Barn Dance

“Control, this is Skimmer 294. Approaching search zone at 9 Km. How is my signal?“

“Skimmer 294, signal is weak, but we still have you. Report conditions.“

“ 34% sunlight, winds 24 kn,, visibility at 3.2 km at9 Km

Probe shows a remarkable 15% sunlight at the surface, winds running about 42 Kn.. Visibility about 400 m. Pretty clear day.“

“Confirmed, Skimmer 294. Activate RASCAL and proceed with mission.”

“Confirmed, Control. Next check in before 14:00 Skimmer 294 off-line.”

I reached over and flipped the switch behind the recording and security companion and lifeline’s left ear. As RASCAL 83 animated and down loaded the mission specs and available data, I dropped us all the way down to 300 m and set the auto pilot for a standard grid pattern.

“We exceeded the recommended Speed in which to approach the surface.“ RASCAl 83 informed me.

“I didn’t turn you on to be a backseat pilot. Send the probes out 100 m 2° constant below our altitude.“

RASCAL 83 replied. “There is no need for a backseat pilot in this unit for there is no backseat. Probes dispatched.“

I sighed and made a mental note not to be late for work again; traveling with an old unit with an antiquated literal thought translator made for a long workday. But as there was no reason for communication at the moment, I pulled up the last five chapters of Dr. Mochi Kahnaka’s latest book Quantum Physics: Failures in 21st Century Aeronautics. Having to keep below 200 km/h, I should be able to finish this book up before lunch.

“Multiple metals detected by starboard probe, southwest at 75m.“ 83 announced forty-three minutes in.

“Life forms? Signals?“

“Six separate metals and four alloys containing those metals. Signal is strong. No life.“ 83 replied.

I hit the air break and we came to an immediate stop. A signal could be searching for a target and I did not wish to be one.“Analyze signal.“

“ The probe’s signal is being transmitted—“

“Not the signal from the probe.“I interrupted.“The signal from the target.“

“There is no signal from the target.“ 83 replied.

“But you said the signal was strong.“

“The signal is strong.“ 83 replied.

“ The signal is strong, correct? From the target?“

“There has been no detection of a signal from the target it’s self. The probe signal is strong. If there were a signal from the target it would -“

Realizing we had another literal translation glitch I gave 83 a look of disgust. “Never mind.”

Circling the target the analysis confirmed my suspicion. It was a 21st century Low earth orbit satellite. The atmosphere was so dense these artifacts came back to Earth at much lower speeds and often remainedIntact. I tagged the satellite for recovery, disengage the auto pilot, and set off to finish the grid believing I would find nothing else.

“Present speed is not recommended. Analysis indicates lowering speed or increasing altitude is advisable.“83 stated.

“I’m sure we found the cause of the reports. Time for some fun. Set the probes for automatic air break and let’s fly.“

“Using probes for automatic airbrake detection it’s not standard operating procedure. It will require overriding security codes. There is no fun listed in operating manuals. Be advised -“

“ stop the lecture. Just set the probes and remain silent until we are done.“ I commanded.

Twenty minutes later I had completed almost half of the search zone and was entertaining myself by doing touch and go maneuvers on the surface. The forward probe activated the airbrake and the next thing I knewthere was some structure less than 20 m ahead of me.

“What is that? Where did it come from?…,“I turn to 83 when it did not reply. “Well, what is that? Have we found something you actually do not know?“

83 did not reply.

“I am waiting for…, “Before I finished my thought I realized my last command was to remain silent until we were done. “We’re done. Now, what is that?“

“ our mission has not been completed.“83 replied.

“Just tell me what that is.“ I commanded pointing at the screen.

“ it appears to be a 20th-century structure used two house animals and farming equipment in this area which at the time was referred to as Nebraska. What you see not covered by surface material would have been known as the loft if I am correct. The entire structure was referred to as a barn.“

“Wow, really? How could it have survived out here.?Let’s have a closer look.” I said as we cruised around to the front of the structure and prepared to exit.

83 mimicked my movements while informing me “The most probable cause for its preservation is being buried in the surface material for a long period of time and only recently uncovered by a super vortex. But not so recently that another human has not found it.“

“How could you know another human has found it before now?“

“Their personal craft is parked on the other side of the structure and they are within the structure which is fairly clear of surface debris and allows access through what once was referred to as the barn door.“

“And just when were you going to tell me there was someone here?“

“ I was programmed to tell you the moment it was detected but at that moment I had been given the command to remain silent. Therefore, I had to wait until you asked or it was relevant.“

“When there is a life form close you should always tell me immediately overriding any other command. Understood?“ I said as wae landed next to a small one person craft. “Craft registration?“

“Registered to Skimmer 201, three levels above you, not on today’s schedule, she is not on duty.“ 83 informed me as it began detaching itself from the seat.

“No, you stay here. Keep an eye on the craft.“ I commended.

“Keeping an eye on the craft would require-“

“Oh, shut up and stay here.“ I said in frustration as I moved to the airlock.

Surface debris in front of the structure was only about a meter thick. Skimmer 201 must’ve been here for a while as any trace of going from the personal craft to the structure had already been filled in by the constantly shifting surface debris. I made my way to 183 had described as the barn door. Not wishing to startle Skimmer 21, I turned my communicator to all channels and announce myself. There was no channel response but my external microphones were picking up strange noises mixed in with the howling of the winds.

“83, can you identify the external noise that is not being caused by air movement?“

83 replied. “Yes.“

Sighing heavily, I said “83, tell me the noise you have identified not caused by air movement.“

“There are various musical instruments and a human voice though my sensors indicate it is a recording written by 20th century composer Andrew Lloyd Webber based on a poem by TS Eliot, 20th century Writer and included in the 1981 musical titled Cats. It is and illegal broadcast as all music was banned in 2110 except when being used for anthropological studies.“

I was looking through the door opening as 83 described what I was hearing. The darkness inside the structure was broken by shafts of dim light allowed in by a mostly collapsed roof and finding its way through a disintegrating second floor.

At first, I could not see Skimmer 201 in the gloom as the music seem to intensify. Then I realized I was looking for the wrong thing as I saw movement in one corner of the structure. I had been searching for a bright yellow uniform, but there was Skimmer 201 in a Black bodysuit and equipped with goggles and breathing apparatus like those used for ocean exploration. She was moving in very strange, yet captivating ways. With great care she moved her hands in the air as if she were brushing against the noise, while her legs bent and stretched and turned her this way and that way and up and down.

I turned off my external speakers and whispered. “83, what would make someone move when there is music?“

“It is reported people would involuntarily move by tapping their fingers or their feet when they heard music. There were also those who move their entire bodies while music was playing. There are different forms but the general activity is referred to as dance, an activity banned at the end of the 21st-century as it was determined to be a waste of energy, time, intellect, and served no quantifiable purpose.”

I lost track of time, forgot where I was, as every microsecond was captivated by what I was watching. I had never seen anything like it. I had read descriptions of certain types of mammals and birds moving gracefully I never knew what that meant. Now I was watching Grace end it was spellbinding. The music never ended, she never stopped moving, and then I realize I had listen to the same sounds repeatedly at least three times.

She caught sight of me peering through the door. She hesitated for only a moment. Though I could not see her eyes through the goggles, I knew she was staring right at me. Then she continued her pattern of movements, but this time constantly turned her head towards me as if she was trying to tell me something. I had no idea what, but I knew it was beautiful.

“ how could they have banned this.” I thought out loud.

“If dance is taking place the perpetrator must be cited and reported to the department of waste management.“ 83 replied to what I wish I had not set out loud.

I turned away from the door as the music started from its beginning once more. I slogged through the surface debris back to my craft. I was silent until back in the pilot seat. I checked the time of departure and re-entry on the airlock records. “Delete all data gathered by all sensors in the past 20 minutes.“

“Deleting sensory data is a violation of code 48329-j4.” 83 informed me. “ and the time. You have requested will erase all evidence collected needed for citation and disciplinary action.“

“Delete the data and then delete,“ I checked the time, “ The past 53 seconds. Emergency code override. Shred electron it copies and do it all now.“ I commanded.

“Confirmed.” 83 replied and demonstrated data was deleted. “Are you going to contact Skimmer 201? Perhaps she needs assistance.“

“Already did, 83, solar flare must’ve interrupted your power source. Time to move on. Let’s finish the grid.“ I said as I engage the auto pilot.

“Shall I make any notation of your encounter with Skimmer 201?“ 83 asked.

“ let’s just say she was having fun.“ I replied.

“Fun is not listed as an activity available to off duty-“

“ 83, … Shut up.“