New Eden

by Kishore Tipirneni

  “I see,” Joshua replied.

  “To be honest with you, lately I’ve been considering canceling.”

  “Why?”

  “Because of you,” Rachael said looking directly at Joshua. “I don’t know if I’d want to go through life without you.”

  “Don’t worry, you’re stuck with me for a long time,” Joshua asserted. “I plan to live to a ripe old age.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  They fell into each other’s arms and kissed passionately before resuming their walk.

  The following morning, Joshua was recalled to California. Rodrigo said that he needed help with the tokamak immediately, help that only Joshua could provide. He was on a plane that departed at sunrise.

  As the tour started its last phase in Beijing, Langdon and Williams held a teleconference, with Porter en route to China to do one of his periodic inspections to make sure security protocols were being followed to the letter.

  “I have to admit that the tour has gone exceptionally well,” Langdon said, “although I fear that we stumbled into the very thing we wanted to avoid.”

  “Which is?” Williams asked.

  “A contamination of culture.”

  “Seth doesn’t seem to believe he’s been responsible for any contamination, and that’s always been his overriding concern and highest ethic,” Williams said.

  “I know. His mantra is that he never broaches subjects or scientific topics that we’re not already aware of or are exploring ourselves, such as robotics. I suppose that’s true enough, but I’m unsettled by all of the 103 business and that people are frantic to live forever. Haven’t we seen the pollution of our belief systems after all is said and done?”

  Williams didn’t reply immediately as she pondered the question. “I think ‘pollute’ is a strong word in this context, Robert. I don’t think any world religion has been contaminated inasmuch as Seth as done nothing to persuade anyone from abandoning their beliefs.”

  “Perhaps, but haven’t many people done just that?”

  “Not really. Some statistics came across my desk this morning which show that church attendance has risen for the first time in decades.”

  “Really?”

  “Keep in mind that most people don’t have the big bucks to freeze themselves or invest in expensive and unproven experiments in cloning or highly speculative attempts to integrate themselves with artificial intelligence. As Mitchell would say if he were present, a lot of New Age people have jumped on this 103 immortality bandwagon, but nobody’s going to see results for decades. People want a quick fix, and they’ll soon lose interest. But people without a lot of spare cash turned instead to their churches for some reassurance in the face of the unknown.”

  “I hadn’t thought of it that way,” Langdon said. “Makes sense.”

  “Meanwhile, people are still going to work and paying their mortgages and rooting for their favorite sports teams. Life goes on. Seth was true to his word. He didn’t drop any hints about the big picture, and for all we know, the petrins don’t know that either.”

  It was Langdon who now paused. “I’m not so sure about that, Dina. Surely they must have discovered some deeper meaning to the cosmos after a few billion years.”

  “Maybe so,” Williams replied, “but tonight I’m playing bridge with a few senators’ wives. I’m bringing the chips and dip.”

  Langdon laughed heartily. “You know how to put things in perspective. And yet the world will never be quite the same.”

  William’s tone grew serious. “No, it won’t, Robert. We’re not alone, and now we know it.”

  The teleconference ended.

  After Seth had returned to the NASA Bowman Particle Research Center, Joshua stood in the control room outside the tokamak as champagne was poured and Rodrigo gave him a bear hug.

  “We did it!” Rodrigo proclaimed. “Entangled spookyons! And to think that highly-refined tungsten was the key to creating them.”

  “And a few minor adjustments to the container lids,” Joshua added. “You did great work, Rodrigo. I’m proud of you.”

  Joshua led a round of applause for his assistant as more sparkling wine was poured. Rodrigo held up Joshua’s arm and proclaimed, “Let’s have another round of applause for the boss, who worked on this project for the past six and a half years.”

  Another round of applause and cheers followed before Joshua spoke. “I think one final toast is in order. To Henry Bowman.”

  “To Henry Bowman,” the staff said with reverence.

  After the celebration, Joshua rode the elevator to the bat cave.

  “I suppose you’ve heard the news by now,” Joshua said to Seth.

  “About the spookyons? Yes, congratulations. Tungsten?”

  “Yes, tungsten,” Joshua replied with an exasperated look. “I don’t mean to give you a hard time, my friend, but all you had to do was say one word—tungsten.”

  Seth smiled. “I knew you were close and that it was only a matter of time before you succeeded. Besides, if I’d given you the answer, what need would you have had for a celebration?”

  Joshua, slightly tipsy, put his arm around Seth’s shoulders. “Yeah, well, maybe next time I’m in a pinch, you can slip me a hint since we’re buds.”

  Seth walked to his chair and sat, looking at Joshua. When he spoke, his voice seemed lower than usual, and his demeanor was serious. His face showed no signs of a smile, and his gaze was penetrating in a way that Joshua thought impossible for an android. The alien who claimed to love informality and jokes appeared deadly serious.

  “It’s the way things are done, Josh. It’s the way things have always been done.”

  Joshua had heard this phrase before, but the words had taken on additional meaning and gravity. For the first time in months, Joshua was revisited by the feeling that Seth was withholding something. A shiver ran down his spine as he left the lab.

  27

  Habitats

  Joshua informed Seth and the administrative team that he, Rachael, and Vinod needed some rest after the world tour of android Seth. The six-week tour had been grueling, and as Rachael commented, it was easier for Seth to recharge his batteries while traveling than for the personal and security teams to get some sleep. With Seth back at the bat cave, the technical teams could take over for a week or more and resume questioning Seth about Petri, its science and culture, and whatever they could convince him to talk about given his predilection for redactions. Langdon hoped that his scientists would be able to extrapolate a certain amount of information based on Seth’s data, most of which was rendered as generalizations. Porter even brought in three CIA agents skilled in interpreting intercepted data from foreign assets.

  Joshua and Rachael resumed hiking and enjoying each other’s company. During one hike, Joshua looked troubled as he sat on an outcropping of rock under a bright blue noonday sky.

  “What’s the matter?” Rachael asked. “We’re supposed to be decompressing. Is Seth on your mind again?”

  The couple had discussed Joshua’s suspicions about a secret petrin agenda on several previous occasions, but neither could find a reason to doubt Seth’s good will or integrity.

  “Yeah,” he said. “Sometimes he radically departs from his carefree persona and seems to be someone else entirely. It’s unsettling.”

  “I’ve noticed that too, but what he displays is only a persona. As advanced as Vinod’s algorithm is, Seth is still basing his personality on computer programming and approximating what he believes to be normal human behavior.”

  Joshua stared at the mountains in the distance. “You’re probably right, but I can’t shake the feeling that the petrins are holding something back from us, and I’m not referring to just redacted technology.”

  “What do you think it might be?”

  “It’s hard to even hazard a guess given that his society is billions of years ahead of ours. What if some of their ideas might be impossible for us to understand? Our teams may
be incapable of getting at the heart of petrin culture.”

  Rachael leaned over and retied her hiking boots and pulled up her red socks before taking a sip of water from the plastic bottle in her backpack.

  “Are you thinking of a scenario from The Day the Earth Stood Still?” she asked. “Michael Rennie’s character comes to Earth and represents a peaceful, advanced civilization, but at the end of the movie, the other shoe drops. He knows humans are starting to venture into space and tells Earth’s leaders to stop making war or else his planetary federation will open a can of whoop ass so that we don’t contaminate the cosmos.”

  Joshua shook his head. “Maybe, although Seth has indicated in many sessions that they really don’t want to interfere in how humans advance. But you’re right. There’s another shoe that’s going to drop—I’m almost certain of it—and it’s driving me crazy. Seth is like the Rennie character. Sooner or later, we’re going to get the lecture. I just don’t know what it’s going to be about.”

  “Like we’re all in kindergarten,” Rachael said, “but sooner or later we graduate, and then teachers expect a lot more.”

  “Something like that.”

  “Sorry we made contact?”

  Joshua thought for several seconds. “Nah. The scientist in me is too curious despite my foreboding. Besides, I’d never have gotten involved with you if we hadn’t received mathematical messages that first day in the bat cave. It’s what brought us together. Otherwise, you might have written your story and I’d never have seen you again.”

  Rachael kissed Joshua. “I love it when you talk like that.”

  “It was fate.”

  “Fate with a capital F?”

  “Maybe.” He took her hand and squeezed.

  Rachael laughed as they resumed hiking. “I think you’re coming around.”

  Joshua, Rachael, and Vinod were assembled in the lab and noticed that Seth had been reading a stack of books piled high next to his chair. The books given to him were vetted by the security team to make sure there was no content that they would consider off limits.

  “Looks like you’re big into books,” Vinod remarked.

  “Sure,” Seth replied. “I wanted to see how humans have assimilated information for centuries. I could scan the pages quickly and read any book in a matter of minutes if I chose, but I wanted to savor the experience. That’s why I’m here.”

  “But why not use a Kindle or iPad?” Vinod asked.

  “Because he might like the heft of a book and the smell of paper and ink,” Rachael interjected. “Like me.”

  “I do like the physical feel of a book,” Seth said. “But you forget that I have no olfactory sensors. Besides, I have a restriction on electronic devices.”

  “Do you have any favorites?” Joshua asked.

  “Plato and Aristotle had some provocative views on life and existence, which I can neither agree nor disagree with for obvious reasons. But it was enjoyable reading.”

  “Enjoyable?” Rachael said with a smile. “Except for philosophers, most people find it a bit dense. What else did you like?”

  “Jane Austen. The heroines in all of her novels were in such a hurry to marry gentlemen of breeding. She provided many insights into human courtship. Was it that way with you, Rachael? Were you looking for a man of means, one who held a title?”

  “Goodness no! I like Jane Austen too, although some of the customs she describes are a bit out of date. Still, I think I made a pretty good match with Joshua, as Austen would have put it.” She slid her arm around his waist. “He’s a keeper—and a gentleman.”

  Vinod frowned. “Gross. Too much PDA for me since you two got together. Austen wouldn’t approve.”

  “PDA?” Seth said.

  “Public display of affection,” Joshua said. “Kissing, holding hands—stuff like that. So where to now, Seth? It’s time to take you on a personal tour.”

  “Actually, I’d like to view more of your PDA, especially between you and Rachael. Your species devotes a great deal of time to talking and writing about mating rituals and procreation.”

  Vinod glanced at Rachael and Joshua before he remarked, “Awkward.”

  Joshua grinned, put his arm around Seth, and drew close to the android. “I’ll have to teach you some of the nuances of human behavior, especially as they pertain to sexuality. It’s complicated, even for us. The bottom line is that most humans regard mating as a very private act.”

  “I didn’t realize that,” Seth said. “Many cultures throughout the universe have mating rituals that are inherently public.”

  “I can think of a lot of rock songs and videos that talk about mating pretty explicitly,” Vinod said. “And then there’s always the Internet—”

  Rachael elbowed Vinod hard in his side.

  “I get it,” Seth said. “Redacted information about mating. Okay, I have a second choice. I’ve gotten to see many humans on my trips around your world, albeit in a very formal setting. I’d like to see more of the diversity of life on your planet. How about somewhere where I can see more of the fauna?”

  “Animals?” Joshua said. “Excellent choice.”

  “Perhaps we could board a jet and observe wildlife on an African savannah,” Seth suggested. “Or the pampas of Argentina. Anywhere, really. Some of your animal species are quite beautiful and show an amazing ability to adapt to their environments.”

  “I think you’re scheduled to go to South American and Africa on your next official outing to meet world leaders, but there’s a simpler way to see a variety of animals,” Joshua said. “We can take you to a zoo. Robert Langdon can arrange for an after-hours tour so you won’t be mobbed. You’re quite a celebrity.”

  “I’m accessing the term zoo. Yes, that will do nicely.”

  Joshua telephoned Langdon, and an hour later the trio and Seth rode the elevator to the atrium. This time, however, they walked toward a back entrance to avoid the pool of reporters permanently stationed in front of the particle center.

  Seth and the personal team drove down the Interstate in Joshua’s 1967 Chevy Impala convertible with the top up. Joshua and Rachael sat in front, with Vinod and Seth on the rear bench seat. A black Chevy Suburban carrying a security team followed the vintage automobile at a discreet distance.

  “Damn, Josh,” Vinod said. “This is one sweet ride. Heavy chassis and a great suspension system. If only that pushbutton radio could tune into the real rock and roll stations from the time period this gas guzzler was built, the effect would be complete. It’s a freakin’ time machine.”

  “Do you attempt to travel through time?” Seth asked.

  “No, I was speaking figuratively. The car is old and considered a classic because it has been restored. It’s what we call cherry. But hey, is time travel possible?”

  “Classic. Cherry. I get it now. And another nice try, Vinod. About time travel, that is.”

  “You like classic rock, and I like classic cars,” Joshua said. “I picked it up at a Barret Jackson auction. As for the radio, it doesn’t get Sirius XM, so we’re stuck with classic rock FM stations full of advertisements every four minutes.”

  Vinod belly-laughed. “Just like the sixties!” He looked back at the SUV following behind them. “Those government guys never leave us alone. They’re about four car lengths back.”

  “It’s for our protection,” Rachael reminded him. “And Seth’s too. We were followed all over Europe and Asia, so I’d think that you’d be used to it by now.”

  “Never. Big Brother is a pain in the—”

  An eighteen-wheeler blared its horn as it passed another vehicle.

  “In the ass,” Seth said. “That’s a common idiom, isn’t it?”

  “Yep,” said Vinod. “They’re a pain in the ass, but as Rachael said, probably necessary. At least they’re not in the same car with us. All those black suits creep me out. They keep talking into their cufflinks and wristwatches.”

  “How much farther to the zoo?” Seth asked.

  “A
bout ten minutes,” Joshua replied. “We’ll get there with plenty of daylight left. You’re going to enjoy it, Seth. When I was a kid, I loved it when my dad took me to the zoo. We’d stay for hours.”

  Rachael looked sideways. “I absolutely hate zoos.”

  “How come?” Joshua asked. “They’re educational.”

  “Because I always feel that the animals are trapped there. It seems . . . unnatural.”

  “Do they have any say in whether they want to be held in captivity?” Seth asked.

  “We can’t communicate with animals,” Vinod said. “Maybe a little with dolphins, whales, or chimpanzees, but otherwise we aren’t able to bridge the gap. Animals communicate, but not in a language we can easily understand. Let me guess. On some planets, the main inhabitants communicate with most of the animals.”

  “Absolutely,” Seth confirmed. “In many cases, the animals lie along a complex spectrum of evolution and intelligence and can talk to the dominate species. There’s one planet on which the dominant species talks to an intermediate species which, in turn, communicates with the lower species.”

  “One big happy family,” Vinod laughed as he began to hum “It’s a Small World After All.”

  “I really like zoos,” Joshua said, turning the conversation back to Rachael’s concern. “Animals in modern zoos are treated well, get fed a perfect diet, and receive medical care they wouldn’t receive in the wild. There’s no pain or suffering in a zoo.”

  “I’m all for it,” Vinod proclaimed. “They have the life. They can just chill and hang out. No stress from having to find food or the risk of getting eaten by some predator.”

  Rachael craned her neck to address Vinod more directly. “But they’re still not free. I think if they could communicate with us and had a choice in the matter, they would want to roam about their natural habitats without restrictions. Maybe searching for food and avoiding predators is what makes them happy. It is, after all, exactly what they’ve evolved to do.”