Tales of the Vuduri: Year Two

by Michael Brachman

  Rei and Rome entered the crew compartment where the crewmen were strapped into their seats. They were presented with row after row of unconscious people. They stopped at the first row they came to which was really the last row in the compartment. Rei put his finger on the carotid of the crewman on the right, checking his pulse. He was alive, but the pulse was weak.

  Rome turned to her left, shaking the man belted into the seat there. She said, “Canus, Canus. Fogoloe ecome.” The crewman did not move.

  They stepped forward to the next row and repeated the procedure. Rei checked Estar who was sitting on the right. Her eyes were closed. Rei got no reaction from her. Rome shook the crewman on the left.

  “Signola, bita fica iufor-ma?” Rome asked. Again there was no response.

  “They’re all out cold,” Rei said.

  “The cockpit,” Rome replied obliquely.

  Rei and Rome hurried up the central aisle and made their way to the cockpit. Sitting there was Ursay and two other crew members, all slumped forward in their seats. Rome shook him then slapped Ursay’s face and said, “Ursay, bita fica iufor-ma?” As with all the other Vuduri, there was no response.

  But think about it. The trip home was over 100 days long. What the hell would these people do for 100 days. It's hard enough flying to the Orient or even to Hawaii. But over three months? Surely they had to get up and stretch once in a while and even go to the bathroom. Well, I'm going to say that, yeah, they did that. The Algol is fairly large:

  You can see there is plenty of area behind the seats for eating facilities, exercise equipment, sleeping and so on. While the Vuduri do not need to be entertained in the traditional sense, it's good to know that they weren't stuck in their seats for three months just because I was too lazy to think about it.

  Entry 2-188: July 2, 2014

 

  How strong was Rei?

  In both Rome's Revolution and The Ark Lords, we get hints that Rei is pretty strong. At the end of Part 1 of Rome's Revolution, Rei and Rome have come upon the limp body of Ursay in the cockpit of the Algol:

  “OMCOM, you got anything?” Rei asked.

  “No,” was all the computer would say.

  Rei pushed Rome out of the way, unbuckled Ursay and lifted him up and over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. “Let’s get him to the Infirmary,” Rei said.

  Rome nodded and led the way back, through the crew compartment, out through the connecting corridor and started off to her right around the E-ring. About a quarter of the way around, Rei started slowing down. Even though Dara only presented them with one quarter the gravity of Earth, there was still a lot of mass to move and it was taking its toll. He was breathing heavily. Rome turned and seeing Rei’s distress, came back for him.

  “Are you all right?” she asked him.

  “Yes. I’ll be all right. I’m just out of shape. Remember, I haven’t really exercised in almost 1400 years,” Rei said, taking big gulps of air.

  “It is just a little further,” she said. “It is Section 1, just ahead.”

  “I know,” Rei said, “I’ve been there.”

  When they got to the Infirmary, OMCOM had already opened the door. Rei entered and carried Ursay’s limp body to one of the beds there and laid him down.

  Admittedly, the gravity was weak on Dara so while Ursay had mass, he did not have much weight. But in The Ark Lords, on Deucado, where the gravity is over 90% of Earth, Rei still demonstrated that, while adrenaline-enhanced, he was still pretty strong:

  It wasn’t that Rei was naturally strong, even though he was. It wasn’t because the gravity on Deucado was less than Earth, even though it was. It wasn’t even because the pill that OMCOM had given him three years earlier had strengthened his core. It was pure rage that fueled Rei’s strength. He grabbed Edgar by the scruff of his neck and lifted him bodily into the air with just one arm. Edgar’s feet were dangling, his arms flailing. Rei swung his free hand back and punched Edgar so hard his body flew three feet across the room, crashing into a shelf of parts and landing in a heap on the floor. Edgar curled up into a ball and started moaning about his jaw.

  Rei was holding up a full-grown man with one hand and hit him with the other. I'd say that he was pretty strong.

  Entry 2-189: July 3, 2014

 

  Medical equipment of the future

  One of the staples of Star Trek was Dr. McCoy's sickbay bed with the telemetry built in:

  In the 35th century world of Rome's Revolution, it was my sense that the medical sciences had not progressed too much past our current knowledge. They still had to stick needles into people to draw blood (or amniotic fluid) and they still had to have sensors to pick up vital signs. I did make them wireless, at least. Here is the scene where Rome and Rei have to figure out what is wrong with Ursay after the Stareater made him pass out.

  “Rome,” OMCOM said, ignoring Rei’s entreaties, “follow the diagram and attach the EEG and EKG sensors as directed.”

  Rome shouted, “Where are the sensor pads?”

  “The cabinet on the left, third drawer down,” OMCOM replied.

  She pulled the drawer open and grabbed two packages there.

  “Here Rei, you attach the EEG. I’ll do the EKG,” Rome said, handing him one of the packages.

  “Let me help you first,” Rei said. He moved around to the other side of the bed. Together, quickly, Rei and Rome removed Ursay’s pressure suit. Rei then tried to tear off Ursay’s jumpsuit, but the material wouldn’t yield. Rome made a face at him and unclasped it quickly the usual way. Rome looked up at the diagram on the right-most view screen which showed where to attach the sensor pads. She placed two on Ursay’s chest, one on his throat and one on his leg.

  Since the point of the scene was not to burden you, the reader, with advances in technology, I wanted to use familiar terms so we didn't get hung on acronyms or alternate methodologies.

  Of course, in the end, it was the EEG that was important. It told OMCOM that Ursay was in a deep, deep, coma:

  Rei walked over to stand by Rome’s side. Gently, he took her hand. The central display showed readouts from the leads, but they made no sense to Rei. The EKG showed a normal sinus rhythm, but the brain waves were flat with random fluctuations. Every half second or so there was a spike. Judging from the readouts, it looked to Rei like the man was brain-dead.

  “Something is suppressing normal brain activity,” was all that OMCOM said.

  Of course, we know that Rome solved the problem by putting T-suppressor on Ursay which allowed him to awaken and pilot the Algol back to Earth. Without that little slight of hand, Rome and Rei would have gone their separate ways and we wouldn't have much of a story!

  Entry 2-190: July 4, 2014

 

  Did OMCOM really have feelings?

  In the world of Rome's Revolution, the two computers OMCOM and MINIMCOM play a major role. We know that OMCOM had a personality module that was severely underutilized until Rei came along. However, on more than one occasion, OMCOM seemed to express emotions that went beyond mere manipulation of humans by simulating feelings.

  The first incident occurred when Rei, quite innocently, asked OMCOM if he was a part of the Overmind:

  “So, are you part of this Overmind as well?” Rei asked.

  “NO!” OMCOM said, emphatically. “No,” it restated in a normal volume.

  Rei looked down at the grille again. “What are you, anyway?” he asked. “From the way you were talking, I assumed you were some kind of computer, like an AI.”

  The second incident occurred when Rome and Rei were trying to figure out what was wrong with Ursay. This was before OMCOM transcended his physical boundaries and became the OMniscient COMputer. Here is the scene:

  “Something is suppressing normal brain activity,” was all that OMCOM said.

  “What is it?” Rei asked.

  “Unknown.”

  “Can you fix it? Can you wake him up?” Rome asked.

  “Unlikely,” replie
d OMCOM, “without knowing the cause.”

  “How could it affect all of the crewmen like that?” Rei asked. “And why didn’t it affect us?”

  “I DO NOT KNOW,” OMCOM replied forcefully. Rei shook his head. It wasn’t like the AI to show any kind of anger. This was only the second time that he could remember.

  “All right, take your time,” Rei said, trying to placate the computer.

  So the question becomes, did OMCOM truly experience feelings or just do a good job of simulating them?

  The answer is yes, OMCOM truly experienced emotions. How do I know? I wrote the book. It was my intention to have OMCOM and later MINIMCOM have real souls, machine-based but souls nonetheless, and have them be living, sentient albeit mechanical beings. They make for a more interesting set of characters and allow us to follow their growth and evolution in a way that is completely relatable.

  Entry 2-191: July 5, 2014

 

  Duty calls

  Right at the end of Part 1 of Rome's Revolution, after Rome and Rei failed to awaken Ursay, OMCOM hit them over the head with the cold hard truth. They would have to separate. Here is that scene:

  “One of you will have to pilot the Algol out of here,” OMCOM said, “back to Earth.”

  Rei shrank back. “I can’t fly it,” he said.

  “But I can,” Rome said, sadly.

  “But…but what about the tug? What about my Ark? Rome?” Rei sputtered.

  “You will have to pilot it alone,” Rome said, almost in a whisper.

  “I can’t do that,” Rei protested.

  “Yes you can. You have the MINIMCOM. It will help you operate it. You just need to do as you were taught...”

  “No!” Rei shouted, reaching over, pulling her into his arms. She was shivering.

  “Yes,” Rome said, tears welling up in her eyes.

  “Rome, I don’t want to leave you,” Rei cried. ‘Rome, I can’t lose you. I, I love you,” Rei said.

  “You must. You must save your people. I must save mine,” Rome said.

  “Rome…” Rei said. The words he wanted to speak would not come.

  She just stayed in his arms. Rei never wanted to let her go.

  “OMCOM,” Rei said, “isn’t there any other way?”

  “I do not know how much damage has been done to the crew. But they cannot remain here. Not with a Stareater coming. If you get them out of this system, after one or two jumps, the strength of the signal should be diminished enough that if they are going to recover, it will start then. Either way, the Algol must take the VIRUS units and the data regarding the Stareaters to Earth. That is the only way to save your home planet and the Vuduri,” OMCOM replied.

  Now trust me, I intended this scene to make you want to cry. I also wanted you to know how honorable Rei and Rome were such that they would sacrifice their own happiness for the good of others. I always liked that about them. Luckily, it all worked out in the end.

 

  Entry 2-192: July 6, 2014

 

  OMCOM springs the trap

  In Rome's Revolution, once OMCOM had deduced that a Stareater was coming, self-preservation dictated he find an "escape route" which turned out to be the VIRUS units. However, for the process to begin, he had to get Rei or Rome to release the VIRUS units "into the wild" so he could begin transferring his consciousness over.

  If you read the following passage, you will see how he seizes upon Rei's natural fear to get him to do his bidding:

  “What’s to stop this thing from following me to Tau Ceti?” Rei asked.

  “Nothing,” was all that OMCOM replied.

  Both Rome and Rei gasped.

  “But, but,” Rei stammered. “I, we, we have to stop it…”

  “The delivery system,” OMCOM said. “The VIRUS units must be placed on the surface of the Stareater. Earth will find a method of deployment…”

  “But not us. Dammit,” Rei said, pushing Rome away from him. “Rome, you get to Earth. You’ll get them to kill the wave. But us, me…”

  Rome said, “I know, I know…”

  “OMCOM,” Rei wailed, “come on. You’re this genius computer. Think of something…”

  “Perhaps there is a way…” OMCOM said.

  “Tell me,” Rei said, ignoring the computer’s dramatic pause.

  “We need to set enough of the VIRUS units so that we can guarantee that this Stareater is infected.”

  “How?” Rei asked.

  “We could create a ‘poison pill’ that the Stareater must swallow.”

  “How, where?” Rei asked.

  “You are standing on it.”

  “What do you mean?” Rome asked.

  “Dara. This moon.” OMCOM replied. “You could set the VIRUS units loose here. By the time the Stareater arrives, sufficient numbers will be produced to guarantee delivery of an ample quantity of viable units, if you hurry.”

  “You mean let them consume this moon? Then the Stareater will eat the moon and that way…”

  “Yes.”

  “But OMCOM…won’t they consume you too?” Rei asked.

  Note the dramatic pause. Pure emotional manipulation on the part of OMCOM. He knew what he was doing the whole time!

  Entry 2-193: July 7, 2014

 

  Stage directions

  As a beginning writer, I find it hard sometimes to describe the action that I see so clearly in my head. That why I think that Rome's Revolution will make a great movie. There's lots of action and motion and emotion. But getting exactly what I wanted onto the page seems more challenging than acting it out.

  In my faux "goodbye" scene when Rome and Rei think they have to separate forever, I wanted you, the reader, to have a very clear vision of how they separated. The idea was that their separation had to split into the physical and the emotional. So I tried to drag out the physical attachment until nothing remained. See if you agree:

  Then, standing there, in that small white room, Rei regarded Rome. Her breathing was ragged as was his. She had never stopped crying. Rei wiped away his tears. He was crying too.

  “Rome…” was all he said.

  “I know,” she said quietly. “There is no other way.”

  No longer able to stand it, she stepped forward and melted into his arms. The pressure suits made it difficult to clasp each other tightly, but neither cared. Somehow they managed. They kissed each other long and hard. If the breaking of a heart made a sound, it would have reverberated loudly in that small room.

  “Rei. Rome. You must get started. Every second counts.” OMCOM said.

  Rome whispered, “It is time.”

  Rei said, “I know.”

  She took a step back and their arms were stretched toward each other, fingers intertwined. She took one more step back and they had to release their grip. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

  She took one more step back and said, “Mau emir.” One more step and suddenly, the airlock door closed, sealing them off from one another. Rei went up to the inner door. He could see Rome’s beautiful face, her glowing eyes, in the window, remembering the very first time he had ever seen her in this place. She put her hand over her heart and mouthed the words, “You will always be in my heart.”

  He pointed to his temple. “You will always be in my thoughts,” he said.

  She reached down for her helmet. After she straightened up, she blew him a kiss then turned and headed around the corridor, toward the dock with the Algol. As with the very first time he saw her, she stopped, turned around and looked at him one last time. She held up her hand and then she was gone.

  If the breaking of a heart made a sound, it would have reverberated loudly in that small room. Does that strike a note with you? It always makes me sad just reading it and I wrote it!

  Entry 2-194: July 8, 2014

 

  The loneliest man in the universe

  In yesterday's post, I presented you with scene from Rome's Revolution where Rome and Rei thought they ha
d to separate forever. I also explained how it was hard to describe the scene I had in my head.

  The next scene was even harder. I wanted to portray Rei, alone on the cold surface of Dara, as the loneliest man in the universe. The love of his life, Rome, was gone and his comrades were orbiting the moon still in a frozen state. There were no radios in the spacesuits, after all, they belonged to the Vuduri who had no need for radios. See if you get Rei's sense of isolation from this passage:

  Rei got underway and counted out loud to himself as he walked. At first he exaggerated his paces to put extra distance between him and the base, but then he realized he didn’t have to take exactly 1000 paces. He could just go more if he wanted. When he got to 900 he stopped because he could feel the ground shaking beneath him. At first, he thought it was another moonquake. He turned and looked back at the station. Off to his right, rising majestically above the rounded pyramid of the star-base was the Algol, pounding the dirt, whipping up the dust with its powerful EG lifters. The starship flew forward then executed a slow bank left until it came around and headed in his direction. He never realized how gigantic it was. The Algol was nearly half the length of the Ark II, but was much more graceful with huge thruster pods poised at the end of each airfoil. As it flew over his head, it waggled its wings. Rei raised his hand to acknowledge the gesture then stood by helplessly as it rose up into the air. After a short time, he saw it ignite the plasma thrusters and take off straight up. He watched it with tears once again welling up in his eyes as it became a tiny speck in the sky and then disappeared.

  With no radio and no one to talk to, Rei knew he was about as alone as a human being could be. With a heavy heart, he finished the final one hundred paces then an extra hundred paces as if he were an automaton, step, count, step, count. Except for his crewmates circling the moon, high above, he had almost lost the will to go on. After all, what did he have to live for? But his sense of duty still haunted him. The frozen people up there were depending on him so he went on with his mission.