"I assume they'll stay as well. Gill is very proud of his son. I can't remember its name."
"His name…and it's Anapos."
"Yes, Anapos, I remember. They will stay here, Tiesha and Anapos."
"Then David can arrange to do what you're suggesting. David is very good when it comes to communicating with Gilgamesh. Let us ask him."
Susan got up and pulled me from the bench.
"Let's go!" she said with some enthusiasm.
Part 14.6
We were having dinner on our Godship, Susan, David and I. Hydra joined us, apparently feeling left out of things. I felt sorry for Hydra. She did look very much like Susan, but was so quiet and submissive and that was not like Susan at all. Dinner consisted of my choice: a kind of wienerschnitzel with mushrooms and gravy and egg noodles. Although it was possible to 'think' whatever we wanted, we always let one person choose and we'd all have the same thing…and today it was my choice. Everybody was pleased with the choice and the wienerschnitzel was delicious. It may not have involved butchering an animal, but Gilgamesh managed to capture the flavor superbly.
After dinner, Susan chose a dessert: pecan pie made with maple syrup and an ice cream topping. We all joined David in thanking Gilgamesh. It was an exceptional meal. Then Susan looked at me and nodded her head. She wanted me to explain my idea to David.
"David," I began, wiping the ice cream from my mouth with a napkin, "I have a proposal."
David leaned back. "Yes, I know," he said, "and I think it's a wonderful idea. I've already consulted with Gilgamesh and it shall be done exactly as you suggested."
"But I haven't yet suggested anything," I said, bewildered.
"Gordie," Susan said, "Gilgamesh knows what you think, so David knows as well."
I turned to Hydra. "Do you know my idea?" Hydra nodded, sheepishly. It seemed that all Godship synthetic creations were in close contact, and Hydra was no exception. "Okay," I said, "when can we begin?"
"How about tomorrow morning/" David said with an ear-to-ear grin.
"Great! Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to ask my beautiful wife to join me in our bedroom. I'm quite exhausted and I'd like someone warm to share my bed."
"And I," David said, turning to Hydra, "ask this beautiful twin to join me in our bedroom."
Susan giggled and I was astonished. David and Hydra?
Why not?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Part 15.1
The following morning, Susan and I joined David in a room that looked like a hospital operating theater: the replication room with its walls containing amino acids, proteins and whatever molecular ingredients Gilgamesh required. I had imagined the walls covered in bins, each filled with some particular molecule, something where I could dip my hand in and scoop out a bunch of guano, or whatever that amino acid is called. Instead, the wall just seemed to have different colored areas, like a huge chessboard with each square a slightly different hue.
"Do you have any particular people in mind, something to copy?" David asked.
"Well," I stammered, "won't repetition of the same genetic structure be bad? I mean, isn't there a need for genetic diversity?"
"Oh, don't worry about that," David said. "Gilgamesh is quite aware of the need for biodiversity. He has millions of genetic characteristics embedded in his data banks. Remember that the Godships spent years studying human life on earth and that means their genetic structures are all recorded. You may ask for some special social skills and certain, limited physical characteristics, but we have to leave the details to the Godship."
"Okay, I just want nice people, able to get along, able to start a new society, a fellowship, persons who help each other. After all, this will be a beginning. Eventually, these will be the future of life by the lake."
"Yes, that is sufficient I think. Now, let us stand back and watch Gilgamesh at work."
"Oh, one more thing!" I cried. "Fifty percent men, fifty percent women."
David just smiled.
"One more thing! Half black hair, half blond, no redheads."
David looked baffled. "I don't think that's a good idea. Why no redheads?"
"I knew a redhead once," I said. "He was such an ass and–"
"I think we'll leave hair color to Gilgamesh," David said, and pulled me to a wall lined with chairs where Susan, David and I sat.
I watched the people being created. It was miraculous. Fuzzy forms appeared on the table, just a kind of mist. Slowly the outline of a human took shape, head, arms, legs, the details coming very gradually, biological material being moved from wall to table, molecule by molecule. Although I expected the wall that furnished the organic matter would somehow diminish, it never changed. It took perhaps two hours and a woman slid off the table, beautiful, wobbly and quite naked.
Susan whispered in my ear, "I think we've seen enough."
"But what does she know?" I asked. "Has she any memories, any intelligence?"
"The next stage will be to implant memories and knowledge of many things and human history–everything she needs to know," David said.
"I'd like to watch the next woman being created," I said, leaning back in my chair.
"The next will be male," David said. "Remember? Fifty percent male." He had a smirk which was hard to interpret.
I turned to Susan. "Male? Okay, I guess we've seen enough."
Susan poked me in the ribs. Ow! Why does she do that?
Part 15.2
Over the following week, Gilgamesh, working night and day, had seen to the creation of over a hundred artificial life forms and he was still working on creating more. They gathered together in a large room fitted with comfortable chairs, sofas and tables. They were all different! Some were quite tall, some rather stocky, some skinny, every imaginable hair and skin color, though most seemed dark skinned with dark hair color. They were all perfect–in fact, they were all beautiful, handsome, elegant, dressed alike in well fitted, clinging garments in various shades of gray. On the wall were shelves filled with audio and video books. Many were browsing the library. There were small groups sitting in a circle of stuffed chairs, talking with elaborate hand gestures. In looked very much like a social club and I was pleased to see that the women were gorgeous, dressed the same as the men, and seemingly more animated.
Susan, David and I were sitting together on a long couch, observing.
"Gilgamesh has done a wonderful job, hasn't he," Susan gushed.
"Can I talk to them?" I asked David.
"Certainly!" he replied, with enthusiasm. "They will be your Village by the Lake, in Burlington. You should get to know them. When we establish the fellowship you will be their Supervisor."
I jumped to my feet and walked to the nearest circle of humanoids. They stopped talking and all stood to greet me.
"Master Blend," they said in unison, "please join us. We were just discussing certain topics in metaphysics."
Shit! They were just a few days old and they were already leaving me in the dust.
"I'm afraid I'm not that familiar with most…uh, with many metaphysic–"
One girl pointed to an empty chair, saying: "We were discussing cosmology and the evolution and fate of the universe. Please sit down."
I slid onto a chair and they all looked at me. I felt I had to say something.
"How do you feel?" I asked. "Are you healthy?"
They looked at each other, baffled by the question. I looked at the girl. She certainly looked very healthy. In fact, she looked spectacular.
"Should we not be healthy?" the girl asked. "We have had little time to become ill or acquire ailments of any sort."
"Uh, yes, of course," I said. They knew that they had been around for just short time? So did they know that they were synthetic, counterfeit?
"My name is F-thirty-seven," the girl said. "And yes, we're quite aware of our artificial status. We are also aware of our eventual objective and are eager to start life in the Village by the Lake."
"What! Can you read
my mind?" I said, surprised.
"Only if Gilgamesh allows it," the beautiful girl said.
"Then what am I thinking now?"
The girl blushed just a little. "It's slightly pornographic," she said. "Do you really want me to–"
"No! Certainly not," I said, somewhat embarrassed by the fact that I had been scanning her gorgeous body. "Can you turn it off? I mean, ask Gilgamesh to stop…uh, interfering?"
The girl tossed her head from side to side, then said, "Done!"
"Okay, so what am I thinking now?" I asked.
"I have no idea," she said with a snigger.
"Good. So you said that you were aware of your eventual objective. What is that?"
"To make babies," she said. "To populate the Village by the Lake. That is why there are twice as many females as males."
I jumped up and looked around. Everyone was dressed the same, sort of, and it was hard to tell, but I think she was right. Damn it! I asked for fifty-fifty.
"But don't you intend to couple, I mean become husband and wife, two people living together?"
"Eventually," she said. "But that would be rather an inefficient maneuver if our goal is to populate the Village, don't you think?"
I was taken aback by her casual attitude when it came to making babies. However, it made sense.
"You said your name was…F-thirty-something. Do you all have such names?"
"Well, they are really identifiers, not names. I'm the thirty-seventh female, hence 'F-thirty-seven." She paused, then pointed to a fellow by her side. "This is M-seventeen. We shall, at a time of our choosing, pick our names. Do you have a suggestion…for me?" She was smiling with a twinkle in her eye. I just noticed that her eyes were a lovely green. I remember that the initial synthetics had all-black eyes or sometimes red. Gilgamesh had obviously mastered eye-making.
"A name for you?" I said, thinking. I tried to recall the names I had devised for my daughter, when she finally arrived. "How about Adele?" I said.
The other androids in our circle all began to clap. "Yes, Adele," they said in unison. "A delectable name."
The girl seemed pleased. "Adele it is," she said.
Part 15.3
When I returned to Susan and David, Susan asked what we talked about.
"Metaphysics," I said. "The origin and eventual fate of the universe."
"And did you speak of God," Susan asked, grinning.
"God? Of course," I said. "I talked of the Grand Poohbah and Adele said she had seen the comic opera in a video book. I'm not sure what she meant. I told her it really wasn't so comic, the Poohbahs. You know something? They are all very well informed. I was, however, pleased to contribute to their understanding of the cosmos and its creation and inner workings as dictated by God as Poohbah."
"Adele?" Susan asked. "Was that the one with the oversized bosom?"
"Huh? Really? I hadn't noticed."
"But David said they had no names, just ID classifications," Susan said.
"Well to tell the truth, that gal asked me to provide her with a name…and I did. Adele. It's a nice name, don't you think? She said it meant good-humored, noble and implies a passionate personality."
"Passionate, eh? Yes, I can imagine."
"Did you know that there are twice as many females as males? It's because–"
"To facilitate fornication…as in 'be fruitful, go forth and multiply'. Yes I'm aware of their mission," Susan grunted.
"I realize you asked for a fifty-fifty split, male and female," David said, "but you must admit that leaving it to Gilgamesh was the right thing to do."
"Yes, of course," I said. "In fact, it will be quite entertaining to observe the effects of–"
"I think we should let them do their thing, without 'observing' anything," Susan said.
I nodded. What else could I do?
Whereas the androids stayed on our Godship, Susan, David and I spent most of our days in Atlantica…except for meals. I never could get used to seaweed concoctions. I spent some time with Lucas who was enjoying his job as Supervisor immensely and had already instituting several new laws, including mandatory classes in history and science for all citizens. They were well illustrated with colorful videos, lots of humor and down to earth explanations, which seemed to appeal to everyone.
In fact, these weekly events were anticipated with much enthusiasm. Always, Gill was next to Lucas and it must have been obvious to all Aquarians that the two were inseparable. I often thought of Tiesha and their son, Anapos, and what they thought of the Gill-Lucas association. However, the few times I saw Tiesha, she seemed very happy with her life. She was so fickle and adaptable. She had started off as David's girl, then she made a pass at me, then Gill sort of adopted her and had a child. All through these episodes she seemed content. Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone could be so adaptable?
One day David said, "Now it is time. We must leave. Atlantica will be moved to the Bay of Biscay, but we need not be here. There are many Godships here to assist in the move. Gilgamesh has completed the creation of the Village by the Lake population so is time for us to begin the reconstruction of Burlington."
"How many humanoids did Gilgamesh create?" I asked.
"I think he stopped at three hundred and seventy three," David said.
"A curious number," I said. "Was there a reason for that particular number?"
"It had something to do with population density," David said, "but I didn't understand Gilgamesh's analysis. He did mention something about optimal assignments, the calculus of variations and circular confinement, but I asked him to end his lecture. I hadn't taken that course, I'm afraid."
"When do we leave?" Susan asked.
"I have to talk to Gill, but I imagine it will be tomorrow, perhaps after breakfast."
Part 15.4
That evening Susan and I were sitting in an observation room with a transparent ceiling. I could see creatures swimming about in circles, perhaps dolphins. Dolphins seemed to be everywhere, curious. I guess they're pretty smart animals. I can imagine that the next generation of humans, those with functioning gills, they would cavort with dolphins.
"You're daydreaming," Susan said.
"Yes, I was thinking of the future of humankind. I think it's quite exciting to imagine people as comfortable in water as on land. Maybe that'll happen in our lifetime. Maybe we'll be around to see our grandchildren swimming in our beautiful lake."
"Oh, yes Gordie, we will, we will!" Susan was thrilled at the thought.
"Do you think our Village by the Lake will be a success? I mean, will it flourish and will the androids love it and continue to love it after we're gone? I know I loved living there. We both grew up in that area, you and I. It had everything a person would want. Lots of green space, parks, great restaurants, bicycle paths, music festivals, strawberry socials, the annual ribfest…I miss all that."
"You never went to any of those events," Susan said.
"Yeah, I know, but just knowing they were there, that made the place special."
"Yes, I'm sure the androids will love the place. Can we call them something else instead of androids or synthetic or artificial? Maybe just forget that they were built in a couple of hours. They're just as human as we are."
"Agreed. They're just…folks, family," I said.
"We can encourage them to pick names so we can call them by name instead of their conception identifier," Susan said. "You're the Supervisor, so you should tell them to pick suitable names. Indeed, we can provide hundreds of names and they can pick the one they like. What do you think?"
"That's a great idea. I'll do it."
Susan and I spent the rest of the evening thinking up names and she entered them, into her Godship database. I realized that I was an outsider as soon as she told me that she had access to such memory storage. In it I learned that she actually wrote a daily diary, recipes for things she liked at dinner, the names of people we had met, like Hassan, Claude and Jenny, Hudson, Shatoya and Althea, names that I had alm
ost forgotten. I think she intended to write a novel about our adventure. If we were back in Burlington, in the old days, it'd surely be a best seller. Now, however, I'm sure she intended it for our children and grandchildren.
We spent the night side by side, in a comfortable bed, warming each other. She was such a beautiful person, my Susan. I don't remember her ever, ever saying anything bad about anybody. She was always upbeat. She was enthusiastic about all things and never seemed to get tired. I was a lucky fellow.
The next morning I felt a hum in the walls and assumed that Gilgamesh was moving, or stopping, I couldn't remember what the hum represented. However, I noticed that the walls seemed to move apart.
"We've stopped," Susan said. She was sitting on a nearby sofa. She had apparently been sitting there for some time, in her nightgown, reading from a tablet.
"Stopped? Where did we go?" I asked.
"Oh, just a short distance away to allow the other Godships clear access to Atlantica. They're moving her now."
"I have to see this!" I said, jumping out of bed. "Where's the nearest…the best porthole?"
Susan slid off the sofa, pulled on a robe and said: "Follow me."
We got to the alcove and stood before a narrow window which slowly widened as we watched. There were a dozen Godships and I could see the water churning beneath them. Aquarius Atlantica rose like a gargantuan whale, left the water and hovered about a hundred meters above the ocean. It was huge. Much larger than Pacifica, as far as I could tell. At least ten kilometers long with the regulation cigar shape. As we watched, it gradually moved Eastward, the Godships following.
"They're leaving," I said, helplessly. "I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to…to Gill or Lucas or Aspirin…Aspen or Chicago or–"
"I've already sent them your best wishes and your hope for a long and successful future in the Bay of Biscay. Gilgamesh recreated you voice. I hope you don't mind. You were sleeping so soundly I didn’t want to wake you. Your message was broadcast to all Aquarians. It's even been transmitted to Aquarius Pacifica and Shatoya responded with what she said was a big hug. I even received a response from Lucas. He said they will build a statue of you to be placed in Blend Park."
I almost collapsed. A statue, in Blend Park? I don't recall crying since I was a child, but now the tears came rushing down my cheek. Susan put her arms about my neck, her head on my shoulder. "I love you so much," she said. "You are a good man, Gorden Blend."