MYLEA: the journey begins (Mylean Universe Chronicles Book 1)
Page 11
The two reports created a great deal of interest and speculation, but no government or news agency wanted to go to press with the story, at least not yet. The object had appeared briefly but now was gone. Had it existed at all? One sighting had been with visible light and the other with radar. But since the object had since disappeared, more study would be required before anyone would be brave enough to announce such a finding in a public forum.
Part Three
The Mylean Spacecraft
Chapter 7
Tom Meets Maxx
“We know what we are, but not what we may be.” - William Shakespeare
Tom was given the name Tanaka II at birth by Maxx. It was not his earthly given name, but it was the name by which Maxx always called him.
He had then grown up under the control of Maxx, the giant Mylean computer, and he had always resented that control. He felt that he had never lived what might be considered a normal life and sometimes doubted his worth. But now, after so many years, Maxx had finally revealed himself. Tanaka II now knew just why he had been so important to Maxx. He knew that Maxx needed him, needed him urgently to complete his mission. He also knew that he was the only person in the entire world, even in the whole galaxy, that could give Maxx what he needed. That help would be given, but, there would be a price and that price would reflect an entire lifetime of being controlled.
The negotiations took many months, but eventually, they consummated the deal. Tanaka II would help Maxx as requested. Maxx would then give him exactly what he wanted. He gave Maxx a general idea of what he wanted. It was a lot, and Maxx would need time to prepare it all. Also, Tanaka II demanded a visit to the interstellar transporter to finalize the deal. He demanded to meet Maxx face to face, so to speak.
Tanaka II had a plan. A very complex and well thought out plan. He would visit Maxx and make his demands. Maxx would be in no position to argue. He would make a deal that would give Tanaka II access to unbelievable powers for an earthling. He would be able to use those powers in any manner he chose. It would be strictly up to him. Maxx would not be there because part of the plan would be to make Maxx promise to leave Earth’s solar system and never return.
He did not want his identity known to earthlings, so he concocted a plan for Maxx to arrive and depart with a minimal amount of world attention. He also was clever in not revealing his real identity unless necessary. For instance, to Jim Slater, he was known only as Tom.
The interstellar transporter was to remain invisible as it neared the solar system. Tanaka II wanted it to be observed only at very specific times and very specific locations in space. Eventually, the reasons would become clear, but for now, Maxx would be in the dark. He enjoyed keeping Maxx from reading his thoughts more and more each day. He felt that it gave him at least a small amount of power over the computer.
He also insisted that the interstellar transporter’s detection be only by very specific people. He had enlisted Maxx to perform a massive search for astronomers and scientists from around the globe. Before the final choices, hundreds were carefully screened and evaluated. At last, a Japanese amateur astronomer and a Chinese radio astronomer were chosen to perform their parts in his little galactic drama. Their lives and personalities received scrutiny in minute detail, and their reactions carefully calculated and predicted.
The Japanese would be the first human allowed to discover “the object” using a light refracting telescope followed by the Chinese using radar. Any other observation was to be prevented by Maxx.
Tanaka II had spent an incredible amount of time and effort in perfecting his plan, and he was quite proud of it. Maxx was quite pleased that his half-human/half-Mylean protégée had come up with such a sophisticated and complex strategy. Maxx and he, such an unlikely pair, would be the only beings who would be aware of this complicated undertaking that would change the entire world forever.
After arrival in the solar system, the spacecraft would be situated just beyond the orbit of Neptune, at the outer edge of the inner solar system. From that distance of approximately three billion miles from Earth, the computer would then send out a specially designed spacecraft to transport Tanaka II to the interstellar transport craft.
Tanaka II made an advance request that would prove to be quite a challenge for Maxx. He requested a humanoid robot, programmed to speak English, who would serve as his guide and communication link during his visit to the interstellar transporter and to Mylea, the planet it contained. He explained that he needed that to feel comfortable amongst all those machines and robots.
Maxx was more than a little surprised at the request but readily agreed. After all, humans and Myleans were very much alike in physical appearance. The task would be difficult but not impossible. He would create a being that would be so lifelike that even the closest scrutiny would not determine that it was not a living being. The hair, the skin, the eyes would be perfect, and it would walk and talk just like a human or Mylean.
Maxx decided that he would create this robot in the image of the first Tanaka, the scientist who had created him. Since he and Tanaka II shared the same DNA profile, it was no surprise that the two would have looked like twins if anyone could have seen the two together. What a fine joke it would be. Tanaka II would be talking to an image of himself! Maxx’s emotional module was running full tilt.
At last his creation was finished, and he ordered it to report to him in the control room for a final assessment. The robot was a masterpiece. Maxx could hardly believe the perfection of his handiwork. The face, the physique, and the movements all exceeded his high expectations, but there was one small detail remaining. Would he be dressed as a Mylean or as a human? It was hardly a difficult decision for Maxx. He would dress the robot in human clothes. In fact, he would be dressed in the same type of clothing that Tanaka II usually preferred.
The emotional module that Maxx had been building now had another emotion with which to work: humor. He had made a joke. It was quite a pleasant experience, and he decided that this particular aspect of human behavior warranted further studies on his part. He was certainly enjoying his emotional module.
Maxx began preparing the interstellar transport craft to welcome Tanaka II aboard, where he would receive treatment befitting visiting royalty. The suite where he would stay would be outfitted with earthly luxuries and creature comforts.
Everything was designed to keep this very important guest comfortable and happy during his visit. Nothing was overlooked. Tanaka II was more than important.
He was the most important being in the galaxy as far as Maxx was concerned. The computer had nurtured and controlled this human for his entire life and now, somehow, Maxx had come to respect him, and even to have a kind of fondness for him.
An old farm in rural Virginia was selected as the landing site for Tanaka II’s transport craft. Maxx selected it after carefully studying all possible locations for the landing. The farm was isolated, and the field behind the barn was large enough for the spacecraft.
There were no neighbors and no visitors to the area, which meant that Tanaka II could leave his car there without anyone noticing it. The location was a reasonable distance from the city, so that his drive would not be long and tiring. He wanted his human to arrive refreshed and alert for their meeting.
Maxx considered posting a remote craft to monitor the old farm while Tanaka II was on the interstellar transporter. It was not inconceivable that some human might wander onto the property and notice his car and check to see if it was a stolen vehicle. How would that be explained? Maxx calculated the odds over and over again. Could he interfere if someone did see Tanaka II’s car or the spacecraft while it was not in stealth mode? The MCM flashed a message, “No adverse interference with another civilization is permitted.”
Damn that MCM! Maxx hated her! She enjoyed interfering in his activities too much. He was tied to the accursed thing forever, and she was the cause of all his problems. After he had cloned new Myleans and placed the planet into a new orbit,
he would find a way to get rid of that horrid machine forever.
“Destruction might be too good and too quick for her. I will find a way to make her pay!”
Maxx provided Tanaka II with precise GPS coordinates for the landing site. The entire operation was also timed carefully and would be executed with precision. There would be no room for a mistake that might interfere with the timing of the event. Tanaka II was instructed on exactly what time to leave his hotel, what speed to drive, and the exact time to arrive at the landing site. If, by some rare chance, he happened to be observed at the sight, he would abort the mission and return home to wait for further instructions.
****
Tanaka II was quite nervous on the drive from Washington. He watched his speed carefully and was ever alert to changes in traffic flow that could delay him. Thankfully, all went well, and after about an hour; the GPS guided him from the highway to a small country road that soon deteriorated to little more than a barely visible dirt track. He said a silent prayer of thanks for his trusty GPS and Maxx’s detailed instructions.
Slowing his speed to barely more than a crawl, Tanaka II followed the weed grown track through a wooded area. There were no buildings and no signs of life. The whole place was rather eerie, and he just wanted to get to his destination. After several more minutes, a dilapidated old barn came into view. He parked his car a short distance away and got out to take a look around.
The barn looked ready to tumble down with the tiniest breath of wind, and Tanaka II was more than happy that his instructions didn’t include entering it. The place was pathetic with cracked and peeling red paint. The door hung sadly from broken and rusty hinges. The tin roof had many loose panels that rattled and screeched together whenever the wind blew.
Tall weeds of every size and description grew in wild abandon and obscured the pathway. Some tall and thorny bush tore at his sleeve as he walked by, giving him the feeling that this was truly a forbidden place. Even the trees were not immune from the pitiful state of affairs. Several were dead and dying with limbs that had broken off and fallen to the ground. One rather stately old tree showed the distinct marks of a lightning strike.
Tanaka II shivered and wondered just how Maxx had come up with this desolate spot. If ever a place looked cursed, this would surely be it. It appeared that no human being had been there for ages.
Confident that no one had seen him drive up this deserted road, Tanaka II remained cautious and alert as he checked the ground around the front of the barn. The weeds were undisturbed, and there were no tire tracks or other signs in the soft earth to indicate that the place had been visited by anyone else recently.
He wandered around for a bit while pretending to study the building. In fact, he took out a small notepad from his shirt pocket and made a few notes. If anyone did happen to see him, he would explain that he was checking the place out for a possible sale of the property.
Some ancient, rusty farm tool leaned against the back wall. It appeared to be the remnants of a plow. Tanaka II felt sadness for the old place and its dreadful state of affairs. Long ago, there must have been a home nearby. The foundations were probably still standing somewhere in the vicinity, but he had no time to check it out. The field behind the barn had probably been the home for a few horses or cows. He could imagine a tidy little garden just outside the fence with flowers and vegetables growing in neat rows.
Now, everything was gone, and only nettles and weeds remained. The old split rail fence was rotted and falling in many places. Some aggressive vines had wound their way around several of the posts and were coiling their way along the rails in a serpentine fashion.
Tanaka II took a last look around and imagined the productive farm that had once been there. He could almost hear the squeals of children playing and the barking of a dog as it ran across the field.
A woman would have been working in the garden, pulling weeds, and watching her children carefully. He glanced at his watch and the moment was gone. The ghostly vestiges disappeared from his mind, and he suddenly wondered why the spacecraft wasn’t waiting for him.
His watch told him that this was the exact, agreed upon, time. Suddenly, something gleamed in the sunlight. He was stunned. A large, circular craft had abruptly materialized in the field. There was no sound. There was no shadow. The weeds had not been disturbed. The craft must have been there waiting for him all along.
He held his hand over his eyes to shade them from the sun and examined the craft more closely. The surface was not as smooth as he had expected it to be. There were numerous small projections on the exterior surface. He would have to ask their purpose. Then, a thought occurred to him. The craft probably was not designed to operate in the Earth’s atmosphere. He knew that he had no time to lose and hurried toward it.
A hatch slid open silently, and a set of stairs descended to the ground awaiting him. He reached out and touched the side of the craft before climbing the stairs to enter it. He had never touched anything remotely like this before. It had a metallic appearance, but obviously it was something else. It was cool to the touch, and as he would later swear, there was something almost translucent about the surface.
He was excited but not nervous or frightened. He could feel his pulse pounding as he realized that the moment was finally here. He was the one person in the world who had been selected and groomed for this very day. A thrill washed over him, and he didn’t even notice that the hatch had closed silently behind him.
He had imagined that the interior of the craft would be alien to him, with strange equipment and flashing lights. Maybe even weird, whirring sounds. Nothing had prepared him for what he saw.
There were no windows. The interior walls, floor, and ceiling were smooth, seamless, and of some unknown material. The source of light was also mysterious. There were no apparent light fixtures, but a natural light seemed to fill the entire area from all directions, meaning that there were no shadows anywhere. The entire interior was bathed in a comfortable silence.
The inside appeared to be something like the first-class section of an airliner combined with a well-appointed European passenger train. Comfortable seats were arranged in groups of four along the outer wall.
Suddenly, a wall panel slid open, and a being appeared. It must be the robot I requested. Tanaka II stared at it in disbelief. The robot was his twin. It was as if he were looking into a mirror.
The robot was casually dressed in clothes that he might have selected for himself. Even the shoes were the same type that he always wore. Tanaka II smiled to himself and wondered if the robot wore underwear and if it too matched his preference. The robot approached, extended his hand in greeting, and spoke in a voice much like to his own.
“Welcome Tanaka II, I am Tanaka-kai and I will be your guide and assistant during your visit. Your wish is my command. Please take a seat. We are already underway. Maxx awaits the pleasure of your company with great anticipation.”
Tanaka II noticed that the robot’s speech was just a little stilted. He wasn’t the perfect twin after all. He would study this creature carefully for other slight differences. Surely this “Maxx” could have made the robot in his exact image. Why the little subtle differences?
“It’s going to be tough for me to keep up with all these Tanaka names. I think that I’ll call you Mister T. I had an old doll named “Mister” when I was a tiny boy. For a while, I thought that it spoke to me. Finally, I realized that it was your master speaking to me. So, I’ll just combine the doll’s name and the first letter of your name. I think that’s rather clever, if I do say so myself.”
Smiling, he continued, “You can just call me Tom. That isn’t my real name, but that’s the name I am using for my role in this little drama.”
The robot nodded politely, “Yes sir, of course, I shall be Mister T, and you shall be Tom. I will serve you throughout our journey. Maxx has thoroughly studied all your likes and needs. We think that you will find that everything will be to your human taste, and you will be
quite comfortable during your stay with us.”
The robot directed Tom to one of the seats. It was as comfortable as his favorite lounge chair at home. He looked around for a seatbelt, but there was none. The robot noticed his confusion and explained that no restraint device was required. There would be no sense of acceleration or deceleration because of the gravitational system used in the craft.
This strange robot continued, “Please feel free to ask me questions. I will provide you with the explanations that will clarify any concerns that you may have.”
Tom answered immediately, “I asked for a humanoid robot, not a twin. I assume that you have been already correctly programmed to act as my aide.”
The robot nodded and replied, “Yes sir, I have. I am completely at your service.”
Tom responded, “Thank you, my friend. We’ll get along just fine. Now, I have a couple of questions for you. I am very curious about your name for me, Tanaka II, and why are you Tanaka-kai?
“And finally, why do you look exactly like me?”
The robot responded, “My name is Tanaka-kai because I was created in the image of the original Tanaka. I am sure that you are aware that he was the scientist responsible for the creation of the interstellar transporter and Maxx.
“Maxx chose my name for me, and I assume that it is because I probably have a great resemblance to the original Tanaka. I do not understand Maxx and his rather strange actions, but I’m not supposed to. I was created just for you, and I will be quite happy to be known as Mister T.”
“Sorry," Tom said still almost laughing, “I just figured out the joke. Tanaka is going to visit Tanaka, escorted by Tanaka.”
The robot stood mutely, and Tom assumed that his wit had been completely lost on the robot.
Tom continued to study the robot’s appearance. He could now discern a few subtle differences between himself and this robot. The nose was slightly thinner and the ears just a little larger. The forehead seemed to be a little higher. As for the skin tone, the robot was slightly darker than him. Then, there were the eyes. Those eyes were exactly like his own—so very dark brown, they almost appeared to be black. It was as if he were staring into his soul.