The ones that were off, well, one was in an area that was definitely underdeveloped – he could dismiss that one. He could dismiss a second one as well – it had been made during a break in a storm that had pretty much hidden the entire event. The other one was in a developed area, but the language suggested that it had been made by a layman – at least Woodworth could, if he wished, view it that way.
The one that was only slightly off was in an area considered highly developed, but it was the only report from that area so maybe they had constellations that were slightly different.
He sighed. Well, he didn’t really know about the ones that were different, but he did have eighteen that were consistent. All of them pointed to what could only be G214h.
He sat back and tried to think what else might explain it. Perhaps a wandering star had just happened to align itself with G214h and it had flared. Doubtful. He wished that he could talk to the Loud directly about this. He needed to contact someone working with or connected in some way to the aliens and tell them about this discrepancy.
It had only been a fluke that he had stumbled upon this thousand year old flare up. When Nero had told him that the class could come up with one question that they could ask Bugs, he had searched the databases for the star as an afterthought. This had turned up nothing at first, what year it was classified, type, and distance and so on. But then he had searched on the constellation it was in and came across a note on the flare up. He had then done several more searches on the solar flare and there it had been.
And yet the alien Loud called Bugs had denied it had ever happened to their star or any other around it. How odd, he thought.
He looked at his watch then quickly stacked the reports and left the room, carrying them precariously. Making it to the turn-in desk without dropping them, he dropped them off, signed himself out, and rushed from the building. He was cutting it close. He had an hour and a half to get to Plymouth via train, rent a car, and then get to the conference center.
---
On any given day you would have at least twenty Loud avatars working one–on-one with the humans hammering out what items could be traded and what the exchange rate would be. This was grueling and tedious work. It seemed that the Loud were experienced in the art of trading which both helped and hampered the process.
Also on any given day, anywhere between four and twelve Loud were traveling with guides to somewhere on the planet to tour high technology centers, manufacturing plants, laboratories, computer hardware shops, software development companies, machine shops and other varied facilities of interest to them. Almost always they would suggest a number of improvements, sometimes even sending back avatar technicians to help implement these upgrades.
Then there were the invitations to the Loud to speak at lectures, conferences and other events. None had been accepted. However, Bugs had been invited to do the opening address at the 23rd Annual Symposium on Quantum Physics and had accepted. It said that it was time “to compare notes” and this event presented the perfect opportunity.
---
After the tour of the farm, Bugs had landed at the listening chamber compound in Hillcrest with Adamarus, Leewood and Harrington. Bugs’ avatar had needed a fresh power pack so while that was being taken care of, the others went to freshen up and grab something to eat before traveling 420 miles to Plymouth where the conference was taking place.
After a quick breakfast, Leewood took off. He was in charge of a tour of a large wildlife preserve in the Southern hemisphere that the Loud had requested. Only Adamarus and Harrington went with Bugs. In the hover capsule the flight to Plymouth only took about half an hour.
When they arrived, Bugs parked the hover capsule in the mobile home parking area. It was 7:15 AM – the conference would start at 8:00. It was about a half mile to the entrance and they decided to walk. The early morning sun promised a warm day, but now it was cold and a strong wind blew in from the Southwest buffeting them.
Upon arriving at the gates, they entered and waited in line to pick up their name tags and other assorted literature from tables in front of the entrance. Bugs - or rather his robotic avatar - was getting a lot of attention.
A woman dressed and tagged as someone associated with the conference hurried from behind the tables and came up to them. “Hello!” Addressing the avatar she asked, “Are you Bugs?”
Bugs answered, “Yes, I am, and with me are Captain Maximus and Dr. Harrington,” he motioned to them.
“Well my name is Lora and I’m delighted to meet you.” She offered her hand to the avatar just a little nervously and Bugs, trained by three years of video shows, took her hand but instead of shaking it, with a sweeping gesture of its other arm, Bugs bent over and pretended to kiss it. Lora turned a bright red. It was absolutely hysterical and everyone around laughed.
Bugs had not been prepared for more than some token chuckles. He leaned towards Lora and said, “Did I do that correctly?”
There was more laughter from the people close enough to hear. Lora also laughed, “Bugs, you did it perfectly – in fact, it was absolutely superb and you made my entire day!”
Bugs was still holding her hand, “Oh, good. Then, at this point, a gentleman would ask for your com number, but alas, I’m afraid it simply wouldn’t work out between us.” Again everyone who could hear laughed. Bugs released her hand and bowed. The laughter grew louder.
Adamarus leaned towards Harrington and whispered, “Bugs is sure in top form today!”
Lora turned to Adamarus, “I certainly recognize you, Captain Maximus,” again offering her hand. “It’s an honor to meet you.” Adamarus, not about to follow Bugs’ performance, took her hand and shook it once, inclining his head slightly.
She then turned to Harrington, “Dr. Harrington, I’ve read both of your books and loved them.” Harrington raised her eyebrows in surprise at this. They shook hands.
Lora turned back to Bugs, “As you’re the keynote speaker, we need to get you backstage.” She turned back to Adamarus and Harrington producing their name tags/entry badges. “If all of you will follow me.” She led them through the front doors and Bugs continued to turn heads and stop conversations.
They entered a large lobby filled with science exhibits and displays and Bugs slowed down to take them in, even stopping at several for a better look.
Soon they were led through several doors and down a long corridor to an open region that was clearly the backstage area. There Lora introduced them to half a dozen people then led them to a dressing room with Bugs’ name and a large star on the door.
Inside were a couch, a closet, and several chairs, one in front of a vanity with a large mirror. “This is your dressing room, Bugs. Normally, if you were human, this is where you’d have your makeup done and dress before going on stage.”
Time passed and finally someone from outside hollered, “We’re on in five!” Then he peeked into their dressing room – it was one of the technicians with a head set and a clip board. He seemed to be going a hundred miles an hour, but came to a dead stop when he saw Bugs. “Ah…Mr., er…Bugs?”
“Yes?” Bugs held up a manipulator as if needing to identify itself to the technician.
This small joke went right over everyone’s head. “Ah…sir…we need you on spot A1 now…I can show you.”
“Okay.” Bugs got up, and Adamarus and Harrington followed them.
The tech led Bugs to an area just off stage behind a curtain. A scuffed and worn orange circle was painted on the floor with A1 painted on it in black. Behind it was A2 and A3 but no one was on these.
The tech told Bugs to wait there until he signaled him to go out on the stage and deliver his keynote speech.
Adamarus and Harrington, seeing that Bugs was in good hands, asked where they could watch from. The tech waved to another tech and this one showed them to an area to the extreme left of the stage and told them to wait.
While they waited they listened to the host, a high ranking scientist and politician na
med Wayne Brittan. He was in the process of welcoming everyone to the conference. The tech came back with two folding chairs and they sat down.
---
Woodworth knew he was cutting it close, but he refused to look at his watch – it would only cause additional stress and there was nothing more he could do to get there any faster. Better to focus on his driving.
He reached the parking lot and decided to drive towards the entrance and park as close as possible, regardless of whether or not there was a parking space. He’d park illegally – getting there in time for the Loud’s keynote address was worth the cost of a ticket.
He took the corner a little too fast and his tires screeched. He grimaced as a parking attendant turned and gave him a disapproving look.
He drove to the end of a row of legally parked cars and pulled next to the last car. Perfect, he thought, he wasn’t too far out in the drive and it might go unnoticed. He quickly got out, locked up and jogged to the entrance.
Woodworth grabbed schedules and tags from the table and entered. As he did, he saw a clock and immediately slowed down – it had just started and he could hear that the host was still speaking. He passed by all the exhibits and entered the conference room. It was packed but a friend was saving him a seat.
Woodworth pulled out his com unit—he had heard that Adamarus would be accompanying Bugs and if he could contact Nero’s mother, Grace, he might be able to arrange a talk with the Loud while here. He searched his PDA for the number as he headed down the right side aisle heading for the front row where a friend would be saving him a seat. Finding the number, he pressed dial and got ahold of Grace after two rings. “Hello, Mrs. Maximus, this is Professor Woodworth, one of your son’s teachers from school.”
“Well, hello, professor. There’s nothing wrong I hope.”
“No, no, nothing like that. In fact, I’m up in Plymouth at the conference – I understand your husband is here with Bugs.” She indicated that was true. “I’m following up on a little mystery that has to do with the question your son’s class came up with to ask Bugs. Actually, I’m trying to find a way to discuss this with one of the Loud, or at least find someone who works with the Loud to ask some questions for me.”
“I can call my husband and see if he can help.”
“That would be great.” Woodworth had reached the first row and looked down it. Woodworth’s friend had already spotted him and was waving him over.
On the com Grace was saying, “Well, hold on then, let me see if he is answering his com unit.”
“That would be great! Tell him I’m in the front row,” Woodworth replied as he made his way to his seat.
---
Adamarus felt his com unit vibrate in his coat pocket. He dug it out and answered, “Adamarus here.”
“Hi, stranger.” Grace said.
Adamarus smiled, “Hmm…this sounds like a very sexy and mysterious woman I happen to know.” He felt Harrington look over at him.
“That’s me” she replied. “Honey, I have Nero’s teacher from school on the other line, Professor Woodworth…”
“The Professor Woodworth?” Adamarus asked.
“Yes, the one and only. Anyway, he wants to talk to the Loud – Bugs if possible — about that question Nero’s class came up with…the solar flare thing.”
“Oh, yes, I remember, the one Bugs denied.”
“That’s it.”
“Well, Bugs is about to give his speech right now—I’m not sure how long it will be.”
“Well, he said to tell you that he was sitting in the front row.”
Adamarus looked but didn’t see him. When he remembered that he wasn’t looking for an old man, he immediately spotted Woodworth holding his com unit to his ear. “I can see him. Tell you what, tell him I’m on the left side of the stage off to the side – I’ll be waving to him. Then get his number, send it to me, and I’ll call him as soon as I can.”
“Okay, love, see you later?”
“I should be home tonight.”
“That would be nice. Love you.”
“Love you, too,” he replied and disconnected.
Adamarus turned to Harrington, “See that fellow on the com unit in the front row?” She nodded. “Ever heard of Woodworth’s ten volume set, ‘The Advancement of our Species – A Historical Perspective’?”
“Who hasn’t? We were forced to read it in college. I think everyone is.” Harrington looked at the front and spotted him. “What about it?”
“That’s Woodworth.” As they watched him, he hung up and immediately looked towards them. Adamarus waved and Woodworth waved back. Checking his com unit he saw that Woodworth’s com number had arrived so he called it and watched Woodworth pick it up. “Professor Woodworth?” Adamarus asked. He listened for a moment then said, “It’s an honor to meet you as well. Can you come to us as soon as Bugs’ speech has ended? He listened again, then, “We’ll see you then,” and disconnected.
---
The host had told the audience who would be speaking, and also mentioned where restrooms, refreshments, and other things could be found. At last he was introducing Bugs and the mass of assembled scientists, politicians and VIPs all stood and began clapping and yelling. The host had a very hard time getting through the introduction.
The shiny mechanical robot that was Bugs’ avatar walked out on the stage, his metal feet thudding on the wooden floor. The applause doubled, then tripled. Bugs shook the host’s hand and as the host exited the stage, Bugs got behind the podium and waited. The applause went on and on, thirty seconds, sixty seconds—Adamarus looked at Harrington, both a little worried that Bugs might not understand, but then the applause started to die down. Looking back they could see that Bugs had raised one manipulator in just the right way to indicate that the applause should end. Finally there was quiet.
“Thank you.” Bugs said. “I am honored to be here and humbled by your warm reception.” The avatar paused and squared himself behind the podium. “It is said, or I guess” it looked down as if he were reading from something on the podium, “estimated by some, that our species is about a thousand years ahead of you in science and technology, and yet,” it looked back at the audience, “we find your species… you,” Bugs lifted both arms to indicate the audience, “to be… so very, very special, so very unique, in so many different ways. For instance, the many things you have developed that we have never even dreamed of. I refer specifically to…your music, your art, the theater and…let’s not forget video and radio shows.” This brought laughter – the fact that the Loud had for three years watched and listened to these in order to study the humans of Amular was well known.
Bugs continued, “The architecture of your cities and also the many forms of mathematics you’ve developed which, to us, seem more like art, but which express the universe around you in so many beautiful ways.” Bugs made a noise like he was clearing his throat, then leaned towards the microphone so his voice would be a little louder yet imply he was saying something in confidence, “All of it wrong, of course,” it inclined it’s head, “but beautiful.” The audience exploded in laughter. Bugs waited for it to die down. He held up his arms, “I’m kidding… I’m kidding. For the most part anyway”—more laughter.
Bugs leaned back again and stared at the audience making his tone more serious. “And so ambitious. I had the opportunity to review the five-mile high super conductive rail gun you had planned to build to hurl payloads into orbit. I also had a ring-side seat to the operation to collect iron meteors for the resources to build this vast construct. Amazing. Simply amazing. At the evolutionary stage you are at now, we were nowhere near as ambitious and creative. No – in all sincerity, I say that in these areas, it is you who are ahead of us.”
Adamarus leaned over to Harrington and whispered, “I’m astounded. Bugs is playing this audience like a symphony orchestra!”
“I know!” she whispered back.
Bugs continued, “And now that I have built you up…” there was a li
ttle laughter, “I’ll get into the ways that we are ahead of you”--more laughter.
Thirty minutes later, the 200 seat auditorium, overflowing and standing room only, was completely enthralled. They were hanging on every word Bugs uttered.
Already Bugs had drop kicked many of the cornerstones of present day scientific belief right out of the stadium. Many scientists and professors were madly taking notes while others just stared with glassy eyes. Some looked very unhappy and a few actually hyperventilating or sweating profusely. Now Bugs was about to delve into realms that were beyond imagination.
“So as you progress and begin to take knowledge directly from the fabric of our universe, scientists, like the alchemists and medicine men before them, will eventually be replaced by…well, a new discipline that we now have – but one that you have not yet created or have a name for. We shall continue to call them ‘translators’ as this is the word you have that comes closest in meaning.”
“Now…as I said, the translators extract data from the vibrations of the universe’s most elementary particle, the super speck. These vibrations contain an enormous amount of data, in fact, all of the information needed for the creation of a universe. And, as I alluded to a moment ago, if a species spreads its seed far enough, or managed in some other way to survive the extinction probability curve for planets, solar systems, and galactic extinction extents – that is to say, if the species existed for long enough, say about 500 million years – then they might have time to extract all of the data. They would know everything that could be known and thereby reach the Phi State.”
“Looking at the I-Life/Extinction Probability Chart, we get .51 species reaching the Phi State per universe. Or, assuming the theory of reoccurring universes that means one species every other universe will reach the Phi.” Bugs paused a moment to let this latest group of fantastic and mind numbing ideas sink in.
Then, having turned the finest minds of men into jelly, he proceeded to whip that into a uniform grayish slush. “But…remember,” he said, “knowing is not understanding…and so, there are several states beyond the Phi State."
Encounters 1: The Spiral Slayers Page 15