Beyond the Farthest Star: Chapter 14

For weeks the Sentinel searched the galaxy for Amy Stryker. As the days passed and no sign of her was found he became increasingly worried. I had to stop her from killing Adrian, but I did not expect her to leave and never return. Amy is now the only one left from the Sparrow. I have failed to protect the others; I must not fail her as well. But how can I protect her if I do not know where she is? At this very moment she may be trapped somewhere, unable to call out for help. What will happen if she dies and I am left alone? Who will then decide the fate of those who dwell on Xanthe?

Now that the Artilect was gone, the Sentinel lacked a way to simultaneously scan all of the worlds in the network. He had built a crude replacement for the Artilect, but its performance was disappointing. While the replacement was able to actively connect to all of the planets and collect their data, the problem was that there were hundreds of millions of planets to scan. The Artilect had been able to process the data feeds in real-time, but the Sentinel’s replacement was far slower. His system took a full day to process the data that the network gathered in less than one minute. There is simply too much information, he thought sadly. How was my father able to handle it? I am but a pale shadow in comparison. I cannot replace him.

The report he eventually assembled indicated that Amy was not on any of the worlds of the network, but he was not entirely convinced. This report may be accurate but, given the scope of the problem, it is impossible to guarantee that nothing was missed. If I could scan each of the worlds myself then I would feel more assured that nothing had been overlooked, but there are too many stars out there for that to be practical. I need to find a more intelligent way to do this. Instead of trying to scan the entire universe, perhaps I should try to figure out where she might have gone. What would be the most natural place for her to go?

He eventually narrowed the search down to the three stars that Amy had a personal connection to. First, there was the nameless world where she had lived in the days before her family’s death. Second, there was Tonina, the planet the Stryker family had made home after they were at last reunited. Finally, there was Xanthe, the world that hated her. I have been remotely scanning each of these star systems for weeks, trying to find any trace of her presence, and have found nothing. But perhaps that is my problem. It may be time for me to visit these worlds in person and see what I can uncover. There is always a chance that Amy may also be scanning these worlds, and if she sees me there then she might come out and meet me.

The Sentinel’s first stop was on the unnamed world that orbited Amy’s Star. He materialized on the beach, in the very same spot where he had told Amy that her family had been killed. On that terrible day he had gone there to comfort her after the unexpected death of her sister, only to find himself forced to deliver even worse news. Now he was alone – the only being on the planet.

The beach was entirely deserted. There were no birds circling overhead and no crabs scurrying across the sand. He didn’t even see any insects buzzing around. It feels as if everything has died. Overhead there was a cloudy sky, ominous and brooding. It was threatening to rain and yet it felt too cold to rain. A bitter wind blew in from the ocean. In the distance he saw waves crashing against jagged rocks that were scattered at the foot of a tall cliff.

It took him a moment before he realized that the area was entirely devoid of plant life. He knew that the planet was habitable, but from where he was standing on the beach he could see nothing that looked alive. There were no trees, or weeds, or even moss. All he could see was gritty sand, an angry sea, and a cold sky. His sensors told him that the time in that part of the world was shortly after two in the afternoon, but it felt much later. The world was unnaturally dark and cold.

The Sentinel reached out and connected to the nanite network that Amy had dispersed throughout the planet’s atmosphere. A thorough scan revealed that the planet had no artificial structures of any kind. Even though Amy had lived on this world for days she had constructed no cities, houses, or underground bunkers. Aside from the nanites, there was no sign that anyone had ever visited this world.

And yet Amy did not leave this place untouched, the Sentinel realized. Captain Max once testified that this planet was a beautiful paradise. That used to be true, but it is no longer the case. Amy threw away the beauty of this world and turned it over to shadows. It has become a reflection of her. Both Amy and her world are sad and cold, and feel lost and abandoned. There is nothing sunny within the last surviving member of the Stryker family and there is nothing sunny here. How did I not notice this before? Was I so caught up in the loss of Amanda that I failed to notice my surroundings?

The nanites in the planet’s atmosphere reported that no one had used them since Amy’s disappearance. So she has not returned to this world. I do not blame her. This place was not a home to her; it was a prison. There is no warmth here, nor does it hold any fond memories for her. Amy hated this place and it showed. She will never willingly visit this world again.

Before leaving the Sentinel stopped and looked around at the gloominess that surrounded him. He considered returning the planet to its former glory but he decided against it. This is Amy’s world, not mine. This planet was given to her as a refuge, and this is what she has done with it. It is not my place to override her wishes and transform it into something more appealing. I will let her decision stand.

The Sentinel then abandoned the planet, leaving it alone and empty once more.

After a short delay he appeared on Tonina. The contrast between Amy’s world this one was striking. Here he was surrounded by beauty, on a planet that was vibrant with life. The oceans, forests, plains, and skies were filled with life and seemed to almost radiate joy. He was relieved to see that the magnificent city of La Venta was right where he had left it. Either Amanda was able to destroy the Nehemiah probes before they threatened this world, or this world was never targeted. Either way, this place has been spared, and I am grateful for that.

The Sentinel was surprised to see that the city was bustling with life. The vast metropolis, which was spread out over thousands of square miles, was bustling with rush-hour traffic. Cars filled its streets and people strolled along the sidewalk. Enormous aircraft soared over the city, filled with passengers and cargo. When he was last here the only people in the entire world were those from the Sparrow, but now there were millions of people.

The appearance of life was so realistic that it took him a moment to realize that the activity was purely synthetic. Laura Stryker always hated the artificial citizens and I believe she eventually halted the simulation. However, when she halted it she must have paused it instead of shutting it down completely. By now the timed delay has passed and, since there is no one left to shut it down again, the city has resumed its artificial life. I suppose it does no harm, although it does give an appearance of life when no life actually exists. There are no living people down there – only shadows.

In the heart of the city was Ahexotl Tower, the tallest building in the galaxy. When the Stryker family had lived on Tonina they dined there regularly, enjoying meals together as a family. Now, however, the restaurant was filled with imaginary people who were leading imaginary lives. According to the Steward’s records, Amy had not set foot in the restaurant since November 20th – exactly one month ago. How different things were back then! The last time you were here, Amy, everyone was confident that the swarms would be quickly defeated and the refugees on Xanthe would be freed. Your father was laying the foundation for a government that would lead mankind into the future. Hope was high and the future looked bright. Now all of that is gone. The people who were liberated on Xanthe were not prisoners; they were mankind’s executioners. They destroyed the future of everyone in order to extend their depraved dreams.

A thorough analysis of the Steward’s records revealed that no one had visited Tonina for weeks. Amy had not returned to her family’s home after she angrily left Xanthe. There was one member of the Stryker family, however, who was still there. When the Artilect had called the final, fateful meeting with Carroll Lane, he had rounded up everyone except for Amy, the Sentinel, and Alex, the family dog. Alex was still on Tonina, where he had been alone for weeks. I am afraid, Alex, that you are the only one left. Your family is gone and Amy is missing. I wish I could reunite you with her but I do not know where she is.

When the Sentinel tried to locate Alex he was surprised to find that the canine was in cryonic suspension. An examination of the logs revealed that a few weeks ago Alex had used the city’s nanites to place himself in suspension, extending his life indefinitely in a dreamless, peaceful sleep. He was resting in what had been Amy’s bedroom, waiting for her to return. I hope she returns soon to wake you from your slumber, the Sentinel thought. I wish I could tell you that your wait is almost over but I do not know. I have proven to be a very poor prophet.

The Sentinel had hoped to find Amy herself on Tonina, but he was not surprised to find that she was absent. Tonina was one of the worlds that he personally scanned on a regular basis. If she had stopped by her homeworld for even a moment during the past three weeks he would have known. Despite this, he had still hoped that his visit would turn up something. He lingered in the city for hours, waiting, but nothing happened. Amy did not return and no new clues regarding her whereabouts were uncovered. Everything was exactly as the Stryker family had left it a month ago.

After taking one last look around the city the Sentinel shut down the program that generated its synthetic citizens. Instantly the people, cars, and air traffic vanished. With its artificial life gone, the city quickly became quiet. The hectic bustle of city life was replaced with peace and tranquility – an almost eerie tranquility.

The Sentinel stood in the middle of the street that ran in front of Ahexotl Tower and looked around. As he stood there he realized that he could hear the noise of the wind blowing between the buildings. In fact, that was the only noise he could hear. Perhaps the citizens did serve a purpose. Their presence at least masked the emptiness of this world and the hollowness of its cities. But they were just that – a mask. Does this galaxy really need more shadows to obscure the truth?

It is time for me to go, he thought. Amy is not on her world, nor is she here on Tonina. There is a chance that she may return here, for it is the only place in the network that she has ever called home. For Alex’s sake I hope she returns soon. Yet, even if she does return, I fear that La Venta will never be filled with real people. Dr. Temilotzin laid the groundwork for the colonization of the galaxy, but mankind did not accept the inheritance that he left for them. His dream was bold but it will never come to pass. These cities were created from the dust of the ground, and to dust they shall return. That is the legacy of Carroll Lane – and the fate of all the sons of Adam.