‘Six, madam.’
‘How do you work that out?’
‘There were six in pursuit.’
She thought, No, that can’t be right, but then the more she thought about it, the more she realised it made perfect sense to a computer. It was not like Alfa to make simplistic deductions, but the marauders would have known the ship’s classification and there would have been no reason for them to risk a party that outweighed its perceived value. Alfa was merely thinking like a marauder.
She thought back on the altercation. What were marauders doing in an uncharted sector anyway? They must have followed her through her warp node, it was the only thing that made sense. She made a mental note to tell Roger, when next they talked, that their security at warp points was not good enough. It worried her when it appeared that marauders were catching up in the technological race. Roger was her next in command, and they didn’t always see eye to eye, but she had to admit she’d be more than relieved to see him this time around. There was no doubt he would have gotten the distress signal – the quantum system was faultless – the question was, would he be able to track her once he warped into the same sector? It was the first time that Elvene had been forced to use a distress signal, and she was almost certain Roger would come in person because it was such an exceptional event.
She turned her attention back to the planet. The closer it got, the more it reminded her of Old Earth, only it had no moon. She wondered what terrors its beauty hid beneath. She’d never come across a life system that didn’t have the ability to kill.
‘Alfa, what can you tell me about this system? You’ve been collecting data, I know.’
‘Planet’s axis is tilted 25 degrees, madam, and one solar revolution will take 1.13 Earth years.’
‘What about its eccentricity?’
‘Eccentricity is within normal range.’
‘What about gravity?’
‘Gravity is 96.9 Earth.’
‘Are you sure this is uncharted?’ Elvene was finding this very hard to fathom. It was not impossible to find a planet tucked away with an Earth-like environment, but stumbling onto it was like winning a lifetime lottery.
‘Yes, madam. There are no records and no history for this sector.’
When the ship was in orbit, she watched the planet’s surface pass. She could see continents, mountain ranges, possible deserts, but mainly forest, and oceans that out-weighed the land. There were polar caps, as would be expected from the planet’s rotational aspect. It was something truly wondrous to behold.
‘Okay, I’m going to sleep. Wake me if you find anything you think I should know about.’ Elvene had deliberately used the qualification ‘you think’ because Alfa had a very good idea of what things she’d like to know.
Computers made strange companions. One needed to know their strengths and limitations like any other member of a team. On a ship the relationship was more intense, more interdependent and, dare she say it, more intimate than any other environment. One’s life depended on this relationship; it was a true symbiotic relationship like none other forged between human and machine. In many subtle ways they were programmed to be almost human. For instance, not only did they learn all of one’s idiosyncrasies, they responded to positive and negative feedback. Computers had been designed for aeons to learn an individual’s needs and personal proclivities to the point of making communication so close to human as to be almost indiscernible. But a by-product of this refinement was that they also learned very quickly when an individual was a compulsive liar. Crying wolf to a computer was not only stupid, it could be downright fatal.
So had Alfa let her down in their initial encounter with the marauders? He had been unable to come up with a strategy for defence. She asked herself this, as she needed to make an honest appraisal. No, she decided, because everything had limitations, both humans and machines. The key to survival, she believed, was to know one’s limitations, and she had to know Alfa’s as well as her own. She knew that Alfa’s negotiations only worked because the marauders had thought she was dead, and the ruse that they had jointly applied was the only reason she was still alive. As a team they worked very well together, but only because, like all teams, they understood each other unequivocally.
Having put her mind at ease on this, Elvene had no trouble finding sleep.
When Myka ran down to the beach there was nothing there but a glorious sunrise. He looked over at his outrigger canoe and decided to paddle out anyway; it would give him a sense of normality after the events of the previous night and day. Besides he needed to go out and look down to convince himself there was nothing dark looming under the surface.
Being out in the lagoon alone in his canoe gave Myka the greatest sense of peace he could achieve. He knew in reality that the ocean was no safer than the island, but there was something about the conjunction of elements: the sky, the wind and the sea; with himself in the centre, that made him feel truly at home. It was where he often came, especially at this time of day when no one else was around, to find peace with himself and to address his own thoughts. Like many people his age, Myka’s biggest fear was the fear of being misunderstood. This was why he initiated the pact yesterday with his hunting companions. How could he explain his experiences to anyone, let alone the Elders? Even if they believed him no one would understand. It was the same with the dream he had; he felt it was so real, yet he didn’t want to explain it to anyone.
So he had to come here, not only to reassure himself that it was just a dream, but to find the centre of himself, that was how he saw it. His centre in relation to everything around him, and there was no better place than in the middle of the lagoon with the sky like a canopy and the ocean like a vault, the sun still low on the horizon and his home at his back. It made him think that all was right with the world, and that was all he needed to know. It was a good time to fish but his mood was not right. He paddled right out to the reef and looked beyond it. What was beyond the horizon, he wondered, and would he ever find out? The waves broke here with vehement energy and it was not a safe place to be, but he felt reckless, or invincible, he didn’t know which, and he paddled through the breakers anyway. He felt for a moment that he could just keep on going, but he knew it wasn’t so. One day maybe he would, but not today, not till he knew he was ready and the world would take him. He felt that in his bones, that it was his destiny, and though his spirit was impatient, he felt with the same sense of certainty that his time was yet to come.
They were on the night side of the planet when Alfa awoke her.
‘What have you found?’ she asked.
‘There is fire.’ He said this so definitively that she had little doubt that he was right.
He didn’t say, there is evidence of fire, or I believe there is fire. She understood his nuances of meaning as much as he understood hers.
‘What’s the cause?’
‘Looks humanoid.’
‘What?’ Elvene couldn’t hide her disbelief, but Alfa didn’t play jokes. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Can never be sure, madam, but there are bipeds and there is fire.’
Bipeds covered a wide range of entities including robots, and even exotic creatures from Old Earth like kangaroos, though some might call them tripeds.
‘But you think they’re humanoid?’
‘On infrared they appear humanoid and behave humanoid. I will give you visual.’
The resolution was not perfect, especially in infrared, but the fire plasma was unmistakable and the creatures certainly looked human. Elvene couldn’t help wondering if she and Alfa were victims of some extravagant deception or illusion. But no, from gravity readings they were in a system and light refraction revealed that the planet had atmosphere; there were too many things to deceive. This was an uncharted sector, so were they really humans who had become lost, and lost in record as well, or were they another species altogether? The result of convergent evolution – the probability was too staggering to even contemplate. Whatever the case, she w
ould have to investigate.
‘There’s no technology on this planet, is there?’ She knew she didn’t need to ask.
‘No, madam, none at all.’
Of all the evidence she was looking at, the lack of technology was the most aberrant. She could not believe what she was witnessing.
‘Can you show me where we are on a map?’
Alfa didn’t answer but merely replaced the infrared image on the wall with a map. It showed an archipelago isolated from any large land mass.
‘This is extraordinary,’ she said almost in a whisper. Then, addressing Alfa, ‘Can we maintain a geo-stationary orbit here?’
‘I have already done so.’
‘Oh, Alfa, you’ll have to stop reading my mind.’
‘Your brain waves are unreadable, madam.’
It was not often that Alfa said something that only a computer would say, and it made her smile that she could extract such a comment from him.
‘You don’t know it, Alfa, but you’re a comedian.’
‘Comedy is not my specialty.’
‘No, and don’t change, a comedic pilot I do not want.’
‘I know.’
Yes, of course you know, but she said it to herself this time. ‘When the sun rises we will land in this lagoon right here.’ She pointed to it on the map.
‘It is achievable.’
‘Okay, time the landing for mid-morning.’ Elvene didn’t want to announce her arrival by blazing across a night sky, even if the inhabitants were asleep. ‘I’m going back to sleep, wake me one hour before entry.’
‘Understood, madam.’
Elvene had no trouble sleeping between activities. She had the remarkable ability to rid her mind of everything, even distractions like humanoids on uncharted planets. What she couldn’t deal with in the moment, could simply wait. As long as Alfa had his instructions, she had complete peace of mind. Besides she would need to be fully rested and alert for the coming day, when she anticipated all her mental faculties would be brought to bear.
Neither did Elvene have a problem being in space with only a computer for company; in fact, it held distinct advantages. Reconnaissance missions often went out in pairs or even groups of four, but for some operations it was found that solo missions worked best. Not quite solo because the person always developed a relationship with their ship. In many cases it was found that this relationship was less fragile than a human relationship. Even so, personnel sent on solo missions underwent rigorous psychological tests. Elvene knew that despite those tests, if Alfa didn’t have a near human interface, she probably wouldn’t cope or even survive.
Alfa was a resource of information and entertainment, plus she could record all her ideas and feelings with him. She could discuss philosophy and Old Earth religions, which were a penchant of hers. Alfa could not replace flesh and blood, but for intellectual stimulation he was probably better equipped than most humans she knew. It was like having the world’s biggest library at one’s disposal, only it could talk back and take notes for you. Plus Alfa never got bored and never developed irritating habits, leaving aside that he would count down one’s execution when faced with an armada of marauders.
But for all that, Alfa was not a human being and never would be. Elvene also knew the trap of believing that Alfa could replace human company completely, which sometimes happened with people in her position. That was when expectations exceeded abilities and the results were invariably catastrophic. Alfa definitely had a personality and a character, but that was partly her own creation. She knew that Alfa’s virtue lay simply in what she invested in him, and that dependency was what kept their relationship in perspective. From her standpoint, they were a team: he had his role and she had hers, and never should the two be confused.
Elvene also knew that Alfa was programmed to put her to sleep and send out a distress signal if she became irrational and unpredictable; so he was a minder in more ways than one. Of course, if that ever happened she’d never get another solo mission, and they were the ones she preferred. She liked the independence and the freedom to make decisions without recourse to a higher authority. Solo missions were a rare privilege in the Corps, and people who received them were considered an elite.
Myka paddled back to shore. He was starting to feel hungry and he knew his mother would be preparing breakfast. He felt that he at least should have brought a fish back, but no one would have been expecting him to, so it didn’t really matter. It was just that it would have been considered a waste of energy to paddle all the way out to the reef and return empty handed.
Lenya was making a fire when he returned; she smiled when she saw him.
‘Did you go to meet the sun?’ she asked.
‘Mm-hm,’ he nodded, and stopped to watch her.
‘And what did it tell you?’ she asked as if she was expecting an answer.
‘It will be a nice day,’ and he smiled at her for the first time since he had returned.
His smile lit up her life. Myka was the one she worried about. He was so quiet, so much the thinker, she wondered what he would become. It was true that his father was taciturn as well, but Sefta was like Rafta; he always knew what he wanted and the man never carried a worried thought. On the other hand, Myka was a youth who seemed to carry a burden beyond his years. Some children were born like that, she knew, and raising them required special care. They were the ones who were easily hurt, who seemed misunderstood. Myka had never been a troublesome child though; he just withdrew like a scuttle into its shell. His father behaved like there was no difference between the two boys and she realised that was probably the best way. Myka didn’t want to be treated as special, but as far as she was concerned that was part of the problem; he was special, she just didn’t know how.
After he had his breakfast, Myka went off to find his best friend, Sendra. He knew that Sendra would ask him about the previous day but this time he was prepared.
‘You thought you were going to die didn’t you?’ Sendra asked him.
‘Yes, at first I thought I was,’ he answered honestly.
They were sitting in the grass enjoying the morning sun, which had already climbed high enough to rid the ground of lengthy shadows. They could hear others nearby, both men and children. In the background the women were talking and laughing while they prepared food. Men worked on traps and prepared nets made from thin green vines. They spoke in murmured tones – it was a balance to the yelps and giggles of young children.
‘Then what happened?’ Sendra asked.
‘I’m not sure.’ He thought back on the moment, when he thought he was going to be a sacrifice.
‘The igram had her kill, so she didn’t want me. So the antrop became the sacrifice.’ He thought it was a good explanation.
‘How do you know the igram was female?’ It was a very relevant question; no one could tell the difference normally, unless they came across one dead.
‘Because she had young.’
Sendra gave him a look of disbelief. ‘How do you know that?’
Myka gave some consideration before answering.
‘You remember, just before she left, she lifted her head and gave a cry.’
‘Vaguely. I don’t remember it in that sort of detail.’ Sendra’s face still betrayed puzzlement.
‘Well, she did, and when she did that I knew I was all right. I believe she was calling to her young.’
‘So you don’t really know; you only believe she was.’
‘That’s right.’ Then he turned to Sendra. ‘Have you ever heard an igram make a sound like that before?’
Sendra was amazed at his friend’s question. ‘Myka, I’m not that familiar with igrams. I have not heard them much at all, except at a distance. In fact that’s the closest I’ve ever been to one, and the closest I ever want to be.’
Myka nodded his head. He couldn’t agree more. ‘Anyway, you promised. You won’t ever tell anyone about it.’
‘Yes, I promised.’
‘Well Makl
yn and Rafta were there too, remember, and if you break that promise you’ll be in big trouble.’
Sendra nodded, he knew his friend was right. But being that close to an igram and not being able to tell anyone was a lot to ask for, even from a best friend.
Elvene speculated that the inhabitants lived inside the cove, and that it would be best if she landed in the ocean out of their line of sight and enter the lagoon over the reef. There were a number of strategies she could apply to this situation. She half hoped that they would see her coming in. She assumed that if they could make fire, that they were familiar with boats of some sort. Even a vessel as strange as hers would not be quite as alarming seen floating on the water, as it would be if it was seen floating in mid air. She could sit and wait till she was discovered, but she preferred not to play a cat and mouse game. Her strategy then, assuming she wasn’t discovered before she beached, was to go directly to their camp or village. She had a mental map of where it was and believed she’d have no trouble finding it. She was working on the hypothesis that they would feel less threatened and more in control if the first encounter was in or near their own environment. Yes, she would be seen as an intruder, but they clearly outnumbered her and they would have the upper hand psychologically. Whatever she did, it would be hard to soften the shock of seeing a complete stranger arrive on an isolated island that they obviously considered home. And it was equally obvious that her technology would scare them witless, so she half hoped that the ship would not be discovered before she was.
She had no doubt that she would be able to defend herself, but equally she didn’t foresee violence as a probable outcome. She knew that they would be more wary of her than she would be of them. She also knew how strange she would appear even without her otherworldly garb. For a start she was obviously a woman, but on missions she kept her hair short, and she was very fit and muscular. So if these were real humans living a subsistence life, she believed she’d appear quite androgynous in their eyes. Even though she had a space tan, as the Corps called the artificially induced tan that one needed to maintain, she expected that these people would be darker skinned than herself.
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