“You’ve just proven that the speed of light is not the ultimate speed,” Roc-2 remarked. “Thoughts travel faster than light, and you have just traveled at the speed of thought. We must have this technology. Is it limited to terrestrial travel, or could it be used for interplanetary, or even interstellar, travel?”
“I’ve never used it for that purpose, but it might work. I don’t have enough knowledge of other planets to use it that way. Would you like to try? I’ll show you how it works.” I demonstrated the use of the button until they all understood, but no one volunteered to do interplanetary travel.
“If we provided you with a suit for space travel, would the button transport you and your equipment to the moon?” Roc-2 asked.
“I don’t see why not. When I came here from the twenty-first century, I brought everything I was carrying with me.”
“Would you volunteer to do a trial run to the moon and then return?” Roc-2 asked.
Jan-3 stepped forward with a worried look, placed a restraining hand on my forearm and said to Roc-2, “Don’t you think that’s asking too much?”
Before Roc-2 could answer, I replied, “It’s a little scary, all right, but no scarier than transporting into the future with no knowledge of what I might find at this end. As a bold, or perhaps foolish, man might say, ‘I’ll give it a go.’” I then squeezed Jan-3’s hand to reassure her. She nodded, but her face showed concern.
Roc-2 said to Jan-3, “I wonder if by acquiring knowledge, we have deprived ourselves of some of our courage.” Turning to his men, he said, “Get the space suit. Gus is the man we need for this experiment.”
In only minutes, they had me ready. “What shall I bring back, to prove that I’ve been there?”
“We have communication with the moon,” Roc-2 answered, “so they’ll tell us when you arrive.”
“If the button works the same in space as it has here on earth, I’ll be there at the same instant that I depart, so you’d better let them know that I’m coming.”
I stood holding the button, and said, “Tell me when you’re ready.”
“They’re expecting you, and they’ll let us know when you get there,” Roc-2 answered.
I started to explain that I’d be back before they got confirmation that I had arrived, but I decided it would be better to simply demonstrate. I winked at Jan-3 and said, “I’ll be right back,” and disappeared.
When I arrived on the moon, the people cheered. One of them sent a message telling Roc-2 and his research crew that I was with them on the moon. I received an overwhelming welcome from the moon people, who were used to new and innovative things, but it was clear that this event was exceptional. My guides took me on a tour of their facility. I learned that all the buildings were pressurized to simulate Earth conditions. I removed my pressure suit and enjoyed the astonishingly beautiful view of planet Earth. Two men took me in a solar-powered vehicle for a tour of the moon surface and showed me how, by growing plants, the moon people had created an atmosphere to generate oxygen. Small villages had grown up to support experimental mining, and to provide living quarters for the personnel that staffed the way station for traveling among the planets. The tour guides explained that the view of the Earth was better from the moon, but it was better to live on Mars, because Mars has natural gravity and frozen water, making it easier to simulate Earth’s conditions.
I explained why I had to get back to Earth and asked for a moon rock to bring back with me. One of the men handed me a unique moonstone. I bade them good-bye, rubbed the button, and reappeared in the lab at the same instant I had left.
Roc-2 looked puzzled and asked, “Why haven’t you made the journey?”
I handed him the moon rock. At this same instant, Jan-3 and the lab crew got the information from the moon station that I had arrived. Everyone’s faces showed their astonishment.
“This explains the presence of the space aliens, but it doesn’t answer the question of how the button works.” Turning to his assistants, Roc-2 said, “Men, open the device, but do it with extreme care. It doesn’t belong to us—it belongs to our honored guest and associate.”
“I, too, would like to see what’s inside that thing. May I watch?” I asked.
“You are part of this research crew,” Roc-2 answered. “I knew you would be interested.”
The lab technicians placed the button in a vacuum and heated it. They worked with arms extended into the vacuum, and when the heat was sufficient, the button opened easily. The joining of the seams was so perfect that they were invisible even with great magnification. Inside the button were what appeared to be Nano Technological Devices. As I watched them examine the button’s interior with their astonishingly high-developed tools, I realized that their methods were far beyond my ability to understand. I decided to trust Roc-2’s crew with the examination.
“I can add nothing more here, Jan-3. I can learn more by exploring the technology of this time. Would you continue showing me the city, and also the countryside?”
Jan-3 smiled and looked at Roc-2. He nodded, and she affirmed, “It would be my pleasure. Where would you like to start?”
Roc-2 grasped my right hand, placed his left hand on my shoulder, and said, “Gus, you’ve demonstrated great courage, and you’ve advanced our knowledge greatly. We’re in your debt. If it’s possible, we’ll return the button to you undamaged. You have paid your dues, and your account is full. I have the honor of being one of the persons who sits on the Council of Twelve. We may ask you to sit on the Council with us from time to time, but nothing will be denied you.” He handed me a gold ring with an emblem on it. “This ring guarantees you access to anything you want to see. You can contact me at anytime, and from any location, by pressing the ruby on the emblem on this ring. It’s a highly developed version of your cell phones. Jan-3 is eager to be your guide and your companion. She’ll answer any question you ask with complete candor. You’re free to do whatever you wish and go anywhere you want. We’ll call on you if we need you.”
Highly flattered, I replied, “If you make contact with the blue presence, I’d like to know. I have a feeling there’s something left unfinished between us. I’ll keep nothing from you, and thank you for the honor you have bestowed upon me. I hope I might be able to assist more in the future.” Then I turned to Jan-3 and answered her question. “As an engineer, I’d like to see how you built this city. And as a farm boy, I would like to see your agricultural areas.”
* * * * *
Chapter 13
“We’ll start at the heart of the city,” Jan-3 said. “Follow me. I’ll dial for a keri.”
The keri appeared. After we got in, I asked, “How do you know what number to dial?”
“It’s very complicated,” Jan-3 answered mischievously. “For a one-passenger keri, you dial the number one. For a two-passenger keri, you dial the number two, and so on.”
“Yeah! That’s complicated all right.” Suppressing a laugh, I asked, “How does the keri know where to show up?”
“That’s even more complicated,” Jan-3 replied. “It always shows up where the dialing is done.”
“Now, why didn’t I think of that?” I couldn’t suppress my laugh this time. “Is the whole city that complicated?”
“Nothing is difficult or complicated, if you understand how it works.” This time, Jan-3 also laughed.
“I’ll keep that in mind while you’re showing me how the city is built.”
“First, I’ll show you our engineering department. They design the cities and determine the size and thickness of the glass building blocks.”
“Wonderful! I know how to do that with steel, masonry, and wood—I’m very interested in learning how to do it with glass.”
The engineering department was nothing like I had imagined. No one was working at drawing tables; everyone was using electronic devices. Numbers and scales were all in electronically stored files. Ideas were entered into the files, and the computers did the work. The engineers gathered around,
wanting to know how we did it in the twenty-first century. They were particularly interested in knowing how we figured what the dry-rot-and-decay time would be when structures were made from wood. Even though their work seemed structured and mechanical, there were some first-class engineers among them.
I felt honored to share information, and I was amazed at the many advantages of building with glass. Because some of the glass blocks at the base of the city were several meters thick, especially designed machines moved them into place. The blocks and beams were made to precise shapes and sizes, and interlocked with precision. Once joined, they formed a remarkably strong structure. Assembling the blocks and beams reminded me of the masonry done by the ancient Egyptians, whose structures lasted for centuries. Glass blocks are far more durable than stone, so I wondered how long these structures would last. I estimated they would be around for thousands of years.
I asked one of the engineers if storms were taken into consideration when building the cities. He said that even the most severe storm ever recorded couldn’t move a city that was ten kilometers square, more than a few centimeters. I could have calculated the information to see if it were right, but in the meantime, I’d take his word for it.
Jan-3 then took me to the underwater portion of the city, where the machinery that distilled the water and purified the air was located. We watched machines that, as Jan-3 explained, operated day and night. To me, it always appeared to be daytime. I noticed that robots did most of the work, while humans supervised.
Jan-3 showed me how the more common elements were changed to the ones they needed. Their advances in chemistry and physics were astonishing. I’m not a chemical engineer, but I was particularly interested that elements were manufactured by altering them atomically. For example, gold and other less plentiful naturally occurring elements were produced by altering their atomic structure.
Everywhere we went people wanted to talk. News of my arrival had spread and I was a celebrity.
* * *
Hours passed; I was so fascinated by the innovations that I forgot about the time.
Jan-3’s voice brought me back to a sense of the here and now, when she commented, “It’s time for our mid-day meal.”
“Then let’s eat,” I said eagerly.
“We’re below the surface of the ocean, and if you’d like, we’ll dine beneath the sea, and watch the things in the ocean in their natural habitat.”
“That would be interesting,” I replied and looked at her skeptically.
“The restaurant is about a kilometer from here. I would enjoy the walk if you’re not too tired.”
“I’m not a bit tired,” I commented in all honesty. I was surprised by my new stamina. While we walked, we watched workers and robots purposefully moving through the tree-lined passageways. “How, and why, do you grow trees so far beneath the surface of the sea? It’s difficult to realize that we’re not walking under the open sky.”
“It doesn’t matter where you are in the city because the atmosphere is artificially maintained everywhere, and it’s a known fact that people are happier when they have plants and flowers around them. Have you noticed that music appropriate to the activities is always playing and that the volume is kept low, so it isn’t intrusive?” Jan-3 asked.
“I’ve noticed the music, but I can’t recognize the instruments. The music is nice and it creates a pleasant atmosphere.”
“All music is mathematical,” she explained, “and this music is created mechanically. Musical notes are induced, and then a beat appropriate to the situation is added. Computers can duplicate the sound of every musical instrument ever played.” Jan-3 pointed to a structure right in front of us and said, “Just ahead, this passageway enters a glass tunnel that extends several hundred meters out under the ocean. I hope you enjoy the view.”
The passageway seemed to be built for people who liked to stroll. It was ten meters wide, five meters high, and lighted from the ocean side of the glass. Fish swam in profusion through the lighted water. Miniature submarines with external arms, manned by workers, kept the water clean.
“During working hours, workers eat here, and in the evening, this is a favorite dining place for lovers,” Jan-3 explained. “The glass dome gives the diners a panoramic view of an under-water garden of Eden.”
We entered the dining area. I looked around and commented, “I don’t see any servers.”
“There are no servers for the workers,” she answered. “In the daytime, this restaurant operates on the efficiency principle.”
“How do we get our food? I don’t see a buffet line.”
“We order electronically. The food is prepared in the kitchen, and then delivered mechanically.” Jan-3 pointed to a button on my right. “Push that button and a menu will appear. Order by touching the listings of the foods you want. This is not a specialty restaurant, however, so you can’t order steak here,” she grinned.
I looked at the listings but didn’t recognize the names of the dishes. Also, I couldn’t understand the pricing.
“The menu is listed in food groupings,” Jan-3 explained. “There’s a symbol for each group. The symbol that looks like a star represents protein; the triangle represents carbohydrates. You’ll eventually learn how to order, but for now, I’ll order for you. I know you like protein, so I’ll order a meal high in protein. I know that you like fruit and vegetables, so I’ll order some of each.”
“Thank you, but would you explain the pricing?”
“The values of our money are in accordance with the metric system. The prices are in dolls, and tenths of dolls that we call dots. We have no taxes, so everything is priced in solid numbers. Nobody carries dolls. Dolls are used only when people buy or exchange things that are not part of the charge system.”
Pointing to the center of the table, Jan-3 said, “That little green light has already scanned your pupils, and the operator of the restaurant will charge the food to your account.”
I watched as Jan-3 touched the menu, ordering the meal. The sights, the sounds, and the fragrances were all new and exotic. Now I understood how a baby feels seeing the world for the first time. I was dining with the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, but even her beauty wasn’t enough to completely hold my attention, with so many unusual things to distract me. Before I even had time to wonder when our food would be coming, a mechanical apparatus lowered our plates onto the table. The plates were garnished with flowers and pleasant- smelling herbs. The food was delicious, my companion was delightful, and the ambiance was exciting. How could a man want more than this?
The persons or robots that prepared the food were never seen but the restaurant was crowded with workers, some of whom came to our table, wanting to talk. A few spoke broken English, but most spoke a language I couldn’t understand, so Jan-3 translated.
After they left, I asked her, “What language were they speaking?”
The language is called “Terresta.” It’s the language common to people all around the world. Like our music, the language is mathematically based. It isn’t as expressive as English, but the words are easier to form into sentences, and there are no synonyms or antonyms; therefore, the sentences state more clearly what the speaker intends to say.”
“How long will it take me to learn to speak Terresta?”
“Once you understand the mathematics of the language, it’s easy. English requires the use of twenty-six letters, while there are only ten numbers in our numerical system. You only need to learn ten sounds and symbols to speak or write Terresta. Each symbol has its own sound and can be combined with other symbols to create other sounds, similar to using letters in the English alphabet. We combine symbols, and then add numbers to make it possible to write or speak millions of words. At times, we incorporate words from other languages to make Terresta more colorful and descriptive. It’s surprisingly simple. I’ll instruct you.”
“Thank you. I’ll try to be a good pupil, but first, I’d like to see where these workers live. I know th
at not everybody can have an apartment with an ocean view.”
“You’re right. Most people live in the interior of the city, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have a view, or that the interior dwellings are undesirable.” She began walking to the keri. “Come, I’ll show you.”
Each floor of the residential areas was so tall that our keri and thousands of others moved easily and silently above the homes and private areas of the residents. People were walking, working, playing, and doing what people do in neighborhoods everywhere. The spaces between the dwellings were lined with flowers, shrubs, and trees. Fountains and ponds were joined by streams, making it appear to be a rural setting. Children played while their watchful parents talked to friends. It was good to see that some were seated in quiet nooks, reading fiction on electronic devices.
“What kind of writing are they reading?” I asked.
“Some read for education, others for pleasure and entertainment. Women seem to prefer romance novels, while most men would rather read adventure stories.”
“What kind of adventures do authors write about in the thirty-first century?”
“Authors write of peoples’ struggles to build and maintain their homes and cities where areas are still being developed. Some readers like novels about adventures and discoveries during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Women like to read about interesting, exciting men taking them away to some exotic place.”
“I’m glad to hear that that hasn’t changed. . . . I’d like to sit awhile and observe the people. It will help me understand them.”
We stopped the keri and stepped out onto a platform, which lowered us to floor level. I saw a bench under a tree beside a stream.
“Let’s sit there,” I proposed.
We sat quietly for a while watching and listening. From the floor level, the neighborhood looked like many of the upscale neighborhood of cities in my time, except that these dwellings were made of glass, which was incorporated into the city’s total structure. There was more of a “community” feeling here than there was in most twenty-first century city neighborhoods. People seemed to interact well, and everything was immaculate. If anyone dropped an item, that person immediately picked it up and placed it in a container.
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