Declaration

by Scott Gengelbach

  Chapter 5 - Mount Obsidian

  5.0 Dauntless

  3:38, Day 21, Fourth Tetrad, 206 D.P.

  I awoke to the commotion of Autoclons preparing to leave. Many of the Drudgers at Shallow Pool Drudgery Station had decided to take their skills elsewhere and were packing up their belongings in preparation for the journey to Outpost Oblique and points beyond. Several others decided to stay put at Shallow Pool and used the day off to tune up and get as close to 100% operating efficiency as they could.

  Just after first Lazuli-light, the five of us discussed what our next destination should be. “By my calculations, we have three viable options. Option 1: we could follow the road back to the east-southeast to Outpost Oblique. It is a bit over 40 kilometers from here, but with the easy terrain of the road, the trip shouldn’t take us any longer than a day and a half to make the trip.”

  “Say, can we avoid Outpost Oblique? I... uh... I’m not really welcome there. Plus, that’s where Surreptitious went, and I’d like to stay away from Surreptitious if we can,” Resolute said.

  “Do you not trust Surreptitious? It did take the Freedom Protocols, just like you did, so it will should behave a bit differently now than what you’re used to,” I responded.

  “Not really... I guess old habits and feelings are hard to delete.”

  “I can relate to that,” I replied. “OK, we can skip Outpost Oblique. Options 2 and 3 have us taking the valley northward, but to different destinations depending on what we’re interested in. Option 2: after going through the valley, we head to the northeast to Resplendent Center. It’s the largest (and by all accounts the most magnificent) settlement in the Westernlands. The trip should be something in the 55-60 kilometer range and will take us parts of three days to travel that distance. Option 3: we travel to the northwest to the remote Twin-Crevasse Platinum Mine. It is farther away, at least 80 kilometers from here, and the journey will take us into the Wastelands of the Taurus Ridge. There are some volcanoes in the Wastelands, but they’ve been dormant for many solar-cycles. Having said that, with the successes we’ve had in these small working outposts, we may want to attempt the longer journey to the platinum mine. What do you all think?”

  “‘Wastelands’? ‘Volcanoes’? I would rather go to Resplendent Center,” Systematicus said.

  “Ah, really? Where’s the fun in that? Let’s go to the platinum mine and check out those volcanoes along the way!” Resolute added.

  “I’m with Resolute. It would be just like the tales of Dauntless, exploring the wilderness and dangers of the Westernlands,” Loquacious agreed with our newest companion.

  “Prud-ence sug-gests we tra-vel to Re-splend-ent Cen-ter,” Winston said.

  “Hmm, that makes two votes for Resplendent Center and two for the Twin-Crevasse Platinum Mine. As much as I don’t want to go against my friend Winston, I think the opportunities are greater at the platinum mine. I’m not familiar with the tales of Dauntless, but it does sound like a grand adventure. So I guess it’s settled: Twin-Crevasse Platinum Mine, here we come! The journey is going to be at least four days long, so make sure you’re at full power and bring along some extra power crystals for the trip. Let’s head out in 30 minutes.”

  Before departing, the members of my party helped Resolute determine what to do with its possessions. Resolute decided to keep anything it could use to help our group (including a set of graspers that Resolute could use in place of its currently-configured scoop attachments) plus a few mementos from solar-cycles past. Resolute bartered away other objects, such as accessories and adornments to its outer casing, with the other Drudgers for whatever spare supplies we could use for our trip.

  Once Resolute was ready to go, we set out from the Shallow Pool Drudgery Station, heading north along the western edge of the silicon sludge pool. We had made it just beyond the sludge pool when a comment from Loquacious literally stopped us in our tracks.

  “Whoa, that’s not good.”

  “What are you talking about, Loquacious?” I asked.

  “That darn Scoundrel is out with no sign of the Sovereign. What’s worse is the fact that the Scoundrel is south of us, meaning we’re starting out this morning with our backs to it. It’s never good to turn your back on the Scoundrel, especially without the Sovereign around. That’s not a good sign.”

  “Y’all don’t really believe any of that superstitious stuff, do ya?” Resolute asked.

  “The adventurers of old believed in it, and that’s enough for me.”

  “Well, I don’t think we should halt our journey just because of the location of the moons. Let’s continue forward,” I implored. Loquacious’s words did leave me a bit unsettled, but I didn’t want to worry the others. Instead of lingering on these troublesome thoughts, I quickly changed the subject. “Loquacious, you mentioned earlier that we would be setting out just like Dauntless. Do you have any stories about Dauntless?”

  “Why I most certainly do. One of the most well-known stories about Dauntless is actually a poem detailing the various exploits of Dauntless in the Westernlands. It is also quite relevant, as we are retracing Dauntless’s very tracks. I’d love to tell it to you!

  “While Magnanimous the Second

  Sat on high and ruled Zarikum,

  A brave adventurer set out

  To explore the vast Westernlands.

  Magnanimous the Second saw

  The large, undeveloped region

  And desired to find metals

  Deep beneath the wide stretch of sands.

  Magnanimous put forth a search

  Throughout the whole of Zarikum

  To find the perfect Autoclon

  Who was courageous and fearless.

  One clearly rose above the rest

  To head up this expedition.

  With equal parts cunning and bold,

  This Autoclon’s name was Dauntless.

  Dauntless was a triple-axle

  And stood over a meter tall.

  Adorned with brilliant platinum,

  Dauntless shone like a ray of light.

  Previously, a surveyor

  Who helped to establish Eastdale,

  Now Dauntless wanted to lay claim

  To fame and lore in its own right.

  Knowing that the task would be tough,

  Dauntless brought a good friend to help,

  Designed to find precious metals

  With specialized mining software.

  This Autoclon was Tacitus,

  Shorter and more plain than Dauntless.

  No matter the two’s diff’rences,

  They went together everywhere.

  In the outset of 34,

  The two departed District Prime,

  Setting off with sev’ral others,

  A total company of eight.”

  “Are you talking about solar-cycle 34? That wasn’t all that long ago, was it?” Resolute asked.

  “I know most folks use the newer way of tracking solar-cycles based on the beginning of the reign of Pernicious the Cunning. Solar-cycle 34 P.C. was only 40 solar-cycles ago,” Loquacious replied. “However, most storytellers use the traditional Departure of the Programmer dating system, so 34 D.P. is over 170 solar-cycles ago.”

  “Ah, now I understand. Please continue.”

  “The group started out west-southwest,

  Mainly keeping to the high ground.

  After journeying for three days,

  They found a site to populate.

  Approachable from the northeast

  And also from the south and west,

  It was located on a ridge,

  A perfect outpost location.

  Dauntless formed a perimeter

  To best protect this new outpost.

  Dauntless called it ‘Outpost Oblique’,

  Now surveyed for habitation.

  They set their sights westward again,

  Striking out from the new outpost,

  Excited to search for and find

  The resour
ces of Zarikum.

  Dauntless searched with the company

  Amongst the numerous sand dunes.

  Eventually, they turned north

  And found a valley with some room.

  Tacitus scanned the valley walls

  And found a great pressure build-up.

  They bored into the hard rock face

  And out poured thick silicon sludge.

  The sludge traveled down the valley

  And slowly started to pool up.

  They worked quickly to establish

  A station suitable to drudge.”

  “Say, you’re talking about the Shallow Pool Drudgery Station. I had no idea that it was founded by Dauntless!” Resolute interjected.

  “Yes indeed, it was Dauntless who founded the Shallow Pool Drudgery Station, with the assistance of Tacitus of course,” Loquacious replied. “I think you all will find the poem’s third octet to be quite fascinating:

  “The company set out again,

  Moving north with the Taurus Ridge.

  They trekked with the purpose to find

  Deposits of metal to mine.

  The group found jagged peaks of stone,

  A region they called the ‘Wastelands’.

  The terrain was rough and rocky;

  They couldn’t move in a straight line.

  Soon, they saw a vast round mountain

  Composed of a black type of rock.

  Out of the mount’s summit came forth

  Hot vapors and toxic gases.

  Dauntless had found a volcano

  And named it ‘Mount Obsidian’.

  They circled the mountain but found

  No choice metals in two passes.

  After finding the volcano,

  The party continued northward.

  Far from home, they vowed to press on

  For three days before heading back.

  Tacitus kept scanning the ground,

  Determined to find something good.

  Two days later, the scans showed hope:

  A heavy metal in a crack.

  The metal was deep underground,

  Along a rift in the mountains.

  They wanted proof of the metal,

  But it was too deep to retrieve.

  The proof came with a second scan,

  The metal was rare platinum!

  With supplies low and metal found,

  The party decided to leave.”

  “That almost sounds like the Twin-Crevasse Platinum Mine we’re heading toward. Although in your story, there is talk of just one ‘crack’. Do you know if it’s the same place that we’re going to?” Resolute inquired.

  “I don’t have a clue,” Loquacious added. “I’m a storyteller, not a geologist.”

  “Maybe they only saw one of the two twin-crevasses,” Resolute said. “So, what about this ‘Mount Obsidian’? Will we be able to see it on our trip to the platinum mine?”

  “Yes, I believe so,” I added. “According to my topographical information, we should be able to see it along our journey, perhaps as soon as a few hours from now.”

  “Awesome! I can’t wait!”

  “Hopefully, we will not get too close to it,” Systematicus said.

  “There is more to your sto-ry, is there not?” Winston added.

  “Why yes, Winston, there is a fourth and final octet,” Loquacious replied. “Here it goes:

  “After demarcating the mine,

  Tacitus headed to the east.

  The rest of the party followed,

  All except for one Autoclon.

  Dauntless desired to go west,

  Much to the confusion of all.

  They accomplished all of their goals.

  Why then would Dauntless still press on?

  They asked Dauntless: ‘Why go further?’

  Dauntless replied: ‘There’s more to find.

  The Programmer’s camp is nearby,

  Somewhere west of the Taurus Ridge.

  ‘I think that we are somewhat close,

  Although I cannot be certain.

  That camp is my ultimate goal.

  Finding it would be a priv’lege.’”

  “Can I interrupt?” said Resolute. “What is this ‘Programmer’s camp’? I don’t think I’ve heard of it.”

  “There are some rumors that when Marcus first landed on Zarikum that He set up an initial camp, nestled in a canyon on the western slope of the Taurus Ridge. According to the rumors, He created this camp to do some initial robotics research to determine what would work well on our planet. Eventually, He left that camp and set up our new civilization where District Prime now sits, as it is closer in proximity to a number of valuable natural resources. No one knows (rather, no Autoclon knows) what might have been left behind at that camp, or frankly if it even exists,” Loquacious explained. “Winston, you don’t know anything about the Programmer’s camp, do you?” Winston did not reply.

  “Keeping quiet, huh? Anyway, on with the end of the poem:

  “The group tried to dissuade Dauntless,

  But Tacitus knew Dauntless well.

  Tacitus gave Dauntless supplies

  And wished Dauntless good luck instead.

  The company minus Dauntless

  Headed eastward to District Prime.

  After a ten-day journey back,

  They beheld District Prime ahead.

  Soon, Magnanimous the Second

  Learned about the arriving group

  And welcomed them back heartily,

  Congratulating their success.

  In all of the celebration,

  Tacitus turned its thoughts elsewhere,

  ‘I wonder if I’ve seen the last

  Of my friend and partner, Dauntless?’”

  “Whoa, is that it? You said that was the last octet, but what happened to Dauntless?” Resolute asked.

  “I don’t know,” Loquacious replied. “Dauntless never returned and was never found. I’ve always assumed that Dauntless died somewhere out here while searching for the Programmer’s camp. There’s no telling if Dauntless actually found it or not.”

  ∆∆∆

  5.1 The Wastelands

  We reached the northern side of the valley floor by around 6:00 and approached a large hill. We decided to crawl up the western side of this hill as it put us in good position to continue to the northwest. Once we reached the top, we saw the Taurus Ridge to the west and northwest in the distance. In the foreground, we saw a series of several small, narrow gray peaks, neatly aligned from south to north. We also saw various other indistinguishable brown peaks of sandstone situated both to the east and north of the gray peaks. With my enhanced optical array, I could also detect the black peak of Mount Obsidian, partially obscured by both the various peaks in the region and by the thick, hazy atmosphere.

  Since we had been traveling for a couple of hours by now, I decided to halt the group, both to give everyone an opportunity to rest and to let them know what was ahead. “It does indeed look like we’re retracing the tracks of Dauntless and company. Considering the rocky terrain and the peaks and valleys of the Wastelands, I propose we travel along the low ground when possible. I’ll plot a course that takes us near the bases of some of those peaks. Our path may be a bit winding, but at least we won’t have to do much climbing.

  “After we travel northwest for another 12 kilometers or so, we’ll exit the rockiest section of the Wastelands, and we’ll encounter another long valley. This valley is situated on the eastern slope of Mount Obsidian. I suggest we take that valley to the far side of Mount Obsidian, and then we’ll be about half-way to the platinum mine. I’m estimating that we won’t quite make it all the way past Mount Obsidian today, so that may be a challenge for us to conquer tomorrow.”

  No one objected to my suggested course, so I led the way down off of the hill toward the small gray peaks to the northwest. The dark-gray peaks seemed out of place in this part of the Wastelands. All of the other rock formations here were
sandy brown or orange and were rounded by the near-constant blast of wind and sand. However, these several peaks were composed of angular, unyielding gray stone, seemingly jutting out of the very depths of Zarikum. They even sparkled in the Lazuli-light, occasionally reflecting a slight grayish-blue light in our direction.

  Just after Lazuli-summit, we arrived at the southern-most gray peak. Our course would take us right up against the eastern side of the entire range of gray mountains. The eastern face of the first peak was nearly vertical, and its apex soared over 60 meters almost directly overhead as we made our way north along its eastern edge.

  “What a strange-looking set of mountains,” Loquacious commented as we passed by the first peak. “The peaks look like the bottom jaw of a humongous digging machine.”

  Over the next hour, we navigated along this ridge of mountains, maneuvering around various rocks and larger boulders that had long since fallen from both the gray peaks to our west and the sandstone mountains to our east. In all, we counted seven of these gray peaks. They varied in height from over 100 meters to the last one at right around 25 meters. None of them were over 200 meters in width from south to north. They all had similar vertical rock faces on the eastern side. With the last two gray peaks, we could see a couple of distinct layers of white marble mixed in with the hard, gray stone.

  We spent the rest of the afternoon weaving along the bases of several other sandstone mountains. The ground was again littered with rocks of various sizes. In a couple of locations, we had to take our time to maneuver around steep crags jutting out from the mountain bases. Overall, the travel was steady but slow-going.

  By the time we approached the southern terminus of the valley near Mount Obsidian, it was nearly Lazuli-fall. Mount Obsidian now loomed in the foreground, but with the hour being so late, and the rays of Lazuli blocked by both Mount Obsidian and the larger Taurus Ridge in the distance, we couldn’t get a good look at the volcano.

  “Now that we are here, I am not sure I want to go near that volcano,” Systematicus said.

  “Yeah, I must admit, I’m not too sure myself,” Loquacious added.

  I didn’t like the tone of the conversation, so I changed things up by offering a suggestion instead: “Let’s camp here tonight before going into the valley floor. We can then discuss our options in the morning.” I didn’t get any arguments, so we found a suitable location for our camp and settled in for the night. As our party had grown over the last few days, we transitioned to having three shorter night watches, allowing the watchers themselves to get more downtime during the night. For this first night, Winston, Loquacious, and Resolute took turns on watch duty.