Dark Firmament

by Ezra Manes

  How long will it take us to return to the szswns’ planet?

  Dawn had sensed earlier he might want to do this, but with it now openly expressed, she was a little stunned and very concerned.

  Do you think I’ll be well enough by the time we return to make another trip to the surface? He could tell she was more than a little disturbed now.

  My actions now will dictate how humans will be viewed by the szswns in the future, he added. Cut and run gives one impression. Stepping boldly into the throat of our enemy sends another.

  Only if you survive, Dawn finally conveyed. I am concerned about your health and your longevity if we take this course of action.

  Prophet Sepeda, my grandfather, told me to follow my intuition when logic failed to address an issue adequately. My intuition strongly suggests I confront the leaders. They likely believe I am dead and already consumed by the offspring of Cssyza. My return will show a human’s strength and courage.

  But perhaps not a human’s wisdom, Dawn had to add.

  This stopped their discussion for several minutes. Joqi wasn’t upset with Dawn. She was just trying to protect him.

  Dawn broke the silence. I reluctantly agree, Joaquin. Based on your progress so far, you should recover enough by the time we orbit the szswns’ world to leave the command pod for a short period.

  That is what we’ll do, Joqi replied. Calculate the necessary orbit around the star to loop us back to the planet.

  As you command, Joaquin.

  • • •

  Joqi sat in a straight-back chair facing Cssyza. Both intended to make this a short visit; he was still healing and the szswn was about to give birth, the start of its final regen phase. But they wanted to meet in person one last time. The Horizon Quest had looped around the bright star and was heading back to the home planet.

  “Is this compartment large enough for your nine offspring,” Joqi asked, to start their conversation. They had relocated Cssyza to a larger compartment after modifications were made. Robots had installed access ports through which they would provide food and water to the newborns. The robots had also installed plumbing to maintain a more suitable atmosphere for the offspring, and to remove waste material. Dawn started recording activities in the compartment after Cssyza moved there.

  “Yes, it is more than adequate,” Cssyza replied. “Remember, at first they will act irrationally. Hunger will drive their actions as they grow rapidly.”

  Joqi was very mindful of this and had previously assured Cssyza the only direct interaction with the newborns would be by robots.

  “The high protein meat product produced by our fabricators should keep them growing,” Joqi said. “Did you find the taste of our latest sample to your liking?”

  “Yes,” Cssyza said with great appreciation. They had worked together to develop the artificial meat. “It is the closest thing to oscyspod meat that I can imagine.”

  He and Cssyza had already discussed how to handle the newborns once back at the home planet. They would have grown to over half Cssyza’s size by the time the Horizon Quest reached the planet. Joqi still had to determine how to transport the newborns to the planet’s surface. A lot depended on the szswn leader’s reaction to the “regen” video he planned to transmit to those on the planet.

  “Why are you taking steps to ensure survival of my species,” Cssyza asked abruptly. “A szswn would take steps to eliminate a possible future threat, not encourage growth of that threat.”

  Good question. How could he explain his intuitions role in his decision?

  “I would rather have a strong ally than face a desperate enemy.”

  “You are wise, for a human,” Cssyza said, emitting the closest thing to a chuckle Joqi had heard from it.

  Joqi smiled and said, “As you are for a szswn.”

  Joqi had a curious question come to mind. “How do szswns tell each other apart? How can we distinguish each of the nine newborns from the others?”

  “Each szswn is distinguished from birth by emitted odor and the markings along the edge between our top and bottom halves. Additional markings are added throughout the life of a szswn to recognize major accomplishments and service to our society. ”

  Cssyza paused, and then added, “You should concentrate on the markings. The difference between emitted odors is very subtle and sometimes even confusing among groups of szswns.”

  Joqi looked closely at the front edge of Cssyza’s body. He could just make out fine markings that had gone unnoticed by him and Dawn. He was glad he didn’t have to distinguish between several szswns by smell; the emitted odors made him nauseous.

  “I have wondered about the extent of the memories you pass to your newborns,” Joqi said. “If the newborns receive memories of the close oscyspod or mammal relationship that stimulated the regen process, what keeps them from also starting regen when recalling those memories?”

  “The significance of the regen process for our species survival is passed along,” Cssyza said. “But the close personal feelings affecting the parent causing the regen process to start is not passed along. Otherwise, the newborns could relive the experience and initiate their regen process too early in life. Regen normally occurs late in life.”

  This meant that all szswns on their home world were now late in life. This was a stunning revelation and Joqi didn’t know what to say.

  “One last thing, then you must go,” Cssyza said. “We have exceptional memories and we live long lives. Many memories are from the distant past, passed down generation after generation through the regen process. We are creating an exceptional memory for my newborns to share far into the future.”

  Cssyza then stepped closer and raised its two front legs, pointing the two claws toward Joqi. He rose from his chair and placed his hands on the claws. It was as much a touch of respect and a taking of peace as any Zilan gesture could be. Joqi was glad the szswn had learned early on that he didn’t like emitted odors. After a brief moment, Cssyza pulled its claws back and Joqi turned to leave, knowing it was the last time he would see his alien friend in person.

  CHAPTER 15

  Joqi watched Cssyza’s regen process run its course from the comfort and safety of his command pod. He felt no fear this time, just compassion for his alien friend who was giving its life to start a new generation.

  The scene playing out in Cssyza’s compartment was strikingly similar to what Joqi visualized in dreams while still in the Zilan solar system. It was unsettling in that respect; how had his subconscious mind known what a szswn looked like. And more disturbing was the question of how he had visualized the regen process when there were no known records of this on Zilia or in the data Dawn had pilfered from Earth’s records. There were forces at play that he would likely never understand.

  He shook this thinking off and focused back on what was happening in the large compartment. The newborns were moving around just under Cssyza’s tough skin, looking for a way out of the carcass. Based on what Cssyza had said, it died quickly as war raged inside, each newborn vying for dominance near one of the nine brains. The dominant newborns then quickly consumed the nine brains and began looking for a way out. One finally chewed through the skin and exited. The other eight followed quickly. Joqi wondered just how many of Cssyza’s memories now resided in the young ones.

  On cue, a robot pushed a slab of fabricated meat through one of the three feeding portals. Joqi watched anxiously as the nine small szswns swarmed to the meat. If they didn’t eat, all leverage was lost in the plan to present the newborns to the home world leaders.

  The newborns tore into the meat with a vengeance, quickly reducing it to a greasy spot on the feeding tray. Joqi was relieved that the newborns found the fabricated meat to their liking. Still, he was concerned about what this could mean for future encounters between humans and szswns. They had to halt advance of the szswns toward human occupied worlds!

  Two additional meat trays were pushed through the other feeding ports, and the infants swarmed there, qui
ckly devouring two more slabs. It was curious that the newborns were not fighting each other for the meat. It might be a different story if the food were in short supply.

  Our meat fabricator can keep up with the demand, Dawn conveyed. A backup fabricator is ready to come online if needed, and the additional machines you asked for are nearing completion. I estimate we have enough raw ingredients to feed the newborns for two months. Then we will need to replenish our resources.

  He smiled; she was indeed closely monitoring his thoughts. They would be in orbit well before running out of food for the newborns.

  Joqi had an insightful thought while watching the newborns eat. The newborns absorbed information when consuming the host szswn’s brains. The first food they ate outside the host’s body was oscyspod meat. This must further ingrain in the newborns’ memories the key role oscyspods played in completing the regen process!

  Send the video of Cssyza’s regen process up to this point to the szswns’ planet, Joqi conveyed. Include a snippet of a healthy me overseeing the process. Send it repeatedly until we get a response.

  • • •

  The szswns did not respond right away to Cssyza’s regen process video, and Joqi’s attention turned to the dilemma he and Dawn would face after he met with the leaders. Where should they go? Was there even a remote chance of their ever getting back to Zilia? Should they make their peace with the szswns as best they could and stay in their solar system?

  He pondered these questions, and more, as he transitioned to his private, deep meditation place. But to his surprise, it wasn’t his special place on the bank of the Avili. He stood on top of an atoll, looking across verdant farm fields stretching to the horizon in one direction, and bounded in the other by a meandering river, probably the Avili.

  The fields were familiar, laid out in patterns similar to those in cooperative farms on Zilia. In the nearest fields he could see the green-tipped yellow flowers of the tuchera plant. The bright flowers meant the tuchera plants would soon start producing long green vegetable pods that were a staple in the Zilan diet. He relaxed; it felt like home.

  He heard someone whistling far away, and then coming closer. He saw a man striding along a path leading up the small hill to where he stood. He smiled and waved at his grandpapa, who waved back and kept climbing at a strong pace. Joqi walked down to meet the prophet, who smiled and embraced him.

  “This is a beautiful place to meditate, is it not,” his grandpapa said as they walked to the top.

  Joqi had to agree as he looked at the panoramic view of the farms and tree lined river, all under a cloud free blue sky. It was peaceful and relaxing, and they sat down side by side in the middle of the atoll on comfortable matted grass.

  “Why are you here, my Joqi,” his grandpapa asked.

  Joqi frowned. He had heard that question before.

  “Granpeda, I am seeking answers to our dilemma—how to return to this place.” He swept his right arm to encompass the scene all around them.

  “At first glance, the universe is an inhospitable, distant place,” the prophet said. “But if you look at it in just the right way, you can overcome even the seemingly impossible challenges.”

  The only movement in the broad vista before them was a large bird lifting gracefully from the top of a tree near the river. It flew in circles, higher and higher, until its majestic flight brought it high overhead.

  His grandpapa laid a hand on his shoulder and looked up at the bird soaring in the aqua blue sky. “Until now you have used about half your brain’s capacity for cognitive reasoning. Granted that is much more than most of our kind uses. Imagine what you could do if you applied the total capability you have.”

  His grandpapa’s comment sounded a lot like what his father had said before he started fulltime immersion in the smart plasma pod.

  “But I have no control over how much of my mind is used.”

  “How much higher do you think it can fly,” his grandpapa asked, pointing up at the soaring bird.

  Joqi recognized the bird was an adult red-beaked hawk. “It primarily hunts small game and rodents. If it goes much higher, it cannot see its prey.”

  “True,” his grandpapa replied. “Your answer is biased by your knowledge about the hawk. It has eyesight that is ten times as good as yours, yet it only uses that advanced capability to search for rodents.”

  His grandpapa paused and watched the hawk circle in flight high above them.

  “I ask again, how much higher can it fly?”

  “Much higher,” Joqi answered, beginning to understand. “But it probably never will.”

  “How much higher can you fly, my Joqi, if you shed your knowledge biases?”

  • • •

  The szswn reply to the repeating video of Cssyza’s regen experience was cautiously positive. The szswn making the response was of average size compared to others seen in the background. There was no sign of the large, combative leader Joqi had previously encountered.

  The szswn introduced itself as Azlor, the newly elected leader. Azlor then turned and introduced the szswn positioned slightly to the rear. Lotsu was Azlor’s deputy and second in command.

  “You honor us by making it possible for Cssyza to complete regen,” Azlor said. “We are amazed and most appreciative of your ability to feed and take care of the newborns. You have our deepest apology for how you were treated when last honoring us with your presence. We humbly ask for your forgiveness.”

  Azlor continued with an invitation for Joqi’s ship to enter a close orbit of the szswns’ world. The leader recommended a plan for transferring the newborns to the planet’s surface, at Joqi’s convenience. The plan involved a shuttlecraft docking with the Horizon Quest to pick up the youngsters. Azlor was very polite and humble when requesting Joqi transfer the capability to produce food for the newborns. The leader requested that Joqi provide Cssyza’s remains so they could honor the szswn by offering its carcass to sea creatures, as was the szswn custom.

  The leader recognized that Cssyza and Joqi had developed a close relationship, and it expressed the desire to work closer with him as well. The leader ended the message by inviting Joqi to once again meet with the szswn leadership, this time with guaranteed safety.

  You are healing well, Dawn conveyed after watching the video message. But I ask that you stay aboard our ship.

  Joqi didn’t respond. She could sense his decision.

  • • •

  Dawn guided the Horizon Quest into orbit around the szswns’ world, as discussed with their leader. The orbit was close enough to support shuttlecraft transportation to and from the surface, and high enough to avoid interfering with the many satellites orbiting the planet. No ships came near the Quest. Joqi had made it clear to the leader that any attempts to damage or board his spaceship, or to injure him again, would incur the full force of retaliation by his ship.

  The young szswns were over half the size of Cssyza and were talking fluently when the shuttlecraft arrived to take them to the surface. The nine newborns, two meat fabricators, and ingredients to make more meat were transferred smoothly to the shuttlecraft. The fabricators were programmed by Dawn for automatic operation based on the eating habits of the newborns. Their appetite was still strong, but reduced significantly from what it was right after they exited Cssyza’s carcass. Operating instructions for the fabricators were also provided. They had preserved Cssyza’s carcass in cold storage, and it was transferred respectfully to the shuttle.

  Joqi decided to wait a few days before having the szswns transport him to the surface for meetings with their leader and council members. Azlor agreed; it would give time for the fuss about the newborns to subside, and for the szswns to honor Cssyza’s carcass.

  And plenty of fuss there was, as Joqi and Dawn monitored activities from orbit. Joqi couldn’t imagine how overjoyed those on his home world would be upon seeing a newborn child for the first time in over two centuries.

  Joqi had stayed in the command pod, for the most p
art, while they traveled back to the szswns’ planet. He was still undergoing repair by swarming nanobots and other agents in the smart plasma. He tried to spend several hours out of the plasma each week in preparation for another visit to the planet’s surface. He never made it to more than five or six hours before giving in to the overwhelming need to get back into the plasma.

  I feel less and less comfortable while out of the smart plasma pod, Joqi thought.

  I have observed as much, Dawn replied. The private meditation sessions are not as effective as before. Have you considered taking part of the plasma with you when out of the pod?

  Why hadn’t he thought of that? Joqi liked the idea, and he knew by Dawn bringing it up that it was possible.

  He proceeded to test the suggestion immediately. Lying calmly immersed in the pod, he visualized a thin coating of smart plasma covering him from the neck down. He knew the plasma could do it; every time he entered the pod the plasma greeted him by smoothly crawling up his body. But how would it react when he walked away from the pod?

  Joqi commanded the pod hatch to open. The plasma stayed in the pod, helped by the light spin gravity in the command pod compartment. He stood up and waited until the plasma retreated from his body—which it did, except for a thin layer of shimmering, pink tinged plasma coating him from the neck down.

  He climbed out of the pod and walked a few paces away, surprised that no plasma footprints were left behind. He looked at his arms and hands; the plasma looked like a thin, translucent skin spread evenly over his anatomy. He didn’t feel the immediate urge to return to the pod as he always had before.

  Satisfied with the test, he climbed back into the command pod. He relaxed and again his thoughts turned to the issue of what they should do after their liaison with the szswns.

  His meditations during the early phase of the trip around the local star had focused primarily on getting well, physically and mentally. But in recent weeks he had focused more and more on the challenges they would face after leaving orbit around the szswns’ planet. This focus was stimulated in part by questions his grandpapa had raised.