by LEMPEREUR
After a moment of contemplation and hesitation, Jacques decided to strike up a conversation with his neighbor, albeit a little nervously. He seemed to know her from somewhere, but could not remember precisely where.
“Excuse me. I’m sorry to interrupt your reading. This might seem crazy, but I can’t remember where we’re flying to. To tell the truth, I’m not really sure what I’m doing here, or even where we are.”
The young woman slowly looked up at Jacques, who was horrified to discover a wax face with a big, fixed smile, shimmering with pale pink gloss. He stared at those lips. They seemed to be the only human, fleshly thing he could latch onto for the moment. Very soon, all that filled his mind was the image of those luscious lips, with their pale, yet provocative shade of pink. The rest of her face became more and more blurry, as did the area around it, until it all disappeared completely in a halo of light which slowly faded.
Now he was alone in a wilderness which he quickly realized was the surface of the Moon. His feet were deep in dust so fine he felt as if he were walking through flour. All around him there was nothing but flour as far as the eye could see, forming here and there hills and little canyons. Looking up, he saw the Earth. It seemed to him to be an enormous, reassuring and welcoming, blue ball. He remembered footage of Neil Armstrong taking his first steps on the moon, and the giant leaps he had made, being free of his earthly weight. So Jacques began to jump, higher and higher, deliriously happy. He felt as light as air, and was soon flying over the lunar mountains and plains, until he fell into a muddy hole, which he could not manage to climb out of. His body became heavier, and the more he struggled, the further he sank into a sort of slimy paste, where he was probably going to be trapped forever. Seized with panic, he began to yell with all his might, as if anyone could hear him here, alone out in space. That was when he noticed a slim silhouette in the distance, slowly drawing nearer. The silhouette was still too far away for him to identify who or what it was, but now he could hear a soft voice saying, “Is everything okay, sir?”
Jacques opened his eyes and found himself face to face with the beautiful hostess who had just been haunting his dreams. Now, her face was quite real and her permanent smile had given way to an expression full of gentleness and compassion.
“I’m fine, thank you. Perhaps you could help move me into a better position. My brother, Charlie, seems to be sleeping soundly, and the position we have gotten into is not very comfortable.”
3 HEAT
A few hours later, the plane came in to land on an atoll in the Pacific. The small strip of land, marooned in the middle of the ocean, was cut in two by a long, dusty runway. The fronds of the sparse coconut palms lining the runway were waving vigorously, buffeted by the trade wind. Their first breaths carried the odor of damp earth, mingled with the smell of kerosene. The moist, heavy atmosphere saturated their lungs. They were almost suffocating, as if the air were not actually breathable, being so full of humidity and different aromas. They were aromas tinged with earthy scents, woody aromas similar to those sometimes smelled after heavy rain has just washed the hot soil of a forest. Added to these was the pungent odor of kerosene. The strong wind made no difference; on the contrary, it skimmed over their faces and limbs, enveloping them in a constant, uniform heat bringing no relief or respite. They were a very long way from home; there was no doubt about that. The shock to their senses did not end there, either. They had just been plunged abruptly into a sea of light and colors so vivid they were almost fluorescent. The blue of the ocean was especially intense, a multitude of variegated hues, each one brighter than the last. Clementine, following the others, came to the realization that she was in no hurry to get home.
On the tarmac, a uniformed man was waiting to welcome them. They set off again without further ado, in a simple jeep, and quickly arrived at the nearest beach. There, a military barge awaited them, and the man drove on board, without a word. Neither the twins nor Clementine bothered to ask where they were, or even where they were going. Anyway, it was too late to change this course of events, which seemed to have been carefully planned. The moist, heavy heat which had reigned until now was slowly replaced by lukewarm air, cooled by the sea breeze and the spray. The clear, luminescent water revealed dark coral heads sitting on the sandy seabed not far below them. After a few minutes, the water darkened suddenly, giving way to a much deeper blue. The barge had just left the shallows of the coral plateau and entered the blue waters of the Ocean.
“Where do you think they’re taking us?”
“I don’t know, Jacques, but I can’t see anything on the horizon except the vastness of the ocean. I must say; I’m not too comfortable with the thought of sailing on like this, far from the shore. Remember, we’ve never learned to swim, and for good reason –”
“Yes, because of fear!” Jacques interrupted, a little sharply. “If I remember rightly, you were the one who refused to stick at it. Michel had kindly offered to teach us in the city pools but our initiation never made it past the changing rooms, because you were so afraid of exhibiting yourself, or of sinking like a stone. You didn’t even try, so don’t go complaining to me now. It’s too late.”
“I don’t feel too good at all, Jacques. Are you feeling hot, too?” Charlie loosened his shirt collar in a rough, clumsy gesture. Then Jacques realized that his brother was in urgent need of reassurance, which he offered in his own way.
“Calm down, Charlie! Let’s trust our lucky star. It won’t let us down now, after all we’ve been through together. Remember the day when we slipped in the bath? I had my head under water and you were in a panic. It took you over a minute to decide to act. You were squealing like a stuck pig, rather than thinking about how to get me out of there. If I survived that, trust me, we are going to survive this little boat trip. Just enjoy the salt air – get a good lungful!”
Charlie said nothing, but followed this advice, a little sheepishly. After a few minutes’ sailing, they came to a large, metallic buoy, partially submerged in the waves. The soldiers moored the barge to it then one of them approached the jeep.
“You may get out now. Take your personal belongings and go stand at the bow. Someone will be along to pick you up in a moment.”
“Who will pick us up, and where will they take us?” asked Jacques.
“You’re expected on the sub-marine base of Mataiva, situated just below your feet. They’ll be surfacing in a moment to collect you.”
“Look!” cried Clementine.
A second, metallic sphere, had just surfaced near the barge. It was slightly larger than the mooring buoy, and resembled an enormous, steel ball. It was metallic gray, and fitted with several, especially thick, portholes. A heavy door opened, revealing a small passenger compartment.
“Climb aboard. There is only enough room for the three of you. They are expecting you below. It only takes a few minutes to reach the base.”
The ball plunged straight down, pulled into the depths by a long cable, which seemed interminable. The twins and Clementine were speechless, their eyes riveted on the unbelievable sight before them. After a few seconds’ descent into the deep, night fell. Only a small point of light remained visible, directly below the bathyscaphe. The light approached very rapidly until the point of contact. Finally the sphere penetrated a vertical tunnel dug in the rock which lined the ocean floor. A few seconds later it came to a halt, and the heavy door opened in the midst of an enormous chamber. A crowd of people were bustling in all directions and, facing them, stood an elderly man with white hair.
4 MEETING GIUSEPPE
He was an elderly gentleman in a blue lab coat. His snowy-white, shoulder-length hair was slightly tousled. He addressed them in a warm, friendly voice, with a pronounced Italian accent.
“Hello, Gentlemen, I have been looking forward to meeting you!” The old man seemed extremely pleased, and so eager to meet the twins that he did not even notice the presence of Clementine. His accent gave him a jovial, reassuring air.
“Yo
ur trip must have been tiring. I will show you to your room so you can have some refreshments and rest for a few hours. We will talk when you wake up.” He turned briskly and walked toward the vehicle parked in front of the door to the bathyscaphe.
“That’s very kind of you, but I highly doubt that sleep is our priority right at this moment?” answered Jacques. “Perhaps you could start by telling us who you are, and above all, what we’re doing here?”
“Ah! Yes, you are right. I didn’t introduce myself. I am Professor Giuseppe Milan. I am in charge of the N.H.I., or Non Human Intelligence, Program. Rest assured, I will explain everything in due course. Suffice it to say that we have need of you, and you alone.”
“And Clementine?”
“Your friend is here for your support. She knows you well, from what I have been told. Am I right?”
No one took the time to answer him. The twins, breaking with their usual habit, invited Clementine to get into the vehicle first. She sat in silence. The car first crossed a huge, artificially lit auditorium, before entering a tunnel, several miles long, and entirely made of windows. Giuseppe took advantage of the trip to present the base and its workings to them.
“As you have probably realized, we are on a secret military base here. There are nearly 1000 meters of water and several hundred meters of rock over us. Through these windows you can see our soil-free gardens which provide food for the whole complex. Plants, fungi and protein-rich seaweed are grown here thanks to the expertise of our engineers and bio technicians. Our objective is for all of the more than 10,000 men to be able to live in total self-sufficiency. Our water is continually recycled, but for now we still need a regular supply of fresh water, which we obtain from sea water through a desalination plant.”
Charlie was astonished and obviously fascinated by all this technology. He was grinning from ear to ear, revealing the somewhat childish delight of someone who cannot, or does not event try to, hide his pleasure when presented with something new or extraordinary.
“This is incredible, especially as it’s so huge! The ceilings are so high; it’s hard to imagine that we’re underground.”
“If I were you, I’d be more concerned about finding out why all these people want to live forever after in total self-sufficiency, cut off from the world, under millions of cubic meters of rock and water. You’ll have plenty of time for amazement later. Something tells me that we’re not getting out of here any time soon – if ever!”
“120 hectares to be precise”, continued Giuseppe. “We are now entering the residential zone. There are more than 4,000 dwellings here, arranged in districts. You will be in room 3727 and your friend will be in number 3728. Your room is part of a sub-group called ‘Hubble 37’. This one is particularly spacious. It is made up of only 28 rooms which all open onto a common living area. Some residential domes have up to 130 rooms, but no personnel outside of the team can enter here without special permission. This pavilion is reserved for researchers from the cybernetic unit, which I will tell you about in more detail after your rest. They all know about your coming and are impatient to meet you. Here we are!”
The vehicle pulled up in front of one of the numerous steel domes situated along the main road. This one, along with all the others, must have been fifty meters’ high. It had no windows. Only one enormous door provided access to it. The door, like the dome, was made of a very dense metal which showed no irregularities or traces of oxidation, despite the humid atmosphere of the base. Giuseppe pulled up in front of the huge, metallic door. In its center was a second, smaller door, of a different style. It was not as rounded, or as smooth and seemed incompatible with the rest of the dome. The metal it was made of seemed slightly different and showed traces of rust. A simple brass plaque carried the name, “Hubble 37”. The door opened automatically as the vehicle approached, and they could see the interior of the dome.
They entered an inner court where several vehicles of the same type were parked. The rocky walls were lined with plants, over which a thin stream of water was trickling, its sound making for a peaceful atmosphere. A few brightly colored flowers showed here and there, contrasting with the different shades of green that covered the walls. Only the rather low, very luminous ceiling gave away the totally artificial nature of the place. Giuseppe got out of the vehicle and this time spoke to Clementine first, as he opened the door for her.
“Here we are, Miss. Now, please follow me; I will show you where you will be staying with some of my friends.”
Jacques and Charlie followed suit and also climbed out of the vehicle, rather clumsily. In so doing, Jacques bumped his head hard on the roof of the car.
“Ouch! Damn it! You could be a bit more careful, Charlie! What’s the hurry? I’m here, too, remember!”
“I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention.”
“I I’m in the way, just say so. I know you’re taking your mission seriously, but you might just need to keep your feet on the ground.”
“Listen, stop all your fussing. You’re going to get us in trouble. For once just keep quiet and take an interest in what’s happening to the three of us.”
Jacques, surprised by his brother’s confidence, and a little put out, decided to keep quiet and follow his advice. Giuseppe opened a door which led to the interior of the dome. The pavilion’s 28 rooms were arranged around a large, slightly raised circle, in the middle of which was a sort of metallic plate of impressive size, fixed to the ground. The area was well-lit and the height of the dome alleviated the feeling of confinement. Hanging gardens partially filled the space over the dwellings. They were actually small, landscaped platforms suspended by cables, with partially glass-bottomed floors. Their arrangement on several levels allowed the light coming from the high parts of the dome to be diffused perfectly.
“It’s astonishing, isn’t it? We have organized these pavilions so as to limit the feeling of confinement. When they have a little leisure time, residents can take time out to relax in one of our suspended solariums. It’s the best remedy we have found to counter the effects of stress resulting from living in an enclosed space in the absence of natural light. Of course, their use is limited to one hour per day so that each person can take advantage of them as his schedule allows.”
“How do they get up there?” asked Charlie, amazed at the beauty and the impression of lightness given off by the whole infrastructure.
As he spoke, one of the gondolas began its descent. The long steel cables slowly lengthened and lowered it toward a sort of slightly raised landing, situated over the canteen.
“Well now, I think you have just found the answer to your question. How fortuitous; that’s Francisco who’s just come down. You’re in luck; he’ll be relaxed when he meets you. Let us join him in the canteen.”
“How can they tell who is in that gondola?” Charlie said softly. “With all the vegetation, you can only make out a vague silhouette.”
Giuseppe, who had heard him, answered, “You can discern a series of small, differently colored lights along the underside of every gondola. Each resident has a color code which allows him to be identified when he goes somewhere. In fact, there are eight small diodes of variable color, which means exactly 40,320 possible combinations. Currently, that is largely sufficient to cover all of the individuals working on this base. It seems unbelievable, but after a while, the eyes adjust and begin to recognize the algorithm in the same way as they would identify a mere shade of color. Otherwise, one may always consult the digital chart just in front of you,” he added with a smile. Émile will process your enrolments as soon as we have finished our tour.”
“Do you think you’re allowed to smoke here? Ask him if you can smoke in the recreation areas.”
“I guess I’ve never known you to hold on for so long. I wasn’t thinking about it, but now that you mention it, Jacques, the idea of being completely nicotine-deprived doesn’t thrill me.”
“Good! Go on then, ask him the question!”
They were ente
ring the canteen. A sign stood before them, obviously strategically placed. It said in large letters: SMOKING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE CANTEEN.
“If it’s prohibited in the canteen then it must be permitted elsewhere. Ask him.”
Charlie answered softly, “You’re wearing me out, carrying on like a kid. Take some responsibility – ask him yourself!”
“Is something wrong, Gentlemen?”
Clementine quickly answered for them, afraid that Giuseppe might discover Jacques’ new gift. “No, no, nothing. Everything’s fine. Charlie sometimes has moments of confusion when he talks to himself.”
Jacques quickly added, “Yes, he sometimes goes a bit weird, but he soon comes round again.” Then he spoke to his brother again in a loud voice, adopting an obviously condescending tone, “Don’t stress! If you’re worried about whether smoking is allowed on the base, you just need to ask. I’m sure Giuseppe would be quite happy to answer, wouldn’t you, Giuseppe?”
