Cast:
| NPC | Banker |
| 5'10", late 20s-early 30s, neatly kempt ship pilot. Obvious spacer gait and complexion on a lean athletic build just now "going to seed." He suits his language and attitude to the company he keeps due to long experience as a ship's steward. Co-owner of the Sorcerer. | |
| Will | Eddie |
| Shy of 6', late 20s, unkempt brownish-blond hair, ship engineer. Average, if slightly used in appearance, his build hides under grease-stained coveralls. Co-owner of the Sorcerer. | |
| NPC | Croy |
| "The Shepherd", a man of philosophy in his late 30s-early 40s, sporting a warrior's build and a black ponytail. | |
| Marian | Jamie McFarlane |
| Petite 5'2" beauty with fair skin and brown hair. Always wears wrap-around goggles. A translator and negotiator specializing in alien cultures. | |
| Sheryl | Jannisett |
| 5'7", wedgewood-blue skin, long shimmery-white hair; a stunningly beautiful martial artist. Seems to be in her early 20s, possibly younger. Her perfect proportions belie her evidenced strength. | |
| Peter | Art |
| 5' tall, slow-moving, non-human sociologist of extreme antiquity. Hunch-backed, camel-faced, with yellow-gold skin, extra-human senses and extraordinary capabilities. | |
| NPC | Roks |
| 24" tall, four-eyed, 6-limbed (albeit bipedal), chameleon-skinned alien archaeologist. Believes Art to be his race's god. |
[I will probably omit the cast list from succeeding run notes as most Players are by now familiar with the characters.]
From the journal of Jannisett.
Day 62, enroute, Galaxy Unknown.
Roks and Art told me that I was entirely correct not to volunteer a genetic sample. I am glad, although I am now sure that Art is not a Malik. My type of Malik, at least.
I am sure that Art is losing mass. I am not sure why. [Alien bio-experiments.] It is difficult to get Art's attention; it becomes very focussed on the task at hand and notices neither movement nor sound unassociated with its studies. [Art's priorities: 1. Human bio interface, 2. Life support systems, 3. Jamie's eyes, 4. Tools to build tools to build tools.]
I have watched Art a lot. It is very careful when helping Eddie. Very safety conscious, although I think Art can be damaged even less than I. Perhaps it needs the reminder to be gentle with the softer ones? It is clear that Art likes to be close to those with whom it speaks, resting its head on them or pressing close. When I worried that Art was an Owner, I would back away, but I think I have gotten over that (almost). Jamie doesn't seem to mind even though Art could crush her if he leaned thoughtlessly. Jamie had to explain about personal and intimate space. It made sense; I can make a private space around myself any time I want. Art wanted to know about "territoriality"; it seemed to be a concern that Eddie goes away when he notices me. Perhaps Eddie has a very large personal space?
Art has been watching Jamie a lot; I think that it has begun to gesture like Jamie, even with the mouth frill. The sounds it makes, too, have the cadence of Jamie's speech even though it speaks through Roks. Roks no longer prostrates himself but, clearly, Art is Roks' Malik. I try not to think about that.
I have learned the daily program of the ship. I have learned to help Jamie in the galley when she cooks meals. I take meals to the others if they have become too involved in work to check their chronometers. I do light katas in the Common Room while waiting for our group meetings - although, again, the others have involving jobs and do not always come. I practise my reading with the Romance disk Becca gave me, and my writing in this journal. I think I am getting faster at both, but there is not as much time for either if I want to listen to all the questions Art asks Jamie. I practise my katas in the hold. It would not do to lose capability in my one useful skill. Banker is trying to teach me to pilot the Sorcerer but it is far more difficult than I had imagined. [-10]
Day 69, enroute, Galaxy Unknown.
Jamie and I were talking today about precious things so I showed her my gifts from Grey: my little case and my picture. There was an intake of breath when she saw the picture and she asked how I knew Grey.
Remembering an earlier conversation I said, "Grey is my god. He rescued my little sister and me from Home." Jamie said that his picture was actually the badge of a ranger and asked me to tell my story from meeting Grey all the way to meeting her. So I did, as sparsely as I could.
"I was an asim for Killian. One day I met Marek on a Security Systems maintenance contract. We worked together and I came to - trust him. Then I learned that Killian had sold my little sister to Korak - a very bad Malik. Marek revealed that he was really Ranger Grey working undercover against the Maliks. He promised to help me save my sister. I opened the system and we learned enough to follow and take Jinan away from Korak. But Grey was injured in the fighting. We got away and into his ship. But I had none of the necessary equipment and could not keep Grey alive for many days. Still, he taught me much and, when he died, I put him in the cold box. Later Jinan and I fainted for a while. Still later the all-clear sounded and Sam opened the door. As he was kin to Grey he took us to his ranch. I learned many things on NRW - to set table, to read, to ride a horse, and to model. Then I protected Becca and had to leave. Roxie and Lee sent me onto a ship because Sam and all the other rangers and Annie were gone. They did not want a 'witch burning'. Roxie promised to take care of Jinan. The ship took me to Gulf. Then I got on a ship that took me to Trinkal where I met you. And I am to return in one year. In less than one year now."
Jamie: "Selling people is slavery. Your Malik sounds like a slave owner."
Then Jamie suggested that I open the "briefcase." I had not thought before that it opened. There was a mechanical object that we eventually folded out into a cyber-horse. Jamie said that Eddie could power it up. There were also some papers that Jamie showed to Eddie and Banker. They said that the papers mean that I own Grey's ship and some land on a planet they do not know. There is also a control mechanism that Eddie thinks belongs to Grey's ship. However, I do not know where Grey's ship is. Eddie seemed very impressed, nonetheless. I feel - very strange - to think that Grey wanted to make these extra gifts to me. I wish I could have done or said more for him. It is a very sad happy feeling.
Day 80, enroute, Galaxy Unknown.
I like being a student with Art. It asks - well, Roks asks for it; Art still does not speak our language well - questions that help me understand things I didn't know about being human. I didn't even know I didn't know them until Jamie answers. Jamie is in her element. She would spend all her waking time with Art, I think, asking it as many questions about its culture as Art asks about ours. (Query: is it really "our" culture when I don't know the answer any more than Art does?)
I am learning more about the others on this ship from Art's questions. Jamie has said that she got her PhD in xenobiology from The University and that she lived with the BE1s and the BE3s for years. (I am not sure what a PhD is.) The university is an immense training facility in the Core to which very few students are admitted. It must have been a great honour for Jamie; her clan must have valued her potential very much. And yet she says she left her clan and the Core because doing good is rare in the Core. I am trying to learn more about doing good. Art is really interested in this, Roks says, because it is sociology.
I've learned about war. War is like a two-team melee: a large conflict wherein a great many 'askari wield weapons with lethal intent for their Owner's goal or for their side's honour. But war seems to involve more 'askari than exist in all of Home. While Jamie was studying for her PhD amongst the BE1s, they had a Civil War; that is a war in which the combatants should all belong to the same side but, in fact, decide to oppose each other. Jamie was an 'askari in the BE1 civil war and fought for the successful side. She then sat on the Tribunal to decide the fate of the losers who survived. She says some of those would still happily see her dead, although the Tribunal only exiled them and curtailed their breeding privileges. (I have not asked how the BE1 normally choose their mates.) Roks was as interested in the Civil War idea as I was; I noticed he asked questions even without first speaking with his Malik. (Query: Would it be a Civil War if people made a war against Maliks? I find it hard to breathe just writing the question.) Art asked many questions about weapons. I think that creatures like Art do not use weapons; I wonder how they disciplined Roks' people. It is another thing that makes me think Art is not a Malik, even though Roks thinks he is. I do not understand why Roks thinks that way; to me, it sounds as though Art had been a dâyi technician for Roks' people. I showed Art some katas using my sword and staff. It does not seem to want to know how to use weapons, just why humans use them.
When we talk about Things, Eddie sometimes stops to listen and participate. But when we discuss Ideas, he disappears as fast as when he looks at me. Sometimes he does a lot of participating and disappearing. I still do not understand Eddie, but he spends a lot of time getting Art and Roks to explain things about the ship and I like listening to Art's questions, so I hang around Eddie too. I try to be quiet so he does not disappear.
Art asked about the tubing that runs throughout the ship, because of which we are not to close any doors unless Eddie has removed it. I now know it is part of the life-support system Eddie built for the Sorcerer because he "couldn't figure out the original system." He says that it is "not a closed system - no hydroponics."
Roks: "The Genetic Manipulator could grow a thing that would work better."
Eddie: "But then I would not understand how it works."
Roks said that Art could grow a system if there was space enough but Eddie does not want to give up a hold. Eddie says that he is a mechanical designer and Art is "organic." I looked that up, but - Art does not seem to me to be a fellah. The shapes I have seen when I've passed his room do seem to have changed to be more plant-like. (Perhaps Art's people grow plastics and metals rather than plants?)
Art wanted to know what use Eddie makes of the ship.
Eddie: "When you own your own ship, you never have to stay in one place very long."
Art & I: "Why?"
Roks: "Do you just get bored?"
Eddie: "Yes..."
Roks: "Or are there people you have inconvenienced and you wish to avoid them?"
Eddie: "I feel pretty safe here."
I asked Art: "What do your people do with ships?"
Art: "They are part of our interconnectivities, ways of communication, tools to interaction."
Eddie wants Jamie's assistance more and more because of what she learned of the ship on the planet where we found Art. I have noticed the Eddie, Jamie and Banker seem to be able to speak with each other when they are in different parts of the ship even though there are no individual communicators. Jamie says it is because they are "chipped": there's a small piece of electronics in their heads. It seems useful. I have also noticed that Eddie sees things no one else can about the power circuits and electrical systems in the ship. (Query: Is that due to a different chip?)
Day 84, enroute, Galaxy Unknown.
I came awake in the middle of the night cycle because all the rooms in the ship were suddenly bathed in light. Taking my sword, I went around the ship to investigate. I stopped my circuit at the bridge where Banker and Shepherd were watching Art approach Jamie sitting at the console. The console was distracting, with many displays with flashing lights which clearly fascinated Eddie. As I stepped into the room, a panel slid open and a tentacle unfolded three prongs which speared into Shepherd's forehead before I could reach him.
< Hard entry. The ship is not designed for this sort of biotics!>
I did catch him before he fell and lifted him in order to pull him away from the attacking machinery.
Art said something: < "No! Danger if he is removed too quickly!" >
Roks shouted, "Stop her!"
Jamie ordered, "Jannisett, don't move him!" She had never spoken so to me before; I froze as Banker started to reach towards me.
Eddie seemed at last to notice the blood on the console: "There's power going through that wire to Shepherd's head."
Jamie: "How do we get it to let go?"
I saw Art's staff begin to glow as it concentrated on Shepherd. Art said something to Roks and the small being scuttled off towards Art's cabin.
Eddie: "What did you do to get the console to do stuff?"
Jamie: "I didn't. I thought I was in bed." Then she noticed a 'hedron (like she had used on Art's planet) in a linkage in the console. She removed it and some of the displays faded.
Eddie: "Wait! Put it back! Those were data feeds. It's not talking to Shepherd anymore but it's still pumping power into him." Jamie put the 'hedron back into the console.
I asked, "Did you mean to put it back that way?"
Jamie: "What way?"
I: "Different from how it had been." I was able to explain in words the original orientation and Jamie took the 'hedron out again.
Art, noticing Jamie's actions, spoke: < "Re-engaging the 'hedron in the original position will cause permanent damage!" > It moved a hand towards the 'hedron linkage; Jamie slowed her action and Art succeeded in interposing.
Eddie: "Put it back! Put it back! Put it back!"
Jamie: "No. Art's saying it'll hurt Croy more." She distracted the engineer by explaining that one of the displays meant the Communications were sub-par.
Roks returned with Art's equipment: "What's going on here, Jamie?"
Jamie: "I was asleep. I have no idea what was going on. I was asleep. I got the diagnostic running." Then she realized that I was still holding Shepherd and fetched a cot so that he could be properly tended.
I watched Art working over Shepherd for 2 hours. Then I requested that Roks fetch me when my medical skills would be needed. I wish Art could talk to us.
< It is slowing down. It has established some connections but I want there to be no more damage. I will have it disconnect when that becomes possible. >
Eddie was still staring at the active and inactive displays [memorizing the new ones.] I stopped in to see Jamie. She claimed to be fine but it did not look to me like she had any intention of returning to bed for the night.
Day 85, 2nd Unknown System, Galaxy Unknown.
< No two of these creatures' brains are alike. Jannisett's brain has well-defined pathways which are very pleasing to me. Banker is cross-sectioned on top of the basic hemispherical structure, seemingly related to his sensors. Is it a beneficial mutation or a characteristic of his people? And which pattern is most appropriate for the reconstruction of Shepherd? >
Banker piloted us into the new solar system while Art tracked the pilot's mental process. I do not know how that will aid in Shepherd's recovery. Eddie had asked for a scan of planetary atmospherics. I think that has to do with our lack of sufficient air to get to the Stargate. Art and Eddie agreed that the former could use the engineering iris to check this new star.
Eddie: "We only need to seal the room. I'm no longer concerned about being in the room with you; you've proved there'll be no damage." Eddie has a device that controls the opening and closing of the hold and engineering doors. On its return from engineering, after Eddie had refilled the room with air, Art told us that he had picked up a "signature that repeats, indicating intelligence."
Eddie: "An inhabited planet!"
Together Eddie, Jamie and Banker located the source of the radio waves on the further of the star's four "rocky" planets. Jamie got the ship to display pictures in black and white from overhead a city at about a mile above the site.
Eddie, with admiration: "Damn! And those sensors are 'substandard'?"
Jamie: "Occasionally sub-standard." Then she focussed in, showing tall buildings, ground vehicles and humans. The others commented that there was no air traffic to be seen. They continued analyses. Sophisticated uses of simple combustion engines. No fusion or fission. Low level tech. Solid architecture with facades of artwork -- mosaic, etching, murals - representing many man hours.
A broader view revealed many large islands or small continents [125], too regular to be natural. All but five were populated. Some of the populations were non-human, including races that neither Jamie nor Roks recognized. Each island was uniform in its inhabitant's race. The center of the populated islands featured cities clearly and radically differing in cultural development each from the others; the coastlines were nearly uninhabited. No evidence of docks or ships although there was aquatic life. The islands of the northern hemisphere were more densely populated than those of the southern; all 5 uninhabited islands were in the southern hemisphere. The uninhabited ones were completely flat and featureless. Some of the islands with non-human populations had domed cities. Jamie got the sensors to examine inside the domes. "Low tech inside - how weird!"
Eddie spotted a satellite in a non-geo-synchronous, variable orbit. It was spherical with antennae focussed towards the planet. He said that it was very like a standard military issue satellite. "It's not exactly the same as those I've seen but it's damned close."
Art had gone back to working on Shepherd - who was still connected to the ship console -- and, being of no use with the ship, I watched. I noticed Art stiffen as though he were about to fall.
Roks: "Something's wrong!"
I: "What can I do to help?"
Roks: "I don't know!"
Eddie continued, "This is a highly artificial arrangement. The Sensors are watching for something. Possibly an attempt to escape."
I asked, "How could someone escape if there is no flight."
Eddie: "Perhaps if they fly they get blown out of the sky. A satellite usually indicates security."
Jamie: "We should wake Art before we take action. Let's give him some time."
I was unwilling to wait long and shortly jostled Art until it came to. I said, "I apologize if I should not have wakened you."
Jamie: "Were you in distress?"
Art via Roks: "I appreciate your concern. I was caught up in things from the far distant past which I thought never to experience again. I don't understand."
Eddie: "Is Shepherd ok?"
Art: "There is damage. He will suffer some permanent effects. I don't know enough of the difference between psychic and biological damage in your species."
I noticed several more instances of Art "freezing up" as he worked on Shepherd after that.
Jamie and Eddie discussed approaching the satellite. Eddie maintained, "If you're chased by a military ship, you're dead. Military tech is so much in advance that a normal ship cannot defend itself."
Nonetheless, they decided to move closer and were rewarded by the detection of radio waves emanating from the satellite out into space. Jamie determined that it was not a weapons platform.
Over the next several hours I noticed that it was a certain twitching pattern by Shepherd that seemed to produce the physiological reaction in Art. When I was positive, I asked Art, "Why?"
Art: "Hm. A reaction to it?"
I realized that "it" meant the wire hooked into the preacher. "What is it doing?"
Art: "Sending a signal I recognize."
Jamie: "Related to the past you thought gone?"
Art: "Yes. In analogy, it is as if I had been talking to a stranger and then, suddenly, I am talking to a brother."
I: "It is as though you feel kinship with Shepherd?"
Art: "Yes."
Continued investigation of the planet showed a very high tech installation at the North Pole. It was small and had what Jamie said was obvious perimeter security weaponry. Jamie's sensors could not see all the way into the planet, but time showed there was nothing at the South Pole. Eddie worked out a path whereby the Sorcerer could avoid detection by the satellite and land on the South Pole where we could replenish the ship's air. It was not as cold as one might have expected.
Day 87, Island Planet, 2nd Unknown System, Galaxy Unknown.
We'd been on planet for three days when Eddie reported that the satellite had vanished from the ship's sensors.
Art was of the opinion that the satellite's sensors could not penetrate water. I do not know how he knew that.
Day 92, Island Planet, 2nd Unknown System, Galaxy Unknown.
Banker "flew" the ship underwater, under the ocean. I had not known that was possible but Eddie says they've done it before back when they acquired the Sorcerer. Art has asked for bio-samples from this planet so we went to investigate the nearest human-inhabited island. We must surface to "land" because the ship has no airlock. Banker beached the ship and opted to stay while we gathered samples. Art surprised Eddie by making the ship's hull "transparent" to radio so that communication could be maintained with Banker.
The ship's sensors had indicated that this island had only a 10-mi. diameter city center. It was mostly a farming and ranching place with copse of trees rather then forests. The cattle shown were the same huge beasts I knew on FRW. I warned the others of the dangers posed by such when alarmed.
The first day I stayed in asim-mode. Eddie drove the "van" which meant that I need not worry that Art would have to travel great distance at its normal speed. However, I brought the cyber-horse along on the van; it could not hurt to have it if someone had to be recalled quickly to the van. But as nothing untoward happened, it became easier to help with the gathering and to admire the natural beauty of the place. We returned to the ship when the light failed.
Jamie scanned for local radio frequencies and discovered them! Speaking Common! In a noble dialect of Core. She said the news station was like a small town newspaper. I asked what my dialect revealed. Jamie said that it was not a dialect but, rather, an upper class speech pattern also from Core. I am not sure what that means about my people and Home.
Jamie, Eddie and I began a discussion on whether or not the people of this planet were held in this "artificial arrangement" as prisoners and, if so, would it be possible to rescue "even one." I know that one is better than none; Grey taught me that. The others maintained that there was not enough data to evaluate the status of the local inhabitants.
The discussion moved on to the Sorcerer's weaponry. Eddie says that it had previously killed some people who helped him salvage the ship and was disabled by himself in order to get Banker aboard. Apparently the tentacles at Art's planet repaired the weapons. Art and I tried to encourage Eddie to say more about himself.
Art: "Have you ever submitted to total subjugation?"
Eddie: "Once, sortof. I was part of a crew of a ship taken by pirates. They found me useful. I blew up their ship."
I asked, "How did they find you useful?"
Eddie: "The ship wasn't in that good of shape. The pirates asked the first of our crew if he could repair the series 9000 4f7g9; he said no and they shot him. Then they asked the next man; he said yes - but he couldn't and they shot him. So I spoke up and asked them what version of the series 9000 4f7g9 they needed fixed and said I could fix it." I could tell that he hoped he'd save the rest of our crew by volunteering. "They took me away to do engineering and I never saw any of my crew again. I think the pirates spaced 'em. So I didn't show any mercy when the opportunity came to blow up their ship. Except to the one that wasn't a pirate at the time."
I: "How did you escape if you blew up the pirate ship?"
Eddie explained about life pods, which seem an intelligent and necessary concept to me.
Art: "What was the non-pirate?"
Eddie: "She was a hooker." Seeing my bafflement, he added, "A prostitute." I shut up.
Art: "Why is she no longer with you?"
Eddie: "Just one of those things. She wanted to go back to hooking. I gave her all the funds I could scrape up."
I: "Could she not become a model?"
Eddie: "Not everyone has the assets to take on that sort of job." Then he shut up.
Day 93, Island Planet, 2nd Unknown System, Galaxy Unknown.
About mid-day we spotted a herd of cattle coming our way, controlled by ranch hands on motorcycles. One hand pulled away from the roundup and headed our way, but at about 100-feet from the van, crashed his bike into the ground, limped up and sped away past the herd, back towards island center. A second cyclist started our way and Jamie asked that Art, Roks and I hide under the tarp on the van. I could hear bits of the conversation.
Herder: "You from the other side of the island?"
Jamie: "Yes, we're from pretty far away."
Jamie used made-up name and the same clan name the herder gave for himself in the introductions. [He had used a four-part name associated with nobility of which Jamie knew nothing. The local radio station had only used that clan name for any individual "in the news".] Then the herder made small talk about our "foraging" and Jamie asked what was wrong with the first biker. The Herder was puzzled 'cause the first biker's cycle had been damaged in the fall. Then he invited us to camp with his herd away from the shoreline." By that time I had to hold myself very still; there had simply been too much time for an ambush to approach - yet I did not want to disobey Jamie's request. Once the herder was beyond ear-shot, I heard Jamie say, "We'll stay until they're gone - or should we go back to the ship now?"
Eddie: "He's going to be more puzzled if we head closer to shore."
Jamie: "So we stay."
Art spoke through Roks: "By extrapolation, it was mine or Jannisett's appearance that upset the first one."
Jamie told us about the human groups that did not have much experience with aliens.
I said, "Annie told me I had a disturbing effect on the ranch hands."
Eddie: "This wasn't that kind of disturbance."
Roks offered to collect an elimination sample from the cattle while we waited. Eddie decided we could wait the estimated half hour but, before long we saw a dust cloud coming from the direction of island center. So Jamie drove out after Roks who'd become hidden in the high grasses. Eddie spotted the small being and, as he hopped aboard, also deduced the camouflage projector for the van. Unfortunately it was good only when the van was parked. So Eddie and Jamie decided to hide in plain sight while the cloud resolved itself into a posse of 2 vans and 3 cycles. As luck would have it, the posse spotted the Sorcerer 'way in the distance on the shore and our Herder friend came out from his camp to talk to them. Eddie and Jamie argued it out and decided the game was up; our van headed back to the ship.
As Jamie and Eddie loaded the van into the hold, Art opaqued the hull again and went to check on his patient. I stayed on guard until we spotted the Herder headed our way. Again Jamie asked me to hide and there began a parley.
At a distance of 75-ft, the Herder waved, "Are you all ok?"
Jamie: "We're great. How 'bout you?"
Herder: "Seeing's you asked, things are a little bit off right now. I'm going to guess that's a space ship."
Jamie: "You'd be right."
Eddie: "Why are you all nervous about being near the shore?"
Herder: "It's forbidden. There are penalties for communicating with other islands on this planet. And the penalties tend to be lethal to most of our population."
Jamie: "Are you talking about mass murder?"
Herder: "I really don't know. There are stories. I don't have first hand knowledge."
Jamie: "What stories?"
Herder: "Are you leaving?"
Eddie: "If we have to. If there's reason to."
Herder: "Do you really have aliens aboard?"
Jamie: "Yes, we do."
Herder: "It's strange you're here. It's stranger that nothing's happened. I'm worried 'bout the safety of my family."
Eddie: "How long would it take to gather your family?"
Jamie, with insight: "Is every person on this island related."
Herder: "Yes, m'am. But the Elders say that we're not from here, we're not even from this galaxy."
Jamie: "Judging by speech, you and I are from pretty close to the same place." She invited him into the ship; he simply came closer.
Herder: "I'm in trouble for talking to you. I expected death to rain down from the sky. It hasn't happened yet."
Jamie: "Have any of you contacted other islands?"
Herder: "Not that I've heard of. Probably wouldn't be talked about, 'cause the stories I've heard are, well, one has it that the head of our family, a duke, I think, offended the emperor and was exiled to here, four generations back. I've also heard - and all the stories deal with punishment and a reason why we couldn't just be eradicated - is that one of the A.I.s was the principal moving force behind the punishment. Do you have any A.I.s in there?"
Jamie: "I don't think so but you don't ever know what all is in the computer."
Herder: "You have a computer? Then I won't come on your ship. That's an A.I."
Jamie proceeded to explain the difference between an ordinary computer and the self-aware, independent thinking state of an Artificial Intelligence.
Herder: "Sooo, a computer can't act on its own and can't replicate."
Eddie discovered that the Herder's "four generations" equal some 800 years. This planet had an essentially standard day, but its year was half of standard. That was still an impressive number.
Jamie: "When do the stories say the punishment ends?"
Herder: "Some say next week, next month, 200 years from now. I assume it's permanent. How'd you get the ship here?" He came closer.
Jamie explained the satellite and traveling underwater. Eddie explained the history of the ship and that we were trying to get home and had stopped on this planet for air.
Herder: "I won't come on your ship yet. But I'd like to meet the rest of your crew."
I was happy to shake hands with the young man and Art and Roks joined me in greeting him.
Herder: "Are there islands with others like him [indicating Art] and her [indicating me]?"
Eddie: "Not like them, but, yes, with other non-humans."
I protested, "I am human!"
The Herder asked what each of us did.
I: "I protect people - and model."
Herder: "Model?"
I: "Make clothing look attractive."
Herder: "You certainly do!"
Eddie and Jamie explained that Roks was a translator for Art who was a sociologist. The Herder speculated about studying the aliens on the other islands.
Eddie: "We don't want to put them at risk. We didn't mean to put you at risk."
Herder: "Maybe it's a made up risk."
Eddie: "Oh no, there were definitely weapons at the north pole." Then Jamie had to explain what the north pole was.
Herder: "That's no problem for me or my folks."
We asked if there was anything we could do to mitigate the dangers. He suggested talking with the Elders (two generations back) but thought that that might be difficult to do as they stayed in city center. We could not think of anything we could give him that would be of use or protection to him or his people.
Jamie: "We'll still be here if you think of something - assuming nothing happens to drive us off."
Herder: "I'm thinking it's not a good idea. The Elders have lots of responsibilities. I don't even have kids. I'm just a herdsman."
I: "For your personal safety, then, come with us."
Jamie: "We've got room. But we will likely never come back."
Herder: "How certain are you that 'they' wouldn't know if someone left?"
Jamie: "If they do, it'll be a very short trip."
Herder: "I think it'll be safer for your people and mine if I didn't come with you. When I was very young I saw something in the night that wasn't like a shooting star. More like a glow the size of the sun. Was that the satellite? It was about 19 years ago."
Eddie muttered: "10 years ago."
Jamie whispered back, "A death star?" Then Jamie told the Herder it hadn't been the satellite.
Art: "If they had the choice, would his society return to Core?"
Herder: "Everyone would go, based on the stories of what life was like for the family there."
Art, Roks and the Herder negotiated and eventually the young man gave Art a blood sample.
Meanwhile I argued with Jamie and Eddie. They felt that the best thing to do for this island and planet was to simply leave and hope that our visit had been un-noticed. I felt that the satellite's disappearance was ominous and quite possibly associated with our arrival and that we owed these people the safety of finding out more information - from the Elders, the satellite, and/or the North Pole installation - and acting upon it. Roks refined that argument with the suggestion that any data tapes of our arrival could be wiped. Jamie and Eddie were adamant that any further "tampering" would be clearly indicative of our presence and a sure death-sentence for the planet by an Imperial Warship. Further discussion revealed that Jamie was unwilling to thwart the Imperial decree that exiled these people; I argued that heinous crimes either merited death or publication such to discourage future offenders. Jamie refused to allow that such logic applied to the Emperor. I now am sure that Jamie's Emperor is no different from a Malik. Roks said, "There may not even be an Emperor and if there is he is one long-lived, heartless fellow." To my shock, Jamie shook her head in agreement.
I offered to try to sabotage either the installation or the satellite by hand, with the Party's assistance in transportation to said destination. Roks then had me attack the Sorcerer with my sword. I am sure the blow was mighty and, certainly, the sword was thoroughly dulled; but the ship was unharmed. Military hardware would be, they all stated, even more formidable. I could say nothing more.
Art drew an analogy between the fate of these peoples and those who faced Jamie's tribunal. Eddie said, "It is a difference in degree of distance and in the amount of freedom for the individual." They are prisoners, I could not help myself thinking, for no crime they committed and no war they lost. After Jamie's talk with Art about how the lack of do-gooding caused her breach with her family and with Core, I still have trouble believing that the honourable thing to do was to do nothing. But so it was.
Nonetheless, I think the others were not as firm as they presented themselves. I wish I had better arguments!
Jamie: "We should find the satellite and erase our traces - or we should leave."
Eddie: "The least footprint is to leave."
Roks: "That's based on assumptions. Have we been seen or not?"
Jamie: "We have to assume we've been seen."
Roks: "If we've been seen, we should go after the satellite."
Eddie: "Then let's go up and wait to see it."
Above the planet, eventually, the sensors found the satellite being refitted at the North Pole installation. Was it being retrofitted for retribution? We will wait and see. Jamie has discovered that the
Day 95, Island Planet, 2nd Unknown System, Galaxy Unknown.
We waited two days. The satellite was re-launched and started its fly-bys. Jamie's sensors detected no weapons aboard. Eddie said, "We dodged the bullet." I am so very thankful that all my worries were for nothing. I couldn't bear to think what Sam (or Grey) would have said had they not and I had just watched.
And yet those arguments with Jamie and Eddie give me much to think about. Eddie didn't disappear at all.
Day 98, 2nd Unknown System, Galaxy Unknown.
Art successfully disengaged Shepherd from the console. He is alive but, to my eyes, comatose. I have done the best I could to set up systems for his maintenance.
<He will never be the same. I cannot remove the nodules. It will be a long term task to repair their damage.>
Eddie was pleased to have Art available again to recharge the ship. And the group once again has embarked on the question of where and how. Jamie brought up the ship's display. Art finally explained his frustration in trying to "read" the displays. Apparently he is accustomed to such that give data available to him through his feelers and other particular senses. The Sorcerer's displays do not do so.
Eddie: "Perhaps this is a newer-than-Art ship. There's been time to forget you, build the ship, and then forget the ship. Plenty of time."
Banker brought up an almost-forgotten notion: "Where did the new 'hedron come from?"
Jamie: "I don't know."
I suggested: "Perhaps it has the means to replicate itself?"
Jamie: "But it had a different symbol engraved on that one surface." She went to get her 'hedron to compare it to the new one and reported back that the original was gone. Art was concerned that we did not scour the ship hunting. But, as Roks did not have it, and we knew of no other person who might have taken it, the conclusion was that the new 'hedron was, in fact, the old one. The new design could have been etched over the old; there was no evidence against that.
Eddie to Jamie: "You etched it in your sleep?"
Jamie: "I guess I won't be putting it back. I don't know if it changed before, after, or while in the console."
Eddie: "I suggest we power up at least 2% in this system. It'll take 9 weeks to get to another system only two weeks or less off the Line." Then he turned to Art, "Can you create a device that can recharge the batteries as you do through the iris?"
Art: "I am in the process of growing something. It will be useful in a few years."
Perhaps Eddie was right after all, and Art is really a farmer? Or perhaps I still don't understand.
(EPs: 1, total: 4; Peter: 1, total 3)
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