“Please, share them with us,” an eager Dev responded. “I would like to know what an experienced, seasoned scholar like yourself views as a possible future for humanity based on what we have experienced and what we have learned.”

Zimmer nodded thoughtfully before replying.

“Salvation.”

Reed grimaced. “Now you sound like my grandmother. I can see alien technology such as what this ship represents changing the future, but I can’t exactly square that with ‘salvation.’ Who do you think it’s going to save?”

“Not ‘who’ so much as ‘what.’” The scientist was warming to his subject. “You should understand, Gavin. We have something significant in common. Your people have been looked down on and persecuted for centuries. The same is true of mine, only in our case the persecution has been unrelenting for millennia. Your people, whether they chose to live there or not, can rely on not one but two continents as a true homeland, in both of which you can move about in relative freedom. Whereas when it comes to regarding a plot of land as a ‘true homeland,’ mine are restricted to a smidgen of sand and soil not much larger than New Jersey. You could drop the whole nation of Israel into Lake Michigan and it would sink out of sight.”

“That’s certainly interesting.” The shift in subject matter left Dev confused—and suddenly uneasy. “What does it have to do with alien tech and ‘salvation’? Are you saying that you think the Gadeu are going to use their technology to somehow ensure the security of the country of Israel?”

Rising from the bed, Zimmer began to pace the floor. “Of course not. We don’t even know where the Gadeu are, or if we’ll ever even be able to make contact with them. That’s a matter for them to decide, and for the future. What I’m saying is that we might be able to make use of their technology to accomplish such a feat right now. Their instrumentalities have regained control of this vessel. Perhaps they might be persuaded to—intervene—on behalf of their builders’ ancestors. There exists an inescapable continuity that might usefully be exploited.”

Now it was his own spouse who was eyeing him uncertainly. “Jakob, you are talking crazy. Just because you can communicate with these newly arrived machines doesn’t mean they will do anything and everything you tell them. They appear to be entirely capable of independent thought and action. Why should they take orders from anyone, especially from a non-Gadeu?”

He smiled tightly. “Chiasa, my love, one cannot expect to have results without experimenting. You may be quite right. I could ask for something and they might very well ignore me utterly.” He paused for emphasis. “On the other hand, they might not. Think of the possibilities!” He looked to his right. “Our friend Gavin has already pondered such options. Of course, he was only thinking of himself.”