The Colony Ship Eschaton: The entire ten book series, page 41
The legionnaires all looked around; the only thing ahead of them was a very tall, very solid looking wooden wall. It was about ten paces away, with nothing but sand between the portal door and the vertical logs. The wall was made from logs which had been driven down deep into the sand one right next to the other. The wooden stockade reached from one edge of the world, just beyond the ESRC, and then arched its way around them to reconnect back to the other side of the door and connect to the edge of the world on that side.
Written in huge, bold, red colors were the words, “Haro says go away.”
The legionnaires were dumbfounded. They could read the message, but none of them had expected this. They were prepared for a fight to the death.
“Come out you cowards!” Levi roared.
“Haro will never allow your kind to come here! You all go away now.” A voice came echoing from behind the wall of logs. “You go away and quit coming here! Leave us alone!”
Levi rushed at the wall and began hacking at it with his permalloy sword. While not an axe, the sword did take bites of wood out of the logs, and Levi swung it with a great intensity.
“I said, you all go away now! Haro does not want you here!” The man behind the wall yelled.
There was a sudden rain of rocks dropping down upon the legionnaires. Most bounced harmlessly off of the non-organic armor some of them wore. But Gideon and Levi did not have that protection. For them the fist sized rocks were a severe threat. The rocks were falling rapidly.
“Levi, we cannot win this way,” Gideon ran to the wall and grabbed a hold of his dear friend.
“I will never give up!” Levi said as he continued to chop at the wall. “Deborah was like a sister to me!”
A rock struck Levi a glancing blow to the side of his head. Blood swelled up along the abrasion. He fell backwards and was stunned. Gideon grabbed him and started to drag him back toward the transport portal. Hannah ran up and grabbed Levi’s other arm and helped to pull him away.
“Talking machine! Talking machine... oh... Theta Four! Open the doors. Take us back! Take us back!” Gideon screamed as the rain of rocks continued and even grew in intensity. A rock struck the back of his leg, and he went down. Kiir took his place in dragging the semi-conscious Levi along, and Matilda came to Gideon’s aid and helped him to hop back to the transport.
The door opened, and the lights were on inside. Levi was loaded into a seat; he was mumbling about not giving up but was not really very coherent. Gideon was seated next to him. Gideon’s leg was quite swollen. He was massaging it as the bruises were rising. He tried flexing his foot, but the pain was too much. Kiir and Hannah then sat down. Matilda stared out the door.
“Please be seated for departure to Habitat One: Coastal Plains,” Theta Four said. “Report sent to security for civil unrest observed at portal entry.”
Matilda sat down heavily. The transport smoothly moved away. The last thing she had heard coming from behind the wall was the man yelling. “Just leave us alone. Stop sending that stuff here!”
9 What a fine math
you have gotten me into
Brink sat at his workbench over some of the small scraps of paper he had been able to salvage. There was barely room for simple algebra, let alone complex computations. Paper was a rarity, and he felt frustrated at the lack of the simplest tools. He had no three dimensional holographic display on which to dictate his mathematics and ideas. He looked longingly at the data sticks piled in the corner, and then thought about his laboratory back in Dome 17. He could have just asked his AI back there to make stacks of paper, and the paper would have been delivered almost instantaneously. But back there, he had little need of paper. Who would have thought that they would need basic knowledge tools like paper and writing implements? They had fusion packs to power the most sophisticated information systems human had ever created, but none of it worked.
Brink stood and walked about. He considered walking back to the portal room and trying to interact with Theta Four or Kurat, but then stopped. Talking to the antique AIs was just a different level of frustration. Sure, they would display what he asked on the screen, and that was better than scraps of paper, but they were so slow. He had to phrase things just so, and then, if he was lucky, he could begin to explain the mathematics behind the systems he had so recently worked with. How could a broken down, hundred plus year old, primitively configured artificial intelligence system even begin to understand a data stick? Or the reader for it? Not to mention the faster-than-light travel or the teleportation? Those old AIs just could not keep up with his speech, and if he had to repeat himself so often he would lose his train of thought.
“Argr...” Brink let out a groan.
Brink’s mind was whirling. Then he remembered what Michael and Jamie had said. They claimed to have heard Roxanne, the AI from the scout ship. But they had to be mistaken. They could not have heard from Roxanne could they? They were the ones who had reported the FTL scout destroyed. But what if? Roxanne was state of the art. Roxanne was in the best generation of AIs ever made. Could Roxanne still be here?
Brink made a decision. He put on his shoes and outer clothes. “The old AIs know nothing about this. I need to see where Roxanne was lost. I have to find out if there is even a chance.”
Brink got to the door of his cabin and flung it open. It was midday, and the light from the sky tube was at its brightest. He looked out and saw the town and, beyond it, the grassy fields that led off into the vast habitat. “I know what Michael and Jamie told me about how they got onboard, but I have no idea how to get there. But those children do... Yes, they will know where that door was that had to be cut open... Yes, they could show me though this garden place to where that is... Those kids will know.”
A plan forming in his mind, Brink went to the washing room. It was like a differential equation. He just needed to assemble the correct parts. He cleaned himself in the sink of water. Using a small blade made by Josiah and some of the harsh washing soap, he shaved his face. He then looked in the mirror hanging over the sink. Yes, he looked more presentable. He would find Roxanne. Then that modern AI would be the tool he needed to fix the data sticks. Grabbing some of the last of his ration bars, he quickly ate one. When was the last time he ate? He could not remember. Sleep? Not lately.
He threw a fusion pack, data sticks, a general data stick and reader and some other supplies into a backpack, slung it over his shoulder and left his cabin. He did not consider telling anyone what he was doing; he was focused on the solution to this equation. The first step was to find those children, Joel and Jacob, and have them lead him to the doorway. The next step was to follow the path Michael and Jamie had taken, only in reverse, to where they had first entered the Eschaton. The result of that equation would give him the answer to whether or not Roxanne existed. If not, then that was the end. But if so, he could proceed to have the tools for further equations. It was as simple as ancient binary, either a one or a zero.
“So, now I find Jacob and Joel, and they take me to that door. Step one in process.” Brink headed off toward the farm where the boys and their parents lived. He made good progress and soon was walking up to their farm
Rowan, the boy's father, was in his barn working. Brink entered the smelly place and saw that the farmer had just finished dumping food to some pigs. Rowan’s hair was blond, and his beard was long. His farmer’s clothing was dirty from working all day.
“Hello, Rowan. Are your sons around? I need their help,” Brink said.
Rowan looked up in surprise. He eyed Brink with good-natured suspicion. “Greetings, Brink. Yes, the boys are out back. They have just sheered the sheep. We have a nice collection of wool. The boys were heading off to meet their friends, but if we hurry, I think we can catch them. You know RCs must not only work but have time for running and playing,” Rowan was a loving father who cared deeply about his sons.
”Joel! Jacob! Please come here!” Rowan yelled, walking out of the barn with Brink.
The boys were in the distance. They stopped and looked back. Then glancing at each other they broke into a run.
“I have a simple task to ask of them. I need someone to show me how to get to the edge of the world,” Brink stated. While he was not exactly lying, he did not want to tell the boys’ father the exact location. After all, last time they had guided a Domer somewhere, they had been endangered.
“Oh, that is not a problem. Those boys love to go there. In fact, I could just tell you how to get there. It is just beyond the fields and straight through the forest. It is easy to find,” Rowan said with a smile.
“I am sure it is easy for you, or your boys, but this whole area is new to me. It is all so unknown. I could end up stepping into a hole or touching some kind of plant that would hurt me. This is all too new to me. I also wanted to gather some sample of different plants, and the boys could help me know what ones to bring back,” Brink tried to sound as innocent and ignorant as possible.
“Oh yes, pardon me if I seemed condescending. I forget that not everyone has grown up here,” Rowan could tell something was different in Brink’s voice and manner, but he was unsure what it was. The Domers tended to be very nervous about the natural world, and maybe that was all it was.
Two blurs ran past the men.
“I win!” Jacob laughed as he touched the barn door.
“Only because you are older. Just wait, I am a fast runner,” Joel replied.
The boys looked a lot like one another and like a mixture of their father, Rowan, and their mother, Lottie. Both were blond and a bit on the stout side but were athletic and filled with energy. Jacob’s arm had completely healed from the injuries he had incurred on his adventure with Jamie and Michael.
“Boys, Brink has a request to make of you,” Rowan said. “The boys’ mother, Lottie, is over at Connor’s place helping him with his chickens. He had some problems with the nesting coop and Lottie is very good at organizing chicken coops. Conner is learning as fast as anyone I have known.” Rowan was glad to be able to say something positive about the neighbor. He still felt a bit guilty about the pranks his sons still occasionally played on their new neighbor.
“Boys, I know Michael and Jamie were very proud of you for helping them find their way. Would you please show me how to get to the edge of the world?” Brink made his request very simple. After they were on the way, he planned to explain to the boys their real destination.
“That’s easy stuff. Sure!” Joel said.
“What do you wanna go there for?” Jacob said. As the older brother he felt he needed to know more before saying yes.
“I wanted to take some samples for testing, and Jamie and Michael said you two are experts on the trees in this area. They said you would be the perfect people for this task,” Brink said.
“Okay!” Jacob did not really need much persuasion. As soon as Brink had brought up Michael and Jamie, the boys were convinced.
“Brink, this does not involve anything dangerous, does it?” Rowan was still a bit uncertain. But Brink was known as a good friend to the Rectora, and that carried a lot of weight as well.
"Just a simple walk and back. Unless there is a terrible beast in the forest?” Brink joked with the boys, who both laughed.
“It looks like the boys will take you on your journey,” Rowan said.
“Excellent. Now boys, can you pack some food? I will need to stop and eat sometimes, and all I brought are these food rations. I am glad to share them with you.” Brink said.
“Yuck! No thanks. The pigs eat better than that,” Joel said.
“Joel, apologize to Brink. It is wrong to insult someone who offers food or drink,” Rowan looked sternly at his son.
“I am sorry. I do not care for any. But thank you anyway,” Joel said.
“So will you pack a meal for yourselves? And maybe bring your knives in case you need to rescue me from a wild beast?” Brink said. The boys laughed again. Then they ran off to gather the supplies. Before long, they were back. Both had canvas carry sacks over their shoulders and were ready for adventure. “Thank you!” Brink said to Rowan as he and the boys walked away from the farm.
Doubts rose in Rowan’s heart, and he wondered if Lottie would approve of what he had just allowed his sons to do.
10 A crispy yellow
Tobias stood guard in the portal room. He pondered what was going on with the legionnaires who had departed for that other world. He secretly was glad it was not him. The talking machine he had heard terrified him; however, he never would have admitted that to anyone. Part of him had truly wanted to join with the other legionnaires and go avenge Deborah’s death, but the fear of the strange machines was also present. As his mind contemplated all these things, another weird incident occurred.
A red light started to flash over the top of one of the portal doors. The voice of Theta Four came on. “Incoming transport arriving from Habitat Eight: Secondary Aquatic. Please allow all passengers to depart from transport before loading.”
Tobias quickly drew his sword and took a step backward to allow himself a better position for defense. He called out. “I need help in here!”
There were a series of clangs and bangs and then silence. The red light continued to flash. The portal door opened. Something unknown came out.
A machine rolled on its wheels out of the transport. It was box shaped, with six wheels. It was mostly yellow colored, but there were black scorch marks along one side. On the top of the box was a mechanical arm, which folded down flat against the top of the machine.
“The automacube?” Tobias said in fear but also in a bit of relief. “But this was not expected for several more hours.”
“I was able to activate a different automacube which could arrive here more quickly. I have canceled the other summons,” Theta Four replied.
The yellow automacube rolled toward Tobias. He held his ground, his sword out in front of him. Two other legionnaires and several other people rushed into the portal room in response to Tobias’ call. “Hold!” Tobias ordered. “One of you go and get Regina the Domer. Tell her that that machine has arrived.” Tobias’ eyes never left the automacube.
One of the legionnaires, Paavak, ran off to find Regina. The other people were upset and almost bewildered at the new sight of the automacube. To them it was the stuff of legends and wild folklore. The red light stopped flashing, and the portal door closed.
The time seemed to pass very slowly as Tobias stood there, sword pointed at the mechanical automacube. It felt like the longest period of time Tobias had ever spent, and yet, as the moments passed, his eyes were examining every aspect of the automacube. When he looked at it in its entirely, it was frightening and almost intimidating. But, when he looked at each section of it, the details revealed that it was just a complicated machine. The wheels were not so different from the grinding wheel at the mill. The mill’s wheel was stone, and these wheels were some other materials, but they were similar. The appendages folded on the automacube were not so different from the sword Tobias held in his hands. Certainly, the appendage had joints and elbows and other parts to it, but his sword had the pommel and hilt and blade. And the box shape was of some kind of metal, not the hard metal like his new sword, but a metal not too different from some kind the blacksmith might use. The black charring, which marred the yellow color of the machine was not very different from the charring which logs did in any fireplace.
The more Tobias looked, the more he understood it was just a machine in front of him. He never let down his guard for even the briefest moment, but his mind began to cope with this thing in front of him. It was machine. It was not a monster, nor sorcery.
Tobias heard the sounds of many footsteps running into the room.
“Tobias, that is the machine we heard was coming,” Regina said as she, Rectora Lydia, Jamie and Michael raced into the room.
“I thought as much, but I was told to guard this room, so guarding I am,” Tobias replied. A drop of sweat ran down his nose and dropped to the floor.
“Theta Four, you said it would be much longer before the automacube arrived. Explain what is happening,” Jamie commanded.
“I was following instructions. I was able to reactivate this automacube and bring it here sooner than anticipated. I have downloaded into the automacube a conjectured route to Reproduction and Fabrication. It will depart and leave whenever you are ready,” Theta Four stated. “This automacube does not have audio interfaces, but there is a small display screen on the top side.”
The automacube moved its appendage, and the screen illuminated.
“I have placed a graphic which will display on that automacube showing your best conjectured route. Again, I caution, the green areas are the known areas; the red are areas which are unknown or sealed from any surveillance I can access. Additionally, these conjectures are based on plans which may not present current realities.”
“Thanks, Theta Four,” Jamie replied.
