Before it blows

The Memory Bureau

Aster stared out of the window with his big eyes. The unlimited sky looked so dark and cold at that time of the day, the stars were likes holes on a blanket of emptiness. Captain Ramõn entered the hall and found him like this, lost in the contemplation of the sky outside of the station.

«What are you doing? On Earth or not.» he laughed. «On Earth! Did you get it, on Earth?» Aster returned him his gaze.

«Never mind. You should be preparing to welcome our client! Miss Cindy Reils should be here any moment!»

The robot slowly turned his body toward him. He had standard features, a perfect synthesis of all of known species: the structure of all vertebrates, the average height of the galaxy and a very specific face to look more realistic. He even had a skin mole under his left eye. The result of the advices from the psychologist of the Bureau. The psychologist had wanted him to look very young too, on his sixteens. «To make clients feel more comfortable when speaking with him», he said. They also gave him big cute eyes, like a puppy.

«Captain,» the robot said slowly «do you ever wonder if it is really...» He never finished the sentence. A sound announced the arrival of their client at the front door of the bureau. Aster questioned the Captain with his gaze. Ramõn shrugged:

«No need to stop time right now, you'll tell me about that later.»

They all reached their placement a moment before the opening of the door.

A tall lady entered the room. She had boy-short blond hair and beautiful brown eyes on her green skin. A Venusian, thought Captain Ramõn. No one expected the robot to think of anything, so there is no need to report anything he did when Miss Reils entered except from what he actually said.

«Miss Reils,» he cheered her of his most welcoming voice «welcome to the Memory Bureau!» Miss Reils immediately smiled seeing the young robot.

«Call me Cindy. No need for such formalities.» The psychologist may had had a point on Aster's appearance, after all. «Captain!» she went on after a while «I guess you know why I am here.» Ramõn smiled:

«Of course ma'am. Nothing is without fixing. This is why we are here.»

Not much later, after the contracts' compilation, Cindy and the Captain were sitting on the couches of the hall as Aster served some tea of baluna, since that was the plant tea was made from on Venus.

«So, Miss Reils,» started Captain Ramõn «tell me about your lost memory.»

Cindy drank some tea.

«Well... I don't know if what I came to ask is feasible.» she said embarrassed. Aster was sitting beside her, smiling of his big friendly eyes. Cindy smiled too, reassured by his presence. Ramõn continued the conversation on his professional tone. Another good thing of Aster's young appearance was that he was seen as the reference. He was the captain, after all.

«Miss Reils, since the time-twister-program for the rebirth of the populations of the planets of the Solar System began, many individuals have found a gap in their memories from their life before the extinction -- a minor miscalculation in the operation, we believe -- which prevents them from starting with their new life. Hence, scientists founded our Bureau to allow people to find their lost memories. Whatever it is you can't recall from your past, trust me: we can.»

Cindy nodded and took a deep breath.

«I can't recall... my shoes.»

Ramõn frowned «Your shoes?»

«I'm afraid they could have been stolen but can't remember where I was wearing them the last time I had them.» Puzzled, Ramõn looked at Aster, who was still smiling in his welcoming way.