Mark was feeling something was missing and looked among the artifacts for clues, among the drawings of the pyramids, designs of ships and buildings, and the scientific and surgical instruments with scrolls of parchment containing instructions laid out under Perspex cases. There was even a beautiful painting of the elders instructing the young with a backdrop of date palms and the Nile river. They had preserved much from their origins and were obviously proud of their achievements. Their time in Europe also had photographs and drawings of their heroes and elders. The tales of treachery, murder and rape were documented in handwritten books, then later printed books. It was a highly detailed description of the past – except for one thing. There were no artefacts from the original fleet. There was a basic description of the fleet and some of the scientific features. The journey was devoid of any real description, but the arrival was dignified with a rather strange poem. Mark copied it down as he felt it needed an explanation and would ask Jade to read it to him that night. It was written in the Irish patois that had become the Tuathan language. Mark asked the AI to translate. It was inscribed under a view of Tuath from a low orbit:
Here is our Home.
A gift freely given from a friend
Both are cherished and define our future
Mark sat for awhile and pondered these simple words. The friend escaped him. He asked the AI.
“The dedication refers to the Friend. That which gave us this planet.”
Mark was now truly confused. “Who is the Friend you speak of?”
“The great entity who showed compassion for the people and created Tuath for them.”
“Do you mean God?”
“No.”
“This entity, is it a Tuathan?”
“No. It is not of Earth.”
Mark realised this was on the road to nowhere. He decided to ask Jade once he got home.
He waited until after dinner. “Jade, I have a question for you of a religious nature.”
Jade smiled. “You know we are anti-religious here on Tuath. Go ahead and ask.”
“Something I read at the Museum today, an inscription, referred to a friend giving you Tuath. It sounded like a reference to God. The AI said it wasn’t. The AI made it sound alien, what therefore does it mean? Who is the friend?”
“I have been waiting for this question Mark, it was inevitable. The Friend is an alien entity of unimaginable power who aided us in our quest for a home. Tuath is a part construct of the Friend. It was literally fashioned from our dreams, which is why it is so Earthlike.”
Mark was allowing the information to settle into his mind. His thoughts were confused and multidirectional. “You hid this from us? Why?” he said accusingly.
“The Friend does not reveal itself to those it deems... um... unqualified. We naturally wished to not offend it. It has a strict policy of non-interference. We were an exception, a very rare exception. I will take you to a special place in the morning. There you will find housed the complete account of our exodus from your solar system and our meeting with the Friend.”
“Jade, why am I being allowed access now to this information?”
“As you will come to understand, the decision was a very difficult one, it was a change of thinking and direction and we were risking the friendship we value so highly. The new settlement on Earth is part of this new direction.”
The talk went on for hours. In the morning, they did not use the hover car but went on foot to a transport booth in the first green belt around the capital. Jade explained it was time for Mark to experience all of Tuath’s differences. He entered the small booth first. It was shaped like a small cylinder and was a trifle cramped as it was meant for Tuathan physiques. The cylinder automatically sealed, followed by a feeling similar to a mild electric shock. The cylinder opened and Mark stepped out onto grass but this time in green belt two, three kilometres away; Jade came out thirty seconds behind him smiling at the expression on his face. They walked the 200 metres to the Monument. Mark admired the architecture and noted people bringing flowers and candles. Inside, Jade took him up to the gallery that overlooked the main auditorium. Mark put on a headset and walked from one scene to the next, painted on the curved wall. The AI whispered in his ear the history of the great exodus and Mark stopped at the depiction of the Friend. It showed the huge golden orange ball alongside a Tuathan interstellar disc ship. He was looking at a real encounter between two races in space. Eventually, he moved on through the whole saga of the creation of Tuath and the colonisation. The building had taken on the semi-religious air of a shrine. The throne on the dais seemed incongruous with the liberal democratic views of the average Tuathan. Later the two of them sat outside on one of the many small grassy mounds Tuathans were fond of constructing.
“So let me get this straight. The Friend is interested in those intelligences in the universe that are demonstrating an evolutionary capacity to achieve their potential, whatever that happens to be. It cannot introduce itself until the up-and-coming race has reached an evolutionary level that indicates a high probability of survival. Then it interferes on a very limited scale to aid evolution without restricting the evolutionary direction the race would normally take for itself?”
“Yes, it is a bit more complex than that though. The Friend is one of an integrated group of its own kind, so it is being monitored by its collective self and is bound by its collective consciousness.”
“Are you saying it is incapable of acting as an individual?”
“We have come to the conclusion it can, but only within the constraints of its philosophy. It seemed to become confused and concerned when we decided to come back to settle on Earth. We explained that our attachment to Earth was an integral part of our psyche and that our evolutionary potential was linked to reconciliation or at least an acceptance of who we really are. It seemed to understand that. You have to realise that it is impossible to fully understand its motives and reasoning. We do not ask much from it as its friendship is paramount.”
“Will it visit while I am here?”
“Possibly. If it does it will cause us a problem as we are not sure of its reaction to you being here. The elders said they would tell the friend of your existence here and let it decide whether it wants to interact with you. It stated in the past that Earth’s inhabitants have no real interest for it as there are many semi-civilised planets that are also failing to adapt.”
“Hmm. So it doesn’t like us, eh?” said Mark, feeling rejected.
“I suppose that’s one way of looking at it, Mark. I’m sure if it met you it would love you as much as I do,” laughed Jade.
Mark spent a lot of time by himself at the Friend’s Shrine as he had come to think of it. He watched the people come to leave their tokens of affection and meditate. Seeing the deep gratitude they had for the Friend, made Mark realise how traumatised they had been for centuries and he felt the shame and tragedy of his own race who were guilty of persecuting these remarkable people. He now understood the significance of the portal. This was a technology well beyond the capabilities of Tuathan science. His curiosity made him wish he could meet the Friend, but he was afraid he would appear to be a primitive savage; in comparison to the Tuathans, he was. The Friend had all the power needed to end the conflict on Earth. If he could just manage to convince it to come and demonstrate the potential of the evolutionary process, maybe things could change. He discussed this with Jade, but she was very dismissive of the idea.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SEPTEMBER 2036
Time had sped by, in four months the portal would open and they would have to return. The Friend had not made an appearance. Jade suggested they go out for dinner and spend up big. They dined at a floating restaurant where lanterns shone brightly, swaying in a slight breeze, the huge moon hung over the river making it shimmer in a deep purple. It was a velvet night, Jade said. Mark sighed and remarked how much he loved Jade, Tuath and nights like this. “I will be sorry to leave, I feel very, very comfortable here.”<
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“Mark, we will not be leaving in January. I am one month pregnant. We will have to wait while I have the baby here in another five months. As you are aware a Tuathan pregnancy only lasts six months. The doctor is not sure in our case, however. It will be the first of its kind.”
Mark was speechless for a whole minute, then he jumped up from his chair and swept Jade up in his arms cradling her like a baby and showered her with kisses. The entire restaurant was clapping and laughing with delight. Mark and Jade had to explain the situation to the elders who gave permission for Mark to stay an extra year. The next fleet was to be another three ships and they would be charged with explaining the situation. Jade decided to sell her singles unit and buy a house in the outer circles. Mark was dubious about this decision. “You realize the government and the elders will expect us to return to Earth to live, Jade?”
“Yes, I know, but I want the first few months of our baby’s life to be in a normal Tuathan home. We can lease it when we go back to Earth and it will still be here for us when we get the chance to return in the future.”
“Like a faraway holiday home, you mean?” Mark realised at that moment that Jade was not willing to break off all ties with Tuath. For her, home was Tuath but the future, although increasingly looking like it would be on Earth, would have to allow for her to visit Tuath. Their child would belong to both planets. Mark accepted this situation; sociologically it was an attitude common to most migrants on Earth. The country of birth would always have a significant role in a migrant’s life.
Jade was not wealthy and they settled for a two-bedroom house in circle six, a significant transport hop to the centre of the city. The baby was developing healthily and was a boy. The doctors warned Jade it might be a difficult birth as the newborn would be large by Tuathan standards and a natural birth might not be an option. They decided to make a decision about that in the last couple of weeks. Mark was also concerned that his age may be a factor in the development. Tuathan medicine was more advanced than Earth’s and they were assured the child, although genetically a hybrid, was perfectly formed. They both settled into a domestic routine that gave them both a tranquillity that they had not been able to achieve on Earth due to the demands on Mark from Canberra. Mark was too preoccupied to experience homesickness. He was preparing an extensive report on the Tuathans that was turning into a major opus. He also realised that his chances now of being around for the next visit by the Friend was a high probability. They received many visitors, mainly academics interested in studying Mark. He was patient with them all and generally enjoyed these sessions. They were never condescending and made no immediate judgements. Mostly they asked straightforward questions requiring simple answers, avoiding discussion. In the early stages of the pregnancy Jade liked to go with him fishing in a nearby mountain lake, brown trout were plentiful and they ate what they caught; this was a happy, uncomplicated time for them. They also visited a coastal town four hundred kilometres the north where the weather was noticeably colder. The Tuathans seemed to have adapted perfectly to the conditions on Tuath although more than eighty percent of the population lived in the equatorial zone. Mark had become adept at using the transport booths doing short hops from circle to circle, or within his own circle six. He had no idea how they really worked apart from the basic concept. The booths’ system went as far as the outermost circle, circle ten. There was no cost for using them, it was government policy to limit the amount of hover vehicles plying their way over the green belts and vying for parking spaces in the inner city. Disc ships were used for inter-city journeys, as a result there were no airports as such, only spaceports. The underground metro system serviced the inner city and small solar-powered vehicles on the surface; these were often designed by their owners who had them built to suit their own needs or personalities. Many bordered on the edge of being functional art. To Mark’s surprise, he found that the Tuathans loved sailing, and the boats, including working vessels, were usually wind-powered, designed and painted like the solar vehicles as an expression of the owner’s personality. There were no public holidays. All work was contractual and the demands of the task determined the work hours and performance of the worker. So every day was a work day and every day was a holiday. Jade still reported to the space centre when asked, she also wrote a small weekly report for the President informing him of Mark’s activities.
Jade’s pregnancy lasted an extra six days. The doctors strongly recommended a caesarean and they agreed. The baby was born with no defects and was named by his father as was the Tuathan tradition. Mark chose the name Conor. He said an Irish name would seem appropriate given the Tuathan ties with the Emerald Isle and his own ancestry was linked to its west coast. There was a naming ceremony at the house when the baby was one month old. Tuathans did not have very close family ties, relatives lost touch easily due to the long lifespan. Some relatives of Jade’s did turn up but most were friends and colleagues. Mark noted this as a significant difference between “natives” and Tuathans. There was little in the way of a sense of extended family or any form of clan mentality. Individualism was the norm, self-actualisation the goal. In times of crisis everyone became family. At these times historically the individual sacrificed themselves to the preservation of society at large. This sense of social cohesion and individual responsibility resulted in almost zero crime. Crime only happened by mistake through lack of knowledge or a mental aberration; as a result criminals were “treated” and there were no prisons. There was a form of social security but unlike any on Earth. People who, for whatever reason, could not support themselves could apply to be wards of the state. They would be assessed and if necessary declared incompetent in a court of law. The government then would house and feed them and be responsible for their general well-being; this was extremely rare. There was always full employment due to the expansion of the colonisation and population growth of the planet. This was predicted to continue for another 500 years. Education started at home with children learning under the guidance of a parent until ten years of age. From ten until twenty they attended school. At this stage they left to go to work or went to university to specialise. A university qualification took four to eight years. Healthcare and education were free. Taxes on goods formed the only type of taxation. Parents were totally responsible for their children until their twentieth birthday. Democracy was highly valued; individuals were interested and involved themselves in the process. The elders were the only elite group in society but they, too, went through an election process.
The fleet that Jade and Mark had meant to go with had left and one of the previous contingents had returned with news of an outbreak of an airborne virus that was sweeping through Africa and the Middle East with devastating consequences. The Tuathans had brought back samples of the virus for examination at the capital’s research facility. It was discovered the Tuathans were immune but every native was susceptible. They set about looking for a cure even though it put them in the realm of interference yet again. Mark was asked to supply blood and tissue samples. Jade was now not happy at returning to Earth with Conor and Mark as it would place them in danger of infection. It was revealed however that Conor’s inherited genetic traits from his mother had made him immune. The immune systems of the natives were very fragile. This was notable amongst the Islamic areas where the population was now facing extinction. They had no cure or defence against it on Earth. Once infected the virus spread rapidly; death came within twenty-four hours. Starvation, poor infrastructure and constant hit-and-run warfare was making the situation worse. Jade wanted Mark to ask the President for sanctuary and stay on Tuath. The Tuathans who had recently returned said there were no outbreaks in Australia or the southern hemisphere when they had left. Mark and Jade argued for a while but, in the end, Jade agreed to return with him. He in turn had to promise not to venture into any other countries.
It was at this point the Friend paid a visit. The bells were ringing and people were heading for the shrine.
CHAPTER TW
ELVE
DECEMBER 2037
The elders and President had done the formal greetings and some basic questions had been asked about the Friend’s travels. It said they had found many life forms but none showing the potential of Tuath. This pleased the Tuathans who thought their recent actions may have relegated them to a lower status in the opinion of the friend. Mark had entered the shrine as unobtrusively as he could as he wished just to be an observer only, but his size hindered any attempt at stealth. Mark saw an average-looking Tuathan male sitting on the throne on the central dais. The Hall and the gallery were packed to capacity and more were arriving to sit outside on the grass.
“I have come to talk to Mark Crawford, who I see is here now. Please come a little closer, Mark.”
This was not expected or planned for. Mark walked to the front benches where the elders made room for him. Mark felt very awkward, the significance of the occasion was beyond his ability to assimilate properly. Mark said nothing but managed a short nod of his head in greeting.
“Mark, I greet you in friendship. Do you understand what I am?” said the Friend.
“I am honoured, to the point of speechlessness. I do understand you to be a highly evolved intelligence of immense power,” replied Mark.
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