: Fuck…
DIVINA: Estimated velocity, 25 kilometers per hour.
Dr. Cruciani: Divina, what would happen upon impact on the ground?
DIVINA: The internal composition of the anomaly is unknown, beginning heuristic calculations. Estimated impact energy is at 2 kilotons.
Dr. Cruciani: Goddammit!
DIVINA: Speed: 42 kilometers per hour. Altitude: 5 700 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: Eagle 1, prepare Gauss warheads.
Eagle 1: Roger. Warheads armed and ready.
Dr. Cruciani: Eagle 1, open fire.
Eagle 1: Roger that. Firing Gauss warheads.
DIVINA: Speed: 80 kilometers per hour. Altitude: 5 400 meters.
Dr. Bellini: Do you think they'll work, doctor Cruciani?
Dr. Cruciani: We shall see.
DIVINA: Altitude, 5 200 metri. ETA for Gauss warheads: 15 seconds.
Cpt. Longitano: Deploy particled Faraday cage.
Owl: Cage is airborne. Hold onto something, this is going to be a bit rough. Those things pack a punch.
DIVINA: Impact in three. Two. One. Imp–
(Radio comms fail for 3 seconds)
Cpt. Longitano: …na, report.
DIVINA: Speed, 95 kilometers per hour. No change. Anomaly intact. Height, 4900 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: Eagle 1, launch conventional missiles.
Eagle 1: Roger, missiles in flight.
DIVINA: Impact in 15 seconds.
Dr. Bellini: If they reach the anomaly it means we've deactivated the energy field.
Dr. Cruciani: Correct.
DIVINA: Impact in five. Four. Three. Two. Missiles impacting the force field. Height, 4500 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: Damn!
(Pause)
Dr. Cruciani: Eagle 2…
(Pause)
Dr. Cruciani: …arming nuclear warhead.
Eagle 2: Armed warhead.
Dr. Bellini: Doctor Cruciani, I'm above the city of Florence.
DIVINA: Height, 4,000 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: Would you rather that mountain crash into the city?
(Pause)
Dr. Bellini: …no.
DIVINA: Height, 3800 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: Eagle 2, target acquisition.
Eagle 2: Target acquired, sir. Awaiting launch order.
(Pausa)
Dr. Cruciani: Eagle 2… fi–
S5-3: Negative. Abort.
Eagle 2: Yessir. I'm taking evasive action.
Dr. Cruciani: Superintendent, why the counter-order…?
S5-3: There's too much wind at high altitude. The radioactive shadow would cover too wide an area, we'd kill even more people. Authorisation to use nuclear weapons withdrawn. Eagle 2, disarm nuclear warhead.
Eagle 2: Unarmed warhead, sir.
(Dr. Cruciani slams his fist on the table)
Dr. Cruciani: (subheading) Shit!
DIVINA: Height, 3400 meters.
Dr. Bellini: All we can do is watch now.
Dr. Cruciani: (subheading) It will be an unprecedented catastrophe…
(Dor. Bellini closes the radio link)
Dr. Bellini: Not exactly unprecedented.
Dr. Cruciani: What, Doctor?! Other cities…?!
(Dr. Bellini nods)
Dr. Bellini: Two. Eighties. It was one of the Foundation's most complicated cover operations.
(Dr. Cruciani tightens one shoulder; Dr. Bellini reactivates the radio link)
Laudanna: Sir, we can evacuate–
Cpt. Longitano: In two minutes, agent?
Laudanna: Forget what I said.
DIVINA: Height, 3,000 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: Alert the SIR and the DAIeD. Let them start thinking about how to cover this right now. It's going to be very difficult to make this look like a natural disaster…
DIVINA: Height, 2700 meters.
(Pause)
Despirito: Sir…
Cpt. Longitano: What, Despirito?
Despirito: I request the authorization to proceed with the original mission, sir.
Cpt. Longitano: Despirito, you can't reach the anomaly in free fall. Reason for that request– ah. I see. Do you know the possible consequences, agent?
Despirito: I'm aware of them, sir.
(Pause)
Laudanna: (subheading) Can you do this?
(Pause)
Despirito: (subheading) Sicure. Contain. Protect.
Laudanna: (subheading) I see…
DIVINA: Height, 2400 meters.
Despirito: There's not much time, sir.
Cpt. Longitano: Doctor Bellini, what do you think about that?
(Pause)
Dr. Bellini: If… is she you could reach the anomaly, we could lock it.…!
DIVINA: Height, 2200 meters.
Despirito: Sir…
(Pause)
Cpt. Longitano: Agent Despirito…
(Pause)
Cpt. Longitano: …authorization granted.
Despirito: Thank you, captain!
(Agt. Despirito throws herself out of the Owl)
Laudanna: (subheading) Damn fool.
Dr. Bellini: But… the captain said she can't reach the anomaly, even in free fall!
Dr. Cruciani: Agent Despirito knows that, doctor Bellini.
Despirito: I'm turning on jetpack braking.
Dr. Bellini: I still don't understand. Will you stop?
DIVINA: Height, 1900 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: No. It's upside down, Doctor. She'll use the jetpack to accelerate.
Dr. Bellini: Ah.
Cpt. Longitano: Divina, distance.
DIVINA: Distance of agent Despirito to the anomaly, 3500 meters. Height of the anomaly above ground, 1700 meters. residual fuel in the jetpack, 97%.
Cpt. Longitano: Owl, we're going down. We follow as far as we can.
Owl: Sir, if the anomaly impacts and we're too low, we risk being overwhelmed.…
Cpt. Longitano: We're just cogs, don't forget that.
Owl: At your orders, I'm following Despirito's trajectory..
DIVINA: Distance to anomaly, 2900 meters. Height, 1500 meters. Fuel, 77%.
Dr. Cruciani: (subheading) I hope you didn't send an officer to an unnecessary death, doctor Bellini.
(Dr. Bellini wrinkles a sleeve of his jacket)
Dr. Bellini: Mh. (subheading) Don't trust me, doctor Cruciani. Trust who came first.
(Dr. Cruciani shakes his head)
Cpt. Longitano: Despirito, report.
Despirito: It's… it's intense, captain.
Cpt. Longitano: Can you maintain the trajectory?
Despirito: It's difficult, the air movement is strong. I don't think I can land on the designated spot.
Cpt. Longitano: Divina, the physiological parameters of agent Despirito.
DIVINA: Accelerated heartbeat. Breathing fast. Values are as expected. Distance to anomaly, 2200 meters. Height, 1300 meters. Fuel, 59%.
Despirito: I have to go faster!
Cpt. Longitano: Despirito, if you use more fuel…
Despirito: I know! Full power ejectors!
DIVINA: Distance to anomaly, 1400 meters. Height, 1100 meters. Fuel, 46%.
Dr. Bellini: Can she do this?
(Dr. Cruciani ticks on the table with the pen)
DIVINA: Distance to anomaly, 900 meters. Height, 900 meters. Fuel, 32%.
Dr. Bellini: (subheading) He's brave as hell.
(Pause)
DIVINA: Distance to anomaly, 500meters. Fuel, 17%.
Despirito: I'm taking anti-aerodynamic attitude. I'm gonna use the jetpack to slow down a little bit.
DIVINA: Distance to the anomaly, 300 meters. 200 meters. 100 meters. Agent Despirito just breached the energy barrier.
Despirito: AH!
Laudanna: Elena!
Despirito: It's okay, it just burned for a second.
DIVINA: Distance to the anomaly, 50 meters. Contact in three, two, one.
(There is a loud metallic noise)
DIVINA: Agent Despirito landed on the anomaly, 80 meters from the designated point, near the edge. Residual fuel, 2%. Anomaly height above ground, 700 meters.
Despirito: I'm on the anomaly!
Cpt. Longitano: Despirito, report.
Despirito: Everything ok, the exoskeleton held up well. Looks like… metallic rock. The air turbulence is very strong.
Dr. Cruciani: Bellini, it's your turn.
Dr. Bellini: Agent, like for what you have read in the documents, it should talk.
Despirito: "Should", doctor?
Dr. Bellini: Trust me.
Despirito: Nothing happens.
DIVINA: Height, 500 meters.
Despirito: It keeps falling, doctor Bellini. But… I can't feel anything!
DIVINA: Captain Longitano, agent Despirito is hyperventilating. Extreme tachycardia.
Cpt. Longitano: Elaborate, Divina.
DIVINA: It's to be considered a panic attack, sir.
(Dr. Cruciani exhales noisily)
Despirito: (breathe heavily) Doctor Bellini, those documents… are you sure they're right?! There's almost nothing written about what they did to stop the anomaly!
DIVINA: Height, 400 meters.
Dr. Bellini: Despirito… Elena, can you hear me?
Despirito: (breathe heavily) …yes. The anomaly's about to crash!
Dr. Bellini: Listen… I know, the RIDIA documents are laconic. But because of that, every word has value. Every letter you typed was the result of commitment, defeat, pain, blood, death. Do you understand?
Despirito: (breathe heavily) No!
DIVINA: Height, 300 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: Doctor Bellini–
(Dr. Bellini shuts up Dr. Cruciani with a gesture)
Dr. Bellini: It's not a question of technology. It's a human issue. It's courage. It's preparation. It's how human we are, not how many gadgets we have. Even though they didn't have our technology, those men gave it their all.
Despirito: What should I do?!
Dr. Bellini: Did you memorize those files? Every sentence is important. Trust who came first, Elena.
Despirito: I…
Dr. Bellini: Use your courage. Don't rely solely on your technology, or you'll forget who you are and what you can do. Trust those who have fought before.
DIVINA: Height, 200 meters.
(There is a loud metallic noise)
Cpt. Longitano: Despirito, report!
Despirito: I… took my exoskeleton glove off, Captain.
Cpt. Longitano: Why, agent?!
Despirito: I need… the naked hand.
Cpt. Longitano: Despirito, elaborate!
DIVINA: Height, 100 meters.
Dr. Cruciani: Agent?!
Laudanna: Elena…?!
Despirito: AH–
(Radio communications with the Agt. Despirito is down. the anomaly suddenly stops in mid-air.)
Owl: It stopped?!
Eagle 1: Confirmed, the anomaly's stopped! The anomaly's stopped!
Eagle 2: Yaaah!
(Dr. Cruciani throw the pen on the table)
Dr. Cruciani: Hell, yeah!
Dr. Bellini: (subheading) That's really good, for all the caryatids.
DIVINA: I give further confirmation, the anomaly is stopped in mid-air. Height, 83 meters above city center.
Owl: Don't cheer, that thing is huge, and it stopped suddenly! There's a record-breaking air shift coming in! Han-
(The helicopter is violently shaken by the displacement of air)
Laudanna: (subheading) I would like to be transferred to a Site Virtus desk.
Cpt. Longitano: I'll kick your ass in that desk, Officer Laudanna.
Laudanna: Withdraw, sir.
(The radio link with the Agt. Despirito is restored)
Cpt. Longitano: Despirito, report.
(The Agt. Despirit pants, starts sobbing and emitting pain vocalizations)
Cpt. Longitano: Divina, report on agent despirito's physiological status.
DIVINA: The internal sensors of the exoskeleton indicate liquids. I think he's probably bleeding out.
Laudanna: Sir, the anomaly slowed down too quickly, it must have suffered a violent backlash.
DIVINA: The anomaly's slowly coming through. Height, 120 meters.
Despirito: (wheezing) C-captain…
Cpt. Longitano: Despirito!
Dr. Bellini: Agent!
Despirito: (wheezing) I think I have a broken arm… and… maybe both legs…
Cpt. Longitano: State of the exoskeleton?
DIVINA: Many servomotors not working.
Cpt. Longitano: Divina, Despirito's exoskeleton painkiller injector status?
DIVINA: Operative.
Cpt. Longitano: Inject.
DIVINA: In progress.
Despirito: Ah!
Dr. Bellini: Agent, how are you?
Despirito: A little better now… I don't think I can move, but…
Dr. Cruciani: Don't do that! You stopped the anomaly, Despirito, how the hell did you do that?
Despirito: Doctor Bellini… the documents… I laid my hand on the anomaly.…
SCP-BK-01: Thanks.
(Pause)
Dr. Bellini: (subheading) It's talking!
Cpt. Longitano: Divina, scan the anomaly!
DIVINA: In progress.
Cpt. Longitano: Owl, lower the altitude!
Owl: Yessir.
SCP-BK-01: Thanks of your company.
Despirito: Who's talking?
DIVINA: Doppler analysis indicates the voice is coming from the anomaly. Height, 360 meters.
SCP-BK-01: I thought you were going to attack me, like some of my brothers did.
Despirito: Who are you…? I'm asking you to… identify yourself…
SCP-BK-01: You wouldn't understand. Suffice it to say, though, that am. Although not for much longer.
Despirito: What do you mean?
SCP-BK-01: I came here to die.
Despirito: Eh…? Specify… have you come to crash?
SCP-BK-01: No. I can choose how. Each brother can choose how to die.
Despirito: Who are his brothers? Are they… in Black Knight? I mean… SCP-ECHO… in the satellite…
SCP-BK-01: I know what you call it. We've been watching you since we orbited your planet. And the answer to your question is yes.
Despirito: And why aren't you… with them anymore?
SCP-BK-01: The power's running out. Our ship failed a long time ago, but the final blow was when we hit your satellite a few hundred revolutions ago. Now all we have left is life support, but that's running out too. We take turns killing each other so the rest of us can live a little longer. And, perhaps, be recovered. Every time a brother falls off, we use the energy from it to send out a distress signal so we don't consume the colony's.
Despirito: What?! We… we can help you…
SCP-BK-01: No, you can't. Your technology is still too immature. And we need resources you can't even imagine.
Despirito: I don't understand… (deep breaths twice) Why do you say you lack life support? This thing… is huge…
SCP-BK-01: We're not the same size as you. This capsule is barely enough to hold my body.
Despirito: I see… so… now you've come… to…
SCP-BK-01: To die.
Despirito: The others before you, too, so…
SCP-BK-01: Yes, all the brothers who leave the colony, it's to die.
Despirito: But some crashed into the sea, some into the moon, and some into cities!
SCP-BK-01: Everyone chooses how they want to leave this world. Some of my brothers were attacked, and in revenge they crashed to the ground.
Dr. Bellini: (subheading) My goodness. I feel bad thinking about what we did…
SCP-BK-01: And you were lucky. If our ship had been at full power, it could have vaporized the entire planet from outside the solar system.
(Agt. Despirit coughs)
Dott. Cruciani: (subheading) Despirito! Continue interrogating the anomaly!
Despirito: Yes… why… (deep breaths twice) why are you stopping… in mid-air?
SCP-BK-01: To contemplate existence one last time. Many like the idea of dying here, your planet is beautiful.
Despirito: How often does one of you have to… "break away"?
SCP-BK-01: The damage is too severe. There's no way to know. Sometimes a lot of them have to go off in a row, and sometimes none for a long time.
Despirito: And why… (takes several deep breaths) why did you thank me… before?
SCP-BK-01: 'Cause…
(Pause)
SCP-BK-01: 'Cause no one wants to die alone.
(Pause)
Despirito: Ah…
Dr. Bellini: (subheading) Mh…!
SCP-BK-01: Ora è tempo di andare. Grazie per essere qui con me. Ascoltami… la parte inferiore della capsula esploderà. Resterà solo la parte superiore, e gli scudi non funzioneranno più, e i tuoi amici potranno recuperarti. Poi si dissolverà anche il resto. Grazie. E addio.
(La porzione inferiore dell'anomalia inizia ad essere distrutta da diverse esplosioni)
Cap. Longitano: Divina, a che altezza si trova?
DIVINA: 1500 metri, signore. Sto calcolando previsione di danni alla città… trascurabili.
Cap. Longitano: Gufo, abbassiamoci.
Gufo: Sissignore.
Laudanna: Capitano, guardi!
Cap. Longitano: Cosa, Laudanna?
Laudanna: Despirito sta scivolando verso il bordo dell'anomalia.
Cap. Longitano: Despirito! Fai attenzione!
DIVINA: Signore, l'agente Despirito è svenuta.
Laudanna: Così finirà per cadere!
Dott. Cruciani: Gufo, potete tentare manovra di recupero?
Gufo: Negativo, dottor Cruciani, non possiamo avvicinarci a causa del campo di forza. E se anche scendessimo sotto l'anomalia, l'agente Despirito ci cadrebbe sui rotori, finirebbe a pezzi!
Laudanna: Capitano, l'agente Despirito è in posizione precaria.
Dott. Bellini: Despirito ci sente?! Non è possibile iniettare uno stimolante dalla sua tuta?
DIVINA: Negativo, dottor Bellini. L'agente Despirito ha perso troppo sangue.
Dott. Bellini: (sottovoce) Dannati dello Stige.
(Un'esplosione particolarmente violenta nella parte mediana dell'anomalia scuote la struttura e fa cadere l'agente Despirito oltre il bordo)
Laudanna: Sta cadendo!
Gufo: (sottovoce) Cazzo.
(All'improvviso DIVINA salta fuori dall'abitacolo e si lancia contro i rotori dell'elicottero, che al momento era in assetto di discesa. L'impatto è così violento da staccarle un braccio, e immediatamente dopo DIVINA precipita verso il suolo)
Dott. Cruciani: Capitano, che cosa è stato quel rumore?!
Gufo: Divina… si è lanciata contro i rotori.
Dott. Bellini: Perché?!
Cap. Longitano: Verifico. Divina, rapporto immediato.
DIVINA: La minaccia è neutralizzata, signore, posso dedicarmi al recupero dell'agente Despirito.
Gufo: (sottovoce) E quello è il suo braccio che cade…
Cap. Longitano: Perché ti sei lanciata contro i rotori?
DIVINA: Avevo bisogno di accelerare, signore.
(Il Dott. Cruciani espira lentamente)
Laudanna: Signore…?
Cap. Longitano: Agente Laudanna?
Laudanna: Ha… lasciato il protocollo di iniziativa individuale Neith-II attivo su Divina?
Cap. Longitano: Sì.
Laudanna: Perché lo ha fatto?
Cap. Longitano: Perché mi fido di quella macchina. Mi fido del lavoro del team del dottor Cruciani.
Laudanna: Capisco.
Cap. Longitano: Detto questo, Laudanna, non mettere mai più in discussione le decisioni del tuo superiore.
Laudanna: Sissignore.
DIVINA: Ho raggiunto l'agente Despirito signore, confermo perdita di conoscenza. Procedo con assetto antiaerodinamico.
Cap. Longitano: Divina, non sopravviverai all'impatto. Effettua una copia dei dati di missione sul Gufo.
DIVINA: In corso.
Dott. Bellini: Che vuole fare?
Dott. Cruciani: Farà scudo col suo corpo.
Dott. Bellini: Impressionante.
Dott. Cruciani: Divina sa fare bene i suoi calcoli.
Dott. Bellini: Ahem, be'… però si è fatta saltare un braccio.
DIVINA: Avevo bisogno di ridurre il mio peso, dottor Bellini, o saremmo cadute troppo velocemente rispetto a quanto può sopportare la mia integrità strutturale.
Dott. Bellini: Anche quello era intenzionale?!
Dott. Cruciani: Divina non sbaglia, dottor Bellini. Per questo l'abbiamo chiamata così.
Dott. Bellini: (sottovoce) Un bel lavoro…
DIVINA: Sono in formazione protettiva. Impatto col suolo tra cinque secondi. Quattro. Tre. Due. Un–
(Si sente un rumore distorto ed il contatto radio con DIVINA termina)
Dott. Cruciani: Capitano, lo sa che Divina è costata diversi milioni di euro, sì?
Cap. Longitano: Sì, signore.
Dott. Bellini: Nemmeno li trovasse lei, quei soldi. Se ne occupa la sovrintendenza. E comunque li prendiamo dalle tasse degli italiani.
(Il Dott. Cruciani indica verso l'alto)
Dott. Bellini: (sottovoce) Ah, già.
(Le esplosioni sull'anomalia terminano, le parti inferiore e mediana sono completamente dissolte, rimane solo quella superiore, che inizia ad esplodere a sua volta)
Cap. Longitano: Gufo, in caduta libera, volo radente a ciò che resta dell'anomalia.
Gufo: Signore, dovremmo attraversare almeno 50 metri in verticale di esplosioni.
Cap. Longitano: Non è una votazione.
Gufo: Agli ordini, signore.
Laudanna: Capitano, volevo che lei sapesse che se lo fosse, voterei a favore.
Cap. Longitano: Ne prendo atto, Laudanna.
Gufo: Eh eh, siamo solo ingranaggi. Reggetevi!
(L'elicottero viene scosso violentemente mentre attraversa gli spostamenti d'aria delle esplosioni della parte rimanente dell'anomalia)
Dott. Bellini: Che stanno facendo?
Dott. Cruciani: Devono raggiungere l'agente Despirito il più presto possibile.
Dott. Bellini: Perché? non l'ha salvata Divina?
Dott. Cruciani: Non lo sappiamo ancora. Ma se c'è riuscita, ora loro devono salvare Despirito da Divina.
Dott. Bellini: Non la seguo.
Dott. Cruciani: Il nanoreattore nucleare di Divina…
Dott. Bellini: Cosa?!
Dott. Cruciani: Per l'energia. Le batterie rappresentano sempre il maggior problem–
Dott. Bellini: Non ci sarà un'esplosione nucleare nel mezzo di Firenze, adesso, vero?!
Dott. Cruciani: No, nessuna esplosione. Però contaminazione a stretto raggio di materiale radioattivo. Pochi metri quadri. E l'agente Despirito ci finirà in mezzo. E peggio ancora non ha un guanto dell'esoscheletro, e delle ferite aperte.
(Il Dott. Bellini si stringe con forza la base del naso)
Dott. Bellini: (sottovoce) Dannati voi e il nucleare.
Dott. Cruciani: Nella prossima versione vedremo di toglierlo. (sottovoce) Costerà ancora di più.
Dott. Bellini: (sottovoce) Be', evidentemente il ponte sullo stretto sarà ritardato di qualche altro anno.
Dott. Cruciani: (sottovoce) Con i fondi reindirizzati alla Fondazione, al momento è già ritardato di altri otto anni, dottore.
Dott. Bellini: (sottovoce) Oops.
Dott. Cruciani: In più dovremo offuscare quello che gli abitanti hanno visto. Sarà una manovra estremamente costosa. Una pietra di dimensioni enormi si è fermata a 80 metri sopra la città.
Dott. Bellini: Be', cosa le importa? Se la vedranno quelli del SIR. Una spruzzata di amnestici qua e là… e se ci fossero video su Internet invieranno i loro "debunker" a "dimostrerare" che sono dei fake.
Dott. Cruciani: Il suo atteggiamento è inqualificabile, dottor Bellini.
Dott. Bellini: Quando raggiungerà la mia età la vedrà diversamente.
Dott. Cruciani: Abbiamo solo quindici anni di differenza, sa?
Dott. Bellini: Quindici anni alla Fondazione equivalgono a tre o quattro vite intere.
Dott. Cruciani: Su questo… non posso darle torto.
Cap. Longitano: Dottor Cruciani, siamo atterrati nei pressi di Despirito.
Dott. Cruciani: Rapporto, capitano.
Cap. Longitano: È viva. Ma è in gravi condizioni. La trasportiamo immediatamente alla facility medica del Sito Iride.
Dott. Cruciani: È un sollievo. E Divina?
Cap. Longitano: Il pezzo più grande ha le dimensioni di un posacenere. È riuscita a utilizzare tutto il suo corpo per dissipare l'energia cinetica della caduta.
Dott. Cruciani: Va bene, capitano Longitano. Dia ordine ai suoi uomini di recuperare quello che resta di Divina… ah, e anche il suo braccio ed il guanto dell'esoscheletro. Non vogliamo che i civili sappiano che esistono tecnologie del genere.
Cap. Longitano: Agli ordini, dottore.
S5-3: Direttiva: l'agente Despirito è da considerarsi Classe E fino a nuovo ordine. La sovrintendenza si discollega.
(Pausa)
Dott. Cruciani: Insomma… c'è stato da sudare.
Dott. Bellini: Eccome.
Dott. Cruciani: Ha fatto un buon lavoro, dottor Bellini.
Dott. Bellini: Anche lei, dottor Cruciani.
(Il Dott. Bellini ed il Dott. Cruciani si stringono la mano)