by Angela Timms
workforce at a cheaper price.
goods and services with a limited We have the intelligence to automate everything but do we have the wisdom to know that by doing that we are taking away the purpose in life? There is a fine balance and an energy that needs to flow. If that flow is disrupted then it is like a disease and it is self-defeating as the governing entities have to deal with those who can no longer work so they have to provide the money to do so. To do that they have to create taxes to pay for it. So in the end the only difference is that certain people are left without the pride and purpose of having their place in society.”
Rennon was thinking hard. “So how do we achieve this?”
The Prince frowned. “The theory is easy, putting it into practice now that is the hard part as on many planets the advancements are already there. Firstly I think by protecting the planets that are working from those who would change them. We have a vast galaxy and if there are individuals who want an automated society, they should be allowed this. We have planets that are uninhabitable because there is no atmosphere. Those would be ideal for colonization by those who would be happy to live in a fully automated and synthetic environment. I would advocate developing them and allowing those who thrive in such an environment to relocate there where they can find their peace of mind. Places like the planet we have just visited should be preserved. You have seen their level of technological advancement, it is quite remarkable but they have found their balance. They are still an agricultural based society and much of their work on the land has returned to being done by hand. The seasons matter to them again and they are happy to go out and do the fruit and vegetable picking. It has become part of their social calendar and the money it brings to the population gives them that extra income that makes their life comfortable. I have been there at harvesting time. I have also seen the benefits of the force field bio domes that they have developed. Crops are protected from the weather but rain is allowed through when it is needed and the picking is done in the dry. You didn’t get to see the factories but they are there and they are extremely efficient. The parts that are dangerous or unpleasant to assemble or create are automated totally and kept on a nearby moon. The manual assembly of safe materials is be done by real living people on production lines.
Small businesses and crafts are encouraged and the market is a vibrant part of the town life. Rents are low and cover maintenance and that allows the stall keepers and shop owners to flourish. If they flourish they can pay their taxes and the town prospers. You have seen the condition of the place. That is due to the guilds. They run an apprenticeship scheme and children go from education into these guilds. They start with simple tasks like road sweeping and general maintenance and then progress to stonemasonry and the other more complicated tasks like the electronics of the force field windows and other aspects of the town.”
Joniel stood up. “More coffee anyone? I think this discussion is going to go on for a while. If you would excuse me I must go and get a report on how things are going on the planet. Kyla, if you would like to accompany me.” He bowed slightly and offered her his hand. She took it and he escorted her out of the room.
18
The stars twinkled in the cloudless sky. A heavy muggy heat hung about bringing a musky dry aroma out of the buildings along the sides of the canals. Long thin boats drifted along them. They were propelled by young men in elaborate jackets and flowing cloaks who pushed them along with poles which penetrated deep into the water to meet the sea bed or pushed against the stone of the side of the canal. Some carried cargoes, some carried people. Each one was decorated elaborately in gold and black with a stripe of colour running from prow to bow and an elaborate statuette on its prow. Houses rose up from the canals and walkways, tall elegant constructions built with balconies, walkways and minarets. Each house was painted around the leaded windows in gold and above each residence and workplace a flag hung limp on this breezeless night.
As their boat entered the central canal, Kel, Rennon and Kyla were amazed by the huge stone plaza that faced them. It was a truly awesome construction that rose up out of the sea as if it had been created beneath it and then born. The whole structure was very organic, the sweeping stairway that rose up out of the sea was festooned with carved seaweed. The flat wall where boats tied up was stone carved as wood. Giant sea horses rose up out of the plaza floor, the stone waves rising around them.
The center piece to the plaza around which everything else radiated was a huge statue of a muscular man, his bare chest bore an impressive six pack, his long hair and curly beard rugged around the broad features of his face. In his right hand he bore a trident, his left he held out flat, palm upwards. His torso ended in a huge fish’s tail which curled around him. Four sea horses arose from the carved waves around his tail, their nostrils flaring as their hooves were represented as splashing up stone water. The plinth was ornately carved with waves and water ran down along the ridges these created into the huge pool below. Around the pool the restraining wall was also ornately carved. Its stone fish swam in an eternal circle clockwise around its base propelled by a water powered mechanism and the top was carved as waves out of polished marble.
The plaza itself was lit by posts with lights on the top. Each light was carved in the shape of a clam shell. The cobbles were also carved as shells from stones of many different colours all sealed under a clear impenetrable resin. It was impossible to see but the fountain as well was coated with an invisible force field which kept it immaculately clean despite the intricate carving and countless crevices which would have been impossible to maintain.
Around the plaza there were alleyways made of countless stalls selling goods or food. Street entertainers walked about plying their trade, young boys and girls with them holding a pot for passersby to throw money into. Across the back of the plaza there was a huge multi story stone building. From the bottom layer to the eighth each floor sported a long balcony along the entire length which was intricately carved and painted with gold. Either side of the entrance on the ground floor balcony an orchestra was playing. The music filled the plaza.
To the left and right there were five buildings a side lit by lanterns on every level. Each carved in the same intricate fashion and to the same design. Each was different in its own way and each bore a flag on its top lit by a floodlight which matched the colours they had seen on the boats.
Kyla was looking around in wonder. “Rennon, have you read up about this place?”
Rennon smiled and sat back against the soft velvet cushion in their boat. “This is the Plaza Del Elatonia. That building at the back is the Guild Hall where all the guilds and traders have their offices. The ground floor is where all the administration is done. The upper floors are where the merchants have their meeting rooms where they can meet clients and where trade which goes to all the planets in this alliance is done. The ten houses you can see around the plaza each belong to a different ruling family. The people on this world are all descended from these ten families
The ruler of this place, the Dojet resides in a palace to the right of this plaza with his entourage of servants and the High Council, ten good men, one from each of the families. The Dojet is chosen from those “of the blood” as only they can operate the artefacts that keep this place safe. Unfortunately our business is in a far less fine place but I wanted to take a look at the Plaza while we were here.”
The oarsman propelled them on past the Plaza and down a side canal which passed by other ornate buildings and under intricately carved closed in bridges that spanned the canal from the upper floors of the buildings which towered above them.
Rennon was looking at a map on his hand held scanner. “All of these buildings are connected at roof level by these bridges making a network that runs throughout the whole city. We’ll soon get to the poorer areas, these are not connected other than by the canals.”
They passed the ornate buildings which came to an abrupt end at a huge stone wall. There was a gatehouse in th
e wall which spanned the canal. Above its parapet the gate guards were looking down at them, the door was just finishing its sweeping movement and had reached full open position, the water was still swirling where it had been moved. The guards above them were each dressed in a similar livery and held spear blasters, they seemed calm but mildly curious about the boat passing underneath and were only paying it casual attention.
Kel grunted. “How did they know to let us through?”
Rennon tapped something into his scanner. “The oar is a propulsion device but it also holds a communicator. Our information was keyed in when we got on board so the gate guards would have got our signature in advance.”
As they glided away from the gatehouse the doors swung shut with a metallic clang. Behind them was the ornate splendor of the ruling quarter, in front of them the poverty of the rest of the city. Stone buildings were replaced by a shanty town of buildings clinging to poles driven into the sea bed below. Bridges were tied together and precariously clung to the side of these structures. As they passed side canals washing was hung out on semi- circular metal rods. The oarsman sped up and they narrowly missed the contents of a chamber pot being emptied out of an upstairs window.
The canal reeked of effluent, moldy material and rotten wood. Dead rats floated in the water, some half eaten by the fish that occasionally came up to the surface and swam around the boat.
There were lights but as they got further away from the Plaza these got less and less until the oarsman put the boat’s lights on so that they could see where they were going in the darkness which was increased by the overhanging buildings. They met another boat coming in the opposite direction, they saw its lights first and then its prow coming out of the gloom. The oarsman shouted a greeting in a language understand and received one back as they passed by each other.
Rennon had been looking nervous. “You have to of pirates around here. The canals are rife with them. There is access from this city to the southern seas and that is where most of the pirates hold up as it is a popular trade route.”
They passed down many canals until the boat docked at a small they didn’t
be careful jetty beside a wooden building. Rennon got up to get off and the others followed suit while the oarsman steadied the boat.
Kel knocked on the door and it opened almost immediately. They were met by an elderly woman. Her apron was pristinely clean and neatly pressed and in stark contrast to her dark blue dress, her bonnet neatly tied around her grey curls. She was waif thin and her face looked drawn and bony but her smile lit up her face as she stepped aside and invited them inside. “Welcome to our home. I am Estrath and you must be Kel. Ah, Kyla, a pleasure to meet you my dear and of course you must be Rennon. My son is expecting you all, please do come in. Don’t worry about your shoes, the floor will be cleaned later. The kettle is on the boil. Destral, good to see you again. If you’d like to visit Elatinia I could send you a message when my guests are leaving.”
The oarsman smiled broadly and touched his flat round hat with his hand in salute. He was illuminated by the light from the doorway, his red waistcoat was a work of art, neatly decorated with countless pearl buttons and his long black cloak was edged in a similar fashion. His black trousers were skin tight fitting and his crisp white shirt was fixed into them with a burgundy velvet cummerbund. He smiled and navigated off down the canal.
Estrath closed the door behind them and locked it with a single bolt. She keyed her code into the pad beside the door and the door flashed momentarily with a blue light as the force field came on. “There, that’s better. Now if you’d follow me.” They stood aside so that she could pass them in the narrow corridor and led them up some stairs which opened into a large open space. The majority of the room was wooden floorboards carefully polished and well dusted. The cooking area stood on a stone platform and was modestly plain. A simple range cooker, wash basin, cupboards adorned with various cooking utensils and copper pots hanging from racks on the ceiling. Around the cooking area, on the edge of the stone platform there was a low brick wall which extended on three sides up into the ceiling as brick pillars at the corners and front. To the right of the kitchen area was a seating area where comfortable but threadbare sofas were set out around a low table. This was piled high with wires and equipment. A man in his early thirties sat on the far sofa screwing together an interface and pulling bits of wires out of the mound in front of him. His black hair was wild, his clothes looked as though they had been thrown on as an afterthought. They were clean but threadbare, pinstripe deep blue suit trousers with an orange jumper which was startlingly bright in contrast. His spectacles were perched on the end of a long nose and his bright eyes took in the strangers, what they were wearing and everything about them in a moment. He then discarded them as being uninteresting to him so he went back to his creation. The woman glared at him and folded her arms. “I do wish you’d keep your bits and pieces in your room Eland, you knew we were having guests.”
Eland looked up. “Sorry mother, I’ll move it if you would like me to.” Elstrath smiled. “I’m sure our guests won’t mind. After all its Rath you have come to see isn’t it?”
Rennon looked surprised.
Estrath put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a kind smile. “It didn’t take a huge amount of working out when we get visitors from Mission Command that there would be a reason and the only reason I can think is that my son has the skills you are looking for. I’ll pour the tea, he’ll be down in a while. Please take a seat.” She indicated towards the sofas.
They sat and looked around the shabby but clean room. Eland kept casting them a nervous look as he put together the wires and screwed bits together. “Sorry about the mess but I got started and it got a bit out of hand. There was a loose connection but that shorted out the central core so I’ve had to replace some bits. She should work fine now.”
Watching him gave them something to do. He gradually pieced together the multi armed robot, wired the circuitry and put it all back together. He then stood it up and switched it on. Immediately there was a loud bang from inside the robot’s chest and it fell back onto the table, its spider like arms rigid, and its legs in the air. Eland looked mortified.
A deep voice came from the stairway. “Bad luck Eland, you’d better go back to basics on that one. The Epsinian Coil is shot, if you don’t find a replacement for that you’ll have the same problem again and again.”
Eland looked deflated and a little angry. “Yes brother.” He picked up the robot and bowed to their guests. “If you will excuse me I will take this to my room.”
Rennon bowed his head and Eland crossed the room passing Rath on his way. Rath went and sat down as his mother brought a tray of tea over to the table and passed the cups around. “So, speak your piece and let’s get this over with.”
His mother looked at him in horror and cuffed him around the back of the head. “What have I told you about being rude? These are our guests. You should allow them to speak their piece in their own time.”
Rath rubbed his sore head. “Sorry mother. I must apologize.”
Kel grunted. “I like direct, it makes life a lot easier. You have the skills that we need and we want you to join us. You know that, we know that, so what will it take to convince you?”
Rath glared at his mother who smiled back, her hands in her apron pockets. “Well, the option is to live my life here doing household chores or step out into the wider universe and return to a life of imminent danger and personal fulfilment.”
His mother looked horrified. “But I thought you had your fill of the military life when you’d done your term and come home.”
Rath smiled, looking down at his lily white hands and manicured nails. His black hair was neatly cut in a military style, his muscles strikingly obvious underneath his immaculate
pressed olive green trousers. He fingered his
green shirt and smartly gold coloured cufflinks. “So did I but things change mother and the Followers are a threat
, not to us here yet but they will be if they aren’t dealt with. You need an Engineer and Pilot, I’m happy to oblige. There now that wasn’t as hard as you thought it would be was it? It’s amazing what four years of washing up and scrubbing floors can do to take the edge off of the determination of a military man who had seen enough fighting.” He took a deep breath.
His mother looked down. “I suppose I knew it would happen one day soon. You aren’t like your brother, he’s content to play with his electronics and has a good job here. He’ll be marrying Tennal soon and that will be his life. You, you would never settle. Poor Renak has tried with you for so long perhaps it is better to put the poor girl out of her misery. She can then find someone who will give her the attention she needs.”
Rath looked suitably chastised. “She is a lovely girl but there is no spark there, it would just be a convenience and that isn’t fair on her or me really.
It wouldn’t last, I’ve told you that before. My brother will give you the grandchildren you need, and you don’t know I may find someone someday. But for now if we don’t solve the Follower problem before it comes here there won’t be a future for anyone.”
Elstrath offered around a plate of her home made biscuits. “I suppose you don’t need a cook on your space ship do you?”
Rath looked at the others and they looked at each other. Rennon tried the biscuit and smiled, raising his eyebrows. “Well, we don’t actually have a cook.” He looked to see the reaction on Rath’s face. He was smirking. “What is that smirk for?”
Rath looked into his cup. “I’m keeping out of this and I’ll let my mother explain. I wouldn’t know where to begin.”
Elstrath smiled. “Well how about having an old lady on board to look after all your cooking and laundry needs? It makes sense.”
Kyla smiled kindly, trying not to be patronising. “But what if we were attacked? What if something or someone got on board?”
