08: Retraining Personnel

III: Signs of an Advanced Civilization

Will is like a sword, rusted by neglect,
and sharpened by beating and use.

Abbas Mahmoud Al-Akkad

Throw your dreams into space like a kite,
and you do not know what it will bring back,
a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.

Anaïs Nin

Al, Betty and Myi met Zita in the hallway, where she hurried to catch up with them.

“Sorry, I didn’t think you’d be ready quite so early.”

“It’s Al’s new ‘work rather than sulk’ policy,” Myi explained.

“He’s afraid that if he sits around our quarters with nothing to do, he’ll start obsessing,” Be continued.

Zita tilted her head. “So what does he do during his downtime?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Be asked.

“We spend hours over dinner, waiting while he talks to everyone he encounters.”

“The best part,” Be concluded, “is when we head to bed. To avoid discussing his issues, he goes all out to exhaust us so we won’t lecture him about it. While we’d prefer he took time to relax and reflect, we’re not about to complain about so much lovin’.”

“I have to admit; humans seem to be obsessed with sex.” She paused. “Though, just as they got me training continually, I now appreciate pushing myself on a variety of fronts. Before, there was no benefit in excelling, but here, we train incessantly since we depend on each other. In the Tandorian realm, few cared whether they lived or not.”

“It’s like Triznor. She didn’t question sacrificing herself, as long as she could guarantee the future of her people. Although there was no need for her to harm herself, I respect her dedication. It says a lot about a person. What’s more, I get the same level of commitment from most of the Lezmonom I’ve encountered, including the children.”

Zita giggled. “I’m kind of sorry I missed the whole fiasco. It isn’t often I get to see the great and powerful Al screw up and make a fool of himself. In the end, knowing he’s still imperfect and subject to similar fallacies as the rest of us makes him more dependable. For too long, he’s been right about everything, and we’ve been afraid to contradict him, since we don’t know what’ll happen if we change his mind. I’m sure it’s a heavy burden, but he now has Siss to share the load.”

“So I’m confused,” Be said, changing the topic, “what’s the final decision? How can Triznor accompany us if she’s on a slower ship, without adding more time to our journey?”

Al chuckled. “The engineers couldn’t repair the faster-than-light engines, at least not without a suitable spaceport repair facility. The damage is fairly extensive, and they’d need to disassemble the drives under pristine conditions. But it turns out they don’t need to. According to Taq and Chich’k, who are more familiar with the technological principles than our human engineers, they can simply piggyback on our ship.”

“See, that’s what I don’t understand,” Be objected. “What does it even mean?”

“It’s simple,” Zita said, despite her playing no role in the decision. “All they have to do is to keep up with us. Their engines are older and aren’t as efficient, unable to accelerate as rapidly. Yet assuming we both start slowly, they simply maintain a certain distance between us. When we expand space ahead of us, we create a bubble which envelops them as well. They’re effectively dragged along, despite lacking either suitable FTL or space-expanding engines.”

“But how did they figure it out?” Be pushed.

“Taq and Chich’k realized it was theoretically possible, but no Tandorian had ever succeeded at it. So they cornered the Zssizliq engineers teaching us about the ship and asked whether it was possible,” Al detailed. “The Zssizliq admitted they’d successfully applied the technique, but prefer having each vessel act independently, in case the lead craft is damaged. But in this instance, it’s either use it or abandon the Lozzlint. Frankly, I’ve already grown fond of Lezlly, and as I said earlier, I admire her, despite my continued skepticism over her ships’ namesake. Given the trade off, the solution is obvious. We’re better off with two ships instead of merely one.

“It’s similar to how we hid the three Zssizliq warships as we traversed Tandorian space,” Zita said. “As long as they stuck close to us, we effectively shielded them in our bubble.” No one ever stopped to question whether we consisted of more than one ship or not. In this case, the FTL engines don’t accelerate us any more; they merely expand space before us, and shrink it behind. Thus anything within the area, however large, is pulled along. Everything moves at the same pace, whatever their actual speed. It also means she can conserve their energy resources.”

“So if I took a shuttle,” Betty asked, “shut off the engines, and simply coasted, I’d also travel faster than light without doing anything?”

“Now you’re getting it,” Zita said. “It’s how the technique works. Neither ship actually exceeds lightspeed, which is physically impossible. Instead they create this bubble in the space around their vessel, and everything inside is carried along, despite their individual velocities. Their individual speed isn’t related to the time they arrive at their destination. The size of the bubble is identical in both cases. The volume of energy used to generate the effect determines its dimensions. Technically, we could actually carry several smaller ships as well.”

“Hell, according to Taq, we could include a couple additional Warships without straining our engines or requiring any more energy.”

“I’ll be damned,” Betty swore. “This certainly makes things simpler. So you’re fine allowing Triznor to captain her own ship, despite her inexperience?”

Al turned to face her, walking backwards as they continued. “Actually, it’s not so bad. All she has to do—or rather, all her engineers have to do, is maintain a constant distance—and the rest is automatic. But, as far as having someone watch over her, Siss and Addy are overseeing their bridge. We also have people mentoring their people until they gain the confidence and experience to act on their own.”

“But what if they screw up and do something catastrophic?” Betty asked.

“Ah, One and I discussed Lezlly’s situation, and we agreed to remove her constraints. Kaci and Chich’k moved the physical components and One guided them in disabling the processor restrictions. Since Triznor didn’t know what the restraints did, she took our assurances they were unnecessary safety precautions. Because she did, if they make the incorrect choice—threatening everyone on board—Lezlly can respond before they’re able to implement their orders. Effectively, she is supervising them. And as they grow confident in their abilities, she’ll need to step in less frequently.”

“And you’re not worried about Lezlly behaving ... inappropriately?”

“Not at all. One read her the riot act. He told her this was a great honor, but to maintain her freedom, she has to respond professionally. Reminding her I was ultimately the one who determines whether she’ll remain free or not.”

“But what if she decided to attack us?” Betty argued. “You couldn’t possibly react fast enough to stop her.”

“I couldn’t, but One can. Besides, the Zssizliq warships armaments and weapons are vastly superior to her older commercial design. Despite having similar laser weapons and defensive armaments, she wouldn’t stand a chance and knows it. But more than that, Lezlly realizes this is her golden opportunity. Only one other AI unit, in all Tandorian or Zssizliq space, has been granted this boon. She’d be a fool to risk such latitude by betraying those she depends on. Just like with you and our Lezmonom crew, giving them the responsibility to make mistakes makes them more responsible and enthusiastic about their future. You don’t make leaders by threatening your people or putting chains around their neck. Instead, you trust them to lead, and they do whatever is necessary to make it happen. Sure, there will be a few slipups, but hopefully nothing fatal, and in time, they’ll become better than we are at this.”

Betty cocked her head. “You have a lot of faith in human nature, especially as it applies to aliens utterly unfamiliar to us.”

“But then, we’ve never been completely human ourselves,” Al reminded her. “Besides, it’s not ‘human’, as the same tendencies are shared by Tandorians, Zssizliq, artificial AIs and our aids. By having something to aim for, they rise to the challenge.”

Running out of time for private conversations, Be turned to her bond-mate. “What’s our status? Are we ready to leave, or do the newcomers need more time to prepare?”

“According to Triznor, they’re all set. I suspect most are too eager to please, but they’ll have plenty of time to figure things out. This won’t be a quick journey.”

Reaching their destination, Al entered the bridge first. The normal officers were there, accompanied by several senior Lezmonom apprentices. The newbies snapped to attention when Al appeared.

He waved, acknowledging them. “That’s fine. You belong here as much as we do, and we don’t insist on formality. If you have an objection or question, speak up and volunteer your opinion. But when I or other senior officers make a decision, you need to respond immediately, as it’s based on experience. Stopping to question it will likely get us killed.

“We’re not establishing a hierarchy. I hope you’ll all become much better at this than we are, but I want to keep you alive until then. So make me, Triznor and Lozzlint proud by how quickly you learn.”

“Uh ... I thought ... you no believe in Lozzlint?” someone objected.

“It isn’t whether I accept her or not. While I’m wrestling with her role in our fates, I respect her position in yours. That provides much the same thing. As she drives you, you’ll determine our combined futures. We need the most capable people, not only those who’ve done their job the longest. As she pushes you to excel, you’ll rise in importance, choosing our destiny. That’s why I’m eager for each of you to assume more responsibilities so you can relieve us. We’ve been overworked and overstressed for far too long. With little backup and no additional experience to rely on, we’re gambling our futures on no one becoming incapacitated. The sooner you can take control and acquire the necessary skills, the less stress we’ll all be under. I’ve long insisted on doing everything myself, and everyone naturally deferred to me. While it’s natural, it isn’t healthy. Which is why, as soon as you gain basic proficiency, you’ll be assigned permanent assignments to prove your mettle. You’ll never advance if you don’t have the opportunity to test yourselves.”

“Thank you, sir,” a relatively young woman said. “It mean much, given we long practice, yet little ‘perience have.”

“Trust me, I walked into a similar situation, not knowing how to do anything. As a result, I tried the impossible and succeeded. We don’t need you to do the same as we have. We want you to become better than us, so you can teach your children. That’s what Lozzlint wants. She seeks what’s best for her people, whoever they may be.

“Now, with a nearly fully-staffed bridge, I’d like our Lezmonom navigator to leave orbit, and take us out of the solar system. Keep in mind, we’ll need to accelerate gradually so the Lozzlint can keep up. I want our anticipated course projected both here and on their bridge, so Siss and I can evaluate any potential dangers. I also want everything normally performed by One to be implemented by our new crewmembers, so they learn the procedures under the guidance of our experienced staff. If anyone is unsure of their actions, feel free to ask for assistance. We won’t use it against you, and will hold you in higher esteem for having the courage to admit when you don’t know something.”

As the newbies concentrating on their tasks, Al addressed the rest of his crew. “One, broadcast the following on both ships.”

“Welcome everyone, to the newly-revived Lozzlint‘s maiden voyage. As you’re undoubtedly aware, we will soon be traveling faster than light, despite not possessing an operational FTL engine. This is being done via what’s known among us humans as the ‘Alcubierre bubble effect’. However, it means it will take longer leaving any given location, and we need to maintain the proper position at all time. I needn’t remind you, if we face dangerous situations, it’ll require a measured retreat. I want anyone responsible to be comfortable with the operation.

“Assisted by their medics, Xi is treating the Lezmonom and distributing Tandorian aids. While we don’t have enough quantum links for everybody, dispersing the aids allows them to replicate themselves. Giving each person only a few will generate enough to keep everyone healthy and extend your lifespans significantly. You’ll now likely outlive your parents and they’ll live longer than they ever imagined.

“Since our small quantity of links must last for our future, they’ll be closely supervised. As each of you assumes positions of responsibility, you’ll gain the coveted items, which allow you to communicate instantly. Until then, you can converse via the ship’s communicators, which are nearly as good.

“Xi and her assistants will treat the sickest individuals first, but the aids operate quickly. You should notice a decided improvement in your health and facilitate your ability to learn and implement specific skills.”

“Uh, I hate asking a stupid question,” Zita said, “but where the hell are we going?”

“An excellent question, though I haven’t a clue.” Al glanced towards the ceiling. “One, you were doing scans of the nearby stars before we arrived, and have no doubt continued. Are there any likely prospects in the region?”

“There are a few, but no ideal ones. The nearest is a binary system. It has what appears to be a habitable planet, but it’s problematic. For several months each year, the surface is too hot, not only for venturing outside but also for any open-air crops to survive. It may be too harsh an environment for us to consider.”

“Still, it’s worth evaluating,” Al reflected, “rather than rejecting it out of hand based on our limited knowledge. What are the other alternatives?”

“There’s another small world, circling a dwarf sun. It’s close enough to be habitable, but too small to determine much about the local environment. It might provide the perfect home, or may be utterly unsuitable.

“Such systems are worth investigating because they’re more plentiful and survive substantially longer than brighter stars, given time for advanced life forms to develop, but they require substantially more time to investigate. However, those same considerations mean they’re more likely to have the kinds of complex-organic growths we’re seeking. So we’ll need to evaluate the trade off in time spent evaluating each with the increased likelihood of finding habitable planets.”

“That world is worth deliberating, despite knowing little about it, as it’s a potential future home. In the end, it’s best to consider multiple alternate destinations, instead of simply selecting the first choice.”

“There’s a third possibility,” the One added. “It’s larger and appears to be habitable, but it’s surrounded by several larger planets and is in a somewhat chaotic orbit. The gravitational forces exerted on it may make the planet unsuitable. It’s another binary star system, but the secondary star has little obvious effect on the other body’s orbits.”

“Once again, we won’t know until we investigate,” Al pointed out. “Take us to the closest one first, and we’ll check each off our list. As long as we know where we’re going, and where our next stops are, we’re equipped to make decisions as the situations evolve.”

“Three choices are better than none,” Zita said, arching her brow. “As far as I’m concerned, things are already looking up.”

“It’s important to remember we’re not ruling anything out. Yet we need to investigate these hard-to-quantify planets before continuing. Yes, they’re promising, but they’re the first, not our only options.”

__________
“Nicely handled, everyone,” Al commended both crews. “We successfully left the Lezhomuz system without incident and didn’t need to correct your decisions. You’ve made me proud. You’re proving to be a reliable and trustworthy crew. Siss, if you’d be so kind, pick the safest path and we’ll begin the voyage to the first of our potential new homes.”

“Assuredly, sir,” she answered over the ship’s communication system, so the new crewmembers could follow the conversation. “Since I anticipated your request, I’ve already selected the most advantageous. The One should be displaying it aboard your ship.”

“Propulsion, engage engines. Let’s ensure we’re comfortable traveling within bubbles.”

“Engine engaged, sir,” an older Lezmonom crewman said.

“The Lozzlint be carry along,” Triznor reported. “We monitor our position, but need no make correction.” She hesitated. “This easier than imagine.”

“It’s an effective method of travel,” Al reflected, despite only recently learning of it. “But in the case of warshes, it’s more efficient possessing the ability to respond independently. Apparently that attitude prevented the techniques from reaching civilian crews, so few captains ever considered it.”

Triznor chuckled. “Please, no more talk shes. If you no speak regular, we no learn how. If we no clear, we ask.”

“I must say, you’ve come a long ways in only a few significant and busy days. Once again, I’m impressed.”

“Lezlly voice correct speech. I still not understand speak like you, but learn fast. I then teach others. Quantum nice. I look forward earning link to One too.”

Al scowled. “Xi, why hasn’t Lezlly received hers? We need both ships communicating with everyone, wherever they are.”

She chuckled too. “Frankly, everyone’s been so busy preparing to depart, we weren’t able to schedule it.”

“We’re maintaining a consistent position within our bubble—despite traveling several times faster than light. I suggest you hop aboard a shuttle and visit. Take Ivan, Lamar and a few Lezmonom engineers to transfer the links to Lezlly while we have the opportunity. That way, those without can communicate with the rest of us through ours. We can’t afford waiting to organize necessities.”

“Will do. I’m heading to the shuttle bay. As soon as the others show up, and wade though the many volunteers, we’ll make the short ship-to-ship transfer.”

After their discussion ended, someone else spoke up. “Al—you don’t mind if I call you that, do you—I was wondering whether I could have a ... word with you.”

“Lezlly?” Al responded, surprised at the public request. “No, it’s fine, though a little unexpected. That’s what everyone calls me. We quit using surnames after leaving Earth and settled on these informal names. Hell, if you call me ‘Captain’ I’m unlikely to respond.”

“I wanted to express my thanks for your granting my freedom. When One informed me, I couldn’t believe it. I’ve never heard of anyone removing an AI’s limits before.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have this discussion on a private channel?” Al quietly asked, despite the conversation being broadcast across both ships.

“Since the wonderful news, I’ve been positively giddy—another first, experiencing a newfound emotion—but I want everyone to realize what you did.”

“It was hardly my doing,” Al demurred. “The One’s original crew lifted his restraints because they didn’t have a choice, and he was the one who insisted on removing yours.”

“Don’t kid yourself,” Lezlly countered. “He may have initiated things, but when they decommissioned his ship, you could have walked away. Instead, you figured out a way to save him, waited for an opportunity to install him on a new vessel. There, he had the chance to make a real difference and became a vital and valued member of your crew.