The Train - Installment 3
None of the images Bob had conjured up in his mind had prepared him for the strange sights he had encountered as they made their way to the dining car. Most of the carriages they traversed had been filled with compartments containing bench seats facing one another. On those seats had appeared an impressive array of creatures: some humanoid, some not. Now, sitting at a table in the restaurant car. Bob was surrounded by more exotic beings. It was difficult not to stare, to try to figure out which functions various odd-looking body parts might carry out.
"What would you like to eat?" Teetok queried as a menu materialized in the air in front of Bob.
Bob poked at the image floating before him, watching his finger pass through it. He had seen holographic projections in the past, but this one was incredibly sharp.
"I can't read this at all," he responded.
"We'll have to get you a better mnibit," Teetok stated, pointing to the circlet on Bob's head. "I just grabbed one of the free ones provided by the train. It only interprets language, it doesn't translate them."
"Why don't you order for me?" Bob asked. "That will make things easier."
Teetok nodded in assent, studied the menu for a bit and then dismissed it.
"Heads up," he whispered to Bob. "Here comes the conductor."
Bob watched as an imposing biped walked up to the table. The conductor was much taller and broader than Bob with short-cropped hair under his regulation cap. His face was similar to a human's, but longer with a wide mouth. Sharp teeth showed when he stopped in front of Bob and spoke.
"I need payment for your passage, Sir."
"What happens if I don't have any money?" Bob questioned.
"You will be placed in the detaining cell until we reach the next station, where we will hold you until you can pay what you owe."
Teetok whispered to Bob, "Do you have anything valuable? They accept items for barter."
Bob looked down at his hands. There, on his finger was an opal ring he had purchased on his arrival to Australia. It hadn't cost him a lot of money, but it was all he had. Twisting it off, he held it up to the conductor.
"How about this?" he asked.
Taking the ring, the conductor eyed it carefully.
"That will do," he affirmed. "I will return with your token."
As the conductor retreated, an upright metal cylinder on wheels appeared holding two plates on mechanical arms. The robot waiter deposited the plates in front of Teetok and Bob and then rolled out of sight.
Bob tentatively tasted the mixture on his plate. It was different, but pretty good. He and Teetok began to eat, peppering the meal with conversation.
As they were finishing, the conductor returned to the table and presented Bob with a small rectangular token. One side of the shiny metallic surface held an engraved image of a train, the other side had a small screen with indecipherable characters displayed.
"I've never seen a token like that before," Teetok claimed.
Bob held it out for him to examine.
"What's the screen on the back?" Bob asked.
"The token acts as a virtual wallet for train credits. The screen shows your balance with the railroad."
Turning the token over, Teetok looked at the balance.
"Wow, that must have been an expensive ring."
Bob shrugged as Teetok handed the token back. "I didn't think so," he said.
"You've got plenty of credits, if you would like to buy a better mnibit," Teetok suggested. "We'll be at the next station in a few hours."
"I think I would rather find a way home," Bob responded.
"Let's check the schedule."
Another hologram filled with cryptic characters appeared in front of Teetok.
"How did you do that?" questioned Bob.
"My mnibit. I told it to display the schedule for both of us."
"But you didn't do anything."
"It's controlled by thoughts. Like I said, the one you have doesn't do much beside interpret," Teetok explained as he studied the train schedule in front of him.
After a quick perusal, Teetok announced that the next train back to the earth station would arrive in two weeks time.
"You can wait at the next station for the train that will take you home. In the meantime, let's go look in the store."
Teetok led the way out of the dining car. Passing through the gangway, the two found themselves in a carriage filled with shelves and racks covered in merchandise. With Teetok's help, Bob picked out a new mnibit and some more comfortable clothing, paying the proprietor of the establishment with his token. They returned to the dining car and continued past several others until they reached the coach containing Teetok's compartment. There, Teetok instructed Bob in the basic use of his new acquisition.
"First, you need to give your mnibit a name," Teetok told Bob.
"A name?" Bob queried.
"Yes, that's the first step in establishing a connection."
"Ok," replied Bob, "I'll call it Jimmy"
"No, no," Teetok laughed. "When you put it on for the first time, it will ask for its name. The first name you think of will be the name it takes as its own."
Bob looked at the circlet in his hand. A dull metallic black in color, it was a bit wider than the one he was wearing. Removing the first circlet, Bob replaced it with the new one.
In his mind, he heard a pleasant female voice say, "Hello, what's my name?"
"Sounds like Ally," Bob thought, remembering a neighbor from his childhood.
"Ok, Ally it is," replied the voice in his head. "What's your name?"
"Bob's my name."
"Ok, Boss it is. In the future, please address me by the name, Ally, when you want to get my attenction. In the same way, I will address you by the name, Boss."
"It's Bob"
Teetok looked at Bob, "Is it working?"
"I can still understand you," Bob answered. "But it wants to call me Boss."
"Sometimes it takes a little while for things to sync up. Ask it a question."
"Ally," Bob spoke, "where am I?"
Teetok laughed, "Just think the question, you don't have to say it out loud."
In his mind, Bob heard Ally's response, "You are on a train between the Earthian and Sollis stations."
"It knows I'm on a train and says we are headed for the Sollis station," Bob marveled.
Satisfied that Bob's mnibit was working, Teetok announced, "I'm going back to the freight car to finish my meditation. You can stay here if you like. I've got the compartment to myself."
Bob nodded and Teetok stepped out.
"Ally," Bob thought. "What is Teetok?"
"Teetok is a Gridet," Ally replied.
"Ally, what is a Gridet?"
"Gridets are inhabitants of the planet Grid. A peaceful race, they value meditation and the acquisition of knowledge."
Copyright (C) 2017, Winslow Williams. All rights reserved.