by Peter Wood
Calen thought about Burilda’s question.
‘Not really. My guess would be going unconscious and all the distress calls, but he did say it was hard being young and telling older dolphins what to do.’
‘Hard? It’s astonishing. No human could influence an unknown group of people so instantly and effectively. We don’t understand it.’
‘Blue is blue!’
Burilda looked with puzzlement at Akama.
‘Honoured One?’
‘Sonic is Sonic.’
Wirrin, along with everyone else, pondered that, and Akama smiled.
‘Sonic is unique, Burilda.
‘He still suckles from Puck yet he understands both dolphin and human language.
‘He makes song and story.
‘He leads thousands of dolphins to a new life.
‘He inspires a billion people on our habitats and our AIs regard him with awe.
‘Something new has entered our universe, and, though we are not fully equipped to understand it, we have been blessed with the gift of involvement.’
Thom broke the silence as everyone wondered about an appropriate way to respond.
‘He’s definitely unique. He’s turned our lives upside down ever since we’ve known him, but we’ve also made him part of us.’
‘Yes, Thom?’
Now it was Akama waiting for elaboration.
‘I think about this sometimes when I wonder what he’d be like without humans and AIs. He’d only know dolphin things, and wouldn’t have learnt human speech, or reading and music and all the knowledge from the InterWeb. He relies on us for lots of things he’s good at but he’d still be special without them. The dolphins knew that as soon as he was born but I’m just not sure if we should be leading him into human ways so much.’
Wirrin was stunned. He’d never heard that idea from Thom at any stage, and from his expression, neither had Calen. There’d be a lot of talk about this at home. Gulara, Akama and Burilda were exchanging nods.
‘We’re not sure either, Thom, but regardless of what we think, it’s not our place to decide. That is for Sonic, and so far he’s only evidenced eagerness for our knowledge and ways. Burilda and Turaku have discussed this with him as a serious issue and let him know that we will respect any change in his point of view.’
‘You’ve discussed it? What did he say?’
‘The likelihood of disengagement with humans and AIs is 1.7001 per cent and steadily decreasing.’
‘Is that a quote, Burilda?’
‘A direct quote.’
Thom looked at Calen with a mixture of disbelief and laughter.
‘He teases Turaku?’
‘If he said that then he does. It’s new to me.’
The trio grinned at each other. Typical Sonic, doing something that no-one else on Attunga would dream of.
There were lots of things to talk over with him but they’d all have to wait. He was as deeply asleep as any young dolphin was capable of being.
***
‘Thom! You’ll need to work out a different approach course when we get close to Attunga, and limit yourself to 2G.’
‘What’s happened, Wirrin?’
The Comet was several hours away from Attunga and Wirrin was seated at his InfoStation and bringing everyone up to date with information and conditions that related to the final stage of the journey. Between the two sleep periods he’d had another six-hour session under Turaku’s tutelage, practising, mastering and extending his skills, and now everyone was standing round, watching expectantly to see what sort of magic he might produce.
‘The three K74 offensive ships have all moved close to Attunga and their scanners are much stronger than the drones, so you’ll have to sneak past even more carefully than when we left.’
‘That doesn’t make sense. They won’t be expecting us to arrive for days and days.’
‘They’re not looking for us, Thom, not specifically, though they will eventually. The prediction that K74 would make Attunga and Warrakan the focus of their attention was accurate and that’s why they’ve sent their big ships.’
‘They’re not going to attack are they?’
‘Not directly. They have been trying very persistently to infiltrate our InfoSystem and they are also creating problems with the InterWeb.’
Thom was incredulous.
‘No way! They can’t, can they?’
‘They haven’t got a hope, but they’re slowing down the incoming transmissions from everywhere else by flooding all the channels with vast amounts of data.’
‘Infiltration and data flooding are separate issues aren’t they?’ Gulara asked, but she didn’t look very concerned.
‘Yes they are, but they send their InfoSeek programs under the cover of a data burst because they think our security systems will be overloaded and they can slip in. It worked for them at the Freedom habitat so they’re trying the same tactic again, but on a massive scale.’
‘And it’s actually slowing down the InterWeb?’ asked Thom.
‘The first three bursts did, but the communication AIs have now installed extra analysis processors to sift out the cyber junk, and anything from now on will just get diverted as data garbage.’
‘Sounds like it’s all electronic stuff that won’t really affect us. I’d better go and plot the course now if I’m going to be limited to 2G.’
Thom headed off to the pilot’s console.
‘Cyber infiltration isn’t really much of a change. Has anything else happened?’ asked Akama.
‘Yes, a number of things. There’s a ten per cent increase in applications for travel to Attunga and most of them have a hidden connection with K74. There have been requests for research data from scientists in directed and semi-directed habitats asking about breakthroughs in scanning techniques, a delegation of K74 diplomats wants to talk to Akama … and the Cadre of five is so angry they want Attunga blown to pieces.’ Thinking he’d delivered a touch of the dramatic magic they’d been anticipating, Wirrin checked the range of stunned looks.
‘Assessment says they didn’t mean that literally. It was said soon after the comment about an “arrogant little piss-pot colony”, when they were discussing their failure at Monkey Mia.’
‘Angry men!’ proclaimed Akama. ‘Where does this information come from? I haven’t yet heard of any meeting.’
‘The AI on K74 sent the meeting transcript and I found it all on our current situation report.
‘Turaku’s report says the dolphins are all asleep except for the mothers with babies, Sonic’s in a deep logging state, and Attunga-Turaku has sent word that Puck and Flute have travelled to Warrakan to help with the dolphins when they leave the Comet.’
‘I see, and does the report have details of the meeting on K74? Any indication of their intentions would be very important.’
‘No, but I’ve had a look at it and it’s very interesting.’
Gulara laughed. ‘Well, tell us the details.’
‘The five of them got together because the message that things had gone wrong on Earth went straight back to them. They didn’t want to accept it because they’d used their best technology and they couldn’t believe it wasn’t good enough.’ Wirrin chuckled. ‘They blamed their scientists till they heard that the first drones disappeared into nowhere in a few seconds and that the second lot, along with their ships, disappeared as well. Next they were told that some sort of stealthing must be in use because 1400 dolphins vanished from the scanners of their low-orbit ships during the collision dive. The stealthing was verified when the images of dolphins safe in their travelling pods was broadcast on the InterWeb and they knew there must be a vessel they couldn’t detect.’
‘It would have been mysterious watching the other groups of dolphins wink out of existence.’
‘That only came as secondary information because they were ordered to leave before the dolphins loading started. The biggest shock for the Cadre was being told that the suicide ship had evaporated. They cou
ldn’t believe it wasn’t atomics, but their own ships had the scans to show it wasn’t. They’ve ordered their scientists to find out what the new weapons are.’
‘Was there any discussion about why they want to meet with me?’ asked Akama.
‘Yes, a great deal. They want to find out a lot more about you because you’re the ruler of Attunga and everything that happens comes from you.’
‘That’s what they think? Even though they know Attunga is an open habitat?’
‘They don’t really believe the open part. They think someone has to be running everything, and because of your position it must be you.’
‘I see … It will be an interesting meeting.’
That really surprised Wirrin and he turned towards Akama.
‘You’ll actually talk to them?’
‘Our nearest neighbour and the most powerful non-planetary habitat? Why not?’
‘Um, it seems like a change of pattern. We mostly just protect ourselves and ignore them, like with their space surveillance. The same with the drones that attacked the dolphins. We made them disappear and didn’t say anything.’
‘We’ll maintain the pattern, Wirrin, but in a very polite manner.’
‘What about the dolphins? They’ll want to know about them.’ Burilda said.
‘We will very diplomatically point out our respect for life in all its forms and let them know absolutely nothing. Excuse me everyone. It’s very evident I have a number of reports to catch up on.’
Burilda and Calen left as well because dolphins would be waking soon and there were things to discuss with their human companions.
Gulara moved close and watched while Wirrin brought up a graphic representation of Thom’s course change.
‘You’ve become very skilful with the InfoStation, Wirrin. Have Akama and Turaku been pushing you too hard?’
Wirrin held back a laugh because it was Gulara, his mentor, asking the question.
‘I’m not really that good. It just looks that way because the system is so powerful it makes it easy to do impressive things. I’ll have to work for ages and really get to know it before I call myself skilful. I’ve only learnt a fraction of its capabilities so far and it’s been exciting to have Turaku help me directly.’
‘All those hours of non-stop concentration wasn’t hard work?’
‘It was, but it was fun hard work, and mostly the time goes without me noticing it.’
‘High involvement. Good! To what extent do you want to continue your involvement?’
Wirrin was quite taken aback. He thought his keenness for the InfoStation was blatantly obvious.
‘What do you mean? As much as I can of course.’
‘Akama is hoping you’ll add a day of InfoStation related work to your EdCom structure, as well as a psychology course, and I’m concerned about your study load.’
‘I already do more than a day of InfoStation work, so that’s covered.’
‘He means in addition to that.’
‘Extra? Then I’d have to leave something else out. It’s already way too complicated with all the alterations and the number of times I need to be with Calen and Sonic.’
‘That’s the way I see it too, and it would have to come from your Basic training days as your Electives are too important.’
‘Basics? I can’t drop those. They’re … well, they’re basic. And I need them to finish First Level.’
Gulara cocked her head to one side. ‘Wirrin, Basic training has no relevance for you, or Thom and Calen. You’ve given more to Attunga than we can ever repay. Your status is way beyond Second Level and those rights are yours as a matter of course. I apologise for not making that clearer but I was assuming you understood. We’ll all get together to discuss it when we’re back on Attunga.’
‘Second Level rights? Are you sure?’
‘Much more than Second Level in real terms.’
Wirrin was astonished, and excited. Normally when young people finished their First Level training they had approximately fifteen years ahead of them before deciding whether to tackle Second Level. In that time they had free reign to explore and develop in any and every life path they wished, with appropriate support from EdCom. Almost a third of Attunga people took on the five years of Second Level education as soon as it became available at age thirty-five, while most of the rest continued in their chosen life path with the knowledge they could access level training whenever they wished.
A number of people became ‘sleepers’, and filled their life with entertainment and the huge range of exciting leisure activities, but after varying periods of time a particular interest usually took hold, which they then developed.
The Second Level rights that Wirrin was so excited about involved increased living space, a big increase in energy allocation, greater access to information, and the most important right for most people: complicated age extension treatments. This was big news affecting their everyday life and he wanted to share it with Thom and Calen at once.
‘Why the psychology course? I’ve never been interested, and Akama hasn’t mentioned anything.’
‘He will. He’s always been interested in you and your future.’
‘Me?’
Wirrin knew that very well and hoped his question might elicit extra information. Gulara smiled, understanding the little ploy.
‘Yes, you. He’s keen to help you realise your broader capabilities.’
This time Wirrin was genuinely puzzled. ‘Capabilities?’
‘You’re thoughtful, and very much a leader.’
‘I’m not a leader. That’s a bizarre idea.’
‘It is? Who holds your trio together?’
‘None of us … I mean, we all do.’
‘Ask Thom and Calen and see what their answer is.’
‘None of my EdCom evaluations ever said anything like that.’
‘And that means you haven’t checked for a while.’
Wirrin thought for a moment. ‘Akama is complicated.’
‘He certainly is, by nature, by training, and by virtue of his position. He’s changed my future as well, in the course of the last few days.’
This was very interesting and Wirrin waited expectantly for more information. Surprisingly, Gulara gave a gentle laugh. ‘Another of your capabilities. Here I am confiding in you before there is any confirmation. Akama wants me to become the first Witness for humans involved with dolphins.’
Wirrin jumped from his seat, grabbed Gulara’s arm in his excitement, then, embarrassed at the liberty, subsided again.
‘Gulara, that’s the greatest! When do you start?’
‘I don’t. I have to complete my Witness training and qualify first, which is another three years, and then I have to decide whether I’m suitable for the job.’
‘Suitable? That’s crazy! Sorry, I mean you’re the perfect person. You’ve been involved in everything since Sonic was born and the dolphins and rangers all like you and say how important you are to everything we do. There aren’t any other Witnesses who could say that.’
‘Well, thank you, Wirrin. In essence you just reiterated Akama’s persuasions and I must admit it’s a very exciting prospect. But in the meantime …’
She touched a collusive finger to her lips and Wirrin nodded his acknowledgement.
Chapter 18
‘Guess what! We actually get to go to EdCom tomorrow.’
‘EdCom? What’s that?’
It was a week since their last EdCom session – even longer for Calen – three hectic days since the Comet returned from Earth, and the first evening they weren’t arriving home late from Warrakan. Life for the mass of dolphins in the great 40 kilometre reach on Warrakan was starting to settle into a routine, mainly due to Sonic’s leadership and support. Puck and Flute had stayed with the smaller contingent sharing the Attunga reach.
‘I know what will happen. We’re so out of kilter with our course groups we’ll all be on CI for ages.’
Computer instruction was very go
od, and much the fastest way to reach mastery in practically every course, but not as stimulating and enjoyable as working with classmates and human tutors.
‘You think so, Calen? Well here’s an even bigger guess-what for you.’
‘What?’
‘Gulara says we’ve already got our First Level training, as well as our Second Level and even more.’
Total bombshell. Thom gesticulated wildly to indicate Wirrin’s brain must be loopy and Calen agreed.
‘It’s true. We’re having a meeting with her next week to talk about what it means and what we’re going to do.’
The movements slowed and two pairs of eyes tracked closely as Wirrin continued.
‘I’m going to change to one day of Basic courses and four days of Electives.’
‘Thom, what did you put in his food tonight?’
‘I didn’t think it would affect him this much.’
‘Ha very ha! Have a look at your schedule for next Tuesday then.’
Now uncertain because there’d been no burst of laughter, Thom checked and his eyes widened.
‘Wombats! Meeting at 9.30 with Gulara. He’s not joking.’
Calen sat up abruptly on the grav-sofa and looked intently at Wirrin.
‘You’re serious about four days of Electives?’
‘I won’t have any choice. Akama wants me working with extra InfoSystem stuff.’
‘And Gulara said we’ve got our levels one and two?’
‘We haven’t really got them. We’d have to complete the actual courses for that, but she says we’ve got all the entitlements that go with them.’
‘Level two entitlements at our age? That can’t be right.’
‘It is, Thom. She said it would be even more than that.’
‘Is this definite?’
‘I think so. That’s what the meeting is about.’
After settling from the surprise the trio talked for several hours about what it all meant for them and different options they might take.