Video

[fullmetalbrat]

[The video feed cuts in on a blond teenager squinting dubiously at the camera. His eyes widen a moment later when he notices the video display on the screen.] —Is it working?

Uh—hey. Can people really see this? If there is anyone watching, I'm looking for a guy in a huge suit of armor. Goes by the name Alphonse. [He leans closer to the camera, pointing emphatically.] If you see him, tell him his big brother's looking for him!

Now that I've got that out of the way, I got some more questions for all of you. Someone told me that when people leave this world they forget everything about it, but they might remember if they come back. Is that really true? Is there anyone who's left and come back that I could talk to?

I want to know more about this registration scheme they've got here too. I heard plenty about what you get for it, but what's the catch?

And, [he starts, pausing to glance at something laying just below the camera's field of view], what's a "pop star"?

Comments

[resoundingpledge]

Yep. Really different.

There's maps, if you'd like to see them . . . there's a whole library of information on your comm, once you figure it out, but . . . I wouldn't really be surprised if that's different too.

[fullmetalbrat]

Uh . . . You're telling me they can fit a library in this tiny thing?

[resoundingpledge]

Ahh . . . right, a hundred years . . .

Are you sitting down? You might want to sit down.

[fullmetalbrat]

I'm sitting . . . [But not sure he's really ready to hear whatever is coming just yet.]

[resoundingpledge]

Your comm . . . it doesn't just connect to our communications network. It's also linked to the 'internet' . . . that's kind of a world-wide information network.

For about . . . twenty years now, people have worked to turn a lot of printed materials into digital ones—ones you can read on your screen. And new content—not just books and papers, but pictures and videos—it's been published there directly.

So it's not really like there's a library on your comm. It's more like . . . there's almost every library.

[fullmetalbrat]

Every . . . [Holy shit, based on the way he lights up it's a bit like she just handed a child the keys to a candy factory. He leans back heavily in his chair, giving the comm a considering look.

If this really was a hundred years into the future . . .]

Are there other kinds of . . . ways to "read?" Something that someone could listen to instead?

[resoundingpledge]

Look under 'accessibility features'. It's not always the best, but there should be a screen reader there. That's a voice that reads the words on the screen to you.

There's audio books, too, and music, and radio stations . . . and if it's for things on the network, there's the mental link too.

[fullmetalbrat]

Is there anything the future hasn't thought of yet?

[resoundingpledge]

There's the big things. Ending wars, poverty, universal living standards . . . we haven't really gotten to space travel yet, either, though there's people from farther ahead who say we do.

[fullmetalbrat]

[Welp, there goes his good mood, like a clear sky obscured by dour looking thunderheads.]

Like anyone could ever put a real end to war. [A beat.] What the hell are universal living standards?

[resoundingpledge]

It's . . . making sure everyone has access to adequate food, and shelter, and clean water. Adequate health care. It's part of the universal declaration of human rights, but it's easier to say it than to implement it.

[fullmetalbrat]

It sounds about as likely as world peace.

[resoundingpledge]

That's why it's 'still working on it'.

[ Which sets up the most unfortunate of segues . . . ]

. . . did they tell you this country's at war now?

[fullmetalbrat]

This is the first I've heard of it.

[But the way his posture stiffens up and his jaw clenches says he's more familiar with the concept than he'd like to be.]

With who?

[resoundingpledge]

The USSR—that's the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. You'll hear a lot of people just use 'Russia' though, especially imPorts . . . for a lot of us the USSR broke up a while ago. Russia is the biggest country in it.

They declared war on the United States of America about seventy four days ago. That's where we are now.

[fullmetalbrat]

Out of one fire and into another . . .

How much has war advanced in a hundred years? Where—When I'm from I got to see one of the very first tanks made. Brand new tech.

[resoundingpledge]

What about airplanes?

[fullmetalbrat]

Those deathtraps with wings?

[resoundingpledge]

Yes, but . . . no. Later.

Planes changed things a lot. America and the USSR don't share any land borders, but the distance doesn't really matter when both sides can fly.

[fullmetalbrat]

Seriously? Those things can barely manage to carry a single person . . . can't they?

[resoundingpledge]

There's planes that can carry tanks now. And whole divisions of people. And . . . other weapons.

They're mostly . . . outside of war, they're used for most worldwide human transportation now, and for transferring goods and mail that need to move faster than ships or trucks can go.

[fullmetalbrat]

But of course a military wouldn't use them for anything so . . . peaceful.

[resoundingpledge]

No.

Planes can carry bombs, and after they figured out how to get planes to fly, they gave bombs wings too. 'Missiles'. And the bombs they've made . . .

They're . . .

[ It takes her a moment. ]

. . . strong.

They call it 'mutual assured destruction', now. That if one side fired seriously, and the other fired back, both sides would be wiped out. Both countries—not just their armies. Everyone.

[fullmetalbrat]

What . . . Why would— [He can't really finish the question. Why is obvious enough to anyone who's been at all involved with the military.]

. . . How many countries have that kind of power?

[resoundingpledge]

Two, here. You . . . probably already know which.

There may be other countries with nuclear weapons, but I don't think it's on the same scale.