Deep magic second coll.., p.13
Deep Magic - Second Collection, page 13
part #2 of Deep Magic Collection Series
I groaned at his less than funny deflection.
“I suppose if I want real answers from you, I should give you the truth, rather than wit.” I opted not to correct his mischaracterization, which I am sure he paused to allow. Grandfather continued, “224 years. Next year, I will be nine quarters of a century old.”
I chuckled at that. “Well, when you say it that way…” Yet, realizing his age helped put more of my mind puzzle together. I knew people had not lived that long since the fabled ages in the Old Testament. At least, they had not lived that long until genetic science uncovered the key to slow the aging elements of the human genetic code.
“Alright, wise anus, we had a deal. Back to the protocols. What is your last memory prior to awakening?”
I realized I did not have a clear recollection of events in transport, or even immediately prior to leaving Earth. More troubling than that was the cloudiness of the memories I had of preparing for this mission. It was like pulling out of a deep sleep and immediately trying to recall which memories were dream and which were real. Only, I had been awake long enough that I should be able to tell the difference. “I’m struggling with that one.”
“Don’t fret, Levi. Let me help you. Do you recall anything about your ship?”
“No.”
“That’s fine. Do you recall anything about your squadron or commanding officer?”
I searched for memories and panicked when I could find none. Again, a foot slipped, and my body dangled in the air for a moment before I found another foothold. I was surprised my arms were not yet weary, and my grip felt strong. “No, I recall none of them.”
“Very well. Let me move on to the fourth protocol and we can come back to this later. What do you recall about the reasons for interplanetary exploration?”
This question created a tickle in my mind that was frustratingly out of reach. Some of the blurriness was dense, while other parts were tantalizingly out of reach. “I feel like this is a question about which I should be able to write volumes.”
Grandfather chuckled again. “A thumbnail sketch of history may clear this up for you. More than a century and a half ago after the threat of nuclear war was neutralized, the civilized nations and educated people of the world feared two things: global warming and depletion of resources. Near that time, American scientists cracked the genetic code more fully than had been done before, laying bare the flaws of humanity: disease, illness, deformity, and aging. Brilliant minds from around the world found solutions to these problems, and people began living longer and healthier. My father lived to be 152, and my generation has the hope of living far longer than that. Yours may live without limits of time.”
Every word rang true. Memories came together like the pieces of an exploded building in a movie when the video was played in reverse. The holes of my memory began filling and I was thrilled to remember more. Realization struck me that I was 162 years old myself, though my aging had effectively stopped when I was in my twenties.
Grandfather continued. “Well, the governments of the world realized the Earth is far more resilient than expected. The planet regulated itself to the point where global warming was no longer a primary concern. That left the issues of resource depletion and overpopulation as the last global crises. More and more people occupied the planet because of longevity and optimized health. Even with renewable energy, maximized crop production, and animal cloning, there was simply not enough space to house and feed 94 billion people.”
Light filled other dark corridors of my brain. I recalled studying complex systems as it related to the Earth and how the planet made adjustments in flora, weather patterns, and tectonic shifts to accommodate the issue of global warming. In effect, through millions of biological, geological and geographical adjustments, the Earth healed itself. I remembered reading dozens of studies in this field when I was in college at the American Science Institute. But I remembered more than just reading them. “Grandfather, I wrote a doctoral thesis on complex biological systems as it related to changes in the Earth in the mid twenty-first century, didn’t I?”
“Trust the protocols, Levi. Yes, you did. Not only a thesis, but a collection of articles and studies that were peer reviewed, published and canonized. Is everything coming back to you, then?” Grandfather’s tone was hopeful.
“I feel like a leaf on a branch being asked if the tree is done growing yet. I don’t know if I’m a sapling or a mature oak, yet, Grandfather. But, at least I know I’m a leaf… or a scientist.” That realization left me with a greater concern. “What went wrong in our transport or landing that one of the scientists in the exploration party was separated from the rest of the squadron? You mentioned something about helping me find my base and the equipment I would need.”
Hope diminished in his voice. “That is a serious concern. I also mentioned that I don’t have as much information about your landing as I would like. My team is searching for the answers you seek, and I will help you.”
“You don’t know what happened to the rest of the party, do you?” My stomach knotted and my mind began to race. “These protocols you’re following are the ones designed to keep me calm and occupy my mind while you and your team try to figure out what to do, aren’t they?” I felt sick at accusing my own grandfather of deceiving me, but I also realized my mind was not yet able to function properly and the danger I faced was likely dire.
“Slow down, Levi. I can feel your mind begin to panic through the neurolink. I am confident that you will be okay, and that together we will get you to your team. I can also assure you that the protocols were designed to help you put your head back together after the long period of stasis you experienced. Keeping calm is part of the process, but only because it will help you regain yourself.”
“What if the damage to my brain is irreversible?” My doubts calmed but a little.
“One more promise, then I would like to continue the protocols. I can assure you that the technology that put you where you are was designed by the brightest people who have ever lived. There is empirical data to prove that. When you undertook this adventure, you were thinking clearly and trusted the science behind your mission.”
My breathing steadied. Logic was the tether to safety, and I felt more anchored. “Alright, let’s continue.” As soon as the thought was out, the footing on the branches beneath me gave way. I slipped and found myself falling. I reached. I flailed. My body dropped, and picked up speed as it bounced off several other branches. I expected to be scraped, or break a limb, but the suit protected me. My mind latched onto the reality that the drop was going to end soon, and with a very quick stop. I grasped and felt branches go by. I focused on a larger tree below that seemed sturdy enough to catch me. I had to move myself to my right. I timed a kick and pushed hard against a branch on my left and made enough contact to change the course of my fall. I expected the branches to snap, or at least knock the wind out of me. My vision darkened as the branches held, and my deceleration halted quickly, but the branches also had enough give to sway down and flex before swinging back up to their original position. My lack of death was a welcome surprise.
“Dear Lord! What happened? Are you alright?” Grandfather asked.
Panting more from anxiety than anything else, I caught my breath before responding and then remembered what an idiot I was. Neurolink communication did not require breath. “I just took a shortcut to the bottom of the cliff. But, I think I am whole. I cannot believe I didn’t break a bone.”
“You are made of tougher stuff than you thought. If you’re in a safe place now, let’s continue. Otherwise, I do not want to distract you.”
“I think I will stay where I am for a minute or two.” I lay there, looking up and marveling at the distance I had fallen. It must have been more than a thousand feet. From this angle, the branches above me reminded me of the thorn and briar barrier surrounding Sleeping Beauty’s castle.
“I’ll continue, then.”
Grandfather’s voice through the neurolink beckoned a memory of his face – laugh lines around bright blue eyes. His hair was still mostly dark brown, but at his temples and sprinkled throughout the rest, his age shone with silver. His brow had the creases of one who spent a lot of time in deep thought, but it did not detract from the levity in those eyes. Oddly, I tried to recall my own face, and struggled to remember it. Strange which memories came easily and those I thought should, but wouldn’t. I realized I had not been paying attention. “I’m sorry, Grandfather, I was lost in thought for a moment, would you begin again?”
“If you’re sure the fall did not do more damage than you thought.”
Although I may very well have sustained a concussion, I felt my cognitive processing was intact. “Please continue. I will pay better attention.” I felt a growing darkness in my mind, a feeling of foreboding that I was in danger, but could not perceive the threat. I remembered stories of people killed centuries ago by carbon monoxide poisoning in their homes, caught unaware until it was too late. Detectors and elimination of fossil fuels greatly reduced these problems in modern day, but that was on Earth. Who knew what poisons might exist in this terra.
Grandfather’s voice pulled me back to reality. “Very well. As we discussed earlier, the preeminent global concern for most of the last century was the sustainability of the ever-growing human population on the Earth. The initial research and development centered on food production, water purification and desalinization. Food engineering made great strides and surpassed the needs for several decades, but the projections showed that the ability to increase productivity and the trend of ever-increasing demand would cross paths by the year 2225. We are now less than thirty years from that point.
“Other approaches to the problem became essential. Some factions supported the idea that human nature would solve the problem. While it is true that starving people will fight and kill to survive, the vast majority of the civilized world rejected this theory. One theory that gained considerable momentum was adaptation to live and cultivate resources underwater. That is still an open branch of research, being pursued primarily through centers in Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Central America.”
Absently, I thought, “I’ve never much cared for swimming.” I continued to look up into the branches above, watching them sway on a strengthening breeze. I wondered if I should be concerned about the wind picking up. Atmospherics in this world may vary to extremes. I realized I would likely need to find firmer footing soon. Great, something else to add to my worries.
Grandfather chuckled. “You swim about as well as a racehorse flies, Levi. No, you were never interested in that field of study.”
The winds continued to build, and the branch I was on swayed in an orbital motion. I was not in immediate jeopardy of being thrown off, but I was at risk of nausea and vomiting. “You have the subtleness of a sledgehammer, Grandfather.” I turned onto my stomach, taking care to place each hand and foot on a secure branch, and located a reasonably safe path down the last fifty or sixty feet to the bottom.
“I like that one, Levi. I’ll store it away to use later without giving you credit. It seems like you are moving again. Shall I wait until you are settled before I continue?”
“No need, I am nearly there.” I had to drop the last eight feet, and found the landing to be relatively soft, but a little sticky. My mind went to honeycomb, continuing the obsession with comparing this terra to food. “I hope you are able to guide me to food and water soon, Grandfather. I keep comparing the landscape to food in my mind. I imagine even if my body is fully hydrated and fed, I will be in need of both in the near future.”
“It is a priority. But, your immediate needs should be met by your suit.”
I should have guessed as much. At the base of the cliff, I found a fairly dry spot under a tree-like structure and sat down to let Grandfather continue. My arm brushed against the trunk, and even through the suit it felt wet and slick. Again, a sudden panic ripped through me. I hoped it was the mental fog that caused me fear, but my logical brain could not sweep the concern away like a patch of dust. My instincts cried out in warning.
Grandfather continued, “As I was saying, scientific centers around the world have struggled with numerous approaches to solving the problem of a growing populace with ultimately finite resources. A popular theory is the alternate or multiple planet discipline. It originally gained prominence when global warming was a primary concern, but never lost momentum when resource depletion and overpopulation demanded attention. The romantic notion of finding another world viable for cultivation into sustaining a human population has drawn the largest grants and private donations of any scientific field. Although this field of study demanded many successes, including discovery of a suitable planet, travel, establishment, atmospherics, and countless other logistics problems, it has remained a favorite of scientists across the globe.”
Although much of my recovery to this point had involved pieces of my memory fitting back into place, Grandfather’s words drew together a sense of purpose that resonated in my heart and soul, chasing away the grip of panic squeezing me. “Space exploration is my passion. That is why I am here.” It should have seemed obvious, given where I was, but this specific realization beckoned a wave of memories and thoughts related to decades of study and work in the field of space exploration. Theories and calculations flashed rapidly into place. I was lost in a torrent of recalled discoveries, feeling my passion attached to each success and disappointment in the failures. Many failures. When the rush subsided, I was glad I had sat down, and wondered how much time I had spent recovering. I realized there were still many holes in my mind, but I had gone from more holes than solids to a sturdy frame of myself with gaps in the structure left to fill. The task seemed manageable. The foreboding was muted, but still there, scratching to find purchase in my mind. I pushed it away.
“Wow, that trip was like a flea hitching a ride on a bullet!” Grandfather’s chuckle was like a cozy blanket.
Yet, the feeling of elation was fleeting. “I didn’t know the neurolink allowed that depth of shared thought.” With my brain function improved, awareness expanded the boundaries of thought and recollection. I realized more about my circumstances, including discomfort about pieces of reality that did not fit together.
Before I could complete my train of thought, Grandfather continued. “You left your thoughts open to me as your pathways and experiences connected. This healing is good and important – you have just made an incredible amount of progress. However, I think you still have a substantial amount of work yet to accomplish. Your comment that space exploration was your passion may be true, but no more so than a childhood hero of mine, Michael Jordan, who once declared baseball to be his passion.”
“Michael who? Before you answer that, Grandfather, I want to discuss the neurolink with you. I do not recall any personal involvement with the science behind the neurolink, but I believe I understand enough of the basic tenets to know that a connection spanning the distance between Earth and the closest potentially viable planet is not possible.” Discomfort about this realization firmed into a certain level of distrust. Perhaps this was the source of the foreboding I felt. Something told me there was more. I continued, “My two most logical theories are that either you are with me on this planet or you are artificial intelligence and I am linked to the transmitting computer from transport or the base on this planet. Please tell me you are here, Grandfather.”
“Levi, I can sense your heartrate and blood pressure rising. You must stay calm. I will help you figure this out, but there are other possibilities. And, you will see the whole truth very soon. The protocols have brought you this far, please trust in them to bring you the rest of the way.” Grandfather’s guarded tone left me even less trusting.
“You did not travel with me through space, Grandfather. I know there is very little that would pull you away from Earth and the family you love. Unless the planet is in chaos, and survival were imminently at risk, you would not take part in exploration. That leaves me with the most likely option that you are artificial intelligence. Very convincing, with all of your trite phrases, sense of humor and inflection. However, I am familiar with artificial programming and the level of complexity and reality that has been accomplished in that field. The true give-away for me was your reliance on protocols. Grandfather is a much more liberal spirit and would not be bound by protocols. But, a machine certainly would.”
I felt sick. I worried about vomiting in my suit and wondered what I would even be able to produce. I doubt my stomach held much of anything. In addition to nausea, I felt stupid. Not just the kind of stupidity that followed recovery from stasis, but an additional personal dose of foolishness in being duped by a computer, and the brazen degree of risk I took by transmitting that very doubt. It probably would not have mattered. The kind of neurolink I would have with a computer would allow the machine access to all active thought. Ultimately, I decided, even though I was not really talking to my grandfather, I was connected to a source of information that I would have to use to get me to a base of operation, if there was one. If there was no base… If the transport failed to land safely and I had no team to meet… Icy panic streaked across my consciousness. I was still missing something important, perhaps many things.
“Levi, your concern is understandable, but it is also anticipated and I believe a necessary part of your healing. Will you extend a little more faith?” Grandfather’s voice seemed so genuine. The technology was convincing.
As I weighed the limited options available to me, I also longed to recall the details of my mission, the planning for the transportation and to at least know which of the planets I had reached. Grandfather might be able to help me with that. “Perhaps not faith, but I will at least entertain my scientific curiosity by communicating with you further. Will you admit that you are artificial intelligence?”
Grandfather’s chuckle felt warm. “Levi, if I was artificial intelligence, don’t you think I would be programmed to believe I was real. Only the programmer or authorized user would have access to an acknowledgement such as you seek. Of course, if I was artificial, I would not be able to tell you that much.”
