timeline: before Caves of steel
The young doctor sat at 3D transmitter. Robot just said him, that Dr. Kelden want to connect with him. This very old scientist stepping on sill of his own death shared big reputation and for this young man was so important, that he woke up at half past three a.m. Yawning he sat on chair, dipping in warm nightrobe. Robot brought him glass of warm drink before beginning of connection
"Good morning, dr. Kelden," young man was the first. It was in the name of politeness
"Good morning, Han. I say direct, do not disturb me please. As mather of fact, you know I was Commodore about one hundred years ago. It means, that my function was to lead not only Auroras politics, but also lead politics of other fifty spaceworlds," Kelden stopped short for a minute. Dr. Han Fastolf realised in that time, that dr. Kelden is dressed in good-class clothes from Solaris fabric.
"My whole life was about primacy of Aurora. I sneezed at people, first was national status. All of the years I saw Aurora as leading planet including Earth. Thats why we built Spacecity, to govern it. I sent Dr. Sartona there, who work there on topsecret project. With his help we can manage Earth in few centuries. You, " he scowled a bit, to underline seriousness of what he say, "dr. Han will help him. No comments please," added on, when he distinguished how dr. Han Fastolf opens mouth.
Young man wanted to enter a protest. He has just ended his study and has some centuries ahead. There was so much chances to canker on the Earth.
"One friend of mine, Han, before he died," old Kelden continued, " said strange theorem."
"What?" Fastolf disturbed him.
"Stars are diamonds in the sky."
"Diamonds?"
"Yes. Every star is a gem. Decads went and I thought about it. For every Auroran person is important just one star. Our, of course," dr. Kelden looked somewhere far away .
"And what did you come to?"
"That every star is diamond in the sky. Listen to me carefully, Han. I know that your young imprudence will send you in different ways, but please enlighten yourself from dying oldman."
" I am listening," Han Fastolf accustomed.
"Aurora a its star is just one from milions of stars. So me or you is one of billions of people. And every man has right for worthy life. Also Earthmen. Please help them to free from Auroras occupation. And help them to free from themselves. Both, we and they are on the way to burst-up. But they only have chance to save."
"Aurora is on the way of bankrupcy?" dr. Fastolf tightened chest, his head moved backward and scowled.
"Yes, in few mileniums, there will be desert with wild dogs on this planets. Auróra is bankrupting. Only thanks to long age of Aurorans it will be longer. Neither I wont be alive, nor my son Kelden Amadiro. And your daughter, who was sent on Solaris, wont live so much. What is her name? Glady?"
Han opened eyes. Where did dr. Kelden know from ? Dr. Fastolf knew, that woman he loved, got pregnant. But how he could realise, that it can be daughter and her name will be Glady?
"Excuse me, sir, you should not care about it."
"Ehm, i cant say," dr. Kelden stopped in the middle of the word. Dr. Fastolf heard cry and dr. Kelden went away from the view.
"Dr. Kelden, dr. Kelden, whats happening?"
After some minutes, there was furious, about twelve years old boy. He spoke and his saliva put-put from his mouth.
"This is me, Kelden Amadiro. Supersecret policy has my father leaded away. I hate you. I destroy you and all of Earthmen due to them they have my father leaded away."
Connection was lost and dr. Fastolf was recovering about an hour from this shock what was happening.
"Hi, darling, how are you? " Han asked.
"Hi. Quite well, but I am missing you very ," woman said sadly and immediatelly she continued, "in few hours we will be landing. We are on orbit."
"Good one. How is doing our daughter?" man smileyed. He presupposed, that woman would be suprised, where from he does know it.
" Gladia sleeps."
"caress her also in my name. It will take long time to see each other. You, I and our little one."
"You promised that after she is born, you fly on Solaris."
"Yes, I know. But there is one problem. I have to fly to the Earth," slowly and with hard heart Han Fastolf said.
"Au," sudennly woman cried. She bended forward and with palm she touche tummy, which says there is baby.
" Gladia has just kicked me. She is also angry, you leave us alone."
"Dont be afraid. Five years will fly faster then hyperspaceship. Then new Commodore will be voted and I request for return. Until then we will think about how to be together. Either on Solaris or on Aurora."
"Really? On Earth you will find paramour and you will forgot us. Both, " woman nagged him.
"Astra, don't think up. I love you both and after I end mission, I straightway fly to Solaris. I promise."
"I am missing you now. "
"So I am. I tell you a poem. Should I?"
"It would behove. Let it be nice lullaby that Gladia could sleep during landing."
"Moment."
Picture went out. She heard just everything went quiet. Picture returned and Astra saw whole face zoomed of Han Fastolf. Han with peaceful voice declaimed the poem.
"Sleep, Gladia, flower one,
Let just nice dreams own.
Please mummy don't kick,
Rather properly eat .
Daddy will be soon back,
To save whole world from wrack."
Then he moved with lips like kiss and he waited for Astra to do the same. They noddled one another and connection closed.
Astra lied on the bed. She uncovered her tummy little. She gave palm on it. She waited if baby kick her once again. In thoughts she moved back to the past.
In vision she saw dr. Fastolf one scant year ago how they met.
Astra had stood on high outlook tower. She looked on the sky, how Auroran spaceships land and studied their design. She waited for spaceship designers congress opening. Astra was official entrant from Solaris. In her thirty age was one of topdesigner on Solaris. She proclaimed especially by projektant of inner or outter visage of interplanetar ships of rich Solarians. What lined her to the top, was not only low number of designers, but also practical usefulness of that ships. Niches for robots were closed by sliding doors, so they could be manipulated by robots. These ships were for two persons but Solarians liked most for one person with big freight room and big place for at least twenty robots. Core of the ships remembered interior of Solarians houses. Astre knew that some Solarians destroyed original house and used spaceships for living. In that tíme freight room became living room for other robots.
Astra stood outside and observe Auroran spaceships. She was so interested by them, that she couldnt hear almost unaudible door of lift. There was computer fixed on her wrist, where she drew with finger common elements of spaceships design. At once computer begun to beep and there was a blinking human icon at the bottom right of display. Astra broke loose and raised head. She spotted young man.
"Stop! Step no more!" her hand underlined, she thought it serious. In reality he was about 20 feet from her.
"Excuse me, madam. I am Dr. Han Fastolf. I am responding for special purpose robot design," man introduced himself.
"Astra Solaria. This is my art nickname. Spaceships designer. Do you wish?" woman introduced herself. But there was no hand for shake. Yet her hand was raised forward. She got it down quickly, not to be misunderstood.
"Neither. I am comming here every day. Short outlook," young man excused.
Astra knew, he had lied. She visited this place for a week and never she met him. But said nothing. Later she clued in, dr. Fastolf saw her in v sub-etheric broadcasting. From that tíme he was looking for occasion to meet her.
She was almost turning back when she spotted Fastolfs robot. She laughted silently.
"As robot designer you have too strange robot," she didnt want to say directly archaic. Fastolf grimaced. He understood she was saying.
"As Solarian woman you don't have any robot," he returned back compliment.
Astra didnt say anything. Next to her there was a cube, meter by meter. Cube was unruffled without any nicks. Without any touch or any word she moved palm over upper surface of the cube. The cube divided calmly beeping into eight halfmeter cubes. Then they unfolded and after one minute there were eight robots one meter tall next to Astra. These robots were of the most modern Solarian technology. Astra lifted eyebrows and her sight didnt need any words
"I thought you have more," Fastolf tried to save himself.
Astra pressed lips, twisted with head and turned away.
"Should I invite you for a coffee?" Fastolf didnt give up.
"No," Astra didnt turn at all. " Leave me alone. You are disturbing me in my work."
Dr. Fastolf stepped for a while but after all went away.
Astra caressed her tummy. Gladia kicked her softly once again. She couldnt understand why Han isnt now so tenacious. She was missing him as well as his unwaveringly importunity. She wasnt afraid of situation on Solaris, she lived there in strongly privacy. But she worried about a day, they take her Glady away and she remains completely alone. She hoped, Fastolf would arange that she could stay on Aurora. He failed and she hoped he should come on Solaris for her. But she learnt, Han would fly to the Earth. It took her enormously long tíme, will she was minded to let Han come to distance of one meter. And then Hans offer came, which she long resisted. One day he didnt come and she realised, she couldnt last more without him. When he came in night late and his vintage robot ringed bell, she ran to open door much sooner than her robot. She drew him in, and right away she begun to kiss him. Young doctor gasped. She caught his hand and spent all the night with him. From that time they lived through beautifull moments, until Solarian goverment called her back. She defended as she could. However she couldnt do anything so Han had to promise he would fly on Solaris. He was robot designer anyway and Solaris was very ahead. There could be reason found and noone on Solaris hadnt to know the right one.
Dr. Han Fastolf realised very well, he was mistaken , when he saw information in news, that his daughter Glady aimed to Auróra. That was reason why he sent Daneel to Solaris. He should argue Glady furtively. He was sorry what happened. But his stay on Earth extrapolated and if there wasnt murder of dr. Sarton, he wouldnt even return so soon. He manager that Glady could well in his neighborhood. Even he didnt say to Elijah Baley everything. Thats why Glady was like Vasili, thats why he took Vasili home from her birth. Thats why he carried about Glady, to idemnify years, he could live with her and her mother Astra.