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

“OK, you are dismissed, I'll take the first leg of our trip”, Selina commands. Seems like she even dressed the part, because her attire is definitely uniform-like in appearance. I try to argue, but mistress Selina is beyond arguing. Being insistent enough though, I succeed in acquiring at least one very memorable kiss from her, before relinquishing command.

On my way aft, I pass by the displacement generators, and check them for correct operation. No problems there, and the other on board systems also report no anomalies. Seems like I'm in for a very uneventful rest period, which I can't very well fill entirely with running. But a nice run never hurt anyone, so I do my regular fifteen minutes, and set a personal distance record. Seven point seven kilometers, which is quite nice if I say so myself.

A first try of the sonic shower in our state room, which leaves me extremely refreshed, and ready for anything. Not much to expect though, with my better half thoroughly engaged in running the ship. Not that the autopilot will leave her with much to do, but her orders were clear: I should entertain myself for the next few hours. So what else can I do? I stow away all the stuff we transported aboard, so it no longer takes up all the space on our transporter pad. Last to go is the stuff from my study, which reminds me of my novel which I still haven't finished reading....

'To Telos, and beyond...'

Next morning, after another very agreeable breakfast, we return to the harbor where the rowers are already waiting for us again. They compliment Valerie on her star performance yesterday, and help her up on the big raft. As soon as the rest of us are also seated, we push off and start to traverse the planes of Manabi, through the large, green leafed water plants.

Pretty soon, we're back on solid land, and walk the remaining two miles towards the floater. Since there is plenty to talk about, even that does not take long...

“Next stop is Telos”, Kayim says as he looks at his notes. The floater takes about thirty-three minutes to get there, but can't take us to the Inner City.

It seems to be built around some sort of lake, with an island in its center. On the Island, the buildings rise to form a citadel, with a highly ancient feel to it: lots of domes, supported by columns all around, like in the days of the Greek civilization. The island is connected to the surrounding suburbia by long bridges, in the style of the Roman aquaducts. But there is something odd about this picture. It takes me a while, but Jane is faster: “See that, Dad? They've built below the water surface as well” And she is right: surrounding the island, there are submerged areas in the water that are surrounded with walls. Inside, below the surface, more domes and arches can be seen. It makes me wonder just how deep Telos really goes on underground. Kayim picks up on that question, and volunteers an informed answer: “Mostly around seven levels, sometimes extending to twelve.”

As we get out of the floater, and walk into town, I can't help but think back to my experiments, some years back. For weeks on end I'd sit behind the PC drawing, playing with spheres. And here it looked like some sculptor had been unraveling my brain back then: As we cross a long bridge, the pillars of the railing on either side show spheres exactly corresponding with what I had been drawing back then: a single sphere on the first one, then two rotating spheres on the second one, then three on the third one. In fact, I fully realized why the fourth one had one on top of the other three: it is the triangular configuration that is the first that provides a stable base for a fourth sphere. How on Earth could my mind have arrived at that very same sequence? I know how it continues, so keep looking on in amazement as the next one shows four spheres topped by a fifth one, then five spheres topped by a sixth one. I know that the center sphere will sink ever lower into the ring, until it will eventually drop all the way in when the ring consists of six equal-size spheres. And it does: the last column shows the ring standing on its side, with the seventh sphere inside of it. Yep, seven must be a special number, because those seven spheres fit snugly into a new larger sphere. Of course there will be room in the front and in the back for two times three more spheres, making a total of thirteen.

Thinking back to the Guide, I figured out that 42=2x3x7, which obviously had something to do with it. Too bad I can't return to the serenity of home, to sit down and figure it all out. But then again, this vacation trip is also by no means boring....

'Visiting a friend.....'

"Morning Dad!!" my two cheerful young ladies yell at me when I look up from my diary. I greet them, and inquire about the plans for today. "Shopping!!" is their simultaneous reply. I look somewhat puzzled, because there are no shops down here. Valerie, perceptive as ever, quickly adorns their initial outcry with the much needed explanation: "Telos is right underneath Delhi, India. Surely we'll be able to find some nice shoes there?" My heart jumps: if it's that close, and I don't really like shopping anyway....

"You do that ladies, but if Delhi is up there, I'm going to visit a friend." I briefly explain that one of my many web friends lives there. We've been exchanging E-mails, but since the three of us were doing Egypt this year, I hadn't planned on seeing Sarita Singh live until well in the next year. How fortunate that this would happen now....

A quick conversation with our hosts guides us to the transporter that will get us topside. But the advice doesn't stop there: a suitable attire is issued, as well as copious amounts of the local currency. The ladies will have one heavenly time, their first shopping spree since before we left for Egypt. And I'm sure my stay up there will be equally intriguing...

We stroll through the Telos archways and alleys, to arrive at the connections building. From there, access can be provided to as many as forty-five locations across the outer globe. The one we are interested in is a dilapidated building in the older part of Delhi. We'll have to be careful when exiting the building, because it is weird for people to be coming from buildings that serve no purpose anymore...

I implore my two siblings to be back here in six hours tops, and they trot off, carelessly chattering amongst themselves. I make my way towards the nearest road that has significant traffic, and hail a cab. I'll just surprise Sarita, she'll be absolutely flabbergasted. Gina did not come, she was far more interested in the fair city of Telos, and even though we had a tour when we arrived there, she felt there was far more to learn there. Probably true, but I really don't mind that she didn't come. I walk up to the front door, and ring the bell.

After the surprise wears off, my friend invites me in. As I caught her at an early time, her bath robe will need replacing by normal clothes. She dives into the bedroom, while I scout around the living room. The nearby PC indicates that Sarita was probably reading my latest adventures on my site. Since the story also mentions me, I can see now how she was surprised to see me. Inner and Outer Earth are connected by far more portals and elevators than most people (on the outside) realize. "Can I make us some tea?" the lady inquires. "Sure, I'd love some", I reply. As Sarita makes the tea, she tries to ask me everything that my stories on the site haven't revealed. I answer question after question, and enjoy the tea as my friend asks the next one. We sit in her garden, basking in the already hot morning sun. Being used to the moderate climate of the Netherlands, I'm somewhat fearful of what the high noon will bring in terms of temperature. "We'll be back inside long before that.", Sarita replies. But for now, the rays of our good old sun do me the world of good. We have much to discuss, and time flies when you're having fun.

Another theme to discuss between us, is the creation of a couple of centers for living in a self-sustaining way, to help people who want to lessen their dependency on the world around them, by expending a little more thought and feeling to how they live their lives. We have no idea yet how to create these twin centers in the Netherlands and India, but like me, my twin sister Sarita has no doubts we'll make it real eventually.

We spend endless hours detailing all the aspects of it, from the windmills and the photovoltaic panels, right down to the recycling center near the kitchen to separate waste before it enters the collection stream. I explain to her the principle of the omnidirectional wind mill which I thought up in highschool, which would be great for the many buildings with flat roofs, that can be found both here and in the Netherlands.

While we talk, I help her out with one of my talents, and completely overhaul her PC. I have this setup that can be entirely downloaded from the Web, is all public domain, except for the Windows that Sarita wishes to retain. But she has the original disks for that, so no problem.

Before I know it, my watch reminds me the six hours is up. Almost too late, I hurry back to my rendezvous with the girls. We arrive inside just in time.....

Thursday, April 1st, 2010, 05:51

Let's hope I come through this day unscathed. Having two teenage daughters, I've had my share of bad jokes in the past: tooth paste under door handles, stuff like that. But my kids are growing up too, so there's still hope.

I kind of envy future Sander: not only does he already have the good fortune to have found his One, but he also gets to take her into deep space! But then again I shouldn't have to worry, for I made him do it all, thus treating my mind to the very same awesome trip.

Or did I? Was it me dictating him and Selina their trip, or them tweaking away at perfecting mine? Either way, the story is not yet over, and stuff is supposed to happen still. Just hoping though, that it isn't all a great big cosmical April Fools joke played on all of us by that One consciousness that encompasses it all....

Could it be that it is both at the same time, perfectly stitched together with an infinity of other scenarios, both realistic and far out? Either way, I'm going to enjoy it, whatever comes of it. As the quote on one of the first pages of this novel says, there is a microscopically thin line between brilliant creativity and being the biggest fool on the planet, and I with my size twelves couldn't possible walk that line anyway, so I may as well not try: I'll just be both at the same time! The incredibly creative fool, falling for just about anything and anyone.

Anyway, let's get back to our happy couple and their deep space trip......

4444AD, Day 296, 18:19, Liberator

“Anything I can get you? I'm in for a snack.” Selina gets up and makes her way towards the replicator. “I'm not that hungry, could