“I wanted to combine the outstanding French catering with the serious matter that made this meeting possible tonight,” Steersman admitted. He had been delighted by the result and had already resolved to express his gratitude to Olivia more tangibly.
“Well, you have succeeded admirably,” the professor said, nodding in approval.
“Yes. This is indeed a very special atmosphere,” said Karen quietly.
“Thus far, then, my expectations regarding this evening have been exceeded,” said Steersman. The subtle atmosphere that the catering team had created eased the tension of the first few moments.
“Let us celebrate this auspicious meeting with a glass of champagne.”
The waiters were ready to pour the champagne and by the time he had finished his sentence, they were already offering them slim crystal glasses filled with the golden nectar of a two hundred year old Krug champagne.
“With pleasure,” said the Professor, raising his glass to Karen.
“Let's drink to the beginning of an enterprise that will bring change and a more sustainable future,” Steersman toasted.
“Here here, Mr Steersman! I can hardly wait to hear the details of your proposal,” said Professor Hashimoto, his eyes twinkling.
“You are absolutely right, why not?” Steersman waited until the waiter had served the appetizers of sweetbreads in truffle sauce, accompanied by a dry white wine, then he broached the subject.
“Professor Hashimoto, we are now sitting at the top of the control center that will soon define the world's technology trends. Current developments will shortly bring a change in people's everyday lives that will make the industrial revolution look feeble in comparison. The biggest difference, however, is that this development in civilization will not be at the expense of the planet. In fact, there won't be any developments leaving the ASEC area that will, in any way, cause harm to the environment.” Steersman talked with such enthusiasm that he didn't notice the surprise that the name of the science center had caused. They obviously accepted it though, as neither of them interrupted him.
“Our goals require ongoing resources. Resources that are currently scattered all over the world. Energy and raw materials are not a problem, but one thing is: human resources, knowledge and creativity. We still don't have enough of those things. I don't wish to start a global brain drain, though in the short term that would be my easiest option. In the long run, however, it would threaten our survival. Therefore, I have decided that we must create opportunities to foster and develop a new generation of exceptional young minds, scientists, mathematicians, engineers, all of whom we will certainly need; individuals who will be able to meet the highest expectations, and who can be entrusted with the greatest of challenges.”
He paused briefly, trying to gauge the professor's reaction and then he continued.
“The plan is to create a campus with the best equipment available, and ASEC will provide a stable practice ground upon which students will be able to develop and hone their knowledge. In fact, it is on the practical side of things that I would like to place the emphasis. Professor, I need you to manage this university city. To direct teaching faculties, to establish a framework for the highest quality education institute in the world”
“Mr Steersman, I'll be honest with you,” the professor began judiciously. “I am sixty-seven years old. The University of Tokyo, the institution that I am the director of and where I teach, is also a very well-equipped institution. We have close relationships with corporations, high tech companies in particular, to which we regularly send our students to gain valuable practical experience. I do not, essentially, see a reason for me to leave my university,” he confessed openly.
Karen moved slightly, showing her discomfort at the direction of the conversation. She looked down, then felt a strong urge to interject.
“Professor. Knowing Sean as I do, I think that you have yet to hear the real offer.” She smiled at him.
“I am sure this is true.” The professor looked at his host.
Steersman seemed to be unfazed by the professor's seeming reluctance, but he decided to take the opportunity to make a demonstration of the possibilities.
“PG-6 activate, PG-7 activate, PG-8 activate!” The commands came suddenly. Neither the professor nor Karen knew what to make of his unexpected behavior.
A murmuring emanated from somewhere beyond the cozily decorated office, out in the dark recesses. Three large figures, each nearly three meters tall, approached them. They stepped into the light and stood directly behind Steersman.
“PG-6 reporting!” said a distorted voice.
“PG-7 reporting!”
“PG-8 reporting!”
All three robots towered over the dinner table, standing perfectly still. The restaurant staff moved back, unable to conceal their astonishment and fear. None of them felt that they were particularly needed now.
“We have guests, friends,” Steersman said softly, and at his words, the figures took their robes off in one smooth motion. Most of their bodies were covered in a black material of an otherworldly texture that transformed their humanoid forms into something quite frightening. Deep inside their chests, where the heart should have been beating, bright orange orbs fiercely glowed.
The robot in the middle turned his head toward the professor who seemed to jump a little in his chair, as their eyes met.
“Welcome to the ASEC center, Professor. May your stay be memorable,” it rumbled.
“Very kind, I thank you … I think.” The professor forced a small nervous smile.
“Do not worry, Professor! They can appear a little formidable at first. I am almost used to them,” said Karen, with some irony.
“Yes.” The professor paused. “They are very … impressive,” he opined.
“I would like to show you something more,” said Steersman, as he calmly continued his dinner. He looked at the robot standing in the middle and gave a silent release command. Unseen, he launched something with a device that held under the table.
“More?” asked the professor.
Instead of answering, all three robots stirred, each appearing to have noticed something. They all looked intently over Karen's head towards the opposite corner. The guests followed the direction of their gaze, but by the time they had turned it was clear that something was approaching. From the gloom another machine appeared, slowly advancing towards them.
Its stooped posture resembled some sort of squat insect, though its two meter wide stature made it seem rather more intimidating, especially the red transverse stripe that gave its discus-shaped head an unfriendly mien.
“What are you up to, Mr Steersman?” the professor asked, anxiety creeping into his voice, but innate pride forcing him to remain still, though he would much rather have retreated with the catering staff.
“Me? Nothing,” said Steersman nonchalantly, nodding his head in the direction of the ‘unfriendly’ robot.
“Target acquired, obtain target,” blared the machine, casting a red laser light onto Steersman's chest.
None of the robot guards waited for it to get any closer. While the two on each side moved smoothly around the table, the one in the middle flew above them. None of their movements were generated by artificial muscles or hydraulics which made their incredibly rapid movements seem unearthly.
The professor watched spellbound as Steersman took a bite of his meal as the robot flew across the table. Then the machines clashed behind Karen, who ducked her head in reflex. The professor could scarcely believe his eyes.
The guard robots had successfully pinned the attacking machine to the ground with about eight seconds. The vanquished robot became deactivated due to a system failure, thereby ending the battle. Steersman finally swallowed, then put down his fork.
“Professor, if you don't mind, let me just ask you a question. Tell me, what would you consider to be the biggest problem facing our planet today?”
“What do you mean?” the professor asked carefully.
“At present, what do you think the most powerful destructive force is on our planet? If you were able to eliminate one destructive force, one that is capable of destroying all life including our own, but most of all, capable of destroying natural habitats, what should be the first to be remedied?”
Professor Hashimoto considered Steersman's question, frowning.
“This is not an easy question to answer because there is so much pollution, the combined effect of which causes enormous problems. But to answer your question, I would suggest that greenhouse gas emissions would be the largest problem. The burning of fossil fuels places a load on the planet the proportions of which are truly frightening.”
“You said that, to paraphrase perhaps, because of your age it is not worth you changing your established life ….” Steersman paused, leaving the unspoken question hanging in the air.
“I didn't necessarily mean that,” countered the professor. “What I meant was that, at the moment, I do not see a life-changing reason to leave my current place of residence; a cause for which would be worth leaving my current position in which I am able to help the younger generations as much as I can, and trust me, what I mean has nothing to do with financial considerations at all,” he explained politely.
“Your abilities in educating the young are far above my poor admiration and earn my eternal respect. An army of scientists and engineers leaves the university each year, and those who have the best opportunity to find places in research and development companies. What these companies produce makes our lives easier, accelerating and improving our lives and elevating our living standards, whether we need it or not. However, there is other life on this planet besides our own, the support of which not only brings no economic payoff, but also brings no prestige or kudos. The source from which we all originate, to which we owe our very existence, where everything comes from, which feeds us, clothes us, on which we travel and entertain ourselves gains nothing but misery from us.
Man, one of the greatest miracles this planet has yet produced, able to create and give life and – thanks to abilities of the highest degree of existence – able to perform exceptional feats with the power of the spiritual forces within us. Art, sport, music, literature, all of these are the noblest products of our species. They are pure and unselfish, are universal expressions of uniqueness that come from, yet stand out from nature.
And would this be that which characterizes the human race? Hardly. If needed, we roll in our own dirt and scum, justifying it to ourselves when it is in our interests so that later we can get something from the havoc our choices cause. All of this puts our reason for living into question. Professor, the ASEC is committed to restoring the damage caused by humanity and committed to healing Earth.
The demonstration you have just seen, as you probably already suspect, was not about robots. I am sure you could see the potential uses of such technology. The opportunities for its use are unlimited. We have just barely begun to scratch the surface of its possibilities,” Steersman concluded his arguments.
“Yes … from this perspective I know have a better understanding of your motivations. I hope you are serious.”
“He is!” said Karen, backing Steersman up.
“Karen, I've known you for a long time,” said the professor, “and I know that you would only stand by something that you believed in. I believe you, Mr Steersman.” He turned to his host.
“Thank you, Professor,” said Steersman softly.
“Whatever drives these machines, it is certainly not comparable to any known technology.”
“Please, show the professor,” said Steersman, turning to the robot standing close him.
One of the robots guards reached into his chest, removed a glowing sphere and offered it to the professor, who took it gently from the black palm with a slight look of shock.
“What is it, Mr Steersman?”
“With this device, we will begin the rehabilitation of Earth,” Steersman answered, addressing the professor's very direct question somewhat vaguely.
“It does not appear to have any weight at all,” said the professor in some astonishment.
“Please, take it with you, Professor, and think about my offer. If you are interested, we can show you how things could be done far better. Intent is a fine thing, but often it's not quite enough. It's the end result that matters and we now have the control over the outcome of our own development.”
*
Professor Kazuma Hashimoto flew back to Japan that evening. He hadn't promised anything, but the events of the evening seemed to have had a profound effect on him. Karen escorted him to the airport and then went home, she needed to rest, and eat.
First she treated herself to a quarter-hour massage, using the baths spa program to pamper her skin with fragrant steam and rich essential oils. Then barefooted, she stepped into the kitchen. Lingering for a few moments in front of the open refrigerator, she finally chose a fresh mango and raspberry frappe with crystallized caramel, which perfectly suited her mood. Moving into the living room, she sank down onto the sofa and slowly ate her frappe. She finished it, placed the empty container on the glass table in front of her and leaned back with her eyes closed. She fell asleep under her favorite blanket in front of the television.
***
Chapter 8
GlideCraft
It had taken three weeks of test runs before the first reliable series rolled off the production line. Steersman was no longer able to remain patient by the end. While teams under Alec Samuelson, the chief engineer and the vehicle manufacturing director, Jamie Ryder sorted out any problems that arose, Steersman forced himself to become engaged in other organizational matters to stop himself running in circles.
The vehicle developed by ASEC had been officially named and brought to the attention of the public as the Gliding Personal Transport Vehicle or, in short, the GlideCraft.
The newly established media communications office had come up with the name. The unit was located at the ASEC headquarters in Steersman's office building. Their aim was to serve authorized information to the outside world in the best way possible. The team was led by Oliver Trenerry, a capable man in his late forties, an industry icon who had transferred from the European news agency.
Their first task was to immediately organize the world premiere of the GlideCraft, a miracle that they performed in an incredibly short time. Fortunately, the vehicle did not need special effects to make it stand out. Its properties were far superior to those of any other vehicle on any road in the world.
Although it was only available for pre-order, for the press it was a hot topic right from the word go, and in the news it continuously ran under the ‘technological revolution’ headline so – free of any the disadvantages characteristic of combustion-engine powered vehicles – the new technology quickly caught the imagination of the public. Meanwhile, television channels all vied with one another to give the best reports of the big event, easily converting public interest into open desire.
For now the first GlideCraft salons had opened only in Excolopolis, and despite the fact that consumers all over the world were used to an abnormally high level of choice, they accepted the fact that only three colors were available rather well. Then again, that the new car was available in male and female variations proved to be an excellent idea.
There was of course much that needed to be done for the cars to be shipped abroad; first, the car had to be approved, the technology had to pass complicated technical examinations to ensure that it met international traffic requirements. Steersman knew that the vehicle was safe, otherwise he wouldn't have let it out onto the roads, but the city had its own rules and he did not give a damn about bureaucracy which was, as he had always said, just a dense forest of convoluted rules that gulped down public money as quickly as it could. He loathed politics. In his heart he longed for the moment when the ‘coyote ugly’ system would be replaced by a far better one.
“What do you think of the campaign re
sults?” asked Oliver Trenerry.
Steersman had seated himself opposite Trenerry in the presentation room of the communications unit, where they were analyzing feedback with several other specialist analysts.
“It's strong and fast, just the way I like it. This is what I expect from the team. People are talking about this vehicle everywhere and surprisingly it's gone viral. As far as reactions go, they haven't exceeded our expectations, but if resistance comes with recognition, then it means gravy for us,” Steersman grinned.
“Yes. It doesn't matter who talks about it, it can only be good for us,” agreed Trenerry.
“The industry has to accept that the concept of travel is being rewritten. This is not simply another product out there on the market. This is the market itself now. Either they pick up the pace or get left behind. People are going to be able to run the GlideCraft at a fraction of current vehicle costs,” Steersman explained.
“What about other car manufacturers?” asked Oliver.
“Each of them, almost without exception, is experimenting with this new technology. For them the biggest drawback is that they have to trash decades or even centuries of knowledge and habit. The ASEC doesn't want to compete with them, we need them. Supply has to be maintained and this can be achieved with the capabilities of the world's existing automobile factories. We provide the drive and they supply the comfort, elegance, design, and anything else they want to develop.”
“Then, all they need is time,” said Trenerry.
“And a bit of incentive,” Steersman added.
“We've put together a mock-up for a promotional film that I would like to present, if I may,” said Trenerry.
“Yes, of course, please do.”
The presentation was led by a woman who, until that moment, had remained silent. She stood next to a large display.
“Our idea is based less on the facts, as the press has that pretty well covered, and more on a classic, car marketing vibe with a slightly less conventional twist,” she said, and asked the technician at a desk near the side of the room to start the video.
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