Six of Coins (Part Two)

June 28 - Zenobia

"It so beautiful, so very beautiful...all that my mind dream."
- LilyBell Snoodle

"I began to fear death, and so roam the wilderness.
The issue of my friend oppresses me,
so I have been roaming long trails through the wilderness.
The issue of Enkidu, my friend, oppresses me,
so I have been roaming long roads through the wilderness.
How can I stay silent, how can I be still!
My friend whom I love has turned to clay..." - Gilgamesh

-----

Eight days.

For the past eight days, I have been pouring over the items we salvaged from the Colchester.

I managed to open two of the data disks and I have been studying the research papers therein. This included tracking down and reading the secondary research as referenced in the papers themselves. Material stretching back centuries.

So far, I have also read two of the books that had rested on the floor next to Wylder.

Bai Feargynym may very well chide me for falling off the workaholic wagon.

There was a lot to absorb. But a few points jumped out at me.

1) Monopoles are elementary particles with only one pole of magnetic charge. They can be a source of an extremely powerful magnetic field.

2) Monopoles have a direct connection to the topology of the cosmos.

3) Superconducting quantum interference devices are used in the search for monopoles by making sensitive measurements of magnetic fields.

4) A powerful enough ring laser will produce a certain amount of bending of time and space.

5) If the energy is sufficient, a circulating laser might produce closed time-like curves.

I thought of Lily's words about Ardra's laser. It could be that Ardra is attempting to bend or fold space-time.

It made my brain hurt.

There was something else that caught my interest.

Ronald Mallett, one of the researchers quoted in Wylder's paper. His father died young and at the age of ten Mallett resolved to build a time machine, go back and save his dad. Mallett went on to become one of the world's leading theoretical physicists.

It made me think of Ardra.

The loss of her mother. Her transhumanist views.

It can drive us to excesses. It can drive us to greatness.

But our mortality defines us.

-----

I received a communication.

It was Lynx. A welcome voice after a week of theoretical physics.

"Good afternoon Major. I wanted to inform you, Jai has given me a tour of the facilities and I received my uniform."

I smiled warmly, "Very good Lynx. I plan to be on Al Raqis within the week. I look forward to seeing you in uniform."

I examined the image of Lynx standing next to Consulari Raghilda. He did look very smart.

"Are you recovering from your injuries?" I asked.

"I am doing much better," he replied, "The injuries have healed although I do have aches."

"That will pass I am sure. We were very lucky that the bullet missed the spinal cord."

"Yes. I am very grateful as well to the medical staff who helped."

Lynx continued, "I have just met with the synthetic once more. She has informed me that Ms. Zhangsun has my photo and name in a notebook."

"Do you have any idea why?" I asked.

"No. She was not very informative."

"Ms. Zhangsun wanted you to supply her with information as I recall," I mused, "Perhaps that is why."

I didn't want him worrying.

"Perhaps," he replied, "However I have not seen her on Hale's Moon today. I thought I would come and see the new place."

"I am sending you coordinates of the new trade station over Zenobia. Do you have a ship?" I sent him the numbers.

He did.

"I will also send the coordinates for a refueling station on the way. I have to go now but will meet with you when I come to Al Raqis. I would like to see where you are working and staying."