Chapter 15: The Debacle of the Boxes

Jason called Cassius in the morning, and arranged to meet him that afternoon, together with his senior intelligence people and General Rikkel if available.

Jason hoped that his life would simplify itself once he had sorted things with the new group of good roaches, and once he knew all the rules. The math was driving him crazy. He had to get it out of his head. He felt the rules were important but he did not know why. He felt more driven to work on the math than anything he could remember. He had to face the fact that he did get obsessed with his interests, but nothing before had made him this preoccupied. He wanted to relax and concentrate on his studies.

He could not imagine that the pace of change and challenges that he had faced would continue, but problems kept on finding him. Razza had even described how she was attracted to tell him about her people, even before she investigated him. His black hole theory was being validated, daily. The mathematics and physics only painted a bigger and bigger target on his back. He was headed to be a super-massive black hole for trouble, and it was speeding up not slowing down.

Earth worried him as it lacked coherent leadership, and for that reason he considered the planet at risk from its own foolishness. Lauren had written overnight about her concerns and he agreed with her every word.

“Dad even if they realized there was a threat I cannot see this group of idiots getting together to defend the planet. I have been through the histories of the Jumo, the Empire and the Collective early years and they all worked together so much better. Earth, despite all efforts to the contrary, cannot get power generation going; and vicious terrorism is everywhere.

“Can you ask Cassius and Ouma Chatzke what they think should happen here?” He thought back to the politics of so many elections. In many ways he felt that he voted for who he hated the least, as opposed to who offered a vision that appealed to him more. He loathed the media on Earth. That was not to say that the operations of the Empire were in any way perfect. However, there was always a long term vision from an emperor that took people out of their day to day lives and provided them with something special.

Jason reached the gym with the dogs and concluded his disturbing ruminations. He moved to doing weights next to Cyril. He saw that Cyril was pushing much heavier weights than he had been, and was very determined. He was being spotted by a fine looking young lady who grinned at Jason, as he looked over. She was dressed in the traditional colorful gym garb that fitted so closely that one did not need to bother to imagine what was beneath. People in the Empire were not shy about their bodies or about their sexuality. They had no concept of Victorian attitudes. Shyness and body consciousness had never been a part of the Empire, and it had never been part of early religious beliefs.

Jason worked out as hard as he could. There was multiple gym AIs that assisted when one was pushing heavy weights, but it was an ideal opportunity for many of the young people to meet each other. He saw many others working in other areas of the gym all using the AIs. They were a focused group of young people who did not want to waste time. That is not to say that Cyril was not serious; it was the young woman who had insisted that she help him that morning, and he had decided not to refuse.

His grandfather had called him to say that he was very pleased with the progress that he was making. He noted that Cyril was clearly pushing himself physically and academically, and said to him that he was hearing good things about how he was mixing with others in his group, without being a pain. His grandfather also told him that the University experience was also about forming relationships with others, and learning to love someone other than oneself. He suggested that Cyril devote a little time to the consideration of that little snippet. Cyril was elated. The fact that his grandfather had called, was in itself a momentous occasion. The praise that he had received was equivalent to having received a gold medal at the Olympics.

His grandfather gave scant praise. If his grandfather gave advice, which he did extremely rarely, it was to be considered as an absolute command. For that reason Cyril accepted the young lady’s interest, and was very friendly to her in return, helping her with her exercises, but making sure that they both completed their routines. She asked to meet him for a drink after the learning machines and suggested that they met at the learning machines and coordinated their times there. Cyril made the arrangements, and rushed to the martial arts room. He acquitted himself well that morning. He was very cheerful at breakfast, even while everyone teased him about the young woman.

They had all noticed the disturbing events of the day before. Jason knew they were a very observant group of young people. They did not pursue any questions, only stated what they saw. They all recognized that Jason was involved in matters that were beyond the usual. They had also paid attention to his changed demeanor for the previous two days, which now was replaced by the usual calm Jason.

Jason realized he knew virtually nothing of any significance of the backgrounds of any of the people in his group. He had recognized it previously but he had not done anything about it. He felt he had been influenced by spending so much time with the clones who had no history other than vats.

He had to accept he did know considerably more about the others from the ship. He turned to Julia Farinelli who sat next to him quite often. He glanced at the time, and noticed that they still had just about an hour before the electronics laboratory.

“Julia I just realized that I know very little about you. I wonder if you could give me a little background on you and your family. I should know more about your family and its background, but I simply haven’t had the opportunity to talk to you, previously,” said Jason looking at her face closely.

“I was born on Claremont, which is the where your aunt Alana also comes from. We are of the same family which is the second family in the Empire, though my mother believes House Kargo may have edged past us. We run nineteen established, populated planets; but are also involved in mining, and on developing planets suitable for colonization. The Empire tax system allows the planet to be claimed, but not taxed, until a population of a billion is achieved. The planet then becomes part of the Empire, and the House. We have extensive agricultural interests, shipbuilding, weapons and munitions, mining - particularly of asteroids - which is a specialty of ours. But our biggest area is communications. One of my uncles was the developer of real-time communications, regardless of distance, which is implemented throughout the Empire and on all ships of the Empire. We have been in communications for ever but real time communications has been a project of his, for most of his lifetime. He has been working on increasing bandwidth for the last two centuries. “He constantly produces wonderful ideas. I think you and he would get on like a house on fire. ‘Claremont’ is the family house on the planet where I was born. It is in many ways quite similar to this planet; though there is more ‘O2’ and a fraction more oceans, and the average temperature is a degree higher. My family home is built very similarly to the palace. Our architecture is a little different, as is the color of the local stone. For environmental reasons we build our cities entirely underground so that we can enjoy extensive above ground recreation areas and parks. In the early years we built many trains that ran in vacuums and have continued to develop that technology on our planets. Travel is very quick and convenient. The same mode of transport is used in many other parts of the Empire. I went to first school until I was thirteen on Claremont. Then, as is traditional, the family moved to complete my schooling in Laomedeia. For that reason I know our current group reasonably well. We were not in the same groups together at school, as school groups are deliberately constituted differently from university, so that you meet and mix with different people. Middle school I had one group and upper school I had another.

“I have always had interests in engineering and this has been much encouraged by my family. I love sport and athletics, and have also competed at inter-planet level in martial arts. I play a musical instrument and have some interest in art in my spare time. I have a number of friends from school that I still see. My parents returned home when I entered upper school, but I often return during the holidays. We have seen many planets in the Empire during those holidays, and we have spent some wonderful times as a family. I have two brothers and three sisters. As you know, Lydia Von Max is my aunt. She is very much like my mother. They are like two peas in a pod.

“Jason, I think we’re going to need to move to class.

“Come on you lazy lot! Backs to the wheel, fingers to the abacus, switch on the brains, pump the legs and let’s go,” said Julia loudly as she got everyone moving as she so often did.

Jason completed his work in the laboratory quickly. He was into the routine, but still found the trans-dimensional rooms painful to use. His electronic componentry had all arrived the day before, but he hadn’t had the opportunity, with everything going on, to construct the boxes to substitute for the rooms. He had used the designs and the specs from the AI, as they were commonly used in the collective. He wanted to complete the math, but knew he would save a lot of time by making the boxes.

He approached the laboratory director, a somewhat stuffy and prissy woman. She had very short nondescript brownish hair, and an unkempt laboratory coat, with some stains of uncertain vintage. Her name was prominently displayed on a label on her coat – Professor Bertha Bertoli.

“Professor I have something that I would like to ask you?” Jason began to ask.

“No, young man, there are no extensions of any type. If you have to go somewhere or do something, you make sure that your work is your highest priority. If necessary the laboratory can be available in the evenings. There are no exceptions, not even for funerals.” She started to turn away from Jason.

“Professor Bertoli, if I may, let me explain my request before you turn me down.”

She turned and looked at him with disdain.

“Yes?”

“I am going to construct, as a trial, three different trans-dimensional boxes that you can put your hands into the box, and there is a binocular eyepiece that can be used to look at the work at various magnifications, and you can use robotic arms. It will also connect to a Brain, to create holograms so others can watch.

“My workbench is large enough for me to have enough room to work even if I put the boxes on my table. Others in close proximity could also use them. If they are of any use to you, I would be happy to give you the specifications for their manufacture. I’m putting them together this afternoon,” said Jason, “may I use them from tomorrow, or is there some procedure to follow, to obtain permission?” Jason asked politely.

“Nonsense, young man, no one can make trans-dimensional boxes. Rubbish, rubbish who would believe such nonsense. By all means make your boxes and bring them in here. If they work I will personally take you for lunch with the professors and praise your accomplishments. If you can make them, I guarantee you top marks in this course. The electronics of the trans-dimensional room are complicated in itself. It is impossible to make them smaller than the size that you see here in the laboratory. No first year student could build a trans-dim box. It is preposterous, ridiculous, and above all insulting to believe you can fool me into hoping such a box could exist. I want to see you make a fool of yourself in front of all your fellow beginner students. I will ask the head of the department to test your boxes. Then the trouble you will face will be magnified.

“I have never heard such absurdities in my entire life. You think you can create new laws of physics to suit yourself? Young man, it is so unlikely. Just wait until I tell my colleagues about this. We will all be waiting with eager anticipation tomorrow morning. Remember, tomorrow is a very short session. You are moving on to information technology at mid-morning. Good day to you, young man, and good luck. I believe you will need more than luck to face tomorrow.” She walked off, shaking her head and laughing.

Julia who had the workbench behind Jason heard the whole exchange.

“Jason there is no doubt that that old cow is going to get a real surprise tomorrow is she not? By the way I would really like to see how you are going to put the boxes together and I am on tenterhooks to see the design. Can I join you this afternoon or this evening to help and perhaps to learn something. I know from the stuff that we have been learning they do use such boxes in the Collective.

“Now I will see how it’s done. I will be so delighted to see her face, tomorrow!” Julia said excitedly.

Jason sent her the plans and the specifications of each, and arranged for her to come over for dinner. He had found all the necessary electronics readily available. There were many suitable boxes that could be used, and any number of choices of binocular eyepieces that they used for assembly of electronics. He found several different robotic arms which he hoped to test. All the rest of the group had heard the exchange with the professor. Her voice was loud and shrill and could be heard almost throughout the laboratory.

“Several of his group mimicked the professor, and over exaggerated Jason’s restrained manner of dealing with her. Each time they did it, it was more pronounced. Jason became a pleading obsequious character, with the professor commanding and imperious. Many of the students around them laughed and did their own versions.

Walking into lunch, he passed Razza and whispered that he could not promise, but things were looking good.

“Razza, the Emperor has agreed in principle as you heard at our meeting. I am sorting out the technicalities with them. I fear we may need at least a piece of your brain; and one, or maybe two toes. The piece of your brain that is removed will be given back to you in a bottle. The toes you’ll have to do without,” Jason said smiling.

Jason and was ushered into the Emperor’s small conference room where the security group sat with Cassius.

“Jason, Osgood, and General Rikkel went to the battleship during the day, and manufactured a few thousand of the devices that Razza gave you. It was not an efficient process, but they wanted to get started quickly before a larger supply arrived from Charassa. Here they are now, and we can begin.

“I agree to move on the citizenship after each one provides their information. General Rikkel, how shall we proceed?”

“Emperor we need each of them to see one of my team for five minutes for the collection of the information. The AI validates the data collected and if they are as they tell us we release them immediately afterwards.

None of the subsequent decisions would be in Jason’s hands, so he tuned out of the discussion after a while.

He knew that they would replay the whole session with Razza and sure enough it happened.

“My biggest concern remains the security around my work in physics and mathematics,” Jason said, handing over his concerns before tuning out.

Jason used the time to look at the specifications for the manufacture of the trans-dim chambers. He realized that he had insufficient equipment at home to put it together, and began to wonder what he could do to rectify the situation. He would not have enough time to go anywhere prior to dinner. In fact he did not know where to go, or where he could just simply pick up the equipment that he needed. He knew it was all in the laboratory but he would not have time to make arrangements for the laboratory to be open and get all the necessary permission to build what was needed.

He thought that the best possibility was to find a suitable supplier that was going to be open in the city and go there and pick up what they needed. Jason also realized that even if they were able to find everything, it would take most of the night for the two of them, working together, to put one box together. He could see that it was a finicky job and an enormous amount of work. They would probably not have enough time to test it and get it right, before having to go to the University where he was going to make a complete ass of himself in front of the professor. He saw himself in front of the class, saying to the professor that he had the box partially built but it didn’t work. He then saw her and the rest of the class laughing at him and the professor calling him a pretentious poser. He would let down his whole group. What made it even worse was that it didn’t look like Cassius and the intelligence mega-brains were going to finish any time soon, as Cassius was offering them dinner.

“Cassius all of these decisions are beyond my pay grade and my ability to advise. I am snowed under with the work I have to do for university tomorrow. If I don’t get it done, I am going to make a royal ass of myself in front of a very difficult professor in electronics. I may have made a claim to be able to build something, that I am becoming increasingly less confident that I can deliver. Please excuse me, and let me know if there’s any further role you would like me to play,” said Jason anxiously.

Cassius simply waved him off. Jason returned home close to panic, to find Julia waiting for him in one of the smaller lounge rooms.

“Julia, I am worried that my mouth was bigger than my brain. I don’t have everything that I think we need to put it together. I think we are going to need to eat quickly,. Perhaps, if there is a suitable place that you know that will be open, we can get the necessary equipment? We can work through the night to finish it. I don’t expect you to stay until it is done, but it looks like it’s going to be an all-night job. Then we are going to have to check it, and I’m not sure that it will work! I am going to make a total idiot of myself,” said Jason sounding very agitated.

Julia on the contrary was relaxed and looked at him and smiled. “What do you think if I can suggest a way that will get it done, at least two boxes, tonight, working perfectly, and finished by ten thirty or eleven, fully checked?”

Jason looked at her, not sure that he could believe her. He could not think of any way that she could achieve this unless she had all the facilities to put it together at home. He thought that maybe she had done this before, and had the facilities in the city. He even thought that maybe she had a key to get into the laboratory and had got permission for them to work there.

“Please tell me, Julia, how we are going to get this done in reasonable time?” Jason said looking at her still thinking that there was some kind of catch that he was missing.

“Jason, for someone who is able to solve extraordinary problems in mathematics and is able to solve unsolvable problems in physics, I am delighted to find that you are still a plain ordinary human being. It gives me huge pleasure and when I say I can solve this problem, using your own resources,” she said with a smile on her face then grinning at him broadly and finally laughing.

He looked at her as if she was completely off her rocker. He desperately thought about his workbench that was not yet assembled, and the equipment not yet taken out of boxes.

“It’s totally impossible with what is at my disposal. Julia if you pull this off, as you say, I will be your faithful slave to do as you bid for a half a day on the weekend,” he said, his mouth racing ahead of his brain.

“Jason, my dear,” said Julia laughing and snorting, “I accept your offer to be my slave for half a day on the weekend.”

“We need to have dinner on the ship, Jason. Call ahead from the shuttle, and we will produce a miracle. Leave all your worries to Julia!”

“Now it’s arranged, let’s wait for the shuttle. We will take your supplies which you can leave there to avoid a mess here, so head for the engineering warehouse door on the ship. Send the specs ahead to Engineering to look at, but we must do the work ourselves. Call engineering now to make arrangements for us to go there and use two fabricators, or more. We might need to learn how to use them.

“You go into the fabrication facility, with me assisting, and we walk to two of the large fabricators and put in the plans for manufacture. Then we ask for our food to be delivered. Ten minutes to an hour later a buzzer will announce there are completed boxes which we will test. It will take us say a half an hour to ensure that they are working, as we must check them ourselves.

“I am sure you will have engineers all over us, wanting to take over and do it for us. It is a matter of honor that we build them ourselves, simple though it may be, slave,” said Julia laughing and snorting as she went through the steps that they needed to follow. Jason could not believe what an idiot he was and how he had thought of the problem as he would have on Earth.

“Mistress, I will do your bidding as required in every way as specified and agreed. Mistress has done a useful job in setting aside my anxiety and in solving all of my problems. I may need in the future to serve mistress if I am at future risk of falling on my face. Your humble slave thanks you, and is eternally grateful,” said Jason bowing and scraping but not realizing that most of the household had congregated silently behind him and was struggling not to laugh. He ran forward and hugged Julia tightly.

The facilities on the ship were superb. They had been upgraded on Charassa. Everything was tidy and impeccably laid out for use. Everything that Jason had purchased was, as Lydia said, redundant and of poor quality compared to the quality of manufacture available on the ship. The replicator was an advanced bug design that accepted all the specifications, and coughed out five trans-dimensional environment boxes in thirty-seven seconds each and needed a minute to set up and feed in the plans.