by Doug Farren
By the time they reached Saturn, three hours and twenty minutes later, Tom’s opinion of Paula had undergone a radical change. He no longer saw her as just the down-to-earth country girl he’d been introduced to several months ago. She was witty, intelligent, strong-willed, and a damn good chess player.
Tom slid a bishop down a long unobstructed diagonal bringing it to rest on her side of the board. “Checkmate,” he declared. “You played a very good game. You’re better than you think.”
“Thank you,” Paula replied. “I don’t get much of a chance to play with having to spend most of my days running the diner.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Tom began, “but why are you still there? You’re up before dawn, you work your tail off in the kitchen, and you don’t get home until late.”
“My husband and I opened that diner together nearly ten years ago. It was right after we were married. He loved the place but I think the stress we went through to open it is what killed him. I have a regular crowd now. They’re like family to me and I just don’t have the heart to leave them. Besides, where else would I go?”
Tom started putting the chess pieces away. “You know your own life better than I do. If you’re happy where you’re at then you should stay there. But I get this feeling you’d be happier doing something else.”
“Such as?”
“I don’t know. Do you have any advanced education?”
“I have a two-year degree in geology and I’ve taken a few advanced classes electronically over the years.”
“Turn around,” Tom said. While they were putting the game away, he had silently asked the Orion to put the live feed of Saturn up on the large screen hanging on the wall of his stateroom.
“It’s beautiful!” Paula exclaimed.
“And there are others just like it scattered across Alliance space,” Tom said. “I’ve seen three of them myself. I never get tired of seeing the wonders that are out there.”
“It must be fun to travel the galaxy,” Paula said, her voice sounding far away.
“You don’t have to be stuck at the diner,” Tom said from behind her. Gently putting his hands on her shoulders, he added, “An astro-geologist gets to visit worlds like this before anyone else does. A couple years of additional training and you could be out there.”
She turned around and looked him in the eyes. “It’s tempting,” she said, nodding her head. “But I think such a job would be a lonely one. I like being around people and I like what I do. Perhaps one day I’ll get tired of the diner and consider your offer. They say the Omel have managed to increase our life spans to almost 150 years and they’re working on making that even longer. I have plenty of time to change my mind.”
“Would you care to see anything else?”
Paula took one more look at the colorized image of Saturn, then said, “No. Let’s head back to Earth.” She paused for a moment, her eyes focused on a spot on the deck. Raising her head, she leaned forward, catching Tom by surprise. The kiss was warm and soft and left Tom feeling wonderfully satisfied.
“Will you promise me something?” she asked.
“If it’s not illegal, sure.”
“Come visit me again. I don’t want to forget about all this. I know I’ll eventually sell the diner, but I’m not quite ready to take that step yet.”
“I understand,” Tom replied, wrapping his arms around her.
“And make sure you bring Lashpa with you. I’m going to build a special room at the diner just for her.”
“I’m sure she’ll be happy to return.”
“And I’ll look into how to cook up some good Rouldian meals for her. Even if it all smells like anchovies.”
“Um…you might be surprised at what she eats,” Tom said. “They don’t actually cook much of anything.”
Paula stuck her tongue out in disgust. “Then it will be a private room,” she said, smiling.
Article that appeared in the Plainwell Post
(Reprinted with permission)
The other day, our little town of Plainwell was honored by the presence of two distinguished visitors; Peacekeeper Tom-ga-Lashpa Wilks-ga-Krish and Peacekeeper Lashpa-ga-Tom Krish-ga-Wilks. Their odd-sounding names are the result of a unique Rouldian belief known as gragrakch—a concept that will be explained later in this article.
The peacekeepers were in town to visit Peacekeeper Wilks’ sister, Cassandra Wilson. Before visiting her, they played a small prank on Paula Stevens, owner of The Country Diner on 10th Street. Paula had once invited Peacekeeper Wilks to sample the breakfast offered at her diner. Mr. Wilks took her up on the offer and asked Peacekeeper Lashpa to enter the restaurant first. I was witness to this event and it will most likely be talked about for years to come. The complete story of what took place at The Country Diner appears in this edition’s Community section.
I interviewed Peacekeeper Lashpa first. Following her interview, I was invited to join the family reunion at the Wilson residence where I spoke with Peacekeeper Wilks.
The highlights of my interview of the two Peacekeepers are presented below. The full transcript of the interview is available on the Plainwell Post’s website. [Click here to read the full transcript.]
*** Peacekeeper Lashpa ***
Peacekeeper Lashpa is a Rouldian, a reptilian race more commonly referred to as dragons by us humans. I found her to be an intriguing and very engaging individual whom I took an immediate liking to. For those readers who are unfamiliar with the Rouldian species, their home planet of Roulda orbits a star some 187 light years from Earth. The gravity there is 1.8 times what we humans experience. Rouldians must speak through a vocoder, a translating device that in Peacekeeper Lashpa’s case is attached to her chest armor.
Lashpa does not look like your typical Rouldian. She is a peacekeeper and that means she’s a cyborg. Her scales have been replaced by black armor. Her limbs and even her tail are cybernetic replacements. I was given the opportunity to study her armor up close and I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Although it covers almost every square centimeter of her body, she’s able to move around with considerable grace, the individual pieces sliding over each other like a well-oiled machine. The engineering genius who designed it should be commended. The only part of her not covered is the area around her face and part of her neck. These can be protected when needed by a movable piece of metal normally stored behind her head.
What impressed me most about Peacekeeper Lashpa was how well she was received by everyone. Cassandra Wilson, Tom’s sister, hugged her when they met. When she did, I observed a distinctly Rouldian trait when Peacekeeper Lashpa quickly touched her tongue to Cassandra’s neck. Cassandra did not appear to be bothered by this at all and I have since learned that this is how Rouldians greet close friends.
Would you please tell me your full name?
I am Lashpa-ga-Tom Methsha Krish-ga-Wilks.
That’s a rather odd-sounding name. Why is your name combined with that of Peacekeeper Wilks?
Tom and I are gragrakch.
[I was not sure I heard her correctly and asked her to repeat the last word several times. Even though she was speaking in a low voice, it was difficult to focus on what the vocoder was saying.]
Can you explain what gragrakch is?
Certainly. Rouldians believe that all living creatures are created in pairs and that the two halves will merge back into a single entity after death. Finding one’s other half is a cause for celebration and when this happens the pair declare themselves to be gragrakch. The closest Terran counterpart is marriage, however gragrakch and marriage have nothing in common. Gragrakch is more of a spiritual connection.
[If the reader is interested in learning more about this alien concept, please refer to the companion article by Professor Sylvia Torrens which can be found in this edition of the Plainwell Post—click here to read.]
Tell me a little about yourself Peacekeeper Lashpa.
I was born on a distant planet named Fan
ish. It’s a relatively new colony world on the edge of Rouldian space, 262 light years from Earth. I was a police officer there for six years before joining the peacekeepers.
Why did you decide to leave Fanish?
I was bored with the life I had there. I became a police officer because I enjoy helping others but Fanish is such a small world that I found myself spending day after day patrolling the streets without having to respond to a single emergency. There was very little crime and I thought I could be of better service as a peacekeeper. I was very surprised when I received the letter of acceptance. I have never regretted my decision.
How did you come to meet Peacekeeper Wilks?
I first met Tom on Centralis on our way to the academy. We became friends from the moment we first met. That friendship deepened during our time at the academy.
And that was when you learned you and Tom were gragrakch?
Yes. I knew there was some sort of a connection between us from the moment we met but I’d never seen a Terran before and I just wasn’t sure. After learning more about Terrans and how quickly a friend can become an enemy, I became very hesitant about asking if he felt the same connection with myself. Over time, his actions told me everything I needed to know.
I know my readers are going to want me to ask this question so please don’t be offended. Do you love Tom?
Do you have a brother or a sister?
I have both.
And do you love your brother and your sister?
Of course I do. Are you saying that gragrakch is like brotherly love?
Love is such a powerful and misapplied word in your language and it really doesn’t apply to Tom and me. Gragrakch is a connection, an empathy between two individuals that simply cannot be explained. It’s almost a tangible force that can be felt the moment two people first come into contact with each other. We are one and the same, we are gragrakch. I love him because I love myself. I am him and he is me. We Rouldians say, two bodies, one soul.
I guess you need to be a Rouldian to really understand.
I couldn’t agree more. Tom seems to understand, but he and I have spent a great deal of time discussing what it means to be gragrakch.
Does being gragrakch mean you and Tom can’t marry? Not each other of course, I mean…
[At this point, Lashpa started laughing. Rouldian laughter is more like a huffing sound than anything else.]
I know what you mean. Tom seems content to remain single although I would strongly support finding a compatible mate. In my culture we declare ourselves to be mated. Gragrakch has nothing to do with finding a mate.
What do you like most about being a peacekeeper?
I get to experience other cultures, see things I would never have seen had I remained on Fanish, and I get to be part of an organization dedicated to the greater good. Being a peacekeeper is not a continuous adventure though; there are long stretches of time when we are alone in our ships traveling from one place to another. We have a lot of time to ourselves. I learned how to play chess and Tom has been learning how to carve.
But there are times when you are put in dangerous situations right?
Of course.
Have you ever been in a battle?
I have, quite recently in fact. But taking part in a military operation is not typical for peacekeeper ships. They’re classified as scout ships, not combat vessels, but we are occasionally called upon to take part in small combat operations.
In your opinion, what’s the greatest difference between Rouldian and Terran cultures?
There are vast differences between our two cultures, but there are also many similarities. It’s the similarities between us that allow us to coexist. The greatest difference, the one I have to contend with on a daily basis, is in the foods we eat. Terrans prefer to cook their food while Rouldians do not. The smell of cooking meat has been described to me as a wonderful aroma. To me, this same smell is horrible.
What do you eat then?
Roulda is a planet with vast oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds. We eat a lot of fish and other seafood. And we prefer to eat them fresh—very fresh.
While they are still alive?
Yes. I know you think it’s disgusting, but cutting your food into pieces and ruining it by cooking is just as disgusting to a Rouldian. I’ve tasted what Tom has told me is a perfect steak. I could not force myself to keep it in my mouth for more than a few seconds.
How do you manage on long trips? Surely you don’t keep tanks full of fish on your ship?
Of course not. There are a few species of fish from my world that can survive being frozen. A few hours before a meal, one just has to throw them into some warm water and allow them to thaw out. We also like many plants; fruits and vegetables as Terrans would refer to them. There are also some species of seafood that can be eaten after they are killed but none are ever cooked.
So where are you off to next?
I am stationed here on Earth. Terrans are an interesting species and I hope to learn more about you in the near future.
Do you think you’ll be returning to Plainwell?
Yes I will. Tom’s only surviving family lives here and I would like to get to know them better.
*** Peacekeeper Tom Wilks ***
Peacekeeper Wilks is a quiet-spoken individual with a personality that’s hard to describe. I had the impression that behind his black cybernetic eyes, is a mind that’s continually analyzing what’s going on around him. There were times during the interview when I felt as if I was talking to an accomplished negotiator capable of bringing two people who hate each other to a point of mutual understanding. Other times, I could sense a comedian just under the surface. I enjoyed every minute of my time with him and was disappointed when the interview was cut short.
Would you please tell me your full name?
I am Thomas-ga-Lashpa Allen Wilks-ga-Krish.
Tell me a little about yourself.
I was born in space aboard a Shandarian passenger ship while my parents were on their way to Bellish. I joined the space force when I was 22. I was assigned to the Komodo Dragon when I was 26 where I met Peacekeeper Sorbith during the Chroniech war. Three years later I was accepted into the peacekeeper academy. I’ve been stationed on Earth ever since.
Everyone has heard about the Komodo Dragon! Did you get to see the Kyrra?
I did. They were very nice. It’s sad they decided to wall themselves up with the Chroniech. I would have liked to have gotten to know them better.
What made you decide to become a peacekeeper?
I’ve always enjoyed helping others. I really loved what I did in the space force and, honestly, I never thought about joining the peacekeepers until I met Peacekeeper Sorbith. After talking to him, I asked about joining. He told me he would look into it but I never heard back from him. Then one day I received this message that I’d been accepted into the academy. Apparently, simply expressing a desire to join was equivalent to applying.
What’s the most memorable thing you’ve done as a peacekeeper?
That’s a hard question to answer.
[Peacekeeper Wilks took his time answering this question. He smiled, then closed his eyes and shook his head, then smiled again as he recalled events from his past. After 20 seconds, a large smile formed on his face just before he replied.]
I think the most memorable thing I’ve done in the service of the peacekeepers took place in Australia about a year ago. I rescued a woman and her child from a burning car. The look on the mother’s face afterward is something I will remember for a very long time.
What’s it feel like to be a cyborg?
I’m used to it now, but almost every peacekeeper experiences something called cyber-shock. [Holding his arms up for emphasis.] These feel almost like my original limbs, but there are differences. I never itch. I can’t get a sunburn. I don’t feel pain. But I also can’t enjoy a warm shower or feel the sand squish between my toes. You give up part of your humanity when you become a peacekeeper. But the rewar
ds are worth it.
Hold on a second—you can’t take a shower? Are you afraid you might rust?
[Laughing] Oh, I can take a shower. It just isn’t as satisfying anymore. I can feel the water hitting my limbs and I can tell that its warm. But all the finer sensations, the feeling of relaxation you get when you’re standing underneath the spray, is gone. I can take a shower in boiling hot or ice cold water and it would feel pretty much the same. I don’t need a coat in the winter and I don’t overheat in the summer. I can see in the dark and I can hear things other humans cannot. In many respects, I am more than human, but in many others, I am less.
You’ve been given extraordinary abilities. There’s an ancient saying—absolute power corrupts absolutely. Why doesn’t that apply to the peacekeepers?
Because of my ship. [Tapping the top of his head.] I’m always linked to my ship, the Orion. The ship’s AI monitors everything I do. It records everything I say, everything I hear, and everything I see. It can even listen in on some of my thoughts. If a peacekeeper starts to get out of line it will intervene. It can shut me down if it deems necessary. There never has been nor will there ever be a corrupt peacekeeper.
Unless someone disconnects themselves from their ship.
There are safeguards against that as well. If I’m out of communication with my ship for more than a few hours my cybernetics will switch into a failsafe mode allowing me to move only very slowly. If communication isn’t restored within a week, the cybernetics will destroy certain critical key components rendering me immobile. If something happens to my ship, another peacekeeper vessel can temporarily take over as my monitor.