the machine starts - part 4

Alfie was conflicted. Ethan: I hate the guy and yet I love to show off to him. Look at him, he’s like a kid in a sweet shop. Why do I do it? Proud of what I’ve done? Pathetic, isn’t it? Like Dan used to be when he’d made his first Lego spacecraft, desperate for his Dad’s approval. He looked across at his son now, totally absorbed with the prototype device wrapped around his head, then snaking down to the mitts on both hands. How fast he grew up: never looks for Dad’s approval now – he’d rather provoke me. So is that what Ethan is to me – big Daddy? Is that what I stay on for, craving approval, like a little kid? It’s certainly not the money.

Dan seemed to be almost in a state of ecstasy. There was an air of subdued optimism around from the testers. His performance was improving every time as he learned to manipulate the device. Alfie remembered more of that original vision, the dream, clearer now: the synapses, flashing in space-time, directly interfacing with the device, and the visor and mitts providing complete sensory connection. Pure brain-machine connection, eliminating the need for mouse clicks, screens, even voice commands. Think and it will happen – hey, I should try that one on Marketing.

One of the testers was explaining how the device worked in too much detail to Ethan. He was nodding and smiling, but in his eyes were only dollar signs. They walked him over to a corner of the lab, where Greg had pitchedc a mock up display, showing some of the marketing ideas.

“This is how it will actually look. The prototype that Dan is using is a working model but this shows you the actual look and feel.”

Alfie tagged along. It had the slick, sexy, futuristic look that made WorldNet’s products so seductive. “Put that on any kid and he’ll think he’s Joe 90.”

“Joe 90?”

“Never mind. Brit reference.”

“I was thinking Jordi from Star Trek.”

“This looks so much more immersive.”

“We are still working on the brand name, Ethan. We haven’t gone out to market testing yet, because we’re keeping the lid on this until the product is ready. They’ve thought of Gizmo Revolution; WorldVision; but in-house the best idea so far is MindMeld.”

‘Kinda Doctor Spock type thing.”

“Mr Spock, yes.”

“Hmm, nice idea, but won’t Paramount want a licence fee for that? Do they own it? Well – just thinking aloud but – maybe a tie-in to Star Trek movies? Could work both ways. Get Legal to look at it.” Ethan gave it back to Greg. “We had the figures in from China today. It’s expensive, but with the approval ratings we’re getting we’ll be able to sell at 50% more than Gizmo. When you crunch it, we’re talking 40% margins, guys. More on later releases.”

He seemed almost as ecstatic as Dan, who was becoming more and more agitated, twitching, his head moving around as he turned in virtual space, his hands reaching out and grabbing the air.

“Alfie, I gotta hand it to you.” Ethan suddenly grabbed his arm and shook his hand. Dad’s approval, and yes, I like it. I like it from this money grubbing, loud mouthed bastard. “You were just toying with me with that ‘mouse’ thing, right?” A slight shadow passed across his beaming expression – don’t mess with me again or Daddy will ground you for a week. “You have the vision, man. You totally do!” Gold star.

Dan suddenly leaped up. He was cheering, punching the air, still in his virtual world, with the crude version of the head set still enveloping him. Then he seemed to be looking around in wonder. “Wow! Wow! Yes: yesss!”

The testers were muttering to each other with suppressed excitement: he’d reached the final level of Alien Invasion.

Alfie touched his arm. Dan shrugged it off and took a step away – not wanting to be taken from this moment. Very Dan. He seemed to be talking to a virtual someone, muttering, too softly to hear amidst the whirrings and clickings of the test rig. Then he started to relax, to come down from a huge high. They were monitoring his heart rate and other vital signs – Alfie knew enough to see from the screens that he was returning from a hyper state. Slowly, Dan lifted his hands, and almost reluctantly removed the prototype device. His eyes were bright and shining – he was in a state of – what? Ecstasy? Grace?

“Awesome, awesome, awesome, Dad!” He looked directly at Alfie. To him right now, no-one else was there. “I got to the final level!”

“It really works then?” He put his hands on his son’s shoulders.

“Works? It’s freakin’ amazing!”

Normally he would pull him up on ‘freakin’’ but decided to let it pass.

“I was there, Dad! I was there!” And suddenly, for the first time in years, he hugged his Dad tight. Ah, those hugs: how I miss those hugs.

The others just looked on, basking in the warm glow. Except Ethan, checking emails on his hand-held.

“And the final level is amazing, amazing, amazing! No more fighting. The aliens are our friends: all the other levels was just a test, and now we can join them! The want to teach us – those of us that get through – the brightest and the best!”