Chapter 13: Jason Does it Again

Institute of Mathematics Charassa

“Ladies and gentlemen, today I think was a momentous day. This person is a precious rarity, a once in a billion years individual. We all know his exceptional background. Today that demonstration was universe shattering. Tomorrow I am sure that he is going to blow the minds in the Empire as he did ours.

“His solutions even using their own mathematics were utterly beautiful. We do know the limitations of their mathematics and can see the difficulties that they were having. I thought when Norbert sent along the problems that we were dealing with trivial issues. I think it is amazing how the Empire has conceptualized the critical problems and know what they are aiming for and do recognize ability.

“What Jason has shown us in his work is beyond the level of discovery than any single professor at this university in a lifetime.

“He has derived at least two, and perhaps three full branches of mathematics with all the theorems and proofs. I look forward to the other branches and I am sure all of us are waiting to consider the implications. Had he derived one of these branches of mathematics he would have been awarded a professorship at this university. The fact that he concurrently solved two problems that are doors to powerful and significant technological change makes this the equivalent of what any five outstanding professors would consider to be enough for a life’s work. It is a profound shock that he could face the problems and derive the needed mathematics. I think that my metaphor is insufficient as I have no way to evaluate that young man.

“If he did nothing more in mathematics from this day onward he could rest on his laurels knowing he has done some of the most outstanding work in two galaxies.

“I will be interested to see how the professors in the Imperium cope with exposure to so much new profound work. From our point of view I would award him two PhD’s for his work on the derivation of theory and an honorary professorship at this university. I will submit this work for the Yekel Mathematics Prize. He will be welcome here anytime and we look forward to hearing of any future work that he does. He has shaken the entire foundation of our universe.” They all laughed, but nodded their heads enthusiastically. The Dean bowed his head in thought for a few moments ... out of respect no-one spoke.

“Let us think of incentives to get him to work here.”

Jason’s House 2:00am

“Norbert, thank you very much for setting that up for me; I think that was all a bit much and I’m not sure that I can believe it. I suspect they could be pulling my leg. They were very polite but I know the sense of humor of the bugs. Can you believe it they were dressed just like professors on earth. Many of them were wearing three-piece suits with bow ties.” Jason remarked laughing.

“You would never guess that they were bugs. I think that that whole human thing has well and truly caught on in the Collective. There are also a lot of old farts in the Empire and I wouldn’t be surprised if they will do exactly the same spending time as bugs. I know that I am keen to spend some more time as a praying mantis flying around and I can’t wait until they get rid of the cockroaches so we can upgrade a hell of a lot more people.” Jason said thoughtfully.

“Norbert you cannot believe how much Lydia von Max has improved. It just shows you that if a person has a pretty good body and mind, the process builds on it enormously. She is one tough cookie. Your colleague was also pretty special.”

At lunchtime the next day Jason presented himself to a lecture theatre full of professors, lecturers, and postgraduate students. He began with the first problem and with his experience of talking to the professors on Charassa he was able to provide all the necessary mathematics including the theorems if applicable and worked through the problem line by line in order to back up what he had done. The first one was done in about forty-five minutes and left the audience flabbergasted. The work was elegant and economical. He had a quick break for a drink and a further snack.

Jason quickly moved to the second problem, did the same, and found he had reached the limit of his time. He reckoned that as the mathematics got more complex and less familiar to the Empire mathematicians he would land up recreating for them the mathematics of the collective with a few bits of his own.

In order to speed up that process he got the AI to provide a manual of all of the mathematics that he used in the derivation of his solutions and then he would simply show the mathematics that he’d used for those particular problems. The AI had a copy of all the mathematics for his last two problems as he had created the work for the professors in Charassa using his brain. The AI also had Jason’s step-by-step approach to the solutions and documented this. After the first session Jason sent off all that information to the professor and said that he would stick to the actual solution to the problems but was providing all the theory ahead of time so that people could peruse it, familiarize themselves with it and could try and use the theory to solve the problems themselves ahead of time.

He wrote he would then demonstrate the problems and the application of the math. By the next morning the AI together with Norbert working all night had created programs that could be loaded into the learning machines. Jason sent this along to the professor as well.

The Dean ensured that the material was entered into the learning machines immediately, notified all staff of its availability and they all watched with fascination that day as Jason used entirely new mathematics which he had clearly articulated to solve the next problem. Several realized that they were watching an extraordinary event.

It was well nigh impossible to refute his work. They excitedly questioned each other on the level of genius relative to other known great mathematicians. The consensus reached was he was not a common once-in-a-lifetime genius; Jason was in a different league of genius who could derive a whole branch of mathematics to solve a particular problem and to do this in minutes. Everyone had found time that morning to learn the basics mathematics of the day and the Department learning machines ran hot for the next two weeks as people learned the mathematics and while those who were more advanced created a range of new problems to be solved using the math.

Jason received a call to visit Professor Philip Peters, the professor of physics. He had the rest of the afternoon free but decided to make his way to see the professor as he could not control his worries.

Philip Peters had done considerable work to explore and advance the understanding of both dark matter and dark energy in the earliest years of space travel. He was able to suggest how some of the newly derived mathematics of his friends and colleagues could be applied to the understanding of dark energy and dark matter and how to collect both for use in energy production and to provide an appropriate basis for new generations of energy weapons. Jason had seen how Peters’ work lead to the weapons on his battleship.

He was also able to provide the theoretical basis for a number of the trans-dimensional missile systems that gave the Empire an increasing dominating advantage in the galaxy. He was an accomplished mathematician as well as theoretical physicist who was one of the most decorated people in the Empire.

He had continued to do work that had enhanced the speed of space travel. He had derived the methods to allow travel in real-time rather than creating substantial time differentials between the experience of the traveler, and what was experienced at the start, or destination.

Philip Peters was an unpretentious man. He did not need to prove himself to anyone. He was also humble and self effacing. He liked intelligence and appreciated those that could derive new concepts and theories. He constantly sought those people who would provided a better future for the Empire. He encountered many talented people but only met truly great minds rarely.

He said to Jason that he had looked at his solution to the problem, could see that the substitution of the appropriate numbers gave the type of solution that was expected, but he did not understand the mathematics. Jason proceeded to explain the underlying mathematics which was a branch of mathematics that had not yet been derived in the Empire but was a vital branch of mathematics in the Collective.

Jason quickly showed the underlying mathematical theory that he had used including the necessary theorems and proofs and showed how he used the mathematics to solve the problem. Jason said that he would send the complete theory of physics he had needed to create to Prof Peters when he had the chance to fully articulate it in the next few hours.

Philip Peters was nonplussed by the casual attitude of Jason. He could readily follow the mathematics which he found riveting. He was surprised that there was a whole branch of mathematics that he was not aware of that could have simply solved the problem that he’d been facing and wondered why he had never encountered it in his studies. Jason had become accustomed to providing his theories and work to the professors and had asked Norbert to create an Empire compatible version of the education and simulations for the mathematics, which he gave Peters, who was startled by the apparent priceless help offered. Such a course in a new branch of mathematics would take years to write and improve for use.

He decided that he would talk to Horace about it. By the time he got to Horace he found him in very excited about the session that they had had with Jason earlier in the afternoon. Horace had also never seen this mathematics before, and decided to ask Jason to add the physics problem to his list and invited Philip to attend the remainder of Jason’s sessions.

Jason added the theory behind the solution to the physics problem to the learning machine.

Two weeks passed very rapidly.

At the end of the last problem Professor Jenkins went to the front of the room.

“Ladies and gentlemen over the last couple of weeks you have seen an amazing display. For each problem we have seen extraordinary mathematical solutions. We can see there are three possibly four entirely new branches of mathematics that were created by Jason during the course of two tests.

The mathematics became increasingly complex as he went along. By the end the mathematics was breathtaking. That is not to say that it wasn’t breathtaking from the start but it was like the difference between a puff of wind and a hurricane. Any one day he presented could be considered sufficient material for an entire course of mathematics.

Anyone who would have derived the theory of even the first problem would have been worthy of a top PhD and scholarship from this university. How does one evaluate what we have seen? Not only that but it was made easy for us. We not only had the material laid out for us but it was created in a form that we could use for ourselves in the learning machines and also for our students and postgraduates. He has saved us many, many years of work. The work of many lifetimes has been given to us in two weeks.

There is much revolutionary new theory here and more than has been created in the Empire during the last fifty-thousand years. That is not even a good way of describing what we have seen. Some of the problems would not have been solved for hundreds of thousands of years. I have never in my life had such an incredible experience nor did I ever expect to have had such an experience. This dwarfs anything that any one human being has ever done in the entire history of the Empire. The implications of this work are absolutely massive for physics, for engineering for the biological sciences, for the future of space travel, for the future of energy production and for the entire future of this Empire. In two weeks I can say that we have been catapulted forward more than two hundred and fifty-thousand years of mathematics perhaps more.

“We have considered what would be appropriate recognition for this work at this stage. We can see that it is appropriate work for the award of a PhD; in fact it is the work of at least twenty PhD’s. For any of these pieces of work and theory we would have been happy to grant you a professorship Jason,” said Dean Jenkins earnestly.

“We will continue to evaluate this work in order to decide the appropriate number of PhD’s. For the time being we will award you an honorary professorship. We are truly honored to have you in our midst.” The audience applauded wildly. A considerable number of people came up to congratulate him and to wish him well.

Finally Professor Jenkins came up and said, “We would like to invite you to the faculty room for cocktails and to discuss what you might like to do next.”

In the faculty room he met with and chatted informally with a number of the professors who were very friendly. Each of them wanted Jason to do some advanced work with them, but he deferred saying that he needed to discuss what he did with Professor Jenkins first. Jenkins took him into his office and sat him down.

“Jason we can offer you any number of jobs here. You can have your choice of anything you would like to do including your own professorship and Department. It would be an odd department as you span so many areas that are new. You are also a great teacher, your language is precise, and you make what you do entertaining and have the ability to simplify the most complex ideas as you lecture. Even though I would dearly love to have you working in our department, I think that you have done enough work for twenty lifetimes.

“What you won’t ever get again is your opportunity to enjoy university. I would not recommend you join us for your own sake even though I would love to have you work with us. I will discuss this with the chancellor and we will award you your degrees in any way you wish publicly or privately. Please discuss this with your family and academic advisors and I am happy to talk about this achievement with any and all of them.

“I would suggest that you still stay with your friends and you continue on as if none of this happened. The difference is you don’t need to prove anything in mathematics. I will try and find some more challenging work and problems for you to do at the same time as the other work.

“You would be amazed at the quality of your friends work in the last few weeks. I think that they are going to need to be looked at and given considerably more challenging work as well.” Jason was enormously relieved hearing Prof Jenkins was not going to push him to do more work in the department.

“Jason, my good friend Philip Peters suspects that you know a lot more physics than you are letting on. He has been frantically searching for some problems to test you and your group for your session tomorrow. You do have one weaker link in your group. He is putting in a big effort and is improving markedly over the last two weeks.

“I am going to meet with your uncle tomorrow and I’m going to tell him how much you have impressed me and the major impact you have made on the University and the future of the Empire.

Cassius was in fine form the next morning when he met with the group of twenty-seven professors. They would be regarded as some of the greatest minds in the Empire. Most of them had done extraordinary work before their appointments. Most of them continued to do extraordinary work.

Cassius was well aware of Jason’s impact on the mathematics faculty and the likely impact he would have on physics after they met with Alana, though Norbert had alerted him to the issues and suggested more security for Jason.

Cassius allowed the wildly enthusiastic professors to tell them about Jason and the fact that his work would pave the way for extraordinary progress to be made. They explained that Jason had done more for mathematics than all of them combined.

Cassius did not seem in any way surprised about this. “Ladies and gentlemen I am going to show you a little bit about Jason’s life to put some of this in context. Even though what you will see will undoubtedly surprise you, a little bit of extra information from a very famous group of mathematicians that you have never heard of, but will come to know well, I hope, will literally blow your minds. Just as a teaser you are the second university to offer Jason PhD’s and a professorship. Now before you ask me any questions which I will not answer at this stage I will show you a little background.”

Cassius switched on his holo-projector and showed them the shorter version of Jason’s life. He could see it made the same impact upon them as it had everyone else and they began to wonder whether Jason was simply applying mathematics that he had learnt through the collective.

“These bugs are literally a million years ahead of us. Jason has been entirely responsible for facilitating the contact with them. You have seen what they have done for him and the impact that he has made upon them, but that is not all.

“You have briefly seen Ouma Chatzke; she is their leader and an exceptional woman. She and I have become great friends and allies. When I say allies, I would have to say that we are very much juniors in the partnership. Jason has received some of their education in mathematics and physics as well as in some other areas of his interest.

“Horace he was very disturbed and upset after he had battled with the questions that you had given him. He felt that he had failed and had created some ad hoc mathematical workarounds that would embarrass him and make a fool of him when he presented to your group. He sent the group of professors you will soon see and hear from, both the problems as well as his solutions. You would think that in a million years that all of the problems would have been easily conquered.

Ouma Chatzke contacted me to tell me about what the professors said to her. You know that they can change between their bug form and human form. Many of them have been so bored having been alive for so long that it is very fashionable to be living as a human in the Collective. She has made it very easy for you by appearing in her human form and talking in Empire standard. She is also very much enjoying the fashions of Jason’s home planet Earth at present. She is wearing clothing I believe of an Empress of Earth.”

Cassius fiddled with the holo-projector menus, and then sat back as the recording played.

“Cassius I had a very interesting delegation come to see me today. Young Jason continues to surprise all of us. The top mathematicians from the University Mathematic Institute came to see me. They were excited beyond belief by mathematics that was discovered. They were almost incomprehensible at the start.

“They are a group of the greatest mathematicians in the Collective. As you know we are as close to immortal as you can get. Several of this group are very ancient. They have continued to work over a very long time and you could know they are very conservative group of people who are rarely ever excited. This group was very excited. So excited I had to calm them down and serve refreshments before I understood what they were saying. Eventually the Dean of the Institute settled down enough to talk.