Ellis’ mouth dropped open. He shuffled his feet and fished instinctively around his coat pockets for a cigar. Instead, he found the pipe. “You mean you can open a direct brain interface with another Rd'dyggian?"
"Routinely, more than one of us interfaces with a common machine. When we do, it is inevitable that we see the other's thoughts. It was relatively easy for us to build a machine that let us view those thoughts directly.” G'Liat's unblinking eyes turned toward the jungle.
Ellis stood, silently tearing strips of flake tobacco into the bowl of his pipe. Using his thumb, he tamped them into the bowl. “You propose to use this technique on me?"
"It might allow me to see the very images only you yourself have seen."
Ellis raised the pipe to his mouth and thought for a moment about the smells in the air. Deciding that the concentrations of ammonia and sulfur weren't high enough for spontaneous combustion, he lit the pipe. After puffing on it for a few minutes, he looked back to the warrior. “Would there be any risk to either of us?"
"I have never tried the technique with a human.” He looked back to Ellis. “I have, however, used it successfully with Earth creatures; namely spermaceti whales. They proved to be most interesting creatures."
"What's good enough for spermaceti is good enough for this Nantucketer.” Ellis savored the smoke from his pipe for a time, preferring it to the smell of the atmosphere.
"That might not be true. Whales have very strong wills.” In a very human gesture, G'Liat put his hand on Ellis’ shoulder. He flinched slightly and nearly dropped the pipe. “I must warn you that this form of communication can be very intimate. The human race is unique in its fear of intimacy. If you shy from my touch, are you ready for this?"
Ellis took a long draw on his pipe. Exhaling slowly out of the side of his mouth, he relaxed, putting his hand on top of the warrior's. “If it will help me understand the Cluster, I'm ready."
* * * *
Clyde McClintlock wore a tailored white suit as he stepped off the transport into the Rd'dyggian space station. He straightened it and brushed back a strand of errant white hair as he approached the customs desk. Two young men in dark suits followed, carrying heavy bags. One man was blonde and called Jonah, the other was redheaded and named Daniel. McClintlock showed his passport to the sleepy Rd'dyggian behind the desk. She stamped the document and then processed the other two men.
McClintlock and his disciples were like a military procession as they marched through the nearly empty station corridor to stand in front of the booth operated by Guadalupe Cordova. She sat provocatively, with one leg draped over the arm of the large chair. Her head was back and a snore escaped at the moment that Clyde knocked on the counter top.
"Miss?” inquired Clyde, somewhat quietly. Cordova stirred a bit, but did not wake. “Miss!” called Clyde, more impatiently.
Cordova opened one of her wide brown eyes, then closed it tightly, swinging her leg down to the ground. Looking at the neglected tile on the floor, she shook her head. “Shit, this is all I need."
"Miss, my name is Clyde McClintlock, I need..."
"I know who you are,” spat the petite woman as she stood up. “I recognize you from the holo news from Earth.” She put her hands on her hips. “If you're here to convert the Rd'dyggians to that weird-ass religion you've cooked up, you can forget it!"
McClintlock's two disciples flushed brightly. The evangelist sighed. “All I need to know is whether or not a man came through here a few days ago."
Cordova inclined her head, examining the reverend. “I don't give out names of my passengers. If someone was trying to escape that kooky cult of yours, I don't blame ‘em."
"I can assure you,” began McClintlock in a huff, “that I do not run a cult. Besides,” he said, softening a bit, “the man I'm looking for is an old friend."
"Yeah, I'm sure you tell that to everyone!” With that, Cordova retrieved a book from behind the counter, flopped in the large chair and carefully examined the pages.
"His name is John Mark Ellis,” pleaded McClintlock.
"Ellis?” Cordova looked over the edge of the book. “You know that guy?"
"We both saw the vision of the Cluster while on Sufiro.” McClintlock looked toward the ceiling.
"Ah brother!” exclaimed Cordova as she tossed the book back behind the counter. “I knew he was a bit whacked in the head. I didn't know he was a complete loon."
"I would appreciate it if you could help me find him.” McClintlock produced a credit chit. “I would appreciate it quite a lot."
Cordova eyed the chit. “I could probably get you going in the right direction."
* * * *
G'Liat fed Ellis lunch and then led him around the house to the room where they talked the night before. The warrior instructed Ellis to sit in the large, comfortable chair. After that, he left for a period. During that time, Ellis could hear him banging around in the next room. Finally, the warrior returned, holding a slightly bowed, oblong plate of sorts. The plate appeared to be mother-of-pearl and looked like a good-sized serving tray.
"This device is what we use to communicate directly with the brain,” explained G'Liat. He handed it to Ellis who examined the device. There were no controls that Ellis could recognize. He shook his head and handed it back to the warrior.
G'Liat placed the bowed end over his chest. “It is designed to rest over the brain.” He removed the device and put his massive six-fingered hand on Ellis’ head. “It will be somewhat difficult to use in your case, but despite the differences in brain location, the actual configuration of our brains is quite similar."
"Let's get on with it,” said Ellis, growing slightly impatient.
"First, you must relax as completely as possible, clear your mind thoroughly.” G'Liat placed the plate on Ellis’ head. “Humans are notorious for their lack of ability to relax. Would you like a sedative?"
Ellis pursed his lips, suspicious. “I don't really care for drugs."
"How about a shot of whiskey?"
Ellis sucked in his breath. “It might help.” G'Liat stepped out of the room for a moment, then returned with a small glass of amber fluid. Ellis eyed the liquid almost suspiciously, but ultimately downed it. He sucked in his breath then slumped back into the chair. As the warrior balanced the device on his scalp, he looked into G'Liat's eye. “You're sure this will work?"
"We can only try,” said G'Liat, hopefully.
Ellis began breathing deeply. He let his mind gently wander to the most relaxing image he knew, the moors of Nantucket Island. He was not even aware of G'Liat, delicately balancing his hands on the device.
* * * *
G'Liat was a warrior and a traveler who had seen many places and done many things. Still, the landscape where he found himself seemed as alien as any he had encountered. The sky was a vivid blue with white clouds billowing in the distance. The ground seemed unusually stable for its softness. The warrior knew he was standing on Earth as John Mark Ellis saw it. The roar of the nearby ocean was much louder than he remembered, but comforting. A breeze that would have been too hot seemed pleasantly cool.
G'Liat nodded to himself. He tried to use his will to transport himself through Ellis’ memories to the day when the commander had made contact with the Cluster. He was surprised to hear a sea gull screech overhead. He still stood on the sand; the wind still blew around him.
"Commander,” called G'Liat. “You must help me. You must show me your contact with the Cluster."
G'Liat found himself lying on a comfortable slab of foam, covered by a sheet of fabric. He felt pleasantly sleepy, having just returned from winning a major victory. Forcing his eyes open, the warrior realized he was aboard an Earth destroyer. Somehow, the scene did not seem right. Still, he allowed himself to relax and be carried by the memory.
As he drifted off to sleep, his mind was assaulted by frightening images. He felt the distress of people as they were captured and taken from their families. He agonized with the torture of
thousands of people who were forced to work against their will. Rd'dyggians never believed in slavery. For the first time in his life, G'Liat knew what it was like to be a slave, mining Erdonium on Sufiro.
Feelings of rage began to form. It was almost indefinite at first, but soon the emotion was clear and cogent. The anger built in a spiral of sorts until he was blown off his feet by a violent explosion. At that point, he felt nothing more than curiosity. He tried to say something, but could not be understood. Instead, he felt a sensation of warmth, as though someone shared the bed. G'Liat grew momentarily sad as he remembered the loss of his wives and co-husband.
"This is not the vision of the Cluster I had in mind. It is far too subtle,” said the warrior, sadly. “This is the vision you had over Sufiro."
G'Liat recognized the face of Ellis’ first officer, Frank Rubin as he peeked around a curtain. Ellis remembered Rubin saying, “Are you all right, sir?” in response to Ellis screaming. Instead, Rubin spoke with Ellis’ voice. “It is the Sufiro vision. The visions I felt later are too personal."
G'Liat flung the sheet aside and faced Rubin, putting his hands on the man's shoulders. “You must show me the images you saw later when you tried to rescue the Earth ship."
Rubin evaporated from under G'Liat's grasp. The warrior found himself standing outside a walled fortress nestled against a lake. He heard bagpipes blaring in the distance. The warrior noted with curiosity how almost primal the scene was. “You can't cut me off like this,” he complained.
Ellis appeared on the rampart. “I can't let you go further,” he called.
"You must,” urged G'Liat.
"Part of me wants to let you in, the other part wants you out of my mind."
"Relax!” commanded G'Liat. “Let the fortress to your inner thoughts crumble."
"No,” said Ellis, almost sadly. “My memories of the event are linked too closely to things I don't want you to see."
"Then I'll force my way in,” called the warrior. “You are only human.” He pushed on the wall and it began to crumble. Through a section, G'Liat caught a glimpse of Ellis’ father. The fortress wall congealed and became whole again. The warrior's mustache wriggled in annoyance. “Let me in,” he pleaded.
Ellis simply shook his head and descended stairs behind the castle wall.
G'Liat looked sadly to the ground. Folding his hands, he began to extract himself from the commander's mind. Just as he was leaving, a view of the domes of Titan superimposed on the Cluster caught his eye.
* * * *
John Mark Ellis opened his dark eyes and looked at G'Liat. The warrior sat, slumped, across from him, the device off to his side. “Are you okay?” asked Ellis.
G'Liat looked up with wide, unblinking eyes. “About a year ago, shortly after the first appearance of the Cluster, I went out on a Rd'dyggian war ship to attempt contact.” His veneer of humanity seemed to fade away as he spoke. Even the singsong Rd'dyggian accent surfaced for the first time. “Nominally, we went to understand. Secretly, my government wanted to see if alliance was possible. I simply wanted to understand.
"I was outside the ship, in a travel pod. Never once did I sense anything even as strong as what you felt over Sufiro.” He looked down to the ground. “The other images you received must have been overwhelming.” The warrior looked up again. “The Cluster sliced open my ship and appeared to probe it for a time. Soon after, it moved off and jumped."
"You were left alone in a travel pod,” asked Ellis, wide-eyed. “How in hell did you survive?"
"My government had sent a backup ship shortly after we were dispatched. It arrived within half an hour of the Cluster's disappearance.” G'Liat straightened his shoulders. “After that, the Cluster was declared an enemy of my people, to be destroyed on sight, if possible."
Ellis rubbed his beard. “So, you're forbidden to try contact again?"
G'Liat shook his head in a deliberately human gesture. “No,” he said, forcing his accent to match Ellis'. “My government would not dare. However, I have access to no ships. That makes attempting contact very difficult."
"Why do you think I've succeeded and you've failed?” Ellis’ eyebrows came together. “Why can't you see the more recent vision?"
"Perhaps the second question is for you to answer,” said G'Liat.
"You saw a fortress,” said Ellis slowly, searching his own memory. “I wouldn't let you in. You tried to break in and, somehow, I stopped you."
"You have remarkable will for a human,” commented G'Liat. “I'm surprised your people don't make you a communicator."
"They asked. The money is good..."
"But you wouldn't be in command,” G'Liat finished the sentence, understanding. “Why did you keep me out?"
"I really don't know,” said Ellis shaking his head.
"Then you still don't really know who you are. Captain of your destiny is part, but not all. What is your destiny? Where are you going?” The warrior asked the questions rhetorically as he started pacing the room. “As to why you succeeded at communicating with the Cluster, that is even more difficult to guess at. My best guess is that it's simply a combination of things. While in your mind, I could tell that you are a very sensitive individual. In short, I think you are just correctly tuned emotionally, as it were. Furthermore, you were mostly relaxed, but still at a heightened state of awareness after a battle. To be sure, I'd need to try this exercise with another who has contacted the Cluster."
"I thought you said that we would see each others thoughts,” said Ellis. “I only peripherally sensed your thoughts."
G'Liat waved the comment aside. “The experience is different for different beings. Do you know of anyone else who has communicated with the Cluster?"
"My mother tells me that Colonel McClintlock of Tejo had a similar vision.” Ellis sighed. “All I can say is that I was at an equally heightened state of awareness during the second encounter, as well.” He rubbed his hands together, suddenly feeling the chill of the air around. “Do you think it's possible that the reason the second encounter was more vivid was that I was better tuned?"
"Perhaps,” mused G'Liat. “Perhaps it was simply a more vivid vision.” He put his hands behind his back. “There was something almost more disturbing in your mind than the visions."
Ellis inclined his head. “More disturbing?"
"Indeed, you have managed to overlay images of the Cluster and the Titans. Are you aware of the significance of that?"
"It was a dream I had last night. The dream helped me find the courage of my convictions."
"Dreams are often dangerous territory,” said G'Liat warily. “Where does reality end and dream begin? A lot is written on this subject. Even more is spoken. Do not dismiss the significance of the dream.” He paused to let his words sink in. “Where did the Titans evolve?"
"I always assumed it was on Saturn's moon. That's where they say they're from."
"Are you aware there is no archeological or paleontological evidence to support such a claim?” G'Liat looked grave for a second. “I have often suspected that the Titans are not all that they appear."
Ellis took a deep breath. “Are you suggesting that they might be related to the Cluster?"
"I will suggest no more. Over time, I will tell you what I do, in fact, know. I will let you draw your own conclusions. In the meantime, let your dreams guide you."
Ellis’ brow creased. “Dreams seem an awfully frivolous thing to trust."
"Dreams are rarely frivolous,” said G'Liat harshly. “They are one of the most important ways the human mind processes subconscious information. You have seen the Cluster and the domes on Titan. However, you might not have connected the two if you had not seen them together in a dream. Pay attention to your dreams, Ellis. They are a route to power. You will need all the power you can get when you confront the Cluster."
Ellis dug around his coat pocket for his pipe. He filled it and watched G'Liat pace the room. The commander held up the pipe. G'Liat noticed and waved acquies
cence. Lighting the pipe, Ellis fell into silent thought. He began to wonder at the fact that he had done something that a trained communicator could not do. Also, he began to ponder if there was anything he could do without training, especially in light of G'Liat's claim that there was something he should know about the Titans. Taking a puff on his pipe, he looked back to the warrior. “What if the two of us faced the Cluster together?"
"That would be interesting,” said G'Liat. “But how could we achieve it?"
"I could sell my property on Nantucket. That might be enough to buy us a ship,” speculated Ellis. “I'd have to do it soon, though. The value's dwindling fast. Also, I'd have to get my mother's permission."
"Would it buy us a solid star vessel with enough range to track the Cluster wherever it happened to appear?” asked G'Liat, skeptically.
"Probably not,” said Ellis, realizing that the plan would mean displacing Coffin. He closed his eyes against the image of Coffin being forced to leave the island. “However, aside from a Confederate military vessel, the only kind of ship I know that has that kind of range is a mapping vessel."
"Do you think it would be possible for you to get a job with the Gaean mapping service?” asked G'Liat.
"Maybe,” mused Ellis. He sucked on the pipe stem for a moment. “I've heard they are always on the search for good captains. The problem is getting an interview..."
Ellis was interrupted by the buzz of the teleholo. G'Liat excused himself. The commander could hear two voices speaking Rd'dyggian. To him, it sounded agitated. However, most Rd'dyggians sounded agitated in their own language. After a moment, G'Liat returned. “Your friend Arepno has arrived,” he said. “He brings a guest."
"A guest?” Ellis stood, clamping the pipe between his teeth. He followed G'Liat to the door of the house and stepped out with him to the grounds of the compound.
Arepno emerged from the fog, holding a limp body by the collar and seat of the pants. It took a moment for Ellis to realize it was Clyde McClintlock. Arepno threw McClintlock to the ground at Ellis’ feet. He knelt down and felt for a pulse. While weak, it was present. Ellis looked up at Arepno.
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