by Bob Cooper
Each notebook started and ended with a seal imprint made with Antares symbols on the page. The notebooks contained no indication of their meaning. The last notebook detailed the actual cipher software algorithms used to examine the code.
“This is great! I can compare the algorithm sequences to mine,” Acey shouted.
She had her father’s passion for science and her mother’s gift for logic.
***
On her way to the Astro-Archeology building, Acey heard a voice from behind.
“Acey! Hold up!”
“Hi, Hillary. Where have you been?” Hillary’s red hair with purple highlights came into view before she did.
“I’m back from the annual art colony exposé. Excellent show. There were artists there from all over. I got plenty of publicity. My work is going to be published in this year’s portfolio,” Hillary said, smiling.
Hillary studied artistic design, which included everything from ancient pottery to interpretive dance. She was like the art-of-the-month club. Each time Acey saw her, she wore some new clothing, jewelry, or other personal adornment she had designed.
“What’s an art exposé?” Acey asked.
“It’s where the colony lets it all hang out. Anything goes — the judges award prizes for the most uninhibited work. I won a silver ribbon for my entry,” Hillary said, displaying the ribbon proudly.
“Can I see what you entered?” Acey asked, knowing she would probably regret it.
Acey studied the artwork. Hillary reclined in a vat of green and orange gel-like substance stark naked. Various color paints spilled over a large artist’s palette, which covered her pelvic area. Her long hair strategically covered most of her breasts.
“I call it “Paint Me Alive,” Hillary said, watching the expression on Acey’s face.
“Uh, yeah, very colorful. I like the texture of that gooey stuff as it mingles with the paint,” she managed to say.
It was the best that Acey could come up with. Acey never explored her artistic side—she didn’t think she had one. Hillary was a good friend—basically, her only friend.
“There’s a reception at the Academy Gallery tonight. Why don’t you come and see the rest of the winners?” Hillary asked.
“Uh, well, I really have a lot studying to do and …”
“Oh, come on. You’ll have fun, and you’ll meet some interesting people,” Hillary encouraged, walking away.
“I’ll bet,” Acey thought to herself.
***
Once inside the Astro-Archeology building, Acey looked more closely at her Father’s notebooks from the archives. She became fixated with the seal on each of the notebooks. What did it represent? It appeared throughout all the notebooks, but the archives revealed no mention of its meaning. The symbols were unlike others found in the Antares System, and she found no matches in any of the archeological databases.
The sequences of software instructions listed in the notebooks proved more fruitful. Acey was able to establish a pattern to include in her programs. She began to integrate the sequences into her software.
***
Dirk waited in the Provost’s office for over an hour. He knew why he was there. It was only a matter of time before the Academy Governance Committee, headed by the Dean of Students, called him on the carpet for his teaching methods. Ever since he was re-assigned from duty onboard the Academy’s starship to classroom teaching, it seemed a matter of contention. The Academy had a strict policy on the age of those who could serve on Starship expeditions. Dirk, a practical, hands-on astro-archeologist, stressed fieldwork, and space exploration. The Governance Committee leaned more to academic pursuit using computer modeling and simulation.
The door to the Provost’s office opened. Dirk could see Bob motioning him into his office. Dirk and Bob became fast friends after Dirk pulled him out of a collapsing tomb complex on the third moon of Canapus.
“Come in, Dirk,” Bob said.
“You know why you’re here, don’t you?” he said, staring at Dirk.
“I know that O’Malley has something to do with it. Ever since he was appointed to the Governance Committee, he’s been trying to push his half-assed agenda. You know as well as I do that we can’t do proper research with computers alone.”
“Dirk, we are under tight budget constraints. The Academy cannot afford to man starships and cruise around the universe as it did in our day,” Bob said, waving a copy of this year’s budget in the air. He wants you to adopt the approved teaching curriculum from now on, or …”
“Or what? Go ahead, say it! What is he going ...”
“Or you will answer to the Governance Committee, and you could lose your tenure,” Bob said, trying to keep calm.
“This is bullshit, and you know it!” Dirk said, leaving the room and slamming the door.
Dirk always knew this day would come. O’Malley intimidated the entire faculty. Budget constraints are a lame excuse to limit the quality of research; he thought to himself. Even Bob was siding with him. Dirk was sure there were other political reasons why O’Malley and the Governance Committee took this path. Dirk needed to find out why.
***
The Academy Art Gallery courtyard glowed with colored lasers and holograms displaying renditions of the artists’ works. Acey didn’t realize that art at the Academy was such a big deal. The major event at the gallery was the display of Aurigan artifacts discovered by the Academy’s latest expedition this year. There was a ring of Citizen Guard patrol officers surrounding it. Acey recognized a pair of blue eyes staring at her.
“Hi there,” she said.
“Hello Miss Saunders,” Aidan replied as he scanned the crowd.
He was standing on a raised platform, so she had to look up.
“So, is this what you do on your time off?” Acey said, smiling at him.
Aidan smiled back. He continued to scan the crowd. “I’m not supposed to be talking to anyone while I’m on duty,” he whispered to her.
“I’m very sorry,” Acey whispered back. She backed away smiling at him and finally turned to walk away.
“Wait!” Aidan shouted. The other officers shot him disapproving looks.
Acey turned back. His face was beet red from the unwanted attention.
“Uh, could you meet me at midnight in the courtyard? I, uh, need to talk to you about the investigation,” he said loud enough for his fellow officers to hear.
Acey tried hard not laugh.
“Okay, see you there… to talk about the investigation.”
She gave him one more smile and walked toward the right side of the gallery, where a crowd examined various art objects. Suddenly a large ‘Pop’ and a flash of blinding light erupted from a stun grenade. People screamed as a hooded group of Earthers with black armbands pushed their way toward the main exhibit.
“Academy pigs will die! Earth for Earthers!” they chanted as they sprayed paint on the crowd and the Aurigan artifacts exhibit.
The uninvited guests left as fast as they came. A person in the crowd managed to pull the hood from one of the protestors. Acey recognized the amulet around her neck and knew it was Raina.
Raina punched the person as she raced towards the exit, but Acey caught up to her.
“I know who you are, Raina!” she shouted as Raina made it through the door with the Citizen Guard close behind. Raina had just enough time to make an obscene hand gesture meant for Acey as she disappeared into the night.
Hillary rushed over just as Aidan fought his way through the crowd.
“That was her. That was Raina. She was the one who attacked me by the Administration Building!” Acey said.
“We’re watching her apartment. We’ll find her, and this time she’ll be prosecuted.
“They’re closing the Gallery to clean up the mess,” Hillary said eyeing Aidan.
“Hillary, this is Aidan. Aidan, this is Hillary, my best friend,” Acey said.
“Glad to meet you,” Aidan nodded.
“Likewise,”
Hillary replied, tossing her rainbow-colored hair over her shoulders.
“There’s a party down at the Pub. Why don’t we go down there and forget this thing,” Hillary suggested?
“Um, uh, I don’t think so,” Acey faltered. “We, I mean Aidan and I are, uh going someplace to talk. I mean….”
“We need to discuss official police business,” he said trying to help her out.
Hillary studied both of them for a second.
“Oh, I see. Police business, ha,” she said with a big grin on her face.
Acey’s face was almost the same color as Hillary’s hair.
“Uh, yes. Police business. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Acey said.
Hillary backed away slowly studying both of them.
“You know I can use both of you in my next colony exhibit,” she said, finally walking away.
Acey cringed at the thought.
“Come on. Let’s go talk some police business,” Acey told Aidan.
3
The lights faded as Acey and Aidan walked away from the Academy. The night breezes swirled through the Saguaro Cactus and Mesquite trees that lined the path leading to the top of the hill. Going there was Acey’s idea. She often went to the top of the hill for inspiration and to sort out issues in her life. The expanse of the cityscape below and the view of the night sky somehow put life into perspective for her. They chatted about the evening events and the protest movement. There was a lull in the conversation. Finally, Aidan broke the silence.
“Can I ask you a personal question, Acey?”
“Only if I get to ask you one.”
“Okay. How come you didn’t press charges against Raina?”
Acey looked out at the twinkling city lights. She wasn’t sure how to answer because she really didn’t know why herself.
“She attended the Academy, so she must have believed in alien diversity at some point in her life. What could have changed her? Most of the Earthers are at least twice her age and cling to their narrow-minded beliefs. I’m really not sure I made the right decision based on what happened tonight.” Acey said.
Aidan was trained to deal with the facts at hand—arrested for unlawful assembly, trespassing and recently, assault. She was a criminal in his eyes.
“You still have until tomorrow to press charges if you change your mind.” He replied.
“Now it’s my turn,” Acey said.
“Do you believe in alien diversity and that contact is good for our civilization?”
He studied her face as he searched for an answer. Since first contact, everyone on Earth pondered that question. Not quite two hundred years ago the Federated Earth Space Council launched a series of probes to a planet circling the red dwarf star, Gliese 581, which is among the 100 closest stars to Earth, located 20.5 light-years away in the constellation Libra. The probes detected energy signals and radio waves consistent with those on Earth. The mission was hailed as a great success by some, and after long debates, contact was initiated using the probes. When responses came back, there was total chaos on Earth—especially with the organized religions of the day. The concept of an all-knowing God had to be expanded outside of the human experience. Some made the leap of faith; those like the Earthers believed any contact was wrong and against the tenets of their religions.
“I believe in the ‘Live and Let Live’ philosophy. Whether contact is good for our civilization remains to be seen,” Aidan said, watching for her reaction.
Acey smiled at him.
“Well, then I guess there is still hope for you,” she said, laughing.
They walked back to Acey’s home. Aidan followed her up to the entrance. She turned to get one more glimpse of his blue eyes and waited.
“Uh, can I ask you one more question,” he said. His attempt to prolong the moment was obvious.
“What does the A. C. stand for in your name?”
“Not many people know, and I’m not sure you can keep a secret,” she said, teasing him. “Ayanna Charlotte. That was my Grandmother’s name on my mother’s side.”
“Ayanna Charlotte. What a beautiful name! Very unique—just like you,” he said with his eyes locked on hers.
Acey waited what seemed to be a long time. Finally, she put her arms around him and gently kissed his lips. He responded by pulling her towards him.
“I do have to go now,” she said, still holding him.
He released her gently and slowly. “Can I call you sometime?” he whispered to her.
“Please do,” she replied as she disappeared into the building.
***
Dirk nervously stirred the scotch and soda the bartender handed him. Bob Haskall called Dirk earlier and spoke in a low, soft, muted voice as if there were others trying to listen and requested they meet off Academy grounds. The political climate at the Academy was getting worse. Pressure on the outside from the Earther Movement and on the inside from O’Malley split the faculty into two camps—those that supported Dirk’s point of view to continue space exploration and seek contact, and those that supported O’Malley’s, who stressed less exploration and more computer-simulated archeology. The latest excuse to cut deep space missions was the budget. It seemed that money was appropriated to other units in the Academy, and deep space exploration got the short end of the stick. Since O’Malley was a powerful voice on the finance committee, it was no surprise to Dirk.
O’Malley was a starship captain once. He led scientific missions. Why is he against them now? And why was Bob Haskall taking O’Malley’s side? Dirk pondered.
Bob and Dirk were inseparable during their youth at the Academy. The science missions they participated in cemented their friendship. But there was one trip that Dirk would never forget. He was on Canopus in the middle of the Milky Way Galaxy exploring an ancient civilization when an explosion caused the tomb they were in to collapse. Ignited methane gas pockets exploded all around them. Dirk led his team out, dodging the crumbling stone walls. When they were clear, he noticed Bob was missing. Without thinking, he went back in and found Bob unconscious, trapped under a support timber with his leg shattered. Dirk dragged him out just as the final explosion blew the tomb apart. Dirk received the Academy’s highest honor for his actions, and Bob received a cushy desk job as Provost in charge of faculty affairs.
Bob was an hour late. Dirk tried to contact him on his com link but got no answer. He decided to walk down to Bob’s apartment. It was getting dark, and he wanted to apologize for blowing up in his office the day before. Bob’s apartment was several blocks away, and when he arrived, the security scanner recognized him by flashing a green light over the door. But the door was already opened. When he entered, the lights were on along with the video monitor.
“Bob, are you home,” he shouted.
No answer. He walked in and announced his presence again. Still no response. Classical music eerily filled the room from the sound system. Dirk’s stomach fluttered as he took a deep breath and continued. He saw desk drawers sprawled on the office floor and papers scattered throughout the house. The desk chair was knocked over. Dirk rushed to the desk and jumped back when he saw blood oozing between the cracks of the floor. Bob’s body was face down—the right side of his skull shattered. An archeologist’s hammer rested under a table and covered with blood. Shaking, he called the Citizen Guard and waited for their arrival. It seemed to take forever for them to arrive.
When they came in, Dirk was staring outside Bob’s office window at the news media gathering. They arrived at the same time as the Citizen Guard and mobbed the tall, older inspector as he entered the building. They were held at bay at the entrance. Inspector Davis walked into the room and ignored Dirk as he sized up the crime scene while taking notes and directing the forensic team. Finally, he went over to Dirk.
“Are you Dirk Saunders?” he said, not looking up from his note pad.
“Yes, I am,” Dirk replied.
“Would you mind accompanying us to Headquarters? We would like to ask you some question
s.”
“Of course,” Dirk answered.
The ride in the patrol car took him past the house where he and his wife first lived. He remembered the good times with his family. He also remembered the long periods of time he was away on expeditions and the toll it took on them. It wasn’t until sometime after his wife left him that he realized the damage he had done and how she felt. When his son died, Acey was all he had left. He vowed never to leave her for any reason.
At HQ, the recording devices were on. Dirk could see the red light on the monitor flicker every time he spoke. Inspector Davis and his team asked him the same questions over and over. It was now early in the morning, and he had no sleep. Dirk finally snapped.
“Look, I told you everything I know. Either book me, or I’m leaving,” he said, shouting at the investigators.
The investigators walked out of the room, whispering to each other. He tried to hear what they were saying. Inspector Davis returned.
“Okay, you’re free to go. But don’t leave the city,” he told Dirk.
Dirk muttered a curse under his breath and left the building. He entered his home as silently as he could, trying not to disturb Acey and sat on the edge of the bed; the pictures of Bob lying on the floor covered in blood repeatedly played in his head like a bad movie. He knew this looked bad for him, and he had to prepare Acey for the worst.
***
Acey woke early that morning and began to prepare breakfast when she noticed the headlines on the monitor. “ACADEMY PROVOST FOUND MURDERED.” She listened to the details and ran to wake Dirk. She found him sitting on the edge of the bed. He hadn’t slept at all.