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ISIKWELETU SESITHOMBE: I-Quantumrun

I-India, ilinde izipoki: I-WWIII Climate Wars P7

UDavid Tal, Umshicileli, i-Futurist
@DavidTalWrites
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ULwesibili, 09/15/2020 - 13:05

2046 - I-India, phakathi kwamadolobha ase-Agra naseGwalior

Kwakuwusuku lwesishiyagalolunye ngingalali lapho ngaqala ukubabona yonke indawo. Lapho ngijikeleza, ngabona u-Anya elele yedwa endaweni yokufa eseningizimu-mpumalanga, kodwa ngagijima ngathola ukuthi kwakungomunye umuntu. Ngabona uSati ethwele amanzi kwabasindile ngale kothango, ngathola ukuthi ngumntwana womunye. Ngabona uHema elele embhedeni etendeni elingu-443, ngathola umbhede ungenalutho lapho ngisondela. Ngokuphindaphindiwe bavela kwaze kwenzeka. Igazi lachitheka emakhaleni langena engutsheni yami emhlophe. Ngawa ngamadolo, ngabambelela esifubeni sami. Ekugcineni, sasizophinde sihlangane.

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Kwase kudlule izinsuku eziyisithupha kwamiswa ukuqhuma kwamabhomu, izinsuku eziyisithupha selokhu saqala nokuthola isibambo ngemiphumela yokuwa kwethu kwezikhali zenuzi. Sasibekwe endaweni enkulu evulekile, amakhilomitha angamashumi ayisithupha ngaphandle kwendawo ekhawulelwe emisebeni ye-Agra, ngaphandle nje koMgwaqo Omkhulu u-AH43 kanye nebanga lokuhamba ukusuka e-Asan River. Iningi labasindile lihambe ngamaqembu amakhulu lisuka ezifundazweni ezithintekile zaseHaryana, Jaipur, naseHarit Pradesh ukuze bafike esibhedlela sethu senkundla yezempi kanye nesikhungo sokusebenza, manje esikhulu kunazo zonke esifundeni. Ayeqondiswe lapha ngomsakazo, amapheshana awiswa ezindizeni ezinophephela emhlane, kanye nezinkampani zamasosha ezihlola imisebe zathunyelwa enyakatho ukuze zihlole umonakalo.

Umsebenzi wawuqondile kodwa kude nokulula. NjengeSikhulu Sezokwelapha Esiyinhloko, umsebenzi wami wawuwukuhola iqembu lamakhulu odokotela bezempi nodokotela abayizisebenzi zokuzithandela. Sacubungula abasindile lapho befika, sahlola isimo sabo sezempilo, sisiza abagulayo kakhulu, sathoba labo ababeseduze nokufa, futhi saqondisa abanamandla emakamu abasinde aphethwe amasosha ayemiswe eningizimu emaphethelweni edolobha laseGwalior—indawo ephephile.

Ngake ngasebenza emitholampilo yasensimini kulo lonke umsebenzi wami ne-Indian Medical Service, ngisho ngiseyingane ngenkathi ngisebenzela ubaba njengomsizi wakhe wezokwelapha. Kodwa angikaze ngiwubone umbono ofana nalona. Isibhedlela sethu sasensimini sinemibhede ecela ezinkulungwaneni ezinhlanu. Ngaleso sikhathi, ama-drones ethu ocwaningo lwasemoyeni ahlole isibalo sabasindile abalinde ngaphandle kwesibhedlela ukuthi sibe ngaphezu kwezinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu, zonke zikleliswe emgwaqweni onguthelawayeka, okuyinqwaba ethatha amakhilomitha amanani azo akhule ngehora. Ngaphandle kwezinsiza ezengeziwe ezivela kumyalo ophakathi, izifo zazizosakazeka phakathi kwalabo ababelinde ngaphandle futhi isixuku esithukuthele sasiyolandela nakanjani.

“Kedar, ngithole umbiko kujenene,” kusho uLieutenant Jeet Chakyar, engihlangabeza ngaphansi komthunzi wetende lomyalo wezokwelapha. Wabelwa mina njengomxhumanisi wami wezempi nguJenene uNathawat ngokwakhe.

“Ngaphezu kwakho konke, ngiyethemba.”

“Amaloli amane imibhede nezimpahla. Uthe yikho kuphela angakuthumela namuhla.”

"Umtshelile ngolayini wethu omncane ngaphandle?"

“Uthe izibalo ezifanayo zibalwa kuzo zonke izibhedlela eziyishumi nanye eziseduze kwendawo ebekelwe imingcele. Ukukhishwa kuhamba kahle.Izinto zethu zokuthutha kuphela. Baseyinhlakanhlaka.” Ukuqhuma kwemicibisholo yenuzi okuvimbe indiza eduze komngcele wasePakistan kuthele i-electromagnetic pulse (EMP) ekhiphe iningi lamanethiwekhi ezokuxhumana, ugesi kanye nama-elekthronikhi jikelele kulo lonke elaseNyakatho ye-India, iningi le-Bangladesh, kanye nesifunda esisempumalanga yeChina.

“Sizokwenza, ngicabanga. Lawo masosha engeziwe afike namhlanje ekuseni kufanele asize ekugcineni izinto zizolile olunye usuku noma ezimbili. ” Iconsi legazi laconsa lisuka ekhaleni lami langena kuthebhulethi yami yezokwelapha. Izinto zazibheda kakhulu. Ngakhipha iduku ngalicindezela emakhaleni. “Uxolo, Jeet. Kuthiwani ngesiza sesithathu?”

“Abambi sebezophela. Kusazolunga kusasa ekuseni. Okwamanje, sinendawo eyanele ethuneni likamaskandi cishe amanye amakhulu amahlanu, ngakho sinesikhathi.”

Ngathulula amaphilisi ami amabili okugcina e-Modafinil ebhokisini lami lamaphilisi futhi ngawagwinya omile. Amaphilisi e-caffeine ayeka ukusebenza ezinsukwini ezintathu ezedlule futhi ngangiphapheme futhi ngisebenza izinsuku eziyisishiyagalombili ziqondile. “Kumele ngenze imizuliswano yami. Hamba nami.”

Sashiya itende lomyalo futhi saqala umzila wami wokuhlola wehora. Indawo yokuqala esamisa kuyo kwaba insimu esekhoneni eliseningizimu-mpumalanga, eduze nomfula. Yilapho labo ababethinteke kakhulu emisebeni babelala emashidini emibhede ngaphansi kwelanga lasehlobo elishisayo—lokho amatende alinganiselwe esasinawo ayegcinelwe labo ababenethuba elingaphezu kwamaphesenti angu-XNUMX lokululama. Abanye abathandekayo babasindile babebanakekela, kodwa abaningi babelele bodwa, izitho zabo zangaphakathi kusasele amahora ambalwa ukuba zingasebenzi. Ngenza isiqiniseko sokuthi bonke bathola usizo olukhulu lwe-morphine ukuze banciphise ukudlula kwabo ngaphambi kokuba sisonge imizimba yabo ukuze ilahlwe ngaphansi kwesembozo sasebusuku.

Imizuzu emihlanu ukuya enyakatho kwakuyitende lomyalo wamavolontiya. Izinkulungwane zamalungu omndeni ezengeziwe zijoyine izinkulungwane ezisalulama ematendeni ezokwelapha aseduze. Esaba ukuhlukaniswa nokuqaphela indawo elinganiselwe, amalungu omkhaya avuma ukuvolontiya ngezinkonzo zawo ngokuqoqa futhi ahlanze amanzi omfula, bese ewasakaza esixukwini esandayo ngaphandle kwesibhedlela. Abanye baphinde basiza ngokwakhiwa kwamatende amasha, ukuthwalwa kwezinto ezisanda kulethwa, kanye nokuhlelwa kwenkonzo yomkhuleko, kuyilapho abanamandla bethwele kanzima ngokulayisha abashonile emalolini okuthutha ebusuku.

Mina noJeet sabe sesihamba saya enyakatho-mpumalanga saya endaweni yokucubungula. Amasosha angaphezu kwekhulu agade uthango olungaphandle lwesibhedlela sasensimini, kuyilapho ithimba lodokotela abangaphezu kwamakhulu amabili nama-lieutenant bahlela umugqa omude wamatafula okuhlola nhlangothi zombili zomgwaqo onguthelawayeka. Ngenhlanhla, i-nuclear EMP yayikhubaze iningi lezimoto esifundeni ngakho-ke akuzange kudingeke sikhathazeke ngethrafikhi yabantu. Ulayini wabasindile wawuvunyelwa ngamunye ngamunye noma nini lapho kuvulwa itafula. Abanempilo baqhubekile nemashi bebheke eGwalior namaloli athwala amanzi. Abagulayo basala ensimini yokulinda ukuze balungiswe ukuze bathole ukunakekelwa lapho umbhede wokugula usutholakala. Inqubo ayizange ime. Asikwazanga ukuthatha ikhefu, ngakho-ke sagcina ulayini uhamba ubusuku nemini kusukela ngesikhathi isibhedlela siqala ukuhlinza.

“Reza!” Ngamemeza, ngifuna ukunaka komphathi wami olungisayo. "Sithini isimo sethu?"

"Mnumzane, besisebenza abantu abafika ezinkulungwaneni eziyisishiyagalolunye ngehora emahoreni amahlanu edlule."

“Isipikili esikhulu leso. Kwenzenjani?"

“Ukushisa, Mnumzane. Abaphile kahle bagcina benqaba ilungelo labo lokuhlolwa udokotela, ngakho-ke sesiyakwazi ukuhambisa abantu abaningi endaweni yokuhlola.”

“Kanti abagulayo?”

Anikine ikhanda uReza. “Amaphesenti angaba ngu-XNUMX kuphela asebevunyelwe ukuhamba yonke indlela eya ezibhedlela zaseGwalior. Abanye abanamandla ngokwanele.”

Ngezwa amahlombe ami ekhula esinda. "Futhi ukucabanga ukuthi bekungamaphesenti angamashumi ayisishiyagalombili ezinsukwini ezimbili ezedlule." Abagcina ukuphuma cishe njalo yibo abachayeka kakhulu emisebeni.

“Umsakazo uthi umlotha nezinhlayiya eziphumayo kufanele kuphele ngolunye usuku. Ngemuva kwalokho, umugqa wethrendi kufanele ukhuphuke ubuye. Inkinga yindawo.” Wabuka insimu yabasindile abagulayo ngemva kocingo. Amavolontiya kabili kuye kwadingeka ahambise ucingo phambili ukuze kulingane inani elikhulayo labagulayo nabafayo. Inkundla yokulinda yayisiphindwe kabili ubukhulu besibhedlela ngokwaso.

"Jeet, odokotela baseVidarbha kulindeleke ukuthi bafike nini?"

UJeet uhlole ithebhulethi yakhe. “Amahora amane, Mnumzane.”

Ngamchazela uReza, “Lapho odokotela befika, ngizobavumela ukuba basebenze emasimini okulinda. Ingxenye yalezo ziguli idinga nje incwadi kadokotela ukuze lokho kuvuleke indawo ethile.”

“Kuyaqondwa.” Wabe esenginika ukubukeka kokwazi. “Mnumzane, kukhona okunye.”

Ngisondele ngihlebe, "Izindaba?"

"Itende 149. Umbhede 1894."

***

Kwesinye isikhathi kuyamangaza ukuthi bangaki abantu abagijimela kuwe ukuze bathole izimpendulo, ama-oda, namasignesha ezicelo uma uzama ukuya endaweni ethile. Kwathatha cishe imizuzu engamashumi amabili ukufika etendeni uReza engangiqondise kulo futhi inhliziyo yami yayingasakwazi ukugijima. Wayazi ukungixwayisa lapho amagama athile evela ohlwini lwabasindile noma edlula endaweni yethu yokuhlola. Kwakuwukusebenzisa kabi amandla. Kodwa ngangidinga ukwazi. Angikwazanga ukulala ngize ngazi.

Ngilandele omaka bezinombolo njengoba ngehla ngomugqa omude wemibhede yezokwelapha. Amashumi ayisishiyagalombili-nambili, amashumi ayisishiyagalombili-nantathu, amashumi ayisishiyagalombili nane, iziguli zangigqolozela lapho ngidlula. Ishumi nesikhombisa, ishumi nesishiyagalombili, neshumi nesishiyagalolunye, lo mugqa wonke wawubonakala uhlushwa amathambo aphukile noma amanxeba enyama engafi-uphawu oluhle. Inye-amashumi amane-nesikhombisa, nenye-amashumi amane-nesishiyagalombili, nenye-amashumi amane nesishiyagalolunye, futhi wayelapho.

“Kedari! Dumisa onkulunkulu engikutholile.” Umalume u-Omi wayelele enebhandishi elinegazi ekhanda lakhe nokhonkolo esandleni sakhe sobunxele.

Ngathatha ama e-files kamalume elenga embhedeni wakhe wokujova ngemithambo njengoba kudlula onesi ababili. “Anya,” ngathula. “Ingabe usitholile isexwayiso sami? Bahambe ngesikhathi?"

"Unkosikazi wami. Izingane zami. IKedari, iyaphila ngenxa yakho.”

Ngabheka ukuze ngiqinisekise ukuthi iziguli eziseduze kwethu zilele, ngaphambi kokuba ngincike. “Malume. Ngeke ngiphinde ngibuze.”

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Ipensela lokubhala lavutha kabuhlungu njengoba ngilicindezela ekhaleni lami elingaphakathi. Ukopha kwaqala ukubuya njalo ngemva kwamahora ambalwa. Izandla zami zazingayeki ukuqhaqhazela.

Njengoba ubusuku bulenga esibhedlela, ngazihlukanisa phakathi kwetende lomyalo elimatasa. Ngicashe ngekhethini, ngahlala edeskini lami, ngigwinya amaphilisi amaningi kakhulu e-Adderall. Bekungokokuqala ngizintshontshela ezinsukwini ngathatha lelo thuba ngakhala okokuqala selokhu kwaqala.

Bekufanele kube enye nje ingxabano yasemngceleni—ukuhlasela kwezikhali zempi okunamandla okunqamula umngcele wethu ukuze izigaba zethu zamasosha eziya phambili zingama kuze kube yilapho ukwesekwa kwethu emoyeni kuhlangene. Lesi sikhathi sasihlukile. Amasathelayithi ethu athole ukunyakaza phakathi kwezisekelo zawo ze-nuclear ballistics. Kungaleso sikhathi lapho i-central command iyala wonke umuntu ukuthi ahlangane ngasentshonalanga.

Ngangimi ngaphakathi kwe-Bangladesh ngisiza ngemizamo yokusiza abantu evela esiphephweni i-Vahuk lapho uGeneral Nathawat efona ezoxwayisa umndeni wami. Wathi nginemizuzu engamashumi amabili kuphela ukuthi ngikhiphe wonke umuntu. Angisakhumbuli ukuthi zingaki izingcingo engafona, kodwa u-Anya uyena yedwa owayengalubambi.

Ngesikhathi ikharavani yethu yezokwelashwa ifika esibhedlela sasendle, izingcezu ezimbalwa zezindaba ezingezona ezokusebenza umsakazo wezempi owabelana ngazo zabonisa ukuthi iPakistan idubule kuqala. Ipherimitha yethu yokuvikela i-laser idubule iningi lemicibisholo ejikijelwayo emngceleni, kodwa embalwa yangena yajula e-Central and West India. Izifundazwe zaseJodhpur, ePunjab, eJaipur naseHaryana yizona ezathinteka kakhulu. I-New Delhi isihambile. I-Taj Mahal ingamanxiwa, iphumule njengetshe lethuna eduze nomgodi lapho i-Agra yake yaba khona.

UGeneral Nathawat uveze ukuthi iPakistan ihambe kabi kakhulu. Babengenazo izivikelo ezithuthukisiwe ze-ballistic. Kepha, uphinde wathi izinga lokucekelwa phansi kwe-India lizohlala lihlukanisiwe kuze kube umyalo wezimo eziphuthumayo wamasosha uyaqiniseka ukuthi iPakistan ngeke iphinde ibe usongo olungapheli.

Kuzodlula iminyaka ngaphambi kokuba abafile babalwe nhlangothi zombili. Labo abangabulawanga ngokushesha ukuqhuma kwezikhali zenuzi, kodwa abasondele ngokwanele ukuzwa imiphumela yako ekhipha imisebe, bangafa esikhathini esingamaviki kuya ezinyangeni bebulawa izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zomdlavuza nokwehluleka kwezitho. Abanye abaningi abahlala ezindaweni ezikude entshonalanga nasenyakatho yezwe—labo abahlala ngemva kwendawo evinjelwe amasosha ekhipha imisebe—bayoba nzima ukuphila ngenxa yokuntuleka kwezinsiza eziyisisekelo kuze kube yilapho izinkonzo zikahulumeni zibuyela endaweni yabo.

Ukube nje amaPakistani abekwazi ukondla abantu bawo ngaphandle kokusabisa iNdiya ngalokho okusele ezindaweni zethu zamanzi. Ukucabanga ukuthi bazophendukela kubo lokhu! Bebecabangani?

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Ngabheka ukuze ngiqinisekise ukuthi iziguli eziseduze kwethu zilele ngaphambi kokuba ngincike. “Malume. Ngeke ngiphinde ngibuze.”

Ubuso bakhe buphenduke buzothile. “Ngemva kokuhamba kwami ngaleyo ntambama, uJaspreet wangitshela ukuthi u-Anya wathatha uSati noHema bayobukela umdlalo eShri Ram Centre edolobheni. … Bengithi uyazi. Uthe amathikithi uwathengile.” Amehlo akhe agcwala izinyembezi. “Kedari, ngiyaxolisa. Ngazama ukumfonela emgwaqeni omkhulu ophuma eDelhi, kodwa wangalubamba. Konke kwenzeka ngokushesha okukhulu. Sasingekho isikhathi.”

“Ungatsheli muntu ngalokhu,” kusho mina, ngezwi elidabukile. “ … Omi, nikeza uJaspreet kanye nezingane zakho uthando lwami…Nginovalo lokuthi ngingase ngingababoni ngaphambi kokuba ukhululwe.”

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