A Flight Attendant - page seven

7

New Technologies, Computers, Robots, time and Labour saving devices. Were these in fact just the same to the modern person as the Pyramids were to the Egyptians? Immortalising yourself by adding to the codebase that controlled more and then more of what we do on and off the Planet. Would be that it were the purpose of the investment in Building done by the Ancients, the more pressing demands of Food meant cleverer devices than hitherto were needed to keep the burgeoning Populace off the fields where the Crops were cultivated. A high Wall preventing access just made the task more difficult and having a constant guard around Fields not in the least bit practical or affordable. Once built, people would gravitate towards imposing structures and wonder less about the activity around Arable pastures where the precarious irrigation was not robust enough for even the slightest of interference by wandering hand or hands. While under construction the whole of the people and those from far and wide could at least find peaceful engagement, keeping them within a certain area. Something better to look at than a wall you can't see over at about the same cost. How the greatest King came about could have been the discovery that the basics of life once seen to, Art could happen. A great set of artists from who one could be put forward as a good person to follow in all things, not least having a great deal of Sex thus producing offspring. Layering the top of a Pyramid with a solid sheet of Gold as close as possible to the Sky or a series of these would never be a possible reason for all the activity, not least because Electricity was not be be discovered for several thousand years and what possible use could the average Egyptian have for such a thing anyway. On the discovery, or rediscovery, of the properties of Sulphur the Human Mass of people, the whole kit and caboodle, moved to live elsewhere through and by this and other Scientific advances, making Electric and the peculiar and special properties of the conduction of such by the Element - Gold widely known was in nobodies interest. The Funeral of the most important amongst them was the only event worth noting on a Calendar that had only been probed for. What was left of all this? A load of boring old Sand Castles.

A week and a bit of studying some Media and progressing in the World of Desk Top Publishing and OS manipulation and a communication came through that would find her at a factory producing Robotic components with an assembly and testing facility; learning about the things to be worked with was going to start from square numero Uno. The week after a visit to a Swedish plant making a Motor for the Land tracked vehicle was to be made, or this was on the loose itinerary forwarded and after that attending a briefing given by someone in charge of a Technical section attached to a Military Unit was there. That was it, it was time to hunt down a Vibrator.

The Factory visits were interesting enough and the simulators and Occu-headsets were discarded in favour of following the devices around on foot, in a vehicle or by the accompanying fly-bot. The Artificial Intelligence did most of the work, but everything needed to be authorised and checked for possible correction and this required concentration and judgement. The day of the briefing was approaching and this was on a Military Base that would require Helicopter transport to get to, 'Pack for a week.' Was the instruction and the weight of anything should be kept down, not due to the Airlift more to do with lugging the thing about where the Wheels on the bottom would be of no use at all.

The most fascinating of the Computer controlled spying, carrying machines had to be the ones imitating Birds and Insects. Once in position, little Battery power was needed and the things could clamp themselves to project back to the user through wireless relays the image of activity or more often the lack thereof. Poison delivery would be a great use of these for killing the opposition, but again the mental leap was not to be made, once things like this were started and taken up by everyone, it would not end and the timeline forward made for a suicidal choice and the thought of a Microbot or two chomping through your Head to make an absolute mess of your Brain could be enough to deter inflicting such a thing on your worsest enemy. Just to think, what if the survivors of an Airstrike remember all about it and set themselves up as Doctors with all the Buddy buddies and then take up the advantages the freedom the U.S. has to offer and launch a Nanobot attack that sees these tiny monsters slowly lacerating your Cerebral Cortex. With the newfound knowledge of what might be possible perhaps it was just as well the terse conversation went as it did at the operation centre.

Stepping stridently for the Air Transport, comfortable seating for Cassy and her now strappable luggage enveloped her for 3/4 of an hour, dumping her off at a remote airfield before taking off again almost immediately and heading in a completely different direction. The only thing in view to head for was a vehicle near a Brick building and as she approached a Metal door opened and an amplified computerised voice said, 'Get in..' Another comfortable, but hard, seat became a good resting place as the Gym sessions had now become hectic, almost crazy leading only to aching limbs, an endless thirst and an aching hunger. The vehicle stopped and the Door opened, she got out. A couple of Cam dressed people stood to one side, this was now what could only be described as a Military site, just to the left was a firing range for hand held weapons and a soft, thick 'Boom' could be heard in the distance.

'Hello, please take the Stairs.' One of the figures said pointing to a staircase down into a Bunker arrangement where the stairs descended as the Ground in front rose, both happening to slight the Eye into not perceiving the vast area Home to many for prolonged periods.

'Thank you.' She said and took the 15 steps in her trainers leading to an open strong door and a flat, long desk. The two followed her down and the door clicked helpfully behind them, 'You can put your carry on there, we need to look inside.'

'Yes, of course. Thanks.' A bit burbly as she hadn't spoken to anyone all day and the talking Tank was the first she had encountered, she opened the small case mainly full of underwear. One pair of Flats were seated next to the bagged up Toiletries wrapped in a small Towel.

'Nothing Metal or special equipment or anything like that and you're not carrying anything?' The tall, well spoken man seemed to be at ease in the environment and his friend looked directly at Cassy, studying quietly.

'No, I just brought myself and some charming linguistics.' They had not unnerved her, but why not test out the Social aspect as this was all their was on offer to play with at the moment.

'Fine, Okay. We'll keep the case here, if you could transfer to this Havasack and pack in a sleeping bag.' Both of these were brought forward and the newly afforded luggage disappeared as the Backpack stuffed to nearly 3/4 full. 'The briefing starts when the Major arrives, I'll show you through to the others, dump your gear at the Bunk first including your Phone. Only Military signals on the whole of the Base, follow me.'

The conversation was not to be kept up then and the weight of the sleeping Bag and extra cloth that made the pockets of the Rucksack did not make for an easy lift into the carrying position, but she tagged along as one of the two took her first to a bunk bed and then to a Kitchen area that had most of the tables stacked to the side to make way for more comfortable seating that faced a medium-sized Television; American Football was showing. Of more interest were a few Game machines against the side wall, some chairs that faced Computers and a second TV that had a few competitors engaged in a Video battle. She didn't count them, but over two dozen people were occupying themselves and talking quietly, perhaps a good third of them Female.

Cassy headed for the sink where she found the Cups, Kettle and everything else needed to make instant Coffee she was joined by someone intent on doing the same thing. 'I don't know what the protocol is here, should we help each other to learn and show co-operation or something?' Cassy made the first approach, hoping against hope her Hair might lighten.

'I think not, but we can't wait for the Robots as we're the operators.' The young Woman was blonde and in Fatigues, spoke slowly and clearly without much of an accent. This was definitely a conversation stopper, what might their be to say to something like that to make a continued speech worth thinking about to result in more talking than before. A few new people came into the Room from the same door and a few minutes later a Soldier set up a Table at the end of the Rectangle making up the Room with a Chair to one side. Not intent on hogging the watering station Cass. moved to where a good view of the Video battle could be had, someone had a decisively high score and was streets ahead of the other three competitors.

While Cassy was scrutinising the eSport the Soldier had put two Tables together, 'Anyone for Ping Pong.' He almost shouted bouncing a Squash Ball off the floor and then cupping his hand underneath to catch it, bringing it to rest. People moved over to where he was. 'We haven't got a Net so someone will have to take on the role.'

Was this a thing? Should someone lie in the middle of two put-together Tables while a rubber ball bounces over them. 'We haven't any bats either so we'd have to use our bare hands.' This idea had to be ridiculous, but having interviewed for a position in a Casino where draping yourself over a Roulette table might be expected, was it so absurd?

The eSport competition was being abandoned as the Soldier now had the attention of the Room. 'We need the Squash Ball for later so we can't use that, I have this punctured Tennis Ball though - and that'll do!' People laughed. 'Over half of you are in Uniform, for those of you not, do not worry you are not missing anything, believe me the longer you're enlistment the worse the Tea gets. We'll be moving down the Hall for the main briefing in a while, in the meantime I'll give you an introduction as to what we're doing. We have several Units coming together for this exercise which involves moving by Stealth into position for a final Assault and like your real Robots and Computer controlled devices they're real Guns and real ammunition. A good friend is playing enemy on this one so the latest recruits will be taking the final position and if they're as useless at shooting as they were last week, the Enemy will be coming through unscathed and will be taken prisoner by the Medics who'll be in the middle of the Pack.' Looking as though he could continue he looked around, 'Anything to ask or say?' Looking serious and a bit upset to Cassy's eyes he bounced the flat Tennis ball lightly off the Table and no-one spoke and they were not laughing either. 'Good.' He seemed happier now nobody tried to interrupt. 'The training section will be putting you into Groups, the groups will be of different sizes and this will cover downtime and eventualities. Everyone will be steering the equipment from various remote locations. Some locations are closer in than others. The Force you're supporting is quite large, in fact it's almost five Companies, that's half a full Battalion. No Parachuting, but it will go from Sea to Land and then another Wave by Air to Land. Your gear will be set up after an unload at an Airstrip where you'll be able to see every aspect and when a device becomes usable you can take it to position. Total time taken for the exercise, that's total days away from here will be four and a half. Your gear at your Bunks will be joining you later this evening.'

The Soldier put his Tennis Ball down on the now redundant playing surface and took a step back. 'That's the basic outline of how things will be going, I'll be at the monitoring here and all the communication will be to and from me by our Radio system with the instructions already loaded on each console for each machine. Most likely I'll know about anything and everything before you do and I'll communicate anything you need to know. Some of these Men are currently on live operations and we're more than pleased to have interrupted the busy schedule for this. We don't want too many mistakes and keep the talking to a minimum.'

Cassy realized her eyes were getting tired looking at this guy. This was not a stage event where as the audience the lights dimmed where they stood, he could see them as clearly they him. 'Okay, what I want is for everyone to move toward the main briefing room through the Door over my right shoulder in fairly light order.

The ones nearest the Door moved off and casually the others followed. A larger room was through a broad Corridor where people in Uniform and bright Red vests looked at each person and pointed to where they should go. Cassy found herself in a group of three nearest the other Door to the Room, they were then led off through to an exit and into a small Military open top Car; the fun type of Vehicle most people would like to have a go in at least once. The Uniformed and vested driver took off at speed onto a dirt track that went up a Hill.