RESTART - "A Flight to the Future"

RESTART is my fiction story of man's expansion in the universe. The main reason is to save and extend the existence of mankind. Chapter 1 would be "A Flight to the Future"

RESTART

1

(A Flight to the Future)

By: JAZZYMARS

 As I stepped off the Boeing 777, I noticed several changes and amazing things that caught my attention together with my co-passengers upon entering the transparent conveyor that transports passengers to the arrival area. One of them even asked me. “Excuse me, Sir? Are we in the new San Francisco International Airport?” She asked. “No, I guess this is the same old airport, but I just can’t believe that it has changed a lot since the last time I came here.” I replied. It’s been a year when I left this city and haven’t heard even a single news about it within that span of time for the reason that I had been designated in an underground sealed and secured laboratory somewhere in Tokyo where no one’s going in and out unless required by the authorities. No radio, no televisions and no cell phones at all. My company, XPrize Incorporated has been working with Japan’s most technologically advanced companies on a secret project and research for about four years.

“So where is your destination in here?” I asked the lady. “Ammm…, I am going somewhere in South Industrial City.” She replied with a bit hesitant of telling the specific location. “I am also going there.” I returned. She just smiled with eyebrows raised up. Then,  I suddenly recognized her. “Were you seated at 26A?” I asked to make sure if my memory is still firm. “Yes. How about you?” She returned. “14C” I shortly replied.

“Then how did you able to notice me?”

“I was about to enter the toilet in front of 18A when I noticed you, having a good sleep on the other side.”

“Oh my God! What is so attractive to me while sleeping?”

“Nothing, maybe I was just attracted with the ear buds in your ears when you shifted your head against the window with mouth open wide. Ha-ha!”

“Oh my… Are you sure it was me?  It was embarrassing!”

“It was cute. And don’t worry, nothing flowed from it.”

“Ha-ha-ha-ha!” We both laugh out loud. After all, I realized there were only very few passengers in there.

Upon approaching the entrance of the arrival lounge, she called my attention.

“Look at the dashboard.” She said.

“What about it? There is nothing amazing.” I returned.

“Just read the whole thing.” She urged.

So, I started reading the texts that are rolling on the electronic dashboard. It says, “Welcome to San Francisco International Airport. Today is June 28, 2037.” I was slightly shocked and even reiterated the last part of it. “2037!”

“Ha-ha! So this is the drama here. They assumed to be 20 years ahead from other airports.” She kiddingly said.

“I think it was just a typographical error, you know.” I explained.

            At the exit, the security gave us oxygen mask and instructed us to wear it while we are outside the building or vehicle. As we go out from the terminal, we observed that there is no even a single taxi that’s stopping by in front of us to ask for a ride until I saw the text on the electronic sign board saying “Transport, this way.” So, we followed the direction until we arrived at the transport area where you can see a queue of elegant-looking solar powered cars. We had to buy personalize electronic transport card that can be loaded with a hundred bucks minimum.  Then suddenly the six-door car in the front line came forward and automatically opened one of its backdoor. “Please come in!” We heard it. “Okay, so shall we go together?” I ask the lady. “I think there is no problem with it since we are both going in one direction.” She replied. So, we both entered the car and stay seated. At the back of the seat in front of us, an electronic tab turned on and the electronic voice again instructed us. “Please scan your passport over the tab, enter your destination and slide your transport card on it.” After that, I looked at the driver side and I found out that there’s no driver inside the car. “Hello! I see this is your first time.” The voice said. “Ye-ye- yes!” I replied with hesitation because I already know that I am just talking to an electronic speaker in the car. “I am Michael, your driver and you can’t see me in the car because I am driving here inside the station. You are riding a remote controlled car. This technology was implemented to protect drivers and avoid car nap incidents. Don’t worry, you will be safe. Just relax and enjoy the ride”

            “Buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz!” Buzzer sounded that awakened us from a short nap in the car. “Hello Mr. Mars and Ms. Cayne.  Please check your seat if you have dropped any belongings of yours. We are about to reach your destination XPrize Incorporated within 60 seconds. Thank you for travelling with us.”  We were surprised that we both are going to XPrize. We just looked at each other, smiled and walk out of the car. As we approached the secured door of a kilometer high building, “so, what’s your business here?” we asked at the same time. “Oh I am here for a product presentation.” I quickly answered.

“Okay Mr. Mars, I guess you’ll have to go ahead upstairs because I need to go to the restroom.” She said while offering a handshake. I respond to it and replied “Nice meeting you Ms. Cayne.”

            I moved on to the ninth floor where my office is located. The meeting is about to start in five minutes. My superior is waiting for me. So I just dropped by my office, leave my mallet, then proceeded to the conference room where we were scheduled to meet at 5:00 pm. “Welcome Mr. Mars, we are about to start the forum.” My boss spoke while I was about to open the conference door with my right thumb. At my back, comes a lady running for the door. “Wait, wait, wait! Please don’t close the door!” She shouted.  I looked back at her after we got inside the room. We surprisingly pointed finger to each other saying “you” at the same time. “So, you two already met each other before?” Asked Mr. Reed, our superior. “Yes Sir, we just met here in the airport.” I respond. Mr. Reed maliciously smiled and said “Be careful with the venom of this guy young lady, anyways, you’re a doctor, I believe you can manage it. Ha-ha-ha. I’m just kidding.” Ms. Cayne  just laughed out loud with him and looked at me while nodding her head sideways.

            We then fixed ourselves to our designated seats. A rectangular table with a refreshment desk at the center with a 16-inch robot that serves orders in front of us.  All you have to do is sign in on the tab and mark on the available list of beverages and coffee flavors. While making order, Mr, Reed started to roll call and introduced the members of the forum. “Ms. Acira Cayne, she’s a doctor of medicine and a cancer specialist….” I looked at her beside me.“ I have a heart cancer, can you help me?” I whispered to her. “We can check that later.” She replied. “Mr. Jari Mars, my partner before he left for Japan. He is a mechanical -structural engineer with a very broad knowledge of servo-mechanics.” Said, Mr. Reed. Acira pinched my flank and said, “Oh dear can you repair my broken heart?” “Sorry honey, I am afraid I can’t repair it because I am not a repairman, but I can offer you my service to redesign it if you will allow me.” I returned. She wanted to laughed, but of course she had to control it and pressed her mouth with her two palms. Reed continued the roll call. “Mr. Akihiro Jones, Electronic and Comunications engineer; Ms. Akane Abe, an environmentalist, agriculturist and biologist. What else can I say?” Reed said. Other members of the forum are in the technical field and some are on financing and housekeeping management and economics experts.

            As Reed continued the roll call, Acira and I had a whispered conversation. “I remember Akihiro and Akane.” I said. “Really? Where? In the plane?” She asked. “Yes. Akihiro was seated at 8E and Akane at 19A. Akihiro seemed slightly confused while watching Westworld and Akane slightly coughed, seemed nervous. That was when I passed by when I went to the other toilet when the one on my back is not available.” I relayed. “You really have a good memory, I am starting to like your brain, ha-ha! Maybe you can also remember that you lied to me several minutes ago.” She said. “Yes of course. I know that and you also know the protocol. You can’t blame me if I will have to lie to a charming lady like you. Our business is a top secret.” I explained. “Too serious, handsome, I was just kidding.” She whispered and smiled.

            After the roll call, Reed began to serious his face before starting to release his next words. He had a look at everyone around the table and finally talked. “Did you know that  there is no turning back when you stepped into that plane?” Reed’s introductory line to emphasize how serious our mission is. Yes, I was briefed about it and I am sure that we all got the same briefing before we stepped into that plane. I remembered several persons inside that plane, many are excited, but some seemed to be confused and feeling nervous just like Akihiro and Akane. We have the mission, but we do not exactly know the details before we get into the forum with Mr. Reed. We are going to research, study, experiment and build the newest science and technology projects that might be enjoyed by the next generation. That is all I know. That is all we know. Now, in the end of the forum, we will be fully enlightened about the details.

            “What was your flight guys?” Again, Reed asked a question. Some of the members replied, “ANA Flight 008”.  He simply smiled, then explained. “Yes, it is, but we are going to call it to be written in history as A Flight to the Future. As you look around you can see the new San Francisco, the first universal city in this world.” Everyone wondered to what he had spoken and asked where exactly we are. “Open your eyes and look around.” He said. Everything is automated. Then, he walked towards the clear glass window. There was a huge telescope that is projected through the sky. “Ms. Cayne, come over here.” He called. “Please explore the sky!” He said while pointing at the telescope. Acira stood up, proceeded through the telescope and explored the sky. Suddenly, she backed off, placed her palms on her chest and stared at me and then looked to Mr. Reed. She was shocked, it seemed. Everyone looking at her, waiting for what she has to say. Her eyes became teary and then she laughed and said “I can’t express what I feel right now!” She slowly went back to her seat without saying what she had seen. Each curiosity was answered upon stepping in front of the telescope. I was the last member to see the amazing view that made Acira shed a tear. Damn! It was the earth. “So we are in the outer space right now?” I asked Mr. Reed. He just nodded, meaning yes. “How it happened? We just came from Tokyo with that plane heading to San Francisco. How it was possible?” I sought explanation from Reed. He seriously stared at me and then turned slowly to go back to the center front of the room and explained. “Okay, ladies and gentlemen, listen to me. ANA Flight 008 is a success of the recent project. We can now be able to transport from earth to nearby outer space without using the conventional space shuttle. You are lucky because you are the first group to experience it.” Said, Reed. “Then what exactly is our mission here?” Akihiro asked. “Our mission is to support the mother mission! Reed quick response.

            Mr. Reed continued to elaborate the details of the project. We are being transported to the future that is twenty years ahead. Using the recent successful projects, we are going to prepare things for the mother project, which had been the real target for about three or four decades in the making. Now, we are going to fast track the realization of this mission. A mission that we did not expect to be achieved before. The migration of humanity to another planet, that is the mother mission. All separate researches, projects, missions and teams lead to only one goal. Reed started to play a video presentation in a hologram form. The whole things was in there. Almost five decades ago since the first step of man to the moon happened. It was true that it has given the greatest lift to mankind. Since 1969 with the Apollo 11, another five Apollo’s consequently landed on the moon until 1972. The last one published that landed on the moon was Apollo 17, which is the first Apollo to carry the first scientist to the moon. What do you think was his significant role? To cut the story short, Apollo’s role was to prove at least three things. The first is if man can stay on the moon. The second is if it is possible to build structures on the moon, and the third is to  know the abundant minerals that can be mined from there. Of course, so far, it will not be feasible to mine from the moon and then transport back to the earth. After the successful confirmation that the moon is rich in helium 3 that can be used as high efficient fuel to provide electricity, it started the project to build structures. Started from transporting of light and portable self power generating machines and parts, mining of minerals for steel and glass components and manufacturing have started until the scale got bigger and larger. It took almost three decades to build enough manufacturing and power plants that established sufficient energy until this first city was built. Where we are now is the upgraded replica of San Francisco. Well, of course you can’t find manufacturing and power plants in this city because they can only be found on the dark side of the moon. The moon will be serving as the biggest earth’s space lab. That’s the end of the presentation.

            “So, why are we here now?” Akane asked. “We are here to prepare for Mars Project.” Reed replied. “We are here to assess this city, to study and make improvement on its technology because this will be our model to be implemented on mars when the time comes.” He continued. Mr. Reed pinned the bull’s eye. At that moment, he had just wiped out the clouds in us. Our curiosity was being offset with excitement. “You are a complete team to be staying in one community. You were chosen and designed to live in pairs. Each residence will be having its own laboratories for you to research and make your experiments. Here are the lists, you may check who’s your designated partner.” Reed handed me the tab and eye-winked while pointing his lips to the lady beside me. Unexpectedly, she noticed it. “What? So there is a conspiracy here between the old partners?” Acira asked. While looking at the list, suddenly, “you?” We both shouted and pointed fingers again. “Looks like fate have spoken Mr. Mars.” Akihiro said. “Yeah, and I guess I am very lucky because I will be having an in-house doctor.” I replied boastfully but kidding aside.. The entire room was blasted with clattering laughter while Acira boxed me on my shoulder.

            “Before leaving this room, you may get your hand kit on the back table. In it, you can find the guidelines for you to follow and implement. Please check also the schedules of the forum and your one-on-one meeting with me. Meeting adjourned! By the way, our transport bus will deliver you to the villa.”Mr. Reed said. He came to me and gave me a hug. We missed our partnership, at work and other so-called extra curricular activities such wines and roses. “Do you like her?” He asked. He’s referring to Acira, my programmed living partner in the new world. The awkwardness will be present most of the time at first of course. Imagine living with a lady whom you just met hours ago in a project meeting, then suddenly you will be living together in one shed. The good thing is we are both single in status. All of us in the team are single. “Hey, I am asking you, do you like her? Look at her, she’s pretty right?” Reed ambushed me again. I did not respond instead, I looked to Acira while her back is facing me. She is a medium built woman, not so slim but she’s more on sexy athletic type. I unintentionally noticed her well humped and curved bottom. While she was facing to my location, I realized that she’s really pretty that I did not even try to observe few hours ago. Thanks to Reed, I’m seeing it now. Her curly hair, her cute pointed nose, expressive, beautiful eyes, clip chin and her heart shaped face. After several seconds, I was able to respond to Reed but I did not notice that Acira had been already right at the near front of me. I said, “perfect!” Acira heard and respond, “what is perfect?” I did not expect that and I am not prepared. I just replied, “nothing, excuse me, I must take my hand kit.” While I was walking away, I heard Reed said, “I guess you are more venomous than him, ha-ha.”

            Finally, it’s time to have a rest for a while as we arrived in our new home. The villa is inside a huge dome with clear glass roofing. Inside the dome is a fully developed community with complete structure and facilities such hospitals, churches, laboratories, libraries, restaurant and bars, sport centers and other things that you can find in a typical community. At home, everything is automated. Starting at the main door, a double lock security with a passcode voice recognition system and face detection check before it will fully grant the access. Two bedrooms with complete automatic equipments. The rooms can move vertically. It has a lift that can be raised up to the roof deck. Of course the room is still closed with transparent glass walls. In this room before I sleep, it became my habit to write this story which started from the moment I stepped off that plane.  It served as my way of relaxation after a mind blowing day with regards to my assignment. I am working  with Akihiro and other engineers and scientist regarding the procedures of migration to planet Mars. My partner in the house, Acira, she had been very busy with her research and experiments regarding advance reproduction of living things, which she had been collaborating with Akane for several days. We only get to see each other during dinner. I used to cook, she’s not, that’s why I am the chef in the house. She’s more busy in her laboratory. In the morning, all is set to be automatic. Upon the ring of the alarm clock, electronic teapot automatically start to boil and the oven starts to heat up the grilled stuff that I used to prepare at night. All wares are stainless and designed to suit in a dish washing bin. As I have said, all are automated.

            One night, Acira caught me writing this story or should I say diary of mine. I left my door opened, then she came in silently at my back. “Oh diary, can you let me read it?” She asked. I did not say a word, just handed her the notebook without hesitation and let her finish the reading. “I am sorry, It was written in a simple and ordinary English, I am not a professional writer, but I can conceptualize.” I explained. “No, It’s great! You know this kind of writing, you can be able to reach the level of all kinds of readers. It means even the people from the other sides of the world who are not that deep to understand complex English may enjoy reading and understand without being bothered to look into the dictionary. Instead of using the word flabbergasted, you can simply use the phrase surprised greatly or  amazed too much. What matters most to me is the story.” She respond. “By the way, thanks for including my name.” She added. “It must be.” I replied. “Actually, I came here to invite you to party with me.”She said. Of course I said yes. I also need to celebrate because that day, my team’s proposals was approved for implementation. It has been calculated that within two to three years, two small-sized comets in consequence will be passing nearby the moon. These will be side passing through Mars. This will be our most possible chance of vast migration Four ANA-XPrize Craft will be carrying lightweight, durable stainless steel net positioned to catch the nose of the comet before it arrives. In the near center  of the net, four machines will be drilled into the comet to lock up. It will serve to be our transport to the nearest point to Mars. In that sense, we can be able to reduce energy consumptions as well as craft weight for energy storage. Upon reaching Mars, crafts will detach from the comet, leave surveillance satellites in there for future expansion. That is my simple concept, though it needs a lot of preparation and waiting for the right time.

            We went to the party. There’s a lot of reasons to celebrate. Other members were also in the bar. As we enter, Acira inserted her fingers to mine, stared at me and kissed my cheek. We joined the table with Akihiro and Akane. Akihiro and I talked about Mars transport and the ladies talked about their success. With the existing incubators, they had it modified and conducted experiments. They started with egg-laying animals, and then mammals. They made it. Babies can be born without being developed into the mother’s womb. All were enjoying the party, but it had to end. We went home drunk and Acira was so drunk. Right away when we entered the house, she wildly kissed me and said, “I am extremely happy and I want to move into the next level. I am finished with animals, this time I’ll focus on the human.” She said. That’s it, then we made love. After several minutes of intimacy, we’re done. I asked her, “what did you mean by that?” She replied, “It’s not what you think. I can’t bear a baby in me. I need the technology and I need you.” “So shall we call this a project?” I asked. “Of course!” She said. At the same time we asked, “how do we name the project?” We paused for a while, then suddenly faced each other and at the same time, we said “Jazzy Mars Project”. 

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***( This was an Entry to the Short Story Writing Contest by the XPRIZE " “A Flight to the Future” /// Date of completion & submission: August 25, 2017 )*** 

           

           

           

           

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

Author's Note

RESTART is my fiction story of man's expansion in the universe. The main reason is to save and extend the existence of mankind. My short story "A Flight to the Future" is suited to the concept of RESTART that is why I made it the first chapter of it.