I broke in: “Ark, may I ask why you shut down your communications when we entered the system?”
“And eventually you decided to see if we would help you?”
Gabe looked at me. I let him see how I felt.
Ark said, He paused, and for a long minute silence filled the vehicle.
Gabe signaled me to answer. “Of course,” I said. “We will do what we can.”
“To the Dyson Sphere?”
I could see Gabe didn’t like the idea. And I knew why: If Ark was with us, it would be harder to back away if the risk was intimidating. I don’t think either of us wanted to jump into the fire in an effort to rescue an AI. “Ark,” he said, “where are you located? I don’t think we should put you at risk also. Unless we would need you for some reason.”
said Belle.
“Then,” said Gabe, “I think it’s best you stay here.” He looked around the car’s interior. “Ark, may I ask where you’re located?”
A small blue box was inserted in a frame.
“Is that really you?” asked Gabe.
“Okay, Ark. We can’t risk your life for no reason. If it’s possible, how about we simply bring Sayla back here? Will we be able to stay in touch with you?”
Gabe hesitated. “Very well,” he said. “If you insist.”
Gabe frowned. “That would be a serious issue, Ark. You’ve been here a long time. We have historians who would love to have a chance to study your culture. To learn about you. I can assure you they would cause no harm.”
“You’re asking a great deal, Ark.”
“What will you do if we cannot comply?” Gabe looked at me and I shook my head, signaling that he shouldn’t push the issue. I suspected Ark could disable the lander if he wished.
But he surprised me.
Gabe turned to me. “What do you think?”
“Give him what he wants.”
He nodded and laid a hand on my shoulder. “Ark,” he said, “we will do as you wish. And we will tell no one. May I ask a question?”
“Have any of our people ever visited you?”
said the AI.
“Do you have his name?”
“You’re probably talking about Rick Harding. As far as we know, he never said a word about you. He brought what appeared to be a trophy home after his visit here. At least we think it originated here. We aren’t aware that he ever showed it to anyone, but he died early, and the trophy was found by his sister.”
Gabe described it.
Gabe explained about the Octavia.
Ark said.
“What did he do to earn your appreciation?” I asked.
“She must be pretty gutsy,” I said.
The car moved forward again, turned right off the street and onto the beach. We drove over to the lander and stopped. “You’re ready to go with us?” asked Gabe.
I called Belle. “You are still connected through the lander, right?”
“Okay. We’ll be with you in a minute.”
We removed Ark from the frame. “This you, Ark. Am I correct?”
“
XXVI.
.
When we got to the lander, another surprise was waiting. “Ark,” I said, “who is that in the back seat?” I was approaching from the front, so I didn’t have a good view. But it looked like a robot.
said Belle.