Test of Magnitude (The Torian Reclamation) (4 page)

The governor shook his head again. “You will need permission from the Amulen government if you want to access that research facility. The scientists there will not be agreeable to interference in their studies, either. In any case, this is not space station business, so it is not within my jurisdiction to help you even if I wanted to.”

“I will take care of the Amulen government and the scientists,” Arkan9 said.

“Then what are you asking of us?” the governor asked.

Arkan9 turned to Mip7. “You must meet me at ReserachLab-71 five days from today. You are the one to oversee this project, Mip7. As the governor here has already noted, you can be trusted. The alliance born of wisdom must have your cooperation now. It is time for you to serve Tora in all your capacity.”

Mip7 looked over at the governor, who simply shrugged. He turned back to Arkan9.

“What are we going to do?”

“Revive the Earthlings.”

Chapter Two

“You’ll have to wait, Mip7. The governor is busy at the moment. Please have a seat.”

Mip7 was too anxious to sit, so he paced back and forth in front of the fountain in the governor’s reception lobby. Since the meeting with the Sheen five days ago, his sleep had been restless—filled with images of space battles, Sheen going supernova, and alien beings who resembled the description Arkan9 had given of these Earthlings he now had to go work with. The governor found a temporary replacement to take over Mip7’s regular duties, and marked him on special assignment leave for an undetermined time. Mip7 still didn’t know exactly what it was he would be doing with Arkan9 and the Earthlings. He had received only two messages regarding his new assignment, and they were mostly his travel details. He was scheduled to take the next shuttle for C2 Amulen.

The governor appeared in the lobby with the Chancellor of Banor. Both were wearing scarlet shoulder pads—something only top-level government officials and military leaders wore, and usually only when meeting with each other or making important public appearances. Mip7 sat down, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention, but the governor saw him and motioned for him to come over.

“Chancellor Gormin8, this is Mip7, the one I was telling you about.”

The chancellor bowed and said, “Tulros.”

“Tulros, sir.” Mip7 returned the bow. The chancellor’s bronze skin was noticeably brighter than his own. Mip7’s skin must have dulled more than he thought.

“We appreciate your help,” the chancellor said. “The governor has informed me about your special assignment, how you came into it, and how you have earned his trust. It’s good to have a smart, young Banorian with us, in...” he turned to the governor, “what was it the Sheen referred to us as, the alliance of wisdom?”

The governor chuckled. “Yes, I believe that was it.”

“This is the first time I have found myself in a political alignment described in such a manner,” the chancellor continued.  “If the issue ever becomes public, we’ll have to come up with a more humble name for it.”

“Thank you,” Mip7 said. “It is my honor to assist in whatever the Torian government deems important, even if I don’t understand what I am asked to do.”

The chancellor laughed.

“If it makes you feel any better,” the governor said, “neither of us understands what Arkan9 is doing, either. He is certainly compelling, though, and seems to be of the same mind as the chancellor and I on foreign policy. We think it is best to appease him, as he could prove to become an influential ally.”

Two more bright-skinned Banorians walked into the lobby from behind. One of them spoke.

“Chancellor, your shuttle is ready when you are.”

“Yes, yes,” the chancellor said, “we can go.” He turned to the governor, frowned, and pointed back down the hall towards his office. “Perhaps I should take it with me.”

The governor returned the frown. “If you wish, Chancellor, certainly. However, Mip7 will be at the Science Complex in a few hours, and can deliver it personally. You and I agreed it should be analyzed before presenting it to the High Chancellor, and that can be done thoroughly there, and immediately.”

The chancellor’s eyes became unfocussed and his head shivered, as if he were breaking himself from a captivating train of thought.

“Yes—you’re right, of course. Very good, then. I will be in touch about those arrangements.” He bowed and turned to go before the governor and Mip7 could return the salutation.

They watched him get into the spaceport lift with his assistants. After the lift door closed, Mip7 followed the governor back to his office.

Mip7 sat down and noticed an odd-shaped object on the governor’s desk. It was a standing square frame made from some kind of rock, or perhaps a rock/metal meld. There were small pieces of polished metal lying on the desk next to it.

“Have you received any messages directly from Arkan9 or ResearchLab-71?” the governor asked.

“No,” Mip7 replied without taking his eyes off the strange object.

“Then you don’t know anything other than your travel arrangements?”

Mip7 looked at the governor now. “No—and I’m not even sure where Arkan9 is meeting me.”

“I think it’s safe to assume he will find you if you just go to reception at RL-71. You have been given security clearance for the entire area. However…”

Mip7 waited while the governor tapped on his lightpad.

The governor continued. “Assisting Arkan9 may be a more difficult task than he made it sound. The scientists know you are coming, and they have been informed that Chancellor Renal5 has authorized your research assignment on the beings from that planet, but…”

“But what, sir?” Mip7 was becoming concerned.

“I don’t think they know your intention is to revive the research subjects.”

“You think that will present a problem?” Mip7 asked.

“Scientists don’t like outside interference. I have yet to meet one who is cooperative with suggestions from non-scientists. You may find them to be resistant.”

Mip7 looked back at the object on the governor’s desk and said, “My assignment, as I understand it, is to be Arkan9’s assistant. I plan on leaving any negotiating with authorities up to him, if that’s okay with you.”

“It’s a game,” the governor said. He was now looking at the object as well.

Mip7 cocked his head, uncertain if he understood the governor’s last statement.

“This,” the governor said, pointing to the object. “It’s a game. A parting gift from the Azaarian ambassador. I had almost forgotten about it. Chancellor Gormin8 and I were just trying it out. It’s …interesting. We think it would be best to have it fully examined before presenting it to the High Chancellor, so I’m sending it with you. I will arrange for Director Lan2, who is an old friend of mine, to meet you and receive it when you arrive at the Science Complex.”

Mip7 nodded. “How does it work?”

“It’s some kind of a magnet game. Watch.” He reached over and placed his hand in the middle of the frame. It lit up, and several sparks flew from the governor’s fingertips. The governor quickly withdrew his hand and began to caress his fingers. “That part stings a little.”

Mip7 found himself mesmerized by the light field glowing inside the frame. He noticed the small metallic objects sitting on the desk were of two different shapes; some straight bars, and others curved in the shape of a crescent moon.

The governor gathered the curved pieces and pushed them over to Mip7.

“Curved goes first. Take one of your pieces and place it in the field. It doesn’t hurt, but there is an energy sensation when your fingertips are in there. According to the tutorial, you should place it where you ‘feel it belongs.’”

“What’s the object of the game?” Mip7 asked.

“The frame holds a magnetic energy field, which is manipulated by the placement of the pieces. The chancellor and I played several games, but we are not quite clear on the strategy involved. It’s a bit strange. You form a pattern with your pieces, but also try to break up your opponent’s pattern. The winner is the one who completes his pattern first, or something along those lines.”

“What pattern am I trying to create?”

The governor shook his head. “I don’t know, and I’m not sure if the winning patterns are even something that can be geometrically conceived in advance. You have to react to your opponent’s moves as well. Go ahead and place a piece in the field.”

Mip7 held a game piece and studied it for a moment. He then picked up a second piece with his other hand and moved it all around the first one. They did not repel or attract each other. He cautiously moved his right hand with the game piece into the field. There was a small heat sensation in his hand as soon as it came into contact. He tried to push through to the other side, but could not penetrate the force of resistance from the light field. He could, however, move his piece around in the field. There was resistance in some areas, but it moved around freely in others. He found a spot he liked and let go, leaving the curved piece in a horizontal position near the center of the field with the ends pointed upward. It stayed in place.

The governor then placed one of his bars at an angle directly above Mip7’s piece.

“Yes,” the governor said, “I think you would be wise to leave all the negotiating up to Arkan9, and refrain from being combative with the scientists. If they are uncooperative, Arkan9 can always get Chancellor Renal5’s help, or maybe he can pull that Sheen trick of his on the Lab Director.”

Mip7 went to place his second piece in the field, and noticed more pronounced feelings of resistance and free movement as he moved the piece about. He settled on positioning it directly under his first piece, in the same position.

“You will start to notice stronger forces of repulsion and attraction as more pieces fill the field,” the governor said. He placed his second piece directly under Mip7’s two pieces, laying it vertically, blocking any further continuation of Mip7’s vertical pattern.

Mip7 frowned.

“Annoyed a little, aren’t you?” the governor asked.

Mip7 looked up at the governor. “No, sir. I’m happy to accept my assignment and work as Arkan9’s subordinate. I am also glad to see cooperation between the space station and the Banorian Chancellor. Not that it matters, but I believe you both share my personal views regarding foreign policy.”

“No—about the game.” The governor motioned to the game field. Mip7 looked back to it. He felt strange, and a little embarrassed.

“That’s odd. Yes, Governor, I must admit I became irritated at your last move.” He shook his head.  “There’s no rationale for that, especially since I don’t have any idea what I’m doing. I certainly don’t care if I win. I wouldn’t even understand why I won, even if I managed to. I apologize, sir.”

“No need. There’s something about the game that does this. The chancellor and I found ourselves almost exchanging heated words with each other during our third game, and we were not discussing any important issues today. We caught ourselves and realized the game was making us edgy. It’s your move.”

“I’m almost afraid to play now,” Mip7 said, but he saw a place where he suddenly felt very strongly one of his pieces belonged. He placed it there. It slid into position effortlessly.

The governor picked up a new piece and spoke while he studied the position in the game field.

“During my first two games with the chancellor, I was thinking the proper move was to fit my piece where the least resistance was. I lost the second game, however. So, in our third game, I experimented by placing some pieces where there was considerable resistance, and I won that game.”

He placed his piece next to the one from his first move of the game.

Mip7 felt threatened by the last move. He sensed a pattern forming with the governor’s two adjacent pieces and wanted to block it.

“How do we know when someone wins?” he asked as he placed a piece over the governor’s developing pattern.

“You’ll see.” The governor placed a new piece off in the corner of the field by itself.

As the game continued, the pace slowed down. More pieces filled the field, and resistance became so strong in some areas that Mip7 discovered he simply could not place a piece there even if he wanted to.

Finally, he found he couldn’t place a piece in the game field at all. There may have been spots left which still accepted a piece, but Mip7 could not bring himself to even pick one up and make an attempt. He just sat there staring at the patterns. A terrible feeling of dejection came over him. He looked up at the governor, who now had both hands behind his head and wore a smile which betrayed great joy and satisfaction.

“That’s how it ends,” the governor said. “I won.”

Mip7 had never experienced anything quite like this. He was in a state of near-depression. He no longer felt like taking a shuttle to Amulen, or doing anything for that matter. What just happened to him?

“These feelings go away shortly,” the governor said. “At least, they did for the chancellor and me—but, I have something here that may help with the process.” He pulled a box out of his desk and opened it, to reveal a bottle of Redflower-20 and two tubes. The governor opened the bottle, filled the tubes, and handed one to Mip7.