I AM EXPLORER!

Background: I invented my Birdoid in 2035. Circumstances drove it to self-destruct, in order to save Earth from being destroyed. For those who want to know more, you can visit My Birdoid . And now I continue on my mission saving mode.

September 30, 2036

Well, the past year has been hectic, to say the least. After news about my Birdoid spread, I was appreciated the world-over. So much so, that at a world conference of scientists and technologists last month, I was honoured and made 'World Ethical Head for Technologists', for my Birdoid was the first ever ethically-advanced human-brain-like-thinking-machine that looked like a bird!

I decided to build my Birdoid version 2.0 since then, and wanted to live upto the honour bestowed on me by my planet. The design had to be different this time. As I was always influenced by the great genius Leonardo da Vinci's ornithopter design (given alongside), I decided to build something on these lines. Ideas are always brilliant you see- of any century they may be! 

Still I felt the body had to be that of something completely durable- which could zoom right through air, water, land and vacuum! What better than the miniature version of Tata Safari Storme (my favorite hi-tech vehicle!) for the body, and super-agile wings attached to it! Would be a formidable vehicle to speed across in space!

Just as I was drooling over all these thoughts with the Storme Ultra Luxury 2036 version (www.tatasafari.com/) in my mind, my phone buzzed. NASISRO's Chairman had tinkalled me saying- "Hope you've not yet built Birdoid 2.0! For, your new requirement is: build one for inter-galactic travel! Coz we've got a signal from Fraeena solar system in Andromeda galaxy! They clearly want to meet us!" I was thrilled beyond measure! I Now I had to build my STORMOID (yes, that HAD to be the new name!) for inter-galactic expeditions! I tinkalled back-"Aye aye Sir! Gimme a month for this!" Needless to say, I was right away at work.

October 30, 2036

And it was born- my STORMOID, my Hero! I had given it vocal chords too, so I could talk to it. Guess whose voice it could talk in?! Amitabh Bachchan's baritone! NASISRO team wished me luck. They even talked to Stormoid over Skype Version 36, and got a 3D feel of it. Mighty impressed (with even the baritone adding to it!), they said- "Take the Fraeena people by storm!" Me and Stormoid thundered back- "Yes! For Sure!" 5..4..3..2..1..and we blasted off!

Time- unknown

As my Stormoid could compress itself and its rider, me, to the size of a photon, we could tear away at the speed of light. I could see the most unimaginably brilliant patterns of light in the backdrop of the vast space. We were crossing millions of stars by the second! I just could not believe my eyes! My super-intelligent stormoid exactly knew the location of Fraeena, and as we were going through vacuum and could not hear each other, so it flashed its messages on a small screen before me-"Enjoying the Dark Matter?! We are still a while away from our destination! Keep enjoying the lights while I keep clear of black holes!" I was amazed- I had not fed into my artificial program about how to avoid black holes! Still my stormoid had learnt it- probably by sifting through all the reams of information on the internet and then devising its own technique! Mind-blowing I must say! I looked at the screen and winked! My Stormoid flashed its powerful headlights in response!


I have no idea after how much time, but suddenly I felt as if we were slowing down. More and more. Then I could see a light blue-light grey planet looking like this:
I gasped. Suddenly I also felt my size increasing, and Stormoid's too. Stormoid's spectacular wings were now wide open, as we had entered into the planetary atmosphere of the special planet of Fraeena solar system. From up above, I could see people- they looked like tall sticks.

Stormoid touched down upon the new planet. Before my door opened, I got a tinkall-"Welcome to Naina- your eyes are beautiful!" I was awe-struck! The new planet's people were tremendously advanced- not only had they named their planet 'Eye' or 'Naina' (that too in Indian language Hindi!), they had also seen my eyes with their powerful equipment! Stormoid was carrying out a quick scan for dangers. It found none and in its baritone announced-"Thanks Naina people. The human being with beautiful eyes will now be in front of you!" I hushed up Stormoid and walked out. Surprise of surprises! All of them actually looked like tall sticks with - hold your breath - my eyes!! I could gauge that they had read the DNA behind my eyes and had replicated it. I understood that they were a people looking for eyes, as they had none, and that's why the obsession! So much so, that they had even named their planet Naina!

So, since I was the chosen diplomat from our Earth to establish relations with Nainese people (the very start of a true inter-galactic diplomatic mission across species), I had to get on the job right away. Yes, they knew English. They did not have Stormoid like me, and marvelled at its breathtaking beauty. They took me to a building that was shaped like an igloo, but made of bio-degradable material. In fact, they said, all trees had been destroyed there and that's why with time, they had started looking like sticks. Now only few trees grew and they were slowly trying to revive trees on their planet. Their bodies had adapted to live with least oxygen. "But why did all your eyes disappear?" I asked. They said- "We forgot Nature here- destroyed everything. That's why Nature has evolved us over a million years to be without eyes and stick-like, for we were blind to Nature and her beauty." I was shocked. I thought-"Could this be human beings' future as well? We at Earth in 2036 also had far less trees than our parents and grandparents had left us with...."

A small tear trickled down my eyes. Just then I saw all the Nainese wiping a tear from their eyes. Oh my God! It was my eye in all of theirs- I was as much flattered as I was sad. Sad, because they would probably learn to cry, without a heart, which also Nature had taken away. Only their head with some sort of brain stood firm on a stick-like body, and I understood that they took decisions with only their brain. I pitied them. But I also had hope for them. I said- "Nainese people, do not worry. I know you needed the eye DNA, and you may have mine. Take it as a gift from all people from my planet Earth. I also wish you all the very best for you can see and experience tears now, so I hope with the growing of more trees you can also start developing your true bodies and heart." Stormoid understood that I was hinting at leaving. It announced-"All the Nainese people, please get together with your special envoy from Earth, who has also helped you see! I have to click a Cybershot photo and give each of you a copy!" A loud cheer went across like a wave throughout the planet.

Stormoid went half a kilometre up and with the whole frame took a photo. A million copies were made instantly and Stormoid personally delivered one to each by flapping its wings and going to each. I waved my hands and said- "Bye Nainese people! I had a wonderful time with you all!" One among them stepped forward and said- "Before you go, you must take this gift." They gave me a brightly wrapped box. I wanted to open it but they said- "Open it on Earth." Thanking them profoundly, I looked into their eyes- my eyes,in fact, and smiled. They smiled through their eyes and then I got into my Stormoid. Within moments, we had escaped Planet Naina's atmosphere.

Again we had compressed to a photon's size and whizzed past solar systems and neutron stars. Finally when we neared Earth, I was watching closely. Why was Earth also looking light blue and light grey like Naina? I did not want the worst to be true. Stormoid flashed on my screen the message-" Don't worry Amrita. Even if things are wrong on Earth, you can set it right with the gift you have from Naina." Well, Stormoid had just proved that it was a brilliant spy who could sneak inside gifts (ethical hacking of course!). I messaged- "Stop reading my mind. Take me to Earth asap." Stormoid again flashed its powerful headlights on in response.

I felt devastated. As we touched down on Earth and returned to our original sizes, I felt terrible. I could not believe this. I had returned to a planet badly devoid of trees, like Naina. Unbelievable. Half the water had disappeared. That's why it looked less light blue and more grey.

Humans had not turned stick-like yet, but universally looked more frail. Yes, they were on the path of looking like the Nainese. I touched down at NASISRO headquarters and was welcomed with loud cheers. I could see NASISRO Chairman had turned very old, but I looked quite the same. Ah- time travel. Most of the faces looked new.


I announced-"NASISROites, this is Amrita here. I've returned from Planet Naina and got a gift for all of you- infact  for entire mankind." NASISRO people immediately gathered. So also, an entire team of photographers, media people, businessmen, common people nearby- all gathered to see the gift being opened. Stormoid was recording everything for live telecast. I opened the gift to thunderous applause. Guess what was it? A seedling.

I could not help but marvel at the far-sightedness of the Nainese. They had realised that by the end of the time I reached Earth, Nature may have been destroyed there as well. And I could at least grow a tree with the Nainese people's help on my planet. Gratitude rushed through my heart, and a tear streamed down my cheeks. I paused to think- must the Nainese too have had a tear down their cheeks now?

My Stormoid flapped its wings. Suddenly we saw a small mountainpile of seedlings. I smiled. I was overjoyed with my Stormoid. Applying its ethics-oriented thinking, it had used 3D printing to create a mountainpile of seedlings which each of us gathered there could immediately start planting. My Stormoid in Amitabh Bachchan's baritone said-"Human beings, your time starts now. Each one, plant one. I'll create any number of more seedlings so our Earth can turn green again and become that sparkling blue gem from space again." A loud roar came forth from all the enlightened human beings there- "AYE AYE SIR! FOR SURE!"