the Runner Read online

CHAPTER 4

  Blue Lights

  Jan sat down as soon as they had entered Gravic's office but Kriss stood, staring out the window at the Barrens and the distant mountains. He wondered why only the First Citizen had such a fine view. Surely the Chief of Research was entitled to an office with a panoramic window. He was certainly an important citizen, perhaps in some ways more important than the First Citizen, and he deserved the accoutrements of this office. Gravic was old and senile and had little to contribute to the community. He, Kriss, Chief of Research, would be a splendid replacement for Gravic. If he became First Citizen - no, when he became First Citizen - he would change the title to Prime Citizen to reflect his contribution to the ...

  "Sit down Kriss," said Gravic.

  Kriss sat down.

  "The news from Kevn is that C-phon3 has run out of phonarite," said Gravic.

  "First Citizen," whispered Jan, "the report actually said that the phonarite had become extinct."

  "Yes ... extinct," said Gravic. "A strange word used only by phonarite researchers. Kevn explained it to me, once. The phonarite has recrystalized into a useless molecular structure, no longer recognized as phonarite, I guess. It can no longer be used as the virgin crystal, to grow phonarite automatons. I suppose that means C-phon3 may very well have unlimited amounts of crystal, but we can't use it."

  "That's correct, First Citizen," said Kriss with a smug face, rising slowly from his chair and gesturing. "You see, there are 117 forms of phonarite crystal. Most of our automatons employ at least 80 of these forms - used to fabricate the various gates, interrogative circuits, delays, decoders and other functions of phonarite computers. However, all 117 forms can decay - spontaneously - into the zero state crystal structure. We then say that phonarite is extinct. That's what's happening to our computers, you know. They recrystalize into the zero state and the computer stops functioning."

  He sat again, slowly, and waited for Gravic to ask the all-important question: what caused the decay? He knew the answer to that question. He had shown that it was radiation. The same type of radiation that had plagued the Dome since its construction, years ago. The same radiation that had initiated the radiation plagues. Kriss waited, but Gravic did not ask the question. Instead Gravic said:

  "Without phonarite the Dome community is doomed. We will have to return to Earth ... and that is unthinkable. We must either prevent the ... the extinction of phonarite, or devise another technology."

  Gravic looked into Kriss' eyes. "Kriss, I don't believe you have been able to do either in the years that you've been Chief of Research. Is that correct?" Gravic paused, stared intently at Kriss' red lips then continued. "Does that mean that we need a new Chief of Research?"

  "I know what causes the extinction!" shouted Kriss, rising again to his feet. "It's the radiation!"

  Jan looked with some discomfort as Kriss waved his arms at the First Citizen. Gravic rose to his feet and faced Kriss.

  "And what can you do to stop this extinction - due, as you say, to radiation?" said Gravic quietly. "We are constantly bathed in this cosmic bombardment. It irradiates the entire planet, especially when our two suns exchange mass. The radiation passes as easily through the entire planet as it does through a computer. We have learned to survive in spite of it. The Medical Research Labs have devised antidotes for radiation poisoning; all are effective." Gravic paused. "Kriss! Can you stop the radiation?" asked Gravic, his voice now rising to a shout.

  Kriss sat down abruptly. Jan stared at her hands lying folded in her lap. Gravic turned and stared, unseeing, out the window. The sky was streaked with the red of setting suns and the office took on a matching hue. Jan touched Kriss' hand and nodded. They both rose and quietly left the room.

  Gravic stared out the window for a long time. Soon Kevn would be back. Kevn must take over as Chief of Research. Perhaps that was more important than replacing Gravic as First Citizen. Kevn had been responsible for the phonarite technology. Surely he would see the need to continue his earlier work to solve the extinction problem. If not, the future looked bleak indeed. But Kevn would solve the problem - wait until he returned - everything would turn out all right.

  ______________________________________________________

  Sal took these early morning walks because the Dome was nearly deserted at this hour, and he liked the isolation. He walked down one of the several ramps that lead to the meeting place and sat on a bench. It would be crowded, soon. Last night the First Citizen had announced his intention to name a successor to Kriss. The announcement would be made here in the very near future - most probably in the video coliseum.

  Sal was about twenty five, with thinning blond hair and bright blue eyes. He gazed at the coliseum and his mind wandered to the last return of Kevn. Every transworld traveller had the opportunity to present a report upon his return, in the coliseum, and nearly every citizen attended these reports. However, when Kevn returned, when Kevn spoke, the coliseum was silent. Every citizen leaned forward to hear the exploits of their favorite son. The battle on C-phon2. The monsters of Claron. The blue suns of Phenom. Kevn was a hero to Sal and to most of the Dome citizens and was the logical choice as the new Chief of Research - and, eventually, Gravic's replacement as First Citizen.

  Sal looked at the large clock on the pedestal. It was just past 5. He rose and walked up a ramp. Citizens were now appearing in the mall, gathering around the entrances to the tramways and sweeping by in their skooters. Soon Kevn would be Home - and soon he would be Chief of Research. Sal would tell him about his work on radiation extinction, about the devious Kriss who had taken credit for it, about all the other young scientists who worked without enthusiasm. Kevn would fix all that.

  Sal walked to the foot of the observation tower and slowly ascended the 179 steps. The tower protruded above the spherical top of the Dome and provided, usually, a magnificent view of the Barrens. At this time of the morning the suns of Home planet had not yet burst into view and the plains were dark. Sal had never been far from the Dome, but could imagine that the hemispherical structure must look like a jewel set on the barren plains, filled with light and radiating in every direction through a myriad of ports. One day he would visit the Dolom Mountains, living among the trees, drinking from the cool streams, relying upon his ingenuity to survive. The thought excited him.

  The earliest settlers must have had quite a time building the Dome. He admired their courage in leaving Earth with nothing but a handful of transworld ships, a load of tools and materials for constructing the Dome and providing sustenance, and a dream of something better than the planet they left. The stories of hardship and disease, the loss of one of the transworld vessels en route, the collapse of a partially built Dome, the dreaded radiation plague - all these stories were well known by the citizenship. In particular, more recently, the role played by Kevn in freeing the community from the constant maintenance of the fragile environment had made him a public hero.

  Sal was eager to talk about his research on phonarite extinction but Kevn seemed to return from a transworld trip, then, within a day or two, he would be off on another. Maybe, this time, Kevn would stay a while. Kevn would be surprised, and pleased, to see how Sal had matured as a scientist. It was Kevn, after all, who had encouraged him to engage in this research. They would talk for hours about the complexities of the phonarite geometries; Kevn was the teacher and Sal the student. Those were exciting times. One could feel the electricity in the Lab when someone discovered another initial configuration which, when imposed upon the single, initial alpha crystal, would generate a fully grown phonarite sheet with some new collection of properties.

  If only Kevn were back at the PRL. They could work together. They would solve the extinction problem.

  Sal looked again at the clock. Time moved so slowly. Patience. Things would change, soon.

  His brother was coming Home.

  ______________________________________________________

  Kriss paced furi
ously, head low, hands clasped firmly behind his back.

  "Kriss, dear one, don't fret," said Jan in a low voice. "Freeing you of the onerous duties of Chief may be a blessing. It will leave you more time to involve yourself with political activities. After all, your goal is to succeed Gravic. Perhaps that is better accomplished as a free agent."

  "You are an idiot!" Kriss spun about and glared at Jan. "You are a mental midget! You don't know what you're talking about! Being dismissed as Chief is an insult. It's degrading. It's ... it's ..."

  Kriss spluttered in exasperation, red lips blossoming amid the black beard. "How can I command the respect of the appointments committee if I can't even hold down this job? Gravic will effectively determine his successor. He's fired me! Do you really think he'll then support my bid for First Citizenship? He'll want Kevn to succeed me as Chief, then he'll want Kevn to succeed him as First Citizen. I can see it all now!"

  Jan watched Kriss patiently for a moment, then said quietly, "Kriss, you said something about Kevn not returning Home. It sounded like you had arranged something ... some way ... to prevent his return. Is that what you meant?"

  Kriss stopped pacing and looked at Jan. His frown vanished. He grinned and sat down. "Yes, yes, you're quite right," he said, carefully phrasing each word. "With Kevn out of the way who is left to succeed Gravic? Yes, yes, you're quite right." He stared straight at Jan without seeing her. "Yes, quite right," he repeated, still staring through Jan. "We must have patience ... patience. Things will change - soon. Wait and see."

  Jan stared at his lips; opening, closing, opening.

  ______________________________________________________

  Kevn awoke, pulled on his shorts and sweater and headed for the galley. Gry was already there, drinking coffee, chewing on green chocolate and examining the memory scans from the previous night.

  "It seems that LIZ was busy last night ... uh, judging from these scans," Gry said.

  Kevn poured himself a mug of black coffee and stood over Gry's shoulder, looking at the video readout on the small galley console.

  "Accessing the language banks?" he muttered. "Why? Maybe TOM knows."

  Kevn punched a comtab and soon after, TOM walked in. The android immediately noted the memory scans displayed on the monitor. "LIZ was busy last night," he said. "You know, she is quite capable of putting us into and out of subspace - with my help, of course - and still have sufficient computational capacity to engage in other activities such as -"

  "TOM, what other activities?" interrupted Kevn, sucking the last drop of coffee from his mug. "It seems she was studying languages, or vocabularies - or at least English grammar."

  "LIZ is very interested in language. It was just recently that I explained to her the ubiquitous nature of the word thing. I th-think she was fascinated. Today I may provide her with information on a similar word, it. You see, both words are characterized by -"

  "TOM! Why was she accessing the memory banks on language? If you don't know, just say so," groaned Kevn.

  "I am sorry, master Kevn. I don't know. Shall I ask LIZ? I feel sure th-that she is functioning perfectly and not suffering from ph-phonarite decay. I am quite c-confident that she will have a perfectly reasonable explanation."

  Kevn stared quietly at the android, his empty mug poised above the table. The android was quite aware of the decay of phonarite and his concern for LIZ was evident. Several times during the trip to C-phon3 TOM had helpfully interjected when LIZ was being interrogated. But LIZ had no need for TOM's help, and she had told him so. To date, Kevn had seen no sign of degeneration in LIZ. In fact it was TOM who seemed to suffer most from the decay of phonarite. He had developed a stutter.

  Kevn rose from his seat and walked to the portal. Gry and TOM followed. They knew that Kevn normally spoke to LIZ in the command room so they were surprised when he walked in the opposite direction, down the corridor.

  When Kevn reached the small room which held the runner, he paused. Gry and TOM waited behind him in the narrow corridor. Kevn pressed one of several tabs which surmounted the door and the door slid open. The boy immediately stepped out, naked and black, rusty curls shaking on his shoulders and a wide, handsome smile full of gleaming white teeth. He held out his hand and Kevn took it. It was a curious sight, the two standing in the narrow passageway, hand in hand. Kevn smiled, then frowned. Something was different about the boy.

  The black youth looked up into Kevn's face, opened his mouth, hesitated, then said, in a lilting voice, "Good Morning master Kevn!"

  Kevn backed into the wall of the corridor.

  Gry gasped and grabbed his rings.

  "Oh my. Oh my. That's quite unacceptable," said TOM in evident disgust. "He has LIZ's voice!"

  Recovering from the shock, Kevn mumbled, "When ... how did you ... who taught you that!"

  TOM shook his head. "LIZ, of course," muttered the android in dismay.

  "Yes, master Kevn," answered the boy proudly, still staring up at Kevn. "LIZ has taught me to speak your tongue. I have an extensive vocabulary and knowledge of Science and poetry: the way of the galaxy can now be seen, it runs to here from where we've been. That's the poet Carmichael. Aren't you pleased, master Kevn?"

  "Yes - quite so. But - but I spent weeks trying to teach you English," said Kevn, "and you could only grunt. Did you understand anything I said? Anything at all?"

  "No, master Kevn, I did not," said the boy, still smiling.

  "But you kept up this infernal grunting!"

  "I was trying to teach you my language as you tried to teach me yours," said the boy gleefully. "Would you like to learn my language?"

  "Certainly not!" cried Kevn, then, carefully, feeling guilty at his brisk response, "I mean, well - maybe some day. But tell me, how did you speak to LIZ? I disconnected all the comtabs on that console so you could not communicate with LIZ. In fact, after looking at the memory scans just now I thought you must have been toying with the tabs - maybe I failed to disable all the tabs - maybe you inadvertently pushed some command tab which set LIZ foraging among the language banks in memory."

  Kevn paused and stared at the thin black youth.

  "So, Runr, how did you speak to LIZ?"

  "I did not speak to LIZ. She spoke to me."

  " - but how?"

  "I don't know. I just know that I can talk - well, listen - to the blue dancing lights. I saw them on the console. I listened."

  "The blue dancing lights?" queried Kevn with a frown.

  TOM interrupted. "Master Kevn. When LIZ's phonarite circuits are ...well ... exposed, her activities initiate a blue flashing light among the phonarite crystal sheets. It is a consequence of the rapid changes of state between crystal structures, these changes of state being accompanied by light emission in the visible spectrum and are a fundamental process necessary to the -"

  "TOM! I know that! I built LIZ!" shouted Kevn. Then, more quietly, running his hand over his thinning hair, "Runr, you say you saw these blue lights and knew that you could communicate with LIZ?"

  "Yes, master Kevn," said Runr.

  "Have you ever communicated with phonarite before?"

  "Phonarite? Oh - the crystals. Well yes, I was almost always listening to the crystals on my planet," said the boy.

  "But there is no more ... uh, phonarite on C-phon3," said Gry.

  "C-phon3? Oh - my home. But there is, although much less ... well, less talkative, than it was when I was a boy."

  TOM looked at the ceiling in disgust; when he was a boy? What does he think he is now? By the sound of his voice he might just be a girl! LIZ's voice in this ... this thing ! Quite unacceptable!

  Kevn leaned heavily against the wall of the narrow corridor and exhaled. "So you talk to phonarite. Of course! The blue lights on C-Phon3. I've seen them. Phonarite blue!" He looked about the narrow corridor. "I want to know more about this communication with phonarite. Let's go somewhere more comfortable. Where?"

  "The galle
y!" suggested Gry enthusiastically.

  Kevn looked at Gry and smiled. "Yes, the galley. Let's go. Runr, follow me. TOM, patch LIZ into the galley. I'll want to speak to her as well."

  The trio left for the galley. TOM headed for the command room. In a few minutes he returned to the galley. The others were seated around the table. Gry was gulping cold coffee and slowly stroking his hair.

  "LIZ? Are you there?" said Kevn.

  "Yes, master Kevn. I am here," said LIZ. "Can I be of service?"

  "How did you communicate with Runr?"

  "I am not precisely certain of the mechanism, master Kevn. I could feel that someone was listening. I spoke to this listener and it responded with a low level energy transmission. The transmission was in the form of pulses and information was contained in the pulse modulation. After decoding the message I understood that the listener was requesting the ability to speak in the language of the master of the ship. I scanned my memory banks and transmitted all that I could find on the English language, encoded as a low energy pulse modulation, of course. I was not aware of the capabilities of the listener so I transmitted at the maximum rate. It seemed to absorb the entire transmission without error. When the transmission was completed it ... it thanked me, verbally, in English. I accepted that as validation of error-free transmission."

  Kevn turned to Runr, opened his mouth and was about to speak when the boy said, "Master Kevn, why do you call me Runr?"

  "Runr? Well - that was Gry's idea," said Kevn, turning to Gry.

  Gry looked deeply into his mug, then shook it, then stared at the wall trying to avoid the boy's stare.

  "Master Gry, why do you call me Runr?"

  "You know - we used to call you the runner - so Runr - it seemed to fit - it's, well - I don't know! Kevn wanted a name! I said 'Runr' and he agreed ... and that's that!" Gry stared again into his mug.

  "Why did you call me the runner?" asked Runr.

  "Let's talk about phonarite," said Kevn impatiently. "You said you communicate with the phonarite on C-phon3 - that's what we call your planet. You also said that the phonarite was 'less talkative'. Do you mean that the phonarite was disappearing? We were, after all, mining the stuff - and perhaps the lack of phonarite caused the communication to weaken. Is that what you meant?"

  "Well ... the phonarite messages were weaker. But there was something else. The transmissions were not only weak, they were distorted. Sometimes I could not understand. Sometimes the ground spoke, the rocks spoke, and I could not understand."

  Kevn and Gry looked at each other.

  The android said what was on their mind: "Ph-phonarite d-decay."

  Runr looked up at the stuttering android.

  "Tell me," said Kevn, "can you talk to the crystals everywhere on C-phon3? I mean, on your home planet? What other things does it, or they, say?"

  The boy answered, continuing to stare at TOM. "The rock talks to me everywhere - wherever I am. It tells me when the animals are feeding in the grass, where the yellow berries are sweetest, when a storm comes, when there are strangers present ..."

  The boy stopped talking and looked more intently at the android. "TOM," he said, "you are ill, are you not?"

  Kevn frowned and looked from the boy to TOM. "Why do you say that, Runr?"

  Runr didn't answer, but continued to stare at TOM. The android was tall, over two meters, and the metallic skin that covered his body gleamed dully in the light overhead. Runr walked to the android, reached up and placed his hands on the android's silver-grey chest. TOM backed quickly into the corner of the galley, hands raised in defense. The boy followed. Runr closed his eyes and moaned. There was a blue pulsating glow about the boy's hands. TOM blinked, quickly, several times, then his hands fell to his sides.

  "TOM," said Kevn, looking at the android, "are you all right?" Then he looked at the boy, quizzically.

  "TOM was ill," said the boy quietly, still staring at the android. There was silence, then TOM spoke.

  "Master Kevn, I feel different. I think, yes, I am certain. My phonarite decay has been arrested. I mean, my stuttering is gone. I know it. I can feel it."

  Blue lights flashed on the console from within the small room.

  "Oh TOM," cried LIZ. "I can feel it too!"