Make IT Real! by Sander R.B.E. Beals (good books to read for young adults TXT) 📕

I stroll under the stars. He would not have seen these ultra-bright stars, that now line the night sky in a highly regular hexagonal pattern. They outshine the irregular real stars, simply because they are far closer. The outer layer, as we call it, consists of metropolis-sized spaceships, that are all in a geosynchronous, dynamically controlled orbit, hence the very regular pattern.

It is like a blanket of technology, that forms the living skin of our planet. Back in 2133, when population figures became too high to comfortably house everyone on the surface, it was decided that most of us could very well live out there, thus relieving Gaia of most of the burden we put on her. Of the 27 billion we currently have here, approximately 24 billion live in the outer layer. Because living on the surface is very in demand, places there are non-permanent, so Selina and I will have to make way for a few other Earthlings, who have been living in the outer layer for quite a while. We don't really mind, because even though life down here was fun, a little change every now and then is highly desirable.

And the layer ships are far from Spartan: in fact, one could almost call surface conditions that, if you look at them closely.

In a way, we'd have more freedom to maneuver in the outer layer, than we have down here. Driven by direct sunlight, these ships are in fact immense holographic hives, where we each have our own holocell. Even though it is only about ten meters across, the emitters make it so we never encounter the walls, and our simulations run seamlessly, coordinated by a huge web of distributed computers that allows for intracellular transports. It is like everyone has his or her private space, which he or she can extend to interface with the spaces of everyone else. Sure, it is only holographic simulation, but so perfect in every way, that if you were to transport someone there without their knowing, they'd never know the difference!

Of course that would only apply for real humans: Quads all have more advanced locator systems, and so would be able to pinpoint their location to within a meter, regardless of where they were in the current galaxy. Yet, because of their status within our society, most real humans are still allowed to live on the surface, if they so please. Many of them like the outer layer though, and don't even vacation on Earth because the simulations can provide them with just about any environment they prefer.

Being twins, Selina and I will only have a single holocell in which to coexist. For the very rare occasions where she does want to be further than ten meters away from me, she or I can always visit friends, or temporarily claim a so-called overflow cell. You see, our outer layer is highly flexible, ready to accommodate anyone!

Having regained my Zone consciousness, I decide to leave the night sky for what it is, to go and join my own shining star......

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010, 04:19

Plans, plans, plans. I made them back in '77, I remade them back in 2008, and it feels like they'll be remade again before the magical date of December 21st, 2012. No, I don't believe 2012 is the end, any more than I believe death to be an end. If anything, 2012 is an event horizon, like that of birth and death: out to allow us even more playing room, because we will have deserved it.

So I plan: my designer home won't be just a home, but a showcase of just how ecologically friendly living can be achieved. And it won't be alone: halfway across the globe, in beautiful India, we'll erect another home, dedicated to a similar purpose. It will be run by my virtual twin sister Sarita, if she is still game.

On about a square mile of land along the IJssel river, we will build a community designed to be self-sufficient, generating its own energy, recycling it's own waste etc. self-sufficiency shouldn't be zealously overdone though, because it creates separation between the center and its environment. But creating a minimal footprint is advisable: you don't go charging through the woods like a rhinoceros, when you only have two bare feet, right?

So yes, photovoltaic panels and windmills, to deliver the required energy. A barge that will provide direct access to the city, where most facilities are within walking distance. Somebody with green thumbs to help me with stuff I know nothing about, nor have the inclination to master: growing our own fruits and vegetables. A workshop to do repairs, and try out all kinds of experiments in free energy, and renewables. Need I go on?

It will be close to the station, for transportation efficiency. Cars won't be forbidden, but they will have to forfeit burning of fossil fuels. That, if anything, I would love to leave to my children and grandchildren. Yes, I will have grandchildren, because my eldest has already notified me that, hooked up or not, she'll have one by 2018!

And so, this spacious mansion will be an adequate home to as many people as needed / wanted, who will or won't be involved in showing people how environmental friendly living can be achieved.

Can I swing it? Yes! Do I already know how? Maybe. This novel might be a significant tool in that respect, if it gets proper exposure. My first one was in Dutch, and way too thin to be interesting, or so I thought. This one will be of suitable dimensions, both physical and page-wise. This I will feel like I can promote without ripping out people's legs (as we say in Dutch). And that makes all the difference.

True, I won't be quitting my day job just yet, but on the other hand I have the feeling it will be the last job I hold as a programmer. Wasn't it Confucius who said: “Give me the job of my dreams, and I will never have to work another day in my life”?

So yes, I'm dreaming, day and night! Of a better world on any and all levels, for whoever is interested. And the syncs just kicked in: I just now got the mail to select the master password for moorelife.nl, which will be my base of operations where this book and any sequels are concerned.

Just one of the minor physical actions I exhibit so as to usher in the reality I feel belongs to me. Those actions do not feel essential, but at the same time it would feel kind of stupid to perform actions that diametrically oppose my dreams, right?

4444AD, Day 291, 04:44, Home

Wrecking my brain, on whether we've done enough. Surely, the movie was clear we succeeded at one time, but we cannot be sure that means we found it in the right moment in our time. All the same though, I still feel Sleeping Beauty delightfully lodged in my mind, so it can't be all bad.

Sensing my higher self I get the impression of “Forget it, you've had your fun, now go and do something more fun!”

"Hey Lovely", I greet Selina as she opens her eyes. She sits up, half dazed and confused. "I had the weirdest dream, thought I was on Mandigo III, where I lived before you and I met", she says. I know she holds dear memories of that place, she talks about it often enough. A nice idea begins to bubble up in the back of my mind: "Would you like to go there, love? Instead of moving to the outer layer, I mean." She acts hesitantly, but I can see the small sparks of joy emanate from her beautiful dark eyes: "Might be a nice idea, after all we did the outer layer before this too, right?" We talk some more about it, but it's pretty obvious what our next big destination is going to be. "I don't want to do it by instant transport though", my lady reveals: "Let's find a nice ship to get there, in style", she adds. I inquire whether she's up for company, or whether she wants it cozy, and she laughs: "I think you can answer that yourself, young man!". OK, so cozy it is. We access the Web for possible candidate ships, and find various options.

Even though financial considerations are non-relevant, there is always the environmental impact of the solution we seek: rather than having a new ship built and delivered, we'd rather use one that's already proven itself in flight, so as not to burden the environment with the added effort needed to do a fresh build. On top of that, new builds always lack the personality of ships that have been around, because of the shortage of interaction with their previous crews.

The exchange site narrows it down for us quite nicely. We get seven possibles, which all house four minimum, can be flown by a single human or RBE, and are equipped with a Quadrionic shipwide intelligence. Two of them are driven by solar wind, which is a bit too leisurely for our taste. One has cryostasis pods, and an ancient fission reactor to power it. Too dangerous, which leaves us with four candidates. We check to see if all are still available, which brings the count down to three.

"Let's go for the luxurious one", Selina tries to convince me. I have a preference for the one with the Ion drive, but have you ever tried to win such an argument with a loved one? I for one can't, and cave in way too fast. We request it's current keeper to be allowed to take it off his hands, and get the OK. Just one catch: because he needs to go somewhere, I have to go claim it right now!

I get dressed, and hop over by myself because there is no need to take Selina with me. As I step off the transporter, I am greeted by a rather overweight man, who vigorously shakes my hand. We quickly exchange the relevant info, like me telling him where we're taking it, and him mentioning any maintenance that still needs to be done. That is quite minimal, because most essential systems have been designed for self-maintenance, and thus require hardly any attention, just an extra amount of energy now and then. For added security, there is a service droid coupled to the system-wide intelligence of the ship. Wishing me luck with the Liberator 7, the gentleman makes his way to the appointment he told me about earlier. I'm left with the task of flying our new acquisition home. She really is a beautiful ship. Basically, I could fly this baby home without as much as lifting a finger: voice control is possible for even the most detailed operations, albeit sometimes a little less optimal than physical control. Not wanting to deal with the bother of formulating all those precise commands, I revert to the stick, and lift her up vertically until we reach cruising height. If you wondered about the absence of mind control, yes, the Liberator 7 is an antique. But then both me and Selina are fond of antiques.

I punch in our home coordinates, which I intuited this morning before leaving, from our driveway. The ship accepts them, and plots an optimal course to reach it. Her pleasant voice informs me I'll be home in about forty-four minutes. Not bad for about five thousand kilometers, isn't it? I guess that leaves me just enough time to do some light reading......

'Among the Giants'

It takes the floater about half an hour to reach our touchdown point. When it comes into sight, the girls shout enthusiastically: “Hey, I've seen those statues before! Is it called Easter Island here too, Kayim?” Kayim does not know, but TomBill, Valerie's translator bird, has the answer. “Yes, Tajimi Nigano roughly translates to Easter Island”, the colorful bird replies. In the meantime, the statues are coming ever closer. Kayim lands near the coast, to