by Peter Ponzo
I gave Althea a second look. Her face was still framed in the head scarf but now her eyes were wide open… and her eyes were all black!
Susan bent and hugged the young girl.
"You are so sweet," Susan said. "I'm sure we will bring you joyfulness."
Shatoya pointed to a large portal and said, "We should leave the machine room. Too much radiation here. There's a comfortable living area not far from here. We can have refreshments and talk."
We all passed through the portal, following Shatoya. Little Althea was skipping along and snickering, her long hair rising and falling. There were many people standing about, staring at us with amusement and curiosity. Most were black. I whispered to Susan and Althea stopped and said: "Yes, we are black."
Shatoya pointed to a set of stuffed chairs around a long, low table covered with what looked like cookies and several jugs and glasses. We were in a kind of cafeteria with many tables and chairs and several counters with people getting plates full of edibles–at least I hoped they were edible.
"Multiple sclerosis." Shatoya said, "It is least prevalent among black Africans. That is why many of us were able to survive the solar holocaust. It is not known why MS became a factor in Caucasian deaths, but that was many years ago and the number of whites in our Aquarius has increased substantially. There are more than a hundred thousand of us in this particular habitat and more than thirty percent are white."
"A hundred thousand?" I asked. "Is that the capacity of Aquarius?"
"Heavens, no," Shatoya said, emphatically. "Aquarius is built for a half million, but population growth has been slow and life spans fairly short. We aren't sure why that is, but we are hoping that the Godships will change all that."
Shatoya smiled then began pouring from the jugs, filling the glasses with a blue-green liquid.
"This is a slightly alcoholic drink made from fermented marine algae," she said. "It's called 'rapple' and is quite popular. The tortes are called just that: tortes. These are made from sea urchins and flavored with cocoa butter. Althea loves them, don't you girl?"
The little girl was launching them into her mouth at a supersonic rate. Shatoya wagged her finger and Althea stopped.
We sat in silence for a few minutes, chewing and sipping. The 'rapple' was quite good. In fact, it was very good and I helped myself to a second glass. The color was curious, slightly off green, but that didn't matter.
"When we first got here," Susan asked, "you said we needed to leave the machine room because of radiation. What radiation?"
Shatoya frowned. "Well, although it's the standard place for visitors to arrive, the machines supply power to Aquarius and because it involves a type of fusion reaction it's not a good idea to spend much time there. But do not worry. We would have to spend days in that room to be affected. The machines provide electrical power, but heat is supplied by hydrothermal vents rising from the ocean floor."
Shatoya looked at Gill, curious.
"May I ask a question?" she said, addressing her remark to Gill. He nodded.
"I notice that you have a gill-like structure. Are you water breathing?"
"No," Gill said. "I am a failed experiment." Then he laughed and we all laughed with him, slightly embarrassed.
Shatoya paused then stood up, about to leave.
"Where do we pay for our meal?" I asked.
"Pay? No one pays. We each have a job to do in Aquarius, we each have access to accommodations and meals, we each have our responsibilities–no payments take place, no money changes hands. There is entertainment; every one is welcome to attend. There are scholastic events; everyone who wishes may attend or participate. We all have extensive access to all data, scientific, sociological, fiction, history, whatever is available in our libraries, in both audio and video formats. I understand that it took a long time to become accustomed to a cashless society–indeed, a money-less society. You may be surprised to learn that there are no rich or poor in Aquarius–and no jails. We do have the occasional bad person. By bad person I mean uncooperative or even evil-minded, but there is a standard mechanism for dealing with them."
I was afraid to ask for an explanation of the 'mechanism'. I had visions of evil-minded individuals floating to the bottom of the Mariana, buried in the ooze, strange sea creatures, nibbling, chewing.
Shatoya paused, then said: "I'm afraid there will be an emigration tomorrow, so perhaps we can show you to your quarters and we can talk again tomorrow."
Gill said, "Tectonics?"
"Yes, our plate is shifting rather more rapidly these days and we now move about once a year. Unfortunately, the timing of your arrival coincides with the next emigration."
I was confused.
"Emigration? Are we going somewhere?" I asked.
Shatoya laughed. "Yes. Aquarius is moving along the Pacific plate and we must move. Our submarine home will move east a short way." Shatoya paused. "Before it vanishes into the asthenosphere," she added, smiling. "Do not worry. This happens every year and it will only take a few hours, then we can meet once again to discuss the future of our Aquarius."
David saw that I was confused. Was I the only one confused?
"Gordon, my boy, because of the movement of the tectonic plates, in particular this Pacific Plate, the sea bed is sliding west, into the interior of the Earth, the asthenosphere. Aquarius was built on the sea bed and must be periodically moved farther east. Anticipating this maneuver, the entire structure is movable. We will see it–or feel it–tomorrow."
Although I now understood the reason for the move, I couldn’t understand the reason for building in this particular location. If the foundation moved, why not build somewhere solid?
"Earth is entirely built on tectonic plates," David said, apparently reading my thoughts. He looked at Gill, who was quiet, listening. "Every thing moves," David continued, satisfied that Gill was not going to interrupt. "Most places are not at the boundaries of the plates, so they are more stable. However, human folly prevails and some of the most appealing locations are on plate boundaries–that's where major settlements have occurred in the past. The San Andreas Fault was at the boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. The two plates slid past each other, the Pacific Plate going northwest and under the North American plate which moved southeast, separating much of the California coast and launching new coastal mountains. Los Angeles slid past San Francisco, heading toward the Aleutian Trench off Alaska."
"This move had been known for years," David continued, "yet over seventy million people lived on that moving coast at the time of the solar holocaust. Aquarius is here because of its proximity to mantle plumes and the associated heat energy."
"So Aquarius will move to avoid being carried into the interior of the Earth?" I asked. "It can just pick itself up and walk east, is that it?"
"Something like that," David said, grinning.
"Its so fun," Althea said. 'I remember last year. It was so fun."
I looked at Althea. She was jumping up and down. The scarf, which was wrapped about her face, fell about her shoulders. I was taken aback: she had gills on her neck!
Part 8.3
Our room was just sufficient for the four of us, simple beds without covers and no pillows. I looked about for a washroom, a toilet, a sink. Nothing.
"I...uh, have to go to the bathroom," I said. "Where is the toilet?"
Gill pointed to a narrow slit in the wall. It was barely wide enough for me to pass through. Beyond the slit was what looked like a porcelain saddle with a rather small opening. I could see a light beam of some sort illuminating the area. I managed to do my thing, hoping nobody was peering into the slit. There was no toilet paper, but when I was finished I was sprayed and dried while I sat and I could hear a sucking sound then a warm wind on my butt. A mite disconcerting. Everything was automatic. I guess I had broken the light beam and whatever mechanism was involved became aware of my presence–and did its thing after I did my thing. As I left through the slit I wondered where
the waste went. I thought I might ask Gill, but then I suppose I wouldn't like the answer.
Gill was talking when I returned.
"… and Aquarius is actually a movable, ellipsoidal bubble with a flat and ductile base resting on the sea bed. Tomorrow, it will rise and move east, perhaps a few hundred meters. You may have noticed that all the furnishings are permanently attached to the floor so there will be no slipping of furniture. We can just have a seat and feel the motion. After no more than two hours, Aquarius will settle once again to the ocean floor."
"Why is everything so bright?" I asked. "And I can't see any ocean life out of the ceiling."
David began to explain, but Gill continued: "During the move, before we settle again to the ocean floor, the walls and ceiling will dim. They are normally bright, partly because of installed bioluminescent. The brightness prevents visuals across the ceiling bulwark. Unfortunately, Aquarians have little control over the brightness. It is set by central control...and that means the Godship Uruk."
"Will we be able to visit Uruk?" I asked. "Can we enter that Godship?"
"It's exactly like Gilgamesh," Gill said. "However, if you really wanted to visit I can arrange it. Now, I think you should all get some sleep. Emigration will begin quite early tomorrow morning."
"But why was Uruk here all this time, for centuries?" I asked.
"Millennia," Gill said. "Because the solar catastrophe was anticipated centuries ago by God, well before it happened, Uruk was sent here to initiate the building of Aquarius. He was also here, long before, to monitor life on Earth. Life forms on this plant were well advanced when Uruk first arrived. Had life failed, early in its evolution, then Uruk would not have come. The deepest ocean was an ideal location since humanity would unlikely be aware for millenia. Some time ago, many other Godships descended to the bottom of the ocean to assist. I think you were on planet Earth at that time, were you not? In any case, by the time of the solar flares, the Aquadome was complete and ready for its inhabitants. Now, Gordon, please go to bed."
By now David and Susan had crawled into bed and Gill was sitting on his bed. I lay down and began to imagine wholesale motion across the ocean floor and strange sea creatures being pushed aside and...and then I fell asleep.
Part 8.4
The next morning I was awakened by a punch in the ribs.
"Wake up sleepy head! We're moving!"
Susan was standing over me and it was quite dark. I sat up in bed, my back was aching and my neck was sore.
"I'd give anything for a pillow and a soft mattress," I said.
"Forget the hurt. Can you feel us moving?"
I closed my eyes. Yes, there was definitely an upward acceleration, gentle but palpable. David looked amused. "The move begins," he said. "Fascinating."
I got out of bed–if that was what it was called–and looked at the ceiling. Although it was fairly dark without the glare, the outside ocean was now quite visible. There were several tall columns above us, like sand spires, and strange creatures crawling over the dome cover.
"Vent Crabs and Angler Fish," David said. "I understand that the crabs are delicious. Shatoya says we will have an opportunity to taste them later today."
"I'd like to ask Shatoya for the nearest McDonalds," I said. "Do you think she can cook up some pork burgers with fried onions–and a large, cold glass of rapple?" I really liked that drink. Fermented seaweed or something. It didn't matter. I liked it.
David ignored my comment. Instead he pointed to the ceiling. We were slowly moving past the sand spires. Then I saw several long tubes crawling on the dome. As I watched, the tubes were followed by an elongated body.
"Giant squid," David said. "They live at depth and can reach a dozen meters. Shatoya said that there are stories of squids destroying early versions of the Aquarius Pacifica. Now the Aquarians can electrify the dome to reject the creatures–the current domes are resistant to any such damage."
"I suppose we'll have squid stew for dinner," I snorted.
David again ignored my comment and called to Susan who was now lying in her bed, staring up at the cinematic progression on the Aquadome canopy.
"Come along, Susan. We must meet Shatoya for breakfast."
I wasn't looking forward to the meal, but I followed the two as they left what passed as our bedroom. For some reason, Gill was not with us. David led the way, a tortuous route that eventually ended in a large room with bright walls. It seemed quite different from the rooms I had seen on Aquarius. In fact, it seemed almost familiar. Shatoya was there and so was Gill.
Gill was talking to Althea. Actually, he seemed to be communicating with that mind contact thing because, although they were clearly in conversation, their lips didn't move. When Gill saw us he stopped and greeted us.
"Good morning. Did you feel the emigration? Almost imperceptible, don't you think? When the time comes, it's time to move."
Susan chuckled. "It was amazing to think that a house that held thousands of people could slide along so easily."
"It didn't slide," Gill said. "It rose above the sea floor and floated to its new location."
"Gill," I said, "where are all the other Godships? What are they doing? Why are they here? Do they have people like us, visitors to Aquarius? What is their mission? In fact, what is our mission? Do you know...?"
Gill held up his hand. "Please, Gordon, no more questions until after breakfast. Then I will try to explain. Indeed, I will show you some of what we–Uruk, Gilgamesh and the other Godships–what we intend to do."
Gill pointed to a chair and we all sat. There was Shatoya, Althea, David, Susan, Gill and I as well as two other people I hadn't met. They were red-headed Caucasians, with milky white skin similar to the pallid complexion of the Ganymedians. They nodded as we sat, but said nothing. I looked over the table. It was covered in many plates containing curious items that were bluish, reddish and some a bright shade of green. They did not look very appetizing, but I noticed the jugs of rapple and I was happy. I could wash the stuff down with large swigs of that delectable juice. I looked at my place setting. There was a plate and a large three-pronged fork and nothing else. We were supposed to scoop up a forkfuls of green stuff and dump it on our plate. I looked for my glass. I had none.
"Shatoya?" I asked. "Glasses? Are there any?"
Gill raised his hand and glasses materialized on the table.
"I was being a bad host. A man's evil manners live in brass," Gill said. "My humblest apologies."
"How did you do that?" I asked. I looked at Shatoya. "I thought you were our host."
"We're inside Rookee," Althea said with a snigger.
"Aah," I said. "So mind control and dissolving walls and magically appearing foodstuff, that's Uruk at work. Since we're here, on a Godship, can I ask for a pork burger?"
"Do it," Gill said. I heard Susan chuckle.
I frowned, closed my eyes and thought seriously of a juicy pork burger with fried onions, a chocolate milkshake and crispy fries. I opened my eyes slowly. Susan was now laughing and Althea was beside herself with delight. I had my stipulated breakfast.
"Oh," Althea gurgled. "That looks so wonderful. I want some, too."
She didn't even have to think it. It just appeared before her, an exact copy of my plate. She grabbed the milkshake and began to drink.
"Oh, oh, so terrible," she said. She threw the milkshake to the floor and her plate soon followed. She began to shake with anger and her eyes flashed bright. Gill placed his hand on her shoulder, but she brushed it away. Gill looked worried. The table began to tremble and all the plates rattled. Shatoya wagged her finger and Althea slowly regained her composure. Then she lowered her head to the table and, in a moment, seemed sound asleep.
"She's in reverie," Shatoya said. "It's happening more and more frequently. I don't know why, but I think that Uruk is somehow involved. I believe our Godship is placing too heavy a burden on the young girl. I don't know what we can do." Shatoya looked at Gill, appealing.
"I
can not stop it," Gill said. "Uruk has Althea in his grasp, attempting some behavior modification...I don't understand why, for what purpose."
Althea awoke and began to cry. "Rookee, why?" she cried.
Susan ran to the Althea and wrapped her arms about the girl.
"Don't cry, Althea. Please don't cry."
Althea stopped crying and held Susan tightly.
"Rookie, please let me go," she said.
Part 8.5
After breakfast we all retired to a comfortable living area within Uruk and Shatoya introduced the two white gentlemen.
"This is Lucas," she said, pointing to a rather short fellow, quite young with curly rust-colored hair and a thin moustache. "And this is Hudson." The second gent was very old, perhaps in his eighties. His skin was chalky and wrinkled and his hair hung in thin wisps about his face.
"I am the science supervisor," Hudson said, "and Lucas is my protégé. With help from Uruk we have been able to study the necessary biological and physiological structures for gill formation. We have had some success, but the creation of such individuals has been meager–to say the least."
"Our problem," Lucas said, "has been the lack of appropriate genetic material. Our primarily black population seems inadequate for our purposes." Lucas grunted. "I feel that Caucasoid characteristics would be better suited to genetic modification. These..." Lucas paused, as though trying to select appropriate words. "These blacks are less suitable in many things," he said.
"Not true," Hudson said. "The different genetic configurations available to us allow for a variety of interesting and important fabrications. It just happens that gill structure is one modification that seems better suited to white individuals. However, we've been able to devise many excellent behavior modifications that are best suited to blacks. You may be interested to know that all our athletes are black as are all our vocal talents and, with few exceptions, most of our senior governmental appointments."
"That's because there are more blacks to vote," Lucas growled.
"Again, not true," Hudson said. "Only very junior appointments are made by popular vote. All senior appointments are made by computers which analyze personalities, temperament, emotional stability as well as mental agility."
"And all scientists are white," Lucas mumbled.