Free SFS1 - Science Fiction Short Stories by Krishna kumar Mani Page B

mobile.”
“What does that mean?”
“We can turn DNA samples into digital files. I
think you know that. What I'm going to do is
to make a website and a mobile application so
that users can upload their DNA samples and
we'll
tell
them
information
about
their
previous
lives.
We'll
give
out
some
free
information as a teaser, but they'll have to pay
to get the full report. It'll be fully automated.
We'll have maybe a few technical support guys
but it will all be taken care of through the
program. Billions of users with cell phones are
going to want to do this, Bill.
I thought he was done but had one last thing to
tell me. “Tomorrow you'll begin your work
with our computer engineers to help develop
the application. All you have to do is answer
questions
about
your
research.
Leave
the
computer stuff up to them and the business
side of things to me.”
    SIX MONTHS LATER
I worked with them as best I could to make the
application ready for launch. It creates reports
in almost no time at all. They tried to explain
the server, mobile apps, something called 'the
cloud,'
SSL,
xcode
and
things
I've
since
forgotten. We launched and it took off like
wildfire. Most people had heard of us within
the first few weeks of launch.
    FIVE MONTHS LATER
Now
the application is
one of
the the top
applications in both iOS and Android. It even
competes with Temple Run and Angry birds. I
thought this joint venture was the best decision
I'd ever made in my life. I had several million
dollars in my bank account and my name was
so
popular
that
press
people followed
me
around to various locations.
”Your idea seems really great,” started a
reporter in his early twenties, “but how do you
know
that
the previous
life information is
correct?”
“This is not magic,” I said with a smile. “This is
science.
reports?
How
else would
we generate our
    Maybe a little
wizard
in a cloak
somewhere
knows
the
science.
There's
been
answers?
No,
it's
    many
independent
verifications of data generated by our process.
We've yet to have a false positive.”
“But what is the use?” asked a female
interviewer from the back of the crowd.
“What stronger purpose can we have in life
than to know ourselves? On the Temple of
Apollo
at
Delphi,
inscribed
are the words
“know thyself.” It is that which I seek to allow
humanity to do. Of course each person will
find a different use for the application. Just
yesterday I read about a man who found out
his
previous
incarnation's
family
had
fallen
into poverty and helped them out. Another
man
helped
pay for
the education of
his
previous life's son. Now that some research
papers
have
been
submitted
about
my
invention, in specific how one's sins affect their
next
lives,
soon
the
whole
world
will
understand
that
and
the
crime
rate
will
decrease. There's many more examples on our
website. I believe we do good work. I think the
government knows that too, that's why we've
applied for a tax exemption.
“What about the future? Are you researching
anything else? Maybe contact with aliens?”
”No, no, nothing like that,” I laughed. “My
days are too filled with counting my piles of
gold! Really though, it's nice to have a few
moments to sit back and relax.”
“You're obviously a great researcher. Every
day the world seems more and more violent.
Couldn't you do some research into DNA so
that we could remove or change the violent
natures of some people?”
I laughed but understood it is a good idea and
told:
“You know, that's a good idea,” I said with a
laugh. “I will think on that. I guess I could
become a masked avenger in the mean time
though? Whatever help I can offer to our law
enforcement professionals, I'm all for it.”
The press took some photos and left. Early next
morning, my intercom rang. It was the security
guard.
“There are some detectives out here who want
to see you. They say it's urgent.”
“Tell them I was kidding when I said I'd
become a