Descending Road - ANTH AND ARLEN by Dana W. Paxson

ANTH AND ARLEN

1529 4D

Arlen and the alien representative calling itself Anhmharh stood on opposite sides of a low, polished table-slab of steel and glass, the table’s mass striated in tumbled swirls of transparency and shine, small lights gleaming and shifting within it.

“Very well.” Anhmharh had evidently remade its andro host to suit itself. The alien nodded its domed shiny helm; its voice came clear, feminine but deep, speaking perfect ComLang. A tendril at its wrist pointed at the small box on the table. “We leave the anth with you, to assist your mining. You will deliver us the specified ores in the amounts we have requested, over the next forty-two years as measured on this world. We will pay you the agreed sum in the calibration metal of your own currency, and you will then return the anth to us.” The creature extended a hand to Arlen, the almost-human palm upward, the tendrils issuing from the wrist extended out above that palm.

This was clearly a gesture of agreement and closure. Arlen said, “Agreed,” and reached out. The alien‘s fingers and tendrils closed over his offered hand, warmed it briefly, and withdrew.

The anth, a rich sapphire-blue gem, nestled in its little box on the great table between them. It was a great triumph for Arlen; with this dark-blue stone the size of the end of his index finger, he now had access to alien technology.

He’d managed to lock out the other corps completely. Even the government had sent only one representative to this historic meeting, a forlorn minor official hunched now over a datasheet, transcribing the details of the scene. Not even a holocam.

Over their heads, the black dome of the City‘s North Lesser Hall sparkled with the holo projection of the stars in the neighborhood of Tarnus.

The stars. What a mighty dream: to take humanity again from the surface of its world, and travel through the depths of space. Arlen suppressed a smile. Maybe he would learn their secret from this little gem, and find the way outward again. It had been ten thousand years since humankind had lost spaceflight.

“We have already cautioned you on the use of the anth,” the alien said. “It is only for use in finding the ores, with the added components we have specified. Do not tamper with it, or attempt to use it for other purposes.

“Do not allow your flesh to come in contact with the anth. Such contact will destroy the anth itself, and will have unpredictable and deadly effects on any human tissue that touches it. Consider it our gift of trust; it will bring you wealth, if you use it well.”

This speech sounded like one of the ancient fables from the Archives. “We are grateful for your trust,” Arlen intoned. As soon as he got this little stone to his physicists, they would see just how much they could wring from it, after, of course, he had located the ore the aliens wanted, and received payment.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	ANTH AND ARLEN 1529 4D Arlen and the alien representative calling itself Anhmharh stood on opposite sides of a low, polished table-slab of steel and glass, the table’s mass striated in tumbled swirls of transparency and shine, small lights gleaming and shifting within it. “Very well.” Anhmharh had evidently remade its andro host to suit itself. The alien nodded its domed shiny helm; its voice came clear, feminine but deep, speaking perfect ComLang. A tendril at its wrist pointed at the small box on the table. “We leave the anth with you, to assist your mining. You will deliver us the specified ores in the amounts we have requested, over the next forty-two years as measured on this world. We will pay you the agreed sum in the calibration metal of your own currency, and you will then return the anth to us.” The creature extended a hand to Arlen, the almost-human palm upward, the tendrils issuing from the wrist extended out above that palm. This was clearly a gesture of agreement and closure. Arlen said, “Agreed,” and reached out. The alien‘s fingers and tendrils closed over his offered hand, warmed it briefly, and withdrew. The anth, a rich sapphire-blue gem, nestled in its little box on the great table between them. It was a great triumph for Arlen; with this dark-blue stone the size of the end of his index finger, he now had access to alien technology. He’d managed to lock out the other corps completely. Even the government had sent only one representative to this historic meeting, a forlorn minor official hunched now over a datasheet, transcribing the details of the scene. Not even a holocam. Over their heads, the black dome of the City‘s North Lesser Hall sparkled with the holo projection of the stars in the neighborhood of Tarnus. The stars. What a mighty dream: to take humanity again from the surface of its world, and travel through the depths of space. Arlen suppressed a smile. Maybe he would learn their secret from this little gem, and find the way outward again. It had been ten thousand years since humankind had lost spaceflight. “We have already cautioned you on the use of the anth,” the alien said. “It is only for use in finding the ores, with the added components we have specified. Do not tamper with it, or attempt to use it for other purposes. “Do not allow your flesh to come in contact with the anth. Such contact will destroy the anth itself, and will have unpredictable and deadly effects on any human tissue that touches it. Consider it our gift of trust; it will bring you wealth, if you use it well.” This speech sounded like one of the ancient fables from the Archives. “We are grateful for your trust,” Arlen intoned. As soon as he got this little stone to his physicists, they would see just how much they could wring from it, after, of course, he had located the ore the aliens wanted, and received payment.