by Rik Thompson
Timothy did not know he would be speaking to an audience and it caught him off guard. He mounted the stage, shook hands with Will Bo Decker, stepped in front of the podium, and after adjusting the microphone, began to speak.
"Hello folks, as you have heard from Will, we are set to pull from space, precious metals, and what we in the business call volatiles. This will be accomplished in a joint venture with Will's company Deep Space, and my company, Electro-Tech. Deep Space will be providing the conveyance - The Rove-One - we will be providing the miners that will bring these precious metals, and volatiles to bear. Now we all know that space is a very dangerous endeavor, and considering this we, at Electro-Tech, are at the forefront of robotics, and have been for years. We have developed the perfect miners for this operation, and they are known as auto-bots. These auto-bots will take the place of human beings and mine the surface of these asteroids to deliver the materials we will need now, and in the future for further construction on our Moon base operations, and also our concerted efforts, here at home.
"These auto-bots would be the first non-human application in the area of asteroid mining. The procedure would be much easier to employ then risking the lives of human astronauts. It would work like this: A space craft would be deployed to a known asteroid in a near-Earth trajectory. On board the craft would be the pilot, engineer, both human and up to five auto-bots. These auto-bots would exploit the minerals, and volatiles; such as iron, nickel, titanium which would be used on the Moon base for construction materials. Oxygen and hydrogen gases would also be available to mine and convert into rocket fuel and referred to as in-situ resource utilization.
Looking to the future of asteroid mining we see the possibility of bringing back to Earth a variety of precious metals like gold, cobalt, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, osmium, palladium, platinum, to name a few would become quite essential in replenishing the rapid depletion of Earth's resources."
After the meeting, Will approached Timothy, "Why don't you and I go have a cup of coffee somewhere; I'd like to hit you with a proposal, and see where it goes."
A half an hour later the two men entered The Copper Penny, in Burbank. They took a booth, and ordered coffee.
"So, what's on your mind, Will?"
"I wanted to hit you with this idea and see what you think of it. Because you have redesigned the latest version of your company's auto-bot, I thought it only fair to take a ride with me to an asteroid. That way we have the designer of the Deep Space, Rove-One, and you, the designer of the re-imagined auto-bot. How does that sound to you?"
"It sounds as if we are putting all our eggs in one basket?"
"How so?"
"Well, Timothy began, "we have the two top minds of our companies taking a risk at the same time, in a venue that has not been attempted before."
Will takes a sip of his coffee, and massages his beard, "I can understand your point perfectly, Tim, but I think this effort between our two companies should be enhanced by the best in the business as both our companies stand to gain a huge prominence in our field, and an incredible boost to both our bottom lines. I feel that if this is successful, like I know it will be, we will be at the forefront of this technology, and the first in line for all the government contracts that will happen shortly thereafter."
"Point made; Will. Let's do this."
"When can you leave? And I ask this because now that this idea has been floated, we need to act on it."
"Then let's go as soon as possible."
· * * *
MINOS ASTEROID
“We’re here, Mister Timothy,” a voice from the front of the command module stated.
Timothy glanced forward and spoke to the pilot. “You’re from Mississippi, aren’t you?”
“Why yes,” the pilot replied with a smile, “I guess you have been there.”
“I knew immediately, when you called me mister Timothy,” he replied smiling as well. And nice job getting us up here without incident.”
“Glad to serve, Sir, the pilot said with a salute.
Timothy straightened up and awoke from his daydream. It was time to deploy his auto-bot miners.
These bots were different then the archetypical models. These models were just one foot tall; a version in miniature, and an incorporated a much slimmer frame to allow packing them into a much smaller circumference to allow more production on a smaller superficies such as a typical asteroid would present.
Tim made his way to the front of the command module. He looked out of the port and was surprised, “That’s quite a large surface for your garden variety asteroid. I never knew they could be this large.”
Will shook his head in agreement, “Yes, this particular one is the largest one in this sector, and that’s why we’re here. After this one is mined properly it should not pose any danger if it was to somehow veer off course and strike the earth.”
Timothy glanced at the command screen to confirm they were just over the drop point, “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Four hours later and on the surface, operations on Minos is almost complete. Will calls Timothy from the back of the command module where he is busy controlling his army of bots. He makes his way back to the front of the command module where Will is sorting out the day’s take on the mining operation.
“Looks as we have had quite a successful day,” Will says, “we have quite a load of silver, and molybdenum, as well as a bunch of inert metals.”
“So, I can bring the troops home?”
“Yes, we’re done here.”
SIX
Over the next two weeks the shadow watched with congruity every move the Jones woman would make in her daily routine. They dwelt as phantoms in the shadowy parts of the day, and used the darkened shroud of the night to view her as she departed for work, at Electro-Tech and her return home in the evening. They saw her entry and exit from Tim’s apartment and by the conclusion of the second week they had her routine down to the first degree. These viewings and observations would then make their way onto the desk of Sylvie Robers.
Rob Suredly is the senior shadow for the Los Angeles arm of the Population Control Board. He is plagued by his height, it seems, but his gait gets him into concealment quite rapidly. He is considered to be Sylvie’s superstar of not only his ghost like capabilities; those observations in the process of his invisibility are quite timeless, according to Robers, that really bring out his credentials as the senior in his craft and department. He turned the shadow team's report to Sylvie Robers' office the day before, and today he entered her office to follow up on that report.
Rob wanted to move up a rung or two in the organization, and although he was good at what he did and he knew it, he could not get Sylvie Robers to see that. Or could he? Maybe she did see it, see it so well that she kept him in this department. Maybe he should falter a bit? Maybe he should not always go by the book all the time? He was always, in one way or the other considering these things every time he opened the door to her office.
She was sitting at her desk and shuffling papers about, jotting this and that on a piece of paper when he walked in. She glanced up when the door opened.
“You’re early,” she said as he came up to the desk and took a seat. “I haven’t even cracked your report the first time yet.” She sighed. “I have about fifty cases to look at today, all rather complicated.”
“Oh, well, should I come back later, or maybe tomorrow?”
She belayed that comment and interrogated the shadow on the routine of the Jones’ woman.
"I see here that the Jones' woman went to the Electro-Tech building each weekday morning according to the report here. Is that correct, Rob?"
"Yes, it is. She was there promptly at 7 AM, and left the same time each day.”
"Good, good; so, we can assume that she works at that facility,” she said as she studied the report in front of her.
"Yes, definitely works there; the address listed there for an apartment building is the one she ends her da
y at."
"I see that," Robers replied, "what about this other address, in West Covina?"
"We believe that is where the male counterpart is housed."
"Did you see them together?"
"No, but as the report states right there,” he said pointing to the report, “we know the apartment belongs to Timothy Wade. Though we saw her enter the apartment, and leave the apartment, no one ever left with the woman."
"As I have only just started to scan the report, is there anything the shadow team found unusual in the course of investigating the woman?"
"Nothing that was readily apparent, miss Robers."
“Then I think it may be time to place the preverbal nail in the coffin and clear the books on this case. We will enter the facility at Electro-Tech, get some extra information and then we can apprehend the imposter, and her mate and to bring them before the board.”
In today's world getting pregnant out of wedlock would be the first part of the offense. Not applying for a proper birth grant which entails going before a board of your peers would be the second part of the offense, and each part of the offense would be an automatic five years a piece, punishable by ten years, minimum, in a Federal prison. ……Keith Senne
· * * *
The shadows carried out their surveillance, entered the Electro-Tech plant, disguised as reporters from a local television station to enhance the board’s knowledge of the relationship of Shirley, and Timothy Wade, to seal the deal on the case on the lie of the Jones' woman. One of Sylvie Rober's staff had set the appointment up shortly after the shadow team had turned in their report. The two men reported to the entrance of the plant. At that door was a sign: VISITORS, PLEASE RING THE BUZZER, and a camera. The first man was dressed very well in a nice suit, the second man wielded a television camera, and both men had fake credentials representing the local television station; not hard if you are a government agency. The two men walked up to the large door which accessed the plant and pressed the black button intercom system which accessed the guard inside. In a brief moment the outside speaker came to life: "Can I help you please?" The guard asked as he viewed the two men via the camera.
"Yes, you may. We are from Channel Seven News and are doing a story on Robotics, and request entry."
"Do you have an appointment?"
"Yes, we do." the shadow answered, "and we are right on time."
· * * *
The deceptive television crew was escorted by security to George Watkis' office. George, who was going over some procedures at his desk got up and greeted the two men.
"Welcome, gents; so, you’re here to learn a bit more about Robotics?"
"That’s absolutely the reason for our presence, Mister Watkis. We are trying to get more young people in our schools here to embrace Science. Seems that these days there are more and more of our youngsters passing up on this field of study, then at any other time in history, and we hope that this appointment at your facility will again equip them with the desire to embrace this method of learning."
"I can only regret that the main person who was scheduled to be involved with this undertaking is on assignment," Watkis said.
"Oh, and who would that be, Sir?"
"Timothy Wade," Watkis replies, “he is on an asteroid at the present time examining a new development in auto-bots that will be used in asteroid mining operations. This will give the world a brand-new way to replenish the Earth's dwindling resources."
"Oh, yes ... isn't he the son of Anthony Wade?" the shadow asked.
"Exactly, and he is certainly a chip off the old block, you might say."
"I believe that would be a great achievement to highlight as we go through this interview and subsequent tour of the facility," the shadow replied.
"Well, okay then, fine business. If you two gents would take a seat, I will get your host for the tour. I apologize right off that it will not be Tim, but will be someone who is very knowledgeable concerning these newly designed auto-bots. I will give Shirley a call. She is Tim's personal assistant and will be quite a help to your tour of the plant."
Watkis placed the call to Shirley; she responded and said that she would be right up. It was just a few minutes later that the door to George's office opened and Shirley walked in.
George introduced the shadows to Shirley and the tour began. As they moved through the different areas of the facility the shadows asked simple questions, and she noticed that the questions they asked were hardly pointed at the tour at all. They were not relevant to the tour, for the most part at all. As they entered into the auto-bot section of the facility, one of the men asked, "So, you are Timothy Wade's personal assistant?"
"Yes, I am, and as he's a very intelligent man, some of his directions can be very taxing to my knowledge of the particular project we are working on at the time. He was able to come here and take over his father's work and keep the innovation moving forward at a rapid pace."
"That's just great," the shadow replied, "it looks as if you know him personally."
Shirley smiles, I was very fortunate in that department, being asked by him personally to be his assistant."
The run through the facility was quick, and the shadows - when asked by Shirley if they had any further questions or if they wanted to re-visit any of the areas they covered - concluded their tour early knowing full well that they had everything they came here to find out.
· * * *
"... and you sincerely believe this is the Jones' woman?" Sylvie Robers asked.
"Absolutely, Miss Robers, and you were right. Her name is definitely not Jones, her name is Shirley McAllister, and she is the personal assistant of the head man there, Timothy Wade, which we both can agree on to be the male counterpart in the pregnancy."
"You two have performed beautifully. I believe your hunch on the male is correct. Let's do this, let's wait until she is at his apartment, and let's bust her there, and," she concluded, "look around for the man, this Timothy, and if he is there, bust him as well."
· * * *
The passing of each day brought with it an increase of confusion and uncertainty to Shirley concerning the fetus growing inside of her, the longing for how this all would go, the anxiety that throbbed in the very depths of her, and how she tried as hard as she could possibly try to set it all aside. She knew that Timothy; the way he presented himself, aloof and unengaged – this pregnancy was not too joyful at all - and by his comments, always off the wall and off topic, would not be willing to aid her at all in this responsibility. Then she had to also consider his place in the world. What would become of it? All now founded on consequences that this unplanned pregnancy had taken center stage for obligation, and criminal act merited. She also realized that these consequences promulgated the harsh reality of prison if she was caught with this fetus, and no birth grant, most importantly, no real explanation for it all. What would become of Timothy, and his world? It all became so uneasy – not feeling all right at all, the encompassing feeling that one has when one does not know what tomorrow will bring.
She thought of terminating the pregnancy under what used to be known as an abortion, only where could that be done in a world abortion free? How then, would she get one? She must think on this, spend time with painstaking thought using compassion and logic to try to resolve it the best way that she can.
She needed to talk to Timothy, but where was he? She had not seen him in a week. She needed to find out where he could be.
· * * *
2039 – MOON BASE OPERATIONS
The Wade baby lies in a in a room just across the hall from the main laboratory. It can hear voices coming from the lab.
"... and because it is the Wade kid, the child should be very smart." One technician says to the other.
"Why do you say that?"
"You mean you don't know who Timothy Wade is?"
"Can't say that I do," Technician Two replies.
Tech One stares at Tech Two blankly, "Tim Wade is just about the smartest human bei
ng on Earth, and has designed just about every robot, humanoid on the planet. I just cannot believe you have never heard of him. Even his father, Anthony Wade?"
"Well, I haven't and that being said, "Let's get the child and analyze him to see how smart he really is."
The original capacity or Intelligence Quotient Test began in Paris around 1904, and was designed to measure a person's aptitude. The IQ test for children - The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children was modified in 2025…...Keith Senne Historian
The new test would use a newborn's brain waves to measure the intelligence quotient, and project the real intelligence of the individual, and as every child was planned for, this test would provide the technician with not only the child's IQ, but also the child's career path which when scaled to the IQ could project the course of study the child could be directed in as far as education was concerned. The average human being would test out between 100, and 110. A test result of 130 would be rated superior. After analyzing the Wade child, his IQ measured out to be 177. The results were reported to the Captain of the base, Eduardo Hernandez.
"Unbelievable; I thought his IQ would be higher than normal, but this reading is off the charts. Let's get this child trained for engineering."
There were no class rooms that basically taught a child how to show up for a job each day. This was long past after the global government stepped in. Children were analyzed and from the moment after the investigation into the child’s patterns, whatever the child’s analyses was determined, the child was tutored and escorted into their calling in life. In this global world, life was planned, life was respected, and the leaders of the world government thought this idea would work, even so on the other side of the coin it there could be a rebellion to this worldly belief.