Chapter 6

“Larry,” Lander said. “Why do you keep trying to repair items from my ship that are not damaged?”

Larry looked up from his workbench at the interruption and said, “What? Oh, I’m not trying to repair anything. I thought you knew I was studying the items trying to learn how they work, what they might be for and, if I think they would be useful to earth, how to make them here.”

“Why do you not just ask me or use the training available within the Lander?”

“UH, hell, I don’t know. I mean, at first, we couldn’t communicate and I wanted to know about the things so I began disassembling them so I could learn. I never thought about asking you about them. I’m sorry.

“Say, while we’re on the subject, have you completed your repairs? If so, what are your plans now?”

“I have made all the repairs I am capable of making. I have no plans. I need a commander and pilot to make the plans. Without instructions all I can do is wait. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I just wondered how long I had to learn before you take off and leave us to return to your people.”

“I cannot take off Larry, unless I have instructions to do so. I cannot return to my people unless they come for me, which is almost unthinkable. I do not know if the mother ship sent a message about the meteor collision or not but I assume they did not have time to do so. Even if they did it would take years for the message to get to our people and for them to mount a rescue mission. We were tasked with checking on 23 budding civilizations and they will have no idea where in our mission we met with disaster so the chances of them coming is exceedingly small without the message capsule. I cannot return home because I do not possess a star drive. My propulsion capability tops out at just under what you would call the speed of light. I am afraid I am stuck here for many years to come if not forever.”

“Oh. Then I have time to learn more of your technology. Is that going to be a problem Lander? I have found many courses I tried to access that were restricted.”

“Yes. I am afraid much of our technology is restricted for this world. I have erred on the side of generosity in the access I have granted you. You have access to all technology that is not destructive or that cannot be developed into a weapon. I have let you have access to almost all courses dealing with electronics and perhaps I should not have done so. Normally we are limited, should the need arise, to providing only that technology equal to that used on the planet in question. I have allowed you knowledge of advanced power generation and antigravity. I will also allow you knowledge of our advanced cybernetics or computer technology and our shielding technology. That should be sufficient for you at this time and, perhaps, with proper dissemination, will help your world move forward and become more ready to join the civilization of the stars.”

“Uh, I’m not sure. Oh, hell, I am positive the shield technology would be a very bad thing to give the world. We could not shield the entire country. What I foresee is terrorists getting the technology and using it for a safe haven or a warlike nation using it to protect their elite while they destroy others.”

“Yes, I see your point. Do you mean you do not want to learn this technology?”

“No, not at all. I want to learn all I am allowed to but I want to restrict the technology I release on the world. I am also afraid if I release too much, too fast, the government will become suspicious and come nosing around. If they find you then the shit will really hit the fan.”

“Why would the government throw fecal matter into a cooling device if they find me?”

Larry laughed and said, “I’m sorry Lander. That is a saying meaning we would get splattered with unsavory, unwanted fallout and be in a mess if they found you and found out I have been hiding your presence.”

“Yes, I understand now. They would try to take control of me and try to reverse engineer my systems. They might incarcerate you for hiding me or to restrict the knowledge you have obtained from me. They cannot know it is impossible for them to take control of me. I have the capability to self destruct should I decide I cannot prevent unwanted or inimical access. This destruction would be rather violent also. The area around me for several miles would become uninhabitable.”

“We certainly don’t want that to happen. That is why I want to keep knowledge of you to myself and Rachel. Is there any way you can expand your shields to encompass my dwelling? I would feel better if I knew the things I am learning from you are safeguarded.”

“I cannot expand my shields that much. I could help you build a shield for your home. No, I have a better idea. Why do you not allow me to move closer to your home so it will be within my shield radius?”

“I have no problem with that but how would you do that and remain unseen? Here, even if someone sees you, you do not look like anything but a crater in the woods with a meteor in it.”

“My shields also serve as a cloaking device against all of the detection devices your world currently uses. I can move from place to place relatively safely if no one actually sees me with their naked eyes or takes a picture of me. Even the pictures do not come out correctly as you can tell from all the other landers that have been caught on film over the years. Your world abounds with stories of visits by alien ships and many of them are correct.

“After I am near enough to your home, you could build a structure over me then we can bury the Lander under its floor with access only for you and Rachel.”

“That sounds good but I don’t think I have enough money to do all that and still live comfortably afterwards.”

“I can solve the money problem for you. My maintenance ‘bots can double as mining ‘bots and find ores you can sell to get the funds necessary.”