MEEK

by Richard Johnson

  The alien had enveloped the entire planet with its being. The planet glowed in space a golden orange. Underneath this alien entity the planet was being sculpted, high mountain lakes surrounded by snowy peaks, huge cascading waterfalls throwing red rainbows and great, sleepy rivers were fed by shy burbling streams. Lush soft grassy river valleys, ponds with emerald moss-covered rocks and water meadows were now dotted with wild flowers. It now had forests dark and mysterious, cliffs laced with colour, beaches white, yellow and black. By the time this opus magnificat was finished, it was exhausted. It thought to itself such work is art and art justifies existence and a great deal of effort. It had seen the works of art both Tuathan and that of Earth. In both of them were etched the pain and joy of being human .How sad it was that the Tuathans were outcasts, when they could have been the saviours of humanity. Instead they became victims. Earth’s history had many examples of individual altruists who tried to set an example and offer a different path, yet they died; some martyred and their followers all became corrupted, eventually. The Tuathans had avoided corruption and survived. Here I am building their reward, their paradise, it thought. The alien’s last act of construction was to move a number of huge asteroids from the belt orbiting beyond the rocky, ice planet. They were fused with the existing moon and its size was quadrupled. Adjustments were then made to the orbital path as the mass of the new moon would make the present orbit unsustainable.

  The alien stood back from his work and shared it with its selves. There are many limits to what I can do, I could not create a replica Earth but only adjust the materials I had to hand. This was the best that I could give, he told them. They saw it was good and were pleased.

  “This is the expression of their dreams?” its selves asked.

  “Yes. It’s impressive, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, they are. Their dreams are noble, there is art in their essence. We have chosen well,” came the reply.

  The crews of the disc ships were enjoying the work and were still engrossed in the finishing touches and fine tuning when the summons came; they quickly packed up their tools and got back to the fleet. The fleet got underway again, heading very slowly towards the alien who was waiting for them. The alien sought and was granted permission to come aboard. The fleet moved into a geostationary orbit above the equator and stopped. It was a beautiful sight. They were on the day side of the planet and, unlike Earth’s over-riding blue colour, Tuath was a soft pink. “Look Rose, it’s rose-coloured,” said Orion. Rose was crying: all aboard were totally overwhelmed. They could see huge lakes, mountains with snow, two glistening polar ice caps, green continents and silver seas, dotted with islands. They both turned to give thanks and praise the alien, but it was gone. They ran to the view ports, some were even shouting out “Don’t go, come back!” but it had gone. The AI spoke:

  “The entity said to go forth in peace. It will be watching from a distance and when the time is appropriate will return to your new home. Farewell.”

  Orion said, “It is sad to say goodbye to such a true friend; one that we didn’t expect to find who gave so much without asking for anything in return. The last and only other friends in our history were Sabri and his companions so long ago.”

  Rose said, “Yes we have been isolated from the natives and it has been a source of disappointment. I think I have an appropriate name for the alien:; the Friend.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  1949 AD

  “We entered paradise and our souls were healed.” Discourse of the Elders.

  Orion, Rose and Briony made sure they were on the first disc ship to leave ISS3. Every second disc ship would bring equipment and supplies. The ship came out of a clear sky and landed on a river bank. No more hovering for a quick getaway. This land is ours, thought Orion. The crew disembarked and they all took time just to smell the air and feel the ground under their feet. The vegetation looked to be a little more than ten years old, the grass was long and the trees, although still young, were capable of producing some timber. The AI said that although the growth had been manipulated by the Friend, it would now continue at Earth norms, including pollination cycles. Introduced animals were all essentially entering the appropriate breeding age for their species.

  Other ships were beginning to arrive. This site had been chosen as the site for the capital city. It was to be built alongside the river which was deep and two kilometres in width and slowly flowing to a large, deep estuary twenty kilometres away. The river would provide unlimited fresh water. Temporary housing was being put up. The entire population of 280, 000 people was to be brought here . Later, once the city had been built, they would send out groups to predetermined locations to build the towns. The soil along the river was deep and rich and had a thick grass cover. A forest of pine bordered the grass lands. The site was a hundred kilometres north of the equator. It was early spring now and still very cold. It had been decided to maintain a twelve-month calendar, however each month would consist of thirty-two days. Days were twenty-six hours long. An adjustment to the calendar would be needed every seven years. There would be snow in another eight months and work was to be carried out around the clock in shifts. Each ship in the fleet had brought four disc ships with it. A total of 200 disc ships were now speeding back and forth moving people and materials. Orion and Rose were assigned to crew such a shuttle. Briony had teamed up with Briar, her grandfather, and was acting as his personal assistant. Orion received a directive to act as a survey ship and as such they were sent to locations to seek out building materials such as marble, sandstone and hardwood timbers. This gave them the opportunity to see more of their new home than would have otherwise been possible. They loved their job as prospectors, and it was always exciting to find whatever they had been sent to look for. The hard work had really been done in space, the locations of the resources had in fact been already discovered. Rose and Orion’s job was merely to set up directional beacons and, where necessary, clear a landing site and make room for a processing facility. Everyone was overworking yet nobody even thought of complaining, people actually begrudged the time spent sleeping. Rose and Orion often took turns sleeping so that their disc ship only ever stopped for maintenance. Architects and engineers had started work on the design for the city before they had landed. The nights were indeed bright, the huge moon three times the size of Earth’s shone with a rosy glow and was admired greatly. Four months passed and the architects’ dreams were taking shape. The elders were pleased with the progress but were concerned for the people’s health. They were all working as if they had something to prove to the universe. They decided to have enforced public holidays, one every week. It became known as the Friend’s Day.

  “I know the city will be beautiful, Orion, but I don’t want to settle there. It would be a little like Colony Two on Mars.”

  “To be frank Rose, I think it will not be overly popular with the people. I feel perhaps the elders have misread the people in this. I also do not wish to live in a city. It is not why we came 500 light years. We have a chance to live free with nature. Let us live in a village or on a farm.”

  “Yes, let us design our own home and build in the forest or by the sea.” Rose’s eyes had lit up.

  “That is fine by me Rose, but perhaps a word with Briony about this would not go amiss as she could convey our preferences to your father?”

  “I will do that. It would be a shame to work to construct a city full of empty buildings, but I think Briony will stay in the city with her grandfather. They are both born to serve the administration.”

  Orion smiled. “Yes that is probably an accurate prediction.” He looked thoughtful, then said, “I have been seeing more and more glass being taken to the city site, I am beginning to suspect they are altering the original design.”

  “It would make sense to make sure the people never feel enclosed. It’s a miracle we haven’t all suffered from agoraphobia on our arrival here,” said Rose.

  “Ahh, that’s the miracle of genetic engineering.�
� Orion smiled.

  By the time the snow came parts of the city were inhabited. Ten fifty-storey-high circular towers had been built of white marble and glass. These marked the perimeter of the city and contained five thousand one-bedroom apartments for unbonded singles. These were now occupied. The riverside area had been laid out as the entertainment and recreational precinct, but only one sporting facility and gymnasium had been constructed. Parks had been planted out quickly in preparation for winter. In the central park was a tall pyramid structure made of yellow-tinted glass; inside, set on a blue- and black-tiled floor, was a low wooden stage; on the stage there was a large comfortable-looking chair. At the foot of the stage was a plaque on which was written simply: The Friend. Every day people would come and stand inside the structure and look at the chair in the golden light. Some would gently touch it, then leave without saying a word. They felt comforted by its presence and they were grateful beyond expression.

  In the centre of the city was the government building, built in the Greek classical style in white stone only two storeys high but covering three hectares in area. The rest of the city was still in temporary mode. The elders had decided to shift efforts towards the equator during the winter months. The first town was to be built. The administration had come up with a radical new concept which had gained high praise from the people who were opposed to living in cities. The towns themselves were conventional enough. The main difference was that they were designed to be totally without homes. The towns were placed in carefully chosen open locations and the land was allocated in two-hectare lots forming a ring around the town. Behind that ring was public parkland and then a second ring of two-hectare lots. The public park lands served as thoroughfares for private ground hovercars. Third and forth rings could be added to accommodate a growing population. The idea of building outlying villages faded as people warmed to the new concept. Rose and Orion were allocated one of these lots and started designing and building their house as quickly as they could.

  Five years passed. Thoughts of Mars and Earth gradually grew less and less in the people’s minds and conversations. They were busy and happy, falling in love, having babies, learning, exploring and producing a new art, Tuathan art full of optimism. But as time passed some eventually would look at the stars and wonder where their old home was.

  The stream of news was still being sent from the Mars projector, but it would have to travel the 500 light years before they could receive it. The elders discussed this and came up with a proposal which was taken to the President. “We suggest that, although we do not have the technology to hasten the news stream, the Friend does.” They said. “We would like to try to contact the Friend and ask for help.”

  The President looked worried. “It has been twelve years and there has been no contact with the Friend. Is it right to make such a seemingly selfish request of someone who has given so much?”

  “It can refuse us with no hard feelings. Besides which the people wish to see it again. Knowing it exists has added a new positive dimension to our lives. Even our children are asking to see it. We would like to attempt to contact it and invite it to make a friendly visit to judge our progress. We would only then ask the favour if it seemed appropriate.”

  The President said on the condition that, if initially this was only a cordial invitation to a friend, then he could sanction it. “How do you intend to contact it?”

  “Yes, well, that is going to be the hard part. Judging from everything it said about itself, we came to the conclusion it is probably keeping a close eye on us. We thought that if all the population of Tuath stopped doing their tasks and asked it to come, it may hear us.”

  The President looked shocked. “That sounds a lot like praying!” Tuathans had an inbuilt disgust for anything that smacked of religion, they had been victims to that disease in the past.

  “It’s thought projection. The central AI said there is a possibility it may work as it observed the Friend appeared to be able to read minds and pick up thought projections, such as the dream design project. There was also the ability to read Rose Two’s name when it was in space. We propose we should invite it to appear in its monument. It may not work, but we see no harm in trying it.”

  The President looked sceptical. “Very well, chose a time and I will have the people informed. A diversion from work would be a healthy thing anyway for the populace, we will make it a special holiday.”

  Three days went past, and at sunrise people gathered at a central spot. In the capital they gathered at the Friend’s monument. Bells were rung throughout the countryside for two minutes and everyone called on the alien to come and visit. Nothing happened and everyone felt a bit foolish, but they agreed to do it again the next day and the next and the one after that. Then they stopped. The President declared it had been a futile exercise and that the Friend would come when it was convenient.

  A week passed, and a mother and her six-year-old child were visiting the alien monument in the park. The little boy was just about to run up and sit in the chair when there was a golden, orange glow and a young tuathan male with a smile on his face appeared sitting in the comfortable chair.

  “How nice, I recognize this chair. It is the one from the space ship.”

  The little boy realised who it was and tried to sit on the alien’s knee. He quickly found out it was just a holo, much to the amusement of all three.

  As soon as news reached them, the elders and the President hurried to the monument. It was crowded when they got there. The monument was large enough for 500 people. The President made a mental note to triple its size. Inside the Friend was talking to the people. It was now in organic form. It had just finished telling them about its latest trip to another galaxy and was projecting holos of the planets he had visited. He had a captivated audience. The crowd made way for the dignitaries and found them chairs near the stage. They welcomed the Friend warmly and asked its opinion on the progress made so far to the colony.

  “It has great beauty because it reflects the people who designed it. All work is art. I am sorry I could not come immediately you called to me. I have my own obligations in the cosmos to fulfil. However I am here now and am pleased to be able to tell you I have been granted permission to accede to your request.” The elders were looking from one to the other guiltily. “I know why you called me, do not be embarrassed. You must understand that such a request brings two problems for me. The first and most important one is interference in the natural progression of your evolution towards a higher form of existence, the Prime Law. The second is the sheer amount of energy it requires to open portals and the care that must be taken to minimize any disruption to the fabric of this continuum.

  “After due deliberation with my selves a compromise can be offered to you. Once every Tuathan year a portal will be opened to allow two-way movement and communication. It will only be open for one Tuathan hour. One portal will open near your neighbouring planet, the one you have built mines on, and the other will be near Saturn’s rings. This is to ensure no interference to Sol’s inner system where the current inhabitants still run amok, oblivious to what we will be doing.”

  The President was out of his chair. “Thank you, thank you dear friend this is more than we hoped for. We will use this portal wisely. I’m sure I can speak for everyone here when I say that our interest in Earth is mainly driven by the fact some of our old people are still there.”

  An elder rose and addressed the President. “That is true of the general populace President, but it is not stating the undeniable fact we are Earth’s progeny. As time goes on our psychological and emotional ties will dwindle, but we still listen to their great composers, admire their art and literature. The problem for us is that the people of Earth show through their occasional good deeds and their superior artistic expression their immense potential. The natives are a magnificent anomaly; destructive yet creative. For us, they are a threat to our existence but we still nurture their positive attributes.”

  “Your
elders are wise, President. You are two separate species of the same animal but the game is not yet over, the race is not yet run. I take little interest in Earth’s affairs; they are, to put it bluntly, so close now to self-destruction as to be irrelevant. Please do not be seduced by your innate kindness. You have permanently escaped the horrors they create daily. Each day here you glow a little bit brighter in your freedom. Your expression The stars smile on us is apt. They will continue to do so, but Earth has been filled with an ancient corruption that I have seen time and time again. The end result is always the same; total extinction.” The people in the audience had fallen sad and silent. Deep in their hearts echoed a small voice, the words were hardly ever spoken now, but it still whispered, Perhaps they will change.

  They then proceeded to make plans for the annual portal. Its co-ordinates were agreed. Saturn’s rings created good camouflage for the golden orange circle, so a date was set for one year from the present. “The portal will appear at the appointed time. I will not be here as I must go about my own business. I am pleased that you have honoured and remembered me with this building. I will return here from time to time. Thought projection is a very limited way to call, so please do not be disappointed if we are not close enough to receive your call. My visits will be few as my interference must be limited. I will endeavour to stay a lot longer on my next visit as there are some things I need to discuss with you. Until we meet again, my friends, may the stars smile on us all.”

  Once more it vanished, leaving the crowd whispering, “May the stars smile on you also, Friend.” Out in space the Friend looked at the entire planet of Tuath and said to itselves. “Life can be so extreme, but beauty is always recognisable. It shows up the worthy.” Then moved away, heading for planets with less worthy inhabitants and more despairing moments.