Planet-H: The End of the Beginning

by J. T. Winterlord

  I was doubtful and I pointed out that it all seemed to have the appearance of sleight of hand or magic arts, and in both cases it seemed an impossible thing to accomplish.

  "OK, you aren’t following. I agree with you Kate, from your current point of view it is difficult to accept such a thing. Let's take a concrete example. Try to imagine an egg and tell me what you see.”

  "I see an egg, and I guess if I imagine a chicken I see a chicken," I said, a little irritated.

  I felt at times as if I were being treated like a child, even though I understood the need to simplify in order to understand the concepts so distant from my usual way of thinking.

  With his usual smile he was impossible to disturb. He explained that I just could not manage to get the concept.

  "If you see an egg it means that you have created in your mind the image of an egg and to do that you have used that mental energy I was talking about. It's something that is done in a manner so automatic that often no one actually focuses on this particular energy.

  Now try to think about creating that image on the desk, to create it so well that I too can see it . If you can manage this you will have created an object with the power of your mind. But I can assure you that in the conditions you find yourself in at the moment it is not possible that you can create anything in Planet H, this being a video game.”

  I had actually understood the part of the mental creation of an egg.

  "OK, but why can I not create the same egg on your desk, as you do with the image of your body?"

  Sgrunff turned the screen and showed me a picture in which he had portrayed a basket of fruit.

  "Try to pick up the banana," he said.

  I looked at him thinking he has a thing for bananas, this guy!

  I said,

  "But Sgrunfio, how can I take a banana from the television?"

  "Exactly Kate, you can’t. You can see it but not touch it."

  He whirled around with all of his arms spread wide.

  "Now imagine that the classroom is your mind."

  He always created a rather dramatic effect when he used all his arms simultaneously. I saw him pick something up from the desk.

  "Here we have a pen. Do you think you can put it next to the basket of fruit, within the image on the video?”

  “Of course not Sgrunfio, what sort of question is that?"

  Sgrunff paused for reflection, as if he wanted to leave me some time to think on our conversation. He said,

  "If you're playing a video game, let's say for example that you find yourself in front of a computer, you will find that it is impossible to pick up an object around you and put it into the game. It would be like trying to introduce something in the video, you would just break it. To be able to insert something you should really act within the program of your computer. The same thing is happening to you now. You're in a game and you want to put an egg inside it.”

  Seeing me both thoughtful and doubtful he continued.

  "Let’s take a couple of steps back. Remember when you exited from your Tasker?"

  "I remember something Sgrunfio, but it is very vague."

  "Okay, did you have a body? You had something that had at least the semblance of a body right?"

  I was thinking. I remembered something that Sven had said about this.

  "Yes, I felt I had a kind of body."

  "Well, Kate, that was your mental body but with that kind of body you can’t get into the game which is why Sven has created the ologs, a special type of body made up of mental energy connected to Planet via our Pacs."

  That explanation had not really clarified anything. There were too many bodies involved and I was struggling to process everything I had in my head.

  Sgrunff saw my puzzled expression.

  "Think about it, then let me know your conclusions."

  "All right, I'll think it over. Can you at least tell me why there are so many people in this game?”

  Sgrunff smiled at me, and instead of answering my question he dismissed me with,

  "Tonight you're at dinner with the bosses, you'd better go get ready."

  The note of import in his voice did not escape me. It appeared there was an up-coming event that I had not been informed of.

  Sonia came in and nodded to my instructor. She turned to me.

  "I saw Sven - he was excited and busy, talking about a tip he got from you Kate, maybe in the next few days you can update me? Tonight we’re going out to dinner. You have some suitable clothes for the occasion in your accommodation.”

  Denise also entered. It was the first time I had seen her in that place. She greeted everyone with a wave of the hand, but it was evident her interest was for Sonia. She said,

  "The answer to your question is three percent! To date we have reached that level."

  That said she took her leave and disappeared. Always in a hurry that woman, as if to stop for a moment would break some unwritten rule.

  Before leaving Sonia confirmed dinner at half past eight and Sammy would be our driver.

  "See you at the reception then, catch you later."

  I said goodbye to Sgrunff, reminding him that the next day we would continue our conversation and headed off to my accommodation.

  There I found a beautiful pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, crown heel 12 model, a Michael Kors evening dress and a Prada bag.

  ’Shopping paradise on earth,’I thought, sensually caressing the silky fabric of the gown that under the lights reflected flashes of blue.

  I took a quick energy shower and changed. I regarded myself in the mirror - not bad at all!

  Valdes came over. He handed me a bracelet and a light pearl necklace. You could bet the pearls were real ones.

  "Is there any special celebration?”I asked him while he was latching the beautiful jewels.

  "Yes, we eat!" he replied, lingering slightly and stroking the curve of my neck with his hand in a gesture that seemed familiar.

  I linked arms with my knight and walked toward the front desk.

  Sammy was waiting for us and we boarded a strange looking limousine and hit the road. I noticed that Sammy was wearing a chauffeur’s hat. He looked ridiculous.

  The car windows were blacked out. I asked where we were going to eat and the guys told me that we were off to a luxurious restaurant in the city.

  SONIA’S MENU

  The journey proceeded smooth and fast. Sammy drove well and avoided the potholes up to the entrance of the parking lot, where the vehicle bounced a little. Sammy quickly parked and came round to open up for us to alight.

  He then threw his hat into the car and changed his jacket. Matt asked him what he was doing because he was the driver and Sammy replied,

  "Not anymore, now we eat!"

  Matt laughed. He’d only booked for five so Sammy would have to settle for half rations!

  Sammy looked at him, a little disappointed and said he’d make sure to ask the waiter for some large portions.

  "I know your abundant rations," Valdes said, "the last time was four courses for each type of food!"

  Sammy smiled. He explained that he was following the famous saying that‘Appetite comes with eating.’

  Matt and Valdes smiled and winked.

  "If you overdo it we’ll call Sven.”

  "No no no, leave the crazy engineer out of it. I’ll settle for simple double portions."

  I saw him shake that big black head softly as he sighed.

  "Hum .. the usual killjoys! I'm small! I have to grow!"

  They joked but they were happy to have the voracious Sammy in the company.

  We entered and were accompanied to our table.

  We were served drinks and appetizers. I was beside Valdes and a thought came into my mind - I would have to talk to him about my past. Maybe he knows something from the others, but it is right that I should tell him.

  I didn’t dare to say anything, didn’t want to spoil the scene so I chased the thought from my mind and entertained myself with my frien
ds, eating and talking about this and that.

  Sonia was curious to know how the day had been with Sgrunff, after ten months of writings analysis.

  I replied that I had arrived at some dead points - I had a lot of questions, but the answers had been postponed by Sgrunff.

  "What is the last question that you fired at him?" Matt asked.

  I thought about which of the dozens outstanding that it could be and it occurred to me.

  "Why do people play video games so assiduously and most of all, why are there so many people in this game?”

  A well dressed couple entered at that moment. You could feel there was some discomfort between them, it seemed that they had just had a fight. The air was electric like just before a storm.

  The woman kept her distance from what I assumed to be her husband. From his clothing he looked a freelancer, maybe a lawyer.

  I watched this couple chatting with their friends, but the two never spoke to each other, carefully avoiding looks and touch or even the minimum of glances.

  Sonia said,

  "People want to have fun, they want to be entertained, that’s why they play video games."

  "I see," I said, "especially the people who have just entered."

  "Well, their contented expressions will come back quickly as soon as they’re happy." Matt said, looking in the direction of the table that I pointed to.

  I looked at him and smiled. I said,

  "Okay, Prove it."

  In the meantime, we had almost finished dinner. Sonia went to the waitress and dropped her a big tip, whispering something in her ear.

  Matt moved off towards the owner of the restaurant, while Sonia went over to the table where the grumpy lawyer was sitting.

  She said,

  "Good evening folks, it’s good to have you here tonight."

  She smiled and settled her hair back on one side very elegantly. The light of the candles placed on the table reflected on her long straight hair, highlighting its innate beauty.

  "These are the menus, but if I can list some of our specialties tonight I'm sure you'll find something to your liking."

  This all came out very professionally even if her clothes appeared to place the people around her in a rather bad light.

  Yes, I thought, far too elegant for a waitress - the dress alone probably cost as much as a labourer’s annual salary! I admired the ease with which she exhibited its beauty.

  She began with the chef’s menu.

  "If you allow me I would like to advise you of our hors d’oeuvres. We have sour Genital Supreme boiled as required, served on a bed of truffled eels topped with red Pantelleria wine."

  It all sounded so damn serious! Matt began to chortle as she continued,

  "Following, we have slices of ass cheek with extra virgin olive oil and lemon souffléwith dwarf artichokes from Transylvania ... oh, I forgot! You can choose whether you prefer the left or right buttock! Finally we offer a Mousse Triumph of gnu poop with a splash of whipped cream and a cherry on top……and of course a nice coffee!”

  All this was delivered with just the right amount of emphasis and gesticulation as to give a tone of mock importance to the words.

  Sonia finished with a beautiful smile and waited for orders from the table.

  The lawyer's wife was holding her stomach, doubled over on the table, while the other girl was trying to wipe her eyes with a handkerchief. The two men looked almost disdainfully at each other for a moment but they burst out laughing when Sonia smiled.

  Sonia turned to me with the same smiling face and I burst out laughing, seeing that she had a piece of black plastic covering one incisor, so as to make it look like she was missing a front tooth. Among other things she had also managed to assume a cross-eyed squint.

  A smiling Matt went over to Sonia and he gently removed the plastic piece from the tooth so that she could show her wonderful smile.

  "You won the bet my treasure," he said giving her a kiss on the cheek. In the meantime the waiter came over with a bottle of Cristal and four glasses.

  Matt turned to the unfortunate victims of the joke and said gallantly,

  "I apologize for the interruption caused by my adorable but annoying partner’s sense of humour and I sincerely hope you will accept this as an apology."

  And so saying he pointed to the champagne that the waiter was pouring.

  The lawyer was laughing and he said to Matt,

  "Apology accepted, and thanks for the nice interlude."

  At the nearby tables hilarity still reigned and one of the guests actually had to go to the bathroom, he was laughing so hard. Passing close to a waitress he ordered,

  "Bring me a piece of boiled genital please" and burst out laughing again.

  We got up to head to the exit and I heard a customer talking to the restaurant manager.

  "You should do these shows more often."

  And meanwhile, the lawyer’s wife, still laughing, patted her husband on the shoulder and said,

  "Let’s talk it over at home.”He came close and she let him embrace her.

  Near the cash desk a waitress had semi-collapsed with laughter.

  I looked at all of them and I felt the change of mood at the tables which had been quieter and somehow sadder before. Now there was a burst of cheerful chatter.

  Matt settled the bill and we found ourselves outside the restaurant. Sonia said,

  "Can you begin to understand why people want to play in Planet H?"

  I thought for a moment, not understanding the sense of the question.

  She went on,

  "Now let's take a ride to the fair. I just want you to observe and remember the questions you asked Sgrunff."

  We got in the car and Sammy drove away in the direction of the nearby amusement park. I was thinking back to what had just happened and I was wondering what Sonia had in mind.

  Once at the fair I was told to observe the people take note of what they were doing, which I did.

  After a few minutes Matt asked me,

  "Why are those people on the roller coaster? And why are those others trying various games and chatting in such a carefree manner? "

  He told Sammy to make his way home and I got comfortable in my seat.

  Sonia closed the door and looking at me she said,

  "Do you think that the lawyer and his wife wanted to remain so sad and sullen? Yes, I know you're thinking that I was there all beautiful with my toothless smile but think about it a moment. What are these people looking for?

  I burst out laughing again at the memory of her funny face. I weighed up my thoughts a few moments and said,

  "It seems that all these people just want to have fun."

  "Exactly," replied Sonia.

  Valdes turned to me and said,

  "Everyone is fascinated by the game, the pure and genuine spirit of it. They want to have fun, spend time with video games and other things in an attempt to win something, to spend time laughing and just playing. Watch the kids. They’d play all day long - they become adults, but the spirit of play remains, even if it’s covered by more important responsibilities.”

  I reflected on what had been said and effectively those ridiculous friends of mine had found a way to answer my question in a really nice way. I lay back in my seat, saying,

  "The thing still has a dark side, but it’s surely true people want to have fun, to play, to be carefree."

  Matt frowned for a moment before answering, and he stared out somewhere at a point beyond the glass.

  "In the beginning the purpose of all this was just fun, adrenaline, endorphins that the body released and that gave a sense of well-being. But then the fun element has become small compared to everything else.”

  We returned to headquarters and after saying goodbye to the guys Valdes walked me to my accommodation and I took the opportunity to talk a little with him.

  I asked him to sit down and we sipped at a couple of Alaskas for refreshment.

  "I want to talk to you about
me and my past if you would like to hear about it."

  He nodded and sat back to listen to what I had to say. He never took his eyes off mine.

  I did not know exactly where to start, but what I wanted was just to let him know what had happened since my departure from home.

  I felt strangely no shame, but I found it difficult to begin to talk about it.

  I stammered through a few words, stopped and began to pace the room, looking for a little courage between quick gulps of that strong cocktai.

  "Um Valdes, you see ..."

  He interrupted me.

  "Relax Kate, what big secret are you trying to reveal to me? I can see from your difficulty that it weighs you down a lot, so just take a deep breath and tell me about it. I'll listen patiently without judging anything of what you say.”

  I took a breath and came out with it.

  "I was bought when I was working as a prostitute."

  Valdes watched me carefully and trying to hold back a laugh he asked,

  "Really?"

  I looked at him suspiciously and said,

  "Yes, indeed! Matt bought me!"

  He was awkwardly trying to hold back laughter, a few words tried to come out but they were overwhelmed immediately by laughter.

  "Why is it that when I tell people they laugh?”I asked with a wry smile, but without fully understanding his reaction.

  "Sorry Kate but…. you were bought by Matt? It's not exactly like that, and then ... think about it."