Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Inheritance (micro-story)

"I'm gonna do it!" Great-grandmother cried aloud. 
"Do what?" Her great-grandson asked.
"I'm going off-world, to Mars" she beamed. 
"But that's so dangerous!" he looked concerned, "Why would you needlessly risk your life like that?"
"Well, that's the point actually."  She replied. 
"But you have so many years left.  Why not wait a little longer, maybe 50 more years, until they can make it safe."  He admonished.
"I don't want safe, Ethan.  I want some excitement, like back in the good ol' days." 
"Like when people died so young? How did you stand it, people just dying like that, such a waste."  Ethan replied.   
"Well, it made one appreciate life more, that's for sure.  No one seems to appreciate life anymore, 'cept maybe those offworlders.  Why should they have all the fun, anyways?"
He tried another tack to dissuade her.  “Is it that you miss Gramma?”
“Of course I miss her” she shot back, a look of sadness passing over her face.  “I’m starting to think she had a point, but clearly she went down the wrong path.”  Ethan’s grandmother had joined up with the rebels who espoused antiquated notions of aging and death.  Great-grandmother had remembered sorrow from when she was young when her grand-parents and parents passed.  Her daughter’s death stirred this long fallow feeling again.       
To distract herself, she got up and strode to the kitchen and poured herself a bowl of Nano-CRUNCH!, the latest brand of anti-aging nanobot cereal.  'Delicious, doesn't upset your stomach' shouted the label.
On the box shone the all too familiar nano-hazard warning sign.  A triangle enclosed an eyeglass facing a dust speck betokening the infinitesimal size of the danger.  Early pioneers of these life-extending technologies were sued into bankruptcy after several deaths were attributed to the literally cutting-edge nanotech.  Befuddled judges based damages on a theoretical unlimited lifespans unexpectedly cut short.  A bad precedent, as newly super safety-conscious citizens and governments clamored for more and more stringent safety standards. 
Ethan tried again "Look, maybe you should talk to the family about this?"
"Aren't YOU my family?"
"What about Mom, Uncle Dan and Aunt Jenn?" 
"What, so I can stick around and solve their problems for them?  No thanks, they need to grow up a little bit.  Maybe with no adult supervision, they can finally figure things out.  Besides I've already made arrangements, I'm taking the next launch this weekend."
At this Ethan almost choked.  But he quickly regained his composure. 
"What about great-grandpa?  Did you at least talk to him?"  He insisted.
"Why do I have to get his permission?  Our contract was only for 50 years and that expired a decade ago.  Though he is fun to have around nowadays, I'll miss that."  She smirked.
Ethan blushed.  The side-effects of renewed youth.
"Maybe in a few years he'll come along.  By the way, didn’t you hear the news?"  Great-Grandmother added.
"What news?"  Ethan asked.
"He and his new contract-wife Amara just had twin sons.  Serves him right, the old codger."
"Codger?"  Ethan said confused.  Another one her old-fangled words.  At times, it was as if they spoke different languages.  When she and her friends got together, he couldn’t understand their conversation half the time.  Though everyone appeared to be a youthful 30 year old, one could still tell from which era each grew up just by speech and mannerisms. 
"An old man who...um, nevermind."
"Well then, I'll send a few gifts to my new Great Uncles."  Ethan knew his great-grandmother was rather old-fashioned in her familial expectations.  “So there’s nothing I can do to discourage you from your decision?”  He did know she had always had a stubborn streak. 
“You know me, once I get something in my head.” she smiled. 
“Well, I will miss you, maybe if you get bored over there, you can come back to visit us.” 
“Or maybe by then, we’ll have Jupiter’s moons sorted out and I’ll jump on over there.”  She half-joked.
A look of horror passed over his face.  “But I’ll be sure to swing by here first.” she appeased.
Conceding, he changed the subject.  “I have some news of my own” he told her. 
“Good news, I hope.” She replied. 
“The best, my daughter Sara is going to have a baby!  I’m going to be a grandfather!”  Ethan exclaimed.
“You’re going to be such a wonderful grandpa, being a grandparent is so rewarding.”  She responded.

“Congratulations to you too, Great-Great-Great Gramma!” he grinned.