Chapter Thirty-two
Planned message
After looking for hours at the latest reports on construction progress and changes on the spaceship, Breen and Bakman take a break. It had been a long morning discussing technical information and listening to recorded verbal explanations made by Woodin or Algrin. They each read a report, study circled areas on view-screen blueprints, and then listen to a recorded explanation. Both of them made pages of notes and other pages filled with questions to ask. The only bright spot in the many engineering changes was the cargo space dimensions did not change, and their new stronger cargo cases will fit as planned.
During their break, Breen reports Woll the Clone returned to report and pick up three more books. "He told me that fourteen more of his people had been transported to the Silo. His men are out preparing for a second shipment in three days . . . a third in two weeks."
Duffy Bakman nods his understanding. "At first Woll was worried the people at the Silo would not accept clones. I tried to calm his fears, and I told him when this is all over his people can go to the Clone Colony. They will have a place and jobs."
As an afterthought Breen adds. "Clones have been mistreated, but today's treatment is better than termination."
"Some of the clones think being held in a detention center for the rest of their lives is worse that death," Bakman adds.
"Maybe Harry's Clone Colony will help?"
"Harry's a thinker. I believe he and Mary thought all this up years ago. Did you know years ago he had a group out rescuing clones from termination?"
"No, I didn't. Harry is one of a kind," Breen states.
A nodding Bakman looks at Breen and ends their break with, "Let's get back at it."
They began shuffling through their papers and scrolling past screens. A smile fills Bakman's face as he looks at a line on a page and his fingers search through a disk rack. He takes out a disk and puts it in the viewer. On the screen are plans for the space ship’s Communication systems. Bakman points to an exterior view on a screen. "Look an antenna. They have added one so each section can talk to the other when they’re separated."
"Well Glory Bee, they did!"
"Can we use those to send a signal back to earth?"
"Maag's group can put one together, I'm sure."
"Have them work on one. I want to repeat Harry’s and my earlier suggestion for a Morse code signal . . . for it is something recognizable as human. I want enough power to send it for ten hours every month. With that signal the people on earth will get reports on the ship's location and that might change their feelings toward us."
"What kind of a message did you suggest? Can't be very long?"
Bakman scratches his chin, thought a moment about it, and remembered three mechanicals this mission was entrusted to. "I think, Harry and I finally agreed on just three letters, the initials of the three mechanicals: D, V, and Z with a space between. Let’s see. I think that when they get to the planets, the message will say their full names once a month: In orbit of Dee ... In orbit of Vee ... In orbit of Zee. Continue the same D-V-Z schedule of once a month from the rest of the ship that flies off to find a new solar system. Fifteen or twenty years later, the orbiting message will read: First 20 Deenese shuttling down. They will as often as their schedule fuel permit shuttle down every few years. Years later: Last 20 Deenese to shuttle down in main vehicle to use as a base station. It will be the same on the other planets using Veenese and Zeenese. Have Maag flesh out that idea so I can present it back to Harry."
"That's a fantastic idea. It will get Maag all excited, I know."
"I've had enough of this head stuff today," Bakman tell Breen with a grin. "Let's go tell him together and then tell Harry." Bakman is already moving toward the door with Breen only two steps behind.
Upstairs, later in the afternoon, Dee tries to make conversation with a moody husband lost in thought about the ramifications of the signals.
“It has rained all day.”
It was the first time Bakman had noticed. He grins, hugs Dee, and takes her hand and leads her to the elevator. Inside on the way to the roof he whispers. “I love rain.”
On the roof Bakman walks right out into the rain, a steady downpour, and gets thoroughly soaked as he walks through puddles, splashes in them, and has a good laugh. Dee stands shivering but dry in the lookout tower with a concerned guard and two mechanicals. Finally, Bakman decides to end his romp in the rain when a lightning bolt crashes down just north of them and a quick violent thunder boom almost hurts his eardrums. After that he ran to collect his wife.
In the elevator Dee grudgingly let his long arms pull her to him, smiles up at Duffy being careful not to put too much pressure against her growing belly, and lets him get her wet while receiving a warm happy kiss.
The Centauri Conspiracy Page 34