“Indeed, you are a brave leader of our clan. It would be an honor to travel with you.”
“Just as the Elders toil with all the daily tasks the Te’Hat do for the clan, I would not ask you to accomplish something I would not do myself.”
“You are wise and compassionate as well, Mat’Ma. I knew we chose well when we chose you to lead us.”
“Perhaps, Melon. It looks like it is time. Are you ready to make your mark?”
“Yes, Mat’Ma.”
The leader of the clan approached the Speaking Place. He raised his legs to signal the crowd to quiet down. “We all agree a representative must be chosen to speak to the humans. The question is which one of us. Three Elders were mentioned for this journey: Melon, Somra and Barqu, all respected individuals. It is time to decide and make your mark! Take your places and do as you must.”
The Te’Hat Elders formed a line by age, with the oldest of the Elders going first and the youngest voting last. One by one they approached a long stretch of claylike material on the wall divided into three sections. The heading for each section listed a candidate. They approached the wall and pressed the point of their front claw into the soft material under the heading of their choice, making an indentation which was counted. Usually this wasn’t necessary, since the voting tended to be one-sided most of the time, but sometimes a vote would be close and counting would be needed. The claylike material kept the claw impressions for about four or five hours and then it would become smooth again, allowing time to count the votes and record the decision. An escort, the Kal'Leef, would monitor the voting of each Elder to be sure the voter made only one mark. The Mat’Ma also observed the voting. He always voted last, so his choice would not influence everyone else. He also served as the tiebreaker in those rare instances of a tie. Finally, the Mat'Ma cast the last vote. He approached the wall and made his mark, which also counted for the majority.
Then he went to the Speaking Place and addressed the Elders. “I have witnessed that all of us have taken our responsibilities to the clan very seriously. The Kal’Leef has told me your marks are true. And so it is decided and recorded in the Great Book that Melon will call out to the Humans and speak for the clan. I will go with Melon to deliver him to the Humans, and I will call out to them as well. After I return, I must call out to the other clans to spread the story of what is happening. I now bring an end to this our council meeting. Know that you have done your duty and may leave this place well.”
With the meeting concluded, some Elders left immediately, but most stayed and talked to each other about Melon and the great responsibility he had accepted. The Mat’Ma found Melon again and took him aside.
We will leave at first light to travel to the Humans if it is acceptable.
That will be acceptable. I will spend my remaining time with Karleen. If you need me, I will be in my nest.
Yes, I know where it is. For now, I would like to discuss the Humans more. Can you spare the time?
Of course, Mat’Ma. Lead the way.
As they came out of the chamber into a rotunda-like area, Karleen was patiently waiting for Melon to exit. As they approached her, the Mat’Ma made welcoming gestures with his antennae.
Karleen greeted the Mat’Ma in response. It is good to see you, Mat’Ma. Your mood appears agreeable. The meeting went well, I take it?
Yes, I believe so, the Mat’Ma replied. I always feel better when decisions have been made. I am uneasy when there is indecision or important things left undone. Melon is to call out to the Humans tomorrow, and I would like to speak with him for a while. Please join us here if you like.
It was an unusual move for the Mat’Ma. To include a female in a discussion of what was clearly Elder business mystified the pair. Karleen hid her confusion and followed them to an alcove where they could rest. Now, Melon, can you tell me some things that will help us tomorrow calling out to these Two-Legs? the Mat'Ma asked.
I do not know very much.
The Mat'Ma tried to be patient. No one else knows anything. Begin with your impressions about them.
It would appear their leadership structure is like our own. The Humans have a leader that guides them. Discussions take place much like ours do. One strange thing--the females are treated equally within the human clan. It may be because the Humans do not possess the Shrim’ra or the mind touch. I do not know.
The Mat’Ma was incredulous. As advanced in their ways, and they do not possess the Shrim’ra?
No, they do not. The female Anna Hauser did not anyway. Maybe the females do not have the gift as in our species. However, I did not get that impression. She had been startled by the mind touch. When I touched her mind, she did not touch back. I merely read what was there, like reading a scroll. It was different from touching Karleen, for example.
The Mat’Ma pondered this for a moment. Well, we must be careful not to provoke the Two-Legs by our gifts. Until we learn each other’s language, it will be the only way to call out to them. Yes, it is a problem if they are fearful of the mind touch.
Anna Hauser acclimated quickly to my calling out to her after an initial adjustment. It may be all right with their Mat’Ma or leader.
“Let us hope so. I will need to consider what has been said. Anything else?
Melon searched his own thoughts. They wear protective skins around them to guard against the air of our world. They call them suits. It is unknown what their appearance really is like without them. As we all know, they are quite different from us.
The Mat'Ma shook his front claws. Yes, very strange. You would think that having so few limbs, they could not accomplish much. But obviously this is a false thought. I did not hear you mention this in the meeting, but did you ask them why they were here?
No, Mat’Ma. Most of our time was spent understanding the differences between our languages and warning her about the vision of the great shaking.
I see. Well, it was brief, and you had little time to continue the discussion. I think I will be returning to my nest to consider things and leave you two alone to spend time together before you must leave.
Please come back to our nest and have a meal with us, Karleen offered. We could continue to talk and make plans.
You are always kind, Karleen. However, I believe this should be a private time, and I think better when I’m alone and brooding. May your time be pleasant. He lifted his leg in farewell and scuttled away.
It will go well, my only” she said to Melon. Let’s return to the nest and talk if you wish, or brood as the Mat’Ma does. We will have a meal, and we can relax the rest of the time till the next rising of the sun.
Sounds like a good plan, my only. He made affectionate touches to her legs and antennae. Relaxing sounds like a good thing. In secret, Melon wondered whether that could be possible. At least he would have this evening to enjoy the company of Karleen and allow her to distract him from his worries. Who knew what the morning would bring?
SIX
Hello Again
Levi understood there were definite benefits to being an artificial intelligence like Sonny or Alice. Biological intelligence was slow. Painfully slow. Reconciling emotions, morals, and social decisions slowed everything down, and after exobiologist Anna Hauser’s second meeting with one of the Te’Hat, things were starting to get complicated. This whole vision thing had taken on a life of its own. Atlantis couldn’t leave for Earth if it doomed the colonists to disaster. They couldn’t pick up and leave, either. The Te’Hat had said later rather than sooner. A meaningless statement. Later could be tomorrow. Later could be a thousand years from now. At this point, he needed to prepare the colonists for the worst, and they would take their chances with later.
Then there was Corporal Harris and his accidental exposure to the atmosphere of Searth. The odds were improving for him and he continued to do fine, although unhappy about being a lab specimen. Even if the atmosphere eventually checked out, however, they would never actually be sure whether some bug wouldn't rear its ugly head and
try to wipe out the colonists. If half of the colonists died off, it would imperil the rest of the settlement. The colonists would have the best chance of survival if they all took the Elixir. Nanobots against an unknown would be good insurance. But the Valiant’s crew would not want the Elixir, they would consider it an invasion. Levi could make them, but should he? Or should he let them choose?
The repair work in orbit and the construction down on the planet continued. Atlantis had already lost a few people to accidents and other curve balls this solar system had sent their way. Levi understood knowledge was not free, and there was always a price to pay for ignorance. He also knew that after you build your mighty ship and escape, you don’t get to leave death behind you. If Atlantis spent a couple of years at each planet they stopped at, this journey was going to take an eternity.
Levi had instructed Dr. Hauser to stop by every day at the last place she had met with the Te’Hat, because they didn’t know when the next meeting would take place. She would ask if Fred would accompany her to the dome for continued talks. He visited the domes daily in case there had been contact, so he could hit the ground and move in quickly to the meeting. He could hardly wait to speak to this Fred fellow. He needed to know if the colonists would be all right if they remained behind on Searth. For that matter, he needed to know if they would be allowed to stay at all.
“Captain,” Sonny said, interrupting his thoughts.
“Yes, Sonny,” Levi replied.
“Specialist Anna Hauser has reported a pair of Te’Hat moving purposefully in her direction.”
“Good. Dr. Hauser is to continue as planned. Security will not move in but stay on guard. I am moving to her location now.”
“Already executed, Captain,” Sonny acknowledged.
Levi didn’t exactly know what to expect. He put his suit on in seven minutes, a new personal record. A couple of hundred yards away from the dome, Anna waited. He quickly covered the distance and met Dr. Hauser and the two Te’Hat.
“Hello, Dr. Hauser, can you introduce me to your friends?”
“Certainly, Captain Metcalfe. May I present to you the delegation from the Sce’Rood clan? On the right here is the leader of the Elders and his clan, the Mat’Ma and his Elder Representative, Melon. Melon has been known to us as Fred. Mat’Ma, may I introduce you to the leader of our clan, Captain Metcalfe?”
Levi noticed the Mat’Ma to be larger than Melon and with slightly different markings. He also noted that Fred's real name was Melon. “It is a pleasure to meet with you at last. Is there someplace we can all travel so you may be more comfortable?”
The Mat’Ma spoke. It is good calling out to you this day. No shame on Anna Hauser who we have first spoken with, but she is not an Elder leader or one who can make decisions for your clan.
Levi had been prepared for the telepathic speech, but it jarred him nonetheless. As he spoke out loud, the Te’Hat had read his thoughts. “Dr. Hauser has been an excellent representative of our people so far, much as your Melon has been for your clan. I am eager to learn your ways and customs so we may communicate with respect.”
The Mat’Ma let slide the fact that Anna Hauser was female, and females were never part of the process of guiding the clan. He could understand these humans might have customs different from theirs, just as other clans' traditions were different. We too are ready for an exchange of information about cultures and intentions. There, he'd said intentions, he thought with some relief. The Mat’Ma didn’t quite know how to ask them respectfully about their reasons for being here.
Melon stood quietly while the leaders spoke. He would watch and learn from this exchange, so he could understand how to speak respectfully to this leader of the humans.
The use of the word "intentions" wasn’t lost on Levi. “I can assure you we do not intend any disrespect or harm from our arrival here. This is the primary purpose of our meeting with you and your representative. We wish to discuss and plan a settlement here to study and understand this planet and your culture. We do not want to offend you with our presence.”
The Mat’Ma thought for a moment. We would like to discuss this and many more things. Since it is not possible for you to be our guests under the ground, Melon will go with you to help you understand our ways and help us understand your people. To Melon, he turned and said, Be careful not to offend these powerful Humans. Do not make any critical decisions without consulting me so I can bring those decisions to the Elders.
I will not let you down, Mat’Ma. Melon lifted his third leg in a parting gesture.
The clan is well inside your claws! See you soon. The Mat’Ma lifted his third leg in response. He turned back to the humans and raised his leg in parting as he left.
“Now what?” Dr. Hauser broke the silence.
The captain smiled. “Now, we escort our guest to dome two where we may show him around our home away from home.” He walked casually toward the dome, careful not to outpace Melon. “Melon, when we get to the dome, I have prepared a container to protect you from our air and microbes. Do not be afraid.”
What is the container? And what is microbes?
“The container is a temporary shelter that will have you and your air inside. We do not want you to breathe our air since it may have tiny microbes you cannot see that can make you sick. The reason we wear this outer covering is to protect us from your air.”
It is hard to believe that our air is unhealthy.
“Not for you, but perhaps for us. We are still analyzing your air. It looks promising that your microbes will not harm us. Soon we hope to walk upon your world without our protections, but the same may not hold true for you and our air. We must be careful,” Levi explained as he approached Melon’s transportation.
It is good to be cautious. I will trust your good judgment.
“Ah, here we are.” The captain walked up to the cart and transparent cube three feet in width and length and two feet high. The top opened to allow the Te’Hat inside, with enough room to turn around. “May I pick you up and place you in the container?”
Proceed.
Levi picked Melon up and placed him in the container, careful to keep him upright so as not to trigger the appendage that broke Corporal Harris’s helmet. Melon's body weighed about twenty pounds, and his shell felt smooth as Levi lifted him up. The container sealed itself and promptly began to pump Searth air into Melon's protected environment. “Now we will enter the airlock and be decontaminated, so we do not track in any microbes from outside. You will be safe inside your box.”
Box equals container?
“Yes.”
I will trust your good judgment, Melon repeated. He didn’t say anything about being afraid. His container was placed in a small space where loud noises and whooshing took place. Then a purple light, and a buzzing sounded. A green light appeared above the door. They moved through the now-open door into a spacious area. The two humans started taking their outer coverings off, and Melon now was able to view their true appearance. The outer coverings had concealed much, and the differences between the females and the males were more apparent. Melon marveled again at how they walked with only two of their four appendages. The strongest curiosity the Te’Hat had about the humans revolved around their lack of more legs. The memory prompted him to ask, Why do you walk about on only two of your four legs?
“That is an excellent question, Melon. Dr. Hauser, would you like to field this one?”
“Sure, Captain. Let me ask you a question, Melon. Has your kind ever found remains of ancient Te’Hat that looked different from yourselves?”
Yes. Our shells were not always this shape. Sometimes they had projections and different claw sizes.
“This change over a very long time in the past is what we call evolution," Anna explained. "We also looked different in the past. We had hair all over our bodies and moved around on all four of our arms and legs.”
What are arms?
“Arms are what you would call our front legs.” Anna stretched out
her own arms to illustrate. “As time went by it became more advantageous to walk on two legs so we could use our arms to accomplish delicate work, like making tools.”
Tools?
“Tools are things we create to help us do work.”
Yes, we have tools as well.
“As you can see, we are very much tool users. It is one of our very best talents.”
Yes, I understand. Thank you.
The captain said, “Well, there is more to see than this locker room. Shall we continue forward, Melon?”
Yes, thank you.
The cart trundled away again. Melon felt strange moving along so high above the ground. While he waited for his next stop, he marveled at the container he was in. A kind of rock you could see through! But it wasn’t rock, the captain had said, it was metal. Transparent aluminum, they called it. Strange indeed!
After traveling the spacious hallways for a while, they entered a double door that opened into an enormous cavern. There was vegetation and things all about, quite a different color scheme than outside.
“This place we call the park,” Anna said as the captain followed along. “You may notice a lot of our vegetation is green, not brown.”
Confused, Melon asked, What is green and brown?
“I forgot the Te’Hat see colors differently than humans do. You see, we are from a distant world where our sun is yellow. Since your sun is orange, your kind has evolved to see light a little differently than we do. We call the grass, the ground covering, green. We call many of your plants outside of here different shades of brown. It may confuse you to read images in our minds to be one color, but your eyes see it as a different color. Try to remember our eyes see differently from your eyes.”
It is confusing. I will try to remember what you said about colors. And I keep forgetting that you are so large! And so everything you use is large. This cavern you call a park would hold ten of our biggest gathering places.
The captain spoke. “We should head over to the medical unit to meet people who have many questions and wish to speak with you. Our medical people are well acquainted with our bodies and the way they work, so if you have questions on this topic, they can answer them for you. Likewise, they have many questions about the way your Te'Hat body works. Would it be all right if they speak to you about that?”
The Journey of Atlantis: The Children of Earth Page 7