An Unusual Encounter

Leo felt depressed and still sleepy - luckily, the foil-monitor applied to the window had started projecting images to improve mood! He gently kissed Sofia on the cheek, however she didn't wake up being too early.

- Come on, my dear! Wake up! You know I have an important meeting today - he told her with a warm voice, revealing impatience.

Finally, the beautiful blonde girl got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. Her handsome partner rose lazily, and the austere room's bed immediately dematerialized. The man stroked his beard and mentally instructed the foil-monitor to switch to news mode. Leo appreciated their conciseness (each news item contained a maximum of two sentences) and was amused by the impersonal way they were spoken by the robot presenter:

Since the abolition of prisons, the number of people forced to live isolated in desolation or to consent to being guinea pigs in nanobot experiments has consistently decreased. The eagerly awaited moment is when the legislative package will disappear, leaving only the laws of common sense to govern.

The Planetary Society's leadership has decided that everyone who has reached the age of 60 should receive a 12-month vacation every 4 years. Since the retirement age was increased by 20 years, this is the first measure that will facilitate the access of young people (disadvantaged by the lack of experience) to the job market.

The elimination of repetitive activities through the use of robots allows more and more people to focus on exploiting their innate talents. As a result, the number of painters, writers, and sculptors has exploded in the last year.

According to Mondostat, the lifestyle of the middle class has become a global standard. This may be the reason why a high official proposed the establishment of Museums of Poverty.

The new sensors recently equipped in electrical networks anticipate failures and redirect energy flow instantly. Research is being conducted to capture and store energy from seismic waves and waves.

The latest Mondostat surveys indicate that the planet's economy is "humming," and the main engines (regions China, Russia, Brazil, India, Nigeria, and Turkey) now hold 50% of the world's GDP. The idea of abolishing the concept of productivity has thus proven its viability.

Starting tomorrow, will be available (for free) medical nanobots that deliver medication when a certain mood or sensation is triggered.

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Personalized medicine is gaining more and more appreciation after forgetting old age-related conditions. Assisted by genomics, it has allowed the diagnosis of predisposition to certain diseases and the monitoring of one's own health or the quantification of metabolism.

The laws of pollution get results: the average global temperature has decreased by 5°C. Consequently, the decision was made for the Summer Olympics not to take place in winter.

Starting next month, the use of chemical fertilizers will be abandoned due to the widespread adoption of vertical farms and eco-towers (buildings that produce food from included crops). Weather control allows for safe and abundant harvests, and with insects (grown on farms) increasingly used in food, there are no longer people without access to food.

The testing of the new models of SPACE M and SPACE L spacecraft has been successfully completed. Starting next week, they will take over regular flights to Mars and the Moon, replacing the current (slower) spacecraft that have been in operation for over a decade.

Today, the official disappearance of racism was declared de facto. Peace has been established in Islamic regions since the decision to balance the influence of religion.

According to Mondostat, there are no longer people without the Minimum Capability Coefficient - the threshold necessary to run for elections.

The imposing bearded man allowed his stern face a grimace and mentally switched to a sports channel. He then started his warm-up gymnastics, occasionally peeking at the hoverball (air hockey) match being broadcast. The holograms of the spectators filled the stands of the sports arena, but as the emphasis was on the pleasure of playing (as there have been no financial gains in sports for a long time), it was not too much excitement. Sofia finally appeared, lively, and offered Leo a warm and affectionate smile:

- The bathroom is free! she added with a almond-shaped voice.

He then switched to the genetics channel (it was her field) and started his warm-up gymnastics. The man, in the bathroom, was asked by a metallic voice if he preferred a classic shower or a sonic one.

He chose the classic one, with water, and when he returned to the room, a debate was taking place on the foil-monitor: a high health official was being interviewed by a young and sharp reporter:

- Why do you oppose genetic modifications of humans? Wouldn't night vision, increased speed of movement, more intelligence, or the elimination (since the embryo stage) of any possible diseases through the correction of mutations that generate them be useful?

More intelligence might be useful to you, perhaps! thought the official, a middle-aged man with a seemingly absent face, unintentionally. However, he said something completely different:

- For that, we should use artificial insemination! The charm of creation would disappear! The blonde reporter, with full lips, froze in surprise and took a few seconds to recover. She then adopted a cautious smile:

- I hope you're joking!

- Of course, yes! The truth is that in this case, every family would want perfect children. Many people would look the same, and the notion of individual would lose its meaning. Not to mention that we would have to invent the profession of bioethicist! CRISPR/Cas9 is not just a molecular scissors; it also allows the insertion of DNA sequences into the genome! In the wrong hands, it could become a tool for creating true monsters. Just imagine what a few biohackers could do: biological attacks, disease production, changing the DNA of the entire human species. I bet it could even lead to the commercialization of CRISPR kits for the use of any amateur.

- But why are you against the genetic analysis of babies? This way, the probability of diseases could be calculated for each person - insisted the reporter, presenting a nasty face, adorned with big, black, sharp eyes.

- Yes, even the cause and date of death for each! How do you think this would influence how a person lives their life? Do you think they would still be happy, could enjoy small things, the beauty of nature, if they knew how they would die? Maybe some would, yes! Life is beautiful just because it is unpredictable; it is a sequence of emotions! I don't want to get into any contradictions with you right now!

- Neither do I! Your term will end soon! Do you think that the one who will succeed you will have the same opinions?

- Don't forget that no one can be nominated except based on the competence criteria established by the Capability Coefficient…

Leo mentally switched the foil-monitor to window mode, even though Sofia was displeased with it, showing her disagreement with a lower lip grimace.

- Enough with the debates! Let's eat because I'll leave shortly. In fact, I won't have time to eat today, so I suggest just having breakfast.

- Okay, my dear! added Sofia with a soft but slightly irritated voice.

SAT-AN, the spherical and unique space hotel in orbit around Titan, offered them an extraordinary panorama of Saturn and its rings, a panorama that overshadowed the yellowish-orange satellite, sprinkled here and there with cryovolcanoes. The colonization of the Moon and Mars had been very costly , Leo remembered involuntarily. Probably for this reason, it had been preceded by a decade of widespread space tourism. Anyway, the construction of small autonomous cities on the Moon had been helped by regolith reactors (lunar dust), reactors that had allowed 3D printers to print what was needed. The same method was applied to Mars, as the need for human expansion was greatly needed. Starch, the basis of astronauts’ nutrition, combined with regolith, had led to the birth of "concreteon," successfully used in construction. Space hotels, which generate their own gravity, still attract a lot of tourists - meanwhile there are vacancies on those orbiting the Moon or Mars, in this hotel, he had barely managed to book a room; after all, it was the most romantic place you could go!

Sofia and Leo mentally converted their pajamas into clothes because they were made of programmable materials. He chose a blue suit, and she chose a cheerful, flowery dress to put her in a better mood. Integrated sensors checked their health, and the window film monitor filled with green messages, a sign that everything was fine.

- How good that nowadays, the emphasis is on health and disease prevention! declared the bearded man, calmly.

- I agree with you! Self-diagnosis, based on biomarkers, allows me to monitor my health in real-time and allows me to choose the right lifestyle. Practically, I am solely responsible for my own health! added Sofia enthusiastically.

- What pleases me the most is that there are no longer incurable diseases. Cerebral organoids take care of restoring hearing or sight, but in my opinion, the greatest achievement was the creation of medical nanobots, which deliver drugs directly to diseased cells - practically, curing any disease!

- That's right! Not to mention that they self-destruct after completing their mission. But you should know that there are still few nostalgic people: for example, one of my cousins requested surgery in the classic operating room, but she was surprised to find the room filled with holograms.

The bearded man just thought about the notion of table and immediately the hologram of one materialized next to him. His sharp, tough face allowed a short smile when Leo remembered about the times when people were so happy because they could create their products whenever they wanted, through a simple download from EarthNet (the Internet succesor), followed by 3D printing. Many people had printed the dishes of famous chefs, chefs who had become rich overnight. Who would have guessed that the 3D printers would lose their fame so fast?

The partners mentally ordered their desired dishes, and the plates and necessary utensils materialized from the corresponding holograms in the blink of an eye. Shortly after, a robot waiter arrived and filled the plates, plates which kept their contents warm. Leo chose a seafood stroganoff and spaghetti, while Sofia opted for lettuce soup and beef tongue with olives. How fortunate are we that the dishes haven't changed too much, and now we can control our weight! The average lifespan has reached 140 years due to the reduction of assimilated calories , thought the bearded man.

- Don't forget that our cohabitation contract expires in three days. Shall we renew it? Can you deal with me for one more year? Angelic face of Sofia asked, after their breakfast, with her playful tone of her voice.

- Of course, my dear! I don't see anything stopping us from extending our 'marriage' - said Leo with a wistful voice, then he kissed and hugged her tightly.

HE KNEW that he was seeing her for the last time! He left sadly, barely holding back his tears.

The entire journey was paid for with the financial chip implanted under his skin, and after that Leo entered the transport capsule, resting alongside its counterparts on one of SAT-AN's countless meridian-channels. The departure time was approaching, and the last passengers hurriedly took their seats. The powerful shuttle engine, fueled by aerogel with uranium, started, and in a few hours, they landed at the only spaceport for interplanetary transport, located on the African continent. Leo knew that if he had come from the Moon, he could have chosen from the myriad small spaceports, successors to the old airports.

For a few moments, he let himself be caressed by the gentle rays of the morning sun and filled his lungs with fresh air. He was dizzy for a moment, like everyone coming from space, but he quickly recovered and got into a driverless car that flew him to the boarding point for the underwater highway, which connected continents. After a few minutes, he was comfortably installed in an automated capsule car heading to Europe. The highway, actually an illuminated "tunnel," offered the bearded man a fabulous setting. As the "tunnel" and the capsule car were predominantly transparent, he had the opportunity to admire many marine creatures on the way. And not just for a few fractions of a second – even though the speed was high, the sensors of the capsule car recognized and automatically displayed them on the foil-monitor that served as a windshield. A playful seahorse managed to cheer him up a bit.

Arriving quickly in Europe, he switched cars to head to the city hosting the reunion. The car flew over a small spaceport, used only for launching land rockets for very long distances, and arrived in the city, where Leo intended to ignore the numerous advertisements based on the augmented reality. The driverless car joined the swarm of vehicles swarming in all directions – only a few were visible on the ground. How good it is that cars are connected to EarthNet and can communicate with each other – this led to the disappearance of traffic lights! the bearded man thought, allowing his thin lips to form a sly smile. The new neighborhoods, located on the outskirts of the old city, were spacious and fully connected to EarthNet (roads, street furniture, houses), and the Control Room predicted the city's pulse to redirect traffic as needed – Leo repeated to himself in his mind. He especially liked the illuminated trees planted on the sidewalks; it was so magic!!

The car landed smoothly on the building hosting the new headquarters of the high school he had graduated from, a building that had a significant part underground. Not for nothing were such constructions called "earthscrapers"! In fact, it was a multifunctional building that grouped offices, recreational spaces, residences, and produced its own electricity (from renewable sources), stored in batteries. The surplus was to be generously donated to the urban energy network. Being a smart construction, it controlled its heating, lighting, security, and cleaned its rooms when they were not in use. How much everything had changed in the last century! the bearded man thought nostalgically as he took the elevator.

The room where the meeting took place seemed overcrowded. Leo was very happy to see his former high school classmates, so he warmly hugged each one and then joined a small group.

- I spotted the technology teacher. Quite goooood! Anti-aging nanobots work real wonders! announced Angel, an average tall guy with an apparently serious face.

- I remember she came to class one day wearing a miniskirt and high-heeled shoes, and David stared at her with his mouth wide open. When she noticed that the teacher had him in her sights, he started rocking his chair. In the end, the beautiful teacher knocked him over – the center of gravity had shifted, so David got a great tumble! Leo recounted.

- Yes, she loved being undressed with our eyes! bacchanal Michael remembered nostalgically.

- Guys, quiet! The ceremony is beginning! Jessica warned them, adopting a reproachful expression.

First, the roll call was called, and each of the former students told something about themselves. Then, the class teacher (a dry, plump guy with an encouraging face) took the floor:

- Welcome to the 100th anniversary reunion since graduating high school! I also feel nostalgic, and I can tell you that I kept the german “Bravo" magazines you used to give me as a gift for further study during the tests, so you could cheat undisturbed. I hope you like our new headquarters! Yes, school has changed a lot in recent years! Students are glad they've given up handwriting, and the school prepares them to do things on their own, cultivating their entrepreneurial spirit. It teaches them that knowing is no longer more important than being able to do something or just simple being, that questions don't have unique answers, that excellence is not something individual! Exploration, cooperation, innovation, synthesis are now part of the learning process. Our supreme goal is to develop an elevated conscience, oriented toward ethics, a symbiosis between science and mysticism, between profane and sacred. People today need to know a lot but also to preserve their human essence at the same time! In the same note, I'm pleased with the recent decision of the authorities to grant free access to cultural events – there are so many talented people in fields such as literature, poetry, music, painting, sculpture, and nowadays it's easy for anyone to showcase their talent. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer children and young people read – only those who consider themselves conservatives. Obtaining information or experiences through reading is considered “overrated”. Anyway, new hologram-materialized books are mainly fiction – technical ones have disappeared since the standardization of tutorials on EarthNet. But, let me not digress! I'm so thrilled to see you again, and I wish you a very long life... and now I give the floor to your computer science teacher..

The computer science teacher, a tall and skinny, calculated individual with a hairless face, very passionate about his job, stated:

- Being very familiar with base 2, it was so easy to become a cyborg... Moreover, my face helped me a lot, as well… Just kidding, of course! Yes, I can make jokes too! I'm glad to see you again – you were exceptional students! That's why I'm going to give you a very short lecture to keep you updated on the news. As you may have noticed, the digital revolution has reduced the boundaries between the physical world and the digital one. I'm glad that, in this context, privacy was chosen and for prohibition of the use of Artificial Intelligence. High speed fiber optic cables made it possible connecting all services and the cities to EarthNet (a quantum Internet, based on photons), which a became the backbone of civilization. As you have found, offline life is no more possible! Virtual and augmented reality, already mundane, have allowed the development of virtually tourism with the creation of holospace. Computers are barely noticeable and incredibly fast thanks to the new materials used in their construction. Graphene has led to the emergence of 2D electronic devices, but, benefiting from a similar structure, stanene, silicene and phosphorene have made miniaturization possible. Well, in this case mono-molecular electronics was also used, which a led to self-assembly of equipment. The memristor, which combines electrons with atoms charged electrical, it allowed the symbiosis between electronic and ionic but also the efficient storage of information. Its rapid processing and transfer was made possible by spinotronics...

Several people discreetly coughed, so the teacher concluded the lecture with the customary wishes and gave the floor to the philosophy teacher, a funny, short man with a big, hooked nose, a hairless face and a really wide mouth... With a squeaky voice, the individual, who seemed consumed by an inner fire, spoke:

- My dear students! I'm very glad to meet you again, even though I remember you were very mischievous. Hehe, dear ones! Many are the challenges of philosophy today! It is still debated whether it would be good for people to benefit from nanobots that connect their brains to computers to control home technology or to communicate through thought transmission. In this way, they could connect their minds and access all the information generated by humanity, but wouldn't that make them dumber? Would they still innovate? Wouldn't it make them invincible monsters, devoid of anything human? Wouldn't that force us to reconsider moral and ethical limits? Humanity must strive for spiritual evolution, for a leap in consciousness!

I have nanobots, and I'm not a monster!Leo muttered. Then, in a loud voice:

- Mr. Professor! If philosophy evolves so rapidly, how long do you estimate it will take for the concept of a dog to bark?

For a second, a deafening silence fell, a silence that was then broken by a chorus of thunderous laughter.

- Extraordinary! Marvelous! Unbelievable! I see you're cracking jokes now that I can't to embalm you in 2s (grade you anymore)! I'll give the floor to the Math Teacher – announced the “philosopher”, using his verbal ticks to the fullness.

Chubby, with an almost expressionless face, the math teacher, rolled his eyes like a squirrel and declared:

- I have some important news: the mystery of prime numbers has been discovered! Aren't you happy? I hope you're not upset anymore because I filled you with really bad grades (2). I don't know, there was something about the number 2 as a grade – maybe the fact that I lived in a neighborhood next to the building number 2. Epsilon...

- Enough! We're fed up with so much math! shouted Michael, immediately supported vocally by a group of former high school students.

Thus, by a strange coincidence, the teacher was forced to conclude his speech in less than two minutes!

The biology teacher, a thin, expressionless man with slow but calculated movements, nicknamed “The dead man” (“The corpse”) for unknown reasons, took the floor. He spoke slowly but emphatically.

- How glad I am to see you again! Do you remember when we used to catch the frogs escaping from jars with your help? I'm sure you remember the lessons about crossing Andalusian chickens – well, now they clone themselves! The use of biomolecular tools has allowed genetic editing, currently limited to plants and some creatures. For example, genetically modified algae transform salty water into fresh water, thus solving an essential human need. Genetic editing has also created plants from which biofuels are produced and many varieties of flowers (well, that's more of a concern for artists!). The afforestation of deserts has been done with the help of genetically modified trees, and this has lowered the global temperature and reduced pollution. As almost all uninhabited regions in the past are now populated, the major concern at the moment is acclimatizing grass and trees on Mars. We already have experience after the successful similar project on the Moon – genetically modified flora is a real wonder! Through genetic editing, insects and some animals have been prevented from spreading diseases. But I'm glad that the genetic modification of pets has been banned, especially since extinct species have been brought back to life, thus completing the planet's ecosystem. These things are currently being discussed in biology!

The applause that greeted “The dead man's” speech marked the end of the ceremony. The old high school students said their goodbyes, hugged each other, and promised to meet again soon. Leo looked at his watch and hurried towards the platform above the building. Once there, he looked at the sky and suppressed the urge to wave. A fleeting tear traced his cheek.

- The reunion with Sofia, former classmates, and teachers brought me great joy! Thank you, my great-grandson!

In the next moment, the cold darkness engulfed everything – Leo Jr. Jr. had shut down his computer because it was time to go to sleep. On the Moon, the sleep schedule was very strict!

THE END

Bio: George Dimitriu

Born on 14 January 1967, in Romania

Domicile: Râșnov, Brașov County, Romania

Studied: Polytechnic Institute

Member of the League of Writers from Romania

Published volumes:

- O nouă viață (A new life), Romania, 2022 – short prose, literary debut;

- O iubire platonică (A platonic love), Romania, 2023 – short prose

Volumes in preparation:

- Prin mirifica Europă (Through wonderful Europe), emerging in Romania – prose;

- Societatea Planetară (The Planetary Society)– prose, SFnovel

Literary texts published in:

- Magazine for literature, art and culture Poems for my soul (Canada) - poems;

- The cultural and scientific magazine Today's literature (Romania) – prose;

- Culture magazine Literary Contrast(Romania) – prose;

- Literature and Art magazine Boem@ (Romania) – prose;

- Independent magazine Literomania (Romania) – prose;

- Magazine Tradition(Romania) – prose;

- Daily Basarabia Literara (Moldavia) – prose;

- Leute Magazin (Germany) – prose;

- Press Agency The Romanian Aces (Germany) – prose;

- Daily The National Courier – prose;

- Literature and Art, weekly of writers from Moldavia (Moldavia) – prose;

- Canadian Romanian magazine Observer (Canada) – prose;

- Magazine of culture, education and attitudes Star (Romania) – prose;

- Culture magazine eCreator (Romania) – prose, SF prose;

- Culture magazine Echoes (Romania) – prose, SF prose;

- Science fiction & fantasy magazine Helion Online (Romania) – SF prose;

- Culture magazine Fiction(Romania) – SF prose;

- The independent magazine Planet Babel (Romania) – SF prose;

- Culture magazine Astralis (Romania) – SF prose;

- The independent culture magazine EgoPHobia(Romania) – SF prose;

- Adbhut - Science Fiction and Fantasy (India) – SF prose;

Author in anthologies:

- Autumn on the lyrical sense,theAssociation of Writers for the Promotion of Artistic Achievements, 2023;

- Winter from the Heart, 2023;

- Union and Word, 2024.

Member of the Literary Councils:

- Cultural Signs;

- Knots and Signs.

Distinctions and Awards:

- Diploma of excellencefor special merits in preserving, developing and promoting the Romanian language, culture and spirituality in the world;

- Mention at the 38th edition of the Național Short S.F. Prose Competition .

E-mail: George Dimitriu

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