Meeting on the pier

We find Councilor Gerard loading nets and other equipment into a coracle. He's an older man, even older than Amy, short graying hair, a spindly build, an average cock that seems oversized against his slight frame.

"Hello," says Martin. "I'm the new sleeper. You wanted to talk?"

Councilor Gerard points to the end of a pier. "Let us go over there," he says quietly. "Fewer ears around." When we've reached our destination, his eyes shoot to me.

"She's my travelling companion," says Martin. "There's nothing I know that she doesn't. And plenty she knows that I don't."

Gerard smiles at that. "Very well. I'll speak freely. I am glad I was able to talk to you so soon after your awakening. I assume you have fresh memories of living on a planet." He pauses. "Can you tell me what it is like?"

Martin thinks. Looking at his face, I believe he is trying to determine the question behind the question. "Everything is so much bigger," he says. "More space. More people. All chaos. You have to make your own meaning. No one's going to determine it for you."

Gerard's smile widens. "I see you are going directly for the contrasts with...how we live here."

"Isn't that what you were looking for?"

"Fair enough. I suppose the obvious question to follow then--What do you think about this place?"

"It's remarkable. Everyone shares freely, even of their bodies. There is true equality--in status, in work, in love. No insignias of rank. No hierarchy. No property. No wealth. Every person has their place. The things that would threaten this--ambition, greed, resentment, envy, jealousy--all absent, as far as I can tell." Martin laughs. "I must say, though, that my view of things--after only a couple of days--is hardly going to be complete. Overall, it seems too good to be true. Plenty of freethinking friends from my undergraduate days would see this as the pinnacle of human society, a true utopia."

"But you would not be one of those people?"

"Eh." Martin shrugs his shoulders. "It's very...static. And feels kind of brittle." He laughs again. "Which I know is a crazy thing to say about something that's been around for so long now. But it only works because of that AI directing everything. And the ideal conditions and closed nature of this craft. Which could be threatened by any number of things." Martin's eyes find Gerard's, boring into them. "Like, for instance, arriving at a whole new planet. I assume that's the crux of this discussion, why you're so clearly worried."

"You are as insightful a young man as I could have hoped," says Gerard. "I am worried. Or perhaps disquieted is the better word. My sense of unease, however, does not rise to the level that I felt compelled to oppose the decision, but I am willing to admit the future is uncertain."

"The future is always uncertain," says Martin. "A stopover doesn't have to mean the end of the Apeliotes, you know--its mission. Some time to drop off those who wish to settle this new world, help them acclimate, acquire supplies, then off again under the same conditions as before. It seems like something that would have to happen eventually, even without the discovery of a habitable planet. The ship can't operate indefinitely by itself. Things break down that can't simply be repaired."

"Aye," says Gerard. "In any case, this is all many hundreds off. And my unease also extends to more immediate concerns." The old man hesitates. "I've seen some troubling things--that I cannot remember happening before. A few days ago, a substantial catch of fish rotted in the docks before anyone saw to moving it. And a couple of days before that, one of the synth-meat manufactories went down for lack of the catalyst that is usually delivered from one of the outlying pollies."

Martin shakes his head. "I'm going to assume this is significant, since you're telling me. Perhaps you're thinking some kind of sabotage? But as a newcomer to this whole situation, I wouldn't have the faintest clue how or why. Much less what Marissa or me could do about it."

"No, no, I don't expect anything from you. I know you have your mission. I simply ask that you keep your eyes and ears open."

"Sure, that's easy enough," says Martin. "Uh, was there anything else you wanted to discuss, councilor?"

"I don't think so." The old man starts walking back down the pier towards his coracle. We follow. "As I said, I am glad we could talk."

"I'm glad, too. I think."

Gerard flashes us one final smile before hopping in his coracle and paddling out into the Great Lake to join the others on fishing duty. Martin and I watch for a few moments.

"Well, that was enlightening," says Martin. "And odd. Especially that last bit."

"I thought you handled the conversation very well," I say, feeling a little pride. "With both of them. Perhaps you are a natural councilor yourself."

"Hah," Martin chortles. "Well, no more delays, I guess."

"Auto," I say, "we are ready to go."

"That is good to hear," says Auto. "You may proceed further on the redward path. I believe you are likely to reach the chicken polly before night."