Capítulo 2: Chapter Two: Don't beam Me Up, Scotty
After the announcement ended, Agatha helped her mother to clean the table and dishes. She could still watch on the hologram television the names of the deceased. It was listing those that were lost on earth and the others that were buried in the new world because they'd died on the ship. She remembered seeing the simulation of what it was like on the J.U.S.A.R Vesper when she was hooked up to the M.I.N.D machine above her bed. The side effects of long term space travel will always be buried at the back of her mind but not forgotten. The thin legs and necks, frail bodies, and mutations in babies. Countless others suffered from long and limp limps do to zero gravity in space. First, it was the legs, without the proper gravity they weakened even with the exercise. The exercise routines did help with slowing down the effect on the legs. That only worked for a couple of years than babies would be born with thin legs that are thin and muscles weak. Generation after generation more parts of the body were born long and weak; These unfortunate birth defects are called, Mutations. The eco-environment system of the ship wasn't perfect since the research was rushed, it left the first humans on the ship to suffer the consequences. The handful of Generations were born with weak muscles and many would-be immobile if it weren't for lack of gravity. They finally came up with pods that had artificial gravity. The pods were long and some sort for infants. Pregnant women would spend most of their time in these to help infants to grow normally despite having mothers where mutated body limbs themselves. Then with slow and careful care, after ten genenertions the human race was back having normal bodies. The only downside, humans were in the endless sea of stars of the universe, they were awed by the beauty of galaxies but were wary because it is also deadly. The generations of successful born children on that ship died quickly. The ones that weren't born with mutations had to run the whole ship. If they didn't die while in space, they died from stress or being overworked.
Agatha decided to not continue watching. Instead, she preferred to be ignorant about the fate of the mutated ones. Instead, she decided to use her M.I.N.D machine to pursue escapism, general knowledge, and online popularity. Everything was still being built in this new plant with only three cities built so far. The structures where being built faster in her generation since robots and smart drones where more vastly intelligent than the human mind. Drones mostly carried small deliveries or packages; they were your modern delivery boy. The robots operate EVERYTHING else, electricity to being a charge of a city. In Agatha's life, there were no jobs, yes, no jobs. How did Agatha and her mother have a house at all?
if they weren't in the city?
well, Agatha's great-grandfather built it by hand as they use to on earth. In his will, he clearly stated he did not trust the robots and some conspiracy about the mutated elite rich tried to kill other passengers of J.U.S.A.R Vesper to enhance the human race to immortal machines to enslave them, to make them work for the elite forever. That the truth is that the survivors had to escape the spaceship, not leave it.
Agatha did not believe such nonsense. what would the "elite" gain from trying to cause the Extinction of humanity?
Nothing, of course, she concluded it was his age that caused delusions.
So, what did Agatha do to pass time if there were no jobs?
She spent most of her time on the M.I.N.D machine. Agatha finished her dishes and finished watching the memorial. She dried her hands on a rag hanging by the sink and turned to her mother. "Mom, I'll be in my room, unplug me if you need anything, " Her mother grimaced in response to her.
" Honey, if you only realized how unnatural that sounds. 'Unplug,' what are you, a robot?" Mother said, only half teasing.
"It could be worse, at least I unplug, some very famous virtual reality dreamers never unplug and get fed through a tube and have their body waste taken care of by robots. "Agatha reminded while walking away to her room. Mother gave a disturbed groan. Yes, Agatha could end up like that too if she had the status to be like that. Mother just didn't understand, there was no other way to communicate with others who were her age. All of her online friends were in the city. They were just like her, and they communicated through the M.I.N.D servers. Instead, she felt frustrated by the beliefs of her deceased great-grandfather and hated the house she lived in. She wanted to be part of the flock and not feel like she was missing a big part of herself. Heck, maybe if she were in the city, she would have more courage to see others in person, but the reality was she was unfashionable and fearful of what others would think. She had to cover the truth about herself as much as she possibly could.
She got to her room and took a minute to look at her nightstand. It looked good for being passed down through generations of her family, but now it looks a little worn and unfashionable. She grabbed her handheld mirror and looked into it. What first catches her interest is her eyes, thanks to her dark, red, copper hair. The color complimented her ice-blue eyes and the slightly pinkish red on her sensitive cheeks. Her cheeks added to the definition of her heart-shaped face. Agatha has a pear-shaped form to her body, with a small stomach, although it didn't bulge out, it was just a little fat that liked to sit at her stomach and hips. Agatha likes to wear plain clothes, and right now she was wearing a simple blue shirt with short sleeves and her favorite pair of nano-jeans she found about five years ago.
Nano-jeans are jeans with molecules that can change to any color or design. Normally, the molecules would wear down after two years and you are left with a nasty, grayed pants. However, Agatha takes great care of her nano-Jeans. Every year she sews two nano-patches on to her jeans. Agatha couldn't get a new pair because you had to sign up to become a digital spokesman for them. Agatha managed to get a pair before the company went big because her second-generation aunt had one stored away. She'd kept it in an airtight bag than froze it to preserve it. Agatha managed to find it in the basement of their house fifty years later. She would have kissed her aunt now if she could, but she died before she found it.
Instead of money, individuals use fame and popularity to buy things. Companies give outfits to the most popular influencers in the M.I.N.D. Everyone in the M.I.N.D competes for popularity, and the more popularity a company has the more space they could take up. The biggest company at the moment is the Amazdion company. They have forty-five percent of the M.I.N.D and counting. They had everything from online digital products to real-life luxury buildings in the city. They even have a city named after them and the only way in is if to have a high status in the M.I.N.D. Obviously, not everyone can achieve such status. You had to be intriguing, get notoriety and contend against those who seek to overcome you.
Agatha had a standard online account with less than a hundred followers, but there is a catch. One of the virtual reality dreamers, Albany noticed her because she lived streamed her place wearing the nano- jeans but with some holographic installments to replace her years of out of date bedroom.
Agatha flopped onto her bed and grabbed her plug that is attached to her M.I.N.D machine. It looked like three prongs in a straight line, each prong had small electric fibers so it could send stimuli to the brain which send your consciousness into the online world. Agatha, with no struggle, plugged it into her neck.
The M.I.N.D machine whizzed to life, it was a generation old but it still worked. She was lucky to have it, her great-cousin hid this from the rest of the family. Agatha found it underneath her bedroom floorboards years ago and the numbers to confirm M.I.N.D implants in order to use the machine. If it weren't for her past family member she would be alone in this world.
Finally, the opening warning began to play. "Please relax and close eyes, do not be alarmed when you start to have a wave sensation. Please remain calm for your safety," it was a broken but audible voice that came out. Agatha has already had her eyes closed as she waited for the ocean of sleep to carry her away.
[welcome to M.I.N.D, Agatha has been logged in]
Agatha woke up to her more desired room and stood up. The bed was larger than a twin bed. It is was a sky bed that floated a few inches off the ground and felt as if you were sleeping on a cloud, her sheets were premium thread count colored pink and white to match her pillows. Her walls displayed the sky itself with clouds moving across the walls, way better than her plain blue walls at home. Agatha imagined her nano-Jeans and a new fashion blouse she saw promoted by Amazdion. Her blouse covered her bust but stopped a few inches down her chest. The blouse was pink with a silver pattern over the top. Agatha went to one of her walls that had some space.
"I would like my nano-pants to change design" Agatha announced, seemingly to nothing. But a few moments later a mirror suddenly appeared on her wall. It was a subtle mirror that didn't pop out that much, it looked as if it was painted in. Designs that Agatha had earned through popularity appeared in the mirror, she picked mermaid jeans that had strings to tie it together on the front. Agatha picked it and right before her eyes the nano-jeans matched the mermaid jeans on the screen. Finally, with her outfit chosen, she was ready for Albany.
[Stream invite from Albany]
Just like that, the notice pops up in front of her. Agatha lets out a shaky breath, today will be a pig. part of her life. Albany wasn't a super famous reality dreamer, but she was popular compared to Agatha. Currently, Albany had a thousand more followers. Agatha accepted the invitation without a second thought and immediately got transported to a tv show set. Albany is setting on a fuzzy floating pink chair, she had a Gafi sitting on her lap. A Gafi is a type of money with a feline-like body. Its head is small with big eyes. A luxury pet, Albany had blonde hair with silver tips. It seems to glisten has it laid on her shoulders. She had the perfect hourglass figure and her face was like a goddess with glowing hazel eyes. Her tv show lots of props and new fashionable clothes on display. When she noticed Agatha, she stood up with a big smile that was so bright if you shut off the lights you could still see her teeth.
"That outfit is blazing, Agatha, way to work last week fashion trend. You just might bright it back with your cute self" Albany said with a smooth tone and a face full of excitement as if she saw a long, lost friend.
"Hello, I can't believe I am meeting the soon to be the fashion queen," Agatha said with confidence as she walked across to Albany. Then Agatha saw the floating camera drones with its red lights on showing it was broadcasting. She also noticed a screen above that showing five thousand and seven eighty-nine views. Agatha swallowed but had to mentally block it out quick so she would not trip up and get nervous.
"Oh, thank you for the compliment," Albany said with a quick handshake and a polite smile. Agatha knew Albany was used to comments like that, so she had to work harder to get her on the side. A circle had opened on the floor and another fluffy chair hovered up through it, this one is red. Agatha sat in it with a moment of hesitation.
"Let's just get to the topic right away if you don't mind," Albany says, as a matter of fact, Agatha only managed to give a stiff nod. She has watched Albany a few times in the past; Albany is quick to tear into people or kick them off if they seem to go against the show in any way.
"How did a low profile like you get your hands a real-life nano-jeans. The company NanoFibers went into the M.I.N.D online market fifty years ago, I think anyway. All their jeans went bad and they are mostly online now," Albany asked, leaning forward slightly as she did.
"Well, it wouldn't be possible for me if it wasn't for my second-generation aunt actually. She used to work for them, she knew it was only a matter of time when it came to NanoFibers went to the online market. She snagged one a few months before they fired everyone" Agatha says with a smile and a slight shrug.
"Oh, that's lucky, I may have the online pair but to have the real one, that's truly special. You know that's the only pair left in the world right? I'll have to admit that I am jealous" Albany said looking at her mermaid jeans.
Agatha politely chuckled, "yeah, I can't believe it either. It's basically historical, the last era of jobs." Agatha responded.
"Yes, I'll take this opportunity to ask you if you will be willing to give it to Amazdion. They have a museum in their city and they would love to have it as part of their collection in exchange for some more exposure on your account. They would present you in one of their servers. That is huge, I don't need to tell you that" Albany said, glancing up at the server screen.
Agatha is taken back by this, "they told you this, but they didn't contact me. Those jeans went pretty viral" Agatha said not letting her face show concern.
"They had a pretty big streaming event; didn't you watch it? " Albany asked with a lifted eyebrow.
"Oh yeah, I did watch about an hour of it. I actually got the idea to show off my pants when they were showing off newer versions of nano-pants. That they brought up the fact that these pants use to get made in the last generation" Agatha says while touching her mermaid jeans.
"Ah, that makes sense. you probably thought you didn't have the only pair. that someone out there had some too since you found some" Albany says with a nod.
"Yes, I really didn't think I had the only real one left, "Agatha says looking a little happy.
" Will you be willing to let them go for Amazdion?" Albany says.
"Of course, I just require that you and I go to the amazdion celeb year this year" Agatha decisive voice that didn't stutter once.
Albany's eyes went to big in surprise. The celeb year is full of virtue reality dreams that millions of followers to their name. Albany was a small profile compared to those people.
"That's uh very courageous of you, but um I don't think that will work," Albany says still looking baffled.
"Then no, they can't have these. I worked on these jeans to keep them working. I just won't throw them away for another item that other people have. These are the only pare in the world so I should get an experience that someone like me will only get once. That seems the right price to me " Agatha says keeping confident. Albany seems to relax but still watch Agatha like she tried to do something crazy.
"I wish you good luck with that" Albany says than stands up.
"Unfortunately, that's all the time I have for this interview. It was a great pleasure to meet you" Albany said as Agatha stood up to too. They embraced.
"Thank you for inviting me. I appreciate the interview" Agatha says quietly to Albany.
"Yes, I know. your welcome. enjoy the rollers that will come your way for your crazy stunt and from my show" Albany said in response. Then just quickly as Agatha appeared, she disconnected from the live stream and back to her room in the M.I.N.D.
[Good morning, Agatha, you are still logged in]
The notice pops up when Agatha opens her eyes. It is mandatory to let a person knows they are still logged in the system even with virtue reality dreamers.
[you have one video message from Charles Harrison]
Agatha's heart almost stopped right there in awe. Charles is the CEO of amazon. She selects the play opinion on the display in front of her. She started to listen to the note excitedly.
"Hello, Agatha, I caught highlights of your stream with Albany. I agreed with you. I didn't watch it, but it is trending. The trend went into the millions of you saying you will not just give up those jeans. I respect that, you have the only pair left in the world, it's a national treasure. I will be let you be invited to the celeb year this year. granted you are a one-hit-wonder it won't hurt to have you invited. You preserved one of the most fought over pares of jeans back in the day. I'll send you an invite and I will help you out with an outfit by sending you to the best online clothes designer Laurie Sullivan. We both don't want you to be pointed out so easily when walking in. I'll download her server number, you can appear around the afternoon. I'll see you there" Charles says than his video stops with a replay suggestion icon on it. Charles is your normal golden hair prince with a triangle face with chin and cheekbones everyone would fight each other over. He is a very powerful man that has crushed most of his rivals with his knowledge of knowing the customer. There is only a handful of competing for online companies left that are able to compete on the same level as him, for someone to like him to even know her. It sent her heart fluttering in her chest, he is even more perfect than her online AI boyfriend that is actually made to perform and look like an idle man she could possibly ever need. She knew that Charles reached out to make this call so he could contain another past treasure to his collection and she is willing to fall right into his plan. Agatha looks at the time it was eleven-fifty, close enough for her. She went to the wall again where a mirror appeared again. She picked a long sleeve shirt with that has strings in the back that shows off her back and her nano-jeans transformed into regular jeans with swirling designs that danced on the side of her legs and pockets. She had also pick a hair design that had a lot of long flowing curls that's had a little hair bow that matched her hair, her hair immediately changes to that style. Agatha despite her low following in her social account she did manage to grab a hand full of helpful last year fashion downloads by whining a war bord game. She was able to slip in because one of her followers could bring in an extra friend, some of which the players were well known in some circles and they offered downloads Agatha couldn't possibly get herself. In the end, she won by default and ended up with these downloads.
Screen ups up and she presses the sever number Charles gave her.
She Appears in what looks like a high-end woman's clothing shop; just looking at it made her feel worthless. The current online cloths appeared in front of her.
"Charles has told me about you coming in. I already know you don't have the notoriety to get my clothes. So we already made selections for you, you can only have these for a period of time than it will be earned from your system" a woman says standing up from her check out desk. Agatha blinks in stun silence. This woman is fast indeed, not even a proper greeting of any sort. Agatha knew she and Charles were business partners. Her clothes have only been one person with millions of followers or Charles himself. Although she could at least pretend to care about her.
"Oh," Agatha says her voice ruff from forcing out a reply.
The woman is the second of the most famous Japanese people out there, the first is the other woman who made the nano-jeans. Agatha gulps and decided it is a better idea to not remind this woman she is here because of her opponent's clothes.
"well come here, I can't judge your type from that far away," the woman says in a sharp but not angry tone. Oh yeah, this woman wasn't pleased in the slightest about her opponent's clothes being in the spotlight again and that she had to help. Agatha looks away slightly as she walks up to the woman.
"stop there" the woman orders and Agatha froze in place feeling uncomfortable. Something starts coming out right beneath Agatha's feet. A circular tube had enough room to swallow her inside of it.
"Stay still and please don't disconnect from the internet or you'll run the risk of your measurements being ruined," the woman warned. The circular tube began to scan her body, the scanning razor wrapped itself around her body. Her chest, waist, hips, arms, and legs.
"Bust is forty inches, waist is thirdly thirty-four, hips are fifty-five inches" a small but feminine voice sang out from the circular tube than it went back into the ground revealing a still uncomfortable Agatha.
"You have plain measurements besides the hips. We definitely want a dress that outlines your big hips. " the woman said. She paused, before making a quick hand movement, a few seconds later and Agatha did a double-take as a few dresses appeared.
"Oh umm," Agatha says looking at than pretty and dazzling dresses, it just they at a way to revealing by the hip area. One dress looks like it would barely cover her backside. She decided right then and there that she would wear any outfit besides that one.
Did she look like she knows how to walk in a fashion show?
"Okay let's see what this one looks like," the woman says as she pushes her towards the dress, she decided it was too much for her. However, before she could voice a protest, the machine interfered.
[Warning, Internet interference, disconnecting for safety]
Then everything went white, the clothing store disappearing right in front of her.
Agatha woke up into reality, in her plain bedroom with blue walls and a twin bed. She turned her head expecting her mom to be there but she wasn't. Her plug was still in, making Agatha pause in confusion.
"Agatha!" her mom screams
"Mom!" Agatha shouts frightened her heart pounding.
Agatha's mother charges in the room. Agatha rips out her plug.
"Agatha hurry, come with me, no time to talk!" Mother shouts. Agatha shot out of her bed and rushes over to her mother. They both ran down the short hallway that ended in the living room. A weird would noise filled her ears, a roaring sound that sounded like the sky itself was falling.
"Get down, quick behind the couch!" Mother screams so Agatha could hear. Her mother pushed her down and she landed on her knees behind the couch and her mom landed on top of her, shielding her in an attempt to protect her. Not long after, there was a big boom. Agatha heard the glass shudder and felt the floor beneath her shake. This lasted for a good minute before it ended.
"What the hell?" Agatha breathed out in a shaky voice.
"Just stay here, don't move, don't acknowledge what happened" Her mother whispered in a scared voice.
"Mom, what happened?" Agatha asked still underneath her mother, but her mother remained silent. Impatient to know what was going on, Agatha pleaded with her mother once again, "mom, please, tell me what is happening," She didn't know whether she should be more afraid of not knowing what it was, or knowing what it was.
"I am not sure myself, okay? I think it is a Jet spaceship" her mother answered quietly. Agatha's eyes went wide in amazement. A Jet spaceship is a one-man spaceship that can go warp speed. Most use it to race each other, which she knew because once a year there was a race around the planet, complicated with floating obstacles. One problem that didn't start a few months from now. So that had to mean that this space Jet wasn't from their planet or maybe some stole one from the guarded facilities that hold them. However, a successful heist seemed impossible because it was guarded with drones, lasers, and a handful of robots guarding them.
Agatha decided to peek over the couch.
"Agatha stay here" Mother whispers.
"I'm just looking at it" Agatha whispers back. Agatha moved out beneath her mom and peeks over the coach. The glass doors were destroyed, with only their empty frames left. Glass was everywhere, small and big pieces remained stuck in the couch they hid behind. Good thing they hid when they did otherwise, they would have been in a different situation. The edge of the wall near the empty frames was a little cracked. From where she was, she could see outside, and observed that the house's patio was covered in dirt, not an inch spared; some of the dirt got in the living room.
Agatha looks further into the yard and there is the Jet-spaceship with slim length and small build. The wings had broken off the impact, the front of the spacecraft turned black from entering the atmosphere. The Jet-spaceship they had on the plant had a whole range of colors and holographic designs. In some fly shows, they hold at night, the holographic designs would fly in the night sky and wouldn't be able to see the Jets at all, those flight shows are Agatha's favorite and she would be able to see them from a distance from her home.
This Jet-spaceship didn't even look weird. It made noises she never heard before, it sounded like a low horn with certain tones going in and out, then she heard what sounded like a human voice from the inside. Agatha stood up not sure if she heard correctly.
"Agatha, what are you doing? Young lady, you get back down here right now" Mother hisses in a sharp tone.
Agatha crouched back down behind the couch with her mother.
"I think I heard someone," Agatha worried-looking over at her mother. Her mom's eyes widen but then she shook her head.
"Agatha, most space crafts are operated by AI, no aircraft requires people anymore." Mother says.
"I know but I swear it, I hear someone, "Agatha protested, trying to get her mother to listen.
"No, buts, even if there is, it's very likely not from this planet. We are better off hiding until the planet security robots arrive." Mother tried to placate her but, Agatha only felt frustrated.
"I'll go to my room then and possibly let whoever it dies, "Agatha said harshly, clearly disagreeing with her mom. Agatha crouch walked back to her room.
"Agatha, we don't know them, don't be reckless," Mother says in a disapproving tone, irritated by her daughter's backtalk.
Agatha ignored her and returned to her room so she could sit down by her bed. A couple of minutes pass by and she still could hear the weird noise that sounds human. After five minutes she couldn't take it anymore and she grabbed her shoes, hurriedly putting them on. She shot up, still in her nano jeans and plain blue shirt and rushed out the bedroom, running past her mother who was still behind the couch.
"Agatha, no!" Mother screamed in protest.
Agatha ran towards the broken frames, the sound of broken glass crunching underneath her shoes.
"Agatha, stop!" mother shouted but it was too late Agatha was off the patio and rushing towards the crashed Jet-spaceship about a yard away.
"Agatha, please be careful, be fast and get back here within twenty seconds, young lady!' Mom screams her voice carried out from the patio.
Agatha reaches the Jet and knocked on it.
" Hello, are you are okay, please respond if you can hear me" Agatha called out looking for an entrance. After a few more moments there was still no answer. Feeling impatient she called out again. "Please respond, I can't be here long, make a noise or say something if someone is in there!" Agatha calls out again.
"Okay you checked, no one is in there, get back here now!" Her mom yelled angrily. The Jets made a weird hum and then the side that faced Agatha slid open. Four metal sheets moved away from each other and smoke hit Agatha's face.
"Agatha get away from there, right now!' Mom pleaded worried for her daughter.
Agatha peeks her head in the Jet-spaceship once the smoke cleared a little and she had no idea what her eyes are seeing. When the human eye sees something that brain doesn't know how to process information, it just looks alive. There is no person but the machinery seems to breathe and move as it had organs trying to repair the body.
"What" Agatha whispers to herself stunned than the Jet-spaceship made a weird ringing sound that filled her ears.
"Agatha, run, Agatha gets away from the spaceship!" Mom screams in a dreading tone.
Agatha got goosebumps and she immediately pulls away from the spaceship and starts to turn to make a run for it. Then a strange light hit her, and her body seemed to freeze. She felt as if her brain couldn't communicate with her body.
" No, stop!" Mom screamed, "You have my baby in your beam!" She kept running towards Agatha, stretching her arm out to try and touch her.
It is like a dream that happens while you are awake. Agatha seemed to stop feeling, the weight of her body on her feet was gone. There was no pain but her vision started to go fuzzy white. She wanted to scream but no sound would come out of her mouth. She could barely see her mom running towards her, or mother's tears as she ran desperately to get to Agatha.
She tried to look down at her body but all she could see was white light.
Did she even have a body anymore?
Was she even still alive?
Her mere existence was erased in a few seconds.
Then her vision went white, only sending through one last image of her mom falling to her knees and weeping.
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