In the City of Tomorrow: Chapter 16

The following week went by rapidly. Captain Max, Sergeant Howell, and Jones spent their time on board the Sparrow, rebuilding every on-board system in order to make it the most modern ship in space. They spent long hours talking with the Steward and customizing everything about the ship, from weapons to life support to its propulsion system. The zero-point-energy plant was removed and replaced with the most modern technology that the Artilect had to offer. By the end of the week the captain was more than satisfied.

“Do you realize how much energy this ship can produce?” Captain Max asked. The three of them were standing on the engineering deck, looking over the results of their combined handiwork. “The numbers are so large that they’re almost meaningless.”

“It’s just a matter of scale,” Jones commented. “If you went back to the pre-spaceflight days of the Spanish Empire and told them how much electricity a zero-point-energy plant could produce, it would boggle their mind. They couldn’t begin to comprehend it! We’re playing in a field of giants and these numbers are the new normal. The real problem is that our minds are used to a civilization that disappeared a very long time ago. Our world seems barbaric and crude to the Steward, to the point that he finds it humorous.”

“I still wonder what we’ll find when we re-enter human space,” Sergeant Howell commented. “I would really like to know how it’s possible for two completely automated armies to keep a war going for five thousand years. Why hasn’t one side prevailed and the other lost? I feel like there’s something else going on that we don’t know.”

“There’s no telling how many things are going on that we don’t know about,” Captain Max said. “The Artilect hasn’t been connected to human space for ages. We could be getting ourselves into a real mess.”

“We’re not going to be going anywhere until we find Amy and Amanda,” Jones warned. “If they were easy to find we would already have found them by now.”

“But we’ll find them,” Captain Max said confidently. “Just give it time.”

* * * * *

Richard and Laura Stryker had spent the week in their new home while their dog Alex enjoyed the delights of the countryside. Laura had been startled to find that Jack had created a 130-room mansion for them to live in.

“This is ridiculous!” Laura said, after the week was over and they had settled into the estate. She and her husband were sitting outside on the balcony of the master bedroom, looking over the magnificent city of New Tikal. “It’s got a pool, a bowling alley, a theater, a ballroom, a twenty-car garage, a giant library…”

“It is a little ritzy,” Richard agreed. “Just look at our foyer, for example! That solid gold chandelier is breathtaking. And did you notice the wooden beams, the crown molding, and the elegant pieces of furniture that are everywhere? The desks, chairs, furniture, tables, lamps, paintings…”

“I know,” Laura said. “Do you know how much all of this would cost back home? I bet even the Emperor’s estate isn’t like this.”

“Probably not,” Richard said, laughing. “But that’s the thing, dear – we are home. This is where we live now, and here things are different. You heard what Jack said – none of this cost anything to create. In fact, this whole network of planets has been out here for thousands of years just waiting for someone to come and live in it! We have the entire planet to ourselves.”

“But it just feels wrong somehow,” Laura replied. “Living this extravagantly makes me feel guilty. Did you notice that diamonds are decorating everything? It just makes me think about all those poor people back in Tikal, and here we are living like billionaires.”

“But Tikal doesn’t exist anymore,” Richard said. “There aren’t any poor people either. In the entire network of 93 million star systems the only people alive are you, me, Howell, Jones, and Max – and our two daughters, somewhere. Nobody is going without a meal because of what we have here.”

“I still don’t like it,” Laura said. “All this wealth just feels corrupting. Is the ability to have anything you want, anytime you want it, really a good thing?”

“I know this all seems like a lot, and it is. We’re trying to adapt to a lot of change all at once. But remember, our lifestyle on Tikal was insanely luxurious compared to what our ancestors had in the years before spaceflight. It just didn’t seem like it to us because we were used to it and everyone lived that way. Besides, the whole reason we were brought here was so we could save the rest of mankind so they can enjoy all of this wealth as well.”

“But is that actually a good idea?” Laura asked. “Not the saving their lives part – we should do that, of course. But all of this – it’s just too much! You saw what people were like back home and how the Empire and the Rangers constantly fought each other. What are people going to be like when anyone can have anything?”

“I don’t know,” Richard said, sighing. “I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now we need to concentrate on finding our daughters. But about the house – I’m sure Jack could build us a smaller one but what would be the point? We have the entire planet to ourselves. What would actually be accomplished by moving?”

“Nothing, I guess,” Laura said. “I’m sorry, dear. I know I should be grateful. I’m just not used to this. In the past I had to work to make a living and now I can make anything appear just by wanting it. It feels wrong – I feel spoiled. Maybe it’s ok for perfect people to live that way but we’re not perfect people! Maybe this is what Heaven will be like and there it will be ok, but we haven’t gotten there yet. I just think this lifestyle is dangerous. If I can have anything I want then what kind of person am I going to become?”

“Let’s take one thing at a time,” Richard said. “I understand what you’re saying and maybe you’re right. But for the time being I think we should adapt to our new home and get things ready for our daughters. When they arrive we’re going to have some work to do. War is always an ugly business. Maybe we should just enjoy what we have while we have it.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Laura agreed. “Things have been terrible lately – first there was the war between Earth and Mars, then the assassination attempt, and then the shock at finding our daughters gone. Maybe God has given this to us so we can rest and get ready to face the next challenge.”

* * * * *

The following week everyone was gathered in the courtyard of the Stryker estate, eating breakfast. The Steward had prepared an amazing meal for them and the table was covered with croissants, muffins, pancakes, bacon, ham, and all kinds of fruits and juices. Everyone had helped themselves and were busily talking about their plans for the day. Alex was asleep at the foot of the table; he had been up all night chasing rabbits.

The day was a beautiful one. It was early spring, and the grass in the fields was a brilliant green. The trees were just beginning to bud and some of the early flowers had already bloomed. Overhead the sky was a brilliant blue, without a cloud to be seen.

As they talked, however, clouds began forming on the horizon. A shadow passed over the sun, dimming its light. The breeze turned cool.

Jones was the first one to notice that something was wrong. He looked up at the sky and frowned. “It’s overcast,” he said.

Richard stood up and looked at the sky. “I see that. I didn’t think it was supposed to rain today.”

“That’s not rain,” Sergeant Howell replied. He pointed toward a dark cloud that was far in the distance, almost out of sight. It was rapidly growing in size.

“What is it, dear?” Laura asked her husband.

Everyone turned to the Steward, who was staring at it intently. He seemed puzzled. “I’ve never seen that before,” he said at last. “It’s very odd. It’s not from here and it’s nothing the Artilect has made. It looks like a swarm of something. Maybe–”

Jack continued to talk, but his form wavered and the sound cut out. His figure was suddenly turned into wavy lines. A look of panic appeared briefly on his face and then he disappeared.

“That is not good,” Jones said.

“Where did he go?” Richard asked.

“I think someone shut him down,” Sergeant Howell replied. “I don’t know who our visitors are but I don’t think they’re friendly.”

“What do we do?” Laura asked. By now the dark cloud had grown quite large. The sunlight had faded and the air had grown cold. The group felt the ground begin to tremble.

“We fight,” Sergeant Howell said grimly.