by Philip Elrod
Finally, Tom spoke, “How long will it take us to get there?”
“A bit less than eight of your Earth hours," the robot replied.
Tom made no response. He already knew that the interstellar transporter was situated near the planet Neptune and that it would take approximately eight hours to reach it. He sat silently for a few minutes, totally in awe and amazement.
He was to be the first human to experience travel at near the speed of light! And that would be on an alien spacecraft, accompanied by a robot with all the functions and capabilities of a human being. Amazing!
After a few minutes of silent thoughts, Tom realized that he hadn’t eaten since early that morning. The drive and the excitement of the trip had given him a huge appetite, which was quite a surprise. Usually, in stressful situations, he lost all thoughts of food.
Mister T bowed slightly and smiled. “What would you care to have, Tanaka II? Oh, excuse me, Tom, or, would you prefer that I call you Mister Tom? Maxx has anticipated your needs, and I can provide anything that you might desire.”
Tom laughed, “Please don’t call me sir; I’m just plain old Tom.
A thought suddenly occurred to him. It would be a good time to give the robot a real test of his abilities.
“I would like a rare filet mignon with sautéed mushrooms and a bottle of good red wine. I think that a 1966 Mouton-Rothschild Bordeaux would suffice. Also, how about bringing me a Caesar salad, too. No bread; I should probably be on a diet. Ha ha.”
Tom considered his audacious food request and knew that it was more than unrealistic. Impossible would be a better description. Perhaps Mister T could rustle up some steak, but the wine was another issue.
He considered himself something of a wine connoisseur and had asked for an extremely rare vintage that he had never even dreamed of sampling. Only the richest of the rich would ever own such wine, and most would surely never think of drinking it.
He continued his outlandish requests, “To start things off, let’s have a shrimp and lobster cocktail and a glass of Krug 1988 Clos d’ambonnay.”
By now, Tom was getting wound up. The request was sinful. The Krug was exceptional and extremely rare. He didn’t even dare think about the cost of a single bottle.
Tom leaned back in his seat with a smug look. He just knew that he had placed an order that the robot could not possibly fill. He expected a meal as the astronauts would eat: tasteless and prepared from some dehydrated foil package. Maybe he’d get a rehydrated freeze dried steak—a totally unappetizing thought at best.
Mister T was totally unflappable and showed no surprise whatsoever. Tom thought, “He would certainly be a good poker player.”
“Yes, sir, I will return shortly with your meal. Please have patience as this is my first attempt at serving you. I’m sure that I will be able to handle future requests more efficiently.”
With that, he rose and left the room through that same sliding door he had used to enter.
Five minutes later, the robot returned with the shrimp and lobster cocktail with the sauce on the side. Unbelievable. How could he have accomplished this so quickly, much less, know that I always get the sauce on the side?
The robot spoke a command, and a small table slid out of the wall and positioned itself in front of Tom. The robot placed the food on the table, silently left the room, and returned momentarily with the champagne in a silver ice bucket. A white linen napkin was folded neatly on the top of the bottle.
The robot picked up the bottle with a flourish and moved the napkin for Tom to examine the label.
To his absolute amazement, the label looked real and clearly read Champagne, Krug, 1998, Clos d'ambonnay. Several tiny drops of icy water slid down the side of the bottle and dropped gently back into the bucket.
Tom almost gasped his approval. The robot deftly removed the wire securing the cork in place and then opened the bottle. Pop! A very gentle pop. A sophisticated pop. A pop most appropriate for this most amazing of champagnes. Tom thought, That has to be the most expensive pop I have ever heard in all my life.
The robot tilted a champagne flute and allowed the straw colored bubbling liquid to flow gently down the side of the glass. Probably Waterford, Tom thought. He then handed the glass to Tom, who gazed at the tiny bubbles rising merrily upward to the surface. Beautiful. Just beautiful.
After a few seconds, he raised the flute to his lips for the first exquisite taste. Aaah, yes. It was beyond his expectations. He breathed a luxurious sigh and thought, Tom, old boy, you’ve really done it this time.
He continued thinking, I don’t think that I’ve ever had an entire bottle of champagne by myself, but this certainly will be an exception. I won’t waste a single drop. Here I am, on a spaceship, traveling at near the speed of light to another planet and I’m drinking one of the most highly rated champagnes in the world. What more could I ask? Forget the hangover, tomorrow is another day.
After leisurely savoring two glasses of the champagne, Tom sampled the appetizer. Again perfect. As soon as he had finished his appetizer, the robot immediately took the dishes and silver away. Tom sat back to drink the remaining champagne before the robot brought the main course.
By this time, he knew that there was probably little or nothing that this robot could not accomplish. Every whim had been anticipated. A tiny thought crept into his mind. Might this be a problem? Was he being set up? Was he being fattened for the kill?
He would have to be very careful in dealing with Maxx.
The robot then appeared with the bottle of Bordeaux. Again, it was the real thing. The robot opened the bottle with what appeared to be a fine antique corkscrew. He held the cork out for Tom to examine. Next, he poured a tiny portion into a large wine glass. The aroma was exquisite and the color rich.
He tasted it and then nodded his approval. The robot proceeded to pour the proper portion into his glass. Tom leaned back in the seat and sipped in silence for several minutes. It was the experience of a lifetime, and he intended to savor every minute of it.
“Sir, I notice that you thoroughly enjoyed the champagne but have consumed only half of it. If you choose to drink no more champagne and only a portion of this fine wine, I will save them for you. I have a technology available that allows me to preserve the quality of wine until you choose to drink it later.”
“Thanks, I may take you up on that offer. I’ve never been a heavy drinker, and it surely wouldn’t be a good idea to start now.”
After Tom had finished the first glass of the red wine, the robot returned with the Caesar salad. Soon after that the steak with sautéed mushrooms arrived. Tom had to admit that this was the most glorious meal that he had ever eaten. The wine and champagne were beyond fantastic. Such a meal would probably have cost as much as his little red sports car if he were dining in some fine restaurant on Earth.
After the last delicious bite, the robot removed the dishes and left Tom to finish his wine in solitude.
Just then, he decided to try another test. He would have Mister T preserve the remainder of the champagne and the red wine, and he would, at some later time, decide whether or not the quality had been compromised.
He mused to himself, I’ve already been amazed. Even though I had visions of Maxx’s powers, I had no idea that I would be given such luxury. Had I known that there would be such star treatment, I might have made this trip a long time ago. Who knows, if things continue to get even better, I might not even want to go back to dear old Mother Earth.
Tom decided that he would ask his robot, Mister T, some questions when he returned. As if on command, the robot entered the cabin again.
Tom tried not to show his surprise. “I’m astounded that you could provide me with everything that I requested for that meal. How could you have known what I might ask?”
“Oh, that was no problem. Maxx has studied you throughout your entire life. Every aspect of your personality, your likes, your dislikes; everything about you is known to him. Maxx even anticipated that
you would test my limits by ordering such a grand meal.
“The meat dishes did present a small challenge. However, I do hope that you found the steak satisfactory. We have no experience with the preparation of meat as Myleans were vegetarians for many centuries. Please accept my apology if anything was amiss. I hope that my humble efforts have satisfied your epicurean requirements. Would you care for dessert?”
“I couldn’t possibly eat another bite. But, there’s nothing better for dessert than a small glass of fine brandy as the grand finale to an excellent meal. Mister T, you have exceeded my expectations and then some. I salute you.”
Tom seemed to be deep in thought for a few moments and then spoke again, “Mister T, you could do one more tiny little thing for me. I’m not usually a big drinker, and I suspect that, by morning, I’ll be suffering from a monumental hangover. Do Myleans have such a word? It means that my head will be feeling like someone hit it with an ax and my stomach will feel like I’ve abused it mightily.”
“Sir, I do not have an ax available, and I certainly would never consider striking you with such a primitive device. I don’t understand your words, but I assume that the alcohol will have quite a detrimental effect on some of your organs and your brain. Myleans are not prone to such behavior, but I do believe that I have something to help you. Excuse me while I get it and your brandy. I must say that I’m quite impressed with your consumption of so much alcohol in one sitting.”
With that, he turned and left the cabin. He returned a few minutes later with a small snifter of brandy at precisely the correct temperature. On the tray beside the brandy were several tiny capsules of varying colors along with a glass of water. Mister T had a rather smug look on his face as he served Tom.
“Sir, your order is complete. I am quite sure that you will be alert and refreshed when we arrive. Enjoy.” He winked and left the room again.
The brandy was elegant and refined. Smooth. He sipped it slowly until the last drop was gone. Then, he took the capsules from the tray and swallowed them with the water. He thought, If this works, I could make a fortune on Earth. I must find out about this stuff.
Tom leaned back in the comfortable chair and nodded off into a pleasant dream of flowers and fields. Soft music was playing somewhere. A beautiful girl wearing an ethereal white gown danced through a meadow and tiny flowers flowed from her outstretched fingertips like snowflakes drifting in the wind. The grass beneath her feet was filled with sparkling dewdrops that resembled diamonds. Each time she took a step, the dewdrops would rise upward and swirl around her ankles and then fall back ever so gently into the green grass. She came near and blew him a kiss that left the air perfumed with some mystic fragrance, powerful and magical. Suddenly she disappeared, and he realized that another being was there. Something touched his shoulder gently.
The robot smiled down at him, “Sir, I hope that you had a nice rest. We have arrived.”
Tom felt amazingly well and healthy. He even felt young and energetic. His mental processes were sharp, and he was ready for anything. He looked suspiciously at the robot. “Mister T, I don’t know what you gave me but make sure that you have plenty of it available. The meal and wines were superb, but those little capsules seem to have made a miraculous change in how I feel.”
The landing process was so smooth that Tom had no sensation of it whatsoever. No sounds, no feeling of deceleration, no shaking. Amazing! Not even a hint of vibration. He held his breath in anticipation as the hatch slid open. What would he see? What amazing sights and adventures awaited him? He reminded himself that his actions could either save or doom his world. He must be cautious.
****
Tom and Mister T stepped from the shuttle into what had to be some large terminal-like area. The interior, at least this part of it, resembled an airplane hangar. Light, again, was from some mysterious source that left no shadows. Tom instantly knew that he had entered Maxx’s realm. He might be an honored guest, but that massive computer system was in charge of everything here.
As he looked around, Tom could see row upon row of spacecraft, arranged according to size and color. Color? Tom had never even imagined that the spacecraft could be anything other than some metallic silver shade. These gleaming ships were in all colors of the rainbow. Perhaps their colors had some indication of their purpose or use. Each one, no matter how large or how small, seemed poised and ready to take off at a second’s notice.
Mister T stood quietly in the background while Tom took in the scene before him. It was most interesting, of course, but something wasn’t right. Something was missing. There was no evidence of life. Not even any robots at work. The entire place was as deserted and silent as a tomb.
Mister T stepped forward and indicated that they should board a tiny craft positioned near the entrance. The little craft was bright red and had such a cheery appearance that Tom began to smile. How could a spacecraft be cute? Well, this one most certainly was.
They seated themselves, and Mister T spoke a soft command. The little ship rose to about a foot above the floor and began to move silently toward the opposite wall.
As they moved closer, their speed increased until they seemed to be flying. Tom was suddenly frightened that they, most assuredly, would crash into the wall. It might well be the last moment of his life, and he murmured a prayer for salvation. Mister T seemed rather bored with the situation.
With the threat of imminent death, Tom shut his eyes. He didn’t want to see the crash that would surely kill him instantly. At the last second before impact, a portion of the wall opened, and like a flash of light, they sped through.
Tom was incredulous. The robot glanced at him and seemed to find some electronic humor in the situation. Now, they had passed into a smooth, curved passageway that glowed with soft, warm colors that constantly changed as they passed by. To Tom, it was like traveling through a rainbow. It was a magical experience that he would never be able to explain to a fellow human. Beside him, Mister T just stared straight ahead and uttered not a single word.
After several minutes, the little craft came to a halt, and Mister T announced that they had arrived at Tom’s residential quarters. He proudly explained that Maxx had spared no effort in designing the suite for Tom’s comfort. Mylean quarters would have been quite different in design and appearance, but Maxx, that brilliant computer, wanted Tom’s visit to be comfortable and homelike, as opposed to an exposure to stunning and unexpected technology. The surroundings were to be secondary to the purpose of the meeting. Nothing must detract from Maxx achieving his long-awaited goal.
Mister T ushered Tom into the suite, and he looked around in amazement. He was shocked at what he saw. For some reason, he had expected surroundings that spoke of Mylea’s advanced technologies. He had expected new and unheard-of materials and furnishings. Maybe a bed that floated in the air, chairs that instantly fitted your body, tables that reconfigured themselves in an instant based on the need at the time.
But that was not what he saw. The room was beautiful, containing fine furniture with elegant details. It had, indeed, been designed expressly for him. Soft Oriental rugs covered the floor and muted sounds. Soothing colors graced the walls, and there were even oil paintings hanging here and there. He walked over and examined one of the paintings intently. He had a copy of this masterpiece in his home, but this appeared to be an original, signed by the master.
Mister T pointed out an ornately carved cabinet against another wall. It contained a generous supply of his favorite liquors and wines. Against the other wall, stood a magnificent king-sized bed with deep burgundy-colored silk coverlets. Opulent, gold trimmed pillows were scattered, seemingly at random, at the head of the bed.
At the foot of the bed, an exotic, white faux fur throw was carefully folded and, most shocking of all, atop that throw was a first edition of his favorite book of poetry.
Next, he checked the bathroom. It was large and equipped with a whirlpool spa and walk-in shower. Again, the colors were perfectly coo
rdinated with those of the bedroom. A cabinet revealed all manner of toiletries for his use. The cologne, of course, was his favorite scent. He picked up the bottle and sprayed some of the cologne into the air just for fun. He leaned forward and sniffed. Just lovely.
On the door, hung a pure white Egyptian cotton robe embroidered with his name, Tanaka II, in gold letters. Soft slippers were placed a short distance away.
Mister T smiled and pointed toward a large closet that contained a selection of clothing, shoes, and accessories in his size. Obviously, they had been selected with the utmost care and reflected his tastes.
Tom could hardly believe his eyes. He had not expected all of this. Maxx had anticipated everything. He was being treated like a royal personage. He was being seduced, very carefully, and very gently by this electronic behemoth. He must not forget his reason for being here. Nor forget what he would demand in return for his services. He must remain cautious.
Mister T turned and left the room. The door slid shut silently behind him, and Tom was left alone. He knew that he would be completely safe from any harm, but he was still rather apprehensive as to what lay before him. He idly brushed through the clothes until he found a pair of silk pajamas. He laughed as he noted that they were a deep forest green, a perfect complement for the burgundy of the bed coverings. Maxx was truly a genius of the highest order.
Not too far away, in the darkened control room, Maxx waited while Tom slept. He was quite content and knew that he would surely be able to complete his mission soon. This earthling, Tom, possessed Tanaka’s DNA, and he would soon have the means to clone new Myleans.
Secretly, Maxx smirked to himself. Not only would he complete his mission, he would finally be able to deal with that hated nemesis, the Master Control Module—that horrid beast that had made his life a living hell would soon be out of his electronic hair forever! That alone would be worth any price that Tanaka II asked.