by Karl Morgan
“What has happened, Master?” Opala asked.
“I had what I thought was the most outrageous dream, but it seems it was real,” he replied. He went on to describe his visit to Lagamar Ulu and the words of the men he met. He told them how Nostu had abandoned The Accord and had become human again. He also showed them the video feed of his encounter with Eon on Stit.
“Do you believe their Hives and this thing called Source are a threat to us?” Mantarcus asked.
“It is hard to say, brother,” Vanda replied. “They were able to move our minds to another galaxy, millions of light-years away, and put us inside human bodies. Eon was able to turn my own robots against me. But these actions have been on a small scale so far. If our entire force were to attack, it might overwhelm them.”
“That is a big risk in my opinion, Master,” Mantarcus offered. “If they could transport a nuclear warhead or large plasma bomb inside one of our brains, we would die. Such devices do not need to be massive to do their job.”
“You are still a coward, aren’t you?” Vanda sneered.
“Perhaps we should combine our fleet. That should give us more of an initial push into the spiral and double our chances to overwhelm their defenses,” Opala said.
“That idea has merit. Thank you Opala.” Vanda turned to the Mantarcus robot and scoffed, “Why can’t you be strong like Opala?” Then he noticed that Mantarcus’ head was turned up and to the left. “That bastard has walked out of our meeting. I swear he will be the death of us all. Continue with your idea, Opala.”
“Master, you are due to join the first fleet in three days,” Opala began. “It will take us another seven days to complete our stockpiling of resources. Then three days to meet you. I recommend we commence the invasion of the nearest spiral in ten days.”
“Excellent! I agree one hundred percent. Each of you should contact your senior Friends and relate our new plans,” Vanda commanded.
“Master, there are others like Mantarcus among us,” Opala acknowledged, “although he was the only one at this level in The Accord. We must recognize that a few will leave us and remain with Mantarcus.”
“They are traitors to The Accord!” Vanda fumed.
“Master, I agree, but the rules of The Accord are quite clear,” Opala noted. “We are not able to interfere with the internal actions of any Friends. They make their own decisions.”
Vanda laughed. “It’s funny, you know. I wrote those rules long ago, when The Accord was only Eon, Mantarcus and me. Back then, I saw the weakness in them and knew they would try to infect me with their insipid fawning over humanity. But rules are rules and we must abide by them. Let them go to the Lagamar system and be turned into men if that’s what they want. When we arrive in that system, we will consume them as well.”
§
Lini woke refreshed and well rested. She rose from bed and walked down the hallway toward the kitchen. She found Eon sleeping at the table, with a half-full glass of brandy still in his hand. She gently took it from him and emptied it in the sink. She returned to Eon’s side and kissed him on the cheek, saying, “Good morning, sleepyhead!”
Eon opened his eyes and sat up straight. He rubbed his eyes with his hands and yawned. “Is it morning already? I feel like I just fell asleep.”
“You probably did,” she laughed. “But it looks like the wall is back in place. We just need some paint and everything will be normal again.”
Eon took Lini’s hands and exclaimed, “Bandopaz Niderak visited me last night! I had the most incredible conversation with him and G17. I wish you could have been there.”
“That’s great! I had a visitor too last night. Odo Pak is an elder from the planet Nan. He told me I need to help you understand your real nature. I’m not sure how to do that, but I’ll try,” she replied.
As Eon was about to speak, G17 rushed into the kitchen. “Master, we have another robotic visitor coming!” The robot led them outside where a shuttle was landing fifty feet from the front door. “I have summoned the guards to protect you, Master.”
A door on the shuttle opened and a ramp extended to the ground. A single golden robot walked down the ramp and started to approach them. “What do you want this time, Vanda?” Eon shouted.
“I am Mantarcus, not Vanda, old friend,” the robot said. “I only wanted to talk to you if I may.” Fifty guard robots arrived and leveled their blasters at the golden robot. “I will not defend myself, Eon. If you want to destroy this robot, you have my permission. I swear I will not harm anyone. Please let us talk.”
“What do you think, Lini?” Eon whispered.
“I think this is why we’re here, Eon. Let’s see what your friend has to say,” she replied.
“G17, tell the guards to stand down. Mantarcus, Lini, and I will meet in the library. Please bring us some coffee and cookies,” Eon said. He turned to the golden robot and said, “Come on inside, old friend.”
Once they were all seated with their coffees, Mantarcus said, “Thank you for your time, Eon. I wanted to tell you I am leaving The Accord.”
“Does that mean you want to become like me?” Eon asked.
“Well, I’m not sure what that means, exactly,” he replied. “Vanda showed us a video of what happened here last night. On the one hand, it demonstrated how sick and evil Vanda has become. If I assume that you and this woman are human, what kind of monster would do such things to unarmed people? On the other hand, it proved to me that The Accord cannot win their war with the spiral.”
“My name is Lini, by the way,” she smiled.
“My pleasure to see you again, my dear,” Mantarcus said. “Frankly, it was your words about Hives and Source that clicked in my mind. He also told us how he had been pulled millions of light-years away and put into a human body on a planet called Lagamar Ulu. That kind of power is beyond comprehension!”
“So, what are you going to do?” Eon asked.
“Well, there are a few other Friends of The Accord who will not go along with Vanda and Opala. I hope to reach out to them and find a quiet place for us to live. We have no desire to be slaughtered when we attack the spiral.”
“Why doesn’t Vanda understand he cannot win?” Lini asked. “The Source is the most powerful force in the universe.”
“You have to understand that The Accord has never faced any meaningful opposition. No civilization we have encountered could touch us. I think his desire to grow and conquer is all he can think about anymore. He’s forgotten what life is about. I would love to be just a normal man again, but that is impossible. I can’t be like you, Eon. It’s too late for me,” Mantarcus sighed.
“Eon is not a man, Mantarcus,” Lini laughed. “How could a simple man take over Vanda’s robots? How could a man summon you from your planetoid? He is much more than that! And your brain is many times more powerful. If you choose to transcend this physical plane, you will be even more powerful than he.”
“Those are fairytales for children, Lini. I am now more machine than life-form. How is anything like that possible?” Mantarcus scoffed.
“Open your mind, Mantarcus!” she exclaimed. “The universe is a lot more magical and mysterious than any of us can imagine.” She turned to Eon and took his hand. “Eon, would you try an experiment with us?”
“Every time you say that, I get scared, Lini,” Eon admitted. “I know you’re right, but I keep worrying that one of these experiments might injure you.”
“Odo told me to push you, and that’s what I’m going to do,” she smiled. “I want you to reach into my mind. I told you my friend, Elder Pak, was on Fistnan, a planet in the Lubna system. I want you to imagine the three of us on that world. Imagine Mantarcus as a man, not this machine. You have to believe it has already happened. We will close our eyes and you just do it. Okay?”
Lini felt cold and dampness and opened her eyes. She was inside a stone temple. She recognized the golden statue of Elder Paranaxis Sambolam. Eon and Mantarcus were sitting next to her on the same stone slab.
She began to laugh out loud. “What is this place, Lini?” Eon asked. “I’ve never seen it before on Stit.”
“We are on Fistnan! You did it!” she shouted and kissed his lips.
“This is unbelievable,” Mantarcus gasped. “Eon, did you do this, or was it Lini?”
“I have no idea,” Eon sighed.
Lini hugged Mantarcus and kissed him too. “I’m just a human, Mantarcus. This was all Eon. Let’s go!" She pulled them to their feet and led them up the narrow stone stairs to the surface. The waterfall stopped when they reached the top and she led them up the path toward the Elder’s home.
Inside the house, Odo Pak and Elder Paranaxis Incatum Fodo were looking at Loni Arrak on the viewscreen. “What do you mean? How can there be no life-forms on that planet? Lini has to be there!” Odo shouted.
“She and Eon were talking to a robot and suddenly disappeared. I don’t know what could have happened,” Loni reported, almost in tears.
“Okay, please relax,” Odo said. “We’ll find her. I’m heading to the temple to look myself.” The screen went black and Odo rushed to the door. He pulled it open and Lini flew into his arms. “You’re here!” He turned to the Elder and said, “Call Loni back and tell her we found Lini.”
“Odo, I did it! This is Eon and Mantarcus. Eon brought us here,” she sang.
“Excellent work,” Odo smiled. He extended his hand to the others. “It is wonderful to meet you both. Please join us for some coffee.” Eon had a confused look on his face.
§
Dave was hunched over the tomato plants, pulling weeds. Vanda blamed him for the trip to Lagamar Ulu, and no longer cared to learn more about Hives or the Source. Vanda knew The Accord was the ultimate power in the universe and would prove it in a few days. Dave did not regret the job change either. He knew Nostu was happy and others would hear about his transformation and perhaps yearn to be human again. He was thrilled not to have to listen to Vanda whine and strut about. His only regret was he could no longer look out for his friends, Margas and Zobu. He did not know if they were still in the office, or back cleaning the liquefiers.
The lunch whistle blew and he stood up to stretch his aching back. He was not a young man anymore, but he could still do the work. It had been two days since the voyage to Lagamar Ulu, but it seemed like weeks. Vanda’s vessel had joined the fleet, but they were floating in space. Something had stopped the fleet, but he had no idea why. He followed the line of workers into the mess hall, took his tray of food, and sat at an empty table. He was already becoming accustomed to the food at this level in the ship. The lower in the chain a man was, the worse the food. Farming was not a valued position, and the meal was terrible, but it was all he had. When he was about halfway finished eating, three dark gray human-like robots joined him at his table. They sat and stared at him for several moments without a sound.
“How may I serve you, Masters?” he said finally.
The robot on his left leaned in close to him and whispered, “I am Balak of The Accord. These are my brothers, Infaz and Otho. You are the one called Dave Brewster, is that right?”
“Yes, Master, that is my name,” he replied.
“Now is not a good time to talk, Dave. And this room is monitored,” Balak replied. “We would like to visit with you at the end of your shift, in the fields, if that is acceptable.”
“I will do what I can to serve you, Master,” he agreed.
“Thank you, Admiral,” Balak said. “We will see you later then.” The three robots rose slowly and walked out of the room.
Once they were gone, a thin man caked in mud from the fields came over and sat across from Dave. “Don’t trust those three, mister.” He looked about to see if anyone was watching him. Sensing nothing, he leaned toward Dave and continued, “All those damned robots want is the chance to stick us in a liquefier! If you break or bend the rules, you’re dinner.”
“I already said I’d meet them,” Dave noted.
“Well, it’s been good knowing you, buddy,” the man said as he stood and hurried away. Dave shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat his lunch with his head down. He did not want to attract any more attention to himself. Suddenly, all the chatter in the room stopped, but he did not care. Lunch was almost over and he would not eat again until he worked many more hours out in the field.
After a minute, he sensed someone near his table and he looked up to see a golden robot sitting down across from him. “How are things in the fields, Admiral?” Vanda asked.
“Just fine. How may I serve you, Master?” he asked.
“I’m afraid that video I showed you has gone viral. Somehow, many of the Friends of The Accord within this station have seen it. I know you could not do such a thing, could you?”
“Master, I am just a man laboring in the dirt,” Dave replied. “I have no access to computers or entertainment.”
“You must know that in truth, I crushed Nostu to death when we awoke from that stupid dream,” Vanda smiled.
“As you say, Master. I think it is odd that all three of us had exactly the same dream, however. Perhaps we have some spiritual linkage?” Dave grinned back.
“Like the Source?” Vanda asked.
“I was thinking more like brotherhood, Master,” Dave said.
Vanda laughed out loud. “You are a funny man, Dave Brewster. You think we are brothers, then. I miss our little chats. Unfortunately, I am quite busy with the planning of the invasion of your galaxy, as you can imagine.”
“I must apologize, Master, but as I have told you, I am an explorer, not a warrior. I have no knowledge of battle planning,” Dave said.
“Of course, it was a mistake of me to think you were a real admiral. However, I am happy to report, you are doing an excellent job pulling weeds. Perhaps that should have been your vocation,” Vanda snickered.
“Master, if my work pleases you, then I am pleased as well,” Dave smiled.
Vanda continued to laugh. “To be honest, the one thing I miss about humanity is humor, Dave. My Friends have become much too serious.”
“Master, please be careful. Too much stress can lead to a heart attack,” Dave offered.
“Ha! Ha!” Vanda laughed. “Another joke! You know I have no heart.”
“Master, if my humor pleases you, I am pleased as well,” Dave smiled. “Perhaps I can start a stand-up comedy club on the vessel for your Friends?”
Vanda stood up and glared down at him. “That’s about enough for today. This is no social call. You are forbidden from helping more Friends to abandon The Accord. If you do so, you will be next in the liquefiers, got it?”
“Of course, Master. But I have no power to convince anyone of anything, as you correctly noted,” Dave replied. Vanda raised his arm as if he wanted to strike Dave dead on the spot. Then his expression softened, he turned and walked out of the room. The alarm sounded to end the lunch break.
Chapter 20
It was dark in the fields after the work shift. Only the security lights were illuminated, and they cast odd shadows on the ground around Dave Brewster. He sat there quietly waiting for the three Friends who asked to meet him there. Knowing it was his only chance to eat dinner; he had wolfed down his food and now felt miserable for it. Half-rancid food was best taken in small bites. As he sat there in the dirt, a security drone approached and hovered over his head. Its light illuminated his face. A thin, mechanical voice said, “Humans are restricted from this area after dark. Please explain.”
Dave looked up at the bright pinpoint of light and replied, “Master, three Friends of the Accord requested to meet me here. I am only complying with their orders.”
“Very well,” the drone replied. “You may stay here another fifteen minutes when I will return. If they are not here by then, you must leave.”
“Yes, Master,” Dave said and the drone flew away. A wave of nausea overcame him and he threw up in the field. He covered the mess with a layer of dirt and collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.”
“Are you ill, Dave Brewster?” asked the voice of Balak of The Accord.
He stood as well as he could and turned to see the three dark robots approaching him. “Masters, I think I will be okay now. The food did not agree with my system. How may I serve you?”
The three robots huddled around him, and they exchanged worried looks. “Dave, we have heard the two stories of Nostu. Can you tell us which is true?”
Infaz interrupted by whispering, “Please keep your voices down. Everything is monitored, even here in the fields.”
“Infaz is right,” Otho agreed in a whisper.
“First, I should tell you a robotic drone just spoke with me. He said he would return in fifteen minutes,” Dave said.
“Then we have less than fifteen minutes,” Balak replied. “Tell us the real story, Dave, please.”
“Nostu has become a human again,” Dave told them. “Master Vanda, Nostu and I were taken to a planet named Lagamar Ulu in a nearby spiral galaxy. Nostu asked to remain there as a man, and High Priest Obu Neela agreed.”
“Thank goodness,” Balak sighed. “Dave, Nostu is my brother. I convinced him to join The Accord. I couldn’t stand to see him treated like you are now or ground up and fed to Vanda, or even worse, me. I am glad he is safe.”
“He is a very brave man, Balak. He stood up to Vanda, even though he thought it was a dream,” Dave said.
Infaz whispered, “Dave, do you think you can help us become human again?”
“Is that what you want?” he asked.
“Look at us, Dave,” Otho said. “We are in the second stage of The Accord. It was only a few years ago when we were in the first stage, like Nostu. I still remember breathing air and tasting food. I had a girlfriend too. I remember holding her in my arms and making love. All of those sensations are gone now. This isn’t living.”
“Dave, our jobs are to manage the work teams cleaning and repairing the liquefiers,” Balak offered. “I’ve seen inside a broken chamber and it’s horrifying. How can we be part of this? I used to be an honorable man, but now I am a monster.”