//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Teleportation? // Story: When Technology fails // by Ponynator //------------------------------// December 23rd, 2093 Graviton Research Center 8:05 PM "Come on Dr. Venham, I already gave you 5 more minutes! Shut down the computer and get your stuff, I want to go home now. I still need to get a Christmas tree for tomorrow and my girlfriend is going to kill me when I get home with empty hands!" A G.R.C security guard entered the long stretched laboratory; he was one of the few men who where allowed to enter the high security area, 50 feet below the surface, making sure that no intruder could get inside and keeping the scientists safe, while they were working on their experiments. "I already said that you can just call me Ramuel, I don't like this formal stuff." The voice came from one of the scientists, or better to say THE scientist. Dr. Ramuel Venham, probably one of the most intelligent heads on the planet and the leader in the research of graviton technology. He was only 23 years old and had already studied with 16 years. "I just need to finish this last experiment today before I have to wait 3 days without knowing the results." "Jeez Ramuel, I can understand that you aren't religious, but couldn't you just simply enjoy Christmas for once?" "You do know that I am from India and that we don't celebrate Christmas in our religion?" "But since you aren't religious, this wouldn't make any difference for you!" He made an empty stare. "Okay, point for you." The guard had to grin at the thought that someone like him has outsmarted a genius. "Just get that grin out of your face and I will do it quickly, or you could just help me for once." These guards could really do something useful someday - the whole day they're just standing around and do nothing than talking about their lives and hobbies. We don't even need any guards - who in the world would be able to destroy a 2 feet thick reinforced titanium vault-door and get out before the military has stormed the whole city? "Come on, you do know that I don't understand a bit of that stuff you are do-" "It's not that hard." Ramuel cut him off, "I am only testing the bending of the space, caused by helium with 10 times more gravitons than normal." "And now my brain is stuck, thanks" "You just need to open the valve for the helium." Is this stuff really THAT hard to understand? "Why didn't you say that first?" The guard walked over to the experiment that was built up on the large table on the middle of the room. "That red valve here?" "Yes, you need to turn it fully open for 3 seconds, when the machine has generated enough gravitons for the helium." The guard looked a bit confused. "Don't worry, I will give you a sign." Ramuel went to his laptop and started the recording program for the sensors, and activated the graviton-generator. "Okay this will take 30 seconds, hope you are ready." The experiment started making a high pitched beeping, just like a camera flash would do. "A non-electric valve in such a place? A bit strange don't you think?" "I am using one, so I don't fill this room with helium, because the laptop had frozen and I couldn't close the valve" "Ugh, the evacuation back in 2092, I remember. Anyway..." Ramuel turned his head to the guard. "...what exactly is a graviton? I always wanted to know that." He's working here since 2090 and doesn't even know the basics of the things we're doing here?!? "It's pretty simple. A graviton is a particle without mass and is electrical neutral; it's controlling the gravitation of any other particle. Every particle has exactly one graviton, but can be charged with more." "So you're just increasing the gravity of helium in this experiment?" The scientist nodded confirmingly. "Oh, that's really pretty simple." After the 30 seconds Ramuel gave the sign. The guard tried to turn the valve open, but he couldn't. "Damn it! It's stuck!" He tried to turn it as hard as he could, but nothing happened. "Argh, this had to happen, now we may have a problem.", he threw his arms up in the air. "We have to clean this thing from the gravitons; this will at least take an hour - sure you can't open it?" "Completely sure, it's not moving a bit. Can't we just let it here and you clean it in a few days?" "If anyone would do that here, we would already have created a black hole." He imagined how this would look like, a whole world being sucked into a black hole, but quickly tried to get it out of his mind. "No, that's much too dangerous, we need to do that right now." "Thanks, now I have to buy a house in hell, because that's where I am going to go when I get home." Always these near crazy scientists who are forgetting about everything simple, checking a simple valve is already too hard... "I am sorry, but I couldn't have known that this would happen. I will clean it fast and-" he suddenly stopped talking at the sight of his laptop - the diagram was showing a curve. "How can this be possible?" "Didn't you say you would need gravitons AND helium for results?" "Yes, the gravitons only affect space when there is any particle to be charged. But there's still an absolute vacuum in this thing! Nothing can catch up the loose gravitons and bend the space, this is just impo-... wait a second...", he turned back to his laptop and searched for the diagram of an older test. I can't believe it, this is the key! He looked back at the guard and said "I need a secured phone line, fast!" "What is it? Is something wrong?" "No, everything is just wonderful, because THIS will make Star Trek real!" A very wide grin appeared on his face, the kind only somebody who had won the jackpot from a lottery would get. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> April 2nd, 2100 Somewhere in Florida 1:57 AM A black Jeep with very dark windows and turned off lights was driving along the streets; in it were two guys wearing military clothing with a dark camouflage. "Damn GPS system! When you need it, it doesn't work; or your comrade forgot to charge it!" "Shut up, I am the one who's driving and besides, YOU are the guy who is responsible for navigation, so it's YOUR fault we don't have any GPS right now! Get the map out and tell where I have to drive." "We only have his house number Sherlock!" "Why didn't you memorize the street name?" "I wanted to do that, but in exact that moment the batteries were empty!" "You are kidding, right? You do know that the general won't be happy about this!?!" "I know." "I KNOW?!? That's all you can say to that? You know what? I'm gonna tell him that this is all you fault!" "C'mon don't overreact now! It's not like he's going to ki-.... STOP!!! That's his house!" The driver floored the brake, while his co-driver pushed his hands against the interior so that he wouldn't fly out of his seat, straight through the window. The tires made a horrible sound, like they were going to burst any second; finally the car stopped nearly hitting the bushes of a house. "Do you think anyone heard that?" "Do you think anyone didn't?" The two were looking out of the car, to see if somebody would turn the light on or open a window, to see who was driving like a maniac this late. "Seems like we're lucky." The driver parked the car carefully near the house and turned the engine off. Both were slowly opening the door of their side and stepped outside of the car. "So who's this guy anyway?" "Some kind of ex-astronaut, the general said that he was one of the best he had ever seen in his career." "Why ex?" "He was involved in the tragic accident on the ISS 2 and was blamed for it, ruining his career." "You don't mean THE accident where the reactor leaked and twelve people died, because they couldn't get to one of the escape-shuttles before the hull bursted?" "Exactly that one, he was the only engineer on the space station and responsible for all mechanical systems. In the report they said that he had forgotten to tighten some screws after the maintenance; but he said that it was caused by a small asteroid hitting the reactor chamber and leaking the primary cooling gas." "And because the ISS 2 had been destroyed, he couldn't prove it. What an unlucky guy." "But after all, they want him back for some reason. But that's not important right now, be formal." The co-driver was reaching for the bell, when suddenly the door slammed open; he jumped back, because he was looking straight into someone's light blue eyes. "Is this some kind of late April-Fool?" A man stood there wearing a pyjama, looking angrily at the two guys who were interrupting his sleep. "Uh.. I mean... we're from the US Air force, Mr. Jan Schneider... we are-" The man interrupted him. "I already told the government that I won't work for them anymore, after what they have done to me ! Good night!" He slammed the door shut. The two Air Force soldiers turned their head to each other "Oh great, what now, General Sinclair said that he needs someone like him." They both turned around when suddenly the door slammed open again. "Sinclair? Like in James Sinclair?" They both turned back to him and nodded. "I will need ten minutes." With that he closed the door. "What the..." "...hell?" They both looked at each other, very confused after what has just happened. After ten minutes the man reappeared, wearing a shirt and jeans, with a backpack in his right hand. "Okay, we can go." They all stepped inside the black jeep and quickly drove along the street. "May I ask what General Sinclair wants from me?" "He wasn't very specific - he only said that he wants us to get you and bring you to the nearest military base - he's waiting there, so you can ask him about everything you want to know." "Okay, how long will it take?" "If our maniac driver over here keeps his status, I would say in 30 minutes." "Ha ha, how funny; I am still a better driver than you." The other two guys gave him a small grin, while he angrily floored the gas. ¬— — — — 31 minutes later... "31 minutes too slow" Jan chuckled. "Here we are, my friend will show you where you can find General Sinclair." He didn't even try to react to him. Jan and the co-driver stepped outside of the car, but before they could even close the doors right, the driver already drove away. "Is he always like that?" "Kinda, he just doesn't like it if somebody argues about his driving skills. Anyway, the General is over there at the M5-Lightning. If you excuse me, I have to calm Mr. Maniac, before he accidently kills somebody." With that he quickly ran after the jeep. Jan turned to the M5-Lightning; it was one of the most modern transportation jets in history - the M5 stood for the maximum speed of Mach 5, it was also equipped with a VTOL system, which makes it possible to land and start like a helicopter. The ex-astronaut walked over to the big plane; General Sinclair, who was talking with the pilot, didn't see him. "Well, well, well; if that's not our reputable General Sinclair in his old days." The old man turned to him and laughed. "Jan Schneider, we haven't seen us for a long time and you're still like I remember. We bet if you would come on your own, or if I had to come myself to get you." "I wouldn't have come if it weren't you who is asking for me. I still can't believe what NASA and the government did and what happened 23 years ago." "I know, I'm disappointed with myself that I couldn't do anything to help you; I am sorry son." "Wait, General Sinclair is your father and you're his son?" The pilot asked confused. "No", Jan laughed. "He just keeps saying 'son' for some reason." He turned back to the general. "Hey, you did all you could, you don't need to be disappointed with yourself." The general looked down, as if he was nearly dropping a tear; Jan put a hand on one of his shoulders. "So, well, I heard that you wanted me, here I am, what is it? Has NASA finally decided to give me my job back?" The general looked back at him. "Well good news and bad news; bad news it's not NASA that want you back." Suddenly the hopeful smile that had appeared on Jan's face faded. "Good news, we have something MUCH better for you." The ex-astronaut looked at him confused - what could be better than getting his well paid and lovely job back? "It has something to do with space, but I will tell you later, first come into the machine and take a seat, we're going to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex." — — — — 15 minutes later, on the way to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex... "So what is this all about?" "Do you know some scientist called Dr. Venham?" "The one who has already studied at the age of 16? Yes I do, why?" "He is working...., well, was working at the G.R.C. and made a break-through." "What kind of break-through? I don't hope that this is a new weapon which I have to test in space or something like that." He muttered. "No, it's something completely different, it's magic", he snorted two times. "C'mon, tell me the real thing and stop laughing like that!" "Sorry, I just LOVE your priceless face, it's just... I can't find the words..." After a short pause he continued. "Okay, he invented teleportation, just like in Star Trek, but a bit more limited." "Nice joke, you had your fun." But the general shook his head. "What? He really invented teleportation? How did he do that?" "Well, that is too hard for me to understand, I am sure he can tell you more. I only know that he needs an astronaut because this thing can only teleport things to a VERY large amount of mass; a planet or moon with a diameter of 200 miles is minimum." "So he needs someone who is an astronaut and also an engineer, so he knows how this thing works and how it can be repaired in case of a malfunction?" "Couldn't have said that any better son." "Well this sounds great, I can't wait to get back in SPAAAAAAAAAACE!" He threw his arms up in the air. "Are you... alright?" "Uh, yes, why?" "Because.... you... nevermind." End of chapter 1 Poor guy, if he knew what is going to happen, he wouldn't be so enthusiastic.