by Mike Luoma
“They were a race of conquerors,” Camex says. “They followed charismatic but violent leaders who assured them of their primacy in the universe. They held the worlds within their grasp in a tight, iron fist. Of course, as with anything, the tighter the hold, the more slips through the fingers.
“The Ancient Enemy ended up causing other worlds to unite and to band together against them. Our earliest stories and legends tell tales of the heroes of many different races coming together, forcing the Ancient Enemy off of their worlds, world after world. They came together to beat back the Ancient Enemy.”
“Were the Domo and the Flaze part of the ‘liberation’?” BC asks.
“No,” Camex says curtly.
Wow, could hear that! Doesn’t like them much, does he? Thought he was gonna spit there, for a second. Guess not everyone out here gets along.
“They were not among the united planets that drove the Ancient Enemy back to their home world. They are of a later time.
“Those who did unite drove the Ancient Enemy off world after world. Our home planet of Eldred was one of the last planets they left. Our world was almost a second home world to the Ancient Enemy. We lived side by side with them, and served them. But ultimately they were driven even from our world, back to only their homeworld. On this, the ancient records are quite clear.”
“You shared your world with this Ancient Enemy?” BC asks Camex.
“We were subjugated and enslaved by them,” Camex explains. “We did not ‘share’ our world with them.
“In the end, the Ancient Enemy was completely destroyed. None were left alive. In the end, their homeworld was completely destroyed in a cataclysmic explosion caused by the forces of the united planets, driven to destroy them utterly.”
Camex grows silent.
“How long ago was this?” BC asks. Camex doesn’t answer. “If this all happened so long ago, how do you know so much about them? Seems like a long time to hold a grudge. And how could they be responsible for our plague today?”
“We swore we would never forget the Ancient Enemy,” Camex says. “Never let another race attain that level of subjugation over us or any other race, never let any race rise up as the Ancient Enemy did, never let any race assume the mantle of the Ancient Enemy.”
There’s more to this, feels like…
“You sound as if you feel responsible. Why should the Eldred be the watchdogs?” BC asks Camex.
“We do feel somewhat responsible. We served them, we were their right hand, until we, too, finally turned on them,” Camex explains.
“So,” BC says cautiously, “you were collaborators?”
So much for my diplomacy.
Camex actually looks hurt. Offended and hurt. The alien puffs himself up and refutes BC’s assertions.
“The Ancient Enemy was highly advanced, well beyond where we are, even today. Technologically speaking. They… created us. They created the Eldred to serve them. The Eldred were created by the Ancient Enemy to serve them, Mr. Campion. We were ‘built’ to be incapable of violence towards the Ancient Enemy. Incapable of following anything other than our masters will. That is how our race was
‘designed’ by the Ancient Enemy.
“We were not collaborators! We were made to be their servants. But we found a way to turn against them, and when we did, it was the stroke that turned the tide of the war!
“We helped destroy the Ancient Enemy. And then we helped rebuild the universe,” Camex says with some pride. “We led the way to a new interstellar civilization, the basis of the civilization which still underlies the universe today. We have led the way for longer than you ‘humans’ have walked upon your Earth. We have kept the peace for quite some time,” Camex says, finishing with some pride in himself and his story. “We have kept violence in check for millennia.”
“So how could this ‘Ancient Enemy’ inflict this plague upon us? They were gone a long time ago!” BC
asks.
Camex turns away from BC and ignores his comment. Instead, the Eldred shouts out, “Come!” and the door to BC’s cabin opens. Another Eldred stands in the doorway holding an empty atmosphere suit.
“Here,” Camex says. “You’ll need to wear this suit when we venture out on Eldray.”
“I didn’t know the atmosphere on Eldray wasn’t breathable,” BC says.
“It’s more of a… precaution,” Camex tells him. “Please put it on. We’ll be leaving soon. I’ll come back to escort you in a few minutes.” Camex leaves BC alone with the suit. Way to open your big mouth, BC! Camex is just an escort, didya hafta go dark on him? Huh. Is it a him? I just assumed. Don’t really know. So, let’s see gotta put this thing on. BC dresses in the atmosphere suit and waits for Camex to return.
Funny. Thought they’d breathe the same air we do. Damn. Can’t see too well out of this suit, just a slit for the eyes.
Camex once again appears.
“Good,” the alien says, “you’re dressed. Now, please, follow me.” Camex turns and walks out the cabin door.
BC follows his escort through the ship’s corridors and out onto the surface of the planet, into the light of Eldray’s sun. The ship is on an open landing area, paved with a hard grey surface. BC notices it gives a little as he steps on it, adding some spring to his step.
Once planetside, Camex stops in his tracks. The alien captain turns to BC.
“Our leader wishes to speak to you of many things,” Camex says. “And there is more he would like you to learn, as well.”
Oh really.
“Thank you,” Camex says, and turns away.
When BC starts to follow him again, Camex holds up a fuzzy blue hand and stops him.
“Another will escort you to our leader.”
“Okay,” BC says. “You’re not going to be there to translate?”
Camex looks at him, confused.
“Our leader has learned your language,” the alien says to BC.
He almost sounded offended! Huh.
BC tries to make out as much as he can see of the landing area. Besides the retreating back of Camex, there aren’t a lot of other Eldred around.
Looks like any landing area: big, empty and flat!
Some hills in the distance.
The atmosphere looks clear enough. Can’t see any weird gasses floating around. Wonder what I can’t breathe?
Huh. That must be the “city” over there.
And here comes my escort, I do believe…
A small, floating passenger vehicle, sleek and silver like the ship he rode in on, pulls up in front of BC. A door appears in the side, and a new voice, similar to Camex’s echoes in his ears from a speaker inside of his suit, “Bernard Campion, please step inside the transport vehicle.”
BC gets in. The space is small but not cramped. Again, it’s comfortable enough for BC. The transport lifts off and begins moving. He can see outside through windows on either side of him. He watches the terrain zip by as they cross the landing fields.
They begin approaching more populated areas. BC gets quick glimpses of Eldred at work and play. He sees what seems to be a farm, sees what appears to be an Eldred farmer out walking in his fields. He sees what looks like a school, with a large group of smaller Eldred outside being led in a line by an
“adult” Eldred. The small ones all turn to watch as BC’s transport whooshes past. The vehicle slows as they come to the edge of the city. The transport begins to pass among larger structures, boxy silver buildings with few external details, the buildings he could see from afar from the landing area.
Unlike the landing field, the city seems densely populated. Many Eldred watch the vehicle as it floats past, as if trying to catch a glimpse of their visitor. Other floating transports zip by from all directions, artfully avoiding each other and BC’s transport.
“We will ride you to a place where you will be staying for your visit,” the voice says over the suit’s speakers.
“My hotel?” BC asks.
There is a mo
ment of silence. Then the voice returns.
“Yes. In a way. Your accommodations. A place to stay. You will meet with our leader at another location.”
“I see,” BC says.
He rides on in silence as the floating transport winds through the city of the Eldred. He notices more Eldred watching the transport, pointing at it.
“They know I’m in here?” he asks out loud, hoping for an answer.
Again, there is a moment of silence before the voice answers.
“They know our leader has a visitor arriving. This is his transport,” the speaker voice explains. “We do not get many visitors here. Your arrival is noteworthy to many. They stare because they are wondering about you.”
Yeah. I’m beginning to wonder about me, too. These Eldred are keeping me on a very tight leash, so far. Better not start to chafe!
“We are arriving at your accommodations,” the voice tells BC as the transport perceptively slows. The floating transport lands in front of one of the larger, non-descript boxes that seem to serve the Eldred as buildings.
They all kinda look the same! Big or small, the same silver box shape repeated, over and over, square and utilitarian.
Crowds of Eldred hover nearby, off at a respectful distance, watching his arrival. The transport door rematerializes and opens.
Four Eldred line up in a row to await BC outside the vehicle. He gets out of the transport and faces them with his hand extended.
“Hello! I’m Bernard Campion, nice to meet you,” he says.
I wonder if they can even hear me through this suit…
None of the four reacts immediately. BC lowers his outstretched hand. Then one of the four speaks.
“We are merely escorts, Bernard Campion. Please follow me,” says the Eldred on the right. He turns and the Eldred next to him turns with him in unison. They begin to walk ahead towards the building, where a door has opened. The other two Eldred remain where they are. BC stays put.
“Please,” the first Eldred says, stopping to call back to BC, “follow me.”
Guess I’d better!
BC follows the first two, and the second two fall in behind him.
Consider me escorted!
BC enters through the building’s apparent front door.
Everything seems so… orderly. All right angles evenly spaced. How hard-line for the soft and fuzzy, killer koala people!
They walk inside and head down a short hallway, and then through another door, back outside again into a small courtyard, fenced in on all sides by silver buildings. They cross the courtyard and enter another open door opposite the one through which they came into the courtyard. They walk down another short hallway. His escort stops next to an open door on the right hand side of the hall.
“Your accommodations, Bernard Campion,” the vocal Eldred tells him, indicating the open doorway with a nod of his head. “Please enter and be comfortable. The atmosphere in your room will be suited to you. You can remove the outer garment after your room door closes and reseals.”
“Thank you,” BC says. But then he stops.
“Are you going in?” The Eldred asks him.
“You first. Please,” BC asks.
“Me? First? Why?” The Eldred asks, puzzled. “Why do you want me to enter your room?”
“It’s a human habit, uh, thing. Will you humor me and honor my customs?” BC lies. The Eldred stops and considers.
It almost looks like he’s listening to something I can’t hear. Maybe the Eldred have some sort of implanted com device? I’m just lookin’ to avoid any obvious booby-traps.
“Yes. I will go in,” the vocal Eldred finally says. He enters the room and the lights come on. BC waits outside.
Hmmm…
Anything?
“Are you coming in now?” The Eldred asks him.
“Sure,” BC says, and walks into the room.
Actually, it does look kinda like a hotel room, except it lacks the bad paintings!
The walls of the room are bare. There is a single bed, human sized. A table and chair are next to it. Across the room sits an entertainment unit, apparently imported from Earth for his amusement. Could have used that on the trip! Guess I’ll be able to keep myself entertained.
“May I leave now?” The Eldred in the room asks BC.
“Certainly,” BC says. “Thank you for your escort.”
The Eldred turns and quickly leaves the room. The door seals shut behind him. BC is left alone in his temporary home.
Let’s see. Ground floor, in the back. Place looks to be about five stories high. Courtyard. I may be stuck in this room because of the atmosphere here. Let’s see about getting this thing offa me.
BC opens the seals on the suits helmet.
No alarms, that’s good. No weird odors…
BC takes off the helmet and takes a deeper breath.
Huh. It actually smells kind of pleasant. Almost floral, like lilacs or something. Not obnoxiously strong, but it’s there.
He removes the rest of the suit. He checks his hands, his arms.
No weird rashes or reactions, good. Still no trouble breathing. So far, so good. BC looks around for a com unit.
Seeing no com unit, he speaks out loud.
“Does this room have a communicator of some kind?” BC asks.
“Yes,” a voice much like Camex’s says back, “What do you require?”
What am I dealing with here? Let’s find out…
“Are you flesh or machine?” BC asks.
“What is this question you ask?” the voice replies.
“Are you a computer? Or are you an Eldred?” BC tries to clarify.
“I am not a computer. I am not an Eldred. I am not a machine. I am your room,” the voice says.
“How so?” BC presses.
“I am intelligent circuitry, artificial intelligence equipped to serve your needs. I have been modified to interact with your human species.”
“I see. So, you’re circuitry? What should I call you?”
“You should call me ‘room’,” the voice says. “I am your room.”
“What do you do?”
“You ask, I provide,” the room says. “Are you hungry? Are you tired? Are you bored? I am here to meet your needs.”
“…long winded for circuitry,” BC mumbles under his breath.
“Do you insult me? You do not need to make this difficult,” the room says.
“I didn’t know rooms could be insulted,” BC replies.
“I have been built with a personality module to allow me to interact with you more effectively,” the room informs him.
Here’s a thought…
“Could you sound more feminine? Higher pitched voice, maybe?” BC tries. The voice responds, “Is this better?” in a lighter, airier, sexier voice. “Is this how you like it?”
BC nearly blushes.
Now that just sounds wrong!
“That’s… better,” BC answers. “But could you sound more, I don’t know, um, businesslike?”
“Is this better?” the room says pertly, less breathily.
“Good!” BC says, “That sounds better,” he tells the room.
“So,” the room asks, “What do you need?”
“Something to eat would be nice,” BC tells the room. “I don’t suppose you have any steak?”
“Let me see,” the room says, and pauses. “Steak? The sliced, cooked flesh of your ‘cows’? No, not available as such. We can present you with a reasonable facsimile of this ‘steak’, if you’d like. But it will only be an approximation.”
“I think I’ll pass,” BC says.
“That seems wise,” the room says. “I can find you something we have approximated more precisely. Would you care for beef bourguignon?”
“Wait,” BC says, “You can’t do steak but you can do beef bourguignon?”
“It has something to do with the way it is made,” the room says. “I will have that for you in just a few minutes. Now, I have a question for yo
u, Bernard Campion.”
“What is it, room?” BC asks.
“How shall I address you? Is ‘Bernard Campion’ your preferred address?” the room asks.
“Call me BC,” BC says to the room.
“You will be addressed as ‘BC’, then. One beef bourguignon on the way, BC.”
“What, not immediately?” BC chides the room.
“No, BC. I do not materialize your meal. It will be fabricated elsewhere and brought here. The orders have been given,” the room says.
“Thank you, room,” BC says.
The meal is delivered through some means unseen to BC, arriving behind a sliding door in the wall over the table next to the bed. BC chows down on it hungrily.
This is actually better tasting than the stuff they serve on some of the orbital stations I’ve been on. Almost tastes like the real thing!
“BC?” the room asks as he finishes his meal.
“Yes, room?”
“I have a message for you. It is near the night cycle now. Our leader asks that you eat and rest. Our leader will meet with you as the next light cycle begins, in approximately twelve of your Earth hours. Our leader instructs me to offer you anything you might want or need.”
“Thanks, room.”
So, that’s the plan, then. Meet the leader in the morning.
“Is that acceptable to you, then, BC?” the room asks.
“I guess so.”
“I can ask them to change it if you would like. You are our guest.”
“Thanks, room, but no, that isn’t necessary. No hurry. I’ll just fire up the entertainment unit.”
“That unit does not require fire to operate,” the room says, sounding alarmed. “In fact, the use of open flame with said unit is not recommended,” the room cautions.
“That was just a human expression, room. I’m going to turn it on and watch it. Is it loaded up with programming?”
“Yes! It possesses over a million programming options for you to choose from!” the room says with a hint of excitement.
“One million?” BC shakes his head, “that’s a lot of choices.”
“The entertainment unit has been augmented by the Eldred to hold more of your programming. It’s well above such a unit’s usual capacity.”
“Great!” BC says. “So, let’s see what’s on!”
