The Knowledge of the Universe

The Knowledge of the Universe

     There were a lot of Uniacs at The Knowledge Center that day. Most of them were children. But there were a lot of adults there too. They were all standing around in a large open room – with a small stage up front. That’s where Hickin was at. He was speaking to the crowd in front of him.

     “Welcome everyone. I hope you are all ready to learn all about the rest of the universe. Beyond these doors,” Hickin gestured to the doors that surrounded that room, “You will see what the other planets have.”

     “If you have any questions you can ask me – or one of my Assistants.” Hickin gestered to the three Uniacs seated behind him. Kliara, Thomon and Rondi each stood up, smiled and nodded their heads in acknowledgement, when Hickin introduced them to the attendees there.

<<<<<>>>>>

     Wildar, thirteen, stared at that page in a book. “What is that?” He pointed at it.

     Rondi looked over the shoulders at what he’s looking at. “That’s a drawing of what we call a Transport Shelter. But on a lot of planets it’s called a garage.”

     “It’s connected to the residence.” Twelve-year-old loura was looking at that book too.

     “Most of them were attached. But some of the them weren’t. I think if you look a little further you will see one that isn’t.” Rondi started flipping the pages for them.

<<<<<>>>>>

     A group of kids, ten to twelve, were looking at a bunch of boats from different planets. There were two adults, one male and one female, with them. One of those boats was a kayak.

     “I’ve never seen a boat like that before. What planet did that come from.” Ten-year-old Viole pointed at it.

     “I’m not sure where it came from. But I don’t think it’s from one of the Human inhabited planets.” That was Thomon who said that.

     “What is it made of? It looks real?” Purul, another twelve-year-old, tried to touch it. But Storin, the male adult with them, slapped it away.

     “It is real skin – from an animal of some kind. And before anyone asks I don’t know what animal or animals it’s made of.” It was very obvious to everyone there Thomon heard that question before. They talked about that on the way home from The Knowledge center.

<<<<<>>>>>

     One of the rooms there was dedicated for Medical Supplies and Equipment. Each room there represented a different part of a planet. And within those room were examples from a number of different planets.

     Kliara was there to answer any questions a group of adults had for that room. “That is what we call a Heart Recharger. But there are lot of worlds out there that call it a fibrillation machine.”

     “It doesn’t look like a Heart Recharger to me.” Onian, sixty, said to Kliara.

     “No, it doesn’t. But it is one. I think there are a few other machines like it around here.” Kliara left that couple when another one motioned her over to another display.

<<<<<>>>>>

     Another room featured business and office equipment. One of those pieces of equipment was what looked like an old broken up Data Monitor. In front of it was a sign that said: If you press a keystroke, or several of them, you will see that I am still alive.

     Zillon, ten, was about to touch it when his mother, Effina, stopped him by putting her hands on his shoulder – and squeezing a little. “We told you on the way here not to touch anything.”

     “It’s okay. He can touch if it says to do it.” Rondi watched as a male, Girron, and a girl, eleven, her name was Icca, joined them.

<<<<<>>>>>

     Some of the rooms had moving displays. That room was one of them. It was one of many that showed several animals from different planets. One of those animals was a horse running over an open field.

     “What kind of an animal is that?” Carlon, twelve, addressed his question to Kliara.

     “That’s a riding animal. There are a lot that look like that on several thousand planets in the universe. They are mostly for riding. But they can also be used for working in the fields like that one.” Kliara pointed at the display. “They can also be involved with breeding and racing too.”

     “Is it real? It sure looks real.” Asked Minni – also twelve.

     “No, it’s not. Like all the other animals here it’s only a representation of the original from whatever planet it comes from.” Kliara didn’t take her eyes off the display as she said that.

<<<<<>>>>>

     Some of the rooms were also where the entertainment part of planets could be found. Another, different, group of kids and two adults, one male and one female. were looking around one of those rooms.

     There was a lot of different types of entertainment to fascinate the kids. One in particular that was very popular at the moment was a Puppet show that was going on.

     Plice, nine, laughed at what just happened. “That was funny. What kind of entertainment is this?”

     “We don’t know what it’s called. But from the looks of the characters involved we are pretty sure it not from one of the Human worlds.” Thomon was laughing with everyone else there.

     “Why don’t we have anything like this on Uniac?” Norrom, eleven, said to no one in general.

<<<<<>>>>>

     “This one was one of our biggest groups of all time. In fact, I think it is our biggest one.” Hickin sat behind a desk. He looked like he was about to slip out of it. On the other side of that desk were his three Assistants. Rondi was leaning back in her chair. With her feet up on the desk. Thomon was half asleep. His eyes flickering open and closed by the second. And Kliara was sitting sideways in her chair. Her head and feet dangling over both sides of it.