The Field Trip

The Field Trip

The tachyon field dissipated with an audible pop leaving the small group of students standing in an alley centuries before their time

D'ris stood mesmerized, forgetting for the moment how uncomfortable she felt wearing a skirt and shoes made from dead animal skins! She felt her stomach churn at the thought.

The implant buzzed to life and she read M'str Chen's commentary on what she was witnessing. The words scrolled across the small screen, implanted in her left cornea, explaining that she was observing – or rather experiencing - a twenty-first century social gathering place called a “town square.”

The commentary warned that before any of them moved on they should note the darker shades of the “roadway.” It went on to explain that there were motorized vehicles that traversed these areas and, from what they had seen in fragments of video, they served to keep the population at manageable levels by culling the weak and slow unlike the genetic engineering and manufacturing of their time.

D'ris heard a sharp intake of breath and turned her head to see H'nry staring. A person, male she thought, had just pulled up on a two-wheeled vehicle.

They both stared, astounded that anyone could – or would - propel themselves using their own muscle power. Such things were unthinkable in the 24th century where automation and robotic assistance was the norm.

D'ris watched as the young man glanced at her. The warning of “no interactions” came back to her mind. She smiled, hoping that would satisfy his curiosity.

He grinned, taking his hands and pantomiming rolling something and then inhaling deeply. He looked at her questioningly.

D'ris felt her heart racing. She had no idea what he meant.

She had been studying this time period for years and quickly went through her mental catalogue of possibilities.

It came to her in a flash. With a big smile, she stuck up her middle finger. It was a symbol that was widely used during this period as a universal sign for unity.

A burst of sound came from his lips and with a wave of his hand; he pushed off and began rolling down the street.

D’ris felt relief and pride that all those years of study had paid off. D'ris smiled and waved back.

The screen flashed as M'str Chen announced the imminent arrival of the return portal.. D'ris followed H'nry back toward where the tachyon would appear, grinning, with a sense of accomplishment.

An entry for Round 14 of "No Dialogue Contest-CLOSED" 
Prompt: Time
Word Limit: 700
Word Count: 410