Chapter Fourteen: Esty’s thrill-ride!
The sun rises into a beautiful day on Oberon Prime. Birds, sing their joys to be alive, as they flitter this way and that, crossing the dirt path that two androids travel. Nyla and Wil have seen the kids off to school, so now there’s time to visit the space elevator-anchorage site. At five-miles away, it’s a nice hike for the fully charged robots. For the last several days, since getting back from the mountain, the sky has been periodically illuminated as the Tesla’s drill-lasers hit the planet from above.
Word has come in from Titania Alpha, that their elevator is already up and running. Now, at that planet, scientific research can take place in a micro-gravity environment, increasing the number of new discoveries. Also, they’re one step closer to achieving yet another interstellar journey, when the time arrives and adequate technology becomes available. Word has been sent to Titania of the discoveries within the mountain, but that signal won’t be received for another three years! The speed of light seems so fast.... yet it’s actually excruciatingly slow, when compared to the great void that is our universe!
“What a beautiful day, Wil!” Nyla announces, gleefully. “It’s good to be alive!” She exclaims, joyfully.
Wil nearly misses her upbeat mood, as he walks along, preoccupied with picking prickly seed-pods off his jumpsuit. “Oh yes.... yes it is, my dear.... a wonderful day, indeed.” He mumbles absentmindedly, fully engrossed with extracting one of the more tenacious thorns.
Nyla stops in her tracks, causing the distracted android to plow into her. “Jeez Wil. Walk much?” She laughs, knowing how he likes to stay neat. “Okay mister romantic, turn around and I’ll groom you, like the monkey you are.” Another laugh rolls through the hills.
“Sorry Nyla.” The tall handsome-one responds, as he turns his thorn covered back to her. “It really is a good day to be alive. And, I can’t think of anybody I would rather be alive with, than you.” Proving he actually was listening. He returns the grooming favor and they continue on their way, into the sunny day.
Arriving at the anchorage, they find Ella and Seth hard at work, coordinating the effort. The bedrock in a half-acre area, looks like a pin-cushion that’s missing the pins. Lots of deep holes, pockmark the ground at strategic locations. Above in space, the Tesla already has the first anchorage-pin and cable, cutting the upper atmosphere. It’s an exciting time for the pioneers of Oberon Prime. Finally, after years of struggle on a new world, big changes are rapidly coming to fruition.
“Ella! .... Seth!” Nyla calls out, approaching her new friends. They have never met in person, but know each other from brief video’s while the Tesla approached the planet.
“Nyla! .... Wil!” Ella, yells back. “It’s so nice to finally meet you two!”
The four androids visit for only a few minutes; the schedule must be maintained. “You guys must visit our little mountain paradise, when you complete your mission.” Wil mentions, as the visit wraps up. Everybody already knew about the discovery, but few details have emerged yet. Few details were actually even known. Although the complex has what might be operational spacecraft, the need for the elevator is still strong. An insurance policy of sorts.
“Hell, or high water won’t keep us away!” Ella, dreams of the day. “The very thought, puts a fire under our cans to get this job done, ahead of schedule.” She quips, as her radio chirps to life.
Backing away, the visiting duo finds an out of the way spot where they can watch the events unfold. Luckily, the Tesla brought enough able-bodied androids, that need of volunteers from the villages, is greatly minimized. Everyone not building the elevator, is busy with day to day efforts to raise children, and put food on the table. It will only help matters when the crew of the Tesla is free to redirect their energies. The mountain mystery has barely been cracked, and it will take more effort, than what just a few androids can produce. As they relax and daydream, Wil notices the first pin and cable, as it descends through the clouds of the lower atmosphere. He points. “My dear, the planet’s about to be connected with space.... look!”
Nyla turns her head, squinting. She doesn’t need too squint, but can’t get past her human psychological imprinting. “Oh yes! There it is!” She exclaims. The moment grips her good. Wil gets an affectionate hug, just for being there. “My circuits! It’s like a feather floating in the wind!” But at 50-tons, the steel anchorage-pole is anything but a feather. However, the forces of nature on such a grand scale, treat it as such, taking it far off course before allowing it to settle above its final-destination. The Tesla waits for the call; when it comes, extra cable is played out, allowing the pole to sink into its bore-hole. At just the right time, Ella engages the explosive bolts along its side, freeing the spring-loaded barbs that will lock it in place permanently. One down, thirty-nine to go!
Time passes for the pioneer-aliens on Oberon Prime. The winds of fortune have increased, seemingly in their favor. However, there doesn’t seem to be enough time in a day to accomplish parental duties and other day to day chores. Let alone, planning and organizing another visit to the mysterious mountain. The youngsters help by behaving themselves, taking on more work than usual. They beg to be able to use the new headband, but Omari puts his foot down, until more is known. Better safe than sorry, thinks he. Except that pressure from other parents, is mounting against him. Their kids are close to the age of 10, and a few rounds with the original headband might be just the thing, thinks they. It didn’t seem to bother the Sohn children.... And the benefits seem solid enough. What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander, says they!
Everyone is energized at the thought of learning more about the flying saucers. They are truly the stuff of legends and fairy-tales. Imaginations of all, are peaked. Perhaps they can’t fly anymore.... However, perhaps they can.... The sky’s the limit! For Nyla, learning more about Esty’s data-storage box, and what it all means, is highest on her priority list. And the fact that the alien complex is in great need of repairs and understanding, is not lost on anyone. Any spare time, is spent in the habitats workshops helping Atara and Cody build the replacement shock-mounts for the ventilation system. And a laundry-list of other logistics, begging for attention.
At the mountain, an area near an entrance is cleared of trees and leveled. A landing-pad now scars the forest floor. Small helicopters brought from Earth, ferry supplies to the mountain as they come available. Things like food and medical supplies for the humans, power transformers/charging stations for the android palate, are some of the many categories. Time passes.... More supplies are organized and moved into position, and after six excruciatingly long months, the next mission time arrives.
The mission begins with several flights an hour, transporting the dirty-dozen and androids to the mountain, three at a time. After such a lengthy time without ventilation, the abyssal depths are rank with humidity, but breathable. The gang congregates inside the first room with the ventilation control-console. Their demeaner, different than last time. Seemingly, much older and wiser now, they get straight down to business, bypassing any notable hijinks. Removing and replacing the air-box shock-mounts is serious business, and is treated as such. Cody, Atara, Toby and Cooper focus on getting the ventilation system up and running again.
The next compartment over from the air-vent room, will be their living quarters. The place is stripped of anything crumbled with age, and replaced with items previously brought by copter. Mattresses, linen, bathroom toiletries; things like that. The previous tenants were short of stature, so the bed frames will fit the youngsters for a couple more years. Everybody pitches in and turns to. Vacuum cleaners go wild! .... dust-bunnies, run for their lives! Only to be corralled and unceremoniously relocated. The kitchen next door is cleaned and stocked with fresh food stuffs. The place starts to feel less like an appropriated alien base, and more like home!
As the youngster’s toil, Nyla takes a moment to reflect on Esty. The audacious and brave alien that so desperately pirated her ship,
deserves to be known. She may have pirated to survive. She may have pirated for fun.... who knows. But, whatever the motivation, she may have enhanced the human condition in incalculable ways during that fateful raid. Ways that might one day come back and bite her in the ass. Or, possibly help.... it’s too early to tell.... The meagerly few kilos of gold and platinum she looted, couldn’t possibly have been worth the effort. Nyla makes a pact with herself then and there. She’ll try her best to make it understood, that Esty’s life mattered! Perhaps a shrine, incorporating any video the poor creature may have left in the data-storage device. Something....
“A penny for your thoughts.” Wil arrives at her side, brushing dust from his jumpsuit.
Nyla gathers her equipment. “Wil, I can’t wait anymore. Let’s go to the electronics compartment and see what we can see. We’ll take Max and Shirley with.”
Wil had been dreading another visit to that compartment. But he knew in his circuits, that Nyla’s curiosity concerning the little gray pirate, couldn’t be put off for long. “By your command, my lady!” He bows, and calls for the youngsters to join them.
The electronics compartment is cold! .... Like a crypt, it is! Humidity is kept at bay by a well-designed door seal. Four earthlings, make their way past rows of blinking lights as they approach Esty’s little box. Setting up a workbench, Nyla spreads out the computer equipment she had brought. Like any operating table, she had left room for the patient. In this case, a shoebox-sized container of data, or whatever might be within. Nyla often wonders what happened to such a proud people as the grays, who frequented the place during better times. She ponders their demise. No pathogens, or other worrisome bugs had been detected within the facility, so the mystery deepens. But, she’ll get to the bottom of things, if it’s the last thing she does!
After examining the front face of the box, it quickly becomes obvious that there are no data-ports. They’ll have to dig deeper, to access anything within. The boxes all have individual release mechanisms, but without understanding the setup, damage might occur if the box is yanked without proper electrical backup. Data viability is a must. “Max, see if you can remove the trim from around the back of the boxes. There must be connections in the back.”
With Shirley’s assistance, the young scientists dive into the task. Proud to be working so closely with their beloved authority-figures. Before long, they have the rack with the boxes opened enough to see what connections lay behind. There isn’t much in the way of cables, but one is found trickling electrical current into and out of the device. Max and Shirley crowd close, taking in everything Nyla does. After a delicate operation, the android had spliced a menagerie of connections and video, into the boxes electronic interface. She can only hope for compatibility, and not a shower of sparks! Everywhere in this universe, electrons flow and obey the same laws of physics. Data storage-medium may vary, but the binary makeup of the signals should be similar. Nyla can only hope the box was designed inside this universe, otherwise all bets are off....
“Well, that should do it.” The busy android makes the last connection. Looking up from her work, she hopes her efforts won’t explode in her face. Wil, and the two youngsters, have hopeful expressions on their faces. Whatever happens, they know she put all her knowledge into the interface between human and alien technology. Her fingers flitter across a keyboard, entering the theoretical code she had written. She finishes, except for one keystroke. The most important one.... If Esty’s little box explodes in a shower of sparks, she’ll never forgive herself. Shirley sees the pause, noticing the imperceptible shaking of the finger that hovers just above the enter key. Reaching, the young lady takes Nyla’s hand, holding it tightly. “Nyla, do you mind if I do the honors?” Her caring effort, brings focus back. A cloud of despair lifts from Nyla’s circuits.
Looking back at the perceptive girl, she offers a loving smile. “My dear, I thank you.” She wins new confidence. “But, I’m the one who created this mess of wires we see in front of us. And so, as they sometimes say.... “Les carottes sont cuites .... The carrots are cooked.... The die is cast. So, it doesn’t matter who throws the switch; the results will be the same.” Taking her hand back, she reaches and confidently pushes the key. If Esty’s little box has a melt-down, she’ll just be the saddest android on the planet. She wonders belatedly, if she shouldn’t have tried her handiwork on a lesser alien’s box, first.
Electrons flow.... No sparks or smoke, go poof in her face. So far so good, she thinks. She breathes a sigh of relief, smiling nervously at the girl. A monitor begins to flash. After some fine-tuning, an image arrives that seems hauntingly familiar to the anxious android. It’s an image of what appears to be a command-bridge on a spacecraft. But it’s more than just an image, as movement catches her eye. At the center of the bridge, sitting high in a command chair, a diminutive gray alien sits solemnly, a forlorn look to her countenance.
When the creature looks up, a shocked expression widens her large almond-shaped eyes. She gazes at the intruder, trying to understand the image that illuminates the main-monitor in front of her. In all her years within, she has never seen the monitor come to life. Along the grays face, an ugly scar from an ancient battle, becomes obvious. Nyla jerks in reaction! Shocked beyond recognition, she adjusts the video input so she might interact if possible.
“How can this be?” She mumbles in a mysterious tone. “That’s Commander Esty!” She exclaims excitedly. Thrilled to see her old nemesis once again, hoping it’s a long video. She searches for a way to hit play....
The little gray, monkeys Nyla’s knee-jerk reaction, after hearing her name called. Her thin slit of a mouth, falls open with shock. She squints into the ships monitor as it gains focus. She can’t believe her eyes. She also recognizes the face that peers back at her. Somehow, someway, the earthling machine had found her hiding place! She can’t believe her bad luck! She’s been locked within the box for untold thousands of years, and the first person she sees, is the face of an alien robot, looking back at her! As if the universe isn’t cruel enough, she thinks venomously. While she realizes ‘any port in a storm’, the fact that her base has been compromised, is not lost!
“Is it possible that we’re looking at more than just a video from long ago?” Nyla asks, as she taps the camera lens with her finger. A reaction from the alien within, causes her circuits to jump! How can a recording be so reactive, she wonders! Well, she didn’t have to wonder for long.... Wil comes around the table to get a better view, becoming the focal-point of the video-feed. Esty jumps like an electrified cat, landing feet-first on the chairs cushion! Crouching like a cornered animal, she recognizes the tall machine that tried to ruin her life, so long ago. This robot.... this overgrown machine, refused to submit to her authority! It even scoffed at the greatest deal in the universe! Then it had the audacity to attempt a bargain for her anti-gravity wrist-multitool! A deal she couldn’t make....
At this electrified moment in time, the two androids realize they’ve not only accessed the box, but have found a living mind, held captive within. Perhaps only a virtual copy of her psyche, but that’s the most important part of any creature, really. Somehow, someway, Esty’s people had found a method to imprint her mind, her psychological makeup, into electronic form. “I can’t believe my eyes!” He rubs them, checking the monitor again. “Nope, she’s still there!” He exclaims, with shocked realization.
Esty, is not only still there.... but staring back with renewed focus. She climbs down from her lofty perch, approaching the virtual camera within her animated world. She and Wil stare at each other for a few moments, before they both raise an arm in greeting. She is trapped and mortified! .... Wil is flabbergasted, and equally mortified!
“Well, we shouldn’t be too surprised.” Nyla offers, looking at Wil. “After all, our minds are imprinted with human thought processes, and imbedded into artificial matrix. They also found a way. This might be their idea of insurance, against the failures we saw in the cryo-chambers.”
&n
bsp; Wil covers the microphone against the chance the little darling might understand. “Well, she’s definitely not going to like what we found there!” Truer words, have never been spoken.
The show must soon stop, time is running out for this visit to the mountain. Nyla asks Shirley and Max to try and communicate a message to Esty. So, after estimating their idea of the alien’s written word, Shirley sits down at the video feed. Esty, brightens like a new born star at seeing the young, human female. Instantly, she realizes this animal is biologic, and not some mechanical contraption like the others! Approaching the monitor, Esty receives yet another shock, as the human places a note close to the video-pickup. And it’s in her own language no less! She wonders if her little heart can take all the excitement. Then she remembers.... her heart is just a bunch of digital mumbo-jumbo.... The note is short, but promising. “Esty, we will try to help you. Be patient. We must go for now.”
Esty rubs her eyes and looks again. She’s never seen an alien species write in her language. However, this lovely creature has somehow learned, and learned quite well. Pointing at Shirley, she gently taps her own chest with a closed fist.
“Nyla, I think she’s wondering if I have a heart!” Shirley exclaims, with wonder.
“That’s exactly what she’s wondering, my dear. Feel free to make her day.”
Shirley offers the friendliest of smiles, monkeying the aliens move while giving affirmative nods. For her effort, Esty gives up the widest grin she could muster. Not an easy task, for a gray. She puts her hands to her head, mimicking the placement of the headband she imparted to humanity for a paltry sum. Of course, she knew there could be only one answer to her inquiry, and Shirley affirms it with yet another nod. Esty’s, hopes soar! She wonders if they’ve found the newer, updated model.
Correctly surmising that the human had used the first headband, Esty reaches to her own head and acts like she’s putting on the device. She holds two fingers up and tilt her head, questioningly. Shirley consults, then comes back with another note, (Yes, found, but have not used). Now, Esty’s in seventh-heaven! The young human is old enough for the second device. Esty concentrates, and on the monitor in front of Nyla, a series of hieroglyphical-like symbols form. Shirley instantly understands. The message simply states; ‘use it, child’. Esty, had been trapped without hope for so long, but this new revelation is like music to her circuits! She swoons!
However, the swoon doesn’t last very long. As Nyla waves so-long, Esty notices Wil’s dangling arm as he stands close to the video-feed. And at the end of that long mechanical contraption, she spy’s one of her people’s anti-gravity wristbands! The mechanical thief! She rages.... Perhaps, it’s the very one, that she so long ago refused to bargain against, she figures! Furthermore, he’s allowed it to get dirty, she squints! Oh, what cruel irony has the universe bestowed upon me, she ponders, cursedly.... Just a moment before the monitor goes blank, she sees another little something, this time in his waistband.... One of her very own hand-lasers! Is nothing sacred to these infernal robots? Cursing up a storm, she vents such venomous language, even satin would blush to repeat them! And, a dozen headbands wouldn’t teach the true meaning of. Angry electrons bounce off the walls, heating her circuits. She throws such an electronic tantrum! Yet, her little box doesn’t bounce on the table. Ones and zero’s! .... Ones and zero’s! .... what can ones and zeros do, without physical animation, she realizes angrily....
Soon, the anger eases. She must learn to accept her new fate.... The gray genie-in-a-bottle tires of anger, concentrating again on meditation. Willing herself to calm, she feels the familiar companion of loneliness, as it seeps back into her life once again. Although she has the ability to interact with others within the electronic-fog community, her life at the top of the hierarchy is a lonely one. If only the mechanical-ones would reanimate her carbon body, all would be good in her world again. Only then, could she truly feel free; feel alive.... Not locked away, like so many electrons, bouncing their little heads off the walls of their electronic universe.
Perhaps, the next time she opens her eyes to the outside world, it will be through her real ones, she ponders. Hope builds. But she knows not, the rude-awakening that the tall machines had kept from her. The terrible scene within her chamber.... Sometimes it’s best, Nyla thought, to ease somebody into the really bad news. Seeing her and Wil, must have been shock enough, for one visit....
After compacting and securing Esty’s little bird-nest of wires and video equipment, Nyla and Wil hook her world up to a portable power supply. Feeling ecstatic about the progress they made with the little gray, Nyla lovingly nestles the modified storage device into her backpack. She and Esty, are going to spend a lot of time together. And most of her time is spent at the habitats, so little-miss-gray, gets to move from her mountain stronghold, whether she likes it.... or not.
One year later.... the many inhabitants of Oberon Prime look up to see a wonderful cable extending into the sky for as far as one can see. On the seemingly gossamer cable, an elevator-car rises slowly. Into the wild blue yonder it climbs, disappearing gradually as might a phantom in a mist. At night, the elevator counterweights above, can be easily seen with the naked eye, as the light from Oberon Prime’s sun, Huon, illuminates it like the brightest star. But, on this fine day, the new cable-car is lifting two androids into space. They travel at a breakneck speed of about four-mph, with a 500-mile one-way trip costing nearly five days. However, this ride will be abbreviated. It’s a recreational ride this time. A ride of celebration. To feel the weightlessness of space once again. To see a world at their feet. It will recharge their psyches, in ways that cannot be quantified.
For Nyla and Wil, this day is a very special one. It’s the one-year anniversary, of the day they once again met Esty. Albeit, in electronic form this time. While the year went fast, much progress was made concerning communications between the alien commander and her android benefactors. Even the kids, after using the new headband, were able to communicate with her much more efficiently. Although their limited human voice-boxes couldn’t duplicate her language, she had no problem learning English. Also, the androids didn’t have any problems along those lines either. Using their nearly unlimited power of memory, they learned her squeaks, hisses and other mumbo-jumbo, real fast. Her alien language, was not so alien anymore.
But still, her entire universe is limited to the confines of her little box. So, as might an electronic hermit crab, she seeks out a new container for her CPU. She had learned the terrible news about her carbon-based body, many months prior. She went into deep seclusion for many months. Never answering a call from the outside. But, after this lengthy despondency, she slowly came out of her shell. Now, her little home is reaching for the stars once again, if not just for a good time. She had been kept in the dark concerning the elevator ride. So, Nyla and Wil look forward to her response when they turn on her video-feed, high above the planet. It’s also their first-time off planet since landing many years prior, so they’re energized to the max! They have just passed the threshold of weightlessness, hovering at the window, with feet floating as freely as a butterfly’s.
“It sure feels good to take the weight off!” Nyla breathes a sigh, as the nirvana penetrates to her very core.
“I couldn’t have said it better, my dear.” Leaning in, he gives her a gentle kiss on the cheek.
Nyla regains focus, opens her backpack and extracts Esty’s little shell. Placing the alien box at her side, it floats dutifully as she adjusts a few dials. She calibrates the video-feed to take full advantage of the shocking panoramic-view her friend is about to receive. 120-miles below, and extending forever it seems, is the blue-green view of Oberon Prime! The heavily valleyed terrain of their neighborhood, looks as if a giant claw had racked the land, long ago. The sky is mostly clear. But, off in the distance near the horizon, a wild tempest churns a hurricane across an alien ocean. Above them, the elevators behemoth counterweight blocks the stars. It grows bigger and shinier, with ea
ch passing hour. It’s piloted by a crew of four, who are half-finished with their month-long tour of duty.
“I feel so naughty, Wil.” Nyla giggles infectiously. “We’re really pulling a fast one on old Esty.... She’s going to freak!”
“I’ll say. But, I’m starting to get the feeling that she’s getting used to our pulling her leg.”
“Well, this won’t be her only shocker today,” Nyla responds, “but it might just be the prettiest.” She reaches and flips Esty’s little switch. She and Wil hover close to the monitor, anxiously waiting for it to come to life. As it does, there sits Esty, high on her virtual command chair. She has other programs available, but she’s partial to the image of the bridge on her saucer. She blinks cutely at her android friends, raising a long-fingered hand in greeting, as always. To her, she thinks it’s just another day on the farm, another chat with her new friends.
“Hello.” She uses the English she had so proudly learned. If she still had her original body, pronunciation would be impossible. “How are you two doing today?” She notices Nyla’s unusually excited facial expressions. “Ut oh! Something’s up!” .... she correctly surmises.
Nyla is busting at the seams! She can’t help but grin from ear to shining ear. “Hello dear Esty! You couldn’t have said truer words!” She continues, beamingly. “We’re fine, thanks. But, we have such a surprise for you today! I can’t wait any longer, so I’m just going to show you.” She flips another switch, and Esty’s bridge-monitor switches to the panoramic view of the incredible world below. Esty’s eyes widen, like they’ve not done in a long, long time! Leaving Nyla hoping her friend doesn’t blow a circuit breaker! Her tiny slit of a mouth sags open, as she takes in the view and ramifications. Standing, she approaches the large monitor, placing her hand on the screen. Nothing is more beautiful to a space-hardened soul, than floating on the edge of forever! She breathes a heavy sigh, swooning.
“This is wonderful!” She manages to blurt out, before reverting to a long string of words in her own language. She smiles so widely; her battle scar disappears into the folds of her face.
“I knew this would lift your spirits!” Nyla gushes, understanding the alien tongue just fine.
“Happy anniversary, Esty!” Wil, wishes the little gray. “It’s been a year to the day, since we found you. We hope you’re happier, now that you have family.” A rare sentiment from the tall-one. An act that’s been happening more and more of late.
“Yes, happy anniversary to all of us.” Nyla offers, sincerely. “We’re so glad we found you, Esty! Our world is a better place now. And I don’t mean that, just because you have fancy flying saucers and finer weapons. We really feel like you are family to us!”
The proud gray has a nice laugh. After all, she did have some fancy flying saucers.... and fine weapons! But from within her little box, they are of no use to her. “Thank you, both. This is such a fine surprise. And, while my species version of ‘family’ is not the same as yours, I do feel sad when we’re apart.” She wipes a virtual tear, thinking it’s real. Electronic tears have the same impact on her circuits, but without the mess. She swoons yet again.... Taking in the vista, like a breath of fresh air.
“Now don’t start crying in there.” Nyla teases. “We can’t have you go and get electrocuted, before we tell you the rest of the surprises! .... The best of the surprises!” She teases.
“More? .... Better? .... I can’t imagine what can rise above this.” She braces.
“Well.... let me just be the first to tell you something wonderful!” Nyla beams like a new star. “Remember when you were so sad all those long months, and wouldn’t come out of your shell?”
“How can I forget! I was double sad. I lost my body, and my command! I have only this infernal machine, to keep my mind alive.” She lets out a rare and hurtful statement. The androids are partial to machines, especially sentient ones. Of course, they had never met any others.... “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just ingrained in me to dislike sentient machines. My people have fought with them for thousands of years as they pillaged entire planets of resources to keep their growing fleets alive. And all I can say, is that while I never met the enemy face to face, if they’re anything like you people, then perhaps they’re not such bad joe’s after all.” She laughs at her use of a human parlance, but the sentiment came from the bottom of her circuits.
“What a nice thing to say!” Nyla, forgives easily. “Well, while you were out, Wil and I got busy with the robotics engineers at the Einstein. And you won’t believe what we’ve cooked up for you!”
The ramifications hit Esty like a ton of bricks! She daren’t look at what her imagination is forcing upon her. The very thought! To become a machine? What cruel turn of events, she thinks painfully. “Nyla.... Wil.... are you asking me to become a machine?” She fears the answer.
“I know what you’re thinking little missy.” Wil, fake-scolds. “But to be honest, we’re just getting tired of hauling your little gray ass around all the time!” There, he ponders. That ought to put a fire under her electronic butt.
Esty pauses to gather her electrons for the next reply. She’s going to have to bite the bullet this time, and take what nature throws her way. She sure didn’t enjoy being a burden on anyone, and mobility is a big part of independence. “I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me, my friends. I’m honored that you’ve endeavored to make me whole, once again. I would love to visit your robotics department and see what device you and your people have dreamt-up for me.” There! .... Whew! .... Not so hard after all, she realizes. She acquiesces, with pride. It’s amazing what one will accept, when one has been electronified, digitalized, homogenized, and stuffed into a little box! Possibly for all eternity, and a day!
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Nyla expresses with true joy, as she realizes she’s going to have a new sister!
“Best decision you’ve made in many a thousands of years!” Wil teases, hoping she won’t kick his ass too hard when she gets her legs.... and arms.... torso, and the rest....
Wil manipulates the elevator controls, causing the conveyance to slow and reverse. Their elevator ride is going to be abbreviated. No need to travel the entire 500-miles to the counterweight. They’ve enjoyed the ride, and now it’s time to get back to work. As the car slowly enters back into the gravitational field, the counterweight above automatically increases thrust to maintain proper cable tension. Soon, Nyla is packing Esty back into her backpack for the next surprise of the day.
As the car drops to an altitude of 50-miles above home valley, Nyla spills the beans to her little friend. “Esty, have you ever gone skydiving?” She asks, expectantly.
“Skydiving? No, but it sounds dangerous. Why would somebody dive from the sky?” Esty speaks via earbuds within the android’s helmets. Her video feed is mounted on Nyla’s helmet, offering a first-person experience.
“Now, that’s a question you’ll be finding the answer too, very shortly! The best answer, is that it’s.... beautiful!” Nyla reply’s, as she slips on her spacesuit. At 50-miles-up, the environment is not so friendly, but still thick enough to prevent meteoric friction build-up. However, falling at the speed of sound, will still get toasty. The skin-tight spacesuits they wear, will keep them cool and safe. She repositions Esty’s pack to her front side, so the little gray won’t go out with the parachute. That just wouldn’t due!
Wil stabilizes the pressure inside the car, preventing a blowout when the hatch opens. “Is everybody ready? I mean.... is every‘one’ ready. You don’t have a body yet, esty.” He jokes, getting an elbow in the side from somebody who does have one.
“We’re ready, you big lug. First one down, is a monkey’s uncle!” She laughs, as the hatch spirals open, the coldness of near-space seeps in fast. Wil dives from the car first, quickly disappearing into the void, as if he never was. Nyla revels in the feel of the freedom-flight, as the void swallows her and Esty without even a burp. Elevator hatch, closes automatically b
ehind them as the car continues downward, unabated.
Into the gravity-well they plummet, not far from the cable. Faster and faster, they travel! Vibrations and spins, before either android stabilizes properly. Within the box, Esty sits in her command chair, enjoying the ride, but feeling no g’s. She can’t feel the physical aspect of the flight, but the excitement in her circuits is just as potent! It’s just what the doctor ordered. Her monitor fills with oncoming planet! .... “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” She allows an uncharacteristic emotion, understandable in any language. She knows that a commander ought never show joy, but she’s quickly becoming more than just a figure-head.
Below, Bernoulli patiently awaits his duties. Always in the atmosphere, waiting to animate any airfoil that comes his way. After nearly 13-minutes of free-fall, Nyla and Esty have slowed enough at 3,000-feet, to pull the rip-cord. With a violent jerk, they’re under canopy, floating like a butterfly, circling towards the habitats far below. It’s peaceful above Oberon Prime. Silent, except for an occasional flap of nylon fabric above. A beautiful day to be in the sky! A beautiful day to be alive! Forested valley’s below, stretch for as far as the eye can see. Nyla accesses her music files, choosing some all-time favorites. The first song, is one that she knows the little gray alien has taken a shining to. As they float gently with the breeze, a number playing from cosmo’s factory, ‘Lookin out my back door’, melts their circuits. Even after 175,000 years, the music still lights up the cosmic-charts! .... Nyla sings along.... Esty joins in....
The hits keep rolling, and before long, the singing-duet lands like a leaf, near the Einstein habitat. As the parachute canopy collapses, Bernoulli knows his job is done, so off he goes back into the atmosphere. Another job, performed satisfactorily. The space-dive is just what the doctor ordered.... literally. Omari suggested that Esty be thrilled, her mood seemed too dire. And boy-howdy did she get thrilled! She’ll replay the event in her circuits a thousand times, and share the music with her people, if ever she gets together with any of them, ever again....
Breaking Interstellar: Cosmic Lives Matter Page 15
