Real rough short story I cranked out mostly over coffee between classes and appointments.
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Education
They came upon a midnight clear, with blasting silvered ships that hung between tides unseen. Late night talk shows of meaningless trivia and scantily clad woman were suddenly interrupted to the chagrin of their rapt audiences. News reports echoed across the world of terrific possibilities and still the world was sane.
In the morning, with data streams and blogs erupting across the face of the modern communication system- several representatives of the new arrivals clothed in most unusual attire approached the United Nations. Protocols developed late at night, and probably over several bottles of alcohol were forgotten as the building guards simply stood back with dropped jaws, allowing the seven foot tall hairless strangers entrance.
It was unusual, for the various member nations to hear of their approach just moments before. They had been in a heated discussion of what to do with the intruders. Transmit greetings from earth messages, launch a missile or two, try to discover what type of mass destruction weapons they had- and to reverse engineer them. The room, that had been so flooded with noises and curses best left away from sensitive ears- ceased abruptly when the newcomers walking in, so quiet as to cause a falling pencil to startle people several rows over. No one knew what to say, and this was probably a good thing- for the aliens said it best.
“We’ve come to train several of your brightest in the arts our race has long sense mastered.” The speaker paused to glance around the room, as if expecting someone to not comprehend the simple phrase. “We are inviting species from all over the universe to this grand enterprise that is held once every ten thousand years, this time you have just barely qualified and should congratulate yourselves on that accomplishment.” The alien turned his head as if listening to some invisible noise. “We will send you our requirements within the hour. It is totally voluntarily and I suggest you stress that to the various peoples of your world. They will not have the opportunity to come back to earth, but they will have the opportunity to learn everything there is to know about, well- everything.” The aliens waited there for a few moments and suddenly they vanished without affair. The remaining audience stood sill for several minutes before once again they erupted into debate on what to do about the aliens. It wasn’t until later what the aliens were offered was truly appreciated.
We were one of a thousand, then several hundred- and finally an even dozen. The brightest minds on earth as told by rigorous government testing, with some alien oversight. Time was short and around the world education facilities were placed on hiatus to take in the swelling numbers of people trying to make the grade. The tests were simple with electrodes attached to various parts of our heads, as if they were more concerned with what we could learn than what we already did. Language barriers became more and more a difficulty as our numbers diminished and we were flown from one part of the globe to another. The final dozen were plastered over media pages as if celebrities, unsettling sports and movies turning the general popular arts on its head. Near every conversation on earth was on what awaits these select few, there was no war or violence for days as such a grand journey was upon humankind. Not a few deals were attempted and almost brokered with the dozen by various companies who sought access to alien knowledge, but somehow the aliens that came to us always found out and put an end to it with the clear statement, “these humans may never return to earth.”
Finally the day came and we were taken aboard their mother ship, practically an entire moon held in space as if it had always been parked above the earth. It was there the twelve of us gathered, two Americans, for Asians, a young child from Africa, an old lady from the Mid-east, two Europeans, one old man from India and finally an Alaskan Eskimo. The aliens approached us there and offered us one last chance to return to earth before we moved off to the main competition site. Not a one of us felt tempted as we all had some quality about us, an insatiable curiosity. Manifest perhaps in many forms, but the drive was there from the most educated of us to the least.
The aliens told us they were the oldest known intelligent race in the universe. They emerged in a previous universe towards the end of its age. Frantic for the knowledge to survive the coming collapse of all known space, they traded and stole for all sorts of information from the other denizens of the universe before. The other denizens were content to leave well enough alone, and to go quietly into the night. The Kal’Quin, the ones who ran the tests every ten thousand years were not. They strove and very well may have learned to understand everything there was to know about the universe- right up into the end, and approaching the last moments-they discovered the solution. The Kal’Quin created a pocket universe that existed partially outside of normal space. The collapse and subsequent expanse of the universe again would not destroy them. Once the new universe was stable again, they would emerge once more. In the time between, the Kal’Quin refined their knowledge to a point it is probable no one has reached before, and it was in that time they vowed to share this knowledge with a select few of all species once they reached a certain point of intelligence-so long as they passed the contests.
None of the dozen, nor the other hundreds of species on the moon-ship, saw any problem with this. Each felt they would certainly be given this great opportunity to expand in ways beyond any of their species wildest dreams- and looked upon the Kal’Quin as if benevolent Gods. Their needs were met though out the entire voyage, from entertainment to substance and even if it was desired-sex. Nothing was denied them, nothing that is, except for foreknowledge of the contest to come. Speculation was allowed, even encouraged, but the Kal’Quin would give no firm answers on this score-only that the non-winners would still be well cared for in Kal’Quin society.
Weeks past and we arrived at an even grander structure. They called it the, Synthesis. It was the craft they used to ride out the end of the last universe and measured at least a solar system in width. We all gathered at the windows in the observing room on the moon ship to try to discern the purpose of various technologies lying across Synthesis’ surface. Talks of gravitational generators, and space time interference dishes were shouted in many different languages- but they all knew deep down what they saw was beyond their wildest expectations, but they all hoped not for much longer.
We docked to the station and were told there would be seven days of testing, one per day until the winners were found. After that we were lead to quarters and shown the way to the mess hall and recreation center. Right after our first dinner upon the Synthesis we were given the first test. Our Kal’Quin representative spoke as we sat down on unusual but comfortable blue chairs. They were soft as velvet but as hard as metal. Somehow the chairs were able to tell where to mold itself to our bodies. It would have been enough to put some of us to sleep, if not for the excitement hanging in the air.
“Good day students. You may call me the teacher.” The Kal’Quin glanced around the room and our chairs moved to follow his eyes. “Today will be the easiest of the seven tests. In order to facilitate further exams we will have a language lesson today and upon passing the rest of our contest will be conducted in the Kal’Quin language. Some of you will need biological modification in order to speak and understand the dialect, this will be given to you upon passing of this exam. For every exam your pass, your placement in our society will be advanced. However, even on failing this one you will still lead a meaningful and well-rewarded life amongst the Kal’Quin. Now let us begin, and good luck to you all.”
Our testing chairs suddenly reached around to cover our heads and we were submerged in something that felt like warm syrup. A variety of tones echoed out in this strange ether followed by a variety of light patterns. Strange syllables began to come through as if slowed by the liquid, but they failed to make sense until finally one series of noise stacked upon another asked if I could understand it. “Yes”. I replied without thinking and the segment stopped. The room was quiet for a moment and then a series of clicking noises were reverberated faster and faster. They sounded as if claws were being struck against stone and before long waves of light accompanied each sound. This pattern repeated for some time before I realized that the waves of light seemed to be originating at the same point the clicks were. The whole image before my eyes flashed almost blindingly, and then it began again. Every reiteration of the patterns seemed to come faster, and eventually I heard the voice emerge again to ask if I understood it. “Yes.” Again I stated and as before everything changed again. There seemed to be no noise, no light in what I could see. Minutes passed but nothing seemed to change. Everything was solid, monotone. I began to worry something may have gone wrong, and I would fail this first test- unable to communicate with anyone ever again- and then I saw it. There was silence and darkness here, but there were also areas of more silence and more darkness. If I looked away for a moment I lost the pattern altogether and had to find it again. It was like looking at two colors of black that differed by an almost unnoticeable degree. You see absolute darkness and hear absolute silence- and suddenly in the dark and quiet you notice there is something even more dark and even more quiet. I followed the strands of increasing darkness and quiet and began to pick out geometric patterns to it. A square appears in one location, then an octagon in another. There was no distinction to the silence and the darkness. They merged into one point of line to follow with my eyes. Now a simple repetition could be seen and the voice came once more, ‘do you understand me?’ My reply of yes ended the exam and as the couch pulled back from my head a voice stated that I had passed.
Later that evening most of us engaged in rowdy conversations crossing whole galaxies as one species tried to tell a joke that didn’t work so well off his home planet. Then there were the few who didn’t pass, back in a corner together- almost a greater mix of cultures and races there but they were sullen and didn’t attempt to communicate with one another. They were the lost ones, stuck in a society that they would never understand- not even to communicate with. Though it was assured they would be well taken care of, it was difficult to fathom as to how by the way they were outcasts after just one day at Synthesis. We found it hard to dwell on the ones that didn’t make it past the first day as cultural boundaries came shattering down. And the aliens were especially interested in us, it had been awhile since new comers had come to the challenge and they had some interesting ideas about us. One short six-armed creature in particular seemed to believe we must still wield spears and worshipped fire. It took quite a bit of convincing on the part of us humans to assure him we were just a bit further along than that.
One common thread though, that we saw numerous times over- was the stress that no one has ever returned from the challenge- even the winners who became fully integrated into Kal’Quin society. Though we had been told that at multitudes of occasions, it didn’t really stick in until our fellow contestants echoed the sentiment. It may have bothered us more but for the next days’ challenges, which ushered us off to bed in wonderment of what they may be.
In the morning, before breakfast we were given an odd puzzle game to play- unlike anything we had seen before. It wasn’t what you would call graphics intensive, or even exciting. In fact it was quite simple and short lived. We gathered at tables, several distinct aliens at each and were told to take turns solving the puzzles- and then we would eat. With that the teacher left the room to the puzzlement of the contestants. “What now?” was a sentiment shared at many tables until one enterprising young alien called out, “computer, begin game!”
Across the room a holographic framed line box emerged from the table and two virtual joysticks hovered in the air. “Player 1’s turn,” came the electronic voice speaking in some language unspecified. Feeling somewhat ambitious I reached towards the joysticks and a moment later the game began. The goal was quickly understood as my tablemates shouted suggestions to me. One joystick caused the see through framed labyrinth to turn around its’ axis, the second joystick controlled a ball that was stuck inside the cube. The first level was simple and straight forward, created to get players adjusted to the controls of the game. Afterwards the game became progressively more difficult. There was a flash after each ball escaped from the geometric sphere and the game was reset to a greater difficulty. After a time the spheres were replaced and other geometrically impossible shapes began to emerge. These were more difficult and included a timer. Suddenly the game went back to a simple square but this time there were five paddles for the fingers of one hand. Each controlled a different ball and the whole set repeated itself. The cheers of the others in my table said in not so many words, that I must be doing better than the other tables. Finally on an incredibly complex maneuver I lost one of the balls, which had increased to seven, and my turn, was over. Still, considering the awe on the faces around me I must have passed this round. But the game still wasn’t over. As the other five aliens took their turns I freely gave advice on techniques by which to pass the levels. The person who had the most problems was a handless ball of fur- it had to use his eyes to control the game. Try as we might it didn’t seem the fur ball would ever be able to pass even the first stage, but we didn’t give up. Hours passed while the players turn passed around and around the table and finally, the fur ball made it out of the first box. After mastering the controls, the alien actually was one of the better players. I wondered how many other tables were as supportive as ours but it didn’t take long.
All game-play ceased as the teacher walked back into the room. “I am glad to announce that most everyone passed. However this may not have been the test you thought it was.” The teacher seemed to stare through one table in particular that was still shouting at each other. “This test was by table not per player. If anyone in your table failed to accomplish the most basic levels- the whole table is out of the game.” With a quick good luck tomorrow, the teacher left the room to the outcry of those tables that were less than helpful to their fellow gamers.
Though most of us who passed the test found nothing to fault in the presence of those who did not. We were still companions until the next test, and without a language barrier between us- it was quite a testament to language how obscene the smartest minds in the universe could be. Nothing could quell their rants on how this was supposed to be a contest and they tried to outplay their tablemates. Those who were passed, know knew that this was to be no traditional contest.
The following four days were uneventful. Our tests were more medical exams then anything else. Genetic tests that most people passed without issue found the first two days. Several bran scans on the third days found a few people out of the game, but without good reasons. It felt almost as if the contest had become a lottery- as people found themselves out through no fault of their own skill. On the fourth day, probably the most unusual day- we were filled with various chemicals and our reactions were measured. Everyone had some sort of allergic reaction, including a few creatures that resembled grounded butterflies, who ran around screaming there were demons everywhere. We were beginning to feel like lab rats until the teacher came into the room and said everyone passed.
The last test finally came on the seventh day. Most of those who came were still in the game, but we knew only a few could pass onto the final round. We were all guaranteed high up places in Kal’Quin society for making it this far, but not a one of us wanted to pass up the knowledge of it all. Each of us sat at a desk and several wires were attached to our foreheads. Before us lay the computer interface our individual species were most comfortable with. The humans had a keyboard, the fur balls had something that resembled a hamster wheel, some had microphones or holograms which seemed usual enough- others would near incomprehensible and were obviously only useful to the species that employed them. Once set up was complete, the instructions were simple. “Study whatever and anything that you like. You have eight hours.” The teacher spoke clearly and solemnly as if this was very important. Eight hours of what could very well be infinite knowledge lay at my finger tips- this may be part of the challenge, what would I choose to study. Yet it was nothing that I could pass up even if I would learn it all tomorrow by winning. Every question that I’ve ever had flittered through my fingertips onto the keyboard and into the Kal’Quin database. “What did the big bang look like? Is there an afterlife? What ever happened to an old friend?” They game fast and determined and though the answers were typically simple- they held meaning for me. “What’s happening on Earth right now? Will human beings ever end war? What is the meaning of life? Is there a God?” Some voice in my head said I should be asking more purely scientific questions but I could not stop myself, it was like a tiny crack in a dam had suddenly flourished into a full blown flood. There could be no better drug than every answer you could ever wish for right in front of you. I asked about cures to earth diseases, the nature of space-time and dimension- but I spent more time on those of a philosophical or a sociological bent. I’m uncertain if any human being could have done otherwise. What man of science, no matter how science minded could resist asking, ‘but what of god’ to the greatest wealth of information in the universe- perhaps ever. So it went with eight hours passing by as if mere moments before the machine shut down and I was left spent and drained.
Several of the contestants had to be helped back to their personal quarters that evening, and it was said that the winners would be chosen in private. Though the contest was over, I didn’t feel compelled by it. The answers I had found in just the past eight hours had my undivided attention.
There were 20 chosen for immortality, infinite knowledge, and all that sort of thing from all the thousands of species who had attended. A Kal’Quin came to inform me in person that I was one of them. Still high off the information I had garnished the day before I barely heard him explaining that it would only take a few minutes of biological modifications and it would be done. I’d be referred to as Kal’Quin from this day forth. My thoughts kept turning back to the first forms of life ever recorded, tracing the memories of humanity progressing from the merest amoeba, too mankind, and even what we will be like in several million years. They lead me onward to a medical facility and strapped me down upon a soft bed. A large prism was hanging above me and it began to glow in patterns seemingly impossible. I drifted then, an out of body experience- alone with my thoughts and a slight hum in the background. As I came back down into myself a Kal’Quin helped me up and said, “Brother how do you feel?”
I knew how I felt, but I knew so much more. I knew everything there ever was or ever will be to know. I knew why the Kal’Quin held this contest. I knew what the universe was as familiarly as if it was my own hand. I tried to think of some question to ask, some question to be answered- but as soon as one came to the surface it was already answered by my own mind.
“Brother I feel awful.” I managed to reply in the estranged Kal’Quin dialect of absences of color and sound.
“Ha-ha! Welcome to the club. Come, let us prepare for the next contest.” And we walked on down the hall.
