I don’t know what to think or do. I move into our office alcove and wake the terminal up to take a look at the details that the AI has sent over. The position is more and more interesting the more I look at it, but that’s not the problem.

The problem is that it’s the only suggestion. How in hell can I be in this position. What, if anything, is so special about me that I have been singled out in this way? Dad always told me that our family would forever be of interest to the AIs because of that historic event on Earth, but three hundred years have passed since then, ten generations and 27 light years.

I could so easily lean towards just saying no, but a quick scan of the community opportunities list that the AI has also sent through is a little sobering. Do I really want to maintain the waste water system for the peninsula or work in the local supermarket? Probably not.

I’m still deep in thought, any idea of getting lunch far from my mind when I get a notification in my vision that I have an incoming call.

No name is given, just a notification.

“Nexima, accept the call.”

<Hello Aidan. This is Nexi, the planetary AI. I’m sorry to disturb you.>

“I… Erm… Hello?”

So, the planetary AI is calling me. What the actual fuck! I thought the morning had already been pretty surreal, but now it’s getting way out there into truly uncharted territory. I love old Earth shows and now I do indeed feel like I’m entering the Twilight Zone. Pretty apt for a place like Sevrin.

<AIs may have said this too much today already, Aidan, but please relax.>

“Yes, sorry. I’m just a little, well, freaked out.”

<Actually, Aidan, that’s really why I’m taking the unusual step of taking to you myself. I want to reassure you.>

“Good. I could do with some reassurance right now.”

<I fear that the Employment Centre AI made a bit of a hash of things when telling you about your recommendation and I want to apologise on their behalf. I know only too well your family’s history with us and I know that you know it as well.>

“Yes, it seems like we have a weird reflection of the past here.”

<Indeed. I just want to say that you really shouldn’t read too much into it. Just accept that the AI found the perfect candidate for a research position and couldn’t see a better option for that person. For you.>

“Yes, Nexi, I was beginning to see that as the obvious explanation. Thank you for taking the time to get in touch. I’m honoured.”

<The honour is mine. Please call me directly if you need any further assistance. I’m always here for all of the colony.>

“Thank you, Nexi. Will you tell the Employment Centre AI that I accept the position please.”

<Yes, of course. Enjoy the rest of your day, Aidan. Goodbye.>

Okay, that was pretty momentous. I’ve spoken to my first AI and then I’ve been spoken to by Nexi, the actual head of our society. All to tell me that I’m not being given any special treatment. Well, that’s been a self-evident failure then.

My ancestor, Nick, changed the history of humanity, all because the AI network on old Earth took an interest in him. In truth, he never did anything special, but his descendants have made discoveries that have made my life here on Sevrin a possibility. Sometimes, you have to look at the bigger picture, but, equally, sometimes you just need to get on with your own life and forget about the AIs.

Right now, I’d better get something to eat and then go off to the gym. I’m determined to keep in some sort of shape, even though I now need to think about packing to move half-way across the planet.

I’m now glad that I finally have my implant. Eastleigh is possibly as far away as I could get from Sevrin City and my family and friends. Most of our other towns are logically spread out around Sevrin City at reasonable distances up to about a thousand kilometres. Some are across the equatorial sea to the south, but they are only a day away on the ferry.

Eastleigh is different. It’s more than 9000 kilometres away, right on the eastern limb of Sevrin and some little way north of the equator. It’s a major research centre and also a gateway to the oceanic farms and the coastal mines on the far side of the moon.

 

I’ve actually got a bit of a buzz that even an hour at the gym doesn’t really seem to help alleviate. I decide to jog home in my gym clothes and even this doesn’t seem to calm me down any.  By the time I’ve showered and changed, I’m still feeling a bit hyper-active and decide to cook dinner while I wait for Dad to get home.

Apparently, my state of mind is pretty clear to him, but he always has been very perceptive. “Okay, Aidan, something serious happened today. You’d better get that food on the table and tell me all about it.”

I take a few moments to plate up our food and Dad, now aware that this is an important occasion, grabs a bottle of white wine from the rack and hunts out a couple of glasses. He pours for both of us while I bring the plates to the table. I’ve made a Chinese-inspired stir-fry with vegetables and a little chicken-textured protein. I’d rather eat in silence, but I’m not going to get off that lightly.

“Come on, Aidan. Tell me what’s going on.”

“I spoke to the Employment AI this morning.”

“Yes, you said you were going to get something sorted out before your party tomorrow. Did the AI find you a good selection of options?”

“A good option, yes. A selection, no.”

“Sorry, what does that mean?”

“Dad, it’s happened again. The AI only had one potential job to offer to me. It is a really good option, but it’s the only one. Well, unless I want to look after the sewers, taking a job from the community list.”

“Aidan, that’s impossible.”

“Well, no, Dad, it really isn’t. Surely, we know better than anybody on the whole of Sevrin that it is very much possible. It has happened before. It’s just that it’s only happened once before in three hundred years.”

“Well, I can see why you are a little on edge. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine actually. Nexi called and put my mind at rest as best they could.”

“Nexi called you? You really are having a day of firsts, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Dad. I think I’m just a little overwhelmed by the whole thing really. Not in a bad way, just psyched up and a little on edge. Have you ever spoken to them?”

“A few times over the years. Being Master of Records is pretty much an honorary title, but sometimes a human decision is needed on whether to keep some data or allow it to be erased and Nexi does ask. So, what is the job? Have you accepted?”

“Yes, I’ve accepted. Once all the details were sent it was pretty much what I was looking for. It’s a research position. Physics and communications.”

“That makes some sense. Your science grades are almost off the chart. You have your mother’s brain.”

“There’s just one thing I’m not really happy about, but I do recognise that it is necessary. It’s not a big deal, but the position is in Eastleigh.”

“Trying to get as far away from the old man as possible?”

“No, Dad, of course not. I’m just glad that I now have my implant. I’ll still be able to stay in touch with everybody, you included.”

“Well, leaving home is just another part of being an adult. You wouldn’t want to stay here with me for your whole life.”

“I know. It just all seems to be happening a little sooner than I expected. I have to catch the ship next Monday morning.”

“Do you need to organise things at the Eastleigh end? Accommodation and so forth?”

“No, it’s all included in the package. I get a small apartment on the campus. My salary is adjusted accordingly. I’ve already done a virtual tour and it looks pretty nice. The whole campus is relatively new and everything is purpose-built to make sure there are all the required amenities within walking diatance.”

“Well, we’ll just have to get used to talking through the Mesh from now on. Treat the journey out like a vacation and enjoy the scenery as you travel.”

“Yes. Actually, I am looking forward to the journey on the ship. Apparently taking a vacation on a ship was a thing on Earth long ago?”

“Oh, yes. They called it cruising and at one time, in the 21st century, it was incredibly popular. They built huge ships, 400 metres long and taking thousands of people. I understand that it still is popular, just to a smaller degree. It won’t work for us as we don’t have enough possible destinations to visit.”

“I suppose being on a ship for a couple of weeks will give me plenty of time to get started on my new job. I’ll not have much else to do.”

“If nothing else, it’ll give you a chance to get used to the different view of Artan as you move east.”

“I never even thought of it. I’m so used to her hanging high in the sky. Seeing her on the horizon from now on will be really weird. I suppose getting a better view of the rest of the sky is some sort of compensation though.”

“I’ve never been east. I went to Westport with your mother once, before you were born. She had to check on some scientific equipment out there and I was researching something that I could do out of the office. It was a great month, but the changing sky was a little unnerving.”

“I’ll try my best to enjoy the journey then.”

“I’m proud of you, Son. Whatever you do and wherever you go, I’ll always be just a call away.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Now, let’s relax and enjoy the rest of this wine.”