Chapter 5 - "Inspiration"

Chapter 5 - "Inspiration"

   It's the next Day.

Yesterday i was up late, so today I am a little tired.

Although the sun is up alredy, the air is still cool and i have slight regreats, that i didn't dress myself warmer. Aside from the mechanic humming of the ventilation engine on the roof, its quiet.

Next to me sits „Tamirat Guambo“, an elderly African with dreadlocks and dark sunglasses. The Pipe in his hand spreads a biting smell of tabaco, witch the mild wind blows to my nose from time to time. He is with his 56 Years by far the oldest of our colorful group, and one of those whos company I enjoy the most. For his age, he still has thick hair, even if its mostly gray. His physical condition seems fine too. But what makes him really sympatic is his balanced and qite – i would even say „soothing“- character. Its not rear that he says something deep or philosophical after a long thoughtful pause.

Like today:

Tamirat: "There are no Birds here."

I tacke my gaze from the hastly back and forth hashing kitchen helpers, who are prepearing the breakfast for us behind a window, and look over to him. He had his head raised to the sky for a while now and the sunshine is reflecting in his glasses.

I listen for a view moments ...

Nicolas: "... You are right."

Tamirat: "This is an unnatural place. One could even say "anti-natural". The Animals can feel that, thats why they are staying away."

I don't answer to that. Or, to be precise, i dont know what i can answer to that. It sounds mystical, but if you think a bit further about it, then he could be right. There is a lot of high end, experemental tecnology here. It could be possiable that some of it emits some kind of magnetic fields, that can be sensed only by animals.

Tamirat: "Where i live, birds are always singing. The whole day. Some of them evin at night."

Nicolas: "Sounds like a lot of noice."

I answer jokingly and he smiles.

Tamirat: "No ... its the real quitenes, the quiteness of nature. Much quiter than ... this here."

Im not shure what he is talking about. The hustle and bustle of people, the stressfull way of life ... the ventilation engine on the roof? Or maybe somethin different, something that only he is able to sense ... ?

Nicolas: "That sounds tempting, i would like to visit you there one day!"

Tamirat: "That would make me happy, on my terass i have a pound with fish in it and a fig tree. Its a good place to be silent together."

Nicolas: "Silent together ..."

That sound philosophical, even if i dont qite understand what he means by that.

Nicolas: "You never told, where in Africa you come from."

Tamirat: "No one ever asked."

With the African Jewelry, the unusual traditional clothing stile and his philosopical way of thinking, this man stands in total contrast to the advanced, tecnological surrounding, in witch we currantly are.

He turns to me with an expecting smile.

Nicolas: "So ... where exactly do you come from?"

Tamirat: “Aah, from the sunny “Senegal”, where the stars are hanging so deep, that you almost cand pic them like fruit. I live in a small place named “Nguekokh”. It lies near the coast. There, where the palms are dancing to the rythm of the wind, when the evening breeze comes up from the ocian.”

[Breathtacking ... ] I notice how my breath is stocking. He can discribe in such picturous ways, so pothic ...

The smell of tabaco is now slowly mixeing up with the aroma of fresh bread and coffee.

Tamirat: "It seens like the breakfast is served, then i guess i should be on my way too.”

He takes his cane, while he lasurly rises from the Bench. I also stand up. In his company, i always have the urge, that i need to help him somehow, bu he doesn't need that.

Nicolas: "Tamirat, if i may ask you ... why did you come from such a beatiful part of the world to this ... anti-natural place?”

He pauses for a moment. Then looks at me with a - typical for him - relexed smyle and replyes resolutly:

Tamirat: "To dream!"

That is a surprising Answer, and i can't help but get a bewildert expression on my face.

Tamirat: "I havn't seen this World with my own Eyes for 37 Years, but I can still see it in my dreams. But they are constantly fading, as time passes. With the tecnology at this place, I can add new colour to my dreams."

I didn't expect such a direct and honest answer.

Nicolas: "Than, I wich you nice dreams."

Tamirat: "Same to you, my fiend, same to you!"

   I'm the first one in the Cantine

This research facility reminds me more and more of a small settlemant. The apartment block, a canteen, a kiosk. Even a small Bar, that serves non-alcoholic drinks. On one side they invest Money in such luxurity, on the other hand, the work places are verry poorly arrenged.I dont understand, how they set their prioritys here for interrior design.

Sammy: "Good mornin', Nic'!"

Sammy hastly grabs a tray and places himself in front of me at the bufet table. Thats typical for him, but his inpudance does not desturb me, instead i find it even slightly amusing. It would probably be different if someone elese wold suddenly do that.

Nicolas: "Good mornin' Sam' ..."

Sammy: "Well rested?"

He is normaly not a melancholic person, but today he seems to be even more exited then usualy. I take a breath to answer him ...

Sammy: "Me neither!"

After the profound conversation with tamirat, talking to Samuel feels like a baseball-bat.

Sammy: "Ah! Heve you seen the memo from this morning?"

Nicolas: "No, I left the Pad in my room."

Sammy: "Wait – look at that ..."

He rummages his Pad out of his bag und presses a view buttons on it.

Nicolas: "You are carying this thing everywhere with yot, dont you?”

Sammy: "Here, look!"

He almost presses the Pad in my face. Taken by surprise by the suddon action, I need a view moment to understand what he is showing me.

It's a Memo, that reffers to an update in our shedule. For this Afternoon a trial run was shortly anounced, to check the compatibility of the Game with the U.T.O.P.I.A. System.

Such sudden Anouncements are not a rare thing here, we have to be in constant redianes after all, even outside of the regular work times. They could also wake us in the middle of the night, if its urgent enough, but that didnt happen until now ... something, i am thankful for.

Nicolas: "Hey, thats cool! But its just a compatibility-Test, it my not be as exiting as you hope.”

Sammy: "Even so, we still could get a glimpse on the Ingame-Environment."

While we talk, we load our trays wit salad and sandwiches and take a seat. The room gradually fills with other people. The cantine is beeing used by the testers, as well as the other employees. But the food is free only for us.

Nicolas: „How do you now? Maybe we will just be hanging around in the standart test-enviroment for hours.“

Sammy: "No, its certain, I've asked the developers!"

Nicolas: "You have asked the...? Wait – the Memo came just 10 Minutes ago ... when in all world did you asked the developers? And why the hack would they give you infos like that? With me, the probably wouldn't even talk!"

Sammy: "Connections man ... connections. But the Info is save, belive me! If you would be hanging around with the right people, you would also be one of the first, to get infos like that."

Nicolas: "And what kind of people ere we talking ab- ... wait ... Is it about this “Anime-figure-in-life-sice-fetish” again?”

???: "Yuk!"

Alina suddendly apears behind Samuels back.

Alina: "Can't you talk somewhere else about stuff like that? People are eating here!"

Sammy: "What do you mean by “yuk”? You have no clue what this is about!"

Alina: "And i dont even want to know, ceep your disgusting interests for yourself!"

With that statemant, she leaves us with a disturbed look on her face.

Samuel: "Ignoramus!"

Alina: "Pervert!"

Their Squabbling is just an act, they enjoy nagging at each other from time to time.

Samuel: "... however, I hope we will be able to create our Chras' today already."

Samuel was fired up for the Projekt from the verry beginning, much more then I am. I guess, there is just one person who is more euphoric about it then Sam, and that is "Collin McBeal".

Collin is an expereienced Cyber-Diving Guru. As a child of milionaire parents, its not dificult to earn a high reputation with such a costly hobby. Its obvious, why he got an inviatation for this project. In Company, Collin often stands out dou to his baggy look and a slightly difracted posture. For the most part he is unobtrusive and doesn't rush to get attantion for himself. Some may say that he is unresponsible and childish, and also have a questionable hygiene. This may be true, but he is also kind-hearthed and sociable. I have also seen how determined he can be if he sets a goal for himself. Generally, we don't spend a lot of time together, because we don't have manny shared interests.

And there he alredy comes, happily smiling, throught the door:

Collin: "Hey guys, have you seen todays Memo?"