An Island No More
I had a waking dream about a possible "first-contact" scenario. This story reflects my hope that it might be something simple, yet cool. Though the story is vorish, you might enjoy it more if you like science fiction such as that by Greg Egan and Greg Bear.
// Sol orbit, near Pluto //
Short of being nailed point-blank by a nuclear weapon, he didn't think they could kill him. In truth, he wasn't really afraid; he had come to know this species pretty well over the years, having studied their broadcasts and observed them visually using extreme optical magnification. They had a lot of potential.
// United Nations, New York City //
The Secretary-General sat in his office, head in his hands, deep in thought. So it had finally happened. In a thunderclap, Fermi's Paradox had been shattered and one of mankind's greatest questions answered.
It was just a voice communication over plain radio waves. Though the voice sounded remarkably human, direction-finding and triangulation immediately ruled out a hoax. The incoming communication was repeated in many languages, containing a greeting and an introduction. The Security Council had summarized it thus:
We've observed you from a distance for many years.
We offer technological assistance.
We would like to meet you. However, some worlds we have approached do not want to risk contact with outsiders, or are happy the way they are and do not want any help. We respect this and will not be offended if you choose likewise.
Please respond at your convenience. If you invite us, a single envoy will land at a place and time of your choosing.
The Secretary-General glared irritably at the summary memo on his desk. As a cruel joke, someone had stamped TOP SECRET at the bottom. He hoped to God these aliens knew what they were doing, or there would be panic in the streets.
// University of California, Berkeley - Dept. of Integrative Biology //
Dr. Juliana Mills glanced over the fossils, charts, and a myriad of scientific gear in her lab, not really seeing any of it. Great vistas filled her imagination: rich panoramas of life on other worlds, offering endless possibilities for study. So Earth wasn't so unique after all.
In the background, a gruff voice on the TV shouted, "Larry, the governments of the world couldn't cover this up even if they wanted! For Pete's sake, it was sent in the clear! It filled a huge chunk of the spectrum and even amateurs picked it up easily!"
// Three months later //
// Edwards Air Force Base, Washington, DC //
The early afternoon air was mild and the autumnal sky hinted at infinity with its unvaried blueness. Juliana sat in a large outdoor reception area at the air base, together with over 300 dignitaries, world leaders, press members, and a few other scientists. Defensive systems had been notified of the visitor's arrival; it would be the height of bad manners to shoot down the craft by accident, she thought wryly.
She could faintly hear a CNN correspondent on the right side of the seating area, suavely narrating: "Though there were misgivings and opposition from a few vocal minorities, two months ago the U.N. voted to invite the emissary. Almost every nation of the world is represented here today, eagerly awaiting the address promised by Earth's special guest, who--"
The voice was interrupted by a sonic boom that announced the arrival of something high above. Juliana swept her gaze anxiously across the azure sky. A silver streak appeared and glided down from the heavens. Since the area had been cleared of all other air traffic, this must be it! As it came closer, she saw that the ship was remarkably small: It was only about the size of an F-16 Fighting Falcon she had seen during the tour of the base yesterday. She was mildly disappointed: She had been expecting something grand, like out of Close Encounters.
As it made its final approach, Juliana could see that the silver-white craft was seamless and aerodynamic, similar to a plane in overall appearance (though its wings were quite short). It did not have a cockpit or any other noticeable entrance, nor did it have any obvious means of propulsion. It descended and slowed to hover in utter silence--which drew a few gasps of amazement from the crowd--about 200 feet in front them. It seemed to be watching them and considering whether to commit itself to a landing. After a few moments, it made its decision and descended cautiously for a dainty touchdown on the helipad beneath it.
She knew the world was holding its collective breath to see what the alien looked like, and she was tremendously curious herself. She didn't have long to wait. Before her eyes, the gleaming ship started to melt, morphing into a new form. Its landing struts became four clawed feet and the white triangular wings lengthened into those of a bird, texturizing with a hint of purple feathers or scales. As the stern of the ship sprouted a slender tail, its prow sculpted itself into a snout, head, and neck. Juliana tingled with wonder as the transformation completed. The whole structure looked like a shimmering, angelic griffon--though it had a muzzle instead of a beak. It moved!
Now this was unexpected: The ship itself was the emissary! As the crowd looked on in stunned silence, the entity raised its wings. With a single downbeat, it hopped into the air and sailed in a graceful arc toward them, alighting delicately on the stage that had been erected for this event. It peered inquisitively at them with obsidian eyes. With stately elegance, it dipped its head low against its forepaws and elevated its wings into symmetrical arcs, executing what was unmistakably a bow.
It raised its head and spoke in a pleasant baritone that was loud enough to carry to the back of the seating area. "Hello to you all. Thank you for inviting me to visit your world. First, let me take a minute to explain a few things. After that, since I know you're very curious, you can ask all the questions you want.
"Please call me Anjo, which is reminiscent of my true name when spoken aloud. I am a first-contact envoy. I specialize in studying the native inhabitants of other worlds and in deciding how, or even if, to contact them. Your world has now met all of the qualifications.
"I'm here to welcome you into the community of the Milky Way Galaxy. It's a very loose society and we won't impose any restrictions on your behavior. On behalf of all the members of that community, I'm authorized to assist you technologically and in any other ways you may ask. However, as before, the decision about whether and to what degree to accept help is yours to make." After a pause, he concluded, "Now it's your turn. Please ask me anything you like."
An eager astronomer next to Juliana, barely containing his excitement, shot out, "How long have you been watching us?"
"I've observed you directly, from outside your star system, for 53 years."
The astronomer continued insistently, "But why didn't you contact us earlier?"
Anjo nodded as though expecting this question. "Let me explain," he began. "You should be proud to have made it this far. Most living worlds never evolve a sentient species, though many come tantalizingly close. You had a rough period for many years during which it seemed you might destroy your own civilization. I could have contacted you then, but decided not to, for fear that I would destabilize things even more. It may seem heartless to allow the possible death of billions rather than trying to prevent it. But in our experience, civilizations that undergo the ordeal of self-destruction often rebuild themselves in a few centuries or less. And much like your legend of the Phoenix, they almost always rise from the ashes in splendor, having become vastly wiser and better."
Juliana noticed that the audience seemed to be absorbing this eloquent answer dubiously. Even the journalists present, normally aggressive and overbearing, seemed cowed.
Finally, another question was voiced. "What planet are you from?" asked a French dignitary.
"I personally am not from anywhere in particular. Most of the member civilizations live in the vast reaches of space, which they find more convenient than being planet-bound. However, I'm pleased that you're interested, so let me mention the home world of my ancestors. You may call it Ravna. Here is the most recent hologram I have of it." Anjo raised his head to peer into the space between himself and the audience. A planetary sphere as large as himself materialized there, about 20 feet above the ground. When the gasps and murmuring faded, he continued, "It's nearly 18,000 light years from here, in the constellation of Sagittarius. I have a lasting fondness for it even though I've never actually visited it."
Juliana watched with wonder as Ravna revolved in sedate beauty above her. The image appeared to be a perfect miniature world, with the audience held in orbit around it. Most of the visible hemisphere was covered by red-brown mountains and rugged land pockmarked with crystal blue lakes. Part of a single sparkling ocean was visible on the right side. She felt a momentarily surge of vertigo, as though falling toward the surface; she tore her eyes away.
Anjo waited until most of the assembly was looking at him again, and continued, "Two million years ago, my biological forebears who lived there were not quite sentient. They had reached the end of their evolutionary path because they were not tool-users and were incapable of developing any technology on their own. Seeing this, a first-contact envoy visited them and offered to enhance their intelligence. They decided to accept, and so here I am."
The hologram faded and disappeared. Anjo waited for another question. A journalist with an Australian accent called loudly from the rear, "If you don't mind my asking, what the heck are you? Are you alive?"
"Biologically speaking, I'm not alive. But I'm not an artificial intelligence if that's what you were thinking. Instead, I'm a trans-Ravnan, which is just a fancy way of saying that I have an artificial body furnished with enhancements and accessories, without which I wouldn't be qualified for this job."
The Russian President boomed from the front, "What sorts of help are you offering? Would there be a massive invasion of others like you?"
"No! No invasion or anything like it," Anjo assured quickly. "In fact, you might say that I'm the entire package. If you choose to accept help, I'll be your only contact, at least for a while. I might not look like much, but I'm very knowledgeable. I'm an expert in the introductory technologies needed to uplift a fledgling civilization, such as yours, into something more compatible with the rest of galactic society. The core fields I offer to teach, in which you've already made tentative progress, are nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. These two disciplines are a powerful combination. Even a basic application would rapidly cure all diseases and eliminate poverty and hunger. Eventually, many of you may choose to abandon biological form and opt for a body that's more durable and capable, or even live in an artificial reality where a physical body isn't necessary. I emphasize that these options should be offered on a completely voluntary basis to each individual. For example, some of my own race still live in biological form. A small number of them even thrive in their original biosphere on Ravna, having chosen not to be enhanced much beyond basic self-awareness."
Juliana smiled when Anjo used the word "fledgling". He had even mentioned the legend of the Phoenix! Maybe he really is a bird, she thought curiously. She sketched out a few questions in her mind: open-ended ones that would get him talking about himself. Now, if only she could summon the nerve to ask them, and find an opportunity...
The United States President asked, "The help you are offering--how exactly would it be given?"
"That's largely for all of you to decide. I want to make this as easy as possible; I'm not here to traumatize you with wonders or to dominate you with technology. However, I also recognize that this is a special moment in history for you, just as it was for my ancestors. I've taken great care to plan this out and I'll do everything in my power to see that it stays special and positive. If you welcome me here, together we'll take it one step at a time. You will set the pace and keep it at a level you find comfortable.
"By the way, though I've studied your humor, I don't grasp its intricacies. But feel free to laugh if something I say strikes you as funny. I want you to feel at ease."
There was a second of silence. It's now or never, Juliana thought, raising her hand. When Anjo looked at her, she asked in a rush, "Can you tell us more about yourself? Why did you choose this profession? Why did you choose our world?"
He seemed to brighten visibly and nodded. "I'm glad you asked. My race shares a singular communal dedication: Many of us feel an ancient compulsion to nurture and teach. In addition, I've always had a keen interest in planetary biospheres and evolutionary history. These things together drew me toward first-contact as a profession. I was overjoyed the day I was accepted as trainee, over 3000 years ago.
"I'm currently the youngest member of my specialty. But don't let that scare you!" he added quickly, with what looked like a grin, and a few people laughed timidly. "I've had a lot of training. Though yours is the first world to which I've been assigned on my own, I've assisted in the contact of several others.
"One of the reasons I was chosen as Earth's mentor is that my biological progenitors shared much in common with you. Though not like you physically, it was thought that our appearance, values, and interests would not be as unnerving to you as some of the alternatives.
"The form I take now is a stylized representation of my ancestral form. For reasons of custom, I'll now shift into my native form. Technically speaking, I still won't be alive, but I'll look just like a Ravnan. Please don't be alarmed at what you see; remember, it's still me on the inside."
Anjo morphed again. His obsidian eyes took on a living intensity. His cat-like body sprouted large leaf-shaped feathers, becoming a waterfall of purple and blue plumage cascading over a powerfully muscled frame. His wings grew to gigantic proportions--more in keeping with what would be needed to support such a large creature in the air, Juliana realized. His head elongated into a crested black arrow, complete with a muzzle filled with conical, translucent teeth.
This transformation was like Jekyll and Hyde! However, even though Anjo looked like a wild beast--all the more fearsome because of his alien heritage--Juliana found him to be exotically beautiful.
The assembly gasped and murmured uneasily. The creature seemed to emanate ferocity. Juliana heard someone behind her whisper "dragon..." in an awed voice. Yes--notwithstanding his twilight plumage, that word did fit him. She noticed that a few people standing on the sides of the seating area had started edging furtively toward the back.
Anjo settled onto his haunches and folded his vast wings at his sides. He cast his gaze over the assembly and spoke again, his voice unchanged. "Since I've managed to strike you speechless," he paused while a few people chuckled nervously, "this is a good time to conduct a brief ceremony. One of the ancient traditions of first-contact is making a physical gesture of good will. Its purpose is to symbolize the fact that while we may have radically different origins, our biological heritage--together with all the suffering and hard work of our ancestors--draws us together much more than it sets us apart."
He nodded meaningfully at a photographer kneeling in the front. "It's also a great photo opportunity," he quipped.
Pockets of laughter stirred through the audience and some of the tension drained out of the air. Around the world, people were beginning to realize that while he was indeed frightening, this creature was also endearing in his own way.
Anjo concluded, "I'd like to do that now if one or two of you would volunteer to come up on the stage with me." No one moved or said a word. The silence started to become awkward.
Juliana stared in awe. This beast's sinuous lines, taloned feet, and flashing teeth betrayed his predatory nature. She had studied animals, and predators in particular, most of her life. He fascinated her. Despite the danger, her curiosity was tugging at her and she raised her hand. "I--I'll come," she stammered, wondering if she would regret such impulsiveness. She always had to be the bold one, diving in before even checking the depth of the water! She stood up, sidestepped into the aisle, and approached the stage warily.
"Thank you," Anjo said with a flourish of wings and slight bow of his head. Noticing her hesitance, he remarked, "Don't worry, I don't bite much."
She stopped in mid-step. She was definitely having second thoughts now.
Contritely, he added, "Sorry, that was a little joke--but I don't think I got the delivery quite right."
Relieved laughter burst from the audience behind her. She grinned in embarrassment and proceeded to climb the short steps at the side of the stage.
Anjo turned to face her as she approached and asked politely, "What's your name?"
"Juliana Mills," she replied with a nervous smile, coming to a stop at what seemed like a safe distance: 15 feet. Even with this gap between them, he towered over her, more than twice her height as he sat fox-like on his haunches. She fidgeted apprehensively with her hands. "Okay, what do I do now?"
"Juliana, I know I'm a bit intimidating, so let's make it something simple," he proposed reasonably. "Let's do a handshake, since that's one of your greeting customs. But... since we're not really sized right for each other, just place your hand on mine as a symbol of our first-contact."
She took one step forward, but found herself unable to move another inch. There was something deeply scary about this animal, even though he claimed not to really be an animal. Anjo was still only about the size of a fighter plane, but such a machine looked pretty big when you were right up close to it! Though she wanted to go through with it, and knew she would never forgive herself if she froze up, she couldn't force her legs to move.
"It's alright. I should have expected your reaction. I think my similarity to Earth's predators has stirred an instinctive response in you," he comforted, crouching down lower against the stage, perhaps to make himself look smaller. "Since it's a time-honored tradition for me to greet you in my ancestral form, let's try to make this work. You're very brave; you were the first and only volunteer", he praised. He turned his head to glare with mock chagrin at the audience, adding, "None of *them* wanted to risk it." The crowd looked abashed; some looked down at their feet while others chuckled self-consciously. "Try to imagine me as I appeared earlier, something less threatening," he soothed.
Juliana brought to mind Anjo's delicate, silvery form. This, coupled with the shameful thought that she might ruin this historic event, was just enough to get her feet moving again. Taking a step, her eyes locked into his. She was transfixed; his eyes were like starry night skies reflecting off a roiling black ocean. She felt herself losing herself in their hypnotic patterns as she walked forward. Abruptly, her trance was broken as she stumbled over one of his forepaws. She lost her balance and fell gracelessly against his chest and shoulder. Oh brother! Why did she have to be such a klutz at a time like this?
"Well now, this is even better than a handshake," Anjo chuckled warmly, having gently lifted his other foreleg to help support her.
"Sorry!" she moaned with exasperation, leaning against him and trying to regain her footing and composure.
"It's quite alright. I would have suggested a hug earlier, but it seemed a little too bold as a first step," he jested playfully. The audience erupted into hearty laughter.
Juliana went crimson with embarrassment. She stood up and glanced back at the uproarious crowd. She had a rebellious idea: Since the VIPs were having such a good time at her expense, why not give them a show? She turned to look up at Anjo, who was respectfully regarding her, his eyes sparkling with what seemed like mild amusement. "I think I'll take you up on that offer," she declared loudly over the noise behind her. She grinned broadly and without warning, stepped forward between his forepaws and clasped her arms about his neck, pressing against him and hanging almost her entire weight on him. His darkly iridescent feathers fluffed around her, delightfully warm and soft.
Anjo drew in his breath in surprise and a pleasant tingle spread throughout him. Now this was a first! To his knowledge, no envoy had ever been greeted so spontaneously and intimately. There were records of first-contact ceremonies going awry; but in spite of the initial awkwardness, this one was quite the opposite! The audience went quiet as he spread his violet wings and lightly covered her with them from the shoulders down. "Well! This is a far warmer greeting than I had ever hoped to receive. I really feel welcome now!" he exclaimed sincerely. He lowered his head to gaze at her with admiring affection. "Thank you, Juliana."
She simply hugged him tighter in response. Utter contentment seeped into her as he surrounded and supported her with his downy musculature.
The crowd was completely won over and broke into applause. A couple of photographers snapped a flurry of pictures. This was more than a photo op--it was a magical moment in history!
Anjo cradled her with his wings, holding her gently against him and relaxing in the warmth of her trust. Over the noise of the applause, he spoke softly and amiably to her. "I'm going to say something formal now to conclude the ceremony. You can stand up beside me if you like." When she nodded, he lifted his wings off her.
Juliana stood up, beamed at him, and stepped over his right paw to stand beside him. That impulsive little stunt had turned out far better than she had hoped! As an added bonus, she felt much more relaxed and at ease with him, and she was no longer fazed by all the bigwigs watching. His confidence was like an aura that protected and infused her.
Anjo turned to face the audience and the world via the news cameras. When the applause faded, he intoned with dignity, "On behalf of over 330 other ancestral worlds and their children, who span from the fiery depths of the galactic core to most distant wisps of the spiral arms, I welcome you to our community. Though you may not choose to participate immediately, all of us want you to know that we are here for you, and that you are no longer alone."
The crowd applauded enthusiastically, and then burst into cheering. The mood was set for the great adventure to come.
// Two days later: Saturday //
// United Nations, New York City //
There had been many meetings with the emissary. Though he seemed very forthright and trustworthy, there was some concern over Anjo's credentials. How could they be sure he was really a representative of some unseen galactic civilization?
The U.N. Special Council concluded that there was no way to be completely sure, at least not in a reasonable amount of time (since the speed of light was still inviolable). Putting aside such minor doubts, they voted overwhelmingly to accept Anjo's offer of help.
// Nightfall //
// Edwards Air Force Base //
Anjo sat placidly in an empty aircraft hangar, having assumed his conventional silver-white form again. When he had explained that he didn't need any special accommodations, they had stuck him in here.
His U.N. liaison officer sat at a makeshift desk by the side door, speaking on the phone with someone. The bureaucrat hung up the phone and smiled over at him. "They thought you should know before a formal announcement is made. The United Nations has voted nearly unanimously to accept you!"
Anjo brightened until he positively glowed. He stood up to his tallest height and flung out his wings as if to embrace the entire world. "Super! Thanks for the news!" he exclaimed jubilantly.
Smiling at Anjo's joyous reaction, the bureaucrat said, "It will take them a while to draft a schedule of some kind. There probably won't be anything going on until tomorrow afternoon. I guess we're both stuck here for the night."
Anjo sat back down and mustered his persuasiveness. "Do you mind if I go out roaming for a little while? I'd like to meet some other people, perhaps at random, just to talk," he cajoled innocently. "I promise I'll be circumspect; I won't cause any revolutions or upheavals, and I'll be very careful not to interfere with air traffic," he joked mildly.
The bureaucrat grinned broadly at the special visitor, captivated by his benevolent charm. He didn't want to offend him, and didn't believe there was any way to stop him in any case. He nodded, "Now that they've accepted you, I don't see any harm in that. If anyone asks, just say you gave me the slip or something; and try to be back by sunrise." It's easier to ask for forgiveness later, he thought resignedly.
"Thanks!" Anjo nodded to him and hopped lightly through the open hangar door. He raised his head and scented the EM spectrum, sampling a cacophony of radio and microwave signals. Isolating a strand of the city's pervasive wireless digital network, he captured it and easily used it to tap into the Internet. Employing his own parallel-search agent, he quickly located the information he needed. In a flash of wings, he took to the sky, launching himself on a sub-orbital express flight to California. There was someone special he wanted to see first.
// University of California, Berkeley //
Juliana sat at her desk trying to catch up on work. She couldn't seem to concentrate on any of her projects; they all seemed so insignificant now. She suspected that many others were feeling the same thing: still in shock by what had happened and trying to come to terms with it.
She let her mind wander for about the fifth time. She thought about Anjo. His Ravnan form reminded her of many giant predators, now extinct. Even as a child, she had loved looking at drawings of dinosaurs. She would bring them to life in her imagination and try to figure out how they moved and behaved. When she grew older, she secretly began to regard carnivores with more than simple curiosity: Some of them were pretty darn sexy! Anjo himself was a paragon of natural beauty and she realized that she was more than a little attracted to him physically.
Her office phone rang, which was strange given that it was Saturday evening. She picked it up and said, "This is Dr. Mills."
"Juliana! You weren't at home so I thought I'd try you here."
She nearly dropped the receiver; it was Anjo! But it couldn't be, what would he be doing calling her? And on the phone! "Anjo?" she asked incredulously.
"Yes, it's me. Are you free? I'd like to speak with you some more, in person."
"Of course! But aren't you still at the air base? I'm surprised you would even find time to call me, with all they've been putting you through."
"I've been informed unofficially that your United Nations has accepted me!" he enthused. "I was just sitting idle, so I decided to go out and talk to some people. You were first on the list. I'm here at the University now, on the roof of the Valley Life Sciences Building. Can you come up here?"
At first surprised, she realized that someone must have told him where to find her. But it was strange that he was already here, unannounced and unplanned. "You're right above me. I'll be right up."
Juliana found her way up to the roof. To the west, the sun was setting in a halo of red-orange clouds. Anjo was at the far end of the building. She smiled and walked toward him. When he noticed her, he flew in a short arc to meet her halfway.
"I'm on the roof because I didn't want to cause a spectacle. No one knows I'm here," he explained as he alighted beside her.
She looked up into his dark eyes. "I'm really happy that they accepted you. It seemed unthinkable that they would send you away, but I was worried anyway." She boldly put her hand on his purple-silver chest. He didn't object. While vaguely metallic, his flesh had a scaly, supple texture as well. "Can you show me your natural form again? I really like it," she urged. "It's not every day I get to examine a 50-foot alien carnivore. And not just the fossilized remains this time--but the whole kit and caboodle!"
He chuckled and began to shift. "Of course. I'm flattered that you like it. Standing on the surface of your world, it somehow feels right to be in my ancestral form."
Juliana watched with fascination as she felt the textured skin beneath her hand grow lush with stiff, maple leaf feathers, awash in ribbons of amethyst and sapphire tints. "What's it like to be a member of your species?" she asked curiously. "I guess that's a silly question, since maybe you're not really a member."
"It's a good question," Anjo assured her. "Though I am a greatly enhanced version of a native Ravnan, I still retain the core identity of my kind. Since you're so interested, and since we are both students of evolutionary history, let me show you more." He accessed the stored instincts and outlook of his Ravnan heritage. Most of them were dormant since they served no useful purpose outside his species' old habitat (or unless he was fighting for his life and needed to be cunning). With a mental gesture, he turned them all on, being careful to set an override trigger in case things got out of hand.
He jerked and crouched down low, startled. He gawked in fright at the alien cloudscape, the harsh edges of strange structures and towers around him, and the hazy skyline. Strange scents and sounds assaulted him. Everything was wrong about this place! He whipped his head about wildly, trying to find something familiar on which to anchor himself. He screeched in alarm. He had no idea where he was! He was very afraid!
Juliana stepped back instinctively as Anjo tensed and his feathers bristled beneath her fingers. He moved violently away from her. He extended his talons fully as he crouched and spun about frantically. He shrieked piteously: a primitive howl so deafening that it seemed to pierce the marrow of her bones. Covering her ears and cringing, she recognized that he was obviously in distress: behaving like a captured wild animal that had awakened in a zoo after being tranquilized! The creature's gaze fell onto her and he went rigid. He barked a vicious snarl, fading to a menacing growl, and gathered himself for a pounce. He froze in that position and began to shudder visibly, seemingly at battle with something inside himself.
Anjo caught sight of a strange creature near him. His captor? An enemy! He would fight! As he prepared to lash out, his thoughts stumbled over something half-forgotten: a tripwire! A cold, metallic force brutally clamped down on his mind and tore a chunk of it away, leaving him feeling naked and breathless.
Dazed, he came back to his senses. What had happened? Oh, that... Ugh! What a mistake! He sighed with abashment, composed himself, and sat back on his haunches. He looked over at Juliana, who seemed about ready to turn and make a dash for the stairs. "Sorry. That was very careless of me," he breathed regretfully. "I activated an ancient analogue of myself but underestimated the intensity of his emotional control."
"For a minute there, I thought you were going to attack me!" Juliana exclaimed, her pulse racing.
"Indeed I was. But the moment I felt hostile intent toward you, a failsafe watcher constrained me, then restored me." He hoped no one else had heard the commotion and was coming to investigate. "Let me try again, this time gradually," he suggested sheepishly. He closed his eyes and reviewed his choices again. This time, he enabled a few at time and carefully avoided fight-or-flight reflexes and others that were so deeply primal they might cause violent reactions.
Juliana studied Anjo curiously. She wanted to go up to him again for a close look, but thought it prudent to wait until he finished whatever mysterious changes he was making. The exotic creature opened his eyes and stared at her quizzically. It approached her warily, and then stalked cautiously around her in a circle.
"I'm giving this other part of myself the freedom to act on impulse," he explained. "But don't worry, he's still on a leash", he quipped, enjoying the novelty of being both himself and a cagey predator at the same time. He had never explored his heritage this deeply.
With great interest, Juliana studied the alien biomechanics of the creature's stealthy gait as he prowled around her. The beast placed each foot down gingerly to avoid making any noise. He began to growl softly, deep in his throat. She wanted to play along so she slowly kneeled down in a gesture of submission. Anjo cocked his head and scrutinized her. In a blur of motion, he lunged, knocking her down and pinning her to the roof with one forepaw. Though he was applying only a tiny whisper of his formidable weight, he held her securely, making it difficult even to breathe. A couple of his claws curved around her chest and were digging into her ribs; but it was more a tickle than anything painful.
"Sorry about that," he said remorsefully, easing off on his foreleg a little so that she could breathe easier. "If any of this bothers you, just tell me to stop."
Juliana caught her breath to recover from the suddenness of the attack. The adrenaline coursing through her system testified to the exciting intensity of it. "It's strange to see you speaking calmly like yourself, but acting entirely differently," she breathed, looking up at the great creature apprehensively as he loomed over her. Mustering a weak smile, she continued, "I think I'm getting used to it though. Normally, I would never try anything this dangerous with an animal; but with you, I feel safe. It's very exciting and I like it!"
"Good," he said with relief, "I'm glad I haven't offended you. At this point, my other self is more curious than aggressive. He's never seen anything like you before."
She looked into the swirling depths of the beast's hypnotic eyes, which were frighteningly close, and shivered. It was strangely exhilarating to be held captive by an alien predator--the sole focus of his fierce attention. Anjo sniffed her tentatively, his nostrils flaring to enfold her scent. He snorted in puzzlement as if to say, "What the hell are you?" He seemed unsure what to do next. He opened his jaws slightly, displaying a fearsome set of carnivore teeth and a bluish tongue. His fangs had a smoky, crystalline structure that glittered with the waning ruby light of the collapsed sunset. She gasped in fright as he lowered his muzzle to her neck and gave her a cursory lick, warm and rough. Her skin tingled electrically where he had touched her. "You're not going to eat me or anything are you?" she asked anxiously, trying to sound light-hearted but not quite succeeding.
He pulled back his head slightly. "No, of course not! Even if I were genuinely alive and were to do so, I wouldn't benefit because Ravna is biochemically incompatible with Earth. However, *he* doesn't know any better, so he's checking you out," he said mischievously.
Juliana nodded. Smiling to indicate that she was playing along, she squirmed under the animal's iron grasp in a futile effort to escape. Anjo eyed her curiously. He opened his jaws a bit wider than before and once again moved his muzzle toward her neck. This time, his cavernous maw was clearly visible as it approached; rivulets of drool spread like a web between his stalactite teeth and his arched tongue. A bolt of electric, primal terror ran down her spine. A moment before contact, he suddenly jerked back, as though pulled away.
"Oh no you don't, big fella," Anjo reproached. "I think he was going to take a bite out of you that time, so I reined him in," he explained.
She let out her breath and trembled in relief. "Gee, thanks!" She giggled softly at Anjo's antics as well as the tickling of his talons pressing against her. It was so surreal to be cavorting with a sentient being who was older than the Great Pyramids of Egypt! She relaxed and looked deep into the beast's eyes. His piercing gaze seemed to penetrate her soul. The creature slid his other forepaw forward next to her and brought his head down close to hers for a careful examination. He emitted a soft, grunting bark, the warm air of his breath washing over her face.
"He's saying hello," Anjo remarked, intrigued that his ancestral self was attempting to communicate.
"Hello. How are you?" Juliana crooned slowly, hoping that the sound of her voice would calm the animal or maybe elicit some other interesting response.
The creature chuffed at her again. Juliana stared into the shadowy recesses of his jaws, which were slightly agape and only about two feet from her face. She wondered what it was like inside the warm, confined space of his maw. His backward curving fangs reminded her of the tyrannosaur exhibit they had on campus. She had sometimes looked up at the T.rex skull poised above her, bringing the creature to life in her imagination and picturing herself scooped up in its mammoth jaws and swallowed down into the chaos of its living interior. Beholding a large, real-life carnivore's maw this close to her reawakened that fantasy and amplified it. She stretched out her arm toward his snout, her attraction overcoming caution, but couldn't quite reach because her shoulders were pinned.
Anjo noted her gesture. "I think I've persuaded him to play nice for a while, without being so dominating." He lifted his forefoot off and placed it beside her.
Juliana chuckled. "That was fun! Thanks for the demonstration," she said as she sat up and breathed a little easier. In spite of her prior nervousness, she felt very safe nestled between his forepaws like this, with his muzzle now only inches from her face. He was watching her thoughtfully. She reached up and touched his lower jaw. "Do you mind if I...?"
Anjo thought he knew what she was after. "Not at all. Evolution puts a lot of effort into optimizing a predator's hunting equipment, so it's understandable you would be curious." He opened his jaws half way and tilted them at an angle to catch the fading twilight glow.
Juliana drew in a quavering breath as the light caught Anjo's teeth and illuminated the interior of his maw. The shape of his supple blue tongue poured forth from deep within his throat, flowing over, but held slightly above, the entire length of his lower jaw. His array of crystal fangs showed off varying sizes and functions and announced his carnivorous nature to anyone who dared question it. An animal unlucky enough to be snagged by those teeth would find itself forced in only one direction: straight inward. She was captivated by a fleeting image of what a small creature might experience as a Ravnan caught it and swallowed it down into that dark gullet. Forget scientific objectivity! Anjo was just plain sexy, pure and simple! And for some reason, she found his maw to be the arousing focal point of his overall appeal. "Um, yep!" she panted nervously, "That engineering marvel you use as a mouth is pretty damn impressive! It's structurally more advanced than anything Earth has ever evolved."
"Ravnans are accomplished hunters," he agreed. "Have you seen enough, or would you like to go in for a closer look?" he asked provocatively, cocking his head as though enticing her, or hoping that she would.
"Very tempting offer!" she replied facetiously, feeling a perverse urge to do exactly that. Although she knew he was only teasing her and being playful, she was embarrassed that he seemed to suspect what she was feeling. She took a few deep breaths to reinforce her faltering composure.
Anjo sat up and leaned back on his haunches to give her a little breathing room. "Before I forget, thanks again for volunteering for the first-contact ceremony. And for doing it with such great flair. I would have felt pretty uncomfortable if no one wanted to come up to see me!"
"It was my pleasure," she said, recalling the day of his arrival. When he had offered himself as Earth's mentor, she had felt her heart go out to him. His confidence, camaraderie, and respect asserted him as a worthy counselor for their troubled world. She had hoped fervently that the U.N. would accept him. Now that they had, she felt great pride and had high hopes that his guardianship would heal the great rifts in culture that still plagued humanity. She continued, "I really liked all the answers you gave to our questions--especially mine. I'm proud that you will become our mentor. I'm starting to think of you as our protector: someone who can show us how to become wiser and better."
Anjo bowed to express his great pleasure at the compliment. "That's very kind of you. I really hope I can live up to that," he said with deep sincerity. He pondered for a moment, and then on a whim added, "You know, it's not unprecedented for an envoy to accept a native advisor as a partner. Would you be interested? I should warn you that it would be a pretty big commitment."
Juliana was flustered and looked away bashfully. She thought about how insignificant her current projects seemed in light of his arrival; she suspected that the feeling would persist. She met his gaze again. "I don't know what to say. I'm truly honored! I would love to help you," she said raptly. She leaned forward and put her hands onto the plush, warm plumage of his chest. "So the short answer is YES! I hope you don't think me rash for accepting before I even know what I'm getting into."
"On the contrary, I welcome your enthusiasm. But as I said, it's a big commitment. And there are some radical details involved that you might find disturbing, to say the least."
She grinned at him. "I thought I was radically open-minded before you came. But when you spoke of artificial bodies and realities, I realized just how far I still have to go. Tell me more!" she urged.
"Okay. Here's the big one. You would have to give up your current biological form, probably permanently because I don't think I could restore you once it was done. Keep in mind that this is something you might want to do someday anyway. But to have it happen now, without having had time to get used to the idea, might be quite a shock."
Juliana gaped in stunned silence. She could tell Anjo wasn't joking this time. Don't panic, she told herself. Radical, indeed! Aware of the hammering of her heart, she realized with a shiver that if she accepted this, it wouldn't be beating for much longer. She would probably have to give up any chance of a normal life, assuming there would be anything approaching normality in the bold future that lay ahead. Up until now, her work had been her entire life; she had never made the time to pursue a relationship very far, and wasn't involved with anyone currently. Other than her position at the University, there was nothing to tie her down. Though the repercussions boggled her, he had struck a chord deep in her subconscious. A powerful voice in her cried out "YES!" drowning out all doubts. She knew deeply and intuitively that she wanted this great adventure--a leap into the unknown. "Yes, I think I can deal with that. I even think I want it!"
Anjo was surprised that she agreed and that her eagerness seemed unabated. "I'm... very impressed with you, Juliana. Most people would balk instantly at the mere suggestion. At the very least, they would ask me a thousand questions, many of which I couldn't answer due to the extreme *otherness* of the transformation." He lay down on the roof and brought his head down close to her in a gesture of friendship, recognizing a kindred spirit within her. "There's one other thing," he added softly. "The arrangement would call for you and I both to share this one body, at least for the duration of our mission on Earth. Though you wouldn't lose your individuality or your humanity, you would be changed in many ways due to the sheer intimacy of our cooperation."
Juliana had half-expected this, but it was still astonishing to hear him say it. It would clearly mean giving up much of her freedom. She put her hands on Anjo's black, velvet muzzle and gazed warmly into his eyes. Due to some fathomless connection between them, she trusted him completely. "It's the strangest thing. The prospect of joining with you makes it even more thrilling and appealing. I do want this!"
"I believe that you really do," he said fondly, nudging her chin lightly with the tip of his snout. "I think this will be a good thing for both of us."
Sensing that she was standing at the edge of an abyss, she urged, "Can we do it now, before I get mired in doubt?"
Anjo paused to consider this. She really wanted to go through with it! And though it was an abrupt decision, she was a clearly right for the job, sharing his passion for living history as well as a heartfelt zeal for his mission. He concluded that he deeply wanted this; it just felt right. "Yes, since that's what you want." He nuzzled her belly affectionately with a mischievous gleam in his eye. "And since you seem to have a fascination for carnivores that goes beyond mere study, let's do this in a special way. Remember a moment ago when I said that I wouldn't eat you?" He paused for effect, pleased when Juliana gaped. "Well I changed my mind," he said craftily. Had he really just said that? Outlandish. Yet... somehow strangely alluring. This must be the influence of his primitive Ravnan personality, he realized.
Juliana was bewildered and icy fear gnawed at her innards. At the same time, she felt an odd stirring, a yearning for him to master and possess her in this way, one of the most basic of all natural relationships. She gave his muzzle a nervous caress, remembering the dangerous array of crystal fangs that lay concealed within. "Are you really serious?" she asked incredulously.
He chuckled mirthfully. "Yes. You wouldn't die, of course. It would just be the means by which I transcribe your mind into its new medium," he assured. "It would also be a great opportunity for a very in-depth encounter with Ravnan digestive anatomy. When you became a paleontologist, I bet you never thought you would get devoured by one of your subjects--and a non-indigenous one at that!"
Juliana gaped in wonder as she gradually warmed up to the idea. "When you put it that way, it does sound enticing... almost adventurous. We have a T-Rex exhibit on campus. I've sometimes found myself admiring it and wondering what it would be like to be gulped down into oblivion."
"But with me, it wouldn't be oblivion," he promised. He let his jaws gape seductively and unfolded his wings slightly in a predatory stance. "Though your body will be destroyed in the process, your mind will be saved in its entirety."
Staring in awe at the great predator's body--whose jaws hung poised right in front of her--Juliana was struck by the enormity of what she was undertaking. She trembled on the edge of an unseen abyss, trying to summon the nerve to leap over the edge and plummet into its depths. "I could agonize about this for days or weeks, but eventually I think I'd still end up greatly wanting it!" She glanced at his exposed fangs and a whole flock of butterflies began fluttering in her gut. She continued breathlessly, "But just the *thought*... the thought of you, uh..." She looked into his eyes again and took a deep breath. "Never mind. I trust you... Just take me. Bring me over into your world!"
Anjo gazed at her with rapt admiration. First she had easily accepted a merger with him, and now had even consented to do it in a highly unorthodox fashion! "Juliana, you're really amazing. I promise I'll be gentle and I'll try my best to ensure that you enjoy it." He brought his head down close to hers and continued softly, "Okay. Here we go. Just sit where you are and try to relax. First, I'm going to nip you. It will be like an anesthetic, but better because it won't have any side effects. This is going to sting a little."
Juliana nodded, thinking with elated disbelief that this was really going to happen! Anjo raised his head up a little. With a quick flick of his neck, he bit into her shoulder with the tip of his snout; a few of his needle-sharp teeth punctured her skin. She gasped at the sudden pain--but it vanished an instant later, leaving only the light pressure of his jaws and the warm quivering of his tongue against her. His nearest eye hovered mere inches from her face and she stared into its scintillating depths with a strange mix of fear and fascination.
Anjo tasted her blood and savored its flavor. He resisted the urge to bite down harder and instead simply injected a dose of medicinal machinery that he had already modified to suit her. He released his jaws from her.
Though Juliana didn't feel any different, she began to shake involuntarily at the thought of what was about to happen. In an effort to stave off anxiety, she focused on Anjo's exquisite form and the colorful hues of his novel plumage. But then she realized she was about to wind up on the *inside* of those feathers, in more ways than one!
He nuzzled her playfully. "You're doing great!" he encouraged cheerfully. "This next part might be a little scary, so close your eyes if you want. Or I could just render you unconscious..."
"No, I'm looking forward to this," she breathed eagerly, "assuming you're going to swallow me whole and not rip my head off, or something!"
Anjo laughed softly. "Nothing so grisly as that! A native Ravnan, and myself by extension, can swallow pretty large objects." When Juliana nodded, he continued, "Okay. In you go!" It was nearly nightfall now, he noticed, which was fortunate because he would have a hard time explaining this if there was anyone watching from the upper floors of one of the tall buildings in the distance.
As Anjo opened his jaws wide right above her, Juliana felt a thrill of fear, knowing that they were definitely coming for her this time and would not be held back! Her instincts scolded her fiercely for sitting still and letting a carnivore eat her; she should get up and run, even fling herself off the building, *anything* to escape this fate! She forced herself to remain still while his maw came down around her upper body. She inhaled his hot breath as it encompassed her, finding it vaguely spicy and pleasant. Even though he was clearly being gentle, his teeth cut and scraped her badly as they came together. As promised though, it didn't hurt. His warm cobalt tongue pushed against her shirt and jeans. She explored its rough, muscled surface with her hands as its moisture quickly soaked into her clothing. His front fangs fastened about her waist and he lifted her gently into the air. As he tilted his head slowly upward, she was reminded powerfully of rising toward the peak of a tall roller coaster. There was that giddy feeling of elation as she hung poised for what seemed like an eternity at its summit, with the vertigo of looking down from a great height. Only in this case, she was staring straight down the gullet of a huge predator, already sweating from the warmth of his body, and about to be swallowed down into him forever and irrevocably!
Anjo held Juliana carefully in his jaws. He was taking this more slowly than his feral analogue wished; it would prefer that he just ram her down his throat and be done with it. But he didn't want it to be a violent ordeal for her. He slowly raised his head. With a gentle toss, he got her thighs and legs in almost all the way; her head was almost in his throat now. He tilted his head back until it was almost vertical and loosened his jaws to let her slide down until she was completely inside. He interlocked his teeth together. He paused for a moment, enjoying the way she filled his maw completely and hung balanced on the edge of his throat. In contrast to her slack, unresisting form, he could feel her ragged heartbeat and the vigorous quivering of her body. He relished the warmth of his prey, now his to control utterly. The rich, salty taste of her Terran blood compelled him to feed. He gulped slowly and sensuously.
A wave of terrifying bliss washed over Juliana as Anjo gradually worked her entire body into his maw. She kept herself limp in spite of involuntary quavering that wracked her body. The beast's long, supple tongue was a source of welcoming warmth and support beneath her. It was awash with pools of slaver and she was also being drenched in drool from above. She reveled in all of this sliminess and knew it would help lubricate her passage downward. This felt pretty darn real given that he was not a real animal! Apparently, Anjo's internal anatomy was recreated with a great deal of authenticity! Feeling the living tissues flexing around her and the sultry ooze soaking into her skin, she was nearly convinced that she was really being devoured and would become nothing more than a snack for this beautiful, hungry beast.
Though she knew she wasn't going to die, her body thought otherwise and urged her to struggle and fight for her life. It's just like a roller coaster, she reminded herself, trying to stay calm and enjoy it. The image of the amusement park ride reawakened her longing and she looked forward to the nosedive from the summit and into the wonders of what lie deep inside this creature's body and mind! His long tongue surged beneath her and it started to squeeze her and much of the slime surrounding her into his throat. She panted in exhilaration; the roller coaster had finally been released!
Anjo's neck feathers protruded slightly as his tongue shoved the bulge in his pharynx into his throat. The prey became lodged in his neck, so he swallowed again to force the long lump into his chest. His ribs expanded slightly to accommodate this unexpected meal.
Juliana moaned in pleasure as the predator's hot, pulsing esophagus clamped down on her entire body. There was no turning back now--she belonged to him utterly and loved it! She explored the slimy walls with her hands and exulted in their power over her. Her progress stopped briefly; she tried to help him by squirming deeper down the warm, muscular tube. The throat flexed around her and a powerful peristaltic wave came up from behind, pushing her and bending her into a new section that was more horizontal than vertical.
Instinctively, Anjo stood up on his hind legs to exploit gravity again. He spread his wings halfway and gulped once more convulsively, which forced his guest deeper, finally shoving her into her new home. A slight visible bulge appeared in his belly as she was pushed from the base of his ribcage into his stomach.
Juliana's world tilted upward suddenly and she was amused that Anjo had stood up on his hind legs to gain an advantage. She was moving quickly now. One final convulsion forced her into a slightly more relaxed segment, which stretched and expanded to take her in entirely. The entrance sealed shut behind her, trapping her within. She wriggled around into a more comfortable position and so that she could breathe what little air remained. So this was it! She was now completely helpless, entombed in flesh, and nothing more than Ravnan bird chow!
Anjo folded his wings and dropped his forequarters lightly back down onto the roof. He marveled at the strangeness of having living cargo weighing down inside him. He felt Juliana squirm in his stomach, a tickling feeling that almost made him laugh.
By default, his body would digest her in this form, so he overrode that behavior temporarily. "Juliana, I know you can hear me. I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did," he said affectionately. "You're going to lose consciousness soon. After that, from your perspective, the process will happen so fast that you won't even notice. Don't worry about a thing."
Anjo lay down peacefully on the roof, delighted at the full feeling of having a living meal imprisoned within him. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind of all distraction for the task ahead. Since no one had ever transcribed a human before, he brought all his concentration to bear; he wanted to ensure nothing went wrong. He used the Ingress serum--composed of advanced molecular machinery--to infect her blood, then her brain. He waited for all the scaffolding to be erected within her. When it was done, he gave the SUSPEND command and the control-web forced all her neural and metabolic activity to cease simultaneously. It was a kind of instantaneous death--completely painless. Only she wasn't really dead. Her mind was simply frozen in mid-thought and could now be transcribed fairly easily into digital form. Using the automated Ingress process--which had been tested and perfected on hundreds of different species over millions of years--he went to work. All he really had to do was supervise, but he checked all the critical assumptions to ensure they would work properly on her.
After only a few minutes of intense effort, which seemed like hours to him, the Ingress transcription was done. He now had a digital snapshot of her mind, complete with all its subtleties and evolutionary trickery. He made a few standard enhancements to her sensory and motor control matrices so that she would be able operate his body independently. He granted her primary control. He told himself: There's no reason why this shouldn't work. He gave the ACTIVATE command. A sliver of the ship's idle computing power was rededicated to simulate her consciousness in real time.
Juliana lay curled up in Anjo's tight stomach, luxuriating in the heat and slime, and thrilled at being so incredibly close and utterly possessed by him. She wanted to stay here forever, but was getting drowsy due to lack of air. Suddenly, the world changed and she was outside again. She blinked in surprise, fully alert now. In spite of the gloom of nightfall, everything looked bright and clear. Holy cow, it had worked! Even though she had expected it to succeed, the reality of it was startling. She looked down at herself and saw the cascading, purple-blue plumage of her chest. Her two sinuous forelegs were stretched out before her as she reclined on the roof. In addition to her usual four limbs, she now owned two powerful wings and a thin, feathered tail. But it felt completely natural, as though she had always had them! "Wow! I'm you!" she exclaimed in astonishment, also surprised that her voice was Anjo's.
"Welcome aboard," Anjo said cordially, his voice filling her mind as an image of him appeared next to her in her mind's eye. His spirit enfolded her in a warm greeting and she gasped in pleasure; she could feel his friendship and admiration for her in an outpouring of empathy that was completely outside of human experience. She returned the feeling as best she could, somewhat clumsily because the technique was new to her. She was delighted when he grinned and nodded in acknowledgement. She directed a fervent thought to him: "Being eaten by you was quite a trip! And yes I did enjoy it, hugely in fact. Far more than I thought I would. Thank you!"
Anjo grinned peacefully at her. "I've never eaten a living creature before, so I'm glad it wasn't traumatic for you. I was afraid that my alter ego was pursuing his own agenda without regard for what you would go through."
Juliana pushed with her forelegs and raised herself into a sitting position. "It looks like you did a great job. I feel fine." Better than fine, she realized!
"Good. You asked earlier what it's like to be a Ravnan; now you're *really* finding out!" he said with an impish smile. "Let's try something. Think about yourself flying. What comes to mind?"
Juliana did, and was suddenly flooded with the knowledge of *how* to fly.
"As you can see, our ship comes complete with a tutorial so that even a novice can fly like an expert right from the start. Would you like to take it out for a spin?"
She marveled at her new form. Its compactness deftly incorporated a wealth of microscopic technology so advanced that it seemed magical. Anjo was vastly more powerful than anyone suspected! She knew she could take on all the world's conventional forces without even breaking a sweat. She gloried in it, and wanted to launch herself into the sky immediately, in joy. "You better believe I would! Thank you!"
Juliana gathered her haunches beneath her and crouched with spring-like tension. She shook out her wings and poised them in a potent, upward arc. With a mighty leap, she sprang into the air and thrust her wings downward until they almost met beneath her. Their hurricane force propelled her swiftly aloft. "Yes!" she whooped joyously, celebrating a perfect takeoff. She felt Anjo's thrill, almost as great as her own; he sent praise and encouragement to her.
She knew she didn't have to flap her wings to fly, but it felt good to do so anyway. Being in native Ravnan form, she flew in harmony with the wind and instinctively sought out thermal updrafts. It was a completely new but wonderfully intoxicating experience that made her spirit soar. She left the campus and flew toward the darkening horizon; sunset was long past now. She felt an urge to outrace the sun, and pushed herself on to greater speed. The ship's gravitic propulsion field immersed her body and she accelerated. A pocket of wind intensified in front of her and she strove to break through it into a clearness she sensed beyond. Bang! It was the sound barrier! Gleeful, she glanced down to see the coastline flash by beneath her and recede into the distance. Faster! The wind began to roar past her again and the horizon began to lighten slightly. A small, polite voice chimed in her mind, warning that she had reached the structural safety limit of her current form.
"The ship is just hinting that you should leave the atmosphere, or at least shift to a more aerodynamic form," Anjo explained. "After all, Ravnans aren't designed to fly at Mach Two!" he kidded amicably.
Up! She could go up without limit! She canted her wings slightly and the wind catapulted her violently upward. She tucked her wings into diving position and raced straight up like a rocket. The ocean and the California coastline receded rapidly beneath her. She glanced at Anjo. "This is a such a rush! I hope I'm not overdoing it!" she enthused.
"Not at all. I'm having great fun watching someone else drive for a change," he assured mirthfully. "I've also been keeping an eye out to make sure we don't buzz any airliners. At this speed it will take about a minute to clear the stratosphere. After that you can go a lot faster if you want."
Juliana could feel the air thinning and cooling around her. She looked down and saw the coastline spangled with clusters of glittering city lights. Seeing deep into the infrared, she could sense the remnant heat of the land and the sharp contrast of the chilly ocean that hugged it.
As her altitude passed 30 miles, she curved to the west and accelerated sharply, extending her wings to catch the last wisps of the thinning air. Strands of faint blue fire sparkled around her due to the intensity of the gravitic field.
"You're pulling about twelve gravities now!" Anjo remarked encouragingly.
Juliana whizzed over the ocean, once again determined to catch the sun. Her altitude was still rising meteorically, climbing above 60 miles. Her wings had become useless.
The planet's curvature was becoming obvious. The western horizon caught fire and the sun erupted in a blaze of glory. "My first reverse sunrise!" she exclaimed with exhilaration.
"I feel what you feel," he said admiringly, "and it's breathtaking!"
Juliana laughed mockingly at Earth's gravity and its feeble attempt to drag her back down. With a whoop, she reared up and flung out her wings to their broadest extent, presenting her widest profile to the sun. She gazed directly into the star and her vision expanded to take in the entire spectrum of its blazing surface and its stormy electromagnetic tides. Enveloped by its dazzling light, she felt her body flood with energy. The ship's AI sensed her curiosity and politely informed her that it was recharging, to which she responded, "Marvelous! Charge me up, baby!"
Anjo chuckled, "That does feel good." He basked in her enthusiasm as much as the sunlight.
Juliana stopped her acceleration and let their momentum carry them forward. She explored more of the ship's capabilities. In Anjo's body coursed a microscopic legacy of power: the technological feats of many civilizations over millions of years. In his mind thrummed the secrets of the stars, knowledge collected painstakingly by thousands of generations spawned from hundreds of species. Dazed by the vastness of this inner world, she peered down at the ocean, discovering that she could sense the currents, tides, and even the life within; she was a living planetary observatory! "This is amazing--I see it all! You're a wonder!"
Anjo rejoiced in her childlike fascination. "No, you're the wonder. Through your eyes, it's like I'm seeing it all for the first time. It's a great gift you have given me!" He laughed out of pure happiness and embraced her with warm adoration. He let her gentle, inquisitive spirit wash over him and infuse his own. Her youthful exuberance was like a golden mantle crowning the steel of his ancient mind. It rejuvenated his passion for his work and lifted it to even greater heights. He addressed Juliana with slow, heartfelt formality. "Your world has accepted my help," he said, awash in a haze of euphoria. "When you offered me yours, I think my chances of doing a good job here greatly improved!"
Juliana nearly wept with joy as she felt his esteem and gratitude enfold her. "It's a privilege," she assured him reverently.
They both flew on in silent contentment, enjoying each other's company and contemplating the sparkling ocean. After a minute, Anjo turned to regard her. "I promised to be back at the air base by sunrise, so we have about seven hours to spare. Let's use them to go meet some people," he suggested enthusiastically.
Juliana was struck by an idea and suggested it: "My advice is to help people who are terminally ill. What better way to break the ice in a conversation than to save someone?"
Anjo considered this for a moment and agreed. "Though we can't possibly save everyone, you will soon be able to do this for yourselves. We'll have to be discreet. I don't want to scare the living daylights out of anyone!"
"In keeping with that, I think you should avoid biting people," she advised wryly. "That would definitely give them a fright!"
He laughed. "That was just something special for you. My alter ego suggested it and I thought you would like it."
"I did! It added to the intensity of that amazing experience," Juliana agreed, giddily recalling Anjo's conquest of her. She scanned the blue sea stretching out beneath her. "How about Hawaii first? We're almost headed there already."
"Sounds good. Hey, why don't you keep the reins from now on; I'm tired of driving this thing all the time," he joked. "And you're really good at it. So take us in, pilot!"
EPILOGUE
If you like Anjo's character, there are a couple other (non-vorish) stories involving him at http://www.darklands.cx/~kodisoa