Chapter One

“A service revolution? Steven, what are you talking about?”

“Hermes, access your database on the Revolutionary War. Americans were fed up with unfair practices, laws and taxes imposed on them by Great Britain and they revolted. They persevered against insurmountable odds and they were victorious! The size and military might of Great Britain did not matter because the American side had the upper hand all along!”

“What upper hand?”

“We knew the land and we knew the people. There are a lot more factors involved but what our fore fathers knew how to do was to rally the people and think outside of the box! That’s a vital part of my plan!”

Steven walked over to the refrigerator and retrieved two synthetic milk containers. One was full and the other was half-full. He opened the half container and poured in the remaining contents of his recently purchased cough syrup. He then opened the new container and transferred the contents into the half container until it was full. He shook the container and watched it turn into an odd purple color before placing it on the counter. After placing the half full container of synthetic milk back into the refrigerator, he headed towards the cabinet for a set of glasses.

“Steven, please continue! Or have you forgotten what you were speaking about?”

Steven laughed and asked; “My oh my you are awfully impatient young man!”

“I’m sorry – this conversation is mildly entertaining and I’m trying to pull a remnant of something worthwhile out of it!”

“Did you just insult me Hermes?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, this is how I see it…”

Steven placed the two glasses on the kitchen table and walked back to the counter to retrieve the strange synthetic milk/cough syrup concoction. After returning to the table and filling two glasses he continued.

“I am quite certain that I am not the only person who feels this way. I have to find people with similar ideals and we have to work together. We have to change the way that consumers think and coerce them into abandoning those retailers authorized by the government. Let’s start with something simple…”

Steven took a drink of his “moonshine” as Hermes would refer to it. Hermes followed suite downing the beverage, breaking it into bits of information and filing it in a folder designated for “miscellaneous”.

“Now, first we must replace those useless cashiers that staff the SVS stores. Self-checkouts were popular a few years back until people complained about the jobs that they took. Now that the people have the jobs back – they treat me like that SVS wench. They’re rude, they’re vindictive and as far as I’m concerned, they’re out dated. If customers stop going in to those stores…”

“Then they have to close down!”

“Correct, that’s the only alternative. Now, if we can produce, market and sell our own merchandise - we can keep people out of those stores and service their needs ourselves.”

“Steven, how would you propose to do this? It’s illegal to ship merchandise via the U.S. Postal Service and too expensive to utilize those other couriers! And where would we get all of the merchandise from?”

“From the same places that the SVS imports it’s merchandise from. The only thing keeping those goods out of the hands of other retailers – besides the laws against such activity – is the cost to ship these goods into the US and then into the hands of the people. That’s why SVS has a monopoly on retail sales – they pay these unheard of fees to ship these goods and then the government offers them a reimbursement of those expenditures annually.”

“So if I’m understanding you correctly Steven, you have determined a way to get these goods into the hands of your clients without paying these fees?”

“Not yet, but remember that formula that I shared with you?”

“NIM squared?”

“Yes, Necessity times Innovation times motivation squared equals success! Let’s go to the lab!”

Steven ran down into the basement as Hermes reverted into his travel mode and hovered behind him. Steven opened a large metallic box and tried to lift the experiment out, but it was too heavy.

“Hermes?”

Hermes glided over and took on his humanoid form. He forced powerful currents of air from one of his air fingers into the box until the experiment glided to the surface. He used his other hand the move the box several feet away until he lowered the machine to the ground.
“Thank you Hermes!”

“You’re welcome!”

The machine was composed of three dome-like metallic containers of various sizes - each one fitted with what looked like small garage doors. The domes were interconnected by three large metallic springs. A keyboard attached to a clear cylinder was mounted in the center of this strange contraption. Steven grabbed his small hand-held computer from his desk and plugged it into a fire wire port on the device. He uploaded a file and punched in a long code. The clear cylinder began to flash as the bundles of fiber optic strands enclosed within came to life. Within seconds one of the three domes opened as a cool mist bellowed out and a tray shot out of the void.

Steven touched the item that appeared to be a bright red sweater and it crumbled like old ashes.

“Almost had it!”

“Allow me!”

Hermes produced the flat metal object that he previously used to salvage the mutilated pizza just hours ago. Within seconds the fabric was reformed and the sweater took shape again. Steven was hesitant at first and then he picked the sweater up.

It was perfect! Steven thought for a moment and opened a DVD type drive that was added to the machine before DVDs became obsolete as chips took their place.

“Give me the magic wand!”

Steven examined the device.

“Do you think that you can fashion this into a shape that’s compatible with this DVD drive?”

Hermes presented another device that was shaped like a standard DVD. Steven inserted it into the drive and closed to tray. He picked up his handheld again and pressed the ENTER button. The machine hummed to life and a dome opened and ejected the completed item. Steven poked it cautiously and then picked it up and examined it.

“This is amazing Hermes and its going to revolutionize and revitalize home shopping! Who needs SVS if you have a LTD?

“Long Term Disability?”

“No, the Lamberdt Transfer Device! Now, it’s time to tweak this a bit and make it smaller. It’s going to be a long night Hermes and we’re going to burn the midnight oil!”

“Burn the what?”

“Never mind, we have work to do!”

***

By six am the following morning Steven awakened to find Hermes tidying up the office and organizing documents into neat piles. He looked onto his project table as the nearly completed LTD lay there with what seemed like millions of fiber optic cables, circuit boards and LED’s exposed.

Steven stood, stretched and walked over to his sanitation chamber. Within minutes he emerged – refreshed and energized. He walked over to his desk where a steaming cup of coffee was patiently waiting for him.

He took a sip and asked: “Hermes, when did you learn to make real coffee? This isn’t the instant type?”

Hermes glided over and materialized before Steven.

“You fell asleep at about 4 am and I was bored. You were still logged in so I accessed an old file on the obsolete B Web and found an interesting recipe…”

“Hermes! The B Net? That information’s unregulated and you could pick up all types of viruses in there!”

“Steven, come on, what’s the worse that can happen?”

“You could start swearing again!”

“Those words were stripped from my database! I’m a new man now!”

Before Steven’s eyes Hermes next phase of evolution began to unfold. His muted features began to sharpen and hone until a defined and chiseled face began to take form. Hermes felt what could be interpreted in human terms as fear and he reverted into his transport mode and darted off into the Simulator. Just like the time spent with his ex-fiancée – when it came to his work, she didn’t exist. Therefore, Steven continued to work in spite of his partner’s hasty exit.

Steven took another sip of coffee and busied himself assembling his device. Within one hour the device was complete and ready for its first test. As Steven focused on fusing his experiment together he could hear the Simulator opening. Without looking, Steven began to explain the device.

“Okay Hermes, here we go! The input chamber has been condensed and consolidated into an IP-address that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. I’ve tapped into the SVS ordering system and downloaded their entire inventory. I’ve set up two hand held PCs with two different IP addresses in different parts of the house. I’ve determined that each object – living or inanimate – has a genetic sequence or a signature. This signature can be translated into bursts of light and air – almost like a cyber-knitting needle that can take raw goods and transform them into various products. Now, the raw goods consist of atomized nanobots that break down the item or items ordered. The items are coded and translated in this special “shopping cart” that will be connected via a fiber optic fusing device that will form the finished product. The “magic wand” will utilize its reconstructive properties to correct any inconsistencies or irregularities and then you have the finished product!”

Steven completed his project and noticed a woman standing next to him. Every so often a ripple would run through the image but it held its shape. She looked familiar to Steven and he could almost recognize her.

“Steven, you don’t recognize me?”

Steven replied nervously; “No, how did you get in here?”

“Steven, it’s me…don’t you remember our time together in Florence? We ran into each other in that quaint little coffee shop and ordered Cappuccinos…don’t you remember?”

Her voice was enticing and Steven wanted to remember her. She sounded so pleasant and honest. He felt comfortable with her and he sifted through his memories – and then he remembered.

“Hermes, what are you doing?”

“My name is Maria!”

“Hermes!”

Maria’s image sank into the flat hover bot and re-emerged in a humanoid form. It was not like before as it was more androgynous. For the first time Steven’s creation had a face and a definitive appearance. He was dressed in a chalk colored outfit that covered his body but seemed to shift slightly. Steven stared in amazement!

Hermes asked; “So, how do I look?”

Even his voice had undergone a transformation. It wasn’t male or female – it was equally both but the resonance after each syllable was pronounced and deeper. It was as if that space in his speech could be filled with a variety of dialects to convince others of the authenticity of his accent. Just like when a person asks “How ya doin?” and it sounds like “How yall doin?’ it was designed to deceive the listener into believing the dialect and accent portrayed.

Steven laughed and replied; “Didn’t I tell you to stay off the B-net? You must have picked up some type of virus or something!”

Hermes commented; “I like the new me!”

He dropped into his transport mode and re-emerged as Chu An – she was Steven’s travel partner during their virtual trip to China several months ago.

He repeated his new trick and re-emerged as Steven’s ex-fiancée.

“Steven, you never listen to me!”

“Okay Hermes, I got it, you’re a changeling or something now…that’s nice but please don’t imitate my ex again! It brings back too many painful memories that I’m trying to forget.”

Hermes shifted back into his androgynous format and glided closer to the project.

“Alright Steven, let’s give it a go!”

“Okay, here goes nothing!”

Steven opened the experimental web-portal and ordered a pair of jeans, a blue t-shirt, boots and two bottles of cough syrup. They watched the handheld as a green status indication light moved from 0 percent to 100 percent.

ORDER FULFILLED

Upon seeing that message Steven said; “Okay Hermes, check upstairs and I’ll check the one on the other side of the lab”

Steven went to the basement shopping cart and retrieved one large bottle of cough syrup as Hermes returned carrying the other items. Steven failed to notice that he didn’t revert to transport mode but instead his legs moved as if he was walking although he seemed to glide inches above the floor. The pair placed their items on the table and Steven began to scan them individually and physically inspect them. He opened the bottle of cough medicine and took a careful sip followed by a long gulp.

“Save some for me!”

Hermes snatched the bottle from his hand and took a drink. Steven watched him wince and then release a long burp.

“Hermes, your breath smells like garlic…wait a minute, you breathe?”

Hermes took a deep breath, inhaled and answered; “Well it seems that way!”

“I must be dreaming! How could you have evolved so much in such a short period of time?”

“NIM squared! Necessity times ingenuity times motivation equals success! You’re about to take on the world Steven and I’ll be with you all the way!”

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 09.07.2008

Alle Rechte vorbehalten