Kylian boarded a Renard University shuttle bus which stopped in front of the Physics building at exactly midnight every night. The free shuttle busses ran all day carrying students and employees of the University around the campus getting them to where they needed to go. They stopped operating at 1:00 AM, so Kylian had about an hour left to ride the bus. As he boarded the empty bus at midnight, the driver nodded to him and pointed up at his hat, which he hung over the surveillance camera covering the lens. Without saying a word, the driver pointed Kylian to the back of the bus as he closed the door and drove off continuing his circuitous route around the perimeter of the expansive campus.

Kylian looked toward the back of the bus which could carry maybe thirty-five passengers. At this time of night, the busses ran empty, but at the very back, there was one rider. Kylian stumbled over to the lone rider and sat down in the next seat. The rider’s face pointed downward and so was obscured by hair. She lifted her head to acknowledge Kylian. It was Solene! Kylian was the first to speak.

“You asked me to meet you here, right?”

Solene, the short girl with glasses and chin-length hair, was careful to whisper even though there were no other passengers in the bus with them. “Yes, I’m glad you agreed to come.” Solene’s voice was as high-pitched as ever.

It had not been that long ago when Kylian met Solene in a case of mistaken identity. At that time, she dragged the hapless Kylian into a protest march she was leading and a police officer beat him with a baton. It was most unpleasant. However, he noticed how cute Solene was and even though he did not take her seriously at first, she made him think about the work he did on teleportation technology and whether or not it was the best use of his time. Kylian looked at Solene and again noticed how cute she was, but reminded himself to take her seriously.

“So, why did you ask me to meet you here in an empty bus at midnight?”

Solene looked around before replying while shielding her lips from view. “Because it’s the only place we can meet with each other without being watched by the government’s all-seeing eye.”

“Is that why the driver covered the camera with his hat?”

“Yes, the driver is one of us. We’re a group of activists trying to change the Ruling Party’s policies which suppresses free journalism to report the truth and to change their mind on the technology embargo that’s been in place for decades.”

“What do you want from me?” Kylian was confused. “I’m just a postdoctoral researcher at a lab where no one calls me by my real title, Doctor Bouche.” Kylian felt he was not special at all.

Solene got right to the point. “Our activist organization could use a member like you! Join us and help us in our cause!”

Kylian shifted in his seat. “But what can I do to help your cause? I’m not really into political uprisings. They hurt too much!”

“But you’re one of the scientists working on the most divisive technologies the UEN possesses. With your help, we could have someone who can influence the decision-making of how the technology is used around the world. At the very least, you could provide us with inside information about how the technology works and what the status of the development is.”

“You want me to spy for you???” Kylian was aghast at the insinuation.

“Or just join us because you believe in the principle of free technology to benefit all mankind instead of splitting the world into two competing societies, the technology haves and the technology have-nots. Just come to our protests then, we always need more people and the more we can recruit, the less likely the Ruling Party will ignore us. Didn’t you think it was unfair for the rest of the world outside the UEN to be technologically backward? Doesn’t that bother the scientist in you? Didn’t you become a physics researcher to better the lives of your fellow man?”

Kylian did not have to answer Solene’s questions to know she was right. He worked on improving teleportation accuracy to achieve 100%, not for the meager postdoctoral salary (and indeed, meager it was) but because he wanted to be a part of an effort that was bigger than just himself. He wanted to work on something that affected the world in a positive way. He thought that by working for Dr. Renard, it would be the first step in his academic career toward a professorship and faculty position where he would be able to contribute to the betterment of society. He never considered that by working at the National Laboratory, he might be working toward the very opposite of his goals.

“Well, sure it bothers me,” he replied.

“Then join us at the very least?” Solene poured on the charm. Kylian felt weak looking at the petite girl with glasses and the squeaky high voice. He caved in.

“OK. I’ll join your activist organization.”

Solene was overjoyed. “And come to the demonstrations?”

Kylian groaned. “Yes, I’ll come to the demonstrations, too. But if the police start swinging, I’m running for it! You can’t hide behind me either! That whack that almost broke one of my ribs was originally intended for you.”

Solene threw her arms around Kylian and hugged him! “I know! Didn’t I thank you for taking a beating for me?”

“No!” Kylian was exasperated. There was a girl that had him in her clutches. It was weird. It was kind of pleasant. It was weirdly pleasant or pleasantly weird depending on Kylian’s rapidly oscillating state of mind.

“Oh, in that case, I’ll thank you for it now, and I’ll get you details of our next planned demonstration, when and where it’ll be.”

Solene let go of Kylian because the driver let on another passenger. Just as he did with Kylian, the driver pointed up to his hat to show that it covered the camera and pointed to the back of the bus to where Solene and Kylian sat next to each other.

Solene had to explain to Kylian what was going on. “This is my colleague who helps us organize the demonstrations. We meet here to discuss future plans.”

Solene’s colleague was a young man. He got right down to business and asked Solene for a status report.

“Hello Solene, did you get our insider scientist to join us?”

“Yes, he did!” Solene beamed as she pointed out Kylian. “He’ll at least come to the demonstrations to support us.”

“Wonderful! I’ve been working to convert a handful of members of the Ruling Party and some of them are open to our cause, but won’t defy the Party. At least not openly defy the Party yet.”

Solene was encouraged by this news. “That’s good news! At least there are members of the Ruling Party who are starting to realize that the current situation in the world can’t go on forever.” She looked hopeful. “Baby steps, right?”

Baby steps, indeed.