They arrived at their destination, the power and propulsion areas toward the back of the ship. Neem processed what he’d heard. It was shocking to him that five hundred year old warships were still in service and that their original systems were apparently comparable to current Elder technology. Maybe the Elders might know better, but he doubted, to the core of his curious, inventive being, that the limits of what was possible had really been reached.
A short walk and they came through a series of reinforced-looking doors. The passage opened into a large chamber. Before them was a large, though not enormous, bronze-colored disc-shaped object, covered in intricate scrollwork and surrounded by tubes and auxiliary machinery. All of it was elegant looking in design, and quiet. An Elder in black uniform was working at a panel nearby, and a pair of others were visible further back in the room, looking like they might be doing maintenance or review.
“This,” said Hsien, “Is one of the three main antimatter power generators supporting the sub light and FTL drives. Each is in a self-contained reinforced and shielded chamber. Auxiliary power is provided by smaller generators in other parts of the ship. As you will see, we maintain redundancy in systems, so that if one is damaged or, rarely, malfunctions, the ship can continue to operate as normal.”
“As you will also find throughout the ship” he continued, “all of our systems are designed for energy efficiency, both to conserve resources for long voyages, and as a matter of the general principle of sustainability. That being said, the normal operating output per minute of one of these generators is greater than that of one of your cities in a year.”
“Now, do you have any questions thus far?”
The diplomats and the academics in nontechnical fields looked impressed. The military officers stood impassively. Neem raised his hand and Jat took a step forward. “I do!” they said in near-unison.
“That is amazing, but our cities are different sizes!” said Neem, “How much power exactly do you mean? And what about peak output...?”
“There are difficulties in storing antimatter and keeping radioactive side effects contained” said Jat, not quite simultaneously “What method do you use? Are your smaller power devices also antimatter?”
Thus began what Jat thought, without much sympathy, must have been protracted misery for Hsien. At each new stage of the tour, Neem and Jat would bombard him with questions which he, no scientist, would refer to Obote in the Elder language, then translate the answers back into Tadine, only to almost immediately be hit with another question.
For his part, Obote seemed unperturbed to Jat, at least insofar as he could read anything from the Elders often unfamiliar expressions. If anything, the Elder scientist seemed to be pleased to be answering questions from visitors who were trained enough to ask intelligent ones, and curious enough to try.
Jat thought too, sardonically, that his own tightly wound, mobile personality – he knew how awkward he was, just had no intention of doing anything about it – and Neem’s unbounded enthusiasm would probably make them seem foolish and… harmless to the dignified Elders.
So much the better.
The tour continued to the sub light drives, or rather maintenance corridors along them. They were vast cylindrical things that vaguely resembled jet engines though far larger. Neem knew it took a lot of thrust to move something the side of the size of the ship. He asked Hsien how much, and how they produced it, Jat added questions about the physics of the propulsion method itself, how they quickly achieved and maintained the kinds of speeds they’d demonstrated entering the solar system. To add to Hsien’s misery, Colonel Varen now began joining in with a few questions of his own, regarding handling of a ship so large.
Throughout their tour of this part of the ship, devoted as it was to large machinery, power transmission, cooling systems and the like, Neem was struck by how ergonomically it was all handled. The Elders allowed generous amounts of space for access and maintenance, often conveniently placed, even if hidden behind decorative panels. It was all very comfortable, but not, from a raw design perspective, as efficient as it could be.
The next major stopping point was one of the FTL drives. Neem, Jat, and the rest of the delegation stood looking at a huge vertical toroidal ring surrounding three tubes that ran lengthwise down to what they were told was the front of the ship. Equipment of all sorts surrounded and supported the ring.
“As with our antimatter power generators, there are three FTL drives.” said Hsien, “Any one of them can use any one of the transmission tubes you see here to open a wormhole in front of this ship. In this case, it is not merely a matter of redundancy, as it takes time for the drives to build sufficient power and… field strength… to open a wormhole. By using three of them, we can be ready at any time to generate one, limited only by destination calculations and supplies…”
He paused in apparent anticipation of what was coming.
“How long?” asked Neem, “and what are the constraints on powering up faster?”
“Field strength? Could you explain?” added Jat, “And what holds the wormholes open as the ship traverses them?
And so it went on.
After they left the FTL drive section, they entered an area of long corridors, side passages, and storage compartments.
“We’re now heading toward the middle and forward areas of the ship.” said Hsien, “Ahead of us in the upper center will be the landing bay, and on the sides, crew quarters and weapons. Well stop at refreshment room some distance forward of here for a meal and a bit of rest. You’ll find there is a nice view. I hope you won’t mind a walk to see the ship as we go, rather than the tramways?”
“We’d be delighted, Deputy Ambassador Hsien,” said Vrir on behalf of the rest of them, whether or not they shared the opinion.
After a few minutes, they came upon a side passage that was, unlike any they’d seen before on the ship, somewhat dimly lit. Hsien showed no apparent interest, and was moving to pass it, when around the corner came a creature, fast.
It was shorter than the Elders, though taller than the Grounders, it had broad shoulders, long mobile arms, each ending in five short but flexible fingers, and a small claw. Its legs were back-swept below the knee and ended in what looked, inside boots, to be long hooked toes. Its head was narrow with large fierce golden eyes, and a beak. It wore a black uniform like they’d seen on rank and file Elder crew members, but with a utility belt full of tools, and a fair share of dust or dirt.
“One of the beaked things from the videos!” exclaimed Jat.
“Ara’kaa,” whispered Vrir to him in an annoyed tone, “Have some manners, please, Professor Jat.”
The Ara’kaa came to a skittering halt, stared at the Grounders, looked at Hsien, then pulled itself up and bowed its head to him while bringing its right hand to its chest with a sharp precise motion. Hsien did not return the gesture, but instead paused, surveying the Ara’kaa silently. It said something in the Elder language with a scratchy sounding voice. Hsien made a short reply, it nodded again, then raced on down the corridor and into another side passage.
Jat decided to forego manners. “Hsien, what was going on there? Also, didn’t know you had any of those on board.”
Hsien turned. He had a new expression on his face. Jat decided they’d just seen something they weren’t meant to. Regardless, Hsien answered.
“You have seen Ara’kaa in our educational holograms. They are… valued friends, and perform many useful services on behalf of the Galactic Protectorate. That one was performing maintenance on this side passage, which is for lavatory access. There is a problem affecting the security viewer and several lights. Apparently he was short a part, and left to go get it.”
“Lavatory you say?” replied Jat, “Hsien, it has been a long walk. Could I go use it?”
“Well… yes. We aren’t authorized to let you go about the ship on your own, so I’ll have to go with you, and in any case its operation might or might not be self-explanatory.”
“Thanks. Say, anyone else need to go?” replied Jat. A few others decided they did.
Hsien’s face became impassive, a mask, thought Jat. One doubted tending a disorganized gaggle of Grounders on an impromptu field trip to the restroom had been among his expectations for this part of the tour.
The Elder diplomat collected himself. “I think then we’d all best go together.” he said something in his language to Obote and the guard, then motioned to the Grounders. “Follow me.”
The corridor to the lavatory was not long. It was narrow, a bit dark, and now crowded with Grounders who were talking among themselves. A maintenance panel was open on the left side, with a little ergonomically convenient platform folded out next to it. On the platform were various small tools, parts, and several small gold power cells, like the one in the video disc they’d opened.
Jat thought this was as good as he could hope for, and better than expected. As he passed by the platform, talking to the others in the crowd, his hand made the slightest, quietest, least obtrusive, motion.
15
By the time they arrived at the refreshment center, a long walk and several levels down from where they’d been, the members of the delegation were tired. The artificial gravity of the Elder ship, slightly heavier than their own, was wearing on them, and it had been hours since breakfast.
Hsien guided them down stairs and through a pair of brightly decorated doors. They entered a rectangular room that at first seemed dizzyingly upside down. The ceiling was solid enough, as was the wall behind them, lined with what looked to be dispensers and perhaps cooking equipment. The other walls and the floor, save for gilded structural beams, angled inward at the corners, were not there at all. Low seats in the center seemed to float in space over the surface of Ground, kilosteps below.
At the little landing in the door at the base of the stairs, the diplomat in front of Neem made a quiet gasp, and came to a sudden stop. Neem crashed into him, and together they went tumbling forward. It felt like the beginning of a long, one-way flight. Instead they simply cracked onto something solid, with a texture a bit like glass.
The diplomat brushed himself and stood up. Neem, staring below him, forgot to.
“Look at that! The city far down below, the clouds, the fleet all round us… like a… glass bottomed aircraft! Ha!”
Colonel Varen quietly helped him up.
“Got to say I’ve never seen anything like this before, Neem.”
As the rest of the delegation entered the room, more gasps and quiet conversation sprang up.
Hsien’s face showed a slight smile, that strange Elder smile. He swept a hand around the room. “Welcome to my favorite spot on this vessel. This is one of many recreation rooms on the ship, but the only one with a view like it. The walls, as you see…” and he tapped a near-invisible surface, “angle inward from the ceiling above us to the floor, in order to maximize one’s available field of vision, and both are made of transparent, ultra hard ceramics.”
“Please, relax and enjoy. There is water available at those taps, the blue ones, on the back wall. Until we are more informed about each other’s physiologies, it might be best not to try the other beverages or our food, but naturally that is why his Excellency gave instructions to bring your own. Now, if you will excuse me for a moment.”
While they made themselves as comfortable as people could be sitting out over what perceptually looked like open space, Hsien pulled a small device from his robes, much like a digital notepad and began speaking into it in his language.
Neem glanced at it, and noticed it had a semi-holographic display with various small images and some sort of keyboard. He turned to Jat, “Brilliant! They’ve combined mobile phones and digital notepads. Why didn’t we think of that? I want one!”
“You want one of everything they’ve got here,” said Jat.
“Or more!” answered Neem with a grin.
Colonel Varen sat down next to them, and glanced around the room. “Quite a setup the Elders have. These ships are formidable, but inspiring, at least for an old war slagger like me. I don’t suppose you gentlemen would like to talk, after we’re done with this delegation?”
“Definitely,” said Jat.
Outside, visible through the sweeping panorama of the windows and floor, it was early afternoon. The room was in the shade of the ship, but below, the clouds were brilliant white, the sea sparkled on the distant horizon, and the great capital city glittered in the sunshine.
Hsien finished his call and began to talk with the diplomats. He kept his distance from Neem and Jat, but Jat still managed to listen in on what was being said. Councilor Vrir was curious about galactic diplomatic customs, protocol and the like, and some of the things Hsien had encountered in his career.
After a while, Jat thought he could see why Hsien had been chosen as the narrator for the holographic videos. He was a man of deep education and wide experience. He recalled something being said about the Elders having extended their natural life spans, and wondered how old he was.
So naturally, he turned to him and asked, “Hey Hsien, how old are you?”
“Physicist Professor Jat, I am one hundred and thirty standard years old.”
“You Elders, what is your lifespan these days, with all the upgrades you mentioned?”
“Due to genetic changes made millennia ago, our natural lifespan is approximately two hundred to two hundred and fifty years.”
“And you couldn’t make them any longer than that? Why not immortal?”
Hsien’s face was a placid mask.
“Physicist Professor, I am not a biologist. However, it is my understanding that there are certain limits. Things eventually break down in ways that cannot be repaired. If you wish more detailed information, I can direct you to…”
Meanwhile, Neem organized his notes, both the ones in the notepad and the ones in his head. The mental notes were key, filling in gaps he’d deliberately left in the written ones. There was no way to be sure the Elders wouldn’t want to review his notepad before they let him off the ship, and it didn’t seem like a good idea to let them know he’d understood as much as he had.
Members of the delegation – diplomat, military, and scientists, ate their meals and discussed the day’s events. Obote and Hsien procured food from the dispensers, while the Elder guard was replaced by another who was presumably coming on shift. After a while, an Elder in blue robes came down the stairs and through the doorway. He conferred quickly with Hsien and Obote. Hsien raised a hand.
“Ah, everyone, if I may introduce Engineer Diplomat Mitchell. He will be assisting me for the remainder of the tour in carrying on more… technical discussions,” several members of the delegation eyed Neem and Jat, “He is less practiced in your language than I, but he has stronger scientific background, and you should find him an excellent source of information.”
“Honor it is to meet you,” said Mitchell, nodding.
After the appropriate formal introductions, they finished their meals and set off on the second part of the tour. Up the stairs, through various corridors, up a lift, and more corridors, and they came to a large corridor along the lower right side of the ship.
To their right were control centers staffed with Elders in military uniforms. Large display panels lined the walls. Between the panels were doors and windows overlooking the large chambers where the weapons had been stored. The weapons themselves were still outside, on the other side of thick armor plating, but visible in some of the display panels – projectile guns, missile launchers, and others of a strange design.
“Railguns, those amazing missile launchers, and… energy weapons, I’m sure of it!” said Neem.
“That is correct,” noted Mitchell, “We consider all chances. Different targets, different weapons.”
That was enough for Neem, and he launched into another round of questions. As with Hsien, Mitchell often passed questions to Obote and answers back, but he seemed to be able to answer more himself. His weaker grasp of Tad
ine made communication more difficult than with the fluent Hsien, but he seemed to have numbers and mathematical terms solidly, and that was enough for many things.
After a while, Jat interrupted.
“Your energy weapons! You mention laser and plasma devices. Do any of them use wormholes as a weapon?”
Both Mitchell and Obote paused at that, as if in surprise. The answer came slowly.
“Not possible. Wormholes cannot target inside or near objects. They have problems forming near gravity wells. Sometimes, if too close, they collapse midway and destroy what is inside, but things outside are not affected.”
Jat did not give up, “People have tried, then?”
“Intentionally only long ago. That is a strange question.”
“People say I think of strange things,” replied Jat.
Neem and Jat resumed their nearly nonstop questioning, directed at Mitchell now, but he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he seemed to delight in his ability to present technical answers, and at the effect they had on his visitors. Jat mused that he probably saw them as backward and easily impressed. They were, but they were also paying attention.
Up a few levels from the weapon array, they came to what Hsien told them were the crew quarters. Long rows of doors with scrollwork and small colored decorative panels lined the walls. He opened a door seemingly at random, and showed them in. They entered a spacious cabin with a large cushioned platform that must be an Elder bed, a desk or table with a couple of small chairs, a pair of larger, heavily cushioned ones, shelves, a video screen, and its own small lavatory with fixtures for personal washing.
An older and very dignified-looking Tadine officer, Neem had been introduced to him as Admiral Nidier, started at the sight. “Diplomat Hsien, your officers certainly live well!”
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