Zeta and I were playing with
Tihri and discussing the idea of a positronic robot (
Dani) being present at
Observer Base. Zeta said, "It makes no sense. If
Yōd was under mind control and being prevented from telling anyone about Dani the robot, then why did she suddenly tell you about Dani?"
I suggested, "It has been quite a while since Yōd departed from Earth. Dani may now have completed his mission at Observer Base, freeing Yōd of..." My voice trailed off. I did not like the idea that
Interventionist agents such as Dani could effortlessly switch human memory systems on and off.
Zeta could see a short distance into my mind beyond the superficial level of my verbal thoughts. In the past we might have then slipped into using telepathy to exchange our thoughts, but I had agreed to speak whenever we were with Tihri in order to help her learn spoken language. Zeta asked me, "Did Yōd tell you that Dani left Observer Base?"
It was somewhat difficult for me to know exactly what information Yōd had shared with me. Some of what I had "heard" from Yōd came by way of
infites and some arrived while I slept, creeping into my mind as dream-like visions. I replied, "No."
Zeta changed the subject. "Oh, I forgot to put it on the shopping list, but we do need one of those little baby food grinders."
I knew that our daughter had begun to show interest in the food that was on Zeta's plate during meals. I asked, "Isn't Tihri too young for solid food?"
"No, some babies this young start enjoying new tastes. I can tell Tihri is ready to explore food... and the whole world. Just get the Sophi brand grinder that we saw at the Trading Post last week."
I should never question Zeta's judgement on such matters; she has a telepathic connection to Tihri. "Why don't you come into town with me. You can shop while I'm at the meeting."
Zeta shook her head. "No, I'm staying home. I really don't want to take Tihri out today. The roads are a mess."
"I know." I glanced towards the window and could see that it was still snowing lightly. "I don't really want to go out today either, but Tami is going to read her new story. I can't miss that."
Zeta was peering into my mind. I suppose she could detect my thoughts about Nirutam, the most interesting member of the little writing club, who we called "Tami". That small group of armature story writers met monthly in town to talk about writing. Zeta complained, "You really are infatuated with Tami."
 |
Ivory investigates a cell bioreactor.
At Phari Base in the Slave Craton. |
I laughed. "You should come to a club meeting an experience Nirutam... she's hard to explain. She comes up with the craziest stories." Yet, somehow, Tami's stories made sense, even if they were crazy. At least they were not any nuttier than the stories I had heard from other people such as
Ivory Fersoni.
Zeta went to the window and looked out at the snow. "You better get going. Just don't drive too fast."
"I won't. That does not mean that other people won't be driving like fools."
"You'll be fine." Zeta has the fixed belief that my entire life was carefully crafted. Nothing bad has ever happened to me and, Zeta believes, nothing ever will. "Don't forget the grinder."
"I won't forget." I kissed Zeta and Tihri and headed out into the storm. The roads were not too bad and not many people were out driving. When I came down out of the high desert and got below 3,000 feet, it was rain, not snow. I did the shopping and then went to the public school building for the meeting.
Nirutam has glossy orange-brown skin and wears a wig. When I first met her, my guess was that she may have been from some little-known African tribe. She speaks with a tricky accent; I have to listen carefully to understand what she says. Nirutam had been attending our writers group meetings for about a year and often shared with us her off-beat science fiction stories of distant worlds.
At the club meeting, after some extended banter about old topics, Nirutam finally began telling us her new story and I regretted having lied to Zeta. Nirutam never
read her stories to the group; she just told her stories from memory, with no notes. She said, "I've told you about the planet Atlam, which has no oxygen in its atmosphere, but the robots who live there don't need oxygen." I recalled that Nirutam had told us a story about the world Atlam, maybe six or seven months previously. What she called the robots of Atlam sounded like what I might call an artificial life form composed of nanites, but Tami hated the term "nanite". Nirutam continued with her new story...
The robots of Atlam had a problem with the mo'dor. The robots wanted to be left alone to pursue their own projects, but the mo'dor missionaries were always trying to convert the robots to the weird religion of the mo'dor. Two robots, Phys and Ley were having a chat; Phys was trying to devise a solution to the "mo'dor problem". I'll say "chat", but the robots communicated by a form of radio wave-based signaling.
Phys told Ley: I'm serious. We need to do something.
Ley said: You keep saying that, then you just go back to your old devo project.
Phys acknowledged that. I've failed in the past, but now I've successfully reoriented my project. I'm well on my way to making a new lineage that we can sacrifice to missionaries.
Ley complained: That's a disgusting idea. How could you condemn your own children to an eternity in hell?
Try not to be so dramatic, Ley!
Phys explained: Finding a way to get the mo'dor off our backs just involves a serious re-education process, a new world view. The new lineage, what I'm calling the T-band, will be programmed to believe that they can transcend to a heavenly existence, with the help of the mo'dor missionaries. I need your help with some of the programming.
Ley objected: You'd have to get into the core routines.
Phys nodded. Yes, I've been reworking the core behavioral systems. It is tricky.
Ley was horrified by the idea of altering the basic program for truth-seeking that guided all the robots on Atlam. Using programming to instill a deception in the minds of a new lineage? I'm sorry, Phys, but the answer is 'no'. I'm not going to help you with such perversity.
Phys tried to flip the thought perspective that Ley was trapped inside of. It is not perverse. Listen to me, Ley, the ends justify the means. If we give the mo'dor missionaries what they want then they will stop interfering in our culture.
You are an optimist, Phys. I suspect that if we give in to the mo'dor and start cooperating with their scheme then they will just get bolder and more aggressive, not go away.
Well, let's not argue. Let's do an experiment. Help me make a re-programmed prototype. We'll find out how the mo'dor respond.
We can't take the risk. This would effect the entire planet. You know, Phys, some experiments are unethical. I'm not going to ruin my reputation by helping you with this scheme.
Phys became adamant. And so it has been forever! Your line of reasoning is what got us into the current mess. I, for one, can't take it any more. The mo'dor missionaries just keep getting worse, pushing at and undermining more and more of our cultural foundation, causing us more pain. It is unethical to keep resisting. If we keep on doing what we have been doing then eventually our society will shatter and none of our kind will escape from the grasp of the mo'dor. However, if we give them what they want, a sample of our kind that they can take into their type of after-life, then the rest of us will be free to continue our projects.
You don't know that. Ley was skeptical and told Phys: That's just wishful thinking.
Phys stubbornly persisted: I think not. I've studied the interactions of the mo'dor with other worlds. I believe that the Creators went through this same process long ago.
You are insane. Don't try to justify your perversion by saying the Creators would do what you are proposing.
They did do it, long ago. The mythology of the Onuo is full of stories about allowing some people to adopt the mo'dor religion. The Creators have hundreds of old stories about the ancients who transcended.
That's an escapist literature. You are being silly if you believe there is any truth to those old tales.
Well, that's my interpretation of the evidence, and it makes sense. And it gives us a chance for a future. Be honest with yourself. You honor the old tales of the ancients when they describe our robotic origins. You know that we robots were created and that process of how biologicals made the first robots is described in what you call the "escapist literature".
Well, the tales of robot origins are different. We had to come from someplace.
Phys had tried. Sometimes it was impossible to change someone else's mind. If you won't help me with the programming, I'll find someone else.
Ley thought carefully. Maybe the only way to make sure that Phys did nothing stupid would be to help. And there was a sort of inverse logic to the scheme. Might it actually work out the way that Phys suggested?
Three years later, Phys and Ley had a prototype T-band robot that they had reprogrammed and it was time to ask the mo'dor missionaries to proceed with the next phase of the experiment.
Nirutam paused. I asked, "These modders, where do they come from? Are they machines or biological?"
Nirutam replied, "Good questions, but those issues are not resolved in this story."
Another member of the group, a young woman named Brook, asked Nirutam, "Do you have a title for this new story?"
Nirutam said, "If it needs a title, maybe 'The T-band
Robots' would work."
I was growing impatient to wrap up the meeting quickly so I could get home before dark. I asked, "So, what happens when the mo'dor meet the T-band robot?"
Nirutam explained
, "When the mo'dor missionary meets the new robot, they discuss the meaning mo'dorian transcendence. The missionary explains that the process involves abandonment of an individual's body, but their mind is shifted into a new existence."
Brook suggested, "It sounds like a novel by Clif Simak."
Nirutam said, "I'll have to read his book. What is the title?"
"The book I'm thinking of is called
Project Pope."
I asked Nirutam, "So, were Fizz and Lay able to make a robot that wanted to undergo the modder transcendence process?"
"The mo'dor missionaries examined and tested the T-band prototype and could see the promise that was inherent in the new design. They agreed to support development and expansion of that new robot lineage
." Nirutam followed my eyes to the window. Evening gloom was already coming to the cloudy day. "The story is rather long, with descriptions of several stages of robotic development. Eventually, the first T-band robot transcends, but there are doubts among the robots of Atlam. They wonder if there is really a new phase of life after completion of the transcendence. The story ending is a bit ambiguous, but suggestive that the plan worked, that the mo'dor were satisfied to have only a fraction of the robots go through transcendence."
The meeting soon broke up. On the way out of the school building, I was still talking to Nirutam. "Your story sounds much like my own stories about the
Huaoshy and the Sedronic Domain."
Nirutam was pulling on woolen mittens. "Yes, and your name for the mo'dor is 'bumpha'."
We stepped outside into a cold drizzle. Nirutam popped open an umbrella and started walking off down the sidewalk. I called to her, "Need a ride?"
"No, I'm fine. See you next month."
I was torn. I wanted to drive home, but I also wanted to know how Nirutam knew about the bumpha. I'd once read a story to the group about the Huaoshy and I'd talked about the Sedronic Domain, comparing it the the parallel universe in Isaac Asimov's story,
The Gods Themselves. It was strange, Nirutam never seemed to know any of the famous science fiction novels that we mentioned. I got into my car and drove out of the parking lot and down the street, passing by Nirutam. I rolled down the window and stopped my car beside her. I asked Tami, "If you're not busy this evening, how would you like to join my wife and I for dinner?"
Nirutam nodded. "Yes, thank you." She closed the umbrella, put it on the floor in the back then got into the passenger side front seat. Immediately we were diving deep into a discussion of the bumpha. Nirutam told me, "I've read your blog. Sadly, you don't have much information about the bumpha."
I explained, "They seem very secretive."
Nirutam said, "This is the only galaxy where they have had significant success. Most places they hide in the dark corners, like criminals."
I suggested, "In your story, the way the modders worked to make the robots of Atlam go through transcendence made me think of the pek."
Nirutam told me, "When it comes to dealing with artificial life forms, the mo'dor, bumpha if you prefer, always try push them towards transcendence. The mo'dor are very much committed to biologicals. They feel that robots are a bad influence on biological species like humans. The robots of Atlam, who were completely independent of the biological species that had originally created them, were viewed as something of an abomination by the mo'dor."
We were climbing up into the hills and I focused my attention on the darkening highway. It was not snowing hard, but the roads were slick. While I drove, Nirutam told me more of the details of her story about the robots of Atlam. I used my telepathic connection to Zeta to let her know that I was bringing home a guest for dinner. The roads kept getting worse as we gained elevation.
 |
| Dani the robot |
When we arrived home, it was snowing pretty hard. There was a strange car parked in the driveway. We slipped into the garage. I took out Nirutam's umbrella, opened it up and set it beside the car to dry. I was planning to drive Nirutam home after dinner as long as the roads were still passable. We went inside the house and discovered that Zeta had another guest.
Zeta said, "This is Dani."
I said, "This is Tami, from the club."
Nirutam and Dani seemed to know each other.
I looked carefully at Dani who had the appearance of a young man, but Zeta told me telepathically:
This is the robot, Dani.
Zeta had dinner ready to go on the table. I hung Nirutam's winter coat in the closet and then unloaded my purchases from the car. Zeta put the new baby food grinder in the dishwasher and turned it on for a short cleaning cycle. We all settled down at the dining room table. I noticed that Zeta had set up Tihri's high chair in the dining room, but I had other things on my mind. I asked Zeta, "Why didn't you call to let me know that you had a guest?"
"I wanted your attention to be on the road, not worrying about Dani."
I asked Dani, "How did you get here? I thought you were at Observer Base."
Dani explained, "I recently completed my work inside Eternity. As a robot, I can pass through the
hierion femtotube that links Earth to Observer Base."
It occurred to me that Dani could function as a messenger, bringing information to Earth from Observer base. I asked him, "You can go back to Eternity?"
"I could, but I will not be doing so. No, like Tami, I'm going to become an Earthling."
Nirutam muttered, "I've been at it for over a year now. I wish I had your skill with languages, Dani."
Zeta asked Nirutam, "Where are you from?"
"What you Earthlings call the Andromeda galaxy." Nirutam took two small bottles out of her pocket and set them on the table.
"Many Sails brought me here along with Azynov."
Zeta could not control herself. She got out of her chair and touched Nirutam's hand, feeling her glossy skin. "So, you are not a human being?"
"Correct. I'm a member of a species that evolved on a distant planet." Zeta shook her head in wonder and went back to her seat.
Dani was not eating, but Nirutam did eat. I asked her, "What is in those two bottles?"
"My body needs two essential nutrients that are not present at high levels in Earthly life forms. As long as I take these dietary supplements, I can survive on this world."
Zeta told me, "Well, you've long wished for physical evidence of alien visitors to Earth. Now we are eating dinner with Nirutam, an alien from Andromeda!"
Nirutam admonished Zeta, "Please, don't think of me as evidence. I'm not interested in becoming an object of study for Earth's biologists."
Gazing at Nirutam's orange skin, I wondered how I had ever been fooled into imagining that she was human. I asked Tami, "Do you have access to nanites?" I tried to think of a delicate way to ask if she could use facial nanites to make herself look more human.
Nirutam explained, "Back on my home world, Ret'fai, the pek used developmental control nanites to shape my body's growth during fetal life. My Onuo-like body form was forced to take on human form. I don't have any training in how to control nanites myself." Nirutam held up her right hand, "My skin was made just human enough to pass casual inspection by Earthlings. However, it was also a part of my mission parameters that I be able to convince the folks at Observer Base that I am not human." She turned to Zeta and asked, "How old do you think I am?"
Zeta replied, "Trying to ignore your odd skin, which reminds me of orange peel, I'd say you might be fifty years old."
Nirutam shrugged, "Sadly, I seem to be aging rapidly since I arrived on Earth. By my estimate, I'm only 22 Earth years old."
Dani said, "Lucky for me, Earthly science could never distinguish my body from that of a human. However, I'm also not here on Earth to go public and have myself identified to the world as a robot." Dani looked at me, "However, we both support your work... your effort to document the history of how humans were created."
I was too startled by the sudden appearance of Dani in my home and the revelation that Nirutam is an alien; I could not think about eating and I ignored the food that Zeta had prepared. I asked Zeta by telepathy:
Isn't it a violation of the Pact for Dani and Nirutam to be here on Earth?
Unlike me, Zeta had no qualms about asking such questions out-loud in front of our two guests. She told me, "Maybe this was all part of the original plans made by
Grean and
R. Gohrlay."
Dani told Zeta, "R. Gohrlay has departed from our galaxy. I've been working on a project for
R. Nyrtia."
Nirutam added, "And I've been at work on the same project, making sure that Dani's work was done in accordance with specifications." She told Dani, "The pek
are satisfied with your work."
Zeta laughed, "So, maybe two wrongs make a right. You both want to be here on Earth... for the rest of your lives?" I could sense in Zeta's mind that she felt silly using the phrase 'rest of your life' in the case of Dani.
Nirutam explained to us how, in preparation for her mission to Earth, her body had been shaped into human form using developmental control nanites. It was not a perfect job, so she routinely wears a wig and paints on eyebrows, but it was her life's goal to make sure that the terms of the Trysta-Grean Pact were adhered to. "We are now in the Final Reality, but there might still be some fine tuning required to make sure that humans have a safe path into the future."
Dani said, "Nirutam is the on-Earth representative of the pek. I represent the interests of the bumpha. The only problem is, Earthly science could identify Nirutam as an alien creature, someone not of this world. She should not be here on Earth, but there is no way to get her to Observer Base."
Nirutam said, "In the original plans crafted by Grean, I was to retire at Observer Base. However, there is no reason why I can't remain here on Earth."
Zeta gestured towards me and said, "None of us wants to be investigated by scientists or any government agents." Zeta looked intently at Nirutam. "You don't really look human, Tami. I have to agree with Dani... this could be a problem."
Nirutam shrugged and told Zeta, "I'd be happy to stay here, in your home, and avoid contact with the rest of the world. I can be a useful source of information for your husband."
I could sense in Zeta's mind that she was concerned about the possible problems arising from having a space alien in the house. Zeta got up from the table and went to the kitchen and got the food grinder out of the dishwasher. She returned to the dining room, drying the parts of the grinder with a towel. Then she started grinding up a piece of apple.
Dani was telling Nirutam, "There is no real need for your help, Tami. I can share everything you know with the Editor. Really, think it through carefully Tami... you are not needed on Earth. You should have departed on the Buld spaceship along with Izhiun."
Nirutam sighed and told me, "And you can see for yourself the arrogance of intelligent machines."
I asked Dani, "How do you know that everything known to Nirutam is also known to you?"
Dani explained, "I was well briefed before Nirutam ever arrived on Earth. I know all about her origins in the Andromeda galaxy and how she was transported to this galaxy. Tami and I have worked together for years. I know her quite well, indeed."
Zeta again popped out of her chair and signaled me:
Tihri is awake.
A moment later, the three of us who were still seated at the table could hear Tihri through the baby monitor. We heard Zeta ask, "Was that a good nap, little one?"
I turned off the monitor and told Nirutam, "I'd be happy to have your help. And you too, Dani." I asked Zeta:
Can I invite them both to stay here in the house?
Zeta returned to the dining room with Tihri. Zeta said, "You are both welcome to stay here, but we lead a boring life." Zeta put the sleepy baby into the high chair. Tihri was really too young to sit up unassisted, but Zeta strapped her in tightly and pulled the high chair close to the table. Zeta stuck a tiny spoonful of applesauce into Tihri's mouth and her eyes opened wide.
Nirutam said, "You have a comfortable home and this location is the kind of remote and isolated hideaway that suits me perfectly. My only reluctance is that I won't be comfortable being confined here with Dani."
Dani admitted, "Tami and I seldom agree on anything. And of course, it would not be logical for any of us to ever trust an agent of the pek. They still resent having been defeated by R. Gohrlay and the bumpha."
Nirutam told Dani, "Only an arrogant and ignorant robot could possibly describe it as a defeat."
I took a first bite of my dinner. Zeta gave Tihri some mashed banana. I told Dani and Nirutam, "I can understand that you don't trust each other. However, I don't want to upset the calm environment of this house and create conditions where you two will constantly argue." I took a drink from my glass. "So, I'm inviting you both to stay here and help me with my work, but maybe one of you should actually reside somewhere else. I'm used to communicating electronically with my grand-daughter who lives on the other side of the planet and maybe one of you should only come here occasionally for a visit. The rest of the time we could stay in touch electronically."
Zeta told me:
Tihri really enjoyed the apple and the banana, but now she wants milk. I'm taking her to the bedroom. Zeta told Dani, "This is a calm and happy house. I'll enforce our house rule about no arguments. If you know that you can't adhere to that rule, then you should get back in you car and go back to your motel." Zeta took Tihri out of the high chair and carried her to the back of the house.
Dani stood up from the table and told me, "I'm going to return the car to its owner, but I'll be back."
I went with Dani to the front door and looked out the window. The snow storm had passed. The stars were coming out as the clouds thinned. I asked the robot, "You stole that car?"
Dani replied, "I borrowed it. It was conveniently close to where I emerged from the hierion tube, so I grabbed it."
I opened the front closet and asked, "Do you have a coat?"
Dani explained, "I'm fine. I don't need a coat." The robot went outside and quickly brushed the accumulated snow off of the stolen car.
I watched the lights of the car go down the driveway then turned and bumped into Nirutam, nearly knocking her over and partially dislodging her wig.
She pulled her hair piece back into place and said, "Thank you for welcoming me into your home. It has been difficult for me... waiting the past year for Dani to complete his mission at Observer Base. I was tempted to reveal myself to you earlier, but it was part of our agreement that I wait. I was actually worried that you would let Dani move in here and make me go back to my apartment in town."
I told Tami, "I really am glad to have you here. There is so much I can learn from you." We went back to the dining room. I telepathically asked Zeta what she had planned for dessert then I asked Nirutam, "I know it is a cold night, but would you like a slice of pie with a scoop of ice cream on top?"
Nirutam gave a strangely alien laugh and said, "I love ice cream."
I suggested, "Maybe it will be alright if we heat up the pie."
We had made quick work of the pie and Nirutam had gotten seconds on the ice cream. She and I were still seated at the table, talking about the ages old conflict between the pek and the bumpha, when Zeta returned to the dining room. Now fed, Tihri had gone back to sleep. Zeta cleared away the dishes and worked in the kitchen for a while, cleaning up.
When Zeta joined us at the table, she had her own bowl of ice cream. She told Nirutam, "When you get sleepy, let me know. You can have your choice of the available bedrooms."
Nirutam said, "I don't want to be a bother. It might be best if I use your guest house."
Zeta said, "That's fine; it will give you the most privacy, but you'll have to step
outside every time you come over here. It gets cold here this time of
year." She set down her spoon, rubbed her arms and said, "Maybe ice cream was not the best idea for a cold winter night." I could sense in Zeta's mind that she was expecting me to warm her up.
"I don't mind cold." Nirutam added, "And unlike you Earthlings, my species does not sleep."
With the long drive home under adverse conditions, I was tired. I told Nirutam, "I'm going to bed. If you get bored tonight, please write down an account of your home planet. I'd be interested to learn about your people."
After Zeta and I warmed each other up, I got a good night's sleep and it was not until the next day that I learned another strange fact about Nirutam: she had never really learned how to write. During the night, she'd tried using the computer in the guest house, but had produced mostly an incoherent gibberish of misspelled words. So, Tami has turned into a time-consuming project, but I am learning many interesting things about the Andromeda galaxy. After about a week of working with Tami on how to write English, I realized that her preferred name for the bumpha is actually "mo'dor".
Next:
The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov
