| IP - 21 NEXT
"Late
in the twentieth century air became a commodity::::by way
of buying and selling rights for emitting air pollution.
In the year 2059, the economist Charovsky, turned this on
its head, outlined a plan whereby air became the standard
of a global currency::::much as gold was used as a
standard previously. He was awarded the Nobel prize. The
conversion took several decades, but currency worldwide
was converted to units equaling cubic meters of
breathable air. Fluctuations in regional air quality
meant fluctuations in the local currency. This ensured a
policy of clean air. Taxes were increased as air quality
was increased, until, worldwide, air quality was so high
that all earnings were deposited as tax. From there it
was a simple matter of getting rid of the capital all
together, nd our current system of mutuality was born.
Space Sation Five is currently at work repairing the last
fissure in the ozone layer. And so is sew together the
last chapter in the age of industrialization."
"Air?"
"Yes."
"Why is it you seemed
surprized by my arrival?"
"Well, indeed I am the
researcher who requested for you to be brought here in
the first place. But I never meant for my hologram to
disturb your visit."
"You brought me here?"
"I am a library scientist::::a
profesor of library science. In the later part of the 21st
century all written materials were converted to digital
format. Unfortunately, several decades later when
abandoning the digital format for optical, decisions were
made which left-out billions of pages of information from
the general infrastructure. I am known for sifting
through these digital stacks. That's where I followed
references to 7z's through to your writings::::converted
your works to optical, and alerted Three's Detta to your
existence::::the existence of your book, which describes
your journey here::::your elimination of this 7z's."
"My book."
"Yes. And we agreed the
perhaps we should bring your here to fullfill the book."
"So, this is all written
down?"
"Not this. And that's why I
was surprized by your visit. Your book ends when you
return to Detta after eliminating 7z's. This, this now,
is not in the book."
"Well I still have some
time here. Thought I'd take a look around."
"Yes."
Pause.
"Well I don't know quite
what to do with you. My students arrive in fifteen
minutes."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"No, no. It's not that. I
imagine Ric-M will be very pleased to meet you. He did
the cataloguing of your works."
"Works?"
"You wrote a dozen books.
Most dealing with the detective work you were known for,
but also three novels. And, of course, your book which
just ended. You, my friend, have been credited with
discovering a new genre. It was science fiction. That's
how it was received::::with moderate success for that
genre. But, you see, now that it has become a work of
historical fact, well, it doesn't fit in to prophesy
exactly, and doesn't fit in with history. I have dubbed
it with its own genre, Calmeric."
"There's a genre named
after me?"
"Well, this is quite recent.
But yes. A completely new literary genre."
"Cool."
"Ric-M is familiar with all
your works::::the bulk is actually webpages."
"Yes. I write little
reports about my cases."
"Well, he's planning a
'Dick Calm Reader' which will include all of your works,
collected into one area."
"Sorry I'm not around to
profit from it."
"Profit?::::Oh. Yes."
"So, got any suggestions?
I'm completely free. This next twenty-three hours are
completely free::::don't exist::::see what I mean?::::But
I'm here. Where is here?"
"Pacifica? Pacifica is a
man-made island about two hundred kilometers to the East
of what was Japan. This is a place of research. The
world's leading institutes in many varied disciplines
exist here. I'm not sure what would interest you. There
is an exciting event going on over in fremaeology."
"Fremaeology?"
"You would liken it to
archaeology::::and perhaps space travel, mixed. A person,
like yourself, is amatronically sent into the future.
Digs into the future. It's a very risky business::::he
must land in an exact location in the time-space. He's on
his way to 2420. They've dug-out that space for several
months now. I don't know::::that might interest you."
"How long will it take?"
"He leaves in twenty
minutes."
"Yeah?"
"Well, he returns at the
exact same moment he departs. Then will give a briefing
on his findings. The briefings usually last fifteen to
twenty minutes::::according to what he finds."
"Sounds fun."
"We are very close to
opening a safe portal. This will open up time travel
completely::::forwards and backwards. A rather heady
event."
"I'm sold."
"Yes. Perhaps it is better
if you leave before my students arrive. One should not
know too many certainties about one's future. This will
be a very strange place for you, Mr. Calm. The students
and teachers here are the most advanced in our society.
For example, shielding is quite common here."
"Shielding?"
"For example."
IP-21 stands up.
"Revelle, engage. Full
shield two."
Suddenly IP-21 vanishes.
"Where'd you go?"
"Oh, I'm still here. My
computer is programmed to create a series of screens
around me::::so that it appears I've left. Disengage
shield."
He suddenly appears.
"Cool."
"A mere magician's trick.
We are full of them here. Beware."
"Well, thanks for the
lemonade."
"You're welcomes, Mr. Calm.
Thanks you for saving the twenty-third century."
He bows, then gestures with his
hand, and a path suddenly opens through the thick garden.
"Oh, where's this 'frem'
thing happening?"
"Ask your computer to guide
you, Mr. Calm."
"Oh. Yeah."
Once through the garden a fence
springs into being behind him.
"Shitforbrains, engage."
"Yes."
"Where's fremaeology?"
"Follow the path to your
left. If you engage 'open direct,' I will alert you when
you must turn left."
"Open direct."
"Engaged."
Dick turns to his left and heads
down the walkway, which is surrounded by grass::::perfectly
trimmed::::too perfect, he thinks. Can't help himself::::he
squats down and bends over and brushes the grass with his
fingertips. Feels real. Cloudless sky. The whitish stone-like
walkway flawless::::the buildings in the distance so
perfect. He senses that maybe he's inside some 3-D
projection and not life. Twenty-three hours::::he thinks::::of
absolute freedom. He doesn't exist, but is existing. He
now sees off in the distance people walking toward him on
the walkway. Something::::someone::::seems to come flying
around them::::zig-zags::::then is suddenly just a few
feet away::::at foot or two off the ground. Catching the
person's eyes, Dick gestures::::as if for a taxi in
downtown Metropolis.
"Hey!"
He turns, and watches as the
being circles back around to him. It's a man, about forty
in appearance, happy, hovering before him on a small
white disk.
"What is that?"
"What?"
And the man goes sideways::::banking
his disk off some unknown wind::::the swinging motion
Dick had witnessed coming at him from the distance.
"That's a rack-turbo-shift."
"No. That"::::And Dick
points to the disk.
"Oh. Funny man. It's an air-board."
"Oh."
"Gotta fly."
And with that he's off::::banking
this way and that::::making a wide, sweeping turn::::then
gone.
When Dick turns back to the
direction he was heaing, the three which were in the
distance walking toward him are now almost upon him.
Strange mix::::a very old sprightly man in a flowing blue
robe::::crinkling as if made from plastic; a middle-aged
man carrying what looks for all the world to be a bull-horn;
and a kid::::not more than fifteen::::pimples::::dressed
in post-modern McDonald's uniform::::with short electric
dreadlocks.
This younger one stares at Dick
while they meet and pass. Gray eyes. They pass, but Dick
feels them stop behind him.
"Excuse me"::::the
kid's voice.
Dick turns::::and all three are
staring at him::::the two older ones obviously curious as
to why their friend has stopped them.
"Um, sorry. But. I mean it
couldn't be, but. Are you Dick Calm?"
"Well, you know"::::Dick
delivers, turns, and continues.
"That's Dick Calm! That's.
It's! He's the one I've been surveying!"
Dick just continues walking::::kind
of forcefully::::as if hiding something. Only about
twenty steps further on does he turn briefly::::and see
that the three have continued on in their direction::::the
young one in the middle gesturing wildly::::lost words.
"You turn left at this next
junction."
Dick is a bit startled by the
voice from out of nowhere but simply turns.
"The building on the right
102 meters down."
"Got it. Uh, can't you shut
off?"
"Yes."
It takes a full three minutes
before Dick has shaken the presence of his computer. He's
now walking to the entrance of a building. There are
others doing the same. The door evaporates as he
approaches. He can see a trail of people and follows
along down a wide, well-lit corridor. Then notices that
it is so well-lit because the entire ceiling over the
corridor is light::::not bright, like neon, but subdued,
in a sense perfect, but that perfection puts him on edge
a little. He enters a hall::::a classroom-arena. Must be
1000 people there::::and, being a late-comer, he ends up
in a recessed area off to one side of the stage::::which
is bare except for an Ernst-like podium.
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