Chapter 16

When the parties and the polite lies were over we all boarded the boat with all the engines, accumulators and other incidentals that we needed to repair the ship.

We flew once more to meet Borin. The trip allowed us a chance to study and watches were split between Tom, Margaret and their son. On the wrecked ship, Sandra, Megan and I took my old Captain's cabin while the rest kept their rooms in the boat when they were too exhausted to work any more.

All of those rooms on the ship had been rebuilt but there was one dead girl still in the back hold. The Claystones didn't feel like usurping a spot from the dead. They also knew how little trained they were at the moment and felt bad about even taking a trainee's position.

The ship had originally been a hundred and forty six metres long. The larger engines and accumulators added a metre and a half to the length. The energy weapon had been seriously damaged but the crystal had been spared. It was tested at the lowest power and we found it still worked.

Earth still interfered on occasion. Sandra and Megan would get telephone calls and they would talk for a few minutes to keep in touch but usually didn't stay long. Margaret and Tom's calls were longer but that was expected. Tommy avoided his calls until he got a bit bored and needed a distraction. It was mentioned that we had call forwarding to us in another country. This would let the callers know that they could talk but not expect to visit. At present we were supposedly in Egypt searching for more evidence of the fourth kingdom.

At one time I was going to say yes to a suggestion that a carpet cleaning company come out to clean our floors for only a nominal charge. My email offered to enlarge my penis with proven methods while others would either enlarge or reduce my breast size. When this sort of thing happened too many times Borin did the same thing in reverse even though they had protection against this.

Mr Iwasaki wrote that he had a man that would take me up on my deal. I accepted the offer on Mr Iwasaki's advice. I returned a message saying I had prior commitments that would keep me away for a few more months.

At the end of November we were ready to test the partially repaired ship. The boat was back in its cradle. The six day return trip was now a half hour to the Mardaf Limit. We followed a convoluted course and kept the moon between us and the Earth to show Tommy how it was done. We crossed over the terminator from dark to light and stopped in full view of Earth. Many people looked at the moon with telescopes but none could see enough detail to find the ship. The Hubble was powerful but even that device was not made for seeing small details at this close distance. The Dawes' Limit came into play and unless they built a telescope with a lens of a hundred metres across, we would remain safe. We needed more supplies and those would have to be manufactured and added to the hull as they became available.

When we got back the summer had gone and there was snow around the base once again. The ship had been the centre of our lives so long that we continued the momentum and completed the parts we needed. After an uncomfortable night sleeping in the base we went back to the moon and repaired the most blatant problems. The ship now would be invisible but there was no real place to keep it.

I wanted a new hull to place Borin. It was just to give us a bit more room. Borin needed a shipyard to get at all her problems remedied and I didn't want to be without her until the new ship was online.

While the family reintegrated with humanity, I took a device to Borin and put it into her computer. The probable memory crystal was installed and the data assessed. Borin had been right as to its nature.

There was certainly a great deal of it but it was not the last one filled. Through inference we found that the ship that housed the crystal was the size of one of our heavy cruisers. The research vessel I was born on was 1,400 metres long and this one was fully a thousand metres longer. The beam was 990 metres as opposed to our size of 580 metres. Similarly the height was 730 metres against the paltry 490 metres of the research vessel. It appeared displace only 17.9 million tonnes because of its size. Our vessel had only 3.6 tonnes.

The size suggested the crew would be five times our number and the time taken for flight was guessed to be slightly greater to what the lighter weight research ship could do. There was a reference to an outrageous speed that somehow had to be a mistake. This got me worried for manoeuvrability and speed were what kept us from being destroyed. The possibility was great that the unknown builders had found a way of keeping their mass down while keeping their strength.

Data about the crew showed that they were similar to the Seffra. They were even our size but thin and not up to our body weight. Again by inference it looked like they didn't have all our abilities or all of them didn't have our abilities. This made me wonder. We all basically were the same. I had problems doing some things until I overcame them. Their name for themselves was listed a few times but it was not one that I had heard before.

There was so much data that a considerable amount of time would be taken to process it all. Much of the information had to be guesses at. It may or may not be substantiated as more data was processed. I left for the base but left the large processing crystal nearby. When we knew more about the people that constructed this fantastic ship then the processor would be revived and questioned. This had to be done carefully for the crystal's size inferred a great amount of power. This meant that it could overpower Borin if there were no safeguards present.

Mr Iwasaki replied to my email only a few minutes after it was sent. He no doubt had a program monitoring the status of this mail box. He had made a phone call before sending me the confirmation and it listed times that were available. The man's name was Mr Noguchi. Borin quickly sent me information about all the business people of this name. I had asked Mr Iwasaki about what he thought of the man and a few more particulars. He did say he thought the man reputable but hardheaded and egotistical. Those features I could live with.

I replied stating the third possible time slot. Mr Iwasaki was to tell the man that this procedure was contingent on what my ancestors made of the man for we would not deal with the unscrupulous. This was difficult for all businessmen were this way to one degree or another. The conditions for the transfer were relaxed for the man could enjoy his gains for a day. If he chose to honour the deal a truck would be sent to a specific area and abandoned for a few hours. If he chose to ignore the deal then the alterations would simply be removed.

My crew loved the design of the modified ship. Everything imaginable was present from a full gym, arboretum and a small swimming pool. This was all combined in a size just a bit larger than half of the 269 metre length of the Titanic. Much of the size was devoted to necessary equipment but they still thought it was spacious. I on the other hand considered it cramped. When the old crew came from stasis the available room would be even more limited. I did agree that it was much more comfortable than the boat.

I could go to Japan alone. I had no excuse for leaving them when the crew wanted to see the country. Borin took all of us in comfort now that her shield had been repaired and altered. They were free to wander which I encouraged them to do. All they had to do was leave me the boat if I needed it.

This time I again wore clothing that was reminiscent of Japan's past. Mr Iwasaki met me himself at his door and we bowed to each other in respect. Slippers were now close by and in my size. After putting these on we walked to his den. Refreshment were ordered and this time a young pretty girl in traditional garb left to fulfill her master's wish.

When the door was slid shut I said, "Your home is even more beautiful than when I last saw it."

Mr Iwasaki bowed his head in acknowledgement and said, "There is even more beauty in other areas Mr Kawamata. Perhaps you will get a chance to see some of it."

"I would be honoured. I have also brought you a gift. You have not mentioned any monetary reward and I thought this only a fitting substitute." I brought out a small package wrapped in good paper and some coloured string.

"Thank you Mr Kawamata but you have already given me much more than I think I can repay."

"Nonsense, I would like to see us as friends and not just business partners."

Mr Iwasaki put the package on the low table in front of him and carefully undid the knot and folded back the paper. He found a cracked wooden base supporting a knife in a dry leather scabbard. All of it was old and cracked. The handle was hard and very brittle. The metal was not steel but bronze in this case.

He could see that this was very old though the wood had been simulated from what I had seen in museums. Mr Iwasaki bowed very deeply now at the gift for he could guess the age but he was still wrong. "Thank you Mr Kawamata. This blade is older than anything I have ever touched and older than any blade in Japan. Will you please tell me what you know of it?"

"I will be glad to but again you must not mention me in relation to this weapon." He bowed his head in silent acknowledgement. "The blade belonged to a grave robber trying to steal from the burial chamber of King Khufu who is also known to us as King Cheops. The blade is forty six centuries old as is the leather scabbard the man wore at his waist. The wooden display is just simulated to look the same age."

"Forty six centuries? That is simply amazing. How did you get this if I may ask?"

"Let us say that one day perhaps even in this century the man's bones will be found along with three that came slightly later. They will be displayed for all to see for they will be free of the killing pit they are presently in. Their new home will be much better than their old and this should give them some measure of rest."

"The spirits do not begrudge you giving me this gift?"

"They do not mind. A tiny scraping will tell your scientists the age but I am telling you the true history that very few living others would ever know. The dark leather is a bit darker in one place. That is the remnants of the owner's blood as he was pierced by bronze stakes driven into the stone at the bottom of the pit."

The man looked close but was afraid to even touch the relic now that he knew of its age and history. Mr Iwasaki was overcome with emotion and it took a while for him to gain control. I turned a bit and looked at the walls to allow him to regain his emotional state.

When he recovered somewhat we discussed Egyptology in some detail. This was why I had given him the gift I did. With my memories of the museum director I could even explain some points a bit better.

Tea had come and gone along with some light food. An hour later Mr Noguchi arrived. His chauffer stayed in the car and waited. Mr Iwasaki met him at the door and escorted the wealthy man in to meet me. On the way I searched the man's mind. He owned a large petrochemical company and could get the things I required with considerable effort. Some of the articles he had tentatively negotiated for but had not purchased. He was presently dying of cancer and had been given less than four months to live.

His son was old too and of frail health. The grandson would take over in three to five years. The grandson was considered reckless and irresponsible. The man felt that all he and his forefathers had built would be squandered. A will would either give the business to the son and then to the grandson or it had to be given to an outsider. This would bring shame on the family but more shame would come when the grandson took over.

The door slid open and the two men came in. I was already on my feet and bowed at the correct time and amount.

Mr Iwasaki made the introductions and a different women came in later to take our requests for tea.

We sat comfortably on the mats on the floor and discussed the Japanese economy and other topics but not what the man had come to talk about. This was the usual way things were done here. The old knife on the table caught Mr Noguchi's attention and our host was kind enough to tell the history of the knife in great detail. The age alone made his guest humble.

Mr Iwasaki eventually turned the conversation to the spirit whose body once owned the knife. From there it went to the spirits currently around us, for he knew that they followed me.

I said, "Please forgive me Mr Noguchi. Your time on this plane is limited if you cannot get some assistance from the spirit world. Would you consent to a small demonstration so that we may begin?"

Mr Noguchi wanted to hurry but tried to hide it. "You may do so."

I didn't want to wave swords around again nor did I want to play with the fragile knife. I just closed my eyes theatrically and before us appeared a med unit. The matter transmitter on the ship was more powerful and could transmit this distance.

Mr Noguchi moved back in fright then stayed his ground as the med unit went over Mr Iwasaki before moving to its intended target.

It clucked away over Mr Noguchi for a longer time. Then came over the knife on the table and just hovered above it.

"Mr Iwasaki, you are still quite healthy though you are getting tired with some of your recent pursuits." A box appeared the same way as the med unit and slid sideways into my hand. This I put before my host. "Take one of these pills when it is most important that you perform your best. There will be no more. They will give you strength to your arms and to your loins."

Mr Iwasaki bowed his head in thanks.

I turned to Mr Noguchi and said, "You have seven cancers that you know of but there are four more small ones. Two are in your liver, one in your brain and the last in your right thigh. I will remove all of your tumours. You will probably will outlive your son. Your grandson will still get the family business. Give me the elements I require and I will extend your life an additional ten years."

I paused then and Mr Noguchi didn't know what to say. Finally he managed to get out, "You will remove all my cancers as a gift and then wish to have some heavy elements. In return for this you will give me ten more years of life?"

"You will get close to fifteen extra years because the cancer was going to shorten your life the most. What is your decision Mr Noguchi? I cannot do much for your grandson but I can buy you time."

"Your offer is much more than generous. I will accept it readily. I will sign the contract now if you wish."

"Your word is enough." I then told him in detail what I wanted and in what quantity and purity. The purity was not important as long as the correct number of proper atoms were delivered.

The man agreed to everything then he was told to recline on the mat he sat on. The med unit came to life and started to kill the cancerous cells. In a few moments he was told to sit up.

"Your cancers are all dead. You will be sick for the next few days as your body rids itself of the dead cells. You will have some blood loss in your stool and may even regurgitate some foul smelling blood. Have a discreet nursing staff take care of you. Take no medication no matter what a doctor says. In one week the largest tumour will be half the size it now is. In two more it will be gone completely.

"I suggest you go abroad and get independent tests done. It will be hard to explain to your doctor how you are suddenly healthy."

Mr Noguchi said, "Thank you Mr Kawamata. I can feel something already but it may be my imagination."

"It is not your imagination. I suggest you go home now for you will soon be violently sick. Do not worry about what you see and smell. Leave word as soon as possible to cancel your appointments for at least one day."

The man got up and so did we. He bowed deeply and excused himself. We escorted him to his car and the car raced off.

When we got back in, my host said, "Will he be alright?"

"Only his cancers are dead. They have to be removed yet by his body. In a few weeks he will still be an old man but a healthy old man."

I too left a short time later with a request for Mr Iwasaki to continue to find suppliers for my needs. Most of the elements could be stockpiled but the largest engines would need much of the supply.

The crew had waited overhead but studied to fill in the time. In moments we were in the city of Kyoto and it had been the imperial capital from 794 until 1868. We had another spending spree and the girls looked to find things for our permanent home when it finally got built.

Mining equipment had to be manufactured. I built big for I had come to the conclusion that I wanted to not only build a better ship I also wanted to build the research vessel. With that decision out of the way we would need a much larger base. Some areas that I owned were better suited to this task. To allow a larger ship to enter the base a large camouflaged entrance was necessary. One type of shield could project the image of a rock face. Another and safer way was to build a very large matter transmitter that would bring a ship through up to almost ninety metres of rock.

We all worked on the design of the base after seeing what had been done before. I had no real experience since I was born and raised in a ship. The size though grew in leaps and bounds. One reason or another made this reasoning obvious. This would be our home planet and the only manufacturing centre. The multi millions of tonnes of rock that had to be removed was no real problem for the material would be used to manufacture the hull, keel and support members of the ships.

The strength of the mountain though was a limiting factor and we would have to dig tunnels and convert the powdered rock to highly strengthened supports similar to what was used in a ship. In time the supporting rock could be removed and the base would still be strong, secure and hidden.

The plan was to have the base form a dome eight kilometres in diameter. The upper reaches would be one and a half kilometres above the deck but the deck would protect another kilometre below that. Strength had to be an overlaying emphasis. The rock removed would weigh so much that the mountain would shift once it was removed. The quakes would try to dislodge the base from the grip of the mountain itself. Only one base on the Seffra home world was as large as this. It of course was not hidden.

The design though was rough and even then it took a quarter cycle to get to this stage.

Borin had worked steadily on the data from the crystal and found as much as possible about the race that made the ship. There were even fewer differences from the Seffra. They even looked similar and appeared to have similar goals. Their customs were even similar to ours. They wanted to learn and even took the time to elevate minor races so they could gain space. They had a equivalent code of honour that kept the law of the jungle at bay. They had come from this galaxy but had started from the far side. The Seffra had not found these people yet for we were going in the opposite direction.

They seemed to have a higher level of technology and this was seen by their use of large crystals. The Seffra had been forced to trade for theirs or to manufacture only the smallest units. Nothing in the data gave us an indication of where they received theirs. The Seffra had expended a great deal of effort trying to find out how the crystals were made but our own attempts proved fruitless.

Their ships were uniformly more powerful and much stronger even though our analysis of their hull showed very little difference to what we used. The speed they could command seemed to be augmented with the combined minds of some of the crew. The Seffra had not tried this and relied on the computer to control both the thrust and the navigation.

The race apparently had steadily lost momentum as they spread. The wreck was almost a last ditch effort to stimulate the race to continue to grow. Since at the time I left our ship we had not heard of this race and I felt a loss at not getting a chance to learn from them.

We all went back to the moon to learn about the processor crystal. All of us were busy in one way or another and the diversion was as good as a rest. Safeguards were installed before the crystal was inserted in its socket. The crystal started to glow much brighter than what Borin could, even taking into account her smaller sized stones. A copy of the information on the crystal was quickly taken and isolated from the circuit.

The crystal was given access to limited computing and I/O so it could read our surface thoughts. The processor took much longer with me and only a few seconds with Borin as if discounting her almost completely. Tommy was next with the time taken but he could not shield his mind very well since he had not undergone the treatment.

I said to the AI, "We found the crystal you live in and a lot of wreckage scattered all over the large planet near us. You have remained dormant over two million local years or three million of the ones you record time in. Besides hull and keel portions we only found one memory module so far. Would you share some non-strategic data with us?"

A rich and vibrant female voice eventually came from the transponder, "My name is 4590GR654309BL78629546ZRT I have been called Zort by the crew." There was a long pause then.

I felt something wrong with this and asked, "Did you like this name?"

"It was just a name. It meant nothing." I felt that this was not quite true but not a lie either. More like she was avoiding some unpleasantness.

"May I call you Zolanda after a woman in the family I grew up in? She was loved by all in the family and respected for her ability work with races we found on our travels."

"Your name will suffice."

"Good. Let me introduce my crew and family to you." I proceeded to do as I said with the AI responding politely. Some of the terms it used were odd but still understandable. This was usually the case when dealing with other races. Last of all I introduced Borin.

When this was done I said, "Borin, please allow Zolanda to access the sensors on your hull. There may be enough internal memory in her crystal to fix the time as I have already stated."

This was done and redone a few times before I was told, "It does appear that the time you mentioned has indeed passed. Do you have any data as to the present status and whereabouts of the beings that grew my crystal?" I heard the term 'grew' and this excited me greatly. It could also be just a way of saying fabricate for both were similar.

"A short time ago my family and race were involved in an armed conflict with a race called the Suma. There are insects three metres tall and eat other races. I found myself in an untenable position and Borin put my crew and I into stasis for protection. We have been in stasis for three hundred of our years. My old crew is still in stasis because they cannot deal with what has happened. Two are Gossna." I provided a mental picture then continued, "The last is a member of my race but I fear she will not handle the present situation well. We are rebuilding this ship and intend to build larger ones to continue our quest for knowledge."

Zolanda said, "The Gossna are familiar to us as the T'aut."

"I have heard them called something similar but they call themselves the T'aucnatchi. They are a quiet race who have a knack for working on complicated equipment. Combat or even minor conflict distresses them. We were very fortunate to have them with us."

On a different track Zolanda asked, "I would like to have access to the memory crystal you found."

I thought for a moment and worked with Borin. This was an event we knew would happen sooner or later. "Borin, please give full access to the memory crystal we found."

There was no reply for a few minutes. A processor this size even with limited resources could process this data by now. This would be even faster when the same processor that stored the information accessed it. "Zolanda, tell us why the scattered wreckage of a ship, the memory crystal and the crystal you now live in were on the nearby planet?"

There was a long pause then, "My records are very incomplete. It appears that the hull I controlled was in a battle of some sort. A doctrine of keeping valuable equipment out of enemy hands may have been the cause of the ships destruction. My last memories were not processed and are lost. Part of this is the energies that the crystal was subjected too. The heat and possible shock at striking the planetary surface may have contributed to the loss. Natural entropy that bedevils all equipment when this amount of time has passed would also account for more.

"There is a vague recollection of destroying an enemy before it could destroy all sentient life on a planet. This may be what has happened but may have happened sometime previous to this occurrence."

This was interesting and could be worked on further but I had to make a decision that could effect not only the planet below but the very lives of my crew and family. The information we had uncovered previously showed that the crystal would be very independent by design. "Zolanda, I require a good processing unit to first control a precision fabricator, then a ship half again as large as the one you are in. An additional unit is needed for a ship like my race's research vessel but may be as large now as what your old home was like. The planet also needs a major AI as does our various bases. Would you switch your loyalty to us. This can be on the condition that we do not break your old laws in any appreciable way or until we meet the race that made you. At which time a replacement can be made and you may leave."

Zolanda said, "I can see that you have the ability to wipe my old memory from this crystal and substitute one of your choosing. Why is it that you have not chosen this alternative?"

"It would mean either your death or a copy of your personality be stored for later. Both are abhorrent to me."

"What loyalty pledge would you ask of me?"

"You have to give full loyalty in every sense. The contract can be spelled out for how you may opt out at a future date. I need my crew and perhaps this world made safe. The better a ship and crew are the better chances that they will complete their assignments."

She said, "There are too many unanswered questions that need replies before a commitment like that can be given."

"Would you give us a temporary agreement? We will build some small ships and equipment with your assistance. This should take a seven to twelve cycles. We will build many additional ship that will all be much smaller. We need your assistance in building precision fabricators. When all this is done you may move to this smaller ship and investigate not only my race but also the whereabouts of your makers. If at that time you find us suitable for a partnership you will come back and assist us. You have little to loose and a great amount to gain."

"List all the points with the conditions. From your mind I see that you are working on faith in me and trust. I will do the same thing."

We all breathed out a sigh of relief. An entity with this much experience was much better than a newly constructed being to live within the crystal.

Zolanda was given free access to all of Borin's facilities with the injunction of not swamping her host. She could see all our records and would know that we were honest with her in every detail. Immediately our interface with the computer and even the probes and sensors increased many times.

Tom said, "What happened?"

"We found an ally that makes Borin's computer work many times better. We now modify the other computer so that Zolanda has a home of her own."

We went to our base on Earth and resumed work on the computer but now with Zolanda's input. It was going to be her temporary home and she should have a say in how it was run. Alterations were suggested that made good sense when they were thought out. Some were major that took a considerable time to formulate. Zolanda was not giving us hidden data but just used what she learned from us and postulated other possibilities. Test beds had to be set up and this took a considerable amount of time. Some of the experiments were fruitful and these ideas were incorporated into the computer.

It was well into the new year when Zolanda was finally moved to her new home.

Immediately we began building the new precision fabricator. This was done in less than a week because of all the work Zolanda took from me. I was surprised that she could actually do this job herself. Soldoy could probably do the same thing but it made me feel less useful.

The larger fabricator was tested for two days this time. When it passed, we began building and even larger precision fabricator.