It was a cold morning in Manhattan, but for the first time in years, he didn't feel the need to wake up in a rush and dress up for work or to meet a dozen investors, lawyers, and whatnot. For the first time, he could call himself independently wealthy, with over two hundred thousand dollars in his pocket.
At the age of thirty-six, he felt like he'd made it. Finally, after getting screwed over so many times, beaten up by Edison's bastardly schemes, he had the funds to do his own research independently.
He had a few ideas, and he was excited to experiment. With a refreshing breath, he got out of his warm bed and looked around at the room, boxes packed with his stuff.
"Hmm?"
But then he noticed something. A letter had been slid under his door. He felt annoyed as his letterbox was downstairs at the building's entrance. For someone to climb eight floors to slide in a letter was… pointless.
Yet, the mind of an inventor was filled with curiosity. He quickly donned some warm clothes, heated the coal stove, and grabbed the strange letter.
When his fingers brushed against the paper, he frowned. It was soft and smooth, unlike any paper he'd seen before. And the writing on it, the strokes of the pen were so… uniform.
Seeing his name on it, he quickly broke the wax seal, not bothering to look at what that seal even said. In seconds, he had the single sheet of paper unfolded, though a smaller ticket-like paper fell from it, unnoticed by him.
"Hm? What?!" He jumped to his feet as he read the rather direct and formal letter.
[Dear Nikola Tesla, I am pleased to inform you that your inventive accomplishments have surpassed the threshold set by Dinosia National University. Your AC Induction Motor has intrigued many. Hence, we are inviting you to join us at DNU to pursue any subject of your choice and continue your projects in collaboration with fellow experts.
Your lodging, meals, travel, experimentations, and well-being will be fully supported by the National Intellect Fund. You have one month from receiving this letter to confirm. If we do not hear from you, the invitation will lapse.
If you wish to depart immediately, you will find a travel ticket enclosed. Simply present it at any harbor across the world to board a Dinosian ship, which will provide safe and complimentary passage to Dinosia—Respectfully, Chairman of Dinosia National University, Leonardo Da Vinci.]
"J-Jesus!"
Nikola Tesla wasn't a man who invoked God that much. But he couldn't help it at that moment. His hand shook, holding that letter as he read it a few more times. How could he not? Wasn't this every intellect, every inventor, every scholar's dream? To be recognised by Dinosia?
He'd only heard rumors, but the nation of Dinosia was coined to be the paradise of intellectuals. Away from war, away from ruin and uncertainty, protected by a literal god. Throughout history, so many great inventors have been invited, who went away and never returned. He'd read entire books compiled of names that Dinosia had taken in. And now, to be added to that long list, it was an honor and recognition like nothing else.
"I… I must go!"
It didn't take long for Nikola Tesla to say fuck it to all his plans. Within a day, he sold whatever furniture and instruments he had to his name. Packed two large suitcases and boarded the Transcontinental Railroad, went to San Francisco, and just as told, he arrived at the harbor.
He quickly found a large Dinosian ship, easy to spot, as they all had massive emblems of Dinosia, a dinosaur, the famed First Steed. Besides, Dinosian ships were on average twice the size of any other currently used ship in the world. By that alone, Tesla knew that Dinosia was more advanced than the world.
"Good morning, I…"
When he approached the ship, he was greeted by an unwelcoming stare. Nikola tried to show the ticket, but the man ignored him and pointed him to the captain of the ship.
Confused, Nikola was allowed to board the ship without any checks. Soon enough, he met with the neatly dressed captain, wearing an all-white uniform with golden stripes on his shoulders, very professional.
There, Tesla realised why the previous man was unwelcoming. It turns out, nobody on that ship was Dinosian. In fact, even the captain wasn't a Dinosian. But then, that captain led him out into the harbor again, into a large brick building, up a floor, into a lavish, modern office.
After a few knocks, the man led him into a large office, opulent with indoor plants, electricity, fans, polished wooden furniture, and a massive map of the world on an entire wall.
What? H-How?
Nikola Tesla was surprised. The man in the main seat looked nothing like any he had seen in his life. Tall, broad-shouldered, mongoloid features, yet his hair was golden blonde and his eyes were blue. Looking at the man, it felt as if he was hand-crafted to add as many varying racial features as possible.
"Ah, DNU ticket?"
The man stood up and walked over to Tesla, hand raised.
"I'm Nikola Tesla." Tesla shook it right away. "I received it two weeks ago in Manhattan."
"I am Vincent Chase, the commander of Dinosian Merchant Fleet for the Pacific Ocean. Come have a seat."
Tesla took a seat, curious about the man. "Are you… Dinosian?"
"I was born and bred a Dinosian," Vincent said. "Only the Fleet commanders and vice commanders are Dinosian, the rest are employed hands. You must understand, a Dinosian finds little satisfaction in tending engines or captaining a vessel. It's not mentally stimulating. I myself had no taste for it, being bent more toward the study of marine biology.
"But Dinosia requires that each of its intellectuals take up essential offices two or three years out of every ten, for the welfare of all. Thankfully, being a fleet commander is challenging enough. At least it's no war fleet. That, you know, rests in the hands of the First Man, Lord Azul, and others."
Nikola just digested all that information silently. While he frowned at that mandatory job thing, when he thought about it, he agreed with it. If Dinosia were a nation where everyone was an intellect, then who was left to do odd jobs, jobs that were needed to run the nation? It made sense that the intellectuals would themselves volunteer occasionally.
"In any case, I have a large cargo vessel headed to Dinosia this evening. I'll book you on it. It has a few extra executive rooms; you can take one of those."
Nikola Tesla watched as the Dinosian fleet commander took out a few documents, stamped them, and signed them with a strange, thin pen. It had a pointy tip, nothing like the pens he'd used before.
But he asked no more questions, knowing he'd learn everything after reaching the mythical country.
Learn…
He expected to do that.
But after the unusually comfortable voyage with a cozy bed and delightful food, he felt confused about reality itself. As soon as he deboarded the ship at Dinosia's main island, he noticed peculiar differences.
First, there was a train right at the harbor, getting cargo loaded on its flat beds. But what surprised him was that… they didn't use steam. No, they used something else, something far more potent. Then there were those large cranes that easily loaded and unloaded the ships. And finally, those four-wheeled vehicles, large, carrying cargo, driven by men. He knew the concept, but this was… far too advanced than anything else out there.
"You get used to it slowly."
He heard the ship's captain telling him, as the man deboarded to do whatever his job demanded. As for Nikola, he wandered like a clueless tourist, holding the ticket in his hand to show someone.
And it didn't take long before a man approached him, dressed in a fine suit, a hat on his head, and a grey beard coated his face.
"You must be Nikola Tesla. Welcome to Dinosia. I was made aware of your journey." The man extended a hand. "I'm Alexander Graham Bell, head of department for electrical engineering. I read—"
"You were here?! All this time?!" Tesla exclaimed in shock.
Bell frowned and scratched his beard. "Isn't that common knowledge?"
Tesla shook his head.
"Then I suppose my letter didn't reach them. Yes, I accepted Dinosia's invitation years ago when I patented the telephone. I don't regret that decision. Come, let's talk on the way."
Tesla expected a horse carriage, but what awaited them was a mechanical, four-wheeled carriage, smaller than the cargo haulers. This looked far more refined, four doors, long nose, metal-coated, cushioned seats.
He followed the pioneer, taking a passenger seat as the man started driving the carriage with practiced ease.
"It must stagger you. I confess, I felt the same. At home, I was esteemed as the inventor of the telephone. Imagine my shock when I landed here and found Dinosians were already using a much more advanced telephone, covering the entire country. I was humbled that day, frog in the well, if I say. You see, the Dinosians have lived here for thousands of years, chasing nothing but science, history, nature, and all sorts of studies. Guarded by the First Man, their progress outstrips ours. I no longer strive to rival them. Instead, I content myself to study what I may, and to lend what service I can."
Nikola Tesla frowned and noticed something outside. On that smooth road, there were concrete poles on the sides, carrying wires. "Is that…"
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