Story: Ark II
Chapter: 4 Learning Lessons
Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)
Mature Readers only due to sexual situations and graphic sexual content
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A New Friend
Hank and Rita stood together off to the side to give Joel and Sara Beth privacy but were concerned with what was clearly an upsetting situation with their friends. As Joel was the one that looked over all contact with Earth, you had to conclude there was something terrible in the messages.
Joel and Sara Beth separated, but never lost contact with each other. Joel looked at their friends who were joined by the scientists in the room. Joel gave a sad smile, "I read some bad news," Joel said. "The Earth is still there, but..."
"Shouldn't we include the children?" Sara Beth asked Joel. "We've never shielded the truth from them."
Joel nodded, "Yes, we should. We'll have to do it again with the others still in stasis." He held Sara Beth's hand, "If you'll all come with me." He stopped, "Unless you don't want me to." He sighed, "There were two very large nuclear bombs that went off in China. The death toll is in the billions."
There were more gasps from the scientists gathered. Hank's face hardened. It affected them all.
"I will share what was sent," Joel waved at the desk he had used. "Sara Beth and I tell our children the whole truth. It is sometimes hard for them to hear or understand...our job as parents is to help them understand and deal with it. Do I do that with yours?"
Xolani was a warrior. His face got a scowl on it that would have frightened anyone that opposed him, "We don't shelter Lunga. He will understand."
"I loathe having to tell him," Adam admitted. "It is what happened."
"My Helga can be told and we..." Greta, a nutritionist, took her Seismologist, Planetary Scientist husband Kurt Mueller's hand. He was needed to decide on the going on or elsewhere. She woke as his wife to keep him company. "Hans will simply accept it." Their daughter Helga was nine and Hans was seven.
Larisa, who was from India with her husband Ansh Bhatt had no children yet. He was a Mechanical Engineer. She was the Astrophysicist.
Joel nodded, "We'll do this with all of them." He waved for them to follow him and walked to the Communal Dining Area.
Robbie wasn't lecturing this time. They each had hand-held devices they studied. Each was devoted to what he was doing.
Joel watched Ian using a stylus as he wrote something on his pad. The way he was moving it he could tell he wasn't coloring or drawing. He was practicing his handwriting; skills Joel thought many people were losing today. No one wrote letters anymore. Ian's tongue stuck out a little on the right side of his mouth. That was a habit many people had. He wondered briefly if he, himself did that. He went behind them closer and looked at the letters Ian was writing in that child-like manner all children use as they learn manual dexterity. Ian looked up at Joel who was instantly greeted by a beaming smile. No anger, just a happy, well-adjusted child that was perfectly safe and secure. Joel inwardly sighed as he knew these thoughts were due to what he'd seen and read. The images the media had of the devastation...temples, art with statues and delicate parchments with the writing he had to have described to himself to even get a fraction what they meant, the Forbidden City and the ancient structures. No matter how bad things got in the world, the Chinese people kept these safe. They were sacred! Now gone. He had seen the satellite images of rubble and the many bodies who had been lucky after the blast. They were dead. There were survivors that were dead but just hadn't died yet. They knew they were dying and simply waited for the mercy of death to end their torment. The Trade Winds, or jet stream would carry radiation all over China, what was left of Japan...across the Pacific and across to the United States and Canada! Joel did take a deep breath thinking about this.
Lunga looked up at Joel and then looked at his fathers. Adam and Xolani who often held hands. Now they were standing close together and looking very sad about something. All of the adults were looking very upset about something. "Papas? What's wrong?"
"We'll let Commander Nesmith explain," Adam waved at Joel.
Their children here were all alive and safe now. Joel forced a smile on his face and took a deep breath, "I have some troubling news. Some of you won't understand, but..." he looked at Robbie who had been dealing with Helga about something, "We left Earth and won't ever be going back. I know. Yet, this was our home. Its where we came from. We will always be from Earth even millions of years from now." He steeled himself and just said it. "I get messages from Earth and one of the events they told us about was...two very nasty, powerful nuclear bombs went off in China. It has killed billions of people and will continue to kill many more as the radiation spreads." He saw Lunga understood. Chloe did a little. Kevin did to a degree. "There will be deaths for many days, weeks, months, and years as the poisonous radiation spreads. It is in the Northern Hemisphere but will affect the whole planet..."
"Who did this?" Lunga asked in horror.
"Why?" Chloe asked.
Joel nodded, "Good questions. I don't have a good answer."
"What will whomever get from this?" Kevin sat back as he tried to understand. "They've destroyed themselves!"
Joel nodded as Sara Beth joined him and took Joel's hand. He looked at his eldest son, "It was extremely selfish and a foolish move by people that were so angry about something...rational thought was not used. The world and people around the Earth will be paying the price for many generations." He got angry, "Men did this! We did this! Everything that has happened from those bombs to the super storms, the super hurricanes, typhoons, the rise in sea levels, global warming...all of that was caused by us!" He said angrily. "Humans are so smart but so foolish. We thought we could do whatever we wanted to the Earth. We are paying the price." He touched Jimmy's head gently and smiled at him. "I am so happy we got you away when we did. Kevin's, Jimmy's, and Ian's mother and I knew we faced danger doing this on the Ark. We could have lost all of you if we stayed. We are the first Humans from Earth that have traveled this far out in the galaxy." He ran his fingers in Jimmy's hair that was so like his mother's. "We would do anything to protect and save them." He looked at Hank and Rita, "The Cavills are doing this for Chloe and Rachel." He looked at Adam and Xolani. "The Friends are doing this for Lunga. Every person on the Ark is doing it for someone else." He looked at everyone. "Learn these lessons well. We won't do this on our new home. Never again." He looked at the group of adults there. "The footage sent is available for everyone to see. It may cause nightmares for some." He chuckled and shrugged, "It will me." He smiled at Sara Beth. "I have support." He looked at the other adults again. "Don't let anyone view the footage alone. Sara Beth and I will show our children. With us there, we can help them, but they will learn the lessons. We will teach them." Then he brightened, "Hey, they were building another Ark. We will no doubt hear and meet them out here one day. Who knows?" He got a look of determination. "We have some of the best minds with us to make this possible. We have hope for Mankind. It will be a new start...an addition to our former home, Earth. We will succeed." He looked at Robbie. "That includes you, Robbie and Athena. You will always be a part of us."
The younger residents didn't know how to react to what they were told. Was there a proper reaction? No. They each reacted for their understanding of what Joel said. There was no right or wrong way.
It was a subdued group that stayed for a meal, but appetites were not as they should be. Conversations were hushed. They returned to their own quarters or like the Nesmiths did, went with the Cavills to their quarters. Joel even suggested they have a movie or show night. What happened on Earth was horrible, but that wasn't affecting them as much. It was more emotional.
Hank insisted they watch the Lost in Space series from the 1960s. The levity returned as they watched. They saw the robot Hank had mentioned adding.
"Look at him," Joel waved at the robot. "His hands are more like clamps! How is his manual dexterity?"
"He picks things up," Hank argued.
"Operated by a little person inside the robot," Rita added.
Hank waved at Robbie, "He had one, too."
Ian looked at Robbie, "Robbie doesn't have a person inside of him, Uncle Hank. They'd die!"
Hank nodded, "That Robbie doesn't. The one in the movies did." He smiled at Ian and Joel. "You made alterations to Robbie. We can make alterations to Robot!"
"Like what?" Rita asked enjoying the time with these people.
"Like..." Hank had thought about this, "interchangeable appendages! He could use hands that have fingers!"
Jimmy sat up looked at Joel, "What's inside Robbie? Can we see it?"
Joel looked at his son, "Can we see inside of you?"
"Mom does whenever I have a checkup!" Jimmy argued. "What is Robbie made of?"
"Servos, some hinge-joints, computer circuits," Joel answered. "Ask Robbie."
Jimmy raced over to Robbie and began talking with him quietly.
"Don't hurt Robbie!" Ian shouted.
"I can't hurt Robbie," Jimmy replied as loud. "He's a robot." He looked up at Robbie, "You don't have nerves, do you, Robbie?"
"I have sensor-like nerves to register impacts and shocks," Robbie replied. "I do not feel pain like you do."
"Can I see inside of you?" Jimmy asked carefully. "I want to see how you work."
"You need a special tool to get my chassis off," Robbie explained. "I was designed to never be opened by accident. It does not have a real seam."
Jimmy frowned, "But Dad took you to be repaired once. How does anyone fix you now?"
"I was not what I am at present," Robbie explained. "I was only half the size I am now. My repairs were done by men that knew how to open my chassis. Your father can open me and fix me but has not needed to. Athena's drones can repair me. I also do a review of my internal workings every fifteen minutes while actively operating."
"Okay," Jimmy pointed at Robbie's head, "Where are your eyes?"
"I do not have eyes in the true sense of the word," Robbie replied. "Most of what you see is cosmetic to allow me to look like the Robbie in those movies and shows. I have external sensors to pick many sound vibrations and visual illumination people can not. I hear more than I did before and see beyond Human's ability to see."
Jimmy's eyes narrowed, "Dad also showed us movies where robots take over and kill people. You aren't going to do that, are you?"
"No," Robbie said. "I could never hurt anyone. I would never hurt or allow a person to be hurt." Then he added, "You nor any of the Nesmiths will ever be hurt."
And so, the questions to Robbie began in more detail.
Ian leaned against Joel, "Dad, a lot of people died on Earth."
Joel nodded, "Yes, there were."
"Robbie taught me about a million," Ian said warily. "You said a billion. That's a whole lot more, isn't it?"
"A lot more," Joey nodded.
"Why did anyone do that?" Ian asked.
"An excellent question for which I have no answer," Joel admitted.
"Can I see what they sent?" Ian asked.
Joel felt a tightness in his chest, "Yes." He looked directly into his son's eyes. "I don't want you to, but yes. You promise me..." he brushed Ian's hair back. "I don't want to take your childhood away. You promise me you will not ever see them without me or your mother. Preferably both. I'm going to have nightmares. I've never hidden things from any of you. The others may see it and discuss it. You need to know what they're talking about." He sighed. "I don't want to lose you or the special person you are." He feared it could scar his son forever. He would not let Ian see the burned bodies or walking dead shown. In life you were hurt and there were scars. It's a part of life. The scars Joel had from the conflicts he'd seen personally weren't enough to keep the nightmares away from himself!
"No one is going to do that to us?" Ian asked, worry in his voice.
"No!" Joel answered quickly. "First, because we are too far away. No missile or bomb could reach us from Earth. It takes a long time for the messages to get here. Second, the people on the Ark are smart and understand why we're doing this. All were interviewed and evaluated psychologically to be sure they weren't zealots or just plain crazy. Third, Uncle Hank, your mother, Aunt Rita, Uncle Manu and Aunt Andrea...I wouldn't let that happen. Athena has many things about her that is a tool. She is much more than a screwdriver. She can think and can watch. Aunt Rita had things Athena should look at about people. She will notice more than we could or would." He nodded, "Aunt Rita's work is overseen by others on different teams. Checks and balances..."
"Who checks yours?" Ian asked.
Joel shrugged and threw his hands up, "Everybody!" He grinned at Ian, "I'm really the decision maker. All the minds come to me with their ideas and why we should do it. I decide based on what they tell me if we should or shouldn't do it." He pulled his son closer and held him close to him. "You, your brothers, your mother, all the aunts and uncles on the Ark, cousins here because of those aunts and uncles...I will do anything needed to keep you safe. We are all family now. Trust me. I won't let anyone get hurt."
Joel did not believe in censorship at all. Humans had ideas both good and bad. Not one thought should be censored. Facts were facts. What happened back on Earth was horrible and every single person on the Ark would have a problem with it. It would be another issue if they didn't. Joel had problems. Views on religions and philosophies were something else. Everyone needed a moral base. The philosophies and religions were subjective and were followed by individuals. Proven facts were proven. If there was another explanation the opinion should be proven before excepted. He wasn't deleting what was sent, but his job as a parent was to gage information his sons saw because they were impressionable. All of them were impressionable right now. He might let Kevin see some but watch his reaction. Jimmy was at a point he wasn't a grown up, but he wasn't a young child. Ian was a child. He could see some of the destruction, but not the bodies or people walking burned and going to die. He needed to let the adults out of stasis now see the footage the was not doctored. They could decide for their children. Joel dreaded to do it.
The gravity of the situation was still present with Joel, Sara Beth, and Hank. Only Sara Beth had read some of what was sent. They enjoyed a meal together and then returned to their quarters.
There was a sort of timeclock they followed as everyone returned to the Communal Dining Room before breaking up for other things. They shared a meal again with everyone.
"Are the things in storage going to run out?" Kevin asked Sara Beth.
"Not for quite a while," Sara Beth chuckled and then grudged a nod. "Well, we would with everyone out of stasis for a long period of time. That won't happen. Not even when we get to our new home. Only those needed will be up to consume any supplies." She placed a plate in front of Ian. "Your father, Uncle Hank, Aunt Rita, and I will be needed each time. Meaning you will be out of stasis each time, as well. There are enough supplies in stasis cabinets where there is no bacteria, is vacuum sealed, and as fresh as the day they were put in the cabinet." She shrugged. "We can also raise crops as needed from corn, wheat...anything we need in hydroponics. Apples, tomatoes, beans..." she watched her son twist his face with distaste and laughed. "You inherited your father's dislike of some foods. He likes green beans, don't you?"
"Yes," Kevin grudged an answer. "It's better than the others, but..." he looked at her, "I was reading about the theory of evolution. They say our brains in the beginning were kind of small."
She saw her son's sly look, "And?"
He shrugged, "I also read that when we started eating meat our brains grew."
She chuckled, "Your point?"
"We ate nothing but plants before," Kevin said. "We began eating meat and our brains grew and we got teeth designed to cut through meat? Maybe if we went more toward a more meat rich diet..."
"Or," Sara Beth interrupted, "The more rounded diet of meat and plants is responsible for our more evolved status now."
Kevin shrugged, "How do we know?" He nodded, "You're a doctor and know more than I do." He pointed at her, "Or do you? Has anyone gone to a totally meat-based diet?"
Sara Beth shook her head, "Some have tried and failed." She shook her maternal finger at him, "And you won't try. You eat your vegetables and meat."
He grinned and ate some of his no meat sausage, "I am. This is plant based."
Sara Beth grinned, "Wiseguy."
When they went to the Control Room Joel addressed the others. "Before we start on our target, I think everyone should see the footage sent to us from Earth." He sighed, "I will warn you, some of it disturbed me very much. It will bother you; I believe." He nodded. "I am not deleting any of it. I will allow anyone to see it that wants to. Sara Beth and I will let our sons see parts of it. Not all of it. They aren't ready for that." He chuckled without humor again. "Hell, I wasn't ready." He went to his desk and brought up the feed from Earth. "You read and watch from your desks."
It was two hours before they had seen what had been sent by Earth. There were follow up messages and footage that Joel sent to them to view.
"Whatever you believe in," Joel began. "You are here for the same reason. To begin somewhere else." He sighed. "Take whatever time you need. Its your time. If you want to stay up, fine."
Karl Mueller found his voice first, "There are three planets we've agreed on. Around Alpha Centauri A there are two planets that may have possibility out of thirteen. Phafton is a super Earth. It is two point three what we had on Earth. It has three moons."
"I'd weigh a little more than twice I do now," Joel said.
Kurt added, "There is Phainon which has one small moon. They have water."
"Right. There is a planet orbiting Alpha Centauri B that has a single planet out of seven that is favorable called Stibon." Xolani continued, "It has considerably less water, but in the habitable zone."
Joel nodded, "So, the first planet will have too much gravity. Number three has too little water?" They were nodding. "What's wrong with number two?"
"There maybe a lot of meteor impacts," Xolani offered. "All of them around Alpha Centauri A's habitable zone might. There is an asteroid debris field in orbit like our Asteroid Belt we left in our solar system."
"We'll need longer scans of those planets to determine if that's true," Adam finished for his husband.
"There is the mass to consider," Xolani added which they all nodded agreed.
"In ten more years, we'll be at the halfway point to Alpha Centauri," Joel said sitting in his chair. "By then we need to know if we should slow down or change course. We'll be at the maximum speed." Joel looked at Sara Beth, "Would we adapt to the gravity on Phafton?"
Sara Beth gave shrugging nod, "Yes, eventually. It would take a while. Our bodies would change. It would take more energy to move around." She leaned forward and said to Joel. "All of us including our boys."
Larisa nodded, "Not only us, but everything from a hammer to a simple pillow..."
Ansh Bhatt added, "That includes all of the animals we brought with us from Earth that took millions of years to evolve there and their very natures..."
"I got it!" Joel held a hand up and said a bit louder than he meant to use and lowered his tone and smiled, "Thank you. I understand the gravity of what you are saying." Joel got the groaning "oohs" from the scientists. "Did you like that?" Adam was giving a wavering hand motion for "so-so."
Hank was grinning and he shook with laughter quietly. He then added, "Using humor when dealing with a bad situation...who does that?" Then brightened, "I do! Be it a machine part or my eldest daughter's endless drama." He nodded at Joel, "It's what we do. That was pretty good, Commander." He turned to the others. "What's happening on Earth has been coming for thousands of years. We all knew that and that's why we're here." He shook his head, "We left Earth behind, but we are so connected to that world. We sprang from Earth. Mourne for what's happening and concentrate on making this work." He smiled. "We have the means and ability to do this. A branch of men is going to make a new planet made from Earth a success."
"Maybe we should bring Dr. Nayef Rees and his wife Leah out of stasis," Sara Beth thought out loud. "He's a great scientist in Neurology and she is a great Neurosurgeon. Both are Psychiatrists. They can counsel everyone after we tell them."
"Good idea," Joel agreed. "Damn, this is a great hospital! Whoever is sick, no matter what it is, we have doctors for it." He saw Hank's face that said he wasn't included in that group. "No, Hank, you and Rita have the most important patient. The Ark and Athena. She is the one person on the Ark that is awake all the time. You two make sure she's always healthy and can function or we will all die. You and Rita are the most important doctors on this ship."
Rita smiled, "Thank you, Joel."
Hank smiled at Rita and said to Joel quietly, "Rita was right. Partly. I can be obnoxious. I do it on purpose." He grinned. "I considered it my mission to save her."
"Save her?" Joel frowned. "From what?"
"She was becoming what they call a geek or computer nerd," Hank pointed at Joel and jabbed him lightly with each of his next words. "I determined to make her laugh." He smiled brighter. "It took me almost a whole semester before I got her to look up from her computer...bad jokes and puns until I got a smile and then finally a laugh! I think you and I got the greatest packages. Beauty and brains. A deadly combination." He returned to his tapping on Joel's chest. "In fact, I haven't seen an ugly woman on the Ark! I think the governments of Earth agreed to get these women off the planet. They were scared they'd take over."
Joel chuckled, "You could be right. I got Sara Beth to look up from her microscope. She's a Beauty Queen, so your assessment is valid. The men on the Ark are brawn and brains. They were probably scared we would take over."
Hank sighed, "I wish we had."
Coping mechanisms. They all had them. Humor was a major mechanism used and it worked. Hank and Joel were proficient at using that tool. Perhaps that was why Hank and Joel got along so well. They both had to admit, their wives were their partners and best friends, but Joel was Hank's best friend and Hank was Joel's best friend. That was another major reason the Ark was succeeding like it was.
In the Cavill's quarters Hank came over and plopped beside Joel on the couch.
"What do you say we ask Athena to work on Robot while were in stasis?" Joel asked.
Hank's eyes widened as he turned to look at Joel, "That would be great! We wake from stasis and have two robots? Robbie and Robot?"
Joel smiled as he nodded, "Athena is busy, but we'll be in stasis this time for ten years! We can check, but I think she'll have the time. Between her scans of the area of space we're in and going toward, she might enjoy having something else to do." Joel pointed at Joel, "We can give her the parameters and directives...he will look and act like the robot on Lost in Space. The changes you suggested, you will have to give her." He watched as Hank's eyes widened with excitement. "Like those interchangeable hands on those accordion-like arms that retract when not in use. You know that in the 1960s, he was designed to be used on television and his rolling treads were to make it easier to use on camera. You can tell he had bendable legs he would lift up and down to climb and..."
Hank jumped up, "Yes, I know!" He thumbed in the direction of his work office in his quarters. "I have it done already! I'll get them!" He hurried off to get...whatever.
Joel chuckled as he was reminded of any one of his sons who was excited about a toy or something they prized. Athena and the Ark had these drones, robot machinists that could work on anything. Joel had them assemble Robbie!
Hank came back slamming into the place he left and showed Joel the large, screened device he used to design parts and components they might need. It was thin and light. Hank touched it and chose an image and Joel saw the robot made famous on television. Then Hank brought up some images he had made of what this robot would look like. It was Robot! "You're serious about this?"
Joel lowered his head and looked irritated at Hank, scowling, "No, Hank. I'm being mean and cruel telling you yes, only so I can say no now!" He slightly slapped Hank in the back of his head. "What do you think?"
Hank chuckled and hurried on, "Just checking." He was about to explain what he had, stopped and asked, "Why are you doing this?"
"Morale," Joel replied. "We are busy and will be busy in the future." He shrugged, "Pets were the solution to that before. Robots aren't pets but can do the same thing. Relieve stress, calm us, and entertain." He looked at Hank. "Robbie's entertaining. Isn't he?"
"Yes," Hank nodded smiling more. "Isn't that why you had him built?"
"He was built as entertainment," Joel pointed out physically with a raised finger. "He became a dear friend who became part of my family. I hope Robot will be the same thing." He grinned. "There are so many robots used in movies and television that can be built." His head went back an inch. "Have you seen Star Wars?"
Hank nodded, "Sure. Who hasn't? All nine movies." His eyes narrowed. "Which droid were you thinking of?"
"C3PO!" Joel stated simply. "R2D2?"
"The beep-beep, boop-boop droid?" Hank's face scrunched. "He doesn't talk!"
"He does, too!" Joel shot back quickly and then grudged a nodding shrug, "Not in words, but did you ever doubt what he was saying? He was happy, ashamed, embarrassed, or irritated...usually interpreted by C3PO, but even without him you knew. He would hum to himself! Or..." he raised the finger again, "or when he was plugged into a fighter what he communicated to Luke it could be read! Adults and children will love him!" Then he looked more excited himself. "Robotic dogs or cats! We have the genes for dogs and cats in storage, but until we get to where we're going, we can't revive them..."
"Robots aren't cuddly!" Hank argued. "They aren't warm."
Joel nodded, "We can make them warm and cuddly!"
"You're serious," Hank said again.
"Very," Joel nodded. "We have the metal! We can make them and when we're in stasis they can be shut off. They can be turned on again when we're up. They won't eat or poop. Athena will be the center hub of all of them."
"Okay!" Hank said nodding and showed Joel his images and designs. "Now, I look forward to going into stasis! We'll get up and Robot will be ready!"
"Yes, he will," Joel nodded, chuckling. "There were three different Robots. But let's start with this one."
Joel grinned as Hank spoke with Athena about what he hoped she could do. He explained what he wanted. Then he felt a wave of guilt. He was having fun when people on Earth had died and would continue to die.
Sara Beth came over having seen her husband's reaction and excused herself from Rita. Sitting by Joel she put her arms around him kissing him gently. "Yes," she said to Joel softly. "What happened on Earth is terrible. Sorrow for what happened is natural, but it's not our home anymore." She took a deep breath. "It was our home. We're making a new one. Feeling guilty about being happy is kind of natural. Its okay to be happy, baby. You have friends there. I have friends there. We didn't leave them, but we did leave Earth. For a future. For our children."
Joel nodded, "I felt a little guilty when we were at the tanks, swimming and having a good time." He waved at the Ark and their surroundings. "We have a good life here. Should I feel guilty because of that?"
Sara Beth grinned, "You know full well the reason they made it this way was to convince us to keep going. The unknown risk is high. A random collision with a stray object in space and we're gone. This is an incentive."
"Most of the time it works," Joel admitted. "I just need more time."
"I'm here," Sara Beth assured.
Joel's head retracted a bit, "I should be here for you!"
"And you will be!" Sara Beth smiled. "My knight in shining armor. We'll go back and forth with this." She waved over at Rita who waved at Joel, "We've talked about this already. We'll talk about it again." She kissed him. Waving at Hank, "He is dealing with it his way." She smiled, "You can brood, if I let you." She shook her head, "I won't let you." She waved at her three sons and the Cavill's two daughters who were playing a game. "You've got children that need their happy father. I want my happy husband back. Cheer up!" She rose again, "Deal with it elsewhere another time, but cheer up now."
Sara Beth was right. Joel had to almost physically force the dark thoughts away. He rushed over giving a quick shake to Kevin and then went to hear Hank discussing things with Athena.
Robbie prepared to get back in his closet. Ian walked up to Robbie.
"I'll see you soon," Ian said hugging Robbie's leg. "I love you, Robbie."
Robbie bent a little to look as if he could see Ian better. Robbie's hand touched Ian gently, "I love you, too, Ian."
Joel knew Robbie did! Robbie loved all of them. His feelings were maybe programmed, but who really knew? They returned to stasis again. They would wake Dr. Nayef Rees and his wife Dr. Leah Rees the next time to inform them so they could prepare for the others to come out of stasis. Kevin asked about seeing the footage but didn't pursue it. Chloe never mentioned it. Did Lunga? His fathers would deal with him. Sara Beth saw that everyone got back into stasis.
"Athena," Joel began as he held Ian's hand and stood with Jimmy and Kevin. They waited for Sara Beth to put them in stasis. Joel was, too. "I want you to know. I am very aware of how important you are to us. We couldn't do it without you. You feed us, clothe us and are constantly looking for a place for us to live." He almost felt like he was saying his prayers. Athena was the name of a goddess, and this Athena was a kind of goddess. She was responsible for their very lives. He thought some movies where that turned out badly for people. His grandfather had drilled into him that appreciation was never wasted and thank you is never unwanted. "You know when we get to where we're going your job is hardly over."
"I do," Athena replied.
"What will happen to her then?" Jimmy asked.
"She holds every kind of tree and animal we could get together," Joel explained. "Once terraforming takes root, we'll begin adding plants and animals. We won't see all of it." He waved at the Ark around them. "This vessel will be with us a long time even after we get to our new home. If we need to go to another system for any reason, it will be what takes us. We have landing equipment needed to get to the ground and back again. Traveling to any moon or planet in the same system we can use the smaller crafts, but long journeys require this vessel. We will have to build another space elevator if we do it too many times. We can create fuel, if we have what we need on our new world to make it, that is."
Athena was no more a god than a mother is to a baby. Some would say a mother is a god when it comes to a baby. She is responsible for a life. She gives life, protects that life, provides food, tells where the baby sleeps...yes, she is a god. Athena was a god to the people on the Ark. Except giving lives, she protects, provides food, has a place for them to sleep, and was taking them to a place they could live. He would not pray to her. She could demand things from the residents in exchange for keeping them alive. In the movies where a computer or robot did...the computer and robot did not have a good ending. Besides, Rita was the person that oversaw Athena's operations. Yes, a malevolent person could have sent a rogue program to try to make Athena do things wrong...Rita herself could go nuts and program Athena to kill people, but Rita faced the same checks and balances Joel did. Her people onboard would figure it out...hopefully. Trust. That was the key. Joel would trust until something happened to prove a situation was untrustworthy.
"My point, Athena," Joel continued. "You are the most important entity and/or person with us. Everyone is counting on you. We know how difficult the task is. We appreciate it." He pressed his chest and said, "I appreciate you. I am telling you, thank you."
"You and all the people on the Ark are welcome," Athena replied. "I was created to take you to this new home. I was given the freedom to create and have emotions. I have come to appreciate what you do, Commander. Since you have arrived on the Ark, I have come to care about all of you. Anything I can do to help make it easier, I will do gladly. As you and your family and the Cavills have been up and working the most with me. I care about you more. I will keep you safe. We will get to a new home."
"We trust you," Joel said. "Thank you again." Artificial intelligence and artificial emotions...knew about his. He shook those thoughts, or they would keep bothering him.
Sara Beth floated back to her family smiling, "Do I give you something to feel when you come out of stasis?" She asked Joel.
"Nah," Joel said simply. "I'll deal with it."
Okay, there had to be a mistake. Joel just closed his eyes! His mind was telling him there had to be an error. "Athena, it couldn't have been ten years!"
"It has been ten years since you returned to the Stasis Pods," Athena commented.
"Did you miss us?" Hank's voice called from his pod as he freed himself.
"You were not gone," Athena said with a touch of amusement in her voice. No emotions? Ha!
"No jokes for ten years," Rita said sardonically. "That would be unbearable!" She chuckled as she began her stretching.
"You like my jokes!" Hank protested.
"No, Honey," Rita corrected, humor was in her voice, too. "I like you. Your jokes are just part of the package."
"I like your jokes, Daddy," Rachel said from her pod.
"Thank you, Sweetheart," Hank told his youngest.
"I laugh," Chloe said with a hint of amusement, "When you tell one that's funny."
Hank looked mockingly annoyed at his eldest, "Okay," he pointed at Chloe. "Do you want to be taken off my Christmas list?"
"When will that be out here?" Kevin asked.
"And how will Santa deliver gifts? He missed us for..." Jimmy thought, "...how long? Seventeen years?" He grinned. "That's seventeen birthdays you owe me."
Joel couldn't help but smile at how well they were taking all of this. "We have to come up with another calendar," he shrugged. "Where we make planetfall, the length of day and night, the orbit around the star..."
"Wow," Ian said unfastening his harness. "We had a Christmas Party about two weeks ago, but you say that was seventeen years ago!? Wow."
"Yep," Joel chuckled. "Ian, remember to hold the handle. I don't want any of you to float away."
"Athena," Hank spoke. "Were there any problems with Robot?"
"No, Dr. Henry Cavill," Athena replied.
Hank clapped his hands with excited anticipation, "Yes!"
"Don't you have chores to do?" Joel smiled at Hank. "Can't you wait?"
Hank looked puzzled at Joel, "Okay. Athena, are there any problems with your engines?"
"No," Athena answered. "We achieved maximum velocity and they have shut down."
"Done," Hank said to Joel. "I'll look more thoroughly after we see Robot!"
The same people who had gotten up to look over the long-range scans of Alpha Centauri were up with the reviving of four more. Dr. Nayef Rees, his wife Leah Rees, their eldest was a son eleven-years old and daughter nine-years old. Nayef Rees was Welsh, Leah was British. Their son was Alan and daughter was Kim. Nayef had black hair with blue eyes. Leah was blonde with green eyes. Alan's hair was black like his father but had brown eyes. Kim was blonde with brown eyes.
"We aren't there," Nayef said logically. "Is there a problem?"
"Yes," Joel admitted. "The Ark is fine and so are the residents. I will share with you what the problem is when we go to the Control Room. The need for counselling will be understood when you see it."
"But first," Rita shook her husband lightly. "Hank wants to see his new toy."
Hank growled, "He is not a TOY!!"
Rita nodded, "Keep telling yourself that."
Joel had Robbie awakened and waiting outside the Cavill's quarters. Alan was fascinated by Robbie. Kim was a little shy of him until Ian went over and took Robbie's hand with no fear and complete trust. Robbie allowed Ian to hold his hand as they entered the Cavill's quarters. A closet had been set aside for...
"Robot," Hank called lightly. "Are you in there? Could you come out and say hello?"
The closet door opened and the robot some knew from the TV show rolled out to stop in front of them.
"Wow," Kevin said.
"I bring you greetings," Robot said in the voice the ones who watched the show knew. The light plate where a "mouth" should be lit as he spoke.
"Hi," Hank said happily. "Can you tell everyone who you are?"
"The Jupiter Two was launched in the year 1999 from Earth in route to Alpha Centauri. My records tell me on the way we were thrown off course and got lost in space. My link with Athena tells me we are also on route for Alpha Centauri. That link also tells me we are not lost."
Hank chuckled and shook his head, "No, we aren't lost. Do I need to introduce you to everyone?"
"Negative," Robot said. "I have records of everyone onboard the Ark. You are Dr. Henry Cavill. Beside you is your wife, Dr. Rita Cavill. You both have two daughters, Chloe Cavill and Rachel Cavill..."
"Okay," Hank stopped Robot. "How are your augmented hand arrangements?"
Robot had the red claw-like hands out which retracted, and four-fingered red hands came out. The fingers opened and then closed on each other in a kind of pincer grasp. "They function effectively." Robot turned to Hank turning his upper body in Hank's direction. "How should I address you?"
"By my name. Hank," Hank said waving at his wife. "They will tell you how to address them."
Robot looked at Robbie, "I recall a confrontation with this robot."
"You are in error," Robbie commented calmly. "I saw a robot very much like me confronted by a robot very much like you. I was not that robot."
"I was not that other robot either," Robot said. "I was always called Robot."
"I am Robbie," Robbie said.
"Is he ours?" Chloe asked her father smiling.
"He stays with us," Hank nodded. "He will be with everyone, but yes. He belongs with us."
"Will we all get one?" Lunga asked.
"Perhaps," Joel nodded, and he looked at Nayef. "I did it to boost morale. Do you approve or disapprove?"
"These are fictional characters from a television show," Nayef pointed at the robots. He pointed at Robot. "He is. I've seen his show. I'm not sure about him." He pointed at Robbie.
Hank's eyes grew, "Fiction!?" He waved at Robot. "Are you feeling alright, Doc? They're right here! Can't you see them? Physician, shrink thyself!"
Joel chuckled, "We know they aren't the real characters, but aren't they?" He waved at Robbie and walked toward Robbie, "He has been with me for nearly thirty years. He can access the databases and can apply what he knows." He waved at Robot. "He can do the same thing. I plan to add others like robotic cats and dogs for the kids. It will be therapeutic!" He looked at Nayef. "Am I wrong?"
"I think it's a marvelous idea!" Leah said smiling at Robbie.
"These are better!" Hank declared.
"They are independent of Athena?" Nayef asked looking at the two robots. "Or are they extensions of Athena?"
"Both," Hank answered. "They both have their memories, personalities, and experiences backed up with Athena. The link with Athena allows them to access any file and database needed. Robbie's a great instructor about any subject. Even if there was no connection to Athena, they will retain their own programs and selves."
"So, what are all these things...like antennas and lights?" Alan Rees asked getting closer to Robot.
"To look like Robot and Robbie!" Hank smiled and nodded. "They're memories of them to make them look like who they are! They have gears, joints, pullies...everything to let them move. You recognized them!"
Nayef grudged a shrug and nod, "I did. The dogs and cats?"
"We can make them close to what a dog and cat look like," Joel informed. "They can be the warm and fuzzy or give them a more robot look. They will act like dogs and cats. Pets." Joel stated the simplicity of what he proposed. "There will be no poop scooping, litterbox cleaning, wasted food and air with their own personalities. The small dog and cat robots will be controlled by Athena."
Kim Rees brightened, "I always wanted a cat! Can I get one?"
"Sure, you can!" Hank answered quickly. "Even if your parents wouldn't let you have a real cat. They can't object to having a robot cat. There is no care or upkeep needed." He shrugged, "The occasional maintenance but that's done easily."
Nayef held an arm out and asked, "Do you remember how expensive a real dog and cat cost on Earth!? Strays are still there, but riddled with disease, worms and God knows what. A purebred, disease free animal cost as much as cars!" He waved at his daughter, "She wants a Siamese! That would set us back ten thousand dollars! With our schedule we couldn't care for it like we should and there are the thieves! They steal your precious pet-baby and make thousands!"
Alan grinned, "I wanted a beagle." He held his hands apart a foot or so. "One of those smaller, affectionate beagles,"
"And there goes another ten grand!" Nayef said irritated.
"Which won't be true now," Joel pointed out. "A beagle that doesn't need walking, won't chew your shoes, eat your food, need cleaning up after when he pees or poops in the wrong place. He'll be housebroken the moment he's switched on!"
"They will always be healthy, happy, and loyal," Hank added. "No unplanned litters..."
"I always wanted a beagle named Barney," Alan was smiling at the idea.
"My cat will be named Samantha!" Kim added.
"Why not?" Joel asked.
"It sounds so perfect," Leah hugged her daughter in a one-armed hug and then looked at Joel. "We may not want to go with the real things."
Sara Beth nodded, "We may not be able to for a while. We had the DNA for those pets, but we won't be able to bring them back until we've found a planet."
"Which is why we revived all of you," Joel pointed at the others. "We have the scans you need to review, and we need to decide to land on a planet there or find another target." He looked at Nayef and Leah, "And you need to see why we revived you two. Do we get started?"
They left the young residents to be entertained and instructed by Robbie and Robot in the Communal Dining Area. The scientists needed to decide where and they could review more thorough the scans done by Athena. Joel pulled up the media files sent on the bombing in China. He then sat and pulled up any new files, media footage and messages sent during the ten years they were in stasis. Sara Beth, Rita, and Hank did their tasks.
Three more bombs were found and stopped. Two were not. One was in Johannesburg, South Africa. The other was in Virginia in the new capital of Washington, D.C. With the rising of seawater, they moved the capital inland. There were millions of lives lost. Theories and trying to understand the motivations of whomever was doing this...there were plenty. Group after group were confessing, but were they the real cause? Even that was debated. Conventional warfare was always happening and just seemed to grow. Joel sighed and shared with the others what had happened. It took a little longer for the scientists to reach a consensus.
Joel prepared to listen, "Okay. In your best learned manner, use simple terms to help us decide."
"Alpha Centauri A had the two planets," Xolani began. "Phafthon which was too massive. We could adjust to it, but the life we brought with us might not. Phainon has the water, but since we began to scan more thoroughly it has been hit by meteorites three times in the past ten years. There is evidence this has happened frequently in the past thousand years. Any life that might rise will have a hard time...if it isn't there already."
"Alpha Centauri B had Stilbon." Adam nodded. "It is very unstable. The molten core is very near the surface and the tectonic plates are almost always moving. Many earthquakes..."
Joel sighed, "No, for all of them." He nodded. "What's next?"
Larisa smiled, "We knew you'd ask. There are a few. Barnard's Star, Luhman, Alpha Canis Major," she got an almost coy look, "The most promising is Epsilon Eridani or Ran as we call it..."
Joel looked puzzled, "I thought there was only one planet confirmed in Epsilon...whatever." He grinned, "Ran sounds like a good nickname, but I will only use that name when I form an emotional attachment to it. As Ian said, those are some odd names."
Kurt Mueller chuckled, "We only confirmed one planet before, a gas giant. There are two planets in the habitable zone we want to study more in ten more years. There are six planets total. The second terrestrial planet and the third are in the habitable zone."
"Okay," Joel said listening.
Adam chuckled, "Number six is also a terrestrial planet but is probably a hitchhiker."
Joel's head rose as he looked at them curious, "Why do you say that?"
"It's in a trojan orbit," Xolani grinned and raised a hand and did a circular motion in the air. "The planets go in a counterclockwise orbit, but not number six!" His motion went the opposite direction. "He goes backwards."
Adam shrugged with a chuckle, "He probably drifted from another system after it got cast off, wandered into the gravitational field of Ran and just stuck around."
Joel nodded, laughing as well, "Sure, I get that. What about any useful details? Water? Size? Year length?"
"We don't know about the water," Kurt answered. "It does orbit Ran in four hundred and nineteen Earth Days. Its rotation is thirty-three Earth Hours long..."
"And it's point ninety-three percent the size of Earth!" Xolani said happily.
"Now, the mass will affect the gravity, but so far we guesstimate it will be slightly lower than Earth normal." Adam added.
"Not that we will notice that slight difference!" Kurt put in excited by the news.
Joel smiled at the excitement of the scientists, "Can we get closer before I get excited?"
"Of course!" Larisa nodded. "It may prove to be geologically unstable, have no water, or bombarded by meteors!"
"Right," Joel chuckled. "We need to get closer to see what's under the mask of this Cinderella planet."
Nayef and Leah came toward them. Nayef held a hand up, "We viewed the files, articles, interviews..." Nayef sighed. "We all feel the connection with Earth. That umbilical cord is still attached. We need to severe that connection emotionally."
"That will be hard to do," Leah agreed. "To our minds, we just left! The reality, from what we overheard, we will be ten lightyears from Earth...meaning it will take longer and longer for these messages to get to us and or replies to get to them."
"That will help," Nayef nodded. "Putting more distance from Earth."
"We will offer counsel," Leah said. "There are three others in stasis that can do that, too. When more are awake, they can help..."
"After they deal with it themselves," Joel added.
Nayef nodded reluctantly, "Yes."
"We'll deal with those out of stasis now," Leah offered.
Hank walked forward, "I'm more concerned with our children. Joel is going to show his three boys."
"Not the footage with the bodies!" Joel added quickly. "I couldn't deal with that!"
"And we will be right there when they see it," Sara Beth said firmly.
"We will with Rachel and Chloe," Rita said in agreement.
"We all should see it, but not alone," Nayef said sadly. "None of us were surprised, were you?" He looked at each carefully. Everyone agreed they weren't.
They went back to the Communal Dining Room and told the others what they decided.
"So, we're going back into stasis for how long this time?" Chloe asked.
"Another ten years," Joel answered. "A total of twenty years before we can decelerate to enter the Ran solar system. Three or four times more."
"We could drop you off here!" Hank offered grinning. "One planet you'd gain a lot of weight! Another you'll die from an earthquake or hit by a falling rock. How about that?" He grinned.
Chloe just rolled her eyes.
"Now," Joel said. "We'll share a meal and then return to our quarters. There are somethings your parents may share with you. We're doing it with our three in the morning. Okay?"