Sci Fi Stories From Science Reporter 2008

2011·6.6 MB·English

by  gnv64

Fiction THIRD BEST ENTRY
SCIENCE FICTION COMPETITION:
It was 23rd December 2015. We were
almost ready for our flight back to earth.
The timer on the countdown-clock
indicated that there still was 1 hr and 49
I mins left. I was taking some
am sorry, you citizens of earth. I'm photographs of earth. The earth had
sorry because I thought what I never looked so beautiful. The
shouldn't have. It is useless to hide magnificence cannot be described by any
it from you. So I want to tell you literature on earth. Sumita was exploring
about my experience. I had this the galaxy by her telescope.
experience when I was returning to earth Our spaceship had an air-controller
after working at the space station for device. So we did not need to wear our
MAINAK CHAKRABORTY three months. Along with me was my spacesuit inside the space ship. It had
colleague, Sumita. normal room temperature. We could
SCIENCE REPORTER,N ovember2 008
Science Fiction
He answered, "I am Uday Kanth. I
I said "Uday, come we will take you to earth live in another multiverse. Not here. It
is on that side." He pointed towards
now. Leave your space-ship here in its auto mode."
one side of the vast space.
I questioned, "But multiverses were
Uday hung his head low, and then said
restricted to our science-fiction stories!
unexpectedly, i don't want to go to earth." What teleported you here from that
'multiverse'?"
Uday answered, "That Black Hole."
"What???" Sumita and I cried out
also talk to each other because there was may die here, as we had nothing to together.
the medium of air. I was now thinking defend ourselves. No detective would Uday continued calmly, "The Black
how pollution had taken its toll on earth. ever come here to say who, or what, Holes are the ways to parallel universes,
I was feeling like a philosopher, had killed us. or multiverses." Uday went on, "So, you
contemplating on the ill virtues of man. I looked at Sumita. She looked back. must be thinking how you and I look
It was then that Sumita called me, She held out her arms as if to hug me. I similar? Right? Then you must listen to
"Sunny, there is something coming came near her. I looked into her warm our history. Our evolution from ape-like
towards earth at a great speed!" watery eyes. I hugged her. When we creatures was the same as yours. Our
I came near her. I fixed my eyes on looked through our telescopes the next ancestors lived in present-day India, yes
the telescope to see an evenly shaped time, the object was standing beside our on earth. They were more developed
object coming towards us with an space ship. At one look, I could say that than any other civilization. They had
unbelievable velocity. Was it a meteor? it was a space ship. It looked like the made great advances in science and
I froze at this thought. I had read that space ships described by Sir Isaac Asimov technology. By the end of 1200 B.C., they
dinosaurs had become extinct because in his science-fiction novels. But this was had made their own spacecrafts. When
great-sized meteors had fallen on earth not fiction. It was real life. The space Homo sapiens had just evolved to their
with great velocity. I asked Sumita, ship had four bright lights that glowed present form, my ancestors had already
"What the Hell is this?" brightly. Then there was a knock on the learnt to cover their bodies while
door of our space ship! the Europeans roamed naked in
She answered, "It is not a meteor,"
as if she had read my thoughts, "It is so I was thrilled with the thought of the forests. They were peace-loving
evenly shaped and even has a metallic meeting aliens. I rushed towards the people. They were the first to have
luster." door when Sumita clasped my hands. I democracy."
I was still very worried, but tried patted her back and said, "I don't see Uday continued, "It was then that
hard to hide it. We both were glued to any danger. They seem friendly and a group of humans who had advanced
our telescopes. The object, whatever it peaceful." Without giving her a second weapons came towards that place. Since
was, had a velocity of about 6'108 ms'1, glance, I turned the knobs and opened my ancestors did not believe in acquiring
about the double the speed of light! I the door. weapons, as they were peace loving,
could know that because it had covered But what I saw horrified me at first, they started retreating southwards and
a distance of 3.6'1010 m in one minute! because it. was quite beyond my ultimately when they had nowhere else
According to scientific reports that I had expectation. It was just another human to go, they went out into space on their
read, it was impossible for anything, but being (Homo sapiens!). Only in sharp self-made spaceships! They did not
photons, to have a velocity of light. Then contrast with us was his dress. He was know where to go for shelter. They
how could something come with double wearing a colourful space suit. Before I roamed in space for months when
its velocity? I wondered. It was, no could say a word, he walked in and I suddenly one day they felt a great force
doubt, coming towards the earth. But closed the door behind him. attracting their spaceships. It was a black
suddenly it changed its direction and I told him flatly, "What do you hole. Their spaceships went out of their
started moving in a circular path. want?" control. They had no idea about black
Gradually its speed decreased. We both He told me,, "I want friendship with holes. All the passengers started to
were glued to our telescopes. you." foresee death. But then they passed
safely'through the black hole and came
In the next few seconds, it had "I was going back to earth. You
to a new multiverse with millions of
considerably reduced its speed and could have contacted me there, you
galaxies. The black hole ejected them
seemed to be coming towards us. The foolish dolt! Why did you take the
out with unbelievable speed—almost
object was looking as if it was a user- trouble of coming all the way from earth
double the speed of light! Finally, they
controlled machine. It was far away for tying the knot of friendship?" I
reached a planet that seemed to be able
from us, but we felt as if something was rebuked him.
to support their lives. They settled there.
there inside it that was controlling it. The Sumita quietly said, "Sunny, he
Their total population then was only
next thought that came to my mind was didn't come from earth."
four thousand."
that of aliens. I had read enough about I looked at him with a frown. He
them in science fiction novels and said, "I am not from earth, I come from I was now trying hard to absorb
movies. Now I wanted to see how aliens Dravidrajya." the facts laid down by him, but still I
actually looked like. Still, I had a mortal Sumita asked, "Where's that?" had the human tendency of not
fear that they might attack us. We two "Is that located near Hell?" I joked. accepting new things readily. So, I said,
SCIENCE REPORTER,S eptember2 008
Science Fiction
if it was a user-controlled
machine. It was far away
from us, Hut we felt as if
enitintthinn uisc thprp
9iyill«»t31IiE|f « u9 tllwlw
inside it that was
controlling it.
"Uday, not all of your ancestors might on our planet is 150 years. Diseases are I was shocked. All my plans were
have escaped from earth? There may still rare. People mostly die because the about to go in vain and along with that,
be some left!" organs gradually disintegrate and my fame. I knew no one on earth would
Uday smiled and said, "The scientists become weak. I am 67 years old. I believe me if I told them that I had met
first allowed all their family and relatives formally invite you to visit our planet." an alien-human in space. I knew that I
to fill the space-ships. Then all the "Thank you very much! I would needed to persuade him anyhow.
important people, like the ministers and love to go there," I smiled. I said, "You know that the earth is the
their family, filled the seats of the "What is the education system in most beautiful planet. Don't you
spacecrafts. Then, there was a lottery to on your planet?" Sumita enquired. want to see the magnificent sights that
determine who would go in the Uday replied, "Our children go to the earth provides? I know you would
spaceships. There were many unlucky schools where they learn latest love to see them. Earth will grandly
people who could not be accommodated technologies. The equations of mass- welcome you. People will be glad to see
in the spaceships. The capacity of each space-time-energy equivalence are you. All newspapers headlines will
spaceship was 50 and we had just 80 such taught at school level. For graduation, a scream 'Two worlds meet after
space-vehicles. Our ancestors had to student has to either invent a new device five millenniums!' You will also be able
leave them here on earth." or discover something new, which is still to meet your ancestors on earth."
"But how did you learn English?" unknown to us. During my graduation I looked at Sumita indicating her to
I invented a device that could read others'
interrupted Sumita. persuade Uday.
minds!"
Uday glanced at us and said, "We Sumita understood. She said,
I was stunned by all this. Our planet
have frequently sent our un-manned "Uday, what about your diplomatic
was far behind Uday's planet as far as
missions to earth to study it. We came relations with earth? You said that you
progress in almost all fields of science
to know that you people widely speak have come here as a delegate from your
was concerned. They were much more
English. So voice-recordings were made planet. You wanted to have diplomatic
developed than us.
from the conversations of earthlings and relations with earth. So, why are you
Just then an evil plan dawned on
in this manner we learnt the English now refusing to go with us?"
me. We could take Uday to earth and
language." I took a glance at the countdown-
force him to reveal to our scientists all
"Uday, I am Sunny and this is clock, which said that we were to start
about the advances they had made. We
Sumita. You are cordially invited to for earth within twelve minutes.
could capture him and exploit him for
earth. Have you come from your planet I said, "See, there are only twelve
our betterment. With his help we could
alone?" minutes left for us. Please make up your
make advanced technologies possible.
"Yes," he answered, "I have come mind quickly."
Perhaps, many mysteries about space
to earth as a delegate from our planet to Uday went towards the door and
and the universe that our scientists were
make diplomatic relationships with opened it. Just then he turned towards
still wondering about could be explained
earth." us, his head was still hanging low. He
with his help. First, we would ask for his
"That's nice of you. We will take you said, "Sunny, you are forgetful.
help. But, if he was not cooperative we
to earth on our space-ship," I offered. could force him. He seemed peaceful, Don't you remember that I had
"Well, then tell us about your planet." and so perhaps he might not carry any invented the device that could read
Uday took a deep breath and said, weapon with him. I would also become other's minds?"
"It is true that our planet is not as famous for uniting two worlds. I said Saying so, he closed the door of our
beautiful as earth. But we love our "Uday, come we will take you to earth space ship, swam to his space shuttle and
planet, which has supported us for so now. Leave your space-ship here in its went up, up and away!
many years. We really care for it. You auto mode."
wouldn't find pollution there, not even Uday hung his head low, and then
in traces. Our planet protects us, so we said unexpectedly, "I don't want to go Shri Mainak Chakraborty, A/529, Koel Nagar,
protect her too. The average life span to earth." Rourkela
SCIENCE REPORTER,S eptember2 008
Fiction
PUSHPENDRA SINGH
Science Fiction
"We are working on making the plant grow even
eyes and livers but we'll have to work overtime
and produce more stem cells for it, our schedule
is already pretty exhausting," Akhil continued.
reached her desk informing that she was in the pharmaceutical business. He kept
being relieved of her position and that dreaming of making millions. This was
her services to the hospital were no before they left their jobs to join Tina,
longer required. who had been fired from her job, in her
ingenious project: Operation Money
T There was tension in the air. There Plants. This project would make them
HE man in the gray suit bent were four people in the basement. The billionaires if it succeeded.
closer over her desk, purple silence of the soundproof underground "It is only the money which is
with rage and hissed with lab was broken only by an occasional keeping them committed to the work,"
clenched teeth, "I... WANT.. .A clink of the glassware or by Tina's Tina said to herself.
KIDNEY AT ANY COST!" turning of the pages. Everybody was Vrinda read her thoughts, "Look
"Sorry sir, it's not on today's bent over the operation table, except Jay, at the bright side, it would earn us big
menu." Try mine, it's for hire. She who was lying on it. fame, and bigger money." She looked
wanted to reply but thought better of Tina closed the folder and breathed at Jay who was still staring up at the
it. deeply once. She looked up from her lamp. Poor Jay, he had been slit and
Tina was Personal Assistant to the work. Jay lay in the minimum of stitched twice. He must be feeling like
best surgeon at the biggest hospital in clothing, motionless and staring at the a guinea pig. Vrinda tried to console
New Delhi. This gentleman (his apparel overhead lamp. Akhil and Vrinda stood him, "Don't look so dejected Jay,
spoke of his affluence) had been on his either side busy at work. Akhil According to the contract you will get
pestering her for the last half an hour. had just finished marking Jay's wrists, the maximum share."
His wife was admitted in the hospital neck, chest and abdomen with small red Jay didn't shift his gaze, "Through
awaiting her kidney transplant. She was crosses. He now picked up a sterilized with your lecture? Now don't disturb
patient number 32 on the waiting list. scalpel from the China-tray and looked me. You made me forget the
The registered-donors decease rate was thoughtfully at it. Vrinda had been calculation."
so low that the organs for transplant rinsing a rather long vine, of a common
were coming at sloth-speed. Needful creeper, the money plant, in a tub. She A private chopper lands at the top
patients had to wait from several was satisfied and was now injecting a of a multistory building. A man dressed
months to even a year. Only a few clear fluid in the aerial roots by a plant in a black suit steps out with a briefcase.
lasted out. It was a helpless situation. syringe. Two young ladies also in black step
Tina pushed her perfectly round black- Akhil broke the silence; he put forward to greet him. The great wind-
rimmed glasses higher on her nose with down the scalpel and said, "I can't speed at this height is tousling their hair
her fore finger and held up a list from believe, I'm doing this. I must have been and flapping their clothes.
the stack of papers on her desk. a fool to agree. One year! I've spent one "Welcome Mr Vaid, you're our first
"Sorry sir, we're running short of full year in this rat-hole. I left my career customer, I hope you brought the
kidneys, eyes and livers. It's the same at its peak. If only I hadn't, by today I money?" Tina had to raise her voice to
everywhere, although we are trying would have become a world repute be heard over the wind. Mr Vaid patted
our..." genetic engineer. I shouldn't have fallen his briefcase in reply. They shook hands
The man was in no mood to listen for your fantasy." and the girls led the man down the lift
to explanations. What he couldn't He flared at Tina who was sitting to the basement. Mr Vaid was the
persuade, he bought. "Look," he on a stool at the foot of the table staring owner of a chain of hospitals. He was
interjected, "I'll pay for the at a folder on her lap. Although the kingpin of the most profitable business.
inconvenience. You just shift her name theory was consistent, their earlier two During their descent Vrinda filled him
to the first in the waiting list. It wouldn't operations on Jay had completely failed. in on their project.
matter, they all need it equally badly." It was becoming increasingly difficult "It was Tina's brainchild. She
Tina was taken aback, "I'm afraid to manage the three of them. They were correctly estimated that the transplant
that is a very indecent..." worried the project would turn out to organ scarcity would assume gigantic
The man slammed his fist onto the be a fiasco. proportions. With modern medical
desk and glared at her, "I can even buy Jay, Vrinda and Akhil had been amenities, the death rate has become so
your stinking hospital, ten of the like!" Tina's medical college Pals. Akhil was low that legally available organs are in
Saying this he circled round her the brightest and was pursuing his paucity. So we decided to grow them,
desk and went straight to the surgeon's career in genetics. Vrinda was a cultivate them. We chose for this
room. Ten minutes later a memo research botanist. Jay was a struggler purpose a highly adaptive plant species,
SCIENCE REPORTER, Sepetmber 2008
Science Fiction
lay looked pathetic. He bad lost eight kilos through the project.
His eves had sunk in and he had dark circles under them.
briefcase full of notes in your hand is excessive proliferation of roots inside
going to be mine." him.
Akhil closed the water and lowered "I feel like a practical joke! I can
the hose, "The plant sucks out nutrition sense the roots growing deeper in me.
from his body. We inject it with plant It's nauseating. I can sense your touch
growth and fruit ripening hormone. The on the leaves, they are becoming a part
plant does not absorb his blood, it of me."
doesn't need it. Only the fruit formation That evening they saw the first hint
and sustenance require a little of it." He of red on the white part of some of the
pointed to the bean-shaped green fruit. leaves. "It must be some harmless
It had a few red veins. clotting. You just cut down your iron
"The kidney is housed inside the intake," Akhil discarded the matter.
the money plant. It can survive in plain epicarp. At present it is a part of Jay's At midnight, Tina was
water, without soil. The plant does not body and is functioning accordingly, awakened by Jay's cries. Vrinda and
have a lot of chlorophyll; its leaves are but it is an extra organ and can be Akhil were already up.
only partly green. It grows aerial roots removed without harm. The five "He is in pain!" Akhil exclaimed
as it is a creeper. We introduce these kidneys you ordered have ripened." and the three of them rushed to the
aerial roots in the pot we are growing Then he said to Tina, "Bring me the glass cabin. Vrinda switched on the
it in. Our experts have spent hundreds portable ice box for delivering the light. They gasped at the scene. Jay
of hours genetically modifying the plant harvest to Mr Vaid." was writhing in pain, all the leaves had
to bear fruits. Then in a miraculous "Are you sure that they will turned crimson red and blood was
commingling of Zoological and function correctly?" Mr Vaid asked dripping from the stomata situated on
Botanical sciences tailored with genetic Akhil. the underside. They had undermined
engineering we mutated the plant genes "Of course they will, anybody can the plant's ability to adapt.
to produce a human kidney as the fruit." eat any plant and since these organs are Shockingly, it had adapted to a better
Mr Vaid looked Vrinda up and grown on plants they are automatically nutrient-rich water source—host's
down, "Intriguing! What kind of a pot universally transgenic. The thymus blood. Under the injections of growth
you use to grow the plant in? I reckon it does not reject them." Jay chimed in, hormone, the plant was pushed to over
would need a regular supply of organic "And my blood group is O, so I am a perform.
matter, blood nutrients and the gene universal donor. We could grow these Jay looked pathetic. He had lost
code to grow a human kidney." plants on the needful patients, but from eight kilos through the project. His eyes
By then they had reached the my experience with this thing growing had sunk in and he had dark circles
basement. Tina held the lab door open over me, I can tell it isn't going to be under them. An untended bristly beard
for them to enter. popular." further marred his appearance. He
"See for yourself," she motioned Akhil continued. "We are working moaned with tearful eyes. Despite their
to a cabin at the center of the lab. Inside on making the plant grow even eyes best efforts, they could not save
it were two people. Akhil held a small and livers but we'll have to work him.
garden hose and was watering Jay from overtime and produce more stem cells
head to foot. Jay stood in his drawers for it, our schedule is already pretty They spent the next month
with his arms outstretched. The creeper exhausting," he glanced at the girls and tinkering with the genetic code of the
was spiraled all over his body. Looking then said to Mr Vaid, "You must leave plant. Money was flowing in from all
closely one could see that the aerial roots now, we don't want to blow our cover. sides. They hoped this time they'd
had been introduced into his body Here's your merchandise." succeed.
through numerous incisions on his Business thrived. They had There was tension in the air. There
wrists, neck, chest and abdomen. problems delivering orders in time. were three people in the basement. The
Amongst the flourishing leaves were Tina thought of feeding Jay with silence of the sound-proof underground
several bulbous bean-shaped green chemical fertilizers. They fooled him lab was broken only by an occasional
fruits with red veins. Jay's wet hair was into taking a new set of tablets. They clink of the glassware or by Vrinda's
matted onto his forehead. He smiled told him it was a dietary supplement, rinsing of the vine. Everybody was bent
and waved at the visitor. but actually each sugar coated tablet over the operation table except Tina,
Mr'Vaid spun around, his legs contained NPK fertilizer. Consequently who was lying on it.
buckled and he fell to the floor on his the roots grew deeper till they pierced
hands and knees, "Gross!" He his stomach walls and thrust in to take
muttered. up the fertilizer.
Jay laughed lightly, "It doesn't hurt. Jay had to take codeine to Shri Pushpendra Singh, A-1929, Awas Vikas,
Lesser so when I come to think that the overcome the pain caused by the Hanspuram, Naubasta, Kanpur-208021 (U.P.)
SCIENCE REPORTER, Sepetmber 2008
Science Fiction
SOUMYASHANTNAYAK
Year 2010
The Xlth Annual Conference of
International Scientists. '
There was a low murmur in the
crowd as Professor Hollins rose from
his seat. Unperturbed he cleared his
throat and started gravely, 'Human
brain...undoubtedly, an enigma. This
is what, has driven the romanticism of
poets, the finesse of artists, the dreamy
thoughts of philosophers, the genius of
mathematicians and also the whims of
the layman and the confused thoughts
of the drunkard. The Homo sapiens are
proud of themselves for being the most
independent and rational entities of
nature. Look at this computer my
friends, and marvel at it, for it is an
outcome of the creativity and ingenuity
of human brain. But then, next moment
why do I see a look of contempt in your
eyes? I will tell you the reason. You
think that this is a helpless thing that
needs to be programmed and has no
independence of thoughts. You say
human brain has something called
'whim' and 'intuition' which this
helpless box doesn't have. But be not
proud, my friends, for my research
paper will undoubtedly convince you
that we are nothing special. We are just
programs of nature. It's just that this
poor computer has 80 GB for decision
making and data input whereas we have
a whooping 10A 18 bytes of memory
for ours.'
There was a great uproar in the
crowd.
'Objection,' roared Professor
Villous. Professor Hollins narrowed
his pupils and looked at this man. He
had been his arch enemy from his very
school days. You can call their cold war
a clash of the titans. Undoubtedly
Hollins was the more gifted of the two
but unfortunately the lazier one too. By
dint of his hard work and intelligence,
Villous climbed the ladders of success
rapidly and was now a scientist of world
repute. But the irony of fate! Hollins
always remained subordinated to him.
In plain words, he was unlucky.
The depression and a hurt pride of
a less talented school rival beating him
at every step was gnawing into the
insides of Hollins. You couldn't just call
it bitterness or hatred, what Hollins felt
for Villous.
SCIENCE REPORTER,S eptember2 008
Science Fiction
He was successful in It was too much. Hollins burst into The next moment Villous was
tears. He had spent years of research to strangling the security guard with all
devising a way to create create this small workable program and his might. The cries of the stunned man
what he calls MCC nobody believed him. He was being brought the whole house to the room.
branded a liar and the cause of it all was It was then only that Villous relieved
(mind controlling chip J. Villous. He resolved to settle his score. his fatal grip.
He would ruin Villous. He would make 'Now do you believe m^...'
'Objection/ roared Professor
him lick his feet and beg pardon. An agonized Villous looked at
Villous and the crowd listened with rapt
After this event, professor Hollins himself and the look on others' faces.
attention. 'My dear friend, your
maintained a very low profile, and 'Who are you? Pray, tell me.'
insensible statement has compelled me
nobody heard or even cared to hear 'For the time being, I am your
to believe that you are once again
anything of him, the next ten years. master. That should be enough.'
propounding a hoax, as the
'Master Villi, I think you are
distinguished crowd will obviously
Year 2020 suffering from overwork,' said the
recall, just as last year.'
Villous could ask for nothing more in servant.
'It wasn't a hoax. It was just a
life. He had a beautiful wife, two small 'Why don't you go out with
mistake made unknowingly by a
kids, fame, honour, respect of even the Madame for a vacation. The mountain
human being.' Hollins said, his ears
best of scientists and what not! air would surely do you good.'
turning red with insult and
How lady fortune smiles on some Villous thought over it. It was a
embarrassment. Anger was boiling
people... good idea.
within him.
It was midnight. He was working 'No,' said the voice in his head. 'I
Villous was beaming with victory
in his laboratory. Suddenly a blow am low on funds now. I need more
for having swayed the crowd to his side.
struck him from behind and he blacked money to continue my research.
Hollins gave a short review of his
out. Tonight you will rob a bank for me.'
experiments forgetting to mention
The telephone was ringing
some vital points in his anger. Then he
incessantly. Villous got up and picked Year 2023
brought a dog and connected a wire-
it up. His head felt heavy and was Three years had passed.
like device to its head and ran a
throbbing like hell. 'No 632,' the warden called.
computer program that was supposed
The voice on the other end said, Villous walked out in his white
to make the dog do some antics.
'Hello! Dear friend, your duties towards uniform. The past three months had
Surprisingly the dog did so.
science are done. My time has come.' been hell, especially the shock therapy.
Hollins looked beamingly at the
There was a hint of sarcasm in the The mental asylum attendants were
crowd. His thoughts wandered
voice. Then the line went dead. cruel, heartless beings. He was to be
dreamily. He was heralding the advent
Villous went near the washbasin discharged that day. What a relief!
of a new revolution: that of artificial
and splashed cold water onto his face. He reflected on the past few years
intelligence. Governments would run
Suddenly above his ears he felt a of his life. His rise to prominence and
after him. His program could make
surgical stitch. A look of panic reflected to the pinnacle of success. Then a sudden
criminals speak the truth, no need of
in his eyes. What was happening! He and abrupt turning point. He had done
unreliable lie detectors. You could
had absolutely no clue. His house things he did not want to, compelled
control enemy camps. He was smiling
hadn't been burgled nor his laboratory by a tiny voice in his head. He was
to himself. He would be the greatest of
ransacked. He called the special police absolutely helpless. He had burgled
scientists of the 21st century, the pioneer
and informed them about the two banks but thank God! He did not
of robotics and humanoids.
mysterious assault on him. He was have to suffer the disgrace of being
There was absolute silence, lull
provided with a security guard. caught.
before the storm. Then somebody in
Next morning when he woke up, In his lectures, he propounded the
the corner giggled, followed by
he felt better. As he stretched in the greatest heresies and stupid theories and
another. In the next few moments the
bed, he heard a tiny voice. He listened his students and colleagues started
whole crowd burst into wild peals of
alert and silent. Did he really hear it, or doubting his sanity. He became
laughter. Somebody shouted, 'You liar,
was it just an illusion? irritable, easily provoked and quick at
next you will claim the program can
'Its not an illusion,' answered the assaulting and attacking people. The
make the dog bark.'
voice. object of awe and inspiration had now
Professor Villous rose from his
'No, no, too much of work has made become an object for sympathy. People
seat. Complete silence in the crowd!
me ill. I am only hallucinating,' thought talked about a genius scientist gone
'I don't see why my able friend,
Villous. mad. When his craziness went out of
Hollins, is playing some circus tricks
'No, you are not/ quipped the voice, bounds, his wife divorced him. He was
here with a dog. I hope he will have
'I am your master. You no longer a danger to all. He nearly killed his
something better to show next time.'
belong to yourself. Be ready to do the own small son. He had consulted a
The crowd was enraged at having
biddings of Thine master.' number of psychologists and
been fooled and expressed their
'What nonsense...' psychotherapists but to no avail. Gone
resentment by boycotting the rest of his
'You don't believe me.' were the abilities of his brain (rather
lectures and an abusive and aggressive
'No...' suppressed) and the respect of the
atmosphere lingered in the hall.
SCIENCE REPORTER,S eptember2 008
Science Fiction
scientific community. He was nearly alright?' activities of daily living and
ruined, and was thrown out of Villous replied, 'Think about neuropsychiatric symptoms or
professorship. At last somebody yourself now, man. The tables have behavioral changes...'
suggested the mental asylum and there turned. Now it is your turn to dance to But at that time it had meant just a
he was sent, Now, he was a broken man. my tunes.But I promise I will be a good medical term to him and nothing more.
When he reached his small two- master. Never ever had he visualized even in
room apartment, the door was already Truly, in fact, Villous had the worst of nightmares that he would
open. He stealthily stepped inside. overridden the MCC to a level where one day succumb to the fatal grip of this
What he saw stunned him. On the chair he could actually issue commands to disease. Then the telephone rang
was sitting Professor Hollins smiling Hollins' MCC. intruding into his thoughts. Now he
like the Devil incarnate. Truly, destiny never seemed to was finding it difficult to breathe. 'No,
'I think you have suffered enough, bestow its benevolent smile on Hollins. I must see a doctor.'
my dear friend,' he said bitterly. 'Once
With great difficulty he picked up
upon a time, thirteen years back to be Year 2029 the receiver. The voice on the other said,
precise, it was you who doubted my
It was 6.00 a.m. Prof. Villous woke 'Sorry to disturb you, sir. But if s urgent.
veracity and sanity more out of
up. He had had a bad dream. He walked We found Professor Hollins dead in his
prejudice than reason. You made me a
unsteadily and went near the bed today. We strongly suspect it
laughing stock. But here I am. I have
to be a case of suicide, maybe an
ruined you. Vengeance is very sweet. I
excess dose of barbiturates.'
have never been far from you, not even
Villous' body was
when I was not near you. My wireless S S - ^ & s s S E s ff
convulsing terribly. He was
mind-controlling chip (MCC), which I
sure his end was near. It was
installed in your brain, has worked so
as if he was forgetting to
very successfully, I am proud of myself.
The age of Artificial Intelligence has what rreaders breathe, his heart was
forgetting to pump.
arrived. You are just a program in my
'What a pity!'
hands. Bow down before me, Thy
master.' and made 1tt h1 1i s patthh^ tb oreraek ^in g H^"oTUlhtvas sbvaos tva nteei and 'Sir, he has left a note
Villous thought, 'Here is the man hane aortbejneicnt go f exP iH1essnutp. posedtor volt otiotiisetoboucs for you.'
who has devastated me. I don't care f Villous jddresse' 'Please call the
even if I have his blood upon my head.' cP ro°omm"PP «r""etec reSiCv"ii en"gCt thhee N_n o b_e_l PrizeP,r0-f-V lttou^s 1S ^ath dlWeB doctor. I am dying...'
He lunged forward desperately with the After cried Villous.
strength of a madman, but alas! the gathering, douii btedly a n ^ t s . . j M t f c* The man sensed
voice said, 'Stop!!' fcattoo*^ the urgency of the
He couldn't help it. He had to stop. bram hhaass fs ometh, ing' ipp\ause situation, 'Sir, I am
^ ^ r r Ud silence' a differed coming in a
Year 2025 moment with the
physician.'
Villous had become (rather compelled
to become) a lab assistant at Hollins' 'Pray tell me
S S S- ***
laboratory doing odd jobs as well as what the note is about,'
sophisticated ones. How could a man Villous implored.
bear the thought of being a puppet in basin. As if in unison two voices answered
another man's hands! He wanted to end whew! He was left simultaneously. One was that of the
this life but couldn't. One day he made wondering how to open the tap. confused man on the phone and the
a stunning discovery. He was able to However hard he tried, he could not. other was a raucous hatred-filled tiny
probe into Hollins' thoughts. He was He racked his brain, how do I open this voice in his head.
damn thing? A chill went down his
clever enough to understand the 'THE VIRUS TAKES JUST AN
spine. Next moment he could not recall
significance of this discovery. HOUR TO CRASH THE ENTIRE
why he wanted to open the tap. A
Darwin called it 'adaptation'—a SYSTEM'
feeling of utter helplessness was
natural step in the process of evolution. Villous looked at his watch. It was
engulfing him. 'What's happening here?
May be the shock therapy had helped. 6.15 a.m.
God have mercy one me.'
Everything was crystal clear. His '45 minutes more,' he muttered to
neurons and glial cells had adapted to He tried to think. A faint article himself.
override the MCC, the communication came to his mind. He had read it years 'I don't need the doctor,' he said
was no longer one way. But he didn't before. It was titled 'Alzheimer's Curse'. over the phone as it slid down his
give a clue about this to Hollins. The The words were coming to him faintly. hands.
tiny voice grew fainter with each "Alzheimer's disease (AD), also
passing day and he felt it easier now to known simply as Alzheimer's, is a
override its commands. neurodegenerative disease
Villous entered into Hollins' office. characterized by progressive cognitive Shri Soumyashant Nayak, MIG-229, Phase II, Kanan
Hollins asked anxiously, 'Are you deterioration together with declining Vihar, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Qrissa-751031
SCIENCE REPORTER,S eptember2 008
Science Fiction
ARCHANA SARAT
M
Y first love is mummy.
No, I don't mean my
father's wife. I am talking
about the ones you find
inside pyramids in Egypt.
I am a part-time lecturer by
profession but a scientist at heart. While
the former fills my stomach, the latter
fills my love. A scientist is like an Indian
cricket fan - wherever he may be
physically, his mental juice always
flows towards his obsession. While the
cricket fan sneaks a transistor into his
bag, my backpack (something I carry
with me always!) invariably contains a
book on mummies, some chemicals I
am working on and my membership
card of 'the British Institute of
Embalmers'.
By the way, my second love is
experimenting on embalming
techniques. My thesis in PG was on 'safe
embalming of dead bodies'. Since both
my loves are compatible, they never
quarrel for my attention. Most people
SCIENCE REPORTER,N ovember2 008