“This is our home, King V’ming, this is where we live. Within the great nearby galaxy of stars, the Milky Way, home of millions of suns. We live on planets, six of them, floating around five stars, much as your planet does, yet far, far, far away.”
Lori looked at him. He stared at the image, his daughter and grandchildren close around, all eyes focused, frozen on the holovision image. Their heads moved slowly, up, down, back and forth. No one said anything.
King V’ming said, softly, so softly they nearly missed it. “It’s beautiful.” They kept looking at it. “Who would have ever thought.” And a moment later, “We are small indeed.” He added, “And arrogant beyond belief.” Turning to Lori, though he immediately brought his gaze back to the holovision, he said, “This is so? This is true?”
“Yes. This is the view we will see as we return to our home planets. Here is where we will go.”
The image began to contract and move, even if at first nothing much seemed to happen. The narration told of the time, translated as best they could, in the local system, which at least had the idea of the time the planet took to circle the main star as a measurable period, a year. Still, as the image enlarged, and the edges started to vanish, Lori knew it was a poor approximation of the reality, and no Doppler effect, either, just the quick, simple enlargement of the stars at the edge of the galaxy. And it had to be that way, along with greatly simplified travel through the starfields, actually skimming over the top of the spiral arms, the stars seen zipping and streaming, like a glowing river below them, and a sudden drop into the midst of them all, and a slow approach to Ixixil.
Now that dry and colorful planet filled the scene, while its history played in a square to the side, and it slowly rotated. Then off, quickly now, to Serum Laut, and the narrator tried to give an impression of that crushing gravity, and its immense size. To do that at the same scale as Ixixil, only a portion of the globe was shown at any time. Again, a quick departure, to the Twin Worlds this time, and the wonderful green dumbbells with the white, fuzzy handle connecting them.
The king looked away again, and said, “This is real, also?”
Lori said, “It is.”
After a brief narration, another departure, and a planet fall to Florez, the very first one found with intelligent life, Lori knew, as first seen by humans, including her great grandmother Stephanie, so long ago. She told the king that, and he seemed to rock in comprehension. The scene shifted, time passing, and now the station ring high above the equator of Florez shimmered in diamond sparkles.
Finally, the view moved on, zipping through the stars once more, to approach, and to slow, as Earth appeared with a station ring of its own. The moon circled lazily, the sun glowed off to the far side, and the image slowly shrank as the Earth enlarged. When the blue-green globe, its surface laced with white, dominated the greatly reduced holovision, Lori said, “This is the planet of my home. This is from where I come. This is Earth, my planet.”
“We’ve been there,” said one of the kits, to be pulled back and down by its mother.
They watched it revolve completely once, including the terminator, and the light laced darkness on the surface, as the narrator explained about night and day. The rotation stopped, the point of view hung over New York, and stayed there.
Lori was ready to shut it off, when King V’ming said, “And your place of dwelling, where you live, can you show me that?”
Lori pushed another key, entered the code, prepared to answer his question, knowing it would dispel all notion of royalty on her part.
With a rush, the planet dropped toward them, causing a gasp from everyone, and they zoomed down toward the surface. The ocean and land delineated, and the huge blue-grey sprawl of the cities and the developed areas separated from the still green forest and farmlands. They moved in closer toward the massive lineal city along the coast, with New York in its center, to briefly hold everyone’s interest. But the city moved off to the edge as they raced along out Long Island, the Sound deep blue to the left side, and dropping still faster, now the faint lines of old roads and patterns of development stood out, and finally individual buildings. They cruised along just over the coast, dropping in elevation, and turned to face a large white home, a green lawn above the bluff, a bright oblong of the blue pool near the garden, and trees all around. The view stopped, and faced the door. It opened, and people, human people walked out.
“This is my mother, and my father. My brother. My grandmother, and grandfather. And this, last, is me,” Lori said, as the family, in simulation, all waved to them.
She noticed the king’s grandchildren, caught up in the images, waved back. Only then did she allow the image to fade, turn to a dot, and be gone.
No one in the king’s party spoke, no one said anything. Everyone just stared at where the holovision had played, the servants, the TV crew, everyone. Lori waited for them. Finally, one of the kits said, “Poppa, can we see that again?” The others echoed the call.
The king looked at Lori. “The children speak for us all. It is too much to take in all at once. Would you indulge an old man, and his family one more time?”
“Of course,” Lori said, and reset the program.
The King waved to the TV people. “Make sure you offer this live to all the world’s net. Wherever you can. Everyone should see this. The whole world.” He looked at Lori.
She said, “Ready?”
The TV person waved frantically, spoke into his pickup, and held up a shaking hand. Finally, he pulled it down, and pointed to Lori. She pointed to the king. He looked into the camera, and introduced what was going to appear, saying, “This is the truth of the greatness of the universe, and our small part of it. This is the great gift of the Sky Lady, and her people. For this knowledge, I am profoundly grateful. As are we all, all the people of Tajmyr, and the planet Magadana.”
When he looked her way, Lori pushed the key, and the whole sequence began again, the narration started, and they all sat back to watch.
When the light vanished for the second time, King V’ming said, “Oh, how I would like to see that world of yours.”
Lori said nothing, knowing she could not invite him, nor take him out and back, given his health, and his duties. But she could do one thing.
“King V’ming, if it would please you, I can lift you to the place of my ship, in orbit high above the world. If your duties will permit your temporary departure from the land, for a period of time, you might visit the starship Koyaanisqatsi, and see from there, the wonders of your world, and what lies about it in the great realm of the sky.”
“This is possible, for a frail and aged person?”
“Yes. I promise you no discomfort.”
Without a hesitation, he said to Lori, “When might I do this?”
“Whenever you wish. I ask only some notice, so that we may prepare to properly greet you.”
“Is next bright too soon?”
Lori looked over at Captain George. He made a little face, but nodded. Turning back, she said, “That is most acceptable. Shall we meet you here?”
“No, please, I will...in the Palace courtyard, there, near the small fountain. I can at least walk that far.”
Morales stared at her, surprised by her offer, no doubt. She gave him a little shrug, shaking her head as he again pointed to his watch. No, she’d stay a while longer, maybe long indeed.
Lori felt it might be time to present one of the gifts.
“King V’ming, one of the races, skilled in the art of anti-gravity devices, prepared for you a mobility platform. It will enable you to move about like anyone...as you will. Would you like to see it?”
“Show me this wonder,” he said, and Lori saw the skepticism in his stiff posture.
She called on her radio, and soon, a small platform sled, all glittery in gold foil, with a burgundy carpet, and a richly upholstered short platform against which a native might lean, glided into the tent, one meter above the floor, operated by a Pokoniry. It slowed, and se
ttled in front of the king, and turned ninety degrees, so he might climb on. The operator stepped off. King V’ming looked at it. The kits approached cautiously, looking underneath, talking to themselves quietly.
“What is this device?” V’Ming asked.
Lori stood and walked to it, and stepped up onto it. She said, “This is a gift from the explorers, from all the six races. It is a small anti-gravity sled. It will allow you to go any place you wish.” She sat down against the raised area, and pushed the small rocker switch on the control arm to the right. The platform rose a fraction. Using the toggle next to it, she began to tell them how it worked. “This stick controls the movement. Push it the way you wish to move–forward, back, right, left. This one,” and she pointed to the red switch, “controls up and down.” And she did so, rising to a height of three meters, and dropping down to the floor again. “Your Highness, would you like to try it? It is built for you.” She moved away, down and off the machine, so the king could climb on, if he wished.
His grandchildren tugged on his arms, and slowly, stiffly, he rose, and laboriously moved forward and up onto the platform, his daughter and servants hovering nearby. With a groan, he settled onto the padded bench, his legs touching the floor. The kits climbed on with him. He looked at the minimal, low dashboard, and put his hand on the controls. “What do I do?” he asked, looking at Lori again. She explained, pointing to the switch and the short stick. Carefully, he pushed the rocker down, and the chair rose upward, and stopped at a meter. “Ah, now I am as tall as you...don’t fall off,” he said, grabbing one of the kits by the back of its neck. Lori smiled, and repeated the instruction on how to move ahead and back.
Using the slightest pressure, he moved forward, as the kits let out a yell. “We’re flying! Poppa, we’re flying! It’s magic.”
Lori walked alongside, encouraging him, and the servants shadowed them both. Soon, she stopped, as the king drifted around the open area, intense attention to the controls, over to the food tables, past the musicians, and around the group on the cushions. The TV crew scrambled to follow him. The kits yelled for everyone to look at them, waving and pointing. The princess watched the display in stunned amazement. The king returned to Lori, stopped, and said, “Truly, this is magic. You have given me my legs back again. May I go some more?”
Lori waved a hand outward, and the king turned, and flew off, a bit faster, she noticed. He headed out toward the reviewing area, and stopped a moment there. Sounds of the assembled forces coming to attention rose at once. But the king did not stop for long. He rose above the rail, and moved out, then dropped quickly from sight, bringing thrilled cries from his kits. Lori and the others hurried to the rail, fearing that he’d crashed, but he drifted along, over the heads of his astonished troops, and then down onto the grassy open laneway, and over to the honor guard.
They heard the amplified sound of his voice, as the TV cameras hurried in toward him.
“Guard Commander. The next time you march, I shall go with you, thanks to this marvelous device, a gift of the star people.” He pointed to Lori’s small group, standing and watching him. “And behold, all my people. Once more, I shall move about among you, and visit, and see you in the streets and the factories and parks. And together, we will decide how we might repay the visitors from the stars, for this, and for all the knowledge and technology they bring us. Long live the Star People.” He pointed, and a thousand voices repeated the phrase, and chanted it twice more, and began cheering as he moved again.
He flew on down the line, the troops snapping to attention as he neared, turned at the end, and returned along the other side. At the reviewing stand, he stopped, and carefully rose to the rail height, and moved ahead, the group parting for his passage. He flew to the food tables, and directed the kits in gathering a few edibles for him and some for themselves. Then he returned, and slowly settled the AG chair right next to Lori, and remained on it, looking regal and supreme.
Now, as he and the kits, two sitting against his legs, nibbled at the fruits and breads, he leaned toward Lori, and his talk turned more serious. He queried her on how they might obtain more of the anti-gravity devices. “I am hardly the only one of my people who cannot move freely, as in our younger lives. And many labor under heavy burdens, all the bright long. Great would be the joy, should more such devices be available to us. And those marvelous flying cars.”
Lori discussed trade with him, and her reservations about military use. She said, “We realize that not an invention has occurred, but that someone finds a way to put it to battle. Such is the same with AG. We will not sell you, trade with you, nor provide information, on weapons or military craft. But we expect your people will figure those uses out for yourselves, just as the rest of us have. We only hope you will not, but are realistic about that.”
In reality, most of the AG devices were already sold, including the supply of air cars, auctioned off at incredible prices, to other areas on the planet, something the king obviously knew. Just a few remained. Lori had a couple on the Koya, kept in reserve, and she did not offer one to him, yet. She wanted to see what he did with this smaller version before considering that. And if he might be worthy.
But here, on this planet, and in this province, a huge market existed, large enough to make bringing big ships loaded with air cars on a year’s journey, and rich enough to return with unimaginable, exotic wealth, worthwhile. So she committed to opening trade with the king’s land, as the other races did with the other places on this planet, and as they have already on Uta.
The king asked in detail about visiting the starship, the one that brought Lori to the planet. He asked for a specific time, motioning to his aides to make sure he would be ready then. He asked for more details on the operation of the platform–power source, speed, maximum height, maintenance, and so on, and Lori called the Pokoniry technicians in to answer them, glad for the break, which she used to go to the lighter for a relief call of her own, and then to nurse Eric. She did not ask permission, but told the king she needed to attend to the feeding of her son.
The king said, waving her onward, “Of course, that we understand very well.”
When she returned, she saw the king in deep discussion with the Pokoniry, holding the small controller, and looking at the built in screen for instructions. An aide stood over his shoulder, recording everything, for later reference, as an Anawoka hovered near his ear, translating.
More entertainment appeared, for the guests, the king fascinated with the AG device, which he soon flew off, and practiced behind the platform. Lori lounged in the tent, watching some intricate dancing, but really wished to be done with it all now, her part in the ceremony finished, she thought, and said so to Hunter. He rose, and questioned the chief steward, asked if additional audience would happen, or was the meeting over, and almost immediately the king returned.
“Your personal items are not the last of our gifts for you, Sky Lady, though I think now, they are indeed the first, and the best. We have more, I trust you will like, if hardly adequate to be worthy of those you bear to us.”
The king waved, and a host of servants marched in, each holding a box, large or small, covered in dark material. They stopped before Lori, and stacked the boxes in a loose pile, which rose to a meter.
“May I open them now?” Lori asked. “Or is it your custom to do so later?”
“We open gifts when received, but will defer to you in when to do so.”
“Oh, I’d like to see what’s in the boxes. Can the kits help?” she said, looking down at them.
Nif and Dayu instantly jumped up, grabbed a box each, sat beside Lori, and with a few words from their mother, began to slowly pull off the coverings. Lori motioned to Nagorje and Sredne, forgetting their names, though her earpiece said them, she repeated them, asking them to help. The king’s grandchildren hurried over, pleased to help open the gifts, even if they weren’t for them. A smaller box was given to Eric, and he began to tear at the covering. One by one, the kits hel
d up the objects for Lori and Hunter to see.
Inside, objects of extraordinary craftsmanship appeared–golden goblets, jeweled cutlery, crystalline plates and containers, carved wooden statues, large and small. And exotic minerals, crystals, several fossils and finds of archeological interest, Lori saying the scientists will leap with joy to see them, and more, carved wooden boxes, some books, and last, an oil portrait of King V’ming, his daughter, her husband, and the kits, much smaller then. Lori looked at it for a long moment, lamenting what was lost.
Lori called Morales, and he sent in their gifts, too, more boxes for the kits to open–computers with records and information from Earth, and each of the other worlds, though that information was already being circulated on the planet, a punch bowl set, a silver coffee service, with a large platter with the Earth embossed on the surface, small dolls, with a variety of human costumes from different countries, a couple of simple games, some wine and liquor from Kalimanta, Florez, and Serum Laut, music and art from Ixixil, and carvings from Lucipara. But no more anti-gravity devices, large or small.
The king and princess seemed delighted, nevertheless, exclaiming over each item.
For the king himself, she presented a small walnut box, with a pen and pencil set inside, made from colorful wood from Lucipara. She showed the simple operation of the two writing devices, and V’ming seemed pleased, slipping both into a small carry-all on his waist.
Lori asked the kits to bring in several things for the princess’s kits, too, to their delight, games, puzzles, and stuffed animals from Earth. Nif and Dayu knew how to work the games, and set about, with much patience, showing Naggi and Reddi, as they called them, how to play each.
With the meeting seeming to wind down, Lori called Morales, and said, “OK to go now?”
“You finished with Tarija?”
“I am. I don’t know about V’ming, though.”
“All right, I’ll tell my contact.”
Lori stood, as preparations for departure began, more orders ringing out, and different music playing. King V’ming remained on his AG platform, with his grandkits.
T-47 Book II (Saxon Saga 6) Page 52