The White Singularity: A Choose Your Own Adventure

Chapter 22: Time-Out

After taking a refreshing bath, you change your clothes using the selection in the closet.  The people here seem fond of metallic fabrics, but seeing as everyone's physiques--including yours--are athletic and well-proportioned, you don't mind.  

After changing your clothes, you take the translocator to the dining area.  A few people are eating there, and they all give you friendly waves and greetings as if they've known you all their lives.  You smile back, amazed and reassured by their friendliness.  You must stick out like a sore thumb with your awkwardness and obvious unfamiliarity with everything, but they don't seem to care.  At least you won't have to worry about biases or prejudices here.

You approach the counter hesitantly.  A tremendous variety of food is laid out buffet-style. Most are fruits and vegetables, the majority of which you've never seen before.  There's also an assortment of seafood, such as fish, squid, and shellfish.  There's conspicuously no meat of any kind.   You look around for an attendant, unsure of the procedure.  Eco told you that you wouldn't have to pay for anything, but you're so used to doing so back home that you can't get the habit out of your head.  

"Just get whatever you want," an Atlantean man encourages, standing beside you and handing you a plate and utensils.  

"Uh, thanks."  You start putting some interesting-looking greens and cruciferous vegetables on your plate.  "Is everything here really free?"

"Virtually, yes." The man goes for a sliced purple fruit.  "As long as you contribute to society, the government provides for all our needs.  Where are my manners? My name is Tolsa."

"Brent." You instinctively hold out your hand.  Tolsa looks at it in confusion, and you remember too late that shaking hands is not a universal gesture.  However, he quickly figures out your intentions and takes your hand before the pause gets too long.

"So...Tolsa..." you wave your hand over the food. "I can see that everyone here is pescatarian?"

You mean that they don't eat meat, but they do eat fish.  

Tolsa looks revolted at your suggestion.  "We abolished that barbaric custom a long time ago.  In fact, we'd swear off seafood if we could, too, but we found that we get too many vitamin and mineral deficiencies when only eating plants.  Artificial supplementation isn't very popular here; we prefer to get all our sustenance naturally.  We just make sure to harvest the ocean sustainably so that the stocks don't get depleted."

"Very sensible," you comment, wishing that everyone on the surface thought like this.  Tolsa invites you to his table, where there are three other Atlanteans, two women (Arla and Carian) and one man (Joss).  They willingly make room for you and ply you with eager questions, which you try to answer as honestly as possible.  You find out that they're all between 90 to 100 years old (!) but don't look a day above 30.  Arla is an engineer, Carian is a marine biologist, and Joss manages communications.  They discourse knowledgeably about their respective fields, and though you're no slouch yourself, you find yourself struggling to keep up.  You realize once again how far ahead the Atlanteans are in technology compared to you.  You really have a lot to learn.  It's fortunate that your lifespan has basically quadrupled.  

"Attention, Dr. Phillips." Atlan's voice issues from your wristband.  Your new friends immediately quiet down.  You hold your breath in nervous anticipation. 

"Separation has been achieved.  You may proceed to laboratory 12 if you wish further updates."

"Separation?" Tolsa questions.

"My wife and unborn child," you explain.  "The baby's growth was accidentally accelerated, and--"

Carian holds up a hand.  "You don't need need to say anything more. We understand."

You stand up, leaving your plate half-finished.  "I have to get up there."

Tolsa, Arla, Carian and Joss all stand up to wish you farewell and good luck.  You leave the dining area and hastily make way back to the lab where you left your family.  

The only question now is if you'll find them both still alive.