The two young men at the door were European standard handsome. Chiselled, clean shaven features, lean, confident.

‘Good afternoon Sir’, they said. ‘Are you Mr Reginald Hart?

‘I am’, he replied.

They clicked the heels of their immaculate leather boots and bowed crew cut heads.

‘Sir. We have been allocated the honour of escorting you into retirement.’

So, his time had come. It had gone so quickly. Far quicker than these two can imagine probably, he thought. They watched him expectantly.

‘My Life Partner will be home in an hour’, he said. ‘Can I wait and say goodbye.’

‘I am afraid not, Sir. You know the procedure.’

Of course he did. He had written it. All those years ago. In his immortal youth. His thesis had been adopted by the European Council. “Order out of Chaos: Efficient use of the human resource.”

One of the young men stepped aside and opened the door of a limousine. The other indicated, with a bow that he should enter.

The young man driving adjusted a mirror so that he could see his passenger. ‘Sir. May I say what an honour this is for us. You have led an exemplary life. Contributed so much.’

‘Thank you.’

The partition slid closed and, with a gentle hiss, faintly perfumed air cooled his face, bringing an immediate sense of well being, of contentment. He relaxed into his seat and watched the computer generated image of the European President as he presented the “Lifetime of Reginald Hart’ which would be deposited in the Central Archives of Human Achievement.

And he had achieved much. More than simply the standard two perfect children. He had designed the system by which the human race lived and in return he had been granted a second standard timespan. But even he had to make way for the next generation.

There were forty others in the departures hall. Each escorted by immaculate young men whose heels clicked on the polished marble floor. They sat in the luxurious armchairs and were addressed with great respect by the Master of Retirement Ceremonies.

‘You have each’, he said, ‘achieved far more than the norm. You have each contributed greatly to the success of the human species and your lives are recorded for posterity. It is my privilege to thank you on behalf of Humankind.’

Reginald Hart felt the seat recline and the gentle touch of the drug administration pad on the back of his hand.

Then he died.