The Bird of Paradise

Life some thousand years from now.

The opposite walls on both sides of the ergonomic bed opened up slowly half way, letting the outside light invade the compact chamber gradually �" like huge eyelids opening up and down simultaneously.

As light flooded his bed chamber Human1986/E80516911 (or H86 to his friends and acquaintances) woke up, opened his eyes, yawned and stretched his limbs �" and watched the ceiling. It took him about five seconds to calibrate his brain and right afterward he got off his bed, with surprising agility taking into account his age; he was two hundred ninety four years old, one of the veteran humans, which survived and kept existing on this remote planet. In his bathroom’s multi-d****e cabinet he surrounded his self to the battery of tiny showers that covered his body with warm water, from both his sides and from up above. Five minutes passed and automatically the sprinklers started to diffuse warm air drying and massaging his body.

With some urgency he crossed the short space of his bathroom and entered another small cabinet, intended for old relics like himself alone �" to empty his bowels.

‘Xumuotocrasus protector of our planet,’ he muttered aloud while washing his hands. How long do I’ve to wait till they’ll solve our problem, and we’re so few… They’re waiting for our extinction it seems �" that’s how our problem would be solved, yeah that must be it. He kept thinking getting closer to the left wall.

‘What’s today’s color?’ He asked as he moved towards the left wall, and stopped about a yard away from it. A loaded flat drawer glided out of the wall with todays garments. He put on some light underwear and one part silver outfit that included light and comfortable footwear. His identity number and rank, shined on his left breast; all he had to do was to choose the right wig for his completely bald head. His choice was a violet one. He put it on and went over to the mirror wall, to have a look at himself. Well, he thought with some satisfaction, I’m still a good looker for my age. But that thought brought in its wake last night’s reminiscences, and dejection swept his brain, remembering his setback and how beaten and humiliated he was. He had a usual day of meditation and planning a brighter future with his group, and afterwards he went out to entertain his soul at the ‘Bird of Paradise’. It is the most frequented joint, and maybe he should have chosen a less crowded one. But he would not have met her, or rather seen her; for that scoundrel of a robot claimed to have seen her before him. That pertinent robot stepped between them, wrapped his arms around her delicate shoulders, and turned to him an ugly smile, which only robots can have. There were dark niches on both sides for one and certain purpose, and there that robot dragged her.

H86 was terribly upset, the soft background music was getting on his nerves, and he experienced to his own amazement a dark depression, like he had never felt some hundred years before.  Instead of looking for another partner to pass a night of pleasure, he returned straight to his den, took a pill of “having your dream come true” and woke up this morning in a better mood �" up to this moment of recollection.

‘Well,’ he uttered a sigh of self pity, took his today’s meal pill, and several square tablets that turned into liquid as he crushed each one with his teeth, and rushed to his studio.

His studio was the largest room in his den, there was just one big and comfortable leather armchair with a control board, divided on both the arm rests. He sat on it and the opposite wall turned into a huge light blue screen. Yesterday’s episode just as it took place appeared on the screen. H86 saw himself watching that incredible beauty, and that villain of a  robot squeezing right in between him and that stunning beauty.

His computer was scanning his brain.

‘It’s impossible!’ His computer declared, reading H86 thoughts and wishes.

‘What, I don’t get it! I’ve the preference, the higher rank, and the night rules are irrelevant in this case!’ 

‘It was dismantled a few seconds after your rival claimed his right. You’re lucky to have spared yourself the disappointment.’

‘It was…? I’m talking about her not it.’ H86 protested vehemently.

‘It’s an old model that it’s time of expiration was due last night. You may order a new model.

‘Would it have the same features?’

‘No problem, but it will take some time and your confirmation is needed.’

‘You have my confirmation.’ H86 muttered and left his armchair, and the screen switched off right away.

H86 picked his electric charged control baton off the wall, which was needed in case of emergency �" to control a deranged robot that suffers from some unexpected technical malfunction; whenever such a mishap takes place, and thus keep law and order and protect the planet’s peaceful population. He got closer to his den’s exit, the door was opened straight to his personal conveyor. In a matter of a second he was at the planet’s center. The empty square was surrounded with public services buildings on three of its sides and on the fourth was his destination, the meditation and future planning center. H86 crossed the square and entered the meditation center building holding his control baton firmly in his left hand, watching the robot sentry and the several more security crew robots in the main entry hall with suspicion �" one can never know after all when a robot reaches its end of his electric supply or whether a fuse in a robot’s body has burned out, in spite of sensors, warning lights etc.; and there are some robots that have developed quite an ego, believing they are superior to humans and improved humans… so just in case H86 as was his usual habit, was ready for every possible calamity. As nothing irregular happened, H86 thanked Xumoutocrasus and entered the open door on his left.

‘Well H86 joins us in spite of the arduous night he has passed.’ Exclaimed his group leader IH49 (improved human) an exceptional female who deserved much respect and the prestigious office she was assigned to. She read his thoughts of course, and hastened to praise him. H86 took his place, the the dozen members’ murmurs who were seated there were subdued; everyone’s head was bowed under the huge electric canopy  up above �" and meditation was resumed. From time to time their leader would wake up her subordinates, and discussion would take place on one of the member’s significant thoughts.

After some five long hours their day of labor was over, and it was the time to sum it up. ‘Well it’s a fruitful day of work, but I can’t end it without praising H86’s incredible suggestion. He suggests to invent a new creature that would be able to satisfy its own urges, and multiply all by itself just as well…  On top of all its advantages there is the real possibility to put an end to at least one war �" the war between the two sexes.’

Everyone nodded with approval and the session with its discoveries for a better future ended up, with mutual consent.

 

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