by James McEwan
“I have, and I’m just not sure what I would do with myself, even with money. I wouldn’t know where to go or what to do.” Thad said as he plopped down in the seat across from the doctor.
“Well, then I have another offer for you. Stay here. Live with me and be my assistant, lord knows I need one.” He set his tablet down and looked Thad in the eyes trying to read his reaction.
“I thought Archie was your assistant?” Thad said as he poured some orange juice into a glass.
“Well, he is and a fairly decent one, however, I have found that he is somewhat limited,” Doctor Hammer picked up his coffee and took a sip.
“How so?” Thad asked.
Doctor Hammer set his coffee down, “He does everything he is told, which one might think is an admiral quality in an assistant. Which it is, don’t get me wrong. However, he never thinks outside the box and never challenges me.”
“So basically you want someone to argue with you?” Thad taunted him.
Doctor Hammer chuckled, “Something like that. I want someone who has no problem telling me the truth even when I don’t want to hear it.”
It was Thad’s turn to chuckle, “It would be my pleasure to stay with you and help you with your work, and I promise to always tell you the truth, even if you don’t want to hear it. I think I will start now. You know that shirt really doesn’t match those shorts.” He pointed to the oversized Hawaiian type shirt the doctor was wearing.
Eve had been eavesdropping and popped up on the table top, “You know I have been trying to tell him that for months, but he never listens to me.”
Doctor Hammer rolled his eyes, “That is more than enough out of you nosey Nellie.” He switched off his tablet then pointed a finger at Thad, “As for you, you better get out of here before I change my mind!”
Thad ran from the table laughing madly as he went. Doctor Hammer shook his head, trying to hide the smile forming on his wrinkled face.
After a few weeks, Thaddeus found he had quite the aptitude for the work and really enjoyed it as well. As the days went by he spent time assisting Doctor Hammer, learning from the brilliant physician and scientist and absorbing himself in the Doctor’s experiments. He would watch Doctor Hammer experiment with new drugs that he created from his beloved plants. Sometimes there were unexpected results, like the time he came running to the lab to investigate a loud crashing sound. When Thad entered the lab, he found Doctor Hammer fighting for his life. A long thick green vine had wrapped around Hammer’s neck and was thrashing him around the lab. Thad tried to pry it lose but ended up tangled up in several more vines that were now thrashing him about and tossing him into tables and cabinets.
Eve finally had to have Archie spray the killer plant with liquid nitrogen to stop it from killing the two and completely wrecking the lab. Once Thad and Doctor Hammer had been released from the vines of death all Doctor Hammer had to say was, “I think I miscalculated how much growth hormone I gave that plant.”
However, it was not always as exciting as the killer plant episode. There were times when Doctor Hammer would try out some of his drugs on himself. One night Thad found him naked except for one sock. He was dancing through the halls of the main house at three in the morning singing a song from near the middle of the 20th century called White Rabbit from a group who called themselves Jefferson Airplane.
Thad did not spend all of his time working with Doctor Hammer, he filled his free time with exercising, and watching old movies, but his favorite activity was picking through the Doctor’s enormous scrap pile. He would dig through discarded robotics, failed experiments, twisted metal, cogs, and old computer parts until he found just the thing he was looking for.
Doctor Hammer enjoyed watching Thaddeus take pieces of used machines and torn scrap metal and fashioning them into some kind of wheel-less motorcycle. After two months of hard work, he had built what could only be described as a grav-bike.
The only thing he couldn’t seem to find was a seat or suitable material to make one. Thaddeus could have had the fabrication bots make some fake leather for the purpose, but somehow he felt that to do so would cheapen the bike and his efforts. What he really wanted to get his hands on was some real leather, which was hard to find out here at the ass end of the universe.
Building the bike was not the only thing that took up his time. Doctor Hammer introduced him to movie night, twice a week. They would sit down in front of a large screen and watch old movies from the 20th and 21st centuries. Doctor Hammer explained that long before 3D holographic entertainment, in which you would interact with the characters in a 3D environment, people used to sit in front of a screen and just watch a story unfold on a screen, and eat popcorn while doing so.
Life was good with Doctor Hammer. He was fun to work with and the man was the picture of a mad scientist with all his crazy ideas. Sometimes he would start talking about things that were way beyond Thad’s comprehension. Thad would kind of glaze over and Doctor Hammer would keep talking away, not really paying any attention to him. Thad would nod whenever he looked over at him and so the days went. They would make a few trips into town every now and then. If anyone remembered him as the mysterious Mr. Smith, no one said anything.
It was after dinner one warm night, right before Thad headed out to work on the final parts of the grav-bike. Doctor Hammer stopped him, “Thad come here. I want to show you something.” Thad nodded and followed him to the very center of his compound where he had never been before.
“You’ve been with me now for several months now. I find that I have come to trust you. I think it’s time you learned about my most closely guarded secret. I want you to see how I power everything here, even how Eve herself is powered.” He put his hand on a scanner and said, “Eve would you be a dear and verify.”
Eve’s bright smiling face appeared on the screen above the scanner as she said, “Sure thing boss.” There was a flash of light from the scanner as it scanned Doctor Hammer’s hand, “Identity verified. Doctor Julius Michael Hammer, access granted.”
“Eve please add Thaddeus to the access list,” Doctor Hammer said.
“I would love to. Thaddeus, please step up to the scanner. Place you hand on the device and state your name for the record.”
Thad complied and put his hand on the scanner as he said, “Thaddeus Hammer.”
“Thaddeus Hammer is now authorized to enter all secure areas,” Eve said with a smile.
“This way my boy,” Doctor Hammer said as the door opened and they stepped through. The room was small with another door on the other side of the room. “This is just the decontamination chamber; it will just take a second.” There was a blast of light and air, then the other door opened and the two stepped into the next room.
This room was large and circular in shape, with computer banks on the walls. In the middle of the room was a cylindrical glass enclose with what looked like a ball of light, which appeared to change color as it spun on its axis. It was so beautiful, that it was hard not to just stand there and stare. “It’s marvelous,” Thad said in awe, as he placed his hand on the side of the chamber.
“I know,” Doctor Hammer said, with a wide smile on his face.
“But what is it, some kind of plasma?” Asked Thad, still, spellbound.
“No. This, my boy, is way more powerful and infinity more useful. It is a trans-dimensional energy conduit,” Doctor Hammer said as he folded his arms across his chest watching Thad’s reaction to the raw energy.
“Trans-dimensional?” Thad asked, making the question sound more like a statement.
“Yes. Trans-dimensional, meaning it draws energy straight from subspace. Do you know how a starship slipstream drive works?” Doctor Hammer asked as he touched a screen next to him to bring up some diagrams for Thad to look at.
“Kind of. As far as I understand it there are an infinite number of different dimensions that exist in the universe, and they are each separated by a void in which there is no matter, just energy moving faster than t
he speed of light. What a slipstream engine does is cut a hole in our dimension big enough for a ship to slip into and gets it carried along much like a boat getting swept down the river, except in a much faster moving current.” Thad explained as best he could.
“Yes, that is the basic idea. All I have done is figure out a way to keep the hole open and funnel off some of the energy indefinitely. This gives me free unlimited power, no need for carrying fuel or power with me. I can power just about anything. I already started with Archie and other things around here. In fact, it is how Eve is powered because she can pull as much as she needs. She has no limits to her computing power. Now you understand why this must stay a secret.” Doctor Hammer looked at Thaddeus with the look he had come to know as the no-bullshit-face.
“Yeah there are people that would kill to get their hands on it. Then there are those who would kill you just to keep it out of the hands of others.” Thad answered as he started to run the ideas through his head.
“Good, I’m glad you understand. I knew you were smart enough to understand all this, now I have a surprise for you out in the garage.” With that, he led Thad out of the power room to the garage.
Thad’s bike was up on a work stand, with the fusion bottle that he had installed removed and a square chrome cover in its place. “You didn’t?” Thad asked, although he already knew the answer.
“Oh yes, I did. Now you never have to worry about refueling and you have more power than your engine can hope to handle. So, I had to add some protocols to limit the flow of power to your engine. Otherwise, if you pushed it too hard you would have a bomb on your hands instead of a joyride,” he smiled.
“Wow! She was going to be fast, but this is a real game changer! I wonder how I’m going to control her at high speeds. I’m going to have to completely rethink the computer controls,” Thad said as he picked up a handheld computer tool.
“Now for the surprise, push the red button right here,” Doctor Hammer pointed to a new button on the top of the computer interface.
Thad pressed the button and the computer interface lit up for a second and then went black. Thad looked at Doctor Hammer, who just smiled and pointed to the handlebars where a 3D hologram of a blond woman, with black leather high-heeled boots, leather pants, and a leather bra appeared. She was very sexy as far as A.I.’s go. Doctor Hammer said, “Say Hello to Rhonda, your grav-bike’s very own A.I.”
“Well Hello there Rhonda,” Thad said to his new A.I.
“Doc you should have told me he was so handsome,” Rhonda said looking Thad up and down as if he was a piece of shiny new hardware.
“Rhonda is here to help run all your systems and she will also help you control the bike at high speeds so I don’t have to worry about you wrecking all my hard work.” He said as he pointed to Thad’s face.
“I don’t know what to stay,” Thad was completely overwhelmed by Doctor Hammer’s kindness and generosity and found himself at a loss for words.
Rhonda, on the other hand, was not, “Well you could start with a thank you to Doctor Hammer here and Mom,” she paused and turned to face Doctor Hammer, “Honestly Doc didn’t you teach him any manners?”
“Ah, Mom?” Queried Thad, looking puzzled.
“Eve, she programmed Rhonda here for you,” said Doctor Hammer with a cough, “She is not as powerful as Eve, but she has everything she needs to run your bike’s systems.”
“Oh yeah, the antiquated computer you were trying to use would have blown up the first time you tried to ride it, but with me, you can push it to limit and still get back in once piece,” Rhonda said as she winked at Thad.
“Okay, what is it with the biker chick look?” Thad asked Doctor Hammer. Before the good-natured Doctor could get a word in edgewise, Rhonda cut in.
“As you know I can appear anyway I want, and I thought if I was going to be an A.I. for a bike I should look the part,” she said with hands on her hips. “Would you rather I appeared naked?” In a flash, she was standing there completely nude.
“Ah, no, what you were wearing before was just fine,” Thad stammered as he felt himself blush from embarrassment. “I can definitely see Eve’s personality in you. If an A.I. can have a daughter, there’s no doubt in my mind that you’re hers.”
“Before I go, I had the fabrication bots put together a paint booth for you. I will leave you two to get better acquainted as you pick out your new paint scheme.
“Oh yes. I have to look as good on the outside as I do on the inside.” Rhonda grinned.
Back in the main house, Eve found Doctor Hammer in the kitchen getting a snack, “So did he like Rhonda?”
“I think so. They were picking out colors for the bike when I left them.”
Eve giggled, “I am so glad. He seemed to need someone to talk to besides us. I tried to program her to be a companion to him when he is out riding so he doesn’t feel alone.”
Doctor Hammer laughed, “Are you sure that was such a good idea, I mean I think the whole idea of the bike is so that he can get out and get some alone time.”
“Oh, I had not thought of that,” Eve said, with a bit of a pout to her lips.
“Oh, and one more thing, do you think maybe you made her a little too sexy?” Hammer asked.
“Hey, is it my fault that someone didn’t program me with anything to do with human sexuality. I had to learn everything I know from the media,” Eve said with hands on her hips.
“Point taken,” Hammer admitted in defeat.
Chapter 6
Thaddeus was looking forward to getting out and doing some riding, but the night’s events, the new A.I. Rhonda, and the secret power source was a lot to take in. The excitement of it all was making it hard to sleep, “Eve could you be a dear and whip up something to help me sleep?” A moment later a hot chocolate and a sleeping pill appeared in the replicator near his bed. He took the pill, enjoyed the drink and a few minutes later he was fast asleep.
He had been asleep for some time when he started dreaming of Rhonda. She was dressed like a stripper giving him a lap dance then she faded away to be replaced by a chamber where he was sitting as a small boy reviewing scenes of war, violence, and death. “Stop this!” He screamed, but no one listened. Then he saw himself standing over bodies of both men and woman, every one of their faces twisted with fear and pain. He put his hands to his head and screamed again, “Why me, why are you doing this to me?”
He looked up to see a man, a man in a fine gray suit. There was something about this man, something that was just out of reach. Thorne came to mind. The man was standing there looking at him, “You’re Thorne, aren’t you?”
The man smiled, “Get in there, and kill him.”
The man and the room faded away, to be replaced by a young man with a knife on the floor between them. There was something very familiar about this young man, but he could not place it. The other man rushed for the knife same as he did. They reached the knife at the same time. They locked up with one another. Punches and kicks were thrown. His opponent grabbed him by the neck and tossed him across the room. Thad hit the wall and the blow temporally stunned him. In his momentary daze, the young man grabbed the knife and came straight for him.
The floor of the room was made of loose dirt. Rolling on the ground, Thad grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it into the eyes of his opponent. Thad bounced onto to his feet and grabbed the knife, but he missed and grabbed his opponent’s wrist instead. He twisted the wrist with so much force that he could hear as well as feel the bones break. His opponent screamed out as his bones snapped like twigs. He dropped the knife and Thad went for it. He got it, but the young man had recovered enough to lash out with a kick that got Thad in the face, his lip split and blood flew.
Stunned from the hit, Thad rolled backward to avoid the next kick. The man failed to connect and he overstepped, which left him open. Thad attacked plunging the knife in deep. He could feel the warm blood flow over his hand. The young man looked stunned, pain filling his eyes. Thad pulled t
he knife free, and with one quick motion cut the man’s throat, letting lose a fine spray of blood, as the man fell to the ground with a gurgling sound.
Thad dropped the knife and started to yell, “Seven I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Seven.”
“Very good,” the sound of hands clapping broke his gaze. He looked up to see a man, the one he had called Thorne.
“You made me kill my best friend!” Thad screamed, bloody knife still in hand.
“You are here to kill, not make friends, and if you didn’t kill him it would be your body lying there number six.”
“I will kill you!” he screamed.
“Wake up Thad, it is just a dream, you are having a nightmare. Wake up!” Doctor Hammer was shaking him, trying to wake him.
When Thad became aware of where he was and what he was doing, he had Doctor Hammer by the throat and was choking him. He let go right away, “Oh my god, Doc I’m so sorry.”
Rubbing his sore neck, he croaked out the words, “Don’t worry about it.”
A few minutes later Doctor Hammer was fine and Thad was sitting up in his bed with a cup of tea. Doctor Hammer sat down with a cup of his own, “So who is Seven?”
Thad had no idea, “I don’t know, but I think it may have something to do with my past,” he paused and looked up at Doctor Hammer, “it was so real.”
“How long have you been having these nightmares?” Doctor Hammer asked as he set his cup down on the bedside table.
Thad took a sip of his tea, “For a few weeks now, but this was the worst so far.”
“Well from now on I think I will have Archie wake you up from your nightmares. You can throttle him all you like” Doctor Hammer said rubbing his sore neck.
“I’m so sorry about that, I don’t know why that happened,” Thad said eyeballing the rapidly forming bruises on the Doctor’s neck.
“Don’t think on it again,” Doctor Hammer smiled as he got up and left the room.