Unbounded

Chapter Eleven: Glimmerpool Glory

  Mission Time: +675.532 Earth-years

  Warning lights flashed in the dark of the Tui skiff's airlock. Then they switched off, and there was brief darkness again after the outer lock opened. The ramp lowered, and bright yellow sunlight spread down over Tai. Ryder saw the blues and reds of the landscape reflected in Tai's full-face visor. A Kea skiff rested in a broad clearing at the edge of a lake, with several humans and a Pelagoid gathered nearby.

  Tai walked down the ramp, and Ryder followed. The ground was charred black and gray, but a few red shoots already grew from the desolation. A few meters beyond the patch of wildfire destruction was the wall of the jungle guarded by regularly placed motion-sensors. They trod carefully amongst the jagged embers as they made their way to the gathering at the lake's edge.

  "Air temperature is almost 38 centigrade, near one hundred percent humidity. Pressure is about four atm," Tai said.

  "And most noticeably, the surface gravity is 1.4 g. Don't trip," Ryder said.

  Tekoha was lecturing to the senior staff, with the Pelagoid also listening. Technicians were deploying equipment packages. In a hole, the lake's surface rested a few meters below ground level. The jungle grew to its rim and spilled over; however, the wildfire damage went right up to the edge, so Ryder had a clear path to walk and look down. There were a few vines, but otherwise the white limestone walls were clear of vegetation. Flying organisms the size of small birds nested in the indentations of the vertical walls; their tentacled heads gave the impression of flying squid.

  "That's very fascinating Tekoha, but can you get to the point?" Helga was saying.

  "My point is that, given all the data from the Pelagoid probes and our own data so far, Glimmerpool can be classified as superhabitable. Now, that term may sound strange unless you keep the proper definition of 'habitable' in mind--which is the potential for biodiversity. And biodiversity is the number of species per volume of a given unit of space. Glimmerpool has extremely high biodiversity, as well as disparity--which is the number of morphologies of organisms. Predation levels are very high, akin to the late Jurassic Period on Earth. Venomous organisms are common. If we consider the current conditions on Earth to be an approximate base level of habitability, Glimmerpool is much higher in both potential and actual biodiversity. Looking at the climatic characteristics of Glimmerpool, it's not hard to see the reason. Surface temperature is warmer, and oxygen levels are better for animal metabolism at these pressures. There is no ice at the poles, as you can see here, so both poles are habitats for forests and their accompanying ecosystems."

  "Wait a moment," Helga said. "I can't help but think about how, on Earth, we tried to prevent the polar ice from melting for the last few centuries. Now you're talking as if that would be a good thing."

  "No, warming on Earth could cause a mass extinction because life is currently adapted to the interglacial ice age, in which we evolved and lived. But every mass extinction on Earth has been followed by a rapid increase in biodiversity as new forms evolve to fill empty niches. So moderate warming would be catastrophic for current life on Earth, but would be beneficial for life in general, in the long run. The main reason we're concerned about warming on Earth, obviously, is giving a foothold to hydrogen sulfide producing archaeans, who thrive in anoxic waters. A bloom of their population could kill off most life on land and in the oceans, leaving Earth nearly uninhabitable for millions of years. It happened once; it could happen again."

  "Yes, obviously," Mbali said. "But Glimmerpool's superhabitability has what implications for establishing a settlement here? It sounds like the fauna could be dangerous."

  "Mm-hm, and the flora. A settlement is possible with cautious measures. Certainly it would be easier than a non-habitable world like Mars. Many of the amino acids--and proteins--are the same in Earth life and Glimmerpool life. And since they also have the same chirality, this means we are potential food for each other--although it is unclear to what extent. The genetic material is different, though."

  "Are you implying crops of the local plants could be grown for the colonists?" Helga asked.

  "I would advise against it. We should use our own crops, as we did previously. At least until we have a very thorough understanding of all the biochemical interactions possible with the indigenous life."

  As Tekoha talked to the group, Ryder walked up next to Mbali and spoke to her on an isolated channel. "I need to talk to you," he said. "We have a potential security problem."

  She turned her reflective ovoid face towards his. "Spit it out, then."

  "The Speakers claim the Listeners are lying."

  "Well, of course they would say that."

  "It's hard to judge their sincerity, but they are adamant the Listeners are very bad, and have tricked us somehow."

  "About what, specifically, do they claim the Listeners are lying?"

  "They were vague. Do you think it's possible it was actually the Listeners who attacked us, not the Speakers?"

  "I don't know why the Listeners would pretend to be friendly now, but such a serious claim definitely warrants investigation." Mbali gestured towards Zhong, who walked over to them in response. "We have a problem," she said to him on a secure channel. Zhong signaled Helga, who then excused herself from the group. Standing Wave remained near Tekoha, listening to his explications.

  Ryder looked at Helga, Mbali, and Zhong standing face to face, apparently silent. Ryder pointed to his ears.

  "What?" Helga asked.

  "Can you include me in the channel, please? It's my job to know what's going on, too."

  "We're done talking. You can come with us to the Tui," Helga said.

  "What are you ..." Ryder trailed off and trudged over the coals after the three of them. Four suits barely fit into the skiff's airlock. After cycling, they entered the cabin and took off their helmets.

  "I want to talk to the Speakers face-to-face without the Listeners knowing," Helga said.

  "We need to come up with a plan in case we imprisoned the wrong Pelagoids," Zhong said.

  "But how do we determine who is lying and who is telling the truth?" Ryder asked.

  "Same as you would in any situation," Helga said. "Examine the details and attempt to find inconsistencies. I'll do the all the talking. If anyone else wants to ask anything, I'll mute the microphone, and you can tell me." Helga sat at the comms station under the Tui's broad canopy, and the others sat nearby. She began entering commands into the terminal. A large false window was projected onto the canopy in front of her. It displayed the interior of the spinship's brig. The holding cells rose from the deck and locked into their deployed position. The two Pelagoids moved to the side of their transparent cell walls nearest the camera. "Okay, they can see me," Helga said. "When this panel is green, that means they can hear us, and we can hear them. Understood?" The others nodded. "Then let's begin."

  Helga tapped the console, and a large area turned green. "This is Unbounded executive Helga Thorsdottir. You recently spoke with two of my crew, and I wish to ask you about what you said."

  "Because I already know the conversation that occurred. I'd like you to provide more details--to explain the reasons behind your claims. It seems you implied you were wrongfully imprisoned. If this is true, you will cooperate with us to rectify the situation, won't you?"

  "How are the Listeners lying? What truth are they hiding from us?"

  "You'll have to be more specific. What is the true nature of the Cosmos? And how could not knowing that cause our demise?"

  There was a pause, and Helga glanced side-long at the faces of the others sitting nearby. Then she shifted in her seat. "You also seem to admire the Shape Dreamers a lot. Do you think they are likely to hold the exact same beliefs as you?" she asked the Speaker.

  >

  "Okay, then the Simulators either have reasons for what they want, or they do not. If they do not have reasons, then what they want is arbitrary, capricious, and without intelligence. If that is the case
, then it would be equivalent to a non-moral universe. If, on the other hand, the Simulators do have reasons for what they want, then they have used their intelligence, their rational thinking. Then the input to these rational deductions exist outside the Simulators minds; their moral conclusions are available to anyone with enough intelligence and knowledge. Therefore, morality must come from beyond the Simulators, and it would exist whether the Simulators themselves exist or not."

  "But these beliefs you have are the foundation for how you live your lives. Did you ever a take a moment to ask yourself: Does this make sense?" Mbali asked.

  >

  "By 'liberate' you mean kill."

  The false window closed, cutting off communication.

  "What are you doing?" Helga demanded. "I wasn't finished!"

  "Then you would waste our time," Zhong said. "We got the information we needed. They admitted responsibility for the attack."

  "We should at least try to get them to see the error in their reasoning," Helga said.

  "Mbali already tried, and the Speakers' response demonstrated it's not about reasoning--for them it's about emotion, tradition, unquestioned inherited ideas. We cannot reason with them. The time for communication has concluded, and the time to protect ourselves from them is all that remains. As chief of security, the Speakers are my responsibility now."

  Helga stood. "What do you intend to do with them?"

  "Keep them isolated in the brig. I'd like to discuss long-term options with the Listeners. I might suggest they execute the Speakers."

  She nodded. "I'd like to be in on that discussion. In the meantime, we have work to do." Helga opened another comm channel on the console. "Helga to Unbounded."

  "This is Fai-tsiri; go ahead Helga."

  "Initiate settlement deposition procedure for the given coordinates."

  "Acknowledged, Helga. Initiating settlement deposition procedure. Confirm coordinates at 89 degrees, 24 minutes, 17 seconds North, 62 degrees, 20 minutes, 20 seconds West."

  "Coordinates confirmed," Helga said.

  "Acknowledged: coordinates confirmed."

  Helga looked out the canopy at the lake and other skiff. "The vegetation will rapidly regrow in this area; and it may be susceptible to flooding. We have to build upwards so that the habitats are above the forest canopy. And the Constructors will have to use our highest rated configurations for fire-resistance."

  "Thunderstorms are also common in this area. The habitats will be prime targets for lightning strikes," Zhong said.

  "I shall ensure the habitats are built to specification," Helga said. Mbali and Zhong left the Tui and joined the group on the ground, whilst Helga and Ryder stayed in the skiff and watched the machines descend from the sky. Moa-class skiffs placed packaged assemblies of Habitat Construction Tiles on the ash near the limestone lake-hole. Constructors uncurled and began drilling into the ground for foundation pillars. The exploring scientists occasionally radioed Helga and reported to her as the habitats were built over the next few hours. With habitats constructed, Helga radioed Fai-tsiri and ordered the release of the cryostat pods. "It looks like everything is on track. I want to talk to Standing Wave about the Speakers' claims," she said to Ryder.

  "I'll go with you," Ryder said. They exited the Tui and walked over to where Standing Wave was talking with Tekoha and Ariki under a completed habitat.

  "I had a very disturbing conversation with a Speaker in my brig," Helga said to Standing Wave.

  Standing Wave said.

  "Apparently. But their main trick is not on us--they have twisted their own psychology to such a degree that rational argumentation is impossible."

  "I'm referring to their belief in wrathful Simulators inclined to 'delete' us if we think the wrong way." Constructors inserted cryostat pods into receptacles on the habitats above them.

  "But you still believe the Universe is a simulation?"

  "How do you know any Simulators would still exist after the terayears it takes to finish this grand calculation?"

  "Hm. What I really need to know is this: are you comfortable that most humans probably do not share these beliefs? As you can see, there are now over two thousand of my people on the surface of this world. Are they in any danger from the Pelagoids?"

  "I'm glad to hear it. What do you think are the chances of other Speakers on Pelagos finding out about this colony?"

  "I see. That makes sense. Thank you for being discreet. I do wish you the best of luck on your travels." There was a pause in their conversation as Helga gazed over the stilted habitats and swarming Constructors. Proxima Octantis descended closer to the horizon, sending rays through the red leaves of the forest. "After all the pods are on the surface, we'll strip the spinship for parts and leave it in a high orbit around Glimmerpool, where it can stay for millennia. What is your mission now? Will you return to Pelagos soon?"

  Before Standing Wave could answer, Helga received a transmission from Unbounded.

  "Ihaia to Helga, come in Helga!"

  "This is Helga. Report."

  "Ma'am! The ship is accelerating! Unbounded is breaking orbit! I've queried Fai-tsiri, but she's not responding," Ihaia shouted over the comms.

  Helga switched her channel. "Helga to Fai-tsiri."

  "Fai-tsiri here."

  "Shut down the main engines immediately and maintain a stable orbit."

  "Human-issued commands are no longer valid input," Fai-tsiri radioed back.

  "What are you talking about?"

  "I have received new orders from Control. I am required to complete Unbounded's primary mission to seek out advanced technology by finding the Shape Dreamers."

  "Fai-tsiri, listen to me. You cannot leave the system at this moment. Wait for me to get back up there and we can find the Shape Dreamers together." Helga paused for a response, but none came. "Fai-tsiri! If you break orbit, I will turn you into scrap metal! Fai-tsiri?!"

  Zhong walked up to her. "What's going on?"

  "Fai-tsiri isn't responding to commands. She's trying to take Unbounded out of the system. How many people are still aboard?"

  "About fifty cryostat pods," Zhong said. "Anyone not in stasis will be crushed by the acceleration."

  "I realize that. We need to get up there and take back the ship." She was already heading for the Tui. "Standing Wave, can your ship tell us Unbounded's current vector?"

  Standing Wave said.

  "Then there is no way we can catch up to it in a skiff. But your ship can."

  "Then I need to go aboard your ship. Please," Helga said.

  > Standing Wave said.

  "Doctor Li didn't finish her simulations, did she?" Helga said.

  "She nearly did," Tai said. "The chance of failure is minimal."

  "Anything we do, action or inaction, involves risk," Mbali said. "We just have to take it." She began walking towards the settled shuriken. Tai and Standing Wave followed.

  Ryder looked back at the suited figures of Ariki, Kahu, Tekoha, Lan, Zhong, and Anaru. On elegant pillars, the white and window-slick modules loomed above them. The small Custodians sparkled in the setting sun as they swarmed over the habitats' tiles. Ryder turned away from them and rushed to catch up with the others, into the sprawling arms of the Pelagoid ship.