There Must Be A Mistake Ch. 16

Gordon said, "If you did it, it's probably 1990s technology." He forgot Gray still had him by the back of his neck. He got smacked hard for that error.

"Dad he hit me."

"Be thankful it wasn't me, you would be on the floor. You are getting a little too big for your britches young man. Do you remember what your room looked like after a week?"

"Yes sir; I'm sorry Gray, I was out of line."

"You are forgiven. Let's go look at my simulation, and see if I did anything wrong. One more thing dad; we are going to have to put ears on the Beach Ball. It's going to look like Mickey Mouse. I'll show you why in the simulation."

"Are we going to have a trade mark infraction problem with Disney Properties?"

"They're going to have to come an awful long way to sue us. Rod will be here to take care of whatever problems that may ensue."

As the simulation showed, the spacecraft had two-exposed carbon fiber rigging's containing scientific instruments. The problem was the instruments were mostly housed in metal frames. The radar array, the infrared camera bodies, the laser instruments, everything was metal. They could not withstand the build-up of heat caused by our acceleration to 17,600 mph to penetration the earth's atmosphere and enter the zero gravity of space. They had to have a protective covering or they would melt and be of no use to us.

Gray came up with the perfect solution. The rigging's would collapse against the spacecraft as originally planned. However, they were covered by the same Graphine/ Carbon fiber material, shaped like a modified ear, to absorb, and deflect the heat, away from these delicate instruments. The larger instruments would be outboard, and the smaller instruments inboard, giving each the greatest flexibility, and protection.

He restarted the program and ran it at full speed. It was awesome from the beginning. The Beach Ball lifted off the ground, as planned, to a height of 200 feet, and hovered, while we checked our instruments. Then the spacecraft moved South East, racing to an altitude of 55,000 feet as we passed over Galveston at more than 7000 mph. Delicious' Gravity Defying Engines were working at one-third power. At 120,000 feet, the world turned black. We were at 16,000 miles per hour, and the engines were pushed to 50% power. Seconds later, we were in space, hurtling towards the moon. Our rear engine power was pushed to full, as Delicious engaged the forward gravity pulling engines. The spacecraft took off like a thoroughbred.

The ears were unfurled and started sending pictures back to what would be an astounded earth. We passed the moon in seconds and set our sights on Mars.

Gray put the simulation into fast forward and as predicted we passed Mars in one hour and 13 minutes at one-quarter light-speed, or 46,500 miles per second. According to the simulation, the computers began falling behind. We would have to find a way to reprogram them to compensate for these incredible speeds.

Then Delicious announced she was preparing to launch the Ion/H2 engine. I could be heard saying, "It's too soon." She replied, "Wimp." The fanlike blades on the exterior of the shell retracted, and little jet/like engines replaced them. These were the Ion/ Hydrogen 2 emitters. When they combined, it had the effect of a military jet going into afterburner, times the speed of light.

The spacecraft was approaching 80 percent of light-speed when Gray's simulation started up, the Nuclear Fusion Reactor. As soon as all the lights turned green, the rear bulkhead door opened, the engine moved outside the spacecraft and into position. The clamps closed over the tracks, locking the reactor in place. The bulkhead door closed, and all the safety lights returned to green inside the spacecraft.

Sitting at the master control board Jennifer called out, I have a Green Board. "

Every control station reported, Green Board back to her.

She was supposed to say 'Full Power' but Gray changed it.

Jennifer said, "HIT IT BOYS!"

The result was the same.

If the computers fell behind before, they moved into yesterday now. The spacecraft jumped through light speed without a buffet, as is experienced when you go through the sound barrier. It was into a warp bubble, before we knew it happened. Gray's simulation showed a side view of the warp bubble forming around our ship. As we moved faster the bubble grew larger. As Gordon said the only thing that would limit us would be the capacity of our engines. He was right again.

When Gray's simulation ended, 35 minutes later, the craft was doing warp 8.01, and my head was spinning. Could we really move that fast: 15,066,000 miles per second. That is insane until you think of what it means what you travel in one hour. I looked at the screen and rubbed my eyes just to make sure I was reading it correctly. Warp 8 / 5,368,000,000 miles per hour. I sat down and wrote it out long hand, just to let it sink in. FIVE BILLION, THREE HUNDRED SIXTY EIGHT MILLION, MILES PER HOUR. I don't know how many times I watched Star Trek, and Star Trek - The Next Generation, I just didn't know if they used the same Warp Factor 8 as I was looking at now. By any figment of the imagination that was one hell of a number.

Gray asked us what we thought.

I said, "I'd like to leave tomorrow if we could. I know it's not possible, but your simulation was awe-inspiring."

Before he could say anything I looked at Gordon with a face that told him he would be in trouble if he said something that was not positive.

"Gray I think it was very good, but I have one problem. I don't think we should have a rotating radar system. I think we should use a pulse system instead. We can have one on each side, and focus the radar beams away from the ship, rather than have another high-energy source bombarding us every few seconds."

"That's a great idea Gordon. Should we use the millimeter wavelength, or long wave?"

"I believe the Air Force has a system that uses both. We could check and see what company makes it for them?"

I said, "I'll call Stephano and have him find out who does it. By the way, I love the look of the ears."

"Three weeks of work, and he likes the ears. I'm going to talk to your daughter about you, I think you're overworked."

"I'll rest when we are past Pluto."

Gordon said, "It's so small, and we will be traveling so fast, we probably won't see it."

"Mr. Navigator, it may be small, but don't run into it please."

"Aye, Aye captain; I have a bet that the Ion/H2 engines don't work anyhow." Gordon took off running.

"Stop that little son of a bitch, I'll kill him," Delicious yelled.

Gray grabbed her as she came close to him. "Baby, if I couldn't catch him among this warren of desks and chairs, you can't either. We will have to wait until he's eating; then we can start throwing knives at him."

"I have a better idea. I'll poison him first, and then I'll throw knives at him."

"You should have been here when he called me henpecked. He said he is going to be the master of his household. Everyone laughed at him."

"You are henpecked, and you love it."

"I didn't say I didn't, and neither did anyone else here. Gordon will find that out a little later in life. Where's Newton?"

"Mom has him. She was going food shopping and took him along with her."

"Its 4:30 PM, would you like to go home a little early today?"

"Are you thinking evil thoughts again?"

"I'm always thinking evil thoughts when my wife is around."

"Okay, but I'm on top this time, because you're gaining weight."

"It's because of the lack of sex. I'm not getting enough exercise."

"It's not because of me. I'm the one awake at night, while the person next to me is sleeping."

"That's a lie."

"Should I take my video camera out and take pictures of you cuddling with your pillow instead of me?"

"You must have been taking your two hour-long showers, and I got tired of waiting."

"Who stopped you from joining me in the shower?"

"I may have slipped, and I didn't want to miss work?"

"Look at all the time you're wasting arguing with me now, when we could be on our way home. Do you want to start working again, while I leave?"

Gray picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. He yelled, "I'm going home. I'm going to experiment on my wife."

Everyone in the room applauded.

Delicious said, "Goodbye dad, when Gordon comes out of hiding, hit him for me."

She smiled at everyone, and waved goodbye to everyone from her vantage point on Gray's shoulder.

*****************

"Gray doesn't seem to mind being henpecked. Why is that?"

"Son there is an old saying, 'A Happy Wife Means a Happy Life." One day you will find that saying is as important to your life as any of the 10 Commandments, and possibly more so."

"Have you heard from your friend Michael?"

"No I haven't, not in a long time. He doesn't have our phone number down here. I never sent it to him. I'll call him and see how he's doing."

***************

"One Leg Up Flying Service, this is Michael speaking. How may help you?"

"Michael, this is "Hard Left Rudder, Hard Left Turn. I'm ready to try it to the right side now."

"You lying sack of shit; you're in the middle of building a spaceship. Why didn't you give me your phone number asshole?"

"I'm sorry about that my friend, with everything that was going on it totally skipped my mind. How is your new airplane?"

"She is a dream Even. She has everything any pilot could ever wish for, plus some. It took me over two months to become acquainted with half the stuff you put in her for me. It took 40 minutes flying time off from Nome to Fairbanks, and it uses less fuel. She's a magnificent machine. Thank you very much; I am the envy of everyone up here."

"You saved my life Michael, how does anybody repay a friend for doing that. The airplane was little enough to show my gratitude."

"If it wasn't for your birdbrain idea, we would both be dead Even. I would never have done that on my own. Who would've ever thought of trying to back into trees? When I got back up here my friends did not believe me when I told them the story. I had a college kid make up the simulation to show them what we did. Head on into the trees we were toast. Smacking the tail into those trees is what saved us. No one here wants to do it on purpose, but if they are ever faced with that type situation, they now know they have that as a possible lifesaving device."

"Do me one favor Michael, make sure it's not you again. I won't be there to make you a rickshaw, and I will not kill another deer."

"I put a gun into the airplane as a just in case. The next time I have a squeamish passenger, I'll kill the deer myself."

"Did you marry the nurse in Fairbanks?"

"Hell no, she married me. She couldn't get enough of my hands."

"You're joking with me aren't you Michael? You're too ugly for that pretty girl to marry you."

"I swear, when I got back up here I had to continue going to rehab. She had to take the bandage off my leg and then bandage my leg after I was done. One thing led to another and she got down on her knee and proposed."

"Should I ask her how it happened, or do I already know that you're lying through your ass."

"If you already know I'm lying through my ass, why bother asking Jill?"

"Are you going to have a family?"

"We have a two-year-old little girl running around the house."

"That's not a family. If something is broken you already know who did it. You have to have three or more so there is some detective work to be done."

"Even, this is Alaska, the land of six-month winters and six-month summers. It would be hard to keep track of multiple children in the dark."

"Attach flashing yellow anklets around each child and you will never lose them."

"You are hysterical Even. I have to go prepare the aircraft for a flight in an hour. I have a customer that wants to shoot a moose. I hope he knows which end of the gun to point, but that's not my problem. I just have to get him there. Call me before you leave this world, otherwise I'll come and get you."

"It would be a hell of a trip Michael, but it would be well worth it. You just gave me an idea for another patent by the way."

"I want half of it."

"You'll get it. Goodbye Michael."

"Goodbye and thank you for everything you've done for me, Even; including the rickshaw ride."

**************

"Gordon come with me, I'm going to design and write up the paperwork for a new patent."

"What are you going to make dad?"

"Flashing anklets for little children so parents can see them in the dark."

"Hasn't anyone thought of that before?"

"Have you seen any advertisements for them before?"

"No I haven't."

"Why shouldn't we give it a try? It should take us an hour, or less."

As I sat by my desk he asked "How much do you think it'll cost to make?"

"It should cost less than $.30 to make. A four-inch round elastic band, 10-14 multicolored LED beads, and a body heat activated battery inside one of those beads. We can have it made in Haiti, Indonesia, Bangladesh, or Vietnam, and there it is; we have the prototype for a patentable product.

Now we have to get your mother to go shopping for us. We have to build six of them to go to the patent office.

"That's it dad? That's all you have to do to file a patent?"

"For something as simple as this is yes. When we filed the patent for your fusion reactor, it was a lot more work. It was much more technical and much more legal. Rod is working on more patents for it now. Have I told you how proud I am of you for doing that?"

"Only about 10 million times dad, but when I hear it from you, it's wonderful each time."

"Thank you Gordon, we're going home early today too. Get your things and meet me at the door."

"We can't leave, it's still light outside."

"It will be a novel experience for both of us."

***********

71. Mister Speaker

"Good morning, this is Horace Bordeaux of Louisiana may I have a moment of the Speakers' time please. It is a matter of the utmost urgency.

"One moment Congressman."

"Good morning Horace, what seems to be the problem?"

"Mr. Speaker, I have the most distressing news. It have proof that the NSA, CIA, and other intelligence agencies have been spying on the American people and performing illegal acts inside the continental United States, without appropriate authorization or warrants. I wish to present the evidence of two murderous attacks on citizens and property of the United States before the full Congress, and the people of this country, Thursday at the time of your choosing. I want to do this publicly because I believe once this is done; I will not live much longer. I am not saying this to be melodramatic. I had to leave my wife and family behind this past weekend, not telling them where I went, to make this decision. I have a friend I trusted with my life. He put his career on the line to help me find a place where I could make this decision, and understand what would happen to me and to my family. I had to balance that against the needs of our country. I made the decision that our country had to come first, regardless of what happened to me.

My wife and family are going to be put into a safe house, until I make my statement. Then we will go into hiding. I will give up my seat in The Congress and hopefully find a place in this world where we may be safe."

"Horace is all of this as menacing as it sounds?"

"Sir the evidence I am going to give the Congress is irrefutable. They used military hardware... No I'm not going to go any further Sir. If I did it could put you in great jeopardy. I am going to stay in hiding until you announce publicly what time you want me to arrive.

I am going to call the news media and give them the same information I just gave you. Tell your staff to protect you from them, and have a statement ready to keep them off your back. It has always been my pleasure to work with you and for you in the House of Representatives."

"Thank you Horace, I will pray for you and your family. I will call for a caucus this afternoon, and set a time for your appearance. I will make it public so you will know when to be here."

"Don't make me wait too long Mr. Speaker, they already know I have this information, and they are looking for me."

***********

"This is Congressman Bordeaux of Louisiana; may I have a moment of the Vice President's time?"

"I'm sorry Congressman the Vice President is in a meeting, may take a message?"

"Yes you may. Please tell the Vice President he does not have to get back in touch with me. Tell him 'The Game Has Ended At Me.' He will laugh when he hears it."

"Thank you Congressman, I'll give him the message."

"Good work Congressman, maybe we can get out of this with our skins intact. What do you think about New Zealand? It's a beautiful country; English speaking, good schools, and the people are nice. With the money you have offshore, you should be able to live a decent life for a long time.

There is also Spain, where a lot of Europeans go to retire. Living there is very inexpensive, and the Mediterranean coast is idyllic. The only problem is the language."

"How soon can I talk to my wife?"

"Her phone is probably bugged. She will hear about you from the media today, and know you are alive. I'll call a member of Team 1 to see if he can get a cell phone to her. If he can she will call me."

"Thank you Colonel, you've gone way out on a limb for me, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

"We are both serving the same nation Congressman, and you have made me very proud of the way you are standing up for it. At the beginning I did not believe you had it in you. I am very happy to say I was wrong."

Sgt. Zachary yelled out, "I heard that."

"Give me 50 Sergeant."

"I'm sorry sir did you say something?"

"In five seconds it will be 500."

"One, two, and three..."

"The privileges of rank Colonel?"

"You have to show them who's boss every once and again."

***************

72. Tuesday: It's A New Day

Patty got out of bed at a 7:45 A.M. She thought there was a war going on in the kitchen. She threw on her robe and slippers and hurried there. The table was stacked with food of every kind. Six adult children or was it children/adults were laughing hysterically and hurling insults at one another nonstop. The main targets were Robert and Callum.

Callum had a very stout defense. "Emma chased me." he said, "It was not the other way around. She even flew me to Los Angeles so I could be with her."

Anna laughed at him. "Did you wait until you got to Los Angeles to screw her, or did you do it in the airplane?"

"It was her airplane. We only did it three times, because it was a short flight."

"Did you at least try to fight her off?"

"Yes, but she was very convincing."

Robert said, "Do you see what's going on here? Emma did to Callum, what I did to the girls at Michigan and you think its okay. Why is it okay for him, and not okay for me? Isn't that a double standard?"

"Are you sure you attended college these past three years? There's no comparison at all between what happened between Emma and Callum, and what you did at Michigan.

Emma and Callum had a three-week monogamous relationship. I wonder if you had a toothbrush that lasted three weeks."

"Very funny, which one are you again?"

"Stand up, and I'll remind you."

"Very funny Anna, I'll get even with you later."

"I'm Laura asshole, go to your room, and put your contacts in, so you can see your wee little dick."

"I don't get any complaints from the ladies at school."

"That's probably the reason why. You didn't hurt them like the big guys do."

"Would you like to try it on for size?"

"If you can beat me up, you can have me bareback."