Traveler_Losing Legong

by Tim Dennis

  She switched to a view of Snotty Rocks. The sun was just rising and the tops of the pinnacles and buttes glowed softly in the hazy twilight, their smooth, rounded tops melted by some cataclysmic cosmic event long before the Colony arrived, leaving drooping, fluidic shapes in a frozen moment of ooze. Close to the center, a few hundred meters from the small open space that served as the town square, a pole had been mounted atop a rock pinnacle. From it dangled a lifeless black flag.

  Krykowfert perked up, leaned in and gave Feric a questioning look. She re-played a time-lapse version of the live image, pausing at the few moments when the early morning breeze lofted the flag into the air. It was plain black, no insignia, no colors. Krykowfert again looked to Feric. She smiled and nodded and Krykowfert burst out in laughter. "Has the Council seen this?" He asked.

  "Yes. They don't understand the reference." She answered.

  Krykowfert almost fell out of his seat. It had been too long since he'd had a laugh like this and he overindulged. "Do we have anyone in Snotty Rocks?"

  Feric nodded.

  "Of course," he said, "why even ask, eh? Well, go ahead, arrange it. See if you can get him up to F'Ark Four, I'll talk with him after the Tugots." Krykowfert rose and went over to the windows, energized by Mallick's clever signal. It required more than a simple knowledge of history; to understand the message one must also have been a fan of history, cognizant of the monetization of violence and criminality, of childish story telling of fables. Mallick was playing at Pirate, and he was asking for Parley, and the Council could stare at the flag all day and never guess its intent. Feric left him and retreated to the conference room to take care of the details. Krykowfert fell into another fit of laughter and Six walked in the door.

  "Where is she?" She blurted.

  "In the conference room." Krykowfert casually thumbed over his shoulder.

  Six turned around and looked into the little conference room. Feric sat quietly, hands folded on her lap. Six turned back to Krykowfert.

  "Asha, you ass! You did this on purpose. You waited until I was through the Rip and you sent her away. You transported her-"

  "She's with the Tugots." True, if not precise. "Myles's parents are on Farm Ark Four." Also true, but not relevant. "I'm going there now, would you like me to have Asha call you? Or will you just come along with me?" Risky bluff.

  Six felt paralyzed. An orbiting protein farm was the most unlikely of targets for sabotage, each with a small, stable population and very few visitors. "Yes." She said, momentarily disarmed. "Have her call me."

  Krykowfert smiled and exited, leaving Six in the outer office. She looked back in on Feric, who also smiled politely. Six just stared. Her head swam with doubts and questions. Krykowfert hadn't actually said Asha was on the Farm Ark. Was she being too easy? Was Asha actually on Eden? Why would Krykowfert do such a thing? She didn't want to believe Krykowfert would endanger their granddaughter, but he had endangered their son. He couldn't, he wouldn't... Six stood, paralyzed with indecision. If Krykowfert truly wanted to keep the girl from her, there was little Six could do. At least thinking that made it easier to forget the child, to focus on Earth, her Rip, and the strategy for overcoming Earth's reluctance. Six left the offices.

  Feric sat back and opened an array of images. Within a moment each contained the serious face of a uniformed Shield Guard General or Major. When all were present, Feric began.

  "It's time."

  Eileen and Malcolm Tugot's new living room was large by Central Command standards, but then it wasn't on Central Command. A month before, the apartment had belonged to the General Manager of Farm Ark Four, but he was now a Colonel in Six's new Diplomatic Mission and the Tugots were, at least temporarily, responsible for fifteen hectares of fungus, algae, and yeast. That was just deck one.

  In a ship, identical in basic design to Central Command, lived barely a hundred people. The two newest sat with Krykowfert in their luxurious living room, watching a recorded message played back on a portable false-window.

  Their eldest, Li, stared back at them from distant Eden, then he disappeared, replaced by images of smooth, newly Makered shacks lining a pristine gravel road. Small Skimmers and Cabs shuttled to and fro, busy people either stepping out of their way or riding in them. Their son's voice came across the aether.

  "...better than a lot of the established settlements I've seen on Legong." He said. "Um. What else? Oh. Nari and me are taking turns with the kids, a week at a time. It serves as a rest for us, development crews work around the clock and when we're on, we're on. I don't know how these S.I. Guards keep up their energy."

  The images continued to shift. The fields they showed seemed to have been laid at random, wherever a suitable piece of ground had been found. Eden had seasons, and tides, and after showing Eileen and Malcolm their son's region of the planet the view shifted to a region of colder weather, where unattended Makers prepared ground for new settlements and new agriculture. No time was taken for flattening land or straightening rivers. A survey was completed and land was used as it lay.

  "Well, that's it for now." Said Li. "Give our thanks to Krykowfert, there's no regular communications links between Eden and Legong yet." He stood up. His eyes shifted away from his parents, presumably acknowledging the unseen S.I. Guard operating the recorder. In the moment before the image stopped Ma Tugot caught a glimpse of her grandchildren playing in the small front yard of the little shack. Asha stood with them, holding a piglet in her arms. As the boys ran away she gently placed the animal on the ground, bent over and patted it on the head, waving her finger and issuing some unheard order. The next instant she was chasing down the boys with the piglet, not to be left out, trotting along behind.

  "We will have direct links soon, Ms. Tugot." Krykowfert offered kindly.

  "A Bell's Probe?" Pa asked.

  "Perhaps. I'm afraid the Council has jurisdiction over that."

  The couple sat a little awkwardly as Krykowfert folded up his window. "Has there been anything from Myles?" Ma asked.

  "There has been no connection through my department. Again, it is the Council who is managing the Diplomatic Mission to Earth."

  "But he's there, he's arrived at least?" Malcolm asked.

  Krykowfert avoided eye contact, remaining focused on the repackaging of his window. "Yes. I am sure that, at the moment, he is safe."

  "At the moment?"

  "As I said, you really must ask the Council." Krykowfert turned to go. Pa grabbed him by the arm.

  "I don't want to hear any more Council-this and Council-that. It was you who introduced Myles to the Earth-man and you who sent Li to Eden. Now give me the straight story, what's going on here?"

  Krykowfert made no effort to break Pa's grasp of his arm. He put down his window. "You saw Myles before he left, right? He stopped at the Farm, he brought over that lizard I believe. How did he seem to you?" Pa released Krykowfert's arm and sat down. Krykowfert slid his chair in, a little closer than before. "He was happy, wasn't he? And the pig roast, how did he seem then? Yes, I am Tendaji Krykowfert, Director of Shield Guard, and I used your son and the Earthman to help me open that Rip to Eden. In the process I provided Myles an opportunity that he would never have found on Legong. Yes, I opened the door, and perhaps I gave him a little push, but he walked -ran- right through it. Was what I did wrong?"

  Ma and Pa avoided Krykowfert's eyes.

  "You asked me what is going on," Krykowfert continued. "I will tell you. I will not be around forever, and when I go who will carry on my work? Huh? The advances I've made will be abandoned, the old ways will return. When that happens, Legong is lost." Krykowfert aborted the Tugot's protest. "Look at Mallick. It's a minor upheaval precipitated by the public's fear of the Earthman. Look at the indecisiveness of the Council. The tiniest upset and once again stars rain down on us, overwhelming Legong like that flood in Caldera.

  "Lieutenant Urbo exceeded her authority, shifting your posting from Eden to this Protein Farm. No, I don't care, it suits me fi
ne. But does it suit you? You have two sons. Earth. Eden. Is Legong really where you want to be?"

  A long moment of silence followed as the Tugots absorbed Krykowfert's speech. They'd seen his passion, but never before his despair. It was the closest they'd seen to Krykowfert loosing his composure. Krykowfert rose and walked to the door. "The Council is calling me back to Central Command. If there is news of Myles I'll let you know."

  48

  Myles woke with a ringing in his ears. His head ached.

  Yesterday.

  Oh, right.

  He reviewed the events of the previous afternoon, remembering nothing after the dousing of his shirt, now dry and crinkled into the shape of his chest. His mind slowly cleared, but his ears continued to ring, intermittently, far too distinctly. He got off the couch and began a search.

  The sound emanated from two brass bells mounted on the top of a wooden box fixed to the wall just inside the kitchen. Between the bells lay a clapper, and every three seconds the clapper would, of its own volition, frantically fling itself against them.

  Asshole.

  It's a wooden box.

  It's an asshole.

  The discovery did nothing to silence the thing. Myles held the bells still with his hands, but the clapper continued.

  Could be an alarm.

  A funnel-shaped black porcelain tube protruded from the front of the box. Myles stepped to the side, out of its line-of-fire and waited. With each ring, a second bell-ended black porcelain can rattled on its brass holder. It looked as if it would come loose if lifted, so Myles lifted. The bells stopped.

  Ah. Silence.

  This relaxed him, easing some of the tension that was contributing to his headache. He took a moment to indulge in regret, wishing that instead of the dastardly petanque clique he had spent the day with Sach. Or Gwirionedd. Or Chanly. Even ToEv. He wished it so hard he imagined Sach's voice. She was calling to him with a tinny voice, distorted and faint, but definitely Sach.

  That IS Sach.

  He lifted the porcelain tube to his ear.

  "Myles?" He heard her say. "Hello? Can you hear me? Put the handset to your ear."

  Myles had already done this. He moved the tube to his mouth and spoke into it. "Hello? Sach? Is that you?" He put the tube back to his ear.

  "Yes," came her reply. "I can barely hear you."

  Myles repeated his action and shouted: "Is this better?"

  They went back and forth a few more times before Myles discovered the tube in his hand was for listening while the tube sticking out the front of the box was for talking.

  "I thought you might enjoy a little sight-seeing." Said a much clearer, more cheerful Sach.

  "With you? Yes. That would be wonderful." To be honest, Myles would have agreed to anything Sach suggested.

  "Good. I'll come get you."

  "Are you at the lake? Can you give me an hour or so? I just woke."

  "Yes, of course."

  A click brought the sound of Sach's voice to an end. Myles replaced the handset and stood staring at the odd device.

  What a peculiar way to communicate. Perhaps Norte was right. Perhaps the ships are the only advanced technology they have.

  Myles picked up the ear-piece again, examined it, and stared at the box on the wall.

  Better than an implant?

  Easier. Not very portable though.

  Myles thought of Legong, wishing he could communicate, hear a familiar voice.

  "Tugot?" asked a voice.

  "Nod?" asked Myles, returning the earpeice to his ear.

  "I thought you'd had your implant removed." Nod queried.

  "I have."

  "Then how-"

  "Never mind that now, can you put me through to my parents? My brother?"

  "I can't. The link through the Rip isn't set up for language, its only relaying mathematics right now."

  Myles thought for a moment. "That's bullshit. How else would you communicate with the other end of the Containment Frame?"

  Silence, and then: "I mean it's not set up for voice communications from you."

  "Ah."

  Myles held the earpiece away from his head. He'd assumed the cord running from it to the box was necessary for the device's operation, but he had no proof. Nod's distant voice continued to squeak quietly. "Councilor Six is appreciative of the intel you've provided..."

  Myles took the box in both hands and gently lifted. It came away from the wall with ease. Turning it over, he could see where the earpiece cord entered. It terminated in a simple knot, the box itself, completely empty.

  "...but we need more specifics. We need to know how these Sputties work, how many they have, how they're controlled."

  "I need to speak to my family." Myles placed the box back on the wall and yanked out the cord. He walked away, carrying the earpiece with him. Nod's voice continued.

  "Pestano's already in a pile of shit for telling you about the Eden Transportation, there's nothing I can-"

  "Then I have nothing more to say." Myles imagined himself hanging the earpiece back on its hook and heard a click. Nod's voice stopped. He walked back to the box, stared at it and concentrated.

  I don't want to talk to the Councilor staff, I want my family. Bento, Harry, a friend, anybody.

  This time Tatko's voice came through the earpiece.

  "Cochonnet? It that you? Petanque is not until later."

  "That's fine Tatko, I'm not playing."

  "No, you are not. I can see that."

  Myles explained the mistaken connection, Tatko expressed appropriate condolences and the two agreed to talk later. It appeared that his attempt at giving himself the nick-name 'Traveler' had backfired, and that he would forevermore be known as 'Cochonnet.' At least among the petanque players.

  Sach arrived long before he was ready for her, wearing a very warm-looking outfit coincidentally tailored to exaggerate those aspects of her physique that by chance appealed most to Myles. She helped him select a similar outfit for himself, which he didn't know he had, and the two headed off in a bubble-chair to some destination as yet unknown.

  ToEv, Gabrile, Chanly, and the Grocer sat in the lanai watching recorded images of Myles playing petanque in the park with the old folks.

  "This is a fairly typical day." The Grocer commented, changing to images of Myles talking to shopkeepers and visiting museums "He has a certain charm, people forgive him his peculiarities. He's made contacts. Perhaps it's his other-worldliness."

  Chanly reached out and waved the image into pink smoke, which slowly dissipated. "I can think of no objections." She said.

  "I still would have preferred Krykowfert." Gabrile said.

  "Yes," agreed ToEv, "but he's right, his place is with his own people."

  Nafasi entered the lanai from the kitchen. "Myles has asked Sach to bring him here." He said. "They'll arrive within the hour."

  The Grocer rose. "I should go." The Grocer and Nafasi hugged, and the thick-wristed man climbed into a bubble-chair and disappeared into the sky.

  Nafasi encouraged the tea cups and pot to return to the kitchen. "Dinner for five?"

  "Don't count me. I'm going out this evening," said Chanly, rising to follow the Grocer to another chair waiting on the beach.

  "Four then?" Nafasi asked.

  "Five. Eat with us tonight, father." Gabrile said, swinging her legs up onto ToEv's lap. "I think Myles is over the shock by now." Nafasi left to arrange dinner.

  ToEv took a foot in his hand and rubbed it. Gabrile closed her eyes, her breathing calmed and quieted, matching the gentle sounds drifting in from the lake. ToEv pulled a blanket over her legs, lifting carefully to tuck it under her heels. He leaned forward, reopened the pink vapor Gwirionedd had dispersed and teased out five threads which each formed into unique views of faraway planets orbiting distant suns.

  "No, ToEv." Said Gabrile, without opening her eyes. "Leave it to someone else."

  ToEv held Gabrile's legs on his lap as he leaned further, grasping one of
the planets, giving it a squeeze and a little shake. Statistics and measurements popped out of it, some taking the form of numbers, some showing themselves as mottled colors and nested shapes.

  "ToEv..." Gabrile repeated.

  "I won't be Primary." ToEv said, sitting back in a more relaxed position. "But my experience is unique, and it is not reasonable to ask another team to go forward without access to it."

  Under the blanket Gabrile wriggled, letting her back relax into the settee. Caught more by the fabric of the cushions than Gabrile's smooth skin, her thin robe remained behind as she skooched her hips against ToEv's thigh. ToEv held her tightly against him as he again leaned forward, brushing away the images of distant civilizations. Rolling onto his side he slipped behind her, lifting her knee with his own and wrapping his arms around her waist.

  "I wish those ships would just go away." Muttered Gabrile.

  "We all do." Answered ToEv.

  Sach and Myles arrived at sunset. Nafasi directed them away from the lanai to the beach, getting Myles to help him set the chairs and place settings while Sach lit the torches. ToEv and Gabrile, her face flushed and radiant, soon joined them and the meal was served.

  The dinner conversation consisted mostly of Sach and Myles's day. She had taken him on a whirlwind tour of far northern cities, stopping often to show Myles what he seemed most interested in: snow.

  "We don't have it on Legong." He said. "Of course I understand the principle of it, but to actually see it, touch it. Really quite amazing."

  Sach laughed delightedly at the memory. Myles could appear so innocent, so much like a child, and it was then that she liked him most.

  "I see you've also taken up a sport!" Said Gabrile.

  Myles wasn't surprised that his actions were being tracked, but that particular subject, petanque, caused him to pause. Sach noted his manner and cast a nervous glance at Gabrile and ToEv. "About that..." Myles opened. "These fellows, these old men, they're a bunch of spies. It's not just Legong, you've been interfering with colonies all over the galaxy."