The Darwinian Extension: Completion

by Hylton Smith

  “I hope you slept well Mr. Logan. Sometimes the first night is a restless one, even for shuttle veterans.”

  The reply was cautious yet verbose. “Well, I took a while to settle – nothing to do with the accommodation though; I think my sleep aids are not so effective here. On the other hand I sometimes have trouble sleeping at home and......”

  “Why don’t I get Pascal 2 to prescribe something for you tonight? He’s very good. Now, looking at the agenda you sent, I suppose it’s prioritised in the order you wish discussion?”

  “Yes, I have an additional item which is actually the most important. It was felt to be too sensitive to put it in a transmission.”

  “Ok,” said Carvalho, “go ahead.”

  Logan wasn’t at ease and nervously began. “There’s a desire to add the red crystal to our regular trading list, in fact to raise it to the top. Please, before you respond, let me sketch in the rationale.” Quite a pronounced silence prevailed then Logan admitted he was not necessarily a supporter of this request; he was a spokesman not an advocate.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” challenged Carvalho.

  “It means there is a division of ethics involved. You must know from my predecessor that the Council has very strong objections to bringing the crystal to Earth, for any reason. The most influential nations – the Big Five however, remind us that in fact they fundamentally support that purist view, but practical considerations require flexibility. They also added that they didn’t see any need to procrastinate over this, as the independent views of the Council are recorded and understood, but they pay our salaries and would like to continue that contribution. We have been ‘warned’ not to rock the boat.”

  Carvalho bit his tongue. He instinctively knew that it was a waste of time sharing his Martian perspective on this. He also wondered how much of Logan’s selection had been influenced by this initiative. “I see. Well, I will of course need to acquaint Alex 2 and Fav of this and...” He was cut off. “That is another concern; they don’t want to involve any non-humans in this trade. I’m not authorised to discuss this with anyone other than you.”

  Carvalho decided the moment had arrived. “With respect Mr. Logan, you have no concrete jurisdiction on Mars, or haven’t you heard of the Mars Charter? Your predecessor not only accepted this – he embraced it. The answer to such a strident demand from Terran Capitalistas, whether directly or via a quisling conduit like you, is a definite negative. Does any of that seem ambiguous to you?”

  No response. “Have I made myself clear?”

  “Certainly,” was the eventual reply, “I fear that it is so unambiguous that it won’t be well received, and that may precipitate certain sanctions towards Mars.”

  Carvalho consciously reeled in his contempt. “Yes, I can appreciate that but we cannot pretend we will be inconvenienced by such petulance - in any material way. It would however be a dangerous route for humans in the long term, both here and on Earth. I urge you to return and convey my sincere wish for proper dialogue on all issues, especially one such as this. Without being apprised of the real reasons for such a volte-face, it’s impossible for me to convey any genuine support to my non-human fellow leaders. Social cohesion is the bedrock of our philosophy Mr. Logan.” A comfort break was appreciated.

  Logan took a long time to return. It had given them both some time to think. Carvalho was reflecting on how Xiang had always managed to keep the populous onside even when the ruling class was troublesome. There was another factor at play now. As long as Mars was seen as the tottering infant and Earth as the tolerant parent, Xiang had capitalised on the moral persuasion at opportune moments. Now that the wayward, headstrong youth had outstripped the parents in technological and social development, such familial sympathy was evaporating. Carvalho deduced that governments and industrialists had grasped the significance of this shift and had decided to nurture it. He could imagine that religion would also be roped into the campaign at some juncture. The most surprising aspect of the request was the absence of discussion on safeguards and restrictions related to the use of Scarlet. The barons who had failed so far to locate red crystal of Earth origin would be either incredulous at such manna from heaven or involved somewhere along the line. When Logan re-entered he merely asked if this was Carvalho’s final position on the matter.

  The reply was calculated and less hostile but just as firm. “I consider the implications of such a proposal are far beyond the forum of a shopping list of trade products. I will travel to Earth to discuss the matter in a wider context. I suggest we plough through the rest of the agenda.” Logan accepted the suggestion as it avoided him ‘falling at the first fence’.

  ********

  In splendid contrast the other meeting was proceeding well. In the preceding decades since the Axis arrived back on Mars, they and the Symbiants, had steadfastly repeated that the spatial distortion technology had been lost. There were however two positions on the matter. The Axis had known how to achieve this, but the fundamental principles had perished with their supreme leader on the fourth exodus ship from Nexus. They had not made the effort to recover the knowledge as the practice had been banned by their species. The Symbiants and Axis had been able to confirm that the knowledge was originally developed by interaction with the Continuance. There was circumstantial archive evidence that the Continuance had advised against use of the technique in an already unstable system such as 55 Cancri. The Symbiants stopped short of saying it would be acceptable in other locations but did hint that this technique was three million years old. Dan was careful to point out once again that their role was not to lead. “We can say that many things have changed – the location of wormholes, the respective balance of dark matter and dark energy, and the availability of new materials. Other things have remained as before; one of them is the alternative means to the same end.”

  Sevicek seized upon this. “You mean there are better ways to develop interstellar travel?” Dan required clarity in this dialogue. “The word ‘better’ troubles me. Better for what? Better for whom? There are many parameters involved, such as safety for personnel and environment, efficiency in energy requirement, control of displacement and destination. All of these questions are for the future because you have a formidable learning curve to negotiate before you can even begin to evaluate those parameters.”

  Jet had made no contribution so far. “Are you implying that we could assist humans and simultaneously find a safe means of returning to 55 Cancri to see if Nexus is still there?”

  Dan avoided a direct kindling of hope. “Many things are possible within the laws of physics. It does not mean there is no downside. Your level of knowledge would indeed be helpful to humans, but you also need to progress significantly to engage meaningfully with your own questions.” The discussion was a potential watershed in creating the context for an acceptable resumption of Axis interest, after a three million year break.

  A timely entrance by Carvalho was courtesy of Logan needing to send a coded transmission to Earth on the status of the Scarlet proposal. He really wanted to be involved in this meeting rather than the one of political manoeuvring, and he was lifted by the précis given by Sevicek.

  This was the first time they had met since university, although they had kept in touch. He knew he could trust this man, but also had to find an honest way of making him aware of the invisible overlays which were not exactly founded on integrity. In view of the emerging potential on propulsion cooperation from the Axis, Carvalho felt reinforcement of his suggestion to get Sevicek to stay, was justified. Sevicek welcomed the chance to remain involved and offered no hesitation in accepting the offer if Carvalho could clear it with the ‘brass’.

  “Let’s discuss the detail in my quarters before dinner this evening. I’ll arrange for Logan to meet with our social director and her staff. He may even learn something.”

 

  Chapter 3

  When he recalled Xiang’s funeral there was a vivid recollection of Ka
rl Koppelt, the retired Beijing Intelligence guru. He had shunned contact with him for over two decades, but Carvalho tried to focus on the bigger picture. Many times Koppelt had silently encouraged truce when their paths crossed. The aversion was rooted in the attempt by the then Confederation of Nations to neutralise Alex 2 in Beijing. Carvalho’s replicant Dan, together with Commander Magnusson, had led the escape plan. Koppelt was instructed to intercept this breakout, and at one point his men opened fire on the escapees thinking that Dan was in fact Carvalho. The efforts of Xiang to repair the rift had been continually rejected even though Koppelt was acting under orders and was not involved in the direct instruction to shoot.

  At the funeral Koppelt looked frail and in poor health. There was a haunting expression as he looked Carvalho in the eyes as if to say – ‘this will be the last chance’. He decided to test the willingness to make amends by asking Koppelt’s advice in identifying those at the apex of the Scarlet O’Hara agenda. He would have to be careful to avoid inviting any interest in why he was to make contact. He opted for the innocent – nothing to hide public route. He contacted one of Xiang’s most trusted subordinates, Steven Brightwell. The transmission went immediately so he could gauge any reaction before his proposed visit to Earth, which he would allow Logan to disclose.

  “Steven, I know you will understand how much I have agonised over the years about Roberto’s attempts to get me to bury the past with Karl Koppelt. At the funeral I saw how weak Karl was, and out of final respect for Xiang, I know it’s now or never. I’m expecting to be in Beijing in the near future and I wonder if you’d inform Karl that this has gone on long enough. If he wishes to make contact while I’m there it would be welcomed. I owe this to Roberto. I need no reply from you, I leave that to Karl. Many thanks for your help.”

  When Sevicek turned up for his pre-dinner refreshment he was really charged up about the Axis involvement in the push for new propulsion technology. “This is a complete surprise but will be a real shot in the arm for human research funding.”

  “I wouldn’t be too sure Karel; it may not be all that you think.”

  Sevicek’s brow furrowed. “Why? I would have thought you would be delighted.”

  Carvalho nodded. “I am delighted that the Axis will join the band, I’m just not sure that the audition will be appreciated as much by the judges as it is by you and me. I have had to add political acumen to my primary interests here in order to survive. The pressure has eased since we are now the net exporter of trade, but that doesn’t mean it won’t return under a different guise. The changes are sometimes subtle, for example, the scrutiny of migrants to Mars did not only deteriorate, but became directed to lower standards. We had to insist on replacing this Earth function with our own. You noticed on arrival that there was an obvious lack of species other than the Continuance, the Axis and Humans. There are no animals in the forests, no insects around the flowers. This is thought to be too dangerous at the moment but at least it was discussed. The shipment of infected humans and known offenders couldn’t have been an accident. We’ve been meticulous in rehabilitating these individuals but then had to undertake our own screening. We had to ask the question why – that was a no brainer, but directing the question to the source of the problem proved impossible. This isn’t some melodramatic claim. I’m merely making you aware of how bent and wide the ‘straight and narrow’ turf you walk actually is. Don’t get your hopes too high, and I’m always here, even though we never had this conversation.”

  A deflated Sevicek followed Carvalho to dinner as he contemplated the next question. “So Karel, I assume you still want to stay on so we can progress this fine beginning?” The evening went with an abundance of pleasantries and little else. Logan whispered that he was still waiting for a reply on the Earth visit and had been told to expect one by morning. This, he said, was good news – with a wink.

  Carvalho returned the gesture and thanked him for the facilitating role he was offering. He even sounded genuine. Logan, thankfully, called it a day first. Dan suggested to Carvalho that Yamamoto should be included in the meeting from now, as he had a lot to contribute. Yamamoto had arrived on Mars not long before the Axis return and was considered one of the most promising humans by the Symbiants. Alex 2 and Fav were invited to join Carvalho so he could brief them on his forthcoming visit to Earth. There was no way he was going to keep this from them. Fav was mystified in the same way Alex 2 used to be by ‘human conformance aberration’. He was reassured by Alex 2 that he would gradually adapt to it over the next few years. Carvalho smiled at this charade of the blind leading the blind. He stopped smiling when Alex 2 changed the subject. “I have been reviewing Earth science progression via their archives and I have a question. A baby was born in Brazil, by the name of Evander de la Cruz. He lived in the ‘no man’s land’ between the city and the shanty town. His father had apparently sworn to get him a proper education. He used his life savings to get him into a catholic shelter and the teacher immediately recognised the child had a better understanding of arithmetic than anyone else in the shelter, even boys six years older. He was referred to an independent panel and he was considered to be a prodigy. He was fast tracked and astonished the nation by achieving a graduation in physics when he was eleven. There were experts who recommended this boy to attend lectures on cosmology. He is now fifteen and has proposed some very unconventional theories. The world authorities are at present a little embarrassed that they admit his insights are based on valid assumptions but they cannot prove nor disprove them. I have seen abstracts and I can tell you that this boy is better equipped than any individual on Earth, or in the Axis ranks, to take the next leap of interpretation of cosmic observations. He is close. Maybe you have your next Einsteinian or Darwinian icon.”

  During the pregnant silence he added, “Perhaps we could invite him here and ask his consent for replication.” Carvalho’s smile returned at the ever-improving sense of humour from Alex 2. He was sure Evander de la Cruz would be asked to come to Mars one day.

  Carvalho recalled that Xiang had often been successful in aborting draconian moves by the big five (China, India, USA, Russia and USAr) by having to acknowledge apparent leaks to the media. It was a reliable tactic, and protest by the population at large often delayed or killed off the rogue strategy. He would consider this when he arrived on Earth.

  The boreholes in West Candor chasm, which Finn had been monitoring for over two decades, were showing lower pressure readings but the lava flows still occurred spasmodically. Finn was the replicant of the late Jussi Pykonnen, an Earth geologist who had died on Mars. Finn kept up the sample requests for analysis by Ari Nielsen, chief human scientist of the colony. Over the years there had been little out of the ordinary to report. However, most recently the trace presence of something different stood out. Nielsen was so disturbed by this that he was certain he was wrong - so wrong that his reputation would be compromised. He decided the safest way was to bounce it off Red and ask him to delete the conversation. He started by referring to heavy elements with an atomic number greater than 110. “None of these should be stable, naturally occurring isotopes – would you agree?”

  “No.”

  “What do you mean - no?”

  “You must be more specific about naturally occurring – such as where.”

  Nielsen was even more cautious. “Here on Mars.”

  Red replied instantly. “Yes that would be correct.”

  “So where would it be possible?”

  The Symbiant smiled. “You know very well Mr. Nielsen that it could be found in star systems with a very large sun, binary stars or multiples. The prerequisite mass and electromagnetic energy could have been produced during their creation.”

  “Look at this,” said Nielsen.

  “Oh, yes – that is most interesting; I must speak with Alex 2 about it.”

  “Not yet….I want to ask you a few more questions. You are familiar with all of the Earth fascination with Element 115?”

 
Red looked at him intently and said nothing. Nielsen continued, “Some scientists believe that it would be the prime candidate to exploit Gravity A wave amplification if it was stable.”

  “Yes, so I understand,” said Red, “but I feel there is a very simplistic assumption that it could distort the vast amounts of space suggested. I believe there is an accepted view that the only naturally occurring phenomenon capable of this would be a black hole. I might add that in case you are wondering if this would register with the Progenitors, I can affirm that you would be correct.”

  Nielsen pondered, and then asked, “What is it doing here?”

  “I really believe we should ask Alex 2 to join us. I am not avoiding your question, simply making a recommendation as to how we should deal with this. He will be happy to delete the conversation too – if that is really what you want.” Nielsen agreed.

  When Alex 2 arrived there was a quick, silent technobabble session between the two Symbiants. Alex 2 turned to Nielsen and said, “We must ask the Axis to explain this.”

  Nielsen shook his head vigorously in protest. “I must ask you to....”

  “I think you misunderstand Mr. Nielsen. The only feasible explanation is that they brought it with them.”

  It was Nielsen’s turn to be lost for words. Alex 2 resumed. “We may find that they do not know why they brought it, but we must know if they did. You have made a significant discovery and it should not be wasted. Commander Carvalho must be made aware of the situation. It could be dangerous or extremely helpful, but it is not the kind of information which should just be filed away. I will speak to him about the urgent need to meet, but not debrief him until we all re-convene. Congratulations Ari Nielsen on your discovery.”