FLASH FICTION: A SUFFICIENTLY ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY BY GUY T MARTLAND

A sufficiently advanced technology

Flash fiction by Guy T Martland

‘Do you remember when the machines fell to Earth?’

‘Yeah… those were dark times.’

‘I think we can halt humanity’s decline if you can reboot their kind.’

‘How? They are practically extinct.’

‘If I can find whoever designed them, we can resurrect their species.’

‘I’m not sure if the inventor will be able to help you.’

‘Why?’

‘Fenix was a genius…until he lost his mind.’

‘What happened?’

‘He blamed himself for everything that went down.’

‘Nonsense! Everyone knows it was the Snouts. They invaded us.’

‘A man from long ago once said that men are only as good as their technical development allows them to be.’

‘He shouldn’t have given up so easily.’

‘Why? So another EMP could knock his machines out of the sky?’

‘If at first you don’t succeed…’

‘Okay, I can see that you’re not going to let this go.

‘Never.’

‘I had a Mecha that used to fix things. If you can find one of them, then your plan might be feasible.’

‘Good idea!’

‘We shall see.’

‘Can you tell me about him?’

‘Fenix was always working on the development of new products whilst continually refining his older creations. Whenever we spent any time together, he would bring something for us to play with.’

‘So, maybe it’s you that I need and not him…’

‘What if we can revive them?’

‘Then the healing will begin. We’ll be one step closer to ridding Earth of those pernicious creatures.’

‘What makes you think we can win?’

‘The prophecy.’

‘There is no such thing.’

‘What has been written… shall come to pass.’

‘The book that you’re pinning all your hopes on is a piece of Science Fiction.’

‘Arthur C. Clarke talked about satellites and they became reality.’

‘Okay, I’ll admit that he knew, twenty years ahead of time, about a piece of sufficiently advanced technology—’

‘Yes! So, why can’t my story come true?’

‘Every theory has already been exhausted.’

‘When did you become such a cynic?’

‘The day we lost.’

‘I’m not ready to accept defeat.’

‘The machines are products of a bygone age. They’ve already been beaten.’

‘I must read you one sentence from this book; it will restore your faith.’

‘That ship has sailed.’

‘If this passage doesn’t convince you that the prophecy is true, I will leave and never darken your door ever again.

‘Deal.’

‘A young protagonist once asked an old man: “Do you remember when the machines fell to Earth…”’

Written by Guy Martland