Arthur Clarke - Rama Revealed

Her greetings from Patrick and Ellie had been very

warm. Ellie had looked tired, but she had said it was because she had had a full day. Ellie had explained to Nicole that she had taken it upon herself to stimulate interspecies social activity at the Grand Hotel. “It’s the least I can do,” Ellie had said, “since I speak the octospider language. I’m hoping that you’ll give me a hand as soon as you have your strength.”

Patrick had spoken quietly to Nicole about his concern for Nai. ‘This Galileo situation is tearing her apart, Mother,” her son had said. “She is furious because the blockheads, as we call them, removed Galileo from the normal living areas without much explanation and without anything that we would call ‘due process.’ She is also angry because she is not allowed to spend more than two hours a day with him. I’m certain she is going to ask you for assistance.”

Nai had changed. The spark and softness were gone from her eyes and she was uncharacteristically negative, even in her first remarks. “We are living in the worst kind of police state here, Nicole,” Nai had said. “Far worse than under Nakamura. After you are settled, I have many things to tell you.”

Max Puckett and his adorable French wife, Eponine, had both aged, like everyone else, but it was clear that their love for each other and for their son, Marius, sustained them on a day-to-day basis. Eponine had shrugged when Nicole asked her if the crowded living conditions bothered her. “Not really,” she had replied. “Remember, I lived in the orphanage in Limoges as a child. Besides, I’m just delighted to be alive and have Max and Marius. For years I never thought I would live long enough to have any gray hair.”

As for Max, he had remained his ornery, irrepressible self. His hair too was mostly gray, and he had just a little of the bounce in his step. But Nicole could tell from his eyes that he was enjoying his life. ‘There’s this fellow I see regularly in the smoking lounge,” Max had told Nicole during the evening, “who is a big admirer of yours. He somehow escaped the plague, although his wife didn’t. Anyway”- Max had then grinned—”I thought I’d fix you two up as soon as you have some free time. He’s a little younger than you are, but I doubt if that will be a problem.”

Nicole had asked Max about the problems between the humans and the octospiders. “You know,” Max had said, “the war may have taken place fifteen or sixteen years ago, but none of the humans has any intervening memories to soften his anger. Everyone here lost somebody, a friend or a relative or a neighbor, in that horrible plague. And they can’t quickly forget that it was the octospiders who caused it.”

“In response to the aggression of the human armies,” Nicole had said.

“But most of the humans don’t see it that way. Maybe they believe the propaganda Nakamura told them and not the ‘official’ war history, presented by your friend the Eagle soon after we were moved here. The truth is that most of the humans hate and fear the octospiders. Only about twenty percent of the people have made any attempt to mix socially, despite Ellie’s courageous efforts, or to learn anything about the octos. Most of the humans stay in our ray. Unfortunately, the cramped living quarters do not help to alleviate the problem.”

Nicole now rolled over on her side. Her daughter Ellie was sleeping facing her. Ellie’s eyes were twitching. She’s dreaming, Nicole thought. I hope not about Robert. She thought again about her reunion with her family and friends. I guess the Eagle knew what he was doing in keeping me alive. Even if he doesn’t have anything specific for me to do. As long as I don’t become an invalid or a burden, I can be helpful here.

“This will be your first major Grand Hotel experience,” Max said to Nicole. “Every time I go to the cafeteria during open hours, I am reminded of Bounty Day in the Emerald City. Those weird creatures’ that came along with the octospiders may be fascinating, but I’m a damn sight more comfortable when they’re not around.”

“Can’t we wait until it’s our period, Dad?” Marius asked. ‘The iguanas frighten Nikki. They gawk at us with

their yellow eyes and make such repulsive clucking noises while they are eating.”

“Son,” Max said, “you and Nikki can wait with the others until our segregated lunchtime, if you want. Nicole wants to eat with all the residents. It’s a matter of principle to her. Your mother and I are going to accompany her to ensure that she learns the cafeteria routine.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Nicole said. “I’m sure that Ellie or Patrick—”

“Nonsense,” Max interrupted. “Eponine and I are delighted to join you. Besides, Patrick has gone with Nai to see Galileo, Ellie is over in the recreation room, and Benjy is reading with Kepler and Maria.”

“I appreciate your understanding, Max,” Nicole said. “It is important for me to make the right kind of statement, especially at the beginning. The Eagle and Dr. Blue didn’t tell me much about the details of the trouble…”

“You don’t need to explain,” Max replied. “In fact, last night after you fell asleep, I told Frenchie I was certain that you would want to mix.” He laughed. “Don’t forget, we know you very well.”

After Eponine joined them, they walked out in the hallway. It was mostly empty. A few people were walking in the corridor on their left, away from the center of the starfish, and a man and a woman were standing together at the entrance to the ray.

The trio waited two or three minutes for the tram to arrive. As they drew near to the final stop, Max leaned over to Nicole. ‘Those two people standing at the ray entrance,” he said, “are not just passing time. They’re both big activists on the Council. Very opinionated and very pushy.”

Nicole took the arm that Max offered her as they disembarked. “What do they want?” she whispered as the pair started walking toward them.

“I don’t know,” Max mumbled quickly, “but we’ll find out soon enough.”

“Good day, Max. Hello, Eponine,” the man said. He was a portly man in his early forties. He looked at Nicole and broke into a wide politician’s smile. “You must be Nicole Wakefield,” he said, reaching out to shake hands. “We’ve all heard so very much about you… Welcome… welcome. I’m Stephen Kowalski.”

“And I’m Renee du Pont,” the woman said, advancing and also extending her hand in Nicole’s direction.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Mr. Kowalski asked Max what the three of them were doing. “We’re taking Mrs. Wakefield to lunch,” Max replied simply.

“It’s still common time,” the man said with another big smile. He checked his watch. “Why don’t you wait forty-five minutes more and Renee and I will join you? We’re on the Council, you know, and we would like very much to speak to Mrs. Wakefield about our activities. Certainly the Council will want to hear from her in the very near future.”

“Thanks for the offer, Stephen,” Max said. “But we’re all hungry. We want to eat now.”

Mr. Kowalski’s brow furrowed. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Max,” he said. “There’s a lot of tension at the moment. After that incident yesterday in the swimming pool, the Council voted unanimously to boycott all collective activities for the next two days. Emily was especially incensed that Big Block put Garland on probation and took no disciplinary action of any kind against the offending octospider. That’s the fourth consecutive time that the blockheads have ruled against us.”

“Come on, Stephen,” Max said. “I heard the story at dinner last night. Garland was still in the pool fifteen minutes after our special time had expired. He grabbed the octo first.”