Part 11 of some new science fiction. If you're just tuning in, consider starting with part 1. The image above was created with stable diffusion.
James signed a protection pledge, but insisted that it cover all of North America instead of just the United States. Suit wasn't happy about this, but he grudgingly accepted it. For his part, James doubted he'd ever need to come to the continent's defense.
The day after the ceremony, he heard a knock at the door. Yarn was elsewhere and the soldiers outside usually kept unannounced visitors at bay. Activating a bubble of protection, James opened the door and found a stranger wearing what appeared to be a replica of Thubu's robes. A truncated icosahedron hung around the man's neck.
"You're an Object cultist, huh?" asked James.
"He told us he was your spiritual advisor," said the nearest soldier.
"Close enough," said James, shrugging. "Well, come on in."
"They call me Gray," said Gray, following James to the kitchen table.
"And what spiritual advice do you have for me, Gray?" asked James.
"I follow the ways of Thubu," said Gray. "I came seeking your counsel."
"Dude, Thubu isn't a person," said James. "More like a computer program. Like they run the Thubu program when they want to do certain things."
"I don't understand," said Gray. "Isn't Thubu here to teach humanity? Are the designs on his robe not keys to deeper understanding?"
"Yeah, probably not," said James.
"But why come here if not to teach us?" asked Gray.
"Pretty sure they're here just to mess with us for fun," said James. "So, how much did that Thubu robe set you back?"
"Four-fifty," said Gray. "And another fifty for the Object amulet. Now I'm talking to you, so I consider the investment worthwhile. Did the Visitors ever bring up religion?"
"They asked my opinion on compulsory public prayer," said James. "And they talked about religion in terms of a social regulation strategy."
"So you don't think they have a spiritual side?" asked Gray.
"I don't know," said James. "If I was a fish and I saw a person on the beach, would I be able to interpret the person's spiritual status?"
"They're nonviolent, so they must believe in something," said Gray.
"They seem to have strict ethics, but only when it comes to certain things," said James. "The measures they take to avoid biological contamination are intense. But they don't seem to care one way or the other whether we live or die."
"I believe the Visitors are testing us," said Gray.
"Yeah they are," said James. "But not how you think."
"How, then?" asked Gray.
"The way a scientist tests mice," said James. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to."
Gray left quietly. James walked out into the backyard and used his Servant to materialize a futuristic motorcycle and matching helmet. A soldier in the alley took notice and started recording the scene on his phone. Smiling broadly, James put on the helmet and took off, the bike's electric motor humming.
The plan was to cruise around and maybe get something to eat. But James made it only six blocks before the first drone caught up with him. Instead of worrying about this, he kept going, crossing the river and proceeding to his favorite curry place. A squad car flashed its lights as James parked.
The officer approached, reaching James at the same time as he dematerialized the motorcycle and helmet. "Sir," said the officer. "Sir, what just happened?"
"See those drones up there?" asked James, pointing up. "I was just giving them a show."
"But your vehicle ... hey!" said the officer. "I recognize you! If you try to put me to sleep I'll taze you."
"Understood," said James. "Look, I'm trying to get some curry."
"Can I take a selfie?" asked the officer.
"Fine," said James, who waited patiently through the procedure.
The restaurant wasn't crowded and James was seated right away. Within ten minutes, Janet showed up and sat down. "My bosses are dying to know what you're doing," she said.
"Good to see you too," said James. "Did you seriously drop everything to come here and watch me eat dinner?"
"Looks that way," said Janet. "There is something I wanted to ask you about. From that night on the beach with the dragon."
"Okay," said James.
"There was a phrase you repeated in your delirious state," said Janet. "The interface is subatomic. Does that mean anything to you?"
"I guess," said James, considering. "It's like, the visitors didn't come here on physical ships traveling through space as we know it. And they can't just pop into our world, either. They can only act here through something that translates between worlds. An interface. And the interface connects with our reality on a deep level. Hence subatomic."
"Jesus we really have no idea what's going on, do we?" asked Janet. "Can you think of anything that might help us detect this interface? Is that what living substrate is for?"
"Could be," said James. "And no, again, I can't get you any living substrate."
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