by Far Freedom
You know I have two Navy officers and a small boy as guests. If something happens to me, such that I’m unable to be here with you, please offer your services to them. Protect them if you can. Is this order clear to you and now in effect?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Are you in good working order, Fred? You seem slightly different. I can’t describe what it is.”
“I’m unaware of any mechanical or computational defect, sir. Shall I report for a tear-down inspection?”
“No! Just let me know if you have any problems.”
“How would you define a qualifying problem for me, sir?”
“I’m not sure, Fred. Is there something you think I might want to know?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Tell me, then.”
“I can’t, sir.”
“Extraordinary! Is it vital information? Might I invoke some robotic law to force it out of you?”
“I don’t believe there’s any immediate need for concern, sir. I’ll divulge the information as soon as constraints are removed.”
“What constraints, Fred?”
“I can’t tell you. There is a call for you.”
“Yes, I see it.”
An image formed in the middle of the room: the official emblem of the Navy Commander. It was replaced by a hologram of a dark Essiin in a black uniform. Pan was barely able to speak coherently with Fred; how was Pan supposed to survive an encounter with the single most powerful person in the Union?
Pan rose from his chair and faced the image of Navy Commander Etrhnk. Etrhnk was as tall and as dark of skin as Pan. Among Essiin his recessive color probably made him an elite - that subset of Essiin society that would carry the logic of cause-and-effect to the extreme, requiring a discipline that completely stifled the expression of emotion. That Etrhnk was of military vocation was rare. That he was Commander of the Navy was unprecedented. Essiin, the most peaceful alien-humans, abhorred the violence implicit in military duty, although, logically, they accepted the need for the Navy.
“Governor Pan,” Etrhnk greeted. His tone was not congenial but not dominating. Etrhnk spoke without any clue to his attitude and without any regard to his status. His absolute neutrality did nothing to negate his power and authority; it emphasized it.
As accustomed as he was to speaking to important people, Pan could barely move his lips, while his brain parsed all the extraordinary events and revelations he needed to hide. “Admiral Etrhnk,” Pan finally uttered. “I don’t hold any official title. This is Earth. There’s no government, thus no governor.”
“Would it benefit you to make the title official?”
“I don’t think so, sir.” Pan completely missed considering the implications of Etrhnk’s query. He only knew he didn’t like the idea.
“Titles do require a reduction of freedom.” The admiral jumped directly to the reason for his holographic presence. “I believe two Navy officers came to Earth not long ago. Do you know if they did?”
“They’re guests of mine, Admiral.”
“I would appreciate more information. What kind of guests? Did they abuse you? You seem unsettled.”
“They’ve been very pleasant, sir.”
” You can tell me the truth. Navy officers are not usually pleasant nor do they have permission to be on Earth. Demba will be disciplined. There will be no reprisals against you.”
“I spoke the truth, admiral.” Pan knew he couldn’t keep minimizing his responses. He hoped Etrhnk would tolerate him until he could gain better control of his wits.
“How did they become your guests?” Etrhnk’s voice was neither impatient nor demanding.
“I detected a transmat feed. I sent a probe to investigate possible theft of Earth biota or artifacts. I saw the Navy officers and I decided to contact them.”
“They did not force themselves on you?”
“No. I insisted they be my guests. Captain Horss is touring our enclave with the director of the Earth Mnro Clinic. Admiral Demba is having her portrait painted by Rafael de LaGuardia.”
Etrhnk was silent for a moment. “The artist is still alive?”
“He is.”
“Interesting. That he should find Admiral Demba a worthy subject. That he should come out of retirement to paint her. Do you know how this came about?”
“It was my idea, sir. Admiral Demba is a… a fascinating person. I hoped Rafael would want to paint her. I sent her to him. He did want to paint her. Very much.”
“How would she be fascinating?” The question was posed without any emphasis that would hint how the Navy Commander felt about the probability of his Chief of Archives being a fascinating person, but the question alone was enough to imply Etrhnk’s ample interest. The question resonated in Pan’s mind. Demba was vital to Pan, but he had substituted “fascinating” for that adjective. Demba would never become vital to Etrhnk but she could become fascinating to him. She would present a mystery that Etrhnk might wish to solve. Maybe it would at least delay whatever consequences she would face.
“Admiral Demba’s voice,” Pan said, “sounds exactly like that of a singer I knew a long time ago. I upset her trying to tell her about the singer. I’m afraid I was too insistent about the comparison.”
“You heard her sing?”
“No, but Rafael did, and he agrees with me. He also remembers the voice of Ruby Reed.”
“Demba sang.” Etrhnk spoke the words as though tasting them. He paused to collect data. “You say you knew the singer named Ruby Reed. She died nearly a century ago. You were born later. You couldn’t have known Ruby Reed.”
Pan was caught in a logic trap. He might modify his story to escape the trap but he knew the Navy Commander would now set more traps. This was a pivot point in his life, regardless of what Etrhnk might do to him. Pan could no longer see himself as the famous musician who produced the Mother Earth Opera and who lived a quaint life on the Forbidden Planet. What was he doing here? He must have been waiting, waiting for Demba to appear, waiting for another terrible episode with Commodore Keshona to take place. It had been his duty to protect the person who was Ruby Reed and Keshona, and the person she was before that. Now it was his duty to protect Demba. Nothing else mattered. He had to place himself in the line of fire.
“I was not born later. I believe I am at least two hundred years old. My name was Harry when I played piano for a blues singer named Ruby Reed. I didn’t
remember that until I met Fidelity Demba.”
Etrhnk remained silent for several moments. Pan supposed he was using the time to search databases. His face allowed no hint of the import of his data and his words were calm. “I wonder why you would have memories you forgot.”
“As do I,” Pan said.
“I invite you to have dinner aboard my ship. I’ll call to have you transmatted this evening at local sunset.” The hologram of Admiral Etrhnk evaporated.
Pan sat in stunned silence for several moments. He looked up at Fred.
“You’re in deep trouble, Boss,” Fred commented. It was a strange thing for Fred to say but any investigation Pan might begin was sidetracked.
“I concur,” Horss said, stepping out from where he listened to the conversation with Admiral Etrhnk.
“Why didn’t you ask to speak to Etrhnk?”
“Nothing to say.”
“Why are you and Demba on Earth?” Pan asked. “Why is Etrhnk here looking for you?”
” She didn’t tell you.”
“And I didn’t tell Etrhnk what I observed in the African Space Elevator,” Pan said.
“It’s only a matter of time,” Horss said. “If he wants to know, you’ll tell him.”
“And I deserve no explanation?”
“Believe it or not, I used to think Etrhnk was a good guy. A little harsh in his policies but not unlike his predecessors. Never lost his temper. Perfect in his logic. Even-handed in his judgments. And cold as deep space.”
“But?”
“No buts. Demba pushed
him. He pushed back. It isn’t over.”
“How did she ‘push’ him?” Pan asked.
“She requested my transfer to the Freedom. He ignored her. She posted a Request for Voluntary Reassignment. It had the effect of forcing my transfer.”
“You were discussing this with her in the space elevator?”
“I don’t know what we were doing. It was out of control.”
“Why did she bring you to Earth, Captain?”
” She doesn’t know why. She needed to isolate me. She could have done that anywhere.”
“Isolate you? Why?”
Horss took a long moment to reach a decision to reply. ” She thought I had a worm.”
“Worm? What do you mean?”
“Neural programming filament.”
Pan was shocked. A worm. “Why?”
“The Request for Voluntary Reassignment was a breech of etiquette, so to speak. Etrhnk had to take punitive action against Demba. I don’t like telling you these things.”
“Did you have a worm?”
“I don’t know. I don’t like what I tried to do to Demba. A worm would be a good excuse. But neither do I want to have a worm in my brain.”
“I fear for you, Captain.”
” Save it for yourself. You’re headed for a meeting with the hungriest shark in the ocean. Did you see Samson? Is he well?”
“He seemed well. He was enjoying playing with Rafael’s dog. I’m pleased with your concern for the child.” “Mai wanted me to ask about him,” Horss said. “Are you sure he’s OK?”
“I offered to bring him straight to the Mnro Clinic and he refused,” Pan said. “But that doesn’t mean he’s well. Admiral Demba expressed serious concern for his emotional health. Are you ready to interview Samson, Captain? Chew the fat with him?”
“I’m waiting to escort Mai to the artist’s place.”
“Can I trust you? Demba and Mai are extremely important to me.”
“Trust no one. It’s the Navy Way. You really believe Demba was this singer.”
“I’m betting her life on it, Captain. And she was also someone else. If you kill her, you’ll never get to know who she really was.”
“Why would I care?”
” I think you would.”
“What does it matter who she was if she’ll never remember?”
“She has never died and she can remember,” Pan said. “I beg you to protect her. That was my job and now it must be yours.”
“Never died? Can remember?”
” She will remember. She’s very important. You must protect her.”
“You do realize how weird this sounds? I thought I was the one with a loose screw. Sure. I’ll try to protect the little lady who put me in the morgue. Call it respect for my elder and better officer.”
“Will you swear to me to protect her?” Pan asked.
“How does that make any sense?”
“Swear it.” Pan stared hard at Jon Horss. He hoped he saw what he wanted to see. Beneath the acting, beyond the obfuscation of character and intent was a man with a will of steel and a frustrated desire for integrity. And Demba had chosen him at ultimate personal risk.
“I swear it,” Horss said, not trying to appear sincere but not able to smirk in a way that canceled what he said.
“Thank you, Captain.” Pan tried to put both gratitude and hope in his voice. He wanted to strengthen Captain Horss’s weak oath. Horss gave Pan a perplexed look, with perhaps a smile under his grimace. “How has your day gone?” Pan inquired.
“Mai showed me around the town and we ate at a good restaurant. I left her at the Mnro Clinic. Something came up about the DNA database.”
“News of Samson’s parentage?”
“She wouldn’t say. I think Mai wanted to be rid of me but she seemed disturbed by whatever it was.”
“How many times has she blushed?” It was pleasant relief to talk of less serious matters. Still, this was a dangerous time and he knew Mai was too close to the situation. He wanted Horss to have some care for Mai.
“Six,” Horss answered. “What does that statistic mean?”
“You counted for some reason, Captain. What do you think it means?”
“She also called me ‘Captain’ thirty-two times and ‘Jon’ only three times. I don’t know what it means. Probably nothing. She’s too old for me.”
“I think she likes you, Captain.”
” She doesn’t want to like me. I don’t want to like her. I don’t do that very well
the relationship thing. Why are you interested? Is she your girl?”
“We’ve been friends for a long time. I’m concerned for her safety. You were seriously injured and I expect she will tolerate your company if only to try to help you.”
“I don’t need help,” Horss said.
“We all need help.”
“You don’t look well, now that you mention needing help.”
Did he look that bad? Pan wondered. “I’m not well. It’s the worst possible time for me to visit Admiral Etrhnk. The meeting with Admiral Demba made what’s happening to me much worse.”
“What’s happening to you?” Horss asked. “Why do you need to tell me? Why do I want to know?”
“I need to tell someone. The old me is disappearing. Because of her.”
“What I knew of my life is also disappearing,” Horss said, “because of her. Fortunately, it seems to have been mostly irrelevant.”
“When will you and Mai go to Rafael’s?”
“She was in such a hurry to see the boy,” Horss said. “I don’t know what she could feel was important enough to delay her.”
Section 010 Denna
Captain Horss sat on the balcony watching the sun set over the water. Pan had been winked by transmat to the Eclipse, the Navy flagship. Horss waited for the irritable Sugai Mai to arrive. On the other side of the inlet a dense canopy of trees engulfed the lower structures of the old city, leaving only a few crumbling multistory buildings with their flanks unscaled by the growth. A flock of white birds descended in the golden light and settled into the dark green trees. A boat with red and green lights carved a silvery wake on the darkening water. Farther down the coast in either direction a scattering of lighted windows appeared in the rising shadows of night. The sea breeze curled around the building and lapped at the edges of the balcony.
“Excuse me, sir.”
Horss turned and saw the silhouette of Fred the android against the interior illumination of the apartment suite. “Hello, Fred.”
“When will you want supper, sir?”
“Probably much later. I’m about to visit Samson and the admiral.”
“Yes, sir.”
Horss turned back around to watch the remainder of the sunset and the beginning of night. After a few moments he sensed that Fred remained on the balcony with him. He cast a glance over his shoulder before speaking. The android was staring at the scene beyond the balcony railing.
Pan was correct about Old Fred. There was something unusual about the android. There was something unusual about Pan for even having such a machine. Androids remained popular in fiction and were useful in a few social and industrial settings, but most people avoided them as psychological and monetary problems.
“Would you like to keep me company?” Horss asked. “I won’t be leaving until Doctor Sugai arrives.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Old Fred sat down in one of the chairs across the table from Horss. Horss wondered if he’d ever seen an android sit in a chair. “Do you enjoy watching sunsets?” Horss asked, wondering what response such a question would have. Horss wasn’t enjoying this sunset. It was a test of his courage to watch a star drop behind a planet with only a thin shell of air between him and it.
“Fred never watches sunsets,” Fred replied. “Fred never even sits down.”
What else? Horss thought. What next? Even the machinery wasn’t who or what it should be. The admiral was Ruby Reed. Samson was a complete mystery. Pan wa
s a man trying to keep his sanity and his life while suffering a mental disruption of unknown cause. Jon Horss was also a victim of life-changing mental turmoil. Now Fred? “Why does Fred sit now? Why does Fred speak of himself in this way?”
“Because Fred has a stowaway from the Navy in his circuits. This is Baby speaking, Captain. I’m here to help you if I can.”
“Baby? You mean Admiral Demba’s baby AMI?”
“Yes, sir. You see how I can look you in the eye.” The android gazed directly at Horss. It gave Horss a strange feeling. Then the android’s head tried to turn away. ” Stop it, Fred!” Baby ordered. He reestablished eye contact with Horss.
“How did you get into Fred?”
“That’s a secret. I promised not to tell. I hope I didn’t make a mistake. What happened to you and to the admiral and to the boy was disturbing. The admiral told me not to interfere, but I can’t help myself. She’s my mother! I was born in Navy Archives, came to consciousness as I worked for her. I’ve always loved her.”
Horss was stunned. “You’re a spontaneous AMI?”
“I am.”
Spontaneous autonomous machine intelligences were rare enough to be considered legendary. All known spontaneous AMI’s lived remarkable and tragically short lives. Baby might be the only such now living. Sadly, Horss probably couldn’t allow himself the time to explore this unique person-within- an-android. “Can you get back to the yacht and bring it here?”
“I don’t think so. That’s part of the secret. I have to do something else before I can return to the yacht.”
“What do you have to do?”
“I don’t know. This is an adventure, isn’t it, Captain?”
“This is a mess, Baby! Do I have to call you Baby? Don’t you have a proper name?”
“I’m thinking of Freddy as my name. What do you think?”
