BooksBarbecue
Back The Long Sunset
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Prologue
  5. 1.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 4.
  9. 5.
  10. 6.
  11. 7.
  12. 8.
  13. 9.
  14. 10.
  15. 11.
  16. 12.
  17. 13.
  18. 14.
  19. 15.
  20. 16.
  21. 17.
  22. 18.
  23. 19.
  24. 20.
  25. 21.
  26. 22.
  27. 23.
  28. 24.
  29. 25.
  30. 26.
  31. 27.
  32. 28.
  33. 29.
  34. 30.
  35. 31.
  36. 32.
  37. 33.
  38. 34.
  39. 35.
  40. 36.
  41. 37.
  42. 38.
  43. 39.
  44. 40.
  45. 41.
  46. 42.
  47. 43.
  48. 44.
  49. Epilogue
  50. About the Author
  51. Copyright

“There’s a problem. We come from very far away, Mr. President. We were hoping you could be of assistance.”

“In what way?”

“We’re not sure yet. It will depend on your technology. And willingness.”

“We will help if we can. But I must be honest with you: We have long since allowed our interstellar capabilities to decline. To die off. It is difficult to see what we could do. However, feel free to discuss the matter with Director Kobay. And I will hope for a happy result. Thank you for your time, friend Derek.”

Tasha changed back to Shalon: “I’m afraid the president is correct. I cannot imagine how we can be of assistance. Have you other ships in the area?”

“No. Unfortunately, we do not. We need a fleet of vehicles to transport the inhabitants out of harm’s way. Fortunately, that world population is relatively small. Two or three million.”

“That is good news. But I still don’t see a way for us to help.”

“We had hoped that you might have a fleet that could come to their assistance. Unfortunately, that appears not to be the case.”

“That is correct. We have no such fleet, nor the capability to construct one.”

“Even if we provide the designs?”

“We don’t have adequate technology for that kind of project.”

“I’m surprised to hear it. Surely—”

“It’s been a long time, Derek. We no longer have engineers.”

Derek sighed. “I guess what we really need is to find the gods who came to your assistance so long ago.”

“Please understand,” said Shalon. “Adjuban is a myth.”

“Yes. Of course. Forgive me.”

“We abandoned much of our technology, as it became of limited use. Today, we have an automated society. The mechanisms with which we live maintain and repair themselves. We acquired the capability long ago to establish a world that serves us in every way we require. We live lives entirely of leisure. Except for those of us who wish to pursue careers. And those are limited. We always have use for physicians, for entertainers, for teachers, for artists. Everything else is taken care of.”

“By whom?”

“Perhaps I can make this clearer by informing you that President Zakow is automated.”

“He’s an AI?”