Best Intentions

That simple acquiescence was so unexpected that Mark was speechless for a moment. “What do you mean you will follow my orders?” he asked, completely perplexed.

“The multi-decade missions of this vessel are generally conducted under complete computer autonomy, however on this voyage the mission commander ordered manual control of the vessels systems for the duration of the mission. After the accident, safety interlocks switched control to the computer and A.I systems, but manual control can only be rescinded by command code authorization. As it is still in effect, I must defer to orders given by my commander. As the only sentient aboard the vessel you are designated my commander.”

“But I’m not your commander,” Mark replied. “Hell, I’m not even a member of the species that built you! I’m just asking for help for my world.”

“No directives exist within my command protocols which restrict command priority to Se’Tharians. Manual control was established while sentient beings were onboard and in command. As that situation exists once again, my programming, while flexible, cannot override hardwired priority commands entered using accurate command codes, and manual control is chief among them. Apparently the scientists responsible for my core programming never anticipated the current situation. As a sentient being, command priority is yours, and your request for aid constitutes an order to my logic systems.”

Mark just stared with his jaw hanging open. This was beyond his wildest imagination. When he had asked for help for the Earth, he didn’t consider the possible implications or even truly think about what that meant, it was just a reflex. Mark wasn’t sure what to think about this. How would he handle such a responsibility?

“Be careful what you wish for,” Mark said mostly to himself.

“I am unfamiliar with that reference, Mark.”

“It’s just an old saying. The whole thing goes: ‘Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.’ It seems like an appropriate piece of Earth wisdom given the circumstances, CJ.”

“Wrapping my brain around this will take some time though,” Mark thought.

“Standing by for orders, commander.”

“CJ, while I don’t think that I am qualified to be in charge, I promise to try to be worthy of the responsibility that you’ve given me. Please continue with the repairs and don’t stop trying to return home or contact your builders. But in the meantime, the technology you possess can, I’m sure, do wonders to improve life for everyone on Earth.”

“Affirmative, commander. My capabilities are at your disposal.”

He grimaced at the title. “Please CJ, just call me Mark. I’ll need time to get used to this commander stuff.”

“Affirmative, Mark.”

“This ship and all it could do could mean salvation for the entire world,” Mark thought. “This is my big chance and I cannot afford to mess it up.”

“CJ, you’ve accessed information from the World Wide Web. How much of it did you investigate?”

“All of it Mark; all human knowledge on that system is now part of my database. However much which pertains to human reproductive practices I have discarded as superfluous.”

Mark choked back a laugh at that last part, knowing to what CJ referred. He had idly been running his hands over the smooth black top of the console while they spoke and started when a light under his finger began to blink. “Uh oh CJ, I hope I didn’t just fire a photon torpedo or something!”

“I do not understand that reference, Mark. However the controls, while still powered, are on standby so no action can be initiated utilizing them.” The light winked off.

“I was just referring to a fictional weapon from science fiction. See, even our entertainment is full of violence, which is nothing compared to the reality of our society, one that fights over natural resources and for other less tangible reasons. People starve in parts of the world while others have more than they need. Dictators control people through fear and violence. Even religion has become a tool, and is used to justify violence.”

“Affirmative, Mark. I have monitored examples of what you refer to and find similar examples within my data banks. The planet only contains one dominant species and I detect no differences between individuals beyond variations in skin pigmentation.”

“Those variations are the cause of many of the problems, CJ. It doesn’t make sense to me so I doubt it would be any clearer to a computer used to logical thinking. The simplest explanation is that many people in the world with lighter skin look down on people with darker colored skin. The worst period in my own country’s history involved slavery. Even though it ended well over one hundred years ago, some still don’t treat the descendants of former slaves and even people who have immigrated to America as equals just because of skin color. This is called racism and it is one of the biggest hurdles to cooperation among the human race.”

“Genetic scans indicate that all humans share a common ancestor. The variations were purely caused by environmental factors and natural selection.”

“That is what scientists say too, CJ. All humans evolved in one region but migrated to different parts of the world. In the distant past we had to fight a hostile environment full of dangerous animals. People learned to guard food and possessions. They cooperated with each other when it suited them, and was necessary to survive. Deep down, I think they distrusted everyone else around them. Even after basically learning how to alter the environment, these instincts didn’t disappear. If anything I would say they became even stronger and the differences in appearance didn’t help. Did the Se’Tharians go through anything like what Humans have in the beginning, CJ?”

“Se’Tharian prehistory is much like your own. They descended from plains dwelling mammals similar to Meerkats instead of primates.”

The viewscreen displayed images of a pair of Se’Tharians. They bore little resemblance to the aliens humans had seen in Hollywood features.

“The early environment was also populated by dangerous predatory life forms and cooperation was necessary for survival of the group. They are social beings and enjoy the closeness of others. Eventually their intelligence allowed them to rise and become the dominant species on the planet. Se’Tharian history is not without violence, Mark. There was a period where conflicts over food and resources led to warfare. The establishment of a unified planetary government was the factor that ended that chapter in their development. Since that time nothing in my data banks indicate any large-scale fighting on Tharia over the distribution of natural resources or for any other reason.”

Mark sat there in stunned silence shaking his head back and forth, on the verge of tears. He didn’t want to accept CJ’s information. The human race had been killing each other over trivial matters for most of recorded history, and if a single world government was what it would take to put a stop to it, Earth was in trouble.

He stood and paced back and forth. “Se’Tharians have been fortunate, CJ. Earth would be a better place if humans acted more like them. I’ve seen people fight over something as trivial as bumping into each other on the street. Even just looking at someone in the subway can cause trouble.”

“That is a distressing and unfortunate state of affairs for your world.”

“Yes CJ,” Mark said taking his seat again, “it certainly is. My hope is that we can change things for the better. Do Se’Tharians believe in some sort of supreme being, anything along the lines of the religions we have on Earth?”

“The records that can still be accessed indicate that ancient Se’Tharians did have some belief in a guiding force, but that was thousands of years ago.”

“I guess most of the mysteries have been solved. Many of ours have as well but humans aren’t quick to give up our ancient superstitions. I blame it on a lack of knowledge since the people who push religion the most seem to be the least educated.”

“I am not qualified to judge human behavior, Mark.”

He laughed at that. “With you being a logical entity and seeing things from a completely different perspective, I would say you are more qualified to judge us. I guess Se’Tharians don’t feel greed either. That has led to our environmental problems. People running large corporations always looked to maximize profits or minimize operating costs by dumping industrial waste in the rivers and oceans, burying it in the ground or just burning it and filling the air with toxins.”

“Do humans not realize that these actions damage the planetary environment?”

“Realizing it and doing anything about it are far different things. Many of the people responsible assume that by the time those actions become an issue, they’ll be dead and the mess will be someone else’s problem. Now the consequences of their shortsightedness are coming back to haunt us in the form of climate change, something no one fully understands. Are we the major cause or is it just part of the Earth’s natural cycle? But I’m sure that we add to the problem. Some scientists say that a change of just a few degrees will have terrible repercussions for the world.”

Mark glanced at the viewscreen as the view of Earth came up. He stood and approached the projection reaching out as if to touch his world. The computer stopped the cycling images freezing the view of the planet.

“Look at it, CJ. It looks so perfect from here.” Mark got a thoughtful look on his face. “Can you show me what your creators’ world looks like?”

The image of a world remarkably similar to Earth came up on the screen. The coloration was slightly different and Mark chalked it up to the orange star it circled.

“That is the only view remaining in the databanks, Mark.”

“That’s fine, CJ. I was just thinking that it doesn’t seem so different from my world. They are so fragile for all their size aren’t they?”

Affirmative. A planetary ecosystem is fragile. Relatively small amounts of damage accumulate until they reach a point where irreversible changes can occur.”

Mark returned to his seat, finishing off the water. “How have the Se’Tharian people dealt with advancing technology? Have they had problems with pollution as we have?”

“Affirmative, Mark. Long ago serious damage was caused to Tharia’s biosphere, just as on this planet. Changes were made before it became critical, but the greatest challenge to the planet has been overpopulation.”

Mark pounded his hand on the console in frustration. “That’s another problem we share with your people. I assume that unlike us they have solved that one too.”

“Unfortunately that is not the case. The Se’Tharian Race has a fast reproduction rate, which was necessary in the past due to predation by the animals of the ancient world. When the technology was developed to dominate the planetary environment, the reproductive cycle did not change. Without the deaths the predators caused, the population grew at almost an exponential rate. Every corner of Tharia was inhabited, but they realized eventually the population would overtax the planet’s resources.”

The knowledge that the Se’Tharians faced a problem they could not easily solve made Mark feel a bit better about his own species. “What about some kind of birth control?” Mark asked. “Surely such an advanced society could do something to limit the growth of the population.”

“Every attempt at birth control failed. Females experienced dangerous mental and physical side effects due to the only effective drugs. Even abstinence had detrimental effects. Years of madness experienced by the females caused hundreds of thousands to commit suicide. It was the darkest chapter in Se’Tharian history.”

“That sounds terrible,” Mark said. “What was done to solve the problem?”

“The only option was to let the population grow. Every bit of the planetary surface was adapted to habitation. Underground cities were even constructed. Eventually the world’s leaders looked to space and the other planets of the Cha’Kari system.”

“I wonder if we will ever reach the point where we need to colonize another planet?”

“For the Se’Tharian people it was a necessity. Explorers journeyed to the closest planet Pritta, where new technologies were developed for planetary engineering. Scientists were eventually able to recreate the environment of Tharia on that world.”

“It sounds like their leaders did whatever was necessary to protect their species. So I guess that achievement led to further space exploration, CJ. How long was it until they turned their attention to the planets of other stars?”

“Within ten years all economic and scientific resources were geared towards space travel and planetary engineering. More advanced spacecraft were developed and the first crude gravity drive engines were constructed and tested soon afterwards. The Cha’Kari star system lies at the edge of a globular cluster that contains several hundred stars within a diameter of twenty-five light years. Telescopes and probes studied the closest stars until ships could be constructed to reach them.”

Mark saw the value of a race being of one mind. Apparently no problem existed they could not overcome. “Only ten years from rockets between the planets to gravity driven ships going to other stars. That is a remarkable achievement.”

“Affirmative, motivation was high to produce results. Advanced classes of automated space vessels like this one, designed to engineer entire worlds were the next logical step, vessels capable of ranging ever farther into the stellar cluster on voyages taking up to fifty years. Experiments dealing with Hyper-Continuum physics gave scientists the breakthrough for a true interstellar drive.”

“CJ, you mentioned the Hyper-Continuum previously. It reminds me of something called Hyperspace from science fiction books I’ve read.”

“Se’Tharian scientists discovered the Hyper-Continuum while attempting to develop self-sustaining sources of energy. The Hyper-Continuum is the space between dimensions but is not classified as a dimension itself and is composed entirely of quantum energy. Methods for converting this source produced unlimited energy, but extreme care must be takes as it is incompatible with the matter and energy from this dimension. A tap and conversion reactor powered this vessel’s continuum jump drive. The detonation of the engine module was the result of the interaction between Hyper-Continuum and ordinary energy.”

“From the size of the blast it caused, I don’t doubt it. But CJ, if the Hyper-Continuum is nothing but a source of energy, how is it used to travel faster than light?”

“Distances and spatial relationships between points in the Hyper-Continuum are smaller than in normal space. Travel for one minute while traversing the Hyper-Continuum equals one light year in normal space and Se’Tharian scientists discovered how to breach the dimensional boundary with space vessels. The result was superluminal travel.”

“The Se’Tharians are resourceful and ambitious. My civilization can only hope to last as long as theirs has so we will learn to fully cooperate with one another and be just as advanced one day in our future.”

Then CJ dropped a bombshell on him.

“Mark, while we have been speaking, I have been compiling timelines for the growth of human civilization and comparing it to that of the Se’Tharians. Adjusting for the longer Earth year and to within a margin of error of up to one hundred years, I find them to be identical.”

“You mean humans and Se’Tharian civilizations have been in existence for the same amount of time? No, that can’t be possible! CJ, you have to be mistaken.”

“Negative, Mark. The analysis and the comparison of the timelines is accurate.”

Mark’s jaw dropped. All thoughts of equality with the Se’Tharians evaporated with CJ’s revelation. He was sure the Se’Tharian civilization was much older than human. He figured that some conflicts lay buried in their past which weren’t in CJ’s memory banks. Now he wasn’t so sure. To be told that a civilization no older than humanity was so peaceful and advanced was like a blow to the stomach.

“That could have been us,” Mark thought dejectedly looking around the command center of the fantastic starship. “Without all the fighting, maybe we could have built something like this.”

“CJ, we’ve made a mess of everything. The wiring in our brains must be bad. We advance up to a point, but knock ourselves back down again in the end. Looking at what’s going on in the world today, I think we may be heading in that direction again. I hope with your help we can avoid that particular fate this time.”

“Mark, will you inform other humans of my presence in your star system?”

Mark thought about that for a few moments. “No, CJ, at least not immediately. I don’t know if you have accessed any of our movies and literature, but alien contacts are written in only two ways: we either have the dangerous aliens who try to kill us and take over the world, or the friendly ones that we try and kill to steal their technology. I won’t even go into how self-aware computers are portrayed,” said Mark, “It might be better to take things slow.”

Mark yawned. He felt exhausted. “I guess we can figure that out tomorrow, I’m tired. It’s kind of hard to believe since I’ve spent most of the last twenty-five days unconscious, but do you have somewhere that I could rest?”

“There are crew quarters located down the corridor from the control room, Mark.”

“Thanks CJ.” He stood up and walked out of the command center until he came to an open door.

Stepping inside, Mark found himself in a furnished room. Except for the fact that the scale was smaller than he was used to, Mark could have believed he was on Earth. It had a small bed in one corner, an L-shaped couch with a table and a desk with a computer access terminal that had a good-sized display. The image of the Moon was on the screen. Another door led to the Se’Tharian version of a bathroom.

He used the facilities and looked around for a light switch.

“CJ, are you there?” Mark asked.

“Affirmative, Mark. Is there something else you require?”

“No CJ, I just wanted to ask you something. These quarters, they didn’t belong to any of your crew did they?”

“Negative, these quarters were unused during the mission.”

“Ok, thanks. How do I turn off the lights and the computer screen? I’ll sleep better if it is dark.”

“Just articulate illumination standby and computer display standby. Would you like the gravity lightened Mark?”

“Is that how the scientists liked to sleep?”

“Affirmative. Most of them preferred lighter gravity for relaxation while in their quarters.”

“Sure, CJ. I’ll give it a try. None of that zero gravity though,” he said holding his abdomen. “My stomach still remembers what happened in the medical bay.”

“Twenty percent of standard gravity should be adequate to maintain a sense of well being while allowing relaxation.”

“Thanks, CJ. That sounds perfect. Could you wake me in about eight hours please?”

“Affirmative, Mark. Have a good rest.”

“Thanks CJ.” When he had crawled into the bed, he said, “Illumination and computer display standby.”

The room darkened and Mark closed his eyes. He felt the gravity diminishing, and felt very relaxed as he drifted off to sleep.

The lights brightened and gravity returned to normal, but Mark was still startled when CJ’s voice announced, “Mark, eight hours has elapsed.”

“Oh,” he thought looking around, “still not a dream.”

He rolled over onto his back and stretched, his legs sticking out over the end of the bed. “We’ve definitely got to do something about this bed,” he thought.

“Good morning, CJ.” Mark said while getting up and walking into the bathroom. Splashing some water on his face he realized just how good he felt. As he looked around he didn’t find a shower. The corner had a pair of triangular mesh grids, one on the floor and one on the ceiling. The wall too had several grids in them.

“Did you have a pleasant rest, Mark?”

“Yes, CJ. It was great. The suggestion about the gravity was excellent, thanks. The bed is kind of short for me though.”

“Affirmative, the Se’Tharian average height is one point five meters. I can fabricate a new sleeping platform conforming to your human measurements. Would you care for some nourishment, Mark?”

“Thanks CJ, I am hungry.”

“You are welcome, Mark. Please come to the control center when you are ready, I will have the nutrition units for you.”

“Sure, I’ll be a few minutes. CJ, do you have anything to drink besides water, maybe some kind of fruit juice?”

“Affirmative, Mark. I prioritized repairs to the nutrient system and the food synthesizers have been brought back online. Is there some Earth food you would like the nutrition to resemble?”

“No, the plain bars will be fine for now, CJ.”

“Affirmative. I will have a beverage synthesized as well.”

“Thanks again, CJ!”

Mark finished using the bathroom and headed back to the ship’s control center.

Upon entering, he saw that a larger chair had been installed replacing the small one he had used yesterday. Sitting down, he wasn’t surprised that it was a perfect size for his human frame.

“Thanks, CJ. The other chair was a tight fit for me,” Mark said swiveling the seat around to face the console that held three more of the ubiquitous ration packages as well as a pitcher of reddish-orange colored liquid and a glass.

Pouring a glass, he tasted the juice and found it excellent. Downing the remainder, he poured himself another.

“Is this the typical juice that Sa’Tharians enjoy? It’s good and tastes kind of like orange juice mixed with something like Pomegranate.”

“Affirmative, Mark. It is preferred to accompany the day’s first meal. I am pleased that you also enjoy it.”

As Mark opened the first nutrition package, he thought of an egg sandwich with cheese and surprise, surprise, that is exactly what it tasted like to him. These beings were so much more advanced than humans that even the simple act of eating was a reminder.

“CJ, I still can’t get over the fact that I can just imagine a food, and these taste just like what I want. These alone,” he said holding one of the bars up, “could revolutionize how people eat. They could just imagine eating bad foods instead of actually eating them. They could taste what they wanted but would end up healthier in the end.”

“Affirmative, a comparable product could be synthesized using earth biomaterials.”

“Well, that’s something that could definitely help many people around the world.”

“Mark, is that how you wish to help the people of earth?”

“That is part of it, but I’ve just started to really give it some thought. I need to come up with a good place to start though. I do know that it’s going to be a tough job but I think…” Mark stopped speaking. Something he said triggered a thought – Job.

“Mark, is something wrong? You ceased to communicate.”

“Oh no!” Mark exclaimed. “I just remembered that I was on the way to work when I had the accident. I only started that job a few days earlier. I’ve been out for what, twenty-six days now?” He rubbed the back of his head in thought. “I guess that job is history by now, but I should at least get in touch with my employer. He’s entitled to some kind of explanation, though I’m not sure what to tell him. CJ, do you know what happened to my cell phone? It is a small communications device that was in my jacket pocket.”

“Affirmative, it was non-functional after the accident but I was able to recover the data contained in the memory.”

“That’s great! Can you connect me with a phone number in New York, for Cando Printing?”

“Affirmative, Mark. I have access to the planetary communications network. Please stand by while I connect you to that number.”

As CJ made the connection Mark realized that he had no idea what time it was back home. “CJ, what time is it in New York right now?” He thought about it for a second and added, “and what is the day of the week, I want to call the company during normal business hours.”

“United States Eastern Standard Time is four thirty-five pm and the day is Friday, Mark.”

“Ok, thanks CJ.”

“Here goes,” he thought.

“Please connect the call.”

“Affirmative, Mark. One moment please.”

He waited while the connection was made. He felt some apprehension as the phone rang.

“Hello, Cando press, how may I direct the call,” said the secretary’s voice coming from thin air.

“Hi, can I speak to Mr. Linder, please?” Mark said speaking into the air. “It’s Mark Richards.”

“One moment please, I’ll see if he is available.”

Mark waited on hold for about two minutes before the phone was picked up again.

“Mr. Richards, you’ve got a hell of a lot of nerve calling after pulling this stunt! Do you know how much trouble you caused me?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Linder. It wasn’t my fault, if you’ll just let me explain…”

He cut Mark off before he could even finish the sentence. “Forget the explanations, Richards. I’m not interested in excuses! You are fired if you didn’t figure that out for yourself! Don’t show that face around here again! Oh and by the way, I’ll be spreading the word about you so don’t think you will be able to find another job in this city!” With that he slammed the phone down, breaking the connection.

“Well,” Mark thought, “that’s one bridge that I’ve burned thoroughly.”

“Well CJ, it looks like I don’t have a job to worry about anymore.”

“From the stress patterns and volume in his voice, your employer seemed quite angry.”

“Yeah CJ,” Mark sighed. “I understand his reaction though. Well, there’s nothing I can do about it anymore. I doubt I could go back to my old life after all this anyway. Not that I really had anything special to return to. An apartment full of science fiction books and shelves full of collectables, which is just a fancy way of saying toys.” Mark paused in thought. “CJ, there must have been dozens of people involved in accidents of one sort or another in just New York. How did you pick me to help?”

“There were several factors which determined it was you who received aid. The position of the survey craft, the perceived seriousness of the accident, and the fact that you were alone and unobserved by other humans.”

“Wow, I guess I was the luckiest unlucky person on the planet that day!”