Tag: Science Fiction

Posted in Life and After, Love

7D

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Author’s note: This story is part of my upcoming book: 7D: Tales from the Future. You can download my other books for free from here: Books by Shaily

The sun is warm on my skin and the air smells of pine and heather. Yume’s dark eyes gaze into mine mesmerizing me as he guides me by the elbow and urges me to touch the blue bird sitting next to the gurgling spring. Her glowing blue feathers call to me. There is a song in the wind with no words—only the music of the bubbling spring, singing birds and chirping grasshoppers. The dream like scene holds me still.

Yume is still touching my elbow; still looking at me with those dark eyes. I shiver as butterflies take flight in my belly. Half afraid that the blue bird would fly away shattering the magic of the moment, I touch her wings. She quivers but does not leave me. Her feathers under my fingers are buttery soft. Her two yellow friends sit alongside her unaffected by my intrusion. One of them is drinking water from the spring; the other one is singing in a voice that would remain with me forever.

With his perfect pointed nose, Yume resembles the birds: calm and serene. For a moment, I wonder if his team has used him as the model for these birds. The dark expressive eyes are certainly his. I am better off not knowing though if I want to keep reliving this otherworldly experience. I know it is just an illusion—a seven dimensional (7D) piece of visual art that allows me to see in three dimensions as well as hear, smell, taste and touch—but still…

It is a product of responsive technology powered by Artificial Intelligence, which means that when I interact with any element, it responds intelligently. My act of breathing is met with the smell of pine forest; the blue bird quivers upon my touch; and the water splashes against my hand, tongue and throat—wet without actual water—as I drink from the spring.

The best part is that there is no need for special glasses or equipment to run it—just a touch-powered, self-fitting ring with a button that Seiko is wearing on his little finger. Once you wear it and switch the button on, it activates adding certain elements to your surroundings, creating the illusion. This piece is an immersive one that has turned my entire room into my personal heaven.

Yume smiles at me knowingly. I will owe him forever for this moment.

Seiko touches one of the two rings on his finger. The scene pixilates and melts in the air bringing my office into view, and I sigh as I return to reality. Seiko is amused, “Engages all senses, doesn’t it?”

I nod wordlessly. Before I had experienced it, I was a little unsure of the sellability of the technology—it will be extremely expensive in the initial years due to the research and development cost, close to a vacation on a space station. So, I had wondered if people would be interested in buying it when they can have the same experience by traveling.
But now, I am converted. I would never have been able to touch a live bird in a natural setting.

And then, there is Yume still touching my elbow, which makes it difficult to think clearly. He has a way of making my legs jelly. Honestly, I would never approve of such a crazy fascination. I have never been so taken by any other man. Once a talk show host had asked me what it would take to tame the tigress and I had told her the vision of my perfect man: the perfect gentleman, strong with ideas, gentle in conduct, intelligent, capable of witty conversations, and not overbearing or jealous. I had also told her that I was sure he did not exist.

But then, Seiko and Yume had approached me at a Visual Arts conference last month. With his quick wit, amazing knowledge and impeccable manners, I was instantly drawn to Yume. Add to that the way he looks at me—like I am the only woman in the world—appreciates me for all the right things and the way his hand lingers in mine a second longer than necessary for a handshake, he had me purring like a kitten ever since.

But we are never alone. Seiko is always there. Both of them are always talking about this breakthrough in 7D technology—how their company has been looking for an investor to commercialise it. I have invested enough times in visual technologies to know that this one will be an instant success.

Right now, they are both looking at me expectantly for an answer. They know they have won already. Seiko queries, “So, will you invest in our organisation to commercialise the 7D techonology?”

“I’m afraid not,” I say, much to my regret.

Seiko looks crest fallen, but Yume is not even ruffled, “No? Not even after what you have experienced? It can allow the best kind of travel—no car, no gas, no walking, no insects and no sleeping outdoors in rain. Just switch on a button and you are there, living the moment like a real thing! It can also provide lonely people with a personal companion who would talk to them, empathise with them and convert into whatever they want them to be—parent, best friend, lover… I know you believe in it too.”

I know I must take a stand, even if I don’t like it. “Yes, and that is because the technology is far too believable. Once you are in, there is no way to tell that it is an illusion and not reality.”

“And that is a problem?” he asks with my favourite lopsided smile.

I suck in some air and try to remember why I was opposing him, “Yes. It is like drugs—something that takes people away from real life. Once they buy it, they will become useless, unable to leave all the dreams that have come true. It can be easily used to gaslight people—make them believe in the things and people that don’t exist and the events that never happened. They will never be able to tell the difference since it engages all the senses. It is like selling Schizophrenia.”

His face was close, eyes smouldering, “You can trust us. We will never allow misuse of the technology.”

I feel my resolve weakening but I must try, “I trust you and Seiko. But once other people realise what is possible, they are sure to find a way to do it—by buying your people, by spying on your secrets or by simply experimenting. And once the competition begins customising the visuals, not all of them would care whether it is ethical or not. We will not be able to control who sells it and how it is used. It happens all the time with technology. You bring in a new thing and people begin misusing it. But the kind of impact 7D technology can cause on people’s psyche would be too great a risk. I can’t have that on my conscience. If your organisation could reduce even just one dimension to ensure it was not so lifelike…” Even as I say it, I know how much I will regret suggesting it.

Yume’s face falls. He leans forward in his seat. His eyes are pained now, his face still closer, “I thought I could trust you to take the leap of faith. You want it too—I can see it in your eyes. Our team has worked for years perfecting the technology. It is the sole reason I exist. Take it away from me and I will perish. And I thought you liked having me around?”

His eyes are holding mine captive and I can feel his breath on my face—he smells like mint—heady, sharp and sweet. I can hardly remember there is one more person in the room. Like a mouse trapped in snake’s gaze, I can’t speak, so I just nod my head.
He takes my hand to his lips and plants a lingering kiss that holds promises for future. He never kissed me before. Still holding my gaze, he smiles, “See, I knew you would stand by my side. Will you sign the documentation now? We can then celebrate this evening, just you and me?”

Just him and me…

I have dreamt of it so many times…

Hypnotised, I nod again. Seiko mails me a contract right away.

All the details of the contract are fleshed out in perfection. I am agreeing to invest an unbelievable amount of money in his organisation. The organisation will request patenting of the technology and buy the state of the art equipment and software licenses to create the 7D illusions at a commercial level. My payback will begin once they start selling—half the profits. I am not sure if I am really reading the contract as Yume’s fingers draw lazy circles inside the palm of my left hand.

My breathing hitches as I sign the contract digitally with my other hand.

Seiko rises and shakes my hand. He takes off the second ring from his finger and puts it on the desk, “Consider it a gift.” The gesture is so sudden and unbelievable, I take a few seconds to respond and the touch powered illusion that is Yume starts flickering.

I quickly wear the ring. Yume is mine forever.

Consequences be damned!

Posted in Book Review

Book Review: The Eyes Have It

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

What happens when you realise that world is invaded by an alien species that can detach its body parts at will…and the government is trying to cover it up?

Please! Please! Please! Read this book–it is a short story no more than 10 minutes (A 3-minute read for me) but it had me rolling on the floor laughing! It is available for free on Project Gutenberg Library. Here is the link:

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/31516/pg31516-images.html

Posted in Life and After

The Specimen

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

The News Reader’s impersonal drawl filled the air while the king ground his Sodium pincers in anger, “As unprecedented hatred rises in the air between citizens of different colonies, people can be seen rallying the streets with hydro-guns.

They are drowsing each other with Hydrogen Dioxide, melting countless people into puddles of nothingness. The monarchy seems to be clueless on how to stop the massacre. As the tension builds, they are now facing a very real possibility of war, which, so far, was considered a thing of fairytales from planet Urth…”

The king, of course, knew what needed to be done. But that move would be akin to admitting a grave mistake…not graceful at all. After all, it was only last year that their planet celebrated its victory in space research. Tremendous amount of money was invested to arrange a group of scientists travel to this solar system with nine planets, so they could bring live samples. The samples from the blue planet, Urth, were exceptionally alive with chatter. One of the specimens, some Trum, had offered to discuss openly about their society and political system. And, foolishly, he had consented.

Maybe it wouldn’t have caused so much damage if he hadn’t allowed public speeches. But he had thought it was rather ‘entertaining’ to see a specimen address the general public as he tried to copy their accent.

He started with the great things he had done in his own country. How he had started war with others who did not agree. Gradually, he started offering his opinion on everything…how it does not do well to allow races to mix, to share resources…how the current government wasn’t taking enough measures to support it own people… how people should rise to save their birthright from usurpers…

And people listened, transfixed.

Initially, people came in with requests about removing certain people from their colonies and, then, to remove certain colonies from the planet. He, too, agreed because it made sense to him then…until it didn’t. And then, all hell broke loose…

Not sure how hydro-guns came to be. They never had water, except for the samples collected from the blue planet. But now, it seems that they are building them in hundreds. The hydrogen dioxide reacts with sodium of their bodies and melts it. Nobody in their living memory remembered them fighting, but now…

If the madness didn’t stop, he will be facing a war soon, adding further water to their miseries.

Sighing, he did what was needed. He instructed a team of soldiers to load Trum on the waiting spaceship and dump him back to Urth.

Posted in Random Thoughts

Dreams and Crop Circles–Is this a Sign?

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Earlier this morning, I had a dream that was on a fairytale-meets-star wars theme with princesses, prophecies, sabers and spaceships. As I sat down to prepare lunch, I was greated with this sight.

A dried top of bottle gourd had this design.

Had I been a supestitious person, I would have run out of my house declaring that Lord Ganesha (with elephant face) has visited my house in his triple face avatar. But thanks to the dream, I was on a Sci-Fi cum Fairytale mode. Hence, I decided it was a crop circle inside my house. You may say, “Hey, a crop circle is a circular pattern in crops.” I say:

  1. Bottle gourd is a crop.
  2. It’s top is circular.
  3. This one a has pattern, a pretty one too. Many progressive Indian women, henceforth, shall use it in their rangoli designs.

I wonder which TV channel to contact–

  • Aaj Tak that will turn it into Doomsday prophecy
  • NDTV that will call it the next attack of a deadly microbe
  • National Geographic that will call it a visitation from aliens and add it to their existing series of crop circles…

Any suggestions?

Hey! Small aliens that fit inside my fridge! Now that’s a plot for story. What do you say?

Posted in Life and After

Left Hook, Right Hook

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

His right hook was stronger than his left hook. So, he gathered the coriander leaves together with his left hook and waged a war against the errant leaves with his right. But they kept falling out, reminding him that quality of his remaining life depended on the new set of fingers his new bosses had ordered for him, if he was to keep his current job as a housekeeper and cook.

For 34 years, he had worked at a warehouse, using his pair of sturdy hooks to carry and store the wares to be housed, never missing the set of flexible fingers that his contemporary robots sported. So, when his owner decided that his model was too old to be repaired and sold him to willing owners, he felt jilted. New beginnings weren’t easy at his age. But having a new owner was better than being thrown in the junkyard, so he went quietly.

His new owners, an old man with a broken front teeth and an equal old squat woman with a traditional nose pin, took him to one of those ‘lesser’ engineers who work for the masses. How humiliating it was to be standing in the place along with all sort of riffraff!

Then came the big blow…He wasn’t fit for the new owners who needed a domestic robot. Being new to the whole robot-thing and not knowing better, they were fooled into buying an old industrial robot with hooks unaccustomed to the nuances of household work, especially cooking–a delicate art–that need a set of flexible fingers instead of hooks. His owners had openly regretted the choice, calling him a tin-box!

There could be no greater insult. He was made of Aerosteel used in making spaceships! He suggested them to rent him to another warehouse. He offered to work overtime to pay back their money. But even he knew it was a long shot. There was no guarantee a warehouse would hire a 34-year-old robot with obsolete technology.

That’s when the ‘lesser’ engineer became his saviour. He suggested updating his program to ‘Househelp’, and getting him two set of fingers, both easily available on GooglyFace.com. Since the fingers weren’t coming cheep, the old couple needed some persuasion. But they eventually relented since they had already invested 78 thousand bucks on the tin box, and ‘another 7 thousand wouldn’t kill them’.

Hence, the engineer quickly updated his program to Househelp before they could change their mind, deleting his Warehouse program by accident. He offered to order the sets of fingers from a ‘friend’ who would give them a ‘discount’ (his discount being 30% more than the market rate but the old couple would probably never find out).

So now, he was ‘home’ with his new owners awaiting his new body parts, and praying to God, if there was a God for robots, that the engineer would know how to install the fingers properly, else he would be stuck chopping coriander with a pair of hooks for the rest of his life.

Posted in Life and After

Raktbija (Blood seed)

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Author’s note: Indian mythology talks about Asura Raktbija whose blood worked as seeds. Any drop of his blood that touched the ground grew as a new Raktbija, making him immortal. Goddess Kali fought against him by beheading him and collecting his blood in a bowl, and drinking it to the last drop ensuring not a single drop of blood touched the ground. Somehow, the story always intrigued me. Here is my take on it. 

This story is an ode to the scientific knowledge that existed in Ancient India. According to the researchers, a detailed classification of all living beings, including microbes existed. Various diseases were treated through herbal medication and if needed, operated on. There is proof of cosmetic and brain surgery at Nalanda University that existed 3000 years back. Charaka Sanhita, the medical treatise written by Maharishi Charaka, provides detailed treatment for numerous diseases that researchers are still working on decoding. 

I stopped only to change horses, riding day and night for 30 Prahar (42 hours) all the way to the capital. It was crucial to deliver the message urgently to the King. So, I was ushered in his private quarters where Queen Kali was busy with the young princes.

“Har Har Mahadev!“

“Messenger! You look pale and exhausted from the journey. Take a seat before you fall.” 

“I bring grave tidings, my lord. You might fell my head once you hear the news!”

“Do not be afraid! Tell me what you need to.”

“My lord, the entire Shakti unit is now possessed by the blood demon.”

King Mahadev’s face fell, “Two hundred of my finest men! All under the enemy’s command! Are you sure?”

I knew he would question my news. All for a a good reason too. The unit had fought against the world’s greatest fighters and never broke a sweat. “I am afraid so. I went close to their camp but did not enter. I could see all of them had discarded their uniforms and armour, and piled them under a tree. I saw blood dripping from their bodies and was worried that they were hurt but I could see no open wounds. It could be easily be the blood of the villagers who lived closeby. Their eyes were blood shot and nobody talked but grunted. There was an eerie silence that belied any possibility of them being humans. Hence, as a single man, I was wary to approach them.

I saw a lot of unfamiliar faces in the camp too. They weren’t fighters but coated with blood too. I scoured the general area and found no dead bodies or any sign of struggle. So, I don’t think our men are taken captive. The only other explanation is that they are possessed and hence, under the control of the demons.”

All of a sudden, I felt too exhausted to stand upright. Taking the seat I was offered earlier, I put my hands in my face. My brother was in that unit. I was at first name basis with every single person in that 200-strong team. That’s why, when the unit was sent to crush the demon attack in the village and they did not report back, I was chosen to bring their tidings. I could account for each one of them…I found each one of them possessed.

“How do you know they are possessed?” Queen Kali enquired. Her voice held a note of disbelief. If only she had seen the grisly sight herself. Seeing blood dripping from my brother face…Women! Unaware of my contempt, she continued, “My lord, if you do not mind, I would like to hear the whole account. It might bring the bigger picture to perspective.”

At her request, he King began recounting the tale. “One of our town offices received a missing person’s report about a group of 11. A family of 2 adults and 3 children was being too reclusive. When neighbours got too concerned, they broke down the door and found all of them hiding in a storeroom. They seemed possessed.”

“What do you mean by possessed?”

“Blood dripped from their bodies. They wouldn’t speak, only grunt. When they were told that they must be taken to Ashram for exorcism, they resisted vehemently and had to be forced into submission. So, a group of 6 strong men bound them and loaded them in bullock carts and started their journey to the closest Ashram. But the party never reached the place nor did they return. A search party of 10 soldiers was sent. They found all the eight adults hiding in the forest dripping blood.”

“And the children?”

“They killed the children, of course. That’s what demons do,” I  butted in, angry at her ignorance, but wilted under the cold stare of the queen, “or so the city council assumed when the soldiers didn’t find the children.”

“Isn’t that a lot to assume? Why didn’t they ask them?”

“They wouldn’t speak, only grunt and shake their heads in denial.”

“Don’t you feel this city council’s excuse is a little flimsy. They should have tried to get more information, but I guess, nobody wanted to get close to the possessed.”

Silence

The King continued, “The soldiers forced them to return to town where they were kept under lock and key. The soldiers, however stopped coming to the mess for food after two days of return. They complained of acute body pain. Since they had just dealt with demon, it was expected, so the priest from the local temple tied Raksha Sutra around their wrist. Three days later, they escaped with all the eight people they had brought in. The searchers found blood splattered on their beds and floor but no bodies.”

“What happened next?”

“That’s when the city council requested help and I sent a unit of 200 highly trained soldiers to deal with the demon-menace.”

“When the priest get ‘possessed’?”

“How did you know about him?” I asked, curious, since I never got a chance to relay this news to the King.

“Well, I have a theory,” was all she said.

The Kings face was alight with curiosity and I can’t deny I felt the same. “Two days later he had acute body pain. He wouldn’t speak. And, after three more days, his son woke up at night and found him drenched in blood. He tried to exorcise the demon by cutting open his veins. The priest died in the process. Now the demon possess his son. Some of the villagers I talked to told me they saw him with this demonic army too.”

“Interesting!”

I was incensed. People are dripping blood and this woman finds it interesting, but then, she’s a queen, isn’t she?

The king however still seemed curious, “Can I ask you who I am talking to? The Queen? Or the Raj Vaidya (Royal Doctor)?”

“Both. As a queen, I see that no one gave the chance to the victim to defend themselves, and accepted demonic possession as the only possibility. As the Raj Vaidya, I can see that all the victims had common symptoms: They all fell ill two days after touching another victim, hence touching their blood.” Again, she did not use the word ‘demon’ or ‘possessed’ but ‘victim’, and I could see that the king noted it too. She was, after all, a disciple of Mahrishi Charak, the greatest Physician and researcher in Biology ever born.

“They all lost ability to speak and started dripping blood after five days. It seems like the work of a Sanjata Krmi (infectious microbe) that spreads through blood. It probably breaks the skin cell walls so that it cannot contain blood. They could probably be facing internal bleeding too, but that remains to be seen. It could have infected their throat so that they lose the ability to speak. The pain could be making their eyes go red, or probably they are bleeding too.

We aren’t sure about the death toll since none of them stayed with society, but the disease seems specially fatal for children, since all three of the known cases died.”

“Then, why are they attacking people?”

“And who drew the first blood? Are you telling me that they fight unprovoked? They are saving themselves and their families. They are probably banding together for the fear of persecution. Else, why have they not expanded territory in the past two months?”

Silence

“My queen, as I said, there were no broken skin, no open wounds.”

“How closely did you look?”

Silence

The King sounded perplexed, “I’ve never heard of such a disease before…”

“There are some Sanjata Krmi that are capable of one or more symptoms, and they evolve overtime. So, it could either be an evolved disease, or could have transferred from animals they killed to eat. We can only find out once I can take samples of their blood and study.”

“But my love, if your theory is true, the infection spreads through blood. And if you touch it, you’ll get infected too. I can’t risk your life.”

“If my theory is true, you sent your men to kill people who were already dying. You risked their lives…”

All of a sudden, I had a renewed respect for our queen. If she was right, my brother wasn’t a demon, and there was a possibility of saving him too. “Is there anyway I can help you in this quest, my lady?”

“Prepare to travel again. Take two more soldiers. You will relay my orders to this camp and all the villages and towns around it. Nobody attacks these victims. Nobody goes close to their camp or touches anything they have touched. In case, anyone else comes up with similar symptoms, they shall be isolated along with their families but treated respectfully.”

Addressing the king, she continued, “My lord, I would need your orders to change the local housing plan in the closest city. We need clean empty rooms in one side to provide proper isolation chambers for the victims so that they stop infecting each other. The town council must provide free rations and three sets of clean clothes for each victim. This will to stop the victims from leaving camp and entering villages or forests for supplies. They are to be provided access to clean water in a tank closest to their housing. They shall not touch a well or pond. This will contain the disease from spreading to others and new victims will come forward rather than hide.

Meanwhile, I’ll prepare my team to travel tomorrow and reach there as soon as we could. We will prepare some medications that work on most blood infections. We will, then, take some blood samples, and see what else we can do to help the victims. But the least we can do for them is to give them a respectful life while it lasts.”