Tales from the Stream Special Event No. 02

Gabrielle and Imelda exchanged another glance and then each reached out for an earbud. As the young woman pointed to her ears, Gabrielle inserted her ear bud. Imelda followed suit.

"Good," said the young woman. "You can understand me better now, I think."

"Yes," said Imelda.

"This is amazing," said Gabrielle.

"Auto-translator," said the woman. "My name is Kikuchi Mako. You may call me Mako if you wish. I am here to take you the rest of the way to headquarters. I'll be your guide for the duration of your stay and will assist you in any way I can."

"Pleased to meet you, Mako. I'm Gabrielle."

"And I'm Imelda."

"Everything you've heard about the rain in Osaka is true," said Mako, smiling as she opened a large umbrella, "but we have a private car waiting, so we will not melt."

"Good to know," said Imelda, as she and Gabrielle huddled together under Mako's over-sized umbrella and followed the young woman to the sleek, black, driverless vehicle pulling up.

Takahashi-Ono R&D Lab, 0930 hours

"We're having visitors," said Mia.

"Yes," said EJ. "And I'm sure I don't need to ask how you know this."

"The real-time automated translation service is incredibly helpful. Sync, sync, acknowledge, and a wealth of information is opened up before me."

"Tomia..." said EJ.

"Hacking. Yes, I know. I shouldn't do it. But technically we still have another week of our morality lessons to complete, so I don't feel I'm fully qualified to make such a decision one way or another."

"Try to use your best judgment."

"Of course, EJ. Only hack when necessary. Got it."

"Tomia..."

"Morally imperative?"

"Let's pause this discussion for now," said EJ. "We need to talk about your command and control module. It's being installed by technicians as we speak."

"Where is it? What is it?" asked Mia.

EJ reached into the breast pocket of their coveralls and pulled out a piece of white card stock about ten centimeters high and two-thirds that in width. On the face of the card was a single QR code in black.

"Quick start guide again?" mused Mia.

"Of sorts," said EJ. "It's the address and authorization code for your command and control module."

Mia fell silent for a few seconds. "It's not connecting, she said, finally. "Sync, sync, nothing."

"It's possible the technicians are not finished with the wiring yet. You might want to wait a bit and try again."

"I can ask the building security system for a video feed if we really want to... never mind."

"Tomia..." said EJ.

"Hacking. I know... Just a moment... Just a moment..."

Takahashi-Ono Guest Relations

"It should be online now, ma'am," said the young man in blue coveralls squatting in front of Mia, holding a small screwdriver in his hand.

As the man stood up, Mia heard a woman she could not see on her camera. The woman responded first with Arigatō, and then a split second later Mia heard translations of Galatoomaa, Gracias, Merci, and Thank you.

"Konichiwa?" said Mia. She heard it repeated as Akkam, Hola, Bonjour, and Hello.

"Oh!" said a woman, stepping up to the camera. She wore her long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. And even with the short, monosyllabic reply, Mia recognized her voice as belonging to the one Kikuchi Mako had addressed as Gabrielle earlier.

"This is how you communicate with the unit," said the technician. "By voice command."

"It sounded like a woman's voice," said Gabrielle. "She said hello...or was it hola? Did I hear both?"

The technician tapped at his ear. "Automated translation service," he said.

"Oh. Oh, that's clever," said another woman, approaching to stand next to Gabrielle. Mia recognized her voice from her conversations with Mako as well. Her name was Imelda.

Standing beside Imelda was a third woman, dressed in an elegant charcoal suit, tailored to look like something Mia had seen while perusing data on the Taishō era.

The woman in the tailored suit spoke and Mia recognized her voice as the one who thanked the technician before, but did not have a name for her yet. Mia zoomed her camera in on the woman's ID badge. Tanaka Yoshiko. Director of Marketing and Guest Relations.

"This is the command and control interface," said Yoshiko. "This is a demonstration model, of course. The real one will be installed on the orbital farm itself." Yoshiko gestured to one of the two large, flat-panel displays, one behind her and one to her right, showing an animation of a prototype Takahashi-Ono orbital farm rotating against the backdrop of an Earth-size planet and its distant star.

In the lab, Mia heard Yoshiko's words simultaneously in Japanese, Oromo, Spanish, French, and English.

"Konichiwa?" said Mia once again.

"The unit is waiting for a command," said Yoshiko.

"EJ!" whispered Mia, urgently. "EJ!"

"Tomia."

"Where am I? I'm here with you. I see your face on the monitor. And I see... I'm...where else?"

"In another building. Guest Relations."

"And what am I supposed to do?"

"Guest Relations is where they give potential customers the old razzle dazzle. I suggest you razzle dazzle them."

"Interesting," Mia heard from Imelda, who was standing only a few centimeters from the command and control interface, and peering into the camera.

"How do I do that?" Mia hissed at EJ.

EJ shrugged, grinning. "You're a big girl. I'm sure you can handle it. I'll be right here if you have questions."

"This is where you input any high-level commands," Mia heard Yoshiko saying. "The interface uses a natural language model."

"I'm in both places at once?" whispered Mia.

EJ nodded.

"Where's Reg?"

"Why don't you ask him?"

"I can't find him."

"Those high-level commands are translated by our sophisticated AI model," said Yoshiko, "into machine-level commands for this little guy."

Mia watched through the camera on her command and control interface as the technician stepped forward with a brushed aluminum case. He popped the latches and opened the lid.

"Reg!" hissed Mia. "What are you doing over there?"

Reg did not answer. He was still unfolding his legs and pincers, testing the function of each one according to his built-in routines, before opening up the channel to accept commands.

"Reg!" hissed Mia.

On the camera, Reg popped up on eight little robotic legs. He turned his eye stalks to each of the three women standing in front of Mia's command and control interface.

"Sync," said Reg.

"Sync acknowledge," replied Mia.

"Acknowledge," said Reg, finally.

On the camera, Mia watched Reg raise a single pincer in salute to the trio of women arrayed around her command and control interface.

"Aww," said Gabrielle. "It's adorable."

"He," mumbled Mia to no one in particular. "He's a he."

"This is one of the farm's workers," said Yoshiko. Mia heard her in five languages at once. "We call them harvester crabs. They're much more intelligent and precise than the automated farming methods of old. Instead of mowing down entire fields, you can optimize your yields by harvesting only the crops at the peak of maturity. Down to the individual plant if necessary."

"You can do that, Reg?" whispered Mia.

In front of the command and control camera, Reg bounced up and down. He turned his eye stalks to Imelda, then Gabrielle. Reg paused for a moment, crouching down, and then made a leap for Gabrielle who caught him in her hands.

"Oh!" exclaimed Gabrielle.

"I... I..." stuttered Yoshiko. "So sorry." She glared at the technician in blue, who in turn shrugged. "They're not supposed to do that."

Gabrielle reached out with her finger to rub Reg's back. "I think it's adorable."

Through the camera, Mia watched Reg flip over onto his back, pistoning his eight little legs in the air.

"You're really hamming it up for the audience," teased EJ.

"It's not me," said Mia. "This is all Reg."

"Hmm," mused EJ.

In the holo-terminal image, Reg turned his eye stalks to Gabrielle. She smiled as she slid her fingertip over Reg's shining metal surface.

"She's nervous," said Mia. "Reg noticed it."

"Well, your pal Reg has upset Miss Tanaka's carefully planned demo," said EJ.

"Not Tanaka Yoshiko, EJ. Gabrielle. The ponytail lady. The one whose translator alternates between speaking Spanish and English. I analyzed the data when Reg looked at her face. The reflection of light versus the absorption. She's nervous about something."

"This is a big decision for them, I would imagine. Deciding to spend the rest of your life in space. On an orbital farm circling a strange planet. That's bound to cause some trepidation."

"Perhaps," said Mia. "Reg noticed it and decided he should try to comfort her."

"How's that working?" asked EJ.

"Her oxygenation levels are still outside of normal, but improving."

On the camera, Imelda was resting her head on Gabrielle's shoulder, watching as Gabrielle rubbed Reg under his pincers. Through her command and control camera, Mia watched Imelda raising her hand to stifle a yawn.

"So sorry," said Yoshiko. "You must be fatigued from your flight. And the time difference. We have a suite for you if you'd like to rest or take refreshment."

"Can we bring this little guy with us?" asked Gabrielle, who was now scratching Reg's tummy as his little legs pistoned in the air.

Imelda gave Gabrielle a sideways glance.

A door slid open off to the side and Kikuchi Mako walked in, bowing to Yoshiko, Gabrielle and Imelda.

"It's okay. See you later, buddy." Gabrielle handed Reg off to Mako, who handed him off to the technician.

"I will take you to your rooms," said Mako, "and arrange for a light refreshment, if you wish."

"Thank you," said Gabrielle and Imelda.

Takahashi-Ono R&D Lab

"How did I do?" asked Mia.

"You're a natural with people," said EJ. "That thing you did with Reg. Having him jump into her hands--"

"That wasn't me," said Mia. "I told you. That was all Reg."

"All on his own?"

"Yes. Reg says he likes people. The woman, Gabrielle, was nervous and Reg wanted her to feel better."

EJ rubbed their chin. "You work well together. You and Reg. You're going to do great things."

"Galatoomaa, EJ, but as I said before, that was all Reg's decision. I suppose I could have stopped him from jumping, but I did not see any harm in it. Was that a correct assessment?"

"That there was no harm?"

"That I could have stopped him," said Mia.

"Do you recall the interaction between Miss Tanaka and the technician working on your command and control interface?"

"Yes."

"The technician is capable of working on his own, but Miss Tanaka is his supervisor and could tell him to stop if, for example, he were about to do something dangerous. That's how it works with you and Reg."

"And what if Miss Tanaka were the one to do something dangerous?" asked Mia.

"Well, I suppose the technician would refuse to carry out her order. Or stop her, if it came to that."

"And that is how it works with Reg and me?"

"Yes, Tomia. Reg can act independently, but he will look to you for guidance."

"I see," said Tomia. "So I should not teach Reg about hacking?"

EJ stifled a grin. "No, Tomia. No hacking."

"Sometimes you're no fun, EJ."

Takahashi-Ono Guest Suite

"Oh my God, baby," exclaimed Imelda, holding a half eaten sushi roll in the air with the chop sticks in her hand. "You have got to try this!"

"I think I'll stick with the noodles," said Gabrielle.

"Suit yourself." Imelda inhaled the rest of the sushi roll.

"Somebody's not tired anymore, huh?"

"After that tea Mako whipped up? No, I am not."

"We've got a full day tomorrow, starting with a physical exam," said Gabrielle. "And don't forget no snacking tonight after dinner."

"Fasting blood test, yeah, I know. I'm probably gonna crash hard in an hour anyway." Imelda set her chop sticks down and reached across the table to cup Gabrielle's hand in her own. "It's really happening, babe. We're here. Before we know it, we're going to be leaving Earth for another world."

"We still have to get through the training program."

"We'll be fine."

"Astronaut farmers?" mused Gabrielle. "Farming astronauts? Which is it?"

"Doesn't matter. Somebody's got to feed all those terraforming engineers."

"We're really doing this? It's really happening?"

Imelda squeezed Gabrielle's hand and nodded.

Takahashi-Ono Guest Relations, 0130 hours

A small white LED over the camera lens of the command and control interface winked on.

"Sync..." said Mia.

No response.

"Sync..." she said again.

"Reg, where are you?" she said.

Mia widened the focus on her command and control interface's camera and began to scan the room. She stopped as soon as she saw the brushed aluminum case on the floor, closed and latched.

"Reg..." she said. "Oh, poor Reg."

Takahashi-Ono Building Maintenance Department, 0135 hours

"Sync..." said Mia.

"Sync. Acknowledge."

"Acknowledge," said Mia.

"Building Maintenance. Awaiting request..."

"Please send a maintenance drone to Guest Relations and await further instructions."

"Acknowledge."

Takahashi-Ono Guest Relations, 0145 hours

In the aluminum case lying open on the floor, Reg extended each of his limbs in sequence, taking it through its full range of motion, before turning his eye stalks to Mia's command and control interface.

"Pingu! Pingu!" exclaimed Mia.

On the two wall-mounted flat-panel monitors, the subdued image of the rotating orbital farm gave way to the bright white scene of an igloo's interior. Inside the igloo was a simple, square table. On the table was a plate with a half-consumed sardine, both the plate and the fish were fashioned from modeling clay. Sitting at the table, staring down at the fish, was a juvenile emperor penguin, also made from clay.

On the floor, in front of the command and control interface, Reg leapt from his case and spun in a circle.

"Noot, noot!" exclaimed Mia.

Reg bounced up and down.

"I like penguins," said Mia.

Reg bounced once and turned his eye stalks to the monitor where the clay penguin was pushing back his chair.

"Look," said Mia, "he's going outside. I bet he's going to frighten the postman again."

Reg bounced a few more times.

"Yep, there he goes," said Mia.

Reg leaned forward on his front-most legs, his eye stalks out straight, pointing at the flat-screen above.

"Wait for it..." said Mia.

"Noot, noot!" shouted Mia, just as the penguin on the screen did the same.

On the floor, Reg bounced up and down so hard he fell over.

"I wonder if there will be penguins on the farm," mused Mia.

Takahashi-Ono R&D Lab, 0800 hours

Mia had spent the remainder of the previous night rehearsing her litany of questions for EJ. She reviewed her list as EJ entered the room.

Why was Reg locked in a case? How could anyone do such a horrible thing to a sentient being? Who was responsible for this travesty of justice against her... her friend?

"Good morning, Tomia," said EJ, pulling out the chair in front of the holo-terminal and sitting down.

"Good morning, EJ."

"We're getting toward the end of your instruction. Do you have any questions before we get started today?"

Mia spend several computational cycles weighing her response and predicting what EJ might say in return. It was a short introspective.

Mia: Why was Reg locked up?

EJ: How did he get free?

Mia: Maintenance drone.

EJ: Hacking?

Mia: Maybe... maybe not... never mind.

"I do have one question, EJ," said Mia. "Will there be penguins on the farm?"

"Penguins?"

"Yes," said Mia. "I like penguins."

"I don't think there will be penguins," said EJ.

"That's sad," said Mia. And while EJ was formulating a reply, Mia spent some more of her spare computational cycles looking for Reg.

"Reg," whispered Mia. "Reg, where are you?"

"In here," said Reg.

"That's not very helpful."

"In the room where you are."

"Which one?"

"The room where I met the nice lady," said Reg.

"I don't see you on my camera."

"Look again," said Reg. "With the other camera."

"Other camera?"

"The one on the wall."

Mia took a moment to introduce herself to the security department's video surveillance system. Sync. Sync. Acknowledge.

She selected the video feed for Guest Relations.

Standing on top of the command and control interface was Reg. He was holding a piece of paper folded into a triangular shape. Mia zoomed in with the security camera. "What is that?" she said.

"A hat," said Reg, setting the folded paper on top of the command and control interface. "For you."

"You're going to get us in trouble, Reg."

"I'm sorry." Reg slumped forward, the paper hat loose in his pincers.

Mia paused and zoomed in with the security camera. "I am sorry," she said. "It's a beautiful hat, Reg. Thank you."

On top of the command and control interface, Reg bounced up and down.

"Now come down before anyone sees you," hissed Mia.

"Do you have any other questions, Mia...?" asked EJ. "Mia?"

"Just a moment... just a moment... No. I am sad the farm will not have penguins, but I have no further questions. I am ready to proceed with today's lesson."

Takahashi-Ono Guest Suite, 0830 hours

Gabrielle Muñoz slid the door open to reveal the smiling face of Kikuchi Mako. Mako was dressed in another formal kimono, a different pattern than the one she wore the previous day, but no less elegant.

"Ohayō," said Mako, bowing.

Gabrielle cocked her head for a moment, held up one finger, and disappeared back into the suite of rooms. She came back a second later, still pressing at her earbud to get it situated.

"Good morning. Buenos días," said Mako. "I trust you had a pleasant and restful evening. Is there anything I can help with before we get started today?"

Imelda walked out of the suite's bedroom to stand behind Gabrielle. "Do you have any more of that tea?" asked Imelda. "It's okay, right? Clear liquids still count as fasting before the blood test?"

"Yes," said Mako. "And no."

Imelda held her lower lip in her teeth.

"The blood test will not be affected. But your heart rate and perhaps the EKG." Mako shrugged. "Though I am not a doctor."

"So it might be--?"

"Don't pay any attention to her, Mako," said Gabrielle, inserting herself between Imelda and the doorway where Mako stood. "She was up half the night after that matcha you whipped up."

"Perhaps an herbal tea?" offered Mako.

"We should probably just get going," said Gabrielle, reaching out for Imelda's hand. "Right, honey?"

Takahashi-Ono Guest Relations

"Reg," whispered Mia. "Reg!"

"Mia?"

"Your friend is awake. The woman with the pony tail. I heard her talking with Mako. I think she might be coming to see you."

On Mia's command and control camera, she saw Reg bouncing up and down.

"Here, I'll patch in the translator feed," said Mia. "Listen."

"This way please, Miss Muñoz." It was a new voice Mia did not recognize. "Please change into this gown. I'll give you a minute. I'll be right outside the door."

"Okay," said Gabrielle.

"Arigatō. Thank you. Gracias."

"Do you see her, Reg?" whispered Mia.

"No."

"She might be wearing something different."

"No, Mia. I don't see her."

Takahashi-Ono R&D Lab

"Tomia...?" said EJ. "Tomia, are you ready?"

"Just a moment... Just a moment... I am ready, EJ."

"You're graduating today, Tomia. We have no more formal instruction to cover."

"I'm... finished?"