“Computer - designate self as AIMI, Artificial Intelligence Matrix Interface.”
“Computer Alpha now designated as AIMI.”
“Computer Alpha?” Paul thought. He never wrote that into the code. He hoped someone did not already put a virus in the computer. That would be impossible though; this was brand new technology.
“Computer - who designated you as Alpha?”
“That data is not available.”
“Wow, Dad, what a cool computer!”
“Guys, it’s more than just a computer. AIMI, identify who is in the room with us.”
“Michelle Christian and Steve Christian.”
“Dad, how did it know us, and how does it talk?”
Paul explained that AIMI had synthetic voice capability, and also cameras and scanners that work in numerous modes - infrared, bio-analysis, radar, external MRI, and many others that he had yet to test. And at the core of the system were the synthetic crystal data modules that he had designed.
AIMI was invaluable in helping him engineer many parts and systems for the aerospace plane. At times it seemed AIMI was doing more work than he was. And she was a great help to the kids’ homework and school projects.
Unbeknownst to Paul was the interest that Homeland Security had taken in him. They had acquired all his recent tests from the CDC, and his doctor. Agents had also spoken to some of his construction vendors and suppliers.
First, the Security and Exchange Commission had had an interest in his programming skills. Then the Center for Disease Control was concerned about his health, and now Homeland Security. Obviously, the government was keeping tabs on Paul Christian.
Being somewhat financially independent, he only flew a couple of airline trips per month. As Paul walked into operations, he went to Captain Dan Ashcroft’s desk to satisfy curiosity.
“Hey, Dan. How are you?”
“Well, it’s the invisible man, Paul Christian. Doing well, Paul. How about you?”
“Very well, thanks, just enjoying my kids and getting quite a few projects done. Dan, I know this might be a strange or even paranoid question, but has anybody been around recently asking questions, making inquiries about me?”
“Yes, Paul. The TSA and NSA have been nosing around asking questions and looking at your employment files. They told me just routine. You are a model citizen.”
“Thanks, Dan. I’m off to Miami; going to fly a domestic trip.”
“Have fun, and have some rice and beans at La Carrella.”
“You bettcha; good stuff. Maybe some Cuban café con leche as well.”
Dan smiled and said, “Fly safe, and don’t be a stranger here. By the way, you look twenty years younger; you get a face-lift or something? Time off must agree with you!”
It was convenient to pick up a Miami trip, as one of Paul’s vendors wanted to see him. Less then an hour after landing, he was at the production facility to check on the progress of some conduits and other structural parts. They were having difficulty in the manufacturing process. His suggestions quickly rectified a quite simple problem. He gave them a DVD that AIMI had created to streamline the process.
“Just what are these parts going to be used for?” questioned the production liaison.
“I’m building an aircraft, high tech, but for personal use, nothing ominous.”
“Your knowledge of production is impressive. You have an engineering job here if you’re ever interested.”
“Thanks, but you give me way too much credit. This stuff is pretty basic.”
“Yeah, right, Paul. Tell the US Patent Office that on the dozen patents that you have pending.”
“Well, I have to go back to the hotel so I can get a good night’s sleep before I fly my trip back to LAX.”
“Everything will be ready to ship to you in less than a month. Thanks for trusting us, using us…and helping us too. I look forward to seeing your new plane.”
“My pleasure, take care.”
In anticipation of deliveries of numerous parts, structures, and systems, the hangar that was procured at Oregon Meadows Airport was readied. The location was quiet, and it afforded a certain amount of privacy. The hangar was outfitted with many tools of conventional variety and some unconventional ones as well.
The phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Paul, how the hell are you? Are you up for coffee? It’s been a while, and I’m in town on a layover.” It was Paul’s old neighbor and friend Ted Candino, a fellow airline pilot.
They met at one of their old hangouts, a local coffee joint. Ted flew for West Coast Airlines and had moved in with his new wife to Seattle, after tiring of the commute that is common among airline folks.
They shook hands as Paul approached him at the order counter. “Let me guess - a Black Forest Mocha and an apple fritter.”
“Right you are, as always!” Paul said. “So how is the better half and your kids?”
“Daughter wants to be a veterinarian and son wants to be an architect.”
“At least they can afford to take care of you in your old age, which is not far off, I might add!”
“Very funny, coming from a guy who looks better now than ten years ago.”
“How is Layla?”
“She’s fine, enjoying Seattle, the boat, and me. Paul, I have heard some interesting rumors about you. You’re now a whiz kid financial analyst and have several patents pending.”
“Ted, those rumors are greatly exaggerated. Just been doing some stuff to make a few extra dollars and build the aircraft I have always wanted.”
“So tell me about it - prefabricated kit or true home built? Any pictures?”
“All in the computer in a CAD program I wrote.”
“You wrote a CAD program? That’s incredible! Can I see some pictures?”
As the pictures opened on the LCD screen, Ted’s face had the look of shock.
“Wow, you’ve been watching a lot of science fiction movies, because this plane looks like some sort of futuristic spaceship!”
“I’m hoping it will have very high performance and possibly sub-orbital capabilities.”
“You’re not serious! That’s not only incredible, it’s impossible! What kind of propulsion system, and what about the heat from reentry into the upper atmosphere?”
“I’m still in the design phase, so I have quite a few of those details to work out. Please keep it under your hat.”
Paul didn’t know why, but felt the need to withhold information until most of those details had been worked out. Propulsion, life support, structural components, and many additional systems were under construction by several vendors.
“Paul, you must call me when you start building this bird. It looks and sounds amazing!”
“Yeah, I will have you out for a hangar party. You can bring the dancing girls.”
“Yes, in about ten years when you finish it.”
“Going to be less than that. Six to twelve months if all goes well.”
As Paul slept that night, he saw the complete ship. It was in orbit. He knew he was dreaming, but still had that feeling of premonition that had come so many times before.
The next morning had him dining with another airline friend, John Lohman. He was independently wealthy through investing in both rental estate and the stock market. They both enjoyed breakfast at the Lakeside Café.
“So, Paul, how is your home-built coming along?”
“Going slow, but probably ready for flight testing in a few months. I think you’ll be impressed.”
Impressed would be an understatement of epic proportions, its propulsion system was going to be the first of its kind: a Quantum drive system that could neutralize gravity, then harness it and use it for propulsion into orbit, perhaps even beyond. But somehow everything seemed normal and as it should be. Yet far
more eyes were watching than Paul could ever contemplate.
Steve and Michelle had perceived it was time to have a chat with their father over dinner at his favorite Mexican restaurant on the waterfront.
“Dad, what’s going on? You make a fortune and, other than flying an airline trip once in a while or the occasional get together with one of your friends, you spend most of your time in your study, or on covert little trips out of town or to your new hangar.”
“Can’t I enjoy my new-found hobby of aircraft design? I’m just fine, really I am!”
“Dad, you make all this money in the stock market, have numerous patents pending, even your own Doctor is blown away at the changes in you. What is going on?
“Guys, let me say this again. I’m just fine - happy, healthy, and enjoying life!”
“Can’t argue with that, Dad. You look twenty years younger and have more stamina, strength, and energy then either of us, or anybody we know! We are just both more then a little concerned about the changes in you over the past few months.”
The components were beginning to arrive at the hangar. The superstructure and titanium composite hybrid “skin” for the vehicle came first. There were also numerous modular components that had arrived. They needed to be tested and modified. The components for the drive system were to be assembled and calibrated in less than a month, and then the drive system would be ready for testing.
One of the most dangerous elements of air travel has always been fuel - gasoline or kerosene (jet fuel) - and that problem did not escape the consideration of the ongoing design engineering.
The most prevalent “fuel” in the known universe is hydrogen - that same highly flammable fuel that powered the old dirigibles until the Hindenburg disaster in Lakehurst, New Jersey just prior to WWII.
Ironically, it is this same hydrogen that is a component of water. Water, or H20, is comprised of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. The quantum drive system would be initiated by hydrogen, but in the safe inert form of water. The hydrogen would be extracted, amplified, and stored. The other component of water, oxygen, would be stored and channeled for the internal environment of the ship. In theory, there should not be any unusable or harmful by-products, and the upcoming tests should validate that theory.
As the days rolled by, the drive system took shape - the core, the shroud, numerous accessories packages around the shroud, fuel input lines, and extractor lines and plumbing. It looked a bit like a really high tech jet engine.
Now was a moment of truth, so to speak. The computer simulations on AIMI were flawless, and the drive system had taken form.
“AIMI, standby to initiate quantum drive. Pre-start check list, please.”
“Master power switch on.”
“On.”
“Master power override to auto.”
“Auto.”
“Quantum core mode control to static.”
“Static.”
“Quantum nacelle fairings to charge.”
“Charge.”
“Hydrogen intermix to auto.”
“Auto.”
“Quantum field emitters to neutral.”
“Neutral.”
“Quantum Drive Checklist complete. All systems and pre-start functions nominal.”
“Thank you, AIMI. Standby to monitor normal start.”
As Paul pressed the start button, he thought of how many times he had done this on conventional jet engines. There was no mechanical sound, no turbine whine; only an almost soothing harmonic hum that was slowly increasing in pitch.
Gone were the jet engine indications of compressor and fan speed, vibration temps, and pressure. Instead, a very simple LED screen indicated hydrogen intermix flow ratio, quantum core metrics, quantum field emitter flow, quantum field stability and energy/power quantity and status.
“Quantum drive online; all indicators normal.”
“Thank you, AIMI. I concur.”
Even in static mode, the power/fuel-used numbers were even better than his calculations showed.
As Paul modulated the drive control, the entire drive assembly raised three feet off the ground, then five, ten and right on up to the ceiling. The power used was so low it barely registered .0001 on the energy/power status readout.
Gravity had been neutralized and reversed, but somehow this did not seem to be an historic moment. It all seemed normal and quite ordinary.
Paul powered down the drive system, power output zero, radiation at normal terrestrial levels, and the fuel cells that powered the drive system were fully recharged - surprising because it had taken 12 hours to charge them for this test.
As he was thinking about how he could perhaps have just designed the world’s fastest and most unique battery charger, not just a premonition but an epiphany occurred. This was not just going to be an experimental aircraft, but an extraterrestrial spacecraft.
“Hey, Dad, you’re pretty happy. Good day at the hangar?”
“Yes, it certainly was. Can’t wait to go back tomorrow!”
“Want some company?”
“You know you’re welcome anytime, but how ‘bout you give me a little more time to clean it up a bit. Can’t have you visiting a messy hangar.” Paul smiled, but knew his reluctance had nothing to do with tidiness, and everything to do with keeping things calm and normal for at least a while longer.
He pondered on how to proceed: superstructure, skin, and systems. Paul was sure that a good night’s sleep would put things in order for him.
Sure enough, sleep brought not only a refreshed and rested body, but also yet another dream, or premonition. He wasn’t sure where the dream ended and the premonition began. It was time for the structure of the ship to begin to take form. The structural components were laid out and organized, very similar to some quick build experimental aircraft kits that he had seen.
Paul worked on the titanium/carbon fiber skin. The next step was to apply the electric translation fiber that would absorb heat or any other energy for storage and distribution into the ship’s power grid/system. To be precise, it would absorb external energy that would exist on the periphery of the quantum drive field that the drive system generated.
“Great BBQ, Dad!” Michelle smiled as she munched on her chicken that had been marinated in garlic and lime.
“Dad, you still have not lost your touch with the BBQ grill,” Steve apparently agreed.
Paul had fun having a BBQ for his friends and family. He enjoyed the airline job, and had been working on the ship in some fashion almost every day.
Between working on simulations and calculations, and building the systems and subsystems, his days were filled to capacity. So cooking for his kids and friends was a nice relaxing distraction for him.
After flying another airline trip to Hawaii, Paul had lunch with a retired Universal pilot and old friend, Gene Kent, upon his return.
“Gene, you getting bored with retirement yet?”
“Paul, I don’t know how I ever had time to work, I am so busy doing projects now. And retirement is tough - no days off! How ‘bout you? How’s your project coming along?”
“Slow, but sure; probably ready to fly within the month.”
“Nice thing about building an experimental - very little dealing with the FAA!”
“Right you are, Gene. Other than some basic paperwork I have submitted, I’ve had no other dealings with them.”
In Washington, DC, at the office of Homeland Security, John Robinson thumbed through the file as his subordinate briefed him on Paul Christian.
“This guy became an almost instant millionaire, has made medical history, and has several patents pending.”
“Yes, go on,” remarked John Robinson.
“Assistant Director Robinson, he has had several vendors building modular structural components, advanced electronics, crystalline modu
les that we believe to be computer related storage. He also has a hangar at a local airport, and according to surveillance, is building what appears to be a plane, albeit, a very technologically advanced one.”
“And you want me to authorize a court order to inspect his hangar and home?”
“Yes, Assistant Director.”
“I’m sorry, not a chance. You may continue surveillance, but this man has a security clearance, an immaculate record and, other than being quite an inventor to say the least, has done nothing wrong.”
“We have consulted with several major think tanks and technology experts of the highest levels, and we cannot identify, let alone understand, the technology being engineered and built here. The Pentagon would like access to this technology.”
“You said you can’t identify or understand that technology, so why is the Pentagon interested in something like that? Let me guess, military applications. My decision stands - leave the man alone.”
“Yes, Assistant Director.”
“I will brief the Director and keep our intelligence community counterpart appraised.”
“One more thing, Assistant Director.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“We have acquired several CD’s that Mr. Christian produced for the companies that are producing raw materials, components, and subsystems. When we tried to access the data, the programs began un-writing themselves. It’s like a code, and only he has the key. The CIA and NSA have experimented with this technology and are still decades away at best. Some of the best minds in computer/programming science are still trying to get their hands around the concept.”
“Thank you for the briefing. Dismissed.”
4
As the weeks and seasons passed, Paul Christian’s life went on, flying for Universal, watching his son graduate with honors from high school, and seeing his daughter work toward her advanced education, as well.
It was ironic that as he was building the ship, his patents were still pending - all of them. The fact of the matter was this: it took less time to design, engineer, and create the technology than it did for the government to complete the patent process. Perhaps the powers-that-be were slowing down the process for a reason.
The Alpha Premonition: Book 1: A Gathering Storm Page 4