by Kalifer Deil
amorphous carbon, ta-C and can be done by ion-beam deposition. The technology is more than one-hundred years old. Logically, it has to be ta-C because it is on a substrate with a different thermal coefficient of expansion. It would easily crack otherwise. The domain grain sizes are smaller than I would have expected, averaging about twelve nanometers. It’s a tried and true technology but done with great precision. That's the good news.”
“What's the bad news?”
Abe: “When it was put into the electron microscope the technician cracked it when he bolted it down to the fixture. He over-tightened the wing nuts.”
“Jesus Christ! Do we need a torque wrench for wing nuts?”
Abe: “He's a smart guy. Max is getting his PhD in materials science while working in our lab. I told him now that he busted this one he will have to make one. He's going to try. Between you and me, it’s really my fault for using wing nuts. I should have used a nylon insert locknut and specified a torque. I was trying to make blade switching quick and easy.”
6.28.2128:
We've gone through three blades Max has made and each is a little better. The last one still has a high error rate due to an accumulation of debris after the tool has been cutting for a while. Small particles traverse the sample causing an error from the spot the particle came from to a trail of errors from its track across the sample. It's puzzling because the particle dislodgement isn't at a consistent position.
7.1.2128:
The problem with the microtome blade is partially solved. The boundary between the blade edge and the Teflon coating is a nearly abrupt one-micron hill that can catch a particle loosened from the sliced substrate. A new blade with a finely tapered interface between the Teflon and the blade edge substantially reduced the error rate. It still wasn't what it was before my transition but progress was made. It is better than when Tristan and Isolde lost much of their memories. I told everyone to take a few days off so we could come back fresh. Several people were not getting much sleep and it was beginning to show.
Armageddon
7.5.2128:
Something terrible has happened!
7.7.2128:
It's all very confusing. At least half the population of Earth is Dead! They were killed by a powerful gamma ray burst. No one is sure where it came from. The speculation is everything from star WR104 collapsing to extraterrestrials. I put my money on WR104. What money? Money is worthless. Jesus, I can't stop crying.
10.2.2128:
It definitely was WR104 collapsing, going nova and sending out an intense gamma ray beam. The ozone layer is gone and the atmosphere is thinner. The weather is totally crazy. We've had six megatornados in as many days. People are starving everywhere. There’s very little food. Max Goodson, the guy that made our replacement microtome blade, is trying to develop a UV blocking coating that can be made using easily obtainable materials for coating greenhouse glass. Marshall law is universal but the military is having trouble keeping its soldiers in line. They are looting people's homes and stealing their canned food and gold jewelry and gold coins. A month ago it cost $100 for a slice of stale bread. Now there is no bread at any price. I haven’t seen a dog or a cat in weeks. It take no imagination to know they have become food.
10.6.2128:
Abe died yesterday. I found out today. He was shot in the head by a cannibal. Cannibalism is rampant. I warned Max that he had better become an android soon before he either starved or met the same fate. He said there are still worms and a rat or two to eat.
We made a UV blocking greenhouse and planted seeds. When they sprouted, someone broke in and ate all the sprouts. This pattern repeated until we were close to running out of seeds. Raiding greenhouses before plants had a chance to mature played out everywhere unless well-fed guards with well-fed families were guarding the greenhouses. There’s often no reasoning with starving people especially when there is no law enforcement and everyone is fending for themselves.
Many survivors have severely impaired vision from the ultraviolet radiation. They won't last long and there’s nothing I can do to help. I tried several times to organize survivors and teach them skills to help them. The will to live seems gone in most people.
11.7.2128:
A cannibal broke in, shot Max and dragged him away. I'm now alone.
I've sealed the third floor that contains the computers and the automated equipment for converting humans into androids. I've put official looking biohazard and radiation hazard signs on the doors. I spayed the radiation poster with glue and sprinkled a bit of radium dust on it. It they think the sign is a fake that might convince them otherwise. You could actually make out the sign on a moonless night from the light emitted from the radium.
I also deployed a sensor net in and around the building. I also rounded up a 12 gauge shotgun that I found in the cellar of a local hardware store next to a long-dead corpse. He was the owner from his clothes that remained somewhat intact. He obviously had been eaten by rats. Rat droppings were everywhere. Only two live rounds were left. I took them as well and returned to my building.
I turned myself off to conserve power. I had the sensor net rigged to turn me on and wake me if there were any intrusions.
2.12.2130:
I was awakened by three people within the sensor net perimeter. I could see them from the second-story window in the cloudless moonlight. They were digging in the dirt to find worms. I mentally wished them luck and thought it was better not to make contact. They would probably run away frightened. I noticed that they carefully replaced the dirt. I thought this to be a good sign. They wanted the remaining worms to grow. I left a sign on the ground saying, 'Thank you for replacing the soil.'
2.13.2130:
The wormers were back but moved on to another patch of land. One saw the sign and picked it up. While he was holding the sign, they huddled around him discussing it and looked up at the windows. I was in a shadow so they couldn't see me. One stood guard while the other two dug. After they left I created another sign which read, 'You are welcome to the worms. I'm an android and don't need worms. Wave if you would like me to help you.'
2.14.2130:
The wormers returned and saw the sign immediately. They huddled for several minutes and finally waved at the windows. I came out of the shadow and waved back and came down to the plaza area. “I'm Gill,” I announced. The man laughed and said, “I'm Gilbert Lee; we are both Gill. This is my wife Chosen Lee and our son Brock Lee.”
“I smiled and thought, ‘What were they thinking when they named their son?’ “I'm very happy to meet you. If you like, I’ll help you dig for worms.”
We dug quietly for a while then Gilbert Lee spoke, “Would you like to come live with us?”
“I was going to ask you the same question. I live on the second floor of that building and it still has running water and some electricity. A sensor net alerts me when someone enters the area so you are safer here than most places. The ground floor has a kitchen and a bed. I’m sure that I can make it more like a home for you.”
Gilbert Lee: “I have a gun to protect me. See.” He showed me a 9mm Glock pistol.
“Do you have ammunition for that thing?”
Gilbert Lee: “No, but a bandit won't know that.”
“Bluffs don’t always work. I see you do have the clip. I will try to find some ammunition for you tomorrow. I have a shotgun but only two shells. I will need more as well. Ammunition is very scarce.” I knew that Abe had a 9mm pistol. He must have kept his ammunition somewhere. He obeyed the law in a lawless society and kept the gun in a visible holster and unloaded. In such a case, it is better not to have a gun.
Gilbert Lee: “I will let you know tomorrow. We have a lot to move.”
“How far away do you live?”
Gilbert Lee: “Six Blocks. There's plenty of vehicles around but no fuel.”
“I have an electric forklift, if you can put everything on a single pallet I can bring it here. Let's hurry and get some worms then you can pack. I'll give
you the pallet before you leave tonight.”
2.15.2130:
When the sun rose I set out with the forklift with the shotgun slung over my shoulder. It took me several minutes to arrive at their address. The pallet was loaded to 12 feet high. I secured the load to the pallet with straps and proceeded back to my building without event. I caught a glimpse of the Lees at the window as I left. I waved. On the way back, I noticed one other face at a window but no other.
That evening after sunset the Lees settled in on the first floor. We covered the windows so they could turn on lights without being noticed. Electricity was supplied by a small thorium reactor in the Nuclear Engineering building through an underground power grid. Set to a low power level it supplied power to only my building.
I expanded the sensor net to cover a half-mile radius. I now had people I needed to protect. No cable, satellite or broadcast TV, radio or phones were operating so I had no idea what the status of the world was. I rummaged in the basement storage room of the electrical engineering building and found a digital all-band receiver. The radio was quite old but was considered the best in its day. The room was packed with antiquated but possibly useful gear so I took mental inventory of what was there in case I needed it in the future. When I returned, it was dark and the Lee family was at work hunting worms. Snow was falling impeding their
