Exiled to the Stars

by Zellmann, William

  Susan smiled. "Oh, I think he'll be one now. We had a little chat, you see."

  "Oh?" A slow smile spread over Rena's face. "I'll bet that was interesting."

  Susan's smile widened and she nodded. "Most fun I've had in years." She sobered. "Anyway, I think he'll be a serious researcher now." She told Rena of her meeting with Andre. "So, you see," she concluded, "the two of you are in sort of a race. He's starting from behind, but I'd be very surprised if he wasn't checking your research on the 'net as we speak. And whatever else he may be, he is a brilliant mind."

  Rena's smile didn't waver. "I'm not worried. I don't post all my notes to the 'net, you know, Mistress."

  Susan nodded. "So, tell me about your work."

  Excitement flared in the brown face. "Well, Doctor, There are two things we must learn about the system. First, we have to find the 'on' switch. Right now, we're trying to feed them different types of power, but we've been getting no results. We don't know whether it's because we're feeding them the wrong kind of power, or simply because the thing is switched off. If we knew it was actually 'on', we'd know we just need to isolate the power that it responds to. We've been moving every control, one at a time, to try to locate the 'on' switch."

  She paused. "Actually, Mistress, I've been planning to ask the Administrator to let me move my lab up to Site One. We know the alien power is available there, and we don't know whether it's available here. We've certainly never detected it. Our whole problem may simply be that we have no source of the right type of power. And we know the ones up there are 'turned on'. If I could get my hands on one of them it might be a simple matter to isolate the power it's receiving. But Doctor Koh won't let anyone remove one of those, or even examine them closely. I think he's afraid we might cause an explosion, or shut something down that we can't restart."

  Susan frowned. "Rena, there are only about a dozen researchers up there. It's pretty primitive. Oh, they have domes now, instead of tents, and a good-sized solar array. And Angel tells me they're erecting a wind generator. But still, there are few people, and all of them are working to figure out the power system."

  Rena nodded. "I know, Mistress. But I think it may be important. Besides, I'll be able to keep up with the power research. That alone should keep us from going off into blind alleys." She shrugged. "I think it's obvious that the tablet things run on broadcast power, and I'm sure Doctor Koh's people have been searching for the right spectrum and frequency. Who knows? They may press a switch that activates one of the tablet things downstairs, or in another building; but that won't do us any good if no one is there to see it." She shrugged. "For all we know, that may already have happened! We need at least one researcher on the spot."

  Susan nodded. "All right, you've sold me. Gather your samples and equipment, and I'll arrange for transportation."

  "Oh, yes, Mistress!" Rena jumped to her feet.

  "Calmly, Doctor, calmly. Take your time and make sure you have everything you'll need. I'm bringing Dr. Koh down here to talk with me, and you can ride back up with him. It will be at least tomorrow, and perhaps the day after."

  Rena stopped, took a deep breath. "Yes, Mistress." She paused. "Don't worry, Doctor Renko. We'll find the key. And it won't take us twenty years, either. Despite Doctor Andre Benton's thumb-fingered 'help'."

  Susan wasn't looking forward to her meeting with Angel Koh. She'd known him since he was a boy. He'd been a friend of Ron Creding's, and since Ron and Elaine were practically inseparable, Angel had been a frequent visitor at the Renko house.

  Angel had been a serious-minded, introverted young man, and both Susan and Vlad had liked him. They were unsurprised when Angel chose to continue his studies, despite his parents' objections, and they'd shared his pride and happiness when he completed his first doctorate. By then, of course, Ron and Elaine had become Explorers, and the inevitable distancing had occurred. Susan had watched from afar as Angel became one of the colony's best-known scientists, but she had begun to notice a problem even before she'd been appointed to her new position.

  Susan's current research had only confirmed her suspicions. Angel was very intelligent, and a skilled researcher, and his pleasant personality had much to do with his advancement. But he was also unimaginative and plodding. Angel would wring every microgram of information from a sample, but he would not be the one who figured out what to do with the information. As Ken had said, "his 'progress' is taking measurements and adjusting decimal places." Angel's temperament showed that he belonged in a lab, not running a research project.

  Susan knew she was going to have to remove him from command of the power project, and demote him; get him back in a lab where he belonged. She had already called Wen Ho Jackson back from the city. While not quite as good at detailed research, Wen showed the type of imagination she admired in Vlad. Instead of simply measuring and weighing a sample, Wen would wonder what it was for, and what could be done with it. His 'matter transmission' idea had caused so much friction that Angel had been happy when Ken sent Wen-Ho to the city, despite their friendship. Susan knew that type of imaginative thinking was what was required, not simply weighing and measuring.

  But she owed it to Angel to talk to him before Wen got back, so she had asked him to come down from Site One. Angel bustled into her office, a concerned look on his broad face. "Oh, Doctor Susan! I'm so sorry!" He took both her hands in his. "You know how much Doctor Vlad meant to us, and to me."

  Susan nodded, smiling. "Thank you, Angel." She ushered him to a seat. "Doctor Koh…" she began, but he didn't let her finish.

  "Doctor Koh? Please, Doctor Susan, I've been 'Angel' since I was six!"

  Susan nodded and smiled. "Of course, Angel. You know I've been appointed to head up the Alien Technology investigations, of course."

  Angel bobbed his head, smiling widely. "And I was delighted to hear it, Doctor Susan. No one deserves it more, and you need something, now that Doctor Vlad…" His voice trailed off and he flushed.

  But Susan merely nodded. "Thank you, Angel. Tell me about your project." Angel started to reply, and Susan continued, "I'm not the Council, Angel. I don't want to hear that you've refined the angstrom count of the red light. The truth, please. I think you're stalled. Are you making any real progress?"

  Angel frowned, and then sighed. "Not really, Doctor Susan. It's true, we have refined our measurement of the intensity and shade of the red light, but we still don't know where it comes from. It seems to emanate from the walls of the buildings themselves.

  "And before you ask, Doctor Susan, no, we have not found the source of the power, unless it's that thing we found months ago. But we haven't come up with a protocol I consider safe enough to investigate that. At the moment, we're walking from the cavern walls to the central building with detectors, checking for minute variations that might give us a clue. But nothing that we've tried has given us a lead to a possible source."

  Susan nodded. "You look tired, Angel."

  Angel smiled tiredly. "You have no idea. The constant pressure, the trips back here to try to explain to the Council that they can't expect overnight results…"

  "How would you like to get back into a lab?"

  Angel smiled disgustedly and shook his head. "Doctor Susan, I would kill for the chance to get back to lab work. As you say, we're stalled up there. I'd be happy to resign, if you wish. Maybe get a fresh mind with fresh ideas…"

  Susan smiled. "I don't think we'll need to be that drastic. But, Angel, I'm afraid I will be replacing you as Power Team Head. I'm really very sorry. It will mean a demotion and a small pay cut, but it will get you back into a lab, where you are happiest."

  Angel shook his head. "Doctor Susan, I would live on the basic subsistence if it would get me back into a lab and out of all these Council meetings and trips back and forth."

  Susan nodded. "All right, Angel. I'm calling Wen Ho back from the city. I'm going to appoint him head of the Power Team. Meanwhile, you get back up there and get yourself set up in a lab."

/>   Angel's smile was excited. "Oh, yes, Doctor Susan! I'll get everything ready for Doctor Jackson." His smile turned savage. "Let him have the headaches for awhile. He certainly deserves it!"

  They chatted for a few more minutes before Susan said, "Oh, by the way, you'll have company on the way back. Rena Ramos will be moving her computer research up to Site One. I'd like you two to get acquainted, and I'd like you to help her get set up, and find her way around."

  Wen Ho Jackson was another of Elaine's childhood friends. He'd grown into a handsome man with a seemingly constant smile. He'd been one of the first to tender his condolences on the Vlad's death, since he was already at the city. After greeting him and getting him settled with a cup of caf, Susan came to the point. "Apparently, you and Angel have differed on the best approach to the power research. I've already talked to Angel. Tell me about your ideas."

  "Well, Doctor Susan," He began, "At first, we assumed that the power source would be in or under the installation. But we couldn't find it. Doctor Koh just couldn't let go of that idea, and he's spent the last few years trying to find what isn't there. We found that one big octagon, of course, but I'm not convinced it has anything to do with the power system."

  His tone was growing increasingly excited. He had the opportunity to let someone above Angel's level hear his theory, and his passion was obvious. "I think that site One is a control and maintenance center for a remotely located power source. That would mean that there would be no power emanations from the installation; it wouldn't be producing much of an energy signature. Instead, it would be receiving the energy, controlling its level and distribution. Now, control circuits don't have to be high-powered. I think the power level is too low to register on our instruments. Remember, we're having trouble even detecting the power source's spectrum, much less its frequency.

  "About the only thing Doctor Koh has accomplished is to improve our detectors. I think we should mount those detectors in the small airship or a heli, and fly a search pattern around Site One. I think it will detect an energy signature coming from some nearby, but possibly isolated, area. I suspect that the spiders considered their system hazardous, and wanted to stay a safe distance from it. I'd also mount as many different radiation detectors as possible on the ship. If the spiders were afraid of it, I'd be afraid, too, until I confirmed there was no threat.

  "Finally, I think I'd expand on Doctor Koh's work in improving our detectors. Instead of just working to increase their sensitivity, I'd also try to extend their detection range." He shrugged. "I doubt that the spiders used the same ranges we do. For all we know, the spiders hearing range and visual range was far above or below our own. In fact, their use of red light suggests their vision might extend into the infrared end of the spectrum.

  "Doctor Koh disagrees with me, of course. He is certain that since the sun's spectrum is similar to that of Sol, their vision range, at least, would be close to our own. But, Doctor Susan, the spiders were subterranean creatures. For all we know, they didn't use vision much, or at all. Perhaps they used some sort of sonar, like a bat. Maybe I'm wrong, and Angel is right; but we need to know!"

  Susan nodded, smiling. "I agree." She straightened. "Doctor Jackson, I didn't make you take an eight-hour flight just so we could chat. Doctor Koh has asked to be relieved of his position as head of the Power Team, so he can return to lab research."

  Wen Ho straightened with a grin. "Really? I guess he finally realized that we weren't going to learn anything counting the angstrom units of red light. Now maybe we can begin making progress!"

  Susan frowned. "Doctor Jackson," she said sternly, "I would remind you that Doctor Koh is an outstanding, and highly respected, scientist! He is also a friend."

  Wen looked alarmed. "Oh, Doctor Susan, I'm sorry! I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Doctor Koh is my friend, too. We grew up together. But Angel is pure research scientist. Put him in a lab with samples to analyze, and he's brilliant. But outside his lab, well, I'm sorry, Doctor Susan, but he's not very effective."

  Susan relaxed, and her frown faded. She nodded. "Angel has come to realize that, as well. I'm appointing you to replace him as head of the team, but I will not remove him from the team. He has much to contribute. I hope you will realize that, and make an effort to minimize the friction that will be inevitable in this situation.

  "Now, I’m beginning to realize why the Administrator wanted someone to oversee the entire alien technology effort. Science is often too compartmentalized. Before you leave for Site One, I will arrange for you to meet with Michiko at the lab, and for her to provide you with our notes concerning the hearing, sight, and vocal organs of the spider people. We did quite a lot of research on the spectrums we think they used. That may give you a starting point and a few ideas.

  "Naturally, I'll also expect you to consult with Frank Wong. He's not under my department, but he's been analyzing many of the samples from both sites. I'll want you to arrange to keep up-to-date on his work.

  "Also, when you get up there, you will find a young woman named Doctor Rena Ramos. She is a computer scientist, and will be studying the tablet things. But she will also be trying to determine the type and level of the power they used, which means you will have a certain amount of interaction. I expect that interaction to be friendly and enthusiastic."

  Wen nodded. "Of course, Doctor Susan. I think that's a great idea. The only things at site One that we can be fairly certain are working are the tablet things we found in the central building. They could be the key to unlocking the entire power system."

  Susan nodded. "I'm glad you realize that. But just for the sake of formality, I'll tell you that I specifically want her to have access to those tablet things, and she is authorized to experiment with them."

  Wen smiled. "I understand, Mistress. Angel was terrified of those things. He was certain that if anyone even looked at one hard, the whole place would blow up. I'll be happy to work with her."

  Susan smiled and nodded. "Good. Over the next couple of years, as we get people trained. I rather expect we will build a team around her. If we can crack their computer system, well, think how nice it would be to be able to pull up a maintenance manual for the power system."

  The next years were busy ones for Susan, Ken, and the colony. For three years, Susan devoted every spare moment to her studies, and in three years, she attained the computer's PhD certification in computer science. But "spare moments" had become increasingly rare as she devoted all her energy to fulfilling Vlad’s dream.

  Sixthmonth 14, Year 43 A.L.

  Michiko came hurrying into Susan’s office, with an air of triumph. Michiko was a rare visitor nowadays. She had slowly adopted Susan’s habit of nearly living in her lab. But now, she was displaying a wide smile. Susan replied with one of her own. “You’ve found something!” Susan exclaimed. “Tell me about it!” She ushered the younger woman to a seat.

  “Well,” Michiko began, “You know that since you started us talking to each other, I’ve been getting a lot of questions from the other scientists. Most of them have been about the spider people, and it made me realize how little we’d learned from the cadavers.”

  Susan nodded. “I’ve never been happy about that, either,” she replied. “But the bodies were so dessicated…”

  Michiko nodded agreement. “I know. But about a month ago, ‘Turo Venn asked me about their vision, and he was not happy with the little I could tell him. Oh, I told him that we didn’t think they had compound eyes, but rather had ‘normal’ eyes, apparently with binocular vision. That would be expected from predators, of course. And I told him that we thought they could see deeper into the infrared than we can.

  “Well, he got angry. He told me that he had figured out that much himself, and that if we didn’t know any more than that, we’d been wasting our time for the last four years. Well, that made me mad, and I’m afraid I was rather nasty to him.

  “Later, though, I got to thinking about it, and I decided there was some truth in what he said
. I realized that we were so worried about damaging or losing one of our samples, that we really weren’t very thorough.”

  Susan frowned. “Come to think of it, you’re right. Even our dissections weren’t very detailed, once we realized the internal organs had mostly decayed. We just kind of assumed there would be little to see. Besides, remember? We had some other priority items going, and we thought that research into the spider people would just be for curiosity’s sake.” Her expression turned shocked. “Good Heavens, Michiko. We were almost negligent!”

  Michiko’s smile resurfaced as she nodded. “Anyway,” she continued, ‘Turo’s complaint embarrassed me, and sent me back to the cadavers.

  “Now, most of the questions I’ve been getting have concerned the spider peoples’ vision, so I decided to start there.”

  Susan nodded. “Good choice. Who knows how much we’re missing because we’re looking at things in visible light, and they were designed for infrared.”

  Michiko’s answering nod was excited. “Yes! Exactly. Well, it cost me two eyes, but I finally succeeded in partially rehydrating an eye.” Susan’s eyes widened, and Michiko continued, “Oh, it didn’t last long. But it lasted long enough for me to run some tests. I also tested a wolf lizard eye, to make sure I was comparing predator with predator. I wanted you to be the first to hear the results.”

  Susan smiled. “So, what did you learn?”

  Michiko leaned forward in her chair, excitement in every cem of her stiffened body. “Well, the spider people lived underground for a long time. Long enough that their eyesight had become very poor. That would be death for a a predator, of course.

  “It was also long enough for their visual range to shift dramatically to the red end of the spectrum. I can’t guess how long that would take, without knowing whether they were originally diurnal or nocturnal. But it has to have been a long time. I suspect that the last of the spider people couldn’t even go outside in daylight without artificial aids to keep from being blinded.