Well-Organized Hopelessness

Well-Organized Hopelessness

Students at fieldwork to help farmers had been harvesting potatoes and massacring field-mice. Each time the tractor-towed harvester opened up a new furrow, tiny gray victims dodged between the freshly turned lumps of soil, only to be smashed at cruelly regular intervals by a well-aimed hit of a potato. A short, sharp fillip into the back of the neck crack their fragile skulls.
Since the morning, they had kept warm with this contest about which the gray victims had known nothing except that their part demanded the stubbornness of a runner on a hopelessly long track.
It always took a while before they grasped what was going on and decided to run. It was a fair battle. Only running field-mice were attacked and killed. A little kick jump-started those that hesitated.
They sometimes attacked the shoe, sometimes, in desperate confusion, they clung to the shoe and tried hiding beneath it. Others dashed with unexpected speed, successfully scrambling through the potato bombardment. They ran on and on and futilely, for eventually an
accidentally precise potato pinned them down. Laying on their backs, legs trembling in the air, they protested in high-pitched squeaks. Their appeals were denied by another potato shelling.
Then again, sometimes this was unnecessary. The rodent stiff ended quickly as the legs turned rubbery and unusable from the exhausting dash, collapsing like a sprinter at the end of a race. In an instant they froze in the air as if they had stumbled into a photograph.
The air was frostily clear, betraying each unintentional move, crystallizing each terrified sigh on the ground.
It had been a perfect day for a bombing raid.

Indonesian story

Meeting in Medan

Medan is the ugliest city in the world I had visited. It may be caused by fact that on our way from Singapore to Vienna, Europe, we had in Medan a 16 hour gap between our connecting flights. Waiting at any airport for so long is definitely not very pleasant. But to do so in Sumatra at Medan airport is, based on my experience, even worse. The female part of our small tour group dealt stoically with this situation. They seem to be able to sit, patiently, on their bags the whole time and wait. This makes me certain that women are stronger and more persevering than men are. After 30 minutes, my journalist colleague and I started trying to find any way to leave the airport. Notwithstanding our multi-exit visas, the customs clerks gave us a difficult time before they would let us leave. They had to do something to earn their baksheesh. An exotic European brand of cigarettes opened the doors to the wonders of Medan as often as we would wish during the long wait for our plane. And thanks to it I have soon realized that Medan has one of the most friendly people I have ever met.

We promptly made a trip to the local Sultan’s palace and a longer trip to a crocodile farm. Due to the absence of other attractions, we also decided to see a modern mosque. Unfortunately, like the other beauties in Medan it was in decay. We had exhausted the sightseeing venues. However, still we had only used up half of the waiting time. We returned to the airport and checked on our patient female colleagues. They had already entered a state of hibernation and looked like sphinxes. For variety, there was a technical pause from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. when all stores and offices in the airport shut down and the employees left -- turning off the air conditioning. The only living people in the airport were the female members of our group, sitting resolutely on their luggage as if even an accidental earthquake would not dislodge them. This was too much for my colleague and me and, desperately, we tried to find another adventure.

The only thing we could think of was to walk around the suburb of the town next to the airport. The main street was lined with rundown shops. They had clay floors, and when we bought lemonade we had to drink it warm, since there was no refrigeration. After our first steps on this street, unbelievable things started to happen.

Passing cars were horning at us. Shopkeepers and customers ran out of the shops to look at us. School children on their way home surrounded us warmly and enthusiastically. A young local teacher of English came to us, enchanted, introduced himself, shook our hands and said, earnestly, how glad he was to meet us. Not that local people hadn’t seen Europeans, but they hadn’t seen two Europeans walking among them. I understood that it was like a mission of „folk diplomacy“ during the thaw in relations between East and West in the ‘80s. Now I felt that this was an extraordinary occasion for the ordinary citizens of Sumatra and Slovakia to engage in some „folk diplomacy“. As we walked along this infinitely long street, the feeling grew better and better. We stopped in front of shabby kiosks to shake hands with people. There was small probability that we could tell them anything important in any international language. But we didn’t need words. It was an enthusiastic mission of understanding an ideal moment to prove that people of good will don’t need any language. The good things everyone can feel. It is rare moment when one has the feeling that he is the messenger of universal understanding and reconciliation.

The feeling ended when, at the end of the long street, we saw a tall, dust-covered man on a bicycle loaded fully with baggage. Beneath the mask of dust, the man seemed to be a European. We stopped, surprised. The man on the bicycle came directly toward us. It was a man of our age explaining that he was on a trek from India to somewhere in Borneo. He and his bike showed signs of this long journey. He started in his German mother language but quickly understood that with us he would have to use the lingua franca of international travelers -- English.

„I say you hello,“ he said. „Advise me the nearest hotel.“

With pity we shook our heads. We had no idea where the nearest hotel could be. Local people were perfect members of non-verbal friendship mission, but this information they couldn’t help with. The German shrugged it off, waved, and in parting said:

„It´s O.k.. By the way, aren´t you from Slovakia?“

We nodded. „How did you know?“

„Simple. Because of your terrible pronunciation. Good-bye.“ Then he pedaled into the distance.

This is how life goes. For some experiences you must go thousands of kilometers to learn, that there is nowhere in the world where you can’t meet a European, or find the footprint of a European. And, if you forget for a moment about our national differences, it’s still the terrible pronunciation of English that divides us . . .

Da Vinci V

DA VINCI CASE

(PART V)

Third Associate Judge: “You really consider yourself like da Vinci?”
Laughter is heard from the courtroom. Reporter and Dr. Hokius looked at each other, disturbed by that sound from discussion which continued by Novatius who didn't seem to be disturbed at all.
Novatius: “I worked so hard and I knew the craziness of burnt knowledge, unrealized power that I found right under the noses of others. Colossal possibilities appear when you step across one horizon and perceive another. And, at the same time, you are conscious of the tens of thousands of steps needed for man to cross this new unknown distance. I respect everyone who was in a similar situation. They seem to you very close, though they are separated by hundreds of years and different experiences.”
First Associate Judge: “A moment ago you said that you don't respect any authorities.”
Novatius's lawyer: “He didn't say that!”
Judge: “We will not dispute this. Defendant, how did you become so alienated? I could say misanthropic.”
Novatius: “Da Vinci himself said that the greatest love is born from the greatest knowledge of what we love. And I, all my life but particularly recently, have devoted myself to knowing myself -- and through myself other people -- and I think that I expend more effort on this than you.”
Judge: “But unlike me, you, with your decision consciously hurt humankind.”
Novatius: “On the contrary. If my invention was fully developed and applied, it would, no doubt, seem a momentary advance. Our generation wouldn't be afraid of cruel, premature death. But at the same time, it could get rid of the responsibility for the future of mankind, whose sensitivities are the product of thousands of years of evolution. Unexpected changes in our genetic code, systematic attacks. These threats try our ability to survive and adapt. If we are genetically conserved, we start to be an ameliorated monoculture that will lose the possibilities to be found at the outer limits. And in this way, we can also lose the ability to react to extreme situations which can light up this special spark in humankind's quintessential nature. Man became the most developed species through his ability to adapt to extremes through opportunism and absence of his own specialization. New inherited traits come from faults and the appearance of mistakes. Progress without mistakes, faults, and suffering is impossible.”
Second Associate Judge: “Are you able, looking into the eyes of those who are dying today, to say that you regard them as inevitable cast-offs of progress?”
Novatius: “No, but are you able to look into the eyes of the generation that in exchange for prolonged life now could jettison all of civilization and its future? The generation which breaks the tie that emanates from the pain of many upcoming generations? If our species submitted to this therapy, it would degenerate.”
Third Associate Judge: “You are a defender of perverse characters, a prophet of errors, pain and suffering, and all of this you conceal in confused phrases about progress and humanity. What is progress? It's even difficult to define it. But about suffering and pain, no one doubts.”
Novatius: “There was a man like Leonardo da Vinci, but in philosophy. His name was Soren Kierkegaard, and he said that genius burns in suffering. And I believe that thanks to genius of this kind, mankind came to this stage of development, and we have no right to stop now because we are afraid of the pain, which has accompanied us throughout our history.”
Second Associate Judge: “I'm an amateur in this topic. But I think the danger of what you speak about can't be manifest immediately. And the progress, which you believe in, surely brings the starting point for the semblance of this unsolved problem, too. Are you sure you didn't make a mistake in your consideration? Can you assure me that you are not a victim of these sacrificial mistakes that you pervasively appeal to?”
Reporter: “The defendant is quiet, so I'll quickly ask our science expert -- do you, as a scientist, also think that humans could degenerate in these conditions?”
Scientific Expert: “Fortunately, I'm not on the bench and I have no duty to judge. I can say only that thanks to this court, Novatius, at least, explained his reason for concealing his invention and destroying it.”
Reporter: “Can the result of this process change? This is a question for our legal expert...”
Legal Expert: “Certainly not. Also because, whatever the defendant's arguments, it doesn't change the conditions of his freedom -- publishing his invention.”
Reporter: “During the whole court case, the prosecutor is strikingly silent. As our listeners have surely noticed.”
Legal Expert: “The prosecutor has no other role in this case. Only the threat of proposing the final punishment, which this trial will approach when it draws to its conclusion. Punishment could be an extreme means. The paradoxical victory of the prosecutor could be when Novatius obtains his pardon by publishing his secret.”
Reporter: “Many citizens, and even some governments, ask that the defendant be executed for what they call a crime against humanity. Because of the quick progress of the trial, we could not present a broad spectrum of views, samples of opinions from other people who, as one of the associate judges pointed out, the defendant considers the inevitable "cast-offs of progress'.”
Legal Expert: “I think that there are exaggerated emotions which don't have a lawful and material base. If this regional court succumbs to this pressure and on this special occasion decides 'in the name of humanity', we can think about manifest punishment which none of the higher courts presumably accept.”
Reporter: “This case will not be decided in this court?”
Legal Expert: “Obviously not. What we heard here we can regard as an overture because after an appeal will follow a long line of appeals leading from the National Court to the Supreme Continental Court and later international courts.”
Reporter: “The Judge has finished today's proceedings, and for myself and our guests I say goodbye to our listeners. Stay tuned for continuing coverage.”
Red-light lamp in studio went out. Speaker is for a while full of whistling and humming, bustle and music.
Director: “Peter, when you plan any future programs tell us about it so we are not so surprised.”
Reporter is laughing: “Don't worry. From Novatius there will be a never-ending soap opera. And what about Mrs. Kisbon?”
Director: “Just said good-bye to continental listeners, but now maybe she is saving her comments for this series of appeals.”
Reporter is relaxing for a moment in his chair. Headphones down, his eyes are closed. Not for a long time as Legal expert, Dr. Hokius, is in hurry: “Can we go?”
Reporter is in a moment on his legs, shining like robot after full-energy re-loading. Reporter is shaking a hands to his guests.
Reporter: “Thank you, but don't run away. Producer has prepared contract for you.”
Scientific Expert: “Were we that good?”
Reporter is only smiling silently. He is satisfied.

News Presenter: “...and to conclude today's news, in scientific news we want to add one item. A trial of scientist Novatius, about which we brought detailed information and have broadcast live already, finished today. The court, after much consideration, at the proposal of the prosecutor, handed down a guilty verdict and a death sentence. The defendant refused his right to appeal to any other court.”

The End

Translated by Robert M. Davis

Da Vinci IV

DA VINCI CASE

(PART IV)

Novatius: “I only want to say that science, like art, awaits from man, from a given individual, the best -- and maybe even self-destructive -- performance of what the brain can accomplish ...the scientist closes his eyes to what's right in front of him in order to see the most distant horizons. In these crystallized moments of concentration, he must inevitably find release from reality if he wants to conceive and bring into being something that stretches today's rules and even upsets fundamental premises. To accomplish these crazy aims it need a fool unaware that he maybe won't be able to come back to reality. If you ask this person in this strained excited mood, to properly say hello to everybody around him, to comply with such social niceties and to observe all these social mores of the wolf den -- full of seeming or real insults -- you simply want too much.”
Second Associate Judge: "Defendant, believe me, I came here as an independent representative of the law, and also as a man who was surprised about your decision. But you have convinced me that you are an asocial element."
“Hello there, representative of the law! If anything, I am a representative of top-trained professionals and acting like a professional fool is what I do. I am that whom you can call today a personality, an individualist, but also an individual. And that's why against all machinery of science my main tool is my -- I repeat my -- unique and inimitable brain. As yours is unique and inimitable, but I think you have only your independence.”
First Associate Judge: “This is impertinent.”
“Sorry, but the defendant didn't mean it ...”, Novatius's Lawyer is trying to calm the atmosphere at the court, but he is parallely ignored by defendant.
Novatius: “When an actor plays his role with such concentration no one molests him on the stage. When an athlete heads toward the finish line, he is not obliged to bow to everyone around. A scientist has no special time, finish line, or stage for his creativity. The scientist, without some breakthrough, is not recognizable in the masses. But the scientist with the most urgent ideas is this absent-minded fool who forgets everyone else. He is possessed and the idea materializes, like a burning carbon arc which has suddenly touching a sidereal 22,000-volt hook-up, and is able to hold it, to tempt to earth this crazy electric charge of new perspective. But, whenever this urgent, importunate idea comes, he must be prepared ...always susceptible to voices that you can't hear. And after all, what value has that my impertinence, which, relatively speaking, concerns only you, in comparison with importance of this discovery, with consequences that concern everyone.”
Third Associate Judge: “Look, we can admit all, but you can help all of us if you would be more modest.”
Novatius: “Why do I have to be more modest? When an athlete runs to the finish line, he raises his hands and everyone understands it. I raise my head. It's my chance for joy from victory.”
Judge: “Defendant, you talk a lot. Come back to the topic at hand.”
Reporter: “At least, this tribunal, thanks to the strong hand of the Judge, makes this look like a real court, not a debating society. Nevertheless, it looks as if the considerations of the defendant are logical.”
Legal Expert: “They didn't concern the substance of the trial and, as a result, are worthless. Really, it makes things more difficult for him.”
Scientific Expert: “What he says concerns, in essence, a fortunately small group of exceptional individuals. The idea about which he spoke is only a slight fragment of the time of scientist, a little detonator that starts an avalanche of long-term monotonous work to substantiate the idea.”
Reporter: “And someone has to do this, too?”
Scientific Expert: “Yeah. In science there are thousands of standard employees, who move -- maybe not very expressively, but constantly -- our knowledge forward. It's unfortunately a fact, as Einstein said: 'the universe is infinite but limited.' It's the same with the brain. Its infinite possibilities are limited by its information capacity. As in the case of some scientists like, for example, the physicist Landau, who had problems with opening a tube of toothpaste because he was too concerned about his scientific problems to learn about it when this new everyday item appeared. Is it strange, or just absent-minded?”
Judge: “Defendant, do you have any consideration for anything? Does some authority exist for you?”
Novatius: “Most of the authorities I've met fail under detailed examination. Maybe I accept some of them deadly seriously. Others can't help me with the problems I want to solve. Fortunately, very early on I discovered that I must rely only on myself. The force of authority, of slaps in the face for adults, I don't accept.”
First Associate Judge: “Is this an allusion to our court?”
Third Associate Judge is breaking in: “You don't feel alone without the support that everyone needs? There are usually teams of scientists.”
Novatius: “But there is someone who is first among equals. Individuality is a natural law. If you don't admit that, don't think about its consequences. Simply put, there will be no valuable result for society as a whole if you destroy individuality. Respect for this principle is good for everyone.”
First Associate Judge: “You are sick with ambition.”
Novatius: “It's an engine of progress.”
Judge: “Don't juggle with words. According to our information, you haven't earned support among your peers.”
Novatius: “A truly good character, without sudden expected diversions and experiments to realize them ...a good natural fellow can't be an inventive scientist, artist or inventive anything. His mind, a priori, expressly forbids some things, blocks undesirable ideas before they are formulated. Temptation is the devil's requisite. And if you want to make some new discovery you must attempt just those things that have never occurred to others, or at least they haven't had the courage to talk about them. You must be aware of everything in focus and be open to ideas from all directions. Consequently, it is naive to think that you can have your brain on a long leash in the laboratory and a short leash when you leave.”
Third Associate Judge: “You strongly defend amorality and abnormality.”
Novatius: “I admit that the type of person I described from many perspectives is not very desirable for peaceful life. But I'm sure that these people are bearers of morality and stubborn power in dangerous moments, when most good-natured people go home with their tails between their legs, or they stay dumb, without any idea of how to deal with an unexpected situation.”
Judge: “You keep changing the subject, and I really don't understand why you raise this topic here. I want to warn the associated judges about the defendant's inability to give a clear yes or no answer. He can't take an unambitious, responsible standpoint toward life. He uses paradoxes and sophistry, and this helps him in his megalomaniacal ambitions. The only argument in his defense is using Leonardo da Vinci as a precedent ...only in order to mention that he was painter, sculptor, discoverer and other things, but that story's at least 500 years old.”
Novatius's Lawyer: “Da Vinci's genius is still acknowledged. But it's less well known that he, like my client, rejected his invention when he realized that it could hurt humans. He destroyed it.”
Second Associate Judge: “What was it?”
Judge: “It was a submarine that was later improved upon and built. Da Vinci's example in this case does not seem relevant.”
Novatius's Lawyer: “Nevertheless, it further proves that a personality like da Vinci concluded that in the name of humanity, all ideas, even his own, should not be put into practice. His foreboding proved accurate, for in WWII, more than 60,000 people died in submarine battles.”
Judge: “On the other hand, think how many people today live from seas and oceans that we have penetrated, in part, thanks to submarines. Da Vinci never faced a trial for this decision. This case is only an empty manoeuvre of the defendant and testifies to the megalomania of the accused.”

(To be continued)


Translated by Robert M. Davis

Da Vinci III

DA VINCI CASE

(PART III)

Reporter and experts are staring at each other for while. Suddenly Director's voice break the music from speaker: “Peter, what happened there?”
“I don't know exactly, but...”
“Please check it out.”
“Right now, sure...” But when music come from speakers again, he turns to legal expert, whispering: “Please be careful, you are a lawyer. How can anyone do their job here? I relied on you!”
Nevertheless, now is our Reporter sure that he has to rely only on himself. In a minute he is out of the studio, at the passage, immediately curious about accidental presence of young lady with microphone in her hand.
“Sorry, Mrs. Kisbon, what are you doing here?”
“You know, this international event warrants World News coverage. Nothing against your station, but our continental broadcasts have curious listeners. I see you’re quite annoyed about all of this.”
“Me? No. Only there's something I must have verified.”
“If you're looking for one of the judges, they're locked in their chamber. Novatius is in a state, and the lawyer is in with him and the prosecutor is running between Novatius and judges, thus he's the last one who has time for your presumptuous questions.”
“Great, the things they come up with...”
“You didn't know that the defendant refused to give evidence?”
“Wow!”
“It's his right.”
“Really? I didn't know that. Interesting.”
“But I see an opportunity to find out more. There is a deputy of supreme court...”
Kisbon turns quickly to man coming through the corridor:
“Sorry, Mr. Dalger.”
Reporter is following her, pressing himself closer to Dalger:
“Sorry, pardon me.”
Kisbon: “Mr. Dalger, what do you think, will they continue today?”
“I can answer only off record.”
Reporter: “No. Unfortunately. Oh, sorry, fortunately, I forgot my microphone back at the studio.”
Dalger: “Then hurry up, because it's going to start up again in 10 minutes.”
Kisbon: “So all this means that the break was not such a serious affair?”
“Mrs. Kisbon, in regional courts they use to make mistakes. In this case, one of the associate judges will apologize to Novatius and we will continue soon.”
Reporter: “Then I'll go back to the studio. Thanks very much.”
Kisbon: “Thanks too, but I'm also interested in...”
Entering the studio Reporter is again full of confidence, blinking at the experts to encourage them: “Everything seems to have been cleared up. We'll continue in a moment. Take the headphones, please.”
Music is still playing, but Reporter has already something for Director: “Director, can you hear me?”
Legal expert is interrupting him with guilty feelings: “What happened, in fact?”
Reporter is answering carelessly, focused to find contact with Director: “You know, the associate judge...”
Director's voice interrupt him suddenly: “We hear you, Peter, and we have an interesting bit of tape for you to listen to. Before the break, they were broadcasting this from the continental competition...”
Sooner than Reporter could respond the record begin.
Judge: “Defendant, we have confirmed from our computerized data that your whole life attests to you being this sort of a person who is unsettled, has a confrontational nature, is exhibitionistic and overly-assertive, shows cheek to authorities and rules. Do you have anything to add?”
Novatius: “I only want to point out that for each characteristic there are usually two contrasting traits. Someone can be avaricious, but also miserly. It's depends on how you see it. It's quite possible that if you turn around these accusations, you could see me from another perspective.”
Judge to his colleagues: “It's this kind of impertinence...”
Novatius continue without allowing any interruption: “But if you really want to find some good characteristic in me, you should consider my sense of humor. When so many one-sided and simplified opinions have been dumped on me, I can only smile. Laughter is also, in fact, the last bastion of self-preservation against demagoguery.”
First Associate Judge: “Are you making a mockery of this trial? Do you even realized where you
are? This trial can pass sentence without your involvement.”
Three men in studio are string at each other. From speakers they hear a courtroom noises, wave of excited voices, identical to that used before science expert and Reporter began their discussion. Suddenly a new voice break a quarrel they have heard.
Kisbon: “Dear friends, I'm sorry to interrupt this little war of words. We will be happy when you make up your mind. That's why I didn't comment on the overly emotional speech from the judge. But at this time, for your information I must add, that the verdict without the defendant is of course possible. But it testifies to the complete lack of understanding of this bizarre case. The process of this performance has only one goal: for the defendant to be brought before the court and advised, under the pressure of logical, positive arguments, to change his mind and publish his important discovery. To punish him would be society's confession of its inability to persuade a crucial person at a crucial time and place about humanity common aim. Physical accomplishment is possible from compulsion. But with spiritual accomplishments there exists some obstacle which is not possible to conquer with violence or other force. If this regional tribunal can't deal with this case, it may be headed to the Supreme Court.”
Record from tape is finish. Director's voice come from the speaker: “What do you think?”
Reporter: “Now I understand what Kisbon is doing here. And why that Supreme Court judge is swaggering around here. So, we have to get ready for another stunt from the Supreme Court, I think.”
“Peter, about any trips abroad... we'll speak later.”
“I only want to make sure we plan ahead for it.”
“What's happening in the court?”
“Don't worry. We're all prepared here. Take out this gloomy music. We're set.”
Red light is again illuminating studio. And Reporter is again in his job: “After a short intermezzo, we're back live. The first associate judge formally apologized to the defendant, and the defendant is about to answer...”

(To be continued)


Translated by Robert M. Davis

Da Vinci II

DA VINCI CASE

(PART II)

Judge: “Defendant. Do you agree with copy of your testimony being recorded by the computer?”
“Sure.”
“Sure, or yes?”
“Sure, yes.”
Judge turns to his colleagues and says openly: “I warn the members of the tribunal that the same arrogant way Mr. Novatius behaved...”
Novatius's Lawyer: “I protest.”
Judge: “You can when I finish. The defendant behaved in the same arrogant way during the interrogation by the computer, which in some ways confused the programmed concept of the interrogation software.”
“I have to protest again!”
Judge: “You can, I've finished.”
Reporter: “Mr. Novatius's lawyer doesn't seem to have an easy job.”
Legal expert: “Yes, it's absolutely terrible. The defendant originally even refuses to have a lawyer. He pleads his case like an amateur -- spontaneously, without consulting with his lawyer, who can only scrimmage with the Judge. It can't bring him professional satisfaction with sure -- and no sympathy at all from the public.”

Bustling in the hall is heard in studio too.
Reporter: “The defendant seems to have embittered not only the public, but also those who are, unfortunately, near to him. It can tell much about his character. Now with me, listening to the proceedings, is the distinguished scientific expert, Dr. Gropius, who has known the defendant for a years. Am I right, Dr. Gropius?”
“Not so much. In fact, I met him few times. During studies and later mostly in seminars or conferences.”
“Could you tell us anything about him?”
“He wasn't a perfect student. Above average, but undisciplined. He had a smattering of interest in everything besides the problem at hand. He adopted science for himself like short runs. He shut himself in the laboratory for a set period, and when he succeeded discovering something during that period, he published it. And when he didn't, he quickly got over the disappointment by turning to one of his hobbies.”
“Which hobbies? Drugs, women, politics.”
“He didn't overdo anything. And he didn't stick with one hobby as well. He had real panache about everything he did and specially enjoyed attention of crowds. I don't think that this surroundings in the court will scare him.”
Interview breaks for a while noise in the hall, incomprehensible voices in the background from the trial.
Scientific expert continues: “In those quick actions in his laboratory he was able to concentrate thoroughly, but this is no way to work in science. I'm sure that he made this discovery quite by chance.”
Reporter: “We could say that what he easily got, he cynically easily lost.”
“You could say that.”
“Although our listeners know something about his discovery, can you clarify its importance?”
“After the AIDS epidemic was finally controlled and changes in lifestyle radically reduced the number of heart attacks, two deadly hindrances still faced humankind -- cancer and ageing. They don't seem to have anything in common. But there are reparation mechanisms for protecting the genetic code of each cell. If they work well and repair all genetic defects that occur during the cell's life, the organism -- and also the man -- grow old. If they can't preserve this programmed process, degeneration takes place and all cells grow young. Unfortunately, it's the malignancy growing young, which is beyond the control of the organism -- and this is cancer. We concluded that growing old and cancer is the same process, but in opposite directions.”
“The defendant conducted just such experiments. What was he successful in achieving?”
“First, a little background. Some 10 years ago, the exceptional ability of bacterium Deinoccocus radiodurans to repair genetic damage from radiation was discovered. Thanks to more effective repair mechanisms, coded in its genes, this bacterium was 50 times more resistant than human cells. About the HIV virus, we knew that it also has a special gene ´tat´. Thanks to it, after successfully attacking human cells, this gene is responsible for enhancing a 1,000-fold the ability of these cells to produce more HIV viruses. Army laboratories succeeded in combining these two different genes and...”
“Thanks to genetic engineering, soldiers facing the greatest risk had these two new genes implanted into the nuclei of their cells and no longer fear radiation sickness. If they aren't right next to an atomic explosion, they can move safely in radioactive territory. But the defendant wasn't involved in army research...”
“No, he wasn't. He speculated about the idea for prolonging life. He wanted to save life against mutations, from radiation, chemical materials, genetic risks.”
“Then, the fantastic perspective for almost unlimited prolongation of human life opens up!”
“Sure, but there’s a hitch. If Novatius worked on strengthening the reparation mechanism, he had to stick to the problem of how to ensure that this new ability reaches all the cells of the body. One possibility was to experiment with human embryos...”
“These experiments are forbidden.”
“Yes, but difficult to monitor. Scientific teams at this field work very closely and confidentially. Only those involved in similar experiments can understand what they're doing, and outsiders are not welcomed to visit competitive laboratories. Reliable controls don't exist. Getting human sperm and eggs isn't a problem. And in-vitro fertilization is routine.”
“Then the defendant did conduct forbidden experiments.”
“We don't know. But we know this knowledge from military experiments can't help him. The soldiers had cells altered, but as adults. Experiments in whole organisms at so early an age could have major consequences.”
“And he solved this problem?”
“Perhaps, yes.”
“But I understand that he refused to publish his results and destroyed everything including any supporting data. Is it certain that he actually discovered something?”
“He succeeded with monkeys, published just a general conclusions from his results and held a short press conference at which he revealed monkeys from his experiments. Then he radically changed his mind. He ordered the laboratory animals killed. Only his favorite lab monkey, Rikky, stayed alive. Her exceptional resilience he later demonstrated to some important academic colleagues. It was his typical vanity. As far as I know, everyone of these colleagues was allowed to bring some perfect gene-destroying agent and apply it into Rikky's food. But Rikky was able to resist all of these gene-attacks. As a small compensation, Novatius insisted that the colleagues had to buy huge quantities of bananas. He said that the bananas were the only real risk for Rikky because she had an especially sweet tooth.”
“Where is Rikky today?”
“She stayed alive against all that deadly experiments, but she couldn't bear to be separated from Novatius. When he was arrested, Rikky refused to eat.”
“Couldn't anyone do anything..?”
“No, when we speak about biotechnologies it is impossible to make additional incursions into a live system. We can't open it up, draw a schematic and recreate it. Basic cytological and biochemical tests didn't show anything. For detailed research we require long-term cultivation of Rikky's cells. This culture we can only make from the culture removed cells, which we call calus. But calus will grow only when the cells spontaneously changes to the new system and starts to divide. Rikky's cell-reparation system was perfect and precluded anything like this.”
“And what about Novatius's colleagues?”
“He had only helpers and lab assistants. He was an absolute individualist. Sure, the authorities questioned them. But they learned only partial information that somebody was injecting something somewhere and another poured some well-know agent into some unknown liquid. It was worthless.”
“So, everything is lost?”
“In contemporary, state-of-the-art scientific technology, we don't need to know details if we know the premise or principle. Very often we only need confirmation that this way is realistic. That it's possible. A few sentences or schemata, a catalyst, and the process is under way.”
“Does it mean that we could hear the solution here at the trial?”
“If they can convince Novatius to tell it, sure. But he's silent.”
“Thank you. Actually, we can see that he is really silent... he's not only silent, he's leaving! The guards have taken him away. Mr. Hokius, what's going on?”
“Sorry, I was so interested in my colleague's words that I didn't see what happened... but it's not finished, I'm sure. It's just a break.”
“We planned a longer broadcast and our listeners surely would welcome a little musical interlude...” Reporter replays with despair, “... a little musical interlude..!”
Red-light lamp marking broadcasting from studio went out.

(To be continued)

Translated by Robert M. Davis

Da Vinci I

DA VINCI CASE

(PART I)

Radio stings break up the news bites. News presenter's voice: “The top story in today's news, attracting worldwide attention, is trial of Dr. Novatius. He is accused for crimes against humanity, specifically for destroying his discovery, the immortality gene. We'll be going live to the trial as soon as its begins... In other news...”

The corridor to courtroom is full of waiting people. Atmosphere is nervous. New guy appeared, it is Reporter crawling through a crowds directly to the guarded doors: “Sorry, sorry, excuse me... Hello, sergeant, I just need to get a little closer.”
“You can't get any closer,” say Sergeant patiently, “The whole passage is closed. There is no admission.”
“Hey, you know me, right? Just one question, I'll slip in. No one will notice me.”
“Mr. Collin, it's impossible today. Strict measures.”
“I understand, everybody wants to see him. And I heard something about a lynching, too. But I work here. Don't you listen to the radio? In 45 minutes I'm broadcasting live.”
“Don't get excited, it's not my fault.”
Reporter get immediately excited: “What do you mean, not my fault, it's nobody's fault. Then why are you here? You are here to decide who can see him and... Hey, there is man leaving cell over there. What's going on?”
Sergeant is answering without looking that direction: “It's his lawyer, and if you want to see the defendant, you can ask him.”
“Oh, good! I thought it was the competition.” Meanwhile lawyer approached crowd and is trying to get through out. “Just a minute, sir, you, as a lawyer...”
Lawyer is passing the Reporter with no answer, looking strictly forward. It is also possible that he simply didn’t hear him as more and more bustling, humming is coming from crowd in the passage. Reporter in the midst of the crowd: “Wait, sorry, hold on! They're pulling my microphone apart! One moment. Testing microphone - one, two, three. Okay. Could you tell us, sir, how the defendant, Mr. Novatius, feels before the trial?”
Surprisingly lawyer stop for a while, turn his head back to the Reporter and says shortly with cold face: “I can't.”
Reporter move quickly closer to lawyer, whole body and face expressing hope and eagerness: “But you spoke with him just a moment ago.”
“He doesn't speak with anyone.”
Reporter is for a while loosing his drive. “I'm so relieved...”, he says instinctively but these few seconds are enough to lose lawyer who is continuing his way through crowd. Reporter see just back from the leaving lawyer. As he is trying to attract lawyer's attention back, he is partly screaming and immediately changing a voice to that official tone announcing first question to his microphone: “Just a moment... don't run away, please. Could you tell me what you think about ...”
Clamour of crowds drowns out Reporter... Another policeman is trying to get order in front of the courthouse.
“Tickets, show me your tickets! Entry to courthouse with tickets only. Do you have your ticket?”
Addressed man stopped hesitating: “I am... I haven't, but I cooperated with him as a scientific colleague, you know... My name is Grobius, Dr. Grobius.”
It has no impact on the policeman: “It's interesting how you're all family and colleagues now. Even stabbing can make someone famous, and this...”
Reporter is here again. He appeared like he jump up from the floor. As obviously, full of energy and eagerness: “Sorry, are you defendant’s former colleague, mister...?”
Unknown man repeated patiently: “Grobius, Dr. Grobius.”
Reporter is shining: “Oh, this is great.” And with authoritative tone to the policeman: “He's coming with me. Let's go!”
Policeman without change in his face: “Whatever you think, Mr. Collin.” Turning back to the crowds he is again in his official tone: “Tickets, let's see your tickets!”
Studio in courthouse is small and when Reporter and Dr. Grobius enter it, somebody is already sitting and waiting there. Soon they could say anything, voice of Director come from the speaker: “Mr. Collin, Peter, do you hear me? Are you with us?”
Reporter is gasping for breath: “Yes, I just arrived.”
“We start in 10 minutes. Do you have something on tape?”
“Nothing. The crowd almost pulled apart my microphone, and my hand with it. But I have his former colleague here. He's a schoolmate, friend, or something like that.”
“Great. We introduce him like a scientific expert. What about the legal expert?”
“He is already here. I'm pleased to welcome the distinguished barrister, Mr. Hokius.”
In a moment it is crowded now also in studio, like in the corridor outside. Legal expert woke up to shake hands with Reporter and Scientific expert: “Good afternoon.”
Because studio is really small, the best for those three is to sit and not too move. Reporter is managing them to the chairs.
“Now, we're together. Let's play some quiet music and after five minutes we begin.”
When louder music come from speaker, Reporter turns to the experts: “Now we've met each other, and I hope everything is clear ...this Novatius is so uppity. He doesn't speak with anyone and his lawyer is even more uppity. He speaks, but about nothing. In brief, this whole process is so ridiculous, in fact it's the last chance to see that bubble burst. We show this miserable scene to the public, so they can find out that even in our little district, we know why flies die. Don't worry, take heart!”

In moment music sound decrease replaced by Announcer's voice: “And now, as promised, we're going live to the town courthouse.”

Reporter blinked at the experts, to encourage them, and in next moment is fully focused at broadcasting: “Good afternoon. I'm here in the middle of the court case that is the focus of worldwide attention. At this moment, the judges are arriving. Five dignified men, led by their Judge. They're sitting down. The lawyers are in their places and, now, here comes the defendant... As you certainly hear, audience in the courthouse welcome him with whistling, bustling and humming. They came today to see Novatius with their own eyes. And he's provoking them, and they're angry. On the first day of the court, the Judge respectfully asked: 'Mr. Novatius, what right did you have to destroy your discovery, which have to be understand as the property of our progressive society?' And Novatius answered... 'fortunately, for human civilization, the soul and brain of man never became the property of any society.' But while the defendant claimed to speak on behalf of humanity, the actions for which he stands trial seem to be clearly against humanity's interest. But, meanwhile back in the courtroom... Here in the hall, the atmosphere is nearly explosive. But, unlike the turmoil in the audience, the trial itself is like in the eye of hurricane. In front of the judges stands the defendant, and now it's a fairly routine process taking place. We can take this occasion to ask our legal expert, Mr. Hokius, what's going on?”

Legal expert: “This formal part that begins a trial is an example of the progress in our judicial system. It's a process of checking of testimony by computer. In the past, investigators tried to gain complete confessions at any price, or, at least detailed testimony of a presumption of guilt from the perpetrator. At first glance this seemed right but it was a case, unfortunately, of the means celebrating the end, and it wasn't fair. Consequently, the lawgivers established the right of the defendants to answer only when their lawyer was present. But an experienced lawyer always came with some objections with aim to get the investigator off the topic or confused him. It shaken presumption that the interrogator can investigate effectively only when he is sovereign and know his own intellectual power. Fortunately, this problem was solved a few years ago by electronic equipment, and now you can see the result. A greater part of the interrogation can be delivered holus bolus to the court in a lawful way. Only the computer can ask and register the answers of the defendant. This way has secured the freedom of expression of the individual on the one hand and the respect for the law's sovereignty on the other.”
“Thanks for your answer, Mr. Hokius. There will be more questions during the trial, but let's go back to the courtroom...”

(To be continued)

Translated by Robert M. Davis

Wings for a wheelchair - story

"Are you scared?" asked his mother, who had been hiding her own anxiety for weeks.
"No," Peter answered with a faint smile, "I'm happy."

She shook her head doubtfully, but since she was behind him he saw nothing. She pushed the wheelchair along the gravel paths of the park, which took great effort. When would architects understand that people in wheelchairs like to visit the park too? Including those who would like to be astronauts. Peter's mother managed to push her twenty-year-old son's wheelchair as far as the children's playground, where a bout of humiliation was added to her overall concerns. She was never able to avoid the looks of astonishment, and occasionally of anger, thrown at her by the young mothers as she and her adult son intruded into their children's domain so that he could do his daily "Tarzan" training. Using his hands, he would crawl, rock from side to side, and make his way across all the playground equipment to reach the summit, a ten-metre tower from where he would perform his favourite exercises. Today, he did a hundred of them, five at a time, before coming back down, covered in sweat, to the platform closest to his mother, so that she could help him back into his chair.

"You don't understand, Mum; here they think I'm a fool, but up there..."
Peter looked happily upwards, but the sky was obscured from sight by the tops of the tress. "Up there, it's like everyone's in a wheelchair, because of the weightlessness. All those sporty, highly-trained astronauts turn into disableds once they get there. Their strong legs are suddenly useless, dragging behind them and getting in their way. They have to get used to something they find strange. But for me, Mum, since I don't have any legs, I'm sure it'll be easy, even though I've still never been there..."

It had all begun very simply. What could a boy do well, when born with withered lower limbs, no more than tiny stumps emerging from the hips? He could read. And Peter loved to read. What could be better for him than stories, both fictional and real, set in space, where the abnormal could become normal? There had been The Sirens of Titan, The Space Merchants, and one day Peter had discovered Of a Fire on the Moon, Norman Mailer's incredible account of the Apollo programme. He enjoyed reading about "the souls of machines", but he was especially intrigued by the paradox that the Conquerors of Space would come back smiling and happy, but physically weakened and requiring a wheelchair. Just like him, in other words. Later, Peter discovered that during the Apollo 6 mission two astronauts had spent a fortnight sitting in a cabin measuring just 3.3 by 2.3 metres. It was hardly surprising that they had to be carried when they came out! With technological progress, the working capsule provided for the Conquerors of Space had increased in size, but the fact remained that upon landing they were disabled and, like him, needed wheelchairs. But why? This was the question that kept Peter awake at night, so he decided to look into it in depth. And he was amazed by his findings. In weightless conditions, humanity's envoys, fit and highly trained though they were, slowly but surely became shadows of their former selves. In the early days of space flights, the astronauts were so weak after a few days in zero gravity that they could hardly raise their arms, and it would take them a month to be able to do so again. A Russian crew had needed a year to fully recover from a long mission in orbit. They had adapted quickly to weightlessness, and felt perfectly fine while up there. But on their return to Earth the weight of their bodies, all too noticeable once again, presented a major difficulty. They had problems with balance and mobility, and their muscles reacted in odd ways. Some of the crew had to learn to walk again.

All this intrigued Peter. Had he been an astronaut, he would not have this kind of problem on his return. He would come back to what was normal for him: his wheelchair. Nor would he miss his legs in weightlessness; not having to feel them would be an advantage in his favour. He had studied the question in detail: the lower limbs, useless during the flight, represent a major problem for astronauts. Blood accumulates in them, no longer circulating regularly as it does on Earth. The muscles wither away without regular work. Albert Einstein compared the weightlessness of space travel to being in freefall, or as NASA astronaut Dave Wolf put it: "It's like jumping from a tall building and taking two weeks to hit the ground." Muscle mass is lost at around 1% per month, and early reports even referred to rates of 10 to 15%. This often results in the famous "chicken legs", since the lower limbs can be reduced by up to a third when not used. Peter, not having any legs in the first place, would have no concerns about atrophy!

"You're made for it, so get in touch with them!" his friend Veronika would encourage him. They had met at work. Peter was employed by the local police in the town of Trenčín. Six disabled people in wheelchairs took turns in front of the surveillance screens monitoring the most dangerous areas of town. The operators, being involved in a wide range of activities, had much lower concentration levels than Peter and the other disabled workers, who were, for this reason, ten times more efficient in identifying criminals and preventing offences from taking place. The wheelchair operators gained such a reputation that a local television crew even came to film them. Veronika, the journalist, was a petite, friendly woman, always smiling. Peter's case interested her, so they met outside work. She was thrilled by his ideas. "You can't just leave it at that. You have to make this known - you have to propose the idea of a disabled person in space!"

In the café near the local television studio where he had gone to meet Veronika, Peter shook his head sadly over a cup of green tea. "But who can I talk to about it? Who can I go and see?". Veronika understood his concern. Slovakia in Space? Wasn't the very idea absurd? What connection could such a small country possibly have with cosmic travel? Best to forget all about it! However, Slovakia's entry into the European Union in 2004 gave Peter a glimmer of hope. Was it not the case that any EU citizen could take part in the European space station project? Even a disabled person in a wheelchair? That was still a problem. In Bratislava, they acted as if Peter did not exist. The powers-that-be in the capital were ashamed. Send a disabled person in a wheelchair as Slovakia's first representative to the permanent European space station project? Don't be ridiculous!

And yet, Peter pushed ahead with his ideas. The typical perception of an astronaut was based on the assumption that only muscular people could be sent into space, since they would be confined to a small cabin with no opportunity for natural movement. These men and woman who were ideally proportioned for terrestrial existence brought with them the need to maintain their condition (an altogether useless price of baggage!) during their confinement in a space capsule. These heroes of space are like the lions who delight visitors to the zoo by taking a few simple steps backwards or forwards in their cages. To make up for this, specialists recommend that the astronauts ride around comically on wheel-less bicycles inside the space craft. According to the latest information, they also have to wear special trousers designed to maintain blood circulation in the legs. None of this is particularly helpful, and our space explorers have trouble recovering when they return from their record-breaking space-station visits. Hardly surprising, then, that there should be fears of irreversible changes in those participating in long missions. But people in wheelchairs have no such worries. Have they not already become largely accustomed to manoeuvring in a restricted space? Any don't the tight, tube-like corridors in space stations require the use of one's hands to move around? And as for adapting to work in a seated position, weren't disabled people already perfectly suited for that too? Without the distraction of all kinds of physical activities, did they not have excellent powers of concentration? Working on a computer was, for them, their way of keeping in contact with their environment. In addition, their exceptional motivation made up for their disability when it came to competing with those of optimal body shape. What was a hindrance on Earth would become an asset in orbit, an advantage which would allow the most ambitious among them to become equal partners with 'normal' spacemen, if not even better. Space could help them to find release from the isolation in which they lived on Earth. For those who truly persevered, space could thus offer an occupation and give them a goal in life. Their disability was a purely terrestrial restriction. Space would surely be kinder to them.

What Peter needed was a chance to explain all this to someone. In Slovakia, he found not a single attentive ear, other than that of his mother, who listened to what he had to say but despaired of such a crazy scheme. But there was Veronika too, and it was she who decided to act. The perfect opportunity arrived when Veronika was invited to a meeting of regional television representatives from every country in central and eastern Europe at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Surely there would be someone there who could help Peter or offer him advice! And in the end, Veronika did manage to find the right person, a French participant Marc who found Peter's idea interesting. In actual fact, it was Beatrix he initially found interesting, then Peter's idea. But the important thing was that Peter had a point of contact.

"This is a fantastic opportunity," insisted Veronika when she got back, "You have to seize it." But Peter was reluctant. He had no intention of taking his friend's advice, and above all he refused to listen to her talking about her French suitor. Besides, having an idea is one thing, putting it into practice is quite another. Was Peter capable of realising his dream?

Peter's mother would have preferred to see the idea remain no more than that. But Veronika had decided to act. As a journalist she knew how to carry out research, and also understood what Peter need to know. Such as, for example, the fact that the first Paralympic Games had taken place in Rome as early as 1960. She also managed to contact Štefan Danko, a disabled Slovakian wheelchair user who had been a world champion javelin thrower. And she made sure to tell Peter some recent news about the New Zealand mountain-climber Mark Inglis, who in May 2006, despite having had both legs amputated, had successfully climbed Mont Everest using specially designed prosthetic legs. From there to entering space was just one more step! But none of this would have been enough had not Mark, the French journalist, encouraged by Veronika, found a way of making contact with the ESRC (European Space Research Centre) where they were willing to meet Peter to see if he would be capable of carrying out his project. An invitation from the ESRC duly arrived.

Since then, the mothers have a new attraction at the children's playground. Every day, a young man in a wheelchair arrives and begins climbing, using his hands alone, pulling himself up to the top of the highest piece of equipment, where he does his usual five times one hundred exercises. And when, as she pushes him home along the gravel paths, his mother asks if he is scared, he simply shakes his head. Far from being scared, he is thrilled by the prospect. Up there, he will have wings.