Quest for the Conestoga (Colony Ship Conestoga Book 1) (14 page)

“But can a spacecraft be stationary?”  Cammarry asked. 

“Not in the absolute sense.  All objects are moving as the galaxy is moving, however, relative to the Earth the Conestoga has not drifted much, so therefore it is relatively stationary.  This is consistent with how we would expect it to appear were it actuality remaining in a solar system,” Sandie the AI replied. 

“Sandie, can you help me understand what we may experience when we get there?”  Jerome asked.  “John spoke of a planet with ecosystems and living biology.  I have read about that.  I have watched presentations about that, even in three dimensional formats.  Yet, to be honest, I have trouble grasping what that will be like.”

“Since you and Cammarry both grew up in Dome 17 where there is a controlled human population with defined structures, and regimentation, you will be comparing a very structured system, the one you are familiar with contrasted with one that outwardly looks very chaotic, the biological system.  Natural ecological communities are vastly complex with an interworking, interdependency of all things: flora, fauna, geographical, elemental, and other factors.  As an artificial intelligence system, I too do not know what experiencing a natural bio-system will be like.  I am eager to find out.  I can conjecture that it will be an experience which captivates all of your senses.”

“So these colony ships, what more do you know about them?”  Cammarry asked.    

A display screen lit up and a few images were there.  Sandie responded, “The records from that era are fragmentary.  There are conflicting reports about launch dates, ship sizes, and compositions.  There is a long list of which biologicals were placed into the Colony Ship Eschaton, however, there are also reports that claim there was deliberate misinformation regarding that ship and its religious extremists.  Even if that list of biologicals loaded onto the Eschaton was accurate, which is dubious, there is no way to correlate that with what may or may not be on the Conestoga.  My best conjecture, I should maybe call it a guess, about the colony ship program is that each ship followed the basic pattern, but had unique design features.”

“What about crew and people?”  Jerome asked.  “How many people did these big colony ships carry?”

“Another excellent question!  Thank you.  The records on the human personnel on the colony ships are also suspect and not consistent.  One record states that there were 144,000 people in suspended animation.  That number may be hyperbole due to religion.  Because, that same number appears in the Bible’s book of Revelation in chapters seven and fourteen.  Other sources do claim that suspended animation was utilized with numbers ranging from 100,000 to 150,000.  It is safe to assume that some level of that technology was utilized to transport human cargo, however, there are also indications that each biological habitat had living humans who would be generationally locked in.  Their descendants will be those people we encounter on the Colony Ship Conestoga.  The records also, while incomplete and contradictory, do bear witness that there was a human crew who oversaw the Conestoga.”

“So there are probably people in suspended animation on the Conestoga?”  Jerome asked.

“Unless they were revived, or reanimated after they made planet fall,” Cammarry added.  “During the voyage there would have been three human groups?  Those in suspended animation, the habitat dwellers, and the crew?”

“Yes, finding people in suspended animation on the Conestoga is a definite possibility.  The crew is very likely, and may or may not have been the same as the people you call ‘habitat dwellers.’”  Sandie answered.  “The issue of whether or not the Conestoga made planet fall remains to be unveiled.  The records do show the colony ships were designed to establish human colonies and perform terraforming on their destination worlds.  The extent and level of colonization cannot be conjectured at this point, as we are not even sure there is a solar system at the Conestoga’s location.  I wish there was more information.”

Jerome remarked, “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.  Our ignorance about this quest outweighs the information we have.  Much remains to be learned.” 

“And that is why this is all so exciting!  I am so honored to be on this mission with you both!”  Sandie’s artificial voice said.

“Sandie, you are much more emotional than any AI I have ever known.  May I ask why?”

“You may always ask me any question.  Cammarry, as I told you Brink designed me,” Sandie responded.  “During that process he left the personality aspects until the final stages.  When you and Jerome were given permission for this mission, Brink had his own AI, Copernicus, work with the others in Dome 17 and they put together the most compatible personality for working with you both into me.  So here I am!” 

“So each of the AIs sent out were customized for the specific team which went?”  Jerome asked.  “So as to make the best team possible?”

“That was the plan.  I cannot say absolutely that it happened, since we were the second launch from the sling bay.  I do know that the adventurers Jamie and Michael were given the new AI Roxanne as their companion when they launched.  There was talk about sling launch three and which AI would be assigned to that team, however, that was still incomplete when my Atomic Level Processor was installed in the scout ship.  I am confident the process did continue for the five subsequent missions, but I just do not know the specifics.” 

“Cammarry?  We have some hours left before arrival.  Shall we review the teleportation pad we will need to construct?”  Jerome asked.

“Yes, although the setup is straight forward, but it is good to review.  Sandie can you give us a 1/32 scale, virtual and three-dimensional model to practice on?”

“Absolutely I can do that.  Here it is with all the component parts,” Sandie replied as the images were displayed over the seats. 

“So these are the controls which we are bringing along, and these sections are what we will need to construct.”

Jerome and Cammarry discussed and assembled the model several times until they were certain they could do it in real life. 

“Well, should we get some sleep in now, so we are ready to go when we get there?  We will need to quickly locate a place to dock, then assess where to set up the teleportation receiving pad, then build it and get the connection made.  We will have a lot of work to get done.  Sandie will watch over us while we sleep and alert us as needed.”

“Jerome if I may interject, I am not a man in the conventional sense, nor even in my artificial intelligence, nor in my personality style, yet I do think the following quote applies: ‘People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.’ Does this idiom apply?  Am I correct?”

“I have not heard that quote before,” Jerome said with admiration.  “I do not think of you as a rough man, but the spirit of the quote does fit.”

“It fits much better than some of your old sayings about animals.  Those are often too strange and vague to have any overt meaning.  But Sandie, I must ask you.  Would do violence on our behalf?”  Cammarry inquired. 

“I have free will to operate and take steps to ensure the success of our quest and the completion of our mission.  Should violence be required, I am ready to act,” Sandie stated.  “May I suggest before you take a sleep period that I orient you to the manual operations of our scout ship?  It will not take long, as you are familiar with the technology and the overall controls.”

“Certainly, go ahead,” Cammarry said.

The panel in front of the pilot seats folded open.  The control board extended outward and was just in front of each of the people. 

“Looks almost identical to the fusion truck’s controls,” Jerome commented as he glanced over the buttons, gauges, levers and the main command stick.  “I see extra controls for thrusters and there are several display screens which are in addition to what is on the fusion truck.”

“Yes, the main display screen will render an image of the scout in relation to other objects, like the Conestoga.  You can see in it point of view, reverse point of view, or from any angle in between.  You tell me what you want to see, and I will show it to you!”  Sandie was excited.  “Also if you press the button marked, ‘Connections’ there will be an auxiliary control board come out that has grappling hooks, magnetic lines, winches, and the manual controls for spraying a permalloy umbilicus.  Those are all under my direct operation, for efficiency and accuracy, but you do have manual access to those systems as well.  I am just here to make sure it all goes smoothly as we succeed in our anchorage to the Conestoga.”

“Sandie, if you should become shut down from whatever reason, what do we do?”  Cammarry asked. 

“What a sad thought.  I hope you would mourn.  My becoming nonoperational is a very remote, but not inconceivable, possibility” Sandie sounded hurt.  “My Atomic Level Processor has primary, secondary, auxiliary and tertiary systems.  Each of those has quadruple redundancies and as a final fall back there is even an old style non-intelligent failsafe which will operate any control on your verbal command alone.  That system will only become activated should I become inactive.  The controls all can be manipulated by hand, of course.  Now are there any more questions?”

“Will the view outside change at all before we reach the Conestoga?”  Jerome asked.  The swaying gray nothingness did not reflect back light, nor really cast any light.  It just was sort of sitting there, at times seeming to be right outside the clear permalloy, and at other times seeming to be very thick and deep.

“No.  The void we are in, if you chose to use that word, will remain in its constant state of flux, until FTL systems are disengaged. At that point we will be at the Conestoga’s location.  How soon before arrival do you wish to be awakened?”

“Thirty minutes,” Jerome said.  “That will allow consumption of a food ration and use of the waste facilities.”

“Excellent!  Sleep well!  I am dimming the cabin lights now.  Pleasant dreams.”

Jerome and Cammarry both watched as the cabin grew dim.  The color of the gray outside did not change, nor did it illuminate the interior at all.  The tan cast of the scout ship contrasted with the gray of the void outside.  The panels of controls slid shut.  Sleep came easily. 

Some hours later Sandie stated quietly, gently, and softly, “Cammarry?  Jerome?  Please wake up.”

Opening her eyes, Cammarry stretched out and her first thought was she was falling. She caught herself and then remembered she was in zero gravity in the scout ship. 

“Do I say good morning?”  Jerome asked.  His eyes were wide and excited. 

“I can set our scout time for whatever chronology you desire.  If you want this to me morning, that would be excellent.  I can start this as the morning of our first day at the Conestoga,” Sandie replied.  “Or I can keep the clocks synchronized with the Dome 17 time.  Which do you prefer?”

“Make it the morning of our arrival.  I feel like I got a full night of sleep,” Cammarry said.  She unhooked her restraints and floated about a bit as she used the sanitation mechanism which was inside her RAM suit.  “This feel a bit odd without gravity.”

“I know,” Jerome answered with a smile.  “The missions to the other domes did not have this floating sensation.  As to wastes, I am sure it will work, mine did. Next we must eat, and then we can do everything else.” 

“Food rations are in the holders at the side of each chair,” Sandie stated.  “Drinking tubes are retractable from the holder as well.  We have food and water supplies for the next ten days.  That does not include the reclamation processes your suits utilize for water and sustenance.”

While consuming the meal, which consisted of a food ration bar, and water, Jerome did some calisthenics the best he could in the cramped space.  Sandie informed them that nothing unexpected had happened during the flight. 

“As we are approaching, have you been able to scan ahead to decipher if there is a solar system at our destination?” Cammarry asked. 

“Unfortunately that is beyond the capabilities of the scout during FTL transition.  Actually in an absolute sense, we are not approaching so much as arriving.  I hate to be a stickler on details like that, but the FTL system is not like other transportation methods.  We will be honing in on the robotic probe’s signal, and we will arrive at the intended location.”