Heirs of the New Earth (20 page)

The woman stepped forward, her hand extended. “You must be Edmund Swan. Good to meet you at last. I'm Kirsten Smart.” As the deputy sheriff took her hand, Kirsten looked into his mismatched eyes and her breath caught. She quickly turned her eyes to Gibbs. “How's he been doing?"

Swan smiled nervously as he released Kirsten's hand. “Who can tell? He's been like that most of the time since I've been here."

"But he does have periods of consciousness?” asked Kirsten.

"About every ten hours he wakes for an hour then goes back under.” Swan looked down at his wrist chrono. “He's due to wake any minute."

Swan looked up at the Rd'dyggian warrior and pursed his lips. All of the Rd'dyggians that Swan knew liked to wear loose-fitting garments and made large, loping movements. This one stepped up to Swan with almost delicate precision and introduced himself. Seeing the open case on Gibbs’ kitchen table, Swan stepped past G'Liat and examined the device within using his computer eye. “I've heard about these brain scan devices,” he said. “I don't know exactly how I feel about them."

"As a law enforcement official,” said G'Liat, “I would think you would find such a device very useful for interrogation."

Swan gritted his teeth. “Devices like that violate too many basic rights,” he said, shaking his head. “I'd only agree to its use in the gravest of emergencies."

"That's just what we were talking about when you walked in,” said Kirsten. “G'Liat would like to use the device on your friend now, but I was trying to persuade him to wait until your return."

The warrior stepped between the deputy sheriff and Kirsten so quickly and quietly that Swan jumped in spite of himself. “Actually what I'd like to know is where you were. Why weren't you here?"

Kirsten shot the warrior an angry look and Swan opened his mouth to answer, but a shuffling from Gibbs’ armchair interrupted everyone. The computer technician blinked in surprise at the new people occupying his apartment. He smiled nervously and waved as he rushed to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. When he was finished, he stepped out and made his way over to the kitchen.

"Tim,” said Swan, “I'd like you to meet two friends of mine: Kirsten Smart and G'Liat."

Gibbs punched his order into the food preparation unit then turned on Swan. “Edmund, I don't mind you being here, but I'd appreciate the courtesy of being asked before you invite people into my home."

Swan started to say something but Kirsten held up her hand. “We won't stay long,” she said. “We've heard a little about the project you're working on."

"We're curious,” interjected G'Liat. “We'd like to know more."

Gibbs brightened for a moment, then his eyes narrowed as he evaluated G'Liat. “Rd'dyggians are warriors and pragmatic to the extreme. Why would you be interested in an advanced computer project?"

Kirsten's jaw dropped. Even though she didn't have much love for G'Liat personally, she was shocked to hear such a sweepingly racist statement from the engineer. G'Liat cleared the distance from the table to Gibbs in a single step and looked down into the engineer's face.

"I will remind you, Mr. Gibbs that Rd'dyggians were in space while your kind were still killing each other with the bones of animals.” His voice was soft, but so icy that it sent chills down Swan's spine.

Edmund took two steps forward and put a hand on G'Liat's chest. “Tim's been working awfully hard,” he said, trying to think of the right words to pacify a potentially dangerous situation. He examined the Rd'dyggian warrior with his computer eye, but found the readings hard to interpret. He turned his attention to his friend. Dots of perspiration broke out on Gibbs’ upper lip.

"I'm sorry,” said Gibbs slowly. “I didn't mean to offend.” He looked down to the floor. A moment later, a chime sounded, indicating his dinner was finished. Standing a little too quickly, he upset his chair. Hands shaking, he took his food from the unit and carried it around the eight-foot tall warrior to the table. With a certain grace, G'Liat righted Gibbs’ chair and held it for him.

Kirsten looked up at G'Liat with a frown, and then joined Gibbs at the table. “I'm afraid we've gotten off on the wrong foot,” she said, gently. When Gibbs looked up, she smiled reassuringly. “I'm a cartographer for TransGalactic."

Gibbs chuckled, shook his head and then he took a bite of food. “You'll have your work cut out for you,” he said.

"My ship has sensed gravitational shifts from the center of the galaxy. From what Edmund tells me, this might be related to what you're doing."

Gibbs nodded. “The Cluster is a very ancient lifeform with knowledge that spans billions of years of existence,” he said slowly. “They want a place to deposit that knowledge, so others can benefit.” He stood from the table and stepped over to his teleholo. He brought up a schematic that showed the black hole at the center of the galaxy, with intense jets of energy shooting out into the reaches of intergalactic space. A veil of gas surrounded the dense mass. “We're building a memory core."

Kirsten and G'Liat both stepped up to the teleholo and examined the image displayed as Gibbs returned to the table and continued eating. “So,” said G'Liat, “why does the Cluster need a memory core? It seems they're perfectly capable of storing the information they've gathered."

"They're dying,” Gibbs responded bluntly. “There used to be more of them than there are now. They want to make sure the information they've gathered is preserved."

Kirsten chewed her lower lip for a moment before looking up at Gibbs. “Do you mind if I use your teleholo to call my ship?"

"Be my guest,” said Gibbs.

As Kirsten called the
Sanson,
Swan sat down with Gibbs at the table. “So that's what this is all about? The Cluster wants to save their knowledge for posterity?” When Gibbs nodded, Swan looked up at G'Liat. “That doesn't seem so bad, does it?"

"It all depends,” said the warrior as he stepped toward the table. “Who gets to access the data?"

"Anyone,” said Gibbs. “Part of the design is a beacon with coded instructions on how to retrieve the information."

Swan noticed that Kirsten was deep in conversation with the
Sanson's
first officer. He stood up from the table and joined her as Yermakov whistled. He was kneeling next to a woman typing on one of the ship's consoles. A holographic simulation of the black hole appeared. After a moment, there was a flash of light.

"Are these masses correct?” asked Yermakov, wide-eyed.

Kirsten looked up. “Mr. Gibbs, are the masses you used for your simulation the same ones you're using in the memory core?"

Gibbs nodded and wiped his mouth on a napkin.

"What's the matter?” asked Swan.

The doll-like figure of Yermakov stood up on the little dais. “Bringing that much mass together is going to trigger a massive shock wave throughout the galaxy,” he explained. “It will strip the atmospheres from a million stars. Long before that happens the tachyon burst from this event will devastate life as we know it. Zahir, Rd'dyggia, Titan, Earth ... and all of their colonies...” Simon looked down at his feet then back up. “Kirsten, if they complete this project, life as we know it is over."

Kirsten, Swan, and G'Liat all looked at Gibbs.

Gibbs looked from one face to the other. “The Cluster says they'll protect those of us here on Earth. They can control the gravity waves so we'll be safe in this solar system."

"That still leaves everyone else,” said Kirsten. “Humans on Alpha Coma and the other colonies, not to mention all the people in the galaxy.” She deliberately avoided looking at G'Liat.

G'Liat made a low, menacing growl while Swan dropped into a chair and put his face in his hands and thought about his friends on the far side of the galaxy on the planet Sufiro. Kirsten thanked Simon and then terminated the connection. Without another word, she stepped out of the apartment, needing to get to some fresh air.

John Mark Ellis awoke in his room on Nantucket and found himself looking into the blue eyes of Eva Cooper. She started slightly, and self-consciously brushed blonde hair behind her back. He blinked a few times and she helped him sit up, then handed him a pill and a glass of water. Without thinking about it, Ellis took the pill and greedily drank the water.

"Thanks,” said Ellis. He handed the glass back to Cooper. “May I have more?"

"Certainly,” she said, and she stepped across the hall to the bathroom where she refilled the glass. “You must be dehydrated after two days asleep."

Ellis swallowed the second glass of water and then nodded. With that, he leapt up and stepped across to the bathroom. When he was finished, he looked up and down the hall as he padded back to the bedroom. “Where are the others?"

Cooper filled Ellis in on the events of the last two days while he rifled through the closet looking for some clothes. “I'm glad to hear that Mom's going out to talk to Richard. I think if anyone can help, he can. The Cluster's building something at the center of the galaxy and I don't like what I saw at all.” He looked out the door then at Eva. “How's Coffin doing?"

"He's been doing amazingly well for someone who's been asleep for so long. I've been giving him some sucrose solution to keep his body from dehydrating too far. I was just about to check on him when I noticed you were waking up.” She looked at his pajama bottoms then smiled sheepishly. “I'll go check on him and let you get dressed,” she said.

As Ellis pulled on his pants, he tried to remember what he'd seen just before he awoke. The image of the scuffle on the deck of the
Pequod
came to his mind. Quickly, he threw on socks and shoes, then stepped across the hall.

Cooper looked up from Coffin and swallowed hard. “His life signs have dropped,” she said. “I don't know why—maybe he's been too long without food and water, maybe it's something else."

"I need to get back,” said Ellis. “If I can get back to the Cluster, I think I can save him."

"Oh no,” said Eva as she stood up. “I don't think that's going to be possible for at least 24 hours.” She pulled out a chair and indicated that Ellis sit down. As he did, she explained what they had learned about Proxom inhibiting the Cluster.

"So that pill you gave me?” asked Ellis.

"Was Proxom,” she said.

Ellis took a deep breath, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and then tried to think. “Something major's going on and we're going to need help.” Ellis looked to his friend, lying on the bed. “He's going to need help."

"Where are we going to get help?” asked Cooper.

"Let's get Kirsten, G'Liat and Swan back here,” he said. “Then I think we need to have a talk with the people who should be helping us."

"Who's that?"

"The people who used to be subject to the Cluster,” said Ellis. “The Titans."

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"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet and upon her head, a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born."

Revelation 12: 1-4

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Fire pulled back on the throttle suddenly and turned to avoid hitting a dark gray form that leapt out of the water in the boat's path. Manuel fell out of the deck chair and rolled into the boat's rail. “What the hell?” he cursed as he pushed himself to his knees and rubbed his neck.

Fire quickly set the boat on hover mode and turned on her translator in time to hear the clicks of the sperm whale that had just emerged in front of them say, “The cycle continues."

"The cycle continues,” said Fire, mustering some resolve. She looked out at the whale and tried to decide if he was the one known as Richard. Manuel struggled to his feet and joined Fire by the rail.

"You are the one called Suki Firebrandt Ellis,” said the whale. Manuel inclined his head, listening to the whale's static-like vocalizations for a moment before turning on his own translator box. He heard the whale say, “Your mate and calf introduced us several seasons ago."

"You're the whale called Richard?” asked Fire.

"Your mate and calf knew me by that name,” said the whale. “I am content to be called that.” The whale swam close to the boat and turned so that one eye looked up at Fire and Manuel. “I do not know you, land ape."

Manuel looked helplessly at Fire and shrugged. “He is called Manuel Raton,” said Fire. “He is a friend of ... my calf ... John Mark Ellis."

The whale lifted its tail out of the water and slapped it down on the surface. “How is John Mark Ellis? Is he well?"

Fire shook her head. “I wish I could tell you for sure.” She looked down at the deck and tried to find the right words. “He lives, but last we saw him, his mind had left his body. We believe it was stolen by a thing called the Cluster."

"Ah,” said Richard. He swam a short distance away from the boat. “John Mark spoke to me of the Cluster when he last visited. It is a thing of space that understands the hunt and the death. I told John Mark that he should speak with a philosopher called G'Liat."

"He did,” said Fire. “G'Liat helped John Mark find the Cluster; helped him follow it to its home, a cluster of ancient stars. There, John Mark communicated with it. Now his body is back on Earth. G'Liat is here as well."

The whale swam a little further off and said, “Whales care not for the matters of space."

"You can't just ignore the Cluster,” called Manuel. “It's over our heads, orbiting the Earth."

Richard made a long, gentle arc and circled back to the boat. “I do not ignore the Cluster,” he said. “Suki Firebrandt Ellis has already told me that the Cluster has stolen the mind of John Mark Ellis. That matters to me, but I am powerless—just as I was when a giant squid carried my calf down to the depths—just as I was when my mate came to the end of her time. I am not a tool builder."