Flash Forward
Flash Forward
Copyright 2016 Meghashri Dalvi
Table of Contents
Black and White
Blue
Cliché
Helioflowers
SETI
Sound Idea
The First Contact
About the Author
Black and White
The Wise Man rose customarily as the King entered. But it was the King who bowed to the Wise Man. A tradition of honoring the knowledge and wisdom.
“Please, take a seat,” the King offered. “We are all waiting to hear your new discovery.”
The Wise Man smiled.
The courtroom was full. As it was several times before. When the Wise Man had talked about their planet and their energy-supplying star, and the possibility of space travel.
Or when he had synthesized sweet mushrooms, and demonstrated plastic surgery.
Or when he had explained imaginary numbers, and put forward the theory of sub-atomic particles.
The citizens savored such occasions equally as the Wise Man himself.
He began in a deep, slow voice of his hundred-odd years.
“The question has been at the back of my mind for a long time.” The Wise Man was elaborating. “The expanding universe indicated by the violet shift meant something. I wanted to find out what it was. Then a few days back, as I sat with all my collected data, it realized on me.
A young student in a far corner strained his neck for a clearer view. His eyes squinted as focused on the Wise Man.
“Imagine being at the very edge of a bucket full of water. Now, if water is sucked from the center of the bucket, it will appear to you as if all the nearby droplets are drifting away from you. Mind you, they appear to move away, but in reality, they are moving towards the center. The sucking force experienced by you will be much less than the force on the particles that are closer to the center. This all makes the surface ripples on water look strained or stretched. I hope it is clear...”
“It is,” the King assured gallantly.
“Such a phenomenon is happening to our Universe! Right now! And it has been happening from time unknown to us! “The Wise Man announced dramatically.” A great sucker force at the center of the universe is constantly pulling the matter towards it. Our planetary system is at the edge of our galaxy and if you take the analogy that far...”
The bewildered student was thinking rapidly - if the pull was really that great to hurl the stars towards it, then it must be the strongest kind of force ever! What would be its nature then? What has created it? What controls it? When did all this begin? And How?
“Then it must follow that there is this big hole at the center of our universe.” The Wise Man was painstakingly elaborating. “The pull of this hole is so great, I mean so great, that it even pulls light inside it. And once inside, the gigantic power stops everything from coming out - including light.
“When we call something black, we mean that the thing does not reflect any color, any light. In the same sense, I call this strange and powerful hole as Black Hole!”
Black Hole! The student gasped. A hole that swallows everything! Matter, space, and even light! But wait! Matter cannot be totally destroyed like this. Where does this sucked matter actually go?
*********
“Interesting,” commented the Big Blob. Its deep blue eyes, matching neatly with pale blue body, held surprise.
The Small Blob, still shining in the glory of youth, acknowledged nervously.
“That should solve the mystery of universe forever, shouldn’t it?”
“Oh! Life is not that simple.” The senior furrowed its brow-like structure.
“But isn't that the greatest mystery ever? And isn't it solved completely with my work? “
“Well, the mystery is still not solved, my dear.”
“Why sir, I in fact -”
“No. It would be premature to publish your results. “
“Sir, when we began research in this direction, you had promised me universal fame. Why not publish the work now? “
“Your fame would eventually come.” The Big Blob said solemnly.
“But sir, my reasoning is logical. Pink shift is firmly established. Data collected over centuries confirm it. Expanding universe is natural phenomenon. And -”
“Patience, my child. A scientist does not spill facts like that.”
“But they are the facts. Aren't they?”“ Junior’s voice now had a distinct hint of irritation.
“Yes. But they don't support your theory. “
“They do! Look here, sir - imagine a small bucket full of water. At the center of this bucket, there is a hole. From this hole water is continuously seeping into the bucket. Now this action will create steady ripples in the bucket moving from the center to the edge. “
“Yes.”
“Imagine us living very near the center of the bucket. To us it will appear that the ripples and the droplets on them are moving away from us. If we try to collect information about more droplets that are nearer to the edge of the bucket, they will also appear to be moving away. “
“So?”
“Let us take that picture and apply to our universe. It then becomes very clear why the stars are moving away from us and why our universe is expanding.”
“You say that there is a hole at the center of our universe and the hole is supplying matter to us all the time?”
“Yes.”
“And what makes the matter pop from this hole?”
“Well, as you know, matter cannot be destroyed or created -”
“That is the whole point!” the bigger, older body quivered. “You have not clarified that.”
“That did baffle me at first.”
“Then?”
“But I think that a theory can be put forward.”
“Like?”
“Like a white hole.”
“White hole?”
“Yes. A hole which sources all the time like our white energy star.”
“Huh. I would have agreed. But tell me, where would so much matter come from?”
“From another universe, of course!”
###
Blue
"Mom, look what uncle Bob has given me." Sam's dimpled cheeks shined with excitement.
Martha looked at the huge bar of chocolate in Sam's hand.
"Shall I open it, Mom?" Sam was eager to sink his teeth into the bar.
"Oh, go on!" She smiled indulgently.
But when Sam opened the wrapper, she squealed in disgust. "Throw it away, Sam!"
She was staring at the blue chocolate.
"It's blue, Mom," Sam said matter-of-factly.
"Yes, it is," she said flatly, "and I don't know what that means. Don't eat it."
Sam's chubby face turned miserable.
"OK. When we go shopping tomorrow, I'll get you some chocolates. Promise." She tried to console him, thinking how Uncle Bob could forget looking at the expiry date.
As promised, she took Sam the next day to the supermarket. She took extra care to select four different brands, and double-check the expiry date. Like any disciplined parent, she refused to let Sam open the chocolate till they were home.
Once home, Sam could barely wait. He chose the biggest one and tore the wrapper.
Martha froze. This chocolate was blue, too.
She rushed to open the rest. They all were blue.
Fred ran a fruit stall in the central square of the city. He took pride in stocking al the varieties and only the best. His stall was full of green apples, bright oranges, and red cherries.
Roger came in as usual at lunchtime. He picked up his staple set of one kiwi fruit, one grapefruit, and a single banana.
"Hey. I pay the usual?"
"Yup." Fred grinned. "Usual."
"Righty." Roger said absent-mindedly, paid, and moved out.
He shot back the next minute.
"Look, it's blue inside!" His face had lost color when he showed the banana to Fred.
Fred's face lost more color. "Never happened before," He said. "Take another please."
But Roger was apprehensive. He took a fruit knife and sliced the kiwi fruit. It had an uncharacteristic blue tinge inside.
It was a matter of minutes before they both discovered that the grapefruit was blue inside, too.
It didn't take long for the pigs and turkeys to get blue. Potatoes and other roots took time. Grains like rice were easy.
It didn't take long for people to try those blue eatables. The opened chip packets knowing that the blue ovals will spill out. They ordered fried chicken expecting blue inside the crispy skin. Noodles and pasta were now appetizing as blue strips drenched in a blue sauce.
People noticed but shrugged when the greenery slowly turned into blue foliage. They didn't even notice when all the fish turned blue.
When they were satisfied with the blue food, the blue Aliens descended on the blue Earth. It had taken them exactly one and half year to perfect all kinds of food for their consumption.
About turning the Humans blue might take them more time.
###
Cliché
“What the hell –“ Laura mumbled as the dazzling lights shone brightly in her eyes.
It was a cool summer night in the suburb and she was pulled out of her tranquil sleep. Half awake, she tugged at the window curtains.
The spaceship was just landing.
“Oh, no!” She swore loudly. “What a cliché! Outside my bedroom, bang in the middle of the night – it is soooo done to death. Now one alien will come out begging for some help.”
A tall alien indeed came out. Big head, bulging eyes, slimy greenish body, and flailing limbs.
“Even his looks are cliché!” She stamped her right foot as she got up from the bed.
The scrawny alien walked clumsily towards her. The Earth gravity was not really helping him in any way and he was making great efforts.
Laura simply stared. She was not sure if she was in a dream or actually facing a visitor from the outer space.
He reached near her window and started speaking in clipped archaic English. “Ma’am, I humbly appeal. Your assistance requested in a situation. Please help in refueling. My spaceship needs precious fuel.”
She could not believe it. It was happening exactly as she had read in innumerable pulp stories. And watched in countless Saturday night flicks.
“No way, mister! Go get your own fuel. I am not going to help you at all!”
He politely nodded and repeated, “Please help my ship with the fuel.”
“Look, mister. I don’t really care if you are stuck here forever! Why not go and bother someone else instead of disturbing me at midnight?”
Laura was immensely pleased with herself.
I did not hide him, I did not help him - I broke the cliché!
Those were her last thoughts as she was quickly eliminated by the annihilator.
The jaded alien quietly returned the annihilator to his belt, and murmured softly.
“Good. I was anyway getting tired of that fuel request cliché. In that old style. But must follow the intergalactic protocol of asking the hosts first. Now this body should suffice me as the organic fuel, till I reach the next planet!”
###
Helioflowers
Helen was ecstatic.
“You know what, John? Those flowers are huge. Huge! And guess what – they bloom only for a week! I am so glad that we booked this trip.”
John nodded absently. He was ready to crash after a whole day of tiring business negotiations.
“They smell so heavenly. No wonder their perfume is so famous. And so rare. It’s an opportunity of lifetime, John! Not everyone gets it. I mean the bidding for this trip starts one full year in advance-“
“Hmm.” He opened the bathroom door.
“The bidding for the next year must have started now.” Suddenly Helen was alert. “Did you tell Suzanne about our trip?”
“Who?”
“Suzanne. Your sister. Did you tell her?”
“No. Why should I?”
“Great. So she cannot bid this year and cannot go the next year. Wow. I can brag for two whole years! “
“That’s nasty.” John commented and went in the bathroom.
“Wait. We have to start planning. And shopping. What do you plan to wear for the flower picking?”
“Flower-picking? We are going to pick those heliflowers?” He peeked from the bathroom.
“Oh, dear. Take care. You have to say the word right. They are called Helioflowers. Helio-flowers. Because they follow their Sun.”
“You mean like sunflowers? “
“Yes. Like sunflowers. But on the planet Pratino, their Sun completes the daily trip in just 6 hours. So the flowers move rather fast. And it looks so cute, so smooth. And so sweet. Did you not watch the videos I sent you? “
“Helen, I hardly got the time to go through the brochures you had sent last year. But I am sure you must have checked everything.”
“I did.” She said proudly.
“Good. And finally at what price did we win this bid?”
“John, my love – there is only one trip in a year. Only 400 people can go to Pratino in a year. Obviously, everyone on earth wants to go. Wants to see those beautiful gigantic Helioflowers. And did I mention that they smell sugary sweet? “
“How much are we paying?” John now stood fully awake with the toothbrush dangling from his mouth.
“Much less than your annual salary.”
“No riddles please, Helen. How much?”
“Does it matter, darling? Going to Pratino for the Helioflowers fest has a snob value like nothing else!”
“How much? “
“Well, the bidding was going higher and higher. The Colters were in it. Our ex-neighbor Erikssons were in it. I had to match them, dear.”
“So you will not say. OK. Goodnight, Helen. I need to sleep, get up early, go to work, and slog for that trip! “
“Don’t get mad, John. You’ll love it.”
“Love picking some big sweet-smelling flowers? On some distant planet? Don’t kid me.”
“Why not talk about it tomorrow? I’ll play the videos at breakfast.”
“Whatever!” He switched the lights off.
When the beautiful Helioflowers bloomed on Pratino, Helen didn’t waste a moment. She donned her designer clothes and posed daintily among the spectacular farms. John grumbled as usual, but happily shot the videos of his elegantly dressed wife against the breathtaking view.
During the day, they enjoyed picking the fragrant flowers. At night, they chatted with their co-travelers over fancy dinners. And networked heavily with the high net worth individuals.
The natives were co-operative and spoke good English, too. Their exotically different looks added to the charm of the whole trip.
“What a fun it was!” Helen exclaimed to a classy tourist as they boarded the spacecraft.
“Really! One week was too short.” She replied.
“I wish we could stay more. Those giant flowers really were lovely.” Another lady remarked.
John couldn’t agree more. “Never imagined I’ll pick flowers some day!” He commented heartily to one of his new friends. “Back home, I have done La Tomatina when I was young, and I did pick strawberries when I was a child. But flowers! “
“True! Grapes, tomatoes, strawberries. We could eat those. Couldn’t we? I picked lots of raspberries, too. On my uncle’s farm.” Beamed that new friend.
“Look dear, the farmers are waving at us. What a sweet lot!” Helen tugged at John. “Let’s wave back!”
“So long!” Said the famers in unison.
The spacecraft took off.
; “Well, well!” Farmer Wally sighed. “This lot was not so nice. They were more into taking their videos.”
“Of course. They entirely paid for this costly trip. But they did OK.” Farmer Ralph looked around happily. “Most of the flowers picked up and stocked neatly in piles.”
“Yeah. Just need to get them to the oil extracting plant.” Commented Farmer Dick, winking his single central eye.
Farmer Josh stretched his three long thin limbs and managed to grin from one giant ear to the other. “Hmm. Hope next year the workers from Earth are more productive!”
###
SETI
The historic pulses travelled long long distances. Neatly encrypted data tumbled across the vast expanses of space. A gentle burst from a distant civilization nudged its way towards the galaxy. A friendly call just to say – hi, we are here, where are you?
After centuries of relentless journey, the signal finally reached the third planet from the Sun. To the quiet blue marble with the white swirling wisps of clouds.
Nothing happened.
The humans on Earth had set up massive receivers to capture such messages. Colossal arrays of radio telescopes waited to catch these exciting dispatches.
But the Earth dwellers were not listening.
They were busy generating tiny energy packets for their own basic needs.
And they had no electricity to power those giant receivers.
###
Sound Idea
The Institute building rose high in front of them. Its yellow color complemented the golden afternoon sun. The lawn they were lying on was slightly moist and smelled spring fresh. The vast expanse of the Time Research Center was quiet, except for a few birds chirruping.
But Sara was not in a mood to appreciate nature and its small wonders. She listened to John, stunned and totally astonished.
"So that's the idea," John ended triumphantly. "When we get our slot at the Time Machine next week, we'll take these beautiful theories to Newton's time. Sir Isaac Newton's time. Let him understand Einstein and relativity and all that. I'll bet that he will never attempt his theory after that!"
Sara sat up abruptly. Her eyes were wide open. "We get the time machine for research," she said firmly. "Not for these silly tricks. Haven't many tried before and got caught?"
John gave a wild laugh. "I will not be one of those dumb guys!" His eyes crinkled mischievously. "I have the most sound idea ever!"
Sara gave a disgusted look and got up. With an uneasy taste in her mouth, she jumped off the lawn, on the tiny path, and walked away.
She tried to spend the next six days away from John. Thinking about the consequences of disturbing the flow of the time. And thinking about how reckless a senior research student like John can be.