“Smart kid,” said Arty.
“I only see room for one,” Tim sounded disappointed. “I sure wouldn’t mind a ride when you’re done.”
“As soon as this one is done, another one will be built for you.”
“I don’t know how to fly, are you nuts?” Tim laughed.
“You can learn, quickly. Please follow me,” Arty commanded as he turned and headed toward the other side of the chamber. Arty led Tim into another smaller chamber.
*
“This is a simulator I had made to practice on. The TT Fighter is going to be a lot different from what I’m used to. Thanks to Mr. V, many things about airplanes I always thought could work, now will. This will completely duplicate the controls and actions of the one I’m making. Get in.”
*
The simulator was the fighter canopy attached to a rectangular box underneath it. The apparatus sat in a depression in the floor of the chamber. Tim looked in between the simulator and the edge of the chamber floor. It appeared the simulator was floating in the cavity. There was a soft click as Arty spoke and the clear canopy swung up from the back. The canopy hinged halfway to vertical and stopped. Tim stepped over and then slid into the simulator’s cockpit. Arty pushed a green spot on the glowing panel in front of Tim and said, “Have fun.”
Within an hour, thanks to a tutorial hologram, Tim had a fairly good idea what flying was all about. He knew all the controls and what to do and when. He wasn’t so sure he would remember it all, but he could return to the simulator anytime he wanted.
*
He returned to the construction area and watched one of the wings being mounted on the plane. Arty was busy at a hologram, so Tim didn’t bother him. He watched Arty with both pride and concern. Where was this all going to take them? Was he looking at the new ‘Master of the World’? He had read the Jules Vern’s story, but had never imagined that he might ever live it. What did Arty have in mind for the planes?
“Arty, how come you’ve never asked me about Mom?” Tim finally decided to try to get some answers.
“Who?” Arty was not really listening, anyway Tim hoped that was the case.
“Mom, our mother, you do remember her?” asked Tim again, this time sharply.
“I don’t think so,” Arty continued to work feverishly, “I don’t think about those things anymore. They’re not important.”
“She was your mother, and you don’t even care about what happened to her?”
“I can see if I don’t want to hear any more about this subject, I’d better listen now,” Arty said quietly as he turned to face Tim.
“Real considerate of you,” Tim sneered.
“Just forgo the lecture and tell me, what happened to Mom?” Arty said as he turned back and continued to work.
“Do you know how much she loved you Arty? Do you know how much she suffered, how much your being hurt affected her?”
“I’m sorry about that Tim, but it was neither my fault, or is there anything that can be done. If I remember correctly, you said she’s dead.”
“Yes, she’s dead. Don’t you want to know how? Aren’t you even curious about her?”
“What is there to know that would be important anymore?”
“Don’t you have any emotions left? Isn’t there anything you think about?”
“The present, the future, I concentrate on what I’m doing mostly. You know, you should spend more of your energy like that.”
“It’s not that easy for me to forget everything. I guess maybe my memories are more pleasant than yours.”
“Was it fun for you, before all this happened?” Arty asked seriously.
“Some fun, yeah. Some things were tough though, but, yeah, I was enjoying myself. A hell of a lot better than this shit, that’s for sure.”
“You don’t consider this fun then?” Arty said with a questioning tone.
“No Arty, I don’t, but, then again, I’m probably just not used to it.” Tim spoke in a sarcastic tone. He stood looking at Arty for a few moments, watching him work.
“Hey, remember before you went into the service, when we lived in Montana?”
“Of course I remember.” Arty continued to work.
“What do you remember?”
“Are you testing me?” Arty sounded annoyed.
“No Arty, I’m just trying to relive some of the good times we had. You used to hunt a lot, and sometimes you’d take me along. I thought I was a real hot shot. None of my friends had a big brother that took them along so I thought I was really somebody. And when we went skiing, do you remember that?”
“Yes.”
Tim couldn’t figure out if Arty was just wrapped up in what he was doing, or if he really didn’t remember the past.
“This plane you’re building. Does it have any similarities to the old one you used to fly? What was that one anyway?”
“It’s not important.”
Tim pondered what had just happened. He had tested Arty on some things he should have remembered. Was it because Arty just didn’t remember because he had been out of touch for some time, or was it that this aberration claiming to be Arty, didn’t know?”
“Hey Arty, when you get this thing done, you going to just throw it out the window?” Tim said changing directions.
“Sort of.”
“Well, it’s not going to fit through the entrance,” Tim commented.
Tim waited, but Arty said nothing. Then it struck Tim; the base would have a larger entrance for the original inhabitants to come and go with their vehicles. They had been accomplished at deep space travel which certainly would require some large machines. Tim figured such an opening would be close by.
*
Tim left Arty at his work and did a little exploring. Below where the plane was being constructed Tim found three large warehouses with carefully catalogue bins. He didn’t recognize any of the material, or objects, except some of the fiber optics material.
He could hear a rumbling to the right and he followed the sound to another location. Half a dozen of the small robots were at work there. Tim watched one take a rectangular piece of black material and feed it into an opening in an apparatus. After some sizzling and flashing a different looking piece of the same black material reappeared. It had been altered into a piece for Arty’s plane. The robot took the piece and headed for the construction area. Tim spotted a piece of the black material and lifted it. He had anticipated it would weight a lot more than it really did. It was hard and smooth to the touch. Tim took another small piece of the material and banged the two together. As hard as he could hit them he could cause no apparent damage and the sound of them coming together was an insubstantial tick.
Tim found another location and watched another piece actually grow. From a small spot the part gradually added shape and form right before his eyes. He asked Mr. V and the computer told him, “Carbon will self-construct according to instructions. This allows for incredibly small and, or, precise pieces and tolerances.
He worked his way to above where the plane was being made and located what he was looking for. It was a Space Port for sure. The Port stretched out to the sides for a considerable distance. To the front, the chamber disappeared into the darkness. Tim walked down the smooth surface into the dark. He was counting paces as he went and at three hundred he came to the end. A dark wall blocked his way, but Tim knew past that barrier was the outside world.
*
Tim stood at the edge of the forest. Apparently Ann had taken up residence in there someplace. Tim had not talked to her in some time, and Sims and the others had seen her only once when she had come to get some food. Margie had accompanied her back to the forest where Ann had declined any farther company and had disappeared into the vastness, alone.
Tim walked among the trees until he came upon the stream flowing toward the deeper part of the forest. The stream reminded him of Wisconsin, the water bubbling and rushing over and between rocks covered with moss.
There were the
customary insects now, maybe an addition for Ann’s benefit? Tim figured they were fake because he spotted many mosquitos and they weren’t biting him as was their customary behavior.
The stream emerged from the thick trees and underbrush to flow into the large pond. It is hard to believe it isn’t all real, Tim thought as he stood looking out over the pond. A breeze stirred the leaves of the large tree he was standing under. The same puff of air sent small ripples across the smooth surface of the pond. He could see fish congregating under a fallen log, something else new. The log had its one end resting on the bank and its other end under the water.
Tim spent a few minutes trying to lure one of the fish into range with his finger, to try to capture it, but it wouldn’t cooperate. He wanted to inspect the creature close up, to see if it really was a machine or not. Mr. V sure had done a perfect job, except for the sky which had no Sun or clouds. But, Mr. V had done pretty well there too. There were intermittent patches of shade, to simulate clouds passing overhead, and even rain fell for a couple of minutes.
Tim followed the edge of the small lake and when he had circled almost to the far side, he spotted a tent erected beneath a large tree, sitting back from the water’s edge. Between the tree and the water was a broad band of sand with large boulders sitting half in the sand and half in the water.
“Leave it to Ann, to find the best of all places,” he said to himself.
The tent was empty, but he could see she had been there recently. He climbed onto one of the rocks and stripped down to his shorts. With a loud whoop he dove into the water. He dove down under the surface and could see the bottom six feet down. It was covered in spots with swaying weeds, and in spots with a many colored gravel. He continued to swim, thoroughly enjoying himself. Here was a place he could lose all his cares. Suddenly he felt lucky. It might not be so bad after all. He still had his brother; he still had his best friend, and a place to call home.
After the swim, he waited by the pond for a couple of hours before Ann finally appeared. She walked out of the trees and on to the beach.
“Hi,” was all she said.
“I was wondering when you’d come back?” said Tim.
“I’ve been here all the time,” she returned.
“Why didn’t you want to see me?” Tim asked apprehensively.
“Because I didn’t want to,” she stated flatly.
“Why did you come out then?” Tim snapped.
“Because, I got tired of waiting for you to leave.” There was no emotion to anything she said.
“I just wanted to talk.” Tim tried to sound friendlier.
“I don’t.” Ann was abrupt.
“Ann, you’ve got to talk to someone,” Tim pleaded.
“Maybe, maybe not, but certainly not now, and not with you. Will you please leave. This is my place,” Ann commanded.
“I’m your friend, maybe I can help.”
“How!” It was more of a statement than a question.
“I don’t know, but let me try.”
“I don’t need your help here. If I decide to go outside, I’ll make sure I let you know, so you can protect me from harm,” she said with a sneer.
“What’s eating you anyway?” Tim whined.
“Nothing Tim, nothing at all. Now go away!” she shouted at him.
“Thanks a lot. I’m trying to make the best of this thing, and you won’t even talk to me,” Tim half shouted back.
“I don’t know why you need to waste my time, you’ve got lots of things to occupy yours,” Ann said calmly.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tim sounded hurt.
“Meaning, how’s your new girlfriend, ‘Hero Baby’?”
“Oh that,” was all he could come up with.
“Look Tim, just so I wouldn’t have to see you, I wish I was someplace else.”
“Thanks, that makes me feel real good. Thanks a lot!” Tim shouted at her.
“Hey too bad. You’re the one that keeps pestering me. You can’t understand, so just leave me alone!” she shouted back.
“I can understand. I know you’ve gone through a lot. Don’t you think that maybe I’m a little confused also. Don’t you think that I—”
“Oh shut the fuck up,” Ann interrupted. “You’ve had it real rough, haven’t you? Do you know why I spend as little time as possible with you, or your servants?”
“Servants?”
“Yeah servants. Oh, Tim this, and oh, Tim that. Timtown, for Christ sakes. How disgusting,” Ann almost spit the last words out.
“Hey, it wasn’t my idea.”
“Timtown! I can’t believe that’s what all those fools call this place, and Margie darling is just setting you up,” Ann said laughing.
“What do you mean by that?”
“You’ve forgotten what a setup is? Oh Timmy, this hero bullshit’s really got you distracted,” Ann laughed again.
“Is that what’s bugging you? I didn’t ask for this, you know.”
“Ah, but you sure took over quick, stepped right in,” Ann said with force.
“I thought I was doing the right thing. I have saved a few lives, you know.”
“And, taken a few also, I’ve heard.”
“Look, if you can’t appreciate what’s going on here, I’m sorry, but it’s the best we’ve got. All the people in here have had it rough, but I don’t see them whining,” Tim said bluntly.
“I wish you would leave, I’d like to ‘whine’ alone.”
“Okay, but remember, you’re not the only one who has some adjusting to do. You’re not alone,” Tim scolded.
“Oh I am, yes I am. That bastard, what he did to my family, you couldn’t possibly understand. Noooooo way!” Ann expression was almost insane, and the words were thrown out with venom. “I’m going to get even. I won’t forget, ever!” she screamed at him.
I guess she doesn’t remember Susan putting the gun in her hand and what had happened after that. I wonder if I should bring it up. No maybe sometime, but not now.
“When you get tired of the solitude, look me up, because I’ve had my share of hardships too. Mainly my best friend doesn’t seem to remember me.”
“Whatever we may have been Timmy, it’s not the same anymore, is it?” Ann returned emotionless.
“Obviously not, obviously not.”
Ann didn’t say anything, just turned and walked away.
“See you later,” said Tim.
She didn’t answer.
“If it is any consolation, Tony’s dead,” Tim shouted at her back.
She just kept walking, so Tim turned and walked in the other direction.
*
A small hawk crawled out of a crevice in the rocks at the bottom of the Walls, two pools down from the entrance to Timtown. The bird walked clumsily into the sunlight on the far side of the pool, spread its wings and flapped them a few times. It then jumped into the air and rose up out of the steep canyon. When it was above the top of the Walls, it circled twice, and then set off to the East.
Chapter 13
The Flight
In the next week, Tim spent most of his time in the simulator. As Arty’s plane neared completion, Tim became more and more obsessed with learning how to fly, and had in his own mind became proficient. He was becoming increasingly restless inside the base. A couple of times he had taken rides on the Sky-bike, but all the time he was outside riding he kept thinking about the plane, the TT Fighter.
Not only had he become proficient in the operation of the plane, but Tim was now an expert on its design and construction. It was the exotic materials that made the plane’s phenomenal performance possible. Materials like its carbon-carbon-silk body and wings. This material was carbon nano tubes, carbon cylinders one molecule thick, bonded with synthetic spider’s silk. This was the black material he had banged together the first time he saw the plane. This material was one-seventh the weight of aluminum, and twelve times as hard. It was also much less brittle, and had a melting point much higher than any m
etal.
The hot engine parts were made with ceramic-titanium because ceramics had an even higher melting point. Hydrocarbon-molecules were grown into hoses, mounting points, tires, and anything that needed to be flexible, and were indestructible. All control surfaces and any movable parts of the machine were powered by synthetic muscles. They were more precise, more powerful, and much quicker than anything mechanical. They were extremely light weight, and required little power. Any electrical conduits were handled by Aluminum-boron-silicates, super conducting wires thinner than human hair. All through the plane the parts were constructed from exotic materials, the most prevalent turned out to be synthetic spider silk: aluminum-silk, carbon-silk, titanium-silk, magnesium-silk, protein-silk, and just good old silk.
The engines were incredibly powerful for their size because of advanced design, tolerances, and the efficient combustion of hydrogen. As an example, the hydrogen was injected into the combustion chambers at a pressure of seven-thousand pounds per-square-inch. The compressor forced air into the same chambers at six-thousand pounds. Arty said these numbers were at least ten times what the current jet engines operated at. This was possible because of the extreme tolerances between the rotating and stationary parts, and the light weight of everything that was moving. A standard jet engine operated at thirty-thousand revolutions per minute, max, the TT Fighter engines wound up to one-hundred-thousand.
*
Tim had gone into the forest three times, but each time had been fruitless. He just sat by the water waiting, but Ann never showed up. The second time he had left a note, but when he returned the note was still there, unread as far as he could tell. On his way back he thought he saw someone ahead of him, walking in the shadows along the stream, but when he went to investigate he found no tracks in the sand.
Life in the base was settling into a somewhat normal pace. Sims had assigned duties and created a council. As Tim watched this little group function, he began to realize this was the cream of the crop. Not the biggest, not the strongest, not the smartest, but in character, the toughest. When the chips had been down, they had stuck together. They had retained their human compassion. For the first time Tim felt honored about their naming the base after him.
Jake Walters had become the base’s tireless information officer. He scanned incoming broadcasts with a diligence that astonished Tim. Not only did he have the outside situation covered, he was becoming more involved with Arty and the plane. At one point Arty had abandoned the development of one of the planes systems, and together with Jake, they had redesigned a new system. As ex-pilots, they no doubt spoke the same language.