The Search For WondLa

by DiTerlizzi, Tony

  “How will we get to Solash from there?” Eva asked.

  “Solas,” Rovender corrected her. “You can take a ferry across Lake Concors, which will bring you directly into the main port.”

  “Thanks, Rovee.” Eva lay back on her bedroll. “Thank you so much.”

  “Get some rest, Eva Nine.” Rovender crossed his large hands over his narrow chest.

  Eva took off her jackvest and balled it up into a pillow. As she settled down, she spied Muthr standing silently in the gymnasium doorway, the robot’s silicone skin glowing in the pale lantern light.

  Eva tucked the deteriorating WondLa into the inside pocket of her tunic, next to her beating heart, and closed her eyes.

  CHAPTER 19: FOREST

  Eva winced as the late-morning sunlight danced across her face. Once again she was aboveground deep in a forest—the Wandering Forest, as Rovender had called it, before he’d walked off to relieve himself.

  Compared to the previous day, her morning had been uneventful. Normally Eva would have enjoyed the tranquility, but she had been excited, hopeful that they would find other residents living in the neighboring Sanctuaries.

  After rising and eating a quick breakfast, the trio had opened the hatch leading to the next adjoining Sanctuary. To Eva’s dismay, she’d discovered it was more overgrown than the previous one. A sense of wonder, mixed with sadness, had fallen upon her as she’d walked through the familiar structure. It was laid out exactly like her home, but had disappeared under thick carpets of bizarre fungi, lichens, and moss. The main entryway to this third Sanctuary had been wide open and covered in small bulbous growths. With each step that Eva had taken as she’d helped Muthr ascend toward the surface, the growths had whistled, puffing their spores.

  “Well?” Eva asked now, watching Muthr. At present the robot was quiet, save for her blinking eyelids. Dappled light glimmered upon her through the canopy. All around, a concert of forest voices chirped, buzzed, burbled, and chortled. A sweet scent wafted through the air, mixing with the familiar smell of wet potting soil.

  Eva noticed a bright pin light blinking on the back of Muthr’s head—a light she had not noticed before. She neared Muthr, grasping one of her rubber-tipped hands.

  “Eva, I cannot fathom …” Muthr’s voice drifted away and she appeared lost in thought. Eva wondered how the codes and programs that allowed Muthr to operate were processing all of this new information. Muthr turned as a tiny, thin leaf landed on her lacquered metallic torso. The leaf walked in slow strides, then hopped off. It landed on the moss-covered trunk of a tree and became inconspicuous. “It is more vivid, more alive, than I expected,” Muthr said. “In fact, my optical sensors may be overloading. There seems to be an error in my programming.”

  “Are you okay?” A look of concern settled upon Eva’s face.

  “It is odd,” Muthr continued, “but the emotional replicator program that I normally use for interaction with you is sending me mixed signals: both of wonderment and of fear.”

  “Wonderment and fear? That’s weird,” Eva said, perplexed.

  “That’s called being awestruck,” Rovender said, returning. He slapped Muthr on the back. “Welcome to the real world, Mother Robot, a beautiful and dangerous place. Now you can truly begin to live.”

  “What was that?” Muthr asked.

  “He said you’re awestruck,” Eva replied. “By the beauty of living in this dangerous place.”

  “Awestruck. So it may be,” Muthr said, her voice quiet.

  Rovender pulled his large rucksack over his shoulders, causing his numerous items to jangle together. “Okay, Eva, we need to keep moving if we want to make it to Lacus by tomorrow night.” He grabbed his walking stick and set off. “Come, let us continue. And stay alert—like I said, it can get dangerous here.”

  “What did he say?” the robot asked Eva.

  “Hold on a second, Muthr,” Eva said. “Rovee, can I ask you something?”

  “Yes, Eva Nine,” her guide paused, turning to her.

  In a hushed voice Eva asked, “If it does get dangerous, shouldn’t we all be able to speak to one another?”

  “What? We are—”

  “Muthr,” Eva whispered. “She needs to be able to understand you, and I am getting tired of translating. Don’t you have another vocoder thingy?”

  Rovender looked over at the robot. Muthr was aiming the Omnipod at the tiny walking leaf, recording it. “I do not have another transcoder,” he said. “I gave you my last one.”

  Eva let out a frustrated sigh. “Okay.”

  “Wait.” Rovender whispered. “She can also use yours, as long as the device is near you both. So you’ll have to stay close, understand?”

  “Really?” Eva smiled. “Thanks!”

  “And, Eva,” Rovender added, “she has to ingest the transmitters for it to work. Press the silver button, then have her hold it near her mouth.”

  Eva nodded. She remembered how suspicious she had been of the transcoder when she had first been presented with it. She walked up to Muthr’s back as the robot studied the hologram of the walking leaf on the Omnipod. Eva pulled the transcoder out of her pocket. “What did you find?” she asked in an innocent tone.

  “I thought it to be a species of insect,” Muthr said, turning to Eva, “perhaps even one of the genus—what are you doing?”

  “I need you to let this thing, the transcoder, work on you.”

  “Eva, I do not know if I should allow that. It could compromise my programming,” Muthr replied. She glanced over Eva’s shoulder to Rovender.

  “Listen,” Eva said, “if we encounter any of the creatures I showed you on the Omnipod, it could get dangerous. You need to be able to understand exactly what Rovender is telling us about this planet.”

  Muthr’s eyelids clicked. “You are right, Eva. What do I need to do?”

  Eva pressed the button on the bottom of the transcoder. A tiny cloud of transmitters puffed out. “Start speaking,” Eva said with a smile.

  Eva and Muthr followed in single file behind their guide. For the remainder of the morning they traveled along a winding animal trail through the thick brush. Eva and Rovender chatted while Muthr recorded endless data with the Omnipod. They spooked a covey of birds, which flew overhead, warbling aloud to one another.

  “I’ve seen these before. What are they?” Eva asked.

  “Turnfins,” Rovender replied. “They are everywhere, and eat everything. Feed one of them and soon you’re feeding the entire flock. That makes catching them easy.”

  “Turnfins,” Muthr repeated as she entered the data into the Omnipod.

  Eva watched the birds disappear into the shadows of the forest. “Catch them? For a pet?”

  Rovender chuckled. “No, Eva Nine—for food. They are actually quite delicious if prepared properly.”

  “For food?” Eva thought of the turnfins that had greeted her the first morning of her escape, roosting on the wandering tree next to her. She thought of the weeping bird-catchers capturing and devouring them. She thought of herself captured, just like the pair of turnfins, in Besteel’s camp. She shuddered at the memory of the brute cutting up the giant water bear and consuming its organs. Her stomach twisted.

  Rovender turned back to Eva, smiling. “Maybe we’ll catch some for dinner tonight, eh? I know a delicious recipe.”

  Eva’s stomach curdled at the words Rovender had spoken. “How could you do that? That’s just like something Besteel would do!” she said.

  Rovender stopped, turned, and seized Eva by the arm. “Never say that I am like Besteel,” he growled. “That brute is a monster who kills for sport. I only take what I need from the forest, when I need it to survive.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “You do not understand, Eva Nine,” Rovender said with restraint in his voice. “There may come a time when you, too, will have to live off of this land. Those pellets you carry around won’t last forever.”

  “They should last for more than a month,” Muth
r piped up as she approached. “Thirty-four days, to be exact. Please take your hands off her, Mr. Kitt.”

  Eva looked up at Muthr, then back at Rovender. The lanky creature let go of her, saying nothing.

  Muthr continued, “That should be adequate time for us to reunite with other humans at the next settlement.”

  “I will tell you, Mother Robot, the same thing I have told Eva: I have traveled all over this landscape, and I have yet to see another like either of you.” Rovender turned away and started back down the trail.

  “Well, then, perhaps we should head toward the coordinates that the Sanctuary gave instead of this city you speak of,” Muthr replied.

  Rovender stopped and shook his head. “I was better off when I couldn’t understand her,” he grumbled.

  Eva put her hands over her mouth, subduing a snicker.

  “What is that?” Muthr asked.

  Rovender approached Muthr. “Very well. Show me this place where your machine has told you to go.”

  Muthr kept all five eyes fixed on Rovender. “Of course,” she said. In seconds a large holographic relief map of the surrounding terrain floated above the Omnipod’s central eye.

  “Our location is approximately here,” Muthr said, pointing to a wooded spot on the edge of a wide river. “So the nearest human underground facility is on the other side of this river. About a twenty-seven-day hike from here if we keep a steady pace for eight hours a day.”

  “Twenty-seven days!” Eva looked at the map. The location looked much closer when everything was shrunk down. “Twenty-seven days of walking is a long time—especially with all of the scary stuff out here trying to eat us.”

  “We shall be fine.” Muthr handed Eva the Omnipod. “And if we ration accordingly and follow our practiced survival skills, we should arrive safely. How about it, Mr. Kitt?”

  “Is there anyone even there?” Eva stared at the holographic map.

  “I have sent them a distress signal and am awaiting a reply,” Muthr said. “However, their communications may be disabled and faulty, as ours were.”

  “Or perhaps it no longer exists,” Rovender said.

  “Mr. Kitt, will you or will you not lead us there?” Muthr asked. Eva’s eyes locked with Rovender’s for a beat, then she looked down.

  Rovender snorted. “If that’s where you want to go, then I will bid you both farewell.” He pulled out one of his bottles and continued his trek. He called out over his shoulder, “Oh, and by the way, Eva Nine … according to your map, Besteel’s camp would have been underwater in the middle of your river. Good luck with your journey.”

  Eva studied the holo-map. She could see the glowing pin dot that was her Sanctuary. It was nestled next to a wide river.

  “I think he’s right,” Eva said, pointing to the map. “The only thing I saw yesterday, besides a lot of forest, was a big empty area full of rocks and gravel. I didn’t see a river or any water at all.”

  Muthr was silent. Calculating.

  Eva spoke. “We want to find the other humans, right? If we go to this city, there’s bound to be somebody there who can help us.” She glanced over as Rovender rounded a wandering tree. “Let’s see where he takes us, Muthr. Please?”

  “All right, then, let us travel to Solas. It is closer than the nearest facility, and perhaps there we may learn how best to proceed,” Muthr said.

  Eva smiled. “Good idea.”

  “But, Eva.” Muthr’s voice was hushed. “I do not trust Mr. Kitt. There are no records of planet Orbona in the Omnipod. We must remain observant. Understood?”

  “I understand. But so far he’s been really helpful. Right?” Eva said.

  “Only time will tell.” Muthr patted Eva on the shoulder. “All right. Let us go.”

  Eva jogged ahead, catching up with Rovender. On a single wheel, Muthr rolled along behind her as they ventured deeper into the forest.

  It soon became clear to Eva Nine that the farther they trekked into the forest, the more peculiar the life-forms became.

  “Extraordinary,” Muthr exclaimed as she passed a tall cup-shaped plant. The plant was covered in thick hairs waving about, collecting bits of pollen and other airborne particles that seemed to swim about in the cool, damp air. “It reminds me of holograms I’ve seen of undersea organisms.”

  A large, tufted, floating insect drifted down from the treetops near the cup-plant. As the plant’s cilia swept the insect into the plant’s circular mouth, the cup collapsed around the fuzz, creating a chorus of hoots in the process.

  “Rovee, what is that?” Eva aimed the Omnipod at it.

  “Some species of chimera,” he replied, trudging through the bush. “Don’t get too close. They can be temperamental.”

  “A chimera, like the monster?” Eva looked at the holo-model of it.

  “A chimera can mean also that it is a hybrid, somewhat like me,” Muthr answered as she watched the cup open back up.

  “It contains traits from both plant and animal kingdoms,” the Omnipod added.

  The trio made their way through the grove of chimeras, arriving a few moments later in a small moss-laden glade.

  “This may be a good place to camp for the night,” Rovender announced. “I have seen no wandering trees for some time, so we should be safe.”

  “Hey, can I make a fire?” Eva asked, waving her Omnipod.

  “Good thinking, Eva,” Muthr replied. “See if you can locate some kindling. I will determine the proper location, far from any trees.”

  “No fires,” Rovender said, pulling off his rucksack.

  “Why ever not?” Muthr asked. “Eva could use the hands-on experience.”

  Rovender unstrapped his bedrolls from his pack. “For one thing, we are near the heart of the Wandering Forest. The wandering trees would stampede if they sensed danger.”

  Eva looked over at the thick-trunked trees that ringed the glade. The last rays from the setting sun tinted their tops in a vibrant golden hue.

  “And another thing,” Rovender continued. “Besteel hunts by heat detection. You might as well send a beacon straight to him. No fires.”

  The trio camped under dark heavy cloud cover, as the moon made no appearance that night. Rovender tended to his ankle and turned in early. Muthr patrolled the perimeter of the camp, recording every nocturnal sound produced within the forest.

  Eva checked the odometer on her sneakboot as she pulled it off. It read fourteen and a half kilometers. As the climatefiber warmed her tired body, she fell into a deep, restful sleep.

  The following morning the trio continued their trek into the thick wood of the Wandering Forest. Eva was quiet as she took in the scenery, recording many of the forest inhabitants on her Omnipod.

  “Eva Nine, come here! You must see this.” Rovender loped ahead from the shadow of heavy growth that they were traveling through and into a sunlit field of waist-deep bracken. As Eva neared, she found her guide standing in front of a thick knobby spire that towered high above him.

  “This part looks like the holos I’ve seen of pineapples,” Eva said, pointing to the perfect pattern of nodules at the the base of the spire.

  “No, no, Eva. This is a signpost. A portent,” Rovender said as he walked around it and pointed to several more looming nearby. “Should you come across these, be wary.”

  “A sign for what?” Eva craned her neck up to see the blunt tip of the spire.

  “Who put it there?” Muthr asked as she joined them and inspected the towering spire. Eva could see that the signpost was more than four times the height of the robot.

  “We are at the edge of the forest’s heart,” Rovender whispered, kneeling down next to the base. “See here, Eva Nine? The eyes all look in toward the center. Toward the heart.”

  Eva leaned down next to where Rovender was indicating. She saw dark shiny round growths on the tips of the nodules.

  “Those?” She peered at them. “Those are eyes?”

  “Trust me,” Rovender said. He stood, pointing in the directi
on that the eyes appeared to be staring. It was into a tight copse of enormous interwoven trees. Their canopy was so dense that Eva saw nothing beyond their green-hued veil. Rovender spoke in a hushed tone. “It is told in my clan that you do not enter there unless you are pure of spirit.”

  “But who put the signs here?” Muthr asked again.

  “The forest did,” Rovender replied. “Now, let us continue.”

  “Hold on a second.” Eva furrowed her brow. “You mean the trees did it? Or perhaps some large creature.”

  “No, Eva, not the trees and not another creature,” Rovender replied.

  “Well, that doesn’t make sense. So what do you mean by saying that the forest put it there?” Eva asked.

  Rovender continued across the field of bracken. “I mean exactly what I say: The forest has placed warnings to let you know you are to be careful, to be considerate, while journeying through it. Do you understand?”

  “Not really.” Eva stopped, and looked at the trees surrounding her. Heavy clouds, dirty with rain, rolled overhead. “I am still confused. How can a forest do anything? I mean, a forest is just land with a bunch of trees growing on top of it.”

  “Agreed,” Muthr said.

  “Perhaps on your planet of origin, Eva Nine—but not here.” Rovender banged a second signpost with his walking stick. As he did so, the post next to Eva also rattled. The multitude of dark nodules blinked, and the eyes rotated in the direction of the disturbance. They then peered around in unison, their gaze resting on Eva for a moment before they returned to their original position. Eva blinked in astonishment at the signpost, then looked to her guide for further explanation.

  Rovender leaned on his staff. “You see, here the forests are alive. They watch. They move. They feed. They have a heartbeat. Just like you. Just like me. Just like everything.”

  CHAPTER 20: WATER

  This is a good place to rest,” Rovender announced as he pulled off his rucksack. The trio had emerged from the Wandering Forest and found themselves on the edge of a vast dried lake bed. The ivory sand caked on the ground was cracked into an endless interlocking pattern that continued out toward the horizon.