Alien Research

CHAPTER 48

GAPED FOR A MOMENT, then found my voice. “I knew that was your portal.”

He shrugged. “I have a lot of portals. As you wisely surmised. You’re angry, I get it.”

“Do you? You know ACE wouldn’t have let Michael die, and probably not Fuzzball, either.”

Algar nodded. “You’re correct. But people, many people, and animals, die every day,” he said gently. “Some are, like your friend, murdered. Some die from disease, old age, accidents, violence of one kind or another. It’s part of the circle of life.”

“Thanks for that, Mufasa.”

He rolled his eyes. “Let me explain, again, the differences between me and what you call ACE. ACE sees all the death and knows it can’t do anything to stop it, but it wants to stop it. I see all the death and know that while I could stop it, free will demands that I don’t.”

Let that sink in. “You’ve been here a lot more than just the last few decades, haven’t you? I don’t mean living here on Earth, but you dropped by to visit, check the place out, kick the tires. Or else you’d never have either sent Ronald Yates here or come here yourself.”

“True enough.”

“So, are you the one Martin Luther threw the ink bottle at?”

Algar smiled. “That’s for me to know and you to find out. Just realize that everyone and everything dies. Planets, solar systems, galaxies, even. Gods can die. Immortals can be destroyed. Death is part of life—death is a vital part of life. Without death, there’s no room for new life. Without new life, there’s no hope for new ideas, new discoveries, new wisdom.”

“That’s awesome in the abstract, but it really sucks in reality.”

“Yes, it does.” He sighed. “The thing about free will is that it’s pretty much an all or nothing thing. Either you have free will, or you don’t. If you don’t, if all is preordained, what’s the point of existence?”

“Are all Black Hole People philosophers, or are they all just jerks like you?”

He chuckled. “Immortality sounds great until you have it. Immortality practically demands a philosophical outlook, at least over time. And it takes a long time to redeem a single mistake, and many bad things can and will happen in the course of that redemption.”

“Christopher says we’re back to square one, or worse.”

“Perhaps. Of course, he’s got his own problems that are shading his outlook. Just like everyone.”

“It’s my fault Fuzzball and Michael are dead.”

Algar’s eyes flashed. “Have you listened to a word I’ve said? Free will means they make their choices and they live, or die, with the consequences of them. Did you influence their deaths? Maybe. But the Poof made the choice to do what you asked, and it could have made the choice not to—there have been plenty of times when the Poofs have ignored your direct orders. Michael was trying to break free anyway. Because that’s what hero-types always do, and he fit that mold.”

“He wanted to break free to save everyone.”

“Which proves the adage: Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.”

“Are you saying he shouldn’t have fought back?”

“I’m saying that he made a choice, because he had free will. If that choice had gone the other way, if he and the Poof had won, you wouldn’t be sitting here berating me for allowing the Poof to eat your enemies or Michael to have beaten them to death. You’d be doing the happy dance.”

“Well, yeah.”

“You think the people you consider bad guys don’t pray to their gods like you do? You think they don’t consider this small victory proof that they’re in the right?”

“I know, I know, this is the oldest argument about why wars happen and never stop. Why people we consider terrorists are considered freedom fighters or heroes by others.”

“Exactly. Yes, they’re doing bad things, but they’re following a plan that outlines why, if they do all these bad things, the future will be better. Better for them, to be sure, but still, better.” Algar hopped down off the hamper. “You need to pull yourself together. Listen to some tunes, have sex with your husband.”

“I don’t feel like listening to anything and I doubt anyone feels like doing the deed right now.”

“On the contrary. One of the best things about the life forms in this part of the galaxy is that you all still have the primal urge of reproduction going strong—every species in this part of the galaxy is focused, at their cores, on proliferation of their species. Death creates the desire for life. And there’s only one natural way to bring life about.”

“You just want to turn on your Embassy Porn Channel.”

He laughed. “One day, maybe I’ll explain to you why that’s hilarious, on so many different levels.” He patted my shoulder. “But not today.”

“Before you disappear, I have to ask—did you hang out with Alpha Four’s king, or Richard, or Paul, as much as you’re now hanging out with me?”

“The first king of Alpha Four, yes. You’re a lot like him. One smart, inquisitive, brave, non-linear-thinking, cute little ape.”

“Did you call him a cute little ape, too?”

He grinned. “Nope. You’re just lucky that way.” Then he snapped his fingers and disappeared.

“I know you’re just doing that finger snap to be funny,” I said to no one. My iPod was still clipped to my jeans. I put my headphones in and hit play. “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones came on.

Started to laugh, then cried, bawled, and, as Jeff came in to get me, laughed again.

“You okay, baby?” he asked me softly, as he picked me up off the floor.

“As okay as everyone else.”

“You want to talk about it?”

“Maybe later. We have a war room meeting to get back to.”

“No, we don’t. We’re bringing spouses and families here, we have enough room between the Embassy and the Zoo.”

“Everyone’s going to be part of the discussion of next steps?”

“No,” Jeff said firmly. “Everyone’s going to go to bed and rest. We need to regroup, and we all need to calm down. The grief isn’t going to go away quickly, but everyone just going into their own little family groups in a semblance of safety is a start.”

“Where’re Chuckie and Naomi?”

“In the guest room we permanently assigned to Reynolds before they got married. So they can be alone and we can be alone. I’m going to get Jamie, and we’re all going to just relax and try to get some sleep.”

“It’s not really bedtime.”

Jeff kissed my forehead. “I’m saying that today bedtime is right now. By Congressional Decree.”

Buried my face in his neck. “Whatever you say.”

“I love it when you listen to reason.” He chuckled. “Yes.”

“Yes what?”

“Yes, most everyone probably does want to have sex. Not at this exact moment, but sooner than anyone would admit to out loud.”

“You reading my mind?”

“Yeah. And, especially right now, I appreciate your focus on the priorities.”