Chapter 11: Education

Soon the kids were up and awake. Everyone gathered in the kitchen for breakfast. Jim decided he wanted eggs, bacon, and toast. What he got was definitely different than he expected. The eggs were not from chickens. That was certain. The bacon tasted about normal, but the toast was to kill for. Jim could never remember tasting dark bread, or any bread, with so much flavor.

"Well, we are going to have to get that replicator reprogrammed with some of our food, at least for the eggs," Jim said.

Chuckles came from the kids and wives at his remark.

Lisa spoke to Jason, "Well, let's get you hooked up to a learning terminal, and get you up to speed on things."

With that, they were off to the other room.

It didn't take long for the rest of the family to join them. Soon, they all had their basic language skills updated. Then they moved on to more interesting endeavors. As they were doing this, Terri sent for a med team to come to the house. They would bring the basic DNA equipment to make the adjustments everyone was sure to want.

Jason learned all he could on Jump Gate technology and its history.

Leah took a crash course in hyper communications, and sensors.

Everyone took the basic course that the computer created just for them, on the customs and habits of the Centauri Federation.

Jim asked for and received access to all the known information they had on the Grays. Because he was President, he also got all of the classified information as well. He was most disturbed by what he learned. Much had been kept from the Federation's citizens in order to protect them. He read the reports from Hector 4, and the real happenings of what the Grays had done to the people there. For some reason, it looked like it was the same stuff that was reported on Earth. It left him with but one conclusion, and he didn't like it a bit.

Jim remembered being the US President, and not having information this good, or this detailed. He remembered having his Air Force One pilot land in area 51, so he could take a look around, himself. He found some pretty amazing things there. It was, after all, the main secret testing grounds for all secret weapons, and weapons systems. But, not once did he find any alien technology; or, for that matter an alien ship, or the wreckage of one. He hadn't looked everywhere, but he was pretty sure that no one was knowingly lying to him. He did get to see a display model of the weather balloon that started the ruckus in the area. It seems that hydrogen had been used in it that day, instead of helium, for some reason. The display had been good for many a joke on new personnel. However, it was also accurate, in this case.

For the most part, everyone took turns with the learning unit, each having years of knowledge dumped in their heads.

Jim decided he needed a crash course on the economy of the Federation. He requested it of the computer and was shocked that he only spent 10 seconds learning it. Then he thought of what he had learned.

The Federation's economy did not really exist. The government owned almost everything. Amusingly, it also gave away almost everything.

He thought 'Communism?'

Then he realized no one could own a private business and make money, they just rented from the government. They had no income tax, no property tax, and no import tax... No taxes at all! His mind reeled at the idea that every member of Centauri Federation was entitled to basic services and amenities, because they were considered a right. Basic housing was provided free. Education was free, well that made sense, because anything you wanted to know was just pumped into your head. Food was free. Then again, with replicator technology, why would anyone ever go hungry? Computer services were free, because it was considered necessary to life. You had to work if you wanted to afford to rent a better place to live.

He thought, 'Well, the only reason to work, it seems, is to be able to have a nicer place to live.'

Holo-deck technology also had to be paid for. Restaurant cooking cost money to buy. If someone wanted to take a vacation off planet, or wanted their own spacecraft, they had to work to pay for it. Basically, you worked to get the luxury items of life.

He found that all goods and services were set at fixed prices. They never went up and never went down. People were paid money in accordance with the danger and/or the expertise that was involved in their job. Then they were given raises, depending on how long they had been working in their field. The plain fact was that their money was worthless, as there was nothing backing it up.

Jim's mind reeled at what he was learning. The system was so close to a 'utopian system', that he was almost tempted to take it at face value. He felt something was wrong with it, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He would have to think about it for a while.

Jim decided that they needed to have a family meeting this evening. He informed every one. It would take place after dinner.

Terri led the healers into the house, and had them set up in a large room. As soon as every family member was gathered, the healers explained what they could do for them.

"We can make your bodies any age you want, and we can cause your body to maintain that age, forever. That is, until you want to change it, at some point. We can also control hair growth, and the cosmetic appearance of any part of your body. Muscle mass and tone can be set to any level you want. Also, we can enhance your immune system, and correct any genetic defects in your DNA."

The kids went wild with their questions.

Jim became lost in thought, 'Clinical immortality! My god! Why haven't these people come up with more technology than we have seen, so far? It's like they are stagnant.'

Click

His brain had hit on the problem, just that quickly. Their 'utopia' did have a fatal flaw, just as he had suspected.

Jim said to Terri, "How long have you been chief scientist for the Federation?"

"For the last 5000 years," she responded.