“What options does that leave us?” Hasley asked.
“At this point I can’t say with certainty and Feedle only wants guarantees so what can I tell you?” Eroder said.
“Can’t we go back to the starting defaults?” Lacrat asked.
“We can’t tell whether there are more hidden knots that’ll prevent that to maybe punish us for being bad guys and not submitting without a fuss,” Biccup said as he walked over to look over the big console over Eroder’s shoulder.
“Since we know this one gimmick is there, we can patch around it even if that’ll make parts of the life-support systems less efficient,” Icetop called.
Yelpam called, “Icetop and I see a general pattern for how to fix that to make things more reliable. That should let us do more than limp home with minimal life support as seems will be the case with things as they are right now. No, no guarantees, if Feedle wants to insist on those. And it’s not an instant fix. We won’t risk changing anything more until we’ve checked all the design plans for other illogical complications.”
“We’re confident enough in the temporary third patch around the problem caused by the second patch to recommend it though,” Icetop said. “It’s your call, Captain.”
Eroder pondered that for a moment. He thought, That means we give those two less-monitored although not totally free access to some systems but at least for now they’re our best bet. They’re unhappy with the producers but there’s no reason to think they’re suicidal or terminally stupid.
Hasley was thinking, Do we dare let those two poke around out of sight in the innards of the ship’s systems? Bips fump, what choice do we have since the other techs don’t show any enthusiasm for solving the problems?
Feedle was thinking, This is dismilquam. I don’t trust those two pipsid smigmollions but what choice do we have?
Lacrat thought, What did I do to deserve this? Flinflup! I don’t want to neprist oglimp vinx crupsmimp. I’m a user but I can be reasonable and considerate.
At a wave from Molten and a tap on the shoulder from Biccup, both of whom had been reviewing the proposed third patch on the monitors, Eroder said, “Let’s do it. Objections in writing in triplicate in my suggestion box.”
He tapped some control buttons, the ship shuddered . Everyone held his or her breath. Then the lights came on and everything returned to normal functional conditions.
Each exhaled with a small beechens.
Chapter 33
Hasley and Feedle paced the long dimension of the program edit room in opposite directions while Lacrat paced the short dimension, their big feet flapping noisily on the floor. They neatly avoided collisions with almost unconscious speeding ups and slowing downs along their intersecting paths.
“When things get touchy, smart producers get thinking. Do we need a reality check?” Hasley asked.
“We know the reality,” Feedle said. “Bottom line, we'll do almost anything to get the biggest payoff for our shows, too bad about the consequences to the contestants or the politicians.”
“Audience interest is high, their expectations even higher. They want excitement. How do we deliver that?” Lacrat asked.
“For our audiences excitement means violence, a commodity that is sort of forbidden in our and the contestants' contracts,” Hasley said. “The wording allows for a lot of wiggling and interpretation though since the official challenges were all approved as okay.”
“Who could have guessed that making a new concept, never-done-before-quite-like-this type show would have so many unforeseen problems?” Feedle said.
“We're clever and devious. We can make this work out to our benefit. We do need to play it sly and keep some alternatives open though,” Hasley insisted.
Svenly entered, passing neatly through the moving pattern of the others at the openings, and sat at the control console. She said, “We've finished reconstructing the latest messages from the different sources at home after removing the interference. Do you want the news?”
“Yes, what's happening there?” Hasley asked.
“The show was a big hit but its fame is fading fast with so little quick follow-up,” Svenly reported.
“We already know that's a problem,” Feedle said.
“The consequence of that concern is that those who pledged any financial support for the program are getting twitchy, wondering if they should back out of a potential disaster,” Svenly added.
“Distressing but not surprising,” Lacrat commented.
“Some loudmouths are questioning the exploitation of an under-developed planet for mass amusement and calling for a boycott of the show and its sponsors,” Svenly reported.
“Also not surprising. Those loudmouths are being paid by our competitors to cause us trouble. We've used the same tactic in the past. What else?” Feedle asked.
“That's the capsule news report,” Svenly said.
Hasley nodded his thanks to her. She nodded back and focused on a message appearing on a small console monitor.
“A one-contestant competition isn’t what we wanted or planned for but we have too much invested in this show to stop now,” Feedle muttered. “We have the zerpy's continuous transmissions but I say it's to our advantage to hold back most of that material to use when we get a better deal from another distribution company.”
“At least the A.D.U. guys are likely to be more willing to put the contestants in real danger to get exciting stuff,” Hasley said.
Lacrat looked around nervously before he spoke and then did so quietly, “Messing up A.D.U. has been part of our plan from early on. That made full sense once it was clear they were setting us up to take any blame but intended to cheat us any and every way they could devise.”
“It's standard practice, use them more than they're using you,” Feedle said with a shrug.
“That's the way guys do business on Ormelex. It's not like it's a new, novel, or secret idea,” Hasley noted.
“Now I see how it adds a tang of satisfaction when we can pull it off though,” Lacrat said with a smirk.
* * *
A short time later Hasley, Feedle, and Lacrat sat in their chairs in their office swiveling idly from side to side with the occasional full three-sixty spin. Recorded segments of Nerber moving about on Earth were on sections of the view-screens, the audio off.
In a central section was Wilburps's view of Nerber hiding among the shrubs in the yard of the corner property and addressing the zerpy and therefore those who would see this recording. “The dominant species here, much like ourselves, favor a ‘kill it and then wonder what it wanted’ approach.”
Feedle freeze-framed that. “He started off too happy to be good entertainment. Now he's looking scared and worried enough to amuse the audience.”
“I humbly accept credit for the strategy of only talking to him sporadically so he thinks we have technical problems that could leave him stuck there,” Hasley said with a grin.
Feedle tapped switches and the screen image changed to Nerber talking later in that same transmission as he said, “We underestimated the inhabitants. They are alert and have more sophisticated technologies than we were told. They quickly detected our ship and then the orbiting transmission zerpy beside their moon. Those have the whole population on edge. They're all alert to find and destroy any visitors whom, exactly as we on Ormelex would do, they consider unwelcome invaders.”
Feedle freeze-framed Nerber looking concerned. She tapped switches and an earth telescope view of the moon for a TV news with this ship circled at one spot and a small object that was one of their zerpies circled at a different spot. She said, “This is the image that has all the occupants fascinated but wary. Our ship and zerpy, both clearly visible to them. They added those rings around us to help their inferior minds recognize there’s something to be seen in this view”
“Nerber is correct, we did underestimate them – but based on the information supplied by A.D.U. and the governors,” Hasley said.
“But they don't k
now what those things in the image are,” Lacrat reminded them.
“Svenly's monitoring their messages among themselves. The fact that those two things aren't in free orbits has focused attention on them,” Hasley said. “The inhabitants are sophisticated enough to realize that that means the objects must be using power to stay in place so they’re not space junk.”
Feedle tapped some controls and a poor quality image of reporter Beth Regards speaking on a TV set appeared on a section of the screen saying, “The claims of some NASA officials that the latest lunar orbiter mapping mission, announced months ago for this date, was rushed into readiness to seek answers today have been dismissed as confusion caused by the current level of sunspots. It's hoped the cameras on the unmanned satellite to be launched in the next few minutes will provide some answers.”
Feedle touched controls and that screen blanked. “We dismissed Nerber as a worry wart but it turns out he was giving us an early warning that things were getting complicated fast.”
“His report did have a nice tinge of controlled panic to it. That's why we want him worried about surviving,” Hasley reminded them somewhat defensively.
“But we don't want him captured and dissected by inhabitants,” Lacrat cautioned. “That'd make a good show episode if we could record it but the governors would make us pay a heavy price for not protecting him better as we promised.”
“Plus there's another inhabitant spy device coming our way to deal with,” Feedle reminded him.
* * *
In the program edit room Svenly said to Icetop and Yelpam, “This came in but I don’t know whether it’s important. It seems like a technical zerpy matter so you guys are the obvious ones to ask about it.”
“Wilburps told you he’s detecting signals from a source he can’t identify?” Yelpam asked.
“He told Nerber about it in a conversation that was part of the continuous feed they don’t know about that isn’t always coming in,” Svenly answered. “There’s no sign of any strange signals in anything I can get Wilburps to release. It seems the unknown signals only register in the part that’s under Nerber’s direct control.”
“How did Wilburps describe the signals?” Icetop asked.
“He said he’s being bombarded with orders to process signals and send them on to be piggy-backed on signals being sent to Ormelex by us on the ship. But without Whizybeam’s systems realizing that’s happening, being able to prevent it, or even being able to read the messages,” Svenly said.
“Interesting. We would expect signals like that to conflict with Wilburps’s programming and confuse it if they reached it. We’ll check and see what we can make of it. This could mean there is some serious flaw in Wilburps,” Icetop said.
“Should I tell the captain or the producers about it?”
“That seems premature. Do what you’re supposed to but it’s most likely only stray signals of no importance,” Yelpam said.
“Halsey’s on his way here about something else. I’ll see how tense he is and decide whether to mention it,” Svenly said.
“Sounds like a good way to handle it,” Yelpam agreed and turned to follow Icetop out the door. Svenly probably wouldn’t have described them as in a hurry to leave but they were.
The two stiffened when someone opened the door from outside but relaxed when it was Venrik. He entered and they left – and hurried down the hall once the door closed behind them.
* * *
A short time later Hasley entered. Feedle was behind him but Svenly and Venrik noticed that she stayed outside looking up and down the hall for an extra moment before coming in.
Feedle stared at the communications techs and asked in a harsh accusing tone, “Were some mechanical techs just in here?”
Venrik started to say something but stopped when Svenly replied calmly, “Nobody else was in here unless you’re defining just as a longer interval than I think of.”
Feedle made a little dismissive snort sound. Since the techs were in the only chairs Hasley stood behind them as he asked, “What do you have to tell or show us?”
“Secret intercepts report. You’re not allowed to know this,” Svenly whispered in an exaggerated conspiratorial tone for comic effect.
“A.D.U. or the Peepees?” Hasley asked in a normal tone but with a small smile to show he appreciated the humor.
“Both,” Venrik said. “A bonanza of what no one else is supposed to know that is much the same for the two groups. There’s agitation and they don’t know how much to be worried.”
“Agitation about what?” Feedle demanded in a stern tone.
“The geekocreepos stalk the land of Ormelex,” Svenly whispered as if afraid of initiating a nerd attack.
As expected and as intended, Feedle took a deep breath as she prepared to launch into a shouting protestation but Hasley said, “If you can’t control yourself you should go to your quarters and bask for a while, Feedle. They play you like a synkrim when you get all quilcrup like this.” To Venrik and Svenly he said, “Give me the details.”
“Some complain that the setup for The Far-Out Show promised that at least some of it would be educational material but they don’t assess what’s being shown as matching that description,” Svenly said.
“Plus they say there’s too much faking,” Venrik added.
“With too much as the element they’re complaining about,” Svenly said as clarification.
“Have either group contacted us directly and mentioned these concerns?” Feedle asked.
“Not yet anyway,” Venrik answered. “Strictly talk-talking these matters would be under A.D.U.’s direct control, not ours.”
“So why bother us by even mentioning it?” Feedle asked, glad to have an excuse to vent some resentment. “Why call us all the way down here for this?”
Svenly said calmly, “Hasley, you asked us to let you know if we picked up undercurrents in what we heard so we’re doing so. Those at home recognize that the easy way to deal with these objections is to ignore them but to get exciting new episodes before the audience soon-most. What comes through is that the objections of both groups to putting the contestants in harm’s way are reduced now. Threats and violence beat educational interest every time.”
Feedle gave one of her dismissive snorts and stormed out.
Venrik looked after her more with interest than alarm. Svenly smiled at Hasley and said, “You might also be interested in this.” She brought up the image of Nerber and Wilburps on the view-screen.
Nerber asked, “What are you hearing from the producers? They must know as much as I do and surely are as worried.”
“I am sending signals but with nothing but static coming back I cannot tell if those are being received. We are the first to be here and test the systems so I cannot tell if this is due to conditions on this planet or if the producers are not even trying to send return signals,” Wilburps said.
“Why would they deliberately keep me unknowing?”
“You may prefer not to consider all the possible reasons.”
“It is not happy to think it but yes, they might abandon me here because the show was cancelled as too tame,” Nerber said.
“Or too expensive. Ratings and costs are always the bottom-most reasons for deciding about the doing of things.”
“On a happier thought, maybe the producers themselves crashed and burned up - literally.”
“I have no evidence to rule that out.”
Svenly blanked the screen but said nothing. Hasley thought about it a moment longer, then said, “An interesting bit. Even the zerpy suspects we’re messing with the signals to keep him nervous although it can’t be any more certain sure than Nerber can. I’ll try to be more subtle from now on. There’s nothing to do about it now though. Even to mention it to Nerber might give away that we’re hearing his every word. He may suspect that but it won’t help to let him know he’s correct.”
Venrik glanced at a dial on the console and said, “The continuous feed has stopped. We’ve
lost contact with Wilburps.”
“Hail him and I’ll find something to say as an excuse for testing what’s going wrong,” Hasley instructed.
“He’s not responding. Not even an echo signal. That should only happen if the zerpy’s manually turned off. Why would Nerber do that?” Venrik said, mostly to himself.
“Were the contestants ever told how to turn off their zerpies?” Svenly asked.
“No, that wasn’t part of their briefing. Stay with it. Tell Eroder about this in case it’s some malfunction in our receptors, not some change Nerber or the zerpy itself are causing. Let me know if it doesn’t come back on soon,” Hasley said and left.
* * *
Biccup was doing routine work in Whizybeam’s transport room when Icetop and Yelpam entered in a hurry. Those two seemed startled to find someone here but not enough to make Biccup suspicious.
“Is there problem?” Biccup asked.
“Eroder wants us to check on things. The signals from Wilburps seem to have completely disappeared. Not even an echo signal comes back,” Yelpam said.
“The zerpy would have to be manually turned off for it not to send back an echo signal,” Biccup said as he glanced at the transport system control podium.
Icetop saw that and asked, “Did something unusual happen?”
“There was an odd twitch, nothing I could identify. The system’s been on stand-by so I thought maybe our changes to the controls left cripsminz in the works or something,” Biccup said.
“Tell me about the glitch,” Icetop said. He tried to not seem too interested although he was very much so.
“If the system had been fully on I’d say the signal residues meant someone tried to activate it remotely but none of the zerpies in orbit are programmed to do that,” Biccup said.
“Could Wilburps do it?” Yelpam asked.
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