2
Science club met at Teacher’s house. In the basement which was secluded. Seth didn’t know why it was secretive. That moderate precautions were taken against being seen and heard.
After Mr. Frederick introduced him as a new member, the debate started and he struggled to keep up. Nobody explained. Maybe Marjorie would, afterwards.
There was to be a war between East and West. And it was because of Science. The Chinese and other Asiatics were very different in their thinking compared to White people. Black people were also different, and so too the Semitic races.
What learning the theory of Inexact Science did was it opened everyone’s minds to one another. It was a creepy side effect of developing the advanced yet simple technology he had seen first hand.
How the war would be fought best, was the matter being debated.
How you catching up so far? Asked the boy with the high voice.
I’m good.
Name’s Matthew, he said.
And you’re a cadet?
Yes. When you get to our grade level, some of you will be recruited.
The smartest?
No, Matthew laughed. And Seth let his guard down as well.
Those of us that think logically.
What has it got to so with inexactness when you think like a machine?
Everyone applauded Seth’s first big question.
Frederick explained, when you don’t make mistakes, it’s not Science. When you do, Science tells you. When Science is inexact, Science tells you nothing but does everything you say and it works according to the technology. It’s pooling everyone’s smarts, flying by the seat of your pants. The Chinese particularly disagree and it’s damaging everyone’s minds.
Why not shut it down?
We can’t. It keeps growing. The body, our minds, are hosting this viral paradigm and we have no choice but to assimilate the world into our way of thinking. Already, many government departments function on inexactness. And the world economy is torn by the disagreements. It won’t be long before war breaks out and how it will be fought is anyone’s guess.
Saim Ye was the only Asian in the club. Indeed he stuck out like a sore thumb with paisley chef pants and Hawaiian shirt. Seth had not met an Asian guy in so close a situation before.
They say you’re the leader, are you?
No -not yet. I’m being prepared.
Don’t take too long. I have sources in Beijing. There WILL be war. Soon. Do you know what’s going on in my head?
Seth shrugged. Now he knew why their meeting was secretive. It involved politics and government technology.
We don’t want to fight one another. That’s why Marge and Matthew are researching Inexact Science. It’s that simple. Nothing underhand. Do you know what fighting will be like?
Things happening, I suppose. People losing their minds. Possibly our technology no longer working depending on who’s stronger.
That’s true. In general. How will you sleep if an attack can come from anywhere at any time in any form? How will you eat when everything tastes like cardboard because nobody in the East likes eating it?
My last name’s Ye -it’s a name with a prophetic connotation. Do you believe in synchronicity? Never mind. I will prepare you to face the supreme council.
There was food cooked by Teacher’s girlfriend on the table. They made Seth say grace and all bowed to the supreme god -the Most High.
Seems Saim has taken interest in you?
Said I needed to be prepared to face the supreme council.
So soon? Marjorie lifted an eyebrow.
And not a day too late, chipped Mr Frederick.
After they had eaten, and the food was very ‘neutral’ for lack of a better word -not tasteless, nor remotely exciting to the palette, Saim had a discussion with Marjorie out of earshot. Seth thought he saw blades of light flash like blue neon holograms in the air, and his old friend retreated. Saim looked at Seth and turned to walk away. He followed a step behind.
What do you think of us?
You’re all okay.
What do you think of what you saw? Am I to be your teacher?
Yea, I guess.
A teacher is never your wife. How is that for Inexact Science?
Seth felt like when he was weaned off his mother’s milk. Like taking his first breath, freshly born.
I live with my older sister. She’s hot. You’ll see. Saim smiled a slanted smile. But it was a genuine invitation to what might happen.
Matthew cornered Marjorie. I don’t really like what happened tonight, he said in his high counter tenor voice. He sounded a bit like an angel. Some being with a purer heart than mortal men. It was easy to see how he dominated the group. And Marjorie couldn’t fend off his questioning.
Have you and Seth done it yet? Why wait? Now he’s with Saim. We don’t see eye to eye with the Chinese, even westernized Chinese. I tolerate Saim because he’s half the enemy we don’t know.
Surrender your blade, sister -you’ve lost to an Asian.
Marjorie turned away, seemingly untouchable but Matthew called her name in a whisper and his otherworldly voice disarmed her. She drew the blade. And it was an actual blade. She placed it in Matthews hand. Then she covered her face, sighing heavily, looking up at the stars. It was a good time to be alive, maybe a heady one more so than that.
You saw the knife fight I had with your girlfriend?
It looked like lightning bolts.
It was supposed to be invisible.
Then why…?
She loves you, and so do I.
You’ll need a knife at the very least. My sister made mine for me / with me, that’s probably how I won, Saim admitted humbly.
The jaunty Asian gave his blade to Seth. He turned it in his hands. It was sharp but not razor sharp and seemed to be between a metal and plastic. There was no handle. He was puzzled how it made him feel. And why was Saim being so kind? Nevertheless, he grew stronger and more like giving out commands like they said he was supposed to.
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