by R E Kearney
Then, he notices other shadows. Scrutinizing intently, he finally discerns SPEA’s camouflaged aero-drones patrolling. Robert recognizes the Chameleon fabrics comprising the drones’ skins. Their textile-like plastic sheets embedded with light-emitting diodes replicate the colors and patterns of their surrounding environment rendering the aero-drones practically invisible to his human eyes. Only their shadows moving across the water reveal them, and only when seen from above. From below, they disappear into the sky. He counts six shadows guarding this sector of SPEA’s skies. Robert wonders if the two Navies can identify them with radar or infrared or if Israeli engineers eliminated those signatures, too.
“How many Israelis are stationed on Venus to operate all of this high tech hardware?”
“None.” Nu shakes her head. “The Israelis operate our security systems from a secure location in the Negev. So, there’s nobody here for anybody to attack. Israel’s become a worldwide home security provider. Everybody uses them. They’re the great equalizer. They’ve designed and installed, and now operate robotic and drone national security systems for numerous small states and large corporations around the globe.”
Proudly, Nu continues describing Venus’ defenses. “Besides, the Israelis actually don’t need to be near here. They programmed all of our defenses with a cooperative approach known as swarm robotics that enables a swarm of intelligent robots to operate together in a real-world environment. Using Darwinian learning, the robots are designed to teach themselves how to cooperate in carrying out a task. Each robot is equipped with a neural network that mimics the operations of a living brain. So each robot can decide for itself how to carry out the mission, and coordinate with its neighbors."
“SPEA does have lethal autonomous weapons, then?”
“Good, he’s still asleep.” To avoid answering his question, Ehren interrupts Robert, as he studies Evoil via a cabin camera. “While he’s out, we’ll circle Venus and our Kiritimati island wildlife sanctuary before we land at the Reception Center, so you can enjoy a bird’s-eye-view tour of our home. Nu and I are excellent tour guides, so prepare to be amazed. We know all the facts.”
As he watches emerald green towers ascend above the Pacific, memories of the Emerald City depicted in the old Judy Garland film, The Wizard of Oz, flood Robert’s mind. Curiously, as they approach closer, the city appears to float through the air. Behind Venus, hidden unless flying high, the foliage of low-lying Kiritimati Island spreads across the horizon, adding to his impression that this city is hovering above the sea. He strains to decipher the illusion’s source. Eventually, he notices that the artificial island’s supporting column material perfectly reflects the ocean surrounding them. Excellent aesthetics.
“Venus. The name of the Roman goddess of beauty so eloquently describes this spectacular creation,” Robert comments in quiet awe. “Those emerald buildings, the way they shimmer while rising from the center of the shell shaped platform base truly replicate Botticelli’s painting - the Birth of Venus. So beautiful.”
“Did you know that Dame Gutefrau conceived and designed Venus? Then, she oversaw and directed every step during construction.” Ehren proudly proclaims.
Nu excitedly interrupts, “She even chose the color. Emerald. She believes that all the green of nature is concentrated within the Emerald. She decided Venus should be colored emerald to symbolize hope and the future, renewal and growth. Emerald should represent SPEA too, she resolved, because it is an inspiring and uplifting color suggesting abundance and wealth in all its forms, from material wellbeing, to emotional wellbeing to creative ideas. That’s SPEA. Don’t you think?”
Robert strains for a better view. “Wow. I had no idea. That is amazing.”
Ehren chuckles, “You’re not the first person to say that. Even the Chinese who built it with her were amazed. Right now, they’re constructing buildings based on her plans throughout China. They’re paying SPEA millions to use her plans. And even better, they are paying…yes…they are paying her…to let them build SPEA University, just so their architects and engineers can study new designs and techniques with her. Well, her, and some of the most renowned scientists and professors from around the world, that is. They can’t wait to teach at a politics-free, pure research university.”
Ehren points to a partially constructed artificial island rising from Vaskess Bay about one-thousand yards from Venus. “See those half printed buildings? That’s SPEA University.”
“Printed?”
“Certainly.” Ehren points toward the partially constructed buildings. “See that thing that looks like a giant snail slowly moving across its top?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that giant snail is a 3D building printer. Using nanotechnology to print polymeric truss structures coated with ten nanometers of alumina, it constructs the complete building floor by floor while attaching Graphene as its exterior. Stronger than steel with one-tenth the weight. Once designed, the entire process only takes…”
Like a child seeking attention, Nu interrupts Ehren. “See, President Gutefrau wants total independence and freedom for her state of SPEA. So, she designed and engineered Venus to be as self-sufficient and non-polluting as possible. That’s the primary reason Venus is here. Not only could she buy the nation of Kiribati’s thirty-three flooding islands from the islanders cheap, because they needed money to buy a new homeland. But the location and weather here fits her needs, too. It’s not too hot and never cold with its temperatures always somewhere between seventy-five to eighty-five degrees. And there aren’t too many storms, either. In fact, we don’t get much rain. Most days we just have some soft easterly trade winds to keep us cool.”
“Do you see those wind turbines and solar panels on the buildings?” Ehren jumps back into the conversation, “Gutefrau has solar, wind, waves and human activity generating all of the power we need…and more. Every part of Venus is a vibrational energy-harvesting platform. And get this, we even ionize of our own waste.”
“Oh you mean poo power. I’ve heard of that.”
“Yeah, poo power. But it doesn’t work for everything. Our engineers also convert our left-over coffee grounds and similar organic wastes into biodiesel and biomass heat pellets. For equipment that needs portable fuel, like this airplane, our engineers perfected converting algae into biomethane and hydrogen. We use it in this airplane. Clean and powerful.”
Peering into the seawater below Venus, Robert notices a large white cylinder with tubes extending from its top connecting it to Venus’ base. “What’s that there?”
“That’s our unmanned data center anchored to the bottom of the sea. We run and monitor it by remote control. Rather than try to cool it using wasteful air conditioning, we sank it. All of its cooling needs are met by the cool seawater surrounding it. Seawater draws heat away through heat exchangers on the vessel's outer steel shell. We’re converting the same seawater’s tides into power for it,” Ehren announces.
“Tell him about our food, too, Ehren.”
“Oh yeah. Food caused her some real problems, because, just like everything else, she wanted self-sufficiency in food. She didn’t want to have to import any. It was a real challenge in the beginning, but as usual, Gutefrau with her engineers and scientists converted a problem into a profit. They decided that growing crickets, meal worms, grasshoppers, locusts, ants and other edible insects provides the quickest and easiest source of plentiful protein.”
“Especially beneficial is the fact that the meal worms we eat, consume Styrofoam and other forms of polystyrene. Working with colleagues in China, SPEA have also found mealworms and other insects that break down additional types of plastic, such as polypropylene. And just recently, they isolated and began breeding a marine equivalent to mealworms that will consume the tons of plastic waste currently fouling the world's oceans. Profitably providing solutions to world pollution problems. Another SPEA hallmark.”
“The worms are perfect SPEA bio-technology. They consume th
e plastic trash, converting about half of it to carbon dioxide, just like they would with any other food source. Then bacteria in the worms' gut degrades the other half into tiny biodegradable droppings, we use as crop fertilizer. The mealworms themselves are just as healthy as worms that receive a more traditional diet of vegetable matter. Tasty too. Don’t you think?”
“Yeah, I thought it tasted ok. I don’t know if I want to eat it all the time, though.”
“Right. Good point. Me too. That’s why we have fruit and vegetable gardens on top of our buildings and vertical gardens in our buildings. And not only do we grow good food in these gardens, we use them to recycle our used water and urine. The rest of our drinking water comes from adding to our desalinized seawater the rain we retain and clean by running it through our living rooves made from sedum. We have an unlimited supply of seawater, you know.”
Nu excitedly interrupts again, “Fish! Do you like to fish? We’re also starting to raise fish in fish farms in the lagoons surrounding all of the submerging islands. After all the Kiribati islanders were evacuated, Gutefrau scraped all thirty-three islands clean. Nothing from human habitation remains. Returned them to their natural environment. Once the islanders and their trash disappeared, the fish reappeared. Now, we feed and farm them.”
Ehren acts like he is fly-fish casting. “Great fishing around all the islands. You can camp on some of them too. Good for short get-aways. Or you can just go exploring. We have sailboats, kayaks and canoes in our Bay of Wrecks marina. Just a short, scenic walk across the elevated island bridge.”
“And meat too,” Nu barges in again. “We have a group of scientists studying how to profitably produce in-vitro or cultured beef in our island labs. Just think. Although it won’t be in the large quantities or as profitable as coffee, tea and chocolate, SPEA may soon be exporting food stuffs from Venus and not just from our plantations.”
“It’s all science and innovation, technological convergence, Robert.” Ehren continues preaching. “Have you ever heard of the cradle to cradle concept? No? Well, it’s a sustainable design methodology Gutefrau uses because things are created to not only avoid environmental damage, but to have a regenerative effect and give back to the earth, too. Science sustains us. Ignorance destroys us.”
“I believe you. You’re preaching to the choir. As Marie Curie once wisely asserted, there is nothing in life to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
“Hey, I like that.” Nu remarks, “I’ll have to write that down.”
“Gutefrau truly created a Shangri la for you here. A paradise on earth. Lucky. You have peace and progress and a future. You guys are lucky to live here. Rest of the world seems to be trapped in perpetual wars. Burning up in an endless fire of death and destruction. I am truly envious. I know billions, not millions anymore, but billions of people who are also envious, because they are homeless and hungry. I love it. I may not want to return to Canada.”
Ehren dismissively waves his hand. “Oh, it’s far from perfect, and it’s not a paradise. After a while, everybody, even Gutefrau, gets metal madness and has to spend some time on dry land. Three months on and two weeks off is normal.”
Ehren reflects for a moment. “Although, I know some scientists haven’t been off Venus for two or three years. Work is their life or their life is their work, I guess.
Most people go to Australia or China or Japan. They often use it like a short sabbatical. Some innovation time off. Twice a year, I go home to Germany. But, nobody, even former Americans like Nu, visit the US right now. Too dangerous. Isn’t that right Nu?”
“Yeah, Ehren is right. I haven’t been back to the US since Abaddon’s bullies chased me out. Almost every former American in SPEA, I know, is anti-Abaddon and anti-American.”
Ehren pulls on his seat belt. “But enough of that now. We have to end our little tour and land this baby. Just a quick jump over the island and we’ll nest this bird at the Reception Center.”
As his aircraft crosses the island above the elevated island bridge, Robert catches sight of the Reception Center – marina complex. Besides SPEA’s pleasure crafts, a small passenger boat is moored alongside the floating marina pier, along with two sea-planes. Another two aircraft are tethered atop floating pads attached by walkways to the marina. Next to those floating landing pads, two empty pads float.
“Looks like we’ll be nesting on pad three this morning.” Ehren flips some switches and his aircraft slows. “You should belt yourself in Robert.”
“I’ll go check on our sleeping beauty,” Nu announces, climbing out of her seat. “Our sleeping drugs should be wearing off about now.”
“So, that’s why he’s been so quiet. You drugged him.”
“Had to. So he would shut up.” Nu grins. “He accused us of trying to drug him back at the hangar. He told us that he is just too smart for amateurs like us. So, we just waited and drugged him here when he thought he was safe and let down his guard. He’ll wake up soon well rested, but with a little case of twenty-four hour stomach flu.”
“And me? Did you drug me?” Robert asks with a little concern.
“No, we like you. You slept because you were just exhausted.” Nu steps past him into the galley. “Besides, we follow the ancient rule that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. You are our friend. Aren’t you?”
“Oh, you bet.”
“Wise choice to be my friend. Before Abaddon, I was a woman of peace and love. I have become a woman of violence and revenge since.”
Robert deliberates for a moment before replying philosophically, “Ah, but as Marcus Aurelius said, the best revenge is not to be like your enemy.”
“Good quote, Robert, but I’m a student of Machiavelli and I believe he said it better when he said, ‘People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge; but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such a way that you do not have to fear their vengeance.’ Abaddon and his co-conspirators caused all of us at SPEA minor damage. But, he did not cripple us. He made us stronger. He should fear our vengeance, because a little diarrhea is just the beginning of what I have planned.”
“Be careful Nu. Be very careful,” Robert cautions. “You and Ehren are playing with fire with your little retributions. You may consider it a joke, but Evoil doesn’t share your sense of humor. I have no doubt that if he learns that you slipped him a laxative he’ll consider it a personal insult and an assault on an official US emissary.”
Nu scoffs, “Oh big deal. All we’ve done is give him a little stomach ache. So far.”
“So far? What do you mean, so far?”
“Relax Robert. Claiming it’s my revenge just makes it sweeter and more fun. Actually, it’s for Evoil’s protection as much as anything.” Nu grins and waves a small spray bottle. “In a few seconds I’m going to squirt a little gas up his nose giving him a little vertigo to go along with his nausea. SPEA security wants him dazed and confused and, if possible, in our hospital. There he’s safe from all of the many angry American exiles here. We’ve already notified SPEA medics to transport him from our airplane directly to our hospital. Nobody will see him and he won’t see anything, either. That’s important too. We don’t want him to know any more about SPEA and Venus than absolutely necessary.”
“Ok. I understand. But be smart. Be careful. Don’t do anything that Evoil or Abaddon can consider provocation. They are looking for the smallest reason…any excuse…a small incident…an embarrassment.”
“Preventing a small incident is exactly the reason I am doing this. Scientists aren’t saints. They’re humans who carry grudges, just like any other person. They’ve been bullied and tormented for years by brainless brutes like Evoil. Remember the people on Venus are smart and being smart can make them very capable killers. If they want to be. Or one of the US exiles could just alert the Russians or some other group
to his presence and let them do their dirty work.”
“Besides, he’s on my turf now, not his. I am a citizen of the independent state of SPEA, not the US. So screw him. SPEA owes no fealty to the US or any other nation.”
“I’m afraid that kind of thinking only makes it worse, Nu.” Robert continues, “Abaddon considers SPEA to be just a breakaway colony. A colony that he is ready to force back into the fold. Not an independent state.”
“Keeping people like Evoil under control is the only way that we can remain independent.” Nu eases past Robert toward the cabin. “If I hurry, he’ll never know what hit him. But, if we keep talking, he’ll wake and I’ll be too late.”
Quietly and quickly, Nu slips into the cabin and edges within inches of Evoil’s face. “Better living through chemistry,” she whispers as she shoots gas into his nostrils.
Robert watches her silently counting down from ten.
Ehren settles their aircraft softly onto the landing pad with a slight bump.
Nu waits another second or two and then roughly shakes Evoil’s shoulder. “Wake up! We’re here. Welcome to Venus.”
Chapter 13.
Mugavus Komfort
Robert enters SPEA’s Venus Reception Center and is immediately greeted by a Receptive Operator robot asking the ubiquitous SPEA questions. “May I offer you some coffee, tea or chocolate? Would you enjoy something to eat?”
Robert studies the Center. He counts seven men and eight women of various nationalities and ethnicities standing at pub tables consuming various drinks and foods while operating a variety of PCDs or talking into Bluetooths. Three Receptive Operator-bots shuttle between the tables greeting each of the Travelers one-by-one. After approximately five minutes of communication between the bots and the Travelers, some verbal, but most digital, a Facilitator robot arrives to accompany the Traveler, now called Invitee, into Venus.