Moonliner: No Stone Unturned (15 page)

Cedric looks really closely at the coin, holding it up into the sunlight.  He flips it high into the air, catches it, and slips it into his pocket with a laugh, not believing in the least that it has any connection whatsoever to his laser transmissions. 

He wants to believe, nevertheless.  Where he thought that looking under the stone would yield nothing and give him closure with Nikki, it has only opened new questions.  With this mysterious coin, his connection with Nikki remains open, giving him a sigh of relief.  In fact, even though he seriously doubts the coin’s connection to his transmissions, he likes that it gives him an unexplained connection with her, allowing further hope, regardless how dim.  Still, from where the coin came and how it got beneath the stone both remain unknown. 

Cedric sits on the Skytrain, staring at the coin.  He puts it in his pocket and looks out the window, then pulls it out to look at it again.  He’s curiously drawn to it.       

Finally, he sits in his apartment, rubbing tonkatsu sauce on the coin to clean it, a trick he learned years ago in Tokyo.  It’s late at night, but still quite warm and muggy.  A sudden light rain can be heard from outside, showering the steamy pavement below.  It’s a welcome relief from the heat. 

Then as sudden as the rain came, it stops.  Through the night air comes the smell of steam from the rain rising from the pavement.  Cedric can smell it wafting through the screen door of his balcony from the street below, a smell he likes.  It’s a scent that takes him back to his childhood and the smell of those endless, dry, summer days.

Moonliner
3:06

Cedric sits on a monolithic bench next to a contemporary coy pond in the quad, a large grassy area in the center of his campus, squared off and enclosed by long, concrete walls on each side.

Cedric’s University is a small yet renowned school that sits on a hill east of downtown.  The campus is contemporary, comprised mostly of concrete.  It’s like something from a sci-fi flick.  The buildings, however, are somewhat dilapidated, crumbling in places from years of excessive rain and harsh hilltop weathering.  The school, nevertheless, is sound.

He’s holding out, sitting in the cool morning air not wanting to go inside.  Since Nikki’s crash he hasn’t had the slightest interest in his academic work.  It just seems so meaningless now, and so impractical.  To Cedric, his laser-com work is purely theoretical with no apparent, pragmatic function in daily life.

Cedric eventually walks into the Raybach building, hoping to find Pender, hand him the repeater he needs, and get out of there without seeing anyone else.  He’s not in the mood to discuss his work, or lack thereof.  He’s not looking for any sympathy or to talk about Nikki or the crash either.  He’d just like to get home and have the day to himself to think.

He makes his way to the elevators, presses the up button and patiently waits for one to arrive.  Suddenly, standing next to him is a well-dressed, middle aged man in a suit.  Cedric has seen him around before.

              “You’re Cedric Davis, aren’t you?” the man asks.

              “Yeah,” Cedric answers; “have we met?”

              “No, not formally,” the man replies.  “I’m Jonathan Archer with Cygnus.  I left a message with you.”

              “Yes,” Cedric says shaking his hand.

              “I’m very sorry to hear about your personal loss,” Jonathan says to Cedric.  It’s consoling to Cedric but he doesn’t care to hear it.  He nods in return. 

              “I’ve heard you’re on the brink of some potentially powerful discoveries and I’d like to hear a lot more about your work,” Jonathan goes on to say, changing the topic.  “Cygnus is really interested in what you’re doing here.  In fact, there may be a position for you on our team if your work is as good as your department head says it is,” he adds.

The elevator arrives and the two men board. Cedric pushes nine for the laser-com department.  Jonathan pushes seven.

              “Cygnus is a defense contractor, isn’t it?” Cedric asks.  Jonathan nods, not answering verbally.  He smiles.

              “Dr. Ridpath tells me you’re near completion of your thesis; that you have some interesting notions with time and space.  I’d love to hear more.”

              “I’ve run into some unexpected delays,” Cedric tells Jonathan; “I’ve encountered technical difficulties.”

              “I’ve heard a little about your delays from Dr. Ridpath; he mentioned something about you needing more distance,” Jonathan says.  “Maybe we can help?” he suggests.

              “How?” Cedric asks.

              “I could pitch the idea to Cygnus of having your tests conducted from the moon,” Archer answers.  “I can’t guarantee anything now, but they do listen to me.

              “So you’re saying Cygnus might be willing to send me to the moon?” Cedric asks for clarification.

              “Again, I can’t promise anything at this point,” Jonathan tells him; “If possible though, are you interested?” he asks.

              “Highly,” Cedric answers.  “I appreciate the offer to help and I’d seriously consider traveling to the moon to conduct tests.”

              “Sounds good,” Jonathan says as the doors of the elevator open and he gets off.  “Let’s keep in touch.”

Cedric smiles to himself, now warming up to the idea of dealing with Cygnus.  They’re going to get his notes anyway, maybe he should befriend them.  He questions whether he should really be holding out technology that could benefit a planet? 

The number nine illuminates on the panel above the stainless steel elevator doors just before they open.  Cedric steps off the elevator and onto the floor.  He walks over to the cafeteria area where he’s supposed to meet Pender.

Moonliner
3:07

Cedric takes a seat at a small table in the corner of a large atrium lobby, within the cafeteria seating.  Some students are sitting around the area, chatting, drinking coffee, and studying but the place is mostly empty, which is not uncommon for late July.

A clock above the elevator reads 11:48.  Then out of nowhere, Pender suddenly pats Cedric’s shoulder.  Cedric stands up to give him a quick handshake.  They’re obviously happy to see each other. 

              “How have you been?” Pender asks Cedric as he takes a seat across from him at the table.

              “I’ve been doing alright,” Cedric answers, clearing his throat a bit to make himself sound convincing.  “I brought the repeater,” he tells Pender, pulling a small metallic object from his pocket and handing it to him.  “I didn’t mean to keep it for so long, I’ve just been so….”

              “No worries,” Pender responds; “I’m sorry to bother you.”

              “Not at all,” Cedric says; “It’s no problem at all.”

A waitress asks if they would like anything to drink.  They both order coffee.

              “Dr. Ridpath is constantly asking me if I know where you are, or what you’re up to,” Pender tells Cedric.  “They’re trying to be respectful and give you a little time in light of your loss, but this guy Jonathan Archer has really grown interested in your thesis.”

              “I know,” Cedric says.  “I just met and talked to him on the elevator a few minutes ago.”

              “What did he say?” Pender asks.

              “They might send me to the moon,” Cedric answers.

              “To the moon?” Pender asks.  “They really are interested in your work.  I thought they were pissed at you for missing the draft deadline.”

              “No, don’t worry about that,” Cedric answers.  “I’m alright.”

              “Sounds like it,” Pender says.  “So are you going to go?”

              “I’m not sure, maybe,” Cedric answers.  “I’m still uneasy about handing over half a decade’s work to these guys.  I’m calculating my next move.”

              “What should I tell Dr. Ridpath next time he asks if I’ve talked to you?” Pender asks Cedric.

              “Go ahead and mention that you saw me here,” he answers.  “Jonathan Archer is probably going to anyway.  Tell them that you saw me, that I was working on my thesis, and that I need more time and distance to conclude my work.”

              “Fine, I’ll tell them,” Pender replies, “but keep in mind that you have to convince the entire department board, not just Dr. Pender or this Archer guy.  If you fail them, you fail the course, and they’re already unhappy about you missing the deadline.  You have extended your program well past the final deadlines.  You’re pushing it.”

              “I know,” Cedric answers, “but don’t worry.  Dr. Ridpath talks with the other board members virtually every day.  They know about my thesis, about Nikki, the whole picture.  They’ll cut me some slack.”

              “I hope so,” Pender responds.

The waitress returns with their coffees.  It’s now past noon and the baristas are working the lunch rush, which isn’t too bad today. 

              “How’s your thesis coming?” Cedric asks Pender, happy to step out of the limelight.

              “It’s alright,” he answers with mediocre confidence. 

              “Did you meet Friday’s deadline?” Cedric asks.

              “I did, but they butchered it,” Pender answers.  “They picked it apart like chicken off the bone.”

              “Did they accept it?” Cedric asks.

              “They did, but after I spent another weekend revising it for them,” Pender answers.  “They do such a good job of making you feel like you haven’t learned anything, just when you think you have.”

              “I know, just hang in there,” Cedric tells him.  “Mark my word.  The day will come when you have forgotten about your draft outline.  You will not have forgotten, however, about your doctorate.” 

The two tap their coffee cups in a toast just before they take their first sips, which they do almost in unison when their conversation hits its first break. They take in a little silence.