- Good evening.
- ...
- Good evening!!
The red-haired... creature sitting opposite me was looking dreamily out the window, completely ignoring a valuable client. Finally, something clicked in her brain (or maybe I just imagined it), the lady turned, looked into the eyepiece, gave a confused 'oh,' and turned on the translator. - Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't notice you right away. You see, I don't work here...
We understand. You're just looking out the window here. - I mean, I don't work at all. It's nice to get an allowance just for being a Highly Intelligent person of the 8th degree. I'm just passing through from Melbourne to Brussels, with a layover in Nizhnevartovsk, traveling, reflecting, wanting to get the next degree. And I stopped by IEC for old times' sake; I once traveled through them myself via Work and Travel. Back when I was still studying at the language institute. Back when it still existed.
So, a long time ago. Language institutes and the like were abolished about 10 years ago, when the translator was invented (a Multilingual Interspecies and Interracial All-Frequency Thought Translator, a small, useful little box).
The redhead, meanwhile, kept chattering:
- ...there's such a wonderful view of the Essence of Being from the window here... I stopped by, thought I'd chat with former colleagues, forgot that today is a day off, but if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer...
A day off. And I was wondering where everyone had gone? Although, how would I know? I've never had a calendar or these 'days off' in my life. - What a lovely dog you have!
- This is Bill.
- Very nice. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, Katerina. And you are participant number... may I have your details? Aha, X24, Biological Code 453A, Intelligence Index 12. Any questions about the Work and Travel program? Ask, don't be shy.
- Actually, I have a flight tomorrow. And I'm still doubting where to go: to Los Angeles or to Alaska...
- Why do you need that Alaska? Only mosquitoes like it there. You want to go where there are more people, right?
- I don't want to. I have to.
- You have an excellent job offer, you will be advancing science...
- I will. And I'm also afraid of getting fat. It's that kind of work, food everywhere, constant temptations, fast food...
- Don't worry, you'll have enough physical activity. And besides, you're going there not to eat, but to work, and for new impressions, of course.
- Certainly not for the money.
Money didn't actually bother me at all, and the chance to see the world was a unique opportunity, perhaps the only one in my life. Ten years ago, would they have let me go abroad? Only illegally, but that's dangerous; the life of an illegal immigrant is worth nothing. On that notorious Alaska, where the mosquitoes are, two of my fellow countrywomen were recently swatted, just like that, for no reason. But I'm going honorably, having a microchip that emits an ultrasonic (or some other) signal, so everyone around knows: I am a participant of Work and Travel -2029 and generally a Citizen of the World, don't be rude and don't touch. - Do you know the rules of conduct?
I recited by rote: - Always walk with companions, submit received samples to the employer on time, do not disclose trade secrets, do not be rude, do not spit, do not jump around like a madman...
The last points were not going well for me. - And most importantly: don't lose the microchip with your personal data!
- As if you could lose it. It's implanted in the neck for good.
At the airport, I met the newest, mutated from who knows where, biological species - the Very Polite Talkative Border Guard.
- Good day, may I have a scan of your biofield...
Sure, go ahead, even an imprint of my left hind leg, just let's get the formalities over with faster. - You are X24, Biological Code 453A, Intelligence Index 12?
- Yeah.
- Are you going to work in Los Angeles as a biological information collector?
- Uh-huh.
- Wonderful! Is the dog in the cabin with you?
- This is Bill. My guide. Trained, sort of...
The dog gave me an unkind look and turned away contemptuously.
As for me, such guides should be isolated. From decent society.
- Will you be declaring any...? Ah, I see. Do you like to travel light?
- As one Greek philosopher used to say, omnia mea mecum porto.
The Very Polite Border Guard fell silent and looked at me quite unkindly. Like a soldier at a louse, one might say. I smirked and headed for the ramp. - ...have a pleasant flight!
...she settled comfortably in the airplane seat, instinctively fastened her seatbelt, and sighed deeply... That's how they write in novels (probably), but I didn't do the first, the second, or the third, and out of boredom, I began to reflect on the topic: the historical-political context of my journey.
This whole mess started in 2012, while everyone was waiting for the end of the world, hiding their heads or whatever they held most dear in the sand, because of a fatal mistake in the elections in that very country where I am flying, the Country With Absolutely No Megalomania, a woman became president. A feminist, a pacifist, a Greenpeace activist, etc., etc. Maybe it would have worked out, but the world community was not at all ready for such a turn of events and only watched in confusion as Miss President (who also turned out to be a Highly Intelligent person of some extreme degree) methodically seized power.
After such a turn in the political course, a matriarchy was finally and irrevocably established in the country, for the first time in however many thousands of years. The Small But Proud Countries joined the Country With Absolutely No Megalomania reluctantly at first, and then, joyfully, the Countries That No One Asks Anyway. Now there is effectively one state on the planet (there are still borders, but this is temporary, the President hasn't gotten around to everything yet). And in general, there is a mess everywhere.
Spaceships are not scouring any expanses, commodity-money relations have not been abolished, and people are still dying for the base metal. True, much less often, because those most eager for such a death were shot at the very dawn of the new government, solving the planet's overpopulation problem in one fell swoop (this act of humanism was for some reason not widely publicized). The nuclear weapons problem was also solved by burying them somewhere behind the White House and marking the spot with a stone. Just in case. The President abolished bureaucracy and the armed forces, introduced mandatory fitness on Tuesdays, quite successfully greened the planet, and slowed down technological progress. Humanity has slightly degraded, but to my taste, it has only become more attractive because of it.
Well, it doesn't really bother me anyway. What's more important is that Miss President, as the most active Greenpeace activist ever, equalized the rights of all people and animals, including any species, subspecies, and other families. Everyone moves freely wherever they want, no one exploits anyone (well, or almost), there is an exchange of interspecies experience, and fortunately, with the thought translator, it's easy. And anyone who wants to travel and is ready to be useful, promoting world science or plowing black soil, regardless of the number of legs and intelligence index, can come to IEC and become a participant in Work and Travel. Whether you are a horse, or a cow, or a mountain goat.
Or a flea, Biological Code 453A, Intelligence Index 12.