August 14, 2005

“A backpack?”

Jacob stared incredulously at the knapsack sitting lazily on the metal table.

“Yes. I know it doesn’t look like much, but it will come in handy on your mission.” Markos replied.

Jacob opened it and looked inside. “It’s empty. How handy can an empty backpack be?”

Markos shook his head, “It’s not empty, the inside is coated with simmats. This particular simmat package has been pre-programmed to produce a number of items for your mission.”

“What kind of items? No wait, let me guess, you can’t tell me.”

Markos smiled, “That’s right. You see, during the course of your mission, you will be presented with obstacles, the solutions to said obstacles would be facilitated by certain items. The simmats will provide these items for you. You need only make a mental list as they are needed and when we pick you up, we will forward your list to today and program the simmats.”

Jacob was stunned by the efficiency and cleverness of this scheme. “So you can’t tell me because I need to discover the items on my own?”

“Exactly.”

“Is that why you don’t tell me certain things? Because I need to discover them on my own?”

“That’s one of the reasons.”

Jacob considered that for a moment. “Any chance you could tell me how LOST ends?”

Markos hesitated for a brief moment before answering, “What, is that a movie?”

Jacob shook his head in disappointment, “Never mind.”

August 14, 2005

“This is Eelai, he will be your handler in 2054, and as such will be giving your your orientation course in that world.”

Jacob shook hands with the 2nd Level Castor, “Pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise Mr Barnes.”

Turning to Markos, Jacob asked, “So you’re not coming with me?”

Markos shook his head, “No I’m not. Now that you are on your way, I must wrap up this mission with Ricco. I will most likely catch up with you again before too long, however.”

Jacob nodded, and slapped Markos on the shoulder, “Well, then, I guess this is goodbye for now.”

Markos bowed, “Until next time.”

With Markos gone, Jacob turned his attention to his handler and said jovially, “So Eli, tell me about the world of tomorrow.”

“It’s pronounced ‘Ay-Lie’ with the accent on the ‘Lie’, not ‘EE-lie’.” Eelai responded cooly.

“Oh. Sorry.”

Eelai immediately began his crash course on 2054. He outlined the major historical, political, and cultural beats bridging 2005 with 2054, some of which came as quite a shock to Jacob’s conservative leanings. Much to Eelai’s undisguised annoyance Jacob frequently interrupted the discourse with exclamations of dismay, or incredulity.

The pacing of Eelai’s speech regarding the decades long trend toward Globilization, with the UN taking a central role, subverting national sovereignty was smashed with, “So there’s no more countries?”

Jacob next derailed Eelai’s train of thought during his description of the world-wide destruction of organized religion and the UN’s role with a shout of, “What? No religion!?”

With that Eelai stopped and shot Jacob a stern look, “Mr Barnes. Is it really that difficult for you to imagine that the world as you knew it has changed?”

Jacob felt duly chastised, “I’m sorry. I’ll try to keep my incredulity in check.”

Eelai kept his gaze locked on Jacob and muttered, “I wonder if you can.”