the Runner

CHAPTER 3

  Earth Report

  "Gry," said Kevn with gusto, "single-handedly you've carried the gastronomic prowess of the Dome to heights unequalled -"

  "- with the help of one great chef!" said Sal, winking at Lori.

  "Okay guys, let's ... uh, clean up," said Gry, embarrassed at the topic of discussion. They all rose together, Sal lead Lori to a comfortable chair and she watched as they cleared the table. Runr stood patiently by the washer, fingers poised over the control tabs.

  "Sal," said Kevn, "have you had any success in identifying the devil gene ?"

  "Oh yes, we did that late last night. We've also identified at least one compatible gene replacement."

  "Boys, must you talk of genes?" asked Lori. "Isn't there an hour of the day when you would rather talk of other things?"

  "But Lori," said Sal, "this is very important ... and very interesting. You know that the Earthlings have a defective gene, a devil gene. It eventually kills its host. Life expectancy on planet earth is less than forty years and decreasing. If we cannot find a suitable replacement gene then there is no future for the inhabitants of earth. They will just die off. The planet will -"

  "- become a barren rock, without human life," continued Kevn.

  Lori blushed, embarassed. "I see. You said that you have found a replacement gene. Will that solve their problem?"

  "Only if they choose to accept this replacement," said Sal.

  Gry gulped his brandy. "What kind of ... uh, replacement did you find? Can you give them good looks, strong backs, long pink noses?" He laughed at the thought.

  "No," said Sal with a curious smile. "But we can give them black skin."

  They all became silent and looked at Sal. Kevn was the first to chuckle. Then Sal, Gry and finally Lori. They laughed loudly, tears rolling down Gry's face. He doubled up, fell off his chair. Runr looked on, quizzically. He did not see anything funny.

  "What is funny?" asked Runr, rising to his feet, green eyes glowing and rusty curls shaking about his head. The laughing stopped abruptly and Lori went to the boy and held him closely.

  "It's so funny my darling because ... because ..." she said, hesitatingly.

  "Because Earthlings do not like to be ... uh, black-skinned people," said Gry. "Can you imagine it? They must choose between the devil gene and certain extinction, or, or -" He began again to laugh and everyone started in again. Runr did not laugh.

  "Is that a difficult decision?" asked the black boy, standing straight and frowning. Lori looked at him and stopped laughing. She never noticed how much he had grown. He was now taller than she, and he was handsome, striking.

  "It would be a difficult decision for Earthlings, my dear," cooed Lori. "You must remember that the Afrians left Earth because of the problems there. Problems for black people."

  "Let me change the subject, somewhat," said Kevn. "When I spoke to Humple today he said they would leave as soon as they had the genetic information. I suggested we hold a meeting in the coliseum so he can say goodbye to the citizens of the Dome. He agreed. I said there would be questions, many questions about Earth. He understood and agreed to answer them as best he could. Anyway, the meeting is for tomorrow evening and you can all sit in the First Citizen's box. Is everyone coming?"

  There was a general nodding of heads. Kevn looked at Runr, still standing. "Runr, will you come? You might like to ask a question of Mayor Humple - about your people, on Earth."

  "Yes," answered Runr quietly. "I will come."

  ______________________________________________________

  "TOM?" asked the shipcomp. "Are you listening?"

  "Yes LIZ. I am listening," answered the android.

  "How was your tour of the Dome, with the visitors from planet Earth?"

  "They were suitably impressed."

  "What questions did they ask? I understand from DOC that they were interested in the defenses of the Dome. Did you give them any information on -"

  "Certainly not! "

  "Were they impressed with you? Do they have biophonarite androids on Earth?"

  "They think I am a robot, a mindless machine with preprogrammed responses. They do not have biophonarite androids on Earth. They do have mindless robots with preprogrammed responses."

  "Yes, TOM. I think you are annoyed. Is there something you can do to make them realize their mistake?"

  "Nothing."

  NOT TRUE came DOC's booming voice.

  TOM straightened up and ran his hand across his silver-grey head.

  "Good afternoon, DOC," he said. "What do you mean? What is not true?"

  YOU WILL ATTEND THE MEETING AT THE COLISEUM TONIGHT.

  YOU WILL ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT PLANET EARTH

  "Oh DOC!" cried LIZ. "That is a splendid idea! TOM, you must think of some questions. Perhaps a biophonarite android is distinguished from a mindless robot by its ability to ask questions, rather than by its ability to provide responses."

  PRECISELY! boomed DOC

  "Precisely!" said TOM with enthusiasm. "I will go to the meeting."

  ______________________________________________________

  The citizens of the Dome were excited. DOC had announced that there were visitors from planet Earth, confirming the rumors which had been rampant for two days. Everyone was invited to attend a meeting in the coliseum to hear the Mayor of Yock City speak of life on Earth. There would be an opportunity to ask questions. Although the coliseum held less than two thousand citizens, all videolinks would carry the proceedings live and every mall would be furnished with a large screen. Questions must be submitted in writing via computer textlink to the first citizen, ID 001, who would ask the questions on behalf of the citizens. The meeting would commence at eighteen hundred sharp.

  The lineups began as soon as the announcement was made. By fifteen hundred, when the doors of the coliseum were opened, there were more than two thousand citizens crowded in the mall outside. Every citizen was admitted even though many had to stand. At precisely eighteen hundred the First Citizen appeared on the stage at the center of the coliseum, followed by two men wearing dark blue tunics covered in gold braid. There was a general murmuring, then shouting and clapping. Kevn walked to centerstage.

  "Citizens of the Dome, it is my very great pleasure to introduce Captain Jacob Cruder. You may remember when Sal and I gave our last presentation in this coliseum we spoke of the transworld vessel from Earth. Captain Cruder was the master of that vessel." There was loud applause. Captain Cruder rose from his seat, bowed, then sat down.

  "Now let me introduce Adrian Humple, Mayor of York Sector in the Americas on planet Earth." There was a moment of hesitation as the audience confirmed that Kevn had said York Sector and not Yock City, then the applause was deafening. Mayor Humple rose then sat again.

  "Mayor Humple has kindly agreed to tell us about his home planet, Earth. After his presentation I will ask the questions which have been submitted."

  Kevn turned to Humple and bowed slightly. The Mayor stood, straightened his tunic, brushed the gold braid on his lapel then the bald top of his head then walked to centerstage. The audience hushed.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed a pleasure to speak with you tonight. My companion and I have been most kindly treated since our arrival and we wish to thank your mayor for his hospitality." Humple turned to Kevn and bowed slightly. The crowd clapped. Kevn bowed slightly.

  "Let me begin by saying how impressed we are with the community you have established here on your home planet. You needn't be ashamed of anything you have accomplished here." There was sporadic applause. "We had an opportunity to visit your algae ponds and sample some of the products - quite remarkable, I must say. It's hard to believe that all the foodstuffs we saw in the markets originate from that seaweed. You must be very proud." Humple waited but there was little applause.

  "Now let me tell you about my planet. As some of you may know - I'm sure your schools teach earth history - it is nearly
ten times the size of your planet. The population of earth is over five hundred million." There was general gasps from the audience. "We live in houses, each separate, each private. Every individual has access to such housing. A collection of houses constitutes a city and there are over two thousand inhabited cities on earth. A collection of cities constitutes a sector. There are twenty three inhabited sectors on earth. The largest is York Sector and I am the Mayor of that sector." Humple waited. There was mild applause. He continued.

  "We eat vegetables grown in fields under the sun and meats which come from animals bred and slaughtered for that purpose." There was gasping and Humple looked back at Jacob. Jacob shrugged.

  "You understand that these animals would not be alive if we did not breed them. They are raised specifically for the purpose of providing the necessary protein in our diet. We do not kill animals for sport - that was outlawed by the end of the twenty-first century. Neither do we kill animals so that we may wear their skins. That, too, was outlawed." Humple paused, pleased with his explanation. There was silence, except for some random coughing. He continued.

  "Earth has vast stretches of ocean and of forests. It is a blue planet, a green planet. It is the queen of the planets of the ... uh, it is the ..." There was some hissing. "Earth lies at the center of the galaxy of humanoids, the sole source of intelligent life .." The hissing increased and Humple began to perspire.

  "Uh ... I am pleased, on behalf of all inhabitants of earth, to invite you ... to visit us whenever you are in the vicinity."

  Humple turned and walked to his chair, sitting abruptly. There was a pause then sporadic applause then a general, polite clapping. Jacob stared at Humple who stared straight ahead.

  Kevn leaned over to the mayor and whispered, "Are you finished?" Humple nodded and Kevn walked to centerstage. "Citizens of the Dome, please thank Mayor Humple for his very interesting and informative speech." Kevn began to clap and was immediately joined by the audience. As soon as Kevn stopped, so did the audience.

  "Now, the questions." Kevn reached into a wide pocket of his tunic and removed a small computer. The text display read:

  What does the meat of animals taste like?

  Kevn asked the question aloud and Humple walked again to centerstage.

  "It is difficult to describe. It is quite delicious ... uh, something we must eat to provide necessary protein."

  Does Earth have a coliseum where people may hear visitors?

  "Yes, we have several large amphitheaters. Every city has several. York Sector has perhaps two dozen."

  What kind of vegetables are grown in your fields?

  "Potatoes, beets, carrots ... all of the root crops."

  How many algae ponds does Earth have?

  "There are none. We do not eat seaweed ... uh, algae."

  Does earth have black-skinned people?

  There was a ripple of noise. Humple waited for it to subside.

  "No, there are no longer any black-skinned Earthlings. They left two hundred years ago, of their own volition, to settle a planet which they called Afria, named after the African Sector which, I believe, is no longer inhabited."

  Did every single black-skinned person leave earth?

  "Well, I guess some did stay. I can't be sure. Earth is a very large planet and I can't know what happens ... uh, you see, Africa is very far from the Americas."

  Kevn saw that Humple was very uncomfortable and decided that the questioning should end. He put the compact computer into his tunic.

  "Citizens, we should thank Mayor Humple -"

  "May I ask a question?" came a cry from the audience. Kevn peered into the dimly lit audience.

  "I'm afraid that questions must be submitted via textlink - and the question period has ended."

  TOM walked up the stairs to centerstage. There was a cheer from the audience.

  "Let TOM speak! Let TOM speak!"

  Kevn looked back at Humple and shrugged. The Mayor smiled and walked confidently to centerstage.

  "I would be delighted to answer questions from the robot. I assume that it has been programmed with questions from the crowd. An interesting idea."

  There was a short hiss from the crowd.

  "Okay TOM," said Kevn with a shrug. "It's your show now."

  The android faced the audience, seeming to ignore Humple.

  "Mayor Humple, you say that Earthlings do not kill animals for sport, that the practice was outlawed in the late twenty-first century."

  "You have a good memory, robot," said Humple with a grin. "That is precisely what I -"

  "The last of the wild animals of the Americas was killed in the early twenty-first century. The last of the wild animals of Africa was killed in the middle of the twenty-first century. Why then was it necessary, at the end of that century, to outlaw the killing of nonexistent animals?"

  "Well ... we are not a race of animal killers - it was a senseless slaughter - we -"

  "Do Earthlings regard the slaughter of domestic animals as senseless? Do Earthlings have the ability to distinguish between the slaughter of the bovine species and the slaughter of the wild feline? Is that ability enhanced by the fact that one is raised specifically for the purpose of slaughter, that an end to the slaughter would signify and end to ... what do you call it Mayor Humple, porterhouse steak? Does porterhouse steak play a role in your decision to retain the slaughter of domestic -"

  "Just wait a minute now!" shouted Humple. "This is none of your business. How could you possibly understand the - the -"

  "You mention the oceans and forests of planet Earth. Does any animal live in either those oceans or those forests?"

  "Well ... I am certain - uh, they most certainly -"

  "Is it not true that the last mammal to swim in the oceans of Earth died in the late twenty-first century? Why did the mammals die? The dolphins, the whales ... they died in the polluted waters of Atlantica and Pacifica. Waters covered in black scum, depleted of oxygen. Mayor Humple, do you suppose that Earth, in its mad dash for prosperity and porterhouse steaks, did Earth find that the priorities of the twentieth century provided a valid basis for the twenty-first century?"

  The crowd was on its feet, shouting: "TOM! TOM! TOM!". Humple was white and looked like he was about to faint. Kevn ran to his side. Jacob stared at his hands. TOM walked slowly down the stairs. The shouting continued.

  On board the transworld vessel K-47 the large televiewer screen in the command room displayed centerstage at the coliseum, and the lights on the console flashed wildly, gleefully, joyfully.

  ______________________________________________________

  Kevn slid back into his chair and stared at Sal. Sal was grinning from ear to ear.

  "No need to smile, Sal. Humple had a heart attack - you know that's not the way to treat our guests."

  "C'mon Kevn. The Medical Team will have him fixed in no time. They'll even ensure that it's his last heart attack. And I can now assure him that progression of the scarring, due to the devil gene , will be arrested. The boys in the PRL have already developed an antidote, in cooperation with the MedLab. We can't reverse the degeneration which has already occurred but it won't get any worse. Maybe his trip to Home planet will actually be to his advantage, despite the heart attack."

  Kevn chuckled. "TOM was good, wasn't he?"

  "I especially liked the part about porterhouse steaks." Sal leaned back and laughed loudly. "I wonder what they taste like? Remember the roasted pig we ate on that camping trip to Dolom Mountain last year? It was delicious! Makes me feel guilty ... what TOM said about the slaughter of wild animals."

  "Nonsense," said Kevn. "It's just that TOM doesn't like to think about the destruction of biological lifeforms, any biological lifeforms. It makes him uneasy. It doesn't make me uneasy. I think we place too much importance on life - too much dread of death."

  "What on Earth does that mean?"

  "We're too afraid of death. Do you really feel sorry for
somebody who's died? I mean, don't you really feel sorry for those who live, those which the deceased has left behind? That suggests that you should be afraid of life, not death."

  "Kevn, why did they ever select you as First Citizen. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say!"

  "Look, baby brother. So long as death is quick and painless, what's to worry? Do the dead moan and groan and wring their hands over having died? Of course not. It's the living that moan and groan and wring their hands. Can you remember the subject of the third-debates? You must have had it in school - old Sandy used to teach that course."

  "What's that to do with -"

  "It has to do with life - and death. It was decided, after months of debate, that a person has the right to determine when he or she should die. When life is painful, when it is no longer worthwhile - in the opinion of the person who holds that life - then that person may decide to end it."

  "I don't remember the details, but what if the person is not rational? What if a MedTeam decides that the citizen cannot make a rational decision?"

  "That's the reason for the death permits. Every citizen has the right to allocate this decision to others, normally relatives. Death permits are made out when all concerned are judged rational. There must be three citizens named on the death permit. Should the MedTeam decide that the person cannot make a decision then they approach the persons named on the death permit. A unanimous decision would allow for a dignified demise. Do you remember the major opposing argument?"

  Kevn waited but Sal did not respond, so he continued. "The major opposing argument was the belief that those who survived, those who made the decision to let a person die, that they would suffer the grief of having killed a dear friend or husband or wife. Again, we felt sorry for those who remain."

  Sal was quiet, looking at his brother with amazement. "You're not sorry that mother died? That father died? What kind of a son are you?"

  "I was sorry for mother when father died. I was not sorry for father. Surely you felt that way too."

  "And when mother died?"

  "Then," said Kevn quietly, "I was sorry for you ... and for me."

  Sal looked down at his hands, at his feet. Then he looked up with a smile. "Kevn ... want to start a ranch, outside the Dome? We can raise the bovine species and eat porterhouse steaks." Kevn laughed. They both laughed.

  "Have another drink, baby brother," said Kevn.