“A very big victory to you, professor.”
“Thank you, Vice Blossom, although you should be careful by fluttering the champagne around, as the room is filled with sensitive equipment in here.”
“Yes, it’s an impressive array……I’m just astonished that you managed to secure the funding for a Temporal Instruments Research Facility, given the financial straits the university finds itself in”.
“oh, there’s always funding for a project that grabs the public’s attention. Big name brands like to see themselves as supporting the big ideas and contributing towards Nobel work.
“And the big idea is…… time travel?”
“Well, of course that is the big ultimate goal” said the professor and was flicking a used Cocktail stick into nearby bin. “But don’t hold your breath. I certainly don’t expect any concrete results within my lifetime. Realistically, it could be hundreds of years before”
A fizzing noise, the chur of the electric spark and finally a damp plop that sounded more like boiling custard, there in the corner of the room, wreathed in blue smoke, a tall, anaemic-looking young man with Korean haircut, wearing a white astronaut coat over a dark black pants. He blinked twice, peering around the room in the sudden silence.
“Oh………. professor Armstrong?”
The entire room cracked in astonishment, before the professor stepped forward uncertainly.
“I’m Armstrong,” he said it in a trembling voice and you are?
“I am the man from the future “said the young man. My name is ORKEL.A Professor Armstrong, I am the man who came back in the historic era of past with the help of Time travel. Where it all of begin, to give up the good news.”
At the back, somewhere at the room, someone began to clap: tentatively at the first, then with greater conviction, and before it gets late whole room was cheering up and applauding. The moment of happiness for everyone in the room.
That’s incredible……said the professor, shaking his head “what’s the date, where are you from? how long did t take to reach here?
“I am from 1040, post New Era said ORKEL”. An I can stay in but a tenmin , else no go back, but I want to give you a view and insight about future” .
“About the future” replied the professor “. When is it that you want to tell us? how long into the future for us?
“um no idea” said ORKEL. “NEWAGE” like is thou year over. Long back.”
“So how did you solve it? What was the equation that put you on the right track? “
The professor was said to be aside by the Vice Blossom , who could envision the TV interviews , the bottomless funding, the chat shows, the vastly improved ranking ; the gongs , the honours , the fame that would surely follow the revelations that would clearly need to be prised out of this academic halfwit.
So, Mr ORKEL, he said confidently, “Welcome to the 21st century. AD,ha,ha,” he added after a pause. “And what can you predict about your own future??What happens to the planet? Do we beat global warming? How do we solve the energy crisis? Who will lead our nations?”
ORKEL shook his head sadly.
“Um soz, man, the problem of global warming continues as the people are not ready to make contribution towards a better lifestyle. No Politibod. Do not know the dates, the names of what energy crisis to be faced.
The Vice Blossom looked nonplussed, but decided to change track.
“OK, well you must have some exciting news about the technology in 1040, Whenever that is. Do you have anything which you could show us?”
A broad grin spread over OKEL’S face “Why so , man , the man sit back his sleeves to reveal a broad bracelet like-device that encased most of his forearm. It was a piece of Egyptian armour, and was made of a substance that looked like smoky green glass. It had characteristics of a single blue light beneath its otherwise featureless surface.
The crowd of people had gathered to see round for a better vision of the substance.
That’s the most magnificent said the Vice Blossom, what does it do, how does it work?
“It makes everything, Innit, said OKEL.” Look I am going to cook yez a metaoburger.” He tapped the sides of the device, and the blue light increased the intensity, then ran up and down the length of his arm; and then it returned to the original position, and began flashing a dull orange.
“Um, said OKEL ,” what is the Emzee login”?
Our What? said the Vice blossom?
“Emzee innit… yes got no emzee net?”
I think it’s some kind of network , said the professor , perhaps an advanced form of wifi. No, MR. OKEL , we have no Emzee network here.”
“o man that sucks yes. Well look, I got da PenGo, yez love that.” And from his inside pocket he drew a slim , penlike object that sported a stell ball at the end , and a twisting knob at the other . “ o jeez, he said “ the powder is vanished. Yes, got the fusion? Two seconds, and go up and run.
“I am sorry, Mr OKEL. We have not yet developed fusion power in this century”
“o man. Jeez no So all man, everybody got fusion in 1040.
“But not here, said the Vice Blossom. “Look, there must be something about the fusion which you could show us or explain us so that we could understand the fusion or gain insight of how fusion works at all?”
“Sorry man” said OKEL. “But look, the tenmin is gone … it’s just grab the vidlike. OKEL touched a finger to his temple, and a faint whirring sound accompanied a shift in his eyes bas the iris opened to reveal a tiny lens.
“Smile, innit! He commanded. The crowd of people, the scientists, the researchers from universities and the freeloaders all smiled gamely as OKEL swept his gaze left to right across the room, before disappearing in a puff of smoke.