the Runner

by Peter Ponzo

CHAPTER 6

  Afrian Genetics

  "They're comin' back," said Gry, staring at the image on the televiewer.

  He and Lori had watched them enter the shuttle, their tunics sagging with bulging pockets. The shuttle slowly rose then wheeled rapidly out of view.

  "LIZ, please keep track of the shuttle." The image shifted and they could see the shuttle amid the blackness of space, punctured with stars.

  "LIZ, prepare the shuttle bay."

  Gry and Lori left the command room and headed for the bay. They watched from the anteroom as the bay doors slid open and the shuttle slid smoothly onto the landing platform. The doors closed quietly and they heard the hiss as LIZ generated the oxygen-nitrogen environment. When the shuttle door opened, Kevn was the first to exit. He waved at Lori and Gry and turned to help TOM who was limping.

  "TOM is hurt," said LIZ with a sympathetic lilt.

  The door to the anteroom opened, they all entered and Lori threw her arms about Sal.

  "We were worried when you stayed so long. We couldn't see anything on the screen. We just watched the hole in the ground. You stayed down so long," she said.

  "We were gathering presents," said Sal, giving Lori a hug. He pulled a video disk from a pocket and held it up. "The secrets of Afrian genetics?" he said. Gry frowned and grunted.

  "We should look at these video disks right away," said Kevn. "TOM, can you get -"

  "No! Now you must eat," said Lori. "You have been down there far too long and I have prepared a welcome dinner. You can study Afrian genetics after you have filled your stomachs."

  "That sounds good to me," said Sal, following Lori out of the anteroom. Gry frowned and grunted and followed closely behind. The others followed in turn, heading for the galley.

  All except TOM who headed for the shiplab.

  ______________________________________________________

  TOM was disassembling his foot.

  "TOM," said the ship computer, "are you hurt badly?"

  "No, it was just a scratch," said the android.

  "It looked like more than a scratch TOM. You were limping."

  "LIZ, it is just a scratch and I will have it repared in a minute."

  There was a long silence, then:

  "TOM, why did you return to the first tower?"

  TOM stopped and looked at the console. "I am very interested in humanoid societies. That first tower had a mural - a large painting. It illustrated a variety of activities that the Afrians engaged in. It was ... very interesting."

  "Did you hurt yourself in that tower?"

  "No, it was when I tried to enter the library ... before the rocks had cooled. My sensors were overloaded and -"

  "But you did not limp when you walked back to that first tower."

  TOM stared at the console for a moment then went back to repairing his foot.

  "TOM?"

  "You are mistaken. That televiewer has intermittent distortion," replied the android without looking up. "The image is often misleading -"

  "The televiewer is operating at design specification."

  "LIZ, I must repair this foot; it is a very delicate operation. I would appreciate a little quiet, please."

  Lights flashed on the console, but the shipcomp was quiet.

  ______________________________________________________

  After dinner they all congratulated Lori on a fine meal and began to clear the table. Lori sat and watched as Kevn and Sal handed the platters to Gry who carefully placed them in the sonic washer. Runr waited and, given a sign by Gry, punched the appropriate buttons. The machine hummed almost inaudibly. Lori poured them hot brandy and she and Gry listened to Kevn and Sal as they related the story of library hill, the dissolving doors, how Runr's presence provided illumination. Lori clapped. "That was a wonderful story."

  "If we're lucky," said Kevn, pointing to the stack of disks piled on the shelf, "they will have a wonderful story to tell. Let's go to the command room and have a look."

  They all rose and followed Kevn. When they arrived TOM had already set up the videoviewer and arranged the chairs so all could sit and watch. Runr sat on the floor.

  "Okay TOM," said Kevn, "start with the first disk. Take them in the order of your marking; show us one from each area of the library."

  TOM started the viewer and the large screen shimmered and the image clarified. It showed a brief glimpse of a laboratory, then the screen was filled with diagrams: circles and lines and curious notations beside each geometric shape. There was music in the background, like a song. Then there was a screen full of equations, mathematical symbols and arrows pointing from certain symbols to small diagrams on the edge of the screen.

  "This looks promising," said Sal.

  Kevn leaned forward. "Isn't that Handre's equation? The one at the bottom left?"

  "Yes is is!" cried Sal. "But look at the one just above it. That's the Choller condition for -"

  Lori rose. "Gentleman," she said. "Can we see something which is meaningful for the rest of us?"

  "Oh yes," said Kevn. "Sorry. Sal and I can look at this later. TOM? Show us something else. Pick a disk from another area of the library, as far from this area as possible."

  The screen changed abruptly. There were a group of people standing before a spectacular towering spire which glistened in the light. Beyond were a series of towers, each more spectacular. They were arranged in some geometric pattern on a smooth plain which was covered in a green moss as far as the eye could see. Narrow pathways wound among the spires, cutting through the mossy plain and joining one spire to another, shrubs and flowers surrounding each. Tall and statuesque black Afrians walked along the pathways in the distance, dressed in loose white robes, their short black hair curled tightly on their head. The image enlarged and the group in the foreground could be clearly seen. Lori gasped. They were not all black.

  "TOM, hold that image!" cried Kevn. There were seven individuals in the group. Four were standing. They were tall, black and handsome Afrians, over two meters tall. Before them sat three young children, perhaps six or seven years old. They were white. Kevn leaned forward.

  "Are they white? TOM, please clarify the image if you can ... and correct the color." They all leaned forward. Yes, the young Afrians were quite white. In fact they were too white. Their skins glistened as brightly as the towers in the distance. Straight rust-colored hair fell about their shoulders.

  "So ... the Afrians did succeed in these genetic experiments. White-skinned Afrians. Imagine that," said Kevn. "The story I heard was that these experiments failed and they discontinued them. Okay TOM, please go on."

  One of the standing Afrians walked toward the camera, pointed back at the seated children and spoke. "TOM, turn up the volume." They still couldn't understand a word the Afrian said. "TOM, go back and repeat that part." They listened again, without understanding. It sounded more like singing than talking. Then Runr began to laugh.

  "TOM, stop!" cried Kevn, turning to Runr. "Do you understand what he's saying?"

  The boy got up from the floor and stood straight and black, shaking the rusty curls about his shoulders, green eyes glowing. "He says the experiments will be stopped. He says, 'see the young white-skinned children? They prove that the experiments are a failure'."

  "A failure?" said Gry. "They look just like normal - I mean, just like ... uh, white ... uh -"

  "We know what you mean Gry," said Lori running her hand through Gry's long black hair. "They could be our children - except for the green eyes. Aren't they beautiful?" Lori rose and hugged Runr, pulling him close to her. "They are just like you Runr. The beautiful green eyes, the gorgeous hair - see how it hangs?"

  "But they are not like me," said Runr quietly. "They are white. The experiment failed."

  "Why, Runr?" said Sal.

  "I do not know," said the boy, staring at the screen.

  "Okay TOM, keep 'em rolling," said Kevn.

  "Rollin
g, master Kevn?"

  "TOM, start the videodisk again."

  The tall Afrian, who had been frozen on the screen, continued in animated speech and gestures. They all watched the image but listened for Runr to speak.

  "Well Runr?" said Gry. "Is he saying ... uh, singing anything?"

  "Yes, he says that the white children look pale and sick ... not a successful experiment ... not as good as normal Afrians. They have no friends. The other children laugh at them. They have bruises."

  Runr sat down. "He says they will not try to have white children any more. Children must be normal." Runr began to cry softly. Lori crouched beside the boy and whispered something in his ear and Runr looked up at the others leaning in his direction and stopped crying immediately. Then he smiled and Lori held him close.

  "TOM," she said, "can you find something else to show us?"

  Kevn leaned over to Lori. "What did you say to the boy? He stopped crying immediately."

  "I told him to look at the three of you, to see an unsuccessful experiment."

  The image on the screen shimmered, steadied and showed an adult female Afrian, green eyes and satiny black skin. Her rust-colored hair was piled high on her head. It was a mass of curls and several fell in cascades about her shoulders. She smiled and her teeth filled her face with sunshine. A voice sang in the background.

  "Great Mother Earth," whispered Gry. "She's ... uh, beautiful!"

  "She's not that beautiful," said Lori. "She could use a good hairdresser."

  Runr stood in front of the large screen, running his hands over the image.

  "Hey kid!" cried Gry. "Get outta the way!"

  The camera pulled back and scanned the lower torso of the female Afrian. She was tall and completely naked with enormous breasts which stood out like boulders.

  "Great Mother Earth!" cried Gry, rising from his chair and moving to the side so he could see past Runr.

  "TOM," said Lori, "do you have something else to show us?"

  The image changed. The screen was filled with equations. Gry groaned and returned to his seat. Kevn and Sal leaned forward and studied the screen. Runr returned to his place on the floor.

  "What was the voice saying Runr?" whispered Gry. "I mean ... uh, when that woman was on the screen, what was the voice - singing?"

  "It said that the lady was a successful experiment -"

  "I'll say!" said Gry. "The wonders of ... uh, modern genetic science. Did you see those ... uh ... those ... uh -"

  "Yes, we all saw those uh," said Lori, staring intently at the equations. "I think that we've seen enough. Come Runr, we should think about bed."

  "Yes, bed," said Gry. "That's just what I was ... uh, thinking about."

  "Gry, you can sleep in the galley tonight," said Lori emphatically.

  Gry yanked at his rings and cried in pain. Lori left with Runr. Kevn and Sal were still studying the equations. Gry looked about. TOM was studying the equations. Gry rose, paused for a moment as though he was uncertain what to do or where to go, then left through the portal.

  ______________________________________________________

  "The mathematical analysis is quite unique," said Sal. "I've never seen the Choller condition applied to chromosome geometry. It seems to give the valid extensions to -"

  "- to finite fields and ordered sets, especially those induced by -" continued Kevn.

  "- by the amino acid bonding," continued Sal.

  "Hey guys," cried Gry, "I'm trying to ... uh, sleep in here. Can't you drink your brandy somewhere else."

  "Sorry Gry," said Kevn. "I think we really got something from those disks."

  Gry grunted. "I didn't get anything," he grumbled and rolled over on the small cot which he had dragged into the galley.

  "Kevn. Why don't we go down again tomorrow," whispered Sal. "TOM can take us to the areas which have the genetic analyses. We can remove all the disks and study them back Home."

  Gry sat up. "What about the other areas? What about those other disks? Don't you want to ... uh, see the results of the experiments? All the successful experiments?"

  "Go back to sleep Gry," said Kevn. "Sorry we disturbed you. We'll see you tomorrow."

  "I want to come along too. I think we need somebody who is interested in something else besides ... uh, mathematical mumbo-jumbo."

  "Okay Gry. Be ready by five. We'll leave then: you, Sal, TOM, Runr and me."

  "Why the boy? He shouldn't see that ... those ... he's a little young for -"

  "But he can turn on the lights," said Sal, grinning as they left the galley.

  Gry rolled over and groaned.

  ______________________________________________________

  Early the next morning the four returned to the Afrian surface and spent several hours collecting disks. Lori had packed a lunch and they all ate in the library - except for TOM who investigated the first tower again, in search of additional evidence of an advanced lifestyle. Their packs were filled with video disks. Gry had contributed several which, he claimed, would provide direct evidence of successful genetic engineering. By the time they returned to the ship they had over two hundred disks in their collection. Each had been carefully marked by TOM who had placed a magnetic identifier on each. Gry had insisted that his disks be identified with a visual identifier so he could see them in private without bothering TOM for an identification. TOM had obliged.

  Later in the day they returned to K-47. The huge vessel hummed and turned in the direction of C-phon3 and Runr could not contain himself. He ran back and forth from one end of the ship to the other. It would take two weeks to reach the third of the phonarite planets. Kevn and Sal began immediately to investigate the genetic analyses on the videodisks. Gry spent hours investigating the visual record of successful experiments left by the genetic engineers. TOM and LIZ put the ship in and out of subspace. Lori had wanted to talk at length with the shipcomp and TOM had explained that LIZ could do many things simultaneously and that Lori could indeed talk to LIZ. Lori collected various old Earth recipes which LIZ provided and attempted to reproduce them in the galley, without much success - but there was never a single complaint from the others. After each meal they dutifully complimented her on an exciting meal and cleared the table. Lori did notice however that delicious had been replaced by exciting in their words of praise. The word interesting was also a favorite adjective.