"Richard," Nicole now said, "if you don't mind, can we please return to our major task? Or have you forgotten that we do not know the way back to our lair?"
"Just a little while longer," Richard answered. "I want to see what comes out of the active boiler closest to us. Maybe by seeing the output, after having already seen the input, I can infer the kind of intervening process."
Nicole shook her head. "I had forgotten what a knowledge junkie you are. You're the only human I have ever met who would stop to study a new plant or animal while he was completely lost in a forest."
Nicole found another long passageway on the opposite side of the huge room. An hour later she finally convinced Richard to leave the fascinating alien factory. They had no way of knowing where this new passageway led, but it was their only hope. Again they walked and walked. Each time Nicole started to become tired or despondent, Richard would lift her spirits by extolling the wonder of everything they had seen since they had left their lair.
"This place is absolutely amazing, stupendous," he said at one point, barely able to contain himself, "I can't begin to assess what it all means… Not only are humans not alone in this universe, we are not even near the top of the pyramid in terms of capability…"
Richard's enthusiasm sustained them until finally, when they were both close to exhaustion, they saw ahead of them a branching in the corridor. Because of the angles, Richard felt certain that they had returned to the original Y no more than two kilometers from their lair. "Yippee," Richard yelled, picking up his pace. "Look"—he shouted over at Nicole, his flashlight pointed in front of him—"we're almost home."
Something Nicole heard at that moment made her stop dead in her tracks. "Richard," she cried, "turn off the light."
He spun quickly around, nearly falling, and switched off his flashlight. In the next few seconds there was no doubt. The sound of dragging brushes was growing louder.
"Run for it," yelled Nicole, bolting past her husband in a full sprint. Richard reached the intersection no more than fifteen seconds before the first of the octospiders. The aliens were coming up from the canal. As he was running away from them, Richard turned around and shone his flashlight behind him. In that brief instant he could see at least four colored patterns moving in the darkness.
They brought all the furniture they could find into the White Room and created a barrier across the bottom of the black screen. For several hours Richard and Nicole watched and waited, expecting that at any moment the screen would lift up and their lair would be invaded by the octospiders. But nothing happened. At length they left Joan and Eleanor in the White Room as sentries and spent the night in the nursery with Tammy and Timmy.
"Why didn't the octospiders follow us?" Richard said to Nicole early the next morning. "They almost certainly know the screen raises automatically. If they had come to the end of the corridor—"
"Maybe they didn't want to frighten us again," Nicole interrupted gently. Richard's brow furrowed and he gave Nicole a quizzical look. "We still have no hard evidence that the octospiders are hostile," Nicole continued, "despite your feelings that you were mistreated as their prisoner during your odyssey years ago. They did not harm Katie or me when they easily could have. And they did return you to us eventually."
"By that time I was in a deep coma," Richard replied. "And no good to them anymore as a test subject. Besides, how do you explain Takagishi? Or, for that matter, the attacks that were made on Prince Hal and Falstaff?"
"Each of those incidents has a plausible, nonhostile explanation. That's what is so confusing. Suppose Takagishi died of a heart attack. Suppose also that the octos preserved and stuffed his body to use as some sort of exhibit, for teaching other octospiders. We might do the same thing."
"I'm puzzled," Richard said after a moment's hesitation. "Here you are; defending the octospiders. But you ran away from them yesterday even faster than I did."
"Yes," Nicole answered contemplatively. "I admit that I was terrified. My animal instinct was to assume hostility and flee. Today I'm disappointed in myself. We humans are supposed to use our brains to overcome instinctive reactions… Especially you and I. After everything we have seen in Rama and at the Node, we should be completely immune from xenophobia."
Richard smiled and nodded. "So are you suggesting now that maybe the octospiders were just trying to establish some kind of peaceful contact?"
"Perhaps," Nicole answered. "I don't know what they want. But I do know that I have never seen them do anything unambiguously hostile."
Richard stared distractedly at the walls for a few seconds and then rubbed his forehead. "I wish I could remember more of the details about my time with them. I still have these blinding headaches when I try to concentrate on that period of my life—only while I was inside the sessile were my memories of the octos not accompanied by pain."
"Your odyssey was long ago," Nicole said. "Maybe the octospiders also are capable of learning and have adopted a different attitude toward us now."
Richard stood up. "All right," he said. "You have convinced me. The next time we see an octospider, we won't run away." He laughed. "At least not immediately."
Another month passed. Richard and Nicole did not go behind the black screen again and they did not have any more encounters with the octospiders. They passed the days tending to the hatchlings (who were learning to fly) and enjoying each other. During much of their conversation they talked about their children and reminisced about the past.
"I guess we are now old," Nicole said one morning as she and Richard were walking through one of the three central plazas of New York.
"How can you say that?" Richard replied with a mischievous grin. "Just because we spend most of our time talking about what happened long ago, and our everyday bathroom functions occupy more of our attention and energy than sex, does that mean we're old?"
Nicole laughed. "Is it as bad as that?" she said.
"Not quite," Richard said in a kidding tone. "I still love you like a schoolboy. But every now and then that love is pushed aside by aches and pains that I never had before… Which reminds me, wasn't I supposed to help you examine your heart?"
"Yes." Nicole nodded. "But there's really nothing you can do. The only instruments I brought with me in my medicine kit when I escaped were the stethoscope and the sphygmomanometer. I have used them both several times to examine myself… I haven't been able to find anything unusual except an occasional leaky valve, and my shortness of breath has not recurred." She smiled. "It was probably all the excitement… and age."
"If our son-in-law the cardiologist were here," Richard said, "then he could give you a complete examination."
They walked together in silence for several minutes. "You miss the children a lot, don't you?" Richard said.
"Yes," Nicole replied with a sigh. "But I try not to think about them too much. I am happy to be alive and here with you—it's certainly much better than those last months in prison. And I have many wonderful memories of the children…"
"God grant me the wisdom to accept the things I cannot change," Richard quoted. "It is one of your best qualities, Nicole… I have always been envious of your equanimity."
A few moments later Richard stopped abruptly and turned to face Nicole. "I love you very much," he said, embracing her vigorously.
"What is this all about?" Nicole asked, puzzled by his sudden show of emotion.
Richard's eyes had a faraway look. "During the last week," he said excitedly, "a wild and crazy plan has been developing in my brain. I have known from the outset that it was dangerous, and probably insane, but like all my projects it has taken hold of me. Twice I have even gotten out of our bed in the middle of the night to work on the details. I have wanted to tell you about it before now, but I needed to convince myself that it was indeed possible."
"I have no idea at all what you are talking about," Nicole said impatiently.
"The children," Richard said with a flourish. "I have a plan for them to escape, to join us here in
New York. I have even begun to reprogram Joan and Eleanor."
Nicole stared at her husband, her emotions struggling with her reason. He started to explain his escape plan. "Wait a minute, Richard," Nicole interrupted after several seconds. "There's an important question we must answer first. What makes you think the children would even want to escape? They are not under indictment in New Eden, or in prison. Granted, Nakamura is a tyrant and life in the colony is difficult and depressing, but as far as I know, the children are as free as any of the other citizens. And if they were to try to join us and fail, their lives would be in danger. Besides, our existence here, although fine for us, would hardly be considered a paradise for them."
"I know… I know," Richard replied, "and perhaps I have been carried away by my desire to see them. But what do we risk by sending Joan and Eleanor to talk to them? Patrick and Ellie are adults and can make up their own minds."
"And what about Benjy and Katie?" Nicole asked.
A frown creased Richard's face. "Obviously Benjy could not come by himself, so his participation depends on whether or not any of the others decide to help him. As for Katie, she is so unstable and unpredictable … she might conceivably even decide to tell Nakamura. I think we have no choice except to leave her out."
"A parent never gives up hope," Nicole said softly, as much to herself as to Richard. "By the way," she added, "does your scheme also include Max and Eponine? They are virtually members of the family."
"Max is really the perfect choice to coordinate the escape from inside the colony," Richard said, growing excited again. "He did a fantastic job hiding you and then getting you to Lake Shakespeare without being detected. Patrick and Ellie will need someone mature and levelheaded to guide them through all the details. In my plan, Joan and Eleanor approach Max first. Not only is he already familiar with the robots, but also he will give his honest assessment as to whether or not the plan can work. If he tells us through the robots that the whole idea is preposterous, then we'll drop it."
Nicole tried to imagine the joy she would feel at the moment of embracing any of her children again. It was impossible. "All right, Richard," she said, finally smiling. "I admit that I'm interested. Let's talk about it. But we must promise ourselves that we won't do anything unless we are certain that we are not going to endanger the children."
8
Max Puckett and Ellie Turner excused themselves from Eponine, Robert, and little Nicole shortly after dinner and walked outside at Max's farmhouse in New Eden. As soon as they were out of earshot, Max began telling Ellie about his recent visits from the little robots. Ellie could not believe what she was hearing. "Surely you're mistaken," she said in a loud voice to Max. "They can't be suggesting that we just leave—"
Max put a finger to his lips as they walked the final few meters to the barn. "You can talk to them yourself," he said in a whisper. "But according to these little characters, there is plenty of room for all of us in that lair you lived in the first few years after you were born."
It was dark inside the barn. Before Max switched on the light, Ellie had already glimpsed the tiny glowing robots beside her on one of the windowsills. "Hello again, Ellie," said little Joan, still dressed in her armor. "Your mother and father are both fine and send their greetings."
"We have come to see you tonight," the robot Eleanor added, "because Max thought it was necessary for you to hear for yourself what we have to say. Richard and Nicole are inviting you and your friends to join them in your old lair in New York, where your parents are living a Spartan but peaceful existence."
"Everything about your lair," Joan now said, "is the same as it was when you were a small child. Food, clothing, and other objects are still supplied by the Ramans after requests are made by using the keyboard in the White Room. Unlimited supplies of fresh water are available at the cistern near the bottom of the entry staircase."
Ellie listened, fascinated, while Joan reminded her of the living conditions under the island city on the southern side of the second habitat. Ellie tried to recall the lair from her memory, but the picture that came to her mind was surprisingly vague. What she could remember clearly from that period of her life were the last few days in Rama, including the spectacular rings of color emanating from the Big Horn and drifting slowly toward the north of the giant cylinder. But her memory of the inside of the lair was foggy. Why can't I remember at least the nursery more clearly? she wondered. Because too much has happened since? And made deeper impressions in my memory?
A montage of images from her early childhood streamed through Ellie's mental vision. Some of the pictures were indeed from Rama, but far more of them were from the family apartment at the Node. The indelible features of the Eagle, a godlike figure to the child Ellie, seemed to preside over the montage.
Eleanor of Aquitaine had asked Ellie something, but,.the young woman had not been paying attention. "I'm sorry, Eleanor," Ellie said, "please repeat your question. I'm afraid I was temporarily lost in my childhood."
"Your mother asked about Benjy. Is he still in the ward out in Avalon?"
"Yes," Ellie replied. "And doing as well as can be expected. His best friend in the whole world is now Nai Watanabe. When the war ended, she volunteered to work with those who had been assigned, for one reason or another, to the Avalon Ward. She spends time with Benjy almost every day and has helped him immensely. Her twins Kepler and Galileo love to play with him—Benjy is essentially just a big child himself—although Galileo is sometimes unkind and causes Nai considerable heartache."
"As I told you," Max said, turning the conversation back to their primary business, "Nicole and Richard have left it up to our discretion to decide who should be involved if we do attempt a mass exodus. Will Benjy follow directions?"
"I think so," Ellie said. "As long as he trusts the person giving them. But there is no way we could tell him about the escape ahead of time. We couldn't possibly expect him not to say something about it. Secrecy and guile are not part of Benjy's personality. He will be overjoyed, but—"
"Mr. Puckett," Joan of Arc interrupted, "what should I tell Richard and Nicole?"
"Shit, Joanie," Max replied, "have a little patience.. Better still, come back again in a week, after Ellie, Eponine, and I have had more time to talk this thing through, and I'll give you a tentative answer. And tell Richard I find the whole damn thing intriguing, even if it is certifiably insane."
Max placed the two robots on the floor of the barn and they scampered away. When Max and Ellie were back outside in the fresh air, Max pulled a cigarette out of his pocket. "I assume that it doesn't offend you too much if I smoke out here?" he said with a grin.
Ellie smiled, "You don't want to tell Robert, do you, Max?" she then said quietly a moment later, as Max blew smoke rings into the night air.
Max shook his head. "Not yet," he replied. "Maybe not until the last moment." He put his arm around Ellie, "Young lady, I like your doctor husband, I really do, but sometimes I think his attitudes and priorities are a little strange. I can't say for certain that he wouldn't tell someone."
"Do you think, Max," Ellie said, "that maybe Robert has made a private vow of some kind never to act against authority again? And that he is afraid?"
"Shit, Ellie, I'm no psychologist. I don't think either of us can possibly understand what killing two people in cold blood did to him. But I can say that there is a finite chance that he would not keep our secret—to avoid a painful personal decision, if nothing else." Max inhaled deeply on his cigarette and stared at his young friend.
"You don't think he'll come, do you, Max? Not even if I want him to."
Again Max shook his head. "I don't know, Ellie. It will depend on how much he needs you and little Nicole. Robert has made room for the two of you in his life, but he still hides his feelings behind continuous work."
"What about you, Max?" Ellie now asked. "What do you really think of this whole scheme?"
"Eponine and I are both ready to go, to have ourselves a little
ad-ven-toor," Max said with a grin. "It's just a matter of time before I get into serious trouble with Nakamura anyway."
"And Patrick?"
"He'll love the idea. But I'm worried that he might say something to Katie. They have a special relationship—"
Max stopped in midsentence when he saw that Robert, who was carrying his tired daughter, had come out onto the front porch.
"Oh, there you are, Ellie," Robert said. "I thought that maybe you and Max were lost in the barn. Nicole is tired and I have a very early morning at the hospital."
"Of course, darling," Ellie replied. "Max and I were just sharing memories of my mother and father."
It must look like a perfectly normal day, Ellie thought as she showed her identification card to the Garcia biot in the atrium of the Beauvois supermarket. I must do everything exactly as if this were an ordinary Thursday.
"Mrs. Turner," the Garcia said a few seconds later, handing her a list printed out of the computer against the wall behind the biot, "here is your ration allocation for the week. We are out of broccoli and tomatoes again, so we have included two extra measures of rice. You may now proceed to the line to pick up your groceries."
Little Nicole walked beside her as Ellie entered the main part of the supermarket. On the other side of a mesh screen, where in the early days of the colony the citizens of New Eden had done their own shopping, five or six Tiasso and Lincoln biots, all from the 300 series completely reprogrammed by the Nakamura government, were moving up and down the aisles filling the orders. Most of the shelves were empty. Even though the war had been over for some time, the unstable weather in New Eden, as well as the dislike of most of the farmers for Nakamura's heavy-handed ways, had kept food production at a minimum level. The government had found it necessary, therefore, to supervise the allocation of food. Only the governmental favorites had more than the bare essentials to eat.
There were half a dozen people in the queue in front of Ellie and her almost-two-year-old daughter. Ellie shopped with the same people every Thursday afternoon. Most of them turned around when Ellie and Nicole entered the line.
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