Chapter 6: Knowledge Gained

I jumped into the driver's seat of the Grav Bus and waited briefly until everyone was aboard. As usual, we were only a couple minutes in getting to our destination.

As the crew piled out of the bus, I stepped between them and our destination.

"Welcome to what we call the 'Garden of Knowledge'" I said, waving my hand at the area behind me.

Behind me was a shimmering wall of energy. The curtain really existed. I saw Mike covering his mouth with a hand to hide his snicker. I did heard a titter from Felicia, and Fred muttered something that sounded like 'Oh Geez!' under his breath.

Passing through the curtain cut off the grumbling about my sense of humor. Behind the curtain, it was a garden!

"This area is the best evidence we have, other than Con's development, that the people who left this behind had a sense of humor. This is a real garden, and it takes up almost the entire area of this platform."

We stood in an area of paving stones and benches that bordered the more natural looking interior.

"The platform is a mile wide circle. Its a big garden. The plant and animal life found here is, we believe, native to the Seeker world, and was returned here, by those who came back. Most of the plants and animals will seem very familiar. For most, but not all of Earth's facets, the flora and fauna are close to identical from facet to facet with only minor differences. Ginny, would you do the honors?"

Ginny walked to the edge of the paving stones and stopped. As she did, a figure appeared before her.

"Greetings Ginny, welcome back! How may I be of service to you today?"

"Greetings teacher, I have come today to introduce new friends to the Garden." She looked back at us.

"Each of you will be introduced to a teacher. They all look remarkably similar to Con and to each other. They all respond to the name teacher. Like Con used to be, they are constructs made of Light. They exist to teach. I would like each of you to go with a teacher and spend the next couple of hours getting your first lessons. I will meet you all back here in two hours. Agreed?"

"You've been through this already?" Arden asked.

"Eru, Ginny and I have. Con obviously did not require it."

Fred, Arden, Alicia, Mike, Cyrus, Chet, and Felicia each in turn stepped up beside Ginny and was introduced to a teacher. Each in turn left, walking into the lush garden beyond, deep in conversation, disappearing down this trail or that.

Eru and Ginny looked at me. We hadn't really discussed what we would do during the two hours it would take for this session.

"You know what Con is off doing. He really loves getting to use that big construction unit. Not that he will need the two hours I've given him to compete his task. I've got a meeting with my Dad to go to. You're both welcome to come with me if you'd like."

"I think I'd like to go back to Meadow and see what there is to make for lunch. It would be nice if they didn't have to make their own lunch, don't you think?" Ginny said.

"I will accompany Ginny, I think." Eru said. "I have been thinking about making something Taluatan for one of our meals, and I noticed we had some very nice looking pork chops in the cooler which would be a good start on several traditional Taluatan dishes."

I jumped the three of us into the kitchen on Meadow, and I quickly went upstairs to change out of my Legion duds and into a shirt and a pair of slacks. With a quick pit stop in the bathroom, I jumped back to the house in Angel's Camp. Mom was happy to see me, and the hug she gave me was a little longer than normal.

<Dad?> I called out.

<Yes Son?>

<Are you ready for that meeting? I'm a little early.>

<Come ahead. Can I do anything?>

<Nope. Gonna try something new though. Be there shortly.>

The Proto-Tech corporate headquarters were located in a building right on the grounds of their main research facility on the outskirts of Stockton, California.

It was a convenient commute for Dad, as he simply got on state highway 4 headed East, and stayed on it until he got to Angel's Camp. What made it attractive for me was that the facility was on a small and relatively isolated private road, which Proto-Tech security cameras only monitored for the last half mile.

I climbed into my GTO and started it up. While the engine sat there idling, I reached out with my senses to that road. This time I forced myself to 'see' where my senses took me. Soon I was watching the long stretch of unmonitored road. As soon as I was sure there was no other traffic, I jumped the car a few inches above the road. I put the car into a high gear, revved the engine and let the wheels touch the asphalt. It sounded a little like the sound jets make when their landing.

With that transition safely made, I quickly pulled up to the security gate and the entrance to the facility. The guard recognized me and the GTO, but checked my I.D. Anyway. I made a note of the name on the guards badge. Dad deserved to know who the thorough and conscientious employees were.

The receptionist at the front desk was prepared for me, and as I walked up, handed me a temporary security card and sent me to the executive elevator.

I keyed the pass into the elevator, and it immediately took me to the top floor. Dad's administrative assistant was waiting for me, and with a very polite "Welcome back Mr. McKesson, your father is waiting for you." ushered me into Dad's office. He had been waiting in front of his desk and gave me a nice hug as soon as I got into the room.

"That'll be all Dianne, thank you." Dad said.

With the door closed behind us, Dad went over to his desk and flipped a hidden switch.

"Okay, we're secure. What brings you here with an official appointment and everything Son?"

"You know of, course, that my project is under way. Right now the new members of my crew are off getting the last of their basic training."

"Yes, your Grandpa mentioned you've been to Chocowinity to set up recruiting a staff for your main location?"

"Yeah we took a little trip over, a couple of days ago. It was good excuse to give the new members of the crew a good look at the focus. I think we have a good handle on solving that staffing problem too. I need to get back with Grandpa on that in a day or two."

I paused for a moment, trying to decide how to lay out my plans.

"Our biggest hurdle, so far, is our inability to unobtrusively transport our team, supplies, support staff and visitors to Meadow and back without compromising our security. In order to achieve that goal, I have a plan."

"And that plan involves Proto-Tech." Dad added.

"Yes and no." I answered. "Here's what I have in mind."

I took a deep breath and began.

"I'm going to have Grandpa setup a McKesson Foundation research grant to fund a project called 'Project Obsidian'. That project will be under the auspices of Proto-Tech Industries, who will build or acquire a facility and in turn lease it to the project. It would require a single large building near Angel's Camp with security at least the equal of what you have here." I suddenly remembered the mental note I'd left myself.

"By the way, my compliments to Lloyd Spangler, the security guard working at the gate when I came through. He was thorough and meticulous in following all the proper procedures, even though he recognized me, and my car."

"I'll make note of that. Its always fun to reward employees who are caught doing good work." Dad said with a smile while he jotted the name down.

"Project Obsidian will provide a valid employer for everyone involved at my end, and give us a secure location to make jumps to and from Meadow. We'll have a 'bigger than needed' cafeteria setup, with large walk-in freezer and reefer units. In addition to that area we'll have a large project warehouse, big enough to store everything from a box of batteries to a brigade of armored vehicles."

"What exactly will the McKesson Foundation be funding Project Obsidian to study?" Dad asked.

"Alternative energy technologies. fuel cells, cold fusion."

I paused for effect to let that sink in.

"We will have a doting grandfather with more money than he can spend, and a loving father with deep pockets of his own and a recently purchased high tech company, happily indulging their ne'er-do-well offspring and his harebrained scheme by buying him a big building to work in and lots of blackboards and chalk to scribble on. It will seem pathetic and harmless."

I sat staring at Dad, letting him absorb what he'd just heard.

"Son this is amazingly well considered. I'm jealous! Because you're not talking anything requiring materials restricted by the government, you avoid interference from any military or environmental oversight. Better yet, if they do get a wild hair and come break the door down to investigate, all they've got is a warehouse, a cafeteria, and a few offices with nonsense scribbled here and there on a few blackboards."

"So you think its workable?" I asked.

"Davey, its inspired! I can't wait to talk to your Grandfather about this." Dad got up from his desk and walked around to shake my hand.

"From now on, this is entirely the concern of the McKesson Foundation and Proto-Tech industries. We'll work out all the details and let you know when you can start showing up at your new workplace. Anything you want to add up front that might be helpful?"

"Keep Fred Sabarte's family in mind if you're looking for an Angel's Camp face to put on anything. Formerio is aware of the reality of our situation, and in his mind, and therefore the family's, when we recruited Fred we recruited the entire family."