Absorption (7 page)

A white beard concealed most of Nocker’s face. What lay hidden beneath? Although they had been told the overmind neither controlled nor wished to control the government of Oceania, it certainly had hidden desires and capabilities. If they were negotiating with an inhuman entity masked by a human government, it was unlikely to be dismantled without military action.

When Nocker spoke his voice was dry and hoarse. “I’m pleased to meet you. Have you enjoyed your visit to Oceania so far?”

Williams hadn’t left the embassy since they landed, so leaving the question to him would create awkwardness. Eager though Brett felt to get down to business at last, five minutes wouldn’t matter after all these months.

“I haven’t got the hang of your transportation system yet, so most of what I’ve seen is within walking distance of the embassy.”

The old man asked him, “And what do you think?”

“At first glance your planet is very primitive, except for the height of the buildings, and a primitive technology couldn’t feed a large city like Landfall.”

“Perhaps you’re used to more vehicle traffic above ground?”

Brett nodded. “Anyway, it’s a little eerie after awhile. I started noticing how doors and elevators open before people walk up to them, and the same with those capsule things.”

“Transit pods, yes. They’re usually summoned and directed with nanotechnology, but they do have manual controls for children.”

Which would explain why the controls were around Brett’s waist level. He might develop a stoop if he took the time to learn to use them. Anyway, enough small talk.

“I’ll be able to enjoy looking around more once we’re making progress. I’m sure you still remember the sticking points from the last round of talk?”

Williams nodded. “Some of the concerns posed by your government seem inconsistent to us, but we’ve done our best. Let’s start with people from the Federalist Worlds who’ve come to Oceania. Since you have training in neurology and psychology, you’ll be able to verify that those who choose to stay have not been brainwashed, and those who choose to return have not been conditioned to attempt to manipulate your political system.”

Brett shifted his weight. The ornate wooden carvings on the back of each chair were better to look at than lean on. At least the seats had cushions.

Nocker’s words came a little slow, the movement of his mouth not quite as expected. It was more than the slightly lilting Oceanian accented English that wasn’t hard for someone born on Old York to follow. Was anybody home, or was he talking with a shell? Brett’s research indicated that the nanotechnology had a short transmission range without a booster cap, only a couple of feet. Without the cap, the brain would have had to be conditioned to counterfeit normal consciousness when not being used as a node of a network. Brett repressed a shiver and made his face a polite diplomatic mask. He knew nothing for certain. It did occur to him that the two negotiators might have come without their booster caps out of courtesy to their guests, or to mislead them.

“I’m sure Major Johnson would be pleased to examine any willing subjects.”

The briefest speech Williams had made all day, and it gave Brett an opening. “That’s true, so we’ve made a start. I would love to wait for the broad reduction in tensions to take hold, but Mr. Ames mentioned immediacy. The biggest concern of the Federalist Worlds is the overmind, and the nanotechnology that holds it together – and helps reproduce overminds elsewhere. We haven’t been able to reach agreement with you on the amount of danger posed to humanity at large by your technology, and probably won’t. Given the situation above our heads, only one resolution is possible.”

Brett leaned back, finding the spines of the Chinese dragons carved behind him were actually well positioned to accommodate him. At first he thought he had done well, drawing attention to the massive firepower in orbit which made Oceanian yielding inevitable, without being explicit and making them lose face. Even the awkward silence that followed didn’t prove him wrong. Some things had to be said.

It was a relief when Williams spoke again. “We’re not trying to pretend you’ve made concessions which you haven’t, or bludgeon you into making them by demanding them repeatedly. Since this is a key issue, and no progress is being made, perhaps we can approach it from another angle. Hypothetically, what assistance would you need to rebuild your infrastructure after abandoning nanotechnology? If you’re willing to discuss that, you can ask us a couple of hypothetical questions as well. We’ll do our best to answer, or at least be embarrassed about evading them.”

Brett turned towards Nocker, hoping the Oceanian Ambassador was now considering how, instead of whether, the necessary could be accomplished.

The old man leaned forward as if in deep thought, pressing two fingers to his forehead. Williams shrank away as he did so, although the table was between them. Coming on top of some of the things Williams had said about tolerance, this seemed a bit much. No evidence supported the idea of danger through personal contact.

Nocker spoke as if he hadn’t noticed Williams’ movement, but Brett didn’t believe it.

“That’s such a big question; I don’t know where to start.”

Brett prepared for longwinded dodging, but Nocker spoke plainly. “Maybe our medical system. Someday nanotechnology may be able to do all sorts of repairs inside the body, but right now it can’t. Most of our medical techniques are similar to yours.”

This seemed too easy. Brett’s attention sharpened, as his instincts told him a riposte was forthcoming.

Nocker continued in a deprecatory tone, as if apologizing for the crudity of their technology. “Once in a while nanomachines can block a capillary and kill a brain tumor, but I’m sure your invaluable help will compensate for any loss there. They can’t even reproduce themselves. They are assembled in vats by much larger nanomachines that are too large and delicate to travel through the bloodstream.”

The latter fact was basic, though some still doubted it, or suspected more sophisticated technology was being hidden.

Nocker looked slightly surprised, as if he had just thought of something. “Of course they do provide twenty-four hour internal monitoring. And they can sometimes be used to get the brain to modify involuntary functions, lower blood pressure and such.”

Brett had to say something, Nocker made change sound impossible. “Yeah, it won’t be easy, but – ”

Nocker’s voice was now so gentle and contemplative it didn’t sound like he was interrupting Brett. “We’d have to get people in the habit of regular checkups. Some people don’t like them, even in the Federalist Worlds. Even training doctors to perform them might be a challenge.”

This time Brett managed to interject, “Don’t tell me every doctor on this planet uses nanotechnology?”

“Oh no. That would make the situation difficult. A few don’t. Some of them are part of isolated religious groups, who wouldn’t at first be pleased to hear they were going to help rebuild a planetary medical system, or perhaps even have the ability to do so. I’m sure you could help persuade and train them, though there wouldn’t be enough.”

Brett replied flatly, “We would import more. And I’m sure some of your nanotech trained physicians would adapt more quickly than most, and could help train the others.”

Nocker nodded. “Quite right. Your faith in us is touching, and I hope quite justified. Of course, some of our doctors would be required to transcribe the medical records of an entire planetary population. Even after that, a few doctors may have trouble getting used to not just having the case history of a patient instantly available in their mind. I’m afraid there may be a few errors at first. How do you prevent those where electronic records are widely used?”

“They do happen, but in the vast majority of cases -”

The old man nodded vigorously, contrasting with the arthritic walk seen before. “Just so. I’m sure the difference in Oceanian life expectancies and those on the most technologically advanced planets in the Federalist Worlds isn’t due to that. Inadequate medical care for some of the poor may be part of it as well. Which brings up economics. Most of our exports are based on technologies developed by the overmind. We’ll still have those even if we accept your proposal, but how will you help us keep ahead of our competitors as they advance?”

A breeze blew through the screens. Brett was left twisting in the wind for only a few moments. Ambassador Williams said, “Maybe we’d better come back to this.”

Brett didn’t really have an answer, so he let the subject change. He listened with half an ear as Nocker spoke about corporations which were lobbying the Federalist Grand Council, and had several former employees working on the personal staff of Senator Peterson. He also spoke about a deep-seated fear of the hive mind that he claimed had infected the Federalist Worlds even prior to the fiasco on Roundhouse. Nocker also argued that all previous attempts to suppress new technologies for the hoped for good of society had failed. It was clear Williams wasn’t getting through. If indeed Williams himself understood the urgency of what he had to communicate. At last both diplomats returned to the only concrete subject they had discussed: the former citizens of the Federalist Worlds who now wished to leave Oceania.

Brett could see children playing on the beach, next to a sky blue building shaped like a short cylinder with a dome for a roof. Brett had sharp eyes, but at this distance he couldn’t be quite sure the boy in the blue bathing suit had squirted the girl in the red bikini with a water gun. He was probably around five, and she might have been twelve or thirteen, but she made a show of attempting to flee.

The cost and difficulty of replacing nanomachines with safer technology might be greater than Brett had believed, but the dangers were still there. It had to be done.

Nocker began winding the meeting down. “Future meetings may be easier once your government is comfortably at rest about the returnees. While you complete your own investigation, perhaps we can confine your initial introduction to Oceanian society to one major party for now.”

Brett overheard the details with a fragment of his attention. They were invited to an embassy party in Landfall, the capital city of Oceania. It would introduce them to Oceanian society, and since ballroom dancing had its origins in Old Earth culture, it was a good initial point of contact. Brett wasn’t enthusiastic, but he knew that in a couple of weeks when the time arrived, he would be sick of reviewing his predecessor’s notes but not quite ready to start retesting and re-interviewing people. Besides the celebration of the Oceanian holiday Herbirthday a couple of weeks afterwards, that seemed to be the extent of their social calendar. Williams was as eager as Brett to avoid too many social engagements, although perhaps for different reasons.

To think Williams had accused Brett of a visceral dislike of Oceanians. Had he just not truly understood until meeting them in person? Brett’s assignment was to make sure the ambassador didn’t concede more than he was authorized to, not worry about any phobia.

The two diplomats engaged in some idle conversation prior to recessing, but Brett recalled he had more than one mission. Casually he asked Nocker what it had been like to become part of the Oceanian supermind. He wouldn’t have many opportunities to interview those who had done so, and the people who he spoke to would surely have things to conceal. Perhaps Nocker, who had fought so hard in the negotiations themselves, would be off guard in this respect.

“I had to study quite a long time. The more someone is trained, the less effort is required from the overmind itself. The competition wasn’t as keen when I was young as it is today. My first time felt like being part of a god. I knew the answers to questions I could barely have put into words before joining the overmind – although I couldn’t always completely understand the answers when I wasn’t actively connected. It wasn’t just intellectual. My emotions were enhanced as well. I even understood why my girlfriend had broken up with me. Then my brain was eaten.”

Suddenly the man’s face lost all expression, and went blank. A withered hand with fingers curled up like an old claw came up from beneath the table and reached out towards Brett. Williams audibly moved his chair backwards, almost losing his balance. Major Johnson was unable to keep himself from flinching. Then he realized the table was too wide for the old man to reach across - and do what?

Pretending not to notice, Nocker observed innocently, “In all seriousness, I can’t help thinking some of the concerns on both sides are based on fear rather than rational worries.”

A sudden momentary anger faded. Brett saw the funny side of Nocker’s little trick, and laughed. This round went to him. It could all be recouped if Brett could gain some insight into the overmind, which it didn’t intend him to have, to help avoid this war or end it faster. Anything about technology was way too obvious. Oceanian politics was almost as suspect. Then Brett remembered the misguided youngsters who often emigrated here as if it were a religious pilgrimage.

He spoke lightly. “So speaking of deities, does the overmind believe in God?”

Nocker appeared to take the question at face value. “The short answer is yes, but she doesn’t mean the same thing by Him as you do.”

Somehow this discussion of God didn’t sound religious. Brett had been raised as a Lifist, an ancient religion although it didn’t predate humanity leaving Old Earth. This sounded more like a scientific argument. Brett shuddered inwardly at the idea that a supermind too large to care about individual humans might be the only entity capable of understanding God, and what kind of god would that be?