Chapter 10

With our universe safe, and Alpha universe out of immediate peril, things somewhat began to become normal. I helped Bruce figure out which end was up, on the alien manufacturing machine, and he resigned himself to having a duplicate in Alpha universe.

Sandy, freed from duties now that the Vortex operation was out of my control, returned to her college studies. She was going after her doctorate. But it seemed that every few months, she would hit upon a new research idea, never completing the old.

We email constantly, back and forth. She went to her doctor, and had the pregnancy confirmed. I was ecstatic, but very worried about her. I was wishing that I could be there to cook her meals, and care for her, even though she was hardly yet affected by the pregnancy.

I was now free to do research of my own, on the technology and the biological specimens, retrieved from the invading aliens. I started with the stasis chambers, as these were the most intriguing of the non-weaponry technology.

I was soon able to discover the principle behind the technology, and saw how it was a simple cousin to the same Vortex technology I had invented. I began making experiments, and running tests. I was creating small stasis boxes, and small tools out of carefully constructed atmosphere in stasis.

I didn’t have the ability to actually carve the stasis, as Bruce believed he would one day be able to do with his manufacturing equipment, but I could do some pretty cool stuff. I started by building a large-scale generator, that could place in stasis, a large volume. I soon discovered that the larger the volume, regardless of the mass being placed in stasis, the more energy required.

Before long, I had small battery driven stasis units, that would create tiny square mirrors, only a single molecule thick. I could see huge manufacturing potentials from these, in optical devices, as well as in the television industry. I couldn’t sell them yet, as they were still classified, but I could create samples to show off to potential customers.

After taking some time off to visit Sandy one week, and checking on her progress; I stopped by a government office, and registered a couple new businesses. I called them ‘Light Like Air Company’, and ‘Solar Hydrogen Mining Company’. I had filed an application for exclusive rights to small scale stasis technology for the first, as I was the only one doing research in making tiny stasis fields, and a Vortex mining proposal for the other. I figured if either of them did ok, I would be filthy rich in this universe.

I was then approached by one of the guys from the defense department, who wanted to see how I was coming in my research. I showed him the tiny projector, and a net full of tiny glittering mirrors.

“Dr. Calin, just what do you want a hundred thousand tiny mirrors for? The damn things don’t want to stay put, as they are.”

“Colonel, it’s quite simple. Placed in a bracket, they are small enough not to cause an issue by making the device float away. One hundred barely have a feather’s weight, in lift. They are also the most perfectly ground mirrors for applications such as photography, and microscopic, and telescopic equipment. As well as laser research. The mirror never melts under the intensity of the laser, is super thin, and is a perfect reflector.”

“That’s part of why I’m here. Our plane based anti missile laser system has been having problems with the vibrations, and heat, warping our focusing mirrors. I would like to commission you to create a few prototype mirrors for the project.”

“I would be happy to help, Colonel. I have just created a company that would be able to handle any contracts to produce the mirrors. What I would like to do is actually compete for the mirror production contract. In order to do that, I would need my request to get the private sector contract on stasis technology, approved.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” he told me. “Your request would be easiest to approve, if you put your production facilities here. There is an open ‘clean’ lab, as well as office space here, for your company.”

I smiled, this was just what I was hoping for. My company consisted of me and some paperwork, the leftover money from my research grant, and a couple of million for my discovery bonus.

“Colonel, you get me my approval, and I’ll get you some mirrors that won’t ever bend or break,” I told him, shaking hands.

“Very good, Dr. Calin. Pleasure doing business with you. By the way, this thing over here, that’s pumping out stasis mirrors that are disappearing before they hit the ceiling. Is this a defective product, or something new?”

“Stasis fields normally never disappear, it takes specialized equipment to bring something out of stasis. There is an exception though, to certain fields. By varying the voltage and the amplitude of the equipment, you can create a temporary stasis field, that shuts itself off. It will shut off after, either a few seconds, or several centuries.

“This one takes lots of power. But, so far, the field doesn’t last longer than a few seconds. I think that the time is relative to the size of the field, and the amount of power pumped in. For some reason the shorter the time the stasis field is on, the more power it takes. It’s also real pretty, when I turn on that light, over there. It’s very relaxing. Like a giant disco-ball/lava-lamp.”

“What uses would there be for stasis fields that turned themselves off? I thought the point was, to use them in construction to make something impenetrable, and permanent.”

“Imagine several giant towers, scattered throughout the midwest, right through tornado country. They are hooked in with the national weather service. When a tornado is detected; they turn on and create a thin stasis field, about and inch thick, but the size of an entire state.

“It’s lighter than air, but it has a lot of air above it, to push out of the way. It moves straight through the storm clouds, pushing them higher. Thus ending the tornado as well, cutting it right in half. It raises up about a half mile, then simply disappears. The storm forces are disrupted, and the tornado never even hits the ground. It’s like creating a short-term high-pressure zone, that pulls ground level air toward it, and pushes the upper atmosphere above it away.

“Now imagine the same thing during a drought. The neighboring states to the south are getting rain, but states to the north need the water. A stasis field is fired off doing the same thing. The change in air pressure moves the jet stream, bringing rain to where it is needed. You could even activate it as a temporary bad weather shelter. It’s hailing, so you activate a permanent one to turn on, and then hold it in place until the hail stops, and has melted.”

His eyes were widening, as I explained the benefits, and the possibilities.

“This thing reflects radiation right?” I nodded an affirmative. “We could use the same system to create a national ballistic missile shield. Radar detects incoming, we flick on the shield, and it covers the entire US. Weapon detonates, and energy is reflected into space.”

“Yes, that would work, too. As well as creating one over Los Angeles every day, to help suck in fresh air, and blow out the smog. Just an hour everyday, at noon during summer, and the downtown city there would also be much cooler.”

“Weather control, and a weapons shield!” he exclaimed. “I’ll be damned, wait until the guys back at the office hear about this. They are all dreaming of indestructible shiny tanks, and here we are about to bring the insurance industry back to life, by preventing weather related claims.”

“It’s pretty heady, I know. But I think we are only beginning to scratch the surface of what can be accomplished here. If Bruce can figure out how the manufacturing center works, and duplicate it, then it will completely revolutionize the entire shipping industry. Stasis lined airships, crating the nations’ supplies across the skies. A revolution in food service, as well. Pop some food in the stasis ‘fridge’, and it stays either hot or cold, depending on what it’s temperature was when you put it in. It also keeps it perfectly fresh, which means seasonal products would be available year round. No more need for orange juice from concentrate, you can get it fresh and pure, year round.”

“You have some great ideas, Dr. Calin. This kind of thinking is just what some friends of mine have been looking for. I’m going to give your name to some guys I know, that recently retired. They are all two and three star Generals, and have some great Washington connections. They are looking for new talent, you might say.”

“Thanks, Colonel. I have made a few friends here, but figured that the only way I’d get special favors, was if I stepped in front of a bullet meant for the President.”

He chuckled at my joke, and said, “If even then. This new President of ours, she’s one tight bitch with the money. Ran on a ‘hold the purse strings tight’ campaign, and wasn’t just blowing campaign smoke.”

“So I’ve heard. Thanks for the introductions. I’ll be sure to remember the favors, when you retire,” I told him, understanding how things worked in the military procurement, and supply business.

“The only favor I need right now, is help making my damn laser fly and fire, at the same god damn time,” he said.

“Well, it’s my top priority now. My mirrors are going to make it significantly lighter, and cheaper to build. I can gather up a few technicians that I know work well together, and who are good craftsmen as well. When do you think I can move into the new building?”

“This time next week. Being here on the base, means you get government issued secretaries, and cleaning staff. I’ll have the mirror specs sent by messenger to you, on Monday. You can start looking over what we need. I’ll be sending specs of every mirror in the entire laser assembly.

“I know you don’t have the guys to build the adaptive optic mirrors, but if you could produce tiny mountable mirrors that fit on the adaptive technology, that would be great.”

“I’ll see what I can do. I have been experimenting with creating odd shaped stasis,” I told him, pointing at the swords stuck to the ceiling above, as well as funky trapezoids and diamonds. They stuck to the ceiling, like balloons at a Picasso birthday party. All were my experiments in creating more than simple cubes and boxes, out of stasis. They stayed at the ceiling because I hadn’t yet bothered to get a ladder to get them down.