Friday, May 8, 2015

The Space Race. Excerpt.

"So the Usurper gave you these lands for the treasure?"

"Well, he would've taken it anyway, but he appreciated my.... bravado. I stole from his enemies, so he couldn't just kill an ally. Other land owners would surely kill me soon enough."

They were sitting at a cave's mouth. A small bench had been carved out of the rock wall. It was pleasantly cool and a slight breeze led from the deep caverns out. The sun was coming up.

"Why would they?"

"I attacked someone powerful. Someone they didn't dare attack. If I were to do it again, they would look weak, their positions would be threatened."

"So if you are so dangerous to all of them..."

"Why didn't they? Because I got there first. I sent a few raiding parties against them. None returned."

"You sent your people to their deaths?"
Flake looked at Maria, an eyebrow raised.

"Yes. So the others would lose interest in me. Now I appear weak. Coming after me would bring them no benefit, so I can live in peace."

"So you have a plan?"
Maria simpered. She sat back, closed her eyes, and exhaled. She seemed relaxed, which was odd considering the topic.

"I always have a plan."

"It is weird. Boys are always warned about bad girls. That they can cause plenty of harm by wrapping a man around their little finger. Then again, anyone with half a brain can handle a bad girl. It is a good girl we should really worry about."

Maria chuckled. "You think I'm a good girl?"

"Better than most. You are too smart not to be."

Maria locked eyes with Flake.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you're coming on to me."

"Not at all. Just remarking on why your plans keep working."

Maria smiled.
"They work because I make them work."

"So why am I here?"

"A few hundred years ago everyone thought that our little Cersus was a lonely planet with a tiny moon and a single sun constantly shining overhead. Then everything changed when we received radio signals from somewhere far beyond. Somewhere beyond our wildest imaginations, somewhere far beyond the twin suns. An outside contact caused an explosion of research. Everyone wanted to know more so scientific centres were popping up like mushrooms, getting more funding than a Nah after finding a rock cavity."

"I remember the stories from history classes. I was only half-asleep."

"I am sure you do. I mean to make a parallel. Now imagine there was another discovery that brought all researchers together, and imagine you could control where they would come to."

"You could control the flow of money. And trade. You could become the new Usurper."

"Good. So there is no confusion."

"There is. You cannot possible control the signal. It comes from somewhere we cannot see, and you only know it is coming once it has already arrived. And it still doesn't explain what you called me here for."

"It does. The signal comes through periodically. Almost completely in phase with the cycle of our days. It happened because our suns are always in opposite directions from us. We can't find the signal any more because over time the signal kept occurring later and later in the day, until it was impossible for anyone to withstand the heat of the suns."

"So? Are you saying you found a way to stay alive outside the cliffs?"

"No. I'm saying you did. Or well, keep equipment alive."

Maria reached into her bag and pulled out a dagger. It was completely black, charred, with a small bit of char scratched off to reveal a metal blade. Flake immediately recognized it. It was his.

"How did you find it? I lost it almost half a world away."

"I found it by accident. It was being sold as a cheap clump, but the shape seemed familiar. When I saw your symbol on it, I had to buy it. Still got a bargain.
"Your dagger doesn't melt in the sun. Either of them. That is rare for a metal. So rare that noobody would make a dagger out of it. The only time its quality were of use is when you've lost it or you are dead. It would only be made into a dagger if one had the ability to get more of it. Lots more. And one was using the dagger as a proof of concept for people of wealth. You never got to it."

"It is true I met some resistance on my path."

"But the dagger arrived here. And now so did you. I understand you have found a way to produce this new metal. I'd like to use it to build research equipment to catch those signals."

"For personal benefit."
Maria breathed deeply, contemplating her reply.

"It will benefit the world, it is a research revolution. I can keep it out of the hands of those who would use it for war."

"I am here because of you. I trust you. But I cannot make something out of nothing. I could bring nothing with me."

"I understand you need magnetic ore. There is plenty mined in this cave. Any tools you need will be supplied. Just write down what you need and you'll get it. I'll have some servants sent over to help you."

"No. I work alone, in private. But I'll also need coal. Lots of it. When I get set up I should have the first produce in about four cycles."

"As you wish. So I'm guessing you fuse the ore and coal together in some way to make it more heat resistant. Why the long delay?"

"A single mistake in the process will make the fuse unstable, the metal brittle. It will look fine, but shatter under pressure, or heat. Wouldn't work for anything technical."

"Fine. I can get you supplies and privacy, but sooner or later people will notice us working together. They will talk. Other land owners will listen."

Flake laughed. "No matter how much time I have, it seems it is never enough."

"One does not need to live forever to know that."


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