The harvesters arrived one by one. They formed a single file as they prepared to get up the stage. A piercing silence filled the entire hall as each representative took his seat in the central stage of what looked like a huge football stadium. As each contestant sat down more lights were turned on that made the dark evening sky disappear. The judges waited impatiently --though their faces were expressionless-- to listen to what these dedicated reapers were going to present. We are in the year 3000 A.D.

Nothing much has changed materially with life on earth except for one thing: man no longer communicates with his speech. Through the years, men discovered how to communicate with their minds. This didn't mean that they could read one another's thoughts. It was more of being able to send "mental sound waves." The closest comparison would be how dolphins and whales, now extinct, communicate underwater.

This discovery was at first rejected as inhuman and useless. With time, however, man realized that this form of communication made him able to hone more inner energy. This contributed to a more profound peace and greater intellectual capacity. Moreover, this form of "mental speech" was so precise that one avoided saying something that could offend others by lies or sarcastic remarks. Thus, it also contributed to establishing the long-awaited world peace and global co-existence.

The presiding judge raised his hand and the presentation of the harvesters began. ?Harvester from quadrant one, what have you reaped?? (*Note: Ever since man began communicating mentally, the experience of speech had literally disappeared. This annual gathering was a most anticipated event when the harvesters or reapers ? a term referring to scientists who hovered around the world's atmosphere to rake whatever remnants of human speech trapped in the different atmospheric levels after exposing themselves to great risks ? "presented the gathered strains of human speech" to mankind.)

The judges awarded a single reward to the reaper who could present the most "faithful" strain of the human voice. This was determined by clarity of the gathered words and the possibility of identifying who was speaking. In past competitions no one had ever been able to gather more than bits of phrases and words. The numerous nuclear wars had badly damaged the atmospheric layers and made reaping difficult.

This year, however, it was rumored that some reapers ? by tweaking the crystal cosmic fans used to capture the nearly invisible traces of sound ? were not only able to catch complete sentences, but also managed to identify who was speaking. When news of this reached the media, everyone in the world was excited to experience what "someone's voice" from the past was like.

* * *

?Harvester from quadrant one, sector of Capricorn, present,? the presiding judge said.

?From quadrant one, sector of Capricorn, I present to you the words and voice of John F. Kennedy.? The reaper twisted a crystal flask. It glowed with changing colors and patterns. It grew brighter and then gradually dimmed.

Then a human voice emanated: "Mothers all want their sons to grow up to become president, but they don't want them to become politicians in the process.? The other judges were exceedingly happy with this first find. Not only was the sentence complete, but the harvester also managed to identify the speaker.

?Harvester from quadrant two, sector of Capricorn, present.?

?Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers (STATIC) on this (STATIC), a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition (STATIC) men are created equal.?

?This is an almost perfect reap from Abraham Lincoln,? the harvester said. It was difficult to extract due to the constant interference of comet showers in that quadrant.

?Harvester from quadrant 47, sector of Aquarius, present.? The reaper stood up and presented what he gathered.

?I have reaped a very ancient voice strain. Unfortunately, the speaker cannot be identified.? (There is a unanimous mental sound of disappointment from the judges and the audience)

?But bear with me and listen to the voice.? He unscrews his crystal container and a long hissing sound of static is heard. "(STATIC) Spirit will come upon (HISS), and the power of (STATIC) you; therefore the child (HISS) will be called (HISS) Son of God."

?That is the worse reaping I have seen in my life,? said one judge.

A moan of mental discontent was heard from the audience.

?Wait, wait,? the reaper said. ?Don't you see what it's trying to say??

?That is not the point,? the presiding judge interrupts him. ?We care not the least for what it says. What is sought is the integrity and clarity of the voice.?

?But...but...at least you must realize that it is saying something about the Son of God??

?Unfortunately, that is not our concern. Next harvester,? the judge said.