For connoisseurs, I still have the last copy of the latest reissue of the third collection of science fiction about immortality, «We Don’t Want to Grow Old.» I think you know these legendary stories: “ R&D»…
– «Music behind the cemetery fence», «Summary»! «It seemed to Igor that at these words the droid’s eyes shone with happiness:
– Yes exactly!
– You don’t have to continue, I once read this book! Come on, I want to refresh my memory while I’m driving,» Igor swiped his wrist over the terminal, and a note appeared before his eyes: «3 crypto-rubles were withdrawn from the account.»
– Are you into games? Can I share a discount coupon for Raid Shadow Legends?
– Thank you, I’m not interested in games.
Igor put the treasured volume of his favorite book from childhood into his bag. From his youth, his great-grandfather participated in all 73 immortal fiction competitions, until he came of age, but not a single story made it to the finals. But from an early age he read stories from these competitions to Igor, like bedtime stories.
An intermittent voice echoed through the station:
– A train is arriving at… that platform… sk – S… urg, parking – two minutes, don’t delay.
Igor noticed that VIP trains were announced in a clear voice. And they stand at the station until the last passenger boards. One train stood at the station for two hours while one of the moneybags, who had lost the QR code, got a second shot.
I had to jump on the departing train. Igor loved adventure films, where spies jumped from a bridge onto a moving train, shooting back at dozens of villains, but he preferred an ordinary life, without incident, with trains peacefully waiting for passengers at stops. The robot conductor handed Igor a set of underwear.
– Will you drink tea?
– Yes, I won’t refuse.
The rhythmic clatter of wheels. The illusion was created that you were standing still, and the world around you was starting to move. The trees suddenly acquire the skill of walking, and in formation they head somewhere back. The train stands still, but the station begins to fly in an unknown direction. The rails have long been made without seams, but for non-VIP passengers they left the usual sounds. Stuffiness and smell of sweat. Igor had difficulty making his way through the rows of bare feet extended halfway through the aisle.
He threw the bag on the top shelf. The man sitting at the table immediately put a notepad covered with numbers on the table.
«Vlad,» he extended his hand, which Igor, introducing himself, shook.
– Do you solve sudoku?
– I’m calculating Graham’s number. I’ve already calculated almost the last seven billion,» Vlad said proudly, although Igor didn’t understand anything. He’s probably an accountant? Although, why do calculations when there are computers? Since childhood, Igor did not understand why he should study mathematics at school, until the thirtieth grade, then another 17 years at the institute. Most likely, graduate students are studying it too. Each generation needs to learn more and more in order to somehow compete for work with robots, but mathematics would be better left to droids. They only have two digits, but people have to operate with ten
– Will you? – Vlad took out a frosty bottle with a picture of Mendeleev.
– Let’s do it a little. Now I’ll whip up something for a snack.
Igor took out a portable printer from his bag. I selected the «Trip» program, and the machine printed chilled boiled chicken, cucumbers and several boiled chicken eggs. The vodka had a strange mushroom taste. We drank, ate, talked: about the meaning of life, the Universe and all that.
– How do you feel about immortality? – Vlad asked, among other things.
– I hate them! They… It’s all because of them. I hope you are not one of the droids who moved into the body of the machine, are you?
– No, what are you talking about, Igor. Would I travel on a train and eat cold chicken with you? If I were a droid, I would now be flying to new planets, sowing the seeds of humanity to other planets. Although, maybe I wouldn’t fly. After all, by a certain age you no longer want to change anything; constancy becomes desirable, not adventure.
«Because of them, the age of majority and retirement age are raised every year. My great-grandfather celebrated his majority at eighty-five, but never lived to see his bicentennial and retirement. Because of the immortals, when I can start my own family, I will be forced to choose among old women who are unlikely to be saved by plastic surgery and modern medicine.
Vlad burst out laughing.
– But it seems to me that immortality does not exist.
– Haven’t you seen these human robots? – Igor slammed his fist on the table.
– Yes, they live a long time, but do they live forever? I’ll explain now. It is almost impossible to calculate the lower age limit. Some people consider this to be the moment of conception in vitro, others – the moment of birth. But is there an upper limit for an immortal? Let’s say a bacterium lived for seventy years. During this time, countless myriads of generations of relatives have changed, and she is still alive, but is she immortal? If a person lived seven thousand years, is that a lot or a little? Most likely, during this time civilization will have time to change. I hope that after ours we will be left with paintings by Rembrandt and music by Chopin, and not teenage drawings on the walls and songs in the style of «Shake Your Watermelons.» In five billion years, the Sun will turn into a red giant and swallow the Earth, and with it the potential immortal. Let’s say he manages to fly away from the disaster. Long live googol years.
Igor’s smartphone made a characteristic sound: «I’m starting to search on the network,» and Vlad continued the monologue, not paying attention to what was happening around:
«But after such a period of time, the last supermassive black holes in the bowels of galaxies will evaporate, and the Universe will shrink to a point under its own weight. This is the end of our «immortal». Although, his whole life would be hell. Many people don’t know what to do with themselves in the evening after work, and here there are myriads of years. He would have time to visit every point of the accessible Universe, would have seen everything, and more than once. Boredom. Endless and hopeless boredom. But you, Igor, hate immortals so much. What if you were offered to become one of them? What would you do?
– I wouldn’t refuse, I guess.
– What if this meant taking someone’s life?
– What do I care about someone else’s life? Few people cared about me, why should I care about others?
Igor once again glanced sideways at the notebook, covered with even rows of numbers. How much time did Vlad spend filling out the thick notebook? How bored do you have to be to waste your life on meaningless calculations?
– But you are deceiving me, friend. You are one of them too.
– I’m not a droid. I don’t know how to achieve immortality. But there is some truth in your words: I lived longer than most, even in our highly genetic age. Myceliums live underground for centuries. I’m not a scientist, I don’t know the details, but a drug based on them promotes rejuvenation and longevity. But there are also side effects: everyone can’t live as long as they want, so someone has to willingly give up their years to you. Are you ready to take mine? I have lived enough and am ready to share.
«I always dreamed of immortality,» Igor rubbed his hands greedily.
Vlad suddenly pressed his lips to Igor’s neck.
– Hey, friend, I understand everything,