Greener Green I: Where Does the Circle Begin

by Peter Sowatskey

  Nerre’ blinked once and then said sticking out her hand, “I’m so pleased to meet you Rafe. We’re going to be spending a lot of time together. Now don’t get worried about your day life. We won’t be disturbing the time line of that. Did you have some of the cherry pie?”

  I must have gotten the same crumb stuck, because I was concentrating on her throaty almost hypnotic voice and was a while realizing she had asked a question. When I got my tongue untied I said, “Yes, three pieces.”

  “Oh, you didn’t. I like that so much. Maybe you have space for another piece.”

  She hooked her arm into mine and caught me up and we were walking toward the wall like old friends talking about something which I’ll never remember.

  I could eat another piece of cherry pie. We sat separate from Thelma and chatted like we were at a Café. I was going to like this. Despite having the impression, fleeting, that I was somehow not being loyal to my pregnant wife. But try as I did I couldn’t get too upset about the concept.

  We rejoined Thelma after a half hour or so. She had been sitting still in sort of a trance. She brightened when we approached and said, “Reports, God, I hate reports.”

  “I used to also.”

  “But when you get up to speed, slightly enlightened, you can help.” She said hopefully.

  “Great, that’s something to hold my breath over.”

  Thelma and Nerre’ chuckled like the co-conspirators they were, and I felt even more like the sacrificial lamb, than I had.

  Thelma said, “Why don’t we select someone for Ike and Jason now?”

  Nerre’ answered, “I suggest the twins.”

  “Good idea, they are always efficient, and perhaps Tina, to get the good doctor’s head aligned in a particular direction.”

  “I’ll collect them. Rafe should meet them. He can take along a mental likeness to help in his discussions.”

  She went off and Thelma started speaking Latin with me. She said it was to stir my brain, which to be honest I hadn’t used much since the War. I vaguely recollected an image of me reading to my wife. She had said it soothed her, especially when she had been pregnant, and when I was home on the occasional leave of absence.

  Someone coughed behind me and I turned, and immediately rose to my feet. Even then I was still looking up into two pairs of blue eyes. There was no other way to say it. These women were big in the right places with long blond hair crowning their heads. They both gave off an aura of being in charge.

  Nerre' said, “I found them in the exercise room and told them to not concern themselves that they had on such form fitting uniforms. You’re not embarrassed, are you Rafe?”

  Who the hell knew what I was, certainly not me. I licked my lips and asked, “And who do we have here?” Pointing to a small form in the background, just to let them all know I was still able to observe my surroundings.

  Thelma said, “This is Tina. Come here and shake hands so Rafe knows you aren’t a spirit.”

  She did and her gentle energy flowed through me before I could put up any barriers. The twins shook hands also saying their names and making sure I observed that Helga had a rosy birthmark on her right cheek, and Hildie didn’t. Tina came up to slightly above my waist. She was a cross between the Orient and Europe with delicate features and just an impression that she was a woman not a girl. She affected an almost fearful image with her short black hair. One had to closely observe that she walked at all so mincing were her steps. I just didn’t know how to categorize her, so I just created a special niche for her alone.

  Thelma’s voice came through despite my concentration on filing the impressions of these three women, “We have to go now, Rafe."

  Thelma addressed the women saying, "Nerre, you four set up study stations here in the mess. We’ll be back in a couple of hours, with your students."

  Turning back to me she said, "Rafe, I’ll set up the entryway so there will be a direct connection to here from the woodshed. Anyone think of anything else?”

  No one spoke so Thelma and I went to the middle of the room, got on the moving walk way and eventually got back to the control room. I gathered up my weapons and put them on, then my vest. We went up to the woodshed behind the doctor's office. I pulled my pocket watch out as I opened the door, and looked at it. Five minutes had passed since we’d entered.

  Chapter 8

  Rafe

  I said, “I suppose I’ll come to know how this time bending is possible.”

  “You’ll not only know, but be capable of such. Keep in mind that time is only a particle flow that agreement has been reached about.”

  We exited the woodshed and she flung her hand about, “Here other people are making agreements based on their considerations of how much time has passed. The consensus results in an agreed upon time placement working away from some fixed, by another agreement, point in space/time. You’ll get it. Main point is that if you don’t agree, you’re not forced to participate, result; you have your own time continuum. Later, later, you’ll get it. Meanwhile, let’s get these recruits into training. We’ve got four in the afternoon here now. Go round up everybody for supper at seven at our place. Go, go.”

  I went and did as ordered and we were all seated for supper at seven and looking at a meal of heaping platters of beef shavings and mashed potatoes and gravy and canned peas. There were canned pears for dessert. The Doctor had brought his whiskey bottle along but hadn’t been a problem. He wasn’t sharing his whiskey so I opened two bottles of wine. He held his glass up so I guessed that he wasn’t partial as to his alcohol’s source.

  We ate heartily, sharing comments and news about who had arrived lately. Gradual realization grew about how many, who the hell knew how many, people were on the road to this place. Someone came to one of us and asked for stake money to send to someone they thought about, and we doled it out no questions asked. Maybe we should have kept an accounting but we figured we’d had better things to do.

  After dinner, we drank coffee and a gentle buzz of inconsequential conversation took place. I almost didn’t want to do so, knowing my announcement would bring to an end their age of innocence, but I did tap on an empty wine bottle with my fork and say, “I have something to say.”

  Jason said, “I knew it would be along, the other shoe. Are we going to like this?”

  Ike interjected, “Of course we won’t, but I knew, too, that eventually we’d be presented a bill.”

  The Doctor made to stand up, but suddenly the air went out of him, and he slumped back into his seat, not even reaching for his whiskey.

  I opened my mouth to continue but Thelma interrupted, "Ladies, why don’t we go into the parlor and let the men get on with their business.”

  They left, I said, "We’ve known all along that here is not where we grew up. Always known, that other rules held sway here. It’s time to learn those rules.”

  Jason and Ike silently accepted my pronouncement. The Doctor asked, “Any chance I might be excused, and just go back to the saloon?”

  “No chance.”

  He asked, while pushing the almost empty whiskey bottle away from him, “What’s the piper's price?”

  “Eternity. Come along, off to the woodshed.”

  Everybody, even the Doctor, laughed, and stood and followed me to the shed. I shut the door when everyone was inside and the descent began. Not to the control room now, but we arrived in the mess, with the ladies standing relaxed to greet us.

  I said, “Doctor, you’re to go with Tina and she will explain.”

  She took his hand and led him away. As he was alertly looking about, I figured he wasn’t totally in shock.

  Nerre’ said, in that husky voice, “I’ll get everyone a piece of cherry pie and a glass of milk. Always good to have a glass of milk to end a meal.”

  Helga and Hildie evidently made some agreement between themselves because Helga stuck out her hand to Jason, “I’m your instructor. Hildie will work with Ike. You don’t need to say anything, just list your qu
estions, and we’ll answer them during breaks, ten minutes every hour. Your hours.”

  Nerre’ came back with the pie and milk. While we ate, I told Jason and Ike, “Thelma has explained the nature of what we’ve been shanghaied into, or as much as I could understand. We are on a ship some 500 miles long by 200 miles wide.” At their incredulous looks I continued.” Yes, it doesn’t seem real to me either, but in light of what all else has happened, we’ll break out the surveying equipment later. We, and the doctor, who I expect will be instructed in what doctors do on this scow, are going to be explained things. In detail, what I don’t exactly know, but I’m going to place myself in Nerre’s hands and do what she says.”

  Jason asked, “Our wives?”

  “Thelma is talking with them, not to worry. Our Earth life on the prairie will go on uninterrupted, as we’ll step out of time and be put back into time, there, with a little gap in between. I know, I know, just go with the stream. One other thing, evidently according to their medical knowledge, when a woman is two months pregnant, no further penetrating sex should take place. So we have to, or not, make some accommodation with the ladies present now. I’ll leave the details up to you two. I don’t want to know them.”

  Jason and Ike, to their credit, didn’t immediately salivate and express joy, but like the good soldiers they were, I could see them accepting the news. A sort of personal giving and receiving took place between them and the twins, and I knew the pregnancy accommodations weren’t going to be a problem.

  I continued, “We’ll start right now. I know we’re all at the end of our personal day,. but we can get started anyway. I suppose we have a place to sleep arranged?” I looked at Nerre’ questioningly.

  “Of course,” she said, addressing me. “You’re to be the Executive Officer, and turning to Jason and Ike, “You’re to be First Lieutenants, so naturally you have quarters, which you’ll be taken to whenever you say.”

  We accepted that and Nerre’ continued, “If there are no further points to cover now, I’ll gather the dishes and we’ll get on with your awakening.”

  Jason and Ike made sour faces, but they stood and walked away on the arms of their future.

  Nerre’ came back and said, “They’ll do well. The twins are excellent instructors and they won’t give them too much at once. Keep a secret?”

  I nodded.

  “The birthmark, it changes at will.”

  We both laughed and arm in arm walked along to the point at which I was to be reborn. I knew better this time; and I was going to make it come out like I wanted it to.

  Chapter 9

  Thelma

  I herded Marilyn and Louise into the parlor shutting both sets of doors behind us. Sitting at the card table I motioned both of them to seats and said, “It’s not going to be bad. In fact, eventually, it’s going to be very good. All three of us are expecting and what I want you to believe, above all else, is concern for the welfare of our children. Can you accept that, Louise, Marilyn?”

  They both nodded their heads and Marilyn, probably because of our closeness as nurses spoke, “We’re sure,”

  Louise nodded, “We're sure that you have our best interest at heart. What is it that you want us to do?”

  “Learn, that’s all there is to it. It will be fun. We have methods way beyond what you’ve ever been exposed to.”

  Louise asked, “Who’s we?”

  “They escape labeling, but for conversations sake let’s call them Elders. Elders, who give you all of time and space to grow, make your own mistakes. Who knows, only them, whether you’ll ever meet one, and even then you won’t, most likely, know that you did. I’ve been given many resources and a mission vital to our planet, Earth. I’ll tell you in much detail, but later, when you’ve learned enough to know distantly what I’m talking about.”

  Marilyn observed, “We’ll just have to trust you. What’s first?”

  “First take me at my word when I tell you that we control the flow of time. We’re going to go to a place for a month, and come back here about a half hour from now. You’ll be alive there, just like here, and our babies will continue to develop. Fortunately we haven’t mixed much with the folks here, so most likely no one will notice our different belly sizes. If so we’ll deal with it later. We’ll go now. You don’t need to take along anything. It’s all there already.”

  We went out to the woodshed through which the men had already passed and down to the library. I figured that would be an easier place to start with, compared to the Med Deck. They looked around the quiet, nicely furnished reading room, and aside from the Correction Couches and the display monitors it was the same as they’d expect in any library.

  “These oval surfaces that you see about will show you pictures when you know how to ask them which picture you want to see. The comfortable couches you see about are for learning too. We’ll go into them later. First I want you to meet your assistants, Stan and Eve and Willard and Joan.” indicating two slender tall couples who looked too much alike to not be related.

  “Louise, Stan and Eve will help you and Marilyn, Willard and Joan will help you. You’ll be in the library for two weeks and then Louise you’ll be introduced to the different sections that collect data for here, and Marilyn you’ll be working with me on the Med Deck. You have quarters off the library, which connect. You’ll get to those in a moment. In between those, are a kitchen and dining room where you’ll eat. Your assistants will cook and do the dishes.”

  That last got a hearty laugh from the six of them, but for different reasons. We seven started a tour of the surroundings and when we got to the bathrooms, there were the most oohs and aahs, sunken tubs, running cold and hot water, massage tables and hidden things I didn’t bother to point out. An easy conversation grew among the six of them. I knew it would. The assistants had been given special instructions.

  Eventually I said, “I have to go attend to other things. I’ll be back now and then. You two can call on me at any time.” Louise and Marilyn weren’t concerned by my departure.

  I went to the Central Control Room and worked my way around the positions, fifty one of them, just to make sure in my mind that I remembered how to perform at every station. I guess I could have had fewer, it was my choice, but I had gone along with this design and not made any design changes on Ark I, II, III, or IV which was still under construction. Now I needed fighter/escort ships, and escorts for the escorts, which was why I ordered up green tea and relaxed on the circular couch, which had leg supports, and mentally searched the data base of the Seed Ship. When I came across a good design I compared it against my two hundred years of fighting space battles.

  Sure, I hadn’t been solely engaged in battles for all of two centuries, but I’d been recuperating from such, or preparing for such most of that time. There had been some times of play, even more intense, and enjoyable for their limited duration. My mind wandered through some of the men I’d known, and the mock-up of a deep space ball type fighter disappeared from in front of me. No, No, can’t titillate and work. I reoriented on the problem at hand and the computer faithfully reproduced the images in 3-D, skeleton zed, as I thought of them. I couldn’t definitely decide.

  Several cups of tea later I pulled the ball design out of the archives again and looked at it in minute detail. The ball concept was assuredly the most efficient because it didn’t care which direction it was going. The drawback was no living form could withstand the vector changes without massive inertia dampeners, which decreased the weight/fuel efficiency. So it would have to be controlled by telepathy, which begged the question of jamming, and on and on. Maybe I would do five percent of the fighter force manned despite the drawbacks.

  I went into my ‘create’ trance and my bodily support system closed in around me. Two weeks later, I came out of my trance--hungry as Hell--and the questions were resolved. We were going to have ball fighters, bigger ball fighter launch ships, balls themselves, and some ten mile long Rail Gun carriers for the launch ships. The ca
rriers were to be crewed and self sufficient. The Arks all had a sufficient complement of inter/outer atmosphere capable ships for protection, which were highly aerodynamic. But the battle I was preparing for wasn’t going to be fought primarily on a planet or near a planet. Mostly because no planet would stand up against the energies involved.

  Time to see how the training had gone, “ENTIRE NERRE’ ONE GROUP REPORT TO CONTROL ROOM 2300.”

  The acknowledgements came back in assigned order. Two hours would be time enough for a juicy steak and baked sweet potatoes, oh yummy, and some greens, and what the hell, a flagon of wine.

  Nerre’ was the first to enter the control room. Protocol gave her five minutes alone with me before the rest arrived. I showed her the mock-up of the fighter I’d chosen.

  She said, “If we shift telepathy bands in a scheduled format it should work, going to have to have preprogramming, and a safety destruct if someone overrides the controls. Who are we going up against?”

  “Can’t say yet. Look at it for me. Assume they know all we know as a starting point, report due in two weeks; involve your team.”

  The rest of them entered while she was saying, “Will do.”

  “Stan and Eve, you report first.”

  Eve said, “Marilyn is developing within parameters, better, more complete sense of self.”

  “Fine, What about Louise?”

  Willard answered, “Same, and the babies of both are within normal parameters.”

  “Again fine. Start telepathic reassurance at five months as usual.”

  “Nerre’, what about Rafe.”

  “He’s one in a million, or better. He’s back through fluent Greek, which he knew a bit before and starting on Hebrew.”

  “That’s excellent. After Hebrew start him on Akkadian. If he doesn’t falter after that, start him on Basic Language. If he can absorb that without Addition he’s one in a trillion.”

  “What about our good Doctor, Tina?”