able to fly normal vehicles. Being a royal is not easy, Kevin. It includes doing things for appearances sake too.”
Seriri and Keele agreed with what Moriti had to say. Kevin was voted out. He agreed to give it a try. Soon enough, a short, well groomed man walked towards them.
“Prince Kevin, I am Karbaka. I will be your flight instructor.”, he said.
“Good evening, Karbaka.”, Moriti greeted him. Keele and Seriri stood in silence as Kevin, Moriti and Karbaka started talking.
“Prince, I know how you feel about flying. Trust me, you are not the only one. There are many who do not like flying, but it is a necessity these days. You have one of the finest vehicles in your garage. Most of them are autonomous and need very minimal skill. There is nothing to be worried of.”, Karbaka tried to persuade Kevin.
“Sure.”, Kevin agreed.
“Only the autonomous ones? What about the neurojets? Shouldn’t we give them a try at least?”, Moriti asked.
Karbaka looked at Moriti with astonishment. He expected her to know this but she didn’t. He went closer and said, almost whispering to her and Kevin. “Prince would never be able to fly a neurojet, madam Moriti. He was not born here, was he?”
“Why should that be a problem? He belongs to the genepool. I hope you are not doubting his lineage.”, Moriti asserted.
“Please forgive me madam Moriti if I have offended the prince, but I do not doubt his skills or his lineage. We have a technical problem, instead.”, Karbaka explained.
“What technical problem?”, Kevin asked. He was now interested in knowing why he would never be able to fly a neuroject. There is something about forbidden fruits. They appear infinitely more sweet once you are told you cannot have them.
“Flying a neurojet requires a brainmap. It's a configuration unique to every body. This configuration maps brain signals to the neurojet’s main controller. Without a brainmap, the prince won’t be able to communicate to a neurojet at all.”, Karbaka said.
“So? Why can’t we get his brain mapped now that he is here?”, Moriti asked.
“It is too late for that, I am afraid. A brain can be mapped only till five years of age. Preferably it should be done within the first 6 months of birth. The royals used to do it on the first.”, Karbaka replied. He sounded helpless.
“That’s ok, Moriti. I would be more than happy if I can fly the simpler vehicles. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”, Kevin tried to console Moriti who looked quite sad on hearing all this.
Deep within, Kevin was a bit disappointed too. He had always loved playing with gadgets and machines. Hearing that there is something he would never be able to do had to hurt him at some level. Even if it was about flying.
“Have you driven vehicles before, prince Kevin?”, Karbaka began with his usual queries.
“Please call me Kevin. And yes, I love driving. I believe I am better than most of the drivers.”, Kevin replied honestly.
“That is great. Then you know how to control a machine’s movements. Flying is only marginally tricky. We will have fun. Tomorrow morning at six?.”, Karbaka smiled and prepared to walk away.
“Make that seven. This has been a long evening.”, Kevin said.
“As you wish, Kevin.”, Karbaka smiled as he walked away.
Kevin looked at Moriti and said, “Are you serious? Me and neurojets?”.
“Why not? You would have made a fine flyman.”, Moriti insisted, still sad from the earlier revelation by Karbaka.
Kevin enjoyed the compliment. He accepted it quietly.
“What now?”, Seriri asked.
“Let’s try the wine, now.”, Keele said. He waved at a housebot who was serving drinks nearby.
Moriti realised it was time for the boys to begin their own party. She said, “I will leave now. Seriri, are you staying?”
“I guess I will leave too.”, Seriri said while looking at Kevin. She hoped Kevin would stop her but Kevin had no such intentions.
Moriti and Seriri left. Keele ordered a
Seriri and Keele agreed with what Moriti had to say. Kevin was voted out. He agreed to give it a try. Soon enough, a short, well groomed man walked towards them.
“Prince Kevin, I am Karbaka. I will be your flight instructor.”, he said.
“Good evening, Karbaka.”, Moriti greeted him. Keele and Seriri stood in silence as Kevin, Moriti and Karbaka started talking.
“Prince, I know how you feel about flying. Trust me, you are not the only one. There are many who do not like flying, but it is a necessity these days. You have one of the finest vehicles in your garage. Most of them are autonomous and need very minimal skill. There is nothing to be worried of.”, Karbaka tried to persuade Kevin.
“Sure.”, Kevin agreed.
“Only the autonomous ones? What about the neurojets? Shouldn’t we give them a try at least?”, Moriti asked.
Karbaka looked at Moriti with astonishment. He expected her to know this but she didn’t. He went closer and said, almost whispering to her and Kevin. “Prince would never be able to fly a neurojet, madam Moriti. He was not born here, was he?”
“Why should that be a problem? He belongs to the genepool. I hope you are not doubting his lineage.”, Moriti asserted.
“Please forgive me madam Moriti if I have offended the prince, but I do not doubt his skills or his lineage. We have a technical problem, instead.”, Karbaka explained.
“What technical problem?”, Kevin asked. He was now interested in knowing why he would never be able to fly a neuroject. There is something about forbidden fruits. They appear infinitely more sweet once you are told you cannot have them.
“Flying a neurojet requires a brainmap. It's a configuration unique to every body. This configuration maps brain signals to the neurojet’s main controller. Without a brainmap, the prince won’t be able to communicate to a neurojet at all.”, Karbaka said.
“So? Why can’t we get his brain mapped now that he is here?”, Moriti asked.
“It is too late for that, I am afraid. A brain can be mapped only till five years of age. Preferably it should be done within the first 6 months of birth. The royals used to do it on the first.”, Karbaka replied. He sounded helpless.
“That’s ok, Moriti. I would be more than happy if I can fly the simpler vehicles. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”, Kevin tried to console Moriti who looked quite sad on hearing all this.
Deep within, Kevin was a bit disappointed too. He had always loved playing with gadgets and machines. Hearing that there is something he would never be able to do had to hurt him at some level. Even if it was about flying.
“Have you driven vehicles before, prince Kevin?”, Karbaka began with his usual queries.
“Please call me Kevin. And yes, I love driving. I believe I am better than most of the drivers.”, Kevin replied honestly.
“That is great. Then you know how to control a machine’s movements. Flying is only marginally tricky. We will have fun. Tomorrow morning at six?.”, Karbaka smiled and prepared to walk away.
“Make that seven. This has been a long evening.”, Kevin said.
“As you wish, Kevin.”, Karbaka smiled as he walked away.
Kevin looked at Moriti and said, “Are you serious? Me and neurojets?”.
“Why not? You would have made a fine flyman.”, Moriti insisted, still sad from the earlier revelation by Karbaka.
Kevin enjoyed the compliment. He accepted it quietly.
“What now?”, Seriri asked.
“Let’s try the wine, now.”, Keele said. He waved at a housebot who was serving drinks nearby.
Moriti realised it was time for the boys to begin their own party. She said, “I will leave now. Seriri, are you staying?”
“I guess I will leave too.”, Seriri said while looking at Kevin. She hoped Kevin would stop her but Kevin had no such intentions.
Moriti and Seriri left. Keele ordered a
Similar Books
