Solbidyum Wars Saga 4: Too Late for Earth (7 page)

“It is good to see you again also, my friend.”  Andy responded.  I noted a slight emphasis on
my friend
, and I recalled that Andy had reacted with surprise when I had called him “my friend” on the surface of Goo’Waddle during the battle. It seemed to have some impact and major significance with him, as the normal greeting for me would have been as First Citizen, which was used for anyone other than very close associates and friends.

“I was surprised that you allowed me to visit you here on your ship,” Andy continued.  “I calculated that your crew would have warned you away from having me aboard your ship, lest I steal your technology-- or the ship itself.”  I noted Stonbersa reddened slightly at Andy’s words, but he maintained his composure.

“In truth Andy they did, but I overrode them, though they did ask that I restrict you from certain areas of the ship.”  I answered.  I figured there was no use lying about it; I suspected that Andy could read even the most subtle of body Languages with humans, as well as hear the beating of the crew's' hearts and changes in their breathing, lying to him would only serve to destroy any trust in us he might have.

Andy nodded, but his expression didn’t change.  “So are we to meet here in the hanger?”

“No, not at all.” I began, “we’ll meet in my study.  “The only areas on the ship that will be restricted will be the bridge and the engineering sections.”

As we started to move deep into the ship ,we were unexpectedly startled when Jenira came running down the hall and threw her arms around Andy, hugging him tightly.  Andy showed no emotion, but looked at Jenira cautiously.

“I think Jenira is trying to thank you for saving her life,” Kala explained.  Jenira nodded and laid her head against Andy’s chest and hugged him again.

“Thanks are not required,” Andy said as Jenira looked up into his face, then he added, “but your gesture is appreciated.”

“Okay Jenira, you need to let go of Andy so he and Tibby can talk,” Kala prompted, “they have lots of business to discuss.”  Jenira stared up at Andy, who stood passively looking down at her, and then she slowly stepped back, waved, and headed down the passageway toward one of the gyms.

“I fear I fail to understand all the different levels of human behavior.”  Andy said, “Intellectually I understand the basis for her actions, but the emotional aspects of her behavior are strange to me.”

“You’re not alone there; I too fail to understand some of her actions as well.”  I replied, as I led Andy along the corridor toward my study.  Just as we were about to turn the corner, I noted him turn and look back in the direction Jenira had gone; I wondered what thoughts were going through his mind.

When we entered my study I noted Andy looking about quickly taking it all in.  The study had been built for Galetils and reflected his tastes, but I found them to my liking, so I had not made any changes to it.  Galetils was a wealthy industrialist who had his enterprises destroyed on the planet of Astamagota during a gigantic solar flare, soon thereafter he was found dead from an apparent suicide, though there were some questions surrounding his death.  I had arrived in the Federation not long after his death and was able to buy his estate on Megelleon and his space yacht, which we currently were aboard, and had renamed the
NEW ORLEANS
.

“This room seems to suit your character First Citizen,” Andy said, as he looked from the floor to ceiling and then to the glass wall behind my desk, viewing the interior of the huge aquarium behind it.  "While aesthetics values are seldom applied to androids, I find that the longer I exist, the more I am coming to appreciate such qualities in humans and perhaps even understand them a little.”

“Thank you very much Andy.  Please, have a seat,” I indicated one of the huge leather like chairs that sat before my desk and moved to the other one of them across from him.

“I want to personally thank you and all the androids for coming to our rescue on the planet surface, and for all that you have done since then in stabilizing the government.  We never could have accomplished it without your assistance.”

“It was not without considerable motive,” Andy said.  “It would hardly have been in our best interest if you had failed.  We were most concerned when you took off after Shydak and were shot down.  We are trusting in you to fulfill your part of the bargain to help us to find and transport to a world of our own where we might live.  We fully recognize that may take some time, but we are willing to wait, so long as we know you are endeavoring to accomplish that goal.”

“I have every intention to do so, you have my word on that.  In the meantime, I would hope that you and your fellow androids will continue to maintain law and order on the Goo'Waddle and keep things going until a new government can be elected and put into place before you all leave here.”

“What additional incentives can you offer us; we lived up to our part of the original agreement?”  Andy asked unemotionally.

“Hmmm, I’d not thought about that.  What would you like?”

“I think several space ships, some freighters and cargo vessels and perhaps two small armed vessels for planetary defense once we get established on a new world.  We would also appreciate some basic mining and manufacturing equipment to allow us to get started with.”

“I see,”  “I don’t think what you are asking is unreasonable, and I definitely can afford it, but I suspect that some of my colleagues will be less than happy with the arrangement.”

“Yes I noted that your Commodore Stonbersa was not so pleased with my being here on your ship.  I suspect he would be less in favor of you providing us with anything that can be construed as weapons.”

I was a bit taken aback by Andy’s comment, as the Commodore betrayed no sign of his displeasure over Andy’s being aboard the ship.  Andy seemed to note my dismay and continued.  “My hearing is especially acute as is my vision.  I could hear and analyze the Commodores heart rate and his breathing patterns as well as observing the slight flaring of his nostrils and the minor glaze of sweat he produced at times, all indications of his concerns and displeasure at my being here.”

“Amazing!  Give Stonbersa some time and he’ll change his mind and feelings.  He’s a good man; he is reacting to what he thinks he knows, and at the moment he doesn’t really know you.”

“Nor do you, First Citizen, yet you show genuine warmth, trust and friendship toward me in a way that I have never experienced from a human before.”

“Perhaps that is because I have no personal reason to distrust you or fear you.  I’m curious, do you experience emotions like humans do.”

“I do not believe so, we do experience fear and anxiety on some levels I believe, but love and desire, in the way I have observed humans experiencing it, are alien to us.  At times, I think I am experiencing feelings and emotions, but then when I see human's reactions to various stimuli, I do not believe it is the same.  We do not seem to have attachments to others in the identical way humans do.  For example, I note you, and other humans grieve about the young one you called Tanden, we androids do not know or understand grief.  If one of us ceases to function or is destroyed, we go on as before and no further thought is given to them.  Likewise, you humans seem to have this desire to create other humans by bonding with another human.  Our race is relatively stable in size and we don’t really die though some of us are starting to wear out.  Unlike humans we have no desire to propagate.”

“So eventually you all will become extinct as one by one you cease to function?”

“We could, but recently there have been some discussions among us that we should produce more of our own kind simply to continue our race, even though we cannot fathom why we should survive and go on.”

“Well I for one hope you find a reason; I think the universe will be a better place if androids continue to be here.”

“Perhaps, I shall have to ponder this further.”

At that moment I sensed the slight scent of cedar in the room, and I realized that A’Lappe had entered, cloaked.  I was barely aware of his presence when Andy spoke up.  “Who is this individual who has just joined us?” I noted that Andy was looking at the chair that A’Lappe usually sat in when he visited me in my study.

“That will be A’Lappe.  A’Lappe please reveal yourself.”  Instantly A’Lappe became visible sitting on the chair.

“Greetings Andy, I’m A’Lappe.  I apologize for my unorthodox entrance.  I wished to observe you without you knowing it.  I have never seen an android before, and I am most curious.  I wish you no harm.”

Andy looked at A’Lappe curiously.  “I’m not offended; no apology is required.  I must confess I have never seen another like you before, either, and I have many questions regarding you as well.”

“How was it you could detect my presence?”  A’Lappe asked.  Tibby does it, but I have no idea how, and he refuses to tell me.  Were you able to see me in some fashion, do you have some vision capabilities that we don’t?”

“No, I could not see you, but I could hear your breathing and the beating of your heart.”

“Ahh, I’d not thought of those possibilities,” A’Lappe mused.  He turned to me and continued.  “Is that how you do it also Tibby?  Is your hearing that acute that you can hear my breathing or heart beat?”

I grinned.  “Sorry A’Lappe that is not how I know when you are here, but I’m still not going to tell you just how I do.”

“Why do you wish to conceal yourself among your friends and fellow crew members?”  Andy inquired.  A’Lappe remained silent, and if he knew the answer himself, he was not about to answer it, but I had my own theory and decided to voice it.

“I think A’Lappe does it because it gives him a sense of identity, he likes being mysterious, and he also likes to know everything that is going on, by cloaking himself and moving around the ship this way it gives him a sense of both.”  A’Lappe sat looking at me with a look of surprise on his face, and I noted Andy looking at both of us with a sense of curiosity.

“And you and the rest of your crew do not object to his odd behavior?”  Andy queried.

“Oh there are some among my crew that it irritates, but as far as I know A’Lappe has never used this in any voyeuristic sense nor invaded anyone personal life’s, and he had better not, or he might find himself living on a very small asteroid with limited supplies.”  I said while giving A’Lappe a stern look.

“I can assure you both,” A’Lappe responded, “I never spy or pry into the personal life of any of the crew nor anyone aboard this ship unless the safety of the ship is involved.”

“I detect by your pulse and breathing you are telling the truth,” Andy said, but I still fail to understand your actions.”

“Can you tell if an android is lying?”  A’Lappe asked.

“Only by finding out the truth,” Andy answered stone faced.

“Do androids lie?  I asked, somewhat astonished by Andy’s response to A’Lappe’s question.

“We are capable of lying, but rarely do so.”

The next hours we spent in discussion on how the androids would govern the planet until elections were held and the new government assumed control.  In the meantime, I would be searching for an uninhabited planet suited for the androids’ needs.  With any luck, by the time elections were held on Goo’Waddle I would have located a planet for the androids to migrate to and inhabit.

Even though it went against the advice of Commodore Stonbersa, I gave Andy an abbreviated tour of the
NEW ORLEANS
before he left, I didn’t take him to the bridge nor some of the engineering departments, but I showed him a lot more of the ship than Stonbersa was comfortable with.  Androids don’t show emotions, if they have any to show, but I got the feeling that Andy was impressed by the fact that I had given him the courtesy of the tour.  Just before he boarded the patrol ship that was to return him to the surface, he said.  “First Citizen you are the first human that has truly impressed me with genuine respect.  It will not be forgotten by me or any of the other androids. We do our best to honor the bargain we have with you, as I believe you fully intend to honor yours with us.”  Then without further comment, he turned and boarded the ship.

Later that day Kala and I were relaxing in the private garden area that she had created for us on the NEW ORLEANS when a message came in on my personal communicator.  Normally anyone on the ship trying to contact or meet with me contacted Kala’s staff first, who then contacted Kala, who passed the information on to me, , Only in emergencies or some issue of extreme importance did a handful of selected persons contact me directly.

“This is Tibby,” I said into my communicator.

“Tibby, this is Wabussie. I just received new information about events of your home planet, Earth.  The team which has been monitoring the medial radio signals from there which occurred five years in the past reveal the asteroid that was headed toward the planet most likely impacted there two and a half years ago; there are no indications of any broadcasts since that time from the planet. However, there are weak signals originating from within the solar system, probably from satellites.”

“Can you meet with me in about 30 minutes to go over the data?  I’d like to have some of my team meet with us as well.”  I asked.

“Certainly, where would you like to meet?”

“How about the conference room in the wing we use for admiralty when they are aboard?”