by Gadi Migdal
Taige hesitantly entered the room that Elmer always said was off-limits. Taige was very confused. Elmer laughed at the sight of Taige’s hesitation as he entered apprehensively.
A large table stood in the middle of the room. Elmer approached it and pressed a button. Then a large green ball suddenly appeared in the middle of the room, making Taige cry out and leap back fearfully.
“It’s alright fingerling; it is just a projection. It cannot hurt you. Here, look.” Elmer passed his hand through the green ball. Taige approached it hesitantly and reached out with his suit’s arm. The arm passed through the green ball as though it wasn’t there. Taige chuckled, this was fun. Elmer laughed too and ran through the ball. He disappeared inside of it for a second and then came out the other side. Elmer looked delighted, and so was Taige.
“Do you know what this ball is?” asked Elmer.
Taige looked at it and saw strange shapes in blue and brown on it.
“No, Master Elmer,” he replied.
“It’s a distant planet, the place where my parents were born. A planet called Neifar.”
Taige looked at him suspiciously, “That cannot be, Master Elmer. This ball is too small.”
Elmer laughed gently, “This is just a simulation Taige, not a real planet.”
Taige looked doubtful, “So your parents’ planet was bigger?”
“Of course, much bigger. A pretty green world where fruits and vegetables grow.”
Taige knew fruits and vegetables from Elmer’s printer. He had tasted a few of them, and they were delicious.
“You also have fruits and vegetables, Master Elmer,” he pointed out.
Elmer laughed, “I have imitations. Only Neifar has real fruits and vegetables. And do you know how they get them?”
“From the printer, Master Elmer?” guessed Taige.
Elmer chuckled. “Printer? I never understood how that became the name for molecular condensers. I assume there are historical reasons - nobody has printed anything for nearly two thousand years.” He saw that Taige was confused. “No, Taige. They grow fruits and vegetables. Just like you grow crabs and oysters.”
“They grow fruits and vegetables in cages?” Taige was surprised.
“Sort of,” grinned Elmer. “They grow them in clusters. Huge pits in the ground where there are many creatures who look like insects.”
“What are insects, Master Elmer?”
“Hmm, that’s hard to describe. A little like crabs, but they live outside the water.”
Taige stared at him, bewildered. Crabs out of water? What was Master Elmer talking about?
Elmer sighed and smiled. “I’m going too fast. You’re not fully ready yet.” He thought for a moment, then continued, “Do you know how old I am, Taige?”
“No, Master Elmer,” Taige replied. The conversation was very confusing to him, but Elmer looked happy, and that was the important thing.
“I am 396 years old, Taige. I am very old, dear fingerling.” Taige heard the happiness in Elmer’s voice and he was pleased. Elmer went on, “By the way, you are seven, Taige, and are expected to live many more years. In any case, Neifar is based on intelligent insects that grow all of its crops. That is the source of its success and wealth. But the insects need human help to manage their enormous farms. Little girls are sent to the insect farms, to live with them and manage them.”
He smiled at Taige, “That’s what gave me the idea to set up something similar. Neifar concentrates on land crops, so I focus on sea produce. I grow them with octopi workers and a dolphin coordinator, and that is why I created you.”
Taige stared at him quietly. He didn’t understand what Elmer was saying. What was a coordinator?
Elmer smiled at him understandingly. “I have never spoken about this with anyone before, and even if you still don’t fully understand what I am saying, it feels good to talk about it. It has taken me almost three hundred years to get to the point I am at today. You, Taige, are my greatest achievement.”
Taige looked at him in silence. Achievement? Was Elmer teasing him?
Elmer laughed. “I probably would have gotten to this stage faster if I didn’t love to sleep. In any case, Taige, you are already the most intelligent enhanced mammal in history and in a short time you are going to become much smarter.”
Smart? Him? If Newman heard this, he would laugh at him.
Elmer looked quietly at Taige. Did he expect him to say something? Taige squirmed uncomfortably within his suit.
“Master Elmer, why are you telling Taige all of this?” He asked.
Elmer leaned over and smiled at Taige. “Because I am very old, Taige. Soon I will die, and this place will be yours. I have long since given up wanting to compete with Neifar — I just want to rest. You will be able to do whatever you want in this place. There are precedents for handing property down to enhanced animals. Nellie knows everything and will take care of it. You will learn, grow wise and develop, and I will soon enter my final sleep. And while I am dreaming, Taige, you will look after everything here.”
Taige felt that he had to ask, “Master Elmer, why do you want to sleep? Why not be awake?”
“Wonderful,” Elmer rejoiced. “You are making progress very quickly, Taige. A few hours ago, you wouldn’t have asked me such a question. In fact, you would not have even thought of such a question.”
He leaned back with a happy smile. “It’s simple Taige. When I sleep, everything feels real to me, and when I am awake, everything feels like a dream.”
“You aren’t dreaming now — or are you?” Taige was confused.
The old man chuckled, “Let’s put it this way. I sleep because in my dreams I can do everything.”
Taige stared at Elmer, not uttering a word.
Elmer laughed again. Taige had never seen him laugh this much.
Elmer said, “This is enough for today, dear Taige. We will speak again in the next few days. I promise you that everything will become clearer to you. Now, I believe it is time for your cage tour.”
Taige exited the dome baffled. He easily slipped out of the suit and enjoyed the feeling of the water flowing over his body. It had been a very strange day. Taige wanted to breathe clean air. He swam upwards, towards the surface of the water and inhaled a deep breath. Only two moons had risen tonight, and they colored the water in shades of gold. In the patches of darkness around the moons, stars twinkled. Taige flipped onto his back and gazed at them while swimming. Something was calming about the lights of the stars and moons. Sudden curiosity awoke within him, and he wondered if he could reach them.
He slapped his tail with all his might and leapt up from the water toward the stars, stretching himself forward and opening his mouth. The stars were too far, Taige laughed and flipped in the air before diving back down into the water. Elmer was probably just playing around with him; Taige was not smart, nor would he become smart. The simplest thing would be to focus on work and not to think about it. Maybe everything would become clear in a few days. Meanwhile, he had to check the state of the cages.
Chapter 3
City
The pilot’s name was Gwan. He behaved formally, opening the door for her and calling her Ms. Taylor. She couldn’t help but notice that he appeared distant and reluctant to speak.
“Why did they send you and not a robotic hovercraft?” she asked him.
“I don’t know, Ms. Taylor,” he answered curtly.
Nola wondered why he wasn’t curious to speak with someone who until recently had been an active coordinator. In a way, he reminded her of an indifferent cluster member. She was used to the indifference and automatic obedience of the cluster members, but she always thought that it was different with humans.
Dozens of questions echoed in her mind: why were they sending her to the city? Were they angry at her there? Did her parents miss her? What were her childhood friends doing these days?
She wondered how she could get Gwan to talk, but then, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the view spread out below and all questions were put off to some other time. For two and a half hours, Nola sat in the upholstered seat and marveled. Splotches of color passed swiftly beneath her. Hills, valleys, fields, and rivers. She noticed a huge dark pit surrounded by flowers and grass - which took ten minutes flying to pass over. That was an entrance to some cluster; she relished the sight. Not just because of the size of the cluster but also because of a feeling of recognition - this was a well-maintained cluster. Its coordinator had done her work well. Then came the forested valley of the city of her childhood, with its colorful houses, well-tended decorative gardens, the river flowing through its center and the boats sailing down it, the winding streets and thousands of people moving through them - the sight was mesmerizing.
She remembered how she used to run through those streets with her friends, they had seemed so long to her then, and she was suddenly struck by how small the city was compared to the cluster. As a child, she thought that the city was enormous. But life in the cluster had changed her sense of proportion.
Gwan began lowering the hovercraft before landing.
“Are you taking me to my parents’ house?” She asked.
“No, Ma’am. To the council building; they are waiting for you there.”
She shrank with discomfort in her seat. To the council? Why there, of all places?
The vehicle landed in the council building yard; she was amazed by how little it was, smaller than a cluster’s garden. As she exited the hovercraft, a meticulously dressed woman approached her and held out her hand with a smile.
“Hello Nola, I am happy to finally meet you. My name is Mika, and I am the head of the council.” Nola shook Mika’s hand uneasily. It was a strange feeling - she had not touched a human person in twenty-two years.
“The council is waiting to meet you, please follow me,” the head of the council said decisively, and began to walk towards the building. Nola hesitated before hurrying after her.
“Are my parents here? When can I see them?”
“Everything in its time, Nola. First, you must meet the council.”
They entered the building. The roof was very low compared to the cluster halls, and Nola raised her hand without thinking, trying to touch the ceiling which rose a meter and a half above her fingertips. The head of the council did not notice this while she called for an elevator. Nola swiftly pulled her hands down.
The elevator door opened, and they entered. Nola wondered why an elevator had been installed in a building of just two stories.
“To the Fathers’ Hall,” said the head of the council. Nola’s belly lurched as they descended quickly.
A built-in reflex of twenty years living in the cluster kicked in, and Nola began to measure the speed and time. They descended to a depth of about eight floors before the elevator doors opened. The council building was bigger than she thought. She had never imagined that the city had structures built underground like the cluster buildings.
They came out into a long, broad corridor. The small lights placed in the walls were unable to disperse the deep darkness, and the corridor was streaked with patches of light and shadow. Nola walked after the head of council and tried to understand why the council gathered in such a deep and hidden place.
“This is the old shelter that the city founders built in case of emergency, not the regular council meeting place,” said the head of the council, as though reading her mind. Nola did not answer, she wondered what the emergency might be that would require the use of this shelter.
The corridor opened up into a large, lit-up hall. In the corner of the hall stood a table along which sat 18 women and men. The head of the council sat at the head of the table and gestured for Nola to sit on the empty chair beside her which had been prepared in advance.
“Nola, this is the city council. I will not bother introducing everybody present, their names and official positions are not important at the moment, but this is the council in its full assembly. The council represents the entire city and is entitled to make any and all decisions concerning the city, do you understand?”
“Yes,” Nola transmitted. The mayor looked at her with tense anticipation; Nola realized her mistake and answered aloud, “Yes.”
“Great. It’s important that I clarify that this is a confidential meeting, the transcript of which will not be displayed in the public archives. Officially, this meeting never happened. Which is why it is taking place here, in the city’s old emergency shelter, out of sight from any curious onlookers,” said the head of the council.
The head of the council went quiet. She was evidently trying to select the right words. Nola waited patiently for her to continue.
“Nola, how would you define the role of a cluster coordinator?”
Nola did not hesitate. “To be the right hand of the egg-layer.”
“I don’t mean whatever slogan that they teach children in school, Nola. In your wards, what was your role in the cluster?”
Nola contemplated it. She had never thought about defining her position, she had simply been available to help the cluster with any matter that might arise. “To ensure that everything works as it should,” she answered. “That was my role.”
The head of the council nodded, “and why did the cluster need you?”
What were these questions for? Were they accusing her of inadequate service?
“Without my supervision and management, the cluster would have fallen apart within a few months. My role was to coordinate all of the operations required for the existence of the cluster.”
“Did it not seem strange to you that the cluster depended on a coordinator for its existence?”
Nola was surprised. “Why would that be strange? It was a deliberate move. That was how we created the clusters; they could not exist without the intelligence of a human being to manage them.”
The head of Council smiled. “You’re right, my dear, I am happy to see that you still see yourself as human.”
Nola looked at her in amazement. “Is there some other way to think of myself?” she asked, bewildered.
The head of the council shook her head, “I’m sorry Nola. That was a terrible choice of words. I didn’t mean to insult you. Would you allow me to explain to you why you are here?”
Nola nodded without saying a word.
“Do you remember what the covenant is, Nola?”
“Of course,” Nola answered with slight pride.
“You are here because everything is falling apart, Nola; the covenant was contravened.”
“Contravened?” Nola was horrified. “What did you do?” She demanded with sudden fury.
“No, Nola, it wasn’t us who violated it. You understand, the Whole contacted us.”
Nola looked at the head of the council in surprise. Did just she say that the Whole had contacted the city?
“What does ‘the Whole contacted us’ mean? Did the entire species call you?” She asked.
The head of the council nodded. “In a way, it did.” She went quiet and looked at Nola with an expression of consideration before continuing.
“About two years ago, one of the older coordinators contacted us. She informed us that her egg-layer wanted to visit the city and meet with the council.”
“An active egg-layer asked to come to visit the city? An egg-layer that already had a coordinator?” Nola asked, without attempting to hide her astonishment.
“Yes. But that’s not all. When she arrived in the city, she spoke with the council.”
“Her coordinator spoke with the council?” Nola wondered.
“No, Nola. The coordinator didn’t even come to the meeting. The egg-layer spoke with us directly.”
“Spoke? That’s not possible! Egg-layers aren’t able to communi
cate without a coordinator,” Nola protested.
The head of the council shrugged her shoulders, “Evidently this egg-layer was able to. She stood right here, before the council, and spoke to us.”
Nola looked at the head of the council in horror. “What could an egg-layer talk about with the city council?” she asked.
The head of the council smiled, “She clarified to us the egg-layers’ stance regarding several topics.”
“The egg-layers’ stance?”
“Yes, Nola, they have a council that they call the Whole. A council that speaks on behalf of all the members of all of the clusters. The council is comprised of the egg-layers of all the clusters on Neifar.”
Nola felt the beginning of a headache, “That’s impossible. The egg-layers spend their lives alone, each one in her own cluster. If they were conversing or meeting with one another, I promise you I would have known about it.”
“Evidently, they are more talented than you suspected, Nola. Maybe they communicate in a way that is hidden from you.”
Nola glared at her, “It’s impossible to hide anything from a coordinator, we know about everything that happens in the cluster.”
“That was the theory at the time of the signing of the covenant, which is why we send our daughters there. It seems that things have changed in the last thousand years.”
“Things haven’t changed,” Nola blurted disdainfully. “Egg-layers can’t establish a council of their own.”
“I have no intention of offending you, Nola, I know that you are much more familiar with the cluster members than we city-born could ever be, but the fact is that we are certain of the existence of this council,” said the head of the council gently.
Nola felt her heart contract, “I am also city-born, Head of the council, please be sure to remember that,” she said in a frigid voice.
“Of course, Nola, but you have spent most of your life in a cluster,” the head of the council smiled.
Nola forced herself to count to ten before answering. “I am a coordinator from the city. My life was indeed dedicated to the cluster, but I am still a human being and I always will be.”