“No, no, it’s fine. I was just thinking aloud, sorry. Please enjoy it.”
Coeus nodded, evidently relieved.
Did you know that lotus roots need to be kept in water, Miss Seika?
“Do they?”
See?
He produced a new holo projection of a jar full of water in which a large lotus root was submerged.
“Huh,” I said. “So it’s kind of like having a pet goldfish, in a way.”
You must change the water out daily, or they won’t last nearly as long.
“That’s so funny.”
It was an extremely mundane conversation, but I couldn’t help but crack a smile as I watched him go on about lotus roots with an eager glint in his eyes. And to think that tomorrow, he had a date with another higher intelligence that could very well mark the dawn of a new era for both our species, and a major paradigm shift for our entire society. Perhaps it would be a simple wake-up call that humanity could no longer rest on its laurels. Perhaps it would be the point of no return. Yet here was Coeus, gushing excitedly about this little vegetable in his possession and how he hoped to continue making use of it for the next several days, as if the meeting tomorrow would change nothing at all. Coeus looked puzzled, apparently picking up the hint of melancholy in my smile, and so I offered him my apologies.
“I’m sorry, Coeus,” I said. “I won’t be able to come with you to the rendezvous tomorrow.”
I know.
“But I’ll be sure to take some really good pictures for you to make up for it,” I added, patting the travel bag at my side which contained my camera equipment. “They’re not even going to let me come anywhere close, but I’ve got a pretty good zoom lens, so it’ll be just fine.”
Technically, I’d been ordered to remain on standby in the waiting room, but I didn’t see how there could possibly be an issue with me going out onto the roof of the base to take a few photos, since we were already more than fifty kilometers away from where the meeting would be taking place. As long as visibility was decent enough, I would probably be able to get some good shots. And I didn’t have anything else planned for tomorrow other than waking up, eating breakfast, and taking a few photos. Like I had over the course of our journey, my plan was to simply go through the motions tomorrow, greeting it as though it were just another day. Having to stay put and try not to think about Coeus and Phoebe would be my hardest job yet.
We never did find the true meaning of work, did we, Miss Seika? said Coeus. For once, he sounded rather indifferent on the topic, just musing aloud to fill the silence.
“We did not,” I replied. “But tomorrow, we might.”
7
I cracked open my eyelids the next morning, feeling extremely well-rested. As I gazed up at the unadorned ceiling, a holofield appeared to let me know that it was just past ten o’clock. Not even two hours remained before the rendezvous was to begin, but I was in no rush to do anything but wait.
I did drag myself out of bed, though. Upon walking out into the living area, an autotray brought me a nice, fragrant cup of hot tea. It felt a bit odd to be sitting on the couch casually sipping tea in my underwear and a T-shirt on such a momentous day, but my job was to treat today like any other. And this was probably exactly what I’d be doing if I were back in my own home right now, so…
“Maybe I should make sure all my camera equipment’s working properly…” I murmured to myself just as I heard an electronic beeping sound coming from the entryway. I looked up to see that the automatic door, which should have been locked, had opened itself to let Professor Beckmann, Lei, and Narain into the guest room. The professor and Lei did double takes, as did I. Only Narain was unperturbed.
“Get dressed,” he said. “We’re leaving.”
“Wait, what are you all doing here? What’s going on?”
“We’ve got work to do, that’s what. Now, come on.”
“I thought you told me I’d been laid off.”
“Hey, uh, doc?” Lei interrupted. “Sorry, but could you at least put some pants on before we start arguing here?”
“I’m not doing anything until I get an explanation,” I said.
“Well, I’m glad you don’t feel awkward about it, but I sure do.”
“Yes, I’m afraid I must concur…” said Professor Beckmann, his eyes averted.
I groaned, then headed back into the bedroom and begrudgingly threw some pants on. By the time I made it back to the living area, the three men were already busily working away on something or other. They’d hauled in a large standardized storage container—the kind used by standard service wagons—from which they were now dragging out some sort of large, unsettling doll. It was a life-sized facsimile of an adult woman, made with what appeared to be a very soft material.
“Say hello to your very own dummy,” Narain said. “She’s gonna stay here in your place.”
“I still have no idea what’s going on here…” I said.
“Awright,” said Lei. “Think we’re all set.”
Narain nodded at Lei, then turned back to me, then gestured with his chin to indicate the opened storage container.
“Get in,” he said.
“I beg your pardon?” I said.
“Just do it. We don’t have much time. You’ll only be in there for two minutes, tops, so spare me the protests and get in, already.”
I looked over at Professor Beckmann warily, and he nodded in agreement with Narain. I let out a long sigh, then stepped into the container and curled myself up inside. The men then closed the lid on top of me, and I could feel the floating sensation that accompanied their lifting the container off the ground. Shortly thereafter, they set me down again, and I could feel the rumbling vibrations of wheels beneath me. I was being driven away, though to where, I had absolutely no idea.
8
After a very bumpy ride, the lid of the storage container was finally, mercifully lifted. I sat up and saw that all four of us were now sitting huddled together in a dark enclosed space, long and narrow like the bed of a truck, where only a motor’s hum could be heard beneath us. On the far end, I could see some cargo piled up, covered by a large cloth. Lei had a holofield open, and his quick fingers were entering commands of some sort at a breakneck pace.
“How much time do we have?” Narain asked.
“Maybe thirty minutes, if I had to ballpark it,” said Lei. “Could be more, but I wouldn’t count on it.”
I could see a surveillance feed on Lei’s holofield of the guest room I’d just been staying in. Seated on the sofa in the living area was the “doll” the men had left there, its upper body moving automatically as it pretended to sip the tea I hadn’t managed to finish before being whisked away.