The Fish

City AA101
Day 235
Year 2666
9:00 am

Complete name, please.


Jonathan Luc Ido


Age?


35. 


So you claim you saw a fish?


Yes, Sir.


A real fish? In the river?


Yes, Sir.


Please answer a little bit louder, we're recording this. 


Yes, Sir, I saw a real fish in the river.


Do you know since when there are no living fish on this planet?


Yes, Sir. Since the big explosion 2235.


That's correct. The big explosion. Since then there are no living animals on this planet, Jonathan. So how do you want us to believe you saw a fish? Don't you think it's probable you just had an illusion? You THINK you saw a fish, but actually you didn't.


No, Sir. I am sure. I saw a fish. A small fish in the river. I saw it jumping out of the water. There must be other fish there, too. Have you checked the river? I have recorded my observation 2 days ago in the local information system. After two hours you brought me here to interrogate me. Why am I still here? Have you checked the river? Have you sent someone there to find out if there are other fish? Why don't you believe me? Why are you holding me here? Just go there and check it out. I thought it would be great news to have fish on Earth again... I do not understand why I am here. Go check the river!


Jonathan, the river is under constant observation. If there were fish, we would have seen them long before you did. The whole planet is being watched, you know that! Since we had to cover the planet with a glass roof and wear this security clothes and the oxygen masks! We constantly check the atmosphere. We know each and every change. It gets recorded and analysed. Since the agency exists everything is under control. I am surprised you really thought we wouldn't know about it. We understand, you think you saw a fish. And you must understand you cannot walk around the city and talk about this or include this information in the communication system. You did NOT see a fish!


But I did! Sir, I did see it! And I want the agency to go check it out! We must find the fish and see how we can make them survive this time! We cannot make the same mistake again! What if the planet is recovering? What if animals come back? We could soon have trees and birds again like in the old story books! You know? Flowers and animals on earth? Real nature? Not the one we produce in our industries.


What's wrong with our nature? Why do you think the old nature was better? It wasn't, you see! That's why it got destroyed! Don't be a fool. I need you to trust the agency. You should never have taken this illusion so seriously!


It was NOT an illusion, Sir! What is your problem with the fish? And what is this machine doing there?


It's recording you and analysing the situation.


Analysing for what?


To take a decision.


What decision?


About what the agency will do about you.


What do you mean? "Do about me"?


See, Jonathan. You scared people with your talk about fish. We can't let people get scared here. It's dangerous. Scared people commit mistakes. They start believing in nonsense. This planet has seen wars and disaster due to people talking nonsense, like you are doing now. Do you now when the last war happened here?


Yes, Sir. In 2235. 


See! We've been hundreds of years in Peace. We've fed every single human being on this planet. We've managed to live in complete happiness. No wars. No diseases. No problems. We must protect this system. Otherwise it'll be like it used to be: Wars, fights, starving people, diseases...You are putting everything at stake!


I am sorry Sir, but I do not understand why a fish can be dangerous.


Well, Jonathan Luc Ido. You must not understand. You must stop.


Stop what?


Existing.