Chapter Twenty-two.
A Problem with Chronology
After Erika had made what she considered an appropriate choice of magazine, she followed Janik through the massive doors leading on to the main steps fronting the building. Before them lay a vast grass covered oval sloping gradually towards the deciduous trees edging the rapidly flowing river.
"I think the Discovery is moored down to the left a bit. This path will take us to the river and we should be able to follow it back to base."
"Are you sure, Janik? We didn't follow the river to get here."
" I know, but if you recall Leitus was quite interested in the large sphere that he saw on the hill about a couple of kilometres inland, so we sort of circled round to reach here."
"That sphere was incredible. All those instruments. It had to be a sciientific installation of some kind."
"There's so much here that I don't understand," said Janik. "When we went up to the sphere, we passed over a couple of broken down bridges spanning weed covered highways full of potholes but we haven't seen any form of transportation. It's weird."
"I agree. It's difficult to imagine what has happened.Just over two hundred years ago, many people from Darsis settled here and their letters described what we would call a normal way of life. I suppose that's why we're here, to find out what caused this calamity, and we won't do that standing on these steps all night."
Janik took the hint and led the way down a well-marked path to the water's edge. Their route along the riverbank wound through a densely wooded area. Erika, unnerved by the encircling gloom, stayed close to Janik. Overhead, a large white owl hooted. Erika clutched his arm. He turned towards her.
"Don't worry. We're almost out of here. Look you can just see the Discovery across the bay."
She made no attempt to remove her hand.
The boggy nature of the terrain blocked their path to the boat and necessitated a short detour through a burial ground. In an older section, they found stones engraved in various languages, some of which were familiar to Janik. Most of the stones merely mentioned the name of the deceased, the life span, and date of death. None bore a date later than 1486D.
Looming over the graves, at the back of the cemetery, stood a marble wall, twice the height of Janik, and at least as long as the Discovery. The ubiquitous three pronged symbol, with the number 101 carved across its base topped the structure. Innumerable rectangular metal plates covered the wall. Each bore a name in Myrian script, and a number. A prolonged torch-lit search revealed seventy-five to be the predominant number on the wall. It was also the lowest; the highest, one hundred and twenty four.
*****
That evening, Leitus held a group meeting with his research students to discuss progress. He saw no reason to alter his routine just because they were in the field. As usual, they met in the lounge on the main deck of the Discovery.
"So, have you two changed your minds over what might have happened here?"
"Not really," said Janik. "Everything seems to corroborate my earlier idea, that there has been a mass suicide, or maybe genocide."
"I tend to agree," said Leitus. "But either way, I cannot imagine how it was carried out. I'm also having difficulty on the time scale. It's obvious that this happened recently,but when? We have reliable information right up to the time of the Isolation Act in 1486D."
"That was the latest date on the gravestones."
" What on earth are you talking about, Janik?"
Janik detailed their findings. Leitus listened, intently.
"Very interesting," he said after Janik completed his discourse. "Let's see if we can mesh your findings with what we already know. What do you recall about Pergamon at the time of isolation?"
"Not much. All the information we have was highly censored. I know the Myr had instituted repressive language policies, and there were rumours of great technological advances in the military field. I believe that is why other countries such as Darsis or Bellica didn't intervene?"
Leitus grimaced a little before replying. The historical background of his linguistics expert left a lot to be desired.
"If you recall there was no way they could intervene, a little matter of the Great War."
"And why would they intervene," remarked Erika. "The MRP was an elected government."
"Quite so. Anyway, we know that this catastrophe occurred sometime between D1486 and the present day. That means we are looking at a period of two hundred and four years."
"Sir, about those numbers on the marble. What if at the time of isolation the Myr started a new calendar. From what you said that would make this the year 204."
"But, Janik, didn't you say that the numbers on that memorial ranged from 75 to 124. If they indicate the time of death we have to believe that no one died for seventy five years after isolation then suddenly for the next forty nine years death returns? That's preposterous. And what happened in 124? There's no way this catastrophe occurred eighty years ago. All the evidence indicates it was a recent event."
"Maybe during certain periods they just didn't bury people, Sir."
Erika, realizing that Janik was struggling to come up with an explanation, came to his aid. She handed him the magazine from the library, gave him a sly dig in the side, and then pointed to the top right hand corner of the front cover. A broad grin spread across Janik's face.
"Sir, I think Erika has found an answer. From the date on this magazine, it appears that the disaster occurred about six years ago."
Leitus couldn't believe he hadn't thought of this.
"That's more like it. Well done the pair of you. I'm still concerned about that number 101 on the memorial. It has to be significant. Something for you to work on, Janik. Now how about you, Erika? Have you noticed anything else that might shed some light on what has happened here?"
"Well, sir, I know I'm supposed to be paying particular attention to developments in science, but I'm a bit puzzled about a couple of other things, the blackened windows and the lack of clothes.
"The lack of clothes? Why do you think that is significant?"
"From what I have read, Pergamon has brutal winters..." She paused. Janik snickered at her obvious discomfort, the rush of blood to her pale face.
"Look at this magazine," she said. "It's typical of what Janik and I discovered in the library. Look at the people in the pictures. They're virtually naked. How did they keep warm? They're wearing nothing but this thong to cover their ...." Again she hesitated.
"Genitalia"
"I know what they are you smart ass. Oops, sorry, Janik, I didn't mean to say that."
"No offence taken."
"But seriously, sir. Just take a quick look. It's really strange. All the people seem to be male and look, well...wimpy. There's no real muscle development."
Leitus quickly looked through the glossy document. "Maybe this is a women's magazine and this is the Myrian idea of male beauty."
"I don't think so. If it is, I pity those women."
"Oh really, Erika. So what is your idea of male beauty?"
Leitus coughed, and almost choked. What was Janik fishing for? A compliment? He diverted the conversation. "I don't think that Erika's preferences have anything to do with our discussion Janik. Let's hear what you have to say."
"First, I would like to say that Erika didn't spend the whole day looking at magazines. She did some great work which I think is going to really help us." Janik obviously knew he had overstepped some boundary and was attempting to mend a partially broken fence. "Using those two physical chemistry texts she was able to work out the Myrian alphabet and we can now take a Myrian word and write it out in corresponding Darsian text."
"That's great progress."
"Thank you, sir, but we still have problems. Remember this morning when we disembarked, we passed a sign and you suggested it might be the name of the town. Well I wrote it down."
Janik took a crumpled piece of paper from the pocket of his form-fitting shirt, and smoothed it out in front of Leitus who was sitting directly opposite.
"Using Erika's key this can be written in Darsian as Drylan. Now what does that mean? Is it the name of the town?"
Leitus shook his head. "I don't think so. We have maps from the years before Isolation, and so far in our expedition these have proved to be quite accurate. According to them this town is known as Cabot."
"But sir isn't it possible that the Myr have changed all the names? After all, in Darsis they tend to name new towns after famous historical figures. Maybe Drylan is a famous Myrian."
"If that's the case," interrupted Erika. "Won't it make our maps useless?"
"I don't think so," said Leitus. The roads outlined on the map seem to be still in existence even if they are in a terrible state of disrepair."
"We've been wondering about that, sir. Why would they have roads and no means of transportation?"
"It is strange,Erika. We know that they used petroleum before Isolation. For some reason the Myr must have given up on cars. Probably because they have no oil deposits and were completely dependent on imports from Bellica."
"Or, maybe they discovered a new way to travel."
"Such as?"
"I've no idea. They must have had some way of getting around. It's such a large country"
"Speaking of travel, when do we leave for Timus, sir?" asked Janik.
"In a couple of days, but before we leave I have other jobs for you. Erika, I'd like you to look at Hertz's journal. I only read his foreword. Very interesting stuff. The rest was incomprehensible to me, lots of scientific jargon. It should be right up your street. Janik, I would like you to continue work on the language problem, and see if you can find anything related to the alphega diet."
"Alphega?"
"Yes alphega, A-L-P-H-E-G-A."
"Is that all then sir?"
"Yes I think that about wraps it up for now. I'll see you in the morning. Erika, would you mind just staying behind for a little while? There's another matter I would like to discuss with you."
"Will it take long sir?"
"No it's nothing major."
"Fine."