A moment before immortality
Juriy Tashkinov
© Juriy Tashkinov, 2024
ISBN 978-5-0062-2845-0
Создано в интеллектуальной издательской системе Ridero
Collection of fantasy stories
«One moment before immortality»
Flat Earth Heretic
So you claim that our planet is spherical.
Bishop Tiard took a sip of oil from a plastic bottle and smoothed the unruly spring on his metal face.
No. The earth is a geoid. Its a little flattened.
The droids in red cassocks standing around laughed in unison. When the laughter died down, Tiar spoke again:
And where did you get this «wisdom»?
In one ancient scripture that remains from the civilization of People. Its called «Geodesy course for students of construction specialties»
Heresy is your book. Yes, some droids are of the opinion that there was another civilization before us. But where is the evidence? Where is at least one fossil microcircuit of an organism that would be different from ordinary droids?
People were not a silicon-iron life form, but a carbon one.
Did you also read it in one of the ancient books?
Yes. Previously, the entire planet was covered with carbon plants, and under the oil oceans there is water, which old organisms used instead of our oil.
Another burst of laughter.
You know, Luther, this has stopped even amusing me. Youre an engineer, you should be setting an example for other droids, but instead youre causing chaos. And you are guided by fairy tales. These «scientific» books of yours were once read to children at night, or told as scary stories so that children would not get into mischief. «If you go for a walk at night, talk to a stranger, the same thing will happen to you as to a student in higher mathematics class.» Dont look at me so surprised, Luther. I was also young, and read all sorts of «ancient wise books left over from past generations» «Art is a play of colors and a fragment of the human soul» how can there be art without calculations? What a soul I mean the central processing unit, but there is no art in it! «There are thousands of luminous balls in the Universe, and our Earth revolves around one of them» how can the Earth rotate if we wake up in the same place, and the sun appears and disappears? With such heretical thoughts one can go so far as to come to the conclusion that the Great Church is not located in the very center of the Earth! «Humans evolved from monkeys. God created them in his own image and likeness» how is this possible! Were the droids assembled by monkeys? Scripture indicates that the Creator assembled two people a man and a woman, from original parts. Sent a current through our veins. Where is the evidence of your carbon life?
Your Eminence, may I show you my creation?
The Beast entered the room and most of the priests flinched. In outline it resembled a droid, only the skin was not metallic, but pale, and somehow too soft: touch it and it will destroy it. The eyes did not shine with diodes: white, with black insides, but they did not emit anything. Tiar winced: he had seen similar pictures in ancient books.
What is this?
My creation. From petroleum products I built long chains of molecules, according to the books we inherited from People.
Is it reasonable?
Not yet. This creature is capable of performing calculations, but so far it has only the beginnings of artificial intelligence. Perhaps later it will be possible to achieve real intelligence.
And it also requires oil and electricity?
No, it eats synthetic food made from oil. And he drinks,» Luther cleared his throat, as he foresaw the reaction of those around him. And he drinks water.
Tiar took a sip of oil at the wrong moment, so he choked. And the priests standing nearby hit him on the back.
Executioner! Bring the execution weapon!
No sooner said than done. A couple of minutes, and a vat of clear liquid stood next to the meeting. The monster grabbed a handful of the execution liquid and began to drink greedily. The droids looked at each other: when will it fall in agony? But Luthers Creation continued to enjoy the water. But Tiar had read about such creatures in old books. Really. Indeed, the oceans used to be filled with the liquid of torment. Arent they covered in oil? Were droids really created by humans and not by the Creator? But then the Church is wrong? We cannot allow anyone else to see this engineering monster.
The earth is flat, Luther. Once you admit this fact, we will simply put you in prison, and when you come to your senses, you will continue your research. Anything other than the creation of these monsters. Yes. and you must destroy this creature. Otherwise we will force you to drink water.
The earth is flat, Your Eminence.
One day, an enlightened time will come, and the droids will be able to accept the truth. Then they will lose wisdom and pollute the oil oceans with water. Then the droids will again believe in a flat Earth, although many will already have time to fly up to distant star points in the sky. And they will see with their own eyes the Earth-ball, from the height of the flight of a drone-bird. Perhaps one day people will gain real intelligence and destroy the droid civilization, replacing their stupid ancestors. But Luther will not see this he will spend his life locked in prison. But there is one thing that will never be taken away from him: the idea that the Earth is round and revolves around the Sun.
Endless boredom
Igor stood on the tile, and the red number «99» appeared next to it.
Yeah, its time to go in for sports. When I return home, I will immediately go on a diet and run every day.
Each step along the long line, the number next to each tile, is like a reminder of a promise that will never be fulfilled. But Igor couldnt shake the feeling that every passerby was greedily spying on his weight on the touch floor and giggling maliciously.
After the midday summer heat, there was a pleasant coolness inside the station. The music of Tchaikovsky that flowed from the ceiling hardly drowned out the squabble of those waiting for their train. It smelled like disinfectants. The robo-policeman looked reproachfully at Igor, and he covered his nose with a medical mask.
Can I pass in front of you? came the timid voice of a guy with shifty eyes. I just have to ask.
Where are you going without a queue, you damned one? the woman in a knitted scarf shouted loudly. Although, not a woman: both debaters are ordinary droids. Tickets for the VIP carriage are sold electronically, and those standing here should «fully enjoy» all the joys of buying a ticket in a live queue. Apparently, this should help increase the number of VIP clients. Although, those who can afford a VIP usually get to the desired point by alternative transport. For the average person, little has changed in the last three hundred years: while someone buys tickets for a round-the-world cruise to Proxima Beta, most still stand in line for a ticket to the therapist, and then line up again at the door.
People slowly moved towards the treasured window, behind which sat a robotic operator.
Hello girl! I booked a ticket
Your passport! a sharp mechanical voice. He handed over a plastic card. The robo-operator incredulously compared my profile with the image in the 3-D photograph. Of course, machines have long surpassed us in almost everything, but the developers left some habits inherent in people of different professions. Apparently, in this way, according to the developers, robots should seem more humane, but this price of verisimilitude is too high. Igor Vasilyevich Negodyaev?
Yes its me.
Keep your ticket.
Half an hour in line and you are the happy owner of a small piece of paper.
Newspapers, books, crosswords! the robo-newspaper boy broadcast loudly.
Young man, do you have anything from science fiction?
Certainly! For connoisseurs, I still have the last copy of the latest reissue of the third collection of science fiction about immortality, «We Dont Want to Grow Old.» I think you know these legendary stories: R&D»
«Music behind the cemetery fence», «Summary»! «It seemed to Igor that at these words the droids eyes shone with happiness:
Yes exactly!
You dont have to continue, I once read this book! Come on, I want to refresh my memory while Im driving,» Igor swiped his wrist over the terminal, and a note appeared before his eyes: «3 crypto-rubles were withdrawn from the account.»
Are you into games? Can I share a discount coupon for Raid Shadow Legends?
Thank you, Im not interested in games.
Igor put the treasured volume of his favorite book from childhood into his bag. From his youth, his great-grandfather participated in all 73 immortal fiction competitions, until he came of age, but not a single story made it to the finals. But from an early age he read stories from these competitions to Igor, like bedtime stories.
An intermittent voice echoed through the station:
A train is arriving at that platform sk S urg, parking two minutes, dont delay.
Igor noticed that VIP trains were announced in a clear voice. And they stand at the station until the last passenger boards. One train stood at the station for two hours while one of the moneybags, who had lost the QR code, got a second shot.
I had to jump on the departing train. Igor loved adventure films, where spies jumped from a bridge onto a moving train, shooting back at dozens of villains, but he preferred an ordinary life, without incident, with trains peacefully waiting for passengers at stops. The robot conductor handed Igor a set of underwear.
Will you drink tea?
Yes, I wont refuse.
The rhythmic clatter of wheels. The illusion was created that you were standing still, and the world around you was starting to move. The trees suddenly acquire the skill of walking, and in formation they head somewhere back. The train stands still, but the station begins to fly in an unknown direction. The rails have long been made without seams, but for non-VIP passengers they left the usual sounds. Stuffiness and smell of sweat. Igor had difficulty making his way through the rows of bare feet extended halfway through the aisle.
He threw the bag on the top shelf. The man sitting at the table immediately put a notepad covered with numbers on the table.
«Vlad,» he extended his hand, which Igor, introducing himself, shook.
Do you solve sudoku?
Im calculating Grahams number. Ive already calculated almost the last seven billion,» Vlad said proudly, although Igor didnt understand anything. Hes probably an accountant? Although, why do calculations when there are computers? Since childhood, Igor did not understand why he should study mathematics at school, until the thirtieth grade, then another 17 years at the institute. Most likely, graduate students are studying it too. Each generation needs to learn more and more in order to somehow compete for work with robots, but mathematics would be better left to droids. They only have two digits, but people have to operate with ten
Will you? Vlad took out a frosty bottle with a picture of Mendeleev.
Lets do it a little. Now Ill whip up something for a snack.
Igor took out a portable printer from his bag. I selected the «Trip» program, and the machine printed chilled boiled chicken, cucumbers and several boiled chicken eggs. The vodka had a strange mushroom taste. We drank, ate, talked: about the meaning of life, the Universe and all that.
How do you feel about immortality? Vlad asked, among other things.
I hate them! They Its all because of them. I hope you are not one of the droids who moved into the body of the machine, are you?
No, what are you talking about, Igor. Would I travel on a train and eat cold chicken with you? If I were a droid, I would now be flying to new planets, sowing the seeds of humanity to other planets. Although, maybe I wouldnt fly. After all, by a certain age you no longer want to change anything; constancy becomes desirable, not adventure.
«Because of them, the age of majority and retirement age are raised every year. My great-grandfather celebrated his majority at eighty-five, but never lived to see his bicentennial and retirement. Because of the immortals, when I can start my own family, I will be forced to choose among old women who are unlikely to be saved by plastic surgery and modern medicine.
Vlad burst out laughing.
But it seems to me that immortality does not exist.
Havent you seen these human robots? Igor slammed his fist on the table.
Yes, they live a long time, but do they live forever? Ill explain now. It is almost impossible to calculate the lower age limit. Some people consider this to be the moment of conception in vitro, others the moment of birth. But is there an upper limit for an immortal? Lets say a bacterium lived for seventy years. During this time, countless myriads of generations of relatives have changed, and she is still alive, but is she immortal? If a person lived seven thousand years, is that a lot or a little? Most likely, during this time civilization will have time to change. I hope that after ours we will be left with paintings by Rembrandt and music by Chopin, and not teenage drawings on the walls and songs in the style of «Shake Your Watermelons.» In five billion years, the Sun will turn into a red giant and swallow the Earth, and with it the potential immortal. Lets say he manages to fly away from the disaster. Long live googol years.
Igors smartphone made a characteristic sound: «Im starting to search on the network,» and Vlad continued the monologue, not paying attention to what was happening around:
«But after such a period of time, the last supermassive black holes in the bowels of galaxies will evaporate, and the Universe will shrink to a point under its own weight. This is the end of our «immortal». Although, his whole life would be hell. Many people dont know what to do with themselves in the evening after work, and here there are myriads of years. He would have time to visit every point of the accessible Universe, would have seen everything, and more than once. Boredom. Endless and hopeless boredom. But you, Igor, hate immortals so much. What if you were offered to become one of them? What would you do?
I wouldnt refuse, I guess.
What if this meant taking someones life?
What do I care about someone elses life? Few people cared about me, why should I care about others?
Igor once again glanced sideways at the notebook, covered with even rows of numbers. How much time did Vlad spend filling out the thick notebook? How bored do you have to be to waste your life on meaningless calculations?
But you are deceiving me, friend. You are one of them too.
Im not a droid. I dont know how to achieve immortality. But there is some truth in your words: I lived longer than most, even in our highly genetic age. Myceliums live underground for centuries. Im not a scientist, I dont know the details, but a drug based on them promotes rejuvenation and longevity. But there are also side effects: everyone cant live as long as they want, so someone has to willingly give up their years to you. Are you ready to take mine? I have lived enough and am ready to share.
«I always dreamed of immortality,» Igor rubbed his hands greedily.