There Must Be A Mistake Ch. 19

Charlie laughed. "What did she say Dan?"

Margaret reached behind her back and pulled out a personally autographed model of a Ted Williams baseball bat in front of her.

"Do you understand me now Colonel Daniels?"

"Yes Margaret, fifteen minutes not one second longer. Is that Ted Williams real signature on there?"

"Yes it is. He stayed at my house many times, because he loved fishing in the lake behind it."

Dan said, "You never told me that Margaret."

"You are so busy talking no one else can get a word in edgewise."

"Margaret told me that many years ago."

"You told Lucius and you didn't tell me?"

"Lucius listens, you talk all the time."

"Maybe you shouldn't marry him Margaret."

Charlie said, "You two are getting married?"

"He's thinking about it."

"I am not thinking about it."

"So you decided to do it."

"Lucius keep your mouth shut."

"Can I wear a gray dress?"

"I don't care what color dress you wear, I'm not marrying you."

Charlie said, "I'm confused, are you or aren't you getting married?"

Margaret said, "As soon as possible."

Dan said, "Over my dead body."

"Don't you love the color his face gets when I get him riled up Lucius?"

"I don't think Crayola has that color."

Charlie asked, "Would somebody tell me what's going on?"

Lucius said, "I'm sorry Charlie, our fifteen minutes is up. We have to get to work."

******************

"Lucius, I can't make your tunnels until I know where the opposition force is going to be. Why don't we make places for them that are not too obvious, but not too perfect for their purposes?"

"You're the expert on this Charlie, how do we go about doing it. They've already done aerial photographs of this place. We can't do a major reconstruction without it being obvious."

"You've already done it Lucius. You put in landscaping. They have no idea what it took for you to do it. You may have run into logs or boulders that had to be moved in order to beautify the place for the grand entrance of the spacecraft. They may think we put everything off to the sides."

"As I said Charlie, you are the expert."

"I'll lay out a design, for you and then I'll show you where your tunnels will be. Making it will be easy as pie. Your men will have to crawl through it. I'll put a four-foot culvert in there and run it the whole way to the exit point. I'll put a nice twilight periscope on it, so they can look around before they exit. I'll have it open and close like a garage door just in case they need to make a fast exit."

"How long will it take to make Charlie?"

"It should take about three or four hours for each side."

"Is it all prefabricated?"

"If the excavator operator is on his game, it really is a piece of cake. While he's digging the hole the culvert is being put together. The last pieces are the uprights, and they take time.

You have to get your men from the hanger into the hole without being seen. A few trucks parked in those areas and a few guards walking around will do the trick.

Once we have the ends made the culvert goes in. While we are working on getting the uprights connected to the culvert, the bulldozer operator should be pushing the sand back into the hole and closing it up."

"How are you going to do the berms. How high are you going to be able to get them, without them looking fake?"

"You want them to look like stadium seating, and that's exactly what we're going to give them, stadium seating. It takes two or three days to put an aluminum grid together. They come prefabricated from the company. You put screw A into hole B, and it's together. I don't think they come twenty feet high, but we can find out if they do. When they get here, regardless of what size they are, we have companies start bringing us sand, and plenty of it. We erect a huge tent; ostensibly to keep our workers cool. Once we have the first aluminum structure completed we call in bulldozers and bury it in sand. We slope the back at an eight-degrees angle to make it look like it's holding up the rest of the sand. We carve out the front of the sand close enough to the grid, but not perfect. Then we move on to number two, and then number three.

Now comes the fun part, blocking the opposition force in on all sides. We'll use Tiger traps. They are not going to use tanks, or any other type of dual treaded vehicles. If they use any wheeled vehicles, it will be a Humvee or something of that nature.

A trench five feet wide will stop them. Most men will stop and try to walk around a trench that big, rather than try to jump over it with a pack on his back. All we have to do is make the traps five feet wide by five feet deep by eight feet long and cover them with heavy tarps. We will throw an inch of sand on them so they can't be seen until the first man or vehicle falls into it. We overlap three of them at each of the openings between the berms, and the opposition force is dead in their tracks. Those who try to climb the eight-degree slope leading to the top of the stadium seating will find the sand is so loose, their attempts are futile

Off to both sides of the stadium seating areas we hide three 50-caliber machine guns, and the opposition force becomes like the Mariana's Turkey shoot. The Japanese lost half their Navy that day.

I would be amazed if men of the opposition force didn't throw down their weapons, and surrender the first minute after they realized the trap they walked into. It's your perfect pincer movement Lucius."

"You're damn right it is. There's only one problem. The mortars, I know they're going to come in with mortars. We have to take those out, but they are going to be a bitch to find. Just one of those things could ruin our entire day."

"A mortar is only as good as its spotter Lucius. Without coordinates the mortar is useless."

"That's true, but what if the spotter is in an aircraft, or if they using a drone, I still say a two-man team should be sent out to for mortars."

Charlie asked, "Dan can we get our hands on some drones? I'm not talking about the military version; I'm talking about these new ones that the public is using. With a little American ingenuity we could fly it into a target and it could explode."

"Charlie don't you know it's against the law to alter a civilian aircraft and make it into a lethal weapon?"

"Yes sir, but that applies to other people, not me. I'm an engineer."

"Who told you that?"

"Norman did."

"You and General Schwarzkopf are on a first name basis?"

"Yes sir."

"How did that come about Charlie?"

"That will have to wait until tomorrow sir."

"Why?"

"My fifteen minutes is up."

"Charlie, I'm about to strangle you."

"Help me Margret."

"Tell him, because I want to know."

"Two birds and two stars were having an argument on how to get through the berms Saddam built to protect Kuwait. I was a lowly major listening to them, and I know they are full of shit.

Norman is listening to them argue. I got so disgusted I turned threw my pencil in the air and walked away. I got about ten feet when his booming voice said, "Major, what do you know that those idiots don't know."

I said, "General with all due respect to their rank, they have no idea how to move sand. I'm a desert boy, and if you want to move sand you don't blow it up, you blow it to the side. They're talking about putting rows of explosives next to each other and lighting it off. You might as well do that in water, because you going to get the same result. You have to form a Vee and blow the sand sideways to get a hole big enough to drive a tank through."

He didn't take my word for it, he said, "Prove it."

"Build me a berm sir."

It's amazing how fast something can be built when a four star general tells you to do it. In two hours I had a 150Wx100Dx50H sand berm I had to blow a trench wide enough for a tank to get through. I was given two boxes of explosives, and one assistant. Less than an hour later, I blew a hole through that sand wide enough to put two tanks abreast through."

Norman and I became best friends, and I got a Silver Oak leaf."

"I hate showoffs."

"Can we get civilian drones?"

"Look them up on Amazon and see if they carry them."

*****************

"Hello Dan, this is Even, and I am about to make your day."

"Even please tell me you're in the convoy on your way home."

"I am on my way home, and I have security with me, does that make you feel better?"

"I don't like it when you will avoid my questions. What are you up to Even?"

"I am in the helicopter on my way home. I'm going to make a slight detour on the way, and visit my baby. I want to see how far she's gotten in the last five months. Please don't shoot down my helicopter when it lands in front of the hanger."

"Even, Jennifer is going to kill you."

"I won't tell her, will you?"

"No, but one of the 200 people working on that spacecraft might."

"They won't know I'm not supposed to be there."

"Even, you are going to kill yourself if you come back to work too soon."

"I'm not going back to work Dan, I just want to see her. It's been much too long, and I am having withdrawal symptoms."

"Do you have a wheelchair with you?"

"No I don't."

"Two of my men will carry you everywhere. I don't want to hear an argument from you. We will put you in a chair, and walk you around."

"That's fine Dan; I can't walk that far anyhow. We should be landing in five minutes."

"You son of a bitch, thanks for all the warning."

The Life-Flight helicopter landed, disgorged its passengers, and was back in the air in five minutes. It had done its job, and was now on its way to help another sick or injured person.

There were a lot of curious people wondering who the helicopter dropped off at their facility, and when they saw me they started to cheer and applaud.

I must have had a smile a mile wide on my face, because I attempted to stand up and wave back at them.

Tammy Hopkins stood in front of me and said, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Standing up."

Tammy replied, "Nursing home."

"Yes ma'am."

This young woman could not intimidate a bird, but the look in her eye intimidated the hell out of me. She was not going to take any of my crap. Her job was to get me well, and that is what she was going to do along with her two cohorts.

"Doctor Luck, you have fifteen minutes before I have to give you your medication, make them count."

"Come with me Tammy, you will be the first civilian to see the inside of The Good Luck."

The agents strapped me in to the chair using bungee cords. I weighed 145 pounds and they carried me like I was a sack of potatoes. As I looked at the outside of the Good Luck, I could see the cameras. They were nearly flush against the exterior skin of the spacecraft. I marveled at Dycke Schneider's ingenuity, and that of his engineers. The skin of the spacecraft looked seamless. Unlike a baseball that has stitching, this was more like a steel ball bearing: it was perfectly round and uniform. It would change when we put the ears on it.

They carried me up the ramp directly to the second level. The cables were no longer strewn around the floor. They were all neatly bundled, marked, and locked along the walls in their flight positions. I couldn't believe what I missed in five months.

Then they took me up to the third level, and I was transported to the future. The people from Sony had done themselves proud. The massive screen curved along the front wall of the spacecraft. It did not look like individual screens; it looked like one individual display. It was so big I didn't guess its' actual size.

The Exascale computer consoles were installed, as well as all the propulsion and navigation controls. I turned and saw Jennifer's command seat, with its two control panels stowed away and covered by thick plastic. It was then that I realized there was no seat in this area for me. I was superfluous. I was just the builder. I got dizzy, and I began to feel faint.

I said, "Get me out of here please."

Tammy noticed the change in my appearance. She jabbed me in my left arm with a needle containing my medication. As the agents reached the bottom of the ramp, I was unconscious.

When I woke up, I wished I hadn't. She was glaring down at me, and I was sure she had the throwing knives in her hand.

"What the fuck were you thinking?"

"I just wanted to see her."

"You did, and look where it got you. Your blood pressure fell through the floor. Tammy almost rushed you to the hospital because she thought you were bleeding inside. Thanks to the emergency kits we have at the hanger, she was able to stabilize you, by give you intravenous fluids, and iced you down. You scared the shit out of the entire staff. You're not allowed to go back there unless I am with you. Is that clear Doctor Luck?"

"It is very clear Mrs. Luck. I believe I had a panic attack when I was on the third floor marveling at everything that was done. I looked at all the computer consoles, and in my mind I named everyone who would be sitting at them. Then I proudly looked at your chair, and the two control boards you would be master of.

Suddenly I realized I was no longer needed. I was superfluous. I was just the builder. I could no longer contribute. My work was done. Everything I had accomplished was in the hands of someone else. That's when it happened. That's when I told the agents to get me out of there, and I felt the needle enter my arm."

92. Visitation Rights

My children climbed all over me. Richard had tears in his eyes when he saw me. He believed everyone was lying to him about my being sick. He thought they were being kind, and preparing him for the shock of telling him I died. If he could've climbed inside me he would have. He lay down in my bed, held on to my arm, and would not leave me, not even for dinner.

I promised him I would be here just like I was before I got sick. I was not going anywhere. I wanted him to eat his dinner so he didn't get sick.

Reluctantly, he went to the kitchen, inhaled his dinner, and returned to me.

Holden was a different case entirely. "Dad, you owe me so many stories I lost count. When can we start reading again?"

"Are you busy now?"

"I was just going to play chess with nurse Janice."

"When did you learn to play chess?"

"I taught myself."

"That must've been very hard to do."

"No, not really, chess is just like math, and I love math."

"Since when do you love math?"

"I always loved math. You were never around to see me work on it. You were always doing your science or working on the spacecraft."

"I'm sorry Holden, it is my fault. I am so wrapped up in getting my work done I left you and Richard to fend for yourselves. That was totally unfair of me."

"That's all right dad, Gordon has been helping us now that he comes home at 6 o'clock."

"You are all very special to me. I can't wait to see how you can help our new world when you all grow up. We are going to need very smart people like you to make everything work. My three sons will be instrumental in making the decisions which will make everything work properly. I am very proud of you all."

"Will you still read to me?"

"Every time you ask me to, open your Kindle and we will read together just like the last time."

"I will tell nurse Janice, I'm not going to play chess with her tonight. I'm going to read with my dad."

"I don't think she will mind that at all my son. In fact I think she will be very pleased."

I heard Gordon run into the house. "Hi mom, bye mom, I'm going to see dad."

I heard Jennifer laugh as he charged towards my room. He hugged me very carefully. I was expecting a warm greeting but I didn't get it.

"Don't you ever do anything that stupid again! Everyone in the building knew about it. They were ready to go to the N.E.S.T. to help you. Mister Zabo had to put security at the doors to keep them in the building. He went on the speaker system and advised us we would be hurting the situation, not helping it. He would keep everyone informed of your condition. He said if you didn't die because of this stunt of yours, he would personally go there and kill you himself, because the doctors ordered you to stay away from work."

Dad, from the sound of his voice, I'm telling you he meant it. He was downright angry with you."

I heard the doorbell ring and a security agent opened the door. I heard her say, "Good evening Mister Zabo; he's in his room, third door on the left."

He said, "Tell the nurse to get some anesthetic, antiseptic, and bandages ready. I'm going to beat the shit out of that idiot."

I heard Jennifer say to him, "William please kill him. I couldn't stand another five months in the hospital with him. I'll tell the police he fell down the stairs to the basement."

"I would do it Jennifer if the spacecraft was finished. Unfortunately that husband of yours is needed for now. When you get him into space, have him walk the plank. He'll be the first man to walk into that void without a spacesuit on."

"William with my luck he will have invented something that would keep him alive."

I heard William laugh. "I want a piece of that patent. E-Mail it to me."

Jennifer laughed again. "William, you are too funny."

He wasn't funny when I saw his face. Gordon got out of the way instantly. He knew trouble when he saw it.

"I came down here as a favor to you so you could fight the cancer that was in your body. From all the reports we've heard, you have done so successfully. What is the first thing you do when you come home; you try to kill yourself by going back to work against your doctor's orders. If you do that again, I'm going home, but not before I take my money's worth out of your hide.

Even how could you think about going to see the spacecraft? It means too much to you. The memories you have of it are what sent you into a downward spiral that nearly kill you. Do you know what your death would have done to the emotions of the people who work on this project with and for you? You may have dealt them a blow they may never have recovered from. Your spaceship may never have gotten off the ground.

Eighteen months from now it will be completed. Twenty months from now, you and your crew can take off and leave planet Earth behind. Do you want to throw all that away? Do you want to give up eight years of your life because you can't wait that long?

Very powerful people want you to fail. NASA wants you to fail. The entire federal bureaucracy wants you to fail. They want to prove that no private enterprise spending less than a third of what they spend to send a man circling around this planet can send a spaceship on a trip to the stars.

Twenty private investors want to prove them wrong. 60 to 70 intrepid travelers want to prove them wrong. A spaceship designed by you, in a shape everybody says is wrong and can never penetrate Earth's atmosphere must be proven wrong.

Everything about this spacecraft is new and exciting. You promised us 500 patents, and we have already passed that point with eighteen months to go. You have made your investors wealthier than they were before this project started. Don't die on us Even. Be smart, live long enough to reach your dream of landing on another planet successfully and starting a new Earth."

"William how many times do I have to tell you that you are the smartest person I have ever known? Everything you say, and everything you do is correct. Your logic is flawless. Sometimes mine is flawed. I thought seeing her would help me get well, and all it did was drag me down. I will finish her but when the time is right, and not one minute before. I promised Jennifer, and now I'm promising you, I will not step foot onto either of our properties until I am completely healed. Jennifer will be at my side when I do that. She will be my permission slip to go back to work. I promise you this, my friend, I will not put my life in jeopardy ever again."