by Paul Ormond
“Let’s see another one,” Robert said. Behind him, appeared a pair of glasses. “We all remember these things: Glasses that allow you to interact with the internet using your eyes. Billions of dollars got pumped into this tech but nobody wanted to wear them. They said it would change everything, but the tech geeks didn’t realize that they have no fashion sense. Again this technology died, not because it didn’t work, but because it wasn’t cool,” Robert said and the crowd laughed.
“What have we learned from all of this? People don’t want to look stupid. Even if it’s good tech, nobody wants to be bothered with something that isn’t cool,” Robert said. “Even though we in the tech biz think that something is cool, it doesn’t mean that people will think that it’s cool. This is a big problem for us. How do we allow people to use our amazing technology and keep buying our products if they don’t think that it’s cool? What did I say earlier? Adapt or die.” The crowd jumped to their feet again and cheered loudly.
Robert basked in the glory of the applause for a moment before returning to his speech, which appeared on two clear screens beside him. “What we have learned is that people like to touch things and use their hands, but they don’t want these things to make them stand out or look foolish. How do we create technology that integrates into people’s lives yet doesn’t burden them with more devices? Well, it just so happens that we have been working on something that will blow your minds,” Robert said as he reached into his pocket. The crowd hushed in anticipation.
“Ladies and gentleman, I give to you MindHIve’s greatest achievement. A product so innovative, you will not know how you lived without it,” Robert stated boldly. The crowd was on the edge of their seats. This was the moment they had all gathered here for. Robert pulled out an ordinary looking smart phone out of his pocket and held it up in front of him. Everybody sat back in their chairs, unimpressed. There was nothing special about a smart phone.
“Ah, you’re not impressed are you? Well, why should you be? This is only the Hive 5, our latest smart phone. Why would that impress you? Our devices have been the pinnacle of our success and they have driven our stock prices through the roof making all of our shareholders very rich. What is impressive about that?” Robert chuckled and the crowd laughed and agreed with him.
“People, this little phone is no ordinary device. Along with the greatest operating system on the planet and the fastest internet access one could ask for lies the most impressive advancement in our modern lives,” Robert stated. The crowd had once again come forward intrigued, yet not convinced. Robert placed the phone back in his pocket and stood silent for a moment. Nobody blinked. He reached out with his right hand as if he was going to shake somebody’s hand and held it there for a moment. He turned his hand palm down and made a fist. Suddenly all around him appeared an opaque sphere. The crowd gasped. He reached out and with his finger and drew a circle. An access panel appeared in front of him and he made a photo gesture with his finger. The clicking sound of a photo being taken echoed through the room. He reached out and made a grabbing gesture with his hand and then he seemed to place something in a slot. A whoosh sound was heard and then, on the screen behind him appeared a MindHIve page. On that page was a selfie of Robert standing on the stage.
“People, what you are seeing is the first selfie taken with MindHIve’s very own technology, which we call the inReal,” Robert boomed out to the crowd. Everybody jumped to their feet and cheered wildly. “This is the very first wearable tech that you don’t have to wear,” Robert continued. He reached out again with his hand and made a fist. The sphere around him disappeared. The crowd gasped in astonishment and then everybody rose to their feet and applauded. Robert bowed once more and then held out his fist and opened it. The sphere appeared around him again.
“With this technology, anything and everything you want to access, you can access. Maps, health stats, music, social media - it’s all here and it’s all inReal,” Robert boomed to the crowd. He began to demonstrate the functions available with inReal in front of the crowd. He made music play and he wrote emails. He edited photos. He found directions. He created a greeting card and he made a blog entry. The crowd was in a fervor.
“Now, you may be wondering when this new technology will be made available to the public. While we are still in beta testing, we will have full prototypes that we will be demonstrating and applying to inReal situations at this year’s MindHIve tech convention coming up this summer. As most of you know, only the most elite, emerging talent around the world is invited to our annual convention, but this year, I believe, is going to be something special. Each attendant will be able to use our inReal technology while they participate in the convention and awards and prizes will be granted to those who best apply the inReal technology to their work,” Robert stated. The crowd applauded madly.
“People, we have great work yet to do. I look forward to seeing all of you at the tech convention next month. Now let’s go out and make history,” he said and bowed in front of the crowd. Everybody rose to their feet again and applauded wildly. Robert stepped off the stage and began shaking hands with those in the audience. He made his way up the aisle, shaking hands all the way. As he reached the exit of the auditorium, two security guards opened the door. Allan awaited Robert on the other side. He held a clipboard and he looked anxious. Robert made his way to the exit and stood between the two security guards. He waved to the crowd once more and then he turned and walked away. The two security guards closed the door behind him. The crowd could be heard buzzing beyond the door.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“You killed it in there, sir,” Allan said while trying to keep up with Robert as he strode down the hall.
“I know,” Robert said.
He walked to the elevator entrance and waited for Allan to push the button. Robert stood motionless and stared forward at the unopened doors. He had killed it in there. He always did. Robert knew how to play the role and he played it well. The elevator doors opened and the pair stepped in. Allan made sure that he kept just behind Robert and a little to his right, as he had been instructed on several occasions.
Robert glanced to his right and noticed Allan’s clip board. “Are the prototypes ready for inspection?” he asked Allan.
“Not quite, sir. The engineers are still adjusting some settings,” Allan responded.
“Those eggheads never stop tinkering. Don’t they know that too much stirring will ruin the broth?” Robert said. “I may just have to pay them a visit.”
“I’ll let them know that you plan on stopping by,” Allan said as he reached for his phone.
“Don’t inform them. A little surprise will keep them on their toes,” Roberts said. “But I’ll deal with them later. I have a call to make.”
“I don’t see it on the schedule,” Allan said.
“It’s not on the schedule,” Robert said.
“Oh, I see,” said Allan.
“Yes, you should,” Robert said. “Remember that your job is all about discretion. Let’s not forget the non-disclosure agreement you signed before taking this job.”
“Yes sir. I understand,” Allan said and gulped.
The elevator had reached the top floor. The doors opened to show a single hallway that lead to a desk situated to the left of a large oak double door with gold trim. A secretary sat at the desk and she rose to her feet as she saw Robert and Allan get off the elevator.
“Good morning, Mr. Chapman. Your speech was wonderful, and your face is all over the news at the moment. Everyone is talking about inReal and the tech convention,” the secretary said.
“Good morning to you too, Melanie. Of course they are talking about me. What else could they possibly be talking about?” Robert said. “I’m going into my office now and I do not want to be disturbed for any reason. If a nuke is about to go off, or if terrorists are attacking, it doesn’t matter. Don’t even think about buzzing in. Allan, go sit on the couch. If I need you, I’ll let you know,” Robert ordered his underlin
g. Allan made his way to a long leather couch adjacent to the door.
“Allan, open the door,” Robert demanded.
“But you said to sit on the couch?” Allan asked.
“Open the door and then sit on the couch. Do I have to tell you everything?” Robert snapped.
“Yes sir.” Allan jumped up and pressed a button on the wall. The gold trimmed doors slowly opened, revealing an office that stood in stark contrast to the modern facilities at the MindHIve headquarters. Before a large arched window sat an enormous oak desk. Rays of sunshine streamed in through the window and cut across the office. The walls were wood paneled with gold trim and several immense bookshelves had been filled with classic literature. Robert never read anything, but he wanted to appear smart so he had the office filled with the smartest books his assistants could find. An immense red rug lined the way up to the desk.
Robert stepped into the office and turned to look out at his minions through the open doors. “One more time, just to be clear. Nobody disturb me. Nobody. If anybody comes in this office, I’ll have you executed in front of your friends and family,” Robert said as he walked away. “Close the door, Allan.”
Allan quickly reached for the button and the doors closed soundlessly. An audible hush was heard as the doors clicked shut. The office was instantly shrouded in silence, a vast womb against the clamor of the outside world. Robert walked purposefully to the enormous oak desk. Behind the desk was an elegant, leather, wingback chair. It was as exquisite as it was comfortable. It had been handmade by Estonian monks who were famed for their ability to produce the softest goat leather known to man. He sat down for a moment and let out a deep exhale. He was motionless for several seconds and then he stood up and made his way around the enormous oak desk. He walked to the center of the large red carpet that lay before the oak desk and got on his knees. He took out the smartphone that he had used during the presentation and placed it on the carpet. For a few moments, he hardly seemed to move. Then suddenly, he brought his hands together in prayer form and raised his arms over his head. Instantly, a light emitted from the smartphone and a large orange orb appeared in the room. The lights dimmed and the orb began to swirl. Robert, still on his knees, bowed low and placed his hands flat on the ground. He waited silently in this position for a moment until a fluttering specter appeared within the orb. Without warning, a giant face became visible inside the sphere. The face was humanoid but it had large red eyes and bumpy metallic ridges along its forehead and the bridge of its nose. The face looked around snake-like to assess its surroundings. Its eyes slowly settled on Robert.
“Rise, my loyal servant,” the voice commanded.
“As you wish, my master” Robert said respectfully. “I am once again humbled by your presence, Grand Commander Holrathu. Glory to our Supreme Masters,” Robert said, while bowing low before the giant head within the sphere.
“My dear, sweet Robert. Your devotion to the Masters makes our Emperor smile. It is this dedication that you, and others like you, display for our supreme leader that allow our reign to flourish. You, lovely Robert, serve our purpose well and in time you will be rewarded for your enduring efforts. I presume that our agreed upon schedule is being fulfilled?” the voice inquired.
“We have had some trouble, but we are persevering,” Robert said. “We don’t want any errors to interfere with the process.”
“Very well, precise execution is necessary to ensure the success of our conquest. We can’t have any of our subjects slipping under the net,” Commander Holrathu said. “As you well know, the masters have been watching this planet for a very long time. We have kept our presence here a secret with good reason. The masters do not wish to interfere with any planets development without just cause. Your species, as you are aware, has gotten out of hand so to speak. This is why we have chosen to intervene. When we first revealed ourselves to your species, so long ago, we chose to contact only the most elite clans among your kind. Dominance is so important when trying to control a population, and it has always been our policy to only deal with the upper levels of any civilization so as to not upset the established hierarchy. Your family has been at the pinnacle of your civilizations development for a great many years. Your grandfather and father have both served our cause well. You, Robert, have followed the example your forefathers have made and your commitment to our plan for this planet has been recognized by the Master’s council. This devotion will not go unnoticed by the Emperor. Those that have served us well will be rewarded. We have placed great faith in you, Robert. Our plan must be carried out with the greatest care and devotion.”
“Yes, my master. The day I learned about my families involvement in the masters plan was the day that my world changed forever. My grandfather was a brilliant man, but he knew his place in the world. When he told me about the Masters I knew that I needed to listen. I will never forget the first time that I attended a contact ceremony. I was taken to a secret room at my grandfathers club. I was only a boy but my father told me that I needed to know the truth about my family. The ceremony was conducted with many of my father’s and grandfather’s friends present. There was chanting and singing and then they brought out a strange apparatus. When the massive sphere appeared I thought I would wet my pants, but your face appeared and I felt no fear. I knew then that I would serve the masters with all my heart and fulfill my families destiny,” Robert said as he stood up in front of the face of Commander Holrathu. “The people will willingly take their yokes and place them around their necks when the time is right. Our marketing department has taken care of that. My announcement this morning was brilliantly delivered. The people are frothing at the mouth to get their hands on the device. It will take some time to dispense, however. Our trouble has been in securing enough material for production, but once we have distributed a sufficient volume of units, the transfer should prove seamless.”
“I see you are applying foresight. This is an ability that is in short supply among your species, hence your current troubles, but we will assist you as best we can. This project is of the utmost importance to his Majesty, the Supreme Emperor, and Her Royal Majesty, the Empress. Anything but complete success will not be tolerated,” the metallic head hissed. “Do you still recall the terms of our arrangement? I wouldn’t want you to suffer any consequences. His Royal Highness, as you know, is severe in his punishments.”
Robert gulped and nodded obediently. “Of course my master, have I ever failed you? My family has humbly served at the behest of the Supreme Rulers for generations. We owe all of our success to the Emperor and we wouldn’t dream of disappointing him. The complete symbiosis of our earthly domain with the realm of the Divine Masters is in the best interest of my family and our species,” Robert said.
“We are here to take care of this planet and your species. Your shortcomings are what have put this world in peril. We are here to put everything back in its rightful place. As you know, this particular planet and its capacity for life is an incredibly rare and important domain and we are not going to let you backwards humans devastate it with your barbaric ways. You need us now and we will provide you with the guidance you require. In time, the human species will appreciate all that we have done for them. Unfortunately, we’ll have to be a little rough in the beginning. All beasts of burden fight the reigns at first, but over time they come to accept their circumstances and begin to thrive. The same fate awaits your species, and it will soon be proven that this course is the correct course,” Commander Holrathu hissed.
“We are honored and grateful for the assistance of the Grand Masters. Your wisdom and knowledge are beyond compare. We lowly humans owe everything to our divine rulers. Your technology has brought our species out of the darkness and into the light, but we, like silly children, have wasted our gift and we are in great danger. Now, more than ever, we require the protection and guidance of the Grand Masters,” Robert said while bowing his head.
“You are as astute as you are obedient, my loyal subject. When will
you begin testing your devices on the population? We are anxious to see if you have been able to fully immerse our technology within the confines of this particular extent,” The head asked.
“We have plans to begin implementing the devices at our annual technology gathering. Everything should be ready at that time. After we have successfully tested the devices on a live, uncontrolled population, we will begin disseminating the devices globally,” Robert said confidently.
“You seem convinced that you have the technology under control. Do you think you will be able to secure the domain?” the head asked.
“Some, I’m sure, will resist. But, as has been discussed, our goal is to control a fraction of the population and dissolve of the rest. Those that are able to acquire the device within the window will be spared and all others will be disposed of. It is possible that we will meet resistance but any insurrections will be dealt with,” Roberts said grandly before the floating metallic head.
“Yes, I’m sure we shall meet some resistance. Although the Masters possess the technology to eradicate any individuals that stand in the way of our divine purpose, we prefer to remain out of sight. Our Great and Glorious Emperor only allows the most pious of his servants within his empire to be granted access to his weaponized devices. Robert, I am pleased to inform you that the Emperor has selected you to be a recipient of His Royal Majesty’s ‘Ray of Divine Light’,” the giant head said gloriously.
Robert fell to his knees and bowed to the ground. “I am not worthy of the Emperor’s most blessed gift,” he said with his face buried in the red carpet.
