A Larger Universe (37 page)

Tommy and Ull stood next to the commander's podium as Leegh
gave the final command to start the transit countdown.

As the countdown approached zero, Tommy said, "I do
have one question for Leegh."

"That would be?" responded Leegh.

"Did your mathematics predict what would happen to a
drive inside the bubble created by a second drive?"

Leegh and Ull jerked in his direction as the count went to
zero.

"I suppose not," Tommy said as he glanced up to
see the dome turn black.  A few seconds later he jumped up and down. 
"Gravity is still on."

"When did that occur to you?" Ull asked.  "We
could have all been killed!"

"Actually, it occurred to me a few minutes ago, but I
was sure, if anything happened, it would only be the loss of internal gravity. 
That is all we are using our drive for at the moment."

"That could have been enough to kill us," Ull
said.  "Losing gravity would have killed most of the vegetation and animal
life in the Commons and the Reserve.  You should have said something
sooner."

Leegh's transparent eyelids flicked closed, then open, as if
emerging from the water.  "We should be all right.  The first drive's transit
field encloses our drive as long as we do not try to create a second transit
field.  I must confirm this, but if we tried to extend a bubble from our drive
to enclose just
The People’s Hand
, I believe that neither field would
continue to exist in our three-dimensional universe."

"What would happen to us?" Ull asked.

"A large amount of energy would be released, comparable
to a matter-antimatter explosion of equivalent mass."

"Why did no one consider this possibility before
now?" Ull demanded.

"The configuration never seemed important,” Leegh
responded.  “Why would we ever want to do that?"

"May I point out we are still alive?" Tommy said. 
"When will we arrive at Toblepas?"

"We are not going directly to Toblepas," Ull
said.  "The council decided
The People's Fist
is too big a prize. 
Even the knowledge that a ship like this is possible is beyond value.  We will
be exiting our final transit one light year away from Toblepas, and then
transiting in with just
The People's Hand
."

"Our final transit?" Tommy asked.

"In spite of your navigational improvements, we cannot
hit a target so far away on the first transit," Leegh said.  "We will
be exiting to make new sightings and refine the accuracy of our final transit. 
Our first exit will be near the Bargh system." 

"Bargh?" Tommy asked.

"That is what the inhabitants call themselves and their
planet," Ull said.

“Why did you pick the Bargh system?”

"Bargh was once one of our normal trading stops,” Ull
said.

“And now?”

“We stopped trading there some years ago,” Ull responded. 
“They were making amazing progress with their technology, much like your Earth
in the last fifty years.  Forty years ago, the dominant group on the planet
established a base on their moon.  On our last visit, we transited to escape
missiles launched from the moon base.  Their progress evidently included better
detection technology.  We have not returned since.  This time, our exit should
be far enough from the star to be gone before anyone notices us."

"So how long do I have before we exit at Bargh?"
Tommy asked.

"About two hours," replied Leegh.

"Good.  Time enough to eat, and it is mealtime."

"One of you humans' strangest characteristics is your
insistence on eating at particular hours," Leegh said.  "With The
People, fish are always in the stream to be caught."

"There is more to having a meal than just the
eating," Tommy explained.

He found Sisle waiting for him in his lord's chamber.  She
was dressed as usual in a dark orange tunic, belt and sandals.

I wonder if she would like some other clothes to wear? 
She looks great, but Mom took most of the closet space in my parent's room, so
maybe Sisle would like some variety, too.  Something to work on.
 

His gaze was drawn to the metal circle around her neck. 
I
hope she doesn't think I ordered her to have dinner with me.  If I had any
sense, I would stay away from her.  On Earth, this situation would be
unacceptable.  She is like one of the slave girls in A Thousand and One
Nights.  She doesn't have the freedom to say no to anything.  For all I know,
she can't stand the sight of me but is afraid to say.  The metal band makes me
into a monster if I show the slightest interest in her.  If I could remove it,
then she could tell me what she thinks, and the situation would be different.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

He blinked.  He had been standing like an idiot, staring at
her.  "No, just thinking about something.  Are you ready to eat?"

"Yes." 

"We're eating in an artisans' meal room.  I want to
keep my promise to arrange for you to eat there whenever you want."

Tommy had discussed what he planned to do with several other
guildmasters and with Valin.  They assured him he would have no problems.  As
Sisle and he walked through the door, the level of conversation dropped, but
nothing like before. 
Apparently, they're getting used to my strangeness. 
Either that or the guildmasters did a good job convincing everyone.

As they walked toward the food line, Tommy introduced Sisle
to the artisans he knew. 
The smiles seem genuine,  but how can I know
that?  Any more than I know Sisle's feelings about me.  I'm going to give
myself a migraine worrying about this.

After they were seated at a table, he asked, "Are you
all right with this?"

"This is wonderful!  They’re treating me like a real
person, not a midget."

He laughed.  "How could they?  You’re the tallest
person here.  But I think there's more to it.  I've worked with these people
for over a year.  Mostly, they're interested in their work and in staying out
of trouble with the lords.  I haven't seen anyone harass anyone else."  He
paused for a moment.  "I can't say the same about the farmers.  For some
reason, farmers have the time and energy to be petty."

"They still make the women sit in a separate area from
the men just as the warriors do," she said.  "That's petty."

"There's more to it.  Only men can be artisans, just as
only men can be warriors.  If the humans in this ship ever return to Earth, at
least to the Earth I know, they'll all be in for a big surprise."

"On Earth, can women do anything a man can do?"
she asked.

"I'm not sure it's always that way.  I used to hear my
mom…," he paused, "…my mother complain about being discriminated
against in favor of men at her job.  But it's supposed to be that way."

"Discriminated against?"

"Not given the same privileges as the men," he
answered.  "What would you want to do, if you were on Earth?"

"Could I do what you do?"

"What?  Work with computers?  Sure you could.  You
could do that here if you want to."

"How?  They wouldn't allow it!"

"Who wouldn't allow it?  I'm the computer guildmaster. 
You can work with computers if I say so."

She shook her head.  "Don't you ever get in trouble
with the lords for the crazy things you do?"

"I have gotten in trouble with the lords.  I was able
to work my way out of it, and now they think they need me, but that could
change.  Can you read?"

His sudden question made her sit back in her chair with her
fork half raised.  He hadn't seen that frightened expression since he had asked
her to teach him women's fighting. 

"Why do you ask me that?" she asked.

"Being able to read would be useful in learning about
computers.  Required, in fact."

"Women are not taught to read."  Her voice was
toneless.

There's more to this
, he thought, leaning toward her
across the table.  "That's not the question I asked.  Can you read?"

Her frightened gaze left his face and swept the room.

He leaned on his elbows across the table.  "Would you
prefer to whisper the answer in my ear?"

"You don't give up, do you?" she said and put her
mouth next to his ear.  "Yes, I can."

"How did you learn?" he whispered back.

"I taught myself.  I used my brothers' books and taught
myself."

Yes!  There's more to her than I can see!
  And
because he wanted to keep his face next to hers for a little while longer, he
whispered, "I'll bring some books up for you to try."

"I've already been trying to read the books you leave
on your desk," she whispered back.  "They're filled with strange
words, though."

She jerked back, rubbing her ear, as his sudden laugh
quieted the room for an instant. 

After the meal, they found a warrior waiting at the entrance
to his chamber.  "Lord Tommy, Lord Ull sent me to find you.  You are to go
to the bridge as soon as possible."

On the bridge, the entire council stood around the command
podium, looking at the radar monitor.

"Ull, what is wrong?" Tommy asked.

"Bargh is gone.  In its place are dust and debris, just
as happened to Stream."

Sisle watched the warrior lead Tommy toward the elevators. 
Could he be in trouble with the lords?  Just sending one warrior to get him
didn't mean anything.  Tommy couldn’t defend against even one warrior, except
by using the necklace.  Her hand went to her own neck.

Lord Ull called him a human feral, so he must be human.  He
had all of the parts a human had.  She had seen that the first day, but he
didn't look much like her brothers.  He was as muscular as they were but much
shorter.  He was shy about his body, though.  He would have been out of place
growing up with warrior children.  The children in the warriors' part of the
ship had little privacy.  He would have been more of a misfit than she was.

She opened the door and went inside his quarters.  His
quarters, and he treated them as if they were her quarters, except for working
at his computer and taking an occasional bath and swim.  She knew what would be
happening if she had been given to a warrior.  She might not be allowed to have
children, but that wouldn't prevent her being used for some warrior's pleasure.

Having a meal with him is nice
, she thought. 
He
always treats me like a person.
 

Earth must be a wonderful place.  He talks as if he will
be going back someday.  It would be wonderful if he could take me with him.

Maybe I am so different from females on Earth that he
thinks I'm ugly
. 
I wanted him to think I was ugly the first day I met
him.  Why am I not sure anymore?

"Could Bargh have progressed to your level of
technology in forty years?" Tommy asked.

Ull's warble echoed through the bridge.  "Our level? 
They were already at our level when they built a base on their moon.  We were
at that level on Stream when the Kadiil contacted us.  You know we have changed
little since."

"So, the Kadiil must have contacted them,” Tommy said. 
“We should be seeing their ships out here, powered by the same transit drives
you use.  How did this happen?"

"We accepted the Kadiil’s offer."  Leegh’s flat
lips rolled back in a snarl.  "Perhaps the Bargh did not."

"The Bargh were always suspicious of others," Ull
said.  "They always had to get the best of any bargain."

Tommy looked at the millions of returns twinkling on the
radar monitor.  "Not this bargain!  What will you do now?"

"We have no reason to change the council's decision to
proceed to Toblepas," Las said.  "We stopped here for a star sighting
and nothing else".

"Our holds are already full," Luns said.

"Perhaps you have forgotten that
My Flowing Streams
'
holds are empty," Ull said, "We might be rewarded if we spend a few
days investigating what remains."

"Ull is correct," Neth said.  "What is your
opinion Leegh?"

"My interest is purely scientific," Leegh said. 
"I would like to stay, at least for a few days."

"A few days might be worthwhile," Las said. 
"We are far ahead of our original arrival date at Toblepas."

Five gray muzzles moved back and forth then stilled. 
"By your silence, I find agreement," Ull said.

So that's how they decide
, thought Tommy as everyone
on the council except Leegh and Ull left the bridge.

Tommy watched Leegh's back for a moment.  The control chair
had been made for the narrow backside of the normally slender Nesu. Leegh’s
bottom rolled over the edges of the seat. 
Too much time thinking and not
enough time swimming
, he thought. 
I just wish she would think a little
more about her relationship with humans.  I want to punch her a lot more than
talk to her.
  Tommy walked to the front of the podium.  "Leegh, would
it be possible for me to study your foremother's records from the time of
Stream's destruction?"

"My family has studied those records for two thousand
years.  What do you expect to learn?"

"I know so little compared to you,” Tommy said. 
Perhaps I would gain some insight on what we might find here at Baugh."

"You might.  Yes, you may examine the records.  I will
be leaving the podium in one hour.  Come by my chambers then, and you may begin
your study."

#   #   #

For the next three days, Tommy left Leegh’s chambers only to
eat, sleep, and use the toilet.  Leegh wouldn't allow him to remove the
documents, so he had no choice but to examine them there.  He thought he might
eventually understand the mathematics, with study and help from Leegh, but that
was beyond him for now.  He could, however, follow the marginal notes written
by others as they had, over the centuries, made their own interpretations of
the original physicist, a Nesu named Lant.  Leegh's explanations had touched on
most of what he found there, with one exception.  Several times the marginal
notes referred to tunnels through other dimensions.  The theory predicted that
any place in the three-dimensional universe
could be reached from any
other place by tunneling through one or more of the remaining six dimensions.