The Free Trader of Planet Vii

by Craig Martelle

  G-War bolted after a rabbit, whose life ended shortly thereafter. Skirill also indulged while Master Aadi floated around serenely, enjoying taking in moisture through his feet.

  “Master Aadi, are you going to be fine here?” Braden looked at the Tortoid, despite knowing he couldn’t read his body language.

  ‘Yes, Master Human. I have much to think about. Time is what I would like the most of. Run along, both of you. We will be here when you return.’

  “Are you hungry at all? Is there anything we can get you?” Micah asked.

  ‘No. I ate my fill at the Lizard Men’s celebration and that was only a few sleeps ago. I do not need to eat for a while still. But thank you for asking. You are always so kind.’

  Braden didn’t know how to take that, but his ego felt bruised. He wanted to think that he looked out for all of them, then again, having five views of the same problem made him five times smarter, didn’t it?

  “Let’s plug your blaster in while we check out the last building. I think I burned off a lot of its ancient magic. Sorry about that, by the way.”

  “That’s okay. You’ll never touch it again, so I know it won’t be a problem. Boys and their toys and all that.”

  There were moments in life where he felt safe. This was one of them. The powerful Security Bots guarded New Sanctuary. His companions were enjoying the fruits of the oasis, while he and Micah were comfortable in each other’s company. He rarely could completely be himself.

  “Ass,” Braden mumbled with a smile.

  “I am in the exalted company of the Golden Warrior. How precious!” Micah laughed and bowed.

  “The windowless building awaits. After you?” he offered.

  “I don’t think so. Old Tech is your thing, not mine. Lead on.”

  They went to the repair shop first and carefully put the blaster into the rack where they had recovered it previously. Nothing had changed in the shop, so they moved on.

  The door to the third building opened as they approached it. Inside was a stairway that led down. To the side, there was an elevator. They looked at each other and together they said, “The steps.”

  They went down, below ground level and they kept descending. The stairs were well lit by methods only known to the ancients. Braden and Micah simply accepted the lights, not wasting time trying to figure out how they worked.

  The steps ended in a hallway with doors on both sides. A hand panel was to the right of each door, like Braden had seen at Oasis Zero One. He held his hand against the panel by the first door and it flashed red.

  “We have to find the hologram so it can assign us rooms, then we’ll be able to enter. I suspect there’s a fabricator behind each door.” He left it at that, expecting Micah to ask the question.

  She didn’t. Instead, she turned to the door on the other side of the hallway. “What’s this say?”

  Before this, Braden hadn’t known whether Micah could read or not. It was uncommon in the north for any child to grow up without learning to read. Braden was especially well schooled because of a trader’s duty to keep the rudder up to date.

  “It says Office. Yes, we should have tried there first. Good catch.” He stepped forward, then hesitated. “I’m teaching you how to read.”

  As they stood there posturing, a scrabbling sound came from the other end of the hallway. They couldn’t see what made the noise, but they sprang to action. Micah cleanly pulled her sword while Braden smoothly nocked an arrow to his bow.

  A Server Bot appeared from one room and rolled purposefully to the next. As the door obediently opened, it rolled inside. The door closed behind it.

  “Just a Server Bot. It cleans the rooms, if I’m not mistaken.” With that, he looked for the panel next to the office door. There wasn’t one. He walked toward it, where it opened by sliding into the wall. Inside, the arrangement looked exactly like what he had seen at Oasis Zero One.

  “Bullseye!” he shouted and walked briskly to where the hologram should be.

  Without fail, the friendly image appeared and the familiar voice greeted him.

  “Welcome to New Sanctuary, Caretaker. How can I be of service?”

  “It is great to see you again! You called it New Sanctuary? Why?”

  “That is the most recent entry in the system for what was once called the New Command Center. Do you wish a room, Caretaker?”

  “Yes, please. Two rooms, next to each other. You have fabricators, right?”

  “Yes, we have fabricators. We have all the amenities of a standard residential facility.”

  “Tell me about this place. What is it for?” Braden asked.

  “This is the New Command Center, built while war was still assumed. With the war over, as noted today, this facility will be central in rebuilding the world as envisioned by President Ansell three hundred eighty-two years ago.”

  “It took nearly four-hundred cycles…” Braden still had difficulty comprehending how the world clawed its way back from the destruction the ancients wreaked on it. To help him, he followed his train of thought out loud, while Micah watched. “For us to get where we are from where we were, nearly four-hundred cycles. It’ll take another ten thousand before we realize President Ansell’s vision, I expect, unless we turn everything over to the Bots. I don’t think I want to do that, although they can make the desert grow…” Braden drifted. The Bots were built by man all those cycles ago, but now, they no longer needed man to build more Bots. The Mirror Beast, that is, the Development Unit could not be harmed. Braden also felt that the Security Bots were invincible. He could conceive of no way to defeat them.

  The only way was to control them.

  “Is there anyone anywhere beside the Caretaker, that is, besides me, who can give orders?”

  “No. You are the only human we have been in contact with. You have the highest ranking active position.”

  Braden looked at Micah slyly. “What if I told you that isn’t true?” He paused for effect. Micah's eyes shot wide open, but before she could say anything, he continued, “Micah is the President. Is that the highest rank? If not, then she’s whatever the most important position is.”

  “Thank you. I will update our system. Welcome, President Micah. Your android assistant is not yet ready for service. In the meantime, will you find a Service Bot satisfactory?”

  “You are such an ass! Did you ever think to ask before pulling something like this?”

  Braden was crushed. He thought it was a good idea. Maybe she’d warm up to it. He would explain when they were in a more private place. “No arguing in front of the kids, please.” Braden tried to lighten the mood, pointing at the hologram with a tilt of his head. “I’ll explain and then you can quit if you like. Are our rooms ready?”

  “Yes. President Micah, please hold up your hands so you can be entered into our system. All units will be updated with your status and let me be the first to welcome you to New Sanctuary. I hope you find your stay to be pleasing as well as refreshing.” The hologram finished on sugary notes with a wide smile and grandiose gestures.

  Micah held up her hands, while giving Braden a halfhearted ice-cold glare. He was relieved that she was already less angry. Someone had to be in charge, didn’t they? She was mad when it was him and mad when it was her. He was convinced that he would never understand women.

  5 – Sweet Suite

  Braden was surprised that they weren’t given rooms closest to the office, but in fact the opposite, their rooms were at the far end of the corridor. It seemed like a hassle going so far. The Service Bot waited for them as they left the office, and they dutifully followed it down a long hallway, then left, to the end of a second long hallway.

  On one side was a long empty space and a single door. On the other side, the doors were spaced evenly as they were on both sides of the first corridor.

  Micah put her hand against the panel as Braden had showed her. The door slid into the wall and they went inside. This wasn’t a room, but a series of rooms, plush with different a
reas for different things. Couches, overstuffed chairs, long tables with many chairs, a kitchen area, and a large bathing area. There was even a small pond. And then there was the bedroom, the most grandiose of all.

  Micah could never have imagined such a thing existed. She pushed down on the bed with two hands, feeling how soft and welcoming it was.

  “Maybe it’s okay to be the President,” she said with a big smile.

  Braden’s room was like the one he had at the oasis. It was all he needed, but as he thought about it, there was plenty of space in Micah’s room and he didn’t like the companions separated as they were.

  He suggested that they stay in the same room. The couches were far better than his usual sleeping arrangements.

  Most importantly, the room had fabricators. He wanted to show Micah how they worked, so he asked her to go into the kitchen area with him.

  “Oh fabricator, I would like four brownies please.” The familiar hum returned along with the joyous ding, signaling the food was ready.

  Micah looked curiously at him. He pushed the button to open the door and pulled out the plate. “Try these. They are like happiness and sunshine in one little cake.” To show his faith in the Old Tech, he took one brownie and bit it in half. It seemed to be better than he remembered. He closed his eyes and savored the moment.

  Micah’s curiosity was piqued. She took one and sampled a corner of it. Then proceeded to devour it and two others while Braden watched. She was in her own personal heaven.

  When she finished, Braden ordered two glasses of water. Micah came from a rough village where the drinking vessels were made of pottery, like in the north. She’d heard of glass, but hadn’t seen any. Braden cautioned her not to break the glass, so she drank tentatively.

  “The fabricator doesn’t do meat real well, but other dishes hit the spot. Are you still hungry?”

  “Not really. What do you think we should do now?”

  “We have to check in with the others, make sure they’re okay, let them know that we’re fine. Then maybe we can go to the Command Center. Let’s check with the hologram and see if she can meet us in there. We need someone to explain to us what we’re seeing.”

  Micah agreed, although she looked longingly back at the decadence of the bedroom, the pool, the couches. Even her wildest dreams hadn’t shown her such a place.

  On their way out, they talked with the hologram, who assured them that there was another hologram in the New Command Center. All they had to do was ask for Holly while standing in front of the wall of screens. She didn’t think it was very becoming, but that’s how the original Command Center had been programmed, so the name was replicated.

  6 - Peace

  “How are you doing, Master Aadi?” Braden asked the floating Tortoid. Aadi slowly opened his eyes and fixed his gaze on the human.

  ‘I was having the most magnificent dream, where I slept in peace, no one disturbing me. It was glorious, but alas, just a dream.’ Sometimes it was hard to tell when Aadi was being sarcastic, but not this time.

  “Well then, we’ll leave you to it. Dream away, Master Tortoid.” Braden bowed deeply, Micah joining him in paying homage. Master Aadi’s eyes slowly closed as he sought to return to his dreams which were decidedly not about sleeping. The Tortoid’s dream was about a mystical world, where everyone got along, where they explored art and nature together, respectful of each other.

  That was the real dream. If only all humans were more like Braden and Micah, then maybe peace would come. But he was old. How much time did he have left? No longer dreaming, Aadi rested his eyes and contemplated what needed done to support the two humans as they reshaped the world. He knew from the moment he met Braden that this creature was different. He said that he was self-serving, but his actions showed the opposite. And then they met Micah. Braden wasn’t alone in his willingness to serve the greater good.

  There was much planning to accomplish if they were to change the world. Master Aadi smiled to himself at the possibilities, drifting back toward happy dreams.

  Braden and Micah found G-War sleeping in a sunny spot. He was sprawled on his side, tongue hanging out of his open mouth. He looked like a snake that swallowed a boulder. His stomach was extended with whatever he had eaten. Maintenance or Server Bots must have cleaned up the kill already. They left the ‘cat to himself. He was comfortable and unafraid, which was how they liked to see him.

  Skirill was in a tall tree watching over the oasis of New Sanctuary. They suspected he had gone in the pond as his feathers glistened in the sunlight. He looked magnificent in the trees, sitting stately.

  “Hi, Ess! Anything up?”

  “I a’ u’ in the tree. So I guess the answer is ‘e. Skirill is u’,” the Hawkoid answered aloud, gently bobbing his head.

  “Was that a joke? I think you’ve spent too much time with us, Ess.” The Hawkoid ruffled his feathers in response and resumed watching. Even the Hawkoid was in a good mood. Their decision to return had been a good one. When they had to leave, they would be well rested.

  They didn’t have to look far to see Max and Pack grazing. They welcomed the humans because they both got their noses and necks stroked. The horses couldn’t talk, but they could feel. The humans appreciated them and their role in the success of the caravan. Micah gave Pack a kiss on his nose. He snorted and shook his head, then returned to grazing.

  “Well, we’ve avoided it long enough. Shall we?” Braden asked, although it wasn’t a question. He stepped off smartly toward the elevator building.

  7 – New Command Center

  The Command Center was not as intimidating this time. The Old Tech was everywhere, but G-War’s fear wasn’t wearing on them. The room’s workstations looked as if humans would be there at any heartbeat, manning their posts, doing the work of the ancients.

  There was a great deal of background noise from the Old Tech, but none of it was human-made. No one was there. No one was coming.

  Braden held Micah’s hand as they walked together to the wall of screens. It seemed the natural thing to do. “You’re up,” he said.

  “Holly, are you there?” Micah asked tentatively.

  A young man, shimmering as holograms did, appeared in front of them. “How may I be of assistance, Master President?” Micah choked back a laugh, coughing into her hand instead.

  “Yes, please, Holly. Can you explain what this all does?”

  “Of course. I am here to serve. Please relax, as this will take some time. Let us start with the first workstation…” They followed the hologram as he walked to a place on a raised platform. “This is the Command Chief’s workstation…”

  As Braden had experienced before, the ancients’ terminology was completely unknown. They stopped Holly often to define terms, explain what should have been simple concepts. The time passed both quickly and slowly as they went from station to station, from screen to screen. The capabilities of the New Command Center were beyond their understanding, but their real interest lie in the purpose behind it all.

  “Thank you for all that, Holly, and your infinite patience as you helped us to understand.” Braden assumed his best Trader persona. He thought there was a person somewhere behind the hologram and he believed all people deserved to be treated with respect, until they proved they shouldn’t be.

  “Are the people on Cygnus VI still alive?”

  “I don’t have that answer. Communications have not been reestablished because our system has not yet been rebuilt. It is in the construction process. It should be functional within the month. With the loss of our telecommunications, we also lost contact with Earth’s Resettlement Vessel, the RV Traveler. My scopes show it still in a high orbit. It appears to be fully functional, but my data is limited. When we reestablish communications with Cygnus VI, we will also reestablish communication with the Traveler. It will be a full year before the matter transfer components are back online, assuming the systems on Traveler and Cygnus VI are functional.”

  “Earth? Is there another p
lanet out there that we’ve gone to?”

  “The people of the Cygnus system are originally from Earth, a planet located two thousand, four-hundred light years from here.”

  “Everyone is from there?”

  “Yes. It is the home of the human species. The RV Traveler flew through space for many millennia before arriving here. The settlers were in cryo-storage for the trip, revived years before their arrival to best prepare for planetfall. Many stayed on board as the rest colonized Cygnus VII, then Cygnus VI.”

  “Can you show us a picture of the Traveler in the sky?” Braden asked. On the wall of screens, the separate images were replaced by a picture showing a bright spot in the sky. He had always thought that was a small moon. The space ship was yet another example of the titanic capabilities of the ancients. Capabilities that were lost to humans, but not humanity, as the Bots incrementally rebuilt the old world.

  The question remained whether they could harness the power or would they end up shutting it down.

  The image grew larger and larger until the Traveler filled the screens of the front wall. The ship was long, with large sections in the front and back. The middle section connected the front and back sections by use of large rods, pipes, and tubes. The back end had cylindrical shapes that were open to space with darkness filling them. From the sides of the massive ship, various lights blinked. Lights shown through rows of windows at random locations. To Braden and Micah, the RV Traveler looked very much alive.

  “You said something about a transfer system. Do you have a way to travel to that ship?” Micah asked incredulously.

  “Not right now, Master President. Within a year, if the matter transfer systems at both ends are functional, then we will be able to transport to the RV Traveler, and further to Cygnus VI.”

  8 – Two Become One

  When they were back in the sunlight, they didn’t speak. They enjoyed the natural light of the setting sun after the seeming confinement of the Command Center. They walked around the oasis, thinking to themselves about all they heard. It was so much.