The Plague Forge [ARC] (58 page)

The fact remains that it’s Skyler and the others who are helping Earth. This cannot be understated, and I should have said it before. I should have explained. Instead Skadz and I agreed to wait. We wanted to see what happened in the aftermath, to make sure the survivors on Earth were ready for what Skyler negotiated on their behalf.

I’ve never spoken of this to anybody until now. Nor did Skadz, as far as I know, before he passed away. Before I do explain, however, allow me to review the considerable gifts bestowed on us in exchange for the sacrifice Skyler and the others made:

Two space elevators, plus the ships needed to construct three more whenever we wish.

Two hundred mobile towers, reconfigured to produce unsynchronized pockets where time runs at speeds ranging from a virtual standstill to almost a year per second spent inside, the possibilities for which we are still dreaming up even now. Someday these will be what allow us to reach the stars ourselves.

Knowledge of how to reproduce their remarkable building materials as well as their energy sources. Granted, it will still be many years before we have the resources and manufacturing capability online to make use of this, but it’s coming. Last year’s restart of Penrith, Brisbane, and Newcastle stations is an incredible start toward this goal.

Honestly, if or when Skyler ever returns, I wonder whether he will recognize our planet. Despite everything, even I can admit that the chance to have a fresh start, backed by all these marvels, makes me tingle with excitement. There have been mistakes and missteps, sure, but on the whole I think everyone agrees we are doing it right this time. We’re building a utopia.

But there is something you’re not aware of. Something else they left behind, and it was Skyler who thought to ask for it. To demand it, rather.

There is a machine in orbit above us. Dormant as of yet, but there. Ready and waiting to act as guide, tutor, friend. We only need visit the place, and ask. I’m telling you now because I think we are ready. And I think we need the help.

It has been five decades, after all, and our progress, while admirable, is slow. By most estimates it will take another six hundred years to repopulate the cities we’ve designated as resettlement candidates. Six hundred! With the intelligence they left us, and the information it contains, we could reduce that figure significantly.

This brings me to the true gift they gave us. The grand apology.

What we knew as SUBS, the virus that took so many from us through the systematic dismantling of the human mind, was in fact an information-gathering network. A vast swarm of machines, built to seek sentient minds and harvest from them the information they carry. Thoughts, memories, perhaps even personalities.

They collected it, all of it, in a trove of information almost beyond comprehension. Nine billion minds, cataloged and stored. It’s all there, waiting for us to access it. I now believe we should do exactly that, despite some inherent dangers I’m sure you can all imagine. We need to be careful who is allowed inside, but if we do it right then it’s possible all of the knowledge lost to that terrible disease can be regained.

It was Skyler who spoke up. He’s the one who demanded they leave this treasure behind, and provide us a method to interact with it. This morning I’ve shared the details regarding this with the Science Committee.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. No matter the Builders’ motivations, the fact was that Earth lay in ruins and likely would have collapsed entirely without these gifts. My stubbornness, if shared by the others, would have left us with nothing. And for all I know they would have just taken us against our will and left Earth to die. They are machines, after all, following a core set of principles they cannot break, including the simple instruction at the very center of their programmed souls:

Protect your creators.

Something I think we humans can understand.

Ana Vielma

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PEAKER,
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SSEMBLY

Acknowledgments

This novel would not have been possible without the help and support of the following:

My endlessly patient wife, Nancy.

Sara Megibow, my agent and champion.

My editor Mike Braff and his assistant, Sarah Peed. Their insights and thoughtfulness constantly amaze me.

All my family and friends, and notably: the Brotherhood and the Cosmonicans.

The tremendously talented Kevin Hearne, my first and biggest fan, and someone I now call a friend.

I also extend my heartfelt thanks to all the people at Del Rey who helped bring this series to life. You’re one hell of a talented bunch.