Ray McCarthy
Sentient Marmite: The Truth may make you fret.
This is current WIP. It's 101K words and needs now Beta Readers and Editor. I've worn out my team of Alpha's. Silly me. I think the story is complete. The MC is 23 year old (during most of the story) woman with Irish dad and Chinese Mother (both dead). These facts are not spoiling the story. After chapter 1 she is essentially the only Earth person.
Chapter 1: Listening
To start with there was nothing. Then a voice spoke, which was something
“I wonder what was said?” Chainai asked.
Pedar put the book down.
Probably the Clerics would say that is the wrong question. Pedar replied to her.
“I don’t even know what your voice sounds like” she paused “Or really what you look like, other people’s impressions of hearing and seeing isn’t likely the same. Anyway I do appreciate you coming and reading to me. Are you laughing? I sense you are very amused!”
Oh Chainai dear! Pedar replied. I know I’m a Journeyman of the First Circle and a Telepath. I can block a Master Empath. But I can’t block you because besides overwhelmed by your stunning beauty, you are an Adept, maybe even an Arch Empath.
“Well yes I sense you believe it, but I’m still baffled why you do think it. I’m blind and deaf since I was very small and can only have proper conversations with someone that has some telepathic ability. My poor mangled speech must be tiring too.” She paused, “No don’t deny it, I know it is!”
OK, you win. He laughed.
“Anyway, scoot off. I have to change and go on duty shortly, no you can’t kiss me. Go!” Chainai waved towards the door.
What about I take you over?
“No, I’m not a child and my locater does more than your eyes!”
OK ‘Master’ Chainai, see you in about five hours Pedar sent.
Ruefully Pedar took and patted her hand and slowly walked off turning and pausing at the doorway. Chainai imperiously pointed at the door. He went out and closed it softly.
Chainai went and stripped off and showered quickly, then dried and put on the robes left out on her bed. Then fastened her belt, donned the locater and plugged it into the belt. Of course it didn’t give her actual vision but a clear sense of her surroundings based more on material though than light. Confidently she went out and strode left down the corridor. At the next main intersection she got into the waiting buggy which whisked off toward the Cone.
She mused on Pedar’s attentions. She knew she was being hard on him denying even the slight intimacy of a kiss, but knew she had to be strong for both of them. So few people and so much opportunity to be alone together she had to. Also Talent meant Responsibility, she had started in the College at unusually early age of 8 nearly four years after her Talent was obvious, as usually Talent didn’t manifest till puberty. So the College was like a combination of a high school and university. An establishment full of Teenagers and Adults couldn’t take a toddler no matter how Talented! Strange though she could remember very little of home, only the beach. Very unusual to be a Master before 20! Her musings interrupted by the buggy stopping. She selected the bottom button on the lift by touch, and her stomach lurched as the lift plummeted on the 12km journey. She sat on the bench and waited.
* * *
Pedar trudged toward the refractory across the park. He could only hear what Chainai choose to say, he couldn’t read her at all. At times she seemed almost like a robot or an Android in fiction, her smooth alabaster features with sightless eyes never showed emotion, her speech was flat & difficult due to total deafness most of her life. But she was totally dedicated to her work, thus her reason for keeping him at arm’s length probably was true. It was frustrating as he could read anyone else, except of course better Telepaths. No other Empath had a natural unconscious Block either!
As was often the case the Hall was empty, he poured a mug of Jhai and selected a RediMeal from the servitor. It certainly was lonely and tedious stationed on the Listening Post. Darneem was a barren empty planet, especially so for the about last 1000 years when the last natives left. As he sat down Janera came in.
She nodded to him and also poured a hot drink and ordered food. “Mind if I join you?”
Pedar beckoned.
“I thought today my five hours felt like ten” She shook her head of grey hair “I do declare I felt today age was catching me up. I wish we had more suitable Adept Empaths and then I could retire. Not a whisper.”
Pedar tried to look sympathetic. The Listening post had five Empaths and one Telepath.
“I have even less to do” Pedar pointed out. “I’m only here because Radio is limited to Light Speed and Talent isn’t! I’ve nothing to do at all”
“Oh I think you are selling yourself short, Chainai certainly appreciates your reading, her embossed books must be very tedious to ‘feel’ and she can’t have a conversation with the other three off duty Empaths, none are Telepaths even weakly so all she can do is sense broader aspects of what we focus on. Her ‘locater’ doesn’t have resolution or ability for pictures much less our entertainment library.”
Pedar fetched the two meal trays. For a while they ate in silence suddenly broken by piercing bleeps.
“Well answer it!” Janera urged.
Pedar picked the Personal Crystal from his belt pouch and tapped it.
“I thought you fallen asleep” Chainai’s flat monotone crackled out of the crystal.
Well Pedar thought hard at her.
“Aaawoh! softer, that hurt” she answered “Confirmed Talent. I let go of logging button just after the signature peaked. Very short and garbled, so must be very far off. I’ll go back to ‘listening’ now, though another contact inside the next year would be unusually soon. We may of course pick it up again this time tomorrow.”
Pedar concentrate on his contact on Decius who would relay to the College Council. When Kilium answered he read off (telepathically) all the co-ordinates and other statistics presented automatically on his Crystal from the Station Computer calculations based on the time.
Eventually a message came back. Chainai should listen again at same time (about 25 hours later) for the next few days.
But amazingly Chainai soon ‘picked up’ another Talent. This one she already knew, Olef Cordwainer who had vanished when the Orb of Ghillion was stolen from Laramos City on Caemoria.
* * *
The Arch Chancellor banged the Gavel at the Circle College Council meeting.
“It’s unprecedented that the only ship that was ready to jump was the Intergal 1 and perhaps their backward accidental jump that could have been a disaster may be a Silver lined sheet.” He paused. “As you know the new Talent is at an unprecedented distance about 25 kps [25 Kilo Parsecs about 80K light years], but also there is a much nearer one on Yaram, a somewhat ‘Backward planet” we do have limited contact with. The Intergal 1 is now nearly ready to rendezvous via Flitters and the Talent is the missing Olef Cordwainer. We will also send a ship to bring Chainai back to College as his memory has been erased or locked.
* * *
Every news channel on Earth was carrying enhanced telescope shots of the Alien Space Ship and the edited highlights of the Alien transmission with also a Galaxy map showing their origin.
The original news had been five months ago but had eventually been dropped till the Space ship arrived. There was looped footage of the Space ship’s shuttle craft, called a Flitter, landing at the air base in America and the crew; Juili, Marit, Glenin (all almost child like in size, Virona (an adult size and shape, but with fur, tail and teeth like a cat, and Burth (taller than most people with scale like skin and tufts of hair all over) meeting the President. Then footage of the craft landing at Darmstadt in Germany. The UN had appointed Ray McCarthy as an Observer to accompany the Aliens. There was considerable analysis and consternation of the fact that the Aliens only wanted to meet someone (unspecified) and leave. Though everyone was excited that they would be leaving two messaging satellites (Sync-Sat) with examples of Fusion power and Jump technology. Also in deep space between the Kuiper belt and Oort Cloud was a Sync-Sat now linked via other ‘hops’ to the Galactic Council HQ on Caemoria. The UN could now communicate with this via radio (with 16 days delay Earth to Sync-Sat each way and 9 days Caemoria to Sync-Sat) so a round trip reply would be over 7 weeks due to radio delays to deep space. The message crystal exchanges in the Sync-Sats though didn’t take long to cover the intervening 80,000 light years distance.
Chapter 1: Listening
To start with there was nothing. Then a voice spoke, which was something
“I wonder what was said?” Chainai asked.
Pedar put the book down.
Probably the Clerics would say that is the wrong question. Pedar replied to her.
“I don’t even know what your voice sounds like” she paused “Or really what you look like, other people’s impressions of hearing and seeing isn’t likely the same. Anyway I do appreciate you coming and reading to me. Are you laughing? I sense you are very amused!”
Oh Chainai dear! Pedar replied. I know I’m a Journeyman of the First Circle and a Telepath. I can block a Master Empath. But I can’t block you because besides overwhelmed by your stunning beauty, you are an Adept, maybe even an Arch Empath.
“Well yes I sense you believe it, but I’m still baffled why you do think it. I’m blind and deaf since I was very small and can only have proper conversations with someone that has some telepathic ability. My poor mangled speech must be tiring too.” She paused, “No don’t deny it, I know it is!”
OK, you win. He laughed.
“Anyway, scoot off. I have to change and go on duty shortly, no you can’t kiss me. Go!” Chainai waved towards the door.
What about I take you over?
“No, I’m not a child and my locater does more than your eyes!”
OK ‘Master’ Chainai, see you in about five hours Pedar sent.
Ruefully Pedar took and patted her hand and slowly walked off turning and pausing at the doorway. Chainai imperiously pointed at the door. He went out and closed it softly.
Chainai went and stripped off and showered quickly, then dried and put on the robes left out on her bed. Then fastened her belt, donned the locater and plugged it into the belt. Of course it didn’t give her actual vision but a clear sense of her surroundings based more on material though than light. Confidently she went out and strode left down the corridor. At the next main intersection she got into the waiting buggy which whisked off toward the Cone.
She mused on Pedar’s attentions. She knew she was being hard on him denying even the slight intimacy of a kiss, but knew she had to be strong for both of them. So few people and so much opportunity to be alone together she had to. Also Talent meant Responsibility, she had started in the College at unusually early age of 8 nearly four years after her Talent was obvious, as usually Talent didn’t manifest till puberty. So the College was like a combination of a high school and university. An establishment full of Teenagers and Adults couldn’t take a toddler no matter how Talented! Strange though she could remember very little of home, only the beach. Very unusual to be a Master before 20! Her musings interrupted by the buggy stopping. She selected the bottom button on the lift by touch, and her stomach lurched as the lift plummeted on the 12km journey. She sat on the bench and waited.
* * *
Pedar trudged toward the refractory across the park. He could only hear what Chainai choose to say, he couldn’t read her at all. At times she seemed almost like a robot or an Android in fiction, her smooth alabaster features with sightless eyes never showed emotion, her speech was flat & difficult due to total deafness most of her life. But she was totally dedicated to her work, thus her reason for keeping him at arm’s length probably was true. It was frustrating as he could read anyone else, except of course better Telepaths. No other Empath had a natural unconscious Block either!
As was often the case the Hall was empty, he poured a mug of Jhai and selected a RediMeal from the servitor. It certainly was lonely and tedious stationed on the Listening Post. Darneem was a barren empty planet, especially so for the about last 1000 years when the last natives left. As he sat down Janera came in.
She nodded to him and also poured a hot drink and ordered food. “Mind if I join you?”
Pedar beckoned.
“I thought today my five hours felt like ten” She shook her head of grey hair “I do declare I felt today age was catching me up. I wish we had more suitable Adept Empaths and then I could retire. Not a whisper.”
Pedar tried to look sympathetic. The Listening post had five Empaths and one Telepath.
“I have even less to do” Pedar pointed out. “I’m only here because Radio is limited to Light Speed and Talent isn’t! I’ve nothing to do at all”
“Oh I think you are selling yourself short, Chainai certainly appreciates your reading, her embossed books must be very tedious to ‘feel’ and she can’t have a conversation with the other three off duty Empaths, none are Telepaths even weakly so all she can do is sense broader aspects of what we focus on. Her ‘locater’ doesn’t have resolution or ability for pictures much less our entertainment library.”
Pedar fetched the two meal trays. For a while they ate in silence suddenly broken by piercing bleeps.
“Well answer it!” Janera urged.
Pedar picked the Personal Crystal from his belt pouch and tapped it.
“I thought you fallen asleep” Chainai’s flat monotone crackled out of the crystal.
Well Pedar thought hard at her.
“Aaawoh! softer, that hurt” she answered “Confirmed Talent. I let go of logging button just after the signature peaked. Very short and garbled, so must be very far off. I’ll go back to ‘listening’ now, though another contact inside the next year would be unusually soon. We may of course pick it up again this time tomorrow.”
Pedar concentrate on his contact on Decius who would relay to the College Council. When Kilium answered he read off (telepathically) all the co-ordinates and other statistics presented automatically on his Crystal from the Station Computer calculations based on the time.
Eventually a message came back. Chainai should listen again at same time (about 25 hours later) for the next few days.
But amazingly Chainai soon ‘picked up’ another Talent. This one she already knew, Olef Cordwainer who had vanished when the Orb of Ghillion was stolen from Laramos City on Caemoria.
* * *
The Arch Chancellor banged the Gavel at the Circle College Council meeting.
“It’s unprecedented that the only ship that was ready to jump was the Intergal 1 and perhaps their backward accidental jump that could have been a disaster may be a Silver lined sheet.” He paused. “As you know the new Talent is at an unprecedented distance about 25 kps [25 Kilo Parsecs about 80K light years], but also there is a much nearer one on Yaram, a somewhat ‘Backward planet” we do have limited contact with. The Intergal 1 is now nearly ready to rendezvous via Flitters and the Talent is the missing Olef Cordwainer. We will also send a ship to bring Chainai back to College as his memory has been erased or locked.
* * *
Every news channel on Earth was carrying enhanced telescope shots of the Alien Space Ship and the edited highlights of the Alien transmission with also a Galaxy map showing their origin.
The original news had been five months ago but had eventually been dropped till the Space ship arrived. There was looped footage of the Space ship’s shuttle craft, called a Flitter, landing at the air base in America and the crew; Juili, Marit, Glenin (all almost child like in size, Virona (an adult size and shape, but with fur, tail and teeth like a cat, and Burth (taller than most people with scale like skin and tufts of hair all over) meeting the President. Then footage of the craft landing at Darmstadt in Germany. The UN had appointed Ray McCarthy as an Observer to accompany the Aliens. There was considerable analysis and consternation of the fact that the Aliens only wanted to meet someone (unspecified) and leave. Though everyone was excited that they would be leaving two messaging satellites (Sync-Sat) with examples of Fusion power and Jump technology. Also in deep space between the Kuiper belt and Oort Cloud was a Sync-Sat now linked via other ‘hops’ to the Galactic Council HQ on Caemoria. The UN could now communicate with this via radio (with 16 days delay Earth to Sync-Sat each way and 9 days Caemoria to Sync-Sat) so a round trip reply would be over 7 weeks due to radio delays to deep space. The message crystal exchanges in the Sync-Sats though didn’t take long to cover the intervening 80,000 light years distance.
