“Antarran! Why must you constantly over sleep! Get up, you lazy Royal! There is work to be done!”
“What? Who said that! Show yourself!” I shouted while scanning the apartment.
I must have searched and re-searched every nook and crannie in the place looking for a hidden speaker or listening device of any kind- even the tiniest cracks in the walls and ceiling where nothing could possibly be placed had been probed!
I found nothing.
“What’s an ‘Antarran’ anyway?” I questioned to myself as I walked into the bathroom to prepare for the day. I got as far as picking up my hairbrush and looking into the mirror.
“Oh. My. God! What is happening to my hair? Where is all the blue coming from?” I demanded as I noted a few more strips of blue had mysteriously appeared overnight.
I hurried back to my ‘nightstand’, retrieved my cell and placed another call to Dr. Ramstein’s office- this time using the word ‘emergency’. I didn’t have to fake the worry and fear in my voice when I left the usual message.
 
 
“So how did you find a stylist open on a Sunday, or do you do that yourself, Christina?” Chen asked as he walked into the garage about three minutes after I arrived. At my blank look, he pointed to my hair.
“You know…you might look really exotic if you went all the way with it.” He added before passing me and walking over to his newly assigned ‘life boat’ project.
With my calculations finished and checked for errors yesterday, I allowed myself time to contemplate several things that had happened in my life recently. First, I experienced the strange ‘augmented’ sight on Thursday during the IPD test. I hadn’t tried to recreate that ‘super power’ since, the only exception being when I woke up Friday morning. Next, was my hair’s sudden, but gradual change of color? Was it something triggered by my participation in the Gene Therapy study? Could it have been aggravated in any way by my participation in the IPD project? Finally, the voice I had been hearing just before waking. What was up with that? I had never even experienced déjà vu before, let alone telepathy.
Another matter of concern was when Dr. Smithe might- if it in his heart- pay me. When was that going to happen? Four dollars didn’t buy shit in today’s world and it was only a matter of time before my landlord would be knocking on my door for next month’s as well as the late portion of my rent from this month. The only saving grace was that Dr. Smithe continued to provide dinner the five evenings I worked down here with him and Chen. At least I got one good meal, five days a week!
For some reason the word ‘Antarran’ kept haunting me. To take my mind off that, I asked Chen if there was something I could do to help. Declining my offer and realizing I had nothing better to do at the moment, I logged onto one of the garage’s computer stations. When my login was accepted, I brought up the web browser and thought about how I would go about finding the place ‘Antarrans’ might come from. I ended up typing in ‘Antarra’.
All I got back was plenty of hits for names of people or communications companies, and a few hits referencing the Antares Nebula which the web browser said was located an estimated six hundred-eight lightyears from Earth. That was still a far cry from here.
“So why does that voice keep calling me an ‘Antarran’?”
“You aren’t an Antarran! They have blue hair and blue skin. Antennae, too!” Chen laughed from behind me.
“Those are ‘Andorians’, Anime Geek! And they didn’t have blue hair! Have you ever actually watched those old repeats of Star Trek?” I accused, only slightly irritated, but more embarrassed that he had heard me.
“Just having a little fun at your expense, Christina. Hey, could I borrow you for a few? I need a hand figuring where I can mount these maneuvering emitters.”
“Sure, no problem.” I said as we walked back to his project.
“So what’s this about voices calling you an ‘Antarran’?” Chen asked offhandedly.
“It’s nothing.” I dismissed his question quickly.
“Does it have anything to do with your hair or even those horrible cramps you had a few days ago? I promise I won’t say anything, Christina. May I fall into this Cryo-chamber and get shot out into the vast Cosmos never to return!” He pledged, holding up his right hand.
A chill shot up my spine when he made that promise and I think my mouth fell open.
“Wait! I didn’t mean that literally, Everhardt! It’s just my promise to you that you can trust me. Ummm. Mum’s the word. Is that better?” He said trying to gauge my expression.
“My scholarships and grants ran out last semester.” I began. “Now my rent is past due, my meds just went up in price again, I’m living like a homeless person with very few pieces of furniture, and the only good meal I get is here with you and Dr. Smithe.” I moaned.
“So far it sounds like any of us college students. Go on.”
I rolled my eyes in consternation.
“To try and make ends meet, I volunteered for a gene therapy study over at Pitt. The study offered a stipend for my participation. I thought that might help me stay in school so I can at least graduate next year. I’ll have to postpone attempting my doctorate til later.”
“Hey. If you need some cash, I have a little extra I’ve been saving for a new gaming system. You’re welcome to it if you’re not too proud.”
“I was hoping the money I’d get from this project might also help. So far…I’ve seen nothing but math and test data. And yes I’m too proud to accept your very generous offer, Ichi.” I hope I sounded diplomatic enough to not make him angry.
“No biggie, the offer stands. Now what about this gene therapy stuff?”
“The doctor in charge of the study told me I was the ‘perfect candidate’- that my gender disorder would be ideal for demonstrating one of the many issues the procedure might cure.”
Wait, is this ‘therapy’ supposed to make physical changes? I mean physical changes?” Chen asked looking very confused. I caught him glance to my crotch, but only for a faction of a second.
I blushed.
“Yeah, that’s one of the results I was hoping for. Dr. Ramstein assured me that it could happen. So far all I got out of it are these blue streaks in my hair and a strange female voice that has been waking me up the past two mornings.”
Just my telling him made me feel so gullible!
“So why would some unknown voice refer to you as Antarran? Is that some European nationality like ‘Armenian’?”
“The only related thing I could find online about ‘Antarran’ or ‘Antarra’ is the Antares Nebula. But that’s like half a millennia away from Earth. It makes no sense.” I complained, raising my arms to emphasize my conundrum.
“Look. When considering we’re working on space related stuff down here, your continuing change of hair color, and the fact that some unknown voice has declared you an Antarran, I’m not so sure we can call any of this a coincidence, Christina. It has to mean something and we might not be smart enough to conceptualize it. Smart enough as a race that is. I consider you one of the smartest girls I’ve ever met, by the way.”
That made me blush again.
 
 
After another round of homework and another crack at my Western Civ paper, I again slid between my sheets to get some rest to prepare for my scholastic week.
What I could remember about my dreams was filled with magnificent cities and scenery- futuristic cities the likes of which I’d never imagined! At one point I remembered being seated with several women that shared the same blue hair as me. I mean their hair was completely blue!
Was I destined to join their ranks?
One thing I remembered that stuck out about these women was their breasts, and pardon the pun, but boy did they have development! I could only hope mine stopped at half their size!
That reminded me that I needed to shop for new bras as mine were either wearing out or getting too snug!
Something else about my dream that struck me as interesting was that the women seemed to be being served… like they were some kind of royalty.
Weird.
I decided to forgo any more reflection on my strange dream and tend to my hygiene.
My reflection however, demanded I gasp! Almost a full quarter of my head now sported blue hair!
Unbelievable, but when would it stop?
My cell phone ringing stopped further questions.
“Hello?”
“Miss Everhardt?”
“Speaking.”
“Miss Everhardt, this is Mark Ramstein. I just collected my messages and yours sounded urgent. What seems to be the problem?”
“Well? I’ve…I mean my hair…its changing color, Doctor. Was this one of the observed potential side effects?” I asked in a very unsure voice.
The line seemed to go silent a minute.
“Miss Everhardt? Can you come in sometime today? I think you need to hear something you may not like- something that may make you withdraw from our study.” Ramstein said in a very worried tone.
“I can come over on my lunch break, doctor. Half past noon, if that’s alright?” I offered.
“Great, I’ll personally write in the appointment. See you then, Miss Everhardt.” He sounded relieved as the connection dropped.
“Someone screwed up.” I said to myself as I resumed my daily rituals and prepared for my first class of the new week.
 
 
12:30PM couldn’t get here fast enough and I hurried across town to the Pitt campus and just made it into Ramstein’s reception area as my phone displayed 12:30:00.
As had happened twice previously, Sharon appeared in the door and called my name, stared at me curiously then motioned me back to an exam room.
And, I waited.
The doorknob slowly and quietly turned then the door opened ever so slowly. Dr. Ramstein peeked in then fully opened the door and entered.
“Well, hello, Miss Everhardt. How are we feeling today?’ He asked trying to put a happy spin on this visit.
I simply pointed to my hair and gave him a narrow glare.
The thirty-something doctor gulped. His expression saddened.
“Yes, well, about that. You see… umm… well…” He paused almost a full minute. “We… we had a foul up in the processing lab. Yes… yes. A-a genetic indicator that we had used in previous tests to verify activity somehow was retained in our present base lot of serum…”
“You’re turning my hair blue, Dr. Ramstein.” I challenged angrily.
“So far it seems limited to just you, but our entire test group has been complaining of a whole range of… anomalies, Miss Everhardt. Twenty people of assorted nationalities and both genders. I’ll understand if you wish to press charges, since there is no way at present to rectify this error.”
“But you’re turning. My hair. Blue!” I reasserted.
“And I’m very sorry for the error, Miss Everhardt. But, have you noticed any other changes either physical or psychological? If at all possible, I’d like to keep examining your changes.”
“Really? You reprogram my genes for blue hair and you want to know if anything else has changed… or will change?”
“Weeeell…yes. Soooo…has it?” He pressed cautiously.
“Not that I’ve noticed unless you count the strange female voice that’s been waking me up from a deep sleep the past three mornings.” I said sarcastically, but with a serious expression that I continued to hold.
Ramstein regarded me for a few moments.
“You’re serious, aren’t you? You’re really hearing a female voice? In your mind? But it’s not your own?”
“Correct.”
Ramstein looked flabbergasted.
“I can also see strange orange auras from almost everything around me. I can toggle it on and off just by closing and opening my eyes. Care to explain that one, doctor?”
I got no response other than a blink or two of his eyes.
I blinked to correct him and experienced the orange aura around him too. I also noticed that I could see faint orange ‘smears’ or ‘pools’ in the walls, in the floor, and up in the ceiling.
I blinked again to turn it off.
“Then there are the vivid dreams in which I’m sitting among several other women that have completely blue hair and look to be very busty. They might even be royalty. I think they call themselves ‘Antarran’, doctor. Am I going to need to see a psychologist because of this ‘mix-up’?” I asked caustically.
“We made some allowances for that in the proposal, Miss Everhardt. I can recommend a very understanding professional.”
“Don’t bother, I’ll keep with the program and hope your people haven’t screwed anything more up. BUT, so help me, if my dick starts getting bigger…” I paused to settle myself down. “Just hope that doesn’t happen!” I threatened.
I stood from the exam table and walked out the door, only stopping to confirm the appointment with ‘Sharon’ for next week and to collect this week’s payment.
“I like what you’re doing to your hair?” She tried to compliment as I walked out of the office.
She obviously wasn’t in the loop.
Or maybe she was and that was her way of rubbing my nose in it!
 
 
“Everhardt?”
“What?!” I responded to Dr. Smithe heatedly.
His reaction was very predictable. He frowned at me.
“Having a bad day, Everhardt?” He inquired stiffly.
“Worse than any to date. Sorry, doctor. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.” I apologized.
“We all have them, Everhardt. In fact, you’ve saved me from a few since you joined the project.” He said to ease the tension.
I felt myself blush again.
“I was going to ask you if you sent off your drawings and calculations to drafting so we can get the new emitter back for test.”
“I did. I actually sent the files Saturday before Chen and I locked up. They should be working on them as we speak.” I assured.
“Good, good. Well, since that’s taken care of, what say we check in on Chen’s add-on project?” He motioned me ahead of him.
The seven foot long escape pod was definitely taking shape. I could see that Chen had mounted the small attitude thrusters so that they were optimally located on the smooth chamber as we had discussed. Ten of the original IPD ‘emitters’ had been used; four at the head end, four at the foot end, and two I assumed to be the main thrust emitters mounted at the very bottom end of the chamber.
“Looks like it’s coming along, Chen. When might we hook it up to the test chamber for preliminaries?”
“I’m about ready to install the flight and Cryo control computer so it’s just a matter of programming before I hand it over for testing, doc.”
“And the positive feedback? Have we made any headway on that? I’d like to be able to demonstrate a fully operational lifeboat next week if at all possible.”
“I was hoping to get the new rev IPD into the test chamber and conduct feedback tests on that. I figure I’ll be able to scale that data back and apply it to the lifeboat when we get the new grids. My only concern is how much of a load the Cryo unit will draw. We already have valid specs on the old IPD emitters and flight computer.” Chen reported with a confident grin.
“I propose we add Everhadts’ ‘grids’ to the Lifeboat emitters and scale the results up?” He suggested.
“That’ll work too, doc.” Ichi agreed.
“Good! Good job! Both of you!” Smithe praised before turning and leaving the garage.
“And there he goes again.” I said offhandedly. I thought it strange that he only showed up to make sure we were working. “You’d think he has another job or something.”
“Before you started he was here every afternoon and well into the evening most days- weekends included.” Chen informed me.
“It’s like he trusts you or something, Christina.” He added with a quirky smile.
“I’d say he trusts you more than me, Ichi.”
“Ah, but you propelled the project past a major hurdle with your brilliant math skills and that ‘outside the box’ thinking you do.” He reminded.
“Not to mention I think he favors that outrageous hair of yours. It’s kinda grown on me too, by the way.”
“You want it? If I could, I’d give it to you, Ichi.” I smiled as I thought of something.
“You know? With the blue hair and your Asian features you would look like one of those old Anime characters.”
“Ah. But the really good ones were drawn just like you, Christina- tall, lithe, and blue-haired! Oh, yeah. They also shared that ‘royal’ attitude of yours.” Ichi laughed with a big, warm smile.
He may not have intended it, but he hit upon a recent sore spot.
“Christina? What’s wrong?”
“Remember when we talked about the dreams and that strange female voice I keep hearing?”
“Yeah? So?”
“So in the most recent dreams, the ones I can remember; the Antarran women looked like they had servants- like they were actual royalty! It seems too much of a coincidence that you would mention ‘royalty’, Ichi. I’m sorry. I guess I can get a little bitchy at times- too sensitive. Forget what I said or inferred.”
I blinked and unintentionally turned on my still mysterious, augmented sight.
Ichi Chen’s aura was somehow brighter- actually a brighter shade of orange than I had noticed previously. Something else caught my strange, modified sight.
“What’s this?’ I asked as I walked over and carefully picked up a gallon-sized, ceramic pot. I was curious why a simple container would have such a bright and brilliant orange luminescence- almost like it was filled with some brightly phosphorescent liquid.
“Um…I think they call that a crucible?” Ichi answered sarcastically, but his expression showed he was confused about why I’d asked.
“Duh!” I turned my head and stuck out my tongue.
“Well? You asked.”
“I meant what is in it. There’s some kind of luminescent liquid in it. What’s Dr. Smithe going to use it for?”
A thought hit me and I gently placed it back on the crowded worktable.
“Damn! I hope it isn’t radioactive.” I cursed as I looked at my hands. I relaxed as I saw only the ‘normal’ orange aura around them.
“Could you hand me a clean rag, please?” I asked to cover my strange actions.
“Sure, hang on.”
I felt a cloth in my outstretched hand.
“Thanks, Ichi.”
“Here, Christina, was there some grease or adhesive or something… on the… outside… of…look, if you wanted me to go away for a moment, you should have just asked.”
“What? I thanked you for the rag, Ichi, what are you mad about?” I asked as I looked back to him and noticed he still had a clean rag in his hand.
He must have brought two just in case.
“Christina, I didn’t give you any rag yet. When I came back with one, you already had one in your hand. Quit teasing.”
Ichi looked serious as he answered me.
I found myself staring at my hand and the white cloth I held in it.
“As far as anything being in that crucible? It’s empty, Christina. It’s never been used as far as I know- never been moved.
“But I can see the orange…”
My curiosity got the better of me and I cautiously extended my right pointer to the mouth of the container.
Ever so slowly, I lowered my finger toward the glowing orange substance.
“What are you doing, Christina? I told you it’s empty. Quit fooling around.
My finger made contact with the unknown substance.
I felt…something. Something I had no way of describing.
“Oh, my God! What is this stuff?” I gasped in surprise as I quickly withdrew my finger as well as my hand.
“Um, it’s called air? Christina? Are you sure that you are all right? Are you on the brink of losing it? If so, I need to get you out of here before you hurt yourself or us both.” Ichi asked, very worried and concerned.
“You can’t see this stuff?” I asked as I motioned back to the crucible in confusion.
“It looks empty to me, Christina.”
“Here, let me show you. Give me your finger.” I suggested.
“This isn’t going to turn out to be one of those ancient ‘pull my finger’ jokes is it?”
“I’m completely serious, Ichi!” I growled. “Let me show you.”
He capitulated and I slowly eased his finger toward the substance until the tip just touched the surface.
“FUCK!” He screeched, instantly pulling his finger from my grasp and away from the container in the process. “What the hell was that? How did you do that? My finger tip’s numb now!”
“Let me see.” I requested.
A bright orange, glowing smudge was visible on his fingertip.
“Is it still numb?” I asked as I debated touching it.
“Yeah. It seems to be spreading though. It feels numb up to the first joint.”
That didn’t sound good.
Taking a deep breath, I gently touched the smudge and watched in wonder as the smudge migrated to my finger! All I felt was a slight tingle.
My finger tip didn’t go numb like Ichi experienced.
“Hey? What’d you do? I have feeling in my finger again. It’s…it’s back to normal!” Ichi demanded as he stared at me, wide-eyed, with his jaw open.
“I honestly don’t know, Ichi. I saw this orange ‘smudge’ on your finger and when I touched it, it migrated to me, but my finger didn’t go numb like your’s did. All I felt was a little tingle.” I explained, just as confused as him.
“You saw an ‘orange’ ‘smudge’? But I didn’t see anything at all. What the hell is going on around here?” He swore as he looked around the disaster zone we called the ‘garage’.
“For our safety, do you see any more of that orange stuff lying around? I don’t want to step in it if I can help it.”
That was a good question and I began closely scanning some of the larger containers, bowls, and dishes around us.
In some degree or another, everything had an orange glow or aura around or in it! I conveyed my findings to Ichi.
“So you see it everywhere? Could it be something natural…ly occuring, I mean?” He asked.
I shrugged my shoulders in reply.
“That thing with the rag… think you could do that again? As an experiment to quench our curiosity?”
“You mean quench your curiosity, right? I’m not even sure I believe what happened.” I told him honestly.
“Well. Maybe try asking ‘whatever’ to manifest a rag in your hand?” He suggested.
“You mean,” I extended my hand, open palm up. “And say ‘can I please have a clean rag’?”
“NO FREAKIN’ WAY!” He shouted in shock.
A clean, white terry cloth rag sat folded neatly in my palm!
 
 
“Christina! Chris, wake up! Come on Chris! You have to wake up!” I heard Ichi shouting and felt someone gently slapping my left cheek.
“What? What happened?” I asked feeling very groggy.
“What happened? Christina! You’re a FREAKIN’ Witch! That’s what happened!” Chen answered like he had just won the MegaBall.
“Huh?” I asked intelligently.
Ichi helped me to my feet then looking squarely into my eyes he said:
“Christina, you’re a witch!”
“Yeah. That’s what I thought I heard you say. Bullshit!”
“No bullshit, Chris!”
“Don’t call me ‘Chris’!” I hissed.
“Um…no bullshit, Christina. Better?”
I nodded.
“Do it again,” my co-worker exclaimed with child-like exuberance.
I glared at him.
“I’m serious! Come on Christina. Do it just this once. Pleeeease?”
“What should I try to create next? A witch’s wand, Haggrad?” I asked sarcastically as I held out my upturned right hand again.
“Fuuuuuuuuh!” He wheased as his eyes almost popped out of his head- his mouth a gaping cavern.
“Ther…there’s a-a-a-a-a-a-a…a magic wand in my hand!” I cried in horror as I just stared at the thing!
“Sooooooo…so are you affiliated with DC, Marvel, or Dark Horse Comics?” Chen deadpanned nervously.
“What?” I looked up from the ornate wooden shaft in my shaking palm.
“Can’t be Marvel, they already have the ‘Red Witch’; so DC or Dark Horse, Hermione?”
“Hermione?” I groused as I glared at him.
“Ummmm…riiiiiight. Maybe we should get back to work?” Ichi grinned nervously.
At first I thought he was looking at my chest, but then I followed his horrified stare.
I was actually pointing the unexplained wand at him!
“Go away!” I shouted and went to drop the wooden shaft only to have it disappear!
A stifling silence descended onto the garage as we both looked to my right hand in amazement.
“Yeah…I think getting back to work is-is… it’s a great idea. I um… I’d rather we not say or-or tell anyone about this?”
Ichi’s expression didn’t change, but he nodded a few time. His attention never left my hand.
“Okay. Good.” I agreed nervously before turning and wondering back to my whiteboard in a full on daze.
Had I just um…’conjured’ some rags and then a magic wand?
 
 

 
 
“Finally, Antarran! Finally, you have discovered your true talent. Now wake up, you lazy bones!”
“Wait! Who are you? Where are you?” I shouted to an empty apartment as I jumped from my bed.
Quickly snatching my phone, I unlocked my screen and stared at the date. Tuesday? But it had felt like I was somewhere… I tried to remember where I had been but drew a hazy blank. It seemed that information hadn’t transcended from dream to reality.
Approximately one third of my head had changed from my original black to ‘Royal Antarran Blue’ as I had started calling the shade.
“If my dreams are fact instead of fantasy shouldn’t I have a crown or tiara?” I wondered aloud.
“Maybe I should be careful of what I wish for.” I chided myself as I carefully touched the bejeweled diadem secured proudly to my head.
I ‘willed’ it back to wherever it had come from and the thing vanished!
“That could be a handy talent. I wonder if I can make anything for breakfast? A nice egg and cheese omelet and a small orange juice might be nice.” I giggled as I motioned to the sink top.
‘I could really pack on the pounds if I keep this up.’ I thought to myself as I took the plate and glass to the countertop separating my main living area. Next time I’ll have to remember utensils, I thought as I took my sole fork from the silverware drawer in the kitchen.
I sat down on the rickety, old metal-legged bar stool that had been left from the previous renter and placed the plate and glass on the counter that separated my bedroom area from my living-dining area and placed a forkful into my mouth.
“Hmmm, not bad for newly discovered magic.” I said as I swallowed the first bite of ‘magically produced omelet. “I wonder where I got the recipe?” I giggled.
This magic stuff was actually fun!
 
 
The shrill whistle and shouting caught my attention and brought me back to the current reality. Somewhere close by, the campus police were in hot pursuit of some felon.
I noticed that I had my ‘augmented’ sight enabled. And scanned the sidewalks and crosswalks in my immediate surroundings.
I was amazed by the many various shades of orange surrounding my fellow students.
One man though had a deeper orange glow than anyone else near me. His aura was more of a light red.
Another whistle shrilled out and the man with the strange reddish aura looked around nervously. His pace increased and he seemed ‘spooked’
“Hey, you! Stop, Campus Police!” an officer shouted as he appeared from around the corner of a building behind the nervous guy.
The guy started to jog after looking back at the cop.
Stop right now!” The patrolman shouted. As he sped up.
Mr. Nervous broke out into a full on sprint.
I guess he was the suspect?
The cop looked like he was contacting someone on his radio and, by my observations, wasn’t going to come close to catching his fugitive.
‘Wouldn’t it be funny if the bad guy slipped on a banana peel and got caught?’ I thought humorously.
To my amazement, the escaping ‘person of interest’ slipped and landed flat on his back, sliding to a stop after several feet, and groaning in pain. Beside his head lay a discarded, blackened banana peel!
“Oh, this is one for the books!” The officer laughed/wheezed as he passed by me, slowing to an easy jog.
“I better get to class.” I said to myself as I cautiously looked around to see if anyone had seen what I assumed I did.
 
 
A large cardboard box measuring roughly three feet square by two feet high sat on my worktable as I entered the garage.
“Hey, Christina. Prototyping delivered the new emitter about an hour ago. Need help unpacking it?” Chen asked as he walked over.
“It really shouldn’t be too heavy. I calculated about seven pounds.”
“Seven? Seven pounds? Damn! Couldn’t you make it any lighter?” He asked, stunned.
“Why? Is it still too heavy for use on a spacecraft?” I asked innocently.
“We were alotted eighty pounds for the whole unit. Hell, the bell nozzle and steering servos take up most of that! About sixty pounds.” He revealed.
“I thought it was pretty heavy when we were mounting it to the test cradle.” I admitted.
“Ah! I see we got our new emitter!” Dr. Smithe’s voice rang out through the garage. “Why isn’t it installed and being readied for preliminaries?”
“Chen said they just delivered it an hour ago, Doctor, and I just got here.” I informed him.
“Oh. Well, let’s get to it! The sooner we test this baby the sooner we get paid.”
“We get paid, sir?” I asked sarcastically.
Smithe glared at me then grinned. “Yeeeeessss, we get paid. But not if it doesn’t get assembled! Hop to it!”
 
 
This evening Dr. Smithe actually helped me install the new emitter. That surprised me as he usually spent our work sessions helping Chen.
“So we’re ready then?” he asked as I clicked a control cable plug into place and securely safety-wired it.
“Not yet, Doctor. Chen needs to breakout the servo control signals, re-terminate them, connect them to the appropriate emitter array element drivers, and reprogram the controller to recognize our new phased array emitter.
“Hmmm. It looks a bit skeletal, Everhardt. Can we dress it up a skoash?”
“For the preliminaries we really don’t need cute or fancy for demonstration, Doctor.” I said but could see there was something he wasn’t telling me. “The big-wigs are coming, aren’t they?” I asked with narrowed eyes.
“I’m afraid so, Everhardt. NSA, NASA, DOD, The Pentagon… Next Wednesday. Need I say more?”
“I’ll get back to designing a protective shroud behind the emitter. Friday okay if drafting rushes it through?”
Smithe’s smile was warm and full of pride. It warmed me to my core. He quickly turned and almost ‘skipped’ over to Chen’s worktable. Within the next hour I had a very elegant and functional shroud designed and sent the files to drafting with a ‘rush’ icon in the message’s header. I also explained in the accompanying email that we needed it as-soon-as, if not sooner.
After dinner, Smithe again disappeared and left us on our own.
“He really, really likes you, Christina. You might wanna be on the lookout, he might want to adopt you.” Ichi teased as I walked over to see if he needed a hand.
“Yeah, sure. Could you go over there and grab that logic analyzer? I’m having a little trouble with the timing pulses. I think one of the data lines are hanging.
I don’t know why I did it, but I held out my hands and thought about the piece of test equipment coming to me.
“You better be glad Ol’ Smithie isn’t here to see that, Christina! He’d throw us both out in less than a heartbeat.”
“I just wanted to see if I could do it.” I said as I handed the analyzer over to him.
“Thank you, by the way.” He smiled and turned back to the lifeboat.
 
 
The rest of my week went by relatively quickly and I found my propensity toward magic developing at an astounding rate. By Sunday evening, I found several ‘novel’ uses for my wand and I discovered that my ability to cast, dare I say it, ‘spells’ improving rapidly. There were now ‘wards’ on my door and windows to repel burglars. Not kill, but repel. I figured a fall from a second floor apartment wouldn’t hurt too badly.
We also concluded our research on my proposed ‘recovery screen’. We had several manufactured for the legacy emitters Chen was using on the Lifeboat. I had adapted a larger one to our new IPDs5 Drive module and had just plugged it into a modified power converter.
 
 
“The IPDs5 looks very professional, Everhardt. In fact, it looks ready to be installed on one of our Orion launch systems.” Smithe complimented Monday afternoon.
“Thank you, but I’m not sure it’ll have enough thrust at this size to power the Orion, doctor.” I downplayed his compliment.
“AH! Eureka! Found the problem…finally!” Chen shouted from further into the garage.
“Finally found the problem, doc! One of the flash mems had the wrong access speed. I just need to change it and we’ll be golden for the demo on Wednesday. Ricky Lynn… um… Prof. Samuels would be proud of me!” Chen reported- small circuit board in hand, as Smithe and I stopped next to him. “She was right. Talkin’ to the circuitry like it’s your kid really does help.” He admitted.
Aside from a moderate sized rat’s nest hanging out from the interior of the lifeboat, it looked very futuristic, capable, and ready. It’s newly cleaned, glossy white skin reflected the bright overhead lights beautifully where dirty handprints and other various sized smudges had marred the effect before.
“So this thing really puts people into suspended animation?” I asked Chen, but Smithe answered instead.
“A proven technology from Nuclear medicine used to cryogenically statialize their varied species test subjects. I just scaled it up for higher primates: gorillas and in this case, humans. Of course I had to modify the cryo rates and thawing dwells to fit human anatomy and physiology. Want to try it on for size, Everhardt?”
A violent shudder shot through me!
“Are you feeling alright, Everhardt? Did I say something that upset you?” Smithe asked in alarm.
“No, I’m okay, doctor. I don’t know where that came from.”
“Someone walking on your grave maybe?” Chen teased.
“I don’t find that funny at all, Mr. Chen! Not funny!” I hissed, turned, and stomped back to my worktable.
The night came to a relatively calm end.
 
 

 
 
“They’re here.” Chen said excitedly as I entered the garage. It was still early and when Dr. Smithe emailed me it was a request to be here at 10AM for the first demonstration.
Last evening we had mounted the completed lifeboat into the test chamber for today’s demonstration. Dr. Smithe had decided to present it as an emergency system NASA should incorporate into every Orion. Tomorrow would be our new IPD’s turn. But first came our project introduction in one of the smaller lecture halls.
 
 
Together, we walked outside and entered our makeshift control room. There, Smithe introduced us to three uniformed military men, two nicely suited men, and two smartly dressed businesswomen.
“Initialize propulsion and attitude emitters.” Smithe ordered.
“Propulsion and attitude ‘emitters’?” One of the women, Anna McCorkle: NASA’s Orion Project Lead Engineer, questioned.
“Our new designs utilize a completely new propulsion system that consists of several small ion generators, or what we call Ion Propulsion Drives. We’ve eliminated the cumbersome exhaust nozzle and its accompanying control servomechanisms to make the system lighter, more compact, and more reliable. Everhardt here came up with the idea and I urged her to refine it. Although the emitters used on our lifeboat are actually the spares from our previous IPDs4 prototype that we have already tested for proof of concept. You’ll see Everhardt’s genius incorporated into the IPDs5 prototype in the test chamber tomorrow, ma’am.”
“Lifeboat external power enabled.” I announced. “Power bus stable at 1% load.”
“Flight and Cryo control system booting, Dr. Smithe.” Chen reported. “Flight and cryo computer online.” He added two seconds later.
“Emitter startup successful. Receiving 35% usable positive feedback. Switching to main battery power bus. Computer is modulating positive feedback into battery charging circuit.” I reported with a smile. “Charging system is online and requesting only a 0.3% charge level from external power buss. Battery bus load holding at 5%”
“What’s this ‘positive feedback’ thing I keep hearing,” the Air Force Colonel asked? I caught him staring at my hair until he noticed that I noticed and looked back toward Smithe.
“Our initial tests of the IPDs4 indicated that the unit actually fed back a noticeable potential into the main supply. We decided to use the power and not waste it. Our power conversion efficiency jumped to over eighty percent.
“Astounding. Continue.” Col. Armstrong requested sounding very pleased.
Smithe nodded to Chen.
“Enabling Cryo system start.” He announced.
“MPB load jumped to 10%. BCS requesting 5% charge level.” I said with a smile.
“Start the Cryo stasis sequence. This is the critical point in our test, ladies and gentlemen. The Cryo stasis procedure requires the heaviest power demand from the onboard supply. The higher the load we see, the shorter the occupant will stay in Cryo-sleep.
“MPB up to 35%; BCS requesting 35% charging level. Positive feedback holding at…” I rechecked my reading to be certain. “Holding at 35%!”
“What?” Chen looked over at my display screen and his mouth dropped open slightly. “Damn.”
“Is something wrong, Doctor? Was the feedback not supposed to hold steady?” Anna McCorkel’s collegue, Marta Dennis-Green questioned worriedly.
“No. The data is even better than we presumed.” Smithe answered.
Marta gently touched my shoulder as she leaned down to look over my shoulder.
“Cryo stasis sequence at 50%.” Chen alerted.
“MPB and BCS loads are still holding.” I said gleefully.
“Better than expected, I take it, Christina?” Marta whispered.
I nodded and kept my eyes on my readings.
“Love the blue hair by the way. Very daring and exotic.” She added in a whisper.
“Thank you, ma’am.” I answered quietly.
“Cryo stasis achieved. 100%. Cryo system switching to maintenance mode.”
“MPB and BCS loads dropping back to 12% and 10% respectively.” I reported.
“Okay, Everhardt. Give it 1% control signal on the positive attitude emitters. Station-keeping mode.” Smithe requested as his face went serious.
As I had done last week, I made the adjustment to the slide control and clicked ‘Set’.
“Test cradle load cells are indicating one thousand pounds of thrust, Doctor.” Chen said with a very big smile.
“Positive feedback jumped to 40%; MPB up to 12.6%; BCS to 10.1%” I read off the levels in disbelief.
“Is that even possible? Basically pulling power out of the vacuum of space, I mean?” Marta Green gasped. “and at only one percent?”
“Everhardt. Open the external power bus breaker to remove it from the lifeboat power buss.” Smithe ordered.
Reaching to the left of my console, I tripped the power breaker and watched monitor 4 to see it rack out.
“External power is disconnected, doctor. The lifeboat is sustaining itself.”
“Any change to the loads?”
“MPB and BCS loads are holding steady.” I reported.
“Bravo, Christina. Bravo.” Marta Green congratulated and patted my shoulder softly several times.
 
 
“God, I feel good!” I exclaimed to my empty apartment after closing and locking the door then re-enabling the magical ward I had placed on it. I was actually starting to get the hang of this magic stuff!
Our test of the lifeboat was an unprecedented success and the two engineers from NASA were very impressed.
“This calls for a little celebration.” I said as I pointed to the counter-topped room divider. A bottle of wine and a clean crystal wine glass suddenly appeared. I motioned with my finger and the cork ‘jumped’ out of the bottle with a ‘pop’.
Pouring a glass, I sipped the liquid and approved.
Yep. I was quickly developing my talent. Now all I needed was some good, sharp Cheddar and I could sit back and relax to watch my favorite stream on my small, hard to hear (because the speaker was so small), cell phone.
‘Maybe I should conjure up a wall-size TV?’ I thought to myself.
“Naw. That would be taking advantage of this miracle I had received. I thought about and pulled from my backpack, my latest participation check. With my magic skills advancing I could apply the whole amount to my rent.
That helped me feel even better. I actually felt lighter.
 
 
“Dammit, Antarran! Get yer lazy ass outta the sack! Times awastin’!”
“I’m up!” I shouted to the near-empty apartment as I was suddenly on my feet and shaking fiercely.
“Well, that wasn’t the same voice I heard previously.” I moaned, cradling my head in my hands after calming down a few moments. This time the voice had just about deafened me!
“Maybe I should request names before I talk to anyone in these dreams?” I suggested to myself.
Today’s inspection revealed that over half my hair had changed color, but the overall variegation gave it a muted, steel blue cast now.
 
 
“Morning, Christina. Ready for the big demo?” Ichi asked as I opened then locked my pack in the desk drawer under my worktable.
“Oh, hey. Anna and Marta from NASA asked to speak to you as soon as you arrived. They said they’d meet you out beside the Control Room. Sounds like they want to steal you away from me… us.” He said. I detected the slightest bit of red in his cheeks.
I smiled and turned to go meet the two VIPs.
“Oh! Almost forgot. Thanks for shaming the Doc. He finally let the moths escape!” He excitedly reached into his back pocket and handed me a plain, windowed, business envelope.
My eyes widened exponentially as I read the amount of the Department of Defense’s pay check and attached receipt.
“Yeah, I just went up a few tax brackets too.” Chen laughed.
“I better get out there.” I pointed to the door that led outside to the test chamber and Control room.
“Here’s to that being doubled or tripled if they offer, Christina. Go get ‘em!”
 
 
“Ah, Miss Everhardt. Thank you for seeing us. Marta and I would like to ask you a few questions. First: How do you do that? Your hair, I mean. Do you add some every night?” Anna McCorkle asked with a wide, warm smile.
“Actually, I’m participating in a gene therapy study over at Pitt. This,” I grabbed a handful to illustrate, “seems to be an unseen side effect.”
“Well don’t change it! Marta and I both agree it sets you apart.”
“Like nobility.” Marta Green added quickly.
I was stunned! How could they know?
“Miss Everhardt?”
“Yeah, sorry. I sometimes get flashes of ideas at the oddest times. You were saying?” I apologized, trying to cover my reaction to the innocuous statement.
“I hadn’t said anything else. You just froze when Marta added her two-cents. Anyway, we’d like to talk to you about your radical new propulsion system. What made you decide to use a phased ion ‘emitter’ and forego the thrust bell?” Anna asked.
Dr. Smithe’s prototype already utilized the ion generator before I joined the project, ma’am. After I found a tiny math mistake, we retested his version of the IPD. All three of us were stunned by the output of that thing.” I said with a smile.
“How much output are we talking, Miss Everhardt?” Marta asked this time. She seemed extremely interested. Maybe she was the lead propulsion engineer?
Twenty-four thousand pounds at only five percent control signal.
There was a stagnant pause outside of the Control Room that seemed to last a few minutes.
“You did say twenty-four ‘K’ at only five percent, right?” Anna sounded taken aback.
I nodded.
“Mother of God! How can that even be possible, Christina? I can call you Christina, right?”
I nodded.
“Will it work in an atmosphere?” Marta questioned.
“Maybe? Dr. Smithe didn’t discuss any tests within normal atmospheric conditions.” I answered.
“I’ll go talk to him, Marta. Be right back.” Anna said as she turned and headed to Smithe’s office.
Marta smiled at me as we waited. “Have you started to think about your post grad career, Christina? I’m certain there’s a place for you at NASA. With what I’ve seen so far, I’d gladly recommend you. You could be our ‘princess in the rough’ at JPL.” She sang as she motioned to my hair.
I looked to the woman with narrowed eyes.
What did she know that I was missing?
“Look, just think about our offer, but please remember this phrase that I use as a mantra to null the day to day stress.”
“Deorum protegas me, et custodiet me donec inventa est.”
“What’s it mean,” I asked with interest.
“Just a little prayer for protection, calm, and luck. Commit it to memory, Christina. It might come in handy one day.”
“Um…okay?” I agreed hesitantly. It sounded like Latin, I thought and repeated the phrase a few times until I thought I had it memorized.
 
 
“Ladies and Gentlemen. Today’s test firing of our latest version of our Ion Propulsion Drive System or IPDs5 as we call it has been modified somewhat. I have been asked… challenged, actually… by Dr. Anna McCorkle to conduct the IPDs5 tests in Earth normal atmosphere.” Smithe paused to address any blatant negative statements.
“So… Everhardt? Start re-pressurizing the test chamber.”
“Certainly, Doctor,” I said as I flipped the switch that disabled the chamber’s vacuum pump and enabled the sequence that would gradually let air back into the chamber.
“Re-pressurization in ten minutes.” I announced.
 
 

 
 
“Test chamber is fully normalized, Doctor.” Christina reported.
We had been patiently waiting for the ten minutes to elapse to initiate the IPDs5 demo.
“Everhardt. Bring the MPB online.” Ol’ Smithie ordered and she quickly and efficiently carried out the request.
“IPDs5 control system coming online, Doctor.” I reported, as my eyes didn’t budge from my display screen. “Controller online.” I added as my notification pop-up went green.”
“As we did before, Everhardt. Initialize IPDs5 Emitter.”
Christina clicked her mouse a couple times and we heard a slightly louder whistling noise through the plywood walls. As like last time it sounded like a turbine spinning up.
“IPDs5 Emitter initialized and online, Doctor.” She confirmed.
“1% control signal, Everhardt.”
Again Christina made the necessary adjustments and monitor 1 showed the new emitter start to glow a dull red.
“Load cells are reading four thousand pounds of thrust, Doctor.” I gasped in awe of the sheer power this thing was producing!
Behind me, our two NASA guests also gasped in amazement.
“Chen? Run the joystick around the outer extents to test the array response.”
As I had during yesterdays test of our lifeboat, I slowly moved the joystick on my console around in a circle and closely monitored the test chamber load cells.
“Tracking accuracy within 1% with only a four nanosecond response delay. WOW!” I reported and succumbed to my building excitement.
In my peripheral, Dr. McCorkle leaned down to Christina.
“So. When can you start? This thing is completely off the charts, honey.”
“IPDs5 Internal Convertor is receiving all of its power from the IPD positive feedback circuit. External MPB load is 0%.” She announced.
“Open External MPB. Let’s see how this responds on internal only.” Dr. Smithe requested.
“External power bus is now disconnected from IPDs5 test unit, Doctor.” She announced.
I looked out to the prototype lifeboat we had left on display just outside the Control room door. Several of our guests had requested seeing the inside of the highly modified Cryo chamber. I had to wheel it out earlier this morning after replacing my test program with a first rev of the actual lifeboat operating system complete with a basic star chart database. I was that sure the NASA engineers would pick it up.
“So how much can your test stand withstand, Dr. Smithe?” The Marine Major inquired. “I mean if this system is this efficient, shouldn’t we consider putting it in our next generation fighters and transports?”
“Our test chamber is certified to one million pounds of force. Each load cell is rated at over two million, Major Summers.”
“Can we take it up to… say five hundred thousand pounds, Doc?” Major Summers requested.
“Have the deadman cables been attached and tested, Chen?” Ol’ Smithie asked.
“Everhardt and I double checked them before we started depressurization last evening, doctor.” I affirmed.
“Everhardt? Start ramping up the control signal until the load cells indicate five hundred thousand pounds of thrust. Coordinate with her, Chen.” Smithie requested.
Christina’s eyes met mine. She didn’t seem too enthusiastic about complying with doc’s request, but I smiled and winked at her in support.
“2% Control signal.”
“Eight thousand pounds.” I announced.
“3% Control signal.” Christina said.
“Sixteen thousand pounds.” I gasped.
“BPS has stabilized and charging system is tending. IPDs5 Emitters are now self-sustaining. 4%.”
“Thirty-eight thousand.”
Christina’s mouth dropped open and her eyes looked ready to drop out of their sockets, but she made another adjustment with her mouse
“5%.” She announced with a slight vibrato in her voice.
“Eighty thousand!” I announced excitedly.
“6%.”
“My God! Two hundred thousand!”
Christina began biting or maybe chewing on her lower lip nervously.
“7%.”
“Five hundred thousand- eight hundred! Hooooly shit, Christina!”
“Bravo, Miss Everhardt! Dr. Smithe, you have one helluva team! Dr. Green and I can hardly believe what we’re seeing here! Astounding!”
“Take it up another percentage!” The Army General demanded. “You engineering types always underrate things.”
“Gen. Mann, I would strongly advise against any further control increase. If my observations are correct, the next percent advancement will more than double the thrust the IPDs5 is producing. Please reconsider your request?” Dr. Smithe insisted.
“Doc? The foundation cells are already reporting excessive strain. The whole test chamber might launch if we give it any more.”
“Just take the damn thing up another percent, Smithe!” The DOD isn’t paying your project to cut and run!”
“General?” Major Summers called for the man’s attention. “I’m with Smithe on this one, sir. They’ve already established what would seem to be a new benchmark in interstellar propulsion systems. If this IPD produces five hundred thousand at just seven percent, I’m sure even you can figure out the math on what it can really do! Let’s not push our luck.”
“Summers? It’s your butt that this thing is going to be hurtling through the solar system! I’d think you in particular would be curious about its max output!” Gen. Mann argued.
“General, I have complete confidence in this team’s abilities! I’m satisfied this propulsion system is our ticket to exploring our solar system in a relatively short time.”
USAF Colonel Charles Armstrong was busy tapping away on his tablet.
“General? By my calculations sir, this IPD system will produce in excess of four trillion pounds of viable thrust! Hell! That’s enough force to change the orbit of Earth by…” He tapped something else into his tablet. He gulped loudly.
“Point thirty-eight degrees!”
“Noted, Colonel, now take it up another percent, Everhardt!” Mann demanded.
As one we both looked to Dr. Smithe for his decision. With a very wrinkled brow, he gave a very slow and slight nod.
Christina’s hand was shaking violently as she reached for and moved her mouse to apply the requested change.
My load cells went haywire! Even the test chamber foundation load cells instantly turned red!
“Shut it down!” I screamed as I punched the emergency shutdown mushroom on my console.
The Foundation sensors went offline. And I noticed the test chamber- as a whole- lurch forward a few inches.
“Shit! She’s breaking loose! Everyone evacuate the Control room!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.
“You Fucking Asshole!” Major Summers grabbed his superior and thrust him through the thin, plywood door. “You are fucking dead meat, Mann!”
The two men crashed out the control room door and our other guests hurried out also.
“Time to get out, Christina. We’re gonna lose the IPD, but we can build another one. We can’t build another Christina Everhardt.
A loud ‘thud’ and the sound of heavy metal groaning told me that the IPD was probably free and pushing against the test chamber walls.
“Christina! We need to leave!” I urged excitedly.
“I’m resetting the control signal to 0%. I just need to set it and…done! Let’s get out of here! Hopefully there will be something salvageable! I’m right behind you.” She shouted over the disheartening groaning and moaning of the thick test chamber walls.
I made it only a few meters from the Control Room when all hell broke loose! The ear-splitting squeal of metal finally reaching its failure limit caused me to turn around.
To my horror, Christina flew from the Control Room as it crumbled and straight into our Lifeboat! The force of her hitting back first knocked the prototype from its display stand and landed flat. The lifeboat’s hatch slammed closed and its emitters initialized immediately! “Oh God!” I screamed.
Apparently the rough entry had triggered the emergency escape protocol I had just loaded in! Doc’s hand grabbed my shoulder to get my attention.
“What’s happening, Ichi?” He demanded.
“Christina’s in there. She was thrown in by whatever blew the Control building to shreds!” I rushed my explanation as I heard hushed screaming and pounding coming from the lifeboat.
“Oh, God, no!”
“Where’s Christina?” Dr. McCorkle asked urgently while rubbing her ears to clear them.
“In there!” I pointed to the lifeboat as it slowly rose off the ground and hovered about two feet above the concrete driveway.
“What on Earth?” McCorkle gasped.
“I finished the emergency escape programming and loaded it in last night so we could test it tomorrow.
I noticed the small observation window on the module fog and all noises coming from inside stopped!
The lifeboat changed orientation- becoming perpendicular to the ground- towards space- then, with several crisp sonic booms, disappeared from view.
Major Summers, currently rearranging Gen. Mann’s face, stopped and turned.
“What the hell was that?” He demanded.
“Apparently their lifeboat works perfectly.” Dr. Marta Dennis-Green deadpanned.
“Christina!” Doc screamed to the sky!
“Can one of you contact the authorities? I want this nerf-herder arrested and placed in irons!” Dr. McCorkle shouted to any of us that would listen.
“I want him charged with premeditated murder!” She demanded.