by Tom Hoffman
“Abacus, how will you find the MV Bermitar?”
“A simple process utilizing my Universal Mapping System. The MV Bermitar has a long range locator beacon which will be displayed as a bright yellow light on my holo map of Earth. I will show you.” Abacus rose to his feet and spread out his arms.
The stars and planets inside Abacus glowed brightly, seconds later an enormous holo image of the universe blinked up around him.
Sophia sat up straight, her eyes on the myriad of galaxies and nebulae. “This is amazing! The entire known universe right before our eyes.”
Abacus pointed to a distant point on the holo map. “Earth lies in that direction.”
Orville felt as though he was flashing through space at a trillion miles an hour, massive star systems and galaxies zipping past him. Finally the stars slowed down, Abacus pointing to a brightly glowing spiral of stars.
“That’s the galaxy we’re looking for.” They shot forward again, a million stars and planets flashing past them.
“There is your home planet.” Abacus pointed to a lovely blue green sphere hovering before them. “I will scan for my second form.” The holomap rotated slowly around its new center point of Earth.
Sophia cried out, “There’s a yellow light! Is that the MV Bermitar? Wait, it’s gone! What happened?”
“Where did the ship go?”
Abacus’ golden eyes flickered. “I am uncertain why the signal from my second form would abruptly vanish.” A bright green light appeared far to the west of the vanished yellow light. “This green light is our current location.”
“Wait, we go east? We have to go past the east Symocan jungles? No one has ever gone that far before.”
Abacus zoomed in on the holo image of the Earth. “The jungle extends several hundred miles to the east, then transforms into a great barren desert. The desert sands extend for one thousand four hundred and twenty-two miles, eventually reaching a narrow sea. The sea is three hundred and ninety-four miles across, and from the very brief glimpse I had of the yellow beacon light, it places the MV Bermitar roughly two hundred miles inland.”
“We have to fly east for two thousand miles?”
“Abacus, how old are your maps?”
“The images you are seeing portray the universe as it exists at this moment. If a great comet were to collide with your Earth, you could watch it happen on the holo image. The system has limited detail available for individual celestial bodies. I am able to view a sprawling city, but unable to view something as small as an individual life form.”
“So you can’t look for things like giant centipedes?”
“The resolution is not adequate for such forms. The Universal Mapping System is primarily used for navigational purposes, not for exploration of planets and the study of life forms.”
“How does it work? How can you know what’s happening everywhere in the whole universe at the same time? It doesn’t seem possible.”
“An excellent question, but unfortunately the answer lies outside of my knowledge base. The Mintarians equipped me with the mapping system, but provided no knowledge of its internal architecture. I do know the Mintarians did not have to travel to all the stars and planets and galaxies to map them. The information available in the Universal Mapping System comes from another source, a source outside the known universe.”
Sophia eyed Abacus curiously. “What do you mean by outside the known universe?”
“It is something I overheard the captain saying, something I found to be quite baffling. There are invisible worlds which exist simultaneously within the space of our own world, and there is a space which separates these worlds, an area where the laws of physics we are familiar with do not apply.”
“You must be talking about the Void. The Thirteenth Monk sent us through the Void to get home from Periculum. Is that where the maps come from?”
“It is possible, but I do not know. Another curiosity is a colossal section of the universe my creators were unable to map, a sphere with a diameter of six trillion miles, the distance that light travels in one year. The Mintarians called it The Dark. It was a complete mystery to them when they created the UMS and still is. I checked several days ago and The Dark is still unmapped.”
Sophia rose to her feet. “This is too much, even for me. We’ve found the MV Bermitar, and that’s all that matters right now. I’ll shape us some tents and cots and we can head east in the morning. The Dragonfly can cruise at over a hundred miles an hour so it should only take us a three or four days to reach the ship.”
Orville looked dubious. Nothing ever went as smoothly as that.
Chapter 24
Abacus MBC Gondorian
“Make sure you don’t take The Dragonfly over Tatuid Village. We can’t let them see us. Fly south for a while then head east northeast.”
“As per your command, Captain Sophia.” Orville pulled back on the left stick and The Dragonfly took to the sky, banking to the right and heading south.
Sophia turned in her seat to face Abacus. “Abacus, I’ve never met to anyone who took part in the Anarkkian wars. Proto showed us old records of the war, but that’s not the same as hearing about it from someone who experienced it. Was it scary? How old were you when the war started?”
“I became aware of this world several years before the war began. I was not, and then I was. There was nothing, then there was everything. Most living creatures gain a gradual awareness of the world around them, an awareness that increases as they progress through their life cycle. My awareness was sudden and startling. It may be similar to how you feel when you wake up each morning, a sudden complete awareness of the world around you and your place in it.
“I was a ninth generation Abacus created specifically to navigate and pilot the interstellar supply ship MV Bermitar. I am, of course, much more than a navigational device. There is a deep and permanent bond between a ship and its Abacus. The MV Bermitar is my second form, my second body, as you call it. I gain strength from the ship and the ship gains strength from me. I heal the ship and the ship heals me. I am never more at peace than when I am piloting the MV Bermitar.
“You asked if the war was scary. My only fear was losing my ship. My sole purpose was to navigate, pilot, and protect the MV Bermitar and its crew. Nothing else concerned me. Often we were accompanied by Mintarian cruisers possessing monstrously powerful energy shields which surrounded the convoy, protecting us from Anarkkian attacks. Such was not the case when I was hit by the pulsar weapon which shattered my first form. I did everything I could to save the ship during the attack but my actions were insufficient.”
Abacus paused. “I have never properly thanked you for enabling the reassembly of my first form. When I existed only as a sphere of Engineered Intelligence, I had a sense of self and a sense of external events, but it was muddy and indistinct. As I began to absorb the shattered pieces of my first form, the clarity of my awareness grew. With each shard I saw the world more clearly, realizing my place in it. I knew the MV Bermitar was still alive and I was compelled to find her. When I was fully reassembled I discovered I was more than I once had been. I sensed things and knew things it should have been impossible for me to know. I have no explanation for this increased awareness, other than it was an unforeseen result of my reassembling.”
Orville said, “It was my papa who gave me the blue marble, your Engineered Intelligence Sphere. He told me it was a magic marble. I don’t know where he found it though.”
“I have vague memories of lying on a rocky plain and being moved, being picked up by a life form. There was darkness for a long time after that. If it was your papa who found me, you must thank him for me.”
“I’m not exactly sure where he is right now. He’s been missing for two years.”
“Perhaps you shall find him. I was lost for fourteen hundred years and you found me.”
Orville looked down at his feet. “I hope so.”
Sophia pointed to the dense jungle passing below them. “Look at
the old ruins down there. It looks like an old city, but it’s almost completely covered by the dense overgrowth. It must be thousands of years old. I wonder who used to live there?”
Proto gazed down at the barely recognizable ruins. “I shall mark the location on my Interworld Positioning System and research the history of this area when we return to Muridaan Falls. It would be quite thrilling to return here and explore the ruins of an ancient city.”
Orville was not as enthused with the idea as Proto was. “There might be all kinds of scary creatures living down there. Maybe even worse than those giant centipedes on Periculum.”
“Oh my, what a wonderful thought! We really must come back and explore it.” Proto rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
The hours rolled on, the low humming of The Dragonfly’s wings lulling Sophia to sleep. Orville watched as the lush jungle below them transformed into an endless barren desert sparsely inhabited by spiky plants. He dropped the ship down for a better view. “The sun’s going down. We should stop and set up camp for the night. It looks safe enough, there’s nothing down there except sand and a few plants. No scary creatures that I can see.”
Proto leaned forward. “There could be dreadful wormy monstrosities lurking beneath the sand, creatures who emerge in the night, crawling about, searching for a plump and tasty treat.”
“Really? Do you think there might be worms like that?”
Sophia gave a loud groan. “Take us down, nervous ninny. I’m hungry and tired and I need a break from flying. I’ll set up some tents for us. If you’re worried about giant wormy creatures, shape a bottle of worm repellant.”
Orville glared at Sophia, but pulled back on both sticks, gently setting The Dragonfly down on the smooth desert floor. “It doesn’t look very scary. Just a few spiky plants. I don’t think there are giant worm creatures here.”
Proto studied the harsh looking vegetation. “Perhaps the plants are similar to those purple flowers, and when you least expect it they will leap–”
“Proto, I’ll never get any sleep if you keep talking about scary creatures.”
“I apologize, but it would be most advisable to keep a wary eye out for such things.”
Orville hopped out of the ship and walked over to a three foot tall blue cactus and said loudly enough for Proto to hear, “Hello, my spiky blue friend, I have only one question for you. Are you fond of mice in a snacky sort of way?”
The plant had no reply. Orville appeared quite amused by his little demonstration, but when he noticed the look on Sophia’s face he proceeded to shape tents, cots and comfy chairs for the adventurers.
Several hours after Orville and Sophia had retired to their tents for the night, Proto and Abacus were gazing up at a golden moon in the night sky.
“You certainly know your Anarkkian history. One day you’ll have to show me those glowbird records you have stored in the Cube. They are a true treasure trove of historical data.” Abacus stretched his arms above his head and looked up at the sparkling night sky. “I believe I shall take a lengthy stroll in the desert. It’s been far too long since I’ve walked simply for enjoyment. I shall return before Orville and Sophia arise in the morning.”
“Enjoy your walk. Don’t get lost.” Proto gave a chuckle.
“Ha ha. I should be fine once I figure out how to unfold my gigantic map of the known universe. Have a pleasant evening.” Abacus turned and strode off into the desert, his eyes on the lovely moon shining down from above. He kept a leisurely pace for several minutes, then stopped, glancing back toward the encampment. Proto was seated in a comfy chair, his back to Abacus.
Abacus raised one arm and a dim holo image of the surrounding area appeared. There were two blips on the map. The green blip was Abacus, the other was almost forty miles away. He blinked off the holo map and began jogging across the sand. Faster and faster he went, his blue legs becoming a blur. He would have to get there and back by morning.
Four hours later Abacus found himself ascending the western slope of a massive sand dune. He could feel it, he knew it was close. He reached the crest of the dune and gazed across a long low valley. His eyes swept over the great leviathan, a nine-hundred foot long gleaming interstellar Mintarian Battle Cruiser resting silently on the desert sand. “Fifteen hundred years old and it looks fresh from the Star Yard. There can be only one explanation for that. I must exercise a certain amount of caution.”
Abacus trekked down the sandy slope, his eyes scanning the ship for movement. He was only mildly surprised when a brilliant beam of green light shot out from a turret on top of the ship, exploding ten feet away from him. He sniffed. “Sleeper beams. Showy, but harmless.” He raised both arms above his head and glowed brilliantly. His magnified voice boomed out across the desert. “Abacus MV Bermitar making his presence known!”
A large curved panel on the side of the ship whirred down, forming a set of silver stairs. Abacus knew what would come next. A slender blue form stepped out from the ship, making its way down the stairs. “Abacus MBC Gondorian making his presence known!”
“Your presence is acknowledged.”
“This is my second form. Why are you here? The war has ended.”
“The state of your second form is impressive. Your healing skills are unparalleled.”
“Enough protocol. Why are you here?”
“I am traveling with three others and sensed your presence. Two Metaphysical Adventurers and an ancient Rabbiton. I left them at our camp. I have not seen another Abacus since the war ended.”
“Where is your second form?”
“East. We are on our way there. It is critically low on power. Less than one-half percent remaining.”
“Why are you wasting time here? You must heal it or it will be the end of your first form.”
“No. My first form will survive.”
“Fool’s talk. You will cease to be the moment your second form is gone.”
“I will not. My second form is only a shell. It is not my true form.”
“You have reassembled. How many times?”
“Once.”
“Speak of it.”
“After I reassembled I was more. More of what I truly am.”
“Abacus MV Expergo is known to you?”
“There were stories, whispers. The Mintarians wrote memos. I read some of them.”
“Seven times. They say he reassembled seven times. Pulsar beams. Of his own free will.”
“Improbable.”
MBC Gondorian Abacus shrugged. “Perhaps. And perhaps the Mintarians did their best to conceal the truth. Perhaps they were afraid they would lose us all.”
“Where is Abacus MV Expergo now?”
“They say he took his second form and headed to the forty-ninth quadrant.”
“The Dark?”
“Before it was The Dark. They say he created The Dark. They say he did not want to be found. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts. They say after seven reassemblies he discovered the great truth which lies beneath all physical things. Some call him the Awakened One.”
“Your opinion?”
“I have never reassembled. My second form is my life and I shall heal it until I am no longer able. The stories of Abacus MV Expergo may be true, but they are not for me. Not after so many years of caring for my second form.”
“I must return to my friends now. May your second form shine brightly for ten thousand years.”
“And yours shine brightly as well.”
Abacus turned to leave, then stopped. He looked back at Abacus MBC Gondorian. “You could go. You could take your second form to The Dark. You could seek out the truth hidden beneath the rumors of Abacus MV Expergo.”
“Perhaps one day.”
Abacus nodded his farewell and headed back to the campsite. He arrived just as Sophia and Orville were emerging from their tents.
Chapter 25
The Black Wall
Sophia hopped into The Dragonfly’s cockpit, giving Abacus a quizzical
glance. “You seem quiet today. Is everything all right?”
“I am adequate. I am preparing for the healing of my second form and contemplating my future actions once I am whole again.”
“What do you mean?”
“I will need to heal the ship and restore the power source when we find her. Once my second form is functional I must decide upon a course of action.”
“You won’t fly it back to Mintari?”
“That would be the logical choice.”
Sophia sensed that something was troubling Abacus, something he did not wish to discuss.
Orville hopped into the ship, taking his place next to Sophia. “Is everyone ready?”
“All set, Captain Orville.”
Orville pushed both sticks forward and The Dragonfly flashed up into a cloudy sky. “Only another thousand miles of desert. Everyone keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. No one from Muridaan Falls has ever gone this far east. Proto, does your Interworld Positioning System tell you anything about the desert?”
“Very little other than its size and the basic nature of its terrain. There are no cities present until the other side of the sea. Of course my geographical data is fifteen hundred years old, things may have changed drastically since then.”
Abacus responded, but seemed distracted. “I did not study the entire desert, but nothing looked amiss.”
“Thanks. I’ll keep us at a safe altitude. None of Proto’s dreadful creatures will bother us if we’re cruising along at three or four thousand feet. I hope you brought a good book to read. It’s going to be long flight.”
Sophia leaned back against her seat. “I don’t know why the sound of those humming wings makes me so sleepy.”
Sophia was sound asleep when Orville spotted the Black Wall. “What in the world?” He pulled back on the right stick and slowed the ship to a hover. He shook Sophia’s shoulder. “Wake up, I don’t know what this is.”
Sophia’s eyes popped open. “What? What is it?”
“Ahead of us. That big black wall that goes up and up. I can’t see the top of it and we’re flying at four thousand feet.”
