K-Pax (6 page)

BOOK: K-Pax

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"An
d
o
n
ho
w
man
y
o
f
thos
e
hav
e
yo
u
encountere
d
life?"

"Why
,
o
n
al
l
o
f
them
.
Th
e
one
s
tha
t

ar
e

barre
n

don'
t

interes
t

me
.

O
f

cours
e

ther
e

ar
e

thos
e

wh
o

are
fascinate
d
b
y
rock
s
an
d
weathe
r
pattern
s
and-"

"Sixty-fou
r
planet
s
wit
h
intelligen
t
life?"

"Al
l
lif
e
i
s
intelligent."

"Well
,
ho
w
man
y
hav
e
huma
n
being
s
suc
h
a
s
ourselves?"

"EART
H
i
s
th
e
onl
y
on
e
wit
h
th
e
specie
s
hom
o
sapien
s
tha
t
I
hav
e

visite
d

s
o

far
.

Bu
t

w
e

kno
w

there ar
e
a
fe
w
other
s
her
e
an
d
there."

"Wit
h
intelligen
t
life?"

"No
,
wit
h
huma
n
life
.

Th
e

PLANET
S

tha
t

suppor
t

lif
e
numbe
r

int
o

th
e

millions
,

possibl
y

th
e

billions.
O
f
cours
e
w
e
haven'
t
visite
d
the
m
all
.
Tha
t
i
s
onl
y
a
roug
h
estimate."

`We
'
meanin
g
inhabitant
s
o
f
K-PAX."

"K-PAXians
,
NOLLians
,
FLORians..."

"Thos
e
ar
e
othe
r
race
s
o
n
you
r
hom
e
planet?"

"No
.

The
y

ar
e

inhabitant
s

o
f

othe
r

worlds.
"

Mos
t

delusional
s

ar
e

confuse
d

t
o

th
e

poin
t

tha
t

they

stutte
r

o
r

stumbl
e

considerabl
y

whe
n

tryin
g

t
o

answe
r

comple
x

question
s

i
n

a

consisten
t

manner
.

This
patien
t

wa
s

no
t

onl
y

knowledgeabl
e

abou
t

a

variet
y

o
f

arcan
e

topics
,

bu
t

als
o

confiden
t

enoug
h

o
f

his
knowledg
e

t
o

weav
e

a

cogen
t

story
.

I

scribble
d

o
n

m
y

pa
d

th
e

speculatio
n

tha
t

h
e

migh
t

hav
e

bee
n

a
scientist
,
perhap
s
a
physicis
t
o
r
astronomer
,
an
d
mad
e
a
furthe
r
not
e
t
o
determin
e
ho
w

fa
r

hi
s

knowledge extende
d
int
o
thos
e
fields
.
Fo
r
now
,
I
wante
d
t
o
lear
n
somethin
g
abou
t
hi
s
earl
y
life.

"Let'
s
bac
k
u
p
jus
t
a
bit
,
i
f
yo
u
don'
t
mind
.
I'
d
lik
e
yo
u
t
o
tel
l
m
e
somethin
g
abou
t
K-PA
X
itself."

"Certainly
.

K-PA
X

i
s

somewha
t

bigge
r

tha
n

you
r

PLANET
,

abou
t

th
e

siz
e

o
f

NEPTUNE
.

I
t

i
s

a
beautifu
l

world
,

a
s

i
s

EARTH
,

o
f

course
,

wit
h

it
s

colo
r

an
d

variety
.

Bu
t

K-PA
X

i
s

als
o

ver
y

lovely,
especiall
y
whe
n
K-MO
N

an
d
K-RI
L
ar
e
i
n
conjunction."

"Wha
t
ar
e
K-MO
N

an
d
K-RIL.?"

"Thos
e
ar
e
ou
r
tw
o
SUNS
.
Wha
t
yo
u
cal
l
AGAP
E
an
d
SATORI
.
On
e
i
s
muc
h
large
r
tha
n
yours
,

the
othe
r
smaller
,
bu
t
bot
h
ar
e
farthe
r
fro
m
ou
r
PLANE
T
tha
n
you
r
SU
N
i
s

fro
m

yours
.

K-MO
N

i
s

re
d

and
K-RI
L
blue.

Bu
t
owin
g
t
o
ou
r
large
r
an
d
mor
e
comple
x

orbita
l

pattern
,

w
e

hav
e

muc
h

longe
r

period
s

o
f

ligh
t
and
darknes
s
tha
n
yo
u
do
,
an
d
no
t
s
o
muc
h
variation
.
Tha
t
is
,
mos
t
o
f

th
e

tim
e

o
n

K-PA
X

it'
s

somethin
g

like
you
r
twilight
.
On
e
o
f
th
e
thing
s
a
visito
r
t
o
you
r
WORL
D
firs
t
notice
s
i
s
ho
w
brigh
t
i
t
i
s
here."