Tales of the Vuduri_Year Five

by Michael Brachman

  “Paul, is this true?” April asked accusingly.

  “Yes,” Chung said sadly. “Steele said he would hurt you and Perry if I told anybody anything. I’m sorry.”

  Rome looked up at April. “We intend to track them down and apprehend them. We need Paul to give us as much information as possible. It will help facilitate matters.”

  “Steele?” April said, shivering. “I only met him once. He was awful.”

  “Yes,” Rome replied. “We have heard. Once they are in custody, they will be extradited off this world. They would never be a danger to anyone again. The quicker we find them, the quicker this will happen. So for your own safety and that of your son, please encourage your husband to cooperate.”

  April walked over to Paul. MINIMCOM stepped back out of her way.

  “Paul, honey,” she said. “These people have risked their lives ten times over to save us, our world, the whole human race. I think we owe it to them to help them.”

  A tear came to Chung’s eye. “I just wanted to make sure you were safe,” he said. He hung his head. “OK,” he muttered reluctantly. “I’ll talk.”

  “Thank you,” Rome said, sitting back down. However, she did not remove her hand from his shoulder.

  So, the first "test run" of Rome as living lie detector worked! It was just as Rei had suggested. No need for pointed questions. Just get the subject's mind going along the lines of interest. Let's see what Chung comes up with tomorrow. The one thing we do know is that it will be the truth!

  Entry 5-207: July 26, 2017

  The Whole Truth

  Yesterday, Rome's first foray into her new occupation as living lie detector was a success. She found out just enough information to force Paul Chung into agreeing to spill his guts. From what Rome was able to gather, his silence was perpetrated because of fear of retribution against his wife, April and young son, Perry. Now that he has agreed to talk, Rome need only monitor to make sure he continues to tell the truth:

  Chung looked down at the table. Finally, he raised his eyes up to regard the group. “After the whole Darwin thing went down, Troutman disappeared. That part is true. And at the time, I really did think he was with the group that surrendered. But a few months ago, in the middle of the night, he came here.”

  “Why?” Rei asked.

  “He said they were getting into some things that he no longer wished to be a part of. He asked me if he could hang out here for a few days until things blew over.”

  “I didn’t know that,” April said. “I never saw him.”

  Paul looked up at his wife. “That’s because Steele was at the door no more than an hour later,” he said. “He barged right in and grabbed Troutman. He took him into the other room…” Chung pointed to the living area. “The discussion got pretty heated and in the end, Troutman went with him.”

  “Did they say anything that could help us locate them?” Rome asked.

  “I couldn’t make out most of what they said but they did mention Ur several times.”

  “Ur?” Rei asked. “The resort city?”

  “Yeah, that Ur,” he said.

  “I didn’t think any of the Darwin people ever ventured that far south,” Bonnie interjected.

  “What was their reason for mentioning it? Were they going there?” Rome asked.

  “I can’t tell you. They didn’t know that I heard them and I wasn’t about to ask. As they were leaving, Steele told me to forget that I ever saw them. That’s when he threatened me and my family. He said they needed to disappear and I’d better not be the reason why people found them.”

  “And you didn’t see fit to mention this to anyone?” Rome asked. Chung’s mind churned over his worries regarding the safety of his family.

  “No, I figured what harm could two men do?” he answered. Rome knew better. Chung was conflicted the whole time.

  “That is not the truth,” Rome said. “But I do understand. You cared too much about your family to take the chance.”

  Chung looked at Rome for a long time then down at her hand. “How are you doing this?” he asked. “I mean, I know you Vuduri have your voodoo but it doesn’t work with us Essessoni, does it?”

  “Rome is very special,” Rei said proudly. “Anything else, sweetheart?” he directed to Rome.

  Rome looked at Paul intently then shook her head. “Those are the salient facts we need. That’s all he knows.”

  “OK then,” Rei said, standing up. Everyone else took that as their cue to get up as well.

  Paul Chung has divulged a solid lead. The last he heard, Steele and Troutman were headed down to the resort city of Ur which was located along the southern edge of the giant crater lake, Lake Eprehem. I'm pretty sure that will be Rome and Rei's next stop.

  Entry 5-208: July 27, 2017

  Rome is hot, redux

  Yesterday, Rome and Rei had determined that Steele and Troutman were most likely headed toward the resort city of Ur on the southern banks of Lake Eprehem. This next little vignette was not integral to the plot but I thought it was important to show how completely invasive Rome's new powers really were. I couched it in humor but still, getting access to someone's inner thoughts might not always be a pleasant experience. I know I have related this section to you before because I thought it was really funny. I think it holds up but now you have a bit more context:

  “Thank you, Paul,” Rome said, rising in place. She stepped behind her chair and pushed it in, under the table. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers. She reached over and touched Paul’s cheek. “One other thing,” she said. “Do you know if Troutman or Steele established a relationship with a Vuduri woman?”

  “Not to my knowledge,” Chung replied, ignoring the fact that Rome appeared to be caressing him. “As far as I know, neither of them cared too much for your people.”

  Rome nodded to Rei that it was the truth. “We have enough,” she said. She walked over to April and held her hand out. April Chung took Rome’s hand and shook it. The information flowed like a torrent into Rome’s brain.

  “Everything will be alright,” Rome said reassuringly. “You and your husband and child will be safe. No one will know that you provided this information. And after we capture these two men, it won’t matter in any event.”

  April nodded. “I know you’ll take care of them. We all believe in you.”

  “Thank you,” Rome replied, releasing her grip and they left the house.

  As soon as they got outside, Rome tugged on Rei’s shoulder.

  “What?” Rei asked.

  Rome said, “Do you think I have a fever?”

  Rei bent over and kissed her on the forehead. “No,” he said. “You’re fine. Do you feel sick?”

  “No,” Rome said. She furrowed her brow. “Do I radiate more heat than a regular Essessoni?”

  Rei pulled his head back, confused. “No more than anybody else,” he said. “What’s going on?”

  Rome shook her head. “Even during his most stressful times, Paul kept thinking to himself that I was really hot compared to his wife. What does that mean?”

  Rei and Bonnie laughed.

  “Why is that funny?” Rome asked.

  “It means he thought you were really attractive,” Bonnie said.

  Rei held his hand up. “Yes, Romey. Sexually.”

  “I don’t understand,” Rome said. “I…” She stopped short. “Oh!” She cocked her head. “Do you think I’m ‘hot’?” she asked her husband.

  “Romey, if you were any hotter, you’d be incandescent,” Rei said with a smile on his face.

  Rome nodded definitively. “I don’t know why it matters to me. It shouldn’t but it makes me feel good.”

  “It should, honey,” Bonnie said. “If I had your body and face, I’d be running this world.”

  Rome shrugged. She pointed and they headed toward MINIMCOM.

  All right. It is now time for Rome to go forth and conquer!

  Entry 5-209: July 28, 2017

  Life on TRAPPIST-1

>   As I have mentioned before, as soon as scientists discover intelligent life on another planet, my career as a science fiction writer is over. That doesn't mean I couldn't find a new career as a biographer or documentarian but making up stuff? Game over. So I pay especial attention to whenever we find something that could be interpreted as life on another planet.

  So far, on Mars, it's a no-go. Some scientists have speculated that there might be life on one of Saturn's moons called Enceladus but no proof so far. I think I am safe in saying there probably isn't intelligent life in our solar system but there are a lot more star systems out there.

  Located in the Atacama Desert in Chile sits a NASA-sponsored observatory called the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope or TRAPPIST for short. A group of scientists from the University of Liege in Belgium, using the TRAPPIST telescope, have discovered a star appropriately called TRAPPIST-1 located 40 light-years from here. What makes this star so special is that it has seven Earth-sized planets circling in orbit, three of which have been identified as in that star's habitable zone, a place where the average temperatures would permit liquid water to exist.

  The TRAPPIST-1 star itself is an ultra-cool dwarf star, not a whole lot bigger than Jupiter. In order to be warmed enough to have liquid water, the planets would have to orbit very close to the star. In fact, they would be so close that they would be tidally locked meaning one side would always face the sun and the far side would always face away, like our own Moon. So the only reasonably temperate place would be the median strip circling the planet straddling the terminator between the light side and the dark side. This does not offer a lot of options for life to develop.

  To make things even tougher, all of the planets are probably under constant bombardment by radiation and battered by high velocity particles. Scientists studying the planet think the two forces combined would most likely strip the three "good" planets of any atmosphere, further reducing the chances that life might have started or thrived there.

  The bottom line is, it's a start but we'll probably have more luck finding life on planets circling a star a little bit more like our Sun. I hope they don't find any at least until I finish rewriting my first novel Rome’s Revolution!

  Entry 5-210: July 29, 2017

  The Candidates

  Two days ago, Paul Chung told Rome, Rei and Bonnie that he overheard Steele and Troutman, the would-be assassins, mention that they were going down to the resort city of Ur, home of the incredible geological formation called The Hand. Hopping aboard MINIMCOM, our crew of detectives head south around the eastern edge of Lake Eprehem:

  “We have to comb the entire city of Ur,” Rei said. “They couldn’t operate without somebody seeing them. Maybe they had help down there.”

  “Do you think it might have one of the other people on that list we found?” Rome asked. “After all, it was entitled candidates.”

  “I don’t know,” Rei answered, “My name was on there and I wasn’t of much use to them.”

  “What about the others?” Rome asked.

  “We can check.” Rei addressed the grille mounted on the front of the console. “OMCOM, do you read?”

  “Yes,” came a deeper voice.

  “On that list we found called Darwin Candidates, besides me and Paul Chung, what were the last two names?”

  An image of the Darwin list appeared in the central display.

  “Wally Stanislaw and Andrea Grenmuller,” replied the computer.

  Rei rubbed his chin. “I didn’t really know Andrea, what does it say about her?”

  Even though the contents of the entry were displayed on the screen, OMCOM read it out loud. “Grenmuller, Andrea,” intoned the library computer. “Brilliant mathematician. Would be really useful in helping solve engineering equations for new Vook materials. DT assigned to swing her but was rejected. May try again later.”

  “DT?” Rome observed. “That sounds like they are referring to a person. Could that stand for David Troutman? What else does it say about her?”

  “That is the only entry on her,” replied OMCOM.

  “Any hint where, or when?” Rei asked. “Some way we can locate her?”

  “I said that is the only entry on her,” OMCOM insisted in a slightly imperious manner.

  Rei let out a burst of air. “OK, the other one, Wally Stanislaw. I know him. He always seemed like a stand-up guy to me. What does it say about him?”

  “Stanislaw, Wally,” read the library computer. “Excellent geologist. Skill set vastly superior to anyone on staff. Has been approached obliquely about joining the plan but seemed fairly resistant. Would be a great aid to the mining program. Re-approach in a year.”

  Rome tapped the display. “I know him as well. I recognized his name immediately.”

  “How do you know him?” Rei asked.

  “He was one of the very few Essessoni who came to me for language lessons. I taught him Vuduri.”

  So, the next candidate on the list had intimate knowledge of Rome and Rei's whereabouts. Do you think he was involved? There is only one way to find out.

  Entry 5-211: July 30, 2017

  Wally Stanislaw, Part 1

  Yesterday, Rome and Rei came across Wally Stanislaw's name on the list of candidates that the Darwin people thought they may be able to convert. Rome knew Wally because he was one of the very few Essessoni that ever showed an interest in learning the Vuduri language. Rei knew him as well and did not think he was the kind of person that would ever aid the Darwins. Maybe they could track him down and ask:

  “And that’s it?”

  “No,” Rome replied. “OMCOM, isn’t he one of the scientists you are supporting in the geology wing?”

  “Yes,” replied OMCOM. “He has his own subscription channel. His research regarding the geophysical history of the planet has been extremely illuminating. He has found a wide variety of interesting objects buried deep under the ground. He believes there may have once been other kinds of life forms on this planet.”

  “Really?” Rei asked. “How come nobody ever mentioned this before?”

  Rome turned to her husband. “Several scientists have approached me about having their own research resources within OMCOM. I have said yes on each occasion but I have not been monitoring the information flow very closely.”

  “Well, it’s probably a dead-end anyway,” Rei said. “He doesn’t sound like he had much interaction with them in any event.”

  “If you would prefer, you can ask him yourself,” OMCOM offered. “I see from MINIMCOM’s coordinates that you are within a few kilometers of his current research site.”

  Rei looked at Rome who shrugged. He turned to Bonnie. “What do you think?”

  “I think no stone unturned,” Bonnie replied. “How could it hurt?”

  “OK,” Rei said. “MINIMCOM, can you take us to where Wally is working?”

  “Already there,” MINIMCOM replied. “Just buckle in for the landing as this is somewhat rocky terrain.”

  Rei and Rome buckled into the pilot and co-pilot’s seat respectively. Bonnie strapped herself into the “navigator’s” chair that MINIMCOM had constructed for her. MINIMCOM’s nose dived down and he leveled off just above the surface. He gently lowered himself to the ground and the whole space-plane shook as it crushed some boulders beneath the landing gear. MINIMCOM flashed the coordinates of the research site which Rome committed to memory. After settling down, the group of three left via the rear cargo ramp.

  To the south, as far as the eye could see, the ground was a barren, clay-colored landscape with boulders and rocks strewn everywhere. There were a few deserts on Deucado and this was the edge of one of them though it was due to the rocky nature of the ground, not due to lack of moisture.

  So now we have geologist Wally Stanislaw, camped out in the arid region to the south of Lake Eprehem. He seemed like an earnest guy. He was looking for other life-forms on Deucado besides the cane-trees, falling blankets, swishies and sticky bushes. Let's see what he fo
und.

  Entry 5-212: July 31, 2017

  Wally Stanislaw, Part 2

  Yesterday, OMCOM gave MINIMCOM the coordinates of Wally Stanislaw's research site. Wally was one of the potential candidates for the Darwin group but neither Rei nor Rome thought it was something he would get involved in. However, since they were there, they decided to chat with him anyway:

  Rome led the way followed by Bonnie with Rei bringing up the rear. They came to a campsite, or at least the Vuduri version of a campsite with several tents that resembled teepees and a much larger “building” covered by a white material. They approached the white building, entering by the door flap and standing there were two men conversing over a large flat table. To the far left were three others, a mix of Vuduri and Essessoni, working with hammers and chisels and brushes and something that looked like a pen-light.

  The two nearer men looked up. One of them was Deucadon.

  “Rei!” the young man exclaimed.

  “Steben!” Rei called out. He trotted over and the two of them hugged although Rei pulled back before Steben could apply substantial pressure. “I haven’t seen you in like forever,” he said.