The moment barely settled down before the cruiser took another evasive move, throwing everything to the left. Both women scrambled to keep chairs and benches from tumbling. Once it was evident no furniture avalanche was imminent, chuckles developed. Soon something like chortles developed, and Alexa couldn’t stop an edge of desperation. When a long, low howl came from the compartment beside them, she burst into laughter, Edith right along with her. Several decibels of yip, yipping from the safety pod on the other side reduced them both to helpless guffawing. Alexa struggled to keep from falling off the bench. Both women ended up holding their sides.
Finally they ran out of breath. After working through her hiccups, Alexa noticed Edith also wiping tears from her face. Soon momentary smiles flitted across their faces, as they rearranged themselves and listened to the nearby hound sounds.
Edith was the first to speak. “When were you attacked by a robot?”
After recounting the ordeal, Alexa said, “I’m not entirely sure why it wanted the crystal, or why people have been so intent on stealing it.”
This caught Edith’s attention. “People? As in numerous?”
Alexa nodded.
“For the little crystal? Don’t get me wrong. I had my doubts on whether it helped.” The woman gazed at her shoes for a few moments, then waggled her head. “But perhaps it did.”
Something jogged the ship, an impact similar to being sideswiped by a large object. Metal screeched and the artificial gravity faltered for a moment, prompting worried yelps and barks from the canines on both sides. Thankfully, the force resumed its reassuring pull toward the floor.
Edith, bless her, seemed barely fazed and joined Alexa in an indulgent smile at the sounds coming from the adjoining rooms. Then she glanced up at Alexa with a shrewd look of speculation. “Forgive me, dear, but you must have some idea about the value of this crystal. You are in possession of it, and had a theory about what it might do.”
Alexa switched her gaze from Edith to the wall in front of her and swallowed. “All I know is that it is a key or locator for Ceres. Someone told me the bigger one was capable of structuring profound changes, on many levels.”
The complexity of who could know which details was overwhelming.
Before her father died, she was able to ask herself a yes/no question and the most immediate response inside her mind would be correct. For fun during those years she proved it to herself many times. “Can I trust this woman in front of me?” came into her mind before she even intended to form the query. Yes, came the immediate reply inside her.
Okay, leap of faith. “The whole story is complicated and not terribly believable.”
“That kind of story suits me fine,” said Edith.
Not surprising, Edith was reluctant to believe Alexa came from the twenty-first century. But once they got past that hurtle, she asked, “Is your little crystal from Atlantis? If I remember correctly, Adalans was all about crystals.”
“That might be logical.”
“How did you come to have it?”
“It was given to me on Earth before we were transported, to deliver to my fiancé.”
“Fiancé?” Edith appeared taken aback. “You mean Pearson?”
“Not Pearson.”
“Forgive me dear,” said the woman, “I thought the two of you connected in some manner.”
“No,” said Alexa, shaking her head. “No.” Disbelief at her protestations became apparent on the woman’s face. “I am engaged to Armstrong MacPhearson, from my own time. And I intend to marry Mac. Right after I hand over to him this silly crystal.”
Edith smiled, at once tolerant and skeptical. “All right, I understand.”
After a bit of quiet, Alexa caught her head from dropping into the dozing position. She opted to lean it on the wall.
“How?” Edith remarked, as if something was impossible.
Alexa snapped open her eyes, to find the woman contemplating her.
Edith continued, “How do you think you can accomplish the feat of going back in time? Will you look for the same situation that brought you forward?”
“We understand it won’t work,” said Alexa. She hesitated. More trust. “This is private. However, it comes down to finding a man known as SivSatyananda, who was last seen on Earth.”
Alexa watched a guarded look manifest on Edith’s face, right before the woman looked down, evidently absorbed in a study of her hands.
About five minutes passed before the woman spoke again. “Did you wonder if you could trust me, before telling me your story?”
“Well, yes,” said Alexa. “Not because of you, more because of the situation.”
“Why did you trust me?”
Alexa tried, and failed, to come up with an explanation of her decision process she would be willing to share. “Instinct.” A dog barked and its human made a shushing sound.
“Yes, that’s also the best reason I have for me to trust you.”
This time, it was Alexa’s turn to raise her eyebrows. She decided to wait, and allow.
After a moment, Edith continued. “Me being on this cruise is not an accident.”
Alexa’s pulse quickened. Good grief, does she also want the crystal?
“My husband sent me on a tour to see if I might detect,” Edith brought her eyebrows together, “a current of ill-will regarding a new Head of Planet.” Alexa must have appeared confused because she explained, “The leader of the most-recently discovered habitable planet has received threats. More than would be usual, and from an anonymous though credible source.”
Alexa gestured with her hand, to say please continue.
“The group’s speedy success at locating this planet has dominated much of the news lately.” As in, of course you know about this. “Nevertheless, few people realize the Head of Planet, a Mr. P.N. Sharma, is the public figure for someone else. Even fewer know whom.
“My husband and I found it curious the group wanted to keep the identity of ‘this person’ secret, and that they were able to do so was nothing short of astonishing. Their concerns were explained, however, when specific threats began to surface, in ways that cannot be ignored.”
“Beyond being interested as someone who watches the news,” said Alexa, “how is it your husband and you know about this?”
“My husband is a ranking detective in the Earth portion of the League of Planets,” replied Edith.
“So,” Alexa said, inviting more explanation.
“It is his job to keep ‘this person’ alive and safe. A task made rather difficult considering sometimes he disappears for varying amounts of time. Actually disappears. As in, not figuratively.”
“Huh, even in my time satellites were able to track finer and finer detail,” said Alexa.
“The location of everyone and everything,” said Edith, “can be pinpointed at a moment’s notice, a fact resented in many circles.”
Both women were startled when three knocks, two knocks and then one sounded at the door. From the main room, dogs barked, happy to be let out. When Edith opened the door, a grinning Pearson stood there. “A small fleet is on its way to escort us to the space station above Earth. The pirates slipped away unfortunately, though not before taking a severe beating.”
Chapter 30
It took longer than Alexa would have thought for the cruiser to power to Earth’s main space station, almost three days. This gave her time to research newly discovered planets, their governing councils and the locations of key people. She also arranged for a flight to Earth for the three of them.
Rachel and Donny spent their time together. Alexa and Edith lunched with each other once, during which they traded contact information, at least what Alexa could offer: her telephone number. Edith said, “I do hope you will be successful in your quest, my dear. But in case.”
Pearson made himself scarce, except for the time he appeared next to her in the dining room to verify the word of a particular blue cart-bot. On the first day after the attacks, Alexa spun sudd
enly on that robot and yelled, “Stop following me!” The bot had replied in a monotone voice, “Captain Pearson requested to protect you.”
Arrival at Earth’s space station occurred during their night shift. The next morning, Alexa went to the Viewing Deck. She stood close to the window and gazed at the big blue and white marble hanging in space. A lump rose in her throat. In reality, she’d been absent from her beautiful planet a few weeks. Still, it did feel like hundreds of years.
This space station was a great collection of spheres in different sizes. Some gigantic, others barely larger than a house. People-size and machine-size tubes connected them. Exterior windows were randomly placed, as were access points into the station.
Some ships docked outside the two biggest spheres, a far bit away from huge openings through which other ships zipped in and out. Liners and tiny fly-abouts whirled busily around the station before zooming away. Some craft appeared to aim at the Moon, others headed straight “up” out of the solar disk toward the wormhole. Most made a space-bee-line toward Earth. Their own sizable cruiser seemed a mere blip as it drew closer and closer to one of the larger spheres and passed through a huge orifice into an immense hanger.
Later in her room Alexa was packing her small roll-on with it propped open on the bed, when two quick knocks sounded at her door. A few moments earlier, Rachel had come by to verify their plans including what to wear onto the station.
“Come in, Rach,” she said over her shoulder. The door opened slowly.
“Hello,” came a male voice. “How are you?”
Alexa spun to find Pearson, looking handsome. “Hello there.” She was struck again by how he resembled Mac, despite the long hair. “I’m good, thank you. Happy to see Earth. And wondering what to do next. After packing, of course.” He remained at the door.
“Come in, please.” She thought to offer him tea from her breakfast. Useless to him. Instead she cleaned off the one seat in the room and gestured toward it. “What are your plans?”
“My transport from Adalans,” he said, “the one carrying your plane, arrived two days ago. I will join it for the time being.”
Alexa smiled at the thought of the plane. Then to fill the awkwardness, she said, “Thank you for the protection during the last days.”
Pearson inclined his head. “You are welcome.”
“It worked, on the whole. My room was searched once, I think. Small telltale signs were evident when I returned from lunch one day. And our dear Mr. Corcoran seemed to be nearby a lot.” I am prattling. “However, because of the protector you assigned to me there was no actual trouble.”
“Good.”
She pointed to the door. “Would you mind if I shut this?”
Pearson looked to the portal then back at her and briefly nodded.
“Thanks.”
After closing the door, she considered where to sit. The bed wasn’t appropriate, so she dropped into a cross-legged position on the floor, against the wall. She took hold of a red-gold curl and began wrapping it around her forefinger. “Also, thank you for protecting me from detection by robots before the three of us squeezed into the storage closet.”
“You are welcome.”
Alexa tried to figure out how to ask her questions. “A few days ago during the first attack, when you put me into this pod. And you stayed outside the oxygen environment and were able to function normally.” Pearson’s expression became guarded, then he looked down and over toward the door. “The logical conclusion is.” Alexa smoothed her sleeves. “That, you are.” No doubt about it, she found it exceedingly difficult to define this person sitting in front of her as a machine.
Pearson did it for her. “A robot.”
Alexa opened her mouth to respond, and closed it again when she found she didn’t want to confirm the reality with words. Instead, she nodded. Geez, that was horrendous.
He opened his hands in front of him. “I was made for a special purpose.”
A wry smile flitted across her face. “As we all are, in my understanding.”
His face mirrored a smile back to her. And she felt a flutter of attraction. How can I? And also be true to Mac? Pained and confused, she leaned forward and blurted, “Are there many similar to you? Do I need to wonder whether every new person I meet is human? Or not?” Could I have been any more crass?
Pearson took it in stride. “All indications are I am unique. However, your concern is not uncommon. To the point that on some planets I am illegal. If certain authorities knew how to identify me, I would be hunted down, captured and disassembled.”
Alexa fell against the wall. “That’s. Just. Shocking.”
Pearson made a hand gesture of acceptance. “Humans prefer to know what they are dealing with. Besides, the potential for danger from a robot gone rogue, and undetected, is quite real.”
She cringed and admitted, “You need to be aware that Rachel and Donny know about you. I asked them to keep your secret. They said they wouldn’t mention it to anyone.”
Pearson angled his head, indicating his gratitude.
“I don’t believe Mrs. Holmes-Fong knows,” said Alexa. “Nevertheless, right after you left the closet she said ‘something is up’ with you.”
He laughed. “I generally am able to tell whether I would be in danger from any specific person, and that is not the case with the genteel Mrs. Holmes-Fong.”
They both smiled; tiny, polite. Bells sounded in the distance.
Pearson asked, “What are you planning, for your time on Earth?”
Again the issue of whom to trust. Since Pearson had protected her time and again, it would seem trusting him would be a safe bet. Wait, said her internal sense. “I will visit some,” how to put this, “old haunts, including where I lived the last time I was on Earth. And search for certain people.”
Pearson nodded, “I am much familiar with Earth and have many contacts who are happy to help while keeping their questions to a minimum. I would be happy to be of assistance.”
“All your attention has been pretty remarkable.” She gave a tiny shake of her head. “In fact, I don’t understand why you’ve been this generous with your time and resources.” She gazed up at him. “Why? Why have you been so supportive of me, a stranger?”
“We are not strangers.”
Alexa narrowed her eyes. “We were before you purchased the airplane. Yet you went out of your way to pay an extraordinary price for it, and added much more toward the cost of this cruise.”
He peered at her quizzically. “Can you not guess?”
With no idea, she spread her hands.
Pearson developed the thinking look and spoke slowly. “I have emotion programs. Quite sophisticated programs.”
Alexa nodded hesitantly, indicating him to continue.
“But I am not always certain every emotion traversing my circuits is due to programming.”
Alexa screwed her eyebrows, trying to understand.
“In other words, despite the theoretical limits for machines it may be possible for human-like spontaneity of feelings to develop.”
Startled, Alexa sat up straight. “Do you mean, you are attracted to me?”
Pearson was quiet for a moment. “When I first saw you, every aspect of my structure began to sing.” His face softened. “And it continues.”
Tears came to Alexa’s eyes. “That is the sweetest thing I have ever heard.” But I am promised to Mac. Alexa drew a deep breath. “You should know that I have a quest I must pursue.” She looked at her hands. “And I have promises I must keep, or at least try my utmost to fulfill them.”
“And if you would allow me to help you, in every manner I can, I will be content.”
Transfixed, her eyes locked with Pearson’s. But he is a robot.
A cough from the public address system interrupted the moment and both of them switched their focus to a point in the middle of the room, waiting for what voice would come next. The ship’s captain spoke, loud and clear, “Ladies and gentlemen, I am deeply plea
sed to announce we are docked at Earth’s main space station. Representatives from each country and planet as well as from our cruise line, wait at the gate to assist everyone with travel details. This fine ship deserves a good long time for rest and repair. Thank you all for your fortitude during these trying times.”
Alexa scrambled up from the floor. They both reached for her bag and his hand closed over hers. A wave traveled up her arm, through her chest and to her gut. After catching her breath, Alexa glanced up to find Pearson staring at her with what looked to be the same intensity she was experiencing. She swallowed and switched her gaze to their hands—his enveloping hers. He must have thought she had a problem with the situation, which the rational part of her did though the primal part of her did not, because he slowly let go and pulled away. The primal part of her missed his touch, while her mind wondered how such animal magnetism could be shared with a machine. What is the term? Cognitive dissonance? Yeah, that’s it.
“We should get you to the dock,” he said.
Outside the ship’s door, Rachel and Donny waited for her, chatting with the ship’s captain. Various groups on the dock spoke with their various administrators, judging from the similarities of clothing and hand gestures.
“Hey, Alexa,” said Rachel. “There’s a dance contest going on in the station, using music from the Twentieth Century.”
“You’re kidding, that century? What an incredible coincidence.”
“I thought we’d check it out, after I see if I can sell the Times.” Rachel held up the plastic bag she’d continued to keep the newspaper in. “Maybe closer to Earth, the value would be higher.”
Alexa was nodding in agreement when Donny walked to the group after saying goodbye to the guy with whom he played handball. “They say people are dressing in costumes for this dance contest. You think we might manage?”
Donny continued to favor his old clothes. Alexa recognized his under-shirt as one he wore the morning they took off from Florida.
She wore her cargo pants from that day because they always proved useful, particularly when traveling. She’d opted, however, for a new, less-silky blouse. All of Rachel’s attire was from the current century. “Except for our fashionista here, I bet we’d fit right in.”
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