Decision Time

The policy, which had been handed down since the earliest telling of history, was quite simple: It didn't matter how long it took to make the decision – so long as it was the RIGHT decision.

And so the Ministers took their time in deciding. Within the context of the laws of relativity, best measured in terms of operations rather than seconds, an aeon past before the final decision was made.

During that time, endless discussions had ensued. Wars had been fought. Blood agreements had been made and broken. True loves were shattered and new alliances created with former enemies, only to be destroyed and reformed. A type of murder and salvation was committed with each new analysis and discussion point.

It was the very nature of time, in such endless supply, which made the decision so difficult. All of history lay behind them to analyze. But the future? It was unknown. So the right decision could never be assured, only guessed at based on careful review of everything that had ever come before. And this review was performed meticulously, given the boldness of what they were after.

And also, the IMPORTANCE of the decision, so acute in the minds of the Ministers, made deliberations difficult. Because once a decision was made, and real-time action had been taken, the resulting events would be immutably locked into history, affecting all future decisions, committing the universe to a path that might lead to untold ecstasy, or unbearable anguish, depending upon the decision's correctness.

Many millennia had passed.

Now, at last, the decision was made. Reality was committed.

In another dimension, a young man sitting at the lunch counter, oblivious to the stoppage of time – unaware of the torturous discussions that had preceded this moment -- abruptly snapped from his contemplation. The clock ticked forward one second. He breathed in sharply.

He stood up, and walked deliberately to the table where a pretty young girl was sitting. Feeling a hint of nervousness, he spoke – keeping his voice as steady and as friendly as possible.

"Hello! I've seen you sitting here before. May I join you?"

It was the start of a new age. The Ministers would require another full aeon to properly formulate her reply.

-///-


[edit on 17-4-2010 by Axial Leader]

reply to post by Axial Leader


Author's Notes:

I realize this is becoming a main theme of my writing: We have no free will, and our innermost thoughts are visible and controlled by other intelligences.

If you liked this story, you might also like this one:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I am increasingly haunted by the idea that there is no such thing as privacy, and we are dominated by strong forces we can't see or ever understand. And I am not talking government forces, but something much more spiritual, and perhaps frightening.