Chapter Three: And So It Begins

Laying with my head to the side on the table before me, I realize that what they said is true. Things in the outer systems really do run slower. I believe on Earth they refer to this phenomenon as “island time”. Entire star systems running behind the entire time just because they can. Funny, until you need to get something done. Not that I can blame them too much, given the setting around us.

Turning my head to look out the window, I notice that the wood top of the desk is now warm. On more developed worlds, the idea of using something as primitive as wood might seem laughable, but I suppose it's good enough and doesn't need an interstellar order to arrive. Work with what you have and all that. The golden light filters through the window and highlights the silhouette of this planet’s fauna, giving it an almost fictitious quality. I suppose such a remote location is ideal for such a large project. Any closer and it would end up a tourist attraction.

I couldn’t imagine spending the kind of resources required for this just for it to be compromised because too many people swarm it. Thankfully, idyllic as it may be, the distance and superstition of “deep space” keep such people away—for at least a few more centuries. The warmth of the star’s light almost lulls me back to sleep until I’m rudely awakened by a very late certain someone.

“Enjoying the view?” The tone is impetuous, considering how late the source is.

“Late.”

“What?” The tone returns genuinely, confused. All the more annoying.

“You’re late,” I say as I begin to pry my body off the desk. Apparently, the time waiting has turned me to stone by the way it now feels infinitely heavier.

“Oh. Yeah, I suppose. But what can I do? This planet isn’t exactly travel-friendly.” The man speaking seems unconcerned, giving a gentle wave of his hand. “Whether it's the endless marshes, the surprisingly carnivorous plant life, or—worst of all—the clerks. Ugh. Don’t even get me started. I waited an hour just to get the application. Not the files. The application!” Hmph. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh.

“Is that a local thing? Or is it something else?” I ask genuinely. The man opposite starts to laugh. I can’t tell if it’s just true belly laughter boiling up or just a tad bit maniacal.

“Hehehe. Local!? The only thing local here is death! Bwhahaha.” Apparently, I should consider a career in comedy. But only for the eccentrics.

“Death…? I mean, sure, it's a bit out here but, the planet was colonized, what, 200 years ago?” I gesture around at the building to prove my point. Sure, the buildings are a little, uh, vintage but they’re still evidence of human life all the same. Recent human life, rather.

“Oh—heh. I suppose you’re right.” He wipes his eyes and stands up. “Don’t believe that makes it safe for a second, though. They say it might be because of the weird atmosphere and the bright star, but the native life here is truly something else. Regardless of that…,” he trails off, putting his hand to his chin to think. “I suppose you could say it's a local thing, if you wanted to call them that. Outside the more settled systems, things move slowly, as you know. In this case, though, I think bored bureaucrats looking for a little drama are to blame. And the fact that the only faster-than-light transport comes here roughly every 3 months at best. When you're that remote, I guess you make due with waiting,” his gestures suggest as if he’s not talking about one of the most guarded places in the galaxy.

“I see…and what compels someone to live out here in the first place?”

“Oh I don’t live here. This is very temporary. But for the others, apparently, it's the slow pace of life.”

“Well, that aside. Did you actually get the data?”

“Oh yes, yes. They did finally relent.” He starts to rifle around in his pocket. “Oh! I almost forgot!” He reaches his right hand towards me. “Doctor Giovanni Sanna. But you can call me Gio.” I reach out likewise to meet his hand. His hand is warm and a little rougher than expected.

“Nikolaz, but you can call me Niko.” I give my best attempt at a sincere smile.

“Well, not that we’ve finally officially met Niko, I think it's time for me to show you around.” The lack of a last name doesn’t seem to bother him, but I’m sure he’s used to far more secrecy than that. I follow his surprisingly brisk pace out of the room. It’s hard to keep up with the various rooms we pass, but it seems a good number of these rooms double as both offices and bedrooms.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but a lot of these rooms look like personal quarters?”

He looks back at me and raises an eyebrow. “That’s correct.”

“Who leaves their personal quarters open?”

“Ah, you’re a different kind of quick than I expected. Good. Well, I can’t say for every room but the vast majority are just empty. Most people who come this far out for the quiet start to go crazy because of the quiet. Probably scrambled onto that ship before you even got off.” Is that it? My own eyebrows raise in shock and doubt. Gio picks up on this immediately. “I’m sure it seems suspect to you, but think about it. You’ve spent your entire life in a city. Maybe 5 million people. Maybe 25 million. Hell, even an entire city world. Now imagine you get sick of all the noise and bustle. So you get lulled by all the ads and shows saying how wonderful it is to be out in nature. Okay, great. Now you’re out in nature. You don’t know how to cut wood. You can’t fish. You sure as hell can’t farm. And all the jobs you’d want here are already taken. So you become some kind of clerk or assistant. And sit. All day. Sit and wait. That’s the key to keeping the secret here, Niko. Can’t have people blabbing about the research if they go nuts before they’ve even made it past the front desk.”

Now that I think about it, the only thing suspect really is us. The research that’s being conducted is top secret, and it has to stay that way. Perhaps that’s tainting my mind to look at things negatively. We walk in silence as I ponder this. Eventually, we come up to a transparent skybridge, sans the gray flooring. The crystal clear blue water, the white sand beaches, the bright sun. If I were in some form of travel business, I'd say this place has it all. I nearly run into Gio as he suddenly stops at a door I didn’t see even a moment ago. Hmm, maybe I can see how people would be fooled into coming here.

“Here we are, Niko,” Gio says and steps to the side, holding up a translucent, flat crystalline keycard. “Beyond this door is the answer to every question you’ve had; we just need to decode a few, is all.” He casually plops the card in my hand and gestures me forward. I scan the card and watch as the door slides open. My eyes grow wide, and my expression change as the sight within is revealed.