The Long Sunset

by Jack McDevitt

  When he saw an opportunity, Ken took the issue back to Arin. “You do understand this is really happening, right? The threat is real.”

  It seemed a bit ham-handed, but it got directly to the point.

  “We’ve been on the islands,” Arin said, “forever. Nothing ever changes. Except that electricity arrived. Then you appear and suddenly we hear the world is ending. Do not be offended, Ken, but it is philosophically difficult to accept. And painful.”

  • • •

  Derek would have liked to accompany them to the ground. But they needed Ken, and they already had to make two trips to get the five Volarians down. Add one more to the mix and it would mean another flight. Ken asked whether there was any place in particular they would like to see up close?

  The star-gazer pointed at the display, where a herd of four-legged animals were moving across a wide plain. “What are those?” They resembled buffalo somewhat, though they were paler, with not much fur. “Incredible. I’ve never seen anything like that before.”

  • • •

  Hutch took Korsek, Arin, and Ken down and landed near the buffalo. They were actually larger animals, and their horns were spiraled. They did not react to the arriving vehicle other than to glance in its direction. They showed no interest whatever when she and her passengers climbed out and stood watching them rumble past. Other than a couple of large birds feeding on something, nothing else moved anywhere across that vast plain. When the animals were gone, she got back into the lander. She didn’t like leaving them on their own while she returned to the ship to collect the others. But that was the plan.

  She arrived a half hour later on the Eiferman and picked up Kwylla, Rampol, and Droo. By the time she got back to the ground, the sun was setting behind some low ridges. And all three of the moons were in the sky. They were spectacular.

  “How’s everything?” she asked Ken.

  “Okay. I think it’s going to work.”

  “Is the air all right?”

  “They thought it was a bit chilly. But that’s no concern. They’re all breathing okay.”

  “How about the gravity? Does anyone feel different?”

  “No,” said Ken. “Nobody’s noticing anything unusual.”

  Droo asked about food. Hutch explained that samples of their food would be transported to the high-tech civilization that would be helping them. The Tarkans. “They’ll duplicate everything, and there’ll be adequate supplies, food, whatever you need, waiting when you arrive, as well as a means for you guys to take over production on your own.”

  “Sounds like a miracle,” said Kwylla.

  Arin embraced her. “It’s the kind of thing that happens when you have friends.”

  Belatedly, she noticed Rampol staring across the plain.

  “Anything wrong?” she asked.

  “It just seems strange without oceans.”

  Priscilla’s Journal

  I suspect they’re adjusting to the truth. I don’t think the Volarians shed tears, but I saw both Kwylla and Droo holding their hands to their faces and looking visibly upset. The others have been relatively subdued since they saw the black hole. And arriving on Utopia seems to have had an even more disturbing effect. I doubt it derives from a negative reaction to the world itself, but from its driving home the reality of what’s happening.

  —Thursday, August 28, 2256

  37.

  A friend is a second self.

  —Aristotle, Cicero, De amicitia, XXI, c. 50 BCE

  They spent five days on Utopia, taking ground, air, and water samples. It was Beth’s idea because it would allow analysts to draw some conclusions about how safe the world actually was. The Volarians examined trees, pulled out shrubbery, looked down into valleys, and watched whatever animals they could get close to, although they didn’t kill anything. Hutch knew there was no way they were going to be happy about leaving the home world. But she got the impression they felt they could live with this one. To that extent, at least, they were taking good news home.

  Droo had been reserved and uncomfortable throughout the mission. When Hutch asked if he was okay, he tried to reassure her. “Oh, yes. This is a stressful time. But I shudder to think what our situation would be without you and your friends.”

  “I understand. You guys have held up pretty well. But despite everything, I think we can save the situation.”

  “Please do not be offended. I hope desperately that your calculations about the star are inaccurate. But I am terrified. I understand I have no reason to doubt you. I wish I did.”

  “Droo, what do you expect will happen when you get home?”

  “We’ll speak with the governor. I can’t be certain as to her reaction. We have pictures to show her. But we honestly can’t confirm that we are in the path of the thing. We can’t even be certain it’s moving.” He looked frustrated. “The real problem here is that people are going to resist all this. Close up their homes and move to another world? They may simply refuse to accept what we say.” He delivered a modest smile. Almost impossible, she would have thought, from someone who so closely resembled a dolphin. “We’ll have to see how it goes.”

  • • •

  “I have to admit,” Derek told her, “that I’ve thought about where we’d be if we succeed in persuading the WSA to build twenty interstellars and bring them out here, and discover these guys just aren’t buying it.” He closed his eyes. “You don’t think there’s a chance that could actually happen, do you?”

  “There’s just not much we can do about that. We can take more of them out to look at it, but there’s no way to demonstrate that it’s bearing down on them.”

  Later, Arin came onto the bridge. “Just so you know,” he said, “Korsek tells me he’d be surprised if the story hasn’t gotten out already. The governor’s office is not good at guarding confidential information. And something like this? He says it would be almost impossible for them to keep it quiet.”

  “How are your people going to respond?”

  “It’ll be painful. Fortunately, though, a half century is a long way off. Nevertheless”—his eyes closed—“it’ll be a shock. We have two grown children, but we didn’t say anything to them about the mission before we left. That was the direction we were given and we abided by it. Kwylla wouldn’t have wanted to say anything to them, anyway. She’s still hoping we’ll find out the math is wrong or something. It’s hard to believe it when somebody tells you that the world’s coming to an end.”

  “I’m sorry about all this, Arin,” said Hutch.

  “It’s not your fault. I’m just grateful to the Creator for bringing you and your friends this way.”

  “What can you tell me about the Creator?”

  “I doubt I have anything to say that you do not already know. She cares about us. She shows us the way.”

  “What is her name?”

  The question surprised Arin. “I suppose I should have realized it would be different in your language. Her name is Alora.”

  “What does she require of you?”

  “Only that we honor her and take care of one another.” Arin paused. “Korsek is probably right about the story getting out. A lot of people will refuse to believe it. It’s different for us. We know you well enough to trust you. We’ve seen the black hole, and we’ve walked on Utopia. They are not going to accept this easily.” A look of pure desperation came into his eyes. “But leave it to us, Hutch. We’ll take care of it.” He looked out at the void. “When do we get back to the stars?”

  • • •

  When they arrived, it was just after dawn, and a storm was churning through the islands. Droo and Rampol, looking at telescopic images, could not identify Kallula, where they lived, and where the government was centered. “I’ve never seen it from up here before,” said Rampol. “I’m sorry. I feel like an idiot.”

  They completed another orbit, during which the storm lessened considerably. The Volarians still couldn’t decide which of the islands was Kallula, but it was
no longer hazardous to use the lander. Droo asked if he could have an ear pod for the governor. Hutch supplied it. Then, accompanied by Ken, she took Droo and Rampol down. Fortunately, Droo recognized the first island they passed over and was able to direct her to their destination. The administrative center was a flat, long brick building in the center of a small city. Turrets rose at each end of the building. Hutch got as close as she could and landed. The Volarians squeezed out of the vehicle into a light rainfall, and when Hutch said good-bye, they both laughed. “No, no,” said Droo. “The governor would not forgive us if we didn’t introduce you.” As he spoke, two uniformed escorts came out of the building. Hutch and Ken followed them inside.

  They were led to a conference room with a large clock on the wall. An aide entered and informed them there would be a slight delay. Light snacks had been laid out on a long table, consisting of sliced fruit mixed with a sugary liquid. It was okay, but Hutch would have opted for some cheesecake or strawberry shortcake, but the Volarians didn’t seem to have discovered cake. She was just finishing a small serving when they were told the governor was available.

  They climbed a flight of stairs with the aide, who led them into a large office.

  A female in red-trimmed dark clothing was seated behind a large desk. The walls were decorated with plaques that of course Hutch couldn’t read. She saw a long-beaked bird on one and blooming flowers on another. There was an arrangement of chairs in the center of the room. “Governor Rankin,” said Droo, “you will need this.” He held out the pod and showed her how to attach it to her ear. “These are our visitors.” He did introductions and the governor signaled them to be seated.

  “Droo,” she said, “did you see the object?”

  “Yes, Governor.”

  “So. Are we in danger?”

  “I cannot be certain, but I would be surprised if a collision with that thing would not cause serious damage. At the very least.”

  “It would cause damage? But would it be cataclysmic?”

  “There’s no way to know, Governor. We can’t tell how large it is, because we were informed that we could not get close to it without being destroyed.”

  “Can you be certain there will be a collision with the thing?”

  “No, we cannot.”

  The governor turned to Rampol: “Professor Tok, do you agree with this assessment?”

  “I do, Governor.”

  “So, we really do not know what we are facing. Is that correct?”

  “Yes,” said Rampol.

  Droo was thinking about it: “We do not have the expertise or the technology to make a determination, Governor. However, I have gotten to know Ken and Hutch and the other Earthers quite well. I can tell you that I would not hesitate to trust them with my life. I cannot see what any of them would have to gain by lying. Consequently, I suggest we take them at their word.”

  Droo turned over a set of photos. She examined them and looked up.

  “I should add, Governor, that the pictures don’t show the reality. The sky seems to bend around it. I can show you if you like.”

  “Please do.”

  Priscilla’s Journal

  Arin and Kwylla are among the most courageous people I’ve met. There’s no way I’d go riding off into the stars with aliens who admitted at the outset that there’s a fair chance I wouldn’t be able to come back. I think I’d rather take my chances that they were making up their claim about the black hole.

  —Saturday, September 6, 2256

  38.

  Ultimately it is the heart of a sentient being which gives meaning to the universe.

  —Angela Compton, The Last Warrior, 2166

  It was pouring rain the following evening when Ken and Hutch left Arin’s cottage and rode with him and Kwylla in their car to the town hall, where a representative of Governor Rankin would deliver the news. Four chairs had been set aside for them at the front of the auditorium. Rumors of a problem had been floating for several days, but apparently, the actual depth of the threat had not gotten out. The hall, which had an accommodation of about seven hundred, had already overflowed, but they were crowding everyone inside. Extra chairs were being brought in and set along the walls and at the back of the auditorium.

  The warmth Hutch had felt from the Volarians had vanished. They watched her with suspicion, possibly with anger, as if she and Ken were responsible for whatever it was they were about to confront. The place was noisy until the governor’s representative was introduced. Then it became quiet.

  Hutch put on her pod and activated her commlink so Tasha could translate everything for her. Ken had one also, but he was going to try to get by without it.

  The speaker took his place behind a lectern on the stage and was welcoming everyone when thunder rumbled in the distance. He stopped in the middle of it and waited for it to die down. Then he introduced himself and went immediately to the point. “I am sorry to have to tell you this, but we face an existential threat. There will be no problem for about fifty years, so, for now, we are safe. But a collapsed star is coming toward us, and eventually, we are told, it will destroy the planet.” The audience remained silent. “As bad as that sounds, our situation is not hopeless. Most of you know we have had visitors. Hutch, Ken, would you stand, please?”

  They got out of their chairs to a round of gentle applause. “Our friends have offered to help us in our time of necessity, for which we are grateful.” The applause died off. “So you will be aware of what we are talking about, we have pictures of the object.” Several people were coming up from the rear, distributing them. “This thing, we are told, is a collapsed star. It is extremely heavy.” He mentioned again the amount of time before it would become an imminent threat. “We are going to evacuate to a new world.”

  That brought a few howls, and voices demanding to know how they would be able to do that.

  “Fortunately, we have help.” He explained the procedure that would be in place. They would be moved out of harm’s way. Taken to a safe place very much like this one. Everyone would have substantial notice before the process began. To the extent they were able, they would be evacuating by islands so, to the extent possible, they would not be separated from families and friends. Finally, he invited questions.

  The audience wanted to know whether there was a possibility the object could miss them.

  He said it was possible but unlikely.

  Would they be able to get everyone off the world?

  How could Alora let such a thing happen?

  That question got passed to Arin. He stood. “I have no explanation. But I suggest we be grateful that she brought Ken and Priscilla to us.”

  • • •

  The following day, Hutch couldn’t resist going back to the beach with her commlink to capture the ocean and the crowd. She stayed close to the trees, out of sight, until she had what she wanted. Then she returned to the cottage and spent the next few hours talking with Kwylla without ear pods. Kwylla was determined to speak without the help of an AI when she reached Earth. And in the middle of it, Hutch realized she’d forgotten something. They went outside and she aimed the commlink at the temple, the cottage, and the surrounding woods.

  Priscilla’s Journal

  We have got to make this work.

  —Monday, September 8, 2256

  39.

  East or west, home is best.

  —H. G. Bohn, Handbook of Proverbs, 1855

  Finally, it was time to leave. Hutch had been carrying food supplies for Kwylla and Arin to the Eiferman for two days. Then, with Ken accompanying, she took the lander down a final time to pick them up.

  Since the town hall meeting, opinions on what should be done were all over the map. Some described the arrival of the humans as “divine intervention.” Others were less encouraging, arguing that the alien visitors had withheld news of the approaching catastrophe when they first arrived and consequently couldn’t be trusted. An island ledger, which came out sporadically, released an edition which include
d opinions from “experts.” Many expressed caution about relying on the visitors. Two maintained that the whole story was probably a fabrication. “Possibly an experiment of some kind, to determine whether we are stupid, or maybe they simply like to play jokes. Maybe they’ll be laughing all the way home.”

  The journalist asked how they could do that since they’d be taking “two of us” with them?

  “In the end, they’ll probably leave them here.”

  “And if they do take them?”

  “That possibility scares me.”

  “Great,” said Hutch. “I hope Kwylla and Arin haven’t seen this.”

  • • •

  The lander descended in bright sunlight just outside the temple, where a substantial crowd had gathered. They came over and thanked Hutch and Ken as they got out. A few raised their hands to greet them; others just stood quietly. The cottage door opened and Kwylla emerged, carrying a jacket and a bag. The Volarians shouted support. And a few delivered warnings. Moments later, Korsek and Arin came out, hauling more bags. People said their good-byes and backed out of the way. Korsek shook Arin’s hand and embraced Kwylla. Then all three walked toward the lander.

  One of the Volarians, a large male, appeared beside Hutch. “Please,” he said, “take care of them. Bring them home.”

  Hutch reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. “We will,” she said, speaking English but knowing he could read her.

  Korsek looked into Hutch’s eyes and wished her luck as Kwylla and Arin entered the airlock. The Volarians raised their hands a final time. Ken stood aside while Hutch assumed her seat. Then he got in and closed the hatch.

  “Sure you have everything, guys?” Ken asked.

  They nodded. “We’re ready to go.”

  • • •

  The Eiferman was on its way within the hour. After they submerged, Hutch joined everyone in the passenger cabin. They talked for a while, reassuring each other that there was no way the WSA could fail to do the right thing. Eventually, Hutch returned to the bridge and was joined by Kwylla, who stared out at the vast darkness. “I wish we could see something,” Hutch said. “It’s seriously boring out there.” Later, she told Derek that the next upgrade for the Locarno system should be to manufacture visuals of a sky. “It would be easier if we could get a sense of moving. We’ve got all kinds of technology. It should be easy to do. It would make things much more interesting if we could watch clouds of stars drifting by.”