Tales From Out of This World

1.Whitefeather

The world went on amidst the danger that the humans planted. The ice was still melting according to the Liberals and everyone else, besides the Conservatives, and those that held similar viewpoints. And factories, don't get me started, were still filling the air with rancid smoke. It was the future, and the world was relatively still the same. Chief Kimeya Whitefeather, though, was still determined to prove to the United government that something was very wrong, and it had to be changed now, not tomorrow. "Now, not tomorrow." He was on his way to the United's headquarters and ampi-theater, on a rather-quiet street of business and establishment. "They should let me be part of the United. If only..." That's what he oh so wanted, to be on the government board. This way his words would have more freedom to fly off like an eagle. "Freespeech, no such thing." The street split two ways into another section, and more dirtier street, and the other into a steel-roofed stairway. He was headed for the transportation belts. "The station of belts. Guide these souls, Great Spirit. They are misled."
"So are you." A lady pushed past him with her belt goggles tight against her forehead. Kimeya passed a hand over his and entered after as the sun disappeared and electric light replaced it. There was a cement walkway where people said their goodbyes and hellos and right down the center was a door that read: 'Station Advisor'. That was where the watcher of the belts sat away his time, only getting up when he had a call on his mobile. The chief had never cared about technology in general; except when he had to. In his dominant hand was a briefcase where he held his state-of-the-art Digitex Plus, it was the mobile upgrade to a laptop that could run faster than any computer in the world; and on him, in his jacket pocket, was a flash drive containing encrypted files. Someone had leaked sensitive information about the head designer on the United's board. Harold Kaymer. That was Kimeya's real reason behind going to the United headquarters. He also didn't trust Kaymer and he would make it his obligation to tell the board of the danger that was nearing. On either side of the concrete walkway with its six columns that kept the surface from crashing down, were seven belts. People of all ages, shapes, and sizes boarded one until all fourteen had been filled. They pulled their goggles over their eyes as they stepped into boots that were attached to the belts. The boots each fitted to the size of the feet and after this another slot from behind popped up, and grew into an arching backrest. A backrest that included arm rests as well. And to top off the complexity of it, everyone that ever wanted to travel by belt had to first of all purchase a gps watch from a wide selection found in an even wider selection of stores. The backrest grew a seatbelt that kept it's recipient secured and as this happened the belt users pored over their watches; setting the location throughout the city and a speed that they could choose with a slider. Then everyone that finished this step laid themselves back at a position to zoom off and when each of the fourteen pressed the green 'go' on their watches, they were off. The chief acknowledged this and pushed through, saying sorry to a mid-aged man that cursed at him for being pushed. He boarded the belts and scooted over until he stepped into his boots. They clamped tightly around his feet as he pulled the goggles over his eyes. It was then as he concentrated on the watch, that he sensed the movement from another passenger beside him. It was the lady from before. "In a hurry, huh?" Kimeya noticed the full features of her face for the first time. The city did that to you. There were too many faces to all pick apart and in detail drawn up into your memory banks.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing, I'm just being friendly. Can't I talk?" She sounded not in the slightest bit offended.
The backrest was attached and the chief looked down at the watch again. "About?"
"Are you a businessman?"
"What's it to you?" She was ready to launch as the belt she was on would carry her off into a maze of tracks under the city. Transportation belts however weren't the only way around in New York or the world. There were still planes and in this case both were not gas creatures. Now, everything was fueled with an alternative; a type of crystal that was found in an extensive world of caverns under the ground. An expedition of miners had come across it in the cold depths of Canada. The blue-ish purple mineral was found to be just another rock but was soon discovered to have energizing qualities a bit like quartz. However this crystal, delinium, could fuel instead of sending out radio waves.
"You have a briefcase, and you're in a hurry, first nation."
"Does the feather in my long hair and the caramel skin give it away?"
She nodded. "What kind of feather is it by the way?"
"Kingfisher. Blue back with yellow belly."
"It's pretty. My name is Arik Summers."
"Chief Kimeya Whitefeather."
"You don't have a whitefeather in your hair."
"Lost at home. I live not too far from here in a small apartment." He bit his lip as he said this. She could pinpoint whereabouts that was. There weren't many apartments in this area. She seemed not to take note.
"Get going, idiot slow pokes!" Station waiters were impatient so Kimeya and Arik started their journeys, still keeping close and at a slow speed as to continue their talk. The belt tracks encompassed the floor enough to allow passing. That was good. Having to wait for somebody on the tracks could be slow and annoying, and that could call for cussing and accidents that happened almost as frequently as automobiles on the surface. Arik glared at someone behind. Kimeya looked too but all he saw was the man he had pushed.
"What does Kimeya mean?"
He sighed, gripping the briefcase as they were moved away from the station and into a darker tunnel of whizzing travelers. "Singing throat. It's Cree from a small tribe in Alberta."
"I have never meant one of you before. No offense. My name means Arik, as in Eric, but not 'e', an 'a'. And not to mention a 'k' instead of 'c'. I grew up in Hampshire."
He warmed to her good-natured attitude. "Where are you going?"
"I thought you didn't want me to pry into your briefcase, Mr.Whitefeather?"
"Maybe I can say a little bit. It's not confidential. And it involves...everyone."
"Everyone you say?" They dialed an increase in the speed.
"I have reason to believe, Summers, beautiful name..."
"Thank you."
"...That there is a conspiracy to decrease the population."
Setting him with a look of "are you serious?", she changed that quickly back to her liveliness. "Doesn't surprise me, Whitefeather."
"I know it doesn't. It's been talked about for years, but now I have solid evidence." He bit his lip again. He was gonna regret opening up to this random stranger on the belts.
"And what do you plan, if it's true?"
"I'm going to the board."
"You gotta be kidding me; they won't listen." The station was gone and the two sides of the fourteen belts became one as travelers gave them glances.
"No they won't. That's why I want to become part of the board."
"Hah, Singing Throat, how are you gonna do that? You have to persuade the United. And persuasion is harder than you think."
"Your stop is coming up."
"I'll take the next track." Arik veered off the track curving to the left and where she was headed, coming closer to Kimeya.
"You want to hear more? Are you spy?"
"Do you think I'm a spy?"
More gruffier "are you a spy?"
"I know the AI specialist on the board. Find him, he's on the third floor down. Just mention me and he'll understand. Tell him how important it is to have you on the board, spread the urgency."
"I will. It's good I bumped into you, Arik."
"It was. Who's behind the conspiracy by the way?"
"You don't want to know...you don't want to know."
"Who do you think it is?"
"Thanks to an unknown supplier, apparently Kaymer."
"Kaymer? The, Harold Kaymer? Now you've gotta be kidding me. Are you kidding me?" She was frantic as she neared her next course on the track.
"I don't know if to trust the unknown supplier myself but I also have my suspicions on the overseer of the board, Harold."
"I should be going, my next stop..."
He outstretched a hand, holding her there as he increased the speed on his watch. "What's the AI specialist's name?"
"I don't want to miss my stop, Kimeya."
"What's his name?"
"I change my mind. The specialist will never do it. He will never agree with insinuating this maniac supplier's claim. He's friends with Kaymer."
"I will let you go, but tell me his name first. How else will I be able to find him?"
"Wigget," she said after a minute's thought. "I'm taking my next turnoff; I have a lecture to give in Cambridge. You'll find him on the third down, in his very office. Now let me go."
"Professor?"
"And I am fantastic at it! A professor of xenobiology, chemistry, microbiology, and archeology."
"A lot of ologies."
"It is, Kimeya. I am," she flicked her light hair back and wrinkled her lighter than dark button nose, "we'll meet again."
"If the Great eagle allows it."
"I'm sure of it, Kimeya. What exactly is in that briefcase?"
"Confidential. You might still be a spy," he chuckled.
"I might be." The professor pulled into the new direction to the left. "If I am, thanks for everything you've given me, Singing Throat. Sing till your throat is dry." There was a suspicious twinkle in her eye and the chief suddenly had a rotten ball of bad notion. She could've been a spy and he could've just fallen into her trap. But she could've been a friend as well, and this could've just been a good ol' conversation.