Chapter 30: XL Project

“Ha, I bet you never thought I could do it this fast did you?”

GB8 was floating... “Air cushioned. Is its skirt made from a shower curtain?”

“Yup, works pretty well. I just have to keep it around nineteen centimeters.”

“How is the energy consumption?”

“Better than I thought it would be. The louvered fans aren’t exactly fast, but works okay.” She was still grinning over her prank, but a tinge of disappointment shadowed my student’s eyes. Rachel didn’t come this weekend with the excuse of painting her apartment. From Cat’s tone earlier, I doubted that she asked Cat to help or wanted help.

“Cute. Tomorrow I set up another instructor, this one you aren’t allowed to abuse.”

“I did Not abuse Captain Quinn. Besides, how often do you think he’s had his name spelled in the clouds twenty miles high?”

Ignoring her outburst, “You have a three-hour appointment at nine at the county airport. I wasn’t told who your instructor will be, but the little ops are always needing business.”

“Okay. Watch this. I stumbled across it when I was working on balancing the top-heavy thing.” At her command the bot started chasing its wobble to keep from falling over. I laughed at her antics and admitted it was amusing. The air cushioned bot would circle the yard, overshoot its center of gravity and then have to re circle to regain its balance.

“Teaching it to balance?”

“Yeah, not sure what I am going to do with him, but he’s learning quick.”

“Get him a soccer ball and a partner.”

“And they say old people are stuck in their ways. Thanks.” Giving me an overlarge grin, Cat skipped off with her bot.

Sigh. She was hurting.

...

“I don’t care. They can even keep all the employees in place as long as they sign the NDAs and pass the drug tests. The executives that sit on their asses and only collect will have to go. If they actually do work, then fine. I still need full descriptions of everyone’s jobs. I’m offering thirty percent more than the company is worth for a reason, Mr. Peabody. I will be needing mirrors in bulk in the next three years and beyond. I’d rather have my own source than start a new facility.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you to find someone to run the place. I don’t care who does it, as long as they don’t lose money and will make my mirrors to my specs when I need them.”

“Yes, that is ‘all I require’.” Making a pretend gag motion she listened to our lawyer elaborate his exact understanding of the issues requested. Jacob was the best at that.

Click.

“Greedy asses. After selling the company, they wanted to keep their relatives on the payroll to do nothing. So, I have to pay more to buy the useless ones out and get a decent evaluator in there on top of a good manager.”

“You are doing it this way because?”

“It’s still easier, faster and probably cheaper. Just more hassle, personnel wise. I already lost my bet to Moria over this latest cheap trick.”

“Oh?”

“Broke the forty-six million mark ... Bah...” She muttered at the expensive lesson.

“You have a friend in a sorority. It is nearing graduation ... Hint.”

“You’re supposed to be on my side. Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

*Click. “Colleen give me a call when you are out of class.”

...

“Why are you over here building whatever it is?” Cat hopped off her Hoverboard and looked around.

“Too big to fit in the lab,” I managed to catch my breath after squeezing from between the two sections that the Bots were helping me assemble.

“Wait. That’s an induction chamber. Why are you building it out in the open across the street?”

“We aren’t exactly across the street. The Project is going to be too large. I will have to build the structure around it, instead of the other way around.”

“How big are you making it? I thought we agreed upon fifty by fifty?”

“You need a million sq feet. Anything smaller, we lose too much.”

“A Million. Damn, can you at least make sure that we keep some trees between us and it? I don’t want a frigging complex out my front window.”

“Trust me.” We were ten miles from the house, it wouldn’t be an issue.

“What can I do to help?”

“Nothing today. Tomorrow we are getting a few deliveries. The defense bots I repurposed for clearing the area and leveling it started last week. Just pay attention to your studies. The bots will be doing all the early work.”

“If you say so. So, help me ... if I see one shiny thing out my dressing room window, you are eating Raviolis for years. The canned ones.” She stomped off muttering.

Cat didn’t like the thought of people being that close.

...

Rachel came over for her weekend on the morning of the 12^th. The duo were outside playing field hockey against the newly awakened bots, and losing. Cat had decided that they learned better using tools than bumping into a rolling ball. Greater vector additions with smaller balls rather than larger ones or some such. The uneven terrain did seem to make the ball bounce erratically.

Two hours later, I witnessed Cat comforting Rachel on the stair landing. The latter had her head down with her hands covering her eyes sitting next to her lover. Getting my water, I returned to the den letting them work out their issues between the two and Rachel’s family.

*Click, “Gretchen how is Ti-61 coming along?”

“Wonderfully. The electrical insulation factor alone will do wonders.”

“Good, can you patent it for me and have it ready by Thursday?”

“Thursday is TOMORROW, Smith.”

“I need it soon. Do what you can and let me know when you are ready to lease the process. I need a million or two sq feet of it.”

“Not even a kiss before bending me over? Men, these days...”

“Sir, Smith is building something big in his front yard.” The Captain with recently increased composure reported.

“How big?”

“From the initial tree clearing and the submitted building license request, twelve hundred feet a side. I would guess a million square feet total. That’s not all, Sir. One of my contacts reported that he ordered a huge amount of Ti-61-mc alloy wall casings.”

“What is special about that specific alloy?”

“I don’t know, Sir. There is no known alloy on record matching that designation. My contact reported that he ordered, seven thousand linear feet of three-meter-diameter tubing of the alloy. It is the company’s largest single order ever.”

“Any guesses what he is building?”

“None besides the obvious. It’s something for Miss Larkin’s studies.”

“What is the name of your contact’s company?”

“Precision Casting out of Missouri, sir.”

“Why are all the walls painted camouflage?” we stood looking at the small shed that would be the primary entrance to the Project.

“You were complaining about looking at them...”

“Har-de har. Can’t you just wave your magic wand and have the stupid thing complete. I hate having people there all the time. You’d think we lived across the street from a construction site or something.”

“I can knock it all down and replant the trees if you aren’t happy with it.”

“Don’t you Dare. I know we didn’t have a choice. It just sucks.” She was not pleased with the project being so close or the necessity of it in the first place.

“Rachel?” I asked, knowing Cat was in a foul mood for a reason.

“Gretchen is adding another shift. She and Dad are doing all the interviewing, while Rachel is out drumming up more business.”

“Which means travel.”

“And an extra excuse to not come by. What are we going to tell people about that thing?”

“I’m not. You are.”

“I received notification that the substation was approved. Now we have the three-month wait before the foundation is poured and another two before they start construction. Good thing we aren’t in a hurry. What are you going to do about the foundation here? Its twenty three acres. If you were going to use concrete, that would have been poured first. Right now, the ground is still being leveled, which means you have a trick up your sleeve,” she argued.

“You will meet him tomorrow. You still haven’t told me what you are going to tell people when asked about the project.”

“I’ll say it’s the world’s largest doughnut maker. We are going to need help, aren’t we?”

“It’s a lot of wiring.”

“I was talking about after it’s set up. We’ll need bodies on site. I can’t be out here every day and neither can you ... Don’t look at me like that.”

Her experiment, her responsibility. “I will build it and help pay for it. The rest is up to you.”

“How much can we automate it? This is turning into a bigger mess than we planned.”

“I can’t alter the setup any more than I already have.”

“How long before the Casings come?”

“Three months. Assembly will take another five or six and wiring will take three.”

“A year if all goes well.”

“A year.”

...

*Click. “Mr. Weathers, this is Catherine Larkin, I would like to make an appointment with Miss O’Shannan as soon as she has an opening, please.”

“Good morning, Miss Larkin. May I ask the nature of your business,” We heard the smile on the other end of the line.

“It’s concerning an Anchorage and my new Project. Beyond that, I cannot reveal over an open line. And if you put me off, no cookies for you,” she added a large threat to their private joke.

“Oh, my,” Darrin cringed audibly, “Humor aside, how long will you need?”

“Two hours, and maybe a body bag if she doesn’t like what I am doing. Could be more.”

“Sixteenth at 4:00, I can bump her five o’clock.”

“That will work. Have you tested out your new toy?”

“I have. We were all amazed at its capabilities. Thank you, I hope to ‘only use it for good’.” He teased, keeping all stresses out of his speech patterns.

“I would hope so. Gotta run and suffer through Mr. Peabody for a few hours. See you Wednesday.”

“Take care, Catherine.” *Click.

Bzz. “Lady, Catherine Larkin called and requested a business meeting for the 16^th. She’s blocked off for two hours plus at four.”

“Her new Project?”

“And an Anchorage. You would know better than me what she is up to.”

tap tap tap... “Make sure that conference room A is swept at three and guarded. Keep a lid on this for now Darrin.”

“Yes, Lady.”

“Thank you.”

“She also referred to my new Toy ... I don’t think it was an accident.”

“It was a message from him. Toy is his word, not Cat’s.”

“I still haven’t discovered the source of their worries, Lady.”

“Me either, and that worries me.”

We were met by security at the entrance to SI on Wednesday afternoon, Cat in her favorite apricot dress and me in my usual, with the addition of a tie. I, of course, was the designated mule, carrying the cases while she toted a small case containing her tablet and a few personal items.

Security led us to Darrin’s office where Cat passed off a dozen fresh baked ginger cookies surreptitiously before allowing him to escort us to the conference room down the hall.

Inside, the large room held a single six-foot table and four chairs. A few white boards were wheeled in, waiting for Cat’s presentation. One of Darrin’s ubiquitous aides brought us each a bottled water and some crackers before departing, closing the door after he left.

Exactly at four, both Moria and Darrin entered and took seats without a word.

“Thanks for seeing us.” She was nervous. Mostly of Moria’s reaction. “If you give me a minute, I can show you want I need.” Using the blue dry erase marker, she went to the white board across from everyone and drew a large ball then four circles around it before a fifth dotted line much further out.

Carefully she marked the positions of each planet and Moria’s space station’s probable location four years from now. Moving sunward from to fourth planet, she marked ‘L1’. “I will need a moving anchor here in a little under four years. Can you help me?”

“What will you be using as a power source, Catherine?”

“Solar radiation. With the sails in place, and a sufficient set of batteries, I believe I can power an early magnetic shield. Until I make a stronger one in four to six more years to replace it, that will have to do. Unless you are close to a break through on warp barriers. Then I will refocus on power first.”

“You expect me to move my station to the Lagrange point of Mars, so you can deploy a magnetic shield for a barren planet?” Moria asked with a twist.

“It doesn’t have to be your space station. That would be a waste, but I need something there and I don’t have the resources or the expertise. I’m too new.” She admitted resentfully, looking at me as if it were my fault.

“What do I get from this?”

“A fifty-year head start on colonizing Mars. Top billing of the solution. What else do you want?” Cat wasn’t being snarky, she was genuinely asking.

“How are you achieving the degree of field strength?”

“By manipulating the Quantum Spins. If I tweak them just right, I can enhance the magnetic field strengths by a factor of a hundred.”

Moria whistled while Darrin looked intrigued. We knew he was not a physicist, but did have greater understanding than most from his close relationship with Moria.

“I can build a platform, but you have to fund it.”

“Okay.”

“Are you willing to share your theories?”

“Not allowed. Master Smith has me under restriction. Until senior graduation, that is.” All three looked at me. I was busy reading up on the latest Villain gossip.

“Cloaks Rule?” Darrin asked from across the table.

“He always reads Villain trash during my meetings.” Cat frowned at me. “Last time with Mr. Peabody, he even read Dilbert for an hour. He doesn’t even like Dilbert.”

“What do you plan on doing with the mirror factories, Catherine?”

“Long term project, I will need a ton later for my laser theories. For now, I’m just stockpiling. How much money will you need?”

“A billion. Give or take.”

“Okay. EPI is ramping up production, I can do three hundred a year for the first two years and then let me know how much more you will need. Deal?”

“Deal.” They shook, then discussed the particulars for the next few hours.

...

On March 16, 2022 the M&M Project came into effect. I was not pleased. I rarely got to eat any of the peanut M&M’s which they stole from me and split two ways. Darrin didn’t mind since he still had a fresh batch of cookies.

It was the first true collaboration between the two and not the last. But ended up being one of the most important.

...

“Why does it seem that the money goes out faster than it comes in?”

“It’s what happens when two people single handedly try to resuscitate a planet.”

“Can we go kill things?”

“Your shotgun is in the trunk.”

“Good.”

“I need a raise.” Darrin sunk down in Lady Strife’s private office’s over-comfortable guest chair.

“You know what will happen once this gets out.”

“She will get crucified. Death threats, persecuted, and prosecuted. The whole world will be after her and you, while her fans cheer her on, defending us and Catherine. War.”

“Yup.”

“The Mars Magnet is not her end goal, is it?”

“Not by a long shot.”

“Do I even want to know?” The mentally and emotionally robust assistant asked with some concern.

“Fusion will be the next step. I think that is what she needs the mirrors for. Stockpiling them now is a good idea. His I bet.”

“And the step after?”

“I have a few guesses, but they are premature.” Lady Strife sat at her desk considering her young compatriot. “I think it’s time to scare Catherine a little. Maybe introduce some caution.”

Observing the condition of her longtime assistant and friend, “AND, I believe it’s time for you to take a long vacation. I will see you back at work on the 4^th.

Get yourself laid early and often. You look like hell. I want to see a tired silly smile on your face when you return. A gold digger on your arm or a foreign spy, an actress is also acceptable, even a Vegas marriage with a decent prenup. Now get out of my office before I call security.”

“Yes, Lady.”

“Sir, you wanted a report on Catherine Larkin’s Holdings.” Began the crisp Lieutenant.

“What have you for me, Roberts?”

“Besides the 62% of EPI, she owns CLink International outright which owns RS Imaging International which recently purchased three machining corporations one in the UF, one in Kanada and one in Ireland. I was unable to determine the initial investment in CLink International, but it had to be well in the hundreds of millions. All three have similar main products, machining the surface of a specific material, increasing smoothness. Making better mirrors, sir.” The young officer added for clarification.

“What else?”

“CLink International’s subsidiary, GB Brothers purchased one aging stamping plant and two failing assembly plants. All three are in Ohio near the Pennsylvania border, less than twenty miles from each other. A large investment was made in all three companies. Earl Brothers Stamping received ten million for new presses and training. The other two each received fifteen million for expansion.” Taking a chance, the Lieutenant offered her own opinion, “I believe the extra is to purchase high end electronics from the third subsidiary which is located in SoCal.”

At her superior’s nod to continue, she straightened even further. “A small chip manufacturer and a small component manufacturer were purchased last week for the one and ten days ago for the other. Both received a similar influx of cash for revamping their systems. I was not able to learn the exact amount, but rumors place it in the forty million range, each.”

The young officer continued standing at ease, while she paused to make her point. “These second and third divisions indicate her intention of building something electronic which requires a solid frame. As to why the mirrors, I do not have information on that, nor could I get any from my sources.”

“Catherine Larkin Incorporated. CLink. Cute.” General Jackson commented aloud with a fond smile. “Miss Larkin has a robot that she calls GopherBot, Lieutenant Roberts. It seems she is planning to sell some to the public. As for the mirrors, leave those to me.

“Were there any other companies in her name?”

“Not a company sir, but a Project that was submitted through General Mayhew on Magnetism. I asked one of my old classmates and he was also at a loss as to what she plans. It was too esoteric for a nuclear physicist aboard the UFS Ohio, sir.” Hinting that whatever Catherine Larkin was up to, was way out there.

“Understood. If your classmate did understand any of Miss Larkin’s pet projects, he would not be where he is now. No demerits for that. I’ll talk to Mayhew later. Well done, Lieutenant. Dismissed.”

*Click. “Mayhew, this is Jackson from DSI. Do you have time to discuss Larkin’s new Project?”

“Have you decided on your junior year’s project?”

“I have not. This is a building and foundation year. Is that okay?” Cat asked unsure of her plans and my acceptance.

“What do you plan on doing first?”

“You said that the Project needs protection right. How about I do that?”

“Well, there are no schools in the area,” I joked.

“Shut it! You are the one that said we need extra security.”

“Show me what you can do. Just try and remember that you need the Project intact after your ‘Security’ is done ‘protecting’ it. I like the trees over there too.”

“You are such a Jerk. AARRggghh. Just you wait and see.” Stabbing me with her fingers in the chest to make her point clearer, Cat made a ‘ferocious’ face. My smile didn’t impress her in the slightest.

“Don’t forget, you still need to make a real ‘floatybot’.”

“Waiting for the mirrors. Nothing more I can do until then.”

...

“Bah, Eagle just called. She is picking up the last consignment of Arrowheads. She will want more and I don’t feel like making them.”

“Has she used any since the weekend she was injured?”

“No. Or if she did, it was quiet.”

“Then don’t. Tell her that those were experimental and you aren’t doing those anymore.”

“I know. You are a bad influence on me. I used to like her and now all I see is a self-righteous woman. Did you hear her calling out the Denver Police last month over not being able to stop Uncouth from getting away with robbing First Regional SNL? He is freaking ethereal, as in having no physical form unless he wants to. How does she expect them to capture someone like that?”

“That is all you. I never said anything negative regarding Eagle.”

“Still your fault and you know it.”

...

“Are you expecting all of Bolivia to attack the Project?” I asked looking over Cat’s blueprints for her sentry.

“Deterrent. The little ones will do all the real guarding.”

“That would deter me.” I pointed at the overblown armament on her proposed security bot.

“Shut it.”

“Two wide bore Gatling Phasers, an EMP grenade launcher, an Arc Stunfield generator, a high speed ceramic close quarters saw and a high frequency strobe. Don’t you think that the seven-centimeter thick Ti-62 composite armor is a tad overkill?” Pulling a split end out of her mouth that Cat had been chewing on, I commented on her latest set of plans. She loved big guns. I had to admit the monstrous robot did make a sizable deterrent. The little ones she designed earlier should be good enough for most saboteurs.

If she could get them programmed and working. A very big ‘if’, if she planned on working on both Bots.

“DE-Terrent! And I said ‘Shut it’. Besides the blasted thing is good practice.” Sigh. “You were right too. This is harder than it looks to get everything linked yet on separate systems. The Stunfield keeps shorting out the saw and I don’t see why.”

I scrolled to page seven and pointed at the culprit.

“Oh. I missed that.” A sign that she needed a break.

“Tomorrow, we leave for a week in Hawaii.”

“I miss her. Rache hasn’t called in three days. Ever since she went to Japan, she asked me not to call her since her schedule is all messed up.”

“I think it’s acceptable to call after three days to make sure she is alive.”

“I know. It’s just another way of distancing herself from us. She has been doing that a lot lately.”

“No Maui for her.”

“Yeah.” Cat didn’t sound enthused, but she needed a break. With all that had happened in the last month, she has not had time to relax.

“I even booked you three more instructor hours.”

“Seven more to go.”

“Go pack.”

...

Wooooosh!... “Coconut, pineapple, and rum. I think when I finish this, I will take a nap. For a week.”

Which is what I hoped for. Her phone call with Rachel didn’t go well. Cat knew, but didn’t want to acknowledge that Rachel was finding every excuse to make Cat be the one to break up instead of having to do it herself.

The trip to Hawaii with just the two of us was the last straw according to the older redhead. Without actually coming out and saying it, naturally.

Cat even passed on her instructor flying time on the second day to ‘work on her tan’. At Cat’s urging, we did touristy stuff including Mt. Kilauea on Wednesday, On the hike back from observing the molten lava, a dozen men in masks with heavy machine guns, grenades, and RPG’s opened up, killing an older couple behind us while trying to wear down our shields.

In tears, Catherine watched the older couple bleed out.

“Enough. Master, get rid of them please.” Holding to my back with her face buried between my shoulder blades Catherine shook in sorrow, believing that it should have been her dead instead of that nice old couple. Something I would need to address later.

Seeing no one alive in the vicinity, besides us and our attackers, I braced my cane over my left forearm and proceeded to shoot our assailants one at a time. Each hit accompanied by a thunderclap caused the target to do what Cat called the Safety Dance and drop. The last three threw aside their heavy weapons and tried to flee or hide behind the uneven terrain. Unsuccessfully.

*Click, “Mayhew. Smith here. Attempted assassination of Catherine Larkin; two civilians dead, twelve attackers unconscious ... We are southeast of Kilauea on the xxx trail ... we can wait, just not here. We will be a little way down the mountain ... Understood.”

“What are you doing?” I asked Catherine as she approached the downed attackers with phone in hand.

Removing each of their ski masks, Cat took their pictures, three for each assailant. Each member of the mercenary team was of Asian descent.

“Just because they look to be Xhinese, doesn’t mean they are,” I warned.

“I know. But maybe someone might be able to identify who they are and give us a good lead. If they are from Ares, I will drop a nuke on his ass,” she said, deadly serious while looking miserably at the couple lying in their own blood.

Within five minutes, a ranger helicopter came into view. Police and army transports arrived twenty minutes later, one after the other. A fun day of exploring turned into a long day of shit.

We were held together, since they were unable to separate us with our forcefields active, until Stalwart arrived. All crimes relating to supers were their jurisdiction. The illegal heavy automatic and military ordinance brought the army in too.

We gave our statements, three times, and then were excused to go to our hut on the beach with the warning not to leave the country in case they needed further questionings.

Catherine snapped.

“I took a picture for those nice people on the lava’s edge. Their Names were Judy and George. They did not deserve to die. I give you one week. ONE WEEK. If you do not have something for me, I will ask Master Smith to investigate the matter. Good day.”

Taking me by the hand, crying, my upset student stormed out of the station dragging me to the taxi and back to our house on the beach.

“I hate them, I hate them, I hate all of them...” Snuggled up against me Catherine cried herself to sleep after returning to the rented house and listlessly eating a light snack with iced tea.

Leaning against the headboard, I stroked her hair and sung an ancient lullaby.

Knock. “Colonel we have a problem.”

“Enter, Sergeant.”

“Ma’am. Someone tried to kill Catherine Larkin yesterday in Hawaii.”

“They failed, what of it?”

“Miss Larkin gave notice that we have one week to provide answers or she will ask Smith to get them for us.”

“Smith is defensive. And never leaves his estate. What do we have on his capabilities?”

“No one knows. He did stun the assailants somehow. He admitted using a Device but would not say its purpose, its effects, or its origins. The team of mercs are all still unconscious and show no signs of awakening.”

“What about your contact in SI?”

“Darrin is in the south Pacific on vacation for a few more days. I sent a message, no reply.”

“Let me know if you find anything out. Our CSI team is on site and the mercs should wake soon for questioning, not that we will get anything but which country they are from.”

*Click, “What are you bothering me for Santos? I’m getting an early morning massage. She has great... hands ... ummm”

“Ass. Catherine Larkin survived another kidnapping attempt. At least we think it was a kidnapping and not a murder attempt.”

“I read. An old couple died in the crossfire, Cat donated a million to charity on their behalf.” At a particularly pleasant sensation, Darrin murmured, “Oui. Right here, cheri.”

“That is, in part, why I am calling. Larkin threatened to sic ‘Master Smith’ on whoever sent them after her unless we get answers in a week. I’m checking to see if you know anything.”

“Sergeant Santos. I truly hope you get something to satisfy Catherine in a week’s time. I really do for all your sake’s. Thanks for ruining my vacation.” *Click. ‘Impotent assholes.’

*Click. “Boss. Looks like someone stepped over Catherine’s no-go line. She gave Stalwart an ultimatum or Smith gets unleashed.”

“I know. Now go back and get laid some more. You are supposed to be on vacation. Not gossiping about teen Idols. Unless you are fucking them senseless.”

“A beintot, Boss.” “Teen idols, my ass,” he groaned in pleasure from the skilled Hands of the young masseuse.

“Please, don’t be useless for once Stalwart. Please.” Darrin Weathers, chanted silently.

Knock. “Colonel White. My contact from SI just returned my call.” the semi-retired, special forces sergeant closed the door behind him...