produce a veg film! was RE:Sci-FI Veg Film Group

[Guest guest]

Someone should make a film around the idea of a FUTURE VEGAN EARTH. Back in

the heady days of '97 (when VEGANlist was kickin, and featured crazy bold

ideas like one Texas doctor's serious idea to have vegans move to a small

town and take over its municipal gov't), I wrote a short story around this

theme to generate story ideas and interest. Then I revamped it last year for

international techno producer Jeff Mills' request for an alternate version

of Time Machine (by H.G. Wells), for the new film version of which he was

scoring a soundtrack (one of many soundtracks unused, in the theaters

anyways). I uploaded it on Sept. 10, incidentally, after adding the bit

about " mideast wars dragging on and on " , and the homosexual ending (I had to

blow as many techno-fan minds as possible). The story was on the Axis site

for months and generated " wide-ranging " responses. Someone else can do

better I'm sure. Enjoy!

 

" FUTURE ANALYSIS "

 

Before stepping out of the time machine, I remember my promise to

maintain self-discipline. I take a deep breathe, then remind myself that

I bring preconceived notions and possibly obsolete instruments with

which to analyze this (future?) world. I proceed cautiously into the

sunlight that is just a little too bright.

 

The time machine appeared in a clearing next to an ordinary looking

decidious forest covering low hills, which extend as far as my eyes

can see. No surprise there I guess... even in America in the year 2001

trees covered a quarter of the landmass, although I am relieved that

human beings do not occupy every foot of the planet. However my light

sensor is showing much higher than normal UV radiation coming

from the mid-day sun.

 

An ozone hole might be overhead. The air is registering with

abnormally high levels of CO2, lower than expected NOx, and a lack of

radioactive isotopes that would indicate the use of nuclear weapons.

There is also an abundance of tiny aluminum particles in the air (<10

micron), which may indicate that there had been a strong effort to

expand the Chemtrails project of the year 2000 (Chemtrails was a

classified project in which NATO air forces dumped hundred of

thousands of tons of aluminum particles in the atmosphere of the

U.S., Canada, and Europe to reflect sunlight in the upper atmosphere

and lessen the greenhouse effect- it was supposed to be cancelled

because of dangerous health effects).

 

The vegetation around the time machine looks normal, low grasses,

with plenty of flies, beetles, etc. I head back into the time machine to

see if the scanner has detected any communication broadcasts yet. It

has not... no radio, no tv, no cell phone broadcasts, nothing. I venture

back outside and reflect on these findings. Basically I do not yet have

any signs of current habitation. The planet has got to be earth. Then I

think back to the simulations which scientists of the 21st century had

done regarding the development of civilizations.

 

Ours had been a Type 1 civilization, advancing on Type 2. Type 1 is

where energy sources are mainly fossil fuels, Type 2 is renewable

and nuclear sources. Supposedly, these scientists believed that less

than 99% of all Type 1 civilizations would make it fully into the Type 2

category. Once nuclear power fell into the hands of the common

citizen, they had theorized that it would be too easy to make weapons

of mass destruction that could destroy society. Yet that didn't

happen here, or there would be massive fallout in the atmosphere. It

was not an asteroid impact that did it either (although I remembered

that the chances of a catastrophic asteroid disaster happening in

one's lifetime was only 1 in 7000). Possibly a disease on a grand

scale? That is the most likely scenario, since the growth of a huge

population will increase the rate of viral mutation, and hence, the

emergence of new deadly strains. I will have to venture very carefully if

I am to advance into areas of possible habitation. (tbc)

JP - 5.Sep.2001 / 12:47 hrs

 

" FUTURE SHOCK "

I retreat into the time machine to pour over the data I have collected,

and launch one or more reconnaissance drones. The corporate logo,

DKE, on the door of the craft reminds me to whom I am beholden,

Dean Kamen Enterprises. Once I figure out how far into the future they

sent me, then I will report back to them.

 

I smile. The soil samples confirm that I am in North America,

probably southeastern Michigan, judging from the mineraI content. " I

just need the damn date " . I decide to launch one of the automated

drones, into the high atmosphere so I can make the necessary

celestial observations. 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 whoooooooooooooosh!

 

The time machine shudders with the blast of the rocket. I watch the

camera monitor nervously as the rocket climbs, looking at the ground

for any signs of human existence. Minutes past, all I see are trees!

The familiar hand shape of Michigan comes into view and I realize that

I am standing in Dearborn, the suburb of Detroit... or what was Detroit.

Detroit is now gone. Could I have gone back in time?

 

The scientists assured me that was not possible. We could only go

forward, and even then we would not have precise control over the

date of the jump, because of quantum fluctuations. We decided on

200-500 years. Long enough so that no one would remember my

hacker past as a laundry list of relevant crimes against the state.

 

I turn the camera up and get a fix on the moon. It's position and

movement let me know I can't be too far in the future, less than 1000

years anyways, so the scientists on this top secret project will be

pleased to hear that we hit the window. Once the laser on the probe

measures the moon's distance I will know for sure. Until then, time for

a snack. I grab a bag of chips from the cockpit compartment. Then I

hear a bang against the door. I race to the door camera monitor to see

a dozen men in strange brown full-body suits there. They have come

to arrest me, I can tell. Their guns (if that is what they call them) are

drawn. This is obviously far in the future. I open the door. The front

man signals the other men to move forward, and they grab me. The

front man speaks through the mouthpiece in his helmet, and it is a

human sounding voice, but totally unintelligible to me. He grabs my

bag of chips in disgust at my silence. I feel a sharp shock, and my

world fades to black.

JP - 10.Sep.2001 / 20:35 hrs

 

" Future Earth (Park) "

I awaken in a comfortable bed with a slight headache. They changed

my clothes and stripped my comlink from my wrist. At least they didn't

remove the homing device embedded in my butt. The time machine

will send an automated message with my whereabouts if I don'treturn

in a day. I examine my loose grey clothes and the bed in thisotherwise

empty room. The materials are completely foreign to me, fibrous and

amazingly light.

 

Even the floor is of composition strange to me. This could be a

spaceship. The light in the room comes from mirrored holes in the

ceiling, looks like sunlight. The door has no handle, and I can't make it

slide or push open. I am a prisoner, I think. Then the door opens. A

man who looks in his late 30s, very short cropped black hair, excellent

shape, wearing similar loose but beige clothes strides in. He smiles

and hands me headphones. I put them on. He already has a pair

stuck in his ears, I see.

 

Then he speaks. " Welcome back to earth, time traveller! How does it

feel to be 355 years old? "

 

" Fine " , I reply. " Where am I? "

 

" You're in north west continent base of Earth Park. Yes, Earth is a park

now. Humans had to leave it because of the pandemics of the 21st

century. It's habitable again but only a few million lower tech humans

live here. I am what you would call a park ranger " , he

laughs. " My name is Philias... yours? "

 

" I am Roger " , I say, relieved that he didn't expect a last name.

 

" This base is run by the Solar Federation government, and their orders

are for me to supervise your acclimation to life on Earth as a low tech

inhabitant. You can be educated to live off world, with time,

however.Your machine has been loaded into a railcraft for inspection

at an orbiting research station. If you care to cooperate in it's

dissection remotely, we would appreciate it. But you won't be sending

a message back to your time I am afraid. "

 

I nod, although I am sure my disappointment must show. Hopefully no

one from DKE will come back to hunt me down. " You will need time to

study all that has happened to humanity, and figure out how to speak

our variant of E-speranto, among many other things. "

 

" What is E-speranto? "

 

" It's the language devised by scientists about

220 years ago, for efficiency in human computer interaction " .

 

" I see " .

 

Philias then led me down the long hallway to a small room and

suddenly, a holographic display panel appeared in the center. " Ask it

whatever you would like to know. I'll return for you in 2 hours, in time

for

dinner? "

 

" Good " .

 

And then I asked question after question, and saw in high

definition the horrible plague years of the 21st century recreated. Mad

cow disease had swept the planet first, then several others. Billions

died, and wars in the middle east dragged on and on. But humanity

survived, as people figured out how to green their technology. The

sustainable communities that grew out of the vegan movement

endured, and then prospered. Scientists and engineers built splendid

robots and rockets, but agreed to move offworld, in order to keep their

nuclear power safely away from Earth.

 

Then Philias returned.

 

" Are you really 101 years old? " I asked him. " 102 in a month. You'll

have to help me celebrate " , he smiled. And I did go on to help him

celebrate, not only his 102nd, but his 103rd, 104th and 105th, plus our

first anniversay of becoming lovers. Next year I will also have to

celebrate having served a full year as Earth Park Survey Engineer. You

can't beat Earth Park, no camping fees, and very few annoying tourists.