Revolt of the Lamebren

by Manjiri Prabhu

  ‘Sir, we...we want to present a Petition to Governor Tisya...and we...were hoping that you could get an appointment for us,’ Zinnia stammered.

  Colonel Kripton stared at her with such astonishment, that Zinnia almost giggled. It was an unheard of request to say the least. Suddenly, she began enjoying the situation.

  ‘Impossible!’ the Supercustodian exclaimed.

  Commander Hertz continued to stare at Zinnia, in an unblinking gaze. His bald head shone as if it was polished with some latest discovery. The thought brought on another bubble of laughter inside her, dissipating the nervous knot completely.

  ‘Did you say you want an appointment with the Governor?’ the Commander asked deliberately.

  ‘Yes Sir.’

  ‘Hmmm...I am indeed amazed at your audacity, lamebirl.’ He looked amused.

  Zinnia remained silent. Beside her, Crispin stood like a strong support, shifting from one foot to the other.

  ‘And may I know why you want to meet the Governor?’

  ‘I have been observing the manner in which the Altklug Ace-world is functioning and I would like to suggest some changes, especially with regard to us lamebren.’ Zinnia’s voice was calm and expressive.

  Colonel Kripton inhaled sharply, but Commander Hertz burst into laughter.

  ‘Guts, guts, guts...she’s foolish but the lamebirl has guts,’ he said to Colonel Kripton.

  The Supercustodian was grave. Commander Hertz rose. He was as tall as Crispin, but his personality was imposing. He plunged his hands into his uniform pockets and closed his eyes reflectively for a moment. Then he turned to Zinnia again.

  ‘As per the rules of the administration, transparency has been advocated in this Ace-world of ours. Your desire to make changes or whatever it is you want to present to the Governor will be taken into account. I shall give you every opportunity to express yourself lamebirl. I will personally take you to the Governor. Be ready the day after tomorrow at 1700 hours sharp.’

  Zinnia couldn’t believe her ears. A look of unconcealed astonishment crossed Colonel Kripton’s face. Crispin frowned as he flashed Zinnia a quick glance.

  ‘Come prepared for the appointment. You will be given precisely 5 minutes to present your ideas.’

  ‘Yes Sir! We’ll be there. Thank you!’Zinnia glanced from the amused Commander to Colonel Kripton, who looked completely taken aback.

  She and Crispin stepped out of the office and the Demarcator slid shut. They hastened away and literally ran to the garden, the only place where they knew they would not be overheard.

  ‘We did it!’ Zinnia exclaimed thrilled.

  ‘Yes we did,’ Crispin was slower in expressing his joy. ‘But it was unexpected, wasn’t it?’

  ‘Who cares? We have permission to present our petition. We shall be heard, think about it Crispin, we shall be heard!’ Zinnia jumped around in joy and Crispin shook his head.

  ‘I don’t have the heart to tell you to be cautious.’ He laughed. ‘Enjoy the moment Zinnia while it lasts.’

  ‘I know what you mean―about the Altklugs being tricky, etc. but I’m not going to let it affect this moment of glory,’ Zinnia declared. She suddenly stopped dancing. ‘My God, the day after tomorrow―such little time and so much to do! Come on, let’s find the others.’

  *****

  The lamebren worked hard throughout the day. Lorde peeped into rooms and sniggered. He was shooed away by Ivy every time he tried to steal a look at her padlet. At night, they all shared notes. Zinnia went through their day’s efforts carefully.

  ‘Berk and Azalea, good effort, but I want to know what is good about the lamebren, their qualities not just what they like and don’t like. Camilla—you’ve got the exact number but you said that two lamebroys have gone missing this year and no one knows what happened to them, right? Well, try to find their names, will you? Ivy and Cylia, good job. Can you just summarise these pages of history into a paragraph? We have only five minutes to present our points.’

  Zinnia was quick, precise and the others grasped her tone of authority without question. ‘Crispin, you have our Constitutional Rights. Can you make a note on it?’

  Crispin nodded.

  Zinnia sensed the doubt underlying Crispin’s acceptance. She knew what he was thinking. All this effort and what if the Governor refused to listen to them? What if she did listen but refused to do anything about it? It was a challenge and a risk. But at least they would’ve tried, wouldn’t they?

  ‘If I get the information by tomorrow evening, I’ll sit down and compile it all into a presentation. Other than information gathered, if any one of you have personal opinions or questions, I’ll put them down as well. Everyone okay with this?’

  The other lamebren nodded.

  Zinnia and Crispin worked through the evening and night, making the presentation. They made it as visual as possible, putting down points instead of long sentences.

  ‘Everything revolves around time in this Ace-world―about using time efficiently. They won’t want to waste a single moment more than what has been allotted to us. That is why, our presentation has to be on point, visual and self-explanatory,’ Crispin said.

  Zinnia agreed at once. They made a good team, she thought. Crispin was intelligent and sensitive, although too practical at times. She, on the other hand, had drive and courage, whose source, she could neither understand nor explain.

  The presentation was previewed before the lamebren, during the Lunch hour, in their Cubicle. They watched fascinated as the captions and points rolled in, with visuals of the lamebren along with their quotes. When the presentation ended, the lamebren burst into applause.

  ‘Fantastic!’ Ivy exclaimed.

  ‘Truly informative,’ Camilla agreed.

  ‘If this presentation doesn’t change the minds of the Altklugs, nothing will.’

  ‘It’s useless!’ Lorde shouted.

  The lamebren turned to the door, startled. ‘I saw it and it is useless. You think you are some group of clever people, making this smart presentation to the Altklugs, don’t you? Well, you’re wrong! You are nothing but a bunch of stupid lamebren and no one is ever going to listen to you, not now or ever,’ Lorde declared, a sneer on his face.

  ‘We’ll see about that,’ Zinnia responded calmly, but unease piqued her mind.

  Lorde was a mischief-maker. She did not want him anywhere around their group to either belittle their efforts or to lower their morale. So far she had successfully kept him out of their plans. But apparently he had seen the presentation.

  ‘We’ll see about that—pompous Zinnia!’ he imitated. ‘But mark my words; you’ll always only remain G23 for the Altklugs!’

  ‘Ok enough!’ Crispin rose. ‘If you don’t have anything constructive to say or do, you may as well leave. We have no time for negative energies within us lamebren―there are already too many out there in the Altklug Ace-world.’

  ‘I’m leaving. Who wants to be with a bunch of dreamy idiots, anyway?’ Lorde shouted as a parting shot, walked out and banged the door behind him.

  *****

  Zinnia and Crispin were ready by 1600 hours and thirty minutes. Their uniforms were creaseless and pressed. Crispin had taken special efforts to tidy up his ruffled mop and for a change, he projected the image of orderliness and efficacy. Zinnia too had restricted her wind-blown hair severely to a scarf.

  ‘Good luck to both of you.’ Camilla hugged them warmly.

  ‘Zinnia, speak slowly and clearly. You tend to speak fast when you are excited,’ Ivy admonished.

  ‘And don’t lose your temper,’ Azalea added. ‘You don’t want to end up in the Isolation Chamber.’

  ‘I’ll remember your advices,’ Zinnia assured.

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ll remind her.’ Crispin grinned.

  ‘Commander Hertz’s spinner is waiting in the porch for G23 and B15,’ Bosco announced, from the door.

  ‘Good luck, good luck! I do hope this petition helps in changing our lives and bringing Cheska
and the others back to us,’ Camilla prayed.

  ‘I hope so too,’ Zinnia replied.

  She hugged them all again, then she and Crispin hastened downstairs. Colonel Kripton was at the entrance of the Cubicle, waiting.

  ‘I’ll be there too,’ he said and looked directly at Zinnia. ‘Be careful with what you say.’

  She nodded, reading the warning in his tone and eyes. She knew that they were treading a dangerous path. A petition meant opening the doors to speculation. It meant revealing the lamebren’s darkest fears to the Altklugs in the hope of remedy and wishing for a life that perhaps the Altklugs would never be set to give. And it also meant tempting the Altklugs with lesser morals, to use the knowledge against the lamebren. She read it all in his warning and realised that she had to be careful.

  As Zinnia stepped into Commander Hertz’s imposing spinner, she experienced a wave of excitement. This was the second time that she was visiting Governor Tisya’s office. The first one had been a farce―an act put up for their benefit. It had led to nowhere. Would this initiative be treated in a similar manner?

  Crispin was quiet in the spinner, as it dived into the maze of skyways and Zinnia did not prompt him to speak. She was tense and nervous, a continuous silent prayer on her lips. Iris, Mama, Dad, help me, she prayed. Governor Tisya had to hear them out, she had to listen! Not just listen with her ears, but listen with her heart. If the scene she had witnessed at the Governor’s House meant anything at all, then she knew that Governor Tisya did respond with her heart occasionally. The question was―Would she do that this time?

  The previous journey had been in the dark, but this time Zinnia saw their route through the amazing multi-dimensional pathways. Governor Tisya’s office was in a stunning sky-scraper, surrounded by green hills and artificial trees laden with colourful fruits. Zinnia wondered idly if one could eat those fruits or were they just for decoration.

  The spinner halted at the grand main entrance and the spinner door was opened by a Humanoid. The Elevator jogged her memory of the previous visit. She couldn’t obtain justice for Camilla, but would she fare any better now? She glanced at Crispin. He was standing upright, his eyes reflective yet alert and his dimpled chin jutting out in a sign of determination. He smiled at her and nodded. Crispin was rock solid and a true friend. She was grateful to have him with her. Zinnia smiled back.

  ‘You will have to wait. The Governor is busy with Preceptor Amadeus,’ Hobo the Humanoid showed them the seats.

  The lounge was one of the slickest she had seen. Twinkling stars shown through the transparent surface of the seating arrangement. It sunk as Crispin and Zinnia seated themselves, soft like a cushion and curving around their bodies in a solid grip. Zinnia glanced at the watch in her padlet. It was 5 minutes to 1700 hours but the time seemed to go slow. Zinnia’s palms were cold with nervous anxiety. It will all go fine, she assured herself repeatedly. After all they had worked hard to produce an excellent presentation.

  Exactly at 1700 hours, Hobo appeared. He led them through the Demarcator into the diamond-shaped, cage-like glass office which jutted out of the skyscraper, almost as if it was peering over the mesmerising view of the Super-Dome below.

  ‘B15 and G23 from the Ret Cubicle,’ Hobo announced and instantly receded.

  The office was occupied by four people: Commander Hertz, Colonel Kripton, Governor Tisya in her ink-blue metallic seat and a fourth Altklug with a familiar face. Preceptor Amadeus, Zinnia guessed. All eyes were fixed on the lamebren as Hobo announced their entry. Preceptor Amadeus, with his bald head, looked a lot like Commander Hertz. But that is where the similarity ended. He had light brown eyes and the glow of intelligence on his face was so strong that it seemed to create a halo around him. Zinnia remembered him from the holo-view Iris had shown them. He gazed at them with frank curiosity in his eyes. Colonel Kripton remained silent and grim.

  Zinnia’s eyes rested on Governor Tisya, a little fervently, with a deep yearning to establish contact with the Altklug. Her heart fluttered just a tiny bit as she searched the Governor’s face keenly. But Governor Tisya appeared regal and uncompromising on her throne and studied the lamebren with an unwavering indifference. Zinnia’s heart sank.

  ‘Ah, the two lamebren with their petition.’ Commander Hertz rubbed his podgy palms together in glee. He seemed to be enjoying the situation the most.

  Governor Tisya stared at Zinnia and her gaze was so intense that it seemed to beam right through her brain.

  ‘You are a foolishly courageous lamebirl,’ she remarked. ‘And you have exactly five minutes to say what you want to say.’

  Zinnia nodded and opened her padlet. ‘Thank you, Governor. We are both here today to present and request a different order of things. To suggest a different lifestyle for everyone—lamebren and Altklugs included. Can I please request all of you to take a look at this presentation?’

  ‘No presentation. Just say your bit,’ Governor Tisya brushed aside the suggestion in a curt manner.

  Zinnia faltered. ‘But Governor, the presentation says it all. We...’

  ‘No presentations!’ the Governor repeated in a tone that brooked no argument.

  Crispin flashed a quick worried glance at his friend. Everything they had to say was in the presentation. How could Zinnia remember it all?

  For a few precious seconds, Zinnia’s mind went blank. They had worked night and day to get the presentation perfect, to ensure that every point was covered and given due importance. They had sweated to make a slide show that would create an impact! And now they couldn’t show it? What in heavens could she do? Her heart beat fast and her throat stuck. She gulped her saliva and ran her tongue over her dry lips. Leo Leroy...what had he said...Think, think...Then she inhaled deeply and raised her head to confront the four faces gazing uncompromisingly at her.

  ‘Okay, I’ll be brief. We have two suggestions to make: One, give the lamebren their Constitutional Rights and two, allow them their right to live,’ Zinnia began on a slow note.

  Governor Tisya arched an eyebrow.

  ‘The Altklugs have their lives chalked out to the last minute. You are super-intelligent, born with inherent knowledge and lead super-fast lives. But it is exactly the opposite with the lamebren.’ With every word, Zinnia sensed an inner confidence slowly emerging within her. ‘The lamebren come from a lifestyle that is centuries old, where life-spans were bigger and hence their physical growth and mental development was slower. These two opposites—Altklugs and the lamebren—need to co-exist in your Ace-world. The biggest problem today is not the lamebren as the Altklugs believe, but it is the Altklugs’ understanding of the lamebren. Altklugs simply don’t understand how the lamebren feel, behave or even think or act. Our needs are different and basic. We lamebrains, as you call us, are harmless and we can serve the Altklug world better if we are left to lead our own lives and allowed to live longer, permitting us to die naturally. We staunchly believe that since we are different beings, the approach to our “death” should also be different.’

  Governor Tisya stared at Zinnia for a long moment with a mild interest in her eyes.

  ‘Who taught you all this? Preceptor, did you?’ She arched an eyebrow at the other Altklug.

  ‘I’ve never seen this lamebirl before, but what she’s saying makes sense to me,’ Preceptor Amadeus responded, his gaze on Zinnia.

  ‘Makes sense? Really?’ Governor Tisya scorned, her eyes like tiny slits. She turned to Zinnia. ‘What do you know about our world? Who are you to speak with such authority?’

  Zinnia paused for an infinitesimal second, before she replied. ‘I speak with such authority because I am born into your world. I live it every single minute of my life. I know about it because it’s all around me―in the bed I sleep, in the classroom, in the kitchen, on the roads, in the trees and flowers―everywhere. I know about the Altklugs because I interact with them every single day. I agree that I may not be completely well-versed with your great achievements or your discoveries yet, but I am awa
re of the intellectual gap of knowledge between us. And because of that, I know that you consider us lamebrains.’

  Beside her Crispin stood like a statue. Zinnia glanced at him briefly and his imperceptible, reassuring nod, gave her confidence.

  ‘What I am trying to say is this: Co-existence is extremely important in the world. It will bring harmony, peace and goodwill. And that can only be attained if the Altklugs show some respect to the lifestyle of the lamebrains and learn to accept us in your world. Acceptance will lead to lesser friction, better co-existence and more harmony. If you allow the lamebren to live their lives in peace and to their natural end, I promise you, this Altklug world would be a superior place for all to live.’

  ‘A superior place? Well now!’ Governor Tisya was sarcastic. ‘Let me tell you that in reality, lamebrains are of no use to us Altklugs and the sooner they are disposed off, the better. In fact, the lamebrains are a sign of imperfection in our perfect world, where there is no crime, no disease, no ill-will and never will be. Life is straight, advanced and equal.’

  ‘No crime and no ill-will?’ Zinnia repeated, her eyes flashing the first hint of anger. ‘As long as there is power, there will be inequality. As long as there are human beings, there will be crime and there will be ill-will. I don’t need to spell out my experience with a certain Altklug, but it certainly assured me that ill-will and crime are two emotions which stem out of dissatisfaction. And I have already witnessed a result of that dissatisfaction in this advanced world of Altklugs, not only in the committing of the crime, but also in the dealing of it.’

  For the first time, Governor Tisya flashed a quick uneasy glance at Commander Hertz but his gaze was fixed unblinkingly on Zinnia. Preceptor Amadeus leaned forward, curiosity now replaced with deep interest. Colonel Kripton sat motionless, his eyes on Zinnia but a flush on his face.