Infinite Reef (12 page)

Their module, the computer reminded them, was a protective sarcophagus that would hold them safely in stasis while the ship made five hyperspace jumps over a period of twice as many weeks
. “Lethargy agents and cryozines,”
the computer told them,
“have been adjusted for your systems and will be monitored during the trip.”

Midway though the briefing, Alex lost his patience. “Neither of us is dim witted, you cybroid!” he bellowed. “Gives us a break and cut to the news. How’s the launch goin’? Priority Alpha One. Ha! Gotcha!” he howled. He kicked a leg into the air, startling Inky, who had joined them only moments before. The cat yelped in alarm and ran out of the dome.

“You’re a beast, Alex,” said Mary, blowing a big plume of smoke into the air. “Your ... thing ... is a beast, too.”

He wasn’t aware that he was furiously aroused. “Oooops,” he said, involuntarily. “This smoke is ...”

“
Diver’s
dream,” said Mary, as she lunged for Alex’s groin.

5
A few hours later they awoke to a jolt. Inky jumped in fright onto Mary’s naked chest. His claws dug in and she screamed, bringing Alex out of a deep and happy dream of Earth. He sat up abruptly and looked at her. “Dingers!” he groaned, rubbing his sticky eyes. He saw Inky disappear over the edge of the bed and sighed. “Sorry, Inky!”

The screen over their head was dark. “It wasn’t you this time,” Mary said, her voice raspy with sleep as she examined the scratches on her breast. “The ship moved, I think.”

Alex looked around. “Computer,” he said. “Status?”

“ Goddard
has arrived at launch coordinates.”

“What was that jolt?”

“Engine ignition.”

Alex and Mary showered and dressed, lingering at the food vendor for a coffee and tea while the computer continued its report. The ship’s crews had not entirely met Stubbs’ deadline, it said, but the ship had gotten underway anyway, headed toward the second of Lalande’s two gas giants, Lalande c.

“I thought we were headed home,” said Alex, scratching his toweled hair as he sipped the piping hot coffee.

They entered the com room and found the viewscreen already displaying an external view of the ship’s engines. Only a few of the gargantuan engines could be seen, their blast showing as a halo of pink light silhouetting the dark curving forms.

In the background, the dark sphere of the planet’s edge, a sliver of pink and purple, eclipsed the stars.

“Computer. I thought we were launching for Earth? Why the change?” asked Alex.

“
The command staff has decided to use Lalande c’s gravity to speed our exit from this system
,” said the dry computer voice.

“The fools,” said Mary. “All they had to do was follow that engine home. Why play games and provoke the Lalandians?

It doesn’t make sense.”

“
The matter was debated because many of the senior staff feared it might provoke the Lalandians. Regardless,
Commander Stubbs ordered the flyby
.”

Alex looked out the window. “Hey, the light’s still on in the cylinder!”

“
The solar strip will be active until the pulse drive maneuvers begin
,” answered the computer.

“Stubbs made a big mistake, Alex,” insisted Mary as she walked to the window. “We should go straight home.”

“I don’t know, Mary. What harm can swinging past the planet do? We’re still going home. If the Bubba boys are smart, don’t you think they’d be able to see what trajectory we’re on?”

“True,” Mary nodded. “But what if there’s something there they don’t want us to see? And what if they decide we’re going to do the same thing there that we did on Bubba? Invade them.”

Still peering out at the curving landscape, Alex stroked the stubble on his chin thoughtfully. He had come to trust Mary’s feelings almost more than his own. His instincts told him that if she felt this strongly, there was reason to worry. “Dingers, Mary,” he said, looking deeply into her blue-gray eyes. “You’d better tell this to the Commander.”

“I told him.” Inky was standing at Mary’s feet, with his tail caressing her legs. “That’s all I can do.” The cat jumped to the window sill and settled on the narrow ledge, looking out at the scenery. Mary stroked his fur as she stared blankly out the window. “I’m glad at least they’re keeping the cylinder going,” she said after a long moment.

Alex didn’t reply at first, opting to stare with her. He noticed that the lakebed was now completely dry. “I guess the dolphins are below decks, now confined to quarters. I wonder if we are?”

A quick question to the computer brought a surprise reply. “
Commander Stubbs invites both of you to Master Control,
but if this is inconvenient, the request is not urgent.
” The computer’s blank voice sounded almost polite.

“Are you hearing this?”

Mary nodded.

“
Do you have a request, Alex Rose?
”

“Computer,” Alex replied. “Mary and I were hoping to visit the Biolab. I’d like a cab to take us there immediately.

Purpose of visit ... to talk to Matt Howarth.”

“
The tubeways are clear, Mr. Rose,
” replied the androgynous voice. “
I can summon a cab to your home, basement level.
”

“That will be fine,” said Alex with a broad smile. He was still feeling the effects of the marijuana. “Mary. You ready?”

Mary was looking at Inky, still on the window sill. He was rubbing his head against Mary’s arm. “Computer,” said Mary.

“Can we bring Inky along?”

“
I am sorry, Mary Seventeen. Pets are not allowed in the Biolab
.”

“Jeeps,” said Mary. “Inky would love to meet the clicks.”

“
Shall I inform Biolab of the time of your arrival?
”

“We’re leaving now, computer,” said Alex. “You figure it out.”

6
When Alex and Mary arrived at the Biolab entrance, to their surprise Jeanne Warren was there with a hand outstretched to greet them. “Hi,” she said meekly. “How are you guys?”

Alex wrapped an arm around Jeanne’s shoulder. “The question is, how are YOU doing?”

“Oh ... you mean the cocoon thing?”

Alex nodded.

Jeanne frowned. “Sometimes I dream I’m still down there, on Bubba. I don’t sleep too well.” She looked over her shoulder into the green lit lab. “But it’s quiet here. And I’m keepin’ busy with the clicks.”

“It’ll get better,” Mary assured her, reinforcing it with a hug.

Alex forced a smile and patted Jeanne on the shoulder. “How are they?” he asked, trying to sound cheerful. “Matt said we lost some clicks.”

“Oh, there’s plenty left,” Jeanne answered with a wry smile.

“What do you mean?” asked Alex. At her signal, they followed Jeanne into the laboratory. The green light gave Warren’s yellow coveralls an eerie look.

“Don’t you want to see Matt?” asked Jeanne. ”He’s expecting you.”

“It’s the clicks I really came to look at.” Alex looked at Jeanne doubtfully. “I mean ...”

Jeanne waved a hand and smiled. “Go ahead and look. I’ll tell him you’re here.”

When they reached the clicker man enclosure Alex and Mary both noticed that the lighting made the place look different.

Alex attributed the strangeness to the green glow, but soon realized that something other than the light had changed. He shielded his eyes from reflections as he peered into the gloomy cylindrical enclosure, but he couldn’t see the clicks. He sighed in disgust. “I can’t see anything in there.”

Standing beside him Mary stared at the dark glass. “I count at least seven. They look bigger.”

Alex cupped his hands around his eyes and looked long and hard into the darkness. “Okay, “he said finally. “I think I can see four. No, six. There’s two over there,” Alex pointed to the left. “I can’t tell. Do they look okay to you?”

“Mary laughed. “Okay? They look alive. That’s all I can tell you.”

Alex pressed his nose harder into the glass. Something fluttered close to his face. He stepped back, pointing at the glass.

“There’s one right there, at the glass.”

“Thought you saw him.” Mary smiled.

Watching Mary’s eyes follow the movements of the click he could tell that it passed by them, stopped, then moved back again.

“It seems to see me,” said Mary. “It’s hovering right here.” Her index finger touched the glass.

Alex saw nothing, but he noticed the reflection of someone entering the room. He turned as Matt Howarth’s now familiar chuckle broke the silence. “Alex and Mary! Come to visit us? Oh, I see. You miss the Jovians.” Matt looked at the enclosure and sighed. “I confess I haven’t been watching over those guys, myself. Busy with the Lalandians. Hope the clicks didn’t miss me.” He took a tiny light from his coverall pocket and pointed it at the glass. Its beam cut a shaft into the enclosure.

“Ahhhh, the menagerie?” He laughed. “Don’t get too close, Alex. We don’t want any more of them to explode.”

Alex frowned. “That wasn’t me that made it explode. Besides, it was a good thing. They had babies and all.”

Matt laughed harder. “Word is it had the hots for you. Alien sex appeal, Alex. Wow. That’s somethin’!”

Mary wasn’t smiling. The clicker man had moved away from the glass when Matt’s flashlight came on.

Alex chuckled politely. “Alien sex? Any sex is good sex, I’ve heard it said.” He didn’t dare look at Mary. He could feel her annoyance. “Why the green light?” he asked. “Can’t see dingers.”

“They seem to like it,” said Matt indifferently.

Jeanne entered the room with a tray of coffees. “By now I think I know you all like coffee,” she said, putting the tray on a table nearby. “There’s Screamies sweet and dry. Stirrers ...”

Matt perked up. “That’s my Jeanne. Where would I be without her?” Noticing that he was about to put the flashlight away, Alex asked to borrow it. Matt handed it to him without comment and went to the coffee table. “No buns,” he said.

“Buns are essential!”

“All I can do is ask!” Jeanne shook her head, her brown ponytail echoing the motion. “The bakeries are closed. We’re underway, you know.”

Mary smiled at Jeanne, impressed by her pluck. “Coffee sounds good. I hate buns.”

“Good thing we’re headed home. Eh, Matt?” Alex tried to sound cheerful.

Matt looked at him without smiling. “Our food server is down, firsters,” he explained. “We’ve been using the surface shops, not that far away. Shit, Alex. Trouble is, everything on this tub is the best. Everyone’s top of the line. Best pilots. Best bakers.” Matt looked at Mary. “Did you ever taste Alex’s buns, Mary? I’m fakkin’ hooked on ’em.”

Mary blinked. “Alex’s buns?”

Matt laughed. “The bakery. Alex’s Bakery. Promenade. Level one.”

Alex heard a thump from the tank. He turned and pointed Matt’s flashlight at the glass enclosure. There, floating less than a meter from him, was the waxen white knob of a click’s head. It glistened in the light but didn’t shy from it. Around its rod-like body the flat petal shaped arms undulated up and down, like a swimmer treading water.

“Was that you tapping at the glass, mister?” Alex walked up to the enclosure, and tapped the glass lightly with his finger.

“Was it?” Alex moved the light around the enclosure, a twenty meter cylinder of polyglas and machinery built to approximate Jupiter’s reef environs. The floor was covered with clumps of fluffy black reef material. All of it had been formulated based on information and samples gleaned during Alex’s three dives into the reef.

As he played the light around the enclosure, counting the clicks, Alex couldn’t forget that he was, to a large degree, responsible for them being there. Looking at them floating listlessly around the tank, there was no way for him to judge their condition. Though he had seen thousands of clicks, they were still a mystery to him. But there was no denying the fact that to him, they looked like victims – abductees. Now Alex wondered if
Goddard
hadn’t committed further crimes on Lalande. “I only count eight,” said Alex. “What happened to the others?”

“Spreading,” said Jeanne. She nudged Alex’s flashlight so it illuminated the roof of the enclosure. “The gravity is so light here that they’ve taken to hanging from the ceiling.”

Mary arched a perfect eyebrow. “I never saw that in the reef.”

“Innovation,” offered Jeanne, giving Matt a courteous nod.

“Exactly,” echoed Matt.

“Adaptation,” repeated Alex, peering at the ceiling of the cage. The clicks were hard to see in the darkness, even with the help of Matt’s flashlight. They looked like black flowers pressed flat against the ceiling. As his eyes adjusted to the light he could see that the white tubular bodies weren’t jutting out anywhere. “What happens to their bodies?” he asked.

“They deform,” answered Jeanne. “We can’t really see.”

“Flat, like the rest, I suppose,” added Matt. He stood for a moment with his hands clasped firmly behind his back, examining the ceiling of the enclosure while Alex played the light over the black bodies and noticed that the clicks were clustered near the central air duct.

“They’re sleeping, I guess,” concluded Jeanne, sipping her coffee.

Alex handed the light back to Matt. Then the ship’s alarm sounded and everyone froze. “Was that a general or local alarm?” Mary looked at the black band on her wrist. “Aren’t these communicators working?”

Matt looked at her blankly. “They would only fail if there was a computer problem, or if the computer was real busy.” He pointed to the doors. “We should go to ...”

But Commander Stubbs’ voice on the lab’s intercom interrupted. “Matt, Jeanne, Alex and Mary. Come to Master Control, please. As soon as possible. Priority One.”

“The voice of god,” growled Matt as he turned and resolutely led the group toward the exit.

“Well, Moses, maybe,” quipped Jeanne, winking at Mary. She removed her lab headset and dropped it to the floor. “From the sound of Stubbs’ voice, I won’t need those for a while.”

7
“We think the clicking sounds come from their tubular bodies, but, to be honest, these don’t click much,” said Jeanne Warren as the oversized car the computer had assigned them lumbered through the tubeway. They felt the gravity lighten as it moved upward in the cylinder. “I’m griped that we couldn’t at least learn some of their language,” she added.