TO THE FARTHEST

THE FIRST STEP

It was 5 am the next morning, I was still in bed. Uber just jumped on my bed and sat there. "Baw , baw Laisy lets go for a walk. It's nice outside, not much snow no much cold. come on let's go fast." he said trying to wake me up. "No Uber please, I slept very late yesterday. I had a lot to refer to and learn. Just a little time more." I said turning away from him. "Oh Laisy it's a weekend and you have enough time to refer more and even sleep. Please come, dad got ready too. We rarely get a chance like this, all three of us going out together." Uber was so excited and it's really been so long since the three of us went out last time. So I agreed.

It was very beautiful outside, very peaceful. Mom used to love early morning walks like this, dad always says that. Getting ready we all went out. "Laisy you used to be so lazy back in childhood. After walking a few minutes, you used to say your legs hurt and ask me or Lucy to carry you." Dad said happily looking around. I smiled noticing the missing feeling dad gets looking around. He continued "Many important decisions in my life were taken during such walks. Many new ideas too were popping up in my mind at this time."

"Baw, baw dad it's been quite long now ya? Out like this for a walk, filled with all memories. Is any idea popping up in your mind now or are you gonna take any important decisions this time?" Dad smiled at Uber before replying to him. I need to help Laisy for making a robot. So thinking of a good model to make. There are just a few things I really wanna tell you Laisy. Don't lose hope, don't give up easily, and don't trust anyone blindly. I hope you keep all that in mind." I knew dad doesn't wanna help me do this project or work for Main Gust. His dislike was clearly visible on his face, he was doing this only for me. I shouldn't let him down or leave him. I know he is worried thinking he might lose me too.

Next working day,

As usual, I got ready to go. Dad said he will be ready with all materials needed to work on the robot. I was just closing the door when I received a message from Bea that she had to rush early so couldn't wait for me.

Soon, after reaching I directly went to Main's office. He was sitting on his chair busy going through some documents. Greetings him with a wide smile I said "Main, I have referred and gone through all the files and details. I'll be starting the work on the robot today.".

"So managed to make Frank agree huh. Great Laisy, you needn't come here every day then. Concentrate on your work, better. I want to know the weekly progress and you'll have to come for that." He said firmly. Coming out of his office I searched for Bea but couldn't find her.

Returning back home dad, Uber, and I set to work. It was actually a lot of work than I thought it would be. We had to give it basic behavior training too.

For the first few weeks, we were busy making an outer structure and a few inner connections for it. Main Gust was asking me to hurry up everything as the robot needs to pass many tests too. It took us so long to get done with its basics. Bea visited me at times, Clara, Jain, and Uncle too helped.

The best part was deciding a good name for it. After all the suggestions from Uber and me, we had to dad to decide at last. It was named Nono 138. A classy name for a classy robot. We had to feed for the purpose we were making it for. Exactly by 3 months and 3 weeks, we were done still kept it with us for a week more until the deadline.

It was soon the night before the deadline. We had to submit Nono 138 tomorrow. Uber and I were in the workshop, just doing the final arrangements and preparing for tomorrow. We were arranging all the files and making sure we didn't miss anything which had the necessary details of Nono when dad entered "It's enough for today. Both of you can get a night of good sleep now, it's already 11:30 pm. It's a big day tomorrow. Laisy I'm not coming with you tomorrow. I told you earlier I guess.". "Ok dad, good night," I said giving dad a big hug. Uber too hugged dad and followed me. Uber and I had the same room and his bed was the one opposite to mine. Getting into my room I kept both my and Uber's uniforms ready for tomorrow. 1st step of my project, my 1st mission great.

Even after lying in bed and trying hard to sleep for so long, I couldn't. If only mom was here to see all these. Looking out of my window I noticed the sky was so clear. I could see so many stars, when I used to miss mom in childhood dad tells me to look out of the window to the sky, one among those stars, the one which shines the brightest is mom. Even now after knowing when people don't be stars when they die, I still look at the brightest star thinking my mom is up there. I was just laughing at myself while I was thinking of all these.

" Laisy, missing mom? " Uber asked from behind. Getting up from his bed he came near me and stood along with me looking at the stars. He wasn't just a pet for me nor was I just a master for him that was sure. Not friends, not siblings, what were we? He was just so understanding and caring, my eyes were filled. I never wanna lose him, whatever happens, I'll never leave him.

Probably Uber knew what I was thinking. With a smile, he said getting off my bed and going to his "Go to sleep Laisy, it's a big day tomorrow. Good night. " I could see his eyes filling too. "Good night," I said lying on my bed. Hope no trouble tomorrow.

It was deeper and deeper. I was falling, I didn’t know from where. ′ Won’t I ever land? How long now? ′ I soon landed with a thud. My body aches a lot. I stood and looked around, all I could see was sand ‘Where am I? I have never seen a place like this.’ I thought. It was really hot, so dusty, sky-covered red due to the dust around. I could no longer bear the heat. I was so thirsty, I fell down on the sand, I was in the middle of a desert and all I could see was sand and only sand. No one to ask for help. ‘Where were the others? Dad, Uber, what happened to them. Even the hottest summers we had were far better and from winter, from cold and snow how did it all be hot and so dusty, full of sand? What was going on? Was I imagining things?’ I was worried. I really wanted water and I’m sure I won’t be alive for much longer if I do find even a drop to drink. Homos have a special chamber in the body that stored a lot of water to prevent dehydration. Complete water loss from this chamber can cause death and I could feel even the loss of the last few drops. This is supposed to be the most painful death for a homo. What wrong have I done to die like this? My body temperature was rising. I couldn’t even keep my eyes open any longer, my last few seconds. I was laying there when suddenly I started to roll off a mountain and fall. A man immediately caught me. I looked up at him, it was dark. I tried to focus, who was he? With a wide smile, he loosened his grip and let go of me. Falling down slowly, his face became more clear to me.......Dad?.

I woke up all sweating. Dad was just about to enter my room with coffee. Uber was still in bed. “Oh, you woke up huh...? Laisy?” noticing me sweating dad sat next to me, wiping the sweat off my forehead he asked “What is wrong dear? You alright? Need something? Did you just have a bad dream? I always tell you not to wrap your blanket around you for long. You never leave it alone. I always tell you’ll sweat so much. Wait I’ll go get some water.” He stood up and went to the kitchen. Uber woke due to the sound of dad closing the door behind. “Baw, baw what a miracle Laisy, you woke up. What happened? ” he asked. “I get very weird nightmares Uber. Very sad, unpleasant ones. You know well that I usually don’t get many dreams. I don’t know..... I.......” just then dad entered the room with a big glass of water. He said me not to worry about the nightmare and stay positive. Anyway, it's a great day ahead.

Getting ready to go Uber and I went downstairs for breakfast. Nono 138 was already switched on and was ready to come with us too. It was only 3 feet with a wide body, with my dad’s signature on the top left of its chest. It has a camera for the eyes and a screen for displaying documents or images. Placing food in front of us on the dining table, dad said “Laisy I’m not coming. I really don’t wanna come there. If any doubts or anything about the robot, every detail is there in the file which I mailed you and some basics are there in this.” he said giving me a letter. “Give this to the technician there and further doubts you can call me I’ll be here no worries. Please, I don’t want Gust to call me to hope I made that clear to you. I really don’t wanna come along with you. So I’m not coming. Go fast you are running out of time.”

“Dad you told us several times that you are not coming. It's ok we understood you don’t wanna come along. I’ll give the letter to Stephen. He is in charge of all this.” I said. Dad says ’Making a robot is an art. Anyone can make for sure but a true, excellent work only an artist can do. I’m pretty sure dad wanted to see how well his creation worked. He had worked on it with a lot of expectations. Nono 138 was so cute for a mission like that and was already dear to all of us especially dad. Feeding many things in it was hard and we always had to answer so many questions from it. Before leaving I just asked Nono 138, “You know you were made for a great mission ya, we might not meet much again. So anything sweet you wanna tell us? " it was confused at first but then with a smile, it said "I love you all and will miss you so much especially dad. I might not return, I know this is a risk."

"No Nono that's not like that. You will surely return successfully." dad said feeling bad for it. "Dad, how many robots like me have returned back? Very few ya? I love you all." it said at last. We soon turned to leave. Dad was standing in the doorway till we left out of sight. In a way, you think of course Nono returning back was not sure. Anyway, I hope he will be successful. I hope he passes all the tests with flying colors.