Earth's Last Angel (12 page)

‘How is the Boddington reactor different to normal nuclear reactors, Grandfather?'

‘To answer your question Dave, I'll tell you about a vital discovery that makes the Boddington reactor possible. It all starts 16 years from now.'

‘A small team of geologists are looking for uranium, 3 or 400 kilometers north of here. They search for a full two months, finding some small iron and nickel deposits but no uranium. Then halfway through the third month they strike pay dirt, they find a sizable uranium deposit. Dressed in their radiation suits they start to gather some samples. Out on the edge of the deposit one of the geo's called Skoota notices a white flash, then another. They look very much like miniature lightning bolts running across the ground!

“Come and check this out!” Skoota excitedly calls to his mates. Of course they all run over to check out this unusual phenomenon.

“I'll take some samples back to the lab,” grins Skoota, organizing a suitable storage unit and extraction tool.

‘After studying and analyzing the sample, they make an extraordinary discovery. The sample is full of little microbes that are absorbing the radiation from the uranium and excreting a gel that forms and hardens into pure uranium! And it is the chemical reaction of this happening that produces the white flashes.'

‘What are the white flashes for Granddad, what are they?' asks Maxxy.

‘Obviously electricity you dummy!' smirks Dave at his younger brother.

‘You're nearly right Dave.' I reply. Maxxy sticks out his tongue at Dave.

‘The electrical power the microbes produce is pure electrical energy.'

‘So how is that different from normal electricity Grandfather, it's all the same isn't it?' inquires a not so smug Dave.

‘Not quite Dave, as you know raw electricity leaves its power source blasting along with electrons flying off in all directions. So by the time it reaches your home it's lost more than 25% of its original power. With pure energy, however, the electrons conduit, spinning around each other meaning no loss of power, so we are able to use much thinner cables that are able to carry massive volumes of power. Imagine using a cable as thick as your dad's arm to run raw power, then using a cable as thick as Maxxy's drinking straw for the same amount of pure energy.'

‘Far out Granddad! That's awesome! So we could get rid of all the ugly big power lines and have smaller ones instead.'

‘That's right Maxxy, but that's not the end of it. The little microbes are put into a special little box about the size of that matchbox there on the table. They are genetically modified to live in a special gel solution, inside the box a small pellet of uranium is placed for them to feed on. The cable plug is on the bottom of the box. Now something extraordinary happens!'

‘The more power that is drawn from the little bio nuclear reactor, the more power the microbes produce. So you could run a low voltage pacemaker for a heart patient or an entire city from a single tiny Boddington Reactor, theoretically forever!' I reveal.

‘That's just mind blowing Grandfather! I'll bet the dudes who develop this will be super rich!' Dave enthuses.

‘Well…it does drop a few coins into the kingdom's account.' I comment, matter of factly.

‘Are you kidding, those guy's work for us?' asks a surprised Dave.

‘No not yet, they are still crawling around in nappies, but they will.'

Now an excited Dave leans forward in his chair, his head buzzing with questions and ideas.

‘OK that takes care of the power supply, but how the hell are we going to get this huge ship off the ground? We are going to need some big arse rockets to lift it!'

‘Well…this is where our mates in the city of Gera come to the rescue. They allow us to purchase the blueprints for the Amialik collider device.'

‘How come Granddad?' asks Maxxy.

‘Quite simple really, they have finished with their experiments and are happy to recover at least some of the billions of dollars they have poured into it.'

‘You guys just adjust the blue prints to make it a proton accelerator.'

‘Isn't that the same as what they already had?' asks Dave.

‘Not really son, it may be just a small difference, but it has a vastly different outcome,' I answer.

‘Maxxy what do you think you would use the proton accelerator for?'

‘I don't know Granddad, maybe a weapon or a shield.'

‘You play too many computer games Maxxy,' quips Dave, laughing at his little brother.

‘Well actually, Maxxy you are on the right track a shield for the ship is a byproduct.'

‘Oh come on, Granddad! What does it do?'

‘OK Maxxy. It accelerates protons at a controlled speed, in either a clockwise direction or an anti-clockwise direction.'

‘So what does that do?' asks Dave, his head still buzzing.

‘First let me ask you a question. What direction and at what speed does the earth spin?'

‘That's basic physics, Grandfather, clockwise at just over 1000 Kph.'

‘OK then, if I put a proton accelerator belt around the 4x4 and had the protons going anticlockwise at just over 1000 Kph, what would happen?'

‘I don't know Granddad, probably nothing?' Dave answers, not quite sure.

‘Think equal and opposite reaction to any action.'

Scratching his head Dave tentatively answers: ‘Maybe still nothing, I mean it would still sit there wouldn't it?'

‘That's totally correct. It would need some extra force applied to make it move.'

‘What exactly are you driving at, Grandfather? I'm not sure I see what you are on about?' inquires Dave, a little confused.

‘Let me ask you another question. What if…I increase the speed?'

Looking intently at Dave, I could see the light bulb eventually flash on in his head.

‘It would…rise off the ground?' his brow furrows in thought, still not completely sure.

‘Eureka! You've got it! You've just created a gravity control system! Now you know how to get your massive ship airborne.'

‘Grandfather, this is just too much! I need a break,' sighs Dave, heading for the ice box.

‘That's quite alright, son, grab a beer and I'll tell you both about your ship's maiden voyage. I'll leave you my chronicles as a guide for running our kingdom, I'll also include the blue prints for the technology that you'll need out on the belt.'

‘But isn't that kind of cheating Granddad? Knowing everything that's going to happen?' concern wrinkling Maxxy's brow, knowing the moral values he has been taught as a babe.

‘No son, everything in those chronicles was written during my lifetime. I guess this is as good a time as any to explain, seeing we are going to approach things just a little differently than usual.'

‘How's that Granddad?' asks Maxxy as he opens a can of soft drink.

‘Well up until now we have been bold and sharing. This time we will be bold and smart.'

‘Not so sharing this time, Granddad?' Maxxy asks a little surprised, but with a grin slowly forming, he loves a secret.

‘No, I wouldn't say that in a total sense son, just some things we'll keep to ourselves. Like the antigravity device, building the ship, our mining gear, and last but not least the existence of staronium.'

‘Why do you want us to hide this information Grandfather? Dave asked his arms folded, subconsciously trying to shield himself from the answer.

‘Well, not to put too fine a point on it, our entire family's future depends on it!'

‘Follow the instructions in the Croc's Chronicles to the letter, select with great care what you share with the other clans. We want to help our neighboring clans, but at the same time not put ourselves at unnecessary risk.'

‘Granddad…' Maxxy whispers frowning in deep thought.

‘Yes, son.'

‘Can you see when you are going to die and stop it happening?'

‘No son, I can't.'

‘But you know what's going to happen in the future, how come you don't even know when you'll die?'

‘Maxxy!' scolds Alex.

‘It's OK son. I can't see what's going to happen to me from now until the time of my death, that part of our future is not available to me. If I could access it I may change something and totally change our future. That's why I can only tell you future events as they happened without any of my personal details. I can give you a reference guide written as the Croc's Chronicles.'

‘You must take control of your own personal destiny, son. Like me, you will make some costly mistakes, but do not despair, this is all part of your learning experience, your training. You will both achieve great things during your life's journey.'

‘But that's not fair, Granddad! I don't understand, how can you not know?'

‘It's both fair and wise Maxxy, we have a mission to accomplish, this stops it becoming compromised.'

‘Now…would you like to hear about the maiden voyage of your ship?'

‘You bet, Granddad!' fires a now excited Maxxy.

‘Yeah…that would be cool. What will we call it?' asks Dave, forcing a smile, still recovering from the shock.

‘I should think the Sobek should be a suitably powerful name after the ancient Croc King.'

The campfire is just glowing coals by this time, so the boys stoke the fire back up, causing a mild roar as the flames take hold. I collect some drinks from the ice box and pass them around. The boys have their sleeping bags out on the floor sheet, settling in for what they know will be a long night. My son collects our jackets from the 4x4 and passes mine over to me, a chill breeze has picked up.

A clear black desert sky is alive with winking bright stars so close you'd swear you could reach up and touch them. Now with everyone settled in, I gaze into the flickering flames, ready to begin our epic tale:

The saga of the Sobek and the discovery of staronium.

The still air hangs over the vast expanse of ocean, and scattered clouds drift silently across the open sky. A lone albatross circles then spirals downward to the surface, skimming for prey. A growing ripple forms, and two dolphins explode from the depths, forcing the large bird to dart to the left to avoid hitting them. Diving back into the sea, they leave just the glint of the sun on the waves.

Resting 1200 meters below on the sea bed of the Aneatos Ocean, she waits silently, in all her majesty and mystique, for her moment in time to emerge and begin the greatest voyage in Mazuban history.

Within her titanium alloy hull, the buzz of activity has reached a peak during the final moments before the launch. It is organized mayhem as the crews scurry about the lower decks, checking and rechecking last minute details under the watchful eye of their team leaders, while those on upper decks prepared for the business of flight. An air of expectancy and excitement fills the ship as the moment draws nearer.

The captain stands upon the observation deck, thumbs in his pockets surveying the activity before turning to the console. Nolack-1 activates the main communication link for him to speak.

‘This is your Captain speaking, we are about to weigh anchor. Please ensure all equipment is secure.' A pause and then his voice softens a little. ‘We have all been waiting for this day for most of our lives. As soon as you possibly can, I would like you to join me on the observation deck to witness this historic moment.'

After turning off the comm's link he instructs Nolack-1 to begin the launch sequence in ten minutes.

‘Nolack-1, ease off the positive gravity gradually. I want a smooth, slow, gradual ascent and once we break the surface reverse to negative gravity. Again slow and easy does it.' says Captain Val, ‘and media log it, please.'

‘Launch at precisely, 1700 hours on the fifth of May year 2100, Captain.'

‘Excellent.'

‘Captain, there is something on the radar.'

‘Damn, they can't be on to us.' The last message from his older brother, the Croc, had stated that although navy submarines had reportedly picked up signals in the area, they were too weak to pinpoint the Sobek.

‘The radar target is located at the precise depth that we are positioned, Captain,' reports Nolack-1.

Then a long, plaintive sound echoes through the ship.

‘That's whale song,' he murmurs, ‘one, maybe two. Still quite a distance from us,' he thinks.

‘Activate defense systems?' asks Nolack-1.

‘Not necessary, they are not here to harm us,' answers the captain.

‘Sensing more activity, Captain.'

Val didn't need to be told. More whales had arrived, possibly a pod making the air inside the ship ring with their singing.

‘Change in Captain's bio form detected,' Nolack-1 reports.

‘It's called having goose bumps, Nolack-1.'

‘Piloerection recorded.'

Val smiles, for an artificial intelligence she can be so amusing. Of course, she didn't know it.

‘Countdown imminent. awaiting instructions to proceed when safe to do so.'

Val gazes into the water from the observation deck and stumbles backward as a whale suddenly appears with her calf close by.

He had forgotten how realistic these screens were, providing such a life-like experience that one would think the ocean was going to flood into the ship, sweeping the marine creatures in with it. The entire deck is lined with screens, floor to ceiling panels providing 3D views of anything outside the ship. That whale was just a little too 3D for his comfort.

‘Initiate countdown,' he says. ‘They will move out of the way.'

‘Initiating.'

The lower deck workshops and labs hum with activity. Everything is being checked then rechecked.

Laser Tripod Miners are put through their paces on the training floor, shaping the practice rocks brought on board for the training exercises. New operators are being trained and then passed out (given a license to operate.) the LTMs. The fleet of 80 LTMs keep the maintenance crews busy, adjusting and servicing them every 200 hours of operation.