Read Faster Than Light: Babel Among the Stars Page 9
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The blank paper was so intimidating. As soon as he saw it, Seth began to question himself. Could he really do this? Or did he overestimate his own talents?
After all, he’d never done anything like this. He used to impress the other kids in school with his ability to recite page after page of their favorite comics, verbatim, after only a glance. But then he started to realize those sorts of talents attracted attention. His teachers recommended him to several advanced schools that funneled promising students into Republic bureaucracies. Seth didn’t have any interest in serving the Republic, and soon started to hide his skills. He didn’t want the Republic to know about them, because some day they might be useful against them.
This was that day. He’d studied the plans for the Heilmann Drive power cells intently for a few minutes. It was more time than he thought he needed, but he had to be careful. He wouldn’t get another chance to look at it, or any other portion of the Heilmann Drive. If he was going to succeed, he would have to be able to reproduce each blueprint perfectly.
Seth closed his eyes. He tried to recall every single line he saw on the plans, every single word and number. Before he could even put it all together, he snatched up the pen near his desk. His hand worked furiously on the page in front of him, reproducing the image he still held in his brain.
It was working. As the picture took form on the paper, Seth realized that he’d been right. He was able to retain enough information to copy most of the plans. His handwriting was awful and his drawing abilities left something to be desired. But the information was there.
No one had ever managed to smuggle design documents for the Heilmann Drive out of the Republic. That was because they tried to take the originals. Or they tried to copy or photograph them. No one had ever attempted to steal the plans by memorizing them. Seth smiled as he completed one of the drawings. He was going to do it. He was going to save the Heilmann Drive.
Within minutes, he was putting the finishing touches on the blueprint. He took a step back. It wasn’t perfect. It lacked the precision of the original. Size and proportion specifications would have to come from the equations on the side of the document, not from the drawing itself. But it would do.
Suddenly, Seth heard the chime of the door behind him. Someone was there. While he was in his personal quarters, and enjoyed a certain amount of privacy, he was still technically in the custody of the Republic military. They could enter his room at any time. Fortunately, whoever came to visit him had the courtesy to alert him to their presence.
Seth moved quickly, folding up his new reproduction of the power cell specifications. He folded them up and tucked them underneath one of the drawers of his desk.
“Come in!” he exclaimed, sitting down on the couch near the door. He picked up his tablet computer from the coffee table, kicked his feet up, and pretended he was reading something.
The door slid open. Before Seth could even look back, he knew who his visitor was. He could hear the sound of the man’s foot dragging on the floor as he entered.
“Greetings, Mr. Garland,” Commissar Absalom said loudly.
Seth glanced over his shoulder. “Is everything all right, commissar?” he asked.
“Just fine,” he replied.
“Then what brings you by?” Seth set down his tablet and stood up. He started mentally preparing himself for an inspection of the room. Most likely, no one would think to look under the drawer. All he had to do was keep from nervously glancing at the spot and revealing the hiding place himself.
Absalom shrugged. “I just wanted to see how you were coming along. The rooms here at the base aren’t nearly as nice as the accommodations at RSIR, I’m sure.”
Seth furrowed his brow and wondered why Absalom would care about his comfort. He still thought of the commissar as an enemy and assumed that it was mutual. “I’ve been in worse,” Seth replied. “I grew up in worse.”
The commissar forced a weak smile, approaching one of the chairs. “May I sit down?” he asked. His stiff leg shook as he tried to stand up straight.
As much as Seth wanted Absalom to leave, he couldn’t turn him down. “Sure. Go ahead.” The commissar carefully planted his arm on the chair and hobbled into it. He stretched out his leg and breathed a long sigh of relief. “So, what’s next on the agenda?” Seth asked.
Absalom folded his hands in his lap. “Tomorrow we head to the observation outpost on Europa for three more decommissions. Many of the scientific records you want to see are stored at the outpost, so you’ll get a chance to take a look at those.”
Seth felt a surge of excitement. “Would this be the reports from the scientists who examined the warped space station?”
“The very same. And after you take a look at them, I suspect you will understand why we’re doing what we’re doing.”
Very few people had been allowed to see the original reports made by the scientists. Redacted versions were published everywhere, but they were missing so many details that they were practically useless. The true effects of the warped space were removed, as well as any measurements within the warped space. No one knew how bad it was. The photographs and videos from the space station were classified.
The official reason for the secrecy was to prevent panic. Apparently the footage and data taken in the warped space was so disturbing that the Republic feared that people would not be able to handle it. Seth didn’t believe any of this, but the prospect of seeing it all still frightened and excited him.
“Just in time for my first public bulletin?” Seth asked. He narrowed his eyes. “You know, I never agreed to speak publicly more than once when we talked back in jail.”
Seth expected Absalom to lash out at him for challenging the terms of their deal. Instead, the commissar very calmly leaned forward. “I am sorry for that,” he said. “But you have to understand, this was not just my decision. You charged on stage and interrupted the Chairman of the Republic. He had to clear any deal I made with you. When he demanded that you make weekly public appearances... I assumed that you would accept that. It should build anticipation for your book, right?”
For just a second, Seth was stunned. He couldn’t believe the commissar was apologizing to him. It seemed wrong.
“You did what you had to do,” Seth said. “I don’t blame anyone for that.”
Absalom gripped the armrest of his chair and started to pull himself to his feet. “Oh, I know. But if you are going to be part of my team, I want us to trust each other. I want you to know that I did not betray that trust.” He groaned as he stood. “That is it. That is what I came here to say.”
“Are you sure you don’t want something to drink?” Seth asked. He bit his tongue as soon as he spoke. Why was he suggesting that Absalom stay? He wanted to get rid of him. Still, he couldn’t stop himself. “I’ve got an open bottle of Yuanian whisky. Valuable stuff now that the trade routes are shutting down.”
The commissar shook his head. “I should be going.” He began to slowly limp towards the door. “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning for our flight to Europa.”
As Seth watched Absalom go, he had to remember that he was betraying him. Absalom was the driving force behind the Fall. He was the man responsible for its enforcement.