“I understand, Sam. I can’t help but feel like it is my failure. I’ve spent my life searching for knowledge, and now the one piece of information that could save this world eludes me as if all my research skills amount to nothing.”
The two sat silently for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts, staring at the tables in front of them until Dr. Walt spoke.
“I just wish we could read the data files from those machines you found in the library at Roswell. I mean Kawkibon.”
Sam’s eyes lit up. “That’s right. Those things are like computers. Maybe if we figured out how to make them work, we could get more information. They don’t deteriorate like books do, so I bet there’s a lot stored that we haven’t seen yet. Why don’t we give it a try?”
Dr. Walt had no better idea, so the two of them went to where Sam had teleported the entire library. He had found the collection of records in a buried research facility near where Roswell, New Mexico was in Telani. It was ironic, Sam thought, that the location would be significant in both worlds. The Old Kasmali name here in Gythe, Kawkibon, meant star rock, or meteorite.
Using his rohw abilities, Sam had teleported the entire library to a huge room in the fortress. Dr. Walt had searched many of the books and files, all in pristine condition because the whole research facility had been sealed tight, but hadn’t found the information they needed.
Just inside the doorway, Sam stepped up to the closest desk. A flat screen, much like a computer monitor, projected upward from the desktop, and a cube measuring ten inches or so square with a circular hole on the top sat beside it. Sam stared at it, wondering what to do to make it turn on.
They had done this before, staring at the ancient machines, trying to figure out how to use them. They didn’t even have any visible power cords. What’s more, the data—or so they believed—was stored in little solid cylinders. The data objects fit perfectly into holes in the computers themselves, but putting them in didn’t cause the machines to go on. Sam was perplexed. He sat down on the chair in front of the desk.
“So,” Sam said, “these are probably some kind of computers.”
“Agreed,” Dr. Walt said.
“The computers we know need a few things. Power, for starters, but also a display, which—” he pointed to the screen coming up out of the desk “—I think this is. Then, there’s an input device like a mouse or keyboard.”
“Unless it’s voice activated,” Dr. Walt said. “In that case, we would need only power and connections to the monitor.”
“Unless the monitor connects wirelessly,” Sam added.
“Is such a thing possible?”
“Of course,” Sam said. “Oh, I forgot, you’ve been in Gythe for a long time. Wireless connections for computers are common now on Telani, though I haven’t seen wireless monitors.”
Dr. Walt scratched his head “Right. Just power then.”
“Look at this plate set into the surface of the desk,” Sam said, running his finger over a slick plate about half the size of a normal keyboard. “There’s a light layer of dust over everything that has accumulated since I moved the library here to the fortress, but none of it is on the plate. It’s like it repels dust.”
“My word,” Dr. Walt said, readjusting the glasses on his nose. “You’re right. Fascinating.”
“Look at the monitor,” Sam continued. “It’s thinner than any monitor I’ve ever seen. It looks like it should be bending under its own weight, only as thick as maybe twenty sheets of paper, but it’s strong enough that I can’t bend or budge it.” He ran his finger over the top edge of the monitor. “Dust is on the top of it, but none is on the screen itself.”
“That material looks the same as the plate on the desk. Is it some sort of polymer?”
“I think so,” Sam said. “It’s certainly not stone, ceramic, metal, or wood. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s very slippery.”
“Hmm, yes,” Dr. Walt said as he ran his finger over the monitor first, and then the desk plate.
“Power,” Sam said, tapping his forehead with his index finger. “There are no cords, no place to plug one in, nothing. I don’t hear or sense any kind of whining or vibration, either.”
Dr. Walt stared at the box. “If they truly are computers, they would also need some type of processing unit, a brain. And internal memory, possibly in addition to external storage.”
“I think it’s pretty clear all the little cylinders on the shelves are storage units,” Sam said. “They fit exactly into the holes on the top of the computer boxes. As for the other things, those would be inside the box. Except there doesn’t appear to be a way to open them up to see what’s inside. It seems solid and smooth.” He picked it up and shook it hard. “Nothing rattles or moves when I shake it, either.”
“It seems they are literally black boxes.” Dr. Walt laughed.
Sam looked at him.
“Ahem, sorry. A little science humor.”
“When we first stepped into the facility,” Sam told Dr. Walt, “there was a hiss as of air escaping…or being sucked in. I think the entire wing had been vacuum-sealed to prevent deterioration. Each room seemed to act as an airlock; we heard the hiss with each new room we entered except the ones that had collapsed or been breached in some way. Even the computers back home would last forever in an environment like that. I bet they still work, if we can puzzle out how to give them power and start them.”
Dr. Walt’s brow furrowed. “That sounds reasonable.”
Sam frowned at the screen. He had a feeling he was missing something. Something important. He thought through it all again and came up with the same result. “Can you please hand me one of those cylinders, Dr. Walt?” he asked finally.
The older man took one of the cylinders from the rack closest to him and handed it over. Sam turned it in his hand, inspecting it for any seam, any defect or blemish. He found none, not even a scratch. It was smooth, like some type of plastic, but it didn’t feel cool like he would have expected. It wasn’t warm, either. He touched the surface of the desk and then the cylinder again. The desk felt cool to the touch, but the little device seemed to be temperature-neutral, like a stack of paper.
Sam tapped it lightly on the edge of the tabletop. It did not sound hollow, nor did it seem to have parts within it.
“Must be some kind of solid-state technology,” Sam said. With nothing left to do, he carefully inserted it into the hole in the computer. It fit perfectly with not a hair’s breadth around the edge. It sat exactly flush with the surface of the computer, almost disappearing as if part of the box itself.
He realized with a start that he didn’t know how to get it out of the hole. He picked the box up, turned it upside down, and shook it. The cylinder stayed put. Sam looked at Dr. Walt, concern on his face. “Any ideas? I’d rather not pry it out with a knife. I’d probably damage the computer and the cylinder.”
Dr. Walt stared at the box for a moment and then shook his head. “No idea.”
Sam put the box down again. “Maybe there’s a release. If I push it,” he put his finger on it to do so, “maybe it will—” There was a click before Sam was able to press down. The cylinder slowly rose an inch, enough for Sam to grab and remove it.
“That’s odd,” Sam said, rolling the cylinder in his fingers again.
“I’d say. I would think that type of mechanical mechanism would wear out with the use these machines probably had.”
“No. It’s not mechanical. I never actually pressed down. But that’s not the strangest part. As I brushed it with my finger, I could swear that it…reached back. I don’t know how to explain it, but it seemed to take something from me, some little bit of heat or energy.”
“Fascinating,” Dr. Walt said.
Sam put the cylinder back and put his finger lightly on the top of it once more, focusing on what he felt as he did so. The cylinder ejected once again. “Yes, it definitely took something from me. I think it leeched a bit of my rohw.”
&nb
sp; “Are you proposing that these machines are actually powered by rohw, Sam?”
“I think maybe they are,” Sam said, tapping his index finger on his lips. “Let me try something.”
Sam closed his eyes for a moment and pictured the rohw energy that constantly swirled throughout the pathways in his body. Keeping his lids closed, he put his hand on the small pad in front of him. In his mental picture, he saw his rohw eddy and whirl about his palm. Then he watched as it was sucked into the pad. It seemed to tug at his skin, pulling a little bit of himself into the pad. The box emitted a hum as of something coming to life.
He opened his eyes in time to see a string of Old Kasmali words flash across the screen, and then a hologram burst out from it. It was a woman’s head, and she was speaking. Sam only caught one of every five words, but he understood a bit more of the text scrolling across the air in front of him. It seemed he was being given the choice for voice interaction or text. As he moved his hand on the pad, different areas of the hologram lit up. It not only moved from side to side, but somehow it tracked three-dimensionally. He marveled as a miniature version of his hand circled the woman’s head when he shifted his real hand only slightly.
The computer seemed to combine his intentions and his minor adjustments in position on the pad. Though it should have been difficult to control—he was used to keyboards and mice, after all—it all seemed intuitive and easy. He liked it.
He looked to Dr. Walt, knowing that his own face showed amazement as much as the scholar’s wide eyes and slightly parted mouth did. “I think maybe we have found something,” he said through a smile.
Chapter 4
Within an hour, Sam had gathered the three Zouyim and Nalia and brought them down to the “new library.” The four arranged themselves around him at the desk he’d been using when he discovered how to use the ancient computers.
“I’m not sure exactly how to explain it,” he said to them, “but these machines are powered by rohw. By rohw from the user himself.” He saw Nalia eyeing him and amended, “or herself.” She nodded, and her mouth quirked into a tiny smile. “I should have figured it out. Those plates on the doors in the library sucked rohw from me and activated using my own energy. It’s the same concept, only with lower power requirements.”
“I have never heard of such a thing,” Rindu said, stepping up to the desk. “I have never even read of it or thought it possible.”
“It was a surprise when I discovered it…again.” Sam sat down and faced the monitor. “I’ll show you what I did, and maybe you can see something I missed. Especially watch my hand as I put it here to activate the computer.”
As Sam placed his hand on the little pad, the box hummed and the familiar text appeared on the monitor, soon followed by the hologram projection. He heard at least one quick intake of breath from behind him.
He tilted his head toward the rear so everyone could hear him more clearly as he manipulated through the space in the hologram and circled the woman’s head, demonstrating how to use the system. “You can move like this through the information stored on the computer. The little cylinders carry what is probably thousands of books worth of accumulated knowledge. From what I’ve seen, it’s all in Old or Ancient Kasmali. I think the machine automatically turns off when you break the connection, like this.” He removed his hand from the pad, and the hologram disappeared at the same time the screen went blank.
“It is like the computer you had at our home in Telani,” Nalia said, “but different, too, with no keyboard, no mouse.”
Rindu, Torim Jet, and Palusa Filk all wore expressions that were a mix between confusion and open astonishment.
“Those little cylinders can hold thousands of books? Each?” Torim Jet asked. “That means that this room contains the knowledge of millions of tomes. Is there so much information in all the world?”
Sam turned in the chair to face the Zouy. “That’s just a guess. I’m not sure how much information is in each, or if they’re full to capacity or mostly empty. I just based it on computers from my world. I’ve done very little in the way of exploring. I wanted to show you all first so we can all search.”
“And you have chosen us because of our abilities with the rohw?” Rindu asked.
Sam nodded. “Yes. I believe anyone can use the machines—I don’t think the entire world was filled with rohw users when these were made—but we’ll have to puzzle that out later. Dr. Walt already tried placing his hand on the pad and nothing happened. For now, we will have to help him out. How about it? Will you use them with me?”
Palusa Filk stepped up to the desk next to Sam’s. “Of course. It is like a dream to have all that ancient information beneath our hands. May I try now?”
Sam’s smile grew wider.
He spent the next few minutes walking around and coaching the others. Soon, all four were happily moving through the holograms projected in front of them. Dr. Walt hovered over Rindu’s shoulder, asking the monk to explore this part or that of the matrix in front of him. Nalia had used computers during her stay on Telani, so she was already staring in front of her, the tip of her tongue peeking out of the side of her mouth. A warm tickle traveled up Sam’s spine and lodged in his head. She only did that when using computers, and he found it adorable.
Torim Jet and Palusa Filk needed a little more help, which Sam provided.
The older monk’s eyes were watery. “Perhaps the information lost to the Zouyim when the temple was destroyed is within these machines. By the universal rohw, it would lighten my old heart to know that it is not gone forever.”
Sam understood the sentiment. “Master Torim, we will bring one of the computers to the new temple when it is built.”
A tear slid down the old monk’s face. “Truly, Sam? That would be wonderful. Oh, to see the temple rebuilt and the library restored, even increased, before I die. It is more than I had hoped or dreamed.”
“Maybe we can even figure out how to put new things in, such as the book you have been reading. The one by Master Dal.” Sam paused. Why had he never made that connection? “Is that book written by the same Chetra Dal we’re fighting against?”
Rindu answered firmly, “I still cannot believe Master Dal would stray so far from the wireh. It must be another with the same name, even one who took the respected name for some nefarious purpose.”
“Okay, okay,” Sam raised his arms up. “I meant no disrespect. I had just never thought about the author of the book before now. It’s not important. What we really need is to find information about Bruqil so we can get it before our adversary, whatever his real name.”
Apparently placated, the monk looked back to his computer and continued searching.
They searched for the next two days. It was difficult for all of them to focus on their goal. Between trying to figure out the filing system of the data and how to navigate the operating system itself, there was distraction enough, but they constantly found interesting information that had nothing to do with their search. Their varying familiarity with Old and Ancient Kasmali also affected the speed at which they could explore.
The first time one of them came across an image rather than text, everyone stopped to stare. Palusa Filk had somehow opened up a three-dimensional image of the fortress they were in. The detail was incredible, down to the grain in the black stone from which the fortress had been made. They could zoom in and out on the image and turn it about as if it was a model they held in their hands. After ten minutes of virtual exploration, Rindu cleared his throat.
“We have a goal, something for which we search. I am fascinated by what you have found, but we must focus on what we mean to do.”
Sam wasn’t the only one who flushed.
“Yes, yes,” Dr. Walt said. “You are quite right, Rindu. We must find the location of the artifact.”
“Try to save that file, or figure out its location so we can get back to it,” Sam said. “That will be useful in the future. We still haven’t explored the entire keep.”
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br /> Late in the second day, they found what they had been looking for.
“Nawrpul,” Dr. Walt read from the file displayed on the computer Rindu was operating. “That is the name of the area in which the last artifact is located.”
The others had left their desks and gathered around Rindu and Dr. Walt. They all studied the hologram in front of them. It depicted jagged mountains, rugged terrain, and deep snow unmarred by any visible tracks.
“Apparently,” the doctor continued, “this location is north of us, and east. On the other side of the mountain range that separates the west coast of this land mass from the rest of the continent.” He looked at Sam. “It looks to be well into what is Canada on Telani. From the information in this file, I would say it is approximately where Banff National Park is in our world.”
Dr. Walt nodded to Rindu and the image zoomed out, became a flat map rather than the three-dimensional topographical model it had been. A red dot in one location obviously marked where they had zoomed out from.
“We are here.” Dr. Walt pointed to a location south and west of the dot. Sam recognized the area, nearer the ocean.
“That’s great,” Sam said. “At least we have a location now. It seems like a long journey, though. I don’t know any areas near there, so we can’t teleport there. We could start at Gromarisa—the Grand Canyon—but then we would have to traverse the canyon to go north. If we started at Iboghan—Carlsbad Caverns—it would be a very long trip. It’s much shorter going straight east from here and then turning north, but to do that we’d have to cross the mountains. That seems especially difficult at this time of year.”
“It will be difficult, but with Ix’s skimming to help, perhaps the mountains and the snow will not be as much of an issue,” Rindu said.
“There’s that,” Sam answered. “Plus, I don’t really see any other way. We can’t wait for summer. We have to try to get there before Dal. Anyone have any other ideas?” No one did. “Okay, I guess we have our location. What else does the file say about the artifact?”
Harmonic Magic Series Boxed Set Page 102