by A. I. Zlato
“You want to help us with your new knowledge, and in exchange, you want a seat in the shuttle ... but why do you want to leave?”
“Since I acquired this double memory, I am convinced that this is my place. For a long time, I have felt inadequate in this world. My parents are from the First Circle; their life is the Machine. I cannot bring myself to see my life drawn in advance by it, having only the illusion of free will. While seeking ways to face that life, I met Eric and his group of friends, regularly walking away from the City to the edge of the Unique Forest. I discovered what independence meant. The lack of contact with the Machine, the freedom to think, without pain-induced control. Eric and I went in the Unique Forest later than the others, and we felt a presence. This energy from the Forest is Phalomera, which connects the trees to another location. Thanks to Mossa’s memory, I now know that the body of water, which I thought I had seen in the sky, when I was in the Forest with Eric, is real. It is the Unique Ocean ... This is Space O. It was as if I were a connection between these two Spaces ... But something tells me, in my heart, that my place is in the shuttle. I have to leave the world of Spaces. Because it is based on the concept of Equilibrium, on the Machine, and that humanity can have no future in such a world.”
Egeon muttered something incomprehensible and then fell silent. Eric looked at Iris, both admiring and frightened by how her mind had developed.
“Do you realise, little girl, that what you just said is, at best, meaningless? You are a connection between two Spaces? And soon, you're gonna tell me that you are the true Prophet?” Egeon uttered.
“No, no, I did not say that. I am not a Messiah or ... whatever. I wanted to tell you about the Presence of the Forest, to explain why I think my place is in the shuttle.”
“Your explanation was more than doubtful.”
“I understand that it might seem absurd; even I have trouble believing it. Nonetheless. I am convinced that I could do much better than Mossa. I have knowledge, and above all, I am sincere.”
“I cannot deny that I had always had doubts about Mossa ... Let’s say what you just told us about him is true, that he had not forthcoming with us. What is telling me that you are?”
Egeon sank in personal thoughts. Iris knew that her future depended on his decision, and nervousness percolated into her. She could not say anything more to convince him that she had not already mentioned. She could not prove her good faith, unless...
“I can show you what I can do. I can redo the calculations, I can ...”
“Iris, I accept your help to build the shuttle. In terms of you coming along with us, we’ll see. As for Mossa ... I'll take care of him.”
“What about Eric?”
“Huh? Yes, yes, he can stay. I guess, anyway, there is no question of separating both of you ...”
“No, actually.”
Iris realised that she had not let go of Eric’s hand during the conversation. She turned towards him, and smiled. She saw in his eyes how she was different from the girl he fell in love with a few weeks earlier. This profound change, instead of steering them away from each other, brought them together even more.
What had she become, exactly? She did not know herself. Her two memories gave her the vision of two worlds so different yet so similar. The Machine was in the centre of each of the Spaces, and extended Its grip on all humankind. Her future, their future was elsewhere.
An elsewhere where everything would be possible.
The end and the beginning are two aspects of the same problem. They are nothing but the limits of the mind that prevent one from seeing infinity.
Lessons of Chaacetime
Chapter 64
Space H. (Outside Circle)
Egeon stared at Iris and Eric walk away. He let them back into the City for the same reason he chose to release Iris the first time. He did not want to draw the Machine’s attention, hoping that these two would not talk ... He turned to Galatea. He had almost regained his composure, and he needed to talk to his wife to make the right decisions.
He sat on the floor and laid his head in her hands. He could not remember how things were before. Before Iris, before Mossa, when the project was his only concern. Like everybody in the community, he grew up, steeped in the collective dream, the promise of a life elsewhere. He even began to hope that he would be part of the first Shuttle Generation, the one that would embark, admire the planet from space as well as the interstellar void dotted, here and there, with stars. He dreamed more and more of that moment, when he would close the shuttle’s main door, when the vessel would bustle in every compartment. Everything was possible; he could succeed. Take off to Hope, the beautiful rocky planet around Alpha Centauri.
Hope was obviously not habitable as it was, but the necessary earthisation would not take more than thirty years, according to Ceti, the Head of Earthisation. His team, newly formed, was created when Galatea had chosen the planet. Ceti and ten people were developing the necessary earthisation stages. The very creation of this team was proof that the project was in its final phase. Ceti was an enthusiastic young man, extremely intelligent and competent. He accepted without hesitation this promotion to Department Head, and worked day and night.
In parallel, Teo and Alea worked together to make sure the shuttle prepare its residents as best as possible to the new living conditions on Hope. With the data Galatea provided, Alea had imagined a gradual change in the artificial gravity inside the spacecraft, along with the atmospheric pressure and the composition of the air. That way, the last generation would be prepared at best, and the shock of change would be less important. Teo had made the changes accordingly in the ultraF, not without having cursed at first.
Everything was on track; the dream was within reach. Well, that was if one excluded Mossa from the picture. And also Iris.
Mossa, the hybrid partly covered with microprocessors, retained a handful of faithful supporters, who saw in him as the long-awaited Prophet, who was the Link and the Break. He remained a large disturbance force. Moreover, these interventions in the building created a stir. He thus suggested using Kandrons as translators. Egeon, Alea and Teo had discussed things at length, to weigh the pros and cons. After many evenings aimed at making simulations on the changes to the shuttle, discussions with Eutrope, the Kandron, through Mossa, Egeon had made a decision.
The Kandrons would come along, the benefits of their presence being more important than the disadvantages, in his view. Thanks to Eutrope, Egeon understood that Kandrons had the ability to put themselves in dormant mode for a long period. Thus, Teo could foresee a giant dormitory for all Kandrons, except the one that would stay awake for the whole trip. Nevertheless, there remained that compartment to build, with minimal impact to the hull, so as not to overly extend the deadline. Teo and Egeon had resumed plans, trimmed in certain areas, to add that section. They also had to change everything else to account for the size of the Kandron that would remain awake. Teo, after having grumbled and raised all possible problems, had set to work and announced that changes would not take more than five years. The completion of the shuttle thus would be in fifteen years, which was still reasonable.
All this was before Iris’ remarks.
He had not expected to see her again, and yet again, she crossed the Forest to see them. Now, she was back with her boyfriend. She said Mossa had misled them from the beginning. Whom should they believe, Mossa or Iris? Egeon was responsible for the community, and even more responsible for the success of the project. He had to make the right decisions, choosing somewhat between the two teenagers. One of them was telling the truth. In deciding, he would rely, once again, on Galatea. He knew that a discussion with his wife would help him consider all aspects of the problem, to see things from a different angle. He looked at her and realised that she was waiting, smiling, that she was available. She never interrupted him when he was deep in thought, knowing he needed solitude sometimes.
Whenever possible, he was grateful to her for that attitude. Where other
s would have compelled him to talk, pushing him even further into silence, Galatea simply would wait from him to emerge from his reverie. He rose and took her in his arms, enjoying the touch of her body as well as spirit.
“What do you think, Galatea? Is she telling the truth?”
“You mean, did Mossa attempt to contact the Machine through her?”
“Among other things.”
“That is Iris’ belief, and I think she is sincere. However, that does not mean it was Mossa’s will. Everything is new for her. She was invaded by a memory that is not her, a memory from a hybrid of another Space. She may have simply misunderstood his intentions.”
“Maybe, but what about all of Mossa’s memories, according to which he had deceived us; the fact that he did not really want to help us?”
“That was certainly true in the beginning, when he arrived. Remember, Egeon. He was a terrified child, landed in an unknown universe, surrounded by people he did not understand and who did not understand him. It is normal to think that he wanted at all costs to go back home.”
“But Iris said that ...”
“She’s an angry teenager. She probably focused on Mossa’s memories displaying a similar feeling.”
“So you’re defending them both!”
“I say that there are several ways to interpret a memory, especially if it is not yours. Iris seems sincere; the anxiety she manifested for us was real. Furthermore, I say that Mossa helped us a lot in building the shuttle, and we cannot sweep off everything he brought us, simply because Iris had told us a certain vision of his memories.”
“So I guess everything is fine then! Iris is sincere, but wrong about the intentions of Mossa, who is a very helpful guy!”
“Egeon, anger is useless.”
“I'm not angry!!!! I'm under pressure! I must make a decision for the good of the community!”
“And for you, the decision necessarily entails a kind of choice between these two teenagers?”
“Yes!! I agree that you're right, in part, that the two views are not as contradictory as they sound. However, either Mossa is sincere, and we must manage the 'Iris problem', or Iris is telling the truth, and we must take care of the 'Mossa problem' “
“Everything is not always black or white ...”
“So what do you suggest? Do nothing and wait to see what will happen? Have an army of City people land here? Have Mossa join the Machine? That we become the generation that caused the failure of the project?”
“Do you really believe that the project is less important to me than it is to you? I’ve worked on Hope for days since we officially chose it! And before that, I spent years observing, resuming calculations, again, again and again to choose this planet!”
“Sorry, I ... Sorry. My anger was not meant for you.”
“I know. I am aware of the burden of responsibility you carry. I am your ally, you know, not your enemy”, said Galatea, reaching out to her husband.
“Yes, we are allies ... thank you.” He took a short break before resuming.
“There is one thing. Mossa also told us that, during the reprogramming of the chip, he had sent Iris other information to make her capable of influencing the behaviour of everyone who had a chip in the City. According to him, she could well remove from anyone’s mind the idea of crossing the Forest ... and seeing us. Iris said nothing of that. Did she want to hide something from us? Or did Mossa overestimate his reprogramming capabilities?”
“Probably neither, nor.”
“That is to say?”
“Mossa certainly did what he said he did; anyway, that's what he believed. The program he has included in Iris’ chip, he has drawn it from his knowledge, but especially the culture of his Space. He hardly knows anything about City residents, the City of Space H., except what he had been told ... that is to say, not much. He certainly had made a perfect program to control the inhabitants of Space O. ... but not those living here. The program did not work as expected ...”
“You mean he had actually inserted the program, as he said, but the consequences ..”
“Exactly. Iris said it well. For her, Mossa wanted to transmit only certain information; however, he had actually transferred all his memories, quite unintentionally.”
“What about this story about influencing other people’s chips?”
“Hard to say if she really has that ability or not. We have no chips, so we are immunised against that potential capacity.”
“Yes, but not the people of the City. If she really had that ability, nothing would prevent her from flocking thousands of people here, and ransacking all we have built, and then enslaving us to the Machine.”
“You're right, in theory. Except that Iris is a teenage rebel, who wants, above all, to flee the Machine. What she endured, when outside the Machine’s influence, the first times, is proof of her determination.”
“Yeah, but…”
“Egeon, you just heard her, as I did. What she wants is to leave. She has no interest in sending people from the City all the way here.”
“Perhaps. But then, from the beginning, I was also wary of Mossa, and I was right. What about Iris? I don’t trust her.”
“The opposite would have been amazing ... Let's take things in order, and let’s go talk to Mossa. Better, let’s organize a general gathering for everyone to hear what Iris told us, and what he has to answer for the charges.”
He agreed. The community had a right to know. The decision was too important to come from only him; everyone should be aware of the facts in order to suggest ideas. Together, they would find the right solution.
Egeon summoned all people, through the ultraF, which transmitted the notification to each network node. He announced that he had an important topic to communicate. The announcement pervaded quickly, and people flocked, leaving their work behind. Egeon peeked into the attendance, ensuring that everybody was there. The last stragglers came running. He took a deep breath, and spoke. He told them about Iris. Mossa’s memory completely moved into her chip; the defects of the shuttle that he may have concealed; his desire to return home thanks to the Machine ... He did not mention Iris’ request to help in the construction project in exchange for a seat on the shuttle. Following his wife’s advice, Egeon addressed a subject at a time, and he wanted first to introduce the 'Mossa problem.'
Murmurs percolated into the assembly. First whispers, then voices, came out, asking Mossa to respond to the charges. The hybrid, who stood behind Egeon, stepped forward and spoke.
“I told you I had changed her chip so that the Machine would not access her memories, and I did. The evidence, there had been no response from the Machine so far. If It had learned of your existence, our existence, you can imagine that It would have acted immediately.
I told you that I had introduced a barrier to prevent her from telling what she had seen, and I did. The proof, the teen band she had mentioned did not come here. If she had been able to tell them her story, as she might have tempted to, it is certain that curiosity would have pushed that little posse, but they did not.”
“She was still able to talk to her fiancé; otherwise, why would he follow her?” Someone asked in the audience.
“You mean, why a boy would follow the girl he loves? He certainly did not want any explanation ... especially as she has the ability to influence him through her chip. Remember, I told you that I had given her the ability to influence the behaviour of all City residents by controlling their chip ... and I did. The proof.”
Egeon felt that Mossa was managing to rally the crowd behind him, in a ploy that was too easy for his taste. Faced with a subject of such importance, he could not leave this charismatic talker get away that effortlessly, and he intervened.
“So, you want us to take your word at face value... Indeed, you’re right that the Machine did not show up here. However, the fact that Iris’ friends did not come does not mean anything. They may have found her story irrelevant, or simply they may have decided to come a little later ..
. Also, you say that Eric’s arrival proves that your chip control algorithm is operational, but it could as well be evidence that Iris was able to tell her story to someone.”
“In other words, you would rather believe a girl you met two days, rather than I, who have been living with you for a while now?” Mossa asked.
“A girl who inherited all of your memories ...” says Egeon.
“That’s what she claims!”
“Mossa, she told us about the shuttle, its construction and details that only someone who has lived among us for a while could know.”
“She cannot understand my memories; she is too ... Too silly to do that!”
Mossa was losing his cool. The balls of microprocessors on his forearms pulsated an electromagnetic field while changing colour according to the stream.
“Ok, she cannot understand. How do you explain what she said?”
“I’m not trying to explain. I told you the truth, and the evidence is there to show that I am sincere. Now, if you would rather believe her rather than me ...”
“That's not the point,” said Galatea, “but try to understand us. We are worried about our project; it represents all our life’s work, all for which we have toil every day. The idea that people can find us and nullify our shuttle, it's just ... unbearable.”
“I understand your concern, even if I only started working on this project a few weeks ago. I also want to protect this shuttle at any cost.”
“Really? What about the memories that Iris shared with us? Regarding the flaws that you have identified and that you never intended to disclose to us? Tell me where my mistakes are, if any!!” Teo entered the discussion.
“Many things may not work. We try to anticipate the unexpected, to evaluate the probability of occurrence of this or that problem ... but nothing is certain. What Iris told you is true. I asked myself questions. I did not tell you because I have no certainties, and we cannot consider all the cases, otherwise we risk complicating needlessly the security system structure on security systems. So yes, I did not say everything, but no, I hid nothing from you.”