We entered into what appeared to be a super big room. Inside everything was white, just like outside. But not because of the snow, thankfully. I suspected there were more of those jumbo heat generators here, though I couldn't see them. There were numerous robot miniatures moving about on definite errands. One of them offered me coffee. When I said thanks, (out of habit ofcourse) and just real.ised I had been thanking a machine, it surprised me with a smiley that lit up its small screen.
"Wow!" I marvelled. Vi smiled. "We would be going there." she pointed to a small circular dias in the centre of the room. As soon as we reached it, it started moving up. I realised that the room was divided into floors by a number of galleries that run around it. As we moved up I caught sight of many more bots at unusual(for me) actions. One of them, for example, was dismantling and remantling itself at rapid speed, while another seemed to be taking notes about it. Others I saw were talking to a screen where images appeared and vanished at amazing alacrity. It seemed like those scifi movies I watched at home. Only this one had me in it. Soon, our ride stopped. I saw we were at the top most level of this dome shaped building. "After you" Vi said spreading out her hands towards a bridge that was rapidly forming at our feet. I saw that this floor was divided into many cubicles with a person or two working in each of them. There were hardly any bots at site. I understood this must be the head quarter. The bridge joined itself on a cubicle and we walked over into it. A person was working on some critical experiment there. I could here him mutter while adding ingredients . Vi however walked up to him and whispered in his ear. At that he turned around with a delighted "Ah!" I found myself facing a man of sixties, (according to our age) with a shock of white hair and a balding patch. He had round rimless glasses, which folded on itself and disappeared at a small stand as he moved away from the table still sitting on his chair.
" You must excuse my not standing up," he began, and as I was about to object that it didn't matter, he put up a hand and continued," I know it is customary from where you come. But you see, my standing up would mean getting out of these," he pointed at himself. Now I saw he was strapped to the chair with numerous bonds. " We do it as a precautionary measure.. but it becomes cumbersome sometimes." he finished with a genial smile." Do sit" he said, indicating a chair in front of him. I was in some trepidation, for I really didn't wish to get myself strapped like him. But he presumed me saying, "It's okay, it won't strap you. Bits are unique that way. They won't touch you unless you give the command."
That eased me, though only a little, and I took my sit. Vi was still standing beside him.
The man looked me over for sometime. Finally, he nodded with satisfaction. " I am Professor Medo. Glad to meet you Kushal." He extended his hand and I took it in mine and shook it.
" Did Vi here, tell you anything?" he asked.
I told him whatever idea I had contrived from Vi adding from my own conscience, "but honestly Professor, I don't see how I can help you. I understand these matters soo very little..." He put up a hand to stop me. " First things first." he said, " let me introduce you to my colleague." he nodded to Vi who immediately made off.
In the meanwhile the professor seemed just content to sit and stare at me like I was something foreign, so inorder to shake off the awkwardness I decided to talk about something.
"Er.. what does R.A.D stand for Professor?" I asked the first thing that came to my mind.
" Regional Atmosphere Development" he answered.
I had expected him to say something more but as I saw that that wasn't it, I asked, " So what do you do here?"
" We gather data, analyse it, try bettering our environment, which in turn betters our atmosphere." he said.
I nodded. Then as I looked over the cubicle, another thought struck me. " Professor, do you live here?" I asked.
The man chuckled. " By my moons, no! We have our homes ofcourse!"
I was about to ask whether their homes looked anything like this but at that moment Vi reappeared with another man by her side. This one was short, grizzly sort and with the frown that adorned his face I could tell he had just now experienced the cumbersome removal of chair-straps which the professor had so cleverly avoided.
" What now Medo.. You know how difficult it is to remove ourselves from the precautionary..." he began while walking towards us. Professor Medo cut him off with another raised hand. "Professor Mint, meet Kushal, from the past." he indicated me," Kushal meet Professor Mint, my colleague and a co-developer of the time machine which brought you here."
professor Mint stopped in his tracks, and stared at me with his eyes widening and mouth hanging open. As I looked at the man I wondered whether all professors had their names with M here. Professor Mint suddenly started laughing and crying and clapped his hands while dancing round and round in his excitement. The old man was literally quivering. Medo nodded and smiled watching his co-worker.
"I figured you would like that." he said.
"like?" Minto asked, incredulous, " Medo this has been our dreams.. Our only goal on which our life hangs.. and now..," he looked me over with misty eyes like I was some prize, "here he stands.. with all our answers..." as Mint fell into a sort of reverie, the gnawing feeling in my stomach about my incompetency returned. "Uh- professors..." I began hesitantly, clearing my throat, "Not to disappoint you or anything.. but-"
"We know what you are going to say" professor medo said complacently. Hell, is there anything these guys don't know that I can tell them.. I wondered why I was here at all!
"You needn't think much." He continued, "just tell us what's it like there outside at your place and how you are doing things to remedy it." he said it like it was a very easy maths problem. You put 2 and 2 and it becomes 4.
I hesitated.. what was I going to say?..
To be continued...
© jb