EFFECTS OF SECRECY / CH. 2:STARTING OUT
DEPARTURES LOUNGE, OCT 14TH 2276.
Over the previous week, James Montgomery had handed over his vacuum-safe luggage, ordered fertilizer, and loaded his hold luggage into the cargo pod. Then he'd filled the remainder of his cargo pod with insulation materials and freeze-dried food so he didn't need to eat gloop. Earlier today, he'd presented his credentials at the spaceport, been weighed, allowed to shed some water in the facilities provided, been re-weighed, and passed into the inner sanctum of the waiting area.
It was hard to imagine, he was going to Mars! That was a first among his people, he was fairly sure. He wasn't the first one into the waiting area, but unless something had gone badly wrong, he wouldn't be the last. In the waiting room so far, there was a couple with a five-year old boy (playing rockets) a few couples who were mostly contemplating the future in each other's eyes and another group of three — two men and a woman, who obviously knew each other. One of the men was bemoaning the fact that he'd be wasting such a long time going with the other two.
It seemed to be a good natured conversation, going over well-trodden ground. James guessed that the single man was on a tourist plan and the couple were settlers. There was quite an age gap, so he wondered what the relationship was between them.
[James,] he heard, [are you really doing what I think you're doing?] It was Karella, the gifted woman from his home.
[High Councillor, I prayed you might speak to me some months ago, but it has been decided a long time now.]
[You're on your way to space?]
[To Mars.]
[Why?]
[I finished my training and have been assigned as diplomatic protection, to the embassy on Mars.]
[Oh!]
[Lady Karella, I had to speak a little about my past, to one with the gift. She is known to me only as Mystery Voice, and has some connection to the government.]
[Face to face?]
[No, at a distance. She vowed she would not pass on what I told her, but she knows that I am from a small isolated community, and that one with the gift contacts me sometimes.]
[When did this happen?] Karella asked.
[In July.]
[Does she know more?]
[She knows I left home of my own accord, and that most people at home are Christian. And she spoke of my genetics. I guess they took samples when I was injured.]
[Ah. That's good to know.]
[She also knows I hear decisions a long way away, and one of my instructors said 'you swim like a fish'. I think she meant I swim very well.]
[I've heard that phrase, yes. Don't worry about that one. But this trip to Mars, it is because of that conversation?]
[Partly. She told me she would recommend I be transferred there, long term. She was concerned about my loyalties, not knowing where I was from, and said it would be better if I was not put anywhere that would them put to the test. It would have been simpler if I'd been able to stay a policeman, I think.]
[We do what we can, but God is in charge, James. You didn't think my name?]
[No. I don't think I even thought your gender.]
[So... you go to Mars.]
[In about an hour, yes. The lady ambassador, Alice Findhorn-Bunting and her husband are thought-hearers too. According to Mystery, thought does not wait around for boring photons, so they like to post thought-hearers there.]
[{humour} One day, you might get a surprise, James. Mystery had one, according to someone who knows.]
[You know Mystery, then?]
[I know of her, and her real name, too. But you need to not know that, I think.]
[They wanted me to become a truth-sayer, but I would not allow them to scan me, because of the secret.]
[Ah. You could have asked them to swear to secrecy, if they found anything. If you are asked on Mars, ask that, and then do not worry.]
[There is someone with the gift on Mars?]
[Yes. And she is very careful with her gift, and does not use it lightly.]
[You've spoken to her?]
[No. I think you need to know this: there is one of the gifted who walks as you walk, among land-folk. She tells me quite a lot, in case I ever do need to talk to gifted land-folk.]
[Ah!]
[But when you meet the gifted Martian, know that she can keep secrets, and knows how to not look. Mystery has been learning that, from her.]
[Thank you, High Councillor.]
[Your parents are here,] Karella said, [with news.]
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DEPARTURES LOUNGE. + 30 MINS
[James, just calling to wish you a pleasant flight.] Mystery's voice sounded in his mind just as he was saying goodbye to his parents and sending blessings to his sister's recent marriage.
[Thank you, Maam.]
[And in case I'm interrupted at this end again, I'm also going to stick my oar in where it's probably not wanted and tell you that none of the single women booked on your flight are Christians.]
[Err...]
[And then I'm going to ask you what that language I just heard was.]
[My mother tongue.]
[I didn't understand it.]
[I thought the gift cut across language barriers?]
[It does. Normally.]
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[But you can't understand me thinking like this?] he asked in his mother tongue.
[I understood that. How odd! Did I interrupt you praying or something?] Eliza asked.
[I was actually just saying goodbye to my parents, Maam. The one with the gift from home was relaying my thoughts to them.]
[And God kept me out. {realisation} Now I understand why there's been an interruption every time I was about to talk to you. Travel safely, James, and walk closely with God. Your secret seems safe to me.]
[God is good, James. Don't fear.] Karella thought to him, [But your parents do wonder why Mystery told you about the single women being non-Christians.]
[You heard it all?]
[Yes. And?]
[I've been officially warned not to form relationships on the ship. I think she worried that three months is a long time and ....] he trailed off.
[You might believe someone pretty has more faith that she does?] Karella finished.
[I guess so.]
[Does that happen often?]
[I've no idea.]
[I'm just wondering why she raised the subject.]
[I guess I did, councillor. I asked if going to Mars meant staying single.]
[And the answer was stay single on the way there?]
[And avoid entanglements with anyone not a born-Martian or from here.]
[Sensible precautions for a civil servant a long way from his adopted home.] Karella said.
[Yes. I do have one question, though. On Mars, asking about ancestry is taboo...]
[You want to know if you have third or fourth cousins on Mars?] she asked. [I think, the best thing to do right now, is to take a leaf from prince Albert's book, and pray for your future wife, and that you'll know who she is.]
[Thank you, Councillor.]
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DEPARTURES LOUNGE +5MINS
“So, Will,” Horrace said quietly, “tell me what you think about the guy over there.”
“The one from Security?” Will asked. That was really blatant.
“Yeah.”
“Familiar sight, isn't it? I wonder who he's chatting to.”
“Friend of a friend of ours, I'd guess.”
“I wonder if he knows how obvious he is.” Will pondered.
“Hey, just because we know the signs it doesn't mean everyone does. Rachel your input please?”
“I'm lost, who are you talking about?”
“The guy in the smart suit.”
“Oh. He's just resting, isn't he? Why do you say he's chatting to someone?”
“I rest my case,” Horrace said.
“Don't stare, Will, it's rude,” Rachel rebuked her husband, as James looked their way.
“Sorry,” Will said, and decided he'd introduce himself, Rachel and Horrace sometime soon.
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“Hi, I'm Will, this is my wife Rachel and colleague Horrace.”
“Hello, James Montgomery,” James said, shaking hands.
“I'm guessing you're with Internal Security?” Will said.
“Diplomatic protection.” James said, looking at his suit, “bit of a give-away?”
“Yes. I'm a psych-counsellor,” Will said, “Horrace designs brain scanners, so we've met quite a few people in suits like yours.”
“I don't think I'm making the inference you're hinting at.”
“Government policies being what they are, I expect you've visited our workplace. The Institute's setting up a Mars branch.”
“Oh!”
“That was quite a long chat you had there,” Horrace said, “we recognise the signs, but aren't in the club.”
James got that reference, especially since he'd heard them decide he was a thought hearer earlier. “I was that obvious?”
“It wasn't to Rachel, so I guess it's just a case of long years of familiarity with the sight,” Will said.
“Say 'hi' from us, assuming it was someone we know.” Horrace said.
“I'm not sure if it was or not,” James said, “or when they'll next call.”
“That's fine, don't worry,” Will said, “I just thought we ought to say hello, since even if we've not got friends in common, it's almost certain that you've got friends who are friends with friends of ours.”
“Thank you. I don't suppose you're Christians?”
“Oh, not another one,” Horrace groaned. “I'm not.”
Rachel smiled, “In Horrace, you are speaking to that rarest of beasts: a non-Christian at the Institute. Will finally gave in a couple of years ago, strangely enough a fortnight after I came to faith, but Horrace here is still resisting the gospel.”
“It's a matter of principle,” Horrace said.
“What principle is that?” James asked, bemused.
“The principle that says someone needs to get on with work when everyone else is falling in love and going off to prayer meetings.”
“Oh, OK.” James accepted the outrageous excuse, and added “It's a good job that you've got all these boring months on ship to consider the future of your soul, then, isn't it?”
“And there I was thinking I'd have peace and quiet to design something really groundbreaking.”
“Just remember that burning holes in domes or the spaceship is going to get you in really big trouble,” Will said.
Horace shrugged, and said “I'm sure they can be patched,” as he wandered away to look out of the spaceport window.
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James decided that looking out of the window wasn't such a bad idea either. The sky was overcast, but he could imagine it being blue. The rolling hills in the distance were a mixture of different greens, entirely influenced by mankind. It had been strange enough leaving his home and walking among landmen, but it was going to be very strange indeed to leave Earth entirely.
He could see the wisdom of not forming a relationship on the ship out. Leaving all the comforts of Earth behind was going to do very strange things to people's emotional balance. He decided to take Karella's advice, and prayed, thanking God that he was going to a place where there he'd be working with Christians and asking God to lead him to form right relationships, that would honour his saviour. He prayed for Horrace, that he'd let go of his pride, and that if the woman he was to marry wasn't yet a Christian she'd come to understand and trust the gospel soon.
He was still praying when they were called to board the space-plane.
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[James, I don't care if you like it or not, but now would be a good time to eat some ginger,] Mystery thought to him as apparent gravity started to reduce [Even if it is the placebo effect, I'm reliably informed that its a very effective placebo.]
[Some more? I had some this morning.] James thought.
[Alice, what do you think? James, say 'hi' to Alice,] Mystery thought.
[If you've had some already James, then a mostly empty stomach's good too. Take a sip of water so it's not totally empty.]
[Urm, hello Alice.]
[Mystery thought that you leaving the planet might be as good a point as any to make contact, and I certainly wasn't going to wait until you got here to give you the big surprise. So, in the interests of your peace of mind, etc. etc, secure communication during your flight can can happen like this. Just drop me a message quoting Shakespeare if you want me to call you.]
[Shakespeare?] he was surprised, but pleasantly so.
[Unless you prefer some other author?]
[If idle talk will once be necessary...] he quoted, from Anthony and Cleopatra.
[And you just thought of that on the spot, did you?] Mystery asked.
[What, in the midst of the street?] he quoted the Taming of the Shrew in reply.
[{laughter} well done, James. I hope you're not going quote anything too obscure.] Alice said.
[Far be it from my heart! The thought of it!] he replied, from Richard III.
[You asked for it, Alice. He's all yours!]
[My sister and I used to try to have whole conversations like that, sorry. Happy memories...] James explained.
[Treasure that utterance, Alice. James's past is clouded in mystery.]
[I just heard my sister's got married. I can say that.] James thought.
[How did you hear that?] Alice asked.
[Mystery knows.] James replied.
[But he made me vow not to tell.]
[And now you tempt her to break her vow, James? That's not nice.]
[Maam, I ask you to vow similarly, that you will not use your gift to make me break my vow, nor try to use it to find out truths my vow is meant to protect, nor tell others what I reveal.]
[It's not God's will that his vow be broken, Alice. I'm convinced of that.] he heard Mystery add.
[I promise.]
[Good. My guess is that you heard something like this, just before lift-off. Am I right?] Mystery asked.
[Yes.] James acknowledged [my home community includes someone with the gift. But I've just remembered; on this space-plane there's someone called Will and someone called Horrace, who say they work in Restoration. They spotted my earlier quite conversation and said to say hello if you are friends of theirs or friends of friends.]
[Oh?] Mystery thought, [What are they doing going to Mars?]
[Setting up a Mars Branch of the Institute,] Alice supplied, [you know them?]
[I've heard all about them, and met them once, I think. Ah... but that wouldn't have been as Mystery.]
[You have secrets, maam, and I have secrets. Would it be best if I tell them you'll pass on the greeting?]
[I think so, yes.] Mystery agreed, [but if they're on a tourist trip, why are they going on a slow route?]
[Will and Rachel are staying,] Alice supplied, [and Horrace is taking a lot of equipment with him, much to the joy of the university.]
[Oh, right,] Mystery said.
[Anyway, let's let James enjoy his last view of Earth,] Alice thought.
[Why do I feel like I'm leaving home all over again?] James thought mostly to himself.
[{compassion}Because you are, James,] Mystery said, [and we've not really given you much choice have we?]
[Your logic was good, Maam, and I accepted the assignment.]
[But you're not excited about getting here. I know I was.] Alice pointed out. [We'll be praying for you, James.]
[Thank you, Maam.]