A Larger Universe (26 page)

"Are we under attack?"

"A more likely explanation is the ship has emerged
close to a star.  Most of the outside sensors have been burned away."

"How close?  Can we get away?"

"I am unable to answer that question.  We may be close
to death ourselves.  I have called an off-shift bridge crew.  Perhaps we have
time to do something.  First we must know our location."

The elevators began discharging Nesu and warriors.  The Nesu
gave loud cries when they saw the dead.  The warriors began removing bodies. 
Crews of human artisans arrived soon after to work on damaged consoles.  The
crews' lungs hadn't been the only things seared by the heat.

In all the activity, no one noticed Tommy standing near the
podium, where Ull now sat, listening to reports from the stations on the
bridge.  The ship was not falling into a star.  The radiation, chiefly on one
side of ship, continued unabated, but wasn't increasing.  The observation
windows were the most vulnerable in spite of the shutters having closed on all of
them.  The ship was under continuous bombardment by high-energy particles on
the same side as the highest radiation levels.  That bombardment and radiation
were eroding the ship's hull at an alarming rate.

Ull turned to someone sitting at a console nearby. 
"Spin the ship."  She spoke into a microphone extending from the arm
of her chair.  "Anyone having a theory about what is happening come to the
command chair."

The member of the crew who came forward had to introduce
herself when Ull did not recognize her.  "I am a member of the science
section, Director Ull.  I believe we have emerged from transit behind a nova
wave front.  That is the only theory fitting the facts.  If I am right, the
situation will not improve.  We must return to transit."

The discussion that followed among Ull, the science officer,
and the navigation officer went nowhere.  Too many sensors had been seared from
the hull to establish the ship's location.  The navigation officer wasn't
willing to commit to anything other than the ship should have been continued in
transit for another week.  When pressed, she agreed that might mean the
navigation computer had malfunctioned again, but she had no way to be sure.

The navigation console might still have the computation
results
, Tommy thought.  It did, and a moment later he hurried down the
stairs to the sub-deck to boot his computers.  With results in hand he returned
to the bridge and interrupted the discussion still in progress.  "Lord
Ull, here is our location," he said, handing her the sheet of paper.

Ull handed the sheet to the navigation officer. 
"Interpret this for me."

She referenced the coordinates in a star chart.  "If
this is correct, we exited approximately a half light year from the star system
called Dima on our charts, a white dwarf and its binary companion."

"Which direction is the radiation and particle wind
coming from?" Ull asked.

The navigation officer turned to his console and returned
with the answer.  "From Dima.  But that is impossible!  Dima is one of our
navigation beacons.  Dima is not a nova."

"You show your ignorance," the science officer
said.  "Dima has always been a candidate to nova.  That it picked now is
our misfortune, but does not make it less the truth."

Another of The People joined the group.  "Lord Ull, one
of the observation windows and its shutters on deck eighty-six has collapsed. 
The automatic doors leading to that chamber have sealed, but we do not know
what is happening in those sections."

"Return to your duties," ordered Ull.  She turned
to Tommy.  "You have been working for many weeks on your replacement
computer.  You say its results are correct.  I am placing our future in your
hands."

No more simulations
, thought Tommy.  "The same
destination as before?  The last transit took us out of the way, and we have
farther to go."

"I understand.  Yes, the same destination, and
hurry."  Ull replied.

First, he had to plug his connections into the cables
leading to the central column.  That was the scary part.  He hadn't removed the
subroutine that printed the intermediate results.  The printer began printing
as the execute button appeared on his monitor. 

He hurried up the stairs until his head was exposed. 
This
won't do.  I've got to create a replacement bridge console.

"Lord Ull, I am ready."

"Initiate the transit."

Tommy almost dived down the stairs.  A click of the mouse
sent his results to the transit drive.

The wailing sound stopped, and with it all of the
conversations on the bridge.  He again raised his head above the bridge floor
in time to see the dome shield peal back like a flower, revealing the familiar
blackness of transit.

Ull left the bridge for a council meeting without saying
more to Tommy.  Three hours later, a warrior found him, still working on the
sub-deck, to summon him to Ull's quarters. 

He found her treading water by the rock shelf, waiting for
him.  In the crystal clear water he could see her tail moving under her. 
"How confident are you we will arrive at the predicted place?" she
asked.

"I checked and rechecked everything.  You were with me
much of the time.  I am as confident as it is possible to be."

"
The People's Hand
sustained much damage,"
she said.  "Until we emerge from transit, the injury to the hull cannot be
assessed or repaired, but we have much to do inside as well.  Before we were
able to get away, seven observation windows were eroded away and blown inward. 
If only those chambers were open to vacuum, we would leave them until the hull
repairs can be made, but for three of them, the implosion destroyed connecting
doors into adjoining passageways.  For one, the force of the nova's wind blew
out emergency doors all the way to the central column.  While it existed, the
wind was a two-meter wide torch eating the column wall.  Many of The People
were killed on that deck.

"I have the complete attention of the remainder of the
council now.  They no longer believe my warnings are without foundation.  You
and your artisans have access to all parts of the ship except the Sanctuary. 
Begin with the high priority list I gave you.  The failure of any of the three
computers remaining could cause the death of all on board.  Be prepared to
change each of them to one of your computers as soon as possible.  After you do
that, you are free to examine and replace any of the old computers you
find."

"We will be in transit for fifteen days.  I should be
able to accomplish some of that."

"Make as much progress as you can.  Continue until you
have given us what I bargained for, a better
The People's Hand
than we
had before."

#   #   #

After getting the list from his quarters and eating a late
lunch, Tommy went to the bridge.  All of the events that day had happened in
less than five hours.  If he could contain his exhaustion, he still could get
some work done.

The three remaining computers on the list controlled
insystem drive, ship's attitude, and gravity.  The list gave their locations as
the sub-deck under the bridge.  A single console on the bridge, close by the
navigation console and the commander's podium, served the insystem drive and attitude
computers.  The gravity console was out of the way, against one wall and
covered with a thin layer of dust.  All of the computers were accessible
through the same trapdoor, so, as he had many times before, he walked toward
the trapdoor from the elevator.

The soft murmur of Nesu voices preceded him.  Snouts below
gleaming black eyes turned toward him as he came near.  Individuals in his path
moved to the side.  Before, except when he was with Ull, they had refused to
even acknowledge his existence, forcing him to use a circuitous route to the
trapdoor. 

When he arrived, the trapdoor was already up; its opening
surrounded by three of The People who watched him approach. 
They must be
waiting for me.  What's going on?
  He lowered his gaze as he came closer.

The one on the left spoke first, then indicated the others
standing beside her.  "Hello, Master Tommy.  I am Cauth.  This is Ulsu. 
This is San."

Master Tommy?  No lord except Ull has ever called me by
any name!

"We are the console operators for the three computers
you will be replacing,” she said.  “Director Ull has instructed us to give you
any assistance you require."

Any assistance I require?  I thought Nesu wouldn't work
with humans.  What's happening?
  Aloud he said, "Perhaps later you
could show me the controls on your consoles and what results you expect?"

"I would be honored to do so, Master Tommy," Cauth
said.

"As would I," San said.

"And I," echoed Ulsu.

Honored?  This is insane.  I must be lying on the
sub-deck floor, dreaming all this while the ship is being destroyed!

The murmur of voices swelled.  He raised his eyes to find
the entire bridge crew gathered in a circle with him as the center. 
This
must be what it's like to be a referee in a professional basketball game.  Late
in the second half when the sweat’s pouring off the players and the smell on
the court is rank.  Except the players wouldn’t rip the referee apart if he
looked into their eyes! 

Cauth spoke again.  "Master Tommy, we all thank you for
our lives and our families' lives.  You defeated our enemies.  You have
returned our lakes and pools to us.  For those, we should have been grateful,
but instead took it as our due."  Those surrounding Cauth whistled in
harmony.  "Then you again saved not only our lives, but our ship and the
wealth and traditions of a hundred generations of The People by your deeds
today.  This can no longer be ignored."  The tuneful whistle became
louder.

"I am Las, a member of the ship's council."  Tommy
turned toward the new speaker.  "Today, we listened to the voice of The
People and our own honor."  Las reached out with her left hand and took
Tommy's right hand.  Her claws pricked the back of his wrist as she placed a
small cylinder in his palm.  "By decree of the council this day, you are
one of The People.  As you have shared in our efforts, you will share in our
wealth, lakes, and streams, both you and all of your descendants.  What any of
The People may do, you may do.  Where any of The People may go, you may go.  We
give our word, and our word is our contract."  The crowd's whistling
reached a crescendo and cut off.

Tommy's knees shook as he went down the stairs onto the
sub-deck.  As soon as the whistling ended, the crowd dispersed back to their
duties. 
Not much of a ceremony,  A touch on each shoulder with a sword
would have been better.  Maybe a medal hung around his neck by a beautiful
woman.  Of course, by Earth standards, The People had no beautiful women and
little ceremony.  They are a practical species.  They trade, swim in their
lakes, and go where they will.  I wonder what their home planet is like? 
He
looked at the metal cylinder Las had given to him.
  Maybe this was their
equivalent of a metal.

Ull was waiting for him at the bottom of the stair.  She
indicated the cylinder in Tommy's hand.  "Be careful with that." 

Tommy lowered his gaze.  "Lord Ull," he said.

Ull warbled.  "Were you not listening?  That is no
longer necessary.  You are one of The People.  We do not lower our eyes to each
other or call each other Lord."  His eyes met hers.  "I must admit,
your direct glance still makes me want to tear out your throat.  Perhaps, until
all know you better, you should be careful when you meet one of us.  You could
look in the general direction of her face to see her reaction before gazing
directly into her eyes.

"Enough.  I have come here to congratulate you, and to
make sure you understand we still have a contract.  The honor you have been
given makes the contract stronger for me and for you."

"You should not worry.  I will continue to repair your
ship,"

"Your ship now," Ull responded.

"I said I would continue to repair the ship, but not
because I am one of The People, but because I want to receive my part of the
bargain.  I want to leave this ship the next time it goes to Earth."

"I sense you do not consider this the honor the council
members may have believed it to be."

"May I speak freely with you?  Without your tearing out
my throat, I mean?”

"Do you mean to deliberately provoke me?"

"No, not deliberately, but you do have a temper.  I
might say something you do not like."

Her whistle trilled.  "I will try to control
myself."

"All right, I will say it.  If I were truly one of The
People, I would go swim in my pond and find a human to do the work."

"You were right to warn me.  You think we do not
work?"

"Maybe you do.  You seem to be a politician.  Or maybe
'manager' would be a better word.  The bridge crew works.  Those are all I have
seen."

"The People are merchants.  Our work is to trade.  Each
shares in the wealth in this ship and in the ship's accounts that have been
accumulating for hundreds of years.  The bridge crew performs their service as
part of the life contract made with The People on this ship when each person
becomes an adult.  The council exists because someone must guide the ship in
its journey, but we too have a contract with The People on this ship limiting
our powers and duties."  She made a gesture Tommy hadn't seen before. 
"Would the wealthy people of your world repair its own houses, clean its
own toilets, or guard its own banks?"

Tommy muttered in English, "On Earth, we don't pack
millionaires a hundred to a mansion the way the Nesu were packed in their lakes
before I started fixing them.  What's wrong with this picture?  Why don't at
least a few of them take their wealth and go home?"  Louder he said to Ull
in the lords' language, "I suppose not, but will you admit having slaves
do the work has had some unintended consequences?  Would you be in this mess if
you knew more of what is being done, or trusted those who are doing the
work?"