Simmons quoted one of the aliens: We would like that.
But how to do it?
Kobayashi pointed out that two of the planets in the Talios system, the fifth and sixth, would line up in the “near future.” “When they do,” he suggested, “perhaps we could arrange to be here with those who would like to take this farther.”
* * *
JAKE WAS GETTING frustrated. “Damn it,” he said. “Are they talking about a few weeks or what?”
“Apparently the Forscher never reported the incident. Or if they did, it was kept quiet. “
Benny broke in: “Simmons says that they decided to say nothing until they got home. They had time to do that and come back though he does not say how much time. But he and Trelawney agreed that a hypercomm report would only generate a rejection. That the politicians would want to keep clear of a meeting. Trelawney wanted to be there to fight for the meeting.”
“Well,” said Priscilla, “it doesn’t matter now. It’s nine years ago. The aliens are long gone. And everybody’s dead on this side.”
Jake looked up from the screen. “So what do we do, Captain Hutchins?”
“File a report, hope they can find the Forscher, and get on with our own mission.”
“You’re not interested in going the rest of the way out to Talios?”
“Is that what you’re proposing?”
“Why not?”
“Jake.” She felt uncomfortable. Priscilla was used to running her life on schedules. “It’ll throw us way behind.”
“Sure it will. Think anybody will notice?”
* * *
TALIOS WAS A class G dwarf, about the same size as Sol, but younger by two billion years. According to the data charts, there were eleven planets in the system. Talios III had life-forms. And that was pretty much the extent of the available information.
Talios V and VI were where?
They needed several more days to track them down. Talios V was small and airless, eight hundred million kilometers from the sun, completing an orbit every twelve years. VI was a gas giant with an entourage of forty-some moons and a magnificent set of rings. It was just over twice as far out. “Orbital period thirty-one years,” said Benny. “They were lined up three and a half years ago.”
“So we’re a little late for the wedding,” said Priscilla.
Jake’s eyes closed. “Unfortunately, the groom never showed up at all.”
“Benny, when will V and VI line up again?” asked Priscilla. “Not that it matters.”
“Sixty-five years and a couple of months.”
“It’s a pity,” said Jake.
“You didn’t expect them to wait around, did you?”
“I wasn’t sure I wanted them to wait around.” It was the first time she’d seen him look uncertain. “Still—Well, let’s go take a look at Talios III.”
* * *
THE PLANET FLOATED serenely on the navigation display, but it was hard to believe it harbored life. It did have large blue oceans. White clouds drifted through the skies, and there was snow at the poles. But the continents, the landmasses, looked utterly desolate. No fleck of green appeared anywhere. Nothing moved across its bleak, flat plains.
“According to the database,” said Benny, “life got started here less than five hundred million years ago.”
“So it’s still in the oceans,” said Jake.
“That may be correct, Captain. In any case, you would not be able to detect its presence.”
“Too small?”
“Unicellular. It will be a long time before there’s anything down there that would be visible to the naked eye.”
“I wonder if they’ll ever figure out,” said Priscilla, “why life is so rare.”
Jake magnified the images. Large brown patches of land. River valleys. Mountain chains cutting across continents. All empty. “Hard to believe. What’ve we looked at now, hundreds of worlds with liquid water and stable suns? And just a handful are alive.”
“A century ago,” said Priscilla, “they thought that almost any biozone world was likely to produce living things.” She was thinking that this was why the meeting at this world had been so important. With life so rare, and advanced civilizations virtually nonexistent—Damn.
So close.
* * *
THERE WAS NOTHING to look at. From Priscilla’s perspective, they’d wasted time coming here. But she wasn’t going to argue the point with the guy who held her license in his hand. “Jake,” she said, “do you want to go into orbit?”
“Yes,” he said.
“How long do we plan to stay?”
“Not long.”
“Okay. What’s next?”
“Use your imagination, Priscilla.”
She laughed and raised her hands in confusion. “I’m not sure what you’re asking me to do, Jake.”
“Think about the situation. Look at it from the perspective of the aliens.”
She wanted to point out that aliens would probably not think like people. But she let it go. “How do you mean?”
“If you were in their place, and you’d come back here for a rendezvous with representatives from another technological species, something everybody knows is very rare, you’d expect them to show up, right?”
“Yes. Probably.”
“What would you do if they didn’t?”
She was thinking of the jilted bride. “They’d never see me again.”
He laughed. “Assume for a minute you’re rational.”
“I’m fairly rational.”
“All right then. Let’s say unemotional. The failure to show up could not have been personal. Maybe the other side is afraid. Or maybe something happened to delay them. What do you do?”
She exhaled. “I’d leave a note.”
“Now answer your own question: What next?”
“Benny,” she said. “Commence search for artificial satellite.”
“Excellent.” Jake looked pleased. “You’re going to be good at this yet, Priscilla.”
* * *
THE SATELLITE FOUND them. “Greetings,” it said. “We are sorry we missed you.”
Jake took over. “We are, too.”
“We hope there was no difficulty.”
“The people you talked to were lost in an accident. On the way home.”
“That saddens us. Please accept our—” It used an unfamiliar word.
“Thank you,” said Jake.
“We wish we could do more.”
“Are you perhaps still in the area? Is another meeting possible?”
“Unfortunately, not at this time. We are long gone, and will probably not return in the near future.”
“I’m sorry to hear it.”
“We also have regrets. We waited as long as we could. But there were limitations.”
“I understand. Perhaps, one day we will meet again.”
“I’m sure we will. Meantime, know that you have new friends. Farewell.”
They waited a few moments. Priscilla looked at the planetary images, at the clouds, at the oceans. Listened to the silence. “Do we want to take the satellite on board?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Leave it where it is. Take it home, and they’ll just put it in the Smithsonian. This is where it belongs.” He pointed at the control panel. “Meanwhile, Captain Hutchins, you have a report to file. And some deliveries to make.”
“Jake,” she said, “Simmons was wrong. He didn’t bomb. He went outside in the shuttle. That made all the difference.”
“I know.”
“I wish he’d known—”