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“Ah, I see,” Korum said, smiling. “I haven’t shown you everything that your little computer can do. Tell it that you would like to read something.”
“Okay,” Mia said dubiously, looking at her bracelet, “I would like to read something . . .”
Almost immediately, one of the walls parted, revealing a section hidden inside – a shelf of some kind. And as Mia watched, an object that looked like a thick sheet of paper floated out toward her.
“How does all this stuff float?” Mia asked in amazement, plucking the object out of thin air. “Plates, chairs, now this . . .”
“The premise is similar to the shields we use to protect our settlements,” Korum explained. “It’s a type of force-field technology, just applied on a much smaller scale.”
“Oh, I see,” Mia said, as if that told her anything. A technology whizz she definitely wasn’t. Studying the sheet in her hands, she saw that it was actually made of some plastic-like material.
“This is something you can entertain yourself with,” he said, sitting down next to her. “It’s a little like your computer tablets. You can read any book – human or Krinar – that’s ever been written, and you can watch any kind of film you want. This will also work with verbal commands, so you can just tell it what you want to see or read.”
“Can I use it to learn more about the Krinar? To read some history books or something?” asked Mia, staring at the object with excitement.
“Sure. You can use it for whatever purpose you want.”
Mia grinned. “That’s great, thanks!”
He smiled back at her. “Of course. I don’t want you to be bored here.”
Something suddenly occurred to Mia. “Wait, you said it works by verbal commands, but I’ve never seen or heard you using verbal commands on anything. How do you control all your technology?”
“I have a very powerful computer that essentially allows me to control everything through a specific type of thinking,” Korum explained, holding up his palm. “It’s a type of highly advanced brain-computer interface. I use some gestures too, but that’s just out of habit.”
Mia stared at him. “So you control electronics with your mind?”
“Krinar electronics, yes. Human technology is not designed for that.”
“What about the others? Is that how they do it too?”
Korum nodded. “Many of them, yes. Some still prefer the old-fashioned way, which is voice commands and gestures, but most have switched over. The majority of our technology is designed to accommodate both ways of doing things because our children and young ones only use the first method.”
“Why?” Mia asked, looking at him in fascination.
“Because their brains aren’t fully formed and developed, and because there’s a learning curve involved with using brain-computer interfaces. That’s why I’m setting up everything with voice capabilities for you for now – it’s much easier for a beginner to master. Later on, when you understand our technology and society better, I can set you up with the new interface.”
Mia’s eyes widened. He would give her the ability to control Krinar technology with her mind? The possibilities were simply unimaginable. “That sounds . . .”
“Like a little too much right now?” Korum guessed, and Mia nodded.
“Hence the voice commands for now,” he said. “Your society has advanced far enough that you can easily understand that type of interface, and it’s very intuitive.”
“So for now, I’ll be like one of your children?” Mia asked wryly.
His lips curved into a smile. “If you were Krinar, you would actually be considered an adolescent, age-wise.”
“I see.” Mia gave him a small frown. “And at what age do you become adults?”
“Well, physically, we attain our adult characteristics right around the same age as humans, somewhere in the late teens or early twenties. However, it’s only around a couple of hundred years of age that a Krinar is considered mature enough to be a fully functioning member of our society – although it could be sooner if they make some type of extraordinary contribution.”
For some reason, that upset her. Mia didn’t know why it mattered to her that she would not be considered a fully functioning member of Krinar society at any point within her lifetime. It’s not like they would ever view a human as such anyway. And besides, she had no idea how long her relationship with Korum would last. Still, it rankled her somewhat, the fact that Ks would always consider her little more than a child.
Not wanting to dwell on that topic, she asked, “So did the trial today go as you expected?”
Korum shrugged. “Just about. Loris will try to twist everything, to make it seem like I made the whole thing up. But there’s too much evidence of their betrayal, and I don’t think anything can save them at this point.”
“What does complete rehabilitation mean?” Mia asked, unbearably curious. “Everyone seemed shocked when you suggested it.”
