Story: A Simple System – 1

It was a breezy fall day, the leaves were flying. I was on my way to a lecture where an esteemed activist, of my acquaintance, was scheduled to talk about the dangers of GMO food production.
I was not looking forward to it. It seemed that the GMO nightmare was inevitable. The powers that be, would have to wake up to the real life compromises they would have to make, before they changed their profiteering plans. And that wasn’t likely to happen, and I flinched at my negative attitude. What happened to my optimism and positivity? I halted the negative wave that was trying to overtake my consciousness.
The talk was free. Entry to the auditorium was easy. A few people stood outside talking amongst themselves.
Another reason, I had decided to attend, was based on a rumor that agents, spies, whatever you want to call them, were planning to be there. I personally couldn’t see why they would bother. Here was a another small potato of an activist, who was merely adding to the public awareness, by reminding many of us, and informing a few about the dangers and opportunistic nature of GMO food producers.
And something else seem to be drawing me there. My mind sought to build elaborate schemes of deceit, and adventurous cloak and dagger opportunities, but I resisted, knowing that I needed to resign myself to a bored life of watching the intrigue from the safety of my living room.

I got there late, so Harold, standing behind a podium, dressed in a old sport coat and slacks, faded new shirt, no tie, with his straight long, greying hair combed back, had already launched into his tirade, or as close to one as he was going to get.

“I’m dismayed that a couple of prominent science personalities have been sweet talked into believing that GMO science is okay.
Their argument is, that genetic modification is nothing new. They claim that it has been around for many years. They like to brow beat the non scientists, the general public, to get with the program. They fail to address a significant aspect of the GMO effort that will cause the most harm. And that is, if my sources are correct, GMO companies, that were first chemical companies and are now food production companies, are modifying food crops to resist their poisonous, to people and the environment, pesticides and herbicides.
The big bonus, that the pro-GMO coalition, claims is that their new modified seeds produce more food per acre, that is also more nutritious. That brings me to the second secret agenda behind the GMO effort: seed monopolization. GMO giants want to hold the rights over food production, thus attempting to strangle hold the world in a profit-mad drive to market dominance.
What can you do about it? Don’t buy either the GMO hype or the GMO products that the sweet talking, duped GMO scientists are promoting.”
Harold went on about how the powerful interests driven by greed, would do anything to convince the populace that they are good guys.
As I sat there, I began to let go, I relaxed my grip on the physical world, colored lights slowly manifested. Each human form gradually revealed several layers of shimmering, vibrating light, some more spectacular than others. This was the basis of my “uncanny” ability to know the character of anyone within my view. I scanned the room for a cloud of light with dark specks or gray hue. There was something odd not far from me, where I had seen a woman before. There was no light. It was disturbing on a different level. I quickly shifted back to physical sight long enough, to see that there was in deed a woman there. How is that possible? I wondered. Android? Immediately the thought came to me. Why here? And how can that be, that degree of realism has only been seen in the movies.
My mind began to tune with that world of self learning, automated technology. I to stop myself. I had to stop conceptualizing about the android, and survey the remainder of the room. On the opposite side of the room, I detected a man leading against the wall. I could easily tell, his motives were treacherous. He appeared to be looking my way, but then I realized that he was watching the android woman, and occasionally glancing up at Harold on the stage. The leaning man and android were connected somehow, I realized. Is he controlling her. As inconspicuously as I could, I studied him. He had one hand on his chin, the other holding up his chin arm. Were his lips moving? It was difficult to tell. Was he communicating with the android through some wireless medium?
I looked back at the android. She seemed to be studying Harold, and he was closing his talk and thanking everyone for coming. A minute later, people were congregating at the stage to get his autograph. Others were leaving or stood talking with other attendees.
I felt awkward. I felt that I must do something, either walk toward the exit, or move toward the stage, since there no one near me with whom I could talk, and I didn’t want to get caught up anyone anyway. I noticed that the man was moving toward the exit, so I decided to follow him. I hadn’t gone more than a few steps, before I had an impulse to look back toward the stage. The android was already there. I couldn’t decide what to do. What if she posed some danger to Harold? She looked harmless, and non aggressive. Could she be a walking bomb. No! There were too many detection devices between the lecture hall and the entry to the building. No known explosives would have gotten this far.
I looked back to see where the man was. He was no where in sight. No reason to look for him now, when this woman may be the best source of information. I watched her, as I moved toward the stage. She hung back, as others got their autographs and jabbered with Harold.
When last person walked away from Harold, the woman quickly filled the void. I was still several rows away from the stage, and there was a cluster of people in my way. I felt an impulse to rush forward, while at the same time wondering how I would look, suddenly bursting past people.
Harold seemed startled to see her, he straightened, with a frown on his face, he resignedly nodded. He picked up his satchel, tucked his papers into it, and gestured with his head toward the side door at the side of the stage.
I had stopped moving toward the stage, when I saw his reaction to her. It confused me, a strange mixture of lights agitated his auric field. It was an indication that he was fighting a variety of emotions and impulses.
I heard a loud noise toward the back of the room. I didn’t look back. Probably chairs falling over, I thought, I wasn’t about to be distracted, and moved forward. Years of experience, had enabled me to keep calm under a variety of challenging circumstances, and that was my saving grace. Instinctively I crouched, just as something flew fast over my head and crashed into the chairs beyond.