A moment before immortality

© 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. It’s 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. It’s 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. You’re an engineer, you should be setting an example for other droids, but instead you’re 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.» Don’t 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 Luther’s 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. Aren’t 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, it’s 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 couldn’t 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 it’s 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 Don’t 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 droid’s eyes shone with happiness:

– Yes exactly!

– You don’t have to continue, I once read this book! Come on, I want to refresh my memory while I’m 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, I’m 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, don’t 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 won’t 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?

– I’m calculating Graham’s number. I’ve already calculated almost the last seven billion,» Vlad said proudly, although Igor didn’t understand anything. He’s 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.

– Let’s do it a little. Now I’ll 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… It’s 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 wouldn’t 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.

– Haven’t you seen these human robots? – Igor slammed his fist on the table.

– Yes, they live a long time, but do they live forever? I’ll 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? Let’s 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. Let’s say he manages to fly away from the disaster. Long live googol years.

Igor’s smartphone made a characteristic sound: «I’m 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 don’t 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 wouldn’t refuse, I guess.

– What if this meant taking someone’s life?

– What do I care about someone else’s 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.

– I’m not a droid. I don’t 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. I’m not a scientist, I don’t know the details, but a drug based on them promotes rejuvenation and longevity. But there are also side effects: everyone can’t 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.

Vlad suddenly pressed his lips to Igor’s neck.

– Hey, friend, I understand everything, but I’m not one of these! – Igor pushed Vlad away. His face was smeared with something red. I tried to get up, but my body seemed paralyzed.

– While you are dying, Igor, I will tell you my story. I’m almost seven thousand years old, although I might have lost count. I traveled for a long time until one day I stopped on your planet. Our race had discovered the secret of longevity, but the recipe had one flaw. Two people must drink the alcoholic infusion of the parasitic fungus, and one must voluntarily give years of his life to the other.

Igor glanced sideways at the bottle with the image of Mendeleev.

– Or if someone wants to take your life, then you can also take his years. This elixir of youth was a gift for us, but also a curse: to prolong the lives of their children, parents gave up their years, and the children cried until the end of their days about the irreparable loss. But when I found myself on your planet a thousand years ago, it became a real Eldorado for me. There are so many scoundrels who would attempt on my life. By the way, vampires do not feed on blood. I’m an ordinary person. I just need a sample of your gene pool to analyze your estimated lifespan. But about our love for the blood of scoundrels – it’s true, I couldn’t drink anything else. You know, I’m so tired of endless boredom. For the last two hundred years I have been looking for a successor. But only people as narrow-minded as you come across. You are not interested in science and art, philosophy is alien to you. All evening you only said a few words, and those were about hating those who have what you don’t have. What will you spend your long life on if you are given it? Of course, my Graham number calculations are also not the best thing, but I will continue to look for myself rather than give my years to someone like you.

Robo-merchants scurried along the platform, selling dried fish and porcelain. Men and women hugged next to the train. We are glad to have a long-awaited meeting. The children – who had not yet turned eighty-five – were greedily licking their ice cream cones, trying to escape the heat. Igor Vasilyevich Negodyaev took the train, but never reached his destination, but no one noticed this: perhaps he got up at a stop earlier. He had no one waiting for him upon his arrival. Many people on this train get up earlier than their scheduled stop. Although, around the world, many irreplaceable people disappear without a trace, and they are immediately replaced by other irreplaceable ones. Maybe he decided to become a droid or fly to Proxima Beta, who will keep track of everyone?

A man with a notebook covered in numbers glanced out the window with one eye, hopefully looking out for someone who might one day complete his calculation.

Elven Syndrome

A bright sunny day, not a single cloud. The noisy three-dimensional flow of gravikars does not interfere with the illumination of the lower floors of the City. It’s hot and stuffy, but I still feel like sneezing. Allergy is the main plague of the twenty-second century. People overcame cancer and AIDS, and later Corona and flucovabola succumbed, but each new help in overcoming diseases gave birth to new ones in the body. I, like you, with a ninety-seven percent probability, have had hay fever since childhood: it affects the bloom of any flower and the spore of any mushroom. What are the authorities thinking? Why don’t they uproot all the plants on the planet so that people don’t suffer? They are afraid of the damned Greens: «Stop deforestation!», «Greens are the lungs of the planet,» «Plants feel too!» What do I feel, the plants don’t care? They are creatures if they sense my illness, but continue to spread poisonous pollen. I hope at least it will be easier on Mars. A long queue begins just outside the entrance to the station, above which is the inscription «Russian Railways wishes you a happy trip!» He wiped away his allergic tears and used his eyelashes to call up a certificate that was projected directly onto the retina. It turns out that back in the last century people used railways. The carriage moved along two long metal rods. Apparently, people did not live very well before the invention of gravikars. And after the accessibility program «Gravicar for every family member,» people learned to fly like birds. Turned thirteen – get a license, buy yourself a car and fly to school in your personal car. Although, Katerina Kabanova’s dream did not fully come true: we became more like bees flying out of skyscraper hives in search of work than like free birds conquering the skies.

– Girl, are you the last one at the cash register?

– I’m not extreme. I’m the last one.

After Russian became an international language, everyone became so literate: they correct others in any situation. But overall, I am glad about the end of American hegemony after the collapse of the United States as a result of the «revolution of dignity of all colors and races.»

– I’ll follow you.

Every two or three minutes a new passenger was allowed inside. It was my turn. The air conditioners and filters worked well inside, so I immediately felt pleasantly cool, and my runny nose went away.

– Are you transporting explosives, narcotic substances or substances that enter into a nuclear chain reaction? – asked the young African-Russian woman in a monotonous voice.

«Nuclear,» the guard looked up at me in surprise. I showed her my wristwatch. – They are in America.

«Enough jokes,» the droid girl frowned. Of course, would an ordinary person do such monotonous work? Although I would go, but people are not hired very often: they need rest, they are not so hardy and efficient. – Come in for inspection. Men to the left.

– Boys – to the left, girls – to the right? – I smiled. The security droid furrowed her brows again, but remained silent.

This is the hundredth time I’ve gone through this procedure, and each time it’s equally unpleasant. He stripped naked and put his clothes in the provided container. All the nurses in this room are droids, but I still instinctively wanted to cover some places with my palm. One of the nurses ran the sensor along the body. After the local flucovibol pandemic, doctors learned that viruses can raise body temperature in a particular part of the body, and the rest of the body will be healthy, but no less infectious.

– You have been sick in the last four weeks or have had contact with sick people.

«No,» I wanted to make the usual joke here, but they are unlikely to be allowed on the Martian express even with the slightest suspicion of any illness. Of course: the immunity of indigenous Martians does not develop the necessary level of protection against all earthly diseases. After a detailed examination of every millimeter of the body for the presence of darkening of the skin or the appearance of any pimple, the body was doused with a stream of antiseptic with the unpleasant smell of bleach.

– You can get dressed.

I stood in line for a ticket. A droid operator sat at the window.

– Girl, I need a ticket for the next express train to Mars City.

– There are only tickets left for today’s train in the IM carriage.

I started scrolling through what this abbreviation means in a dead language. Immortal?

– Girl, do you seriously want to sell me a ticket to the lower class? So that I could fly in the same carriage with droids, anti-vaxxers and… – I almost spat out of emotion – and with elves?

– Yes, this carriage is intended, among other things, for the impressed. The lives of all Homs have the same meaning. And if you don’t agree, you can buy a ticket for next week.

– Excuse me, please. Give me one ticket.

– On the top or bottom shelf?

– The main thing is not the one near the toilet.

That’s it, I offended the girl. Of course, by refusing vaccination, you voluntarily deprive yourself of the right to visit any territory of Mars City except the Ghetto. And the rest found themselves in the role of outcasts by accident, and not entirely fairly. Those who chose the path of droids got the opportunity to cope with any job better than ordinary people, leaving sapiens without work. But it’s very strange to be embarrassed to travel in the same salon with someone who does all the physical and monotonous work for you. As for those who are impressed, here you will understand my feelings if you haven’t slept for the last two hundred years or haven’t watched the news all this time. Okay, I’ll tell you a few words so that you don’t think I’m arrogant.

I don’t remember exactly the year, but scientists then discovered a civilization on Mars that had gone underground many centuries ago. We are far from their technology. If the translators understood everything correctly, they live for several thousand years (I mean, each individual). They built mechanisms at the dawn of their youth – and since then there has not been a single breakdown! «Made on Mars» is a special mark of quality. Let our shop workers not blame their crookedness on obsolescence technologies, we are far from Martians. Due to their underground lifestyle and small stature, journalists dubbed the Martians «gnomes.» The media said that the gnomes gave us Medicine based on nano-robots, but most likely it was a mutually beneficial exchange; I don’t know what we could offer to such a highly developed civilization. The first military volunteers were injected with a portion of the «vaccine against all diseases.» Where else can you find such a number of volunteers if not in the army? Even the epsilon strain of flucovibola stopped working on young people. Some politicians also set an example. By the way, they are alive and still control us. The serum began to be injected into everyone who could afford it, including children and those seriously ill with incurable diseases. But the impression effect became known only after a while. The «cured» person became virtually immortal – except for direct physical impact, nothing could kill him, and severe wounds healed before his eyes. But his psyche remained forever at the same level, and often the meaning of their life revolved around only one type of activity or even an object. In the case of the soldiers, this suited everyone: unquestioningly following orders, eager to kill. By the way, this caste of soldiers was the first to die, as they went headlong to the hottest spots. Everything also went well with the politicians: they never betrayed their ideals, for which they received the support of voters. But imagine the impressed children! Forever little girls and boys dragging a teddy bear with them. Some were lucky: their parents also took the Martian vaccine, and such Peter Pans live in endless overprotection until the end of time. But most of the parents are dead, and who will take care of these not-quite-humans? Ninety-nine who took the Medicine fell ill in this way. By analogy with the Martians, they began to be called «elves»: beautiful, immortal, but absolutely useless for society.

I make my way along the long corridor in search of the desired compartment. A forest of bare legs looms above. And here is my place. The sheet and duvet cover are neatly folded on the bed.

– Young man, will you have some tea? – asked the conductor droid.

– Yes, black with a spoon of sugar, please.

A couple of minutes – and the steaming drink in the glass stood in front of me. Apparently, this glass holder was made in the mid-twentieth century – a real rarity.

– Are you busy? Apparently this is my place.

The compartment neighbor turned out to be a blond, curly-haired girl. My heart seemed to beat a little faster at the sight of her. Only this familiar look: emptiness and absolute detachment. Elf?

– I’m Ilya.

«And I’m Alena,» she extended her hand, but instead of shaking hands, I involuntarily brought it to my lips. Alena pulled away.

– Let’s have breakfast?

I took a printer out of my bag and set a program for boiled chicken, and Alena printed out cucumbers and boiled jacket potatoes on hers. At first we ate in silence, I glanced at her casually, and she lowered her eyes. Then we started talking.

– I had lung cancer, stage four. The doctors didn’t give me even a year. I didn’t have much choice: either voluntary vaccination or a grave. You can’t imagine these feelings! First, the whole body is shrouded in a veil of indescribable pain. And then relief: there is no endless burning in the chest, even without painkillers. The doctor carried out repeated examinations: there was no trace of the tumor.

«My wife also got an injection. More precisely, the ex-wife was very worried about her appearance. Seeing the first wrinkle, she signed up for vaccination. Since then, she has not left the mirror, admiring her ideal appearance day and night. Tell me, should I have continued to work, equipping her with new doses of cosmetics, and in the evenings watch her profile in the mirror? And every family that took the «dwarven medicine» has its own little tragedies. Therefore, many did not like those who were impressed. Who needs people functions?

– Many of our people have sunk to the level of «former intelligent people.» Although, there were no «ours» – everyone came to the hospital to solve their own problems. To achieve something, you need to work on yourself for years and constantly improve. Studies have shown that it takes six weeks to go down. Forty days – and now you are already accustomed to being at the bottom, from which you can again get out through years of work on yourself, which the impressed are no longer capable of.

Meanwhile, the space elevator had already lifted our car into orbit. Now we will reach the required speed value – and forward to the conquest of Mars: for those who have not yet been to their planet. We were rotating along an axis, so the view outside the window was fabulous: the stars merged into stripes and circles, creating a feeling of wish fulfillment.

– Are you impressed too?

«Yes, unfortunately, I am no exception,» Alena answered me.

– On what? What does it feel like to be impressed?

– I myself didn’t notice the moment of transition. One day I noticed that it was becoming increasingly difficult for me to remain without Tolik, my husband. We leave for work, and all my thoughts revolve only around him. I tried to hide my endless love for my husband from those around me, but Tolik apparently noticed something. I suggested that he give himself an injection, but he categorically refused.

How I understand you, Tolyan! I remember Karina’s face when she did not leave the mirror for hours on end, forgetting about sleep, and about food, and about me. I also vowed to myself to live an ordinary mortal life.