Transmat World: Chapter 13, Episode 2
Near Mexico City, Saturday, November 13, 2145 A.D.
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Vince continued the speculation, “Or it might be long-lived, organic entities that efficiently pass on information to their offspring. Maybe they have a means of extending their lives for hundreds of thousands of years. You’re right, Porfirio, this should be one of the first things we go to check out once the new Transmat X-drive is developed.”
“Vince, there is no evidence of intelligent life in our neighboring solar systems,” said Porfirio. “Perhaps it is no coincidence that an object obviously controlled by intelligence is making its first stop in the Milky Way, right in our own back yard, so to speak. At the risk of appearing anthropocentric, let’s say we are the destination. It may even explain odd things about the Hit.”
“What do you mean, Porfirio?” asked Vince.
“What he means,” interjected Ernesto, “is that the strange coincidental meteor strike on Isadora is much stranger than it first appears. To deflect the asteroid to that extent, the meteor had to be dense enough to go right through Isadora. It would have kept going, missing Earth, by the way, and breaking Isadora into pieces. Those pieces would have, mostly, maintained their original path and missed Earth. That obviously did not happen.”
“So they’re hostile? You think an advance guard is messing with our solar system? With the same technology they used to move a solar mass across the galaxy?”
“We must consider the possibility,” Ernesto said. “How soon do you think the star drive will be ready?”
“I don’t know. There are some bugs to work out. I’ve got a crew working night and day on the problem. I’m hoping it won’t be long — days, maybe sooner. There is a ship ready for X-drive installation. It will need test jumps to make sure it’s safe and effective.”
“Your evil robot minion has detected an incoming call from Mark,” announced Ookie.
“Take a message, Ook,” said Vince.
“It concerns said Transmat X-drive,” said Ookie.
“Put him on confidential, subvocal.”
“Hey, Boss,” said Mark.
“Hello, Mark. We were just discussing the X-drive. What’s the latest?”
“The three units are successfully tested. They’ve each gone a hundred jumps under robotic control and returned to within a 5,000 mile radius of space.”
“How far each jump?”
“One third light year — there is a five second recharge before initiating another jump. They averaged a light year every 16.7 seconds. That means one could cross the Milky Way galaxy in about seventeen days. With several, sequential power sources or a battery like you’ve got in the See Lurchin’, maybe less than three days.”
The conversation stopped as Vince absorbed the enormity of what he was hearing. Mankind was going to the stars, perhaps even other galaxies. Even better, Vince Miller was going to the stars and, possibly, other galaxies.
“Are you there, Boss?” asked Mark.
“Yeah, yeah, wow … that’s fantastic. How soon can we install one in the ship?”
“It’s being done now. It should be ready for testing Wednesday.”
“Thanks Mark. We already have a mission after the testing is done. Try to keep a lid on everything — loose lips and all that. Talk to you later.”
“Can do, Boss. Bye.”
“Ladies, gentlemen, and robot minions, the Transmat X-drive is a reality. Once we’ve installed the new drive into a ship, we will be ready to check out this mystery. This information cannot go beyond this room.”
“Who will pilot the ship?” asked Maria.
“Don’t know yet. I was hoping Enrique would call me. He’s still lying around New Miami beaches enjoying his newfound fortune. I may break down and call him, or look for another pilot, or pilot the thing myself.”
“My suggestion. Do not test fly it yourself,” said Porfirio. “Transmat needs you and your poor mother would have a hard time with it if she lost you.”
Not to mention my daughter’s heart would be crushed, added Porfirio to himself.
“Transmat will have a future no matter what happens to me, and Mom is tough. I think she may even be dating again.”
There was a lull in conversation as Porfirio’s already swarthy complexion got darker.
“Besides,” Vince continued, “it’s not the danger. I would send a robot if it was that dangerous. I did send robots on the test flights; no offense to present company.”
“Reserving comment,” said Ookie.
“The technology is proven. I just need a human pilot to concentrate on decisions involving the craft while I observe what is happening on the mission,” said Vince.
“Reserving another comment,” said Ookie.
“I am going,” interjected Maria.
The combined objections of Vince and Porfirio filled the air, bounced off the walls, went in one of Maria’s ears, and came out the other.
“My thesis was on the skills and knowledge necessary should the field of xenoarchaeology suddenly become a reality. Well, I have those skills and knowledge; and I’m declaring myself the most qualified person we know, besides my father, to accompany this mission as the first xenoarchaeologist.”
“She has a good point,” said Ernesto, earning quick, laser-intense glares from Vince and Porfirio.
“Thank you, Ernesto,” said Maria.
“And I should also go,” said Ernesto.
“Why don’t we all go,” said Porfirio with amplification.
“I will decide who goes and who doesn’t,” said Vince.
“So much for democracy,” said Maria.
“I don’t recall putting anything up for a vote,” said Vince.
“Okay, okay, we should all just settle down,” said Ernesto.
He sat down, sipped his cup of tea, fished a piece of mushroom candy out of the candy dish, popped it in his mouth, and sucked on it to emphasize his position. He made a face.
“Gag, I hate mushrooms,” said Ernesto and spit the candy into a wastebasket.
The ensuing laugh had a calming effect on the group, and a rational discussion began on who should go on the mission, about which they decided nothing. The issue was tabled for later discourse. They continued talking about the mission itself for hours until late and everyone was tired. They went home to think about it and sleep.
Vince and Maria were too excited to sleep. Through dropped hints from each other’s hedbots, this information became general knowledge. Vince took a Transmat to her apartment complex just east of Los Cabos. They talked until three o’clock in the morning, sitting on the wooden balcony overlooking the ocean. Hedbots were remanded to the apartment to keep guard over headless hedsets. Only lovers were allowed outside. It was a moonless night, no clouds, and the stars were brilliant.
“Ours now,” said Vince.
“The stars?”
“Yes. It was a night long ago very similar to this, except there was a moon. I was looking up at the stars and wondering if there was a way to get there and see if there were others out there.”
“‘Others.’ That’s what the digital-looking thing said to you in the trashback.”
“Yes, but real beings like us … well, not necessarily bipedal with skin and hair and certainly not as pretty as you.”
Maria pecked him on the cheek. “Thank you. I still want to go.”
“All tomfoolery and haberdashery aside, you are a good choice to go,” said Vince.
“Really?”
“Yes, but you are not going without me,” said Vince.
“Okay, you can go.”
“You are so easy. Hey, wait, it’s my ship!”
They both laughed.
“You know I love you,” said Vince.
“And I love you, and I also know where this is leading.”
“To those grandkids my mom wants?”
“No, Vince Miller … well, maybe … we’ll talk … but you are a practical man, thinking of all the angles. You are thinking our love for each other could compromise the mission. That it could develop into problems down the line. That if you do meet the super-sexiest space bitch in the whole galaxy, I’ll be a big gravity anomaly around your neck.”
“How did she know?” said Vince in mock despair, clutching his scalp.
“Now that that little secret’s out you might as well know that Maria Valdez is gonna kick that space bitch’s ass.”
“Oooh, I like it when you talk dirty,” said Vince and kissed her.
Maria responded, putting her arms around him, pressing herself against him. Clothes were soon flying off in a race to see who could get naked first. The risk of splinters increased dramatically.
“Why are we doing this on the balcony when we can go inside and use the bed?” asked Maria.
“Yeah, let’s kick the hedbots out and use the bed.”
“Do the hedbots bother you when we have sex?”
“No … yes, but only when they make snide comments about performance and take pictures. Let’s kick ’em out anyway. It will develop their character,” said Vince.
“Madre de Dios, they don’t need any character development. Perhaps that is it. They have such cleverly written software to define their personalities that we are beginning to see them as more than just machines. I think that’s it. We don’t want our friends to watch while we make love.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” said Vince, sounding less than convinced.
“Do you have another explanation, Mr. Droopy Dick?”
“No, I don’t. But I’m a smart guy. I’ll figure it out, but right now I’m going to kick some hedbots out of your place. We are going in there to have sex on a proper bed, and we’ll just see who’s a Mr. Droopy Dick then.”
“Okay, big guy.”
Five minutes later, Ferdinand and Ookie were patrolling the balcony.
“How come they kicked us out?” inquired Ookie, leaning against a handrail post.
“They must have found out about our betting on the duration of their copulation,” said Ferdinand from his perch on the railing.
“Maybe,” said Ookie, sounding skeptical. “Look! A meteor!”
They raced to see who could post the image to the Web first, and so it went through the night — vigilant hedbots guarding the defenseless sleeping humans.
