TINKO

Tinko walked around downtown Cleveland in the middle of winter, looking at the people covered head to toe, and for her life, she had no clue why they were acting this way. She loves cold weather and especially enjoys the day when the snow gently falls and puts a hushed silence on the hustle and bustle of society.

She walked over to where the number one bus would arrive and stood there, waiting. No one paid any attention to her – as it should be.

As she approached the stop area, she had to quickly sidestep to avoid being run through by someone walking very quickly in the opposite direction. It’s not terrible to be crashed into by someone you are studying, but it does not feel all that great.

She walked to the bus stop, and a woman shifted slightly as she approached. The woman stared at her. That is odd, Tinko thought.

“Aren’t you cold?” The woman asked.

Tinko looked around, and there was no one close. She turned back to the woman, “Can you see me?”

She replied, “Yes, and hear you also. Why do you ask?”

Tinko was floored. Although this is not unheard of in her research department, it is extremely rare. Tinko stared at her for a moment.

“I am Tinko,” She said proudly.

The woman replied, “I’m Elizabeth. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tinko.”

Tinko asked, “So, what exactly do you see when you look at me?”

Shocked by the question, Elizabeth said, “I see a woman, mid-twenties, I would guess, dressed like it was summer and not winter. Pretty dress, by the way.”

The matrix learns about where you are researching and selects the proper look and the proper attire. So, Tinko may appear to Elizabeth like she was just another person waiting for the bus.

Elizabeth extended her hand, and Tinko instinctively reached for it. She stopped just short of touching Elizabeth.

Tinko looked her in the eye. Not quite sure how to proceed. The last time someone had an experience like this, they flipped the switch to deactivate the matrix that allows her to be somewhere she is not.

“Elizabeth, there is something you need to know,” Tinko said, sizing up her reaction, “The fact that you can see me at all is a rarity, and hearing me is even more rare. I am not from here, actually, in reality, I am not really here. I am at work at the moment, a researcher of sorts. On rare occasions, very rare occasions, the subjects we are researching can either see or hear us because their brainwave patterns are aligned with the matrix I am transferred through.”

Elizabeth looked at her and cocked her head to one side like a puppy trying to understand.

Tinko extended her hand, and Elizabeth reached for it and passed through it.

“Are you a ghost?”

Tinko chuckled, “No. I am merely a, uh, hologram. I am not standing here with you at the moment; I am in my office, all warm and comfortable.”

“That’s impressive technology,” Elizabeth said, “So, I take it I was not supposed to be able to see you?”

Tinko smiled, “No one is supposed to see me. I am testing a new covert surveillance tool. It seems that the frequency of the matrix I am using and your brain are in alignment. Now that, my new friend, is a rarity.”

Elizabeth thought a moment. Something sparked in her memory, or was it her memory?

“Who is Ronna?”

“My sister, why?”

“I can see her, and she looks nothing like you. I would say more than likely, you are not from Earth, and are studying us in complete silence and anonymity.”

“Yes. Well, with one exception,” Tinko pointed to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth asked, “Are you recording everything you see and hear?”

“Yes, and smell also. I cannot feel anything since I pass right through it.”

The Number One bus pulled up, and very few people got on. Waiting until the end of the line, Elizabeth looked at Tinko and said, “Follow me, and you will get an education into humanity and the culture of my little corner of planet Earth.”

“Earth, that’s what you call the planet. This is great information.”

“OK, there are nine planets in our solar system, well, eight really. They demoted the ninth one because it is small. In order from our star, the Sun, we call it Sol, as in SOLar system. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and tiny Pluto. We have a small colony on the Moon, our local satellite, which is tidally locked in orbit around the Earth. We have three space stations, one orbiting the Earth, one around the Moon, and one around Mars. In the next few years, they plan to launch another to orbit one of the Moons of Jupiter, I forgot which one.”

Elizabeth paused for a moment. Tinko spoke, “What about life here. I have seen it, but I do not understand it.”

“OK, for the most part, people are good. But some people are just pure evil. They rob, steal, rape, vandalize, break into businesses, and try to get something for nothing. When they are caught, they are tried by a jury of twelve people, and if convicted, they are sentenced to prison.”

“What is a prison?”

“A place where bad people are sent in the hopes they are changed for the better. Some spend a few years there, and some spend their entire lives if the crime is horrendous. Their day is structured, they have a place to sleep, a cot, and are fed. But they are anything but free while they are in prison.”

Tinko asked, “Why would people want to do bad things if the possible outcome is prison?”

“If we could answer that, we could put a stop to bad things.”

They looked out the window for a moment. Roughly half an hour had passed, and Elizabeth pulled a cord above the window.

“That tells the driver I need to get off the bus at the next stop.”

“Interesting!” Tinko said as they got off the bus, “So, this is where you reside?”

“It used to be a lot nicer here a long time ago, but it is better than it was a few years back. This is an area known as Collinwood. I was born here and will most likely die here someday. I know nearly every person in the area and feel pretty safe walking around.”

They entered a building and walked up the stairs. Elizabeth opened her door and, as she entered, she locked, deadbolted, latched, and set the alarm. Walking over to a table, she opened what looked like a plastic box, removed something from her waist, put it inside, and closed it with a solid click.

Tinko asked, “Is that a weapon?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Are you in the security forces?”

“No, it is for personal protection. I do not want to die.”

“But you are willing to end the life of another if that means your life will continue.”

Elizabeth looked Tinko in the eye, “Yes. I have carried a gun for 17 years, and have never had to use it.”

“I sense a but….”

Elizabeth replied, “But! That one time when I do not have it, it will be the day I need it. So, I carry it.”

“Where were you trained?”

“I spent six years in the military, the Air Force, and had ample opportunity to learn about firearms. I had to carry one in my job in the military, and it just carried over. I go to my range and practice once a week, on Thursday nights, and tonight, actually. There is a group of women who meet and train together. We are a part of the Armed Women of America, or the AWA. We can go if you want to tag along. Can you attenuate your received audio?”

“I can, yes. I take it the sound of a firearm is very loud.”

“It is, but believe it or not, it is a lot of fun, and very relaxing as far as hobbies go. Let me get changed, and we can head out.”

She turned on the TV, and it was the news.

“What is this program?”

“Nightly news. You will get information about things that happened all over the planet, the Moon, and the stations.

Ten minutes later, Elizabeth returned. Tinko looked sad.

“People on this planet kill each other, why?”

“For land, for water, because the other people are not like them, a lot of reasons. Sometimes, because the leader wants to be in the history books, he invades a place, starts a war, whatever. I ignore what I cannot change, or what does not affect me.”

Tinko looked behind her, “I need to disconnect, but I would like to come back. How do you measure time?”

She looked at a clock, “The faster hand is seconds, every sixty seconds is one minute, sixty minutes is one hour, and there are twenty-four hours in a day. I sleep for about eight of those hours, and the rest of the time I do whatever I want. If you can come back in a couple of days, I will have a lot of free time when we can talk and you can learn about us. I can take you to the range and show you more of my home. Come with a list of questions, and your report will be the best in the history of your department.”

She paused a moment, “I like you, Tinko. I feel like I can trust you. I know you are an alien race, and I hope you are not about to rain fire on my planet, but there is something about you that makes me trust you. I think I know what it is, too.”

Tinko looked at her, blinking. It may be their way of cocking their head to one side.

“Since we are connected, I can not only see a few of your memories, like family, friends, and your home, which is beautiful by the way, but I feel what you feel. I know you are telling the truth, and being honest is something to cherish.”

Tinko touched Elizabeth’s forehead, and she felt a tingle.

“What was that?” Elizabeth asked.

“A way for me to locate you when I return.”

Elisabeth said, laughing, “AH! You low-jacked me.”

“What?” Tinko said.

“Never mind, I will tell you when you return. See you in two days.”

“Before I go, I have one last question. Knowing I am not from your planet, why are you so comfortable and friendly with me?”

Elizabeth thought for a moment, “I have always believed we are not the only life in the universe. I just hoped when we met the first group of travelers, they were nice,” She looked Tinko in the eyes, “You are nice. Therefore, I like you and feel comfortable with you.”

“That, and you can see into my mind!”

“Well, there is that!”

She grinned at Tinko, "Please don't invade us or try to conquer us."

Tinko said, "Wait, what?" She looked at her new friend and smiled. She understood it was a joke. Her world does not have much humor, but her mate is very humorous.

Tinko raised a hand and faded into nothing.

Elizabeth smiled a bit, knowing she would be back. She felt it in her head that they were connected. Walking to her pistol case, she pressed the correct keys and opened it, removing her favorite carry gun. She clipped it to her waistband over the appendix and shifted it a bit more to the right.

Picking up her range bag, which held her ear muffs, 150 rounds of ammunition, and her other two pistols, which she had not fired in a while. She stood there looking at the spot where Tinko had vanished. Already missing her. She was an odd duck, but she is kind.

“OK, now for my night with Guns, and Gals.” She headed out of the apartment and to the range a short walk away. Hoping Tinko returns over the weekend.