Hopefully, it wouldn't be something they needed to resort to often.
Chapter 61
Since every Roman God’s name had already been designated to a planet, PRE-Innovations had decided to get literal and called their new world Stella Novum or Novum for short, the translation from Latin was merely New Planet. This would be a placeholder until they could think of something more romantic, they had at least seven years until they had to reveal the name. Victor had suggested that they translate the title of Star Wars’ fourth episode, A New Hope into Latin, but Novum Spem was far from poetic.
“What do we call the second new planet?” Victor said. “Stella Novum Novum? Duo Novum? This is a huge responsibility, and we’re not being very original.”
Work on the second new planet hadn’t yet begun, they were focusing on Novum primarily. At a later date, when Novum was fully established, they could travel back in time to the moment when they first discovered the second earth expansion and begin colonisation there with no time lost.
“We’re scientists, not poets," James said. “We usually just designate a number and get on with it. Maybe we can put it to the vote once we have more people arriving.”
“Remember how that worked out for the polar research vessel? It will end up being called Planety McPlanetface.”
“Mum got the greatest invention in human history named after her, can we just call it Julestonia?” Jules asked.
“It’s not named after me, that was coincidental," Sarah replied with an eye roll. “I think we’d be giving the wrong impression if we started naming the new planets after ourselves.”
“You’re no fun.”
Their Novum headquarters had become larger and contained more amenities, plus five new homes had been built yesterday, thanks to their instant modular building materials and endless android workforce. One of the houses had been appropriated by Victor and Sarah, another by Beth and James while the remaining three were taken by Jules, Zack and Spencer. Simon still preferred to sleep at the new HQ when on Novum. So far they had managed to reduce earth’s population by eight.
“Who fancies some spoilers?” Victor asked.
“Are you referring to information from our future selves?” Simon said. “We’ll be causing another reality. We don’t know what harm these alternate timelines are doing to the universe.”
Victor looked around himself with exaggerated ironic interest. “None?”
“There could currently be imperceptible and irreparable damage for all we know.”
“Seems fine by the look of it, besides, if we physically visit their timeline and make sure that their portal can reconnect to our shadow, there should be no new universe to worry about.”
“That seems like a safer alternative.”
“Excellent.”
“How far?”
“Fifty years?”
“Okay, I know I’ll still be around, I opted for immortality over procreation. I’ll make a note on the system and set up a notification in case we forget.”
“In case we forget? Our memories are eidetic. Not that it seems to help when you sometimes forget to put your jeans on in the morning.”
“That only happens when I have more important things on my mind.”
“When do you not have important things on your mind?”
“It’s set up, should be just a few seconds.” Simon deflected.
As per usual, the video conferencing software made it’s alert tone right after Simon hit Yes on the confirmation of his electronic reminder. He accepted, and the resulting pop-up window revealed his future-self staring back at him, looking no different than he did right now, except that his hair was a little thicker.
“Nice hair," Simon had said before any pleasantries were even exchanged.
“Thanks.” Future Simon replied. “We updated the anti ageing feature of the teleportation software to make it more efficient, it prevents shortening of telomeres rather than replicating a backup copy of the subject. It has the added benefit of reversing balding.”
“Great. How’s your eczema?”
“Oh, that cleared up nicely too, thanks. Haven’t had that for decades now. How’re things with you?”
“I’m mainly curious to know how things are there.”
“Oh, things are great. The weather’s beautiful today, the rest of the group are at the beach.”
The present-day group looked at each other, bewildered by bearing witness to this everyday conversation derived from an extraordinary situation.
“Aren’t they busy with work? It’s a Thursday.”
“We don’t have a great deal to work on right now, we have everything we need. All manual building work is carried out by androids.”
“Isn’t that driving you mad? I need to work continuously, or I get bored.” Present Simon pointed out as if he weren’t talking to the one person who should know that better than anyone.
“Oh, I keep myself occupied. I’m always busy with little convenience tweaks here and there, for example, we no longer need the helmets to read and write as I designed a cranial implant that continually keeps our mind backups up to date. There’s also still a lot to discover on this new planet. The androids explore while I’m here, seeing through their eyes, it’s quite satisfying.”
“I can imagine it would be.”
“I’m exploring our third planet simultaneously, slowly finding new places and creating settlements. We’re quite happy where we are right now, so progress on the third planet is relaxed, though it should be fully set up and ready for millions of inhabitants by the time we need it. The androids are keeping it clean and maintained. There’s a steady stream of people from earth ready to make a move here, so eventually, we’ll start filling the new world, maybe even evacuate Earth altogether until we can upgrade it to Novum’s standards.”
Victor and his wife exchanged an amused look at the mention of their home planet receiving an upgrade, which spread to the rest of the group.
“Amusing and interesting as this conversation is, can we get to the visitation?” Victor asked.
“Sure. I’ll let the others know to come back so they can say hello.” Future Simon said. “This has been on our to-do list for fifty years, might as well make an occasion of it. You can do the connection honours, past me.”
“Righty-ho. Still using the same portal?”
“Yes, it’s had some upgrades, but still on the same number. Would you like for me to add a cranial implant to your heads when you travel? The teleportation procedure will just plant it there on your arrival, I can set up a relay between portals, so your backups are recorded there while you’re here.”
Simon’s mind was made up immediate. “Absolutely," he exclaimed.
“Hey!” Beth complained. “How about asking the rest of us?”
“Oh, I’m sorry," Simon replied. “Are you guys okay with it?”
“Definitely," Beth replied immediately. “I’m fixing my hair all day because of those helmets.”
Simon looked confused by this seemingly contradictory response and turned his attention to the rest of the group. The six remaining members of the team shared decisive looks, making an agreement wordlessly. Victor shrugged at Simon in a way that said sure.
“Okey-doke, we’re in agreement, initiating the connection now.” Simon tapped some keys, entering data sequence for a time-travel-only journey. The hoop booted and filled. “It’s your trip, Vic, want to step through first?”
“Sure do," Victor enthused and did so without hesitation. The others followed, Simon staying for confirmation before leaving the console.
Moments later, the group appeared on Simon’s screen alongside Future Simon.
“Come on in, Si, the future’s fine," Victor said.
“Coming," Simon replied.
“Will you be gone long, Sir?” Isaac asked from nearby. “I have a pot brewing.”
“Well, I plan on returning to this exact time, so it shouldn’t get cold.”
“Excellent, Sir. I
know how Mr Victor likes his tea at optimum temperature. Have an enjoyable trip, Sir.”
Simon had never been a fan of Victor’s attempts to add a simulated personality to Isaac’s programming, it seemed such a waste of processing time and pointless since Isaac would never have real character without sentience.
“OK, Isaac. I’ll be right back.” He stepped through the portal, and it closed behind him.
If the assemblage of polymers, metals and silicon that was Isaac did have any capacity for sentience, he might later have seen some portent in those last words.
Chapter 62
Simon absorbed his surroundings in the subsequent, improved Novum HQ, changes made to the room sparking his curiosity. The area had less free space than in his times — which was unsurprising since they had only just begun on their side — and the decor had changed. Much of the room’s new items were unrecognisable, and he immediately began to wonder about their function.
“Don’t worry, we’ll send you a data package with schematics for all our new technologies, we don’t want to waste time with explanations when we have other things to show you.” Future Simon informed his past self after reading his expression.
“It’s pretty impressive looking," Victor said.
“Wait till you see it from outside," Future Simon said.
At that moment a familiar sound emanated from the upgraded quantum computer, signalling new arrivals by teleportation. The portal ran through its initiation sequence, then the half-century senior PRE-Innovations team stepped through.
“Cloudy day at the beach?” Victor asked observing their current state of dress.
“Oh, the teleporter’s set to redress us with whatever’s suitable to the destination’s climate.” Future Victor replied.
“Shit, awesome. I guess you ran out of important teleportation software updates.”
“Yeah, we’re out of ideas now. I have this thing set on random, it’s programmed with various outfits, so I’m always surprised when I arrive somewhere.”
“Wow...”
“Yeah, I know.”
“I guess I become even more me-like, in the future. Me to the power of ten.”
“Congratulations. To us both.”
“Okay, now you guys have finished your circle jerk, can we continue the tour?” Sarah asked. Future Sarah giggled.
“If you draw a line between two points, do you get a circle, Sarah?” Victor asked like he was speaking to a mentally challenged child, Sarah punched his arm and gave her best angry face. “Also, if it’s me pulling me off, it’s just masturbation.”
“He has a point.” Future Victor said.
“Probably the most awkward wank of all time, though," Victor said after a moment's thought. Both Victors looked uncomfortable.
“Let’s get on with this tour then.” Future Victor said, changing the subject.
∆ ∆ ∆
As the octet from fifty years past stepped outside, they were greeted by a landscape not too dissimilar from the same spot in their own time period. The lake and mountains were just as visible, but tall buildings reached out above the treeline, several similar skyscrapers could be seen in the immediate area, and a few buildings climbed their way up the peaks in the distance. When they turned back to look at HQ, they saw that the structure was hugely different.
“We added a few floors.” Future Simon said, stating the obvious, yet again.
“I’ll say," Victor said as he stared in wonder, shielding his eyes from the sunlight reflected by acres of vertical glass.
“We felt that building upward would be better than outward, to preserve the natural landscape. We can take a hop up to the top so you can get a load of the view from up there if you like.” Future Victor said.
“Sure.”
Future Simon stepped towards the building and a circular frame embedded in the wall, he tapped a key on the adjacent pad, and the familiar sight of a portal surface sprung into view.
“We can access any floor from these. They’re on a closed circuit, so you can only access other levels within in the building. It’s essentially just an elevator. We have a couple on each side of the building, they’re placed outside so that people don’t even have to enter the ground floor. It also means that no building space is wasted on a lobby. The portal is paired with the one on the roof, so follow me.”
He led the others through the portal, eight pairs of twins walking through in a line. The future set hung back, allowing their past selves priority. When they arrived on the roof, they found that the whole area was covered with flowers and greenery, carpeted with turf, and there were gardens and trees scattered around, it was a treat to their eyes, even before they even got to the view, which was breathtaking. From their vantage point, the entire vista was laid out before them, the artificial blended perfectly with the natural, lush greenery surrounded them on all side, along with the upper floors of other tall buildings, each with their own rooftops gardens. They had to move closer to the edge of the building to be able to see the lakeshore so far below. Past the lake and towards the horizon, architectural structures surrounded by green forests ascended the mountains to the point where they found it inhospitable. The newcomers walked to the edge of the roof where a railing ran around its perimeter at around four feet high. The group looked past the brink, some feeling the woozy effects of vertigo.
“There’s nothing here to stop jumpers," Victor said.
“There’s no need.” Future Victor assured. “Suicide rates are non-existent. Plus, walking into a portal with no destination would be painless and efficient if anyone decided that utopia was just too perfect for them to go on living. Who would choose to jump?”
“What about accidental falls?” Sarah asked.
“We have portal drones at each side of the building.” Future Zack answered. “If anyone were to fall, sensors up here would know immediately, and the portal drone will catch them mid-plunge then spit them out of the elevator hoop. They’ve never had to fulfil their purpose, but they’re there just in case.”
“Well, if you don’t count the times that people have jumped for fun.” Future Victor said.
The group from the past looked over the edge and Beth was first to see the small hoop in the distance below.
“For fun?” Jules asked.
“Yes, it’s like skydiving without a parachute, but totally risk-free. They catch you every time, and you lose momentum when coming out of the portal on the ground.” Future Victor said. “Actually, that’s the worst part of it, the disorientation of stepping out onto the path outside the building. Almost impossible to stay on your feet.”
“I have to try that," Victor said.
“You were the first.” Future Sarah said. “Much to my dismay. I was so worried, but you were sure it was going to work, and it did of course. We thought of putting portals like nets around the building, but it spoiled the view. Then we toyed with mobile portals on the ground for a while, but decided that airborne drones would be faster in catching any falling bodies.”
“Even if the drone were to miss, which they don’t, you’d be walking out of a portal — good as new — while they were still scraping you off the ground.” Future Victor assured them all, most of the past group looked unconvinced. “You can’t lose. If you like, you can give it a go, and we’ll meet you at the bottom," he told his past self. “Use this side so we can be in the right place to see you fall.”
“Alright," Victor said, no hesitation.
“Can’t we stay and enjoy the view for a while?” Beth asked.
“You can, but we have a lot more cool stuff to show you. I have a selfie drone recording this, so you have a souvenir.” Future Simon told them. He motioned to the small drone flying behind them, which they turned to see for the first time.
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