Algorithm - Book 1 - The Medallion

Chapter 19

Adam asked, "But you said that your expedition could use the information on the disk. Why don't you just take it?"

"Our collective mandate is one of discovery and respect. We will only take the disk if you are willing to give it to us."

Adam thought a moment, reached into his pocket and brought out the medallion. "This may be of great value to us, here on Earth, but it seems it might serve an even greater purpose in your quest."

Alpha said, "There is one more decision you will need to make."

Linda and Adam looked into a pair of enigmatic yellow orbs.

"And that is whether you would like to join us on this expedition. I offer you both the opportunity to become part of our quest, to search for the origins of our human race, to seek out the reason for our being. In short, to confront our Makers and obtain the answer to the fundamental question of all time … why we were created."

That was a bombshell. It was the Krakatoa of proposals. It left both Adam and Linda speechless and nearly breathless. A tidal wave of questions inundated Adam's mind.

He gasped, "You have room for us? How long do you think it will take?"

There were many more questions—the problem was that they all tried surfacing at the same time.

Alpha said, "We can spend hours going through the details. There is room on the ship. After a short training period you will be placed in stasis. You will be integrated into our automated duty schedule and be awakened periodically. The schedule will allow you to meet others and to study the data collected during the journey. When we reach our destination everyone will be revived."

Linda asked, "And the trip … how long would we be gone?"

"Our current estimates place the home of the Makers approximately two hundred light-years distant."

Adam and Linda looked at each other.

"Afterwards, we plan to return everyone to their respective planets … to report on our findings. In your case the round trip is likely to take about five hundred years."

And I thought it was a one way trip.

Alpha looked at the astonished faces and added, "It is a decision I expect will need some time to consider. However, as you know, we have very little time. Might I suggest that you talk it over with your family and friends. If you choose to join us, you must do so with full realization of the commitment. It will indeed be a long voyage, but rest assured that you will have comfortable quarters and your ageing process will be slowed considerably by both relativistic effects and biological stasis. We should journey back to your home town this afternoon before the police are aware you are gone. We can meet again tonight. I will need your decision then."

"What if only one of us wishes to go?" Linda asked.

"Then you must both remain. It is our policy to add crew in pairs, compatible pairs. From what I have observed, you are such a pair."

Adam looked at Linda.

Was she smiling or was that a smirk?

Adam and Linda agreed to return to their Scranton suburbs. They further agreed on a meeting place if indeed both decided to accept the invitation—a secluded portion of the Schill campus, behind the practice football fields at 11:00 p.m.

The trip back was uneventful and silent. Dolefully silent. Adam's suspicious nature insured they would not be followed. After taking a circuitous route with many unnecessary turns, he dropped off Linda at her home about a mile from his own, and promised to call her later in the evening for her decision.

She handed him his gun. "I won't be needing this."

Minutes later he bade Alpha a goodnight from the brick stoop of his own home. As Alpha disappeared into the evening, Adam found himself wondering if what happened this week was not some daydream fantasy; that he would suddenly wake up and find himself lecturing organic chemistry. He was staring at the front door when it opened. His mother promptly scolded him for staying away so long without a word. She questioned him about the dark stains around his jacket collar, and whether he had been hurt. He hugged her and held her with his eyes shut tight, taking in the sweet smell of her and, for a moment, welcoming a flood of long-forgotten childhood memories. He was so happy that he hardly noticed that she kept up the chastisement as they entered the house.

The door clacked shut and she said, "I can heat up some soup, or maybe you'd like a sandwich too? There's meatloaf in the fridge."

 It was suppertime.