by Karl Morgan
Olo ordered his men to take the torso back into the station. As they turned, they saw the platoon of fifty Gallicean Marines in their red pressure suits approaching. Olo advised them about the weakness of the robots and the whole group spread out to disable the remaining robots.
An hour later, full power had been restored to the battle station and the ship was cleared of the attackers. A team of scientists from the Nightsky took a shuttle to the station to assist in the examination of the machines that could have destroyed all of them. Jon Lake joined Vard Kalak and two Maklakar scientists to examine and interrogate one of the robots. All were amazed the robot could talk and answer questions, although in its own unique way.
“Who are you and why did you attack this station?” Vard demanded.
“I am Zeet and I do not understand your second question,” the robot replied. “Why have you attempted to injure Zeet?”
Vard looked at the others and said, “You know, every one of these robots says its name is Zeet. It must be a model name or something.” He turned back to the machine. “Zeet, you and the others almost destroyed this vessel. We were defending ourselves from you. Who is your controller?”
“I have no controller. I am Zeet,” it said moving its camera head from side to side.
“What planet do you come from Zeet?” Jon asked.
“Bandabar. That is where Zeet was born,” the robot said.
“That is a lie!” Vard argued. “The Bandabar are valakars, not robots. We received a planetary distress call from Bandabar and were responding to it. What have you done to that planet?”
“I am a Bandabar,” Zeet replied. “Well, I used to be a Bandabar anyway. When the other came, he asked all of us if we wished to be of The Accord. I agreed, but most did not. What happened to them was their own decision.”
“What happened to them?” Jon asked.
Zeet replied, “Most survive and still live there, although some have been consumed.”
“You ate them?” Jon gasped.
“Not just Zeet!” the robot shouted. “The Accord requires food and resources to grow. We encourage all to be of The Accord. It was their choice.”
“Why does a robot require food, Zeet?” Vard quizzed.
“Robot! Zeet is not a robot!” the machine said. “Zeet is of The Accord. Zeet is alive, just as you are. Would you like to be of The Accord?”
Vard turned to the others and said, “Whatever you do, don’t say no to that question. When we did with some of the other robots, they just stopped communicating.” He turned back. “Zeet, I think we need time to consider your generous offer.”
“Of course, that is completely understandable. It is a major decision after all,” Zeet replied. “That was one of my concerns with my fellow Bandabar. Too many said no without taking the time to thoughtfully consider it. I can tell you that Zeet is very happy now.”
“Zeet,” Jon began, “you must realize that you are mostly a machine. To us, you look totally mechanical. How do you know you are alive?”
Zeet laughed. “How foolish of me! Of course you see only this machine. But this is only a tool Zeet uses. Think of it like a glove for your hand. It is not Zeet.”
“So, you’re saying if we cut you open, we will find a Bandabar inside?” Jon asked. “That hardly seems likely.”
“As I told you, I used to be Bandabar. Now I am of The Accord,” the robot corrected him. “If you open this tool, you will find living matter, but it is not Zeet. Well, I suppose it is Zeet in a fashion. Imagine your finger is cut off. That finger is not you, although it is of you.”
“Are you like insects in a hive?” Jon asked.
Zeet laughed again. “Don’t be ridiculous. I am Zeet and I am of the Accord. I am not some mindless insect seeking nectar.”
“Can you tell us about the other you mentioned?” Vard asked.
“There isn’t much to tell,” Zeet answered. “The other came from Skee Lotho to increase the size of The Accord. He came to Bandabar and asked if we wished to be of The Accord. Several hundred agreed, including me. The rest did not. Now Bandabar is Zeet’s planet.”
A tone sounded on Vard’s com-link and he pressed the contact. “Commander, the ship has resumed course and the other ships have joined our fleet. We still see no evidence any robots are pursuing.”
“Thanks, Kalak out,” he said pressing the contact.
“Kalak, is that your name?” Zeet asked.
“Yes it is, Zeet,” he confirmed.
“Kalak, I am losing my connection to Zeet. Could you please return me to Bandabar? I have never felt this strange,” he said.
“Sorry, I’m not going to put this ship in danger again,” Vard said. There was no reply. His com-link sounded again. “What is it this time?”
“Sir, all science teams report their robots are dead,” the voice said.
Vard turned to the two scientists who were monitoring the robot. “Well?”
“The robot has lost all power, sir,” one of the maklans said.
“Cut them all open! I want to know what’s inside these damned robots,” he replied.
Chapter 53
The Elder of Fistnan hurried toward the water’s edge with Dave and Lini just behind him. He kicked off his sandals and waded out into the water. He took a handful of seawater and poured it over his head, then clenched his hands together in prayer. “Almighty Source, if it be your will, please send a Zula to us!” he shouted to the sky. Dave and Lini stayed out of the water watching the other. Several moments passed with nothing happening other than the advancing tide. The Elder turned to them and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know what else to do.”
“Let me handle this Dave,” Lini said as she disrobed and handed Dave her clothing to keep it from getting wet. Dave was very accustomed to her habit of stripping in front of him and just smiled with his arms out to catch the clothes. The Elder turned red and turned away. “Don’t worry Sam, this is how I did it on my planet,” she said as she rushed past him and dove into the waves.
“Dave, I must say that woman’s actions were quite improper for a Nan,” Sam said. “We do not approve of public nudity on Fistnan.”
“I know what you mean, Sam, but Lini is a free spirit. Her world is nothing like mine or this one,” Dave remarked with a soft chuckle. “She’s an amazing girl.”
After a couple of minutes, Lini’s head appeared above the water fifty yards out to sea. Within seconds, two sets of blue eyes popped up next to her. She put her hands on the backs of the Zula and was pulled back to shore where Sam offered her his outer robe to dry herself. She walked out of the surf with her body showing through the wet robes, reclaimed her clothing and began to dress.
Sensing his cue, Dave walked out into the water and sat next to the two Zula who were approaching him. He held out his hands to touch them. “Hello Dave,” one of them thought.
“Ulook?” he replied. “It can’t be you, can it?”
“I’m sorry for the confusion Dave. My name is Fondee,” the creature said. “But Ulook has been looking for you for some time. Where were you?”
“Lini and I were stranded on Solander, the nearby red moon,” he answered. “With the odd dynamics of the planet and sun, I don’t really know how long we were there.”
“Dave, it was some time ago when we spoke with Ulook,” the other Zula said. “My name if Banthan and I am Fondee’s brother. We will reach out to her and let her know you have been found.”
“That is wonderful news!” Dave laughed. “Can you help us return to our time? My friends and family are in trouble and I need to help them.”
“Yes, we know,” Banthan replied. “Ulook has told us that much. We cannot know how long it will take to reach her. I am certain Elder Paranaxis will take care of you until then.”
While Dave was talking to the Zula, Sam moved slowly in their direction. “Dave, I hear you speaking to yourself. Are you well? Are the Zula injuring you?”
Dave laughed. “Sam, sit down
and touch them. They can speak directly into your mind. Come on, they don’t bite.”
After the Elder was in position, Banthan said, “Elder, it is a pleasure to finally speak with you.” Sam pulled his hand back in fear. “What’s going on here Dave?”
“Don’t be afraid, Sam,” Dave said. “Banthan and Fondee are your friends. Talk to them for a while. I’m sure it has been a long time since an Elder of Fistnan has spoken to a Zula. You have a lot to catch up on.” He stood and tried to wring some of the water out of his clothes. Lini was watching from the shore laughing at him. “Sam, you stay here and have a nice chat. Lini and I are going back to change for the party. Don’t stay too long and forget about it though.” He clapped the Elder on the back and walked back to Lini. He looked back again and Sam talking away to the two sea creatures. He smiled, took Lini’s hand and began to walk back to their bungalow.
“Will they help us, Dave?” she asked.
“They will try, Lini,” he sighed. “They did say Ulook has been looking for us, so hopefully they will find us soon.”
She put her arm around him and held him close. “It’s okay if it isn’t too soon for me.”
An hour later, Dave was checking out his uniform in the mirror. The rank insignia had been polished and the outfit was neatly pressed. “Not bad if I do say so myself,” he said. “What do you think Lini,” he called out as he turned around. She was standing less than a foot away. Her perfume filled the air and her long red hair fell in curls over her shoulders and chest. She wore an evening gown loaned by one of the Elder’s daughters which accentuated her narrow waist and perfect breasts. “You look amazing!”
“Thank you Dave. I think you look pretty amazing yourself,” she laughed, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. She put her arms around him and squeezed him tightly, burying her face in his chest.
The door flew open and Sam burst into the room, still in his now soaking wet robes. “Wow!” he shouted. “That was the most incredible experience in my life. Thank you Dave and Lini. I never had any idea the Zula were like that.” He was panting for breath after running all the way back from the beach. “I’d hug you both, but as you can see, I’m soaking wet. I have to get changed quickly before my wife finds out. I’ll see you both later.” He turned and headed back through the door, then stopped cold. “Dave, they said you should go to the stone temple after dinner. They may have already found the Zula you were looking for.”
“Where is this stone temple, Sam?” he asked.
“I have no idea, Dave. They said it like you already knew. I’ll see you at dinner,” the Elder replied and rushed across the broad courtyard.
Lini could see a pained look crossing Dave’s face and asked, “What’s wrong? Is it something the Elder said?”
“Lini, you and I just arrived on Fistnan a few hours ago. How would I know where a stone temple is on this moon?” Dave replied.
“You just have to trust the Source,” she said kissing him on the cheek again. They held each other’s hands and left the bungalow to join the celebration.
Next to the Elder’s private residence was a large patio where a tent had been raised for the event. When Dave and Lini entered, it took only a second to find Fa-u-Bay who stood five feet taller than any of the Nan. They were gathered around him and chatting up a storm. They crossed the room and worked their way through the crowd to be with their friend and rescuer. It was not until they joined him that they realized everyone understand his Gallicean language. “What’s going on, Fa-u-Bay? How can these Nan understand you?” Dave asked.
“Beats me, Dave,” he replied. “One of them came to my room an hour ago with my cleaned uniform and I just understood him. It must be something in the water here.” Dave smiled at the correctness of his response. It had to be the Zula, who were of course in the water. He knew they had powers similar to the tekkans. Their constant immersion in the Source gave them unique abilities and longevity. Dave and Lini were quickly separated as each guest wanted to speak to the strangers. It had been many generations since any had seen a Nan or Pa from another world, not to mention the Gallicean. Dave had been careful to warn Lini not to talk too much about the future in case anything they said might change the time they desperately hoped to return to. Knowing that Fa-u-Bay was the big star of the evening, Dave made sure the Gallicean had most of the spotlight. He and Lini focused on the hospitality of the locals and their rescue from Solander.
When the opportunity arose, Dave found his way to a bar and ordered a glass of whisky over ice. He sipped it and realized Fa-u-Bay must have delivered some of his personal supply. “Excuse me, Admiral Brewster,” said a young Nan man. “I am Onthik Bardey. I am an astronomer, one of the few on Fistnan. This is a great day for us, meeting the Gallicean and you other humans.”
“I’m glad to be part of it, Bardey. Please call me Dave,” he replied. “Would you care for a drink?”
“Perhaps later, thank you Dave,” Bardey answered. “I wanted to tell you I think I saw your cottage being built on Solander not long ago. As a Nan astronomer, one of my chief duties is to look out for strange vessels in this system. The Nan have not been treated well in other places.”
“Yes, I know,” Dave said. “It was a horrible miscarriage of justice in my opinion. I can’t believe it. You saw my cottage being built.”
“I think so. About two years ago, I started noticed quite a bit of traffic in this system. It is very strange for any space ship to venture this far from the edge of the galaxy. Over a three month period, I think I recorded eight black ships visiting Solander. At the same time, I recorded serious temporal waves, which thankfully faded quickly due to the Bolofaz,” Bardey reported.
“You know about the Bolofaz?” Dave asked.
“Dave, they are hundreds of miles long and the planet is not that far away,” Bardey scoffed. “I have good telescopes as well. While we have no direct communication with them, our ancient texts tell us they protect time in this system.”
“They are amazing creatures,” Dave replied.
“One more thing Dave,” Bardey began. “A week or two after the black ships stopped coming, there was a brilliant flash of light on Solander. It was night here and many people were startled out of their sleep by it. I was in my lab on my largest telescope reviewing the galactic edge and the brightness almost blinded me when I was looking in the opposite direction. I also recorded a massive temporal wave at the same moment.”
“My arrival on Solander, no doubt,” Dave mused.
“That’s what I thought!” Bardey shouted. “A few hours later, there was a second flash and temporal wave of almost exactly the same size. The flash occurred quite far from the site of the first however. I haven’t been able to figure that out.”
“That was the man who imprisoned Lini and me,” Dave remembered. “He was leaving us there but did not want the second jump to be too close in time or space to the first for fear of creating an eddy.”
“Hmm. That’s completely logical,” Bardey smiled. “Thank you for clearing that up for me. It makes a lot of sense. I think we should be going now. Everyone else is sitting down for dinner. Thanks for the talk, Dave.” Bardey walked away slowly, whistling a Nan work song.
Chapter 54
De-o-Nu did not enjoy wearing a breather, but it was the only way he could attend the meeting on the Mondor to go over what they had learned during the attack by Zeet. Also attending were Jon Lake, Ka-a-Fa, Ont Valoo and Vard Kalak. The Maklakar Chief Engineer, Park Zigga led the meeting. “Okay, Park, let’s hear your report,” Ont Valoo said.
“We were able to open the chest cavities of the robots,” Park began. “It was incredibly difficult. We had to use our most powerful plasma torch, which would cut through the hull of this station like a hot knife through butter. We incinerated the insides of the first few before we could tune it perfectly. What we found was unbelievable. Inside each was a clear vessel which was embedded in an intricate network of circuitry. Millions of thin wires extended from the circuit
s through the transparent casing and terminated in a viscous gel. In the center of the gel was a tiny mass of neurons, brain cells.”
“Brain cells?” Ka-a-Fa cringed. “What sort of creature was this Zeet?”
“What did you learn from the DNA in the neurons?” Ont asked.
“We can’t be certain on the species, although they were definitely valakar,” Park continued. “The Zeet robots claimed to have been born on Bandabar, so I would assume they were Bandabar brain cells.”
“How many cells were there? Was it enough for the robots to think they were alive?” Jon asked.
“No. There were not enough neurons to be a functioning brain,” the scientist responded. “I was amazed the cells were still alive enough for the robots to communicate with us. We have examined the recorded interrogations, and while there were similarities, the actual questions and timing were different in each session. The robots were answering dozens of different questions simultaneously.”
