The Way Things Seem
Page 33
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Burt arranged some more in house testing when Dr. Wood inexplicably called back and seemed much more open to being helpful. Maybe he’d just caught him at a bad time before. Still, Dr. Wood at first didn’t want to invite David to observe, not until they had some positive results and he could do a choreographed dog and pony show suitable for an executive patron. Burt persuaded him that wasn’t how David thought, that he was smart enough to know negative results were still data. He would have more confidence in it seeing his self generated samples go directly to measurement without needing to trust a chain of custody.
David provided printed logos and activated them on the spot. Wood kept a straight face when David spoke to them in German. The tests to see if they blocked millimeter waves and infrared were negative. The tests to see if they had unusual magnetic permeability were negative and the device didn’t change an electric field more than you would expect from the dielectric constant of any normal piece of printed cardboard.
Wood kept waiting for David to show frustration and disappointment, but he shrugged and said any test that was negative was still a positive datum. Wood’s experience with rich people was that they were impatient and wanted quick, useful results or they lost interest, especially younger ones. David refused to act that way for some reason. Dr. Wood had privately given up hope of any positive response and was simply going through the motions, testing the things to which he’d agreed.
Then they went over to the physics lab and put a fresh sample on a very sensitive torsion beam scale and zeroed it out. After David spoke to it the scale showed movement and Dr. Wood was astonished. It was still within the sensitivity range of the instrument, but when David simply spoke to it again three more times, it gained mass each time, well past any possible margin of error.
Before they could discuss it the door to the lab opened and an angry man stormed in.
“What the hell are you doing in here Wood? You’ve totally screwed up my run for the day. You aren’t supposed to be doing anything that involves thumping around or gross vibration in the building. I have a miniature gravity wave experiment set up on an isolation bed with a granite block as heavy as a semi-truck. But it just registered four big pulses like you were dribbling a basket ball in here!”
“This is Doctor Barber from the lab down stairs,” Wood said, embarrassed by the man’s tirade. He waved at the scale in its own chamber that was nearly as sensitive to noise as the other man’s equipment. He was going to introduce David and Burt before attempting to make an explanation, but just then both of them reached the same conclusion and showed surprise. “Four thumps! We have our hard evidence!” David said, and Burt just nodded, grinning like crazy. They reached out and gave each other a high five, celebrating something only they understood. Dr. Barber was shocked speechless by their insensitivity and stomped out of the room even more angrier than when he came in, violating his own concern about noise just from his footsteps.
He passed an older man coming in, upset about something and showing it on his face also, but more reserved than Wood.
“I say, Dr. Barber,” he said, but the man stomped right past him without a glance or polite acknowledgement. Seeing his demeanor and the three still in the lab calm and collected, he drew the wrong conclusions.
“Do you gentleman have any idea what that mad man is up to? I’m doing a neutrino pulse study next door and the thing went crazy a moment ago. You’d have thought he was setting off nuclear weapons in the hall the sort of signals I got! I can’t even imagine what he could do to produce such a thing, but I can see he’s in no mood to speak reasonably about anything.”
“We are probably the guilty parties,” David admitted, “and chances are good we can reproduce those pulses for you. I’m David Carpenter. We’re doing some private studies funded by my company, but we’d certainly welcome you to the effort and invite you join us if you’ll just accept a standard non-disclosure agreement for the tech that’s proprietary to my company.”
“To see what the devil can do that?” the old fellow asked. “I’d give anything. This has to be a very big deal,” he predicted.
“One can always hope so,” David agreed. “It’s a little unorthodox. You may not want rush to be publicly associated with my firm for some time, because what we’re finding runs contrary to the established mainline thinking. No need to seek confrontation with your peers until we have irrefutable evidence to put before them,” he suggested, trying to gently get the man ready for a difficult revelation.
The End
The Last Part
Other Kindle Books & Links by Mackey Chandler
April (First of ten in series)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0077EOE2C
April is an exceptional young lady and something of a snoop. She finds herself involved with intrigues that stretch her abilities, after a chance run in with a spy. There is a terrible danger she and her friends and family will lose the only home she has ever known in orbit and be forced to live on the slum ball below. It's more than a teen should have to deal with. Fortunately she has a lot of smart friends and allies, who give them a thin technological edge in rebellion. It's a good thing, because things get very rough and dicey.
Down to Earth (Sequel to April)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007RGBIVK
April seems to make a habit of rescues. Now two lieutenants from the recent war appeal to her for help to reach Home. The secret they hold makes their escape doubtful. North America, the United States of North America, has been cheating on their treaty obligations and a public figure like April taking a very visible vacation there would be a good way to remind them of their obligations. Wouldn't it? Her family and business associates all think it is a great idea. She can serve a public purpose and do her rescue on the sly too. But things get difficult enough just getting back Home alive is going to be a challenge. It's a good thing she has some help. Why does everything have to be so complicated?
Family Law (First of four in series.) Also as audiobooks.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006GQSZVS
People love easily. Look at most of your relatives or coworkers. How lovable are they? Really? Yet most have mates and children. The vast majority are still invited to family gatherings and their relatives will speak to them.
Many have pets to which they are devoted. Some even call them their fur-babies. Is your dog or cat or parakeet property or family? Not in law but in your heart? Can a pet really love you back? Or is it a different affection? Are you not kind to those who feed and shelter you? But what if your dog could talk back? Would your cat speak to you kindly?
What if the furry fellow in question has his own law? And is quite articulate in explaining his choices. Can a Human adopt such an alien? Can such an intelligent alien adopt a human? Should they?
How much more complicated might it be if we meet really intelligent species not human? How would we treat these 'people' in feathers or fur? Perhaps a more difficult question is: How would they treat us? Are we that lovable?
When society and the law decide these sort of questions must be answered it is usually because someone disapproves of your choices. Today it may be a cat named in a will or a contest for custody of a dog. People are usually happy living the way they want until conflict is forced upon them.
Of course if the furry alien in question is smart enough to fly spaceships, and happens to be similar in size and disposition to a mature Grizzly bear, wisdom calls for a certain delicacy in telling him no...
The Long Voyage of the Little Fleet (Sequel to Family Law)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KYA9WTQ
In the first book of this series "Family Law", Lee's parents and their business partner Gordon found a class A habitable planet. They thought their quest as explorers was over and they'd live a life of ease. But before they could return and register their claim Lee's parents died doing a survey of the surface. That left Lee two-thirds owner of the claim and their partner Gordon obligated by his word
with her parents to raise Lee. She had grown up aboard ship with her uncle Gordon and he was the only family she'd ever known. Him adopting her was an obvious arrangement - to them. Other people didn't see it so clearly over the picky little fact Gordon wasn't human.
After finding prejudice and hostility on several worlds Lee was of the opinion planets might be nice to visit, but terrible places to live. She wanted back in space exploring. Fortunately Gordon was agreeable and the income from their discovery made outfitting an expedition possible. Lee wanted to go DEEP - out where it was entirely unknown and the potential prizes huge. After all, if they kept exploring tentatively they might run up against the border of some bold star faring race who had gobbled up all the best real estate. It wasn't hard to find others of a like mind for a really long voyage. This sequel to "Family Law" is the story of their incredible voyage.
Link to full list of current releases on Amazon:
Including other books of the series, stand alone books, and short stories.
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004RZUOS2
Mac's Writing Blog:
http://www.mackeychandler.com