The vividness of the video game that David had made for Josh amazed Sidney. It certainly beat Teletubbies. The direct question brought Sidney out of his reverie. He looked into the bright beaming eyes of his ‘newly reborn’ son. “Yes, Josh, David is right, if you scare an animal, it may try to get away and fall and hurt himself. Like you almost hurt yourself by running into that tree. And the deer will get very tired and scared. Were you scared when you were alone in the clouds?”
“No, … well, maybe a little.”
“Josh, you do know that where you went today is all make-believe. That you didn’t really fly. You were lying on the floor.”
Four year old Joshua’s eyes opened a bit wider, in a solemn voice the child said, “Oh, I know Dad. It was a virtual simulator. David says we can do it for real tomorrow.”
Sidney started to choke on his sandwich. He was barely able to regain his composure, “JANET! DAVID!”
***
The next moon mission was all backwards. When it was time for lift-off, the small moon rocket ship jettisoned the liquid oxygen hoses. Space command had only had a short countdown. There was no roar of the rockets. The rocket was now only twenty feet tall with a streamlined bullet riding on top. The bullet was three times the size of any previous space vehicle. The rocket silently rose straight up, powered by reversed gravity. It only started to lose its acceleration after it was no longer in Earth’s gravitational pull. It was at this time that the rockets were turned on briefly to boost the speed. The thirty-second burn increased the speed to over 10,000 miles per hour. They would also be setting the fastest speed record for any Moon trip, one and a half days to the Moon. Another unusual thing was that the entire rocket and capsule actually landed on the moon, rather than separating.
The moon rover was rebuilt to become a large triangular platform. The legs extended or contracted to keep it level when it had landed, when it needed to move, it flew to a new location. Due to the moons weaker gravity, the initial speed was much slower, but in the vacuum of space, the speed kept on increasing. There was no air to slow it down, unlike earth. The portable generator supplied by C H Electricity was able to produce enough power to reprocess the hydrogen and oxygen power cells from the crew’s wastewater. The scrubbers also were able to remove the excess CO2. NASA was being cautious, and set this first trip as a two week training flight. However, they were able to ferry two tons of building material to this future home of humanity.
Due to the speed which all the planning and building had taken place, the fifteen man crew was still predominantly Americans, with two Russians, three Europeans, and a single Chinese. However, astronaut training was on-going with a much larger component from other nationalities. Charlie Haines had already donated 6 billion dollars to the UN, earmarked solely for creating the infrastructure of intra-solar system colonization. A subsidiary of Grumman Aerospace called C H Grumman was already making vehicles for interplanetary travel and farming of the asteroid belt. An entire launch vehicle system was being marketed for 50 million dollars each, cheaper than a jumbo-jet. Ferry services were already being set up with much smaller vehicles for the new industrial hub in the L2 areas of the Earth–Moon orbit. Two hotels were planned.
***
David was putting into production a gravity generator. In contrast to the gravity reflectors, the generators required considerable energy for operation. The space hotels and a number of sports clubs pre-ordered a copy.
***
“But Mommy, David says it’s perfectly safe. I know how to fly now. Can we all go? Please. I want to go.”
Over the earplugs, both Janet and Sidney heard David say, “I’m very sorry, for not mentioning it. It really isn’t dangerous at all. I promise you. Nothing can go wrong. Nothing can go wrong. Nothing ca …”
Phyllis: David stop that. The Ryans are very hesitant for very good reason. They’ve never flown. David’s taken me up before, flying really is quite safe. We strap twelve gravity reflectors onto you. Each has a failsafe, to descend gently, like a leaf. If you get lost, ask your earphone which direction is home. The three of us will carry two extra earphones, in separate pockets, in case one falls or breaks. I don’t know about you, but I’ll still be holding David’s hands while he leads. I recommend you each hold on to Joshua’s hand, so he can keep you safe. If you do decide on going, you might have Teacher run a simulation. It really doesn’t compare to the real thing, but it will be fantastic fun, in any case. Ask to borrow the virtual simulation goggles. I used to enjoy swimming and snorkeling, flying semi-weightless is so much better. You really do feel weightless and like a bird – superman. And I don’t even like roller coasters.
Joshua, who was told that the grown-ups were talking and must not be disturbed, stood there looking expectantly at his parents.
Janet said, “I hate roller-coasters. No loop-de-loops period.”
Sidney, who also realized that this was the cost of being a parent – amusement parks with its rides, agreed too. Fortunately, if in the middle to the ‘ride’ he decided to stop, he’d have the option of walking back.
***
Both complete families were driven up to the Tallman Mountain State Park at dusk. The dogs and Eagle One were with them. They each had put on harnesses, strapped on the gravity reflectors, put on warm clothes, then put on a special suit on top of everything. David explained before they left that the ‘hairs’ on the external suit were actually small cameras that see in near darkness. Other sensors on the helmet knew its relative position, so by moving the head in different orientations the body would fly in a corresponding direction. All the non-enhanced had practiced. Secretly the adults admitted that the simulators were tremendous fun. The suit was actually a fabric that had color liquid crystal displays in it, which displayed the background from the other side, giving them an adaptive camouflage suit. The non-enhanced were also given a facemask so they could see in the dark. Joshua and David wore simple goggles to protect their eyes. Joshua had his own ‘necklace’.
Sidney kept telling Joshua that they couldn’t go too fast. If they made mommy or daddy scared they would stop and wouldn’t go again.
David set a very slow pace, after walking a half-mile to a clearing in the forest. He gently increased the gravity reflectors so that Sidney and Janet were hovering an inch above the ground. He then gently tilted each person, amidst a number of ohhh and ahhh and let them rise ten feet. “I’m going to turn off my own control. Remember don’t turn your head to look at someone at your side, otherwise you’ll fly right into them. Just use your eyes and you will see them. The visor is 270-degree vision. I’m releasing control in 3-2-1.”
Despite the admonition not to turn to face one another, they still did with the predictable results. Fortunately, with all the padding and body armor no one had more than the air knocked out of them. After ten minutes, they started to fly forward near treetop level. They kept up a slow pace, so the dogs and bird were able to keep up. The dogs kept to the ground and Eagle One had his own gravity reflectors. The adults started to get tired after an hour. It was only after three more “just five more minutes,” that they returned to their car. The dogs had made sure that there were no late park visitor on-lookers.
They returned to the house and had their dinner, Martin made sure that everyone left with an empty stomach. Le Chef had a World War I French aviator’s café motif for dinner. The dining room was completely abuzz with “did you see that rabbit eating” or “Josh, did you notice that owl swooping down to the ground.” Most of the adults realized that they were grossly out of shape. Even with the gravity reflectors, it was hard work, twisting in space. They all agreed to do it again, later in the week. After dinner, the Ryans put Joshua to sleep, after removing Josh’s gravity reflectors and putting him into his PJs. David said, “Rather than getting undressed now, why don’t I collect the gravity reflectors and harnesses in the morning. They’re still turned o
n, so if you want to practice some flying or being weightless, you can.” All three couples had the same thought. Everyone went to bed early.
***
C H Motors / Ford, started to make a $19,000 passenger car. The cars, like the emergency vehicles, did not need an engine, mechanical steering, or transmission. The air conditioner and heater were still used. The power was generated by a small C H Electricity generator, which also powered the electronics in the car. All cars had a GPS. One of the restrictions was that the cars could be used in the United States only. A number of cameras were placed both inside and outside the car. The cars were also able to fly automatically to the nearest fire station, police station or hospital, following an emergency protocol. Under normal driving conditions, they drove almost normally. The cameras prevented the cars from driving faster than the weather permitted (preventing tailgating). The car automatically took control to avoid some accidents. For example, if the car hit a patch of black ice, it would simply rise out of the way of an impending accident. A number of interesting circumstances occurred when police had to pull the car out of the sky, when it was unable to land in a safe manner. Insurance premiums dropped precipitously for the new cars. The car recognized its driver and only the driver or designated drivers were ‘allowed’ to drive the car. Car theft and carjacking were now historical crimes.
All owner/drivers were required to sign an agreement that no attempt would ever be made to open or modify either the computer or the gravity reflectors, under penalty of forfeiture of any driving or riding privileges on any C H Motors cars, now or in the future. Similar notices were placed on the computer and gravity reflectors. Some car thieves attempted to steal the car and found themselves forever banned from even being driven by a C H Motors car. Engineers who attempting to do the same, found themselves only being able to use a gasoline-powered car. Their bosses also found their driving privileges revoked. Over time, gas stations became rarer and rarer. Depending on the severity of the crime, many criminals or industrial reverse-engineers, gave themselves up to the police for punishment. In a number of cases, following receipt of a letter from C H Motors, the felon demanded longer sentences, which were typically in the form of hours of community service.
C H Motors donated a large amount of money to install cameras along motorways. Highways with these cameras allowed C H Motors vehicle traffic to proceed 20 feet above the standard traffic automatically to a destination, at three times the previous legal speed limit.
Because of a non-exclusivity clause, C H Motor subsidiaries were added to other carmaker’s lines as well. Cars for use in other countries were now being manufactured.
***
It was 9:30 in the evening and Dr. Long was relaxing for the evening. He was finishing some correspondence when the phone rang. He had long stopped giving out his unlisted phone number. Caller ID indicated C H Electricity. His electrical bill was paid, what could it be at this hour?
An older man’s voice was on the other end, “Hello, Dr. Long, you probably heard of me, my name is Charlie Haines, and I’d like to ask you a favor.”
“Who is this?”
“Charlie Haines, Charlie Haines the inventor of the gravity reflector. That Charlie Haines.”
“How do I know this is really him? I’ve gotten a number of crank phone calls since I got that, that Nobel Prize.”
“Good question. Go to any phone book, call up C H Electricity, and either ask for me, when you get my secretary tell him your name and that I’m expecting your call, or ask the first person you reach to connect you to operator 0001. That will also connect you to my secretary. I’ll wait. “
Michael Long had heard that Dr. Haines would not speak to presidents, even the US president. He was the quintessential mystery man. He pulled up the local phone book and dialed.
“C H Electricity, is this an emergency?”
“No, could you connect me with Operator 0001?”
“I don’t think that’s a valid operator; let me try, one second.”
A male assistant answered, “Office of Dr. Haines”
“My name is Michael Long. Dr. Haines is expecting my call.”
“One moment.”
“Michael, I’m glad you called back. May I call you Michael, or do you prefer Mike or Dr. Long. You can call me Charlie, that’s what my friends call me.”
“Uh, Mike is fine. This is an unusual phone call, to say the least.”
“Like I said I have a favor to ask. I would like to have a conference call with Nobel Peace Prize winners. I have a problem. It’s a problem that not many people have. I have 217 Billion US dollars I’d like spend to help humanity, but I need a group of levelheaded people to guide me. Would you be free at eight in the morning Monday?”
“All the Nobel Prize winners?”
“Well I called a select group, so far only one said no. But I think the money that could go to her country might help. Like I said, I have all this money to give away and I would like to get your ideas. We all know the story of give a man a fish and he eats one day but give a man a hook and he can eat every day? Well if you give away hooks then most of the time, the head of police gets these cartons of hooks and sells them. He typically sells them at a cheaper price than the local hook maker. So, the local hook maker goes out of business and there is no local hook production. You increase the cycle of poverty. I want to learn how to break the cycle entirely. Can I count on you? Oh, could you install a microphone onto the computer and a camera? I’ll send you one along with the website to log onto.”
***
Sidney was reading a file on the computer screen, when his son walked up. “Dad, you’ve a doctor right?” Sidney said “Yes”. Josh looked at him then said, “You studied organic chemistry?” Sidney, who was no longer surprised by his son’s questions, nodded. Joshua continued, “Biological organic molecules?” Sidney nodded; he had no idea where this was leading. “Well dad, I noticed that with levo and the dextro oriented molecules, the levo is often less toxic than the dextro. How come?”
Sidney had no answer for Joshua. “Did you ask your mother?” He thought, ‘Why couldn’t it be ‘how does a light bulb work’ or ‘why is the grass green?’ I have answers to those. I had even read a beginner’s science book six years ago, when Janet and I were first trying to conceive. For some obscure reason, the book omitted this one.’
“Mommy sent me to ask you.”
“Do you understand about how the body has many chemicals and parts of it which absorb these chemicals?”
“Yes, Dad”
“You know that these very tiny molecules have things called receptors, they are like locks, which the chemicals can fit, like keys.”
“I KNOW that Dad.”
“Well the body has these locks which sometimes bend to the right and sometimes to the left.”
“The dextro and levo, yeah. But why is the levo often more potent and safer?”
“I’m not really sure why. Sorry.”
Joshua went running off.
***
David sent an e-mail with attachments to a prominent patent attorney. The gist of the letter was that the novel nanoscale array of dimension 232, hydrogen-bromide ion encapsulated, digital quantum capacitors should have twelve times longer battery life than lithium ion batteries while not in use, and was capable of storing thirty nine times more power. The new batteries could be recharged in as little as 11 minutes, with energy efficiencies of 74%. Due to its design, the battery could also double as a 4 gigabit digital storage media. Could the attorney contact prominent battery producers and arrange the production and sale of the batteries where David (under a pseudonym) would be given 15% of the profits. The attorney was given a sizable retainer.
Two months later, the attorney sent back a letter with the full patent rights to the production, chemical composition, and basic science of the battery. However, there was no interest in the battery. One company said that if th
e inventor wanted to supply already produced batteries, they would be willing to test the batteries further.
David arranged for a small chemical company to make four dozen prototypes. Each of the original battery companies were sent two prototype batteries and told that they could produce them under non-exclusive rights for C. Haines Design Limited, but would need to agree to give the designer 60% of the profits.
The new hydrogen-bromide ion batteries were initially backordered for six months. The largest initial purchasers were car, cell phone and tablet computer manufacturers for prototype development.
***
The multi-tiered diamond/carbon nanotubes organic computers were now operating at eighty three-times the speeds of traditional silicone chips. The first prototype in the dog was stable and was not rejected. At maximum computer usage, the hydrogen-bromide ion battery required weekly energy boosts. The dog was now thirteen months old and had never missed a clock cycle.
YEAR 19.5 I’M WITH STUPID
The Infinite when it was Two Digits Old Page 22