Chapter 19

"One more thing we know of them," said Igwanda. "They have long memories."

With but a day to go before the long-anticipated Centerville landing, he had called a meeting of the lander's selected crew. After much dispute between Igwanda (who wanted an almost exclusively military landing) and Meiersdottir (who, both for herself and on behalf of the scientific contingent, had hoped for minimal military presence), they had turned to Capt. Ziang for resolution. Five of the landing party, she decided, would be military—Igwanda himself, van Damm and Ahlia from the previous landing (the colonel assigned a reluctant Chavez to stay on board the Gardener; he would lead a possible rescue mission should matters fare poorly on the surface), and troopers Dzenda and Ling Zo. Six would be from the scientific contingent: sociologists Meiersdottir and Toshimura, biologists Heisinger and Komosaki, geologist Smith, and linguist Janet Lee. Shaw, as before, would pilot.

Igwanda began with a synopsis of the meager information Chavez had given him concerning what they might expect when they reached the surface. At the end he invited any of the party to add to the picture, but no-one spoke up.

"I am aware that this tiny store of information will be of small help for our landing," he said, "but given the observational limits it is about the sum total of what we can discern from here. I also note that much of it derives from a badly outdated source—the Argo records. The small observations we have been able to make are not inconsistent, but we know they have made vast technological progress since that visit and some of their behaviors may also have changed.

"We are thus confronted with what I had most hoped to avoid—a blind landing into an unknown situation. It is of course a shared disadvantage; they, too, know nothing of us. But they outnumber us immeasurably, especially if, as happened before, a substantial segment of the community downs tools, takes up what is sure to be improved weaponry and rushes to confront us."

It was at that juncture that Igwanda offered his almost casual remark about long memories.

"I don't understand," said Meiersdottir.

"Please observe." Igwanda displayed the clearest overview of the settlement that the Gardener had obtained from orbit. "In the Argo's time there was but one obviously cultivated field—here." He pointed on the monitor. "Today they have expanded to a number of fields—here, here, here, and so forth. They have also built a great many new structures, both in the neighborhood of the original that Argo saw and in other locations." Again he pointed.

"Yet amid all of these new fields and other construction, one site remains undeveloped and pristine—here. This clearing, and the nearby surrounding overgrowth, are exactly as they were in the Argo records."

"I still don't... ," Meiersdottir began. "Oh," she said softly.

"Yes. It is in that clearing that the Argo's lander set down."

There was a momentary silence.

"Now," said Igwanda briskly, "it is time to discuss details of the landing."

"First, I require all of you to bring all weapons that you have been directed to take with you aboard the lander to the observation center before the end of the ship's day. These weapons have a capability which I have not seen need to describe before. Specifically, they may be programmed to limited usage by only those authorized to wield them.

"We will program these particular units to respond to all members of the landing party. Basically this means that anyone who loses a weapon in an armed conflict may pick up that of a fallen comrade and use it as if it were his or her own. But if you find an alien pointing a recovered weapon at you, you need have no fear; it will not fire."

"What about the laser drills left by the dead crew members of the Argo?" asked Zo.

"You need not fear them, either," responded Igwanda. "Before we departed I had studies made. To a degree drills of that era were meant to be heliotropically self-recharging; leave them in sunlight for a time and there was a renewed charge. But they also required periodic refreshment of both the charging mechanism and the laser generating system. Perhaps the aliens got some short-term use of them, but without the requisite maintenance all would have failed within ten years at most. They constitute no danger.

"Second, and here I speak mainly to the civilians, from the moment we are aboard the lander I am in command. If I am absent, you will take direction from any military person present. Should I fall or become otherwise unable to pursue my duties, command will devolve by seniority upon other military crew members—in order, Trooper van Damm, Trooper Ahlia, Trooper Dzenda and Trooper Zo. In the remote event that all of us are killed or disabled, Dr. Meiersdottir will command and, after her, Mr. Shaw. If there is any disagreement on this point, you must speak now." He waited, but no-one argued.