Foundation's Mistress

42. The Realm of Alkuon

There is a timeless quality to the Incept. On the one hand, we are ancient. The Mother, we are assured, Formed our habitation herself. But on the other hand, there is a newness to us. We are the place where life truly begins...

- Excerpt: A History of the Incept, Vardis of the Incept, 251 SSA

'Here she is - Dr Renate Steenkamp!' Hugo's voice rang throughout the frontal bay. At this announcement, a gigantic cheer went up. Progressive, synthesised club beats boomed in the background, instantly lending the docking area the ethos and atmosphere of a stadium. The gathered crowd was applauding, of course, but the scope of the acclaim was embellished over widescape.

It was a cheap trick, but it worked. The widescape channelled the rush of sound right through Renate's body. Her cortex and spine tingled with exultation, and she strode down the central aisle in her jumpsuit towards The Acquisitive feeling every inch of ten feet tall. She saw hundreds of faces she recognized, and thousands she did not, all of them smiling at her.

'I can't tell you how excited we are to have this lady heading planetside to the realm of Alkuon!' Hugo declared. He balanced the volume of his voice, which was a boon. In Renate's experience, people tended to speak far too loud when they were amplified on widescape. 'She was the standout candidate in all of the Trials, and our psychometric testing has shown that she is perfect for the role!'

As the applause escalated, she briefly reflected on Hugo's assertion. It was the first time Hugo had mentioned psychometric testing in that connection. It made sense, she supposed. She remembered Halcyon had mandated some testing for all company officers some years ago. She had been collected in a luxurious automated hover vehicle. It had taken her into a rough part of the city in Cape Town, to a dingy, depressed-looking psychology practice. She had spent hours there, answering inane questions, engaging in terrible and inauthentic role play exercises. It was odd to think that the results of that day had been a determinant for this one.

More cheering followed as Renate progressed forward down the aisle, finally arriving at the dais. Turning, she bowed to the crowd. The applause reached a frenzy right before she stood next to Hugo. Eventually, the noise receded, lessening to a hushed murmur.

'This is an extraordinary day for everybody here, and a tremendous milestone for Halcyon Entertainment. Tell us, Renate,' said Hugo, 'how are you feeling right now?'

'Very excited, Hugo,' Renate responded with a broad smile, her voice reverberating throughout the bay. 'Nervous too, but it's a good nervous, I assure you.'

The crowd laughed politely.

'I'm not surprised,' Hugo declared. 'You know, I believe that in a few hours, you will be the first solo woman ever in the history of our world to set foot on a foreign planet.'

'It's a thrill to think of it like that,' Renate beamed.

'I mean, if ever we needed proof that Halcyon supports the careers of women...'

A lot of laughter followed this. Renate smiled politely, but inwardly she felt incensed. You're archaic, Hugo. You really are. Had the last two centuries of equal opportunity reformation really led to this?

'So,' he continued, 'in a few moments, you're going to board The Acquisitive, and you'll head down to the planet.' Hugo had cleverly cottoned on to the idea that being a master of ceremonies was simply about making big, obvious and largely redundant statements. It was working. The anticipation was growing.

'Yes,' she answered. 'Apparently I'll make planetfall inside of five minutes, stepping out of the hatch inside of ten.'

Hugo turned to the crowd. 'See, that's impressive, isn't it?'