Chapter 46 - WHAT A MISSION!

--------[ALERT]{CLUSTER INVASION ALERT}{Monsters are approaching human settlement}{You are needed to mount a defense or an offense to secure your cluster}{Avail Yourself immediately at the Government Missions Center}-------------The three looked up at once after reading the notifications on their communication devices."A monster invasion?" Claire sounded shocked and shaken as she said this."I thought the government put up measures to block all monsters within their zones, with restrictions not to cross to human settlement?" Linda also chipped in her thoughts loudly.A moment of confusion. More questions arising. Frank kept silent for a while as he was thinking. He knew every other citizen had received the communication just like them. Many would be in a likewise shocked state. This is the moment they needed a leader. He could feel it in his guts. This was the moment!"Girls," he called out softly, "Don't panic. Let us first get to the mission center!" he directed."Ok!"They obediently followed him out. "I believe you are now able to summon a Falcon vehicle to ferry us!" Frank said to Linda. He felt like by so doing he would be encouraging her to feel confident in her abilities as well.Linda smiled and unconsciously summoned the vehicle.Success!Three minutes later, they all landed at the government missions centers. True to their expectations, many people were also arriving.Frank looked around. He noted all who arrived using the Falcon Vehicles. All those were the ones in the primary two evolution. They were the intermediate subjects. Most looked happy at their new ability and even looked down upon those who arrived ordinarily, who didn't yet possess the summon authority.Frank waited to see if any one rode a beast into the center.Many people came some in groups others individually. What was apparent was that everyone seemed to have too many questions to ask. All those who had so far arrived were either beginner on intermediate subjects, as Frank observed. Just as he was about to conclude on that point, several exclamations rented the air as people were surprised to see different beasts arriving with men and women aboard them."So many Advanced Subjects!" Frank counted at least a hundred of them."Then I should not worry too much about the people since they are doing fairly well on their own," he told himself.But something struck his nerves.Most of these who had arrived on board different beasts did not appear familiar to him. He could make out some faces on the other people whom he had met a few days ago here while they came for the first government mission. But he couldn't remember seeing a single one among all these Primary three evolvers."May be I just can't remember them. One cannot know everyone on their first day, after all!" he dismissed his thoughts. All the people who gathered here came from one cluster. This was the N.U.R.O system of administration which placed people within a certain geographical location to be in one cluster. A cluster was a huge area with varied population densities. There were five classes of clusters with varied compositions of people. Their composition would often involve their numbers and strength level in terms of evolution stages. Those with ten thousand and less people were small clusters officially recognized as E-Class. The E-Class clusters had very few, less than 10 people in Secondary level of Evolution, being their highest levels. They could have a few hundreds in advanced primary evolution and a few thousands in intermediate primary evolution. The majority would still be in beginner levels of primary evolution. This cluster where Frank came from was an E-Class cluster. He doubted even if they had reached the minimum requirements to be called a cluster. He thought maybe just for lack of another level that they were ranked as E-Class. But now his mentality changed. There, right before his eyes, he had seen at least one hundred advanced subjects and many thousands at intermediate level.Who knows, maybe like him, there were even more with hidden potential?"Ladies and Gentlemen, once again, I am your representative Leader and I have summoned you here for a crucial purpose. As you have all read and responded to the alert message sent to you, I will now go direct to the purpose of this gathering," the AI voice spoke through the speakers from the huge building. At the entrance, on a raised stand stood a hologram of a man, the same one they had seen on previous days. He addressed them with his usual machine voice."You're here to help the government prepare to fight off the monsters who have been let loose by the influence of some dark forces that are threatening human existence on this planet. It is time you rise up and defend your race! But first you must have a human leader to coordinate your activities. Hence from amongst your ranks we shall have an acting representative leader," the hologram said and went silent, but still stood on the podium.Inwardly, Frank smiled. He knew it would come to this. "This could be my time!" he said to himself.He had questioned the fact that he was a royal and yet had no authority. His grandfather's words rang back to him, "You must be made!" Noel had also helped him understand. Amarkale was done, he was a noble there. Now, the focus for earth had started being real. He however, didn't know how to proceed. Just wait, he said and stayed calm.After this brief silence people began talking to one another, some whispering while some speaking loudly. Others even began shouting and soon the whole field was noisy."A human leader? What does he mean?" Linda asked. "Are there no…?""Exactly what you are thinking. Listen, I happen to get this information from some place," Frank responded as he spoke to the two ladies. "Currently, we don't have a human leader in these departments, maybe in the whole of secondary evolution class. So we are to advance from one level to another and take up these positions!" he revealed what Noel had made him understand a few days ago in Amarkale."I thought about the same thing too," Claire said as she recalled what they had discussed with Linda earlier before Frank returned. "But now, how many people can become leaders?" she posed."Obviously not all of us," Linda answered."Ladies and Gentlemen!" The representative Leader boomed over the speakers once again. His voice was so distinct and clear no one could continue speaking when he began. Everyone quieted down."I know you are all wondering what system we are going to use to have your leader because not everyone can be a leader at the same time. Now this is what we are going to do. We are going to have a contest in which only ten of you will emerge as sub-leaders. Then the ten will fight it out to give only one acting representative leader, with two assistants. This one leader will coordinate the rest to mount a defense and offense against the monsters."Ten people!Only ten people!His words hit the people like a bombshell. Out of ten thousands the very first round will begin by selecting only ten people! Only 0.1 percent of their population?