There was a large window and she peeked inside. Chairs had been arranged facing the front of the structure and a lot of people were sitting in them. It looked like some sort of meeting. It was obviously the wrong time to have come. Then she saw Enrico and he saw her. He started to wave.
Strange, she thought, he was almost waving like to make her go away. She turned around and ran into a white suit.
"Hello," said the white suit.
It was not Ickcy. "Hello," she smiled pretending to not be worried.
"Shall we go to the meeting?"
"I am not sure I will," said Suki.
"You must be the new human to the village. I don't think I have met you before," said the white suit.
If she were to guess, she would say this white suit was a female. "Yes, I am new here."
"The meeting started a while ago. I like to get here at the end," explained the white suit. "You should attend. It is not required, but this is how you will get the information you need to live in the village. I highly encourage you to attend."
She was trapped. She nodded and followed the white suit in.
Immediately the lively discussion inside the barn quieted down. Suki didn't know if it was due to her or to the alien.
"Please continue," said the alien.
Suki found a chair close to the door and sat down praying she would disappear. It was not working and several people in the meeting started to steal glances in her direction. Of course they would be curious.
She was not listening to the discussions going on as she tried to figure out a way to leave without the alien noticing. Finally, the alien stood up and gave a report on the weather Apparently there would be some rain. One man asked how much.
By the time the alien sat down again, Suki was gone.
Suki waited on the deck of the cabin as she watched the white suit making his way to her. This was it, she thought, this had to be trouble.
"Suki hello."
He didn't sound upset. "You sound happy Ickcy. Why is that?"
"I guess I shouldn't be happy because the Experimenter is still coming, but I am going to stay with her to ensure she does not hurt you. It has been arranged."
"Oh, okay." He didn't know about her outing. Maybe the female alien had not communicated with him yet.
"I brought the chemical for you to drink," he said.
"Go on, the pitcher is over there," she said. She was almost relieved he didn't know.
As he poured the chemical in a glass and filled it with water, she asked, "Why do you do these experiments anyways? If you were trying to determine how solitude affects humans, you need to talk to them, not take their blood. How does the blood show anything?"
"I don't know Suki. I do not have a High degree in Humanity."
"I think solitude affects us mostly psychologically and not as much physiologically."
He gave her the glass. He looked like he was trying to understand. "Psychologically?"
"Yes, look it up."
"Where do I look up?"
"No, not look up, search for the term in a computer. Understand?"
Ickcy swayed.
She drank the water.
Up on the ship Mckcy was waiting for him. "I saw your Subject #78 today."
"Really?"
Mckcy swayed. "In the village."
"Are you sure? Some humans look like others."
"There are 48 humans in the Forest Village, including two of the Originals and I counted 49 at the meeting." Mckcy sounded very certain.
"Could it have been another human living nearby that attended?"
Mckcy's torso shook. "Female, in her mid twenties?"
"Oh no," sighed Ickcy. "It does sound like Subject #78 and I am scheduled to go down with Dr. Lctch tonight for testing."
Chapter 16
Ickcy was looking up the meaning of psychologically versus physiologically, when Mckcy walked behind him. She looked around and scooted close to him. There was no one sitting in the stations next to him.
"How did it go last night?" she asked quietly
"It went well. I think Subject #78 will have minimal effects from the tests."
"No, I meant, did you tell Dr. Lctch?"
"No. How could I? You know she will have me fired and worse, she may destroy Subject #78."
"Do you think she would do such a thing?"
"Well I am not so sure, but one never knows. She is quite ruthless."
"Okay, well I just saw her and she seems pretty happy right now."
"Really? That can't be good."
"Really." said Mckcy as she left.
He had a chance to determine Dr. Lctch's happiness himself since it was she who walked in next.
"Ickcy, I have some good news."
He glanced at her and what Mckcy had said was true. She looked content and it was strange to see her in a mood other than sullen.
"All my theories have been validated. Of course I knew they would be, but I am thrilled it is so soon."
"Congratulations, Dr. Lctch."
"Thank you Ickcy. I have to admit I was not pleased when you inserted yourself into my work, but all in all, it worked out well," she paused.
He figured he was expected to add some praise at this point, but he couldn't find the words.
"Well," she continued. "I hope you took notes so when people ask you how it was to work with someone like me, you can tell them."
He swayed.
"It is marvelous. I will be presenting my findings to all my peers in a couple of days. These findings could not have come at a better time. Humans can be alone and still be perfectly balanced and happy, and that means we also can do it alone. You know what that means. After so many years of working on it, the behavior manual will finally be finished and the applications of this knowledge are tremendous."
He tried not to appear distressed. All her findings were based on one Subject, and they were wrong. "Is Subject #78 the only one that has exhibited positive results?"
"Yes. I was worried that maybe it was because she has not been in isolation that long, but the other Subjects in the Alone Project were quite depressed by this time. Some actually improved a little as time went by and they learned to cope with their isolation. Humans are social animals you know."
He knew that and swayed.
"I think that we chose well with Subject #78. She was an independent, female, living alone and did not need many friends."
"Wasn't that the criteria for picking the others?"
"Yes it was, but I think some of the Pickers are not always careful in doing their jobs. I am sure they just want to get the task done and hurry back home. Some may say that you can't blame them since they are so far from home, but I say, why sign up for something if you aren't going to do right? Don't worry, I will make sure to mention their incompetence in my report."
Even with her triumph, she was going to complain about others. The worse part was that the Pickers would get in trouble for no reason. "Dr. Lctch, you really believe your other seven Subjects in the Alone Project were selected incorrectly?"
She stared at him for a moment.
She had to see that statistically speaking, if the Pickers applied some of her 'alone' requirements, they should have had at least a couple subjects similar to Subject #78. They were not that incompetent.
"They must have picked wrong," she said.
There was nothing else he could say except congratulate her again.
At the weekly meeting Dr. Lctch's success was mentioned, but it didn't have too much to do with the Overseers and they moved on.
Mckcy reported that her Subject #30 was happier.
"He has settled down?" asked The Manager.
"Yes, he seems to be integrating better with the community. I think that will make him less of a problem."
"So bringing that new female, Subject #56, was a good idea. Thank goodness that worked. The Pickers were not happy with making that trip. Subject #78 was supposed to be their last pickup."
&nb
sp; Ickcy knew that they had placed the young human in the Forest Village in the hopes that Subject #30 would befriend her and settle down. Luckily the Pickers had already matched Subject #56 as a candidate previously and the pickup was done quickly.
"What are the Pickers going to do now if they are not working Earth?" asked one of his coworkers.
"Most are being retrained," said The Manager. "I heard that there some may be joining the exchange program we have with Planet Duelia."
That was a recently implemented program, thought Ickcy. Physically, the beings from Planet Duelia were similar to the Neubulisskys, but the humans had the feelings closest to them.
"How far is Planet Duelia?" asked a coworker.
"About two days," said The Manager. "Everything seems to be about two days from here, except for Earth."
"Well I heard that beings in Planet Duelia would not do well in Planet Humex. They prefer even colder environments."
"Low degrees of centigrade and breathing carbon monoxide?"
They all laughed.
(Reader: this it was an inside joke and it has to do with carbon monoxide versus carbon dioxide and maybe the low degrees. It does not translate well.)
Chapter 17
She was on her front porch when she saw Ickcy making his way to her. She knew from the way he walked that he was aware about her visits to the village. It was funny that she could read his body language. Body, she said to herself, did the aliens even call it a body?
"Hello Suki," he sighed.
"Hello Ickcy. Did the Experimenter get what she wanted?"
"You have no idea."
"Well, thank you for being there. I was not hurt and I did not feel bad after I woke up."
He swayed and stopped. "You went to visit the village."
"Yes."
Ickcy looked surprised. "You are not going to lie?"
"No. I have been there several times. I did not know it was forbidden. You will remember that page 23 was not in the binder."
"Yes. I admit that was an error. The Publishers are not very well organized."
"I went to the town and met some people. It was wonderful. Then you come and insert a page in the binder and that changes everything? I think not. I had to go back."
"But you are part of the Alone Project."
"Oh? What does that mean?"
"You are supposed to be alone. The Experimenter sees how you are coping with this condition. You are coping extremely well."
"Does anyone cope well with being alone?"
"No one as well as you."
"Well tell me Ickcy, why would you put a page with such important information and make it page 23? It should have been page number 1."
"But it is an instruction manual. All the pages are equally important."
She shook her head. "Humans don't think that way."
They were both quiet for a moment. She sat down and pushed a chair towards him. He sat down as well.
"So you don't want me to visit the village anymore?" she asked the obvious.
"I am not sure."
"Really? Why would you say that?"
"You are happy visiting the village and now the Experimenter believes you are happy being alone. If you stop visiting, you will become sad and then the theory of the Experimenter will not be valid."
She laughed.
"I don't think this quandary is funny."
"I'm sorry. Do any of your fellow workers know?"
"Besides Mckcy who ran into you at the village, no, and she is my friend. I don't think she will tell anyone."
"It's good you have a friend Ickcy," she said sincerely.
"I agree."
They looked out over the lake.
"It is peaceful here," said Ickcy.
"Very. Is Planet Humex your home?"
"No, but it is not far. I live on Planet Neubulis. We wouldn't do well in this environment, it was made just for you, the humans."
"It sure seems like you have spent a lot of effort to make us comfortable."
He swayed.
"I tell you what I can do. I can continue to sneak out to visit the village. I will do it occasionally and be discreet about it and not interact with too many of the humans there. That way I will continue to be happy."
"I can give you my viewing schedule so you know when to go and not be seen."
"I think I have a good idea of what that is, but thanks."
"Yes. And how do you know my schedule?"
"I can't tell you everything Ickcy."
"I think you humans are a lot smarter than the Experimenters think you are."
Chapter 18
Ickcy read about Dr. Lctch's results in the news. There it was, typed in bold letters. Now he was committed to the charade.
For a moment, after returning from Humex, he had pretended that it was not a lie, but it was. He was responsible for the integrity of the experiments and by leaving out such important information, it was like telling a lie.
Mckcy came to see him shortly afterwards and pointed the article to him.
"Have you read it?"
"Yes."
"You cannot continue with this lie. You have to stop it before it escalates more."
"It already has escalated, Mckcy. They are talking about the Science Prize for Dr. Lctch and some news reporter has asked to interview me. They want my perspective as the person who accompanied Dr. Lctch when she made the discovery."
"Oh my goodness, you are done for. What about Subject #78?"
"She is still going to the village."
Mckcy looked sternly at Ickcy. "Are you insane?"
"She will not disturb the Village Project, they can interact with other humans. She is only affecting the Alone Project and that one is already messed up."
"Ickcy, why are you allowing this?"
"She needs the companionship. She told me. She also told me that she would be discrete. You know, it is the Publishers' fault in any case."
"The Publishers?"
"They did not include page 23 in the binder. That is the page that tells the humans about limiting their movements."
"I know that page. It is one of the most important pages, in my opinion."
"So why is it page 23 and not page number 1?"
Mckcy looked at him "Because they wrote it later? It doesn't mean its importance is lesser."
"Apparently the humans think it is."
She thought about that for a moment. "Does that apply to other things besides pages?"
"Yes. She told me number 1 is usually the most important."
"It is interesting you spend so much time talking with Subject #78."
"Yes, I thought about that as well. In a way I already ruined the experiment by talking with Suki."
Mckcy looked at him with alarm, but didn't correct him about calling Subject #78 by name. He was losing it, he thought.
"Ickcy, I think you need a break. Why don't we go out after work?"
"That is not a bad idea. We could go to the Blue Plasma. I've heard it is a good place."
"I would like that. I have not been there before."
Suki meanwhile had arrived to Enrico's house. She knocked on the door and he let her in with a smile. "I am surprised, but pleased to see you here."
"It is amazing. When that white suit discovered me here, I thought I would be imprisoned or worse."
"Well I'm glad to see that didn't happen. Did they think you were a member of the village?"
"No, the alien noticed. It turns out she is a friend of my Overseer and she just reported it to him. No one else found out."
"Really, why would they help you like this?"
"It's complicated, but Ickcy said I could continue to come, just as long as I am discreet about it."
"You know the Overseer's name?"
"Yes, we talk often."
Suki could see the distrust forming in Enrico's eyes. "So now that everything is fine, do you have a time limit for your visit?"
"I still have time limits."
&nb
sp; "It makes no sense Suki," he raised his voice. "If the Overseer agrees to your visits, why can't you stay longer?"
"I'm coming while he's not watching." It seemed reasonable to her.
"He is pretending your visits don't happen? Why is it that you get off so easily while others that have tried to get away have been punished harshly? Why?"
"I don't know about that."
"You want to know what I think?"
Suki didn't want to know. She wished her watch alarm would sound now so she would have an excuse to leave. She didn't want to hear anymore.
"I think you are in cahoots with these aliens," he said. "You are working with them and they send you to spy on us. Who knows what is going on their sick minds and you are part of it." He grabbed her arm. "Are you even human?"
"I am human and that hurts." She pulled away. "You don't understand anything." She threw open the door and ran out.
Chapter 19
The Blue Plasma Bar turned out to be precisely what he needed. The strobe lights and fog machine made it seem like his favorite hang out at home.
As he put his index digits into the smooth milky drink, Ickcy could feel the tension leave. "Wow."
"That is the best drink in the house," said Mckcy pulling up a chair next to him. "I read it in the news."
"Well then we're lucky it is good," said Ickcy. "You can't believe what the news says these days."
They both laughed. She put her digits into the same drink and they both drank. It was very sexy.
(Reader: the aliens drink through their index fingers. Their mouths are used for breathing and talking.)
"I am feeling so much better," said Ickcy.
"Yes, we work long hours, and sometimes we need to find some relaxation time."
"We work the longest hours and are the most dedicated. If we were Experimenters we could come here often after work and if we were Publishers we would be here all the time."
"You and me as Publishers," laughed Mckcy. "That would be the ticket."
"Mckcy, why did you choose to be an Overseer?"
"I was always interested in space and in beings from other planets. I couldn't see myself just living on Neubulis."
"Maybe you should have been a Picker. They travel to new planets."
"Yes, but they abduct the beings from those planets and in any case they stay away for too long. I thought I could travel around the galaxy and learn the best from all those different beings and then apply those things to our society. I wanted to travel and visit, but not live there."
"That sounds very noble."
"It was very idealistic. I also wanted to get home on a regular basis."