Centaurs (Parallel Worlds)

by Aaron Pery

  "Glad to hear that. Then our passengers will be able to use it just as easily."

  When they reached the gangway of the boat that Marty was to take, its crew stood on both its sides and saluted her. The captain, though not of the original group, looked older than his sailors, two of whom were females, stepped over to her.

  "Good morning and welcome aboard, General, I am Commander Stone. May I take you up to the wheelhouse? It's much warmer in there and I got hot coffee for you if you'd like."

  Marty shook his hand and smiled. "Thank you, Captain. And a fully enclosed cubicle with hot coffee sounds great so please lead the way."

  "My pleasure, Ma'am."

  As she had seen on her first tour of the various boats, the larger ones also had a glass enclosed wheel house that afforded the pilot a full view on all sides. The wheel was quite simple, very much like in a car, and so were the controls. To her surprise, she saw a color screen above the wheel that showed a detailed map of the island with their location and destination marked by blinking red stars.

  Captain Stone showed her the location of the starter button, the throttle lever, and the compass. "This is basically all you need to know about sailing this boat, Ma'am. Once you start the engines you use the throttle to move it, using the letters on the side of it as your guide--N for neutral, R is reverse, and F is forward. All the numerals above F range from 1 for very slow up to 6, which is for full military power as the Admiral calls it. And the compass, of course, shows the direction that we're going. We also have an automatic pilot to the right of the wheel, which I'll explain to you its function once we're on our way if you'd like."

  "I will. And I'm pleased to see that we have a GPS setup as well."

  "Sorry, I never heard this expression. What is it?"

  "Oh, I guess neither has the Admiral or he would've told you. It means Global Positioning System, and the way it works is that you have a apparatus on board that sends an invisible beam far into space that is received by a floating platform to tell it where you are. This platform sends the beam back to us and then tracks our movements at all time, particularly when we move."

  "I'll be a son of a bitch." Stone exclaimed and Marty was sure that he had no idea what it meant, only that it sounded good to him. "So once I enter the target coordinates and activate the automatic pilot, the system will take me there?"

  "Yes. Same principle, different mechanism. That was a pretty quick and very astute observation, Captain."

  "Thanks for explaining it to me, General."

  "There must be many other electronic gadgets on your boats that need to be investigated, which I'll have my husband look into and teach you what they are all about and how to use them. So what happens now?"

  "Please press the start button and we'll go from there."

  When she did, Marty could hear a low hum for a moment before she felt that the boat was beginning to rise as air was filling the balloon, as Herb had called it, on which the boat floated and from which a series of small air nozzles lifted it up two feet above the water. To her amazement, the entire process could be barely heard or felt, even once the mooring lines were untied and brought aboard.

  "Now, General, go to F and slide it very slowly forward until you reach 1."

  She could clearly hear the low grade hiss as she began moving the throttle upward and could easily follow Stone's hand signals to move out to the middle of the bay. She could also see Herb's signals, particularly the one to proceed out to the open waters.

  Once they were out about three miles from the bay Herb held both hands up with upward extended palms and waived them in a northwestern direction, then held up two fingers of one hand and then three with the other. It was a clear indication to her that he meant them to increase their speed slowly up to the third range, which she did. She was pleased to see a gauge light up with its needle creeping up on a hand-painted odometer showing their speed in KPH--knots per hour, until they reached eighty knots.

  Stone gave her an admiring look. "You did that like an experienced sailor, General."

  "Which, Captain, I kind of used to be once upon a time. Now, please tell me how it is that the boat runs absolutely stable despite the aerodynamical forces that push on the hull, particularly in the front, which might thrust it up into the air?"

  "I never heard that expression either but I think I understand what you mean. The way it works is that once we reach a speed above ten knots two sets of shafts drop into the water--two in the front and two in the back. And each shaft has a set of two reversed gull-like wings that open up, the front ones to keep us from going higher in the air and the rear one keep us stable in our true direction."

  "Excellent. But what's to keep us from hitting an underwater obstruction like a rock, shoal, or a sunken ship?"

  Stone smiled. "After you'd explained GPS to me I understand that each shaft sends out a beam ahead and to the sides to warn us of any unseen obstacle under the water. And when it does detect one," Stone flipped a switch on another screen. "It showed it on this one while, and at the same time it makes a funny kind of sound."

  "It's called a ping. And what it does is called a 'sounding', with an underwater radar. Oops, that's another word that you had no way of knowing about, but you seem to grasp these principles quite well and very fast."

  "Thank you General, because now I understand what the center dot means and the expanding circles it creates. And even better, that the other dot in front of us is the Admiral's boat."

  "Exactly, Captain. Now, is there any food on board?"

  "We brought enough food for everyone for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And if you'd like some I'll have us relieved so we can go down to the dining room."

  "I'd very much like that."

  When they came back to the wheelhouse thirty minutes later, Marty took the wheel again while Stone relayed to his crew the information that she had given him. A moment after he finished, her cell phone rang and she saw it was Herb."

  "Yeah, Herb, what's going on?"

  "Everything seems to go according to schedule and we should be rounding the northern tip of Crete in about thirty minutes. However, a thought just occurred to me that it would be prudent for you to experience the true power of our boats now that you showed us how well you can handle yours."

  "You mean go to what we used to call military power?"

  "How about one notch below--at two-hundred?"

  Marty chuckled. "You're offering this kid a candy she can't resist. Yeah, Herb, I would love it."

  "Then move right toward open water two knots, then gradually increase your speed. And if all goes well just tread water until we catch up with you."

  "Sounds marvelous. Moving out, Admiral."

  Stone understood the gist of the conversation and smiled as Marty turned the boat toward open water for what in her estimate were two miles. Then, just as Herb had directed, she increased their speed gradually until the odometer needle hovered at the two-hundred knots mark. She was amazed that other than being buffeted by the wind, the boat remained totally stable and true to her direction.

  It was Marty's most thrilling experience ever on a speed boat, which she just could not consider the huge transport of being, and wandered how it would feel like piloting one of the small ones. Before she knew it, she came abreast of Herb's boat and slowed down to match his speed.

  Herb grinned as he saluted her, then motioned with his hand for her to follow him from that point on.

  They reached the cove where the horses waited without any incident and on time, and beached the boats side by side before dropping small gangways to the sand. Marty was surprised by the huge crowd of horses mixed with Minoans, who stood together and watched the transports arrive in complete silence. When she became visible, Marty was approached by Leader, who seemed nearly overcome with his emotions.

  "I see you'd arrived just as promised, Marty."

  "Of course. And I see a bunch of my people mixed with yours."

  "It surprised us all, and Susan
made a speech, wishing us great luck in our new home and a speedy safe trip. All of which truly tore at our hearts to know that you're all such good people."

  "We try to be, Leader, very hard. And everyone is pleased about being able to help you. Now I'd like your people to board the boats, half of them per each."

  "Of course."

  The horses boarded the boats in an orderly fashion while the large Minoan crowd watched them silently, many of whom had wet eyes. Ten minutes later, Marty backed gently away from the beach and a moment later, following Herb's boat, she increased her speed to one-hundred knots. The ride was so gentle despite the high speed that no one was affected by it despite the large number of pregnant mares.

  Leader asked permission to enter the wheel house, which he was given by the captain without thought, and stood next Marty as she held the wheel steadily. He never asked for any explanations, just stood there and she could sense trembling muscles all over his body. When Herb signaled to her that he was within sight of the bay, Marty brought her boat behind his and moved slowly until they reached a wide, white sandy beach that looked utterly pristine.

  She felt Leader's head on her shoulder once she turned the engine off, and then his lips touched her cheek for a moment before going down wordlessly and urging all of his people to step along to the beach. Marty grinned with the knowledge of what was about to happen as all the horses lined up along the beach, facing the sea.

  "Oh, my God." Stoner exclaimed. "Why are they pissing on their new land?"

  "It's called marking, Captain, which is how voiceless creatures proclaim their ownership of the land, with a scent that warns all others to stay away."

  "I never knew that. And look at what they're doing now, General."

  Marty watched as suddenly all the horses rose on their hind legs and waggled their bodies in her direction. "Yes, everybody, I bid you goodbye too and fare thee well, dear friends." She whispered.

  A moment later, all the horses burst into a fast gallop toward the passage between two hills and they soon vanished. Herb shouted to Marty to turn and go home, and both boats left the coast quickly, with everyone proud of their deed.

  When Marty arrived at home in late afternoon, Nick met her at the bottom of their small hill and hugged her warmly. "I'm glad that it's over, Marty, and that everything went so smoothly."

  "Yeah, me too. But I wish you were there at the end, Nikki. Oh, I know you got no sea legs and that you would've gotten seasick despite the smooth ride, so I forgive you. Let's go home now because I'm beat not just physically but emotionally as well."

  "Not even a bite to eat?"

  "Nothing."

  Chapter 25

  When they returned from an early breakfast the next morning, their computer was chiming with a message from Adam. Marty put on a blouse and sat in front of the monitor, eager to talk with him and find out what he thought of the manual for the engine that he was sent.

  The moment they established contact Adam, unlike his previous demeanor, seemed quite agitated. "God almighty," he burst out the moment Marty came on. "You should've given me a bit of a heads-up on the material that you'd sent me."

  "Really? And why should I have done that?"

  "Oh, gosh, I can't believe how calmly you just said that which, come to think of it, that's exactly what your uncle would've said. Okay, let's talk seriously. Are you at all aware of what you'd sent me, Marty?"

  "Of course I am or else I wouldn't have done it. So what is it that you think the gizmo is?"

  "Jesus, Marty, if it works as the manual says that it should, this is the greatest invention mankind had ever devised--a perpetual motion engine that needs no oil or lubricant to make it run, and I think forever."

  "Okay, Adam, I'm sorry I pulled this on you but I had to have your impartial and unbiased opinion of what this is, which you wouldn't have had if I'd told you what to expect."

  "Okay, I'll accept what you just said."

  "That's great because you're right about what this thing is because we have quite a few working models that we'd installed on most of the tractors you'd sent us and it does the job as stated in the manual. Not only that, the same basic idea was adapted to work on just about every mechanical or electrical device you can imagine."

  "That's the very conclusion that I'd reached once I understood the simplicity and adaptability to anything requiring energy to make it work. D'you have any idea of the monetary value of such a thing?"

  "Of course I do, but that's not why I sent it to you."

  "Then why did you?"

  "Because I don't need or want to have any more money than I already possess."

  "Interesting approach. So why did you really send it to me?"

  "Because I'm a patriot, Adam, and I know that you are as well. So don't think of the monetary value of this product but what it'll do for the country that we love and owe so much to. Once it goes into production, of course."

  "Which will kill all of the blood sucking oil producers when their prices will drop to a buck a barrel, won't it?"

  "Exactly my thought, Adam. And even more delightful will be the fact that we won't allow any of our products to be installed on cars manufactured abroad."

  "In other words, Marty, you're planning on giving all our enemies a day of reckoning? God, I love it. But I wonder what'll happen if some asshole offshore will buy one of these things and reverse engineer it, then start producing his own engines."

  "Can't happen, Adam, because each product will have a fail-safe logic formula that'll destroy itself if anyone tries to look into the workings of the power pack within it."

  "Great, but what happens if the power pack breaks down, how will we be able to fix it?"

  "Very simple since it's an inexpensive plug-in modular box, we'll replace it on a prorated warranty rate which should be minimal because the power pack should be guaranteed for twenty years. Anyway, I'm sure that eventually someone'll find a solution to copying the pack but by then the world will be changed completely, with the United States of America positioned on top of the heap."

  "Marvelous, Marty, absolutely marvelous. So where do we start?"

  "First thing is to register all the patents for it. While, at the same time, you need to have at least ten engines of various capacities to install on test cars that you will want to show people in the automotive world, even including the DOD, who will want to install them on tanks and such. But you'll have to price everything on an equitable level so that the average Joe will be able to afford a car like they used to be able to buy before their cost skyrocketed."

  "I like everything you said so far, but where do I get the money for the startup, which will be very expensive?"

  "No problem. Have an attorney you trust set up a new company by the name of Cauldron Engineering with me getting seventy percent ownership and you'll have thirty. And once you open the bank account for it I'll transfer half a million bucks into it with you having withdrawal powers to support all of the startup needs. How does it sound so far, Adam?"

  "Excellent and quite fair. How do I get the engines, though?"

  "They'll be delivered to the same warehouse in Baltimore that we'd already used, in unmarked crates so no one will know what they are. So have your man pick them all up the day after tomorrow at noon your time."

  "Good idea, but I'd rather drive over with a trailer and pick it everything up myself. Another question, Marty, what happens if it takes on like a wildfire? How and who will manufacture the engines?"

  "I'll have the sealed power packs manufactured at my end and you'll contract with all the American car people to build the rest of the parts."

  "Excellent. One more issue. What are we going to do with our earnings once the money starts flowing in?"

  "What you do with your own earnings is your business but I intend to donate most of mine to a charitable foundation to help educate veterans' and currently serving men and women and their children."

  "You're something else, Marty. I think I'll do the same
so we'll have to get together on that when the time comes. Anything else for now?"

  "No. Actually yes. Since you're driving to the warehouse yourself I'd like you to bring me a large selection of prime quality steaks and hamburger meat, and bring it in a kind of cooler that won't freeze it. And if it won't be too much of a hassle, four live cows and a bull because the beef where I am stinks. And charge it to my account, please."

  "No problem because I can hook up a livestock trailer, and then leave them in the warehouse as long as you pick them up quickly. And by the way, where is the here you were talking about, if I may ask?"

  Marty chuckled. "You'd love to find that out but I can't tell you yet--at least not for a while. So have a safe trip to Baltimore and keep in touch by cellphone."

  "Will do, Ma'am."

  "I like what you're going to do with your earnings, Marty, and how you intend to put the screws to the oil people. But d'you really think that your ambitious plan is a workable one?"

  "I'm pretty sure that it is but we better discuss it with Elwood right away and see how he can help."

  "Yes, I think it's a good idea. Want to go over to the maintenance building right now?"

  "Sure, and on the way I need to discuss another issue with you, so let's go."

  Nick became quite excited when Marty told him about wishing to educate their naval personnel about modern communications and equipment. "Gosh, it'll be great teaching them about all these things that we forget they have no idea about. I'll go see Herb and talk to him about it later today, after I hear what Elwood has to say about your scheme of manufacturing."

  "I'm pleased you agreed to help the navy, Nikki, because the knowledge will improve their ability to handle their crafts considerably."