When You Reach 1%

JoDa Ten Zero One screamed in pain after severing two fingers of his right hand.  His response for such an accident came in at 99.8%  which was well within expectant norms.  His injury was treated within five minutes of the occurrence which also was the expected response time considering the variables of the accident’s location, travel time from the dispensary of the company, the readiness of staff prepared to respond to accidents within that location and the severity of the accident which came in at a 95% level.  

A loss of fingers, hands, legs, feet or arms met basic parameters and matched degrees of preset norms established by COUNSEL.  JoDa Ten Zero One would live.  The pain he experienced was normal for losing two fingers. Pre-programed algorithms embedded within the matrix of the national data base of injuries called for immediate attachment of the two fingers to his hand, six injections of 10cc’s of OXYMUSIL over a three hour period from the time of the incident and eight hours of transcendental contemplation in the PTC  at  a preset constant temperature of 75 degrees for post trauma treatment. 

As JoDa Ten Zero One lay on the medical table his mind could not accept that the accident he incurred happened so early in his employment as it had. The pain he experienced was real. The incident was real. But this should not have happened to him at this particular time within his life span. 

Doctor Morey Ja Do leaned over him.  “In your job, given the facts accumulated over the last twenty five cycles JoDa, what happened to you today was inevitable.   The company projected your injury occurring within the next 8 to 9 cycles from this cycle,  not within the fifth cycle as it has for you;  however, since your injury has occurred sooner than the expected of your  employment the company has considered your accident an anomaly and filed it as so. The good news is your reaction to severing your two fingers was expected, yet just not this soon”

JoDa lifted his head. “Thank you Doctor.  I was warned that this may happen during my 

employment contract.   I just don’t know how it happened so soon.  I was so careful. I followed all instructions has I have for the last five cycles., but why or how it happened escapes me.”

“It is hard to say. Perhaps your mind wavered. Perhaps your thoughts drifted.  Studies have found that persons born in the year 4124 are more prone to mental deviations than others born before them, yet the probabilities from previous studies indicate no deviations from anticipated norms. In layman’s terms, this was predicted. COUNSEL will review the video of the incident and make their determination of the accident.  In the meantime recovery is recommended.”

A robotic arm with a syringe attached to its end hovered over JoDa for a moment, stopped above his arm then injected his arm. 

“I see.”

“It’s a mild sedative to help your recovery.”

“Thank you.”

“As I was saying, it’s a known relative  based on data accumulated over the last hundred cycles that those embryo’s brought to fruition in that cycle along with the genetic manipulation within the wombs somehow created defects within the temporal functioning.  This is why you, JoDa work in a factory. You are prone to distraction of duty and of labor. These are your temporal defects you were born with. They are slight. A mere 10-15% chance of occurring but, as you experienced, they do occur.”

“I understand, but I thought those so called ‘defects’ you mentioned were not based on fact but on a theory. I read somewhere those born in 4124 were …”

The doctor placed his hand over JoDa’s mouth.  “Your responses could be considered alternate paths from normalcy as so defined by COUNSEL leading to destruction of self.  Keep them to yourself.”

JoDa nodded.  He was becoming groggy.  The last thing he heard were the robotic arms swirling about his hand as they began to reattach his fingers.  

A Day Later:

JoDa entered the sterile white room naked.  A lone attendant greeted him.  “You are JoDa Ten Zero One?”

“Yes.”

The attendant walked over to JoDa and placed a hand held scanner upon JoDa’s forehead.  The scanner’s monotone voice said  “JoDa Ten Zero One.”

The attendant set the scanner down and went over  to a  lifeless monitor recessed in the wall and depressed a circular indention.  The monitor came to life.  “JoDa Ten Zero One has arrived for treatment.”

The monitor grew bright with a slur of ever changing colors that appeared to melt and slide within the monitor.  “As expected. Administer two doses  of 10 cc’s of PROCLO per code four, section ten.”   The screen went dark. 

A small drawer appeared underneath the monitor holding two amber colored gelatin capsules. The attendant used a small suction cup device to procure the pills before dropping them into a rose colored glass vial. 

“What are those?”

“They are simply organic bio-inhibitor sensors that once swallowed and introduced into your system will monitor your mental digressions or ingressions and forward the results to me.  If there are any deviations from expected norms I will end this session and refer you to post central operations.  However, these inhibitors have a 100% success rate and will restore any imbalances unconsciously caused by the trauma of your ordeal.”

“I see. Is that the ‘vault’ I’ve heard about from other patients?”

They both look at the long black metallic rectangular box suspended a few inches off the floor in the middle of the room. 

“First take these. There is a two minute incubation period.”

JaDo swallows the two tablets. 

“The correct name is ‘Personal Transcendental Chamber’ or PTC.  The term ‘vault’ is slang for the PTC, do not use it.  The PTC will introduce a mild sedation pattern pre-set to your heart’s rhythm.  This will sedate you enough to dissolve any repressed feelings of your accident you may have.  It contains three inches of warm, highly saturated salt water to keep your body afloat.  Its inner walls are constructed of noise reducing fibers to filter out any ambient external noise.  Once you get in, I close the lid, set the timer for three micro-cycles and then slide  the PTC into a chamber inset into the wall to your right.  Once your session is completed and all biological and psychology data is confirmed as successful you will emerge refreshed and ready to continue to your assigned task as JaDo Ten Zero One as if nothing had happened. “

“I see. Thank you.”

“Now please, get in.”  The attendant lifts the wafer thin lid and waits for JaDo to enter. 

JaDo gets in. 

“Lay down on your back with your eyes looking up at the lid.”

The attendant placed two temporal probes on each of JaDo’s temples. 

“Remember, there’s only 3 inches of water and if at any time you feel uncomfortable simply open the lid.  These probes I’m placing on you will recognize your discomfort and return you here. Do you understand?”

“Completely.”  JaDo lays down and crosses his arms across his chest.  The warm water is soothing and relaxing upon his skin. “This feels good.”

“Yes. I will close the lid now.”

The attendant closes the lid engulfing JaDo in complete blackness. 

JaDo felt a slight tremor of the ‘vault’ as it rises above the floor before moving into the chamber.  Soft, barely audible sounds begin to fill the interior of the ‘vault.’  Music?  

JaDo’s soon begins a type of weightlessness as his muscles relax and his heart beat slows.  From somewhere within the ‘vault’ comes a soft, soothing woman’s voice “Allow peace and tranquility to immerse your mind and body. Relax. Relax.”

JaDo allowed his eyelids to close.  His thoughts begin to float among a vast darkness. He no longer feels his fingers, feet or body. The salt water supporting him begins to ripple sending mild, warm pulses of vibrations through his spinal cord sedating every nerve. 

What a wonderous feeling.  I’m floating. This is exhilarating. 

A sound of  rushing wind whisks by his ears. JaDo opens  his eyes. He is travelling among  clouds high above a panoramic of blue skies and towering snow covered mountain peaks below.  The land appears so small and is so far below him.  He looks up. 

A cascade of stars, universes, galaxies floods his vision. Far off at an incalculable distance sits a planet engulfed in the most beautiful array of gaseous colors and hues imaginable interspersed with white, shining orbs. Are those stars?  He wanted to be closer.  Within a second he was there; high above this Earth type planet. 

An overwhelming feeling of euphoria saturates his senses.  He feels his body leaving him as he travels above this Earth as if he were a cloud.  The sensation of flight overwhelms him as he glides from one end of the planet to another.  He is air. His thoughts control his movement.  He zig zags about the strange  buildings poking through the clouds.   “This is beautiful”  he shouted. “Beautiful!”. 

The attendant sits behind the curved counter of the room which houses several monitors linked to CENTRAL.  “JaDo Ten Zero One has reached his final stage of recovery. Is he essential?” asks the attendant. 

A calm, monotone female voice responds   “JaDo Ten Zero One no longer is a functional commodity to our community.  He will never attain an acceptable efficiency rate he once held..  His cerebral wave forms are unaligned with his physical core.   His usefulness has plunged 99%  to hover at 1% value.  He no longer is a viable option or a concern of ours.  Counsel agrees 100% to exterminate. Do you comply?”

“Yes. Immediately.”

JaDo suddenly plunges toward the surface of this Earth.  As he falls at incredible speeds he shouts out,   “What is happening?”    

Just as he is about to slam into the ground a dim light surrounds him.  His fall slows. He opens his eyes and realizes he is within the ‘vault.’ Its inner walls come into focus. He takes a deep breath.  Something had to have gone wrong.  It takes him a few moments to gather his senses.    “Let me out! Help!!!”  He bangs on the lid to no avail and screams again. 

But the attendant does not hear his screams. No one ever does.  

The attendant presses a button. 

The vault erupts into a blinding light.  Within a micro-cycle the vault and JoDa Ten Zero One are disintegrated into a small mound of white ash which is sucked into an awaiting metallic orb. The wall of the chamber that housed the ‘vault’ slides open to reveal the infinite expanse of the cosmos.

The attendant pushes another button.  The small  orb is jettisoned.  Within seconds it slows  and joins millions of similar orbs already in orbit about the RODA SEVEN spaceship.