-Well, it´s really pouring with rain- Xabel comments to Nic returning from the terrace of the RES -if it continous like this our holidays will be over.

-Don´t moan about it, we enjoyed a great month and I´m almost glad that there are things left which are out of the control of the STAT. The day we less expect ist they´ll program the rain days especially for our holidays.- Nic answers.

-Yeah, and you with your credits, you would have received a weekend of ecological turism, with rain included, because the humid countryside smells better…-

-It was your idea to travel to Spain, don´t reproach me for it!-

-No, never, what about a walk in the rain in the beach promenade? Will be lovely, won´t it?-

-O.k., o.k., and when will you change the configuration of the RES?, It seems that we are staying in the amazonean jungle!-

-That´s how I like it, I´ll pay and you´ll shut up. ok.!- Xabel says knocking his brother friendly and hugging him to the street.

“No personal object left in the RES” the control panel informs.

-Thanks- Nic answers with joking voice while going to the elevator.

In the hall another panel offers to them water protection “rain, outside temperature 20ºC”.

-O.k.,o.k. give us two of these anti-rain kits- Xabel presses the bottom of the panel.

The brothers take their anti-rain kits and keep on joking while starting their walk. In the promenade their conversation becomes seriously:

-I don´t know, Nic, but I think you´ll have to mature a litlle bit, fix targets, respect a bit more the rules. If you don´t change you´ll end in a optimating program and that´ll be…-

-I know very well what to do and what I want, but I can´t bear the manipulation we are subject to. How does the STAT know if something is bad or well done before having done it! That´s crazy! And if you don´t do what the pretend you to do, they penalize you immediately and once in trouble you´ll get more and more trouble.-

-Nic, you´ll only have to participate more in the system. Further on you can do things on your way. But first of all you´ll have to fit in the system, work regulary, behave a liitle bit more seriously. If you adapt to the system they won´t observe you anymore and you´ll get liberty for your things. Being a rebel has no sense. Don´t you see, the people are happy in our society.-

And they keep on talking about the situation while walking in the rain.

Old narrator, voice in off:

Nic was a little bit crazy, full of illusions, projects, hobbies … and with his individualism he shocked against the system. Nic loved the 20th century and this devotion for the “old days” caused trouble. In the actual society, the collection of relics, souvenirs or similar, for example, was only permited to the oficial places like museums. Private collection existed only in virtual form, otherwise the STAT declared it as illegal practice. The problem was, that Nic loved the relics of the 20th century.

-Do we take diner in the RES?- Xabel asks -Tomorrow will be a long day.

-Good idea, I´m hungry.- 

“Distance to the next RES for 2 persons: 1 minute” indicates the kenbox of Xabel.

-O.k.- Nic confirms with a smile  -look, that´s great, it is a RES right near the beach!- 

In the entrance of the building the control panel of the hall reminds them “Leaving anti-rain kits here”.

-These things make me nervous- Nic says taking off the anti-rain kit.

-Calm down, Nic! Let´s go, our RES is the number 112.-

- At what time do we have to leave tomorrow?- Nic asks while reaching the RES.

-At 9 o´clock, we´ll have to wake up quite early.-

They enter into the RES and while Xabel stars ordering the diner in the panel, Nic sits down in the terrace, enjoying the nice view to the Mediterranean sea.

-Good moments always pass by to quick- Nic regrets observing the sky. -Xabel, what did you order for me? I´m really hungry!-

-I can´t tell you, will be surprise because I don´t understand the menu at all-

-Oh, so we better keep the fingers crossed, I know very well your surprises!!- Nic jokes and opens the wine.

-Well, Xabel, I was thinking about our last conversation in the rain- Nic gives a wine glass to his brother.  In this holiday month you spent the credit you earned before working for the STAT. That´s correct, isn´t it?-

-Well, we spent a little bit more- Xabel answers with a smile.

-O.k. And all we spent for the trip to Spain, our stay here, the meals, entertainments and so on, the STAT deducts all our travelling expenses from your credt, am I right?-

-Yes you are- Xabel confirms.

-That means, explaining it with other words; the money you earned working, let´s say, one month, you give right back to the STAT spending it in one month of holidays.-

-Oh, no, don´t start again critizising the STAT- Xabel still smiles about the logical explanation of his brother.

-But it´s true, Xabel, calculating it like this, mathematically- on one side working, producing, earning and on the other side enjoying, spending holidays, paying your free time - the result is: 0!! That means for the STAT: no costs, all free!! That´s heavy, isn´t it!-

The smile in the face of Xabel disapears, his voice sounds seriously -But you mustn´t forget one important thing: the STAT invests in me, offers me all possibilities to develop my knowledge in neuro-surgery. It makes my dreams come true, you know. You are not the only one realizing that the STAT controls all and all of us, but, answer me honestly, Nic, our life-style, the quality of life we have, is much higher than ever before. We are really enjoying our life. Remember the former times, remember the 20th century- you know it very well and appreciate it a lot; how many people died for hunger, how were their job conditions, working, working with few days of? Remember those days - would you turn back time?-

-Yeah, but the people were free.-

-Pah, free, free to start wars, free to take drugs and kill each other, and … ah, there comes the diner!! I´m so hungry!!

-Uah! What´s that?- Nic shouts.

-Gazpacho, don´t you know it? You stay a month in Andalusia and don´t know the Gazpacho?- Xabel asks surprised.

-Uff, I thought it was a kind of juice, did not expect something salty!-

-But it smells good, doesn´t it? I love it.- Xabel smiles while serving the tortilla.

-Yes, it´s great- Nic answers.

-I miss the guys, one month is really a long time without them, you know, they are like a family for me- Xabel coments with sad face.

-Family?! Wow!! If you call a dog, a monkey and a cockatoo your family, then tell me, how do you call me? Funny idea to be brother of an animal farm!!-

-No, Nic, don´t misunderstand it. But you know them, they are like persons and I love them very much. And Mozart is not a cockatoo, it´s a parrot, okay!-

-I´m joking, Xabel, don´t worry. But one thing I would like to know; how do you arrange that they are living with you in the RES? It is strictly forbidden to have animals.- Nic asks interested.

-Well, I have a special permission similar to the family permission which as well gives you the right to stay continously in the same RES. That makes life easier, believe me. But in these days Alex takes care of them, that means, they are with him in the science-center. Poor ones.-

-They´ll drive him crazy!-

-For sure, poor Alex.- Xabel laughs. -May I order a tea for you, Nic?-

-Yes please.-

And while having the tea, they listen music, relax, talk about Spain and the holidays,

Voice in off:

“In the last years the scientists had advanced a lot improving the programs of neuro-stimulation, cultivation and implantation of neuro-chips. The first experiments were made with animals and the results had been surprising because in certain cases the treated animals got a superior I.Q. than the humans. These programs were used for mediacal treatments but as well planned as projects with social target, for example, to push the correct education and integration of young people. In the beginning these programs were used to keep the crime-rate as low as posible; furtheron their aplication improved generally the mental health of the society.”

Both of the brothers enjoy their conversation in the relaxed environment. Xabel represses a yawn. -Uah, I´m really tired, it´s quite late. We should got to bed, don´t you think so?-

-Yeah. Good night, Xabel.-

-Good night, sleep well.-

Xabel stays a moment with its Kenbox checking the flight-dates, than also goes to bed.

Walter se dirige hacia su ‘estudio’, una mezcla entre oficina, laboratorio y exposición de pruebas policiales. Las paredes están repletas de notas, mapas, esquemas, etc., en las mesas no cabe un papel, archivos, ordenadores… un caos perfectamente controlado por Walter.

Aficionado a la fotografía tradicional, a la informática y a todo lo que requiera un mínimo conocimiento técnico, su res es todo un museo, más en una sociedad en la que la conservación de ’objetos personales’ está, más que en desuso, prohibida.

- Mira Nic, desde el S.XX se vienen controlando las explosiones de meteoros en su entrada a la atmósfera.

Los satélites van equipados con telescopios infrarrojos con una línea de detectores de teluro de mercurio-cadmio que generan imágenes 2D, como un radar.

Esos satélites se utilizaban, antiguamente, para detectar explosiones y lanzamiento de misiles, pero también detectan la entrada de meteoros en la atmósfera terrestre.

Cuando un meteorito de tamaño razonable entra en la atmósfera, se desintegra emitiendo una señal infrarroja y liberando una energía promedio de 1 kilotón; aunque se llegaron a detectar explosiones de hasta 600 kilotones.

Para que te hagas una idea, la bomba de Hiroshima ’liberó’12,5 kilotones.

- Walter, me estás asustando.

- Tranquilo, te explico, esa señal infrarroja es detectada por los SBIR (Space Basec Infrared System), realizando con esos datos una estadística.

Pues bien, hace varios años que no hay ninguna estadística de estos sistemas, no hay datos.

Analizando las de los años anteriores, el crecimiento, tanto de pequeñas, como de grandes explosiones, es alarmante.

Intentando analizar esa información, saco estas conclusiones:

A finales del S.XX se detectaban unas 10 explosiones anuales, en las estadísticas del último año publicado se superaron las 3000 explosiones en el año.

Si en el S.XX el promedio era de 1 kilotón, la media de energía liberada en cada explosión, del último año con estadísticas, es de más de 20 kilotones.

La velocidad de las ondas de radio ha aumentado un 200%.

No tengo conocimiento de que se haya enviado un satélite al espacio desde hace más de 20 años.

Tampoco tengo conocimiento de que algún equipo espacial haya vuelto a la Tierra en este tiempo.

- Conclusiones Walter, conclusiones, me estoy poniendo enfermo.

- ¿Conclusiones?, estamos encerrados en una burbuja magnética que crece hacia dentro y hacia fuera y nuestra tecnología no está preparada para superar esos campos magnéticos.