“Aye,”said Peter. “We forgot the key.”
“Akey? Like a password?” I said.
“No,he meant a real key,” Simon said, grinning. “A piece of metal with a specificpattern that fits a specific lock.”
Inodded. “All right. So, will you bring the key now?”
Theyall laughed.
“Sorry,Dora, that was just a joke,” explained Peter.
Inodded, slightly embarrassed.
“Nolock there, I’m afraid,” continued Patrick. “Just a sliding metal door.”
Therewas a brief moment of silence when I felt people were expecting me to saysomething more, but when I didn’t, Mike said, “Frank, do you have everythingyou might need?”
AsFrank started to answer Mike’s question, my eyes returned to the compoundblueprint. The sides of my sight blurred just slightly, the level of conversationin the room dipped as if I was hearing it from another room, and then—it wasgone.
A Vision?
Ibent down and slid the blueprint closer to me with my fingers.
Thevery next moment, all the talk muted completely and the orange light of mysurroundings vanished behind the white veil.
Threelarge screens.
OLED.
Not an AI—anolder system.
Then I see a map. I can’tinterpret it, but the people around me are happy.
I don’t know what themap means, but I know that we will be able to access the computer system.Somehow.
“Dora,are you okay?” J was looking at me with interest. The others turned as well.
“Iwas… just interested in the drawing.” I looked at them, hoping my lie would holdup.
“Allright.” J nodded, holding my gaze for a while longer, but then turning to thegroup and the discussion.
Theycontinued talking and I kept observing them, once again I was intrigued by how subtlefacial expressions and certain voice intonations influenced the meaning of the content.I felt inadequate to pick up all the details of communication these Old Earth Humansused. All face-to-face communication in Uni, and particularly on Senthia, wasexclusively verbal. If a word was not said, it wasn’t meant, either.
“…which would then make it easy for us to find it,” said Peter,and everyone else nodded.
And—I just missed some of theverbal communication as well. Itried to pick up what they were talking about.
“Andif that’s the case, then let’s just hope it still works,” said Simon.“Otherwise, we’ll stay in the Stone Age forever.”
“Ithought this was the Middle Ages,” said Peter andsmiled.
Simonsmiled back. “You know what I mean.”
Everyoneelse laughed as well.
Ilooked at J. His teeth contrasted his tanned skin, and he had small dimples inhis cheeks when smiling. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
Thenhe looked at me, and the dimples slowly disappeared.
Wekept looking at each other. And neither of us could stop it.
Petercoughed and said, “May I interrupt?”
Jblinked and then turned to Peter. “Sorry—what?”
Everyonelaughed, and I had the strangest feeling it was about us.
“Peter,J, all fine?” Mike turned to them.
“Mmm.”Peter nodded. “Food’s ready. Tents are already packed. We’re good to go.”
“Simon?”
“I’llhave everything ready by the time we leave.”
“What’sstill missing?” asked Peter.
“Plantainand comfrey. We used the last one for Carmen.”
“Aye,I remember. Was a tough call,” said Peter, shaking his head.
“Endedwell, though,” said Simon.
“Thanksto you, buddy!” Peter inclined his head in an emphatic nod in Simon’sdirection. Simon smiled.
“Allright. We are basically set for the trip. Dora?” said Mike.
Iturned to look at him.
“Weneed to talk about the expansion of the village now. You’re welcome to stay, ifyou want to, but we’re not going to discuss the hike anymore. Do you have anyquestions?”
“No,Mike, I think everything is clear. I thank you.”
“Noworries. If you do have questions, just bug any one of the team to help you, okay?”he said. Then he turned to the group. “Rick, could I please ask you to fetchSandra and Tony?” He turned to me and said in a lower voice, “They are ourarchitects, you see.”
“Rightaway, Mike, right away,” said Rick, already on his way out.
“Iwish he listened to me like that!” said Peter once Rick was out of the doors.
Mikelaughed. “It never works on your own children, you know.”
“Youshould feel lucky,” said Patrick turning to Peter. “This means he really acceptsyou as his father.”
“Aye.I feel better already.” Peter shook his head again.
Andeveryone laughed.
Whilewaiting for their architects, they spontaneously formed three groups based ondiscussion topics. J, Patrick, and Peter were standing while talking, and J wasfacing in my direction. Every now and then I peeked at J, and every so often, Isaw him looking back at me. Then Peter moved closer to Patrick and J’s windowbetween them was gone.
Iclosed my eyes for a moment, trying to make order in the messy clutter of myconfused thoughts.
What did all this mean? Why was helooking at me? And why was I lookingat him so much?
Iopened my eyes and slowly exhaled. There has to be a logical interpretation.There is one for everything. All I need to do is find the premise, and thesolution will appear, as it always does.
Good.
Ifelt content with my plan.
Istood and looked at Mike. As soon as he saw me, he waved. “Good night, Dora. Sleepwell.”
“Goodnight,” I said to everyone. They all turned to me and said good night, beforereturning to their discussions.
Justbefore stepping out, I peeked one more time in J’s direction. He was talking toPatrick but then saw me looking. He stopped then, tilted his head, and smiledjust slightly. Patrick turned to see what had caught J’s attention, thengrinned and turned back to him.
Iquickly stepped out before there was time for me to misunderstand yet anothernonverbal communication.
Istopped outside Mike’s door. The fresh evening air washed over my face. Ithelped me to relax, and to focus again.
Therewere too many unknowns for me to extrapolate the solution. The only pattern Icould detect was my increased heartbeat and—I exhaled a breath I didn’tknow I was holding in—my breathing problems, combined with the strangest instinctive,almost visceral feeling somewhere deep inside me, so deep I could not evenlocate it.
Isighed and closed my eyes.
Thenext moment, I heard footsteps on the bridge. I opened my eyes and saw Tania approachingquickly. She stopped in front of me and said in a low voice, “Dora, Stevanionis dead.”
Chapter 11
Ilooked at her with my mouth opened, but no words came out.
“Mycondolences,” she said. “I am so sorry. Would you like to come and see him?”
Therewas a silence in my mind.
Aftera
