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A New Past (The Complete Trilogy)

Charlie Foxtrot

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cover-image, A_New_Past

 

A New Past by Charlie Foxtrot

© 2014-2019 by Charlie Foxtrot

 

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

 

Cover Photos: ©iStock.com/Shaiith

 

Ebook ISBN:978-1-7337401-3-5

 

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The story depicts an alternative, invented "reality" or timeline. All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical figures, are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are entirely fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the entirely fictional nature of the work. Some of the characters in the story are based on actual people, but none of the events depicted in the story are actual events. In all other respects, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

 

Warning: This work contains frank and graphic sex scenes between the characters. While the primary plot is not about sex, the characters do have a varied and fulfilling sex life that is portrayed within the context of the story. If works of this nature offend you, don’t read this book. Consider yourself warned.

 

Acknowledgements: This work was first published by the author in serial format online, at storiesonline.net. A great many readers and proof-readers helped polish the story over time with their feedback and comments. I appreciate all of those who helped make this a stronger tale. -Charlie

 

 

Note: This volume contains all three books chronicling Paul Taylor’s adventures after being flung into his own past.

Table of Contents

Forward

BOOK ONE

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

BOOK TWO

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

BOOK THREE

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter Forty-Seven

Chapter Forty-Eight

Chapter Forty-Nine

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty-One

Chapter Fifty-Two

Chapter Fifty-Three

Chapter Fifty-Four

Chapter Fifty-Five

Chapter Fifty-Six

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Chapter Sixty

Chapter Sixty-One

Chapter Sixty-Two

Chapter Sixty-Three

Chapter Sixty-Four

Chapter Sixty-Five

Chapter Sixty-Six

Afterward

An Interlude

Appendix: Timeline

Preview of A Cosimo Story

 

Forward

 

*****

This is the story of a man from the future, cast back into his younger self, and working to change not only his own life-trajectory, but that of the world as well. This volume encompasses the full three books of the original tale.

This book would not have been possible without significant proof-reading and feedback from several anonymous individuals who helped me immensely as I worked through the laborious process of writing my first novel, which grew into a trilogy. I am greatly appreciative.

 

 

 

BOOK ONEA New Past by Charlie Foxtrot… 

A New Past by Charlie Foxtrot
© 2014 by Charlie Foxtrot

All rights reserved.  No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Cover Photo: ©iStock.com/Shaiith

Ebook ISBN:978-1-7337401-3-5

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction.  The story depicts an alternative, invented "reality" or timeline.  All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical figures, are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are entirely fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the entirely fictional nature of the work.  Some of the characters in the story are based on actual people, but none of the events depicted in the story are actual events.  In all other respects, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Warning: This work contains frank and graphic sex scenes between the characters.  While the primary plot is not about sex, the characters do have a varied and fulfilling sex life that is portrayed within the context of the story.  If works of this nature offend you, don’t read this book.  Consider yourself warned.

Acknowledgements: This work was first published by the author in serial format online, at storiesonline.net.  A great many readers and proof-readers helped polish the story over time with their feedback and comments.  I appreciate all of those who helped make this a stronger tale.  -Charlie


Note: This volume contains all three books chronicling Paul Taylor’s adventures after being flung into his own past.  
Table of Contents
Forward	5
Chapter One	6
Chapter Two	32
Chapter Three	56
Chapter Four	83
Chapter Five	104
Chapter Six	129
Chapter Seven	155
Chapter Eight	176
Chapter Nine	202
Chapter Ten	227
Chapter Eleven	252
Chapter Twelve	280
Chapter Thirteen	309
Chapter Fourteen	333
Chapter Fifteen	360
Chapter Sixteen	384
Chapter Seventeen	408
Chapter Eighteen	434
Chapter Nineteen	463
Chapter Twenty	480
Chapter Twenty-One	505
Chapter Twenty-Two	533
Chapter Twenty-Three	559
Chapter Twenty-Four	588
Chapter Twenty-Five	617
Chapter Twenty-Six	645
Chapter Twenty-Seven	674
Chapter Twenty-Eight	705
Chapter Twenty-Nine	735
Chapter Thirty	765
Chapter Thirty-One	793
Chapter Thirty-Two	823
Chapter Thirty-Three	852
Chapter Thirty-Four	879
Chapter Thirty-Five	906
Chapter Thirty-Six	936
Chapter Thirty-Seven	966
Chapter Thirty-Eight	994
Chapter Thirty-Nine	1024
Chapter Forty	1052
Chapter Forty-One	1069
Chapter Forty-Two	1095
Chapter Forty-Three	1124
Chapter Forty-Four	1150
Chapter Forty-Five	1175
Chapter Forty-Six	1202
Chapter Forty-Seven	1230
Chapter Forty-Eight	1254
Chapter Forty-Nine	1289
Chapter Fifty	1317
Chapter Fifty-One	1344
Chapter Fifty-Two	1378
Chapter Fifty-Three	1408
Chapter Fifty-Four	1438
Chapter Fifty-Five	1467
Chapter Fifty-Six	1496
Chapter Fifty-Seven	1522
Chapter Fifty-Eight	1551
Chapter Fifty-Nine	1578
Chapter Sixty	1607
Chapter Sixty-One	1636
Chapter Sixty-Two	1662
Chapter Sixty-Three	1693
Chapter Sixty-Four	1722
Chapter Sixty-Five	1749
Chapter Sixty-Six	1779
Afterward	1813
An Interlude	1814
Preview of A Cosimo Story	1860
Forward

*****
This is the story of a man from the future, cast back into his younger self, and working to change not only his own life-trajectory, but that of the world as well.  This volume encompasses the full three books of the original tale. 
This book would not have been possible without significant proof-reading and feedback from several anonymous individuals who helped me immensely as I worked through the laborious process of writing my first novel, which grew into a trilogy.  I am greatly appreciative.







Chapter One
Something Old - Something New
*****
"Ta-ta-da!" The sound of my job notification made me look up from my computer display and realize I had been sitting in the dark of my lab much longer than I thought.
The analysis job running on my processing cluster typically took four hours to run. I had started the job after my last shot in the fusion generator and then become engrossed in a mathematical paradox from my latest work. The four hours of processing had flown by.
I stretched my arms and shoulders for a second and then called up the data-file and clicked the option to graph the computational results. The image popped open on my monitor and I had to blink away sudden tears. The spike at the end of the graph was well above the break-even line on the chart. These results proved small scale fusion was possible!
"Oh, yeah," I muttered as I logged back into my test machine and prepared it for another run with the same parameters. If I was able to reproduce the results again, I would have the proof I needed to set the US of A back on a path of energy abundance. I could change so much in my country; right so many wrongs I had seen over the past three decades. It made all of the pain and suffering almost worthwhile.
It would take an hour or two for the accumulators to charge enough for another test, but I could hardly contain my excitement. I fired up my messaging app and sent a quick note to some interested colleagues. "Positive Gigawatt return using linear pinch method. Detailed specs to follow once I've re-run test. -PT".
Physicists in the know would be able to decipher the terse message. They would also know me just from my initials. Paul Taylor was a common name, but not in the small, often banned, fusion research world. I looked at the accumulator percentages and tapped my fingers against the desk impatiently. I needed to do something other than wait.
I thought back to the mathematical paradox I'd uncovered in my performance equations. There was an unaccounted for variable that appeared to cancel out, but had an imaginary number component along the tau axis that implied the cancelation occurred in the past. How was that possible? It couldn't be.
I stood up from my workstation and its multiple screens and paced for a few minutes. Suddenly, I realized I didn't need to worry about it if the results were repeatable. I could resolve the math issue before publishing, but having access to cheap power would trump the math for everyone. My thought was interrupted by a rumble in my stomach. I shook my head, glanced at the accumulator percentage, and then grabbed my card from the desk and headed to the break-room. Another dinner of peanuts and cheese crackers washed down with a diet soda.
I thought about going out to get a real meal, maybe a celebratory meal, but decided not to risk it. Theoretically, security on and around campus was good. In reality, you never knew what type of extremist you might run into. There were the fundamental Luddites who hated anyone working with technology, even though their low to modest class of living still depended on high-tech. Then there were the Social Democrat Party members who thought any money diverted from their pet social programs to research was a waste. They took such waste personally, despite recurring proof that their programs wasted more new dollars in bureaucracy than was spent on the scientific research they abhorred. Finally, there were all the flavors of Islam, filled with hate for the west, for non-Islamic lifestyles, or for anything their mullahs preached against. In my mind, they were the worst. And they all seemed to clog the campus quads in the late evening.
It just wasn't worth having a run-in with any of them. Instead, I would hunker down again in the lab, do my work to save all of their sorry asses, and make it home to my crummy apartment tomorrow morning after classes started up.
In the break room, I settled down on the couch and flipped on the TV, certain I was ruining my dinner with real-world news, but for the first time in a long time, hopeful that things might change if my work was successful.
*****
Something startled me awake. I sat up on the couch and looked at my watch. Three hours. The accumulators should be fully charged. I stood and then heard a muffled thud. It sounded like someone was trying to bust open the door into the lab area from the Physics building. I heard another thud, this time accompanied by the subtle sound of glass cracking. They were trying to break in.
I hurried back to my workstation and saw that everything was set to run. I quickly typed a command and set the output to stream directly to my public cloud account. I locked the workstation as I finally heard the wire reinforced glass of the door shatter. I could now hear their voices. Husky, male, with a lilting, foreign tongue.
"Quiet. The rent-a-cops may ignore the bribe if we are too loud."
"Do we care? We need to destroy them all for allowing this abomination to take place. The power of the sun is Allah's, not man's."
I grabbed my pad and card and headed deeper into the lab. Maybe I could hide from them long enough for the system to fire and confirm my results. The safety cage around the test machine might keep them out for long enough. Quickly, and as quietly as possible, I entered the code for the cage door, opened it, and slipped inside.
"Look at all this wasted crap." A voice declared. It sounded like they were near my workstation.
Crash!
"Those are just monitors. We need to destroy the computers he is using and his test set-up, not just monitors. Spread out and let's get busy. Mullah Azim wants this done quickly. We must destroy this work and the man who would dare this work."
I tucked myself back under the test bench and looked at my pad. The firing sequence had started.
"Someone is in that cage!" I heard. I pulled my foot in, cursing myself for not hiding better.
"Come out, old man and you will not be hurt." They must think me an idiot.
"Ari, open that door."
Boom! A blast shook the air and I heard buckshot scatter against the wire cage and back wall.
"Idiots!" I called. "You're shooting at a fusion reactor that is about ready to fire!"
Another blast hit the cage door, and then suddenly I was washed in incandescent white light and all sound ceased. My last thought was, "So this is what being inside a fusion explosion is like.”
*****
I awoke slowly, not opening my eyes, but feeling lightness on them. My bed felt unusual, warmer than I recalled ever feeling in my decrepit, drafty Chicago apartment near campus. I rolled my shoulders. They felt different too. No stiffness from my mugging six years ago.
Was it a dream, or was I dead?
I cracked open an eye and decided the answer was something else entirely. I was in my room. Not my apartment, but my bedroom on our family farm. Where I had grown up. I looked at my arm. No wrinkles and liver spots. It was my arm as a young man. Thirteen? Fourteen?
I threw back the covers and looked down at my body. I was young again!
I rolled out of bed and stood. My balance was a little off, but I caught myself easily and stood up straight. Oh, to be young! I glanced at the clock radio I had not seen in decades. Six-ten. Time to get up and do my morning chores. I changed quickly and headed out to the barn. Seeing which cattle I had would tell me how old I was. They were damned near pets when I was growing up. Our loyal dog, Duke followed me out, but I could not tell how old he was. He just looked like Duke.
The barn looked newer and cleaner than the last time I had seen it, as it should. I pulled open the sliding door and headed inside. Blackie stood on the other side of the inside gate, looking back at me. I smiled. Blackie was about a twelve-hundred-pound steer with all black coat and a diamond white blaze on his face. I had bought Blackie the fall of my eighth grade year. Given his size and the temperature outside, it was almost summer. I must be finishing or had just finished eighth grade.
My mind and body seemed to recall the chores. Check the water tank to make sure the autofill valve was working. Fill the feed buckets and dump them into the feed trough, then up to the loft to throw down more hay for the manger.
I slowed my pace as I headed back into the house. How did I get here? Had the past I remembered so vividly been a dream, or was I really sent back in time by an explosion? What day was it? Did I have school?
I opened the door and saw my Mom pulling a box of cereal from the cupboard. I tried not too, but tears welled up in my eyes. Mom was alive still, of course. I pulled off my boots and moved over to give her a quick hug.
"What brought that on?" She asked as I moved away?
"Just wanted to say I love you, Mom."
Her eyes seemed to moisten, but then she smiled and waved toward the table. "Sit down and eat some breakfast or you'll be late for school. You wouldn't want to miss the last day, would you?”
*****
The last day of school was a blur. At least now I knew what day it was. June 1st, 1979. Fifty-four years in the past from what I remembered as "yesterday". A few of my friends from the bus must have thought me an idiot, since I did not engage them much in conversation. I knew they would not hold it against me. Our typical bus driver did not let us chatter too much to begin with.
I saw people I had not thought of in thirty years, or seen in fifty. I had left my small town and the friendships and entanglements that went with rural life. I had lost touch less from intent and more from neglect. Then, once the troubles started, it was just easier to not think back on the past.
Lucky for me, my class was small enough that we did not have to split classes amongst multiple teachers so I did not have to remember a class schedule from my youth. I just followed the crowd.
I also tried hard not to stare.
Perhaps I was oblivious my first time through, but the girls in my class seemed much more attractive and mature than I remembered for eighth graders. They were in the early blossom of womanhood; beginning to develop the curves and comely shapes I remembered from high-school. Watching firm, tightly jean-clad bottoms in the hallways between classes was definitely a fine way to get from class to class. I had to laugh at myself as I realized I was not the only boy navigating by that method.
I know our school was not normal, in the sense that most schools had a lot more people in them than we did. By the time I graduated the first time through, my senior class was a stupendous forty-two people, with only ten of us being boys. On average, classes next year would be ten to twelve students. Growing up in the country and going to school in a small town had some educational benefits that larger school systems would never enjoy. I like to think that a sound primary education had set me up for academic achievement later in life. I may have squandered some of those benefits before getting into my research stage, but that had been my personality faults, not an educational defect.
As I settled into an open seat in the last class of the day, my thoughts left my female classmates and shifted to another woman I had not recalled in ages. Mrs. Janet Salaway. She was a petite brunette with a slim figure, but incredibly attractive. I had always paid attention in her math classes, and not just because I enjoyed math. Her smile was always warm and open and she seemed to have a laugh in her eyes for our class in particular. She was mesmerizing to me and featured prominently in my nocturnal fantasies, along with her three daughters.
I listened to her with half a mind as she had us pass in our books and finish up the administrative items for the school year. The other half of my mind was thinking about these attractive neighbors of mine, since the Salaways lived a few miles away on a farm near ours. All three girls would be in high-school next year.
Jordan, the eldest was already a dark haired beauty who took after her mother; slim, athletic, but with a delicious figure. She would be a senior this coming year. While I had lusted after her with puppy love, she had always been unattainable in both my mind and reality. Her beauty was reserved for the star jock of the school. Not for a nobody freshmen like me.
Jyl was the middle daughter, just a year ahead of me. She apparently took more after her father with lighter hair and complexion. I remembered her being the tomboy of the family. Very attractive, but almost unaware of it. She was the most athletic of the threesome, playing volleyball, softball, and being a cheerleader, but being quite smart as well. I had gotten to know her well enough to consider her a friend the first time through when we were on a scholastic bowl team together.
Jeryl was the youngest, and in my class. She was cut in her mother's mold as well, slim and athletic. Her eyes were always serious. I found her to be incredibly attractive, but had never had the courage to be more than just a friendly classmate to her. Perhaps this time through that would change, I thought.
The Salaway girls had always ended up with the jocks, but I knew they were all smart too. Maybe this time through I needed to focus a little more on athletics. In the high-school I remembered, I had always been competent in the pick-up basketball games that were played over lunch, and had run cross country a couple of years, but I never really got serious about athletics. The game I had dreamed of playing was football, but our school was not big enough to field a team.
Of course, an opportunity was coming up for me. My mother taught Spanish and French at a larger high school in a neighboring town. The road we lived on was literally the dividing line for the school districts. Before, being independent of Mom had made me turn down the option of going to high school there instead of here. They had football.
Jeryl Salaway dated boys from other schools, almost exclusively.
It was something to think about.
"You had better get a move on, or you'll miss the final assembly, Paul." Mrs. Salaway's sweet voice broke my reverie. I found myself blushing as I looked up and focused on her eyes.
"Sorry, ma'am." I stood awkwardly, and silently cursed the blush I felt on my cheeks. "I just wanted to thank you for a great year," I said trying to hide my lack of attention.
She smiled. "It's been my pleasure, Paul. You're a good student. I look forward to having you in algebra next year."
I dropped my eyes. "Um, I'm thinking about going to Fieldcrest next year."
"I can understand. Your mother would enjoy seeing you there. I know I'd be disappointed if my girls chose to not come here." The Salaways were on the boarder line of the districts as well. "I'm sure you'll do well in their math courses. I think they even have a few more advanced course that might suit your talents better as well."
I felt a pang of regret that she seemed to be happy I was choosing a different program. Didn't she want me in her class? I cursed my boyish fantasies and hormones and forced a smile. "Thanks. I just wanted to say thanks anyway." I felt my cheeks blushing again and grabbed my backpack.
"Good luck, Paul, whatever you decide. I hope you aren't a stranger."
I headed for the door and wondered what she meant by that.
*****
The rest of the day it was like I was on autopilot as my mind pondered who and when I was. What would happen if I changed my past and switched high schools? Could I? Would the universe force me to repeat my previous choices? My thoughts kept returning to the mathematical paradox I had been studying before the explosion. Was that formula what sent me back? If it did, what did it imply?
I got home and took care of my chores before ducking into my room and furiously scribbling that formula in one of my notebooks. I looked at it and tried to isolate the imaginary tau variable, but could not do it. I could not fathom how it could be responsible for my return to the past. But unless I was living a complete delusion in the millisecond of my dying, it appeared that my mind had been flung into my body in the past.
"Paul?" Mom was standing in the door of my room with a frown on her face.
"Yes, ma'am?" She smiled. She liked it when I was polite to her or any lady. Since dad had died, she had told me I was the man of the house, and manners were what separated men from boys.
"I was wondering how your day went. You didn't come out when I got home, so I was worried."
"Nothing to worry about, just thinking about the summer and school next year."
She laughed. "You just finished this year. I think you can take an evening off," she said with a smile.
"Maybe, but maybe not." I took a deep breath. "What would you say if I wanted to go to Fieldcrest?" I asked.
"Why? Did something happen?"
"No. Mrs. Salaway mentioned they have some better math classes, and they also have football. I think I'd like to try that."
Mom frowned. She taught foreign languages. I know what she thought of many of the jocks in the school. Lord knows I had heard enough of her comments about them in my past life. "What if you don't make the team? Are you sure you want to leave all your friends behind for that? We can always get you into a few college math classes if you need advanced classes."
I shrugged my shoulders. "So you don't want me to transfer?"
"I didn't say that. I just want to make sure you've thought it all the way through. None of your cousins go there. You won't know anyone."
"Except you."
"But you can't have lunch with me, or go to classes with me, or do any of the other things you would do with your friends. What about Sam or Scott?"
She was right, but while I had fond memories of my friends from the first time through, this time would be different. I had already graduated college, and won a masters and doctorate in physics. I could not re-live my prior high-school experience knowing what I now knew.
"I just want to think about it and know that you'll support my decision."
"If you think about it and show you are serious about wanting to play football, of course I'll support you."
"What do you mean, show you I'm serious?"
"You know Fieldcrest has a week of school left. I want you to come with me next week and talk to the coach of the JV team. He'll give you a workout routine for the summer and tell you what fitness test you have to pass to make the team tryouts. If you can pass that test before the enrollment cut-off, I'll know you're serious. Deal?"
I thought about it for a second. Beyond a childish desire to have a chance to play a sport that my prior decisions had denied me, I knew I had to find out if I could change my own fate. With that desire in mind, I knew I really had no choice. "Deal."
"Okay, let's get some dinner for my soon to be freshman," Mom said with a smile.
*****
Coach Miller was not impressed with me, but I think he liked my Mom.
"I know you farm boys can put on shows of strength, son, but football is different from baling hay or shucking corn. You have to be strong, fast, and have endurance. If you want to make my team, you'll have to show me everyday that you have what it takes. I won't let you take up a spot on my bench as a favor to your Mom. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir. I just want to know what I need to do to be competitive." I had never shown much in the way of people skills in the past twenty years, but I was intelligent. I knew I was smarter than the coach. I also knew that if I even hinted that fact, I would lose any chance of making the team.
"Okay. Day one of the tryouts is a standard Marine Corps PT test. As many sit-ups as you can do in two minutes, as many pushups in the next two minutes, then pull-ups, then a three mile timed run. There is a scale for each event. Each sit-up and push-up is worth a point. Each pull-up is worth five. Eighteen minutes for the three miles is one hundred points. We deduct a point for every ten seconds over eighteen minutes. A perfect score is four hundred points. If you can't make a score higher than one-fifty, you don't make it to day two. On day two, we do it all again, and the top forty scores will start practicing. In early practices, we'll look at your sprinting speed in the forty and some other strength tests. Thirty-six boys will suit up for the first game." He paused and stared me in the eye. "Will you be one of those thirty-six, Taylor?"
"Yes, coach." As I said, I knew what he wanted to hear.
"Really? You're telling me now that you are going to beat out twenty sophomores that are returning to the team as well as sixteen other freshmen?"
"Yes, sir."
"We shall see, mister Taylor. We shall see." He looked at a calendar on his desk. "Day one of tryouts is August sixth at 7:00 AM. We'll see then if you have what it takes.”
*****
Even though I had spent the last twenty years of my life in the soft halls of academia surrounded by the hard streets that had engulfed the United States, I had not always been soft or sluggish. My first time through I had won a Naval ROTC scholarship and spent five years in the Navy. I knew how to workout, even if I did not like it.
I started the same day I talked to the coach. Stretching my body carefully and doing a mile jog to warm up felt good in my youthful frame. I then did sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups before hitting the road again for a timed three miles. My theoretical score was dreadful at first, but I stuck with it. My two older cousins and my Uncle Ben gave me a natural ribbing about getting up early to run around in the dark, but that just made my stubborn streak kick in and make me more committed. In addition to what became my morning workouts, I still had plenty of farm chores that required strength and endurance. Winter wheat left straw to be baled, and hay soon followed. Fifty-pound bags of seed had to be loaded, off-loaded, and put into the planter. My cousins soon noticed that I was carrying more than my normal load of the lifting and toting. By the end of June, I was accompanying them to neighboring farms baling hay. In those days, that was how teenaged boys made money over the summer. We helped out farmers that didn't have sons to help with the work. The difference was I was  two years younger joining the work force than I had been my first time through.
"Where we working today, Uncle Ben?" I asked. Uncle Ben had been a cornerstone of my life after Dad died. He was my father's older brother. He was gruff, and weathered, but just as quick to praise as punish. With three kids of his own, he never played favorites, but in the past month I had seen him look differently at me. He gave me a chance to do things that I didn't remember from the first time through.
"Baling hay at the Salaways." I smiled. I had thought of the lovely Salaway girls just last night. "Drive the tractor over there after lunch and me and the boys will meet you there with with hay baler." We had un-hitched the baler in the last field we had baled yesterday and just pulled the loaded hay racks to the barn to unload this morning.
"We taking our racks?" I asked.
"Nope. Jerry has his own racks. Make sure you bring all the baling hooks though."
"Yes, sir." I had always been respectful to Uncle Ben. He had always earned it.
I wiped the sweat and hay off me as best as I could and headed inside to eat. Mom was out, so I made a sandwich and drank some milk. I refilled my half-gallon water jug before heading back outside and hopping on the tractor. The four miles to the Salaway's would take longer on the tractor than Uncle Ben would need with his truck, even with stopping for the baler, and I did not want to be the last one over there. Besides, driving a tractor was some of my favorite thinking time.
I still had no explanation for what had happened to me, but I was determined to make the most of the opportunity. I was working hard this summer to get some money that I could leverage with my knowledge of my past/future. I knew Apple Computer was having its IPO in 1980. I wanted to be part of that.
But I had also decided I could not just pursue money. Yes, I could get money with my knowledge, but I was proving that the past was not fixed. I could not rely just on my foreknowledge. I also knew that if I was successful in changing my own fate, then I also had a chance to change the fate of the country and possibly the world. The last ten years of my life had not been pleasant times for mankind. Resource scarcity and the rise of many flavors of militant fundamentalism had lead to ever increasing cycles of violence and conflict. I had been working on changing that trajectory with my fusion research. Now, I could possibly have a longer lever to move the world.
I had thought of quickly reviving my research, but the material sciences were not ready to produce much of what I would need. I would need capital to invest to guide those foundational developments first, then I could revisit fusion.
I pulled into the Salaway's farm yard as I saw my uncle turn onto their road a half mile behind me. I spotted the hayracks in the yard and pulled up in front of them. I quickly backed up to the tongues sticking from under the first rack, making sure the hitch was lined up properly, before dropping the diesel into idle and climbing down from the tractor to hook up the flat racks.
"Hey, Paul." I looked up to see Jyl, the middle sister walking over to me. "I didn't know you were helping your uncle this summer."
She looked cute in her cut-off jeans, canvas sneakers, and loose gray shirt. I caught a glimpse of a pink bikini top through her partially buttoned top. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled through the back of her Caterpillar ball cap. I smiled.
"Yep. John and Ryan and I are all getting a workout this year. How's your summer going?" I was not sure what the three girls did during the summers. I thought they attended some cheerleading camps, but that was a couple of weeks time at most.
"Oh, we just got back from visiting Mom's Mom in Michigan. We got to spend some time on the lake. It was cool. How about you?"
"Nothing much except working and working out. I'm thinking about going out for football this year."
I could see the wheels turning. "You're going to Fieldcrest?"
I nodded.
"That's too bad. I've heard most of the girls that go there are bitches."
I was too shocked to respond. I did not recall Jyl ever saying a bad word about our neighboring school. In fact, I'm pretty sure she dated a football player from that school in my past life.
"I-- I don't know," I stammered. "I just want a chance to play football. Your Mom thought they might have some more advanced math classes that I could take later on as well."
Jyl frowned. "Mom would think that way." She forced a smile as my uncle pulled into the yard. "Well, maybe I'll see you later when you finish up baling. Mom will probably have one of us make a jug of lemonade for you and your cousins and uncle, so stop by the house before you take off."
With that she turned and skipped away. I couldn't help but admire her rear-end as my cousins hopped out of the truck and came over to me.
"Chatting up Jyl, Paul?" John the older of my twin cousins asked.
"Just being friendly," I replied.
"Well, Jyl is cute," Ryan said. "But Jordan is beautiful. I'd rather be friendly with her," he said.
John laughed. "As if you stood a chance while Steve is still alive." Steve was the head jock and Jordan's boyfriend. John and I knew Ryan had a terrible crush on Jordan.
I laughed at Ryan's blush and then winced when he caught me with a punch to the arm. "You might be getting stronger, Paul, but I'll still knock you into next week if you say anything. Not one word. I mean it."
Luckily, Ryan's dad climbed out of the truck finally. "Stop playing grab-ass and let's get to work, boys. Forecast is for rain tonight. I don't want to have to re-rake Jerry's hay, so let's get busy.”
*****
The third rack was loaded high by the time we finished and thunder clouds were on the horizon by the time we had all three racks tucked under Mr. Salaway's lean-to by his barn. I almost forgot Jyl's promise of lemonade, but Uncle Ben sent me up to the house to see if Mr. Salaway wanted to check where we had parked things.
"Hi, Paul," Jeryl greeted me softly. "Jordan had me make you guys some lemonade, if you'd like some." She had a pitcher and four large glasses of lemonade already poured, sitting in the shade on their porch. She was in an outfit similar to her sisters, but with no loose top covering her bikini top. She was not yet as curvy as her sisters, but it did not stop my from admiring her smooth, tanned skin and tight belly.
"Thanks, Jeryl. Does your dad want to check where we parked things before the rain?" I asked.
"Dad's gone to town with Mom, so I guess not."
I picked up a glass of the lemonade and waved to my cousins and uncle. I took a quick sip. "Thanks. That hits the spot."
"You're welcome. So I hear you're going to Fieldcrest instead of Standard next year."
I was surprised at her interest. "I think so. We'll see how my training and tryouts for football go before committing."
"You want to play football?"
I nodded. "I'd like to try."
She smiled. "I never pictured you playing football."
"Well he hasn't, yet," said John as he bounded up the steps to the porch and grabbed a glass of lemonade.
"But I will," I said. "I can already make the cut-off for the team based on what the coach told me."
"Bullshit," said Ryan as he came up.
"Watch your mouth," my uncle said as he swatted Ryan on the head.
"Sorry, Dad. But I'll bet you he can't do fifty push-ups right now."
"What do you want to bet?" I asked. I was doing more than that every morning already.
"I'll run home if you can do more than me. You run home if I do more than you."
"Okay, but Jeryl has to count them."
"Why me?" she asked.
"Because John would cheat if Ryan was losing and change the count, or step on my back, or something." It was an old gag they liked to pull for kicks. Besides, I wanted to show-off for Jeryl a little. I knew she was going to turn into a real beauty in the coming year.
Uncle Ben laughed. "Looks like Paul is getting smarter and stronger this summer. Ryan, you made a bet. Can you win it fair and square?"
Now there would be no backing down. Ryan scowled at me and set down his lemonade. "Let's go, cousin." He dropped to the porch and pressed his palms flat. I quickly did the same.
"All the way up and down, Ryan. If you don't touch the floor or lock your elbows, it doesn't count" I said. "Ready?"
"Ready."
"One -- two -- three." We began pushing them out and Jeryl took up the count.
We both hit thirty without trouble, but I could tell Ryan was fatiguing by the time we reached forty. I had not given him time to think about the challenge. For the last row of hay, I had been on the top of the rack pulling bales up, while he was at the bottom, pushing them up. His arms were fatigued, even if he did not feel it when he had posed his challenge.
"Fifty. Fifty-one. Fifty-two." I could see Ryan's arms shaking. He was close to done. I kept my pace with him.
"Sixty. Sixty-one." He paused, but could not hold his arms steady. Slowly we lowered ourselves.
"Shit," he said as his arms failed him.
"Sixty-two. Sixty-three." I resumed my regular pace. "Sixty-four. Sixty-five. Sixty-six. Sixty-seven. Sixty-eight. Sixty-nine." I thought about stopping there for a juvenile ending, but pushed out one more. "Seventy."
I stood up and extended an arm to Ryan.
He grinned up at me and tried to pull me down to the ground as he levered himself up.
"Nice try," I said.
"Good thing I like you, cousin." He said, still grinning. He turned to Jeryl. "Ma'am, thanks for the lemonade, but I better get running or I'm going to get wet." He waved at us all and started jogging out of the yard. It was three miles to their home. I was pretty sure he was going to be wet before he got there.
"We had all better be going before that storm hits. Paul, do you need any help with chores this evening?" Uncle Ben asked.
"No, sir. Do you want the tractor in the machine shed or is it alright to leave it out?"
"Out's fine. Come on John. Thanks for the drink, ma'am," he said to Jeryl with a tip of his hat.
"Your family is funny, the way they always call me or my sisters ma'am when your Mom or uncle or aunt are around," Jeryl said.
"My Mom says that manners is what separates the men from the boys, and she expects us all to behave like men."
"Well, you were pretty manly beating your cousin." She grinned at me.
"We're having a party down by the pond this Friday, if you want to come by." She blushed a little as she said it.
"No car, no license. How could I get here?" I knew any party by the pond was not one to have my mother drop me off at.
"Have your cousins bring you. They can come too. Steve is out of town until the end of next week." Jeryl was a very observant girl, obviously. John and I kidded Ryan about his crush on Jordan, but I thought only I knew that John felt the same way.
"Friday night. What time?"
"About eight. We'll have a bonfire, so bring something you can roast. And anything you want to drink. We'll have some sodas."
"Okay. It sounds like a date." I blushed as soon as I said it. "I mean...."
Jeryl laughed. "It's just a party. It can't be a date unless you take me to it.”
*****
The pond was about a half mile from the Salaway's house, surrounded by grass and small oak trees. You could swim in it if you were brave, but since it was fed by a natural spring, the water was always pretty cold. By the time we got there, a fire was already going and a few cars and trucks were parked along the short lane leading from the gate by the road to the small field along the north side of the pond. Two large dome tents were set up away from the pond, tucked under the line of trees that separated the grassy field from the corn field that surrounded the secluded area.
I helped my cousins carry a cooler of beer and soda close to the fire and wondered at the mix of people the Salaway girls had invited. They each seemed to have invited their best friends. Ann was in Jordan, John and Ryan's class. She had long blond hair and blue eyes. She was expected to be the co-captain of the cheerleading squad along with Jordan and had the build one would expect. Kris was Jyl's BFF if that term had existed in 1979. She was a pixie cut redhead, with a tight body and ready smile. All of the cheerleaders were cute, but Kris is the one people wanted to see take the floor. She could easily cover the length of the basketball court doing back flips and was always trying more athletic tumbling runs and tricks. Kay was in Jeryl and my class. She had dirty blonde hair and green eyes. She was more developed than Jeryl physically, but I did not think she was nearly as nice.
All the girls were drinking pink lemonade, and based on their laughter and behavior, I was certain it was laced with something. Aside from my cousins and I, there were only two other boys. Gary and Bill. Gary was a belligerent sophomore. My recollections of him were as a bully. I knew he was the youngest of five brothers and probably took a lot of grief at home growing up, but it did not make him have to act like an alpha male all the time. Bill was the only junior in the crowd. He was a bit of an intellect, but played basketball, baseball, and ran track and cross country. If history held for him, he would win an appointment to West Point and have a long career in the Army.
So, six girls and five boys. It was an interesting mix.
"Glad the Taylor boys could make it," Jordan said as she bounced up to us in her cut-off jeans and a soft gray jersey hooded sweatshirt. She was a lot more open and bubbly than I had ever seen her before. "Did you bring anything fun?" she asked.
"Just some beer and soda," John said.
"And some marshmallows for the fire," Ryan added.
"Marshmallows! Perfect." Jordan grabbed the bag and led us all to a pair of blankets lying not far from the fire. "Girls, the marshmallows are finally here. You know the rules."
They all laughed and got up from their seats and singled out a boy. Jeryl came straight for me.
"Paul, do you think you could cut me a stick to roast a marshmallow on? If you do, I'll roast one for you, too."
She was in loose khaki shorts and a green t-shirt with sandals on her feet. In the evening light and glow from the fire, I desperately wanted to kiss her. Instead I nodded. We headed for the trees and soon found two suitable branches. I pulled out a small buck knife that I always had on me around the farm and whittled points onto both sticks. Jeryl grabbed them from me as soon as I was done and then surprised me with a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks. And thanks for coming tonight."
"My pleasure, ma'am." She grinned at me, grabbed my hand and led me back to the fire.
As we got closer to the fire again, I looked at who was paired up and thought I saw a little method to the madness. Ann had grabbed John, which I think surprised him. Kris was standing possessively close to Ryan. Jyl was with Bill, and Kay was by Gary. Since Steve was not here, Jordan was on her own. She was obviously the mistress of ceremonies.
"Guys, we have a little game we like to play at these sorts of parties. The rules are simple. The first girl to roast three perfect marshmallows for her partner gets to name the next game. I and the boy get to decide if the marshmallow is perfect or not, so no burning them and eating them anyway. Also the guy who's partner wins, gets a kiss from each girl, while the losing partners have to drink a beer."
For teenage boys, it wasn't really "losing", obviously. It was more a matter of which outcome was a bigger win. The girls took to their task with relish. Each applying the roasting technique they thought would work best. Kay moaned as her first marshmallow caught fire from being too close to the flame. "No kisses for Gary," Ann teased.
I sat back and watched the interplay, trying to figure out what the girls' game was. While my hormones were beyond my control, my intellect was still sharp. This was carefully orchestrated, but I wondered why. Jyl and Ann were virtually tied showing Jordan their first marshmallows. She inspected them carefully and nodded. Both raced to their partners and presented them before reloading their sticks and turning back to the fire.
Jeryl was third to present to Jordan, and was quickly approved. I savored the marshmallow, wondering what my slow eating would do to their game, but Jeryl was ahead of me. She had no sooner handed me the stick with the marshmallow than she was putting her second on the other stick we had cut and going back to the fire.
Kris and Kay got to Jordan at the same time, and soon all five girls were well on the way to making their next treat.
After the second round, Jeryl, Jyl, and Ann were tied. The third round is where it got interesting. Jyl got to Jordan just in front of Ann and Jeryl. Instead of looking, this time Jordan popped the marshmallow in her mouth.
"Nope, it was still stiff in the center. Try again." Jyl stuck her tongue out at her older sister, but then winked and headed back to the fire. Ann's marshmallow was perfect. Jodan nodded at her and she raced over to John as Jeryl waved her stick at her sister, got a nod and ran back to me. It was too late. Ann had won.
John grinned across the blanket at me. "Looks like John wins, ladies," Ann said. She promptly sat on his lap and kissed him thoroughly. The other girls groaned and then lined up to kiss my cousin while Jordan grabbed five cans of beer and passed them out to the rest of us. As each girl kissed John, they then refilled their own plastic cups with their pink lemonade.
Jeryl sat down next to me on the blanket and took a sip. "Sorry we lost," she said.
"I'm not," I replied. "I don't want to kiss all the other girls." I meant it as a compliment, but I'm not sure she heard it that way.
"Oh, but you will," she said and then blushed. "Oops." She quickly took another sip of her drink. I had suspected things were planned out.
The kissing was done and most of my can of beer was finished as we all sat around the two blankets. Conveniently, or by plan, we were arranged girl-boy-girl in order. Jordan was on my left. Jeryl on my right. John and Ryan were across from me with Ann between them.
"Ann, what's the next game?" Jordan asked.
"Spin the bottle," Ann said without embellishment. She proceeded to hop up and go over to the cooler the girls had been getting their lemonade from. She returned with an empty vodka bottle.
"Guys, the rules are the girl sets the pace. You have to sit on your hands if you are being kissed. Clear?" We all nodded.
She kneeled on the blanket and leaned into the middle and gave the bottle a spin. It stopped, pointing almost straight back at her, but just a little to her left. She looked at John on her right and shrugged before turning to Ryan and giving him a slow, passionate kiss that definitely got all of the boys' attention. This was not going to be a quick peck on the cheek type game.
When she backed off Ryan she grinned. "Your turn," she said.
Ryan spun the bottle and it ended up pointing at Kris. She quickly crawled across the blanket and planted one on my cousin before taking her turn.
I was surprised when the bottle pointed at me. Before I could really prepare, Kris had my face between her hands and pressed her lips to mine. She must have been expecting to shock me. She probably thought I'd never been kissed before. She was in for a little surprise.
I focused on the softness of her lips and felt her tongue brush my lips. I relaxed my jaw a little and let my own tongue join her dance. I concentrated just on our lips, not worrying about anything else, just being in the moment. She pulled my head tighter to hers and tried to force her tongue into my mouth. I relaxed into it. It was hot.
"That's enough, Kris," I heard Jordan say.
Kris broke our kiss and sat back panting. "Wow," she mouthed silently.
"Your turn, Paul."
I rocked forward on my knees, glad the kiss had not produced an obvious erection in my shorts, and spun the empty bottle. It came to rest pointing between Jordan and Gary on her other side. I turned and smiled at her. I had noticed she did not kiss John during the marshmallow contest. I wondered how she would play this.
Jordan glanced at Kris and then made sure I had my hands under my thighs before leaning in to press her lips against mine. It was another magical moment. I let my tongue trace her lips lightly and sucked her lip gently as I focused just on her. She too was panting when we separated.
The game continued, with pretty much every girl kissing most of the guys. Jeryl kept her kisses short, but seemed to linger with me. Ann was as aggressive with me as she had been with my cousins. Kay was surprisingly tentative while Jyl was soft and shy right until her lips touched mine.
We played for about an hour before all of the girls seemed to finish their drinks at close to the same time. "Okay, let's take a break and we'll decide what to do next," Jordan announced.
The girls all stood up and headed to their cooler of lemonade while we guys went in the other direction. Everyone but myself grabbed another beer.
"What's the matter Paul, too much of a pussy to drink a beer?" Gary asked. I had been wondering when the macho would come out. Gary had spent the least amount of time being kissed, and it had been obvious.
"Just don't want anymore, Gary. Obviously I don't need it to win the women." I should have kept my mouth shut. I had two beers, though and did not have the tolerance years of drinking might have provided. I also refused to be bullied this time through. Gary was strong and fast, but that was it. I had practiced Tai Chi for fifteen years. I had added many of the forms to my morning stretches. I knew I could avoid him if needed.
"You little wimp," he said as he dropped his empty can and narrowed his eyes. He had not seen me all summer and had not bothered look closely at me earlier this evening.
I turned toward him and came to the balls of my feet. When he lunged at me, I pivoted away and gently pushed his shoulder to help him stumble and fall on the ground. He rolled up with hatred in his eyes. He would have bounced up and come at me again, but suddenly all the other guys were close around us.
"That's enough of that, Gary," Ryan said.
"I think it's time you go home, Gary." Jordan said. She must have seen the whole thing, she was there so quickly.
"I'll have to drive him," Bill said. "I'll make sure he gets home... without trouble, right Gary?"
Gary saw all the eyes on him and then nodded.
"I'll ride with you, so you have some company coming back," Jyl said.
Bill smiled at her. I nodded to myself. I was certain now who Jyl had invited to this little party.
Soon, the eight remaining of us were back on the blankets, but the mood seemed to have stalled. Jordan turned on a battery operated cassette player with some Little River Band playing softly.
"Let's get this party back on track, gentlemen," she said with a smile. "Since Ann did so well in the first contest, and picked such a good game for the second, I decided she got to set the rules for the third round as well. Ann?"
We all looked at Ann.
"Truth or dare, of course," she said. "No back and forth, and if you say no, you're out of the game." She leaned into John and smiled. "John, truth or dare?"
John stammered a little and then managed to regain a sense of bravado and said, "Dare."
Ann grinned and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I dare you to jump in the pond and cool off a little, tiger."
The girls all laughed and John blushed before standing and heading to the pond. Once he was out of the circle of light from the fire, he stripped off his shirt and threw it back at the blanket. With a yell, we heard him jump in the pond, shriek at the cold water and then climb up the bank.
He cam back to the blanket, dripping but smiling. "I'll get you for that, Ann."
"No back and forth, John. You've got to pick on someone else," she laughed.
"The night is long, young lady," he said as he pulled his shirt over his head.
"Jeryl, truth or dare?"
Jeryl was suddenly not grinning. "Truth?" she answered meekly.
"What boy do you like best here?" John grinned as he looked at me.
"Um, Paul, I guess."
"Wow, Paul, aren't you the ladies man," John said as he laughed at me.
Jeryl blushed. "Ryan, truth or dare?" Jeryl asked.
"Dare."
Jeryl smiled at John this time. "I dare you to throw Ann in the pond."
"What!" Ann cried. "You can't do that!" But it was too late. Ryan had laughed and then grabbed Ann's wrist as she tried to fend him off. "No, I'm out!" She yelled as Ryan easily pulled her up and over his shoulder.
"It's not your dare to say no to!" John said as he laughed at her predicament. Soon we heard another splash and shriek. Moment's later when a soaked Ann came back by the blanket we laughed harder.
"It's not funny," she said as she shivered and then stood by the fire. Jordan continued to laugh, but got up and ran to one of the tents. Moments later, she was back with a large towel that she wrapped Ann in. Ann looked at Ryan, stuck her tongue out at him, and then proceeded to shimmy out of her wet shorts and t-shirt while remaining hidden under the towel. She threw the wet garments at Jeryl. "I'll get you for that, little girl," she said. Then, with her remaining dignity, she walked to the tents and disappeared inside.
"Ryan," Jordan said as she came back to the blankets. "I think it's your turn."
Ryan's gaze had been on Ann as she walked to the tents. Her swaying hips, wrapped only in the towel had mesmerized him. He shook his head and looked at Kris.
"Kris, truth or dare?"
The petite redhead smiled. "If it involved the pond, I might be out. Dare."
Ryan smiled. "I dare you to...." He paused. I could almost read his mind. If he was too bold, she would quit. If he was too timid, she would be disappointed. "I dare you to spend five minutes alone with me on the other side of the pond."
Kris smiled and jumped to her feet. She grabbed his hand, and then paused before pulling him away. "Jordan, truth or dare?"
"Dare," Jordan said without thought.
"I dare you to make out with Paul for five minutes in the other tent." Before anyone could react, she pulled Ryan's hand and led him around the pond. Jordan looked at me, then Jeryl, and them me again. She stood up and motioned me to follow her.
"A dare is a dare. Jeryl, you watch the time. It starts once the tent is zipped shut."
Jordan probably expected to take the lead as she had playing spin the bottle, but I was worked up enough to have other ideas. As soon as she turned from zipping the tent flap shut, I took her face in my hands and kissed her passionately. She melted into my embrace and wrapped her hands around my back and pulled me closer with by my shoulders.
I felt hard nipples poke my chest through her soft sweatshirt and dared to lower my hands to her sides. Our tongues danced as I gently stoked my fingers upward to feel her hot smooth skin. She must have been ticklish. She squirmed against me as my fingers stroked her sides and slid upward.
She broke our kiss for a moment. "You are too hot for a freshman," she whispered before kissing me again. My hands came higher until I realized she had on no bra under the shirt. I gently moved my hands to her front and caressed her firm breasts. I lifted her shirt and dropped my head to quickly capture a stiff nipple between my lips.
Jordan moaned and stroked my hair. "Oh, god, that feels good." She dropped her hand and gently cupped my erection. "So does that."
We continued petting, kissing, and rubbing each other until, we heard Jeryl call "Time!"
We broke our embrace and adjusted our clothes. It would have been too easy to keep going. Jordan looked at me in the dim light and brushed her fingers along my cheek. "We just kissed, remember that."
I nodded and leaned in for a quick last kiss before opening the tent and heading back to the fire.
Jeryl avoided looking at me for a moment, but then smiled up shyly. John was grinning. Ann was back at the blankets, in an outfit that closely matched Jordan's. Jordan, always regal in her bearing sat down and cleared her throat. "Kay, truth or dare?" She asked.
Kay had been watching things, but saying little since spin the bottle. She was usually fidgety, but now sat suddenly still. "Dare," she said softly.
"I dare you to streak around the pond," Jordan said with a grin.
Kay looked stricken. Strip and streak or quit the game. She glanced at Jeryl, then at Ann.
"Go on," Ann said. "At least you stay dry doing this."
Kay stood and hesitated as she looked at her feet. She had on tennis shoes, which would help her run safely, but taking them off and putting them on would make her go slow in the light of the fire after undressing. She suddenly made up her mind and quickly pulled her t-shirt up and over her head. She had on no bra, but the white tan lines almost looked like one in the light of the fire. Her breasts were still small, with large, puffy areolas. The word that came to my mind was cute. Without missing a beat, she pulled open the snap of her shorts and quickly skimmed them down her legs along with a pair of dark underwear. I saw her tight, round ass before she was off like a shot into the night.
Ann and Jordan were cheering her on and making jokes about two moons as she left our sight in the night. She was back a couple of minutes later and quickly grabbed her clothes from the blanket before continuing to streak to the far side of the fire to get redressed. This time by, I saw the soft tuft of hair just starting to be prominent at the top of her legs. The whole show was sexy. She was bright red in the face when she finally came back to the blankets.
"Truth or dare, Ann?" She asked as she sat down.
Ann looked at her for a moment and then grinned. "Truth."
Kay pouted. "That's hardly fair after you egg me on to do a dare."
"But I didn't dare you to do it," Ann replied. "Truth, please."
Kay thought for a minute. "Describe the first time you had sex," she finally said.
It was Ann's turn to blush. "What kind of sex?" She finally asked.
"You know, intercourse. The dirty deed."
"Um, I can't."
"So you quit?"
"No, I can't. I'm still a virgin," she finally admitted.
Kay and Jeryl looked at her in disbelief. I probably did as well. Ann always had a date and her dates always seemed very happy with her. We all assumed she was putting out. Most of the jocks would have said something if she wasn't.
"Then what have you done," Jeryl asked.
Ann shook her head. "Sorry, I answered with the truth. It's my turn now. Truth or dare, Paul."
I was surprised. I had expected her to ask Jeryl. "Um, dare, I guess," I said.
"I dare you to take Jeryl in the tent and make out for five minutes."
"I'll keep the time," Jordan said as we all stood.
Jeryl went into the tent ahead of me as Jordan grabbed my hand. "Just kissing, Paul. She isn't ready for anything else, Okay?"
I nodded and then ducked into the tent as Jordan zipped the flap shut. Jeryl was lying on one of the sleeping bags. I crawled alongside her and then stroked her cheek. "We don't have to do anything, if you don't want to," I said.
"What did you do in here with Jordan?" she asked.
"Just kissed," I lied.
"Then we can do that."
Her kiss was soft and gentle and I let her set the pace and tone. After what seemed like hours, our tongues danced against each other. When we separated, she was panting again. I kissed her throat and nibbled on her ear. She moaned into mine and then rolled over to lie on top of me. Her groin ground against mine as she leaned down for another long kiss. When she pushed back to sit up, my erection must have ground into her. She gave a little wiggle.
"I guess you to like me a little."
 I wrapped my hands around her waist, almost imagining I could encircle her with my fingers. "I like you a lot. Thanks for inviting me."
She leaned down and kissed me again. I could not help but cup her ass in my hands. It was tight, and hot through her shorts. She ground against me before pausing again.
"You know, now that you're not going to the same school my Mom teaches at, you could ask me out."
"I'd like that," I said.
She kissed me again.
"Time," Jordan called as she began unzipping the tent door.
"Shit," Jeryl and I said together.



Chapter Two
Tryouts
*****
The next week I adjusted my running route to take me over to the Salaway's and back. Eight miles round-trip gave me plenty of time to think and built my endurance as well. It was usually just about sunrise as I reached their house and turned to head back home. I doubted anyone ever saw me, except their cat.
I knew my summer money and the income from my cattle would not be enough of a stake to leverage quickly. I wanted to have an impact on the world, if I could. I also wanted to have an impact on my own life. The first time through, Mom had been killed shortly after I graduated from college when she was in a wreck with a drunk driver.
If it had happened twenty years later, I'm sure she would have survived the crash, but safety laws and features in cars were just not up to standards in 1979. The public was ignorant of the things that could be done to make them safer. At the same time, fuel efficiency was horrible. America loved the muscle car that might be lucky to get ten miles a gallon on leaded gas.
I could help with both of those.
As I ran for the next week, I worked out my plan to leverage my modest income and savings and lay a groundwork for the future. The world seemed to be on my side as a gentle summer storm system moved across the county and prevented most outside work for a few days.
I spent the time at my drafting board. I had built one in my room in eighth grade when I had to take industrial arts where we learned the basics of drafting skills. I knew the Intel 8088 microprocessor had just been announced. I also knew that no one in the auto industry was thinking about the revolution just on the horizon that embedded systems would lead to for car performance. It was my chance to beat them to it.
I drew out schematics for drive-by-wire systems that would make power steering cheap and practical. Anti-lock brake systems were also drawn out. Electric cars were possible, but limited by battery technology as well as motor efficiency. I missed the internet as I mailed away for spec sheets on the microprocessors I would have to use, but worked on simple electrical feedback systems while I waited.
By the time the weather cleared, I had seven patent possibilities in mind. Now I just needed to build them.
*****
"Mom, can you help me buy a car?" I asked one day at dinner.
"You're too young for a license," she reminded me needlessly.
"I know, but for the car I want to fix up, I should have it by the time I'm done."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I want to get a junker that I can rebuild. I've got some ideas that I'd like to test out. You know, I want to tinker with it."
I had always been a tinkerer. I liked to figure out how things worked. My uncle had gotten in the habit of asking me what I thought when fixing things, not because he was polite, but because I could usually figure out how to make things work.
Mom put down her spoon and looked at me. "What kind of junker do you have in mind?"
I smiled and pulled out a paper. It was folded to the classified section. I had circled an add for 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner. It was a muscle car built along the lines of the Dodge charger, but cheaper. I wanted it for it's frame more than anything. It was priced at $400 and marketed as not-starting and not drivable.
Mom read the add carefully and then looked at me again. "It will take a lot of work to make that a car worth driving," she said.
"I know. But, I can afford it, and I really don't plan on just refurbishing it. I think I can make a better car. I want the frame and chassis and the transmission. I don't care about the motor or the rest."
She thought for a few more minutes and then nodded. "I'll talk to your Uncle Ben and we'll see."
That weekend, I wrote a check for the car, and another for the flatbed tow truck to deliver it to the farm. I smiled as we lowered it into a cleared out section of the machine shed. Everyone else saw a pile of junk, but I saw the start of a bright future.
"No slacking off chores or work to play with this thing," Uncle Ben warned. He had tried to talk both my mother and I out of this "waste of money" as he called it.
"No, sir," I agreed.
It was the last time for nearly a year that Uncle Ben said anything about my car.
*****
I had a car that could not be driven and no license, but that did not stop me from having Mom drive Jeryl and I to a movie or two over the course of the next few weeks. She thought it was cute and I tolerated her comments and smug smiles to be able to spend some almost alone time with Jeryl. She was a cute, fun girl. I liked her. She seemed to like me as well. We held hands and did the typical light kissing in the back of the theater, but didn't have the time or place to do more. I felt Jeryl wasn't ready anyway, so resigned myself to handling my own physical needs in the meantime.
One day, at the end of July, I was out running down the Salaway's road when Jordan pulled up alongside me in her black Mustang. "Hi there, studly," she said as I slowed to a stop next to her.
"Hi, Jordan. How are you?" I was sweaty. She looked cool and collected as always. her brunette hair was pulled back in a pony-tail and she had on a loose blouse of light yellow cotton. She looked beautiful as always.
"I'm good. You know my sister likes you a lot, right?"
I was surprised by the question, but nodded. "I like her too," I said.
"Good, but that can get you into trouble. I know you have needs. So does she. I don't want you two to do something stupid, so I'm going to step in and make sure you are both good to each other."
Obviously, she had no way of knowing I was not just a fourteen-year-old bundle of hormones and urges. Just as obviously, I had no idea of what she was talking about.
"You keep running past our place today and go to the pond. I'll meet you there." With that, she smoothly accelerated away from me and drove on down the road. I ran past the Salaway's but saw no one at the house or in the yard. I went on down the road and turned into the pond lane. Jordan's car was parked under a tree, just out of sight from the road. Jordan was leaning against the trunk of the car. Her long legs were shown off in a denim skirt. She watched me closely as I jogged up to her.
"You run all the way over here and back?" she asked.
"Every day," I replied as I worked to catch my breath. I usually did the eight mile round trip right at forty-two minutes, or averaged a six minute mile.
"Wow. Can you still do seventy push-ups as well?"
"I do a hundred now. Sit-ups too. And twenty pull-ups. I've got football tryouts in less than two weeks."
She looked me up and down. "You must be hot. Do you want to take a dip in the pond to cool off?"
I stopped pacing. "With you or by myself?" I asked.
She did not expect such a direct answer and blushed. "With me. I'm a little hot and bothered too," she said and she stroked my bicep with her hand.
Before I could say another word, she put a finger to my lips and then stepped back and began unbuttoning her blouse. Her eyes stayed on mine as her fingers quickly undid the buttons and then she spun to the car, letting the blouse twirl around her along with her skirt. She popped the trunk and pulled out an old blanket and a couple of towels. She handed them to me and then shrugged her blouse off her shoulders.
I drank in the smooth tanned expanse of her back, noticing the light down of hair that caught the sunlight on her shoulders. I couldn't help myself. I stepped closer and kissed the back of her neck. She leaned back into me and then turned to kiss me. All too soon she pushed me away.
"I can't get all sweaty," she said as she pushed her skirt and underwear down her hips. Her dark pubic bush was neatly trimmed in a narrow strip. She let me look for a minute and then began pulling my t-shirt over my head. Her hands traced their way down my arms and shoulders as I lifted them to get free of my shirt. Then they slowly descended down my pecs and paused at the waistband of my running shorts. She cupped my erection before pushing my shorts down.
"I've been thinking about seeing this ever since the night in the tent," she said as she wrapped her delicate fingers around my manhood. "I didn't think it could be this big on such a young guy."
I was secretly pleased, though I knew I was not that large. Realistically, I was average or a little over average. Her comments made me wonder if Steve made the cut for average or not. My guess was not.
Her fingers stroked me to full hardness. Then she surprised me again by bending down and engulfing me in her mouth as her fingers dropped to cup my balls. She hummed as she bobbed up and down on my shaft. It was divine.
"Oh, God," I moaned as I tried not to come immediately. She paused with just the tip of my dick resting on her tongue and then slowly descended again. All the way down she went, then held me inside her completely before giving my balls a gentle squeeze. Then back up.
This time she paused and said, "Come in my mouth and then we'll swim." She returned to her task without looking up. It only took two more intervals of her steady progress before I was shooting deep into the back of her mouth. She held still and swallowed as my abs clenched and forced spurt after spurt into her. Finally, she suctioned me clean and looked up with a smile.
I grabbed her head and kissed her passionately. One thing I had learned in my past, was that any woman willing to suck you dry, really appreciated being kissed afterward. Jordan was no different. At first she seemed to try to pull away, but then mashed her naked body against mine.
Finally, we parted. "Let's go take a dip," she said as she grabbed my cock and began leading me to the pond.
The water was chilly, but the sun and our shared body heat made it more enjoyable than I would have expected. We gently washed each other. I cupped cold water and let it cascade over her breasts and then bent down to warm her obviously cold nipples with my tongue. I let my fingers explore her body, probing her womanhood and brining her to a small orgasm in the cold water.
"I think we're finally cleaned off enough," she said as she led me back to the bank and we stretched out together on the blanket. I tried to pull her close to me, but she pushed me on my back as she leaned on an elbow and looked me up and down.
"We need to talk first," she said.
I smiled at the phrase. First implied there would be a second.
"I don't know how experienced you are," she said, "but I know from your kisses, and just now that you have a lot more experience than Jeryl." I shrugged but kept quiet. "I also know that my sister is going to get very turned on by you if you are ever left alone for too long. I know I am."
This time I smiled.
"Don't smile at me like that, you green-eyed devil. I'm a senior. You're a freshman. You're dating my sister, sort of. We can't be a couple."
Her words floored me. I never imagined she was thinking something like that.
"No," she said almost to herself. "We can be friendly, but you are not mine, and I can't be yours. But I also have to make sure you know how to treat my sister."
I smiled again and rolled into her. She flopped on her back and I quickly found her nipple with my lips. I sucked her gently for a moment, then the other nipple, and then began kissing my way down her tight stomach.
"Is this how I should treat her?" I asked playfully as I dipped my tongue into her belly button. "Or is this better?" My head lowered until I was kissing the top of her cute pubic bush. "Or this?" I slipped my tongue into her and flicked it across her stiff clitoris.
"Aragh!" she moaned as an orgasm washed over her. I kept licking and kissing. I wanted her to come much harder. I lapped at her slowly, as my hands cupped her ass and lifted her up to me. She was delicious and wet well beyond any water from the pond. I gathered her moisture on my finger and slowly inched it into her surprisingly tight pussy. She moaned louder, but pushed against the top of my head.
"Not there. Slip it in my back door," she moaned.
I was surprised, but complied. My finger dipped lower and gently tapped her rosebud. Firmly, but slowly, I pushed inward. Her moans grew as I tongued her clit. As my finger finally popped insider her, she came with a loud scream"
"Oh, God, yes. That's it! Oh, God."
Slowly she came down from her high. I tried to lick her one more time, but she pushed my head away. "No more right now," she said. My finger remained just inside her tight ass. I wiggled it and watched her shudder before slipping it out.
It took her several minutes to regain her breath. "You are amazing," she said as she pulled me up for a kiss. She was obviously not shy about sharing her own juices. We kissed lazily for a few minutes before she noticed my stiff prick pressing against her thigh.
"I'll take care of that, but we really have to talk first," she said.
"So talk," I replied.
She took a deep breath. "Jyl, Jeryl and I are all virgins, and we all plan on remaining that way until we get married. Mom insists and has our doctor check. We get cut off if she thinks we've had intercourse."
I was surprised, but shrugged. "Okay. Obviously there are things to do besides intercourse."
"Exactly," she said. "But I had to make sure you knew the limits that Jeryl would have to place on you. I know she likes you too much for her own good. If you guys got carried away in the moment, she could be ruined. But I also know you both have needs. I wanted to make sure you knew how to deal with them. Hers and yours."
"That's awful nice of you," I said.
She blushed. "Okay, I have needs too and they don't always get satisfied as well has they have been today." She blushed as she said it.
"If you can hold yourself together when you're with her, she'll learn to take care of you as well. Jyl and I will talk to her and guide her, but you can't pressure her."
"I'd never do that," I said earnestly.
"I don't think you would, but I had to make sure. That's why I stopped you today."
Her hand slipped down to grab my prick again. "This is bigger than I'm used to, but I promised I'd take care of it and I will." She rolled over and pulled a bottle of baby oil from between the towels. She pushed me on my back and quickly oiled her hands up and began stroking my member. It was a wonderful hand job, but after the earlier blow job, it felt a little anticlimactic. I should have known better.
Jordan swiftly straddled my hips, rising up above my stiff prick and transferred some of the oil in her hands to her own rear end. I could look down my body between us and see her fingers working into her own asshole. She moaned as she looked down at me.
"Jeryl won't be ready for this for quite a while, but I made a promise to take care of you today if you were good." She grabbed my cock again and lowered herself until it was pushing firmly against her oiled passage. "You've been very good, so I guess I get to be a little bad and good for both of us." Slowly she forced herself lower on my cock until I popped past her sphincter. She stopped with just the head of my prick inside her back passage and leaned down to kiss me passionately.
"You feel so good back there," she whispered as she ground her tits against my chest and slowly lowered herself more fully onto me.
"Oh, shit, you're big," she said as her pubic bone pressed down on me.
"Too big?" I asked.
She grinned at me. "Not on your life. The hard part is done. Just let me get used to you for a minute." She kissed me some more and then slowly started rising and lowering herself, stopping on the down stroke to grind her clit against me.
"Oh, god. I'm going to come again. I want you to shoot inside my ass. Please Paul, I want to know you are enjoying this as much as I am."
She didn't need to say much more than that. The first time through, Jordan Salaway had been a source of fantasies for me. None of those were close to the feeling of her hot ass clenching my dick as her beautiful tits pressed against my chest. I arched my back to meet her thrusts and lifted us off the blanket. As we dropped down, we both had shattering orgasms.
I felt my dick pulse in her hot ass again and again, stimulated just by the thought of what I was doing as she moaned and writhed on top of me. Finally, after several minutes, we both fell still and silent.
"That was amazing," I finally said.
"Yes, it was. But if Jyl or Jeryl ever ask, we just talked today, okay?" Her expression was serious, even if her beautiful brown eyes were only inches from mine and maybe just a little out of focus.
"Okay," I promised.
Carefully, Jordan lifted herself off my softening prick. "Let's take another quick dip and then you need to get back to your run."
She was walking a little awkwardly as we went back into the pond and rinsed ourselves off. "Paul, Jeryl will need to go slow, even if she doesn't want to. You understand that, right?"
I nodded as I finished toweling dry and slipped back into my almost dry running gear.
"Good. If you need some relief that she is not ready for, I want you to let me know. I love my sister, but I like what we did today quite a lot, too. If we are careful and discreet, this doesn't have to be a one-time training session."
I stepped close to her for a second and gave another kiss. It was my turn to grin. "You do know that I'm serious about my training commitments, right?" Before she could answer, I turned and started jogging down the lane to the road.
*****
Tryouts were almost a let down. Coach Miller did not give me a second look as we warmed up. He was mechanical calling off names for our scores as we finished each event. Sit-ups were first.
"Tanner?" Coach called.
"Seventy-five, coach." Bill Tanner answered. He was a town kid that I barely knew.
"Taylor?"
"One-hundred, coach."
"Woods?"
Push-ups and pull-ups were the same. He called our name and we gave our results. I was the only one to max out all the events, but he never even looked at me. The three miles was on a blacktop road with a painted starting line in blue.
"Out and back, boys. No turning before the marker. I'll be at the turn point to make sure there is no cheating." Without another word, he raised his whistle to his lips and blew. We all took off in a pack.
I could tell right away that there were some good runners, but no real speed demons. We quickly spread apart into two packs. The leading group of ten or so was right on a six minute pace. It felt good to run with a group instead of alone. We slowly separated ourselves from the remaining boys.
True to his word, Coach Miller was standing next to his car at the turning point, calling out the time.
"Eight fifty-two," he yelled as the first boy turned.
"Eight fifty-six," he called as I hit the blue line and reversed directions.
I was in third place, and felt good. I stayed a few seconds behind the leader, a sophomore I did not know. About a mile later, with the finish line in sight, the leader seemed to slow a little. I pulled along side him.
"We do it all again tomorrow, kid, so you should pace yourself." He was not out of breath, but not just talking easily either.
I grinned and leaned forward to put on a little more speed. "I have been." Steadily I pulled away from him. The varsity coach was at the finish line with a stop watch and a senior to assist him.
"Seventeen, fifty!" He yelled as I crossed. "Good run kid. What's your name?"
"Taylor, sir."
"Good Job. See you tomorrow."
That was the first day.
The second day was the same.
A few people improved their scores, but I led the pack. Coach Miller finally deigned to notice me at the end of the run.
"Good job, Taylor. Glad to see you were serious."
We all hung around to see the final standings. My name was at the top of the list, followed by a large group of sophomores. The guy I had passed was second. His name was Jim Morris.
"Good try-out, kid. I'm Jim. Jim Morris." I shook his hand as we watched others try to sprint past each other for the finish.
"Paul Taylor," I replied.
"What position are you trying for?"
"Linebacker. You?"
"QB, all the way. I got a little time last year, but this is my chance to show the coaches what I can do. Are you a transfer?"
I nodded.
"Thought so. I didn't see you around the middle school last year when we were scouting kids."
"Okay, ladies," Coach Miller called as the last runner crossed the finish line. "All you sophomores pick a buddy to show the ropes to." Jim looked at me and gave me a thumbs up and a grin. "Tomorrow morning we will start at 7:00 AM sharp. If you want to play Knights football, you're going to have to prove it everyday, not just at tryouts. I don't play favorites and I don't stand for grab-assing or laziness. If you don't have decent cleats and the gear on the players list, get it today. Any questions?"
"No, Coach!" all the sophomores yelled.
"Freshmen, when I ask a question, I expect an answer. Hit the track and let's try it again!"
I was on Jim's heels as he raced to the cinder track surrounding the football field. The coach reminded me of a Marine Sergeant in more ways than one. Jim and I were first back around. As soon as everyone was back the coach roared again. "Any Questions?"
"No, Coach!" we all yelled back.
*****
I quickly fell into a great rhythm with chores, football and working with Uncle Ben and my cousins. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed challenging myself physically. I had always had a certain disdain for jocks before, but now thought I began to understand them. For many, it was about being better than someone else, but for the best, like Jim and a few others, it was about being the best they could be. If that was better than others, that was no concern to them, even if it did make them feel good. I found I liked to compete. I also found that I was mostly competing against my last performance. If I ran a forty in four point six, the next time I was pushing for four point five. Jim was the same way. He never seemed to care what others ran, just if he was faster or slower than his last.
"Paul, you are doing really good in all this conditioning," he said one day after practice. "Are you ready to hit some people next week?"
Next week we got pads and started "official" practices. "You bet," I said. "Are you ready to starting airing out some balls?"
"Definitely," he replied.
Over the two weeks of conditioning drills, we had become friends. He was really the first new friend I had made since coming back, besides Jeryl and Jordan and a few other girls over the summer.
"Have you ever hit something at full speed before?" He asked, suddenly serious.
I shook my head. "Why?"
"You're strong and fast, but I'm worried you're going to break on impact. You don't have the size the varsity linebackers have. There are some huge running backs in the conference, even on JV. I hope you can stop them over and over again, man."
I grinned and waved it off. "They won't know what hit them," I replied.
Later that day, I thought about it a bit more. Jim was right. If I didn't play heads up football, I could get my head handed to me. And it might not have to wait until a real game. Next Friday we would scrimmage against the varsity. A few of the other sophomores had hinted that last year's hits had been some of the biggest of the season as the seniors tried to show the new kids how hard things could be.
Those players on the offense had the playbook down cold and had been working together for years. If I were them, every freshman would be a big target. They wouldn't be trying to obviously hurt anyone, but they were not going to be gentle. A lot of my old insecurities came back over the course of the week. When Friday afternoon practice rolled around, I can admit I was nervous.
It was a sunny, hot day as we stretched out on the field. A few fans were in the stands to watch, but no one else was around.
"Okay, boys. Settle down," Coach Miller said as we huddled around him. "Varsity gets the ball first, so the first defensive team will take the field first. They will keep it on the ground until you show them you can stop them. Understand?"
"Yes, Coach!" We yelled.
"Line, everyone of you needs to shoot out of your stance and tie up or put down your blocker. They have you in experience. You need to catch them with speed and power. When they put you on your ass, and they will, I want to see you bounce back up and get back in the huddle, understand?"
"Yes, Coach!"
"Backs and safeties, keep the runners funneled inside. I don't want any breaks outside, understand?"
"Yes, Coach!"
"Then show me! On three." We all thrust our hands in as he said, "One, two, three."
"Knights!" we yelled and took the field.
*****
In the first defensive rotation I was playing outside linebacker. I was fast enough to play cornerback or safety, but had convinced the coaches that my strength and speed was best inside. This was the compromise.
We lined up for the first snap. The varsity gave a slow count, hoping to draw us off-sides with our nerves, but we had practiced this too much this week. We were ready. The QB took the snap and the tight-end across from me tried to shoot out and take me down. I twisted to the side and batted him down in a surprise move and moved up the field as the fullback tucked down and lowered his shoulder my direction. I dropped low, almost touching my fingers to the turf and then jacked up under his arms. He flew to the side as I spotted the red shirt of the QB rolling my direction. His eyes got big as I spread my arms wide to wrap him up. I pulled up suddenly at the last minute and slapped his shoulder pads as the coaches blew the play dead. I knew better than to hit him.
My teammates were buzzing as I jogged back to the huddle. "Way to go, Taylor. You put Thompson on his ass. You should have seen his face to be put down by a freshman!"
I smiled and turned my attention to the defensive play we were supposed to run. I had a feeling that I would see Thompson again, whichever one he was.
"Paul, you played great," Jeryl said, surprising me as I came out of the locker room door.
I smiled and grabbed her extended hand. "Thanks. I didn't know you were coming to watch. It's just a scrimmage," I said. I noticed Jordan a little way off and waved.
"I had Jordan bring me. We let your Mom know that we would run you home after getting a burger or something."
"That sounds great." I heard the door open behind me.
"Hey, Paul. Where are you going?" I heard Jim ask.
"Jim, this is Jeryl," I said turning to introduce him. "She and her sister are giving me a lift home after we get a burger."
"Nice to meet you Jeryl. This idiot has not said a word about having a cute girlfriend." He punched me in the arm.
Jeryl blushed and then ducked under my arm. "Well, maybe I need to give him a little more to talk about." She stretched up on her toes and gave me a kiss on the lips.
"Ahem," I heard from behind her. Jordan was scowling and smiling at us at the same time. "Enough of that, sister," she said as she gave me a quick wink.
I introduced Jordan and Jim as we all walked to the parking lot. Jim somehow invited himself along with us, so I actually had a reason to squeeze into the tiny back seat of Jordan's car with Jeryl. She stayed possessively close to me. We could almost have gotten a third person in the back seat.
Dinner was at the drive-in diner. Jim excused himself after we finished eating, declining the offer of a ride home since he only lived a couple of blocks away. Jordan made a great production of turning up the radio, adjusting the rearview mirror so she could not see the back seat, and driving very slow on the eight miles to my house. Jeryl and I made the most of it, kissing the entire way.
I was surprised to feel her hand caress my stiffening dick through my jeans at one point and moaned my approval into her mouth. She responded with another caress before grabbing my hand and slipping it under her own loose shirt. I was floored as I stroked her soft breast for the first time and felt her nipple harden to a point. It was her turn to moan into my mouth.
I thought about going further, but sensed the final turn toward my house. We had a half-mile to go. Reluctantly, I lowered my hand to her waist and squeezed her gently. We were both sitting as demurely as we could when Jordan turned into my driveway. I got one last kiss goodnight after we climbed out of the back seat, and then they were gone. Mom watched me walk in from our deck.
"Was it a good day?" she asked knowingly.
"It was great, Mom. Thanks," I said as I headed to my room.
*****
The car was coming along slowly. I had stripped most of the body away and pulled the engine. I had gotten all the rust ground off, and a coat of primer on but was finally ready to start what I considered the real work. Building it back up.
I had a firm idea in mind for what I wanted. The car needed to do two things. It had to be a test bed for my designs and it had to sexy as hell. I hated the idea of fuel efficient or safe cars that were ugly. I was almost certain that was what had delayed their adoption until gas prices rose above six dollars a gallon. This car was going to turn heads when it was done. It was also going to be easy to work on.
I looked at my drawings each day before starting to work. I had put a lot of thought into things as I pounded out miles over the summer. I had originally planned to use the stock transmission and drive train, but changed my approach after seeing an article in Popular Mechanics. I really wanted to make this car different. I wanted a small turbine generator, but knew I could not yet afford one that would meet my needs. Instead I had decided to work on an electric drive train that would use a regular or small diesel engine to generate electricity. Without sufficient onboard storage for electricity, it would not be as efficient as I wanted, but should still beat the fuel efficiency of any car coming out of Detroit.
Each wheel would have an independent electric drive motor mounted on a gimbal giving me four steerable wheels. This configuration would really let me show what a true drive-by-wire system could accomplish. Additionally, I could reform the passenger compartment dramatically once I eliminated the driveshaft connecting to the rear axles. But getting the mounting right for the motors attached to each wheel was the first critical build component I was tackling.
I was working at the lathe when I saw daylight spill through the door as someone came into the machine shed. I pulled the bit back on the machine and flipped it off and I stepped away and pushed up my safety mask.
"Who's there?" I called.
Jordan stepped around the rear wheel of the tractor blocking my view of the door. I smiled.
"What brings you over today," I asked. She was in jeans today, that hugged her slim curves, along with a tan, sleeveless blouse. Her tanned shoulders looked delectable.
"I stopped by to invite you to our back-to-school party next Friday. Mom and dad expect you there."
I tossed my gloves on the workbench and stepped closer to her. "Mom and dad expect me?" I asked.
She nodded. "And Jeryl, of course."
"What about you?" I leaned in and kissed the spot on her shoulder I had been admiring, just above her collarbone.
"Nope, not me. I'll be with Steve and probably not even look your direction when you dance with my little sister," she said.
I kissed her other collarbone. "Then why did you stop by to invite me?"
She smiled and gave me a hot kiss on the lips. "Because Jeryl can't drive and I think you need a little more training based on what I saw in the rear view mirror the other night."
Then she was on me. Before I knew what was happening, we were sprawled on the back seat bench cushions I had pulled from my car and she was holding my face against hers. When our kiss finally ended, she was panting heavily. She pulled at my belt buckle and pushed my jeans and boxers down as she lunged for my still growing cock. She engulfed it in a wet slurping kiss and fumbled with her own jeans. Somehow she managed to remove them without loosing my prick from her gently sucking mouth. She spun around and lifted a leg over my face presenting me with a delectable sight. I lifted my head and licked her hungrily. She moaned around my cock and then lifted up and leaned back over my face as she came.
"Damn, you are good at that." She lowered herself to me again, and spit on my cock. I had a pretty good idea why, and used my fingers and tongue to spread her own juices and my saliva around and in her tight rosebud. As soon as she thought we had enough moisture on us, she turned and pulled me up to change places with me.
"This time, you are going to fuck me in the ass, instead of me fucking you." She leaned back and pulled her knees up to her chest, lifting her ass toward my dick. I nodded and took myself in my hand and leaned down. The first contact was electric. Slowly, I pushed down and in, watching her asshole stretch and surround me.
"That's it. Go slow. Always go slow to start," she panted. My crown popped in and I stopped. "Good. Hold it just like that for a minute to let me stretch." I did as I was told and reveled in the sight and feel of me pushing into her ass. Slowly I leaned forward and went deeper.
"Oh, God you feel amazing," I whispered. She smiled and pulled me in further.
"So do you." Slowly I thrust into her, then pulled out. I moved my hands to the back of her knees, freeing her hands, and she quickly moved to rub her own pussy and clit. "Oh, God, I'm going to come and you aren't even stroking yet." And she did.
I held still as her abdomen rippled through her orgasm and her ass spasmed around my dick. It felt amazing and looked incredible as well. Once her breathing slowed and she was only gently rubbing herself, I began to stroke again.
"Oh, yeah. You feel so good in my ass, fuck my ass, Paul." I complied, picking up the pace a little. Her fingers were moving more quickly again as she fell into a rhythm with my trusts. "That's it. Fuck my ass a little faster, fuck it, Paul. Oh yeah. Come with me this time, come with me, Paul, come...in...my...ass!" It hit her again and a clench of her rectum sent me over the edge. I unloaded pulse after pulse into her as she thrashed against the old back seat.
Finally, we stilled ourselves. Our eyes locked as we stayed there, still joined by dick and ass. She laughed, which made my flagging cock begin to stiffen again. "Paul, really, you are a great ass fucker," she said.
The only response I could think of was, "Yes, ma’am."
*****
The first week of school was surreal. I knew the football players, but that was it. Somehow though, people seemed to know me. Girls in the hallway would smile at me and say "Hi, Paul." I had no idea who they were. I'd smile back and say "hi", but was really wondering what was going on.
"Dude," Jim said to me at lunch. "How's day one going?"
I smiled and told him my experience and he laughed. "Of course they know who you are. The JV almost beat the varsity for the first time ever in our scrimmage because you kept making defensive plays. If coach hadn't pulled you, we would have won. That just doesn't happen. You're a new freshman, an up and coming football star, you get picked up by a hot senior and her cute sister, and you hang out with me. Of course they know your name and want to be your friend. You are the star of the freshman class, man."
I blushed. "No way. I'm just a freshman."
Jim laughed. "Stay humble, and keep your game and grades up. I want you on our team all season long. Don't screw around and make yourself ineligible."
I laughed back. "Not a chance of that. Mom would have me pulled from the team in a heartbeat if I get less than an A in every course. And I don't plan on having any wild parties that would get me benched." Coach Miller had a very dim view on players that got in trouble off the field.
"What classes do you have this afternoon?" Jim asked. We had no classes together in the morning. I had US History, geometry, Ag, and PE before lunch.
"English, Algebra, and Biology," I said.
"Regular?"
"Honors," I replied.
"Cool, me too." I had come to realize that Jim was not only athletic, but smart as well. The fact that we were both in the honors sections of our afternoon classes was good. It was the only way freshmen and sophomores shared classes. I would at least know someone in class. My new guidance counselor had tried to keep me out of the honors Algebra class until she had a phone call with Mrs. Salaway during registration. After that, she warned me that I would be pulled if it looked like it was too much of a load for me.
"Hey, Jim," a soft voice said by my shoulder. "Who's your new friend?"
I turned my head and saw the bluest eyes I could imagine staring at me. Slowly my focus pulled back to take in the dusting of freckles across a slightly turned up nose, red lips, and high cheeks, all surrounded by bright blonde hair.
"Lisa, this is Paul. Paul, Lisa."
She smiled. "Nice to meet you Paul." Then her focus shifted to Jim, and I was left on the sidelines. "Are you in Honors English this year, Jim?"
He nodded. "We both are."
She looked back at me with surprise. "Both? I thought Jim was the only football player smart enough for the honors classes."
I blushed and smiled.
"Well, I guess I'll see you there. Save me a seat, will you?" And with that she spun and walked away. She was short and cute, and for the first time I noticed the prominent, proud bust she carried with ease. She was a hot young woman.
"Dude," I said as Jim watched her walk away. "She is totally into you."
He looked at me and scowled. "Maybe, but that is Coach Miller's daughter. I'd rather piss on an electric fence than have the coach mad at me. It totally sucks.”
*****
The first JV game was Thursday night and both Jim and I were pumped up for it. We were playing a conference rival that always had a tough program. We knew that we would be playing some of the same players when we were on the varsity team. Tonight was the time to test their mettle.
As surreal as the first day of classes were, the first whistle of my first game seemed to center me and make everything fall into place. We kicked off as the home team so I got to be on the field pretty quickly. My work in practice and the scrimmage had cemented my place as a starter in outside linebacker. I was one of three freshmen that got to start. I lined up quickly after the defensive play was called and waited for the snap.
We knew from scouting that this QB did not have much of an arm and we doubted they would try to go to the air early in the game. They snapped the ball and I saw the handoff as I sidestepped the tight-end and focused on the left wing-back who was coming my way.
I focused and dipped, just like in the scrimmage before exploding up and into him. He left his feet and the ball popped free as I heard the small crowd roar. One of my teammates scooped up the ball before being downed by the other wing-back.
"Way to go, Paul!" Jim shouted as the offense came on the field.
"Good job, Taylor," Coach Miller said as I came to the sideline.
Jim took control of our offense and came out throwing on the first exchange. Phil Jessop caught the perfect pass over the middle, tucked his shoulder and barreled over a safety for our first score.
We kicked the extra point, and soon, I was back out for another defensive series. This time they ran to the strong side, away from me. I was in pursuit in the backfield when the wing-back I had flattened hit me from behind.
I went down in a heap as the ref blew his whistle. I got up in time to see him signal clipping and shook off the knot in my thigh as they marched off the fifteen-yard penalty. The opposing coach was in the wing-back's face screaming as the small yardage they had gained was erased. I smiled and got back in formation.
The next play had them coming my way again. I saw the QB tuck the ball and use one arm to guide my favorite wing-back at me as they tried to turn up field. I dipped low and came up quickly with a twist. My shoulder slammed into the other back's stomach, knocking the wind from him has my forearms wrapped around the quarterback's legs. I couldn't quite bring him down, but slowed him enough for a teammate to slam into him. They were stopped behind the line of scrimmage.
The quarter ground on as we held them on the ground and forced them to punt, only to see their defense stiffen enough to keep us out of scoring range. It was a grueling game after the first initial exchange.
Early in the second quarter, Jim faked a hand-off and ran a text book draw play up the middle. The defense totally missed him, biting on the fake run to the far sideline. Jim saw clear field and kicked it into high gear to run in for a touchdown. After a timeout, the opponents came back to the field more determined than ever.
They managed to put together a good series of downs, double teaming me on most plays or running away from my side of the field. I did my part tying them up and encouraging my teammates to exploit the holes they created when I was doubled. Unfortunately, we were very young in playing together and made some mistakes. They managed to exploit some poorly executed blitz plays and score against us when the QB finally went to the air late in the half with a screen play.
We went into the locker room up by seven, generally happy with our performance.
Coach was not so happy. Poor blocks were criticized, missed tackles were highlighted and a general message to focus and work harder was heard loud and clear by us all. I wondered about the psychology of it, but happily headed back to the field after halftime.
The other team had made adjustments as well and came out fired up. They shut down our offense and worked on mixing up short throws with their running game, mostly going up the middle. We were still up by seven when coach pulled me from the field and sent a sophomore in to take my spot.
"Good job, Taylor," he said as he motioned me over to him. "How would you like a chance to carry the ball?"
My mouth was suddenly dry. "Whatever you say, coach."
He actually smiled. "Good, boy. You're going in as a fullback next series. Morris will tell you which hole to hit. He'll decide if you get the ball or Jamison does." Jamison was the halfback. "You just make sure you hit the hole you are supposed to, Okay?"
"Yes, coach!" I yelled.
"Good job." He swatted my ass with his clipboard and motioned Jim my way. Soon, I was back out on the field, looking at new opponents this time.
We huddled up and looked at Jim. "Sweep left on three. Taylor, you hit the D2 gap." I nodded. "Ready...break!"
I lined up to the right and behind Jim. Jamison was behind me. I focused on the D1 gap between the center and the right guard, but thought about the opposite side of the center. When the ball was snapped, Jim would drop straight back and I would cut in front of him and hit the defensive tackle trying to come past the center on the left side. Or, he would hand me the ball and I would hit that same gap.
He called the count, and suddenly we were all moving. I shot by Jim's right side and swung to the left as I faked taking a hand-off from him. Then I was in the face of the defensive lineman trying to shoot the gap. I dipped and rose, thrusting my hands into the chest plate of his pads and knocking him back into the line. I dug my feet in and kept them moving forward while behind me, Jim handed the ball to Jamison who kicked on the speed and swept down the line to the left. The left guard who had released his block followed the play and moved down the line to tie up the outside linebacker and give Jamison enough room to turn the corner and gain some yards. They finally stopped him eight yards down the field.
"Good job," Jim said as we huddled back up. "Red-dog two on three. Taylor, you hit D1 straight on," He said. I nodded and lined up as we broke. Again, I was expecting to block. This time, though the fake hand-off was real. I tucked to cover the ball and ran straight ahead at the D1 gap. The center and guard had opened a crack in their line and I shot through and saw the middle linebacker coming up fast for me. I dropped a shoulder at the last second and caught him hard in the chest. I kept my feet moving and pushed passed him as another set of hands grabbed my shoulders. I slammed into the ground, but held onto the ball. The ref ran over, picked up the ball and signaled first down.
I got up and headed back to the huddle, but saw the coach signaling me over. "Good job Taylor. I just wanted to see what you could do. Have a seat and we'll get you back on D in a little bit."
"Thanks coach," I said as I headed to the bench for a quick drink.
The score stayed the same for the remainder of the game as both coaches decided to rotate players and positions rather than trying to make something break free.
*****
Friday night was a different experience. The JV team had to go to the game, but we did not have to sit together or anything else, so I actually got to take Jeryl. The experience of taking a cute girl who was mad about me to the first home football game made my strange transition in life somehow feel real and right. The first time through, the only football games I had gone to had been some college games with my cousins, never high school and never with a girl.
Jeryl seemed content to sit by my side and was pleased to meet some of my teammates as they stopped by. She was even kind enough to invite Jim to her back to school party that night. Jim blushed and said he'd be happy to go.
"Who's this," I heard a soft voice ask as we stood talking at half-time.
I recognized Lisa's voice. I turned and smiled. "Lisa, this is my girlfriend, Jeryl."
Lisa looked at her and forced a smile. Over the course of the week, I had come to realize several things about Lisa. Firstly, she did have eyes for Jim. She fully expected to be the girlfriend of the Quarterback next year, since it was obvious that Jim would be playing varsity next year. Secondly, I realized that Lisa expected to be dating Jim and thus be at the top of the social pyramid in school. Finally, I had come to realize that Lisa would be ruthless about reaching those first two goals. I had not yet decided if I was happy or jealous for my friend. I did not think he was ready for a force of nature like Lisa.
Lisa's smile did not really touch her blue eyes. "Nice to meet you. You don't go to Fieldcrest, do you?"
"No," Jeryl said. "Standard." About that time, Jordan and Jyl appeared from the crowd. I knew they were around somewhere, since we had all ridden together. Jyl almost skipped up to Jim and wrapped her arms around him.
"Hi, cutie. Paul said I could keep you if I could catch you!"
I almost doubled over laughing. Jyl had mentioned she thought Jim was cute. I had told her that in jest, but her delivery of the line, along with the looks on Jim and Lisa's face was too much.
"What?" Lisa's tone took the humor from the situation and she was suddenly glaring at me.
"It's just a joke Lisa. Lighten up." I said as Jim grinned at me.
Jyl could never leave good enough alone. "Jim, if you come to our party, maybe it won't be a joke," she said playfully.
Jordan read expressions better than Jyl and decided to step in. "Jyl, stop chasing every guy you see here or I'll have to take you home. Hi," she said to Lisa. "I'm Jordan and that is Jyl. You'd think she was the youngest sister by the way she acts sometime," she finished with a smile as Jyl pretended to be embarrassed and finally let Jim's shoulders go.
Jordan continued smoothly, always in control. "We are having a party tonight, though. Maybe you can get Jim to bring you. It's fully chaperoned by my folks."
Jim blushed and looked at the ground. "Her dad won't let her go, I'm sure," he said.
"She's the coach's daughter," I added.
It was Lisa's turn to blush. "Is that why..." she stopped.
"I'm sure it won't be a problem," Jordan said. "Mom's a teacher. Paul's Mom is a teacher. Surely he'll let you go if you explain that."
Lisa looked like she was about to cry. "Do you want to take me, Jim?"
Jim looked up at her, then at me, then back to her. He nodded. "I'd like to take you if you can go," he said with a smile.
For the first time, I saw a smile actually touch Lisa's eyes. "I'll take care of Dad. Are you driving?" Jim smiled and nodded. "But," Lisa added, "you have to go with me when I ask him." Jim almost wilted, but then smiled when Lisa grabbed his hand and pulled him into the crowd.
"That was sweet," Jyl said. "It was good of you to tell us about her."
I laughed. "Like I'd be silly not to mention a blonde that liked my best friend at school and warn you away. Jeryl would have killed me if I let Lisa tangle with you over Jim."
Jordan and Jyl laughed. "Jeryl, you've caught a good man. Try to hold on to him."
Jeryl beamed at me and grabbed my arm again. "I will," she said softly.
*****
I had a vague recollection of the Salaway's annual back to school party, but no firm memories from the first time through. Previously, they had been non-events for me. I had gone, and probably enjoyed myself at least my senior year, but that was it. This time was different.
We headed out during the fourth quarter of the game. Fieldcrest had a good lead, so it was not like we needed to sit through a nail biting finish. Besides, the girls had to help their mother get ready. As one of the three boy friends invited, I was expected to help finish setting up as well. Steve and Bill arrived shortly after we did and jumped into help set tables up under the Japanese lanterns strung from the porch to some trees west of the house. Folding chairs were put in place before the first guests began arriving at 8:00.
Jeryl found me soon after some of my former classmates did and slipped under my arm and wrapped her arm around my waist. It felt nice and the look in a few people's eyes did wonders for my ego. Once the music started in the basement, I was not shy about asking her to dance, at least on the slower songs.
We had just finished going about as fast as I wanted dancing to "Head Games" by Foreigner when Jeryl pulled me into a dark room in their basement and plastered her lips to mine. I kissed her back and cupped her delectable ass in my hands and squeezed softly. She moaned and then pulled back breathless.
"I just wanted to show you how much I wanted you," she whispered before kissing me again.
"I want you too," I said.
We kissed until we heard the next song end, then separated. Another song came on, and we slipped out of the dark room and back amongst the crowd. Jeryl pulled me toward the stairs and led me outside after picking up a couple of cans of soda in the kitchen. Soon we were walking down the grass along side the driveway, holding hands.
"Paul," she said. "I really like you and the way you make me feel."
"I like you a lot too, kitten." It was the first time I had used a pet name for her. It felt right, somehow. She beamed at me and stepped in to give me a quick kiss.
"I'm glad. I want to do more with you, but I can't right now," she said earnestly.
I hugged her. "I know. We can't right now. I understand. We'll go at a pace you're comfortable with."
"But I'm not comfortable with it," she sobbed. "I keep thinking about the night we played truth or dare. I want to run naked around the pond and have you chase me. And catch me." She buried her head in my shoulder. "But I can't, and I can't even tell you why right now. But I don't want to lose you either."
I pushed her back gently and lifted her chin to look me in the eye. Her beautiful hazel eyes caught the light from the house just enough to let me see they were brimming with tears. I kissed them gently. "You aren't going to lose me," I said. "If I can dream of chasing you naked, do you think I'm going to run away from that dream?" I kissed her again. "We have plenty of time. I'm not going anywhere."
"But what about all those girls at your new school? I saw them looking at you at the game. You could snap your fingers and have them all day, everyday."
"But I don't want them," I said.
I kissed her again, trying to pour my longing and love into her. I had carried a schoolboy crush on Jeryl the first time through. This time I had a chance to actually be with her. I was not going to screw that up.

Chapter Three
Making Progress
*****
Football season and school progressed as did my relationship with Jeryl. I maintained the straight A average I had always had in school, but this time with a fraction of the effort I had previously put into classes. My cousins and I butchered our cattle and sold the beef for a tidy profit before re-investing our earnings in more feed steers for the next year.
My car slowly took shape as I mounted the electrically driven wheels with their individual motors and started wiring the controls to the microprocessors that would eventually steer them. I had to get John and Ryan's help to mount the new, smaller engine and its attached generator to the chassis. I really wanted a turbine generator, but knew that would have to wait for the second iteration.
I had no more training visits with Jordan, though she was always cordial and had a warm smile for me. Jeryl and I dated most weekends, either doubling with one of her sisters or one of my cousins. John worked up the courage to ask Ann out and seemed to be dating her more than the one or two times she seemed to go out with prior beaus. Ryan had actually started dating Kris. We gave him grief about cradle robbing, but he took it with good grace. They made a cute couple.
I knew neither of my cousins had dated those girls the first time through, and wondered what it meant. I finally decided not to worry about it and just live my second life as fully as possible.
My troubles started around the beginning of October when Jeryl told me she could not go to the homecoming dance with me, even though I had asked her a week before.
"What changed?" I asked as we sat outside the movie we were supposed to be seeing. Ryan and Kris were inside. Jeryl had pulled me out as soon as the show started.
"Nothing, but I can't go. Kay is having a party and I promised her I would go before I realized what day it was."
"We can go to Kay's party after the dance," I said, but she shook her head.
"It's only girls. It's special. It's her birthday. We do it every year. I just lost track of the time. If I don't go, she'll hate me and we've been friends forever. She already feels that I spend too much time with you." Tears streaked her cheeks so I kissed them away.
"It's alright, kitten." I kissed her again. "You go to Kay's. It will be alright." Even as I said it, I felt I was lying to myself.
Unfortunately, I was right.
*****
I decided to skip the dance. Without Jeryl, I just didn't feel like going. I chided myself that I should not be tied down like an old man as a freshman, but could not get in the mood to go stag. Instead I spent the evening working on the schematics for my car's steering system.
I spent the next day in the machine shed, wiring the generator to the drive motors. Finally, after cleaning up from a long day, I decided to give Jeryl a call and see if she at least had fun at Kay's. Jordan answered the phone on the third ring.
"Salaway's, this is Jordan."
"It's Paul," I said. "Is Jeryl home?"
Silence. Then, "Paul, don't call for a few days. Something happened. I'll try to call you later this week."
"What happened? Is Jeryl alright? Why can't I call?"
Jordan spoke softly, as if not wanting anyone at her house to overhear. "A couple of guys showed up at Kay's party. Jeryl is fine, but she is pretty shaken up. She kneed a guy in the balls to keep him from raping her. I don't think you should see her for a little while."
"Oh my god, Jordan. Is she really alright?"
"Yes, but she keeps crying and telling Mom and Dad nothing would have happened if she had gone with you instead. They think maybe she is too young to date now. It's weird over here."
"Okay, Jordan. I'll trust you. Tell Jeryl I'm thinking of her and to call me when she feels up to it."
I hung up the phone. For the first time since the explosion, I felt my entire sixty-five years old.
That night, I thought about how I had been acting. I was an old man, running around thinking of screwing a fourteen-year-old, while having screwed an eighteen-year-old. I made myself sick as I tossed in my bed.
Forget the fact that I had the body and hormones of a teenager as well. My mind was old. My soul was old. Sleep eluded me.
I finally got up and pulled on my running clothes around five AM. If I wasn't sleeping, I might as well get some exercise, I thought.
My feet led me on a familiar path. I turned away from the road leading to the Salaway's, running south instead of west. My mind struggled as my body plodded on. Three right hand turns later, I realized I had run around the Salaway's section and was now going to go right past Jeryl's house. I shrugged to myself and kept running. It was just after dawn as I approached their home.
I was surprised to see Mr. Salaway outside. He waved me up to the house. I slowed by the porch and then stopped. "Good morning, sir. Is Jeryl alright?" I blurted. I did not know if Jordan had told them I had called or not, but I wanted to know that the young woman I had come to care deeply about was well.
Jerry Salaway nodded. Then waved me to a seat on the steps. "Have a seat, Paul, please." I sat. I had not had many conversations with Mr. Salaway.
"Jordan told us you called yesterday. I don't know how much she told you."
"Just that someone tried to attack Jeryl. Is she going to be alright?"
"She'll be fine, in time. A couple of boys from her school showed up at Kay's while Kay's folks were in town. The boys had been drinking, evidently and thought a bunch of girls at a teenage birthday party would be impressed by them. Maybe they were. I don't know. Somehow, things got out of hand, and at least one boy tried to force his attentions on a girl. Jeryl was that girl. She fought him off, but was pretty shaken up by the whole thing."
He paused and looked at the sky.
"Sir," I said. "I hope you know that I would never try to force Jeryl to do anything."
He nodded his head. "I know you wouldn't, Paul, but her mother and I think it might be best if she stopped dating for a while. I know you care a lot for her, but it's those young feelings that can lead to trouble. Why don't we see how you are both feeling in the spring?"
He said it to sound hopeful, but I could taste ash in my mouth. I stood up as I chose my words carefully. "Mr. Salaway, sir, it is your right to set limits on your daughter. You know I make her happy and would protect her from anything and that she feels the same way about me. I hope you realize that by trying to protect her, you're actually punishing her unfairly, and myself as well, by keeping her away from someone who could comfort her and help her through this. I hope you don't come to regret your decision, sir. But I will abide by it." Without another word, I turned and started to jog away. I felt hot tears on my face as I turned back on the road.
*****
Lisa seemed to know something was wrong as soon as she saw me at lunch on Monday. She and Jim had been slowly growing closer though Jim always acted like Coach Miller was just around the corner when he was with Lisa.
"What happened, Paul?" She asked as she and Jim sat down near me.
I shook my head. "Jeryl and I broke up, I guess."
"What happened?" Jim asked.
I told them at least part of the story. I left out anything about near rape. It did not feel like my story to tell. I ended with the decision of her parents that she could not date until the spring.
"That sucks, man," Jim said.
Lisa was silent, but patted my arm. The next day at lunch, several of Lisa's friends joined us. They were all sophomores and a couple of juniors. Cheerleaders mostly. They were cute, and happy, and full of stories as they tried to draw me out. I pretended to be interested, but really was not myself. Finally, after three days of this, one older girl seemed to take charge.
Her name was Wendy and she had dirty blond hair and a curvy figure on a short frame. She was a junior and on the cheerleading squad, but I knew she also played volleyball and liked to ride horses.
"Okay, you harpies, let the guy alone," she said at lunch on Thursday. "He has a game to get ready for tonight. If you distract him with all your chirping and questions, he's liable to get hurt."
The other girls, including Lisa fell silent. Wendy pulled my arm and I followed her from the cafeteria. As soon as we were out of sight around a corner, she stopped and turned to me.
"Smack!" she slapped me across the face. I was shocked.
"Do I have your attention now?" I nodded. "Good. Stop pouting like a spoiled brat. Do you think you're the first guy who got dumped? Some people in this school have had to deal with real problems. I've even had a few. You don't see me moping around do you?"
Her green eyes were cute when she was angry, I thought as I shook my head.
"Then I want you to stop moping as well." She reached up and grabbed my ears and pulled my head down to hers. With her lips right by my ear, she whispered. "You get your head in the game today and if you play well, I'll let you take me out tomorrow. Deal?" She did not give me a chance to answer before planting a quick kiss on my lips and letting go of my ears.
I watched her cute sashaying hips as she strolled down the hall. Just before turning the corner, she looked back at me with a grin and blew me a kiss. I stood there befuddled until the bell rang.
That night I had the best game of my season.
*****
Wendy saw me in the hall before PE, my last class before lunch. "Good game, Paul. I'll meet you after the game tonight," she said with a smile.
I shook my head and headed for the locker room.
"Taylor," I heard coach bellow as I passed his office on the way into the gym.
"Yes, coach?"
"Put this in your locker and be ready to play tonight," he said as he threw a blue jersey at me. It was a varsity shirt.
"Coach?"
His scowl deepened. "Simons got hurt yesterday in practice." Simons was a senior linebacker. "Sprained ankle. He's out for tonight. You'll suit up so we have a backup incase something happens to Peterson." Jared Peterson was a second string linebacker on the varsity.
"Yes, coach!" I said as I jogged back to my locker. Looked like I would get a chance to suit up on the varsity team as a freshman.
Jim was excited when I told him at lunch. Wendy just grinned and slapped me on the back. I shook my head and spent the afternoon in a slight daze. By the time I dressed for the game, I had convinced myself I would sit on the bench, just filling out the roster.
I was wrong.
"Taylor, get in there!" Coach Johnson yelled half way through the first quarter. Coach J as we called him was the defensive coordinator for the varsity team. "And make something good happen."
We were already down by ten in the first quarter following a strong scoring drive and then a fumble by our offense. I ran onto the field and took up my usual spot at outside linebacker. Our opponents were a well balanced team, mixing runs and passes almost fifty-fifty. The defensive play was a passing blitz, but a shift in the backfield made me rethink that call. As the ball was snapped, I back peddled and kept my eyes on the QB. He faked a handoff, and then drifted back as the line released their blocks and then reformed a line. It was a screen.
I rushed the still reforming line and shouldered past them just as the fullback turned to take the screen pass. I dodged in front of him and grabbed the ball. He was too surprised to stop me as I dropped my head and hit a full sprint. I was forty yards from the goal and only the QB stood a chance of catching me. He was too far away, as I stretched out and high-stepped into the end-zone. The home fans went wild.
"Good job, Taylor!"
"Way to go Paul!"
Everyone on the sidelines was energized by my pick and the kicking team stormed the field for the extra point. Just like that, we were only three down.
Coach J grabbed my face mask. "Excellent work, Taylor. Be ready to do it again. You are back out there with the defense next series. Okay?"
"Yes, coach!"
We kicked-off and had them down the ball for a touchback. I trotted back out on the field. They must have thought I was a fluke, because they started running the ball right at me for the next three plays. I stopped them each time. Twice for a loss of yardage. They punted the ball back to us and I headed to the side for a break.
"Keep it up, Taylor." Was all the coach had to say.
We managed to put together a solid offensive drive and at the end of the quarter, it was fourteen-ten in our favor.
They got a little crisper executing their passing game in the second quarter, and managed to put together a string of first downs, advancing the ball to just past mid field. It was third and short when I got another feeling. I kept a close eye on the tight-end as the ball was snapped and he started a shallow slant. I moved closer to jostle him and watched the QB look away to a wide receiver on the other side of the field. Just as I was about to break off coverage, the QB came back to the tight-end. He fired the ball over the middle as I stepped in to swat it away.
The crowd cheered as the visiting kicking team came back on the field to punt the ball back to us. I was congratulated again as I grabbed some water on the sideline. "Good eyes and hands, Taylor." Coach J said.
We headed into the locker room still up by three. The coaches made some adjustments during the half. Peterson, the guy I had replaced at outside linebacker pulled me aside. "Listen up, frosh. These guys always adjust at half. They're going to realize you are green and keep testing you in the second half. You've got to show them that you are game, got it?"
"Got it," I said. I was surprised a hard-core jock like Peterson would give me advice when I was taking his position. Maybe I had misjudged the breed again.
We took the field at the second half and mentally braced for whatever changes they showed us. Their defense was tighter and we went three and out on the first series. I buckled my chin strap and got out on the field. On the first play, Coach J called for a blitz. As soon as the ball was snapped, I raced past the tight end and saw the fullback pulling away from me to block another blitzer on the far side. The QB was rolling my way but had not seen me yet. I centered on his numbers and wrapped him up after a crushing hit. He landed hard with me on top of him.
I climbed up and offered him a hand up, but he was lying there dazed. I waved the official over and then cleared out as the official waved to the far sideline. I was worried I had over done it until I saw the quarterback sit up and then finally stand. All the fans gave him an ovation as he left the field.
Coach J slapped me on the back. "That was a good hit, Taylor. You go out and do that again to the back up QB and this game will be all ours. Got it?"
"Got it, coach." I yelled as I headed back onto the field. I did not get a chance to blitz again until the forth quarter.
This time it was a run blitz as they tried to pull a sweep toward me. The fullback had me in his sights as the halfback tucked in behind him with the ball. I dipped and rose, trying to knock him back and to the side, but he was too big and had too much of a head of steam to be floored as I had opponents in the past. We slammed together and I tried to keep my feet moving as he turned me away from the back he was screening. I dropped my shoulder and hit him again, but then people were past us and I released my block to turn to follow the play. Moments later, the ball was blown dead as the safety made a clean tackle.
I hustled back to the huddle and then to the line. They lined up the same way again. It was almost like deja vu, as the play unfolded exactly the same. But this time, I was a step ahead. I was past the first blocker before he was set and saw the halfback take the handoff as the fullback turned toward me. I knocked him aside and focused on the halfback's numbers. I made the same numbing hit and wrapped him up to take him to the ground as I had with the quarterback. This time, the ball squirted loose, and I released my tackle to fall on the ball.
Bodies piled onto me as they tried to pull my hands from my arms and the ball from my hands. I held on well after the whistle blew and waited until I was sure it was a referee reaching for the ball. It was the first fumble I had recovered all season. The crowd sounded insane.
Our offense took the field and marched down to their goal line for another touchdown. The fight seemed to go out of the opposing team. The clock wound down and the final whistle blew with us winning twenty-one to ten.
I was honored with a game ball by the coaches in the locker room after the game, and pleasantly surprised at how proud I was of my play. Most of the defensive players congratulated me personally. It felt great to be part of something, even if intellectually I knew it was just a high-school football team.
I was surprised when Wendy met me outside the locker room doors with a flying hug and kiss. "You played wonderfully, Paul," she gushed. I blushed as I saw the other varsity cheerleaders clapping at her performance, or for mine. Either reason was worth a blush, I decided.
"Thanks. I guess your little pep talk inspired me," I quipped.
She kissed me again and then pulled me through the crowd. While I was unsure where we were going, she made a beeline for my mother. "Good evening. Madame Taylor. What time should I have this young man home to you by?" she asked. I blushed more as my mother laughed and replied in French. Wendy did not miss a beat but responded the same with an occasional glance at me. When she realized I was not following the conversation, she broke out laughing.
"I've been in your Mom's French class since eighth grade. I thought you knew that much."
"Sorry, I'm a little slow. I must have gotten hit harder than I thought." They both looked concerned until they realized it was my poor attempt at humor. I smiled and faced my mother. "Mom, is it alright if I go out with Wendy this evening?" I asked formally.
Mom smiled and nodded. "Yes, but Wendy, please try to have him home by midnight."
We all nodded and then headed to the parking lot. Wendy drove a small land yacht known as a Chevy Impala. It was a full-sized car with a full sized engine. It was not what I expected a bubbly blonde cheerleader to have. We piled in, and she pulled me close on the front bench seat. She was not shy about planting another smoldering kiss on me as the crowd continued to thin out from the game.
"Are you hungry? I am." She said before I could answer. She started the car and carefully backed out of the parking lot and headed to the drive in. I bought her a burger and fries along with one for myself and we ate in relative silence. She kept looking across the seat and grinning at me. Finally, I couldn't stand it any longer.
"What has you grinning so much?" I asked. Her smile was infectious, and I could not help but grin back at her.
"I just keep thinking about you moping around this week until Thursday, and how easily I could motivate you to focus once again."
"Well, I guess you could call this taking you out, but I had planned on asking you to the game, not just having you pick me up afterward."
She laughed and collected our trash and put it on the tray outside her window. "Well, that would have been a normal date and I don't like normal anymore. That's why I decided to ask you out instead."
"Really? Why? Don't you think I'm normal?"
"Nope." She started the car and pulled out of the drive-in. Soon we were headed out of town. "I think you are far from normal," she said as the lights of town faded behind us. "Normal freshmen don't date cute girls from other schools and bring them to our games. Normal freshmen don't play on the varsity team and single-handedly turn the game around. Normal freshmen football players aren't in honors English, algebra and geometry."
"Thank goodness," I said in mock relief. "For a minute there, I thought you were only after my body. It's good to know my mind matters."
Wendy laughed at me and the slowed the car to turn into a narrow, hidden lane. She pulled in far enough not to be easily noticed from the blacktop road we had been travelling down. She turned off the car and then scooted closer to me.
"I like you, Paul," she said before kissing me. Her lips were full and soft and moist.
"I like you too, Wendy." I kissed her back. She swung her leg around and over my lap to sit facing me. Her hands wrapped around my neck and pulled me into her tightly. We explored each other's lips, and mouths and neck and ears for many minutes before she finally pulled back.
Her hands found the buttons of my shirt and began undoing them. "I want to feel your skin against mine," she whispered.
I took the hint and dropped my hands to the waist of her cheerleading sweater and slowly started lifting it up her lean body as she pulled my shirt free from my pants. I paused at her bra and ran my fingers lightly over the clasp before pinching it quickly and releasing it. She kissed me again.
"Normal freshmen don't know how to do that without fumbling a bit. What else is abnormal about you?" She asked as she ground her groin against mine. I pushed her back a little and then lifted her sweater and bra free. Her glorious c-cups were right in front of me and I could not resist leaning down to flick her nipples with my tongue. She moaned and then crushed them against my chest and resumed kissing me passionately.
I ran my finger tips up and down her sides and along the curve of her spine. I was delighted by a small squirm when I touched lightly just below her ribs. She was ticklish.
 I teased her sides until she broke our kiss.
"You have no idea what that does to me," she said breathlessly. I grinned and tickled her again and she ground her self against my obvious hard on.
"I've got a pretty good idea, actually." I pulled her to me again and captured a nipple in my mouth. Slowly I licked, sucked, and kissed my way from one to the other and back again. She locked her lips to mine as I let my hands wonder lower and cup her ass through the tights under her uniform skirt.
"Oh, god," she moaned. "I cannot believe a freshman is doing this to me. You are making me so hot."
I squeezed her ass again and then ran my hands along her calves. She pushed back from me and opened the passenger door. "Get in back," she demanded as she herself climbed over the seat back. I hurried out of the car and opened the back door to see her lying on the backseat, pointing a white tennis shoed toe at me while covering her breasts with her hands. Her smile was inviting.
I caught her foot and lifted it to me as I pulled off her shoe. Her sock followed it to the floor and I gently sucked her big toe into my mouth.
"Oh, shit," she moaned. I repeated my sucking and then moved to kiss her ankle. Slowly, my kisses moved up her leg. As I passed her knee, I let my hands slide up to her hips and gently tug at the waistband of her skirt. She needed no more hints and quickly lifted her hips and slid the skirt, tights and her soaking panties down her legs.
I smiled at her trim blonde bush and resumed my slow kissing. By the time I reached her pussy, I could smell her desire. Instead of giving her what she was begging for, I worked my way slowly down her other leg, until I could slip off her other shoe and suck on her other big toe.
"I never knew my toes were tied into my pussy like that," she said as her hands grabbed my head and guided it back up her body. I was more than happy to spread her beneath me and lick her thoroughly. She screamed her orgasm into the night and held my head against her. As she relaxed a little, I slipped a finger inside her and resumed licking her gently. She was soon panting again and bucking against my face and hand.
"Oh god, oh god, oh god!" She screamed again and bucked against me before falling silent. I slid on up her body and kissed her neck. Her eyes fluttered and then she smiled at me. "Please tell me you have a condom."
My face must have fallen. I shook my head. "Sorry, I didn't really plan this," I said.
She laughed and kissed me. "I did. I'm on the pill, but I like to be sure. Let's get your pants off and live a little dangerously."
Soon I was naked on top of her. She shifted me around to get on top of me and then proceeded to inch her way down my body. As I felt her breath on my dick, I made a valiant attempt to be a gentleman. "You don't need to do...." was as far as I got before she engulfed me in her hot, wet mouth.
She was good. Very good. She seemed to know exactly what turned me on as she ran her tongue along the bottom of my shaft and sucked me deep into her. I could feel the back of her throat as she tried to take me deeper, then she would pull back while increasing the suction, as if I was straw with her favorite drink. Soon, I felt my balls begin to tighten.
"I'm coming, Wendy." It seemed to make her suck harder. At the first spurt, she pulled off and grabbed my dick with her hand. She pumped me softly and dipped her head down to lick the cum from her hand and the head of my penis. It was an incredibly erotic sight in the dim moonlight.
Once she had me relatively clean, she dropped her head to engulf me fully and return me to full hardness. As soon as she felt I was ready, she scooted up my body and slipped me between her nether lips. We slid together smoothly and she ground her clit against my pubic bone.
I pulled her down for a kiss and then held her up with my hands firmly holding her breasts. She slowly moved her hips in a small circle and moaned with pleasure. "You feel incredible inside me," she said.
Her movements picked up speed until she was soon bouncing on top of me. I grabbed her hips to keep her from falling off and started lifting my own hips to meet her thrusts. She collapsed on my chest in an orgasm just as I felt my balls begin to boil again. Her grasping cunt brought me to the brink and then I was shooting into her. She pushed down on me in response.
"Oh Paul, fill me up good!" I tried my best to comply, spurting into her. As we both relaxed in the afterglow, she collapsed back on my chest. "God, that felt good," she said as she snuggled into me.
We both must have dosed off, because a cool wet feeling on my balls woke me up. Wendy was still on top of me, almost purring.
"Hey beautiful, we had better get up," I whispered.
Her eyes opened and she smiled before kissing me. "You are beautiful, too," she said. "And you are definitely not normal. No one has made me feel that good ever."
"Thank you," I said. "You made me feel great too.”
*****
The next week was our last game. Autumn had flown by. I found I had more spring in my step after Wendy's attitude adjustment and reward. She made it very clear on the drive home that we were not boyfriend-girlfriend. She was careful to explain it was not the fact I was a freshman or that she did not like me, but that she did not want to be tied down right now. There was something going on in her life, but I was too emotionally dense to guess what it was.
She did like to surprise me in playful ways. She would sneak up on me in the hallway and pinch my ass, then skip away laughing. She picked me up from my last practice and gave me a ride home on Wednesday, along with a fabulous hand-job. I returned the favor before she dropped me off and got several passionate kisses as well.
All was silent on the Salaway front. No one had tried to call me. I was disappointed, but resigned to the fact that fate seemed determined to keep me from Jeryl.
I focused on school and my car as my sports season wound down. Chores on the farm were constant, but I did them almost on autopilot. School took very little time outside of the actual class room. I had covered all of the topics before. I did have to be careful to match my answers to the level of the books and classes. Even there, tricks I had learned in college and grad school served me well. Several times, I couched answers to be closer to the teacher's opinions than my own. It felt a little bit intellectually dishonest, but I rationalized that it was only high-school.
The car came along slowly, but steadily. I had mapped out a plan to be ready for a test drive in the spring and was progressing nicely. I was to the point of testing my drive-by-wire system and was very pleased when my test sequence was able to move all four gimbaled motors and wheels in groups and independently. The beast, as I had taken to calling the car, was still mostly a frame with motors and wheels attached to it, but I could begin to see the body shape I had in my mind.
I knew I wanted a sleek look. The original body had been boxy, but I would remake it with a lower profile and gentler curves instead of sharp angles. I was actually considering making it a convertible since they weren't in vogue with Detroit right now, but wasn't sure I wanted to mess with the hydraulics needed for a power top. If I got the power and steering systems right, it would drive like a dream. I was actually looking forward to getting it on the road.
Of course, I would need my license to drive it legally, but a spin up and down our road would be nice, too. In the meantime, I would have to focus on the paperwork for patenting some of my work. Patents were a pain, but I could not think of a better way to leverage my knowledge and get the working capital I would need to change our country's path. I had three applications nearly complete. The first was on the gimbal mounted wheel and motor combination. The second was on the regenerative braking process I had planned. The third was on the drive-by-wire scheme. Four more applications had been started as well. The microprocessor system for managing the engine and its electrical power generation system, the battery storage system I had planned for a future version of the car, a mechanical protection system I planned for the body of the vehicle, and a simple plan for steerable headlights as a safety feature. Once a computer was in the control loop, a lot of new safety features became viable.
We lost our last game, though I played well. We had ended the JV season 8-4, which was the best in the school history. Jim was asked to suit up as a back-up for the last Varsity games. Coach J talked to me about it as well, but then decided to let the two seniors bring the season home. I was fine with his decision. I had a feeling I would be playing on the Varsity squad next year even as a sophomore.
I was enjoying a little relaxation that Friday night, splitting my attention between the football game and Wendy cheering on the side when someone squeezed into the seat next to me from the row behind. I turned and was surprised to see Jordan. It had been almost two weeks since I spoke to her.
"Hi, Paul," she said while scanning the field and ignoring my shocked look. "Why haven't you called?"
I shook my head. "Um, because I was told not to by your father."
Her head snapped around? "When?"
"Two weeks ago. He stopped me while I was jogging on Sunday after homecoming." I did not know how else to refer to the incident.
"Shit. He never said anything around me. He and Mom have just forbidden Jeryl from going out for a while. She has been miserable."
I glanced at Wendy and suddenly felt like a total shit.
"Um, can we go somewhere else and talk in private?" I asked.
Jordan nodded and stood. I waited a moment and then followed her out. For some reason, I did not want anyone around me to think we were leaving together. I caught up with her behind the stands.
"Aside from being miserable, is Jeryl alright?" I asked first.
Jordan nodded. "The black eye has cleared up finally. It was a real shiner."
I was stunned. This was the first I had heard of her being hit. I said as much to Jordan. "What really happened?"
"It was Kay's slumber party for her birthday. Her folks were in town, and the girls were playing truth or dare, sort of like we did at the pond. Kay evidently thought it would be more fun with a couple of boys and invited Kenneth Dunsworth and another boy to stop by. They had been drinking a little. Jeryl was dared to kiss Kenny after she had already been dared to strip to her bra and panties. Kenny's friend decided he wanted a little action too. Evidently, Kay and another girl tried to stop things and Jeryl got hit. While she was dazed, the other boy tried to grope her. She kicked him square in the balls."
"All Jeryl could say when she got home was that she should have gone to the dance with you instead. She is convinced nothing would have happened if she had just stood up to Kay. Then when she didn't hear from you, she felt she was worthless, as if this one event had ruined her. Mom and Dad's insistence that she stop dating only added to it. She is fine physically, but a wreck emotionally. How could you abandon her like that?
Suddenly I was the bad guy. "I didn't. After we talked, I didn't sleep a wink. I finally went running around five. I met your Dad around sunrise. He told me Jeryl couldn't see me, or anyone 'until the spring'. I told him I would never hurt her, and he was making a bad choice, but I would respect his decision."
I was angry, but had no one to focus my anger on. "It would be different if I was not in this school. I could still see her in class if I was back in Standard. I had no idea she was hurt. I just figured your parents had laid down the law and that was that."
Jordan snorted. "Well, at least you aren't the total shit I thought you were. I guess it's my dad that deserves that title. So, what are you going to do about it, Paul?"
"What can I do? Your parents won't let me see her. I'm not going to sneak around behind their backs. I told your dad I would respect his wishes even if I did not agree with them. What can I do?"
Jordan shook her head. "Let me think about it." She looked me in the eye. "I assume you still want to date my little sister?"
I nodded. I did.
"Good. I'll give you a call this week after I figure some things out.”
*****
My conversation with Jordan left me in a daze for the rest of the game. Mom was working the concession stand, so I had to hang around even though I felt like just going home. How could I have mis-read so many people?  I was supposed to have years more experience, even than the adults in this situation had, and instead I had been played and let my emotions run wild. I'd like to blame the hormones of my teenage body, but refused to believe such a simple answer.
As the forth quarter wound down, I realized I was doing something much worse than being led by my gonads. I was treating the people around me like objects. Jeryl was a replaceable person in my life, as evidenced by Wendy. My friends from last year were easily replaced by Jim and Lisa and new classmates. I was falling into the same traps that had made me miserable most of my first time through until I had gotten to the point of avoiding people or only pursuing those relationships that could benefit me. That too, was treating them like objects.
It was not the kind of person I wanted to be.
The final whistle blew and the crowd around me cheered. We had won, but I felt like I had lost. I headed down to the concession stand to meet Mom. She saw that I was troubled by something and frowned. About the same time, Wendy came bounding up to me.
"Hi, Paul! Madame Taylor," she said with a smile to my Mom. "Would you like to hang out at the drive-through for a little bit, Paul? I can give you a ride home later."
Mom started to say something, but I shook my head. "Not tonight, Wendy. I'm feeling a little under the weather."
Wendy pouted, but then gave me a quick hug. "I hope you feel better. I hate being sick. I'll see you Monday." And then she was gone in the crowd.
Mom took my arm and we headed toward her car. "You didn't feel bad earlier tonight. What happened?"
"Jordan stopped by. I finally heard the whole story." It was like a spring had been freed. I told Mom everything. Well, almost everything. She was sympathetic and nodded as I got to the part about me acting poorly.
"Paul, you have a good heart, but you do get so focused and like your neat answers and categorizations. People are messy. Relationships are messy. You have to embrace that chaos if you expect to have a real relationship. If you had been there when Jeryl got attacked, would you have fought for her?"
"Of course."
"Then why did you not fight for her when you talked to her dad?"
I shook my head. Mom was right. I had given in without a fight.
"What should I do?"
Mom patted my arm and smiled. "Only you can decide that, son. You have to decide what and who is worth fighting for.”
*****
It was a long weekend with as much thinking. If I was serious about fighting for the future and preventing the problems I had seen in my long life, I had to make some hard choices. If I was serious about having a quality life this time through, I had other, conflicting hard choices. I logged many miles in the cold autumn air as I thought and pondered.
If my priority was the world, I would lose the girl, and maybe not change the world as much as I hoped anyway. If my priority was the girl, I might still be able to change the world. However, as my Mom had said, relationships are messy. There were no guarantees.
I wished Jordan would call, and then chided myself. I needed to know what I wanted before hearing her advice or plan. Did I love Jeryl? Could I love Jeryl being a geriatric in a teenage body? What about Wendy? Something was happening in her life, but she did not want to share. Was I being fair to her, or just using her?
As Monday morning rolled around, I finally reached at least part of a decision. If I could change the future for the better, I owed it to whatever freak chance had sent me back in time to try. I knew the misery and desperation that had stolen the American dream in the future. I could not sit idly by and let that happen again, even if I could amass a fortune and have personal happiness.
So I had a clear goal in mind. Now, I needed to make sure I sought my happiness within that goal, and watched out for my friend's happiness as well. For the first time in my life, I had decided that having and caring for friends was a priority.
With these two thoughts firmly in mind, I was ready to face whatever came my way. Somehow, I knew it was going to be a good week.
"Feeling better, sport?" Wendy asked as I left the cafeteria.
"Much, thanks. How was your weekend?"
"Good. I did miss having an abnormal time Friday night, though," she said with a grin.
I chuckled. "I've heard about some abnormal practices you might be interested in. Perhaps we could go out and discuss them sometime."
She stepped in and gave me a quick hip-check. "Going out sounds too much like a date, youngster. Are you trying to make a cradle robber of me? Maybe we'll just catch up after the game Friday."
I shook my head. "It's not a home game. How am I going to get there and back here? Us youngsters can't get around as easily as you old ladies with giant cars."
Her face fell a little. "That might be a problem. If I didn't have to ride the bus with the other cheerleaders, it would be a snap. Let's see what I can come up with this week." She punched my arm lightly. "Catch you later."
I watched her turn down the hall and smiled. She made me laugh. Jeryl had made me smile and feel good about myself, but Wendy made me laugh. Which was better? Who was worth fighting for? One or the other? Both? Which would make me happier? Which would be happier with me?
I shook my head and headed for English. Too many philosophical or emotional questions gave me a head ache.
*****
"Paul, telephone," my Mom called from the kitchen.
I went from the drafting board in my room to the kitchen and took the handset from her. I really missed having my own phone. She gave me a look and then pointedly picked up a book and headed into the living room. "Not, too long," she said.
"Hello?" I said as I wondered what she meant. I got so few phone calls I was surprised she was worried about the time I spent on the phone.
"Paul?" It was Jeryl.
"Hey, kitten," I said. "How are you?"
I heard a soft sob. "Oh, how I've wanted to hear you call me that again."
"It's alright, Jeryl. Everything will be okay," I said.
"Jordan talked to me and told me that you weren't giving up on us, yet. Is that true?"
In that moment, I knew it was. "Of course not. I still care for you deeply, but I have to respect your parent's wishes, ma'am. Otherwise, what would my mother say?"
She laughed, even if it was a little forced. "Thank you, Paul. I'm so sorry I didn't go to your homecoming instead of going to Kay's."
"I am too, Jeryl, but there will be other dances for me to take you too. Dances that we won't need to be driven to by one of our parents to."
"I'd like that. Look, I know I've been a baby for the past few weeks. I'm sorry for that too."
"You don't need to apologize. I'm sorry I let you think I didn't care. I should have called or come over to check on you. I'm sorry I didn't."
"It's okay. I guess we are both new at being in a relationship. I was so worried you wouldn't want to see me again. Then I was mad at you for not calling. I didn't know Dad had talked to you.
"Anyway, I wanted to call and hear your voice. Mom and dad are out tonight and Jordan said I should. Is it alright?"
"Of course. You can call me anytime you think you can. Just because we can't date, doesn't mean we can't still be friends. You call your friends, don't you?"
"Yes. But I want to be more than friends. I want to still be your girlfriend, but that's just selfish of me right now."
"No it isn't. I'd like to still be your boyfriend, but we're going to have to wait for that."
"I don't want to make you wait, Paul. That isn't fair." I heard her take a deep breath. "Paul, we can't date now, so I can't hold you to being my boyfriend. I want you to go have fun until Mom and Dad ease up. But not too much fun," she warned.
"Jeryl, that's generous of you, but I don't think I want another girlfriend right now."
"So don't get a girlfriend. But go have fun. I talked to Jordan about this. I want you to go out with some girls. I don't want my parents to spoil both of our freshman years. You've had a great fall in a new school. I want you to have a spectacular winter as well."
"I wish I could see you," I said softly. "I miss you."
"I miss you, too. Now promise me you'll go out. Really, I mean it."
"I promise, but I'll be thinking of you.
"Good, 'cause I'll be thinking of you, too. Now, talk to Jordan for a minute."
I heard and exchange of the phone and then Jordan was on the line. "Okay, little love bird two, I've got things on the mend, but you need to step up your game. If no one in the Salaway farm sees you, how can I bring you up in conversation with my parents? Figure out a way for them to notice you, please. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Great, I've got to go. They will be back any minute. Talk to you later."
The call ended with a click and I looked at the phone bemusedly before hanging it up. What could I do to be noticed at the Salaway farm? Another puzzle to solve.
*****
The next call came Tuesday on the way into the locker room for PE. "Taylor!" It was Coach J.
"Yes, coach?" I asked as I stuck my head inside his office door.
"Be at practice tonight. Peterson has the flu. You're suiting up with the Varsity Friday. Okay?"
"Okay, coach!" I grabbed the away jersey he threw at me and smiled to myself. Maybe fate was on my side.
Wendy seemed to have already heard the news by the time I got to lunch. "Looks like you will be going to the game on Friday after all," she said with a grin.
"I will. Highly abnormal, if you ask me, but what can a guy do?" She laughed and sat down next to me. Jim and Lisa joined us shortly.
"Dude," Jim said. "If you play as well Friday as you did a couple weeks ago, you could stay dressed into the play-offs." We had already clinched a spot in the regional play-offs. The last two games would determine if we got home field advantage or not for the first round game.
"That would be cool," I said.
"Hey," Lisa interrupted. "Did either of you two jocks finish problem seven for Algebra?"
I rolled my eyes at Jim. "She's your cheerleader, you help her," I joked. Jim laughed as Lisa tossed a bread roll at me.
Wendy bumped my shoulder. "You are feeling a lot better than you did last week," she said with a smile.
*****
We won a hard-fought victory in a cold light drizzle on Friday night. The field was soft and the rain just heavy enough to prevent much of a passing game being developed by either side. I was quickly put into the defensive rotation by Coach J as it became apparent it would be a slug-fest won or lost on the ground.
I played well, getting several tackles for losses on the other team's running back and one sack on their quarterback. I only had one big play when they sent me in with the special teams to try and block the tying field goal. I managed to get a finger-tip on the ball and push it wide. Of course, not getting a full block on the ball meant my hand was fairly bruised. I spent the last quarter icing it between plays and was happy to finally get on the bus and out of the cold rain.
"Hey, freshman," One of the upper classmen said as I climbed onboard. "You have to sit up front." He laughed like that was punishment. I knew a certain cheerleader that would be sitting up front too.
Soon, all the girls piled on the bus and Wendy hopped into the seat next to me. "Hi, cutie. You stink!"
I laughed as commotion spread through the bus. Some of the girls sat together, while others looked for an open seat next to their boyfriends or potential boyfriends.
"Sorry. No hot showers for the visitors. The team decided they would rather ride home and clean up there." We also knew this school had a reputation for playing tricks on the visitors if the home team lost. No one wanted a red dye bath in the showers.
"How's your hand?" she asked as she spotted the ice bag held in place along the outside edge of my left hand.
"Sore, but getting numb from the cold pack." I had a wicked thought and lowered my wrapped appendage toward her thigh. "It might be abnormally cold on a few hot spots," I whispered.
She stopped me from actually touching her bare leg, but shivered and gave my arm a squeeze. She leaned in closer. "Your wicked thoughts are making me horny. Behave yourself."
Once everyone was on the bus, things quieted down and Wendy managed to get past my smell and cuddle up on my right side. She was pleasantly warm and seemed content to have other folks on the bus see her there. I smiled and tried to ignore the throbbing of my hand. All too soon, we were back at the school and had to unload before hitting the showers. I got a fresh cold pack for my hand before heading back out to the night.
Wendy flashed her lights at me and I ran to her car. The drizzle had followed us home. I slipped into her front seat and kept sliding to meet her lips. "No more, stink, I hope," I said.
"Only the abnormal kind," she said with a grin. "Hungry?"
"For you," I said.
"Right answer." She put the car in gear and headed out of town in the direction opposite that of the drive-in.
She chose a different parking spot this time, an abandoned farm yard. Our lips met as soon as she put the car in park and I put my wounded hand on the seatback behind her to keep it out of the way. She pulled my good hand under her sweater and immediately let me know she had misplaced the bra and t-shirt she normally wore while cheering.
I thought of a witty comment, and then decided to keep it to myself and just enjoy the feeling of her warm, soft skin in my hand. Soon, she was moving to pull her sweater over her head and give me unfettered access to her wonderful breasts. I immediately lowered my head to kiss and lick her chest.
"Oh, god, I've missed that," she moaned.
I gave her hard nipples my undivided attention. As she squirmed on the seat, I dropped my hand to her knee and slowly started tracing small circles on her thigh. Each circle inched slightly higher.
I was surprised when I felt the soft wisp of hair against my finger tips. "Someone has on abnormally thin panties," I said.
"Not abnormal, non-existent. Now shut up and make me come, please."
I slid my fingers higher and stroked along her soaking slit. I slid one finger into her and then another. She ground against my hand and held my head and mouth against her breast. I flicked my thumb against her clit and was rewarded with a gasp. Slowly I began stroking in and out of her, letting my thumb brush her sensitive bundle of nerves every other stroke.
"Oh, god, baby. Make me come for you." I picked up my pace and sucked on her nipples harder, alternating my attention from one to the other. Finally, I felt her tighten up and slam her shoulders back against the seat as her legs and stomach clenched. She screamed at the roof of the car. "Fuuuck!"
As her orgasm washed over her, she sagged and then breathed deeply. I flicked her nipples one more time with my tongue and then raised up to kiss her neck, then cheek, then lips. She held my head tightly and kissed me for all she was worth.
As I sat back, she grabbed my hand and slowly pulled my fingers from her crotch and up to her face. Watching me intently, she licked my fingers clean. Then she leaned into me and kissed me again.
"You are so hot," I whispered as we parted.
"You don't know the half of it, stud. That was the best orgasm I've had since the last one you gave me. Now let me take care of you." She pushed me away enough to be able to get at my belt and zipper. Soon I was lifting my hips to let her slide my jeans and boxers down past my knees.
"I want you inside me, baby," she said as she straddled my hips and slid me deep inside her in one long stroke. "Oh, yeah." She settled down on my prick and began kissing me passionately as she rotated her hips and ground against me. "I want you to come in me, baby. Fill me up with your man juice." Her words turned me on and I started flexing my hips against her.
"Oh, yeah. Push into me." I did. Soon, we were thrusting together and I was getting close. She started to slow down, but I was ready. I grabbed her ass with my good hand and pushed her down. As my orgasm hit, I brought my sore hand to her ass and laid the cold pack against the crack of her ass. She shrieked in my ear and drove herself onto me trying to get away from the cold as her orgasm hit her and I began spurting deep inside her.
She collapsed against me as I pulled my left hand away. Delicious tremors ran through her body and clenched the last cum from my prick and balls. I realized she was laughing. I kissed the top of her head.
"Paul, you never cease to amaze me. That was definitely abnormal and incredibly hot, even if it was very cold." She kissed me. "If you ever pull a stunt like that again, you better hope my mouth is nowhere near your dick. I swear I'll bite it off."
I kissed her deeply and tried not to laugh.
*****
The next week I mailed in my first two patent applications, aced a test in honors English and started in the final Varsity football game of the year. The weather had cleared and we played under lights with a cool north wind blowing down the field. It was also the final home game of the year. Coach J had me in on the kicking team for the first kick-off and I was pumped up.
Our kicker, Steve Tanner hit the ball well and it was fielded at the opponents five-yard line. I was in my lane, gunning for the return man and ready for some contact. A blocker tried to take me outside and open a lane, but I juked and pushed past him and saw only the ball carrier between me and the goal line. I dropped low and centered on the numbers of his jersey. It was a beautiful hit that knocked him from his feet. I wrapped him up and kept driving until we both hit the ground.
The crowd was on it's feet from the big hit, and then I saw the referee signaling a safety. Evidently, he had drifted back over the goal line to take the catch and I dropped him in the end zone. Just like that, I had scored on the varsity. I grabbed the ball and held it above my head as I ran to the sidelines.
Jim slapped my helmet and congratulated me, as did many of the other players. Coach J was screaming. "Taylor, you magnificent freshman, you just made the varsity for the rest of this year at least. That was beautiful!"
I was on cloud nine, but tried to get my head back in the game as our offense took the field following their kick back to us. Three downs and a punt later, I was heading back to the field. The defensive captain looked at me in the huddle. "Good job, rookie, but stay in your position this series and keep your head on. They are going to want payback, so be ready for runs or passes to your side. Got it?"
"Got it," I said.
I lined up a couple yards off the line as they showed a passing play with the QB set to take a shotgun snap. As soon as the ball was snapped, the tight-end launched himself toward me. I met him a yard ahead of where he expected and knocked him back a step. It was just enough to throw off the timing of his turn for what could have been a nice button-hook pass. Instead, the ball drilled him in the shoulder and fell incomplete. I hustled back to the line and looked for what was coming next.
It looked like another pass play, but the QB called an audible and the fullback and halfback shifted their formation as the receiver on the far side of the line went into motion. Just after the receiver cleared the center, the ball was snapped. It was a quick hand-off to the halfback and I now had a line pulling my direction along with the receiver and the fullback moving as blockers directly toward me.
I knew my job was to not let them get outside, especially with blockers still in place. I pumped my legs to drive up field and cut off their line of attack, depending on my team mates to fill the gap I just created. The receiver cut downfield, but the fullback had me in his sights. I could not see the ball carrier behind him, but knew I could not let myself get tied up. I saw the fullback start to shove me out of the way and twisted to minimize his angle on me. I shoved his elbow, and spun away to plant myself right in front of the startled halfback. I wrapped him up and pulled him down as my spin continued. When I finally regained my feet, the ball was spotted five yards behind the original line of scrimmage. I had another tackle for a loss for the year.
Third and fifteen. They showed run, but we knew they were not getting a first down against us on the ground. Sure enough, they made a last minute adjustment and snapped the ball. The QB faked my direction and then tried to hit his receiver racing down the nearside line. Scott Johnson, our senior cornerback was there and batted the ball away cleanly. The entire defense was pumped up as we rotated off the field.
Our first series set the tone for the half. The opponents could not advance the ball against us. At the end of the half, we were up sixteen to zero. I had added a couple of more sacks and was ready for more. I was having a blast.
"Taylor," Coach J called me out in the locker room. "Second half they are going to have to go to the air. If they are showing pass or look to be running to the weak side, I want you blitzing? Got it?"
"Got it, coach!" He had just handed me a hunting license and no limit. If he only knew it was situations like these that had made me dream of being an outside linebacker. In the first three defensive plays of the second half, I forced two rushed passes and had the honor of adding a twelve-yard sack to my stats.
We finished the game without giving up a score. It was pandemonium when the final whistle blew. The varsity had finished the season ten and two, our best season in the past decade. Additionally, our play had secured home field advantage for the first regional game.
The coaches congratulated us all, and then handed out game balls. I was surprised and honored to get the final ball for outstanding defensive play, and being the first freshman to ever score defensively for the Varsity squad.
I could not help but think that I should at least get a mention in the Salaway house for tonight's game.
I got a big surprise when I exited the locker room doors. Wendy ran up and gave me a big hug, but the surprise was Jordan and Jyl and Jeryl joining her.
"You were fabulous, Paul," Wendy said before squeezing my arm and stepping past me toward some other cheerleaders.
The Salaway girls surrounded me as we moved out of the doorway. "Paul, you were great," Jordan said as she gave me a hug. Jyl, not to be outdone, hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
Jeryl, the girl I actually wanted most, just stood close by and smiled. "You were fierce, tonight, Paul," She said with a glow in her eye.
I looked past her and saw her mother watching. Not taking my eyes off Mrs. Salaway, I bent down and gave Jeryl a huge, brotherly hug. She stiffened at first, but then melted against me and hugged me back.
"Your arms feel so good around me," she whispered.
I stepped back and smiled. "Yes, ma'am, they do. Thanks for coming tonight."
"I wouldn't have missed it," she said as her mother joined us.
"Paul, I never thought of you as a football player, but you proved me wrong tonight," she said.
"Thank you, Mrs. Salaway. I'm also still getting straight A's in both math courses this year, so I hope you don't think too poorly of me for playing football as well." I couldn't keep the smile off my face and was pleased to see her lips curl a little as well.
"Perhaps I should keep that in mind when I think of you in the future," she said. "Well, girls, I think it is time to go. I'm sure Paul wants to go celebrate with his teammates. He had a big game tonight."
"Thanks for coming," I said as they stepped away.
I watched them go for a minute and then sensed Wendy back at my side.
"Are you getting back with one of them," Wendy asked.
I shook my head. "Nope, at least not right now. Maybe in the future." She seemed to relax and tucked her arm through mine.
"Then I guess you are still abnormal in my book."
"As abnormal as you want me to be," I said before surprising her with a quick kiss.



Chapter Four
A Blue Winter
*****
"We need to talk," Wendy said as we lay together in the broad backseat of her car, pleasantly warm despite the chill night air outside. We were theoretically celebrating our first win of post-season play, but that would be too close to "normal" for Wendy, so I kept the thought to myself.
I rested my hands on her bare ass as she propped herself up with her elbows resting on my chest. Her face was inches from me and her eyes were serious.
"So talk," I said with a smile.
She stared at me for a second and then sighed. "Your damn cute green eyes make this hard. I like you too much for my own good."
"I like you too," I said. "What's hard about it?"
She flexed her internal muscles and I felt myself slip out of her. She laughed. "Nothing's too hard anymore, I guess." I laughed with her and gave her a kiss. Just as she started to respond, she stopped herself.
"Stop that. We really need to talk. I want you to know that I really do like you, and this isn't about you, it's about me."
Uh-oh.
She saw the change in my face and took a deep breath. "I'm not going to be back in school after Thanksgiving. I don't want you to think it's about you."
"Where are you going? Are you moving?"
She shook her head, bit her lip, and then dropped her head against my shoulder. I felt a shudder pass through her, almost a sob.
"I'm going to be in Bloomington, in the hospital," she managed to get out before I felt the tears drip on me.
I was at a loss. I stroked her back and hair and waited for her to calm down. "It's alright, Wendy. It will be alright," I kept repeating.
Eventually, she regained her composure. "I wanted to tell you tonight, since I have to start talking to teachers on Monday. I wanted you to hear it from me instead of your mother. It's the reason I can't let you be my boyfriend, even though I've thought of you that way for the past couple of weeks. This is serious."
I kissed her. "I can take serious," I said. "After all, I am abnormal as you know."
She forced a smile. "I'm scared, Paul. I try to make light of things, but I'm worried."
"What is it?" I asked.
"I've got a tumor in my chest. They're not exactly sure if it is cancer or a growth, but they want to find out and cut it out either way. I will be out until after the new year at least."
I kissed her gently and hugged her tightly. "Thanks for telling me. I'll come visit you, you know, but I can't bring flowers. That would be too normal," I whispered.
She kissed me and then said, "Like hell you will. I want you to promise not to visit until I come home."
"Sorry," I said. "Not going to happen. Do you really think I'm going to miss a chance to see you in one of those sexy hospital gowns? When else would I have such easy access to your delightful charms?"
She laughed and kissed me. "Thanks for being such a good friend, Paul."
We kissed again, and again and soon had a 'hard' discussion. While our first time had been fast and passionate, this time we made slow, gentle love, at least right up until Wendy's orgasm met mine. As I pushed her over the edge, she grabbed me tightly and bit my shoulder almost painfully. I was too close to be distracted and shot into her as her incredible pussy throbbed around me.
When we finally parted and started getting dressed, I saw the teeth marks and start of a hickey on my shoulder. I glanced at her and then back at my shoulder. She blushed, and smirked at me.
"I figured I should mark my territory while I still can," she said sheepishly.
Monday at practice, Wendy and I became more than friends when several teammates saw my shoulder in the shower. She had definitely marked me well.
*****
"Shit, that fullback is killing us," Jared Peterson said as he dropped to the bench and grabbed a drink.
I had to agree with him. We were rotating every series, trying to keep fresh to handle the huge fullback who was just as effective carrying the ball as he was blocking. He seemed to be able to reliably pick up three yards every time he touched the ball.
It was fourteen to ten in their favor with seven minutes left in the game. Every minute was a struggle to contain their running game for the defense. Our pass option offense had kept us in the game, but if we could not stop them this drive, we were going to lose.
"Taylor!"
I hustled up to Coach J. "Yes, coach!"
"I want a weak side run blitz. Hit that son-of-a-gun in the backfield, and let him know we are in this game too! Got it?"
"Got it!" I sprinted to the defensive huddle as Simons came out. I told them the plan, and we lined up. As soon as the ball was snapped, I sped through the line. It looked like the fullback was running the other way, blocking for the halfback. I kicked up my speed before noticing the QB rolling away.
"Fake!" I heard and immediately adjusted my path. The quarterback rolled out in front of me and started sprinting for the sideline. I could clearly see the ball tucked in his arm. I zeroed in on him in a split second, and wrapped him up for a powerful tackle. It looked like a seven yard loss on the play as I headed back to the huddle.
"Good job, Taylor!" I accepted a couple of high-fives and then listened to the next play. I was blitzing again.
This time the play was toward my side of the field. The tight-end released his block on me as the running play developed. In a second I saw the fullback barreling down on me. His hands were up, getting ready to block me into next week. The halfback must have the ball. I tried to dodge the block, but suddenly found myself flying backward as he slammed into me. I landed poorly, knocking the breath out of me. As the whistle blew, I slowly rolled to my knees as I tried to get up. Finally, as I started to move toward the huddle, I saw Jared coming out to relieve me.
"Thanks, man," I managed to say as I trotted back to the sideline.
"You okay, Taylor?" Coach J asked.
"Yes, sir, just got the wind knocked out of me."
"Okay, catch your breath and listen up." He waved Simons closer to us. "Next third down, you and Simons are going in together. We're pulling a safety. Simons, I want you to line up there, but in, as if we're stacking linebackers in middle. Taylor, you've been able to beat the tight-end all night. Can you do it again?" I nodded.
"Good. You take the tight-end out and open a hole. Simons, you get the lead blocker. I don't know which of the backs it will be, but they have gone weak side every third down regardless of who is carrying the ball. Taylor, you release as soon as Simons is through and get the carrier. We need to stop this drive before they are in field goal range and get our offense back on the field to have a shot at winning. Got it?"
"Yes, Coach!" we replied.
Seconds later we were out in the defensive huddle.
"Weak side run blitz," Simon told them as we huddled up.
We lined up. The ball was snapped. I hit the tight-end and tied him up to the outside as Simons shot between the tackle and the tight-end. I release and looked up field. My legs started pumping as I saw Simons hit the half-back. That meant the fullback had the ball. Or the quarterback. I centered on the fullback and saw the ball tucked under his arm. I dipped and came up quickly.
It was like hitting a wall. I wrapped him up and kept my legs pumping as he struggled to bowl over me and I tried to pull him down. He was so strong! I felt his momentum turning us around. If he got past me, he might break lose. Desperate, I got a foot on top of his foot and just pulled back as hard as I could.
What took a blink of an eye, felt like a full minute. Slowly, to me, our momentum shifted. We tipped. Speed picked up as we tumbled down and two hundred and eight pounds of fullback slammed me into the ground. For the second time that night, the breath was forced out of me. This time, no matter what I tried to do, I could not get my lungs to expand and draw in air. My vision swam as I heard the ref's whistle ending the play. Then darkness took me.
*****
I woke to the noxious smell of ammonia in my nose and jerked my head away trying to avoid the odor.
"Take it easy, Taylor," I heard the someone say. My eyes watered and I tried to see what was going on. A doctor I did not recognize and Coach J were beside me. "Easy," he said again and held me down as I tried to rise. "You got knocked out. How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Two." It was still painful to breathe, but my surroundings were coming back to me.
"Good. Let's sit you up." He held my shoulder as I did.
"Dizzy?"
"No, it's just hard to catch my breath."
"Okay, let's get you on your feet." Coach J helped me up with a strong arm under my shoulder. The doctor took my other arm. I stood on shaky legs as the crowd started clapping. I let them guide me to the sideline and heard the ref's whistle get the game going again.
"What happened?" I finally managed to ask. "Did we stop them?"
"Loss of two on the play, Taylor. Good job. Do what the Doc tells you. You're done for the night."
I moved to the bench with the doctor at my side and sat down heavily.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a train. I'm having a hard time catching my breath," I admitted.
He frowned at me and then helped me take off my jersey and shoulder pads. He lifted the t-shirt I wore beneath the pads and then winced. "That's got to be painful, he said as he examined the bruise already forming. "You might have a cracked rib or two, son." He said as he probed the area none too gently.
Finally, he sat back. "Nothing's out of place, but I'm pretty sure you've got a couple of cracked ribs. You're done being a linebacker for the season, I'd say."
I heard a groan from the stands and saw our punting team head out on the field.
"I think we might be done playing football as a team, as well."
"Well, let's get you taped up so you aren't too sore tonight. You'll want to go see your doctor tomorrow." He opened a large first aid kit beside the bench and pulled out some cotton gauze and tape.
I had never had a broken rib before. I don't recommend it. Once I was taped tightly, it was still hard to breath, and breathing deeply is impossible, but it was better than it had been before I was taped up. The doctor helped me get my jersey back on just as the final whistle blew.
The score was still fourteen-ten. Our season was over. I managed to join the line to shake hands with the winning team and was pleased when I met the fullback that had plowed me over. "Good tackle, kid. I can't believe you're a freshman," he said as he shook my hand. "Sorry you got hurt," he added.
"Thanks. Good game and good luck at state." I thought I should be angry at him, but it was clear he was just playing as hard as he could; it wasn't personal. While I hurt from the hit and the loss, I couldn't really be mad at him for playing well.
Wendy joined me from the sidelines with worry in her eyes.
"Hey Wendy," I said sheepishly hoping she would not hug me.
"You clumsy oaf, are you alright?"
"Cracked ribs most likely. I'd really appreciate it if you did not try to hug me to see if they are feeling better." She smiled and grabbed the shoulders of my jersey.
"Then I suggest you bend gently and give me a kiss. I was worried about you while you were lying out there."
I bent and kissed her on the lips. I wanted more. "Have you seen my girlfriend, Abby?"
She looked at me. "Abby?"
"Abby Normal. She's my kind of girl and doesn't worry much when I get a little roughed up," I said with a grin.
Wendy punched my arm, and then hugged it. "I'm glad your head was too thick to be hurt."
"Thanks." I gave her another quick kiss and then we headed to the bench to get the rest of my gear. The football season was over. It was time to move on with other things.
*****
The next week was short. We only had school two days because of Thanksgiving. Wendy was quiet and withdrawn, despite my best abnormal puns and jokes. I could tell she was worried. Monday night, after dinner, I asked my mother what I should do.
"Paul, Wendy has a pretty serious situation facing her. I don't know how I would react in her shoes. I'm guessing that she has not told a lot of her friends. When you're sick, well, some people can be unintentionally cruel and treat you like whatever is wrong is catching. I'm sure she is afraid of that reaction."
"In the four years she has been in my class, I've never seen her with really close friends. She is friendly with everyone, but honestly, I've seen her hang out with you more than any other boy or girl outside a sports activity."
"I think that should tell you how much she values your friendship. If I were you, I'd just keep being her friend."
I thought about it a bit as we finished cleaning up the kitchen from dinner.
"Mom, do you think you could take me to the hospital on Saturday? I'd like to visit a friend who's sick."
My Mom smiled at me and gave me a hug. "Of course I can, Paul."
The next day at lunch I managed to corner Wendy in the cafeteria. She hadn't really avoided me, but she had been harder to find then usual.
"Hey, Abby, how are you doing today," I asked with a grin.
She punched me, forgetting about my ribs until she saw me wince in pain. "Oh, Paul, I'm sorry. I forgot."
I waved it away. "It's okay. You'll just have to kiss it better," I said with a leer. She smiled at me.
"I think I'd like to kiss a lot more than your ribs."
"Got any plans after school?" I asked.
"Just hanging out with a friend, I think."
"Cool. Can I come along?"
She threatened to punch me again. "You had better. This strange guy has been torturing me with bad jokes and puns. I think you should scare him off with your abnormal size."
"I look forward to it, ma'am. I'll see you after classes." Before she could avoid it, I darted in and kissed her. She had a smile when I pulled back. "See you then, you cradle robber."

*****
We pulled out of the parking lot and cruised around town. I could tell Wendy was thinking again, which was not always a good thing for her moods.
"What's up, buttercup?" I asked after ten minutes of silence.
She looked and me and winked. "It's a surprise."
A few minutes later, she pulled into a driveway of a nice looking house in a newer subdivision of town. She parked the car.
"What's this?" I asked as we got out and walked to the door.
"I told you it was a surprise."
She opened the front door and ushered me into the front hallway. I could hear someone in the kitchen.
"Mom, I've got company," Wendy called. I was surprised. In the weeks I had known her, we had never come to her house. A few minutes later, I was face to face with an older, plumper version of Wendy. "Mom, this is Paul Taylor. Paul, this is my mother, Linda Stenzel. Mom, Paul's my boyfriend."
Knock me over with a feather.
"Paul, it's a pleasure to meet you. Please, come into the kitchen. I'm making dinner. Would you like to stay?"
I glanced at Wendy who nodded.
"Of course, if you have enough," I said.
"Oh, we have plenty. Come in, come in."
We followed her back to the kitchen and sat at the counter as she returned to cutting up vegetables. Mrs. Stenzel insisted that I call my Mom and let her know where I was. I did as I was told as Wendy joined her mother behind the counter to help.
"Wendy," her mother said. "Why is this the first time we're meeting Paul? I recognize his name. You've been seeing him since the game against Flanagan haven't you?" Flanagan was the first game I played with the Varsity.
Wendy looked at her mother. "How did you know?"
"You think your mother can't tell when you find someone special?" I blushed. I noticed Wendy was as well. "I was happy, but a little sad you didn't want to bring him over sooner. Your father will be thrilled as well."
Meeting the father. Uh-oh.
I was saved by further dark thoughts by the sound of the garage door opening. A moment later, another commotion came storming through the door.
"We won the scrimmage," a young boy shouted as he burst into the room. As soon as he saw me, he stopped and dropped a gear bag at his feet. "You're Paul Taylor. You were the first freshman to score while playing varsity. I'm going to be the second!"
I laughed and looked at Wendy and her Mom who were staring at the young man in shock. Wendy finally shook her head. "Paul, this is my little brother, Allen. He obviously knows who you are."
I held out my hand to shake his and then looked up to see Wendy's father come in. He was a big man, at least six-three. Next to his wife's five-three, and his son's four foot something height, he looked like a giant.
"And I'm Allen Sr." He said as he extended his hand. "You can call me Mr. Stenzel," he said with a smile.
"Yes, sir," I said as I shook his hand.
He laughed and then kissed his wife and daughter on the cheek. "Do I need to fetch the shotgun, Wendy? If you're bringing a boy home, it must be serious."
Wendy blushed again and grabbed my hand for moral support. "No shotgun yet, daddy. But your behavior might be why I haven't brought anyone by before."
"Hey, what about me?" Allen junior asked. "I thought I was the one scaring off the boys. That's what you always said."
We all laughed and soon Allen was regaling us with highlights of his pee-wee hockey game. It was the first game he had gotten to play in, even if it was just a full scrimmage.
Dinner was delicious and lively. Mr. Stenzel quizzed me about football while Allen wanted to know how I got to play varsity as a freshman. Mrs. Stenzel asked about classes and seemed impressed that I was in three honors courses.
After dinner, I helped clean up, along with Allen and Wendy. Shortly thereafter, Wendy's parents said goodnight and took Allen upstairs insisting he needed a bath before bed. Wendy and I finished drying dishes and the sat on the couch in the living room with the TV.
Wendy carefully snuggled up under my arm and draped a blanket over us.
"Thanks for being such a great guy tonight. My little brother worships you."
"He's a great kid." I kissed her. "You have a lovely family."
She smiled and kissed me again. Soon, we were fully embraced, the TV ignored. I ran my hands over her breasts lightly as I kissed her neck. The thought of getting caught making out on the couch had me incredibly turned on. Apparently, Wendy felt the same way.
"I want to jump your bones right here, right now," she whispered in my ear.
"We can't," I whispered back as I slipped my hand inside her shirt and caressed her ribs and then cupped her breast though her satiny bra. "But I bet I can get you off." I added as I nibbled on her ear lobe.
Wendy moaned and then bit my shoulder trying to keep quiet. I slipped my hand down her stomach and methodically worked her belt open, then the button of her jeans, and finally the zipper. I could feel the heat radiating from her.
I stroked her slowly through her panties working her toward an orgasm slowly. Soon I knew she was close. She tried to thrust against my hand but I withdrew it.
"What are you doing," she hissed in my ear. "I was so close."
"I thought I heard someone coming down the hallway."
Wendy sat up under the blanket and looked toward the stairs for a few minutes, as if watching for any sign of movement. Finally, she turned back to me. "No one is there."
We kissed again and soon I was working her back toward an orgasm. Again, I took her close to the brink and then stopped and looked at the stairs.
She groaned in frustration.
"You're teasing me," she accused.
"Maybe," I said with a smirk followed by a kiss.
"If you don't make me cum soon, I'm going to make you walk home," she threatened.
I nibbled on her neck and let my fingers resume their teasing task.
"Oh, yeah," she moaned softly. I stroked into her a little faster and made sure my thumb was strumming her clit as I decided to let her reach release this time. If her mother or father chose that minute to come back down stairs, I was a dead man. I stroked one last time and kissed her hard as her orgasm finally came. She moaned into my mouth and arched against my body. My ribs hurt like hell, and I did not care as I continued to stroke her lightly and kiss her as deeply as I could.
We finally broke our embrace, both breathless. I stroked her pussy gently and was rewarded with another shudder racing though her body. She grabbed my shoulders and rode my hand. Just as I thought she was done, her pussy clenched my fingers and she bit my shoulder hard.
"Oh, god, that is enough," she finally said as she pushed my hand away from her. I held her tightly as she caught her breath. "You've never made me come that hard before. You are not normal, I tell you. You are amazing." She kissed me again.
"You're pretty amazing, yourself."
"I still think we could do it right here, on the couch," she said as she stroked me through my jeans.
"Much as I'd love to, I'd be too afraid of getting caught and seeing your father's shotgun," I joked.
She hugged me again. "I think I could be falling in love with you, Paul," she whispered in my ear.
"The feeling is mutual, ma'am. I can assure you of that."
We stayed cuddled together until the news ended. This time, we definitely heard footsteps in the hallway.
"Wendy," her mother called. "Do you want dad to run Paul home?"
Wendy straightened her clothing under the blanket. "No, Mom, I'll take him home."
"Okay, but straight there and back. We'll be waiting up for you and your father has to work in the morning. Paul, it was nice meeting you finally tonight."
I stood from under the blanket. "Thank you, ma'am. It was nice to meet you all and it was a great dinner."
Wendy listened to her footsteps retreat down the hallway before throwing off the blanket and fastening her jeans while removing her belt. She stood, grabbed a coat and my hand and headed to the door.
"You're in a hurry," I said as soon as we got outside.
"Damn straight. The faster we hit the road, the sooner we stop and I can take care of my boyfriend's needs before dropping him off at home," she said.
I grinned and let her hurry me along.
She stopped as she turned onto my road. We were a half mile from my home and close to nine from hers. We had gotten there in less than ten minutes. As soon as the car was in park, her pants were open again and sliding down her shapely legs. I gapped at her.
"Don't just sit there. You heard my Mom. Straight there and back. Can you get it straight?"
I cracked up, kissed her and pulled my own pants down. She gave me one long lick to make sure I was ready and then laid back on the seat with one ankle by the headrest and the other on the floorboard. "Get in me, Paul. I want to feel you fuck me hard."
I did my best. She started having another orgasm on my forth or fifth stroke. Her clenching pussy was so tight I almost stopped, but she kept urging me on. "Stay with me, Paul, stay with me. I want your cum inside me all night long." I continued thrusting and suddenly felt the familiar tightening of my balls. I thrust deeply and then started to cum.
Wendy moaned and clawed my back and shuddered beneath me as I pumped my load deep into her. My ribs were in agony, but I could care less. I was determined to give Wendy what she wanted tonight. Anything within my power was hers.
Slowly, we stopped and then finally separated. Wendy kissed me and then told me to get my pant's on. She simply sat up and started the car, naked from the waist down. I laughed and then stroked her thigh as she pulled into my yard.
"Straight here and back, love," she said in a mocking British accent.
"Straight back, for you, love," I replied in kind. I gave her one more kiss and then slipped out of the car.
"Drive safely, and have sweet dreams, darling." I said before closing the car door. She beamed a smile back at me and then pulled out of the drive way slowly. I watched her taillights until they disappeared from sight.
*****
Wednesday I worked on my car and helped Mom prepare a couple of dishes to take to Uncle Ben's and Aunt Carol's. We always joined them for Thanksgiving. I tried to keep my mind off Wendy, but found it hard. After dinner, I decided to call her. I had to look up her father in the phone book, and was a nervous as I could recall being as I dialed the number.
"Stenzel's" I heard her father say as he picked up the phone.
"Good evening, Mr. Stenzel. Is Wendy home? This is Paul."
"Wendy!" I heard him yell as he set the phone down on a table. "Boyfriend call!"
I could hear Wendy scolding her father as she pounded down the steps.
"Paul?" she said a little breathlessly.
"Expecting some other boyfriend to call?" I said as I laughed.
"Well, smart ass, I have that abnormal friend I told you about." I could imagine her grin. "Why are you calling?"
"Well, I realized that I would be at my cousins most of tomorrow, and I know you'll be busy Friday, so I want to call and tell you how much you mean to me and how much I'll be thinking about you before I see you on Saturday."
"Okay."
"Okay, what?"
"Okay, you can tell me all that. Geez, I thought you were smart or something."
I laughed. Her spirits were definitely better than mine. "I love you." It just came out. It might have been the worst thing to say, but it felt totally right.
"What?"
"I. Love. You."
"Don't say that unless you really mean it, Paul. I don't think my heart could take it right now."
"I love you, Wendy. I realized I would be a total ass if I let you have any doubt about how I felt about you as you go to the hospital. I will see you on Saturday, and I want you to know exactly how I feel as soon as you lay eyes on me. I want you to realize how much you mean to me and how special you are to me. I love you."
At first I thought she had hung up, the line was so quiet. Then I heard a soft hiccup and sigh. "I love you, too, Paul. I never thought I would say that, but I do. Thank you so much for calling and clearing that up. I love you with all my heart." I could tell she was crying.
"Me, too." I said. "Me, too. Now you take care and do what your Mom and the doctors tell you. I'll be thinking of you exclusively for the next two days and can't wait to see you on Saturday, okay?"
"Okay. Paul, can you tell me one more time?"
"Of course, darling. I love you. Have sweet dreams tonight, and always.”
*****
Thanksgiving was the usual noisy, hectic, fun family affair that it had always been. When Mom saw John had invited Ann, she asked why I hadn't invited Wendy. "She has to start a fast today before going down to the hospital." I glanced at the clock. "She had to finish eating two hours ago. Now it's just water."
Mom frowned and gave me a hug. Ryan and John and Ann managed to corner me before dinner and asked the same question. Somehow, the bite/hickey on my shoulder had been noticed in a different school as well as my own. I tried to shrug it off, but Ann in particular was insistent.
Finally, I gave in. "Look, not many kids, if any know this, but Wendy has to have surgery tomorrow and probably won't be back in school until next year. She couldn't come because of that."
They were stunned. "Is she going to be alright?" Ann asked.
I couldn't hold back my tears at the question. "I don't know, and that's what makes this so damn hard." I turned away and headed outside trying to get my emotions back under control. I heard the door open and close behind me as I walked around the parked cars and stared at the blue sky.
"Are you alright?" It was Ann.
I nodded.
"I'm sorry, Paul. I had no idea. How long have you been dating her?"
"Since just after homecoming." Ann was smart, she could put the timing together. "We weren't really dating until a couple of weeks ago. Before that we were just getting to be good friends."
"Is there anything I can do?"
I looked at her. Her concern was genuine. After getting to know her over the summer and on a couple of double dates, I still had not realized what a nice, caring person she was. I had believed the facade of cool aloofness that both she and Jordan tried to maintain. I had treated her like an object as well,  along with people I cared about.
I shook my head. "No, thanks. But I do really appreciate you coming out here and caring."
Ann smiled, patted my arm, and then gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "You're a sweet guy, Paul. I'm sure everything will work out fine."
She left me standing in the cold. I waited a little bit and then finally turned to go back inside. Mom was watching me out the kitchen window.
*****
Friday was horrible. I tried to work on the car, but kept screwing up the welds I was trying to make. When I tossed in the towel on welding, I found it impossible to concentrate on the patent paperwork I had planned on completing over the weekend. I kept looking at the clock and then at the phone. I wanted to know what was going on. Finally, around six o'clock I went looking for my mother.
"Mom, can we drive down to Bloomington? I just want to know that Wendy came through the procedure all right."
Mom looked at me with sad eyes and then smiled. "Of course, Paul. I'd like to know how she is doing as well." I gave Mom a hug and then grabbed our coats out of the closet. We rode in silence for most of the forty-minute trip. I marveled at my mother. I did not appreciate her nearly enough the first time through. Her freshman son was involved with a junior girl deeply enough to beg her to drive forty minutes in the dark, with no notice, and she smiled, and said "of course". No arguing, or trying to say I could call or putting me off saying everything was alright. Just a simple "Of course" and we were off.
I hoped I could love that unconditionally when given the chance. Maybe this was my chance to try. If I was honest to myself, I never had on the first time through.
We got to the hospital and then spent twenty minutes trying to find out where Wendy was. I was getting angry at the bureaucracy when a Nurse finally whispered something to my mother and then motioned us to follow her.
She led us through wide double doors and down a hall. I glanced at signs wondering why we were not going upstairs toward surgery or the patient rooms. Soon I realized she was taking us to the chapel.
Fear filled my heart. I could almost not bear to step inside the doorway as I saw Mr. and Mrs. Stenzel hugging Allen by the altar at the front of the room. As soon as Mrs. Stenzel looked up and saw me, I knew. Wendy's Mom was crying and one look at me made her wail. Allen looked up through tears and then was running to me. I stooped down and gave him a hug. We cried together as I slowly lead him back to his family.
I had no words to share, as I struggled to understand how fate could be so cruel. Love was dead.
*****
The rest of the weekend was rough. I was a wreck. Mom got me home late Friday night. I don't remember crying in high school the first time through, but I did plenty that night.
Saturday was a blur. Sunday, I stayed in bed until late afternoon. It had to be after four when Mom finally had enough.
"Paul, I know this is hard on you. It's going to be hard on a lot of other people, too." She sat on the foot of my bed and patted my leg. "You have to decide if you are going to let this define your high school life or not. I know you felt deeply for Wendy. I know she felt deeply about you. I won't try to minimize that, but you have to decide if you are going to remember the joy you brought each other, or how you feel now, filled with loss."
I did not want to respond, but thought back to the day Wendy had slapped me and told me to get ahold of myself. She would do it again if she saw me now, I thought.
"I had to make the same hard choice when your father, died, you know," Mom said in a conversational tone. I could see her pain, however.
The next day in school was tough. Lisa knew before Jim did, and had tears in her eyes when she saw me in the hall. I thanked her for her concerns, and tried to keep my grief at arms length. I made it through the day some how. Monday night, going to the wake was almost too much, but Mom held my hand as we went through the viewing line just before the family did. I had a moment at the casket for my last farewells, and was then hugging Mrs. Stenzel with tears in my eyes and on my cheeks.
Tuesday was the funeral. I sat in the church stoically, listening to a minister who had known Wendy for years remind people of her first communion and Sunday school adventures. A few classmates stepped up to say their scripted parts, and then the minister asked if anyone else's wanted to share a memory.
I could feel eyes on me as I rose and made my way to the pulpit. I hated churches and organized religion for all of the hate they propagated in the future, but on that day, I felt sudden peace in my soul as I looked out at the filled sanctuary. It was mostly high school students surrounding Wendy's family in the front pews.
I tried to smile at Allen, and then spoke from my heart. "I loved, Wendy," I started. "The first day I really noticed her, she slapped me and told me other people in our school had real problems, and that I should grow up. I did not know she was speaking of herself, but I knew she was right. And she was right about a lot of other things in life as well.
"While we were only close for a few short weeks, we shared the love of life and squeezing joy out of every moment we could, whether it was a smile between classes, celebrating a football win, or a dinner with her family. Many people here knew Wendy, but to really appreciate Wendy, you had to see past her bigger than life personality. Wendy was a fighter to the last. She was more worried about me and her family than she was for herself when she went to the hospital. She had more courage than any football player I faced this year, and more love in her heart than anyone I have ever known. I loved Wendy, and I will miss her for the rest of my life, but what I feel saddest about is how many other people in the world never got to see her smile like I did.”
*****
I got her letter the next day.
My love,
If you are reading this, I'm gone. I hate being melodramatic, but I asked a nurse to mail it. Mom and Dad would probably read this and I want this to be between myself and the man I love.
I was so happy you called on Wednesday. I was convinced that telling you how I really felt about you would guilt you into saying you loved me too, but you beat me to the punch all on your own. Once again, you've proven yourself to be beyond normal.
I wanted to tell you how much it means to me, knowing you felt about me the same way I felt about you. I was such a bitch on Wednesday before you called, mad at myself for holding back Tuesday night, but you made it all better. Thank you, my love.
If you are reading this, I'm dead.
I don't like the thought of not spending my life with you, or leaving you hurting, but there are no guarantees that we would live happily ever after, either, so I'll take what I can get of you, and you gave me as much love and happiness as I could stand in our brief weeks together.
By definition, you are the love of my life, but please know that I can't fill that role for you. It is my wish that you find someone else to share your wonderful heart with. You showed me a little slice of heaven in your heart. You let me face what I had to knowing I was loved. I can never thank you enough for that. I hope you can feel this sense of peace yourself one day, and truly know how much you are loved.
Thank you for that, my love.

*****
The next morning was cold and overcast and looked like rain, but I didn't care. I put on my sweats and hit the road before dawn. I was a seventy year old man in a fifteen year old body and an eighteen year old girl had taught me more about the meaning of love and life than all my years of experience.
I thought I had lived a full life, the first time through. I had not liked the way the world went and had made some poor choices, but that was part of life, right? I had dated and bed many women the first time through. I had thought I was in love once. Melanie was one of those poor choices.
I was certain what I had felt then was not what I had felt with Wendy. Then it had been right for all the wrong reasons. The thrill of the chase, the sex, the feeling that it was time to settle down, start a family; the feeling of obligation that had slowly sucked the life out of me.
Seven years had passed before we both realized we were living a lie. We divorced amicably. As I threw myself into my research and work, I had decided that love was not worth the effort. I dated a few women after that but, never formed any real attachments. I had lived the remainder of my life a lonely man.
Now, I had a second chance.
Now, I felt that I knew what love could really feel like.
I missed Wendy.
I cried as I ran. Letting my tears flow in the cold sunrise. It wasn't sobbing, just tears of loss, but also tears of thanks for a wonderful young woman who had shown me what I had missed in life before.
I knew this time would be different. I knew this time I would be brave enough to risk being hurt. I knew this time I would look for love, not sex. I knew what I wanted for myself in addition to what I wanted for the world.
I reached my turning point and brushed the moisture from my face.
I would never forget Wendy and what she had taught me.
I picked up my pace as I headed home.
I focused on my breathing and the feeling for the wind on my face. I had my missions in life now.
I ran on.
*****
"Taylor," Coach called as I made a shot from the top of the key during PE. "Why aren't you playing basketball on the freshman team?"
"No shot, coach." I grinned as I ran back down the floor to get set on defense. The truth was I did not want to invest the time in practice and games. I had other things to focus on right now.
Coach blew his whistle and sent a couple of classmates into the game. As I came out, he shook his head and pointed to the far end of the gym. "Hit it, mister no-shot."
I had actually come to like Coach Miller in gym class. I knew my smart-ass answer would be punished. He knew that most of the activities we did in PE were not a physical challenge for me. I could out-endure the majority of my classmates easily. He kept class entertaining for me with his extra activities.
I sprinted to the other end of the gym where the climbing rope hung. I scaled it easily, using only my hands. Up, then back down. I sprinted to the other end of the gym and grabbed two wooden pegs. I jumped up and stuck one of the pegs in the pegboard. With careful moves, I swung on the peg and put the next peg in a hole higher up. Up and down I went. I dropped the pegs and sprinted back to the sidelines.
A couple of classmates who actually irritated him, had found out how hard the punishments could be when they had tried to give coach any lip. After that, people gave me strange looks when I would say something to coach.
Bill Tanner, one of my teammates on the JV squad shook his head as we headed to the showers at the end of class. "Man, why don't you keep your mouth shut and not have to do that crap?" he asked.
I laughed. "I want to stay in shape in the off season. I don't want to go out for the basketball team and I don't really want to have to hit the weight room after school too much, so I make some wise ass comments and coach makes sure I get enough exercise to stay in shape." I shrugged as I opened my locker and grabbed my towel. "It's more fun than just being told to go lift during class."
Bill shook his head again. "You are crazy, Paul."
As we headed out of the locker room for lunch, Bill caught up to me again. "Hey, Paul. Are you going to take anyone to the Winter Prom?"
"Nope. Why?" His question was enough to stop me in the hall. Bill and I were teammates, but more acquaintances than friends.
Bill blushed. "Um, it's my sister, Heather. She was kind of hoping you would ask her."
I turned and slowly resumed my pace toward the cafeteria. Heather was cute. She was a Sophomore, in Jim and Lisa's class. She was in the honors section with us. She had red hair and green eyes and a nice figure. She was cute, but quiet. I did not think I had ever heard her speak outside of class.
"Really?"
"Yep. She asked me to see if you were interested. She knows you and Wendy were an item, and that it hasn't been very long, but thought maybe you'd like to get out."
The Winter Prom was the semi-formal dance before the Christmas break. It was a little over a week away. I had not really given it much thought, assuming I was staying home. Jim and Lisa had been nice enough not to mention it at lunch lately. I knew they were going together.
"I'll think about it, Bill. Thanks."
And I did think about it through most of lunch. It would be easy to say it was too soon, but as Wendy's letter had reminded me, life was short. I spotted Heather as the first bell after lunch rang. We were heading to the same class, so it was natural to fall in behind her. She was wearing a dark green sweater and jeans with soft leather boots and her long red hair was pulled back with a elastic band.
She had a girl-next-door look of wholesomeness that made you think of kittens and puppies and first kisses.
I sat down at the desk next to her and smiled when she caught me looking at her. She had freckles dusting her nose. She was cute. Miss Sampson was doing something at the back of the room, so we had a few minutes before class started.
Heather cocked her head at me. "What?" she asked.
I smiled again. "Would you like to go to the Winter Prom with me?”



Chapter Five
Spring Thaws
*****
I folded my ski jacket into a semblance of a pillow, tucked it between my head and the window of the bus, and tried to ignore the chattering girls behind me.  I silently debated if skiing for the day was worth three hours of their giggles and stares.
It was the annual school ski trip.  First time through, I had enjoyed skiing.  Now, I was taking my first trip to Wisconsin a few years earlier than I had previously.  I wanted to see if my knowledge and strength would let me get up and be proficient quickly.  I had not counted on the girls on the trip giving me strange looks and then whispering with their heads together.
For some reason, there were not a lot of guys on the trip.  I seemed to be both the only freshman boy, and the only unattached male on the bus.  Ever since the Winter Prom, I had received plenty of attention from girls at school and around town.
Heather and I had had a pleasant time. She had let me kiss her good night after the dance with a soft gentle kiss that promised more, but had then turned me down for another date during the winter break.  As soon as school started back up, I had been approached by many girls looking for either a boyfriend or just a friend who was a boy.  I was starting to feel a little like a man whore.
If I had realized I would be plotted for during the long drive up to the ski area today, I might have tried to talk Mom into taking me instead of boarding the bus at five thirty on a cold Saturday morning.  Before we had even pulled out of the school parking lot, I had decided that pretending sleep would be my best bet for at least the first leg of the trip.
I almost succeeded in falling asleep when I felt the bus turn and then stop.  I cracked open an eye.  We were at my old school.  I then remembered that it was a district trip today.  Obviously, we were picking up more kids.  I closed my eyes, hoping that I would not gain an obnoxious seat mate if they thought I was sleeping.
"I guess you were saving this for me," I heard a familiar voice say.  I opened my eyes to see a smiling Jyl Salaway sit down next to me.
I smiled back and glanced up the bus aisle.  Jeryl was a few rows ahead, sitting with Kay.  "How are you, Jyl?"  I asked as I scooted closer to the window and gave her a little more room on the seat.
"I'm great, Paul."  She said it just a little louder than she needed to.  Jeryl looked back at the sound of her sister's voice saying my name.  She gave me a dazzling smile and then turned back around.  Jyl seemed pleased with herself and then squeezed close to me.
"I was sorry to hear about your friend, Wendy," she said softly and patted my arm.
"Thanks."  I did not want to discuss Wendy with any of the Salaway women.  "How have you been?"
"Good, actually.  We're pretty busy with school and cheerleading and everything.  Did you have a good Christmas?"
We continued with small talk.  I told her about classes. She asked about girlfriends.  I asked who she was dating now and she admitted to being single at the moment.  Soon, we were discussing skiing.  She and Jordan and Jeryl were all decent skiers from family trips to Colorado every other year.  They had not gone this year, so Wisconsin had to be good enough for them.  I admitted it was my first time, but that I was looking forward to it.
The trip seemed to fly by.  Soon we were at the ski area and unloading.  I smiled at the jeans people were wearing with the gaudy sweaters given at Christmas and whatever winter jackets they had.  I had learned my lesson the first time through and managed to convince Mom that I needed real ski pants and a decent ski jacket.  The Salaway girls and I looked like we were the only ones with decent outerwear for skiing.
I let Jyl guide me to the lockers and stored our backpacks as I admired how she and Jeryl both looked in their snug black ski pants and trim white jackets.  Despite the difference in their hair color, given their matching outfits it was obvious they were sisters.
Jeryl kept glancing at me, but stuck next to Kay as we went through the line for boots, skis and poles.  I followed Jyl outside and we made our way to the bunny slope.  I eyed the chair lift as we stood in line for the T-bar on the bunny slope with the majority of the school kids.
"Let's see what you can do," Jyl said as she dropped her skis and stepped into the bindings.  I followed suit and shuffled along in line until it was our turn to grab the opposite sides of the T-bar and get pulled up the gentle slope.
I really wanted to get away from everyone and see if my memory would translate to my muscles, but a simple run would probably be the best way to start.  As we got to the top of the hill, I let go and coasted away from the lift area, made a turning stop and waited for Jyl to pull up next to me.
"Good, you know how to stop.  That's important," she said as I adjusted my stocking cap and goggles.
She started to say something else, probably some coaching advice, but I just grinned, pushed off and pointed my skis down the hill to pick up some speed.  I was making my second cutting turn when she caught up to me.
"I thought this was your first time!"  She said as she passed me.  I turned downhill and cut behind her before passing her again and then making a sweeping stop at the bottom of the hill.
"I guess I'm a natural!" I said as she stopped next to me.  "Let's do a bigger hill."
She laughed and we poled over to the chair lift.  She waved at Jeryl and Kay as we passed over their heads heading up the hill for some longer runs.
My legs still felt great when we finally took a break for lunch and I could tell that my instincts were still sharp for skiing.  I had avoided a mogul run that Jyl seemed keen on doing, but otherwise had not had any trouble on the hill.  I had always hated moguls.  We had just sat down to eat a bowl of soup when Jeryl joined us.  Kay was still in line with her lunch.
"I'm going with you two after lunch," she announced as she sat down and peeled off her gloves and jacket.  "If I make another run down the bunny hill, I'm going to scream."
Jyl laughed and stuck her tongue out at her younger sister.  "We've been tearing it up.  Paul is a natural.  I still can't believe this is your first time on skis."
Jeryl looked at me in surprise.  "I saw you guys once or twice.  You can't ski that well your first time, Paul.  Did you lie to Jyl?"
"Nope.  First time I've ever been up on snow skis."  At this age, anyway, I left out.  "I did waterski a little before, so maybe that's why it feels natural."
Kay joined us then and the conversation turned away from me, thankfully.  I really did not want to lie to the girls and I knew I was much better than any first time skier had a right to be.
A little while later, as Kay complained about sore legs, Jyl suggested they go sit in the lodge by the fire for a little bit.  "Lot's of cute guys in there," she said with a smile and a wink at Jeryl and me.
As soon as they were out of sight, I laughed.  "Would you like to hit something other than the bunny hill?" I asked as Jeryl looked at me.
Soon we were back outside and heading to the bigger lifts.  We skied hard, chasing each other down the trails.  I enjoyed following Jeryl's lithe figure as she shifted her hips and knees to navigate the trails.  She laughed when I tried to dust her at the bottom of the hill.  The afternoon flew by.
All too soon, we were back at the base of the hills turning in our skis.  As we walked toward the busses, Jeryl grabbed my hand and ducked under my arm to hold herself against me.  "Thanks, Paul. I really enjoyed skiing with you this afternoon."  Before I could respond, she darted in and kissed my cheek.  "I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too, kitten."  I hugged her closer and then stepped aside to let her climb the bus steps in front of me.  I followed and was soon sharing a seat with her.  Kay and Jyl ended up a few seats in front of us, and I soon had a warm young lady cuddled up next to me as we headed out to the highway and home.
*****
Running in winter was cold, but I kept at it at least three times a week to help keep me in shape.  It also gave me time to think between jobs on the Beast.  My car was shaping up with a functional engine and generator as well as fully weather-proofed electro-hydraulic drive-by-wire system. I had recently finished building the passenger compartment frame and would soon start the body work needed to make it look more like a real car once again.  I felt I was on track to take it for a full test drive by the end of the school year.  I was satisfied with my progress on the car front.
Now, if I could work on having a girlfriend to take on a drive, I'd be happy with my personal life as well.
I was two miles into a cold, gray Saturday morning run when I decided to do something about it.  I reach the corner of the section and turned right, heading down the Salaway's road.  It was too early to stop in to see Jordan, Jyl, or Jeryl, but I hoped I would see some sign of their father taking care of his cattle.  As I approached their farm, I was happy to see a light on in the barn.  I jogged up just as Mr. Salaway stepped out.
"Good morning, sir," I said.
"Good morning, Paul.  How are you doing?"  I was surprised by his smile.  I had geared up mentally to argue with him.
"Good, thanks."
He flipped off the light in the barn, stepped into the yard, and latched the barn door behind him.  "I'm glad you stopped by.  I've been getting quite an earful at home over the past couple of months because of you."
I was confused now.  "About what?"
"About the fact that I may have been a little premature in asking you to stay away from Jeryl for a while."
"I hope you know that I've honored your wishes from the last time we talked, sir."
"I know you have, Paul.  That's why I'm willing to talk to you about it.  I may have overreacted.  I did not really realize how much until I saw how happy Jeryl was after her skiing trip a couple of weeks ago."
"Did she tell you I was on that trip?"  I asked.
He nodded.  "But she also told me that she and Jyl did not know you were going.  Is that true?"
"Yes, sir.  I didn't even think about Jeryl possibly going until I saw them on the bus."
"I believe you, Paul.  You and your cousins have always been fine young gentlemen.  Jeryl really enjoyed her day with you.  It was the first time since Kay's party that she seemed happy.  That is when I realized I might have been unfair to her and to you."
"You have to do what you think is best for your daughters, sir.  I understand that."
"Good.  It's going to take a lot of trust from her mother and me to let her start dating again, but I realized that you are a boy I think I can trust.  So, I wanted to let you know that you can ask Jeryl out again, if you would like to."
I could not help but burst into a grin.  I wanted to hug him.  Instead I grabbed his hand and pumped it up and down.  "Thank you, sir.  I would definitely like to ask her out again."
He laughed.  "I can tell."  He pulled free and put a hand on my shoulder and guided me toward the house.  "We will let her go out with you, Paul, but we may have some restrictions, like a reasonable curfew and having your Mom or one of us drive you on your dates, okay?"
"That's fine, sir.  Thank you for trusting us both," I said.
We were at the door to their house before he dropped his hand from my shoulder.  "I'd invite you in to ask her out right now, but I'd be surprised if any of my daughters are up yet," he said.
"No problem, sir.  I need to get back to my run anyway.  If you could, I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything to Jeryl yet until I can ask her out in person.  I'd like to surprise her."
He smiled.  "Okay, but don't wait too long or my wife and daughters won't be happy with either of us."
I grinned and nodded and then headed back to the road.  My feet felt lighter and my pace was definitely improved.  I seemed to suddenly have something to run toward.
*****
I spent most of that Saturday working on my car.  I wanted to call Jeryl and ask her out for the Valentines Dance in two weeks, but I wanted to make it special.  A phone call did not seem like the right way to do it.
I fitted the first teardrop fender over my front wheel and carefully slipped two screws in to hold it in place.  I wanted the car to be easy to work on and modify, so my design called for many pieces of the body to be held on with flush metal screws, especially around the wheel housings in case I had problems with either the electric drive motors, the gimbaled mountings or the steering hydraulics.  The exaggerated teardrop fender would fit the bill of making it easy to pull off, while lending a sleek line to the car.  I planned on matching the curving slope in the body line as well, to create some streamlined symmetry in the overall design.  As I stepped back and looked at the lone fender, I could see the finished image in my mind.  It was going to look cool.
I glanced at the clock on the wall and then began cleaning up my workbench.  It was almost time for dinner, and I knew Mom had something in the oven.  She would not be happy if I delayed chores and spoiled her timing.  I was inside and cleaned up in time to help set the table as she pulled a roast chicken from the oven.
"You seem to be in a good mood," she said as I pulled plates from the cabinet.
"I am.  I ran into Mr. Salaway this morning while I was on my run."  I told her about his change of heart.
"That's nice, Paul.  I'm proud of how you have handled things with Jeryl and the Salaways.  I'm surprised you didn't call her already, though."
"It was difficult not to, trust me.  But I want to ask her out in person, not over the phone.  If we were still in the same school, I could do it Monday, but I won't really have a chance to accidentally bump into her."
Mom was silent as she carved up the chicken and fixed out plates.  As we sat down to dinner, she sighed.  "You know, we used to go to the same church as the Salaways."
I had not really thought about it, but she was right.  We had stopped going to church on a regular basis the year after my father died.  I had never asked why.  It did not seem to mean much to me.
Mom still read the bible on a regular basis, but seemed to have lost her appetite for church.  I had never really considered it before, but with a much older perspective, I suddenly realized Mom had a reason for not going and it probably had something to do with Dad's death.
"Why did we stop," I asked between bites of food.
"The minister and I did not see eye to eye on several things," Mom answered.  "I decided it was probably better to just not go instead of arguing with him."
"What sort of things?"
Mom put her fork down and looked at me for a minute.  Finally, she sighed again and picked her fork back up.  "He was trying to comfort me after your father's death.  I did not find his words much comfort."  Her tone said she did not want to talk about it.
"Is the same minister still there?"  I could not even remember his name, it had been so long ago.
"I don't think so."
"Do you think we could go tomorrow?"
Mom laughed.  "Paul, do you think it is a good idea to go to church just to have a chance to ask a girl out?"
I shrugged and swallowed.  "I can think of worse reasons to go to church.”
*****
I sat through an agonizing service, forcing a smile on my face once I saw the Salaway girls in the choir behind the pulpit.  Jeryl did not seem to notice me until I caught Jordan's eye and gave her a genuine smile.  She quickly nudged Jyl and pointed me out with a nod of her chin.  Jyl wasted no time nudging Jeryl in turn.  Once she looked at me, the homily became bearable.  Her smile made the rest of the service pass quickly, and soon we were heading to the social hall for refreshments.
"Paul," Jordan said from behind me.
I turned and found myself in a quick series of hugs from Jordan, then Jyl, then Jeryl.  It was almost enough to make me a regular church goer.
"Ladies,"  I said as my Mom turned and smiled at the girls.
"I can't remember the last time I saw you in church, Paul."  Jordan commented.
"Me either, Jordan."  I tried not to grin.  "I had a special reason to make the effort today, though."
"Oh, something to pray for?"  Their mother had come up behind them.  I did not see their father.
"Well, sort of."  I turned to Jeryl and smiled.  "I was hoping it would give me a chance to ask Jeryl to the Valentines Dance a week from Saturday."
Jeryl's eyes got wide as she stepped closer to me then looked back at her mother.  Janet smiled and nodded.
Jeryl grabbed me in another hug.  "I'd love to go.  Thank you for coming and asking."  We moved into the line for some pastries, coffee and juice and the girls started peppering me with questions.
"What time is it at?  What time will you pick her up?  Are you having dinner first?  What sort of dance is it?  Formal?"
"Semi-formal," I replied.  "It is from eight to eleven.  If I can talk Mom into it, I will take her to dinner first, but I'm not sure where yet.  I need to have a couple of surprises for her, don't I?"
They all inhaled to start the next round of questions when Mrs. Salaway laughed and stepped between myself and the girls.  "Girls, give the boy a chance to breathe.  Jeryl, I'll take you shopping this afternoon and we'll see if we can find you a nice dress for the dance.  Paul, if your Mom can't drive or wants to share the burden, I'd be happy to help out."
Mom reinserted herself in the conversation.  "Thanks, Janet.  Maybe we could split it up.  I can do dinner and get them to the dance and you can pick them up."
I laughed to myself as I realized a seventy-year-old man had just had two mothers take over all the arrangements for his date.  Instead of arguing, I was at least wise enough to smile, nod and let the ladies in my life get on with making all the important decisions for me.
*****
"Jeryl looks stunning," Lisa whispered to me as we danced.  She and Jim were at the dance together and had quickly invited us to sit with them.  Jeryl and I had danced together exclusively until Jim insisted we trade partners for at least one dance.  I was glad he had.  Lisa's confirmation of my own opinion was a huge boost for my ego.
I knew from my memory that Jeryl would blossom during her freshman year.  My own eyes had told me she gained some height and had padded her figure a little since the fall, but seeing her in her new red cocktail dress and classy heels had sealed the deal.  She was a hottie.  And she was at the dance with me.  And we were having a great time.
"Thanks," I managed to say.  "I agree.  You look pretty good yourself," I said with a quick glance up and down Lisa's trim body.  She wore a silver dress and had her hair done up.  Jim was a lucky guy, even with Coach Miller sitting off to one side of the gym as a chaperon for the dance.
"Are you guys going to Eric's party after the dance?"
Eric Peterson, the senior I had filled in for during the playoffs, was having a party.  He had invited the whole football team and all the cheerleaders with their dates.
"No.  We can't really.  Jeryl's Mom is picking us up."
"That's too bad.  I know you two have not had much of a chance to have any 'alone' time together."
I smiled.  "You and Jim haven't either," I said as I glanced toward the edge of the gym where her father was sitting.
"Oh, we've probably had more than you think," she said with a blush.
I arched an eyebrow but did not say anything as the song ended.  We headed back to the table where Jim and I deftly changed places by our girls.  I took Jeryl's hand in mine as she leaned into me rather than sitting back down.
"Thanks for bringing me," she said as she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.
"I hope you're having fun."
"I am.  Maybe not as much fun as skiing with you, at least until the next slow song."  As if answering her wish, the band struck up a slow number.  I smiled and lead her back out to the dance floor.
Jeryl stepped in close to me and draped her arms around my neck as I dropped mine to her lower back and lowered my head to look into her eyes.  She was stunning.  Her smile could melt me and her hazel eyes seemed to have found the laughter they had lost in the fall.  I kissed her forehead and pulled her tight as we shuffled our feet in typical high-school dance fashion.  She rested her head on my shoulder and moved her hands around my waist.
"I wish I could drag you out of here to be alone for a while," she whispered.
"Me, too, ma'am.  But I'd rather have a chance to take you out again and again, and if we snuck out and got caught, that would not happen."
"I know, but I can wish, can't I?"
I kissed her again.  "Of course you can."
We finished the dance and all too soon the last song was played and it was time for us to gather our jackets and head for the parking lot.  We were not the first people out the door, but we weren't the last either.  Jeryl clung to my arm as we stepped into the cold night air and looked for her mother.  We stood near the door for a few minutes before seeing Jordan's black mustang pull into the parking lot.
Jeryl gave a little squeal and pulled me toward the car.  "She did it.  Jordan told me she would try to get Mom to let her pick us up.  She promised a slow drive home if she did."
I laughed and stepped out a little faster to open the door for my date and flip the seat forward so we could climb into the back seat.
"Did you have fun, kids?" Jordan asked with a smile.
"Yes, ma'am," I answered as I slid into the tight back seat and managed to pull the door shut.  Jeryl was immediately in my lap and giving me a scorching kiss.  I shifted my attention from the cramped back seat to the delectable young lady in my lap and returned her kiss with enthusiasm.
"A-hem," Jordan said from the front seat, looking at us in the rearview mirror.  Jeryl broke our kiss and looked at her sister.
"What?  I've been a perfect lady all night.  If you think I'm going to waste the drive home, you've got something else coming."  She stuck her tongue out at her sister and then kissed me again.
Jordan laughed and shifted her car into gear.  "Okay, but please don't let me see anything I'll have to report to Mom."
Jeryl broke free again long enough to twist in my lap, and reach up to knock the rearview mirror askew.  "Now you won't see anything back here, sister."
Her hands returned to my face as she kissed me again.  Her lips were soft, but insistent against mine.  I drank her in and let my hands slip around her waist to hold her firmly against me as the car began moving.  Jordan was kind enough to turn up the radio and pretend to ignore us.
I dropped one hand to her leg and stoked her stocking covered thigh gently as our tongues entered battle.  She sifted against my growing erection and moaned into my mouth as I slowly stroked higher.
I was surprised to find the top of a stocking midway up her thigh.  She squirmed against me as I softly stroked along the boundary of silk and skin.  She turned into me and I let my hand drift higher to cup her delectable, panty clad ass.
"You are so beautiful," I whispered in Jeryl's ear as we paused our kissing.
"You make me feel that way," she whispered back.  Her hand dropped between us and managed to cup my erection.  "I'd like to help you with this, but that would probably freak Jordan out."
Luckily my blush could not be seen in the dark.  I kissed her neck and then nibbled her ear a little as she gently rubbed me.  Too soon, I had to shift her hand away.  "Let's not do anything I'll have to explain to my Mom," I said as I squeezed her ass and stroked her thigh.  She kissed me and then shifted again to spread her own legs a little further apart.
She nuzzled my ear with her nose.  "Can you touch me?"  She whispered.
I shifted my grip on her waist and slid my other hand around her hip, tracing the stocking top to the front garter fastening.  Slowly I inched my fingers up along the garter until I could feel the edge of her panties.  I kissed her as I dragged a finger along the moist center of her panties.  She moaned again as I pressed gently, searching for the top of her slit through the damp material.
Slowly I probed and stroked, until she began gently thrusting her hips against my hand.  We locked our lips and I felt her shudder against me and pull my head to press our lips harder together.  She moaned into my mouth and shuddered again.  I was pretty sure she had an orgasm.
Slowly our lips parted.  "God, you make me feel so good," she whispered.
"I'm glad I can," I replied.  Evidently, our timing was perfect.  I glanced out the window and could see our house lights through the windshield.  I pulled my hand down from her skirt and gave her a hug and a kiss.  "Better get straightened up.  We're almost at my house."
Jordan chose that moment to turn down the radio and reach up to readjust the mirror.  "Okay you two, get all your clothes back on.  We're almost at Paul's."
Jeryl blew her sister a raspberry, but squirmed around a little to pull the hem of her dress lower.  "No clothes came off, this time," She said.  You could hear the pout in her voice.  To me she whispered, "Next time, I don't want to say that."
I kissed her and then we were pulling in the driveway.  I managed to climb out of the backseat and Jeryl followed me out.  I put the seat back and then pulled her in for a final embrace and kiss good night.
We kissed until Jordan cleared her throat again.  "Good night, Paul.  Thanks for a great evening," Jeryl said.
"My pleasure, ma'am."
"Oh, I'm pretty sure it was my pleasure, too.”
*****
"Taylor!"
"Yes, coach?"  I answered as I exited the locker room after PE.
"I don't see your name on the track sign-up sheet.  Why not?"
I started a flip answer and then stopped myself.  "Just didn't see it, coach.  Are there tryouts?"
"Yes and no.  Anyone can sign-up and we'll figure out what events to place you in.  I think you can be a contender in the 440 and maybe the mile.  What do you think?"
"I'll try whatever you want me to, coach."
"Good answer.  Practice starts next Monday after school.  Don't be late."
That was how I joined the track team.  I was running regularly anyway and knew it would not hurt my standing with the coaches to be seen in a spring sport.  I knew I would never play baseball, so this was a good compromise.
I headed off to lunch and caught up with Lisa and Jim.  "Looks like your dad has it in for me, Lisa."  I joked.
"What do you mean?"
"Track.  He told me to sign up today."
"Good for you.  You need to do something to stay in shape."  So much for a sympathetic ear.
Jim shook his head.  "The Coaches tell all the skills positions to go out for track to improve speed and stamina for football.  They don't like you 'slacking off' on the baseball diamond."  Jim played second base.  "I swear Coach J runs us harder in baseball than Lisa's dad does in track."
I snorted.  "Let's check our times on the 440 and mile in a month and then decide if that's true," I said.
"Four-forty?  How did you decide to run that?"
The quarter mile was the longest sprint in track.  I knew from my prior life that it was not a fun race.  The few times I had run it the first time through, it had made me vomit.  I was not looking forward to training for this race.
"Coach picked it."
Jim shook his head.  "You win.  You're going to run a ton more than me this spring.  Sucker."
*****
"Fifty-eight nine, Taylor.  I thought you were faster than that!"  Coach yelled.
"Shit," I muttered.  I had never been under sixty seconds on the four-forty the first time through.  Now I was four seconds off the school record, and still too slow for coach.  It was the third timed sprint of the practice and my best of the day and I was already the fastest on the team for this race.  Baseball was starting to look pretty good.
I walked around the track, our only rest between sprints, and wondered what I could do differently.  Nothing came to mind as I ran out of track and headed back to the starting blocks.  Coach waved us all together.
"Okay, we have three problems with all the sprinters; start speed getting off the line and up to speed, maximum speed and endurance.  Taylor, how many miles do you do outside practice in a week?"
"Twelve to sixteen, coach."
My teammates looked at me like I had two heads.
"Your endurance is good, but not at the sprinting speed you need to maintain.  You need to cut the miles and do more back-to-back sprints.  It's a different kind of endurance for this race."
"Blake, your top speed is low because you have a short stride.  We need you to be stretching out and pumping your arms more.  Once your sprinting is faster, you'll need to increase your endurance as well."
"Billings, you need to work on your starting.  Everyone else is on their second step before you are out of the blocks.  You all have to focus on each part of your race and transition between those parts easily.  Understand?"
"Yes, Coach!"  We yelled.  Some things were the same regardless of the sport.
"Stairs.  Last person does it again!"
We all took off running for the concrete steps leading up to the top of the bleachers beyond the track.  The steps were not very high, but were deep so you could not skip steps easily.  This was coach's favorite foot speed drill.  Up to the top, across the walkway and down the other set of steps, then around the track at a fast jog to keep us warmed up.  It was torture if you were the last.  I made sure I wasn't.
It did not really matter, though since we all did the drill at least three more times during the practice.
By the time we finished, I was very glad tomorrow would be a weight training day to increase our strength.  My legs were still feeling rubbery when I left the gym after practice.
"Hey there, stranger," I heard a familiar voice say.  I looked up as Jyl waved at me from her sister's car.
I smiled and walked over.  "Does Jordan know you've taken her car?"  I asked playfully.  Jordan loved her car.
"Of course.  Hop in and I'll give you a ride home.  I already told your Mom I'd give you a lift."
I hurried around the car and climbed in.  "How have you been," I asked.  Jeryl and I had been on two Saturday night dates since the Valentine Dance.  Her mother had driven us both times, limiting our private time together to that spent in the movie theater.  I had only seen Jyl and Jordan at church during that time, and not spent much time talking to either of them.
"I'm good."
"Seeing anyone?"
She blushed.  "No, which is one of the reasons I convinced Jordan to let me pick you up today."
I thought for a moment.  "I'm not sure what to do with that statement," I finally admitted.  "What are the other reasons?"
Jyl shot me a look and then returned her concentration to the road.  "Well, you know we have spring break coming up next week, right?"
"Yeah.  Are you guys going somewhere?"
"Um, not really.  Well, sort of.  Jordan and Mom and Dad are going to look at two colleges.  They're going to Purdue on Tuesday and then Northwestern on Thursday.  We convinced Mom and dad to let Jeryl and I stay home.  We thought you might like to come over Tuesday night to watch a movie or something."
"Or something?"
She blushed again.  "Well, we had to promise them that we would not have a party.  I asked if a couple of friends could come over to watch a movie, but might not have mentioned your name."
"Okay.  Mom will probably let me go watch a movie with friends.  Now what does that have to do with you not seeing anyone?  Do you want me to fix you up with someone from my school?"
She blushed again.  "No."
"One of my cousins?"
"No."
Adolescent fantasies began to come to mind.  "Then what did you have in mind?"
She was silent as she drove.  Finally, "Jeryl and I have made an agreement."
"An agreement?"
"Yes.  I know Jordan told you about us.  Mom and Dad will cut us off if we go too far.  Jordan has helped teach me things to do.  Now it's my turn to teach Jeryl.  Jordan thought next week might be a good time for that.  I'll show Jeryl some ways to take care of you; you some ways to take care of her; and I'll get a little relief in the process."
I almost laughed.  "Okay, but Jeryl has to tell me she wants to do this.  I promised her and myself I would never pressure her into doing anything."
Jyl smiled.  "And that's why she will ask you to do this, you big oaf.  She knows you would not push her and you'd never approach me while dating her.”
*****
I felt a little bad about letting Mom assume more than Jeryl and Jyl were at the Salaway house when she dropped me off, but I was more than a little excited about what the night might bring.
"Jeryl said someone can run me home later," I said as I climbed out of the car.
"Okay, but not too late.  I want you home by midnight, okay?"
"Okay, Mom."  I waved as she pulled away from their house and I climbed up the steps to their porch and rang the doorbell.
Jeryl opened the door, glanced at my Mom's taillights and jumped into my arms for a kiss.  "Hi," she said when we finally parted our lips and I stepped fully inside.
"Hi.  Thanks for inviting me over."  She flashed me a smile and dragged me through the kitchen and down to the basement family room.  "Hi, Jyl," I said as I saw her sister sitting in a large over-stuffed chair across from the TV.  "What movie are we watching?"
They both laughed.
"I said movie or something," Jyl said.
"Yeah, something sounds better than a movie," Jeryl echoed.  She pulled me onto the couch and gave me another kiss.  "I want you to do 'something' for me tonight, Paul.  Can you?"
"Anything you ask, kitten."
"I want you to let my sister help me learn how to take better care of you."  She looked me in the eye even though she was blushing as she asked.
I leaned in and kissed her again.  "If that's what you want, I'd be happy to."
Tension seemed to flow out of her and she kissed me again.
"Okay, enough of that, children," Jyl said as she stood up from her chair.  "School is in session."
Jeryl and I cracked up as Jyl tried to tower over us with a disapproving look.  Her smirk spoiled the effect she was going for.  She and Jeryl were both wearing jeans and polo shirts.  Jeryl's was light green.  Jyl's was light blue.  In the dim light, it was hard to tell if they had bras on or not.  I thought about sneaking a feel to find out but decided to let Jyl set the pace for the evening.
"Okay, Paul, I want you to stand up."  I did and deliberately moved closer to her as she put her hands on her hips and looked up at me.  She was cute.  Her dirty blonde hair was damp, as if she had taken a shower recently.  Her brown eyes had a fire in them that I had not seen before.  She licked her lips and glanced at Jeryl.
"I know you think he is a divine kisser, but I need to grade his performance for myself," she said.  With that, she stepped into me and tilted her head back and closed her eyes.
I glanced at Jeryl and waited until I got a small head nod from her.  Then I lowered my lips to Jyl's and wrapped my arms around her.  Her lips were full and soft.  I could taste a hint of strawberry from her lip gloss.  I tilted my head and slowly caressed up her back and cupped her shoulder blades.  I did not feel a bra.
A minute later, we separated.
"Wow," Jyl said.  "I guess you were not kidding, sis.  He can kiss."
I smiled and stepped back a little to give her some space as she flapped her hand at her throat to cool off.
Jeryl hopped up and stepped between us.  "My turn now," she said.  I repeated my performance, kissing her slightly longer and stroking from her shoulders to her rear end as she molded herself against me.  We were both a little breathless when we finally parted.
Jyl slipped a hand between us and put her palm against my chest.  "Okay, step back."  I did as I was told.  She held out a blue bandana folded into a strip.  "Now, we're going to blindfold you, Paul.  Is that okay?"
I nodded and Jeryl grabbed the cloth, stepped up onto the couch and grabbed my shoulders to turn my back to her.  Soon, I could see nothing, but felt a warm breath against my ear before Jeryl kissed my neck.
"Do you trust me?"  She whispered.
"Of course," I said.
I felt hands on the buttons of my shirt and felt Jeryl move from behind me.  Two sets of hands quickly had my shirt off.  They then pulled me away from the couch and began turning me around.  Soon, I lost track of which of them was where.  Then they both stepped back, leaving me standing.
I felt hot breaths on my chest as they both moved in and kissed my collar bone.  Heads dipped lower as they both kissed their way down my chest.  Tongues and teeth teased both of my nipples at the same time as they guided me to step back toward the couch.
I thought Jeryl was on my left, but then realized it could just as easily be Jyl when my left nipple was grabbed a little more aggressively with someone's teeth.  I did not think Jeryl would be that rough.  I sat and felt two women settle beside me.  Their hands continued to stroke my skin, continuing to tease their way lower toward my belt.
Both girls pulled away for a moment and then I felt hands firmly grab my belt and begin undoing it as I sensed the other girl pulling her shirt over her head by my side.  Warm flesh pressed against me and I realized Jyl was undoing my pants as Jeryl kissed me passionately and rubbed her hard nipples against my arm and chest.
I lifted my hips to assist in the removal of my jeans and a moment later felt two pairs of breasts rubbing against me as two hands gently stroked my hard member through my boxers.  The girls stopped and stood and I heard the the rustle of clothes as I imagined them pulling their own jeans off.  I wished I could see them.
"Okay, Paul, now you have to put your hands behind your head.  If you take them away from there, we're going to stop and you won't like that," Jyl commanded.
I did as I was told and felt them settle in next to me once again.  I had lost track of which girl was on which side of me, but soon did not care as they both began kissing their way from my neck toward my stomach.  Hands cupped me and then moved to the waistband of my boxers and pulled them lower.  I felt my prick spring free and stand up for their inspection.  I almost came as I felt hot breath and two tongues begin to lick up my shaft and to the head.
They teased me this way for a few minutes, before one mouth finally engulfed the head of my dick and gently sucked me.  As one girl lifted from me, the other would take me in her mouth.  It was deliciously stimulating and incredibly frustrating at the same time.  Slowly they bobbed their heads lower and took more of me into them each time they changed places.  A hand grabbed my shaft as I started thrusting up to meet their mouths.  As I felt one of them start to jack me, I groaned.
"I'm going to come."
Neither girl said anything, but the jacking sped up as one mouth hovered at the crown of my dick.  I thrust up one more time and was then shooting into someone's waiting mouth.  I groaned again as the hand milked me gently and a warm, hot mouth sucked me gently.
"Ummm," someone hummed.  I felt them shift above my lap and imagined them kissing and sharing my cum.  The vision was enough to keep me from going totally soft.  I wished I could see who was doing what to me.
They stood up and stepped away from me.  I sat in a daze.  I heard whispers and a giggle, but was too relaxed to worry about it.
"Okay, Paul.  I think Jeryl knows at least one way to take care of you now.  Do you think you can take care of her the same way?"
They moved to the couch again and I felt bare feet rest against my left thigh as I lowered my hands and the other girl placed my hands on smooth calves to my left.  A couple of nudges got me turned and I soon felt warm skin against my lips.  From the placement of my hands, I guessed I had just kissed a knee.  I dipped my head a little lower and kissed a little higher up the leg beside me.  I carefully switched legs and began slowly kissing my way higher, alternating from one side to the other.
I smelled the musky aroma of an excited girl and smiled.  I dipped my tongue down slowly and teased a slim patch of pubic hair before licking lower.  I was rewarded with a moan as I finally dipped my tongue into a moist slit and gently licked along her wet folds.  Whichever girl it was, she tasted delicious.
I licked her carefully, slowly changing my speed and the depth of my tonguing as I gauged her response.  I slid my hands under her ass and lifted her off the couch a little to improve the angle of my attack.
The other sister kissed my back and neck as I worked a finger into the tight, wet folds of the pussy I was kissing.  I gathered some of the moisture and dragged my finger out and down.  I heard a gasp as I touched her anus and she bucked up against my face.  My fingers retraced their path as I lightly sucked on the prominent clit before me.
"Argh!" I felt muscles spasm below me as hands grabbed the back of my head and ground my tongue into her.  "Oh god, that feels so good!"  I was surprised to hear Jyl's voice.  I had guessed I was working on Jeryl.
I continued licking her and was rewarded with another orgasm a moment later.  She thrust up against me and then pushed me away as she pulled the blindfold off my head.  "My God, Paul.  How did you learn to do that?"  Thankfully she did not want an answer as she scooted away from me and grabbed Jeryl's hand from my shoulder.  "Jeryl, get your ass around here and let your boyfriend take care of you."
The lights were dimmer than I remembered when I put on the blindfold, but not so dim that I could not see their lithe figures and gentle curves with lightly padded muscles.  Jyl was trim and tight and probably every boys fantasy with blond hair and nicely rounded breasts.  The light brown racing stripe of pubic hair caught my eye as she slipped off the couch and urged Jeryl to take her place.
Jeryl was just as lovely.  Trim, tight, with fewer curves but just as incredibly beautiful.  Her hazel eyes had fire in them now as she scooted her bum closer to my head and gently stroked my cheek with her hand.
"That was so hot, Paul.  Can you make me feel that good?"  The pleading in her voice made me smile and I dipped my head down to kiss her knee.  Instead of repeating my pattern from Jyl, this time I raised myself higher and kissed her bare nipples before descending lower to tongue her bellybutton.  Then I went lower.  By the time my tongue touched her pussy, I think she was already half-gone.  Her first orgasm took less than three minutes of soft licking and kissing.
"Oh God, that feels incredible," she moaned.
I let her calm down a little then began licking her again.  Just as with Jyl, I brought my fingers into the mix and gently probed her while I licked.  Once again, when my fingers were well lubricated, I dipped one down to stroke across her puckered asshole.  She bucked against me and moaned louder.  I repeated the move to push her over the edge for her second orgasm of the evening before kissing my way higher.  As she came down from her orgasm, she pulled my mouth to hers and kissed me hungrily.  I returned her kiss and held myself above her as my cock poked into her thigh.
Jyl snaked a hand below me and grabbed my cock.  "Careful where you put that thing, mister.  We don't want any accidents tonight."
I laughed and rolled off Jeryl.  We all shifted around until I was once again seated between the two gorgeous, naked sisters.  Jeryl's eyes were fastened on my erect dick as she and Jyl alternated stroking me lightly.
After a few minutes of rest, Jyl resumed her haughty, instructor's voice as she stopped Jeryl's gentle strokes.  "Jeryl, there is something else you can do for yourself and your boyfriend, but I don't know if you're ready to try it tonight or not.  Not everyone likes it from what I've heard."
Jeryl looked at her sister with big eyes.  "What is it?"
"You can take him in your rear."
Jeryl's eyes got bigger.
"Anal?"
Jyl nodded.
"Have you done it?"  Jyl nodded again.
"Did you like it?"
Jyl smiled.  "Oh, yeah, but the guy has to be gentle and you need to use a lot of lube."
Jeryl looked at me and then down at my cock in her hand.  "I don't know....  Paul, I want you to feel good, but you're pretty big for my little bum."
Jyl laughed and let go of her sister's hand.  "What if I show you what it's like, so you both know what to do, and then you can decide later when you are ready to try it?"
Jeryl leaned in and kissed me before looking at her sister again.  "You are such a slut, Jyl.  You just want my boyfriend to replace that dildo you have hidden in your dresser, don't you?"
Jyl blushed.  "Hey, I haven't had a beau for a few months now.  At least not one that I wanted to do this with."
My dick twitched in Jeryl's hand.
"Maybe I should just practice my blow job technique on him again," Jeryl teased as she lowered her face to give the tip of my dick a quick kiss and a slow, long lick.
I looked down at her dark hair as she took me fully into her mouth and lowered her head until my cock touched the back of her throat.  I groaned as she increased the suction and slowly lifted her head.  She smacked her lips as she pulled free from me.
"I think he likes that," she teased.  "He probably doesn't want to poke your smelly butt."
I couldn't control the twitch in my dick as she said that.  I had vivid memories of Jordan, and there was nothing smelly about the sensations fucking her ass had created. Jeryl felt the twitch and looked at me.
"Or, maybe he does."
Before I could respond, she dropped her head to my lap again and sucked me deeply into her mouth once again.  I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.  Her efforts felt magnificent.  I resisted the urge to hold her head or coax myself deeper into her.  Instead, I gently glided my fingers up and down her spine as she bobbed over me.  Jyl watched us, touching herself, but not engaging me.  I cracked open an eye and noticed her hand was between her own legs, rubbing in motion to Jeryl's head movements.
Jeryl cupped my balls with her hand as she took me deep and held me right against the back of her throat.  I felt her start to gag and then raise herself up just enough to resist the reflex.  A moment later I poked her throat again.  Her efforts took me to the edge.  "Jeryl, I'm gonna cum again if you keep that up."
It only seemed to encourage her more.  She added a soft hum to the equation and then my head swam and I was shooting down her throat.   I couldn't help but arch my hips up and I suddenly felt myself pop into her throat.  It was only for a second as she lifted her head, but the feeling was amazing.  I spurted again as she lifted off me.
She deftly collected the last of my spend with her hand and lifted it up to Jyl's face with a smirk.  "If you really want to have him, show us both," she said.
Jyl blushed and then pulled her sisters fingers to her mouth and licked them clean.  I watched for a moment and then pulled Jeryl's lips to mine for a kiss.  Jeryl climbed on top of me and ground her nipples against my chest as she kissed me back.  Finally, we broke apart.
Jyl looked a little dazed as her gaze drifted from my face to my semi-rigid cock and back again.  With these two sisters, there was no way I was going completely soft.  Jeryl watched her for a second and then smiled.
 "If you really want to show me, and Paul really wants to learn, I guess you can do it this one time," Jeryl said.
 My dick twitched, and Jyl looked at her sister.  "Really?"
 Jeryl nodded.
 Jyl looked at me.  "Really?"
 I nodded and thought about fucking her ass while her sister watched.  I felt more than a twitch as I thought about it.
 Jyl jumped up and ran into the bathroom.  Her ass was definitely cute enough to fuck.  She came back out with a tube of cream and handed it to Jeryl.  "Use this to coat him nicely and get him hard again," she said.
 Jeryl squeezed a handful of cool lube out and began massaging my cock back to hardness.  Jyl retrieved the tube and squirted some onto my fingers.  "You want to use plenty of lube, especially the first time you do it.  Better to have too much than not enough."  She was back in lecture mode, it seemed.
 "Paul, go ahead and put some of that in me."  She spun around to point her ass at us and leaned over as she reached back to spread her cheeks.
 Jeryl continued to stroke me slowly, but watched as I gently probed Jyl's puckered rosebud and pushed well lubed fingers inside her.  She shuddered as I slipped inside her.
 "Jeryl, the sensation is totally different from having your pussy played with, but can still be nice."  I worked my finger deeper inside her and then withdrew them slowly.  They looked clean.  I held out my fingers for more lube.
 "If Paul takes his time lubing you up, you'll find yourself a little more relaxed when the main event starts."  I slipped two fingers inside her and rotated them to stretch her a bit.  "Jeryl, there are also some things you can do to be cleaner for him.  I'll show you those later.  Ummn," she moaned as I slipped one finger between her legs to stroke along her dripping pussy.
 That seemed to be a signal to Jyl.  She stood up and backed between my spread knees.  She reached back to push her hands against my shoulders and began lifting a foot to climb onto my knees.  "Paul, hold my waist.  Jeryl, you grab his dick and hold it up." We did as we were told.  Soon Jyl's back was pressed against my chest and she moved her hand to guide me toward her ass.
 "Jeryl, you can see better from the front."
 Jeryl scooted to the floor and moved between my legs to watch Jyl slowly lower herself until the crown of my cock was pushing against her ass.
 Jyl was panting.  "You want to be in control, especially the first time.  This position lets you control how fast or slow you go."  She pushed down a little and my dick popped past her sphincter.
 "Oh, he's big, Jer, so make sure you are ready for this before you try.  Once he's in, just hold him there and let yourself relax a little."  Now that one hand was free, Jyl began stoking her own pussy.  After a moment, she grabbed my hand and had me take over.  "Paul, you want to give her a little attention now, but don't go pumping into her."
 I happily stroked along her pussy lips and circled her clit as she slowly lowered herself down my cock.  The feeling was incredible.  The fascinated look on Jeryl's face as she watched me sink into her sister's ass was as exciting as the act itself.  Finally, her bottom was resting against me and she began rocking me in and out of her in slow, short strokes.
 Jyl threw her head back against my shoulder and moaned as she rubbed her own tits and ground down on me.  I picked up the speed of my fingers a little.
 Jeryl's gaze lifted from our joining to look at her sister, and then at me.  She stood up and leaned in to plant a kiss on my lips.  I used my free hand to caress her hip and then gently tweaked her nipples before Jyl started moaning continuously, and then arched her back against me in orgasm.  Her ass clamped down on my dick and carried me over the edge as I unleashed into her bowels.  I spasmed again with her and then pulled Jeryl on top of us and squeezed them both together in a huge embrace.  My lips stayed glued to Jeryl's.
 Slowly, we came down from our group high and disentangled ourselves.  I felt a little sad as my dick slipped free from Jyl's ass.  I had a pretty good feeling that tonight was a one-time thing.  Jeryl was unlikely to loan me to her sister again, was my guess.
 Jyl finally stood up on shaky legs and stumbled to the bathroom.  A few minutes later she was back with a warm washcloth to clean my softening dick.  Once I was cleaned up, she headed back to the bathroom and Jeryl climbed into my lap and kissed me again.
 "Did you really enjoy that as much as it looked like?" she asked softly.
 "It was pretty amazing," I said.  "But you know what really sent me over the edge at the end?"
 She smiled.  "Her orgasm?"
 "Nope.  Seeing how much you were into it.  I wanted nothing more than to be making love to you."
 She pulled back a little.  "You mean my ass?"
 I shook my head.  "I'd make love to your ass if that's what you want, but the thought of making you feel as good as Jyl and I were feeling is what finally got me off. If that is with your ass, or my mouth or my fingers or my cock, I don't care.  I just want you to enjoy what we're doing."
 She gave me a long hug and another kiss.  "Do you mean that?"
 I nodded.
 She kissed me again and then nibbled on my ear for a minute.  "Then you wouldn't mind using your tongue on me again?" she whispered.
 I kissed her again and then quickly flipped her around onto the couch.  By the time Jyl came out of the bathroom, Jeryl was well on the way to a fourth or fifth orgasm for the night.



Chapter Six
April Showers
*****
I pulled open the door of the machine shed and stepped back from the bright sunlight and climbed into the Beast.  It was time for an unofficial test drive.
No one would mistake the car for a Roadrunner any longer.  Instead of the muscular angles of the original body, it now had sleek curves over the wheels with a reversed teardrop body.  The car hood tapered inward and had a slight reverse chamfer with a chromed grill radiator.  I had kept it a two door with a pretty roomy back seat.
All of the motor and steering controls were in place.  I had a seat in place and was ready to take it around the yard at least.  I had done multiple static tests of the drive-by-wire system and the drive train.  It did not have any window glass in place yet.  The headlights and taillights were not attached yet, and the doors weren't on, but I felt it was ready for the test.
I climbed into the temporary bucket seat I had installed and fastened the five-point harness I had decided to use until I had doors and proper seats installed.  I adjusted the seat some and then hit the ignition button to start the engine.
A small set of LEDs came to life showing some critical parameters such as engine rpm, power generation, oil pressure, and fuel level.  I had decided to keep all of the controls and meters digital to allow me to have a set of displays in the dash that could be changed with a push of a button.  The multi-function display for a car had not been patented yet.
I thumbed a button on the steering wheel and saw the power draw on all four wheels.  After taking a deep breath, I slowly depressed the gas pedal and was rewarded with a surge of power to all the wheels as I moved out of the shed.
I kept my speed down and tested the steering, circling the shed to the left first and then reversing and circling to the right.  It felt like a normal car.  I then added a little more power and repeated my simple steering tests.
Next, after coming to a stop, I flipped a switch on the dash and spun the wheel to the right.  All four wheels turned on their gimbals and the car spun like a top.  I stopped and reversed the rotation.  I laughed out loud.  I had a car that could really turn on a dime.
I flipped the switch again to return control to normal steering and looked at the road.  I needed a long straightaway, just like the half mile down to the corner.  I checked my readings and eased the car out to the road.  I stopped and looked down the blacktop toward the corner.  With one foot on the brake, I twisted the throttle on the engine up until I was at eighty-five percent of the generator capacity.  My foot came off the brake and I stepped down on the accelerator.
All four motors instantly applied torque to their tires and propelled me down the road with surprising power.  The motor's sound did not change, but I continued to accelerate.  I was at thirty miles per hour in a couple of seconds.  I eased off at fifty and then began applying my brakes.  Deceleration was just a smooth as I expected.  I came to a stop right at the corner.  A flip of the switch, a spin of the wheel, and I was pointed back toward home.
I flipped the switch again and stepped down on the accelerator.  The stock Roadrunner was supposed to do zero to sixty in five seconds.  My digital timer said I made it in four point eight.  I pressed a button on the steering wheel and lifted my foot from the accelerator.  My speed held steady, but I saw the engine RPM's drop to lower the power generation. The computer controlled cruise control worked just fine for its first test.
I tapped the brake and slowed in time to pull back into my drive.  I pulled around the machine shed and then carefully backed into my workspace.  I sat with the engine idling as I checked all the readings and carefully wrote them in my log book.  Everything looked good when I finally shut the car off and got out.
I had a car.
*****
"Paul!  Telephone," my Mom called.
I hurried from my room expecting to hear Jeryl's voice.  We had gotten in the habit of chatting on the phone a couple times a week since we mostly saw each other on Fridays or Saturdays.
"Hello?"
"Is this Paul Taylor?" I was surprised to hear a man's voice.
"Yes, it is.  May I help you?"
The man chuckled.  "Maybe, but I'd like to think that I can help you.  My name is Steve Abraham, from the law firm of Powell, Anderson, and Schmidt.  I'd like to arrange a time to meet you and discuss your patent application titled 'Methods for electro-hydraulic control of a vehicle via embedded microprocessors'.  You are the author of that patent, correct?"
"Yes sir, I am."  I was surprised a lawyer had already found me.  He must have someone in the patent office since I had only gotten a form letter back that my application had been received and a patent number assigned so that I could legally claim "patent pending" status on my invention.
"I'm sorry for calling so late in the day, but I could not reach you earlier.  My firm would like to discuss purchase terms with you in regards to your patent application.  How soon could we arrange a meeting with you or your attorney?"
"Um, how about I get your contact information and have my attorney call you back?"
"That would be excellent."  He gave me his phone number and mailing address and asked that any correspondence be marked for his attention.  "Thank you for your time, Mr. Taylor," he finished.  "I look forward to meeting you."
I hung up the phone and started laughing softly.
"Mom?"  I called.  I had no idea how she would react to this.  "I need to find a lawyer.”
*****
"Call me Jim, please."  Jim Daniels said as he held open his office door for my mother and me.  Jim struck me as a southern gentleman even though he had no drawl in his voice.  With his suit jacket, tie and full head of silver hair, he just seemed to embody 'genteel'.  He smiled at us both as we stepped into his office and took seats at a medium conference table near the windows.
"Can I offer you anything to drink?" he asked.  "Coffee, tea, water?"
"Tea would be nice," my mother said.
"Just water, please."
He stuck his head out the door and said, "Kelly, can you bring in some tea and water, please."  He closed the door and then joined us at the table.
"So, you need an attorney because of some patents you've filed?"
"Just one so far, but I've actually submitted seven patent applications."
His eyes got wider and he looked at my mother.  "And you're how old?"
"I'll be sixteen next month."
"He's always been a very bright boy," my mother added.  "I thought this was some sort of wild dream of his, but when that other lawyer called and said they wanted to buy his application, I realized we needed an expert to make sure he was protected."
Jim nodded and sat back.  "Well, you've come to the right place.  I've been an attorney for twenty years and have handled patent and copyright cases almost every year."
I knew he was qualified and considered one of the best attorneys in the area.  His practice appeared humble and small, but Mom had done some research.  He was on retainer with State Farm Insurance and Caterpillar, two of the largest companies in down state Illinois, for patent and copyright cases.
"So, who contacted you?"
I gave him the Mr. Abraham's information.  He wrote it down carefully on a yellow legal pad and then tapped his pen against his lips.  "Powell, Anderson, and Schmidt are a firm in Detroit.  They handle quite a bit of business for General Motors.  They don't look at small patents.  What exactly did you file?"
I pulled out a copy of the application as well as the registration letter and receipt from the U.S. Patent Office and handed them to him.  He separated them into three stacks in front of him and glanced at each before turning his attention to the patent application.  It was almost two inches thick with all of its drawings folded behind it.
"'Methods for electro-hydraulic control of a vehicle via embedded microprocessors', what does that mean in lawyer terms?" He asked.
"It means you can have very fine control of the steering mechanism for a vehicle to improve safety and performance by having small computers assist in translating your driving commands to the wheels.  Think of it as power steering, powered up."
"And how did you come up with this idea?" he asked.
I shrugged.  "I've always liked cars and tinkering.  When I read about the new microprocessors being made by Intel and Motorola, I wondered what they could do.  I started playing with ideas like this one and using them to monitor and improve fuel efficiency and braking.  There are a ton of applications for cars and trucks.  The military has talked about "fly-by-wire" in jets for a couple of years.  This is similar to that, but applied to cars and trucks."
He started to ask another question when the door opened and his receptionist, Kelly brought in a tray with three cups on it.  She set it on the table and passed the tea to my Mom, handed me a large glass of ice water, and gave Jim a large, chipped, cup of coffee.
"Thank you, Kelly."
"Yes, thank you, ma'am."  Mom smiled as Kelly did a double take and shot me a look.  Jim gave a large belly laugh at her expression.  I felt my cheeks flush.  I had not meant to embarrass her.
"Paul, this is my daughter, Kelly.  She has probably never been called ma'am by a client before.  She works here after school and in the summer.  She wants to follow in her old man's footsteps.  Kelly, say hi to Paul Taylor.  You'll probably see a bit of him over the next few months."
Kelly blushed herself and then gave me a tight smile and brief head-nod.  She had long blonde hair, pulled back into a ponytail, blue eyes and a nice figure hidden behind pants and a blazer that were just a little too old for her.  She was probably twenty something and I bet she was popular with her male classmates.  I could easily imagine her turning a law professors' head with a batting of her lashes.
"Kelly, I imagine Paul is going to be a very interesting client.  Why don't you join us so you can listen and learn a bit?"  Kelly blushed again and then sat down at the end of the table where she could easily watch all of us.  She pulled out a small bound notebook and fished a pen from behind her ear.  She had an air of disinterest; maybe a little stuck up.
"So, you'll take me on as a client?"  I asked after taking a sip of my water.
Jim glanced at the patent application again.  "Paul, if you did all this work in the past year and have six more of similar breadth and capability, I would be happy to take you and your mother on as clients."
"Me? Why me?"  Mom asked.
"Paul is still a minor.  He can't legally enter into a binding contract.  You can as his parent.  One of the first things we'll do is create a corporate identity to protect you and him and all of his hard work.  That will also help with taxes."
Mom shook her head.  "That sounds like a lot of work to make one sale."
Jim's laugh filled the room again.  "Mrs. Taylor, even if it were only selling this one idea, based on who is interested it is at least a million-dollar deal.  Once I have a chance to fully read this and think about it, you could be looking at a lot more than that."
It was Mom's turn to sit dumbstruck.
"In fact, I would recommend against selling outright.  We'll need to look at what terms we would license this for.  You would make less up-front, but if the idea catches on and is cost effective, you could easily get five to fifty dollars for every car they put this into."
Kelly took a sharp breath and looked at me with renewed interest.
I smiled.
"So, it is very important that we do everything just right." Jim Picked up his pen and began writing as he spoke.  "I would recommend a corporation rather than a trust, that way you can more easily draw on funds for expenses.  We'll need to do a thorough review of prior art on this patent and review all your other work as well.  Only then will we contact Mr. Abraham."
He looked up.  "Kelly, it's going to be a long couple of weeks, and you are going to learn a lot.  I'll want you to draft the articles of incorporation today so we can file them Monday.  Paul, you can't be president, but you can be the chairman of the board of directors.  You'll obviously contribute your patent applications to the corporation in exchange for shares in the company.  Mrs. Taylor, you can be president since you can execute contracts legally.  We'll need to find at least one more board member to act as secretary."
"Can't you do that?" My mother asked.
"No, but I'll be listed as general counsel."
"What about Kelly?  Is she over twenty-one?"  I asked.
Kelly blushed again.  It was a cute blush.
"She is and she can, if you want her to."
I nodded.
"How do we pay you for all this?"
Jim's laugh was growing on me.  He had a joy for life.  "Stock for my retainer and once we have cash-flow, you'll pay me.  Let's say we form the company with one thousand shares.  You take them for your contribution and give your mother and I and Kelly as much as you see fit, but always keep at least five hundred and one in your name.  You have voting control that way."
I nodded, understanding.  "Let's write it up giving you and Kelly fifty each and my Mom one hundred."
I saw Kelly scowl.  Her dad noticed it as well.
"That sounds about right.  If we value this first patent at one million and you are starting with a thousand shares, each share is worth a thousand dollars. That makes my retainer worth fifty thousand dollars.  Not bad for a day's work," he said with a sharp look at his daughter.
Kelly's eyes got wide and she at least had the grace to blush.
****
"We'll see you then, Jim," Mom said into the phone as I came back into the house from doing my chores.
"What's up?"  I asked as I noted the smile on her face.
"Jim and Kelly are coming up to discuss business on Saturday.  He wants to see your car as well.  Something about having a working implementation of your patents."
I nodded.  "Well, I better finish getting the doors on tonight then."  It was Thursday.  I had a date on Friday with Jeryl after a track meet for school.  I had been spending longer evenings in the machine shed working on the beast.  It was getting closer to being street legal with lights working.  I had even painted it a glossy metallic black.  Rigging a painting booth in the shed had been a challenge, but the results were worth it.  The sleek black curves made me think of a modern bat-mobile.  Glass was in the windows now and I had charcoal gray leather seats installed.  The back bench could hold three easily and the driver and passenger seats were comfortable buckets.
I grabbed a sandwich and a jug of water and headed back out to the machine shed as twilight crept across the yard.  Putting the doors on was simple in theory, but some of my changes made it a little more challenging.
I had decided to put airbags in the doors and dash.  I didn't really have a good way to test them, of course, so I was a little nervous about installing them and wiring them up.  I had also made structural changes to the door frames that should improve protection for passengers from side impacts.  Naturally, I had draft patents on both innovations.  Jim would probably want to see those as well.
I flipped on the radio and got to work.
*****
"You really did all this in the past year?"  Kelly asked as she sat in the passenger seat next to me.  I had just taken Jim and Mom for a test ride.  Kelly was in a skirt and had demurred from climbing into the back seat.  I had promised to give her a ride after showing off to Mom and Jim.
Jim had been a little amazed as well.  The spinning on a dime maneuver had elicited a shriek of surprise from my mother in the back seat and a belly laugh from Jim.
"I did.  I take it you like it, despite the short-comings," I said as I waved at the holes in the dash that I had not finished with yet.
Kelly nodded.  "I do.  I'm surprised how quiet it is."
"No reason to make it noisy in here.  With the engine not being mechanically coupled to the wheels, it can be mounted better to reduce vibration and noise.  I spent quite a bit of effort making sure it ran quietly."  I tapped on the accelerator and slowly pulled out of the driveway and began heading down the road.
"It's a smooth ride," she said.
"But pretty powerful, too."  I said as I stepped down hard enough to make us surge forward.  We were above sixty in a couple of seconds.
"Once I have some working capital, I can see if I can make some better batteries and I can probably improve the fuel range and other performance characteristics even more."
"What kind of range would you get now?"
"My calculations say about forty-five miles to the gallon, but I haven't done a full road test yet.  I need to get it street legal, first."
I slowed at the corner and quickly spun the car around.
Kelly laughed.  It was the first time I had heard that sound from her.  "That is cool, but is it really practical?"
"Definitely.  Think how easy parallel parking will be if you can steer all four wheels independently.  I'll be working on that programming once I've got the car finished up.  Once I can get it on a test track, I'll start looking at high-speed cornering.  I'd love to outfit a road racer with this steering system to really shake it out.  For large trucks or tractors, this system should dramatically reduce driver stress and improve the handling of machinery, which will make the roads safer."
"Wow, you really have thought a lot about this."
I laughed.  "I used to plan and think about the concepts while running all last summer to get ready for football.  I figure I've put in a couple of hundred miles of thinking."
"Boy genius and football star.  You must be popular with the girls."
I could not tell if she was teasing, jealous, or mad.
"I don't know about that.  My girlfriend likes me well enough so I don't pay much attention to the other high-school drama."
"You seem much more mature for your age than a freshman.  Why is that?"
"Hard work and clean living," I joked.
We pulled back into the yard and I carefully logged my stats before shutting the car off.  I quickly exited and rounded the car to open the door for Kelly.  It was the way Mom had raised me.
Kelly stepped out and smoothed her skirt down her shapely legs.  She was very cute even though she was obviously trying to dress professionally today.  She paused and looked me in the eye.  "Paul, I wanted a separate ride so I could apologize for my attitude the day you first came into the office.  I'm sorry if I treated you poorly.  I guess I still have some maturing to do for my age."
I smiled.  Who would want a pretty girl mad at them?  "Apology accepted.  I understand."
I closed the car door and we headed inside and out of the chill spring air.  Jim and Mom were sitting at the kitchen table.  Jim had a box of my files on the floor beside him.
"Okay, now that the board is all here, we can commence with our first board meeting," he said.  Kelly and I grabbed seats and Kelly pulled out her notebook to keep the minutes.  "Paul, if you would like to call the board of PT Innovations to order...."
I did.  In my best tone, I asked the secretary to review any old business.
"We are officially registered as a limited partnership with the state of Illinois, effective April 14th, 1980.  We have also completed an initial review of the initial seven patent applications filed by Chairman Taylor and transferred to the company.  Our general counsel's initial report indicates that all of the applications are in good standing and have a high probability of being granted given the state of recognized prior art, or lack thereof."
I smiled.  I had chosen my concepts carefully.  Most of them would advance the auto industry by twenty years or so if they were adopted quickly.
"Finally, we have provided notice to the firm of Powell, Anderson, and Schmidt that we were willing to meet to discuss terms for the license or sale of our applications."
"Any new business to discuss?"  I asked.
"Powell, Anderson, and Schmidt has proposed meeting in Detroit on April 30th to begin discussions.  They are willing to cover travel costs for our principals to attend in person.  They have provided an initial term sheet for purchase of the application in its entirety for $750,000.  It is general counsel's recommendation that we reject this initial offer."
"All those in favor of rejecting the offer?" I asked.  We all raised our hand.  "Please note the board has rejected the offer unanimously."
Kelly made a note and Jim jumped into the conversation.
"I think we should reply with a significant counter proposal for them to review before we meet with them."
"What sort of counter?"
"Five million up-front for usage rights and a five dollar per vehicle licensing fee."
Mother gasped.  I was a little stunned as well.
"Can we get that?"
Jim chuckled.  "Probably not, but I can at least back up that valuation if the patent is granted.  They would spend twice that up-front on R&D to devise an alternative that did not infringe on your work."
I sat back and thought for a few minutes.  Finally, "I propose to the board that we authorize our General Counsel to open negotiations with Powell, Anderson and Schmidt for the licensing of the patent application they are interested in.  Any agreement is contingent on approval by this board.  All in favor?"
We all raised our hands.
"Madame Secretary, please record another unanimous vote on the resolution."  Kelly made another note.
"Any other new business for the board?"  I waited a moment. "Then we are adjourned."  I rapped my knuckles on the table like a gavel and everyone chuckled.
"Okay," Jim said.  "That was the formal business.  Now let's talk informal business.  Paul, your patents are very broad.  I want you to start breaking them into smaller ideas instead of these systems that work together."
"Why?"  I thought I knew, but wanted confirmation.
"Narrower patents are easier to defend and license.  This first one is very broad.  If it is granted, and I believe it will be, it covers the gamut from super-power steering to improved cruise control and gas mileage.  Broad patents like this leave them open to people taking your idea and applying a part of it in a slightly different fashion and thus undermining the defensibility of your licensing it."
I nodded.  "Okay.  I can do that.  I've got two more in draft stages that you might want to take and see if I've made the same mistake with them."
"Applications, or working designs?"
"Both.  I'll get them for you before you go."
Jim looked at me, shook his head, and then laughed.  "Paul, I'm sorry but I've underestimated you again.  If you've drafted two more patents since we met, we need to get you more help.  I think Kelly should meet with you at least once a week.  She and I can handle the patent drafting for you and get more submitted faster while you keep coming up with new ideas and building them."
"I won't have much time during the week to meet with her until school is over."
"She could drive up on Saturday or Sunday.  She has classes and homework during the week as well.  If she gets too busy, I can drive up."
I caught Mom's smile out of the corner of my eye.  "Or Mom could drive me down."  I was pretty sure Mom had taken a fancy in Jim Daniels.
"Okay, we'll work out the details this week and give you a call.  Next, we need someplace to showcase or publish your work to get it out in the public.  That will give us more leverage in negotiations and also help protect your applications."
"What do you suggest?"  I had trouble believing we could generate much press by ourselves.
"Well, you know I'm on retainer for State Farm, right?"  I nodded.  "What if I worked some contacts to see if they would be willing to endorse some of your safety features and innovations?  There are some friendly reporters in Bloomington and Chicago and Peoria that I know as well."
"Okay.  Speaking of your connections, would Caterpillar be interested in any of my work?"
For the first time since meeting him, Jim looked uncomfortable.  "I think they would, but I can't approach them.  Since I am on retainer for them, it would be a conflict of interest for me to be involved in any negotiations.  If they made an offer to the company, I'd be obligated to abstain from voting or commenting."
"Okay.  I'm glad to see you're an honest lawyer.  If they approach us, we'll have to get outside counsel to handle the matter.  Let's deal with GM first and then worry about it."
"Okay, last but not least, we need you to get your car finished and licensed for driving on the road.  It is a great showcase for your inventions and it will be a great test bed for you going forward, but it has to be legal to drive on the road if we are going to show it off to get some press.  What's it going to take you to finish it up?"
I thought for a few minutes.  "I'll need three weeks and about another thousand dollars in parts to get it ready for an inspection.  Two would make it worthy of a car show."
"A thousand dollars?" Mom asked.
I nodded.  "Time or money.  I can buy parts I had planned on making from salvage.  Most of the remaining work is in the interior and some finishing work.  With an extra thousand, I can outfit it with a few additional features and some extra polish to make it really stand out."
Jim nodded.  "Okay, I'll make the company a loan of two grand for repayment on winning a licensing deal."  He pulled out a checkbook and began writing a check.  "You use this for what you need and keep receipts for taxes.  We want to have a finished car before Memorial Day.  I don't want our negotiations going too far past that with GM."
I took his check and handed it to Mom.  She had opened the account in the local bank for the company accounts.  She would write checks from that for anything I had to buy.  I was already making a list in my head.
*****
"Paul!"  I turned at a woman's voice as Jeryl and I walked through the mall the next Saturday.  It seemed to be a little unusual that we were totally alone and I had been enjoying just walking, holding her hand, and window shopping.
As we stopped and looked around I spotted Kelly with three other college-aged women coming out of a women's apparel store.  Kelly came up with a smile and I felt Jeryl stiffen.
"What brings you down here?" she asked before I could introduce her.  "Visiting my father?"
"No, just on a date.  Jeryl, this is Kelly.  Kelly, my girlfriend Jeryl."  Kelly smiled and extended her hand.  Jeryl shook it after a moment.
"Nice to meet you."  I could hear the cold firmness in Jeryl's voice.  Kelly seemed oblivious to it.
"I thought you were meeting with dad today.  I saw Taylor on his appointment book this afternoon."
"Really?  I did not make any plans.  My Mom dropped us off here a little bit ago and said she had some errands to run around town and that she'd pick us up after we had time for dinner and a movie."
"That is interesting," Kelly said with a giggle.  "Dad said he had an early dinner with a client and gave me the afternoon off.  I think those two are hiding something from us.  I'll have to see what your mother's intentions are toward my father," she said with a grin.
I laughed and thought back to all the little smiles I had seen my Mom make when she was around Jim over the past few weeks.  "Maybe I should report your father to the bar association.  There has to be some ethical thing about dating a client."  I was actually glad she was going out.
Kelly laughed and gave me a quick hug.  Jeryl stiffened again.  "Well, it was nice running into you and nice to meet you Jeryl.  I hope you guys have fun."
She walked back to her friends and immediately whispered with them while giving us a parting smile.
"Who is Kelly?" Jeryl asked as we turned away and continued toward the food court of the mall.
"She's the daughter of Mom's lawyer."  For some reason I did not want to call Jim my lawyer.  I had not told anyone about PT Innovations, and I didn't want to get into it on a date.  "Kelly works in his office.  I met her there.  She's wants to be a lawyer, too."
"So you even have cute college girls hitting on you in lawyer's offices?"
All my women warning bells went off at her tone.  I stopped and turned to face her.  "What do you mean?  She was just being friendly.  She wasn't hitting on me."
Jeryl looked at me seriously for a minute.  Finally, she started laughing.  "I'm sorry, that was just too good an opportunity to pass up."  She stepped closer and gave me a quick kiss.  "I will admit that I was a little jealous when I first saw her, but then I remembered that you were here with me, not her."
I breathed a sigh of relief and gave her a hug.  She had scared me for a minute.  "Well, why would I want to chase her when I've got you?"  I asked sweetly.
"It's not so much you chasing as her tripping you up and landing beneath you, you big goof.  You seem to be able to charm women without even trying with your sexy green eyes."
"Luckily, I only have eyes for you, kitten."  I kissed her again and then we continued our stroll, with her hugging my waist and my arm across her shoulders.
"Seriously, Paul, I don't think you have any idea how many women's eyes you catch.  I've been watching them look at you as we walk around.  It's like everyone else now knows how sexy you are."
"Maybe they are looking at how beautiful you are."
"Stop.  You may not think you are anything special, but I do.  I know my Mom and sisters do as well.  I'm so lucky to have you in my life.  I can't help but be a little jealous when you catch another girl's fancy.  After all, someone like that Kelly could probably steal you away from me.  She could bat those baby blue eyes at you and offer to pick you up in her car and drive you someplace private.  She'll do things I'm not ready for, and just like that, you'll be gone."
"Hey, that's not going to happen.  I've always told you I would go at your pace.  What you have given me is more than enough.  I care about you, not just what you can do for me."
"But you can't tell me you're not tempted by girls like Kelly, can you?"
"Actually, I can.  The first time I met Kelly, she looked at me like I was a little kid."
"Humph.  She didn't look at you like that a few minutes ago.  Besides, you know what I mean.  I know you had another girlfriend last fall.  I know you have a lot more experience than I do.  I just don't want to lose you to some floozy."
I stopped her again and pulled her over to a bench and onto my lap.  "Listen, I don't want anyone else, and I don't want you thinking I do.  Kelly is nice to me now because her dad likes my Mom.  She also is being nice because her family stands to make some money off us.  Don't read anything into it."
I paused to kiss her.  "I really like you.  I am not going to be tripped up by some other girl.  You are plenty of woman for me.  I really mean that."
Jeryl looked into my eyes and then sighed.  "Okay."  She kissed me back and then gave me a quick hug.  "I'm sorry about being a jealous little girl.  I just wish we could have more time together during the week.  Seeing a college girl run up to you in the mall bothered me."
"It's okay, kitten.  I understand.  I'd feel the same way if some guy came running up to you like that.  I'm sorry.  The next time I see Kelly, I'll ask her to be a little more circumspect.  I think she was just trying to be nice."
Jeryl kissed me again and then pulled me up.  Soon, the incident was forgotten and we got on with our date.
*****
"Hi, kitten, how are you doing?"  I asked into the phone.
"I'm good.  I'll be so happy when school is over.  It's so boring right now," Jeryl said.
"I know what you mean.  Just a few more weeks until summer."
"Yeah.  Do you have plans for the whole summer already?"
"Just work.  How about you?"
"Oh, we always go visit my grandmother in Michigan.  We'll probably do that over the fourth of July.  I wish you could go with us."
"I'd like to go with you, but doubt your parents or my Mom would approve.  Do you have much homework this week?"
"No, not really.  Why?"
"Mom and Mr. Daniels our lawyer have to go out of town Tuesday for some meetings.  They won't be back until Thursday."
"Meetings, or a naughty date?"
I laughed.  "I'm sure they could have a naughty date on the weekend and not have to take a three-hour drive to do it.  I can't imagine Mom taking three days mid-week just for a date."
"Where are they going?"
"Chicago.  They're driving up Tuesday after school and should be home Thursday sometime."
"So you're calling to see if I want to have a naughty date?"
"Maybe.  Or maybe I'm trying to sneak an invite to dinner," I said.  "Last time one of our parents was out of town, I remember having a pretty tasty treat with you."
Jeryl took a sharp breath.  "You're being a bad boy.  That sort of thing should not be talked about with a young innocent lady such as myself."
I laughed again; this time trying to make it sound wicked.
"I'll ask my Mom if you can come over for dinner," Jeryl said.  "There's no way she and dad are letting me go out on a school night."
"It would just be nice to see you during the week."
"It would.  Let me go ask."  I could hear her set the phone down and call for her mother.  A few minutes later, a different voice came on the phone.
"Paul?"  It was her mother.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Jeryl says you're staying alone Tuesday and Wednesday night and she wanted to invite you for dinner."
"Just one night would be very nice, Mrs. Salaway.  I'm sure Mom will have some left overs here for me on Tuesday.  I'd hate to impose on you."
"It's no imposition.  I'll have Jyl or Jordan pick you up.  What time do you get home from school?"
"I usually finish track practice around five.  I should be home by five-thirty."
"How are you getting home?"
"My friend Jim will give me a lift."
"That doesn't make any sense.  I'll just have one of the girls pick you up from school.  Okay?"
"Thank you, ma'am."
"You are welcome, Paul.  We'll see you Tuesday evening."
Two days later, Jordan was waiting in the parking lot for me.
"Hi, Jordan.  Are you stuck with the driving duties tonight?"
She smiled as I got in.  "I don't know that I'd say stuck.  I actually volunteered.  I wanted a chance to talk to you.  I've heard the good things I expected from you from my little sister."
I smiled.  "That's good to hear."
"I was wondering how the dating with Jeryl was going since spring break."  She gave me a sly look as she shifted into gear and headed out of town.
"It's been nice."
"Nice, but not getting either of you much relief, from what I hear.  I want to make certain you don't go looking for it somewhere else.  Like this Kelly girl I heard about."
"No need to worry about that," I said.
"Well, if you play your cards right, I might put my own mind at ease tonight."
I felt my dick stiffen at the thought of spending time with Jordan again.  Then my conscience kicked me.
"You'd have to talk to Jeryl about that.  I've made promises to her, you know."
"I know.  Let me deal with those.  Maybe I'll just tell her I need to make sure your training with Jyl was good."  Her smile was nearly evil.
I felt myself blushing.  In my past, I had never imagined the Salaway girls being so sexually open.
We passed the next few miles chatting about her spring break and her campus visits.  I was particularly interested in hearing her thoughts.  I knew it was a few years away, but I was already thinking about Northwestern as a possible school this time through.
Jordan had been accepted at both schools, but told me she was probably going to Purdue.  "I just liked the campus and the feel of it better.  Both schools are great for what I want to do, but Purdue offers an undergrad degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, while Northwestern has an honors pre-med course I'd have to take and then specialize to become a Pharmacist."
"Wow, I had no idea you knew exactly what you wanted to do.  That's great."
"What about you, Paul?  What are you going to do with yourself?  It's never too early to start thinking about that, you know."
"I'm leaning toward electrical or mechanical engineering," I admitted.  "I enjoy the math and I like making things."
"That's cool.  Where are you thinking about school?"
"Well, I was thinking about Northwestern.  I know it's hard to get into, but the program is top notch.  I'll probably apply to MIT and Stanford as well. Maybe the U of I as a fallback option."
Jordan smiled at me.  "See, you have a pretty good plan yourself and plenty of time to decide.  We're not that different."  She pulled into her driveway and we headed into the house.
"Paul, it's good to see you," Mrs. Salaway said.  She was dressed casually in jeans and a sweater.  I had never seen her look as relaxed.
"Thanks for having me over for dinner, ma'am.  I truly appreciate it."
She smiled and motioned me toward the basement stairs.  "Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes.  Jeryl and Jyl are downstairs finishing up their homework.  Jordan, do you have any to get done?"  Jordan shook her head. "Good, I could use a little help."
"Oh, Mom!"
"Don't Mom, me.  You won't be around too much longer to help." They were smiling at each other.  I decided to stay out of their exchange and headed down the stairs.
"Paul!"
Jeryl launched herself into my arms from the couch.  I gave her a kiss and then stepped out of the line of sight from the top of the stairs.  Jyl waved from a table across the room.  Books were spread out in front of her.
Jeryl kissed the side of my neck and said, "It's nice to see you during the week."
"It's nice to see you, too.  Your Mom said we have about thirty minutes to finish homework before dinner."
Jyl looked up and smiled.  "I know the homework you two should be doing!"
We all laughed.  I was wondering how bold they would be, but Jeryl pulled me toward the couch and grabbed an English book.  "I just have a few more pages to read.  Do you have anything to work on?"
"Nope.  I guess that means I'll just sit here quietly while you to study."  I sat down near her and then reached down to pull her feet into my lap.  Gently, I rubbed her sock clad feet for a couple of minutes before pulling the socks off of her and working directly on her toes.
"Oh, Paul, that feels good.  No one's ever rubbed my feet like that before."
I bent down and kissed the top of her left foot and then began working on the ball of her foot with my thumbs.  She leaned back and closed her eyes for a minute. "That feels divine.  Thank you."
"My pleasure, ma'am."  I kept rubbing, working the bottom of her foot and then the toes and then her ankles.  I was tempted to suck on her toes, but had no idea if her Mom would come downstairs.  After fifteen minutes or so, Jeryl closed her book and pulled her feet from my lap.
Her lips were soft and warm and felt delightful pressed against mine.  "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Paul!, Girls, time for dinner."
"Perfect timing," I said as my stomach growled.  I stood and pulled Jeryl up.  Instead of standing, she jumped on my back.
"You can carry me up.  My feet feel too good to walk on right now."
I did as I was told.  Mrs. Salaway took one look at us, shook her head and then arched an eyebrow at Jeryl.  She squirmed free and the led me to the table.  Mr. Salaway was planting and would eat later, I was informed.  We said grace and then dug into the meatloaf and vegetables Mrs. Salaway had prepared.  I was very complimentary of her cooking and made sure to have seconds to show that I really did like it.
"Wow Paul, do you eat that much every night?"  Jordan asked.
I suddenly felt self-conscious.  "Um...."
Mrs. Salaway came to my defense.  "I'm sure he worked a lot harder since lunch than anyone else at this table did, ladies.  Paul, tell these lazy girls what you did in track practice today."
I smiled a thank you at her.  "We did a mile jog to warm up.  Then timed ladder sprints for two miles, then ran our races for time three times, then did a four mile Indian run."
"Ladder sprints?"  Jyl asked.
"Sprint a hundred meters, jog a hundred, sprint two hundred, jog two hundred, sprint four hundred, jog four hundred, then do it all working our way back to one hundreds."
"That sounds horrible.  What races did you run for time?"
"I had three four-hundreds and then three one-hundreds which I run on the relay team.  Luckily I did not have to do the mile today."
"And the Indian run?"
"We jog in a line.  When the coach blows a whistle, the last guy in line has to sprint up to the front of the pack.  It's supposed to build our sprinting endurance.  We do that around a section."
Jordan looked a little chagrinned.  "I'm sorry I made fun of you, Paul.  Would you like some more?  I'm not sure you ate enough."
I smiled and patted my stomach.  "I could not eat another bite, but thank you for your concern, ma'am."
They all laughed and we relaxed for a few minutes before beginning to clear away the table.  I insisted in helping clean the dishes and was soon alone with Jeryl in the kitchen with my hands in hot, soapy water.  Jeryl was drying while Jyl returned to the basement to continue her homework.  I could hear Jordan and her mother talking in the living room as we cleaned up.
"Thanks for inviting me over for dinner, kitten."
Jeryl beamed at me.  "You are certainly welcome.  Thanks for helping with the dishes."  She darted in for a quick kiss.
"Can you stay for a bit this evening?"
I knew I should get some work done on the car, but since I had not told her about it, I hesitated.  "I think so."  I could go to bed a bit later than usual, I decided.  Then I remembered my other responsibilities.  "Actually, I can't stay late.  I need to feed my cattle.  I usually do it when I get home."
Jeryl frowned, but knew the commitment livestock created.
"Maybe you could ride home with me and I can show you something after I take care of the livestock."
Her smile returned.  "And what would you show me?  Something I've seen before that is usually hidden?"
I blushed.  "Nope.  It's something you've never seen before."
"Is it big?"
"It's fair sized."
"What are you two talking about?"  Jordan asked as she and her mother came back into the kitchen.  We both blushed.
"Paul said he had a surprise to show me over at his farm," Jeryl said with a suddenly innocent expression.
Her mother arched and eyebrow at me.  I'm sure my face turned redder.  "Nothing improper, Mrs. Salaway.  It's something in my machine shed I've been working on for the past few months."
Janet Salaway laughed and shook her head at me.  "Paul, I'm sure you were being proper.  These two girls, I'm not so certain about, but I'm pretty sure I can trust you.  I take it you would like a ride home so you can take care of your cattle?"
I nodded.  She might be a math teacher, but she was still a farmer's wife.  She knew about livestock.  "Yes, ma'am."
"Jordan will drive you home.  Jeryl, you can ride along if all your homework is done."
"It is."  She finished hanging up her dish towel and grabbed my hand as Jordan picked up her car keys.
"It should only take you a half-hour to get him home and get back here after seeing Paul's surprise."
"Okay, thanks Mom!"
Jeryl gave her Mom a quick kiss and then we were out the door and piling in the car.
"So what's the surprise, Paul?" Jordan asked as she started driving toward my house.
"Can't tell you.  It would ruin the surprise."
"I can make him tell," Jeryl said as she tried to tickle me.
With two older cousins, I was immune to being tickled.  Jeryl, however, was not.  "Stop that you brute," she squealed as my fingers found her floating ribs.  I paused and took the opportunity to give her a quick kiss.  One kiss turned into two or three and soon we were pulling in my yard.
"Break it up back there, you two," Jordan said as she shut off the car.
We all climbed out and I headed to the barn to take care of the cattle.
"Where are you going?"
"Cattle first, then the surprise."
They stayed outside playing with Duke as I spent ten minutes getting feed out for the cattle.  I came back outside and motioned them toward the machine shed.  I unlocked the door and flipped on the lights before stepping inside and guiding them toward the back.
They saw the sleek lump under my dust tarp and made oohing sounds.  "You bought a car, Paul?"
I picked up the edge of the tarp.  "Nope.  I built one!"  With a flourish, I pulled the tarp off and let them stare at the beast.  Under the florescent lights of the machine shed, the metallic black paint seemed to shine with a pearly light.  I had waxed the body over the weekend getting it ready to take into the vehicle inspection site next week.  It looked sleek, sexy and ready to leap down the road.
Jeryl was a little dumbstruck, but Jordan walked closer and reached for the door.  "You actually built this?"
"Yep.  Started with a beat up Plymouth Roadrunner last summer."  I opened the door for her and she slipped into the soft leather seat.
"Wow.  This is really nice."  Obviously, she could not see the missing controls on the dash or the fact that the carpet on the flooring was not fastened down.
Jeryl came closer and looked inside.  After a minute, she ran around to the other side and opened the door to look in.
I followed her and smiled as she leaned over to look inside.  "Wow, Paul, this is very nice."  She reached down to the lever on the side of the seat and pressed it to fold the seat forward.  "That's quite a back seat.  Why so roomy?"  She asked with a wicked grin over her shoulder.
I blushed as she climbed in and stretched out across the soft leather bench seat.  Jordan grinned at me.  "I hope you didn't make that thinking of a bed, Paul."
I blushed more, if that was possible.  I had thought along those lines at one point.  "No, but I hate that back seats have to be so cramped and uncomfortable.  I made this one with plenty of head and leg room."
Jordan hopped out of the car and joined her sister in the back seat.  "It does have a lot of room.  Climb in and let's see if we all fit."
I did and then flipped both front seats back into place.  We could all sit comfortably in the back.  I slipped my left arm around Jeryl's shoulders and gave her a light squeeze.  She turned and gave me a passionate kiss.  Her tongue worked against mine and I felt her hand begin to stroke my thigh.
"Ahem," Jordan said.  "Jeryl, we need to get going."
Jeryl pulled away from me.  I gave her one more quick kiss and then reached down to flip the seat back up so we could get out.
"When will you take me for a ride in it," Jeryl asked as I helped her step out of the back seat.
"As soon as I get it approved for the road and get my license."
"When will that be?"
"Before Memorial Day, I hope."
"Well, I'm going to hold you to that, mister."  She had fire in her eyes as she gave me another quick hug and kiss.
Jordan smiled at us and then shooed her sister toward the door.
"It's a really hot car, Paul.  Thanks for showing us.”
*****
I was surprised to see Kelly waiting for me in a new looking white Chevrolet Monte Carlo after practice on Wednesday.  She waved me over.  "Need a lift?" she asked.
"Sure."  I waved at Jim, as he headed in from baseball practice and motioned that I had a ride.  He had been nice enough to offer to give me a lift home tonight.  "What brings you up this way," I asked as I climbed into the car.
"I got the vehicle safety inspection checklist you asked for to make sure you had everything covered.  I figured I'd bring it up and see how the work was going and if you needed any help."
"Okay.  It might make sense to have a little help the first time we run through it. I'm pretty sure I've got all the basic road worthiness items covered, but having another set of eyes make sure I didn't miss anything would be good."
She pulled out of the parking lot and I gave her directions to head out of town.  Soon I was home and had taken care of chores and opened up the machine shed's sliding side door.  Kelly handed me a copy of the checklist and hopped in the car.
"You do the checklist.  I'll work the controls," she said with a smile.
I shook my head and stepped closer to her.  "I don't think so.  You don't know all the controls we'll need to check."  I grabbed a clipboard off my workbench and handed it to her with her own checklist.  "My list is longer than yours.  We need to make sure there is nothing on the government one that isn't on mine and then run through them both."
"Well, you can't blame a girl for trying," she said easily as she climbed out.  "I'd really like to drive this one of these days."
"Well, if it's ready before I get my license, maybe you can take if for the inspection."  I said cautiously.
"Really?"
"Really.  Now, let's run through both lists and see how close we are."
I tossed her a pencil and climbed in behind the steering wheel.  I really hated the steering wheel, but did not think people would appreciate the joystick control I had sitting on the workbench.  It was still a work in progress, but with the drive by wire system, I knew switching it would be pretty straight forward.
I started the motor and let the engine idle as Kelly read off the checklist.
"Lights."  I flipped the lights on.  The two headlamps were gimbaled as well to steer in the direction of any turns.  I turned the wheel so she could verify they worked and then flipped on the high-beams and then the fog lamps.
"All the lights look good."
And so it went for the next thirty minutes as we worked through both lists.  When we were done, I realized I had gotten a lot accomplished over the past two weeks.
"So what's left?" she asked as she handed me the clipboard.
"I need to finish wiring up the dash and then get the floor carpet fastened."
"What's left for the dash?"
I shut down the engine after logging my standard readings and then pointed to my small log book.  "Making that data record automatically, is one thing." I said as I slipped the log book into the glove box.  "But I also need a real speedometer and I want some meters around it for the wheel motors.  I was going to use all LEDs, but decided on some round meters instead with buttons to change what they were reading.  I also need to put in a stereo and wire some speakers.  That's why I can't finish the carpet until I get the speaker wire run into the back."
"So, not much left, really."  She walked around the car and opened the passenger door, flipped the seat forward, and then climbed in the back seat.  "Where will the speakers go back here?"  She asked.
I pointed to two small cabinets in the frame just forward of the rear window and then hit a small lever on the inward side of my seat so I could swivel it around without getting out of the car.
"Wow, I didn't realize the seats turned."
I grinned.  "It was something I added on the spur of the moment.  You can't do it while the car is moving, and once you rotate the driver's seat, you can't move the car.  I really was only going to do it for the passenger seat so all the passengers could sit and chat if they wanted to, but I made one part backwards, so put it in the driver's seat with some safety interlocks."
"Sure.  It sounds more like you wanted to be able to spin around to make-out with your cute girlfriend."
I seemed to be blushing a lot lately.  "That thought might have crossed my mind," I said finally.  I kneeled on the edge of the backseat and reached over the back of the seat to point to three other round holes.  "Five speakers need to go back here, two on the sides and three in the back console.  Two more will go in the doors and then two in the front console."
"Do you really need that many?"
"Well, need is relative.  I have an Alpine stereo coming in along with the gauges I need for the dashboard and I'd like to make this a showcase car that is more than just a test bed for my patents.  I've got some ideas about making better speakers for cars that I'd like to test out in the future, so, no I don't need nine speakers, but I want nine speakers to test some things."
Kelly laughed and then darted forward and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead.  "Paul, for this car, you can do anything you want.  Hell, you gave me fifty thousand dollars after I was a snobby shit to you and you still treat me with kindness and respect.  For that, you could probably even get me out on a date."
I leaned back.  "I don't think Jeryl would appreciate that."
"I know she wouldn't.  I also wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize our working relationship.  I hope it will be a long and fruitful one, by the way."
"I do too, Kelly."  I opened the door and stepped out with the seat still reversed.  I offered a hand to help her out.  She climbed out and then stepped close and gave me another quick kiss, this time on the cheek.
"Thanks for believing in me, Paul."
BANG!
I jerked my head around toward the door at the far end of the shed.  Something or someone had slammed it shut.  I hurried out just in time to see Jeryl hop into Jordan's car.  Before I could get close, they backed out of the driveway quickly.
"What was that?"  Kelly asked as she stepped out of the machine shed.
I watched the car speed away toward the Salaway's.
"Shit."  I said.  "That was Jeryl seeing something totally out of context."
I shook my head in disgust and headed toward the house.  Maybe a phone call would help.  Hell, it could not make things any worse.
*****


Chapter Seven
May Flowers
*****
Mom immediately picked up on my sour mood when I got home Thursday afternoon.  While she was obviously excited to tell me about her and Jim's negotiation trip, she contained herself long enough to ask me what was wrong.
I told her and then sat down heavily at the kitchen table and shook my head.  "Maybe dating Jeryl is a bad idea.  I had no idea she would be so jealous."
Mom sat down next to me and patted my arm.  "Paul, you've always been mature for your years.  You can't expect everyone your age to have the same world view you have.  You've told me about Jim and Lisa.  Do they have lunch together all the time?"
"Of course."
"Do they share classes together?"
"You know they do."
"Does that make them closer or do they get on each other's nerves?"
"Closer."
"Now think about you and Jeryl.  You talk on the phone a bit most nights, and see each other on the weekends while all of her friends are probably acting more like Jim and Lisa.  Jealousy is usually based on insecurities more than a belief that you are doing something.  She doesn't have the daily interaction other girls do with their boyfriends and that probably makes her insecure."
I nodded my head.  My own insecurities were buffered by an additional fifty years of experience.  It made sense.  "But what can I do about it, Mom?"
"Well, first of all you have to decide if Jeryl and your relationship with her is worth the effort.  You're young, Paul.  You'll have a lot of opportunity to meet other women and find love.  I know you don't want to hear that right now, but you know it is true.  Then, if you decide it is worth it, you have to figure out ways to spend more time with her and remove her insecurities."
I nodded and gave Mom a quick one-armed hug.  "You're right.  I need to decide."  I wanted to head to my room or out to the shed to start that thinking, but could tell Mom still wanted to talk.  "So, how was the trip with Jim?"  She actually blushed.
"It was nice.  We met with the lawyers for GM on Wednesday.  We went back and forth on the patent they were most interested in and they were getting pretty close to settling on decent terms for licensing it.  Then Jim let slip your other seven filings and the fact that you were going to revolutionize the auto industry with the work you were doing and had on the drawing board.  You could see that they were caught by surprise.  They had not looked at the other filings you had.  They asked for a break for lunch and we did not get back with them until after two.  By the time we broke at seven, they were looking at terms for licensing PT Innovations' portfolio of patents for a heck of a lot more than we discussed in the morning."  She gave me a hug.  "Paul, you really are a genius."
"So we have a deal?"
"Not yet.  They want to see the car and have a longer review of the other patent applications before settling on a value.  Jim and I think it is going to be a pretty big offer once they finish their review.  He pulled some information from his State Farm contacts.  The savings in insurance rates can make these ideas of yours worth a premium price on the cars with the savings offsetting the price in less than two years.  Jim is certain we can get more than fifty dollars a car."
"Wow."  I was pretty sure GM was making over 1.5 million cars a year.
"Wow indeed."
"So, you and Jim spent all that time working?  No nice dinners or anything?"
Her blush returned.  "Don't you worry about your old Mom, Paul."
"I'm not worried about you.  I just want to make sure you are taking a little time to enjoy yourself.  This is a windfall for both of us."
"I know that, Paul, but I also don't want us to forget who we are just because we suddenly have some money."
"So do you like Jim?  You certainly act like it."
"That's none of your business, young man."
"Will you at least tell me if it gets serious?"
My mother nodded.  "That much, I can agree to.  Now, why don't you run out and take care of chores and then we'll go into town for dinner?”
*****

"Call me (call me) on the line
 Call me, call me any, anytime
 Call me (call me) oh love
 When you're ready we can share the wine
 Call me…."

I snapped the radio off and taped the last splice of speaker wire together.  The stereo was in and I could stop listening to Blondie belt out the anthem from American Gigolo.  It seemed the only FM radio station we could get at the farm had to play it a couple of times an hour.  Given the lack of any calls to or from Jeryl, I did not need to hear it again.
I wiped my hands off and looked at my checklist.  I was getting close to being finished.  It was the one good feeling I had.  I sat down on a work stool and thought about my situation.  I was on the cusp of having enough capital to bring forward my fusion research in a big way and give the United States the energy independence it needed to avoid the turmoil of the next few decades.  I was pretty certain I was going to change things enough to keep my mother alive past her prior time, and it looked like she would not face the future alone as she had the first time through.  And all I could think about was a slim brunette with hazel eyes and how I had let her down.
"Man, my priorities are all fucked up," I muttered to myself.  I grabbed the set of breadboard circuits from the workbench and then went back to the car.  Concentrating on finishing the wiring for the five gauges for the central control cluster was much easier work than trying to fathom the female mind, I decided.  Soon I had the driver's seat pulled off its mounting and was lying under the dash with a light lying by my head and a small screwdriver in my hand.
My concept was simple in theory, but highly dependent on having a microprocessor feeding information to the four chrome-rimmed gauges that flanked the central speedometer.  Each gauge had a small push button stem to one side that incremented a two-bit counter.  Collectively, I had eight-bits that set a unique computer value to determine what data was fed to the gauge cluster, or 256 possible configurations.  Since that was too much variability to keep clear in my own head, I also had four pre-set configurations that I could cycle through from a rocker button on the steering wheel.  With those pre-sets, I could easily cycle through and monitor amps, voltages, temperature, and RPMs of each wheel motor.
I also had a small LED beneath each gauge to show its setting so I could know what was being displayed.  I had already done a much more elaborate control layout design, but the displays were not yet available, so dull red seven-segment LEDs would have to do for now.  Oh, how I wished for a bit-mapped LCD display.
 Finally, the last screw for the control box lid was in place and I slipped out of the car.  I was re-installing the seat when I saw a flash of light as the machine shed door opened.  I finished tightening a bolt before standing to see who was there.
"Hi, Paul," Kelly said.  She was in jeans and a loose blue top.  Her hair was loose and flowing and she had that fresh just-washed look to her that I had always thought attractive.  She had a briefcase in her hand instead of a purse.
"Hey, Kelly.  Here to check up on the progress of the Beast?"
"I think that car is more beauty than beast, and no, I'm not here just to check on progress.  I wanted to see how you were doing.  Last time I was up here, things did not look good for you."
It had been over a week.
I shook my head.  "Well, they haven't gotten any better. But school is almost over, my car is almost done, my birthday is just around the corner, and it looks like our company will be making a fortune soon, so I can't really complain, can I?"
Kelly patted my arm.  "I wish there was something I could do.  I feel like your girl problems are my fault."
"I appreciate the thought.  I suppose if I told her all the details of why you are here and what I'm trying to do, it might help, but then I wouldn't know if Jeryl cared about me or about the money we are going to have soon.  If we can't work things out without me spilling all of my plans, how can I know she cares about me?"
"Why don't you want to tell her?" Kelly asked.  "Do you really think she is motivated by money?"
I thought about that for a minute.  Based on what I knew from my first life, I did not think any of the Salaways were that concerned with material wealth, though they had always seemed to not want for much.  Other women had scarred me from wanting my money or property, but I had no reason to believe Jeryl would.  Maybe they had more money than I thought, given how they were threatened with being "cut-off" if they lost their virginity.  "No, I don't really think so."
"So why not tell her?"
"I don't know how, now that she wants nothing to do with me."
Kelly stared at me and shook her head.  "Well, while you figure it out, how about we go over this new patent application.  Dad had a few questions before we send it in."
I cleared off my workbench and she pulled a file out of her briefcase and we got to work.
An hour later, I waved goodbye to her and walked into the house for dinner.  I found a note on the table from my Mom.  She was meeting Jim for dinner.  If I had known, I'd have invited Kelly to share leftovers, but she probably had plans for Saturday night anyway.  As I heated up some spaghetti in the microwave, I wondered if I should go to church tomorrow and try to talk to Jeryl.  I had skipped church last Sunday, not wanting to face her.  It's not like I believed my soul was at stake.
Did I really want to date Jeryl?
I pondered the question as I ate.
It was obvious that I was not in the relationship for sex, since we hardly had a steady sexual relationship.  I was strongly attracted to her, but was there more than that?  Was she something I had lusted after in my past and now was afraid to let go of?
And if I did want a relationship, what could I do to address the issues Mom had raised?  Her insecurity was a result of my unavailability.  At least part of it was, anyway.  What could I do about that?
I heated another bowl of spaghetti and continued to think about it.
Of course, I knew there were a hundred ways I could show her I cared and make her more central to my life, especially once I had my car and license.  The real question was whether it was worth the effort.  I knew of only one couple that had stayed together after high school and actually ended up married, let alone happy.  What were the odds that we were the soul mates everyone always talked about?  It was probably best if I put my boyhood fantasies and desires aside and focused on the future.
But something kept drawing me back to her.  I kept thinking of her easy, shy smile.  I dreamed of her sweet scent and warm laugh.  I longed to hold her in my arms; it made me feel complete in a way I had never felt with anyone else, including Wendy who I knew I had loved.
A knock on the door interrupted my thinking.  I was surprised to see it was dark out.  I went to the door, flipped on the porch light and was shocked to see Jeryl standing outside, fidgeting and shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
I opened the door.  "Jeryl, I didn't think...."
She threw herself at me and quieted my question with a kiss.
I reveled in the feel of her lips against mine.  The soft warmth pressed tight as she wrapped her arms around my neck and clung to me.  "I'm so sorry, Paul.  Can you forgive my childish behavior?" She pulled back far enough for me to see the tears on her cheeks and the pleading in her hazel eyes.
"Of course, kitten."  There was no way I could do anything else.  "I'm sorry I made you feel jealous.  Nothing is going on between Kelly and me."
"I know," she said as she hugged me again and rested her head against my shoulder.  "She told me."
"What?"
It was then that I saw someone else at the end of the sidewalk to the porch.  Kelly was standing just out of the shadows, smiling.  Jeryl saw my look and turned and waved Kelly up.
"Kelly stopped by this evening and made me listen to her."
"And how did she do that?" I asked as Kelly climbed up to the porch.
Kelly laughed.  "I told her mother and older sister that if she didn't listen to me, I'd be forced to actually give her a reason to be jealous.  She was close enough to hear that and came out to give me an earful, but eventually she listened."
"And just what did you say to make her change her mind?"
Jeryl looked back up at me.  "She told me that I was being a juvenile fool for running away from one of the smartest, kindest and most generous young men she had ever known.  Then she told me why she was out at your farm last week and how important your car and work was to not just yourself, but to the whole country."
I arched an eyebrow at Kelly.
"She also told me that she was possibly risking thousands of dollars by telling me, but she refused to worry about money and fees if she was the cause of us breaking up.  Then she went on to tell me about how she had treated you when you first met her but how you had forgiven her."
"So much for client-attorney privilege," I muttered.
"I'm not your attorney, my dad is." Kelly said with a smirk.  "And if I was, I would drop you so I could get you two straightened out.  Nothing we have said to each other in the past week was in the presence of your attorney, so privilege doesn't apply."
Kelly put a hand on each of our shoulders and looked us each in the eye in turn.  "Everybody your age makes mistakes with their feelings and first relationships.  God knows I did.  As you get a little older, you realize that when you make a mistake, you try to make it right and at the worst, learn from it.  I made a mistake by kissing your cheek last week, so I needed to make it right."
"And I made a mistake when I ran away instead of asking what was going on," Jeryl said.  "That's why I had to come and apologize and beg you to forgive me."
I sighed.  "And I made a mistake when I didn't tell you what was really going on with my car, so I guess I had better correct that mistake too.  Can you both come in for a little bit?"
Soon we were in the kitchen.  I got them drinks of iced tea and quickly cleaned up my dishes as I tried to decide how to start.  Finally, I couldn't put it off any longer and just jumped into it.
"I've got some ideas on how to really make a difference in how cars are built and how safe they can be, Jeryl.  That's what my car is really about.  It's to prove out ideas and designs that I can patent.  Last week Mom and Kelly's dad Jim were meeting with lawyers representing GM.  They are interested in licensing some of my ideas."
"Really?"  Her questioning look darted between Kelly and me.
"Really," Kelly said.
I nodded.  "At the low end, I'll probably get at least a dollar a car that uses one of my ideas."
Kelly snorted and I looked at her.  "In for a penny, Paul?"
I shook my head.  "The low end is probably too low," I admitted.  "The last number mentioned in the negotiations was closer to fifty bucks a car."
"But how many cars could use your ideas?"
"Most likely all of them.  GM made just under two million cars last year."
"Two million?"  She was a little shocked.
"Yes.  And that was just GM.  We haven't even begun talking to any of the other manufacturers."
"So you're going to be a millionaire, as a sophomore in high school?"
"Probably.  That's one of the reasons I didn't want to tell you.  I don't want friends or you to like me for my money.  In fact, I'd like to keep it as quiet as possible."
Jeryl leaped from her chair and pushed her way onto my lap.  "You silly boy.  I'd love you even if you were poor.  You captured my heart, which is why, when I thought you were doing something with her, I was so hurt."  She kissed me again.
I replayed her words in my head.  She loved me.  I kissed her back passionately.  When we finally broke for air, Kelly laughed.
"You too had better invite me to the wedding in six or seven years," she said.
We both blushed.  "We'll see," I finally said before kissing Jeryl again.
This time when we stopped, Kelly was smirking and shaking her head.  "Jeryl, I'm glad I could play a small role in getting you two talking again, but I'm going to have to get going soon and I promised your Mom I'd drive you home."
Jeryl smiled and asked if she could use our phone.  I pointed it out to her.  A minute later she was talking to her mother.
"Mom, Paul and I need to talk some things over.  Is it alright if I stay out a little while?"
She frowned.  "I know Mom, but this is important.  Jordan or Jyl can pick me up when they get home, or Paul's Mom may be able to give me a lift home.  Please."
She listened again for a minute.
"Mom, I'm not going to do anything stupid.  Two hours ago I was so mad at him that I didn't want to even speak to him.  If we are going to go out again, we need to talk and sort some things out."
The next pause was longer.
Finally, "You know I will.  Thanks Mom.  I love you."  She hung up the phone and turned to me with a beaming smile.
"Kelly, thanks for the ride over and the straightening out of my head.  I really appreciate it.  I'm fine for a ride."  She gave Kelly a hug and then walked her back to the door.  I joined her on the front porch as Kelly pulled out of the yard.
Jeryl gave me a quick kiss and then we headed back into the house and ended up in the living room.  I flipped the TV on out of nervous habit and sat on the couch as she curled up next to me.  I was wondering what we were to talk about when she took the bull by the horns.
"Paul, I was serious when I told my Mom we needed to talk.  I'm sorry I was such a baby the past couple of weeks.  I don't know why I was so jealous.  You never really gave me any reason to be."
"But I did," I said.  Before she could get mad again, I hurried to explain what my Mom had told me.  "So, by not spending enough time with you, I did give you a reason to feel insecure,"  I concluded.
She looked up at me with a serious expression.  "Your mother is scary smart.  Is that where you get your brains from?"
I chuckled.  "At least partially.  She tells me my father was pretty smart, too.  I get my urge to tinker with things from him evidently."
Her look turned mischievous as the corners of her mouth twitched like she was fighting a smile.  "Maybe you can tinker with me a little later, if we can lay some ground rules."
I gave her a quick kiss.  "Like what?"
"I think we need to see each other at least once a week during the week.  Mom is pretty strict about homework time, but I don't have much.  With no cheerleading practice, I usually get it done right after school.  I do have choir practice with my sisters on Wednesdays, but we take a break over the summer.  What about you?"
"Little homework.  My last track meet of the year is Friday, so once that is done I'll be free most evenings.  I do need to finish the car, but that should be done this week.  Kelly is going to drive it to the inspection station for me next Saturday."
"Why Kelly?"
"I promised her she could do it if the car was ready before my birthday.  Looks like I'll be done a week early.  If I get the car licensed, I can take my driving test in it.  That would be cool."
"God, I wish I didn't have to wait another six months to get my license," Jeryl said.  "Okay, so in the next couple of weeks, we should be able to see a lot more of each other.  That will be nice, but I don't want to just have us spend time together.  I really enjoyed going out with you and John and Ann last fall.  I know you haven't stayed close to many of our classmates, but I'd like you to spend time with some of them as well as with me."
"Okay, but I want you to spend time with my new friends as well.  Lisa and Jim really like you, by the way."
Her smile lit the room again.  "I like them too.  Lisa is funny.  She reminds me so much of Jordan, though they look nothing alike."
"I think it's their manner of knowing what they want and having a clear path to getting it."
Jeryl nodded.  "I wish I knew what I wanted with that much clarity.  How do you manage it?"
I was surprised.  "Me?  You think I do that too?"
"Definitely.  Look at how you decided to go out for football.  Look at how you focused on your car over the past nine months.  Look at how you swayed my parents to let me go out with you again.  You know what you want and you don't let anything get in your way.  It's one of the qualities I really like about you."
I was dumbfounded.  I had never thought of myself as being that focused.  "Well, what do you want?  Maybe I can help you get there," I finally said.
"I want to be a good daughter and a good friend and a good cheerleader and a good volleyball player and a good student and a good girlfriend."
"That's a lot to be good at.  What do you want to be great at?"
The question brought her up short.  She started to speak and then stopped.  She rested her head on my shoulder for a minute and then looked up again.  "I don't know, but I think I'd like to be a great girlfriend."
"Why?"  I knew focus came from the why, not the what.
Jeryl blushed and put her hand on my chest.  "You'll think I'm silly."
"Nope.  I just want to know why being a great girlfriend is what you want to focus on."
"Jordan wants to be a pharmacist.  Jyl wants to be a doctor.  I just want to be a good wife and mother.  I have no real desire to change the world, but I want to be part of someone's life that is that driven; like you are.  Helping you change the world is what I want to do."
I gave her a hug.  "I don't know that I'll change the world, but I think I understand."
"You will.  Kelly told me you're coming up with more and more ideas.  You're going to change how America thinks about cars.  American thinking will change the world.  I know I'm supposed to want to drive similar changes, but that's not what will make me happy.  I at least know myself well enough to know that much."
I kissed the top of her head.  "Then it's easy.  You just need to spend ten percent more time on doing that than you do on anything else."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's use my car as an example.  I spend forty hours in school, which is my biggest focus after my car.  That means, if it is the most important thing to me, I should spend ten percent more time on it, or forty-four hours.  Of course, I don't view school as a whole thing.  I've got seven classes in eight hours a day, so if any one class were the focus, it would be about six hours a week plus a couple hours for homework for that class, so let's call it eight hours.  That means I should put at least nine hours a week into my car or patents.  That's actually less than what I do, but it is a good comparison.  To make sure I keep it top of mind, when anything starts taking more than eight or so hours a week, I ask myself if I'm making the right choices of where I spend my time."
"Wow.  How would I put nine hours a week into you, boyfriend?  That's a lot of dates."
"Nothing wrong with that," I said with a kiss. "But you can do things to be a better girlfriend or caregiver than that.  If you think about it, I'm sure you can come up with tons of ideas that would bring us closer together and make me appreciate you even more."
She was quiet for a few minutes.  I stroked her hair and drank in her sweet smell.
"What if I offered to help you type up your patent notes?  I'm a pretty good typist," She finally said.
I kissed her.  "Only if you let the company pay you.  It would be very helpful, but I couldn't let you do that for free."
"How much would you pay?"  The twinkle was back in her eye.
"I don't know.  How about a kiss a word?"  I paid her in advance, quickly.
"How about five dollars an hour?"  She asked.
"Only if Kelly and Jim tell me that is an adequate rate for a typist."  I kissed her again.  "It would probably help out quite a bit in the patent filing process though if my working notes were typed and cataloged.  Sooner or later someone is going to challenge one and it's my understanding that good working papers can help defend a patent."
 Jeryl shifted around on the couch and straddled my legs.  She took my head in her hands and looked in my eyes.  "Would it really help you?"  She asked.  "Or are you just trying to make me happy."
 "Yes," I said sincerely.
 "Which?"
 "Both.  It would be very helpful and if it will make you happy, I can't think of a better person to do it."
 She pulled my head forward and kissed me thoroughly.  Then she jumped off my lap.
 "Okay, so where are the notes so I can get started tomorrow?"
 I laughed and led her to my room to get the file folders of loose papers that had some of my notes in them.  I was half-way through showing her my goofy notations when my Mom got home.  She was surprised to find Jeryl with me alone, in my room.  She was probably more surprised to see us working on technical notes instead of fooling around.
*****
"Uncle Ben, thanks for taking me to get my license today.  It was quite a surprise."  I had been called to the office to get out of school early and Uncle Ben had taken me to get my license.  I originally wanted to take my own car, but was just as happy to spend a little time with my surrogate father as well.
"Paul, it was my pleasure.  How is your car coming?"  We were about a mile from the farm.
"Great.  It's all done."  I could hardly wait to take it for a legal drive.
"That's good.  I'll be counting on you putting as much effort into farm work this summer as you did last year.  I'd hate for you to be distracted by worrying about your car."
I grinned.  "No need for that, but I think you and Mom and I should sit down and talk a little about the summer."
"Why?  You got another job lined up already?"
"No, sir.  But I am going to have some commitments and well I'd like to take Mom on a little vacation."
"Vacation?  Where?"
"Europe."
"How in the hell are you going to take her to Europe?  Are you doing drugs?"
I laughed.  "No, sir.  That's why we need to talk.  I think I'm going to come into some money in the next thirty days."
"From what?"
"My car."
"Ah."  I could tell he had jumped to a wrong conclusion.  "You're going to sell that junker and use the money....."
"Nope.  I'm going to get paid by GM to use some of the ideas I've built in that junker."
"What?"  He looked at me long enough to drift to the edge of the blacktop.
I explained after he jerked the wheel to get us back straight on the road. By the time we pulled into our yard, he was dumbfounded.
"Let's go talk it over with Mom," I said as we climbed out of the car.  "I think we'll be able to help you and Aunt Carol a bit as well.  You've always looked after us.  I'd like to help pay off some of that debt."
"Paul, that's very mature of you, but helping family is no debt."
"I know sir, so I hope you remember that when we want to help you."
He laughed and shook his head as we walked up to the house.  "I should know better than that.  You were bound to use my own words against me."
Soon, I had explained to Mom what I wanted to have her and Uncle Ben discuss.  Her reaction to his resistance was much the same.  "Ben, don't be prideful," she chided.  "If Paul wants to help you out, let him.  Lord knows you've given me and him plenty of help over the years.  With two boys getting ready to start school, I know you must be feeling pinched."
Uncle Ben finally nodded.  "Okay, let's get into the nitty-gritty details and figure out what you can help do.  A couple thousand bucks would help ease my cash flow with their tuition."
I bit my tongue, but Mom laughed.  "Ben, I'm pretty sure Paul is thinking of a lot more than a couple thousand dollars."  I nodded.  "What did you have in mind Paul?"
"Well, we need to discuss it with Jim, but I was thinking of a stock grant and then asking the board to issue a dividend once we got the first payment from GM.  If they make an initial down payment of five, we could do a dividend of several thousand dollars a share."
It was Mom's turn to nod.  "I can give Jim a call about it tonight and see what his thoughts are," she said.
Uncle Ben looked at us both like we had two heads.  "Just how much money are you two talking about?  Total?"
I stood up and looked at Mom.  "Why don't you two adults discuss it?  I just got my license, and would really like to drive my car over to my girlfriend's and take her into town for some ice cream."
Mom laughed and nodded as I headed to the door.  "Be home for dinner at seven.  You can bring Jeryl if you'd like."
"Thanks, Mom."
I left them to talk and headed out to the machine shed and my car.  I could not help but have a rush of pride as I pulled out of the shed and headed for the road.  My car was running smoothly.  It was quieter than a high-end luxury car but handled like a sports car thanks to the drive by wire system.  I also believed it was one of the safest cars on the road.  I accelerated down the blacktop and was soon pulling into the Salaway's drive.
Jyl was on the porch reading as I pulled up.
"So this is your incredible car?" she asked as I climbed out.
"Sure is.  What do you think?"
She set her book down and came down to inspect it.  "I've never seen anything like it.  Did you really build it all?"
"Sure did.  Is Jeryl home?"
"Of course. It is still a school night, you know.  Jeryl!" she yelled toward the house.
A minute later Jeryl was outside and jumped off the porch and into my arms.  After a brief kiss, she actually managed to say "Hi."
"Would you like to come over for dinner?  Mom is cooking something for my Birthday tonight."
"Of course I would.  Let me ask Mom."  She dragged me inside by the hand.  "Mom, can I go over to Paul's for dinner.  It's his birthday."
Mrs. Salaway was in the kitchen by the sink.  She smiled at me as she wiped off her hands.  "Happy birthday, Paul.  That looks like quite a car you've got."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"Is your homework done, Jeryl?"
She nodded her head.  "Okay, you can go to dinner, but I want you home by ten."
"Thanks, Mom."  Jeryl gave her mother a hug and then told me to wait for a minute and ran further into the house.  I fidgeted under Mrs. Salaway's smile for a moment before Jeryl returned with her purse and a medium brown bag.
"What's in the bag?" I asked.
"Can't go to a birthday dinner without a gift for the birthday boy," she said with a grin.  I began to suspect my arrival was not as much of a surprise as I had planned.  A couple of minutes later I was holding the car door open for her and then running around to the driver's side of my car.  She reached across to hold my hand as soon as we were on the road.
"This is nice, having a boyfriend who can come pick me up instead of us having to find rides."
I agreed and turned at the corner to head into town.  My first inclination was to drive to Minonk, but thought about Jeryl and my old school friends and turned toward Standard instead.  I flipped on the radio and stepped down on the accelerator as we cruised into town.  Soon, I slowed and turned onto Main Street.
"So, why didn't you put a bench seat in front," Jeryl asked as I pulled into a gas station to turn and head back down the main drag of town.  "It would be nice if I could scoot closer to you."
"These are safer.  A lot of my patent ideas are around safety items, so I wanted to make the car itself as safe as possible."  I leaned over the thin console I had installed and gave her a light kiss.  "You're still close enough for a quick kiss though."  As I sat back in my seat, I gave her knee a gentle squeeze and then returned my attention to driving.
A couple of trips up and down Main Street were enough.  Jeryl decided against any ice cream, and soon we were headed back out to the farm.  There were a lot more cars in the drive when I pulled in.
"And what would all these people be here for?"  I asked Jeryl.
She grinned at me.  "How would I know?  Let's go inside and see."
Obviously, it was not a jump out from behind furniture surprise party, but it was still a surprise.  Uncle Ben, Aunt Carol, John and Ryan were there.  Jim and Kelly were there.  Lisa and Jim were there.  Even Jyl and Jordan were there.  My cousins had the grill going on the patio and everyone had a drink in their hand.
I made sure to thank everyone for coming as I made the rounds between burgers.  After eating, I was immediately asked for rides in my car.  I was more than happy to pile people into the beast and take them on a quick spin around the section.  Jeryl took the opportunity to ride with Kelly and Lisa.  Uncle Ben and Aunt Carol were amazed at how comfortable the back seat was, as were Jim, John and Ryan.
All in all, it was a fun evening.  I got lots of well wishes as people finally began heading home.  Jeryl and I helped Mom clean up, and soon it was time to take Jeryl home.  "I'm glad you let me stay and help clean up," she said as she followed me taking the trash out to the dumpster by the barn.
"Well, I didn't actually want you riding home with your sisters, you know."  I threw the bag of trash away and then gave her a quick kiss in the shadow by the barn.
"Oh, and why's that?"  she asked as she pressed her body against me.
"Because, I wanted the pleasure of taking you home, of course."
"Well, if we are done cleaning up, we have fifty-five minutes before I have to be home.  I think that might give us enough time to see if you designed that back seat correctly for a little snuggling."
I could not have agreed more with her plan.  Ten minutes later we were parked in a lane to a field along a row of trees.  The windows were cracked to let a little breeze in and Jeryl was in my arms in the back seat with her lips pressed against mine.
"Oh Paul, I've been waiting for us to be able to be alone since spring break," she moaned as I nibbled on her neck and ear.
I dropped one hand from her hair to stoke her thigh just above her knee.  Her skin was smooth and warm below the hem of her khaki shorts.  Her own hands held my head tight and guided my lips back to hers.  Our kiss deepened as she pressed her tongue into my mouth and moaned softly.
I sat back for a moment to catch my breath.  Jeryl leaned back as well and scooted forward on the broad back seat as she spread her legs.  I continued to stroke her thigh, now slipping my fingers inside the hem of her shorts and stroking steadily higher.  I could feel the heat radiating from her pussy as I leaned in to kiss her again.
I carefully moved my hand from her leg to her waist and then pulled it higher until I was able to cup her breast through her shirt and bra.  Her nipple was hard before my fingers circled it.  "That feels wonderful, but I think it would be even better without so much cloth in the way," she said throatily.  She pushed my hand away and quickly lifted the hem of her shirt up and over her head.
I pulled her into my arms and began kissing my way down her neck as I flipped open the clasp on the back of her bra.  She shrugged her shoulders and I pulled her bra off just in time to tongue her nipples, alternating from one small breast to the other.  She was a B-cup at best, but I was never going to complain.  In the dim light of the rising moon, she was a vision of beauty.
As I sucked her nipples softly, I slipped one hand back to her legs and began stroking them again.  She dropped her own hands to her waist and pulled open her shorts.  "I want you so bad," she whispered as she lifted her hips and slipped her shorts and panties down.  I began kissing my way lower, pausing at her belly button before dropping to the strip of soft brown hair leading to her swollen pussy lips.
Jeryl slid down to lay on the seat as I pulled her to my mouth, one firm thigh against each of my ears.  Soon she was moaning loudly.  "Oh, God that feels so good."  I smiled to myself and reached my hands lower to cup her delicious bum and squeeze her cheeks in time with my tonguing of her wet slit.
"Oh, Paul, you are amazing.  Make me come with your tongue and I'll do the same."  I continued licking as her breathing got shorter.  I slipped a finger into the opening of her pussy and gently probed as I lapped her clit with the flat of my tongue.
"Argh!"  Her heels hit my back as she first arched her back and then tightened her stomach in a rhythmic orgasm.  I slowed my licking, but didn't stop until she began pushing my head away.  "Shit, Paul you could kill me like that and I'd die happy."
I grinned at her as she pulled me up for a quick, sloppy kiss before pushing me against the seat back and attacking the buckle of my belt.  Soon my shirt was on the seat beside us and my pants were pooled on the floor next to her shorts and she was kneeling between my legs with my dick in her hands.
"I really liked bringing you off this way in March.  I've been thinking about finding a time and place to do it again."  She bobbed her head down and took my head in her mouth.  It felt wonderful as she applied just a little suction before sliding up and off.
"Now that you have a car, time and place should not be a problem."  She bobbed down taking more of me in her mouth and holding me longer this time.  Her tongue swirled around my shaft and head as she took my balls in her hand and rubbed them gently.  My breathing deepened before she pulled off again.
She looked up at me.  She smiled.  It was an incredibly erotic image.  "I want you to come for me, Paul.  I want to feel you shoot your load down my throat.  Don't hold back."  Her mouth returned to my dick taking me almost all the way into her this time.  I felt myself push against the back of her throat.  She slowly began bobbing up and down, sucking me lovingly.
I put my hands on her shoulders even though I desperately wanted to pull her head down on me.  Instead, I encouraged her with gentle pressure and moaned as she took me deeper in the mouth.  She took me to the back of her throat and held me there for a second before coming up for a breath.  I was close.  Down she went again, but this time as she paused, she pushed down just a little further.  I felt a constriction around the head of my cock and knew she was actually deep throating me.  She pulled up and then went down again.
"God, that feels incredible," I managed to moan.  She rolled my balls between her fingers and bobbed up and down again.  Suddenly, it was time.  She was lowering her head when I lost track of thinking and felt my balls roil as my own orgasm hit.
"Ungh," I grunted as the first spurt shot directly into her throat.  She started to pull up, but my hips followed for the second spurt.  She managed to pull back enough to catch the next couple of shots in her mouth as she swallowed quickly.
I laid back in a daze as she continued to suck me gently and then made sure I was totally clean.  Finally, still between my legs, she let my depleted member escape her lips and smiled up at me.  "Happy birthday, Paul."
"Thank you, ma'am.  That was the most incredible birthday present I've ever gotten."  I pulled her up to my lap and kissed her gently but deeply.  She shivered as I wrapped my arms around her.  "What's wrong?  Cold?"
"No."  She swung her legs over my left leg so she was literally sitting in my lap with her arms around my neck.  "I love the feel of our bodies together.  Skin touching like this.  "I'd like to do a lot more than just blow you."
I kissed her and tightened my hug.  "I would too, but we don't have to hurry anything.  I love just being with you, even when we have clothes on."
She pulled back and looked into my eyes.  "You love me?"
"Of course I do.  I've loved you for a long time, but haven't ever had the guts to tell you how I really feel."
She got a silly grin and kissed me before saying.  "I love you, too."
We cuddled for a few minutes, kissing each other before Jeryl started feeling a reminder of my feelings for her poking her backside.  "Well, someone has woken back up," she joked.
"Maybe he just likes being kissed goodnight."
"Well, I don't know that we have time for another full good night kiss."
As soon as she mentioned time, I glanced at the dashboard clock.  "We've got fifteen minutes to get you home."
"Shoot."  We both began getting our clothes back on.  Jeryl was quicker getting her bra and shirt back on and then grinned wickedly as she picked up her panties from the floor.  "Should I give these to you as part of your present?  First panties lost in your new car?"
I laughed and snatched them out of her hand.
"Paul," she shrieked playfully.  "I was joking."
I pretended to ignore her.  "Better hurry up and get your shorts on, or you'll be late getting home."
She punched my arm and then grabbed my boxers and slipped them on.  "I guess these will have to do," she said with her own grin.
I laughed and then reached under the seat to open one of the small storage compartments I'd built there.  I tossed her panties in as I pulled out a small towel.  "Now you'll have a spare set in the car if you need them."
She laughed and took the towel from me to wipe her face and then wiped the leather seats as I climbed out of the car and pulled on my jeans, sans underwear.  A few minutes later, we were both back in the front seat and Jeryl ran a brush through her hair as I started the car up.
"I think the back seat is sized perfectly, by the way."  Jeryl said as she put her brush back in her purse.
"I'm glad you like it."
"And I appreciated the padded carpet."
I laughed as I turned onto her road.
We pulled into her yard and I parked the car.  Jeryl waved at the porch window as the curtain there moved, and then deliberately leaned over to give me a kiss.  I enjoyed it for longer than I probably should have and then disengaged and hopped out of the car to come around and open the door for her.
"Why thank you, sir."  Jeryl said with a grin as she took my hand and stepped out of the car.
"It's the least I can do after such a wonderful birthday."
Jeryl stepped close and gave me a quick kiss.  "I almost forgot your other gift.  It's still in your trunk."
"I can grab it and open it now," I volunteered.
She grabbed my hand as I started to turn away.  "No, you need to open it in private.  My Mom thinks it's just a shirt, but there are a couple of other things in the box for you."
"Really?"
She nodded as we turned to the house and I walked her toward the door.  "It's a surprise."
I got her to the door and she turned and put her arms around my neck.  "I hope you did have a great birthday Paul.  You made me feel like it was my birthday, how good you made me feel."
I kissed her deeply, enjoying the feel of her body pressed up against mine.
"I love you," I whispered.
"I love you, too."  She replied.
We broke apart and she reached for the door.  Before she opened it, she looked back over her shoulder with a smile.  "Thanks for the new boxers, by the way.  I'm sure my Mom will wonder about them when she does laundry."
Before I could respond, she opened the door and darted inside.  I laughed and headed back to my car and home.
*****
I backed into the machine shed and parked my car.  I left the engine and lights on until I could flip the overhead lights on.  I shut down the car and then finally opened the trunk to get Jeryl's other present out.
I opened the nicely wrapped box and admired the dark blue polo shirt folded inside it.  A card rested on top of the shirt.  It was a pretty standard card, but the polaroid picture inside it, of Jeryl in her natural, naked beauty was hardly standard.  The handwritten message on the photo read, "May all your birthday wishes come true."   I slipped the picture into my pocket and then noticed the other small box inside the shirt box.  It was wrapped separately.  There was also a towel under the shirt.  I pulled the towel out and then unwrapped the smaller box.
Inside was a tube of lubricant.  It was cherry flavored.
I put the lube inside the towel and then tucked both into the storage compartment under the back seat, along with Jeryl's panties.  It looked like my relationship was taking a turn toward an interesting future.


Chapter Eight
Summertime, and the livin’ is Easy
*****
The following weekend was Memorial Day weekend.  I should have been relaxing and getting into the summer groove, but unfortunately had three slave drivers in my life.
Uncle Ben was planting and needed help in the fields, so as soon as I got out of school each day it was back to the farm to help my uncle and cousins.
Jim was insistent that we take the car to an all weekend car show in Bloomington to start getting some press, so instead of sleeping in a little, I was up earlier than usual to take care of chores and work on detailing my car.  I tried to keep it clean, but Jim wanted it to sparkle, so extra wax and elbow grease was required.
Finally, my loving girlfriend, once she heard about the weekend plans insisted on helping Kelly prepare all the literature we wanted to have on hand for the show.
Together, the two ladies had created a slick brochure listing key features of the car as well as patent numbers and company contact information.  I got pulled into final proofing on that Thursday so Kelly could get it to the printers first thing Friday morning.
By the time the weekend was in sight, I was as tired as I had ever been.  Fortunately, Mom and Jeryl were understanding.  Jeryl came over Friday night for a quiet dinner and some TV.  As much as I wanted to take a long road home, she directed me to drive her straight home so I could get some sleep before heading down to Bloomington in the morning.
I gave her a deep kiss good night and then heeded her directions.  I was asleep before ten.
Saturday morning was clear and sunny, and looked to be a great day for the first long distance drive.  It was only forty miles or so to the convention center, but it felt like I was prepping for a solo crossing of the Atlantic.  I knew everything in the car was solid, but I was still nervous.
Mom laughed at my fidgeting.  "Are you nervous about driving or about being in the show?"  She asked.
I shook my head.  "Neither really, but I just seem to have a bunch of energy to burn off."  I had gotten up at six and gone for a run already.  It was almost eight and I was ready to be on the road.
"You can't pick up Jeryl before 8:15 and you can't check-in for the show until ten, so you better get a hold of yourself.  I don't want you driving when you're all jumpy like this."
"I won't be.  I think it's the waiting."
"Well, why don't you get your suit bag with your show clothes and then throw in a couple other changes of clothing.  I decided last week to go ahead and book a room for you at the hotel by the convention hall so you won't need to ride back and forth all weekend."
"Really?"  She nodded.  "Thanks Mom.  Are you still coming down?"
"Of course.  And I know Kelly and Jim will keep an eye on you, too, so no sneaking off to a hotel room with Jeryl when you're supposed to be working this weekend."
"Hmmm, that doesn't sound like too bad an idea.  I'll have to see what I can come up with."
Mom laughed and I went to my room to pack some additional clothes.  I threw a swimsuit in as well as some clean running gear.  I knew the show ran from 1:00 to 7:00 on Saturday, 12:00 to 5:00 on Sunday and 9:00 to 3:00 on Monday.  I would have a bit of free time in the mornings and evenings.
Finally, it was time to pick up Jeryl and head to the show.  I threw my clothes bag in the back seat and headed over to the Salaway's.  Jeryl was waiting and had her own bag of clothes that I took and put in the back seat.
Jerly's Mom was watching us from the porch with a cup of coffee in her hands. I couldn't help but think that Jeryl was going to be just as attractive as her mother thirty years down the line.  It made me smile at Mrs. Salaway.
"Okay, kids.  Drive safe.  Jeryl, Jordan or Jyl will be down to pick you up this afternoon.  Have fun."
"Actually, ma'am, my Mom said she'd be happy to bring Jeryl home tonight.  She's driving down to join Jim, Kelly, Jeryl and I for dinner after the show."
Mrs. Salaway smiled and nodded.  "Only if it's no trouble for her."  I assured her it wasn't and then loaded Jeryl's things in the car.
We waved and I backed out of the yard and headed south.  Jeryl immediately grabbed my hand and gave my knuckles a quick kiss.  "Are you excited?  I am."
"Why are you excited?"
"This is the first showing of your car to the real GM folks, not just the lawyers."
"What?"
Jeryl giggled.  "Kelly didn't want to tell you, but her dad arranged for some of the real engineers to come down and take a look along with some folks from State Farm.  That's why she wanted the brochures to be complete and look good."
I chuckled.  "And I bet there are more than GM engineers in the crowd.  Jim probably made a call to Ford and a few others as well."  I sighed and turned onto the highway heading south.  "Well, so much for a relaxing weekend at the show.  I was hoping to spend a little time with you, you know."
"You will.  I plan on being right next to you during the show."
"It could be pretty boring.  I don't want you to be tied down while I work.  Wouldn't you rather do something fun?"
"Being with you will be fun."
"Okay, but if you get bored, I want you to tell me.  You can always go over to my hotel room and relax if you want."
"Hotel room?"
I explained that Mom had splurged so I wouldn't have to get a ride back and forth all weekend long.  I could hardly take the car out of the convention center at the end of each day.
"Well, maybe we can have a little fun after the show, then."  She stroked my arm as she said it.
Thirty minutes later we were at the convention center and standing in line for the registration desk.  Kelly and Jim joined us.  Soon we had our badges and were carrying stuff into our booth area to set up.  Kelly had boxes of brochures and Jim had a couple of boxes of stuff. Once we knew where we were going, I headed out to get the car around to the showroom entrance.
It was fun to see other show people turn and stare at my car as I waited to pull it inside.  A couple of friendly thumbs up made me smile.  It took twenty minutes to get through the line and inch inside to our area.  Jim guided me onto the two low ramps for the passenger side, and soon I was able to turn things off with the car sitting up at an angle.
As I climbed out, Jim tossed me some towels and a chamois.  "Go ahead and wipe everything down again and I'll get the lights put up."  Jeryl and Kelly were laying out a display on a table.
Working together, we had everything set up and ready to show by 11:30.  Jim put the last box under our table and suggested we get a bite to eat and then get changed into our show clothes.  An hour later, we were sitting by the car waiting for the doors to open.
I was in clean khakis and the blue polo shirt Jeryl had gotten for me.  She was in a short blue dress that almost matched.  Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but she had done something with her makeup to look very professional despite her age.  Kelly was in a black dress and low heels.  She looked good.  Jim had opted for a gray suit, but no tie.
For the first time of the day, I had a chance to look at the display Kelly had built.  It looked a little like a tabletop display case, but instead of merchandise, it held patent drawings and brief summary displays of some of the car features.  The thing that caught my attention was the title spanning the display.
PT Innovations.  Making cars safer now for the future.
"Nice tag line, Kelly,"  I said.
"Actually, that was Jeryl's idea on Thursday.  I liked the way it sounded and looked so went with it."
I smiled at Jeryl who actually blushed.  "Wow, beautiful and smart.  I'm a pretty lucky guy."
"Yes you are," Jim said.  "Now, look like a young genius.  Channel Five is coming through before the doors open for some un-crowded shots."
Sure enough, a portable camera was coming down the aisle with a couple of reporters trailing along.  They paused at my car long enough to shoot a few seconds of footage and then moved on.  One of the reporters, a twenty-something journalist in a blue blazer and skirt stayed behind as the cameraman and entourage moved on.
"Hi," she said to Jim as she extended her hand.  "I'm Shelly Gables from Channel Five.  This is a unique looking car."
Jim shook her hand.  "Thanks.  It's not just unique looking though, it is truly unique.  It has features that could change the car industry."  He waved me over.  "And it was designed and built by a sixteen year-old genius."
Shelly stood up straighter and looked over at me.  I put my best smile on and walked over to say, "Hi, I'm Paul Taylor.  I'm glad you like my car."
"Did you really design and build it yourself?"
"Yes, ma'am."  I caught Jeryl and Kelly smiling at me.
"And you're only sixteen?"  I nodded.  "I bet you have an interesting story to tell," she said.  "How would you like to be on TV?"
"I don't know, I might be a little nervous."
"I'm sure you'll do fine.  Tell me a little more about yourself and then I'll go chat with my producer and see if we can get you in a spot.  We're trying to get a full hour of material to use over the next couple of days as part of our evening news coverage."
"Okay.  What would you like to know?"
"What makes your car unique?  I mean, I bet a lot of kids rebuild cars.  Is this the same thing?"
"Well, ma'am, why don't you decide for yourself?  First of all, this car is a hybrid gas-electric vehicle.  The engine does not connect directly to the wheels, instead it generates electricity to power the electric motors connected to the wheels.  That lets me get pretty amazing gas mileage and also gives me some special driving capabilities, as well as the benefits of always having four wheel drive on the car."
"What sort of mileage?"
"I haven't finished all my measurements, but it looks to be about thirty-five to forty miles per gallon."  The average coming out of Detroit was well below twenty.
"Wow.  What are the special driving capabilities?"
I motioned her over to the display case and pointed at a couple of the pictures and drawings.  "I can parallel park in smaller spaces with ease since all four wheels can be steered.  I can drive in wet or icy conditions more easily because each wheel can be controlled independently for slippage."  I went on to explain the drive by wire system that made it all possible.
Shelly looked up from her notes and smiled at me.  She was attractive, but the predatory look she gave me made me take a step back.
"What else?"  She was no longer an interested lady; she was now all reporter on the hunt for a good story.
"Well, I also focused on some new safety aspects in the construction.  Once I had removed some of the limitations of the traditional drive train, I was able to re-design the passenger compartment with safety and comfort in mind."  I moved over to the car and began explaining the reinforced cage surrounding the passenger compartment, the anti-lock brakes programmed into the power system, and some of the other patent ideas I had implemented.  By the time I was finished, she was nodding.
"Okay, I can see this is a good story.  I'll go talk to my producer and we'll be back with a camera crew to shoot it."
Jim patted my shoulder as she walked away.  "Good job, Paul.  You gave her enough technical detail to make her want the features of your car while also letting her know she had a heck of a human interest story as well.  Not many sixteen year olds can be as articulate and as inventive or hard-working as you have been.  We'll be on the news for sure."
"Is that what we want?"
"Of course.  Just don't say anything about talks with GM.  This is all very positive press.  We want other manufacturers to hear about this before we strike a deal with GM."
"Why?"
"I don't want GM to assume they have exclusive rights to your patent portfolio.  By getting some PR on your ideas and the company, we have some additional chips to play with at the negotiation tables.  I've pulled in a few favors at State Farm as well.  They've let a couple of the car magazine guys know that there are some interesting safety developments happening on a little farm in the middle of Illinois, and that they can learn a lot more at this show.  You're going to be busy talking this weekend."
"Can't you help with some of that?"
"Nope.  We need you to do it because it reinforces the human interest side of the story.  You being the young kid working in obscurity to turn the industry on its head will sell.  The inventions alone won't.  We want the story out there."
"Okay.  I guess I have to trust my attorney on that front."
Jim chuckled.  "Not just your attorney, your friend and business partner too.  This is a smart show to start with.  There are a couple bigger ones over the summer, but this is the perfect start."
Shelly and a camera man soon returned along with a man I assumed was her producer and a couple of other assistants.  She talked to her producer as the camera man set up and shot some pans of the car and the display case.  Shelly waved me over.
"Paul, this is Steve Bickerman, my producer." I shook his hand.  "He'd like us to start with some background about yourself and then focus on the car.  We won't shoot the interview as one continuous piece.  He'll edit it together later.  If it looks good, you'll be on the news tonight."
"Wow, that fast?"
Steve nodded.  "We're a sponsor for the show.  We'd like to get an interesting story out tonight and help drive attendance for the rest of the weekend."
It made sense to me.  I let one of the assistants apply some makeup to me and then let Steve tell me where he wanted me to stand.  Soon the lights came on and I found myself looking at Shelly to avoid gaping at the camera.
"So Paul, tell me what made you want to build such a unique car…."
*****
My face felt like it would freeze into an artificial smile by the end of the day.
"It's been a pleasure talking to you, Paul."
"Likewise, Mr. Samuels.  Feel free to give me a call if you have any other questions."
I shook the reporter's hand and then glanced around at the show.  Most people were packing things up for the night.  It had been a long day.  Jeryl and Kelly were putting brochures back into boxes as Jim began shutting off the small spotlights we had illuminating the car.  I moved over to help him.
"I don't think I've ever talked so much in six hours," I said.
"You did a great job, Paul.  So did Kelly and Jeryl.  How about we go out to dinner to celebrate a very successful launch of PT Innovations?  My treat?"
My stomach rumbled just enough to be heard as Jeryl came up and gave me a hug.
"I'll take that as a yes," Jim said with a laugh.
Minutes later, we had the car locked up and were in Jim's car heading downtown.  I was in the back seat with Jeryl and Kelly while Mom and Jim rode up front.  Soon we were at a nice steakhouse and the adults had ordered some wine while Jeryl and I had soda.
"Paul, I know you're tired of talking to people, but it was a very productive day," Jim said after toasting our good fortune.  "GM and State Farm have agreed to split the cost of track time to get some performance data on your car next month."
"State Farm?  Why are they interested?"
"They want access to the raw data to assess safety impacts and reliability for insurance purposes.  If your designs actually decrease risk and improve reliability of the car as a whole, they would modify their actuarial tables for cars that have these kinds of modifications.  If we want them to become standard in the automotive industry, having a major insurer on board is going to be critical."
I nodded my head.  It made sense.  And once State Farm weighed in, we would have additional leverage in any future negotiations.
We ordered dinner and I momentarily lost track of the conversation as Jeryl reached beneath the table and began stroking my thigh.  I smiled at her.  "Thanks for all your help getting ready for this and manning the booth today."
She smiled back.  "I had fun.  Kelly and I got to do a lot of flirting today."  I frowned and she laughed.  "I've got to keep you on your toes, you know.  There are a lot of cute guys at car shows."
Kelly laughed.  "Yeah, if you think overweight guys in T-shirts and baseball caps are cute, you had your pick today."
We all laughed.
"So, is there anyone special coming in tomorrow?" Jeryl asked Jim.
He nodded.  "The head of GM R&D should stop by sometime.  Also, AutoTrends Magazine is supposed to send a reporter."
"Jim, what do you think will happen from a negotiation perspective?  I mean, will being public with these ideas help us or hurt us?"
Jim took a sip of his wine before answering.  "I think it will help.  GM is going to know other manufacturers will approach us now that they know about us.  It's in their best interest to close a deal with us quickly.  My guess is they will try for exclusive licenses.  How would you feel about that?"
Exclusivity would give them a lock on my ideas.  They would probably pay a premium for it, but I wasn't doing this just for the money.  I thought hard for a few minutes.  I had no idea what make or model of car Mom had been driving the first time through when she was killed.  I definitely had no idea of the drunk's car model.  If my safety ideas were to change the future, I couldn't limit myself to a single manufacturer.
I shook my head.  "I think that would be a deal breaker, Jim.  I don't want to make just GM cars safer, I want to make all cars safer.  If that means I make a little less on this first deal, so be it."
Mom and Kelly smiled at me and Jeryl absolutely beamed.  She reached over and gave my hand a squeeze.  Jim just nodded.
"I'm glad you feel that way, Paul.  I think it is the right decision as well, both ethically and economically.  You'll be much better off getting less but being in every vehicle over the long run."
"So long as they are willing to license my ideas," I added.  "I could see people taking part of the idea, changing a little and going their own way."
Jim frowned.  "What do you mean?"
"Take my anti-lock brake system for instance.  The idea has been around since 1930 or so.  The idea is simple enough in control system terms.  A sensor detects that a wheel is spinning faster than the others, implying a loss of friction.  It then brakes that wheel only to allow the wheel to slow and regain traction.  My solution is unique because it incorporates both the wheel speed as well as the fact that the wheels are independently steerable.  My control system can tell the direction of movement is differing from the signal from the steering wheel and then brake or steer the other wheels to compensate for the wheel that is slipping.  Since all wheels are powered, if you are not on solid ice, you should never lose control under normal operating conditions."
"Now, someone could take my idea, and apply similar logic to a traditional mechanical drive train system and just brake the wheel speed instead of steering as well.  They could argue it was a different idea than my patent."
Jim shook his head.  "Not when we're done with it," he said.  "Kelly will start amending your filing to cover that as well as soon as you give Jeryl some notes on how it would differ from the system you've built.  Do the same thing with anything else you come up with.  We want to make sure the specifics as well as the general concepts you are applying are protected ideas."
I nodded.  "I can do that."  Especially since I was working backward from future concepts.  I knew the mechanical ABS system I had described was invented in the mid to late 80's.  I had just brought the idea forward a half decade or so.
The rest of dinner was pleasant and all too soon we were saying our goodbyes outside the restaurant.  Mom gave Jim a kiss on the cheek as Jeryl and I climbed into her car.
"Jeryl, what time are you coming down tomorrow," my mother asked as we headed back to the hotel.
"I think Jordan is planning on driving me down right after church.  I should be here by eleven."
"The show opens at noon," I reminder her.  "I'm sure we can cover things if you need a little more time."
She scooted closer to me.  "I should be fine.  I actually had a lot of fun today.  I'm looking forward to another good day tomorrow and Monday."
"Well, Jim suggested a cookout at his place tomorrow after the show, and Kelly thought you might like to spend the night with them so you didn't have to get up so early for Monday.  You should discuss that with your folks."
"Cool, um I mean, thanks.  I'll ask my mother as soon as we get home.  I think they are planning on visiting the show Monday."
"Well, if you can talk them into changing their plans and coming tomorrow, I'm sure Jim would be happy to invite them to the cookout.  Since I'm the one picking up the food, I know there will be plenty."
Jeryl snuggled against me, pressing her breast against my bicep.  "I'd like that a lot," she said.
*****
Sunday morning, I was up early and went for a run before breakfast.  Afterwards I cleaned up and got into my 'show clothes': khakis, loafers, and a polo shirt.  I was just about ready to head over to the convention center when there was a knock on my door.
I opened it to find two delightful ladies waiting to be let in.  Jeryl was in a black skirt, cream blouse, and low heels.  Her hair was loose and flowing around her shoulders and there was only a hint of makeup.  Jordan was dressed in a yellow and white sundress with sandals and had her hair pulled into a loose ponytail.  They both looked beautiful.
Before I could even say hello, Jeryl jumped me and locked her lips to mine.  I forgot about Jordan for a minute as we stumbled back into the room holding each other.  Finally, we broke our embrace.  I smiled.  "Good morning, sunshine."  I managed to say.
"Good morning to you, sir."  Jeryl let me go and then reached outside the door to grab her two small bags.  Jordan laughed at us and came on into the room.
"Nice digs, Paul.  I'm surprised my sister didn't try to get Mom and dad to let her stay down here last night."  The room was a pretty typical Holiday Inn: king-sized bed, a chair and desk and then a reading chair.
"Like either of our mothers would allow that," I said.
"I can always dream," Jeryl said as she started undoing the buttons on her blouse.
"What are you doing, you hussy?"  Jordan asked as she saw Jeryl shrug off her blouse to stand in her skirt and lacy white bra.
"You said you needed to use the bathroom as soon as we got here.  I've got to change.  Paul is ready to head over to the show.  I want to go with him.  Stop staring at me, go pee, and let me change."  With that, she unfastened her skirt and stepped out of it.
Her lightly tanned skin contrasted nicely with the white lace bra and panties she was wearing.  She turned around giving me a little show.  She paused to show me her tight derriere and I forgot all about the convention center.
Jordan just laughed and headed into the bathroom.
"Can you hand me that small bag?" Jeryl asked as she pointed at the bag sitting on the end of the bed where she had dropped it.  I stepped over to pick it up when she pounced on me again and pushed me on my back on the bed.  She straddled my groin and ground herself against me as she leaned down to kiss me again.
"Thank you for letting me help you with this."
I stroked her arm and then kissed her collarbone.  "Believe me, the pleasure is all mine."  I gave her another light kiss on the swell of her breast just above her bra and then she jumped off me and grabbed her bag.
She pulled out another blue skirt, shorter than the one she had been wearing along with a white button down shirt.  She rummaged through the bag for a minute, teasing me in her underwear, and then pulled out a blue hair tie.  I drank in the sight of her as she lifted her arms to pull her hair back and tie it in place.
"You are incredibly beautiful, you know?"
She smiled at me.  "I'm glad you think so.  I wanted to make sure I was top of mind today in case any other cute female reporters try to turn your head again."
"What?"
She began putting on the shirt.  "I saw that harpy eyeing you yesterday.  Even my mother commented on it when she saw the news last night."
I did not know what to say.  "I was on the news?"
Jeryl laughed and finished buttoning her shirt.  "Yes.  Mom and Dad said you got almost three minutes of coverage.  Not bad for a thirty-minute news broadcast."  She picked up the skirt and stepped into it.  "She said you looked very handsome on the air as well and asked if many girls were at the show.  It made me think."  She fastened the skirt in place and then flipped up the edge high enough to flash me her panties.  "I want to make sure I'm the only girl on your mind today."
I laughed, stood up and kissed her again just as Jordan came out of the bathroom.
"I thought you were in a hurry to get over to the show," she teased as I let Jeryl go.
"Two beautiful women in my hotel room or a car show?"  I tapped my finger to my lips.  "Do you think I'm stupid?"
We all laughed and Jeryl grabbed a makeup bag and ducked into the bathroom.  Jordan moved over to sit in the reading chair and I decided to fold up Jeryl's clothes.
"Are you going to the show today, Jordan?"  I asked.
"Yes.  So are my folks and Jyl.  Your Mom invited us all over to your lawyer's house for a cookout this evening."
"You don't sound happy about it."
She frowned at me and then forced a smile.  "You definitely are wiser than your years, Paul.  Steve and I broke up last week.  He was being a possessive jerk.  I can't say that I really miss him, but I was thinking about having an itch scratched this weekend.  Going to a car show all day and then a lawyer's cookout doesn't lend itself to much itch scratching, if you know what I mean."
For the second time in ten minutes, I was left speechless.
Jeryl came out of the bathroom.  "Jordan, can't you give it a break?  If you think you're horny, think about me or Paul.  We've been working together all week, but never alone.  If we didn't have to get over to the convention center, I'd be jumping him right now."
Jordan blushed.  "Sorry, I didn't mean to be a whiny brat.  Maybe I can help you guys out today at the booth."
Jeryl smiled at her sister and pulled a pair of classy heels from her bag to slip on.  She then twirled again to model for us.  "Do I look like a booth babe now?"
She did.  Classy, sophisticated, but youthful and sexy at the same time.
"Maybe we can do a little itch scratching before we go," I said as I reached for her.
She danced away.  "No time, Paul.  But Mom said I could stay at Kelly's tonight, so maybe later."
Jordan shook her head, but eyed us both as she stood.  It was the same look the reporter had given me yesterday.  It was more than a little predatory.
*****
"Don't forget your swimsuit, Paul."  Kelly called as we separated at the exit of the convention center.  "After two days of standing on your feet, I'm sure you'll like our hot tub."
"I'll make sure he grabs it." Jeryl said as she hugged my arm.  "I brought my suit with me, too."
It had been another successful day at the show.  Jeryl, Jordan and I were headed to my room to change and pick up clothes while everyone else headed over to Jim and Kelly's house.  I had the directions tucked in my pocket.
As soon as the door was shut on the room, Jeryl was pulling my shirt out of my pants and wrapping her arms around my waist from behind.
"Ahem," Jordan said from in front of me as she turned around and saw what her younger sister was up to.  "We don't have time for that, Jeryl."
Jeryl lifted her hands and pulled my shirt up and over my head.  "If you stand around, we won't.  If you give me a hand, we will."
"What?"  I asked.
Jeryl dropped a hand to stroke my stiffening member through my pants.  "You have to be as horny as I am," she said.  "I saw you trying to sneak a peek up my skirt all day."  Her fingers began unfastening my belt.  "I've been thinking about this since you kissed me while I was getting dressed this morning.  We've got just enough time for all of us to get a little relief."
"All of us?"  Jordan asked.
Jeryl pulled open my pants and pushed them down my legs.  "All of us," Jeryl said.  My boxers dropped next as my girlfriend turned me sideways and dropped down to suck my dick into her hot mouth.  She didn't stop until I was fully erect.  It took about two seconds.
She gave me a long lick and then looked at her sister.  "If you want a little of this to scratch an itch with, you had better get rid of that dress and get over here."
She returned her attentions to my dick as I looked over to see the confusion on Jordan's face.  She looked at her sister sucking my cock, and then looked up to my eyes.  Finally, with a smile, she reached down to the hem of her sundress and lifted it up and off in a single move.  Her tan panties barely hid the dark strip of hair over her pussy.  The matching sheer bra did nothing to hide her pointed nipples.  I groaned at the combination of the sight of her and Jeryl's tongue working me over.
Jordan quickly reached behind her and dropped her bra and slipped her panties down her long, trim legs as Jeryl cupped my balls and proceeded to take me all the way into her throat.
"Oh, shit," I moaned.  "This is going to be quick."
Jeryl pulled back and looked up at me with most of my cock still in her mouth.  The look of adoration in her eyes was too much in combination with the rolling of my balls gently in her hand.  I started coming immediately.
Jeryl took my load into her mouth and swallowed provocatively before standing up and helping me step out of the tangled pants around my feet.  "That was a good start," she said with a quick kiss.  "Now, go show my sister how you can scratch her itch while I get out of these clothes."
Jordan looked at me and took a step back to sit on the reading chair.  I stepped closer and then dropped to my knees before leaning forward to capture her left nipple in my lips.  She moaned and grabbed my head as I began stroking my fingers along her thighs.  Soon, I lowered my head and began kissing my way down her tight stomach.  A minute later, my fingers met my mouth at the juncture of her womanhood.  Slowly I lapped along her lips before focusing on her clit.
"Oh, God!  Thank you, Jeryl.  This is wonderful.  He has an incredible tongue."  I knew what would get her going and dipped my head lower to take a swipe across her ass as she pulled her knees to her shoulders.
"Oh, god!" she moaned.  I licked from her tight little asshole to her clit and back again.  I could feel her breathing become shallower and more rapid as I probed her with my tongue.  I used a finger to gather her moisture and then pushed gently, but firmly against her sphincter as I flattened my tongue against her clit.
Jordan bucked against my face and moaned.  She dropped her knees over my shoulders and grabbed my head as she thrashed beneath my tongue.  I felt her start to relax and twisted my finger only to feel another orgasm wash over her.
Finally, she pushed me away.  "Enough, but thank you.  Oh, God, I can't believe my sister's boyfriend just fingered my ass and gave me two earth shattering orgasms.  Thank you."
I kneeled back and felt Jeryl's breasts press against my back.  She wrapped her arms around me in a hug and kissed my neck.  "That was hot," she whispered.  "But now it's my turn, stud."
I turned and picked her up in my arms.  She felt perfect against my skin.  It would have been too easy to lower her onto my revived cock and have my way with her.  Instead, I carried her to the bed and laid her down.  I caught her feet in my hands and pulled them to my mouth and began sucking her toes.
"Oh, shit.  Paul, that feels amazing.  I can feel you in my pussy."
I continued sucking one foot, then the other.  After a few minutes, she was writhing on the bed.  "Don't make me beg, Paul.  I want you to make me come, please."
I spread her legs and lowered my head to her delicate pussy.  I licked along her furrow and then spread her lips with one hand and focused in on her clit as my fingers probed gently into her.  She lifted her hips to me as I felt Jordan move behind me.
I was concentrating on Jeryl but looked down long enough to see Jordan slip her head between my legs and take my hard prick into her beautiful mouth.  She didn't have the best angle as I continued to work on Jeryl, but it still felt damn good.  If I had not just come so recently, I'm sure she would have gotten what she was after.
Jeryl began bucking against me.  "Put your finger in me, Paul.  Do what you did to Jordan.  I want to feel you in my ass."
The language she was using just made me hotter.  I gathered some moisture and did as she asked.  As soon as my finger slipped inside her, she began coming.
"Oh, god, I can't wait until you actually take me," she moaned between her first and second orgasm."
I continued licking her.  Her delicate, sweet flavor was possibly my newest favorite thing.  I could spend a day lapping up her spend.  A third orgasm hit and she clenched so tightly I almost felt my knuckle pop inside her rear end.  Finally she pushed me away and then saw what her sister was doing between us.
I started to move away from her, but she looked up and guided my feet a little further apart so she could slip fully between my spread legs.  She sat up a little higher to take me deeper into her mouth and lifted her hand to my dangling balls.  She cupped them gently and then began massaging me right behind my sack.  I felt a twinge as she gently probed and pressed in combination with her sucking.  Jeryl got on her knees on the bed and hugged me as we began kissing passionately.  A few minutes later, I felt my balls begin to boil and suddenly was coming in the back of her mouth.
We collectively caught our breath and looked at each other.
"Wow," was all I could say.
Jeryl and Jordan laughed.
"Do you think your itch is scratched, sis?"  Jeryl asked playfully.
Jordan blushed.  "Definitely.  How about yours?"
Jeryl grinned.  "Oh, yeah."  She bounced off the bed.  "Now, let's hurry up and get cleaned up so we aren't too late getting to the cookout."
*****
"You are amazing," Jeryl said as I finished my run in front of the hotel.
"But you look amazing," I said as I darted in for a quick kiss.  She was wearing loose tan shorts and a bright yellow polo shirt.  It was a little after seven o'clock on a sunny day in June.  We were in Chelsea, Michigan, a little way outside Ann Arbor.  We had driven up the day before in convoy with Jim and Mom, and Kelly and Jordan.  State Farm had bought us two days on the Chrysler Proving Grounds.  GM was picking up part of the cost along with providing professional drivers for the tests.  Chrysler engineers were also getting a copy of the final data to share with their bosses.  We expected Ford to buy a set as well.
Since the car show, we had garnered quite a bit more interest in the automotive world.  GM was still in negotiations with us, but now the other two of the "big three" were involved as well.  It was a little heady to think of the money they were offering us.
Jeryl handed me a large plastic cup of water and a towel to mop the sweat off my face.  "I knocked on your door and figured where you were when you didn't answer."
"Well, I needed to burn off a little energy."  I sipped the water.  "I'd have liked to burn of a little with you, but I don't think my mother would have approved if she heard those sounds through the door."  We had adjoining rooms, as did Jim and Kelly.  Jordan and Jeryl were sharing a room that Mom was paying for.
Jeryl blushed and swatted my arm.  "You've got twenty minutes until we are all meeting in the restaurant for breakfast.  We're supposed to be out at the proving grounds at 9:00."
"Okay, I better get moving then."
We walked inside and parted at the door to her room.  Twenty-five minutes later, we were all eating from the breakfast buffet.  As we were finishing up, a short, stout man entered the room and spotted us.  He walked purposefully to our table.
"Is this the Taylor party?"  He asked.
"It is," my mother responded.
"I'm Rich Calais."  He said it like we should know him.  "I'm your liaison for the next couple of days while you're at the proving grounds."
"Good to meet you, Rich," Jim said as he stood and shook his hand.  "I'm Jim Daniels.  I'm general counsel for PT Innovations.  Paul," he motioned to me, "is the chairman of our board and primary engineer and inventor.  His mother, Beth is the president of the company.  Kelly is my daughter and our legal secretary.  Jordan and Jeryl are friends that decided to travel with us this week."
"Nice to meet you all," Rich said with a slightly fake southern twang.  He reached across the table to shake my hand.  "Especially you, Paul.  I've been reading some of your work.  It's very impressive."
"Thanks," I said.
"Any new ideas on the horizon?"
He asked it in a friendly manner, but Jim jumped up.  "Mr. Calais, your company is in negotiation with ours over this young man's portfolio of ideas.  I have to insist you not try and get something out of him for free."  Jim took a deep breath as if calming himself.  "Let's just keep the conversation on things that already exist, if we can."
Calais looked like he had sucked on a lemon, but nodded.
We all finished quickly in silence and then headed for the door.  Jim put a fatherly arm across my shoulder as we walked back outside.  "Answer any questions about the car directly, but don't give them anything else for free.  Understand?"
"I do.  Thanks for jumping on that quickly."
"That's what you pay me for.  Try to keep close to someone else from our party for the next few days.  This is big business and that means it could get nasty."
Rich was standing next to my car, admiring it.  "She is a beautiful car, Paul.  Is it alright if I ride with you?  I've got your proving ground passes and they know me at the gate."
"Sure."  I unlocked the passenger door and opened it for Jeryl to climb into the back seat.  Rich settled himself in as I went around to the driver's side.  He admired the interior finishing as I started up and pulled out of the parking lot.
"It sure is a quiet ride," He said.  "I suppose it would be without a big V-8 under the hood."
"Actually, it's got a 3.8-liter V-6.  It's quiet because it's sound mounted and I don't need the mechanical couplings to the drive train, so I can keep noise and vibration out of the passenger compartment."  I pushed down the accelerator and was rewarded by the startled look on his face as we surged forward.  "It has plenty of power without all the noise of a normal car."
"What about exhaust?"
"I'm pretty sure I'm running a lot cleaner than EPA standards right now.  Since I can generate more power than the car needs most of the time, I run the engine at optimal output power without dumping extra fuel into it."
He nodded.  "Impressive.  How do you think your motors for the wheels will handle the endurance test?"
"I'm pretty confident.  I spent good money to make sure they were up to spec.  Each is a doubly-fed induction motor rated for 100,000 hours MTBF.  I've done a little testing, and two motors operating can still drive the car pretty easily.  Of course, the next couple of days should tell me a lot more about the performance curves for the car."
Rich looked at me and shook his head.  "I'm sorry if I sounded like I was pumping you back there.  It's pretty obvious that you know your stuff, especially where this car is concerned."
"Thanks," I said.
I followed Rich's directions and pulled into a gated driveway with a sign announcing our arrival at the Chrysler Proving Grounds and Test Labs.  Rich showed some identification and let the guard know the two cars behind us were with us as well.  Soon we were in the parking lot of a low glass and concrete building.
"This is it," Rich said.  "We'll go in and get you all some badges first and then come back out and take the car around to the garages for initial inspection."
"What sort of inspection?" I asked.
"We'll put it up on the rack and make sure everything is lubed and in good repair.  We'll then top off the tank and head over to the track to let the drivers have a couple of test runs around the oval.  Then we'll get into the full test regimen."
I nodded.  It was what had been agreed to.
Rich continued.  "Your party will have full access to all the test areas and results, as we've agreed to.  You can check the car between any events or as needed based on any readings we get.  I understand you have pretty complete telemetry in there already, right?"
"Yes.  In fact, for some of the runs, I'd like to ride along and take readings.  I also added a two-megabyte drive to capture data during the runs."  That drive had set us back almost two thousand dollars, but I had convinced Jim, it was needed.
"What are you capturing on it?"
"Engine performance and motor parameters each minute, and all command inputs."
"Will two megabytes be enough?"
"It should be good for two days of data capture."
"Any chance we can get a copy of the data?"
"It's part of the agreement."
"Excellent."
The remainder of the morning was probably boring for everyone but me.  In fact, I know it was since everyone except Jeryl headed back to the hotel for lunch with a promise to come back and pick us up around five.  She stayed near me taking notes as we took the car through its preliminary inspection and then let the drivers take a couple of turns around the track.  I was impressed with her as she noted each driver change and captured split times from each lap they did, but I really appreciated her when she noted how much fuel was added before the first speed-endurance run.
"Paul," she said.  "It looks like their familiarization runs had them each averaging almost fifty-three miles to the gallon."
"Really?"  It was better than I had calculated, but within my margin of design.
She nodded.  "They kept the speed down below sixty for most of them.  The next run on the protocol they have set up is for one lap to get up to sixty-five and then an hour running at sixty-five.  Then they will repeat it at seventy-five and then at eighty-five."
I nodded.  "We had opted for the higher speed tests to better assess wear and tear on the car and systems.  After those runs, we'll check everything and then do the full speed trials.  We should be to the endurance runs by dinner."
"Are we staying all night as they run those?"
I shook my head.  "Nope.  I'll check out the start of them and then maybe call and see how they are doing after dinner, but we won't even be able to see them most of the time they are on the track."  The almost five-mile test loop was only being used for the first three timed runs.  The fifteen-mile endurance road circled the proving grounds with multiple routes and grades for the drivers to negotiate.  The plan was for them to run an eighteen-hour run, changing drivers when they needed to fuel.  They planned on starting the endurance run by four in the afternoon.
"Thanks for staying here with me," I said as I gave her a hug during the second speed-endurance run.
She gave me a smile and quick kiss.  "Thank you for bringing me along.  I never really thought about everything that goes into the cars we take for granted.  I mean, look at this place.  How many people do you think realize places like this exist?"
"Not many.  It's one of the reasons I love technology and tinkering.  The scale of accomplishment makes me feel a sense of awe.  Think about the effort that went into building this facility to test cars.  It's amazing."
I reached over to hold her hand as we sat on a grassy berm by the oval access ramp and waited for the car to come back around.  It was a peaceful, happy moment for me as I realized for the first time in my life, I was sharing my joy and passion with someone I was passionate about.  As my car came by with quiet speed, I gave Jeryl's hand a squeeze.
*****
"Turn right at the next corner," Jeryl instructed as she glanced through the back window to make sure Jordan was still behind us.  We had finished our days at the Chelsea Proving Grounds and I was now delivering her to her grandmother's in Bangor, Michigan.  She and Jordan were coming up a week earlier than the rest of their family.
I was a little nervous about meeting the lady Jeryl had spent that past couple of hours telling me about.  She sounded like a very strong-willed woman who had very specific ideas on how her daughter and granddaughters should act and behave.  I wasn't certain I would measure up.
"There's the lane," Jeryl said as I turned onto a wooded road.
I slowed and turned in between two large stone pillars.  Brass letters announced we were entering "The Meadows".  I asked Jeryl about it.
She blushed a little.  "Well, it started as an iron magnate's country estate in the early 1900s.  Grandpa bought it right after the war.  When he died, grandmother sold all their other property, but kept The Meadows.  It's about four hundred acres.  Part of it is an artist's retreat she opened when Mom went away to school.  Now it's her and her staff for the retreat."
She looked nervous.  "I probably should have mentioned it before now, but I wasn't sure how to bring it up.  Grandmother has a lot of money.  She always seems to worry about someone going after one of us girls to get it.  She may think you are after it as well, since I haven't mentioned your car and the discussions with the manufacturers to anyone in my family."
"Surely Jordan at least knows after the past few days seeing the interest of the engineers," I said.
"She suspects, but I've been pretty tight-lipped on any specifics.  I agree with your thinking that the fewer people that know the happier you, and I, will be. The truth is that you'll probably have more than Grandmother's fortune over the next couple of years. I'd hate for my own sisters to turn into gold-diggers and try to steal you away from me."
"That would never happen."
"Well, they've both already given you as much or more than I have," she said with another blush.  We had not managed any private time yet on this trip.  While Jeryl was happy to share certain things with her sisters, she insisted that the first time she wanted to try more than we had already done, she wanted it to be just the two of us.
"They can only give me their bodies, though.  You've given me your heart.  I'd rather have that."
Jeryl leaned over and kissed me as we pulled up in front of a stately colonial style house of red brick with white shutters and a slate roof.  A matching, three-car detached garage was off to the left of the house.  A slim older lady was coming out the large front door as we climbed out of the car.
"Gram," Jeryl said as she ran up to give her grandmother a hug.  Jordan was not far behind her.  It was clear that their mother and they both got some of their looks from their maternal grandmother.  She had to be in her seventies, but still cut a nice figure.  She was dressed in a calf length green skirt and a cream blouse with sandals.  Her bright blue eyes seemed to laugh at her granddaughters even as she gave me a sterner look.
"And who is this young gentleman?" She finally asked.  I stepped forward as Jeryl came down the steps and grabbed my arm.
"Grandmother, this is Paul Taylor, my boyfriend.  Paul, this is my Grandmother, Cynthia Morgan."
"Ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you.  Jeryl has been singing your praises since we left Chelsea this morning."  Her eyes were definitely a bit cooler as she took my hand and gave it a perfunctory shake.
"I'm not sure I like the idea of a young man, such as yourself Mr. Taylor, driving all the way up here alone with my youngest granddaughter, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for her sake," she said.
"Oh, grandmother," Jordan said.  "Paul is the kindest and most caring young man in the world.  I was behind them all the way up to Chelsea and here.  He would never harm a hair on Jeryl's head."
The old woman gave me another look and made a huffing sound.  "That may be the case, but I don't want him to think that now he has four hundred acres to chase her over and hide around in.  You girls will be in the house in your usual rooms.  Paul can stay in the apartment over the garage, assuming he is not staying until your parents and sister arrive."
Jeryl had told me about the old chauffeur's apartment over the garage.  It had sounded very nice until now.  Now it seemed like I was being sent to east Siberia.
Rather than make a mountain out of a mole hill, I decided to take the higher road.  "Well, how about I grab your ladies' things out of the cars and you can show me where they need to go.  Then I can get my things.  I'll only be staying tonight anyway, ma'am since I've got to get home and back to work on the farm."
I headed around to Jordan's trunk to collect bags as Jordan and Jeryl leaned closer to Cynthia for a whispered, but heated conversation.  By the time I had my arms filled with bags, they were looking at each other crossly.  I began re-assessing my plans to stay for even the night.
I walked back up to the stairs leading into the house and Jeryl came over to open the door and show me up the stairs to rooms the girls were staying in.  Jordan and Cynthia seemed a little calmer by the time we came back down for the second load.
"Paul," Cynthia said.  "Perhaps I was a little short where I should not have been."
I paused for a second and smiled at her.  "No need to apologize, ma'am.  If I had daughters or granddaughters as beautiful and smart as yours, I would be a bit protective of them as well.  I completely understand."  Jeryl and Jordan beamed at me as I grabbed another load of bags.  Their grandmother didn't realize her jaw was hanging as she stared at me.
*****
The grounds at The Meadows were immaculate.  I enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere even if my quiet walk with Cynthia had my mind and stomach in turmoil.  She had sent the girls on a quick errand after lunch and asked me to join her on her afternoon walk.  I could not decline without being rude.  I refused to give her the upper hand, but my nerves were still taut as we walked idly down a path toward the artist's cottages which were about a quarter mile from the main house.
During lunch she had been polite to me, but really focused on Jeryl and Jordan, drawing them out about the past year since she had spent time with them.  It was obvious from her questions that she was kept well informed in their lives and plans.  Anytime the subject threatened to shift to me, she had deftly guided the conversation elsewhere.
She was definitely a master at the art of conversation.  Hence my nerves.  I had never really considered myself to be a good conversationalist, let alone a great one.  I always believed in keeping my mouth shut and being thought an idiot rather than opening it and removing any doubts.
Finally, she seemed to reach some sort of conclusion and took a deep breath.  "I apologize if I seemed rude to you earlier, Paul."
An apology without saying she was sorry or admitting she was wrong.  She was a master.  I kept quiet, relying on my old strategy of silence.
"It's just that I want the very best in the long-term for my granddaughters in life, and that sometimes means they won't feel the best in the short term."
I nodded.  "As do I.  You realize, though, that the two are not always mutually exclusive, don't you?"
She grimaced.  "I've been successful, in life by assuming things that look or feel too good to be true, usually are.  In my life, I've seen almost no 'young loves' survive college and the real world and grow into a happy, prosperous family.  I want my granddaughters to have a happy and prosperous life filled with love.  Surely you can understand that."
"I do.  I have many of the same thoughts and concerns."  She took a deep breath to continue, but I held up my hand to ask for a pause.
"However, treating Jeryl as a real, thinking, feeling person is my first concern.  Not treating her like a stereotypical high school cheerleader, or farmer's daughter, or dutiful granddaughter, or any other label you choose to apply.  She's not an object, but a real person with feelings."
"Exactly my point.  Her feelings will lead her astray as they have young women for ages."
"Do you just think of her feelings and being led astray?  I think of her and her happiness and ask her what she wants and why she wants it.  Understanding comes from the why, not the what.  Do you give her the same consideration?"
"Bah, she's too young to know why she wants what she thinks she wants.  Girls her age can be slaves to their emotions.  I won't stand for it."
"How do you know?  Have you asked her?  Have you paid attention to her actions to see if she is serious about what she wants and takes action to get it, or do you just assume you know best."  I was getting heated as I thought about how Jeryl's loving grandmother was actually treating her.
"Of course I've asked her and given her my counsel.  Just as I have with Jordan and Jyl, and just as I did with their mother."
"So, Jeryl called you up and discussed her situation with me last month to get your advice?"
"What?  No, of course not.  She probably knows that I would have told her to focus on school and not worry about boys like you right now."
"Not much of a counselor when your advice is only listened to when they are a captive audience."  I should have stopped, but Cynthia's whole attitude grated on my nerves.
"Jeryl told me that her dream is very much in line with yours.  She wants to be a supportive wife and loving mother with a successful partner.  She doesn't want to change the world, but she wants to help people that do."
"Which is why she needs to not settle down as a sophomore in high school."
"I agree and have told her as much.  But I've also told her how I feel about her and shared some of my future plans with her.  We seem to be very much aligned with our dreams."
"Dreams change with age.  Young dreams die the soonest."  She sounded a little bitter with that statement.
"Perhaps.  You tell me if my dreams are going to die."  I took a deep breath.  I did not really want to get into particulars with her, but I felt that if I did not disabuse her of certain ideas right now, I ran the risk of losing Jeryl as she spent the next three weeks in this woman's presence.
"I have twelve patent applications submitted to the Patent Office that have ignited a bit of a bidding war among the Big Three automakers here in the US.  I have ideas for another dozen patents that will get filed in the next few months.  I'm probably a couple of months away from licensing those ideas for millions of dollars.  My financial future is secure.  I'll be writing a check from my own account to attend either Stanford, MIT, or Carnegie Mellon to work on a double major in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.  I will just as easily be able to write a similar check for my wife or girlfriend.
"And, just so you don't think I'm too self-centered, I'm making arrangements for some of my good fortune to find its way to my cousins to ensure they get the education they want, and to relieve family debts associated with running our farm."
"Money is no assurance of happiness."
"But it can sure help control them."  She stepped back as if I had slapped her.
I took another deep breath and then decided to jump even further in.  "Mrs. Morgan, you say you want the best for your granddaughters, but what you really seem to want is control of your granddaughters.  I hate to tell you this, but control is an illusion where people are concerned.  Influence is the best you can get.  Before you try to scare me off, or scare Jeryl away from me, you should ask yourself why neither Jordan nor Jyl have ever brought a boyfriend up here to meet you.  I'd venture to guess they have already decided to remove your influence from their personal lives let alone abdicate control to you."
Her eyes went wide.
I knew I had said too much, but somehow she seemed to be able to push my buttons.  "Now it is my turn to apologize for seeming rude.  I get that you don't like me and I even understand it to a fair extent.  Rather than causing problems with you and your family, I'll leave today.  I just hope you can realize that you are the one damaging your relationships with your granddaughters, not I or any other person you may choose to blame.  Thank you for lunch."
I turned and walked back up the path with long strides that she could not match.



Chapter Nine
Into the dog days
*****
GM finalized their offer before I even made it back from Michigan.  Ford and Chrysler followed suit within a week.  I was fairly certain Jim had leaked the fact that GM was signing to get the other two on board quickly.  He knew I was more interested in establishing some real working capital than squeezing every last dime out of them.  Before the Fourth of July weekend, PT Innovations had twelve million dollars in its corporate accounts.
"I still think you should buy a garage rather than build here," Jim said as I tended the grill.  It was the Friday the fourth of July and our board meeting had just finished before our first annual company holiday cookout.  Jim and I were talking about putting some of our new capital to work.
"But I couldn't work without driving someplace then.  What happens if I want to tinker with something in the evenings?  If I have to get in my car and drive someplace else to work, I'll waste too much time."
"But you could get started sooner.  We could pick-up that old service station near your school.  It has three bays and an attached workshop that could be perfect for you.  You could have it bought, cleaned out and ready to use before the end of the month.  Plus it gives the corporation a tangible asset and some property deductions for taxes."
"But if we build out here, I can lease land from Mom and we can still depreciate the structure and any equipment, plus I could walk to work after dinner like I do now."
Jim shook his head.  "Okay, I know you've at least thought it all the way through.  I hadn't thought about you paying a lease for the land.  You want to share some of your good fortune with your mother, I understand."
The fact that Mom would only take a nominal fee to be the President of the company was a touchy subject with both Jim and I.  She, however, was adamant about it.
"Also, I'd like to keep a little bit of a low profile," I said.  I had gotten a little local notoriety following the car show and the press coverage we had generated.  I knew everyone in school would flip if I bought the old garage three blocks from school and hung PT Innovations on the door.
"I've talked it over with Uncle Ben, and we can stake out a new machine shed and have a slab for it poured in two weeks.  The shed can be up and ready for outfitting by the end of the month, if I place the order on Monday."
"Really?  I didn't think it could go up that fast."
"If we stay with a standard size, it's pretty easy.  I've been looking over the dimensions and can lay out plenty of workspace along with a machine shop and some office space to keep notes and drawings in.  Uncle Ben said I could hire John and Ryan to help finish building the office space while I take Mom on vacation."
"Have you told her about it yet?"
"In general, yes, but not specifics.  You haven't let anything slip, have you?"
Jim chuckled and shook his head.  "Not a word, though she has been asking Kelly and I if we know any details."
I had asked them to help me plan out a two week trip for my mother and I.  We would be flying to London at the end of the month and then visiting Paris and Italy in a leisurely vacation.  We would get back just in time for me to start football workouts in August.
"What does Jeryl think about you going away a couple of weeks after she gets back?  Not much of a summer together."
I shrugged.  "I'm not sure where we stand, to be honest."  I had talked about her grandmother's attitude toward me.  While I truly loved Jeryl and believed she felt the same toward me, I was not certain it would be enough to overcome her family's objections.  The long drive home had given me plenty of time to think about things.  In the end, I had decided she needed to decide what she wanted.  "We'll see what's what when she gets home next week."
Kelly and Mom came out to the porch with a platter of steaks and asked if the fire was ready.  As I tended to the cooking, I tried to forget any future drama and enjoy the day.  It was enough of a struggle that I nearly burned the meat.
*****
Pulling into the Salaway's a few days later, I was worried.  Jeryl had called and asked if I could 'pick her up'.  They must have just gotten home since it was just after dinner when she called.  I drove over and saw her sitting on their porch, waiting for me.  She was running to me before I stopped the car and was in my arms as soon as I got out of the car.
"Paul, I'm so sorry for the way my grandmother treated you."  She kissed me soundly and glanced over her shoulder at the house.  I thought I saw a curtain move, but decided kissing her again was more important that figuring out who was watching.
"I missed you."  I finally said as we broke apart again.
"Me, too."  She stepped back and looked at my work clothes.  She took a little sniff.  "You could have taken a shower before coming over."
I laughed.  "Come right over when you called after not seeing you for nearly three weeks, or take thirty minutes to get cleaned up and put off seeing you that much longer.  Sorry, if I made the wrong choice, sweetie."
"How about we run over to your place and you get cleaned up?  Then we can take a drive and talk some more.  I've got a lot to tell you."
"Me too."  I opened the door for her and soon was driving home.  Jeryl held my hand.
"Did you hear anything from your test drives?"  She asked.
"Quite a lot, actually.  All three signed a deal.  We signed the paperwork last week.  They have the right to use any intellectual property in my portfolio for eight years at a set price.  We have the right to renegotiate in five years with a bunch of provisions around valuing the updated portfolio.  Jim was very pleased with the terms.  He's pretty sure GM was just waiting for the performance to meet some pre-set minimums they had in mind.  Based on the deal, we must have blown by their minimums."
Jeryl kissed the back of my hand.  "Paul, I hate to ask this after the way my grandmother acted, but did you get a lot?"  She rushed on.  "I still haven't told my family, but you must have said something to grandmother, since she hinted around it in a few comments."
I thought about my heated comments and the smiled.  I knew Jeryl was not chasing me for my money.  "They deposited twelve million dollars with us in advance of future production licenses and royalties.  Even if they never used a single idea, never needed to pay a single license, we would get to keep half of that."
"Wow."
"Wow is right."
"I'm very happy for you."  She suddenly sounded insecure.
"For us."
She looked at me intently as I pulled into my drive.  "What do you mean?"
I parked the car and took both of her hands in mine.  "I mean it's not about just me or you, or Mom, or Jim or Kelly.  It's about us.  All of us, but especially about you and me.  I love you.  I want you to be part of my present and future."
"I want to be with you, too.  I love you."  She leaned over and gave me a kiss.  "I thought a lot while we drove home.  My grandmother has always driven us with promises and veiled threats.  I realized how bad it was after you left.  Jordan confirmed my thinking.  She knows college is being paid for from grandmother's trust, so she tries to be the dutiful granddaughter, but it bothers her.  Jyl just shrugged some of it off, but did not deny it.  When mother got into a discussion with me, talking about the value and cost of a college education, and how I needed to keep grandmother as an ally, I wanted to scream."
I nodded as we walked up to the house.  "I understand.  Look, I don't want you to have to choose between your family and me.  That's not fair to any of us, and especially not to you."
We stepped inside and she gave me a hug. "Thanks, Paul."  She let me go and stepped back.  "Now go take a shower and I'll chat with your Mom.”
*****
Thirty minutes later, we were enjoying the comfort of the back seat as dusk fell.  Jeryl had wasted no time in directing me to pull into a secluded spot on the way into town.  Even before we were out of sight of my house, she was in the back seat peeling off her clothes.  By the time I was parked and climbing back with her, she was naked and playing with her nipples and neatly trimmed pussy.
We were in an enjoyable sixty-nine and I was close to succumbing to her excellent oral talents as I lapped slowly at her dripping pussy hanging over my face.  She took me deep and I tickled her clit with my tongue as I stroked the cheeks of her ass.  I collected some of her moisture with a finger and probed her ass gently as she began humming around my cock.
I moaned and felt my balls tighten.  A second later, I was coming down her throat.  She held me in her mouth gently as my cock pulsed and fired into her.  I reveled in the feeling for a moment and then resumed my licking, wanting to return the favor.  She continued to suckle me gently and moaned as I focused my own effort on getting her off.  Soon, she tightened her stomach and let me slip from her mouth with a moan as she came.
"Oh, god, I have missed you, Paul."  She finally managed to say as I continued to lick her gently.
She climbed off me and turned around to kiss me passionately.  I held her against me and stroked her back as we lay in blissful comfort, recovering from our efforts.
"I missed you too," I whispered.
"What did you mean about me being part of your future?" she finally asked as our breathing returned to normal.
"I love you.  I can imagine us being together for a long time.  But, we're way too young to be talking about lifetime commitments.   I wish we were seniors in college instead of sophomores in high school.  Then we could discuss the real future, not just the next few years."
She kissed me.  "I know what you mean.  I can't imagine not being with you, but we don't even know if we'll go to school near each other.  I can't imagine a long-distance relationship.  And I can't imagine a bunch of college women leaving you alone when I'm not around."
I kissed her again and hugged her to me.  "We don't have to worry about any of that yet.  Let's just enjoy the summer and our sophomore year.  If we take things one step at a time, I'm sure everything will turn out just fine."
Her hand slipped between us and stroked me gently as my fingers caressed her back.  "Well, there is one thing I've been thinking we should do this summer, if you're up for it."  Her voice had a hint of a tease in it.
"And what would that be?"  I asked.
"I think I want this thing," she squeezed me gently so there was no mistaking what part of my anatomy she was discussing, "to be inside something other than my mouth."
"Really?  Are you sure you're ready for that?" I asked as my cock began swelling again at the thought.
"If you have the lube I gave you for your birthday, I'm very ready to give it a try."
I kissed her passionately for a few minutes and then reached beneath the seat to grab the towel and lube I had stashed there.  She took the lube from me and squirted some into her hand and began rubbing it on my dick before reaching around and spreading some on her own rear.
"Let me help," I said as I took the tube from her and applied a generous dollop on my finger.  She twisted around on the seat; resting her knees on the edge and her head on the padded back as she reached behind her and spread her ass for me.  Carefully, I worked my lubed finger into her tight rosebud.  She moaned as I worked a second finger in.
I applied more lube to both her and myself and then scooted behind her.  "Do you want to shift around so you can control the speed?"
"No, just go slow."
I reached between her legs and stroked her clit and pussy for a moment before leaning in and lining my cock up with her ass.  The feeling of the head of my dick pressing against her was electric. Slowly I leaned in as she pushed back against me.  Suddenly, the head popped past her sphincter and we both stopped.
"Are you alright?"  I asked softly.
"Yes, just stay still for a minute."  She released her ass cheeks and slipped a hand beneath her.  She stroked her own pussy for a few minutes as she adjusted to me being inside her.  When she reached back and cupped my balls, I took her signal and pressed in a little more.
"Oh, Paul, this feels amazing."
I pulled back a little and then stroked in slowly, plowing deeper as she moaned against the seat.  I repeated my motions, resisting the urge to push to far or too fast as she alternated between caressing my balls and stroking her pussy.  Finally, I was all the way into her and could not help but moan at the feeling of it.
She pushed against me and wiggled a little.  "Take it easy, but fuck me now, with long, slow strokes, darling."
I did as I was told, slowly pulling back until just the head of my dick was trapped inside her and then pushed forward as she worked her pussy furiously.
"Oh, God, Paul I'm going to cum!" she yelled as I bottomed out after ten or twelve strokes.  Her ass spasmed around my dick as a shudder shook her body, and set me off deep inside her.  The pulsing of my dick in her bowels set of another torturously delicious spasm inside her as I held her hips tight against me.
I held her gently until I felt myself softening, and then pulled out slowly and quickly cleaned us both up with the towel.  Jeryl turned and leaned against the armrest of the back seat and smiled at me.
"That was so much better than I imagined.  You made it wonderful for me, lover."
"Likewise, ma'am."  I leaned forward and kissed her deeply.  "Are you sure you're alright?"  I asked.
"I think so.  I'm not ready to try it again right now, if that's what you're asking, but I will be soon.  Jordan and Jyl told me it could be good with the right guy.  I'm glad I had the perfect guy to try with."
She kissed me and then pulled me against her for a long hug.  "If having you in my ass feels that good, Paul, I can't wait until I can feel you in my pussy," she whispered.  "And one day, I will."  She kissed me again and then pushed me back.
"Now, let's get some clothes back on and drive into town so someone can see us and make an appropriate report to our mothers."
I laughed and gave her one last kiss before searching on the floor for my boxers and shorts.
*****
The summer seemed to fly by.  My days were filled with farm work and getting the foundation for the new machine shed poured before taking Mom on her vacation.  Jeryl and I managed to spend some time together almost every evening now that I had my license, but we didn't get too much alone time unfortunately.
I had to get new clothes for the trip, and Jordan, Jeryl, and Janet decided they all needed to approve my purchases so I would not embarrass my mother in Europe.  I was tempted to tell them I was more than capable of picking out clothes, but then thought better of it and endured a day of shopping with them.  Some of my secret came out as soon as I pulled out my credit card the first time.
"Paul, how do you have a card with your own name on it?"  Janet asked as I handed it to the cashier.
"Um, well, you know my car, right?"
She nodded.
"And you know GM let us run some tests on it on their test track?"
Of course she knew that.  She nodded again.
"Well, that was because they wanted test data before buying a license for my patents."
She arched an eyebrow at me and I felt like I was back in her class.  "And because they are licensing your patents, you have a personal credit card?"
"Well, it's actually a company card.  Jim arranged them so I would not have to worry about writing checks and having people wonder if I was really able to cash checks for some of the things I need to buy."
She pursed her lips as the cashier handed me the card and slip for signing.  I focused on signing my name and hoped that was the end of the conversation.  I handed the slip back and put the silver American Express card back in my wallet.
"So why are you using a company card for clothes?"
"Well, Jim told me to.  He said he'd have the accountant code any personal purchases against my account and then we could take it out of my company pay instead of having to go through the hassle of getting a personal card for a minor."
"And just how much is your pay?  Can you afford shopping today?"
Jeryl was trying not to laugh.  Jordan was hiding her own smirk at her mother's ire.
"Yes, ma'am.  I can more than cover shopping today"
The eyebrow arched again, and Jeryl finally laughed out loud.
"Mom, GM bought a license from Paul.  Do you think it was for a couple hundred dollars?"  She grabbed my bags and handed them to me before grabbing my arm.  "Come on, we've got some more shopping to do.  My boy needs to look dashing while he's in Europe."
She pulled me out of the store as we left Janet and Jordan staring behind us.
By the end of the day, I was glad I had built a good-sized trunk on my car. I was the proud owner of almost a completely new wardrobe, and over a thousand dollars poorer.  I had to admit that the clothes were a better quality than I was used to, but I also knew I was never going to be excited about going shopping -- especially with the inquisitive mother of my girlfriend.
*****
Europe in August is either brilliant, miserable, or a mix of both.  Our trip was definitely a mix.  Flying first class fell into the brilliant category, as did dinner on the Seine in Paris and the small chateau in Tuscany.  The rain in London, rude French drivers and the muggy humidity of the city were on the miserable side.  Everything else was a mixture of new and mundane.  Mom loved it, so I was happy.
I kept up with my morning runs which generated some curious looks, but usually did them when few people were out and about.  The days were filled with tourist stops at famous museums and historical sites.  Mom knew most of the history and chatted with locals and guides in French.  She was pleased with herself when she was mistaken for a Parisian in Paris and complemented on her accent when they discovered she was not.  Like I said, it was a great vacation that let me relax a bit, made Mom happy, and helped me get my mind set for the hectic fall schedule of school, football and patent filing.
We got home around five on the Sunday before football practice started.  Mom was tired from the flight and the drive home.  I was excited to see how the new machine shed was coming along.  As soon as she announced she was taking a shower and then going to bed, I was heading out the door.
The shed was a typical green and white corrugated metal shed from the outside.  The north end, facing the road, had windows and a door on a small entry porch.  I unlocked the door and stepped into my new work space.  John and Ryan had done an excellent job putting in the interior walls and finishing out the space.  The front of the building was forty feet wide, and half that space had been turned into a nearly square room with a long counter under the windows and filing cabinets along the back wall.  The counter had a faucet and sink with a refrigerator in the corner.  There was a small conference table and chairs filling the remainder of the space.  The walls were a light cream color and the tight-weave carpet on the floor was a neutral tan.  It looked nice and professional, but more like a lunch or conference room than an office.
Directly opposite the entry door was another door leading into the actual garage area.  The floor of the garage was sealed with industrial epoxy that sparkled under the florescent lights.  Three car bays were set up in the area facing the sliding side doors of the shed.  They each had a low-profile hydraulic lift and were flanked by work benches.  The back wall of the shed was the working machinery area.  A lathe, drill press, planer, and metal press were lined up neatly with OSHA-approved safety lines painted around them.  I could see the small forge in the back corner, on its special ceramic insulated flooring.  Happy, I flipped the lights off and stepped back into the office area.
The second door from the open office area had a separate lock on it.  I used my key and stepped into a short hallway.  The first door on the right side of the hall was the restroom.  I glanced inside to see a large counter and sink with a small shower stall and hanging space for coveralls.  The toilet was on the other side of the shower.  A door led to the utility room with a good-sized hot water heater and a stacked washer and dryer set.  Mom had complained about the grease on my coveralls once, and this was my solution.  She would not need to worry about washing them anymore.
Past the bathroom was my new office, again with its own lock on the door.  It had the same neutral colors of the front office, but had both a drafting table and desk against the windows.  A Franklin stove was tucked into the corner on insulated tiles with a wood bin along the wall.  A low filing cabinet with wide drawers was on the wall near the door and a leather couch, chair, and ottoman with a low coffee table finished out the furnishings.  It looked nice.  I sat down in the chair and put my feet up.  A phone was on the small end table between the couch and the chair.  I picked it up and was surprised to get a dial-tone.
A minute later, I listened to the phone ringing on the other end.
"Salaway's", I heard a woman's voice answering.
"Is Jeryl home?"  I asked.
"Paul, is that you?"  I could now recognize Jyl's voice.  "When did you get home?"
"Just a little bit ago.  I thought I'd call and say hi".
"I'm glad you did.  Jeryl has been a bit much this week with you away."  I could hear Jeryl in the background demanding Jyl hand over the phone. Jyl went on as if I had called to talk to her.  "I mean, I don't think any of us could take many more dramatic sighs from her as she looked at the calendar or wondered if you were meeting some beautiful French girl.  It's been horrific for us."
I laughed and Jyl finally handed off the phone.
"She's not funny, Paul, and you should not encourage her by laughing.  I missed you."
"I missed you, too.  And I did not meet any women that could hold a candle to your beauty, so you had nothing to worry about."
"I know.  I didn't worry so much as wonder what you were doing."
"Well, guess what I'm doing right now?"
"What?"
"I'm sitting in my nice new office calling my girlfriend from a private phone.  I'm thinking about how nice it would be if you were over here and how you would like the feel of this nice leather couch against your bare ass as I kissed every inch of your naked body."
"Oh, Paul!"  Her voice dropped to a whisper.  "You can't say things like that when I have to stand here in the middle of kitchen and listen with at least one pair of big ears a few feet away trying to eavesdrop.  I wish I was there with you."
"Well, it's early.  I could bring you over to see it if you want."
"Of course I want to, but I'm almost certain Mom won't let me go out with you tonight.  She's been on my case this week about slowing things down with you again."
"Maybe Jyl or Jordan could bring you by."
"I'll ask."
Jyl came back on the line.  "So, Paul, did you learn how to kiss like a Frenchman while you were over there?"
I laughed.  "I learned that a long time ago, along with a few other things the French have been known to do."
Jyl laughed back.  "If Mom okays it, I'll bring Jeryl over and you can prove those boasts."
"You're going to ask your Mom if I can prove I know how to give head to a lady?  I'm surprised you would ask permission for that.  She might want to be the judge herself."
Jyl laughed as Jeryl came back on the phone.  "I can come over for a little while, as long as Jyl or Jordan drive me over and stay around.  I'll see you in a few minutes.  Bye."
Just that quickly, the line was dead and I sat wondering what sort of welcome home I was in for.
I didn't have long to wait.  Jordan's mustang pulled into the yard and parked in the spaces near the front of the building and all three sisters piled out.  They were through with the tour of the building in fifteen minutes and had spread out over the couch and chair in my office with me relegated to the comfortable chair at the desk.
"This is really cool," Jordan said as she stretched her legs out on the couch.  Jyl nodded and pushed her sister's feet when they tried to cross into her lap.  Jeryl sat in the over-stuffed chair and swung her legs onto the arm closest to me.  I caught a devilish look from her when she spread her legs far enough to give me a flash of white up her loose khaki shorts.
"It's quite a party pad, if you ask me," Jyl said.
I shook my head.  "No parties.  It was a condition from Mom to put up the building.  It's for work."
"Then why the couch and comfy chairs?"
"Mom found me asleep in the shed once this spring.  I was in my coveralls on the back bench seat while it was pulled out of the beast for some work.  I had stretched out for a cat nap around midnight.  She found me about three in the morning.  When we were laying this out, she insisted I have something better if I needed a nap."
Jordan looked skeptical.  "I'm sure she never thought about you using it for something else, like talking your girlfriend's sisters into playing truth or dare or something."
I laughed.  "More like them talking me into playing truth or dare."
Jeryl grinned at me.  "So, truth or dare, Paul?"
"Truth, of course.  I know you're dying to ask me something."
"What were you thinking about when you called me this evening?"
I smiled and repeated my comments about how nice she would find the leather against her naked skin.  All three girls giggled and squirmed a little.  I would have dared Jeryl to find out for real, but knew the rules.  I couldn't ask her next.  Instead, I had to be a little devious.
"Jyl, truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"I dare you to strip your sister so she can feel what that leather feels like on her naked skin."
Jeryl made a quick clapping motion and began to stand up, but Jyl instead grabbed Jordan's feet and began pulling her shoes and socks off as she stuck her tongue out at Jeryl.  "He didn't say which sister," she said with a laugh.
Jordan laughed and then lifted her hips as Jyl reached up and undid the snap on her shorts and began pulling them down her long, tanned legs.  They were as delectable as they had been over Memorial Day.  Soon, Jordan was stretching naked on the couch, writhing for my benefit.
"I must say, Jeryl, it feels marvelous."
Jyl laughed and then turned to Jeryl.  "Truth or dare, little sister?"
"Dare.  But you had better make it a nice one."  I could tell how worked up Jeryl was.
Jyl shook her head.  "I dare you to let Jordan have the full experience of Paul's tease."
"What?"
"Kiss her all over, or let him do it."
Jeryl blushed and looked over her sister before turning to me.  "Do you want to kiss Jordan?"
I wasn't sure if she wanted me to, or wanted me to make her do it.  "Whichever you want, kitten."
It seemed to be the right answer.  "We'll both do it."  She hopped out of the chair and pulled me to my feet to lead me over to the couch.  She shooed Jyl to the chair.  I let her take the lead as she pushed my face toward Jordan's.  "You start."
I kissed her full lips and then began placing light kisses on her face.  Jeryl gently kissed her shoulder and then began moving down her arm.  By the time I moved to her pointed nipples, Jeryl had pulled back far enough to strip off her own clothes.  I stroked her arms and back gently as I kissed my way down Jordan's taut stomach and then began licking her in earnest.
Jordan's orgasm was quick, but not so quick that she did not take the time to stroke her own fingers along her sister's skin and tweak her nipples.  By the time Jordan came down from her own release, I could tell Jeryl was ready to explode.  I quickly stood, picked her up, dropped her on the couch next to her sister, and dived between her legs.  She was over the top three long licks later.
"Wow," Jyl said from the chair.  Her statement seemed to commingle how impressed and frustrated she was.
Jeryl smiled.  "It does feel wonderful being naked on this couch while you do that, lover."  She pulled me up for a long kiss.  I was in no hurry to stop kissing her until I heard a 'harrumph' from behind me.  Jyl was getting impatient, it seemed.
Jeryl smiled at her only still clothed sister and then turned to Jordan.  "Jordan, truth or dare?"  Jyl moaned in frustration.
"After that, I'd feel like a cheat if I didn't say dare," she answered.
"I dare you to...." She glanced at my crotch for a moment and then looked over at Jyl.  Finally, she looked back at me.  "I dare you to help Paul break in his new chair."
"What do you mean?" Jordan asked as she sat up.  If her nipples were any indication, I knew what she wanted Jeryl to mean.
"I want you to strip him and plant his gorgeous rear in that chair, and then jump on top of him and let him do your rear.  He's had mine and Jyl's.  It's your turn before you leave for school."
If she only knew, I thought to myself.
Jordan smiled and slowly stood up and grabbed my belt.  She didn't waste any time talking as she pulled my clothes off and then guided me to the chair.
"What if I don't want to move," Jyl asked as my naked backside was pointed at her.
"Then you will be under Paul and I, and you won't get a turn anytime soon," Jordan said.  Jyl was gone by the time my ass hit the warm leather.
Jordan dropped to her knees and engulfed my cock in her mouth.  Jeryl smiled at me as I groaned.  She spread her legs and let me see her fingers working on her snatch.  With the feeling on my cock and the visual stimulation of Jeryl playing with herself, I lost it.  Without warning, I was coming in Jordan's mouth.  She sucked every drop and continued to hold me in her mouth with just enough stimulation that I did not soften.  Finally, my breathing was almost back to normal when she stood, spun around, and lowered herself onto me.
"Oh, God," I moaned as she impaled herself on me.  As soon as the head of my cock popped past the sphincter, she paused and held me just inside her ass.
"Jyl, truth or dare?"  she asked.
Jyl had moved to the far end of the couch and I noticed her hand was stuck inside her own shorts making similar motions to Jeryl's.
"Dare."  She was a little breathless.
"Get naked and get over here and lick my pussy while I do Paul."
"What?"
"You heard me.  If I get off before he does, you can finish him off and I'll make sure you have a good come.  If he gets off first, you go home frustrated."
Jeryl gave her sisters a wicked grin and nodded to me.  Jyl stood and stripped in a flash.  I was suddenly naked with all three Salaway sisters.
Jordan lowered herself on me slowly and I felt hot breath on my balls as Jyl sank between my and her sister's knees.  I felt warm saliva as she placed a long lick on her sister's dripping slit.  Then we were off to the races.
Jordan began fucking herself on my dick as Jyl tried to get her off so she could get on.  If I had not just come, I would not have lasted more than a couple of thrusts.  Instead, I settled into the nice rhythm Jordan set and looked over to watch Jeryl pleasure herself.
Our eyes locked for a moment, and then she was coming again.  Jordan must have been watching as well because I felt her back arch into me and felt her ass clamp down as her own orgasm hit.   Jyl switched her attention to my balls and suddenly I was joining them in their orgasms.
I was still breathing hard a few minutes later when Jordan finally lifted herself off my lap.  I watched her incredible ass as she sashayed out of the room and came back with some wash clothes from the bathroom a minute later.  She cleaned me up nicely and then dropped down to suck my dick in her mouth again.  The thought of her sucking her own ass off me was both disgusting and arousing.  I found myself hardening quickly.
Jyl replaced Jordan with her own mouth and then pulled a tube of lube from her purse.  "I'm not doing this big boy again with just spit for lube," she said as she squirted the clear gel into her hand and began applying it to us both.  Soon, she was spun around and lowering herself onto me.  Jeryl came over and sat on the arm of the chair to kiss me as her sister fucked herself in the ass on my dick.  I reveled in the sensations rolling through my body and kissed her deeply, trying to ignore what was happening below my waist.  I knew Jyl was in for a long ride after coming twice.  I just hoped my dick could take it.
Five or six minutes later, I felt another hot vice clenching around my dick as Jyl got her reward.  "Shit, that felt good," she managed to say as she lifted herself from my still hard dick.  Jeryl climbed into my lap as I felt another warm wash cloth clean me off.  We continued to kiss and she rubbed herself against me.  She felt good.
"Do you want me, too," she whispered in my ear.
"I always want you, kitten.  But you know that you set the pace on what we do."
She purred against me for a minute and then waved a hand behind herself.  A minute later, I was being lubed up again and a pair of gentle hands were lining me up as Jeryl scooted back and down on my cock.
With Jordan and Jyl, I had seen only their backs.  With Jeryl, she was facing me and pressing her breasts against my chest as she thrust down on me.  The amount of contact was amazing and the feel was incredible.  I reached down between us to strum her clit as she rose and fell against me.  When she leaned in to kiss me, it was awe inspiring.  Soon, we were coming together.
"My God, Jeryl, I love you," I gasped in her ear softly as I spurted inside her.
"I love you, too, Paul.  I always will.”
*****
"Taylor?"
"One-hundred, coach."
Tryouts were the same, and my answers were the same.
Jim scowled at me.  "You could have left a few out there," he said.
"I did.  I'm up to one fifty in my daily workout."
"Shit.  What about the run?"
"I'll stick it at eighteen, so you can keep up, old man."
Jim laughed.  We had not seen much of each other over the summer, and I realized that was my loss.  He was a good friend.  As we started the run, I thought of Wendy and what having real friends meant.  I realized I had been being selfish.  It was time to change that.
We finished the first day of tryouts and I asked Jim if he wanted to come and see something cool.  He said sure and followed me out to the farm in his car and into my new shop.
"Man, I knew you were doing a deal with your ideas, but nothing that would let you build this sort of place.  It's cool."  We were in the work bays with the big doors open.  "Think I could change the oil in my car out here?  It would be a lot easier than using the ramps at home."
I laughed.  "Of course, just let me know when."
We headed into the conference room and grabbed a couple of sodas from the fridge before heading into my office.
"So why did you want me to come out here?  Just to show me all this?"
"No.  I wanted to talk to you about school.  You're a junior and will be the starting quarterback on the varsity.  I'll still be on the JV squad most likely."
He snorted.  "You'll be varsity.  Nobody else has a shot at the OLB position.  You proved that last year."
I shrugged.  "Maybe, but this is your year to catch some attention.  Where do you want to go to school?"
It was his turn to shrug.  "I don't know.  I'd love to go to the U of I, but I don't know that we can afford it.  I don't think I'll be winning a football scholarship there."
"What do you want to study?"
"I'm enjoying biology and chemistry.  I think I might major in one of those."
"Pre-med?"
"No way.  I'm thinking chemical engineering, but I've heard it's a hard row to hoe."
I laughed.  "I've seen you study.  You can do it, I'm sure.  What about Lisa?"
"What about her?"
"Where is she going?  Do you want to stay with her, or is she just your high-school girl?"
"Shit, Paul, I don't think about things like that.  We haven't really discussed long-term yet."
"Do you want to?"  My tone was dead serious.
"Why?"
I paused for a minute and took a deep breath.  "Look, I don't want this thing I've got going to change how I act and who I am, but I got a butt-load of money from the car companies for my ideas.  I'm trying to figure out how I can help my friends, and how much and who I should help."
"What do you mean?"
"Say I offered you a full scholarship to any university you could get into.  Where would you go?"
"MIT" he said without thinking.  "I always wanted to go there, but never thought it was realistic."
"Okay, so suppose you had an acceptance letter in hand from MIT right now, and I handed you a check for four years of tuition, books, room, and board?  Am I a rich asshole, a friend, or a mark you can take for that kind of money?"
He started to make a glib answer and stopped himself.  "Are you serious?  You have that kind of money?"  I nodded.
"That and more, but I don't want to buy a bunch of fake friends or paint myself as a rich asshole or stand out as an easy mark.  I was thinking as we ran this morning, that if anyone else on the team knew I had that kind of money, they would think one of those three things and be hitting me up all the time.  You wouldn't.  I don't think Lisa would.  I know Jeryl and her sisters wouldn't.  Other than that, I don't know anyone that would judge me just as me."
He nodded.  "You're right.  Just people knowing you have that kind of money will change how they act.  You need to keep it quiet.  And you need to have a plan for when it does come out."
"What do you mean?"
"We live in a small town.  You can't keep a secret that big in a small town.  It will get out sooner or later.  How long did the Pickering's keep Kathy's pregnancy secret last year?"
Kathy had left school in the early spring after putting on some weight.  Within a week of her leaving, everyone knew she had a nine-month flu.  Her parents had actually moved away rather than bring her back into school this year.
"Damn.  I never thought about that.  Any ideas?"
"Well, start by saying the money is in a trust or invested or something."
"It is. Both, actually."
"Okay, that's a start.  If people know you can't put your hands on it, they won't be so likely to try and grab it.  Next, you need to buy some goodwill before and after it gets out."
"What do you mean?"
"You see rich people buying things for towns and schools all the time for tax write-offs and to get what they want.  You need to be ready for that.  Do nice things with some of the money before people know you can afford to do things like that.  Then when they come with their hands out, you can say you've already donated your limit for the year or whatever.  That way, they can't smear you for being stingy, but they won't pester you for the time being."
I nodded.  I would have to talk that one over with Jim and Mom, but I liked the idea.  I said as much to him.
"If Mom and the lawyer agree, what sort of thing do you think we should buy?"
Jim grinned.  "An indoor pool for the school."
"Wow, you don't think small."
He laughed.  "It's perfect.  You're giving back to everyone in the county and school.  Who could blame you for not 'doing more' if they see what you have done every day?"
I laughed with him.  "Shit, I just wanted to make sure money wouldn't change our friendship and here you have me giving it all away."
He sobered.  "Dude, I didn't mean to tell you to spend all the money."
I waved him off.  "Look, I trust you or I wouldn't have told you.  I made twelve million dollars this summer.  I can afford to put in a pool for the school, and still offer you a scholarship."
"You were serious about that?"
I nodded.  "As a heart attack.”
*****
I suspected the meeting with Lawyer Jim as I thought of him was going to be tough, so I broached the ideas Jim and I had kicked around with Mom first.  She smiled at me and then gave me a big hug.
"I knew I shouldn't have worried about money going to your head," she said as she wiped away a tear.  "Did I ever tell you about your dad swimming in school?  He loved to swim."
She had mentioned it, but I had not thought about it consciously.  "Then let's put his name on the pool," I said.
That got me another hug.
"But, I don't want to do just one thing.  Minonk is getting a bit run down.  I'd like to help more people out than just the school.  I want to help the fire department and ambulance service as well."
"Well, it should work well with the trust structure Jim set up to pay your cousins school from.  I would think you could move more money into that and let the trust handle disbursements, but Jim will know the best way to do it."
"Won't he be upset with me?"
Mom laughed.  "Jim has made it very clear that this is your money and your company to do with as you wish.  He may disagree with you and argue, but at the end of the day, he knows it is your money, not his.  That's why he told you to always keep fifty-one percent of the shares in your name.  He cannot really tell you not to do something, only advise you.  At least that is what he said when I tried to argue about the lease amount you paid for part of the homestead you already will inherit."
"Okay, so we need to set this up at the board meeting this week.  Do you want to talk to him beforehand?"
"Do you want me too?"
I sighed.  "No.  It's my idea and my money.  I'll talk to him first."
Mom smiled at me and patted my hand.  I wasn't sure what she was trying to say, but I hoped she was proud of me.
*****
"Paul, this just about guarantees that people in town will know you are rich with a capital R," Jim said as we sat in his office.
"But it will at least be on my terms," I countered.  "It's a small town.  Mrs. Doughtry at the bank has to have seen the checks going in and out.  It's only a matter of time until she lets something slip to someone and they start guessing."
Jim grimaced.  "I should have told your mother to set up your accounts down here."
"But that's just it.  This isn't blood money that I need to hide.  I've been paid honestly for my work.  Can't I give back without being a bad guy?"
"You can, and you should if that is what you want to do.  I just want you to make informed decisions and go in with your eyes wide open.  Do you want to set up an endowment or a trust?"
"I don't know.  I want to donate the funds to do some specific things for the town, not just hand the politicians money.  The mayor and town council are nice normal people, but they are still politicians.  I want very specific strings attached to the money."
"Like what?"
"That it can only be used for what I want it spent on.  I'm not out to fund raises for people."
"Okay, we can draw up specific endowments backed by a charitable trust.  They will essentially sign a contract stipulating the proper use of the funds.  If they spend it on something else, they have to pay it all back.  You know that running a pool has a lot more to it than just building it, right?"
I nodded.  "I thought about that, too.  I want to buy some land that the school's FFA chapter can farm with the proceeds going to the pool fund.  I think twenty or so acres should cover it, but we need to research that beforehand.  If the FFA doesn't want to farm it, we can use cash rent or something to generate cash for the fund."
"That's a good idea.  So the pool and land for operating costs will be one endowment.  What else?"
"I want to refurbish the fire station and update the fire truck and ambulance."
"Okay, that's a one-time cost."
"Agreed.  If they need more or something else down the road, I can fund it separately."
"What else?"
I took a deep breath.  The next items were tricky.  "I want to set up some scholarships for a few people."
"Scholarships?"
"Scholarships.  Five of them.  Undergraduate through advanced degrees if they desire it.  I think a million in the fund would more than cover it."
Jim whistled.  "The interest on that size fund would cover it.  It would pay for just about any school in the world."
"That's the idea.  I want to guarantee sufficient funds for five people to attend any school they get accepted by."
"When you say no strings, what about grades?"
I thought about that for a minute.  "If they are not getting at least a 2.5, the money should stop.  Even in a hard engineering program, you would have to take a lot for granted to not get a 2.5.  If they aren't serious about attending school, I guess I don't have to be serious about paying for it."
"That sounds reasonable.  When would these scholarships be issued?  When you graduate?"
"No.  Most of them will start in two years.  One would begin immediately.  Three would be in two years and one would be the year I go to school, but it's not for me."
Jim arched an eyebrow at me.  "And who would they be for, if I could be so bold as to ask?"
"Jordan Salaway will begin at Purdue in two weeks.  Jyl Salaway, Jim Morris, and Lisa Miller will be starting school in two years.  Jeryl will be the year I go to school.  I don't know where any of the four of us will be going.  If you want to throw Kelly's school into it as well, I'd be happy to pay."
Jim sighed.  "Paul, as your lawyer, I have to ask.  Are you doing this as payment to any of the girls?"
"God, no.  I'm doing it because these five people are my friends and I want to help my friends out.  I'm fine if they don't even know it's me doing it, though Jim will know because I bounced a few ideas off him."
Jim sat back and stared at me for a few minutes.  "It's about their grandmother, isn't it?"
"No.  Maybe some, but it's because I can help them and that's what friends do."
"Okay, so what happens if Jeryl and you break up again?"
"It doesn't matter.  If we break up, it will be because we were not right together for the long haul, but I think we might be.  I know her sisters are good people too, and deserve to not have a controlling grandmother dictate all their choices.  Jim and Lisa are good people as well.  So is Kelly.  If I just let all that money sit in a bank and grow, what good was inventing anything?"
"Okay, I can use the same structure we put in place for Ryan and John's tuition for these five.  Thanks for thinking of Kelly, but I put plenty of money aside to let her go where she wanted for school.  What else is on your mind?"
"I want to draw some specific skills into the region for some other ideas I have."
"What sort of ideas?"
"The kind that can make our first few patents look like the minor leagues.  I've got some ideas on better batteries and some other materials that could change not just cars but the entire transportation sector.  Planes, trains, automobiles, everything.  But I'll need help getting some of the basic research going."
"What if you endowed some research chairs at some universities?"
"How would that work?"
"A combination of what you want to do for the school and for your friends.  You essentially tell a university you will donate money to cover the cost of a small research team with a lead investigator and let them fill the post.  You can stipulate the area of research and let them handle the staffing."
"That can work for basic research, but some stuff I'm going to want to control."
"You'll need to hire those researchers through our company then."
"Can we do that without having a research center?  I don't think the farm is the right place for some of the things I'd like to look into."
"What if you let out research contracts?  You specify the research areas and any parameters and they conduct the research.  The company owns the results and any breakthroughs."
"Can we do that?"
"We can try.  It all depends on the area of research."
"I'll write things up on two areas and we can start with those.”
*****
I split the remainder of my summer time working out for football, working on the farm with Uncle Ben, or writing out research areas and proofing Jeryl's typed transcripts of my handwritten notes.  With less than two weeks until school started, it did not leave me with much free time.  Jeryl, at least, was understanding.
"Paul, why is this ceramic compound so important to you?  It seems like you want to spend a lot of money making something as strong as steel but not made from metal."
I kissed her and smiled.  "I do want it as strong as steel but not magnetic or conducting.  Then I need it to be able to be made in very thin sheets.  If it is layered with this other carbon based material, I can then make a thin-film transistor."
"Which lets you make what?  A smaller portable radio?"
"Nope, it lets me make a tube like a gun that can have a magnetic pulse generated along its length and pinched down tight enough to fuse hydrogen."
"Fusion?"
"Fusion.  But affordable and controllable."
"But aren't they already working on fusion out in California?  I read an article on it around here someplace."
I was sure there was a Scientific America on the counter talking about building a Tokomak reactor.  I also knew it would be a dead end due to politics and funding issues.  Instead of telling her that, I shrugged.  "I think I can do it cheaper and faster, but need some really new materials to pull it off.  It could take ten years to make these materials.  By the time they're ready, I will be ready with the other parts."
"You, boyfriend of mine, are scary smart."
It was my turn to smile at her.  "Smart enough to know I need your help to do it."  That earned me another kiss.
"Hey, did I tell you what happened to Jordan?"
"No, what?"
"She went to the bursar's office to pay her tuition and was told it had already been paid.  You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
The arched eyebrow made me grimace.  "Can I plead the fifth?"
"No.  What did you do?"
"Circumvented your grandmother, I hope."
"What?"
"Look, this isn't how I wanted to tell you, but I hate the idea of your having to kowtow to your grandmother.  I decided some of my good fortune was due to you and your family and decided to help out.  She'll get a packet from the trust with the specifics.  Jyl will get a little more notice on things, and you can know now.  You three just have to get accepted to a program and it will be paid for so long as you keep your grades up."
I had a very cuddly and excited girl in my arms kissing me furiously.  "I love you, I love you, I love you," she said when she finally came up for air.  "Now, take me over to the couch and screw the living daylights out of me."
I pushed her off, but held onto her.  "No.  That's not why I did this and I won't let you think that way.  I want you to know you could walk out the door right now and ask to never see me again and I would be fine with still paying your way through school.  I want you to be able to make the choices you want, not those forced on you by some sense of obligation.  If I made love to you right now, I'd be worse than your grandmother.  I can't do that to either of us."
She kissed me again, with less urgency and more genuine feeling.  "Saying that just makes me want you more, but I understand what you're saying.  I don't think I'm ready to do that yet.  But I'm also not waiting as long as my grandmother would want."
I kissed her again for a few minutes and then stood her back up on her own two feet.  "You really need to finish typing those notes up.  Kelly will be here any time to pick them up."
"And I'd hate for Kelly to catch us making out in the office while our work was unfinished," she said with a grin.  "But I do love you, Paul.  Very much."
"I love you too, Jeryl.”



Chapter Ten
Sophomore Year
*****
School was boring enough that I considered trying to skip a few years but instead focused on the other aspects of my life: friends, football, farming, and fast cars.  Okay, farming was becoming less and less of a focus, but I still felt obligated to give Uncle Ben more of a hand now that Ryan and John were away at school.  Interestingly enough the farming gave me more specific ideas on how to apply drive by wire to large machinery.  That, in turn, led me to Caterpillar, in a very roundabout way.
Since Jim would have a conflict of interest talking directly to Caterpillar, I asked him to approach John Deere first.  They were a powerhouse of farm equipment, and Uncle Ben's preferred brand, so I was very familiar with their equipment.  Rather than funding a full conversion of one of their machines to demonstrate for them, I wanted to partner with them to do the work.  Most of the limits on how long a farmer could safely use a big machine were due to physical fatigue.  I thought some of my ideas could help reduce the effort and fatigue level and thus make the machinery safer.
The engineers we met with were very interested in my approach, but immediately expressed concern over the durability of the electronic components in the harsher industrial and farm environment.  Mechanical linkages were proven to be able to stand up to the rigorous conditions of the field.  I knew that electronics could be ruggedized and shock mounted, I had just never done it myself from a design perspective.  For the car, I had made things sturdy, but no one was going to drive through a rough plowed field in it either.
After some wrangling by Jim, we entered into an agreement to jointly develop a series of prototypes for field testing.  Deere had a joint project with Caterpillar for power trains, which got them into the mix.  At that point, Jim decided he needed to find outside counsel to keep things ethical.
I was surprised one evening when Jim showed up at the farm with an attractive middle aged (to my eyes) woman and introduced her as Candace Brennan.  Jim then bowed out and went to chat with my mother as I led Candace into my office.
She was attractive, with straight blonde hair pulled back into a pony-tail.  She was wearing a nicely tailored suit with a skirt and heels that showed her curves and legs nicely.  Of course, it was not really suited to a farm or shop environment.
"Jim has briefed me on your portfolio and the current deals in the auto industry and current discussions with Deere and Caterpillar.  It seems like you are doing some exciting things for someone so young."
Her tone made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
"I don't know that age has much to do with it.  Most people have ideas but not the will to see them through to the full logical conclusion the idea leads them to.  I think the ideas are the easy part."  I motioned her to the couch as I dropped into the leather chair in my office.  "Now, Jim has found you and briefed you, so I assume you are at least on retainer."  I tried to make my tone as cold but professional as possible.
She lowered herself onto the edge of the couch but sat as erectly as if she were in a courtroom.  "Yes, privilege applies to our discussion as well as the information Jim has already provided."
"Good.  Why did Jim pick you?"
That blunt question got a reaction.  "I've worked with and against Jim in several cases over the past seven years since passing the bar and focusing on patent law.  I believe he chose me because I'm good at what I do."
"Wouldn't a contract specialist be better than another patent attorney?  I mean, we are trying to do a deal, not re-file or defend my portfolio."
"You don't have the patents yet.  You've only applied.  That means we need to protect the company from the consequences of the applications being turned down as well as contractual issues.  We also need to make certain that you are included in any derivative patents that might be filed as a result of these joint efforts.  In short, you'll be better served by a patent attorney that understands contracts than by a contract attorney who knows a little about patents."
Her tone had shifted from judgmental to defensive, but seemed to be slipping into lecture mode.  For some reason, a thirty-one-year-old lawyer lecturing me hit all my buttons.  I suddenly felt my seven decades of life in my bones.
"Who else have you worked with?"
Rather than answer, she pulled out a sheet of paper from her portfolio and handed it to me.  It was on a legal firm's letter head.  I did not see her name on the paper.
"So your firm has worked with these companies.  Have you been involved with each of them?'
"Of course.  Each of these were firms I worked closely with.  The contact names are the inside counsel I worked for."
It was an impressive list.  Lockheed in particular caught my eye.  "What area were you working on for Lockheed?"
"I can't provide details, but it had some similarities to what you have done for cars."
"So, fly by wire systems?"
"I can't say.  It involved classified projects they were working on for the government."
I suspected it related to stealth.  I recalled that they had pushed computer controlled flight software to help minimize aspect ratios on flight planning and make sure the stealth bombers always flew the correct profiles.  Instead of probing further, I shifted to another company.
"And what about Corning?"
"That was straight industrial patent filing work.  They had some new processes and materials they were protecting."
"What was unique about them?  Weight, density, thermal properties?"
"Durability and process for fabrication.  They came up with a new way of making the material that made it significantly stronger as well."
I jumped to another company, and then another.  After fifteen minutes, I had the pattern down and knew why Jim had picked Candace.  She had contacts in the areas I wanted to set up research projects.  This Caterpillar contract was an extended job interview.
That made my questions shift.
"So, can you work for a snot-nosed teenager who thinks his ideas can change the world?"
It was loaded question.
"From what Jim's told me, you are hardly a snot-nosed teenager."
"But you want to treat me like one.  Why's that?"  I consciously changed my tone and relaxed my face and body as I asked the question.  It forced her to look at me.
I saw a hint of a smile cross her face as she licked her lips before answering.  "Let's just say that I worked hard to get where I am.  When I heard what you've done, it sounds like things were handed to you without any real work on your part.  You had some ideas and sold them."  She shrugged her shoulders.
It was an answer, but was it the truth?
"So the fact that I have put in six eighteen hour days every week for the past year isn't real work?"
"I've worked fifty and sixty hour weeks for years, and I don't have what you have."
"And I just said I worked 108 hour weeks for the past year.  I'll have caught up to your professional work effort before I graduate from college and that makes me the spoiled person in the room?   I told you that ideas are easy.  The will to follow them through is what matters.  I have that will.  It doesn't make me spoiled, it means I'm focused.  Are you focused enough to work for me, is the question."
"What do you mean?"
"You still haven't answered my last question.  Can you work for me?  This contract should be simple.  But the next three after that won't be.  And any one of them could revolutionize whole industries.  I'm not content to sit still and let others set the direction we are heading.  I plan on making a difference.  And I know I'll step on some feelings and egos making that difference.  The question you need to answer is whether your ego and feelings will keep you from working with me.  Will they?"
She looked at me for thirty seconds, weighing and judging.  Finally, "This isn't just about the Caterpillar contract, is it."
I smiled, but said nothing.
She continued to look at me.  "How do you want to change the world?"
"Finally, the right question.  Currently, we are on a trajectory to consume all the available energy producing resources on our planet in the middle of the next century.  Our power consumption globally doubles every seven years.  We have to change either our consumption patterns, or our generation capabilities.  I'm looking to do both.  That is what my company is all about for the long term."
"So your current patents are on the consumption side?"
"Mostly, but I also needed to raise capital.  Alternative energy is going to take some big dollars to pursue.  It's also going to draw the ire of some very vested interests, like the oil companies and the OPEC nations.  Protecting the people working on these problems will become more important in the future."
"And if you are successful, there will be a fortune to be made."
I nodded.
For the first time since entering my office, I saw Candace take a deep breath and actually relax.  "I can work for that sort of cause and the person that wants to achieve it.  Yes, I can work for you."
"Good.  We may not always get along, Candace, but we don't have to.  I want people around me that can tell me I'm full of shit or why an idea is bad.  What I want to achieve is too important to waste time on bad ideas."
She actually smiled.  "So when did you and Jim plan out this grilling interview?"
I laughed.  "We didn't.  Jim told me you were just outside counsel for this contract.  I took a look at your references and realized you had the contacts in almost every area I want to start researching.  I think Jim was just trying to be tricky to see how we worked together."
"Well, maybe we should just let his plan play out for the short-term.  I like some of the people at my firm, but know that I'll never make partner as a woman focused on patent work.  Let's get this contract with Caterpillar out of the way, and then we can talk about the next steps."
"Agreed."  I stood up and shook her hand.  It seemed like we had a new lawyer on our side.  I couldn't decide if that was ominous or a good thing.
*****
Jeryl and Candace met the next week.  I was a little worried that Jeryl would be jealous again, but nothing came of it.  Instead, they chatted amicably and then Jeryl started showing her the filing system she and Jim had set up.
It seemed that Jeryl and I spent more evenings together, but it was in the office or conference room rather than on dates.  We had shown each other much affection on the leather furniture, but that was starting to feel more like stress relief than making love.  After the third home football game, and a stack of notes with contract and patent questions, I decided that had to change.
"Kitten," I said as we got in the car for me to take her home. "We need to change some things."
Jeryl tensed and I rushed ahead.  "Nothing bad.  It's just that we are both consumed by school and work right now.  I don't feel that we're spending enough time just having fun."
Jeryl relaxed and grabbed my hand.  "Don't scare me like that.  I know what you mean, but I really enjoy helping you out with your work.  I think about the things you are doing and the business you're trying to launch, and then I think about the drama in school over who is dating whom and it makes me think how juvenile everyone is.  I'd rather be helping you."
"I love that you feel that way, but we need to have some fun too.  What can we do tomorrow night that will feel juvenile and fun?"
"Let's see if Jim and Lisa want to go bowling," she suggested.
"Bowling?"
"Bowling.  We can go hangout and throw the big balls down the lane and just relax."
"Okay.  I'll call Jim in the morning and see what we can do."
"And before that, I want you to go car shopping with me."
"You're buying a car?"
"No, we're looking at cars to figure out your next project, silly.  I've been typing your notes, remember.  You need something a lot faster to test out some of those ideas on.  I'm thinking a used stock car you can rebuild.  I saw a couple of ads in the paper this week, but we'll need to drive a bit to check things out."
"Wow, you amaze me."
I pulled into her yard and leaned over to kiss her.
That's how my girlfriend got me into fast cars.
*****
"My dad wants to know what's going on with you," Lisa said midway through the season as we sat at the lunch table.
"What do you mean?"
"Your play is kind of bland this year.  Last year, as a freshman, you made things happen on the field.  This year, you are solid, but not showing that spark that fired people up."
Jim nodded in agreement.  "You could be the anchor of the defense if you had the same fire you did last year."
I had to admit to myself that they were right.  It felt like I did not have to prove anything this year.  "My stats are solid.  We've actually given up fewer yards this year than last year."
"Yeah, but that's because the schedule is easier this year compared to the start last year.  We've got some much better schools lined up for the next six weeks.  They saw you play last year as a freshman.  They are going to be keying on you this year, especially since you're the only sophomore on the varsity squad.  If you don't find some of your drive, you're going to get hurt out there, or hurt the team.  I don't want either to happen."
That made me think.  I didn't say anything else during lunch, but decided to find the coach after practice.  Coach Johnson waved me into the shared office after I showered.  Coach Miller was there as well.
"So what's the matter, Taylor?"  Coach J asked.
"I don't know, coach.  Jim talked to me at lunch and said my play intensity was down.  Once he said it, I could see what he was saying.  I don't know why, but it's like I don't have to prove anything to anyone this year.  I'm sorry if I'm letting the team down."
Coach J glanced at Coach Miller and then got up and closed the door to the hallway.  "You are letting the team down.  Do you think you can buy your way onto our team?"
"What?"  I was unsure what he meant.
"Come on Taylor.  You think the coaches don't know who is funding the new pool for the school.  Did you think just because we were the recipient of a generous donation that we wouldn't wonder where it came from?  We saw the news about you in the car shows over the summer.  We've heard rumors about some deals you made with several car companies.  We notice the sudden upgrade to your wardrobe over the summer.    We may be coaches, but we all went to good schools and can put two and two together."
I was dumbfounded.  I had no idea people knew, let alone the coaching staff.
"We put you on the varsity because of your skills and ability, but you're playing like you bought a position.  If your teammates think that, you will get hurt, and will only have yourself to blame."
"What can I do?  Do you want me to quit?"
“Hell, no!” Coach Miller bellowed.  "We want you to prove to everyone that you deserve to be on the field, just like you proved to us last year and during tryouts.  We want you to focus on the other team and make plays.  Put that genius brain of yours to work on some practical, short-term problems every game.  Help lead the team like you did as a freshman.  Stop feeling sorry for yourself and decide to be an impact player.  Get out of your own friggin' head."
He was red in the face as he wound down finally.  I had never seen him like that before.  It was both scary and a little funny.  I looked over at Coach J who was grinning and shaking his head.
"Coach Miller is right.  You've been playing like a zombie, like only part of your attention is on the game.  You've had good, safe play, but that isn't going to be enough going forward.  If your attitude and focus don't change, I'll have to pull you.  I hope you don't make me do that, but it is your decision."
I was stunned.  I mumbled something to the coaches and thanked them for their time.  By the time I made it to my car, my ego kicked in and began stoking a fire inside me.  How could they even think of pulling me?  Had I slacked off that much?
The next couple of days were foggy.  I worked hard in practice, but I knew our own playbook too well.  I was going through the motions helping our team get better.  Friday night before the game, I sat quietly in the locker room.
"What's up?" Jim asked.
I snapped out of my thoughts and forced a smile.  "Just trying to get focused for the game."  I had spent the afternoon looking at some film of our opponent, Flanagan.  We did not have much equipment for film study and usually watched our opponent's last game film on Mondays to get focused for the week.  Today I had just keyed on their offense.
Jim smiled.  "Get focused, but have some fun too.  Last year, you enjoyed the contact.  Don't forget that."  He slapped my shoulder pad and moved onto another player.  I watched him for a minute and decided he was becoming the leader of the team, even though he was still a junior.  He was my friend even though I had let him down some this season.  I decided it was time to rectify this situation.
I don't know if Flanagan had watched film of us from last week or not, but it did not matter after their first snap of the game.  I always had a blitz option on the first snap if I saw an opportunity.  This time, I decided to force the opportunity.  They had lined up for an option play where I would leave a man uncovered for a second.  But, I had noticed the QB never hit my side on the first look.  As soon as the ball was snapped, I was moving up field.  The tight-end gave me a small shove, but was more worried about moving downfield for his route.  I spun once and then had a straight line for the QB.  I sprinted in, dropped low and wrapped him up for a six yard loss and my first sack of the game.
My teammates went wild.  Even I could feel the change in energy in our defensive huddle.  Randy Johnson, the defensive captain called the next defensive play and we spread back out quickly.  The ball was snapped, and I immediately recognized the sweep coming my way.  Their tackle had eyes for me, but I was not going to let him put me down for payback.  I faked him left and dodged right to wrap up the running back at the line of scrimmage.
The next play went the other direction with me chasing the QB as he threw the ball away.  Just like that, special teams was coming on the field to take their punt.
"Good job, Taylor," Coach J yelled.  "Glad to see the intensity back."  I nodded my head and then took a spot close to the sideline to see what developed.
*****
"Oh, shit, Paul.  I can't take any more."  I smiled to myself and lifted my tongue from Jeryl's pussy.  She pulled me up and kissed me passionately.  "That was something else.  I either had three intense orgasms or one incredibly long one with three peaks.  You are amazing."
"I'm glad you liked it.  I missed you this week."  It was harvest time and between school, football, and field work we had not seen each other, only talked on the phone.  She had even missed my football game the night before due to a volleyball game.  It was a surprise to both of us that we hadn't had any time together since the previous Sunday.
Jeryl stroked my cock and snuggled up to me in the back seat of the car.  We had had dinner with her folks and then saw a movie.  We were parked in a secluded drive a few miles from our houses.  The chill autumn air encouraged cuddling.
"What can I do for you this evening after such a wonderful gift?" she asked as she kissed my neck.
"Whatever you want, kitten.  I'm happy being with you, whatever we do."
She continued to stroke me gently.  "Can we try something new?"  she asked.
"Like what?"
"Something I heard at school.  Kay said it happened to someone else, but I think it happened to her with Bill Stillman."
"What?"
"Well, I don't want you to think I'm a nasty slut or anything, but when Kay told me about it, it kind of turned me on, at least the thought of doing it with you did."
Now I was definitely curious.  "What is it?"
"Kay said this other girl wanted to try sucking a boy off, but made him promise not to come in her mouth.  He agreed, but they never really said what he should do when he came.  He evidently pulled out at the last second and came all over her face.  She said it was gross and stung her eyes, and she ended up getting a taste anyway, but when she told me about it, I got really turned on.  Do you think you could do that for me?"
"If you want me to, but I don't think we can do it in the back seat."
"Yes we can.  I've been thinking about it.  Let me lay down, and you straddle me with your knees right under my armpits."  She maneuvered us around and was soon looking up at me and still stroking my cock with her hand.  Occasionally, she would suck my head into her mouth and give herself some lubrication to work with.
"Are you getting excited about painting my face with your cum," she asked with a wicked smile.
"Yes," I gasped as she tightened her grip on me.
She lifted her head and sucked me in deeper and then resumed her stroking.  "Do you have a big load for me?"  Her other hand came up beneath me and gently squeezed my balls.
"Uh-huh," I agreed.
"Good."  Her tongue traced a long stroke along the underside of my cock; then she popped my head into her mouth and sucked as her stroking continued.  I was getting close and Jeryl knew it.  She kept me in her mouth as her fingers pressed firmly behind my balls and then popped my cock out as I started to cum.
She closed her eyes as the first spurt erupted and landed on her cheek and forehead.  The next she guided to the other cheek.  Then she let me guide the remaining spurts and just laid there with a smile on her cum covered lips.  Once I was finished, she licked the spend from her lips and began collecting it with her fingers.
"That was amazing.  I may be a pervert, but that really turned me on," she said when she finally opened her eyes.
I handed her a small towel from the storage area under the seat and smiled.  "It was amazing.  If you need me to do that again, I'll be happy to oblige."
"It is a little messy, but there is something naughty about it that really gets me going."
"Is that a hint that you need a little more relief?"
Jeryl pulled me down on top of her and just held me.  "No, I want to just think about how good you've made me feel tonight and let a little more anticipation build.  I hated not seeing you this week, but tonight was better because of it.  I don't want us to take each other for granted, now or ever.  Making me wait for you is a good thing, I think."
"Well, you know I'm willing to wait for you."
"I'm glad.  I'm also glad you didn't let me make a mistake when you told me about the scholarships.  I would have fucked you silly, but it will be much better now when we do."
"I want it to be special for you, and when you are ready."
"Which I love you for."  She kissed me again and then we got cleaned up and I drove her home. We were sitting in her driveway before we really spoke again.
"Paul, I do want to make love to you something fierce, and I'm not waiting until we get married, regardless of what my grandmother or mother threaten.  You know that, don't you?"
"Jeryl, I love you.  I want to make love to you, but I also want to protect you.  That includes protecting you from yourself and from me.  When it is right for us, we will make love in the traditional sense, but if you think for a minute what we did tonight was not making love, you're being silly.   We pleasured each other with our bodies and got pleasure from giving pleasure.  If that isn't making love, I don't know what is."
Jeryl lunged across the gap between our seats and kissed me.
"You're absolutely right," she finally said.  "We make love every time we touch.  I need to remember that instead of worrying about a meaningless hymen.  I love you Paul."
"I love you too, Kitten.”
*****
Football season ended at the same place as the prior year.  We lost in the regional tournament.  Jim and I both played well, but at the end of the game, we had been out muscled and unable to stop our opponent.  It was disappointing, but in another sense, it was a relief the season was over.  I seemed to have so many demands on my time.
I was racking up miles on my car driving to Peoria every other Monday afternoon now meeting with engineers there.  Candace had wrapped up our contract with Caterpillar nicely and if the prototype panned out, we would have another two-million-dollar licensing deal.  John Deere was in a similar situation, testing a fully ruggedized version of my drive by wire system.  I knew that as long as the shock-mounted connections held up, it too would be successful.
On Wednesday's, I now had a standing dinner meeting with Jim and Candace to cover our research contracts and university endowments.  Reviewing proposals and university level curriculum vitae was different, but fortunately Candace seemed to have a knack for knowing where we needed to look to get to the right people.  We had just finished our last meeting before we took a break for the holidays when I broached the subject about Candace joining us full time.
"So, how soon can you wrap up things at your firm and work for us full time," I asked as we put away the last file of the night.
"I don't know that there is enough full-time work for me yet."  She countered.
"Baloney.  Your firm bills you out to us at $300 an hour.  I'll give you a starting salary of $120,000 and we break even in four hundred billable hours.  You, on the other hand, can work a regular 40-hour week instead of 60, make as much as you are now in take-home, and get some dividend paying stocks granted on a vesting schedule."
"How much stock?"
I glanced at Jim.  I had not told him all my plans yet.  Whatever I gave Candace I would match with him, plus the fifty shares he already had.  "A hundred shares, vesting over seven years."
"What's a share worth?"
"About ten grand a share, but we pay dividends too."
"What?"
"We've had fourteen million in revenue this year.  Four million is earmarked for projects already, so even if they don't produce a return, we have a thousand private shares worth ten million dollars.  It's just math."  I shrugged.  "When the John Deere deal closes, we'll see the stock value tick up two thousand a share.  The board might just vote to give it out as a dividend.  You should get in on the ground floor, Candace."
"I had no idea.  I mean, I knew the size of the Caterpillar deal, but this is much bigger."
"And that doesn't count any future licensing fees," Jim added.  "I just heard that next year's model of Cadillac will have Paul's drive by wire system installed.  Every car that rolls off their line will be an additional five dollars to the company."
"Wow."  Candace sat back in her chair.  "When we talked in the fall, I thought this was a much longer term plan.  Why a seven-year vesting?"
"A year after I finish college, if I take my time.  You'll still receive dividends during the vesting period.  There are a few other caveats like right of first refusal if you decide to sell your shares, but it's pretty straightforward, really."
"And what will I be doing for my forty hours a week?"
"Overseeing these research contracts, checking up on the public research proposals tied to the endowments, and making some acquisitions with Jim on a case by case basis."
"Wow, again.  I'm almost never at a loss for words and you two have stymied me."
Jim held up is hands.  "Don't blame me.  This is all on Paul."
Candace looked at me and I just smiled.
"Okay, I'll give my notice for the first of the year."
"Welcome aboard," I said as I extended my hand to shake on the deal.
A little bit later, it was just Jim and I and I told him a little more of my plan.  "I'm matching Candace's offer for you and giving you 150 shares, Jim.  You can still handle the jobs you're on retainer for, but I think I'm going to have plenty to keep you and Kelly and Candace busy this coming year."
"Like what?"
"People and patents," I said.  "I want the company to start some targeted hiring and/or acquisitions."
"For what?"
"The future."  I had told Jim about my concerns for the generation and use of energy.  He knew I was serious about it.  "By the time I'm finished with high school, I want to have at least triple the patent portfolio I have now.  I'm not going to have enough ideas or time to file those myself, so I want to find like-minded inventors and hire them or buy them out.  I can identify the broad area we want to engage in, and you'll have to dig for the nuggets in the sand, so to speak."
"We could end up losing a lot of money with that approach," he cautioned.
"And we can strike it rich once or twice as well.”
*****
The news of who was endowing the pool came out right before the Winter Dance.  Mom refused to comment, and most adults were too polite to ask her direct questions, but kids had no such filters.  I finally got my lines down pat on the second day of the story getting out.  Pretty much every question or comment could be answered with a shrug and words along the lines of "I had some good fortune and wanted to give back to the community."  Lisa and Jim seemed to step in a lot if anyone got obnoxious.  It was funny to see some of the girls suddenly want to be my friend.  Luckily almost everyone knew I was dating a cute brunette from another school.
The Salaway household hearing the news was another matter entirely.  Jeryl's Mom was not shy about sitting me down in her kitchen the first day after she heard the story.  Jeryl stood behind me which was both a nice gesture, and a good feeling.  Every time she saw my shoulders tighten, she would rub them gently.
"So this is why you had your own credit card, isn't it?"  Janet Salaway asked after I admitted the pool endowment.
"Yes, ma'am."
"How much?"
"Mother, that's a bit rude," Jeryl said over my head.
"Enough," I replied.  Jeryl's fingers dug into my shoulders and I forced them to relax.  "My company made a little over fifteen million last year, ma'am."
Janet's eyes got wide.  She then had the grace to blush.  "I'm sorry, Paul.  Jeryl was right, I should not have asked.  Of course, that much money changes people."
I nodded.  I could hardly argue with the truth.
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you two dating still."
"What?" Jeryl asked.  It was my turn to reach up and pat her hand.
"I haven't changed that much because of the money.  How has me earning some money changed you, ma'am?"  I countered.
"What do you mean?"
"You said that much money changes people, and I agreed.  You then said you weren't sure you were comfortable with me still dating Jeryl.  My feelings for Jeryl were established well before I saw a dollar from my inventions, as were hers.  The only person left who could be changed is you.  So, how has my windfall changed you?"
I had never seen Janet Salaway flustered.  Now she was.  "I never...."
Jeryl jumped into the breach.  "Mom, last year I let you and dad dictate my relationship with Paul.  I'm not going to let you damage it again.  We love each other."  Her mother paled at the words, but Jeryl continued on.  "We may not always love each other, but we are both pretty sure we will.  We aren't going to do anything rash or stupid just because Paul is a business genius.  But we also aren't going to let his money come between us."
"That's right, Mrs. Salaway.  Most of the money is tied up in a trust behind the company.  I get paid a modest salary, above minimum wage, but nothing extravagant.  Right now I could afford some nice things or a long vacation, but that's about it.  I've willingly restricted access to my money, because I know being a teenager with that kind of temptation is not a good idea."
Janet sighed and I knew we had won.
"Okay, but if I see any signs that you two are changing from the honest, well-mannered children our families have raised, I will forbid you from seeing each other.  I'm sure your mother will agree with me on that, Paul."
"She already has.  We had this same conversation the Fourth of July weekend, when the first check came in.  This money is something I have, not who I am.  That's why I want to make sure I use it wisely.”
*****
Winter break was going to be depressing.  The Salaway's had their bi-annual ski vacation in Colorado, and while Jeryl tried to get me invited, her mother's answer was always a firm no.  I couldn't really disagree with her much.  Neither of the other girls had ever been allowed to take along a friend, let alone a boyfriend.
"You could just shadow us out there," Jeryl said the Sunday before Christmas.  "It's not my fault if you just happen to be skiing the same place we are."
I laughed.  "I'd like to try and stay on your mother's good side.  This is your family vacation.  I'll miss you and think of you, but I think me showing up would be one of those signs she said she would be watching for.  Just because I can, doesn't mean I should."
Jeryl pouted for a minute but then nodded and gave me a quick kiss.  "You're right."  We were sitting in Jeryl's basement with the television on.  Jordan and Jyl were being nice enough to give us some space to say goodbye.  I probably would not see Jeryl again until they got back after New Year's.
"What are you going to do without me?"  She asked.
"Well, I thought I'd go see if the skiing in Europe was any good.  I've heard a lot about those European ski bunnies and their loose morals."
She hit my shoulder and made a fake pouting face.  "Don't be mean.  Really, what are your plans?"
"Jim wants Mom and me to go down to New Mexico with Kelly and him.  They have a place in Taos, so I might get some skiing in."
"Don't you spend enough time with them?"
"I think it's more about Mom being around Jim on Christmas or New Year's"
"Why?"
"I've got a feeling he's going to ask her to marry him."
Jeryl squealed.  "Really?"
I nodded.  "I might be wrong, but I think he wants her to meet some of his family over the holidays.  Why else would he do that?"
"What will she say?"
"I hope she says yes.  She deserves to have someone be a part of her life."
"If they do, will you move down to Bloomington?"
I hadn't even thought of that.  "I don't know.  I hope not."
"That would totally suck."  She swatted my arm.  "Why did you have to tell me?  Now that's all I'll think about while we're apart."
I pulled her into my arms and kissed her.  "I'm not going to move away.  Mom's job is up here.  Jim's job is up here.  Kelly is grown up enough to be on her own.  I'm sure they'll discuss it and come to the same conclusion.  It will be alright."
Jeryl kissed me back and then whispered in my ear.  "I won't be able to stand it if you're wrong.”
*****
New Mexico in the winter was wonderful.  They didn't have much snow yet, but it was still spectacular scenery.  Jim's cabin was 'only' about three thousand square feet just off one of the runs.  It had lovely views from the deck, the patio and its sky high windows in the great room with a lovely stone fireplace.  Kelly guided Mom and me to two of the guest rooms.  She staked out the room down the hall from mine and then showed me the Hollywood bathroom connecting the two rooms. She promised not to lock me out so long as I did the same.
I laughed and then headed out to the kitchen to grab some water.  I knew the importance of hydrating to avoid altitude sickness.  Jim was doing the same.
"Paul, I'm glad I caught you while the ladies freshen up.  Thank you for coming with Kelly and me."
"Believe me, Jim, it's our pleasure.  I think the last six months have been more draining on me than the previous year."
He laughed.  "That, young man, is only the start.  If you keep going at the rate you are, you're going to burn out.  That's one of the reasons I wanted you to get away over the holidays."
"One of the reasons.  Would my mother be another?"
His blush told me I was not wrong.  "You are too smart for your age.  Yes.  As the man in your mother's life right now, I'd like to ask your permission to ask her to marry me."
I grinned and grabbed him in a big hug.  "Of course, you have it," I said as felt tears in my eyes.  "I know she loved my dad, but it's been a long time."
There were tears in Jim's eyes as well.  "Just as I loved my wife, but as you've said, it's been a long time."
We both drank some water and let the silence settle for a minute.  "So, when are you popping the question?  Before or after we get to meet some more of your family?"
Jim smiled and shook his head.  "You are definitely too smart.  If I wasn't so fond of your mother, your nosey questions might put me off."
"Hey, I just want to know how long I have to keep a secret, and from whom I have to keep it."
He chuckled.  "Well, I was thinking of proposing on Christmas Eve.  Kelly and I have a little tradition when we come out here to open a single gift the night before Christmas.  It's usually something special that we get for each other.  This year, I thought we'd include you two and I would give your mother a ring.  My sister and her brood will arrive that day, so you'll meet them, but not have to hold a secret more than the night."
"That's a full day away.  I hope I don't let anything slip," I joked.  "Does Kelly know?"
Jim shook his head.  "Kelly couldn't keep a secret like that.  She likes you and your mother too much to hide something this big.  I decided she could be surprised too.  You know she loves you both just like I do."
Tears were back in my eyes again.
"Thanks, Jim.  We love you two, too."  I wiped my eyes and grabbed another glass of water before the ladies made an appearance.
Kelly showed up first and joined the water circle.  She was curiously quiet, but seemed happy.  After a minute, she gave her dad a hug and then grabbed my hand.  "Let me show you around outside before it gets dark," she said.
We headed down the stairs and out to the patio.  It was nicely appointed with an outdoor fireplace and a hot tub along with several chairs.  It faced south west and we could still see the sun sinking just above the far ridge line.
"This has always been a special place for Dad and me since I was a little girl," she said as we stood near the railing separating the patio from the ski slope.  "I can't remember dad ever bringing anyone except family here."
"I hope we're not intruding," I said.
Kelly smiled and gave me an unexpected hug.  "No, that's not what I meant.  I mean it feels right that you and your Mom are here.  I know we got off to a little bit of a rocky start last spring, but I've come to think of you as almost a little brother."
I snorted.  I was bigger than Kelly, but knew what she meant.  "Thanks.  I like to think of you as a big sister, if you don't mind."
"I'm glad.  Now, with that in mind, I need to warn you about some of the cousins."
"Your dad mentioned his sister's 'brood'."  I made air quotes around the last word.
Kelly laughed.  "Aunt Cecilia has three daughters.  Dad thinks they are more than a little spoiled.  I used to be jealous of all the stuff they had, but as I've gotten older and wiser, I have to agree with him.  Chelsea, the oldest is nineteen.  She just started school at UCLA.  If you think shallow valley-girl, you won't be far from the mark.  Aunt Cecilia might have been born in the Midwest, but she headed to the left coast for school and never looked back.  Her husband was a plastic surgeon.  A very successful one from what I understand.  They got divorced two years ago, but I guess Aunt Cecilia did very well in alimony and child support.  Their lifestyle hasn't changed a bit.
"Robyn-with-a-y is the middle child, and plays the misunderstood middle child to a 'T', at least when her Mom is around.  Away from her and Chelsea, she can actually be nice, but I never know if it's an act or the real her coming out.  She's a junior, so a year older than you.  Last year when we saw them, she was just really getting into boys.  I won't be surprised if she tries to hook-up with you.  She's cute, so try not to give me anything to report back to Jeryl about."
"As if I would."
"Amber is the baby of the family.  She just started high-school, so about a year younger than you.  I have no idea what she is into now.  Last year, when we saw them, she was into horses, but I don't know if that was a phase or serious.  I guess we'll find out tomorrow."
"They're going to be next door, right?"
"Yeah.  Aunt Cecilia made her husband buy the place next door the second year dad invited her out here.  She got the cabin in the divorce, obviously."
"You don't sound like you like them much."
Kelly shrugged.  "I was always the oldest when we got together and got stuck with a lot of shit I had to put up with because of them.  I always got stuck babysitting them out here, or shepherding them to and from ski-school or that kind of stuff.  They could be total brats, who batted their eyes at their mother and got away with murder.  It pissed me off."
I chuckled.  "And I used to think being an only child sucked.  I guess there are two sides to every coin."
"Yeah, so I just wanted to give you a heads up about them.  Maybe they'll surprise us all, but I'd rather it be a pleasant surprise rather than the other kind."
"Thanks."  I gestured to the slopes.  "Is the skiing any good this early in the season?"
"It's not bad.  Do you ski?  I never even asked.  I'm sorry."
"I do a little.  I'd like to get out and do a few runs on a real mountain instead of the little hills in Wisconsin."
"We can run down to the resort tomorrow and get you some skis and boots.  Aunt Cecilia and the girls won't be here until after lunch."
"Maybe we should get lift tickets and miss out on their arrival," I suggested.  "That way we can let any early drama play out without us."
Kelly grinned.  "I knew you were smart, but that's brilliant.  Let's do it.”
*****
Kelly and I had a blast skiing the day before Christmas.  I was happy to be out on the slopes and not have to worry about spilling any beans to Mom.  Kelly was happy to avoid the arrival of her cousins.  I hoped Jim and Mom were happy to have a little time together.  By the time we stopped back at the cabin at the end of the day, we were more than ready to see what drama we had missed.
I carried Kelly's skis as she brought our poles into the ski locker of the cabin.  "Kelly!" a female chorus screamed as we put our gear away.  I turned in time to see two strawberry blondes with freckles run up to Kelly and give her hugs.  An older, light brown haired beauty hung back.  None of the girls looked like they had two heads, which I worried about after Kelly's description.  I was about to say something when they all seemed to notice me.  I swear they went from a hundred decibels to church quiet between words.
"And you must be Paul," the eldest said from the doorway.  Her sisters broke their hug and turned to me.
"And you all must be Kelly's cousins, Chelsea, Robyn, and Amber.  Kelly didn't tell me how cute you all were."
Two blushes and a frown were my reward for a compliment.  "And your Mom didn't mention you were a hunk," Robyn with the frown responded.
"I don't know about that, but it's a pleasure to meet you all."  I smiled at them and then turned to finish putting our gear away and sat down to unbuckle my boots.  "I swear one of the best feelings about skiing is taking these things off," I said with a sigh as I pulled first one, then the other boot off.
Kelly sat beside me and agreed.  "I'm glad we turned the hot-tub on last night.  I think I need a little soak.  I haven't worked that hard, physically, in quite a while.  You're a good skier, Paul."
"Thanks.  The hot-tub sounds good.  Do we have time before dinner or whatever your dad has planned?"
"Dinner is in our cabin at seven," Chelsea informed us.  "We all have plenty of time to take a soak.  Amber, Robyn, let's run next door and get our suits.  I could use a good soak after the flight and drive up here."  She turned without another word and left us.  Kelly rolled her eyes and then shooed the other two along.
"They're either going to race us to be in the tub first and see you come out, or give us plenty of time to get in so they can make an entrance.  I bet they race us."
I laughed at her.  "What's the bet?"
Kelly gave me a look and then smiled.  "How about I don't tell your girlfriend about the three young women about to throw themselves at you."
"And if I win?"
"You get to not tell your girlfriend about the three young women about to throw themselves at you."
I laughed and headed to my room to change.
I've never figured out why it takes women so long to strip and put on a bathing suit, but I really didn't worry about it much.  I was back down on the patio with the cover off the hot tub and soaking nicely for at least five minutes before Kelly joined me.  She had on a blue one-piece that showed her lithe figure very nicely.
"Damn, Kelly, you're making it hard for me to think of you as an older sister in that suit," I said after giving her a low whistle of appreciation.  She tried to give me a mean look, but then just laughed and slipped into the water across from me.   She had just settled in when we heard Amber shriek from the slope and run from next door, barefoot in the snow.
She jumped straight into the hot-tub with us, but not before showing off her yellow bikini.  She had a nice, athletic body, with soft curves still fleshing out as she changed from a girl to a woman.  We heard her sister's laughing behind her.  They were sensible enough to have on loose boots and were wearing thick robes to keep the cold away.
"You silly girl," Robyn chided.  "If Mom saw you do that, she won't let you come over here again."
Amber stuck her tongue out at her sister as they dropped their stuff on a nearby chair.  Chelsea deftly pretended to fuss with something in her bag as she cleared the stage for Robyn to unveil herself.  I could not help but think she was orchestrating everything somehow.
I wasn't shy about watching the show they were putting on.  Robyn turned away from me and slipped off the robe, seeming to make a point of bending over to display her fine looking ass framed in a green bikini.  It went well with her pale skin and light dusting of freckles.  As she turned back around, I admired her well-endowed chest and then forced my eyes to hers.  She gave me a little smile and then stepped slowly down into the hot tub.
Chelsea moved as soon as her sister was seated.  She wasn't shy either.  She looked me right in the eye as she undid her robe and let it fall from her shoulders.  Her breasts were barely encased in a white strapless bikini top.  She flipped open the robe and dropped it on the chair behind her to highlight her legs and the band of white that almost covered her crotch.  She smiled at me as she got in the hot tub.
I had an uncomfortable tightness in my own suit, and was glad for the bubbles of the hot-tub.  Chelsea seemed to know what I was feeling and gave me a smile.  "So, Paul, tell us about you.  Your Mom said you were just a typical sophomore in high school.  What's that mean?"
I shrugged.  It seemed to be my go-to gesture lately.  "I don't know.  I think I'm pretty normal."
Kelly snorted.  "Like hell you are."  She then went on to tell her cousins.  "Paul is the only sophomore on the varsity football team.  He has straight A's and is in three honors classes in addition to building his own car and starting his own business and helping his uncle out with the family farm.  Oh, he also dates the head cheerleader from a neighboring school.  I don't think any of that is typical."
Jeryl was the captain of the JV squad, not the head cheerleader, but I didn't correct her.  Robyn and Amber looked suitably impressed.  Chelsea kept a facade of indifference on her face.
"What kind of business?  Selling lemonade," She asked.
I waved off Kelly's retort.  "No, we're in the Midwest, I had a vegetable stand.  Oh, and I sold some things to GM.  That's how I met your uncle and Kelly."  I had planned on keeping things low key, but she seemed able to push my buttons without trying.
"GM, like General Motors," Robyn asked.  I nodded.  "What sort of things?"
"Just some ideas.  Nothing much," I replied.
Kelly snorted again.  "Nothing much, but if your Mom gets a new Cadillac this year, Paul's invention will be included in it."
That got a reaction from Chelsea.  It was only a nostril flare and a licking of her lips, but I was suddenly more nervous.  I decided to make sure I wasn't left alone with her.  I had a bad feeling about things.
"Well, that must be nice for you."  She then launched into a vapid discussion with Kelly about her first year of school.  I half listened and turned my attention to Robyn and Amber.
"How about you guys?  What do you do at school or for fun?"
They traded a look and then smiled.  Robyn decided to answer for them.  "I play volleyball and run track.  Amber is into horses.  She just started riding in competition."
"Wow, that's cool.  I run track in the spring.  What races do you run?"
Robyn blushed.  "I do the hundred, two hundred, and the quarter- and half-mile relays.  They only let us compete in four events.  How about you?"
"Quarter, eight-eighty, and mile and the mile relay.  Did you bring any running gear?  I plan on going in the mornings if the weather cooperates."
"How far?"
"I haven't run at altitude before, so probably I'll just do a couple of miles and get the rest of my leg workout on the slopes."
Robyn shook her head.  "I didn't bring running sweats or my good shoes with me.  You need to be careful out here; the altitude can sneak up on you."
"I know.  I've been trying to super-hydrate since we got here.  How about you, Amber.  Do you do any school sports?"
"No.  Like Robyn said, I just started riding in competitions so that takes a lot of time in the barn and training ring.  I used to do gymnastics, but I got too tall a couple of years ago and my balance was all messed up.  Mom wanted me to keep with it until the coach told her my body type was going to work against me being competitive."
I smiled. "I wouldn't worry about your body type.  It looked just fine to me."
Kelly gave me an elbow to the ribs.  "Stop hitting on my little cousin, or I'll tell Jeryl."
"Who's that?" Amber asked.
"His girlfriend.  She's a cheerleader, plays volleyball and softball and is a really nice girl."
I nodded in agreement.
"Where is she?  Why didn't you bring her if she's so great?" Amber asked.
"Her family goes skiing in Colorado over the break.  It's a family thing she wouldn't want to miss, kind of like you guys all coming out here."
"Sounds boring," Chelsea opined.  "Of course, I thought this would be a typical boring trip too, until we met you, Paul."
Her words sent a shiver down my spine despite the temperature of the hot tub.
*****
I met Cecilia at dinner.  Her daughters were cut from the same mold and the family resemblance was obvious.  She was attractive, but much less self-absorbed than her daughters.  We had pleasant conversation over dinner, and then Jim, Mom, Kelly and I went back to his cabin.
Jim and Mom had set up a tree while Kelly and I skied.  The adults opened a bottle of wine while I stuck to water and we sat in front of the fire and watched the moonlight on the snow outside the windows.  It was the perfect end to the day.
"Kelly and I have a little tradition when we are here for Christmas.  We like to give each other a gift on Christmas Eve instead of waiting for everyone in the morning."  Jim pulled a small box from under the tree and held it in his hand.  "This year, I'd like to give you something Beth, as well as Kelly."  He handed Mom the small box.
She looked at it and beamed at him.  As she unwrapped the box, Jim lowered himself to one knee.  "Beth Taylor, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" he asked with perfect timing as she opened the box.
Mom looked at the diamond in the box, looked at Jim, and then looked at me.  I nodded my encouragement.  Kelly was holding her breath.
"Jim, it would be my honor to be your wife.  Thank you."  She grabbed him and kissed his face as Kelly let out a shriek and immediately hopped up to get her turn at a hug.
As the two ladies hugged and then admired the ring, I stood and shook Jim's hand.  I finally got a chance to give Mom a hug and tell her how happy I was for her.  Jim popped a bottle of champagne and handed us each a glass.
"A toast to new beginnings filled with much love," I said as we raised our glasses.
After we drank to my toast, we sat back down and Jim gave Kelly a present.  It was a small locket with his picture in it.  I smiled and then grabbed another small box to give to Mom.  I had been a little devious and had two similar boxes tucked under the tree.  I'd slip the other back to my room later.
This one had a silver locket with both my and Kelly's pictures in it.  When Mom opened it and saw, she began crying and grabbed me for another hug.  Kelly did the same when she saw I had put her picture in the locket opposite mine.
It was well after midnight by the time we exchanged final good nights and headed to our bedrooms.  I made sure not to look back at Mom and Jim as I walked down the hallway.  I doubted Mom would spend another night in the guest room.  I ducked into the bathroom before Kelly, brushed my teeth and washed my face before closing the door and slipping on a pair of shorts to sleep in.  I had just slipped under the covers and turned out the light when my door opened briefly.
I didn't bother turning over, assuming it was just Mom saying good night.  I was surprised to feel the covers on my bed lift and someone slip in behind me.  I started to turn over, when arms wrapped around me and I felt firm, naked breasts press into my back.
"Merry Christmas, sweetie," Jeryl whispered in my ear.


Chapter Eleven
Into a New Year
*****
I was incredibly happy to see Jeryl, or rather feel her naked body pressed along my back, but I could not believe she was actually in my bed, in Jim's cabin, in Taos.  Before I could ask a question, she pulled me over and locked her lips to mine.  It was a passionate kiss that stopped any thoughts of conversation.
"Wow," she finally said.  "I guess you missed me as much as I missed you," she whispered.
"I did.  How did you get here?"
She laughed and hugged me.  "Kelly said she owed me one.  Evidently, she talked to Jordan and managed to find us a very nice ski-in ski-out condo down near the base of the mountain.  Jordan told Mom and dad that a friend of hers at school owned it and offered it to us to use over the holidays.  The first thing I knew about this was when we changed planes in Denver instead of going to the rental car place."
I kissed her and ran my hands along her sensuous, silky skin.  "And getting to the cabin, and my bed?"
She kissed me.  "Kelly, of course.  She told me some of their traditions and gave me the spare key.  Jordan helped me slip out tonight and drove me up here. I can't stay all night, but I really wanted to see you.  Getting naked and slipping into your bed was all my doing."
I ran my thumb over her erect nipple and kissed her.  "I'm glad.  Kelly's cousins were trying to get me all excited, but they just made me miss you more."  I kissed her again and then slipped my head lower to tease her nipples with my tongue.
"God, I love that, but we can't do much tonight.  You guys took a lot longer coming to bed than I planned with Jordan."  She reached down to fondle my erection as I quickly explained why.  "I wish we had time to do something about this, but Jordan is coming back by at 1:00 to pick me up.  That's only twenty minutes away, and I want a lot more than twenty minutes of you."
"Me, too.  How are we going to arrange that?"
"We're skiing tomorrow.  We have a family tradition of skiing together in the morning after exchanging gifts and then doing our own things in the afternoon.  Mom has a spa appointment after lunch.  Jordan, Jyl and I will keep skiing and then meet Mom and dad at the resort around three.  If you are out skiing, we can just happen to meet up with Mom and dad at the same time.  Then it will all be out in the open.  I'm sure they will let us get together once they know you're here."
I wasn't so sure about that, but kissed her and held her for the few minutes we had.  We did not have time to do it right, but after all of the teasing by Chelsea, Robyn and Amber, I was going to make sure Jeryl was at least as frustrated as I was.
I kissed my way down to her lovely tits and spent some time kissing and licking her hard nipples before moving lower.  I loved the taste of her sweet pussy and knew she was nearly as excited as I was.  I lifted my head as she groaned in frustration.
"You need to get dressed, kitten.  Jordan will be here any minute."
"She can wait.  I can't."  She tried to urge my head back down her body, but I was quite a bit stronger than her.  I laughed and kissed her.
"I'll make it up to you, but if we get caught now, the next eight days will be wasted.  Go home and I'll see you tomorrow.  I love you."
"I love you too, Paul."
There was just enough light outside coming through the window that I could admire her trim figure and smooth curves as she got into some clothes she had dropped by the door on her way in.  The sight of her in the moonlight was enough to test my resolve, but I held firm.  I wanted to spend the entire vacation with her, not just one night.  As she finished dressing, I slipped out of bed and gave her another long hug.  I walked her down to the door and gave her one last kiss before making sure Jordan was there to pick her up.  Once I saw her safely in their rental car, I waved and headed back to bed.  I'd need my rest for Christmas Day, I was sure.
*****
Christmas morning was noisy with six women opening mostly boxes of clothes that only women can get excited about.  I quickly retreated to the kitchen with Jim to mind the coffee and breakfast as a pseudo-fashion show occurred around the tree.  Of course, Jim's sister and nieces were excited by the ring on Mom's finger as well.
Finally, gifts were taken back to rooms and trash was picked up and breakfast was cleared and it was time to relax.  Mom and Jim were sitting on the couch as I came out of my room in ski gear.  Mom smiled as I waved at them and then headed out to the slopes.  I had four hours before I could make a grand entrance in the resort at the base of the mountain, but wanted to get some runs in beforehand.
Luck was in my favor and I caught up with three cute Midwestern girls in matching black ski pants and white jackets shortly after lunchtime.  I watched them together on a lift two chairs ahead of me.  They were standing near the top of a run as I dismounted.
"Imagine my surprise at seeing three such beautiful women here in New Mexico on Christmas day!" I said jovially as I stopped next to them.
"Paul!" Jyl squealed.  Jeryl and Jordan smiled.  "How did you find us?"
I shot a glance at Jordan who shook her head as Jeryl laughed.  "I thought you found me."  I moved closer to Jeryl and gave her an awkward hug and quick kiss.  "You guys were supposed to be in Colorado."
"Jordan had a school friend with a condo here and talked Mom and dad into trying someplace new."
"Well, it just so happens this is where Jim wanted to propose to my mother, so we were here at his cabin."
Jeryl evidently had not spilled those beans to her sisters and both Jordan and Jyl were excited by the news.  We chatted for a few more minutes and then decided to head down the mountain.  The rest of the afternoon flew by as we skied and enjoyed the scenery and each other's company.  I was tired and relaxed when we finally took off our skis around 3:00 and headed into the lodge for a warm drink.
Janet saw us enter the lounge and had a frown ready for me by the time we arrived next to her chair.  "Paul Taylor, just how did you end up at the same resort we are at?"
I was ready to face the bear in her den.  "I should ask how you just happened to end up at the resort Jim has a cabin at," I countered.  "After all the insistence that you not change your family vacation plans, it's strange that you chose to follow me to New Mexico.  I do thank you for a wonderful Christmas gift, though." I said as gave Jeryl a hug.
Janet Salaway was flustered by my response and the girls jumped into the breach to defend me.
"We just ran into him on the slopes, mother," Jordan insisted.  "I had no idea this was where Jim's cabin was when my friend offered us the condo."
"And this is where Jim wanted to propose to Paul's Mom," Jyl added.
Janet was surprised by this tidbit of information.  Her features softened as I nodded confirmation.
"It was very romantic.  Jim proposed last night and Mom has been walking on clouds ever since.  They're up at the cabin making a huge Christmas feast for everyone.  Jim's sister and her daughters are here as well.  They have a cabin next to Jim's."
Fortunately, Janet could not stay angry in the face of such good news for my Mom and the obvious enthusiasm of her daughters.  Her frown turned into a small smile.  "Well, I guess it's a lucky coincidence for everyone, then.  Please give your mother and Jim my congratulations."
"Why don't you give it to her in person?  I bet we have enough food to invite you all over for dinner tonight, if you'd like to join us."
"Oh, we could never interrupt a family Christmas dinner."
"Nonsense.  Let me call the cabin and make sure, but I saw how much food Jim and his sister had laid on.  I could bring half the football team and still have plenty."
I went to the bar and asked to use the phone for a local call.  Luckily I had written down the cabin phone number and kept it in my wallet for emergency contact information.  Jim answered the phone on the third ring.  I missed mobile phones.
"Jim, can I bring another family to dinner?  Jeryl and her family happened to pick Taos for skiing this year and I just ran into them at the lodge."
"Of course.  You saw how much food we have.  With another five people, maybe we can put a dent in both the ham and turkey," he said with a laugh.
By the time I got back to the Salaway's their father had joined them, along with someone I had not expected; Cynthia Morgan, Jeryl's grandmother.
"Hello, Paul," she said in a tone that made the snow outside sound warm.
"Mrs. Morgan, it's a pleasure to see you again," I lied.
She nodded as the girls filled her and their dad in on our meeting.
"And I just talked to Jim and he insisted I invite you all to dinner.  He hoped you could all make it," I interjected.  "Mrs. Salaway, I know Mom would love showing off her new ring to you, even if she would never admit it.  I don't think an engagement is official until you share it with a friend outside the family."
That seemed to melt Janet's resolve.  Cynthia's lips were pressed together firmly, but she nodded her agreement.  She had too much class to put a damper on an engagement, at least.
I gave them directions to the cabin and then glanced at the clock.  "I had better get going.  The lifts stop in fifteen minutes and I don't want to have to walk up the hill in ski boots.  I'll see you all at six-thirty."
"Dad, can Jyl bring a bag for me and I'll go with Paul to help them get ready?  It's the least I can do to help."
Her mother looked to protest, but her dad had already nodded.  "Sure, pumpkin," he said.
Jeryl grinned, gave her dad a quick kiss on the cheek and then grabbed my hand to get me out of there.  We laughed together as we collected our skis and headed to the lift.  The sun was sinking toward the ridge as we came down the run by the cabins.  I heard girl's voices as we drew next to Cecilia's cabin.  Robyn and Amber were in their smaller hot-tub.
"Hi, ladies," I said as we stopped outside.  They waved and I introduced Jeryl.  They were not about to come out into the snow to chat, so I just said we'd see them at dinner and we headed down the slope and next door.
The cabin was quiet, but delicious aromas filled the house.  I helped Jeryl out of her ski boots and hung her jacket up before leading her up to the main floor.  Kelly and Mom were sitting in the living room and quickly jumped up to welcome Jeryl.  She was quickly pulled into the girl talk as I headed to the bathroom to get cleaned up.  I was a little disappointed she didn't try to follow me into the shower, but knew it would not have been a smart decision on either of our parts.  Soon, I was cleaned up and dressed in a comfortable pair of khakis and a new shirt and sweater.
Jeryl gave me a hug as I came back into the living room.  "You look nice, cutie."
I gave her a kiss full on the lips and then waved at Kelly and Mom.  "What do I need to do before dinner?"
Jim came out from the master bedroom and shook his head.  "Not a thing.  The turkey and ham are in the ovens and the side dishes are all next door.  You'll have to help carry things in a couple of hours, but until then, everything is set."
"Will we have enough space for everyone?"  I asked.
"Well, it will be tight, but I built this place for get-togethers.  We have ten seats at the big table and then six at the small one in the kitchen.  I figured all the old folks would be at the big table, along with you and Jeryl, since you two are the lynchpins bringing three families together."
I wondered how Chelsea would feel being relegated to the "kids" table and then decided not to worry about it as Kelly dragged Jeryl away and offered her a shower and some clothes to change into.
*****
"You have a lovely home here, Mr. Daniels.  Thank you so much for inviting us," Cynthia Morgan said as she took in the view of the moonlit slopes outside the dining room.
"Please, call me Jim.  It was such a surprise when Paul called, I could not imagine not inviting you all over for dinner.  I know Jeryl well from her work and hear enough about Jyl and Jordan that they seem like family.  While I've only spent a little time with Janet and Jerry, I know they are delightful people as well.  I'm glad you all found your way to our secret little ski getaway here."
Cynthia could not help but admire Jim's innate charm, I could tell.
"Have you owned your cabin here long?"
"I was fortunate enough to get in on the early stages of development here.  I bought forty acres in the initial round of development and have twenty or so still remaining, not counting this cabin.  When the price and people are right, I find myself selling a parcel."
"What makes the people right?"
"I want families to be able to enjoy this area.  I won't sell to a development company or corporation.  For the right price, I'd sell some back to the resort itself, but I'm happy to hold it for the future as well.  It's not like I need the money."
"You mentioned Jeryl's work.  What does she do for you?"
Jim chuckled.  "Not for me, for Paul.  Jeryl took it upon herself to begin transcribing Paul's working notes for patent filings and some other ventures he is starting.  She has done as much to help organize his patent filings as Kelly or I have in the past year.  We would not be nearly as far along in the process without all her work."
Janet seemed to straighten at the praise being given her youngest daughter.
"It's not just typing and filing, either," I added.  "She is a great sounding board for my ideas.  She's made me better at getting things documented while they're fresh and then making sure I follow up on them.  She's the reason I'll have a new test-bed car in the summer for some endurance work."
"What's that mean?" Jerry asked as I took another bite of my ham.
Jeryl jumped into the conversation.  "Paul's re-built a stock car with some of his inventions built into it.  He needs better data on the durability of some systems along with testing his new suspension system.  Using a stock car, he can have a driver put serious miles on it in a short time-frame on a closed course.  Based on the test plan we're working out, we should be able to get ten thousand miles on the systems within a couple of months.  We need that data to take back to the manufacturers so they can adjust warranties and marketing materials."
"And, the new durable mounting process will be added to the portfolio they can license from," Kelly added, "Along with the suspension system he's developed."
Cynthia looked to be at a loss for words for the first time.
"Jeryl, I had no idea you were so involved or interested."
Jeryl blushed and reached above the table to squeeze my hand.  Cynthia's frown returned for a moment.  "I got interested because Paul was interested.  I want to help him.  You may not believe it, but he is going to change the world.  I'll be a small part of that."
It was my turn to blush as Cynthia turned her gaze my way.
"What about school, Paul.  Or do you think you can change the world without further education?  Last summer you mentioned mechanical or electrical engineering, I believe?"
"Both, actually.  I'm thinking I'll double major.  The math is common between them, and if I plan out my core education requirements properly I'm pretty sure I can complete a double in less than four years.  Next year I'll have to be looking and talking to some different universities to see exactly what I would need to do in their programs."
"Where are you thinking of going?  I might have some influence if you need assistance."  She said it politely, but I sensed the threat hidden within.
"Stanford, MIT, and Georgia Tech are my current short list."
Cynthia nodded.  "And what about you, Jeryl?"
"I've really begun enjoying some of the business aspects I've been exposed to by Kelly, Jim, and Paul.  I'm thinking about doing a BA in business or accounting."
"And what schools are you thinking about?"
"Well, it depends on where Paul ends up going, but Stanford and Georgia Tech both have great business programs, and if he went to MIT, I'd look at either Harvard or Boston University."
"What do you think of those choices, Janet," she asked her daughter.
"Well, it is a couple of years away, but all of those are fine schools, you have to admit.  An education at any of those schools would be worthwhile, don't you think?  Harvard might be a stretch for admissions, but I'm pretty sure Jeryl can get into all the others if that's her goal."
"It is.  I actually want to take the SAT and ACT early this year to make sure I've got the scores I'll need and help me focus where to improve."
"Those are all expensive schools," Cynthia commented.
"If I can get accepted, I'm sure I can get scholarship money.  Jordan's been a great example for me."
I refused to look at her and give things away but smiled to myself.
"It's not always as easy as that."
"Let's not worry about it now.  We've got time to sort all that out, grandmother."
"So, Paul, how are building different cars going to change the world?"  The condescension was back in her voice, but I chose to ignore it.
"Cars won't, but my current work is a good way to finance some longer-term projects."  I went on to describe the coming energy crisis, being careful to extrapolate from currently known facts.
"I can scarcely believe we won't be able to drill for more oil when we needed," Cynthia said dismissively.
"Oh, I'm sure people will, but at what price?  The world's appetite for energy doubles every seven years.  It takes that long just to get a new oil find into production, if not longer.  It's also unlikely that new finds will be conveniently located in the US or even North America.  We need alternatives."
"And what makes you think you can find those alternatives?" she asked.
I shrugged.  "Maybe I won't.  But fear of failure won't stop me from trying.  In the meantime, I can make our current resources last longer by increasing the efficiency of our cars and making them safer at the same time.  I think that is good work even if my long-term goals become infeasible."
She seemed nonplussed for a moment.  "You are a surprising young man, Paul," she finally said.  Jeryl squeezed my hand and smiled.
*****
The remainder of our vacation was filled with skiing and fun.  With Kelly's cousins around it seemed Jeryl and I never got any real private time, but we still enjoyed being able to spend time together away from work and school.  Our families got together for New Year's Eve, which was interesting and awkward when kissing in the New Year occurred.  Kelly set the stage by planting a non-platonic kiss on my lips right after Jeryl and I ushered in the New Year.  Jordan then decided to try and out-do Kelly, and some sort of competition was underway amongst the women while the mothers and grandmother were upstairs in Jim's cabin leaving us all alone by the outdoor fire place.  I was afraid Jeryl was going to explode when Jyl followed Jordan's example, but instead she just motioned to Chelsea, Robyn, and Amber.  "You ladies might as well get a little sample," she said, "because he is all mine after you get one kiss each."
Everyone laughed, but they wasted no time switching places on my left side and giving me passionate kisses as Jeryl watched from my right.  Once I had kissed each girl, she swung onto my lap and ground her crotch against me while giving me another toe-curling kiss.
A little later, we were snuggled together under a blanket watching the fire when I mentioned I was surprised by her attitude.
"I love you, Paul.  I knew that no matter how well they kissed you or you kissed them, you were mine and I was going to end up in your arms, not them.  Did I need to be jealous when they're going to be envious of me?"
I laughed and kissed her.  "Of course not.  I'm just glad that's how you feel, because I love you too.  But that doesn't mean I'm going to encourage you to kiss other guys."
"Good, because I don't want to kiss other guys; just you."
We snuggled closer under the blanket and sat in peaceful silence.  A little later, I noticed Jeryl was asleep in my arms.  I smiled and kissed her head and enjoyed a feeling of peace I had never felt before.
*****
"I quit!"  I said as I dropped my notebook on the counter and grabbed a soda from the refrigerator in the break room of the shop.
"What's the matter?" Jeryl asked from the table where she was going over some drawings I had made.
I pointed to the drawing.  "Until I can get the car on a track and get some data, I can't tune the dynamic suspension system.  I'm tweaking guesses at this point."
Jeryl stood up and gave me a hug.  "Then we better get some track time scheduled.  I thought you were getting close and talked to Kelly about it last week.  Spring break is almost here, and we have track time scheduled in Tennessee.  Will six days be enough?"
"Really?"
She kissed me and nodded.  "Jim bought a used trailer from a small race team, but we'll need a truck to pull it."
"What do you mean by we? There is no way your folks are letting you come with me over spring break."
Jeryl blushed.  "Well..."
I could tell she had something cooking.
"I might have told them I needed to go for work.  Your Mom and I will drive your car down.  You and Jim will tow the other car once you find a truck.  The drivers will meet us there."
"And?"  I knew there had to be more.
"And Mom and Dad will be coming down with Jyl.  Dad was pretty interested in your car concepts over the holidays and wants to see it run on the track.  They may not stay the entire time, but they also won't tell me when they will be there, so I'll have to be good."
I grabbed her and gave her a hug and a kiss.
"I love you."
"I love you, too.”
*****
"Holy cow, that's a good time," Jerry Salaway said as my rebuilt Dodge Charger stock car completed another lap.
It was our third day of running at the Bristol International Speedway and the first time I had given the driver the okay to open it all the way up.  The first two days had been shorter, slower runs to tune the electronics of the drive-by-wire and dynamic suspension.  The best split of the prior two days had been the last run yesterday with a speed of 89 mph.  This morning, John the driver had kept speed below 100 for the first three laps.  On his fifth, he hit 115.  Considering the short track (1/2 mile) and high bank left hand turns, it was pretty impressive.
"Let's see if he can hold it for five," I said as I continued to track his progress from the top of our trailer in the pits.  Sixteen point six seconds later, John crossed the starting line again.
A little over a minute later, he completed the five lap sprint and began slowing to pull into the pit.  Jerry was shaking his head.  "Paul, I did not really appreciate how serious you were about these cars.  That is truly impressive."
"Thanks, Mr. Salaway.  I appreciate it.  Let's go see what John thinks of the handling."  We climbed down from the top of the trailer and walked to the pits as my car pulled in.  John Evanston, one of the drivers we had hired was climbing out of the car as we walked up.
"Damn, that is a sweet ride after the tuning we did yesterday.  I can't believe I was able to handle her in the turns at that speed.  Normally Bristol is a slow track."
I smiled.  "That's what I like to hear."  I hopped into the car and began collecting some data from the bank of LED displays.  This car was for research, not show.  Instead of the plush interior I had built in the beast, this car was stripped bare except for the racing seat and roll cage.  I had sound mounted and insulated the engine, which both drivers had commented on.  Bristol was supposed to be a loud track, but they said it was little more than highway level noises, even at speed.
Jerry was acting as the test coordinator this morning after watching Jeryl and I for the past two days.  While I collected data to ensure the tuning was correct, he was going over the next test run with John.
"Next up is top comfortable speed for twenty-five miles," I heard him say.  "Paul wants you to pull in if you feel any change in the handling or get any warning lights."
John nodded as he took a sip of water.  I checked the fuel level with the dip-stick to verify the electronic readings and then motioned him back into the car.
"Everything looks really good after five laps at 115.  It's your call if you want to keep that speed or go higher or lower.  I just need the data to be as consistent as possible."
"It felt real good.  I might back down just a little on the turns, but with its acceleration in the short straights and easy braking into the corners, I think I will probably keep the average close to that."
"Okay, it's your car again," I said.
John got back in and started the car up.  Soon he was building up speed before starting his fifty-lap run.  Jerry and I headed back to the top of the trailer to watch after I took a little detour over to the fire crew lounging by their truck.  Less than twenty minutes later, we were checking data again.
"John, how do you feel about going two-fifty?"  I asked as I finished verifying my readings against my expected values.
"Sounds like fun.  I wish I could run this car in some real races.  I think you've got a winner here, Paul.  It handles beautifully and has the right power and braking profile to eat up small tracks like this."
I grinned.  "Well, maybe I'll talk to Chrysler about it.  I'd love to get some real endurance data from a whole racing season."
As the next test got underway, Jerry looked at me.  "Are you serious about giving this car to Chrysler to race?"
"Giving, no.  Selling or partnering with them, sure.  I don't think NASCAR would allow it in a race, though.  It would not even qualify as superstock given all the changes I've made to it."
"I thought they were concerned about wheelbase and engine ratings.  I looked under the hood, and you would be fine there."
I shrugged.  "It's possible.  Chrysler racing has been going downhill lately, so they might be interested.  I'll get this week's data and some lap and distance times and talk to them."
We watched a few more laps in silence.  We both wrote down each lap-time on our clipboards as part of the data collection.  The splits were staying at or slightly below sixteen and a half seconds.
"So, Paul, Janet and I have had several conversations about you and Jeryl since Christmas.  I want you to know that I think you are a fine young man."
"But?"
"No buts.  Jeryl is our youngest child and we will always be protective of her.  I think you're almost as protective of her, and I appreciate that.  I haven't always acknowledged that, and I'm not sure Janet ever will, but I want you to know my thinking on the two of you.
"You're both still young and in high school, and may not last through college, but as long as you two want to be together, you'll have my support.  Janet and her mother may argue about matters, but I stand by my belief that you and Jeryl are good for each other and may have a long future together."
"Thank you, sir." I said.  "We both know we are too young for life-time commitments right now, but we both believe we will be together for the long haul.  Neither of us wants to jeopardize our futures by doing something rash or immature that you or our mothers might take exception to.  I won't disappoint you."
"I don't think you will, either."
We watched another couple of laps together.
"Mr. Salaway," I said as John began decelerating after his final lap.  "Thanks for coming this week and helping out.  It's been nice having you around offering a hand."
He smiled and handed me his data sheet.  "It's been my pleasure, Paul.  I've always enjoyed racing and not had much chance to watch it with four women in the house, but don't let any of them hear that."
I laughed and we headed down the ladder for the pit.
*****
"Well that is just bollocks!" Jim said into the phone.  He was in the office area of the garage, using the phone for a business call.  "I've gone over all the documentation and it meets the specs of the rules as they stand."
He paused to listen to the other person.  "If you don't want a twenty mile per hour advantage with a car that only needs to pit once in a two-hundred and sixty mile race, you've got stones in your head."
Another pause.
"Yes, it beat the pole position qualifying time by seven miles per hour with a no name driver."
"Yes, it meets every spec they have published."
I watched him listen for a few minutes.  He visibly relaxed and then smiled at me.  "That's better.  We can have the car down to you guys by the first of June and you can run it all summer long.  If you want to get it into a real race, we can talk some more, but are not opposed to the idea....  Good.  I'll mail the paperwork to you tomorrow.... Thanks."
Jim hung up the phone and then laughed.  "Paul, beware the sons of Martha who have no imagination."
"Hey, I resemble one of them, you know."
"You may make the world a better place, but you are never going to be a downtrodden engineer," he replied.
"It's too bad the automakers stopped having factory sponsored race teams.  It would be a lot easier having Chrysler put the car on the track."
"Well, if you had started the computer revolution a decade earlier and started building your cars before the oil crisis, you might have had a shot.  As it is, if we get a couple of real races on the car this year, and it performs well, you'll get the industry's attention."
"And the oil producers.  Three hundred miles on two tanks of gas will change the way races are run, and how consumers think about gas mileage."
"Especially when you'll be running at twice the legal speed limit."  A lot of America hated the fifty-five mile per hour speed limit that had been put in place to conserve oil nearly a decade ago.
Jim stood up from my easy chair in the office and stretched.  It was a late Saturday morning in early April, and an all-around nice day.  Too nice to be sitting in the office, even though I knew he had just come out to have some privacy for the call with the DiGard Motorsports organization in Daytona.  One of their drivers, Ricky Rudd, had just placed second on the Bristol racecourse in the Valleydale 500.  The winning driver had averaged 89.5 miles per hour over the 500-lap race and the pole position qualifying time had been 112.125 miles per hour.  We knew my car could do much better on that track.  Jim had finally convinced them of the same thing.
"So, looks like we'll need to rent a truck again to trailer the car down to them, right?"
Jim shook his head.  "We'll hire someone to take it down.  No sense in us wasting our time.  You may need to fly down to arrive with the car and help them get familiar with it, but that should be it."
I sighed in relief.  I loved the racing aspect of the car building more than I had imagined possible, but there were a lot of other things I needed to focus on to get some other breakthroughs going.  Carbon Fiber and lithium-ion battery technology were next on my list.
"Good.  I've got a few new ideas I'd rather be spending my time on now that the test bed car is done."
"Anything you'd like to share?"  Jim asked.
"Not yet.  Hopefully I'll have something before the end of the school year.  How are the wedding plans coming?"
Jim smiled.  "Good.  We've decided on a simple service in Bloomington with a reception at the country club."
"How about the honeymoon?"  I asked.  Mom had been trying to worm information on where they were going for the past week.
"I've got that well in hand," Jim said with a smirk.  "Kelly will be coming up here to make sure you stay out of trouble.  We'll be gone for two weeks."
"Drat," I said with a smile.  "Jeryl and I had plans for while you were away."
"Too bad we picked a date when she was going to be visiting her grandmother, then."
I laughed.  "But she said she couldn't miss it, and got her folks to agree that I could drive her up afterward.  She'll miss the first weekend up there, but not much more."
Jim frowned.  "I guess it's a good thing we had this chat then.  I'll let Kelly know that she gets to take a little road trip with the two of you."
"Is that really necessary?  I drove back down from there by myself last year."
"It's not the drive back I'm worried about.  It's the drive up.  I trust you, but I've got a feeling her mother will insist on Kelly riding along."
"You're probably right, but I'll ask her anyway."
"So, how is school going?"
"Good.  Classes are easy and track is just a lot of hard work.  It gives me time to think.  By the time I get home in the evenings, I have a pretty good plan of attack for that night's work.  On the weekends, I finish things up that I've run out of time on."
"Like what?"
"Well, today I caught up on the research reports about the batteries.  I think the lithium-ion combination will work well, but we need to have some better packaging options.  Making a big battery with that technology is going to be prone to fires.  I think building a pack of smaller batteries that can be isolated and contained will be a better solution."
"Why?"
"I figure the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will want to see them in crash tests before they are approved for road worthiness.  We might as well start designing them with that in mind now."  Of course, I knew there would be issues with fires on lithium-ion batteries, but Jim didn't know that.
Jim shook his head.  "Paul, I'm glad you have a head for this technology and thinking things through.  I know successful managers and leaders of industry that don't have as good a grasp on long-term planning as you do."
“Thanks."
*****
"God I love feeling your skin against mine," Jeryl said as we held each other in the back seat of my car.  "I've been dreaming about waking up in your arms ever since Christmas."
I stoked my fingers down her spine and cupped her cute derriere.  "I like the sound of that."
She snuggled tighter to me and rested a hand on my chest.  We laid there for a few minutes letting our breathing return to normal.  "You know I love, you, right?" she asked softly.
"Of course I do.  I love you too, kitten."
She purred.  "I really want to make love with you."
"Do you want the drama from your family that is going to go along with that?"  We had had this conversation many times since the beginning of the year and always arrived back at the same decision to hold off a little longer.
"I'm getting to the point I don't care.  I want to feel you inside my pussy and I want you to make sweet, passionate love to me.  I don't want you to doubt that I am totally yours."
"And I'm yours, Jeryl.  I really mean that."
"You're not going to want to play the field when you head off to college?"
"I hope not.  I really hope you'll be nearby wherever that might end up being."
She hugged me tighter.  "And would you think I'm weird if I wanted you to do it with another girl?"
Alarm bells went off in my head.  "What do you mean?"
She was quiet for a moment.  "Please don't think I'm some kind of freak, but I've been having some thoughts ever since Jordan made Jyl eat her in your office last summer.  I kind of want to know what it feels like to have you inside me and some other girl licking me.  I can't imagine that she would not want more than just that, so you'd have to do something with her, too."
"And you would be alright with that?"
She was quiet again.  "With the right girl, I could be.  It would have to be someone we both trusted and liked.  It would have to be someone we both knew was in it for the fun, not trying to steal either of us away.  And don't even suggest my sisters.  I couldn't even ask them."
"Even in a game of truth or dare?"  I kissed the top of her head and hoped she knew I was teasing.
"Not even then.  I don't want you to think I don't love you, or that I'm a slut, but I keep having images in my head that really turn me on."
"Honey, so long as we trust each other and make sure we are both comfortable with what we are doing, I'll help you explore pretty much anything you want to with another girl.  I don't think I could share you with another guy, though."
"I don't want you to.  I love being with you.  I just want to experiment a little."
"Do you have someone in mind?"
She shook her head against my chest.  "No, not really.  There aren't many people I could trust like that.  And I don't want to go down that path until you've really made love to me, so don't you go out and start looking for someone, mister."
I laughed and pulled her up for a kiss.  "I love you, Jeryl."
"I love you, too.”
*****
Between the end of the school year, delivery of a new kind of race car to a racing team, and wedding preparations, the months of May and June seemed to fly by.  I finished school and was then on a plane to Daytona to meet with the DiGard folks and explain my car.  It was three eighteen-hour days going over the car with mechanics and drivers, but by the time I was ready to fly home, I knew I'd have quite a bit of data before the end of the summer and they were talking about getting the car in some actual races.  It was a heady feeling as I flew home.
"Paul, do you have a few minutes?" Uncle Ben asked as he entered the workshop.  I had just finished welding some aluminum tubing for a possible battery containment frame.
"Sure, Uncle Ben.  What's up?"  I pulled the welding mask off my head and wiped away some sweat.
"Well, I know you are in good shape, but I wanted to talk to you about learning to defend yourself."
"Huh?"
"You just finished your sophomore year, and I know you haven't gotten in any trouble or anything, but I believe a man should know how to look after himself and those around him.  I boxed in high school and college.  I taught the boys how to box after their freshmen year, and thought it was time to teach you as well."
"You boxed?  I never knew that."  He had not taught me to box in my prior life.
"I was pretty good in college," he said with a shrug.  "I still like hitting the heavy bag during the winter to stay in shape.  It will be a different kind of workout for you, but I think you'll enjoy it."
"Okay, when do we start?"
"We can start tomorrow morning, right after your run.  But Paul," he paused and looked me in the eye.  "This is not something to brag about or use to bully people.  It's so you know how to protect yourself.  Are we clear?"
"Yes, sir."
"Okay.  End your run up at our place and we'll get started.  We'll only practice twice a week, but I'll give you some exercises and we'll rig up a couple of bags for you to practice with on your own."
I nodded.  "Yes, sir."
The next morning, I finished my run as the sun was clearing the eastern horizon outside Uncle Ben's.  John and Ryan were home from school and there to meet me, along with Uncle Ben.
"Okay, boys, go get warmed up and I'll get some gloves for Paul," Uncle Ben said.  John and Ryan nodded and headed out to the barn.  Uncle Ben guided me along behind them.  "I had the boys move our training gear out of the basement last weekend and clean out the feed room in the barn.  We'll use that for the summer."
"It's not big enough for a ring," I said.
"Nope.  But it will hold a heavy bag, a speed bag, and a reflex bag just fine.  Come on and you'll see."
I stepped into the barn and saw they had three bags hung, one in each corner of the room.  John and Ryan had both grabbed jump ropes and begun jumping to warm up.  Uncle Ben grabbed some worn gloves and motioned me to hold out my hands.  He slipped them on and checked the fit before lacing them up.
"I'll show you how to wrap your hands next time, but since we're just going over the basics today, we'll skip that."  He finished tying the gloves and motioned me to raise my hands.  For the next thirty minutes or so, he showed me stances and explained why I needed to position my feet and hands as he showed me.  I didn't get to throw my first punch until my cousins were warmed and gloved up.
The next hour passed quickly as my cousins took turns showing me techniques on each type of bag and gave me a few minutes' practice.  Uncle Ben would then have me repeat their actions and adjust my technique, raising a hand here, or adjusting my stance there.  It was educational and exhausting.
"Good job, Paul.  Next time, you'll spend more time on the bags," he finally said.  "Now you should jog home.  If your wrists or hands hurt today or tomorrow, you let me know, okay?"
"Yes sir," I said as I handed him my gloves.  "Thanks, Uncle Ben," I said as I headed out the door.
*****
Mom and Jim's wedding rushed up on us and it seemed that everyone was busy the week before the nuptials.  I had only a few items to take care of, but Mom had Jim, Kelly, and even Jeryl hopping to make sure everything was covered.
The wedding was being held at Jim's church in Bloomington with the reception at the country club.  Originally they had planned on keeping both the ceremony and the reception small, but things seemed to grow each week in the spring as guests were added to the list.  Jim had many business contacts that he felt obligated to invite, just as Mom felt about the teachers and staff she worked with.  In the end, about a hundred and twenty guests were on the list.  I was just glad there was room for me to bring someone special.
I chauffeured Mom down to Bloomington the day before the wedding and carried three suitcases into the suite she had arranged at the Hilton.  She and Jim would be staying there after the reception and heading out on the honeymoon the next morning.  I spent the rest of the day confirming arrangements for the flower delivery, the caterer, and the photographer.  By the time I got back to the farm to take care of the livestock, I was ready for the wedding to be over and get back to work.
I was a little disappointed that Jeryl and I would not have any alone time.  Her mother had decided that their family would change their plans so they could attend, so any plans Jeryl and I were thinking of got nixed.  Still, I wasn't going to let my disappointment affect Mom and Jim's special day.
I was up early to take care of chores and then get cleaned up and ready to pick up Jeryl.  At least she was being allowed to ride down to the wedding with me.  I spent extra time washing and waxing the car and making sure everything was spic and span before cleaning up and getting dressed myself.
I pulled into the Salaway's drive about two hours before the wedding.  I left my suit coat in the car and walked up to the Salaway's to pick up Jeryl.  Jordan opened the door before I could knock.
"Come on in, Paul.  Jeryl should be ready."
Jordan was in a nice floral printed summer dress with low heeled sandals.  She looked very pretty, as she always did, but could not hold a light to Jeryl as she walked into the kitchen with a smile.  She had on a pale green dress with a modest neckline and heels high enough to show off her great legs.  She saw my smile and gave a slow turn in her dress.
"Wow," I said as I took in the plunging back that showed off her tan and accented her trim hips and shapely rear end.  "You look incredible," I said.
She beamed.  "I'm glad you think so.  I wanted to look nice for your Mom and Jim."  My smile must have dropped a little because she laughed and then came close to give me a quick kiss.  "And for you, too, of course."
Before I could respond, Janet came into the room and smiled at me.  "Good morning, Paul.  Are you all ready for the day?"
"Yes, ma'am.  Chores are taken care of and all of my wedding errands finished yesterday.  I just need to stand around as set dressing for pictures today, walk her down the aisle, and then dance with Mom and some special ladies at the reception."
Jyl came into the room in a cream blouse and navy skirt.  "Oh, who are the special ladies?"
"Well, you might be one of them, if you play your cards right," I said with a grin.  Jeryl laughed and picked up her small purse and a light wrap before steering me back toward the door.
"Stop flirting with my sisters and let's get going.  I don't want your Mom to blame me if we're late for the pictures."
"Yes, dear," I said as her sisters laughed and told us they would see us at the church.  I couldn't help but smile as I held the door for Jeryl to get in the car and was rewarded with a good look at shapely legs encased in white stockings.  I also caught a glimpse of a white garter attached to the top of one stocking.  She would be lucky to make it to the church intact if she flashed me such a look again.
"I love you," I said as I got in the car and headed for the highway.
"I love you, too.  I'm sorry the plans got changed and my family didn't head up to grandmothers yesterday like they originally planned.  I dreamed of spending the night with you."
"Oh well," I said.  "I still get to spend the day with the most beautiful woman at the wedding."
"And you'll get to spend the whole day thinking about what's under this lovely dress."
"Oh?"
"Yep.  Just me, and a little lace, a garter belt and some stockings."
"Really?"
"You saw the back and know I'm not wearing a bra.  If you play your cards right, you might get a chance to verify the rest."
"Well, you know I'm an engineer, so you can count on me wanting to verify something that important."
She laughed and squeezed my hand as we turned south on the highway and headed toward the wedding.
*****
Pictures were painless, and the ceremony was blessedly short.  Mom looked lovely and basked in Jim's prideful smile.  Aunt Carol was Mom's matron of honor.  Jim had a college buddy as his best man.  I walked Mom down the aisle and then sat in the front with Jeryl, Uncle Ben and Jim and Ryan.  John had brought Ann, which was a little surprising.  I had not realized they were still seeing each other after they left for college.
The reception at the country club was only a short drive from the church, but Jeryl made sure I had the opportunity to verify her claims on the way over.  There was something incredibly erotic about running my hands up her firm thighs and feeling the silk stockings give way to silkier skin.  I traced one garter up until encountering some whispery fabric that I assumed were her panties.  I only had time for a single, slow stroke along the front of them, but Jeryl seemed to appreciate it.
"You are getting so lucky, this afternoon," She whispered as I helped her out of the car.
We sat with Mom and Jim and Uncle Ben and Aunt Carol along with Jim's best man, Derek Branson, and his wife Elyse.  Janet seemed to keep a keen eye on us as we ate and danced, but it could have just been my paranoia.  She seemed to relax a bit after a few glasses of champagne and after Jerry took her around the dance floor a few times.  That let Jeryl and I relax a bit more as well.  Kelly insisted on dancing with me as her new brother and then followed up with dancing with her new cousins as well.  It was a fun afternoon.
Before we knew it, the reception was over and it was time to head out.  Mom had a little tear in her eye as I gave her a congratulatory hug.  I gave Jim one as well and told him to make sure he took good care of her.  We then headed outside to throw rice at them as they piled into their limo and headed back to the Hilton.
Jeryl, Kelly, Ryan and I loaded gifts into our cars and headed back to Jim's house to unload them.  Once the toting and carrying were done, Kelly asked if we wanted to hang out for a little while before heading up the road.
"And since we were all very well behaved at the reception," she said in a conspiratorial tone, "I think we should open this and toast the newlyweds."  She pulled a bottle of champagne out of the refrigerator and we all agreed that a small libation for the newlyweds and their slave labor for the day was warranted.
The champagne was delicious.  We all had one glass and then Kelly poured us another and winked at me before asking Ryan about school.  Jeryl and I decided to take our glasses out to the back porch and have a little alone time in the afternoon sun.  We sat in Jim's gazebo surrounded by blooming roses and cuddled together.
I set my glass on the rail and gently stroked my fingers along Jeryl's arm and neck before moving in to kiss her gently.  I breathed in her summer fresh scent and nuzzled her hair at the base of her neck.
"God, Paul, you are driving me nuts."
"No more than you have been doing to me all day.  The way you look in that dress is amazing.  Knowing what you have under it just gets me even more excited."
"Well, I've got one less thing under it now, than I did on the trip down," she whispered as she pulled my hand to her leg.
I needed no more encouragement.  I slowly trailed my fingers higher and was soon rewarded with the moist, soft feel of her bare pussy.  I stroked her a few times, and then pulled my fingers up to lick them slowly before returning them to her.
She moaned and then shifted around to pull her dress higher.  "Make me cum, please," she whispered.  I tried to oblige with slow steady strokes that I knew would get her going.  I slipped a finger inside her as my thumb strummed her clit and she arched her back and grabbed my wrist.  "Oh, that's it, Paul.  Stroke me."
I increased my pace a little until she was flexing her pelvis to meet my hand and make me rub against her harder.
"Ungh!" she grunted and turned her head to bite my shoulder as she began to cum.  Spasms pulled at her body and I felt her clamp down on my fingers as she held my wrist steady.  The smallest of strokes sent another wave through her.  Finally, she relaxed against me.  "Thank you, lover," she said with a kiss.
"My pleasure, ma'am."
I slowly stroked her thighs and continued to kiss her.
"I want to take care of you, but not out here," she said after a few minutes.
"Where?"
"Your house, silly. You know your Mom won't be home today."
"Kelly will be there tonight."
"Then we had better get going to make the most of our time," she said.
I couldn't agree more.  I quickly stood and pulled her to her feet.  I collected our glasses and we headed inside to let Kelly know we were heading out.  Kelly and Ryan were still chatting.
Kelly nodded and then smiled.  "I'll be up there before eight or so.  I need to change and pack a few things.  Jeryl, I imagine I'll see you before he takes you home."  She gave us both hugs and soon we were on our way.
"Kelly seemed pretty accommodating," I said as we drove.
Jeryl smiled.  "She is.  She's almost like another sister, don't you think?  Funny that I was once jealous of her and she didn't seem to like you.  Now, she is helping us have some alone time together after arranging for us to meet up at Christmas."
"I can't help but think that you two planned something together," I said.
Jeryl blushed.  "Maybe we did, and maybe we didn't, but you just keep those thoughts to yourself for now and make sure you drive us home quickly, but safely."
We pulled into the farm and I parked my car in the garage.  I thought we would be heading straight into the house, but Jeryl made me detour to the office.  "I want to do something out here, first," she said as she locked the outside doors and guided me into my favorite overstuffed leather chair.  She made me sit and then bent over me to undo my belt and pants and slowly pull me out.
Her touch was soft, but firm and looking at the hint of her bosom down the neck of her dress quickly brought me to attention.  She leaned over further and sensually kissed the tip of my cock before running her tongue around and then down the shaft.  She then stood and turned around.
"Un-zip me, please."
I did.  I was treated to the delightful sight of her tanned, taunt derriere framed by a white garter belt as she slipped the dress off and folded it across the back of my office chair.  As she slowly walked back to me, I was mesmerized by the sight of her.  Her tight trim body with her sex framed by the white garter belt and stockings was enough to make me ready to cum without another touch.
"You are so beautiful," I said as she positioned herself between my knees and knelt before me.
"So are you," she said before lowering her mouth to me again.  She barely hesitated as she engulfed me and pushed her way lower until I felt myself slip into her throat.  She bobbed her head up and down while cupping my balls.  I was ready to blow in a few seconds, but she squeezed the base of my cock and lifted her mouth from me until my breathing slowed again.
She looked up at me with a smile.  "I want you to cum all over me.  My face, my boobs, my stomach.  I want to feel your love on my skin," she said before dropping her head again.  I let my own head roll back and reveled in the sensations of her tongue and mouth and lips and throat.  Soon, I felt my orgasm approaching.
"Jeryl...."
She pulled back with suction and began stroking my cock.  She pulled off and pointed my dick at her face and chest with one hand as the other stroked me.  I looked at the picture of joy on her face, and began cumming ropes of sperm on her cheeks and chest.  Shudders wracked me for a few minutes and I found myself gasping for breath.
Jeryl sat serenely on her heels between my knees with copious amount of cum on her face and upper chest.  She opened her one eye that was not covered with cum and smiled at me before leaning forward to engulf me in her mouth again.  A moment later, she began collecting my cum from her own body with her fingers and licking them clean.  It was an incredibly erotic sight.
"That was amazing," we said at the same time.  We laughed and I stood to hug her.  She pushed me away.  "We don't want any cum stained clothes.  Let me go finish cleaning up and you get out of the rest of your things."
I watched her saunter out of the office, still wearing her garter belt, stockings, and high heels.  By the time she returned, I was naked and she was still stunningly beautiful.
She came back over to the chair and turned in front of me slowly.  "See anything you like?"
"Everything," I said as I grabbed her and pulled her into my lap.  I kissed her soundly and then began playing with her wet pussy again.  I kissed my way down her neck to her breasts and tongued first one nipple, then the other.  She made no protest as I stood and carried her to the couch.  Soon I was eating her and sending her to another orgasmic high.  As her orgasm approached, I slipped a finger into her rear and sent her over the edge.
"Oh, God!"  She screamed as I licked her clit and fingered her ass.  "Fuck my rear, Paul.  Please, before this ends."
I quickly stood with her knees on my shoulders and lined my cock up with her winking anus as I continued to stroke her pussy with my fingers.  I pushed in and felt her incredible ass stretch around me.  I had noticed during my finger probing that she had already lubricated herself well.  I thrust into her fully and she came again and again as she grabbed my neck and pulled me down for a kiss.  The kiss seemed to be the final straw for her and sent her over the edge.  Her spasms brought me near, but were not enough to make me cum again so soon.  I held her as she came down.
Finally, she opened her eyes and kissed me again.  "You didn't finish."
I shook my head.
She pushed me away and I slipped from her back passage as she turned on the couch.  "I bet you'd like to keep fucking my ass and looking at this white garter belt while you do it," she said with a smile over her shoulder and a wiggle of her rear.  I smiled and leaned in as she reached back to grab me and guide me into her once again.  Soon, we were fucking in a slow steady rhythm with me stroking her ass as she reached beneath herself and fingered her pussy.  Her next orgasm pushed me over the edge and I felt myself release into her bowels.
We collapsed together on the couch and slowly regained our breath as my softening prick slipped from her tight ass.
"I can never get over how good that feels," she murmured.  "I love you, Paul."
"I love you too, kitten."
We lay together for a few more minutes before she shooed me off to the bathroom to get cleaned up.  A few minutes later, I padded back into the office.  Jeryl tossed me a pair of coveralls and told me to take our stuff into the house while she cleaned up.  I didn't ask any questions, but made sure I was at the back door as she came strolling across the yard in her beautiful, naked glory.
"You are so incredibly sexy," I said as I greeted her at the door.
She gave me a full body kiss and then asked if I needed to do chores this evening.
"Nope, I fed them extra this morning in case we were late getting home."
"Oh, goody.  That means it's my turn again."
She guided me to my bedroom and pulled me out of my coveralls.  Without waiting to get on the bed, she dropped to her knees and began licking my balls and prick until I was hard again.  With all the activity of the past hour, I knew she was not going to make me pop quickly.  She bobbed her head down a couple of times and held me deep in her throat before pulling off and standing.  She took my face in her hands and kissed me gently.
"Paul, I want you to make love to me."
I was surprised.  "Are you sure?"
She nodded.  "I am yours for a long as you'll have me.  I want to know that you've had everything I have to give you.  I love you with all my heart and I want to love you with all my body."
"I love you too, Jeryl."
I lifted her in my arms and turned to lay her gently on my bed.  I leaned down and kissed her.
"What about birth control?"
"I'm on the pill."
"How?"  I knew her mother would not have arranged that.
"Kelly.  Now kiss me and make love to me."
I kissed her and then slowly kissed my way down her body, lavishing love on her breasts and nipples, and then licking her pussy again to make sure she was ready.  She growled at me and pulled on my shoulders.
"Get up here and make me your woman, Paul."
I slid back up her body and lay down alongside her. I held her in my arms and rolled over, pulling her with me until she was lying atop me.  She understood my intent and slowly inched her body down until my stiff prick was pushing against her pussy lips.  She kissed me and then pushed up against my chest to raise herself.  She reached between us and scooted back as she guided me into her.  The feel of her hand on my shaft as she slowly lowered herself around me was indescribable.  She paused when I was a few inches in and kissed me again.
"I love you so much," she whispered.  Before I could respond, she lifted herself and then sat on me fully.  I saw a little grimace on her face as she adjusted to the feeling and held herself still.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded and leaned forward to kiss me again.  "Let me get used to the feeling for a minute or two."
"You feel incredible.  You can take as long as you need to get used to it."
She smiled and kissed me again.  Soon, she began moving slowly up and down and the smooth velvety feeling of her pussy on my cock got us both going.  She rotated her hips to push her clit against my pubic bone and finally found a very comfortable spot.  Slowly she rolled her hips forward and back, milking my cock.
"Oh shit," She said in surprise as an orgasm raced through her.  I felt the shuddering ripple along the sheath of her pussy and fought my own urge to cum.  She continued to rock and slowly raise and lower herself as another mini-orgasm washed over her.
She kissed me deeply after that and began thrusting up and down in earnest.  "You're not coming out of there until you've cum in me, lover."  She said.
I moved my hands from her sides to her ass and pulled her down onto me and I thrust up.  She leaned forward and bit my shoulder as a full orgasm hit her.  I continued to thrust and pull her onto me and then felt her clamp around me.  It was enough.
"I love you, Jeryl," I moaned as I finally came for the third time in less than two hours.



Chapter Twelve
New Intrigues
*****
"Can I help you?"  I asked as the two men got out of their nondescript blue sedan.  They had pulled up in front of my machine shed, blocking the entrance into the bay I had my car in.
"Are you Paul Taylor?"  The taller of the two asked.  He had a dark suit on that did not really look comfortable in the summer heat.
"I am.  And you are?"
They scanned the yard and then pulled off their sunglasses.  "I'm Special Agent Michaels and this is Special Agent Samuelson.  We're with the FBI office in Chicago."  They both pulled out little leather ID cases and held their badges out for me.
I reached out for the badges, which seemed to surprise them.
"What are you doing?"  Samuelson asked.
"I've never seen an FBI badge up close.  I want to make sure they're legitimate."
He let me have his badge and was surprised when I turned and headed into the office.  I was on the phone before they were both through the door.
"Jim, it's Paul," I said.  "A couple of FBI agents just showed up at the shop."
I listened.
"Special Agent Stanley Samuelson.  ID number 1412327711.  The other is..."  I motioned for the other agent's badge.  He handed it to me without a word.  "Special Agent Randal Michaels.  ID number 5439866534.  They said they are out of the Chicago Office."
Jim told me to be polite and he would call right back.
I returned the badges to the agents and asked if they would like a soda.  Neither accepted.
"We'd like to ask a few questions, Paul," Agent Michaels said.
"Until I hear back from my lawyer who is verifying your credentials, I'm sorry but I must decline."
Samuelson leaned away from the counter toward me.  "Do you have something to hide that you need a lawyer?"
I knew he was trying to intimidate me, but I did not know why.  I shrugged.  "Under the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution I have the right to remain silent and not incriminate myself.  I am also a legal minor and have the right to not be questioned without either a parent, guardian, or competent counsel present.  The man I just called on the phone is my attorney as well as my step-father.  My mother is away today.  If you want to ask me questions, you are going to have to wait until he says it is alright.  Are you sure you don't want a soda while we wait?"
Agent Michaels laughed, which seemed to make his partner relax.  "Sure, I'll take a Coke."  I looked at Agent Samuelson as I reached into the refrigerator.  He finally nodded and I handed them both a can of soda.
I asked how the drive down from Chicago was and tried to make light conversation until the phone rang.  I picked it up before the second ring.
"Paul, you can talk to them about your patent portfolio and how you came up with your ideas.  If they want to talk about any of your other research efforts, I need to be there with you," Jim said without preamble.
"Okay," I said neutrally, knowing they were listening to my side of the conversation.  "Anything else?"
"If they push the issue, give them my card and drive down here.  Tell them I'll clear my calendar for them to talk with you.  If they try anything else, invoke your Fifth Amendment rights to say nothing and call me back.  Do you understand?"
"Got it.  Thanks, Jim."
I hung up the phone and looked at the agents.  "My lawyer has okayed it for me to discuss any of my current patented, or patent pending inventions.  Any other topic we need to have him present to discuss.  Will that work?"
Samuelson scowled again, but Michaels nodded.  "It's a start.  We understand you have eleven patents that you have licensed to several auto makers.  Is that correct?"
I shook my head.  "Right now, the portfolio is sitting at twenty-seven inventions either patented or filed for a patent.  The automakers we have agreements with have rights to any invention in the portfolio.  Additionally, Caterpillar and John Deere have licenses to them as well as the Big Three automakers."
"And just how did you come up with twenty-seven inventions that would make you millions of dollars before your eighteenth birthday?  It sounds a little fishy to us," Samuelson said.
I looked at the two agents for a moment before answering.  "I worked hard and thought logically.  Something more people should spend time doing."
I sat back waiting for the next question, knowing they expected a much longer answer.
Finally, Agent Michaels spoke again.  "So you're saying you had no outside partners in crafting these ideas?"
"Define partners?  I had a lawyer and a girlfriend who helped with the filing of the patent applications.  I had cousins who helped with some of the fabrication efforts on a few items.  But the ideas and majority of the work is all mine.  Perhaps if you told me what you were after, I might be able to better answer your questions."
They traded a look.
"A certain defense contractor has raised questions of how you developed a few ideas that are strikingly similar to their efforts in some classified projects."
I nodded.  I knew that I had advanced the state of the art by years.  I was not surprised that something I remembered and re-invented already existed inside some DARPA or secret project.  "I did draw some inspiration from the description of a military fly-by-wire system that was written about in Popular Science a few years ago, but I hardly have access to any classified materials.  I'm a high school student for God's sake, not some sort of spy."
Michaels nodded, but Samuelson frowned.
"I still find it hard to believe you came up with all these ideas.  You visited Europe last summer.  Did you meet with anyone in their automotive industry during that trip?"
This was getting a little ridiculous.  "No, and I had already filed almost a dozen patent applications before taking that trip, so it's not very logical to think that I could have gotten the idea from someone over there, even if I did meet some spy."
"So you met someone, but you don't think they were a spy?"  He asked, almost jumping at the stupid conclusion.
"No.  I met no one that I discussed my work with while in Europe.  Now that you mention it though, I'll have to get Jim talking to Mercedes and BMW and maybe Fiat and Volvo.  Those might be good markets for me.  The Europeans have always been more fuel and safety conscious than the American auto industry."
I grabbed my small notebook and jotted down a note while ignoring the two agents.
"Are you seriously going to sell out to the Europeans?"  Michaels asked.
"It's not selling out.  It's capitalism at its best.  I'm going to get paid for my ideas and hard work.  Thanks for the thought."
Samuelson tried to get me to misstate stupid assertions a few more times before finally giving up.  Michaels thanked me for the drink and my time and guided his partner out the door.  I watched them drive away before going back inside to call Jim back.
*****
"Well, Paul it looks like we've kicked a hornet's nest," Jim said after he gave Mom a kiss hello.
I smirked at them and then turned to give Jeryl a kiss hello as well.  "Sorry, I wanted to follow your good example," I said.  Mom smiled and Jeryl laughed.  Kelly just groaned.
"The difference is that's how you greet a wife."
"Or a girlfriend," I echoed.
Jim shook his head and we all headed to the table for dinner.
"So, it seems a certain defense contractor wanted to use your ideas but didn't want to pay for them."
I frowned.  "Did they even contact us?"
"Nope.  We never would have known a thing, but somebody in their organization either tried to get too smart and discredit you, or they knew the company was breaking the rules and accused you of taking the idea from them to tip their hand."
"And told the FBI?"
Jim nodded.  "I don't know if we'll ever find out.  My guess is some junior executive thought freezing you out of a big chunk of business or stealing your profits would make his company and him look better.  Instead, we will be suing them for patent infringement."
"Who is it?"
"General Dynamics."
"Wow."
"Wow is right.  It's their Land Systems division.  They make a lot of military vehicles.  Right now they are trying to get a new fighting vehicle procurement from the DoD.  American Motors is their big competitor.  They seemed to think your ruggedized drive-by-wire system could give them the edge over AMC.  My guess is they want to incorporate it into some other things like the new tank they are building for the Army as well."
"Wow.  You know, if they had asked, I would have given them a pretty good deal on things.  I don't like the idea of making a ton of money at the expense of our soldiers or from taxes."
Jim nodded.  "We both know it, but those greedy SOBs didn't.  Now they can pay the piper.  I'll have a suit filed against them tomorrow."
"Do we really need to?  They will probably try to say it's a logical derivative of the fly-by-wire work they did in the F-111 in the late sixties."
"Then they should have filed the patent for it.  You credited them with prior art in at least one filing.  They had thirteen years to patent it.  If we don't protect your work, it risks all our contracts.  Candace and I will be flying up to Detroit to get going on this tomorrow, no doubt about it."
I nodded.  "I guess so."  Then with a grin, "Besides, it's time for you to get back to work after the honeymoon."
Everyone laughed and the topic of conversation turned to more mundane activities from the day.
"Are you glad to be home, Jeryl?"  my mother asked as she served us dinner.  Jeryl had returned from her grandmothers the day before.  I knew I was glad she was back.  She and Kelly had been down in Bloomington with Jim all day during my adventure with the FBI.
"I am, but given how many notes Paul had for us to go through, maybe I should take a vacation more often.  He had three months of notes, instead of the three weeks' worth I was expecting."
Kelly laughed.  "Lord knows he didn't do anything besides work while you were gone," she said.  "If I wasn't coming up here to check on him, I think he would have lived in the shop."
I blushed.  "It wasn't that bad, but I had a lot of things come together that I needed to check out.  I think the lithium-ion approach for batteries could be used in a lot of other applications.  I wanted to get those written up while they were fresh.  Also, the carbon fiber fabrication method looks promising.  I think we need to focus some efforts there before school starts."
"What do you mean?" Jim asked.
"Well, while you are flying to Detroit, I think I should be heading down to Texas to meet with the team.   They are on a good track, but I think we can streamline the approach they have and increase yields if we tweak a few things.  I need to see their set up and talk to the folks on the ground.  Papers aren't doing it for me."
Jim nodded.  "It makes sense.  Do you want to take anyone with you?"  He hid his smile well.
I glanced at Jeryl.  "I think Jeryl should go to help keep the new notes documented and organized.  Since you want to take Candace with you, that leaves either Mom or Kelly to go as a chaperone, which I'm certain Jeryl's mother will want."
"Texas in the summer.  Ugh!" Kelly said.  Mom nodded with her.
"Hey, nobody said this job would be all fun.  Besides, summer is when I can get free for a trip during working hours.  I hate the idea of them wasting time until school starts and then having to meet me on a weekend."  I decided to change topics while I let Mom mull over the idea of me taking Jeryl on a trip.
"Speaking of work, I think we need to have a board meeting and change a few things."
Everyone looked surprised.  "What did you have in mind," Jim finally asked.
"I think we need to review and institute salaries.  Mom not wanting me to pay her a regular, fulltime salary I can understand, since she insists she is just a figurehead until I turn eighteen, but I don't think we're being fair to Kelly, Jeryl, or you, Jim.  Candace and I are the only ones being paid enough to file income taxes on right now.  You guys are working just as hard as I am."
Kelly snorted.  "Not hardly, but I wouldn't mind a raise."
"Not just a raise.  I think we need to make everyone an employee and have benefits and regular paychecks.  Our cash flows will support it and frankly, we could use the expenses to offset some income.  Right now, we are doing nothing to drive down our corporate tax rate and we should be."
Jim nodded.  "I agree, but I also caution us to not pay ourselves too much now and have the well run dry in the next couple of quarters."
"We can be prudent, but I think a living wage for us all should be the goal.  With the latest contracts and GM and Ford both starting royalty payments, we have the cash flow for a much larger company.  We're funding research and grants, but not paying ourselves."
Mom frowned at me.  "I don't know if paying you and Jeryl full salaries is wise..."
"Mom, it's no different than if I increased the cattle herd and then cashed out.  Right now, the money is just sitting in an account.  The salary will as well, for the most part, but that's not what this is about for us.  It's about being able to save and have a legitimate employment record.  It's about all of us having health insurance and not being caught out-of-pocket in an emergency.  As employees, we can have before-taxes benefits."
"I'm sure Janet and Jerry have good insurance," Mom said.
"They do, but I think I understand what Paul is really getting at," Jeryl said.  "Right now, if I slipped and broke my arm in the shop, Mom and Dad would have to pay for my care.  I could technically file for workers comp and I'm sure Dad's insurance would look to the company's liability coverage to defer the cost, but in the meantime, everyone involved would be stressed and possibly hurt our relationships."  I nodded in agreement.  "If I were a full-time employee with insurance, that would be reduced."
"And, God forbid, but if Jim or Kelly or you had a real disease, cancer or something, I'd like to know that we had coverage in place to take care of things, not have to take it out of savings or profits."  I added.
"I just think it is a prudent thing for us to do as a business," I concluded.
Jim was nodding and seemed to catch my mother's eye.  Finally, she sighed and nodded.  "I guess it's just another sign of you growing up that I don't like seeing, Paul."  She reached over and patted my hand.  "So, okay, I'll agree to salaries and insurance."
Jim nodded.  "What else?"  I had thought he was going to get into details of the salaries.
"Well, I think we should get corporate cards for full-time employees.  I know you and Kelly and Candace are spending your own money driving around.  It would be better for travel as well.  Candace and I already have them.  You guys should as well."
"Okay, I can see that.  What else?"
"I want to get you, Kelly and Candace corporate cars.  I think we should be using our own products, but right now I'm the only person driving a car that has any of our work in it.  I hate the idea of anyone getting hurt in an accident when we are patenting and selling safety improving designs."
This time Jeryl squeezed my hand.  It felt good.
Jim shook his head.  "You know, that is something I should have thought of with all my years working for State Farm.  Anything else?"
"Nope.  I think that's enough for now.  Do we want to have the board meeting tonight, or do you want better numbers before we approve things?"
"I think we need to approve it tonight and then get the salary and corporate cards and what-not sorted out before we scatter traveling.  As president, Beth can handle any paperwork while Candace and I fly up to Detroit.  You'll have to sort out with her and Jeryl's mother the idea of a trip to Texas."
"If we're going to be on salary, I suppose I can go even in the middle of summer," Kelly added with a grin at Jeryl and me.
*****
"I can't believe we are finally going to be spending the whole night together," Jeryl whispered as she slipped into the airline seat next to me.  We were flying into Dallas and then driving down to Austin with Kelly being the "legal" driver on the rental car.  We would be meeting with one of our research teams on Tuesday and Wednesday and then going home Thursday.
"Me, too.  I've missed you this summer."  We had been out on dates twice since the wedding for some sweaty sex in the back seat of my car, but no extended private time together.
We had been up before dawn to catch the small plane flight from Bloomington to St. Louis and were now settling into much more comfortable first class seats on American to Dallas.  Kelly was in the row behind us.
"Thanks for booking us first class, Paul."  Kelly said as she settled in.
"No choice, but you're welcome."
"What do you mean?"
"To get down there today, it was first class or not get into Austin until nearly midnight.  I made an executive decision." 
Kelly laughed.  "I guess it's good to travel with the chairman of the board, then."  The stewardess gave me a look at that comment and then proceeded to ask if we wanted a drink before take-off.
Jeryl teased me during the first thirty minutes of the almost two-hour flight whispering naughty thoughts in my ear and stroking my leg through my khaki pants.  I thought of making an offer the help her join the mile-high club, but was afraid she might actually take me up on it, so thought better of it.  I did make use of the light blanket covering her to stroke my way under her skirt and tickle her pussy a little.  Once she realized I had no intention of actually letting her cum, she decided we needed to behave ourselves.   I relented with a kiss and pulled out the team's latest research report to review once again.  Jeryl pulled out a set of my notes and began summarizing them.  We hardly acted like two teenagers.
The remainder of the flight was uneventful, but we landed to learn we might be stuck in Texas for longer than our planned stay.  Evidently the Air Traffic Controllers had walked out on strike this morning sometime after we took off from St. Louis.
We were thankful to be leaving the airport by car rather than flying out, as we looked at the mass of stranded passengers at the gates and ticket counters.  A lot of people would not be happy.  I called our travel agent to make sure our hotel reservations could be extended.  I vaguely recalled this crisis from my past and knew it was not going to end quickly.
The drive was about three hours, but we broke it up with a stop for lunch and one rest stop break, so we all felt fairly fresh when we arrived in Austin.  We managed to find the Hilton downtown with little trouble and were soon checked into three rooms.  Jeryl and I managed to have an adjoining door, while Kelly was one floor up from us.  She gave us a look and then decided to be blunt.
"Okay, you two love birds, we need to have a chat."  Jeryl frowned at her and I just shrugged.
"What's up, sis?"  I knew she still got a kick out of me calling her that.
"I'm the chaperone.  I know you two love each other and I know Jeryl is safe, so I don't really care what you do behind the privacy of your own doors."  Jeryl grinned.  "But, I'm also not going to just sit around while you two play house.  We're here for work first and private time second.
"Yes, Mom," Jeryl chided.  I just smiled.
"I'm serious, Jeryl.  I'd love to have fun and relax, but we're all being paid now and we need to get what we came here for done.  That means Paul has to focus on the research and production aspects and we need to support him.  Acting like a flighty blonde or his girlfriend in front of these folks won't make his job easier.  We need to be professional."
Jeryl seemed to sober.  "We will be."  She couldn't resist a grin though.  "I'll only jump his bones tonight and tomorrow morning and then outside working hours, alright?"
Kelly scowled at us both.  "And I don't need to hear about any bone jumping, unless you find me a good looking cowboy first."  Then she gave us a quick hug and grabbed her suitcase.  "Let's meet in the lounge at five and decide what to do for dinner."
That would give us almost two hours to "unpack".  Jeryl and I took it.
I still reveled at the feel of her naked body against mine.  The fact that we were more classically intimate did not diminish how much pleasure we took from exploring and pleasuring each other over the next sixty minutes.  Jeryl managed to coax two large orgasms from me while enjoying four or five of her own.  By five minutes before five, we were both freshly showered and in the elevator going down to the lobby.  Jeryl had a happy smile on her face and I felt incredibly honored to have such a beautiful girl on my arm as we greeted Kelly in the lounge.
I was surprised to see her with a gentleman.  She wasted no time introducing us to Special Agent Johnson from the FBI field office in Dallas.
"And what brings you to Austin," I asked as we all sat down and Special Agent 'call me Sam' waved to the waitress.
"You do, Paul."
"Uh-oh.  Maybe we should get Jim on the phone."
Sam laughed.  "Kelly already did and I spoke to the man myself.  This has nothing to do with the suit you filed against General Dynamics last week, other than that case brought your amazing portfolio of work to our attention."
"Our being the FBI?" I asked.  I had no idea why the FBI would be interested in my inventions.
"Well, not directly the FBI.  I happen to be doing a rotation with another government agency and a few of us got to brainstorming how some of your work might get applied to other areas.  That led us to look a little deeper at what areas of research you are looking into.  Your work in batteries is what sent me down here to try and meet with you."
I took a sip of water and thought about his words.  "So, NSA, CIA or DOD?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Are you rotating at the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency or the Department of Defense?  Those are the only government agencies other than NASA that might be interested in this line of research.  NASA would just wait until we published.  The others might want a technical edge.  So which is it?"
Sam gave me a shrewd look and then nodded.  "I guess I should have known you would figure it out.  I'm doing a tour in DoD."
Of course, I knew that did not exclude the NSA since it was technically a part of the Department of Defense.  I could imagine an FBI agent working at NSA for a tour much more easily than in the regular DoD establishment.
I decided to accept his fiction at face value.  "So what specifically are you interested in?"
He seemed to relax once it was clear I was not going to probe more on his background or reasons for meeting us.
"We're curious on what sort of operating regime and power density profile you were targeting."
"I don't have a specific target set for this team.  I'm looking for enough of a breakthrough to make good enough batteries to act as an accumulator and storage facility for a car right now.  I believe the same technology will enable high-power capacity for a large number of portable electronics as well, but again, I'm not targeting something specific."
He nodded, accepting my own statements at face value.  "So what sort of power density will make a solution viable for your needs?"
A smart question.  I might not have a stated goal, but he knew I had some sort of threshold in mind.
"A typical starter battery needs 2.6 Mega Joules and weighs about thirty pounds.  Its specific energy works out to about 0.17 Mega Joules per kilo and an energy density of 0.34 Mega Joules per liter.  I need something in that range for specific energy after a seventy percent drain."
He looked like he wanted a calculator.
"To be feasible for my needs, that works out to about a 0.5 Mega Joules per kilo and a density of about 2 Mega Joules per liter."
He nodded.  "So these will be relatively small."
"Relatively.  I plan on packaging them for greater capacity, which is what most of trip down here is about."
"Packaging?"
"I need a lightweight but strong system to put a large number of high capacity batteries into a car in a safe manner.  Lithium based batteries have a good safety margin, but it's not zero and I need to ensure safety in a car or on an aircraft."
He nodded again.  "And you're looking at carbon fibers to provide that?"
It was my turn to nod.  He paused and took a sip of his drink.  I was curious how much more he would probe.
"So if you were looking at storage capacity of ten Mega Joules, you want weight to come in below twenty kilos and volume to be about five liters?"
"I would put that sort of battery in my car tomorrow, so long as I can package and configure it to deliver at least 40 kilowatt-hours.  That makes a hybrid electric-combustion vehicle viable.  60 K-watt-hours gives me a decent commuter car with no engine required."
"Impressive.  Are you close?"
I sat back and looked at him.  "We'll have to see."
He chuckled.  "Well, you've been more than forthcoming, and I appreciate it.  Any chance I could tag along with you on your visit up the road to the campus?"
I smiled and shook my head.  "I'm sorry, Special Agent Johnson, but I'll have to say no.  We're going to be working up there, not just looking around.  If you want to have a serious review of my work, I'd be happy to come to Dallas or Washington, or wherever to have a talk.  But not during this trip."
"Fair enough.  I'll talk to a few sponsors and see what they have to say.  I'll be in touch."  He stood and shook my hand before nodding to the ladies and leaving the lounge.  I watched him walk out of the lobby, glad he was not heading toward the elevators.  I did not like the thought of him staying here and following us around.
"That was weird," Jeryl said.
"It was.  He was fishing for something and it was not just battery specs."
Kelly nodded.  "Dad said he was legit, but I agree it was strange.  Should we postpone our meetings?"
I shook my head.  "No.  Just keep an eye out while we're talking.  Two encounters with the FBI in two weeks makes me think someone is more interested in us than I ever thought possible.”
*****
"It's not like we planned the air traffic controllers' strike, mother," Jeryl said with more than a little exasperation in her voice.    "If we can't get a flight tomorrow, we have tickets on the train Friday and should get home Saturday."
I smiled as I listened to one side of the conversation she was having.  I'm sure it would have been an entirely different topic if her mother could see her stretched out on her stomach, naked on the bed with one foot bouncing over the edge as she spoke.  We had been working hard until this afternoon.
We had spent two days at the University of Texas talking with one of the research teams we were funding looking at the process of making carbon nanotubes.  I almost always said carbon fiber to outsiders, but Kelly and Jeryl knew this process was much more than better yields for carbon fiber.  This was about creating significantly stronger materials that had some very interesting electrical properties.  They would revolutionize batteries and electronics in thirty years if I could not re-invent them decades ahead of time.
Finally, we had a little breakthrough and took the afternoon off as the researchers started a new batch using a slightly different process.  Kelly was proofing the revised process for a patent application that Jeryl had drafted from my notes and descriptions.  I had read through it briefly, but was too keyed up to focus.
Jeryl had dragged me back to the hotel and given me something else to focus on, namely her and multiple orgasms.  Despite having regular sex, or rather sex on a regular basis for the past three days, she made our afternoon session as wild and vividly carnal as she could.  I was totally spent when she decided it was time to call home to update her folks.
While she and her mother argued over our travel plans, I tried to recover and settled for just admiring her firm backside and sleek back.
"Yes, mother.  We have our own rooms and Kelly keeps a close eye on us."  She glanced my way and caught me admiring her.  She grinned and rolled on her side so I could admire her breasts and tight stomach as well.
"Kelly is in her room proofing a patent application Paul and I finished drafting today.  No, I'm not going to go get her so you can talk to her.  I'll have her call you when she's done.  Do you have any idea how dense some of these filings are?  If Paul didn't take the time to go over them with me, I would not have clue what they were describing."
Jeryl scooted closer to me and reached out to cup my penis through the sheet I had pulled up to my waist.  She smiled wickedly at me.  "Mom, it's not like Paul and I are down here on a wild spring break.  We're working.  I'm being paid a good salary to be here on company business, not roll around with my boss just because he's my boyfriend."
I almost choked trying not to laugh at her rolling eyes.
"If we can't get a flight tomorrow, I'll call to let you know.  I love you too, Mom."  She hung up the phone and then bounced up and pounced on me.  "God, I hate having that talk with her.  Hopefully it's the last time I'll do it before we go home."
I kissed her and stroked my fingers up and down her spine a few times.
"Easy, tiger.  Kelly will be back down here in the next hour.  We just have time to hop in the shower and get cleaned up."
"That sounds as fun as what I was thinking," I said with a grin.  Soon we were helping each other get as clean as possible.  I paid particular attention to all of her loveliest parts.  If we had not started to wrinkle, we probably would have still been at it when Kelly knocked on my door.
Instead, I was dressed and Jeryl was in a hotel robe, drying her hair in her bathroom.  Kelly came into my room, shook her head at me as she looked at the wide open adjoining room and noticed the untouched bed in Jeryl's room as I pulled the bedspread up on mine.  "You know, you two could at least pretend to try and sneak around behind my back."
"Sorry, sis.  You'll just have to pretend that we tried to sneak around you if anyone asks.  Of course, you'd be too sharp for us to get past you."  I said with a grin.
She swatted my arm and then grabbed the chair by the desk.  "I got through the first review of the new process, but thought my brain would flip.  I need Dad and Candace to review this one before we send it off."
"If the process works," I cautioned.
She nodded.  "How soon will the brainiacs up the road know?"
"We should have a new batch in the morning.  Testing the useful ratio of that batch should let us know if it is going to work.  The process is pretty new.  It opens up some other areas of consideration that I'll need to think about."
"If what you claim in that patent is any hint, this is a big breakthrough.  Once you can manufacture these nanotubes, you'll have a lot of applications to look at."
"I know."  I also knew that the linear fusion rig I had built needed carbon nanotube strength in its construction.  It was one of six materials I was pushing to get a jump start on.  It was also one area I had previously known little about, hence funding the core research to drive the results I needed.
"What are our plans for dinner?"  Jeryl asked as she came into my room and began going through a drawer looking for some clothes.
Kelly arched her eyebrow at me as Jeryl pulled a clean shirt from the drawer, shrugged out of her robe and pulled the top on without bothering with a bra.
"I was thinking about that Tex-Mex place up by the campus that we saw."  I said nonchalantly, while trying not to stare at my lovely girlfriend as she pulled out a pair of shorts and casually pulled them on.  She was just too damned sexy not to admire.
Kelly shook her head.  "Okay, but if you two rub your romance in my face any more, I swear I'm going to pick up some strange guy."
Jeryl laughed.  "We won't rub anything in your face that you don't ask us to, Kelly.  And why would you want to pick up a strange guy?  Isn't Paul strange enough for us both."
Kelly looked a little shocked and then laughed it off.  Jeryl grinned and grabbed my arm as we headed out.  I wondered what my little vixen was up to, but just went along with her.  Soon, we were seated in a lovely former house with a nice outside patio ordering authentic Tex-Mex for dinner.
"Paul, don't look right away, but I think our friend Sam is sitting at the bar," Kelly said after we ordered.
"Really?"  I sipped my water and then decided to take a trip to the men's room.  Sure enough, Agent Johnson was sitting at the bar nursing a beer.  He looked different out of his dark suit, but even in civvies, it was a bit of a coincidence that he was here.
"Special Agent Johnson," I said as I swerved out of the hallway leading to the restroom and into the bar.  "Are you following us for some reason?"
He looked embarrassed for a second, but then covered his reaction.  "Of course not, Paul.  I was still in town on some other business.  I'm meeting someone from the University.  They recommended this place for some food while we talk."
I smiled.  "We got the recommendation from some folks here as well.  It must be popular with the campus crowd." I glanced toward the ladies, wishing for psychic powers.  "Well, I don't want to keep the ladies waiting.  I hope you enjoy your dinner."  I waved and returned to our table, sitting down with my back to the bar.
"Kelly, keep an eye peeled and see if you recognize who he meets."
"Why?  Do you think.... hey isn't that the research assistant on Dr. Wilkerson's team?"  Wilkerson was the primary researcher we had hired.
I glanced over my shoulder.  "It is.  Steve or Stephen, isn't it?"  I watched the two men glance our way and the young doctoral candidate paled when he saw me.
Agent Johnson waved and then put his hand on the younger man's shoulder and guided him out of the bar.
"I don't like the looks of that," I said.
"Should we go after them?"  Jeryl asked.
I shook my head.  "No.  Let's eat and then go back to the hotel.  I'll call Dr. Wilkerson and have Stephen removed from the project.  I'll make it especially clear that he is not to be told of the results of the test process."
"No, make sure Dr. Wilkerson lets him know it did not work.  If that little snake is spying on you, let him think it was a dead end trial instead of thinking it might be worth something."
The waitress arrived with our food, and while I tried to put the incident out of my mind, it kept coming back to haunt me.  Something was up with the government and my research.  I did not like the feeling of that.
*****
We made it home without any further run-ins with the FBI, but I was suddenly concerned.  Not that I had done something wrong, but that I did not know what they were searching for.  A long talk with Jim had set in mind the need to put some better security in place around our projects.  A pair of large fire-proof safes were the most evident change as a result of that conversation.  They were mounted to the floor like file cabinets under the work space in the office.
I returned a copy of the Austin team's latest report to the safe, closed the heavy door and spun the dial to clear the combination.  Jeryl hated having to lock things up at the end of each day, but was slowly getting use to it.  She brought me a soda as I looked around to make sure everything was tucked away safely.
"I almost can't wait for school to start up next week," she said as she dropped onto the couch.  "This has been a busy summer."
I joined her on the couch.  "It has been.  Trying to figure out what the government is looking for over the past two weeks hasn't helped any.  Do you think we're trying to do too much?"
She grabbed the soda out of my hand, took a sip, set it on the end table and swung astride me before kissing me soundly.  "No, you are doing what you need to in order to change things and make them better.  We've talked enough.  I know you recognized that sooner or later someone would take an interest in what you were pursuing.  The fact it's the government is the only surprise."
I sighed and kissed her back.  "You're right.  We're not doing anything illegal."  I kissed her again.  "Are you really ready to go back to school?"
She frowned and snuggled into me.  "I'll miss seeing you every day, but it will also be nice to see my friends.  I've only seen Kay twice this summer outside of cheerleading camp.  I think she's a little pissed I haven't made time for her."
"We haven't seen Jim and Lisa either," I said.  "We keep telling each other we need to take time for others, but then we keep falling into our own world.  How can we change that?"
"It's a shame you don't have jobs for them."
"Yeah, but I want them as friends, not employees, so maybe it's not all bad that we don't."
"Yeah, I can imagine how pissy Kay would get if you fired her."  We laughed at the thought and kissed again.
"I think I'll miss ending the day with you the most once school is back on.  It's been nice driving you home each night and getting a little alone time with you."
"I know what you mean.  I love when we make love.  Hell, I love when we have sex, but most days I feel closest to you just when you wrap me up in these wonderful arms and kiss me good night."
"Parting is such sweet sorrow," I intoned with another kiss.
We kissed a bit more and then I drove her home.  Parting was sweet sorrow, but we also knew we would see each other the next day at church.  Monday would be back to the school grind, both as juniors this year.  I was actually not looking forward to school.
*****
"So Paul, are you still seeing that girl that goes to Standard?"  Molly was the head cheerleader this year.  She had decided to join Lisa, Jim and I at lunch on the first day back at school.  She was a cute redhead, but had a nasally voice that grated on my nerves.  Lisa liked her, so I hid my feelings as best I could.
"Yep.  Her name is Jeryl."
"That's too bad.  You should go with someone here.  You could see a lot more of them."
"We see quite a bit of each other, so it's no problem."
Molly took a bite of her food and looked thoughtful for a minute.  "You know, I don't think I ever thanked you for donating the pool here.  I used it a lot this summer.  It's going to be nice to be able to go for a swim all year round."
"Yeah, Paul.  You should have come by.  I expected you to at least attend the grand opening," Lisa said.
"It was while Mom and Jim were on their honeymoon.  I didn't really feel like coming without them.  Besides, I don't want credit for it."  Uncle Ben had come to represent the family.
"Why not?" Molly asked.  "It's so cool you could do that."
I shrugged.  "I just wanted to give something back to the community."
"Well it's still pretty cool," Molly said as she reached across the table to pat my hand.  "I think we're pretty lucky to have you around."
Jim came to my rescue.  "So, genius, are you in AP Calculus this year?"  It was a senior course and would give us college credit if we maintained a B average.  I nodded.  "Lisa and I are too.  Do you think it will be hard?"
"I don't think so.  I've looked at it some before."
Molly pulled her hand back.  I didn't think Molly had taken a math course other than the required basic algebra freshman year.
"So are you going to help us less than genius students?"
"Sure.  What do you have in mind, a study group or something?"
Lisa nodded.  "Jim and I were talking, and know that you have a leg up on us.  Since it is for college credit, we want to make sure we do well."
"What did you have in mind?"
"Well, you have a nice place to study, if you don't mind providing the location.  We could pick a regular evening and meet for an hour or so to go over homework and any problems we're having."
I thought about it for a second.  "Sure.  Just us three or anyone else?"
"Heather might be interested.  I'll ask her."  Molly retreated a little more from our conversation.
"What night?  With football I think Thursday and Friday are out."  Jim nodded.
"What about Tuesday?"
"That works for me.  Do we start tomorrow?"
Lisa and Jim nodded.  "I looked at the book at the end of last semester.  I think we need to get ahead and stay there to keep on top of things."
"Okay.  Let's say seven?  That gives us enough time after practice to clean up and eat and do some other homework."
"Sounds good.”
*****
Jeryl greeted Lisa with a hug as they came into the break area of the shop with books in hand.  "It's so good to see you again," she said.
Lisa echoed her sentiment and quickly introduced Heather who had decided to join us.
"I hope you guys don't mind, but Jeryl has AP Calculus at Standard, so I asked her to join us.  Her Mom is the math teacher there, so if we run into any problems, we can get help from her."
"Sounds good to me," Jim said.  "I'm already feeling a little overwhelmed by this course."
Since it was for college credit, it was run more like a college course than a high school one.  We had an assignment every night and were promised a quiz every week with full tests about once a month.  The course built on itself, so if you fell behind, you would quickly become lost.
"No problem.  Let's get today's homework out of the way and then look ahead."
We were soon settled in around the round table in the break room working through the problems.  Whenever someone got stuck, we would work through the problem together on the chalkboard I had against one wall.  It was fun helping everyone and watching them help each other.
Homework along with the next day's reading assignment took us about an hour.  We all felt good about the work and concepts as we packed things up.
"This is quite a shop, Paul," Heather said as we relaxed before heading out.  "Is this what you spent your money on?"
Jeryl laughed.  "This is what he makes his money on.  Come on, I'll show you around."  She grabbed Heather's hand and pulled her toward the shop door.  Lisa hopped up and followed them.
Jim grabbed another soda from the refrigerator.  "I was a little worried about bringing Heather out when you told me Jeryl was joining us.  I think she has a little crush on you ever since the winter dance a couple years ago."
"Nah, she turned me down for a second date."
Jim laughed.  "A bunch of girls had their eyes on you then.  They had some sort of agreement to not date you twice until more than one girl had a shot at you.  They figured you would need a few friends before getting over Wendy.  Hooking back up with Jeryl ruined their plans to get you out of your shell."
"What?"
Jim nodded.
"And you are only now telling me this?"
He blushed.  "Well, I didn't really know until Lisa told me last year before you and Jeryl went to the winter dance with us.  Since then, it's never really come up."
"Well, I'm glad no one got their hooks into me before I went skiing then."
"Me too, buddy.  I like Jeryl.  So does Lisa."
"That makes three of us, then," I said.
"Just don't forget it.  Lisa warned me that there are some girls looking to get closer to you ever since your money came out."
"Molly?"
"Maybe, but there are a couple others she has heard whispers about.  Don't get yourself in trouble with any of them."
"Shit, I don't need this.  I just want to have a normal junior year."
Jim laughed again.  "Would that be a normal junior year for me, or one where you make another ton of money with inventions and keep out-performing our rivals on the football field?"
I shook my head.  "I meant a normal year with no teenage girl drama.  I'm with the woman I love.  Can't that be good enough?"
"I feel for you buddy.”
*****
"I nominate Paul Taylor," Candice O'Sullivan said.
"I second the nomination," William Sims said before I could even protest.
"I decline the nomination," I said firmly.  Someone had decided I should be the head of the Prom committee.  The junior class put on the Junior-Senior prom each year.  Some classmates seemed to think I would be a good chairman for the committee.  I suspected some girls wanted an excuse to be close to me, but I was a little cynical and paranoid so that could have been my imagination.
I looked around the room hoping to see some support and realized it was too bad I was good friends with more seniors than juniors.  Candice was good friends with Rebecca Tilmore, the class president whom I suspected of wanting me to volunteer.  "Look, I'm happy to help, but I can't run things.  I've got too much on my plate already and the spring is going to be worse."
Most of them had no idea what I was talking about.  That was my own fault.  Thankfully, a couple other names were nominated.  When Rebecca called for a vote, I was thankful that my unwillingness was accepted.
"Okay, our final order of business is to elect a chairman for the homecoming float committee," Rebecca said after Tina Helmsworth was elected for the prom committee.
"I nominate Paul Taylor," Tina said.
I scowled and shook my head.  No one seconded it as they looked at me.
"I second it," Candice said with a smirk my direction.  "You can do something for our class, Paul.  It won't kill you."
"Fine," I said with resignation.  I knew the girls I needed to watch out for would all find their way onto the committee for building the float.  So much for a drama-free junior year.
No other nominations were made and I found myself the chairman of the homecoming float committee.  As soon as the class meeting was called to a close, several girls came up to me filled with enthusiasm for building a float.
"When will we start meeting to come up with a design and theme?" Candice asked as she stood next to me.
"How about Tuesday morning before school?" I suggested.  Next Monday was Labor Day.  Homecoming was October 2nd.  We were playing Flanagan at home.  "That will give us four weeks to decide and build whatever we are doing."
"Great.  I'll have Rebecca put the meetings in the school paper.  What time?"
"Seven fifteen."  Classes started at seven thirty-five.  Twenty minutes would be enough time to get everything sorted out for the first meeting, I hoped.
I shook my head in disgust and grabbed my things to go to football practice.  Jim had no sympathy for me and Bill Tanner actually thought the class meeting was funny.
"Look on the bright side, Paul."  Bill said.  "You'll probably get to witness some major catfights as they try to outdo each other and catch your attention.  If nothing else, it will be entertaining."
"Thanks Bill.  Thanks a lot."  The guys in the locker room laughed and soon we headed out to practice.  I just hoped Jeryl understood.
*****
"Come on, Taylor.  Make something happen out there!"
I nodded to Jim as I headed back out to the field.  It was our first game of the season and I had just watched Jim and the offense held to three and out on their first possession of the game.
We were playing Peru, and they were a much bigger team.  They had not shown much skill yet, just size.  We had been able to hold them to three and out in their first possession as well.  The first series had been three passing plays.  The QB had thrown the ball away all three times due to our tight coverage.  I figured they would try the ground this time.
Two running backs were on the field and the tight-end was lined up close in.  As soon as the ball was snapped, the line pulled and charged my way.  I saw the smaller back take the handoff and tuck in behind a wall of blockers.  Our line did well and moved them parallel to the line of scrimmage as the runner looked for a hole.
He saw the slight seam a second before I did, but he had more ground to cover.  I was in the gap a half step before him and kept my eyes open as I drove into his numbers and wrapped him up for a tackle.  We slammed into the ground and a second later a helmeted head slammed into my side.
Pain shot across my back and shoulders as the breath whooshed out of me.  I was dazed as I heard the whistles blow and tried to roll away from and off the running back.  I managed to get to my hands and knees, but could not catch my breath.  Another whistle sounded as I noticed the running back next to me holding his knee.  Teammates tried to help me to my feet, but instead, I rolled over and fell back to the turf.  A minute later the coaches were there.
"How bad is it, Taylor?"  Coach J asked as someone held my head and shoulders down.
"Ribs," I managed to say.
Coach probed a little and hit something that sent a spasm through my torso.  "Shit!"
"Okay.  Let's get you up and over to the sideline.  Don't be afraid to lean on us."  Coach J and Coach Miller helped get me to my feet but I could not straighten out fully.  I headed toward our sideline and the bench there.
"What happened?"
"You stopped him at the line and their full back speared you.  The idiot also landed on his own running back's knee.  Fifteen yard penalty and they just lost their best ball carrier," Coach Miller said as they eased me onto the bench and the local doctor came over to begin checking me out.
I had a pretty good idea of the diagnosis from my broken ribs two years ago.  I did not think I was going to be playing for a few weeks.  The doctor confirmed it and told me to leave the pads off after he taped me up.  Having at least two cracked ribs would keep me on the sideline.
I got my jersey back on just in time for our first touchdown of the game as Jim went deep on second and four.  Peru's previously stout defense had put on a run blitz and let Bill Tanner behind the secondary coverage.  Jim's perfect pass put him ten yards closer to the end zone than any defenders.  Bill ran it in untouched and the crowd cheered.
"Shit," was all I could say.  It was a great way to start the season.
*****
I was puttering around the shop and office trying to avoid twisting and sending a stab of pain through my chest.  We had won the game last night, and I tried to be pleasant at the Salaway's annual back to school party afterward, but could not muster much enthusiasm.  Jeryl was understanding, so at least I didn't have to deal with yet more drama.
It was frustrating.  I put the effort into football because I enjoyed playing.  Sitting on the sidelines, even due to an injury, pissed me off.  I understood needing to heal, but I had better things to do than attend practice if I was not going to play.  I could be helping Jim work a deal with the European car makers, or following up on the carbon nanotube work we had done in Austin, or figuring out what the damned FBI was really up to.
"Damn," I said as I threw a wrench onto the workbench.
"Anything I can help with, Paul?"  Jim asked.  I had not heard him come into the shop.
"No.  I'm just frustrated.  I didn't need to get hurt in the first game.  If it was toward the end of the season, I could hang up my cleats and heal and get on with other things, but now I'll have the same time commitments as if I were playing, but none of the field time."
Jim nodded.  "I understand, but let me ask you this; are you playing to fill time or because you enjoy it?"
I laughed.  He knew I had plenty of things to fill my time.
"I really do enjoy the game.  There is something about testing myself each time I suit up that is really rewarding.  It's something I realized I needed my freshman year.  I want to do better each time I compete or even work out."
Jim nodded again.  "And you're going to lose that opportunity for a few weeks."
"The next two games for sure, according to the doctor.  Then he'll decide how I'm healing."
"Okay, so what else can you do to challenge yourself during the next two weeks?  Box?"
Jim knew about my training with Uncle Ben.  I shook my head.  "The doctor said no workouts for a week."  I didn't tell him that I planned on running as soon as it no longer hurt to breathe deeply.
"So what else challenges you?"
I looked around the shop and then back to him.  Aside from my car, the shop was pretty much empty.  "I guess not much."
"No projects here?"
"No.  I haven't started any other hands-on projects since the stock car."
"I'd say it's a great time to start something new that will give you some mental challenges, then."  He looked at me for a few moments.  "Surely you have some ideas you'd like to tinker with.  I've never known you not to be thinking two or three steps further down the road than the rest of us."
I sighed.  "That's the problem.  I need some of the fundamental research we're funding to produce results before I can tackle the problems I'm most interested in."
"So go another direction.  You got hurt because of an illegal hit.  Can you make something to give you better protection on the field?"
Now that was an interesting idea.  I thought about it for a minute.  "I don't know," I finally said.  "Maybe, but it would have to be light and thin to wear under the regular gear."
It was Jim's turn to shrug.  "I bet you can figure something out.  Let me know if you need a hand to bounce ideas off of."  He turned and left the shop.  I went toward the office.
I knew Under Armor was a few years away from being founded, but even their gear would not have helped my problem aside from giving me a thin layer of padding.  I doubted it would have prevented the broken ribs.  But their basic idea could act as a foundation.  I sat at my desk and pulled out the latest report from Austin.  I had a glimmer of an idea.
A few hours later, Jeryl found me still at my desk with a pile of paper filled with sketches and equations.
After a gentle hug and kiss to my cheek, she looked over my shoulder at what I was working on.  "This looks completely new, Paul.  What is it?"
"Protection.  Maybe," I said as I shuffled the papers to find my best drawing.  It looked like a t-shirt with horizontal bands around the midriff.  "Jim got me thinking about figuring out something to better protect a player's ribs.  If I make this t-shirt with the right materials, I can incorporate these bands of semi-rigid carbon nanotubes.  I think, if we get the alignment right, they would transfer a lot of the force of a sharp blow around the body.  The foundation would also have a little padding to help with bruising.  I just don't know if I can make it work the way I need to for the forces to interact correctly."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the compression load at the point of impact needs to make the material become rigid.  I think if we stopped the carbon nanotube formation process one step sooner, we would have a solution that could be used.  If we can align the nanotubes inside the solution, we could create an interlocking matrix that would be rigid in one dimension and elastic in another."
"I love you, but you are speaking gibberish," she said with a laugh.
"Let me try this.  A shock absorber converts kinetic energy into potential energy by compressing a cylinder of gas."
She nodded.
"But it only stores that energy for long enough to change its direction by 180 degrees; it pushes back."
"Yeah, but the total force is still applied to the mounting point."
"Right, but it's similar in principle.  What if instead of mounting to one point it was mounted across an infinite number of points?  And what if it transferred the direction of the energy 90 degrees instead?  If I can align the nanotubes correctly, the initial impact increases surface area of the overall impact, but lessens the force by diverting some of the energy away from the locus of impact.  The math seems to indicate that I can't do it in three dimensions, but I can make it work in two."
"But you're three dimensional.  You could get hit from any angle."
"Right, which is why I'll make a two-dimensional solution."  I held up a piece of paper. "And form it in three dimensions."  I curled the paper onto itself to make a tube.  "If I can align things right, the material will be rigid in one-dimension relative to itself, which should be around the tube, not up and down the tube.  That will distribute the force of the impact over a larger area and reduce the force at any one point by a square of the different dimensions.  It should be flexible enough to not impede the wearer.  If you need something stronger, like a bullet proof vest, you would weave the material in differing directions to create rigidity along multiple axes."
Jeryl shook her head and then kissed me.  "So what do we need to do to make a prototype?  I'd like you to not get hurt anymore this season, you know."
I laughed and then winced.  Let's see if we can make a small batch using the Austin process and stop it.  I think we have everything we need in the shop, if you can be a pair of hands for me."
She kissed me.  "You know I can do that for you," she said with a smile.
*****
"It doesn't look like much," Mom said as Jeryl showed them our experiment.  We had worked late into the night Saturday and Sunday and finally thought we had something to show for it early Monday afternoon.
Rather than say anything, I laid our piece of gray fabric over a sheet of glass on the work bench and hit it with a ball peen hammer.  I pulled the fabric away and showed them the unbroken glass beneath it.
"Wow," Jim said as he moved closer to inspect the glass.  "How much force can it withstand?"
"We don't know yet.  Paul's done some math, but it assumes a perfect solution in process and we know we don't have that."
"But it should reduce the impulse delivered to a specific locus by about a factor of ten, at least with this thickness of material."
"So no bulletproof vests?"  Jim joked.
"Not from this material, but it might be possible to change the formulation and thickness to make one.  This is about five mils thick.  No worse than a wetsuit.  We were able to get about a hundred fold dispersal of area."
"What?"
"If the blow were an impulse delivered in one square centimeter, it would be reduced by a factor of ten and spread over an area of one hundred centimeters."
Mom went over and picked up the cloth.  "It feels silky.  And lighter than I expected.  I thought it would be more like a wetsuit."
"It's about a thick as one, but because it's really a semi-porous fiber between two layers of thin microfiber fabric, it is much lighter and less dense than neoprene."
"It sounds like magic to me."
"And you two did this in the past two days?"
"Paul did most of it," Jeryl insisted.
"But Jeryl helped a ton.  She is just as much the inventor as I am.  It was her idea to sandwich our material in the microfiber.  It should wick away moisture in this configuration and not be too hot to wear."
"So this will keep your ribs whole?"  Mom asked.
"We'll see.  At a minimum it should help reduce impact injuries quite a bit.  I can see using it in a lot of other places too."
"Like where?" Jim asked.
"Ski gear.  Work clothes for safety.  Interior panels for cars.  Emergency shelters.  Lots of stuff.  Once we have a bigger sample, we'll have to test and play around with it, but I can see this making us more money than any of my other inventions over the long haul."
"Really?"
"Can you imagine any mother not buying two or three of these shirts if they help protect her darling son from football injuries or skiing injuries?  Just the sportswear market could be huge."  And we would be over a decade ahead of the market, I knew.
"What do we need to do?"  Mom asked.
"We need to get a production run started so we have a bigger sample to test with.  Then we need to start looking at the market and who we want to license it to or partner with.  Does Candace have any contacts with DuPont?  If not, we need to develop some so we can have a talk after we get the patent filed.  I have no idea who we would talk to for garment manufacturing, but if we want to run this as a line of business, that would be the next step."
Jim shook his head.  "We need a partner.  None of us have that sort of manufacturing experience."
"I agree," Jeryl said.  "If we are getting a cut of the materials margin as well as the end-unit revenue, we can see much greater rewards without all the overhead of manufacturing and sales."
Jim looked at her in surprise.
"Hey, I hang out with a genius who is always reading something.  I can at least keep up with the business books," she said defensively.
Despite my still tender ribs, I pulled her in for a hug and whispered, "I love you.”


Chapter Thirteen
In The Limelight
*****
By the time the doctor cleared me to play again, I had a new gray T-shirt to wear under my jersey and pads.  I took a little ribbing from my teammates until I came in with a box of handmade T-Shirts and handed them out before a game.  By halftime, they were all believers in my new base layer.  I steadily refused to call it Under Armor, even though that is how I found myself thinking of it.
By the time homecoming rolled around, players were asking for a second shirt, some with longer sleeves to protect their arms.  Running backs were wondering about something similar for their legs.  If my teammates were any indication, there would be a strong demand for these shirts.
Our Tuesday night study group grew a little with the addition of Kay from Standard.  Jeryl invited her after okaying it with me.  Everyone seemed cool with it, and it gave Jeryl a way to bring Kay into my circle of friends.  Heather and Kay seemed to hit it off particularly well and seemed to pair up frequently to work together.  Janet was impressed by the results of our studying together and actually encouraged a couple of other students at Standard to join us.  Ray Fillmore was the only one who did.  He was a lanky kid, not a jock, but funny with a very dry sense of humor.  Most nights, he would have us in stitches at least once.  After several sessions, I saw Heather keeping a closer eye on him.  That made me happy.
Jim and Candace were hoping to get new ventures for sports clothing going while trying to finish deals with the European automakers for my other inventions.  Mom was a little disappointed that Jim went to Germany without her to finish our deal with Mercedes and BMW, but decided it was probably for the best once she saw his itinerary.  Five cities in four days did not look like a fun trip.  Instead, she stayed home with me and made cookies when my classmates and I got together to build our float.  She got a good laugh seeing some of her students reacting to Jeryl showing up with her to bring the treats.
"Sweetie," Jeryl said with a grin as she jumped and wrapped her legs around my waist.
I gave her a big kiss and resisted the urge to laugh as half a dozen girls from my class looked on.  Jeryl was dressed impeccably in stylish jeans and a loose blouse.  She had a glow to her from the cool air and her own natural beauty.  I knew the guys that were helping were jealous of me, just as the girls were jealous of her.
She gave me another kiss, and then stood on her own feet again.  "Your Mom and I thought you guys might enjoy a little break."  It was the Thursday before homecoming and we were in the bus garage at the school finishing our class float.
It was nothing special, much to the disappointment of several girls who thought I should fund the equivalent to a Rose Bowl Parade float.  Instead, we stuck within our class budget and built a good float on a donated hayrack.  The big "Roll over Roanoke" sign at the back was my personal contribution.  I had outlined the letters with small white Christmas lights drilled through the backing plywood and wired them to flash in sequence.  It looked pretty impressive compared to the other floats that just used paint.
I introduced Jeryl to my classmates as she handed out cookies and Mom poured hot chocolate.  Jeryl was incredibly charming and gracious to everyone she met, and I thought I could not love her any more than I already did.
By the time they left, I could hear several of the girls who had been casually throwing themselves at me saying how lucky I was.  Even Candice came up to me at the end of the night and commented on how nice Jeryl was and what a cute couple we made.  I hoped this was the beginning of the end for some of the drama that had been playing out for the past three weeks.
The next night we did roll over Roanoke with a seventeen to three victory.  I had three sacks and one blocked kick and could not feel better about my playing.  There was no lack of intensity this year.  Jeryl congratulated me enthusiastically at the end of the game.  She did an even better job a while later on the drive home.
We parked at the pond near her house and easily shifted into the back seat.  We had been fortunate to have enough alone time to at least park once a week and taken great advantage of it, becoming even more familiar with one another's bodies and erogenous zones.
I took advantage of my knowledge to lightly lick her breasts and nipples and then gently blow across her now moist skin.  She moaned and shivered and reached for my cock.  "No gentle foreplay tonight, lover.  I want you to fuck me hard.  I got so excited watching you out on the field tonight."
I kissed her and slid around and into her with ease.  She gasped and then grabbed my ass and pulled me to her.  "That's it.  Fuck me good, Paul."  I thrust into her and felt her spasm around my cock.  She had not been kidding about being turned on.  "Oh, shit, I'm coming already."  I continued to thrust, knowing she did not want me to stop.  She rose up to meet me and grabbed my shoulders to lift herself off the seat and hold herself against me as I continued to pound into her.  Soon, a second, much bigger orgasm ripped through her.  As her pussy clenched me tightly, I felt my own release boil up from my balls.
Jeryl sensed my orgasm and moved faster than I could imagine, dropping off me and sliding down just as I started to come.  She moaned beneath me as my hot sperm splashed against her naked chest and chin.  "Oh baby, I feel your love all over me."  Another pulse flashed through me as her hand reached down to milk me dry.
She licked her fingers and smiled at me wickedly.  "I may be a slut, but I love the feel of you shooting on me."
"At your service, ma'am," was all I could manage to say.
She laughed and gave me a quick kiss.
A flash of light lit the trees and she sat up quickly.  "Shit, it's another car."  She scrambled for the towel under the seat as she tried to see who it was.  I felt her relax against me as I pulled my own boxers back on.  "I think it's Jyl and her date," she said softly.
I looked out the window, not recognizing the car.  I was happy it was not the cops, or her parents.  "Who's she dating?"
"Scott something.  He's from Tonica."
Just then, the passenger door opened and Jyl hopped out of the other car and came traipsing over to mine.  Jeryl slipped her panties back on before her sister opened my door and grinned at us in the back.
"Glad to see you two still have some clothes on."
"Eat me," Jeryl said with a little laugh.
"You wish, sis." Jyl teased back.  "I just wanted to let you know it was us.  I won't say anything as long as you don't."
"Like I would."
"Well, I wasn't sure you knew Scott's car.  I didn't want you freaking out."
"I didn't know you were dating someone, let alone his car," I said.
"Well, it's only our second date.  He was a gentleman so he'll get a little reward, and I might get a little something-something too."
Jeryl and I both laughed as she closed the door and headed back to her date.  We watched her for a second and then slid back down in the back seat.
"That was close," I said.
"No kidding.  She would have freaked if she caught us actually fucking."
"Really?  I figured you had told her."
"Not a chance.  She would make some smart-assed comment when Mom was around, for sure.  I haven't told anyone, except Kelly.  You haven't been bragging, have you?"
"Not a chance, kitten.  What we do with each other is private between the two of us.  I love you too much to hurt you like that."
"I love you too.  Now why don't you take those boxers off and show me how much you really love me."
"With your sister parked ten yards away?"
Jeryl rolled over, pushed her panties down her legs, and wiggled her ass at me.  "Why don't we make the car shake enough that they really know what we're doing," she said with a grin.  "After all, it's been a while since you've had my ass.  I'm sure you can rock the car taking me there."
It was my pleasure to make her pleasure.  If the rocking car did not get their attention, I'm sure Jeryl's exaggerated yells of pleasure did.
*****
One nice change in the PE lineup this year was the pool I had funded.  Since it was indoors for year-round use, swimming was added to the PE rotation.  It was nice to swim laps to supplement running and lifting and some of the team sports we typically played.  I could have gotten out of the PE requirement pretty easily based on my participation in football and track, but I liked the idea of having a swim right before lunch which is where the junior PE class landed.
I was a decent swimmer.  If I had to race, I'd rather run than swim, but it did not hurt to hang out in the pool with some of my classmates.  We learned all the basic swimming strokes as well as a little diving.  Toward the middle of the semester, we added water polo to the mix on Fridays.  Aside from nearly drowning when two girls in the class thought they should dunk me, it was fun.
I was swimming laps the week after homecoming, letting my mind drift as I focused on breathing and keeping an even stroke, when the coach's whistle blew shrilly.  I cut under the lane marker and headed to the side as the coaches counted heads.  We did not have a buddy like the scouting swimming system, but all of our names were on the board by the pool entrance.
"Taylor!"
"Here coach," I said as I levered myself out of the pool.  I grabbed my towel and headed to him by the entrance.
"They want you in the office.  Hustle up and change."
"Yes coach."  I headed into the locker room and was soon on my way to the office with a wet head and smelling of chlorine.
The office secretary, Mrs. Tanner waved me in and toward Mrs. Spitzer's office.  She was the guidance counselor.  I knocked on the closed door and heard her answer to come in.
Mrs. Spitzer looked and acted like everyone's grandmother.  She was a very kind lady who always had time for the students.  A strange man was in her office.  He stood and introduced himself.
"Hello, I'm Russell Cambridge from Stanford."  He was a jovial red headed man with a military build and dressed in a gray suit.
I shook his hand.  "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir.  What can I do for you?"
"I understand from Mrs. Spitzer that you are interested in attending Stanford."
"Yes, sir.  It's at the top of my list right now."
He smiled and nodded.  "Well, I'd like to tell you that you are on our list as well.  We got your application for early acceptance.  A couple of members on our review committee wanted me to come out and verify a few things."
I had never heard of an admissions committee meeting in person with a student to verify information on the application.  It intrigued me.  "Verify what, specifically?"
He motioned me to the chair on the opposite side of Mrs. Spitzer's table and pulled out a folder.  "They wanted to have me follow up on your essay."
I laughed and sat down.  Mrs. Spitzer gave me her patented "what have you done now?" look, so I decided to explain.  I had not asked her advice on the application and only told her I had applied.
"The application requested a one-page essay on why I thought I would be a good addition to the Stanford academic community.  You can't put many facts into a one page, double spaced essay.  Instead I listed my patent numbers and titles."
"These are real?"  Mr. Cambridge asked as he held up the essay in question.
"All of them.  There are six more now, but they would push me over the one page limit."
"So what would I find out if I pulled a copy of 'Methods for electro-hydraulic control of a vehicle via embedded microprocessors' from the patent office?"
"Almost a hundred pages of schematics and descriptions of how to make a drive-by-wire system for a car that can almost parallel park itself."
"Really?"
It was Mrs. Spitzer's turn to laugh.  "I'm sure Paul would love to take you for a drive in his car and show you.  He's justifiably proud of that car."
He looked at both of us.  "How so?"
Mrs. Spitzer looked at me.  I stayed quiet since I suspected he would take the news better from an adult.  She arched and eyebrow at me.  I nodded slightly.
"My understanding is that having that car to demonstrate his patents pushed several auto makers into licensing his portfolio.  He used some of his windfall to put the new pool in here at the school as well as some improvements around town."
Cambridge sat back with a stunned look on his face.  It looked like he was trying to find a way to convince himself that we were pulling his leg, so I jumped in.  "I received a little over fifteen million dollars last year for these inventions and will probably increase that by a factor of four to six this year.  All the major U.S. manufacturers have licenses and my lawyer is just finishing up discussions with several European firms.  If you bought a Cadillac in the past year and a half, about half of that list was used in them."  I paused.  "I'd appreciate you not spreading those numbers around.  I don't want to make a big deal out of my money."  He nodded and I was happy to see Mrs. Spitzer nod as well.
"So what made you list these for your essay?  Bragging?"
"Hardly.  If I wanted to brag, I would have put my company's P&L in there.  Stanford's motto is 'the wind of freedom blows' and is supposed to be a call to research and discovery.  I think these inventions demonstrate that I am an embodiment of that motto.  How better to show what I can add to the university and its pursuit of academic and research excellence than demonstrating I am living the principles of the institution?"
He seemed to be impressed with my answer.  I noticed him writing furiously in the margin of the letter.  "That is an impressive answer, Paul.  I'm glad I made the effort to meet with you."
"What if you hadn't?  You said some member of the review committee had questions...."  I let my voice trail off.
"Well, two professors in the School of Engineering felt that you could not have been the original author of the patents in question."
I thought about it for a few minutes.  "Was one of them Professor Pellerman?"
Cambridge seemed surprised that I knew the name.  "It was.  Why do you say that?  Do you know him?"
I smiled and shook my head.  "I've used some of my money to fund research in a few areas.  He had a proposal submitted, but it was to develop control systems that were less advanced than what I had already built and sold.  My attorney might have referenced one of these patents in her response declining his research request."
"And you suspect this because?"
"I approve all of the research proposals.  I remember his submission."
"If that's true, he should have recused himself from any discussion of your application."
I shrugged.
"Okay.  I can see that this is all legitimate, but Mrs. Spitzer indicates you were not planning on graduating early.  Why did you apply this year instead of next year?"
"I'll have all of the Illinois state requirements for graduation complete at the end of my junior year.  I wanted to make sure I had options.  I applied to my top three schools after I realized that all of them state that if you are admitted, you are guaranteed attendance, despite need or timing.  I know that all three have a history of deferring a student's start date for extenuating circumstances.  I doubted that a semester or two deferment would be difficult to arrange."
"That's not our usual practice, but there have been exceptions in the past," he admitted.  "If you don't mind my asking, what are the other two schools?"
"MIT and Georgia Tech."
He nodded again.  "Both excellent schools, but I think Stanford would be a much better spot for you.  Can I interest you in coming out for a visit?"
"I'd like that very much, but I don't think I'll be able to until this spring or over the summer.  Things are pretty busy right now."
"Oh?"
I smiled.  "Football, school, and six new patents that we're looking for partners to exploit."
He smiled back at me.  "Any chance you'd like to expand on that?"
I reached into my backpack and pulled out one of our latest demonstration models.  "This is a new kind of protective sportswear that my girlfriend and I developed using some of my new materials patents.  We're looking for a production and distribution partner.  Have some of your athletic department check it out.  If you let me know your interest, I'll ship a variety of sizes out to you."
He fingered the material.  "What makes it special?"
"It wicks moisture away from an athlete, to increase their comfort.  It also provides about a 10 times reduction in impact injuries.  That version has had the formula tweaked to make it a better insulator for use in cold weather."
"And you think this is going to be desirable by football players?"
"Anyone in a contact sport, for sure."
He put the shirt in his leather briefcase and stood to shake my hand.  "Paul, it's been a pleasure meeting you, and I hope I'll see you out on campus soon.  I'll let the committee know that this is a factual essay and relay my own positive endorsement.  Thank you very much for your time."
I stood and shook his hand before thanking Mrs. Spitzer and taking my leave.  It looked like I had my first choice of schools tied up.
*****
"It's no worse than the costume Jordan wore two years ago," Jeryl said as her mother scowled at her.  "It's not like I'm naked under it or anything.  I've got on as much as I do cheering."
But no cheerleader ever looked as provocatively hot as she did in her naughty-witch outfit.  Naturally, it was all black with a big pointy hat, but I could see why her mother would object.  The black satiny bodice was tight and pushed her cleavage up for display in the v-cut neckline.  The skirt flowed to below her knees, but had daring slits that added movement even when she stood still and gave tantalizing glimpses of her black seamed stocking.  Black heels and a flowing three-quarter cape finished the outfit.
Her Mom looked from Jeryl to me and then shook her head.  "I'm worried about whom besides Paul you'll cast a spell over."
Jeryl looked at me and I blushed.  I knew my jaw was hanging open and I closed my mouth.  "I have to agree with your Mom," I admitted.
Jeryl's face fell as her mother smiled.
"I guess we'll just have to stay here, because I don't want you to change, but you will definitely cast a spell on every red-blooded man who sees you."
Jeryl's frown transformed into a brilliant smile and she started for me before remembering her mother.
Janet laughed and shook her head again.  "I guess it will be alright as long as Frankenstein is nearby to keep an eye on you."
Obviously, I was dressed as the monster including greenish-grey face paint and bolts sticking out of my head.
Jeryl gave a little shriek and then grabbed me for a chaste, but tender kiss on the lips.  "Don't get any of your makeup on me," she warned as I gave her a hug.
Janet laughed at us and then made us pose for a few pictures before letting us head out to our Halloween party.  She, Lisa, Jim and I had spent most of our free time over the past week moving things in my shop to make room for a party.  Mom and Jim had agreed to let us have thirty or so friends over with a promise of no alcohol.  They even agreed to stay in the house rather than in the office, but would be checking up on us through the evening.
Jeryl was bouncing in the seat as we pulled out and headed over to my place.  We had about an hour to finish getting set up.  Jim and Lisa were already there.  "I'm so glad your Mom and Jim agreed to let us throw this party.  I love Halloween."
"I know you do."  Personally, I could take it or leave it, but her enthusiasm was catching.  I grinned and stroked her stocking clad thigh.  "I love your costume, by the way."
"Just wait until it's closer to the witching hour, Frank.  I'm planning on seeing how much of a man you are and if you can resist my spell."
I laughed and we pulled into my yard.  I parked behind the shop on the grass and we headed inside to finish setting up.
"Where are the apples?"  Jim yelled as soon as he saw me.  He had finished filling a large washtub with water and wanted the apples for bobbing.
"In my office.  Do you really think people will want to bob for apples?"
Lisa laughed and held up a sign.  It said:
    Party Rules
    1.  No alcohol.
    2.  No drugs.
    3.  No costume, no entry.
    4.  The Barn and house are off limits.
    5.  Doors are locked for a reason; respect that.
    Prizes
    • Bob for an apple, dance with partner of your choice (can't be your date).
    • Winning team of Mummy Race gets $10
    • Winner of pumpkin carving contest gets $20
    • Winning female costume:  $25
    • Winning male costume:  $25
    • Candy crawl - keep all you find
"I know a bunch of girls will be bobbing for an apple so they can dance with you, Paul.  Especially once they hear you and Jim are judging the female costumes."
I groaned and Jeryl laughed.  "As long as they know Lisa and I get to judge the boy's costumes," she said.
Jim came out with the apples and put a dozen in the tub.  "We'll put the dry ice in a bit later," he said.  I had rigged a weighted container to keep the ice safely at the bottom of the barrel where no one would be able to get it instead of an apple.
"Have you checked out the lights yet?"
"Not since last night.  They should be fine, especially once we have the fake fog going."  I had rigged up a fog machines with some PVC piping packed with dry ice and warm water tubing.  I had tested the fog machines, but not enough to see how the lights we rigged looked.  "We told people to show up around seven, so we've got twenty minutes or so before we need to start making fog."
"All the food and soda is in the break room.  Do we want it in there on the counter or out here?  If we put it out here, we need to get some more tables for it."
"Let's keep it on the counters.  I figure some people will want to take a break from dancing and the games out here."
"In that case, I think we're ready."
"Cool.  Should we start some music?"
I went over to the stereo we had set up and put on Styx's latest album, Paradise Theater.  I put the volume at a quarter of what we had planned for the party.  Jim brought me a can of coke and smiled at the music selection.
Jim was dressed as Dracula.  Lisa had opted for being a very pretty Little Red Riding Hood.  I joked with him about watching out for the big bad wolf and he laughed.  By the time our first guest arrived, we had a decent layer of fog in the shop and moody red and orange lights glowing through it from along one wall.
Jeryl grabbed my hand about an hour after the party started and insisted we take a good look at every costume to judge it.  Lisa and Jim did the same.  I was disappointed that I couldn't give Jeryl the prize, because I did like her costume the best.  She hugged me and told me to look a little closer at a few of the others.  Jyl was dressed as a very provocative Cleopatra, but Kay's interpretation of the pirate wench probably beat her out for sexy looks.  Holly had on some sort of short green elven outfit with pointed ears.  She looked incredibly cute.  Three other girls had dressed as the three little kittens that lost their mittens.  They were cute a well.  I finally jotted down my top three, just as Jim was supposed to do so we could compare notes.
Lisa and Jeryl ran the mummy race where each couple was given rolls of toilet paper.  One of them had to wrap the other with as much as possible in two minutes.  The crowd picked the best looking mummy by applause.  Candice O'Sullivan actually won and gave me a kiss when I handed her the crisp new ten-dollar bill as her prize.  Jeryl laughed at my look.
Mom and Jim picked out the winning pumpkin carver.  We had dozens of pumpkins along with tables covered with paper and plenty of sharp objects for people to carve with.  Dee Dee Collins, who was Bill Tanner's date won with an incredible pair of carved pumpkins.  One was scowling with teeth and the other, smaller pumpkin was frowning with big eyes.  She set them side to side so it looked like they were reacting to each other.  Everyone that saw them smiled, so Mom and Jim's decision was easy.
Not many people were bobbing for apples before we announced the costume winners.  Holly ended up being Jim and my choice to win for the ladies.  Lisa and Jeryl chose Ray Martin, from Standard for his wolf man costume.  The ladies made the winners dance together and then had to join them as several guys decided it was time to bob for apples.  I was surprised when Kay came up to me with a wet head and an apple in her hand.
"Time for you to dance with me, stud," she said with smile.  I laughed and took her onto the fog filled dance floor as Journey's "Who's Crying Now" started up.  She stayed close to me and wrapped her hands over my shoulders.  "Thanks for letting me join the study group this fall.  I've really enjoyed getting to know some of the kids from your school."
"No problem.  I've enjoyed getting to know you a bit better too."
We danced for a few moments in silence.  "You know, Jeryl is my best friend, right?"  I nodded.  "You know she is totally in love with you, right?"  I nodded again.  "If you hurt her, I will hunt you down and I don't care how much money you have, Paul."
I laughed.  "Don't worry.  I'm with her as long as she'll have me."
As the song wound down, Kay stood on the tips of her toes and kissed me.  "Be good to her, always."  Then she was heading off to find her date.  Before I could think of leaving the dance floor, Candice O'Sullivan's hands grabbed me for the next dance.
By the time the party wrapped up, I was worn out.  Thankfully several couples stayed behind to help clean up.  Jim and Lisa and Jeryl and I thanked them profusely and had the shop mostly back to normal by midnight.  Jeryl and I waved goodbye to everyone as they headed out and carried the last dishes now empty of snacks back into the house.  Mom told us to just stack them in the sink and that she and Jim were heading to bed.  I cleaned off my makeup before heading back outside.
Jeryl gave me a little smile as we headed toward my car so I could take her home.  She grabbed my hand and reminded me that it was the witching hour.
"Well, you've already bewitched me," I said as I pulled her in for a hug.
"That's only the first part of my spell."  We rounded the corner of the shop to where my car was parked and Jeryl stopped me.  She gave me a kiss and then slipped her hands up and under her skirt to pull off her panties.  "I want you so, bad, honey.  I want you to have me right out here."  She grabbed my hand and rubbed it over her moist pussy.
I kissed her and pushed her back against the wall of the machine shed.  She lifted a leg to hook around my thighs and pull me into her.  Our kiss deepened and she moaned into my mouth.  I stoked her slowly and moved to kiss along her neck.  My fingers dipped lower and I was surprised to find a flat soft plastic flange where I expected her smooth ass.
"What's this?"  I asked as I pulled on the lightly.
Jeryl moaned again.  "It's the butt plug I've been wearing all night that has been giving me such naughty, witchy feelings."
I started to pull on it, but she stopped me.  "It's staying right there while you fuck me, Paul.  I want you in my pussy, and soon."  She undid my belt as she spoke.  I tried to help as I kissed her again.  Soon my cock was free and she was grabbing my shoulders and wrapping her legs around me.  I bumped against her twice, and the found the right position and alignment and slid into her soaking snatch.  She moaned as I slid home.
"Oh God, you feel good," I said.
"You too.  Now, shut up and fuck me."
I did.  The corrugated metal of the shed echoed as we banged against it until I shifted a few feet over to push against a section backed by the frame.  Jeryl flexed her legs to pull herself against me and we continued furiously fucking until she came.  She thrashed against me for a few minutes and then resumed her thrusting as my own orgasm approached.  She came a second time, just as I let lose in her.  Her hands grabbed my head and she kissed me hard as pulses shot from my dick into her clasping pussy.
"I love you so much," she finally managed to say as we finished and let our bodies relax.
"I love you too, kitten."
She slipped off me and stood on her own feet unsteadily.  "You make me feel so wicked," she said with another kiss.  She remained unsteady but pulled me toward the car.  "I need to get home, but I'll enjoy feeling you leak out of me as I get ready for bed, lover.”
*****
"Well, it looks like we'll have plenty to be thankful for this year," Jim said as he came into the office a few days later.
"What do you mean," I ask as I looked up from my notebook.
"DuPont has agreed."
Jeryl perked up from her own work at that news.  She was working on typing something on the Apple II computer in the office.  "What terms?" she asked as she pulled a floppy disk out of the cabinet and launched VisiCalc.  I knew she had a spreadsheet already built for the deal so we could evaluate offers.
"Fifteen cents a yard or fifteen percent wholesale, whichever is greater."
Jeryl put the numbers in her spreadsheet and sat back in surprise.
"That's good based on our projections of usage and growth.  What about shirt production?"
"Nike wants a batch of samples.  DuPont will provide a first run of six hundred yards next week for test production.  Candace has a small firm in Ohio that can turn out a couple hundred shirts of various sizes in a week.  How would you like to visit Oregon before Thanksgiving?  Paul, I think your firsthand experience would help close them."
"That would be cool, if Mom lets me take off school."
"No way is my mother going to let me miss school for it," Jeryl said dejectedly.
"Do you think Nike would be willing to meet us in California, instead?"  I asked when I had a thought.
"Why?"
"I just wonder if Mrs. Salaway would be swayed if we combined business with a campus visit to Stanford.  We could pay for her or Jerry's ticket so they could see Stanford with us and Jeryl could attend for the business meeting as well."
Jim smiled and Jeryl beamed.  "It won't hurt to ask."
"Let me call that man from admissions and see if we might be able to offer the football team a gift in exchange for demonstrating the shirts.  Their last game should be the weekend before Thanksgiving.  If they wear them then, they can give the Nike folks some firsthand reports."
"Okay, you do that.  I'll call Nike."
"And I'll go talk to Mom," Jeryl said as she saved her work on the computer and shut it down.  "This is a conversation I think I have to have face to face.”
*****
"Thank you for helping us, Mr. Cambridge," I said as I shook the admissions officer's hand.  Jeryl echoed my thanks.
"It was my pleasure.  I'm glad you didn't have to wait until the summer to visit us, and it was a delight to meet another prospective student," he said as he looked at Jeryl and smiled at Janet.
It had taken some pleading on Jeryl's part, but her mother had finally decided it was a good opportunity to see Stanford and decide if it was a good choice for Jeryl to apply to.  The fact that we could meet with Nike at the same time, was purely a bonus for Janet.
"I hope the football team was helpful as well.  I understand they were not too happy to have to turn the shirts in after the game last weekend.  They really liked them."
"I'd be happy to let them keep them, but the NCAA has rules about gifts.  Maybe we can sell them as used goods to the athletic department."
"The coaching staff would buy them if you offer.  The players were raving about them."
"I know.  It was helpful in our meeting."
We had surveyed every player who had worn the shirts over the past week.  100% said it was something they would use again, even if they had to buy them.  They also thought they were worth twenty to thirty dollars apiece in value.  Those surveys had helped us close Nike in our meeting Tuesday morning.
"So it went well?" Mr. Cambridge asked.  He had taken us all on a tour Monday morning and learned a little about our business when we told him that only Janet and my mother would be able to meet with him today to discuss housing and other campus life items while Jeryl, Jim and I were in a business meeting.
"Very well.  Even if we can't arrange a gift, your football team should be able to get shirts like ours next year for the full season."
"Congratulations. I'll have to add that to your file of accomplishments."  He turned his attention to Jeryl.  "And I understand you were instrumental in the creation of these marvelous shirts as well."
She started to demure, so I continued.  "Yes, she was.  She helped with the design as well as the creation of the prototype garments we made.  She came up with the name as well."
"Well, the name was catchy to the faculty and players," Cambridge said.  "They really liked wearing 'Diamond Skins' last week." Jeryl blushed.
"Well, it was Paul's idea to make them mock turtle necks and put the logo on the neck line."
"But it was your design for the logo."  The stylized DS had actually gotten some TV air time on the final game of the season which was the long time rivalry with the Golden Bears of UC Berkeley.  "And it was your idea to take the 'research' approach to get around the NCAA restrictions."
Jeryl blushed more as her mother beamed at us both.
"I must say, that was a brilliant solution," Mr. Cambridge said.  "Clearly you have the mind of a Stanford student.  I look forward to seeing your application on my desk.  Will you be applying for early admissions as well?"
Janet looked a little confused.
"I've already been accepted," I said softly as Jeryl shook her head.
"I'm not sure.  I think I want to enjoy my senior year, but I'll discuss it with my folks.  Paul and I have discussed it some, but I've not yet decided."
Russell gave me a look, as if he now understood why I might wait a year to enroll.
"Well, we have a rolling admissions policy, so if you are accepted, you can both start at the beginning of any semester."
"You mean they could start this year?" Janet asked in surprise.
Mr. Cambridge nodded.  "Well, Paul could because he has been accepted for admittance.  I would need Jeryl's application next week for her to be eligible for a January start.  I was thinking more of the fall or a year from January, however."
Janet seemed to take that news for some comfort.  Soon, we finished thanking Mr. Cambridge and were heading to the parking lot.  Mom and Janet commented on the housing options as we climbed into the full-sized Cadillac we had rented and headed toward San Francisco for our flight home.  It was not until we were on the freeway that Mom changed the topic to our business meeting.
"So Nike agreed to a deal," she asked.
"They did," Jim said.
"A good deal?"
I grinned.  "Six percent with an upfront payment for exclusivity for apparel production."
Mom nodded and I saw Janet raise an eyebrow at Jeryl.  Jeryl smiled.  "The upfront payment they agreed to was three point five.  They forecast a product launch in early second quarter and are estimating twenty-five million in the first quarter growing twenty percent annually over the first three years."  She looked at her mother.  "Or, about ten million dollars next year."
Janet paled as my mother nodded.  "That's about the middle estimate Jeryl came up with last week.  How long does the deal last?"
"Five years."
Janet found her voice.  "You mean you have a deal for fifty million dollars lasting the next five years?"
Jeryl laughed.  "About that.  Of course, I think their growth estimates are little light, but even at twenty percent growth it will be almost 250 million in revenues in year five.  We'll get six percent of that."
"My God.  I had no idea you were looking at something that large," She admitted after looking at Jeryl and then me.  "That's incredible.  And you two are still juniors in high school."
Jeryl grinned at me.  "Now you understand why I wanted to come so much, and why I love Paul.  There are business people out there that will never do a deal like the one we just did, even if they work for twenty years.  It's the first deal I've been involved in and I haven't even started in the 'real' business world yet.  It's so exciting to be able to have an impact on the world."
Janet looked thoughtful and gave her daughter an impulsive hug.  It looked like we had given her a lot more to think about than us being too young to be serious about our relationship.
*****
"Your trip to Stanford made quite an impression on Janet," Jerry said as the football game we were watching went to a commercial.  Janet and her daughters were all in the kitchen finishing the preparations for Thanksgiving dinner.  Jeryl had joined Jim, Mom, Kelly and I for a Thanksgiving brunch earlier in the day.  I would be taking her up to my Uncle Ben's after dinner.
"Hope it was a positive one, sir."  I said with a straight face.
Jerry laughed.  "Yes, it was.  We had no idea you two were working on something that big this fall.  I think Janet and I were underestimating you both."
"Well, I hope you still know I'm very serious about being a part of Jeryl's life."
"I know, and I approve, just as I did last spring when we talked.  You've done nothing but keep your word to me since then, as far as I know."
"With that in mind, sir, I'd like to see if there might be a way I could convince you to let me take Jeryl with us this year when we go back down to Taos.  I know you don't have a ski trip planned and I know how much she enjoys skiing.  I'd like to invite her along as a birthday and Christmas present rolled into one."
Jerry looked at me thoughtfully.  After a moment, he nodded his head.  "Give me a couple of days to talk Janet around, but I think it is a very generous and thoughtful gift.  I'm sure Janet will want to discuss it with your Mom and Jim."
It was my turn to nod.  "They've already agreed I could ask her if it was alright with you and Mrs. Salaway.  Her birthday is a week from Sunday, so we have a little time.  If the timing of the trip is a problem, I can get tickets after Christmas so she would be home for that."
"It might help, but I'll let you know.  If the discussion is easy, I'll let you know when you bring Jeryl home tonight.  If it takes longer than that, I will get you a firm answer next week."
"Thank you, sir."
"No Paul, thank you.  I have never seen Jeryl happier than she has been the past few months.  You two are so good for each other.”
*****
"I can't believe you talked Mom and Dad into letting me come with you over Christmas," Jeryl said as we stood waiting to get on our plane in Chicago.
"I just asked your Dad.  He had to convince your mother."
She kissed my cheek.  "I still love you for making it happen.  I can't imagine a better birthday present or Christmas present."
"Well, I guess that means I need to return some things then."
She punched my arm playfully.  "It's going to be so nice to spend time alone with you this year."
"Well, Kelly's cousins will probably be next door again, but we will have some alone time this year.  I promise."
"We will."  The flight crew made the pre-boarding announcement.  "Isn't Kelly supposed to be on this flight, too?"
Kelly had flown up from Bloomington while we had been driven up earlier in the day by Jerry and Janet.  Janet said she wanted to do a little last-minute shopping.  While they had offered to bring Kelly as well, she wanted to leave her car at the Bloomington airport to be available for us when we all flew home together.  Mom and Jim had flown down two days earlier to 'get the cabin opened up'.  I think they just wanted some private time.
"She should be here soon.  I saw that her flight landed a little bit ago.  She may just be hurrying through the airport."
Soon they called first class and we went ahead and boarded.  Most of the cabin was filled before Kelly made her appearance and claimed her seat across the aisle from me.  She looked worn out.
"What happened, sis?" I asked as she took a bottle of water from the stewardess.
"The terminal was congested.  We sat twenty feet away from our arrival gate for twenty minutes before they finally taxied us over and had us disembark using stairs.  What a pain in the rear."
"Well, we're glad you made it," Jeryl said.
"Only because you two can't pick up the rental car without me," Kelly responded.
"Like we wouldn't want to spend a night in a hotel in Santa Fe waiting for you to catch up to us," Jeryl said with a laugh.
"Okay, you win.  I'm glad I made it, too."  We continued chatting until it got too loud at takeoff.  Jeryl snuggled under her blanket and held my hand to her chest.  She was asleep before we leveled off.   I pulled out yet another report from one of the research teams and began reading.
Five hours later, a little after three in the afternoon, we landed in Santa Fe.  Jeryl and I collected luggage while Kelly went to the rental car counter to pick up our car.  I was happy to see the rental was a new four-door Range Rover when I saw the weather outside.  Snow was falling.
"Looks good for a white Christmas," Kelly said as I loaded bags in the back.  "I'm glad we got this car."
"Me too.  You alright driving a stick?"
She scowled at me.  "Yes, I can drive this."  Then she laughed and tossed me the keys.  "But since you offered so sweetly, I'll let you do it."
"I didn't think I could rent and drive it."
"It's on the corporate card and I know all company employees are covered on insurance while driving it.  Dad made sure to point that out to me when we made the reservation."
I got in behind the wheel and started it up to let the engine warm up before heading up toward Taos and Ski Valley.  The weather continued to deteriorate as we drove north.  Plows were out, but it still took us nearly twice as long as expected to make our way to the cabin.  When we saw the warm glow of the porch light through the heavy snow, it was almost seven thirty and I was beat.  The last thirty miles or so had been slow going as the plows struggled to keep up with the snow.
Jim and Mom greeted us warmly, and Jim opened the garage after helping me unload our bags.  "We were starting to get worried about you guys," he said after I parked the Range Rover and helped him pull the heavy garage door closed.
"I was starting to wonder if we were going to make it all the way or have to hole up at the base of the resort," I confided.  "Luckily, we had four-wheel drive, or we might have been calling instead of seeing you."
"Come on in and let's get you settled.  Your mother has a big pot of soup on for you kids."
Shortly, we were all around the kitchen counter eating soup and sharing harrowing tales of our drive.
"Well, we have our shopping for the whole week done already, so let it snow!" Mom said.  We all agreed with the caveat that we make it down the hill for ski gear before everything closed up.  After eating, we adjourned to the living room and enjoyed the fire Jim had laid.  I sat on the couch with Jeryl curled up next to me.  Kelly was talking about her flight the first time my head nodded toward my chest.  She was telling Mom about starting to study for the bar exam the second time I started to drift off.  Jeryl snuggled against me, and I remember thinking it was a very happy day.
I woke alone with Jeryl on the couch.  We were now covered with a warm blanket and the fire was mostly embers.  I shifted around on the couch and carefully stretched out with my love tucked alongside me.  She moved a little, but did not wake.  I stroked her back and kissed the top of her head as I saw the snow was still falling outside.  It was definitely shaping up to be a wonderful Christmas.
The next morning, Jeryl and I were still on the couch when I heard someone puttering in the kitchen and smelled some coffee.  I managed to slip from Jeryl's embrace without waking her and stepped into the kitchen to find Kelly fixing coffee.
"Good morning," I said softly.
Kelly looked at me and laughed.  "Do I get to tell Janet you two slept together now?" she teased me.
"I'm sure she'll understand when I tell her you started talking about the bar exam and we both were driven straight into a stupor."
Kelly laughed.  "You were really out of it.  Your Mom tried to wake you up and then Jeryl said she would wake you in just a little bit.  I looked out there after getting ready for bed and you were both out of it."
"Should we thank you for the blanket?"
"That would be your Mom, I guess."
"Any idea what time that was?"
"Had to be around midnight.  Thanks for driving up yesterday.  I'm sure that's one of the reasons you were so beat.  Of course that doesn't explain why Jeryl was just as tired."
"It's been a long week and a longer fall.  I'm glad we could all get away to recharge a little."
Kelly nodded.  "Dad used to say that all the time when we came down here together.  No work, no worries, no stress.  That's our motto when we are here."
"Well, I might have a little work to do."
"Nope.  If I catch you working, I will throw whatever it is into the fire."  I must have frowned.  "I'm serious, Paul.  I know how hard you work.  Your efforts keep Dad and Candace jumping forty hours a week or more.  Jeryl does just as much and you both have school on top of that.  I feel guilty about studying for the bar on company time, but you guys just move from one thing to another.  You have earned and need a break.  Take it."
I thought about it for a few minutes.  Aside from the week of the Halloween party, Jeryl and I had put in nearly forty hours a week on top of school.  Kelly was right.  I told her so.
"That's right, I am and you need to listen to your big sister."  About that time, the coffee finished brewing and she poured three mugs.  "Now, take this to your girlfriend and wake her with a kiss and let her know my cousins will probably be over here in thirty minutes or so and I'll be terribly disappointed if they find her sleeping on the couch instead of implying she spent the night in your bed."
I laughed and decided this might be a good time to do as I was told.  Jeryl was easy to wake up with the sun starting to peek in the windows and appreciated both the kiss, the coffee, and the warning.  We both headed off to get cleaned up and changed.
The morning was filled with shoveling the porch and path between the two cabins, piling into our Range Rover and driving down the hill to get set up with skis for our stay, the ladies making some spa appointments, and picking up a few odds and ends we had forgotten.  After lunch we decided to make a few runs and shake the cobwebs off.
Jeryl, Kelly and I changed into ski gear and then had to explain our Diamond Skin shirts to the Alstrom ladies as we headed for the cabin's ski locker.
"You guys made them?"  Chelsea asked.
"Paul and Jeryl designed them.  Paul made some wonder filling that makes them great protection and nice and warm.  They weren't sewn by hand or anything.  Candace had a small run produced before they sold the idea to Nike."
"Sold...to Nike?"  Chelsea's tone had changed in a heartbeat.  "So selling stuff to auto manufacturers isn't enough, Paul?"  She asked crossly, as if it were a personal affront.
"Hey, blame Jeryl.  It was her idea."
"Don't get me in the middle of it."
We laughed at Chelsea's attitude and continued to get our boots and skis on.  I was excited about the opportunity to try out the Diamond Skins on the slopes.  I knew the wicking properties combined with the higher thermal rating of the padding should make a great shirt for skiing, but I wanted to verify it.  Soon we were outside and ready to find out if we had a winner.
By the end of the day, all three of us agreed that we did.
"I think we should talk to Nike about doing a woman's version," Kelly said as we pulled off our jackets and hung them up in the ski locker.
"What do you mean?"
Kelly cupped her breasts through the tight fitting top.  "Build in a little more support so I don't have to wear a bra with it. I can feel my bra is soaked with sweat but the rest of me is dry.  It's a little disgusting."
Jeryl nodded her understanding.  "I guess I'm lucky I forgot my bra when I got dressed," she said with a smirk.  "But I get what you're saying."
I took a moment to admire her nipples poking at the material despite the thickness of it.  She caught me looking and smiled.  Kelly called dibs on the shower in the Hollywood bathroom so Jeryl and I headed to the kitchen for a cup of hot chocolate.  Mom and Jim joined us.
Jim saw our Diamond Skin shirts.  "Hey, the rules are no work while we're here."
"Wearing these isn't work, Jim.  It's our pleasure and comfort.  These shirts are going to sell a ton and make us all a lot of money."
"Just remember, money can't buy everything."
The next day was Christmas Eve and we brought Jeryl into the family tradition of exchanging a small, personal gift.  She had tears in her eyes when she saw the diamond pendant I had gotten her.  She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me soundly in front of Mom and Jim and Kelly.  Later that night, she snuck through the bathroom from the room she was sharing with Kelly and slipped into my bed.  We slept and woke together, finally spending the night in each other's arms.  It was the best Christmas present I could ever remember getting.


Chapter Fourteen
Under the Spotlight
*****
"Explain to me again why this is a good idea," I said as Jeryl patted my hand and Jim shook his head.  Our guest actually had the grace to laugh.
"It's news," Jim said.
"We're proud of you, and want others to know what you've accomplished," Jeryl said.
I looked at the reporter who had laughed and waited for his response.  He smiled a genuine smile and thought for a minute.  "You're a role model that America and the world needs.  Your story is an example that could help thousands or millions of kids across the country and around the world," Morley Safer said.
I sighed.  I wanted to change the world.  I just never thought I would have to be made up and interviewed to do it.  "Okay, but I want to be able to give you honest answers and not have them edited out into a fluff piece."
"It's '60 Minutes'.  We don't really do fluff pieces," Safer said with a straight face.  I knew that wouldn't be the case four decades down the road, but kept that to myself.
"So, why don't you give me a little more background on what you've accomplished and we'll figure out what the interview is later."
I nodded and motioned him into the shop and office.  Everyone else left us alone.  I began to explain about building my car and why it was different.  Morley, as he insisted I call him, was very easy to talk to.  He followed openings in my story with intelligent questions and took notes.  Over an hour later, he asked if I would show him around the shop.  We ended the day with a drive in my car.  I even went so far as to let him drive it.  He was impressed.
"Okay, Paul.  I think there is a real story here that deserves to be told.  I'd like to write up my notes tonight and then come back out with a local camera crew.  We'll follow you around a bit and shoot some of your life.  We'll finish with an interview."
"Here?"
"Yes, or in a local station.  You won't need to come to New York, if that's a concern."
I shrugged.  "Not a concern, but I'm pretty busy.  We'd have to work that into my schedule.  Due to school, it might have to wait until spring break."
Safer laughed again.  "I don't want to wait that long.  I'd like to get this in the can and slotted to air by then."
I wished him a safe drive and told him to call before coming out so I would be sure to be here.  Sunday night, he did call to say he would see me at school on Monday.
He was as good as his word and had a camera man and two assistant producers with him when I pulled into the school parking lot the next morning.  It was a little unnerving to realize a camera was watching me park, but I did it without embarrassing myself.  Morley waved the cameraman away as he greeted me.
"Are you ready for an exciting day?"
"I guess.  Is it too late to change my mind?"
He laughed and clapped my shoulder.  "You'll do fine.  I've cleared things with the school.  Today we'll shoot background material of you and your school.  I'll ask you to talk a little about the pool and some of your other donations.  We'll talk to some of your teachers and friends as well.  Tomorrow will be out at your farm.  It will be casual and relaxed.  I'm still working on the interview time.  I think we'll do that in the local studio, but I haven't gotten it scheduled yet."
"Okay, you're the boss."
I no sooner said it than Jim and Lisa got over their shyness and decided to find out what I had done now.  Thankfully the cameraman did not catch their initial reaction on tape.
*****
Jeryl squeezed my hand as the show cut to commercial.  We were at Jim's house in Bloomington.  Jyl and her parents were there along with Mom, Jim and Kelly.  Jim and Lisa had also joined us for the Sunday evening airing of "60 minutes".  They had finished filming it almost six weeks ago.  The buzz in town was just starting to die down.  I knew it would reach a different level of drama this week.
The ticking of the stop watch brought my attention back to the TV.
Dan Rather's voice greeted us.  "Some people claim that America's youth are not being prepared by our education system to be ready to lead our country into the future.  With continued criticism of the Department of Education and the quality of education in America, we decided to look at an example in rural America that would challenge those critics.  Here is Morley Safer with an interesting glimpse into our next generation."
The scene cut to a sweeping panorama of our fields covered with snow before pulling back to show my shop in the foreground.  Morley began his voice over.  "The heartland of America, where Friday night football matters as much as the price of corn or soybeans; where families have struggled to make a better life for their children for generations; where new ideas are being born as easily as crops rising in the spring.  This is a new generation of innovation, and it's coming from a garage on a humble farm that most of us would drive past without giving a second look."
The camera cut to my office.
"This is the office of a modest inventor.  He has been at it for two and one-half years and has filed or been granted forty-two patents as of this filming.  He is seventeen years old.  His name is Paul Taylor, and he wants nothing less than to change the world."
I groaned and Jeryl and Mom both shushed me.
Morley went on with background on my car and then included some of my footage from the first car show we did.  Then it cut to the interview footage.
"And that show led to a deal with Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors?"  Morley asked.
"That's right.  We now have agreements with most auto manufacturers in the U.S., Europe and Japan."
"And you did this just after you turned sixteen years old?"
I smiled at the camera.  "My step-sister actually had to take the car to get its certificate of road worthiness, since it was ready a week before my birthday."
The camera tightened on me.
"Why?  Why put so much effort into this idea of a better, safer car?"
"In 1979, in the U.S. alone, over fifty-one thousand people died in auto accidents.  Isn't that reason enough?  I had ideas to apply the new microprocessors being built by Motorola and Intel to make cars safer.  If I could prevent even a portion of those fifty-one thousand deaths, didn't I have an obligation to?  I know how my mother would answer that question."
"But many of your inventions are not just about safety items.  Your car gets pretty impressive gas mileage as well."
"It does.  I thought Americans would appreciate that as well.  The price of gas doubled on average between 1979 and 1980.  It's only going higher."
"Why?"
"Globally, our appetite for energy doubles every seven years.  If demand for internal combustion engines keeps pace with that, we'll see four dollar a gallon gas before the end of the century."
"And you want to do something about that?"
"I do.  I want to give people a way to make their gallon, or dollar, go further and preferably reduce our dependence on oil for our energy needs."
"Why single out oil?"
"Because there are better things for it to be used for and it's a finite resource.  As far as I know, God isn't pumping any more into the earth for us to go out and discover."
The interview continued on, switching between topics and scenes as Morley built a story about my accomplishments as well as why I thought they were important.
"I understand that you attribute your accomplishments to 'hard work and thinking logically'.  Would that be your message to your peers watching this?"
I grinned at the camera.  "No, that sounds too dispassionate.  It's true, but hardly motivating."
"What would you tell them?"
"Think for yourself. Take logical risks.  Learn from your mistakes and setbacks, and don't be afraid of failing."
The interview ended with my words sub-titled on the screen and a still shot of me looking into the camera.  Morley's voice over stated:  "Since filming this interview, PT Innovations has launched a new partnership with Nike selling the Diamond Skin brand of sportswear Paul Taylor and his girlfriend Jeryl Salaway created last fall.  Initial estimates are that it will be worth even more than his automotive patents."
The ticking stopwatch announced the cut to commercial and I heard a collective release of breath by those around me.  Suddenly my back was being pummeled by congratulatory slaps and Jeryl was hugging me.  Even Janet was smiling, I noticed.
*****
"Man, being on '60 Minutes' was a trip," Jim said as we finished lunch the following day.  School had been abuzz and many people who had not previously given me a second look congratulated me in the hallway.  Even a couple of teachers had mentioned me in class.  Even though people had noticed the film crew when they were at school filming, almost no one had the whole story that had been aired the night before.
"Now, maybe things can get back to normal," I said.
"Normal for you or normal for me?"
I laughed.  Jim had a way of helping me keep things in perspective.  "Man, I'm going to miss you next year."
"Well, maybe you can come down to make sure your scholarship is being used appropriately."  Jim had not gotten accepted to MIT, but had made it into Tulane's School of Engineering in New Orleans.  He was excited about the opportunity to head down to the Bayou State.
"That would be cool.  I'll have to see what I can do."  Lisa had been accepted at Bradley University in Peoria in their nursing program.  While she suspected I was behind the scholarship trust that had offered to pay her way, she had not yet actually asked me about it.  After the show last night, I was certain it would come up.
"So, no mention of the scholarships last night," Jim said softly.
"Nope.  I never mentioned it to Morley."
"Who are you going to give them to next year, besides Jeryl?"
"What do you mean?"
Jim shrugged.  "You gave three last year, three this year; I just figured you were going to keep giving three a year."
He was right, but I hadn't really thought about it.  John, Ryan, Jordan last year. Jim, Lisa, Jyl this year.  I muttered under my breath.  "Maybe I won't miss you so much.  You seem to create a lot of work for me, too."
"What?"
"I hadn't really thought about it beyond my cousins and friends, but you're right.  I need to make the trust and scholarships permanent.  That means either picking two people or setting up criteria to apply, select, and award them.  That sounds like too much work."
Jim laughed.  "I'm sure you'll do it well, even if it is a burden."
I thought about it off and on for the remainder of the school day, and decided to discuss it with Jeryl after school.  We talked about it soon after I picked her up, kissed her hello, and headed for the shop.
"Well, Jyl guessed it was you as soon as she got the package from the trust, but didn't say anything to Mom and Dad.  I know they were excited by the thought of a full ride through U of I for her and on to medical school.  I think Mom suspects you but also thinks it might be grandmother."
"Well, if we announce scholarships, it's going to come out."
"That doesn't mean we should not do it."
"I agree.  But what should the criteria be?"
"Well, everyone that has gotten one so far is going into a somewhat technical degree field.  Could that be part of the criteria?"
"That's a good idea.  Science, engineering or management would be a good starting point.  Maybe foreign language as well, so Mom doesn't feel slighted."
"Right.  And do you make it for the whole district or just Fieldcrest and Standard?"
"I like the idea of doing something local.  Maybe, if no one applies or qualifies we open it up to the district."
Jeryl grabbed her notebook and began writing down our ideas. "Do you keep it at three a year?"
"Why not make it four, since we have some Nike money to put into it as well."
"Now, what's the application process?  Need or merit?"
"Merit.  Everyone that's gotten one so far has earned it through hard work in and out of school."
Jeryl finished writing and looked up at me with a glowing smile.  "I think this is a great idea, Paul.  I'll chat with Jim and take this off your plate of worries."  She got up and stepped close to kiss me.
*****
"This is that car that was on TV a couple of weeks ago."
Jeryl and I were walking to my car from the movie theater.  We had just seen Porky's and were in good spirits.  Four young guys were admiring my car.
"It is," I said as we got closer.  The guys turned and I was suddenly troubled.  They were our age, or a little older, and all looked in decent shape.  The boy who had spoken had unruly red hair and a mean look in his eye.  He was the obvious leader.
"That means you're that rich asshole who ruined my cousin's knee."
I thought furiously and pulled Jeryl closer and a little behind me.  "I didn't ruin anyone's knee."
"Bullshit.  He hurt it when you tackled him.  He was going to get a scholarship and now can only go to community college."  He got closer to me and I noticed the small flattened bottle sticking out of his jacket pocket.
"His own teammate is the one who landed on his knee."
"After you tackled him.  How is it fair that you have millions of dollars, and he loses his scholarship because of you?"
He was close enough for me to smell the booze on his breath.
"I think I'm going to show you what it's like.  How are you going to like it when I bust up your knee?"
A couple of the other boys exchanged looks, but didn't try to stop their friend.
"Look," I tried to sound reasonable.  "I didn't hurt your cousin, but maybe I can help him out."
"You think you can buy your way out of an ass kicking?"  He sneered.  "I'm going to mess you up, and then do your girlfriend, and then take your fancy car.  How are you going to like that?"  He poked me in the chest and I stepped back.
"Jeryl, run back inside."  I didn't have to tell her to call the cops.
"She's going nowhere," the punk sneered and waved one of his buddies at her.  The kid stepped forward and reached for her arm.  I knocked it away.
"Run, Jeryl."
She ran as the bully swung at me.  I stepped aside and pulled my hands up to protect my face as he stepped in and tried to get at my ribs.  I blocked and twisted to minimize his contact.
"This isn't going to end well for you and your friends," I said.  I still had not hit him.  "Cops will be coming soon, now."
His friends exchanged glances but still stood behind him.
He tried to box me some more, but was not good enough or sober enough to land a real punch.  "God damn you, stand and fight like a man," he yelled and grabbed my arms.  I grabbed his jacket and slammed my head forward into his nose.  Blood gushed out and he let go flailing his arms.
"Shit, shit, shit.  Come on and grab this fucker," he cried.  Two of the others stepped in and tried to grab me.  I twisted away from one, but the other got hold of my arm.  I turned into him and brought up my knee into his groin.  He let go with a yell and dropped to the ground, but his accomplice jumped on my back.  One arm went around my neck and he tried to hit me in the kidneys with his other hand.
I grabbed the choking arm and bent and twisted.  He came off my back and I released him in mid-air just in time to take a fist to the face from the leader.  Instinct took over and I counter punched.  I caught his cheek with my left jab and then followed up with a right uppercut in his ribs.  The breath went out of him and he dropped to the ground as I saw flashing red lights arrive on the scene.  I stepped back as two cops bailed out of their car and told everyone to stand still.  Jeryl came running to me despite their protests as our assailants tried to regain their feet.  The one boy who had not been involved bent over and threw up.  It seemed fitting, somehow.
*****
The cops were nice enough to let me keep the ice pack on my left hand as they took me into an interview room, but were not pleased that I refused to talk to them without my lawyer.  I had told Jeryl the same thing.  Don't speak until an attorney was present.  Now, I had the joy of sitting in a dingy grey room with a throbbing hand, some punk's blood on my shirt, and a pissed off detective.
"Look, kid, I just need to get your side of the story."
"I am invoking my Fifth Amendment protection of not incriminating myself and will not answer questions until my attorney is present."
"Why do you need a lawyer?  You must have done something to provoke them if you need your lawyer."
"I am invoking my Fifth Amendment protection of not incriminating myself and will not answer questions until my attorney is present."
"God, damn smart-ass punk," He finally said with disgust before leaving me to wait in the room.
He might have been an honest cop.  I hoped he was, but I knew the tricks policemen played.  I knew I had money and would be a target for those kids and their families.  I knew I was from another town.  I knew it was my word against theirs.  I was not about to open my mouth and dig a hole.
It must have been nearly an hour before to door opened again and Candace walked in with the officer.
"Paul, are you alright?"  She asked.
I nodded.
She looked at the officer.  "I'd like a few minutes to confer with my client."
The policeman seemed more impressed by Candace and her smart outfit than anything.  He nodded and left us alone.
"Where's Jim?"  I asked.
She gave me a look.  "Jim is with Jeryl as they take her statement.  I came in to check on you.  Your and Jeryl's moms are outside waiting.  Now, tell me what happened."
I went through the events of the evening.  She took notes and asked several questions.  She went back over the timeline of events again and then nodded.  "Ok.  I'll get the officer.  When he asks you a question, pause before answering.  If I have a problem with it, I'll stop you during that pause.  This should be straightforward, but you never know when someone has an agenda.  You were smart to wait for Jim and me."
"Thanks."
The officer came in and took my statement.
"So, you did not swing first?"  He asked after I gave my account.
"No, sir.  I knocked one guy's arm away when he grabbed for Jeryl, but even after that I tried to avoid any blows."
"So, I take it those boys tell a different story," Candace said.
"They say you jumped them while they were admiring your car because they touched it."
"All of them tell the same story?"  I asked.
The cop seemed uncomfortable for a moment.  "Three of them tell variations along those lines."
"And the fourth?"  Candace asked.
"The fourth says he is fuzzy due to alcohol."
"So, four underage drinkers tell differing stories about how the fight started, while the two people who called authorities and tried to deescalate the situation tell identical stories and that makes them the aggressors?  What does the parking lot surveillance say?"
I was surprised.  Forty years in the future, I would assume the whole thing was caught on some security system.  In 1982, I'd be surprised if there were cameras at all.
The police officer looked uncomfortable again.
"Come now, or I'll file papers to get those tapes myself.  I know that theater put parking lot surveillance in last year after a rash of vandalism and theft outside their theaters.  Surely you've looked at the tape by now."
The officer sighed.  "I think we have enough from you.  We'll let you know how the investigation turns out, but we will not be charging you with any crimes, Paul."
"And what about the other four?" Candace asked.
"Haven't they gotten enough?  One kid has a busted up face and might need plastic surgery, the other will never have kids and the third is going to be in traction for at least three months."
Candace stared at him for a minute.  "Whose sons are they?"
The officer paled.  "Does it matter?"
"Of course it does.  Some petty local politician is going to try and sweep this under the rug to keep their poor parenting out of the press.  Then, a year from now, they'll try and squeeze my client for money to keep this out of the paper.  If you don't charge them, this will have no public record and my client will have no proof of his innocence in the matter."
"That won't happen."
"Which part?  Charging them?"
The cop rubbed his hands over his face.  "Jamison will never bring charges against a judge's son.  He can't charge the others and let the son get away."
"Which one is it?"
"The one that stood aside, but he either needs to corroborate your client's story and stop saying he was too drunk to remember, or I've got to charge him with underage drinking."
"And if he corroborates?  He did nothing wrong other than stand aside.  Surely his own father would tell him the same thing."
"He begged us not to call his dad yet."
Candace stood.  "Let me talk to him."
They were gone for fifteen minutes, during which time Jeryl and Jim joined me in the interview room.  Jeryl ran to my arms immediately.  "I was so frightened, Paul.  You were wonderful though."
I kissed her just as our mothers came in.  Jeryl blushed under Janet's frown.
Our mothers fussed over us and we had to tell the story yet again.  We had just finished up when Candace and the officer returned.  Candace was smiling.
"It seems the fourth boy sobered up enough to recall what really happened.  They're taking his statement now.  I believe we are free to go, correct Officer Timmons?"
The officer nodded.  "I'm sorry about the way this played out.  I'm glad you weren't hurt, Paul, but you might want to get that hand checked out."
We left as quickly as possible.  Janet insisted Jeryl ride home with her while we went back to the parking lot to retrieve my car.  Candace joined me in the ride home after letting me know her car was at the farm.
"You know this sort of thing is going to happen again," she said after making sure I was alright to drive.
"What do you mean?"
"People know you have money, Paul.  We need to think about security for you and for Jeryl.  If there was not video of the attack on you, it would be your word against theirs.  They could sue you for millions.  If you had asked me, I would have never let you do that show."
I managed to chuckle.  "If I had known you felt that way, I would have definitely asked.  It seems like nothing good has come from being on "60 Minutes" yet.”
*****
"Mom is totally freaked about the attack in Peru," Jeryl said as she dropped into my lap and wrapper her warms around me.  "She doesn't want us to go out without another couple."
"But we can still go out?"
"Of course, silly."  She kissed me.
"Well, that's a relief.  Mom and Jim have been talking about security.  I can't really get my head around it."
"Wow, something you can't get your head around."  She kissed me again.  "I'm pretty sure any idea you had of us going somewhere for spring break won't work out, though."
I scowled.  "You know me too well.  I was going to see if we could go skiing again."
I could feel her smile against my chest.  "That would have been great, but no way is mother going to allow it now."
"Even if we got security for the trip?"
"I don't know.  What kind of security is my mother going to believe in?  Besides, she has hinted at taking us all up to grandmother's."
"What if your whole family went along?"
"Taos?"
I shook my head.  "I was actually thinking of Park City, Utah."
"Why there?"
"They're supposed to have great spring skiing."
"What else?"
I laughed.  "You know me too well.  There is a pretty new ski area that opened last year.  They're also selling lots.  Given how nice Jim's place is, I was thinking about getting something for the future.  Park City is forty minutes from the Salt Lake airport.  It might be nice to be able to take a hop from San Francisco to Salt Lake in the morning and be on the slopes before lunch once we start at Stanford."
"That sounds cool.  Why don't we talk to the parents and see?"
I hugged her.  "How about we get the families together for dinner and discuss it?"
"I'll call and invite them over as soon as you check with your Mom," she said.  "What's the worst they can say, no?"
Which is exactly what Janet did say.
"No.  I'm not comfortable even if we all go.  Paul, I know you would do anything to protect Jeryl, but I need time to think this over.  Jerry, and the girls and I are all going up to Michigan to spend a little time with my mother.  We'll discuss things and we can all get together after the break."
"Janet," Jerry said.  "Don't you think Paul at least deserves to be part of the discussion?"
Janet seemed surprised at Jerry disagreeing with her.
Jeryl grabbed my hand and squeezed it before I could say anything.  Jyl studiously moved food around her plate.
Finally, Jim jumped into the breach.  "Look.  Paul and I have been discussing security.  I've got three firms that come highly recommended and have done this sort of work for multiple teenage clients before.  What if we get them here to meet, then pick one, and use spring break as a test run to see how we feel about them?"
Janet seemed surprised.  In both lives and many closer interactions over the past two years, I had never seen her look surprised.  "I hadn't realized you were that serious about security."
"As Candace pointed out to both Paul and I, anyone who recognizes Paul may have an ulterior motive for interacting with him; positively or negatively.  Having a professional security assessment performed is the minimum we can settle for.  Hiring a firm to do that and provide greater protection as needed is the first step.  I know that if Paul -- and by extension Jeryl -- are not comfortable with whoever we hire, they will be inclined to try and 'slip away' from people who are there for their protection.  I don't want that to happen."
"And a week vacation with them in tow is how we can see if they are comfortable?"
"I can't think of a better method.  We all get a nice vacation and we have a lot of situations to interact with and observe our security associates."
"And you want Jerry's and my input?"
"Of course we do," my mother said.  "If something happened to Jeryl while she was with Paul, I would never forgive myself.  I also don't want either of us to worry when they are out.  For your peace of mind, you have to be part of the decision-making process."
Jerry reached over and took Janet's hand.  "We'll be happy to help pick the security firm.  What's the plan?"
Jim smiled.  "I can have them up here Thursday afternoon.  I thought we would have the adults interview them first and then let Paul and Jeryl talk with them."
"What about me?" Jyl asked.
Janet gave her a look.  "What about you?"
Jyl blushed.  "Well, I mean Paul is my friend and Jeryl is my sister.  Don't I get to be part of the process?"
"You can join Jeryl and me," I said.  I was rewarded with a smile.
"Anyway, I think it is up to us as the parents to make sure whomever Jeryl and Paul pick that we are comfortable with them."
"But you want to let Paul and Jeryl choose?"
"Of course, with our input.  They will be the ones spending most of the time with whoever we hire."
Jerry nodded.  "It sounds reasonable."
Janet sighed heavily.  It wasn't the decision she wanted, but it appeared she could live with it.  "Ok.  We can talk to the security experts and then decide about spring break."
Jeryl and I smiled at each other.  I knew any trip we took would include her parents and not entail us having any alone time, but I was ready for a break.
Two days later, we were meeting with the security firms.  Jim and Mom and Janet and Jerry were interviewing them in the dining room in the house.  Jeryl and Jyl and I staked out the office in the shop.  The first two firms fell flat for Jeryl and me.  Jyl thought the second was alright, but nothing special.
"Jim told them about all of our requirements, right?"  Jeryl asked.
"I assume so.  Why?"
"Those two fail on stupidity grounds then.  If they couldn't be bothered to send one of their female escorts down for me to meet, they don't deserve your money."
I chuckled as there was a soft knock on the office door.  I stood to answer it and get our last interview done.
I was pleasantly surprised to see an attractive woman standing in the hall.  She was about five-eight, but I thought part of that was her heels.  She had reddish-brown hair pulled into a loose ponytail and blue eyes.  Her eyebrows were naturally arched, giving her a serious air, but her lips twitched with a smirk, belying a sense of humor.
"You must be Paul Taylor," she said with an English accent as she extended her hand.
I shook it, surprised by the firm grip and motioned her into the office.  She was dressed neatly in a pair of tight black pants with over the calf boots, an ivory turtleneck sweater and an off-white blazer.  She was very well put together.
"I am," I finally managed to say as I motioned her to my usual chair and returned to my seat on the couch, next to Jeryl with Jyl at the far end.  "This is my girlfriend Jeryl, and her sister Jyl.  And you must be Alison Wilson."
"I am.  It's a pleasure to meet you all."  I had to admit her accent was enchanting.
"So, Ms. Wilson, what can you tell us about yourself?"
"Please, call me Alison," she said with a warm smile.  "I am thirty years old and have been working in the security field in one role or another since graduating from Cambridge ten years ago.  I started with a government agency but decided I preferred the civilian side of things after my second posting."
"Can you tell us more about that?" Jeryl asked.  "Why leave government service?"
She smiled at Jeryl.  "My boss was one of the 'old school' boys.  He did not like the fact that I was as good as any of my male counterparts and younger to boot.  I was relegated to office work while I preferred to be part of a field team."
"It must have been tough striking out on your own at twenty-four," Jyl said.  "How did you do it?"
"I had a connection to Robert Plant.  He hired me as personal security for his wife and daughter.  I was with the Plant family for three years during which time I also consulted with a number of other firms for security assessments and personal protection of some female clients for short-term engagements when the Plant family didn't need me."
"That must have been interesting."  Jeryl commented.
"It was.  I gained a lot of experience that is directly relatable to your needs.  Most fans of Led Zeppelin were not interested in Plant's family, but there were enough situations where the unexpected could happen that we had to be ready all the time."
"We?"  I asked.
"I began building my company the second year I was with them.  With the travel and what-not, I needed help ensuring the next destination on an itinerary was covered and scouted.  Also, I prefer to have a second vehicle available when driving in case something happens."
I nodded.  "Why did you leave?"
"The band ended their US tour in '77 and I felt they didn't need my services any longer.  Maureen, Robert's wife tried to keep me on personally, but I felt I was ready to move on to other areas."
"Which were?"
"I moved into the corporate arena.  We consulted on security practices and then were sub-contracted by Lloyds to run security assessments on some of their clients to validate the protections they had on insured properties."
I whistled softly.  "That must have been a pretty lucrative contract.  Why would you give that up?"
"Who said I did?" she said with a smile and an arched eyebrow.  "We still have that contract, and it is what fueled the growth of my firm.  I have a team dedicated to Lloyds' needs and am consulted when needs be."
"So why are you interested in helping us?" Jeryl asked.  "It's hardly like you need the work."
Alison looked at the three of us carefully, and then focused her blue eyes on me.  "I saw your bit on television.  You are an impressive young man.  You are going to upset a lot of people in the next few years.  Frankly, you are going to need my help."
"But why do you want to offer it?"  I responded.
"I believe you are going to change the world.  I want to be a small part of it."  She shrugged.  "I started out young to make my way in the corporate world and repeatedly found myself underestimated and discounted.  I wished frequently that someone who had faced some of the same prejudices had been able to give me advice.  I see a lot of similarities between the path you have started and the one I've already trod."  She shrugged again.  "I think I can help you."
Jeryl and I exchanged a look. Jyl was fidgeting at the far end of the couch.  Alison continued to focus on me.
"So, what would you recommend first?"  I asked.
"Better walls around your office.  Perimeter security on the building.  Given your remoteness from help, live-in security or, if that was not practical, training for self-defense and escape and evasion."
It was my turn to arch an eyebrow.  "Better walls?"
"You have an alarm on doors and windows, but I just need a carbide saw to cut through a wall and never trip those alarm circuits.  I imagine most of your proprietary material is stored in the two safes built into the desk behind me.  If I cut through the walls in the right space, I can extract the entire safes and open them at my leisure at a secure location."
"Wow," Jyl said.  "Could you really pull the safes?"
"Certainly.  The two safes were purchased well after initial construction of this building, so they are not permanently set in the foundation.  I would assume long lug bolts were set into the existing floor.  A torch would sever those easily without damaging the safes.  Then you just need enough muscle to get them into a vehicle and away from the site.  A professional team would be here less than five minutes and get away well before police could respond."
Neither of the other two interviews had mentioned the walls as a weakness.  Once Alison explained, it was obvious.
"Okay," Jeryl said.  "What would protection look like if Paul and I were going out on a date?"
"That would depend on the type of date.  We would need to establish some parameters first and keep an eye on risks.  Dinner and a movie might be an escort trailing at a distance.  Going to a concert or sporting event might entail a pair of operators posing as another couple or being nearby.  I don't believe security by rote is ever effective over the long term.  It has to be situational."  I nodded, but she continued.  "One thing for certain, you need to retire your car except for special occasions."
"What?  I love Paul's car," Jeryl said.
"Then you should never have let him show it on national television.  It's too distinctive and recognizable.  It either needs to be used on a very limited basis, or he needs to have the automakers begin turning them out by the dozens."
"Shit," I muttered.  "Okay, what about a longer trip with more of the families involved?"
She looked at me again.  "It is always situational.  Is there a credible kidnapping for ransom threat against you?  Are you transporting sensitive materials in addition to traveling with family?  Is it something that other people know you are doing?  Are you planning on playing tourist as a group or individually?  Every factor of the trip impacts how much security you would need."
Her answers were again more honest and insightful than the other two firms.  They had provided numbers of personnel rather than questions.  Alison's approach made a lot more sense to me.
"Okay, I understand all that.  Suppose Jeryl and I are traveling to visit one of my research teams at a Canadian university, say in Montreal.  No one outside our families knows of the trip or the purpose, as far as we know.  We don't have any known threats against us."
She nodded.  "In that case, I would assign a team of two.  One male, one female, so each of you could be accompanied at all times.  They would both be fluent in French given your destination.  One would arrive in Montreal at least the day before to secure the accommodations and transportation and verify routes to and from the airport and your meeting location.  One would travel with you from your homes to the airport.  At least one operator would be with you while you were out of the hotel.  If you were to be out for an extended period of time, both would be with you in case the two of you needed to split up or visit the restroom."
"Hypothetically, what if we were approached by an agent of the FBI while on the trip?"  Jeryl asked.  We had not told Jyl or Jeryl's family about our run-ins with the FBI over the summer.
"The operator would verify their credentials and observe their interactions with you from a safe distance."
"What if these two lovebirds wanted some private time?"  Jyl asked with a grin.
Alison looked at us with her arched eyebrow again.  "Then I would expect them to tell my associates that they wanted some private time.  We would make sure they were in a safe location and give them the semblance of privacy."
Jyl wagged her eyebrows at us and smirked.  The other two people had said they would be governed by our parent's directives in that matter.
"And what answer did you give our parents to that question?"  I asked.
Alison smiled.  "I told them we would not leave you two alone."
"Which answer is true?"
"Both.  You are not alone if we are in the next room and control access to your room.  You are not alone if we are fifty feet away but have approaches to you under observation.  Given the lack of a known, credible threat to you, we can be in the vicinity and still protect you."
"Alison, how big is your organization?"
"Thirty-one people, counting myself."
"And how many of those people would we see around here?"
"Over time?"  I nodded.  "The majority of them, including myself.  I believe in rotating assignments to keep people fresh.  I have twelve excellent female operatives in addition to myself.  Given the ratio of men to women in your family, over a twelve-month period, you would definitely see all of us.  The head of my Lloyds team would probably be the only male associate I have that would never rotate through your detail, but even he may want a change of scenery."
"So you would work with us personally as well?" Jeryl asked.
"Of course.  It is my firm and I work directly with all of my clients.  Even if you had no big trips planned for an extended period and did not need escorts, I would visit you as requested and at least once a quarter to ensure our arrangements are meeting your needs."
"Okay, what happens when Jeryl and I leave for school?"
"Are you going early, or do we have a full year to prepare?"
"Assume a full year."
"I would find a full-time agent to be established on campus in some capacity.  They would be in some of your classes or labs, probably auditing the class only to give them more flexibility.  They would check the physical security of accommodations and most likely make sure you were attending your self-defense courses and keeping an eye on your surroundings.  For a long-term engagement in specific area, I would recommend buying two houses, one as a residence and the other as a safe-house in case something happened."
"Self-defense course?"  Jeryl asked.
"Yes.  You need to be able to protect yourself from casual assault and small-time criminals.  I would also prefer if you both were trained in some more rigorous methods, but we could assess those over the next year.  We would also equip you both with various trackers and panic button devices."
"Trackers?"  Jyl asked.
Alison held up her wrist and looked at her watch.  She then extended her arm toward us.  "This watch is my tracker.  If I push this stud and then pull the stem out, it sends out an alert and my team would respond to my abduction."
"You have a team here?"
She nodded.  "I never travel alone, even if I appear alone."
"Wow."
I had heard enough.  I sensed that Jeryl has as well.  "Well, Ms. Wilson you are very impressive.  Do you have any questions for us?"
She looked at us all for a minute and then directly at me.  "I do, but I would prefer to ask them in private, if you don't mind."
"Not at all.  Why don't you start with Jyl?  Jeryl and I will grab a soda while you talk."  Jeryl and I exited to the break room.
"What do you think, honey," I asked as I poured a Diet Coke for her.
"I think Alison is the only one I'd feel comfortable with."
"Me, too.  She seems a little intense, though."
Jeryl laughed.  "She seems just like you when you are focused on something.  If there were the least family resemblance, I would think she was your older sister."
I was shocked.  "Really?  I have that kind of intensity?"
Jeryl nodded.  "But it is one of the things I love about you," she added as she leaned in for a kiss.
"Ahem," Jim said as we kissed.  Jeryl pulled back just as her mother followed Jim though the door.
"Hi, Mom.  What did you think of them?"
"I'm not sure," Janet said.  "Where's Jyl?"
I explained just as Jyl came out and Jeryl headed back to chat with Alison.  Janet was surprised that Alison had requested to ask us her questions individually.  "She did not seem to have that requirement when she asked us several questions inside.  What did she ask you Jyl?"
Jyl blushed.  "She asked if I could keep a secret first.  When I said yes, she asked me to treat her questions as a secret.  I promised I would."
Janet's lips pressed together while Jim chuckled.  "She could hardly know we would walk out here, Janet.  She probably just didn't want Jyl to tell Jeryl and Paul what she was asking about.  She is a smart lady."
That seemed to defuse Janet's ire.  I offered the two adults and Jyl a soda and had just finished pouring them into glasses when it was my turn.  I headed back to my office after giving Jeryl a quick peck on the cheek.
Alison was still seated with her legs crossed demurely.
"So what did you want to ask me, Alison?"
"Are you serious about changing the energy habits of the world?"  Her gaze was intent on me.
"Yes."  I kept my eyes locked on hers.
"Are you serious about your feelings for Jeryl?"
"Yes."
"How serious?"
"One day, she'll be my wife, if I have anything to say about it.  I would marry her tomorrow, but that would create more problems with her family than either of us want right now."
"Are you intimate with her?"
"Yes."
She seemed surprised at my quick answer.  "You answered that without nearly the hesitation she had."
It was my turn to smile.  "It makes no sense to hire you and lie to you about my relationship while expecting you to protect us both.  If I am going to hire you, you'll know soon enough."
She nodded.  "Do you believe you need professional security?"
"Immediately?  No.  Sooner or later?  Yes."
"Explain."
"I have no reason to believe there is an imminent threat.  But, I do know that there are a lot of nuts in the world.  If I had not done that '60 Minutes' story, I would probably be years away from needing security professionals in my life.  But since I did, I can see a need and understand the possibilities.  If a couple of firms knew what was in those safes, they would probably try to remove them just as you described.  If I want to protect not just my family and loved ones from physical harm, but also from the loss of future profits, then yes, I need some help with regard to security now."
"Can you give me an example?"
"Did you personally sign the non-disclosure or did a lawyer from your firm before you came out here?"
"I signed it personally, of course."
"Then I'll tell you that there is a design in the left-hand safe for a light-weight battery that will most likely revolutionize mobile electronics in the next five years.  It could be worth more than all of my prior patents combined."
Her eyes got a little wider.
"Of course, I'll be taking all of the documents out of that safe tonight after your observations," I added with a smile.
She smiled back.  "You are an interesting young man, Mr. Taylor."
"And you are an interesting young lady, Ms. Wilson.  Do you have any other questions for me?"
She stood.  "I do.  Could you give me a full tour of your shop?"
"That, I can definitely do," I said as I stood.
*****
"Paul, can you take a break for a minute and come inside?" Jeryl called from the doorway of the break room.
I slid out from under the Range Rover I had up on a hoist and waved at her.  It had been less than a week since meeting and hiring Alison Wilson's company to handle security and I knew she was inside discussing the safes with Jeryl and Jim.
I cleaned my hands on a shop towel as I walked inside.  The three of them were sitting around the table with some blueprints spread out before them.
"What's up?" I asked.
Jeryl smiled at me.  "We need your input.  Reinforcing the walls to be more substantial is essentially going to require us to pull down the whole front of the building."
I nodded and looked at the top set of plans.  "Makes sense."
"But doing that will have us out of this end of the building for several weeks and out of the shop entirely for some period of time as well."
I noticed the legend and looked a little closer.  "Yep.  The main power and our other utilities run through that wall.  If you pull it down to make it more substantial, we'll be shut down for a month would be my guess."
Jim nodded.  "So, how do you feel about that?"
"I hate it.  Do we have alternatives, though?  If we are taking Alison's recommendations seriously, we need to have safer storage of our working papers and documents."
"Well, there is a possibility," Jim said.  "But I don't think you're going to like it."
"What's that?"
"We expand."  He flipped to the next set of drawings.  On this set, they had the original shed but had pushed the north end out with a twelve-foot extension.  "We extend to the north and create two offices.  We can build the extension with security in mind and keep sensitive materials in those offices."
I sat down and looked at the drawings.  "So only the offices are shut down during the renovations?"  Jim nodded.  On the plans, they had shortened the hallway leading from the break room past the restrooms and placed two offices perpendicular to my current office, but extending twelve feet further to the north.
"Why don't you think I'll like it?" I asked.
"Neither office will get as much light as you enjoy now, especially in winter."
"Okay, but this will give us a concrete walled area to permanently mount safes in each office, right?"
"Yes," Alison said.  "It will also allow us to construct sturdier interior walls in this area, and put in a back-up generator for the security systems."
"Any other alternatives?"  I asked.
No one spoke.  "What's it going to cost?"
Jeryl pulled out two estimates.  "Both are within ten percent of each other.  I'd suggest going with the higher bid since I think the other skimped in a couple of areas on labor costs.  Alison will bring in people to do the safe installation and the new alarm system."
I shrugged.  "I don't see that we have a choice."  I flipped the drawing to an exterior elevation plan.  "We have plenty of setback between the building and the road.  I think we should do it."
"Excellent," Alison said as she began collecting the plans.  "Jim, if you can handle the contractor, I'll have one of my men oversee them to ensure things are done to the right specification.  Now can we discuss your spring break?"
"Ah, the real reason you wanted me in here."  I smiled and leaned back in my chair.
"Yes.  I have made arrangements to accompany you along with three of my operatives, but need to define your itinerary a bit better to make sure our bases are covered."  She pulled out her notebook and opened it.  The page she was on was filled with a tight script.
"Now, you will fly out of Chicago on Saturday.  Luggage will go the day before except for small carry-on bags."
"What?"  Jeryl asked.
"It eliminates standing around baggage claim on arrival.  One of my people will be there the two days before and pick up the luggage for delivery.  We've got a block of rooms at the Park City Marriott.  It is a new hotel located central to downtown.  Besides skiing, what activities are you planning?"
"I'll want to be looking at some property while we're there.  I imagine several of us will want to look at things."
Allison nodded.  "We'll arrange two afternoons for that and have a real estate agent lined up.  Any parameters we should know beforehand?"
"I'm interested in property on the new resort that opened, Deer Valley.  I want to look at two or three adjoining lot parcels if possible.  The sites should be suitable for construction of fair-sized ski-in residences."
Alison took notes.  "Very well.  Anything else?"
"I have one research grant at the University of Utah that I would like to stop by and visit if there is time.  Professor Brighton is the primary researcher."
"I'll get his contact information for you, Alison," Jeryl said.
"That visit should only take a half-day."
"Very well.  Anything else?"
"I'd like to check out the sights in Salt Lake City.  I don't know what all there is to see or do."
"Temple Square," Jim said.  "You can't actually go into the temple, but I think you can hear the tabernacle choir on Sunday morning, or when they practice one evening during the week."
"That might be neat," Jeryl said.
"I'll find out what evening practice is and if we can attend.  I'll make dinner arrangements in Salt Lake for that night and try to arrange your visit with the research team for the same day."
"Okay, thank you.  Other than that, I'd just like to ski and relax.  Jim, is there anything you and Mom might want to do?"
"We'll see when we get there," he said.  "From a security perspective, I don't think we adults will need as much watching as you and Jeryl."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jeryl asked.
Jim blushed.  "We adults want to know you two are safe.  We don't expect Alison's team to watch over us."
Alison nodded.  "We have no known threats, and are taking a bigger team than warranted, but I want an opportunity for you to see some of my operatives and what is involved.  We're going to pretend that we have a credible threat against you so you fully understand what an obvious protective detail feels like.  This is like a training exercise for you and them.  I'll be along to oversee things and make sure there are no personality conflicts."
"I hope you can ski," Jeryl said.
Alison smiled her cold smile and arched an eyebrow.  "I'm certain we'll be able to keep up.”
*****
"So, what is Professor Brighton working on for you?" Alison asked as we waited in the lobby of his research building.  Jeryl had ducked into the restroom after our ride down I-80 from Park City to the University of Utah.  Sanford, our driver was on his way in after parking the car.
"He's doing some work in the materials science.  It's leveraging some of the carbon fiber work one of the other researchers is pursuing."
"And your goal?"
"Stronger, lightweight materials, including a new type of shatter-proof glass for use in auto windows."
"Impressive."
"If his research plays out."
Jeryl joined us about the same time Sanford entered the building.  A few minutes later Professor Brighton came out and ushered us up to his office and lab area.  Soon, he and I were deep in discussions that I knew no one else in the room was following.  Three hours later, Jeryl looked relieved as we headed back down to the lobby.
Alison and Sanford were impressively stoic but tensed as a man in a suit and overcoat approached us in the lobby.  Sanford intercepted him while he was still ten feet away.  The two men spoke for a moment before they stepped closer.
"Hello, Paul.  I'm Special Agent Belton with the FBI.  I take it you had a good meeting with Professor Brighton."
Alison gave me a sharp look while Jeryl stepped closer.  Sanford gave Alison the briefest of nods.
"I did.  What interest is it of the FBI?" I asked.
"We've been told that his line of research may have national security implications.  We just want to make sure everything is alright."
"Special Agent Belton, I have repeatedly said that I would be happy to meet with the FBI or any other government agency if they simply request a meeting.  Running into agents every time I visit one of the researchers I am funding is getting to be a little ridiculous.  I intend to discuss this with my congressman and senator upon my return home.  I am tired of whatever game your agency seems to be playing.  If you cannot avail yourself of my offer to schedule a meeting and have a frank discussion, I see no reason to answer any of your agencies questions while I'm on a working vacation.  Good day."
I took Jeryl's arm and moved past him.  Alison stayed between the two of us and the agent as Sanford hurried to the door and jogged to get our car.
As we pulled away from the building, Alison turned from the front seat to look at me.  "Your question during the interview was not hypothetical."
I gave her a tight smile.
"Why is the FBI interested in you?"
"I wish I knew."
"How many encounters have you had with them?"
I told her.
"I'll make some calls when we get back to the hotel.  I may be able to learn a little more."
"I hope you can.  This is getting more than a little ridiculous.”


Chapter Fifteen
Out of the Frying Pan
*****
"It's an honor to meet you, sir. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us," I said as I shook Senator Dixon's hand. Jim had arranged the meeting after sending both of our senators and our congressman letters explaining the pattern of harassment the FBI seemed to be pursuing.
"It's my pleasure," the senator said. "You are an impressive young man, Mr. Taylor, and the incidents you reference are troubling in their own right."
We all sat down and he pulled out a thick file folder. "I've had my staff in D.C. inquire with the FBI about these incidents. The official statement from the director is that you are not part of any ongoing investigation and that the agents involved will receive a letter in their service jackets cautioning them against wasting agency time and resources."
Jim nodded. "That is nice, but what drove this behavior? I find it hard to believe that Paul is singled out by three different field offices in less than a calendar year, in three widely separated locales, without those agents having some sort of reason."
"I agree. Unfortunately, I doubt we will ever know what was on their minds. Your letter told me the last two incidents involved research you are funding on battery technology, correct?"
"Yes sir. I've wracked my brain trying to figure out why the FBI would want early access to my research. It makes no sense. The only idea that fits would be if some other agency was using them as a front."
The senator frowned. "Such as?"
"NSA or CIA."
"Why would our intelligence branches be interested in battery technology?"
"If my ideas pan out, they could have relatively lightweight and compact power sources for use in electronics. I don't know what else they could be interested in. I mean, better field radios would not drive this kind of harassment."
"Harassment is a very hard word." The senator said.
"I don't know how else to describe it, sir."
"Well, hopefully this has been put to rest with the reply from the director. I have relayed your willingness to meet with any government agency to discuss your inventions and research, so hopefully, if they want to learn more they will pursue such a meeting. In the meantime, thank you for stopping in and giving me the chance to help you clear this up."
Jim and I stood, the dismissal clear. We left the Senator's office and headed back down to the car. I was surprised to see Alison in the front seat next to Sanford who had driven us today.
"Alison, what a pleasant surprise," Jim said as we climbed in.
She did not smile. "I thought I would catch you while you were in town." The Senator kept his office in Chicago where we had visited him. "I turned up a little information since Salt Lake. It appears your national intelligence agency is interested in you, Paul."
"Which one?"
"NSA. They also don't appreciate questions from their friends in MI-6."
"Oh?" I was not surprised Alison had contacts in MI-6, the British version of the CIA.
"My friend was told in no uncertain terms to stay away from you. The term used was that you were a U.S.-only asset."
"I don't know how to feel about that."
"Well, I don't like it," Jim said. "Something is going on and I'd like to know what."
"I'd rather it just stop."
I was quiet for the drive home after we dropped Alison off at her hotel. I was thinking hard about what I remembered of the NSA. The "No Such Agency" in 1982 was very much a secret to most of the US. They were charged with both the protection of electronic communications for the US government and the eavesdropping on our enemy's communications. I knew that in the future, they would trample the rights of US citizens in the name of protecting them, but I had never paid too much attention to their methods or politics. Now, I was going to have to do something.
We were still about an hour from home when I pulled out my notebook and began jotting down some ideas. DES was the current cryptography standard. I knew it would fall from brute force attacks in the future as processing power improved. I thought the term triple DES was used to address these brute force attacks, but could not recall any specifics. I had no idea what the transforms applied by the algorithm were. I needed to think about this some more.
The following week found me in the ISU library in the evening reading up on DES in government publications. I paid for copies of the sections I needed and then headed home. Jeryl was put off by my intensity, but understood I was working on something that I felt was important. She did insist I put it aside for my birthday celebration. Eighteen for the second time was interesting. Jeryl's passion was incendiary. The following week, the week before finals, I had a working implementation of the triple DES algorithm running in Pascal on one of the Apple II Pluses in my office, along with some additional security routines.
Instead of studying for my junior finals, I was busy hacking code to automatically apply the algorithm to data files on the floppy disks we stored our typed notes on.
"Is this really necessary, Paul?" Jeryl asked as I explained the extra steps she would need to take each day on my transcribed notes and her spreadsheets.
"I don't know. It bugs me that the feds want access to my work without actually talking to me. We've improved the security here, but what if they just show up with some bogus warrant and take the contents of our safes? I'd like to know that critical information is still protected."
"I can't imagine that happening, but I guess it's just like having security around, better safe than sorry."
I gave her a quick kiss and hug. "It also means we'll have a few minutes at the end of each day together as we wait for the computer to do its magic."
She smiled and kissed me back. "I like that silver lining.”
*****
"They are both impressive," Jeryl said as we looked at the matched pair of four-door Range Rovers I had spent the past three months tearing apart and rebuilding. Their bodies looked stock, aside from the metallic black paint job I had given them, but their interiors were redone. I had enlisted both Jims' help to get the work finished before the end of school, but was happy with the results.
"Why did you use Range Rovers?"
"I wanted the truck chassis but wanted to keep a stock body as much as possible. They have the same drive-by-wire system and electrical drive system as my car, however. I'm hoping I can show them to Ford or GM and get them to build me something similar. I thought about starting with a Bronco, but they only have two door models."
Jeryl opened the door and ran her hand over the leather seats. "I see you used the same color scheme as in your car." She moved to the open the back door. "And kept lots of room in the back," she added with a grin.
I moved up behind her and gave her a hug. "I made them with you in mind, kitten."
"That explains the bench seat in the front," she said with a laugh. "How do they drive?"
I handed her a set of keys. "Let's find out."
She grabbed them and gave me a quick kiss before stepping up on the running board and climbing behind the wheel. I went around to the passenger side and climbed in as she started it up. Soon we were accelerating down the road.
"Wow, Paul, it handles almost as well as your car."
"It will handle as well once I finish tuning the software. On the road, it should have an even smoother ride, since I've incorporated the dynamic suspension into this as well."
"Why'd you make two the same this time?"
"Remember during Alison's interview when she said she liked having a second car in case something happened?" Jeryl nodded. "With two, we have a second car available if we need it. I thought making two at the same time would double the effort, but it didn't really since I just fabricated extra parts and mounts."
"What else have you done that's special in these?"
"Well, I used some of our new materials as an overlay on the body parts."
"What's that do?"
"Think of it as a partially armored car. I did it for impact protection, but it should easily stop a bullet as well."
"Anything else?"
"It's got a reinforced battery compartment built in so that once we finish a batch of batteries, we can add them to the system. That should give us mileage in the sixty to seventy miles per gallon range."
"I feel so safe in this car," Jeryl said as she pulled back into the driveway. "Do I get one?"
I laughed. "If you play your cards right, that could happen," I said with a waggle of my eyebrows. "But we have to agree that this one does not get shown on TV."
Jeryl pulled back into the shop, turned it off, unbuckled her seatbelt and slid across the seat to kiss me. A few minutes later, I showed her the recline button. She definitely played her cards right.
*****
"Paul, how would you feel about doing some additional Range Rover conversions?" Jim asked as I came into the shop the following week.
"I'd rather not." Jim gave me a surprised look. I hurried on. "I don't want to waste my summer doing more, but I thought we might want some. I made detailed plans."
Jim smiled. "You want to contract it out?"
I nodded. "I documented everything as I disassembled and modified the second one. A good shop should be able to convert one in a week or so."
"Wow. What about the overlays on the body parts?"
"That, too. I'll have to make the overlay for them, unless we want to sell that process and have someone produce it for us."
"Why wouldn't we? DuPont seems pretty happy with your last idea."
I thought about the FBI and the uneasy feeling I still had. "I think I'd like to keep it in-house for a little longer. I've not even done a full assessment of its properties yet."
"Well, you'll need to do that for the patent application anyway to fully document the process and properties. Do you think you can bump that up your priority list?"
"What's the hurry?"
"Well, I'd like Jeryl to help get it typed up. Her doing the first pass through your notes has really helped our filing process. Kelly could do it, but even she says it's almost like Jeryl reads your mind, not just your notes."
"And she'll be leaving for her family vacation in three weeks. I get it. I can start the experiments and measurements this afternoon. I should be able to get everything written up in two weeks, especially since Uncle Ben doesn't need my help so much anymore."
Uncle Ben had a hired helper now to fill in on the field work while his sons and I were focused on school. I would bale some hay this summer, and continue to take care of our few head of cattle, but that was the extent of my chores now that he had full-time help. Of course, my buying an adjoining 400 acres of land had made it necessary to get help anyway, so I did not really feel bad about it.
I got busy setting up the workbench to make a new batch of car coating. The process I had come up with created a thin-coat material with carbon nanotubes in suspension. It was thin enough that I could apply it with a paint gun. The unique steps came after spraying when I needed to apply an electric charge to the part that was coated to orient the nanotubes. The coating was viscous enough to keep the nanotubes aligned as it dried. The alignment of those tubes is what gave the coating its strength.
Jeryl came in and came over to give me a quick kiss before heading into the office. An hour or so later, I had finished coating a set of thin steel plates. I had a matching set of additional plates to use as controls in my tests. It looked like tomorrow would be lab day for me.
"Hey, I can help you," Jeryl said. "It will almost be like we had a class together." I laughed and we began discussing the various measurements we would need to make once the coating was fully dried.
"Speaking of tests," Jeryl said. "Would your coating do anything to a radar detector?"
"I don't know. Why do you ask?"
Jeryl blushed. "I was going a bit fast coming out of town this afternoon. Kyle was sitting out by the grain elevator and had his radar gun pointed right at me as I came over that little rise just before the elevator. I thought he had me dead to rights, but nothing happened. I slowed down some as soon as I saw him, but he seemed more interested in his radar gun than me when I went past. It was odd."
"Shit," I said.
Kelly looked up from the desk she was working at. "What's wrong?"
How do I explain the importance of stealth when it was still very secret to the world at large? No one had yet lived through the revelations or witnessed what a force multiplier it was in military conflict. We were still fifteen years away from the first public disclosures during the first Gulf War.
"We need to talk to some folks for full testing of the coating. Theoretically, the mix of nanotubes in the coating could attenuate radar reflections."
"What's that mean?"
"Radar waves don't reflect off it."
"Cool, no more worries about speed traps."
"Not cool. This is the sort of thing the military will instantly classify and confiscate."
Jeryl and Kelly looked at each other. "Shit," they said together.
*****
It took a week to arrange, but we finally got something resembling a scientific test on the radar reflective properties of the coating. I had made two one-meter square sheets of plate aluminum. One was coated, the other was not. I made a mounting bracket on the front of my Range Rover to hold the plate. Jim had arranged through a contact at State Farm to use a radar gun which he decided he would run. We were using the blacktop in front of the farm as our test range. Sixty runs were made at various speeds; twenty with just the Range Rover, twenty with the plain plate, and twenty with the coated plate. It was a far cry from a full absorption and reflectivity test, but it was the best we could do on short notice.
I finished the last run and came back to the farm where Jim had stationed himself. "Well," he said as I climbed out of the car. "It looks like you've made a radar-absorbing coating alright. The only time I got any accurate speed readings was with the uncoated plate."
"Damn. What now?"
"What did your other tests show?"
"It will stop a bullet. A 30.06 round put a pretty good dent in the panel, but did not penetrate. It helps thinner panels resist torsion forces, but that's about it. Oh, I'm pretty sure it will prevent rust and other deterioration of the metal."
Jim focused on dismantling the stand for the radar gun for a few minutes.
"If we go to the government, they are going to classify this and you'll be prohibited from using it or selling it for commercial use. If you publish your results, they will try to suppress them. I can see things getting dirty pretty quick. Any chance you can play with the formulation to make it more reflective to radar without losing the strengthening properties?"
I thought about it as I helped him finish boxing equipment up to return to Bloomington. "It's possible, but it might take some time. I'd need a real lab to test in, and I don't even know where one with everything I would need is at."
"Candace can help with that."
"So hold off filing?"
"I think that's the smart move. Once we have a filing on the modified formulation and application process, we can talk to the government about the original formula."
"What if we didn't talk directly to the government?"
"What are you thinking?"
"Lockheed."
"Why them?"
I knew they were already building the F-117 stealth fighter, but could not tell Jim that. "They did a lot of work on spy planes. U-2 and SR-71 are the two we know about. Who knows what else they've done. I bet they have a materials team and lab to work with this."
"And Candace definitely has contacts with them," he added.
"Jim, I'm a little worried about this," I admitted.
"Why?"
"You always tell me I look further ahead. This coating has military application. The more I think about it, the work in Utah would be of interest to a lot of the military industrial complex as well. I was fixated on batteries, but this research in material sciences is probably what the FBI or whoever was really interested in."
"Do you want me to contact Alison?"
"She's British. Should we tell her what we've found?"
"We don't need to. I'll let her know we have reason to believe we need to step up security. We can decide what details to share once she is here in person."
"We need to give her a copy of the encryption program I wrote so we can send her things securely. In fact, we need all our research teams to start using it."
"Kelly can get copies and instructions sent out. I'll do a cover letter for it. How will you tell them what the code is to encrypt and decrypt things?"
I didn't want to get into the key-exchange problem. I had added public/private key certificate generation to the program, but making sure they followed the steps correctly the first time might be a problem.
"I think we'll need more than instructions. Someone will need to visit each researcher and instruct him to make sure things are set up correctly. I tried to make the program idiot proof, but you still have to follow the directions or you can introduce weak passwords. Maybe I should visit the six teams while Jeryl is away."
"Not alone."
"Alison will send someone."
Jim shook his head. "Paul, if the Soviets learned about these capabilities, do you think one security operative is going to be enough to protect you?"
I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. "We can't talk about this to anyone. Right now, nobody knows. Until we get some of this research secured and handed off to the experts, we need to keep our lips sealed."
"I'll make sure Kelly and Candace understand."
"And Mom. She'll worry."
Jim nodded. "I'll talk to her as well. You need to talk to Jeryl."
"And possibly her parents."
"Why?"
"Jim, she's only seventeen. I love her, but her parents need to know the risks. They need to decide if they want extra security for Jeryl. Especially while they are traveling on their family vacation."
*****
"I don't want to go to Michigan while you're doing all this," Jeryl said as we sat in the office and discussed what I would be doing while she was gone and why. Jim and Candace were there as well. Jim and I had decided to not discuss this with Kelly yet.
"It will be fine. I'm sure my imagination is running away from me, but you know the old saying, 'Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.' I think being safe is better than being sorry."
"Okay, but if they are watching you for some reason, won't just spending a couple hours with each team look suspicious?"
"Oh, I'm planning on spending a couple of days with each team."
"Then won't you need me?"
I gave her a quick kiss. "I always need you, but I can visit the researchers this time without you." I kissed her again.
"Who will go with you?"
"Jim's asked Alison to come visit. She said she would be here Tuesday. We'll sort out travel after we talk to her. I'm guessing it will be Candace and me travelling with two security, knowing Alison."
"And you're not giving her details on what this coating can do?"
"Only that we realized it had military applications that we feel warrant extra protection until we can hand some things over."
"Then why are you visiting the researchers?"
"To improve their security in case they have breakthroughs with similar applications."
"Ok. She'll agree to that. Why Candace for a travel partner?"
"She heads up our research grant process. It makes sense for her to visit them all with me." Jeryl nodded. "Also, we need to find a research facility I can use to modify the coating. Something better than a radar gun on a country road."
"Speaking of that," Candace said. "The U of I has a great research facility including an electromagnetic radiation research lab. I've got a contact down there that I need to call. Since it's summer, I think we can get you some lab time without too much trouble."
"Good. Any chance of starting it next week? I've got two ideas for changing the formulation that should work."
Jim raised an eyebrow in question.
"I'm thinking the addition of powdered aluminum or iron will boost reflectivity without impacting the structural properties. What I'm not sure of is how to explain why I'm testing radio reflectivity of this coating."
"Microwaves," Jeryl said.
"What?"
"Protective coating for microwave ovens."
I kissed her. "You are a genius. Microwave ovens use a magnetron just like radar does. It's a perfect cover."
"Okay, I'll go make some calls and see if we can get some test time. Will you need anything else down there?"
"I don't think so."
"Okay, then let's get your travel itinerary lined out. Any thoughts on what order you want to visit the six sites in?"
"Texas first and Montreal last."
"You need to do Montreal first," Jim said.
"Why?"
"Your encryption program might be a problem. I want you to visit your one out-of-country research site first so no one has a chance to find out what you're doing on these visits. If Uncle Sam has a problem with it, let's make it a 'fait accompli' by the time they learn what you are doing."
"Okay. McGill first."
"Then let's do Syracuse, then Austin, Cal Tech, Utah and finish up at Northwestern."
I thought about it for a minute. "A big circle?" Candace nodded. "Sounds good. We should plan two full days at each location with a travel day between each."
"Okay. I'll let the researchers know. What about Alison?"
"What about her?"
"Are you giving her a copy of the encryption program before or after you deliver it to everyone else?"
I started to say before, and then caught myself. "After. I want the research protected before we let anyone with any government ties know what we are doing. She worked for the British intelligence community. I don't want to create any conflict of interest for her."
"Fair enough."
"In the meantime, I want to get four more Range Rovers and find a shop to convert them."
"With your original coating?" Candace asked.
"Of course. I know it will stop a bullet, and that is enough reason to use it for now."
*****
Montreal in the spring is a wonderful place. I wished Jeryl were able to be with Candace and me as we strolled from our hotel to the Rutherford Physics Building to meet with Dr. Ellen McTavish. She was contracted to do foundational research on magnetic fields under the guise of improving induction motors for use in cars. Alison and Sanford were nearby. We had decided they could observe us rather than escort us since we did not think there was too much risk.
Dr. McTavish was a middle-aged lady with a nondescript face and graying hair. She did have a ready smile and warm laugh as she greeted us and offered us coffee in her office. "It's a delight to finally meet you, Mr. Taylor," she said as we settled into comfortable chairs and she sat behind her desk.
"Please, call me Paul."
"Very well, Paul, it's a pleasure to meet you. I feel like you should be sitting in one of my undergraduate lectures rather than reviewing my research, but then your accomplishments are what make my research possible."
"I'm glad your interests align with my own needs. How are things going?"
"Very well. Most people don't think there is much left to learn about magnetic fields, but I think our papers, once published will change that perception."
"How so?"
"I think we can improve the power factor of an induction motor by nearly a factor of two with the modifications to rotor and stator losses we're achieving."
"That's great progress. Can you show me how you've done that?" Soon we were deep into a technical discussion. Candace excused herself when we got up and headed to the lab. I waved her away and followed Dr. McTavish.
"What would it take to make eight full-scale motors using these methods?" I asked as we decided it was well past lunchtime.
"Just money and time. With correct funding, I could hire grad students to do the windings. If you want more than eight, I'd recommend we look at contracting it out."
"Eight should be enough to establish a reliability baseline. If the power factor remains consistent after extended usage, I'd be interested in manufacturing more. With eight, we can run static tests and have six motors to mount in the stock car; four live and two spares. That would get us some serious endurance information."
"We can do that. I could have them wound and ready to ship by the end of summer."
"Great. If we get them to the racing team in the fall, they can run a whole season with them. Right now, we're using stock motors, but they need to pull and replace them every six races due to wear."
"Bearings?"
I nodded. "I've got some ideas for that. I think we can use some of the energy savings to put magnetic bearings in place."
"Really?"
"I need to spend some more time on it, but I think that will be the best answer for longtime wear issues."  I jotted a note to myself.  More work I needed to do.
"Well, I'll make sure Candace gets you whatever funding you need to make eight full-scale motors," I said as we exited the lab and saw Candace waiting outside Dr. McTavish's office with a bag of sandwiches.
As we ate our modest meal, I explained to Dr. McTavish the new security we needed to put into place indicating industrial espionage concerns. She agreed but was surprised when we insisted she encrypt her correspondence and electronic notes.
"What about paper notes?"
"I'll arrange for the purchase and delivery of a safe for your office," Candace said. "The safe will be part of the grant going forward. We would ask that you have all working papers locked up at the end of the day."
"Seems a bit excessive, don't you think?" She asked, looking at me.
"Dr. McTavish, if the motors you are building work out and I can drive adoption by the auto industry, you are doing multi-billion-dollar research. We have to protect that even if it seems excessive right now."
"I suppose."
"I hate to make this an issue, Dr. but going forward, security audits will be part of the grant requirements. Unfortunately, we've already seen some issues with two of our other researchers."
"Very well. I understand wanting to protect your investment."
I went over the encryption program, giving her the copy formatted for her IBM PC and we ran through the initial set up including generating her public key and making certain she picked a good pass phrase to access her private key.
We ended the day with dinner at a local restaurant. Candace and I got back to our suite in the Hilton where Alison was waiting for us. I was surprised to see her.
"What's up?" I asked as I took off my blazer and draped it over a chair.
"I think you might be right to be concerned."
"What?" Candace and I said together.
"You had someone besides Sanford and me watching you today."
"Could you identify them?"
She shook her head. "I'm not even 100% certain they were following you. There were at least two other people from the university in that restaurant where you had dinner, so it is possible that is who was being followed, but I doubt it. We'll know for certain tomorrow if they show up again. I thought you should know."
By the time we left Montreal, Alison was certain we had a tail. It did not change my plans, but it was a little nerve wracking. Sanford spotted them again as we drove to New York for our visit to Syracuse.
Dr. Milton Freis was excited to meet me and discuss the drive-by-wire system I had developed along with the micro-processor architecture it was running on. His team was pushing the development of the next generation of embedded processors. When I told him about the encryption program, he understood it immediately and then began asking what it was written in and how I was going to handle key exchange.
I smiled. "We're doing that now."
He laughed. "Of course we are. Impossible to have a man-in-the-middle attack when you do it face-to-face. That's a good idea."
Two days later, we were on another airplane and heading toward Austin, Texas. By the time we got to Utah almost a week later, I was mentally exhausted. I met with Dr. Brighton and was then thankful I had planned for a short break. Instead of hurrying back to the airport and another flight, we drove up to Park City and met with Carl McArthur, the architect Kelly had found for me.
"This is a lovely piece of property," Carl said as we looked around the lot. A path from the road to the house site had been cut, but little else pending my approval of the plans. Carl or his team had staked out several corners of the proposed building so I could better visualize it.
"Since you own the two adjacent parcels as well, you won't have to worry about neighbors. Even if you build on those lots, we'll keep plenty of trees to afford plenty of privacy. Now, this is what I have in mind." He spread his plans out on a table constructed from a sheet of plywood and a pair of sawhorses. He oriented and it became clear we were standing in what he proposed to be the location of the main living room.
I leaned over the plans and looked up at the vista down the mountain side. "I like this." My finger followed the plan. The master suite would be off the living room and open kitchen area with three additional bedrooms stretching down an opposite hall. A second suite was at the end of the hallway.
"We'll have a sauna adjacent to the patio on the lower level for easy access to the hot tub as well. You can use this area for a game room or casual space. Of course, the ski locker will be down there as well." I admired the flow of the spaces.
Alison came forward and peered around my shoulder. "If you don't mind, Paul, I'll spend a little time with Mr. McArthur this afternoon and make certain his designs include consideration for security as well."
Carl flipped pages on the drawings. "I think I've got things covered, but you can review them. I've got two external access apartments over the three-car garage for any staff, including security. I've put a gun safe in the back wall of the first garage and designed for a full-sized safe in the office as well as a built-in wall safe in each bedroom to secure small valuables."
Alison nodded. "Is there room for a monitoring station?"
Carl shook his head. "I can add that to one of the apartments. Just let me know which one."
"This one," Alison said as she pointed to the one closest to the house proper. "I'll also want reinforced doors on that apartment."
"Send me the specs on what you want."
I flipped the plans to the exterior elevations. It showed a rustic log exterior with rock facing around the foundation. "How long to build?" I asked.
"We've got a hundred and eighty-day timeline. We should be ready for you to use it before next ski season. It will take a full year for the landscaping to fill in, but you should plan on decorating next Thanksgiving."
"Wow, that's fast."
"Not really. Besides, you're paying top dollar for this home."
"Well, I'm certainly looking forward to seeing it built."
*****
We made it back home before the Fourth of July weekend. Alison drove us home from Northwestern and seemed pleased with the modified Range Rover. She was definitely pleased when I told her we were modifying four others so her security team would have one for their use going forward.
"You could sell these at a premium to a lot of security firms, Paul."
"Should I?"
"What do you mean?"
"Is the proliferation of bulletproof cars good or bad for my personal security?"
She thought about it for a few miles. "I'd say good, so long as you make them pricy, so not just anyone is going to buy one. What makes them bulletproof? It does not handle like an armored car."
I explained the coating, but did not mention its stealth characteristics.
"What about the glass?"
"It's coated as well, but not bulletproof, but one of the material's Dr. Brighton is working on could solve that issue."
"Impressive. I would charge at least eighty-thousand for one of these."
"That much?" I asked. The list price I paid before the conversion was just under twenty-seven thousand. I knew the cost of conversion was only about ten thousand dollars in parts and labor. It was a pretty good markup.
"Maybe more."
"Much of a market?"
"I could make a dozen calls and you could sell sixty of these."
"Wow. Let me talk it over with Jim. Right now I've got four more in the works. They might be done for all I know. If they aren't they should be by the time we finish up in Champaign week after next."
"And we will be taking this one down there with us?"
"Us?"
"Yes. Sanford is taking some vacation. Since I'm already over on this side of the pond, I decided I'll be your escort for at least next week and possibly the week after."
"It's going to be mostly lab time. I think you'll be pretty bored down there."
She shrugged. "I have some correspondence to catch up on as well as a few good books to read."
"I guess that means you'll get to see a farm Fourth of July this weekend then."
"I can stay in a hotel if you need your guest room."
"No, you can stay at the farm. If Kelly is coming up, I can sleep out in the office or on the couch in the living room. We always have a company barbecue on the fourth. At least we have for the past three years. You're more than welcome to join us."
She gave me a smile. "That sounds like fun. It will also give us a chance to start some of the other training I want to make sure you get."
The next day, instead of getting to work in the shop, I found myself setting up a shooting range near the barn. Alison had three pistols set out on a bench. She put up targets and carefully measured a twenty-five foot distance to the firing line.
"Very well, Paul," Alison said after going over range safety with me. "Today we're going to fire three handguns and determine which is best for you. We'll start with the Smith and Wesson .38. This is a model 15-4. The nice thing about a revolver is that it is a relatively simple weapon. If you have a misfire, you just pull the trigger again. Automatics can be less reliable."
I shot the .38 with decent accuracy. I had never handled a pistol in my first life until I got into the navy. The experience was similar. I focused on maintaining a good sight picture and squeezing my trigger, not jerking.
Next she had me shoot the Browning Hi-power. The nine millimeter had a little more kick than the .38, but I still put a tight grouping on the target. "The nice thing about the Browning is its thirteen-round magazine. It also has slightly greater stopping power than the .38."
We finished with Colt 1911. "The forty-five is the best in terms of stopping power, but sacrifices magazine capacity. Of course, if you hit what you aim at, seven rounds should be plenty."
The kick of the 1911 was noticeably greater than either the .38 or the nine millimeter, but I still had a good grouping after the first magazine.
"Very good, Paul. Which one did you like best?"
"The nine millimeter felt very natural."
"Okay, that's what we'll have you practice with then." She cleared the other two pistols and then handed me the Browning along with a fresh magazine. "I want you to start shooting at least four magazines a day when you are home. I'll coach you when I'm here. I want you proficient by the time I head out again. We'll work your range out to twenty-five meters over time."
"Why? I'm not going to be able to get a carry permit here or in California."
"No, but it's important you are comfortable with a handgun if something should happen. Whoever is escorting you will have a license as well as a spare Browning sidearm. If something happens, you'll have access to a pistol. Before that happens, I need to make certain you can handle it safely."
Once we were done with the pistol for the day, Alison asked to observe my boxing workout. "Are you going to watch my morning workout as well?" I asked jokingly.
"What all do you do?" she asked seriously.
"Stretch, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups and run. I do a few tai-chi forms after my run to cool down."
She arched an eyebrow. "Tai Chi? Where did you learn that?"
"I picked it up from a couple of classes." I neglected to mention they were decades in the future from one perspective or decades in the past from another.
She watched me work the speed bag and reflex bag before saying anything. "I think your speed and training will serve you well, but boxing is too formal for your self-defense needs."
"What do you mean?" I asked as I dropped my hands to my side.
Alison moved in a blink and had her hand against my sternum before I could move. "I mean if your opponent doesn't give you to opportunity to prepare, boxing is of limited utility. You'll move instinctively to minimize a blow, just as Judo will teach you to fall safely. If I had a knife, you would be dead before you could respond."
"What do you suggest?"
"Once Jeryl is back, I want to start both of you on Krav Maga. It's the Israeli martial art used in their defense force. It teaches avoidance, but when that fails, it has techniques aimed at eliminating the threat as quickly as possible. That's what you need to do if someone tries to grab you."
"I don't think you'll find any Krav Maga instructors around here."
She smiled. "You might be surprised. However, my staff is all proficient. I'll make certain whoever is assigned to you can conduct your training."
"Does that mean we're finished boxing?"
She stepped back and smiled.
"Quite. We've got until Tuesday to get you comfortable with the pistol."
"Do you think I'll need it?"
She shook her head. "No, but I like to be prepared. We know someone was watching you in at least three of the cities you visited, and most likely all of them. I want to make certain you are safe. Better safe than sorry."
I nodded my head and grabbed a towel. "What about Jeryl and her family?"
"We haven't spotted anyone looking after them, which is good. If they were watching her, I'd be bringing in more people here."
"Why?"
"It would be an indication that they were looking at multiple means of getting leverage over you. There would be no other reason to target your girlfriend."
"I guess I had better finish up my testing next week then, and turn some of this over to the government. Then they can worry about it."
She frowned. "You do realize that turning it over won't actually diminish your risk, don't you."
"What do you mean?"
"It will only shift the risk. If your idea is worth trying to steal, they will know it is still in your head even if all the documentation is secured."
"Shit," I said softly. "I was thinking this was just a short-term problem."
"That's why I want to start on your training. You will need to protect yourself for as long as the technologies you are developing are worth stealing. I would guess you'll need protection for the rest of your life given the rate you seem to be inventing things."
"Great. Just what I always wanted," I muttered as we headed for the house so I could get cleaned up.
*****
I was a little subdued the remainder of the weekend. We had decided to have our annual celebration in Bloomington which meant we drove down Sunday afternoon after I had finished my workouts, chores and pistol practice. We planned on staying at Jim's house Sunday and Monday and then Alison and I would head on down to Champaign-Urbana for my lab time at the U of I. Alison had decided I was safe with a gun and carefully showed me where she had a locked pistol case under the driver's seat. She shared the combination to the case with me.
The cookout was nice and I had to admit I admired Alison's pale skin and trim figure as she joined us in the hot tub after we got back from the fireworks display. She wore a green bikini that suited her coloring well. Kelly caught me looking once or twice and smirked in my direction. I stuck my tongue out at her and was rewarded with a laugh. Despite the nagging paranoia I was feeling, Kelly seemed to be able to keep me grounded.
Monday was a lazy day around the house. I help Jim with some yard work that he had been neglecting. It gave us a chance to work together without worrying about company business. The next day Alison and I were off.
Dr. Carmichael met us at the lab building and showed me the facilities I could use. We spent the first morning going over the set-up of the experiments I was running. Candace had arranged for a grad student to assist. We had the first sheet of treated aluminum in the test rig by the end of the day ready for the morning.
"It looks like your coating is very effective," Dr. Carmichael said two days later as he looked over the data sheets I had compiled. His grad student had been very helpful.
"It does. It reflects the microwave radiation with very little absorption loss."
"You know, this coating could be useful in waveguides as well," he said as he looked over the second set of data.
"Wave guides? I never considered that."
"We do some research here for the Navy and Air Force. Litton makes most of the equipment we use. All three of them would be interested in being able to improve the performance of their equipment."
"Well, since I'm well ahead of my test plan, what would you suggest?"
"I would suggest you document the rest of the materials properties and then assess the economics. Most waveguides for microwave or other electromagnetic radiation are lined with copper, silver or even gold. It makes them pretty expensive. I'd look at ways for your coating to be applied that would result in less expense. Also, I'd be interested in assessing the conductive properties along the guide if you can apply your coating successfully."
"Conductive properties. I hadn't thought of that. I do need to ensure there is no surface charge build-up from a microwave oven perspective."
"How thin of a coating can you make?" He asked as he looked at one of my ten-centimeter test panels.
"That coating is about 50 microns."
"And it is a spray application process?"
"Yes with a few proprietary additions to align molecules to improve strength."
He tapped the hard finish with his finger nail. "How hard?"
"Just over 5,000HV," I said using the measure we had calculated after running the Vickers hardness test. It was five times as hard as case hardened steel which was typically 1000HV. Diamond had a 10,000HV value.
"That's impressive. Can you make it economically?"
"The price is probably close to silver on a per gram basis right now, but I've got some folks working on improving our manufacturing process."
He nodded. "Very impressive." He looked me in the eye. "Would you like help in fully assessing this material's properties?"
"What do you mean?"
"I'll do a full analysis and write-up, including stress profiles, EM reflection and absorption profiles. I'll also review the theory and see if you can improve the application process. While I do that, you would be free for other work and not have to live in a hotel down here."
"What would it cost?"
"Well, I would want the rights to publish my findings. If you wanted just this material tested, we could do a research contract. If you want ongoing assessments of similar formulations, we could work out a grant with research milestones." He smiled at me. "I know you've done similar arrangements with other researchers."
It was my turn to nod. "I would be agreeable to such an arrangement. Frankly, I'd rather not have to do all this myself. I also don't have enough math background yet to fully do justice to the analysis of this." It was a lie, but I could not explain where I had picked up much of the math that would be required to explain and document this material.
"You said you've done tests for the Navy and Air Force?" He nodded. "So you're comfortable with classified materials?"
"Of course."
"Okay, let me give Candace a call and see if we can get a research contract in place to cover you until we can get a grant established with the University. I think the last one we set up took about three months to get through the University's administration."
"That sounds about right."
I stood up and shook his hand. It looked like another item was being taken off my plate.
*****
"I've got a meeting set up with Lockheed for the end of week after next," Candace said as she walked into my office.
"Great. With Dr. Carmichael working on the coating, we'll have a lot of preliminary data to share with them."
"Are you sure it's wise having him look at the original compound as well as the new formulation?" Jim asked.
"I don't have the time or the math for it all. I want to hand this over to experts and let them deal with the security implications of it all. Frankly, I'd rather not know some of the things they'll come up with to use it on."
"Why do you say that, Paul?" Candace asked.
"I wanted the weight and structural properties of the compound. I have those with either formulation. It was a logical extension of the work we did on Diamond Skin last year. The effects it has on EM radiation, I don't care about. Better to hand it off to someone that does and let them worry about it."
"Okay, it's your call. We'll have the patent write-up ready to go so we can file as soon as we finish meeting with Lockheed."
"Not before?" I asked.
Jim shook his head. "Given your concerns about the security implications, I thought we might want to hold off filing. If you file it, all of our licensees have rights to it. I wasn't sure if you wanted to do that."
"Let's file the second formulation. We can hold off on the original until we meet with Lockheed."
"Okay."
"I'll be glad once we hand this off to them."
"What if they aren't interested?" Candace asked.
I knew they would be, but had to answer. "Then we file and publish our research. If they don't think it's worthy of protecting, I'll go to market with it."
"You'd really publish the formula and process for a coating that could make any bomber or missile invisible to radar?" She asked.
"If they don't want it, yes. If it is not a government secret, I want everyone to have it so we aren't targets."
"What do you mean?"
I explained what Alison had shared with me the prior week. "I don't need that kind of target painted on everyone I care about." I concluded.
Jim nodded. "It does make sense. But if they do want it, everyone is still at risk, aren't they?"
"Yes, and I don't have a solution for that figured out. It's been on my mind all week. Maybe when Jeryl gets home we can think up something. She seems to be making suggestions that I never think of lately. It's a little frustrating."
Jim grinned. "Your mother does that to me all the time. I suggest you get used to it."
Just then the phone in the office rang. I picked it up.
"PT Innovations, this is Paul."
"Paul, I'm home. Can you come over?" It was Jeryl. She sounded scared.
"Of course, Kitten. What's wrong?"
"Mom found my birth control pills. She wants to talk to us both."


Chapter Sixteen
Into the Fire
*****
"I cannot believe...."
Janet's words were slow and deliberate as she paced back and forth in front of us.  We were sitting in the Salaway's living room.  Jeryl held my hand tightly.  Jerry was leaning against the doorway leading to the back of the house.
"I am so very disappointed in both of you."  She looked at me as she said it.  "Especially you Paul, who we trusted with our daughters' safety and well-being.  For you to take...."
Jeryl cut her off.  "He took nothing, mother.  I gave him my virginity.  Gave. It. To. Him."  She stood as she spoke, but kept her hand in mine.
"I gave him myself fully after years of loving him.  He is the kindest, most gentle man I could ever imaging finding and I gave him the prize you and grandmother always told me to hold on to give to my true love; to the man I would marry.  And that is what I did!"
"Sit down young lady!"  Her mother shouted.
"No!  I am sick of you trying to control me and make me be the perfect little girl who never grows up.  I wanted to give him my virginity two years ago, right after I learned about Jordan's scholarship.  He made me wait.  I wanted to give it to him when we met in Taos the first time.  He made me wait.  I wanted to give it to him the first month after I started on the pill, and he still made me wait until I was certain and it was right for both of us."
Janet stopped pacing and blinked.  "What does Jordan's scholarship have to do with anything?"
Jeryl laughed.  It was not her typical, pretty laugh but more of a snort of derision.  "Where do you think that scholarship came from?  Where do you think Jyl's came from?  The same place as the Fieldcrest pool.  Paul paid for it."
Janet looked at me, then back at Jeryl.  "So he bought you?  Do you know what that makes you?"
"A whore, mother?  Is that what you think I am?  For your information, he set up a trust for those scholarships and told me they were there for all three of us regardless of what happened between us.  He believed enough in us as his friends that he did not want us to feel pressured to do anything we weren't comfortable with.  And he wasn't talking about pressured by him."
"What?"
"You and grandmother have pressured all of us to live the lives you planned out for us.  He gave us the freedom to follow our own dreams."
"Or his to sleep with you," she spat.
"If that was his dream, he could have done it without a trust fund and scholarships.  I told you I loved him.  He feels the same about me."
"You're too young to know what love is."
"Really?  You think I'm that immature?"
"Jeryl, you are only seventeen.  You're still growing up."
"Yes mother, and I'm growing up with a man I love who is growing up with me at the same time.  When will we be mature enough in your eyes?  When Paul files his fiftieth patent?  That will be next week.  When Paul makes his first million?  When I make my first multi-million-dollar business deal with him?  When I'm accepted at Stanford?  What is it going to take for me to grow up in your eyes?"
"That's enough, young lady!"
"No it's not.  You have told all of us girls to wait until we are married to the man we love to have sex, even when you didn't.  Why should I listen to a hypocrite for a mother?"
"What!"
"Come on mother, it's basic biology.  Your anniversary is August twelfth.  Jordan turns twenty at the end of March.  Eight months to make a baby seems a little short for a virgin bride!"
Janet stepped closer and slapped her daughter.  Jeryl sat down in shock as Jerry stepped in and pulled Janet back.
Jeryl looked daggers at her mother.  "Now you think you can beat your ideas into me?"  I saw the tear on her cheek and squeezed her hand.
Janet started to speak but Jerry shushed her.  "I think you both need to cool down.  Paul, why don't you go home for now?  Please?"
I nodded.  Jeryl stood with me and gave me a hug and a kiss.  "I love you," I whispered in her ear.  "I'll always love you."
"I love you, too.  And I'm done hiding it from them."
I drove home and decided I needed to fill Mom and Jim in on what was happening.  Mom was none too happy, but seemed to resolve herself to the fact that Janet was overreacting.
"Paul, we've talked many times, so I know you do love Jeryl.  I don't believe it is the typical high school love that will fade in a few weeks or years.  When I see you two together, you remind me of myself and your father, or Jim and myself.  You treat her with love and respect as a partner, not as a playmate.
"You both have to realize that parents loving their children is a different kind of love.  We want to protect you and spend a long time in that role.  Over time, it becomes habit.  Sometimes it's hard to let go and let you feel the pain that can come from adult decisions.  You and Jeryl have made plenty of adult decisions, but this one is a decision that Janet feels strongly about.  For some reason, she fixates on it."
"She does.  All three girls have mentioned it."
"Well, until she can resolve that fixation, she is not going to be willing to let go.  What I'd ask you to do, is make sure Jeryl doesn't let this turn into her own fixation.  Don't let her allow this to define the future of her relationship with her family."
"I won't."  I knew the sense of loss I had felt the first time through, growing up without a father.  I would not let Jeryl experience that.  "Thanks for listening."
I was surprised to see Jeryl's Range Rover pull into the yard a couple of hours later.  I was more surprised to see Jerry get out from behind the driver's seat and head toward our door.  Jim and I met him on the deck.  I think Jim was looking for a shotgun.
"Paul, can I talk to you for a bit?" he asked without preamble.
"Certainly, sir."
We headed out to the office in the shop.  Jerry seemed a little lost as we sat down.  Finally, he collected his thoughts.  "Paul, I told you once that I believe you're good for Jeryl.  I still do.  She has blossomed into a beautiful, charming young lady while she has been going out with you.  I hope her mother can come to realize that."
"But?"
"But nothing.  It's as clear as the sunrise that you two belong together.  I learned that lesson once, the hard way when I agreed that you shouldn't see her.  It was like a light dimmed at our house.  I'm not about to let that happen again."
"But?"
Jerry shook his head.  "But, I also have to live under the same roof with both my wife and daughter who can't even speak to each other right now."
"I wish I could help.  If you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them."
Jerry looked me in the eye and then seemed to relax in his chair.  "You can keep loving Jeryl and try to be patient with the rest of us."
"That I can do, sir."
"Right now, I'm trying to keep things civil over there.  Janet told Jeryl she was grounded, as if that will make a difference.  Once I got them in separate rooms, I asked Janet if she really wanted to drive her daughter away.  That seemed to finally get through to her.  I think she has thought she could control the girls the way her mother controlled her, but she's never acknowledged that Jeryl got her willpower from both of us, in spades."
I chuckled.  "Jeryl is a lot more than strong-willed," I said.  "She could give mules lessons in stubborn if she set her mind to it."
Jerry actually smiled.  "She gets that from both Janet and me, so be careful.  Make sure she knows your boundaries."
"I think she does.  I hope she does."  We sat silently for a moment.  "Sir, if you don't mind me asking, what makes Janet and her mother so opposed to me?"
Jerry sighed.  "I don't know that it's you specifically, but more what you represent.  Janet had an older sister.  Evidently, she got pregnant very young.  Her mother drove her off and then railed against Janet and then our daughters for the rest of her life.  The first time Janet introduced me to her, I thought she was going to shoot me.  Of course, I had already proposed at that point.  I think that's the only reason Cynthia let me continue seeing Janet."
"That's sad."
"It is.  Neither of them will discuss the matter in any rational way.  Janet's sister and that baby are forbidden topics."
"So, is there anything specific you'd like me to do?"
"I never imagined I would be discussing my youngest daughter's sex life with her boyfriend, but I'd like to know that you two have been careful and protected."
"We have.  Jeryl started on the pill over a year ago.  We both love each other deeply, but aren't ready to start a family yet.  In a few more years, we'll see."
"Have you talked about that far in the future?"
"Of course.  The weekend she got home from her grandmother's two years ago I told her that all the money I'm making is for us, including her.  I want her by my side as long as she wants to be there.  She feels the same way.  I know it sounds cliché, but we complete each other.  I miss her smile and her laugh and I appreciate her mind and wit.  I'm not interested in a physical plaything.  I fully intend on asking your permission to make her my wife in the future.  But we're not ready to do that quite yet."
"Why not?"
"I guess we both hear our parents telling us that high school romances seldom endure."
Jerry shook his head.  "So we caution you, you listen, and as a result you run the risk of losing each other."
"We do listen, but I don't think we are risking anything."
"Well, I hope not.  In the meantime, I want you to know that when you do decide to ask me, I will give my blessing.  Janet may be another story, but you'll have mine."
"Thank you, sir.  And thank you for coming over today as well."
Jerry stood to leave.  I followed him to the door.
"By the way, Paul, I'll make sure Jeryl is at work on time Monday.  Grounding has never been a reason to miss work in our house.  I won't let it start being one now."
I held back my grin until he was pulling out of the driveway.  He had come a long way in thinking about me over the past few years.

***** 
True to his word, Jeryl showed up in the office right at eight o'clock Monday morning.  She came straight to my arms.  I picked her up for an embracing hug. She kissed me soundly before I let her feet touch the ground.
"God I've missed being in your arms," she said.
"I've missed it, too.  How are you doing?"
She let go of me and dropped into her office chair.  "Aside from living with a soulless witch for a mother, and having to endure lecture after lecture from her and grandmother, I guess I'm good."
"Your grandmother's here?"
"No.  Mom got her on the phone and then made me listen to her.  She asked if it was true that I had slept with you and then went off on you, me, mother, and my sisters.  I would have hung up on her, but mother was watching.  It makes no sense to me why they have such a hang up on sex."
I told her what her father had shared with me.
"Mom has a sister?  I never knew.  I wonder what happened."
I shook my head.  "That was all your father could tell me.  He said it was a forbidden topic with your Mom or grandmother."
"I wonder if I could find out."
"Are you sure you want to?"
"Well, I may be losing my mother over you; maybe I need to gain an aunt."
"I'm glad your mood is improving."  If she could joke about losing her mother over me, I knew she was going to be alright.  "Promise me though, that you won't lose your family over this.  I've lost a parent.  I would never wish that on anyone," I said.
Jeryl was back in my arms.  "I love you so much.  I don't want to lose them, but if I have to make a choice, I'm going to choose you."
I stroked her back and breathed in the fresh washed scent of her hair.  "Well, let's make sure you aren't forced to choose, then.  I love you too much to let you endure that pain."
After a few more minutes, we separated and settled into work.  Jeryl was surprised that I did not have more notes for her to transcribe.
"I typed up the ones on the coating already so you wouldn't have to.  The modified formulation patent is with Kelly for filing.  What I could use your help on is the nanotube production numbers.  I don't think our full production costs are correct."
Jeryl opened her safe and pulled out a floppy disk for the computer.  Soon she had her VisiCalc spreadsheet up looking at the input cells.  "All the formulas and inputs look correct.  Why do you think they're off?"
By lunchtime, we had realized we were only tracking per-unit production costs.  Jeryl began cursing herself and pulling out a copy of the company books which she kept.  Each month, she painstakingly copied rows of numbers into the ledger and made sure they matched what we got from the accountant.
"We need to add all of the capital costs as well as the staff costs for the research team in Austin," she concluded.  "I'll have to talk to Anne and see what sort of depreciation schedule she is using."
"You might have to go down to visit her.  I think we also need to understand how to account for the research teams when we have a product based on their results.  Right now we get some tax credits for funding the research."
"I'll sort it all out so we have answers," she promised.  "Now, why are you asking these questions?"
"I want to make sure we have all-in pricing when I talk to Lockheed.  If they make an offer to buy-out the coating entirely, I want to have all our costs accounted for."
"Should you do that?  I thought the licensing approach was better from a long-term cash flow perspective."
"It is, but we've never had a classified product before.  I'm nervous about Dr. Carmichael messing around with the doping of the mixture and realizing what he is playing with for the base coating.  Frankly, if Lockheed offered the right dollars, I'd be tempted."
"Paul, don't be silly.  Covering your costs isn't enough.  If they want this for government work, it is worth multiple millions of dollars.  You can produce the nanotubes for about twenty cents a gram, which seems pretty cheap.  But there are a lot of grams needed to coat an airplane, and the plane it protects is worth millions of dollars.  If you are selling the nanotubes for less than a dollar a gram, you're being foolish."
"Okay, so what should we be asking for, oh business genius?"
Jeryl spun back around and created a new spreadsheet.  I peered over her shoulder for a few minutes as she worked.  "How big is an airplane?"
"Call it a hundred square meters, for simplicity."
"And how many grams per meter when the coating is applied?"
"I'll have to figure it out."  I grabbed a sheet of paper and a pencil.  Ten minutes later, I told her.
"Okay, I think I was low-balling the price we should charge.  I think we should tell them it is seventy-five dollars a gram."
"What?  That's more expensive than gold."
"And what it's protecting is priceless."
My mind was spinning, but she continued.  "Of course, that's if we do the production.  If you hit them with that number, you can then back off for a licensing fee.  I'd suggest settle for thirty-five dollars a gram if you only license your process and formulation for both the nanotubes and the coating."
"That's still a lot of money."
"It's a lot of protection."
"Okay, you've sold me.  Now I hope Candace and I can sell them."
*****
The next two weeks of summer established the pattern for Jeryl and me.  She was at work every day, from eight to five, but could not go out aside from family activities such as church.  Her mother forbade her using the phone as well, so all of our talking happened in the office.  We managed some private time a couple of days a week, but generally did actual work getting ready to meet with Lockheed and reviewing the work our researchers were conducting.
I was disappointed Jeryl could not travel with us, but Candace and I would be the only two in the meeting, at Lockheed's insistence.  Sanford was back from his vacation and would be accompanying us along with Alison who had decided to join us for this meeting.
I was a little nervous in my sports coat and tie as we were ushered through security at the Lockheed Palmdale plant.  We were taken into a small interior conference room with off-white walls and no windows.  Three men joined us.  One of them scanned the room with an electronic device, I assumed looking for bugs.  Neither gentleman said a word until the scanner nodded to them and left.
"Sorry for the melodrama, Candace, but you know the drill for classified discussions."
Candace nodded. "I do Kelsey.  I also explained it to Paul before we came out.  Paul, this is Kelsey Hodges and Victor Martin.  Both are engineers here, but also have R&D and management responsibilities.  I honestly could not tell you their titles, since they've never shared them with me."
The second man, Victor smiled.  He had a gray crew cut and a square face with engineer glasses on and a note pad in front of him.  "We know who we report to and who reports to us.  Titles just get in the way.  So, what are we here to talk about?"
Candace nodded to me.  I took a deep breath and began.
"I have developed a coating process that can make aircraft aluminum stronger than steel."  Both men looked interested, but not that intrigued.  "It also appears to make it nearly 100% radar absorbent."
Both men sat up straighter.  They exchanged a look and Victor arched an eyebrow.
"Coating, you say.  How thick?" Kelsey asked.
"My applications have been in the 50-micron range.  I'm doing some tests on different formulations and thicknesses, but that's a few more weeks out."
"How strong?"  Victor asked.
"It's around 5,000HV on the Vickers test for hardness.  I'm still assessing torsional loads, but it appears to lose about 50% of its hardness if it is deformed significantly after application."
Kelsey whistled.  "And what spectrums does it absorb?"
"So far, everything we've been able to test it with.  I could only go down to 300 KHz and topped out around 3 GHz."
"Pulses or continuous wave?"
"Both."
Victor got up and excused himself.  Kelsey leaned back in his chair and waited for his partner to return.  A few minutes later, he did in the company of a younger man who typified the stereotype of a nerdy young engineer.  "This is Randal Vilosovich.  He's done a lot of work in low-observable materials."
I shook his hand before he sat down opposite us.
"So, what are you willing to share?"  He asked with a hint of a European accent.
I explained the properties of my coating and waited for the questions.
"Can we get a sample to test?"
Candace jumped in.  "Perhaps.  We need to have some business discussions, first."
Kelsey smiled at her.  "If your coating works as well as you say, I'm certain we can come to some arrangement."
Candace gave him a predatory look.  "I'm sure we can, but I also know you could take a sample down to one of your labs and reverse-engineer your own solution from what you learn.  I'm here to protect my client now, Kelsey, not protect the interests of Lockheed like the last time we worked together."
The older man developed a hint of a blush.  I wondered if there was more than business to his relationship with Candace.  "What would we need to test it?"
Candace smiled, and I could easily imagine what a seal saw just before joining a shark for dinner.  "We'll let you run any non-chemical test on the samples we have brought so long as my client is able to observe them and receive copies of all the results documented.  In return, you'll pay his consulting fee of two thousand a day."
"Done," Kelsey said without blinking.  "It's late in the day to start those sorts of test, so let's do them in the morning.  We'll have things set up to start at eight o'clock if that's good for you?"
"Works for me," I said.  "Please make arrangements that one of our security team can escort me as well.  I might need to use the restroom and would not want to have to stop a test in progress," I said with a grin.  "My samples are ten centimeter squares, will that work?"
Randal nodded.  "And the coating is applied to regular aircraft aluminum?"
"Yes.  I also have a set applied to steel and one set of tin."
"Controls as well?"
"Yes.  Cut from the same sheets as the coated samples."
"Why multiple coated samples?"
"I've done some different formulations.  Only one demonstrates the 100% absorption.  The others have different reflective characteristics that I thought you might be interested in.  All appear to have the same hardening properties."
"Okay, we'll start testing in the morning.  In the meantime, I need to remind everyone that they should treat this conversation, including who was involved, as Top Secret with disclosure carrying the penalty of up to ten years in prison."  Victor was looking at Candace and me as he spoke.
"No."  Candace said.
"What?"
"This is my client's research and he will protect it accordingly.  You do not get to slap a classification on it to try and gag him.  We will treat his knowledge and the discussion in the confidential manner it demands, but it is not classified under any government system at present."
Kelsey smiled at us as Victor scowled.  Candace just smiled and ushered me out of the room without another word.
The next two days must have been boring for Sanford as he watched me watch engineers run the samples through multiple batteries of tests.  Sanford made certain the samples were kept in our sight at all times, but other than that showed little interest in the proceedings.  I was fascinated by it, however.  It reminded me of my own methodical research and experimentation process.
The third day saw Candace and me back in the windowless conference room with Kelsey and Victor again.  "Ok, Mr. Taylor, you definitely have our attention.  All of our tests were indicative of your original claims.  Now it's time to negotiate."
Candace smiled.  "What sort of negotiation do you have in mind, Kelsey?  Hostile or collaborative?"
"What do you mean?"
"We've shown good faith by demonstrating our product.  You've run your tests, but now have two folders in front of you.  One is stamped Top Secret.  I thought we had made it clear that we are not looking for a gag order on Paul's ideas."
"What are you looking for?"
"We are prepared to start production of the coating for you to apply as you see fit.  Whether we sell to others or not is entirely dependent on what terms you are offering."
"How about fifteen million for the exclusive rights to the manufacture and use of the product?"
Candace laughed.  "What does one of the fancy planes you make for the government cost?  I bet it is over a hundred million dollars an airplane.  If we assume that, what is it worth to protect them?  Fifteen percent of a single plane seems pretty cheap."
It was Victor's turn to get red in the face.  "That has nothing to do with..."
I cut him off.  "Fifteen million for the process of applying the coating is fine, but we'll want at least seventy dollars a gram for the actual material used in the process."
His face got redder.  "That's six times the price of gold right now!"
I smiled.  "You'll need fifty-two grams per square meter.  If your aircraft has a one hundred square meter surface area, that works out to just under $400,000 per plane.  At the one hundred million valuation Ms. Morgan estimated, that means we are looking at about a four-tenths of a percent expenditure to protect your machine."
The two engineers looked at one another.
"What if we want to manufacture it ourselves?"
"That would mean sharing the formulation and manufacturing process?"
"But eliminating your capital costs to produce it.  You've sold licenses to most of your ideas, young man.  Why not this one?"  Kelsey asked.
I pretended to think about it for a moment.  "Usage of my other licenses can be verified.  I'm not sure how we could do that if it is being used on top secret projects.  Also, my other licensees have rights to this idea as soon as I file a patent on it.  I don't know how we would structure things to keep the process proprietary and out of circulation."
"You can't file a patent on this.  If you do, the Air Force will have it pulled and classified," Victor said.
I nodded.  "I know.  That's why we're proposing providing the material for you.  You license the application process, we provide the material."
"That could work in concept.  Can you provide enough material to meet our needs?"
"How much will you need?"
It was his turn to do some quick figuring.  "Fifty-two grams per square meter, right?"
I nodded.
He scratched in a note book for a few minutes and then punched some numbers into his calculator.  "Three hundred kilos to start."
I nodded.  "We can have that for you in three months, if we can come to terms."
Candace smiled her shark-like smile.  I was happy to see Kelsey actually sweat under her gaze.
*****
"I still can't believe my mother," Jeryl said as she and I sat down for lunch a few days after I got back from California.  "I'm pretty certain she is going to keep this charade up until school starts."
"Have you tried talking to her again?"
"She doesn't want a conversation.  She wants me to stop sleeping with you, stop seeing you, and stop ruining my life.  I'm getting totally fed up with it."
"Have you tried your dad?"
"He supports us, but says I've got to come to terms with my mother.  I've heard him telling her the same thing.  Usually, it's right after she gets off the phone with her mother.  Paul, I'm going crazy.  If I didn't see you every day for work, I would run away.  It's ridiculous."
I took a bite of my sandwich and thought while I chewed and swallowed.  "Kitten, I don't want to come between you and your mother...."
"Don't you dare suggest what I think you are going to."
"No, I'm not saying we give in.  I just want to caution you about taking too drastic a step.  Now, with that in mind, we could both start at Stanford next month if we wanted to."
"I thought you wanted to play football one more year."
"I do.  I'm just wondering if you told your mother you couldn't take it anymore and were going to go away to school now...."
"That it might force her to realize I'm serious about not living under her thumb."
"But you can't make a threat you aren't willing to carry out," I cautioned.
"Paul, if she won't let me start going out for more than work and church, it won't be a threat, it will be a promise."  It was her turn to think for a few minutes.  "If she doesn't back down, will you go?  I can't stand the idea of going without you."
"You mean a lot more to me than my last season of football.  Of course I would go," I said.
"Okay, I'm going to start laying the foundation for that conversation tonight."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll tell you tomorrow.  Now, let's get back to work."
The next morning, Jeryl could not wait to tell me about her evening.  "I think you should be making plans to take me somewhere nice this Saturday," she said.
"Oh?  I guess it went well.  What did she say?"
"Nothing yet.  I went home and pulled out that packet we both got from Stanford and left it out for Mom to see.  I then asked Jyl if she would mind picking up some things as she was out shopping for school.  When she asked why, I told her I might be starting this fall as well.  Mom was in the next room.  Then, just before bed, I told Dad that if things did not improve, I was going to California and that you and I would start school a year ahead of schedule."
"What did he say?"
"He asked if I was sure I wanted to skip my senior year.  I told him yes.  He asked about your football commitments and I told him you had chosen me when I asked you about it.  Don't be surprised if he checks up on us today."
"I won't be.  I told Mom and Jim that you and I might be changing our plans.  I think Mom suspects you are trying to leverage your mother, but she knows I was only staying this year for football and you.  When I told her it was your choice, she seemed to understand.  I don't think she's ready for me to leave yet, so don't be surprised if your mother gets a call from mine."
The next day, Wednesday, Jeryl gave me a warm smile as soon as she walked into the office.  "A decision has been made.  I am officially un-grounded Saturday morning."
I hopped up and gave her a hug and kiss.  "That's a relief.  What happened?"
"Dad took me seriously, I guess.  Last night after dinner, he had Mom and me in the den for a discussion.  He told me that I was no longer grounded effective Saturday morning, and that you were welcome to take me out.  Mom started to put conditions on it and he stopped her.  I've never seen my parents act the way they did last night, but dad told mother that I was nearly an adult in the eyes of the law, that you and I had demonstrated we were as mature as most adults, and that we could continue our relationship on our terms as we had before we went to Michigan."
"Wow."
"When mother tried to argue, he stopped her.  He said if she wanted to cut you and me out of her life, that was her choice, but he was not going to lose his youngest daughter to a silly notion of misplaced morality.  Mom was speechless.  I don't know if they continued the discussion, but Dad gave me a hug and wished me a good night, and I left his den.  I didn't see Mom this morning."
"Well, where would you like to go Saturday night?"
"How about someplace private, so we can get properly reacquainted?"
"That sounds like a wonderful idea.  I think I know just the place."
The next day, I told her to plan on going out Saturday afternoon and to bring a change of clothes for dinner.
"Oh, I'm sure Mom will think we have something besides dinner in mind if I leave the house with a bag."  She grinned at me as she said it.  "I guess we know where I get my dirty mind from," she added with a laugh.
"Well, if the weather cooperates, she'll see you home before midnight, just like usual, before all this."
Saturday was a beautiful summer day and I could tell Jeryl had a million questions when she showed up at work.  No one else was around the shop or office.
"Are Jim or Kelly around?"
"Kelly might stop by before lunch, but Jim and Mom went down to Bloomington last night.  He had some meetings in his office there today."
"You mean we're alone here?"
I nodded.  She dropped her bag on one end of the couch and came to my arms.  Her kiss was scorching as she pressed her body and lips against me.  She was wearing a light purple skirt with a floral print on it and a white sleeveless blouse.  I kissed her soft lips and let my hands stroke down her back and then cup her delectable ass through the thin materials of the skirt.  She moaned into my mouth.
Her hands moved to pull my shirt from my khaki shorts and soon she was running her hands down my chest.  She leaned into me and licked my nipples as her hands worked furiously at my belt.  Soon she had my pants and boxers pushed down to my ankles and dropped to her knees to engulf my hard cock in her warm, soft mouth.
"God, you're incredible, Jeryl," I said as she easily took me all the way in her mouth and pushed me into her throat.  She pulled off of me slowly, sucking gently as her hands fondled my balls.  "Shit, you're going to make me come in an instant."
She purred and pushed forward again.  She reached around my hips and pulled me into her until her nose was pressed against my stomach.  With the head of my cock lodged in her throat, she swallowed and hummed.  I thought I could hold out until her fingers pressed below my scrotum.  The stimulation and abstinence were too much and I started coming as my legs shook.  I held her head, as much for balance as anything, for several moments as I pulsed into her.
Slowly, she pulled her mouth off me.  She looked up at me with clear eyes and a gentle smile.  "I love you," she said as I pulled her to her feet for a kiss.
"I love you too.  Now it's your turn."
I undid her skirt and let it join my shorts on the floor. I stepped out of the pile of clothes at our feet and lifted her up.  I set her on the arm of the leather chair and carefully undid the buttons of her blouse.  I slipped it off her and quickly followed it with her lacy white bra.  I took a moment to admire her perfect breasts with their perky nipples before lowering my head to kiss first one, then the other.  It was her turn to hold my head as I tongued and sucked on her wonderful breasts.
Jeryl leaned back and supported herself against the other arm of the chair as my kisses drifted lower.  I gently pulled her panties down and followed the thin strip of pubic hair down to the beautiful pussy.  I licked along her lower lips gently and knelt down on the floor.  Her knees ended up on my shoulders as I slowly licked her.  She arched her back, lifting her rear off the one arm of the chair, and pushing her pussy against my chin as I lapped her clit.
"Oh baby, I love what you do to me," she said.
I smiled and kept at it, licking slowly from her tight asshole to her clit and then back again.
"Oh Paul, stop teasing me and make me come, please!"
I took her to the edge of an orgasm and then paused.  She shifted an arm and grabbed my head to hold herself against me.  I resumed licking her and slipped a finger inside her grasping pussy.  Slowly I moved my finger in and out of her in time with my tonguing her clit.  A moment later, she spasmed against me in orgasm.
She continued to have orgasmic aftershocks as I stood and lined up my once again hard cock with her sopping pussy.  I gently slid into her causing another delightful spasm to race through her body.
"Oh yeah, lover.  Fuck me," she moaned.  I did.
We ended up on the couch, naked and in each others' arms.  "Wow," Jeryl finally said.  "Those had to be some of the best, most powerful orgasms I've ever had. You are an amazing lover."
I chuckled.  "Believe me when I say it was my pleasure."
She laughed and hugged me.  "I love you."
"I love you too."  I glanced at the clock on the wall.  "Now, do you want a quick shower before we go out on our date?"
"Go out?  I'd be fine just spending the day in your arms."
"Oh no.  I promised you a special date, and you are going on it," I said in mock seriousness.
She smiled at me and sat up.  "Okay, you beast.  I'll go on your date, but I want you to know it's already special."
She kissed me again and then bent over to grab her clothes off the floor.  I admired her tight ass and legs and noticed the cum dripping down her thigh.  She must have felt the residue of our love making.  She stayed bent over and looked at me before spreading her legs a little and collecting my cum from her leg with a finger.  She stood up and looked me in the eye as she slowly licked her finger clean.  I felt myself starting to harden again.
"Are you sure we need to go out," she asked playfully.
I groaned.  "Yes.  I need a little more recovery time."
She laughed, kissed me, and then skipped toward the door and the bathroom.  She stopped to give me one more smoldering look.  "If you promise to be nice, I'll wash your back for you," she said with a grin before disappearing out the door.
I waited a few minutes for her to get the shower started and then followed her.  With the sexual pressure relieved, we had a wonderful playful day.  I had arranged a charter flight up to Chicago.  Jeryl had never flown in a small airplane before and was giddy with excitement as we flew north.  We both admired the sight of Chicago as we circled out over Lake Michigan and then landed at Meigs Field downtown shortly after lunchtime.
Sanford and Tiffany, our security escorts for the day met us at the terminal and took us to the modified Range Rover Sanford had driven up the previous night.  We headed off to Wrigley Field for an afternoon Cubs game.  It was the Cubs, so the game was not terribly exciting.  Wrigley Field on a beautiful summer day with an incredibly attractive girl next to me was an experience to remember, however.
After the game, we headed over to the Chicago Hilton.  Tiffany guided us up to a suite after Sanford dropped us off at the main entrance.  She smiled at us both and closed the door behind her as Jeryl admired the view of the park and lake through the expansive windows.
"Paul, this is amazing."
I moved behind her and wrapped her in my arms.  I kissed her neck and nibbled her ear as we took in the view.  After a few minutes, she moaned and leaned back against me.
"Please tell me we have more than enough time to change before dinner," she said softly.
I reached up and began undoing the buttons of her blouse for the second time that day.  "We have about two hours until dinner.  What did you have in mind?"
She turned and helped remove her top and bra.  "I think I want you to take me into that bedroom, strip me, lick me to another mind shattering orgasm, and then fuck me until I beg you to stop."
I lifted her easily and carried her to the bedroom.  Soon we were naked on the plush bed enjoying one another's bodies for the second time that day.  Jeryl screamed into the pillow she held over her face as I licked her to three orgasms.  When she recovered from those, she flipped over to the stomach and begged me to fuck her.  She lifted herself up on her knees to start, but then slowly lowered her stomach until I was fucking into her lying flat.  She came again and pulled me along with her.  I collapsed on her back and kissed her neck as we both caught our breath.
"You are amazing," I said finally.
"I know," she said with a smirk over her shoulder.  "Now, we need to get cleaned up for dinner."
It was funny how she could go from passionate to serious, playful to demure in a heartbeat.  It was one of the things I loved about her.  We showered together and then she shooed me out of the large bathroom to get her makeup on.  I went out and put on my suit that Sanford had ferried up for me.  At twenty minutes to seven, there was a knock on the door before it opened a crack and Tiffany peered in before entering fully.
"Sanford is downstairs with the car, when you're ready, Paul."
I smiled at her use of my name.  It had taken a bit to get Tiffany to treat me as an associate rather than a juvenile protectee or her boss, despite the fact she was only four years older than Jeryl or myself.
"Thanks Tiffany.  Jeryl!" I called.
Jeryl came out of the bedroom in an elegant black cocktail dress.  She had on the diamond pendant I had gotten her for Christmas.  Her hair was pulled back to one side, making her look both older and younger at the same time.  Her outfit was completed with stylish heels and a small matching purse.
"You are breathtaking," I said as I stepped closer to her for a quick kiss.
"You clean up pretty well yourself," she said with a smile.
"Jeryl, you do look astounding," Tiffany said.  She stepped closer to us and straightened my tie.  She had a smile on her face like a proud mother.  I guess escorting us brought out the maternal in her.
We went downstairs and out to the car.  I was careful to help Jeryl in before going around to the other side of the car.  Sanford pulled away smoothly once we were in and had fastened our seat belts.
We went to dinner at an upscale steak house that pulled out all the stops.  Jeryl had the petite filet while I had a rib eye.  We shared a Caesar salad that was made table side and finished off the meal with bananas foster, also prepared tableside.  After dinner, we headed back out to the car and were returned efficiently to Meigs field and our night flight home.
Jeryl rode in the back of the plane with me and held my hand as we admired the city lights as we took off and headed south.  As the lights of the city faded, she lifted my hand to her lips and kissed it.  It was too noisy to chat on the plane, but her kiss spoke volumes.
We landed back in Streator, and true to my word, I dropped her off at home shortly after eleven.  She still looked stunning in her dress as I kissed her good night on her porch.  I was pretty certain at least two sets of eyes watched us through the window.
"I love you, kitten."  I whispered before saying good night.
*****
It was the second week of August and I was surprised to see Kelly pulling into our driveway as I finished my morning run.  She had been staying at Jim's house in Bloomington with only an occasional night up at the farm so she could look after the practice and avoid much of a commute.
"Hi, Kelly.  What brings you up here so early?" I asked as I slowed to a walk and met her climbing out of her car.  She had decided the Range Rover we converted for her was too big.  I had promised to come up with something more to her liking, but it was going to take a few months.
"The Lockheed contracts.  Candace and I got the final versions yesterday afternoon and spent the evening going over them to ensure everything we had agreed to was covered.  I need to get your signatures on them."
Since I had turned eighteen, Mom had handed over the title of president to me and abdicated signing all the paperwork for the company.  I tried to give her another job, but she just laughed at me.  She was still on the board as one of the shareholders, but seemed quite happy to just be the landlord for the shop now.
"Do I have time to shower and eat breakfast?"  I asked with a smile as we headed inside.
"Of course.  I just wanted to get a jump on the day.  I've also got the new contract for the plant in Texas.  You and Alison probably need to go down to review security.  We'll have a contractual obligation to Lockheed once we return their contract.  We need to make sure everything is in place."
"I'm pretty sure it is.  Jeryl suggested we find an audit firm to go over the procedures and inventory on a regular basis."
"She's smart.  That will give us proof we are exercising due diligence if there ever is a problem.  Lockheed's guarantee to buy 100% of the production means they'll want proof that all the materials are accounted for."
Mom and Jim greeted Kelly as we entered the kitchen.  I headed for the shower as they poured their morning coffee and Mom started some bacon in the oven.
Fifteen minutes later, I was back salivating over the smell of bacon and started to help crack eggs for breakfast.
"Paul, Kelly told us you'll need to travel down to Texas before school starts," Mom said.
"Yeah, it looks that way.  I'll give Alison a call after breakfast and see when she can visit to review security."
"What about the inventory audit you were talking about?"  Kelly asked.
"We'll need to find a firm that can do that.  I'd prefer someone local to the area down there, but they have to be reputable."
"We might have to go with a national firm," Jim said.
"Why?"
"Sooner or later Lockheed or the Air Force is going to want to review the audit.  We'll probably save a lot of time and headaches if we start off with a national firm."
"Speaking of Air Force," Kelly said.  "We got agreement not to classify your work so long as it is protected, but you're going to have to fill out all these forms for your background check."  She handed me a half-inch stack of papers.
"Why?"
"We're selling them the process, but they want to be able to consult with you personally as they scale it up.  To do that, you have to have a clearance to be in some of their labs and shops."
I scowled at her, but she held up her hand to stop me.
"It was the best we could do, Paul.  Agreeing to you being granted a clearance, was the best compromise Candace could come with."
"Okay, but I hope this is all worth it."
Kelly laughed.  "Look at the term sheet and you'll agree it is worth it.  The first three hundred kilos will be worth about twenty-one million dollars."
Mom sat down suddenly while I nodded.  I had already figured that out.
"On top of that, we got them to agree to another twenty million for the application process."
"That's more than what we were talking about."
"When they wanted all kinds of your time for consulting, Candace upped the price.  She also locked in a two thousand dollar a day rate plus expenses for your time and capped it at no more than eighty hours a year."
"Wow."
Mom was shaking her head.  "I knew this was a big deal, but I guess I never thought it would be this big.  This is literally more than we thought you'd make over the five-year deal with GM.  Paul, you're my son and I love you, but you are truly amazing.  I don't think any high school student has ever built the kind of wealth you're building.  I guess I could give up teaching.  You're obviously taking care of yourself and our family."
I went over and gave her a quick hug.  "You can do whatever you and Jim want to, now.  I've always said I'm doing this stuff for my family.  If you don't want to teach anymore, don't.  I'd rather we all be happy."
Kelly helped me clear dishes from breakfast before we headed out to the office and began the lengthy signature process along with the forms for my background check.  By the time Jeryl arrived for work, I was tired of signing my name.
*****
Preseason football practice was not the same without Jim around this year.  It was hard to push myself for some reason.  I still enjoyed the sport and the team camaraderie, but practices did not have the same feel anymore.  I began to realize that while previously I had reveled in being able to change my past choices and prove things to myself, now I was almost marking time until I could head off to college and the future.
I knew I was still several years away from being able to re-create my test system for linear fusion.  The materials sciences were in hand to get me the capabilities I needed in about another decade, but the computing power I would need was still twenty years off.  I needed a way to accelerate those items.  I also needed to think about some of the other problems besides energy to start working on.
I felt myself slip into a bit of a funk as the start of school made its inexorable approach.  Mom seemed to pick up on my feelings.  She always had been able to read me when others could not.
"Do you want to talk about it?"  She asked after dinner one night.  Jim was out at a bar meeting.  Kelly was attending as well, so it was just the two of us for a change.
"I'm feeling sorry for myself, I guess," I said.  I explained how things felt different this fall for some reason.  Mom listened and nodded.
"Paul, you are very different than you were even last year.  You've stepped fully into the adult world.  You have to expect high school pursuits to be a little less than worthy when you've been involved in national security projects and closed fifty million dollar deals.  With those experiences, senior year English can't feel very important."
"It's not just that, Mom.  Most of my friends have no idea what I've done.  They get that we've got money now, but they don't understand the work that's gone into getting it."
"You are sounding a bit burnt out, Paul.  Maybe you need to take a break.  Do some of the things a normal high school senior does."
"I'm not even sure I know what that is any more, Mom.  Hell, I flew Jeryl up to a baseball game and dinner for a special date.  Does that sound normal?"
She smiled.  "No, not really.  On the other hand, if you had worked all summer long on the farm for Uncle Ben, and had a couple hundred dollars' surplus, you would probably take her someplace special.  You should not be ashamed of enjoying the fruits of your labors.  I don't want you to let the money go to your head, but it's not evil in itself."
"So what do you suggest?"
"Well, you always do well when you have a project going.  What are you working on this fall?"
"Nothing, really.  I've hit a creative wall."
She nodded.  "Another sign that you need to take a break."
"It's hard to take a break when I've got school and football."
"So quit football."
"What?  I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"I've made a commitment to the coaches and the team.  I want to play.  I enjoy it, even if our prospects aren't great without a better quarterback."
"Okay, so you have commitments to your time.  What can you do within those constraints?  You are a genius.  Figure it out."
I stared at her for a minute.  "And it's alright if I'm using up some money doing it?"
"Well, try to keep it under a million.  I plan on having a wonderful retirement after you graduate," she said with a smile.
I laughed and gave her a hug.  "Thanks for listening to me.  I'll think of something to give myself a break."
I discussed my feelings with Jeryl as well.  She laughed at me.
"Paul, you run me ragged just keeping up with all your ideas.  Of course your mother is right.  You need a break.  We both need to enjoy our senior year and get ready for college.  Well, at least I need to get ready.  You will probably breeze through that just like you have high school."
"I don't know about that," I said.  "Anyway, I thought of a project that we could work on together and it won't have anything to do with business."
"Really?  What is it?"
I told her and suddenly had a very happy, very excited girlfriend jumping into my arms.  "That's a wonderful idea," she said just before kissing me.


Chapter Seventeen
Autumn Interludes
*****
It was strange shifting my work week around for my new project.  I usually got home from football practice around six.  Jeryl would come over to the office by seven unless she had excessive schoolwork.  Even if she did, she often preferred to do it at the office instead of at home.  Being the only daughter left at home made it strange, she said.  We would then work on our search for a couple hours.  After talking it over with Mom, I decided to do the bare minimum of company-related work during the week.  I might read a research report or sign paychecks, but that was about it.
Of course, the Internet would have been a godsend in locating Jeryl's missing aunt, but that was still several years away.  Instead we had to rely on correspondence and records requests sent through the U.S. Postal Service.  It was painfully slow.
"Holy cow," Jeryl said as she read a letter one Monday evening.  "Mom had two sisters.  Helen Angela and Ingrid Catherine."  Her face fell a moment later.  "It looks like Ingrid died as a child."
I rubbed her shoulders as I read the letter over her shoulder.  Jeryl had reached out to the local librarian near her grandmothers' town under the guise of putting together a family history and researching the family tree.  The librarian had been only too happy to send copies of newspaper clippings back to Jeryl.
"Helen Angela Morgan," I read.  "She was ten years older than your mother it looks like," I said.
"Yeah, but nothing about her other than this birth announcement and this one notice that she won a ribbon for dance at the county fair when she was twelve."
"I wonder where she disappeared to."
"We have a full name, now.  Do you think Jim's friends can help us?"
"I hope so.  I'll call them tomorrow over lunch and get them the name."  Jim had given me an introduction to a small detective agency that several insurance companies used to track down lost heirs and other people who had lost touch with loved ones.  They had said that they enjoyed good success at locating lost relatives so long as the person was not making a concerted effort to actually disappear.  Hopefully, that would prove to be the case with Jeryl's aunt.
"So, what are we going to do this weekend?  Are you going to wine and dine me after your football game?"  Jeryl asked playfully.
"Actually, I was going to take you for a bite to eat after the game, but then not see you until Monday."
"What?"  She was giving me concerned look.  "Why not?"
I smiled.  "It's a surprise.  I've got to take a quick trip and won't get home until late Sunday night."
"And you're not telling what this trip is about?"
"Nope."
She stood up and gave me a slow, languid kiss.  "I bet I can make you tell me."
"Nope."  She kissed me again and stood on her toes to nibble my ear.  "Are you sure I can't convince you?"  One hand was on my shoulder.  The other slid down my chest to cup my crotch and give me a gentle squeeze.
I kissed the softly and then whispered.  "No.  You'll learn about it soon enough."
She sat back and looked at me with a pout.  "You're no fun, Paul."
"Oh, I'm plenty of fun, but I want to surprise you, so I need to make this secret trip."
"Are you sure I'll like the surprise?  You'd hate to disappoint me, you know."
"Pretty sure.  Besides, do you think your mother would let you fly away with me for a dirty weekend during the school year?"
Jeryl snorted.  "I'd be lucky if she left it at a simple 'no'.  Most likely asking would launch yet another tirade.  Things are quiet, if not peaceful at home, so I suppose we should keep it that way."
I hugged my girlfriend.  "It will get better, I promise."
The football game ended in a tie Friday night.  It was frustrating that our defense gave up no points but our offense could not capitalize.  Our three scoring opportunities had all resulted in missed field goals by our sophomore kicker.  Afterward, Jeryl tried to cheer me up while attempting to learn more about my trip.  I stayed true to my word, mostly by keeping my lips in contact with her delectable flesh so I was too busy to answer.
The next morning, I was up at four-thirty and at the local airport by six.  The sky was just lighting up when we took off for Chicago.  An hour later, I was boarding a plane for Salt Lake City.  Sanford greeted me at the gate as I got off.
"Good morning, Paul."
I tried to be as cheerful.  "Good morning.  How are things in Salt Lake City?"  I asked.
"A little slow, even on a Friday night.  I've got the car.  You're meeting your decorator at two, so we have a couple of hours before we need to head up to Park City."
"Great.  I want to go down to Temple Square and stop by the genealogy center."  The LDS church had one of the largest genealogy centers in the world.  It was my hope I could learn a little more about Jeryl's missing aunt while I was here.
Unfortunately, the center's records were not yet computerized so I only ended up filling out some request forms, making a donation to the center, and then heading on up the road to Park City.  After a quick burger for lunch, we arrived at the mountain house in Deer Valley.
Tremendous progress had been made since finalizing the plans.  The building looked almost finished on the outside and there appeared to be a half-dozen craftsmen parked in the driveway and working inside.  Carl, my architect saw us pull up and greeted me.
"Paul, it's good to see you again."  He waved his hand at the house.  "What do you think?"
I stood in awe.  The stone and cedar siding of the front of the house was perfect, just as I had imagined it.  A large covered entryway stood before us with the three-car garage off to the right of the circular driveway.   The steep roofline was covered in slate tiles and the copper flashing and gutters were still bright.  I knew they would tarnish with time, but right now they added gleaming accents to the lines of the building.
"I think it looks spectacular.  If the inside is half as nice as the exterior, I'm going to love this house."
Carl laughed.  "That's the goal.  Let me show you around.  We're doing finishing work inside right now."
I followed him into the entryway.  "We've got radiant heating under all the stone and hardwood flooring, so you'll not have to worry about cold drafts."  I looked at the finishing and smiled.  The attention to detail was evident.  The large closet had plenty of room for coats and boots and there was a built-in bench opposite it for putting on shoes.  Past the entryway, you could see the fireplace flanked by huge windows of the great room and dining room looking down the valley and ski slopes.
I moved further into the house.  On the left, there were stairs with wrought-iron finials and hardwood banisters curving up and down.  "The master suite is over there," Carl said waving his hand beyond the stairs.  "Watch your step," he cautioned as I walked slowly toward the windows.  The hardwood floors had cardboard runners down to protect them.
The pass-through fireplace separated the great room from the dining room.  It was a towering edifice of stone with its chimney running up to the ceiling over thirty feet above.  I walked all the way to the windows and then turned to take in the room.  A balcony ran above what would be the hallway if there had been a wall between the entryway and great room.  Tucked in above the master suite was a library area with built in bookshelves.  The balcony disappeared behind the chimney.  Along the back wall was a built-in wet bar and cabinets for a stereo.  The wall beyond the stairs on this level was also lined with built-in bookshelves.  I could imagine sitting here enjoying the fire with a good book as snow fell outside.
"Carl, this looks incredible.  I can't wait to see what the decorator has in mind."
"Well, she'll be here in an hour or so.  In the meantime, let me show you the master suite."
I followed him into my future room.  The suite was designed to have its own sitting room along with a bed and full bath.  The bathroom was already finished in marble and granite.  "Steam shower and four nozzles, in addition to the full soaking tub you asked for," Carl said.  The tub was built into a nook looking across the slope.  It was deeper than a regular Jacuzzi tub, being almost four feet deep with built-in benches to sit on.  It also had its own re-circulating heater to keep the water hot.  "I've never built a custom tub before, but I can see how this would be nice to soak in after a hard day of skiing."
"That was my thinking."  At the front of the house, through the bathroom, there was a huge walk-in closet.  I strolled to the back of the house and into the master bedroom.  It was spacious with its own fireplace.  French doors opened out onto a private porch that wrapped around the corner of the house.  It was going to be a fabulous spot to enjoy the sunset from in the summer.
Next, Carl led me back out to the great room and past the fireplace.  The dining room stretched the width of the house with another great view down the valley.  "We really tried to maximize the views from every room," Carl said.  "I had to alter the plans a little to do it, but think you and your guest will like what we've built."
I could only agree.  The kitchen was next and beyond it the hallway to the three guest rooms and the junior suite at the far end of the house.  Carl showed me each room, pointing out the unique features of each.  Next we went downstairs.  The lounge area was open beneath the great room.  The ski locker separated the open area from my office which had great views as well.  We were just taking a look at the sauna when the decorator arrived.  We finished a quick walkthrough of the downstairs, only glancing at the small kitchenette and bunk room at the far end of the house.
Sylvia Transmeyer was a middle-aged woman who obviously took great pride in her appearance.  Her blonde hair had touches of silver in them, but her figure could have passed for a much younger woman.  She was trim and athletic with a ready smile and hazel eyes.  I shook her hand as she found us downstairs.
"Sylvia, it is so good to see you again," I said.  I had met her just the once during the summer when I had signed off on Carl's design.  Carl had recommended her to me.
"Thank you, Paul.  It's good to see you again.  Are you excited about the house?"
"Very.  And I'm excited to see how you are going to make it even better."
"Well, then let's get started."  She guided us back up stairs and we were soon busy reviewing the sketches and samples she had laid out.  By the time I got to enjoy the first sunset from my house, I was exhausted but very happy with Sylvia's recommendations.
"Sylvia, this is all exactly what I wanted."
"I do try to listen to my clients," she said with a smile.  "I knew from our first conversation that you wanted decor that would stand the test of time.  I think the furniture and finishings will do that for you.  If you decide to rent your house out for part of the year, all of this will last under heavy use and also justify top dollar from any renters."
"Well, I don't plan on renting it out, but I will have guests here that I want to both impress and make comfortable."
"I think they will be very comfortable."
"What about the kitchen?"  I asked as she collected her samples.
"What do you mean?  The pulls and fixtures are all done in there."
"Sorry, I meant pots, pans and dishes.  I thought you were handling that as well."
"Of course, but I didn't bring the patterns.  I can send you pictures to review if you'd like.  I went with rustic stoneware and stainless silverware for everyday use and planned on ordering a twenty-four place setting set of china and formal dinnerware."  She patted my hand and smiled.  "I'll make sure you can do a thanksgiving feast or formal dinner proud."
I laughed.  "Well, that's a relief.  If Carl has the inspections done on schedule, I'm planning on having some family out here for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  Maybe both."
"Well, we should be ready for that.  Thanksgiving is seven weeks away.  All of the furnishings and linens should be in before then.  If something is going to be delayed, I can probably get temporary items to fill any gaps."
"I couldn't ask for anything more.  I really do appreciate all your help on this."
"It's my pleasure, Paul.  I don't often get the opportunity to decorate a whole house all at once.  This has been a great project to work on.  In fact, I'd like to bring in a photographer to take pictures once it's all done.  It's a great house, and it will look fabulous when I'm done."
The next morning, I was back out at the house, meeting with Carl and the landscape designer.  I was certain I was spending extra to meet with them on Sunday, but wanted to have a good idea of the landscaping work before the first snows fell.  The designer was also handling the exterior lighting.  My last set of meetings included Sanford and another of Alison's associates as they went over the security arrangements at the house.  By the time I was dropped off at the airport, I was ready for a quiet, relaxing flight home.  It had been a hectic weekend, but worth it.
Or, it would be worth it if I could get my girlfriend's family to join me for the housewarming.
*****
"Did you have a good weekend without me?" Jeryl asked Monday evening when she walked into the office.  Talk about a loaded question.
I got up from my desk and gave her a big hug and kiss.  "It was a horrible weekend.  I feel like I spent half of it on a plane.  I missed you."
My words seemed to soothe her ire a little.
"Okay, I guess I'll forgive you, or at least postpone judgment until I know what it was all about."
I kissed her.  "Thank you.  I think you'll like it."  She began booting her computer as I went back to my desk.  Mondays were the evening we tried to handle any correspondence from the prior week.  Kelly usually dropped off a load on Saturday or Sunday.  Anything that came directly to the office, we filed until our evening mail day.
"Did I miss anything exciting?"  I asked as I grabbed the mail file from the safe.
"Interesting more than exciting.  Kelly and Jim were discussing Kelly prepping for the California Bar Exam."
"Oh?  Why's that interesting?"
"Why does she need to be licensed in California?  It wouldn't have anything to do with us going to Stanford, would it?"
I grinned.  It was hard to get much past Jeryl.  "Well, I sort of suggested that some of the work would not get put off, and that it might make sense to have an office nearby when we go out there."
"Just suggested?"  She asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Just suggested.  Jim and Mom then took over.  I think they want someone they trust available in case we have any problems out there.  I also think we'll have a lot more money to invest in researchers and start-ups soon.  Stanford is not a bad place to look for ideas.  Candace mentioned something along those lines during our trip to Lockheed this summer."
There was a long, rich history of venture capital funds in the valley, but I knew it was preparing to take off in a tremendous way over the next couple of decades.  I had not yet decided if we should start our own fund or join one of the small firms that were soon to explode in the first Internet bubble.
Jeryl smiled at me and then got a serious look on her face.  "And you're just now talking to me about it?  Am I really just a secretary for you?"
Uh-oh.
"No," I said immediately.  "You're my girlfriend and my partner-in-crime.  I have no idea what title you should have, but you are much more than a secretary.  What do you want to be?"
She pursed her lips and tapped a finger against them.  "I can't be CEO, because you are.  We don't really need a CMO since you don't actively market your ideas to companies.  Jim has General Counsel tied up.  What's left?"
"Well, how about COO?  You keep me operating on an even keel, that's for sure."
Jeryl went from serious to playful in a heartbeat.  She gave a little squeal and jumped up to give me a hug.  "COO, that's the title I want.  What do I need to do to get it?"  She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"Well, unfortunately, you'll have to wait until you're eighteen so you can legally accept the employment contract that I'm sure Jim will want you to sign."
She gave me a fake pout.
"But, luckily for you, there is a lengthy interview process that we can start on."
She reached between my legs.  "It doesn't feel as lengthy as I'd like," She said as she looked me in the eye and licked her lips.  "Oh, wait, I think I misspoke."
I pulled her in for a kiss.  I thought our play was going further when she stopped me.  "Okay, mister, is that any way to treat your future COO?"  She stood and straightened her blouse.  "You have work to do."
"Wow, if I had known you were going to be a slave driver, I never would have offered."
Jeryl laughed and gave me a quick kiss.  "Let's get this mail done and then I'll take care of my male."
It wasn't until we were halfway through the week's correspondence that I realized I was really forgiven for leaving her alone over the weekend.  If she was upset still, we would not have had the fun little by-play.
*****
I saw the letter in the office as I was cleaning things up for our Tuesday night AP study group.  We had expanded last year's group after we lost our seniors and opened it up to any of the AP courses Jeryl or I happened to be taking.  We usually had between eight and ten students there every Tuesday.
The letter was addressed to me from the private investigators we had hired.  Part of me wanted to wait until Jeryl got there, but I also wanted to protect her from bad news.  I opened the letter and read it quickly.  It was good news.
As soon as Jeryl came in ten minutes later, she knew something was up.
"I think we need to plan a visit to Chicago again this weekend," I said.
"It's too cold for a baseball game," she responded.
I showed her the letter.
She read it quickly and then grabbed me for a hug.  "She's in Chicago, can you believe it?  Oh my God, Paul do you really think we should just pop up there to visit?"
"I think we should, but I don't think we should mention why."
"Mention to whom?"
"Anyone.  Did you see what your aunt does?"
Jeryl gave me a puzzled look and then read more of the letter.  "Wow, talk about things shaping your life."
Her Aunt Helen was a psychologist who specialized in helping women recover from abusive relationships.  The letter included her office contact information.
"And I think we should have Tiffany call her to schedule something for Saturday."
*****
Jeryl was incredibly nervous on our flight up to Chicago.  We landed at Midway Field this time.  Sanford and Tiffany were waiting for us.  Jeryl didn't say a word as we drove across the city to the more affluent north side.  She just held my hand in hers.
Helen's practice was in a small office complex.  It had its own door.  The lettering on the sign read, "Dr. Helen Conrad, by appointment only."  Jeryl paused and fidgeted for a minute before ringing the bell.
"Go ahead," I said.  "It will be fine."
She brushed her hands down her dark wool skirt, tugged on her jacket and then pushed the button.  A moment later, the door opened and an older version of her mother, but with longer, blonde hair stood before us.
"I'm sorry, but we don't allow solicitors here," she said quickly as she started to close the door.  Obviously we did not look like a woman named Tiffany who was here for an initial appointment about putting her life back together after fleeing her husband.
"Aunt Helen?"  Jeryl managed to say as I stopped the door from closing fully.
She did not resist my gentle push to re-open the door as she looked at Jeryl with wide eyes.
"What did you say?"
Jeryl found her nerve.  "I asked if you were my Aunt Helen.  Formerly Helen Angela Morgan from Michigan."
Helen took a step back.  As the door opened wider, we stepped into her outer office.  It was well appointed, but comfortable.  There was sitting room for several people and a small credenza with a coffee service set up on it.  Helen's eyes were still locked on Jeryl.
"How do you know that name?"
"I did a records search from the local library where my grandmother lives.  If you are she, your youngest sister is Janet Morgan, now Janet Salaway.  She is my mother.  I'm Jeryl Salaway.  That makes you my Aunt Helen, doesn't it?"
Helen leaned against a chair and looked intently at Jeryl's face.  The color was draining from her own as she brought her hand up to her mouth.  "Oh my God.  You're little Janet's daughter."  Tears came to her eyes.  "You're so beautiful.  Your cousins are going to be so happy to finally meet you."
She lurched up and grabbed Jeryl for a hug.
"I never thought I'd find out what happened to my family!" she said with a sob.  They held each other for several minutes.  I caught a glimpse of Jeryl's tear-streaked face as she hugged her aunt.  I was happy to see the smile on her lips.  It was definitely tears of happiness.
Soon, both ladies got control of themselves and we made quick introductions.  Tiffany did get a scolding look when she was introduced, but Helen then gave her a hug and thanked her for bringing her niece back into her life.
"Don't thank me, ma'am.  Thank Paul.  I just made the appointment," Tiffany said.
"So, Paul Taylor, boy genius is your boyfriend," Helen asked with a smile.  "I saw him on TV last spring."
"He is," Jeryl said.  "It was his idea and his money that helped me track you down."
"You'll have to tell me about that," Helen said as she escorted us into her office.  Tiffany stayed in the front as we sat down.  Jeryl told her aunt of our search through old records and then finally getting her name and being able to bring in the private investigators.
"I hope it did not cost you much, Paul," she said with a smile.  "If mother were not so stubborn, you could have gotten my address from her."
"What do you mean?"  Jeryl asked.
"Well, when she first kicked me out, I was very angry with her.  Richard, my husband brought me to Chicago.  His family had as much money as ours, but none of the pretense that mother loved to insist on.  If we had gotten married before Richard Jr. was conceived, it would have been a fabulous social occasion.  Of course, it was all my fault that such a grand affair could not be held.  Mother threw me out of her house and Richard brought me straight to his.  This was 1946, and that soon after the war, there were many 'premature' babies being born."
"And Richard's family didn't mind?"  Jeryl asked.
Helen laughed.  "They might have minded, but Richard didn't.  He brought me home and introduced me to his parents.  A minute later, before they could ask a single question, he informed them that he would be marrying me in-front of a judge the following Monday.  When his father asked if he had to marry me, he said, and I quote, 'Of course I do.  I love her.'  I just about fell apart crying my eyes out."
"Richard's mother got the rest of the story out of me over the next few weeks, but Richard always said he planned on marrying me from the moment he set eyes on me at my coming-out party.  He met me there en-route to assignment in Europe.  We exchanged letters over the following months and he stopped in Michigan when he was discharged.  He insisted I come with him to Chicago.  Mother, of course, was having none of that, so he rented a room nearby and courted me right under her nose."
"Getting pregnant was entirely my fault.  I thought I knew my cycle, but I miscounted by a day or two.  We had been sleeping together for a couple of weeks before I missed my first period and knew I had made a mistake."
"Anyway, as you can imagine, I was pretty upset with Mother during that period.  Richard's mother insisted I send her a copy of the birth announcement.  I did the same when Karen and Olivia were born.  I also sent her a Christmas card and Mother's Day card every year.  I've never heard a single thing back from her, but she has always had my return address."
"Wow, I wonder if she kept them all," Jeryl said.  "I know she never shared them with Mom."
Helen reached over and patted her hand.  "Tell me about your Mom.  The last time I saw her she was seven years old and as cute as a button.  I felt so bad that I couldn't see her when I left."
Jeryl smiled and then shook her head.  After a few fits and starts, she told about her family and then the problems we had over the past few months.  Helen reached across the small space between their chairs and held her hand.  "Jeryl, I can state categorically that my mother was wrong both in her thinking and attitude.  I'm so sorry she infected Janet's thinking as well.  If I can do anything to help set things straight, I'd be happy to."
"Well," It was my turn to enter the conversation.  "How would you feel about joining us in Park City for Thanksgiving?" I asked.
"Joining you?" Helen asked as Jeryl gave me a curious look.  I had not discussed this part of my plan with her yet.
"I bought some land out there and am building a house.  If we can get Janet to come out for the house warming, we can arrange for you and your family to be there as well.  It should be tolerable for use by Thanksgiving.  Of course, I've reserved a block of rooms in a local hotel as well, since there is no way everyone can stay at the house.  It's not big enough for that."
"Just how big is this house you're building, mister?"  Jeryl asked with an arched eyebrow.
I blushed.  "Five bedrooms, plus two small apartments for security and staff.  We could probably sleep fourteen to sixteen people there if we needed to."
"And that's too small?"  Helen asked.
"My Mom and Jim."  I raised two fingers.  "Kelly and me."  I raised two more.  "The Salaway's."  We were up to nine.  "Helen and her family is thirteen.  Uncle Ben and his family, and we're already at seventeen.  I want a few others along for the housewarming as well, so rather than hurt anyone's feelings, I booked a block of rooms in town as well and figured I would go over the guest list with you before finalizing things."
My forethought was rewarded with a smile.  "And just when were you going to talk to me about it," Jeryl asked a tad too sweetly.
"This weekend?"
"How are we going to get my mother to agree?"
"I figured we would let your dad take care of that.  I've got the plane tickets booked.  Jordan and Jyl will fly out straight from school.  I'll do the same for Helen's family."
"I can't let you pay for our tickets, Paul.  You've only just met me."
"Helen, I lost my father just before I turned five.  I refuse to let Jeryl lose her mother over this.  If flying you to Utah for a week and putting you up helps you all heal the rift in your family, I will insist on paying that price.  I'll even fly Cynthia Morgan out there, if that will help."
Helen looked at me with renewed interest.  After a moment, she nodded.  "That is probably what it will take to finally resolve some perceptions in our family.  Are you sure you want to ruin a housewarming with the fireworks you're likely to see?"
*****
Our football season ended with a whimper instead of a bang, but I found I didn't really care that much.  The coaches were happy with my performance on defense.  I had led the conference in sacks and our defense had given up the fewest yards per game in the conference, but the offense never really jelled.  Frankly, with planning my Thanksgiving surprise, I was glad we were done at the end of the regular season.
Jeryl was trying to contain her excitement over the plans and getting her mother and aunt together.  I urged caution.  "Jeryl, I really hope everything comes out alright, but you can't predict how your mother or grandmother will react.  You heard your aunt; your grandmother has never shown a sign of regret or remorse over throwing her out.  Do you think she's just going to reverse a lifetime of resolve when she sees her oldest daughter again?"
"No.  She's going to have a cow and start to say something stupid, and I'm going to sit on her until she listens and learns that the world has changed," she said with a grin.  Then her look sobered.  "I know you're right, Paul, but I want to at least start the healing.  Aunt Helen told me that in all of her experience counseling people, until there is acceptance for responsibility, there can be no reconciliation.  She has accepted what actions she was responsible for.  If mother and grandmother can't do the same, we probably will have the fireworks she anticipated."
"If we do, we'll deal with it.  Now, we really need to finish up deciding who we want in the house and who should stay in the hotel."  We had gone over a dozen permutations in the past week.
"I think you should stay in the master suite."  I had been suggesting we give it to Mom and Jim or her parents.  Mom and Jim had let us know that they would stay in the hotel, away from some of the family drama they expected to play out.  "It's your house, your rules.  If you put Mom in the master suite, she'll subconsciously assume she is the lady of the house and it is her rules."
"Okay, I can see your point.  Mom and Jim would have been better at keeping everyone on an even keel, though.  So that puts your folks in the guest suite."  I made a note on rough outline of rooms I had sketched out.  "Where are you sleeping?"  I asked.
She arched an eyebrow at me.  "Really?  I'm staying with you come hell or high water, mister.  If Mom doesn't like it, she can go to the hotel.  I've told her I'm done living the life she expects me to."
"Easy.  I love you and want you with me, but I wasn't sure you wanted to stoke the fires any more than they will be."
"We'll be there two days before my folks.  Aunt Helen and my cousins will be there the day before mother arrives.  I'm tempted to put Aunt Helen in the guest suite, but that might be pushing things."
I shrugged.  "If one of her daughters shares it with her, that would be fine."
"No, give it to Mom and Dad.  Put Jordan and Jyl next to them, Karen and Olivia in the middle room and Aunt Helen in the first one."
"What about Richard?  He is the oldest.  Maybe we should put the girls in the bunk room?"
"How many bunks?"
"Six.  It's got good closet space and a double bath.  It was kind of designed for a large group to rent out.  With the kitchenette down at that end, it can be pretty self-contained.  It even has a separate ski locker at that end of the house for ski gear."
Jeryl thought about it.
"That would let Richard and his fiancé stay in one of the regular rooms.  I wonder what grandmother will think of that?  Okay, let's put all of the girls downstairs.  If we need to, I can stay with them.  Will Kelly be staying at the house?"
"I don't know.  I'll call her.  If she is, and stays in the bunk room, that leaves a guest room open."
"What about grandmother?"
I shrugged again.  "Your call.  I can keep a room in the hotel open just in case."
"If we could talk Mom and Jim into the master suite, I could stay in my office.  That would get their moderating influence in the house and keep the illusion of your behaving to your mother's expectations."
Jeryl's eyes narrowed. I raised my hands in defense.  "Hey, I'm just saying that we might not want to rub your mother and grandmother's nose in our love life all week.  The bunk room and my office are both downstairs.  You could keep your stuff in the bunk room and still be with me every night."
"Will Jim and your Mom agree to that?  They seemed pretty set on trying to stay at the hotel."
"I think if we explain wanting a neutral adult presence, they will understand and agree.  Then we just need to have Uncle Ben and his family in the hotel.  Candace will be down there along with a gentleman friend she invited along.  I'll keep some spare rooms as well, just in case we have a total blow-up.  I think a couple of security folks will be down there also."
"I thought you had an apartment over the garage for them."
"I do, but Alison wants to have at least four people out there to cover us for the week.  The apartment sleeps two comfortably, but the second apartment is for the cook and housekeeper for the week."
"Housekeeper and cook?"
"Well, we are having a housewarming party while we're out there."
"I know, doofus.  That's the excuse we're using to get grandmother out."
"Well I'm not doing all the cooking and cleaning for that, and I was not about to volunteer you or your sisters and cousins to do it.  Sylvia, the decorator has arranged everything.  This is a bit of a trial run for them.  If I like how things go, they may become either full-time live-in caretakers, or kept on retainer for when we visit."
"What about Lisa and Jim?"
I had invited my two friends to come out for the week as well.  "Neither can make it.  They've got finals the following week and want to not worry about travel while having plenty of time to study."
"That's too bad.  Who else is going to be at the party Wednesday night?"
"Carl and Sylvia and all the craftsmen have been invited.  Carl was taking care of the final list for them.  I also invited Professor Brighton up from Salt Lake.  Sylvia is actually arranging the menu and everything, so we get to just enjoy it."
"Wow, it is nice having the money to throw that kind of shindig."
I smiled.  "It is.  So, we have accommodations sorted out?"
"I think so, as long as we can talk your Mom and Jim into it."
"I'm sure we can."
We did manage to convince them of the wisdom of our plan the next evening over dinner.  By the time school ended on Friday, all of our plans were in place and I was packed for the mountains.  Jeryl skipped work since we would be heading out early Saturday morning.  Her mother was not too pleased that she was flying out two days ahead with me, but gave her grudging acceptance when she learned Jim and Mom would be on the same flight.
By the time we landed in Salt Lake City, I could already feel the pressure lifting from my shoulders.  Alison greeted us at the gate and the five of us headed to the parking garage after collecting our bags.  We had not sent them ahead on this trip.  Sanford was waiting with two Range Rovers we had modified here in Utah.  We piled bags into Sanford's and then climbed in the other with Alison behind the wheel.  Soon we were headed east on I-80 toward Park City.
"The scenery is gorgeous," Mom said as we wound our way up Parley's Canyon.  "I can't believe they already have snow.  Are you planning on skiing this week?" She asked.
"Maybe.  Park City opens Wednesday if they have enough base.  Deer Valley, where the house is doesn't open until next week.  Hopefully they'll have enough snow when we come back out in December."
"Oh?  You're not coming with us to Taos again?"
"Well, I'm going to Taos.  I just might pop up here before or after to check things out.  It all depends on how the next few days go, Mom."
The scenery continued to improve as we made our way past Park City and up into the mountains.  We turned up the road leading to the house and Jeryl grabbed my hand.  She squeezed it tightly as we pulled into the private driveway and slowly pulled around the gentle curve to catch our first glimpse of the house.  It looked majestic with the neatly plowed driveway and clear blue sky behind it.
"Oh my, Paul.  You never told me how big it was.  Wow."  Alison pulled to a stop right in front of the covered entryway.  Sylvia was standing by the door to greet us and rushed down the steps to the car as I climbed out.
"Paul, welcome home!" she said with a smile and then a wave toward the house.  "I know you're going to love it."
We hurried inside and Jeryl and Mom oo-ed and ah-ed as we stopped to take off our jackets.  The rich leather furniture and area rugs covered the floor before the fireplace and the snow covered slopes glistened in the afternoon sun through the towering windows.  Sylvia quickly became the tour guide.  I trailed along behind Jeryl, Mom, and Jim touching the smooth wood and soaking in the peaceful feeling of the place.
Mom and Jim made appreciative sounds as they explored the master suite.  "Paul, are you sure you want us to stay in here?  This feels like it should be your room."
"It is my room, or will be, Mom.  But for this week, let it be yours.  I just hope you can tolerate the masculine decor I asked Sylvia to pick."  The walls were a light green with deep cherry finishing.  It was masculine without being dark.
"I think we'll be just fine in here," Jim said with a smile.  He had already settled into one of the deep leather couches by the fireplace.
"Come on, old man," Mom said as she pulled him to his feet.  "We need to see the rest of this place."
We quickly moved through the other bedrooms and the guest suite and then stepped into the kitchen to meet Mrs. Eccles the cook and housekeeper.  Her daughter Samantha was her assistant.  Both were fit, outdoorsy types with matching blonde hair and rosy cheeks.  Samantha kept her eyes downcast after meeting us.
"Samantha seems a little shy," Jeryl commented as we headed downstairs to continue the tour.
Sylvia overheard the comment.  "She is.  I think that's one of the reasons her mother decided she should work with her.  I don't know if the poor girl would get over her nerves enough to find a job or husband on her own."
We descended the main stairs to the game room and once again paused to enjoy the view over the flagstone patio, past the hot tub and down the slopes.
"No snow on the patio?"  Jim asked.
"Radiant heat to melt it as it falls," I said.  "Same thing for the driveway in front of the house and garages.  It's supposed to keep it clear at up to four inches an hour."
"Nice.  I should look at that for Taos."
The game room continued with the oversized leather seating, but we also had a full-size billiards table as well as a projection television wired in to show TV or movies with a retractable projection screen above the fireplace.  Sylvia only waved toward the ski locker and my office and then led us past the game room to see the sauna and small exercise room before reaching the downstairs kitchenette.  It had its own breakfast nook overlooking the slopes.  Beyond that was the spacious bunk room and its over-sized dorm-style bathroom.
"By closing this fire door between the kitchenette and the sauna, you can make the bunk room area pretty self-contained if you decide to rent it out," Sylvia said.
"It's a nice feature, but I don't think I'll be doing that."
She nodded.  "I know, but I wanted to make sure you understood your options.  That is the back staircase that goes up toward the garage and laundry room.  You can close off that hallway from the rest of the house as well to keep guests out."
"What about your office?" Jeryl asked.
I smiled.  "It's back past the ski locker.  I didn't think anyone would be interested in seeing it."
Jim laughed at the look Mom and Jeryl gave me.
"Ok, I'll show you.  Sylvia, I don't want to hold you up.  Thank you for meeting us here today."
She beamed.  My mother and Jeryl had been heaping praise on her throughout the tour.  "It was my pleasure, Paul.  Everything is set for the party Wednesday, but if you find anything that's been overlooked, you have my number."
We watched her go and I led them past the stairs and ski locker into my office.  It had a heavy oak door that almost made it look like it led to a storage area.  Once we stepped through the door, that notion was dispelled.  The dark hardwood floors and trim work were offset by lighter beige walls.  The windows still had a nice view with a large trestle partner's desk running parallel to the back of the room while the area closer to the patio had an overstuffed pair of chairs along with a couch and coffee table. Bookshelves lined the walls. A small fireplace was set in among the book shelves.
At the back of the room there was a short hallway with a storage closet on the right and a bathroom to the left.  I walked back to the bookcase at the end of that hall and reached under a shelf to press a small lever.  The bookcase released and swung forward.
"Alison insisted on having a safe room in the house.  I don't think we'll ever need it, but if we do, come down here."
I pulled the door fully open to show the room within.  "We've got three bunk beds in here, along with food and water and a small bathroom.  It also has a separate phone and electric line.  Once inside, you can lock the room and the exterior latch won't work."
"Wow.  It's like something out of James Bond," Jeryl said.
"But it is only useful as long as no one knows about it, right?" Jim asked.
I nodded.  "That's right.  You guys need to know about it, but nobody else does.  Alison had her folks actually finish out this space, so even most of the contractors that worked on the house think it's storage.  She insisted we keep it close."
"You hired her because she is smart.  Make sure you two listen to her," Jim cautioned while looking at both Jeryl and I.
"We will," Jeryl promised.
I nodded as well.
I closed the safe room and we headed back upstairs.  Samantha stood at the top of the stairs waiting for us.  "Mother has some lunch laid out, if you're hungry, Mr. Taylor."
I stifled a laugh, not wanting to embarrass her.  "Please, just call me Paul, Samantha.  I don't need the formality."
We followed her into the kitchen where Mrs. Eccles had a small buffet of fresh sandwich meats and cheeses and condiments set out.  We all helped ourselves.
"Thanks for a great lunch, Mrs. Eccles," I said.  "We probably need to sit down and discuss the remainder of the week with you."
"Oh, Sylvia already went over everything with me.  You four are here until a week from Sunday.  I've got arrival times and room assignments all filled out for everyone else.  Ms. Alison told me no one had any food allergies to worry about and has taken care of arranging transportation as people arrive.  The first batch staying at the house should be in around dinner time tomorrow, right?"
"That's right."
"Well, I'm planning on a ham dinner since that gives us the most leeway in case there are any flight or road delays.  If they get in on time, we'll plan on dinner at seven.  Is that alright?"
"That sounds excellent.  The next batch of guests will arrive Monday afternoon.  We'd like to have something simple and give you and your daughter the night off so you are well rested for the party on Wednesday."
Mrs. Eccles gave me a motherly smile.  She knew there was more to it, obviously.  "Yes, we planned on leftover ham on Monday.  We'll have it set up for you to warm things up and we'll be away from the house before your guests arrive.  When we get back, we'll just be in the apartment if you should need us for anything."
"Tuesday the last of the house guests arrive.  I've made reservations in town so we don't disturb your preparations for the party."
"That's thoughtful, but I like to keep a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator.  I've put plenty of soda and bottled water in the refrigerators upstairs and down.  You need to make sure your guests drink plenty to stay hydrated in this climate," she cautioned.
"The party is being catered, so I don't need to cook much.  You'll have to decide what you want to do about a bar."
I blushed.  "I'm too young to drink, but suppose we can have some beer and wine available."
"Most of your guests won't partake, though a few will.  Some of the construction boys picked up bad habits before settling down," she said.
"What about Thanksgiving?  You'll be spending it with family, won't you?"
"We don't need to, Paul.  You've hired us for the week, at least."
"No, no.  I insist.  If you can get things started and let us know how to finish it, that's good enough.  Of course, if you want to join us, you're more than welcome."
"That's a nice offer, but I'll call my sister and we'll probably head down there for dinner after I get things set here."
"Okay.  I want to make sure you're not waiting on us all the time.  I'm fine if you have set times for meals and let everyone fend for themselves the rest of the time."
"That's sweet, but you're paying very well for our service.  If you want anything, just ask."
Soon, we drifted back to the great room and sat to enjoy the fire and the view down the slopes.  Jeryl snuggled up next to me on one couch and Mom did the same to Jim on the other.  It felt incredibly comfortable.
"So what's Kelly up to, that she couldn't come out until Monday?"  I asked.
Jim smirked.  "I think she is just giving you two a little alone time before she arrives.  Of course, she told me she wanted to finish going over items for her California Bar Exam next week, but I'm pretty sure she's ready for it."
"She didn't waste any time scheduling and preparing for that," I commented.
"Well, I think the idea of establishing an office out near Stanford got her pretty excited.  I think she's ready to be out from under her old man's watchful eye for a little bit.  Setting up a new office is hard work, but exciting."
"How big of an office are you thinking of?"
"Six offices, a couple of conference rooms and a reception and break area.  Probably a couple thousand square feet."
"Wow, why so big?"
"We'll each have an office there.  The sign on the door will be PT Innovations, so you need an office.  Kelly will be the head of that office but Candace and I will need space if we are out visiting.  I assumed Jeryl would want an adjoining office to yours.  Two conference rooms should give us enough flexibility to hold larger meetings as needed.  We'll have a spare office if we want to expand any."
"Sand Hill Road."  I said.
"What?"
"We want our office on Sand Hill Road.  Several venture capital firms' offices are there.  We should try to ride their coattails as VC investing becomes more popular."
"You think it will?"
I nodded.
"Okay, I'll make sure Kelly knows.  She's flying from here to California and wants to start looking for office space after she takes the bar exam."
Jeryl and I decided to take a walk in the brisk mountain air before sunset and headed outside.  We walked around the house, admiring details and taking in the beautiful mountain before returning to the warmth of the house.  I helped her settle her things in the bunk room.  In turn, she helped me unpack in the office.  Unpacking soon led to undressing and having some delightful private time on the office couch.  We were tired and hungry by dinner time and enjoyed Mrs. Eccles' butter-roasted turkey breast with potatoes and broccoli immensely.  By the time we went back downstairs after dinner, the bed in my office had been pulled out from the couch and made with sheets and a thick down comforter.
Jeryl came to me as I turned down the lights for the night.  As I lifted the covers for her, she slipped off her robe and slid in next to me in all her naked glory.  I kissed her gently and we made slow passionate love for the second time that day before falling asleep in each other's arms.
*****
We were all relaxing in the living room with cups of homemade hot chocolate when Aunt Helen arrived along with her son Richard and his fiancé, Trisha.  We had not met Richard on our visit up to Chicago, but had met Helen's two daughters, Karen and Olivia.  Richard was a tall, confident man in his mid-thirties with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes.  He had a ready smile that did not seem to reach his eyes.  He was all business when he met us, but I could see him taking in the wonderful sights of the house.
Trisha, his fiancé was a petite woman in her late twenties.  She had long, raven hair with dark eyes.  She was unfailingly polite, but confident in her own right.  She walked into the house and seemed to take in the furnishings and arrangement with a professional's eye.
"I'm so glad you could all come," I said as Jeryl helped take their coats.
"Like my kids would miss the fireworks," Helen said with a laugh.  "I'll tell you both, that I reconsidered a dozen times over the past two weeks.  Jeryl, if I were not so curious to meet your sisters and have at least a chance to see your mother again, I would be worrying over a Thanksgiving menu plan instead of flying out here."
Jeryl laughed.  "Well, you can still help cook on Thursday if you insist."  We introduced my mother and Jim who showed them to their rooms just as the second Range Rover with Karen and Olivia arrived.  Jeryl and I stayed by the front door to greet them.
"My goodness, Paul.  Did you really have this built over the summer?"  Karen, the oldest asked.  She and her sister were light haired like their mother.  They were both a little taller than Jeryl with trim builds.  Both were only a few years older than us, with Helen joking that she had rushed the first child and delayed the second two.  I knew they were twenty-one and twenty-two.  Karen had just finished school and started at an accounting firm in Chicago.  Olivia was finishing her degree in fine arts and planned on continuing to get a master of fine arts.
"Last spring this was all just trees and potential," I said.  Jeryl began the tour as I apologized for putting them in the bunk room.
"It's not exactly roughing it," Jeryl chided as she showed them the spacious room with its built in bunk beds.  Each bed had its own reading light and privacy curtains as well as the ample closet space and built in cabinets and drawers.
"This is so cool," Olivia said as she examined her chosen bed.  "I've never seen built-in beds like this and everything you need to store stuff is right here.  I bet Trisha is going to flip when she sees this."
"Why?" Jeryl asked.
"Trisha is an interior decorator.  She is always looking for novel ideas and new ways of using a space.  Paul, if you want to win a fan, let Trisha meet with your decorator for an hour or so.  She must be flipping at some of the things you've done here."
"I'm sure Sylvia would be happy to meet with her."
Soon we were all back upstairs and fresh hot chocolate was being handed out.  Outside, the sun was sinking toward the ridge line and a light snow was starting to fall.  Trisha was the only one not sitting.  She kept pacing along the walls looking at details before turning back to take in the whole room.  Richard's eyes tracked her with a loving look.
"Trisha, you look as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.  What's the matter, dear?"  Helen asked during a pause in the conversation.
Trisha looked startled and then embarrassed.  "I'm sorry.  It's just this room and house is so well put together.  Every time I notice something new, it makes me look back at the whole room or space again.  Paul, your decorator and architect must have worked closely together.  There are niches in the shelving that look to be sized just for the piece she put there.  It's really amazing.  I wish I could have walked through here while I was still in school.  It makes so many complex concepts obvious."
I smiled.  "I'm sure Sylvia would love to meet with you and talk through everything.  Carl will be here Wednesday night for the housewarming party as well.  I'll make sure to introduce you."
"Until that happens, dear, why don't you sit down and relax?" Richard asked.  She blushed again and moved to sit next to him.  "Besides, if anyone should be consumed with nervous energy, it should be mother."
Helen waved him off.  "I've found a niece I never imagined and am staying in a five-star resort if there ever was one.  I've got nothing to be nervous about.  I'm sure Janet and Mother would be nervous if they knew what was waiting out here for them."  She grinned as she said it, but it made me a little nervous.
"As a professional," Jim said.  "How should we handle it tomorrow when they arrive?"
Helen looked thoughtful for a moment.  "Janet and Jerry are arriving first?"
"They all land within twenty minutes of each other, if the flights are on time," Jeryl said.  "We have two cars picking them up, just like we did with you guys."
"I think I should decide to freshen up when they get here.  I can come back out to the living room while they get settled.  That way, there will be a certain amount of inertia for them to overcome if they have a flight impulse."
"Surely you don't think my Mom will run away, do you?"
Helen smiled at Jeryl.  "Fight or flight is programmed into our instincts.  As a professional, I can tell you that women tend toward flight.  When she sees me and acknowledges who I am, her psyche is going to feel threatened.  I'm hoping that you and her family will be an anchor to keep her here.  With my mother, I imagine fight will be the response.  It always was.  It's good that Janet will be able to have time before our mother arrives to get used to the idea that I not only did not ruin my life, but never wanted to leave."
Jeryl squeezed my hand.
Later that night, Jeryl joined me in my office sofa bed and snuggled up tight to me.  She had been quiet since dinner.  While her silky nightgown was an enticement for romance, I sensed that she only wanted to be close tonight.  I kissed her softly, and held her in my arms until she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, I woke her with a kiss and then headed to the treadmill down the hall to get some exercise in.  By the time I finished, Jeryl was back in the bunk room with her sleeping cousins.
Everyone seemed tense as we waited for the next set of guests to arrive.
*****
As soon as I saw Jerry's face, I knew it had not been a pleasant trip for him.  He knew what we had planned, since it was the only way to get permission for Jeryl to come out with me early and to ensure Janet would visit as well.
"This is a fine house you've built," Janet said with frosty tones.
"Mother," Jeryl said.  "Why don't you come in and get settled before I take you on a quick tour of the house.  Paul has his mother and Jim in the master suite, but wanted you and dad to stay in the guest suite down this way."  She led them off.  A few minutes later, Helen and her children joined me in the great room.
"Lord, give me strength," Helen said as she paced back and forth.
Richard patted the couch next to him and she reluctantly sat next to him.
I was about to offer some encouragement when Jeryl and her mother returned.  Janet stopped by the fireplace, staring at Helen who rose gracefully.  The family resemblance was obvious.
Helen smoothed her knit dress and then clasped her hands in front of her, as if to keep them from fidgeting.  "You've grown into a beautiful woman since I last saw you, Janet."
What little color Janet had in her face drained away and she put her hand out against the stone of the fireplace to steady herself.  "Helen?  How.... Where...."
"It is me, Janet.  Jeryl and Paul found me.  They invited us out to meet you.  This is my son, Richard," she said as she turned and motioned to him.  "He was named after his father."
Richard stood and extended his hand.  "Aunt Janet, it is a pleasure to meet you," he said.  Janet shook his hand, staring at him silently.
"These are my daughters, Karen and Olivia," Helen said.
Both girls stood.  Janet nodded to them, but kept most of her attention on Helen.
"Janet, I'm sorry for not trying to find you sooner.  I hate to think what stories mother has spread, but I never wanted to leave our family.  I hope you believe me."
Janet stepped closer to Helen.  "I was seven years old.  You were my idol.  How could you leave without even saying goodbye?"
"I was given no choice.  I'm sorry."  Helen wrapped her arms around her younger sister and hugged her as both broke into tears.
They held each other for several minutes before we heard a commotion by the door.
"What did we miss out on?"  Jyl asked with her usual cavalier tone.



Chapter Eighteen
Conflict and Consequences
*****
"So, Paul, are you working on anything new and exciting?" Richard asked as we settled into the hot tub.  Snow was just starting to fall but the warmed flagstone melted it as soon as it touched the ground.  The peaceful quiet of the mountain was a pleasant contrast to the chattering discussions taking place inside the house.  We had both opted to escape as mothers and daughters reconciled and discussed the past.
"Nothing significant.  I've got some long-term plans, but need some other foundational research to make some progress first."
"Foundational research?"
"I need some better materials to work with.  I sponsor about a half-dozen university research projects in the areas I need.  How about you?"  I knew from the security background check that he was a banker at his father's family bank.
"Not much.  We're doing some real estate investing that has me pretty busy checking out properties."
"What sort of properties?"
"Mostly upscale apartment complexes and condos.  We finance the builders.  We do a little land speculation as well, but try to keep our exposure to risk at a minimum."
I nodded and then leaned my head back and let the hot water relax me.
"What made you pick Park City?  From what Jeryl said, I would have thought you would build in Tahoe."
"I thought about it, but really enjoyed the mountains here when I visited last year.  We'll be able to fly here in about the same time as driving to Tahoe, so there isn't much difference for travel.  It's also easier for family and friends to fly into Salt Lake City."
"Well it is definitely a nice place.  I can't believe it was built in less than six months."
I laughed.  "I paid for it, believe me."
I heard a door open and turned to see a bevy of beautiful women hurry across the patio with towels in hand to join us.
"Brrr," Jeryl said as she dropped her towel on a nearby chair and stepped into the hot tub by my side.  "I'm glad the water is nice and hot or a girl could catch a cold."
Kelly, Jordan, Jyl, Trisha, Karen and Olivia made similar comments as they squeezed in next to us.
"Paul," Kelly said.  "You might need a bigger hot tub."
I laughed and splashed some water at her.  "This one is sized for twelve.  I think it will be plenty big enough."
"I can make some more room for you, Kelly," Jeryl said as she scooted onto my lap.  "I like this seat better anyway."
The other girls laughed and I noticed Trisha making a similar move onto Richard.
"How are the moms doing?"  I asked.
"Great," Jordan said.  "It is kind of strange to find out I have three new cousins, though."
"Enjoy it while you can," Karen said.  "From what we've heard about grandmother, we might be disowned all over again when she gets here."
"No way," Jyl said.  "She can either gain three grandchildren or lose three.  I'm tired of her attitude.  The harangues I've had to listen to because my little sister had sex were the last straw."
"Yeah," Richard said.  "If that is a problem, she won't appreciate Trisha and me at all, let alone my promiscuous sisters."
"Hey, we're not promiscuous," Olivia insisted.  "But we are sensual and loving women.  Mom raised us right."
Richard snorted.  "Like you gave her much of a choice.  I remember a fourteen-year-old asking her big brother to buy condoms for her."
Olivia blushed.  "I just wanted to be prepared."
We all laughed and conversation turned to college and then life in Chicago.  By the time we were starting to wrinkle and ready to get out, everyone seemed happy and comfortable with their new family members.
"Dibs on the shower," Jyl said as she hopped up and headed for the door.
"I'll take the second one," Kelly said as she stopped drying herself off and headed inside.  The bathroom off the bunk room had two nicely appointed showers.
"I guess that means I get to share with you, Paul," Jeryl said.
"It might be a tight squeeze," I said.  The shower in the office bathroom was the smallest in the house.
Jeryl gave me a hug.  "I sure hope so," she whispered in my ear.
It took almost forty minutes for everyone to get showered and dressed.  We congregated in the great room and waited for the taxis that were scheduled to take us into town for dinner.  Cynthia Morgan's flight from Detroit had been delayed due to weather, so Sanford was planning on taking her directly to the restaurant for dinner.  He had just called to let Alison know that the flight had landed.
Jeryl and I made sure everyone was situated in a taxi and on their way before climbing into the Range Rover along with Olivia and Kelly.  Alison refused to let me drive or ride a taxi for some reason.  I wasn't going to argue, since I thought our ride was much more comfortable.
We were mingling in the private room I had booked with cocktails or soft drinks in hand when Cynthia Morgan finally arrived.  I watched her through the window as she tried to tip Sanford, who waved it off with aplomb as he handed her down from the car and took her to the door of the restaurant.
She was regal in bearing as the hostess escorted her into our room.  Everyone fell silent as she entered.  I hurried over to play the dutiful host.  Jeryl seemed to have slipped out of the room with her aunt.
"Mrs. Morgan, thank you for coming.  I'm sorry your flight was delayed and you didn't have time to freshen up before dinner.  Can I get you a drink?"
She pulled her gaze from Janet and Richard and finally focused on me with a hint of panic in her eyes.  "Who is that?"  Helen had told me that Richard was almost the spitting image of his father.
I stepped closer to her and moved to help her take off her coat as people shifted around to greet her.  "I think you know who it is.  If you are ready to forgive a few people, I think you'll find they are anxious to meet you."
I stepped back with her coat and motioned to Janet.  Richard approached with his aunt, looking nervous for the first time since I had met him.
"Mother," Janet said with steel in her voice.  "I'd like to introduce you to your grandson, Richard."
Cynthia's hand went to her mouth as Janet continued.  "He's here with his sisters, Karen and Olivia."
Cynthia's wide eyes blinked as she stood in stunned silence.
Janet pursed her lips.  I had seen the same look of displeasure in her eyes once during school when a student talked back to her.  It was not a pleasant look.  "Paul located them along with my sister."  Helen stepped back into the room with Jeryl by her side.
Helen stepped around her mother and looked at the smaller woman with tears in her eyes.  "Mother, I'm sorry I disappointed you so, but I hope you can soften your heart and embrace your grandchildren."
Cynthia seemed to wilt.  It was only Helen's quick hug that kept her from slumping to the ground.  Tears flowed from mother and daughters as Janet joined the hug.  Jeryl grabbed my arm and pulled me away as Richard stepped around them to close the door to the private room.  It took a few minutes for the ladies to regain their composure, but finally Cynthia was able to accept a hug from her new grandchildren.  By the time Trisha was introduced, Cynthia's reserved nature was almost restored.
We moved to sit down and soon were having almost normal dinner conversation.  Jeryl joined Jim, Mom, Kelly and me near one end of the long table while Cynthia, Helen, Janet and Jerry were at the opposite end.
"That went much better than I expected," Jeryl said in a whisper as soup was served.
I nodded.  "Now I just wonder if she'll soften toward us."
"I hope so, but I'm not counting on it."
"Me either."
Dinner was elegant and refined, but I think Mrs. Eccles would have made more flavorful fare.  With the single long table, we were a little cut off from conversation about the reunion.  Instead, we talked with Kelly about the offices near Stanford and what sort of space she should look for next week.
It wasn't until dessert was served that we were pulled back into the fuller conversation.  Helen stood and waited for everyone to quiet down.
"I know Thanksgiving is a couple of days away yet, but I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for coming out here this week and letting us start to put the past behind us.  I want to thank my loving children for their support now and always, my sister for forgiving me for abandoning her, and my mother for agreeing to set aside our long history of differences."
"Hear, hear," Jim said as he raised his wine glass to Helen at the other end of the table.  Everyone joined in and then took a sip of their drinks.
"Finally, I want to especially thank a very generous and loving young man who made this all possible.  Paul, thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Everyone turned their gaze to me and toasted me as I sat blushing.  Jeryl leaned over and gave me a kiss on my cheek.
Helen sat down and Janet stood up.  She had tears in her eyes.  "Paul, I want to echo my sister's thoughts and feelings.  I know I have wronged you in both deed and thought.  I apologize for those deeds.  I hope you can forgive me someday.  Thank you for believing enough in family and my daughter to bring us all together here."  Janet toasted me in the awkward silence and then sat as Cynthia stood.
"To my daughters and grandchildren, I apologize.  I wish I could explain myself, but I'm not sure even I understand what was going through my mind all those years ago.  Perhaps I'm just a silly old lady now, but once I was a loving wife and mother.  I'm sorry I pushed part of my family away and risked alienating the rest of it over relationships that were probably none of my business.  In my defense, I always wanted the best for all of you."  She looked at each of her grandchildren before continuing.
"Paul, I'd like to also apologize to you.  I treated you poorly from the first time I met you and risked my youngest granddaughter's happiness trying to prove you were not suitable for her.  You proved me wrong at every turn.  I won't say I like how modern relationships seem to be carried on, but it is clear that you love Jeryl deeply enough to face any obstacle for her.  You may never be good enough in my mind, but I can't believe she will ever find someone better.  Please, forgive my behavior and continue to love my granddaughter."
Tears were on her cheeks as she looked down the table at Jeryl and me.  I stood up and picked up Mom's wine glass.  Water seemed inappropriate.  I raised the glass in toast to the far end of the table.  "Mrs. Morgan, there was never anything in your power to prevent me loving your granddaughter.  I accept your and Mrs. Salaway's apologies and everyone's thanks."  I took a sip of the wine before returning the glass to my mother.  "I feel blessed that our families could come together.  I'm glad that some of the money I've earned with my family's support can be put to such good use and I hope everyone will feel free to relax and get to know each other better, as families should, over the next few days.  Thanks for coming."
Everyone applauded as I sat back down.  Jeryl wasted no time giving me a sound kiss on the lips as Jordan and Jyl teased her about chasing a sugar daddy.  Soon, we were on our way back up to the house.
*****
"Thank you again for making this all possible, Paul," Helen said as we sat at the kitchen counter enjoying a quiet breakfast.  I had left Jeryl in bed as I did an abbreviated morning workout and was surprised to see anyone else up when I came up to the kitchen.  Helen had been sitting quietly with a cup of coffee when I joined her.
"Believe me, it was my pleasure.  I was surprised at how well things went last night."
Helen gave me a sad smile.  "Mother's pride was her biggest enemy.  Once we took the first step, she could let her own pride go and forgive me.  I've seen it hundreds of times in my practice."
"I'm not sure I would be as forgiving if I were in your shoes."
She arched an eyebrow at me.  "Really?  You would let your mother drive you away, or Jeryl's mother?"
"No, but I'm not sure I could make the first move either."
"But you did.  You brought us all together.  Just because the move is not a direct or verbal apology, doesn't mean it is not the first move in a long series of adjustment and forgiveness."
"I just hope it has a lasting effect."
Helen laughed.  "Oh it will.  After you went downstairs last night, Janet, Mother and I stayed up and chatted some more.  We heard Jeryl or someone go into the office during a lull in the conversation.  If Cynthia and Janet were not reconciled to the reality of your two's love, there would have been fireworks."
I blushed.  "Well, I'm glad they only heard footsteps and a door."
Helen laughed again.  "Yes, I believe you have very good sound insulation in this house, lucky for you."
I refilled her coffee after I took our plates and put them in the dishwasher.
"So what are you ladies going to get up to today?"  I asked.
"We might go into town and see the sights.  Maybe do a little shopping before the party tonight.  How about you kids?"
"I have a couple of calls to make this morning according to Kelly and then we may go check out the slopes downtown."
"Olivia would probably enjoy going with you.  She picked up skiing her freshman year in school and has enjoyed it ever since.  Karen and Richard will probably give it a pass."
"Well, once the lazybones are all up, we'll see who wants to go."  I glanced at the wall clock.  "I guess now is as good a time as any to return a couple of phone calls.  I'll see you later."
In the office, Jeryl was up and out, probably waking the others in the bunk room.  We had worn ourselves out last night but fallen asleep with a promise of skiing today.  I grabbed the note pad Kelly had given me last night with two numbers to call.  The first was an international call.  I had wondered how long it would take before Land Rover called me about the conversions we had started doing and selling to security firms around the world.
"Good evening, Mr. Taylor," a lightly accented voice said as the connection was made through his secretary.
"It's early morning here, Lord Harold, but thank you for the sentiment."  Kelly's note had indicated that Harold Thompson was entitled to the title of Lord in the British peerage, so I had decided to flatter him.  It was also one of the reasons Kelly had insisted that I return his call personally.  We did not yet have an agreement for licensing with Land Rover.
"Yes, well, thank you for calling me back so promptly.  I appreciate you taking time out of your holiday plans for this call."
"Think nothing of it.  What can I do for you and Land Rover today?"
"Straight to the point.  I like that.  We wanted to see if you were interested in selling us your conversion kit plans and possibly partnering on manufacturing a line of Range Rovers specifically for security services."
It was what I expected.
"Well, I'm always interested in partnering with successful firms."
"Good to hear, young man.  Would it be possible to arrange a meeting to discuss details and terms?  We've had some of our boffins looking over your modified Range Rovers that you've resold recently and are very interested in talking further."
"I think we can arrange a meeting.  Which side of the pond would you like to meet on?"
"We'll come to you, of course.  We understand how busy you are with still being in school."
"Well, I have some time off over the holidays.  Perhaps we could meet then."  I flipped open the calendar on my desk and looked at when school got out for Christmas break.  "I'm free from the sixteenth of December until the third of January."
"Things are pretty quiet over here during the holidays.  Any chance we could have a preliminary discussion before then?  Maybe meet in New York or Chicago?"
"Chicago would be excellent, if we schedule for Friday evening through Sunday."
"How about I fly over next weekend?  We can meet and decide if further discussions are warranted."
"That sounds like an excellent plan.  I recommend the Hilton downtown and will arrange meeting rooms there for us as well as accommodation if you'll let me know how many people will be in your party."
"Oh, I'll handle this myself along with a couple of our engineers and one solicitor.  So, four rooms, if you please."
"I'll have the arrangements made and send your office the details."
We finished the call with another exchange of pleasantries and I jotted notes down on the tablet by his contact information.
The next call was to Ford.  I was surprised that they insisted on me calling them back personally.
"Banister," the gruff voice on the other end of the phone said after a short wait on hold.
"Mr. Banister, this is Paul Taylor returning your call."
"Ah, Mr. Taylor, thank you for getting back to me this week."  His voice had softened some immediately.
"What can I do for Ford this morning?"
"We'd like to talk to you about the Range Rover conversions you're building and selling and see if we can possibly do something similar but built here in America."
I smiled.  "Funny you should be calling on that.  I just had a call with Land Rover for a similar discussion.  They seem interested in doing a line for security work."
"Well, we're interested in something a little bit bigger.  We've got some pretty bright engineers who have been playing around with your coating on pre-formed body parts.  They think we can make a unibody vehicle out of it, but wanted to meet with you before we move to building a prototype."
A unibody car eliminated the traditional ladder-type frame used in most cars.  It made the body part of the actual structure instead of just a protective covering.
"That's interesting."
"It is.  It gives us both greater safety in the vehicle and cheaper manufacturing processes.  What we aren't sure of, is if we can apply your coating to the entire unibody or are going to need to do it as sub-assemblies."
I thought about it for a moment.  "That's a good question.  We might have to do a little research to determine that.  The electrical field will align the coating perpendicular to the metal, but in a complex shape you might get misalignment and lose strength.  Also, we'll want to account for crumble regions to collapse in a crash, otherwise, it would be too rigid and strong.  It could be a pretty tricky challenge."
"That sounds similar to what my engineers said.  That's why they want to talk to you.  Since our deal has a pretty hefty consulting fee for your time, it landed on my desk to make it happen.  Any chance we can schedule a visit?"
I looked at the calendar and saw my Christmas break evaporating.  I shook my head.  I had taken most of the fall off from business, so I guess this was the price I had to pay.
"I can fly up to Detroit on the 17th for the weekend and a couple of days.  Can you make something in that timeframe work?"
"How about the twentieth through the twenty-second?  I imagine you'll want a little time off over Christmas."
I jotted down the dates. "That will work.  If we need a follow-up meeting, we can set something up in January."
"Okay.  I'll mail out details to your office today.  Thanks again for getting back to me so quickly.  Have a happy Thanksgiving."
Jeryl wandered into the office as I finished jotting down some notes.  She was fresh out of the shower and dressed in tight ski-pants and an ivory sweater.  She looked at the tablet in front of me and shook her head.  "Why are you working?  I thought this fall was going to be a break for you."
"It has been.  But now it seems a few people want some of my time over the holiday break."  I explained my first two calls.  I pointed to the last name and number Kelly had given me.  "Now comes the fun call."
Jeryl frowned, and then grabbed the chair on the other side of the partner's desk and pulled out a pad of paper and pen to make notes as she motioned me to get dialing.
A few minutes later, I heard a familiar voice pick up the phone.  "Special Agent Johnson."
"Good morning, Special Agent Johnson.  This is Paul Taylor returning your call.  How can I help the FBI today?"
*****
"We need to move this facility into a secured environment," General Haverston insisted for what seemed like the tenth time of the day.
"Under what legal principles?"  Jim asked.
We had flown down to Austin two weekends after Thanksgiving and finished a half-day tour of our production facilities for the general, Special Agent Johnson, and a half-dozen Air Force and Pentagon officials.  Two of them were reviewing our materials audit processes in addition to the security audit they had insisted on.
"Something this sensitive has to be protected."
"It is being protected, as we've shown you today," I insisted.  "In fact, I would venture to say it is more secure here than on a military base."
The general scowled at me.  "You don't know anything about the security we would put in place."
I was tempted to tell him about the procedures I had learned a lifetime ago for the protection of nuclear weapons, but decided on a different tack instead.  "So you would guarantee two-person integrity for the process as well as material delivery?  You would have an outside audit every month for both access and material controls? You wouldn't rotate your guards to new assignments where they would blab what we were making?"
"Well, no on the guards.  We would have to rotate them naturally."
"Then you're introducing a security risk that does not exist today," Alison stated in her clipped British accent.  "We have very tight physical security.  We control access to the manufacturing process as well as the raw and finished materials.  Spreading knowledge of either serves no security purpose."
"Besides which," Jim said.  "You have yet to tell me the legal basis for your demand.  We are selling materials to a contractor with the U.S. government.  You have no cause to pierce privity.  We gave you this tour as a courtesy and in compliance with our contract with Lockheed.  Until you can show just legal cause for relocating our operations, I believe we will have to decline."
The general started to speak but Jim raised a hand to stop him.
"Additionally, if you force action we will invoke our cancellation for cause section of our contract with Lockheed.  Once that contract is canceled, we can sell to anyone on the open market.  Rather than make the people that know the process targets to international espionage, we would publish the process and the detailed characteristics of the material to remove any incentives for violence to our principal researchers."
"That's treason," the general shouted as he stood and slapped the table we were seated around.
Jim looked up at the thickset man impassively.  "No, General.  That is a promise to secure our own safety.  Moving our manufacturing actually increases the risk to Paul and his researchers as we have explained.  Until such time as we have probable cause to believe this facility has been compromised, we are safer keeping things here."
The general opened and closed his mouth for a moment, obviously trying to reign in his anger.  I did not think he was used to people talking back to him.  Finally, he found his words.  "We'll see about this.  I'll be briefing the Secretary of Defense on Monday.  Don't be surprised to be presented with an executive order classifying this operation, regardless of your contract with Lockheed."
Jim smiled.  "I suggest you review Section Four, paragraphs A through H in our contract before you make that recommendation, General.  You won't like the outcome."
Jim, Candace, and Kelly had spent considerable time on the termination section of the contract to protect both my ideas and my privacy and security.  It had been a major sticking point on the contract negotiations.
"I've always wanted to argue a case before the Supreme Court.  If you force Lockheed into breach with an executive order, that will be the venue to resolve the issue."  Jim's demeanor was as stony as I had ever seen it.
The general stared at him for a moment and then turned and left.  Several of his entourage followed, but Special Agent Johnson stayed behind.  Once the door closed, he actually smiled.
"I told the general it was not a good idea to confront you like that."
"Isn't he your boss?"  I asked.
"No.  I finished my rotation with the DOD.  I'm back in the field office officially now.  I told him your security here was tight, but he didn't want to listen."
"Really?"  Alison asked with an arched eyebrow.  "Would that be the explanation for the three attempts at the keypad on Dr. Wilkerson's key card last week?"
Special Agent Johnson blushed.  "I didn't think that looked like the doctor in the video surveillance tapes."
"Shit.  We didn't see any records of video being installed."
"Special Agent Johnson, is that a confession of attempted felony breaking and entering?"  Jim asked.
"Uhm, no.  We did pull public records to help assess the security of this installation, nothing more."  We all knew he was lying.
Alison smirked at him.  "If you want a complete briefing on our security, I suggest you call Lockheed and ask them to arrange it.  Even if you had guessed his key code, you would not have made it past the timed lock on the inner door.  In fact, you would have been trapped in there until the morning when staff arrived."
Special Agent Johnson paled.  An FBI agent caught in the conduct of a felony would face a lot of questions.  "Perhaps I should request that full review with Lockheed if there is continued interest in your security," he said finally.
He sighed and then looked at me.  "In the meantime, I'm the bearer of some bad news for you, Paul.  Some of the powers that be would prefer that you not travel to England over the holidays."
"What?"  Jim asked.
"We know you are in talks with Land Rover.  The general has raised a stink about national security.  If you try to fly out on a commercial airline, you'll be turned back for 'your own safety'."
"You're kidding me."  I said flatly.
He shook his head.  "Your techniques and knowledge are highly sensitive even if they are not officially classified.  You hold a Top Secret clearance now.  With that, there are some well-documented legal restrictions on travel outside the country."
"It's England, for Christ sake," Jim said.
Special Agent Johnson raised his hands.  "I'm just the messenger.  If the general had his way, no one would have mentioned it until you were at the airport and turned back."
"The prick."
"No need for that, Paul, even if it is the truth."
*****
"Why don't we just see if they can meet us here again?" Jeryl asked as I paced back and forth in my office.  I had been happy to see her when we got home from Austin, but was still too keyed up after telling her about the visit to actually relax with her.
"We could, but it's the principle of the thing that pisses me off.  I've done everything I can to do the right thing by our government and this is how I'm treated.  It's not fair."
"Since when has that stopped you?"  Jeryl asked coldly.  "It wasn't fair what my family put us through or the FBI put you through last year, or when you got hurt in football.  Every time you're faced with something that's 'not fair', you turn it to your advantage.  How is this any different?"
I stopped my pacing and looked at her.
"I'm sorry.  I don't know why my temper is so frayed.  I guess part of it is that I had to make that stupid trip and miss your birthday."  I stepped closer and gave her a hug and kiss.  "How can I make it up to you?"
"Well, the business cards with my new title on them were nice," she said with a smile.  "Now, if you could just figure out a way to make love to me in London on New Year's Eve, I might forgive you for missing my eighteenth birthday."
"What about your ski trip?  I thought you wanted to go with your sisters and Mom and dad."
"I'd rather be with you.  In London."
I held her and thought about it.  "Do you want to go to Detroit with me before Christmas?"
"Why?"  She had caught my tone of voice.
"It's only a three or four-hour drive from Detroit to Toronto.  You don't have to show a passport at the Canadian border.  If we fly in and out of Toronto, we could still go to London."
"Won't you get into trouble for that?"
"What can they do?  Pull my security clearance?  At this point I'd be glad for that.  What will your parents say if you don't go skiing?"
She hugged me.  "I'll probably get some disappointed looks, but Aunt Helen and Olivia are going so I'll probably be forgotten anyway.  I'm more worried about causing trouble for you."
"Well, I think a few nights at the Savoy would be a perfect belated birthday gift for you, kitten.  And for that, I'm willing to take the risk if you are."
*****
"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Sanford asked as we passed over the Canadian border on our drive to Toronto.
"Probably not, but I refuse to be a prisoner in my own country."  Jeryl squeezed my hand and gave me her wonderful, shy smile.
"Miss Wilson is not going to be happy," he said.
"That's why I didn't tell her about it.  You can call her after our flight leaves.  If she tries to blame you, I'll take care of it.  Besides, this is low risk from everything you guys have taught me.  We've secured seats and have the cancellations in those names and the re-booking in ours.  No one knows our plans, so they can't guess them.  You'll take us straight to the airport.  We'll check-in and be in the air before anyone knows we're still going."
"What about the other end?  Lord Harold knows you're coming."
"He knows someone is coming.  We said we'd send the particulars tomorrow, before the holidays."
Sanford shook his head.  "I still don't like this, but you're right that it should be low risk for your security."
We settled into silence for the remainder of the drive.  Jeryl managed to doze a little while I thought over some of the problems I had spent the past two days discussing with Ford's engineers.  It looked like we had a solid plan to test out the unibody fabrication, but it wouldn't be until we could actually do some crash tests that we would know for certain.  I wished for greater computing power for the hundredth time this week.
Sanford parked and escorted us to the first-class ticket counter of British Airways.  While our transaction was unusual, it was not unheard of, especially for celebrities.  The agent did not recognize us, but had obviously been through the process before.  Soon we had our boarding passes in hand and were off to the first-class lounge to await our flight.  Sanford stayed close and insisted on escorting us to the gate when our flight was announced.  We waved goodbye to him and headed for our seats.
Jeryl settled into the wide seat and surprised me by accepting the glass of champagne the hostess offered us.  I took one as well.  Jeryl smiled and clinked her glass to mine.  "To great adventures, love," she said.
"To great adventures with my love," I replied.  We sipped the champagne and then settled back for the flight.  I could imagine Sanford waiting until we took off and making his phone call to Alison.  I did not enjoy imagining her greeting us at Heathrow.
Once the cabin lights were dimmed after a light dinner service, Jeryl snuggled under a blanket and pulled my hand into her lap.  I stoked her thigh through the wool skirt she was wearing.
"You do know that you owe me eighteen orgasms on this trip, for my birthday, don't you?"  She whispered.
I inched my hand down her leg to the bottom of the skirt as I nodded.  "And I know that you want your first one before we get there, right?"
She smiled and leaned over to kiss me as I slipped my fingers beneath her skirt and was soon stroking higher along her silk covered thigh.  I was pleased to feel the warmth of her pussy without any obstructions as I traced one garter up her leg.  Gently, I dipped a finger in to brush against her clit and begin stoking her softly.  She purred and laid her head on my shoulder.  I fingered her slowly, enjoying her growing frustration as she fidgeted in her seat.  Twice, I stopped abruptly as the stewardess walked down the aisle checking on the passengers.  On her second pass, she gave me a knowing look and a saucy wink.  Jeryl pushed my palm against her as soon as she was gone.
"Please, Paul.  I'm so close," she whispered.  I got back to work.
Jeryl's orgasm hit her suddenly.  I loved the flush that spread down her neck as I felt her stomach and pussy clench and spasm around my finger.  I continued to stroke her slowly and quickly built her back up to a second orgasm.  She gasped for that one, and pulled my hand away.  She gave me another kiss and then seductively lifted my fingers to her mouth and licked them clean of her spend.
"That's two down, sixteen to go, lover," she whispered after giving me another kiss.  "If we get the chance, I'll take care of you before we get there, too."  With that, she snuggled against my shoulder, slipped her hand below my blanket, cupped my erection gently, and then fell asleep.
Jeryl did not manage to make me cum during the flight, though she came close a couple of times.  Unfortunately, each time the nosy stewardess walked the aisle at an inopportune time.  By the time we landed and got off the plane, I was as frustrated as Alison looked standing at our gate.
"Paul, I cannot believe you did this," she said without preamble as we stopped by her.
"Alison, we did it, so please let it go.  We are here for a week.  We will meet with Land Rover.  We will enjoy the city and sights, and then we will fly back to Toronto, drive back to Detroit and deal with whatever the government decides to do."
She was taken aback by my forceful tone.  I don't think she had ever heard me use it before.  Jeryl hugged my arm.
"I'm sorry, Alison.  I didn't want to risk alerting you before we were in the air in case big brother was monitoring me.  You know their restrictions are asinine.  If you feel we need to sever our relationship because of this, I'll understand."  I tried to sound sincere.
Alison frowned at us both.  "We'll discuss this further, but not in the middle of the airport.  I've arranged transport.  Let's get your bags and go."
"We have reservations at the Savoy," I said.
"I know."  She turned and started walking down the concourse, leaving us no option but to follow.  Soon we had collected our bags and were hustled into a Range Rover.  It was obvious that it had been modified according to my specifications.  Alison saw my smirk.  "Yes, my firm has purchased several of your modified Range Rovers.  If you must know, Land Rover approached us first after we used them on a few jobs over here."
"Thank you for the introduction, then."
Alison frowned again and made a harrumphing sound.  She looked over her shoulder at me and then shook her head.  "I guess I forgot you're still both teenagers, and all the poor judgment that entails."
I was ready to argue, but Jeryl stopped me with a firm squeezing of my hand.  "Alison, if the British government told you that you could not meet with Paul or provide security for us, would you drop us as a client?"
"It would depend on their reason."
"What if it was because Paul refused to share information with the British companies he wants to do business with?"
"They would never do that."
"But if they did, would you drop us?"
Alison was silent.
"Liberty, once lost, is lost forever."  I quoted softly.  "John Adams said that before our country existed.  What sort of person would I be if I let them dictate where I could go and whom I could talk to?"
Alison shook her head.  "I can understand the thinking, but I can't condone the actions, Paul.  I'm responsible for your safety.  I think there is a real risk of them arresting you when you return."
"I hope not.  But if they do, they are not going to like the headlines they read afterward."
*****
London was cool with clear skies and Jeryl and I took great advantage of it.  Alison made sure we were safe in the Savoy after we promised to not go out without an escort.  Jeryl wasted no time after her departure from collecting on orgasms three through ten and giving me a few along the way.  It was a wonderful, languishing lovemaking session that lasted well into the night.  The room service staff probably assumed we were honeymooning.
The next day, Christmas Eve, we went out for some last minute gift shopping and then paid a premium to the concierge for front center tickets to Cats in the West End.  It was a fairy tale day in the city that ended with a late dinner back in our room.
Christmas day was quiet.  We stayed in the hotel all day and I finished paying my sexual debt to my delightfully erotic girlfriend.  We did make an appearance in the luxurious art deco dining room for a traditional English Christmas dinner.  We even enjoyed a bottle of wine before heading back up to our suite.  Before bed, we called home to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.
Boxing Day was another new experience for us.  Lord Harold had insisted that we join him and his family in the country for the day.  Alison took us herself, refusing to detail any of her staff on the holiday.  Lord Harold was a large man with ruddy complexion and cliché mutton-chop side burns, but he was a charming host along with his daughter, Catherine.
Catherine kept us busy with questions about life in America and our plans for school.  She had just started at Cambridge and cornered Alison once she learned she was a graduate of the school.  Jeryl and I took a slow stroll around the country estate's grounds after lunch and all too soon headed back into the city with promises to see Lord Harold the next day for our meetings.
By the time we met with Land Rover, we had a very solid agreement in principle in place.  I provided them plans and contracts for materials at cost to start doing factory conversions of the four door range rover.  They would sell these modified vehicles at our agreed upon price and both parties would split the profits.
Lord Harold smiled as we initialed the draft agreement.  "Our preliminary research says we can get a hundred thousand U.S. per vehicle, Paul.  What do you think of that?"
"What sort of profit margin?"
His eyes twinkled.  "Seventy-five percent.  We think we can modify the production line to build this version and actually drive cost out of our production.  I've talked to sales and marketing quietly, and they are estimating demand at over one-fifty in the first year."
"One fifty?"  Jeryl asked.
"Thousand," he clarified.
"Over five million cleared in the first year," I said.  "Not bad for a holiday trip abroad."
Lord Harold laughed.  "And that's just the start, my young friend.  We want to continue discussions on licensing your whole portfolio.  If our cost savings play out, the higher ups in the company may very well insist we license it.  The boffins are pretty keen to keep adding your technology to some of our other offerings."
"I'll always take your call, Lord Harold."
We shook hands and headed back to the Savoy.  Jeryl jumped me as soon as the door to our suite closed.  "You would not believe how horny watching you work with them got me," she said between kisses.  We were both in business attire, but moved quickly to rectify that situation.
"You weren't any too shabby yourself, love," I said as I slipped her skirt off her and admired the red garter belt and black stockings framing her delectable sex.  "If they knew what you were wearing under that suit, they would probably have dragged discussions out for days hoping to catch a glimpse."  I bent over and kissed her nipples before grabbing her and heading to the bed.
I lost myself in her tasty snatch for minutes, licking her to multiple orgasms before sliding up her body and slipping my raging hard-on into her.
"Oh Paul, fuck me good," she moaned.
I did my best, barely squeezing another orgasm from her before filling her with my seed.  Afterward, we lay in each other's arms and I slowly stroked her shoulder and arm with occasional detours to tweak her nipples.
"I'll give you an hour to stop doing that," she teased.
She was true to her word.
The remainder of our week was filled with shopping and sightseeing.  We took in a few more shows and many nice dinners before retreating to our suite to privately usher in the New Year.  Jeryl coaxed four orgasms from me, three before midnight and the last, in her delightful rear-end just after the New Year arrived.
*****
We were both exhausted from our adventures by the time we arrived back in Toronto on the first of January, 1983.  Sanford was waiting for us.  As I helped him with the bags, he thanked me for making sure Alison knew he was given no choice in the planning of our little adventure.
We were surprised to see Kelly in the Range Rover waiting for us.
"What's up sis?"  I asked as we climbed in.
She glared at me.  "Dad thought it might be a good idea for you to be travelling with an attorney when you get back into the U.S.  We had a few calls from some irate officials last week."
"Really?" I asked, trying to sound innocent.  I reached into my briefcase and pulled out some papers.  "If they stop us, give them this."  It was a copy of the U.S. Constitution.  "And make sure Sanford snaps lots of pictures."  I knew they kept a high-end camera in the car for any surveillance they needed to document.
"Don't you think that's a bit melodramatic?"  Kelly asked.
I shrugged.  "I thought about this a bit before going to London.  I can't afford to let them win or I'll essentially be a research slave for the military.  Title 49 of the U.S. code guarantees U.S. citizens the right to travel through our own airspace.  No foreign power has denied my right to enter their country.  What that general is trying to do is unconstitutional."
Kelly patted my arm.  "We have a few more concrete arguments as well, if it comes to that."
Of course it did.  We stopped at the border checkpoint and were immediately waved over to a white building alongside the road.  Two men in suits were waiting for us inside.
"Paul Taylor?" The first asked.  I nodded.  "We have been sent by the attorney general's office to take you into custody for violations of Title 50 of the U.S. Code relating to your security clearance."
Kelly stepped forward and held out her hand.  "I assume you have a warrant?  I am Mr. Taylor's attorney."
The men exchanged glances and then handed some paperwork to Kelly.  She flipped through it quickly.  "This writ does not satisfy your burden of proof of wrongdoing and is inaccurate in the particulars of my client's clearance application."
"We'll let the judge decide that."
"I'm sure he's in his chambers on New Year's day," Kelly said with a sneer.  "If you hold my client without bail and in violation of his rights, your names and faces will be plastered on every news broadcast in America."
"I'd like to make my phone call," I said to try and keep things from escalating too fast.
"When we get you down town, kid."
I shrugged and kept my mouth shut which seemed to surprise Kelly as well as Jeryl.  Soon I was in a government car with the two agents while Sanford followed with Kelly and Jeryl.  At the federal courthouse I was taken into an interview room rather than a holding cell.
Kelly joined me a few minutes later.  Her cheeks were red and there was fire in her eye.  "Have they given you your phone call yet?"
"No.  They said I was not yet officially charged and since my attorney was present, they did not need to allow a call."
Kelly snorted.  "Well, I'll go make a few then.  Don't say anything to anyone until I'm back in here and don't sign anything."
"Like I would."
"I know, but I have to warn you."
She tapped on the door and left.  I knew who she was calling.  Before I had left, we had planted a few seeds with some news agencies.  She was going to sprinkle a little water on them.  Nothing that would violate any security agreements or reveal any secrets, but would probably light up several switchboards with reporters asking for comment.
I was left alone for about an hour before she returned.  One of the surly agents accompanied her.
"Paul, I've filed for an immediate hearing regarding the validity of this warrant.  Given that the judge who signed it is not available, we're going to see another judge who pulled the weekend duty."
"That paper is sound, lady."  The agent growled.
"Hardly.  And as you said, we'll let a judge decide.  Oh, by the way I hope your boss doesn't mind the calls he's getting right now," she said with a smirk.
He started to ask what she meant by that when his partner opened the door and called him out.
"What was that about?"
Kelly smiled.  "It's my understanding that Senator Dixon was calling on the Attorney General at home asking for an explanation of why one of his constituents was being detained and forbidden his constitutional right for unencumbered travel.  Dad was working on your other senator and your representative as well.  Cynthia is reaching out to our Detroit connections, but I think that will take a bit longer to filter through the switchboards.  Finally, a dozen reporters received tips that the DOD was persecuting an eighteen-year-old high-school student.  It's a slow news day, so you can bet the reporters are looking for a good scoop."
I shook my head and smiled.  It was what I had planned, but it was still amazing at how quick Kelly and Jim executed it.
The goons came back into the room and told us the judge was ready to meet with us in chambers.  We got up and followed them through the building.
Judge Zimmwalt was an older black man with silver hair around his head.  He was in casual clothes in recognition of the holiday and did not look any too pleased to have to turn off his television with a football game playing to listen to our case.
Once we were all seated, he cleared his throat and spoke in a soft, but resonant tone.  A court reporter was in the corner with a stenography machine.  "At the request of the government, we are meeting in chambers rather than open court due to the sensitive nature of the discussion regarding classified material.  However, you should all treat this as an extension of my courtroom, so act accordingly.  Is that clear?"
"It is, your honor," Kelly said.
"Yes, your honor," the taller man from the government said.
"For the record, who is before the bench?"
"Kelly Daniels for the defendant, Paul Taylor, your honor."
"Terrance Prescott for the government, your honor."
"Very well.  I have the brief before me, but Mr. Prescott why don't you summarize the government's position for me?"
"Yes, your honor.  The government has probable cause that the defendant did violate his security clearance agreement by willfully traveling outside the United States without prior approval by the issuing agency, to wit, the U.S. Air Force.  Travel restrictions were clearly delineated in the security clearance application he completed this fall."
Prescott handed a copy of the security clearance application to the judge and another to Kelly.  Kelly flipped to the second to last page, and then closed the file.
The judge took a moment to look over the file as Prescott continued.  "Section Twelve, Paragraphs A through G clearly state the prohibitions on the holder of the clearance once it has been granted.  Paul Taylor's clearance was granted on December 11th of last year, your honor.  He was bound by this agreement."
The judge finished reading the document and looked at Kelly.  "This does seem pretty clear, Miss Daniels."
"If that were the application my client completed and submitted to the government, I would agree.  However, here is a notarized copy of the paperwork actually turned over to both Lockheed and the U.S. Air Force."  She pulled a copy of my original application from her briefcase and handed it to the judge.  "I apologize, but I was not given access to a copier to make additional copies for the government.  If you look at Section Twelve, you will see several strike outs and initials in my clients' own hand.  He also hand-numbered and initialed each page to ensure the complete document was included in the agreement.  Finally, to clearly state his position on the matter, he added the addendum as the last page of the document stating that should his modifications not be acceptable to the government, they should consider his application for a clearance to be withdrawn."
"Given that the government has stated the clearance was granted, they have agreed to his changes on the application.  Please note that the stricken paragraphs include seeking permission to visit or interact with foreign nationals for business or tourist purposes."
The judge actually smiled as he looked up at the clearly uncomfortable Mr. Prescott.  "Counselor, is it true that this is the agreement Mr. Taylor submitted to the government for his clearance?"
Prescott paled further.  "I don't know, your honor.  I was not given the complete file."
"And just what secret of Mr. Taylor's is so dear to the government?"
"I'm not cleared to know, your honor."
The judge arched an eyebrow.
"Until such time as the government can present evidence that this copy of the application is not the one that was processed for the granting of the clearance, I rule that there is not cause to detain the defendant.  Case dismissed."
Kelly smiled and gave me a quick hug.  I thanked the judge with a nod and Kelly and I made our exit from chambers.
*****
"Victor, I don't care what your timeline calls for.  We have provided the initial quantity of material governed by the contract.  So long as I have to deal with the idiot general, I'm going to shut down the production line.  You have no guarantees of volume in our agreement.  I've checked with Candace on this.  We are in the clear.  I won't sell to anyone else, but nothing says I have to produce anything beyond your initial order, which has been filled."  Two weeks had passed and if anything, the harassment from the DOD had increased since Detroit.
"Paul, let's just calm down.  Yes, the general has a hard-on for you for some reason.  He sees our program as his path to a third star, but only so long as he is clearly in control of it.  Our boss, Ben is talking to some folks in the Pentagon this week.  He may be able to get things under control."
"Good luck with that.  We had two attempts at breaking and entry at our Austin plant.  I'm pretty sure they were not simple crooks.  The general believes he can give us a breech and then force me to move production under his control.  If the line isn't running and the process is dismantled, there can be no breech even if they get inside.  That's what I'm telling my staff to do.  Shut down."
"Shit."  Victor said.  "Okay, shut things down and I'll send the message up the chain.  You do realize that you may be ending that man's career, don't you?"
"He's doing it to himself.  You know our security is tight.  He just wants control and credit.  I'm not giving that up."
"Okay.  I'll keep you posted on any developments."
Our call ended and I looked around the office for something to throw.  Instead I saw Jeryl smiling at me from her desk.
"You make me so hot when you get demanding," she said as she stood and closed for a kiss and hug.  "If Jim weren't next door, I'd be fucking you silly right now."
I kissed her and let the anger drain from my body.  After a few minutes, we parted.  "Thanks, I needed that hug.  I don't know what I'd do without you here to calm me down."
Jeryl laughed and stoked my chest.  "Well, I don't want you too calm," she said.
Just then, Jim came into our office with a soft knock.  "Hey you two, how is it going?"
"I just told Lockheed we were shutting down production.  Victor was none too happy."
"I imagine not.  I'm not sure what you'll think of this, Paul, but you've been subpoenaed to appear before the Senate Armed Service Committee."
"What?"
Jim pulled out an official looking letter.  "It looks like they would appreciate you testifying in closed session regarding classified materials relating to a contract with Lockheed."
"Wow.  When do we need to go there?"
"It looks like next week.  I was wondering if we wanted to kill two birds with one stone so to speak."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you know Candace is talking to Gulfstream about some of our materials work.  The aluminum doped coating is of specific interest to them.  They offered to fly us down to meet with them in Savannah, but I bet they would fly us down there and then up to D.C. if we asked."
"No fair," Jeryl said with a pout.  "You get to miss school and fly a private jet all over the country?"
I laughed and hugged her.  "Trust me; I'd rather go to school than testify before Congress."
*****
The Senate chamber for the Armed Services Committee was intimidating even when it was mostly empty.  Since I was testifying in a closed session, only the senators and a couple of staffers were in the room.  Everyone's full name was read into the record and we were admonished that this session was classified top secret, not to be discussed without written approval and punishable by up to ten years in federal prison.  It was intimidating.
Jim sat next to me and gave me an encouraging smile as I was sworn in.  The chairman opened the questioning.
"Mr. Taylor, we have been briefed on the Lockheed project you are associated with and understand that it is your compound that provides significant low-observable characteristics to the aircraft."
"That is correct, sir."
"And that you developed this compound on your own with no government assistance."
"That is correct, sir."
His questions droned on for several minutes, essentially putting the past six months officially into the record.  Finally he got to the meat of the meeting.
"Now then, it is this committee's understanding that you have unilaterally stopped producing this special compound, effectively stopping development of a significant capability for the U.S. Air Force that it needs in these uncertain times."
Jim jotted a note on his legal pad and pointed to it.  It said, "Timing".  We shut down the same day we were subpoenaed.  This could not have been their original line of questioning.  I quickly gathered my thoughts.
"No sir, I did not stop production unilaterally."  Several committee members leaned forward with the first signs of interest.  "Pursuant to the agreement I have in place with Lockheed, we stopped production due to a material security risk.  My plant in Texas experienced two attempted break-ins in the week prior to ceasing production.  Our contract clearly states that PT Innovations bears sole responsibility for the protection of the materials manufacturing process.  Given the evident security threat, I stopped production to safeguard both the finished product as well as the process for manufacturing it."
"If security is the issue, why have you refused to move your plant into government facilities as the Air Force requested."
"It is my belief that the break-ins were attempted by the Air Force, sir."
A murmur ran through the chamber.
"Can you substantiate that claim, young man?"  One member asked.
"Sufficiently to prosecute?  No.  But the circumstantial evidence is quite compelling.  On the evening of January seventh, an intruder attempted to access the outer area of our facility.  Access to this area requires a keycard as well as a key code that is known only to the card holder.  The card that was used in this attempt was reported missing earlier that day after a joint Lockheed and Air Force team had conducted their monthly material audit.  No other people had access to the individual whose card was stolen.  That attempt failed when the key code was incorrectly entered three times in a row.  Our system locks out access and notifies our security team if a key code is entered incorrectly three times.  Our video surveillance of the area does not provide sufficient detail of the person's face to gain a positive ID, but the height and body characteristics match those of one of the Air Force auditors."
"The second attempt was better organized, but also failed.  This effort penetrated the outer area of our facility by removing ventilation covers from the roof and accessing the duct work inside the building.  Our facility is designed so only the outer area where we package product is ventilated directly outside.  All of the sensitive areas are in-turn ventilated into the outer area.  Once the perpetrators gained access to the outer area, they attempted to circumvent the key-card and key-code locks on the inner secure area.  What they did not know was that our ventilation ducts were monitored as well.  My security team notified local law enforcement of the break-in.  The perpetrators received a radio call aborting their attempt and fled the building before law enforcement arrived.  Both of the men involved in this attack were masked and not recognizable on our surveillance feeds.  However, one of them removed a glove during the attempt to circumvent the keypad system.  My security team captured the print.  It matches that of the Air Force sergeant who was part of the security audit the week prior to this attempt.  While the sergeant had no reason to touch the key-pad during his official visit, we cannot rule it out, so this is still circumstantial evidence at best."
"And why would the Air Force want to break into your facility?"
I recounted our visit with them in December and then the border incident.  "General Haverston has been antagonistic ever since we initially refused to move production to a facility under his control.  Our inquires to the Attorney General's office indicate that the request for a warrant for my arrest originated from his offices as well."
Several senators traded looks.  It was clear this was a different story than they had been told.  The chairman leaned over to whisper to the senator on his left.  The other man nodded and then motioned for his aide.  The aide listened for a minute and then hurried from the chamber.  The chairman returned his gaze to me.
"And what are your reasons for refusing to move your production facilities?"
I went over my arguments for the record.  When I was finished, Jim stepped in.  "In addition to those practical arguments, our contract is with Lockheed for the supply of a specific material.  Neither they or the Air Force has purchased the rights to the process for creating that material.  Forcing production to move to a government controlled facility would be de facto theft of that process that could be conservatively valued at over a billion dollars."
That number got everyone's attention.
"Given my client's interest in protecting his intellectual property, he has taken measures commensurate with the value of that property."
There were a few more questions before we were dismissed.  As we exited the chamber, I was surprised to see Victor from Lockheed in the hallway.
"How did it go?" he asked after shaking our hands.
"As well as could be expected," Jim said.  "What brings you out here?"
"I'm on their docket today as well.  Ben is going over the entire project budget with them, but I'll need to speak to the impacts your production stoppage will have on the budget.  I heard you were here and thought I'd try to catch you real quick."
"About what?"
"Haverston.  He is trying to blame you for all the cost overruns on the project."
"Really?"
Victor nodded.  "Ben is royally pissed at him.  My testimony will show that the low-observable coating is the only area under our original estimates.  Your coating saved us a ton of money in R&D."
I smiled.  "You shouldn't have told me that.  Candace might insist on a price increase to offset our growing security costs."
Victor groaned, but did it with a grin.  "Well, Lockheed wants you to know that we are very happy with our relationship with you.  We will stand behind you."
*****
Jim and I got back home, compliments of Gulfstream.  I was excited about our talks with them.  Application of our coating to specific parts of their jet could have dramatic benefits in terms of weight reduction and improved wear.  I had offered to host them in Deer Valley over spring break.  I had promised Jeryl a ski trip then and wanted to kill two birds with one stone again.
A couple of weeks after testifying, I got another call from Victor.
"You should be safe to start up production, Paul.  You favorite Air Force General has been forcibly retired."
"Really?"
"Really.  The Armed Forces Committee takes a very dim view on senior officers who lie under oath.  Especially when they are testifying before them."



Chapter Nineteen
Future Challenges
*****
Jeryl fell atop of me as the last spurt of cum shot into her throbbing pussy.  Her hot, sweaty breasts pressed against me as she kissed my chin and lips.  "God you make me feel so good," she finally whispered.
We were at the Hilton in Chicago again.  Celebrating Valentine's Day this time.  Of course, we were a couple days early since the actual day fell on a Monday and we both had school, but she had wanted to escape alone, so I had made arrangements to fly up Saturday morning and then drive back on Sunday.  We had taken in a show Saturday night and then retreated to our rooms for much lovemaking.
"Do you think we'll be this close out in California," she asked in a soft voice.
"Of course.  Why?"  I looked into her eyes.
"It's going to be different.  We'll have no classes together, and I can't imagine it will be as easy as high school has been.  You know we're both going to want to do well in class.  I just want to make sure we take time for each other, too."
"We will.  I promise.  If my course load starts to feel like too much, I'll drop some classes.  When we visited there, I was intrigued by their program where you can design an individual major.  I might learn more about that after we get there and not try to double major."
"What about me, though?  You're brilliant.  I'm going to have to work a lot harder to make it out there than I do here."
I hugged her against me.  "You're brilliant, too.  You'll see the first time they start talking business that you have as much real world experience as some of your professors."
"I hope so.  What do you think it will be like living in the dorms?"
"A pain in the ass," I said.  "Once we get our bearings out there, I'll buy us a place near campus so we can get out of the dorms."
"You just want to live in sin with me, mister."  She wiggled against me and I felt my erection start to revive.
"Always," I replied with another kiss.
"Do you remember our conversation about trying a threesome?" she asked softly.
I nodded.
"Maybe I'll have a hot roommate we can try that with.  Would you like fucking me while she went down on me?"  She slid down my body as she spoke.  "Or maybe you want her to blow you while I go down on her," she said just before slipping my dick into her mouth.
I groaned at the sensation she created with her tongue and gentle suction.
"Do you think I'm a nasty slut for thinking about that?"  She asked finally.
"No," I gasped as she took me into her throat in a single swallow.
"What if I told you I wanted you to tie me up and do whatever you wanted with me?  Would that make me a slut?"  She scooted up and straddled me as she spoke.  Her delightful breasts were just outside kissing range as she slipped my hard cock inside her once again.
"No," I managed as she settled atop me.
"Really?"
"Really."  She began riding me gently, pressing her hands against my chest as I reached around her to cup her ass.  "I'll do anything in my power to make you happy.  If you want to play a little, we will."
"I get so turned on when you take charge in business.  I dream of you closing a deal and then ravishing me on a big boardroom table.  Does that make me sick?"
In answer, I moved my hands to her shoulders and rolled over so she was under me.  Her legs wrapped around my back, but I quickly moved them so her knees hung over my arms as I began pounding into her.  "Is this how I take you?"  I asked as she thrashed her head and clutched my shoulders.
"Oh, yes.  Paul, fuck me hard."
I kept at it, watching her rise toward another orgasm.  Just when she was close, I pulled out.  Jeryl moaned in disappointment until the head of my cock pushed against her tight asshole.  I thrust forward and she squealed.  Her juices coating me were barely enough lubrication, but the tight grip of her ass consumed me.  I thrust into her and moved one hand to stroke her clit.  It only took a moment before her orgasm washed over her and pulled me under for the third time of the night.
We collapsed on the bed again and held each other.
"That is exactly what I was talking about," she cooed as she kissed my ear.
*****
Spring semester is boring for every senior, but more so for me.  I finished any assignments in class or immediately after school and filled my evenings going over some plans for Gulfstream in advance of our March meeting.  I was really looking forward to getting back out to Park City for some spring skiing and to see if we could improve the fuel efficiency of aircraft engines using some new materials.  Gulfstream used Rolls-Royce engines, which is why our meeting had grown by three more engineers.  With the meeting seeming to grow every week, I decided to put the guests up in a Hotel in Park City and just have Jeryl, Candace and I stay in the house, along with whomever Alison assigned for security.  As it was, Jeryl and I would have the house to ourselves for the weekend before the meeting.  I had a few plans for my delightful girlfriend for those days.
We flew out Saturday morning and were settling into the house before lunch.  We had splurged over Thanksgiving and purchased ski gear, which was waiting for us in the ski locker.  Mrs. Eccles had lunch waiting as well.  Part of the property fees included four lift tickets for the mountain, so we were able to get a full afternoon of skiing in.
Blue bird skiing is what the locals call it.  We had a couple of inches of fresh powder from the night before, but the skies were crystal clear and a brilliant blue as we cut down the groomed slopes.  Jeryl's laugh made me smile as she sashayed down the mountain in front of me.
After our last trip up the lift, we skied down to the house and stripped down to our Diamond Skin base layer.  Jeryl looked incredibly sexy in the outfit and I gave her a soft wolf whistle.  She responded with a full body hug and a kiss that left me breathless.  She stroked her hand along my rising erection and gave me a little smile.  I grabbed her and lifted her over my shoulder as she shrieked and pretended to beat my back.
I carried her up to the master suite, closed and locked the doors behind me, and then threw her down on the bed.
"What are you planning, you beast?"  She asked as she licked her lips.
I just smiled at her and then pulled a couple of things I had concealed in the nightstand.  Her eyes got wide just before I covered them with a black silk handkerchief.  "I think tonight is the perfect time to tie my little vixen up and have my way with her."
"Paul, I'm all sweaty from skiing and travel.  Let me take a shower first."
She started to get up, but I gently pushed her down.
"Let me worry about that.  You're mine today to do with as I wish."
I reached for the hem of her top and pulled it up to reveal her tight stomach and breasts.  She lifted her arms and I peeled the top off of her.  Soon her bottoms followed along with the wispy silk panties she had on beneath them.  She tried to get off the bed again, but I pushed her back in place.
"Let's not be hasty, love.  You'll get cleaned up.  But first, I think you need a few lessons."  She gasped as I slipped another long scarf around her wrist and quickly tied her arm to the bed.  The second followed.  I had not been a big fan of the poster bed the first time Sylvia showed it to me, but as I looked at Jeryl, naked, testing the bonds secured to those posts, I decided I definitely liked it.
I moved to catch first one leg, and then the other.  By the time she was fully spread eagle on the bed, her breathing was rapid and her nipples were hard.  I stroked a hand from her thigh to the calf and then softly flicked her nipples.  She groaned and writhed enticingly.
I moved away from her and put on some soft music before heading into the bathroom and starting to fill the soaking tub.  I returned with a warm washcloth and gave her a simple whore's bath as she struggled to push herself against my hands.  "Now, now, kitten, you need to just relax and enjoy.  I'm in charge of you now."
She moaned as I stroked her moist slit and then backed away to drink in the sight of her again.  "God you're beautiful," I said softly.  She smiled and tried to roll her hips my way.
I opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out a few things.  Jyl had actually borrowed them for me.  The first was her slim blue butt plug.  I applied some lube to it and then sat on the edge of the bed and began stroking her pussy.  Once her juices were flowing, I slipped my fingers lower and teased her ass.  She tried to grind down against my fingers, but I pulled away.  I continued her torment for a few minutes and then deftly slipped the butt pug inside her.
"Oh, that feels nice," she moaned.
I went back to teasing her clit and nipples, gently raising her arousal.  I could tell she was getting close when I stopped and stood up.
"I think I'll have a shower since you've had your bath already."
She moaned in frustration and pulled at her restraints as I headed back into the bathroom.  I stopped filling the soaking tub and stepped into the large marble shower to quickly clean off.  I came back to the bedroom with a towel around my waist and admired my struggling vixen for a few minutes.  I moved closer and kneeled on one side of the bed.
"I think I could use a little relief now.  How about you?"
"Oh Paul, you've got me so hot."
"Good."  I dropped my towel and swung over her face so my cock was positioned right at her mouth.  "Show me how hot you are, kitten."
She captured the head of my cock in her lips and slowly sucked me in as I scooted higher on the bed.  When my prick hit the back of her throat, she swallowed and began humming as she tried to bob her head.  I didn't really have a burning desire to dominate any woman, let alone Jeryl, but the sight of her sucking my dick while blindfolded and tied to the bed was incredibly erotic.  Soon, I was shooting down her throat.  I pulled out of her mouth and let the last spurt land on her chin and neck.  She struggled with the bonds, trying to find some release.
I stayed straddling her, but reached back to tease her clit and pussy as my breathing returned to normal.  It took almost no time before she was close to orgasm and I stopped to clean her up.
"You're killing me, Paul.  Please let me come," she whined.
"Oh, you will kitten, but not until I'm ready for you to."  I kissed her ear and neck and slowly licked my way down her torso.  I spent several minutes on first one nipple, then the other before continuing my descent.  I thought I had set her off when my tongue first touched her clit.  She thrashed up, trying to increase the contact, but I pulled back.  Once she settled down, I licked her slowly again.  She moaned in pleasure.  I worked her with my tongue slowly, building her up and then moving to kiss her toes or her knees.  Every once in a while, I'd reach up and play with the butt-plug.
I kept her on the edge of orgasm for almost forty minutes before kneeling between her legs and probing her sopping pussy with my hard cock.  She whimpered, afraid it was more teasing as I slowly slid into her.  I pulled back and thrust forward as I kissed her nipples again.  She thrashed beneath me and I started rhythmic thrusting into her.  Her orgasm hit with a scream and she pushed up against me.  I continued to fuck her, pushing through her clasping pussy and stroking her sides.  Another violent clenching grabbed me and then I felt my cum rising up.  I thrust deeply into her, and then collapsed on top of her.  She continued to shudder delightfully beneath me.  I stayed there until she was completely done and then pulled out slowly.  Another small shudder raced through her as I pulled out the butt plug before untying her feet.
As soon as one arm was free, she ripped off the blindfold and grabbed me for a one-armed hug and a passionate kiss.  "That was amazing, love.  Thank you."
"It was my pleasure, ma'am," I said with a grin.
*****
"What are you working on now, my genius lover?" Jeryl asked as she stepped into the office wearing a tight fitting grey Diamond Skin top and a pair of black panties.
She had been out skiing as I finished up an engineering discussion with some of the engineers from Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce.  I pushed back from my desk and pulled her into my lap for a kiss.
"Nothing much.  I like your outfit, though."
She laughed.  "I thought you might."  She grabbed my face in her hands and kissed me deeply before pulling back to look in my eyes.  "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For everything.  I love you.  I get to live a dream life with a man I love who is changing the world.  You've made dreams come true for me that I didn't even know I had."
"I'm glad, and I love you too, but I'm not sure I understand a word you're saying."
She laughed again.  "I rode a lift up with three other girls this morning.  Two of them were raving about their new Diamond Skin tops with the built in bras.  I didn't say a thing, but I kept looking at the logo I created less than two years ago on the turtle necks of their tops and couldn't help but smile.  What other senior in the whole world has a logo they created with their boyfriend identifying the hottest selling sportswear that she also helped design?  It made me realize how lucky I am and how much I love you for what you've given me."
I smiled and gave her a hug.  "I love you, too, kitten.  I always have and always will.  You inspire me every day, even if I don't mention it enough."
We kissed again and then she stood back up and leaned over the desk to see what I had been looking at.  I took advantage and ran my fingers up the sleek muscles of her thigh and tight ass.
"Stop that," she said with a playful slap at my hand.  "So, what were you working on?"
"I was going over some of Dr. Carmichael's latest report.  He took the nanotube resin from our base formula and was able to work it into a silica aerogel.  It has some pretty amazing thermal properties."
"And if you were only going to get inside my panties when I could explain that, what would you tell me?"  She wiggled her rear enticingly at me as she looked over her shoulder and asked.
I licked my lips and enjoyed the view for a moment.  "I'd ask what we could do with something lighter than Styrofoam, stronger than steel, and able to take the place of a thermal tile on the space shuttle."
"What could you do with something like that?"
"How about a jet engine that weighs a hundred pounds?  A power turbine that weighs pounds instead of tons?  There are thousands of applications."
"Which one interests you most?"
"Jet engines."  I answered immediately.
"Why?"
"Turbine engines are starting to be used everywhere, from ships and jets, to power plants.  If I could improve them significantly, we could stretch our fuel reserves further."  I also knew that linear fusion could feed high temperature turbines for power extraction.
Jeryl smiled and turned to face me as she leaned back against the desk.  "Well, I could understand all that, so I guess you do want to get in my panties," she said with a smile.
"Always."
She gave me a quick kiss and then scampered toward the door.  "Only if you can catch me," she said with a laugh.
I caught her just inside the doorway of the master suite.
*****
"Paul, what are your plans for summer?"  Mom asked as I joined her and Jim at the dinner table one evening in late April.  My pace at school had slowed considerably, while I had been careful not to take on too much work for my business.  Aside from some correspondence with Ford on their new SUV line and Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce on airframe and engine proposals, I had not taken on any new work.  It was a much more relaxed and sustainable pace than I had worked at over the past three years.
"I don't know, Mom.  Why?"
"Well, most normal kids are working the summer before starting school to build up some cash reserves.  You don't need to do that.  Others want to travel before settling into college.  You've already done quite a bit of that as well.  I'm just wondering what you're planning on before starting out at Stanford."
I dug into my dinner and thought about it for a little bit.  "Do you guys mind if I spend a bit of money?"
"It's your money," Jim said.
"How much is a bit," Mom asked over the top of him.
I smiled.  "Not a tremendous amount.  I was thinking about sailing around the Channel Islands between Seattle, Victoria, and Vancouver.  Maybe go as far north as Ketchikan Alaska."
Jim nodded his head.  "It's beautiful country up there.  What sort of boat do you have in mind?"
I shrugged.  "I don't know.  I don't know what sorts of charters are available.  I know Alison will insist on sending someone along with me.  I might start it after Jeryl's family trip to Michigan.  That way I'll be home for the 4th traditions."
Mom frowned.  "Actually, we may not be here.  We were talking about taking an Alaskan cruise for our anniversary.  We'd be gone from the end of June until the middle of July.  Of course, we could always take you and Kelly with us, if you don't mind sharing a stateroom."
I shrugged again.  I found myself hating the habit, but realized it was a hard one to break.  "I'd be fine with that if Kelly was.  Hasn't she met anyone yet?"
Jim shook his head.  "I think she's keeping some potential boyfriends at bay with her impending move to California.  Kelly has always kept her feelings pretty well guarded.  With the world she found herself thrown into over the past few years, it's hard for her to not think men have dollar signs in their eyes when they ask her out."
"I guess I didn't help that any with her new car," I said.
I had purchased five Maserati Bora coupes and performed conversions on them with the help of the local shop that we had used for the Range Rover conversions.  Kelly, who had never been comfortable in the Range Rover, got the first of them.  It was painted bright red.  I made certain she knew it was not radar invisible and that she had to pay her own tickets.  The factory version was rated at 171 mph.  After the conversion, I had topped that on my test drive.  She loved driving it around Bloomington.  I kept an all-black one in the shop at the farm.  I hadn't decided yet if it would make the trip to California or not.
Jim chuckled.  "No, but she does love that car.  She also loved the fact that you insisted you all get a professional driving course before giving her the keys."
"That was Alison," I said.  "She threatened to triple our rates if we didn't.  Besides, it was fun."  Alison had a driver on staff that flew over to instruct us.  At the end of the seven afternoons and evenings of instruction, he had asked to buy one of the converted Maseratis.  He had been amazed at the handling characteristics.
"So, a cruise with you guys and then a smaller cruise afterward?"
"It sounds like fun.  Who do you want to go with you?  I don't think it's wise if it's just you and Jeryl and security," Mom said.
That surprised me.  "Why?"
She reached over and patted my hand.  "Think about the perception; two teenagers with obvious chaperones on an expensive boat.  You'd be an obvious target for anyone looking to make a quick buck, even if they did not recognize you.  I think you need to have at least a group of six.  Even though Janet has warmed to your relationship considerably, I'm sure she'd be more comfortable with a larger group as well."
I took a last piece of chicken and thought about it.
"Olivia is graduating, so what if we invited her by way of a graduation present?"  Mom nodded.  "Then Jordan and Jyl will probably want to come along too," I added.  "Do you think Kelly would enjoy it?"
Jim smiled.  "You'll have to ask her.  What about any men?  Or do you just want to cruise around with a group of beautiful young women?"
I blushed.  "I was actually thinking about seeing if John and Ryan wanted to go.  Uncle Ben would have to agree, but I know they're working hard in school and deserve a little break."
"That sounds like a good sized group," Mom said.  "I think you should make some calls and find out who would go and then find a charter.  You've only got a couple of months to set things up."  She had a twinkle in her eye.
"You just want me to have another non-work project, don't you?"
She smiled.  "It's important that you have some balance with fun and work before starting school, Paul."
I knew she was right.
*****
I pulled into the high school parking lot in my black on black Maserati Bora and smiled at the look of my classmates.  We had to be at graduation two hours before our guests.  Most of my class was still in the parking lot.  Mom, Kelly, and Jim were all still at the farm.  Jeryl's graduation started thirty minutes after mine, so I wouldn't be able to see her collect her diploma, but we had plans to meet later after dinner.  I was actually looking forward to showing off my new car at a couple of parties we planned on making an appearance at.
Of course, with no real back seat, Jeryl was not a fan of the new car for dating.
I climbed out as Bill Tanner walked up and ran his hand along the sleek front fender.  "Man, this is so hot, Paul.  When did you get it?"
"A few months ago.  I've been holding off driving it around until graduation."
"You know, this is the first time I've really seen you flaunt what you've got.  I think I'd drive a different car every day if I had your money and talents."
"I doubt it, Bill.  You never struck me as that pretentious."
He laughed and then grabbed a camera from his bag.  "Hey, let me get a picture of our class valedictorian with his new wheels for the yearbook."  He had become quite the yearbook photographer over the past couple of years.
I stood by the door of the car as he snapped a few shots and then had to make room for Candice and Dee Dee to join the shoot.  The girls hung their gowns on a nearby tree limb and then laid across the hood of my car in sexy poses.  Bill encouraged them to ham it up and I was soon laughing at their antics.
"Come on ladies, we don't want Rebecca mad at us," I said as I closed the door and locked it.  Rebecca was still class president and the person we had to check-in with today.
The backstage portion of graduation was as boring as I remembered.  The class order was checked twice when a couple of idiots thought it would be funny to switch places.  I was fortunate enough to be seated on the aisle of the first row so I could walk up to give my valedictorian speech.  That was definitely different from the first time through.  However, it did not make any of the walk-through less boring.  Instead of paying attention, I was going over my note cards.
The principal had a typed copy of my speech, but I did not want to carry a bunch of paper with me.  I thought it was more important to stay under my five-minute goal and hit the highlights rather than make sure I hit every word I had typed.
After the excruciating wait, it was finally my turn to take the podium and speak.  I stood straight as I looked out over the audience.  It warmed my heart to see so many smiling faces.  I smiled at them all and began:
"Four years ago, our class was formed and we were challenged.  Each of us was challenged in a different manner, by a different person: some by teachers, some by coaches, some by siblings, some by family, and some by friends.  Most of us were challenged more than once."
"Just like my classmates, I was challenged.  Physically, the coaches and my teammates made me strive harder to excel on the football field or running in track.  Mentally, my teachers and classmates encouraged me to reach new heights of understanding and to explore the world of opportunities before us.  Spiritually, I was challenged by my family and friends to strike a balance; to forge relationships and to take risks of love and life."
"I thank you all for those challenges, but I must admit that I did not face every challenge cheerfully.  If I could go back and do things differently, I know I would.  I believe we all would if such a thing were possible.  Unfortunately, we cannot.  We can only learn from our failures and try harder the next time."
"Our school lost a great friend and student during our freshman year.  Her name was Wendy and she was definitely one to challenge everyone she met.  She challenged me in particular.  In many ways, I feel I failed that challenge, but Wendy thought otherwise.  She told me that none of us are guaranteed to live happily ever after, so we needed to live life fully every day, not wait for 'someday'.  This, her last challenge to me, I believe I have lived up to."
"But today is not about the past; those challenges are behind us and we now look forward to new trials.  Some of us will be going to school; some will be going to work; some will be serving our country; some will be serving their faith.  Today is about our future and I believe it is a future full of promise and prosperity, so long as we make it so."
"I say make it so because our future is not set; every choice we make helps build it.  We can do the minimum to get by and have one future, or we can take risks to maximize our opportunities and have an entirely different and richer life.  We may not always overcome our trials and tribulations, as we have learned over the past four years, but we will be richer for the attempt.  We have been equipped by our teachers, coaches, family and friends to make these choices wisely.  So here is my challenge to the class of 1983; when you are faced with a choice between the easy path or the harder but more rewarding path, choose wisely."
"To paraphrase one of our greatest presidents, 'We choose the harder paths, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because they will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone.'  Classmates, faculty, and guests, please join me in saluting the class of 1983 and encouraging us all to face those challenges!"
I stepped back from the microphone and clapped.  My classmates joined immediately, followed by the faculty and guests.  I smiled and waved my hand at everyone as the principal slapped my back on the way back to my seat.  Everyone was still clapping as I reached my seat.
It was the signal for my classmates to rise, but they were already on their feet.  The principal stepped to the microphone as the applause slowly ended as he smiled at the senior class.  Mrs. Spitzer and the district superintendent of schools joined him at the podium by the table with our diplomas.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present the Class of 1983.  Please step forward to receive your diplomas as your names are called."
"Paul Taylor, class valedictorian with a 4.0 grade point average and four-year varsity letterman in football and track.  Paul will be attending Stanford University in the fall."
I walked back up to the stage and collected my diploma from Mrs. Spitzer.  The superintendent shook my hand on the far side of the podium as I paused for a quick picture.  Then I was down and walking to the back of the gym.  I waited until the first row was clear and then back down the outside of the seating to lead my row back to their seats.
Soon, the superintendent made his closing remarks, and the recessional song began.  I once again got to lead my classmates.  Camera flashes popped as we walked down between the two sections of seating and past the bleachers.  High school was over.  It was time to face new challenges.
*****
"Damn, I'm glad you're our cousin," Ryan said as we stood on the flying bridge of "Wave Dancer."  Jordan, Jyl, Olivia, and Kelly were lying on the foredeck in their bikinis.  After a few days of getting used to living on the ninety-foot custom yacht, we both still enjoyed the beautiful sights spread out below us.
Jeryl came up the ladder behind us, looking just as enticing as any of the other ladies onboard in a skimpy purple bikini with a translucent white wrap hanging from her hips.
"Hey, stop ogling my family and friends, you two."  She said playfully.
I gave her a quick kiss.  "You said I could look all I wanted, but no touching," I teased back.
"You can look, but if you feel the need to touch, you have to find me."
"What about me?" Ryan asked.  "I don't have a girlfriend aboard."
"Sorry, Ryan, but you're on your own.  I know you're a big boy.  Surely you can talk to one of those lovely ladies down there and see if they're open to a touch or two."
Ryan blushed and Jeryl laughed.
"Maybe you can talk Jordan into a game of truth or dare," I teased him.
Jeryl got a funny look on her face.  "That might not be too bad of an idea, but I don't think we could convince Alison to play."
Ryan paled.  When Alison had first come on deck in a bikini top and cut-off shorts, Ryan had become more tongue-tied than a freshman thrown naked into the girl's locker room.  A single look from her had frozen him in his tracks.  Jeryl and Paul had nearly fallen out of their chairs laughing at him.  Alison had smiled and then continued up to the bridge to talk to the captain of the charter.  For two days since then, Ryan had studiously avoided looking at Alison whenever she was about.
"You'll never know unless you ask her," I said to my lover.
John and Ann made their way onto the main deck and waved up at us as they looked for a place to lie down near the other ladies.  John had proposed to Ann at the end of the school year, so I felt an obligation to invite her along on the trip.  It was nice to have one other couple aboard.  We planned on having dinner with them ashore that night as a break from the boat.  We were currently anchored in a small cove on Vancouver Island about an hour's cruise from the port of Victoria where we had a berth scheduled for the weekend.
"Maybe Ryan should ask her to play," Jeryl teased.
Ryan blushed and then looked down at Jordan.  "I think I'll go get some sun and avoid any further abuse from you two," he said with a light punch to my arm.  Soon, Jeryl and I were alone on the flying bridge.  I wrapped my arms around Jeryl and looked over her shoulder at the lush green forest lining the bay as she pointed at a pair of eagles circling lazily above us.
"Thanks for arranging this, Paul," she said with a smile.  "I feel so relaxed here with you."
"Me too, kitten.  Did you ever think this was possible when we first started dating?"
"No.  Did you?"
"No, but I hoped we could do something like this someday."
"Was that before or after you shagged my sister senseless?"
I hugged her.  "She told you?"
"Of course she did.  It only took her three years to work up the nerve.  She told me about you kissing her that first time we played truth or dare and then her waiting on a lone country road until you ran by."
"And you don't mind?"
"Who are you with?"
"You, of course."
"Then I can hardly mind.  Besides, you had much more of me than you've ever had from her."
"That's true."
"So, what are we going to do with ourselves for the next ten days?  Just float and sun and eat?"
"Well, I thought we might do a little fishing as well."
"Fishing?  Are you going to eat whatever you catch?"
"Of course."
"Well, that's good.  I think I'm your first catch of the day.  Let's go back to bed so you can eat your catch."
I laughed and followed her down the ladder.  Alison gave us her patented arched eyebrow as we passed through the salon.
*****
"Do you trust me?"  Jeryl asked as she led me by the hand up the stairs.  My eyes were closed at her insistence.
"Of course," I said.  She and Kelly had plotted something out.  I didn't know if I was in a house or office, since she had insisted I close my eyes as soon as we got in the Range Rover with Sanford behind the wheel.  We had arrived in California the day before, but were currently staying at the Four Seasons until we could move into our dorm rooms next week.
Jeryl guided me from the stairs to what felt like an open room.  I could feel sunshine warming my skin through some windows or doorways.
"Okay, open them."
I did.  I was standing in a large open room with an arched doorway leading out to a patio overlooking a park of some sort.  The walls were a neutral off-white and the hardwood flooring had been polished to a warm glow.  The room itself was at least twenty by twenty.  I spied a bathroom entry and a closet door between the door leading to the hallway and the patio.  The ceilings were high, at least twelve feet, and had intricate crown molding.
"Wow.  This is quite a space."
"Better than a dorm room?"  Kelly asked from the doorway.
"Much better.  Is this your place?"
"No.  It's yours."  She came over and gave me a hug.  "Mom and Dad agreed after I found it.  It's got another room just like this across the hall, and two more smaller rooms with a shared bath upstairs for security."  She grabbed my hand and pulled me out onto the balcony patio overlooking the nicely landscaped back yard.  "My place is over the garage.  It's a fully furnished apartment with its own parking and entrance."  She pointed to the detached garage joined to the house by a trellised walkway.
"You don't want to stay in the house?"
Kelly laughed.  "No, I don't want to stay across the hall from my step-brother and have to listen to nasty sounds from his horny girlfriend all night."
Jeryl blushed.
"Besides, I might not want you two to know all of my comings and goings either," she said with a grin.  "I really liked the apartment when I first saw it.  I planned on renting it from the former owner, but when Carry told me he was looking to sell the house, I talked to Mom and Dad.  It's perfect for us all."
I looked at Jeryl.  She seemed to be the most nervous of the three of us.  "What do you think?"
"I love it, of course, but living together is a pretty big step, don't you think?"
I smiled at her and pulled her in for a hug.
"This is a lot nicer than the dorms we saw last year," I whispered.  "Let's take a look downstairs."
The first floor was laid out nicely with a large living room at the front of the house and a dining room and kitchen toward the back.  The kitchen had been outfitted with professional appliances and had a nice breakfast nook overlooking the back patio and fenced yard.  We stepped onto the patio to take a look at the built-in grill and finally sat down at the wrought-iron patio table.
"How far from campus are we?"  I asked.
"Six blocks.  You could walk to classes," Kelly said.
"And the company bought it?"
"Yep.  If you guys don't want to live here, we'll still use it for Alison's folks and rent out any remaining space."
"Oh, we'll live here.  Just give me a few minutes to convince Jeryl."
Jeryl blushed as Kelly nodded and headed over toward the garage and her apartment.
"What's wrong, love?"  I asked.
"I know it's silly, but moving in here suddenly makes us real.  It's like I was living a fairy tale, but if we move in here together it is real.  I just got scared, and I can't really explain why."
I pulled her into my lap and gave her a hug.  "You know I'd never let you get hurt, don't you."
"Yes."
"Then let's do this.  You take one of the bedrooms, and I'll take the other.  We both need to be able to have some private space, but I have to admit that I hated the idea of you being three blocks away from me in the girl's dorm.  I much prefer the thought of you being across the hallway where I know you'll be safe and sound."
"I do, too," she admitted.
"Then let's do this.  Let's make this our home for the next four years."
She relaxed against me and kissed my cheek.  "When you say it like that, I'm not scared.  I'd love to make this our home.  I love you, Paul.  I always will."
"I love you, too, kitten," I said.  I kissed her softly and added, "Welcome home.”



Chapter Twenty
Once more into the breech
****
"Victor, I just told you that I don't want to scale up manufacturing to that sort of volume.  To do it, I'd have to move production to a bigger site, and that would increase our security risk."
Victor Martin was still my primary contact at Lockheed.  We had been discussing production forecasts all morning long.  He did not seem to want to listen to my arguments and would not tell me why he suddenly needed five times the volume of my carbon nano-tube stealth coating.
He looked as frustrated as I felt.  He loosened his tie, and then pulled out a sheet of paper.
"Sign this, and I can explain," he said.
I read over the paper.  It was a typical in-brief document stating that I was a party to a Top Secret project titled "Long Dart," and that I understood the restrictions regarding this project.  I hesitated, then signed and dated the page.
"Okay, now tell me what this is about."
Victor gave me a tight smile.
"How familiar are you with the B-1 bomber?" he asked.
I shrugged and said, "I've seen pictures of it.  It's an impressive looking plane.  Why?"
"It was a political hot potato in the 1980 election.  We knew it was vulnerable to Soviet technology based on the Belenko defection in 1976.  That's when we first learned about the MIG-31, and its projected capabilities.  Carter canceled the program.  Reagan brought it back in '83, even though he knew we had a stealth bomber on the drawing board.  That design is based on a totally different airframe type."
I nodded.  From my own past, I knew the flying-wing concept the B-2 would use to minimize its radar cross section.  I assumed they wanted to use my coating to improve the stealth characteristics even more.
"It must be a big mother, if you need me to scale up production to the levels we're talking about," I said.
Victor grimaced and said, "That's just it.  We're thinking that we can apply your coating to the B-1 and have an aircraft that runs at about a quarter of the cost of the new bomber, with just as much stealth.  Because of our work on the F-117, we got the contract to do this study.  We need to be able to cover about a thousand square meters of surface.  We also want to coat the first stages of the engine's compressor blades.  You've been producing about a hundred kilos a month for us, since you came to California two years ago.  If our tests work as we expect them to, we're going to want to apply the coating to all 100 of the B-1s that have been ordered, starting as soon as possible.  At your current production rates, you would need fifty months to produce enough coating.  If we add in the coating for the new bomber, the Air Force is going to need even more from you.  You have to increase production!"
I scrubbed my hands over my face.  "Damn it.  Does this mean Lockheed is going to release me from our contract?"
"What?" he asked, surprised.
"You have rights to purchase 100% of our production.  Are you building the new bomber?  If not, how would they get my coating?"
Victor paled as he said, "We're going to have to talk about that.  We're not one of the contractors on that project, though we've been brought in to review some of the work during the latest design reviews."
"So you want to modify a B-1, and have it show up the new bomber?" I asked with a smile.  "It makes sense if the B-1's are cheaper to build as well.  We're still talking about three-and-a-half million per plane just for the coating.  How are you planning to apply it?"
"We're thinking of a whole surface replacement.  We'll pull the airframe panels, coat them --along with the screw heads-- and then put them back on the aircraft.  It will be a pain to do the refit, but we don't see any other way.  The engines we'll just change out.  We're working with GE to apply the coating to the rest of them during production."
I shook my head.  "Crap."  I thought about the production set up in Austin.  "Okay, I can set up parallel production lines, but am going to have to buy or build a bigger space.  How much lead time do I have?"
"Current production, and the stockpile of the coating we've built up, should let us handle the test contract, which is just two coated aircraft.  However, we're pretty sure the Air Force is going to want to move forward pretty quick, once they see the data.  Maybe ten months.  We have a demonstration milestone in six, and have already started applying the coating on one aircraft."
"You know, using the coating is going to come out if you guys do this, don't you?"
"Why do you say that?  We've got good operational security."
"B-1s are already on folks' radar.  They know the airplanes are not fully stealthy.  Once you start coating them, someone will notice they are much stealthier.  If you do this, it's just a matter of time 'till they figure it out."
****
"Kelly!" I yelled as I walked into the offices.  "Can you get Alison to fly over here?  I need to meet with her before school starts up."
Kelly stuck her head out of her office and frowned at me.  She knew where I had come from.  "Problems in Austin?" she asked.
"Problems everywhere.  Whatever happened to 'relaxing over the summer?'"
Kelly followed me into my office and shook her head.  "Do I need to call Jeryl, and have her come back here early?"
Jeryl was visiting Michigan with her family.  She had been gone for a little over a week on a two-week trip.  Kelly had been teasing me about missing my girlfriend since the second day she was gone.
"No," I said more sharply than I intended.  I sat down, scowled at her and added, "I don't know why I'm so pissed at Lockheed.  Maybe I need a break, too."
Kelly dropped into the chair in front of my desk.  She was dressed stylishly as always in a white skirt and light blue blouse.  She had cut her hair shorter after we moved out to California two years ago, and now looked like a young Meg Ryan.  She smiled at me.
"Hey, you've been working hard since we got out here.  You've spent two years doing double work in the school of engineering, you're involved in the review process of every start-up we fund, you still review every research paper that comes in here, and you've booked yourself almost solid all summer long meeting with different partners.  You do need a break."
I glanced down at my desk calendar.  Today was Wednesday and I had no free time scheduled until Sunday when Jeryl was supposed to return.  I knew the rest of the summer was the same way.
"Shit."
Kelly smiled again as she said, "You don't have to do it all, yourself.  You know that, don't you?"
"What do you mean?"
"What's next on your calendar?"
"Time to review Professor McTavish's latest research plan."
"How urgent is it?  Do you have reason to believe she is off-track?"
"No.  It's not urgent, but I need to get it done before the end of the month, so Candace can move funds in July.  Her current funding grant runs out then."
"Beginning or end of July?"
"End."
"Do you need anything specific from her?"
"What do you mean?"
"Are you expecting material or research from her that is holding something else up?"
"No."
"Then reviewing that plan is not important or urgent.  Schedule it after the 4th.  What's next?"
Instead of answering her, I pushed my calendar to her.  "Here," I said.
Kelly grabbed the calendar and then picked up a red pencil from the coffee cup I used as a holder.  She began crossing things off and fitting them into smaller blocks of time after the upcoming 4th of July holiday.  I watched her quietly.
Finally, she tossed the marked up calendar back at me.  "There.  Now you have three hours a day in the office this week instead of twelve."
"How?" I looked at her notes and changes.
She stood and leaned over my desk and stared me straight in the eye.  "Del-le-gate!" she growled.
"I knew you were going too deep this summer.  I saw you do it last year, as well.  That's why you're interviewing for an advisory panel this week and next week instead of doing the review work yourself.  We're also adding a secretary, just for you and Jeryl.  Laura can take care of Candace and me, and she can handle Dad when he's out here, but you two need a firmer hand.  We're going to get you someone that can coordinate things, and make sure you are out of here at a reasonable hour.  Paul, if you don't take care of yourself, I swear I'm going to call Mom and have her come stay for the summer."
Her look made me swallow my flippant response.
"Okay, sis.  You're right."
She smiled.  She loved being right.  "Good.  I'm glad you didn't make that harder than I expected," she said as she sat back down.
"Now, I've already done a first round of interviews for your secretary.  Of course, I posted it as an executive assistant, since they aren't going to just answer the phone and file things for you.  The two candidates I've short-listed are going to be in here tomorrow morning.  I expect you to give them a fair interview.  Both can do the job.  I want you to determine whom you are more comfortable with."
"Jeryl doesn't get a say?"
"She helped in the first round of interviews," Kelly said with a grin.  "She agreed that we just needed to do this so you wouldn't over think it."
I shook my head.  I knew when Kelly and Jeryl got together on a plan, I was beat.  "Okay.  I get the picture.  How much are we paying this assistant?"
Kelly smiled and said as she stood up, "When have Jeryl or I ever let you set salaries?  You keep your eye on the big things, Paul.  We'll take care of the rest."  As she headed for the door she added, "You have an hour before we go home.  I think you should take me out to dinner tonight, so don't take any work home."
"Yes, ma'am," I said with a forced smile.
****
"So, do we have plans for the 4th of July company barbecue yet?" Candace asked as we all pushed back from the conference table.  Jeryl had returned Sunday evening on the same flight Candace had caught from Chicago.  They had joined Kelly and myself this morning as we discussed expanding our Austin production facility.  Candace had spent most of the morning going over the available real estate.  We had finally decided to buy land, and put up a dedicated building.
"We've got three days to sort it out," I said.  "With all the extra time you ladies have arranged in my schedule, I figured I'd have plenty of time to pick up stuff for the grill."
"What about our new employees?" Kelly asked.  "Do you know if Laura or Matthew have family to bring?"
I waved a hand at her imperiously.  "I'll delegate that to you, sis," I said with a grin.  "Besides, they would have to have really big families to run us out of food, if last year was any indication."
Everyone laughed.
"I was surprised you chose Matthew, Paul.  I thought for certain you would choose Ruth," Kelly said.
I had spent an hour with each of her and Jeryl's candidates as our new executive assistant.  By the end of the second hour, I knew it was no choice in my mind and I also knew they were going to be surprised.
"A medically retired staff sergeant from the Marine Corps, or a Jewish grandmother type?  I have enough women in my life telling me what to do.  Of course I chose the Marine."
Jeryl grinned at Kelly.  "I guess you have to pay up that bet now," she said sweetly.
Kelly blushed.
"What bet was that?" I asked.
"Never you mind," Kelly snapped.  "It was between Jeryl and me.  Not you."
I glanced at Jeryl who avoided my gaze.  Curious.
"Well," I said, "what about you ladies?  Are either of you bringing a guest, this year?"  Both Kelly and Candace avoided my eyes.  "Kelly?  No junior partners from one of the other VC firms you want to bring around?"
She had been dating one guy off and on for the past two months.
"I swear you've blushed more in the past two minutes, than I've seen you blush in the past year," Candace said to Kelly with a smile.
"You guys can stop picking on me," Kelly said without heat in her voice.
BOOM!
A wall of sound hit us through the closed door of the conference room as the building shook.  A second later, the fire alarm sounded and sprinklers popped off.  I was closest to the door and moved toward it.  Kelly, Jeryl and Candace were just starting to stand as I put a hand to the door.  I could see a flickering light beneath it.
"Fire!" I yelled.
My ears were still ringing so I wasn't sure anyone else could hear me.  I motioned them toward the sliding doors leading to the terrace that ran along the back of our building.  I got us all out and closed the doors behind us.
"Paul, what was that?"  Candace asked as she looked over my shoulder.
I turned and saw a flicker of flame on the wall by the door.
"I don't know.  We need to head down and get clear."
I pushed her toward the fire escape at the far end of the terrace.  Jeryl was the first down the ladder.  I was the last.  No one else from our offices appeared on the terrace.
"Oh my God!  Laura!" Kelly sobbed, as she realized who was not with us.
Laura, Kelly's secretary had been the only other person in our office this morning.  She had been manning the receptionist's desk by the entryway.
I grabbed Kelly in my arms and said, "Calm down.  She might be out front."
The terrace and our escape ladder were at the back of the building, overlooking the golf course.  We stayed close together and moved around the building.
Three fire trucks were already in the parking lot and men in heavy protective equipment were pushing through the front door as a couple of dozen people streamed out.  We could see smoke coming from the front windows on the top floor --our floor.  Kelly looked around the crowd and then fell against me sobbing.
Jeryl hugged us both close.  I watched helplessly as the professionals began pulling charged hoses into the building.  The other tenants that saw us gave us a wide berth.  It was obvious they thought we had caused the fire from their looks.
Police and the local fire chief were huddled together watching the scene when I finally shook myself loose from the ladies and walked over to them.
A police officer tried to stop me with a hand, but I ignored him.
"You need to call the FBI," I said before they had really even taken notice of me.  That statement got their attention.
"Why?  And who are you to tell us what to do?" the head fireman on the scene asked.
"I'm Paul Taylor.  My company owns the building.  We were on the third floor when that bomb went off and killed our secretary."
"What?" The policeman asked.
"Our secretary, Laura Wilkins was in the outer office.  That's where the explosion happened.  The rest of us were in the back conference room," I said as I motioned to the ladies.  "Someone sent us a bomb.  Laura opens all packages.  I saw a box with a stack of mail on it when we went into the conference room."
"Shit," the cop said dispassionately.  He grabbed his radio and stepped away from us as he keyed the mike and began speaking.  A minute later, he was back.
"Homicide is on the way.  They'll decide if the FBI needs to be called."
****
The interview room made me feel dirty despite its sterile appearance.  The walls were mostly white.  The lighting was good.  The air conditioning was keeping the room comfortably cool.  I still felt dirty.  Part of it might have been the smoke and soot on my clothes.
More of it had to do with the feeling of blood on my hands.  Laura had been with us since we opened the California offices, almost two years ago.  She was a kind, efficient woman who always treated Kelly and Jeryl and I more like friends than bosses.  She had just gotten engaged to her long time boyfriend who had just finished his MBA at Stanford.
The door to the room opened and two men entered.  One was the detective who had taken my statement earlier.  The other was more clean-cut, and was more silent than a local cop deserved to be.  The new man extended his hand.
"I'm Special Agent Jamison," he said.
I shook his hand.  They sat down and pulled out my statement.  The police detective deferred to the FBI agent.
"Mr.  Taylor, have you received any threats recently?  Any indications that someone would want to harm you?"
"No.  At least nothing that was brought to my attention.  I retain a security firm.  We'll need to check with them on anything they might have observed.  They brought nothing to my attention, so I'm assuming there were no warning signs."
Agent Jamison nodded and asked, "Alison Wilson's firm, correct?"
I nodded and asked, "Do you have a file on me, or are you guys that fast?"
"We have a file relating to your security clearance.  We've check out your associates previously in connection with government contracts you hold as well.  You're a very interesting young man, sir."
"Call me 'Paul.'"
I tried to think of a way to tell them the name of the Unabomber.  I suspected that is who had sent us a package, but there was no logical explanation of how I would know his name.  If I just blurted it out, they would crucify me as an accomplice or sympathizer.
"Any ideas on who did this?" I asked.
"No, not yet.  It might be the same person that we think is responsible for a bomb at UC Berkeley in May, and one mailed to Boeing, last month."
"I heard about the Berkley one.  Nothing about Boeing, though."
"It was defused," Agent Jamison said.  "We got lucky on that one.  If this was the same person, attacking you, fits one of the profiles we have working."
"One of them?"
"We have dueling profiles, right now.  The task force I'm on has existed since '79.  Until two years ago, we thought the bomber was a neo-Luddite.  They hate technology and believe it is poisoning mankind.  Our current profile is leaning more toward a disgruntled airline mechanic.  Given the targets of the past two bombings, it's still a toss up."
"And my work hits both profiles," I said.
"That's right."
"Shit."
The agent nodded in agreement and commented, "That's a pretty apt summary."
"So what's next?" I asked.
"You go home and get cleaned up.  It will take us a couple of weeks to release the scene back to you for renovation or sale.  We don't have any instances of this nut job attacking the same place twice, so you should be safe.  Other than that, I can't really say."
"That's not good enough for me," I said.  "I'll put up a million dollar reward for this guy, whoever he is."
"That's very noble, Paul, but I don't think our agency is going to support that."
"I'm not giving you a choice.  For Laura and her fiancé, I'll go straight to the news people with the reward."
"You can't do that.  You'll create a witch hunt."
I thought of Laura's ready smile, and the pride she'd taken in showing off her new diamond ring, last month.  "I don't care.  I don't want anyone else killed by this idiot."
He sighed.  "You could ruin any evidence that is uncovered by that approach."
"Not if you guys support it.  Set up a phone center to handle the calls.  I'll pay for it.  This is the first death from this guy, right?"
"It is, as far as we know."
"Then use that as the basis for the reward."
"Don't you think you should discuss this with your security team before deciding?"
I looked him in the eye.  "I'm not hiding from a bully and a terrorist.  I'll pay more for my security, but I'm not going to let someone like this get away with murder."  I added as I stood up, "Talk it over with your bosses.  I'll be putting out a statement, tomorrow.  The FBI can be onboard or get steamrolled."
I looked at the police detective and said, "I'm going home.  You guys have my address if you need me."
I walked out of the room.
****
"Yes, I'm furious!" Alison said as she looked at Jeryl and me as well as Tiffany who was staying with us this month.
"Paul and Jeryl, were you ever going to activate your trackers so we would know there was a problem?  Tiffany, why did you wait for them here?  You should have been at the office as soon as you heard the call on the scanner.  Why did I learn about the attack twelve hours after the fact?  I should have been notified as soon as you learned there was a problem.  What if the farm was targeted at the same time?  Why did you come back here --to a known location-- before you knew it was safe and secure?"
She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down, then added, "Obviously, we have gotten slack over the past two years.  For that I blame myself."
I could tell she was serious.  I also had to agree with her.  She was the expert.
"You're right, Alison," I said.  "I should have alerted Tiffany immediately.  Hitting my tracker was the obvious way to do it, and I didn't.  It never even entered my mind."
Tiffany frowned at me.  I chose to interpret it as a thank-you.  Alison nodded and appeared to calm herself some more.  She had landed in San Francisco early this morning.  If she had not already been planning on flying over to discuss the new Austin plant's security needs, it would have been amazing how quickly she arrived on the scene.
She turned her gaze to Sanford as he stepped into the room.  "I've checked the property and everything is set," he said.  "All the monitors are active.  I'll be downstairs in the monitoring room."
He left us without another word.  The monitoring room was in the basement.
"We need to leave town for a bit," Alison announced.  "The Deer Valley house is probably the best place."
"No.  We need to be here for the funeral."
"We'll come back for it," she said, her tone and firm lips indicating there was not much room for argument.  "I'll have staff over here to take over care of the house while we're gone."
"That's fine, but the FBI doesn't think we're at risk."
"They aren't being paid to protect you.  Until my team reaches the same conclusion, I want to move you to a safer location.  Besides, we need to re-evaluate security in Utah with this threat in mind, as well."
"What do you mean?" Jeryl asked, as she had come to love our getaway in the mountains.
"Probably a gatehouse, and the ability to screen mail and packages," Alison replied.  "Now, I want you all to pack a small carry-on bag.  I'll arrange transport.  I want us in Utah tonight!"
"I'll stay here," Candace said.  "I'll check into a hotel if you insist, but I need to stay here and don't think I'm much of a target."
Alison looked at her for a minute, calculating.  Finally, she nodded.  "Stay here, then.  Tiffany or her replacement will be here to keep an eye on things, and provide security for you."
"I should stay as well," Kelly said.
"No, you need to go.  You're Paul's sister, not just a lawyer or business partner.  If there is still a threat, you make too appealing of a target."
I nodded this time.  "I agree.  Besides, you need a break."  She had been pretty brittle last night and this morning.  She had been close to Laura.
I stood up and held out a helping hand to Jeryl and then Kelly.  We all headed to our rooms to pack a bag.  Alison followed me upstairs and ducked into our home office to use the phone.
Three hours later, we were on a G-III flying east.  Alison handed each of us a tumbler of very expensive scotch.  "You may not feel it, but you are in shock.  Drink up.  It won't change anything, but it will help you relax."
I took a sip and shivered at the feeling and taste.  Jeryl wrinkled her nose after her first sip.  Kelly sipped without emotion.  Alison patted her shoulder and then caught my eye.  I kept the glass in my hand and followed her to the back of the plane.
"I'll get a professional to visit us in Utah," Alison said.  "Kelly is taking this pretty hard."
I sipped the scotch, then said, "I think Laura was her best friend in California.  I can hardly fathom it.  I dealt with Laura a lot less than Kelly did.  Most days during the year, it was just the two of them in the office."
Alison nodded.  "Now what's this about offering a reward?"
I explained.  The FBI had finally agreed, just before we left town.  I was going to announce it after Laura's funeral.
"I agree with your sentiment, but don't want you to announce it, personally.  If you do, this nut case may come after you again.  Let the Bureau handle it.  You just sign the check."
"I think we should make a company statement, but I don't have to read it."
"Okay, but let me read it, first," she said.  "In Utah, I want to see you on the range again.  You can't get a concealed carry permit, but we've got Brownings in the cars and house."
"You don't really think there is a threat, do you?"  Her attitude was a little scary.
"Until I talk to your FBI contact, I won't know.  It would be foolish for us to assume there was no threat.  You're better served if we assume there is, and act accordingly.  Unless you want to allow Jeryl or Kelly to be put at risk?"
I scowled, and she gave me a tight smile with her unnervingly arched eyebrow.  She made her point well.
"I'll also be checking up on your Krav Maga practice, while I'm here."
I nodded.  I had no problems with that.  It was always good to change up the instruction.
"We're also going to start having some drills.  You should have sent up the alert as soon as you were clear of the building.  What if the bomb was intended to drive you out of the building for a snatch and grab?"
It was my turn to frown.
"I know.  Tiffany was only five minutes away.  I should have alerted her immediately.  We should have stayed at the back of the building.  Nobody could have approached us without warning from the golf course."
"Do you remember interviewing me three years ago?"
"Yes."
"Then you were worried about protecting your family and friends from long-term economic harm.  I think you need to re-evaluate that stance now.  This might have been a one-time attempt, but you've made enough of an impact to make enemies.  You need to start thinking about protecting them from physical harm, and you need the take it seriously.  Understand?"
I nodded and took a longer drink of scotch.  Alison nodded back.  There was no sympathy in her eyes.
****
Jeryl and I were snuggled together in the master suite of the house when I heard a soft tap on the door.  I slipped out of the bed without waking Jeryl who had just dozed off and opened the door a crack to see who it was.  Kelly looked in on me with a tear-streaked face.
"Paul, can I sleep in here?  I don't want to be alone."
I opened the door fully, and pulled her in for a hug.
"Of course you can.  Come on in."
Kelly had on a loose t-shirt that covered her to mid-thigh.  She stayed tucked under my arm as we moved to the bed.  Jeryl stirred as I lifted the covers and she slipped in.  I gave Kelly a little hip nudge to move her to the center of the bed and climbed in after her, trying to be a gentleman, but still catching a glimpse of her lovely legs.  I pushed any lustful thoughts away.
"Thank you," Kelly whispered as she rolled on her side and gave me a hug.
Jeryl, now mostly awake, scooted in behind her and reached around her to give us both a hug.  "It will be alright, Kelly," she said.
I moved my arm and she lowered her head to my chest as Jeryl stroked her back.  Soon, she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, I woke in almost the exact same position except Jeryl's arm was draped over Kelly's waist and her hand was making slow circles on my stomach.  My morning erection was getting stroked lightly every third or fourth circle.  Kelly was still sleeping soundly.
I used my free hand to stop Jeryl.  This was hardly the time to scare or startle Kelly and I knew if Jeryl kept teasing me, we would do something I would regret, and Kelly might never forgive.
I slipped out from under the covers and walked quietly around the bed to give Jeryl a kiss.  Then I headed to the bathroom to take care of a few things.  Jeryl appeared to be asleep again when I came out in my workout clothes and headed downstairs to hit the treadmill.  It was a beautiful summer day in the mountains.  I was surprised to see Alison on the elliptical machine as I entered the workout room.
"Good morning," she said.
"Good morning.  I was thinking about a run, but after our talk I figured you would tell me not to."
She gave me a tight smile.  "You're a smart boy, Paul."
I settled into a warm-up pace.  "How long have you been up?"
"A couple of hours.  My body clock is somewhere over the Atlantic, as best as I can tell.  Once it got light out, I decided to get in a workout."
Alison was trim and fit.  She had on black running shorts and a black sports bra as well as running shoes.  I knew she was in her mid-thirties, but she could have easily passed as a co-ed on campus.  I carefully put any thoughts about her body out of mind and increased my pace.
"How's Kelly?" She asked as she finished up her own workout and grabbed a towel from the pile set in a cabinet by the door.
"Wrung out.  She had problems sleeping and came to Jeryl and me last night."
Alison nodded as if she knew that already.  "I've got a doctor coming out this afternoon.  I want all of you to talk with her.  I'm also arranging for Jeryl's Aunt Helen to come out.  She has training in grief counseling and can help you all.  Jim and Beth will be here later today, as well as Jeryl's sisters and Mother.  Her father is on a fishing trip in Canada, so I haven't been able to reach him yet."
"Don't.  We're all fine and he has been planning that trip with his buddies for almost a year.  Let him enjoy it."  He and Uncle Ben and three other local farmers had made their plans last summer after one of them caught his limit of fish on the border lakes between Wisconsin and Canada.
"Very well.  Your new executive assistant should be here after breakfast as well."
"Why?  He wasn't supposed to start officially until next Monday."
"He's a Marine.  He can handle himself and I'd like to get another set of trained eyes out here without having to wait for an intercontinental flight."
"You seem to know a lot about him," I said.
"We ran a background check on the final two candidates before you met with them last week.  We'll probably hire the lady you didn't want as Laura's replacement.  She is certainly qualified."
"Isn't that Kelly's call?  And isn't it a bit soon to be talking about replacing Laura?  She's not even buried yet."
Alison gave me her cold stare for a full minute.  Any lustful thoughts I might have had earlier were gone for good.
"Kelly isn't going to be able to make those kind of decisions for a while.  She's in shock.  If I have any say about it, she won't step foot into those offices until they are refurbished.  In the meantime, there will still be business to attend to.  You should call Mrs.  Feldman today and offer her the job after you discuss it with Candace.  She can work out of the house for the short-term.  Tiffany can train her on the proper security measures."
"You're keeping Tiffany?"
Alison sighed and dropped her towel in the basket Mrs.  Eccles kept in the room for just that reason.  "Yes.  Tiffany made a mistake, but it's one she will never make again.  Having that sort of experience will stay with a person.  We were all lucky this appears to be a singular act."
"Okay, I'll make the call and get things rolling after my workout."
I finished running three miles, did my push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups and then headed to the sauna to do a little more thinking.  I had to get the name Kaczinski to the FBI in a credible manner.
****
We flew back for the funeral and then turned around and took off once again to Utah.  Kelly was doing a little better, but still very fragile.  I could not tell if talking with Helen or the other therapist Alison had arranged helped any or not.  She still seemed to end up with Jeryl and me, late at night, about half the time.
Family had stayed with us through the weekend but then returned to their own lives.  The mountain house felt almost empty when Jeryl, Kelly and I returned.  Candace had taken over the home office near Stanford.  Rose Feldman was hired as her new secretary.  Matthew, the Marine who was now my assistant was settling into one of the guest rooms in the house.  Alison had handed off my pistol training to him.
Carl, my architect was called out to the house and quickly came up with a very pleasant design for a gatehouse that would offer both a place to screen deliveries, as well as an additional apartment for Alison's folks.  By the middle of July, he had permits in hand and was organizing more construction for the property.
"Paul, I think you need to take a trip," Jeryl said one sunny afternoon.
We were in the office reading through our pre-opened mail.  Alison had arranged for it to be x-rayed by the postal service, but still insisted that security open it before it was brought to Jeryl or me.
"Where, and why?" I asked.
"Austin, to review the property we purchased and talk to the builders.  You know the construction needs much better than Candace.  I don't like the bids that are coming back."
"Then maybe you should be the one going," I said as I rose and walked behind her to look over her shoulder at the letters she was reviewing.  "After all, you are the COO."
She grinned at me, then sobered as she said, "I don't want to leave Kelly, right now.  You know she still cries most nights, don't you?"
I nodded.  "Okay, I guess it's time to put Matthew to work on my schedule.  We'll fly to Austin and see what's up."
And that is what we did.  It was the first trip Matthew had arranged for us, so we both learned a lot about working together.  He made the arrangements and then re-made them when I told him to book us first class instead of coach.  Everything was set the third time, after he had made Tiffany's booking to have her meet us in Austin.
Matthew's eyes got wide when we walked into the large suite in the Hilton.
"You certainly do throw money around, don't you Paul," he said, and then blushed, thinking he had overstepped some bounds.
I smiled and dropped my briefcase on the table in the common room of the suite.  "It's not about the money, Matthew," I said, and motioned out the window.  "We just spent four hours in the air and a couple of hours in cars getting here.  If we had flown economy, we would have been cramped in next to each other and gotten no work done.  We would have gotten here feeling tired.  Instead, we got the schedule of meetings sorted out for the next three days, and we both feel somewhat alert."
I waved at the suite.  "If we had stayed in regular rooms, one of us would be planted on a bed trying to make calls or prep for the morning.  Here we can both work at a table or desk and we have two phone lines to make our calls on.  We have a choice of ordering dinner in if we don't want to go out and take a break.  When I look at the cost, I see good value in the additional work I'll be able to get done."
Matthew nodded.  "Okay, that makes sense.  I guess I've still got some adjusting to do.  In the Corps, we would take the cheap seats and room and then just have to suck up the extra inconvenience to get the work done."  He grinned at me and added,  "I think I like your approach, better."
I laughed and then started pulling out a pad of notes we had worked on during the flight.  "Okay, let's finish getting organized, and have a bite to eat."
The next morning, we were at the property before eight o'clock, dressed casually in long khaki pants, loose shirts and sturdy work boots.  The property was a large lot, almost four acres, in an industrial park.  It had a driveway and not much else.  We walked the perimeter before the first contractor showed up.
By the end of the day, we had met with three general contractors and listened to proposals and re-set expectations.
"What do you think?" I asked Matthew as Tiffany drove us back to the hotel.
"I think you should hire the Seabees to build it for you.  It would be done to specification and a hell of a lot faster than those guys will do for you."
His candor surprised me.
"Why do you say that?"
"I got to work with combat engineers and Seabees a couple of times.  They don't screw around once they have their plan set.  This project has three elements; the building shell and utilities, the interior finishing, and the perimeter fencing and security.  It's not rocket science.  These guys are going to sub everything out and then add a mark-up to manage the effort.  You need one team that will get it all done, working together."
It was my turn to nod.  All three contractors had felt a little 'off,' to me, as they described their timelines.  He had 'hit the nail on the head' of the problem.
"Do you know anyone who might be able to do that?"
Matthew scowled and shook his head.  "Not in Texas.  I know a few guys that just got out who might know someone.  Let me make a few calls when we get back to the hotel."
Matthew was still on the phone when I got out of the shower and had changed into some casual clothes for the evening.  He was still in the field appropriate work wear from the day.  If his clothes had been a set of utilities, he would have looked to still be in the Corps.  I opened a bottle of water and waited for his call to end.
"Okay, I don't have a firm answer, but I've got two vets who are willing to fly down and review the project and give you a bid on general contracting the work.  They opened up shop together a year or so ago when the Captain got passed over.  The other guy is a retired Master Chief.  They have become turn-around specialist in the construction industry."
"Have you worked with them, before?"
"No, but some guys I did work with, said they were the best on the civilian side."
"Where are they at?"
Matthew laughed.  "They'd better be at LAX soon.  I got them tickets and said come down to talk to us."
"First class?" I asked with a smile.
"After your little talking to, yes.  But I did not get them a suite.  We're meeting them for breakfast."
"Sounds good.  Now, why don't you get cleaned up and we'll let Tiffany take us out to a great Tex-Mex place?"
Matthew grinned and headed to his room while Tiffany, who had sat in an air-conditioned car most of the day rolled her eyes.
The next morning was interesting.  I let Matthew lead the conversation with the two vets.  Matthew was respectful, but firm with the grizzled gray-haired former Master Chief and the much younger Marine Captain.
We drove out to the site and tramped around the property for the second day in a row.
"How big of a space do you need?" Troy, the ex-Captain asked.
"Ideally, we'll have four buildings, each with its own loading bay and covering 10,000 square feet."
"Do you have plans for the buildings already?"
I nodded as Matthew headed to the car to grab them.
"Staff Sergeant Keller mentioned security."
Master Chief Flattery unrolled the plans in his massive hands and began looking at them closely with Matthew pointing out a few key features in the interior details.
"Yes," I said.  "We're doing some manufacturing for the Air Force, so we need security around the compound itself as well as around and in the buildings.  I've got a security firm that will handle the actual installation of the security systems."
The two men looked at the plans together and then asked for a few moments to discuss the project.  Finally, they came back to us by the car.
"Okay, Paul, we'll take you on as a client," Troy said.  "We've got some contacts here in Texas that we can sub out most of the work to.  Our typical deal is a base rate for managing the project with a percentage of any project savings coming back to us as a bonus.  Since this is out of our local area, we'll want reasonable expenses as well."
I worked some numbers in my head.  "Let's go somewhere cooler and put some numbers down on paper," I finally said.
Two hours later, we were all happy and the three former service men ordered beers from room service.
"I've never done a deal where the money man was more interested in doing things right than saving a penny," Master Chief Flattery said.
I wondered if anyone ever used his first name.
"Well, I'm looking at making quite a profit off this site, so it would be foolish to pinch a penny and lose a dollar.  If you guys can hit the timeline we laid out, I'll be happy to pay that bonus.  If you make the timeline and save money on the overall project costs, you will have earned that kicker bonus as well."
The beers arrived and they insisted I join them for a toast to our new business arrangement.  Before the first beers were finished, the sea stories started.
"Paul, do you know the difference between a fairy tale and a sea story?" Master Chief asked.
I shook my head despite knowing the answer.
"A fairy tale starts with 'once upon a time.'  A sea story starts with 'now this is a no-shitter!'"
We laughed and the Master Chief continued,  "Now, this really is a no-shitter...."
****
"Paul, have you ever heard the name Kaczinski before?" Alison asked over the phone.
I was glad she could not see my face.  "No, why?"
"The FBI got an anonymous tip letter at the post box set up for your reward.  They wondered if you had heard the name before."
"Nope.  Never heard it.  Should I know who they are?  Did you want me to check with Jeryl, Kelly or Candace?"
"Yes.  You might also check with your Austin team.  The letter was mailed from a drop box in the Dallas airport."
"Okay, I'll make a few calls.  If I find a connection should I call you or the FBI?"
"Call me."
"Okay.  Thanks, Alison.  Have a good night."  I hung up the phone and pushed back from my desk with a deep breath.  I had worked hard to conceal dropping an envelope in Dallas while going between gates.  I had sent Matthew off to grab us a couple of drinks, so did not think anyone who knew me saw the drop.  It had only taken a second.  Hopefully, the FBI would follow-up on the note.
I looked at my desk and decided I had done enough for the day.  There was still plenty to do, but nothing urgent.  I put a few things away and headed upstairs to see what Jeryl and Kelly were up to.  Matthew waved at me as he headed downstairs to the exercise room.  He was as diligent as I was about working out, even though his leg injury in the Corp still kept him from running long distances.
I stepped into the bedroom and walked into the bathroom without a thought.
"Hey!" Kelly shrieked as she sank deeper in the soaking tub.
Jeryl had her back to me, and laughed at the look on Kelly's face.  They were both nude, soaking in the tub with a hint of steam being the only thing obscuring the view of their bodies.
Kelly put an arm across her breasts and the other over her crotch, even if it was difficult to see much under the water.  She had sunk low enough so her chin was nearly in the water.
"Paul, what are you doing?" She shouted as I stopped to stare at them.
Jeryl actually sat straighter so her nipples broke the surface of the water.  I leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
I looked Kelly in the eye as I stood back up.
"I'm walking to my bathroom.  What are you doing?"
"Jeryl told me I needed to try out your soaking tub.  It was supposed to be relaxing."
"Then relax," Jeryl said.  "It's not like Paul is going to jump in here with us."
The thought had crossed my mind, but I tried to keep a neutral expression on my face.
"Ewe.  He's my step-brother, you know?"
Jeryl laughed.  "'Step' being the key word there.  It's not like he hasn't seen most of you before in the hot tub outside.  Your bikini isn't that big."
I shook my head and continued on to the toilet.  When I came back out, they were still in the tub and Kelly had draped her hands along the edges of the tub.  I stopped and looked at them both.  Jeryl gave me a small smile.
"So, I take it you like my soaking tub?"
Kelly blushed but looked me in the eye.  "It's as nice as Jeryl said it was.  Now, instead of being a pervert, how about giving us girls some privacy?"
I smiled and went to the bedroom.
The girls came out fifteen minutes later wearing robes.  I was enjoying the warm sunshine on the master suite's private balcony.  Jeryl took a seat on my lap and immediately let me know she had nothing on under the robe.  Kelly sat down on the chair angled toward me, clutching her robe tightly so nothing was accidentally revealed.
"Did you ladies have a nice soak?" I asked.
"Yes, but not as nice as if you had joined us," Jeryl said with a kiss.
"Somehow, I don't think Kelly would have enjoyed that as much as you would have," I chided.
"She'll never know if she doesn't try," Jeryl quipped back as she stuck her tongue out at Kelly.
Kelly blushed.  "Hey, I'm not a prude, but Paul is my almost brother.  Doing anything with him would be weird."
"That's alright," Jeryl said as she pulled my hand inside her robe and pressed it against her thigh.  "It just means there is more for me."
I stroked her leg and tried to shrug at Kelly.  "What do you expect me to do with a girlfriend like this?" I asked.
Kelly blushed.  "I've got a feeling you're going to be expected to screw her brains out as soon as I get up and leave."
"Yep," Jeryl said.  "We'll see you later."  She kissed me again.
Kelly stood up and looked at us.  She licked her lips once and then sat back down, letting loose the grip on her robe.
"Maybe I'll stay here a bit.  The sun sure feels nice."  She gave Jeryl a saccharine smile as our kiss ended.  "Just don't do anything to embarrass yourself or my brother," she added for good measure.
Jeryl looked her in the eye for a moment and smiled.  "You're right, the sun feels deliciously warm."
She stood up, shrugged off her robe, and draped it over the railing.  She sat back down on my lap and snuggled into my chest.  A moment later, she pulled my hand to her breast as she stared at Kelly.
Kelly blushed and then crossed her legs, exposing quite a bit of thigh.  "So, Paul, what do you say to a trip back home in a couple of weeks?"
Jeryl kissed my neck as I toyed with her hard nipple.
"I don't know that I need the Illinois summer humidity, but I suppose it would be good to see what's new back home.  Are Mom and your Dad there?"
Jeryl's hand drifted to my obvious erection.
"They are, at least until the end of August.  I don't think they're spending much time at the farm since Mom quit teaching.  They said something about doing a tour in Europe in the fall."
I chuckled.  "Mom said she was planning on enjoying some of my money once I was off to school.  Any idea where they are going?"
Jeryl's hand moved to undo the zipper of my shorts.  Kelly's gaze moved between my hand on Jeryl and her hand on me.  She licked her lips as Jeryl slipped her hand inside my shorts.
"I think Germany and France, but I'm not sure."
Jeryl freed my dick and Kelly's eyes got big.
"What happened to not embarrassing my brother?" Kelly asked without turning away.
"I don't think this is anything to be embarrassed about," Jeryl said as she stroked the head of my cock.  "Besides, he saw you in the tub, so I figured it was fair for you to see him.  Isn't it marvelous."
Kelly blushed and stood up.  I was afraid she was mad, but instead of storming away, she leaned over flashing me her tits as her robe fell opened.  She gave Jeryl a kiss on the cheek.
"Have fun, you two," she said before she turned and walked back into the house.
Jeryl watched her go for a second and then stood up.  "I hope you are ready to fuck me senseless, because that turned me on a lot more than I thought it would," she said.
I stood up and turned her toward the valley.  She immediately knew what I was up to and grabbed the railing of the balcony as I dropped my shorts and stepped close behind her.  I slipped my cock into her soaked pussy in one long stroke and grabbed her hips before starting to thrust vigorously.  Her first orgasm hit within a minute.  Her second came as I did.  As soon as I slipped from her, she spun around and dropped to her knees and began sucking my cock clean.  We headed inside to the bed, as soon as I was hard again.
****
"What can I do for you today, Victor?" I asked as I fiddled with the note pad on my desk.
Victor had left a message for me, several days before.  We had been exchanging callback messages for a couple of days.  It was good to finally speak with him live.
"Do you know any researchers at Rice?"
"I don't think so.  Why?"
"Some guys down there just published a paper on the generation of carbon fullerenes."
I nodded to myself.  Time had caught up to me.
"So?"
"Look, we know what makes your coating special, we just don't know how you manufacture it in the lab, let alone at scale.  It's related to their research and you know it.  We need to know that your folks aren't talking out of school."
"I'm pretty certain they're not, but you can always have the FBI check it out."  I knew there was quite a bit of research needed to go from Carbon-60 fullerenes to carbon-based nano-tubes.  Bulk manufacturing was another whole set of problems.
"Okay, we will be checking for any connections.  I just wanted to let you know."
"Okay.  Do you have a copy of the paper you can send me?  I'd like to read it."
"I can get it for you.  What address do you want it at?"
"I'm in Utah.  You've got that one, don't you?"
"I do."
"Anything else I can do for you?" I asked.
"Well, we might need a little consulting time.  That project we discussed has hit a few bumps."
"Engines?"
"How did you know?"
"I was thinking about it after we talked.  Do you need me in Palmdale or at GE?"
"GE, but let's give them another week before we burn any of your contract hours."
"Don't put it off too long.  School starts back up, in three weeks."
"Will do.  Thanks for getting back to me, Paul."

Chapter Twenty-One
New Horizons
****
For the third time in a week, Kelly walked into our kitchen from the back porch carrying a bowl of cereal.  She was dressed in a t-shirt that barely reached the top of her thighs.
"Good morning, guys.  Can I borrow some milk, again?" she asked as she set the bowl on the counter, and opened the refrigerator.  She bent at the waist, and gave me a good look at her black-panty covered ass.
I arched an eyebrow at Jeryl who just smirked back at me.
"Good morning, Paul...urgh!" Matthew said as he walked into the kitchen, and froze when he saw Kelly's ass wiggling at him.
Kelly straightened up as soon as she heard his voice and managed to smack her head on a shelf in the refrigerator.
"Ouch, shit, shit, shit!" She lifted a hand to rub her head, which lifted her shirt and showed her crotch to us.  The front of the black panties had a red heart right above her pussy.
Matthew's mocha skin got a shade darker as he turned around to keep from looking at Kelly.  Jeryl laughed and pointed at the heart.  Kelly looked down and then stepped close to the counter as her own blush deepened.
"Matthew, I'm sorry about that.  I was just over here getting some milk.  Maybe I better run back to my place and get dressed first."  She hurried out the door.
Matthew turned enough to watch her leave.  He might have been embarrassed, but he still looked.  Jeryl nudged me and smiled.
"So, Matthew, what's on the plan for today?" I asked once Kelly was out of sight.
"You're meeting with your new review committee.  They've all reviewed the current batch of research proposals, and want to go over their recommendations with you this afternoon.  I've got lunch arranged at the conference room in the Four Seasons."
"That explains your suit, I guess."
He was dressed in a sharp looking blue pinstripe suit with a maroon tie.  Now that I knew what to look for, I noticed his slight blush.
"Candace suggested we both dress well for this first meeting."
"Of course she did.  It even makes sense.  Most of these people will look at me as a snot-nosed undergrad if I don't dress for the occasion.  Just so you know, I really hate wearing a tie."
"Oh, Paul," Jeryl said.  "You look so good in your suit though."  She had a twinkle in her eye and I smiled at her.  She always wanted to help me out of my suit after I wore one!
"What about this morning?"
"You and Jeryl have a meeting with Lockheed and the Air Force in an hour.  Then you need to finalize your course registration for the fall before heading over to the Four Seasons."
"Shit.  Are we going to have time?  Registration is always a mess."
"You've both got the courses you want.  You just need to stop in and sign-off on your final schedule.  I'll pick up your books, later this week.  We've got plenty of office supplies upstairs, so you should be ready for the semester when it starts, next week."
"Man, where did the summer go?" I lamented.  "Okay, I'd better go get dressed.  Where is the meeting this morning?"
"At the office."
"It's done?" Jeryl asked.  We had been waiting for the cleanup and renovation to be completed.  Neither Jeryl nor Kelly had stopped by to check on progress.  I had only seen it last week during a walk-through with the designer.  We had changed the decor significantly as well as the internal office layout.  Alison had also insisted on changes to the reception area to improve security.
"Yes, ma'am," Matthew said.  "Candace signed off on it, yesterday.  I've got new keycards for you all.  You'll need to enter new PINs the first time you key into the office.  It should only take a few minutes this morning, to do that."
Jeryl got up and hurried upstairs with me to get dressed.  Sanford was soon driving us down to the offices.  Matthew was right that it only took a few minutes to have each of us create a new six-digit PIN at the reception area.  The foyer to the offices looked bare with no one manning the reception desk.  Sanford decided he would wait there for our guests.
Beyond the reception area, through a bulletproof frosted glass door, there was a long hallway.  Before, we'd had an open office area.  I knew from discussion with Alison and the contractor doing the work that all of the normal interior wall panels had been replaced with ones covered with one of our stronger coatings.  No bombs or bullets would shred our walls again.  The colors were lighter than they had been.  Jeryl and I checked out our adjoining offices separated by a shared restroom and a small conference room.  She glanced at the conference room, which could not be seen from outside our offices and smiled at me.  I suspected we would see how good the sound insulation was soon.
Lockheed and the Air Force arrived five minutes before our meeting was scheduled to begin.  We were all introduced and poured coffee, while Sanford closed the door and we got down to business.
"Victor, thanks for coming to us this time," I said by way of opening.
"It's nice to have a change of scenery," he said.  "Paul, we need to know the status of your production ramp-up."
"We've purchased property and have begun construction.  Our plan looks solid to be able to begin production by February."
"Of course, scaling the process to produce higher volume is going to drive up our costs --and the price-- as a result," Jeryl added.
John Hampton, the Air Force major who was the program manager for Lockheed's contract on the project frowned.  "How much?"
Jeryl smiled.  "Not too much.  Given the estimated demand and the cost we're incurring to meet your timeline, we're going to need to raise the price five percent.  That will be $73.50 a gram."
The major punched numbers into his calculator.  "That's an increase of almost two hundred thousand per aircraft!"
I glanced at Jeryl and shrugged.  We had discussed our approach and gotten Candace's agreement.  "You can always purchase elsewhere," I said.
The man sputtered, "You know we can't, unless you're willing to sell your process to us."
I shook my head.  "I don't think your program can afford that."
Victor smiled at the major and then decided to avoid that entire discussion.  "Any chance you can accelerate your timeline?"
"Matthew, what do you think?"
The former staff sergeant frowned and replied, "I can call our builders, but they said there was not much float in their schedule."
"And there you have it, gentlemen," I said.  "Victor, when we spoke in July, you said I'd have ten months to ramp up production.  I'm trying to get it done in eight, and you still want it sooner?"
Victor had the grace to look down at the table.
The major looked around the room for a moment before he said, "Our project has to give up some of the material for a competing effort.  We're trying to make up the schedule impact that not having two aircraft to test with will cause."
"Well, I don't see how we can build any faster," I said.
"Paul?" Jeryl interjected.  "What about the original lab?  They could make some, couldn't they?"
It was a good idea, but I replied, "Maybe.  They might be able to produce ten or twenty kilos a month.  But, and this is a big 'but,' doing production in a lab is going to have some serious security risks.  We won't have nearly the control we have at our own buildings."
"How much risk?" the major asked.
"Too much.  Besides, shifting the lab to production would stop almost all the research efforts there.  I'm not willing to let your problems impact them that much."
We kicked around a few other ideas before ending the meeting.
"I'll keep thinking about it, but I don't know what we can do," I finally concluded as Victor and the major stood to leave.
"I guess that's all we can ask," Victor said.
We ushered them out and then headed over to campus to sign-off on our registration.  It was surprisingly painless compared to the prior two years, at least for me.  Pursuing a double engineering major had taken agreement, and signatures, from both departments as I doubled up classes and took a higher than encouraged course load.  This year, Matthew had evidently gotten the signatures from the faculty members that I needed, ahead of time.  I was starting to see the wisdom of having an executive assistant.
By the time we arrived at The Four Seasons, for lunch and our all-afternoon meeting, I was doubly glad.  The six academics we had selected immediately approached me, and thanked me for the first class flight and accommodations for the meeting.  We all settled in for a long afternoon of research proposals.  I was surprised at how organized things were.  By the time cocktail hour rolled around, we were done and fourteen grants had been approved.  Matthew and Candace were hosting dinner for the advisors, tonight.
"Wow," I said as we climbed into the car to head home.  "I was not certain about hiring an assistant, but I have to say that he has earned his pay this week, already."
Jeryl reached out and squeezed my hand.  "I'm glad you see mine and Kelly's wisdom.  We both need to delegate more, so we can focus on what's most important.  Besides, I'm pretty sure Matthew thinks Kelly is cute."
I laughed and gave her a kiss.  I thought she was right in that regard, as well.
****
I was surprised at the crowd outside the lecture hall.  Normally, there were a handful of people waiting for the next class, but today the hall was crowded and most of them did not look like students.
"Paul Taylor, what do you think about the FBI arrest in Montana, today?"  A woman asked as she shoved a microphone in my face.  A few of my classmates pushed past me while glaring at the news crew.
"I don't know about it," I said as I tried to get clear of the throng.
The reporter followed me.  I saw another three reporters hustling up behind her.  I tried to remain casual as I pushed a button on my watch and then pulled out the stem, then pushed it back.  I knew Sanford was less than ten minutes away.  I slowly moved toward the door at the far end of the hall.
The reporter persisted, "The FBI arrested a man in Montana on suspicion of murder related to the bomb at your offices in July.  They released a statement that the critical tip was received after you funded a reward for information leading to the arrest."
I smiled and pushed through the door.  "If they think my offer of a reward had something to do with the arrest, then I am happy.  Other than that, I have no comment."
Another recorder was pushed toward me.  "Was your offer of a reward an indictment of the FBI?"
I kept my mouth shut, and looked down the street, hoping to see a Range Rover coming.
"Were you targeted because of the work you do for the airline industry and government?"
I saw a black car at the far corner, and stepped closer to the street.
"Do you believe your technologies are helping the world?"
"Do you feel safer knowing this arrest has been made?"
I shook my head and waved my hand at the Land Rover.  It decelerated quickly to stop next to me.  I heard the electric locks click pulled open the door and quickly climbed into the front seat.  One over-zealous reporter nearly lost his hand and tape recorder as I jerked the door shut.  Sanford pulled away before I had my seatbelt on.
"Was that the emergency?" he asked as he took the corner and steered away from campus.
"Yes.  They ambushed me outside of class.  I wasn't sure what was going on, and decided to alert you before things went sideways."
"Good.  You did the right thing.  If you aren't sure what is happening and there might be risk, you are supposed to alert us."
I wanted to roll my eyes.  Every one of Alison's operatives had said the same thing to Jeryl and me repeatedly over the past few months.
"I was glad you got there as quickly as you did.  I was about ready to head for campus security."
Before he could reply, the radio crackled, "Romeo-one, status?"
I smiled.  Security had taken to calling the Range Rovers 'Romeo,' with a number designator.  Whichever car I was in was designated Romeo-One, just like any airplane the president was in was designated Air Force One.  Jeryl liked to tease me about being Romeo-One in the bedroom as well.
Sanford picked up the handset and said, "Romeo-one in transit.  All clear."
"Do you want to go back to the house, Paul?"
"No.  Let's go to the office.  Kelly or Jeryl probably need to make a press release.  Evidently the FBI arrested someone, today, in connection with the bombing.  That's mostly what the reporters were asking about."
Sanford nodded and took the next right toward Sand Hill Road and made a brief announcement on the radio.  Soon we were at the office, where another news van was parked.  Matthew was out front by the curb to open the car door and escort me inside as more ridiculous questions were shouted at me.
"Thanks, Matthew," I said.
The Marine smiled at me.  "Just one of the things you pay me for.  Kelly has a statement drafted for you upstairs.  The FBI called the office right after they made their arrest.  When we saw the van here, we figured you would be in the clear at school."
"Someone must have figured out what classes I have.  What a pain in the ass!"
We used our security badges to enter the office after smiling at Sherry, our new receptionist.  She was a petite blonde with a perky smile and blue eyes.  She had started shortly after the school semester began.  She was answering the phone continually as we walked by.
Rose Feldman -- Kelly and Candace's new secretary -- was waiting inside with Kelly hovering by her desk as she typed on her computer.
Kelly glanced up, smiled and said, "How does this sound?  PT Innovations congratulates the FBI on their arrest this morning related to the bombing of our offices in July.  If our establishment of a reward for information leading to an arrest of the person responsible for this cowardly attack played any part in today's actions, then we are thankful that we were able to assist.  However, we believe the professionalism of the agents investigating these events is what will lead to a conviction.  We are hopeful that today's actions will prevent additional violence against businesses or individuals."
I read over it on the computer screen and then nodded.  "It's good enough.  Let's get it out to the press so poor Sherry can take a breath between phone calls.  Has it been like that long?"
Rose chuckled.  "We made the PBX send all calls out there, just so we could hear ourselves think.  It only really started to get maddening about thirty minutes ago.  I guess it took that long for people to put things together after the FBI press briefing this morning."
"Where's Jeryl?"  Kelly asked.
I glanced at my watch.  "She has back-to-back classes this afternoon.  She's got another forty minutes before she'll head home."
"Do we need to pick her up?"
"Probably not a bad idea.  I'll go with Sanford and get her."
"No," Kelly said.  "Send Matthew.  He won't draw a crowd like you might.  You've tried to keep a low profile on campus, but people will still recognize you, especially if the press is hanging out."
"Okay, that makes sense.  Matthew, can you pick her up and get her back to the house?"
"Can do," he said.
I headed into my office and pulled out my class notes.  I had an hour or so of homework to do and decided to hit it while the lecture was still fresh in my mind.  The VLSI Design course was one that definitely held my interest this semester.  It was totally new area of study for me, and I found it both challenging and rewarding.  I dived into the assignment and tried to put the press out of mind.
"Ready to call it a day?"  Kelly asked from my doorway some time later.
I looked up and realized it had started to get dark out.  I glanced down at the problem I had just finished working through and then stood up and stretched.
"Yes, I think I am.  I got 'in the zone' doing this problem set.  I didn't think we'd be here this late," I added as I started shoving my papers into my satchel.
"You looked busy and I had some things to finish up.  Matthew picked up Jeryl.  She's at the house.  We've been tasked to stop for Chinese on the way home.  I've already called in the order."
"Okay."  I picked up the soft-sided briefcase after fastening its two buckles.  "Am I driving?"
Kelly stuck her tongue out at me.  "Like I trust you with my car," she said with a smile.
"Hey, I drove it first," I teased.
"But I drive it better!"
We laughed together and headed out.  I was happy to see the news van was gone as we walked outside.  Soon we were headed to our favorite take-out joint.
Jeryl was happy to see us.  Sanford made a brief appearance to make sure we were all right before retreating down to his rooms with the security monitors.  Jeryl, Kelly and I settled in around the kitchen table.
"So, did you tell him?"  Jeryl asked after filling her plate with fried rice and beef and broccoli.
I looked at Kelly.
"Not yet.  I thought I'd let him eat in peace," she said with a little smile.
"No chance of that now.  What's up?"
Jeryl was almost bouncing in her seat and smiling as Kelly reached for the fried rice.  I grabbed the container and held it hostage.
"Alright.  Before all the hoopla started today, we got a different press inquiry.  Business Insider wants to interview you."
"Why?"
"Come on, Paul," Jeryl said.  "You are doing what you set out to do, changing the world.  People are starting to notice.  Your patent portfolio is used in some manner in just about every car being made today.  You consult with GE, Boeing, Gulfstream, and Rolls-Royce engines, just to name a few.  The research you have funded is driving a technology explosion here in the valley and across the country.  And you're just over twenty-one years old."
"You forgot that I have a hot girlfriend and evil step-sister in that description."
"Hey!  I'm not evil," Kelly protested.
"Only in the mornings," I teased back.
Kelly stuck her tongue out again and then grabbed the fried rice from me.  I picked up some of the steamed dumplings and waited.
"So when are they coming?" Jeryl finally asked.
"They want to do it Friday afternoon.  Matthew is making the arrangements."
I frowned.  "Don't you think I should agree first?"
"You'll agree.  Jeryl already decided.  I think she is right."
I sat back in my chair.  "You two decided, did you?"
Jeryl frowned, but nodded.  "We made a deal.  You do the interview, and I'll provide the reward."
"Oh really?  What reward?"
"I will do anything you want for a whole weekend, if you agree to the interview."
"You'll do most anything I ask of you anyway," I said with what I hoped looked like an evil leer.  "Why do you think I should do this?"
"So I can brag."
"Brag?"
She was blushing now.  "They're going to list you on their most eligible bachelor issue."
****
Alex Henderson was the person sent out to interview me.  We had made idle chitchat for thirty minutes or so in the small conference room between Jeryl and my offices before he pulled out the small tape recorder and set it on the table between us.
"So, Paul, Business Insider has estimated your net worth between $100 and $500 million.  Are we close?"
"You're in the ballpark," I said with a smile.  "Since we're a private company, we don't like to disclose too much information."
"But you do disclose your investments in several start-ups you've backed, don't you?"
"Yes."
"So you've invested at least $200 million in various ventures over the past two years.  And you're only twenty-one?"
I nodded.
"I've got to say, that is a hell of an accomplishment.  Are you trying to become the youngest self-made billionaire in history?"
"No.  I'm not pursuing making a fortune for the sake of fame or fortune.  I'm funding research and start-ups to help make our world a better place."
"Sounds pretty altruistic.  Does that mean you're going to give your money away?"
"No, I don't think so," I said with a chuckle.  "I do make some charitable contributions, but I'm not giving it all away."
"I didn't think you would.  So, we have some standard questions we like to get answers for from everyone, but then I have a few more for you, since you are by far the youngest person on our list this year."
"Shoot."
"What should a girl, or lady, do to attract your attention?"
"You've met my girlfriend, right?"  I waved toward Jeryl's office.  I knew they had chatted a bit as I finished up a phone call.
He nodded.
"Describe her and you'll have your answer."
"So, smart?"
"Very."
"Athletic?"
"Yes."
"What else?"
"Jeryl is smart and has common sense.  She thinks for herself and isn't afraid to tell me I'm wrong.  She's athletic.  She loves to ski, but has also taken up running and some martial arts.  She has a wicked sense of humor and loves to surprise me.  By the way, I'm not looking to replace her."
Alex smiled and jotted something in his notebook.  "I'll make sure we add our standard comment that you are in a relationship."
"So what else interests you?  Cars are obvious.  I understand you're doing some work on jet engines and airplanes, and you still have a deal with Nike?"
"Yes.  Most of the things I started in high school are more or less running themselves.  I've been focused on school most recently."
"But still consulting on the side?"
"Yes.  That and reviewing research we fund as well as some targeted investments and acquisition."
"Acquisitions?  I haven't seen much press about those."
"Most of them have been private acquisitions.  If we see a technology with merit, we'll become silent partners or purchase the firm outright.  We also invest in start-ups here in the Valley."
"What about your own research?"
"Well, I have to be careful.  If I do something at school, Stanford would own the rights to it.  That's one reason I haven't directly done much for the past couple of years."
"What are the other reasons?"
I laughed.  "I'm trying to complete two engineering degrees at the same time, in the four years at school.  Mechanical and Electrical Engineering degrees have tough courses, even if you're only doing one degree."
"That's pretty ambitious.  What about business courses?"
"Actually, that's what Jeryl is focusing on.  She's pursuing a degree in accounting."
"So how do you feel about the recent news that the FBI captured the person responsible for sending you a bomb?"
"I'm glad they've gotten a crazy person off the street so he can't harm anyone again."
"You think he's crazy?"
"I'm not a psychiatrist, so I can't really say.  I can't understand his motives or viewpoint, so it is crazy to me."
"Based on what has been released so far, he seemed to be targeting airlines and technology in general.  Do you think others will agree with him that technology is de-humanizing us?"
I looked at him for a minute.  His face was guileless, but I suspected he was finally getting into the real reason he wanted to interview me.  I shook my head.
"I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and belief right up until they use those beliefs to justify harming or intimidating others.  This person could have written and protested all day long, and I would have supported his right to do so.  As soon as he resorted to violence, and killed an innocent woman who never did anything to him, he deserves to be dealt with in the harshest manner possible."
"So you disagree that technology is damaging society?"
"People define societies; things don't.  Technology is mostly about things.  How people treat technology and use it to impact society is what builds or damages us."
"What do you mean?"
"We are in the midst of the computer revolution.  It will change how people interact.  In and of itself, it is neither good nor bad.  It is just a fact that our interaction models are changing.  Now, if people don't want to use computers, that is their choice.  But instead of respecting everyone's choice, some people start ascribing 'evil' or 'goodness' to others just because they choose to use a computer.  That is when society is damaged.  Instead of judging the actions, they judge the tools."
"Take this man the FBI arrested.  He was against technology, but still used mass-produced notebooks and pens to write his beliefs out.  He used technology to give himself the power over life and death.  He traveled from Chicago to Montana via car or airplane, not by walking.  If he was so anti-technology, why did he still buy clothes from a store, and pencils and paper, and use unnatural explosives to try and draw attention?  It was not his belief that was evil, it was his actions.  And those hypocritical actions cost a woman her life."
"What about the environmentalist and people that argue we are damaging the environment?"
"Bring specifics.  I don't doubt that man is impacting the environment, but we also have to recognize that man is part of that environment as well.  Stopping progress is not the answer.  I love the outdoors.  I want to protect the environment as much as anyone.  I donate to the Sierra Club and several environmental groups.  But as soon as one of them goes out to spike a tree and risk injury to a lumberjack who is just doing their job, I'll withdraw my support."
"But what if their other efforts are not being successful?"
"Are you arguing that when a society doesn't agree with an individual or group, that those people can ignore the rules of society to go their own way?"
"No, but we are a democracy."
"And they hold the minority view.  If they can argue effectively and win people over, their view becomes the majority view and change happens.  If they can't, they are destined to lose in our society."
Alex sat back and took a breath.  "Okay.  So you support many environmental efforts.  What else to you believe in?"
"I believe in a lot of things.  I believe in individual equality.  I believe in the innate freedoms of man."
"And how do you support those?"
"On a case-by-case basis," I said with a grin.
****
"Hey, cutie," Jeryl said as she joined me in the student union for lunch.
"Right back at you, darling.  What's got you in such a good mood?"
"Must be my loving boyfriend," She said.
I could tell there was more to this.  "Did you have a good class?"
"As a matter of fact, I did.  Do you realize that for our final project, we have to complete a full business case study on the development of a go-to-market strategy for a new product?  Guess which product I picked?"
She had a twinkle in her eye.
"Something to do with cars?"  I guessed.
"Nope.  Think about the boom in sportswear," she said with a grin.
"You didn't!"
She laughed.  "I couldn't help myself when I saw Diamond Skin as one of the products for the case study.  I don't think the professor knows who I am.  It's going to be fun."
"Just remember you said that when your prof totally disagrees with your assumptions or decisions."
She laughed and then went to the counter to grab a sandwich.  She came back with a cute, platinum blonde girl in tow.
"Paul, this is Lila from my marketing class.  Lila, this is Paul, my boyfriend."
Lila was an inch shorter than Jeryl, probably about 5' 6".  She had short platinum blonde hair and blue eyes.  She was wearing a pair of jeans and a red USMC sweatshirt that hid any curves.  I stood up and shook her offered hand.
"It's good to meet you.  Jeryl mentioned she had a boyfriend when I tried to get her to come to a party next week."  She looked me up and down.  "From the looks of you, you could hold your own with the guys that will be there.  You guys should both come."
I grabbed an extra chair and made room for her to join us at our table.  "What party is that?"
"It's the Navy-Marine Corps party at the NROTC unit here on campus.  I'm on a Marine scholarship."  She plucked at the gold lettering on her sweatshirt for emphasis.
"Sounds like fun.  Do you want to go, hon?"  I asked Jeryl.
"Sure.  After some of the stories you told about Matthew and your trip to Austin, I think I need some more exposure to these Navy and Marine types."
Lila raised an eyebrow at me.
"Matthew is a former Staff Sergeant who we work with.  I met a retired Master Chief and a Marine Captain and listened to a bunch of sea-stories from them."
Lila nodded in understanding, then turned to Jeryl.
"Hey, you looked pretty excited about the case study we got assigned today.  Do you want to work on it together?"
Jeryl laughed.  "Sure, but only if you got Diamond Skin as well."
"I did.  I love their stuff from Nike.  I've got like six shirts from them and a pair of running shorts and pants as well."
"I didn't know they made shorts and pants," I said.
"They're great.  I hear football players swear by them.  I like them when it gets a little colder.  I've worn them out in the field under my camo a few times too.  I wear the shorts under my gi for karate.  I don't have a lot of padding, so I like the extra protection they give."
"Makes sense," I said as I nodded.
"Maybe we should get some for our practices," Jeryl said.
"What practices?"  Lila asked.
"We both practice Krav Maga.  It's a newer martial art."
Lila nodded.  "I've seen some of it.  If I hadn't already gotten my brown belt in Karate before coming to school, I'd be interested in taking it up.  It looks very impressive from what I've seen.  Where do you guys practice at?"
Jeryl laughed.  "Mostly in our back yard."
That caused another eyebrow to be raised.
"Our instructor likes our back yard, so we practice there as well as at a private dojo in town," I said.
Jeryl gave me a look.  "Come on, Paul.  Lila and I have been in classes together since freshman year.  If we're going to do this case study together, she's going to know."
I sighed.  "Jeryl's excited about doing the Diamond Skin case study because we were the inventors who sold it to Nike three years ago.  That's one of the reasons we have a private instructor in Krav Maga."
Lila's eyes got wide.  "Shit, I should have known that.  You're Paul Taylor."  I nodded.  "You said you both invented Diamond Skin?"
"I invented the material.  Jeryl helped with the idea and our initial prototypes.  She also came up with the name and branding.  We were together on our visit to Stanford when we met with and closed the deal with Nike."
Lila shook her head.  "That is so cool.  Does Professor Eisner know?"  She asked Jeryl.
"I don't think so.  If he did, I'm sure he wouldn't have let me do the case study on it."
"So we're not going to be limited to the materials he handed out, are we?"
"Hell no.  I've got our contract and a ton of contacts at Nike still.  We should be able to get some good stuff to put the others to shame."
"Excellent.  I really want to do well on this.  It's half our grade."
"I know.  It should be a blast," Jeryl said.
After that, Lila started coming by our house several times a week so she and Jeryl could work on their project.  When she found out I ran most mornings and that Jeryl joined me three times a week, she invited herself along.  It was always more fun to run in a group, so I didn't mind.  The fact that she was cute and fast did not hurt either.
Two weeks later, we took her up on her offer to attend the party at the NROTC unit.
"If anyone asks, just tell them that I invited you," Lila said as we walked up the steps and into the building the Naval ROTC unit used.  The entryway was covered with palm leaves and pampas grass and a large sign declaring the "Tenth Annual Shipwrecked Ball" in glowing neon letters.  We had been warned about the theme.
Jeryl pulled off her coat revealing a pair of daisy-duke cut off shorts that were well worn along with a crop-topped dress shirt that had been strategically shredded around the sleeves and mid-drift.  A pair of canvas deck shoes completed her outfit.  Lila took off her trench coat and revealed a grass skirt and white bikini top.
"Well, at least you two both look hot tonight," I said.  I peeled off my sweats to stand in a pair of torn and threadbare khaki shorts, Topsiders, and a salt-stained and sun-faded blue polo shirt.
"I don't know, Paul," Lila said.  "You look pretty hot yourself.  Jeryl is a lucky lady."
"That's right," Jeryl agreed.
We put our coats in the coat-check and moved deeper into the building.  Music was playing loudly enough that it was hard to talk.  Lila pushed her way through a crowd of fit young men and returned a minute later with three beers.
"Don't drink the punch," she warned as she handed us each a plastic cup.  "It has enough booze in it to knock you clean out of your panties if you aren't careful," she yelled over the music.
Jeryl laughed.  "That sounds like the voice of experience," she said.
Lila gave her a weak smile and shook her head.  We finished our beers quickly and then the girls each grabbed one of my hands and dragged me onto the dance floor.  We gyrated together with something approaching style and stayed busy for two songs before some of the braver midshipmen tried to cut in.  Lila was friendly and danced with almost anyone who got up the nerve to ask her.  Jeryl declined politely and stayed with me.  After a few more songs, we took a break and got another beer.
"Okay, I think my morale duty is done," Lila said as we found a quieter corner with some chairs to relax in for a few minutes.
"What do you mean?"
"Those guys I danced with were the underclassmen Marine options midshipmen.  The seniors think of me as their mascot sometimes.  They told all the underclassmen they were gutless wonders if they couldn't work up the nerve to ask me to dance with them.  You can't call a Marine gutless and get away with it, but I don't have to dance with them twice."
We laughed with her and then I made another beer run.  As I came back, the DJ decided to slow things down a bit.  Jeryl grabbed my hand and took me back out to the dance floor.  She draped herself around my neck and pressed close to me.  It was nice being out with her doing something normal for a change.
The next song was slow as well, and I was surprised when Lila cut in on Jeryl.  She was not shy.  She had her hands on my shoulders and stayed close enough I could feel the warmth of her body.
"Thanks for coming with me tonight, Paul.  I really like you guys."
"Hey, we like you too.  Besides, this is fun."
"Yeah, not so fun if I had come stag or with just one guy."
"What do you mean?"
"If I was stag, all the guys would be hitting on me.  If I were with a guy outside the unit, someone would try to pull some macho shit.  Coming with a couple keeps everyone off balance enough that they don't know what to do."
The song ended and we headed back to the corner to find Jeryl.  Two midshipmen were trying to chat her up as we arrived.
"Hey!"  Lila yelled at them.  "Did you ask my permission to bother my friend?"
The two midshipmen jumped up and spun to face Lila.  Both paled at the sight of her.
The taller of the two found his backbone and voice first.  "Sorry, ma'am.  We didn't know she was here with you."
Lila laughed and they relaxed.  "She's here with him," she said jerking her thumb at me.  "And he can probably out PT you guys, so I'd be careful about pestering his girlfriend."
I laughed and Jeryl joined in.  Lila sent one of the midshipmen off for more beer and reclaimed her seat by Jeryl.  She told us the two guys were underclassmen in her platoon.  She was nominally their squad leader.  We chatted for a while and then danced some more.
By the time the evening wound down, we were all a little buzzed.  I collected our stuff from the coat check and then made a quick call for a ride back to the house.  Lila decided to join us when Tiffany pulled up in one of the Range Rovers.
Back at the house, I figured she would change into warmer clothes and call it a night, but Jeryl offered her the spare room.
"I wouldn't want to put you guys out," Lila said.
"No worries.  It's not like I'm going to use that room," Jeryl replied.  "But don't get your grassy-ass all over the place, if you please," she added with a playful tug at Lila's costume.
Lila laughed and then stuck her tongue out at us.  Without missing a beat, she untied the grass skirt and let it drop to the floor.  "There, now you don't have to worry about my grassy ass!"
She was wearing a small pair of black bikini bottoms, her white bikini top and a big smile.  Jeryl pursed her lips and then made a twirling motion with her finger.  Lila turned around slowly, showing off her lean, well-muscled body.  She had a tiny waist that made her hips and bust look fuller than they were.
As her back was turned to us, Jeryl reached out and pulled the tie on her top.  Lila screeched as her top came loose.  She grabbed Jeryl's shirt and jerked it open in retaliation.  Buttons scattered on the floor.  Jeryl flung off the torn shirt and managed to grab Lila's top as she did, pulling it away to expose her A-cup breasts with small, pointy nipples.
Lila pulled back --still laughing-- and over balanced.  She flailed and caught Jeryl's wrist as the two of them tumbled to the floor laughing in a heap.
I admired the view for a minute and then helped them both up.  "I think maybe you two should sober up a little in the hot tub."
Jeryl immediately agreed and pulled Lila to the back of the house.  I trailed along shaking my head.  I made it outside in time to see Jeryl stripping off her shorts and hopping into the heated water.  Lila glanced over her shoulder at me, smiled, and then pushed her own bottoms to the ground before stepping up and into the tub.  Her ass was perfect in the soft light of the patio.
Both girls turned to watch me.  Jeryl licked her lips and smiled.  I pulled off my shirt and kicked off my shoes.  I moved next to the hot tub and prepared to climb in.
"Hey!" Jeryl said.  "This is a clothing restricted hot tub tonight, mister."
"Clothing restricted?"
"Yeah.  If you want to get in with these two beautiful women, leave the clothes outside."
I shrugged and turned back to the house.
Jeryl splashed water at me until she saw I was only grabbing some towels for us.  I came back over, kissed her, and then pushed my own pants and boxers down before hopping into the hot tub.  Lila smiled at us as I settled into the seat next to Jeryl.
With the bubbles going and the sparse lights of the patio, we could not see anything below the surface of the water, but knowing Lila was naked along with us got my motor running.  Jeryl's hands teasing their way up and down my thighs with the occasional stop to cup my penis and balls did not help the situation.  I was only partially successful at listening to the conversation.
"So you guys have been together since then?"  Lila asked.
"Sure have," Jeryl said.  She had just told her about our freshman year break-up and reunion after our fateful ski trip.
"Man, I've had a dozen boyfriends since my freshman year."
"Really?"
"Yeah.  Dad was in the Corps.  We moved every two or three years when I was growing up.  Then my mom died and I started moving more so I could be near dad or family even when he was on temporary assignment."
"That must have made school tough," I said.
"Not really.  On base classes were pretty much the same all over, so I could stay in-synch with my peers.  From eighth grade on, I was always the 'new girl', which guys seemed to like.  I don't think I dated anyone for more than a couple of months all through school.  It wasn't worth the emotional investment."
"What do you mean?"
Lila shrugged.  "I knew I was going to be moving, so there was no sense getting tied down.  Same thing here.  I'm going into the Corps right after graduation.  I'll be going to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for at least six months and then on to other schools.  I don't have time for a serious relationship right now.  Maybe in a few years I'll be ready, but right now I'm just looking to enjoy myself and finish school strong."
"Shit.  I don't think I could do that.  I've just about got Paul trained right after five years.  I couldn't bear the thought of going out with another guy and going back to square one with them."
"Oh, it's not that bad," Lila said.  "Sometimes it's fun finding someone new.  I picked up a cute freshman earlier this year.  He was so nervous, I almost felt maternal."
"What happened?"
A sad look crossed her face.  "He was a typical guy.  Once we slept together he wanted to go looking for a new conquest."
"Asshole," I said.
Lila smiled at me.  "Thanks, but I knew it would not be a long-term deal anyway.  So, you guys seem pretty cool with each other and hanging out naked with me.  Why's that?"
Jeryl laughed and told her a few stories about her sisters.  I never would have shared so much, but Jeryl treated Lila almost like a sister.
"Truth or dare?"  Lila asked.  "I think I played that once in high school.  Usually we didn't need games if we wanted to hook up."
"It was never about just hooking up," Jeryl said.  "It was fun way to build anticipation or share a fantasy.  You really only played it once or twice?"
Lila nodded.
"You want to play?"  Jeryl's hand had me fully erect now.
Lila looked worried for a second.
"Or are you gutless?"  Jeryl asked.
"Okay, truth or dare, miss smarty-pants?"  Lila asked.
"Dare."
"I dare you to bob down under water and suck that fat cock you're playing with."
Jeryl blushed and looked at me.
"Busted," I said with a smile.
Jeryl kissed me and then took a deep breath before ducking under the water.  She took me in her mouth and sucked me deep.  I knew there was no way she was going to give me a complete head-job underwater, but the sensation was wonderful.  Nearly a minute later, she released me and resurfaced.  I pulled her tight for a deep kiss and felt her relax against me.
"Wow," Lila said.  "I didn't think you'd actually do it."
"I asked if you wanted to play.  How could I not do it?"
Jeryl took a couple of deep breaths.  "Paul, truth or dare?"
"Dare," I,said.
"I dare you to stand up and show Lila what a magnificent cock you have."
Knowing there was nothing to be gained by delaying, I stood up on the seat.  Lila licked her lips as she looked at my stiff dick.  Jeryl grabbed it with her hand and then moved to swallow it deep.  I groaned and felt my eyes roll back into my head.  She was an amazing fellatrix.  Lila's gaze was stuck on me as Jeryl slowly pulled back and released me.  I waited for a moment, hoping she would go again, and then settled back into the water.
"I guess it will be my turn next," Lila finally said.
"Not so fast.  Jeryl, you didn't say no back-and-forth."
"Makes it kind of boring with just three people.  You're stuck in the same order if you do."
"Okay.  Jeryl, truth or dare?"  I asked.
Lila pouted a little as Jeryl smiled.
"Dare," she said after pretending to think about it for a moment.
"I dare you to go inside and get us something to drink."
"That's not much of a dare," she said with a little pout.
I shrugged.  "Wave at the security camera while you do it," I said with an evil grin.
Jeryl blushed.  She was turning into something of an exhibitionist, but had always tried to not flaunt her body around our security team.  She gave me a kiss and then hopped out and dashed across the patio.  A minute later, she was back with three bottles of water for us.
Once she was back in the hot tub, she gave me a kiss and then turned to Lila.
"Lila, truth or dare?"
Lila looked a little nervous.  "Truth?" she said it as if it were a wrong answer.
Jeryl grinned.  "Chicken.  Okay, what was the wildest sex you ever had?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know, the craziest place or people.  What's the story you never want your daughter to hear?  Tell us that experience."
"Well, there was one time my freshman year here where I did it with two guys at once."
"Really?"
"Yeah.  I was sort of dating one guy and his roommate came in while we were going at it.  I was on top of him, kissing and fucking when the door opened up and his roommate came in.  We had all been at the same party that night.  I pulled a cover up, but kept riding my guy as his roommate bitched about his date not willing to do anything after the party.  I was pretty horny and got tired of his whining, and finally told him to shut up and get his dick out and I'd take care of him.  A few seconds later, he was nude from the waist down.  I motioned him over and sucked him off as my date finally got me and him off."
"Wow," Jeryl said as she stroked her hand along my dick.
"Paul, truth or dare?"  Lila asked before the silence grew uncomfortable.
"Dare."  I was really hoping she would have a good one.
Lila looked at Jeryl for a second, then back to me.  "I dare you to kiss me."
I nodded and pulled Jeryl's hand off my dick.  I moved across the hot tub to Lila and put my arms around her shoulders as I leaned in for a kiss.  I concentrated on the point of contact as our lips touched.  She opened her mouth a little and gasped against me as our tongues darted out to caress one another.  I stroked my hands down her sleek back as she leaned forward to press her lips more tightly against mine.  After a minute, I pulled back.
Jeryl gave me a kiss as I sat back down.  "That was so hot!"  she said.
"Jeryl, truth or dare?"
"Are you afraid of me, Paul?"  Lila asked.
"No.  Why?"
"You always ask Jeryl."
"Only twice, so far.  That's hardly always."
Lila pouted, as Jeryl said, "Dare."
"I dare you to finish the blow job you started."
"Oh, goody," Jeryl said with a smile.  She urged me up to the side of the hot tub as she spoke to Lila.  "I love doing this.  I hope you don't mind."
Without another word, she plunged down on me until her nose was pushed against my stomach.  The feel of her throat around the head of my cock was amazing.  She began bobbing slowly and hummed in time.  I reached down to fondle her breasts and tease both nipples to hardness.  It did not take long before I felt my balls start to tighten.
"I'm coming," I warned a second before my orgasm hit.  Jeryl stayed with me, only pulling back far enough to capture my spend in her mouth.  She stoked my shaft to milk everything from me.  Finally, she sat back and I lowered myself back into the water.  Lila had a glazed look in her eyes.
"Lila," Jeryl said.  "Truth or dare?"
"Dare."  Her voice was throaty.
"I dare you to kiss me and taste Paul on my tongue," Jeryl said.
I was surprised how quickly Lila crossed the tub and grabbed Jeryl's head.  As I watched their tongues wrestle, I felt my recently drained prick start to stiffen.  It was an incredibly erotic sight seeing two beautiful women make out in front of me.
Finally, they broke apart; Lila looked slightly embarrassed but was breathing hard and Jeryl looked hungry and horny.  I knew the look on Jeryl's face well.
"Paul, truth or dare?"
"Dare."  I had a suspicion of what she would tell me to do.
"I dare you to do to Lila what I did to you."
I was right.  "Kiss her?"
Jeryl laughed.  "No.  Park her cute ass on the edge of the tub and give her a screaming orgasm with that wonderful tongue of yours."
Lila looked at me shyly, but scooted up to sit on the edge of the tub.  Her body was amazingly firm and sleek with the water from the hot tub glistening on her skin.  While her breasts were smaller than Jeryl's, they were incredibly firm and rode high on her chest with small, tightly crinkled nipples pointing at me.
She spread her legs a bit as I came slowly closer, giving her a chance to stop me if she really wanted to.  Her pussy was shaved smooth, but looked delectable.  I put my knees on the seat of the hot tub and leaned in slowly to first give her a kiss.  My lips moved slowly down, first to one nipple, then the other.  She leaned back as I kissed my way down her tight stomach and then dropped to a knee to start kissing my way back up.
By the time I got close to her pussy, she was moaning softly.  Jeryl moved beside me and stroked my back and shoulders as I dipped my head lower and swiped her clit with my tongue.
"Oh!"  Lila gasped.
I took long strokes along her slit as she slowly opened wider for me.  I pressed my tongue flat against her as I slipped a finger inside her twat.  She thrust up against me and grabbed my head.  I turned my finger, searching for her g-spot and was rewarded by another clenching thrust as she flung her knees over my shoulders.
I glanced up long enough to see Lila hanging her head back with her eyes closed.  Her stomach was clenched tightly, showing off her core muscles.  I licked her in time with the scratching motion of my finger.
"Shit!" Lila grunted as her orgasm hit her.  She ground my face into her as multiple shudders wracked her body.  After a minute, she pushed me away.  Jeryl immediately grabbed my head and turned my face to kiss me.
"That was so hot, lover," she whispered as she collected her taste of Lila from my lips.
"Well, I'm pretty sure it's your turn now," Lila said breathlessly.
"How about we go upstairs," I suggested.
Jeryl pouted, but then hopped out of the hot tub, grabbed a towel and all of our clothes and then headed inside.  "Don't be long, you two.  It's my turn to cum, you know."
Lila looked at me shyly and then stepped out of the tub.  Her tight ass and legs were amazing to watch as she bent over to pick up a towel and begin drying off.
"That was one of the best orgasms I've ever had, Paul.  Thank you," she said as she turned to watch me exit the tub.
"My pleasure, ma'am."
She smiled at me and handed me a towel.  We went inside, close to one another, but not touching.  I led her upstairs where Jeryl was already stretched out on the bed.  She had a couple of lights on low, giving us both just enough illumination to see her delectable figure laid out before us.
I watched Jeryl watch us and saw just the slightest of nods.  I stepped behind Lila and gently pulled the towel from her.  Jeryl licked her lips.  I ran my hands down Lila's arms and then hugged her from behind, feeling my hard cock press against her ass.
"Lila," I said softly as Jeryl stroked her own hand softly across her nipples.  "Truth or dare?"
Lila stared at Jeryl and I felt her shudder against me.
"Dare," she whispered.
"I dare you to make love with Jeryl and me."
She turned to look at me in confusion."
"What do you mean?"
I took her shoulders and turned her back to Jeryl, as I leaned down and kissed her neck.  I slowly moved her closer to the bed as Jeryl rolled to her knees and reached out to embrace us.
Jeryl kissed Lila first and then me.
"This is something Paul and I have wanted to try for a while.  If you're uncomfortable with it, we won't, but we would like to give it a try," Jeryl said as her hands stroked Lila's arms and then cupped her breasts gently.
I could feel Lila's pulse racing as I kissed her neck again.  I reached around her and teased one nipple as Jeryl leaned in and sucked the other.  Lila arched back against me and moaned.  I dropped my hand and cupped her bare pussy, stroking a finger along as Jeryl pulled her in for an embrace.
"Let's make out as Paul fucks you," Jeryl said as she pulled Lila on top of her.  Lila moaned again and scooted fully onto the bed to straddle Jeryl, her ass in the air pointing at me.  I ran my fingers up her thigh and then stepped behind her as Jeryl spread Lila's cheeks for me.  I slipped inside her with one long, slow stroke.
"Shit, that feels good," Lila said as Jeryl feasted on her small breasts.
I pulled out and pushed back in, watching the two beautiful women writhe beneath me.  I set a slow, steady pace.  Lila was not as tight as Jeryl, but still felt incredible.  Her firm ass and narrow waist gave me an incredible sight to enjoy as I fucked her.
I was surprised by Lila's sudden orgasm.  She arched her back and pushed back on me as her head dropped to Jeryl's stomach in a gasp.  She shuddered on my cock for a minute and then held herself still, arms splayed out alongside Jeryl and gasping for breath.  I stood still, buried inside her as her sheath clenched me.  Slowly, she began kissing Jeryl's stomach.  She pushed back against me as her head moved lower to gently kiss Jeryl's sex.
Jeryl grabbed Lila's head and moaned as I began pushing into Lila again.  I kept at the steady pace as Lila worked on Jeryl's pussy with her tongue and fingers.
"Oh, God!" Jeryl screamed as she got her first orgasm of the night.  She held Lila's head but looked up into my eyes with love.  "I love you so much," she mouthed silently.
I took that as my cue and pulled out of Lila.  Jeryl rolled them over and then spun around into a sixty-nine with her on top.  I wasted no time lining up and sliding into my lover as she and Lila resumed their oral delights.
Jeryl's tighter pussy grasped me.  I picked up my pace as I felt another orgasm building in her.  Soon, she was clenching me tightly and moaning into Lila's cunt.  I was close, and then Lila swiped my balls with her tongue and I was gone.  I pumped a load of cum into Jeryl and barely managed to stay standing as tremors of pleasure swept through me.
Slowly, my sense returned and I pulled out of Jeryl and flopped onto the bed beside the two girls.  Jeryl started to move off Lila, but the cute blonde grabbed her hips and held her in place above her face.
"I want another taste of Paul," she said.
Jeryl moaned as Lila licked her slowly, sucking my juice from her soggy pussy.  Jeryl resumed her own licking and soon both girls were grunting and gasping in another orgasm.
****
The next morning was not awkward, though I had expected it to be.  I was up early and pleasantly surprised when Lila unabashedly joined me in the shower.  She gave me a kiss still tasting of Jeryl and then asked me to wash her back.
"Thanks for trusting me enough to share that last night," she said as I handed her the washcloth and then grabbed some of Jeryl's shampoo to wash her hair.
I let my fingers massage her scalp.  "Thanks for trusting us enough to join in.  It has been a fantasy of Jeryl's for a couple of years."
"But not yours?"  she asked playfully.
"Well, I did enjoy it, but Jeryl is the love of my life.  I'd be more than happy with just her."
"I can tell.  I'm more than a little envious of her.  You are a fantastic lover.  You both are."
"Thanks."
"So, I told you I'm not looking for a relationship, right?"
"You did."
"That said, I wouldn't mind doing that again with you guys when the urge strikes us.  I've only played around with another girl a couple of times.  I know I'm not a les, but last night was different."
"Hey, we don't judge," I said playfully.  "Rinse your hair out and I'll put conditioner in."
I was applying the conditioner before she spoke again.  "You know we can't be open and carefree.  If the wrong rumors got started, I could lose my scholarship."
"I know.  We can keep anything we do private among the three of us."
She turned and gave me a hug.  "Thanks, Paul.  You guys really are wonderful.  I'm glad Jeryl took a chance by getting to know me better."
"It's our pleasure, believe me."

Chapter Twenty-Two
Life’s Interludes
****
"Hey, are you coming up, or not?" Jeryl yelled from upstairs.
I was trying to finish an assignment in my office.  It was the Thanksgiving break, and we had decided to get away from school and spend the time with our family in the Deer Valley house.
"I'm almost done.  I just have this last problem to finish up."
I heard her feet on the stairs.  A minute later she entered the office dressed in ski pants and her gray Diamond Skin top.  She moved behind me and rubbed my shoulders as I tried to get back into the design problem that I had to turn in, next Monday.  It was the last major project of the semester, and I wanted to do well on it.
Jeryl kissed the top of my head.  "Sorry, I thought you were done, already.  I've never seen you work so hard on homework.  I guess you are somewhat normal, after all."
I finished jotting down the last part of the problem and then looked up at her with a sigh.  "Yes, I'm somewhat normal.  Sorry if I've been a little short this week.  For the first time since school started, I've been regretting taking on so much.  The past two weeks have been painful."
I had five big projects all fall due in a two-week time span.  Two of them took quite a bit of time at the drafting board, meticulously documenting mechanical designs, along with the math showing they were sound from an engineering perspective.  The other two were for classes in the E.E.  curriculum and required lab time as well as math, proving the results.  I had finished all of those before hopping on a plane for the brief vacation, but still had my VLSI assignment to finish up, this week.
Jeryl kissed me again.  "Then it's a good thing I insisted we come out here to get away for a little rest.  Now, are you finished or just at a stopping point?"
"Finished, but I'll need to check it over once more, before turning it in."
"Good.  We're going down to Park City and doing a little skiing then."
"Really?"
She nodded.  "Yes.  We need to get out and cut loose a little.  Olivia wants to go, too."
"Okay."  I put my work away and headed upstairs to change.  "Do I need to come back down here to grab our stuff?" I asked.
"You get changed.  I'll carry stuff up from the ski locker.  We'll have to pick up some rental gear for Olivia, but I've got her dressed, at least."
Half an hour later, we were driving down into Park City.  They had a decent base of around forty inches of snow, and about half of their runs were open already.  It was looking to be a great year for skiing.  Jeryl got Olivia fitted with skis, boots, and poles while I went to get lift tickets for the day.  Soon we were headed up the mountain.
"I still can't believe I'm skiing with one of America's most eligible bachelors," Olivia teased as we got off the lift.
"Hey, that's my boyfriend you're talking about," Jeryl said.  "He's not eligible!"
We all laughed and headed down the hill.  The Business Insider issue had come out the week before, just in time for Jeryl to use it in part of her and Lila's case study presentation.  She had mailed copies to her sisters and cousins for a little fun bragging.
Another skier followed us down and joined us in the lift line.
"Hey, is it true?" the man asked.
It was hard to make out his features under his stocking cap and goggles.  He looked to be in his mid-twenties with light brown hair.
"What's that?" I replied.
"Are you really Paul Taylor?  I read about you last week."
"Yes, I am.  And you are?"
"I'm Tom.  Tom Harding.  I go to UCLA."
"Nice to meet you, Tom."
The girls hopped on the chair lift and we were next in line.  We scooted along on our skis and then dropped into the chair to begin back up the mountain.
"So, what are you studying at UCLA?" I asked.
"Film.  I want to be a director.  I'd ask about you, but I think I already know from the article."
I laughed.  "They did put quite a bit into those few paragraphs, didn't they?"
"Normally, I wouldn't bother you while you're out having some fun, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to meet you."
"Why's that?"
"I want to do a short film about you."
"What?"
He nodded his head.  "It's for my final project next semester.  When I read that article, I got an idea.  I need to put together a short-film for my senior project.  I'd like to do it on you.  Show the next generation what they can accomplish, highlight your successes, that sort of thing."
"It's flattering, but what would you have done if you hadn't run into me here?"
"Well, I sent a letter to you, but you probably haven't gotten it yet.  If that didn't work, I've got a couple of other topics to fall back on."
"Like what?"
"Well, since I'm from Park City, I was thinking about doing something on the Sundance Film Festival and the impact it has on the city."
"I'd go see that.  What else?"
"My other idea was to do a biography on Tesla."
"Wow, not many people know who he is.  That might be a better approach for you."
"No way.  If I can talk you into it, doing a story on you would be the best.  Think how valuable a film on Tesla would be if it had been made while he was actually experimenting with and advocating alternating current against Edison's drive for D.C.  Doing a film on you, now, would have that kind of value."
"Thanks for the compliment, but I doubt it."
"Seriously?  You are the youngest self-made multimillionaire in the history of the U.S.  Your inventions are in every car coming out of any manufacturer around the world.  You've created some wonder materials that everybody is buying."  He pointed to the Diamond Skin logo on the turtleneck of his shirt.  "You established the reward that got the Unabomber arrested, and you haven't finished college yet.  I'd really appreciate it if we could talk this over.  I think I could make a great story."
"I don't know, Tom.  I had some fallout after my last big public appearance.  I don't think I need that sort of attention ever again."
"You mean this week?"
I shook my head.  "Earlier."
"What happened after you were on '60 Minutes?'" he asked, which showed he had done some research, at least.
"I'd rather not go into it.  But as a result of that show, I had to garage my car since it became too noticeable."
"Man, that sucks," he said.  We rode along quietly for a bit.  "What if you held the release rights?"
"What do you mean?"
"I create the film, but you hold majority rights in it.  I can't release it or screen it without your approval.  I'll only show it for my class."
I thought about it.  I had to admit that it tickled my vanity a little.  "That might work."
We reached the top of the lift and skied over to Jeryl and Olivia.  I told them I'd meet them at the base in a bit and then motioned Tom to lead the way down.  We skied easily as I probed on his idea a little more.
"So, what sort of story would you want to tell?" I asked.
****
"My God, it was almost too funny seeing the look on his face," Jeryl said as we chatted with her folks, Olivia, Mom, Jim and Kelly after Thanksgiving dinner.  "He had no idea I was involved in the deal with Nike."  She laughed at her own story.
"So how did the other groups doing the case study feel?" Janet asked.
"They were pissed.  His information packet only told half the story.  A couple of groups went out and did some additional research, but I had all of our original models and knew the full story.  One girl had the audacity to ask me why I had not volunteered the information to everyone; 'to be fair.'"
"How did you answer that?" Olivia asked.
"I asked if she was taking the final for everyone, 'to be fair.' She really didn't like my answer."
"What did the professor say?"
Jeryl blushed a little.  "He did ask why I had not told him.  I answered truthfully.  I knew a lot more about the deal, and wanted to share the real facts and decision making process we went through so everyone could learn from our experience."
"So what should we have done differently?" Jim asked.
"We should have gotten another firm into negotiations.  We probably could have doubled the valuation, easily."
"But draw out the process by six months," I countered.  We had actually discussed opening negotiations with Adidas.
"I know.  I also raised that in our case study.  Time was more critical to the key stakeholders than profits.  The professor did not like that comment, since he wanted us to focus on maximizing sale value, but I had our meeting minutes to prove that maximizing cash was less important than getting the deal done, to you," she said while patting my hand.  "I also mentioned the deal with DuPont that gave us royalties on the manufacture of the material.  He was unaware of that detail, which made our valuation and deal much more valuable."
"What else?" Kelly asked.
"Well, according to the books we studied, we should have taken a few more months doing market research on the brand name and design.  I countered that argument to a certain extent with the ad hoc research we did using the Stanford football team before our meeting with Nike.  That was another detail the professor was unaware of."
"We talked about that with Candace at the time," Jim said.  "It would have delayed things by up to a year."
"That's what Lila and I hung our hats on.  Time, cost, or quality; pick two.  Since Paul had decided time was of the essence, either cost or quality was going to give.  Because it was personally important to him from an injury perspective, the only variable that could have some flexibility in it was cost.  At the end of the Q&A period, the professor conceded that we had done a very good job getting our product launched in a very profitable manner.  That's when I closed out the presentation with that blurb from Business Insider.  Lila wanted to choke me, since I hadn't warned her."
Olivia had to ask, "What blurb?"
I blushed and Jeryl laughed again.
"They used it in the article last week to intro the piece on Paul.  It said, 'America's youngest self-made millionaire transformed Nike from a shoe company to the worlds largest sportswear company in two years and made $55 Million while doing it.' I turned the proof page they sent us into an overhead and crossed out the $55 number and replaced it with $85.  Then at the bottom of the slide, I wrote in 99.9% pure profit."
Janet looked at us both.  "I thought it was a five year, fifty million dollar deal."
"I told you then I thought their growth estimates were low.  When you factor in our profit from DuPont on the material they sell to Nike, we'll probably hit a hundred and fifty by the end of the contract.  If Nike has any sense, they'll re-sign with us at better rates for a longer term as well."
Olivia looked stunned.  "You guys really are something.  No wonder you wouldn't let me pay a thing for skiing yesterday."
I laughed, which seemed to bring an end to dinner as we all stood up and began clearing the table.  I had insisted that Mrs.  Eccles not wait on us today so we divided up the clean up chores and soon had everything put away or in the dishwasher.
"So, do you really want to have a documentary made about you?" Kelly asked as we headed down stairs to see what was on T.V.
"I don't know.  Tom had some good arguments for my objections.  If you could draft a contract giving me distribution control with a carve-out for his class, I think I'll let him do it."
"You shouldn't just 'let him do it'," Jeryl said.  "You should provide some funding to make sure it is high quality."
"Why do you say that?"
We all settled onto the couch and Olivia flipped on the TV.
"I just think it will be better to collaborate with him.  Whether you want to admit it or not, Paul, you are going to be famous.  You need to take control of your public image.  We probably need to hire a P.R.  person as soon as we graduate, if not before."
Kelly was nodding.  "Just look at what happened over the summer.  I don't ever have to write another press release.  Let's pay someone who can do it well.  As for the documentary, I agree with Jeryl.  If you're going to let him do it, make sure it is high quality."
"Well, let's talk it over with him tomorrow morning.  I invited him up to discuss it at ten o'clock.  Do you think you two lazy-bones will be up by then?"
****
Finals came and went.  We were tired from the schoolwork, but not too tired to celebrate Jeryl's birthday as well as the end of the semester.  Lila joined us in our bedroom again and Jeryl's fantasy of having her pussy licked while I took her ass was finally fulfilled.  The next morning, we took Lila to the airport after breakfast.  She was flying back to Virginia to spend the holidays with her father.  I had surprised her with a first class ticket upgrade, at Jeryl's insistence.
"I can't take this, you guys," she said.
"Sure you can," Jeryl insisted.  "Look, we don't have a lot of school friends, but we do have a lot of money.  We want to give this to you as a Christmas gift.  Please take it."
Lila looked at us both, and then nodded.  She gave us both big hugs and then headed for the gate.
Jeryl watched her go and then slipped under my arm and gave me a sideways hug.
I kissed Jeryl's cheek and then turned her toward the ticket counter.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Getting your birthday present," I said.
"What?"
I guided her to the first class ticket counter and pulled out my wallet.  "You should have tickets for two under the name Taylor," I told the ticket agent.
"Yes we do, Mister Taylor.  Two first class tickets to Oahu.  You've got a little time before it boards, but you are more than welcome to wait in the first class lounge.  Do you have any luggage to check?"
"No."
"Paul, we need clothes and stuff.  What are you thinking?"
"I had Kelly pack some stuff for you.  Alison is already in Hawaii with those bags.  Anything we missed, I'll buy for you."
She looked at me in adoration and the ticket agent smiled.  "I hope you have a wonderful vacation," she said as she handed me our tickets.
"I can't believe you managed to plan this without me knowing it.  I love you for it, and we haven't even gotten to Hawaii yet."
"I wanted to do something special for your twenty-first.  I actually had to plan it out months ago.  We're spending a few days on Oahu and then two weeks on Maui."
Jeryl kissed me hard and then dragged me toward security.  Instead of heading to the lounge, Jeryl insisted we check out a couple of shops and pick up a small carry-on bag for a few convenience items.  She picked up a couple of magazines as well.
"No research papers or reports this trip?" she asked playfully.
"Nope.  It's going to be a real vacation."
"Hah!  I'll believe that when I see it.  I bet you are doing something work related by the second week."
I gave her a kiss.  "Only if 'doing' the COO is work related."
Our flight was on time and we both indulged in a cocktail after boarding the plane.  We were both in casual clothes but hardly looked out of place amongst all of the holiday travelers.  The flight was long, but uneventful.  We finally landed in the early evening.  Warm humid weather and a smiling Alison greeted us.
She escorted us to our car and soon we were downtown on Waikiki beach at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.  We had a suite overlooking the ocean and were more than happy to fall asleep to the sounds of surf after making love in the large king-sized bed.
After breakfast the next morning, we were off to do the touristy things.  Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial were sobering, as was the Punchbowl National Cemetery.  The mosaics at the monument highlighting the wars in the Pacific theater were impressive, but subdued by the rows of white grave markers spreading out inside the crater bowl in lush green grass.
We had sushi for lunch, which took some convincing for Jeryl to try.  Alison opted for more traditional fish and chips.  The afternoon was a leisurely drive up to the North Shore to watch the impressive surfers skirting death in the shallow waters on towering waves.  Dinner was back at the hotel, with a relaxing breeze coming in across the beach.
The second day we were up early and off to Hanauma Bay to enjoy the snorkeling in its crystal clear waters and enjoy the coral reef that had become established inside the shallow crater.  We all enjoyed the warm water, the bountiful sea-life and incredible scenery.  By the end of the day Jeryl's summer tan was returning while Alison and I were slightly pink from the sun.
"I think I like Hawaii," Jeryl said as we headed back to the hotel in the afternoon.
I grinned.  "I know I do.  Tomorrow we'll fly over to Maui.  I hear it's even more relaxing than Oahu."
"I don't know.  I feel pretty relaxed, here," Jeryl said as she squeezed my hand.
The next day we flew over to Maui, and settled into a suite at the Four Seasons.  Jeryl quickly discovered the spa and decided I should pamper her.  Of course I agreed.  We had a wonderful relaxing time over the next couple of days, before her next birthday surprise arrived.
"Mom, what are you guys doing here?" she asked, as we walked into the restaurant for breakfast on our third day there.
Jerry rose and shook my hand as Jeryl hugged her mother.  Mom and Jim greeted us as well.
"You didn't think I'd let my youngest daughter fly to Hawaii for her twenty-first birthday, with her boyfriend, and not insist on coming along to chaperone, did you?"
Jeryl took a seat by her folks, while I sat down across from her by Mom.  I was glad to see genuine warmth in Janet's smile at me.
"Paul, thanks again for flying us out here.  This place is amazing.  I've always wanted to visit Hawaii."
I shrugged and smile.  "I'm glad you could come.  How are Jordan and Jyl doing?"
Janet launched into a family update and we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast.  Afterward, we all strolled down to the beach and enjoyed the warm sand on our feet as we walked off the large meal.  Jeryl grabbed my mom's and her mother's hands and dragged them down to wade in the water.  We men laughed at her antics.
"Jerry," I said as we lagged further behind the ladies.  "Do you remember the discussion we had a few years ago about Jeryl and my long term plans?"
Jerry looked at me with a smile and replied, "I do."
"Well, I'd like to ask for your blessing to marry your daughter."
Jim broke into a huge grin, as did Jerry.
"Of course you have it, Paul.  I can't imagine you two separating and I can't think of anything that would make Jeryl happier.  When do you plan on asking her?"
"Well, there seems to be a family tradition of proposing on Christmas Eve," I said with a smile at Jim.
"And you expect us to keep this a secret for four whole days?" Jim asked.
"I do.  I've got a bunch of activities arranged for us all, so hopefully you and the ladies will be too tired to demonstrate any pent-up excitement."
"Oh really?"
I nodded.  "This afternoon I booked a golf lessons with the pro to teach me how to swing a club, and to improve your games."  I knew they both played, Jim more seriously than Jerry.  "Tomorrow, we're taking a trip up to Haleakala Crater and we're biking back down."
"Biking?"
"They rent you a bicycle and you more or less coast down the road from the top.  It should fill up the day.  On the twenty-third, we men are going deep-sea fishing while the ladies are having a spa day.  Then on Christmas Eve day, we're all going for a sail."
"Wow, you have this all planned out, don't you?" Jerry asked.
"I do.  I've been thinking about it since the summer."
"Well, you have my blessing and I'm sure Janet will agree once the cat is out of the bag.  I just hope I can keep quiet until you pop the question."
****
"Okay, this is truly amazing," Jeryl said as she settled into the cockpit of the big catamaran sailboat and leaned against me.  We had sailed from Maui to Molokini where we anchored before snorkeling around the reef.
"It is," Janet agreed as she joined us.  She was in a relatively conservative one-piece black bathing suit, but still looked attractive.  Jeryl was in a light blue bikini with a floral sarong tied around her hips.  I had opted for a loud Hawaiian shirt above my swim trunks.
"I can understand why people got upset with the Navy for detonating those munitions last year.  This place is too beautiful to blow-up."
"It is," I agreed.
"So Paul," Janet said.  "Jeryl tells me you're actually taking a vacation.  Is it true you didn't bring a single report to read this trip?" She smiled as she asked.
"Hey, I can take a break, despite what you and my mother and Jeryl think."
We laughed.  Mom, Jim and Jerry joined us.  They had towels with them and were in various states of dryness.  The captain of the catamaran joined us as his crewman headed to the bow.
"If you're done swimming for a while, we'll lift anchor and have a little sail around Kaho'Olawe."
"Sounds good," I said as the others nodded.  Soon, we were under sail and enjoying the gentle roll of the sea.  Jeryl rested against me after we moved to the foredeck and settled with my back to the mast.  It was an incredibly relaxing end to the morning.
We had a light lunch onboard after the captain put us on a long tack toward Lanai.  Then Jeryl headed back to the foredeck, dropped her sarong and pulled off her bikini top before lying down in the warm sun.  Her mother saw her, shook her head, and then settled into the cockpit with the others to enjoy the sail.  I just returned to my seat at the mast and enjoyed the view.
Just looking at her golden skin confirmed I was making a good decision.  I knew I had been granted an incredible second chance at life.  I wanted to make the world better, but I also knew in my heart that I had to do it with Jeryl by my side.  I had left all the work at home, but that did not mean my mind stopped working.  I knew two lines of research were playing out and that business would take a lot more of my time in the coming year.  I wanted to make sure Jeryl knew what she meant to me before I got totally consumed with those efforts.  That was one of the reasons I had chosen to propose on this trip.
The other was that I knew the world was reaching a turning point.  The collapse of the Soviet Union was a catalyst for destabilizing the Mid-East and giving rise to both Fundamental Islam as well as Fundamental Christianity.  I knew it was the rise of fundamentalism in many flavors that led to a worldwide decline in the quality of life and the slow death of liberty.  If I was going to change that trajectory, it needed to start now.  I knew I was not strong enough to undertake such a challenge on my own.  I wanted Jeryl with me.
I dozed off in the afternoon sun and only woke as we tacked back toward Maui.  Jeryl was on her stomach, still working on her tan.  I glanced at the sun and realized it was already late afternoon.  Jeryl stirred and smiled when she saw me awake.
"I don't think I've ever seen you take a nap in the afternoon, Paul.  Except maybe after ravishing me," she added with a grin.
"Hey!  I'm on vacation.  I can take a nap."
"I must be losing my touch.  Here I am, almost naked, and you fall asleep."
"Ha!  Like I'm going to do what I'd like to with our parents onboard."
Jeryl pulled on her top and grabbed her sarong before reaching her hand out to pull me up.  We made our way aft and joined our parents.  I excused myself to use the head and retrieved a small package from my bag.  I knew we were heading back to Molokini to anchor again for a sunset dinner.
Once we were anchored, the captain and crew began setting out our dinner on deck.  A table was set up just in front of the cockpit and chairs were retrieved from the hulls of the catamaran.  As the sun dropped to the horizon, hurricane lamps were lit and dinner was served.
Dinner was fresh grilled Mahi Mahi with traditional local vegetables.  We all had a glass of white wine.  I decided poi was not going to be a staple in my diet.  I think everyone agreed.  After dinner, we had assorted fresh fruits for dessert.  The sun slipped below the horizon leaving us in its warm afterglow and I decided this was the time.
I took Jeryl's hand in mine as I tapped on my wine glass.  I stood at the head of the table and smiled at everyone.
"Thank you all for coming and spending some time with Jeryl and me.  As you know, I told Jeryl this was to celebrate her twenty-first birthday, which it is.  It's also something else."
I stepped over next to her and dropped to one knee.  Her eyes got big as I pulled the ring out of my pocket and held it up to her.
"Jeryl Alison Salaway, I love you with all my heart.  Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Tears came to her eyes as she nodded, unable to say a word.  She lunged into my arms, nearly knocking me over.
"Yes.  Yes.  Yes."  She managed to say before kissing me passionately.
****
"What are you doing, lover?" Jeryl asked as I sat in the living room of the house watching the news.
"I think this is the first shuttle flight that has some of our technology on it," I said.  "I was just checking to see if it went well."
Jeryl dropped her purse and sat on the couch next to me.  "Thiokol?" she asked.
"Yep."
"I never really understood why you singled them out at the start of our freshman year."
I could not tell her the real reason and it bothered me.  "Would you think I'm silly if I said I just wanted something I made to fly in space?"
"Of course not, but I doubt that was the only reason."
"Well, long-term I'm pretty sure our materials could make for a better, safer shuttle.  NASA takes years to flight-test anything though.  Thiokol makes the boosters for the shuttle, so they go through tests much quicker."
"Really?"
"Well, yes and no.  Since the boosters are partially re-used they can be given minor modifications and then used in a real flight much sooner.  Columbia is being launched today.  Thiokol let me know our new coatings are being used in the booster assembly."
"Which coatings?"
"They used the aluminum oxide coating for the strengthening cover on the joints for the booster.  They also used the first few batches of spun-nanotubes in the back-up O-rings.  They did static test firing last fall and said the performance looked really good.  Evidently, some of their engineers were concerned about shrinkage in cold weather, and this compound appears to help with that."
Just then, the news cut over to show the final countdown for Columbia's launch.  Jeryl held my hand as the seconds ticked down.  Lift-off occurred with all the power and thunder we had come to expect.  I held my breath until they were clear of the tower and throttled up to full power.
"Wow, that is always impressive," Jeryl said.
I agreed.
"It looks like everything went well," I said.  Of course, I knew the next launch, of Challenger, would be the real test.
"So what else would you do differently to the shuttle?" Jeryl asked as I relaxed against the couch back.
"I'd make everything lighter to improve the carrying capacity and performance.  I'd make the external tank light enough and strong enough to carry to orbit for use in orbital construction.  I'd use that aerogel formulation to replace the tiles for protection on re-entry.  There is a lot that could be done if NASA embraced technology instead of being mired in whatever was available at the time the contract was written."
"Should we start talking to them?"
I thought about it for a minute.  I had wanted to prevent the Challenger disaster but not really thought further than that.
"No.  I think NASA is trapped in its own bureaucracy.  I might talk to Lockheed or Boeing, however.  I bet we could do something exciting, even if it was just better big dumb boosters.  I'll have to give it some thought."
"Well why don't you do that as we walk over to campus?" she asked as she stood and pulled me up.
"Why do we need to go to campus?" I wondered, as it was Sunday.
"I've got to meet Lila at the library to study.  You just get the pleasure of your fiancé's company on a beautiful sunny day."
"Well, I can hardly say no to that," I said with a smile.
Together, we headed out the door.
****
"Victor, that is ridiculous," I said in the phone.  "Send your auditors down if you want, but all of our material is accounted for."
"Then how do you account for this report from the CIA?"
"Since I can hardly see the report over the phone, I can't account for it.  Should we even be discussing this on an open line?"
Silence.
"Can you come down to Palmdale?"
"No.  I've got class this afternoon."
"When can we meet at your office?"
"Four o'clock.  And if it's not today, it won't happen for a week.  Next week is spring break and I'm going out of town."
"Okay, I'll be there."
I hung up the phone and then picked it back up to dial Kelly.
Four hours later Kelly, Candace and I were joined in our conference room by Victor and Major Hampton.  Neither guest looked happy.
"Okay, Victor.  What is this all about?" I asked once the door was closed.
"We have a report that the Russians are aware of some of our work.  Specifically, special radar absorbent coatings being delivered to Lockheed from Texas."
"Shit.  Do we have any more specifics?"
"Not that anyone is sharing with us," the Major said.
"Well how are you guys going to investigate this?" Candace asked.
"The Inspector General's office is putting together a team.  They're going to want full access to our site as well as yours.  My guess is they will follow a few shipments to see if they can come up with any leads on who and what leaked."
"What do you mean by full access?  I'm not letting them into the secure fabrication area.  They don't need access to the manufacturing process to trace a leak."
"They might come with National Intelligence letters that grant them that access."
"I'll fight them, unless the Air Force wants to pay me for the full process."
"How much?" the major asked.
"We told congress it was billion-dollar process, three years ago.  My guess is, it has only gone up in value," I replied.
Both men blanched.
"We were just starting to do test batches in the new facility.  Should I cancel those plans and put production on hold?"
"God no," Victor replied.  "We still need that production capacity.  Our tests have green-lighted the upgrade plans.  They'll be in the next appropriations bill for the Air Force."
"And the contract for Lockheed will have performance requirements and penalties," Major Hampton said.  "We will need your production capacity to meet the program milestones."
"Well, in that case I suggest you let the powers-that-be know not to force us to shut down to protect our intellectual property," Candace said.  "We have a good track record of security.  They should focus on the weaker parts of the process first."
"What do you mean?"
"You guys gave up some of the material for that other program.  Given the fact that we had no breaches until after that happened, I'd start there."
The two men exchanged a look before nodding.
"Who else have you shared the material and application process with?" I asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Please don't pretend I'm stupid.  I know how much material we've supplied.  I know the application process.  Unless you've built five hundred airplanes, you're using it for something else."
"We've been experimenting," Victor admitted after the major nodded his head.  "GE has used some on the engine coatings.  We've also got a few sub-contracts with some other DOD contractors for testing."
"Who?  Rockwell?  McDonnell Douglas?  General Dynamics?  Are you using it in your own programs?  I bet you guys have created the opportunity for a hundred leaks but want to pin it on me.  I thought Lockheed was behind me on this, Victor.  Isn't that what you told me three years ago?" I was getting pissed off the more I thought about it.
"Why did you name those companies?" Major Hampton asked.
"Doesn't make much sense to have stealth airplanes launch non-stealth munitions.  General Dynamics and McDonnell Douglas are the contractors for cruise missiles, right?  Rockwell and Lockheed make most of the ballistic delivery systems.  Given the strengthening properties of the compound, it would make a great coating for MIRVs or any other delivery vehicle."
The major's face was pale.
Victor recovered first and snapped, "We can use the material however we see fit, Paul.  You know that is the contract."
"I do know it.  But the contract expires in less than a year, and we don't have any production obligations in it, as we proved a few years back.  Nothing says 'we stand behind you' like an open bidding process.  Remember that!"
I stood up and walked out of the conference room.  Kelly followed close on my heels while Candace stayed behind to play nice with them.
"Wow," Kelly said as we entered my office.  "You really are pissed off.  I thought it was an act."
I shook my head and grabbed a bottle of water from the small refrigerator hidden under my desk.  "No act.  The more I thought about the railroad job they were setting us up for, the madder I got."
"Well, I think you delivered the wake-up call to them.  The contract is up in less than 120 days on July 30th.  Would you really open up a bidding war amongst the big defense contractors?"
I sipped my water and thought about it.  "I don't know.  We probably need to have a board meeting to discuss our options."
"I'll get ahold of Mom and Dad and get us set up next time they can make it out this way.  What about the Austin plant?"
"What about it?"
"Do we start production?"
I thought about that again, and said, "Let's hold off for a week, while Alison gets a complete security review done.  I want her to sign-off that everything is tight, before we start up production."
"I'll call her about that."
"I want Matthew to go for the review as well."
"Matt?  Why send him?"
"He was there for the original contracts.  I want his eyes on everything in Austin.  He's too smart to be my personal gopher all the time."
"He is smart," Kelly said.  "Did you know he'll finish his degree this spring?"
"I did know that.  Did you know he's thinking of starting law school in the fall?  Maybe looking at your panty-clad ass last summer inspired him."
Kelly blushed and swatted at my arm.  "Okay, I'll call Alison and get the dates she can have a team in Austin, then alert Matthew of his trip.  Are you going to bring Jeryl up to speed on all this?"
"Of course.  Afterward, I'm sure I'll be in a great mood to help decide on a location for the wedding next year.  Eloping is starting to sound good."
****
Spring break was supposed to be fun with some relaxation and skiing.  Originally, my only planned meeting was with Tom to shoot some interview footage.  He had come up to Stanford a few weeks after the semester started to film a bunch of footage, but wanted to get a bit more material on film to help tying the story together.
Instead, Jeryl and I got two days of good skiing in before the Air Force Inspector General team descended on Park City.  I took a little perverse pleasure in making them wait to talk to us until Candace was present.  Kelly ended up flying in with her.  The day they cooled their heels was the day Tom came up to the house to do his filming.  The next morning, we went down to a hotel conference room to meet the government.
A major and a captain were waiting for us as we entered.
"Good morning," the female captain said.  "I'm Captain Conway.  This is Major Stone.  We're here to discuss the disclosure of classified information with you."
"My client has not disclosed any classified information," Candace said.  "So I guess this will be a short discussion."
She could not have been more wrong.
Two hours later, Candace stood up and motioned me to do the same.
"Major Stone and Captain Conway, you have wasted quite enough of my and my client's time.  You have no evidence that this supposed leak originated with my client or anyone in his employ.  We have detailed a multitude of other, more probable sources for such a leak to originate.  Unless you have some evidence or can show cause, we are done talking to you."
"Well we are not done talking to you," Major Stone said with a bit of heat in his voice.  I did not think he had been told no so frequently in his career.
"Unless you can show cause for piercing privity, you can ask questions all day long but we will not answer.  The Air Force does not have a contract with us; Lockheed does.  Under federal contract law, you have no standing to sue us or compel answers from us.  Prove we were at fault, and Lockheed--not the Air Force--can sue us for remedy.  You have no standing.  You don't even have criminal investigative powers over my client since he is not directly employed by the Air Force or under contract with them.  We are done talking to you."
Candace opened the door and motioned me out.
"This isn't over," the major said as we walked down the hall toward the exit.
Tiffany had a Range Rover waiting for us near the door.
Candace started muttering under her breath as soon as the car was moving.  "Of all the scatterbrained, idiotic things.  You were absolutely right, Paul.  They have a leak like a sieve and want to put the blame on you.  After this morning, I think we should notify Lockheed that we will not be renewing the contract."
"Won't that make this shit-storm grow even more?"
"Probably, but it would also get you out of the DOD's crosshairs.  So long as you have something they want this badly, they are going to try crap like this to get it."
"Yeah, but that's the problem.  Most of the materials science I'm funding has military application.  If they knew about the manufacturing process to make the nanotubes in volume, they would be making them by the liter."  I laughed.  "The funny thing is that Lockheed signed a four year deal because they thought they would be able to analyze the compound and develop production capabilities in that time frame."
"Do you think so?"
"Certainly.  You could see it in that Randal guy's face from our first meeting.  I bet they can make some at very low yields already, but doing it at the volumes they want is an entirely different beast.  I'd be surprised if they can make a gram for a thousand dollars.  We're selling it at seventy bucks a gram, and it only costs us ten bucks to make.  The funny thing is we could do even more if I wanted to disclose some more of our capabilities."
"What do you mean?"
"When we signed that deal, we were making nanotubes tens of microns long.  That was perfect for radar absorption if you could get them to stand perpendicular to the surface.  Now we're producing nanotubes long enough to weave at a molecular level.  The government is making carbon fiber for bulletproof vests and armor.  If they were using our fibers, they could make whole airplanes out of it."
"But you haven't filed any patents on that yet.  Why?"
"I don't want Stanford to sue me or take them away from us."
"But you don't work on them, using Stanford's resources."
"And we would have to prove that in court, every time they thought I did.  It's not worth the hassle.  Besides, filing would open a Pandora's box of other problems with the government and some other entrenched interests."
"So what do you want to do?"
"I think I want to try and keep as low key as possible, graduate, marry Jeryl, and then worry about the future."
Candace smiled at me and patted my hand.  "It's a good plan, but remember that old adage about no plan surviving contact with the enemy."
I shook my head.  "I will try to keep that in mind."
****
Anger turned to fear, on the second to last day of spring break.  Tiffany was driving me back from the University of Utah after a meeting with Professor Brighton.  Traffic was heavy, but we both chalked it up to being an early rush hour on a Friday afternoon.  We were a couple of lights away from the highway, and an easy drive home, when the car in front of us ran a red light and was t-boned by oncoming traffic.
Tiffany stepped on the brakes and I undid my seatbelt to get out and help.  Suddenly we were hit from behind and my head smacked into the back of the front seat.
"Shit!  Hang on," Tiffany said as she stomped on the accelerator and swerved right to go around the accident in front of us.
"Paul, activate your alarm," Tiffany commanded as she reached for the radio.  I could hear the high-pitched static squelch her signal as she keyed the mic.
I activated my alarm and looked behind us.  The rear window had two small starbursts directly behind the driver.  I could still see two men standing behind a car at the intersection.  I saw the flash of a gun.
"Shit, they're shooting at us!"
Tiffany spun the wheel to get out of the line of fire.
"Get your seatbelt back on," she commanded.  I managed to get buckled in as she swerved down another street and then cut back toward the on-ramp for the highway.
"Are you okay?" Tiffany asked as she kept her eyes scanning the traffic around us while ignoring all of the posted speed limits and any stop signs.
"Yes.  Shaken up a little."
She took the on-ramp at speed, and accelerated further once we were on the highway.
"Check yourself over.  Make sure nothing got through."
I did as the squelch on the radio died down.  Tiffany grabbed the microphone again.
"This is Romeo-one, sierra foxtrot.  I say again, this is Romeo-one, sierra foxtrot, over."
There was a little crackle on the radio.
"Romeo-one, this is Romeo-castle.  What's your status?  Over."
"Romeo-one in transit.  No pursuit evident."
"Roger.  Romeo Castle is calling a code.  All other packages are in the castle.  Romeo-two will meet you at fly-point one, over."
"Romeo-one, roger, out."
She dropped the mic onto the seat and pushed the accelerator down further as we started the steeper climb up Parley's Canyon toward Park City.
"Okay, Paul.  There is a pistol in the case under the seat.  Get it out, check the safety and make sure you have a round chambered."  I did as I was told as she continued to talk.  "Sanford will be meeting us in the parking lot just off the exit.  I'll pull up next to him.  As soon as I stop, you get out of here and in with him.  Keep the gun in your pocket.  He'll take you back to the house."
"Why change cars?"
"This one is marked now.  They know we will most likely head back to your house.  Hopefully they won't witness the car change.  You go home, and I head back down to Salt Lake to face the music and make them think you are still in the valley."
"What do you mean?"
"I just broke a bunch of laws getting you out of there.  Once you are safe, I'll go back down and try to help straighten this mess out.  If the perps see the car, they'll assume you are still with me."
"Don't I need to go as a witness?"
"If anyone asks, you spent the day at home, until Alison or your lawyer tells you to answer differently.  That was a professional job back there.  They had at least three cars and five people set up to try and grab you.  That level of organization is not left to random chance.  Someone wanted you captured or killed.  Until we know who and why, and can eliminate that threat, you're going to become very familiar with Alison's team."
I let her words sink in.
"What about Jeryl?"
"She's safe at the house.  As soon as you get there, you need to call Alison.  Sanford will have alerted her, but our protocols are for you to call her once you are in a safe location."
"Okay.  What should I tell her?"
"Everything you saw and we did.  Then listen.  She'll decide what to do and where you are going next."
We pulled into the parking lot next to the second Range Rover.  Tiffany kept the car doors locked until she confirmed it was Sanford driving.  Then the locks clicked and she told me to go.  She was pulling away before Sanford hit the locks on our car.  We drove back up to the house with me giving him a quick review of the incident.
We pulled through the new gatehouse and up to the house.  Jeryl jumped into my arms as soon as I walked in.
"Are you alright?" she asked after giving me a big kiss.
"Yes.  Let's head downstairs and call Alison."
"She's in Austin.  I've got the new office numbers there.  She should still be at the plant."
I dropped into my desk chair and dialed.  Jeryl opened an untouched bottle of scotch and poured me a stiff drink as the phone rang.
Soon I was being debriefed by Alison.  When I finished going over the incident, she asked a couple of questions before shifting into her dictatorial mode.
"Okay, I'll arrange a jet.  I'll get the details to Sanford.  You can't go back to California yet.  In-fact, you can't go to any of your usual places.  I'll give the pilot instructions.  Pack light for a variety of climates.  You can buy anything you might need when you get to where you are going."
"Shouldn't we talk to the police or government?"
"We will, Paul.  We will, you won't.  For all you know, that was a botched attempt by the CIA to get your secrets."
"Shit."
I had been thinking about it being the KGB.  I'd never thought about my own government turning on me.
"Until I can verify who did not do it, we assume everyone outside our team is a threat.  You'll go where I send you and you'll keep your head down."
"Yes, ma'am."
"That's a good attitude.  Make sure you share it with Jeryl.  I'll talk with you soon."  The line went dead.
"Well?" Jeryl asked as I took a long sip of the scotch.
"Let's pack a couple of bags.  We're going on a random trip evidently."
****
Six hours later, almost at midnight, we were hustled into a Range Rover and driven down to Salt Lake City and straight to the private side of the airport.  We carried our own bags as Sanford scanned the area.  We went through the air operations center and out onto the tarmac where a G-III was waiting for us.  We climbed aboard and Sanford pulled the door shut as Alison and a stewardess helped us stow our bags.  I was surprised to see Alison on the plane.  We were taxiing before we even had our seat belts on.
"So where are we off to?" I asked as Alison sat across the small table from us.
"North of Seattle, at least for a moment.  I've got another charter there for you."
"Any word from Tiffany?"
"Not yet.  My lawyers are flying in to help her if needed.  I'm also in contact with a few other agencies trying to find out what is going on."
"I was surprised to see you on the plane," Jeryl said.
Alison smiled.  "I've only got three people in-country right now.  I felt it was more important to have another set of eyes with you than continue the security review in Austin.  Matthew is flying back to Stanford to help keep an eye on the office and house with Kelly there."
"Candace stayed at the house in Deer Valley.  What about her?"
"I doubt she is a target, but Tiffany will return there once she is let go by the police.  I've got three more agents coming over with the lawyers.  One will watch the house in Deer Valley and the other two will go to Stanford.  I've sub-contracted some help to keep an eye on both sets of parents.  But again, I don't think they'll be targeted."
"How long will we be on the lam?" I asked.
"A few days only, I hope.  We're working to rule out who orchestrated the attack.  If we can rule out your own government, we'll be able to go back to Stanford, but with a stronger security presence.  If we can identify who actually ordered this, then we can take definitive action and possibly lower our security stance accordingly.  However, it is all situational at this point."
I nodded.  "What about classes and the university?"
"My people will take care of notifying the university and your professors.  We'll get assignments as we can.  Like I said, I hope to have you back by the middle of the week."
We flew on through the night, landing at an airfield outside Seattle two hours later.  A limousine was waiting for us in the rainy dark.  We hurried into it as Alison and Sanford took care of the bags.  Minutes after landing, we were whisked away.  It was a short ride; less than twenty minutes later we were at a marina and being urged to hurry out of the car.
Again, Alison watched our surroundings as Sanford and I grabbed our bags.  We went down to the dock where a familiar face greeted us.
"Not the best weather or time of day," Captain Jack Paine said.  "But welcome back to the 'Wave Dancer'."  He reached out to help take our bags and led us down the pier to his boat.  His wife and first mate, Catherine waved from the enclosed flying bridge as we came aboard.
We retreated to the warm salon as Captain Jack went back out into the drizzle to get us underway.  Jeryl went down to the familiar master cabin and retrieve a couple of towels to dry us off.  Ten minutes later, Catherine came down to greet us and offer us all cups of hot coffee.
"If you need anything else, and don't remember where it is from a couple of years ago, use the intercom to call me.  Jack is taking us out into the sound and then heading to the straights.  I'll relieve him around dawn.  Until then, I'm going to catch a catnap."
We wished her well, and then sipped our drinks as the gentle rolling of the boat lulled us into relaxing for the first time in twelve hours.
"So we just fell off the grid, didn't we?" I finally asked.
"I hope so," Alison responded.  "We'll cruise around the Channel Islands, stopping at different anchorages every night.  Sanford or I will call-in from ashore for status updates.  I asked Captain Jack to stock up for at least a week long cruise."
I yawned suddenly.  "Sorry, I guess I'm wiped out."
"As you should be.  Jeryl, why don't you take our young genius to bed?  You guys will be in the master stateroom again."
Jeryl stood and took my hand to lead me to bed.  I was not going to argue.
****
I woke to the sounds of marine diesel engines starting up and the low throb rumbling below us.  I rolled away from Jeryl, letting her continue to sleep and then slipped out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweatpants.  After a quick stop in the head, I climbed up to the salon.  Alison was sitting with a paper and cup of coffee.  I poured myself a cup and joined her.
"Any news?"
She scowled and flipped the paper around.  The inside headline read, 'Attempted carjacking in Salt Lake City.' At least it wasn't on the front page.
"Any good news?" I asked after my first sip of coffee.
Alison managed a small smile.  "Actually, there is some.  Tiffany called in.  She is back at the house in Deer Valley with Candace.  The police agreed that she reacted appropriately.  The drivers of the two cars that collided in front of you were gone from the scene.  Both cars were rentals.  The accident was staged to force you to stop.  The police also recovered the brass from the shooters.  The FBI has been called into the case."
"So it wasn't a government job?"
"It's still too soon to say, but the fact the FBI is opening an investigation is promising.  I should hear back from some other contacts in the next day or two.  In the meantime, you and Jeryl get to relax a little."
"Yeah, like we're going to be able to relax knowing someone is after us."
"Paul," she said looking me in the eye, "this is important."
I nodded and returned her gaze.
"You need to learn how to live with that stress, because it will probably be there for the rest of your life.  You pay me a lot of money to do that worrying for you, so let it go.  If you can't handle this sort of stress, you'll become a nervous wreck."
"I hear what you're saying, but it's hard to just push those feelings away."
"Don't deny them, but don't let them control you either.  You have no control over other people.  Accept that.  Instead focus on what you can control and what you can influence."
"Like what?"
"Well, you can start by making breakfast.  I've heard from my team that you have learned to make a mean omelet since our last cruise together."
I laughed.  "I can do that.  Is it alright if I finish my coffee first?"
Alison smiled and nodded.
"It will all work out, Paul.  Trust me."

Chapter Twenty-Three
At the Gates
****
"You're kidding me, right?" I asked as Alison closed the folder before her.
We had determined the U.S.  Government was not likely behind the attack on me, and had returned to Stanford by Wednesday the week after the attack.  For the past two weeks, Jeryl and I had had a constant companion from Alison's team with us: to and from the house, on campus, in classes, outside our offices.  It was starting to wear on our nerves.
"No, I'm quite serious."
"The French?"
"They might have had ties to others, but all the evidence we've been able to come up with point to them."
"Why would the fucking French government target me?"
"Not the government.  Since it was contracted out, we may never know exactly who, but my sources believe it was from their aerospace industry."
"Why?" It was almost too much to believe.
"They've gotten wind of the stealth capabilities you are enabling is my guess.  It puts them at an incredible disadvantage on the international arms market."
"What does the FBI say?"
"I haven't talked to them yet.  My contact at MI-6 is passing information on to Langley first."
"So what does it mean?  Will they try again?"
"I don't know.  Kidnapping does not fit the normal profile for industrial espionage, so we aren't certain what their exact motive was.  My guess is they will try to get into the Austin plant.  I've increased security there.  In the meantime, we will continue to monitor you and Jeryl until we can determine why they thought a snatch job was warranted."
"Shit."
"Precisely."
I flipped through the file while I tried to think my way out of the situation.  I recalled my first time through.  I had not paid enough attention to world politics then, but recalled that France's government had chafed under its declining status on the world stage.  In another thirty years, France's influence would become greatly diminished.  With less government influence, their industrial influence also waned.
"Do you think we could buy them off?"
"What do you mean?"
"License some of my materials to them."
"Surely your Air Force would object?"
"I'm not talking about stealth.  We could talk to them about some of the other compounds and even produce new materials for them.  If they got some of the tech, maybe they would think that was all there was."
Alison was silent for a minute.  "I think that might be either a very stupid, or very clever idea.  I would caution you to think very carefully through all the possible ramifications before even starting down that path."
"Oh, I will.  In the meantime, what can we do to get back to some semblance of normal around here?"
"Paul, this might be your new normal," she said.
"Alison, that might be the meanest thing you've ever said to me."
She had the good grace to blush.  "Unfortunately, it might be true.  I'm planning on this level of security through the school year at least.  We will continue to evaluate the situation, but get use to Sanford or Matthew being with you."
"Matthew?"
"I've arranged for some additional training for him.  I'm also getting him his carry permit."
"What about family and friends?  Will they try to get them to use against me?"
"Maybe.  I'm stepping up surveillance to cover them.  If we see something suspicious, we'll increase their protective details."  She paused and gave me one of her indecipherable looks.  "Would you like some good news now?"
"Definitely."
"It looks like the Air Force and FBI made some progress on the leak."
"Really?"
She nodded.  "Lockheed provided material to General Dynamics for 'testing' on some aircraft.  Some researcher at General Dynamics leaked the point of origin for the material.  He has confessed."
"Bastard."
"Stupid bastard," Alison said.  "He sold the info for five thousand dollars."
"Whom did he sell it to?"
"He thought it was a competitor.  The FBI thinks it was a Soviet agent."
"Any possible French connection?"
"At this point, anything is possible."
"Well, I'm still ending the contract with Lockheed."
She arched her eyebrow.  "Who will you sign with next?"
"I don't know.  This is one thing I now wish I had never sold in the first place.  The money is nice, but the collateral damage is starting to wear me down."
****
General Baker was an imposing figure in his dress blues.  He had short salt-and-pepper hair and piercing blue eyes.  He stood just over six feet tall and filled the doorway to my office.  Captain Conway from the Air Force Inspector General's office was behind him.  I motioned them inside.  Matthew followed them and offered drinks as Candace joined us.  Finally, the fictional pleasantries were completed and we got down to business.
"Mr.  Taylor," the general began, "first of all, I would like to apologize to you for the harassment in March.  Captain Conway has informed me of how the investigation was being conducted.  I hope you understand that I find my fellow officer's judgment in that matter very questionable."
I was surprised and I told him so.  "I have always tried to be cooperative with the government, sir, but my willingness to help seems to be taken as weakness or naivete.  I appreciate your words, but I am going to judge the government by its actions, going forward."
"I understand.  That's one of the reasons I came to meet with you."
"One of them?"
He nodded.  "I want to show you that I am not your enemy.  The compound you are making for Lockheed, is possibly the greatest advancement for air warfare since jet propulsion.  I feel that it is critical for us to ensure the continued production of that compound."
"And my noticing for non-renewal to Lockheed makes you believe production is in jeopardy?"
"Isn't it?"
"Frankly, yes.  I've had nothing but trouble since signing that deal with them."
"But the Air Force has had nothing but a growing appetite since you did.  We would be willing to pay $100 a gram to secure all of your production output."
I shook my head.  "I'm not entering into any more exclusive contracts."
That seemed to surprise him.  "What are you planning to do then?  Shut down?"
"It has crossed my mind, but I think now that too many people are at least aware of what the compound can accomplish.  My people and I will never be safe, until either everyone knows about it, or the need for it goes away.  I don't think either is likely, at this point."
He nodded.  "I agree.  Given your history, I also understand why telling the Air Force to take a hike has some appeal to you.  I went to the Academy with Haverston.  He was a total ass when he was a Firstie, my Doolie year."  He shook his head, as if clearing a memory.  "Obviously, it is in the Air Force's best interest for you to continue production.  What can we do to encourage that?"
I glanced at Candace.  We had been trading ideas on how to approach the sale of material for the past month.
"What would you think about a semi-open market?"
He frowned.  "What do you mean?"
"The Air Force or DOD vets companies or programs to bid on our production capacity.  We offer our monthly production to the highest bidder."
He sat back in his chair.  "Interesting.  It would be a unique approach, I'll give you that."
"Of course, I would still control the production volume, so if people decided to try and fix a price, I could drop production the next month."
He smiled.  "So if Lockheed and Rockwell wanted to low-ball you, you could cut production the next month and they would potentially not get enough material for their projects.  Would you guarantee a minimum monthly volume of production?"
"No.  I've spent a bit of money on the facilities in Austin.  I can use them for some other materials as well as the stealth compound.  If I'm not getting sufficient returns, I could easily change production to a more commercial material."
"Would you let the Air Force bid directly?"
"Only if the DOD was vetting bidders.  And if the Air Force was bidding, I feel it would only be fair for the other services to be allowed in, too."
He nodded.  "It makes sense.  I wonder how much the Navy would pay to make one of its carriers stealthy?  I'd hate to be in that appropriations meeting.  What if someone buys the entire process from you?"
"If I get a realistic offer, I would give the government a chance to match it.  I would not entertain anything less than seven billion right now, however, so I doubt I'll have offers to turn down.  With your thought about the Navy, I might have to increase that estimate."
"Hey, let's get the important strategic assets covered first before you go talk to the Navy.  They already have the Trident program to meet their needs."
We all chuckled, but I paused long enough to make a note to myself.  I might not sell the Navy the stealth coating, but any of the strengthening compounds could help them tremendously.
"Do you think this sort of approach could work?"
"Actually, I think it could work very well.  There is legislation making its way through congress right now to re-align the services.  One area that is getting some attention is procurement.  They want to streamline and unify procurement processes.  Whatever office gets established could do the vetting for bidders.  Let me go back and talk to some folks in Washington about it.  If they don't like it, I can at least assure you the Air Force will do the initial vetting to get the process rolling."
"Good enough," I said.
"So general, what else did you want to discuss today?" Candace asked.
"It's related to your production plans.  I need to know if you are going to meet Lockheed's needs for coating material.  We want to move forward with the B-1B program.  It would be a lot simpler if we could apply the coating during production instead of after the fact as Lockheed did with the two test planes."
"That's a contract issue," Candace said.  "Right now, we are obligated to deliver all of our production to Lockheed and they are obligated to purchase it."
"But you are going to end that contract in July.  They don't have enough material to keep pace with Rockwell's production schedule.  We are trying to get our first wing operational before the end of the year.  That's eighteen aircraft."
I grabbed my note pad and jotted down some numbers.
"Are you still assuming fifty kilos per aircraft?"
The general nodded.  "That's my understanding."
"If we don't have to shut down for security issues, we can produce the 900 kilos needed for the first wing before our contract ends."
The general let out a deep breath, almost a sigh.  "Then let's make sure you don't have any security shut-downs.  The Air Force Chief of Staff has told me personally that I have anything I need to make sure you are able to produce your compound for us.  Captain Conway here will be my personal liaison to Lockheed and your company to ensure everything runs smoothly.  With your permission, I want her to get going on briefing Rockwell and a couple other companies on your stealth compound.  We will authorize your first auction for August first, if you are agreeable."
I nodded.  "We should have a solid production forecast by then.  Just remember that an August auction will be for September delivery."
He nodded.  "This is important enough to us, that we'll pay for Rockwell to delay production on the aircraft."
For the first time since entering our offices, the general seemed to let himself relax.  "So, is there anything I can do for you, Paul?  You've taken quite a load off my mind in the past twenty minutes."
I smiled.  "How would you feel if I asked to borrow a test pilot, and some time at Edwards?"
****
"So what do you think?" Tom asked as he raised the lights in the conference room.  I had flown him up to screen his documentary for us after he turned in his final cut to his professor.
Jeryl, Kelly, and I traded looks.  I waited for them to speak first.  Jeryl smiled and squeezed my hand before jumping up and giving Tom a hug and quick kiss on the cheek.
"I think it is wonderful," she gushed.
Kelly nodded.  "It was very well done, Tom.  You made Paul real, not some cardboard cutout on film.  You should be proud."
Tom looked at me, happy with the ladies' opinions, but waiting for mine.
"I hated it."  I said.
Tom's face fell and Jeryl and Kelly started to harangue me but I held up my hand to stop them.
"I hated it because it was about me, and I hated it because I wanted to hear more of the person you portrayed.  It was really good, Tom.  I'm just not that public of a person.  Seeing and hearing myself on film bothers my ego, but you did a very fair and balanced portrayal of my accomplishments and vision.  I hope it earns you a good grade."
Everyone's smiles returned, and I stood up to shake his hand.  Not being the shy type, Tom pulled me in for a quick hug.
"Man, you just about scared the crap out of me," he said.  "You really liked it?"
I nodded.  "I really did."
"Enough to let me submit it to a couple of places?" He asked with a grin.
"Where?"
"I want to put it in for Sundance.  They have a short documentary category for next year.  It would be so cool to have it screened there."
I thought about it for a second.  "Okay.  Kelly will draft a release for you to submit it to Sundance.  Where else?"
"Well, if Sundance passes, there are a couple of other small festivals in LA."
"When would you hear back from Sundance?"
"October."
"Let's wait until then for any other releases.  But, if Sundance picks it up, you're going to have to pay me."
"I don't even have a job yet.  How can I pay you?"
"Funny you should ask, but you know Jeryl has foolishly agreed to marry me, right?"
His face split into a grin.  "And you want me to film the wedding?"
I nodded.  "You, plus one.  We'll fly you out to wherever it is and pay for rental equipment and editing time as well."
He hugged me again and slapped my back.  "It would be great.  I can hardly wait for the screening at Sundance, man."
****
"What can I do for you, Captain Conway?" I asked as Matthew escorted the female Air Force captain into my office.  She looked cute in her uniform, and I had never thought of Air Force uniforms as being attractive.
She waited until Matthew left and the door was closed before responding.  Once she was certain they were alone she sat down and opened the locks on her briefcase.
"General Baker wanted me to come by and share some information with you.  I must preface that this is all classified Top Secret and you cannot discuss it."
She slipped a briefing notice to me, which I signed and dated.
"What is it?"
"Part of the after action report on Operation El Dorado Canyon.  That was the op name for our joint bombing of Libya, last month."
"I saw the reports on the news."
Forty-five aircraft from a base in England and two aircraft carriers had conducted a simultaneous attack on seven targets across Libya that were tied to the export of terrorism.  All the bombs had landed within twelve minutes.  I knew this attack had gone a little better than on my first time through.  No U.S.  planes had been damaged and there were no near misses on the French embassy this time.  It was pretty impressive.
Captain Conway handed me five pictures.  They were a little grainy.  Each photo showed a target image and what looked like a spectrum analyzer in an inset.  The targets were all anti-aircraft missile batteries.
"What am I looking at?" I asked.
"These are the pictures for each of the three most common air defenses systems around Tripoli."  She spread the first three photos out.  "The inset is a computer generated image of the targeting radio spectrum, at the time we attacked.  Those parts of the image are what make this briefing Top Secret."
I looked more closely at the spectrum.  "Let me guess, they were painting the aircraft when these were generated?"
"That's right.  You can see there was not sufficient reflected energy to indicate a target.  Your coating was applied to significant portions of the F-111's that carried out these attacks."
She reached over and showed me the next two pictures.  These two had clear block shaped peaks on the spectrum profiles.  "These are from an F/A-18 that was conducting the wild weasel portion of the raid."
"Wild weasel?"
"AA suppression.  They want to get painted so they can lock a high speed anti-radiation missile onto the illuminator and take it out."
"Why have these wild weasel missions, if the F-111's were invisible?"
"The Navy aircraft were not coated and we wanted to make sure we dialed-back Gaddafi's capabilities some.  Make him a little more concerned about protecting himself instead of exporting bombs to discos in Europe."
I looked at the images again.  "Okay.  So why share with me?"
She collected her pictures and returned them to her briefcase.  "The General wanted you to know that your invention probably saved two to four aircrew during the raid.  Statistically, we expected two aircraft to be at risk.  We lost none.  The fact that some of the best Soviet made anti-aircraft systems couldn't even see them changed those statistics in our favor."
"Well, thank the general for me."
She gave me a tight smile, and stood to leave.  She paused at the door and turned back.  "You should know that it's not all about money.  You saved some lives, too."
I nodded.  "Thanks for letting me know."
****
"God dammit, Paul.  I swear I'm going crazy.  I don't know if I can take Tiffany or Alison being around me all the time," Jeryl said as she slammed the door to our bedroom.
"What happened?" I asked as I stood up from the desk and gave her a hug.
"Nothing.  I'm just tired of having a shadow all the time."
I kissed her.  "I know."  I wiped a tear from her cheek.
"I'm not a crybaby, but between the stress of body guards and getting ready for finals and not being able to do things on a whim, I'm going nuts."
"Hey, I get it.  I feel the same way."
"But you don't show it."
"No, but I wail the shit out of the heavy bag, three or four times a week.  It helps."
She smiled.  "Maybe I should work out some more.  Lila would be happy to join in."
I nodded.  "She would.  She wants to be ready for Bulldog this summer."  Bulldog was the officer version of basic training that NROTC Marine option midshipmen went through between their junior and senior years.  It was supposed to be tougher than boot camp, but I wasn't too certain of that.  Matthew had told some pretty tough stories.
"Of course, she's doing too much if you ask me," Jeryl said.
"Oh, why?"
"She's running her tits off," she said with a giggle.  Lila had dropped some body fat with her training, and her A-cup breasts had flattened a bit.
"I'm going to tell her you said that next time I see her."
Jeryl laughed.  "Somehow I knew that coming up here and venting would cheer me up.  I love you, Paul."
"I love you, too."  I kissed her again.
Now, why don't we discuss what we're doing after finals."
Jeryl dragged me to the bed and pushed me down.  She hopped on top of me, straddling me and leaned down for a kiss.  "How about you tell me where and how many times you are going to fuck me silly while we're on vacation, after finals?" she asked.
Her kiss stirred me.
"How about I take you around the world," I asked with what I hoped was a devilish tone.
"Oh, goody!  I love when you can do me three times in a night.  And, it's been since before Christmas since you've done my ass."
It had been the night before we left for Hawaii.  I laughed and pushed her off me.
"Maybe I'll 'rectal-fy' that, right now."
I reached for her shorts, but she scooted away.
"Oh, no you don't, mister.  Where are you taking me after finals?  I want details before you get me naked and ravish my poor little rear."
I pulled her in for another kiss and hug.  "Where would you like to go?"
"Someplace we haven't been before."
"That hardly narrows it down."
"I wanted you to have lots of choices to pick from," she said with a grin.
"How about Greece?"
"Really?  Do you think Alison will okay that?"
"I'm not sure I care."  I frowned.  "Actually, I do care, because I don't want anything to happen to you.  I'm sure if we pick the right spot, Greece will be fine."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yes, let's go to Greece where you can have me every way you can think of and I'll run around being your naked muse."
"Okay, it's settled.  Does that mean I get to ravish you now?"
Jeryl reached for my shorts and soon it was hard to say who was ravishing whom.
****
We ended up on the island of Mykonos.  Alison made the arrangements, which consisted of a rented villa just off the beach with wonderful views of the town of Chora as well as the crystal clear water and white sand beach.  A live-in butler greeted us and soon had us enjoying an afternoon tea on the balcony overlooking the beach while he settled Alison and two of her associates in rooms on the lower floor.
Alison had told us she was giving Sanford and Tiffany vacations from us while we were taking a vacation from them.  I knew they had all done a fabulous job looking after us, but was glad not to see their faces.  Alison was a different matter.
She joined us on the balcony after changing into white shorts and a light green cover-up.  It was light cotton and somewhat translucent in the bright afternoon sun.  It showed her figure to good effect.  She looked more relaxed than I had ever seen her.
"Do you like the place?" she asked after the butler, named 'James,' of course, poured her tea.
"I love it," Jeryl said.
"It seems very nice."  Personally, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.  After all the tension of the past few months, it seemed too good to be true.
"I'm glad.  I know you two need a chance to relax."
"What about you?"
Alison laughed softly.  "You may be right.  I haven't taken a real vacation in three years, ever since starting to work with you two, I might add."
"Hey, it's not our fault you are a workaholic," I said.
"What is your American saying?  'It takes one to know one?'"
I smiled and toasted her with my cup.  "So what are the restrictions?"
"Just let one of the staff know where you are, and take one of us with you when you go out.  Other than that, relax."
"Really?" Jeryl asked.  "No review of our plans for the day?  No having to have an escort and a driver all the time?  What's changed?"
Alison gave her a weak smile.  "I know what sort of stress you've felt for the past two months.  I have people nearby, but they won't intrude on your vacation unless they are needed, so you shouldn't even know they are here."
"How many besides the two downstairs and James?"
Alison laughed.  "I should have known you would figure it out.  I've got nine people here, plus myself.  I really thought I could slip James past you."
I grinned back.  "So he's security, not a real butler?"
"No, he's a real butler who has also been highly trained in security."
"But we're supposed to just act as if we haven't a care in the world?" Jeryl asked.
Alison nodded.
"Then I'm changing and getting a little sun this afternoon."  She got up and headed into the bedroom through the far door of the balcony.
Alison watched her and then looked back at me.  She started to speak, but I held up my hand.  I had a sneaking suspicion that Jeryl would not take long.  I smiled when I saw I was right.  Jeryl came back out with the Hawaiian scarf wrapped around her hips as a sarong, and not another stitch of clothing on.  She did have a towel around her neck that was covering her breasts, but we all knew it would be on the lounger before she was.  She stopped next to me long enough for a quick but passionate kiss and then spread her towel, unwrapped the sarong, and laid down on the lounge for me to admire.
Alison arched an eyebrow at me.  "She is a cheeky girl, Paul.  How do you handle her?"
"He handles me just fine," Jeryl said haughtily.
We all laughed.
"Before the floor show, I was about to say that I thought I'd take a bit of a break this week as well."
"Certainly.  Where are you going?"
"Nowhere, but I won't be doing my regular security duties unless there is an emergency."
"That sounds fine to me," I said.
"In that case, I might catch some sun as well."  She got up and pulled a lounger over near Jeryl.  She made sure we were both looking as she pulled off the cover-up to reveal her own pale breasts.  She turned her back to me as she dropped her shorts revealing her well-toned buttocks before turning back around to show her fiery red pubic bush, trimmed neatly into a small triangle.
As she sat on the lounge, she looked me in the eye.  "Do you think you'll be all right if I ask for help putting on some sun screen?  I'd hate for you to become all tongue-tied like your cousin did three years ago."
"And you called me cheeky," Jeryl said with a laugh.
****
I stepped out of the shower and heard Alison and Jeryl talking in the bedroom.
"It doesn't bother you that your employee saw you nude?" Jeryl asked her.
"No.  Turned me on a bit, if I'm honest with myself."
Jeryl giggled.  "I felt the same way when I put on my little show.  I was nervous and turned on."
"Well, at least you had someone to help with that after you came inside."
Jeryl was quiet for a minute.  "You know that we've shared with one other woman, don't you?"
I assumed Alison nodded.  "I do.  It was kind of obvious to Tiffany and Sanford.  Lila is very cute."
"But not threatening," Jeryl said.  "She is going into the Marine Corps come hell or high-water.  We all know that, so I don't have to get insecure when Paul touches her."
"Um-hum," Alison agreed.
"You wouldn't be threatening to me," Jeryl said so softly I could hardly hear her.  "If you got turned on getting naked in front of James and Paul, I wonder what sleeping with him would do to you?"
My dick started stiffening at the thought of it.
"I'm sure it would be exciting and fun, but I'm not sure going beyond teasing is a good idea."
"Why?"
"Most of the time, my job is to protect you both.  If we had some sort of affair, and then something happened, I'm not sure I could keep my feelings out of it and do what was needed to keep you both safe."
"Alison, I've known you for three years.  I can't imagine you not being able to do anything you put your mind to."
"I could say the same about both you and Paul," she replied.
"What if I told you I wanted you to sleep with us?"
"I'd probably put you off for a bit."
"Why?"
"Honestly?  Because you frighten me.  You two are so in love and so intense with each other.  If I intruded on that and damaged your relationship, I don't think I could live with myself."
"That's sweet."
"It is," I agreed as I stepped out of the bathroom.
Both women looked at me as I held a towel around my waist.
Alison blushed.  Jeryl laughed.
"Hardly fair, Paul," Jeryl said.  "You've seen both of us parading around nude today.  You should join in.  It's liberating."  Before I could protest further, she took a step closer and grabbed my towel.  I managed to snatch one end before she got it away clean and used it to pull her in for a kiss.  She melted against me and I felt my partial erection grow firmer.
Alison watched us with hunger in her eyes.
I broke our kiss but held Jeryl against me.  "I heard part of your conversation," I said as I looked at Alison, still standing proudly naked before me.  She had stayed on the balcony, when Jeryl and I had come inside for a quick romp on the bed.  She was still sun bathing an hour later when I decided to shower.
"For whatever it is worth, I don't think you would ever shirk your responsibility to us, regardless of anything we did while you were here on vacation with us.  You must know how much we both respect and admire you."
She blushed and looked away.
"And how lovely we both think you are."
She looked back at us.  I waited.  Jeryl rested her head against my chest and looked at Alison.
"You do realize I'm nearly two decades older than you two?"
Jeryl chuckled, then said, "But you don't look it."
Alison stepped closer to us.
"Flatterer," she said with a smile.
She leaned in to kiss Jeryl first, and then me.  It was a hard, passionate kiss.  She wrapped her arms around us both.  Jeryl wiggled an arm free to wrap around her waist.  I kissed Jeryl and then Alison.
"Is it true that red-heads taste spicier?" I finally asked.
Both women hit my arms and then pushed me toward the bed laughing.  Jeryl dropped her mouth down to wrap her lips around my cock and pushed Alison up to straddle my chest.
"Why don't you let him find out, while I take care of this thing that was poking my stomach," she managed to say.
Alison looked down at me and then scooted herself higher until her red bush was dancing above my tongue.  I licked upward and reached up to caress her breasts with their small, hard nipples.  She lowered herself and let me taste her fully.  Jeryl slowed her efforts and slipped one hand up my chest.  I felt it turn palm up just before a finger worked its way past my mouth and probed into Alison.
Alison arched her back and pushed her tits against my hands as Jeryl pulled her finger out.  I felt more than saw her lick her own finger clean.
"Doesn't taste spicy to me," she said playfully before resuming my delicious blowjob.
****
That first day and night set the stage for our vacation.  Alison refused to move into the master suite with us, but spent most nights with us after relaxing with Jeryl throughout the day.  Both women delighted in nude sunbathing and teasing me.  The one time they convinced me to join them, the application of sunscreen turned into a wonderful hand-job from Alison.  Not to be left out, Jeryl returned the favor for Alison while I fucked her slowly overlooking the Aegean Sea.
It was a peaceful, carnal vacation that let us all unwind.
Six days after our interlude began, I knew it was over when Alison joined us for breakfast in her khaki shorts, green polo shirt, and loafers.  It was the most clothing I had seen her in in nearly a week.
"What's up?" I asked as I rose to kiss her and then poured coffee.  We had told James not to wait on us after delivering breakfast to the balcony.
"We head out tomorrow.  It's time for me to get back to work."
I nodded.  We had talked about this the night before.  Jeryl chose that minute to walk out, naked of course, and give Alison and I both kisses and hugs.
"Ali, are you sure you can't take one more day to relax?" She teased the older woman's nipples through her top to try and entice her.
Alison slapped her hand away playfully.  "I swear, Jeryl, if I have to I'll have Paul take you over his knee and I will personally wail the tar out of your arse if you do that while I'm working."  She softened her words with a quick kiss and then sat down.
Jeryl looked at her for a moment and then dropped into my lap and wiggled against me a bit.  "You really should not encourage me like that," she said with a smirk.
Alison raised an eyebrow.
"Anyway, I've got to meet with my team this morning to get a threat update and then go over travel arrangements for tomorrow.  I'll be back in time for dinner, but will need to sleep downstairs tonight."
Jeryl pouted for part of the morning, but then snuggled up to me on a lounge overlooking the beach.
"I knew she would go back to being all business, but hoped she would be a little more relaxed," she confided.
"You know her well enough to realize she can't do that, don't you?"
"I suppose."
I kissed her forehead.  "Be glad she is all business.  I'd hate to have to fire her."
"What do you mean?"
"I love you.  That means I would lay down my life for you, darling.  Alison has to have the same mindset.  If your delectable tits or ass distracted her, she might miss something that is critical to keeping you or I alive.  She can't allow herself to be distracted by her or our feelings.  If she were distracted, we would have to find someone else to look after our security."
Jeryl was silent for a bit.  "I hate when you are right about things like that," she finally said.
"Me, too," I replied.  "Me, too."
We soaked up some more sun and then went back inside to start packing things up.
Lunch was fruit and a seafood salad along with a plate of cheeses and olives.  It was very Mediterranean, which was appropriate.  We had definitely eaten more healthfully on this vacation.  We had an afternoon nap after making gentle, passionate love following lunch.  I fell asleep thinking what a wonderful place Mykonos was.
I awoke to Jeryl poking my ribs, saying, "Hey, sleepyhead.  Get up and take a shower.  We're supposed to eat in an hour, and it's almost sunset."
We had made a little tradition of watching the sunset with a cup of tea or a glass of wine this past week.  I got up and took a quick shower.  Jeryl laid out a pair of white cotton trousers and a loose-cut blue shirt for me to wear at dinner.  I got dressed and stepped onto the balcony to the sound of the surf and the golden-orange glow of the setting sun.  Jeryl and Alison were already there, standing near the balcony wall with glasses in their hands.  I swung by the small table and poured myself a glass of wine before joining them.
"What a lovely sight," I said.
"It is, isn't it?" Jeryl replied.
"I was talking about you two lovely ladies, but the sunset isn't bad, either."
Both women turned and smiled at me.  I raised my glass in a toast to Alison.
"Thank you, Alison, for the perfect vacation.  It was great to be able to relax and unwind with you in this wonderful setting."
"Hear, hear," Jeryl agreed as she raised her own glass.
Alison blushed and nodded in silent acknowledgment.
"I'm sorry it wasn't longer," Jeryl said after taking a sip of her wine.
"Well, it just gives us all something to look forward to," Alison said.
We enjoyed the sunset for another fifteen minutes or so, enjoying each other's company without needing to fill it with hollow words.  It was peaceful.
"Dinner, sir," James said softly from the doorway as the last limb of the sun sank below the horizon.
We set our glasses on the table and headed inside to the dining room.  The dining room could have seated ten easily, but we took the inside end of the table to continue to enjoy the view of the bay.  I sat at the head of the table with Alison on my left and Jeryl to my right.  James began serving us immediately.
"So, Alison, are we all set to head back to the real world?" Jeryl asked playfully.
"We are.  We'll fly to Athens, then on to Heathrow.  Paul, you evidently have a meeting with Lord Harold tomorrow, so we'll stay in London overnight for that and then fly to New York.  Candace will meet us there.  She has some meeting set up in the city before you all head up to Montreal for a three day visit."
"I don't have any business clothes," Jeryl said.
"Nor I," I added.
"It's taken care of.  We'll have suits for you both in London.  Kelly packed for you both and Matthew will be bringing those along with him."
James interrupted the conversation to collect the plates from our appetizers and carefully dish out bowls of fresh fish soup.  We all paused to taste it.
"Mrs.  Eccles should take lessons from the chef," I said.
Alison smiled.  "That can be arranged.  Do you want me to send the Chef out to Utah for a couple of weeks?"
"Really?" Jeryl asked.
"They're on your staff?" I asked.
Alison blushed.  "They are.  He's actually my cousin."
"Why on earth didn't you say so?  He's been here all week, and we're just now hearing he's your cousin?"
"Well, it's not like either of you two have gone downstairs to meet any of the other staff," Alison protested.  "James has asked if we really needed the full staff given how easy you two are to cater to."
"Maybe we should have them come out and staff Thanksgiving or the Wedding," Jeryl teased.  "If both sides of the family are there, they should have plenty of things to keep them hopping."
Alison smiled.
"It would be nice if Mrs.  Eccles were asked if she would like to study with him," I said after another bite of the delicious soup.  "She is a good cook, always trying new things.  I bet she would jump at the opportunity."
"Or you could offer to send her over to London or wherever to take a class or two."
"Philip, my cousin, does actually teach when he is not being a private chef."
"Well, let's talk to her when we get back and set something up.  I like the idea of offering her a trip.  It might make a great early Christmas gift."
"So, Alison, what does your cousin think of you playing around with your boss," Jeryl asked teasingly.
Alison blushed again and then smiled at Jeryl.  "Actually, he asked if Paul ever swung his way.  He's a poof."
I laughed at the shocked look on Jeryl's face.  I didn't know if Alison was being honest or having some fun with her, but the look on her face was hilarious either way.  Alison joined my laughter and it was Jeryl's turn to blush.
I stifled my laughter as James came back into the room.  He went to Alison and bent at the waist to whisper in her ear.
All humor left her in an instant.  She stood.  "Paul, Jeryl, go with James downstairs."
"What's happening?" Jeryl asked as I stood and grabbed her arm.
"Let's go," I said.
Alison was following us as James began turning off lights.  Now that I was aware there was a problem, I heard voices on the beach outside.
A large man in a chef's jacket and carrying a pistol met us at the foot of the stairs.  He quickly guided us into the kitchen as two others from Alison's staff moved into the hallway along the walls with guns in their hands.  Alison closed the door to the kitchen and threw two sturdy bolts, one at the top and one at the bottom of the door.  She raised her finger to her lips and then pulled a small pistol out from under her dress.  Jeryl hugged my back as I pressed her into a small nook by the large refrigerator and wished for a gun of my own.
"BANG!"
It was bigger than a gunshot, but was answered by a flurry of firing on the other side of the door.  Philip, the chef, was watching the kitchen's outside door.  As more gunfire happened in the hallway, he caught Alison's eye and motioned to the door.  Alison turned and crossed the room.  She stood flush to the wall and then ducked low to look out a small window.  She looked back at Philip and held up two fingers.  The big man nodded.
Philip pointed at me and then at the back corner of the room.  I moved Jeryl there and resumed my spot in front of her, as Philip moved closer to the door.  Alison waited only until he was in position and then opened and ran through the door in a single swift movement.
Two shots rang out with barely a heartbeat between them.  BANG.  BANG.  A moment later there was a third shot.  I felt Jeryl holding her breath and clutching my arm.  The door opened slowly.  Philip relaxed by a millimeter and motioned us toward the door.  I grabbed Jeryl and took her outside as Alison watched the end of the small, enclosed alcove that led to the street.
I tried to ignore the two bodies we had to step over as I moved us up behind Alison.  Jeryl gasped and grabbed my arm more tightly, but said nothing.  Alison looked toward the street side of the house and saw someone move their arm up and down quickly.  Alison stepped aside.
"That dark doorway with the person who just moved is ours.  Run and stop for nothing.  I'll be right behind you."
I was going to say something stupid, when we heard another sharp bang from the second story of the villa.  Alison pushed me.
"Run!" she hissed.
I took off pulling Jeryl along.  We sprinted the sixty feet across the stone paved street, careened off the doorjamb, and went inside.  Helping hands pulled us deeper inside and I heard additional footsteps in the street behind us.  The door was eased shut as Jeryl and I were hustled through the house to its kitchen.
Doors were closed and bolted behind us.  Philip slapped my back and gave me a grin before moving to the far kitchen door.  Alison looked us over and then calmly changed magazines on her small pistol.  I thought it was a Walther PPK, but kept any smart assed James Bond jokes to myself.
In the distance, I could hear the rhythmic pulsing of sirens.
"That's a good sign," Alison said softly.  "I'm sure the police were bribed to ignore things, but enough people must have called in for that bribe to wear off."
"So we sit tight?"
"Yes, unless they move through the villa and into the street.  If they do that, you two follow me.  Paul, you right behind me, then Jeryl, then Philip.  We will go out this back door, turn right in the alley and into the garage at the end of the alley.  The car there is ours.  I'll have the doors open.  As soon as we're all in, we'll be taking off."  She paused long enough to look us both in the eye.  "Paul, they want you but they will use Jeryl to get to you.  If we have to move again, you keep ahold of her and don't stop moving, regardless of what you hear behind us.  Clear?"
"Clear," I said through dry lips.
The sirens got louder and we heard more muffled gunshots from across the street.  Minutes later, the sound peaked as the police stopped in front of the villa.  We heard shouted voices and then rapid gunfire.  Philip tensed by the door.  There was a soft tap, a pause and then three more distinct taps.  Philip unbolted the door and eased it open while keeping his gun level with whoever's belly was on the other side of the door.
"Police are outside.  More are coming.  The villa is locked down.  We didn't get a radio call after the first warning."
Philip nodded, pushed the door shut, and re-threw the bolts.  He straightened up and quickly slipped his pistol under his chef's jacket at the small of his back.  He looked over at Alison.
"Stay here?" he asked.
She nodded.  "You do.  I'll take them out in the car.  We'll stop at a bar for a drink and set an alibi.  We'll call before returning here."
Philip nodded.  "They went out right at sunset, if I recall.  I came across the street to the staff house for dinner here."  He began moving around the kitchen collecting pots and produce.
Alison hiked up her sundress and slipped her pistol into a thigh holster between her legs.  I smiled at her red panties and then hid my smirk before she saw it.  Jeryl and I stood up as she re-adjusted her dress.
"Okay.  Let's walk casually down the alley," Alison said.  The garage lets us out at the far end of the block.  No police should be there.  I'll drive us into town.  I don't want you two out of my sight for the next couple of hours.  If you have to pee, hold it.  Okay?"
We both nodded and she opened the door.  We followed her down the street, hand-in-hand a couple of steps behind her, as if we hadn't a care in the world, despite the fact that our vacation was definitely over.
****
"KGB with mercs," Captain Moorehead, USN said as Jeryl, Alison, Philip and I sat cooling our heels in the U.S.  Embassy in Athens.
After a nerve-wracking night in town and brief translated interviews with the Greek Police, Alison and Philip had gotten us on the first plane out of Mykonos to Athens.  From the Athens airport, we had been taken to the Embassy and were now guests of the U.S.  Government as a multi-national investigation slowly got underway.
"Mercs?" Jeryl asked.
"Mercenaries," the Defense Attaché said as he paced at one end of the small rectangular conference room.  "Former French Foreign Legion.  It looks like they were hired on short notice.  We're getting more from Interpol and the DGSE, but it looks like they were hired muscle."
"One of the bodies, however, was identified as Russian.  We think he was a deniable from the KGB's First Directorate.  He worked as a waterfront criminal.  Interpol used him as an informant a couple of times on some smuggling, but the sense was that he was providing information to build credibility and sources within various police organizations."
"That would imply the attack earlier this year was KGB as well," Alison said.
"Given what Paul here does for the government, that sounds likely."
"Well, shit," I said without emotion.  "How am I supposed to continually dodge the fucking KGB?"
My language stopped the Captain's pacing.
"You need to become a very hard target."
"That's what we thought we were doing on this vacation," I said without heat.  "How did they find us anyway?"
"Agent in place at either the airport or customs," he said without thinking.  "Could have been the airline as well.  All they would need to do is look for your name in the reservation system."
"Crap."
How was a private citizen supposed to remain private, when any ticketing agent would take a couple thousand bucks to look up a passenger's name and destination.
"We'll need to break up your travel patterns," Alison said.
"Well, I can help with that a little," the Captain replied.
"I've been authorized to cut orders and put you four on a MAC flight out of here.  It will take you to Germany.  From there, I've laid on a flight to Glasgow along with parts for Holy Loch.  MI-6 will meet your flight and handle entry stamps.  From the KGB's perspective, you'll have disappeared here in Greece."
"That's a start," Alison said.  "Unfortunately, there are only a handful of places they need to watch back in States for you.  They'll get eyes back on you as soon as you show up at any of them, if they are smart."
The Captain nodded.  "That's why you need to be a hard target, before they see you again."
It was Alison's turn to nod.
"What does that mean?"
"No patterns," the Captain said.  "You take different, random routes to and from destinations.  You have both obvious and not so obvious security around you.  You move into compounds instead of houses so they can't see which car you are in when you get in or out."
Jeryl groaned.  "I have to do this as well, don't I?"
Alison nodded.  "If Paul is hard to get to, they'll look to grab you to make him give up what they want."
"I wish I had better news for you, Paul, but your life is going to be very complicated from here on out."  He offered me a handshake and wished us luck as a Marine opened the door to let us know our car to the airport was ready.
Sixteen hours later, the four of us along with three MI-6 minders were in a suite in Glasgow, trying to recall the warm sun of Greece.
"This sucks," Jeryl said, summing up my feelings exactly.
Alison, who had been showing signs of much greater stress ever since the attack snapped, "Just remember that three people died, protecting your ability to have such a sucky time!"
She stood and walked from the room.  Jeryl looked like she had been slapped.  I moved closer and wrapped my arms around her.
"Paul?"
She had tears in her eyes.  I nodded.  I had asked Philip about casualties while Alison and Jeryl were out of earshot during our trip.
"They died for us?"
Again, I nodded.  I could not find the words to speak.
"They died doing a job they signed up for, and believed in," Philip said softly.  "Don't ever think otherwise.  We all know the risks.  We all knew who we were protecting, and that there were real bad guys trying to do you harm.  Remember them, and try to make sure you live up to the ideals they felt you had; what they felt was worth dying for."
We both looked at the big man.  Jeryl slipped away from me, stood, and threw herself into his arms.
"Thank you, Philip.  Thank you for everything you did for us and for them."  She hugged him and then stepped away.  She looked back at me.  "I need to talk to Alison."
She left us alone as she went through the door into the bedroom with our former lover and full-time protector.
****
"How would you like to take a test flight?"
Lord Harold had re-worked his schedule and we had driven down to London to meet with him and try to plan out our next move.  We had finished our Land Rover business and I had been explaining the difficulties of being a KGB Target.
I looked at him curiously.  "It might be fun, but I'm not sure how it would help."
He smiled.  I tried not to think about the fact that he always looked like he had a 'snoot full,' as the Brit's said, with his red nose and cheeks.
"Well, you know I've got an interest in Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce?"
"No, I wasn't aware of that."
"Yes, yes.  It's part of my holdings.  Anyway, I was talking to a chum at Rolls the other day at my club and he mentioned he was working with you on engine improvements, along with Gulfstream, on a new aeroplane."
I nodded.  "We started working together almost three and a half years ago.  Just after you and I met, actually."
"Well, we got talking a bit and he mentioned that they actually had the flight certification model of Gulfstream's new plane over here for engine work.  Then he went on and on about what you had helped them accomplish with the turbine re-design and flow-path mechanics, and a bunch of other nonsense.  Anyway, the long and short of it is that this aeroplane is doing a few marketing flights over here and then heading back to the States.  Maybe you could hitch a lift?"
I smiled.  "I didn't realize it was passenger certified, yet.  I'm assuming you spoke with Harry Cromwell?"
"Exactly."
Harry was the point man at Rolls-Royce for our joint engine work.  PT Innovations, Gulfstream, and Rolls-Royce had entered into an R&D agreement with the intent of transforming the airline industry.  We had started with the existing design work already done on the G-IV from Gulfstream and begun replacing systems and parts.  At the same time, Rolls-Royce and I had begun trying to transform the RB-183 turbofan engines planned for the plane.  Two years ago, about eighteen months into the project, we had to take a dramatic change in direction, due to some of the efficiencies we were gaining.  The result had been three GX-1 aircraft being built.
"I wasn't aware they had one of the new planes over here," I said.
"Harry said they did.  He offered to take the wife and I up for a quick show.  Personally, I don't fancy flying the Atlantic in something that small, but it might be your ticket home.  Give Harry a call."
He picked up his phone an offered it to me.  I nodded.
"Agnes, can you get me Harry Cromwell at Rolls?  His number should be in the deck."
He looked at me as he kept the phone to his ear.
"Harry?  Harold Thompson.  Yes, yes, good to hear your voice as well.  Listen, chap, I've got Paul Taylor here in my office and we were chatting about that airplane of yours.  He was wondering about a ride."
He pulled his head away for a moment.
"Yes, yes.  Here, let me put him on."  He handed me the phone.
"Harry?"
"Paul, good to hear your voice.  Are you really on this side of the pond for a change?"
"I am.  How is the GX-1 looking?"
"Amazing.  We just swapped out the new engines.  The RBX-2's have even better performance than the first model.  We're looking at just under Mach with a projected range of 4,800 nautical miles.  That's 8% faster and almost 15% greater range with the same fuel load as the G-IV.  I swear we could break Mach 1 if the wings wouldn't fall off."
I laughed at his enthusiasm.  "Well, isn't that what GX-2 is for?"
GX-2 was the supersonic private transport we had designed.  The prototype was nearing completion in California.  I knew we would have to work through the sonic boom issues, but even if the plane had to stay sub-sonic over populated areas, I knew there would be a market for it.
"It certainly is.  But about our baby here, I offered Lord Harold a test ride in jest.  I asked him if he wanted to hop across the pond with me."
"So I gathered.  Is it flight rated for passengers."
"Certified last week.  We've got the engines changed out and Gulfstream has the whole glass cockpit fitted out.  The pilots love flying it.  I don't have any cute stewardesses to crew it, but we can probably hire them for a quick trip or two."
"Where's it at?"
"It's at Filton in Gloucestershire.  It's about a two-hour drive on the M4 if you just want a look at her.  We've got a bunch of BA people interested in the engine tests.  15% Savings in fuel economy is going to get a lot of people interested."
"I'm sure it will.  I've got to check on a few things here in London, but if things go well, I would love the chance to ride back to the States with you and see how things are going.  I've got to meet with Gulfstream soon anyway and this might let me kill two birds with one stone."
"Just so long as we don't kill any birds with our new engines," Harry said with a laugh.
"Right."
"Well, let me give you my number and you can ring-round here once you know.  I'm supposed to leave in three days, but we could move it up a couple if you are in a rush.  I think all the marketing junkets are done already."
"That sounds good.  I'll ring you in the morning and let you know."
****
"I'm telling you, we could do it," Harry said as we looked at diagrams spread over the table inside the GX-1.
Alison had jumped at the idea of taking a private flight back to the states, especially when we were going to land in Savannah at the Gulfstream plant.  It was unlikely that anyone wanting to find us would think to look there.  Both ladies had been a little nervous about the flight, upon hearing it was essentially a new pre-production airplane.  Now, two hours into the seven-hour flight, they were sound asleep on the pull out couch behind us.  Philip was asleep against the window in the large seat across the aisle from us.
"We'd have to redesign the airframe and entire wing surface," I said.  "Is that sort of effort really worth it?"
Harry had decided he wanted to cross the Pacific in a single go.
"I'm certain we could get a seven thousand nautical mile range and good sub-sonic speeds with these changes to the engine.  We'd need more fuel capacity, but think about the opportunity."
"Why sub-sonic?  Why not change the GX-2 design and have an SST for those sorts of distances?"
"You mean make a turbojet instead of a turbofan?"
"You guys do the engines on the Concorde.  We've got materials for the pressures and temps you have to handle."
"Gulfstream has never done a super before.  Even the GX-2 might be a stretch for them."
"I've got some other contacts."
He rolled up the prints we had been looking at, stuffed them in a tube, and grabbed a second tube.  Soon we were looking at the prints for the GX-2.
"We'd have to increase the length and wing dimensions."
"But we could keep the weight down by using more composites, and coated aluminum."
"We'd have to address expansion throughout the flight profile.  The Concorde grows by almost a foot when it heats up."
"I've got a thermal solution that should help.  What I don't have is details on how to manage the sonic boom.  People already complain about the Concorde."
"Hell, if we have sub-sonic loiter capacity, they can keep below Mach 1 until they are over the ocean and then climb up to cruising speed."
"What about supersonic airflow in the engines?"
"We solved that with the ramps on the Concorde.  We might be able to refine them with some of the new materials you're making, but conceptually that problem is solved."
"So does it make business sense?" I finally asked.
"It all depends on the pricing, and cost to build.  I know I'd love to fly on one.  Can you imagine crossing the Pacific in six hours?"
"Well, since we're just brainstorming, why so slow?"
He looked at me.
"What could we do if we strapped a rocket on it?  Sub-orbital would get across the Pacific or any place in the world in an hour."
Harry laughed.  "Thank God you don't think small, Paul."
I suppose he thought I was joking.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Inside New Walls
****
"The company is looking to bank almost sixty-five million, this quarter, just on material production for Lockheed," Jim said.  "With ongoing demand by the military, we are practically printing money.  With that in mind, given your security needs, I think we can not afford to not make these purchases."
I scowled.  I knew he was right and we would all be safer if Jeryl and I were harder targets, but the thought of buying and moving into a walled compound or fenced in estate rankled my soul.  I had lived the end of my first life feeling fenced in by fanatics, poverty, ignorance, and fear.  Planning on hiding behind walls summoned similar feelings for me.
Jeryl, who had been living with constant security for the past three months as well, reached over and patted my hand.
"Paul," my Mother said.  "What better use is there for the money than making sure you and Jeryl are safe?"
I sighed.  It was the right argument to use with me.
"Okay.  But do we really need three new places?" I asked.
Kelly smiled, knowing they had won.  "That was Alison's minimum recommendation.  She would have you get five or six if she had her way.  She would also move you randomly between them every week."
"Well that's not happening.  I have to be back in Stanford in two more months."  We had been living in hotels and rented houses since returning to the States from England.
"So where could you live?" Jim asked.
I shot a glance at Jeryl.
"Maui was nice," she said.
"Maui would be good," I agreed.  "Or really anyplace in Hawaii."
"What about Chicago or New York?" Mom asked.  "You will have to visit them for business, so why not get an apartment that can be secured?"
"We'll need to bounce that off Alison, I guess.  She was thinking more along the lines of the Kennedy Compound, in Florida, I think."
"Utah has the mountains.  Hawaii has the ocean and beach.  What other climates or locations interest you?  Forests?" Mom knew me well.
"That's not a bad idea.  Oregon has some wonderful forests.  Maine or the Carolinas might be alternatives if we want something on the East Coast."
"Okay," Kelly said.  "I'll get some agents on property searches first thing.  Jeryl, we may have to fly out to visit properties as they find them."
"Not me?" I asked.  They had insisted I agree on buying the property, and now did not want me along to look at things they found.  I was surprised to have my feelings hurt.
"No, you're going to be too busy this summer to do that.  You have two research symposiums you are hosting over the next three weeks.  Then you said you wanted to be down at Edwards for the first flight tests of the GX-2.  That will take us into August.  I want to have at least one property in escrow before then."
I sighed.  Kelly was right, again.  My summer was booked before becoming an active target.
"Okay, do we need to vote on the motion before the board?" I asked.  They nodded their heads.  "All in favor?" Everyone nodded.  "Any opposed?" Silence.  "Motion passes by unanimous consent.  The COO and Secretary are authorized to spend up to ten million each on no more than three properties.  In the event they feel a property is worth more than that amount, they are to gain shareholder approval to move forward."
"Candace, I believe you are up next with new business proposals.  I turn the floor over to you."
Candace smiled and stood as she handed out briefs.  "Our patent portfolio has grown tremendously over the past three years as our research and development efforts are beginning to pay off.  We have also expanded our filings into Europe to ensure the broadest possible protections for our research.  All of our original contacts are coming up for renewal or renegotiation.  With that in mind, I am proposing we split the portfolio into three different broad portfolios and establish a governance model that would allow us to license different portfolios or individual patents to our various partners and customers."
"What sort of grouping?" Kelly asked.
"Control systems, manufacturing materials and processes, and power systems to start with.  Right now, everything we have fits into one of those categories.  We also have discrete industry groupings that align.  There will still be some that want access to all three portfolios and some that might want two or three from each, but remember this is only a management structure.  We would still be able to do custom deals for specific groups or individual patents."
"What's the benefit?" Jeryl asked.
"Many of our deals could be simplified.  Also, within each group we would have versions for offer.  Right now, as soon as we publish a patent, some partners have rights to it.  Under this system, no one would have rights until we publish which group and version or class of the group contains that patent."
"So something we want to exploit ourselves, we could get patent protection on but not have to license?" I asked.
"Exactly.  I've laid it all out in the brief.  I'm not asking for a vote today, but wanted to start the dialog.  Our first renegotiation will begin in August.  I'd like to have permission to regroup our portfolio at next months board meeting."
I noticed Jeryl looking at Candace.  I don't think anyone else saw the brief nod Candace gave her.  I smiled.  The questions had been well orchestrated.
"I move," said Jeryl, "that we authorize the realignment per this brief to begin, following the next board meeting, unless objections are raised at that time."
"I second the motion," Kelly said.
Jim and Mom smiled.  They may have not been in on the planning, but knew the girls were doing this for a reason.
A minute later, the motion had passed.
"Is there any other new business?" I asked.
"I would like to propose some grants," Jeryl said.
I was surprised, but held up my hand.  "Before we entertain another motion or discussion, I'm going to call for a recess.  The board will reconvene in five minutes or whenever a majority of members are ready to resume discussions."
I stood and stretched.  We had been meeting for nearly three hours.  I headed to the private restroom between Jeryl and my offices.  A few minutes later Jeryl and I passed on the way in.  She paused long enough to give me a kiss.
"What sorts of grants is Jeryl thinking about?" Jim asked as he joined me.
"I'm not sure.  I figured we could discuss it informally before we reconvene."
He nodded in agreement and then moved over to Candace to ask the same question.
Five minutes later, we were all back.
"Rather than resume the meeting, I think we should hear Jeryl's ideas.  Then we can decide if formal board approval is required."
I turned the floor over to Jeryl.
"We've talked a lot about security over the past few weeks, but we haven't' talked about the damage we've done.  I know insurance has paid the families of Alison's people, but I think the company should do so as well, without admitting complicity or anything."
"I agree," I said.  "How much were you thinking?"
"Alison carried a two hundred and fifty-thousand-pound death benefit for each employee in her policy.  I think we should match that."
Jim, Mom, and Candace looked a little stunned at the amount.  Kelly appeared to agree with Jeryl.  I knew my own heart in the matter.
"What else?" I asked before we got into a discussion.
"I think we should also award a performance bonus to Alison and her team who were with us in Greece as well as Tiffany and Sanford for their performance during spring break."
I nodded again.  "What else?"
Jeryl took a deep breath.  "Given the risks we seem to be facing, I think we should award Alison some stock and give her a position on the board."
"How many shares?" Candace asked.
"I think that each current board member should surrender five shares to award to Alison after we pay this quarter's dividends.  That would grant her thirty shares but maintain Paul's majority with him holding 545 shares."
"Our current valuation after the dividend we just granted ourselves is about $800,000 a share.  $24 Million as a gift to Alison seems a bit generous," Candace said.
"I guess we know the value of our lives, then," Jeryl snapped.  "You had no problem voting yourself a million dollars in dividends less than an hour ago.  Does that mean any of us are worth less than six years of dividends?"
Candace had the grace to blush and look away.  I took Jeryl's hand in mine.
"I agree that Alison has earned a place in this room with us.  I have 550 shares of stock.  I'll fund her grant myself."
"No, I'll contribute," Jim said.  Mom nodded as well.  Kelly looked at each of us and then nodded while staring at Candace.
"Look," Candace said.  "I don't want to devalue your protection or the services Alison has done for us.  I just think that from a business perspective, a twenty-four-million-dollar gift is too generous.  After all, we are paying for her services, already."
Jeryl looked at Candace for a minute and then sighed.  "Okay, so what is reasonable?"
"If we each surrendered one share, it would be four point eight million."
"And a seat on the board?" Jeryl asked.
"Of course."
"I can accept that.  What sort of bonus for their actions in Greece and Utah?"
"One year's salary," I said before anyone else could voice an opinion.  I think if they save us from deadly harm, it is the least we can do."
"I agree," Kelly said.  "They all earned it over the past year.  Lord knows just hearing about Greece took a year off my life.  It had to be as bad or worse for them."
"Okay, shall we reconvene and vote on all this?" I asked.
****
"Paul, can we talk for a bit?" Jim asked after knocking on the side of my opened office door.
"Sure," I said as I tossed a paper onto a pile on my desk.  Matthew had me reviewing papers for the first of two upcoming symposiums.
Jim came in and closed the door.
"I don't know how to come at this delicately, so I'll apologize in advance.  We need to discuss a pre-nuptial agreement with Jeryl."
"What?"
He held his hands up hurriedly.  "I know.  I know, but as your attorney, I have to talk to you about it.  If it is any consolation, Kelly is having a similar conversation with Jeryl today while they're house hunting."
I snorted.  "They're looking at estates.  If that is house hunting, I don't think either of them can shoulder the gun they'll need to bag a prize."
Jim smiled at my attempt at humor and sat down across from me.  "Look, I know neither you or Jeryl plan on parting ways, and I hope you never do, but the reality is you both have a lot of money now and you are sharing business interests.  If something should happen, you will both be better off having an agreement in place before hand."
"Jim, it is never going to be used."
"I hope you are right, but it is the smart thing to do."
I thought about it for a minute and nodded.  "Okay, if Jeryl agrees it is smart in principle, I'll do it.  However, I want a fifty-fifty split of assets."
Jim paled.  "That would be no better than letting state law prevail."
I shrugged.  "If we split up, it won't matter to me.  I've already got more money than I can realistically spend."
Jim did not look happy as he asked, "Let me talk it over with Kelly.  Perhaps the four of us need to sit down and discuss it further, when they are back."
"Sounds good to me," I said dismissing it from my mind.  "Anything else?"
"Well, your mother and I want to give you and Jeryl a special wedding gift, but we want your agreement before we say anything."
That got my attention.  "What did you have in mind?"
"Together, we have 248 shares of the company stock.  We want to give Jeryl 50 shares and you 49, reducing our stake to 99 shares."
"I don't want your shares back."
"We know, but frankly we have more than enough money to live on and we want Jeryl's stake to be as large as the next largest shareholder, which would be Candace.  We want you to have the excess shares so you can grant them, as you need to as we add people.  We just declared a $10,000 per share dividend and that was just for the excess windfall we had this quarter.  With my investments and the farm income your mom still receives, we don't need that many shares.  We're also modifying our will so when we pass, Kelly will get 50 shares bringing her total to 99 and the rest will revert to you.  Neither of us wants you to lose control of the company."
"Okay.  It makes sense.  I was going to give Jeryl some shares as a wedding present, but I was getting close to the 501 holding limit.  This will accomplish the same thing and give us some long-term flexibility.  Thank you for thinking of this."
"It was your mother as much as me."
"Well, thank you both.  On a different topic, where are you two going be staying over the next year or so?"
"We had planned on staying out here for the summer, then the fall in Illinois, and maybe a couple of months in Taos.  Why?"
"How would you feel about doing some house sitting?"
"Where?"
"Utah to start.  Once Jeryl and Kelly find some other properties, I thought you guys might check them out and enjoy some different scenery."
"Why?"
I laughed.  "Never try to fool your lawyer, right?" He nodded.  "We'll be setting up security in each place.  As long as there is a threat, I'd like to make sure you guys have some protection.  Traveling to the new places and getting them vetted would help us, and protect you two."
Jim sighed.  "It makes sense.  I'll discuss it with your mother."
"Thanks," I said as the phone rang.
"This is Paul," I said as I picked it up.
"Paul, this is Alison.  It appears Dr.  Wilkerson has been kidnapped in Austin.  We're in contact with the FBI who is taking over the investigation."
"Shit."  I had focused on my family and let my employees down.  "Shit, shit, shit," I said as I pounded on my desk.
****
"How are you doing, Ian?" I asked as I stood beside Dr.  Ian Wilkerson's hospital bed.
He smiled at me.  "Better, so they say.  I'm so sorry, Paul."
"What do you have to be sorry about?  I'm the one who needs to apologize.  I was so wrapped up in my on worries that I neglected ensuring you were protected as well."
"But we were protected.  Ms.  Wilson had a man checking on us.  I never thought anyone would grab my daughter at school and use her."
The KGB, at least we thought it was them, had abducted Dr.  Wilkerson's daughter at Texas A&M and used her to force her father to drive to a meeting.  Once there, they had grabbed him.  She had been roughed up a little and he apparently had been injected with truth serum or other drugs to make him more pliant.  He had revealed at least part of the process to manufacture our stealth material.
"Well, I'm glad neither of you were permanently harmed."  He had been found semiconscious from drugs and suffering from dehydration and some exposure.  His daughter had been in similar condition.
"Right now, I just want to make sure you both are okay."
"We will be," the older man assured me.  "I'll be out of here tomorrow and am still planning on being at the symposium next week."
I could tell he was tired so prepared to leave when he motioned me closer.  I had to lean down next to his lips to hear him.
"Paul, I'm pretty certain I told them the new process and formulation.  I also told them I did not know the application process."
It was the first good news I had heard, today.
"Well done, Doctor.  Very well done.  Don't let anyone else know."
I definitely felt my spirits lift as I headed out of the hospital.  Matthew noticed as I got in the car.  "Good news, Boss?"
"Yes.  Dr.  Wilkerson is recovering well.  Can you make a note so we cut him a bonus check next week?  Maybe we should give it to him at the symposium.  He deserves it for what he and his daughter went through."
Matthew made a note.  "I'll take care of it.  Where to now?"
"Back to the Hilton, I guess."
Soon, I was preparing to return some phone calls from the suite at the Hilton.  Alison was first on my list.
"What in the bloody hell are you two thinking?" she asked as soon as I identified myself.
"Hi, Alison.  How is Vancouver?
"Everything here is fine.  Now, what in the bloody hell were you thinking giving me shares in your company?  I can't accept them."
"Why not?" I was totally surprised by her reaction.
"Firstly, it is too much.  It's worth almost five bloody million dollars.  You could almost buy my whole firm for that.  Secondly, if you give that to me, do you know how much the crown is going to take?  You might as well just piss the money away in the Thames.  Thirdly, do you know how it looks or makes me feel after our bloody vacation in Greece?  What are people who know what I did on my vacation going to think?"
I could tell she was truly angry.  "I'm sorry.  We want to reward you for keeping us safe and we want you on our board of directors.  As you pointed out, security is going to be a long-term problem for us.  It had nothing to do with anything that happened in our personal lives."
"We may both know that, but others won't.  I can't take it, Paul.  If you insist, I'm going to have to give them away to charity."
"You can't do that.  Part of the grant gives me first right of refusal if you want to dispose of shares.  Let me call Kelly, and hold up filing the paperwork so no taxes come into play.  We'll work something out.  What if I bought you out, made you a wholly owned subsidiary with an ongoing employment contract for you to continue running things?"
"Talk to Kelly and I'll think about it.  Please don't do anything like that again without talking to me first."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Okay then.  I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"I'm sure I deserved it, maybe not for that, but for something.  Now, how is Vancouver?"
"Good.  We've got security set up for your meetings next week.  I've arranged secure transport for everyone from the airports.  We are all on the same floor of the hotel and I'll have a team staying on that floor.  The meeting rooms are taken care of and we're vetting the staff.  When will you get here?"
"I'm supposed to fly up Sunday night.  We've got the leased G-III flying us around this week and next.  I'll leave here in the morning and fly to Mojave to visit Edwards.  They're doing taxi testing for the GX-2 and Rolls has shipped over a test engine for the Air Force to play with.  They invited me to visit for some static tests."
"Well, have fun playing with your toys.  I'm staying here through the weekend.  Once your symposium is underway, I'll be going to visit the new property."
"Oh?  No one has mentioned a new property to me yet.  Where is it."
"I've been sworn to secrecy."  I could hear the smile in her voice.
"Okay, be that way.  Just so you know, you're going to take a week off in August with us."
"Really?  I might be busy."
"You will be.  If you don't want a vacation, that's fine.  But then Jeryl and I will be traveling alone, and I know you don't like that, either.  You'll have to pick."
"I swear you are not too big for me to paddle just as I threatened Jeryl, you know?"
"We'll have to see.  I'll see you Sunday."
I smiled at the thought of my little surprise and then began dialing my next call.
****
"Thank you all for coming this week," I said as I looked out over the room of thirty or so researchers and inventors.
"Welcome to our first annual Innovation Symposium.  Hopefully you all got a chance to meet during breakfast, but if not, I'm sure you will over the course of the next few days.  This is the first time all of the research partners and fellows sponsored by PT Innovations have been in one place, in a venue that will allow us to share our research and ideas.  While I have engaged in some cross-pollination of results over the past few years, most of you have only a limited idea of what each person or team is working on.  I hope that changes starting today."
I took a sip of water from my glass on the podium.  "Over the past three years, we have funded targeted research in a range of the sciences.  My goal has been to drive advancements in some fundamental research areas.  Many of the ideas you have worked on have been turned into successful commercial ventures.  Others have yet to see light outside a lab.  That too, shall change starting today.  But it is not just the sharing of ideas and research that caused me to write several checks to bring you all together."  There were a few chuckles in the room.  "I want all of our research partners to begin collaborating this week.  I know, from reviewing all your projects, that while you are doing amazing individually, if you start working together, we can change the world."
I had hoped for at least a smattering of applause at that line, but paused for silence instead.
"Let me give you an example of a possible line of collaborative research.  Dr.  Milton Freis," I motioned for him to raise his hand and pointed at him, "has been working on microprocessor architecture and fabrication while Dr.  Ian Wilkerson has been making carbon nanotubes and working on how to manipulate them in a substrate compound.  Does anyone here know the electrical properties of carbon nanotubes?"
No one moved.
"You will after Dr.  Wilkerson's presentation today.  Let me just foreshadow a bit of his research.  If you have a carbon nanotube, and are able to 'unzip' it, you can produce a layer of graphene a single atom thick.  Graphene is a semiconductor.  Using this method, we may be able to dramatically reduce the size of the microprocessors Dr.  Freis is designing and building, but only if those two gentlemen talk together and collaborate.  "
I was pleased to see many heads nodding.
"They should also talk to Dr.  Ellen McTavish, who has been doing fundamental research in electromagnetic fields.  Dr.  McTavish has already helped change how electric motors are being made, but she will present a paper on the use of magnetic gates for high-speed, non-volatile memory arrays.  There is a strong chance that her work will let Dr.  Freis stuff a lot more memory onto the same chip he is building his microprocessor on."
More heads were nodding.
"Fostering those kinds of conversations is what this is all about.  Now, you all have been around academia much longer than I have.  You probably know how these types of conferences are supposed to be run.  Since I am a lowly undergraduate student amongst all you Ph.D.'s, I didn't have the advantage of all your years of being bored to tears at dry conferences when I organized this.  So please bear with me."
"Instead of presentation of papers and dry reviews of those same topics, I have challenged each presenter to spend only fifteen minutes sharing the salient points of their research and what problems their results might be relevant to.  They will then have fifteen minutes to take questions from you, their peers.  After the Q&A, we will take a fifteen-minute break where you can talk individually as the mood strikes you.  We'll do three of these lightning rounds in the morning and three after lunch.  We will then go out and do something together in small groups in the evening.  Your symposium badge has your individual groupings for each night printed on it."
The room murmured.  I had taken the format from several conferences held in my past.  I had always enjoyed the format.  I hoped they would as well.
"Finally, on a more serious note, all of our conversations need to be kept confidential within our group.  I want nothing more than to change the world, but many people outside this room wish for nothing greater than maintaining the status quo.  They will feel threatened by your ideas.  They will seek to suppress them or steal them.  For those reasons, please be mindful of your conversations outside our dedicated rooms."
"Now, without further ado, I'd like to ask Dr.  Ellen McTavish to take the podium for our first talk of the day.  Please welcome Dr.  McTavish."
I began clapping and stepped away from the podium as Dr.  McTavish made her way up to the room.
****
"Paul, this has been an invigorating week," Dr.  Freis said as we shared a stand-up table at our closing cocktail hour.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it.  I wanted to keep a looser atmosphere and get you all talking to each other."
"You did a wonderful job.  I've got so many ideas to flesh out that I may be asking for a significantly larger budget soon."
I laughed.  "I'm not made of money, but let Candace know and we'll see what we can do."
"I'll hold you to that.  Will next week be the same format?" Dr.  Fries was one of the few researchers attending both conferences.
"No.  Next week will be more working sessions, than idea exchanges.  There will be more people there from industry, so not quite so collaborative."
"So, no talking about graphene microprocessors and magnetic spin memory?"
"That's right.  Besides, next week is more about the software."
"Which is good.  If I can work out the fabrication process, we'll need to think differently about how we write and manage software."
"Exactly.  That's why I had you review my paper for next week."
"Yes, very interesting ideas.  Your model of flow-based, stateless software is very interesting.  I was wondering about building a processor tailored to such a language."
I smiled.  It was exactly what I wanted.  My paper was title "FLO, a future programming paradigm".
"Well, as you think about that, consider having a network of independent processors that are monitoring and sequencing very complex control signals in real-time.  The language is designed to run on such a distributed network of processors to control and manage very complex system interactions."
"Yes, yes.  You did something similar for the handshakes between the microprocessors in your car, right?"
"Yes, but that was all written by hand in assembly.  I then had to add three processors with code just to orchestrate and monitor the interactions."
"So this language will let you program the entire system?"
"Possibly.  But what I really want is asynchronous interaction between components and a way to visualize all the components while organizing them into a cohesive system.  The language itself doesn't care if it is running across a network of processors, or on a single machine.  It also allows you to abstract out the low-level processor code.  With processors tailored to specific functions with the FLO interfaces implemented in hardware, we get very close to a hardware I.C.  layout paradigm for programming."
"What do you mean?"
"What if I have a collection of 6800 and 8088 processors?  If they all implement a light FLO interface for input and output, we can program the system without ever looking at the underlying assembly or C or Pascal code the processors are executing."
Dr.  Freis laughed.  "You're taking an object-oriented paradigm back to physical objects.  Wonderful.  I can't wait to see the response next week."
"Well, it's not fully fleshed out, but I do have a proof of concept running and wired into a hacked up Macintosh computer.  Hopefully that demo will go off well or I'll never be able to show my face at my own conference again."
"Based on your paper alone, that won't happen.  You have proposed some startling ideas in the software field."
"Thank you.  Imagine what we'll be able to do when we combine those ideas with your next generation of processors."
He raised his glass to me.  "That will be a sight to see, Paul.  I look forward to that day."
****
"How did it go, honey?" Jeryl asked over the phone.
I had stayed for the weekend in Vancouver while she and Kelly continued their property-shopping spree.  I had taken the time to continue polishing my presentation.  I was a second day presenter and had just gotten back to my room after presenting, then defending, and then expanding on my new computer language concepts.  Arguing language merits with Alan Kay was a heady experience.
"It went well, but had a few bumps and potholes," I said as I looked at the scotch in my hand.  Someone had handed it to me, but I had hardly had a sip during the cocktail party as people approached to congratulate or argue with me.
"I'm sure the bumps were not that significant."
"Hah!  One of the first people to comment was Professor McCarthy.  You know, the guy that invented LISP and runs the Stanford AI Lab?"
"I've heard you mention him.  What did he say?"
"He asked why we needed another LISP replacement.  I wanted to melt.  It took ten minutes for him to finally agree that FLO would simplify the programming of complex systems, but was really a domain specific language and that as such, it could be implemented in LISP.  Afterward, at the cocktail party, he came up and asked why I wasn't in any of his classes and that I should come see him when I got back to campus."
"Well that sounds good.  Who else stroked your ego?" I could hear the teasing in her voice.
"Well, there was that cute doctoral candidate from MIT..."
"Hey now!  Do I need to fly up there and keep you in line?"
"No, dear," I said with a chuckle.  "Alan Kay from Xerox PARC came over and discussed what I was trying to do.  He invited me over for a visit at his lab as well.  He thought the concept might be worth discussing further."
"So, you had two of the greatest computer scientists in the country both think your ideas have merit, and you call that a few bumps?  It sounds like it went fabulously."
"Well, when you put it that way, I guess it went well."
We laughed together.
"Where are you ladies at today?"
"It's a secret," she replied in a singsong voice.  "Alison told us you were curious, but we decided you need a few pleasant surprises, so we're not telling you yet.  I may make you wear a blindfold the first time I bring you to them."
"I guess I have to tell you the same thing I told her then," I said.
"She told us.  Where are you taking us?"
"Us?  Who all is 'us'?"
"Well, there is you, me, Alison, and Kelly."
I laughed.  "What if it is just you and me?"
"Alison has to go for security, doesn't she?  That was your threat if she didn't agree to a vacation with us.  Do you really want me to tell Kelly to stay home."
"Well, it might cramp what I had in mind."
"Oh, that sounds like something naughty.  I'm sure she'll like it."
I laughed again.  "I miss you, honey," I said softly.
"I miss you, too.  After you go to Edwards next week, I'll be home and we'll have some reunion sex before heading off for your mystery vacation.  Okay?"
"Okay.  I love you."
"I love you, too."
****
"Golf-one, this is Control, call your state?"
"This is golf-one, state is two plus two at zero point eight mach.  Currently at angels twenty on a heading of three-four-fife.  Standing by for acceleration, over."
"Roger golf-one, standby, out."
The voices were coming from a speaker behind us on the observation deck at test flight operations at Edwards Air Force Base.  It was hot on the sun drenched balcony, but we all wanted to watch the first run of the worlds first supersonic business jet with our own eyes, even if it meant standing in the heat and squinting through binoculars.
The plane had been undergoing a series of progressively more advanced taxi and test flights as the Gulfstream engineers and test pilots pushed the envelope on the plane that looked more like a fighter than a business jet.  If you could imagine a regular G-III without a tail, you had the start of the GX-2.  The wings were more swept and had a wider base giving them the appearance of long delta shapes.  A few feet out from the fuselage, the engines were slung tight below the wing creating a sleeker, more menacing look.  Instead of a single rudder, the plane had a split-tail; a V-shaped rudder assembly that acted as both rudder and elevator.
Everyone who saw the plane admired the looks of it.  For the subsonic tests, the pilots had raved about its handling characteristics and the all-glass cockpit along with the fly-by-wire system used to control the aircraft.
They had made suggestions and adjustments over the past week, but today was the big day we had all been working toward.
Harry, three Gulfstream engineers, Matthew and I were all looking south of due west trying to follow the GX-2 aircraft and its chase plane.
"Golf-one, control, come left to course zero-two-zero for your acceleration run."
"This is golf-one, roger.  Turning to course zero-two-zero."
A minute later, "Golf-one is steady on course zero-two-zero, angels twenty, over."
"Chase-one, confirm visual status, over."
"This is chase-one, golf-one steady on course, all visuals clear, over."
"Golf-one, this is control.  You are cleared for acceleration through Mach one, over."
"This is golf-one, commencing acceleration."
We all held our breath.
"Golf-one at Mach zero point niner.  Controls stable.  Mach zero point niner-fife.  Experiencing some climbing behavior.  Correcting.  Mach one point zero one, continuing to experience nose rising."
We heard the dull sound of a sonic boom west of us.
"Golf-one, holding Mach one point one.  Nose continues to try to rise."  Over the radio we heard an alarm sound.  "Golf-one, warning light on rear fuselage stress gauges, port and starboard.  Slowing.  Warning lights still on.  Speed Mach zero point niner.  Chase-one, confirm visual status, over."
"Golf-one, chase-one, all visuals clear.  No external indications of a problem, over."
"Roger chase-one.  Control, this is golf-one, we had minor pitch instability during the acceleration run followed by port and starboard rear fuselage strain warning lights.  Golf-one recommends RTB for full inspection, over."
"This is control, concur RTB.  Pattern is clear, with winds from two-two-five at ten knots.  You are cleared for a straight in approach on runway two-two, over."
"This is Golf-one, roger.  Dropping to angels ten.  Turning.  I have a visual on runway two-two, over."
I spotted the plane through the binoculars.  Everything looked all right as it dropped lower in the sky and made a dogleg toward the base.  He looked to be coming in a little steep, but I figured he was an ex-Air Force test pilot and knew what he was doing.
"Control, Golf-one.  Port rear warning light has gone to red.  Pitch instability increasing.  At angels four, over."
I was amazed how calm he seemed.
"Roger, Golf-one.  Four miles out, at angels four.  You are high in the path, over."
"Roger, dropping to angels two.  Range three point five."
We could see the nose drop as he came lower.
"This is golf-one, rear port warning light is amber at ten degrees nose down.  Returns to red in level flight, over."
"Roger, range is two miles.  Airspeed tracking two zero five knots, over.
"Roger.  I have a visual.  Pre-landing checklist complete.  Lowering gear, over."
"Roger."
I watched the landing gear doors open and the landing gear begin deploying, when all hell broke loose.  Something peeled off the airplane's rear.  From our angle, it was hard to see specifics, but as soon as it did, the nose pitched up dangerously.  The pilot managed to get the nose down some, before stalling, but was now yawing to the right side of the runway.  He dropped faster and seemed to speed up.
"Mayday, mayday, mayday.  Golf-one is going in hard!"
His voice went to static as we watched him cross the end of the runway with the nose pitching and yawing wildly.  I thought he was going to do the impossible and set it down when he slammed onto the runway about a thousand feet from one end.  The gear held for a millisecond before shattering and we watched in horror as plane plowed its belly against the tarmac and then bounced into a slow cartwheel in the air.
I stood in shock as sirens wailed and the Crash and Rescue Team raced toward the still tumbling aircraft.  They were alongside it almost as soon as it came to a rest, spraying firefighting foam from a truck mounted cannon as two men in fire-suits rushed to the smoking fuselage with vicious looking pry-bars.  An ambulance stood nearby with a gurney already out and moving closer.
The silver covered firemen came back into sight with the pilot between them.  The paramedics rushed forward to get a backboard under him.  More people jumped from vehicles to help hoist him up to the gurney.  Less than a minute after the plane had stopped moving, the ambulance was accelerating toward the hospital.
****
"Okay, let's review what we know," Stan Brockman, the project engineer from Gulfstream said three days later as he projected photos of the intact GX-2 taken prior to its fateful flight.
"We know from the telemetry, that the port and starboard rear fuselage struts were overstressed during the acceleration above Mach one, triggering the strain gauge warnings reported by the pilot.  Once they were over-stressed, further deformation occurred during subsonic maneuvers in preparation for landing.  Finally, just short of touchdown, the port strut failed completely allowing part of the port v-tail to be damaged.  The pilot lost control due to the damaged control surfaces which led to the crash and loss of the aircraft."
He clicked the slide projector to show a series of shots as the break-up happened and the resulting crash.  He stopped advancing the photos to one view of the cooling debris after the pilot extraction had been performed.
"On the positive side, the aircraft did exceed Mach one.  Prior to the crash, all engine telemetry indicated the engines were operating optimally and provided sufficient thrust to attain our design velocity.  Harry, anything to add on the engines?"
Harry from Rolls-Royce nodded.  "Yes, Stan.  It looks like the new blade casting and casing processes paid off.  While we would have preferred not to test it this way, the turbines remained intact despite the significant forces applied to them.  Whilst not operable or repairable, the fact that they remained intact is significant from a safety perspective."
Normally, a turbine disintegrating, would fling lethal debris in an expanding circle of destruction.
"Good.  Another positive is the overall fuselage integrity.  The carbon fiber structure remained largely intact including the stiffening at the wing roots, landing gear housing and nose assembly.  The investigators believe the overall structural integrity enhancements we made are the primary reason the pilot survived without sustaining significant trauma injury.  Preliminary data indicates the plane sustained impact accelerations of up to three-and-a-half-g's on all three axes during the crash."
"Finally, similar features in the construction of the wings and the fuel tanks inside them prevented catastrophic failure and potential combustion."
Stan paused to look around the room at the engineers who had assembled to try and figure out exactly what happened.  They had only been at it for a few days, but all of them wanted to know what went wrong.
"What we don't know yet, is what caused excessive strain on those two struts and the rear fuselage assembly.  We also don't know if the ultimate failure was a design issue or a manufacturing issue.  Gentlemen, we just destroyed a ten-million-dollar investment.  Now it is time to find out what this ten million dollars spent can teach us.  Mr.  Taylor has struck a deal with the Air Force to use our investigation as a training aid for their own crash investigation team here at Edwards.  They are not taking over the investigation; so don't get upset at their attitude or questions.  Treat them as extra hands trying to figure things out.  If we cannot determine root cause, we will have to shut the program down.  Personally, after seeing this beauty fly, I can't think of a greater shame.  Let's get to work."
Everyone moved at once and soon the small conference room was emptied except for Stan, Harry and myself.
"Do you really think we'll find the root cause, Stan?" I asked.
He pulled out an unlit cigar, carefully clipped the end, and stuck it in his mouth without lighting it.
"Paul, if I can call you that?" I nodded.  "Paul, I've been in the business of designing and building airplanes ever since I assembled my first model on my eighth birthday forty some years ago.  This is hardly the first one I've busted up and put back together.  We will figure this out and correct the issue.  If it is a design problem, we will change the design.  If it's a build problem, we'll fix the build.  The question is, will you and the other bosses write another multimillion dollar check to test the next one and the one after that?  Getting an airworthiness certificate for a private, supersonic jet is going to take a lot of work.  Are you guys ready to fund that work?"
"I'm still in for half.  If Gulfstream's leaders decide not to continue, I'll look for another partner.  But Stan, I'm not writing checks just for a Mach one business jet.  I want something much faster and better than that, one day.  This is just a stepping stone, in my mind."  I stood up and gave Harry a weak smile as I added, "Talk to Harry about what something truly remarkable looks like, to my mind.  Then figure out what happened here, and get it fixed.  If we prove we can do this, a bigger and faster dream comes next."
I headed out of the room and the building, knowing Harry would share our discussion from our last flight together with the engineer.  Short of Ben Kelly at Lockheed, or Burt Rutan at Scaled Composites, Stan was one of the best airplane designers in the world.  I knew he would understand the vision.
****
"Are you okay, lover?" Jeryl asked as we hugged each other under the light sheets of our bed.  I had been home a day.  She had returned early this afternoon and we had made our excuses to Kelly and Alison and come upstairs for our reunion.
"Yeah, I'm fine.  I just missed you."
She kissed me.  "I missed you, too.  But don't tell me you're fine when I can tell you're not.  What's the matter?"
Her hand stroked my chest.  I grabbed her wrist and pulled her fingers up to kiss them slowly before answering.
"It's all just starting to get to me.  Utah, Greece, and now the crash.  I feel like things are getting beyond my control.  We've got two-and-a-half weeks until school starts up again, and I feel like I've accomplished nothing this summer because everything is flying in different directions.  This is our senior year at Stanford.  It's supposed to be fun and it's feeling more like a chore and setbacks."
I expected a quip to turn my mood, but Jeryl was quiet.  Her hand returned to my chest.  I could feel her warmth pressing against me.
"What's most important to you?" She asked.
"What?"
"You heard me.  What's most important to you?"
"You are."
She smiled.  "What's second?"
I thought about it for a minute.  "I don't know, or I can't decide."  The admission surprised me.
"What are your choices?"
"School, the jet, my programming language, Dr.  Freis work on microprocessors, our safety, our future, the wedding."
"That's a lot to choose from.  What's most important from those?"
"Why?"
"Remember what you told me about being a better girlfriend?  You said I needed to spend at least 10% more effort on that than the next most important thing.  You need to decide what is most important to you, and don't say me."
"But you are."
"Shush," she said as she put her fingers to my lips again.  "I know you love me, and I love working with you and being with you, but I realize that there will always be the drive to change the world competing with me for your attention.  I accept that.  It's one of the things I love about you.  You never make me feel like I'm playing second fiddle to an idea in your head.  You are always there for me, but I want you to know that you don't have to make me first all the time."
I thought about her words and my own philosophy on focus and effort.  She was right.  I had lost my way.  I pulled her on top of me and gave her a kiss.
"Thank you.  I love you with all my heart."
"I love you, too.  So what is your priority?"
I laughed and kissed her nose.  "I still don't know, but I know I need to figure that out during our vacation so I can get my head on straight."
She snuggled on top of me.  "So where is this mystery vacation?"
"It's a surprise," I teased.
She kissed my neck and nibbled along my collarbone.  "Are you sure I can't entice you to telling me?"
I could feel my cock stirring as she slid slightly down my torso.  "Nope."
"How about a hint?" Her still dripping pussy made contact with my dick.  "I'll make it worth your while," she added wickedly.
I was fully erect now and slipped into her with just the tip of my cock.  "Maybe a hint," I said softly.
She slid lower.
"It's within range of the G-III," I said as she settled fully onto me.
"That's not much of a hint."  She gyrated her hips a little.  "I'm sure you can give me more than that."
"After," I said.
"After what?"
I grabbed her waist and rolled over.  She squealed and grabbed me as I pulled out and then pushed deeply into her.
"After we finish, I might give you another hint," I said before lowering my head and kissing her hard.  She responded beneath me and locked her heels behind my back as I started thrusting into her in a steady rhythm.  I kept my mouth to hers, breathing her in as she writhed beneath me.  Together, we quickly climbed toward orgasms.  Her fingers clawed at my back as her pussy clenched around me.  Suddenly we were coming, together.
****
"So where are we going, Paul," Kelly asked as she settled into the seat on the G-III across the table from me.
"Austin," I said.
Alison and Jeryl perked up in their seats.
"What's in Austin?  I though this was a vacation."
"I thought we would stop in and check out that farm you have in escrow before going on to our final destination."
Jeryl's jaw hung open.  "How did you learn about the farm?" she asked.
I smiled and imitated Alison with an arched eyebrow.
"I have my ways," I said with my best evil voice.
"Alison, sit next to him and beat him into submission," Jeryl said.
Alison moved next to me and gave me a sharp jab in the ribs before reaching for her seatbelt.
"How did you learn it," she asked as the crew closed the cabin door and ducked into the cockpit.
"You ladies weren't as crafty as you thought."
Alison gave me another short jab along with a smile.  Luckily for me, she was pulling her punches.
"Seriously, Paul, I need to know how you know in case there is a hole in our security."
"Okay.  Flight logs.  You may not have been flying commercial, but you used the same plane I did at different times.  I just asked to review logs.  You three were all in Austin on two separate trips.  Then there were the phone calls to a realtor in Austin.  I just called and told them I needed the property description for some corporate paperwork.  Once they realized I was the CEO and Chairman of the Board for the company buying the property, they were more than happy to tell me all about it."
I sat back in smug silence, and smiled at them.  Kelly and Alison looked daggers at me, while Jeryl just grinned.
"I told you guys he would figure it out, somehow," she said.  "You have to pay up on the bet now!"
Both ladies blushed, and Jeryl laughed.
"Now, let me show you how to keep a secret from my hubby to-be," she said.  She looked at me and asked, "Paul?"
"Yes, dear?"
"You figured this one out, but I want at least one property to be a surprise to you.  Promise me you won't snoop any further."
I looked at her saccharine expression, and the pained looks on Kelly and Alison's faces, and smiled.
"Of course, dear.  You just had to ask."
Alison did not pull the next jab nearly enough, and Kelly had never learned how to kick gently!
"So, what was the bet?" I asked to divert their retaliation on my body.
Kelly blushed and Alison decided she needed to adjust her seat as we started down the runway.  I looked at Jeryl.
"They have to sunbathe, my way, while we're on vacation," she said with a smirk.  "I told them you would help with the sunscreen if they lost."
Kelly had never blushed harder around me.  I just smiled.
"I think you'll like our final destination, then."
We settled into our seats and napped or read for on our flight to Austin.  We landed in the early evening and took a waiting car down to the Hilton.  The next morning was back into the car and a short drive outside the city to see the ranch the ladies had purchased.
"It's almost a thousand acres, Paul," Jeryl said as we drove up the long, private drive.  "The house and buildings are on a twenty-four acre lot; but they have accepted our offer on the property behind it, which is all undeveloped."
We stopped in an expansive circular drive before the southwestern style hacienda with large arched doorways and a broad tiled porch.  The realtor had given Alison the code for the lockbox on both the driveway gate and the house.  Soon we were walking though the empty interior.
"We'll have to renovate the style a bit and some parts were never completed, but the structure is sound and the layout is amazing."
The entryway opened into a broad great room that in turn opened onto the enclosed garden in the middle of the house, complete with a fountain.  Jeryl pulled me to the hallway on the right.
"Look at this guest bedroom," she said as she ushered me through another door.  "That bath is nearly as nice as the one in the master in Utah, and even has its own little fire place to warm it up in the winter."
I took in the rest of the house as feature after feature was pointed out.  The public spaces were at the front of the house, guest rooms along one side of the enclosed garden, kitchen and dining on the other, and the master suite at the back of the house.  Through one window I could see some additional buildings.
"What are those?" I asked.
"Originally, they were staff houses.  There are three little three-room houses.  Over on the other side of the house, closer to the barn, is a bunkhouse sort of place with a summer kitchen.  The realtor said it was originally built as either a hunting lodge or a dude ranch, but never opened.  The bank has owned the property for three years."
Our tour ended back at the front door.
"Do you like it?" Jeryl asked.
I pulled her in for a hug.  "Of course I do.  Now we just need to get it finished and staffed."
"And secured," Alison added.
"Of course."
We drove back into the city and had lunch then lounged around the hotel before dinner.  It was an early night because we were taking off at six in the morning.
The ladies grumbled about the hour, but climbed aboard the plane and then settled back into seats as we took off and headed south east at five hundred miles an hour.  Five hours later, were awake and looking down at the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean and a tiny spec of island as we descended for our landing.
"Where are we, Paul?" Alison asked seriously.
"Saint Lucia.  We're landing at the international airport on the south end of the island to clear customs and take a helicopter to the resort by the Pitons."
"Security?"
"I've made arrangements."
She frowned.  "That's what you pay me for," she said.
"Your man in London helped arrange it."
I got the arched eyebrow.  We were low enough for details to be visible, so I decided to look out the window rather than face her ire.
Soon we were down in the heat and humidity.  Customs was easily cleared and we were back on the tarmac as helpful hands loaded our bags into a van for delivery while we took our small carry-ons to the heliport.  Soon we were flying north and west along the coast with the twin peaks of the Pitons visible ahead on the right.
All too soon we descended to the heliport at the Jalousie Beach Resort where we were greeted by smiling faces in white tropical livery.  Five minutes after landing in the helicopter, we were shown to our suite overlooking the bay with the Gros Piton flanking the north side of the resort.  Jeryl looked out from the balcony at the white sand beach and the deep blue water and began pulling her blouse off as soon as the door was shut by the bellman.
"Okay you bitches, it's vacation time and I want to catch a little sun."  She shimmied out of her shorts and kicked her sandals off before heading for the lounger sitting near the private pool.
Alison looked at me, then at Jeryl.  She shook her head and smiled at me before final starting to remove her own blouse.  Kelly gawked at her.
"What are you doing, Alison?"
"Paying up on our bet.  We'll never get any peace if we don't.  You should know Jeryl well enough for that."
She undid her skirt at the waist and let it fall to the floor.  Her thigh holster looked sexy as hell with her skimpy red panties and matching bra.  She reached behind her and unhooked the bra.
"Come on, Kelly.  Relax and enjoy it.  We are on vacation, and a bet is a bet."
She looked her dare at Kelly and dropped her bra beside her clothes.  Her breasts were as lovely as I remembered.  She delicately removed her holster and then pushed her panties down as she looked at me and licked her lips before standing unabashedly nude before Kelly and me.  Kelly looked at Alison and then me.
"Oh, what the hell," she said as she began pulling off her own clothes.
****
Near the end of our week off, Jeryl and I were sitting with morning coffee, listening to the staccato beat of rain coming down outside.  The shower was a nice break in the hot humid weather and made for a lazy morning around the suite.  Alison was still in our bed.  We had worked her hard trying to say thank you for all she had done for us.  Kelly was in her own room.  She had relaxed and come to accept the strange relationship we had with Alison once we were 'on vacation.' She now seemed to delight in nude sunbathing almost as much as Jeryl did, and had teased me incessantly with requests to put sunscreen on her delicious body.
She had not joined us in bed, and Jeryl did not think she would which was actually fine with me.  She did drop a few hints about needing to get laid after the first day.  She had been suspiciously relaxed the day after Alison had not joined us in our bed.  I thought she might have gotten some relief from the sexy red-head who seemed to be very bi-sexual when she was in a private, safe environment.
"So, have you decided what's most important yet?" Jeryl asked as she poured me another cup of coffee.
"I have," I said with a smile.  Looking at her with the sarong around her hips and a smile on her lips made me happy.  I did truly love her like I had never loved anyone else.
"Well?"
"I've decided this semester will be all about my new language and how it works on Dr.  Freis' processors."
I knew that the material sciences were accelerated enough to give me the materials and fabrications I needed for my linear fusion rig, but that the control hardware and software was still lagging significantly.  Before coming back, my test rig had almost two hundred individual processors with seven master control units.  They had been programmed using a language very similar to the one I was creating, but with a lot of accumulated crud from years of iterative development.
"Why that?" Jeryl asked.
"One," I held up a finger.  "I need better methods of controlling and coordinating individual components whether in cars, planes, engines, or generators.  Two, I believe having a different computing paradigm will improve software development.  And three, it can be my senior thesis for my double-E."
Jeryl smiled.  "So killing two birds with one stone is not enough for you anymore?" she asked, and I laughed.  "But if it is your senior thesis, won't the university have rights to it?"
"I'm going to release it with a very liberal license.  It will almost be public domain, but will protect me from any personal liability.  I'll talk to Candace about it when we get back.  I want everyone to adopt the language where it suits their needs.  It is only if it's widely adopted, that I get all the benefits I want from it."
"How's that?"
"I want hardware components to be built that have the language interface embedded in them.  Then the hardware programming and integration of complex interactions becomes much simpler."
She smiled.  "If you say so, dear."  She leaned over and gave me a kiss.
"So are you enjoying Saint Lucia?" I asked.
"I'd like to come back in the winter or spring.  It's pleasant, but a bit humid."
"That can be arranged.  In fact, we need to go out this afternoon for a little surprise."
"Really?  What would that be?"
"Well, I think I found a property that I want you to take a look at."
Her eyes lit up.  "Really?  Here?"
I nodded, and then she frowned.
"I thought you wanted a place in Hawaii," she said.
"I do.  I was thinking the other day that having only one beach or tropical home would kind of defeat one aspect of security Alison was concerned about."
"How so?"
"If someone knew we were packing for the beach or warmer weather, they wouldn't have to watch us or do any work.  They could just stake out the Hawaiian place.  If we have a place down here as well, we could at least keep them guessing a bit."
"That's right," Alison said as she walked from the bedroom.
Her red hair was in sensual disarray as she strolled to the table and poured a cup of coffee without a care for her nudity.  She took a sip, set it down and stretched magnificently with her back to us, and her hands above her head.  Her flowing muscles and tight ass grabbed both my and Jeryl's attention.  Jeryl reached out and gave her a playful smack on her ass.
"Hey, what was that for?" she asked as she dropped her arms.
Jeryl smirked.  "I know you were just trying to get us back to bed, you saucy wench."
Alison laughed and then bent over to give Jeryl a soft kiss.  "As long as we're on vacation, of course that's what I want."  She moved next to me and kissed me good morning as well before dropping into the chair across from me before picking back up her coffee.
"So what property are we seeing?" she asked.
"There's a villa the next bay over, between the Pitons and Soufriere.  I've been corresponding with the realtor.  He is picking us up after lunch, so you ladies will have to put on some clothes.  From the pictures he has sent me, I think you'll like it."
"But you didn't authorize four purchases at the board meeting," Jeryl said.
"Was that the same meeting where we approved the special dividend?"
"Oh," Jeryl said.
"What's 'oh' mean?" Alison asked.
Jeryl blushed.  "We decided to disburse some profits.  We voted on a special dividend of $10,000 per share.  Paul had 550 shares when it was granted.  I'm guessing this will be his property, not company owned."
Chapter Twenty-Five
Introspection
****
I was in a better frame of mind after our little break without drama.  Alison had kissed Jeryl and me passionately before the bellman arrived for our bags and then slipped back into her professional demeanor.  Kelly had kissed us both as well, albeit without the passion, and thanked me for a relaxing vacation.  She gave Alison a hug as well.
Ten hours later, we were back in the house near Stanford and I was thinking about the upcoming semester.  Jeryl's advice had helped tremendously.  I was both relaxed and focused.  I knew Matthew had taken care of our course scheduling again when I saw a stack of textbooks on my desk for the semester.  It was smaller than I expected.  The stack on Jeryl's desk was actually bigger.  I smiled at that.
Jeryl stuck her head in the office looking for me.  "Back to work already?" she teased.
"No, just looking at the tower of books you have this semester," I said with a wave at the desk.
"Shit, you're the double major engineer.  How is your pile smaller than mine?  I'm just a business major."
I shrugged.  "Obviously, business professors talk a lot more than engineers."
She laughed.  "I'm making a snack and then Lila is coming over to help me with a little wedding planning.  Want to join us?"
I groaned.  "I thought you were taking care of that."
She laughed again and came over for a hug and kiss.  "I am.  Are you really going to let me plan it all without your input?"
I nodded.
"Well, don't complain if I opt for the wedding at a nudist resort then."
I laughed.  "Why would I complain about seeing you and your sisters, and your cousins all naked before taking you away for a good married ravishing?"
"Hey, you're not supposed to look at other women on our wedding day."
"Then I suggest you nix the nudist resort."
She gave a dramatic sigh.  "Okay, I guess that idea is out."
She gave me another kiss and left me.  I settled down at the desk and pulled out a notebook.  It was almost seven years old.  I had written the formula leading to my breakthrough in linear fusion on the first few pages.  Every once in a while, I pulled it back out and did some work on the math.  I still could not resolve the imaginary number in the time axis of the matrices.  After years of pondering, I thought it might be a gap in the theory.  An hour later, I was no further along.  I closed the book and pulled out another old notebook.
In this one, I had recorded rough dates and significant events I had recalled from my first trip through.  Alongside each event or trend, I had noted what happened this time through.  The paths were definitely diverging, even if only in small ways so far.
I had prevented the Challenger explosion, which I recalled vividly from my first time through.  While I was happy to have saved lives, I was more proud of the fact that I had prevented literally thousands of kids excited by science and engineering from witnessing the horrific death of America's first teacher in space.  I had no data to prove it, but had always felt that the Challenger tragedy had begun America's turning away from science.
I had changed the auto industry.  Any car not getting more than twenty miles a gallon was a non-starter in the public's eyes.  Any car that received less than a four-star safety rating was not selling well.  Traffic deaths were down from where I knew they had been, and because the innovations were being adopted first in the States, employment had been bolstered to some extent.
Military spending was still growing under Reagan, but not as sharply as I remembered, due in part to the fact that the B-2 had been canceled when a stealth coated B-1 became a cheaper, better alternative.  Given the results of the first production auction, I suspected the Air Force was considering coating a B-52 and seeing how it performed.  The Navy still had a public goal of a 600-ship fleet, but I knew from meetings they were already re-assessing what sort of force mix they would eventually desire.
Of course, with these slight divergences, there were repercussions.  I could hardly remember specific stock prices and trends, but I knew Northrop Grumman's stock had fallen with the cancellation of the B-2.  Lockheed and Rockwell had climbed with the contracts they received for the B-1 modifications.  Microsoft had its IPO on schedule and our company had invested, but I knew I was working to disrupt that industry next.  I couldn't count on them skyrocketing as they had before.  Cisco and a bunch of the other Internet companies were in the same boat.  I was planning on shaking up those markets.
Intel was a potential partner, if I kept on the licensing path.  Depending on Dr.  Freis' work, I might launch the equivalent of ARM three years before they had actually been launched.  If I did, I might imperil the re-birth of Apple in the future.  Of course, if I could put significantly better and cheaper technology inside a NEXT computer, that might not matter.  It was starting to get complex that was for certain.
I closed the notebook as I heard laughter from downstairs.  Thinking about branching paths and alternatives made me re-think helping with the wedding planning.  I locked up my notes and then turned off the light in the office.  Spending an evening with Jeryl and Lila was definitely a better alternative to trying to decide a path through the muddy waters of the future.
****
"Paul, this language is a good senior project, but you're only scratching the surface of it running on this hardware," Professor Hamilton said.
"I know, sir.  I've got some prototype processors coming in that I'll use for the project to show some greater capabilities."
"Prototypes?  From where?"
"Dr.  Freis at Syracuse.  My company funds his research in advanced RISC design and fabrication."
Dr.  Hamilton frowned.  "Why don't we do that sort of thing here?  You could do your own research and use it for your project."
I shook my head.  Professor Hamilton had been assigned as my senior advisor at the start of the term.  He was responsible for guiding my senior project for my E.E.  degree as well as advising on my M.E.  courses.  I liked the man, but he was very 'Stanford centric;' too much so, in my mind.
"If I did the research myself, Stanford would have some claim to the work from a licensing perspective.  If I had been a little smarter, I would have reached an agreement with the University before starting here.  Right now, I'm avoiding doing physical research while on campus.  I've got too much to lose."
He frowned again.  "I suppose I understand that.  Now, why do you think these prototype chips will be good for your project?"
"I want to use them for the construction of a simple robot.  The chips are very small, low power, and will implement the FLO interface conventions in hardware.  Each chip will be controlling an individual actuator, or sensor.  FLO will allow me to program the overall system without having to integrate low-level code or signaling protocols."
"What sort of robot are you building?"
"I want one that can successfully climb stairs autonomously."
He nodded.  "That will certainly meet the criteria for your project.  Can it count for your M.E.  project as well?"
"That's what I'm hoping for.  I'll be building the robot out of some newer materials.  I've got a design review with Professor Donaldson next week.  If he signs off on it, I'll be able to use the robot for both project requirements."
"Okay.  Once you have his approval, I want to see the circuit layouts, power plans, and sensor design.  Let's schedule some office time for the week after next."
"Yes, sir."
"Good.  What about the rest of your courses?  Any issues?" He was my academic advisor as well as my project advisor.
"No, sir.  I've gotten all my electives completed.  I'm taking one extra course this semester to free up a little more time next term for GRE prep."
"Good.  Don't underestimate the effort for that, especially since you're planning to sit the exams for both electrical and mechanical engineering.  We might have to look at some special proctoring for you to do that.  I'll take care of that once the schedules are set.  Anything else?"
"No, sir.  Thanks for your time."
I collected my things and headed out of his office.  Tiffany met me with a car to take me over to the office.  Soon I was jotting down some notes as I spread my drawings out on my drafting board.
"Got a minute?" Kelly asked from my doorway.
"Sure," I said.  "What' up?"
She came in and closed the door.  "I want to ask you a personal question."
"Okay."
"What would you think if Matthew and I went out on a date?"
I smiled.  "I'd be happy for you both, so long as that's what you wanted."
"You won't have a problem with me dating an employee?"
"You're both adults.  From a legal perspective, he works for me, not for you, so we should be clear of any harassment issues, as I understand them.  Of course, if things don't work out, there might be some problems there."
She sighed.  "I know.  That's the one thing that has kept me from asking him to dinner.  I know how hard he works and what a load he takes off your and Jeryl's shoulders.  I would hate to jeopardize that."
"Well, then I suggest you be open and honest with him.  Tell him what you would like to do and why you are hesitant.  You can probably set some ground rules from the start.  Heck, he might not even like you," I added with a grin.
"Humph!  What's not to like?"
"Not a thing, but you know he might still have reservations."
She looked at me.  "You mean race?"
I shrugged.  "You won't know until you talk to him."
"Will it bother you?"
"Not in the least.  I think he is a smart, dedicated, caring man.  The color of his skin matters not at all to me."
"I agree, but society isn't always that accepting."
"Why don't you talk to him and see if it is even something you need to worry about before you agonize over it too much."
She smiled and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.  "Thanks, Paul.  I knew you would have a good perspective."
I shook my head as she left, wondering if I was going to lose the only P.A.  I had known.
A couple hours later, it was Matthew knocking on my door.  "Do you have a minute, boss?"
I nodded and got up from the drafting board.  I motioned him to the informal seating area beside my desk.  We sat together.
"What's up?" I asked, though I had a suspicion.
"Kelly asked me to go to dinner with her."
"Good for you both.  Is there a reason not to go?"
He fidgeted a bit before taking a deep breath and then looking me in the eye.  "This is the best job I could imagine having.  After getting discharged from the Corps, I never believed I could have this kind of future."
"I'm glad.  You've been a tremendous help to me personally, and the company as well.  What's that got to do with taking Kelly to dinner."
"Well, I don't want to jeopardize this job.  I'd rather turn her down than risk our working relationship."
I nodded.  "Do you like Kelly?"
"Of course I do.  She's smart, and funny, and sexy but professional.  At least, most of the time she is."
I grinned, recalling the morning he was probably thinking of.  "So go out with her.  See if there is more than that.  If you get engaged in the future, I'll drink a toast to you both.  If you part ways, I'd hope you were both richer for your time together.  What happens between you is not going to impact your position as my and Jeryl's P.A."
"I hear the words, but I know it isn't always the way things turn out.  She's your stepsister.  She owns part of the company.  She should be so far beyond my reach that I shouldn't even consider dating her."
"Christ!" I said.  "You guys need to get out of your heads and just go have dinner.  All of your crap worrying about things that may never happen is going to drive me batty.  You like her.  Take her to dinner and see if there is more than like.  She may thank you and then move on.  Why make a big deal out of it before you know if there is a second date?  God, between the two of you, I'll probably have to lock you both naked in a bedroom, before you'll see if you even like each other."
He sat in stunned silence.  I thought I had gone too far, but then he smiled.
"Kelly talked to you about the same thing, didn't she?"
I nodded.
"I guess I am making a mountain out of a mole hill.  Thanks for the advice.  You know, for a college kid, you're pretty smart," he said with a grin.
I smiled and then shook my head as he left.  I looked over at my drawings and then saw a light on through the conference room leading to Jeryl's office.  Instead of getting back to work, I walked to her door and watched her working for a few minutes.  She finally looked up at me and flashed me a brilliant smile.
"Let's go home," I said.
****
Kelly, Jeryl and I looked at Alison as she finished reviewing the paperwork in front of her.  I had never seen her look nervous in her professional life.  I hoped we were not pushing her too hard.
"It's a very generous offer," she finally said.
"But it's like selling your baby, isn't it?" Jeryl asked.
Alison nodded.  We had been negotiating slowly over the past three months.  Our purchase was carefully structured to shelter her money as much as possible and ensure her ongoing operational control of the company.
"Alison, this doesn't really change anything from a day-to-day perspective."
She sighed.  "I know that.  But it does mean I have a boss again.  Having my own firm gave me control.  I needed that in my professional life."
"Past tense," I said.  She looked at me.  "You said you needed that, not you need that.  Maybe the desire for control is passing."
She looked at the paperwork, not meeting my eye.
"We don't want to pressure you, Alison," Jeryl said.  "But this gets you access to more working capital, a seat on our board, and a lot more control over your firm's growth."
"I know.  We've been talking it to death.  It's just that now that it's time to sign, I'm hesitant."
I caught Jeryl's eye.  She nodded slightly.
"Kelly," she said.  "Let's grab a drink and give Paul and Alison a minute."  She stood and motioned Kelly to the door.  A minute later, Alison and I were alone.
"What's the matter, Ali?" I asked using the name Jeryl and I had called her in the bedroom.
Her eyes snapped up to mine.  "I feel like you're buying me if I sign.  Not my firm, but me."
"You know we're not."
"Intellectually, yes, but emotionally...."  her voice trailed off and I waited.  She took a deep breath.  "Part of me wants you to," she said finally.
"What do you mean?"
"I love you and Jeryl, but I tuck those emotions up and put them away except when we go 'on vacation' as you say.  If I'm truthful to myself, I want to feel those emotions all the time.  Signing this is going to bind us together forever.  It feels like I'm marrying you but can't show my love for you.  Does that make any sense at all?"
I nodded.  "It does.  Would you feel better if we didn't buy you out?"
"No.  This can't really change my feelings.  Acknowledging them and saying them to you has made them real.  Signing this won't change that.  I really do love you two.  Greece did something to me, awoke something I had kept buried and hidden for a long time.  I can't imagine being with another man or woman and feeling the same way."
"You let yourself relax when you're with us, but you are still there to protect us."
She nodded.  "Saint Lucia just reinforced those feelings.  I'm afraid it will get harder and harder to put those feelings away."  Her eyes were moist as she fought tears.
"Then let's not do this deal right now," I said as I reached across the table and took her hand.  "You keep all the paperwork, and you sign it when you realize we love you too, and don't want to risk losing you or your counsel."
I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed it.  She looked me in the eye and nodded.  Then she pulled me in for a full kiss.  We parted and I felt both a feeling of loss and a sense of promise.
****
"Paul, are you sure you want to structure this like that?" Jim asked as he pointed to the exhibit on the will he was drafting for me.
"It is.  Having two attacks on me made me do some thinking."
"So, if you die, your financial stake in the company goes to any offspring you and Jeryl have, or her if something happens before you have kids, but the patents get released to the public domain?"
"Yes.  We've got enough money to live on comfortably, and I'd rather the ideas and concepts get spread far and wide for others to build on."
Jim scratched his head and then finally nodded.  "Okay.  I guess I understand your intent.  I'll get my friendly estate attorney to look this over and draft us a will.  How did your meeting with the financial advisors go?"
I had spent most of the afternoon with financial 'experts' who wanted me to leverage my money more in the market.  I was happy to make a couple of big bets based on what I had seen happen before, but kept the balance in an index fund.  The mix of my conservative and risky ventures drove the experts crazy.  Every quarter, they tried to convince me to change my approach.
"Same old, same old," I replied.  "They want me to diversify and target my risks, but they can't show me a track record of out performing the two index funds I've got most of the money in.  The other moves I've made on a couple of IPOs seem to upset them, but the portfolio is generating better returns than they are."
"They just want the trading fees your lack of investing is costing them," Jim said.
"Maybe.  If I had more time, I might fire them and do it myself, but that seems like more headache than it's worth."
"Especially when you can just ramp up nanotube production and make more cash at the monthly auction."
I smiled.  "That was a pretty good idea Candace and I worked out.  I've been inching up the production volume and the price seems to hold steady each month around $95 a gram."
"Do you think they're fixing it?"
"Maybe.  If the price stays in that range, I'll just let them play their political games and cash their checks.  We produced a thousand kilos in September.  That turned into $71 million in revenue split across seven vendors.  If we annualized that and factor in our other revenues, we're a billion-dollar company.  Not too shabby for a kid that started in his garage."
Jim laughed.
"Well, Paul, lord knows you've worked hard to get here.  Where are you planning on being for Thanksgiving this year?"
It was my turn to laugh.  "I've been told it is a secret and I'm not to try and find out ahead of time.  I figured you would know."
He shook his head.  "Nope.  Your mother knows but won't say a word.  It's the female conspiracy working to keep us men ignorant."
"Well, if I was a betting man, I'd prepare for the beach.  I know they bought something in Hawaii."
"Maybe.  I do know your fiancé wants to surprise you.  How about the wedding plans?"
"I've been informed they are well in hand.  Aside from finding a best man, I've been let off the hook from all that planning."
"You don't have a best man picked yet?"
I shook my head.  "I was going to ask Jim, but we haven't seen much of each other the past few years.  I know he is pretty busy working on his masters at Northwestern."
"So who else is on your list?"
"Just you," I admitted.
I had male classmates, but not many male friends.
"I'd be honored to be your best man," he said with a tear in his eye.  "Truly honored."
I smiled.  "Well, I didn't exactly plan on asking you just like that, but thank you."
"What about groomsmen?"
"Before I was removed from the planning process, I did stipulate a small wedding party and Jeryl agreed.  She originally wanted her sisters and cousin in it, but then decide just a maid of honor so everyone could enjoy themselves."
"Who's the maid of honor going to be?  After all, I'll be walking with her."
"That, my friend, is another female conspiracy.  Jeryl hasn't told me yet."
"Well, I'm sure it will be a perfect wedding."
****
"Are you going to work on that all night, or take a break and pack for Thanksgiving?" Jeryl asked as I hunched over the soldering station I had set up along one wall of the office.
I straightened up and glanced at the clock.  "Shit.  I lost track of time.  Are you all packed?" I asked as I stood up and stretched.
"Of course.  You're packed, too.  You just need to decide what is going on the plane with you."
I crossed the room and wrapped her in a hug.  "Thank you for taking such good care of me.  Where are we going, anyway?"
She almost slipped.  "Oh, no you don't.  I've kept it a secret this long and you can wait one more day before you find out.  Now, give me a kiss, get your carry-on packed and then get to bed."
I kissed her.  "Okay, but I really want to get this assembly finished up.  I'll pack a bag as soon as I finish three more joins.  I promise."
I gave her another quick kiss.
She followed me back to the soldering bench and asked, "What is it, anyway?"
"I got the first working prototypes of Dr.  Freis' and Dr.  McTavish's collaboration.  It's a low power microprocessor with onboard non-volatile RAM.  It also has a FLO interface for integration.  Once I get it mounted to this board, I should be able to have it interact with my FLO compiler running on that Mac Plus.  I need to be able to test the programming interface as soon as we get back.  Proving it works to Dr.  Hamilton should get me the final sign-off for my project."
"Okay," Jeryl said as she grabbed a chair.  "Three joins, you said.  Finish that up and then come to pack and get some sleep."
"Well, I'll need to verify that the connections are good, and I'd like to make sure the SCSI interface works like I planned to connect this to."
"Nope.  You said three solders, and that is it.  You can test and tinker and fix when we come home.  You need a break, Paul.  You've put way more than ten percent more effort into your project this semester.  You haven't really relaxed since Saint Lucia."
"I'm fine.  I'm so close to getting this all to work how I planned."
"I know, but it isn't going to mean a thing if you get burnt out."
"I'm fine."
"Really?  You were so busy studying and working last week that you didn't even see Alison when she dropped off the signed sales agreement."
That surprised me.  I had not realized she came through town.  "Really?"
"She did.  We had a long talk and she told me that she realized she had been being silly.  She was already committed to us in her heart, so the contract didn't matter one way or the other.  Signing it wouldn't change her feelings or our feelings.  She credited your words and deeds in September to convincing her."
"Well I'm glad.  I know how hard it was for her to trust us that deeply."
"And you need to trust me in the same way when I tell you that you need a break.  Now solder your joints, and let's start relaxing a little."
She gave me one more kiss before guiding my hand back to the solder iron.  I made the joins quickly and then cleaned up the workbench.  I threw a couple of books and notebooks in my soft traveling satchel and let her guide me by the hand out of the office and off to bed.
The next morning, we were up early and had a little fun together in the shower.  We came out wrapped in towels to find Alison sitting on the edge of our bed.  I noticed the door was closed and then playfully dived on her to give her a big kiss.  At first she resisted, but almost immediately relaxed and kissed me back.  Jeryl laughed and joined us on the bed after dropping her towel.  She kissed Alison and playfully tweaked the older woman's nipples through her blouse.  Alison squirmed a little and then broke free and stood up.
"What on earth brought all that on?" She asked as she tried to reestablish her cool demeanor.
"I missed you," I said.  "I'm sorry I was so wrapped up in my own head to realize you stopped by...."  I looked at Jeryl.
"Last week," she said with a laugh.
"Anyway, I saw you sitting there and the door being closed, and I decided it is the start of a vacation, so I kissed you."
"And I joined in," Jeryl added.
"Well, I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm still working, at least until we get where we are going and most likely all week, so keep your cheeky hands and lips to yourselves, both of you."
"Yes, ma'am," we said in unison, and then burst out laughing.
Alison shook her head and then smiled at us.  "Come on, get a move on and get dressed.  Kelly is already heading to the airport with Tiffany.  Sanford is waiting impatiently downstairs in the car.  You two must have overslept."
Jeryl blushed.  "Actually, we were up and in the shower early," she admitted.  "We might have gotten a little distracted."
"Twice," I added with a smirk.
Alison rolled her eyes.
Soon we were dressed and away.  We climbed onto the G-III and settled in to the seats.
"Why are all the window shades drawn?" I asked.
"To keep a secret," Jeryl replied.  "And don't you go raising them."
"Yes, dear."
The women in the plane laughed.
Soon the door was shut and we were accelerating down the runway and into the sky.  By the time we were at our cruising altitude, I had no idea what direction we were headed.  Rather than let it worry me, I got up and moved to the couch running along the fuselage behind the main seating area.  I stretched out with a pillow and blanket and closed my eyes for a nap.  Jeryl had been right.  I needed a break.
I awoke to the feel of lips pressing against mine.  I enjoyed the feel and smiled as I opened my eyes.  Jeryl finished kissing me awake and smiled.
"Hey sleepy head, do you want a sandwich before we land?  We've only got about thirty minutes to go."
I sat up and pulled her onto my lap for another kiss.
"Who needs food, when I've got you?" I asked.
She laughed when my stomach rumbled loud enough to spoil my romantic sentiment.
"I would say you do.  I made a sub for you.  Eat up."
I got up and followed her to the table.
"So, still not telling me where we're going?" I asked between bites.
"Nope.  You'll see soon enough."
"Actually, he won't," Kelly said as she handed Jeryl a blindfold.
"Oh, that's right.  I'm glad you remembered," Jeryl said.
I shook my head and managed to finish my light meal and a bottle of water before we had to get buckled in for landing.  Jeryl slipped the blindfold over my eyes as we taxied.  Several hands helped guide me off the plane and across a cool tarmac.  I was then helped into what felt like a helicopter and was buckled in.  As soon as the rotors started turning, I knew I was right.  Minutes later, we were airborne.  A few minutes after that, Jeryl reached over and pulled off the blindfold.
We were circling an island covered with autumn foliage.  I could see some steep granite cliffs edging a pitching sea.  We were not in Hawaii that was for certain.  We continued circling until we came up on a small dock with a couple of boats and a boathouse on the shore end.  We followed a short road to see a lovely New England house perched on the island's high point.  Below the bluff the house was situated on, there was a small sheltered beach.  There were three or four other cabins along a path running along the bluff.
At the far end of the string of cabins was a small helipad where another helicopter was lifting off.  I could see Kelly, Sanford, and Tiffany waiting for us as our pilot circled once and came in for a flawless landing.  We waited until he was shut down to open the doors and climb out.  The air was cool and moist with a hint of salt.  I walked to the edge of the helipad and took a deep breath in.  Jeryl came up next to me.
"Surprised?" she asked.
I let out my breath and grabbed her for a hug and kiss.  "Surprised, and loving it.  Let me guess, you bought the whole island?"
She nodded.  "We got a really good deal on it."  She grabbed my hand and led me to the path toward the cabins and house.  It was chilly, but not totally unpleasant despite the grey sky.
"We had Trisha come out and do the interiors of the cabins and house.  Each cabin has a unique style and fixtures.  There are five all together.  Three on the bluff side and two on the forest side."  Each cabin was set back from the path to give some privacy.  They all had inviting covered and screened porches on the path side.  I could see lights on in two of them.
"Trisha and Richard are already here, since she wanted to make sure everything was perfect.  Aunt Helen, Olivia and Karen are in that one."  She pointed at the second cabin we passed.
I thought we would stop and look in each cabin, but Jeryl kept pulling me along.  I nearly had to jog to keep up.
"The house has six bedrooms.  It's a little rustic, but I love how homey it feels.  I think the porch will be fabulous in the spring and summer.  It was a little rundown when we first looked at it, but now it is great."
The siding of the house was finished in forest green and had redwood highlights and trim.  It was a very nice and stately looking home.  We went inside to a warm maple paneled entry hall with a dining room to the left and a large living room to the right.  Jeryl kept me from venturing up the staircase and pulled me down the hall past the kitchen and to the back porch.
"This is what I love most," she said as we stopped at the glassed in railing.
We looked at the sea view over the edge of the cliff.  The waves broke below, with just enough sound reaching us to be relaxing with its slow, steady throb.  I hugged Jeryl as I took it all in.  There was a Franklin stove warming the space and several comfortable looking chairs lining the back wall and looking out over the water.  I looked like a perfect place to relax and read.
"I love it, too," I said.
She hugged me back and we stood letting our cares drift away.
"Okay you two," I heard a familiar voice behind me.  "Stop lollygagging about, get your tour done, and come say hello to us."
I turned around and grinned as Helen watched us from the door between the porch and the kitchen.
"How about we say hello, first, and then let your daughter-in-law take us on the grand tour?"
Jeryl hurried to hug Helen, and then Trisha.  Karen, Olivia, and Richard were next as I followed along and gave everyone a hug.  I smelled delightful odors as we went through the kitchen, but managed to resist peeking in the pots and pans as Trisha began showing us the rest of the house.  By the time we finished dropping our things in the master bedroom and completing the tour, beer, wine, and hot cider had been set out in the living room and we all settled in to enjoy the comfortable room.
"I can't say enough about how wonderful this all is.  I love the design, Trisha."
She blushed and rubbed a hand over her stomach.
"It wasn't too much strain for you was it?" I asked.
She was six months pregnant with her and Richard's first child.
"No.  It was a perfect job.  I could come out to the cooler weather and get away from the city when things were getting a little stressful.  It gave Richard an excuse to get away from the office as well.  Of course, I'm not going to be able to travel too much more for a while, so you might have to use someone else for your other places."
"Between you and Sylvia, I'm sure we'll manage just fine even if you take a six month break when the baby's born."
"What happened to Tiffany, and Sanford?" Kelly asked as Alison joined us.
"They're getting settled in the boat house.  We've got a spot there for any security staff we bring here.  I'm looking for a caretaker as well, who will take the south cabin on the far side of the helipad.  They'll keep an eye on things when we're not here."
"Is it going to be hard to find someone?" I asked.
"Just the opposite.  We've got ten very well qualified couples vying for the position.  I might ask you to meet them this week, Paul and give me your opinions."
"Of course.  You know, now that we've purchased your firm Alison, I think we should open up the use of the properties you ladies have been acquiring."
"What do you mean?"
"Why not let your staff use them for vacations when we're not visiting?  It makes no sense for us to leave them empty all the time."
Alison nodded.  "It would be a nice perk for them and let them get familiar with the properties if they ever work there.  I like it."
"I think everyone will like it," I heard another familiar voice add from behind me.  "Lordy knows I'd visit here again."
I stood and turned to smile at Philip.  I walked over to shake his hand.  A nod of gratitude and acknowledgment was exchanged.
"Come in and join us, Philip," I said.
"Oh, no.  I've got dinner on in the kitchen to check.  I just wanted to pop in and say hello since I was down at the boat house when you got in."
"Well, I'm glad you did.  After Greece, I think you are nearly family," I said.
His smile nearly split his face.  "Thank you, Paul.  After meeting your family, I know how much that means to you.  Thank you."
We settled back into our seats and got caught up on each other's lives.  Everyone had been busy it seemed and looking forward to catching up with family in our new island retreat.  Later, after a wonderful dinner of beef Wellington, Jeryl and I finally retired to bed and christened our newest home.
****
The remainder of the families arrived over the next two days.  Even Cynthia Morgan appeared happy to see everyone.  It was an amazing transformation from three short years before.  Philip outdid himself on the huge Thanksgiving feast.  We had all the traditional dishes as well as a standing rib roast and a baked ham.  Everyone ate too much, but still insisted on pumpkin pie for dessert.  It was after dinner, as the sun was close to setting behind the house, that Cynthia took my arm and insisted I escort her for a short after-dinner walk.  We pulled on heavy coats and made our way outside.  The wind had picked up and was blowing the scattered clouds away, but the temperature had dropped as well, so we were glad for the warmer jackets.
"Paul, I just wanted to thank you again for all you have done for my family and for Jeryl," Cynthia said as we walked down the path toward the helipad.
"Believe me, ma'am, it was my pleasure.  I've told you that before."
"I know.  I know," she said as she patted my arm.  "But I don't think you realize exactly what you have given back to me.  I'm not going to be around much longer.  If you had let things be, I might never have seen Helen again or met my other grandchildren.  If you had let things go the way they were, Jeryl and Janet might have ended up the same way.  If that had happened, I don't know which side Jordan and Jyl would have taken.  I would have died a lonely, bitter woman filled with regret and anger."
"I'm glad you are happier, ma'am."
"Yes, I am, and I want to make certain you understand how important your family is to you.  You are doing wondrous things, but promise me you'll take time for family and friends."
"I do."
"Really?" she asked as we reached the helipad and paused to turn around.  "If you spend enough time on friends, why is your step-father being your best man?"
"He's a good man."
"I'm not saying he isn't.  I'm saying you are spending too much time on work and school and Jeryl to make friends your own age.  Have you swung a golf club since you were in Hawaii?"
I was surprised she knew the details of what we did on that trip aside from proposing.  Then I realized she was right.
"No, ma'am.  I haven't played golf."
"I know you exercise your body and mind, Paul.  I just hope you practice your social skills as well.  You need balance.  Friends and family can give you that balance if you let them."
We walked on in silence as I thought about her words.  When we reached the steps to the porch we paused and I turned to face her.
"Cynthia, thank you for your wise counsel.  You are right.  I need to cultivate friends and associates my own age.  I know I need that sort of balance in my life.  Thank you," I said as I leaned down and kissed her cheek.
We started up the stairs.  "And I don't want to hear any more about you getting old.  I expect to dance with you at the wedding."
She laughed.  "I'll try to be there.  I've got my first great-grandchild to hold and my youngest granddaughter to see wed.  I know I have a lot to live for."
"You and me both," I agreed.
****
"Pull!"
A pair of clay pigeons arced away and Alison easily tracked them with her Remington 1100 semi-auto 20 gauge shotgun.
"Boom!  Boom!" Both pigeons exploded.
"Nice shots," I said.
She nodded and stepped aside for my turn.
"Pull!" I called.
Another pair of pigeons flew.  I tracked and squeezed the trigger.
"Boom!" One pigeon splintered.
I shifted my aim and squeezed the trigger again.
"Boom!"
The clay continued on its path, unimpeded.
"Shit," I said.
"You need to not watch your first shot," Alison advised.  Once you pull the trigger, shift your aim to the second target."
"Easy for you to say.  Hard for me to do."  We had been shooting for quite a while.  "I think we should practice again tomorrow."
She nodded and motioned to Tiffany who had been running the thrower.  We unloaded our guns and put them in the cases in the back of the small utility cart parked nearby.
"Let's walk back," I said.
Alison gave Tiffany some instructions, and we watched her drive away ahead of us, obviously heading back to the boathouse quarters where the guards were staying.
Once she was out of sight, I pulled Alison in for a hug.  At first she was stiff but soon relaxed and then lifted her chin for a soft kiss.
"You haven't visited us this vacation," I said as we parted and began walking back toward the house.  "Jeryl is wondering if everything is alright."
"Jeryl is?" she asked with a shy smile.
"Me, too," I admitted.
"It didn't seem right with all your family here.  Besides, I only have three others here this week.  I need to pull my weight with my own team."
I waved an arm at the choppy sea a stone's throw from the path.  "How much of a threat can sneak up on us?  We are on an island," I said.
"We're a half mile from the next island, Paul.  Both of us could swim that easily.  Men like those in Greece could do it with plenty of gear to hurt you and your families."
"I know, but I'm tired of being afraid.  You ensure we take more than minimal precautions.  I thought part of the reason to buy some isolated estates was to increase our security."
"It is and we have.  You pay me to be paranoid, however.  The relationship we're in adds to that.  Can you imagine how I'll feel if I fail my lovers?"
There was real emotion in her voice.  I stopped walking and pulled her in for another hug.  She made a little hiccupping sob, and buried her face in my shoulder for a minute.  When she had control of her voice again, she looked up and gave me a weak smile.
"We do need to talk, all three of us.  Until then, know that I let a lover down once and swore it would never happen again.  I thought that by not loving, I could protect both my heart and my honor, but you two broke through my barriers.  I can't help but love you both.  That means I have to protect you.  Do you understand?"
I nodded.  "I do, and I'll explain it to Jeryl, but you need to understand that we both know you always will give us your best.  If you fail us, we know it won't be from your lack of care or effort, and we will still love you because of that care and effort."
She pulled my head down for a gentle kiss.
When our lips parted, she said, "Give that to Jeryl, love.  We'll find some time to talk, soon."
****
"Man, I'm glad that is over," I said as I dropped my book bag and flopped onto the couch in the living room.  I had just finished my final in Advanced Thermal Systems.  It had been tough.
"Oh, I bet you loved every minute of it," Jeryl said from her chair.  "It had lots of math and plenty of interesting problems for you to think about.  You probably are tired because you have six new ideas to follow-up on."
I groaned and then sat up.  "Only two, but they are really good ideas," I said with a smile.
"Well, write them down quickly and then get changed.  We're going out for dinner with Lila and her new boyfriend."
"Oh?"
Ever since Greece and Saint Lucia, we had stopped playing with Lila.  She thought we were focused on ourselves, but somehow the fun we had with her seemed hollow after making love with Alison.
"Yeah.  She wants us to meet him."
"Interesting.  How long before we go?"
"An hour."
"Okay."  I stood up and went over to give her a quick kiss.  "I'll get cleaned up and then jot down my ideas.  I love you."
"Me, too," she said.
An hour later we were driving to a small Italian restaurant where we were meeting them.  We had eaten there a few times and enjoyed the food and private atmosphere.  It was not a large place and I was not certain how they made due with only a dozen tables and no rush to the dinner service, but I always enjoyed it.
Lila and a tall, broad shouldered gentleman were waiting for us.  He had close cropped light brown hair and dark eyes.  I noticed his look of affection as Lila hopped up to greet Jeryl and I with hugs, while her date was a bit more reserved.
"Hi, I'm Hunter, Hunter Greenwood," he said as he shook my hand.
"I'm Paul and this is Jeryl.  It's good to meet you.  Are you a midshipman as well?" I asked as we sat down.
"I am."
"I tolerate this big squid," Lila said as she hugged his arm.  "I get a ration of crap from the other Marines about dating a sailor, but we make each other happy."  She had a sparkle in her eye as she said that.
"Hey, we know you're not a typical knuckle-dragger, Lila," I said with a smile.  "We knew it was just a matter of time before you found a man of quality."
We all laughed and then opened our menus.  The conversation flowed easily through the appetizers as we all commiserated on finals and looked forward to our last semester.  It turned out Hunter was a physics major.
"So are you going into the nuclear power program?" I asked.
He looked surprised.  "I am.  At least I hope to.  I'll go out to D.C.  in the spring for my interviews.  I'm not looking forward to that," he said.
"Why not," Jeryl asked.
"Admiral Rickover is supposed to have some...interesting interview techniques."
I laughed.  "Like making you sit in a small closet on a stool with one leg cut off?"
"You've heard some of the stories, I gather."
"A couple.  I can sort of understand why he does it.  He wants to make sure you can respond under pressure."
Hunter nodded.  "That's what the officers on the sub I was on this summer all said.  Just stay cool, answer the questions, and don't let him fluster you."
"So, if you get in you'll head off the Nuclear Power School after graduation?"
"Yep.  That's six months and then another six at one of the prototypes."
"And a five year commitment after that?"
He nodded.  His glance at Lila seemed to tell me he was not looking forward to parting with her.
"What about you, Lila?  Do you know where you're going yet?"
"I've turned in my dream sheet.  I'm really hoping for intelligence, but if I don't get that, I want signals."
"Marine Intelligence, is that more of an oxymoron than Military Intelligence?" I asked with a smirk.
Jeryl hit me while Hunter and Lila laughed.
"So, where are you two off to for winter break?" Lila asked over dessert.
Jeryl looked at me.  I just shrugged.
"I guess that shrug means I get to pick," Jeryl said with a little giggle.
"Uh-oh," I said, "the last time I told her to pick, it cost me a load of money."
Jeryl swatted my arm.  "Stop that.  You loved it and I won't let you say otherwise.  Anyway, I want to ski, but I could go for a little beach weather as well.  I'll have to think about it over the weekend.  What are you two doing?"
They traded a look.  "We're probably staying around here.  Lila's dad is on deployment and my folks passed away my freshman year."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Jeryl said quickly with sincerity.
Hunter shrugged.
"Hey, do you guys ski?"
Both nodded.
"It's settled then.  Come with us to our place in Utah.  We can spend some time skiing and then decide if the beach is worth a trip."
Hunter looked a little embarrassed.  "Um, thanks for the offer, but I'm on a pretty tight budget."
I interrupted him.  "Our treat, Hunter.  We'll be paying for a plane, anyway.  It hardly matters if there are just the two of us, or all four of us on it."
"Paying for a plane?  Shit, I knew you were rich, but not that rich."
I laughed.  "I've got a couple of inventions that practically print money.  Come with us, and we'll all have a fun vacation before our final semester here."
I thought he was going to decline, until Lila touched his arm.
"Please, Hunter?" she asked.  "I've heard so much about their place at Deer Valley over the past two years.  I'd love to see it, and we really don't have anything holding us here."
He smiled and nodded.  "Okay.  It's been a while since I've skied, so you'll have to promise to take it easy on me."
"It's just like riding a bike," I insisted.
****
"Wow, what kind of plane is this?" Hunter asked as we walked up to the G-400.  Gulfstream had decided to break with their roman numbering system for when the GX-1 was moved into production.  The plane still looked very similar to a G-III.
"It's the newest model from Gulfstream.  Our company has fractional ownership of this one.  The development was a joint venture between us, Gulfstream, and Rolls-Royce."
"Cool," he said as the ladies climbed aboard.
We followed them into the plush interior as Tiffany brought up the rear.  The seating was arranged for up to ten passengers.  Just aft of the entry way and cockpit was a table for four with two chairs facing forward and aft.  A credenza ran along the opposite side of the narrow aisle.  Behind the first seating area was a long couch with two chairs across from it.  Finally, there were two more seats against the rear bulkhead, opposite the lavatory.
"Hey," Lila said as she looked around.  "Where's the bedroom?  I wanted to join the mile-high club."
Jeryl laughed while Hunter blushed.
"Sorry, Lila, I guess you'll just have to put on a show," I teased.
Soon we were seated and airborne.  An hour later, we were back on the ground, and heading up to Park City.
Two hours after leaving sunny California, we were unpacked and heading into town to get Hunter and Lila outfitted.
"Paul, I feel bad about letting you spend this kind of money on us," Hunter said as he looked at the gear piled on the counter.
We had decided to go to the Nike Ski Store and outfit them with Diamond Skins as well as good quality outerwear.  We would rent their skis and boots.
"Hunter, don't worry about it.  I can afford it and Lila is one of our closest friends.  If either of you even tried to pull out a credit card to pay, Jeryl would rip my head off.  We don't like flaunting our money around campus, but we trust and like you guys.  Besides, we get a discount here."
He still didn't look comfortable.
I motioned to where the girls were checking out the latest Diamond Skin tops.  "You know how much women love shopping, right?"
He nodded.
"Jeryl can't really get out and go on a shopping trip with girlfriends easily.  We have to tell security and arrange an escort and take care of a dozen things that you or Lila can avoid.  After a bit, we start to feel trapped in our own house.  Buying this stuff is a thrill for Jeryl and I.  Let us have our little thrill, please?"
He finally nodded.  "Okay.  Is it really that hard for you guys to go out?"
I smiled.  "There are two security people in the store with us that you haven't met.  Tiffany will keep a close eye on us, but others are always around or nearby.  We had some nastiness in the spring and have been on guard ever since.  Our expert says we will get used to it, but I'm not sure that's true.  I think we'll get resigned to it."
"Well, when you put it that way, I guess helping you have a little fun is the least I can do," he said with a grin.
We collected all our purchases, pulled the girls away from buying even more, and got the rental gear sorted out.  As Hunter and I carried bags and skis out to the Range Rover, Lila gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks, Paul.  I just might have to take you and Jeryl shopping more often."
We all laughed and were soon loaded and driving back to the house.  Tiffany stopped at our gatehouse and told them there were some additional deliveries coming in the afternoon.  By the time we had things stored in the ski locker, it was lunchtime.  Mrs.  Eccles had soup and sandwiches for us.  The girls opted for changing into their new Diamond Skins before eating.  Both seemed to enjoy teasing us as the paraded around in the form-fitting protective clothing.  Jeryl made several opportunities to rub up against me, which Lila copied with Hunter.
"Ladies, if you keep this up, we might not get any skiing in today," I said.
Lila smirked.  "That might not be a bad thing, Paul."
Hunter blushed and Jeryl laughed.
"Hunter, if you want to drag Lila off to the bedroom, feel free.  I've probably got a chair and whip you can use if you need help taming her."
Lila stuck her tongue out at me and then winked at Jeryl before grabbing Hunter's hand.  "Come on, Hunter.  I want to see you in your new gear."  She looked over her shoulder as she headed toward the bedrooms.  "We'll see you guys in thirty minutes, so don't make us wait."
I shook my head and then headed to change.
We got about three hours on the slopes that first day.  Lila and Hunter stuck to the green runs.  Once we knew they were comfortable, we cut loose on some more aggressive runs.  As always, it felt good to push myself some.  Jeryl laughed as we sped down the slopes.  It was a great break from school.
That evening, after a long soak in the hot tub and a fabulous dinner of salmon, we congregated downstairs and watched a movie together.  It was the most 'normal' night we'd had in a long time.  It felt good.
****
The rest of our clan arrived over the following days.  Jyl was ready for some hard skiing and relaxation after her first semester of medical school.  Jordan wasn't able to get time off.  As the junior pharmacist in the hospital she worked at, she got stuck with the Christmas shifts.  Helen chose to stay in Chicago with most of her family since Trisha couldn't fly until after the baby was born.  Cynthia Morgan was joining them there but Olivia came west to see us.  Kelly arrived with Matthew.  I could tell he was nervous, but everyone treated him nicely.  I made sure he knew this was a vacation, not a working vacation.  Kelly reinforced the distinction.
Mom and Jim arrived on the 23rd along with Jeryl's parents.  We spent the evening decorating a towering tree in the living room and then bundled up for a sled ride behind a snow-cat.  We had a late dinner at the base of the mountain before being hauled back up and dropped off by our ski locker.
The next day, it seemed like everyone was out skiing or doing last minute shopping.  I had a couple of things to pick up and went looking for a car.  Alison came down from one of the apartments as soon as I walked to the garage.
"Going somewhere, Paul?" she asked.  She was dressed in black ski pants, and a green sweater that hugged her hips.
"I've got to pickup a couple of last minute gifts."
"I'll drive," she said as she headed for the last Range Rover in the garage.
"Am I ever going to get to drive a car again?" I asked as I climbed into the passenger seat.
"Sure, just let me know so I can set up a closed course for you," she replied with a grin as she hit the button to open the garage door.
We chatted as she drove down to Park City.  We were lucky to find a parking space just off Main Street.  Alison took my arm as we began walking toward the store I needed to visit.
"I've missed you," I said.
She smiled at me shyly.  "I'm sure Jeryl's kept you occupied."
"That's not what I meant, and you know it."
"I do.  I've missed you two as well, but we've talked about this.  I've got a job to do.  I happen to think it's an important job.  It's also one I enjoy."
"I'm glad.  We really do appreciate all you do for us."  We arrived at a small jewelry store and entered to the jingle of a bell on the door.  Alison let go of my arm and stayed by the door as I went deeper into the store to pick up the three small packages waiting for me.  I paid the man and we were soon on our way.
We had only gone a half block when I heard my name being called.  I turned around and saw Tom Harding was pushing through the sidewalk crowd toward us.
"Paul, did you hear?"
"Hear what?" I asked as I shook his hand.  He was literally bouncing from side to side in his excitement.
"I'm going to have to film your wedding!"
"Of course you are."  His smile broke through my confusion.  "They're showing it at Sundance?"
"Yep.  You need to be here the third weekend of January.  Please tell me you can make it.  The documentary shorts are premiering Saturday afternoon.  That's the 17th.  Can you come up for it?  You'll get passes for everything and go to the Q&A after the screening.  They're really putting a focus on the documentaries this year.  This short documentary category is new for them."
I laughed and saw Alison shaking her head out of the corner of my eye.
"Yes, Jeryl and I will come up.  Get me all the details and we'll be here.  I'll cover your airfare too, if you need it."
He pumped my arm again.  "Thanks.  You can't imagine how much I appreciate it.  I'm staying up here until then, so won't need any help in that regard."
"Hey, I'm sure you have plans with your family for tomorrow, but if you can break free the day after, would you like to ski together?  We've got some friends and family with us and I'd like to hit Park City for some different runs."
"Totally, man.  What time?"
"Oh, let's not get carried away.  How about 10:00 at the main lift here?  That way the morning rush can clear some."
"Sounds like a plan.  Thanks again, Paul, for everything.  There aren't a lot of directors able to get a film in Sundance, let alone recent film school graduates."
"I'm happy for you, Tom.  We'll see you in a couple of days."  He shook my hand again and then we turned away to continue shopping.
"That was nice," Alison said as she continued to scan the crowds around us.
"He's a good guy.  Did you see the documentary?"
She shook her head.
"I was surprised.  It makes me look better than I deserve, but he made it into a compelling story as well.  I'm not surprised it got selected for the festival."
"You should ask him to show it at the house.  I bet your family would enjoy seeing it."
I blushed at the thought.  "I don't think so.  Wouldn't it be a bit egotistical to show a movie about myself?  I think I'll give that a miss."
Alison shook her head.  "Will you even tell them about the screening?"
"Probably not.  Let Tom get some mileage out of it, but I don't need to brag to the people closest to me."
"There is an old saying in the military and intelligence services, Paul.  It's not bragging if you can actually do it."
Chapter Twenty-Six
Love in the air
****
"Are you Paul Taylor?" a perky brunette woman with pouty lips and blue eyes asked as I stood outside the doors of the Egyptian Theater in Park City.
"I am," I answered, and as I recognized her, I added, "And you're Susan Dey."
She smiled and nodded.  "I saw the documentary short about you yesterday.  Did you know we're practically neighbors?"
"Really?  How's that?"
"I was born in Pekin, Illinois."
I laughed.  "We are practically neighbors.  What brings you out to Sundance and Park City?"
"I'm in one of the dramatic entries: 'The Trouble with Dick'.  It premiered last night.  Today I'm catching a couple of films."
"Me, too," I said as the line started moving.
"Well, I just thought I'd say hello and wish you well."
"And to you," I said.  "I'll try to catch your film."
She waved and we parted ways.  I got a few more looks after that, and several women asked if they could take a picture with me.  I tried to be nice, and saw Alison across the street laughing at me.  I was glad to make it inside and find a seat.  By then I had begun regretting coming alone.
Jeryl had opted for a little skiing, and sent me on my way to fend for myself.  She enjoyed the parties we had gone to last night, and had enjoyed meeting some celebrities; but she soon realized being a celebrity, or the fiancé of a celebrity, was not always fun.  As the two ladies next to me chatted about the documentary that was about me, I found myself more embarrassed than flattered.  I was glad when the lights finally dimmed.
Two hours later, I made my escape, and decided I was done with screenings this weekend.  I spotted Alison outside, with Tom, as I exited the lobby of the theater.
"What's up?" I asked as I approached them.
"I need to talk to you about selling some rights to the film.  Cannon Films has made an offer."
That surprised me.  We started walking toward one of the Festival venues to get out of the cold that seemed to be following the shadows as the sun sank.  "What sort of offer?"
"They want to buy the TV rights for the short.  Evidently they're trying to put together several documentaries into a TV special.  They want me to come aboard, to help put it all together, as well."
"That's great, Tom!  Of course we'll do a deal.  Get what you think is fair."
I tried to turn away from the doors before us.  I was ready to call it a day.  We were flying out early in the morning.
"You've got to be there," he insisted.  "You own fifty-one percent of the rights.  I need your signature, to sell."
Of course he did.  I sighed.
"Okay.  Do we have firm offer?"
He nodded.
"Let's go inside and get Kelly on the phone.  If she's not at the house, Matthew should be able to track her down.  She can come down and review any paperwork before it's signed."
We headed inside looking for a phone.  Instead of getting to bed early, we spent an hour glad-handing buyers and producers in the film world waiting for Kelly to show up.  When she finally did, we got down to business and soon had a contract everyone could live with.  Once signatures were done, we had to have a celebratory toast.  Then we did a little press photo-op and announced the deal.
I didn't get back to the house until after midnight.  Jeryl snuggled up next to me in bed as I softly complained about how tired I was.
"Should have gone skiing," she said before giving me a kiss goodnight.
The next morning, we were up early to head down to the airport.  We were back at Stanford in time for our afternoon classes, and then had Hunter and Lila over for dinner at the house.  It took most of the week for us to settle back into the routine of classes, studying, handling business correspondence and making a little time for ourselves and our friends.
Alison headed back to London to check up on her business, and to 'put out a fire' with Lloyds.  While she had yet to share our bed in California, we always felt a sense of loss when she left us for work.
Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday this year, so I decided to do it up right.  I managed to convince Hunter to let me treat him and Lila as well.  We drove to San Francisco and spent the day doing romantic tourist stuff before checking into the Drake Hotel on Union Square.  We changed into formal wear and had dinner in the restaurant before adjourning to our rooms to celebrate privately.
That weekend seemed to set the tone for the first half of the semester.  Hunter and Lila seemed to be at our house almost as much as we were.  It was fun having another couple around to share our doings.  Hunter joined me in my morning runs three days a week and then encouraged me to spend time at the pool with him.  It was a different kind of workout than I had been doing, but I found myself enjoying it.
My project was moving along well.  I had run 'Charlie', my robot, up our stairs but was still tweaking some code to make its gait smoother.  The week before spring break was my presentation for both my E.E.  and M.E.  senior projects.  I made certain I was ready for them.  Jeryl seemed to breeze through her classes.  I asked her about it one of the few nights we ate alone.
"These classes are all about stuff I've already done," she answered.  "Remember when you told me there would be some time when I realized I had more experience than my professors?"
I nodded.
"It's now that time.  The other day, one professor was lecturing about taking a medical device to market.  I raised my hand and asked why not just license it, and he looked like he had swallowed a fish, whole.  I jumped in with both feet and ran through calculating a reasonable licensing scheme instead of trying to raise capital and establish a manufacturing capability.  He thought he could put me in my place by having us calculate one, three, and five year valuations.  Then he looked like he had sucked a lemon when the licensing approach netted thirty percent more at the five year point because there were no capital costs to repay for start-up expenses."
"Good for you."
"Good for us," she said.  I arched an eyebrow.  "It means we're doing the right thing with your inventions.  It also means I have more time to finalize things for the wedding."
"Is there much left to do?"
"No, but I keep going over everything.  The logistics are the big thing, making sure everyone has tickets and rooms booked and that sort of thing."
"Are you going to tell me where it's at yet?"
She smiled and said, "Since you've been so good about it, I guess I will.  It's the same place where you proposed to me.  Will a beach wedding in Maui be alright with you?"
"It will be perfect.  It's set for the weekend after graduation, right?"
"You know it is.  It's also Memorial Day weekend, so no excuses on not remembering our anniversary.  We've got everything planned."
"Who's the maid of honor?"
"I wanted Alison, but she actually declined.  She insisted she wanted to make sure we were safe.  Then I thought of asking Kelly, but Jordan and Jyl would feel left out if I asked your stepsister instead of one of my own sisters."
I nodded.  "So who is it then?"
"Lila, and don't you dare let her know she was the second choice!"
"Of course not.  Do I still get to plan the honeymoon?" I asked.
"You do.  We can leave anytime after the 27th.  I've got our accommodation on island covered through that week, so if we want to stick around a while we can."
"Perfect."
"I guess I shouldn't even bother asking where we're going, should I?"
"Nope.  You'll like it.  I promise."
****
"Come on, sexy," I said as I grabbed Jeryl by the waist, and pulled her toward the stairs.  Hunter and Lila were laughing at us.  I had just come in the door after my last class before spring break, waved at them, and then grabbed Jeryl.
"What are you doing, Paul Taylor?  We have company!"
I ignored her protests, picked her up, and put her over my shoulder.  She pounded my back as I laughed.
"'Charlie' climbed the steps!  Up and down.  My project is finished, and it is time for spring break.  I'm taking you up to change."
"Change into what?  she asked as I marched into our room and tossed her on the bed.
"Traveling clothes," I said with a grin.  "You've got twenty minutes and then the bus is leaving with whatever you've got on and what you've packed."
"What?"
I ran back down stairs before Hunter and Lila could leave.
"Hey, Midshipmen," I barked at them.  "You have twenty minutes before we are picking you up for a trip.  Pack light.  No arguments."
Lila played along and popped to attention and saluted.  "Aye, Aye, sir!"
She grabbed Hunter's hand and dragged him from the couch and out the front door.
Matthew came in from the kitchen.  "I take it things went well?" he asked.
"Very well.  Now, go fetch my evil stepsister and her bag.  We're leaving in fifteen minutes."
I ran back upstairs.  Jeryl was carefully laying things out on the bed to pack.  "You could have sprung this on me earlier, Paul.  Where are we going so I know what to pack?  I can't find some things I'd usually take."
I gave her my best imitation of an evil laugh, grabbed the stack of underwear she had laid out along with a couple of skirts and tops and dumped them all into the open carry-on.
"There, you are packed."
"Hey!"
I ducked back into the office before she could work up any real anger and grabbed the bag I had secretly packed for her the day before.
"Here.  Now you're packed.  Let's go."
I threw my weight around a few more times before everyone was in cars and on the way to the airport.  Three couples climbed into the G-400 at the airport, and we took off a little over two hours after I had finished my presentation.
Jeryl and Kelly were surprised to see that we had a stewardess aboard for this flight.  The attractive blonde lady wasted no time opening a bottle of champagne and pouring us all glassfuls.
After my toast to spring break, Jeryl put her foot down.  "Where are we going, Paul?"
"Spring break, where else?"
"Daytona Beach?  Palm Beach?  Where?"
"A little further south," I said.
"Paul."
I could tell she was losing her patience.
"Saint Lucia.  The house is ready for us."
"Saint Lucia?" Lila asked.
"Yep."
"You didn't tell us to bring passports, Paul," Lila said with a disappointed frown.
Jeryl gave me a furious look.  I smiled.
"Got that covered," I said.
I reached into my satchel and pulled out Lila and Hunter's passports.  Lila paled.
"How did you get those?"
"You guys really shouldn't leave things like this lying about," I said with a smirk.
I wasn't about to say that I had conspired with Hunter to have them.  Lila unbuckled her seatbelt and walked around to me to grab her passport.  Then she hit me, hard.
"Ow!"
"Serves you right for stealing."
I rubbed my shoulder and Hunter came to my rescue with a laugh.
"Don't be mad, Lila.  I took them yesterday and gave them to Paul.  He told me what he was planning.  Why do you think I resisted your attempts to go home and 'kick off spring break with a 'bang?'"
The tension that had filled the plane dissipated.
"So, how long to get there?" Lila finally asked.
"About eight hours, so have a drink," I said and motioned for the stewardess to refill the glasses.
We settled down and sipped our champagne.  We played some cards before having a light dinner.  Then everyone found comfortable spots to sleep for the remainder of the flight.
We had taken off around six in the evening, which was ten at night in Saint Lucia.  We landed just after six AM local time.  We cleared customs without a problem and climbed onto the private bus I had arranged for the forty-minute drive to the house.
We were all mostly awake by the time the bus made it up the winding road to the house.  Lila oohed and ahhed at the lush green grass and landscaping.  Hunter and Matthew were more reserved, but still impressed.  We stopped in front of the modern entryway lined with white tile and glass block walls.
"Friends, let's go see how it looks," I said.
We climbed off the bus and headed inside.  The tour was brief, because everyone immediately gravitated to the wide balcony overlooking Soufriere Bay, facing the Pitons on the far side.
"What a view," Hunter said as he stopped beside me.
"Everyone else came out and stood in the warm morning sun to admire the view before noticing the fresh fruit, juice and coffee set out for us.
"Someone likes us," Matthew said as he began putting a plate together.
We all ate a bit and then decided to sort out our rooms.  Jeryl and I settled into the master, after making sure everyone else was taken care of.  I opted for a quick shower, while Jeryl stripped and went to lay out on the private balcony our room had.  It was above and off to one side of the main patio area.  As I came out of the shower, I was surprised to hear voices from the balcony.  I went out with a towel around my waist to find Alison stretched out in her own naked glory next to Jeryl.
"I think spring break just got a lot more interesting," I said.
Alison shielded her eyes from the sun and smiled.  "Do you think you could help with the sunscreen?" she asked.
****
"There you are," Matthew said as he stepped into the small outbuilding I had put up after buying the estate in Saint Lucia.  He paused as his eyes adjusted to the interior light.  "I thought this was a non-working vacation," he said as he looked around the workbenches I had installed.
"Shh," I said as if the beaker I held was volatile.  I swirled the liquid and then poured it through a filter.
"What is that?" he asked softly as he stepped closer.
I carefully set the beaker down and then scrapped the filtered particulate into another small container.  I set the container on the bench, peeled off my gloves, and raised my face shield with a dramatic sigh.
"It's a new nanotube formulation," I answered at a normal volume, making him jump.  I laughed.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist giving you a hard time after you caught me out.  It is a non-working vacation for you.  You're here as a friend and Kelly's date, and not as my P.A."
I stood up and stretched.
"However, since I am the boss, those rules don't apply to me," I said haughtily.
"Really?  Will they suddenly apply if I mention it to Kelly or Jeryl?"
"Now, Matthew, you wouldn't want to do anything foolish like that, would you?"
We laughed together and I cleaned things up.
"What's it do?" he asked as I put the compound into a small shipping pouch.
"I think it will be a better formulation for armor.  If we can scale production up, it should block radiation nicely.  It's a boron-nitrite and boron carbide formulation.  I want to get it sent up to Austin for them to play with."  I ejected a hard-sided floppy disk from the Macintosh Plus computer on the bench and put it into the package as well.  It had my encrypted notes that only Dr.  Wilkerson would be able to decrypt, since I had used his specific key to encode it.  I sealed up the package.  It was already addressed.
"So what were you looking for me about?" I asked as we headed for the door.
"The girls want to go shopping."
I groaned.
"Exactly.  Hunter begged off saying we men were going sailing.  Lila doesn't believe him, so said they weren't going until they saw us on the water.  Rather than admit that we'd rather drown than go shopping again, I came out to find you so we could sail out into the bay until they're gone and then come back and relax."
I locked the door to the lab and we headed into the main house.
"Hunter!" I called.  "Are you ready to sail yet?"
Four pair of female eyes turned to stare at me as I walked onto the balcony.  Hunter smiled.  Alison arched an eyebrow.
"You said we'd go out this morning," I continued.  "Have you checked the boat out yet?"
Hunter smiled.  "I was waiting for you.  Is it down on the beach?"
"It's supposed to be.  Let's grab our gear and go.  Ladies, I understand you're going into town for a little shopping.  Have fun."  I gave Jeryl a quick kiss and then headed upstairs to change to a bathing suit.
When I came back downstairs Matthew, Hunter, and Alison were waiting for me.
"Alison?  I thought you were going into town with the girls."
She gave me a knowing smile.  "I decided I'd rather sail.  Philip went to keep an eye on them."
I shrugged, and looked at Hunter.
"You do know how to sail, don't you, Navy man?"
He nodded and said, "Of course, but it depends on what sort of boat you have," he added as a caveat.
I laughed and grabbed a backpack with water and towels in it, and headed for the gate leading to the stairs going down the cliff to the private beach.  Everyone followed along and we were soon standing before a black-hulled catamaran.  I went over to the boat shed and got the rudder assembly while pointing out the sails and dagger boards for them to carry out.
Hunter got demoted to first mate since he had no experience on anything except the '420' the midshipmen all learned to sail on.  He did at least know all the terminology and how to rig the sail.  Soon we were moving away from the beach using the mainsail only and getting a feel for the boat.
"Paul, this looks like a Hobie Cat, but different," Hunter said as we settled onto a broad reach away from the island.
"It's based on it, but I had it custom built.  It uses our materials as much as possible so it's both stronger and lighter.  I've been anxious to give it a go.  I had a couple of guys in Newport Beach working out the kinks, last summer.  Let's see how it goes with the jib out," I said.
Hunter started to move forward but I waved him back to the rudder.  "Keep it on this tack," I said and ran out the jib from its furled position around the forestay.  I let the sail luff after checking the rigging and returning aft by the rudder.
"Okay, you land lubbers," I said to Matthew and Alison.  "We're going to pick up a little speed, so hang on.  Stay on the high side of the boat as much as you can," I said as I trimmed the jib and pulled in the mainsail.
The daggerboards bit water as we sailed closer to the wind and picked up some speed.  Hunter and I moved out to the wings and I extended the handle on the rudder to keep us under control.  We both had grins on our faces as the windward hull began rising out of the water.
Our 'pretend' sail turned into a full day.  We zipped around the bay as everyone had a chance to man the rudder and sails.  Hunter and I finally dropped Alison and Matthew at the beach and decided to see how well it could really do.  In addition to the wing seats, we clipped on the trapeze and hiked out on a fast tack.  It was exhilarating as we rushed through the water with the wind blowing.  We came about smartly and took another tack back toward the beach.  We dropped our sails and pulled up the daggerboards just in time to coast in over the small waves.  Everyone was on the beach to greet us.
"Wow, that looked like fun," Lila said as she came up and gave Hunter a hug and kiss.
"It was a blast," he said.  "Maybe next time you'll sail instead of shop," he added with a grin.
She smiled and kissed him again.  Matthew and Alison helped drop the sails and secure the boat as everyone else began planning a bonfire on the beach after dinner.  It turned into a perfect end for the day.
****
Alison slipped into the bed beside me in the pre-dawn light.  "Where did you go?" I asked softly so as to not wake Jeryl.
"Just checking on things.  Philip and Tiffany have things covered, but I had a feeling and wanted to see for myself."
She kissed my shoulder and then my ear.  I shifted around to hug her to me.
"It's been nice having you with us, this week," I said between kisses to her lips, cheeks, and collarbone.
Alison gave a small shiver of excitement and stroked my head.
"It has.  Keeping it secret from the others has given me a delicious added thrill.  I'm sure Kelly suspects, but she is too busy keeping Matthew's attention where it should be."
I rolled over a little further and lowered my head to capture a nipple between my lips.  Alison sighed and pushed her breast against me.  I smiled and continued licking.
"God, Paul, you know you're the only man that's ever gotten me so excited?  And you're almost young enough to be my son."
"Hardly, unless you had me at fourteen," I said as paused in my sucking and took a breath.  I kissed her between her delightful breasts and then began kissing lower.
She stopped me from going down on her.  "Not this morning.  I love when you do, but I've got to get up soon and start making preparations for leaving."
"Don't you have people you pay for that?" I asked before giving her another passionate kiss.
"Yes," she replied breathlessly a minute later, "but they don't love the people they're protecting.  I do, and I want to make sure they are protected fully."
She kissed me hard once more, and then slipped back out of bed.  I watched her stretch toward the ceiling and then bend over to touch her toes.  She shot me a saucy look with her head near her knees and then straightened.  She blew me a kiss and headed for the shower.
I watched until she was gone and then rolled over to cuddle with Jeryl some more.  As she spooned back against my erection, she moaned softly.
"I love it when she gets you worked up for me," she said as she opened her eyes.
We made love slowly, with passion, until Alison came back out in a towel.  Jeryl was astride me, working her hips in slow circles.
"If you don't pick up the pace," she said after kissing Jeryl good morning, "you'll miss your flight."
Jeryl maintained her slow circles.
"He owns the fucking plane.  It will wait.  Now kiss me again," she demanded.
Alison did.  Watching their slow tongue dance gave me the visual stimulation I needed.  I grabbed Jeryl's hips and began thrusting up as she continued her gyrations.  Soon, we both came.  Alison kissed me and then Jeryl once more and headed out of our room and back to hers.  We lay in bed until I softened, and then slowly made our way to the shower.
Packing followed breakfast and soon we were all loading ourselves onto the bus for the trip back to the airport.  It had been a fun, relaxing vacation for us all.
****
"So the G-400 can handle Hawaii to Naples?" I asked Alison when we had a minute alone back at the house near Stanford.
"Yes.  You'll have to refuel twice and I'll arrange a crew change to coincide with refueling.  Maui to Vegas to New York to Naples.  Maui to New York is just beyond the range of the G-400.  Next time you build an airplane, give it a 6,000-mile range.  It would simplify things greatly."
I laughed.  "That one crashed, but we're working on it.  The boat will meet us there?"
She nodded.  "I've told them to be in port on the 26th and take on supplies.  We should arrive on the 29th if we depart on the 27th.  We'll have about seventeen hours in the air, and four hours on the ground, refueling."
"Wow, it's going to be a long trip."
"I'm sure a honeymooning couple can find some way to spend the time," she said with a grin.  "Especially when it will just be them and their head of security on the plane."
"Oh?  No pilots?"
"They'll have their instructions.  You wont see them except at take off and landing, for the first two legs."
"And on the boat?"
"Philip will be flying out ahead to be the chef for you.  Two others will be aboard to augment the crew."
"Augment?"
"They're a very professional bunch running this charter, mostly ex-Navy and Marines.  British for the most part, so much more professional than their Yank counterparts."
She said it deadpan, and I laughed.
"I'm going to tell Lila and Hunter you said that," I teased.
"And spoil your surprise honeymoon?  I doubt it."
She smirked and then stuck out her tongue at me, playfully.
I pretended to scowl at her.
"Remind me to spank you for that," I joked.
"You shouldn't tease me with promises you won't keep," she shot back.
"Just wait until I do keep it.  I'll have Jeryl help hold you down."
Alison smiled and then came close to me.
"If you do that," she whispered, "I might try to get in trouble more often."
Then she kissed me.  Before I could respond, she broke the kiss and headed for the door.
"I'll let you know if anything changes in the plans," she said as she left.
"What plans?" Jeryl asked after passing Alison at the door.
"Alison's spanking after our wedding," I growled.
Jeryl smiled.  "Oh, goodie!  Can I help?"
I hoped Alison heard her.
****
"Well, Paul, this should be the last time we need to meet, unless you blow your finals," Professor Hamilton said as he sat back behind his desk.
"I certainly plan on not doing that, sir," I said with a grin.
"Your senior project was very well done.  How did you feel about the GRE?"
I shrugged.  "Not bad.  I thought the P.E.  exams were much harder."  I had opted to sit both my Professional Engineer exams this spring.
"Ah, yes, how do you think you did?"
"The Computer Engineering exam was harder than the Thermal and Fluid Systems, but I felt pretty good about both."
"Why did you find the Computer Engineering one harder?"
I chuckled.  "This will sound arrogant, but there were many questions that were behind the state of the art, based on what I've seen from Dr.  Freis' lab."
"Really?"
I nodded.  "He's working with a graphene base as a semiconductor and magnetic loop gates for persistent RAM on the chip."
"Graphene?"
"A single atom thickness of carbon.  He's getting some edge losses, but it is still a much better conductor.  Right now, he can only accomplish low yields for production, but I'm hoping I can help improve that."
I had never seen Dr.  Hamilton show emotion, but now he was visibly agitated.  "And the reason we're not doing that research here is because of the patent ownership issue we talked about last fall?"
I nodded.
"That's ridiculous."
"If it's any consolation, my attorney is already talking to the University about adding Stanford to our endowment program."
"And we'd work on this new chip?"
"The endowment is just that, a gift of funding to the University.  If you are interested in pursuing a specific line of research, we solicit proposals in targeted areas twice a year.  We've excluded Stanford from that process for the past four years, to avoid any potential conflict of interest."
He shook his head.  "Paul, when bureaucracy gets in the way of research, it's a sure sign that someone's priorities are really messed up."
I smiled and said, "Well, Professor, I can't promise anything, but if you put forth a proposal to continue developing the FLO language on distributed microprocessor networks, I think there is a very good chance we would pick up the funding."
Now he had a gleam in his eye.
"And you would come back to review the work?"
I nodded and he smiled.
"How much research?"
"Just make it realistic."
"I will.  I'll also be talking to the administration about a waiver for your research if you'd like to pursue your masters in that area.  I think you might be onto something with these networked systems of independent processors."
"I certainly believe in it.  Once I graduate, I hope to start publishing again on some inventions that will leverage the capability.  Time will tell."
"I wish you well, Paul.  Usually, this is where we would discuss letters of recommendation and introduction for potential job openings, but you hardly need those, do you?"
"No, sir.  But I do thank you for the offer."
****
"Come on, lazybones!" Jeryl said as she grabbed my foot which was the only part of my body not under the sheet on our bed.
"Why?  Graduation isn't until four."
"Four for you.  Mine's at ten.  You know that.  If you wanted to sleep more, you shouldn't have stayed up all night trying to knock me up."
That woke me up.  I turned over and flipped back the covers.
"What?"
She was grinning at me, as she stood by the bed fresh from the shower with just a towel around her.
"I thought that would get your attention.  Don't worry, my period should start next week.  Now, get your sexy butt out of bed, so I can change the sheets before our folks get here for breakfast."
I moved toward the bathroom.  "I thought we were going out."
"That was last week.  Philip is here to cook for us, and watch the house, as Alison and some of the others head off to Maui to get ready for the wedding.  Didn't I tell you that, yesterday?"
"No," I grumbled.
I got in the shower, and mechanically began going through my morning routine.  I hadn't worked out this morning, obviously, and was slow waking up as a result.  The time since our spring break vacation had flown by.  Graduation for the individual schools had started yesterday.  Jeryl's was this morning, as she said, and mine was this afternoon.  We also had to go to Lila and Hunter's commissioning ceremony tomorrow morning at ten.
Then we were scattering for four days with everyone doing last minute things before converging on Maui for the wedding next weekend.  Jeryl and I planned on flying out the day after tomorrow and getting a little relaxation in before guests began arriving in Hawaii.
"Shit," I said as I made my way back into the bedroom and saw a pair of dress pants, shirt and tie laid out for me.  "I thought I got to wear shorts under my gown," I protested.
"This afternoon, you can," Jeryl said as she stepped out of the closet in a lovely blue skirt and her lacy white bra as she held two blouses up and examined herself in the mirror.
"For my graduation, I want you to look nice.  I want pictures!"
"Yes, dear," I said.
She laughed at me in the mirror and then turned and gave me a kiss before choosing her blouse.  She was downstairs greeting our parents and her grandmother before I finished tying my tie.  I went down to say hello to everyone.
The day was a whirlwind as we made sure we had the right tickets for Jeryl's graduation ceremony, cars and drivers for everyone to get to and from the campus, time for pictures and changing before it was my turn and then repeating everything for my ceremony.
"No speech, this time?" Jim asked as we had a moment before heading out to dinner afterward.
"God, no," I said.  My GPA had been solid throughout the four years, but I had not maintained the perfect grades of high school.  "The valedictorian only had one major, if you noticed."
Jim laughed.  "Well, we're still very proud of you both, you know?"
"Thanks, Jim."
"Now, let's talk about your bachelor party," he said in a conspiratorial tone.
"Just clear it with Alison, from a security perspective," I admonished.  "I don't really feel the need for hangovers or strippers," I added.
"No, neither of those.  Your mother wouldn't approve.  I'll run it by Alison, but I'm thinking we'll take you on a day-long deep-sea fishing charter.  We all seemed to have fun doing that the last time we were in Hawaii."
"That sounds good.  Who all will be going?"
"Jerry and I, Matthew, your friend Hunter, your cousins and Uncle Ben.  Anyone else I should make arrangements for?"
"Sounds good," I said after thinking for a minute.  "How are Matthew and Kelly getting along?"
"Fine, from what I've seen.  Why?"
"Just curious.  They keep things pretty low key around here.  If I hadn't seen them together on a couple of vacations, I'd think they were just casually dating."
"Maybe they are," Jim said.
"Do you want it to be more?" I asked.
"I want both of my children to be happy, Paul.  So long as you both are, I don't care if you are married or single.  Now, your mother would like a grandchild to spoil, and I agree with her, but only when you kids are ready for it.  No hurry."
I laughed as the others made their way out to the patio with us.
****
"Sanford, wasn't that the Four Seasons we just past?"
I saw Jeryl's grin and Sanford's smile in the mirror.
"It sure was.  That's where most of the guests are staying."
"But we're not?" I asked, as I looked at Jeryl.
"Why stay at a hotel when we have a lovely house five minutes away?" she asked coyly.
"A house?"
"We said we wanted someplace in Hawaii."
I leaned over and gave her a kiss.
"I love you," I said, and she beamed.
We pulled through a small gate in a flower and vine-covered wall and drove along a tree-lined driveway to a fair sized house overlooking a private beach.  It captured the feeling of Hawaii with its low sloping roof supported by heavy timber beams and circled by a wide porch.  Alison stood on the stairs of the entry waiting for us.  Sanford stopped the car and we climbed out as Alison presented us with traditional flower leis, and kissed our cheeks.  Jeryl excitedly led me inside to show off the house.
"It only has four bedrooms," she said, "but each is a mini-suite, so they're pretty nice.  We've got the beach out back, of course, but also a lap pool on the side along with a hot tub."
I stopped on the back lanai and took in the view as I hugged Jeryl to me.
"I love it.  It's beautiful."
"I'm glad.  We also converted one of the cottages to be a lab for you.  The other two are for staff."
"It's wonderful.  Are we doing the wedding here?"
"No.  We'll do that at the Four Seasons, along with the reception.  You and I get to come back here to start our honeymoon."
I gave her a kiss.  "Maybe we should practice for that bit," I said with a chuckle.
"Nope.  You're cut off until after, mister."
"Really?"
"Yes."  She was serious.  "Much as I might want to jump your bones, I'm only here to show the place off.  Then I'm going back to the bridal suite at the Hotel with Lila and our sisters.  The Moms have some things planned for us over the next couple of days while you do your bachelor fishing trip.  You guys can hang out here or at the hotel.  Alison will make sure you're where you need to be for the rehearsal and wedding."
"Oh?  Alison is my minder now?"
Alison, who was standing nearby, spoke up.
"Why should now be any different than any other time?" she quipped.
I turned and smiled at her.
"You are definitely getting a spanking, soon," I said.
Jeryl laughed and then gave me a quick kiss.
"I'm going to go over to the hotel, now.  I'll send Hunter down so you guys can do some manly stuff.  Oh, I forgot to mention the boat shed.  I got one of your fun little catamarans shipped out here, so you guys can go for a sail."
I grabbed her and gave her a full kiss.  She melted against me and purred as it ended.
"You can do that as much as you want, for the rest of our lives," she said.  "Now, I've got to run.  I'll see you at dinner around seven.  We're eating here tonight."
"Yes, dear," I said.
The remainder of the pre-wedding week was more of the same.  Jeryl had a plan and we all played our parts in it.  The house became a male dominated haven where we could relax and get away from the increasingly jittery females.  Instead of worrying about wedding details, we sailed, went fishing, and relaxed on the beach or lanai.
"This place is amazing," Hunter said the afternoon before the wedding.  "Thanks for bringing Lila and me."
"My pleasure," I said.  "How are you guys doing?" I asked.
"Good.  We've been talking about the future.  It's going to be tough to be apart, but we're going to try and keep our relationship going."
I smiled.  "That's great.  You know, with the properties we've got now, if you ever need a little break together, just let us know, and you can use any of them."
"Really?"
"Yeah, you're our friends."
"It's good to have friends," he said.
"It is," I agreed.
We fell into a conversation about his upcoming training in the Navy Nuclear Power School.  He was looking forward to it.  Soon it was time to get ready for the rehearsal and dinner so he headed back to the hotel and I went inside to shower and shave and get dressed.
I was surprised when Alison slipped into the shower with me, but I was hardly going to complain.  She stepped under the cascading water and slicked her red hair back before embracing me and giving me a long, passionate kiss.  Her body felt amazing pressed against mine.
"Wow," I said as our kiss ended.
She smiled and trailed her hands down my chest.  "We don't have a terribly long time, but I want you to make love to me, here and now.  Jeryl knows."
We had never made love without Jeryl participating or at least watching.
I nodded and kissed her again.  I felt her hard nipples press against me and ran my wet hands down her back to cup her ass and pulled her groin against my full erection.  She moaned into my mouth.  I guided her back to the shower bench, sat her down, and then lowered to my knees as I kissed down her neck and chest and soon began lapping at her red-fringed pussy.  She threw one leg over my shoulder and planted the other foot on the edge of the bench, spreading herself wide for my tongue as she stroked my head with her hands.
"God, you do that so well," she moaned.
I continued to apply myself, bringing a finger into play by slipping it inside her sopping pussy.  She grabbed my head and came against my face.  I continued to lap at her until her shuddering subsided.  I stood and lifted her up.
She kissed me as her hand found my cock.
"Let's take care of this, lover," she said.
She turned around without releasing me, bent over the bench and guided me behind her.  I needed no further encouragement.  I grabbed her hips as she positioned me to plunge into her pussy.  I thrust into her, and we gasped together at the sensations we both felt.  I pulled back and began fucking into her strongly.  Alison moaned and began coming again as my own orgasm boiled from my balls.  I held her tightly against me as I shuddered and spasmed into her hot pussy.  She clenched at me several times as she rode the waves of her own orgasm.
As we both regained our breath, Alison straightened and turned around.  Without saying a word, she dropped to her knees and sucked in my flagging cock.  She licked and sucked me back to near full hardness before stopping and standing back up.  We kissed passionately again and then she pushed me back gently into the spray of water.
"That's all, lover.  Jeryl said I could give you one nice fuck before the wedding to take your edge off."
"Oh, she did, did she?"
Alison nodded.
"Does that mean you're planning on giving her only one orgasm tonight as well?"
Alison blushed, hugged me, and we kissed again.
Then she whispered in my ear, "How about I take her right to the edge, but don't give her that?"
I laughed and kissed her hard.  "If you do that, she will definitely want to spank you."
"Good.  I really do enjoy a good spanking, you know?"
She was serious.  It made my dick even harder.
****
Jeryl looked radiant as Jerry walked her down the aisle of chairs to the small pavilion overlooking the beach.  She had on a white, strapless dress that showed off her tanned shoulders and just a little cleavage.  She had on a partial veil, just covering her eyes with a thin lace, and her hair done up, making her neck look longer and incredibly sexy.  She was smiling at me the entire way.
I took her hands after shaking Jerry's hand, and turned to the Hawaiian minister who was officiating.  We used a minister as a nod to her family, but kept the ceremony brief.  We had decided to use traditional vows rather than write our own.  Soon, we were kissing and being introduced as Mr.  and Mrs.  Taylor.
The crowd clapped as traditional Hawaiian music started up and we retreated to the reception area.  Tom gave me a thumbs up from behind his camera as the greeting line began and the photographer captured candid shots with each of our guests.
Jeryl had decided our reception would be a traditional luau, with a full roast pig and authentic Hawaiian entertainment.  Watching her and her sisters trying to perform a hula was one of my favorite parts of the show.
"I'm so happy for you guys," Lila said later as we shifted to more traditional dancing.  Jim was dancing with Jeryl and I was with Lila.
"Thank you.  And thanks for being such a good friend to us," I said sincerely.
Lila blushed under my gaze.
"I will always be your friends, even without special benefits," she teased.
"We appreciate that," I said as the song ended and we drifted to a stop.  I was going to say more, but Hunter approached as a new song began.
"May I have this dance?" he asked formally.
Lila smiled, gave me a quick hug and then let her beau take her away.  I turned and found Jordan waiting for me.  I extended my arms and she stepped into them.
"You had better be good to my sister," she said after we had settled into a steady rhythm.
"You know I will be.  After all, if I'm not, you know I'm going to blame your and Jyl's poor training."
She laughed.  "I hope I can find someone as wonderful as you are, Paul."
"Hey, I'm sure you will.  You're pretty wonderful in your own right."
"Thanks," she said.
I danced with the other ladies and finally got a chance to dance with my wife just before the cutting of the cake.
All too soon, the party wound down and we began a long series of farewells to our guests.  "This is a bit silly," I whispered to Jeryl between goodbyes.  "We're going to see them all for brunch tomorrow at the house."
"Hush," she whispered back, "or you might spend your wedding night on the couch."
I knew she was teasing.  Alison's wicked smile and nod earlier had told me my bride was well primed for our honeymoon.
Finally, we made it out past all our guests, and let Alison drive us five minutes down the road to our house.  We got out, and I upheld tradition by carrying Jeryl over the threshold and into our bedroom.  Alison closed the front door with herself on the outside.  We were alone, as man and wife.
"I love you," I said as set Jeryl down."
"I love you, too.  If you unzip me, I'll show you how much."
I did as I was told and lowered the zipper on her dress as I kissed the back of her neck and shoulder.  She sighed and stepped out of her dress.  She stood holding it before her as I admired the smooth back and the white garter belt framing her sweet ass.
Jeryl stepped away and draped her dress over the back of a chair before turning around to look at me.  She smiled and then stepped closer while grabbing my trousers.  I shrugged off my tuxedo jacket as she undid and pushed my pants and boxers down.  She sank to her knees and engulfed me in her delightful mouth.
"God, I've missed you this week," I said as I stroked her hair and cheek.
She smiled up at me without letting my cock slip from her lips.  Keeping eye contact, she lowered herself until my dick was pressing against the back of her throat.  As she slowly pulled back with increased suction, I moaned.  She continued with an agonizingly slow pace for several minutes before pushing me all the way into her throat and cupping my balls gently with her hand.  I saw spots before my eyes as I came.  She sucked me dry and then got off her knees and helped me get out of the rest of my clothes.
"Now it's my turn, husband," she said as she pulled me to the bed.
I kissed her and then began working my lips over her delicious body.  I avoided her obvious erogenous zones and instead focused on her collarbones, belly button, her toes, and the backs of her knees.  By the time I let my kisses trace over her flowing pussy, she was already on edge.  The first full lick and flicking of my tongue across her clit gave her the release she was seeking.
"God!  I love you so much!" she yelled as she thrashed on the bed and held my face against her.
I let her orgasm subside and then stood up and slipped inside her.
"Oh, yeah," she moaned.  "Fuck me.  That feels so good.  Fuck me just like that."  Her voice was soft but insistent.  She timed her demands with my thrusts.  "Fuck me.  Fuck me.  Fuck me.  Oh, yeah, baby, fuck me."
I picked up my pace as she wrapped her legs around me and reached up to pull me tightly to her.  Moments later, she was coming and taking me along with her.
Afterwards, we lay together on the bed catching our breath and stoking each other lovingly.  "Wow," she said.  "That's the kind of love making that could give me a child," she added.
I kissed her.  "Aside from the fact that it's the wrong time in your cycle for that," I said.
"I guess you'll just have to keep practicing until we both get it right, then," she said back.
"Is that what you want?" I asked.
"More than anything in the world.  I love you so much.  We're going to make beautiful, intelligent babies that can live and love in the new world their daddy is going to make for them."  Her eyes were filled with love as she spoke and looked at me.
"Well, if you give me a few more minutes, I'll be ready to practice again," I joked.
"Oh, goodie," she said with a smile.  "But I've got something else in mind for the next round," she added.
"Really?"
She nodded.  "I want you to take me around the world tonight.  You've had my mouth and pussy.  One hole left.  I think it's fitting we do it on our wedding night, don't you?"
I felt my dick twitch and start to harden again.  "You know I love making love to you in any way you want, right?"
She smiled and reached down to stroke my dick.  "I stocked lube in the nightstand.  Did you notice it?"
I had not, but I quickly rectified that oversight.
A few minutes later, Jeryl planted her face in a pillow and screamed as another orgasm ripped through her.  I continued my slow, steady conquest of her ass as she shook and squeezed me.  Finally, her fourth shuddering orgasm pushed me over the edge and I felt myself spurting into her bowels.  We collapsed together in a sweaty mess.  A little while later, we struggled to get into the shower to get cleaned up and then staggered back to bed.
"I love you, husband," Jeryl whispered as we held each other under the covers.
"I love you, too, wife."
It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
****
"So, where are we going?" Jeryl asked four days later as we buckled into our seats on the G-400.
"Someplace fun," I said teasingly.
Alison sat down across the small table from us.  The pilot closed the airplane's boarding door, waved at us, and then closed the cockpit door.
"So, were you well worked up for the wedding night?" Alison asked as we taxied toward the runway.
Jeryl blushed.  "Do you know what your head of security did to me the night before the wedding?" she asked.
"What?" I tried to keep my face innocent.
"She seduced me."
"Hah!" Alison said.  "Seduction requires some effort.  All I did was give you a kiss."
"You've been seducing me since Saint Lucia," Jeryl fired back.  "A look here, a touch there.  The kiss was just the final straw."
I smiled at her.  "What happened then?" I asked as we surged down the runway and lifted off.
"She got me naked and had her wicked way with me."
"Really?"
"Yes," Jeryl said as Alison shook her head.  "She got me to get her naked, and then asked if I wanted a taste of you from her pussy.  I could hardly say no.  She made me eat her to a couple of orgasms, and then took me to the edge and stopped."
Alison gave her a smile.  "I wanted you focused on Paul, not me.  Besides, I had to check on security."
"Well, there are no security problems now," Jeryl fired back.
"And she's due a spanking," I reminder them both.
"That's right!" Jeryl undid her seatbelt as soon as the small sign by the cockpit door blinked off.  She pushed me out of my seat and then grabbed Alison's hand.  "I think you should come back to the couch and get your taste of Paul out of me, now," she said with a wicked smile.
Alison rose and followed where Jeryl led.  Jeryl quickly slipped her panties off as she hiked up her skirt.  She sat down on the couch and spread herself wide while looking Alison in the eye.
Alison smiled and then knelt before Jeryl and kissed her passionately before lowering her face to Jeryl's crotch.  I moved back in the plane to watch as Jeryl grabbed the red head and lifted herself against our older lover's face.
"Oh, Paul, she's almost as good at this as you are."
I moved next to her on the couch and began kissing her as Alison's tongue probed and licked her pussy.  Jeryl moaned into my mouth and stroked my dick through my pants.  She grabbed my head with one hand as her other ground Alison's face against her pussy.  Her stomach tightened and she came.
Alison paused in her efforts and pulled back enough for me to see her tongue stick out delicately and stoke Jeryl's clit.  Jeryl gasped and thrust forward as another wave of pleasure coursed through her.
"Ah, that was good," she said when she finally relaxed and leaned against me.  She gave me a light kiss.  "But, Alison, I'm sure you didn't taste Paul," she said teasingly.
Alison, still kneeling between her legs, arched an eyebrow.
"He came in my ass this morning," Jeryl said with a wicked laugh.
Alison looked at her and then glanced at me before lowering her head once again.
"Oh, God!" Jeryl said as Alison's strong hands grabbed her legs by the backs of her knees and pushed her legs to her chest.  "She's licking my asshole, Paul.  She's shoving her tongue inside my ass!"
She continued her efforts for several minutes as Jeryl writhed beneath her grip.  After a bit, Alison shifted her tongue back to Jeryl's pussy and quickly gave her another orgasm.
Jeryl collapsed against me and smiled at Alison.  "I think you have way too many clothes on," she finally managed to say.  "You've worn me out, but I bet Paul is raring to go if you'd like."
Alison didn't say a word, but stood and quickly stripped.  She then pulled my clothes off and moved to straddle me on the couch.  Soon, she was plunging her pussy down on my rampant cock.  I sucked and licked her tits as she wrapped her arms around my head.  I was close to coming and she sensed it.  She thrust down and then stopped, holding me deep inside her.  She rotated her hips to grind her clit against me without giving me the stimulation I needed, to finish.  I felt myself receding from the edge.
"Smack!"
Jeryl grinned as our eyes flew open to see Jeryl beside us with her hand raised for another spank.
"If you don't get that ass moving on our man, I'll spank you again," she threatened.
Alison smiled and then held perfectly still.
Jeryl's hand moved and caught her firmly on the other ass cheek.  Alison arched her eyebrow, daring her to continue.
Jeryl set up a steady rhythm, alternating her slaps until Alison's ass was starting to glow pink.  I noticed that she had started thrusting against me in time with the spanking.  Looking at her pale skin, it was obvious she was close.  I held her waist firmly and began thrusting up into her between stokes.
Smack!  Jeryl hit her particularly hard, and Alison arched against me.
"Arghhh!" she moaned as she began cumming.
Her tight pussy spasmed and pulled me along with her.  I thrust and held her firmly as my dick pulsed deep inside her.  Jeryl sat back and watched us for a few minutes.  Finally, Alison sagged against my chest.  Jeryl kissed us both and then pulled Alison off my softening cock before diving between her legs to start getting her own taste of me.
****
We made love several times on our marathon flight from Maui to Naples, Italy.  By the time we landed, I wondered if I would actually survive my honeymoon.  Philip and another strong, silent security type were waiting for us.  We climbed into a car and were driven to the port where a small launch took us out to the yacht I had chartered.  An hour later, we were underway for a relaxing two-week cruise on the Mediterranean.
Alison stayed in an adjoining cabin but joined us in bed, most nights.  During the day, she was always the professional security expert.
Jeryl loved Capri.  We spent a full day exploring the island under Alison's ever-watchful eye before sailing to Palermo in Sicily.  We then visited several small islands and stops along the coast, as we made our way north to Monaco.  It was a leisurely trip.  We caught some sun, swam, ate well, made love and generally enjoyed life.
"I'm so proud of you," Jeryl said on our last night aboard.
"For what?" I asked.
"No work.  No journals.  Just loving me and Alison and enjoying a break.  Usually, I have to make you take time off."
"Maybe you're finally getting me house broken," I teased.
Alison snorted from the door.
"Highly doubtful," she said.  "More likely, we've kept your mind preoccupied with sex."
"You're just looking for another good spanking before we end our vacation," I teased.
Alison was not joking when she said she enjoyed a good spanking.  We had given her several during the cruise.  Alison blushed and came fully inside our cabin.  She gave both of us slow, full kisses.
"I just wanted to thank you both.  It has been a wonderful trip.  I love you both."
"We love you, too," Jeryl said with emotion.
"I'm going to stay in my cabin tonight," she informed us.  "I'll be up early and ashore to check travel arrangements.  Philip will take you to the airport.  I'll see you there."  She kissed us both again.  "Goodnight, my loves."
We watched her go and then got ready for bed.
"Do you think we're weird sharing Ali on our honeymoon like we did?" Jeryl asked as we cuddled in bed.
"No.  We love her.  She loves us both."
"But she is quite a bit older than us.  Is that weird?"
"How do you feel about her?" I asked.
"I love her.  After you, no one gets my pulse going like a smoldering look from her does."
"Me, too," I said.  "But it's not just sex.  She really cares for us, and looks after us."
"I know.  That's why I'm pretty sure it's love, not just sex."  She snuggled tighter against me.  "If anything should ever happen to me, tell me you'll still take care of her," she said softly.
"Of course I will," I said.
"No, I mean really take care of her.  Marry her and make an honest woman out of her.  Promise me you'll do it," she said seriously.
I kissed her.  "I'll take care of her.  I promise.  But you know that if anything happened to you, she would be inconsolable.  You are the first person she let herself love in quite a long time."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not the one she fell in love with first, obviously.  Alison told me she didn't have much to do with men.  You're the one that seduced her, love.  Not me."
"Really?"
I nodded.
"Well, as long as she knows you have my heart first," she finally whispered.
We made love once more with Alison, as we soared high above the Atlantic on our way back to the States.  It was gentler than any of our prior sessions, full of love and soft caresses.  Afterward, Alison kissed us both and then headed to the lavatory to clean up.
When she returned, she was back into full business mode.  Our lover was gone until the next time we got away and relaxed.
We landed at Islip on Long Island where a car was waiting to take us downtown.  The suite at the Waldorf-Astoria was nice, but seeing Kelly and Matthew was nicer.  We freshened up and went to dinner where Jeryl shared where we had gone and what we had seen.  The next morning, Matthew and I sat down to go over my calendar.
I had six meetings over the next four days with various manufacturers.  Jeryl had meetings as well, including a renegotiation with DuPont and Nike for the continued production of the material used to make Diamond Skins.  By the time we were ready to leave the city, we were fully back in 'business mode.'

Chapter Twenty-Seven
New Jobs
****
I kissed Jeryl softly, so as not to wake her, and quietly headed out of the house for my morning run.  Once again, running had become my thinking refuge.  There was peacefulness to my mind as I pounded out the miles.  The first weeks of summer had flown by with meetings and time in the office drafting papers and filing patents.
I had spent the past two weeks in upstate New York with Doctors Reis and McTavish as we worked on the fabrication process to build our custom microprocessors.  We had not solved all the problems, but had made enough progress that we could improve our yields for further R&D.  Some of the fabrication methods were innovative enough that I had returned to California to get Jeryl and Kelly busy on some new patent filings.
I reached my two-mile turning point and hung a left to cut around the block and then head back to the house.  I spotted Sanford stalking me in one of our cars.  Sometimes he ran with me, but even then there was a car trailing nearby.  We thought we might be out of the woods with the KGB since Dr.  Wilkerson's abduction and interrogation, but Alison was not going to relax her guard too much.
I continued to think about the fabrication process.  I knew it was a good first step, and probably a decade ahead of the state of the art in this time, but I wanted to go even further.  I knew I would need almost a thousand picoprocessors to control a linear fusion reactor.  Each would control an individual magnetic flow control or actuator to channel plasma through the pinching magnetic field where it fused, or they would control the MHD coils that extracted power from the fused hydrogen, before allowing the remaining energy to be collected by the high speed turbine mounted behind the generator.
I knew I was building a very complex control system.  The fact that I had built it once before was probably the only reason I pursued it so doggedly.
I set that problem aside and thought about the GX-3 tests getting underway.  We had found the design flaw with the rear tail assembly that caused the GX-2 to fail.  I had funneled two months of profits from our stealth compound auctions into the new prototype.  My investment and the steady sales of new G-400's had kept Gulfstream in the game and willing to try a bigger leap with the GX-3.  Static engine tests as well as ground testing would start soon.
We still were not at the sub-orbital transport I wanted to build, but were looking at a significantly faster and longer range plane.  The GX-3 was designed for a range of 7,000 nautical miles and a max cruising speed of Mach 2.1.  New Rolls-Royce turbojet engines provided power with an innovative adaptive intake system to control airflow throughout the sub-sonic and supersonic flight envelope.
I finished my run and cooled down outside before heading in and finding some breakfast.  I was surprised no one else was up and about.  I headed back upstairs.
"Hey, sexy," I said as I spotted Jeryl coming out of the bathroom.  "Is everything alright?" I asked.  She looked a little pale.
"My stomach is a little off."
I gave her a hug and rubbed her back.  "You should go see the doctor," I said.
"I'll be fine," she insisted.
"I'm sure you will be, but now that we're six weeks newly wed and you're feeling nauseous in the morning, you might want to get checked out."
She looked at me in shock.  "I should have had a period last week."
I nodded.
"But I only stopped taking the pill right before the wedding.  I thought it took a couple of months to work out of your system."
"It might.  I don't know.  That's why you should go see your doctor."
She hugged me back.  "If I am, you won't think it's too soon, will you?"
I kissed the top of her head and continued rubbing her back.  "Of course not.  Will you?"
She hugged me tighter.  "I can't think of anything that would make me happier.  I love you so much.  I've thought about this since our junior year in high school."
"Really?"
She nodded.  I kissed her again and then invited her into the shower with me.  She felt better afterward and kissed me again before going downstairs for a bite to eat.  I went into our home office and started getting organized for the day.  Twenty minutes later, Sanford dropped me off at our offices and I headed inside.
A paper on improving production of the boron-doped carbon nanotubes could not hold my attention.  I set it aside.  I went to the drafting table and looked at the plans of the GX-3 laid out on it.  I was standing there staring when Matthew came in.
"You alright, boss?" he asked in is soft-spoken drawl.  I knew he could bark orders with the best of them, but his unassuming, almost southern twang always caught my attention.
I turned to him.  "Just thinking," I lied.  "What's up for today?"
"Meeting with the Navy Office in thirty minutes."
"Follow-up on the Stark?"
"Most likely."
In mid-May, the USS Stark was hit by two Exocet anti-ship missiles fired from Iraqi Mirage F1's flying a mission in their war with Iran.  I had remembered the event from the first time.  I had thought about trying to prevent it.  I had hoped the decreased need for foreign oil by the U.S.  would lessen the need for ships in the Gulf, but it had not turned out to be.  The fallout from the Stark had not been all bad.  The lessons learned, some said re-learned, about damage control had shaped the next thirty years of shipboard operations and readiness.
"Okay, let's use the front conference room.  No need for them to come in here."
Usually I did small meetings in the office or the conference room separating Jeryl and my offices.
"That was the plan.  They're bringing eight people."  He looked at me strangely.  "Is everything all right, Paul?  You seem a bit distracted."
I looked at him.  "Yeah, I'm fine.  Maybe I've just got too many things going on.  Is there anything we need to do before they get here?"
"I've got it all covered.  I've just got to make a fresh pot of coffee."
"What's wrong with the pot I made?" I asked.
Matthew smiled.  "It's the Navy.  Those swabbies expect good coffee, boss, not the crap you make.  How many times do I need to tell you to let me take care of that?"
I laughed.  "Well, then you should get here before me."
"I usually do.  You were out of the house early today.  Kelly and I were surprised when we found you here already."
Matthew seemed to spend most nights in Kelly's apartment.
"How are things going with you?" I asked.
"Great.  It's nice to have a little break from school over the summer."
"How's the MBA program going?"
"Slow, but that's fine with me.  If I took a higher course load, it would cut into work time."
"Or Kelly time," I added.
He grinned.  "About that," he said.
"Problems?"
"No, no problems.  I just wanted to hear how you felt about it.  We're getting pretty serious; at least I think we are."
"I'm happy for you both.  It's good."
"It is, but I've got a few concerns."
"Oh?  Like what?"
"She seems obsessed with growing the business.  She's going to burn out.  Do you know she takes less time off than you do?"
I nodded.  Kelly had spent the past four years making contacts and finding investments.  She had increased our portfolio of companies to close to sixty.  Many of them were preparing for an initial public offering in the next year.  She was busy.
"Do you want me to talk to her?" I asked.
"No.  I'm just trying to understand what's driving her.  She says she just wants to do a good job and not let you down."
I chuckled.  "She won't let me down regardless of what she does."  I went on to explain our first meeting and how she had treated me.  Then I told him about getting Jeryl and I back together after our misunderstanding.
"I'm no psychologist, but Kelly has always had something to prove, either to her dad, to me, or to herself.  She's not in an easy role, you know?"
"What do you mean?"
"Show me any other woman under thirty who is managing the investments of a billion-dollar company.  If a man were in her role, he could make a mistake and still be an attractive candidate for a bigger role.  If she makes a mistake, she'll be labeled a failure, and upheld as an example of why a woman can't hold such a position."
"I never thought about that," he said.
"If we had a public balance sheet, I'm pretty sure Kelly would be on every headhunter's radar, and rightfully so.  Since we're privately held, she doesn't get much public recognition or acknowledgement.  I'm sure that drives her harder."
"So what can I do to help her and get her to take a little time for herself?"
I thought about that for a minute.  I realized Jeryl must have had the same thoughts and concerns about me over the years.  I had not made it any easier on her, I was certain of that.
Finally, I smiled at my P.A.  "Matthew, I think what you need is a raise."
"What?"
I waved away his objections before he could make them.  "It's a special raise, and it's one you have to spend."
He looked at me like I had grown two heads.
"I'm going to give you an extra hundred thousand dollars a year, Matthew.  And I want you to spend it on Kelly and make her go with you on special, impromptu vacations.  I want you to spend it making her come to realize that spending time with you is more valuable than spending time on the next deal.  I want you to make her want to take a break with you."
"Really?"
I nodded.  "And if you two decided to go your separate ways, I'll give you a bonus equal to what you've spent on her."
He processed that for a minute before smiling slightly.  "What if we don't separate?"
"Then I'll be giving you both a great wedding present and a bonus," I said.
Jeryl was in her office after the meeting with the Navy.  She was all smiles as I stuck my head in.
"Let's go out for lunch," she said before I could ask a question.  She stood and grabbed her purse and motioned me toward the door.
Sanford drove us to our favorite Italian restaurant, the same one we had eaten at with Hunter and Lila in the fall.  I was surprised when she asked the waiter for two glasses of wine.
"Wine at lunch?"
"I didn't want to toast with water," she said.  Her grin was infectious.  "I thought about waiting until tonight to talk to you, but I just can't keep it to myself."
The waiter delivered the wine.  Jeryl immediately held her glass up for a toast.  "Here's to my loving husband, who will be known as 'daddy' next February."  She clinked my glass and took a sip.
I sipped my wine, set the glass down, and then went around the table to give her a hug and kiss.
"I love you, darling."
She beamed at me.  "I love you, too."
****
"General, I can't increase production enough to meet their needs.  Besides, we need to come up with a different application process.  The Navy doesn't need a fully stealth ship; they need the armor properties we can give them just as much."  I knew it was not practical to apply an electric charge to an entire ship to get the alignment needed on the carbon nanotubes to make it a stealth coating.
"Well, what do you propose?" the general asked.  "Ever since the Stark, the Navy has been saying we're holding out on them with our technology."
"You have been, but it wouldn't have mattered for the Stark.  As far as proposing something, I've got nothing for them.  I've got a new compound both the Army and Navy might be interested in, but I'm still trying to increase production on it to useful yields."
"What about this work you're doing with computers?"
I laughed.
"General, if I had realized what a mess dealing with the government would be in dealing with my stealth coating, I would have buried the discovery.  I'm not about to become an independent military research and development shop."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll keep producing the coating and selling it to you guys, but I don't feel any need to build new relationships directly with the DOD.  I'll license my ideas to commercial firms that can then deal with you guys."
He looked stunned.  "You're walking away from a lot of money if you do that."
"But gaining a lot of peace of mind.  I don't need to be a bigger target in the mind of the KGB or anyone else."
He could tell I was not going to budge on my position.
"Very well.  I guess I can understand your position even if I don't like it."
We shook hands and ended our meeting.  I went back into my office and sat down at my desk.  Kelly came in.
"Hey, Paul.  Do you have a few minutes?"
I smiled at her.  "For you, always.  What's up?"
"I've got a question about your shopping list."
I laughed.  I had spent quite a bit of effort in detailing out the technologies I wanted us to pursue.  It had not been easy.  Instead of saying I wanted to invest in flat panel LCD displays, I had to couch it in terms of describing a screen for a laptop.  LCD's had not been commercialized, yet.  She had taken to calling it my shopping list.
"Specifically?" I asked.
"Expansion," she said as she sat down across from me.
"Expansion?"
"This list is not manageable by our current staff and processes.  Do you realize how much effort it takes to follow up on leads and suggestions?  If this were a real shopping list, it might be possible, but it is a list of descriptions of capabilities.  Candace is looking for research leads in these areas, but she is only one woman.  I have to keep my ear to the ground for start-ups that might, not are, but might, be doing something in one of these areas.  Add in the companies that are planning to have an IPO soon, and it's an unmanageable workload."
"Okay.  How much do we need to expand, and what does Jeryl say?"
"She just told me to talk to you.  She seems a little distracted lately."
"She's working on a special project, that's all."  We had decided to keep her pregnancy private until Labor Day.
Kelly arched an eyebrow at me, imitating Alison.
I smiled.  "So, how much do we need to grow?"
"I want to take over the floor below us.  Johnson and Godell's lease is up and they need more room as well.  They're going to move out in August.  We need some competent account managers for the existing portfolio and a research team to investigate possible investments.  If we add that many people, we need someone to manage HR.  I think we should bring accounting in-house as well."
I nodded.  "That all makes sense.  What do you need from me?"
She held up her hand.  "There is more.  We've expanded Candace's research efforts as much as we can.  She's already hired three part-time helpers and has taken over Dad's office in Bloomington, but is still falling behind trying to fulfill your requests."
"So it's all my fault?" I asked with a smile.
"I told you a long time ago that you run us ragged.  You spin off ideas and directions faster than we can keep up.  We did alright while you were distracted with school, but just the past couple of months have told us we need to change."
"And what's that change look like?"
"Offices in New York, Chicago, and Atlanta.  Candace will staff them and make sure the managers at each understand their charter, but we need closer relationships with research and manufacturing."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
I nodded.  "I was actually going to bring it up at the next board meeting.  I agree with everything you've said, and I don't plan on slowing down.  One thing I would change, though," I added.
"What?"
"Go ahead and take over this entire building, not just the top two floors."
"But we shouldn't need that space for offices for a little while."
"I know, but I want to start actively encouraging entrepreneurs.  A part of that needs to be having readily available office space where they can focus on their ideas instead of worrying about lights and computers and whatnot."
"You'll just give the space and utilities away?"
"No.  We'll make it part of our funding offer.  We buy in at some valuation or investment and they get office space where we can keep an eye on the work and give encouragement or guidance when needed."
Kelly nodded.  "I know a few people that would jump at that arrangement, especially if it includes access to you."
I sighed.  "Every other Friday, I'll keep time open to walk around and visit with them.  Nothing formal, though, I don't want another set of meetings on my calendar."
Kelly smiled and stood.  "I couldn't ask for more.  I'll make sure Matthew keeps your calendar free once we start moving teams in.  Thanks, Paul."
I watched her leave and then got back to work.  I had my own special project underway.
****
"Paul, these ribs are wonderful," Janet said as she stood by the grill waiting for some more barbecued ribs.
"Thanks, but you'll have to give your compliments to Mrs.  Eccles.  I'm just the cook down here.  She did the rub and sauce."
Jeryl and I had flown as much of the family as possible out to the Utah house for Labor Day.  Jeryl wanted to share our news with them all at once.
We were using the large patio for the first time since the summer between our freshman and sophomore years.  Since then, we had never needed such a large outside seating area and usually stayed on the smaller tables and chairs on the balcony during the summer months.  Now we needed that larger space between the grill and the hot tub.
"Well, they are certainly tasty," Janet said as I began loading more ribs on the platter she was holding for me.
"I'm glad you like them.  How are Jordan and Jyl doing?" I asked.
"Good.  Jyl started her clinical rotations.  Jordan is looking at buying out the pharmacy in Minonk and moving closer to home."
"I'm sorry they couldn't get away for the weekend."
"When she hears how nice it is out here, without the humidity we have back home, she'll be sorry she missed out.  I think she just wanted to spend a little free time with her new boyfriend."
I shut off the gas grill and followed Janet back to the table.  We seemed to arrive at a lull in the conversation.  Jeryl stood up to take the platter from her mother and began circling the table, offering seconds to everyone.
Janet resumed her seat between Jerry and her mother.
"My, Jeryl," Cynthia Morgan said, "you have certainly become more domestic since the wedding."
Jeryl blushed and set the platter near the center of the table.  "Not just when it comes to serving dinner, grandmother."  She looked at me.  I went to stand by her.  All eyes were on us.
"Paul and I wanted to share a little news with all of you at the same time.  I'm pregnant."
All the women beamed and stood and began crowding around us.
"When are you due?" Janet and Cynthia asked at the same time.
"February 22nd."
"When did you find out?" Kelly asked.
"A couple of months ago."
My stepsister turned and smacked my arm.  "Special project, my ass," she said to me.
I grinned.
Kelly gave me a kiss on the cheek and then hugged Jeryl.  "I'm so happy for you guys."
Soon, a small sense of normalcy returned and we sat back down in the warm afternoon sun.  Jeryl was still smiling continuously.
"So, Jeryl how long are you going to keep working?" Cynthia Morgan asked.
"Paul and I haven't decided yet, but I'll most likely resign before the New Year."
"Resign?" Kelly asked.  "Who's going to be COO?"
It was my turn to smile.  "You're our first choice," I said.  "Lord knows you're better than anyone else I can think of."
"But, but, but what about all the other stuff?"
"Del-e-gate!" I said with a laugh.
Jim joined me and we both got a smack on our shoulders from our wives.
****
"Are you excited?" Jeryl asked as I unplugged the small box from its keyboard and monitor and put them in a new briefcase with eggshell foam cutouts.
"Of course I am," I replied after pausing for a quick kiss.
"More excited than last weekend when we let the cat out of the bag?"
"No, but close.  This could turn into a big deal."
"I know you'll do great," she said before kissing me again.  "Don't let him intimidate you."
I smiled.  "I won't."
"Sanford is waiting downstairs for you.  I'll see you at home," she said.
I watched her head for her office and then went for the door, carrying my briefcase.  Sanford was waiting and we were soon underway.  I focused on my pitch as Sanford negotiated the afternoon traffic between our offices and Redwood City.  Twenty-five minutes later, we arrived.  We were ten minutes early.
"Welcome to Next Computer, can I help you?" the receptionist asked in the lobby.  The building was immaculate and stylish.  The large floating glass staircase dominated the space.
"Yes.  I've got an appointment with Steve," I said.
She looked at me.  I had chosen not to wear a suit.  Jeans and a black polo were much more appropriate for this call.
"And you are?"
"Paul Taylor," I said.
Her eyes widened slightly.  She at least recognized the name.  She typed on the keyboard before her and looked at the small screen on her Macintosh computer.
"Yes, you're on his calendar.  I'll take you up."
She scooted back, stood, and came around the desk to lead me up the stairs.  I followed.  We got a few looks but I was soon escorted into a small conference room.  The receptionist left me after promising me to let Steve know I was here.
Twenty minutes later, Steve Jobs breezed into the room.
"Paul Taylor, I hear you want my help."  No hello, no handshake, no simple acknowledgement of any potential shared experience in the business world.
I had braced myself for this meeting.  I had memories of what Steve Jobs was supposed to be like, but it did not really prepare me for the reality.  Now, watching him drop into a chair across from me and stare me in the eye, the full force of his personality hit me.
I forced a smile.  "You heard wrong.  I'm here to help you."
He had a tight smile, like a poker player who knew he had the winning hand.
"How's that?" he asked.
I opened the briefcase and pulled out the flat black box I had packed so carefully less than an hour before.  I slid the box across the table toward him.  I pushed harder than I planned.
He stopped it from sliding into his lap and looked at the side with the obvious connection ports along it.
"What is it?" He picked it up with both hands trying to judge its weight.  I watched him squeeze it, feeling its strength and then give it a little shake and listen for any rattles.
"It's the computer you should be building here."
He set the box back down.
"So, Paul Taylor, boy wonder is going to tell me how to build computers?" There was a hint of sneer to his voice now.
I smiled.  "If we can get a mouse, monitor and keyboard, and a bigger conference room, I'd be happy to show you and explain why."
"A bigger conference room?"
I nodded.  "This one doesn't seem big enough to hold both our egos."
He rocked back in his chair, shocked, and then smiled.  "Okay, let's see what you've got," he said finally.  He rose and opened a cabinet to pull out a keyboard, mouse, and monitor.
I quickly moved to plug them in, turned the monitor on, and then turned on the computer.  The display came to life much faster than a Mac or PC, and I suspected faster than the NeXT computer he was still building.
"No power cord?" He asked in surprise.
"Lithium-ion battery in the case.  I can get about six hours out of a charge.  It would be less if I had to power the monitor, but I'm working on that."
He nodded and grabbed the mouse.  It tracked smoothly across the screen.  "What's so special about it besides the battery?" he finally asked.
"It's got two megabytes of persistent RAM.  It's got a 32-bit bus architecture.  It can drive a multi-megapixel display, once I build them.  It contains seven microprocessors, with dedicated chips for networking, displays, and IO.  Once I scale microprocessor production, I'll be able to assemble these for under two thousand dollars apiece."
I knew my specifications were greater than the hypothetical NeXT machine that they had yet to produce.  I also knew I did not have the hook set that I needed to land him, yet.
"Right now, it's booting into Unix and then loading X-11 for the GUI.  That is as far as I can take it myself.  That's why I'm here."
The hook was in the water.  He typed in a window and squinted at the display.
"You want NeXT to write software for it?"
"I want NeXT to use this hardware platform and build its software on top of it, and I'm willing to make it very attractive for you to do so."
He tipped his head at me, pursed his lips, and tapped his fingers to his lips.  "How attractive?"
He was teasing with the hook.  I just needed to set it.
It was my turn to smile.  "Very attractive.  I'm willing to give you the specs and chips at cost, if you agree to a couple of very generous terms.  I'm also willing to invest up to $100 Million in NeXT for a stake in the company."
His mouth was around the hook, but still not fully set.
"What terms?"
"You agree to implement the FLO language interface inside your software, and you agree to not port NeXTSTEP to the Intel 386 instruction set, and I get first right of refusal for any additional external funding needs."
"Do I get anything else out of it?  It seems like you want control."
I shook my head.  "No, exactly the opposite.  I want you to do what you do so well.  I want you to take this hardware and integrate it so strongly with your software that we change how the world thinks about computers, just like you did with the Macintosh.  Aside from providing material and money, I'll leave you alone."
He looked at me for a full minute.
"Let me get Avie and a few others in here to take a look," he began.
I shook my head.  "I want to make a deal with you, the creative genius who sees the world differently.  After I leave, you can do what you want, show whomever you need to, but this deal is between us; two men who want to change the world."
I stood up and pulled the power cord out of the briefcase.  I tossed him the cord.
"I'll give you a week to kick the tires.  I'll send over ten more boxes tomorrow.  That's all I have assembled right now.  A week from today, we'll either sign a deal on those terms, or I'll pick the machines up and go pitch someone else."
"Who?"
I smiled again.  "Let's hope you don't have to find out."
I walked out of the conference room without looking back.  It was time for my biggest gambles to begin.
****
"Kelly, has Candace started staffing for Chicago yet?" I asked as I walked past her office.
"No.  She's found someone in New York and started looking for office space in Atlanta, but I think she figured she was close enough to Chicago for now."
"Good.  I think we should open an office in Cambridge instead."
"Cambridge?"
"Harvard and MIT.  I also want us to figure out how to get some funding into the Media Lab at MIT."
"What about Chicago?"
"Not as important.  I'd be more inclined to open a bigger office downstate.  U of I in Champaign is doing more core research that's of interest to me."
"What about Fermilab in Chicago?  I thought that was why you wanted relationships up there."
"They're doing too much government work.  I'd rather avoid that given our history."
Kelly shrugged and jotted a quick note to herself.  "Okay.  I've got a call with her this evening.  I'll let her know.  Anything else?"
"Yeah, when is your next vacation?"
"We just had a long weekend at the beginning of the month."
"But you haven't had a full week off since spring break, right?"
She nodded.
"You're taking the second two weeks of October off.  I'm giving Matthew the same instructions.  That gives you two weeks to make plans."
"Paul!"
"Don't 'Paul' me.  Jeryl's last day as COO will be December 15th.  You and I are going to be busy from Thanksgiving until the baby is born.  After that, you'll be more than twice as busy.  I want you to have a break before then."
"A break?  I don't need a break."
"Yes, you do.  Let Matthew take you someplace fun.  If he doesn't have a plan by day after tomorrow, I'll lay on a G-400 and tell the pilots where to take you."
"Okay," she finally acceded.  "Where is Thanksgiving going to be this year?"
"I'm thinking Maine, again, but Jeryl mentioned Hawaii one more time before she has to stop flying."
"Well, if I get a vote, I'll say Maine," Kelly said.  "I like the more seasonal weather for Thanksgiving."
"I'll let her know.  If there is anything you need me to do during your vacation, let me know."
She gave me a smile and a wave of dismissal.  I headed on to my office.
****
"Paul, for those kinds of yields, we need to partner with someone.  We're also going to have to expand production of graphene to keep up with demand."
I scowled and scrubbed my hands over my face.  Jeryl and I had spent the afternoon in our joint conference room trying to sort through production capabilities to ramp microprocessor production for NeXT.
"Why don't you want to go talk to Intel?" she asked.  I had been resisting that approach for the past two hours.
"We'll lose control."
"We're going to lose it anyway.  If we build out a fabrication plant, it's going to take eighteen months to two years.  Your investment in NeXT will evaporate by then at the rate Jobs is using money.  Intel will be that much closer to you by that point.  You keep telling me technology moves on.  We need to, also."
"Okay.  Can we get a meeting set up with them?  If they can't turn up a fab for us faster than we can build it, it isn't worth talking to them."
She wiped a box off the whiteboard and wrote "Intel" in its place.
"Okay, now we just need to scale graphene production.  There's still room in Austin for additional buildings.  We should use it."
"I agree, but we need to find out where the Intel fabrication plant is going to be.  It might be better to co-locate them."
"Well, then I had better see about getting a meeting set up.  I'll call Candace.  I believe she has a connection to Andy Grove."
Three days later, we were in the Intel boardroom discussing our proposal.  It did not seem to be going well.  Their engineers did not seem to believe us, neither our capabilities nor our needs.
"Look," I said.  "We have a product that runs rings around yours, but we can't produce it fast enough.  You have production capability and expertise we can't recreate.  We're willing to trade our knowledge for your capacity.  Why are you making this so hard?"
Andy Grove looked at the engineers in the room with him.  One of them got a nod and cleared his throat.
"You're processors are good, I'll give you that, but not worth what you're asking for them."
I snorted.  "And you've based that on whole minutes of observation?" He was as bad as the military with his narrow world-view and had been my primary sparring opponent for the past twenty minutes.
"I've reviewed Dr.  Freis' papers."
"And we publish our cutting edge material?" I sneered.
Jeryl touched my leg beneath the table.
I took a deep breath, and continued.  "The last paper Dr.  Freis published was for our first graphene based embedded architecture design, now we're talking about a full 32-bit design with a megabyte of on-chip memory.  Your 386 design may be able to approach our rough design, but not with onboard RAM, and not with our megaflop per watt performance.  Our next meeting is with Motorola.  They're hungry enough to jump at what we're offering them.  Your deal to get your microprocessors into every IBM PC is a great thing, right up to the point that the IBM PC becomes meaningless."
"What sort of memory?" Andy Grove asked before the engineer could respond.
"It's new.  It is magnetic loop based.  It holds its contents without continuous power being needed.  Right now, since it's on the same die as the processor, it is a two clock-cycle read or write."
"A megabyte on die?  I don't believe it," the engineer said.
"Just because you don't believe it doesn't make it untrue," I countered.
"And you would supply us with graphene to use in both these chips and others we might want to build?"
I nodded.  "So long as you were meeting our production plan and schedule."
"And this plan and schedule represent firm orders?"
"If we can ramp chip production, I think you'll find they are hard to keep in stock."
"What about the embedded design?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Detroit is your customer for those, right?"
I nodded.
"We'll fab them as well.  I believe we can hit the same price point in the market and relieve you of that production need."
"If we do a deal," I said.
Andy Grove smiled.  "We'll do a deal.  We'll do a deal on very generous terms.  As soon as we can verify a few things on your chips, we'll get the lawyers involved and get moving on the paper."
"Good.  But we need fabrication to begin no later than January.  Can you meet that timeline or do I need to look at dual sourcing?"
"We can meet that timeline, if you can provide the graphene."
"We should be able to."
"We'll also want Dr.  Freis and whoever he needs to come out here to consult."
"We can do that."
"Okay, Paul, I think we have a meeting of minds."
"Mr.  Grove," the belligerent engineer began, "we can't just go scrapping production for an unproven line."
Grove looked at the man.  "Samuel, we can't afford to be mired in the past, even if most of the world mistakes it for the present.  Our designs for the next eighteen months can't touch a megabyte of on-processor RAM with a two clock-cycle read and write performance.  Maybe it's time you rotate to a new position."
The man paled.  I wasn't certain if he had just been fired or not.
He looked back at me.  "We'll do a deal, Paul."
****
"How was the vacation, Matthew?" I asked as I greeted him at his gate in New York.  I had flown the G-400 out to Maine with Jeryl and then flown down to meet him at Islip.
"Great!  I proposed to Kelly," he said as he reached out to shake my hand.
"I heard.  Congratulations.  You can tell me about it on the hop up to Corning."
I guided him through the terminal toward the private gates at the airfield.  Soon we were on the plane and buckling in.
"So tell me about it," I said.
"We went on a Rhone River cruise.  It was fabulous.  I proposed in Avignon on our last night.  We had dinner in a small restaurant with candlelight and red wine.  Frankly, I couldn't even tell you what I ate.  I was a nervous wreck until dessert when I proposed."
"But she said yes," I said.
"She did," he said before pausing for a minute.  "Paul, I love Kelly more than I ever thought I could, and I owe it all to you."
I laughed.  "Hardly.  You're a good man, and you wooed her all on your own."
"You gave a beaten up Marine a chance.  You brought me into your house, your family, your world, and you never treated me with anything but respect and professionalism.  I owe you a lot."
"Matthew, I didn't 'give' you anything except opportunity.  You have earned everything you've gotten from me, believe me."
He looked me in the eye and finally nodded.  "Can I still thank you?"
I laughed and shook his hand.  We were already beginning to descend into Corning.
"So, what's today's meeting?" Matthew asked.
"Corning has been doing some work in partnership with us on the aerogel compounds.  They asked that we come and visit."
"No clues as to what they want?"
"Nope.  If they solved the quality control and batch size issues though, it could be a big deal."
We were quiet during our landing and were soon in a car heading to the Corning headquarters.  As soon as we arrived, we were whisked into a conference room and joined by several people from Corning.  After introductions and offers of coffee, we got down to business.
"Mr.  Taylor, thank you for coming out here today," Rebecca Knowles, the senior product engineer on our joint venture said.
I had met her once before during preliminary disclosures at the beginning of the project.
"We asked that you visit so we could show you what our joint venture has accomplished," she continued.  "As you know, we were focused on creating the capability to mass produce useful forms of the carbon-doped aerogel ceramic you and your researchers created.  I'm happy to say that we have succeeded, and possibly exceeded our charter."
She motioned to an assistant who brought out a flat platter filled with various shapes of a smoky, glass-like substance.  She picked out a shape at random and tossed it to me.
I caught it without effort, surprised at its light weight.  It looked heavier.
"That is a solid cube of our latest material, batch twenty-sixty-eight.  It is stronger than steel and roughly as dense as water.  It also is an excellent insulator."
She picked up a cup-shaped sample and poured hot coffee into it.  She handed me the cup.  I could feel the steam and warmth rising from the top, but felt nothing against my hands.
"This is hardly a suitable demonstration," Rebecca continued as she filled a second cup with ice cubes.  She motioned, and the assistant brought out a portable blowtorch.  They lit the torch and Rebecca held it in one hand while holding the cup of ice above it.  Five minutes later, the ice was still intact in the glass and she did not look uncomfortable holding the glass.
"That's impressive," I said.
"That's not all," Rebecca said with a smile.  She handed the cup to her assistant who placed it in a microwave oven on one side of the room.  Two minutes later, she pulled it out with her bare hand and dipped a teabag in the boiling water.
Rebecca smiled at me.  "We can produce this compound in virtually any shape.  We're working on coloring options, but exterior glazes are doable currently."
I nodded.  "So your efforts have been successful.  Congratulations."  I smiled.  "Can I get a set of dishes made?"
Rebecca laughed.  "Like I said, you can make virtually any shape you want out of it.  What we would like to discuss, is what to make first.  Our product team thinks dishes are a great starting place.  Baking pots and pans aren't so good since it's such a poor thermal conductor, but serving dishes that retain the heat or cold have generated some interest."
"What about industrial application?"
Rebecca nodded.  "Our thinking as well.  Some of the brainstorming we've done covers everything from re-tiling the space shuttle to making railroad rails.  What we wanted to discuss with you is where we should focus first, given our agreement."
"Ah, I understand.  Given our agreement, the dishware is already in design, I assume?" We had agreed on certain uses being the exclusive domain of Corning as part of the contract.  If they could produce a clear variant of the material, they would be producing specialty glass replacements with it.
"How small can you cast it?"
"However fine we can make the molding forms."
"Matthew, can you go give Harry a call at Rolls-Royce and see when he can get over here?  Also, our contacts at GE and Gulfstream.  Boeing will probably want in once they hear about it, but let's hold off contacting them."
Rebecca's eyebrows rose.  "What are you thinking?"
"Jet engines and aircraft," I said.  "If those can work, then auto and engine parts might also be possible.  Let's get the full specs and dive into the details.  How many liters of production can you accommodate?"
"Batch 2068 was a hundred liters.  We will have to build larger ultrasonic mixers and test them, but we don't have any theoretical reason for not making significantly larger batches.  We will need to have sufficient molding capacity to use all the material.  It does not store well for more than an hour or so."
"Okay.  Walk me through the process," I said as I pulled out my notebook and grabbed a pen.  It looked like it was going to be a long day.
****
"How are you doing, honey?" I asked into the phone.
"I'm good.  I wish you were here already.  I miss seeing you."  We had flown together to Maine before I came down to meet Matthew and visit Corning.
That had been three days ago.
"I miss you, too.  I thought this was a day trip.  I had no idea Rolls and Gulfstream would fly up the afternoon we called them.  I suppose if Harry hadn't been over here already, I'd be with you now."
"I know.  I know your meetings are important, too.  I just thought we'd be working together up here."  I could hear a quiver in her voice.  "Shit, my hormones are all over the place.  I'm sorry."  She sniffed.
"It's okay, honey.  How did the follow-up calls go?"
"Cisco is onboard as soon as we prove production yields.  Juniper is still on the fence."  We were in talks with both companies to provide chip designs to them.  Intel would do the actual fabrication of the chips.
"That's good."
"We also got a call from Motorola.  They want a custom battery.  They think they can make a reasonably priced and sized cellular phone if they can get a decent battery."
I smiled.  I knew they would succeed.  "Let Candace or Kelly handle them.  We should be able to build it for them, but we might need to build a new plant."
"Should we be looking for a partner for that?"
"Maybe.  I don't know who would have that sort of expertise, though.  I'll ask Matthew to start working that side of things and also look at expanding manufacturing."
"When do you think you'll wrap things up there?" she asked.
"I'm going to call it quits tomorrow.  I'll be on the island after lunch sometime."
"I'll let Alison know.  She's a little pissed with you, you know."
"Why now?"
"You only have Sanford with you.  You were only supposed to be in Corning for a day.  She was ready to fly down there today.  If you get delayed anymore, be ready for an earful."
"I'll be there tomorrow, I promise."
"I'm just warning you."
"Matthew will probably hitch a ride up.  When is Kelly coming up?"
"I'll give her a call as soon as we hang up.  She was planning on coming up next Tuesday, but might come early if Matthew is coming up with you."
"I'll talk to him and make sure he calls Kelly.  Anything else, love?"
"No.  Just stay safe."
"I will.  I love you."
"I love you, too."
****
Jim handed me a small glass of scotch and took a seat on the glass enclosed, back porch of the house in Maine.  Jeryl had gone up to bed shortly after dinner.  Mom had turned in as well.  Matthew and Kelly had opted for one of the cabins instead of staying in the house.
"How are you holding up?" Jim asked.
"I'm good.  How are you doing?"
Jim chuckled.  "I'm great.  My firstborn child is engaged, finally, to a fine young man.  My youngest child is getting ready to give me my first grandchild.  My wife and my health are good, we have plenty of money to meet our needs, and we're generally pretty happy."
He took a sip of his scotch.
"However, I am a little concerned that my son is trying to take on too much and my daughter is following in his footsteps."
I took a sip of my own drink.
"I know what you mean.  I feel like I'm trying to ride a tiger most days."  I sipped again, hoping Jim would say something.  Instead he just waited me out.
"I don't want to drag Kelly into more than she can handle, Jim, but I feel this is a singular time.  We're going to change the world and that change needs to start now, where the opportunity is."
"Why, Paul?  What makes it worth your health or Kelly's happiness?  Trust me when I tell you money isn't a good enough reason."
"Do you think I'm driven by money?  After all the time we've worked together, that's what you think?"
He sipped again.  "I don't know, Paul.  It's been six months since you graduated and got married.  During that time, you've put things in motion to quadruple the size of the company.  You've been involved in more meetings and deals with big players in industry than I ever imagined.  You're going to be a father soon, and I'm afraid you're going to regret some of your decisions about choices in the future.  You only get one shot at being involved in your child's firsts; their first breath, their first word, their first step.  I don't want you to miss those."
I had never been a father on my first time through.  I had heard similar words from others, but never felt them before.  I nodded and sipped my scotch.
"I'll be freeing up time after January, but I have to get some of these deals done now, while the opportunity exists.  Once the baby is born, I want to re-think how we've structured things.  We need to change how we're operating and who we hire."
"Why?"
"We can't scale.  It's just like our manufacturing processes.  We've hit a step-function where we can't add a person and get another man-year of work.  We need to dramatically change how we organize for work."
Jim nodded.  "I hear what you're saying, but I can't imagine what that might look like."
I finished my drink.  "Me either, but that's why Jeryl went to business school.  I'm going to ask her to help figure it out."
I reached over and clinked my glass to his.  "Thanks for talking it out with me, Jim.  I think I'll go see how Jeryl is doing."  I stood.  "I'll see you in the morning."
****
Jeryl and I laid together looking out the bedroom windows at the fat snowflakes coming down.  We had both woken early and Jeryl had been in a randy mood.  Who was I to argue?  Now, I played with her pubic fur and enjoyed the warmth of her body.
"You must be nesting," I said as I kissed the back of her neck.  I stroked her pussy hair and twirled it with my fingers.
She slapped my hand.  "It's not like I can actually see down there to keep things trimmed nicely.  I've got your bowling ball of a child in the way."
I laughed and kissed her.  "I love you."
"I love you, too."  She pulled my arm up around her belly for a minute and then pulled my hand higher to kiss.
"It's nice being out here without just flying in for a few days or weeks and then flying away.  Maybe I am nesting."
"I know what you mean.  I like our other places, but somehow this feels like the place to be for our first child."
I kissed her again and then got up and lit the gas fireplace by the sitting area.  I pulled on some workout clothes after washing up quickly.
"Do you want some breakfast in bed today?" I asked.  Jeryl was still abed, watching the snow fall.
"No," she said with a sigh.  "I've got to pee anyway.  I'll go see what healthy fare Mrs.  Eccles has for me."
I laughed, kissed her, and headed for my workout.  I was lucky enough to still get a big, greasy breakfast when I felt like it, but Mrs.  Eccles insisted that Jeryl eat healthier as she entered the last two months of her pregnancy.
After my workout, I joined the ladies in the kitchen.
"Paul," Jeryl said.  "Mrs.  Eccles and I were just talking.  She knows a nurse who might be interested in being a live-in nanny.  What do you think?"
"I hadn't really thought about it.  You're not going back to work anytime soon after the baby's born, but I can see how having a nurse would be comforting.  Especially if there was a big storm."
Our one disagreement on where to have the baby had been the unpredictable weather in Utah's ski country.  Deer Valley kept our roads well plowed, but it was still a concern.  I would be talking to the resort about use of a Snow-Cat in an emergency later this week.
"That's what I was thinking, too," Jeryl said.
"I can call Anna and see when she is off and could meet with you.  She's such a lovely girl, but is working much too hard down at the hospital.  They have her on four twelve-hour shifts a week."
That sounded about standard to me.  I was worried about getting someone who wanted to shirk work.
"Well, give her a call and we can at least discuss it with her," I said as I finished eating an egg sandwich and poured a cup of coffee.  "In the meantime, is Alison around?"
As if on cue, Alison came through the door leading to the back hallway.
"I swear, you spooks stand outside listening for your name," I teased before offering her a cup of coffee.
"Actually, I was looking for you, Paul.  We're supposed to go shooting today."
"Oh, that's right.  Let me get a quick shower and I'll be ready to go."  I headed to the bedroom as Alison sat next to Jeryl and began asking how she was doing.
Thirty minutes later, we were driving to the indoor pistol range.
"Alison," I said once we got off the winding mountain road.  "I want to talk about the protective details."
"Really?  Is there a problem?"
I had struggled since Thanksgiving with how to broach this specific topic.
"No problem, just some adjustments I'd like to make."
She drove silently, waiting.
"I'd like you to make sure everyone understands that I'm not the most important person to protect anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, if there is a choice to be made between saving me from danger or saving my wife and child, they win --every time.  I don't want anyone to be in doubt about this."
Alison nodded.
"That includes you," I added.
She glanced at me.  "Of course, Paul.  I understand.  Jeryl and your child will be my highest priority.  I promise."
I sighed.  I had been afraid she would be stubborn about this.
"What do you think about a nurse as nanny?" I asked.  The ladies had still been on that topic when I had collected Alison to leave.
"I think it's a good idea.  It sounds like this Anna is qualified.  You'll have to meet with her."
"Qualified how?  I mean, I know she's a nurse, but what's her specialty."
"According to Mrs.  Eccles, she works in the pediatric oncology department in Salt Lake City.  She's been trying to move back into regular pediatrics, but the administrators keep blocking her.  She's ready to quit."
I thought about that.  Forty-eight hours a week of tending kids with a very low survival rate had to be emotionally draining.  I felt bad for assuming she might be slacking off.
"Well, as soon as we can meet with her, we will."
"Good.  I think they were trying to get her up here this afternoon or tomorrow morning.  She evidently has a few days off before her next shift."
"Good.  So, what are we shooting for today?" We had taken to placing friendly wagers on our pistol shooting.  I tried to keep the bets simple, since I seldom won.
"Oh, how about the loser gives Jeryl a pedicure?" she asked with a smile.
"Okay, but only if you are shooting with your off-hand."
"Deal."
I was lucky enough to win by a single point.  I suspected she had thrown the match just to get to spend some alone time with my wife.
****
"And in other financial news, Corning announced a new partnership holding company called CRP Holdings and will hold an IPO later this year, most likely on the London Exchange.  The other partners in the joint venture are Rolls-Royce and PT Innovations, a small R&D firm run by Paul Taylor."  I almost turned the T.V.  off, but Jeryl stopped me as the two talking heads continued.
"What do you make of this, Dan?"
"Glass engines for cars?  I don't know any specifics, since the filing and press release were vague, but PT Innovations has shaken up industries in the past.  Rolls-Royce and PT Innovations have another joint venture with Gulfstream making the G-400 executive jet that has become the hot plane for firms around the world."
"That's right, Dan, and don't forget the rumors that PT Innovations is also supposed to have some significant contracts with the Department of Defense.  Folks, once the IPO materials are released, we will do a more in-depth story on this, but CRP Holdings could be a firm to watch."
****
"Matthew, I need to ask you a favor," I said as we sat in my office in the Deer Valley house.
"Shoot, boss," he replied easily.  "You know I'll do anything you ask or need."
"I do know that, which is why I don't want you to agree until you hear me out fully.  I want to promote you."
"Promote me?  What position is a step up from Personal Assistant to the Chairman and CEO of the company?"
"How about Vice President of Manufacturing?"
He looked at me and managed a sip of his coffee.  "That position doesn't exist."
"Not yet.  It will, if you take the job."
"Reporting to you or Kelly?"
"To me.  Is that a problem?"
He sighed.  "No.  Reporting to her might be."
"Oh?  Problems?"
"Nothing like that.  It's just that our dynamic would change."  He blushed slightly.  "She likes that I don't work for her.  We...play sometimes that I'm her boss.  I think reporting to her would change the feelings too much."
I nodded.  "Hey, what you two do alone together is your business.  Anyway, this would be reporting to me.  Kelly will report to me as well, but as VP of Operations and Acquisitions.  Candace will be VP of Research Partnerships.  All of you will notionally report to me."
"What about Jeryl?" he asked.
"If she decides to come back to the office, she'll be COO again, but I doubt that is in the cards."
"Really?"
"We've talked about it.  She said she's taking at least six months after the baby is born.  Then she'll decide.  It's not like she has to work to keep us in diapers or anything."
He laughed.  "So, what's the catch?  Why do I need to think about it and talk it over with Kelly?"
"Travel.  You'll need to spend quite a bit of time in Austin and anywhere else we build out plants for materials."
Matthew nodded.  "And this won't be a short term gig, will it?"
I shook my head.  "I think you'll need to spend at least a week a month in Austin as we build up our capacity."
"Okay, I'll talk to Kelly.  Any reason she couldn't travel with me and work from there when needed?"
"None that I can think of.  She's probably going to need to visit some of the other offices as well on a regular basis, however.  She's building out her staff for the VC side of things, but knowing her, she'll want to meet face-to-face with some of the ventures."
"Any chance of us buying a G-400 to get around in?" He smiled as he said it, but I knew there was a serious question behind his joking tone.
"Actually, there is a very good chance of that.  If we're going to have to travel this much, we might as well do it in comfort," I said.
"I'll make sure I let Kelly know that when we talk it over."
"You do that."
"What about your P.A.  if I take this?"
"I'll hire a new one.  Kelly mentioned getting a couple of new-hires rotating through the position to get the big picture."
"Do you really want to do that?  Just about the time you get them trained to how you like to do things, they'll rotate out and you'll have to start over."
He was right.  I had not thought about the downside when Kelly pitched the upside of more people gaining understanding of my direction and style.
"We'll have to see.  Right now, I'm less worried about a P.A.  than I am of restructuring so we can handle everything going on."
"Well, I'll talk it over with Kelly tonight and let you know in the morning.  When would I start?"
"Next week.  Even if you don't take the job, I need you in Austin to get the expanded graphene production facility built out as well as the revised carbon nanotube production for Corning.  We need a five-fold increase in our overall production capacity.  It's going to keep you busy."
****
"Paul, wake up," Jeryl said as she poked me in the back.  "I think we need to head down to the hospital."
Her words galvanized me.  I hopped out of bed and grabbed some clothes.  Moments later, the household was up by the simple expedient of slapping the panic button concealed in our bedroom.
Alison bolted through our door as I pulled on a sweatshirt.
"It's time!"
"I'll get the car," she replied as she headed back the way she had come.
Mrs.  Eccles, wrapped in a flannel robe, stood outside our bedroom.  "I'll get the bag out to the car," she said.  Our hospital bag was staged by the front door.
I helped Jeryl up, ignoring the mess in the sheets and put her slippers on her feet.  Five minutes after she had woken me, we were in the car.  She grabbed my hand as a contraction hit.
"Just breathe, baby," I said as I started the timer on my watch.  She smiled at me.
Alison drove quickly, but safely and we arrived at the emergency room door just after the third contraction hit.
The nurse took one look at us and brought a wheelchair over to the Range Rover.  I was trapped with paperwork, as Jeryl was taken deeper into the hospital.  Alison joined me as I finished filling out the forms.  Together, we were guided to the delivery room.  We both changed into scrubs and joined Jeryl.
Two hours later, all the excitement was over and I was the proud father of a beautiful baby girl weighing eight pounds, eleven ounces and measuring twenty-and-three-quarters inches long.
"Do you have a name picked out already?" the delivery nurse asked.  "For the birth certificate?"
I nodded and looked over at Jeryl with Alison on the far side of the bed, both gazing at the miracle being held by my wife.  "Alison Elizabeth Taylor," I said.
Alison looked up in surprise.
"We wanted to name her after the woman we hope will be her godmother," Jeryl said as Alison looked back down at the baby.
"It would be my honor," she managed to say as tears began to fall.

Chapter Twenty-Eight
Intrigues and Intrusions
****
"I'm serious, Paul, go to work," Jeryl said.  "You've been wonderful and supportive, and loving, but you need to go back to work.  Besides, it's not like I lack for help or companionship."
I smiled and kissed her.  "If you're sure."
She smiled back.  "I am, really."
We had been home from the hospital for almost three weeks.  Jeryl's mother had been with us the first two weeks.  My mom had arrived just over a week ago.  Anna had started the week we came home, and Alison was near, constantly checking on her Goddaughter.  Mrs.  Eccles at least made sure I got some food every once in a while.
"Okay, but I want to know if you change your mind.  Nothing is more important to me than you and little Ali."
"I know.  Now, where are you going first?" She had obviously been told by someone of all the requests I had been delaying.
"California, first.  I thought I could do without a PA, after Matthew took over manufacturing, but I was mistaken."
Jeryl laughed.  "'Ya think?' He kept you organized more than you ever realized.  You're going to have a hard time getting someone to fill his shoes."
"I know.  Anyway, I'll get that process kicked off and then check on a few things around the Bay Area before heading down to Austin and then over to Atlanta and Gulfstream.  Finally, Corning and then Boston to check on some smaller firms that Kelly and Candace want me to talk to."
"How long will you be gone?" she asked with a frown.  "That's a lot more than I thought."
I gave her a reassuring kiss.  "That's the nice thing about our partnering with Gulfstream.  I'll be home every weekend, at least.  I'm not going to miss our daughter growing up."
Jeryl stood up and gave me a kiss.  "I'm going to hold you to that, lover."
"Please do."
The next morning, Sanford was driving me to the airport and a waiting G-400.  Two hours later, I was passing out cigars in the office near Stanford.
"I'm glad you decided to finally get back to work," Kelly teased as I was looking at the stacks of papers on my desk.
"If I had realized there was this much paper waiting for me, I might not have come back.  I thought you were sending all the important stuff out to me in Utah."
Kelly laughed.  "I did.  This is just the stuff that wasn't that important.  It's the research papers and regular correspondence and reports."
"Wow, all of this in a month?"
Kelly nodded.
"I guess really do need to get a new PA."
"Two of them, most likely," Matthew said from the door.  "I did a lot more work than I ever got credit for."
I laughed, and said, "I'm pretty sure that title by your door is plenty of credit, Matthew."
We all laughed.  "So do you already have a group of replacement PA's screened?" I asked.
Matthew nodded and handed me four slim files.  "Pick two," he said.  "I think you should have one here, and one on the road with you.  You can rotate them if you want, so they both get experience with you."
I sat down and flipped open the first file.  I smiled and opened the second, then the third and fourth.  "All ex-military.  I think you're biased, Matthew."
He laughed.  "It worked once.  Why fix something that's not broken?  Here's a fifth file that I almost rejected.  I wanted your take on it, though."
I took the fifth folder from him and opened it.
"Sheryl Conway, formerly of the Air Force Inspector General's office.  That's interesting."
Matthew shrugged.  "I wasn't even aware she was getting out of the Air Force until her resume hit my desk."
"Well, we know she has the clearance for some of the conversations I find myself in on occasion," I said.  I read through her file more closely.  "She actually might make a very good PA with this background."
Kelly walked over and picked up the file.  She read it quickly.  "She's got her JD from Penn.  I wonder why she went into the Air Force?"
"Make sure you ask her in her interview," I said.
Kelly nodded and handed the file back.  "Okay, I will."
"Can you go ahead and ask Rose to bring all of these folks in for interviews during the next couple of days?  I want at least an hour with each, and I'd like each of you to talk to them as well.  Then we can compare notes and decide who is crazy enough to ride herd on me."
We all laughed.
****
"What do you think, Sheryl?"
One of my two new Executive Assistants looked up in surprise.  She had admitted during the interview process that she thought of herself as a long shot, but still wanted the job.  I had decided I could always use a person who wanted to help change the world.
"I think if you build it, half the third-world will want to buy it and weaponize it."
Several Gulfstream executives mumbled in protest, but I held up my hand.
"Explain why you think that, please," I said.
"Isn't it obvious?  You've got a business jet that is as fast or faster than a modern fighter.  Its carrying capacity is just under 30,000 pounds.  Someone is going to turn it into a Mach 2 bomber."
I looked at the plans as various executives began to argue amongst themselves.  I finally held up my hand.
"Gentlemen, can we place these cable runs at the belly of the fuselage?" I asked pointing at port and starboard conduits running along the lower flanks of the plane.
"We separate them for redundancy.  If they are all in the belly, we create a single point of failure, potentially."
I nodded.  "But if we moved them top and bottom instead of on the sides, no one would dare try to cut and re-route them to make a bomb bay."
One engineer hopped up and began looking more closely.  "That could work.  If we make the fuselage ribbing out of the new ceramic compound as well, and route them through custom openings in them, it would be virtually impossible to re-route them after construction."
"How long to do the re-design?" I asked.
"I'll have to talk to the team, but with the new CAD programs, it should only take a couple of weeks.  Most of the components remain the same, so the build timeline shouldn't be impacted."
"We won't retro-fit the prototype," one man said.  "It's ready for testing, already."
Harry spoke up before I could.  "And we want the engine performance data before ramping up production anyway, so we don't want to delay that any."
I nodded.  Rolls-Royce had built the turbojet engines with significant portions cast from CRP-2068, as we had taken to calling the new aerogel based ceramic compound.  Jumping straight to the number, implied it was not our first attempt, according to the marketing department.
"So, we continue with the long-lead items in anticipation of moving on to production in the fall?" The new president of Gulfstream asked.
Everyone nodded.
"I believe the meeting is adjourned, then."
We all stood and were soon headed for our waiting car.  Sheryl frowned as we climbed in.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"A sixteen passenger, supersonic business jet is exciting, but a plane like that will fall into the wrong hands sooner or later."
"At $50 million dollars a pop, I don't think many people will risk destroying one trying to convert it.  Our new ceramic isn't like aircraft aluminum.  You can't just cut and patch it."
"I hope you're right," she said.  "Are you buying one?" she asked after a pause.
I smiled.  "Of course.  I get the second production plane."
"Who gets the first?"
"Marketing," I answered with a smile.
****
"Paul, Intel is hollering for more graphene.  We're going to have to build another plant to keep up with demand.  It's going to be at least a six month build out.  This time, maybe we should quadruple our estimates instead of just doubling them so we can keep pace with the growth."
"Do we have room at the Austin site?" I asked into the speaker phone on my work table as Donna Miller, my second new assistant, pulled a printout off the printer and joined me.
Donna was a West Point graduate who had finished her commitment to the Army and then been accepted into Wharton for their MBA program.  She was blonde haired and blue eyed, of medium height, with a lean, trim build.  She still ran three miles a day.  We had spent the day going over production updates, prior to our weekly meeting with Matthew.
The printout was Matthew's production plan and capacity report.  I skimmed the numbers, knowing they would tell me the same thing he was reporting.
"Yes, we have room, but I think we should start building down here and then look for another site as well.  We're going to run out of space, and if something were to happen here, we would have zero capacity."
"Good point.  I'll get someone looking for a new site.  Anything in particular you want in it?" I asked.
Matthew laughed over the phone.  "Room to grow would be nice.  Rail access might be a good idea, as well."
"Okay, I'll get some recommendations to you by the end of next week.  Anything else we need to discuss?"
"Yeah, we need to have Alison schedule another review down here.  We've had a few irregularities in the access logs that I'd like someone else to go over."
"Any reason to think there was a breach?"
"No, just some suspicious activity.  One person's card was deactivated with three access attempts, but they insist they didn't try to use their card on that door.  We've had a couple of other incidents.  I might just be paranoid, but a lot of people would really like to know how we make the things we make."
I was nodding.  "Okay, I'll give her a call and get something set up.  Anything else?"
"Yeah, are you going to Edwards for the GX-3 tests?"
I looked at Donna, who nodded.  "Looks like I am.  Why?"
"I was there for the GX-2 tests.  I thought I might tag along, if I have the time."
"Sure.  I'll have Donna or Sheryl send the details."
"Great.  Talk to you later."
The line was cut off.
"I'll contact Ms.  Wilson's people and arrange the security review.  Who is going to find a new plant location?"
"You and Sheryl can do that.  Look in the Atlanta area first.  Having production closer to Gulfstream might be good."
"Should we look in New York, near Corning as well?"
"No.  Let's get another plant up in the south someplace and then assess.  If we have rail access, shipping should be easier."
"Okay.  Any other parameters for us?"
"Get options for adjacent parcels, and plan on at least twenty acres to start."
Donna jotted down notes and then looked up to see if there was anything else.  After a moment, she closed the notebook and said, "First cut properties a week from Friday?"
"Yes.  What's next today?"
****
"Gentlemen, what can I do for my government today?" I asked as I entered our conference room with Kelly behind me.  Sheryl was already inside offering the three men in dark suits coffee.
"We'd like to discuss the chips you are selling Cisco for use in their routers," the middle-aged man with the least pressed suit began.
"And you are?" I sat down across from him, assuming he was the boss of the three.
"I'm Frank Dobbson, with the Department of Justice."
I nodded and looked at the other two gentlemen, waiting patiently.
Finally, Frank did the introductions.  "These are my associates, Caldwell Baker and Fredrick Reynolds.  They perform various liaison functions with the department."
Sheryl arched an eyebrow and gave the slightest shake of her head.
"Anyway," Dobbson continued, "your government has concerns over the chips you are selling to Cisco and some other telecommunication's vendors."
"What sort of concerns?" Kelly asked.
"Under U.S.  Export controls, cryptography systems using more than 40 bits for an encryption key are considered munitions and regulated for export.  Your chips employ a communications protocol that can encrypt communications with keys up to 128 bits in length."
I nodded.  "They can.  They fully implement the Secure Hash Algorithm and Protocol Exchange, or SHAPE as it was defined in a joint paper by myself and Dr.  Reis."
"Why do they need that?" Mr.  Baker asked.
"It's part of the FLO language interface.  If you have hardware that tells the world what functions it can perform over a network interface, you have to know that the communications from that hardware are secure and originate with the device or chip you think they do.  SHAPE handles that handshake between devices and control systems securely."
"Wouldn't 32-bits be sufficient for that?" Mr.  Reynolds asked.
"Today, probably, but not in the near future.  The IPv4 networking address space only has 2^32 available addresses by design.  As soon as that threshold is reached, we'll need to shift to a larger address space, most likely 2^128, which is what SHAPE was designed and written to support."
Reynolds nodded.  "But surely you could define that limit in software?" he asked.
I realized that he was the technical person on their team.  "Yes, but then how do you tell devices to switch to the new protocol at a later date?"
He began to speak and then stopped.  He stared at a wall for a moment.  Finally, his eyes returned to mine.  "Okay, so can you implement the protocol to handle authentication only?  Isn't that what the secure hash function is in place for?"
"Yes and no.  The 128-bit hash is used for a low-level handshake across the network.  Once the handshake is completed, a session specific random key is assigned and any messages passed between the device and an authenticated peer are encrypted using that session key.  Session duration can be specified by message count or time.  The protocol default is 1024 message exchanges."
"And that key length is also 128 bits?"
I nodded.
"Can you reduce the size of the session key?"
"Not without potentially breaking the security of the session."
"Is there a way to prevent higher level processes from accessing the SHAPE protocol stack on the chip?" He was at least asking logical questions.
"No, not without crippling the security of the overall network, which is my guess at what you actually want to accomplish."
All three men looked uncomfortable.
I continued, "FLO is designed to coordinate processes across small and large area networks.  The messaging function is a feature of the language.  If I were to introduce artificial weaknesses into those aspects, it would become useless outside a single integrated system.  Its power is going to be realized when complex systems can interact over wide area networks.  Only then will re-usable computing power become a reality."
The men looked uncomfortable.  Finally, Dobbson tried to regain control of the exchange.  "I'm sorry to hear that, Mr.  Taylor.  Given what you've told us, and what we currently understand, the chips you are selling to Cisco, Intel, and others will be placed on our controlled export list and require further review prior to any export licenses being granted."
I shrugged.  "I guess we'll be seeing you in court, someday, then."
"Why do you say that?"
I nodded to Kelly.  I knew when I drafted the SHAPE protocol and embedded it into FLO that this day would come.
"We don't believe that your export controls supersede a U.S.  citizen's right of free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution.  The protocol and programming language you are trying to suppress were first published outside the U.S.  of A.  Furthermore, the complete source code for the implementation on individual hardware was published by the MIT Press last year and has sold well overseas.  Since the hardware you are trying to prevent being exported is functionally identical to that code once it is fed into a computer, from a legal perspective, they are the same.  You are trying to prevent the export of protected speech.  I'm certain the Supreme Court will listen to the case sooner or later."
All three men looked very uncomfortable as we ended the meeting.  Once they were gone, Kelly and Sheryl cornered me in my office.
"How did you know the NSA would try to stop you?" Sheryl managed to ask first.
"Why do you think I knew they would pull this kind of crap?" I asked as I poured a glass of water and sat down at my desk.
"The General and I wondered why you chose to have your software conferences in Canada for the past two years.  I also noted the publication from MIT Press last fall.  I could see striking such a deal after they tried to stop you, but planning that far ahead seems...."
"Paranoid?  'Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you,'" I said.  "I've had enough run-ins with our government to be a little paranoid.  I want FLO implemented in any device that talks to another device.  I'm making very generous business terms for just that reason.  I was not about to shackle myself to their playing field this time.  That's why the software conference is held outside the States, and why I will continue to publish critical technology briefs internationally."
"But there is a real risk of your technology falling into the wrong hands and being used against us."
"A man with a bomb is dangerous.  Knowing how to make a bomb is not."
Kelly interjected, "Sheryl, you can debate this with Paul for hours.  He will not budge, believe me.  He wants the world to have knowledge and freedoms that we take for granted."
I gave her a weak smile.  "And," I said, "I have become a little paranoid with regard to our government respecting everyone's civil rights equally."
****
I was in a foul mood when someone breezed into my office without bothering to knock.  I looked up from my computer, ready to snarl, and stopped when I saw Jeryl leading an entourage through my door.
She was dressed for the pleasant California weather in tan pants and a black blouse.  She was nearly back to her normal, sexy, trim self.  Anna, our nurse was behind her with Alison Elizabeth bundled in her arms.  I saw our older Alison stop just outside the door, after a quick peek inside.  I decided I needed a nickname for one of them, soon, or we would always be confused about which Alison we were discussing.
Jeryl came around my desk and gave me a passionate kiss.  I had been home over the weekend, but decided four days away warranted as reunion.  I kissed her back and then smiled when she pulled away.
"At least you look happy to see me.  I thought you were going to bite my head off when we came through the door," she said.
I smiled and stood to take Alison from Anna.  "I was.  Then I saw it was my favorite ladies in the world.  Your kiss just made it even better."  I looked down at the bundle of joy in my arms.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what brings you out from Utah on this fine April day?"
I sat down and Jeryl sat on the arm of the chair I was in and began stroking the back of my head as I held our child.
"I decided it was time to get out and about.  Alison and Anna agreed.  We decided to come to you for the weekend instead of making you fly to us."
"You'll have to do some work at the house.  We don't have any baby stuff there."
"Alison already took care of that.  She insisted on having security run errands for us yesterday while you were here.  She wants to make certain her Ali-Beth is properly taken care of."
I chuckled and got a drooling smile from my daughter.  Anna handed me a spit towel as I made silly faces to continue entertaining our baby.
"So, Ali-Beth," I said softly, "Are you enjoying visiting daddy at his office?"
She cooed back at me as her eyes focused on mine.  I smiled and then turned and gave Jeryl another kiss.
"You are a wonderful mother, and wife," I said.
She smiled back.  "You're just trying to butter me up, I think."
"Oh?  For what?"
She playfully slapped my shoulder.  "Paul, let's not discuss that in front of the child," she teased.
I gave Anna a look.  "She's a nurse.  I think she knows how babies get made."
Jeryl laughed and Anna blushed.
She was a tall, dirty-blonde, who looked awkward in a coltish way when we first met her.  She was very competent, but seemed unsure of herself in social situations.  Dealing with children and families fighting cancer had taken a toll on her, it seemed.  Over the past few months I had learned how to easily make her blush.  She and Jeryl had become friends.
"Alison!" I called.  She stuck her head in the door.  "Why are you hiding out there?  Come in and say hello for a bit."
She came in, looking as professional as ever, and gave me a smile as she saw me holding her namesake.
"I was actually just seeing if Matthew had reviewed my team's security report.  You know you do pay me for security, not just my pretty face?"
I laughed.  "Yes, I do, don't I?  How is it looking?"
Anna took Ali-Beth from me as she started fussing and Alison sat down with us.
"Things are still secure, but someone was trying to get in.  I've got several recommendations for changes so maybe we can catch the person instead of just denying them entry.  I wanted to see if Matthew had agreed to them yet."
"It's not his call.  You're responsible for security.  Make it happen."
She nodded.  "I'll get the work ordered to begin as soon as possible.  I'll also have a few people visit the Atlanta site to begin looking at security there as well."
"That's enough work talk," Jeryl said.  "I'm still on maternity leave.  We can get into business in three months when I come back to work."
"Oh?  You've decided to come back?"
She smiled.  "Well, at least part time.  I need to keep my mind busy after all, and it will have to change again, once Ali-Beth begins school.  Then I won't be as mobile as I am now or was before."
I kissed her hand.  "Your counsel has been missed, you know?"
She kissed my cheek and we fell into easy conversation about the expansion and our visit from the DOJ and NSA.  I was just thinking about taking them out to lunch when Sheryl came into the office.
She waved at everyone, but had her eyes on me.
"What's up Sheryl?"
"I just got a call from General Baker.  He would like to come over and talk to you privately."
I arched an eyebrow at her.  "When?"
"I didn't know you had guests.  He's on his way now.  He should be here in twenty minutes."
I nodded and Jeryl stood up.
"Honey," she said.  "Why don't we go over to the house and get settled in while you talk to the General?  Then you can come home and we'll have a late lunch while Ali gets her nap."
I kissed her and whispered my thanks.
They had only just gotten away from the office when the General arrived.  Sheryl escorted him into my office.
"What's so urgent, General?" I asked after shaking his hand.
"I just wanted you to hear some news before it was on T.V."  he said.
"What news?"
"Earlier today, our time, we carried out a raid on both Iranian and Iraqi forces in the Gulf of Arabia in response to the mine strike on the Samuel B.  Roberts last week.  It was the first use of four modified B-1's in conjunction with naval forces in the area."
"Things went well, I take it?"
"Very well.  We just demonstrated force projection like the world wouldn't believe."  He opened his briefcase and pulled out several photos and a small map.  "Our B-1's took off from Guam and tanked up over the Bay of Bengal.  We overflew some of the most sophisticated air defenses outside the Soviet Bloc and did not even get a flutter on their radars.  We hit every target on our list and had zero friendly casualties.  It was nearly a textbook mission."
I looked at the photos the Air Force used for bomb damage assessment.  They had hit mostly naval targets; docks, naval stores, and ships tied up pier side.
"You can't see it in the photos, but the Iranian Republic Guard Navy just lost pretty much every boat they had in port.  We took out their mine storage and training school as well."
I nodded.  "I'm glad it went well, but why tell me?"
The general smiled and I had a bad feeling in my stomach.  "The B-1 was originally designed and built to be a strategic asset, not really configured or used for conventional munitions or missions.  When we saw what Lockheed had done, thanks to your material, we re-thought that assumption.  Six aircraft were further modified during their refits to handle conventional munitions.  Four of those participated in this mission.  I want you to understand how valuable your assistance has been to your country."
I nodded and waited for the other shoe to drop.
"I'd also like to ask you to do a bit of consulting with us on the next round of upgrades to the B-1."
****
"Golf-three, control, come left to course zero-two-zero for your acceleration run."
"This is golf-three, roger.  Turning to course zero-two-zero."
A minute or less later, "Golf-three is steady on course zero-two-zero, angels twenty, over."
"Chase-one, confirm visual status, over."
"This is chase-one, golf-three steady on course, all visuals clear, over."
"Golf-three, this is control.  You are cleared for acceleration through Mach one, over."
"This is golf-three, commencing acceleration."
Standing in the control room of test operations at Edwards Air Force base once again had a strange sense of deja vu.  It had been two years since the crash of GX-2 after it broke Mach one.  Now we were waiting to see if GX-3 could improve on that performance.
"This is golf-three, steady at Mach one point one, over."
"Golf-three, control, call your state."
"Golf-three is at angels twenty, heading zero-two-zero, speed Mach one point one, all systems green, over."
"Golf-three, control, continue the test plan, over."
"Golf-three, roger.  Accelerating."
We held our breaths.  Theoretically, there should be no new aerodynamic regimens as the plane accelerated, so the risk was low.  Harry looked nervous, however.  They had fully tested the new engines, but a maiden flight at Mach two was much different from static tests.
"Control, chase-one, maintaining visual, but golf-three is pulling away, over."
The T-38 Talon was rated for Mach 1.3.
"Control, chase-two, I have visual on golf-three.  Visuals all clear, over."
The second chase plane was higher and slightly ahead of the GX-3 for this run.
"This is control, roger."
"Control, gulf-three, speed steady at Mach two point one, all systems green, over."
"Hurrah!" several people in the control room yelled, most notably Harry.  The test director gave us a scolding look, but then broke into a smile.
"Golf-three, control, begin deceleration, over."
"This is golf-three, roger, over."
As the plane slowed to subsonic speeds once again, I went over to Harry and the other engineers and shook their hands.  Matthew followed suit.  I could see the large grin on Sheryl's face as she watched from one side of the room.  We listened to some more of the radio chatter before heading outside to watch the plane land.  We managed to keep the champagne in the bottle until our test pilot could join us on the tarmac by the hanger.  It was definitely a huge milestone for us all.
*****
That night, Dan Rather's voice covered film of the successful test flight.
"Today in California, at the U.S.  Air Force's Edwards flight test range, the world's first private supersonic business jet successfully flew more than twice the speed of sound.  The plane is a joint venture between Gulfstream, Rolls-Royce, and PT Innovations."
The footage shifted to shots of the plane landing smoothly, it's sleek body, delta wings, and low-slung engine cowlings making it look more like it was leaping off the runway rather than landing.
"The plane is designed to carry up to sixteen passengers at intercontinental distances.  Once in service, it should be able to fly from New York to London in under three hours.  While regulators insist significant testing remains before it is approved for passenger flights, Gulfstream has announced it will begin accepting orders in September.  The list price will be approximately forty million dollars."
The segment ended with a shot of us popping bottles of champagne and toasting the pilot and plane.
****
Sheryl and Donna looked at me as I stuffed papers into my well-worn leather case.  I had just told them I had a special project for them.
"I want you to find me at least four thousand acres of land to buy.  It needs to be west of the Rockies.  It needs access to the power grid, even if we'll have to string lines to get power to a building site.  It needs water plus water rights and mineral rights."
Sheryl looked up from her notes.  "Is that all?"
Donna asked, "What's it for?"
"It's for a lab, so I'd like to have easy access from here or the house in Utah.  We'll put in a runway, so that will simplify getting to and from, but I suppose we'll need road access for construction and deliveries and whatnot."
"Rail access?" Sheryl asked?
"No.  It will never be a production site."
"Why so big then?"
"Security.  Peace from any nosy neighbors.  Safety in case something goes boom.  Take your pick."
"Okay," Donna said, obviously thinking I was attempting humor again.  "What time frame?"
"Depending on the climate you find a place in, I'd like to break ground before Thanksgiving if possible.  I'm getting a little tired reading everyone else's research and not being able to work on mine."
Sheryl was definitely curious.  "Yours?" she asked.
"Power generation.  I've been waiting for the materials and processing power to get to where I need them to explore a few ideas.  It looks like things are getting close.  I want the lab ready when the technology is."
"Any budget?" Donna asked.
I shook my head.  "Find the property first, and then we can discuss offers and budgets."
I finished packing my bag and sat down.
"That's the first project.  The second is a little less straight forward," I said.
The ladies exchanged a look and then returned their gaze to me.
"I want you two to figure out how we go about building an all-digital network.  I want a business plan for acquisition of right-of-way and build out.  I want to expand wide area network coverage from the Bay area to Salt Lake City, with plans to reach Denver."
"Why?" Donna asked.  "This sounds like a school project more than a real business exercise."
I pointed at the new NeXT computer on my desk.  "That's why.  It's a great computer, but the power is going to really explode when it is able to seamlessly interact with other computers around the Bay Area and across the country.  Modems are a bottleneck right now.  If we have an all digital network, people are going to be willing to pay for the bandwidth."
Sheryl was nodding.  "Can we plan on going after government contracts?" she asked.
"Yes.  I imagine some of your friends in blue suits would like to be able to move high-quality data securely, and quickly."
She nodded.
Donna asked again, "What time frame?"
"I'd like to do an initial review in three months.  We'll probably want bi-weekly reviews after that."
"Can we bring anyone else in on it?"
"Contract for any outside expertise you need.  Kelly knows what you're working on and can give you contacts for many of our partners who may be able to help.  Candace can put you in touch with the researchers we've been funding on the fiber optic transmission side."
"Budget?" Sheryl asked.
"You can spend up to a million, for the research and business case development.  If you feel you need more, talk to me."
"What about our other duties?"
I waved my hand and smiled.  "Deal with the details as you see fit.  I'll be out of touch for two weeks on this gig for General Baker, so that should give you enough time to get organized.  After that, you two tell me how you plan on splitting things up.  You know my calendar.  I don't need both of you tagging along all the time.  Sort it out.  That's why you get the big bucks," I added with a grin.
Both ladies nodded.  I waited for additional questions and then stood when it was obvious there were none at the moment.  As I headed for the door, I hoped I had just advanced the telecommunications revolution by a decade or so.
****
"But, that's not proven out yet," Kyle Manchester the engineer from G.E.  said as we sat around the table in a windowless conference room for the fifth straight day.
We had all been flown to an undisclosed location, signed secrecy documents and agreements, and then been bussed to a hangar with attached hotel-like accommodations and several conference rooms.  One of the modified B-1B aircraft was in the hangar.
The experience had been interesting, to say the least.  We had been taken up in the aircraft for demonstration flights and to be shown the modified bombing capabilities.  We had watched from control rooms as the plane flew a simulated mission, demonstrating low-level penetration coupled with high-speed dash capability.  Then we had been told to figure out what the next steps in modernization should be.
I was insisting GE improve the F101 engines by incorporating CRP-2068 into their construction.
"Rolls has two thousand hours of test data.  CRP-2068 shows no signs of degradation, and the data is still coming in.  It's giving them a significantly higher turbine inlet temperature for greater dry thrust.  Add in the modified nozzle design for the afterburner, and it is a winner for high-performance jets.  You guys have to get off your duffs, or Rolls will build a replacement for the Air Force."
Kyle glared at me while William Blunt, the program manager from Rockwell, went to the white board and wrote "Engine Upgrade".
"Okay, so suppose we upgrade the engine, what benefits do we get?" he asked in an attempt to defuse the tension between Kyle and I.
"Improved range, so less tanker support needed, or greater on-station time if they have a loiter mission.  That also could translate into greater payload, since the engines will be lighter."
William nodded and wrote those down.  "What else?"
"If it works and we can get a higher dry thrust, we could pull the serpentine intakes and give it back Mach 2 dash capability," Kyle admitted.  Prior to the application of my coating, the B-1B had been designed with special air intakes to reduce its radar signature, but which then reduced its top speed.
"Okay.  Anything else?"
"We'd have to test it, but the thermal properties of CRP-2068 should reduce the infrared and overall thermal signatures from most aspects."
"Good," he said as he added that to the board.
No one said anything.  Kyle glared at me.  We had not hit it off over the course of the meetings.  He assumed I was a snot-nosed kid, fresh out of school while he was the experienced engineer.  Unfortunately for him, he had not been keeping up on what Rolls-Royce had been accomplishing over the past year.
"Avionics should be next," I said finally.
William nodded and added a category to the board.  "Specifics?"
"The onboard computers are out of date.  We're building better with Intel and NeXT already.  Rockwell needs to upgrade the base technology."
"Why?" Kyle asked.  "How will faster computers help the plane's function?"
"Precision targeting," I responded while I raised a finger to keep count.  "Improved counter detection capability, improved communications and communications security, mission threat profiles stored onboard, and accessible during the flight, mission planning aides, strike coordination through improved command and control.  Is that enough reasons?"
Kyle looked down as William hurried to write everything down.
"Okay.  Engines, avionics, and what else?"
"Weapons load," Kelly Holbrook, our only female team member said.  "I think we need to look at being able to carry a mix of stand-off and guided munitions.  That's going to require modifications to the weapon bays."
William nodded and noted the suggestion.  "Anything else?" He made a point to glance at the clock on the wall.  It was approaching six o'clock.
No one spoke.
"Okay, then let's adjourn for the day.  Tonight, jot down any specific notes you have, and we'll collect them for the final report tomorrow.  Thank you all for your work over the past two weeks."
I stood and stretched as everyone else headed for the door.  I noticed Kyle was hanging back as well.
"Kyle," I said as he turned away.  He stopped and looked back at me.
"What?"
I shrugged.  "I'm not trying to cast aspersions on the engines, you know?"
"Sure sounds like it."
"Hardly.  I've worked with your guys on the application of the coating for the low pressure compressor.  I know the engines are top notch, but the state of the art has moved significantly over the past year."
"And you stand to make a butt-load of money if we buy your newest compound."
"I'll make some, but hardly a butt-load," said with a chuckle.  "Mostly any profits from my portion of the venture will be funneled back into more R&D.  CRP was put together to exploit the material, not rack up a fortune."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that, if you get your bosses to move forward, I'll make sure CRP is providing the material at no more than 5% over cost."
That got is attention.  "Why?  Why would you cut your own profits?  Wouldn't Rolls-Royce rather bid the engines?"
"You and I both know that a foreign company is not going to win a bid for engines with the Air Force, unless GE pulls a total bone-headed move.  Talk it over with your bosses.  We can do a deal."
He looked at me for a minute and then shrugged.  "I'll pass along the suggestion once the report is released."
I nodded.  Hopefully he was a man of his word.
****
"Are you going to work for your whole vacation?" Jeryl asked as I came in from my small lab at the Hawaii house.
I gave her a kiss.  "I thought we came here for our anniversary, not a vacation."
She gave me a playful slap.  "We did, and it was wonderful, but now you need to take a break."
We moved together through the house to the lanai where Anna was watching the baby.  Alison Elizabeth was growing like a weed, it seemed.  We had already shortened her name from Alison Elizabeth to Ali-Beth, to Beth as we struggled with having a fully grown Alison around most of the time along with her namesake.
I peered at my daughter and got a smile for Anna before fetching some bottled water and sitting with Jeryl to admire the waves rolling in on the beach.
"And this isn't a break?" I asked after a few minutes of quiet.
"This is a break, but you spent three hours in your little lab out there.  What were you working on anyway?"
"I was tinkering with the new computer and modem set up.  If I could get good connectivity back to the office, I'd be inclined to stay here longer."
"I'd like that," she said with affection.  "What's the problem?"
"I can't get all the larger files I need.  I get part-way through a download over the modem and lose the connection, or have corruption in the file.  It's a pain in the ass."
"So what can you do about it?"
"Aside from laying a cable from California to Hawaii, not much."
Jeryl laughed.  "That might be a bit much to spend just so you could work from here."
I sighed.  "I know.  I did call the phone company to see if we could improve the line quality here.  That might help some."
"It's going to be even worse in Saint Lucia, isn't it?" She asked.
I nodded.  "Yeah, their phone system is even more antiquated.  If we go there, I'll have to take a break."
"Okay, I'll tell Alison to make arrangements," she said with a smile.
"Hey!  That's not what I meant."
She was laughing at me.  I got up from my chair and gave her a kiss to quiet her down.
"Okay, you got me.  I will take a break for the next three days before I have to fly back to California.  Are you and the baby going back with me?" I asked.
Jeryl nodded.  "Of course.  I love it here, but I love you more."
I pulled her to her feet and glanced at Anna and the baby.  "How about," I whispered softly, "we go inside and practice making a little brother or sister for Alison?"
She kissed me with passion.  "I think that's a wonderful idea."
****
"Do we know what was taken?" I asked Harry over the phone.
"Plans and specs.  While we're not happy, nothing truly proprietary was touched.  However, the thing that makes these new engines special is the CRP compound.  Whoever broke in here would need that to replicate our engine."
"Well, we only sell to a very short list of customers right now, so if a new buyer shows up, we'll make certain to check them out."
"Good idea.  I also think you might want to talk to Corning.  How we make CRP-2068 should be protected."
"I agree.  I'll give them a call as soon as we're done."
"I think that's now, then.  Thanks for taking my call, Paul."
We finished the call and I alerted Corning to the break-in at the Rolls-Royce engine shop.  I then called Alison.
"So you think they'll try to steal the process from Corning next?" She asked.  Jeryl had gone back to the Deer Valley house and Alison had gone with her.
"I do, and when they realize that process still needs material from our plants in Austin or Atlanta, those will be next on their target list, or the people that know the processes will be."
"You're thinking KGB again, aren't you?"
"I am."
Alison sighed.  "Okay, I'll get people ramped up.  I think it's time we hire some more staff for security, Paul."
"Do it.  I don't want anyone hurt.  Safety has to remain paramount."
"Very well.  I'll brief you on my thinking this weekend, assuming you're coming here."
"You know I am.  I should be flying home tomorrow night."
"Well, I'll have plans moving by Friday, so you can take tomorrow night off and be with your wife and child."
"Thanks, Alison.  I'll talk to you later."
Sheryl came into my office a few minutes after my calls ended.  Neither she nor Donna had quite settled into the easy relationship I had with Matthew, but both were very competent in their role.  She sat down across the desk from me.
"What's up?" I asked.
"I just wanted to let you know that the NSA has made a significant order of NeXT machines."
"How significant?" I had expected them to buy sooner or later.
From a workstation perspective, the machines Steve was building were a decade ahead of anything available from Sun or Xerox.  IBM had bought several dozen and was rumored to be using them to design a new PC.  Microsoft had also purchased a significant order.
"Ten thousand machines over the next six months."
"Wow.  That is significant.  Can Intel keep up with demand?" I knew the chip supply was the limiting factor at the NeXT plant.
"They can, but wanted to know if we could increase graphene production sufficiently to allow them to open a second fabrication plant."
"Talk to Matthew and find out what he thinks."
"I did," she said.  "Since he doubled our already doubled estimates for demand, he thinks he can keep up, but wants to go ahead and build out four more plants at Atlanta.  Intel wants to move the embedded processors to graphene for the semiconductor as well.  BMW and Mercedes have committed to buying a hundred thousand processors between the two of them for delivery starting in Q1 of 1989."
"Great.  What do I need to do?"
Sheryl smiled.  Both she and Donna had learned that I didn't need or want personal updates on every aspect of the business.  There had to be a reason she was telling me this news.
"Listen to my pitch of an idea," she said.
I arched an eyebrow.
Sheryl took a deep breath and then plunged in.  "I think we should buy Sun, or at least partner with them and take a significant stake in the company.  Our focus should be on the server side of things, similar to what you've done on the workstation side with NeXT."
I sat back and thought about it.  "Tell me more," I said.
"For an equivalent of what you spent on NeXT, you could get twenty to twenty-five percent of the company."
I held up my hand to stop her.  "I'm sure you've worked out the money side of things.  Why is this a good move from a technology perspective?"
"Sun has been focusing on the server and networking side of things, but has not adopted your new chip-sets yet.  As Donna and I have been looking at your network plan, it's pretty obvious that networking workstations is not what you need a digital data network for.  Locations and businesses will need servers to host data on so that will get farmed out to workstations."
I nodded.
"So," she continued, "We should grab a chunk of the server market.  We looked at IBM, but they still are pushing their mainframe business more than the server side of things.  Sun is ideally positioned to capture a significant part of this soon-to-be booming market."
"I agree.  It would be a good investment, but what does it do for us besides make money?"
Sheryl smiled.  In the six months she had been working for me, she had learned that I did not do things just to make money.
"It puts FLO into the biggest provider of servers in the marketplace.  When we couple that with NeXT and a high capacity digital network, you have everything in place for a highly scaled, data distribution system."
I nodded.  "And that will give us a different paradigm for computing," I said.
I knew that software had become a bottleneck in innovation at the turn of the century.  Productivity of software engineers had not kept pace with the increasing capabilities of hardware.  A couple of decades had been squandered as development plateaued.  True re-use of dedicated hardware and software had finally broken that paradigm.  I was trying to jump start that revolution with FLO.
"Okay," I said.  "I assume you have a detailed business case and plan worked out?"
"I do.  Donna and I have been tag-teaming it as we worked on the other projects."
"Have you shown it to Kelly yet?"
"No.  That was our next step after talking to you."
I nodded again.  "Why did you get to pitch it to me?" I asked.
Sheryl blushed.  "We decided one of us should do it instead of stepping on each other.  I won the coin toss."
I laughed.  "Let Donna pitch it to Kelly.  Don't tell her we've already talked.  If she agrees it's a good idea, we'll move forward."
Sheryl nodded and stood up to leave.
"Sheryl," I said.  She stopped and looked back at me.  "Good job.  Tell Donna that as well," I said as she smiled.
****
"Victor, it has been a while," I said as Victor Martin was led into my office.  "How have you been?"
"Good," he said as he sat down and waved away the offer of water by Donna.  She left us alone.
"What can I do for Lockheed today?" I asked as soon as the door was closed.
Victor smiled.  "Always still straight to the point, I see."
I nodded.
"I wanted to ask if you're making progress on increasing your production of you boron-nitrite carbon fiber."
"We've had some success.  Not enough yet to armor a tank or airplane, however.  Why?"
"We'd like to buy some.  We think its radiation qualities would do well for some satellites we're designing."
"Makes sense," I said.  "But you need to understand we're not mass producing this stuff yet."
"We do.  What we'd like to do is buy a sample lot.  We're looking at covering a ten thousand pound satellite."
"Weight doesn't tell me much.  What volume or surface area?"
"Nine cubic meters, with a surface area of about 29 square meters."
"You know this isn't like the stealth coating, right?  We're making twenty centimeter square panels for testing right now.  That's twenty-five tiles per square meter.  That's close to our monthly lab production right now.  I told you this wasn't scaled for production yet."
Victor held up his hands.  "That's the size of the satellite.  We can work around your limitations.  We want to use your material to protect the electronics.  Tell me what you can provide, and we'll work from there."
I felt like I was being railroaded again, but opened a file on our testing progress.  I read carefully and jotted down a few numbers before turning back to Victor.
"I can have the lab make a total of sixty tiles.  That's the most I can do at this scale.  It will take a couple of months to make those."
I could see he was disappointed in those numbers.
"Doesn't the aluminum doped coating give you good enough radiation protection?" I asked.
"It helps, but we're still seeing issues with cosmic radiation.  We are hoping this new compound will work better at those energies."
I nodded.  I wanted the compound to help shield fusion emissions.  I knew the other coating would not meet those needs.  The fact that it did not stop cosmic rays was not surprising.
"Well, that's the best I can do until we figure a better production method."
"What cost are you looking at?"
I quickly jotted down a few salaries and did some simple division.  "Let's call it two hundred thousand.  That will cover time and materials to get things done for you in two months."
"And I can't get twice as many for double that?" he asked hopefully.
I shook my head.  "Sorry, I can't tie up the lab for that long.  They've got other things I need them working on, including scaling that production process."
He nodded.  "Okay, if that's the best you can do, I'll tell my guys what their new constraint is."
"Just remember, creativity loves constraints," I said as he stood.
****
"Are you working too hard?" Jeryl asked as I dropped into a chair in the family room in Utah.  I had gotten home just after dinner and had grabbed a bite to eat as she got the baby a bath and into bed.  She had come out as I sat watching the late sunset down the valley.
I sighed.  "No, I'm just tired.  It has been a long week."
I had been visiting the CRP offices in New York.  Sheryl and Donna had packed my calendar full while I was in the City.  I regretted the decision to make the flight out a red-eye, leaving late Sunday night.  We should have either flown in on Sunday afternoon, or not booked meetings for Monday morning.
Jeryl came over and stroked my head before bending down to kiss my forehead.
"Honey, you feel warm," she said with concern in her voice.
She pushed her wrist against my forehead for a minute and then grabbed my hand.
"Come into the bedroom and let's check your temperature," she insisted.
Five minutes later, she was telling me to take a shower.  "You've got a little fever, Paul.  I want you to get cleaned up and under covers."
For once, I did as I told.  Once I was under the covers, Jeryl brought me a large glass of water and insisted I drink it along with a couple of aspirin.
"You've become quite the mothering figure," I said when she kissed my forehead.
She smiled down at me.  "Just get better, and I'll show you some mothering," she said.
She dimmed the lights and left as I fell asleep.
I woke in darkness.  Jeryl was in bed, but rolled away from me whispering into the phone.
"Matthew, he's sick.  Just deal with it.  If his fever has broken, I'll have him call you in the morning."  She listened for a moment, but I couldn't make out the words.  "Okay, I'll have him call."
"What is it?" I asked as she put the phone back in its cradle.
She touched my forehead with the back of her hand.  "Don't worry about it.  It will wait until the morning."
She tucked the covers back over me as she got out of bed.  I tried to stay awake until she returned, but did not manage to.
I felt no better when I woke to sunlight in the morning, alone in bed.  My skin was clammy from sweat and I did not feel rested.  Jeryl had refilled my water at some point, and I drank it down.  I rolled back over and pulled the covers up.
The door opened.  I felt a hand on my head and opened my eyes, hoping to see Jeryl.  I was surprised to see Alison.  I forced a smile.
Alison frowned.  "You're still very warm, Paul.  I think we need to take you to the doctor this morning.  Can you make it to the shower?"
Until she said it, I never would have thought I could not.  As I nodded and sat up, I was suddenly not so sure.  My head spun and my mouth began watering furiously.  I dropped my head to my knees and breathed through my mouth.  Alison quickly got me a trashcan, just in case.
"Take it easy.  Let me get you some more water," she said as she picked up the glass from the nightstand.  "Don't try to stand up until I get back."
I was not going to argue.  She was back from the bathroom a minute later and handed me the glass of water while pressing a cool washcloth against my forehead.
"Paul, when did you start feeling badly?" She asked as I sipped the water.
"I was tired on the flight home.  We boarded around one o'clock, so maybe an hour after that I started to get a headache.  Why?"
"Was anyone else feeling ill?"
"Not that they mentioned."
"Okay, are you feeling a little better?  Think you can make it into the bathroom?"
"Yeah."  I managed to stand up and make it into the bathroom.
Alison followed me and deftly took the washcloth from my hand as I steered myself to the toilet.  She returned the washcloth as I came out.  I washed my face and she then handed me a towel.
"I set out some pants and a shirt for you.  Do you need help getting them on?"
I looked at the underwear, khakis and polo shirt she placed on the counter.
"I think I can manage."
"Okay," she said as she sat on the edge of the soaking tub.
"You don't believe me?  I asked as pulled off the Stanford T-shirt Jeryl had put on me the night before.
"I've seen it all before, and you don't look super steady, so I'll stay here and make sure you don't fall over before I get you to the doctor."
I chose not to argue and slowly got dressed.  Alison followed me back into the bedroom.
"Where's Jeryl?"
"She and Anna took Ali for a walk while I got the short straw of being nursemaid for you."
Alison had a car waiting at the front of the house.  Sanford was behind the wheel.  Alison sat in the back with me and a small trashcan, which I actually needed on the winding road down from the house into town.
I was surprised when she took me into the emergency room.  I sat in the small waiting area for a few minutes as she talked to the admitting nurse.  Soon I was in a screened examination room.  A young doctor came in and began the exam.  Alison stayed by my side.
"Are you Mrs.  Taylor," the doctor asked her.
"No.  Alison Wilson.  I'm a friend of the family and on his staff.  Mrs.  Taylor decided to keep herself and their baby clear until we learned what it was."
The doctor nodded and felt my pulse.  He frowned at me and then checked my pulse at my neck.
"Let's go ahead and lie down," he said.
I laid back slowly as he grabbed a blood-pressure cuff and put it on my arm.  He took my blood pressure and then had me sit back up and took it again.  He stepped away for a minute and came back with a nurse.
"Paul, you're a bit dehydrated.  I want to go ahead and run an I.V.  to give you some saline and see if that helps with the headache and nausea.  Okay?"
"You're the doctor," I managed to say.
Alison went out with the doctor as the nurse rigged the I.V.  and set the saline to flowing.  It took fifteen minutes for the first liter drain into me.  The nurse took my blood pressure lying down and sitting again, before putting a second bag in place.
Alison came back in with the doctor who promptly checked the I.V.
"Are you feeling any better, Paul?" he asked.
"Some.  Are you going to let me out of here?"
He laughed.  "I think so.  Alison had a few concerns, though so we are going to hold you until I get your labs back.  It's going to be an hour or so.  Is that all right?"
"Sure, but you better unplug me and point me in the direction of the toilet."
"That's a good sign of kidney function, and there are wheels on that stand for a reason, but seeing as that bag's about done, I'll unplug you and let you go without the hardware."
The doctor was gone when I came out and the nurse handed me a cup with some orange liquid in it to drink.
"You need to drink that full sixteen ounces in the next hour," she told me.
I agreed to and watched her go before staring at Alison.
"What concerns?" I asked.
"Strange coincidences.  It may be nothing, but you pay me to be a little paranoid."
"What coincidences?  I caught a stomach flu."
"You got sick while no one else in your party did.  Then there is a fire in one of the Austin production buildings last night, followed by a break-in attempt at one of the other buildings while the compound was swarming with responders."
"What?"
"Matthew got the call last night.  He's heading down today.  We will take care of everything, while you get healthy again."
"You think someone slipped me some bad food?"
"That's what I want the doctor to check out."

Chapter Twenty-Nine
Giving the Game Away
****
"It doesn't make any sense," I said as Alison sat down next to my bed.
I had been admitted to the hospital after the labs came back.  The doctor insisted it was only precautionary, but Alison seemed relieved once the decision was made.
"Someone wanted you out of the picture or distracted," she insisted.
"But why?  It's not like I man a security post at any of our plants."
"All I can say is that you did not accidentally contract a flu.  The labs I asked the doctor to perform were very broad spectrum.  We'll know when they finish getting full cultures grown, but they found something more than a flu, or you would not be in here."
My headache was returning.  I forced myself to sip some water.
"Okay, what if they are tying you down by targeting me?"
Alison's eyes went wide.  She looked at me for a minute and nodded.
"If you weren't so sick, I'd be with Matthew in Austin," she admitted.
"Call down there.  Make sure he is protected," I said.
Alison reached for the phone in the room and I closed my eyes to go to sleep.
A nurse woke me briefly, some time later.  I sipped more water and then fell back asleep after seeing Sanford watching me from the room's chair.
Tiffany was my watcher when I awoke in the morning.  I was feeling noticeably better.  A nurse was checking my vitals and then ordered me to drink more water after noting my consumption on my chart.  I promised to and made my way to the bathroom.
I came out with a fresh-washed face and smiled as Alison walked in and traded whispered words with Tiffany before moving to stand by my bed.
"I think you were right," she said as I climbed back under my covers.
"How so?"
"I think giving you whatever it is you got was an attempt to tie my hands and distract the security team.  There was a second, subtler break-in attempt last night in Austin.  They tried to penetrate the secure area of the building that was set afire the night before."
"Was it successful?"
She scoffed and shook her head.  "No, but if we had not added people, it might have been.  The physical damage took out some of our monitoring in the building.  After our talk, I called in some additional people to help spell our local team.  If the regular team had been all there was, they might have been too tired to respond quickly to prevent a break-in."
"Tell me more."  I was still just foggy enough that it wasn't all making sense.
"We normally have three person teams onsite: one in the control room, one on roving patrol, and one on a break or doing random in-building checks.  If something is picked up on the monitoring systems, they alert the onsite team members and local law enforcement."
I nodded.
"After the fire, monitoring in that building was compromised, so we shifted the third team member to patrol that building more heavily.  That created just enough of a gap that someone felt confident enough to try the first break-in at a second building.  When that happened, we adjusted the roving patrol again.  We also had a higher operating tempo as they dealt with emergency crews, law enforcement, and then our own workers and researchers."
"After we talked yesterday morning, I called down and had schedules adjusted and some outside consultants brought on to augment our staffing.  If I hadn't, there is a good chance last nights' attempt would have happened during peak fatigue by the team onsite at the time.  With the damage to our monitoring, they probably could have had a ten to fifteen-minute window to penetrate the secure area before we would have been aware of them."
"Did we catch them?"  I asked.
"Not yet.  One of the consultants I brought on, I set up on a blind monitoring mission.  He's tailing the team, trying to get a solid ID."
"Good.  Now, when can I get out of here?"
Alison smiled and said, "The doctor should do his rounds about nine this morning.  When I spoke to him last night, he thought you would go home today, as long as the antibiotics were working."
"What was it?"
"A strange mix of things, salmonella and botulism.  They would not be naturally occurring, and they would not be deadly if you had competent medical treatment.  They would make you sick and take you out of the picture for a few days.  I'm still trying to sort out how they got them into you."
"Well, I am feeling better, so that's a good thing, I guess.  How are Jeryl and the baby?"
"Everyone else is fine, and send their love and wishes for a speedy recovery."
****
"Eat your yogurt," Jeryl admonished as she sat down at the large trestle table in the kitchen of the Austin house.
I scowled.
"I did listen to the doctor, you know?"
She smiled.
"Good."  Her look softened and she leaned over to give a quick kiss.  "I want you healthy again, you know?  I was worried."
"I know.  Thanks for taking such good care of me Friday night."
I had spent Saturday in the hospital and then two more days being babied at the house in Utah before Jeryl and Alison agreed to let me come down to Austin, but not alone.  I liked having them and the baby around and we had not spent much time in the Hacienda, as Jeryl called the house, since buying it.
Alison came into the kitchen carrying Ali with Anna trailing behind them.  "Good morning," she said.  "How are you feeling?" she asked as she waited for Anna to get a bottle ready.
"Good," I replied.  "You?"
Alison gave Jeryl a quick grin and then arched her eyebrow at me.  "Monosyllabic, I see.  Eat your yogurt."
Jeryl burst out laughing.  I just shook my head and smiled before dramatically lifting the spoon in the yogurt to my mouth and eating slowly while looking at them.
"Are you both happy now?"  I asked when my bowl was empty.
Both ladies nodded and smiled.  Alison started to speak, but then thought better of it.  Jeryl tried not to laugh at me.
"Thank you both for caring so deeply about my dietary tract.  Is there anything else I can do to show you I'm mended?"
Alison actually smiled and handed the baby to Anna, before kissing me on the cheek.  "Just keep getting back to your old self," she said.
"Are you ready to go?" I asked as I stood and took my dishes to the sink to rinse before going into the dishwasher.
"I am.  Are you?"
We headed out to the plant for my first look at the damage.  Matthew and Dr.  Wilkerson met us at the gate.  We all were in sturdy boots, khaki pants and shirts.  Alison handed out white hard-hats.  Matthew had a clipboard with notes.
"The initial fire appears to have been set with a small incendiary device," Alison began as we walked up to the affected building.  "Whoever planted it, most likely did it well before ignition.  We found parts of a simple timing fuse."
I looked at the char marks running up the side of the building and the hole melted at the base of the wall.
"Do we know what the agent was?"
"Most likely thermite.  Based on placement, my expert thinks they hoped it might open enough of a gap in the wall for future entry.  Since you had treated the insides of the metal sheeting with one of your coatings, it did not do as much direct damage as they probably hoped."
"Direct damage?"
"It was still hot enough to cause an internal fire on the other side of the wall.  If the wall had been un-treated, there probably would have been an opening about the size of a garage door."
Matthew led us inside and down one of the hallways around the perimeter of the building.
"Our air-gap between the low security and high security areas paid off," he said as we reached the interior site of the fire.  "We did not have any significant transfer of heat to the secure side," he said as he pointed to the far side of the then foot hallway.
There was a soggy mess of materials along the exterior wall.  "What was that?"  I asked.
"Mostly shipping materials," Dr.  Wilkerson said.  "When we realized this hallway was virtually wasted space, since we didn't need a ten-foot-wide hallway, we lined the exterior wall with shelves for storage."
I nodded.
"As you can see," Matthew continued, "the sprinkler system for this section activated and mostly controlled the fire."
"Mostly?"
He nodded.  "It stopped the secondary spread among the supplies, and cooled the area enough to prevent spreading, but could not extinguish the thermite that penetrated at the base of the wall."
I looked down and saw what he meant.  Of course, water would not stop a thermite reaction.
I stood up and we continued reviewing the damage done.  Matthew told me what changes we were making to minimize future damage in case of fire.  Alison pointed out where the break-ins had been attempted and what additional changes she was proposing for the compound, buildings, and secure areas.  Dr.  Wilkerson and I mostly looked and listened.
We finished up heading to another building and taking over the conference room in the gallery above the production floor.  This building did not have a secure area.
"Matthew and Alison, this has been a good review and I think your planned changes are spot-on, but I think we need a more proactive approach to make theft, and any collateral damage, less likely."
"What do you mean?" Alison asked.
"I've been thinking about our processes for the past couple of days, since I wasn't being allowed to do anything else.  Dr.  Wilkerson, how long are you able to make nano-tubes now?"
He chuckled.  "What length do you want?"
Our processes had changed significantly over the past three years as he and his team tried new things.
"Ten to twenty nanometers would be good," I said with my own grin.
He frowned.  "We'd have to use the old process for that, the shortest we've done with the new one is around five hundred nanometers.  Ah...."  he understood my idea.
Alison and Matthew looked confused.
"Our old process," I explained, "was very inefficient, and gave us very small nanotubes.  Those are perfect for a stealth coating, if you can align them perpendicular to the surface.  The new process could not be used to make such short lengths."
Alison nodded.  "So you want to arrange a leak of the new process?"
"Exactly.  If people know the process, they can waste their time trying to produce short enough lengths to give them something similar to our coating."
"But you can't just publish a paper on it," Matthew said.
"No, that's why we're going to need to be very clever, and very secretive.  No one but the four of us can know what we're doing.  Is that clear?"
Three heads nodded, and I began to lay out my plan for them to poke holes at.
****
"The French?  Not French mercs working for the KGB, but the actual fucking French this time?"
Alison nodded and motioned to the dirty-blonde haired man with her.  "This is Mike Keller.  He's the man I brought in to do the over watch mission at the plant."
Keller was easy to dismiss, with slim frame and wearing baggy clothes, but Alison had briefed me on his background.  He was ex-SAS and had spent plenty of time alone in the often-hostile urban environment of Northern Ireland.  He was an expert at blending in.
Keller nodded.  "Aerospatiale, at least that's the building they eventually returned to and where their money came from," he said.
"Interesting," I said as I thought through the implications.
"We've got photos and the money trail, Paul.  How would you like to proceed?"  Alison asked.
"Could we take it to court?"  I asked.
She shook her head.  "No.  How we got some of it would not be admissible."
"What about the FBI?  Doesn't espionage of all flavors fall under their purview?"
"We could.  I don't think they would do much with it other than open a file," she said.
"I'm open to suggestions, then."
"MI-6 might be persuaded to take a more active interest in them, since they were probably behind the break-in at Rolls-Royce as well."
I nodded.  "I guess that's a start.  We should notify the FBI as well, even if they won't do anything.  What about a direct approach?"
Alison arched her eyebrow.  Even after many years, that expression still unnerved me.
"What did you have in mind?"
"You said it wasn't all admissible, but I bet we could lay out our proof and maybe make them more circumspect, if not scare them off."
"Won't work, mate," Keller said bluntly.  "They'll just be more careful.  It will also put us back to square one in identifying who to watch."
Alison was nodded in agreement.
"Okay, but how about a subtle signal?  We're using some avionics from them in the GX-3.  Can I at least work with Gulfstream to stop using them as a supplier?"
It was Alison's turn to think.  She looked at Keller.  He shrugged.
"That could escalate things, if they feel they don't have anything to lose.  However, I doubt the people selling the avionics to you are involved or aware of these operations."
"Damn!  How do we get them to stop?"
"Let us do our jobs, Paul.  Once I talk to MI-6, we might have more to go on.  Perhaps you should talk to your favorite general.  He might be able to get more out of the FBI if it is a threat to national security."
"Of course!  I should have thought of that first.  I'll get Sheryl to arrange a meeting ASAP," I said.
It took two days, and a flight to Washington, but that actually felt pretty fast for the Pentagon to move.  I was surprised to find the general joined by six other men in a secure conference room.  Fortunately, they were all briefed on the fire at our plant and attempted break-ins.
"So, Paul, what does it mean for production?"  General Baker asked after quick introductions.
"This month's auction will be about seventy percent of last months' volume."  The general frowned.  "And it will most likely stay at that level for the next two months."
"We've got projects that are dependent on having sufficient volume to complete on time," Captain Womack, the only Navy man in the meeting said.
"Unfortunately, there is not much I can do about that.  We had significant damage to the building and security systems that need to be repaired.  Moving production would cause at least a six-month delay in production."
"What about your new plants in Atlanta?"  Colonel Hiller from procurement asked.
I shook my head.  "Those are configured for a different process and produce different materials.  I can't reconfigure them.  They also are not set up to be secure facilities like the Austin plant."
General Baker sighed.  "Okay, we need to adjust our plans based on revised production figures.  I guess we'll see who really needs the material when the auction occurs.  Now, Sheryl indicated you needed to share some other information regarding the fire."
I nodded.  "I do, but I'm not sure we should share it quite this broadly," I said.
The General frowned.
"Everyone here is cleared regarding your material," he said.
"Sir, my security people have traced where the attack originated from.  It has diplomatic and military implications.  I would prefer not to share it broadly until you agree it needs to be disseminated."
The General looked at me and then around the table.  Finally, he nodded.
"Colonel Conright, if you would stay?  We can brief others once we assess the need to know."
Several officers frowned, but stood and headed for the door after their dismissal.  Colonel Conright moved to the end of the table with the General and myself.
Once we were alone, the General began, "Colonel Conright is with the Office of Special Security.  They act as a special liaison between the civilian agencies and multiple DOD groups.  He is cleared for anything relating to the security of your facilities."
I nodded, and pulled out the photos and evidence we had on Aerospatiale.  It did not take long to cover.
"So what do you want us to do with this?"  The Colonel asked.
"I have no idea.  What do you think you should do when a supposedly allied country is trying to steal military secrets?  Aerospatiale is still partially owned and controlled by the French government."
Both men frowned.
"My people feel tipping our hand by talking to anyone over there will just make them go deeper underground and potentially lose the leads we already have."
"I agree," Conright said.  "Let's keep things low key for a while.  I'll get some other agencies involved and see if we can gather anything else.  How is security at your facilities?"
"Good, and getting better.  Alison Wilson is my head of security.  She is adding staff and implementing changes to all our plants to make it harder for them to get in if they try again."
"What about your new place in Nevada?"  The General asked.
I was surprised he knew the location of my new lab.  We hadn't broken ground on it yet.
"There's nothing there, yet, so I'd say it is very secure."
He nodded.  "Lot's of empty space in Nevada to hide things," he said.
It was my turn to smile.  "I know.  You were kind enough to send me to one of those places for a couple of weeks last spring.  It helped plant some ideas for me."
****
"We will have to cut the range," Harry finally said.
We had been going over testing results for the GX-3.  Our fuel consumption numbers looked good, but the increasing concerns over sonic booms, as well as the need to add different auxiliary power units for use on the ground and during startup was cutting into our usage profile.
"So if we limit supersonic flight to the twelve-mile limit off-shore...."  I said.
"We cut the usable range, below our six thousand nautical mile target," Stan, the Gulfstream engineer, said.
"By how much?"
"Five thousand, maybe forty-eight hundred depending on reserve requirements."
"Shit, that's no better than the G-400," I said.
"But at twice the speed of sound," Harry replied.
"For part of the flight, anyway," I countered.  "What if we increase the service ceiling?  That should decrease the intensity of the booms."
Stan nodded.  "It will, but cruising above fifty thousand is going to cause some flight control problems."
"Why?  The Concorde has a sixty-thousand-foot ceiling," Harry said.
Stan shrugged and punches some numbers in his calculator.  "How high can your engines go?"  He finally asked.
Harry grabbed a sheet of paper.  "We've tested the design to seventy-five.  Beyond that and we'd need to augment the oxidizer or re-design the inlets."
"Well, we should be able to operate safely at sixty to seventy thousand feet, but will need to test in that regimen."
"Okay, so let's test it," I said.  "What will it do for the booms?"
"We should see a six decibel reduction at sea level."
Decreasing the sound by six decibels would drop it to a quarter of the previous volume.
"Is that enough?" I asked.
"It's as good as we can do without re-designing the wings and fuselage," Stan said.
"Do we need to call the Air Force again?  I don't think they will make scheduling us a priority," I cautioned.
Stan shook his head.  "We should be able to do it off the coast.  We've got the limited certificate to allow us to continue test flights.  We're just not cleared for passengers yet."
"How soon to get things going?"
"Give me a week to set it all up.  I want some of my team to double-check my numbers.  We'll also need to arrange for surface monitoring if we want to measure the boom intensity."
"Okay, let me know if I can help," I said.
Our meeting broke up and I grabbed Harry on the way out.  He accepted my offer of coffee and I brought him up to speed on the break-ins in Austin and the possible tie to the break-in at Rolls-Royce.
"Well, that's bollocks," he said after listening.  "They could have obtained most of the info just by asking.  We're using our work with you and Gulfstream to make recommendations on an engine replacement or upgrade for the Concorde.  They're involved with that."
"Really?  Then why risk getting caught trying to steal information?"  I wondered aloud.
"Until you can answer that question," Harry said, "you don't have all the answers you need."
****
"Are you settling back into the grind, sweetie?" I asked as I gave Jeryl a kiss on the top of her head as she sat at her desk.
She smiled up at me and glanced over at the empty crib taking up a corner of her office.
"Yes, but I miss Ali when Anna picks her up.  On the other hand, it's nice to think about things besides feeding and diaper changing and entertaining our little munchkin."
"I know that I'm happy to have you both around more.  I like being able to take a break and see my favorite girls for a few minutes during the day."
"I like seeing you more as well.  What are you working on today?" she asked.
"Reviewing research updates this morning and then taking a look at the network proposal Sheryl and Donna have been working on."
Jeryl nodded.  She had reviewed their work yesterday.
"I think they have a pretty sound plan.  It won't be cheap, but I think it will be a good use of capital and has a promising five year return."
"I'll be happy if it can break-even and get me high-speed links from here to Utah and a few other places.  We should be able to tie into the University of Utah ARPANET node and that will open up a broader network."
"Is that one of the reasons you are interested in Sun and Cisco deals?"
I nodded.  "Sheryl and Donna did a good job on that analysis, don't you think?"
"They did.  I've been talking to Kelly and we've started buying Sun on the open market.  I'd like to get at least a five percent stake before you go talk to them."
"Why?"
She pulled out a file of clippings.  "Every publicly traded company you've announced a deal with has seen a five to fifteen percent stock price jump in the weeks after the announcement."
"Aren't there rules about insider trading we need to beware of?"
"If we were publicly traded, yes.  Since we're not, we are investing in a promising firm and if we do a deal and reap a benefit, it just makes us excellent business minds."
I shook my head.  "Any other 'excellent' business maneuvers I should be aware of?"
"Nike."
"Nike?"
"They are willing to sweeten the contract terms considerably if you'll let them exploit some of your other materials for the sportswear market."
"Really?  Like what?"
"They are interested in some of your other coating products for protective gear.  They're talking to CRP about using CRP-2068 as well."
"I'd think that would be too heavy.  They'd be better with some of the other aerogels we've been playing with in Austin."
Jeryl smiled.  "Perfect.  Can I tell them that?  Do you have any spec sheets yet?"
"Hey, wait a minute," I said with my hands held up.  "We don't have production processes defined for those yet.  We need to talk to Dr.  Wilkerson and evaluate production capability and potential demand.  Right now, all the materials are being made in a lab for testing."
"Okay.  How soon can we get our hands around that?  This could be a big windfall for us, if we can get Nike to re-sign with more favorable terms."
"How big?"
"A hundred million a year."
"Wow."
"I know you're not chasing dollars, Paul, but with that sort of increase in our cash flow, you could really expand your R&D efforts."
"We could.  Based on my reading this morning, there are a few other projects that could have a similar level of return.  Next year could be huge for us if the CRP IPO goes well."
"It will.  Kelly told me it was going to be heavily oversubscribed.  The list price is going to be twenty-five dollars a share, and she thinks they'll close over a hundred given the increasing revenues they're already seeing."
"Then, I guess we had both start getting busy figuring out how to use this money," I said.
"I think we should expand our scholarship funds."
"I agree, and we can't limit it to our hometown anymore, but I think we should target it on science, technology, engineering, and math."
"And education, for our mothers."
"Of course," I said with a smile.
"I'll talk to Candace and Kelly, but I think we should create a separate corporate entity to manage that.  How big do we make it?"
"I have no idea.  You ladies can figure that out, I'm sure.  In the meantime, I guess I had better go have a call with Dr.  Wilkerson and see what he thinks about expanding aerogel production."
I gave her another quick kiss and then headed back to my own office with a bounce in my step.  I was happier when Jeryl was working with me that was certain.  
****
"What's up, Matthew?"  I asked as he walked into my office in California.
"Just a quick question," he said as he took a seat.  "What would you think about Kelly and I using the Maine house for our wedding?"
I grinned.  "I think it's a great idea.  When?"
"We were talking last night and thought the autumn colors would make for some spectacular pictures."
I whistled softly.  "You're not giving yourselves much time to set things up.  It's September already."
"I know.  We don't want a big affair.  Just family and a few friends.  I'd like to ask you to be the best man."
"I'd be honored to.  What else can I help with?" I asked.
"Can you let us use the G-400 for a week or so starting next week?  We need to fly up and make arrangements.  We'd like to hold the wedding in five weeks," he said with a grin.
"Any reason to rush it after such a long engagement?"  I asked with what I hoped was a look of brotherly concern.
"No," he said quickly.  "But that is when the peak colors should be out."
"Well, in that case, take the plane and get things arranged.  Let me know the specific date, so we can plan an appropriate bachelor party, too."
Matthew nodded.  "October 15th.  It's the third Saturday of the month.  We can do the bachelor party on the weekend before, but nothing too wild, please."
I tried to feign innocence.  "I'm an old married family man.  I wouldn't plan anything too wild."
Matthew laughed, shook his head, and headed back out of my office.
I watched him go for and then thought for a few minutes before reaching for the phone to call Alison.  This might be a perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
****
"But what about production?"  Bill Bummanger, a program director at General Electric asked.  "Our tests tell us this is a good material, but we need to ensure sufficient production capacity before we move forward with this program."
"CRP will scale up production to meet your needs once we have a firm order," Rebecca Knowles said over the phone.
"We're turning out blading and turbine assemblies for Rolls-Royce already.  We can put a parallel production line in our existing facilities and be running three shifts as soon as your order is placed and you sign off on the specs."
"How long is your lead-time?"
"Three months," Rebecca said.  I was beginning to wonder why I was even on the call.
"That should meet our needs.  If I put that into our plan, I think we can get the Air Force to sign the LOI and purchase orders.  They want four hundred replacement engine assemblies almost immediately and then a ten-year replacement parts and supplies order.  If they like the results, there should be follow-on orders."
"Bill," I said to interrupt the back and forth they were having, "This is Paul Taylor.  It seems like Rebecca has all the answers you need.  Is there anything else you need from me?"
"No, I think this has been a great call.  I'll get numbers sent over for Rebecca to validate and then get the proposal over to the general."
I thanked them for their time, while feeling they had wasted mine, and ended the call.  Sheryl came in as I stood up from my desk.
"Don't put me in the middle of those routine discussions again," I snapped.
She paled.  "Sorry, Paul.  GE was insistent that we include you.  I tried to put them in direct contact with Rebecca."
"Sorry, I've just got too much to do to waste my time on their egos."
She nodded.  "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
I paced around my desk once and then returned to my chair.  "What's up next?"
Sheryl settled into the chair across from me.  "Your schedule."
"My schedule?"
She nodded.  "Donna and I have been talking about ways to get you more uninterrupted time in your day.  You are getting too many requests for your time.  We could easily triple-book you all day long.  She thought maybe we needed to take a page out of the military."
"How so?"
"Morning briefings."
I waved my fingers at her in a 'give me' fashion.
"One of us would brief you each morning, say at nine.  We would hit status updates on any big projects you were tracking, get any decisions or direction we need from you, and then let you pick where you wanted to focus for the day.  Anything outside the area you want to focus on, we would handle or delay."
I looked at the mess my calendar was with every hour split into fifteen-minute calls or meetings, and sighed.
"I'm willing to give it a try.  When would we start?"
Sheryl smiled.  "Donna will do your briefing tomorrow.  We'll alternate days.  We've been practicing for the past week and think we have a workable approach."
"Okay.  We'll see how it goes.  It can hardly be worse than this mess."
The next morning, I arrived a little earlier than usual and was surprised to see my calendar blocked, but unscheduled with the exception of a thirty-minute meeting with Donna at nine AM.  I sat at my desk and began reading several emails until the morning briefing began.
At two minutes to nine, Donna walked into my office.
"Good morning, Paul.  Did you have a good night?"
"I did.  And you?"
She smiled.  "Aside from worrying about giving my boss a daily briefing, it was fine."
Her humor and smile broke a tension in the room I had not realized was there.  "Well, let's see how this works," I said as she sat down.
"Great.  This morning we'll have a rundown of the current project list for status changes, then review your schedule options for the day."  She opened her notes.  "Repairs to the Austin facility along with security upgrades were completed last week.  The first production runs have begun.  This will be the final update on that effort aside from monthly production reporting.
"Graphene production facilities are on track for completion this month with no issues being reported.  The GX-3 has completed high altitude, high speed testing off the Atlantic coast.  The telemetry and test flight reports should arrive this morning if you wish to review them.  Gulfstream is moving forward with production and has firm orders for twelve aircraft so far.  We are anticipating delivery of your aircraft before Christmas."
"That will be a nice gift to myself, I guess," I said.
Donna smiled and continued.  "The runway at your new lab facility in Nevada is completed.  Construction of the lab buildings has begun per your design.  The residence and other buildings there are awaiting final plans from your architect.  He has requested a site visit with you before finalizing them."
"Go ahead and schedule that when it will work," I said.  She nodded and made a note.
"DigiNet has been registered as an LLP in California and we are beginning to execute the plan for partnering for the network build-out.  Right-of-way agreements are being reviewed and negotiated using outside counsel under Kelly's direction.  No issues on that front yet."
"Nike negotiations are underway under Jeryl's direction.  She will be meeting with them here today in the front conference room, if you care to stop in.  Dr.  Wilkerson has asked for a week to assess production needs for the newer aerogel compounds.  He also said he will need to expand staffing to accommodate additional production while continuing his research efforts."
"Get a firm estimate of people from him and then make sure those costs are included in Jeryl's models as she talks to Nike.  She needs to decide if we need a different organization for that production effort or if it rolls under Matthew."
"Okay," she said.  "Kelly has begun acquiring stakes in both Sun Microsystems and Cisco.  As of close of market yesterday, she had acquired 5.3% of Sun and 3.2% of Cisco.  She has given the green-light on meeting with them at our convenience."
"See if we can schedule them next week.  I'd like Kelly and Jeryl to attend if possible."
"Will do."
"Finally, Matthew's bachelor party is on track.  We've contracted the venue and made travel arrangements.  Alison has assigned Sanford to take lead on securing everything and I'll oversee the other arrangements."
"Great.  Make sure you keep both him and Kelly in the dark."
She nodded with a grin.
"Now onto your schedule.  CRP's IPO will be next Tuesday.  They have asked you to join them at the New York Stock Exchange for the ringing of the closing bell."
I sighed.  "I suppose I need to."
"Yes, you do.  It will help the launch, especially after Tom Harding's special airs Sunday evening on CBS.  Your name will be more public after that which should also help the launch."
I groaned.  I had almost forgotten about the special Tom had been hired to put together.
"Speaking of Tom, he has asked for a meeting with you next week."
"Meeting or filming?" I asked.
"Meeting.  I think he wants to pitch something to you."
"Okay, see what works in my schedule."
She nodded.  "You have requests for calls with Dr.  Brighton at Utah and Dr.  Freis at Syracuse."
"Together or separate?"
"Separate."
"Okay.  Put those on my calendar."
"Also, you have the option of attending calls with Candace on research proposals being reviewed by your advisory committee, a call with the DOD and Matthew on stealth coating production, and a meeting with Jobs at NeXT."
"I'll skip the calls.  Where does Steve want to meet?"
"His office.  He said he had something exciting to show you."
I shook my head.  "Go ahead and schedule it.  What else?"
"That's it."
"Really?  What about the other things that were on my calendar yesterday?"
"Sheryl or I will handle them as your representative.  If we need to escalate anything to you, we'll have it in tomorrow's briefing."
"So I have a meeting with Steve Jobs and two phone calls and the rest of the day is my own time?"
She nodded.
"I think I might love you two ladies," I said after a moment.  "And I also think I might finally start getting some of my own work done.  Thanks."
****
Jeryl had CNN on the television as I came into the bedroom.  I moved to turn it off, but she stopped me.
"They've got something about Sun and Cisco coming up," she said.
"Humph.  That didn't take long."  We had signed a deal with them the day before.
The commercial ended and I dropped onto the couch to watch with her.
"Today," Lou Dobbs began, "Both Sun Microsystems and Cisco announced partnership and licensing agreements with PT Innovations, a think-tank company owned and operated by Paul Taylor.  Industry analysts believe these agreements will give both companies access to innovative microprocessors designed by PT Innovations that can interact across local and wide area networks, as well as advanced manufacturing processes such as those being used by Intel to fabricate the high performance chips."  A video of the interior of a computer chip fabrication plant ran behind his voiceover.
"What makes these announcements particularly interesting is the fact that these same types of chips are being included in the hot selling NeXT computer being designed and built by Steve Jobs, the former CEO of Apple computer."  A picture of Jobs appeared onscreen and then the camera pulled back to include Lou in the shot.
"A common feature of these chips is an embedded programming language that allows systems to communicate over networks to coordinate actions.  While none of the companies involved have announced any features or products beyond their core, there is much speculation that our rapidly evolving technology landscape is about to change once again.  Both companies were up significantly in late and after-hours trading today."
"In other news...."  Jeryl turned off the sound.
"That wasn't bad," she said.
"No, and it's not too far off from what I want to build.  Once we have an all digital network to play on, we should see a lot more of the innovation he was hinting at."
"Really?  Like what?"
"Distributed computing to tackle very large problems will probably come first, but I can see a time when your work computer can talk to your house and let it know you've left for the day so it should turn on the heat or AC to be at your desired temperature when you get home.  I can see businesses putting in an order and having their production line start fulfilling it."  I thought about Just-In-Time manufacturing and inventory control, and smart systems routing traffic and communications.  It was a world I had once lived in and now missed.
Jeryl seemed to sense my reflective mood and snuggled close to me for a minute before speaking again.
"We got a call from Motorola again today.  I might have to fly out with Kelly to meet with them.  They really want to do a battery deal with us."
"I thought we did one," I said.
Jeryl shook her head.  "No, we did a limited run using Dr.  Brighton's latest design for their proof of concept work.  They liked them and want us to build out production capacity or sell them the design."
"Don't do that," I said.  "I had a call with him earlier this week.  He has some new breakthroughs that are going to really change how we think about batteries."
"Why?"
"He took some of Dr.  Wilkerson's work and modified it for use in lithium-ion batteries.  He is getting some crazy power densities, so smaller, lighter batteries.  He thinks a wallet-sized battery with 1500 milli-amp-hours is in sight.  That is the battery we want to sell to Motorola."
"Why?"
"Because you could almost put a computer in your pocket with that power and one of our Intel chips in it.  Add in wireless data and access to the Internet, and you have a networked computer with you all the time."
"Are you sure that's a good thing?  I get a little tired of them by the end of the day."
I chuckled and gave her a one-armed hug.  "I know what you mean, but think about not having to carry paper and notes because you can access your computer from your phone.  Think about having your delightful spreadsheets at your finger tips during a negotiation with Nike."
"Have you seen the crappy displays they have on those things?  You can't use it for more than dialing."
"Well, Candace and Kelly are funding some work on display technology.  By the time a computer will fit in a wallet, I'm sure the displays will be better."
"Until then, I think we should sell Motorola some batteries and let them learn how to make better phones."
I smiled.  "That sounds like a plan.  Let me know if you need anything."
She reached up and pulled my face down for a kiss.
"I could use a little love from my husband," she said as our lips parted.
"As you wish, love."
****
"You know this is going to raise a lot of eyebrows in both the manufacturing and scientific communities, don't you?"  Dr.  Wilkerson asked as we finished going over the large stack of patent filings we were preparing.
"If our plan works, and they steal the newer processes, we're going to want to immediately file to protect ourselves and add verisimilitude to what they steal."
"And once we file, I begin publishing in the scientific journals as well?"
"That's right.  You and your team have been working in the shadows too long.  I want you to get your time in the limelight, too."
The professor smiled.  "I must admit that it will be good to have some of this out and in circulation.  I try not to be vain or petty, but I've got a couple of colleagues that this will shut up."
"Good."
"Of course, you know that your name is going to be on many of the papers as well, right?"
"Why?"  I was surprised.
Dr.  Wilkerson smiled at me in a fatherly way.  "Paul, you've read and commented on every progress report I've sent you.  Your thoughts and ideas on what direction to pursue helped every aspect of my team and my work.  You deserve credit for that, just as we do."
"I don't really need it," I began.
"Yes, you do," he insisted.  "You'll need the academic credentials sooner or later.  In my mind, just the process work you did on some of our earlier methods should be a worthy thesis topic for your masters.  Being able to cite these papers will help when you decide to pursue that."
I shook my head.  "I guess I'll just have to bow to your greater experience in these matters, Doctor."  I knew he was right.  "At least make sure my name is placed at the bottom of the list of contributors.  I am sure everyone else involved is more deserving."
It was his turn to nod.  "I can do that much, if you insist."
"I do."  I decided it was time to shift topics again.  "So your end of our operation will be all set by the end of next week?"
"These are the last of the paperwork."
"Good.  Alison and Matthew have the other portion in hand.  Hopefully, we will all be able to breathe a little easier in the next few weeks."
"Will we know if it worked by the time we see you for Matthew's bachelor party?  I was delighted to receive the invitation last month."
"We should know then, or soon thereafter.  I take it you'll be able to attend?"
"Definitely.  My wife has made me promise to behave, but you know the old saying, 'what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas'."
I smiled and stood up.  "That is very good advice.  I look forward to seeing what everyone leaves behind in Vegas."
He laughed and stood as well before shaking my hand and collecting the papers we had been reviewing.
****
"This isn't too subtle, is it?"  I asked Alison as we stood outside the reflective white walls of my desert lab.
She shook her head and continued to look toward the single road leading onto the property.
"We know they are watching the Austin facilities.  Mike Keller has been keeping an eye on them.  They saw the file safes being loaded onto the armored car.  They followed it on its way out of Austin.  My team spotted them along the route as well.  They are going to see us unload them here and believe this is a soft enough target to try and grab them."
"How would they know it's what they are looking for?"
Alison gave me her arched eyebrow look.
"I'm good at my job, is why.  We let them catch wind of us wanting back-ups of certain materials in the event of a disaster."  She motioned to the barren compound around us.  "They will see this as a hastily constructed storage facility.  When they try to hit it, they'll find out it was not so hastily constructed, but they'll still be able to get in with some effort."
"No live security?"
"Not that they'll see.  Mike and a couple of his friends are out here.  They'll have eyes on the place the entire time.  Other than the security guard at the turn-off from the state road, they won't see a soul."
"What about him?  I don't want any of our people hurt."
"He's a volunteer.  He's not armed, so we think it is low risk.  Professionals should simply bypass him by coming cross-country.  Worst case, they might tie him up."
I started to ask another question when we both saw the telltale bloom of dust as a vehicle cleared the low hill between us and the state road on the dirt path that passed for construction access to the site.  Alison lifted her binoculars to her eyes to look.
"It's the armored car.  Time for you to pretend to be a forklift operator."
I nodded and headed inside to the forklift.  I had a yellow hardhat on and sunglasses to hide my features.  I was wearing old work clothes and a bandana across my mouth to keep the dust out.  I was sitting idle on the forklift when the armored car arrived and backed into the sliding doors of the large machine shed we had built for my lab area.
Alison inspected the exterior door seals on the car and then motioned the guards to open the car up.  Soon I was positioning the forks of the lift beneath the pallet the first safe was set on and pulling it from the car.  It took about fifteen minutes to move the two heavy safes to their storage position set in niches in a cinderblock interior wall.  As the armored car left, Alison pulled on a pair of leather work gloves and began helping me secure the safes tie-downs to the prepositioned slots in the wall.  An hour later, the quickset concrete was shoveled in and our manual labor was complete.
"Once this sets, they won't be able to just pull the safes.  The finishing crew will be out in the morning to get the rest of the security in place.  Like I said, they won't be able to just walk in and take what they want."
"Which will make the information they get seem as valuable as we want it to be."
"That's right."
I pulled the large doors of the building closed and activated the electronic lock from the inside as we headed to the smaller door on the opposite wall.  I dropped off my hardhat and pulled on a ball cap to keep the appearance of a hired worker before stepping out the back of the building and walking toward the waiting G-400 with Alison a few steps ahead of me.  Less than two hours after the safes arrival, we lifted off and headed toward home.
****
"It looks like the real player is Dassault, not Aerospatiale," Colonel Conway said.
We were in a secure conference room at Lockheed.  He had asked Alison and me to meet him there.
"My team followed them, though," Alison said.
He nodded.  "We have some interesting phone intercepts via our friends at GCHQ.  It appears that a man in Aerospatiale is looking to move over to a higher-level position at Dassault.  Access to the stealth compound is what he is bargaining with.  We're still trying to figure out how he learned of the compound.  We're certain he does not have the application process, which gives us a little time to continue to play him."
"Until they make another attempt in Austin," I said.  "It's not 'playing' if they hurt or kill someone, you know?"
"It won't come to that.  We're working with our allies to keep tabs on this guy.  If he initiates anything via the phone, we'll have warning.  I'm assuming you're keeping an eye on him for physical meetings?"
Alison shook her head.  "We can't get good coverage for an around the clock minder.  He could easily meet his contact in person without us knowing."
"Well, we're working to get a monitor in place on the company funds he appears to be using.  If we see a large movement of cash, we'll know he is up to something."
"When will that be in place?" Alison asked.
"By the end of next week.  If it is going to take longer than that, I'll let you know."
"Do your friends in the French government know what this guy is doing?"
Colonel Conway shook his head.  "No.  We want to catch him red handed before we bring it to their attention.  We're also working some other leads inside Dassault to see if they know what is going on.  Like I said, we're still trying to find out how they learned about the coating in the first place."
I looked at Alison.  She made the slightest shake of her head.
"I guess we'll have to keep cool for a while longer.  You know we've restarted production at our Austin plant, right?"
The Colonel nodded.
"If they penetrate our security there, the cat will be out of the bag," I said.
"I'm in contact with the FBI and a few other agencies.  We're putting some additional teams in the area to ensure a rapid response if you detect an intruder.  We don't want your process to get out any more than you do."
"I guess that's as good as we can do, for now, then," I said.
****
"Holy Shit!" Matthew exclaimed as we walked into the Emperor's suite of Caesars Palace.  "This is like something in a movie."
I laughed.  The room had been featured in many movies over the years, and would be again.  "I thought you might want to be able to relax during the festivities," I said as I joined him by the window overlooking the strip.
We took in the view for a few minutes before heading to the two bedrooms to unpack.  Matthew and I would be staying here.  Our other guests had suites a floor below.  Alison had a team in next door to us and on the floor below.  I finished unpacking and changed into a sports coat and dress pants before heading back out to the seating area.
"Matthew, did you get lost?" I called.
He came out in blue slacks, white shirt, and a blazer.  "No, I was just finishing changing.  You said to dress up a little."
"Yep.  We're heading down to dinner.  Everyone else should meet us there."
"Everyone else?"
"You'll see.  We've got dinner tonight and then we'll hit the casino floor for a while, then head to a show."
We headed out the door, with Sanford and Alison joining us in the hallway.  Sanford went to call the elevator as Alison held Matthew and I back for a moment.
"Mike called in fifteen minutes ago.  A team arrived in Vegas and headed north in three rental cars earlier today.  It looks like they took the bait."
Matthew swallowed while I nodded.
"Keep us posted," I said, "but don't let it spoil the weekend."
"I won't," she said before motioning us toward the elevator.
The night turned into a fun, raucous evening.  Matthew had expected Jim and myself and Dr.  Wilkerson, but was surprised to see many other familiar faces from the Austin operation, along with Troy Saunders and Master Chief Flattery who were managing the build out in Atlanta.  He shot me a worried look when Sheryl and Donna joined us as well.
"Hey," I said.  "They are ex-military and your replacements as my assistant.  Don't they deserve to see your sendoff from bachelorhood?"
Before he could respond, both ladies came forward with a shot of amber liquid for him.  He was forced to uphold the honor of the Corps when they offered him a toast.  After that, he didn't give the two ladies another look of concern.
Dinner was in a private dining room, served by toga-clad waitresses who lavished attention on the groom.  His drink was kept full as we all enjoyed a fabulous meal.  I discreetly handed out small stacks of black chips for use at the tables as we finished dessert.
"This is five hundred dollars," Donna exclaimed.
I nodded.  "It's just for before the show.  If you need more later, let me know."
"Wow, I guess there are some perks to this job that you did not mention during the interview," she said with a smile.
We all headed out to the casino floor and made our way to various games of chance.  Alison took my arm as if we were together for the evening while Sanford circulated among the attendees keeping an eye on things.  I followed Matthew to the blackjack tables and sat with him as Alison stood behind me with a hand on my shoulder.
An hour later, Matthew was up a couple of hundred dollars while I was essentially even.  We cashed out and began collecting everyone to head to the show.  It was a Vegas style review with topless or nearly topless dancers, some fair singers, and a comedian who was not bad.  Afterward, we returned to the casino.
We split up around one AM, agreeing to meet by the pool around noon.  Alison and I helped guide Matthew up to his room.  The continuous stream of congratulatory drinks had put him into a very happy state.  Alison hung up his jacket and pants, as I made sure he drank a large glass of water and took a couple of aspirin before collapsing in his bed.  We turned out the lights and left him to sleep it off.
"Care for a nightcap?"  I asked from by the bar.
Alison smiled and nodded as she bent over and undid the straps on her heels.  She slipped the shoes off and then sat on the couch by the window.
"I think you should offer me a foot rub, along with that drink," she said.
I smiled at her.  She was in a little black dress and looked very fetching as she curled her legs on the couch.
"You do, do you?"
"Yes.  After all, Jeryl told me this was a vacation and to make the most of it," she said with a grin.
"Really?  Jeryl had not mentioned that to me."
I walked over and handed her a small scotch.
"It's a bit late to call her, but she told me to not let you come home with blue balls."
She sipped her scotch and then reached up to grab my shirt.  I bent over and gave her a passionate kiss.  Our tongues danced for a minute before we separated.  I set my drink down and sat next to her.  I pulled her stocking clad feet into my lap and began rubbing them firmly.
"I'll give you twenty minutes to stop that," she said with a smirk.
"I might last that long, but I'll be thinking about spanking your sweet ass the entire time."
"Oh, you shouldn't say things like that," she said as she squirmed on the couch.  "You'll get me all worked up."
"Isn't that the idea?"  I asked.  "I thought I was supposed to play with your feet while you think about me taking you into the bedroom and peeling that little black dress off you to admire your cute ass before turning it as red as your hair."
She took a sip of her drink.  "If you do that, I might have to show you that Jeryl isn't the only woman who can swallow your cock.  That should be a pleasant end to your day."
"That might be a nice start to the evening, but I don't think it will be the ending."
"Oh?  What do you think would be a good ending?"
I could see her neck and chest getting flush as I rubbed her feet.  "I think I'd like to nibble on your delightful breasts for a bit, and then maybe see how spicy that delectable red trimmed pussy is."
"It's pretty spicy, from what I've heard," she said, smiling.
"And, maybe I'll show you something else Jeryl likes, that we haven't done yet," I said with a grin of my own.
"What would that be?"
"Maybe I'll give you a nice ass fuck and let you finish with another spanking," I said before lifting her toes to my lips and sucking them through her stocking.
"Oh, you are an evil man.  You want to ply me with your hands and tongue and then ravish my little ass, do you?"
I moved my attentions to her other foot and slipped one hand up along her calf and then to her inner thigh.  She leaned back and moaned softly.
I deftly took her drink from her hand and then stood.  I almost laughed at the look of disappointment.  I shifted both drinks to one hand and held out my other for her.  She smiled and took it as she bent over and grabbed her shoes from the floor.  I led her into the bedroom, making sure to kick the door shut behind us.
She dropped her shoes by the closet and then stood by the bed as I set down the drinks.  I moved in front of her and gave her another passionate kiss before gripping her shoulders and turning her away from me.  I kissed her neck as I unzipped her dress.  I slipped her shoulders free and kissed them as the dress dropped to the floor.  I reached around her and cupped her wonderful breasts.  She leaned back against me and moaned.
She was not wearing panties, and the black garter belt holding up her stockings framed her ass so wonderfully that I could not help but bend her forward and rub my hands across her firm ass cheeks.
Smack!  Smack!  Smack!  Smack!
She moaned again and dropped her elbows to the bed while resting her head on her hands.
I stroked her reddening ass and then smacked her again, slowly, as I knew she liked it.  After twenty swats or so, she shuddered and came softly.  I slipped a finger into her sopping pussy and stroked her gently as she came a second time.
Once she settled down, she spun around and grabbed my belt before quickly stripping my pants and boxers from me.  Good to her word, she engulfed my hard prick in a single, long swallow and pressed her nose firmly against my stomach.  I felt myself slip into her throat as she cupped my balls.  After holding me a moment, she began bobbing up and down, fucking her throat around my cock head.  It took only a couple of minutes before I groaned and shot a load down her throat.  She held me deep and milked me dry before slipping off my dick.
"I told you Jeryl was not the only one that could do that for you," she said with a grin.
I stripped off my remaining clothes and then pushed her back on the bed before climbing atop of her and kissing her deeply.  After a few minutes, I began working my way down to kiss her breasts and nibble on her nipples.  She moaned and writhed beneath me as I worked my way lower and finally dipped my tongue into her hot center and lapped at her clit.
She grabbed my head, holding me against her as I slipped two fingers into her sopping pussy.  I continued to lick her as I worked my fingers in and out.  She was getting close to another orgasm.  I gathered some moisture and then slipped a finger into her rear passage.  It sent her over the edge, and she thrust up against my face and hand while holding my head tightly against her.
"Oh, shit, that was good," she finally managed to say as her legs and stomach relaxed under me.
I was hard once again and moved up her body before slipping my cock into her drenched pussy.
"Oh, Paul, you fill me so good," she moaned before kissing my face and licking her own spend from my lips.
I thrust into her several times before pulling out and rolling off to her side.  She sat up and then leaned over to swallow my cock again.  She seemed intent on applying plenty of saliva.  Once she seemed happy, she rolled away and got back on her knees, pointing her garter framed ass at me.
"Are you going to give me a good rogering, now?"  She asked as she wiggled toward me.
I moved into position and gave her ass a smack.  "Yes.  Isn't that what bad girls like you deserve?"
"Oh, you have no idea how bad I've been, sir," she said in a heavier accent.
I smacked her ass again and then pushed my cock against her winking rosebud.  She reached back and grabbed me to adjust the angle.  I leaned in and watched her ass stretch to accept the head of my cock.
"Oh, that feels incredible," she said as the head popped in.
I held still and steadied myself with a hand on her hip.
Smack!  Smack!  Smack!  Smack!
I moved my spanks evenly across her ass, causing her to slowly fuck herself deeper on my cock.  She moved her hand beneath her and I felt her stroking her own pussy as her spanking continued.
Without warning, she clamped down on my dick and screamed into the mattress as her orgasm hit her.  I grabbed both of her hips and thrust quickly as she moaned and her ass clenched around me.  Soon, I was shooting deep into her.
Slowly, we both came down.  I slipped out of her and went to the bathroom to clean up.  When I came back, she was under the covers, smiling seductively at me.
"Thanks for bringing me on this vacation," she said as I slipped in beside her.
"My pleasure, ma'am.  Believe me, it was my pleasure."

Chapter Thirty
New Ventures
****
"What do you mean 'the French got the process?'" Colonel Conright asked.
We had finished the bachelor party in Vegas, and then had come back to the offices in Stanford.  Mike Keller had called us Sunday evening to let us know that three rented SUVs had arrived cross-country at the lab compound and spent several hours cutting through the wall of the shed.  They had then managed to blast the safes free from their mountings and manhandle them out of the building and into the vehicles.  They left via the access road after sending two men out by foot to tie up and blindfold the guard.
Alison leaned closer to the speakerphone in my office and enunciated carefully.
"They hit our secure document facility in Nevada over the weekend.  It looks like they got the working papers from there.  Paul believes it will take them a year or so to sort through everything, but we have to assume the French team got what they were after."
I gave her a wink, as we both knew the original process that could create the stealth coating was not in those files.  There was no need to tell the government that; at least, not yet.
"We're getting ready to fly down to the site, if you care to join us, Colonel," I said.
"I'm in Colorado at the moment.  Can your airstrip handle two jets if I fly over?"
"So long as the ramp was not damaged by them.  Once we land, I'll have the pilot monitor the guard channel.  Check with him before landing."
"Okay.  It will take me a couple of hours to get over there."
"We'll see you there, Colonel," I said and ended the call.
"How long before we let them know the truth?"  I asked Alison.
"Let's play it by ear.  It would be nice if they caught the man responsible, first."
"I agree.  Shall we go catch a plane?"
We drove out to the San Jose airport where the G-400 was waiting for us.  An hour later, we were on final approach to the lab's field.  From the air, it was evident that they had not entered quietly.  The back wall of the building had a gaping whole big enough to drive a couple of trucks through.
Once we were on the ground, it was obvious that they had taken the brute force approach to the entire operation.  The jagged edge of the hole was melted and there was a clay-like residue on the outlining the burning point in the metal.
"Thermite with a high-temp clay to contain it and keep the glare down on the outside," Alison said as she looked closely at the edges and the slagged metal that had fallen inside the building.
"I thought Mike said it took them a couple of hours to cut their way in?"
"It would take time to rig this, but only a few minutes to burn through once they ignited it.  My guess is they wanted to be in and out pretty quickly once they lit the fuse."
"How long were they inside?"  I asked as we went to the still intact personnel door and entered the building.  Alison had warned me away from stepping on any evidence.
"Whew," Alison said as she stopped me just inside the doorway.  "Not long, based on how much C-4 they used."  The distinct smell of explosives hung in the air.
The cinder block wall we had built to contain the safes was a pile of rubble.
"I think we should wait for the Colonel outside."  Alison said.  "There isn't going to be anything for us to sift through in that mess.  I'm surprised the walls are still standing."
We went back outside, and settled down on the ground in the shade of the building.  An hour later, an Air Force Learjet landed and taxied toward our plane and the building.  A few minutes later, Colonel Conright and a small group of men in desert fatigues deplaned, and joined us by the building.
We tagged along as the Air Force team methodically covered the site and came up with a pretty clear picture of how, and how long, the break-in took.  Alison provided them the specifications of the safes and we all concluded that they probably had not damaged the contents with their blasting.
"Do you have an inventory of the documents that were stored here?" one of the men asked.
Alison handed a hard-sided floppy disk to him as she said, "That's a copy.  We'll hang onto the original.  It has the document title, authors, and an identifier.  The identifier starts with eight digits representing year, month, and day the document was originally created."
The man nodded and put the floppy disk into a plastic evidence bag, numbered it, and entered the information into his logbook.
"Your man said this happened early Sunday morning?" the Colonel asked.
Alison nodded and replied, "They grabbed him before leaving, tied him up, and put a loose bag over his head so he couldn't see anything.  He thought he heard three vehicles leave the property, since they had to slow down for the gate.  It took him a couple of hours to work loose and call it in."
"So they most likely had plenty of time to drive into Vegas, and from there, disappear?"
"That's what I would do," Alison said.  "They might have had to hole up for a while to cut the safes open, but we don't have any identifying information to base a search on."
"Well, I'll contact some of our assets overseas, and see if we can get eyes on the guy at Aerospatiale.  He's going to have to review the materials, at some point."
"But how many other eyes will read them first?" I asked.  "Some of those papers have not been filed yet.  I'm going to have to begin publishing things now, just to protect our other processes."
"I can't let you do that for the stealth coating," the Colonel said.
I shook my head, hoping I was pretending annoyance well.  "Fine, I won't publish that process.  That application process was not filed, here; but, I need to get on the record with a lot of the other stuff."
"How long can you give us?" he asked.
I tried to look thoughtful.
"Wednesday.  Dr.  Wilkerson and I will file patents on our other materials processes day after tomorrow.  If you can recover the safes, intact, we'll hold off, but if they've seen or read any of the papers, I need to file first to protect myself and my property."
"But not the stealth compound?"
"Everything but that one," I said.
He sighed as he said, "I guess that's as good as I can get."
"It is.  Keep in touch, but plan on my walking a huge collection of patent filings into the U.S.  Patent Office in two days."
****
"Promise me you won't do anything stupid or risky like that, again," Jeryl said as I finished telling her our devious plan to let some of our secrets out.
"I won't," I said.  "At least I don't plan on giving anything else of proprietary content to the government that would put me in such a bind, again."
She sighed and glanced back down the plane to Anna and Ali sitting on the couch before looking back at Alison and myself.
"Alison, I want you to promise the same thing.  Just because I give you two permission to fool around at Matthew's bachelor party, doesn't mean I want you taking silly risks.  What if those guys had jumped you as soon as the safes were delivered?"
"Alison had a team in the hills for just such a scenario," I interjected.
Jeryl shook her head at me and then sighed again.
"So, it's all done, now?"
"Almost.  Alison, how long before your guys contact the French DGSE?"
"Monday," she said.  "We'll give them just enough information to roll-up the man at Aerospatiale.  Of course, they'll copy all the files before returning them."
"That's fine," I said.
"Why tip them?" Jeryl asked.
"I want there to be no doubt in our government's mind, that copies of the files have been made by at least one foreign agency.  Even if it's cataloged as 'evidence.'  I want them to believe the secret has been let out."
Alison was nodding.  "It is the only way to make the real secret safe.  So long as everyone is trying to get the coating application process using these longer nanotubes, they won't be trying to break into our facilities."
"Won't they be back for the application process?"
I shook my head as I said, "Dr.  Wilkerson and I planted some careful clues that should make them believe Lockheed has that process."
"Which they do, since you sold it to them," Jeryl finished.
"Exactly.  Even if they tried to grab me to teach them the process, it won't work with the longer nanotubes."
"It's now a double-blind.  All of the parts look real, but they won't work together."
Jeryl did not look convinced.
****
I jogged past the construction equipment at the lab site and headed toward the guard shack at the edge of the property, about a mile away on the dirt road.  I figured I was two miles into the six-mile loop I had planned.  It was a beautiful morning in the autumn desert of eastern Nevada.  The sun was just lightening the east, playing softly across the red, yellow and gray landscape dotted with silver-green sage and light brown brush.  It was a totally different fall color palate than the rich foliage we had over the weekend in Maine.
Kelly and Matthew had gotten married without a hitch and then had flown off to use our place in St.  Lucia for their honeymoon.  Jeryl, Alison, Ali, Anna and I had returned to Utah and then I had flown down to the lab complex for meetings with our architect and builders.  We had moved four mobile homes onto the property for temporary housing, but it was a little too rustic for a baby.  Once permanent buildings were in place, they would come for a visit.  In the meantime, I was enjoying the solitude of the desert and getting in some distance running and thinking.
In the two weeks since the break-in, we had flattened the lab building and were pouring a bigger slab.  It would become a hangar of suitable size for two G-400s along with storage for critical spare parts.  We were also laying out footings for an attached office and bunkhouse for any flight crews laying over at the lab.
I planned on having the actual lab about two miles past the airstrip, just over another small ridge in the landscape.  It would be visually screened from the runway and include significantly stronger security than we had put in originally.  A collection of six small houses suitable for guests or us would be spread along the ridge beyond the lab.  Carl McArthur had driven down to begin site surveys and sketching out his ideas for the 'cabins', as he called them.  Each would be made of native masonry or adobe, so I did not think of them as 'cabins', but he has his own ideas and definitions.
I waved at the guard in his shack and turned just soon enough to keep the sun out of my eyes as I headed back down the dirt road.
I smiled as I approached the hangar area and saw Donna jogging toward me.  She turned when we met and fell in beside me for the jog back to the temporary buildings.  It was the second morning she had joined me.  She said she could do the full six miles, but felt four was good enough since I ran her ragged the rest of the day anyway.  We covered the two miles in just less than fourteen minutes and then walked around the trailers to cool down.
Alison came out with a cup of coffee in her hands and a smile as we completed our second circuit of the trailer.
"Did you have a nice run?" she asked Donna.
"I did, but he definitely pushed me," she replied.
"It's good to push yourself.  You're too young to get lazy," she said with a smile.
"Are you saying you're too old to keep up?"
Alison laughed.  The two of them had fallen into an easy teasing routine over the past week as they interacted.  They were sharing an adjacent trailer while Sanford and Carl were in mine.  I knew she had another team in the hills, somewhere, 'training' as she said, but I hadn't seen them yet.
"Morning brief after breakfast?"  I asked before their joking around got too serious.  I knew Alison could get touchy about her age sometimes, even when she hid it.
Donna nodded.  "Or, over breakfast, if you'd like."
"No.  Let's eat, and then get the day started.  Is Carl up?"
Alison nodded.  "He's having coffee inside.  He wanted to get to the cabin sites early, so will probably head over there soon.  Sanford will go with you.  I'm taking the jeep to check on the perimeter today."
"Alone?"  She was always careful, but the harsh landscape was not something to take too lightly.
"Mike Keller is joining me.  I'll pick him up at the guard shack."
I nodded and headed inside for a quick shower.  I waved at Carl on my way past the small kitchen.  He barely looked up from his sketchbook.  Five minutes later, he was gone, and I was whipping up some breakfast.  Donna came in just as I served up two plates of bacon and eggs with toast and a cup of coffee.
"Thanks, boss," she said as she sat at the table and grabbed a plate of food.
"No problem."
We ate together quietly, and she then helped me clean up.  Finally, over a second cup of coffee, she pulled out her stack of notes for the morning brief.
"Okay, here is the run-down.  The office has received the last receipts from the patent office for your filings with Dr.  Wilkerson.  We have also received several inquiries about licensing already.  We're holding those until Kelly returns from her honeymoon."
I nodded.  I had suspected several companies were watching our filings.
"DigiNet has purchased facilities in San Francisco and we should start laying cable next month.  The first major leg will be San Francisco to San Jose, via Stanford.  We'll then follow the Union Pacific right-of-way to Salt Lake City.  Sheryl is working on the right-of-way agreements for the coastal route as well, to run a line down to Los Angeles and San Diego, but we probably won't start that leg until the spring."
"Why delay?"  I asked.
"Corning doesn't have enough fiber capacity for us, right now.  They'll have a new production facility coming online in January, and should be able to meet our needs, then."
"Okay."
"The southern leg will then come up to Las Vegas, and eventually connect to here, and then on up to Salt Lake City.  That will give us a western loop to allow continued transmission even if one segment gets cut or goes down."
"We'll follow that with a northern loop up to Seattle, right?"
"That's the plan."
She flipped pages after giving me a second to ask any other questions.
"Jeryl closed the Nike re-signing deal yesterday.  It looks like you have a new five-year term with them including a pretty hefty pricing increase, for which they get first right of refusal on the use of your materials portfolio for sporting goods."
"Not just sportswear?"
"Nope.  Evidently, they want to try CRP-2068 for skis and in protective gear."
"Tell them to try a helmet made with CRP-2068 and lined with the Diamond Skin material.  They may need a conventional polystyrene for some additional cushioning, but it should be a good combination."
Donna made a note.
"We should also shop that idea out to defense contractors for other helmet types."
"I'll make a note and see if Candace has any contacts in those areas," she said.
"You saw the progress of the hangar and are spending the day on the housing and labs here, so we'll skip those.  Schedule-wise, you're set for the rest of the week here.  We're still trying to find a time for you and Tom to get together."
"Do we know what he wants to pitch me yet?"  Our schedules had been too hectic to catch up yet, but I knew his contract was up now that his television special had aired.
"He just asked for an hour with you, at your convenience."
"See if he can meet in Park City.  Buy him a ticket if you need to.  I'd like to spend next week at the house in Deer Valley.  Jeryl and I talked about it last weekend."
"Okay," she said as she made several notes.  "That means we'll need to move a few meetings we were arranging."
"With who?"
"The computer industry.  Jobs, Gates, Ellison, McNealy, and Morgridge.  They've heard you are behind DigiNet and want a meeting to discuss plans for the future."
I smiled as I commented, "I wondered when they would take notice.  I'm glad I didn't bet anyone.  I thought we'd have a year to lay cable and prepare."
"What do you mean?"
"They can all see just far enough into the future to know what a digital network could mean.  They are going to try and buy in on the ground floor, if I have any guess."
"Will you let them?"
I could hear the concern in her voice.  DigiNet was her and Sheryl's baby in many respects.
"It depends on the offer.  How are the cash flow projections for the build out looking?"
"Good.  We're within ten percent of plan and about six weeks ahead of schedule."
"Would more capital speed things up?"
"Not right now.  The bottleneck is fiber capacity.  More capital isn't going to speed up Corning's production."
"What about building out local loops or data hubs in major metro areas?"
She looked thoughtful for a minute.  "That is in phase two of the plan, and will be capital intensive unless we partner with someone.  We were looking at the Baby Bells to tie into their facilities."
"Before we get the meeting scheduled, work out some alternatives of building out the infrastructure ourselves.  If these guys want in, that is the pitch we'll make them; create a different kind of digital phone and cable offering."
"Cable?"
"In the raw sense.  We would sell a digital pipe to the door of a business or residence and they could pipe whatever they wanted over it; data, voice, television, or anything else."
"But the existing cable companies have the content tied up," she countered.
"For now.  If we can find a viable business model based on phone and data, the content will follow sooner or later."
I could see the wheels turning.  After a minute, she nodded, made a note, and then looked up again.
"I think we'll push that meeting back until after Thanksgiving.  We'll need some more time to prepare if that's our pitch."
I shrugged.  "Okay.  Keep me briefed on your thoughts, but set the meeting when you and Sheryl are ready, not just because they want a meeting.  Anything else for the schedule?"
"Nope.  I'll sort out a time for Tom, and you can have the rest of your day tramping through the dirt with Carl," she said with a smile.
"Ha!  I know you'll be out there with us before the day is over."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you and Sheryl will want to have some say in at least one of the cabins, since you'll be frequent visitors out here."
She frowned, shook her head and said, "I guess that's true.  I hadn't really thought about getting any say in what gets built."
"We're all going to be working here, so we all get some say," I said as I took a sip of my coffee.  "I just get the final say," I added with a grin.
Ten minutes later, Donna dropped me off at the end of the dirt road, where we planned on building.  Then she took off in a small cloud of dust for town.  She had some temporary office space to use for calls around the country, until we got phone service put in someplace besides the guard shack.
I walked along the ridge line to where Carl was sitting in a boulder, sketching in his book.
"How goes it, Carl?"  I asked as I approached.
The older architect looked up and grinned.  "Fabulous.  How adventuresome do you feel?"
His attitude surprised me.  "What do you mean?"
"I came up with an idea for the cabins that I want to run by you.  It's quite a bit different from what I had in mind before, but the more I think about it, the more I like it.  I think you will as well."
I climbed onto the boulder beside him.  "Tell me about it."
He flipped his sketchbook around and opened to a surprisingly detailed drawing of the ridge where we were sitting.
"I want to give each place this view," he said as he waved to the shallow valley to the southwest of our position.  "But I don't want them to be spoiled by the silhouettes of the other cabins."
I nodded as he flipped the page, to show me a pretty good approximation of what the ridge would look like from the valley floor.  Situated in widely spaced sites were terraces and windows poking out of the slope of the ridge.
"By going down, instead of up; I can make each cabin have a unique, unobstructed view.  We'll also get some significant thermal efficiency.  During the heat, it will naturally cool the spaces and in the winter, it will insulate and warm them."
"But you won't have much natural light," I said.
"Yes, and no.  I'll make them longer and a little narrower to maximize the terrace length and then use some skylights on the back slope for the inside of the buildings.  That gets me to the other opportunity."
He flipped the page again and showed me a rough cutaway of the ridge.  "We'll need to excavate for utilities anyway, so I thought we could use precast concrete piping for underground access to each cabin in addition to their individual private entrances."  He flipped the page again.  "We could extend the piping on one end to give you access to your lab space and on the other for the utility runs."
I picked up the book and looked more closely.  I flipped the page to a topographical map of the ridge and saw his rough outline of the six cabins and the lab space on the reverse slope.
"The lab isn't underground, is it?"
"No, that would be too expensive and delay the building too long.  It is set into the reverse slope, but I think we'll make its floor level with the flooring of the pipe, so you could run a golf cart through the pipe way if you wanted to."
I got up and walked along the ridge for a short distance.  Carl followed me.
"I like the idea," I said finally as I scanned the valley.  "But won't we tear-up a lot of the landscape building it?"
Carl shook his head.  "It's a risk, but I think I know the crew that can do the job with minimal impact.  I'll need a full soil analysis and probably a couple of cores before I know for certain, but I think this could become a very special place for you."
I thought about it a little longer.  Carl had been given free reign on the house in Deer Valley and not disappointed me.  Finally, I nodded.  "Let's go ahead and develop the idea further; but so far, I like it, and I trust your instincts."
The older man beamed at me and whipped out his sketchbook again.
"Because each cabin will be carefully positioned, they will all be unique, at least from a design and layout perspective."  He sat on another convenient boulder and motioned me over.
"The ridge to valley distance is greatest at this end, so this cabin will be three floors.  I think it will be your house here.  These stair-stepped terraces will give you plenty of outdoor use space as well as opening the interior to plenty of natural light.  Since it's on this side of the natural bend in the ridge, no one else will be able to see your terracing."
He flipped to another page.  "As we move along the ridge toward the shallower end of the valley, the structures will switch to two and then single stories, but all will have an outdoor space."
I continued to let him show me his sketches and point out landscape details that he wanted to take advantage of.  By the time Donna returned in the jeep to take us back for lunch, I had an excellent picture in my head of what my genius architect wanted to build.
****
"Tom, it's good to see you again," Jeryl said as Sheryl escorted him into the office in our Deer Valley home.  We had been enjoying the late fall weather, admiring the first fall of snow while sitting together in front of the small fireplace.  Anna had just taken Ali for her afternoon nap.
"Likewise," Tom said as he gave Jeryl a quick hug and shook my hand.
"Sorry it took so long to get this scheduled," I said.  "We've been on the road a bit."
"No problems," he said as he sat down.
"So what can we do for you?"  I asked.
He smiled and looked as nervous as he had the first time he broached the topic of doing a documentary on me.
"I want to make you an offer, and ask a favor," he said finally.  "In the documentary, you mention the state of education, and the need for our students to be given opportunities to learn from their mistakes, rather than being handed solutions."
I nodded.  His editing of the footage had made that nearly a theme in the final cut.  It was one of the things I liked most about his portrayal of me.
"I want to create those kinds of opportunities and capture the process on film, but not for a documentary.  I want to film a TV series based on a group of students that you two mentor through the process," he said in a rush.
Jeryl and I exchanged a look.
"Is that the offer or the favor?" I finally asked, with a smile to take any sting out of my words.
"A little of both.  I know you don't seek fame, but you are becoming an icon to our generation.  If you talk to a company, Wall Street takes notice.  When you launch something new, it is newsworthy, even if most people don't understand the implications.  I know the military listens to you; I just don't know what all you talk about.  You are a mover and shaker, even if you don't want to believe it."
I was stunned.  Not by what he said, but by the fact that he knew it.  Jeryl smiled at me and squeezed my hand.
"The flip side is that you need to start managing your image," Tom continued.  "I'd like to offer you my services, for that.  You need a PR representative.  I can handle that, while I work on the other project as well."
That was an easy decision.
"Tom, I'd be happy to offer you the position of Director of Public Relations for our company.  Will you take the position if we don't do your TV series?"
He nodded.  "I will, since I need a job, but I'm really serious about the series."
"Why?"
"You said you want to change the world, but you also said inventions alone, won't do that.  You said you needed to change how people think for themselves, explore the possibilities, and learn from one another.  If you just invent and build things, you'll only be fulfilling half that desire."
He was paraphrasing me much more succinctly than the ramblings he had filmed, but he was spot on with my thinking.
"Okay, so tell me more about your concept for a show."
He smiled, glanced at Jeryl, and then dived in.
"We'll start with a selection process and interview applicants to select eight to twelve individuals for intern roles in your company.  Each will have individual and group research efforts in the sciences or business.  The internships will run for six months.  We'll record their lab and work space areas along with presentations and your mentoring sessions with them.  Each week, we'll review progress and rank them."
"Rank them?"
"I need your input, but I was thinking we would measure their progress in terms of attempts at whatever they are developing, and how successful their results are.  We'll also assess their presentations to you two and maybe a guest mentor of some sort.  Each week, we'll end the show with the current and cumulative rankings.  At the end of the six months, you'll make one or two of them job offers.  Even people that don't get an offer from you will have a video resume to use in their careers."
Tom was proposing a reality television series decades before they became a nationwide craze.  He was leaning forward in his chair, waiting for my reaction.  I looked at Jeryl.
"What if we include business challenges in the process?  I think invention alone won't hold an audience's attention long enough to keep your ratings up," Jeryl said.
"Like what?"
"Well, we could start them with developing a go-to-market strategy for something the company has done.  That could build awareness of the product before it's launch and guarantee a sponsor or two."
"Do you have something in mind?" I asked.
Jeryl nodded.  "The new Nike deal.  By the time we could get the show and internships organized, they should have a couple of products at least beyond the early testing phase.  Worst case, they should be ready for a new line of Diamond Skin products to launch."
Tom was nodding his head and grinning.  "That would be great.  It also opens up the internship pool to a greater audience.  Even if they are business focused, learning to try different ideas and apply the scientific method of problem solving would be invaluable to getting people to change how they think."
Jeryl's eyes were glittering, and she had the sexy, half-smile on her lips that told me I was going to be doing this, one way or the other, because she liked the idea.  I decided to get on board early.
"Okay, I like the concept.  Can you flesh it out into a full-blown plan inside of a couple of weeks?"
"I can," he said.  "Why so quick?"
"I'd like you to film our first flight on the GX-3, and it is supposed to be delivered after Thanksgiving."
Tom's eyes got wide and he nodded with a grin.
"That's going to be perfect.  The pilot episode can kick off with you flying in your first commercial supersonic business jet, showing what hard work can accomplish."
****
"We're starting to see a lot of interest in DigiNet from other telecom providers," Sheryl said as part of the morning brief.
"Who?"
"US Sprint is at the forefront, but we've also had inquiries from the Baby Bells."
"Let them keep expressing interest, but we're not for sale."
"It's pretty big money," she said.
"Do we need more money?"
"No, but they're also trying to pressure Southern Pacific to not grant us right-of-way usage for our southern loops of fiber."
"Talk to Kelly about that.  She has some contacts in D.C.  Let Sprint answer an inquiry from our Congressman or the Department of Justice.  Use that new military contract as a hammer on them."
DigiNet had won a contract to provide a private DOD data network.  Our offering of an IP based, all digital network, coupled with a milestone-based fee payment schedule, had beaten out several other bids.
"We could get the network built out faster if we leveraged Sprint's existing network," she said.  She did not sound too sure of herself.
"I'm not interested in giving up control yet.  If we partner with an existing carrier, we run afoul of all the FCC regulations they have to abide by.  Right now, a pure data network in private hands is essentially unregulated.  We need to keep that status for a while if we are going to change how people think about carriers and services."
"What sort of services?"
"Right now, they think in terms of voice calling, and the delivery of television content.  What happens when you have a household full of microprocessors exchanging data and content?  If we let the entrenched interests control that network of devices, they'll charge too much, preventing adoption, or they'll slow the roll out to spread their earnings and manage the growth for Wall Street."
Sheryl did not look convinced.
"Look, right now the most common way of communicating is the phone and long distance rates are horrific.  As soon as you light up the fiber between Stanford and Salt Lake City, we could offer interstate IP-based voice services for fractions of a cent a minute for people on our network."
"Are there any IP-based voice services available?"
"In the labs.  Dr.  Freis has a couple of grad students working on defining a protocol and implementing it on some of his chips.  By the time we have fiber laid, he'll have samples for use.  Once we prove it out, we'll license it to someone for mass production.  Motorola or Cisco may be good candidates for that."
Sheryl shook her head.  "You know, the first time I met you, during that interrogation, I knew you were smart.  I just never really realized how smart and forward thinking you are."
I smiled and shook my head.
"Really," she said.  "Who else would begin building out a digital network while having another team researching a voice protocol to run on that network; all the while, bidding contracts for the government to use this un-built and unproven technology?  You are scary smart, not just a little brilliant."
"You just have to think things through," I said.
Of course, knowing how things had played out in a prior life didn't hurt, either.
"Now, back to the brief?"
She nodded.
"Matthew wants an hour of your time this afternoon to discuss operations in Austin and Atlanta."
"Problems?"
"No, but I think he is already thinking about more expansion.  He's been hearing from both Nike and CRP and thinks our capacity will be used up pretty quickly with their growth orders."
I thought about that.  With the disclosure of our patents following the French connection, it might be time to license out some production capabilities.  I mentioned it to Sheryl.
"I don't think so," she said.  "Right now, producing the raw materials is generating huge cash flows for us.  Matthew projects that we'll have less than a one-year payback on the capital costs of building out a production line, for a given material.  Now that we're well up the learning curve on building a production site, that payback period will shrink further.  His latest estimate is that a new plant on our existing lots in Atlanta, can be paid for within three months of going active."
"Cash flow or capital?"  I asked.
"Capital.  It's cash flow positive as soon as it is hits sixty percent production capacity."
"That's impressive.  Which processes?  Graphene or something else?"
"Pretty much all of them.  We have greater demand than we can meet, for almost every commercially announced product.  Between Intel, DuPont, and CRP, we are running existing capacity at two or three shifts a day.  Luckily, the processes are not manually intensive, or we'd be facing labor issues, I'm sure."
I smiled and said, "You would not believe how much work it took to design the processes to be that way."
"Actually, I would.  I did review some of the patents, you know?"
"Good.  Okay, I'll talk to Matthew this afternoon.  Anything else urgent on the calendar?"
"Not until after Thanksgiving."
"Good.  I want you and Donna to enjoy next week off."
"We can't take that sort of time off!  We're working on that industry meeting."
"Push it back.  You've both been going like gangbusters since you started here.  I'm going to be in Hawaii with the family and some friends.  You two won't be giving me a daily brief or working.  Use one of the other properties for a break of your own.  If you want to fly some family in for a special holiday, use your corporate card to arrange it.  Use the Maine or Austin property; stay in town and relax; fly to Saint Lucia.  So long as you two relax a little, do whatever makes you happy."
She shook her head.  "I guess - if it's an order - we'll have to follow it.  It has been a while since I visited my brother in New York."
"Give him a call, and have a nice trip.  I'll see you ladies back in the office on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving."
"And that Thursday, we go to Savannah to pick up your new jet," she said.
My grin matched her own.
"And then we fly back here in less than half the time."
****
"My God, she moves right along!" Lila exclaimed as she watched Ali crawling across the sand toward Jeryl.
I laughed and nodded.  "She keeps us all busy when she gets the mind to go exploring."
Lila got up and stepped quickly to pick our darling up and bring her back to me.  Jeryl laughed at us and then stood and came over to join us.
"She'll be right back on the sand if she can still see me and I'm not with her," she said by way of explanation.  "Besides, I need to hear what lies Paul is telling about his favorite girl," she added.
"Hey, I don't lie about you!"
I was rewarded with a kiss as our daughter squirmed between us and then sat on the edge of the blanket and dug her hands into the warm sand.
"Lila, I'm so glad you and Hunter could join us for Thanksgiving here," Jeryl said as she situated herself on my lap.  I wrapped my arms around her and nodded my agreement.  Hunter was out in the surf playing at trying to catch a wave.
"We're glad it all worked out.  With Hunter being stationed in Pearl Harbor, you might actually get to see more of us than you have since graduation."
"We'd like that," I said.  "Will you be visiting here enough to take up surfing as well?"  I asked as Hunter managed to catch a wave for a short ride.
Lila laughed.  "I can already surf better than that big lug," she said.  "That's why he is so determined to get better.  But to answer your question, I might be transferring out here as part of COMPACFLT intelligence staff.  I should know after the New Year."
"That would be nice for you guys," Jeryl said.
"It would.  It's been tough since graduation, but every time we get together, the sparks are still there."
Jeryl leaned over, giving her friend a hug.  "I'm so glad for you two.  I hope the transfer happens."
As she sat back on my lap with a delicious wiggle, she glanced back toward the house.  "Uh-oh, Paul.  You had better take our daughter out for a quick rinse before you're scolded by the nanny and God-mother for letting her get covered in sand."
I laughed, but unceremoniously dumped Jeryl onto the blanket.  I scooped Ali up in my arms, and headed for the warm Pacific water a dozen yards away.  Anna had given us both an earful after the first day on the beach, about how sand was everywhere on our daughter.  Ali giggled and clung to me as we played in the shallow water.  Hunter made his way in as we exited and the three of us rejoined the ladies on our blankets.
Alison beat Anna to the baby and gave me a smile to counter Anna's scowl as she wrapped my daughter in a towel and headed back toward the house.  Anna followed her while the remaining adults began collecting our things and moving back to the Lanai.
"Paul, you really have to give surfing a try," Hunter insisted for the third time that day.
"I just think you want someone worse than you to compare yourself against," Lila teased.
"Hey!  I can get that kind of abuse in the wardroom, I don't need it from my girlfriend as well," he replied with a smile.
Lila gave him a hug and quick kiss.
"So can you guys stay through the weekend?" Jeryl asked as we sat down in the shade and I poured us all some refreshing tropical drinks.
"I've got duty on Saturday, so I'll have to go back Friday night, but Lila can stay.  Next time, I'll try to take leave while you guys are here so we can spend more time together."
"How are you getting back to D.C.  Lila?"  I asked.
"I've got a flight Saturday night to LAX and then a red-eye to D.C.  Sunday night."
"That layover in LAX is going to suck."  I glanced at Jeryl who nodded slightly.  "Why don't you stay with us and fly back on Sunday.  We're flying straight back to Salt Lake City and I'd be happy to send you on to D.C.  on the G-400."
Lila looked at me in shock.  "You'd send your private jet with just me all the way across the country to have me avoid a bad layover?"  She shook her head.  "I forgot what it was like to hang around you two."
"Hell, in a couple of weeks, we'll have two planes to put to use," Jeryl said with a smile.  "Please consider it.  I'd enjoy spending a little more time with you.  It feels like it's been forever."
Lila glanced a Hunter who only shrugged and smiled.  Then she nodded.  "Okay, I'll see if I can get a refund on the ticket."
"Even if you can't, we'll give you a lift.  I'll have the pilot figure out what time we need to leave to get you in by six Monday morning, okay?"
Lila grinned.  "I guess it is.  Thanks guys.  I really appreciate it."
We settled into easy conversation until Philip came out to begin cooking on the grill.  Lila and Hunter decided they wanted to get cleaned up before dinner and headed toward one of the guest suites.
Jeryl and I followed suit, and took our time getting clean of sand and sunscreen in our large shower.  I took my time making sure she was clean, as she did with me.  We were both pleasantly relaxed as we came back out to the outdoor eating area.
Jeryl collected Ali from Anna and took care of feeding our happy daughter.  She was so active during the day, but we knew she would eat and then sleep through the night after a busy day in the warm sun and sand.
I poured us all glasses of wine as Philip announced dinner was ready.  We sat down at the large table and made a quick toast to our friendship before digging into the wonderful meal Philip had prepared; fresh tuna steaks with local vegetables and fruit over rice.  He had paired it very well with the light white wine I had poured.  We tried to invite him to join us but he waved us off, again, claiming he had a hot date in town.
"Anna, how are you enjoying a little break and change of scenery?" Lila asked the shy nurse.
"Traveling all over has been wonderful.  I'm very thankful I took this job.  It's just the break I needed.  Looking after Ali is a joy.  She really is a wonderful baby."  She glanced over at her ward as Jeryl beamed.
"It's hard to believe that we graduated less than two years ago, isn't it?"  Lila asked.
"The time has flown by," Jeryl agreed.  "It seems like it's been more than two years since we saw you guys last."
A nostalgic mood settled on us.  We told Anna some of the stories from college, including our spring break trip to Saint Lucia.  During that story, Hunter asked if I had a sailboat here in Hawaii.
"We do," I said.
"Then we need to have a sail tomorrow," he insisted.
"Sounds like a plan," I said.
The next day, Hunter and I caught a light breeze and headed on a northern tack along the coastline.  It was a wonderful morning for a sail and we fell easily into a routine of tacking back and forth against the wind in the light breeze.
"So, how are you finding the nuclear navy and submarines to be?"  I asked after maneuvering through the wind and settling on a starboard tack.
"I like it," he replied.
"Going to make a career of it?"
"I don't know.  Part of that will depend on how Lila and I are doing over the next few months.  If she gets transferred out here, we'll see."
"What's that mean?"
"I'm still crazy about her.  I think she feels the same about me.  If she get's transferred out here, we've already agreed to get a place together.  If that is working well, I plan on proposing."
"I think that's a wonderful idea," I said.  "What if she doesn't get the transfer?"
"I don't know.  If we can make it though one of our tours, we'll probably still get engaged, but who knows?  Either way, if we get engaged or married, I can't see myself staying in.  I've already seen too many navy marriages run aground.  Being gone for a six-month surface deployment is tough; but being gone and totally out of touch on a sub, for two solid months at a time, is another level of stress for a relationship."
I understood what he meant.  Even when I was traveling, I was calling home nearly every night to chat with Jeryl.  I could not imagine the kind of separation Hunter and Lila were going to have to live through.
"Well, if you decide to get out, let me know.  I'm getting ready to start on some work that you might be interested in."
"Oh, really?  What might that be?"
"All kinds of things a physicist would find interesting.  Lithium-ion batteries, solar power generation, engine and turbine design, and a bunch of other things."
Hunter grinned at me.  He knew my passion for energy independence.
"Are you still poring over every paper they publish on fusion, as well?"
I nodded and said, "I'm not quite ready to get into that game, but I think a lot of the materials I'm helping develop will start to show up there."
"Like what?"
"Boron based carbon nanotubes make excellent radiation shielding at a very light weight compared to the alternatives.  Some of the aerogel-based ceramics are showing a lot of promise for both pressure vessels as well as generation substrates in solar applications.  Like I said, lots of stuff."
Hunter stared at me for a few minutes before shaking his head.
"And you would give me a job as soon as I got out?  No question?"
I nodded and then replied, "Do you know how hard it is to find a friend and a person I can trust?"
"And that's more important than a masters or doctorate in your mind?"
"Anyone can sit through school and get a piece of paper showing they know how to learn.  A doctorate is a bit more impressive, but even then it doesn't compare to being able to trust them.  The things I'm working on will get you a doctorate, if that's what you want.  I've had most of the classroom requirements for a masters in electrical engineering waived already.  I'll defend a thesis in February and get my Masters in March."
"Wow."
"You can do the same thing.  In a couple of years, the Navy is going to offer you post graduate school in Monterey.  I just want you to know all your options."
He was quiet as we continued our tack.
****
"Holy Crap!  That was incredible," Tom gushed as we climbed off the GX-3 at Washington National Airport.
I noticed Sheryl and Donna were both grinning ear-to-ear as well.  We had taken off from Savannah less than forty minutes ago.  Even with a circuitous route out over the Atlantic, traveling at Mach 2 had significantly shortened our flight time.
"I hope you captured plenty of footage," I joked with Tom, "because there will never be another maiden flight on this plane."
He laughed.  "You know I did.  I think I shot all I have with me.  I'll need to pick up some more tapes while we're here."
"My guess, is that if you hang out here for an hour or so, you'll have plenty of news people looking to ask you some questions."  The ground crews on the corporate side of the field were already taking note of the sleek lines of our plane, with its 'PT Innovations' logo.
Tom looked around and nodded.  "Should I wait in the lounge until they show up?"
"Sure.  I've got a meeting in the Pentagon in a couple of hours, but other than that, we're just planning on going to the hotel in Crystal City.  I've got a couple of meetings in town tomorrow, and then we'll be off for Salt Lake City on Friday morning."
"Okay.  I'll hang out here for the press, and meet you at the hotel, later."
Sheryl and Donna climbed into the car and greeted Tiffany with a warm 'hello.'  She quickly navigated off airport grounds and made her way into Arlington and toward Crystal City.  After dropping our bags off at the Doubletree Hotel nearby, Sheryl and I walked over to the Pentagon for our meeting with her old boss, General Baker.
I was efficiently escorted through security and to his office.  Sheryl remained outside with his aide as I sat down in one of the two large leather chairs facing his desk.
"We have to assume the French have your process, I hate to say," the General said after we exchanged brief pleasantries.
I nodded and said, "Colonel Conright told me the same thing."
"So, can you break your own invention?  Once the damned French figure out how to apply it, they won't hesitate to sell it, or weapons using it, on the open market."
I smiled.  "General, how would you like an early Christmas gift?"
He actually paled, for the first time since I had met him.
"You can penetrate the coating?"
I shook my head as I replied, "No, but you can penetrate any coating the French manage to create and apply."
He frowned as he asked, "Why do I smell something rotten going on?"
"It's only rotten for the French, and whoever they sell to.  But we need to classify the hell out of what I'm about to tell you."
He held up his hand and said, "Stop.  Let's go to a secure conference room."
It took twenty minutes and a short walk, but long elevator ride deep beneath the Pentagon, before the two of us were alone again in an austere room with acoustic padding on the inside and a metal wall on the outside.
After a green light came on, the General said, "We're now as secure as I can make us.  What were you saying?"
I carefully explained the ruse we had pulled on the French team.
"So you see, everyone except you and I (and three people on my team) think the French have the secret.  They don't.  They have a more advanced process that won't allow them to make nanotubes short enough to be used in a radar absorbent coating.  Plus, neither Dr.  Wilkerson nor myself could come up with a way of using that process to create shorter tubes."
"So even if they discover the correct application process, it won't work?"
"Correct.  Our best guess is they might get a five percent reduction in reflectivity if they embed the tubes in a thicker coating material, but that length of tube won't stay perpendicular to the core surface, so it won't be very efficient."
The General smiled and nodded.  "So only five people know the truth of this?"
"That's right.  You are the only person in the government, so be careful of who you decide to tell."
The General sat back and stared at the ceiling for a minute.
"We're going to have to come up with our own cover story.  I've got to be able to tell people we think the process is still secure, but for some other reason."
"The application process?" I asked.
He shook his head.  "It won't last.  It needs to be something inherent in the materials they stole.  Colonel Conright has been poring over what the French SDGE has recovered.  His team has barely begun piecing together the process."
"Why's he using that stuff?  I can provide full copies of what was contained in the safes.  I expected him to ask for duplicates by now."
"He hasn't?"
"Not that I've heard of."
"I'll change that today," the General said.
"In the meantime, Dr.  Wilkerson and I planted a ton of contradictory clues and notes in the material.  We also know how critical the quality control aspect is to produce viable nanotubes with that process.  I bet, even with full copies of our documents, you could make a case that the production yields will be small enough to maintain a manufacturing advantage for quite some time."
"I guess that will have to do.  Besides, even if they could make the material in bulk, and apply it to their export weapons systems, it's not like we would stop using it."
"Exactly.  In the meantime, you probably still have a significant advantage in detection, given the time you've been trying to beat the coating."
"What do you mean?"
"Come on, sir.  You've had to be testing IR and UV and every other kind of detection ever since Lockheed came forward with my coating on their aircraft.  You kept two of the first six B-1 conversions out of an operational status.  I'm pretty sure you were seeing if you could find flaws in detectability.  Lord knows, I would have."
He grinned a little.  "If we did, I could hardly mention that to a civilian, even if they did hold a very high security clearance."
"Well, sir, that is a secret I don't want to have, so you are welcome to it."
*****
"Have you ever considered entering politics?"
"Good God, No!"  I said emphatically.
The men in the room looked surprised.  I could understand why.  They were all politicians.  I was in a meeting with four Republican senators who nominally represented me, or people who worked for me.
Pete Wilson was the second-term senator from California who had arranged the meeting.  He was joined by Phil Gramm, still in his first term from Texas, Al D'Amato on his second term from New York, and Orin Hatch from Utah who had just won his third election a few weeks before.  All four gentlemen had started off being supportive of the job opportunities my efforts appeared to be creating in their states.  Senator Wilson had asked when I would be opening a production facility in California, but I had deflected the answer by pointing at Intel, NEXT, Sun, and Cisco's facilities, and reminding of them of my partnerships with those firms.
That had lead to the question by Orin Hatch.
"I'm surprised," The Senator for Utah said.  "Everything I've heard about you paints a picture of a young man who wants to change the world.  How better than helping shape the laws of the greatest nation on earth?"
I shook my head and looked around the room for any support.  The other three men looked on with interest.  I had a cynical thought that they looked on with avarice as well.  I was not a significant donor with any of them.
"Senator, I have great respect for the work you all do, but I think the way to change the world is to build things that improve everyone's lives while getting a greater percentage of the population to think for themselves.  Most of what I see in Washington is in-fighting and legislation aimed at making people more dependent on the government rather than more self-reliant."
Phil Gramm was nodding.  "And that's exactly why you should join us here," he said.  "Shrinking government is what we want as well."
"Really?" I asked.  "Are you going to cut the Department of Defense now that the cold war is won?  Are you going to pass a balanced budget amendment to keep deficit spending in check?  Are you going to do something to keep our dependence on foreign fuels from continuing to expand?"
All four men looked flustered.
"You sound more like a Democrat than Republican," D'Amato put in.
I smiled.  "No, but I also don't buy into our current two party system.  I'm meeting with a few of your colleagues from across the aisle after lunch, and I'm sure I'll say plenty to upset them as well.  I am a fiscal conservative and a social liberal.  My beliefs don't fit in any single party today, and that means I would have no voice should I seek office, and it's unlikely I could find a constituency that would support my beliefs without compromise.  Now, if there were ever a Convention of States raised under Article Five of the Constitution, I would be clamoring to be a representative to that body."
All four men blanched.
"What do you mean?"  Hatch asked.
"The entrenched interests in Washington are going to be the downfall of this country.  We need term limits and real reform to curb government, not more of the same petty politics we seem to have.  Power corrupts, and we continue to give more power over our lives to the government."
"Term limits just hand the power to lobbyist," Gramm said.
"Then we need a fix for that as well."
Pete Wilson laughed.  "You're not asking for much," he said.
I shook my head.  "I'm not trying to say you gentlemen are doing a bad job, but the system is approaching a fundamental breaking point.  I don't see joining the existing system as anything except tilting at windmills."
Orin Hatch decided to try and defuse or turn the conversation back to their own agenda.  "Let's set aside what can't be realistically accomplished.  You are bringing a lot of business and innovation into our states.  Maybe your thinking can help bring some innovation to politics as well."
I forced a smile.  "How so?"
"Well, if we assume your thinking is inline with your own generation, what do you mean when you call yourself a social liberal?"
I sighed.  "I mean it in the true sense of the words.  When it comes to social issues, I want laws to be as liberal as possible to give everyone the same freedoms and the same responsibilities."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's pick a very polarizing social issue: abortion."
All four men straightened.  I knew I was challenging a fundamental plank of the Republican Party with this conversation.  I hurried on before they could protest.
"Now, social conservatives want to make abortion illegal once again.  They cite a right to life and religious beliefs, but never come to a conversation armed with facts."
"That's not true," Hatch protested.
"Really?  What facts are provided stating that life begins at conception?  If that is true, then is a miscarriage caused by a traffic accident cause for a charge of vehicular manslaughter?  You want to legislate a medical procedure based on belief, not facts, and you want the voting population to adhere to your beliefs.  That flies in the face of religious freedoms you are all sworn to protect."
"Now," I continued, "there is medical evidence that a fetus has a chance to survive outside it's mother's womb around the twenty-third week, but there is no evidence a fetus can survive at the twenty-first week.  As a social liberal, I would support making abortions after the twenty-third week illegal, but I find the Supreme Court's stance of twenty-eight weeks acceptable."
All four men looked like they were sucking on something sour.  I decided to continue.
"Now, let's take another social issue: Social Security.  You would probably think that I support expanding social security since that would be a traditional liberal view, but you would be mistaken.  As a fiscal conservative, I would argue against any expansion of the current system.  In fact, I would abolish the current system, given the strong evidence that government agencies are incapable of managing the system effectively.  I would rather empower everyone to control his or her own future.  Roll the social security funds into a private corporation that has to answer to its shareholders."
"You couldn't do that," Wilson protested.  "Most people can't manage their money well enough to last through retirement."
"Really?  What evidence do you have for that?  There are millions of people contributing to their own retirement accounts already and living off that income quite nicely.  They are also seeing their savings grow through investment, instead of seeing it shrink as the government uses it as a slush fund for other efforts and to offset deficit spending.  My liberal views say 'give the people control over their own future'."
"None of these positions can be articulated in sound bites suitable for the evening news, and that's why I would never develop a constituency or have a chance of winning office," I finally concluded.
Orin Hatch was nodding.  "I understand your statement, and while I don't necessarily agree with your views, I do agree that you have at least thought them through."  He glanced at his fellow senators.  "Given that you are not interested joining our profession, what can we do to help your businesses grow in our various states?"
And just like that, they were back to the normal ways and means of politics in Washington.
Chapter Thirty-One
Small Steps
****
Jeryl pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and secured it with an elastic band.  I stepped behind her and wrapped my arms around her ribs and hugged her to me, while looking over her shoulder and into her eyes reflected in the mirror.  She smiled and leaned back against me with the slightest purr.
I kissed her cheek, shoulder, and neck, and then smiled at her in the mirror.
"I love you," I said.
"I love you, too," she replied.  "If we didn't both have meetings this morning, I'd drag you back to bed and show you how much I love you."
"Promises, promises," I teased as I gave her one more kiss and then turned toward the closet to get dressed.
We had fallen into a pattern when we were both in California of eating breakfast together with Ali, like a normal family.  Anna or Alison then whisked our daughter away to get her cleaned up and ready for the day as Jeryl and I showered and got ready for work.  Depending on our plans for the day, Ali would play in one of our offices, or be minded by Anna as we held meetings.  About half the time we would come home or go out together for lunch.  In the afternoon, she was with Anna (doing various activities supposedly beneficial to early childhood development) as we focused on work.  In the evenings, we would play with her some more, have dinner, bathe her and then read her a story before putting her to bed.  She was an easy baby most days, and a joy to both of us.
"What are you doing today?"  Jeryl asked as she walked to the dresser and pulled on a lacy bra and panty set.  I always loved to watch her get dressed.
"Calls this morning and then flying to the Nevada after lunch."
"How's the lab complex coming?"
"That's what I'm going to see.  The shell of the lab is up, but only the early stages of excavation have been done for the cabins so far.  We should have utilities laid, now, so at least the trailers will have phones."
"Good.  Make sure you call, tonight."
"I will.  How are the intern positions coming?"
"Good, mostly.  I'm getting a little tired of interviews and screening application videos, but we're almost done.  Tom wants to make the final selections this week."
"Are we ready for the six months of bi-weekly reviews and tapings of us?" I asked.
She smiled and kissed me.  "If you behave and put up with it all, I'll give you a wonderful blow job after every review," she said with a grin.
"Well, I'd be an idiot to refuse an offer like that," I said.
"And I did not fall in love with an idiot," she finished.
She slipped on her blouse and then reached for a dark skirt, as I grabbed my shoes and got out of her way.  Soon, we were on our way into the office.
Thirty minutes later, we were at the office and I had finished the morning briefing with Sheryl.  I stuck my head through the door of the small conference room and into Jeryl's office.  She was on the phone, listening distractedly while watching Ali pull herself up into a standing position in the playpen in the corner.
"No, we are not going to mandate that CRP establish dedicated production lines for you.  I'm happy to talk to them, but we are a part owner, not direct management of that business.  You can make your pitch to Rebecca and her lead team.  They will decide."
She listened for a few more minutes.
"Kyle, I've told you my position.  I want a good working relationship with Nike, but I don't have full visibility into CRP's order backlog, nor their production forecasts.  If you want them to make your pieces faster, or at greater volume, talk to them and work something out."
She listened again and then nodded.
"Okay.  We'll see you next week in New York."
She hung up the phone and shook her head as she smiled at me.
"They really like the CRP-2068 skis and helmets, but want more to test with.  CRP is strapped for production right now.  Somehow, he thinks I can wave a magic wand and get them what they need."
"CRP is building a second plant.  When does it come on line?" I asked.
"Not for a few more months, if they meet their schedule."
I thought for a few minutes.
"How many prototypes are they looking for?  Tens or hundreds?"
"Tens, I think.  Why?"
"Well, if we had the molds, we might be able to produce them at the lab.  One of the reasons I'm going to Nevada, is to make test pours on the CRP molding equipment.  I want the capability to produce custom moldings for prototypes and experiments."
Jeryl shook her head and said, "I don't want you living in the desert making prototypes for a partner that didn't plan well.  They could have bought the equipment from CRP last fall, but chose to let their needs go through the CRP's order process.  Right now, that's about six weeks of lead time.  It's their own fault."
I nodded my agreement.  "Okay.  Anyway, I stopped in to let you know that I'll be missing lunch.  I need to make a detour and visit Dr.  Brighton in Utah before heading down to Nevada.  He thinks he's had a breakthrough."
Jeryl cocked her head.  "Big enough to warrant hopping on a plane?"
"He thinks so.  He didn't want to discuss it on the phone, or send an email, even encrypted.  If I take off this morning, I should still make it down to the lab after lunch.  Having the GX-3 gives us a lot more flexibility on travel now."
Jeryl smiled.  "You just like riding your newest toy," she said.
I crossed the room and gave her a kiss.  "Not as much as I like riding you," I said with a quick grope.
She laughed and pushed me away.  "Say goodbye to your daughter, and come home safely," she said.
Two hours later, I was sitting in Dr.  Brighton's office.  Donna was with us.
"Paul, thanks for coming so quickly.  I think you'll be glad you did."
He handed me a small cylinder roughly the size of a AAA battery.
"This is the breakthrough."
While it was battery sized, it was much lighter than I expected.  I squeezed it between my fingers, but felt no give no matter how hard I pressed.
"And this is the breakthrough, as well," he said as he handed me a thin, rectangular box slightly thicker than a piece of cardboard, and not much heavier.  It had a couple of wires attached to one corner of it.
"What is it?" I asked as I turned it over and tried to see if it would flex.
"It's a new kind of battery.  It's rechargeable, lightweight, and has a very high power per liter ratio.  I and my team have been working on the concept, and testing formulations, since last year's symposium after I had some discussions with both Dr.  McTavish, Dr.  Wilkerson and those folks from Corning.  I guess they're all with CRP, now."
I nodded.  I recalled the tight-knit group that had formed at last years conference.
"We essentially have an aerogel based lithium-ion battery matrix, wrapped in a spun carbon nanotube enclosure.  Instead of using a silica basis, like CRP does, we use a polymer with just enough structure to keep the matrix in alignment, but still be flexible."
He took the flat battery from me and connected the wires to an adapter connected to some type of inverter.  He then plugged his NEXT workstation into it and powered the system up.
"We can make the battery in virtually any shape.  Size is directly correlated to the power needs."
I looked at the set up for a second, and began to get excited.  I knew this was technology that exceeded what I had used in my prior life.  This was a breakthrough I had not expected!
"So we could use your process to embed a battery directly in the frame or body of a car… or computer!"
"Exactly.  We'll need very tight quality control, and some complex fabrication automation for complex shapes, but a portable computer should be very easy."
"Donna, where is Candace, this week?" I asked.
She checked her notes.  "She's in Atlanta, with Matthew and Kelly.  They are evaluating an acquisition."
"Which one?" I asked as she looked at Dr.  Brighton.
Given some of our success, we tried to keep our interest in companies very quiet.
"Canter," she said.
I nodded.  It was a small manufacturing firm that was starting to use some of our chips in building robots for industrial applications, such as assembly lines.
"Get either Candace or Kelly on the phone, please, and get me an update on LCD technology from their shopping list."
She nodded and went to the outer office to use a phone.  Dr.  Brighton looked at me with a question in his eyes.
"If we have access to decent LCD technology, we can make a computer that could fit in your lap.  We have the processor and memory, and you've come up with a viable battery to run it all without having to tote a ten-pound brick around.  If we have a decent display, we could change how people think about computing."
Donna returned as we were going over specifications on power density and charge cycles for batteries of various sizes.
"Candace said she can get a cross licensing deal for something called an active-matrix liquid-crystal display from RCA Laboratories, but that the production process is going to need a lot of work to make them at a competitive price point, at scale."
"Okay.  Tell her to do the deal, but push hard on the terms.  A joint venture might be the best approach.  See if Dr.  Freis has any promising grad students that want to get into display technology and controllers.  I want us to build out a working portable by May."
Dr.  Brighton's eyes got wide.
"That's just three months away.  Can we make a new type of computer that quickly?"
"If we push hard, yes," I answered.  "It does not have to be perfect.  Tear apart a NEXT computer, and put its innards in a portable form factor with a built in keyboard."  I stood up and began sketching a laptop form-factor on his whiteboard.  "Attach the display to it as the lid.  You should be able to embed the battery into the case itself."
"What about the mouse?" Donna asked.
"Put a small trackball in it with a couple of buttons.  We should be able to make this even before we have the display ironed out.  I want to show this to Jobs, in May, and let his team take over the final design; but, I want it clear that it is our idea.  That means patent protections, and for that I want a working prototype."
Dr.  Brighton nodded.  "We can do that.  I'll get Milton and Ellen on the phone."
"No," I said.  "Let's get your teams together, in person.  Set it up for next week.  Do it here, in Utah.  Donna, get Sheryl to coordinate it.  Call it 'The Park City Summit,' or something, and keep the real intent quiet.  This is big, folks.  I'm pretty sure this will change our already evolving thinking around computing, once again.  This is great work, and a huge accomplishment!  If we can pull it off quietly and quickly, all the better!"
****
"You're late," Alison said as I climbed out of the Land Rover at the Lab site.
What had been gently sloped desert hillside now had an imposing building slightly recessed into the slope.  The walls, where they rose from the dry landscape, were white in the afternoon sun.  It looked very similar to the machine shed on the farm or the hanger one ridge behind us near the runway.  The only difference were evenly spaced translucent windows along the top of the walls.
"Sorry, something came up," I said as I looked at the building.
"You could have called.  I was starting to get worried."
"We have phone lines run in?" I asked.
She nodded.
"I didn't realize," I said.
"Nor did I," Donna added as she joined us.
Alison just gave me her patented arched eyebrow, and then motioned us toward the door.
"We've got the shell of the building complete, and part of the interior walls in place.  The power and utilities have been run here, and to each of the cabin sites.  It's not really ready for full-time habitation, yet, but we're getting close."
Alison had taken it upon herself to visit the site every other week.  She had told Jeryl and I that she liked the solitude, and wide open spaces, here in the desert.  It was so different from England, where she had grown up.  She still visited her offices in London on a regular basis, though.  It seemed like our paths were crossing frequently, but we were not together very much.
"It will be nice to be able to settle into one place for a few months," I said as I surveyed the building site.
Alison snorted and said, "I doubt you will ever gather much moss, Paul."
I frowned and we headed inside.  While most of the cavernous space was empty, one set of interior walls was up, along the long side of the building.  Large bays with sliding doors were built there, each for a different fabrication process.  One was a welding bay filled with a variety of welding equipment and a small gas forge.  Next to it was a machine shop, which would eventually hold lathes and other machining tools.  Next to that was the bay we were here to inspect.
Inside were large molding tables, and hundred-liter ultrasonic mixing chambers.  These were used for the production of some of our special aerogel based compounds.  The process Corning had helped create required continuous ultrasonic agitation, as the glass-like compound was either injected or poured into its mold, and agitated as it cooled and set.  I had the capability to conduct both processes, here.
Donna and Allison watched me inspect the equipment and verify the wiring on each device.  They soon got bored with the mundane testing procedures, and let me know they would be in the lounge near the door.  I nodded absently and continued with my work.
Hours later, Alison came in as I finished a test pour of a simple I-beam form and set the molding on one of the ultrasonic shaker tables to cool and set.
"Time to call it a night, Paul," she said in a motherly tone.
I looked up, pulled off my safety glasses, and smiled as I glanced at the clock.
"Okay.  That will need twelve hours of cooling time, anyway, so I guess I'm done until tomorrow, at ten."
I began turning off the equipment, and turned off the task lighting, too.
"What then?" Alison asked.
"I have to get the tensile strength numbers for that size beam when produced by CRP.  I'll test this one, and see if I got the mix and process correct to replicate their results.  If I did, the equipment is performing to spec, and I will sign off on the install.  If there are problems, I'll fly the installation engineer back out here to figure out what I or he did wrong."
"Why didn't you just have him do the test before he left?"
"He probably did, but I need to know that I can correctly fabricate parts that I'll want to be using, with my own efforts.  I don't want to have a production engineer sitting out here for my few fabrication needs."
"Besides, you like your secret projects," she added with a grin.
I nodded and flipped off the last light switch, and we headed out into the larger lab area and then to our temporary trailers.
and It had cooled significantly, and was now chilly in the winter desert.  I walked toward the warm glow of one of the trailers, but Alison steered me toward a different one.
"Donna is in that one.  We'll be over here," she said as she led me up the steps and inside another unit.
"Oh?  Is this a working vacation?" I asked as she closed and locked the door behind us.
"Maybe," she said with a smile.  "If you play your cards right, I could take the evening off.  But first, you need to call Jeryl.  I'm going to take a shower.  Give her my love."  
****
I recovered from my orgasm first.  Jeryl was lying atop me, having exquisite shivers, and still milking my cock.  Finally, she sighed and snuggled more tightly against my chest.  I kissed the top of her head.
"You are marvelous," I whispered.
She looked up at me and gave me a coy smile.
"You ain't too shabby, yourself," she replied.
I kissed her.
"We need to do more of this," she said.
"Sex?"
"No, goof.  Get away and take a little time for ourselves.  You're working too hard, again."
We were in Saint Lucia for a long weekend.  Jeryl had decided she wanted a little warmth and sun, and she also wanted to give Anna a break.  Our mothers had Ali.  Alison had sent Tiffany to watch over us, explaining she needed to be in London and could not join us.
"You put in just as many hours as I do," I said.
"Hardly.  Besides, my days are mostly routine.  I come in and Rose has all my mail cataloged for review, and a list of phone calls to return.  That takes very little actual thought.  I spend time playing with Ali before lunch.  After lunch, I get progress updates on our active projects.  Lately, I've spent a couple hours screening candidates for the internship positions with Tom.  I've then got a couple of more hours with Ali, or reading, before you are ready to go home."
She stretched against me seductively and then slipped off to one side.
"You, on the other hand, are on the go continuously, and it is always heavy thought and hard work.  If you can't delegate what you do for us and the company, then you need to take some breaks and have a little more R&R in your life."
"If you say so," I said.  I didn't think I was working that hard.  It felt more like I was in a steady routine.
"I do say so.  Besides, you're going to have to take some more time off in the fall, and I don't want you getting all stressed out so you start chasing interns."
I snorted, and replied, "Like an intern could hold a candle to you, kitten."
She grinned at me as she said, "You say that now, but what about when I get big and fat, again?"
I suddenly put all her comments together.
"You mean...?"
She nodded and said, "Ali is going to have a little brother or sister in November."
I grabbed her for a hug and kiss.
"I love you," I said.
"Me too, Paul."
****
"That is one ugly computer," Steve Jobs said as I opened our prototype laptop, and turned it on.
I smiled.
"That's what I want you to fix."
I spun the machine around and pushed it toward him.  I saw his eyes widen as he saw the crisp UI on the thin LCD display along with the back-lit keyboard and small, recessed trackball sitting below the space bar of the keyboard.
"It's running the same OS and on the same hardware you are shipping today, with only minor modifications," I said.  "Our battery life is about eight hours, but I think it will drop a little in a production machine."
"Why?" he asked as he began moving the mouse around and typing.
"I think we'll add some hardware bits that will drain the battery some.  I'm thinking about wireless networking.  I'm talking to Qualcomm, next week."
Steve nodded and then looked up from the screen.
"What sort of production costs?"
It was my turn to smile.
"We put that one together for about ten percent over the cost it takes you to build a production NEXT machine."
"Bullshit."
"No, it's true.  I don't know if we'll be able to maintain that price point at scale, but we should be close.  Obviously, you can sell a portable that small at a greater margin, because of it's increased utility."
He closed the display, and then lifted it again, to watch the screen come back to life.  He seemed surprised at the speed and responsiveness.
"Okay.  I'll get a design team looking at this and making it better."
"They'll need to talk to more of my folks, this time," I cautioned.  "The battery technology is safe, but understanding how it can be used, and what the manufacturing process is, might take them a little time.  We also improved the video processing when we changed things to work with the LCD display."
"How long have you been working on this?" There was a hint of accusation in his voice.
"Three months."  I said.
"Three months?  Shit!"
He stood up, and quickly stuck his head out of the conference room where we were meeting.
"Rich!  Bud!  Get in here."
We were soon joined by the heads of NEXT's hardware and software teams.  Steve pointed to the laptop, and both men began to look it over.
"Active matrix LCD?" Rich asked.
"Yes.  We modified the drivers and video memory to map and refresh better, under battery operation."
He nodded as Bud ran the mouse around the screen and fired up a handful of programs.
Steve paced around the table for a few minutes.
"Okay, enough playtime.  Paul and his team put this together in three months.  I want our take, on a design that doesn't suck so much, in another three months; with a goal of announcing after Labor Day, and full production for the holiday season."
The men looked at Steve and nodded.
I closed the lid on the computer, pulled the power cord out of the bag in which I had carried the machine, and handed both bag and cord to Rich.  Steve watched the two leave, and then turned back to me.
"Now, when are you going to sit down with Larry and I and talk about DigiNet with us?"
****
"Man, this feels pretty brutal," I said as the last of the new interns left the conference room.
Kelly and Jeryl were seated on one side of the table, flanking me.  Tom, two cameramen, and his sound man were along the walls.  We had just finished the first work review, with the twelve interns split into teams of three.  Each team had presented a go-to-market strategy for Nike's new line of sports helmets.  After each presentation, we had discussed each team's effort, and eventually scored their work and their presentation.
"So what did you think?" Kelly asked.
I shook my head.
"Their presentation was well delivered, but there were virtually no innovative ideas.  It was standard MBA thinking."
Jeryl nodded, before seeing Tom pantomime talking.
"That's right.  It was standard text-book.  They didn't demonstrate or highlight any of the unique features of the two special materials in a compelling way.  None of them did, really."
I agreed.
"Did we give them enough guidance?" I asked.
Kelly shook her head.  "We gave them the assignment and threw them in the deep end, I'd say.  It's a good thing we did this initial review.  I'd be a little embarrassed if we had Nike in the room with us."
"Okay, then we owe it to them to give a more compelling demo, and a view of what we are looking for and where our expectations lie."
I stood up as I said, "Let's go talk to them."
Normally, I would have headed straight for the door, but Tom stopped me.
"Let me get them assembled in their common area, and get the camera men in place for your entrance and talk.  We'll be ready in five," he said as his folks began hustling toward the door.
I sat back down.
"How can we show them what we're after?" I asked.
Jeryl stood up and looked at a couple of props we had in the room.  She grabbed a mannequin with a batting helmet on its head.  She handed me a bat from it's hands.
"Paul, smack the helmet with the bat."
I did as I was told.  I probably could have hit it hard enough to take the head off, but held back some.  Jeryl then pulled off the helmet.
"Hit it again, just as hard."
I did.  The side of the dummy's head caved in with a bat shaped crease.
"Why didn't any of them do that?" Jeryl asked.  "All of the samples we gave them and no one did a physical demo as part of their presentation.  I wonder if they tried it when they were ideating.  If I were them, I'd be getting a pitching machine out, and shooting balls at a helmet wearing pumpkin and then show an unprotected pumpkin being shattered by the same machine."
"Okay, what do you think of this idea?" I asked before explaining.  
*****
Camera lights came on as we entered their part of the second floor.  We had reconfigured the office space to create four conference rooms around an open area filled with free-form seating.  Desk space lined the outside walls with a small cafe area in the far corner.  The twelve interns were standing in a rough semicircle.  There were looks of concern when they saw the baseball bat in Jeryl's hands.
She walked to a mannequin of the same size as the one upstairs, but lacking a helmet.  Without a word, she swung the bat and bashed in its head, leaving the same deep indentation.  There were a few gasps.  Before anyone could say a word, however, I pulled the helmet on, and she turned and swung at me.
I was glad she didn't swing with her full strength, as my head snapped to the side, but the helmet did its job.  I felt no worse from the small demonstration.
"This product will save some little league player from a serious concussion, or a major league ball player from a killing blow," Jeryl said as they all stared at her and me in slack-jawed wonder.  "How many of you actually tried it out?"
No one raised their hand.
"Did you do any testing to see if the data you were provided was factual?" I asked.
Most of their eyes were downcast.
"Did you think of ways to make the data real in a TV ad, for the average mother or father who will want to protect their child?" Kelly asked.
There were several head shakes.
"Okay," I said after a pause.  "We need you guys and gals to go back to the drawing board on your strategies and presentations.  Today was really your first attempt, so think of it as a learning experience.  You've all tried once and failed.  Now put that behind you and try again."
"Think outside the box," Jeryl said.  "We want a strategy that addresses many of the fundamentals you all presented, but need you to come up with the actual product positioning and key messaging, as well.  You have a wealth of background on each of your teams, you need to leverage each others skills and ideas to create a full strategy."
A few heads nodded.
"What constraints were you given?" Kelly asked.
They hesitated for a moment before Casandra Sanchez, a soon to be graduate from UC Berkeley spoke up.
"None, other than having our first pitch, today.  We got the data, the sample products, and the project brief."
Kelly nodded and said, "And none of you asked for anything in terms of outside resources or assistance.  I know.  I was the point of contact if you needed anything.  None of you asked."
I stepped closer to them.
"Look, you are all very bright and energetic.  You need to really push yourselves, and try the wild and crazy things that just might work.  I expect you to have failures!  That's part of the process.  I don't expect you to fail because you played it safe, though.  That type of failure means we chose poorly when we selected you for this program."
I made deliberate eye contact with each of them.
"Whether you succeed or not, on any given project or on the show, each of you have already won.  At the end of the internship, you'll have a year's tuition paid to any college or university you're enrolled in.  Your safety is assured.  Now, I want you all to play to win.  Are we clear?"
Heads were nodding.
"Okay.  We'll do the next review in three days.  As part of it, I want to hear not only your best ideas and pitches, but what all was considered, and how you got to 'the best'.  Any questions?"
Pat Tennison, one of the two men paired with Casandra raised his hand.  I nodded at him.
"Three days is Sunday," he said.
"It is.  Did you think this was a nine to five job?  We'll do the reviews starting at 1:00 PM.  I hope you can all show me something quite a bit more exciting and interesting.  Nike will be here next week to hear your best effort.  I hope we don't let them down."
****
"Wow, those were all impressive," Kyle Fredrick, Nike's VP of Product Development said.  We had just sat through back-to-back reviews of the intern's go-to-market presentations.  All four teams had stepped up their game in the week since the first review.
I smiled and caught Kelly and Jeryl's grins as well.  We had done three reviews with the interns over the past four days, starting with our Sunday afternoon critiques which led to some all-night rework by the teams.  Each iteration showed marked improvement and after our last walk-through yesterday, we were confident Kyle from Nike would be impressed.
"So, Kyle, as part of this process we like to give each team positive and constructive criticism.  I hope you kept good notes," Kelly said.
He chuckled as he replied, "I did.  All of the teams brought 'out of the box' demonstrations that showed the protective capabilities of the new helmets.  It was really great to see them show a wide range of approaches to that."
"Did you think their demonstrations were in line with their proposed product placement?" Jeryl asked.
"Mostly, yes.  I think," he glanced at his notes, "that third team had the strongest connections.  Focusing on the little league player, but targeting their message at the parent, was spot on.  The parents are the ones who will have to pay for these helmets, at least for that market.  That team really created an emotional connection between the product and the viewer."
"Any other particular strengths?" I asked.
"Yes.  The second team of Cassandra, Pat and Scott really went above and beyond in terms of the sheer breadth of application.  I counted over twenty different examples of them showing the protective properties in their sixty second commercial.  They made the Nike brand stand for safety and protection in a vivid, engaging way."
That team had tried the most live experiments, and had captured them all on film.  They had then used their own footage to build the commercial.  Throughout their tests, they had started and ended each clip on the clean lines of the Nike Swoosh.
"I could see us using that exact commercial with a professional voice over and going to market with it."
"What teams didn't make the cut for you?" Kelly asked.
"The first team had too much telling, compared to the others.  While all their facts and points were valid, they need to make a visual impression and create an emotional response in the viewer.  They just fell a little short."
"Who else?"
"The fourth team had some glimmers of greatness, but just didn't quite bring all the pieces together.  Their commercial started very strongly with the professional player, but their transition to the little leaguer was too jarring, and they didn't connect the narrative for me.  Conceptually, they had a great story, but they didn't deliver on film."
"Cut!" Tom called.  "That was great.  Paul, I want you to ask Kyle if he is ready to announce the winner.  Kyle, you should answer in the affirmative.  We'll then cut and move down to the second floor for the 'gather-round,' and sharing of the feedback.  Kyle, you did great and should give them the same criticism before Paul asks you to reveal the winner of the challenge between the top two teams."
We all nodded and grabbed some water, after filming the last line for the conference room.  Soon we were down in the intern pit again, with lights and cameras going.  Kyle reviewed their proposals flawlessly before being put center stage to reveal the winner.
"Team two and three, you both really did strong presentations and had great commercials, but I have to give the win to the team that elevated the overall Nike brand within their proposal.  That was the team of Cassandra, Pat and Scott.  Congratulations!"
Everyone clapped while the winning team gave small jumps of joy and exchanged high-fives with each other.
I stepped into the foreground.  "Congratulations.  You will each receive a cash prize of one thousand dollars and as part of the reward for winning, you three will have the opportunity to fly up to Oregon with Kyle tonight on our G-400 and deliver your presentation to the Nike leadership team, tomorrow.  Your plane is fueled and waiting, so grab your bags and get going with Kyle!"
There was more excited conversation as they headed into their war room, and grabbed overnight bags.  Part of our process was to have each intern bring two sets of overnight gear with them, to the review.  One set was business and smart casual clothes, which would be used by the winners.  The less successful teams would get their bags soon, as well, but the nicer business clothes would remain unused.
Once the winners were out the door with Kyle, I turned to the other interns.
"While the challenge winners get to go do some more work in a boardroom, everyone else will just be doing some more work.  We, too, will be taking a flight, but it won't be to present to the Nike leadership team.  Go ahead and grab your stuff.  Our flight is waiting, too."
There was some friendly grumbling, but they all guessed that whatever awaited them could not be too bad if I was going with them.  They were in for a little surprise.  We didn't want to punish them for not winning, but we also wanted them to be strongly motivated to give their best effort.  Two hours later, Tom's crew captured their shocked looks as they climbed off the GX-3 in the middle of the desert.
"Welcome to my new lab complex," I said with an expansive wave of my arms.
"Where?" Jordan Johansson, one of the two women on team four asked.
"It's about two miles down that road," I replied.  "We've set up tents and a dining fly for you, since the permanent accommodations aren't finished yet."  I smiled at their groans.  "While your peers are pitching Nike, you'll be getting a start on learning how to pour CRP-2068 for use in prototype builds.  We'll be ensuring you learn the proper procedures and quality control processes to use one of the materials that Nike is so interested in."
"Man, this sucks!" one of the boys said.
"Hey," Jordan said as she sat down on her bag and pulled off her high heels before fishing out a pair of tennis shoes.  "Look on the bright side.  We'll be more than a day ahead in knowing how to use this stuff.  I'd bet we'll need the new skills we're going to be learning sooner, rather than later."
I smiled, and hoped Tom's team had captured that.  She was very prophetic.
****
"Why did you lay four fiber pairs in each loop?" Larry Ellison asked.
Sheryl nodded.  She and Donna had presented our plans and current status to the assembled "who's who" of technology in my Deer Valley house.  Ellison, Gates, Jobs, McNealy, and Grove had all accepted my invitation to come to Park City and hear more about DigiNet.  While I had kicked the meeting off, Donna and Sheryl were doing most of the talking.
"Two fiber pairs in each loop are dedicated for handling our government contracts.  They terminate in separate cages.  They are not directly connected to the other pair, for security reasons.  Those secure fiber channels are actually already paying for the construction of the larger network," Sheryl said.
"How?" Ellison asked in his gruff tone.
"DoD has a contract with us.  We get paid on that contract as we light up each segment.  Only the DoD has access to the hubs where those fibers terminate.  They are building out the cages to handle their secure traffic."
"Impressive," Scott McNealy said.  "How did you get that sort of contract?"
"We self-funded the first segments, and made our bid with a milestone based contract.  Our competition wanted seed money up front, and more traditional contract terms.  Our approach reduced the risk to the government, and also spread the total cost out across multiple budget cycles.  It is a twelve year contract with a lower total cost than the other bidders tendered."
"So what do you want from us?" Bill Gates asked.
I had to keep a smile from my face.  In my past history, Microsoft had skyrocketed in both financial terms, and in influence in the technical world.  This time through, they were a significant player, but not on a trajectory of becoming a monopoly.  NeXT had stolen the march on them in terms of building a computer for the common man, despite being focused on education and business.  While IBM was doing well with its PC sales, most businesses were purchasing the NeXT workstations that could be more easily networked and had better performance from our custom chips and the embedded language on them.  Instead of having near monopoly power, Microsoft had turned to focusing on its Office suite.  Earlier this year, they had launched a version of Office on the NeXT platform, gaining a foothold in the corporate world.
"We don't really want anything from you," I said.  "You all asked me and my team what we were doing with DigiNet.  Donna and Sheryl have told you."
"Come off it, Paul," Steve Jobs said.  "You don't go off and build a digital network on a whim."
I gave him a tight smile.
"Okay.  I'm building the network so my interests can communicate easily over a secure network without anyone else eavesdropping.  I'm betting that a lot of other companies will want similar capabilities.  I'm also willing to bet that individuals will want that ability as well."
Scott McNealy, one of the founders of Sun cleared his throat then asked, "Individuals?  How would they access this digital network?"
I pulled a prototype Motorola phone from my pocket.  I hit the speed dial.  Kelly picked up after two rings.
"This is Kelly," she said as she answered.  I had the phone set on speaker.
"Kelly, it's Paul.  I'm meeting with some folks here in Deer Valley.  Could you tell them where you are?"
Kelly's laugh was crystal clear.  "I'm in our offices at Stanford, at least that's the number you dialed.  Do you want to switch to video so I can prove it to your folks?"
"Sure," I said.
We had tested the functionality for over a week before deciding this was the best way to make our case.  I turned on the computer on the table next to me, with a small digital camera sitting next to it, and sent the call to it with a three button transfer combination.  After a brief pause, Kelly's face appeared on the screen.  She waved to our roomful, and then panned her camera around her office.
"The video conferencing software we're prototyping, is written to take advantage of the communications and security protocols.  These are inside the FLO language and embedded in the chips of the computer and mobile phone Paul is using.  While traditional video conferencing hardware and software is expensive, we've built this system for under two thousand dollars.  At scale, we think we can cut that price by up to seventy-five percent."
"However, that's not the real driver," Donna said.  "The phone Paul used to initiate the call, is a joint proof-of-concept with Motorola.  It is using the public radio spectrum to communicate to a transceiver connected to the DigiNet network.  It is a personal communications device that can initiate a regular phone call through a connection point in our network to the public switched telephony network.  That type of call would cost whatever the telephone companies wanted to charge us to be the terminus of the call.  Calling Kelly, on the DigiNet network, however, is virtually free."
"Aside from the millions you spent to build that network," McNealy said, with a hint of derision in his voice.
"Right," Sheryl said.  "But if people could call folks for less, while paying us the equivalent of their monthly phone bill to connect to our network, we estimate the capital costs would be repaid in under five years on a one million subscriber base."
Ellison paled.  "The phone companies will never let you get away with it," he said.
"That's why we don't want to give them a choice," I replied.  "We're close to completing our network build out west of the Rockies.  We'll have two regional loops in place, and will be the predominant data carrier in the next twelve months.  Our corporate customers will fund our consumer build out and nationwide build out.  We're planning on skipping the direct connections that the local exchanges have a stranglehold on and go straight to wireless transceivers and mobile phones."
"And you want us to help fund your purchase of spectrum," Bill Gates said.
I smiled.  "Let's say we're willing to invite you into our consortium to buy the spectrum and build out the wireless network."
I could see the predatory gleam in their eyes.
"We have the network.  We'll put up the network backbone as part of our buy-in into a consortium.  Each of you will fund an equivalent dollar amount.  We'll use that to license spectrum and begin building out the transceiver network.  As a market gets built out, we'll begin selling mobile phones, and home base stations to monetize further expansion."
"Motorola sells the phones, Oracle sells databases to manage the network and customer base, Cisco sells the networking equipment to make it all hang together."  McNealy said.  "What's in it for Sun, Microsoft and NeXT."
Jobs jumped up.  "How about selling a ton of computers and software to consumers, along with a lot of workstations and servers, to make everything work."
Gates was nodding his head.  He had seen the latest prototypes of the NeXT-book Steve's team had put together.
"Steve's right," Bill said.  "People are going to want centralized storage and management capabilities, either at their businesses or built into the network.  We're already looking at a remote file system to give people access to written documents from anywhere."
"We're just scratching the surface of what we can do with distributed objects and shared computing resources," I added.
A few more heads were nodding.
"How much?" Ellison asked.
I glanced at Donna and Sheryl.  We had held many discussions on what to ask for when we finally got to this point in the conversation.  They knew what we needed.  I knew what I wanted to ask for to make them take us seriously.  We had compromised closer to my number than theirs.
"Four-hundred million for a full membership in the consortium.  That will get you an equal share of the profits after the establishment of a capital reserve for future expansion.  We anticipate a seven year payback of the initial investment."
That got everyone's attention.
"You mean we put up four-hundred now, get it all back in seven years, and still get an equal portion of the operating profits in perpetuity?" Bill Gates asked.
I nodded.
"Put it in writing and share the business model and plan with me.  If the numbers are realistic, Microsoft will be in."
Soon they all agreed to the same terms.  It had gone much easier than I anticipated.
****
July in the desert was brutal.  The afternoon sun had heated the ground around us and the light breeze of hot air sucked moisture from our bodies.  I could have held this week's kick-off meeting for the interns inside the lab building, but wanted to make a point with them.  Instead of being in the air conditioned comfort, we stood in the hot shade outside.
"Okay, ladies and gentlemen.  This week's challenge, is one where you all get to use your own creativity, to make yourselves a lot more comfortable.  You've spent time here, before, learning how to cast CRP-2068 and the processes for working with many of PT Innovation's other compounds.  As you can tell, now that it is July, it is quite a bit warmer in the desert."
They nodded.  One of Tom's cameramen was focused on the group with heat waves rising behind them.
"Each time you've come out here, it has been for three or four days, and the tent accommodation has been tolerable.  It's quite a bit hotter here now.  Those surplus tents we've put up for you are not well suited to this climate.  The canvas holds the heat, and prevents much needed air circulation.  On the plus side, they are not permanent structures, and can be easily moved to where they are needed."
A couple of the interns groaned, thinking they were going to be moving the tents.  I smiled.
"So this week, you get to show me a better solution."
They had some confused looks.
"Your teams have a week to come up with a better temporary structure for you to live in.  Each team will build a design, using any of the materials you can manufacture in the lab.  We will judge the solution based on creativity, ease of deployment and set-up, estimated costs to produce, and how effective it is at protecting you from the elements.  Any questions?"
The interns shifted and looked at each other.
"Can we shift teams?" Cassandra asked after a moment.
I nodded.  Tom had kept me abreast of some tensions building amongst certain teams.
"You can, but four prototype shelters need to be built."
"Can we live in the shelters as soon as we build them?" Don Joy asked.  He was an engineering student from MIT.
"Certainly.  I'd encourage you all to test what you build for comfort and utility."
"Are there any other constraints?" Allen Keen from the University of Illinois asked.
"Only that you have to be able to erect it with muscle power alone."
They were all nodding.
"Okay.  I will be available for consultation each morning before I start on my own work.  I'll also be available after dinner.  We will be kicking you out of the lab from midnight through six A.M.  each day, so no 'all-nighters' in the A.C.  Also, make sure you drink plenty of water!  Stay well hydrated out here.  Good luck!"
I turned and headed inside as they all huddled up and began talking.  I caught Tom's eye and nodded toward the doorway.  He followed me inside as his crew continued filming various discussions.
"How are they handling things?" I asked as soon as we were well out of earshot.
"Good, generally.  A few of the girls are tired of some of the boy's attitudes.  I think Cassandra, Sally and Jordan will team up together.  Bob Tanner has been a bit of an ass to his two teammates on the last couple of challenges."
"Should we force a change?" I asked.
Tom shook his head.  "It's not dangerous or threatening, and I think the dynamic we're capturing on film will play well with an audience; so, I'd say 'no,' for right now.  Let's see how it plays out."
"Okay.  How's your team holding up?"
"Great," he said.  "I've got three crews rotating to keep them fresh and capture as much as we can.  We'll all be in much better shape since we're staying in one of the guest cabins, and not in a tent or trailer this time."
"Good.  Don't hesitate to get me if things start to go south.  I don't want anyone truly suffering in this heat, okay?"
"Got it, boss.  We'll keep an eye on things."
He headed back to the door and I headed to the far end of the lab and golf cart sitting by the tunnel entrance there.  Soon, I was driving down the well lit tunnel toward the far end of the ridge, and our new desert residence.
Carl and Sylvia had outdone themselves, once again.
The tunnel entrance, which we called 'the back door,' opened into a modern mud room with closet space on one side; and counters, a deep sink, and washer and dryer on the other.  At the far end, it opened onto the kitchen which was filled with natural light from two large arched openings to one of the three large terraces cut into the side of the canyon wall.  A small breakfast table filled a nook to one side, while the granite counters and cherry cabinets created a warm, welcoming feeling to offset the brushed nickel finishes on the professional appliances.
I walked through, quickly, catching an incredible sight on the terrace.  Jeryl was stretched out on a lounge in the partial shade created by a retractable, translucent awning.  Her baby bump was just becoming prominent on her naked form.  Ali was naked, playing in a shaded sandbox in the corner of the terrace.
The surprise was Janet, Jeryl's mother.  She was stretched out in her altogether, just like her daughter and granddaughter.  Janet had flown in with us to spend some time visiting while Jerry was busy on the farm.  Seeing her nude, with a dark patch of pubic hair and rosy nipples framed by light tan lines, was the last thing I expected on my return to the house.  I debated going upstairs to our bedroom, or down to my study, leaving them in peace.
I must have made a sound, or just stared too hard, because Jeryl shaded her eyes and looked over her shoulder at me.
"Paul, can you bring some water out with you?" she asked.
"Sure.  How many?"
"Two for us, please."
Janet remained where she was, not scurrying for a towel, so I dutifully grabbed a couple of bottles of water for them, along with one for myself and headed out into the sun.
"Here you go, ladies," I said as I handed them each a bottle.  Janet seemed to blush slightly, but said nothing about her lack of attire.
"Are you joining us for the afternoon, Paul?" Jeryl asked as I leaned over and gave her a kiss.
"Not me.  I'll burn," I joked.
Janet laughed.
"If I'm shocking you, Paul, I'll put something on.  Jeryl has been insistent that there is no reason or need for a suit all morning.  I only just joined her," she said as she motioned to her bikini lying beside her lounger.
"Well, I would never encourage you to get dressed on my behalf.  I must say it is obvious where Jeryl gets her beauty, Janet."
My mother-in-law blushed this time.
"I'll tell you both a secret.  I used to love sitting out nude on our back porch when Jerry and I first moved to the farm.  I'm pretty sure Jeryl was conceived after one of those days."
Jeryl laughed.  "That would explain a lot," she said.
Janet nodded.  "It is nice to have a quiet place where you don't have to worry about neighbors stopping by," Janet said.
"Da-da!" Ali said from her sandpit.
I walked over and bent down to give her a kiss.  Once I had acknowledged her, she was back into pushing the sand around and ignoring the grownups nearby.
"Where are you working, today, Paul?" Jeryl asked.
"I'll be in my office.  I want to finish some designs that I'll cast while the interns are working on their projects."
"How's it going?"
"We'll see what they come up with.  I think the heat of the tents will give them quite a bit of motivation to do something quickly."
Jeryl chuckled.  "I'll bet at least one team has something besides a tent to sleep in by tomorrow."
"I wouldn't take that bet.  I just hope they follow through and make something better than a basic shelter."
"Did you tell them the twist?" Jeryl asked.
"The twist?" said Janet.
I nodded and said, "We have them making replacements for their tents.  I told them they had this week to finish.  What Jeryl is alluding to, is the fact that they're going to be living in them for more than just this week, as they continue out here, working on various projects.  The twist is the fact that we're only going to let one team keep the shelter they build, this week.  Next week, three of the teams will have to make something new."
"That's mean," Janet said.
"Not really," Jeryl said.  "Paul and I have been driving them to try more different things, rather than be satisfied with the first solution they come up with.  The real twist is that we're going to make them vote on which solution is 'the best,' with the caveat that they can't vote for their own solution.  Paul, Kelly, and I will vote as well.  When they learn that their peer group is the driver on the decision, we hope they will all take a different level of ownership in all their work, going forward."
"I guess I can understand your motivation, but that still sounds mean," Janet said.
****
"What's up, Tom?" I asked as I met him at the back door of our house.
"The interns have asked that you not come into the lab until the day after tomorrow.  They want to surprise you with their solution and approach."
That sounded ominous.
"Are there problems?"
Tom smiled and replied, "No, but I think they will surprise you."
"A good surprise?"
He nodded.
"Okay.  I can keep working down here.  I am more than a little curious, now, though."
Tom kept smiling as he added, "I don't want to spoil anything, but you might have to re-think your surprise twist for them."
I shook my head, definitely curious.  Tom waved away an invitation to come in and chat and headed on down the tunnel to the cabin his team was sharing.  He had set up an editing suite, where they were going through the day's film and making rough editing cuts.
I went back inside, and gave Jeryl the news.  She was intrigued as well.
Two days later, we got our surprise.
I walked out of the tunnel at the back of the lab building and into the large open area in front of the various fabrication bays.  All of the interns were waiting, along with the camera crew.  They were chatting nervously amongst themselves, but fell silent as I approached.
"So, what's the surprise?" I asked in what I hoped was a less than serious tone.
They all traded looks before Cassandra Sanchez stepped forward.
"We think we've done something very exciting, but we're a little concerned, as we didn't exactly follow your guidelines," she said.
I smiled.  I'd had two days to think about how to handle this surprise.
"Did you build four shelters?" I asked.
They all nodded, and few were grinning.
"Was each shelter erected with just muscle power?"
Nods again.
"Did each team design and build their own shelter?"
No one nodded this time.
"That's where we may have strayed," Cassandra said hurriedly.
I shrugged.
"Let's go take a look, and you all can explain what you mean by that."
I headed toward the door and they all followed me.  I stepped out into the morning sun and headed for the corner of the building where their tents had previously been set up.  Tom's team hurried to get ahead of us.  I slowed my pace to let them get set.
A moment later, I rounded the corner and saw four nearly identical shelters erected where the tents had previously been set up.  Each shelter appeared to to be the result of two half-pipe shaped tents being joined together in a cross.  Each end had a rigid, half-circle end with either a door or windows in it.  Silver was showing along the top of each curved section, catching the morning light.
I walked closer to inspect their design.
"Instead of each team coming  up with it's own core design, we decided it would be more efficient for us to work together to create a standard structure, and then break up the fabrication and customization work," Cassandra said.
I tapped my hand against the taut end-wall of translucent material, and then opened the door enough to stick my head inside.  It was noticeably cooler even, in the early morning sun.
"What's that?" I asked as I stepped all the way inside.  There were noticeable traceries of tubes running inside the translucent wall.
"Internal cooling," Calvin Hodges, a Stanford engineering student said.  "We used some of the photovoltaic coatings on the roof to increase the reflectivity of the structure and generate a usable current.  We use some of that power to circulate water through that tubing, to extract some additional heat from the structure."
"How do you dissipate the heat?"
"We buried the tubing and made a decent heat-sink to one side of the structure.  We also incorporated battery cells in the end frames of the building, to store excess power.  We can theoretically extract some of the heat from the ground after sundown, to warm the space if needed."
I nodded and said, "Impressive.  Was that your idea?"
"Mine and Jody's," he said.  "Our team took the power, the heating, and the cooling sub-systems.  Don designed power collection and storage, while Jody and I figured out the heating and cooling aspects.  We all worked together on the fabrication."
"What did the rest of you do?" I asked.
Cassandra stepped up again.  "Jordan and I designed the overall structure and figured out the end castings, along with the polymer based wall material housing the cooling tubes.  Sally and Bob handled the 'foundation and truss' design for supporting the structure and holding the walls tightly in place.  Scott and Pat figured out the external catchment system, if the shelter is used in a rainier environment."
I looked at Scott and Pat.
"How much can you capture?"
Scott smiled, as if he had been hoping for the question.
"If we received one inch of rainfall a day, we would collect approximately two hundred and twenty-five liters of fresh water.  That's enough for twelve man-days of consumption based on a twenty liter per day consumption rate."
"Impressive.  How much holding capacity did you build into your solution?"
Pat jumped on that one.  "We made a collection tank part of the anchoring system along the foundation's framing, with each tank capable of holding one hundred liters.  Additionally, we have internal tanks along the L-sections for the foundation, with twenty-five liters each.  Total capacity is five hundred liters of fresh water.  Once it is full, we either divert away from the shelter or fill the heating and cooling system to keep it at optimal capacity."
"Okay," I said.  "Taylor, Allen and William, what did you three do?"
"We handled the creature comforts," Allen said with a smile.  "Taylor designed the beds and figured out the manufacturing process to create the polymer material used in both the structure's sides, and the bedding.  William and I ran the manufacturing process for all the polymer material.  We also designed the set-up process."
"Okay," I said.  "Can you show me how one of these shelters is set up and taken down?"
Everyone began moving to clear the hut of personal belongings.  Allen quickly broke down the cots and rolled the polymer mattresses around the CRP legs to create easily carried and stowed bundles.  He placed them in the middle of the floor as everyone else headed outside and opened drain valves to let water out of the cooling system.
By the time the water had drained out of the structure, the interior was policed and everything laid neatly in the center of the frame.  They moved to release the tension of the curved tensioning frames, which were holding the side-facing end caps in place.  The ends folded in, reaching half-way to the center section.  They repeated the process on the back end of the shelter, and then ended up by the doorway as their team mates held the frame erect.
In the space of a few minutes, the whole shelter was collapsed, and neatly laid atop it's fixed foundation stiffeners.  Two pins from each side were pulled, and the side sections were folded in on top of the central square.  The pins were repositioned on the remaining section of foundation, and became handles on the bulky pallet they had created.  I was surprised to see four of them position themselves, and then lift the entire bundle.
"Where would you like us to set it back up, Paul?" Cassandra asked with a grin.
I shook my head and said, "Right were you had it is fine.  Well done, everyone.  That was a much better design than I anticipated, and the fact that you all worked together is just icing on the cake.  I'm going to declare you all winners."
They erupted into cheers and smiles as they exchanged high-fives.
Once they settled down, I held up my hand to get their attention again.
"As your reward for doing such a great job, I'm giving you all the day off.  Relax and test your new huts.  Tonight, I'll take you all into Las Vegas for a fabulous dinner.  The plane will take off at six, so don't be late!"
****
Later that night, after a filling meal in Las Vegas, we were all back on the jet and heading back to the lab complex.  All of the interns were excited by their reward, and pleased at having put some of the disruptive group dynamics behind them.  Cassandra seemed to be their group spokesperson, once again.
"Paul, what's the next challenge, now that we have the shelter's built?" she asked as the others leaned closer to listen.
I smiled and replied, "You have a great prototype.  Now you all get to put on your process hats, and figure out how to make hundreds of those shelters."
"What?"
"You heard me.  I want the design of the full manufacturing processes.  Once you've got that figured out, we'll see about actually building that assembly line and turning those shelters into a real product."
The look of surprise on their faces was rewarding.
"Why?" Allen Keen asked.
I grinned at him as I said, "I heard the Army is bidding out a new contract for desert ready shelters.  I want this team to put together a bid for it."
"How long?" Cassandra asked.
"We have a month for the bid deadline.  I want the plant laid out, and production costs fully estimated, in three weeks' time.  Right now, you have a great plan.  Now it's time to turn it into a complete product."
They groaned together.
"Hey, think about the experience you'll have on your resume when this is over.  You've already learned a lot that most of your peers would kill for.  This is taking it all to the next level," I said.  Then with a smirk I added, "Did you think it would be easy?"

Chapter Thirty-Two
Winds of Change
****
"Congratulations!" I said as I held my glass of champagne up before the interns and the cameras.  "You've all done a tremendous job over the past month, and we brought home the winning bid for the Army's contract."
They cheered for themselves.  They had worked hard, together; both in Nevada at the Lab, as well as in the temporary production facility we had set up in Atlanta.  They had overcome logistics and manufacturing issues, and had established an actual production line in record-setting time.  Additionally, they had submitted a bid to the U.S.  Army for a contract on a totally new kind of rapid deployment shelter.
"Sending the bid in was a tremendous accomplishment.  I think that effort, alone, is worthy of a reward."
They cheered again.  They had come to like the rewards that were shared out.
I waited for the noise to die down a little.
"To show my appreciation, Jeryl, Kelly, and I have decided to move the production facility and IP associated with these shelters into a separate Limited Liability Partnership.  Each of you will receive a five percent share of this new company, vesting the year after you complete school."
More cheers and a few thoughtful looks.
"Even if we don't win the Army contract, I anticipate building and selling these shelters to other organizations around the world.  You will all profit from these efforts, even if you never help build another shelter in your lives."
Cassandra raised her hand.  I nodded at her.
"What if we want to come back and work here after graduation?  I've only got one semester left at Berkeley."
I smiled.  "You'll have to apply for a position, here, but I'd be happy to act as a reference for any of you.  Now, since sending off the bid was the final task for the show, let's all relax a bit before we worry too much about the future."
A few of her peers laughed, but Cassandra frowned.  She made her way toward me as the others began refilling their glasses and talking amongst themselves.
"You'd really make me apply for a job in a company I helped launch?" she asked, as she got closer to me.
I shrugged and replied, "It's not up to me, entirely.  Besides, what if you win the overall internship, and get brought on as my new PA?  Would you prefer working here, over that?"
She chewed on her lip for a minute and then nodded.
"I think I would.  I was the one that cajoled everyone into focusing on one design.  I acted as both the project lead and the spokesperson for the team.  I put a lot of effort into making this a viable start-up.  I'd like to see how far it can go.  The Army contract would be nice, but these shelters could be used in disaster areas, temporary shelters for fire fighters out west, or even starter homes in most of the third world.  We have something unique and valuable, here."
I kept my smile to myself.  Cassandra was definitely one of the interns who had grown tremendously during our six-month process.  She had started with a keen business focus, but somewhere realized it was not about making money, but about having an impact on people's lives.  It was rewarding to see her passion coming out.
"Cassie," I said, "the most important thing you can take away from this is not a job title or a bullet item on a resume, it's understanding how you can take a raw idea and transform it into a product or company.  I don't want you to worry about a specific job, or role, right now.  I want you to think about what the next innovation you want to be involved in, is, and how you can apply what you've learned over the past few months to that effort.  Do that while you finish your degree, and then let's sit down and talk about what the future can hold for you.  Okay?"
She held my eye for a moment, and then nodded.
"Okay.  But, I will hold you to that promise of a discussion."
It was my turn to smile as I said, "I expect you to."
*****
"Paul, have you seen the weather, lately?" Tom asked as he stuck his head in my office in Stanford.
I glanced out the window.  It was sunny and beautiful.  "No, what's up?"
He stepped fully into my office.  "The National Weather Service just upgraded their hurricane watch for Puerto Rico to a warning.  They say Hugo is going to hit, and it's going to be a big one."
"How big?"
"Category four, maybe five."
"Okay.  Why the interest?"
"Shelters," he said.
It immediately clicked.  I nodded.
"Great catch.  Let me call Matthew.  He had a new line manager overseeing production in anticipation of making the cut on Army field tests as well as that demo contract with the Peace Corps."
Five minutes later, I had the good and the bad news.
"Matthew has roughly five thousand in storage in anticipation of the Army field tests and a pending contract with the Peace Corps.  Unfortunately, production is under a hundred a week right now pending new orders.  I bet the interns could help.  They designed the processes to hit a hundred a day.  Tom, can you call all the interns and see if they can help out?
"I'll get right on it."
I cleared my calendar and called Cheryl in to brief her on what I was thinking about.  Two hours later, I was on my way to Atlanta.
*****
"Hurricane Hugo struck the U.S.  Virgin Islands early this morning, wreaking havoc on the island of St.  Croix," the morning anchorman said as footage of the storm swells breaking against the island played on screen.  "It is currently estimated that ninety percent of the island has been severely damaged; and currently, residents are without power.  The category four hurricane is now hitting Puerto Rico, adding to the devastation and destruction of this storm."
"Okay, people," I said as the faces on the shop floor turned my way.  "Those are the people we want to help.  We have five thousand shelters ready to send out, and I would really like to get another couple thousand made and ready to ship.  Let's get working!"
There was a ragged cheer in the cavernous building, before the din of machinery drowned it out.  I smiled and headed back into the office of the plant.
Cassandra was waiting for me.
"I didn't think I'd be back here this soon, Paul," she said as she stood and shook my hand.
"I wish it were under better circumstances.  Calvin, Don, Jodi, and Allen should be in before lunch.  We need to see if we can improve the process and streamline it.  Right now, we'll be lucky to hit a hundred units a day, running two shifts."
"That's still better than our original design.  We figured thirty-five a shift on three shifts."
"We're pre-fabbing the material in another building.  But since we have to make the wall material as a whole piece for the cooling tubes, it's a bottleneck."
"What if we pulled the tubing from the design?" She asked.
"What are the implications?  You'll loose the cooling effects.  What else?"
She frowned and pulled on her lip.  "If I recall our detailed design specs, we'd loose about thirty percent of the cooling and thermal insulation factors.  We'd have less of an acoustic barrier as well.  But, we would simplify the fabrication of the wall material pretty significantly.  Getting a uniform distribution of the tubing and connecting all of it for the circulation system was a real bitch.  We'll want to test one without the tubing and make sure it can still support the solar panel application for power generation."
"Okay.  The wall material fabrication is next door.  Go over there and see what we can stop doing, to speed up the wall construction.  It's more important to have some shelter from the elements than our full blown structures three months from now."
Cassandra grabbed a white hardhat, and her ear and eye protection.
As she headed for the door she said, "Send Calvin over as soon as he arrives.  He designed the wall structures, and should be able to double check my work."
"Will do."
I turned back to the drafting table against the wall and scanned the production line layout.  I was still staring at it when Matthew and Kelly came in.
"Hey, Paul, looks like we've got a storm coming," Matthew said with forced joviality.
"That we do," I said.  "We need to add casting stations someplace to speed up the end cap molding production.  We can cast them most anywhere and then bring them in for use in assembly."
Matthew looked over my shoulder.
"I've got floor space, two buildings down, but we don't have the equipment for the curing process."
"Does CRP have any they can spare?"
Kelly shook her head.
"I had Jeryl call them.  They are tapped out on equipment.  However, they could shift their lines and make the end caps in New York and then ship them down here.  I've got Sheryl chasing down boxcars to use for transport.  They think they can load them eight hours after casting them.  It's going to take two days to ship them by rail."
"What about trucks or planes?  They're bulky, not heavy," I said.
"Trucks are going to be fighting traffic.  They're already talking about coastal evacuations on the eastern seaboard.  I'll see what our options are and get back to you."
She stepped into a private office and grabbed the phone while I brought Matthew up to speed on the wall changes.  Soon, we were grabbing our protective gear and heading down to the floor to see how things were going.
Twelve hours later, we paused the line for a shift change as our hundredth shelter of the day was completed.  Roughly a third of our first shift was coming back in to work alongside a hastily assembled and trained third shift composed of college students from Georgia Tech and other local schools.  Allen, one of the interns, had come up with the idea and called on the local chapter of his fraternity.  They had spread the word and helped organize things.
Matthew, Kelly, the interns, and I fell into a rhythm as we worked alongside the various shifts.  We kept one ear open for the weather updates, and noticed increased effort and focus with the announcement that Hugo was regaining strength after overrunning Puerto Rico, and was heading to the northwest.
On September 20th, five days after starting the ramp up of our production, we completed our thousandth new shelter.  Hugo was now racing up the coast, taking aim on the Georgia-South Carolina border.  It was time to get some shelters out to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Sheryl had arranged Air Force transport for our palletized shelters and interns volunteered to fly along to instruct the set-up, on the island.  Tom sent a cameraman along with each team.
Cassandra took to sleeping in the plant office.  She was convinced that she could get a dozen more units a day out of the assembly line if we could just perfect the final assembly.  I left her to her passion and collapsed in a hotel bed, so I could be alert when the storm made landfall.
As I fell into a deep slumber, I realized how proud I was of the team's accomplishments over the past week.
*****
"While the devastation of Hugo continues to be calculated," the reporter said, "there are also tremendous stories of hope and support."
Her cameraman pulled back to show a row of shelters shimmering in the tropical sunlight.
"This refugee camp did not exist three short days ago, but thanks to the heroic efforts of Paul Taylor and his company, PT Innovations; today over eight hundred families are not only living in safe, comfortable shelters, but they have power and fresh water as well."
The camera followed her inside a shelter where eight cots were neatly arrayed.  "This shelter was flown in on Air Force planes just twenty-four hours after the winds abated enough to allow flight operations.  A small team of volunteers and interns showed people how to erect the shelters, which takes only minutes.  Once the sun came out, the solar cells lining the top of this innovative cabin began generating electricity for lighting, and for charging batteries for use through the night."
They exited the tent and walked down the row of shelters.
"In addition to family accommodations for the people who lost nearly everything, several shelters have been converted into aid stations and even field hospitals.  Since they generate their own electricity and can be linked together, these shelters make perfect infirmaries to handle the more than six hundred reported injuries from the storm."
The news cut back to the studio anchors.
"PT Innovations has sent their shelters not only to the island of St.  Croix, which was nearly flattened by Hugo, but also to the hardest hit parts of Puerto Rico.  They are currently preparing to deliver shelters to the coastal region of South Carolina as soon as it is safe to do so," the anchor reported.
*****
"The fact that a private individual came to the aid of those in need is admirable," the talking head said on the Sunday morning news show.  "But the fact that our government, who we pay taxes to, was not prepared to take similar, timely and effective actions, is an outrage."
The camera cut to another member of the panel.
"You have to give the government some credit," he said.  "Paul Taylor had those shelters available because he was bidding on a contract for the Army.  If they had not been looking to buy better temporary shelters, he would not have had them designed and built to use."
"That is sophistry at its best," the original commentator said.  "Using that argument, why was the Army opening a bidding process while FEMA sat on its hands?  That is the organization charged with being ready for emergencies and natural disasters, not the Army.  The politicians responsible for being ready to react and help, failed!  The Army was lucky enough to have enabled a private firm to help out.  No matter how you spin it, this was a failure of our leadership."
*****
I shuddered at the sight of the news vans and cameras outside the office as we pulled up in our Range Rover.  I had flown back from Atlanta the previous night, happy with the production processes which were shipping out almost one hundred and fifty shelters a day to those impacted by Hugo in the lowlands of South Carolina.  Candace had struck a deal with the state government to cover our production costs, and a small profit.  I did not like the way the news was already trying to manufacture a story about us profiteering from the misfortune of others.  I took a deep breath as the car stopped and opened the door to face the crowd of reporters.
"Paul, why are you refusing to send shelters to Montserrat?" A female reporter yelled as she shoved a microphone at me.
I held up a hand and stepped onto the sidewalk as Tom came rushing out of the building with his own cameraman trailing him.  The reporters pulled back slightly as Sanford stepped up to my side.
"We are not refusing to send shelters, anywhere," I said firmly.  "But we are only making a hundred and fifty a day, which limits how many we can ship, quickly.  Right now, I have directed our production to be sent to locations impacted here in the States.  If I had more to send, I would be happy to help out the people of Montserrat."
"How much money are you making off these shelters?" Another reporter asked.
"Right now, we are covering costs, shipping, and a five percent margin.  Once we are through this emergency, and have stable production and ongoing orders, we will adjust our margins upwards, to meet our long-term business goals."
"Why don't you outsource production to other companies to increase volume?" another reporter asked.
I forced a tight smile and replied, "Why don't you investigate what that would take, and get back to me?"
I decided that was enough silly questions, and headed toward the door.
Tom intercepted the crowd as it tried to follow me.  I just shook my head.
"Idiots," I said.
Donna was waiting for me in my office.  I glanced at the clock.  It was five after nine.
"Sorry, I'm late," I said.
"You're hardly late, Boss," she replied with a smile.  "I saw the crowd of 'fans' waiting for you, and suspected you might have a little trouble getting in."
We sat down and she began my morning briefing.
"Five national guard organizations have placed orders for shelters this morning.  Once we get through the surge, we should have a good pipeline of orders.  No governor wants to be caught during the rest of hurricane season."
"I've asked the team to continue sending out shelters until next Thursday.  That will be ten thousand shipped in total for Hugo.  After that, we need to stabilize production and begin filling regular orders.  Cassandra has informed me she wants to stay on and run things.  She worked a deal with U.C.  Berkeley and can finish her last class remotely.  The positive press Tom and the team generated worked in her favor, at least."
"Good.  I'll make sure she is looped into the orders and your directions."  she said.  She looked at her notes and added, "DigiNet is lighting up the last segments of the western loops this week.  We're working on building out two paths to Denver to start expanding east.  We've got our bid for spectrum into the FCC.  It's another case where your positive press may help the process."
I snorted and said, "Based on the questions from a few minutes ago, I'm not too sure about that."
Donna smiled.
"Well, we should get another boost in two weeks when "The Interns" launches on ABC.  You'll be on a couple of talk shows over the next couple of weeks, to help plug the show as well."
I groaned and asked, "When did I agree to that?"
"Jeryl agreed for you both, as well as for Kelly."
I shook my head.
"Lucky thing that I love my wife," I said.  "Anything else pressing, for today?"
"Nothing this morning, but you have a meeting with the U.K.  trade representative this afternoon.  Kelly and Matthew believe they want to pitch some tax breaks at us, to open a facility in the United Kingdom."
"Interesting.  Any idea where?"
"We think, Wales, but that's a guess based on where they could use economic stimulus."
I thought about that for a moment.  Opening production in Europe had several interesting possibilities.
*****
"Why don't you investigate what that would take and get back to me?"
The sound-bite clip from my impromptu Q & A with reporters had taken on a life of its own over the past two weeks.  Now, when I was supposed to be pitching "The Interns" launch, I was instead talking about old news.
"A lot has been made of that comment over the last couple of weeks," Lou Dobbs said.
I smiled and shook my head slightly.  Tom had prepped me well for this week's interviews.
"A lot should be made of it," I said.
We were in the CNN studios in Atlanta.  I was dressed casually in an open collared light blue shirt with a navy blazer.  Jeryl and Tom had defined my wardrobe for all of my appearances.
"A lot of people think you were ridiculing that reporter."
"I was," I admitted.  "I expect a certain level of professionalism from people.  I expected a reporter asking that question would have done their homework, and known that the bottleneck on production was the assemblage and integration of a variety of custom materials we were making on site.  Outsourcing fabrication would not have sped up production; it would have delayed it by having to transport partial assemblies to other places for final fabrication.  A professional would have investigated that, and framed a different question that had real meaning."
"Such as?"
"Such as, 'Are you investigating methods of scaling up the production of materials that make these shelters so valuable in emergencies?' Or, 'Have any other firms approached you about aiding in increasing production?'  Either of those questions would have at least indicated they had done their homework."
Lou nodded for the cameras.  "Did you ever imagine such a backlash for an off-the cuff comment to a reporter?"
"Imagined, yes.  Expected, no."
"What do you mean?"
I smiled again and replied, "I can imagine quite a range of responses to any given statement I make.  I expect people to listen to my actual words, and evaluate them for themselves.  I do not expect people to fall into blind faith on what I meant or thought, based on someone else's interpretation."
"So you expected everyone to believe you were serious in your question to that reporter?"
"If he had come back with a way to accelerate production through outsourcing, yes, I would have listened to him.  Instead he raised a claim of a personal bias against him, on my behalf.  I did not know him from any other reporter.  I was unaware that he had been trying to arrange private interviews with me prior to Hugo.  I have a staff to handle such requests.  Now, it appears he has found a way to elevate his own reputation by casting aspersions on me.  As a professional journalist, do you think he is doing his own career any good?"
Lou frowned.  I don't think he expected me to put him on the spot.  He recovered quickly.
"I think he has gained a small following, but attacking you is a one trick pony."
"I agree.  Now, forget him.  Look at all the other media people that have taken up his cause.  They act on his words and accusations, but have not been able to defend how that was a smart or relevant question that deserved an answer.  Instead, they use this manufactured controversy to boost their own ratings, essentially saying the original reporter was correct in making the story up, just to boost his own stock."
"That's a bit harsh, isn't it?"
"Is it?  Is there a real story, here?  Why didn't any of the people launching attacks at my behavior bother to go visit the people we were helping?  Why didn't they go to the plant here in Atlanta and see how those dedicated teams were churning out shelters to help people?" I asked.  "No!  Instead, they sit in studios and comment on another person's comments.  That's not reporting, in my mind.  It's not helping the national dialog or informing public opinion with regards to the sorry state of many of our emergency preparedness plans.  It's non-news being trumped up to boost ratings."
"Well, here at CNN, I'm glad to state that we did go out and talk to your teams.  Here's what they had to share."
A series of clips ran on the monitor while our lights were dimmed and our mics were muted.  Don Joy was shown demonstrating how to set up one of the shelters in a refugee community in South Carolina.  Calvin Hodges was shown in front of the final assembly stage in our factory.  He talked about how we had organized a third shift, and streamlined the production process as much as we could, to increase our output.  Finally, Cassandra Sanchez spoke for all the interns, describing the thought processes and trials we had put them through, and how much better they had become as both thinkers and doers over the course of their internships.
The studio lights came back up.
"Those were all participants in your internship program?" Lou asked.
"They were.  They all did a tremendous job during the storm, as well as during their six-month internship."
"And that is what this new show is about?"
"It is.  We filmed the entire process; the good, the bad, the trials and tribulations.  On the show, people can see the process of having an idea, testing it, refining it, pitching it; turning it into a business, and helping it grow.  I never thought making money was enough.  This is part of how I want to give back to the entire country and world.  There are a lot of smart people out there.  Hopefully, they will watch the show, and see a process they can adopt themselves to help build something great for themselves, their communities, their countries, and the world."
*****
"Are you nervous?" Joan Lunden asked as the sound man fiddled with my microphone.
I was about to go on the air, live, for "Good Morning America".
"Not really.  I'll just be happy when we're done."
It was the last PR junket on my schedule.
"You've been on quite a few shows lately," she said.
I nodded.  I had done the taping for Lou Dobbs three days ago.  Since that appearance, Tom had Jeryl and me on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  Kelly and I had been taped for a segment on Hugo, on Sixty Minutes, and I had also done a slew of radio spots before landing on the set of GMA.
"I don't know how you folks do this every morning," I said as the sound man backed away.
Joan chuckled.
"Lots of practice," she said.
The floor director motioned at us and held up five fingers.  Joan straightened and looked at the camera as he counted us down.
"Welcome back to Good Morning America," Joan said brightly.  "Our next guest has gotten quite a bit of attention over the past week for both his actions and his words.  Please join me in welcoming Paul Taylor."
There was a swell of applause and even a little genuine enthusiasm in the small studio audience.
"Paul, you're officially here to announce your new television show, 'The Interns'.  What was the genesis of this radically different show?"
I smiled at the camera as I said, "It was actually thought of by a friend of mine, Tom Harding.  He first approached me a couple of years ago to be the subject of a documentary he wanted to film.  It was very well received at the Sundance Film Festival.  About a year ago, he pitched me the idea of making this show."
"And I understand it is a new type of television."
"It is.  We had crews filming about eighteen hours a day, while a group of interns learned about technology and business, and got to help solve real world business problems."
"And you graded them each week?"
I smiled again.
"Each of their projects was reviewed, and they were given feedback by myself, or other industry experts.  Our goal for them was not to 'grade' them, so much as guide them through a more realistic learning process than they would typically get in school."
"But there were winners each week?"
I nodded.  "The individuals or teams that did the best job on each challenge were rewarded.  In some cases, it was a cash award.  In others, they got to pitch their idea or work product to industry executives or have some one-on-one time with a technologist."
"Did you really arrange for them to have lunch with Larry Ellison and Steve Jobs?"
I laughed.  "I did.  Both were gracious enough to meet with some of the interns who did well."
"And one of their projects was the fabulous shelters that you sent out to victims of Hurricane Hugo, right?"
"It was.  They designed not only the shelters, but the manufacturing process as well.  When we needed to ramp up production as we saw the magnitude of the storm, most of them came back to help on the assembly line or go out with their product to show people how to set them up and link them together.  They demonstrated what the youth of America is capable of.  I can't praise their efforts enough."
The audience clapped spontaneously.
Joan smiled at the cameras.  "Well, I think we are all believers in what the youth of America can achieve.  That includes you, Paul.  Is it true that your company is valued at over a billion dollars, and that you started from the garage on your family farm?"
"I don't know about a billion dollars," I said with a grin.  "But I did start out in a garage on the farm."
"And now you are running multiple companies and are driving innovation in the automotive, computer, aviation, and telecommunications industries?"
"I've had some success," I admitted.
"And what do you attribute your success to?" she asked.
"Hard work.  A willingness to try, and fail, and try again; and a desire to never settle only for what other people think can be accomplished."
"Well, you have certainly accomplished a lot."  she looked from me back to the camera.  "To learn more of how Paul has accomplished such great things in his life, tune into 'The Interns'; premiering tonight, on ABC."
The crowd applauded again, and Joan held her smile until the director motioned and called, "We're clear."
"Well done, Paul," Joan said.  "I've looked at the clips of the show, and think it's going to be very popular.  I look forward to learning more about you and your process."
"Thanks, Joan.  It's been a pleasure chatting with you this morning."
I unclipped the microphone and stood to shake her hand.  It was a happy ending to a grueling week.
****
"Paul, have you seen this?" Tom asked as he walked into my office holding a tabloid newspaper before him.  The headline read "Tent-Gate?" and had a picture of one of the shelters on the front page.
I scowled as I said, "No.  What dreck is the fourth estate making up now?"
Tom handed me the paper and sat down.  "They're accusing us of making money off the misery of people who lost everything in Hugo, and then bribing the Army to select our shelters for their contract."
"That's such bullshit.  Get ahold of Kelly and Jim.  Let's sue their dumb asses for defamation."
"Hey, let's not over react."
"We're not.  We're defending our integrity.  You know how and why we built those shelters.  You helped film the entire process.  You know how and why we helped people three months ago during Hugo, you filmed that, too.  The fact is, we won that army contract because we made the best shelter for their needs.  We have so much proof of the process from your filming, that I want to own the assholes who decided to publish this."
"Okay, I'll get Kelly to find us a great attorney to go after them."  He stood up.
"You know they probably did this because the show's ratings are so good, and we're coming up on the end of the season, right?"
"I don't care.  They are publishing slanders against the company and myself.  Even if it is a back-handed compliment, I'm going to sue their asses."
Tom left, and I tried to get back to work.  I was almost ready to start construction on a tricky design element of the linear fusion rig.  Jeryl's due date was approaching, and I planned on having the design done before taking a break for her and the baby.  Then, in the spring, I planned on beginning construction.  The computing power … to manipulate the micro controllers, for the magnetic vortex controls … was just barely adequate, but the amount of control over the magnetic fields was much more finely tuned than I'd had, previously.  With finer control, I believed I could get to at least a successful ignition.
The finer control had also given me a breakthrough on the math, relating to the magnetic matrix and canceling of forces.  My mysterious negative time factor had canceled out in the summation of the equation, but there was still a variation with a negative time factor if I solved the equation with slightly different assumptions.  I was troubled that I had no explanation for how I had been sent into my past, but happy that the math at least now made sense.  If I could sequence the interactions of the magnetic vertices correctly, a few milligrams of deuterium would be propelled along the linear flow path and forced together at a pinch point with sufficient strength to fuse and release more than enough energy to create a self-sustaining reaction.
I saved my work, and then headed out of my office.
"Paul," Kelly said as I headed to the front door.  "Tom told me we're suing a paper?"
"You bet.  Get us the best litigator you can find."
She nodded and said, "I've got one.  You know they'll print a page six retraction and try to settle, right?"
"Not going to happen.  They defamed me and us on page one in big font.  I want the same placement of any retraction, or I want to put their paper into receivership."
Kelly shook her head.  "We can try.  It's going to be expensive."
"I'm not sure I really care.  I thought I was over how the press treated us in the fall, but this makes my blood boil.  It's not the first time the glorious fourth estate has taken pot shots at us.  I want to send a clear message to every editor and producer out there that there are lines they need to respect.  Lying to increase circulation, is definitely crossing a line."
"Okay.  I'll get paperwork filed today.  I know a couple of firms that handle this sort of thing."
"Good.  I've decided I'm done for a few days.  I'm heading to Utah."
"That's probably a good idea.  Give Jeryl my love, and let us know how things are.  I'll see you at Thanksgiving," she gave me a quick hug and then pushed me toward the door.
Two hours later, I was riding up the road toward our house in Deer Valley.  Early, heavy snow had already covered the upper slopes.  Sanford was quiet, as usual, in the front seat as I watched the scenery scroll past my window.
As we pulled into the driveway, another member of the security team flagged us down.  Sanford stopped and lowered his window.
"Anna and Jeryl left for the hospital three minutes ago."
"Shit," I said.  Jeryl was not due for another week.
Sanford nodded and reversed the car.  He was little more aggressive making his way down the mountain.
I was out the door before the vehicle came to a complete stop and heading inside the hospital.
"Paul, do you have anything to say about 'Tent-gate'?" A reporter near the entrance shouted.
If he had been within arms reach, I'm pretty sure I would have hit him.  Instead I shot him a glare and strode through the automatic doors.
Tiffany was waiting by the nurse's desk.
"Jeryl had some pains in her stomach.  Anna wanted to make sure she was alright and insisted we come in."
"Is she in labor?"
"We don't know yet, but they've got her in a private room upstairs.  They told me you were on your way down."
I nodded and followed her up the stairs.  Jeryl was in a normal hospital bed, but looked pale and worried.  I hurried to hold her hand and give her a kiss on the forehead.
A few minutes later, Anna came in with another nurse.
"Jeryl, it looks like you're in a hurry to have a baby," Anna said with a smile.
"I thought it was just gas.  My water hasn't broken yet."
"Don't worry, it will.  I don't think this is going to be a quick delivery like Ali was.  Paul, why don't you go get into scrubs if you're going to help?  The doctor will be in to check on her in thirty minutes or so."
I gave her another kiss and the headed out to the ward, looking for a nurse.
*****
Jeremy Benjamin Taylor was born nearly twenty hours later.  He was a big baby, weighing in at eight pounds, twelve ounces.  Jeryl had a rough time during the birth, and was totally exhausted by the time he was born.  I was tired as well, but somehow being a father again seemed to put my day into perspective.  I slipped out of the room with Tiffany following behind me and headed to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee.
"Mr.  Taylor," a young woman called as I turned toward the stairs.
"Yes?" She was dressed in stylish ski pants and a sweater.  She had a small notebook in her hands.
"Congratulations on your son, Mr.  Taylor."
"Thank you.  You are?"
"Billy Salz, with Park City News.  I drop in most days to get births and deaths for the paper.  I'm just a student journalist, right now, so I get the crappy jobs."
I smiled.
"What can I do for you, Billy?"
She glanced down at her notes.
"I just wanted to confirm the name, Jeremy Benjamin Taylor, right?"
"It is."
"Named after anyone in particular?"
"We chose the name to honor Jeryl's father, Jerry, and my Uncle Ben."
"How's your wife doing?"
"She's doing fine, but is pretty tired.  It was a long labor."
She jotted a note and then looked up.
"Umm, any chance you'd let me ask you another question or two?"
I tried, and failed, to stifle a yawn.
"If you come with me to get a cup of coffee, I might."
She smiled and stepped next to me.  She was polite enough to hold her questions until we were seated at a cafeteria table, each with a cup of hot coffee.  Tiffany sat nearby with her own drink.
"So, what do you want to ask me?" I asked after taking a sip.
"Well, I've got a couple things, actually."  She swept her blonde hair out of her eyes and tucked it behind her ear.  "Are you planning on filming another season of 'The Interns'?"
"Yes."  I said, surprised by her question.
"Why?"
"It's doing well from a ratings perspective, and personally, I'd like to help another group of young inventors and business leaders to get their start."
"Don't you do that already with your scholarship funds?"
At least she had done her homework.
"We do, but the education people get in school is only half of the equation.  You're a student.  Where do you learn more about journalism, sitting in a class or out trying to chase down a story?"
She blushed and looked around nervously.
"I think I learned more about being a reporter chasing a real story, but not all journalism is being a reporter."
"True.  But do you think you'll be a better journalist for having some experience reporting the news for a local paper?"
"Of course, or I wouldn't be doing it."
"Exactly.  Our show gives some very bright and hard working people a similar kind of real world experience.  That's something more than what they can learn in a classroom."
"So, you think giving our generation a chance at those experiences is worth all the headaches it has seemed to cause you?"
"What headaches?"
She gave me a coy smile.  "Dumb news reporters, stupid accusations of making money off others misfortunes, you know, those kind of headaches."
I smiled and replied, "Those things make me angry, but yes, I think those headaches are worth it for what our interns accomplished in this past year.  We helped house over sixty thousand people who lost their homes during a natural disaster.  We created decent, well paying jobs for over three hundred people in Atlanta, helping to make those shelters.  We launched a new line of sporting goods for Nike that just might save some child's or adult's life by preventing traumatic head injury.  I think those accomplishments are worth me having to put up with unprofessional, and lazy journalists.  Don't you?"
She blushed again.
"Well, so long as I'm not one of them in your mind; yes, I think it is worth it."
She paused and took a deep breath.
"I know you've been focused on other things since yesterday.  Do you have any comments on the accusations being termed, 'tent-gate'?"
I almost laughed.
"If you had asked me that yesterday, I might have lit into you.  Firstly, I don't think fabricated accusations such as those, are anywhere near the seriousness of Watergate.  I would also state, for the record, that journalists who try to create a sense of national scandal by appending '-gate' to the end of any other word they can come up with, is another indication of poor writing and lack of professionalism on their part."
I paused to take a sip of coffee.
"With regard to the actual content of the story, I categorically deny any claims of wrongdoing on my or my company's part."
"Is it true that you're suing the paper that originally published the story?"
"That was the direction I gave our internal counsel.  I honestly don't know if they have filed yet."
"They have.  Filing for libel and slander was done yesterday afternoon."
"Good."
"Don't you believe in a free press?"
"I believe that the freedoms granted to the press, also create an obligation to report the facts honestly and accurately.  This story was innuendo, false accusations hidden in questions, and an all-round hatchet job, with no basis in fact.  Since they are impugning my reputation, and did so in writing, that makes it libel, not 'protected speech.'  The editor then verbally defended the story.  This opened themselves up to slander charges, as well, since they insisted I was guilty of 'something' or I would not be filing a suit.  It's ironic that they don't even afford me the basic right of being 'innocent until proven guilty,' while they try to hide behind 'freedom of the press' to defend their own actions."
Billy was scribbling furiously.  I waited for her to catch up.
"Wow," she finally said.  "I was expecting a 'no comment,' or a 'talk to my lawyer' answer."
I smiled.  "I don't like the ignorance that seems to be creeping up on the American public.  I won't hide behind a lawyer, when the facts are plain and simple.  That story was fabricated to help sell papers.  The people need to hold the paper accountable.  They can do that by thinking through the facts for themselves, and then choosing to not buy that paper the next time they see it.  Unfortunately, I don't think the American people will do that, so I'll sue the paper until they either go bankrupt or print a retraction on the front page, in the same font size they used to print the original headline."
"What do you mean by 'ignorance creeping up on America'?"
"We seem to becoming more and more comfortable with letting other people do our thinking for us.  The press is just one example.  We seem to be abdicating our critical thinking skills, assuming editors and journalists are applying theirs.  We don't question the underlying assumptions.  We don't seek out greater understanding or ask for facts and data.  We let the editors then shape the national dialog.  I can't believe that was the intent of our founding fathers."
"Besides the press, where is this happening?"
I smiled.  "You should go find out yourself and write about it.  That's what journalism is about.  Don't take my word for it, find the facts and draw your own conclusions."
She looked thoughtful for a minute.
"If I do that, will you give me an internship?"
That surprised me.
"You want to be on the program?" I asked.
She shook her head.
"No.  I want a real internship.  Let me work in your communications department.  Let me shadow Tom Harding and work for him."
It was my turn to think for a moment.
"Write your article, and let Tom and I read it.  If it is fact-based journalism, you'll get an internship."
"What if I can't get it published?  I doubt it will be the sort of thing the Park City News would run."
I laughed.  "I didn't say you had to get it published, but you have to write it."
She extended her hand and said, "Deal."
We shook on it.
*****
Ali was fascinated with her little brother.  We were sitting in front of the fireplace in our bedroom with Jeryl feeding Jeremy, while Ali sat on my lap and watched with rapt attention.  Previously when Ali had sat with us in the bedroom, she had only had eyes for the television mounted in the bookcase next to the fireplace or whatever storybook we were reading that night.
Jeryl had a contented smile on her face as she looked from our son to our daughter, to me.  "I love you," she said softly.
"I love you, too," I said.
"I love you, daddy," Ali said as she gave me a fierce hug.
We had fallen into an idyllic existence since coming home from the hospital.  Jeryl had plenty of support with Anna and Mrs.  Eccles checking on her frequently.  Ali was not lacking for attention, either.  Anna had her on a regular pre-school schedule, and she often joined me in the office downstairs to color or draw while I handled correspondence with the office.
November had flown by, ending with another huge family get together at our place in Deer Valley.  It felt like it had been ages since we had seen both sets of family together.  We had enjoyed the time together, immensely, but I was now beginning to think about the coming workweek.
Donna and Sheryl had taken to alternating weekly visits.  My daily briefing was moved to a weekly meeting with occasional questions between meetings for direction or specific guidance.  One of the weekly briefings was coming up in the morning.
"You're awful quiet, tonight," Jeryl said.
"I'm trying to decide how to handle a situation, tomorrow," I said.
"What situation?"
"I think it's time either Donna or Sheryl take on DigiNet full time, and I don't know who is better suited for the role.  They are both passionate about it."
"So give it to them both."
"How?"
She gave me her mothering look.  "Make one CEO and one COO.  Hire one of the interns from this past year as a new PA, or have Donna and Sheryl select their replacements."
I smiled at her.  Of course it was that simple from her perspective.
"So who gets which role?"
"Have them define the two roles, and then let them pick.  They're smart ladies.  They will figure out what you're doing and align the duties to their own liking before you even ask them which role they want."
I laughed and leaned over for a quick kiss.
The next morning, I saw a look in Donna's eyes as I gave her the new tasking.
"Should we be looking for PA candidates as well?" She asked with a grin.
I shook my head.
"Jeryl said you would figure it out before I could tell you," I said with a grin.  "Yes, you should start screening candidates for your replacements.  As you work out the job duties, figure out a staggered transition, so one of you has enough time to get two new PA's up to speed for me.  I'm planning on being in the office in Stanford two days every other week after the New Year.  The rest of the time I want to be in the Nevada lab as much as possible."
Donna jotted down a note and then looked back at me.  "Anything else on that?" she asked.
"Nope.  What else do you have for me?"
She flipped a page in her notebook.  "You've been requested to appear before a special committee regarding our contract with the Army and various other agencies to supply shelters."
I scowled.
"When?"
"Week after next.  Kelly and our outside counsel on the defamation suit will also attend."
"Idiots," I muttered.  "Okay.  Let me know when I fly out."
*****
"Mr.  Taylor, you don't seem to be taking these proceedings very seriously," the esteemed congresswoman from California said.
If she only knew.  In the ten days I had to prepare, I had taken things very seriously.  I had also come to realize that this was one of the congresses that set the stage for so many poor decisions in the near future.  I was twelve years away from the 9/11 attacks that led to our engagement in a war that we never recovered from.  I was less than two years away from the First Gulf War, which set the stage for those terrorist attacks.  I was days away from the invasion of Panama, which reassured the hawks that the military might of the United States could be used to change the rules of international relations.  We were closer to a tipping point than I cared to be.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I was serious on the first hour of my testimony, and I am serious now when I say that this continues to be a waste of taxpayer's money.  No one has asked a single question in the past sixty minutes that challenges any of the facts presented in my written testimony.  I have been congratulated as a patriot, and accused as a profit-monger, by members of this committee; but no one has presented a single fact to support either of those accusations."
Kelly rested a hand on my leg and squeezed.  Hard.
I pushed her hand away as the chairman of the special committee rapped his gavel to quiet the murmur in the room.
"Mr.  Taylor, are there any facts you wish to make certain are shared with us?" the chairman asked.
"Sir, the only facts I'm aware that you should consider, are those in my prepared statement.  Firstly, shelters were provided from inventory and ramped-up production to aid victims of Hurricane Hugo in the United States impacted areas at a significant cost savings to what traditional, equivalent shelters and infrastructure would cost.  Second, PT Innovations made less than a 5% margin on those shelters, and what profits we did earn were returned to employees as performance bonuses during a national time of need.  Thirdly, a contract for over ten thousand shelters was awarded by the U.S.  Army due to the documented, superior performance of those shelters in a multitude of environments.  The terms of that evaluation and the resulting contract are part of the public record.  Other state and federal agencies have contracted for additional shelters since that bid's announcement.  Finally, the only accusation of any misconduct is coming from a paper of questionable repute, who I am suing for defamation."
I paused for a breath.  "At a national scale, here are a few additional facts you should be thinking about.  We have one out of twenty people in the workforce who are unemployed.  Crude oil prices are on the rise, currently higher than they have been since OPEC moved to their spot-market pricing model, with no sign of slowing.  We are running our government at a $150 billion budget deficit, and have not had a surplus in twenty years.  Finally, I would ask that my testimony include Article One, sections seven and eight of the United States Constitution, as well as Article Three, section two."
There was another gasp in the room, and I swear that Kelly nearly drew blood on my leg.
"That concludes my testimony," I said as I sat back.
The chairman was red in the face as he pounded his gavel.
"Are you looking for us to find you in contempt, sir?" He asked sharply.
I leaned forward to answer as Kelly shot her hand forward to cover my microphone.  She leaned in to whisper.
"Do you want a month in jail if they take a resolution of contempt forward?"
I shook my head.
"Then ask what documents you have failed to produce as requested or questions you have not answered which would justify such a charge."
I did as I was told.  The congressman did not seem pleased with my answer.
"Your accusations against this body within your testimony are unwarranted, sir, and further statements may force me to take procedural action that we would all rather avoid."
I could not help myself.
"Similar to those I have already been forced to take as a result of unfounded accusations, sir?"
The committee joined in the murmuring conversation at that remark.
Finally, the gavel rapped again.
"The witness is excused," the chairman said gruffly.
I stood and exited the room as Kelly and our outside counsel followed.  Reporters mobbed the aisle behind us.  Shouted questions began as soon as we were in the hall of the Rayburn building, headed for the doors.
"Paul, why were you so confrontational with the committee?" one reporter shouted.
"Why those articles of the constitution?" Called another.
Kelly steadily recited "no comment" and kept me moving.  I followed along until we were at the waiting Range Rover.  Then I turned to face the crowd.
Something close to silence fell as I held up my hand.
"Thank you for your interest in driving up your organization's ratings.  My testimony before the special committee on procurement practices was responding to a thinly veiled attempt by those congressmen and women to bolster their own ratings as well.  As a citizen, I find it offensive that they waste time on non-issues while our government becomes less efficient and less able to support the needs of our citizens.  I would have been happy to suggest ways and means to better prepare for emergencies such as Hurricane Hugo that rendered nearly one hundred thousand American citizens without basic shelter, food, water, or power.  I would have been happy to discuss ways and means to improve our public infrastructure and provide jobs to the five percent unemployed in our country.  I would have enjoyed the opportunity to discuss rational plans to make us energy independent from the rising tide of prices for energy.  Unfortunately, none of those meaningful and important topics were addressed."
"Instead, they wanted to use my name and image to make themselves look important to their constituencies and the lobbyists who have supported them in the past.  Because of that, I chose to reference the articles of the Constitution dealing with the duties of congress, to set a budget and manage revenues, and to the fact that the constitution protects every citizen from a trial by mob or media.  Perhaps it is time that all of us remind our representatives of what their real job, here, is."
More questions were shouted as I turned and climbed into the car.  Kelly was shaking her head at me as I pulled the door closed.  Her lips were set in a tight line.  I knew she was not happy, but I also knew that I could not sit by and play games as idiots set the stage to topple our country over the next forty years.  If I wanted to change the world, I had to take some risks in the public eye.
*****
"Well, Paul, you certainly are making my life interesting," Tom said as he stepped into my office in Stanford.
I had returned to California following a very short Christmas break after my testimony before Congress.  We had been inundated with requests for comments, interviews, and TV appearances.  The U.S.  invasion of Panama had slowed things over Christmas, but now that operations were winding down, the news agencies were on the hunt to generate new news.  I seemed to be their favorite subject.
"And making his own life more dangerous," Alison said as she walked in behind him.
I gave her a look.  She had been back in the U.K for the past week.
"What did I do, now?" I asked as she brushed past Tom and headed to her favorite chair in my office.
"Made yourself a target, again.  You do realize that more than news papers are taking notice of your comments, don't you?" she sat.
Her neatly tailored skirt and blouse showed her curves nicely, but the cool look in her eye warned me that this was not just a social call.
"Like who?"
"OPEC.  Your comments about energy independence and imports did not land on deaf ears.  MI-6 wanted to know what you were trying to stir up, or if you had something else up your sleeve.  They were very curious about you."
"Really?"
She nodded.
"Lord Harold also called to inquire as to your motives."
"What did you tell him?"
"To call you.  It was a little harder to say that to MI-6.  I have been formally tasked to ask you what audience your comments are aimed at.  They are concerned about moving forward with discussions on opening a plant in the U.K.  if you are planning on stirring up Arab or Muslim unrest with rhetoric."
I scowled and said, "You can formally tell them that my comments were aimed at the U.S.  lawmakers, whom I view as failing to do their jobs.  If we open a plant in the U.K., and their lawmakers fail to perform their sworn duties, then I may have comments for them at that time."
She held my gaze for a minute and I saw Tom shrink a little before she nodded curtly.
"Very well."  she said, and stood up as she smoothed her skirt.  "I've got a couple of calls to make.  Then I will be heading back to Utah with you this evening.  Please let me know when you're ready to go to the airport."
It was my turn to nod.  Tom watched her leave.
After the door closed, he turned to me.
"Do you want to tell me what's really going on?" he asked in a subdued tone.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I've watched you on camera and off for over a year.  I've never seen you so cross with so many people.  It's like you're ready to snap all the time.  Ever since the congressional hearing, you've been wired."
I sighed.
"I know."  I said as I pushed back from my desk and put my hands behind my head.  "There just seems to be so many things to do and so many idiots preventing progress.  I am getting frustrated."
"So take a break," he said.  "We're done screening candidates for the next season of 'The Interns'; your various research projects are well underway and generating inventions and innovations at a stupendous rate; your wife, daughter, and newborn son are waiting in some of the greatest ski country on the planet; and you're slaving away at the desk or in your labs in Nevada.  Take a break!  Come back to things with a fresh perspective."
I thought about it for a minute.  In many ways, he was right, but in others, he was so wrong.  If I really wanted to have a chance at preventing the first Iraqi war, I needed leverage.  I was accumulating some leverage with our company, but not enough.  Fusion would give me leverage.
"Maybe," I said.  "Or maybe I just need to get away and focus on my own projects for a bit.  What is the media going to say if I drop out of contact for a while?"
It had seemed that seventy percent of my time in the California offices was spent dealing with media items and issues.
"We can manage it," Tom said confidently.
"I'll think about it," I said.  "Can you see if Donna or Sheryl are available?"
He nodded, understanding my dismissal, and headed out.  A minute later, Donna came in.
"What's up, boss?" she asked.
"Where are we at on new PA's and your and Sheryl's transition to DigiNet, full time?"
Donna smiled.
"Sheryl is pretty much full time, now.  We've screened hundreds of resumes and winnowed the pool down to ten.  Matthew, Sheryl and I will have it down to four for you next week.  I'll handle their training and transition with Sheryl staying on top of operations at DigiNet.  At the end of March, I should be able to shift over full time."
"Good.  I'll fly in late next week for the final interviews.  Between now and then, I'm going skiing!"

Chapter Thirty-Three
In a Pinch
****
My eyes teared in the wind, despite my sunglasses cutting the reflected glare of the sun on the white drifts covering the cemetery.  Jeryl hugged my side as the minister finished the graveside service for Cynthia Morgan.  I returned her hug with one arm, as I held Ali with my other arm.
We had flown in the day before, after getting the call from Janet about Cynthia's passing.  I had not liked Jeryl's grandmother when we first met, but had grown to respect her for her will and determination, if nothing else.  I was sad at her passing.
"Daddy, I wanna' go to Anna," Ali whispered.
I shifted her in my arms, and squatted to put her down.  I motioned to Sanford, who gently took her hand and let her lead him back to the car where Anna was with Jeremy.
"Thank you all for attending.  Please join the family at The Meadows for a luncheon and to share memories of Cynthia," the minister said.
People began to hurry toward their cars.  Jeryl and I stood by Janet and Helen with the immediate family for a few minutes to let the crowd clear.  Soon, we were leading the two daughters back to the limos and thinking about getting out of the biting wind.
Janet and Jerry were riding with us.  As soon as the door was closed, Janet began to cry openly.  Jerry patted her knee, helping little, before Ali climbed into her lap.
"Don't cry, Nana.  Mommy will give you a kiss, and make it better."
Janet smiled at her granddaughter through her tears and hugged her fiercely.
"Thank you, Ali, but I bet a hug from you would be much better."
Jeryl wiped her own eyes and smiled at our daughter.
It was a short ride back to the Meadows and soon we were putting brave faces on things once again.  Anna disappeared with the kids, including Jonathan, Richard and Trisha's son.  Jeryl, Jordan, and Jyl seemed to congregate together, as strangers came up to express their sympathies.  I tried to remain in the background, but it seemed the movers and shakers of Michigan who had been Cynthia's friends wanted to take the opportunity to meet me.
It was an exhausting afternoon, as I tried to support my wife and her family without showing my anger at the supposed well-wishers inviting me to meet with them after 'things were settled', whatever that meant.
Finally, the last guest was gone, and the family adjourned to the large living room.  Philip appeared from the kitchen with a tray of drinks and began serving everyone.  I was surprised he was there, and that he seemed to know everyone's drink preference.  He handed me a scotch with a splash of water in it and took the same for himself.
He looked me in the eye, tapped his glass to mine, and lifted it to his lips in a silent toast.  I drank with him.
"She might have been stubborn and hard hearted when you met her, Paul, but I think she was a great and happy lady at the end.  You did that for her."
I felt tears in my eyes, and nodded before taking another drink.  Jeryl moved next to me and I gave her a hug.
"Philip, thank you for coming over and helping out with the catering, today.  I know you didn't need to, and I appreciate it."
Philip smiled at us as he said, "I liked your grandmother, Jeryl.  She used to come into the kitchen and share stories of her life as I cooked and cleaned up, when the family was together.  Helping out today was the least I could do."
We sipped our drinks again in shared silence.
Slowly, the alcohol took affect and the entire family began to let some of the tension out of their bodies.
"So," Olivia said as she joined us.  "How long are you guys staying around?"
I shrugged and looked at Jeryl.
"I'll see if Mom needs help going through anything.  If she does, I'll stay for a couple of days.  If not, I think we'll head down to Austin, tomorrow," she said.
Olivia nodded and said, "I need to get back to school.  I've got a couple of papers to finish up for this week."
She was finishing up her doctorate while applying for several museum positions around the country.
"Make sure you let us know if you need a lift anywhere for interviews," Jeryl said with a smile.  "What's the point in having a couple of jets if you can't help out your family?"
Olivia looked like she was going to say something and then just hugged Jeryl.
"Paul," Helen said as she came up behind us.
I turned and gave her a smile.
"What can I do for you, Helen?"
"Mother wanted me to give this to you," she said.  "She gave it to me at Christmas when I saw her last.  I think she knew."
Her hand shook as she held out the thick envelope.
I took it and put it into my jacket pocket.
"Aren't you going to open it?" she asked.
"I will, later.  I think we've all had enough drama today.  It has waited since Christmas.  It will wait a little longer."
Helen nodded.
Later that night, after the kids and Jeryl were asleep, I opened the envelope.
Her handwriting was neat and correct, with letters in precise blue ink written with a fountain pen.  I had to admire her penmanship.
"Paul, you gave me back my family and filled a foolish old woman's heart with joy.  I can never thank you enough for that.  You have more money than I could reward you with.  You have more knowledge than I ever hoped to acquire.  You have passion and drive the likes of which I've seldom seen in recent years.  I know you will change the world to make a better place for everyone.  Of that I have no doubt."
"Once upon a time, you surprised me with a tale of energy consumption and trying to change the world.  I did not believe you immediately; but, as time passed, I remembered that conversation.  I did some of my own research.  You are right about our appetite for energy, but you are wrong about being able to change things on your own.  You need like-minded friends of foresight and power to make the changes you dream of.  While I can never repay what you have given me, perhaps I can make a small down payment on the debt."
"Please use the enclosed key to access box 1642 in the local bank.  There are other things there for you.  As you change the world, please make sure you take the time to enjoy the things that make such dreams worthwhile: your family.  Thank you again for all you have done to ensure the happiness and success of my family."
"With warmest regards, Cynthia Morgan"
I read the letter again and then fingered the stainless steel key.  Finally, with a sigh, I put the letter into my briefcase and then climbed into bed next to Jeryl.  Time would tell what the morning would bring.
*****
I enjoyed the spring scenery streaming past the window and the smooth, powerful comfort as the newest Mercedes Benz S-Class sedan was expertly navigated through the German countryside.  I would have enjoyed the chance to take the wheel, but my host had deftly escorted me to the rear of the car while Alison sat next to the driver.
"So, are you finding the ride comfortable?" Carl Richter, the Vice President of New Product Engineering asked.
I smiled and patted the leather armrest between us.
"I am.  It is a fine car.  It's new, I assume?"
He nodded and said, "Very.  There have been three made, so far.  Your portfolio has made it possible to create this wonderful machine.  We have sifted through your ideas and synthesized them with our own engineering and design to make what we hope will be the finest luxury sedan in the world."
I shifted in the seat and took a closer look at the interior cabin.  It was plush, charcoal leather with black trim.  The side panels in the door had ebony inlay with more leather.
"It's very quiet," I said.
He smiled and nodded.
"Right now, we are running on battery.  Your new battery design has allowed us to incorporate significant power storage into the frame of the body, so we can charge when the motor is running.  Your software model, the FLO language, and interfaces, allowed us to build intelligence into the control systems.  We monitor the battery discharge rate and automatically engage the engine in a variety of conditions.  We also have full in-car diagnostics of the motors, suspension, and steering systems so we can continuously tune the performance to match the driving conditions."
"Impressive.  It's how I dreamed the language interfaces could be used."
"But you are wondering why I insisted you come visit, right?" he asked with a grin.
"It does make me curious," I admitted, as they had actually paid my day rate to get me over to visit them.
He nodded again.
"We want you to look at some enhancements we've made to your motor design and, if you think it is mutually beneficial, we want to propose a joint venture to manufacture the motors here in Germany."
That caught me by surprise.  They had purchased the most permissive license we offered to our technology portfolios.  They could manufacture modified motors using any of our designs within their existing licenses.
I nodded.  I was definitely curious now.
"I'd be happy to see what you propose, but surely you don't need my permission to manufacture the new motors."
"Perhaps we do not.  We would like it, however, since we are using one of your other products in the windings and have leveraged your Dr.  McTavish's research to make a new type of magnetic bearing.  We think it is going to be something that a lot of manufacturers will be interested in.  If we can agree to build them here in a joint venture, you can then offer them to your other partners more easily.  We will handle management, manufacturing, and distribution."
"It's your idea, why include me at all?"
He smiled and replied, "Let us enjoy the ride for a bit more, and then we can get into the particulars.  I had planned on stopping at a little gasthaus with excellent food.  We can discuss it there."
I saw the set of his jaw, and nodded in agreement.  Alison and I had flown over with a brief stop in London.  My body clock was telling me it was almost dinnertime, even though it was only approaching lunch.  Soon, we were ensconced in a homey German inn with a traditional atmosphere.  The waitress had smiled at Herr Richter and I and had immediately brought us two steins of beer and large glasses of water.  Carl ordered for us and then raised his glass in a toast.
"To good partnerships," he said.
I nodded and raised my own glass.
After drinking a healthy sip, he sat his mug down and got a serious expression on his face.
"I am a direct man, and I understand you are of a similar nature.  I want a joint venture with you on the new motors, because I want your name associated with them, to speed their adoption in the United States and Japan.  I will propose, later today, that we launch the joint venture and offer the motor design and any other joint venture inventions as a special portfolio offering, from PT Innovations."
"Why do you want fast adoption?  If the technology is valued, it will be adopted."
"Yes, but we face global problems, or will in the future.  Germany is already talking about ways to become more fuel-efficient and cause less pollution.  The efficiency gains in our motors could speed adoption of your direct drive model, which will have global impacts on our emissions.  Your original car was getting seventeen kilometers per liter.  By using your new materials in the motors, batteries, and generators, we are getting over twenty-five kilometers per liter on that new car, and it is much larger than your original."
That got my attention.  Twenty-five kilometers per liter was almost sixty miles to the gallon.
"How much over?" I asked.
Carl smiled as he said, "Twenty-seven on a two thousand kilometer test drive."
I did some math in my head.
"Sixty three miles per gallon?"
He continued to grin and nodded.
"On a luxury sedan that drives that smoothly?"
He nodded again.
It was my turn to smile.
"You're right.  Those sorts of numbers will get a lot of attention in the States.  We could cut gasoline demand by a third if we gain adoption, quickly."
"My thinking exactly.  As a boy, I grew up in the country, here.  I used to love hiking in the forest with my father and grandfather.  Three years ago, I went back to that forest.  It is dying from the pollution.  We need to do something or we are going to kill our world."
I nodded again and lifted my glass.
"Let's eat and talk a bit more, and then go work out a deal.  You are a man after my own heart, Herr Richter."
*****
"What did you think about that car?" I asked Alison as the plane leveled out for our flight back to England.
"It was impressive.  Do you know if he is using one of your coatings in the body?"
"He is.  Why?"
"Add in bulletproof glass and you would have a more luxurious ride with the same level of security as the Range Rovers have."
I nodded.  I had thought the same thing.  Not that I needed another fleet of cars, but sometimes it would be nice to have a little more stylish car to get around in.  I thought about Carl for a few minutes and then pulled a small stack of papers from my brief case.  I wrote his name on the last sheet, below the ones neatly typed there.
"Alison, can you have someone in your firm examine this list of people?" I asked as I handed the papers over to her.
She arched an eyebrow as she skimmed the list.
"Where did this come from?"
"Cynthia Morgan left it for me.  She also suggested that I should try to bring these folks together.  A few of them, I recognize, but most of them I don't.  I'd like to understand what she was driving at before making any arrangements.
Alison frowned and pulled out her own notebook.  She flipped through the sheaf of pages and jotted down a few names.
"There are some powerful people on this list," she said.  "I wonder if she actually contacted them or just researched them?"
"My guess is she contacted the more local people, such as that Senator from Michigan, but I'd be surprised if she had direct interactions with them all."
Alison nodded her agreement as she flipped to the next page.  Her face paled slightly as she stopped, wrote a name in her book, and then looked up.
"Why would she have a Kuwaiti Prince and the Israeli Secretary of State on the list together?"
I frowned.  I had not noticed those names.
"That's what I want you to try to figure out.  The fact that she had Carl's boss on the list was what made me ask you to look into it.  Carl believes in driving environmental change through technology.  I'm curious what his boss's angle is."
"Can your new PA look into it?"
I scowled and shook my head.
"I think I'm going to have to re-evaluate that hiring decision."
"Really?
The arched eyebrow was back.  Alison had been the only person to caution me against hiring Sarah to replace Donna and Sheryl.  She had all the qualifications on paper and interviewed well, but the transition from Donna had been slow and she seemed to need constant reminders on small items.
"I'm using Rose for most of the day-to-day office work.  Donna and Sheryl are still handling my briefings, even if they are only once a week right now."
"I'll find a replacement," Alison said.  "I've got some contacts that I think would fit in well."
"And will they just happen to be trained in security?" I asked with a smile.
"Of course.  Why would I consider them otherwise?" she said with a tight smile.
*****
Jeryl slipped into the shower behind me as I rinsed the shampoo from my hair.  I felt her wrap her arms around me from behind and hug me.  Her breasts pressed against my back and I felt her cheek on my shoulder.
I enjoyed the feel of her against me for a moment, and then turned in her arms and gave her a kiss.  It was gentle, and firm and hot and full of love.  When our lips parted, we were both a little breathless.
"Hi, you," I said with a little smile.
"Hi, you, too," she said.
"What brought this on?" I asked as she moved under the water, as normally, she was still with the kids when I got in the shower.
"I missed my husband.  Anna has the kids, and Alison and I finished our Krav Maga practice a little early.  I decided you could start your vacation day by washing my back."
"Vacation day?  I don't think that's in the cards."
"Why not?"
How do you tell your wife that you are working to try and keep a war from happening?
"I'm trying to get something new working."
She gave me a look I thought she had borrowed from Alison; the arched eyebrow spoke volumes.
"You need a break, Paul.  We're going to hop on the plane and head back up to Park City, today.  When we get there, you're going to take me out on the slopes and do a little spring skiing.  There are only a few days left before the lifts stop for the season.  When we're done, we are going to soak in the hot tub, and then have a nice dinner.  Tonight, you're going to ravish me, and then we're going to do the same thing on Saturday and Sunday."
I started to protest, but she put her fingers against my lips.
"No arguing, unless you want me to sic Alison on you.  A three-day weekend will not put your project off track by that much.  You're probably years ahead of where everyone else in the field is, anyway."
I looked at her and sighed.  In so many ways she was right.  I nodded my acceptance.
"Good.  Now, let's finish getting cleaned up.  It's seven-thirty already.  If we are quick, we can be in Park City shortly after the lifts open.
"Yes, ma'am," I said with a smile.
I was rewarded with another kiss and the comfort of her molding her body against mine.  Perhaps a vacation was just what I needed.
*****
"Daddy!" Ali screeched as I came into the house from the lab shortly after lunch a week later.
"Ali!" I called back, throwing my arms in the air as she ran toward me on her short legs.  She had on a little yellow sundress with pink flowers on it.  Through the kitchen, I could see Jeryl and Anna on the deck with Jeremy sleeping in Jeryl's arms.
I picked Ali up as she got to me and swung her around before setting her down and walking through the house to the outdoor area.  I nodded at Anna, and then bent over to give Jeryl a kiss.
"You're in a good mood," she said as I straightened up.
"I am.  I've got something to show you, if you have a minute."
She laughed.  "I don't know, I'm pretty busy being a pillow and bed for your son," she said with a warm smile.
I took Jeremy from her, careful not to wake him, and handed him to Anna.  "There you go.  It won't take long."
Jeryl stood up and gave me another kiss.  "Do I need to change?"
She was dressed in loose khaki shorts and a cream blouse.  She was barefoot, and beautiful, as always.  I shook my head.
"You might want some shoes, but the shop is pretty clean."
Soon, we were back at the lab and the beast I had been slaving over for the past three months was sitting before us.  From the outside, it didn't look like much: a large pipe about the size of a semi-sized tanker.  It was sitting on just enough framing to keep it stable, with several bundles of thick cabling running from it to the control console standing behind a clear safety shield.
"What is it?" Jeryl asked as I began flipping switches.
"The future."  she looked at me.  I pointed to three LCD displays and then at a series of edge meters.  "It's a fusion generator.  It generates far more power than it takes to run.  Watch these screens.  The top one is a graph of power over time.  The middle is amperage in and out.  The bottom is temperature versus pressure.  Those edge meters can be set to get readouts at different points in the system for amps, power, frequency, temp and pressure."
I tapped another meter on the left side of the panel.  "This is the capacitor charge I use to initiate the process."
It was near the top of its scale.
"Is it dangerous to be this close?" Jeryl asked.
"No more than a diesel generator, but without the noise."  I saw her loosen her hold on Ali a little.  "Most of the fusion research is focused on very high temperature and pressure to force fusion and then contain the plasma.  My approach is different.  I'm using the magnetic vortexes within the generator to create a linear stage of compression on the plasma and, ultimately, ignition.  The same microscopic magnetic fields then extract the energy from the fused plasma with an MHD generator pulling the remaining energy from the expanding gases.  The plasma outlet could then be used in a more normal turbine generator to extract the last bit of power from the system, but I'm just venting it outside, right now."
I flipped a switch that activated warning lights inside the lab, as well as outside in the venting area I had set up.
I pulled Jeryl closer, and then took her finger in my hand and pushed it against the red button to initiate the start sequence.  Almost instantly, the capacitor charge meter dropped to zero, and the input display graph spiked up.  The spike declined as the power output jumped.  In the space of a few seconds, the two displays oscillated before settling into a stable configuration.
I pointed to the output graphs.
"We're making clean electricity.  About 800 Megawatts with a thermal efficiency around 70%."
"How big and good is that?" she asked.
"The plant that feeds our local grid is probably around 2000 Megawatts, but covers acres of land and generates tons of pollutants a year."
"Is it durable?"
"That's what my next series of test will determine.  I need to do timed runs and inspect systems between them."
Jeryl gave me a strong kiss.  "You're going to change the world again, aren't you?"
"I certainly hope so."
*****
"She's your cousin?" I asked Alison after meeting with her P.A.  candidates.
Alison nodded.  "Distant, but yes.  She joined my firm three years ago in an internal role.  She can manage our office effectively, and should be able to keep up with your needs as well.  She has been trained to my standards for supplementary security support as well."
"What about this other fellow, Joseph Lee?"
"Another ex-Marine, but British, this time.  He was pushed out due to budget cuts, four years ago.  He's done some contract work for me before landing as an executive assistant at Lloyds.  He knows his stuff, and has connections to people you may want to reach out to in the future.  He'll get along well with everyone here."
"Okay.  Work with Kelly and let's make an offer to them both.  I'm getting too busy and need to get back into a greater delegation mode.  I also need Donna and Sheryl focused on DigiNet, instead of all the other stuff I hand off to them.
"Very good," she said with a smile.
*****
I was working at the large workbench running perpendicular to the generator's control panel as Jeryl worked at another desk we had set up across from me.  She was busy collating photos of the parts breakdown, to the diagrams I had created for the patent application.
"It's almost like old times," I said as I smiled at her wrinkling her nose as she concentrated on a diagram.
She looked up at me and smiled.
"It is.  I didn't realize it, but I missed working with you like this over the past couple of years."
"Me, too."
A flash of light made me look toward the doorway.  Jim stepped into the workshop from outside with Alison behind him.  They paused to let their eyes adjust to the softer light inside the huge work area.
Jim was smiling as he approached.  "You're creating more work for us, I hear," he said as he closed and shook my hand.
"Just a bit.  I'm surprised Kelly called you."
"She said this was too big for her to handle along with everything else, and wanted me to help out.  Candace indicated you put the kibosh on outside counsel helping with the filing."
"I don't want any leaks ahead of time."
He frowned, as did Alison.
"Why not?"
"How much of the corporate world really wants cheap power?"
He glanced at the generator and then looked back at me.  "It works?"
I smiled.  "800 Megawatts right now, and has been on the current test run for seventy-two hours straight with no signs of fluctuation.  I've made fusion practical and cheap.  A lot of companies are going to be pissed off."
"So what are you thinking?"
"File the patents at the same time I publish the findings.  Hold a press conference, and tell the world that we have a new way to make electricity."
He nodded.  "And then get tied up in red-tape from the government for a dozen years."
"Why do you say that?" It was my turn to frown.
"It's nuclear fusion; the fear mongering will be hidden inside carefully chosen words by the same companies that stand to lose.  As soon as you demonstrate it, the EPA and Nuclear Regulatory Commission will jump all over you.  The DOD will assume there are military applications, even if it is only for powering up their toys, and put you under an export ban citing nuclear safety regulations and export controls."
Even as he said it, I knew he was right.  "Shit."
He nodded.
"Okay," I said.  "We need to adjust the strategy.  Any thoughts?"
Alison stepped closer.  "Multiple, simultaneous publications and demonstrations," she said.
"Internationally?"
She nodded.  "Set up generators here, in Canada, Europe and Asia.  Make sure the critical materials are produced in multiple countries as well.  Make it impractical for any one government or company to squash the technology."
Jeryl was nodding in agreement.  "We can set up material production facilities easily enough.  So long as we don't try and make the stealth coating, the government will just think we're expanding production for other markets."
"And turn that off while we do it," Jim said while waving a hand at the generator.  "You don't want the power company spilling the beans before you are ready."
"Shit."  I hit the shutdown button on the control console and watched the output meters drop as the system cut off the flow of deuterium.
I sat down in my chair heavily and Jeryl came around to rub my shoulders.
"Look on the bright side," she said.  "We'll all get to do a little travelling, as we put this all together."
I smiled at her, but felt like a failure.  There was no way we were going to get multiple production sites up and running before the start of the Gulf War.  I knew it was going to kick off in less than three months.  I had hoped the news of cheap energy alternatives would keep the U.S.  from getting too involved.  Historically, we always said we did not go to war for the oil, but my history had proven the lie to that myth.  We may not have gone for the oil, but we always stayed for it.
*****
"Paul, I really need you to spend more time with the interns," Tom said as I walked into the California offices on a fine morning in May.  I had fallen into the habit of working four days in the lab, one day in California and then the weekend in Park City with the occasional long weekends in Maine or Texas depending on Jeryl's mood.
"I'm giving you a full day every week," I said.  "And you're filling those days with nearly fourteen hours of filming."
"I know, but part of the appeal of the show is you interacting with them."
Kelly had followed him into my office.
"That's right, Paul.  You also need to spend a little time with the start-ups we're incubating.  It's part of the agreement we have with them."
I looked at the stack of papers waiting at my desk and sighed.
"Okay, but I need to involve the interns in some of the lab work then.  I want to involve them in the process, even if they won't know what exactly they're working on."
Kelly frowned, and then nodded.  "Logistics," she said.
"What?"
"Logistics.  We can make a project around helping farm out the fabrication of components and sub-assemblies.  Learning how to manage complex supply and assembly chains is something they should know for business.  You fabricated your first two generators by hand, but that will never scale.  We can break it down and have them work the process side of things to first define the process, then build the supply-chain.  If we have time, we can look at optimizing it for speed and profit before the show ends."
"And if we time it right, we can use the show as a build up to the final reveal.  You'll have an international audience watching that show.  If you reveal what they've been working on, there will be no hiding the potential," Tom said.
It was my turn to nod.  We would have our own PR build up thanks to our own show.  "Okay, let's figure out what we can put together for challenges for them."
"Hang on," Tom said as he shook his head.  "Interns sitting around planning isn't going to have any audience appeal.  We gave them Jeryl hitting you with a bat last year, new product launches, and housing people in distress after a hurricane.  Logistics is not going to have enough appeal to keep an audience until the season finale."
He was right.
"We also need to highlight the process of trying things and failing, and then trying something else until they are successful," Kelly added.  "It's what the show is really about."
"Crap.  What's the talent pool look like this year?"
"Similar mix," Tom said.  "Engineering, science and business management.  Why?"
"What about mobile phones and plugging DigiNet until near the end, and then work in the generator and still tie it in to the finale?"
Tom nodded.  "That could work.  Any chance of expanding to Chicago, Atlanta, and New York?"
I thought about the last update from Cheryl and Donna.  "Yes, and D.C.  We'll have at least connections laid, if not full loops.  We've also got a lock on the first round of spectrum auctions.  None of the Baby Bells bought in the first auctions.  We've got at least a six or twelve month lead on them."
I called Jeryl at the house and put her on speakerphone.
"Jeryl, where are we at on the deal with Motorola?  We're kicking around an idea for the show and featuring DigiNet."
"Candace has their latest redline.  We think we can ramp production pretty quickly from a fabrication perspective."
"We're going to do some shows to help sell the phones and services with the Interns."
"Good idea.  We've only got a basic go-to-market strategy, and I think we can do better on the phone design.  Re-selling needs a good pitch kit as well to get the offering into some retail channels.  We also need planning help on how to pitch wireless towers to city governments."  she paused for a moment.  "I don't know if we'll really be ready by the time the show airs."
Tom jumped in.  "Not for a national launch, but how about we use the show to help with our other marketing efforts as well.  Let's pick a single market for use on the show."
"We could do that," she said.  "The Bay Area should be our first market.  It's got the strongest regional infrastructure and the right demographic for early tech adoption."
"I agree," I said.  "That will also keep us close to home with the interns.  We can also work in a show or two with NEXT.  Steve will be open to it, if he has something ready to launch."
"Jeryl, will you be in today to discuss this further?" Tom asked.
"Yeah, I can be.  Let's block the afternoon."
"We'll see you then," I said before disconnecting the call.
*****
"England is concerned that you're looking at property in Ireland," Alison said with a sigh as we settled into our suite in a Hilton in Dublin.  We had just finished breaking ground on a factory in Wales that was planning to produce material for an adjoining CRP facility.  Following that, we had flown directly to Dublin and spent the afternoon discussing properties with our local solicitor and real estate agents.
"Why?"
She shrugged and kicked off her heels before tucking her feet under her on the plush couch.  "Typical government nosiness, I guess.  They want to know why you want a plant here and in Wales."
"Did you tell them?" I asked with a smile.
She shot me a dirty look.  "You know better than that.  I told them it had to do with taxes and expanding your operations within the EU.  That will help keep their interest down when we go to Germany."
"Good answer.  It is actually beneficial for us to have operations here from a tax perspective.  I might even make this our European headquarters for just that reason.  Candace and the accountants think it's a good idea."
I looked over the paperwork spread on the table and then pushed myself away from it and joined her on the couch.  Without asking, she stretched her legs out and put her feet in my lap.  I grinned at her and began rubbing her feet.
She sighed.  "Remind me to thank Jeryl for telling me about your wonderful foot rubs," she said.
"You always say that," I said, and rubbed her feet for a few more minutes.  "What do you think about three near simultaneous demonstrations?" I asked finally.
"Timing will be tricky, especially if you insist on being at each demonstration.  The news will spread too fast, but I understand why you want to it that way."
"I'm thinking Germany first, then here, and then the U.S."
"Switzerland instead of Germany," she said.  "Have manufacturing in Germany as you planned, but demonstrate the generator in Geneva.  Make that your primary press announcement."
I thought about her suggestion for a minute.  "If we did it in Switzerland, maybe we can avoid the other demonstrations, just bring the plants online afterward."
She nodded.  "If you do that, you can then offer the plants for inspection by the different government agencies.  If one place shuts you down, the science and engineering can still be shared at the other countries."
"And, if I bought into some smaller generating plants or firms, I could have them run the technology."
"Look at some local, publicly owned power companies, so the people will be behind you.  I'd look at the Nordic countries.  They made big moves away from oil toward energy independence during the '73 crisis."
"Do you have any contacts there?" I asked.  I was a little surprised by her knowledge of the energy markets.
She smiled at me.  "No, but Cynthia's list had six people very familiar with the region and its energy economy."
I shook my head.  "Finally found some linkages?" I asked.
"The entire list is a who's-who of energy economics or environmental advocates in business and politics.  It took three bloody months to put it all together.  She must have worked on that list for years."
"Did your research suggest anything about contacting these six individuals?"
"I had your new PA contact them last week.  We're flying them here to meet us the day after tomorrow."
It was my turn to arch an eyebrow at her.  She at least had the grace to blush.
"Jeryl okayed it," she said defensively.
That was how we ended up meeting with three of the top six people responsible for generating electricity in the Nordic region.  Aapra Ecklund, Carl Gustafsson, Laurent Olsen were obviously known to one anther as I joined them in the boardroom style conference room in the Hilton.  I introduced myself to them before we all sat and they looked at me expectantly.
"I've asked you all to come meet with me, so I can offer you the use of a new technology to help generate one hundred percent clean energy for your countries, at very low cost."
They exchanged a look.
Carl, from the largest Swedish energy producer took the lead for them.
"What technology, and at what cost?"
I gave them my best smile as I replied, "I'm not ready to disclose the technology precisely, yet, but I would be willing to place generators in your power plants, capable of producing roughly eight hundred Megawatts of clean electricity, in the space of roughly one hundred square meters."
"Impossible!" Aapra, from Finland said.
"Very possible.  I've had something of a breakthrough.  If you are at all familiar with my work, you know that I much prefer showing people the reality of my work, to promises.  I would like to place three of these generators, one in each of your plants, so the world knows my claims are true and verifiable."
They exchanged looks, again.
"The complete assembly is only ten by ten meters?" Carl asked.
I nodded.
"We have a referendum in Sweden, curtailing the use of nuclear energy.  I know of nothing else that could generate that sort of power density."
"My generator uses no radioactive materials, and it produces no hazardous by-products.  As I said, it is clean energy."
"And the cost?" Laurent from Denmark asked.
"Zero in capital costs.  Once I turn operations over to your staff, I would want one percent of your selling price for the power."
"And cost to produce?" he asked.
"Nearly zero after the generator is built."
He looked at me coldly as he sat back and crossed his arms.
"Fusion," he finally said.  "You have cracked the problems?"
I gave him my best shrug.
"Perhaps.  Even if you are certain of your guess, please remember that our conversations are governed by the non-disclosure agreement you all signed this morning."
They all seemed to relax at my implied confirmation.
"If your claims are true," Aapra said, "You will turn the entire industry on its head.  What is your cost to build a generator?"
I shrugged again.  "About a million dollars."
I let that sink in for a minute.  They had all spent hundreds of millions of dollars building plants in the past; oil fired, gas powered, hydroelectric, and nuclear plants all cost significantly more than my generator.
"And can your solution scale beyond eight hundred megawatts?" Carl asked.
"Each generator is stand-alone.  If you need more power, run more generators.  Each is about the size of a semi-trailer.  I hope to make them a bit smaller in the future."
The men exchanged looks before each nodded slightly to the others.  Carl turned back to me and nodded.  "Yes, we want to be part of this change in our industry.  How soon will you be able to deliver these wondrous devices?"
*****
I watched the news with a bit of guilt as the announcers described the plight of Kuwait in the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion.  The U.S.  had awoken to learn of the invasion by the world's forth-largest army overrunning the small gulf sheikdom.  The political world voiced its outrage, while the common man seemed to have more mixed feelings.  I turned down the sound on the TV, and focused on Billy Salz as she handed me a sheaf of papers.
"What do you think about Kuwait?" I asked.
"I think it's a long way from Park City, and that it's just going to jack up the cost of gas, even if OPEC doesn't change its overall production."
"No outrage over the loss of the Kuwaiti citizens?"
She shrugged.  "I think it's wrong, what Saddam is doing, but at the end of the day, it's about a bully of a country taking what it could, which was oil.  I don't think the Kuwaiti's were blameless."
"Oh?  Why?"
"They were drilling at an angle, crossing into Iraqi fields."
"Are you sure of that?"
"If they did not have some guilt, why did they offer Iraq nine billion dollars to settle the dispute?"
"So Iraq is justified to go to war and eliminate a country for a billion-dollar difference of opinion?" I asked, though I knew they had wanted ten billion.
"I wouldn't say justified, but obviously there was some basis to the Iraqi claim, or Kuwait would not have offered ninety percent of what they were asked for."
I smiled.  "Not hearing much of that in the commentary of the past few days, are you?"
She smiled back and shook her head.  "It's just what you said, not as news worthy in terms of generating interest and eyeballs to sell advertising for."
"What do you think will happen?"
"I think it will be a media frenzy until the UN takes some sort of stand.  Based on the level of coverage, I give it less than a week before there is a UN resolution."
I nodded.
"I agree," I said as I turned off the television and picked up the paper she had given me.  "How would you like to help put a different story on the wire?" I asked.
Her eyes got wider.
"Not that, I hope," she said with a wave at her story.
"No.  This was your job application.  It's very good, by the way, but my tale with that publisher is old news."
The paper had finally capitulated and run a front-page retraction as well as paying our legal fees.  It had not been cheap for them.
"I'm talking about something new.  Something that could be as big as Kuwait."
Her eyes got bigger, if that was possible.
"I'm just a journalism student.  Why would you give me a huge story?"
I laughed and said, "It won't be an exclusive, Billy, but you will be part of it.  You'll be part of Tom and my effort to make sure the truth is told, and not some piece of spin that an editor hopes will sell papers."
"Of course I'd like to be part of something like that.  What do I have to do?"
It was my turn to pull out a stack of papers.  I slid them across the desk to her.
"Read through these, and take them to a lawyer.  Make sure you understand what they commit you to, and then sign them if you want to be part of that story."
She gulped and glanced at the papers.
"It looks like an NDA," she said.
"That's part of it.  We want to tell the story on our terms, which means you'll be spending a couple of months learning the what and why of what I've been working on.  Disclosing it early could have serious consequences for my business partners and myself.  Those documents will help protect us.  Once they are signed, Tom will brief you and we'll arrange for you to travel with us, to show you a few things and talk to people.  When we are ready to go public, you'll help Tom with the press releases, scheduling our media briefings, and being his general gopher."
"That sounds like a full time job," she said.  "What about my senior year?"
"It is a bit more than an internship," I admitted.  "If you want to keep with a full course load, we'll take what time of yours we can, but you would not be able to travel as much as I would like.  If you decide to take less than a full load, I'll cover your education."
"What do you mean?"
"Just what I said.  Take the fall semester off, and I'll pick up a semester's cost for you in addition to paying your salary and benefits while we work on this.  Take the whole school year, and I'll pay a year's worth of tuition and expenses in addition to paying you."
She thought about my offer for a minute.
"Why me?  You could have gotten almost anyone, with more experience and credibility than me."
"You took a smart chance last year, approaching me at the hospital.  Your paper is worthy of publication.  You've demonstrated that your thinking, integrity, and professionalism is as good or better than most of the peers you are trying to join.  I want to reward that."
"Thank you," she said as she stood.  "Can I have a couple of days to think about it?"
I nodded and said, "Jeryl and I are here all week.  Next Monday, we're going to be flying out.  I'd like you to join us on that trip if you're in."
*****
"Do you travel like this all the time?" Billy asked Jeryl as we settled into the comfortable seats of our plane.
Jeryl smiled at the younger woman.  "Not always, but lately, yes.  With both kids and the security, it just makes sense.  Plus Paul gets his planes at cost since his inventions help make it what it is."
"Wow."
"Has he told you the kind of plane he wants to make?" Jeryl asked with a hint of tease in her voice.
"No.  Is it better than this one?"
Jeryl laughed.  "Not better, but a lot faster."
"But this is already supersonic for longer flights, isn't it?"
"He and his cronies have been talking about a trans-pacific plane that can cross from L.A.  to Singapore in a couple of hours."
"Is that even possible?"
"Not yet, but Paul insists he will make it a reality."
"But you take this plane up and down Utah, out to California, and down to Texas all the time, right?" she said, looking a little nervous.
"All the time," Jeryl agreed.  "No reason to be worried.  This is just a little hop down to the lab complex."
She nodded and glanced at the door as the pilot closed it behind Alison who was moving to a seat further back near the kids.
"So what's at the lab?" Billy asked.
I decided it was time to enter the conversation.
"Secret stuff," I said with a grin.
"I signed the NDA."
"But not everyone else on the plane has," I cautioned.  "You'll see soon enough.  It's only a thirty-minute flight.  Once we're down and get you settled into a room, I'll show you around and let you know what all the fuss is about."
Forty minutes later, I thought I would have to help Billy keep her jaw off the floor.  We had just shown her into one of the staff 'cabins' at the lab, with its private sun porch overlooking the desert canyon.  Alison had laughed at her and then offered to help her get settled in as I headed over to our unit to help Jeryl get Ali and Jeremy situated for our stay.  Ali was adaptable and eager to move between her various rooms, but Jeremy still fidgeted quite a bit with each trip.  Thankfully, Anna was here to help.
Finally, Alison, Billy and I took a golf cart to the lab.  Tom was already there, filming the generator as well as the plans and workspace.  We had decided to document the construction process of the third generator.  I had been fabricating parts and making the machining for special parts to be shipped overseas for replication and assembly.  I quickly began telling Billy what was going on and why.
"Fusion fucking power?" she asked, finally, as she took everything in.  "You've bottled up a fusion bomb and are making electricity from it?"
"No.  We've made clean energy available through fusion power.  That fear of fusion bombs, that misinformation, is exactly what we need to overcome with our presentations and fact sheets.  If people have the same reaction you did, we'll never break the chokehold the big energy companies have on us."
I waved my hands toward the generator.  "Any town in the country could put in one of these generators and run the whole town for dollars a year.  Ten of these generators would power all of Los Angeles, with zero pollution."
"But what happens if they run wild, or have a melt down, or whatever?"
"Then they stop.  No explosions, no emergency, no worries.  If the power used in the magnetic pinch fails, it just lets the hydrogen flow through the system.  That's the beauty of this approach over the other research in the space.  They are all using very high pressure and energy trying to get to the ignition point."
Her eyes were a little less wild as she listened to me.
"Do you really think I would bring my family here if I thought there was a danger?  Jeryl held Ali in her arms the second time I ever started the generator.  It is as safe as I can make it," I concluded.
"Okay," she said after a deep breath.  "I'm sorry if I overreacted."
Tom laughed.  "I had the same thoughts, the first time I heard what it was, so don't worry about it."
"What do I need to do while I'm here?" She asked.
"Study," I said with a grin.  "You need to be able to translate my technical comments into meaningful content that Joe Average can understand and relate to.  Tom will be filming a lot of footage to detail our processes and record test results, but I need you to put a smart, truthful story together for us."
She nodded.  "I can do that, I think."
"Good.  Think of it as writing an exclusive story for right now.  As you learn more, you'll have questions for both Jeryl and myself.  Ask them.  I want the truth recorded to refute what future idiots will say.  That's why I hired you."
"Preemptive journalism?" she asked.
"Exactly."
*****
I was surprised when Colonel Conright met me on the tarmac of the San Jose airport.  We had just returned from a five city visit of Europe, and I was hardly in the mood to talk to the Air Force's Office of Special Security.
"What can I do for you, Colonel?" I asked as I approached him waiting at the door of our Range Rover.  "It must be urgent if you couldn't wait to see me at the office."
"It might be," he said.  "Could I ride with you and Miss Wilson?  I'll explain on the way to your offices and my car will pick me up there."
I sighed.  "Sure."
We climbed in and were soon heading out of the airport.
"So?" I asked.
"My office has noticed your increased level of travel to Europe and the opening of additional facilities over there by you."
I nodded.  "And?"
"And, we've also been keeping an eye open for anyone interested in your activities after the events in Nevada and Texas last year.  With the activities in the Middle East, we increased our surveillance to ensure there were no compromises on the programs you've been involved in."
I nodded again.
"We've heard some chatter."
"Are any of the capabilities compromised?" I had assumed they were deploying stealth aircraft as part of the response in Kuwait.
"No.  We've had the luxury of regular B-1 Delta flights."
"Delta?"
"B-1B aircraft further modified for reconnaissance.  They have Mach 2 dash capability, your stealth coatings, and very high-resolution camera and electronic sensor suites.  They are our best assets for real-time observations of the area."
"So what sort of chatter have you heard?"
"We've gotten indications that your name has come up in some conversations between Arab assets and persons of interest."
"Specifically?"
"They're interested in the fact that you're spending so much time in Europe.  They know you've worked with the government in the past, and are assuming you are playing some role in the coalition building efforts.  Israel has also inquired about your activities."
"Israel?  What have you told them?"
"Nothing.  The general and I thought we should make you aware, but did not want to burden you with an official visit."
"Or put anything in writing?"
He nodded.
"Exactly.  Consider this a friendly consultation.  If there is anything we can assist with, just let us know."
Alison looked back from the front seat next to Sanford.
"What's your honest threat assessment?"
He looked at her long enough to receive the arched eyebrow.
"Slightly increased risk, but that's just because we don't know what you're doing in Europe besides opening new plants.  If you are doing research that has military applications, who knows what people might be after."
Alison nodded.  "And virtually everything Paul researches could have military application, right?"
It was his turn to nod.  "We don't think there is a focused, immediate threat, but wanted you to be aware."
We arrived at the office complex.
"Okay, thank you for the warning, Colonel.  Please give the General my regards."

Chapter Thirty-Four
Pride…
*****
"Jeryl and Paul, welcome to your first red carpet interview," Stephanie Seymour, the hostess for the 'red carpet show,' before the Emmy's said.  "How does it feel to have your show nominated after only it's first season?"
Jeryl smiled at the camera, and gave me just the slightest tap with her elbow.
"It's an honor to be nominated, even though I don't think they really have a category that 'The Interns' fits into," I said.
I smiled and hoped my real opinion of the whole Hollywood spectacle didn't show.
"I understand you have just finished taping the second season?"
"We have.  Everything except the finale is in the editing room."
"Oh?  When will the finale be shot?"
Jeryl leaned in slightly, and took over.
"This year, we've decided to hold a live event for the finale.  We'll have all the interns back on the show to unveil a truly amazing breakthrough product."
"Any hints?"
We both smiled and shook our heads slightly.
"Jeryl, who are you wearing, tonight?"
Jeryl beamed and stepped away from me just enough to be able to spin slowly around.  Her mid-length black dress swirled around her and she had a chance to show off the shear lace back.
"It's Prada," she said as she turned back to the camera.  "I picked it up in Milan a little bit ago."
"It is spectacular," Stephanie said.  "From their spring collection?"
"Yes."
"And the jewels?" she asked.
Jeryl smiled at me and said, "You'll have to ask Paul.  He surprised me with them this evening."
Stephanie was lucky her face was not on camera and she mouthed a shocked "Oh".  Most of the stars had jewels loaned to them for the evening.
"They are custom made through Tiffany's," I said.
The cameraman zoomed in on the platinum and emerald necklace.  Jeryl had a matching bracelet on her right wrist.
"Well, I must say that they are spectacular and complement Jeryl's dress so wonderfully."
There was a little more chitchat before the next celebrity was brought into the interview area and Jeryl and I made our escape.  As soon as we were away from the main cameras, Jeryl was asked to pose before the large Emmy backdrop for the print photographers.  Based on the volume of flashes, I thought they all liked her looks almost as much as I did.  A short while later, we were safely inside and having a cocktail and some light snacks before heading in to find our seats.  The spectacle of the day was a little overwhelming.
Tom found us a little bit later.  He was escorting Cassandra, the winner of the first season and now the General Manager of Innovative Environs, our shelter building company.  Cassandra was grinning ear-to-ear.
"Paul, Jeryl, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to be on the show last year.  I can't believe I'm actually at the Emmy's and have been on a show that has been nominated."
Jeryl smiled and said, "I think it's nice, but I'm more impressed and proud of what you've done with the company.  Sales are taking off and you've improved the margins while boosting production.  That's more impressive than being yourself in front of the camera."
Cassandra blushed.
"Tom tells me that you're changing up the finale and doing it live this year," she said to deflect the praise.
I nodded.  "Hopefully, it will be something the viewers will enjoy," I said.  "I know the Interns were excited about a trip to Switzerland during the school year."
"Switzerland?"
"Yes.  The finale will be broadcast live from outside Geneva's International Conference Centre."
"It's going to be tough to shoot and produce," Tom added.
"Why?"
"Think about all the editing we do to put an episode together.  We'll have some parts pre-shot and incorporated into the main show, but several things we want to do will need nearly real-time editing.  It's going to feel a lot more like shooting a news show than part of a TV series."
"Why are you doing it that way?" she asked.
"The last challenge for the interns was about setting up a product launch from Switzerland.  They helped with a ton of logistics planning and then manufacturing processes to enable the launch, but it's going to take nearly two months for the pieces to come together.  Obviously, we could not keep them out of school while materials and products get shipped to Europe and assembled."
Cassandra nodded.
"I guess that makes sense."  she said and looked at me with a cocked head.  "Is that order of a dozen new shelters you gave me part of this?"
I smiled again.  "Of course.  Make sure the new logo is prominent.  You'll have some free marketing for the colder climate shelters in a couple of months."
"You never think of just one thing at a time, do you, Paul?"
"I just don't like to waste opportunities, especially when I'm helping create them."
*****
"What do you think?" Alison asked as we stepped out of the large Irish estate a short drive outside Dublin.
I took in the broad green lawn and white gravel driveway that curved up from the gate by the road.  It was an idyllic setting.  I had asked Alison to have her firm find a suitable property for us in Ireland.  With our focus on diversifying our production base and building relationships in Europe, it made sense.  We had considered opening office directly on the continent, or in London, but finally settled on Ireland.  It had less close ties with some of the governments that I felt might want to suppress our soon to be announced technologies.
"It's definitely peaceful," I said as I took a deep breath and strained to hear anything besides the wind and a soft chirping in the distance.
"It's also very secure."
I smiled.  Alison had always been security conscious, but lately had become nearly paranoid.  Operational security at the manufacturing plants was very high.  We had a small team vetted and protected to conduct final component assembly of the generators in both Switzerland and the Nordic countries.
"Security is important," I admitted.  "At least for the next few months."
"Years," she said.  "I've run the risk models.  Even if you triple production capacity, it is going to be at least three years before there is wide adoption of your technology.  You are going to very unpopular with the major oil producing nations, including some big companies in your own country."
"And in England," I added, thinking of BP.
"And in England," she agreed.  "I think this will be a good purchase.  The estate itself is valuable.  We've got easy access to Dublin as well as the factory location.  You're a short hop from the continent proper."
I nodded.
"Have the lawyers make an offer.  Let's buy this with my money, not through the company."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes.  I may live here, but I don't want people saying I'm moving the company for tax reasons.  I'll get enough bogus PR from the oil companies and their cronies."
"Very well."
"We'll let the company buy the flat in London and the house in Geneva."
She nodded and we headed toward the black Range Rover her team had brought over to Ireland for us to use.
"Will you be happy to be closer to home?" I asked.
She gave me her arched eyebrow and then a soft, sad, smile.  "You and Jeryl and Ali, and Jer, are my home, Paul.  I thought you realized that."
The depth of feeling her comment created floored me.  I gave her my own soft smile and nodded.  Nothing more needed to be said.
*****
"Stan, Harry, thanks for meeting with me," I said to Stan Brockman from Gulfstream and Harry Cromwell from Rolls-Royce as Joseph led them into the conference room in California.
Stan chuckled.  "Like we had a choice?  You call the CEO and tell him you've got a new idea and he told me to get on a plane and meet you.  The GX-3 is the plane everyone wants, and we're happy to have an order book over two years long.  Of course, I'm coming to meet with you."
Harry nodded.
"Well, thanks, but I am glad you could come at the same time.  I've got a few ideas and some things to share, but I'm going to have to ask you to keep them strictly to yourselves for a few weeks."
Both men frowned.
"The boss is going to want to know what you've got in mind," Harry said.
"Generalities will be fine, but I need you to keep the specifics to yourselves, for a bit."  I went on to explain a significant improvement in engines, without actually saying the word, 'fusion.'
"That sounds like a rocket, not a jet," Harry said after I gave him some specific numbers.  Stan nodded.
I shrugged and said, "Those are the numbers.  We've talked about a trans-pacific capability.  This could give us that and more."
"Hell, Paul, this could give you orbital capability if it's not a jet."
I kept the smile to myself.  Obviously, my generator did not need air to function.
"So, I think I can get the size down, but I want to start kicking the numbers around on what an engine with these parameters could do, and what sort of vehicle we should be talking about."
Stan gave me a narrow look.  "Is it a jet or not?"
I gave the slightest shake of my head and both men gasped before trading a look.
"Sub-orbital?" Stan asked Harry.
"Bollocks.  If we've got this sort of thrust, it's just a matter of weight and we could be orbital with ease.  There's a huge market for launch capacity right now.  Your blokes' shuttle is for shit from a commercial perspective."
Stan nodded and I had to agree.
"What's the cost?" Harry asked.  "If it's not a jet, do we have to change out motors for each flight?  What's the turn around time?"
I held up my hand to stop him.
"Assume it's not a rocket.  It has full re-start and re-use capabilities.  It should have thousands of hours of run-time.  I hope to shrink the overall size and increase thrust, but that might take a year or two.  I want us to have a plan before then, so I've got targeted design goals as I make it smaller."
"What the hell is this thing, Paul?"
I let my grin slip.  These were two solid engineers who could appreciate what I had accomplished.
"Right now, it's an eight hundred megawatt fusion generator."
"Holy shit!" Harry said.  "In this size of foot print?"
I nodded.
"And you want us to make a fusion powered airplane?" Stan asked.
"Not an airplane.  I want a vehicle that can deliver cargo to orbit, or dozens of passengers half-way around the globe in an hour.  Are you guys up for the design challenge, or should I be talking to Lockheed?"
"Fuck Lockheed," Stan said.  "With this power plant, the CRP materials, and your computers on a chip from Intel, we can build this faster and better than any big aerospace firm."
Harry was nodding and had begun scribbling in his black notebook.
"If you get this kind of thrust, we'll actually have to find a throttling mechanism or think more in terms of specific impulse rather than thrust."
"We can bleed off excess power to control thrust," I said.  "Right now, I'm dumping waste plasma after extracting about 70% of the total energy available."
Both men were scribbling now.  Stan looked up at Harry for a second.
"Lifting body or delta?"
"Delta, but we'll need wind tunnel time.  A powered lifting body would need too much runway.  We'll need low-speed control."
"What about VTOL, if we've got power to burn?"
I smiled as they slipped into the 'deep thought zone,' where I had found myself residing, so many times.
*****
The final scene of interns arriving in Switzerland and breaking into the teams of their last challenge was filmed, and Tom called 'cut' for the day, as they headed into the well appointed shelters set up for them.  There was good natured joking about wanting to stay in the mountain side villa we had rented for the month, but they were accustomed to 'roughing it' after some of the trials we had put them through, over the summer.  Tom reminded everyone to get some rest so they could look fresh for the finale.  Due to the time difference, we would be up in the middle of the night to hit our prime-time spot on the east coast.
"Are you nervous?" Jeryl asked as we tucked Ali and Jeremy into their beds and then headed down to the sitting room to join our family and friends.
"No, not really.  Relieved more than anything.  The interns did a good job of getting all of the logistics worked out.  That was the hard part."
"That, and figuring out how to involve them in this without them figuring out exactly what was going to steal the spotlight from them during the finale," she added.
I grinned.
"The show will still feature them.  Tomorrow is when the focus will really shift."
We entered the sitting room and Philip immediately offered us a drink, and motioned us toward to small buffet he had overseen.  I sipped at the well watered scotch, and took a plate of finger food as Jim and Mom hurried over.
"Paul, this is really going to change the world, isn't it," Jim asked as Mom just gave Jeryl and me hugs and kisses.
"Without a doubt."
"But after all the work you've done for the country, I still don't understand why you insisted on doing the finale over here where you're going to have to film it in the middle of the night," Mom opined.
Kelly and Matthew joined us.  "Remember when I had to get him out of trouble in Detroit?" she asked.  Mom nodded.  "Something similar is likely to happen with the generator.  The U.S.  is rightfully building up forces in the Middle East for the sake of Kuwait.  Everyone believes that it is as much about the oil as the sovereign rights of the Sheikdom.  The generator is going to put a lot of pressure on oil companies and the government and our policies there.  We don't want Paul, or his invention, being caught in that cross-fire."
Mom nodded and we found seats to catch up with ourselves and the others we had not seen recently.  Jordan and Jyl were there, both with their current significant others.  Jordan was excited to show off the large diamond and introduce us to Stephen Wainwright, her fiancé.  He was a nice man, with a strong jaw and salt-and-pepper hair, even though he was only thirty-one years old.  He thanked us for the invitation and first class airfare over to the show.  It turned out he was an architect, and was very familiar with what had been written about our unique home at the lab in Nevada.
"You'll have to come visit," Jeryl said as she stood next to her big sister.  "We've got plenty of room."
"I'd be thrilled."
"In fact, maybe we should have the bridal shower in Vegas, and you guys could spend a few days with us before or after?" Jeryl asked.
Jordan smiled.
"That would be excellent."  she said.  Then she laughed.  "Who would have ever guessed we'd be here when Jeryl invited you to a little summer party your freshman year?"
I raised my glass in a toast.
"Thanks for that invite," I said with a grin.
That led to a circumscribed description of the party that Jyl and her boyfriend of two years, Christopher joined in on.  All too soon, it was time for us to think about getting ready for the show.
Jeryl got dressed, and then left with one of the makeup people.  I finished tying my tie, only to have Alison enter without knocking and then fiddle and adjust the tie before helping me into my dark gray jacket.
"You look good, even without makeup," she teased as she had me twirl in front of her.
"You look nice, too," I said.  "Too bad you won't be on the show."
She frowned.  "If I'm ever on T.V.  my reputation in the security world would be trashed.  I'm supposed to know which side of the cameras to stay on."
"Anything to worry about tonight?" I asked.
"No.  I've got extra personnel assigned.  We've got things covered for both during the show, and after."
"After?"
She nodded.  "My guess is that within the hour of airing, you'll have a bunch of European newsies on the road here.  I've made arrangements with the Swiss.  We've also got extra security for the motorcades tomorrow as well as at the conference center."
We had organized an all expenses paid conference of most of the people on Cynthia's list to begin tomorrow in Geneva.  The press was also planning on covering that, but I suspected the people sent to cover it would be quite excited to have a much more exciting story to share.
"Okay.  How about the power plants?"
"I've reviewed their security.  We've also put some of our assets nearby, just in case, as you Yanks like to say."
"Good.  I guess it's time to go get some makeup applied," I said with a frown.
Alison surprised me by stepping in and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.  "I'm very proud of you, Paul, and what you have accomplished."
I smiled and realized that I was, as well.  It had been a long road, but I was close to realizing my dream.
*****
"So, once again you all did a fabulous job coordinating the logistics of building the first portions of a global distribution network."
We had just finished watching the previously recorded efforts of the interns to complete two different, complementary challenges.  The first part had entailed the shipping and assembly of manufacturing equipment from my plants in the states, along with CRP in New York, to the new plant in Ireland.  Each of the three teams had to deliver, install, and test one of the critical assemblages used in the manufacture of part of the generators.
The second challenge had been to ship the parts of six generators to the locations where they would be assembled for use.  One had gone to each of the three Nordic power companies with whom I had crafted a partnership, one had come to Switzerland.  One had been shipped to Maui, Hawaii, and the final one had been shipped to Saint Lucia.  I considered those two to be spares that I would get around to installing for island power in the near future.
The film of the teams shipping, and then flying to the Nordic countries to receive their cargo had ended with engineers escorting them out of the buildings after they verified receipt of the huge crates of material.
"All three teams completed the challenge, but one team managed to minimize the shipping time as well as deliver their goods for less cost.  The members of that winning team are Sally Canter, Kevin Tanner, Samuel Schafer, and Cindy Xavier!"
The team jumped up from their chairs in excitement.  None of the twelve interns had been allowed to track their total costs.  We had also carefully redacted shipping arrival times from any of the bills of lading they had received.
As the team settled down, Jeryl, Kelly and I smiled for both them and the cameras.  "Would you like to know what you worked so hard to ship all around the world?" I asked.
They nodded.  I stood up and walked over the black draped generator and control console.  Before pulling the cord to drop the curtain, so to speak, I motioned the interns to come up with me.  As they made their way over, I turned to speak to the camera.
"Our world has a voracious appetite for energy.  We have been doubling our use and generation of energy, roughly every seven years, and we've been keeping up with that demand through the construction of oil and coal generating plants.  But, our energy growth has come at a stiff price."
I knew Tom was queuing a graphic insert showing the deforestation and impacts of pollution.  The others in our ad-hoc studio could see the images on the monitors.
"Our appetite for energy is driving us to consume resources and destroy ecosystems on a global scale."
I paused and smiled at the interns before me.
"Your efforts will help us all start changing that trend."
I pulled on the cord that dropped the shroud from the generator.  A stage hand, hidden off camera, pulled the cover from the control console.
"This is one of the generators you helped ship from the U.S.  for assembly here."  I glanced down to make sure the starter capacitors were fully charged.
I motioned the four winning interns closer.  "This generator will produce eight hundred Megawatts of clean power, with absolutely no pollution, and you all get to help me introduce it to the world."
I motioned them behind the consoled and had them put their hand atop mine on the starter button.
"Three.  Two.  One."
They all pushed down on my hand and the starting sequence began.  The cameraman shifted his focus to the dials and meters as the interns looked over their shoulders at the generator.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, you have just helped launch the world into the fusion era!"
The audience clapped and the interns grinned at each other as Tom cut in the feed to the plants in the Nordic countries where engineers were pushing their own buttons.  We could hear over the feed as they synchronized the generators to the power grid and began powering the cities they served.
"With the four generators we have just brought online, we are producing three point two Gigawatts of clean power.  While you can all be immensely proud of the work you did to bring this about, I also want to share a personal reward with you.  As the winners of our final challenge on 'The Interns', you will each be given a delightful two week vacation for yourself and a guest in Saint Lucia, with all expenses paid."
The interns celebrated for the camera as I shook each of their hands.
*****
"You have done a great thing, Paul," Carl Richter from Mercedes said as he pumped my hand.  "Fusion power.  It is amazing.  As soon as I saw the news last night and this morning, I made some calls.  Are you going to be able to produce generators fast enough to keep up with demand?"
I smiled.  I had just presented a high-level overview of my generator with some technical details on how it operated to generate clean, safe energy.  I had gone to some expense to invite many of the people Cynthia Morgan had identified to attend a two-day symposium in Geneva.  Our agenda was designed to get us all talking about how clean energy could affect our world in a positive manner.
"We should be producing two a week at our new plant in Ireland, as soon as we finish training the staff.  We've also just established a maintenance and operations school at the factory."
"Two a week is not enough," he insisted.  "Mercedes wants to help open another plant in Germany.  We have the space at our motor plant, and can operate under our existing joint venture."
I nodded.  I had planned on expansion, but not quite that quickly.
"We will talk, my friend, but you saw the show last night, right?"
He nodded.
"I have to build up infrastructure first.  Our raw materials are being made in Austin, Atlanta, Wales, and Ireland.  I've got two generator plants, one in Atlanta and one in Ireland.  I need more raw materials and sub-assembly production, before I can add another generator plant.  Also, I built the Ireland plant to grow.  Once I have materials, I'll be able to double or triple its output."
"Yes, yes," he said dismissively.  "But we need to start building that infrastructure on the continent, now.  I will talk with my government.  We will make you an offer you cannot refuse."
"Careful, Carl," Another man said as he approached us.  "I understand that Paul is taking three percent of net revenue from the Nordic power companies.  That would be a pretty hefty price tag for all of Germany."
I placed the man's face.  It was Jorgen Warnke, the German Minister of Economic Cooperation.
"One percent of the revenue produced by the generator, and no capital costs for its production, assembly, or initial operations," I corrected.  "It's good to meet you, Minister Warnke," I said as I shook his hand.
He took my hand and looked me in the eye.
"That sounds like very reasonable terms then," he said as we shook.
"Once I am able to produce generators more efficiently, I will most likely reduce that rate further."
"Even at a fraction of a percent, you will be the worlds richest man," the minister said.  "Roughly seven million dollars per generator per year, if the cost is ten cents per kilowatt hour," he said.
I nodded.  "That's right.  The real question is why the cost has to be that high once the generators are adopted."
"That is a good question.  My government has begun looking at the billing practices of this industry as we compare practices across the continent.  We have a rate higher than ten cents per kilowatt currently."
Carl nodded.  "We are much higher than that.  If oil deliveries are interrupted by the troubles with Iraq, it will go higher still."
"That's one reason I announced earlier than I had originally planned," I said.  Both men looked at me.
"I think it is critical that the U.S.  and coalition forces clearly understand there are alternatives to fighting and dying over oil.  Once Saddam Hussein is dealt with, we don't need to stay around to make sure the oil flows."
Both men looked at me in surprise.
Cindy Xavier, the winning intern from the show joined our conversation.  All of the interns had been invited to stay for the symposium.
"And lesser need for oil can have other significant benefits," she added.  "Not only can we reduce our environmental impact, with power generation, we can leave so much coal in the ground now."
I nodded.  "We can also use cheap, clean power to provide abundant clean water."
"And with water, we can start to impact the hydro-cycle in the third world."
The two men looked at the short, petite Asian woman with her green eyes and easy smile.  It was easy to forget that she held a degree in mechanical engineering and was working on her MBA.
"You seem to have thought a lot about this, Miss Xavier," Carl said.
Cindy smiled.  "Ever since last night.  I didn't sleep a wink.  I won the show, but was more in shock about what Paul has done.  Fusion power.  It's amazing.  This will change the world as much as the industrial revolution.  Power has been a limiting factor in so many areas."
Carl nodded.  "I understand that in the automotive and industrial arena, but where else?"
"Flight.  We have a power source that can dramatically change our thinking about price per kilo to orbit.  Once in orbit, with this sort of power plant, we can change how we think about resources.  Asteroid mining just became fiscally possible.  Ecology.  With a fusion generator for power, we could build tugs to move icebergs and impact the whole ecosystem.  We could also do something about the pollution levels in the oceans.  Maybe reverse some of the damage we've done to the reef systems of the world.  You just have to look at any idea that was constrained by power, really.  It is all now possible."
Jorgen was nodding now.  He glanced at me.  "Mr.  Taylor, if you don't hire this young woman, I hope she moves to Germany."
Carl smiled.  "I'll give her a job if she does."
Cindy's eyes sparkled as she looked at me.
"Sorry, gentlemen, but the winner of this year's show has a job as soon as she graduates."
She gave me a brilliant smile.  "When do I start?  Stanford called; I've been told my efforts on the show will constitute my capstone for my MBA.  I'm done with classes."
*****
Jeryl shuddered around my cock as her orgasm washed over her.  I paused in my thrusting as she buried her face in her pillow for a minute before resuming her gentle pushing back against me.  I resumed my pace and soon emptied my balls into her grasping pussy.
"God, you make me feel good," she said as we collapsed together.  She kissed my neck as I hugged her to me.
"So," she said with a small smile, "I guess I can say I've slept with both the smartest and richest man in the world now."
"Hah!  I'm pretty sure I'm neither."
"You are and you will be."
"Well, then I guess I've gotten to sleep with the most beautiful and richest woman in the world."
She smiled and gave me another kiss.
"I love you, Paul."
"I love you, too."
We lay together in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the afterglow of great sex.
"It's been a whirlwind," Jeryl finally said.
"It has.  This week has been crazy.  The prep for the show, the symposium, the press, the calls from Prime Ministers and Presidents, it has been nuts."
"Well, soon we can take a little vacation.  Maybe go to the house in Hawaii or Saint Lucia or Maine."
"Hawaii first.  The governor called to approve our installation on Maui.  He asked that we be there for the initial start up."
"Election year?" she asked with a grin.
"Who knows," I replied with a chuckle.  "How about we hop to Ireland tomorrow, and you can meet with the decorator for the house there, and then we head to Hawaii.  Where are the folks heading?"
Our families had teamed up to take a side trip to Italy after the filming of the show.  They were fortunate enough to be able to travel in anonymity, but I had still sent a two person security team with them 'as guides,' at Alison's insistence.
"They were planning on finishing the week in Rome and then spending five days in Barcelona before flying home.  Why?"
"Just thinking about some time off for Anna.  She seemed a little harried this week with the kids."
"We can look after our own children, Paul," she said with a slap to my chest.  "But I agree, she could use a little break.  I'll talk to her while we're in Ireland."  Her hands stoked down my chest to my stomach.  "Maybe Alison will take a vacation as well," she said with a smile as she reached lower to stoke my balls.
"It has been a while since she took a vacation," I said as I felt myself beginning to stiffen again.
*****
"It's good to meet you, Paul," the President said as he met me at the door to the Oval Office.  I had spent four days in Ireland before flying back to the U.S.  I had received an invitation to the White House during our Irish stop.  Jeryl decided to have a last meeting with the decorator, and then follow me back to California; while I stopped off in Washington, and then hit Los Angeles for a short stint on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
"It's my privilege to meet you, sir," I said as I shook his extended hand.  He deftly moved me into the room and posed us before a photographer for an official photo and then offered me coffee as we settled into the couches facing one another.  I thought it strange that we were alone once the steward poured the coffee.
"I'm glad you could adjust your plans to visit," he began.  "Your work has quite a few people excited."
"Which work, Mr.  President?" I asked.
He gave me what looked like a genuine smile.  "The work you've done in the defense sector, of course, as well as your latest breakthrough.  I've even had your name mentioned to me by Robert Mosbacher.  He thinks your inventions are giving our trade balance and economy a good boost."
Mosbacher was the Secretary of Commerce.
"I do what I can, sir."
He nodded as he said, "We've only got a few minutes alone together, so I wanted to ask you a pointed question.  Some of your remarks in Europe have raised some eyebrows.  I'd like to understand what you meant by them."
This caught me off guard.  "Which comments, sir?"
"What fusion means to the war efforts."
I nodded.
"My comments were aimed at being clear on the motivations for engaging in the Persian Gulf region.  Right now, you have built a coalition of countries based on the invasion of Kuwait.  I agree with that one hundred percent.  Annexation of a country over oil rights should be rebuffed by the international community.  I just want to make sure we don't have our own, commercial annexation, afterward."
He nodded, but frowned.  "You don't want the oil companies moving in?"
"Not just the oil companies.  We will have ratified our right to protect our interests in the region through force with this war.  It is a just war.  But once it is done, we need to leave, even if the oil companies win contracts to help re-establish production in the area."
"Why?"
"Sir, the Soviets spent nearly a decade in Afghanistan and were eventually ousted by irregular forces with our backing, who were motivated by a message of jihad against the infidels.  I want to make sure the same tactics won't be used against us, after we defeat Iraq.  Any permanent military presence in the area will give Muslim extremists the proof to justify a similar crusade against us and our allies."
He sat back and looked at me.  I knew the current popular press did not give the man the credit for intelligence, but I knew he had it.  His thoughtful gaze confirmed it for me.
"So, you're not against the war?"
"I'm against staying, after the war is won.  My generator design will give us a real reason to shift our stance toward the region, as do my other inventions."
"Tell me more," he said as he lifted his own cup of coffee to his lips.
"We have stabilized our need for oil imports with gains in the transportation sector.  Our auto industry is now a net exporter, which means the cleaner technology is lowering demand for oil around the world as well.  With cheap, efficient, clean power generation, we can further wean ourselves from oil imports from the region.  We don't have a strategic imperative to stay engaged so closely.  Guaranteeing the oil would flow from the Gulf for our allies and us is strategically sound if they or we need the oil.  With fusion power, they won't need nearly as much.  Without the strategic interest in the region for their oil resources, why should we be there?"
"How about stabilizing the region?"
"At the cost of destabilizing the world?"
He scoffed.  "How could that happen?"
"A jihad message against the 'occupation' of Saudi Arabia or Kuwait would spread through the Muslim world.  They would only need to point at our bases as proof of the rightness of their message.  It's the message they used so effectively to shape opinion and action against the Soviets.  If they can paint us as the 'Great Satan' and point to 'forces of occupation' as proof, their other messages will be believed.  Once that message is embraced, they will use it to leverage the Muslim communities around the world.  They are already doing it to destabilize southern Russian territories.  Ask the CIA how they are doing that."
The President nodded then asked, "What about Israel?"
"Do you really think bases and forces in the Gulf region are any deterrent to Islamic actions against Israel?"
He had a quick, small grin for a response, and then shook his head 'no.'
"You make a strong case.  Would you be willing to discuss it with some other folks around here?"
I took a breath and thought for a second.  This was a tipping point.
"Of course, Mr.  President.  I would talk to anyone you asked me to."
He nodded.  "You've obviously thought about this quite a bit.  I'll send some folks your way.  Maybe we can work together to convince them."
It was my turn to nod.  "Do you want me to focus on the monetary implications as well?"
"What do you mean?"
"The dollar is the currency for oil.  Treasury will need to think through the impacts of fewer foreign accounts buying dollars if demand for oil shrinks globally.  That will lead to a need to stop printing money when we want or need it."
The President nodded.  "Don't tell anyone, but we need to stop that practice anyway.  Everyone around here seems to forget that I actually have a degree in economics."
His grin was friendly and I smiled.
"So, what do you think this war will be like, given the help you've given the Air Force?" he asked.
"I hope it goes like lightning, sir."
"You and I both.  I've been through one war.  I don't like sending our forces in harms way.  Your inventions have helped us in making them safer, you realize."
"Yes, sir."
"Can you believe the French wanted technical information on applying stealth compounds as part of their agreement to participate in the coalition?"
"I had not heard that, but it does not surprise me.  I've had some trouble with French interests in the past," I said.
"So I've heard.  Needless to say, we did not agree to that.  It's bad enough they stole information from you.  Do you need help from the government to protect your latest invention?"
"No, sir.  I'm planning on selling the generators for very liberal terms both here and abroad.  If they tried to steal the design and build it themselves, they would spend billions."
"But cheap generation could be worth trillions," he countered.
"By the time they could get all of the manufacturing processes in place to build them, everyone in the world will know that they can get them cheaper and faster from me.  That's my goal, anyway."
*****
"Time magazine called you the 'Most Powerful Man in the World'," Johnny said.  He paused a beat.  "That must make your wife happy."
The crowd laughed, as did I.  I had flown from Washington to Los Angeles for the filming of the Tonight Show, and been surprised to feel a few butterflies while waiting in the green room with Alison for company.
"Seriously," he said as the laughter faded.  "You've changed the world, or you will once you can build enough of these fusion generators.  You've got a production plant in Atlanta, and one in Ireland, right?"
"That's right, Johnny.  Right now we're making two generators a week, but will soon ramp production to first four, and then eight as we get the processes worked out."
"And we would need how many of these to generate all the power needed in the world?"
"Well, if electricity could be used for everything, we would need about one hundred and twenty thousand.  Current electrical demand is only a fraction of that, however."
"And you're essentially giving these away to any power company?"
I forced a laugh.  "Not really, we're just not making them buy them up-front.  Instead, we essentially lease the generators to them for a fraction of the revenue they charge customers for the electricity."
"Why do it that way?"
"Two reasons; one, it keeps my company in the loop on maintenance and upkeep on the generator.  Two, it keeps the technology under my company's control."
"After all, these are the equivalent of fusion bombs in a bottle, right?" He sounded genuinely concerned.
"No, absolutely not," I said.  "The generators are incredibly safe.  The only way to make one explode would be to put a bomb on it, and even then, it would be no worse than whatever size bomb you used.  No radioactivity, no fire from the fuel source, no release of toxic vapor or anything else.  I've spent years working to make these safe and efficient for everyone to use."
Spontaneous applause swept through the studio audience, and Johnny smiled.
"Now, you aren't just involved in fusion power, are you?"
"No, I've got quite a few interests," I agreed.
"You started transforming the automobile industry when you were still in high-school.  You revolutionized the airline industry with your materials, you built shelters that housed thousands of people in emergencies, you've started a whole new television concept with 'The Interns', you've changed how the world thinks about computers and are launching a network to take on the phone companies.  What's next?"
I laughed again.
"When you say it all at once, I think a vacation is in order, which is what my wife wants."
The crowd laughed.
"Seriously?"
I nodded.  "Seriously.  I'm ready for a little vacation and then I'll start thinking about new things to do.  I want to spend a little time with my wife and kids.  It's been a hectic few months getting the show wrapped up and announcing the generators.  It will be nice to relax a bit."
"Well, thank you for coming and stopping by this evening on the way to a well deserved vacation.  Ladies and gentlemen, Paul Taylor, the most powerful man in the world!"
The crowd applauded again as the band kicked in to go to a commercial break.
Once the producer signaled we were clear, Johnny stood up and shook my hand.  I thanked him for inviting me on, and then headed backstage.  We had previously agreed that I would not hang around after my segment.  By the time they were back to filming, I had removed the little makeup I had worn and was heading out to our car with Alison.
Fifteen minutes later, we were on the highway toward the airport.  Sanford was driving, and Alison rode in back with me.
"Are you really taking a vacation," she asked as I looked out the window at the city passing by.
"Yep.  Maui for a month, at least.  Will you join us?"
"What do you mean?"
"We want you to actually take some time off, and we would hope you spend it with us.  We're telling Anna to take a couple of weeks off, as well.  I plan on sitting on the warm sand, sailing, and spoiling my family with attention and fun.  You know we consider you part of our family, right?"
She nodded, but looked pale.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing.  I will take a break, but I need to take one more trip to London first."
"Okay.  Can you do it next week?  We're heading to Maui day after tomorrow.  You could spend the weekend with us and then take the GX-3 over.  It would be a one stop hop that way."
"I will."  she said as she leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.  "Thank you, Paul.  For everything."
*****
"No Nukes" was the chant of the crowd as I left our offices near Stanford.  The crazies had come out in force and I had given up trying to engage with them.  It did not seem to matter that scientists were agreeing that my generators were safe.  Some people were determined to embrace their ignorance.  I was glad to be getting out of town for a while.
"Straight to the Airport, Paul?" Sanford asked as I got in the Land Rover.
"That's right."
Alison and Tiffany were getting the family there.  I just needed to finish signing a few documents and letters.  Kelly and Matthew had our business well in hand.  Cindy Xavier needed a little more guidance, but I trusted Matthew to provide it while I took a break.  It was mostly around manufacturing processes anyway, and Matthew had more than proven himself in that regard.  Twenty minutes later, we were pulling into the airport.  No protesters were in sight.
Jeryl, Ali and Jeremy were already onboard, along with Alison and Tiffany.  Sanford helped with my one bag before pulling away in the car and heading back to the house.  I had insisted that he get a break as well.  Anna had flown to Salt Lake City this morning.  Tiffany would be flying to London with Alison.  I was determined that this would be a family vacation, with only the minimum security.  That decision had naturally not sat well with Alison.  I had conceded the point finally and let her send Philip to Maui to cook for us along with one additional driver/guard.
I settled into my seat next to Ali and smiled at Jeryl as the crew closed the door and then headed into the cockpit.
"No stewardess this flight?" I asked.
Jeryl smiled.  "You can wait on yourself, this month, lazybones."
I faked a pout and then smiled.
"Are you ready to play in the sand?" I asked Ali besides me.
"I wanna' play in the waves, Daddy," she informed me with a smile.  She then showed me her latest coloring creation and I made appreciative sounds.  "See, it's me playing with the dolphins," she said.
I saw a vague resemblance and smiled.
"It's wonderful, Ali.  You are quite the artist."
"I know," she said with the confidence of a three-year-old.  She was growing so fast.
The plane began to move, and soon we were racing down the runway and climbing quickly from the ground.  Jeryl smiled at me and pulled out a deck of cards.  I waggled my eyebrows at her.
"Strip poker, perhaps?"
She laughed, a sound I had not heard enough of lately.
"In your dreams, darling.  I thought I'd play a little solitaire, unless you wanted to play something?"
We had never really been the card playing kind of couple.
"Actually, I want to jot down a few notes before we get to Hawaii.  I don't want to have to think about them after we land."
Jeryl shook her head at me and began shuffling her cards as I pulled out my notebook and a pen.  I flipped it open to the bookmark and began putting the formula that described the magnetic fields within the generator.  It was a slight variation of the formula I had been puzzling over when I was first sent back.  I had modified it to eliminate the negative time component.  Then I had realized when looking at it, last night, that there was another variant as well.
I worked through one page and then another, trying to find a solution that still gave me the field densities I needed but was cleaner mathematically speaking.  Alison interrupted me for a minute to retrieve Ali and take her back to the couch.  Jeryl put a drink on the table besides me and then retreated as well.  I continued to work through the formula.
I finally wrestled it into a somewhat normalized form and sat back to look at my handiwork.  It felt overly complex, but there was something there.  I now had three different variations of the field matrices that all were supported by the data I had collected so far.  If they were all equivalent, except for the resolution vector, it had bigger implications.
"What are you working on so intently when you should be thinking of warm sand and the sound of the surf?" Jeryl asked as she rejoined me.
I took a sip of the drink she had gotten for me, enjoying the feel of the scotch on my mouth and throat and glanced at my notebook.
"I'm not sure.  I've now got three solutions to the magnetic field equations that are at the heart of the generator.  They all imply a slightly different universe, in the physical sense."
"What do you mean?" she asked as she sat down across from me.
"Well, either they imply a unified field theory, which is huge from a theoretical physics perspective, or they tell me something about the fundamental constants of our universe, which will also have huge implications."
"So you're either the next Einstein or the next..."
"Dirac.  This has implications at the quantum level."
I sipped my scotch.  With a sigh, I closed my notebook and put it back into my bag.
"And it can all wait until after our vacation," I concluded.
Jeryl beamed at me before lifting her own glass in a small toast.
"I love you," she said.
It made me smile.
*****
"Ready about!" I called as I anticipated our turning time with the gentle swell of the ocean and kept an eye on buoy that marked my turning point.  Alison was clipped in ahead of me, manning the line on the jib.  She pulled the sheet loose from its cam cleat and got ready for our tack.
I waited until she glanced back and nodded at me.
"Helm alee!" I called as I pulled the rudder toward me sharply and watched the bow swing through the wind as we tacked around the buoy for our final turn before heading back to the beach in front of our house.
Alison and I scrambled to the opposite side of the catamaran, watching as the boom shifted.  Alison deftly hauled in on the sheet to get the jib trimmed as I minded our heading, on the new course.  We had done enough sailing over the past two weeks that we were a well tuned machine.  We settled onto our new tack with virtually no loss of speed.  I checked the sails and pointed us a little closer to the wind as we began to heel to starboard.  Alison and I hiked out in our harnesses to counter-balance the craft as the port hull lifted from the water.
A brisk afternoon sail had become part of our routine since coming to Maui.  Alison had insisted on joining me when she returned from London during our first week of vacation.  For twelve days in a row, she had accompanied me out on the water, learning the ropes and relaxing.  Today we were racing the clock, hoping to beat yesterday's time around our informal course along the coast.
I could not help but grin as I leaned further out from the rising hull.  It was a joyous feeling.  I heard Alison laugh with me as we enjoyed the cool spray and the warm sun on our faces.  All too soon, I eased the mainsheet, and prepared to run onto the beach.  Alison luffed the jib and then moved closer to the mast as I squared us up to the beach.  Our timing was perfect and we rode a wave in as we both hopped into the surf and guided the cat higher  onto the sand.
Alison turned and grinned at me after checking her watch.  "Two minutes faster, Paul!"
I laughed.  "I told you we could go faster."
She laughed with me as we began dropping the sails and pulling the boat above the surf zone for the night.  Together, we headed to the lanai after stowing the sails and rudders for the boat.
I gave Alison a sideways hug as we heard Jeryl and Ali inside.  My other two ladies joined us in the afternoon sun and Alison began telling them of our sail.
"I wanna' sail with you, Daddy!" Ali declared.
She said it every day, and we always agreed she would, as soon as she learned all the words needed.  Jeryl and I had taken her out a couple of times for sedate sails, but she wanted to hike out and race the waves like Daddy did in the afternoon.  I wasn't sure how long we could keep her off a faster sailboat.
Alison took her namesake inside to get cleaned up as Jeryl poured us a glass of white wine and welcomed me home, again.
"You look like you are finally relaxing," she said.
"Definitely.  You were right to insist on a real break.  I don't think I appreciated how worn out I was getting."
She smiled at me.  "It is going to be hard to go back to work."
"Hell, we might be bankrupt by the time we get back," I joked.
Jeryl scoffed.  "Or tripled your worth, more likely.  Of course, now that I've gotten you to unwind, I'll have to make sure you don't take on too much."
"Really?  How do you plan on doing that?" I asked with wicked thoughts in mind.
"Well, we only have one week in California before heading to Maine for Thanksgiving.  Then, we have two weeks in Ireland to check out the redecorating and attend a few business meetings.  After that, we need to hop down to Saint Lucia for the ignition of that generator.  You promised the Prime Minister you would attend the ceremony bringing that plant online, just like you did for the one here.  Then we'll head back to Park City for Christmas and New Years.  We've got family to entertain, there."
"Crap, it sounds like I'll be too busy to work."
"That's the idea.  Besides, you need to finalize your thesis and meet with your advisor so you can schedule your defense, not that there is much to defend."
"Well, it's going to be hard for them to argue that I have not contributed to the field sufficiently when I can point to a dozen functioning fusion reactors," I said.
Jeryl laughed.  "And with more being produced every week.  Matthew mentioned on the phone yesterday that Cindy is pestering him for more materials.  She thinks she can ramp up production faster in Ireland."
"We'll have to talk to her.  Too much haste will make a lot of waste.  The tolerances on some of the components are very tight."
"They know, darling.  Don't jump to any conclusions.  You can talk to them over the next couple of weeks and see what she is thinking."
I sipped my wine and admired the sky and sea for a minute.
"I wonder how the war is going," I said.
We had agreed not to watch the news.  Jeryl let me read the Sunday paper, but no real news beyond that.
"I'm sure things are going along just fine," Jeryl replied.  She looked like she was going to say something else, but stopped.
I turned to follow her eyes.  Alison and Philip were coming out of the house.  They looked concerned.
"Paul, Jeryl, I think we need to change our plans, some," Alison said without preamble.
"Why?"
"We have a credible threat.  I want us to get out of here, tonight."
Jeryl put a hand on my arm.  "What do you mean?"
Alison frowned at both of us, while Philip kept an eye on the few people within sight on the beach.  "We got a call from London.  One of my contacts has learned there is the possibility of a contract being placed on Paul."
"What?"
Alison nodded and continued, "We have a credible threat that Saudi Aramco, the state owned oil company, has let some folks know that your death would be an easy way to earn two million dollars.  I think they finally did the math on what fusion power is going to mean to their income stream."

Chapter Thirty-Five
…and Prejudice
*****
"Colonel, do you really expect us to believe no one in the Air Force is willing to have a frank conversation with Saudis about this?"  Alison asked a very nervous Colonel Conright from the Office of Strategic Security.
We had flown to the labs in Nevada, our most secure home in Alison's mind and made some calls.  At first, people had denied any contract or risk.  Then Alison had revealed some of her team's intelligence and applied a little pressure to some MI-6 friends to get further confirmation.  It took a week, but the Colonel had finally come for a face to face visit.
"Our war efforts are at a delicate balancing point," The Colonel said.  "We're using Saudi facilities to build up our forces, and can't risk creating a rift in the coalition."
"And they're not risking that?"  Alison asked.
I had had enough.  I was not going to tolerate a risk to my family.
"Colonel, I am directing my companies to stop all production of stealth materials in the event of an attack by foreign interests on myself, my family, or any of my employees.  I will also be approaching the States in the region that are not supportive of the Saudi regime with lucrative licensing deals for both generators and other materials of interest."
The Colonel was smart enough to know I meant Israel.
"Let's not be hasty, Paul."
"I'll give you until the end of the week to have the contract squashed!  If we can't confirm it is pulled, I will be publicly opening discussions with Israel.  My orders to cease all production in the event of an attack, successful or otherwise, will go into effect, today."
I stood up.  It was time to be done with talking.
Alison came into my office in the house after escorting the Colonel back to the airstrip.
"Is it a good idea to threaten the government, Paul?"
"Good or bad, it's done," I said.  She arched an eyebrow at me and then nodded.  "I'd like to be ready to carry through my threat.  Can you reach out to our new friends from Cynthia's list?  I think a private discussion with the Israeli Secretary of State and an exiled Kuwaiti prince may be in order."
"I will see what we can do.  Neither attended the symposium in Switzerland."
"I know.  Do you have any contacts with Iran?"
"Why?"
"'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.'"
I was thinking out loud now.  I also knew that Iran was an exporter of Islamic fundamentalism in the future.  Opening a dialogue now might help curtail that.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Paul."
"I know.  Explore our options to open business discussions.  Only initiate conversations from the houses in Ireland or Switzerland.  No correspondence to any of our other offices.  No meetings except in Switzerland."
Alison's frown was concerning, but she nodded and jotted down a note.
"Have you written out your orders for production in the event of an attack?"
"Already sent to the central server with copies routed to Matthew, Kelly, Candace, Jim, and Jeryl."
"What do you want to do about Thanksgiving?"
"How's security in Maine?"
"Tight.  However, you've gone to Maine every Thanksgiving since you bought the place.  It's a predictable pattern.  It is also possible the contract has already been accepted, and so we should avoid it."
"Any alternatives?  Much as I like things here, I don't think this is the right place for Thanksgiving.  We've got a lot of flights to change, if we're going someplace else."
"Ireland, Saint Lucia, or Austin.  I would recommend Hawaii if you hadn't spent so much time there over the past month.  Someone might have gotten eyes on you there, already.  Deer Valley is very secure as well, but you've spent a lot of time there, too."
"Let's talk to Jeryl, but I think Austin might be the answer."
*****
Thanksgiving was tense.  We all tried to unwind in Austin, but having no news from the government or Alison's network kept everyone from relaxing fully.  We stayed on the property and tried to enjoy the company of our family while slowly re-engaging with our business interests around the world.  My greatest frustration was having to use a treadmill instead of pounding out some miles outside to clear my head and think.
"It isn't all bad," Jeryl said as she rubbed my shoulders after a lunch of leftovers on Black Friday.
I sighed as her fingers worked the tension in my neck.  "No, it seems like we've used this house less than the others.  It really is a nice place."
"And you can't knock the weather."  It had been pleasantly warm with just enough cooling at night.  "Ali and Jeremy seem happy as well."
Ali had complained about not being able to sail or play on the beach, but had quickly fallen back into her routine of Anna led activities.  Jeremy was beginning to be much more mobile as well.  I sat up straighter and pulled Jeryl into my lap for a kiss.  She molded herself against me.
"Wow, that was nice," she said our lips parted.
"Likewise."
The phone on my desk rang.
"Shit," I said as I got up after Jeryl got off my lap.  I picked up the phone on the fourth ring and said, "This is Paul."
"Please hold for the President of the United States," a woman's voice said.  That got my attention.
The line clicked and a voice said, "Paul, this is George Bush.  I hope I did not catch you at a bad time."
"No, Mister President," I said.  Jeryl's eyes went wide.
"I wish I could have made this call sooner, so you could have better enjoyed your Thanksgiving, but I wanted to let you know that I have had direct conversations with Prince Abdullah in Saudi Arabia.  He has assured me that whoever opened the contract within Saudi Aramco will be found and dealt with.  He has apologized for the insult and asked me to assure you that this incident was not a reflection of official policy, sentiment, or intent."
"That's very good to hear, Mister President."
"Paul, I want you to know that what you have done for the military is going to save a lot of lives in the near future.  I also want you to know that I personally appreciate the conversations you have been having with regards to what happens after the war.  I believe your arguments for not maintaining a permanent presence in Saudi Arabia may have been what actually triggered this action."
"How so, Mister President?"
"A few folks at the CIA believe the Saudi Oil Company was looking at annexing Iraqi oil fields after we kick them out of Kuwait.  They felt that a permanent U.S.  presence would prevent dispute of such actions.  I want you to know that the U.S.  government would not support such actions."
"That's good to hear, sir."
"Well, I will let you get back to your family and friends.  I hope you can relax a little now and enjoy the holidays."
"Thank you, Mister President.  I appreciate you taking the time to discuss this with me directly."
"Paul, I want you to know that I view you as a national asset.  What you have done for our military, our nation, and the world is worth safe guarding."
"Thank you, sir," I said with a lump in my throat.  I was surprised at the effect his words had on me.
*****
Christmas was a much better holiday.  We were in our Deer Valley house, enjoying the snow covered vistas outside our windows and the warm companionship of our immediate family, instead of worrying about threats and war.
"Mrs.  Eccles has finished the menu planning for Christmas dinner," Jeryl informed me as she came into the office.  "Are you going to be alright with a rib roast and a ham, or do I need to tell her to cook more?" she asked with a grin.
"No, I'm sure that will be plenty unless Stephen and Christopher are champion eaters."
This was going to be the first holiday where Jordan and Jyl would be bringing their significant others to a family get together.
Jeryl smiled at me and sat on the edge of my desk.  She was wearing white ski pants and a black Diamond Skin top.  She looked as appealing as she had on our first ski adventure, so many years ago.  I lifted her hand to my lips and gave it a kiss.
"Are you close to finishing for the day?  I want to get a few runs in by ourselves before all the company arrives this week."
"Almost.  Cindy received some inquiries from the Middle East, for generators.  She wanted my input before responding or putting them in the order pipeline."
"Where from?  Israel?"
"No.  We already had orders for six from them.  These came from Iran."
"Can you do business with them without government approval?"
"I'm not sure.  I need to get Jim and Kelly investigating that before I respond, but I need to decide if I want to do business with them first."
Jeryl shrugged.  "It's not like they can't use their oil for power.  Is it more important to you that they have cleaner energy and normalize some relations with the west or that they continue to be punished for actions over a decade ago?"
"As usual, you help me get to the heart of the matter.  I think it's something I should ponder on the ski lift."
"Excellent answer," she said with a smile.
Soon, we were skiing down to the lift from outside our house.  I watched Jeryl's hips shift as she easily navigated the path through the trees, and smiled.  I could follow that ass anywhere, I thought.
We enjoyed a couple of hours of easy skiing and then headed home after seeing one of the Range Rovers on our driveway from the lift.
"Why would Sanford have a car out?"  Jeryl asked as we carried our skis into the locker.
"I've no idea.  It looks like he brought someone to the house."
I pulled off my ski boots as Alison appeared at the inside door of the ski locker.
"Paul, Stan from Gulfstream is here to see you."
"Really?  That's a surprise."  I followed Alison into the office and saw Stan warming his hands at the fireplace.
"Paul, sorry to stop by unannounced and unexpected," he said as he shook my hand.  "I was actually out here looking at a property when I got a call from the head office."
"Nothing too serious, I hope," I said as I motioned him to sit down.
"Serious, yes, but not bad news.  Gulfstream agreed to our joint proposal.  We're a go for the GO-X."
I broke into a grin.  GO-X was our working name for the Gulfstream Orbital - eXperimental.  It looked like we were going to take a stab at privatizing spaceflight two decades ahead of my prior history.
"That's excellent news," I said.  "I can hardly think of a better Christmas gift.  Does Harry know?"
"Not yet.  Like I said, I was close by and thought you would like to know first."
"Well, let's call him.  It's late across the pond, but he would want us to wake him up for this."
The three of us had worked out the rough design for the GO-X over the course of a few months.  Our stated goal was a sub-orbital capability with capacity for a dozen passengers plus cargo.  Our actual design goal was 30,000 kilograms to low earth orbit.  Given our power plant capabilities, if we could get that mass to LEO, we could get it anywhere in the solar system, since we did not need to carry huge masses of oxidizer and fuel, as a traditional spaceship would.
Harry was ecstatic at the news.
"When can we get together to get to planning?" he asked after letting loose with a joyous yell.
"How about Ireland, the second week of January?"  I suggested.
"Excellent," both men said.  We ended our call to Harry and I brought Stan upstairs to the living room to share the news with Jeryl and Alison.
"What's this mean?"  Alison asked.  "Something else earth shaking and dangerous?"
I laughed as I poured a celebratory scotch for us all.  "Earth shaking, yes.  Dangerous, maybe, but not how you think."
She arched an eyebrow at me, as did Jeryl.
"Just so long as you don't decide to be a test pilot," Jeryl said.
We all laughed and then raised our glasses for a toast to the GO-X.
*****
"The war began at midnight, Baghdad local time," the BBC announcer said as we watched footage of aircraft taking off from a dessert strip.  "While official details have not yet been released, correspondents in the city reported multiple explosions occurring simultaneously at 12:05 followed by an immediate loss of power throughout the city.  Shortly there after, the night sky was lit up by streams of tracers and missile launches as the Iraqi air defense network engaged the attackers."
The scene on the screen changed to a briefing room.  "We go now to Stanley Roberts at the Central Command briefing."
An Air Force General strode to the podium as cameras flashed and then the room settled.
"At midnight local time, coalition forces began the air campaign to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait and eliminate their capabilities to export aggression on their neighbors.  Sorties were launched in theater, using joint coalition naval and ground based aircraft.  Over one hundred missions were successfully executed during the night with no coalition casualties."
He uncovered a large map showing the region around Baghdad, and another showing Kuwait and the roads leading toward Basra.  The map around Baghdad had red circles on the air-defense positions as well as the military and civilian airfields.  The camera zoomed in on the map.
"Our primary objective in the first wave of attacks was to eliminate Iraqi air power as well as their air defense capability.  I am happy to say that this has been accomplished.  Our battle damage assessments indicate that the only air defense capability remaining around the capital are mobile units attached to their operational forces."
The camera shifted to the other map.
"We also decimated the forces encamped in Kuwait.  The Republican Guard units holding the region were targeted by our forces and engaged.  We do not believe these forces have retained any operational capability."
The general switched on a large monitor showing the frozen image of a group of tanks sitting in revetments.  "This is imagery captured by our aircraft.  The pinpoint of light sitting on each tank is an infrared target designator.  Another aircraft released guided munitions designed to home on these specific coded designators.  You can see the results for yourself."
He paused as the video played.  There was just enough jitter in the frame to indicate movement and then there were nearly simultaneous flashes on all the tanks.  The camera angle widened as the flare died down and debris and fire could be seen from all the targets."
"Two hundred and twelve armored vehicles were destroyed in this attack.  Similar techniques were used on the Iraqi air force, and air defense commands."
"Holy Shit," Harry said as we watched another video of a different attack.  "How in the hell did you yanks pull that off?" he asked.  "It looks like a time-on-target down to the second."
I nodded and kept my mouth shut.  I had a pretty good idea of how they had done it all.  This was a much different air campaign than had been executed in my prior life.  I suspected the F-117s were the targeting platform and B-1 bombers, modified as we had discussed years ago, had been the munitions delivery platform.  During our design consultation, we had discussed possible tactics that would make use of our planned capabilities.
"Serves the bastards right," Stan said.  "I don't think it's going to be a long war."
"Let's hope not," I said.  We agreed to turn the volume down and get back to work.  We had woken to the news of war this morning, but were also close to finalizing some significant planning milestones for the GO-X.
Later that afternoon, as Harry and Stan were back in front of the television for their war update, I was surprised to see Matthew walk into my office.  We had chosen our offices in Dublin for their location as well as having room to grow.  Our plant was several kilometers out of town, north west of the city; the house was south west and further away.  Our offices were the top floors of a renovated warehouse downtown.  We had spent a bit of money opening up the outside walls to improve natural light and then put an open floor plan in place.  We still had a cluster of interior offices for key folks.
I stood up from my desk and met Matthew part way to my desk and steered him back outside my office to an informal seating area.  We could see Stan and Harry in a glass-walled conference room with a TV in the corner.
"What brings you to Dublin, Matthew?"  I asked.  "Problems?"
He laughed and shook his head.  "Only the kind of problems your crazy inventions create.  Cindy asked me to come visit to look at production processes, but she was really asking me to increase production so she could build up generator production."
I frowned.  "We're up to eight a week, right?"
"Yep.  Four here and four in Atlanta.  The problem is that she has an order backlog over five years deep already and growing."
I nodded.  "So what's the problem?"
"Our production capacity for nanotubes is maxed out.  Between the government, CRP, Detroit, DigiNet, Innovative Environs, and now your power systems division, we have zero excess capacity.  I'm trying to figure out how much to expand production in Atlanta and here."
"What are you thinking?"
"Double both locations and start looking for two other sites.  We can't grow anymore in Austin without building a new plant there.  We also haven't really tapped into the Asian markets yet."
"Okay.  Let's talk to folks about where to expand, but I don't want generator production to ramp above six hundred units a year."
"Why not?"
"At six hundred a year, we hit about ten percent of the world power demands in three years.  The problem is that only a little more than fifteen percent of the total demand is for electrical production.  If we flood the market with cheap electrical power, whole other industries will collapse.  I don't want a broad economic collapse caused by our greed."
"How could that happen?"
"Mining for one.  If we convert and replace coal fired plants or natural gas plants to our generators too quickly, whole sectors will collapse.  What are the coal miners in Virginia going to do if we put them out of business overnight?"
It was Matthew's turn to nod.  "Maybe we should be looking to open manufacturing plants in some of the regions we think will be impacted."
"Good idea.  Anyway, I don't want generator production to cause other big collapses.  I'll talk to Cindy about it.  I might even slow our ramp up.  I've got to think about the bigger picture now.  I'm glad she wants to grow the business, but I think there are some other things we need to think about over the short term."
"Like what?"
"Like if we should just fill orders on a first come, first served basis."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, look at Pacific Gas and Electric.  They have an order in with us, but are also behind the push to have the Atomic Energy Commission regulate operation of our generators to try and slow adoption.  I'm sure I'd do the same thing in their shoes, but really?  Do we have an obligation to fulfill their order ahead of VEBA in Germany who is not raising artificial barriers?"
"Wow, that could put a big political target on us if word got out."
"I know, but it's something we should be thinking about.  I never want to get into politics, but I also don't want to let the existing political infrastructure dictate our actions.  It's something I've been thinking about ever since meeting the President."
Matthew looked at me for a few minutes.  "You know, we need to discuss this with Kelly, right?  She is much more in tune with 'the powers that be' than I ever want to be."
"Did she come over with you this trip?"
He shook his head.  "No.  She took the G-400 up to New York for some meetings while I hopped the GX-3 over here.  I'm glad we have three planes now.  I can't imagine flying commercial, even in first class, any more."
I grinned and thought back to our first trip together.  "We have changed our styles quite a bit since then," I agreed.
"Okay.  I'll start looking for new production facilities.  Virginia or West Virginia might have some good opportunities.  Donna asked me to see if you had read her proposal for the Atlantic Fiber Link."
I nodded as I asked, "I did.  What do you think?"
He held up his hands.  "I've got enough on my plate.  Don't ask me to jump into that discussion as well.  DigiNet has spanned the country in less than two years and now wants to put in links to Europe.  The municipal build out is creating its own employment boom that you might want to think about."
"That's the good sort of boom," I said.  "Local employment building out the local loop network and installing towers for wireless service are sustainable jobs."
"How do you figure?"
"Construction is using local firms that can go onto other jobs when our building is done.  The network build out is being done by employees of DigiNet who will stay on for local operations and maintenance long-term.  We are building a company that is going to be around, employing thousands of people for decades, not just a couple of years."
"Wow, maybe I should pay a little more attention to them."
I smiled.  "You should.  You're a significant shareholder, you know?"
*****
"Paul, thanks for taking time to meet with me."
I was shocked to hear Steve Jobs thanking me for anything.  Hopefully, my smile did not falter.
"My pleasure, Steve.  How are things at NeXT?"
"You should know, I'm sure you read our quarterly reports," he said with his boyish grin.
NeXT had become a powerhouse in the computer revolution, much as Microsoft had in my first life.  The NeXT workstations and laptops were selling as fast as they could be made.  Their easy to use graphical interface had won business and educational users by the droves.  No other computer company was in the same league as them.
I smiled.  "You've done pretty well," I admitted.  "I'm glad you didn't throw me out of your office a few years ago."
He laughed.  "You never did tell me who you were going to approach next if I did."
"Apple or Bill Gates.  Neither would have done as good a job with my technology as you did."
He nodded.
"We did well together."  He paused and sipped his bottle of water.  "Do you remember the conditions you gave me in our first deal?"
"Of course.  Why?"
"I promised you first right of refusal for additional funding requests.  I'm here to talk about funding."
"Your balance sheet is in fine shape as is your revenue stream.  What would you need external funding for?"
"I want to buy back Apple."
Interesting.  It was also a totally different scenario from my history.  The world was definitely changing.  The Gulf War had lasted less then a week and ended with the death of Saddam Hussein and his brothers, but not the total fall of the Ba'ath party.  The new Revolutionary Council had sued for peace six days after the commencement of the air campaign.  Now Steve Jobs was looking to buy Apple seven years earlier than I recalled him being reacquired by the company he founded.
"Hostile takeover?"  I asked.
He nodded.
"So you want me to buy them on the open market but give you the proxy for votes.  Why?"
He looked around my Stanford office and waved his arms.
"You've built all this.  You are changing the world with your power systems and materials science.  You've built something more than a company.  Do you get a sense of accomplishment and pride when you look at what you've done?"
"Yes, I do."
"So do I.  I started Apple with Woz.  It was taken from me.  I'm willing to fight to get it back.  I'm talking to people who have built things from scratch and might be willing to help.  You know it will be a great investment."
"Why, Steve?  You and the team you have at NeXT are the geniuses.  What do you need Apple for?  Your revenues are already eclipsing them.  They are slowly falling further and further behind."
He looked at me for a minute.  "You know there are still people there that I hired, right?  How did you feel when these very offices were bombed?  Did you worry only about yourself and the people with you?  I know you didn't.  You cared about everyone."
I nodded.
"Okay, you've got me emotionally, but what about business?"
Steve spun his laptop around and showed me a slick presentation highlighting the branding and market dynamics.  "With the Apple brand, we can offer a lower price point machine.  Essentially, it's the equivalent of one from two years ago.  We'll put it into the home and education markets, where Apple still has some strength.  Getting a common operating system and interoperability across the spectrum of computing is key.  Tie in the networking and storage capabilities of DigiNet, and no one will want to worry about migrating data to a new system.  We will have mindshare and consumer commitment to our platform for their entire life."
I looked at the numbers he presented.  It was a decent business case, but there were a couple of assumptions he made that I would want to verify.
"I'll tell you what, Steve.  Give me a week to review the numbers.  I'll have my folks look it over, just as I gave you a week to decide on my hardware.  If Kelly and Jeryl agree, we'll start buying Apple.  How much are you putting up?"
"I'm using one hundred million to leverage half a billion.  I'm looking to match that commitment with partners.  I think we can get control for about three-quarters of a billion, but want to be able to go to a full billion, if needed."
"Who's handling your buying strategy?"
"Laurene," he said.
I nodded, then asked, "When are you going to make an honest woman out of her?"
He seemed surprised that I knew he was romantically involved.
"Kelly has actually met her a couple of times, and your name came up," I said.  "She was giving us some names for our scholarship selection committee."
Steve nodded.
"Okay, Paul.  I'll expect to hear back from you by next week.  Thanks."
He stood and closed his laptop after transferring some files to our local public drop box.  Without a backward look, he was gone.  I shook my head and pulled up the spreadsheet he had left behind as I tried to get my head around how much had already changed.
*****
"Do you have plans made for Valentines Day?" Alison asked as we rode into the office a few days before the fifteenth.
"I do," I said.
She arched an eyebrow at me as she commented, "Really?"
I nodded.
"Dinner out and a surprise for Jeryl."
"Were you planning on letting security know?"
"I am, now, but don't go spoiling my surprise for Jeryl.  I'm sending the GX-3 to Hawaii to pick up Hunter and Lila.  We're going to be at the Drake Hotel again with them, just like we did our senior year.  They are both planning to separate from the service in June."
"And they're going to come work for you?"
I nodded and said, "That's the plan."
"I think Lila should work for me."
"Really?"
Alison nodded.
"I've had a few friends check-up on her.  She's got a good reputation in the intel community.  She'll be getting an offer from the CIA that you had better top."
That information was interesting.  Not surprising, but interesting that Alison had contacts to get that level of detail.  I filed it away.
"I'm sure my salary and benefits package will be much better."
"How so?"
"I don't think an entry level analyst at the CIA is going to have access to a GX-3 to use to get around.  I also know our stock plan is much better."
Alison laughed.  Since allowing us to buy her company, she had become a multi-millionaire.  Because of the tax laws in the United Kingdom, most of her income was sheltered, since she earned it outside the U.K.
Valentine's Day fell on a Thursday.  Hunter and Lila arrived in San Francisco after lunch and met Jeryl and me at the Drake Hotel.  The two women hugged and gushed at each other while Hunter and I shook hands and commented to each other how lucky we were to have such beautiful women in our lives.
Dinner and dancing was enjoyable as were the after dancing activities, at least for Jeryl and me.  At breakfast the next morning, Jeryl immediately noticed the shiny diamond on Lila's finger.
"Congratulations!" she said as she hugged her friend.  "I'm so happy for you."
We enjoyed breakfast and then spent a leisurely day in the city, with the women shopping and looking in art galleries as Hunter, Sanford, Alison and I trailed along.  I knew Alison had at least one other person watching us, and made a little game of looking for them.
It took a while.  Two antique stores and three art galleries later, I finally thought I had spotted them.  I was a little proud of myself.  I had kept up an easy banter with Hunter about our ladies, what passed for art and the overall ambiance of San Francisco.  If the watcher had noticed me noticing him, I would have been surprised.
As Hunter went over to admire a painting with the ladies, I maneuvered to Alison under the pretense of filling my coffee cup in this upscale gallery.
"I finally spotted one of your watchers," I said with a little pride.  I had been playing at the game of and on for the past year when I had to be out and about.
Alison arched an eyebrow at me.
"Really?"
I nodded.
"Across the street, pretending to look into that closed gallery.  Brown hair, fleece lined denim jacket, blue jeans and work boots.  Looks like he could use a shave."
Alison frowned and slipped her hand inside her bag.
"Stay away from the windows," she commanded.
"Why?"
"I don't have a person on my team that fits that description," she said.  She lifted her wrist to her lips and spoke into the small microphone there.  "Mike one, loiter for pick-up.  Romeo one, patrol the street.  Tango is white male, mid-thirties, denim jacket, diagonally across street from current location."
Alison nudged me deeper into the gallery as she positioned herself in an interior doorway with a good view of the entrance to the shop as well as the street through the display window.  Her hand was in her bag.
Hunter and Lila caught site of the situation.  Hunter came closer.
"Problems?"
I shook my head.  "Precautions, I hope."
Alison looked my way and then nodded her head toward the door.  I moved and took Jeryl's arm as the gallery salesperson motioned at the oil painting they were standing before.
"Sorry," I interrupted.  "But something has come up and we need to head out… now."
Jeryl gave me a startled look and then saw Alison in the doorway to the private room with Lila and Hunter nearby.  She handed the sales person her cup of coffee and then let me guide her to the door.
I saw the Range Rover come up the street, facing the opposite direction of the Mercedes we had been getting around in.  It stopped to block the stalker's view and Alison motioned me out the door.  I pulled Jeryl along and hurried the few steps to the car and climbed in with Lila and Hunter behind us.  A few seconds later, we were moving down the street.  Alison grabbed the microphone from under the dash.
"Romeo one, report."
"Tango attempted to rush around the car and inadvertently hit the passenger door as it was opened.  We are rendering assistance.  Locals are en route, over."
"Roger.  Keep me posted.  Packages are back to the nest and then leaving the area, over."
"Roger, out."
Alison sat back for a second and then turned to look at us crowded in the back seat.
"We'll return to the hotel and check-out.  Please be quick packing.  We'll hop on the plane and head to Utah for a couple of days before Hunter and Lila need to leave.  My team will check that fellow out."
Jeryl hugged me tight.  I could almost imagine her thoughts of fleeing in Greece.  I had some of the same feelings.
*****
"Does this happen often?" Hunter asked as we leveled off for our short flight to Salt Lake City.  We had left the gallery less than an hour earlier.
"Not since Greece.  This could be nothing, but better safe than sorry.  Besides, we were planning to hop over to Deer Valley anyway so you guys could get a day or two of skiing in.  We're just going a little sooner than planned."
"I guess."  He seemed nervous.  "So, remember that conversation we had a few years ago?"
I smiled.
"The one about you having options when you get out?"
He nodded.  "I've been approached with an interesting offer if I change my mind and stay in," He said.
"What's that?"
"Adaptation of your generators for shipboard use.  'Naval Reactors' is very interested in swapping out current reactors for your generators."
I nodded.  "I imagine they would be.  I'm a little surprised they haven't yet placed an order or two for testing."
"They offered me a deputy officer in charge position on the project team to do just that."
"Is it something you want to do?"  I asked.
"I don't know.  It would be a challenge."
"But it would be a second in command position on a project that is at least seven years from finishing, if they can get agreement to do it."
"What do you mean?"
"We just cleaned the clocks of the fourth largest army in the world without committing ground troops to combat.  The Soviet Union's navy is starting to rust away.  Do you really think the appropriations committees will keep funding a six-hundred ship navy?"
"Good point, but I've got a feeling the brass would cut a lot of other things to get a few fusion powered carriers into the fleet."
"I'm sure they will, but is that what you want to spend your time and efforts on?  Come work for me, and instead of having a few generators to manage, you can have hundreds.  If you want to work on a new kind of ship, I've got something more exciting than a carrier to hold your interest."
"Really?  What would you have me doing if I took this offer of employment?"
"First, you would review everything about the construction and operation of the generators.  This would include things I won't ever willingly share with the military.  Then, you would go through our operator's training program.  After you've seen all that, your first job would be making that program world class and scalable.  Think of yourself as becoming the Rickover of the fusion world."
Hunter's eyes got wide.
"Second, you'd be working with me to reduce the size of the generators, while increasing the capacity and efficiency.  I think I can reduce the volume by half, and hit the gigawatt range."
"Wow."
"Finally, you would get to help put a generator in a real rocket plane, and open up space for the world."
"Really?"
"Really.  Gulfstream, Rolls-Royce, and I have a partnership aiming to do just that."
"And my role would be what?"
"Once we established our training process, you would be Vice President of Power Systems.  You would essentially run the application side of fusion power with Cindy Xavier running the production of the generators."
"Aren't there more experienced people you could hire?"
"Experienced, probably, but how can I trust them?  I know you.  I trust you.  That is worth a lot more to me than specific knowledge or experience."
He looked thoughtful for a few minutes.  "What about Lila?"
I looked back and saw Alison chatting with Lila.  I suspected I knew what the topic was.
"I think Alison wants her to join her firm.  They're probably starting that conversation now."
"London?"
I shrugged.  "There would probably be some travel involved.  I'm thinking I'll base the power systems division out of Dublin, and I believe Alison is planning on opening an office there as well.  Besides, our second GX-3 should be delivered in May, so getting around won't be a problem."
Hunter shook his head.  "You make it hard to turn down."
"That's kind of the point, Hunter.  I want you and I to work together, but more importantly, I want you and Lila to remain our friends.  If you decide you would rather stay in the Navy, you'll still be that.  If you come work with me and decide a working relationship is hurting our friendship, I'll help you find something else to do."
*****
"So what do we know?"  I asked Alison as we walked into my office in the Deer Valley house.
"Peter Kaplan was laid off by Pacific Gas and Electric.  Supposedly, he was told it was a downsizing to free up operating capital to be able to convert to fusion generators.  He recognized you from T.V.  and was going to approach you about a job."
"So, not a threat?"
Alison arched her eyebrow.  "He had a twenty-two semiautomatic in his pocket.  He had a permit, and insists he had no ill will toward you, but I'm glad we got you all out of there just the same.  Oddly enough, he wanted nothing to do with the police when we offered to call them after he was hit by our door being opened."
"What do you think?"
"It's one of two things; the power company wants to stir the unions against you or they want to try and use public opinion against you to drive faster delivery of their generators."
"Or both," I said.  "I'm training the operators and maintenance crews for the generators and providing them out of my portion of the profits.  That cuts the unions out of things, which the plant owners should like.  But, they don't get the benefits of not working with the union until they are fully converted."
"What's wrong with the unions?"  Alison asked.
"I don't know that I trust a man running my generators who is so lazy that they can't think for themselves."
"You're painting with a pretty broad brush, Paul.  Not all unions are bad."
I scowled.  "They served a purpose when workers were being taken advantage of.  My power workers are not hourly employees being exploited.  They are professional engineers and I'm paying them a good wage as befits their qualifications and experience.  They don't need to donate some of that money to an organization that does not benefit them in any material way."
"How can they be sure of your intentions for the long haul?"
"Because I have an employment contract with each of them.  Everyone has a standard contract with equitable terms and conditions.  I've made power generation as safe as possible, but not idiot-proof.  My contract allows me to keep idiots out.  Membership in a union is at least one poof-point of idiocy, in my mind."
I got another arched eyebrow.  "What are some other ones?"
"Membership in any fundamentalist church or religious organization."
"That sounds un-American," she said.
"They can be religious, but as soon as they espouse beliefs that indicate they have abdicated their own thought for another person's, I don't want them working for me."
"And Kelly and Jim agreed with this?"
I nodded.
"After much argument, yes.  Frankly, I think my individual contract is much better than any collective bargaining agreement outside of professional sports."
"And you really think it will stand up in court if someone challenges your assertion that they are no longer fit because they find God?"
"If they can articulate their beliefs from first principles, I've got no problem with it.  As soon as they say 'because the Bible or Koran tell me so', or 'because the Pope or mullah or Imam said to', they will be in breech of clear demonstration of independently verifiable fact based decision making, which is grounds for termination of the contract."
I could see Alison's ire rising.
"And you realize how many people are going to hate you for just shining a bright light on their own flawed thinking?  Shit, you're going to make my job nearly impossible.  Dare I ask what else is in this contract?"
"I'll send you a copy to review."  I softened my tone.  "Look, I'm not trying to stir the pot and create animosity.  I just don't want some idiot to undo the good work I'm trying to accomplish.  It's going to be difficult getting a lot of companies to agree to my staffing generator installation and operations, but it's something I feel I have to do."
"Why?  Why not provide training and let the existing organizations install and man the plants?  Why do you need to do everything differently?"
Her questions gave me pause.  I knew what I was trying to avoid; a future where a few "blessed" individuals could turn off the lights of a city or world through a decree from the Mosque or Cathedral.  How could I explain the forty year retreat of self-reliance and independent thought?
"I've said repeatedly that the generators are safe and can't be turned into a bomb.  That's true.  But what if someone took a generator, disassembled the MHD portion that extracts energy from the plasma exhaust, adds a guidance system to it, and suddenly has an ICBM for delivery of other weapons?"
Alison's eyes got wide.
"What if they did the same modification, put the generator inside a pressure container filled with something toxic, and started it up in downtown Manhattan?  When the container failed, it would explode like a bomb and spread the material over half the city."
"Is that possible?" she asked.
"If I let them have unsupervised use and control of the generators, yes.  I want a trained group of engineers keeping an eye on things until cheap power can help change attitudes.  I can't stand the thought of people getting ideas of how to weaponize these.  Controlling them is the only path I see until sanity breaks out amongst the crazies in the world."
Alison walked over to the small bar in the bookcase and quickly poured two glasses of Scotch.  She looked paler than usual when she came back and handed one to me.
"I can see why you want to keep control if those are just two ways to weaponize these generators.  I'll put the hard sell on Lila to get her to join and we'll put the background check team in Dublin under her guidance."  She took a sip of her drink.  "And God help us if we screw up and let a crazy through."
*****
"In other news tonight," Peter Jennings said as he deftly turned from one camera to another, "The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers have announced they will strike if fusion generators are deployed and operated by non-union members.  Pacific Gas and Electric has stated that they will hold off on taking delivery of the generators they currently have on order, while other plant operators have stated they are taking the announcement under advisement.  PT Innovations, the manufacturer of the fusion generators has not commented."
"Oh, I'll comment alright, just as soon as I get in front of a camera," I said.
Jeryl snorted.  "Not until you settle down a little," she said.  "Your first reaction was 'fine, we'll send them to Europe'.  What changed?"
"The stupid, short-sighted idiots have pissed me off.  I'm offering the gift of the ages, cheap, clean power, and they want to focus on union control.  Someone needs to tell the people of the country what a few entitled people are going to cost them."
"Paul, rubbing their noses in it is not going to help.  Send the generators to Europe where they want them.  The Europeans can reap the benefits until people here wake up to the reality.  Alternatively, talk to the union."
"Humph!"
"Besides," Jeryl continued.  "Kelly has a statement she will release tomorrow.  We decided we would just let the facts speak for us."
"What's that mean?"
"We will let the press know that we respect the union's right to speak for its members, and that we will divert the generators PG&E has ordered to European or Japanese power companies who do not share their concerns.  Finally, we will encourage PG&E customers and consumers everywhere to take up the issue with their local Public Utilities Commission, since they are being denied access to clean, cheap electricity due to the politics of the company and union."
"That's what I would have said," I said.
Jeryl smiled at me.  "But you would have given them much more colorful sound-bites along with it.  They are hurting themselves.  They need to realize that and the public needs to hold them accountable for it."
"Like that will happen."
"Let Tom and Billy and Kelly and me manage this.  It's a campaign, not a battle."
"Okay.  You know I trust you guys.  I just get frustrated by it all."
"Well, why don't you help me get the kids to bed and then you can take those frustrations out on me," she said with a devilish smile.
"That sounds like a fine plan to me."
I turned off the television and we headed up stairs for the evening ritual of baths and bed time stories.  It would have been too easy to delegate those routines to Anna, but knew we would regret missing those simple moments with our children if we did.  Whenever we were together, we put them to bed together.  Tonight it was my turn to read Ali her bedtime story.  I thought it was much better than thinking about work or unions or politics.
*****
"We need to have them do less cerebral work this year," Tom said as we sat around our production planning room beginning the planning for the next season of the Interns.  "Last season was okay, but there was not enough physicality to keep any sort of tension in the show.  Most people knew who was going to win two-thirds of the way through."
"Are you saying we picked poor candidates?" Jeryl asked with a little chill in her voice.
"No.  But you have to admit Cindy was the front runner because we did not pick anyone who could really challenge her.  If there had been a little more physical demand in the competition, she might have had some challengers."
"What sort of physical challenges?"  I asked.
Tom looked thoughtful for a minute.  "In the first season, they had to rough it a lot more.  That took a toll on them.  It also gave us some great interactions that had little to do with the challenges.  Those interactions built empathy with viewers.  We missed that last year."
"I agree," Kelly said.  "Our first year, we each had more interaction with them as well.  Some of the best scenes were them discussing alternatives and approaches after a critique with one of us."
"Okay, so what sort of challenges will help create those opportunities?"
Jeryl pulled out the intern's files for this season.  Each was about an inch thick with their photo on the front and the full applications and interview notes filed behind tabs to give her quick access to common information.  She began flipping through them.
"We've got fewer business oriented people this year, and more engineering types."  She flipped through several files.  "We also have a group that have all had to hold some physically demanding jobs, to get into or stay in school."
"Like what?"  I asked.
"One oil rig worker, two farmers, and a female mechanic.  These folks aren't going to be afraid of getting their hands dirty."
"What about the others?" Tom asked.
"Nothing that extreme, but they've all worked.  One is a nursing assistant with full paramedic training."
"Okay," I said as I stood and went to the whiteboard.  "We want some physical challenges that will give us more direct interaction with the interns.  Any ideas?"
"Tower build-out," Kelly said.
I wrote it down.
"Camping gear testing," Jeryl said.  It went on the board.
"Cars," Tom said.  "You started with automobiles, but we haven't had a single challenge in that field."
I added it to the list.  We went on until we had close to thirty ideas written down.
As we contemplated our work, I wrote a final one down.
"I don't know that that will make for much television interaction," Tom said.
"It will be a challenge for us, but I want to include it if we can.  It's important that the world see how safe we are making the generators and the people that run them.  Let's work on the other ideas first and we will come back to this one."
*****
"Hunter, this is a good plan, but I can't afford to create a civilian equivalent of the Navy Nuclear Power Program for my training pipeline," I said.
Hunter was three weeks away from his end of active duty with the Navy, and had been corresponding with me since Valentine's Day weekend on draft plans for my training program.
"What do you mean?" he asked over the phone.
"It's a twelve month program."
"You told me to make certain it would only produce qualified graduates who you could trust to operate your generators."
"That's right, but how would you feel if you sat through another twelve months of school before getting to a real job?  I see nothing wrong with the second half, but how could we measure competency for the fundamentals you cover in the first six months?"
"How do you want to measure competency?  You can't just put them in front of your control panel and say 'have at it'," he said.
How do you convince someone that competency based education is the wave of the future before they live through the spiraling cost increases of higher education with dubious return on investment?  I scrubbed my hand through my hair.
"What knowledge areas would you cover in a first day test to make certain a person in the pipeline understood the materials in the first six months of the theory portion?"
"Physics, thermodynamics, magnetic field theory, high voltage power generation and basic radiological theory," he said.  "If they were competent in those, they could take the first month of the second half and move onto simulations and prototype operations."
"Okay, then let's assume we can write suitable exams for those areas and let's focus on the second half."
"If you say so," he said.  He did not sound very certain of himself.
"Now the second half is application of the theory and learning the operating procedures of the generators, right?"
"Yes.  I've taken the nuclear approach.  They are expected to review the procedure, follow the procedure, and then verify the operational parameters deemed suitable at the end of each procedure.  Emergency actions require them to have the immediate actions memorized, be able to take those immediate actions, and then open the manual to review that they did not miss anything.  We will have to insert some individual operational procedures that vary by company and country, but it should be pretty straight forward."
"That sounds good.  Will you be ready to start validating procedures and the simulation regimen in July?"
"I think so.  Lila and I are out on June first.  Our household goods get packed up next week and we will both be in the BOQ for the last two weeks out here.  Where should we ship our stuff?"
"What's the Navy cover?"
"Return to the home of record.  That's California for me and Virginia for Lila."
"Send it all to storage in California, and then we'll ship it on for you.  You and I will be spending time in Nevada and Ireland.  Alison wants Lila to spend some time in London and then set up offices in Ireland.  We'll help you find and furnish a place there for you guys and then you can decide where you want to ship your stuff."
"Nevada in July?"  Hunter asked.
"Don't worry.  You'll like the accommodations and it won't be that long.  How do you feel about being on television?"
"What?"
"I want to use the interns as part of the testing process for the training effort.  You'll be a guest judge."
I could imagine him shaking his head.  "I don't know about that," he said.
"You'll get a bonus to do it, and think about being able to brag to Lila that you're a star."
He laughed over that line.
"I guess if I must."
"Good," I said.  "Look, I know you're going to be busy this week and the next couple of weeks, so I've got just a couple of things to wrap up with you and then you can complete your naval career with all due diligence and not worry about this next job too much.  Firstly, if you guys don't want to travel on military transport or economy class, we'll send a GX-3 for you."
"You don't have to do that," he insisted.
"We don't, but we will.  Alternatively, you should get your corporate cards this week.  You can use them to buy or upgrade any tickets the Navy gives you."
"Okay.  What else?"
"Don't be surprised if you get a lengthy exit interview.  The Navy is pestering me for generators for that project they offered you.  I'm telling them that I'm not ready to waive operational control of the generators, yet.  I'll go into greater detail in some meetings in three months, so long as you are included and our training program is operational.  They will require you to maintain your Top Secret clearance to participate in the meeting."
"I don't have a Top Secret, only Secret."
"You will before you are processed out.  That's why I wanted to warn you.  I'm going to email you some specific instructions from Kelly on how to complete the application.  If they balk, just keep the paperwork and we will submit after you are out, but get the interviews out of the way."
"Okay, if you say so."
"I do.  I'll explain things more clearly once we're face to face."
"Will Lila need a TS?"
"She already has one.  We'll see if she needs to keep it."
"Okay.  Anything else?"
"Nope.  Looking forward to working with you, Hunter."
"Me too, Paul.  I'll see you in a few weeks."
*****
The first day of shooting the show, was always hectic.  With this being our third time, I was surprised at how disorganized it felt.  Tom and Billy had been working nearly around the clock for the past three weeks finalizing schedules and permits.  Billy had gone back to school for the spring semester, but finished two weeks early.  She had immediately flown to California to become Tom's assistant on the show.  I was fortunate enough to be able to watch most of the early action from a third-floor window in our offices.
The interns arrived at the security gate to the parking lot, and were asked to walk up the sidewalk to the main doors with their luggage.  A few of the heavier packers struggled to get all of their stuff to the door and seemed a little frustrated that the cameramen filming them offered no assistance.  I knew Tom had had a crew at the airport, as well, capturing their arrival.  The footage would be used for the introductory credits on the show.
It took nearly three hours to film the sixteen arrivals.  As they arrived, they were taken into the second floor intern pit area and allowed to meet each other.  It was always interesting to see how they adjusted to the cameramen who would become their shadows.  As they waited for everyone to arrive, you could see their anticipation grow, on the monitors we had rigged in our production room upstairs from them.
"Are you ready?"  Jeryl asked.
"I think so.  The real question is, are they?"
Billy escorted us down stairs on some signal from Tom but we stopped outside the intern area as a sound man did a quick mic check.
Two minutes later, we were on camera ourselves as we entered the pit for our initial introductions.  The interns were excited to meet us, which was always a bit of an ego boost.  We shook hands with all of them and then explained the process they would go through for the next twelve weeks.
"Remember," I said, "You have all won by being selected for the program.  The only way you can fail now, is if you are afraid to try or won't learn from your set-backs.  If you are not falling short, you aren't trying hard enough."
I paused long enough to look them each in the eye.
"So, are you all ready to try?"
"Yes, sir!"
Their response was surprising, more because of the "sir" than the enthusiasm.  It made me feel old.
"Good, because we are changing things some this year, and your first challenge will begin now."
There was a stir in the room.
"Please split yourselves into two teams of eight."
There was a bit of shuffling around as the teams got established, and then we headed out the door.  Tom had a bus waiting, and the interns and camera men were soon headed down the road, while Tom, Jeryl, and I, hopped into a Range Rover and sped ahead.
Eyes were wide as they climbed off the bus and took in the cone dotted tarmac, and the two brand new Ford Mustangs waiting for them.  Two hangars were behind them, along with four of our shelters.
Once Tom had folks situated, I got to introduce the challenge.
"I started out building cars that included a drive-by-wire system.  Those technologies are now fairly standard in the industry, but there is always room for improvement.  Your first team challenge will be to adjust the control systems on these two cars, to optimize the driving performance.  We will spend today getting you familiar with the cars, and the software.  Tomorrow, you will each have a chance to drive around the course with a professional driver to give you some basic training on the maneuvers and then each of you will establish a baseline of performance.  You will then have one day to make adjustments and practice on the cars, before we let you each compete for timed completion."
Kelly stepped forward.
"You'll be scored on teamwork, overall time as each of you complete the course, and overall improvement.  The goal here is to optimize the software in the steering and engine systems, for average drivers.  Are there any questions?"
One brave young man raised his hand.  Kelly nodded at him.
"Do we all have to drive?"
"Yes.  Each of you will have your improvement measured as part of the overall team score."
Another hand went up.
"How long can we work on tuning, tomorrow?"
I smiled, and said, "Right up until the last run."
It was a smart question.  I wanted them to tune as they went, not optimize once and then be done.  It looked like we had a sharp group again this year.
Two days later, we were back with a small crowd of fans in viewing stands which overlooked the autocross course.  The teams had started their runs around the two kilometer course using different strategies.  Tom had caught their discussion on tape, naturally.  One team had their best baseline driver take the wheel first, pushing the car and their tuning to the limits, to establish a fast initial speed.  They were then adjusting the programs on the car for each successive driver based on a personal profile they had developed the prior day.
The second team went with their weakest driver first, who still showed a marked improvement over his baseline measure for performance.  They were only adjusting the acceleration and braking profile on their car between runs.
Since autocross was not a high-speed driving test, but rather a test of the driver's precision and control, I was curious to see which strategy would pay off better.  Jeryl and I dutifully clapped at the end of each driver's run, along with the small crowd.  Alison was less than happy with us for allowing fans to visit the set, but Tom insisted the live audience would be good for the show.  Kelly and Matthew had joined us to watch the fun.  The cool bay breeze tempered the warm June sun and we all had on light but warm jackets from Nike.  It was all part of setting up the next team challenge.
"Paul, that was the last run," Billy said as she came to the stands to get us for the de-brief and announcing the winner.
"Okay.  Jeryl, Kelly, I guess it's show time," I said.
We all stood and headed back to ground level.  A few of the fans cheered us, and we all waved back at them.
"Gun!" someone yelled.
Time seemed to freeze as I struggled to turn and scan the crowd.  Alison was pushing Jeryl down from behind as my head came around.
"Bam!  Bam!"
I saw a flash from a man a dozen feet away and two rows up in the stands as people instinctively moved away from him.  Matthew had Kelly down and the gun was wavering between us as I moved toward the shooter.  He seemed to finally notice me getting closer, and the pistol swung slowly in my direction.  I suddenly knew I was in a loosing race.
"Bam!"
The shooter's leg buckled, and the pistol rose toward the sky as he pulled the trigger.
"Boom!" It sounded much louder this much closer to him, but the barrel was pointing up.  I slammed into him, striking him across the nose with my elbow and then grabbing his arm and twisting it back and down, forcing his grip to open and the pistol to fall from his hand.
Time sped back up as Sanford raced down the stands from his perch higher up.  He kicked the gun clear of us, pulled out a plastic cable tie and quickly secured the man's hands.  The man was screaming in pain.
I looked down at the bullet hole in his thigh as I stood up from tackling him.  Whoever had shot him had saved my life.  I then looked around.  Jeryl was up, sobbing, but holding Kelly.  Alison had her pistol out, and was still scanning the crowd for other threats.
Then I saw Matthew.  He was lying on the decking of the stands, not moving.

Chapter Thirty-Six
Interviews & Interventions
*****
"How's Kelly doing?"  I asked as I sat down next to Jeryl.
We had just finished filming footage for the show, nearly two months after the shooting at the autocross track.  Matthew's funeral had come and gone.  The police had arrested the shooter and were holding him without bail.  The DA assured us the conviction was a foregone conclusion, given the fact the incident had been caught on no less than six cameras.
"She's the same," Alison said from her seat at the other end of the couch.  She still blamed herself.
"She needs to grieve," Jeryl said.  "She took the week of the funeral off, but has been driven by work since then.  Paul, you have to make her do something else."
I shrugged.  When I talked to her, she was all business.  She was as sharp as ever, but the spark of joy that made her uniquely Kelly was gone.  It saddened me.
"I don't know what to do."
"Make her take a vacation," Jeryl suggested.
"How?  I've suggested and even ordered!  She just looks at me, shakes her head, and goes back to whatever is most urgent for the business."
"What about your Mom or Dad?"
"Same thing.  The most I've gotten from her is that we need her here, and focused on the company, to get us through the transition without breaching any of our contracts."
"That's crap," Jeryl said.  "Sheryl has stepped into manufacturing and has everything running smoothly.  She even has our new plant on track for start-up next month, and it was two weeks behind schedule at the beginning of June.  Paul, we have to do something."
"Short of a board meeting to fire her, or force her to take a leave of absence, I don't know what we can do."
Jeryl looked at me and nodded as she declared, "Then call a board meeting.  We need to help her, even if she doesn't see it."
I saw Alison nod slightly.
"Okay.  I'll get ahold of Candace and Mom and Dad.  Where should we meet?"
"Someplace different.  Someplace Kelly never took Matthew."
"That rules out all of our properties."
"Except one," Jeryl said.  "Let's go to the farm."
I nodded.  It was the one place Matthew had never visited.
*****
"I call this meeting to order," I said.
Kelly glared at me.  She had insisted there was nothing urgent enough to force a board meeting, let alone one in Illinois.  Mom and Dad had agreed that we needed to do something.  Candace was on the fence, but agreed that we needed to share our concerns with Kelly.
"We will set aside reading of the minutes and other new business, until our next regularly scheduled meeting, next month."
"So noted," Jeryl said.
Over the years, she had taken over the board secretary role from Kelly, just as Kelly had taken over the role of General Counsel from her father.
"Our point of discussion is to intervene, and to ask our General Counsel and Managing Director, Kelly Keller to take a thirty day leave of absence."
"You can't do that, Paul!" Kelly said with some heat.
I looked at her.
"Kelly, you are going to work yourself to death.  We are worried about you.  We all want you to get help and come back to us healthy."
"I'm fine."
"Really?  I pulled the key log from the office.  You have worked eighteen and twenty hour days since the middle of June, seven days a week.  That's nearly double the office time you had prior to the shooting."
"What else do I have to do?  I need to keep my mind busy."
"No, Kelly," Jim said.  "You need to let go, and grieve.  We know you loved Matthew.  We all did.  Do you think he died to save you, just so you could work yourself to death?"
For the first time I noticed a crack in her facade.  She had cried openly at the funeral, but these tears in her eyes were different somehow.  Kelly's lips quivered.
"Kelly," Mom said.  "I know what you are feeling.  I've lived through that pain before.  It takes years to go away, believe me.  Having a focus is good, but having an obsession will just make it worse."
Kelly looked around the kitchen table and then glanced out the window at the corn fields waving slightly in the breeze.  We gave her a moment.
"I can't just quit you all," she finally said.
"You're not," Jeryl insisted.  "You're taking time to heal and recover."
"Kelly," Candace said before Kelly could respond.  "You know it's the right thing to do."
"What do you mean?"
"You know the misses you had in that RCA addendum last week.  If I hadn't caught them, we would have had a bad deal on those new screens."
Kelly bristled like a mother defending her child.  In many ways, I suspected that is just what the company had become.
"You need to rest and recover," Candace continued.  "Before you do something harmful that one of us does not catch."
Kelly looked at the older woman with anger and then sagged to put her face in her hands, sobbing.
"I'm sorry.  I'm trying so hard to...."  Her voice trailed off as Jeryl and Mom hurried around the table to comfort her.  Jim looked stricken at his daughter's pain.  Candace wore a concerned frown while Alison looked on sadly.
"Meeting adjourned," I said softly as I stood up.  I headed outside to the machine shed and my old office.  Alison followed me.
"Are you alright, Paul?"  She asked as I stood looking at the leather furniture and drafting table.
"Yes.  Just tired."
"I know.  Look," she said.  "I know this is not the best time, but I think I need to take a leave of absence as well."
"What do you mean?"
I turned and saw her own tears on her face.
"I failed, Paul.  I failed you and Jeryl and Matthew and Kelly.  We should have caught that man before he even pulled out the pistol.  After the scare in February, I should have had Mike penetrating the unions to hear what they were telling members.  We should have screened the fans.  I should have had at least two more people on the detail who could have shielded you all.  Matthew should never have needed to be the living shield for his wife.  I failed."
I pulled Alison into my arms as she sobbed softly.  I just held her for a few minutes as she shook.  I felt her tears on my shoulder.  Finally, she calmed some and I stood back.
"Alison, you did not fail.  You raised concerns about the crowd and Tom and I overruled you.  I've watched the videos a dozen times.  It was less than one half second between that fan yelling 'gun' and the first shot.  Matthew moved on instinct alone to shield Kelly.  It was just bad luck that the first shot killed him.  Other than your shot in the attacker's leg, that was the only bullet that struck a person.  If it had hit anywhere except Matthew's heart, he would have lived.  It was just bad luck.  Understand?"
She looked me in the eye and nodded slowly.
"Besides, if you had not done your job and shot him in the leg, I would have been dead.  I know that.  Your shooting saved me, and possibly several others."
"I still feel like a failure," she said as she hugged me.
"We all have to learn from our mistakes.  It's only a failure if we don't do that."
*****
"So Paul, can you tell us more about the incident?"  David Rensin asked.
How I had let Billy and Tom badger me into doing an interview with Playboy, was still a puzzle to me.  The fact that I was taking time away from taping the show, or doing meaningful work, bothered me; but, everyone around me had insisted I do the interview as previously planned, while the Interns were with Hunter in Ireland setting up the training program for engineers.
"I'm sorry, but it is still technically an open investigation, so I can't comment."
"Fair enough.  But you will finish shooting 'The Interns' series over the summer, right?"
"We will.  The interns were upset, but none of them were direct witnesses and none of them really knew Matthew, so we decided to continue.  It would hardly be fair to them to not continue given that we committed to a full internship over the summer."
David nodded and then looked at his notes again.  "Since this will go to print after the show airs, anything you'd like to add about this season?"
"I think I'll just let the viewers enjoy," I said with a smile.
"Okay.  So what does the future hold?  We've talked about your past and the present, but you have always looked forward.  You're delivering cheap, clean energy to increasingly large parts of Europe.  Why not the same level of growth here in the US?"
"You'll have to ask Congress, the Department of Energy, and the various Power Worker's Unions about that."
"What do you mean?"
"Congress is being lobbied to slow adoption of fusion by the entrenched special interests of the energy industry.  The Department of Energy is dragging its feet on verifying what the Europeans have already said: that fusion generators are safe and clean.  The unions are threatening to strike at any plant that installs generators and does not allow them to operate them.  Unfortunately, no union operators have made it through my training."
"Unfortunately?  I've heard you are screening them out in the application process."
I shook my head.  "They are screening themselves out.  I have a standard contract for installing and operating the generators.  I also have a standard contract for the operators.  It is a very generous contract, but it does have a no-union clause.  As soon as an engineer makes a decision based on some group consensus rather than scientific principles, it is grounds for termination.  Every union lawyer that has reviewed that agreement has said it is sound and all have cautioned union members not to sign it, or lose Union membership if they do.  A few folks have rejected that advice, signed it and are happily employed overseas without being members of a union.  You should talk to them to see if the deal is unfair."
David chuckled and said, "Actually, I have, as part of the prep for this interview."
"And what have they said?"
"They love it.  They are living in nicely furnished apartments making a good wage in excellent working conditions.  They also say that your benefits are top notch."
"Good.  It's important to me that they are happy."
"So you're not as anti-union as some people like to say?"
I paused for a moment.  The interview had been nicely conversational, but I knew a misstatement on my part would be headlines, tomorrow.
"I'm not anti-anything, except anti-ignorance.  I believe that letting other people make your decisions for you is a sign of ignorance, whether that is a union rep, a clergyman, or a government official.  If any union approached me with cogent arguments for why their approach is better for the long-term safety and benefit of their members and the country, I would be happy to talk to them.  Instead, they all assume that I am out to steal something from them.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  So far, the only discussion I've heard is their supposed right to take ten percent of whatever I am paying an engineer as an unfunded tax that goes into the union's pockets.  Aren't the engineers better off having that money themselves?"
"Interesting.  You mentioned clergymen as well.  Tell me more about that."
I shook my head.
"I am a scientist and engineer.  I deal in facts and measurable outcomes, not blind faith.  I know that there is an inherent right and wrong in the world.  I don't need some writings from thousands of years ago to tell me that."
"So you believe the bible is a factual document?"
"Don't put words in my mouth," I said with a smile.  "I know there is a traceable history to the bible that dates back thousands of years.  I also know that men picked and chose what gospels and writings to include in what we call the bible, today.  Examination of the texts that were not included, show that most of the writing was not historical, but allegorical at best, and pure myth at worst.  Looking at the history of the bible as a book tells us that it is of man, not God, and as such should be given no more consideration that anything else written by man."
"So, do you not believe in God?"
"I'm scientist enough to know that there are still unexplained things in our universe.  We know the Big Bang started it all.  What we don't know is what caused the Big Bang.  Something or someone initiated that event.  If you choose to call that something God, then I suppose I do believe in it.  However, there is no evidence to suggest that some supreme being created the Universe with trillions of stars and potentially hundreds of trillions of planets, is all seeing and all knowing, and yet still gives a crap about how I live my life.  I guess that makes me a Deist."
*****
I enjoyed the feel of Jeryl's skin against mine as we lay in bed after making gentle love.  My fingers gently teased her nipples as I breathed in the fresh scent of her hair and gave her neck an occasional kiss.  She purred and slowly wiggled her bottom against my spent and softening erection.
"That was nice," she said softly.
"It was.  Thank you."
"Oh believe me, it was my pleasure, sir," she said with a giggle.
I kissed her neck again.  "I love you."
"I know."  I could imagine her smile without seeing her face.  "I love you, too," she added a second later.
"I'm worried about Alison," she said a few moments later.  "She is still not forgiving herself for Matthew."
"I know.  I just don't know what to do about it.  I've told her it was just bad luck, and that her shot saved me, but she doesn't believe it."
"Well, as soon as the show is finished filming, I think we both need to take her away on a little vacation and remind her how much we think of her, and how well she did her job, regardless of Matthew."
"Oh?"
"Yes.  We're going to take her with us to look over a new property.  What she doesn't need to know is that we're evaluating it for a week by renting it."
"Where is it?"
"It's on the Pacific coast of British Columbia.  The property covers several thousand acres.  It's bigger than our place in Park City, and includes six on-site cabins for guests and staff."
"Wow, who built it?"
"A Canadian mining magnate.  It was supposed to be a private retreat that he could rent out if the fancy struck him.  He's selling it for funds as part of a divorce decree."
I hugged my lovely wife a little more tightly.  "It sounds like a wonderful break."
*****
"Paul, I need to talk to you," Kelly said as she breezed into my office.
"Anytime.  I didn't realize you were back in town."  She had stayed in Illinois when we threatened to force her to take a leave of absence.
"Yes.  My head is all shrunk and I'm ready to get back into a public life, thanks to Jeryl's Aunt Helen.  She is a wonderful lady, but that's not what I want to talk about."
She sat in a chair across the desk form me.  She looked older and wiser; a professional thirty-something.  I waited for her to speak.
"Firstly, thank you for making me take a break.  I did need time away from here."
"I know.  I've missed you, but I knew you needed some time."
She nodded.  "I think I need some more time, too."
"As much as you need," I said.
"It could be years," she said softly.  "I hurts to come in here and think of Matthew.  I love you guys and the company we've built, but I need a change to let my heart heal."
I nodded.  "I know.  I knew it was a possibility when I decided to force you to take some time off.  But, you are my sister and I love you.  I want what's best for you."
I saw tears in her eyes.
"Thank you.  What will you do?"
"Candace will have to step up.  We'll hire some more staff to help handle the deals.  It will work out.  What are you going to do?"
"That's what I wanted to discuss.  I've been approached by both parties to run in the special election to seat a new senator for California."
"Interesting."  Pete Wilson, a Republican, had stepped down from the Senate after winning the Governorship of California last fall.  The special election to replace his seat was set for next November.
Kelly nodded.  "Both Parties have interesting constituencies and opportunities.  I wanted to get your thoughts."
"Do you really want to do this?  I've never heard you take much of an active stand on politics."
"I've thought about it quite a bit.  I think I do.  I've lived in California for the past seven years.  I'm a member of the California Bar.  I'm connected in the valley and Bay area, and I've helped build a billion-dollar company while appearing on an award nominated national television show.  I also think it's about time you had a friendly face in Congress for a change."
I smiled.  "I'd rather have you here, but I will support you in whatever you want to do."
"I know.  But what I can't figure is which party to join.  I think I can win, but am not certain where the stronger base lies."
"You're not affiliated with either party yet?"
She shook her head.
"Go with the Democrats then."
She frowned.  "Why?  I thought you would say Republican for sure."
"For sure?"  I drew the sound out.  "You've been in California long enough to get that phrase down."
We both laughed.
"Seriously, why the Democrats?"
"It's California.  Besides, isn't Seymour the shoe-in for the Republican slot?"
"That's the funny thing.  The party approached me.  They must view him as vulnerable.  Hell, I think he's vulnerable.  He just has never done much that is visible or meaningful to most of the state."
"But you have?"
"Damn straight.  How many jobs have I helped create through our business and partnerships?  How much of the Silicon Valley boom have we helped foster?"
I raised my hands in defense.
"I'm just asking, but that's the other reason to go with the Democrats; you'll have an easier opponent."
She nodded, as if her mind was made up.
"I'm glad you agree with me."
"You had already decided?"
She smiled.  "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything in my thinking."
"So when do you need to announce?"
"The special election is going to be set for November of next year.  That gives me just over a year to prepare."
"How are you going to approach the fund raising and glad-handing?"
"I don't know yet, but I'll set up offices and my initial staff out of my own pocket.  That way I'll stay clear of the campaign finance laws for a little while."
"Well, let me know if we need to adjust any dividends to help your cash-flow.  You'll have to take an unpaid leave of absence while you're campaigning."
She sighed.  "I know.  I've got one favor to ask before we announce that, though."
"Sure.  What?"
"I want to be involved in the finale of the Interns this year."
"Okay.  We're on the last week of filming already.  We're planning to wrap right before Labor Day.  Are you sure you want to come back for that?"
"I am.  I need to thank the Interns and the fans.  Matthew would want me to."
I nodded while a cynical thought raced through my head.  The finale would be a great launching opportunity for a Senate campaign.
*****
I smiled at the interns as they stood in their teams, looking a little bedraggled after spending three days in the wonderful wilderness of the high Sierras testing and evaluating some new Nike products.  The challenge had been two-fold for this week.  Firstly, in almost homage to our first challenge, they had to come up with a thirty second commercial highlighting the products and their benefits.  Secondly, they had to identify three possible improvements on each of the pieces of gear we had built and equipped them with.  Those recommendations would be just as important in the grading.
"Welcome back," Jeryl said as Tom cued her.  "I hope you all enjoyed your short wilderness adventure and captured lots of footage to use in your commercials."
The interns smiled and nodded.
"Zhu, what was the highlight of your three day adventure?"
The diminutive Asian-American mechanical engineer from MIT grinned.  "I think sunrise this morning is a sight I will never forget.  I've never done much camping, but now I see why so many of my friends enjoy the break from the civilized world."
"Tamara, what about you?"  I asked one of the four female interns this year.  She was an athletic volleyball player and computer science major for UCSD.
"I love camping and the outdoors, but the highlight for me was the ropes course.  I've never really been comfortable with those kinds of heights, let alone being helpless and trusting a team to move me from tree to tree safely.  I was the first team member in the stokes stretcher.  I was terrified, but everyone listened to the instructors and moved me safely.  Then, when it was my turn to help move Thomas, I didn't even think about the height or the danger.  I just focused on doing the right things and getting the task finished without him or us getting hurt.  Afterward, I realized that maybe a little controlled danger is a great focusing agent for the mind.  I wasn't worried about the show, the competition, or anything else, just taking care of Thomas."
I nodded.
We continued asking and recording each person's observations.  Tom would pick and choose what made it into the show, but every perspective was captured.
"Thank you all for sharing," Kelly said as she stepped closer to them.  "We know you are all tired and a little dirty, but the work is not done yet.  Your four teams will now need to edit together your commercial spot for our review.  Additionally, we will want to review your equipment observations and recommendations individually.  You'll have a few hours this morning before we start the individual reviews and then you'll have until dinner tonight to get your rough-cut commercials ready to go."
The groups groaned, but I saw a few smiles.  They had all been warned that this week would be both physically and emotionally demanding with the goal of wrapping up by Friday.
"The good news," Kelly continued, "is that we've got hot showers and breakfast ready for you all, inside."
A ragged cheer was their response.
Several hours later, the interns began taking turns giving Kelly, Jeryl, and I their improvements.  Fortunately, they'd all had sufficient experience over the course of the show to know that they could not just come in and list their thoughts.  We carefully probed on the "why" for each recommendation, and also tabulated a list of other things they had considered.  Tom was there to capture everything for editing as well.  It took us nearly six hours to get through them all.
"Whew!" Jeryl said as the last intern finished.  "How long until we have to critique the rough-cuts?"
"We'll break for dinner with the crew, now.  We can start filming again in forty minutes," Tom said.
"They had some good ideas," Kelly commented as she stood up and stretched.  "If Nike listens to them, I might even be talked into taking a camping trip with some of that new gear."
I smiled at her.  The turnaround in her behavior was startling.  I still saw the sadness in her eyes on occasion, but not nearly as much as before her break.
"I agree," I said.  I had enjoyed camping on my first time through.  "I think Nike is going to be impressed with some of these ideas."
Jeryl nodded.
"They will be.  The Interns found opportunities for improvement in every piece of gear.  Some of them will become easier to manufacture, while others will really change the utility of the gear.  Think about having a single sleeping bag that can warm you in the winter and cool you in the summer.  I bet the military buys a ton to evaluate that idea."
I laughed and said, "As long as Nike handles the contracting process, they are welcome to it.  Who's idea was that, by the way?"
She flipped through her notes.  "Thomas.  He not only had the idea, but had sketched out the design.  Then he did some rough calculations on the thermal differential, and how it could potentially be used as a micro-amp generation source to keep the bag charged."
I nodded.  His idea would use some unique electrical properties of the aerogel insulator to help heat flow.
"He is a very smart man."
Jeryl gave me a look.  Thomas had done well all season long, and we were sure he would be a fan favorite, with his rugged good looks and easy smile.  He was a double-major engineering student from Michigan.  He was also in a three-way near tie for the winning slot of the show.
"What are you thinking, Paul?"
"I'm thinking that Thomas should do some post-grad work with Ian, down in Austin."
"Really?  I thought you might want him on some of your special projects," she said with a smile.
I shrugged and said, "Maybe both.  We'll see how his team does on the commercial, I guess."
It turned into a late night session, by the time we finished giving the teams feedback on their commercials.  We called a wrap on the day, and then Kelly asked for a chance to speak to the Interns privately, without any cameras in the room, or any of the other crew present.  Jeryl and I hung around in case she needed our support, but she told us to go to bed.  The next morning, she was back in full business mode.
I was glad my concerns were unfounded.  In this case, I was very happy to have been wrong.
*****
The sounds of the helicopter were fading in the distance as we walked along the well marked trail from the helipad to the main house just visible through the towering trees.  The air was cool despite the sunshine lighting the clear sky.  A hint of salt water mingled with the piney smell of the forest.
"Wow," Jeryl said as the path opened onto the lot the actual lodge sat on.
The place was spectacular.  It was a large log cabin, with a central house that was easily four thousand square feet on at least two floors.  Two wings about half as large as the central portion extended from each side.  Six separate chimneys were spread along the forest green roof.  The wide stone steps invited us up to the front porch.
"I hope you have some keys," I said dryly as we approached the front door.
"Of course I do, silly."
She grabbed my and Alison's hands and pulled us into the spacious home.
"Look at those views," she said as we looked out the huge windows.  The cabin was situated on a bluff several hundred feet above a craggy inlet from the Pacific Ocean.  The steely granite, deep forest greens, and crystal blue of the sky were all reflected in the gently moving ocean waters below us.  It was a wonderful view.
"I can just feel the cares of the day washing away," Jeryl said as she hugged me.
"I have a feeling that means we will be buying it," I joked.
Jeryl gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and said, "Well, let's not get too hasty.  We need to see what else the place has to offer, before it gets dark."
"That should give us plenty of time.  Sunset won't be until almost seven thirty tonight."
"Then let's explore."
Jeryl dropped my arm and grabbed Alison's as we headed out of the main room and into one of the wings.  We found two large bedrooms with their own baths and then past a set of stairs going up and a large storage locker at the end of the hallway near and exterior door.  The door let out onto a large porch.  The views were spectacular here as well and the covered porch featured a small outdoor fire pit and several year-round couches.
"I could see snuggling up here during a first snowfall," Jeryl said as she examined the sheltered nook the couch sat in.
The upstairs of the wing had two more bedrooms.  There was a heavy door separating the wing from the main part of the house, and going through it took us to the door for the master suite, above the main room on the floor below.  I stuck my head in the bathroom as the ladies examined the large stone fireplace, complete with a bearskin rug in front of it.
The master suite had a second living room occupying the remainder of the second floor with several comfortable leather couches and chairs and large windows looking out over the inlet below.
The second wing had two more bedrooms upstairs; but the storage, laundry and gourmet kitchen were on the main floor.  The dining room was situated below the second living room of the master, with a huge wooden trestle table that appeared suitable for twenty people.
Alison and Jeryl settled into the living room as I headed out to check out the other parts of the property.  Prior to the trip, Jeryl had asked me to slip away so she could have some time to talk to Alison.
There was a path along the bluff, with four additional cabins.  Each cabin appeared to be fully furnished and self contained with a small kitchen.  Each also had a good supply of wood chopped and ready to use under a small eave along the side.  Whoever had designed the place had spent a lot of time on the details.  I approved.
There was also a garage not far from the main house, with four snowmobiles and four small four wheel ATVs, parked neatly inside.  The last buildings I found were a well used smokehouse, and an outdoor summer kitchen area.  All in all, it was a wonderful property.
I headed back inside, and found myself a glass of water.  Still curious, I looked around some more and found the stairs going down from the kitchen.  Below that wing, there was a well stocked pantry and wine cellar.  I also found an opened and empty gun safe.  I headed back upstairs, and ended up on the porch outside the living room, taking in the view.
I sat in a chair and closed my eyes, enjoying the quiet and the warmth of the sun on my face.
I woke up to soft hands rubbing my shoulders.  Jeryl looked down at me with a smile.  She was no longer in her traveling clothes.  Instead she was wearing only a short black robe.
"Hi, lover," she said.  "I have a present for you upstairs."
"Really?"
She nodded.
"I wonder what it is."
"Well, it's a little spicy, and can be a little naughty sometimes, but I think it finally understands how grateful I am that she saved you for me."
"Does she now?"
Jeryl nodded.
I stood up and took her in my arms, to give her a passionate kiss.  I could taste Alison on her lips.
"It does taste a little spicy," I said.
I ran my hands up her legs and sides, lifting the short robe.  I kissed her again and let my fingers dance through the thin strip of pubic hair she kept and stroked into her very wet pussy.
"As much as I love your touch," Jeryl said, "I don't want your present to get too anxious, love."
I smiled and let her lead me inside and upstairs.  The sight in the master bedroom was as spectacular as the scenery outside, and much more arousing.  Alison was blindfolded and spread on the king-sized bed, with her arms and legs tied loosely to the corner posts with long scarves.  Her nipples were tight and pointy, and I could see obvious moisture along her thighs as I looked over her tight abdomen and bright red bush.
I reached over and tweaked her nipple, making her groan softly.
"She looks to be a little on edge," I said softly.
"I'm sure she is.  Somehow, she just never quite got enough stimulation to put her over the top," Jeryl said with a wicked smile as she dropped her robe and climbed onto the bed.  "Maybe this time, she'll do better and I'll let her come for us."
She swung her leg over Alison and straddled her head, facing the foot of the bed and then lowered herself slowly until Alison's tongue snaked up to begin licking her.
Jeryl smiled and motioned me toward her for a kiss.  I complied and soon got rid of my own clothes before joining them on the bed.
With soft touches and looks, Jeryl told me what she wanted in this little play she had set up.  I licked my way from Alison's toes to her pussy and back again, careful to stimulate her, but not give her enough contact to come.  I worked my way back up her legs again, this time stroking my fingers along her silky flesh before sliding them into her sopping pussy.  She moaned into Jeryl and shuddered, but still did not come.  I withdrew.
"What do you want, darling?" Jeryl asked as she climbed off Alison after her own orgasm and lay alongside her, stroking her breasts and nipples.
"Gods, I want to come!"  Alison said.
The raw emotion in her voice was surprising.  While she had always been a fantastic lover, she had never really given voice to her passion, before.
"How do you want to come?" Jeryl asked as she pinched a nipple and pulled it firmly.
Alison arched up.
"Paul inside me, and you licking me," she gasped.
Jeryl released her teat and stroked her hand lower.  "And if we do that, you'll be ours, again?"
"Always," Alison replied.
Jeryl motioned me over and shoved a pillow under Alison to raise her ass for me.  I kneed my way up the bed and Jeryl grabbed my cock to insert it inside our lover before rolling atop of her to put her head against my belly and lick our lover.
It was not the best positioning.  After a few strokes, I stopped and tapped Jeryl's shoulder.  She looked up and nodded, before quickly untying Alison and flipping our positions.  Soon, the lovely redhead was sitting on my cock with her back to me, as my hands massaged her delightful breasts.  Jeryl slipped between her legs and began licking her in earnest.
I felt the silky vice of Alison's pussy clasp my shaft and squeeze as she threw her head back and grabbed Jeryl's head.  Her orgasm washed over us as shudder after shudder shook her body.  It seemed to last for minutes before she finally sagged back against me.
We all held still for a moment.  Then, I felt Jeryl lick my balls and gently cup Alison's hips to put them back into motion.  I took that as my signal to resume thrusting into our lover's sopping pussy, until I felt my own release approaching.  Jeryl pulled me free at the last moment, and plunged her mouth over my cock as I came.  She sucked me dry and then moved up Alison's body for a passionate kiss.
When they finally separated, she grinned at us like 'the cat that ate the canary.'
"And that is what you would have never had again, if you had not done your job flawlessly," Jeryl said.
*****
The next five days were idyllic.  Alison had been annoyed that we had no additional security with us, but finally agreed that we were probably safe, since no one knew we were here.  She and Jeryl worked on their overall tans on the porch and spent time making love to each other and me.  Gradually, we let the stresses of the summer ease from our bodies and our minds.
The helicopter flight, followed by the GX-3 ride to Ireland, was quiet.  We all quickly adjusted to getting back to work.  We had reports waiting for us on the plane, and quickly fell into reading once we took off.  An hour into the flight, Jeryl closed her file and moved to sit next to me at the table where I was reading.
"Thank you for a wonderful week," she said with a kiss.
"My pleasure, ma'am," I said with a smile.  "Are you all caught up already?"
"No, but I wanted to take a break and talk to you.  I know losing Matthew was hard on all of us, Paul.  You especially."
I nodded.  I had shed a few tears, but mostly tried to stay strong for Kelly and everyone else.  While I had not had a bawling fit on our little break, I had sat by myself on the porch several times thinking how much Matthew would have enjoyed the lodge in British Columbia.
"He was a good friend, and a good man," I finally said.
"He was also your right-hand man in many ways that no one else can be.  Sheryl is going to do fine running the organization that Matthew created and built, but she won't replace Matthew as that trusted voice you listened to."
"I know."
"You need that balance and occasional dose of pure pragmatism.  You're doing things now with the generators, that he could not have helped with, and I could never hope to comprehend.  You've got to foster some additional relationships."
"I know."  I sighed.  As was typical, she was thinking about things from a different perspective.  "Hunter can handle the mathematics and engineering aspects of what I'm doing now.  You can help with the politics."
"I thought you wanted to stay out of politics."
"Not the 'running for office' kind of politics, the real world kind.  Iran wants to buy some generators, and will likely not like my terms.  Israel is getting ready to take delivery of their first set, and they don't like my terms either.  The unions and DOE are slowing adoption in the U.S.  which given our training pipeline bottlenecks may not be a bad thing, but it is still a political hot potato that I'll have to deal with."
"And we'll all help you."
She patted my arm and leaned against my shoulder for a minute.
"You know, we always talked about me stepping down once Ali was ready for school.  I'm not sure that's going to be an option next year."
Her words struck me.  Ali was going to be four in a few months.  The years had flown by.  Jer was almost two.
"What do you want to do?"  I asked her softly.
"I love our kids.  I love you.  I love the rush of doing a good deal that is going to help us all.  I don't want to give any of it up."
"But we need to have some stability for Ali and Jer."
She nodded.  "I don't like the idea of full-time tutors.  I want our children to get the socialization skills that come from interacting with other kids.  I can't stand the idea of boarding school, so that means we need to have some stability from a moving around perspective."
I nodded.
"We left them for six days with Anna and my Mom and are now flying them to Dublin with your Mom and Anna where we'll meet them.  We can't do that once Ali starts school."
"So the question needs to be about where we want to take up more permanent residence for our children's sake."
I sighed.  "There are things to love about each of our properties, but Nevada and Maine are out for the kids.  They need easy access to the schools and those places are pretty isolated."
Jeryl nodded in agreement.  "But they'll be fine during school breaks for a getaway.  That leaves Austin, Stanford, Hawaii, and Deer Valley."
"Not Dublin?" I asked.
She shook her head.  "We're American.  I want our kids to have an American education, at least to start life with."
"I don't like the idea of raising them in Stanford.  It's to small and the neighborhood is not really geared toward families."
"I agree.  What about Hawaii?"
"Much as I love the place, the bandwidth sucks and it is too far out of the way for most of our travels and work.  It will have to be a vacation home, I'm afraid."
"That leaves Deer Valley and Austin," she said.
"Austin is nice and temperate, but I don't really see myself as a Texan and all that entails."
Jeryl sighed.  "Thank God.  I was afraid I was going to have to talk you out of Austin."
"What's wrong with it?  You picked the place out."
"Nothing at all, but I want our kids to learn how to ski and love the mountains like we do.  It's hard to do that in Austin."
"We could take trips," I said.
She shook her head.  "Ali will begin taking ski lessons in school in Park City.  She'll be racing us down the hill by the time she is in second grade.  Besides, I love the house in Utah.  It's also where Anna's from and Mrs.  Eccles is practically another grandmother to the kids.  It's the right choice."
"Okay, so when do we settle down?"  I asked with a sigh.
Jeryl smiled and swatted at me.  "Not too soon.  I just wanted to know the direction we were taking.  We'll continue on our ways, but start making Utah our home base for business more so than California."
"Should we move the offices?"
"No.  Being in the Valley helps us make contacts and keeps and eye on your shopping list.  I might open an office in Park City, but our main business address needs to stay on Sandhill Road.  Candace can run that office, since it's mostly acquisition focused anyway when we're not filming the show."
We sat back together for a moment.
"You know," I said, "once Ali starts school, I'm going to be away from the kids more than you.  I'm still going to have to travel a bit."
"I know.  We'll work it out.  But Paul, there is nothing that says you have to travel to others.  Think how special they'll feel if you send a GX-3 for them to come to you.  It can be a nice motivational perk, don't you think?"
I laughed.  My sexy, smart, loving wife was always thinking with a different perspective.
*****
"We're only getting about a ten percent acceptance rate," Hunter said as we reviewed the training pipeline.
"Why so low?"
"Between the background screening, and the competency tests for the fundamentals, we're just not getting the volume we need to meet demand.  At this rate, I project we can only staff up around two hundred and fifty new installations a year."
I nodded.
"But a site staff can run more than one generator, right?"
"Of course.  I'm pretty sure a standard crew can run up to a dozen generators at a single site."
"So, you think you can provide seventeen hundred and fifty certified operators a year?"
"Roughly.  We're projecting about eighteen hundred.  We'll have a challenge ramping it though, since we want the supervising engineer to have six months of operational experience."
I nodded.  Six men could cover the week easily, but we used seven to ensure an experienced engineer was providing oversight and continuing training to the team.
"Okay, then, I wouldn't worry about the acceptance rate.  We are struggling to maintain a pace of four hundred generators a year.  Hire a good staffing manager who can figure out the assignment rotations on the teams.  I'm fine with these volumes, besides, I want to get you moving onto bigger and better things."
He gave me a surprised look.  "Like what?  I thought this was going to be at least a year to get fully ironed out."
"Oh, you can still monitor and provide oversight, but I want you and I working on two major efforts.  We need to reduce the generator's volume to a quarter of its current size, and I think we can increase the power output, as we do it.  Secondly, we need to figure out how to make it an engine for the GO-X."
"GO-X?" he asked.
I nodded and explained.  "Rolls and Gulfstream will be in the downtown offices here tomorrow to discuss.  We've got designs for the craft, but need to get the engines sorted out.  Our baseline test design is using our current generators, but letting the plasma escape at full energy instead of running it through the MHD generator portion.  Rolls is going to be testing some nozzle designs and materials to increase the velocity of the plasma for higher specific impulse.  They're also working on a variable nozzle design for use throughout the operating regime.  It's cutting edge stuff using our materials.  Here's the working papers," I said as I pulled out the three inch binder.
"And you want me up to speed on this tomorrow?" he asked with a shocked look on his face.
"Just the executive summary.  We'll be in the meetings, which are really about developing a test plan.  I've got a generator built and ready to test with in Nevada.  When they're running nozzle design tests, you and I will be there, but focusing on the generator redesign.  I know we can get the volume reduced, and I think that will also give us a net power increase; but, we really need to dial in the math on the magnetic vortexes inside the generator."
"Shit, Paul, I'm just getting settled in here with Lila and now we're off to Nevada?"
I grinned as I said, "No.  You'll commute to Nevada on the GX-3 when we're working there.  A lot of what we're going to be doing will be away from the hardware.  I just want to use Rolls' testing to gather more data for us."
I almost laughed at the look of relief on his face.
"How are you guys settling in over here?"  I asked.
Hunter smiled.  "We really love it.  We've got a nice flat downtown.  Being home together every night is nice.  She seems to be enjoying her work for Alison.  We even work together on the final acceptance interviews.  It's nice."
"Good.  Jeryl wants to have you guys over while we're in country.  How about Thursday evening?"
"I'll check with Lila.  We've made a couple of friends here as well.  I think you'd enjoy meeting them.  They're accountants, believe it or not, but really quite a bit of fun.  They've got a son who is close to Ali's age."
"See if they can come out Thursday.  It's nothing formal, just dinner and catching up.  I'm sure we'll like them if you and Lila do."
"Okay.  Now I guess I had better get reading," he said as he lifted the binder.
I laughed and headed out.  We were planning to stay in Dublin for two weeks, but it was going to be a very busy couple of weeks.
*****
"Minister Khalil, it is a pleasure to finally meet you," I said as the Iranian Minister without portfolio was escorted into our condo in Geneva.  I had taken the GX-3 and Alison over from Ireland to facilitate the meeting before heading back to the states.
"Mister Taylor," he said.  "It is a pleasure to meet you as well.  Allah has blessed your many pursuits."
He was a striking Persian.  With his dark hair and features, he was a handsome man.  I also knew he was Oxford educated and well regarded in the business world as one of the voices behind Iran's votes in OPEC and the UN.  Alison had summarized him as the man Iran sent out when they really wanted to get something.  I was glad to be meeting with him.
"Please, sit," I said as I motioned to the seating area in the condo's office.  "Would you like some coffee, tea, or water?"
"Tea, please," he said with a charming smile.
We exchanged pleasantries as one of the house staff poured for us and then excused themselves.  Alison stood discretely by the door.
"So, Minister, what can I do for you today?"  I finally asked.
He smiled.  "I have heard you like to get to the point.  I am of the same mind.  Iran would like to order fusion generators from you for use in our country.  As you most likely know, our largest export is our oil, and we would like to minimize our internal usage of that resource.  Coupled with our amazing urban growth and appetite for electricity, your generators appear to be much more suitable than new oil or natural gas generation plants."
I nodded.  "I am happy to take your order, so long as my standard operational contract can be agreed to."
His smile disappeared.  "We want to operate the generators ourselves.  Our culture is ancient; our country as well, but our government and society is little more than a decade old.  We do not like the idea of foreigners taking jobs from our people."
I sipped my tea, as if considering his words.  "I have not yet made such an exception for any of my other customers, sir.  Why do you believe I should consider such a request from you?"
"We would be willing to negotiate fair compensation for such consideration," he said.
"Even if we could agree on fair compensation, such an agreement would change the nature of our transaction from my firm providing a service and power to me selling you what some would consider restricted technology.  It would create obstacles from my government that I would rather not deal with."
"We could help find alternative means to circumvent such obstacles," he said smoothly.  It was well known that the Iranian government openly bought embargoed material on the black market.  They somehow managed to keep flying their F-14s that should have fallen from the sky years ago, with such means.
I sipped my drink.
"When one of my employees brings me an idea, they almost always begin with how much money it could make or save.  I almost immediately tell them to explain why the idea makes sense, regardless of the money.  I have more money than I can spend right now.  I'll ask you the same question.  Why is changing my delivery model a good idea for me and my company, aside from fair compensation?"
It was his turn to nod.  He maintained eye contact as he did so, either challenging or giving me a degree of respect.
"You know that many countries seek to harness the power of the sun as you have for the many benefits you have shared with the press.  Muslim countries that float atop pools of oil are no different.  But our culture is different.  We are a proud people who have thrown off the shackles of western guidance or oppression and demand that we control our own destiny.  By helping us reach that goal, you would create a bridge between our world and the west that could help mend the rifts that still exist."
I started to speak, but he raised his hand.
"Conversely, should you seek to control the power of the sun, which is Allah's blessing, you would widen the rift between us and the West, and jeopardize stability and progress.  You see, we know the Israeli generators have been delivered.  If the Muslim world sees you treating unfairly with us in that light, who knows what hostilities may occur?"
"Kuwait, another Muslim state, will receive generators next month.  They will be operated under my standard contract, so the world will know there is no favoritism or bias in my offerings.  I ask again, sir, why changing an agreement that is fair to all is in my interest?"
He nodded and sipped his tea.
"As I have said, we are a relatively new government.  It is important that our people know we are in control of our own destiny.  Having foreign operators controlling our power is not going to be politically acceptable.  Perhaps we could have you train and pay some of our engineers and assign them to run our plant?"
"An interesting compromise.  However, the six candidates you have already had apply for my training program, have not been able to pass the various aptitude tests to enter in the program on their own merits."
His eyes widened slightly.  I nodded.
"We screen candidates very rigorously.  While my generators are very safe, I need dependable engineers running them, who are not going to bow to political or religious pressure to circumvent safety procedures or guidelines.  Maintaining the quality and safety of generator operations is my highest concern.  I am afraid I must remain resolute on maintaining operational oversight."
"And if we could present seven men you found acceptable?"
"If we get to that point, we could have a different conversation," I conceded.
He nodded, as if a decision were reached.
"Very well.  We will keep our order in place and work to find such men."
"I look forward to that next conversation, Minister."
*****
"You can't be serious about considering this," Samuel Stockton, under-Secretary of State said after I related my conversation with Minister Khalil.  "It would be contrary to our interests to provide them with such advanced technology."
I had been summoned to Washington for the meeting by the time I returned to Ireland from Geneva.  It was interesting that my government was tracking my interactions with foreign nationals so closely.
"If I am operating the generators, I'm not providing the technology to them," I said.
"Until they pull a hostage-taking on your operators.  What happens then?  They have their scientists pore over them and know the technology involved."
I laughed.
"Sir, they can read all about it in publications, already.  Hell, I've submitted a thesis on it as well as several patent filings.  Understanding how it works is straight forward for an intelligent person.  Being able to build it, is something else again."
"I don't understand," he admitted after staring at me for a moment.
"To build a generator, they would need to understand the complex magnetic mechanics I use to achieve fusion.  Then they would need the materials only I am making to create the casing.  They would also need high-quality, high-density magnetic actuators to control the process.  Again, no one else is making those.  Finally, they would need a plethora of independent computer processors, controlling the flow dynamics and magnetic fields in real-time and coordinating across all of those processors.  I make the processors, and I control the code to operate it.  Just having access to the generator does not let anyone start building them."
"Then why aren't you selling them?  Why insist on operating them?"
"Data and control.  These are still first generation machines.  I can and will make them smaller and stronger.  To do that, I need reams of data.  Every Generator is generating a tremendous amount of information that I can process and analyze.  By having my operators doing the monitoring, and limited maintenance, I get the data I need to continue to make things better.  I also can then ensure they are not being re-fitted into the worlds quietest submarine to destabilize geo-politics."
He paled, and asked, "Does the Navy know that's possible?"
I smiled.
"They are one of the groups asking to just buy generators.  Of course they understand the possibilities.  In fact, they are my next meeting, today."
The middle-aged bureaucrat smoothed his silver hair and looked at me for a moment.
"Paul, I must tell you that your government would take a very dim view on providing generators to Iran."
"But it does not violate any current sanctions or treaties, correct?"
"It would upset the balance in the region."
"Or improve it, seeing that Israel has generators and Kuwait soon will.  Even the Saudis have inquired."
He nodded, curtly.
"Please keep us informed of future discussions in the region."
I wanted to snort at him.  They had hardly given me a choice.
An hour later, I was in the Pentagon once again, facing a panel of Navy blue instead of the softer Air Force blue of my last visit.  Admiral Womack, who had been promoted since his involvement in the stealth coating projects was the only familiar face.  Hunter had joined me for this meeting, looking nervous in his business suit instead of Dress Blues.
We were just about to begin when the door opened and General Baker joined us.  He waved people back to their seats, as they started to stand at attention.  Since we had last interacted closely, he had been promoted twice and was now a three-star general filling the role of Assistant Vice Chief of Staff for the Air Force.  We had been corresponding regarding this meeting for a couple of months.
"Gentlemen," the General said as everyone got settled.  "I apologize for interrupting your meeting and joining it without notice, but since I have worked closely with Mister Taylor over the past several years, I thought I could lend some credence to a few things you will hear today."  We both noticed several puzzled looks on the other admirals' and captains' faces.  "Paul, it's your show."
I stood.  "Thank you, General.  Gentlemen, I know you invited me here to discuss fusion generators to power naval vessels, including aircraft carriers and submarines.  We will get to those discussions, but I feel it is important that you understand my history of interactions with the Department of Defense, before we begin.  I have been asked to advise everyone here that this background conversation is classified Top Secret, and compartmentalized under the code-words 'Silver Cobra'.  Knowledge of the code word is also classified, Top Secret."
I took a sip of water as the naval personnel exchanged glances.
"In 1982, while I was still in high school, I discovered methods of manufacturing and applying carbon fiber nanotubes to aircraft materials that rendered those materials virtually invisible to radar.  I sold the application process to Lockheed.  I also established the manufacturing capability to produce those nanotubes, and sell them to Lockheed for application on aircraft.  The combination of this compound and the application process allowed Lockheed and Rockwell to modify the existing B-1 bomber platform, to outperform the B-2 Stealth bomber that was then being built for testing.  In December of that year, an Air Force General took it upon himself to attempt to gain control of my manufacturing process through less than ethical means.  That issue was not resolved until after I had been falsely accused, had a warrant issued for my arrest, and ultimately testified before Congress on the matter.  As you can imagine, I was not pleased with my interactions with the DoD after that debacle."
"In 1986, I was targeted by the KGB for assault, as they attempted to learn more about my interactions with the government.  Later that year, I was also harassed by the Air Force Inspector General's office.  This time it was their attempt to blame me for their own lax operational security, which resulted in leaks of the information concerning our compound and process.  It was shortly after this incident that General Baker became my primary point of contact with the DoD."
"Following the resolution of that matter, the General took steps to ensure I was no longer persecuted, and helped establish the DoD auction process to control the distribution of the stealth compound.  Lockheed sub-licenses the application process on a project-by-project basis.  This improved working relationship has allowed significant portions of the combat aircraft employed in the recent campaign in Iraq to be upgraded and treated with my compound, to save American lives."
The General cleared his throat, and said, "But, last January was not the first combat testing of the compound.  Coated aircraft were operational for the raid on Libya in 1987, and in 1989 during Operation Praying Mantis.  That bombing raid on Iran's mine laying capability is what paved the way for the operational concept employed so successfully in the Gulf War.  Mr.  Taylor was also part of an industry team that helped identify and plan the upgrade of the B-1B bomber, to give it the capabilities we leveraged so well, earlier this year."
"During my relationship with the DoD," I continued, "I have had some interaction with the Navy.  Early on, we discussed use of the stealth process on ships, but my production capacity was allocated to aircraft, first.  I know Lockheed and the Department of the Navy did joint work to upgrade the F-14's, F/A-18's and A-6 carrier based aircraft.  Other than that, my interaction with the Navy has been limited.  Since this is our first serious discussion, I wanted to ensure you understood both my bona-fides, and my background of concern with regard to entering into another business arrangement with the Department of Defense."
"Gentlemen," General Baker said as I sat down.  "The way we, as an organization, have treated Paul is less than honorable.  I can attest from personal knowledge that he is a man of great integrity.  If you want something from him and he declines, he has valid reasons.  Don't attempt to bully him.  Based on the Wall Street Journal, he is on track to become the richest man in the world in the next few years, most likely before he turns thirty.  If nothing else, that deserves all of our respect."
The General sat back and looked the senior Admiral in the room.
The admiral cleared his voice and nodded to General Baker.  "I'm Admiral Porter, Deputy Director of the Naval Sea Systems Command.  I am the chair of this committee whose purpose is to explore the opportunity of placing fusion generators into Naval vessels for the purpose of replacing our existing nuclear propulsion systems.  Why don't we start with full introductions?"
He motioned to the man on Hunter's left.  We went around the table with Admirals and naval Captains introducing themselves, and stating which organization they were with.  I skipped myself and nodded to Hunter.
"I'm Hunter Greenwood, formerly Lieutenant Greenwood of the USS Olympia based in Pearl, and now Vice President of Power Systems for PT Innovations."
I saw a few frowns from older faces around the table and decided to jump in.  "Hunter has overseen both a full technical training review of my generators, and a complete design review for the current generating plants.  He is fully conversant in our production, operation, and training efforts.  Additionally, he is assisting with the design and testing efforts on our next generation of plants.  He will be the primary point of contact between the Department of the Navy and PT Innovations for these discussions."
That seemed to sober a few faces.
"Very good," Admiral Porter said.  "Shall we get down to business?"
One of the Captains dimmed the lights and fired up his NeXT Laptop before launching PowerPoint and beginning his brief.  Thirty minutes later, he concluded.
"So, as we have shown, fusion powered aircraft carriers could dramatically increase our operational capabilities while significantly improving the overall safety and maintenance costs."
"Thank you, Captain," Admiral Porter said.  "With that background, we should get into the meat of the discussion.  Mr.  Taylor, what will it take for the U.S.  Navy to purchase fusion generators for testing and trials?"
*****

Chapter Thirty-Seven
Escalations
*****
"Crap, Paul," Hunter said as we settled into out seats on the GX-3 in preparation for a flight to Salt Lake City.  "Is it always such a hassle dealing with the Pentagon?"
I chuckled.  "That was a very pleasant meeting compared to some I've had with them."
"They sure don't want to take no for an answer."
"I know.  The Navy really wants a fusion powered fleet."
"It makes a lot of sense from an operational and cost perspective" Hunter said.  "I think agreeing to furnish them with some generators operated under our control at selected shore sites will keep them busy for a couple of years, but they are not going to give up on fleet options."
"I agree.  I wouldn't if I were in their shoes.  With the compromise deal we made today, I figure we've bought twenty-four months.  We'll slot two testing generators into the production pipeline for delivery in about nine months.  That will give them time to prepare facilities and us time to think about next steps."
"Like what?"
"Like a way to disable the generators if they are being misused."
Hunter thought for a few minutes, as the pilots closed the door and settled into the cockpit.
"What if we established a handshake of some sort with your network?  The operational program and protocols would short out the control system if it did not connect to your servers, on some periodic basis."
"Do you really think the Navy is going to allow something like that?"
He shrugged, and said, "If they want the generators, they will.  We'll just have to figure out the messaging and security protocols to keep the communications safe.  Putting that code into the operating processors would be easy enough."
"We could use the same approach for some of the more demanding countries, looking to run their own generators."
"You could even tie it into the generator's GPS position locator, to disable it if it was moved without authorization for fixed facility generators."
I grabbed a notebook, and we began sketching out communications interactions we would need to make such a system work.  By the time we landed in Salt Lake City, we were fairly confident of our general approach.
Tiffany picked us up at the hangar and drove us to Deer Valley, where we were planning to spend a couple of days working on the engine test plan.  We would then be heading south, and meeting the Rolls-Royce engineers at the lab in Nevada.
Mrs.  Eccles had a late dinner waiting for us at the house.
"You know," Hunter said as we ate our fill of homemade soup and fresh baked bread in the kitchen.  "When you told me about the engine nozzle design work a couple of weeks ago, I thought you were giving me make-work."
"And now?"
He shook his head.
"It's a real engineering problem.  I guess I never really thought about the need for variable thrust nozzles when you've got that sort of power available."
"Yep.  If they just lit off the generator without the MHD extracting a lot of power, it would take off like a shot."
"Even with a modest ship, I figured nine gees.  No one is going to want to fly in that thing twice."
"Gulfstream is already increasing the size.  Our proof-of-concept design was around a horizontal takeoff and landing configuration, but we're leaning toward a vertical takeoff and landing now.  If we take the mass high enough, we think we can keep the acceleration bearable."
"What's bearable?"
"Under three gees."
"How much cargo with that mass?"
"That's the tricky part.  We've got to have acceptable acceleration empty, as well as full.  Harry thinks that's where the variable nozzles will come into play, along with optimization through the changing atmospheric pressure regimens."
"Not to mention the materials problems we need to solve.  The vectoring vanes and nozzles will need to be tough!"
I nodded, and said, "I think the boron doped nanotube coating on the new CRP aerogel formulation will work, but we're going to have to test that.  It's one of the things we'll start setting up this week at the lab."
"Don't you think some of this could be done on the other side of the pond?"
"It could, but once we get to full static testing, I think we'll want the wide open spaces."  I notice his look.  "Don't worry, you shouldn't have to come over more than once a quarter."
He frowned.  "It's not that, it's just that there are things I could test and tinker with if the lab was closer."
"So build a lab in Ireland.  Just make sure you talk to Lila and Alison about security."
He nodded.
"I understand.  If people know what you were working on, they'd be trying to steal it, every day."
He spent a few minutes finishing his soup and then looked at me.
"You know, all the time I knew you in school, I had no idea about your DoD work."
"Good.  It was supposed to be a secret."
"But you helped change the world!  Can you imagine what the Gulf War would have been like if your work on stealth had not happened?"
"We still would have won."
"Yeah, but at what cost in lives and material?"
I started to make a joke and then saw the serious look in his eye.  "Hunter, what I did for the military in high-school and college was a pleasant interlude.  I was always working towards fusion.  You know that.  I'm glad I could help our defense department, but it was not a goal I set out to meet.  What we're working on now, is what I want.  Cheap, clean power is the start.  How we use that power for the betterment of the whole world, is my focus now.  That's why it is so important that I not get embroiled in DoD politics.  I also have no desire to paint myself as a target again.  Getting shot at sounds glamorous and exciting, right up until it really happens."
He looked me in the eye for a moment and then nodded.  "Okay, then let's make sure we don't put you or me or any of our loved ones in that position again."
"Sounds like a deal."
*****
"What's up, hon?" I asked as Jeryl came into my office in the Lab.  She and the kids had joined me in Nevada after the Rolls-Royce team left and Hunter headed back to Ireland.  I was working on some additional materials formulations I wanted to test out.
"Do you remember Scott Brown and Don Joy from season one?"
"Sure.  Georgia Tech and MIT, right?"
"That's right.  They reached out to me, and asked for some time to pitch an idea to us.  Evidently, they teamed up after they graduated to do some design work on a special project of some sort."
I shrugged.  "Send a GX-3 for them.  They were both pretty smart.  Let's see if they retained any of the lessons we tried to teach them," I added with a smile.
Three days later, they were nervously eying our 'cabin' set into the side of the red rock that overlooking the desert scenery.
"All those times we saw you leaving the filming, we had no idea you were coming to someplace this nice," Scott said as he took in the details of the house.
Jeryl laughed.
"We weren't roughing it nearly as much as you guys, that's for sure," she said.
"Oh, they didn't have it too rough once they built their shelters."
Both young men laughed.
"I do think that was the only time we managed to surprise you, Paul."
"But it was a pleasant one."  I decided to get them back on track.  "So, do you want us to recreate a review session from the show, or do you guys just want to pitch your idea here on the terrace?"
They exchanged a look and then Don spoke.
"How about we talk to you about it, here.  Then, if we need detail drawings, we can go inside."
"Sounds good," I said.
Jeryl and I sat forward in our seats a little and waited for them to start.
"Following the work after the hurricane, we saw how critical fresh water was," Don began.  "When you unveiled your generators last year, we were already working on some ideas around large scale desalination."
Scott nodded.  "I was working on a design for my masters that envisioned industrial scale usage, just like we had individual level usage covered in the catchment system on the shelters."
"When we heard the specs of the generator, we realized there was a real opportunity," Don said.
I held up my hand.
"I get the utility and possibility of large scale desalination.  I get how a fusion generator could help in that arena.  What do you have for me that is new thinking?"
"A full-fledged, self-contained design that could start stabilizing the Sahara, and large parts of Africa," Scott said.  "We took a look at the specs of your generator, and designed the whole plant to be roughly four times a generator's size.  It should cost less than a quarter of million dollars to build, excluding the generator, and be capable of providing clean fresh water, at a rate of a couple thousand gallons an hour."
"So why would Paul want to build this?" Jeryl asked them.
"Power generation is a problem of the first and second world," Scott said.  "His generators are going to saturate the market demand for electricity in less than a decade.  The demand for water is eternal.  A couple of these plants could help stabilize a coastal desert.  Excess capacity of power or water can then be pumped inland to extend the stabilization efforts."
"We estimate," Don said, "that with a steady supply of plants, we could stabilize thousands of square miles of what is now arid land."
"To what end?" I asked.
"Peace and stability," Scott said.  "We read your interview in Playboy last month.  You want people to have safe, clean power.  If you give them clean, safe water as well, you could reduce the resource loading on some of the most troubled parts of the planet.  Peace, stability, better standards of living, and education, are the keys to stabilizing the world."
I thought about their words and the things I had said in that interview.  I then thought about some of the rise of fundamentalism from my first time through.  Famine and fear had created fertile lands for the recruitment of terrorists, jihadists and many other flavors of '-ists'.  Perhaps this was a path to better the future.
"Okay," I said as I stood up.  "Let's look at the details.  If I like what you've come up with, I'll fund it for forty-nine percent ownership."
Don paled.  "Um, we were actually thinking along the lines of you funding for a majority ownership," he said.
"Why?"
They traded a look.  "We're not sure how to monetize it.  We're not certain it can be a profitable business on its own."
Jeryl shook her head and said, "We'll fund for majority ownership.  You guys will be the managing directors.  I'll tell you how to make it all profitable."
*****
"Paul, I'm the one running for office.  You can't expect me to advocate this project of yours and then run as an independent voice for the people, can you?"
Kelly was right, but for all the wrong reasons.
"I get the political dimension and I'm not asking you to advocate for this because it's me.  Water is political in California.  I'm going to test a desalination plant on the Pacific coast.  I can do that in California, where water is precious, or I can do it in Oregon or Washington or Mexico.  It's going to be barge based to start, so we can move it around, but you could get some mileage out of this, if you play your cards right.  I'm really just trying to help you out, Kelly."
She sighed on the phone.  "I know.  It's just Seymour is going dirty already, high-lighting the ties I have to your 'big-money' interests.  If I try to ride your coattails on this, he's going to go for the jugular."
"Okay, how about if I cut him off at the knees?"
"What do you mean?"
"I'll get the governor's buy-in without your involvement.  That will get the republicans behind it.  Then, if Seymour tries to say anything, he'll be going against the man who put him in the Senate."
"What if the governor doesn't go for it?"
"Then I go to the farmers, or the mayor of San Diego or L.A.  You and I both know that California is skirting the border of drought.  Water rights are always a topic of debate in non-urban elections, there.  It will play with the people."
"Okay.  I'll respond, if asked, but can't advocate your plan."
"Sounds good, sis.  How is everything else going?"
"Good.  I'm getting good press coverage and people seem to like my positions, and having some television credibility hasn't hurt with the Hollywood crowd."
I laughed and said, "That's good to hear.  We've picked up a little market share with 'The Interns,' this fall, so that should help you out as well."
"How are Jeryl and the kids?" she asked.
"Jeryl is good.  The kids are growing like weeds.  Are you going to make it out to Deer Valley for Christmas?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she said.  "Mom and Dad have already asked me, as well.  I'll miss you guys at Thanksgiving, though."
"Mom told me.  Working a soup kitchen, or so I hear."
"It's politics," she said a little defensively.
"I'm not making fun," I said.  "We're going to be in Austin if you change your mind.  I'd be happy to have the GX-3 fly you down after you finish your duties."
"Thanks, Paul, but I think I'll just stay close to home and get a little private time.  Give my love to everyone and I'll see you in a couple of months."
"Okay.  Love you, too."
I hung up the phone and pulled up my contact list, to look for the governor's number.
It took me almost ten minutes to get through the bureaucratic screening.
"Mister Taylor, what do I owe the honor to?" Governor Wilson asked when he finally got on the line.
"Thank you for taking my call, Governor.  I'd like to discuss an opportunity with you to help the people of the great state of California."
I went into my sales pitch for a floating desalination plant to test new process for converting sea water to fresh water, at scale.
"It sounds very promising, Paul, but what do you need my help with?" he finally asked.
"Permits.  You know the environmentalists are going to complain because it's got a fusion generator involved.  Or they'll complain that I'm dumping salt back into the water, or polluting the air with the sediment burn-off, or something."
"I can see that, but I'm not sure how I can prevent their protests."
"Well, I was thinking that the California Naval Militia could run the barge and desalination testing.  I'd carry all of the payroll and benefits aspects, and you establish the unit."
The California Naval Militia was currently only a handful of military lawyers who advised the Governor on naval matters.  They had no current active ships or forces.
"Interesting idea.  You say this plant will make thousands of gallons of fresh water for the State?"
"Yes.  We could also work with the Army Corps of Engineers and see about piping it inland for use by the farmers.  Alternatively, we could run it in San Diego or Long Beach and help out those cities."
"Would you be willing to do all three?"
"What do you mean?"
"Triple your test.  If the plants are mobile, you could redeploy them after you've learned what you need to."
"I could do that; but, I'd want to build them out one at a time.  Then we could apply anything we learn to the next plant."
"That makes sense.  I'll get one of the lawyers from the unit to reach out to you, and help set up the guidelines for you to operate under.  Who should they work with on your side?"
"I'll have to check with Candace Brennan, our General Counsel.  She'll get someone assigned by tomorrow.  Thank you, Governor.  I really appreciate your help on this."
"Well, remember that you owe me one.  If these plants work, let's talk about building some for permanent use."
I smiled.  "I can do that, sir."
*****
"Paul, I think you might want to read this," Rebecca said as she hurried into my office with Billy and Tom close behind her.  She had a piece of paper in her hands.
"What is it?" I asked as I reached for the sheet.
"A press release and story off the wire," Billy said with excitement in her voice.  "You're going to be given the Nobel in Physics!"
Jeryl and Alison came in as Tom pounded my back and Rebecca beamed.
I was shocked.
I read the announcement and sat heavily in my chair.
"Wow."
"Wow?" Jeryl asked as she came around my desk and kissed me soundly.  "You win the highest award in physics, and all you can say is 'wow'?  I thought you were smarter than that."
Everyone laughed and I smiled before pulling her into my lap and kissing her.  She kept me grounded.
"Okay," I said.  "How about, 'It looks like we'll be going to Stockholm in December?'"
"'Wow,' you know how to immortalize the moment," Jeryl teased.
I kissed her again.
"Thanks for all you support that made this possible," I said as our lips parted.
She smiled.  "Now that's a much better comment."
Jeryl got off my lap and pulled me back to my feet.
"You need to splash a little water on your face and grab a jacket out of the closet.  The news cameras will be here in less than an hour to get some shots for the evening news.
I groaned.  While I had gotten used to being on camera, I did not enjoy it.
"None of that," Jeryl chided.  "Billy and Tom, go downstairs and get a makeup kit from storage.  I want my man to look good when the cameras get here.  Also, Tom, let's tape it ourselves.  I'd like to have a copy of our own."
They took off almost at a run.
"Alison and Rebecca, can you see to the first floor conference room and send reporters there?  I'll call the stations to make sure they are going to cover it.  Come on, folks, this is good for Paul and good for the company.  Let's make sure we are presenting a great face to the country and world.
Everyone moved to follow Jeryl's directions, including myself.  Thirty minutes later, the affiliates from the three major networks were in the conference room with cameras, along with a handful of newspaper reporters.  I stepped behind a podium, and read a hastily prepared statement, thanking the selection committee and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Nobel organization.  I also thanked my wife, family, and staff for all of their support.  We then opened it for questions.
"Paul, you obviously don't need the money associated with the prize.  What do you plan to do with an extra million dollars?"
Jeryl and I had prepared for the obvious question.
"The intent of the prize money is to allow scientists to continue their work without concern of funds.  Since I do not have such a concern, I will place the prize money into our scholarship fund for the sciences to help encourage the next generation of inventors and scientists."
I pointed to the next reporter.
"Paul, is the Nobel prize one of the reasons you chose to initially deploy your fusion generators in Sweden?"
I was surprised by the question.
"Absolutely not.  We chose the initial deployment locations based on where the technology would be welcome and a sound partnership could be created.  I never imagined I would receive this sort of recognition for the generators.  As a point of fact, this prize is being awarded for the theoretical work around the magnetic field phenomena and vortex calculations that makes my linear fusion process feasible.  It is not recognition for the actual generators."
"Paul, the world's scientific community has now recognized your invention as truly ground breaking.  When will you begin deploying your generators more broadly?"
I understood the implied question.  Following the union and lobbyist issues, we had diverted almost all of our production overseas.
"We are deploying generators as quickly as we can make them.  In the past year we have shipped over four hundred units to locations around the world.  While adoption in the U.S.  has been slowed by union and political issues, I don't think you can characterize our distribution as being 'limited' or less than broad."
"But there are only a handful of generators operating here in the States," the reporter said.
I nodded my head in agreement.
"That is an issue people need to take up with their power companies and politicians.  Next question."
"Paul, you were given this award for your generators.  Do you think you should have been considered earlier for your other materials inventions?"
"I have never done any of my work looking for recognition, so no.  While some of that work may have been worthy of consideration, the fact is that I was not nominated previously, so obviously it did not deserve consideration."
The questions continued on for a few more minutes, and then we ended the press conference so they could all get back to their studios, and meet their deadlines for publication or broadcast.
As Sanford drove us home, Jeryl grinned at me.
"You are my Nobel genius, Paul, and I love you."
It was all the recognition I really needed.  
******
"Paul, you can't keep shoving extraneous orders into the pipeline," Cindy Xavier said on our weekly video conference.  "We can't expand production capacity until the materials plants and operator training schools are ramped up, and we've already got a backlog three years deep."
I could tell she was frustrated.
"I understand, Cindy, but these are important units for testing.  Also, some of the orders can be six months out, like the three generators for the Navy.  They won't have the physical plant space for them, for at least that long.  I do need the other five before then, though."
"I can get them scheduled, but that is going to delay the German delivery.  France has also placed another order.  Japan is expanding as well."
"You're not announcing shipping dates, are you?"
"No, of course not.  Since they are only obligated to take delivery when the generators are ready, I like to keep them loose.  I usually give them a six month, and six week notice."
She must have seen my quizzical look through the video link.
"When we estimate they are six months out, we send a team to verify installation location and hook-ups.  At six weeks prior to delivery, the lead operating engineer arrives on site to ensure everything is ready.  Sometimes we send some of the operators as well for cultural liaison.  Our guys do the installation and testing prior to the generator going online."
"OK, then no one will know we're pulling some generators out of the pipeline.  How soon can you get me a second unit for testing with Rolls-Royce?"
She looked at something on her computer screen.
"Two months?  I can divert the one slotted for Denmark."
"Good.  You can keep the MHD off that one as well.  I'll do the custom generator and plenum in Nevada.  The next one I need is for the desalination test.  How long for that?"
"Hell, why don't I give you the stripped down one for Rolls, and then the next two off the line in the U.S.?  That way we only have one gap in production, and I can get back to regular deliveries."
"That will work.  I can use the first one for the initial POC of the desalination plant, and we can build out the second plant, right after the initial testing.  I will need a third generator for the California project, but I can wait six months for that one as well."
"Okay, I'll pencil in six generators for you, starting next May.  It will be one every other week until you have what you need."
"Good.  I'm sorry if you feel like you are being jerked around.  You're doing a great job, Cindy."
"Thanks, Paul.  Sorry if I'm a little short.  We're finally stable from a production perspective, and I was looking forward to doing some work with Hunter on tightening up the control systems."
"What's stopping you?"
"Every time I think I'll have a little time, the production schedule gets screwed up by my delightful boss," she said with a grin.
"Sounds like you need to hire a delivery manager, and make it their problem," I said.
"I thought that was my job?"
"Your job is to ensure the order backlog is getting filled, not handle every customer directly.  Delegate some of the headaches to someone you can trust to escalate when needed.  That's what I do."
She laughed and said, "I guess you do.  Ok, I'll talk to HR and open a position."
"Okay.  What are the plans for the plants over the holidays?"
"What do you mean?"
"Last year, we were still ramping up.  This year we're at full capacity.  I want to make sure you are slowing down and giving people time off over Christmas and New Year's."
"How much time?"
"Cindy, I'd be fine if you treat that time as non-production, and do some safety reviews and training.  Work the plant half-days, and give folks a break.  Hell, if you want to, close the plant for whatever reason you want."
"What about payroll?"
"They are all salaried, so they still get paid.  Our cash flows can cover a little paid time off."
"Okay, you're the boss."
"I am.  I want you to take some time off as well.  I'll pick-up first class airfare wherever you and a guest want to go.  If you want, you can also make use of any of our company houses.  Jeryl will send you a packet with the options."
"I don't need a break, Paul."
"Remember that part about me being the boss?  I want you to re-energize and come back from the holiday refreshed.  We're going to have a big year next year."
"Okay, if you say so."
"I do.  I'll talk to you next week, Cindy."
*****
Thanksgiving in Austin was relaxing, with Jeryl's family joining us in the warm Texas autumn.  Ali and Jer had plenty of doting aunts and grandmothers to keep them busy, as we insisted Anna take a break as well.  Not having a threat hanging over my head, also helped me relax.
"Am I going to have to pry you out of the lab, again?" Jeryl asked the following week, as we were back in Nevada after the long Thanksgiving in Austin.
"What?  I've put in five days and been home every night," I said as I pulled her into my arms for a kiss.  "Besides, we have to go to Stockholm in two days.  I'm going to lose a week's work with all those activities."
"Yes, you've been home, but you've also put in sixty hours.  I don't want you spending this much time working, every week until Christmas.  You're making your employees take time off.  You need to, as well."
"I'm trying to get things wrapped up, so I don't have to work over Christmas.  Did you see the news, yesterday?  They're getting a good base already.  They open the lifts this weekend.  Three weeks from now, the runs should be in fine shape.  I want to get some of this work done, so I can take time off and chase you all over the mountain."
Jeryl laughed with me.
"Okay, as long as you've got your priorities right.  What are you working on so diligently, anyway?"
"Formulations for a new aerogel compound.  I'm worried that the boron doped coating will delaminate under extensive use in the nozzles.  I came up with a version that embeds the coating in the aerogel itself.  If I can get the curing right, it will concentrate the boron in the outer layer of the ceramic."
She shook her head.  "If you say so.  Do you have a minute to talk about desalination."
"Sure.  What about it?"
"I've got a crazy idea, but I'm not certain on the details."
"Okay," I said and waited for her to spell it out.
"We lease the land around the station, and irrigate it to produce crops.  As part of the station build-out, we include shelters for staff and a couple of extra for a school and field hospital."
"Then what?"
"We teach the locals how to farm responsibly and set them up as tenant farmers.  I've done some rough figuring, and one station should be able to irrigate a several square miles easily with the excess more than sufficient for local use.  If yields are reasonable, we take the surplus and sell it on local markets.  We should be able to cover the cost of capital and amortize the initial cost over a seven year period."
"That's quite a bootstrap plan," I said in admiration.  "Self-funding growth?"
She nodded and added, "If my conservative yields and market pricing are anywhere close to accurate, we should be able to expand nearly as quickly as we can build plants."
"What will diverting shelters and generators do to our other efforts?"
"That's where it gets a little tricky.  I think we should actually build a separate production plant.  That way, we build sustainable jobs someplace, as well as stabilize the areas to be leased and irrigated."
"If we're talking Africa, we will have to do a bit of research for where to build it.  There is not a lot of what I would consider stable political environments, there, where I would want to build."
"I've started some of that.  Tanzania or Kenya seem promising.  Tanzania has borrowed pretty heavily from the IMF, but seems to be on a stable growth trajectory.  Kenya seems stable, as well.  There are some demonstrations for constitutional reform, but they seem to actually be moving towards a more democratic constitution.
"Excess production could be shipped to India, and the Gulf states that are looking to buy generators."
Kenya was also on the equator, which had some advantages for the GO-X in terms of satellite placement.
"But, it would be a pretty big infrastructure undertaking," she said.
"It could be worth doing, however.  It would offer a lot of people hope that no one else is providing."
'It might also slow or delay the rise of fundamental Islam in the region,' I thought.
"I'll keep working the numbers, but I wanted to get your perspective."
"I like the thought," I admitted, "but the numbers have to work if we are going to do it."
"I should be able to make them a little firmer by the time the test plant is running.  Then we'll know potable water output, and be able to refine all the numbers."
"That sounds like a plan, love."
*****
Jeryl slipped into our soaking tub with me, and sighed.  We had been going non-stop since Thanksgiving, it seemed.  A work week in the labs, followed by eight days of travel and Nobel activities in Europe, followed by meetings in Ireland before heading back home.  It was nice to be able to settle into the comfort of home.
"Hard day?" I asked.
She shook her head.
"Not so much hard, as just using different muscles.  Skiing like we did the past two days takes some adjustments."
"I know.  We really need to spend a little more time relaxing like this."
"Well, don't argue when I remind you next time."
She leaned her head back and let the heat of the water work its magic for a few minutes.
"Jordan and Jyl seem happy," she said.
"They do.  I was a little worried about Jyl after hearing Christopher was history.  I thought they would stick together after seeing them at Jordan's wedding last year."
"I did, to.  Evidently, her hours took their toll on the relationship.  Being a resident is not easy."
"No, it's not.  I'm glad she could come out this Christmas.  She needs a break, too."
"It's been a pretty hectic few years for all of us," I admitted.
"And I don't see it slowing down much.  I think we need to look at another re-structure of the firm.  We're maxing out our management capacity again."
"I thought this was a vacation, not work," I chided.
"It is, but I wanted to plant the seeds for you.  With Kelly stepping down, we are both taking on too much again.  We need to get organized before I'm tied down here with Ali in school."
"I know.  I just hate taking time to make time.  Of course, having this conversation during a nice soak instead of in the office is a pleasant perk."
She splashed a little water at me and then leaned across to give me a passionate kiss.
"I wish Alison were here," she said after settling back once again.
"Really?  I'm not enough for you anymore?" I teased.
"No, but I worry about her work load as well.  Besides, she's more like family than friend.  She should be on this family vacation."
"She said she would be here for a few days around Christmas."
"I know, but I miss her.  What's she doing, anyway?"
"Something came up with her Lloyds contract.  She was taking Lila along with her for a few meetings and then flying over here.  She's also managing the expanded security for the lab."
She sighed again.  "So we'll have armed guards there full time going forward?"
I nodded.
"I know we need them, but I don't like the idea of them."
"Better to have them and not need them…" I said.
"…than need them and not have them," she finished.  "I know."
She moved to the middle of the tub and turned her back to me.
"That's enough business talk.  I'm being silly thinking about work when we're here naked in a nice soaking tub.  I think it's time for you to work those magical fingers on your loving wife's shoulders and back."
I chuckled and got to work.  The feel of her smooth, firm skin was enticing.  I let my fingers work her shoulders and along her spine before reaching around her and pulling her closer for a hug.  I kissed her neck as my fingers continued to roam over her flawless skin.
*****
"Kenya?" Tom asked as we had our first planning session for the next season of 'The Interns' and I had sprung a novel idea on him.
"Kenya.  It looks like that is where we'll be doing some testing of the desalination stations.  It will give some new, international perspective to the show."
Tom grabbed his notebook.  "It could be great from a television perspective, but we're going to need a lot of leg-work before hand."
"That's why I wanted to talk now.  I think you and Billy should fly over with Don who is scouting land locations.  You can start figuring out production issues for the show.  Jeryl has already gotten Candace updating the application with visa requirements and waivers.  Luckily, we have a pretty good handle on that stuff from two seasons ago."
"What sort of challenges?"
"Well, part of that will depend on how much prep work Don and Scott get done.  If you look at the overall project plan, there will be standing up two plants, one for materials and one for generator and desalination station manufacture.  It's going to be tight, but we should be able to start up production in June.  We will have preliminary designs of the station layout done before then, but I think having the interns staff the first station and begin the training program for the locals would make good television."
"This is quite a departure from prior efforts, Paul.  Are you and Jeryl going to be over there all summer to provide feedback and guidance?"
"I'm not sure.  There are a few other things in the works.  We might have them spending part of the time in Ireland or here.  That's why we're talking about it."
"Okay, we need thirteen episodes.  What's the finale going to be if we focus on these stations?"
"Good question.  I haven't thought that far out."
Billy moved to the whiteboard in the conference room and put "finale" in the top right corner with the number thirteen under it.  She then numbered down across the top, ending at one on the left hand side.
"Okay, we start them here," she said as she wrote "California" under the one, and then Kenya under the thirteen.
"Episode one needs to be them planning to set up operations in Kenya.  They need to be given a goal for episode two.  Then they have to figure out all the logistics, to get their teams over there, and ready for the second challenge."
Tom nodded.
"We need them to be travelling in the first episode.  A logistics challenge for the first show could be boring to viewers.  We'll need to have some more dramatic photography to keep them interested."
"How about we take the first two weeks to get them to Kenya, with the second week being in Ireland?" I asked.
"Doing what?"
"Make episode one a race.  They have to move themselves and some material from here to Ireland.  Success criteria will be time and material for delivery, kind of like we did with the generator components.  Then, episode two will be site surveys for stations in Kenya, with them coming back to Ireland for the presentations and debriefs."
Billy wrote quickly as I kept talking.
"Episode three is them taking the staged material, and setting up their stations."
"Okay," Tom said.  "If the fabrication plants are not up by June, what is episode four?"
Our conversation continued for the next three hours, with Jeryl joining us to review the plan for the last hour.  It would be a very challenging season to film in our allotted timeframe.
"What if we run long?" Jeryl asked as we finished walking through all thirteen episodes.
"Labor Day weekend is usually a hard stop for the interns.  We'll have to see if we can compress the front-end to give us some more flexibility."
Tom nodded.
"I think we can do the first few episodes in a tighter time frame.  Let Billy and me transcribe our notes, and then we can work the schedule a bit.  A few of these tasks and challenges are not interdependent, so we may be able to sequence them differently.  Give us a couple of days to iterate."
"Okay, but do it on the plane.  Don is leaving in two days.  I want you guys with him, to see if this is even feasible for the show."
"Will do," Tom said with a grin.  "I've always wanted to go to Africa."
*****
"Holy shit!" Hunter said as we watched the plume of smoke and fire billow into the desert sky.  We were watching a test firing of the modified fusion generator, and the second iteration of the variable flow nozzle and expansion chamber.  The first iteration had failed almost instantly, in spectacular fashion, three weeks earlier.
Now we watched, as smoke and debris were blasted into the air from our static-test firing stand.  We were in a bunker nearly two miles away, but had near ring-side seats, thanks to video feeds from the stand.
"Numbers are looking good," Harry said as he split his attention between the video and his computer screen.  "We're at sixty percent power, T-plus five seconds.  Inlet and outlet temps rising.  Thrust is steady."
My calculations indicated maximum heating of the nozzle would be reached at the twenty-second point.  Our test plan was to hold at sixty percent for sixty seconds.
I held my breath.
"T-plus twenty.  Inlet temp is steady.  Outlet temp is steady.  Thrust holding."  Harry said.
I glanced at the large digital clock over the video screen.
"T-plus forty.  Temps holding steady.  Thrust holding."
As the counter clicked over to one minute, the computer shut the generator down."
"Engine cut-off at T-plus sixty.  All temps steady.  Thrust at zero."
I pulled my own keyboard closer as I sat before a highly modified NeXT machine, and began typing commands.  Lines of data began appearing before me in crisp yellow text against the gray window.  WYSIWYG was fine for editing documents, but I preferred the better contrast of light text on a darker background when reviewing this sort of data.
"It looks like the magnetic containment built into the nozzle walls, worked," I said as I skimmed the data.  "I think Hunter's idea of using the magnetic controllers is going to work, too."
"How long to perform the analysis?" Harry asked as Hunter sat at his own workstation.
"A week, maybe a little less.  I want to make sure the new nozzle material is good before we re-fire.  That will take some disassembly and x-ray inspection."
Hunter nodded and said, "I've got the machines set up to crunch the numbers.  We'll have preliminary models done in about forty-eight hours.  That will at least tell us of gross flaws in the design.  The time needed for fine-grained results can be estimated after that initial modeling pass."
Harry grumbled, "I hate waiting for all this number crunching.  I know we need to do it, but I really want to continue the test plan."
"We will, but with all the due diligence we need to take.  You're going to want to take the thrust data back and pore over it for a week anyway.  Sixty percent capacity is about as low as we can throttle the generator and still build up sufficient charge for re-start.  You've now got a lower limit to validate the design against."
I typed in a few more commands.
"My rough estimate is that we are in the envelope for empty launch at four gees at sixty percent capacity on an 1800-ton craft.  That's looking better than the shuttle, since we don't have to carry all that fuel."
"Eighteen hundred tons?  Shit, we're going to have to build bigger.  We were looking at about a thousand.  No way to scale the generator down more or throttle it back?"
"Not yet.  Hunter and I have been looking at the theoretical side of things.  We've got some ideas, but nothing close to ready to experiment with."
"Well, with that kind of excess power, I think we are back to horizontal operations for empty weight loads.  We might even have to consider traditional jets for empty operations.  If we can't lower the thrust dramatically, we'll never get a soft landing, empty."
I nodded.  We had been going back and forth on horizontal or vertical take off and landing.  The more data we acquired, the more it looked like we would be building a space plane of some sort.
"Let's wait until after the full power test to make that call.  Once we have the full power data, I want to try a few things in the generator.  I might be able to change the power once the capacitors are charged for re-start.  I want the full thrust data first before I start tinkering with it, though."
"Paul, once we are recharged, I think we can do some things to reduce thrust," Hunter said.  "I've been looking at the magnetic pinch matrices and think we can manipulate the flow path to reduce the amount of fused material."
"That was my thinking as well, but we need to test it."
"What if we use your original prototype for testing?" he asked.
I shook my head.  "I'm still running it for endurance testing.  We need that data for our contracts and warranties."
Harry gave a dramatic sigh.  "Okay, I'll just have to wait.  In the mean time, how about we go have a pint of something wet and refreshing to toast our successful test?"
*****
"Please hold for the President of the United States," the voice said on the phone.  Rebecca, my secretary had been excited to announce the call.  I was back in Stanford for a few days before the next test firing in Nevada.
"Good afternoon, Paul," I heard a familiar voice say.
"Good afternoon, Mr.  President.  To what do I owe the honor?"
I heard a good natured chuckle.  "In other words, 'what do I want'?" he asked.
I smiled.  "That could be one way to interpret my question," I conceded.
"I know you like to get straight to the point.  I admire that in you, among other things.  I was calling to discuss your generator distribution.  The folks at State have raised a few concerns with where you are sending generators."
"Really?  What seems to be the problem, sir?"
"Well, the latest issue seems to be a set you are planning to send to Hong Kong in a few weeks."
"And that's a problem because....?"
"They seem to think it will give technology to the Chinese."
"Mister President, I've tried to make clear to both the DoD and the State Department that deploying generators does not 'give' technology to anyone.  It's one of the reasons I insist on operating them as part of the leasing agreement."
"So I've been told," he conceded.  "But it is a fine line.  What happens if the Chinese compromise the technology and suddenly have a fusion powered Navy while we are sitting on the sidelines?"
"Sir, you're listening to too much saber rattling.  For them to compromise the technology and create that capability, they would need a lot more than the generator.  They would need all of the various fabrication processes and materials that it takes to actually build one."
"I've heard that argument as well.  However, a lot of experts think it might be plausible to recreate your invention with other materials."
"It might be plausible, but it will take them a decade to do it.  I have not published everything they need to recreate all of the processes and materials.  In the meantime, isn't it better, politically, to have them buying from a U.S.  company?  If I lease generators to China directly, it can only help our trade imbalance.  It's one of the reasons I insist on payment in dollars."
"And the Treasury Department appreciates that, I can tell you," he said.  "But still, we are concerned about who you are doing business with.  I decided to call you for a chat rather than let the various Secretaries hatch some other plan.  What can we do to ease their concerns?"
I was surprised.  I had never really thought of this President as being a deal maker.  I thought quickly.
"Well, sir, if we had domestic orders to fill, I could shift our priority for delivery on some of the future orders."
He chuckled.  "But you would need the government to help with the union issues you have here."
"Well, sir, you can't expect something for nothing."
"No, you can't.  The unions have some political power that I need to stay aware of though."
"What if you expanded operations for military installations?  I'll contract for their power needs under a federal contract that conforms to my operating model."
"That might be possible.  I'll take that to the DoD and State.  In the meantime, can you slow delivery to a few places?"
"Like where, sir?"
"Hong Kong?"
"I will check, but if we've already informed them of the delivery date, I need to keep that commitment."
"What can you do to make sure the Chinese aren't trying to rob you?"
"I have a security clause in the contract.  If you're telling me there is a credible threat from the Chinese, I'll use that clause to beef up security for the generators and operators in Hong Kong.  That's the best I can do right now."
He sighed.  "Ok.  What about your future deliveries?"
"Where are you concerned?"
"Iran, Indonesia and Egypt are the top of the list from State."
"All of which are at least twelve months away from delivery.  Iran is even further."
I relayed a summary of my conversation with Minister Khalil and my arguments for doing business with them.
"Okay, Paul, I'll take you at your word.  How about we invite you to a conference here to discuss the political possibilities.  The idea of improving relations through the allocation of generating capacity is one nobody inside the beltway is thinking about.  I believe there is a lot of potential merit to it."
"I'd be happy to meet with anyone you think will listen, sir."
He chuckled again.  "Oh, I can make people listen.  Unfortunately, I can't make them agree.  Thank you for taking the time to talk with me, Paul.  It's always educational."
"Thank you, sir."
"We'll be in touch."
******
"Paul, take a look at this," Hunter said as he spun his monitor to face me.  On the crisp display was our wire-frame model of the generator and engine nozzle with multi-colored flow lines animated with the magnetic field in blue and the plasma flow path in red.
"Looks normal," I said.
"It is.  This is what I want you to look at."
He clicked a button and the magnetic lines shifted dramatically while the plasma flow constricted and sped up.
"What did you do?"
"I was wondering what would happen if we used more power for the field containment.  If the model is right, we actually increase nozzle velocity, but decrease overall thrust.  It's like Bernoulli's principle, but because the plasma is conductive, and meets resistance in the magnetic field, we get a net decrease of thrust."
I nodded.  If the plasma were non-conductive, the sum of the kinetic, potential, and internal energy would remain constant, despite the velocity change.
"So this could throttle down the engine?"
"That's what I think," he said as he tapped the screen.  "This extra field dynamic creates more of a pinch and back-pressure.  We'll have to make sure we can contain the energies, but my initial modeling indicates we could reduce thrust by a factor of two with this change."
I looked at the model more closely.
"We'll need to really beef up the magnetic actuators to handle individual element failures, and still be able to maintain control."
"Yeah, I think we'll want to over engineer by fifty percent or so."
I shook my head, and said, "We'll do it by a factor of one hundred percent.  The design guys really want a single engine option.  It has to be robust enough to handle a significant failure of individual elements to make single engine operation safe enough.  We already see about a two percent degradation after a thousand hours of operation."
"Okay.  We'll have to re-cast some framework components to handle that load."
"Agreed.  Send me the model, and I'll start figuring out that design.  I can probably have a mold built before Harry gets here."
"So you want to build and test this week?"
"Absolutely.  This is great work, Hunter.  If we can prove the model with live data, the airframe team will flip.  They've been pushing for a smaller structure all along."
Hunter snorted.  "I've never agreed with that approach.  We're giving them an engine capable of putting fifteen hundred metric tons in orbit, and they want us to cut it in half.  Think about sending the international space station up as a single load."
"You and I think that way, but the boffins are thinking in terms of consumables and more frequent and lighter flights."
"Well, let's work with some different boffins then.  Or, better yet, let's hire our own."
I smiled at his enthusiasm.
"Let's get the first vessel certified and in orbit, before we start building bigger and better.  I trust the guys and gals at Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce.  I also think I'd rather prove out the technology, before we scale out the delivery capability."
Hunter shook his head.  "I know, but damnit, this is big stuff.  We can effectively eliminate so many concerns the space delivery folks have had, historically.  We could do a direct mission back to the moon with this engine."
"If it works," I cautioned.
"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure it will."
"I think it will, too, but we need to build it and test it.  You'd be surprised how many things I've thought would work in theory, that failed in practice.  It's one of the things that makes this so fun."
"Failure is fun?" he asked.
"It is if you learn from it.  Send me the model so I can start learning.  While I'm working on that, see if the same approach can help us scale down the regular generators while maintaining power output."
Hunter gave me a look and then shook his head.  "Okay, you're the boss."
*****
"Hey, Alison.  What brings you to sunny Nevada, before the sun is fully up?"
I was just finishing my breakfast in and the desert vista out the windows was lightening.  We had another test firing of the engine schedule for later in the day, but I wanted to go over the modifications Hunter and I had been working on.
"I was checking the security improvements, and thought this might be a good time to catch up."
She surprised me.  While Alison was a frequent fixture and an exceptional lover, we seldom sat down for a chat outside of the holiday time we had with the three of us.  With kids needing more and more attention, that quality private time had seemed to grow less frequent over the past few years.  The three of us had hardly been alone in the same room since our little vacation in British Columbia.
I grabbed a coffee mug and put the kettle on, while fetching some tea from the cupboard.
"I'll make you a cup of tea and we can talk.  What's up?"
She took a seat at the counter, back straight but still incredibly elegant.  Her red hair was impeccably brushed and pulled into a loose pony-tail.  She licked her lips as I put some tea into a steeping pot.
"I wanted to talk to you alone.  I've got some news."
Now I was worried.
"What sort of news?
"Not good news, I'm afraid.  I'm going to need to take a little time off.  Something showed up on my annual physical last month."
I moved around the counter and sat next to her and gave her a hug.  "What is it?"
Her demeanor began to falter.  "I've got a small lump in my breast," she finally managed to say.
I held her for a few minutes and then gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"Okay.  Have they told you it's cancer?"
She shook her head.
"No, but they want to remove it and do a biopsy."
I sighed, thinking back to Wendy and high school.  I was not going to let this woman face her fears alone.
"Okay.  Have you told Jeryl yet?"
"No."
"Well, let's fly up and talk to her.  Then we'll make sure one of us is with you every step of the way."
"You can't.  You both have more important things to work on and worry about," she said.
"'Bollocks,' as you are fond of saying.  You are more important to us than any business we have going on," I said, and kissed her again.  "We'll help you get through this.  We will support you any way you need until we know what's actually going on."
The water came to a boil and I stepped back around the counter to pour it into the teapot.  A few minutes later, I set the fresh cup of tea in front of her.
"Thank you," she said as I set out some milk for her.  Her hand shook a little as she poured the milk into her tea.  She looked up to see if I had noticed.
"I'm afraid, Paul," she said with a tremor in her voice.

Chapter Thirty-Eight
Priorities
*****
"How's she doing?" I asked as Jeryl came out of Alison's hospital room.
The procedure to excise the small lump in her breast had gone well, according to the doctor.  We now had to wait for the results of the biopsy.  It was the waiting that was the hardest.
"She's asleep," Jeryl said.  "The doctor visited briefly and said things went well, but...."
I hugged my wife.  "She'll be fine."
Jeryl shuddered a little against me.
"I know she will.  It's just the thought of her being so strong for us all these times, and now, she needs us to be strong for her."
"And we will be.  She'll be up and around, tomorrow.  We'll let her spend some time with the kids, and just relax.  Sandford and Tiffany run our detail most days, anyway.  She doesn't need to rush back to work."
Jeryl gave me a little smile as she said, "You just have to convince her of that."
We were both surprised the next day when we did not get any argument from Alison to take a little time to rest.  Jeryl and Tiffany got her settled into the guest room at the Stanford house, while I headed back to Deer Valley to spend a little time with the kids.  We had decided not to bring them out to California until we knew we would be spending some time there, for Alison's treatment.  Ali was into a regular half-day pre-school program, and Jeremy was keeping Anna's hands full most days.  Jeryl and I did not like both of us being away from them for more than a single night.  We had decided it was better for Jeryl to stay with Alison.
"Daddy!" Ali said as I walked into the living room of the Deer Valley house.  She had toys spread out on the couch and coffee table.
"Ali!" I said with a big smile.
We had fallen into a pattern of big greetings.  Part of me worried that she was excited to see me because I was spending too much time away from her.  She ran to me on her short legs, and I scooped her up for a big hug.
"Where's Mommy?" she asked as I set her back down.
"She's with Aunt Alison.  She'll be home tomorrow."
"Goody.  I got asked to go play with Samantha tomorrow afternoon, but I need Mommy's permission."
"Will Daddy's permission do?"
She looked at me with a smile, and nodded.
"Okay, then.  Does Anna have Samantha's phone number?"
She nodded again.
"Then I guess we had better get on the phone before it gets too late."
I got the particulars from Anna, after getting a big hug from Jer, who was 'reading' a picture book with Anna in the kitchen.  Mrs.  Eccles was working on dinner.
"Greenson's residence," a pleasant voice said after the third ring.
"Hello, is this Samantha's mother?"
"It is."
"This is Paul Taylor, Ali's dad.  I understand our two girls want to get together tomorrow after pre-school."
"Mr.  Taylor, it's a pleasure to meet you.  I'm Rachel Greenson.  Yes, Samantha and Ali have become best friends in pre-school, it seems.  Samantha has been pestering me for Ali to come over, if it's no trouble for you."
"Absolutely.  Do we need to let the school know?"
"If you or Anna could, that would be great.  I'll pick the girls up, and they can play for a couple hours."
I got the Greenson's address and let Anna know the plans before getting the kids ready for bed.  Jeryl called briefly to wish Ali and Jer sweet dreams, and to let me know that Alison was resting well.  With luck, they would be flying east to join us, tomorrow afternoon.
The next morning was quiet during my workout, and then hectic as we got the kids up and Ali off to pre-school.  Anna took Jer for some outside play time once he was bundled up in his winter suit and cap.  I grabbed another cup of coffee and turned on the computer in my office to get a little work done.  This morning was all about checking production schedules.
An hour or so later, the phone icon flashed on the screen.  I picked up the handset.
"This is Paul," I said.
"Paul, this is Victor at Lockheed.  How are you?"
"I'm good, Victor.  What can I do for you?"
"It's really what I can do for you," Victor said smugly.  "I've heard through the grapevine that you are interested in acquiring some dedicated communications channels for worldwide communications."
"I am, but it's pretty low-bandwidth requirement.  I wouldn't think Lockheed would have much to offer in that area."
"Well, we don't directly, but one of the guys here was talking to an engineer and they put one and one together and came up with three.  What would you think about an orbital solution?"
"Sounds pricy."
Victor laughed.  "Maybe, but I think your DigiNet team would like the solution as well."
I paused in my initial response.  Hunter and I had been talking about the security protocol to have generators connect with our network for verification during the start-up process.  We had the software and hardware, but we did not have a global communications network to handle the hand-shake process we had come up with.  In developed regions, the communications infrastructure was more then adequate.  It was in the remote locations, such as those we were contemplating for the desalination stations, where it became a problem.  Satellite based communications would alleviate that bottleneck.  We were actually already in discussions with Inmarsat on the problem.
"What do you have in mind, Victor?"
I could almost hear the smile in his voice.  "We have some knowledge and background in building orbital solutions.  We'd work in partnership with you to create the capability you need, and you'd let us piggyback either in the launches, or with bandwidth agreements."
It sounded almost too good to be true.  It would solve many of our problems.
"What's the catch?" I asked.
"No catch, other than keeping the particulars quiet."
A light bulb went off in my mind.  He wanted off-the-books links for the DoD, most likely.
"I think it is worth further discussion, but can you meet our timeline?  We'd want to start deploying the communications constellation in less than a year."
I figured we could make do with land-based communications until then.
"If the lift capacity I hear rumors of some billionaire developing hold true, I'm sure we can meet that timeline.  Launch schedules are the hardest part to get firm right now."
"Okay.  How about we set up a meeting for next week?"
"That sounds good.  Do you want to meet here?"
I thought for a minute.
"No, how about you and I and anyone else you need hop in the GX-3, and we meet in Ireland?  I've got some folks on the continent that will be involved, and we have plenty of space there."
*****
"Three, in geostationary orbit, would be the minimum," Victor said as we finished hammering out the communications satellite needs we had.
I had flown Victor and three other Lockheed engineers over on the GX-3 with Alison and myself.  The biopsy had come back negative, giving us all a relief of worry, but she was still not back to herself.  She had overseen the security arrangements for this meeting and then taken Lila with her to her offices in London.  Hunter, Donna and I were in the meeting.
"But geostationary gives us a significant time lag on voice communications," Donna said.  She was most concerned about expanding DigiNet's coverage via satellite while Hunter and I were worried about command and control of the generators.
"Iridium is looking at a constellation of sixty-six satellites.  They are looking to support 10Mbits, but are several years away from operational capability," Victor replied.
"We know," I said.  "We've been talking to them."  I looked pointedly at Donna.  "What demand do you have today for voice services?"
She glanced at her notes.  "It's limited, but it would allow us to expand so much faster."
"I know, but I'm wondering if we aren't better off putting up three geosynchronous birds first and then filling in to meet voice demand in the future."
She nodded, though she did not look happy.  "We could survive.  I just hate the latency it introduces."
"It's only 240 milliseconds," Hunter interjected.
"Which is very noticeable on a voice call," Donna said.
"But not for lower bandwidth data," I finished.  "What about spectrum?" I asked.
"We've got a good block of L-band that is good for satellite coms.  We can also use SHF for directed coms."
"We can handle both of those," Victor said.  "We've got a bit of experience, there.  Paul, we should be able to build the birds pretty quickly.  These specs are well within our capabilities, so it's nothing new or groundbreaking.  Will you be able to meet an end-of-year launch window?"
I noticed the other Lockheed engineers lean forward a little.  I shot a glance at Hunter.  He noticed as well.
"We should be able to," I said after a pause.  "Our next meetings this week will help us decide how solid that estimate is."
Victor smiled.  "I'd love to sit in on that discussion," he said.
I knew he was fishing for information on our plans with Rolls-Royce and Gulfstream.  I forced a chuckle.
"I'm sure you would, Victor, but it's going to be pretty proprietary.  Let's just say that we're pretty confident we'll be able to place all three Satellites in a single launch."
His eyes got big.  Placing three geostationary satellites of the size we were discussing in a single launch told him quite a bit about our projected flight capabilities.  It was not just lifting the mass into orbit; it was also having the maneuvering capacity to place them all on a single trip.
"Soft abort?" he asked.
I shrugged and replied, "It's planned for, but this could be the inaugural operational flight, so we'll have to see."
He nodded.  "Fair enough."
We wrapped our meeting up, and called it a day.  Hunter turned down an invitation to dinner, saying Lila should be home by then.  I headed back to the house outside Dublin, and made a sandwich before sitting down to read the latest research notes from Dr.  Wilkerson and his new protege Thomas Culpepper, from last season's 'The Interns.'  I was deep into their latest attempts at new nano-fabrication techniques when I heard the door to my study open.
"Good evening, Paul," Alison said as she came into my study and sat down next to me.
"Good evening.  How was London?"
She sighed and slipped off her shoes before turning on the small couch and placing her legs across my lap.  I closed my notes and then began rubbing her feet.  I knew she enjoyed that.
"London was hectic, as usual.  I'm making some staff changes though, and need to make sure everyone gets settled.  When you head back to the states, I'll probably spend a bit of time with them."
"You're not overdoing it, are you?"  She had her cancer scare less than a week ago.
"That's just it.  I'm making changes at work, so I can make some changes in my life.  Last week was a wake-up call, for me."
I continued to rub her feet, waiting for her to say more.
"I had to think about my life," she said after a short pause.  "I'm proud of my business and what I do for you and your company, but I don't want that to be all that is remembered of me, when I do finally pass."
I nodded, but stayed quiet.
She looked at me with serious eyes.  "You know I can't have children, right?"
I nodded.  "Jeryl told me."
"I started the process to adopt while I was in London.  I love Ali and Jer, but I want a child to call my own."
"I can understand that.  You know Jeryl and I will support you."
She nodded.
"I know you will, and I love you both for it.  I've got a favor to ask."
"Anything."
"I want to buy one of the lots next to you, at Deer Valley."
I thought about it for a minute.  "Is that best for you?"
"I need a residence for the paperwork.  Having a home, there, will be much better than an apartment someplace else.  I thought about building here, in Ireland, and I probably will to maintain an EU residence, now that the Maastricht Treaty has been signed, but I want to have a place near Jeryl and the kids."
"Do you really want such a large place?  The lots are sized for pretty big houses."
"Don't you want me as a neighbor?" she asked with a coy smile.
"You know that's not it.  I'm just thinking about you and a child alone in such a place.  You could live with us."
She shook her head sharply.
"I need my own place.  I love you both and will most likely spend a lot of time with you, but I need my own residence and address."
I sighed.  It had been worth a shot.  I was sure Jeryl would try again later.  "Of course I'll sell you a lot if that's what you want."
It was her turn to smile.  "How about I build a duplex so you can at least stash some of the security at my place?  Or I'll let you put up some guests there if needed."
"Ah, we're negotiating?" I asked.  "How about I build it and give you a life-time lease from the company?  They own the lots anyway.  That way we avoid some of the tax issues.  You still get a separate address and some private space without having to expend capital."
She looked thoughtful for a few minutes.  "Let me sleep on it, but I think that could work."
I smiled and said,"'Sounds like a plan.'"
*****
"Have we talked to Honeywell?" I asked the assembled engineering management team for the GO-X.  We were into our final design review, even though some fabrication had already begun in a new assembly complex on Gulfstream's Savannah facilities.
Stan shook his head and asked, "Why Honeywell?"
"They did the Shuttle's flight control systems.  They've got expertise."
"So do we," said Harry from Rolls-Royce.
I wanted to yell, but controlled myself.
"Look," I said as I paused to take a deep breath, "we've got some serious concerns about the automatic flight controls.  We don't have a final design or the time to build a man rated system right out of the gate, so we chose to use an automated control system.  No one in this room has built such a system before, and we'll need months of development and testing to hit a December test flight date.  There are three or four expert firms in the field; Honeywell, Lockheed, Rockwell, and General Dynamics.  We need to contact them and get proposals."
"It will take too long, Paul," Stan said.
"I'll bet we can get a proposal from Lockheed in two weeks.  Once I tell that to the others, I bet they match the timeline.  This system will also be the back-up in our manned design.  They will want that piece of business.  If they don't I'll get some of my folks working on it.  Hell, I'll work on it myself.  At the end of the day it is a PID control system, not too different from what I put into cars a decade ago.  The parameter tuning is going to be the hardest part."
"Which means we have to finalize the design to have stable characteristics to define those parameters," Harry added.
Heads nodded, and we looked back at the two designs hanging on the walls.  Both were similar, with dual fusion rockets projecting from the rear, a long fuselage with a slightly curved belly indicative of a lifting body.  One design was much broader than the other.  We had given it the "Beta" designation.  The narrower airframe became "Alpha" by default.
"Beta gives us a greater range of payload options," I said.  "What are the negatives with it?"
A Gulfstream engineer raised a hand and got a nod from Stan.
"It's much less traditional so it's going to require quite a bit of wind tunnel testing.  Because of the wider placement of the engines, single engine operation in a failure mode is going to really stress the control systems.  It might not even be flyable on a single engine."
"But it also has greater lift characteristics," another engineer said.  "It could land empty, without power.  The Alpha design would need a greater wing area to match that."
"And that would increase wing loading beyond our tolerance threshold," the first engineer finished.
In a nut-shell, they had just re-capped the argument from the past hour that had led us to discussing control systems for them.
"Okay.  If they are that evenly matched in trade-offs, let's go with Beta," I said.  "Having an unpowered abort capability for return from orbit will be a benefit for the manned version."
I looked around the room.  Stan and Harry were nodding.  The advocates of the Alpha design looked a little disappointed, but seemed happy that we had finally made a decision.
"Alpha team," I said.  "You're now our 'red team.'  I want you going over everything in the Beta design looking for gaps and flaws.  We are moving forward with the Beta design, but must have fresh eyes on everything.  Challenge the assumptions, and figure out ways to test them.  We're all in this together, now.  Got it?"
Heads nodded and the meeting broke up.  I asked Stan for a loaner office, and I was soon on the line to Lockheed.
"That's a pretty tall order, Paul," Victor said after I told him what I was looking for.
"I know it is, Victor.  You have to decide if Lockheed wants a shot at a long-term flight control system contract or not.  It could be a very big deal, but this is not some gold-plated government job.  If the costs aren't viable for a commercial offering, we'll go a different route."
"Who else are you asking for bids?"
"The usual suspects: you, Rockwell, General Dynamics, and Honeywell."
"None of them will hit your timeline," he said.
"We'll see.  I'm talking to you first.  Do you want in or not?"
"Send me your design, and I'll talk to the bosses."
"I guess that's the best I can ask for."
It was harder getting through to the right people at the other firms.  Fame helped since I used my name as leverage to finally talk to the CEO of Honeywell and then the head of General Dynamics Aviation.  By the end of the day, I had four bidders starting the hard work of analyzing and defining our flight control system needs.  It was the first major milestone we had not been able to work past, ourselves.  It made me nervous for some reason.
*****
Joseph and Rebecca were both present for my morning briefing, which was a change.  Usually, only one of them did the briefing that Sheryl and Donna had established to keep me out of the weeds on every project.  Since settling in as my new assistants, I did not think I had ever had them both in the meeting at once.
"What's up?" I asked as Joseph closed the door.
"We need a bit more time and direction, sir," Rebecca said, as they sat down with note pads in hand.
"On what?"
"Your schedule, sir," Joseph said.
They were both ex-military, and British, which gave them their own air of dignity.
"You're getting too many requests to handle, sir," Rebecca added quickly.  "Today, you have calls scheduled with Lockheed, Rockwell, Honeywell, and General Dynamics.  You also need to meet with Tom and Billy to finalize the show's production schedule, and you asked for an hour video conference with Hunter and another with Donna.  Finally, Sheryl needs to speak with you on the new facilities in Kenya."
"You have fourteen hours of requests, sir," Joseph said, "and we don't know what the relative priority is, or needs to be, to help juggle."
I sighed.
"There's a lot going on, right now.  Spring always gets crazy.  Okay," I said as I thought through the list of projects.  "My personal priority is the GO-X, followed by the show, but that doesn't mean I need to sit in on every meeting.  The GO-X team can handle the ones with the flight control contractors.  I'll review their conclusions and recommendations at next week's status meeting.  I need to talk to Donna, Sheryl and Hunter before the production meeting with Tom and Billy, since the data they have will impact the show."
They both nodded and jotted quick notes.
"Now, what's the real problem?" I asked.  "That little scheduling blip hardly constitutes 'needing direction.'"
Rebecca cast her gaze downward, as if embarrassed, while Joseph grinned.
"I thought you'd see through that, sir," Joseph said.  He licked his lips before continuing.  "Sir, we have been helping out with the desalination prototypes and projects, while you've been focused on the GO-X lately.  We'd like a bigger role in that project if we may."
"Like what?"
"Well, Bill and Don need help with the project management aspects, mostly scheduling and dependency tracking.  We'd like to take that on, more formally, for them."
I shrugged and said, "If you have the capacity, I'm all for it.  Why do you need to ask?"
"Well, sir, we thought you'd say that, so have just been doing it.  Now, Bill has asked Rebecca to go to Kenya to help, as they start getting the facilities squared away before the show starts over there."
I looked at the petite woman with her shy eyes.  There seemed to be a flush on her neck at the mention of Bill's name.
"And?" I asked.
"Well, it seemed like the proper thing to do was to talk to you about it," Rebecca said.
I nodded.  "So, if you take this role, Joseph is short handed as my PA, right?"
He nodded.
"Then find another one to fill in.  If it turns into a long-term role for Rebecca, we'll have a ready replacement.  If it doesn't work out, we'll have a trained person that can help one of the other department heads."
Rebecca smiled at me.
"Thank you, sir.  I've always dreamed of working in Africa.  Thank you so much."
She stood from the chair and hurried around my desk to give me a hug.  It was the most expressive I had ever seen the small woman.
I shook my head as she headed back out of the office.  Joseph chuckled.
"Sir, do I need to post for the position?"
"Not if you know someone.  Why?"
"One of the interns from last season sent you her resume.  She graduated in January.  Tamara from University of California San Diego."
"Computer science and volleyball, right?"
He nodded.  I remembered her well from the show.  She had placed third overall in the season.
"She would do a good job, I think.  Can you train her?"
Joseph smiled and said, "Oh, yes sir.  She can't be any worse than some new private, straight out of basic, sir.  I'll give her a call and see if she is interested."
"Let me know if you need my or Jeryl's help."
*****
"Did you work with hardware, software, or both?" I asked Tamara as she sat across from me in the small conference room in the main offices.  She seemed more nervous than I expected, after all the interview time on the show.
"Both.  Why do you ask?" she said, sounding defensive.
I held up a hand.
"Tamara, you seem nervous.  You've got the job.  This isn't an interview.  What's going on?"
Her green eyes settled on me, and she took a deep breath.
"I am nervous, and I don't really know why.  Maybe it's just how fast everything is happening.  For the show, we applied in the fall and did not get selected until March.  I just sent you my resume last week, and now here I am on the job.  It's a different pace."
I laughed and said, "Get used to it.  You're here because you've already had a grueling interview!  It has aired on national television.  Jeryl and I know what you're capable of, and how hard you'll work, but the work is not going to be nearly as structured as it was during the show."
"I know that.  I just don't think I really appreciated how fast things would start."
"Okay, so remember what you learned.  I don't bite heads off babies.  I don't expect perfection.  I expect you to try hard, do your best, and ask smart questions when you get stumped.  Everything else is window dressing."
She took a deep breath, and nodded.
"I can do that."
"I know you can.  So, you worked both hardware and software, right?"
"Yes."
"And you worked on cryptography in your senior project?"
She nodded.
"Good.  In addition to your daily duties of following me around and coordinating my schedule with Joseph, I'll get you up to speed on a project Hunter and I are working on for the generators.  It's meaty, important, and right up your alley."
I went on to explain the protocol we were developing to ensure proper usage of the generators.
"While we've worked through all the pieces, we don't have the centrally controlled, distributed infrastructure we'll need for the generator call backs."
She nodded and said, "You'll want both key management for the crypto, and data storage for the information coming back, so you can analyze and trend it out."
"Exactly.  Do you think you can come up with a design?"
"Yeah.  You and Hunter have done the hard part: defining the protocol.  I should be able to have a rough plan in a day or two."
"Good.  Remember it needs to be five-nines, or better, for availability.  Make sure you take that into account on your design."
She gulped at that.  Designing a single node was simple.  Designing something that was available 99.999% or more of the time was a different challenge.
"Just ask if you run into questions," I said in what I hoped was an encouraging voice.  "Now, let's talk about the work schedule.  I'm sure Joseph went over things with you yesterday, but I like to give you a bit more personal guidance.  You'll most likely be traveling with me pretty quickly.  I like to be up around six every day, regardless of where I am in the world.  You don't have to be, but I've found it helps me to avoid jet-lag and to adjust my body to the local clock, quickly.  I work out every day.  You're welcome to join me if you're so inclined, but that is strictly optional.  What won't be optional is your self-defense training with one of the security staff, at least three times a week.  Alison or Sanford will give you an initial assessment, and then figure out your training plan."
She nodded again.
"Joseph told me the same.  I've got pretty good hand-eye coordination, but I've never shot a real gun."
"They'll train you how to do it properly, but you won't need to carry one.  That's their job.  We're almost always well escorted, but it can pay off to know how to handle yourself in a crisis.  Since we'll be travelling to some less civilized places in the next few months, it's a good idea to know how to look after yourself."
She nodded.
"Finally, my personal assistants have always been welcome around my family.  This is going to feel different than on the show.  It might take some getting used to."
"What do you mean?"
I smiled as I replied, "On the show, you saw Jeryl and I only when we wanted you to.  Now, you'll be staying in our house when we go to Utah.  You'll have very open access to us.  We're people, just like you, and that means you'll see us with our hair down.  I guess I'm trying to say, it won't be like on the show."
She forced a laugh.
"Well, as long as you don't parade around in your all together, I think I'll be alright," she said.
"Actually, at a couple of our places, that is a possibility; at least, with Jeryl," I said seriously.
Tamara blushed and asked, "Really?"
I nodded.
"Well, I guess if it doesn't bother her, it won't bother me," she said bravely.
"Good.  It's not likely to happen, most places, except Saint Lucia or Hawaii and on the deck in Nevada, but I wanted to warn you.  She likes her even tan."
Two days later, in Nevada, I was glad I had warned her.
"Tamara," Jeryl said as she wrapped a sarong around her hips while walking inside the cabin to greet us.  "It's so good to see you, again."
I tried not to laugh at Tamara's expression as Jeryl gave her a good look at her breasts while giving me a kiss.
"Sorry, I didn't expect you guys so early, today.  Ali and Jer and I were just playing outside."
I looked outside and saw Ali and Jer in the sandbox on the deck.  I headed outside to say 'hi' to them while Jeryl guided Tamara into the kitchen and poured some drinks.
As I came back inside with a sand-covered naked boy, I picked up their conversation.
"No, Paul warned me, and I'm fine with it.  I mean, I was on the volleyball team where most of my teammates were more interested in women than men.  You kind of learn to take things as they come, in that environment."
Jeryl laughed and commented, "Well, we're of the live and let live mindset.  As long as you're not hurting anyone, we don't really care what orientation you are."
"You can say that again," I said as I moved to the sink to clean up our boy.  He didn't fuss much, seeming to be more interested in the blonde-haired stranger talking to Mommy.
"Anyway, this is Jer and Ali is still building a magnificent sand castle," I said once I had Jer cleaned up.
"I'm two!" Jer announced, holding up two fingers for Tamara.
"Hi, two.  I'm Tamara," she said back quickly.
Jer looked confused for a moment, parsing her words.  After a moment, he smiled.
"No, I'm Jer, not two."
By the time lunch was served for the kids, Tamara looked relaxed around my exhibitionist wife and kids.
*****
"Got all your shots?" I heard Joseph say as someone walked into the outer office.
"I do," Tamara replied.  "Were they all really necessary?  I was sick most of the weekend."
I stepped out my door and waved at them both.
"Yes, they were necessary for all of us.  Nobody wants to be sick in Africa, if we can avoid it," I said.
Tamara's eyes got wide as she asked, "Africa?  Really?"
I nodded.
"When?"
"Tomorrow," I said.  "We just got an update from Don and Scott this morning.  We'll be flying to Ireland today and Kenya tomorrow."
"But I don't have a bag packed or the right gear for that sort of trip."
I grinned as I asked, "You've got underwear, right?"
"That's a little personal, but yes, I've got a small travel bag in my car.  Joseph warned me to have a 'ready bag,' at all times."
I saw an approving nod from Joseph.
"Good.  That will suffice for a couple of days.  We'll be met in Ireland by an outfitter who Alison has vetted.  They have the particulars of what we'll need.  It's not going to be a long trip, but we need to see the locations for this year's show, and I have to do a little glad-handing with the local politicians to keep things moving forward.  Consider the gear you'll get a perk of employment."
"No Nike gear to test?" she asked with a grin.
"Only if you want to go rough it in the bush.  We're not doing a safari or anything wild on this trip.  Three or four days max.  We might even make it back to California by the weekend."
An hour later, we were 'wheels-up' and heading to Ireland.
"Do you have your design for the power generation servers?" I asked as we leveled out at cruising altitude.
"I do," she said as she pulled her laptop out of her bag and moved to sit next to me at the table in the cabin.  "It's actually going to be five servers in five different data centers.  That way we can be assured of the system always being available."
I nodded and looked at the specifications document she pulled up.
"If a generator can't authenticate three of the five servers, it will initiate a failure mode.  Three such failed attempts will initiate the control system burn-out, you and Hunter devised."
I thought about her design for a moment.  "Where are the data centers?"
"California, London, Singapore, Sydney and Switzerland.  Each location will have two or more data links and I've ensured DigiNet is a primary connection at each, as well.  Most of the traffic should stay on the DigiNet backbone, but we'll have redundancy just in case."
"Good.  What about data capture for the stuff coming upstream?"
"That's a little trickier.  I've opted for a queued replication strategy of the data.  We'll have eventual consistency, not real-time replication."
I thought about the state of art for database synchronization.  Using the existing commercial tools would cause more headaches than it was worth, so I was fine with her approach.
"Okay.  This looks good.  We'll be meeting briefly with Donna, tomorrow morning, before heading to Africa.  I want to make sure she understands our needs."
"Why the rush?  I didn't think you'd have dedicated satellite channels until the end of the year."
"That's the goal, but we're going to have to use another provider until then.  I want the fail-safes in place for the generators we'll be using in the desalination plants, over the summer.  We have our first prototype running in Alameda, now.  You can use that as your test bed for the signaling protocol.  It doesn't have the fail-safe logic in the control board yet, but it still has all the parts needed for the hand-shake, the diagnostics and the testing.  We can start fleshing out the test plan, now, and you can finish it up during slow time in Africa."
She laughed.
"I've yet to see you take 'slow-time'," she said.
I smiled as I said, "I've got to meet with politicians on this trip.  You'll have plenty of time to work without me adding to your backlog of to-do's," I said.
By the time we landed, Tamara and I had a five-page listing of tests, with each item on the list being documented with failure modes and special test scenarios.  To my way of thinking, we need to ensure the communication to and from the servers was legitimate, which meant following the correct cryptographic protocol.  We then had to test that when the protocol was not followed, the correct error was recorded.  We really did not want false positives frying a bunch of our generators.
Alison was waiting for us at the air field in Ireland.  Her color had returned along with her professional demeanor.  She was not really a fan of us going to Africa; either for this trip, or for the show.
"Good flight?" she asked as we climbed into the Range Rover she had waiting for us.
I shrugged.
"We worked, so it must have been fine.  Are we still on to meet the outfitter?"
"Yes.  We'll go straight there.  They should be waiting for us."
Two hours later, we each had two soft sided canvas duffels filled with climate appropriate clothing and all the accouterments needed for our visit.  Tamara looked a little bewildered as Alison helped her fold her new clothes, to minimize wrinkles.
"You'll get used to the pace," I heard her say.
"What do you mean?" Tamara asked.
"Paul.  His pace.  He goes hard and fast until Jeryl forces him to take a break."
"I've seen that in the past two weeks.  Not the break part, but his work ethic.  I thought we worked hard on the show.  He is up at six, and doesn't stop until midnight, it seems."
Alison nodded.  "That's why there are two assistants.  If you tried to match his pace, you'd collapse.  My security teams have had to learn a similar lesson.  I've got four people to cover him and have to shift them out on a regular basis."
"I never thought about that," Tamara said.
Alison nodded.
"I didn't think you had, but my team will be a little more obvious on this trip.  Kenya is fairly safe, but there are enough unknowns in Africa that I'm taking a few additional precautions."
"That's good, I guess.  Anything I need to do?"
"No, just keep your eyes open and don't get lost."
"I think I can do that," she said.
"I suspected you could, but thought I'd mention it to you.  We'll do a full security brief before we land, tomorrow.  It's just a good idea to give new staff a little heads up.  Some people can get a little strange the first time they think about travelling with a security team."
"How so?"
Alison shrugged and then zipped up the duffel bag before facing Tamara.
"How would you react if I stopped you from going into a bathroom when you really had to go?"
"I don't know...."
"Some people think its being paranoid, but bathrooms are a dangerous place if someone is trying to abduct you.  I or my team will check them out, before you or Paul go into one.  If you don't realize the why, you can get upset, which just adds to everyone's stress."
Tamara nodded.
The next morning was hectic, with meetings and then the final rush to get to the airfield, and down to Mombasa.  The four-hour flight in the GX-3 was relatively quiet, but I was worried about Tamara as she eyed our security escort.
"First time in Africa?" Mike Keller asked as he tried to strike up a conversation with her.
"Yes.  You?"
He gave her an easy smile.
"No.  I've been over here many times.  Kenya is a nice country.  Not like some of the places on continent.  Alison likes to cover all the bases, but you don't need to worry.  We'll look after you and Paul and each other.  Just follow our guidance and don't wander off alone."
"Why not, if it's safe?"
Mike gave he his easy smile.  "'Safe' is relative.  There are many different tribes active in Kenyan politics.  The president plays them off one another effectively and maintains his party's power.  That is different from being as safe as a U.S.  city."
"Do you think it's wise doing business there then?"
Mike shrugged.
"It's got some economic concerns since the end of the Cold War.  The U.S.  is restricting some aid, looking for political reforms.  The people I've met are honest and hard working.  I think it will be good for the corporation, good for the people of the country, and good for the world to see an East African country gaining a little prosperity through something other than mining."
I smiled to myself and decided to join the conversation.
"Sorry," I said as I moved to turn my seat around and face them on the couch.  "I couldn't help but overhear you.  There are some risks in doing business there, but we think we've got them managed, and as Mike mentioned, it could be a very good thing for the country.  We're going to be investing heavily in the country's infrastructure to do what we want there."
"I thought you were launching the desalination plants," Tamara said.
I nodded as I replied, "That's part of it, but we're also going to establish manufacturing and transport infrastructure.  We're going to Mombasa on this trip to see the plans for the desalination effort and the show, but we'll then hop to Nairobi for some meetings."
"No sight-seeing this trip?" Mike asked.
"Not for us.  Tom and Billy are doing a bit of scouting for locations and will film some back-story footage, but we're all business on this trip."
"Oh, well, maybe next time.  I'd like to get back to the Maasai Mara one of these days.  Spectacular country."
"Why's that?" Tamara asked.
"It's connected to the Serengeti Park in Tanzania.  You can see all the Big Five if you have a little patience."
I nodded.  "We're planning a trip to a luxury lodge there as one of the prizes during the show," I said.
"That's quite a prize," Tamara commented.
I smiled.
"It's going to be quite a challenge the interns will face, to win it."
"Oh?"
I nodded, but did not say anything else.
*****
"Okay," Tamara said as we settled in on our flight back to Ireland.  "I understand the first two challenges for the show are to get them to Kenya with gear, and I get setting up a pair of desalination plants for a third challenge, but I don't know what else you are planning on having them do that will make for good television," she said.
"Did you watch your season after living it?" I asked.
"Of course.  How could I not when all my friends were watching it?"
"How much more did you learn, watching?  Did we capture everything?"
She shook her head.
"No.  I mean, it was a good snapshot and highlight reel, but you didn't show every minute of every day.  A lot of what we learned never made it on the air.  There were some things I saw other teams and people do, that I'd never thought of, so I guess I still learned from it."
"This season will be the same way.  Some of the most valuable work the interns do will never make it on air or will only be seen or heard by a few of them.  They are going to be working their tails off on a couple of projects that will take them most of the summer to finish.  That work will be condensed into a single episode."
"The railway?" she asked.
I nodded.  "The railway.  To get the concessions we needed, we have committed to upgrading the rail line from Mombasa to Nairobi, and then all the way to Kisumu on Lake Victoria.  The interns are going to do a lot of the logistics planning work for that effort."
"Why?  I mean, I know it has to be done, but why use the interns for it?  Most people are looking for entrepreneurial education when they apply for the show, not civil engineering and project management experience."
"I know.  We'll be breaking parts of it down for them, but they'll still do the work.  For political reasons, we need manufacturing of materials in Nairobi.  Eventually, there will be generator fabrication plant there, as well.  Those are the land concessions.  The transportation link to Mombasa will allow us to ship generators by sea to Asia.  We'll also use those generators for the desalination plants as we ramp up production.  Since most of those plants will be initially used around the Horn of Africa, we'll ship them from Mombasa as well.  That means manufacturing of the stations will be on the coast."
"I get that.  I just don't see much drama in it.  It's just a bunch of bloody hard work."
"In a hot, rainy climate," I added.
"Right.  What's going to attract viewers to that?  And, what are the Interns going to learn from all this work?"
It was a fair question that we had struggled with earlier in the year.  Now that I had a focus group of one, I wondered if it would play well with her.
"How about, 'how to open a new market?'"
"What do you mean?"
"We get land concessions for right-of-way, where we build.  We'll have train stations for passengers and goods along the right-of-way.  For one challenge, they'll get to design those stations.  For another, they'll have to figure out what trade-goods and services we want to buy and sell for those stations.  They're going to have to learn about the locals, identify primary markets, and think through what goods they can sell in a local economy.  There will be plenty of challenges for them to learn valuable entrepreneurial skills."
"Okay.  What else?"
"Marketing," I said.  "They're going to develop a tourism campaign for Kenya, which will also be a conservationist campaign.  We're going to use the 'on location' stuff to help the locals, and build some international tourism to the parks and scenery in country."
She nodded.
"That could be fun to watch," she admitted.
I smiled and said, "We hope so.  Anyway, all of these tasks will be woven together to tell a story of growth and adventure in Central Africa.  Hopefully, we will do it in such a way that people from the States and Europe want to come and work, or launch new opportunities, here."
"Why?  I mean, are you turning into the Peace Corps or something?"
"We're actually partnering with them on some challenges.  We're also planning on working with the Kenyan government, on park and wild-life management.  We've spent a lot of time looking at various ways to help the country out, with this season's show."
"But why?  I get that there are some efficiencies to having an equatorial launch site for orbital operations; but, with the power your rocket plane is planning on, cross orbital maneuvers won't be nearly as expensive as they are today.  Why do you need to do so much, to get those land rights in Kenya?"
"Stability," I admitted after a moment's thought.  "A strong economy in the region will help stabilize Central Africa.  Most of the continent lives within days of catastrophe from a socio-economic perspective.  That makes it a breeding ground for opportunists.  With the shifting balances of power following the end of the Cold War, this whole region is being neglected.  I want to make it stable, and this is the best plan I could come up with."
"Wow," she said.  "Why do you want this region stable, in particular?"
"What industries are going to be hardest hit by fusion?" I asked.
"Oil," she answered with little thought.
"Right.  What, besides oil, do the countries in the Middle East have to export?  Historically, they have been cross-roads for trade, oil exporters, and little else.  Without oil revenues, the region could spiral downward before the rest of the world notices.  Think of Kenya as a buffer for that spiral."
She nodded.  "And they are a largely Christian nation, not like Somalia or Ethiopia."
I was surprised she made the religious connection so quickly.
"Don't look so surprised," she said.  "Your views on organized religion are hardly a secret.  Islam is the exporter of terrorists, for the most part.  It makes sense that you would be more worried about that, given the other pressures you mentioned in the region.  I mean, what other religion calls for the assassination of a writer for a work of fiction, in this day and age?"
I shook my head.
"You're not wrong," I conceded.
*****
"It's going to be a very nice house," Alison said after escorting Carl out and returning to my office in Deer Valley.
"Only the best for you and your daughter," I said.
"Or son," she replied.  "Seeing Carl's drawings really make it start to feel real.  Now, if I just had some inkling from the adoption agency, I'd believe it is going to happen."
"How are the personnel shifts going?" I asked as she returned to her seat near my desk.
"Good.  Things are settled in London.  Lila has a firm grasp on the operations in Dublin and security here is top notch.  I just got a report from Mike that local staff is being trained in Kenya as well, so we should be all set."
"Good to hear."
Unsaid was that I did not want national or international attention from another incident or death this year.  I knew she did not either.
"We even have our first viable candidate from Iran for the operator training program," she said.
"Oh, really?"
"Minister Khalil's youngest son.  He was actually born in Switzerland, and was educated in France.  He was able to pass all the psychological screening, and has a degree in electrical engineering."
"Do you actually think he is his own thinker?  Won't he do what his father tells him to?"
Alison shrugged.  "Perhaps.  We'll have six months to watch him closely during the training and then see how he does with a team at one of the sites.  By the time Iran finds six others, we'll have the additional security protocols being built into the generators.  I think we'll be safe."
"Okay," I said after a moment.  "You and Lila and the psychiatrists are the experts.  Keep me posted on his progress and any issues."
"We will," she said as Jeryl came into the office.
"Paul," she said after giving us both warm kisses and taking a seat on my lap.  "Are we skiing this week?  It is the last weekend of the season."
I nodded and said, "I'd planned on it.  I need to finish up some things, today, and then hop down to the Lab for another engine test.  But, I thought Friday through Sunday would be just for the kids and us.  Why?"
"Jyl wants to come visit and do a little skiing."
"Cool.  How's she doing?"
"Good, but that's not all.  Kelly is coming out, as are your Mom and Jim.  It looks like we'll have a full house this weekend."
"The more the merrier.  I'm surprised Kelly is taking a break from campaigning."
"She's leading the polls by seven points.  Her advisor from the DNC is telling her to take a break now, while things are a little slow, so she is fresh and ready once the heavy summer season starts."
"Makes sense.  It will be good to see her."
"The kids are excited about it as well.  Jyl is flying in tomorrow morning from Chicago.  Everyone else gets in Thursday afternoon.  Will you be back from the lab by then?"
"I'll try."
She gave me a playful kiss.
"You need to do more than 'try' mister.  You've been going non-stop for almost a month.  I know there is a lot going on, but you need to delegate more and stay fresh."
I nodded with a smile.
"I will.  I promise."
Two days later, I was thinking back to high school as I watched Jeryl and Jyl race down the slope, with their hips shifting back and forth in a delectable manner.  Alison was following us a little more conservatively.  Jeryl had surprised us with new skis from the Nike test lab.  They were a little broader and shorter than I was used to, but were incredibly light with just enough flex to make them turn fabulously.  After a couple of runs, we all thought they were going to be winners.
"God, you guys are lucky," Jyl said as we rode the lift back up to the top of the mountain.  It was a beautiful day for spring skiing.  The sun was out with a blue sky and we had two inches of fresh powder on the mountain.  "I'm surprised you don't ski every day, Jeryl."
Jeryl laughed.
"Too much other stuff going on, but I think I've done more runs this year than any year we've lived here.  I'll probably do more, next year, with Ali in school."
"What about you, Paul?" Jeryl asked.
"I want to do some more skiing next year as well.  Hopefully all our projects will be at a stable point to afford me the time to do it."
Jyl laughed and commented, "Like you won't just kick off some more new projects, then?"
At the end of the day, as we put skis up in our locker, Jyl gave me a spontaneous hug.
"Paul, thank you so much for everything you've done for our family, and Jeryl.  She is so lucky to have you."
There was a hint of sadness in her voice.
"I'm the lucky one."
*****
The spring flowed from one meeting and event to another, as we worked through a hectic schedule to get ready for the biggest logistical challenges we'd had on the show so far.  At the same time, the business hummed along, producing materials, generators, and a lot of speculation from the financial press and media.  DigiNet continued to expand, and did its first content deal for delivery of digital video.  I smiled to myself, and wondered if we could get Steve involved in the next deal.
Following the take-over of Apple, I had planted a few ideas with him as both a friend and a significant shareholder.  We talked design and utility of mobile devices, and I hinted at a desire for better access to digital content and consumption.  He and his team had shown a version of what I knew would become the replacement for the iPod on this timeline, nearly a decade before it should have arrived.  I also began stressing the importance of securing the digital rights for delivery.  He was more than smart enough to follow that logical discussion.
Oracle and Sun were performing well with the early boom in the infant stages of the Internet.  I felt a little bad that Tim Bernners-Lee would not be seen as the father of the internet on this timeline, but I really wanted the digital revolution sooner rather than later.  I hired several of Dr.  Freis' graduate engineers to begin the standards process for HTML, with enhancements that would help prevent some of the pit-falls the standard had gone through on my timeline.
Hunter and I continued to make progress on shrinking the generator designs, while testing them as engines.  In May, we froze the design for the initial GO-X.  It was few weeks after that when we decided to unveil our plans to the world with a full test firing.
"How are all the preparations going?" Jeryl asked as she fussed with Jer's outfit while Anna kept a watchful eye on Ali.
"We're ready.  Hunter and I have gone over the engine and control system.  It's all programmed and the whole profile has been run through its test mode, several times.  The NASA guys don't know what to think of us.  No big fueling process, no huge tower needed, just a big chunk of ice and a fair sized instrumentation package."
"What are they going to think after the launch?" she asked.
I chuckled as I replied, "They're going to wonder how long they have to wait to get one.  We're treating this as just an engine flight certification.  If they saw the full GO-X, they'd all be applying for jobs with us."
"Why?  I thought this was a test of the whole concept."
I shook my head and said, "No, it's the engine in a flight fairing, with a guidance system, and a payload of ice to give us some mass to heft.  We'll launch the snowball into orbit, run through some pre-programmed maneuvers, including a couple of orbital re-starts of the engine, and then go into the self-destruct process."
She must have caught my smile.
"Not just 'self-destruct'?  What's the process?"
"We decided it was time to really show the capabilities.  We're sending the payload on a little trip."
"Where?"
I grinned.
"The moon.  If things go as planned, we'll place the snowball and instrument package in lunar orbit."
Jeryl shook her head.
"And it's safe to watch?" she asked with a glance at the kids.
"Of course.  Frankly, they might not be that excited by the blast-off.  It's going to go up pretty quick."
It was her turn to shrug.
"They may not be excited, but hopefully when they're older, they'll remember Daddy making history."
The thought of them remembering today in the future filled me with unexpected warmth.  I kissed Jeryl quickly and then picked up Jer and swung him around.
"Do you hear that, champ?  You're going to see history, today."
Two hours later, Hunter and I were in launch control with our flight control team, while Lila and my family were in the outside observation stands.  The press was there, but not very engaged.
"Telemetry is good," the launch director informed us.  "Are you ready to release from the two-minute hold?" He asked.
I glanced at Hunter.
"Engine ready," Hunter said from his console.
We had brought our own portable control station for the engine.  Harry was hovering over his shoulder.
"Payload is ready," Stan said from his station.  Gulfstream had done little for this test, but I wanted to make sure our original partners, from an engineering sense, were on hand for the launch.
"Flight, GO-X Prime is ready for launch," I said formally.
"Resume the countdown," the flight director ordered.
"T minus two minutes," was announced over the PA system, as the clock resumed is downward count.
At T minus ten seconds, our special cameras activated in their high-speed mode, and Hunter flipped the protective cover off the engine start up switch, and held his hand over the plunger button.  At T minus five seconds, he pushed the button to activate the automatic start-up program.
After nearly twenty static test firings, we had decided to automate the process, and take the initial fusion ignition out of our hands.
A fraction of a second before the count got to zero, we saw the flash of light as fusing plasma raced through the nozzle into the huge water-bath beneath the launch platform.
"Lift-off," the flight controller announced as the restraining arms released and our rocket leapt into the air.
"Holy shit," one of the NASA observers said.  "That thing took off like a shot."
He was not far off the mark.  We had scaled the engine down as much as we could, getting it to almost a quarter of the original volume of the generator, and then more than doubled the overall size by adding mass to have a reasonable payload and acceleration profile.  The rocket ended up massing just over ten metric tons, or ten thousand kilograms.  Our entire rocket looked like a squat plug, twelve meters wide at the base and roughly forty-five meters tall with a truncated cone top.  It was not pretty.
But it still accelerated at better than nine G's!
We all split our attention between the video feed following the vapor trail in the sky, and the instrumentation before us.
"T-plus twenty, all systems go," Hunter said.
"Look at the nozzle figures," Harry said.  "It's adjusting just like we planned!"
The magnetic fields were moving the plasma further back in the nozzle to account for the rapidly decreasing atmospheric pressure.  Ensuring that worked as planned was possibly the greatest purpose of our test launch.
"T-plus thirty," the flight director called out.  "Altitude is 39.6 kilometers; velocity at 2.65 kilometers per second."
I smiled to myself.  I had insisted that all our instrumentation be in the metric system.  NASA did not see things the same way, but we had forced them to not use archaic measurements.
T-plus sixty; Altitude is 158.8 kilometers, velocity at 5.29 kilometers per second.  All systems are go."
I watched the telemetry over Hunter's shoulder.  Our acceleration remained constant with negligible mass being used to generate our acceleration.  Eighty-five seconds was our calculated cut-off.
"T-85, engine shut-down," Hunter called out as we saw the thrust drop to zero.  The engine's starting capacitor was fully charged, as were the batteries for the flight control systems.
"Orbit looks good," One of the NASA engineers called out.  "Final velocity is 7.5 kilometers per second.  Altitude is 318 kilometers.  All telemetry is green."
Hunter leaned back in his chair as Harry and Stan grinned at me from ear-to-ear.
"We did it," Harry said as he stood grabbed me in a hug and slapped my back.  "By God, we just changed history!"
Several of the NASA engineers came over to congratulate us as well.
After several minutes, I turned back to the screens.
"Okay, Stan, let's get ready for the next firing.  Harry, do you want to take the console for the next burn?"
"Damned right I do!  Hunter only got the launch because he won the coin toss."
Hunter stood and held the chair for the older engineer, as Stan began reading off the checklist for the next phase of testing.  I left them to it, knowing we had nearly ninety minutes before we would resume accelerating to a higher orbit in a series of controlled 'burns' with the engine.  I headed outside to see Jeryl and the kids.  I caught my own ear-to-ear grin in the reflective glass of the door leading to the observation stands.  It felt good to have this much of the test a success.

Chapter Thirty-Nine
Spectacular Launches
*****
"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me, God," Kelly said.
We all clapped as she smiled at us.  While there was no photography allowed in the Senate, I knew it was a ceremony none of us would forget.  Kelly would get pictures with the Vice President, later, in his office.  Since Kelly was elected via a special election and Barbara Boxer had secured a regular election for the other California seat, Kelly had just become the younger, but senior senator for the state of California.
We made our way out of the gallery and down to the main floor to greet her as her new colleagues shook her hand and wished her well.  The family mobbed her as she came out.
"We're so proud of you," Mom said as Jim beamed.
Jeryl and the kids and I gave her hugs, though I'm not sure the kids really understood what she had accomplished.
"Way to go, sis," I said when it was finally my turn for a hug.
"Thanks for all your support, Paul," she replied.  "I don't think I could have done this without you guys."
"Hey, isn't that what little brothers are for?"
"What's on the agenda for the rest of the day?  Do you have to go straight to work?" Jeryl asked.
"No.  The only order of business, today, was me swearing in.  There was already a motion to recess before I started up the aisle.  How about lunch, and then you can see my offices."
I glanced at my watch.
"Sounds good, but it might just be everyone else seeing your offices.  I've got appointments down the street this afternoon."
"Oh?" she asked as she took my arm and we headed outside.  "Would that be at the Pentagon or the White House?"
I hated to tell her, "Both."
"What are you up to, Paul?" she asked as we walked toward our waiting cars.
"Just doing a little business."
"But meeting with the President?  He just finished a pretty arduous campaign to get re-elected.  Frankly, I'm surprised he's in town."
I shrugged.  His chief of staff had not really given me much to go on with regard to what the meeting was about.  My only hint did not bode well for my Pentagon meeting.  General Baker had sent me a note asking me to stay calm until I talked to the President.
I put the upcoming meeting out of my mind and listened attentively as Kelly shared stories from the campaign trail with Mom and Jim and Jeryl.  Anna had taken the kids back to the hotel after Kelly promised to see them later in the afternoon.  All in all, it was a good lunch.
Hunter was waiting for me at the Pentagon.  This meeting had a broader mix of Air Force blue at the table.  General Baker was the last to arrive.  He shook my hand and offered a warm smile.  I could tell he was playing for the audience and decided to try and take my cues from him.
"Ok, gentlemen, let's get to the agenda," he said after quick introductions.
"Yes, General," Admiral Porter the man in charge of the Navy's efforts said.  "First of all, we wanted to discuss the operations of the Naval Shore Power program we are running, with PT Innovations.  We believe it is time to begin phasing over operations of the first two generators to Naval Reactors personnel.  They have been through the training pipeline and completed all required supervisory watches under PT Innovations supervisors.  The Navy feels that this is the next logical step in gaining greater familiarity with the generator operations."
Hunter looked at me and I nodded.  "Your offices can work with me to hammer out a transition plan for the first two installations.  The other seventeen that are operational or being stood up will need future review per our contract with the DoD," he said.
The Admiral smiled and a few of the Navy personnel seemed to sit more easily in their chairs.
"Good.  We thought that discussion would take much longer," the Admiral said.  "The next agenda item is a new request."  He glanced at the papers before him.  "We'd like to discuss purchasing some lift capacity for a new generation of navigation and communications satellites."
"That's pre-mature," I said immediately.
Suddenly, the heavier Air Force presence made sense.
"We have only had a single launch for testing," I said.
"And put a payload in lunar orbit," one of the Air Force Colonels responded.
I mentally kicked myself.  Of course the military had NASA's data, and could see the possibilities.
"Regardless," I continued.  "We are nowhere near ready for operations.  Our next launch will be the first tests of our automated systems for operational delivery."
"We're not looking for a launch next month," the Admiral said, trying to regain control of the room and meeting.  "We want to start the discussions for future launch capacity.  We won't have the satellites ready for eighteen to twenty-four months.  You should have operational capacity by then, right?"
"If our testing goes well, yes."
"So what sort of price per pound are you looking at once operational capability is proven?" the Air Force Colonel asked, interrupting again.
"The market at the moment is about eighteen thousand per kilo," I said quoting the shuttle operating costs estimates we had pulled together.
"That's the shuttle cost.  What's yours?"
"Colonel, perhaps you missed that this is private enterprise?  My price to you will be a market rate, not a cost plus offer.  I will not commit now to a low-ball bid for the Navy or Air Force.  Once we have proven operational capability; we will determine our operating costs, our desired margin, and look at the competing launch platforms.  Then we'll set a price.  Will it be the same as the shuttle?  No.  But it won't be free, either."
"Where are you going to launch from?" the Colonel responded.  "It won't be the Cape if you aren't willing to work with us."
"That's enough, Colonel Philips," General Baker said.  His stare and tone were far from friendly.
"Paul," he said after a moment's pause, "if we were to budget at half the price of the shuttle, say nine thousand per kilo for delivery to orbit, would we be in the ballpark?"
I thought for a moment of the R&D costs, and our planned operational life-cycle.  For the unmanned launcher, we would be well under that price.
"That should be a safe budget number," I admitted.
"Good.  Colonel, that is the number you needed to hear, correct?"
The Colonel nodded, then said, "But we also need confirmation of total payload size, and polar orbit capability."
"Our first operational vehicle should easily accommodate payloads of up to thirty-thousand kilos."
"Our numbers and analysis indicate a much greater payload capacity, based on your test launch," the Colonel said.
"It's possible, but again, I am not yet willing to commit to higher capacities."
The tension in the room was palpable.  I took a deep breath.
"Look, you obviously want something, and you want it sooner than later.  I am a business man and inventor.  I want to advance the state of the art, and have a positive impact on the country and the world.  Why are you assuming I won't be reasonable?  Why not just open a dialogue?"
General Baker nodded and said, "As much as we would like to do just that, it's your calendar of appointments today that is preventing it.  I should have kept the second portion of this meeting for a later date.  I apologize for trying to cram them together, Paul."
I nodded at him.
"Understood, sir.  How about I stay over in D.C.  tonight.  We can reconvene tomorrow if these gentlemen are available?"
It was Friday.  I wondered if they would be as hard-headed coming in on a Saturday.
"That sounds like an excellent suggestion."
Just that quickly, our two hour meeting was trimmed down to less then thirty minutes.
"Paul, I am sorry," General Baker said as he escorted us to his office.  "I should have known better than jump starting the conversation with Colonel Philips in the room.  He can come across as chickenshit, but he is a solid engineer and a good officer.  Sooner or later, he's going to be interacting with you."
"What's his role?"
"DoD manned space flight certification."
"Interesting.  Why was he on point for discussions on satellite launches?"
The General looked at me and considered his words carefully.  "Step one is satellite launches, but what we're really interested in is your plans for GO-X.  Believe it or not, we can do math inside our five-sided funny farm.  Your engine and orbital platform are going to make the Shuttle look like a Model-T compared to a modern car.  You know it, and we know it.  It could allow us to start dreaming bigger, once again.  Shit, Paul, you've already proven you can get us back to the moon for Christ's sake."
"And is that the plan?"
"It's one of the ideas," he admitted.  "Look.  You're meeting with the President.  He has some thoughts and ideas that he wants your perspective on."
"But the Air Force gave them to him, right?"
The General shook his head as he said, "No… well, not all of them, anyway.  Anyone with a brain and a little understanding of your background is going to realize you will go into space.  Orbital manufacturing is the absolute minimum any of the think-tanks came up with.  That sort of capability is going to have military and political implications.  We're trying to be prepared."
I thought about his words and what he wasn't saying.
"Just don't reach any conclusions until you meet with the President, and keep an open mind when you hear some strange ideas.  Can you do that for me?"
"General, you've always played straight with me, so yes I will do that for you.  I guess we'll see you tomorrow?"
He actually grinned.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said.
*****
"That's quite a vision, Mr.  President," I said as George H.  W.  Bush finally paused for my response.
He had spent an impassioned ten minutes talking about the good a strong American return to space would mean for the world.  He was not talking small steps either.
"It is a vision for the future."
"What about international cooperation?" I asked.
"We would build on the partnerships we've created for the International Space Station, but your inventions and discoveries can let us do so much more.  In the late seventies, there was a big drive to go back into space and build solar power satellites.  We don't need them with your generators, but that doesn't mean there aren't other things we should be doing."
"As a people or as a government, sir?"
"What do you mean?"
"As a people… a race, if you will… I agree that we need to expand beyond earth.  I'm just not convinced a big government project is the right way to do it."
He nodded and paused for a moment.
"What about chartered companies?" he asked.
His willingness to compromise so quickly, surprised me.  Again I was struck by his intelligence.  His son might have tarnished his reputation in my eyes, the first time through.
"I guess that would depend on the charter."
"Well, that is where the rubber would hit the road.  If we, as a nation, were to endorse a charter; it would have to have a few concrete protections for civil liberties, and there would have to be an economic incentive for the government."
"A tariff on imported goods?"
"Or a discounted buying rate."
I nodded.  It was an interesting idea.  I said as much.
"Good.  We at least have some common ground to begin from.  My understanding from the engineering folks is that at $9,000 per kilogram, it is feasible for us to pursue this sort of approach."
I smiled.  "Mr.  President, I did not want to be pressured by the Air Force earlier today when I gave them that number.  It's going to be significantly lower than that, to put material in orbit."
"Really?  How much so?"
"If it's all going to the same orbit, a thousand dollars a kilo.  Possibly less, once we work the kinks out."
I didn't want to tell him that we were actually looking at less than fifty dollars per kilo once we were fully operational.  We still needed return flight data, but our working model was two hundred launches per vehicle, with a maximum payload of 125,000 kilos per launch.  Also, I thought our numbers were conservative.
"What sort of launch cycle?"
Another intelligent question.  Something must have shown on my face, because he gave me an easy smile.
"I was a pilot, and I have a degree in economics," he said.  "I understand what really goes into the total cost basis for aircraft operations."
"Right now, we're planning on three automatic vehicles for initial testing of the systems.  Our final test cycle will be three near simultaneous launches with staggered returns and re-launches.  We want to show a three day turn-around on the vehicles."
He made a low whistling sound.  "Would you sustain that sort of operating cycle?"
I shook my head in the negative.
"If we have the demand, we would build additional craft.  For manned operations, we built a budget assuming point to point flights for global transport, more than orbital operations.  Under that model, the craft turn-around is supposed to be a single day."
"Will you be selling these craft?"
I tilted my head and then shrugged.
"Eventually, I'm sure we will.  My deal with Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce is for the first three unmanned vehicles, and then the first six manned.  We'll operate those all under our joint venture agreement.  After that, we'll see."
The President sat back in his chair.
"Paul, I'd like to have you hammer out a lot of details over the next six weeks with NASA, DoD, Commerce, and State.  If we can get a framework established, I'd like to share with the nation plans for America's return to space in a meaningful, long-term way during my state of the union address in January."
It was my turn to be surprised.  The Republicans had maintained a slight majority for control of the House in the election, and had kept the White House, but only held forty-seven seats in the Senate.  While they had a chance of ram-rodding legislation through, I did not think that was the tenor they would take.
"I'd be happy to be involved in those discussions, Mr.  President, but I'm curious if this is politically feasible."
He smiled.
"Our economy is strong, thanks in part to you.  But we need more jobs creation, and we need a vision to excite the country and make us all look to the future.  I believe this will give us such an opportunity.  Your television show has shown America and the world that science and engineering can be exciting and can also be good business.  Your efforts in Africa have helped show that we face global issues that will not be solved by continuing to take from our planet.  If America is going to be a true world leader in the post cold-war era, we need to lead.  This is our chance."
*****
"Over the holidays, Paul?  Really?"
I could tell Jeryl was not just playing at being mad at me.  I wanted her involved in the discussions with the government, especially for the business terms and structure we were working out.  We had worked on our perspective following the D.C.  meetings after Kelly's swearing in, and then had gotten together for our family Thanksgiving in Maine.  I had conceded to 'no business talk in front of the family,' during Thanksgiving, but we had hit some sticking points the following week.  Now, a week before Christmas, Jim Baker, the President's Chief of Staff, was insisting on reconvening the negotiations between Christmas and New Years to give us the first two weeks of January for a final round.
"It is the White House, asking," I said.
"I don't care if the Pope jumps in, along with the U.N.  Secretary General and the Queen of fucking England!  You are putting their timeline and plans ahead of your own work, your own needs, and your family."
She was right.
"I'm only saying what they have asked for.  I haven't agreed."
Jeryl took a deep breath and then plopped down on the sofa next to me.
"I'm sorry.  I'm not trying to be a bitch.  I've really enjoyed working with you on this.  It's exciting.  It reminds me of the first Nike deal," she said with a small smile.  "But you've been running yourself ragged, since May.  Every night you're not home, Ali and Jer ask if you are going to be home in the morning.  You've been great about spending time with all of us, but we're the intermission, not the main attraction."
I pulled her in for a hug.
"You know how much I love you all, right?"
She nodded and hugged me back.
"I know it.  I understand how you are torn.  This is such an opportunity, not just for us, but also for the world.  Unfortunately, I can see things going even faster once the State of the Union address is made.  Now is your chance to rest and recharge."
"Okay," I said.  "You know I count on you for keeping me balanced.  What are our plans?"
She pulled back from me a little and smiled.  "Small.  Just immediate family.  It's been a while since we've been to Saint Lucia."
It had been well over a year since we had visited our island get-away there.  We managed to make it Hawaii every six months or so, even if it was just for a long weekend, but Saint Lucia was a bit longer hop.  Of course, the GX-3 made the flying time difference much smaller.
"Okay.  Is Alison coming, with Rose?"
Alison's plan for adopting had gone better then she had hoped.  Hunter and Lila's accountant friends had met Alison through Lila and put her in touch with the Catholic orphanage in Dublin.  They had a young mother a few months later wanting to give her baby up for adoption.  In August, when the baby girl was born, Alison was there with all the paperwork, and ringing endorsements from friends and family.  She had confided to Jeryl and myself that it was the only time she ever felt blessed to have been raised Catholic.  She and Rose had moved into her new house in Deer Valley in September and she had limited her travel while spending much more time with Jeryl, Anna, Ali and Jer.  There were days it felt like I was coming home to a polygamous compound.
I was smart enough to keep that thought to myself, thankfully.
"Yes.  She's actually going down with some security folks a couple of days early to make sure everything is cleaned up and ready.  I think Philip is going down with them."
I smiled.
"Well, I guess that means we'll eat and drink well," I said.
Jeryl laughed and said, "You know he's practically another uncle to the kids, right?"
"I can't think of a better man for them to look up to."
I remembered his actions in Greece when we were attacked, and the genuine look of sorrow when he handed me a scotch at Cynthia Morgan's wake.  I really couldn't think of a better role model for the kids.
"So, when do we leave?"
"Friday.  We go down on the 18th and aren't coming back until the 5th.  The State Department, and the Commerce Department, and the DoD and NASA will all have to get along without us for that time."
"Or settle for corresponding via email," I said.
"Just manage expectations, Paul.  You can check email and respond, but I will take away your computer if it starts taking up too much time."
"Yes, ma'am," I said with a smile.
She swatted my arm and then gave me a quick kiss.
"How is Tamara doing in Kenya?"
We had sent my new P.A.  on a project to help our new African division explore extending the rail lines south to Tanzania.  Jeryl helped come up with a reasonable cover story, but the truth was Tanzania had never ratified the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, while Kenya and most of the rest of the world had.  Neither country had ratified the Moon Treaty, so we thought operations from that region would have a veneer of diplomatic legitimacy.
We didn't plan on violating the significant principles of the first treaty.  My key concern was the article stating, "The activities of non-governmental entities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall require authorization and continuing supervision by the appropriate State Party to the Treaty".  The U.S.  government was holding that over our heads, in defining the structure of the charter structure we were hammering out.
"She sends me an update every couple of days.  She's getting some notice from the government.  She even partnered with the local Peace Corps bureaucracy working on the benefits of building a spur south from Mombasa or southwest from Nairobi.  Given the economic progress Kenya is seeing, the government is pretty keen on getting some of our investments into their country."
"They don't really need the desalination plants and farms, do they?"
"No.  I've got Don and Scott building up the coast from Kenya, near the Somalia border.  Your idea of getting the UN and NGOs onboard was brilliant, by the way.  They are helping us get into Somalia under the UN resolutions just passed."
"Promise me you'll stay out of that mess," Jeryl said.
"Trust me, I have no desire to go anywhere near there.  You and Alison would both kill me, I'm sure."
"So, you'll want to start building a launch facility in Tanzania soon?" she asked.
I shook my head.  "No, but I want the agreement in place to be able to build one.  I'd like to get that agreement before the State of the Union address, but that's not going to happen."
"Why not?"
"Too many details to hammer out.  We need to spend time with the lawyers, to make sure it is solid and enforceable.  For practical purposes, it's going to be a treaty, more than a contract."
"Okay.  Do you want me to drive that part?"
"Not if it means you aren't involved in the discussions with the U.S.  government."
"No, I'm just thinking you need a big picture view on Tanzania.  I understand the blocks.  You want options to circumvent them in the U.S.  processes, and make sure those bases are covered."
I saw where she was going.
"You also understand the overall business structure, and the goals to make sure we don't get painted into a corner," she added.
I nodded and said, "I think that is a wonderful idea.  When can you start with them?"
She gave me a dirty look and then smiled.
"Not over the holiday, but I probably have time to hop over to Ireland and get the ball rolling this week before we leave."
"Have them come to you," I chided.  "Sending a GX-3 is such a perk."
She smiled and swatted my arm before giving me a passionate kiss.
"I love you, Paul, even when you frustrate the hell out of me."
"I love you, too."
*****
"Nearly three decades ago, America took up a challenge to journey to the moon.  Our best and brightest met that challenge and showed the world what our country, our people, and our spirit could accomplish.  As Neil Armstrong said, it was 'One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'.  It ushered in a new era."  the President paused and looked into the cameras from the rostrum of the House chamber.  "Last week, we witnessed the dawning of another new era."
We had declined an invitation to attend in person, feeling we were going to get enough press as the full story of the President's plan unfolded.  Instead we were watching via satellite from our house in Utah.  Last week, GO-X Prime had successfully delivered three communications satellites to geosynchronous orbit and then returned successfully to land at the same runway the shuttles used in Florida.  It was this first demonstration of a fully reusable spacecraft the President was referencing.
"A private American company," he continued, "in conjunction with NASA support, successfully launched and landed a fully reusable spacecraft and delivered into orbit three communications satellites that massed more than the largest load ever carried by our Space Shuttle.  They have shown us a path to the future that America had previously turned away from.  With the breakthroughs shown us by P.T.  Innovations, I will submit to Congress for its consideration a new bill, the Space Homesteading and Resource Exploration Act, to pave America's return to the moon and establish a full time presence in space; to permanently return to the path first blazed by NASA and our astronauts."
The audience broke into applause.  Once it subsided, the President continued.  "Just as the original quest was not simple or easy, this journey will have its challenges, but I believe it is the right course for America, and the world.  Our economy is growing slowly; having a new frontier will help it expand dramatically.  Our resources are becoming limited; the resources of space are nearly limitless.  Our world is growing smaller as all people learn and grow closer; a new frontier will expand our nation's and the globe's horizons."
Once again applause broke out.
"And while many will say we can't afford to undertake this journey, to create new opportunities and frontiers, I challenge everyone to think of our children and all the children of the world.  We choose to embrace our destiny and lead mankind to the spaces and planets beyond earth.  To paraphrase one of my more eloquent predecessors, 'We choose to do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because this goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills'.  We choose to undertake this journey to demonstrate that America is great and our spirit strong."
The chamber was on its feet applauding as the President channeled John F.  Kennedy into his re-worked speech.  The camera pulled back to show everyone on their feet.  Senators and representatives from both parties were grinning from ear-to-ear.  The Joint Chiefs were applauding, with stoic faces.
The applause continued as the President turned and shook first the Vice President's hand then the Speaker of the House's hand before making his way slowly down the aisle, pausing frequently to shake hands like a true politician.
"Tomorrow is going to be busy," Jeryl said with a smile.  We had already been inundated with requests for bids on launch capacity after last week's successful mission.  Gulfstream was already looking at expanding the production run of the GO-X Prime to handle the forecasted demand.
I was about to respond when the phone rang.  I shook my head and picked up the call after seeing who it was from.  Caller-ID was a feature I had insisted DigiNet build into their phone platform.
"Hi, Kelly.  I'm surprised you made it out of the chamber so quickly."
"You son of a bitch, Paul, you could have given me a little forewarning," she said.
"Jeryl and I were asked, officially, not to mention it.  Sorry.  Besides, you've been busy in the Senate since being sworn in."
"My aides have five requests for interviews already.  How am I supposed to respond when asked about this bill I know nothing about?"
"The same way as every other Senator, I guess.  You need to read and evaluate the bill before responding."  I could imagine her rising anger at my deflections.  "Look, you chose the path you are on and we supported you.  Now, you need to act like the senior senator of California.  I can tell you the bill is good for jobs growth and industry in the state.  I can tell you it is good for the country as a whole.  Just because it is a Republican initiative does not mean you should not support it.  Look at its merits and decide, just like you would for any other proposed law."
I heard her sigh into the phone.  "Okay, I'm sorry if I was a little short.  Did you have enough of a hand in this legislation that I'll be seeing you in a committee hearing?"
Kelly had been assigned to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
"I doubt it.  They just want to buy capacity from us, mostly."
"Okay, at least that won't be a conflict of interest for me.  What about the show?  How is it going to feature into this?"
I smiled.  Kelly was still as sharp as ever.  "If you guys are too slow passing the legislation, it could generate some poor publicity for the legislative branch.  If you move quickly, it could give you all some very positive press.  Read the bill and then decide what is in your and your party's best interests.  I'm looking at a two year horizon, so I can work with Tom to play it either way."
"Two years?  For what?"
"I want a manned lab in orbit in two years or less.  I believe our technology will support that time frame.  I know our lift capacity will support it.  I don't need anything from the government to reach that milestone, but the U.S.  of A.  will not look very credible if private industry has that sort of capability, but the government does not.  That part is in your hands, Kelly."
She sighed, again.
"Why should I have thought you would make this new job easy on me?  Okay, Paul, I guess you are once again giving me work to do.  I thought I escaped that when I ran for the Senate."
At least her remarks were given in a joking tone.
"If you have questions after you read the legislation, I'll be happy to talk.  I have context, if nothing else."
"Okay.  I may take you up on that.  Give Jeryl and the kids my love."
"Ours to you as well, Kelly."
We ended the call and Jeryl handed me a small scotch.
"That sounded a little tense," she said.
"Just Kelly and her hatred of being surprised.  Once she reads the bill, I think she will understand."
"Do you think she'll see your plan?"
I sipped the scotch.  "I don't think so, but even if she does, it's not like that is a bad thing for the country or the world."
Jeryl nodded.  "But if she doesn't, it could be another surprise she'll have to deal with."
It was my turn to smile.  "Just like every other governmental employee will have to," I said.
*****
"Tom, I trust you and Billy.  You can figure out most of the season, and review it with me.  My parameters are to slot at least half of the challenges around our orbital and launch activities."
Tom shook his head and sighed.  "I can come up with a shooting schedule and tell you what can work, but I'm not technical enough to come up with the challenges.  I need you to give Billy and I those starting points.  Once I have those, we can ideate and iterate to flesh everything out; but, you've got to provide the starting point."
"Shit.  I don't have enough time in the day right now.  Tamara!" I called as I hit the intercom button on my desk.
I was splitting time between Stanford and Deer Valley, trying to be home at least three nights during the week.  Jeryl had really gotten to me over the holidays about being there for the kids.
"What's up, boss?" Tamara asked as she came into my office.
"I want you to get all the prior show contestants we've hired in one room and brainstorm challenges for this year.  Primary focus is on orbital activities, including joint work with NASA, and some of our new partners in the aerospace industry."
"Got it," she said confidently.  "How soon?"
"This week.  Make it a priority, and send the GX-3 to round them up.  We can use the new conference space in Park City."
Jeryl had insisted on building out meeting space and some offices in Park City proper to help keep me closer to home.
"I'll get them in town Wednesday night, and we can meet Thursday.  I assume you want to review ideas?"
I nodded.  "Book me for the last couple of hours of the day.  Book dinner somewhere nice as well.  If they want to stretch the weekend and get some skiing in, we'll pick that up as well."
"I'm on it," she said as she turned and left.
"If we have challenge ideas laid out by Friday, can you and Billy run with it?" I asked Tom.
"Yes.  We can also use the draft list of challenges to finalize intern selection.  I think picking the field based on the range of challenges will work better, this year."
"I agree, but we have to be careful.  Last year taught us that our challenges don't always play out the way we anticipate.  Make sure we have breadth in the group."
Tom chuckled.  One of our more arduous challenges in Kenya had gone sideways last year due to heavy rains in the area.  Instead of our plan, the entire cast and crew had become involved in some relief efforts when floods threatened a village.  It had made for good television, but threw the schedule off quite a bit.
"I will.  Jeryl will help with that, at least she always has.  Now, what about starting the b-roll early?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you want to highlight the science and engineering more this season, we will need more background material.  I'd like to get filming that this spring."
"Like what?"
"Launch footage, add some high quality cameras to the GO-X Prime for a couple of flights, engine tests on the GO-X itself, that sort of thing."
I nodded.
"That makes sense.  Put together a team and send them where you want.  Joseph has a list of key milestones and test dates.  Use that to figure out what's going to be of interest.  Anything else?"
"Not until we have the challenges fleshed out a bit."
"Okay.  You should plan on being in Park City Thursday for the brainstorming."
"I'll be there," he said as he rose and exited my office.
I glanced at my clock.  It was lunchtime already.  I glanced at my calendar and sighed.  I had a lunch appointment with the two Senators from California.  Kelly had become the front for the Democrats when it came to finding out more about the SHARE act, its intent, and its limits.  After the third call in as many days, I had told her to get her questions in order and ask them over lunch instead.  She had at least let Tamara know that Barbara Boxer and Lloyd Bentsen of Texas would be joining us.  They had also let me pick the restaurant.
Sanford drove me over.  The three democratic senators had arranged for a private room.  I got a nod from one of Sanford's men before entering.
"Paul," Kelly said as she rose to greet me.  "Thank you for coming."
I gave her a kiss on the cheek and then shook hands with Senators Boxer and Bentsen.  We made idle chat for a few minutes before ordering from the patient wait staff.
"So, I understand you have questions about the President's bill, and think I could help," I said.
"Well, I certainly hope you can," Senator Bentsen said in slow Texan drawl.  "Frankly, it seems to be too good to be true, to this old man."
"How so?" I asked.
"It says it will generate thousands of jobs while cutting the cost of a pound delivered to orbit by fifty percent or more.  That sounds counter intuitive to my sensibilities?"
I nodded and asked, "Why do you assume the new jobs have anything to do with actually putting a kilo in orbit?"
"What do you mean?"
"It's going to take workers to build the launch infrastructure and operational capacity planned for in the bill.  Those are new jobs even if the overall cost per kilo does not drop.  If costs drop as expected, more jobs will be created to build more satellites, because the economics of a global and orbital economy will become feasible.  Add in the charter company provisions, and you can guarantee job creation."
Senator Boxer held up her finger.
"We'll get to the charter company items.  How can you ensure the cost per kilo to orbit will fall?"
"Yes," Senator Bentsen said.  "The GAO says your numbers are possible, but questions if they are realistic.  Nine thousand dollars per kilo is half the cost of the shuttle."
I nodded.
"If they question the numbers, they should have come and talked to me.  Given our recent successes, those numbers are conservative."
Kelly perked up.  She knew me.  "How conservative, Paul?" she asked.
I shrugged and said, "Order of magnitude."
Kelly's mouth formed an 'O'.
Bentsen and Boxer looked at us.
"What do you mean 'order of magnitude'?" Senator Boxer asked.
"Drop or add a zero," Kelly said as she continued to stare at me.  "Are you serious?"
I nodded.  "At least one, possibly two."
Bentsen leaned forward.  "You're saying the bill's economics are based on nine thousand dollars per kilo and you can do it for nine hundred or possibly ninety?  How do you expect us to believe that?"
Kelly shook her head as I smiled.
"Lloyd, remember what else my brother has already accomplished.  If he is saying those are his numbers, they are still conservative.  Paul, what's your business case target?"
It was my turn to shake my head.
"Sorry, but I'm not going to share that.  I will make a profit at our current and projected launch costs.  My biggest variable is the service life of my lifters.  If I only get five launches per vehicle, I can hit the numbers in the bill, easily."
"How many do you think you'll get from them?" Bentsen asked.
"My target is two hundred.  A lot of it will depend on the market.  I've got a feeling communications and navigation satellites would keep us in business for three to five years with the capacity we have.  The NASA and DOD work will be what drives me to expand capacity."
"And you need this bill passed of get that work?" Boxer asked.
Kelly shot her a look.
"Nope.  I want the bill signed so I can start a lab in orbit.  I support the bill with a guarantee of less expensive launch costs."
"So if the bill stalls, you may have to drop your price?" Bentsen asked.
"Nope.  If the bill does not pass, the U.S.  will pay a market rate for launch services.  I have supply, and the whole world has demand.  The price will rise above the rate in the bill, and probably push close to the shuttle costs over time."
"That sounds a lot like extortion," Boxer said.
I shrugged.
"I call it the free market at work.  If the government wants cheap launch capacity, they can build it themselves, or buy what I'm selling.  That will be true regardless of this bill.  However, the government oversight and endorsement under the Outer Space Treaty that the bill provides me, is worth a discount on that market rate."
"So without the charter company provisions...."
I smiled.
"The only place a rate is mentioned in the bill is within those provisions,"
I said.
"And if we edited them in committee?" Boxer asked.
She seemed to have an axe to grind for some reason.
"If you make the terms of a charter slant too much in favor of the government, I simply won't file for a charter."
"Where would you launch from, then?" Bentsen asked.
"Oh, several countries have already approached me."
All three faces paled.
"You wouldn't…" Boxer began.
"Paul?" Kelly arched an eyebrow at me.
"Senators, why are you picking a fight with me and fixating on hypotheticals?  My understanding of the legislative process is that you have a bill before you that is good for the country, very good for your individual states, and economically beneficial to the country and the world.  Why are you here looking for loopholes and advantage?"
They traded sheepish looks.
Finally, Bentsen spoke.  "This bill opens a new frontier and exports a belief system.  Your charter is going to set the standard, and be the test case for the law.  For the first time in history, the free market is going to take away what has been a government monopoly, and it challenges our government in new ways.  We need to approach this new era with care."
I smiled and then decided I had had enough.  I folded my napkin and placed it before me.
"Senator, that is a great speech for the press to digest and debate, but I think the truth is simpler.  I think you want to slow this bill down because a Republican President brought it forth after your party lost the election and gave up some seats in Congress.  If you can cite any specific issues in the bill, in the proposed chartering process, or in the provisions for job creation, I will be happy to address them.  What I am hearing, however, is fear, uncertainty, and doubt being sown when leadership and vision are needed."
I paused to look them each in the eye.  Only Kelly would hold my gaze.
"I suggest you spend a little time talking about me and my business with Kelly.  She knows me as well as anyone.  She knows my PR team.  She knows they do not lie with numbers.  Since the State of the Union, I have received almost a million letters about expanding operations and services into space.  Ninety-three percent of them are overwhelmingly supportive and positive.  That is a poll number you should bear in mind as you think about the next election cycle.  If your party is viewed as obstructionist and being a block to American pride and spirit, I would be concerned about you surviving as a political party."
Bentsen scoffed but Boxer looked worried.
"And," I said making sure they were listening, "I have a top rated television show that will make your decision making process very evident to the voting public in the fall."
I smiled as they paled.  Kelly wanted to scowl, but it was not clear that she wanted to direct it a me.
*****
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Paul?" Jeryl asked as I finished packing my bag.
"I think it is the only way to get the government into gear.  Once they and the world see that we are not beholden to launching from Cape Canaveral, or controlling orbital operations from Houston, I'm betting they'll change."
Jeryl chuckled.  "I'm sure they will.  But what cost will we have from a political capital perspective?"
"We'll see.  Outside the U.S.  it will grow our standing.  At home, we could lose some leverage."
"You could put yourself at odds with Kelly, too."
I sighed.
"I know.  I don't want to, but I want the next launches to be on schedule.  Dr.  Wilkerson and Tomas are chomping at the bit to get an orbital lab up for materials research.  Candace has dozens of proposals for orbital research space.  Without a charter, that all becomes risky business.  Tanzania gives us a lot of options."
"What's the next payload?"
"Communications for DigiNet, and four for Inmarsat.  We've got international orders starting to come in for follow-on launches."
"I'm worried about the real GO-X.  Your plans call for manned capability.  Will this impact that process?  What's Gulfstream's view?"
"They're finishing the third prime.  If we don't have some movement, we'll shift assembly to Europe.  Ireland, the UK and Germany have all offered tax breaks for assembly facilities."
"With the Rolls bid, the UK is the logical choice," Jeryl said.
"It is, but we'd want them all bidding to get the best deal.  I wish you could handle that for me.  I'm afraid the Democrats are going to keep playing political games."
"Don't make it all about them.  The Republicans are playing politics as well.  They could just ram it through if they really wanted to."
I nodded.  "They're all playing games, and unfortunately they are all afraid of bills that promise decreases in spending while creating jobs.  The U.N.  isn't helping either."
The SHARE act had started a minor firestorm in world politics, despite the fact that the chartering language opened company formation from any country.  Of course, the U.S.  did get consideration for issuing the charter.
"And if you alienate the U.S.  you risk them not vetoing any U.N.  measures against the charter."
I nodded.  It was a risk.
"But what else can we do?  It has been over a month since the last meaningful vote on the bill and its processes."
"They should be voting on it in both houses this month.  Should you just wait it out?"
I shook my head.  "I'm afraid it will just get bounced back to committee again.  I think a demonstration launch from outside the U.S.  will let them know I'm serious.  It will give the military and all the aerospace industry something to point at, to tell the politicians that industry has alternatives."
"How are you getting the orbiter there?"
I chuckled.  "That looks like the easy part.  We already had an empty test launch scheduled this week.  We'll launch from the Cape, with the secondary crew, and land at the alternate site in Kenya.  We've already sent the satellites there for loading.  The primary launch crew will arrive with the cargo.  We're planning on a three day turn around, per the SOP they've developed."
"What about the ambassador and the pressure the Kenyan President may be put under?  Don't sell the State Department short."
"We've already got agreement on test launches from them.  The British Ambassador is ready to run interference as well."
"Rolls-Royce?" she asked and I nodded.
"Okay.  When's the launch at the Cape?"
"Tomorrow."
"So when do you leave for Kenya?"
"In a couple of hours.  I'll stop in Ireland and pick up Hunter and the abort team."
Jeryl gave me a hug and a kiss.
Nine and a half hours later, Hunter and I were debarking in Nairobi.  Mike Keller and Tamara were waiting for us with an escort for the drive to the train station.  I was impressed as we watched the Range Rovers being loaded onto the train and secured for the trip north.  I went with the team to inspect the sealed containers in the other cars that held the satellites we would put on the GO-X Prime once it 'aborted' to the facility we built in the north of the country.
Soon, we were in the comfortable passenger cars heading north.
"The rest of the crew has settled into the facilities up North," Tamara said.  "We've done com checks on the secure channel with the launch team at the Cape.  Everything was still go on their end when I left."
"Good.  Things will happen fast once they launch and call the abort.  Mike, do you have enough security?"
The former SAS commando nodded.
"Alison told me to double the detachment here.  We were already pretty well staffed after the show last season.  I've got a few lads close to their rotation dates, but we'll be well covered for the next two weeks."
"Our plan is three days," I said.  "The prep team set everything up for the payload pallets.  We could probably turn around in a day, but I want to double check the procedures as well as the facilities here."
"NASA is going to have a cow when Kenya joins the group of space-faring nations," Hunter said.
I smiled.  "It's time everyone realizes they don't need a NASA to have launch capacity, they just need a contract with us, and we can be a lot cheaper than NASA or the Europeans."
"Do you think this will get Congress off their duffs?" Tamara asked.
"I hope so.  If it doesn't, I'll be coming back to Africa and talking to Tanzania, in a month."
Hunter nodded.  He had sat in on some of the discussions preparing for negotiations in Ireland.  Lila had been handling security for those meetings.
"Okay, enough speculation, let's get a little work done as we travel," I said as I pulled out my laptop.  "Tamara, do you have the draft challenges from last week?  I think we need to work a couple of contingencies in case congress continues to drag its feet."
The trip north flew by once we were all engaged in work.  I was happy with how much we got done on the trip.  We unloaded from the train at a private siding alongside our facility and then watched as the engineer decoupled the cars with our cargo and pulled away to head on down the track.
"Handy thing, having your own spur and station," Mike said as he pulled up in one of the Range Rovers.  "Security is in place.  Our engineers are bringing the lorries up to transfer the satellites."
"Thanks, Mike.  Let's drop our gear and head to the block house.  It should be getting close to launch time in Florida."
The Kenyan facility had been built during the past year.  Its five kilometer runway, modern control tower, white golf-ball radomes, and climate controlled hangars looked out of place in the green highlands of Kenya.  Rather than a single apartment block for our team, we had put forty shelters on raised flooring above permanent concrete pads, in clusters of five units.  Each cluster had a communal shower, and a covered kitchen.  Most of the shelters had two people living in them.
I tossed my travel bag on a bed in my assigned quarters and headed to the control center at the base of the tower.  It looked like a bunker, and could serve as one if needed.  I entered through one of the heavy blast doors, after making two ninety degree turns through the sunken entrance hall.  Once my eyes adjusted to the dimmer light, I could easily imagine myself back in NASA's launch control.  Of course, we had better displays and computers!
"T minus seventeen minutes," I heard over the speaker.  "All systems are go.  Final security sweep complete."
It was right on script.  I sat at an open desk and slipped on a head set next to Hunter, who was already arranging the windows on his computer screen to meet his preferences.
I watched Hunter run through his system checks via our new secure communications channels.  He ran his checks twice, verifying our redundant communications were working.
"How's it look?" I asked as he sat back and checked the countdown clock.  We had ten minutes to go.
"Good.  I verified connections to the bird on both circuits.  We'll be able to spook the telemetry after launch.  The team there will see the data we want them to and call the abort.  Once they do, we'll step out of the loop until they call for the hand-off to local control.  The auto flight control should handle everything, but we'll be ready to guide them in if needed."
"And we haven't alerted the rest of the team here, yet?"
We had twelve people stationed here full time to support operations.  They were caretakers for the base as well as the emergency response crew.  We had taken a page from the Navy and ran regular drills and training evolutions so they did a lot more than sit around.
"Nope.  They know we are here, but think it's just a training exercise getting ready for more launches from the Cape.  Hell, half of them joke that they hope some drills will turn into real tests.  They want to put themselves to the test."
I nodded.  Hunter had explained it to me as a military thing.  They trained hard for a job they never expected to happen, kind of like a war.  If they did it long enough, they would start hoping for a little action.  It was one of the reasons we rotated teams around.  We would be building at least one other alternative launch and recovery facility, and probably two.  We'd need a legitimate facility in Tanzania if it came to that.  I also wanted one in Australia.  I suspected we'd be making one on the west coast of the U.S.  as well.
"T minus five minutes," the speaker blared.
I listened to terse conversations via my headset and followed along the procedures in our operations manual.  I was confident I could step into the launch coordinator role if I really needed to.
At T minus five seconds, we saw the telemetry jump as the auto ignition sequence started.  Hunter leaned towards his display while I kept my eyes on the large video monitor with its feed from Florida.
"Lift-off," the flight controller announced as the restraining arms released and our rocket leapt into the air once again.  Since it was empty, it accelerated even more quickly.
"T plus seventeen," Hunter said.  "Initiating spoofer."
I looked at the telemetry as Hunter's program kicked in.  The fluctuations were subtle.
"Flight," we heard over the speaker, "Fluctuations on M-34."
The flight engineer had just spotted the first anomaly.  Hunter's program was showing him fluctuating magnetic fields across the three and four measure point, which was the throat of the engine nozzle.
"Flight reading has returned to normal."
Hunter nodded.  Three seconds later, the program sent another fluctuating reading to the operator.
"Flight, M-34 anomalies, time T plus thirty-two."
I could imagine the flight controller looking at his own display.  Trying to diagnose how serious the issue was.  The next program parameter was hit.
"Flight, increasing T-34.  I'm seeing strong fluctuations on M-34 as well."
"Roger.  Control, throttle down.  Initiate auto abort."
"Roger.  Auto abort initiated."
A red light in our control room started flashing and we heard the external klaxon start up.
"Kenya, this is Flight Control.  Auto abort initiated at time T plus thirty-eight.  Vehicle is outside RTL parameters."
The man who was on-duty 'officially' during the launch smiled and keyed his mic.  "Roger Flight.  This is Kenya control ready for auto abort.  Winds are from zero eight seven at six.  Skies are clear and visibility is unrestricted.  Kenya control will be prepped to receive in six minutes."
The video monitor had changed to show the emergency crew outside climbing into their gear and preparing to move to the protective embankment behind the control bunker.
"Roger," the voice on the speaker said.  "ETA at Kenya is five-five minutes."
"Roger.  We have live telemetry.  Currently tracking vehicle at angels sixty-four, speed three decimal seven two, engine at idle, over."
"Flight concurs."
I felt my phone vibrate.  I pulled it out of my pocket and smiled to see the flight control officer's number appear on the display.
"This is Paul," I said as I hit the answer button.
"Paul, this is John Smith, Flight Control for today's launch.  We've initiated an abort to Kenya after fluctuating M-34 and increasing T-34.  Vehicle appears stable at idle and is on auto abort.  Kenya control concurs and is prepping for arrival.  ETA is fifty four minutes."
"Got it," I said tersely.  "Let me know when its down on the ground.  I'll get an engineering team on the way to investigate."
It was the proper response we had worked out when designing the SOP.  He didn't need to know the engineering team was already here.
Hunter gave me a grin as I hung up the phone.  "I'm pretty sure the root cause analysis will be a loose sensor connector," he said.
"Let's get it on the ground first, then reveal the trivial problem," I replied.
The wait was both agonizing and filled with anticipation.  Our emergency response crew was given an update and relaxed their protective gear in the heat while the off-duty control personnel arrived and stood watching the displays with us.
Almost an hour later, the official local controller switched to his local radar feed and confirmed the craft was approaching.
"Control, this is Kenya Local, we have radar tracking on Golf-Oscar.  Telemetry is tracking on Kenya local beacon.  Ready to take control."
"This is flight control in Canaveral.  Kenya local has control at T plus fifty-two minutes."
"This is Kenya Local, I have control."
A telemetry hand-off checklist was completed with the communications, and Hunter verified the auto landing software was in a normal state.  Outside, the emergency team made ready.
The controller piped his voice circuit to the external PA so the crew could follow along.
"Golf-Oscar is on final direct approach into Kenya Alternate field.  We have positive telemetry and radar tracking.  Vehicle is bearing three-zero-five; angels seventeen; distance forty-two; speed two point four."
I watched the speed breaking S-turns begin on schedule.
"Auto S-Turn braking maneuver underway," he announced.
We watched the speed and altitude drop as the distance closed.
"Control, tower, we have visual," the operator in the tower with her powerful binoculars announced.
"Golf-Oscar is steady and in the glide path.  Speed dropping below Mach one."
I was torn between watching the video, and running up the tower to watch it live.  Only a desire to not be seen by the watchers in Florida, kept me inside.  Instead, I settled for the same view they were seeing on the video monitor.  The GO-X Prime lifting body was designed along the same lines we would ultimately have for the GO-X, but smaller.  With no crew capacity and only a single fusion engine mounted along the upper fuselage, it reminded me of pictures of a V-1 buzz bomb from World War Two.
"Three klicks, gear is down and locked, all systems are nominal," the controller announced.
The craft dropped lower and continued to bleed off speed.  In a sudden rush, it was over the threshold of the runway, appearing to claw its way back to earth with nose high.
I held my breath as it settled the last few meters.
"Touchdown at T plus five-eight and twenty-three seconds," the controller announced.
"Drogues deployed," he announced a second later and I watched the breaking chutes billow behind the craft.  The camera panned to follow it down the runway as the emergency response crew drove out to chase it down.
"Craft stopped."  The announcer said as it finally came to rest.  "Cape Canaveral, the craft has landed successfully.  Kenya control signing-off."

Chapter Forty
Clearing the High Bar
*****
"Do you think any of Uncle Sam's eyes in the sky are going to notice?" I asked Hunter as we watched the special launch hanger from the control tower.
From above, there was little to distinguish that hangar from any of the others.  It had the same white gleaming walls with reflective silver roofing.  It was the same dimensions as the others.  We had even made the other hangars the same height, adding considerably to the cost, to keep the shadows identical.  The differences were about to become clear.
We had moved the orbiter into the hangar for its post flight processing.  The three small pusher tractors required close teamwork to back it in.  We closed the doors and post-flight processing began.  Fourteen hours later, we turned it over for loading.  Step one was fixing the launch cradle in place.  We then retracted the landing gear, and returned the vehicle to its vertical launch position.  It was this rotation that required the extra hangar height.
"Commencing hangar movement," I heard Tamara say over the radio.  She had insisted on being closer to the action and had taken it upon herself to keep us informed via radio.  Her sharp eyes had already saved us some time.  Procedural problems that looked good on paper, would have forced re-work in the more confined spaces of the hangar.  She identified and helped fix them before they could impact our progress.
I spotted a seam of light at the center of the large rolling doors on the front of the hangar.  It took a moment to realize that the seam did not stop at the transom of the door.  I held my breath as the hanger split slowly down the middle.  Each half rolled along the runway on concrete railings that looked like curbing to the roadway.
"Two meters, opening at one meter per second," Tamara announced.
"If they are looking, they are going to see that," Hunter said with a chuckle.  It was several hours before dawn and the light spilling from the interior of the launch hangar lit the countryside.
"Well, let's see if they are watching, and can report it faster than we can launch," I said.
"Sounds like a plan," Hunter said as he glanced at his watch.  "We've got about twelve hours by procedure from the start of opening the hangar, until we're ready for launch."
"And it's the first time we've run through that procedure anyplace besides the Cape.  If we launch by this time tomorrow, I'll be happy."
"Well, even if Uncle Sam is watching, there is not much they can do out here in that time frame."
"Aside from bitch us out," I replied.
"Wasn't that bound to happen, regardless?"
It was my turn to laugh, even if it was gallows humor.
*****
"Paul, what in the hell is going on?" Kelly asked me over the phone.  "I've got some seriously pissed off people yelling at me, about you conducting illegal launches from Kenya."
"How are they illegal?" I asked with what I hoped was conciliatory tone.
I heard her sigh.
"I asked the same question.  The closest thing I got to an answer was illegally exported technology with military application.  What are you doing?"
"We aborted a test launch three days ago and landed the orbiter in Kenya.  It was a faulty sensor.  We're going to re-launch and then we will return the orbiter to the U.S."
"What about a payload?  Some gentlemen from the CIA are insisting that you loaded at least one satellite aboard.  Is that true."
"What difference does it make if it is?  I do have contracts to launch satellites."
"Paul, do you know what this is going to look like on the hill?"
"You tell me," I said.
I hoped for what it would look like.
"It's going to look like you are thumbing your nose at Congress.  You know there is a vote on the bill, next week.  This is going to look like you are grandstanding to make congress look bad."
"T minus seven minutes," Came over the announcing system in the control bunker.  "Commence final systems checks," Hunter added.
He was the acting flight controller today.
"Kelly, the only people making congress look bad is, as usual, congress.  They've been playing politics for two months.  I'm building a technical capability and showing the world that I can deliver on my promises of cheap tonnage to orbit.  I also don't have to fund the horrific red-tape of the beltway.  Once this launch is successful, from Kenya, I'll have any country in the world interested in cheap orbital capability beating down my door.  If the U.S.  wants some of that capacity, tell your people to get off their asses!"
"Paul, it's not that simple," she said.
"Yes… it… is.  In seven minutes, I'll show you that.  We demonstrated a turnaround time on launches of three days.  We will lift more tonnage to orbit with this launch than the shuttle delivered all last year.  I don't want this to come between us, but I am going to make good on this effort, regardless of Congress.  Feel free to let them know that."
"Paul!"
I hung up the phone, and switched it off.  I pulled my headset back on and checked the status displays before settling my gaze on the video feed of the launch stand.
"T minus five minutes.  All personnel are undercover, and accounted for."
We had three remote cameras on the launch stand fitted in the area that was the rear area of the hangar.  The two half-buildings were five hundred meters apart.  Protective aerogel/carbon-fiber panels closed off their interiors.  The launch stand held the orbiter over a flame pit, lined with similar material, and designed to deflect the exhaust blast away from the runway, while cooling it with a water bath.
"Activating water bath," Hunter said as if on cue.
"T minus two minutes."
I waited, scanning the monitor for any signs of trouble.
"T minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five," I saw the auto ignition sequence begin, "four, three, two, one--" Light flared under the orbiter-- "Zero."  The hold-backs released on schedule.  "Lift-off!"
The vehicle leapt into the air even as we felt the rumble of its power through the ground around us.
"Tracking is good," I head one of the controllers say.
"T plus ten.  Velocity at 900 meters per second, altitude four point five klicks and climbing."
With the six satellites, we were pushing nine point two G's and aiming for an orbit of 600 kilometers.  That meant continuing to accelerate for just under two minutes.  I watched the telemetry as it continued to track on our projected path.
"T plus thirty.  Velocity is 2,705 meters per second.  Altitude forty point five.  All systems are go."
A red "Breaking News" banner on the CNN feed caught my eye.  I flipped one switch to pipe its audio into my left earpiece.
"We have just received a report of an orbital launch by PT Innovations, from Kenya," the announcer said.  "Official spokesperson, Billy Salz has notified our international desk that PT Innovations has successfully launched one of its GO-X Prime orbiters from its facilities in Kenya.  The orbiter is carrying payloads for three different companies.  Additionally, they have provided us with this dramatic footage of the launch."
I watched as the video feed cut to what we had just watched live and smiled.  Billy and Tom were in on our plans and were working to put our version of the story out before the politicians could grandstand.  I was happy they were being this quick on the news, as long as we made orbit successfully.
"T plus sixty," Hunter announced.  "Velocity five four one zero meters per second.  Altitude one six two klicks.  All systems green."
"In addition to this dramatic nighttime launch footage, PT Innovations has informed us that the vehicle turned-around in seventy-eight hours after it touched down in Kenya, following a launch abort test from Cape Canaveral.  This performance well exceeds the expectations of both NASA and the GAO, as set forth in the President's SHARE Act, which is still waiting approval by the Senate and the House.  CNN will continue to bring you updates on this developing story."
I smiled and flipped my earphone setting back to its normal channel.
"T plus ninety.  Velocity is eighty-one fifteen.  Altitude three six five kilometers."
I continued to watch the screens.  The next thirty seconds would write the finale to this story.
"Engine shutdown at T plus one fifteen.  Orbit appears stable at five ninety-six kilometers."
"Hallelujah!" someone shouted.
Everyone broke into smiles and I felt hands slapping my back and reaching to shake my hand.
*****
"Congratulations are definitely in order, Mister Taylor," Minister Khalil said as he shook my hand.  He had asked for a meeting in Switzerland before I returned to the States following our launch in Kenya.
"Thank you, Minister.  What can I do for you, sir?"
His smile looked almost genuine.  I wondered if he was just happy to get down to business.
"Firstly, I wanted to thank you for the fine training you are giving my son.  He has told me much of what he is learning."
"I've heard he is doing well on his first assignment.  I'm sure he has shared some of the improvements we've made on the systems that should allow us to relax some of the operating constraints we previously had."
"Yes.  That is very exciting.  My government wondered how you would handle your control concerns with the fusion generators in your desalination plants.  For the people of Somalia, I am glad you found a way.  Allah has been merciful to you."
I smiled.  "But that is not what you are most interested in, is it?"
He shook his head.
"Of course not.  I, and the leadership of Iran, are very interested in how we could work more closely with you to bring such wonderful technology to our nation.  We would also like to open discussions about creating a similar chartering process to what you are trying to create with your president's SHARE act."
I was surprised.  I said as much.
"Iran has always been a cross roads of the trading world," the minister explained.  "While we are guided by Allah, may he ever be merciful, we are a people of commerce.  You have changed the world's view of oil, so we know the power it has given the Arab world will wane.  We have minerals and resources, but we can see that you seek to supplant those as well, so what will remain for our people?" he paused to sip his tea.
"We have trained minds and willing spirits, Mister Taylor, that deserve the chance to be unbound from earth and seek a destiny with any great nation.  That is what we want, but I know you are a pragmatic man, so I asked myself what you may need.  That was a much harder question to seek an answer for."
"I am interested in hearing what conclusion you reached, sir," I replied.
He smiled again.
"It was not easy.  You have wealth and power already.  You have a beautiful family.  You have the adoration of a generation of young minds.  There is very little you do not have, aside from the political hurdles that seem to rise before you on a regular basis.  Perhaps that is an area we can help you with."
"Hence the chartering opportunity," I said.
He nodded.
"The United States is a party to the Outer Space Treaty while Iran is only a signatory.  We have not yet ratified that treaty, internally.  For appropriate consideration, we would be willing to add very beneficial language to our law, as part of the ratification process."
It was an interesting offer.
"Such as?" I asked.
He shrugged.
"You would need to propose what would best suit your needs and plans, but what if we gave you de facto rights for consultation under article nine of that treaty?  Would that be beneficial to you?  Or perhaps we give you duty free status for any materials returned from orbit, or trans-shipped through an Iranian launch facility?  There are many opportunities."
He was right.  There were a multitude of potential avenues.  I would need to give his idea some serious thought.
"And what sort of consideration would interest you, Minister?"
He smiled.
"We too, would need time to discuss and think on this matter.  My desire, today, was simply to sound you out on such an offer, and determine if it was worth further discussion.  You may find yourself embroiled in politics when you return home.  I wanted to ensure you knew there were many alternate paths to whatever goal you seek."
"You have given me much to think on, sir.  I will be in touch after I have had time to reflect and assess."
"Until then, go with Allah, Mister Taylor."
*****
"That's so much crap, Paul," Tamara said as I shared my conversation with her and Hunter on the flight from Switzerland to Dublin.  "Iran and the Middle East have exported three things in recent history; oil, dates, and teachings of fundamental Islam."
She was right, and she was wrong.  I knew how much worse it had been in my prior life by this point of time.
"And perhaps commerce with the world would change that," I said.
"A leopard can't change its spots," she concluded and sat back with her arms crossed.  I sighed.
"What do you think, Hunter?"
He shrugged.  "Detente with Iran would be a good thing, if they actually tone down the rhetoric and police their own nut-jobs.  Unfortunately, they have a real western hater as their supreme leader.  They have little reason to love the U.S.  after some of the things we did for oil and for the Shah.  I don't know if this would be a good thing or not for the world.  Having options, in case things go sideways with Congress, might not be a bad contingency plan, however."
"My thinking as well," I said.  "While I would prefer doing business with the U.S.  of A., it may not work out that way."
We continued to bat around ideas for the remainder of the flight until landing in Dublin.  Lila was waiting for us.
"You've kicked a hornet's nest, Paul," Lila warned after giving Hunter an enthusiastic welcome kiss.
"Alison and Jeryl both insisted I meet you in person and let you know you need to fly directly to Washington.  They will meet you there with security.  General Baker wants you to call as soon as you land.  Hunter should stay here and activate our alternate flight control plans."
"They kicked us out of the Cape?" I asked.
Lila shook her head.  "Not yet, but some idiots are suggesting it.  Kelly is working to try and get people to react logically instead of emotionally, but the Democrats are pissed and the Republicans feel betrayed."
"Why?"
"Everyone has their own reasons, but they all boil down to you making them look foolish.  That's a cardinal sin in politics."
I shook my head.  "Where are Billy and Tom?"
"They'll be on the same plane as Jeryl and Alison.  As soon as you're refueled, you need to take off and head west."
"Okay.  Get the fuel trucks going and I'll make a couple of calls.  Hunter, you've got control of orbital operations until I tell you otherwise.  If they screw us over with facilities, we'll just land in Kenya again.  Keep the crew close on standby."
"Will do, Boss."
"Here's Jeryl," Tamara said as she handed me my phone.
"Hi, honey.  How are the kids?" I asked.
"Ali and Jer are fine.  How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, but Lila is looking daggers at me.  What's going on?"
"Congress is blustering, just as you feared.  Tom and Billy are all over the news outlets, but you should be ready for them as soon as you land.  Tom will be meeting you with a few select stations to begin coverage.  We're in control of the story much more so than any politician, but we need to stay on top of it."
"Okay.  Has our pitch changed?"
"No.  We're just proving the numbers promised in the bill and building our operational capability.  The talking heads are loving it; pointing out that both houses had months to ask meaningful questions and investigate.  They chose to squander time instead, positioning their districts and states for a better slice of pork.  The President went on the record encouraging the leadership to put the bill to a vote.  It will likely come to the house floor tomorrow.  The Senate's version will probably be Saturday, according to Kelly."
"It's about time.  So, I keep to our story?"
"That's right.  Don't let them pull you into the political fray.  That will only open you up to the mud slinging that is already starting."
"Okay.  How's Kelly?"
"Pissed off, and taking it out on us instead of the other Senators that created this mess.  I've told her to take advantage of the situation and make sure she is the voice of reason.  I think she's listening to me."
"Good.  Anything else I need to know before taking off?"
"No.  I'll see you in Washington.  Try to get a little rest on the flight.  I think it's going to be busy once you land."
She could not have spoken truer words.  Dozens of camera crews were waiting as we pulled up to the hangar at National several hours later.  I saw Tom and Billy had a podium on a riser in-front of the crowd as I stepped down from the plane.  The popping of flashes nearly made me miss my step.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'll provide a prepared statement and then open for questions," I said as I settled behind the podium.
"Two days ago, PT Innovations demonstrated the ability to recover an orbital craft, refurbish it, and return it to orbit with a full load of cargo in approximately three days.  The vehicle was one of our GO-X Prime unmanned orbiters.  It successfully delivered six communications satellites to low earth orbit and is awaiting ground clearance to return from orbit.  Our cost per kilogram for this flight was approximately two thousand dollars per kilo; roughly thirteen times cheaper than the same payload delivered by NASA on a space shuttle.  PT Innovations, in partnership with Gulfstream Aerospace and Rolls Royce Space Systems has built three of these vehicles.  We anticipate full commercial operations before the end of the year."
I paused for a breath.
"While many people have speculated that this effort was somehow aimed at the Congress of the United States, NASA, or some other government body, the truth is we are simply continuing to build and demonstrate our commercial capability while the legislative process unfolds.  However, it should be noted that since our success from Kenya, several nations have expressed interest in opening a dialog for creating launch facilities within their borders.  PT Innovations will evaluate all such offers to assess their commercial viability.  That concludes my prepared remarks and I'll now take questions."
Tom pointed to a reporter in the front row.
"Kendal Hicks from the Post.  Paul, what countries have approached you, and what commercial terms are you most interested in?"
"I've received inquiries from Spain, Brazil, Japan, Kenya, Tanzania, and Iran.  Since each has unique negotiation starting points, it is hard to immediately assess their commercial viability.  We will analyze each and make appropriate announcements should any of them go forward."
"Melissa de Lesseps, from the Times.  How is it that you had cargo ready for orbit in Kenya so quickly after an abort from Cape Canaveral?  It would seem you planned this."
I smiled.  She, or her paper, had smart people looking at us.
"Our next planned evolution for testing was a launch with recovery in Kenya.  The cargo was already staged there.  When we analyzed the abort and determined root cause to be a faulty sensor, we decided to accelerate our launch and test plans."
"Sam Michelson, Wall Street Journal.  Two questions.  The numbers you reference are well below the target numbers identified in the SHARE Act.  How do you justify the higher number guarantees in that law given your recent success?  Also, how can you state that this launch was not about speeding the legislative process?"
"The numbers in the SHARE act are a ceiling for costs, not a floor.  The wording in the version sent to the hill stated that the U.S.  Government would pay no more than nine thousand dollars per kilo for orbital delivery.  Should market prices drop below that number, the U.S.  is entitled to 'most favored nation' status in compensation for its chartering activities for the launch companies.  If the U.S.  government were paying for the launch, they would have paid no more than the two thousand dollars per kilo I mentioned in my statement."
I paused for a breath.  "As for the disparity in price, the higher number includes manned operations, which have higher overhead cost due due to manned flight certification and the consumables you need to take along that are not necessarily part of your payload delivered to orbit."
"With regard to the second question, my team has worked out a very thorough test plan that will expand our capabilities in logical steps according to our timeline, not that of Congress.  We will be flight certifying the two additional orbiters before the end of the month and expect to increase the frequency of launches as we book more commercial payloads.  If the Government does not want the launch fees or taxes our operations will generate; well, then, we will consider other locations from which to operate."
The reporters murmured.  Tom pointed back to Melissa de Lesseps from the Times.
"Paul, what can you tell us about the timeline for manned operations?"
I smiled.  "Our manned orbiter, the GO-X, will be ready for initial testing this summer.  We have a six to nine-month test plan.  Our goal is to deliver a manned lab into orbit within eighteen months."
"Manned by who?" one reporter called out over the buzz.
"PT Innovations will initially man the lab.  We may lease space to other interested parties once it is operational."
*****
"Hell, Paul," General Baker said as I entered his office.  "Japan and Spain are one thing, but Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania, and Iran?  What in the world are you thinking, telling the press those countries have approached you?"
"General, I've always appreciated our relationship, but this is business, not politics.  Those countries are chomping at the bit to capitalize where we are dragging our feet.  They all see that we are not serious about embracing the President's vision to create a new round of high-tech jobs and growth.  If the U.S.  is not going to seize this opportunity, they want to."
The General scowled.  "And if they entice you away, what happens to our launch capability?"
I shrugged.  "Nothing, other than potential scheduling conflicts.  Of course, I really don't want to manage multiple charters and agreements, so I'll give a few weeks of delay in responding to the offers, but then my patience will be worn out."
The General nodded and looked at some notes.  "How many jobs, really?"
"Short-term and depending on how big a facility they want to build, it could create several thousand jobs.  Then there are the supporting roles for launch operations and maintenance.  Again, it depends on how big a facility they want to build, but those could be a thousand full-time jobs with very high-tech skills.  Of course, once you have the infrastructure in place, ancillary industry will spring up.  Payload prep will be first, then testing and training facilities, then research facilities to have closer proximity to the launch centers.  Five years from now, the area around the facility could support 50,000 sustainable jobs, easily."
"Shit!  What was the GAO estimate?  Five thousand?"
I nodded.  "They took the lowest growth estimate because they assume only five thousand net new jobs would be created.  They assume the existing support and research jobs would remain in the economy."
"And they took the highest cost models?"
I nodded again with a smile.  "Even then, the numbers showed a net positive gain from a pure economic perspective."
"Which made the Dems and some of more fiscally conservative Republicans assume we were manipulating the numbers or hiding something," he said.
"That's it in a nutshell.  That's why everyone wants a cut of the action, now that they see a relatively cheap facility can be used.  Kenya has proven the model to them.  Kenya has already started serious negotiation with us, since we already have a proven facility built there.  They want the jobs and revenue of transshipping through Mombasa up to Kisumu.  Their opening position is a one hundred year lease on the land around our facility, and tax free status for operational imports."
The General gave a low whistle.  I nodded.
"Will you tell this to the politicians?"
"I will."
The General looked thoughtful.
"Okay.  You can be the carrot and I'll be the stick.  I'll be testifying tomorrow on the strategic needs the DoD has with regard to cheap access to space.  Even without this economic information, I think I had a pretty strong case to get a few votes swayed with a National Security argument."
"Good to hear.  I'm glad you'll be in our corner and vice versa, but this conversation is hardly worthy of a visit."  Especially after flying for the past seven hours with only a short stop in Ireland.
"It isn't, but another launch opportunity is.  We've had a satellite start to fail, and need to get a replacement up ASAP."
"A spy satellite?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?  Every launch is going to be scrutinized by the rest of the world."
"Every launch out of Vandenberg is as well.  We did not expect the bird to begin failing in the manner we're seeing.  We suspect it was hit by something."
"You know we don't have a manned capacity or retrieval capability yet, right?"
He nodded.  "We want it delivered in the similar orbit, but different plane, to give us the same coverage without showing the original satellite is failing.  While we would like to recover it, that's not the priority."
"How urgent?"
"The sooner the better.  It appears to be losing power and maneuvering capability.  We've done all we can to extend its life, but it will probably go dark within a month."
I thought through the backlog of launch orders.  "Once we are cleared to land at the Cape we will need a couple of weeks to assess everything.  We've got an un-used vehicle that we planned on starting test flights with, but that has different risks."
"Any way to speed up your turn around time?  You only needed three days in Kenya."
"Our test plan is to do a much greater fatigue analysis after this flight.  We are establishing a baseline for long term operating envelopes.  We need to do it right."
"Okay.  How long for the new vehicle?"
"It's in the hangar at the Cape.  We had planned an empty test launch, evaluation, and then a loaded launch.  It's going to be pretty much the same timeline."
"No chance of the first launch being loaded?"
I thought about the testing goals.  "We could from a testing perspective, but you'd be taking on additional risk.  This is only the second launcher in the series."
"How soon?"
"A week or so, but you'll need to get the politicians off my back."
"I said I could help with that.  Let me get a couple of my folks in here and talk through more details.  As I mentioned, this is important."
*****
"You've got your charter," Kelly said as she stormed into my office.  She stopped in front of my desk which her arms crossed tightly and a scowl on her face.  "And you might have ruined my political career."
I sighed.
"It will blow over.  Once the economics start to show themselves, the politicians will belly up to the trough."
"Is that what you think of me?  A pig ready for feeding?"
"Of course not.  Sorry, it's been a long week."
The votes had gone quickly the week after our Kenyan launch.  We had followed that success with another by launching the DoD satellite with our newest orbiter.  The SHARE Act had been signed by the President on the same day.  Kelly's committee had little choice but to hold a month's worth of hearings before approving our charter and sending it to the Senate for confirmation.  Public opinion had ensured rapid ratification.
"What did you hope to achieve, honestly?" She asked.
"Exactly what we got," I said.  "We have a sound legal basis to begin getting mankind into space on a permanent basis.  We have the framework and infrastructure plans needed to create a whole new frontier.  You should be happy, too."
"Happy?  People think I'm your puppet in the Senate.  Have you seen the press coverage?  I'm not Senator Keller, I'm Paul Taylor's sister."
"That was never my intent or plan, Kelly.  You know that.  What can I do to help?"
Her look softened a bit and she uncrossed her arms before sitting down across from me.
"You need to let me in on your plans.  I need to be able to maneuver in the Senate.  You are the richest man in the world, or soon will be.  If I'm going to be seen as your puppet, I need to be able to leverage it."
"That's a pretty cynical view, Kelly."
She shrugged.  "It's realpolitik.  If the politicians on the hill need to come to you through me, I will have power."
"Is that what you want?  Power?"
"To help the country, yes.  It's not like I need it for myself.  I could leave office and come back here and have more power over the future than most of my colleagues imagine.  But the country needs leadership more than you or your company.  You've got plenty of that."
"Okay.  How do I help?"
"Tell me the plan, Paul.  Stop treating me like an outsider and think of me as your older, wiser sister."
I smiled.  She was still decades younger than I, but in her mind I was still the teenager she had first met many years before.
"Okay.  With the charter, we will begin investing in infrastructure for launches and the build out of an orbital fleet.  That is going to be a lot of jobs.  Some of those jobs will be in Georgia to support Gulfstream.  We will expand our facilities in Texas, focusing on materials research around the team there.  California will gain a launch facility on or adjacent to Vandenberg, and probably see real job growth at Lockheed, and some of the other defense contractors.  CRP is probably going to expand its footprint as well, to keep up with demand for its products.  Those are just the immediate plans."
"How many jobs?"
"Thousands, but it's not just jobs.  You know our balance sheet and cash flow.  We'll be pumping almost fifteen percent of our free cash flow back into the U.S.  economy for wages, material, and infrastructure improvements."
"Infrastructure?"
"Rail and road delivery!  We need to be able to move material to and from the launch sites.  We're also going to have to expand our scholarship pool, to really drive growth in technology education.  Our new frontier is going to demand engineers and scientists.  Think about it.  A farmer in orbit is going to need a lot more education than one on earth.  Anyone working in orbit is going to need a lot more training to get them ready for that environment.  We're going to have to build that infrastructure."
Kelly was nodding in understanding.
"Where will those facilities be?"
It was my turn to shrug.
"I don't know, yet.  Some will need to be near launch sites, but not all.  You can use that knowledge however you want.  Frankly, you can tell me where they need to be to cement political alliances."
"I can do that.  You're going to need something in Illinois and Ohio.  They have too many votes to be ignored."
She was silent for a minute, thinking.
"Shit, Paul.  Three years from now, you'll have more political power than the President if you make smart decisions about where to build."
I nodded and said, "It's not just domestic.  I will put launch facilities overseas.  Those efforts will take longer, but getting the charter was the first step.  My next treaty will be a three way agreement with Kenya and Tanzania."
"Why there?"
"Tanzania is not a party to the Outer Space Treaty.  That gives us long-term political options when we are ready."
Kelly's eyes got big.  "Are you thinking about colonizing the moon?"
"The moon, asteroids, Mars; I want the option to do it all.  Mankind needs those opportunities."
"Why?"
It was time to share my fundamental belief with someone.
"We need an outlet for mankind.  The resources of the planet are finite.  This is the first generation to realize that.  If we don't have a place to expand to, to continue fueling our need for challenges and resources, we will turn inward.  We've seen hints of what that inward view is already.  We deify men and abdicate our independent thought.  We slip into ignorance and fundamentalism.  Then we turn on each other to sustain our faction's need for control and resources.  If we stop expanding, we will collapse as a species.  I feel that in my bones."
Kelly was quite for a moment.
"Iran?" she asked.
"It could start there.  They have pride as a people and we seem bent on giving their leaders a ready target to vilify.  It is an easily manipulated situation.  Giving them another path could help."
"And Africa?"
"A strong Central African economy is a curb to fundamental Islam, just as a strong technology based economy is a curb to our own fundamental Christian sects."
"People will get mad if you say that to them."
"It's the truth, but you're right.  The bible belt needs their beliefs, just as the followers of the Imams need theirs.  But the need for belief is driven by a lack of belief in themselves.  That's what all of my screening procedures are really about.  People will make mistakes, but the biggest mistake is not trying to stand on their own intellect and understanding."
Kelly shook her head.  "Did you have this all in mind when you started building cars?"
I laughed.
"I'm not that smart, Kelly.  Each time I've had success, I've looked forward and tried to think logically about what my work enabled, and what man needed.  It started with power and relieving our dependence on oil.  It has shifted to opening new frontiers for our entire race."
Kelly's anger was fully dissipated.  She was looking thoughtful.
"It's quite a vision, Paul.  Can you make it happen?"
"All we can do is try, Kelly.  I guarantee I can continue trying."
"Then I guess I can continue supporting you."

Chapter Forty-One
Poking the Bear
*****
"Pan-pan, pan-pan, pan-pan.  This is Golf Sierra Niner, in de-orbit profile, passing latitude eight-nine north on heading one nine zero. Altitude two-one-two klicks, descending.  We are broadcasting in the blind and unable to receive communications."
I marveled at the disciplined voice of Terry White, the pilot.  We had been on what I considered a routine flight up to PTO-1 for a supply delivery.  We'd launched the station in December of 1994, just outside my eighteen-month goal, and had manned it continuously since.  Dr. Thomas Culpepper, one of the Season Three interns and now working with Dr. Wilkerson in my materials research team, oversaw the orbital science operations. 
I'd joined the flight at the last minute, wanting to review some of the material processes being worked on in the orbiting lab.  It was two days docked to the station and then an orbital change to retrieve an end-of-life military satellite for the DoD before returning to Edwards Air Force base with our cargo.  That had been the plan.
That changed after a debris hit, following the satellite retrieval.  
"Any way to know if we're broadcasting?"  Samantha Conner, the co-pilot, asked.
"Negative.  Whatever hit us took out at least one antenna array.  Once we get lower and we're not ionizing the air so much, our other comms should work." Terry replied.  "I just hope no one gets twitchy with something de-orbiting from over the pole."
While tensions around the world had reduced to some extent over the past two years, the START II treaty was still stalled in Congress and the US retained a formidable response capability to a missile attack.  Of course, GS-9 was on a published flight path and I was confident the Air Force was tracking us, given our mission to retrieve a military satellite.
"How's our speed?" I asked, as I glanced over my shoulder and out the window.  The glow of reentry had dimmed.
"We're below six klicks a second.  Why?"
Rather than answer, I flipped two switches on the engineer's panel before me and began typing on the keyboard.  After a minute, I sat back and watched the screen.
"Yes!  I'm able to connect to the remote telemetry system.  Let me alert ops."
I began typing again.
"Ops is online.  They can hear our broadcast, but we can't hear them," I said a few moments later.
"That's good news," Sam said.
"It is.  Let me see if they are tracking....Shit.  High T-34, high fluctuations on M-34, port engine."  I typed furiously as I kept one eye on the monitors at my engineering station.
"Any station this net, Golf Sierra Niner broadcasting in the blind.  We are losing one engine.  Requesting immediate clearance to land...."
"Hill Air Force Base looks closest," Sam said as she checked the track against her display.
"...at Hill Air Force Base," Terry finished.
"Ops says we are clear.  They're alerting Hill."  
A red alarm flashed and a klaxon sounded on my panel.
"Shutting down port engine!" I announced.
"Throttling down starboard." Terry stated as he monitored his controls.  
The cockpit was quietly tense as the two pilots adjusted course and monitored our altitude.  I kept an eye on the engines.  I had many hours in test firings and simulator time but this was the first trip sitting alone in the engineer's station on a real flight bridge.  I was proud of completing all the certifications we had devised for the position but found myself wondering if the training was enough for a real emergency.  I pushed those thoughts away and pulled out the checklist for landing on one engine and began reviewing the procedures, just as I had trained.
"Should we stretch for Edwards?" Sam asked.
"Negative," I responded.  "Get us on the ground.  We should not have lost the port engine from a debris strike.  Something else is going on.  Let's get safely down. Then we can figure out what happened."
The design of the GO-X had given way to the GS series of orbiters.  Hunter and I had been able to reduce the size of the generators and make them integral to the wing base, to allow a streamlined lifting body design that could support both orbital and sub-orbital operations. While this was the ninth orbiter PT Innovation had built, it was only the second of the GS series.  This flight was making me wonder if we had missed something in the design.
"I've got the beacon for Hill," Sam announced several tense minutes later.  "I guess that means the nav array is intact at least.  Come right to two-two-five and we'll then track back south to line up for a straight approach."
"How long is their runway?" Terry asked.
"Runway 14 is 4117 meters long.  You should have plenty of roll space."
"Agreed, but let's get the speed down some more.  I'm going nose up and drop some speed.  Starboard engine at idle," he said.
I felt myself press into the seat as our nose came up and we climbed some while Terry put us into a gentle turn, first further west, and then back to the southwest.
"Looking good," Sam said as she handled navigation.
"Hill is ready for us," I said as I read the brief message from Ops on my display.  
"Come right to one four zero," Sam said as she kept an eye on the nav display. 
"I've got a visual," Terry said as he banked the orbiter.  "We're on the glide path."
I scanned my controls and then pulled my seat belt and shoulder harness tight.  While the pilot and co-pilot had windows, the engineering station and the payload specialist stations blocked any view, so I had to rely on the video display to show what the pilots could see through their windows.  I made sure the emergency landing checklist was clipped in place where I could easily see it.
"Ten-K to threshold. Angels four-mike," Sam said.  We were at four thousand meters and ten thousand meters from the end of the runway.  It was a little higher than our typical approach profile.
"Port engine offline. Starboard engine at idle. All indicators green," I said.
"Lowering gear," Terry said without emotion.  
I monitored the landing gear indicators.
"Gear is down and locked," Sam reported.   
"I've got the ball," Terry said.  "High in glide path.  Correcting."
I felt the nose come up some and watched the airspeed bleed off and the altitude drop.  The deft balancing of forces was an art form that I could appreciate but did not want to try and master.  I would have been inclined to drop the nose, which would pick up speed and increase lift in this craft.
"On glide path," Terry said for the benefit of our cabin recorders.  Over and over, it had been drilled into me to keep the dialog going on actions and observations to capture as much data as possible.
"Four-K to threshold. Angels one-mike," Sam said.  I had wondered why we used the "K" designator for kilometers, but called out "mike" for altitude.  Evidently, "Angels" had been used for altitude in thousands of feet, so our pilots had taken the Angels as one thousand, but added "mike" to indicate meters instead of feet.  
I brought my focus back to my display.
"Two-K, five hundred meters," Sam said softly.
I took a deep breath and watched our airspeed drop, as the nose came up a little higher.  The last two thousand meters seemed to take forever, even though I knew it was only a matter of moments before we pressed firmly against our seats and heard the chirp of tires hitting the runway.  A moment after that, I was pressed against my shoulder straps as the brakes were applied.
"Touchdown," Sam said.
I began going through the post landing checklist as Terry and Sam brought us to a complete stop at the southern end of the runway.  On my monitor, I saw the base emergency crews surrounding us.
"Sam," Terry said.  "Let Paul and I finish the shutdown while you go pop the hatch and let them know we're okay."
"I'm on it," she said as she unbuckled and headed aft to the primary crew hatch.  
Ten minutes later, we were all standing in the shade of the orbiter as we looked at the communications antenna array.  A small pit was evident in the carbon fiber panel, but there was nothing catastrophic about it.  The port engine also looked fine.
"Whatever caused our problems," I said softly to Terry, "It was not a debris strike."
*****
"Daddy, I saw you on TV!" Ali exclaimed as I came into the house in Deer Valley.  "You were on a spaceship."
I smiled, stooped to pick up my seven-year-old daughter, and gave her a big kiss on the cheek.
"I was, sweetheart.  Did I look good on TV?"
She nodded with a serious frown on her face. "But Mommy was not happy with you."
"Why?"
She shrugged and wiggled to be put down.  "I don't know, but she said Aunty Alison was going to tan your hide," she said with a giggle before running towards the kitchen.
I shook my head and followed her to be greeted by cold stares from my wife and head of security.
"I hope you're all right," Jeryl said as she stood and gave me a quick kiss, "because I'm pretty sure Alison intends to see if you've been keeping up with your Krav Maga practice."
I groaned and held up my hands in surrender.  "I was never in any real danger," I insisted.  "Besides, Sanford was at Hill almost before we got the ship off the runway."
Alison arched a red eyebrow at me.  "Sanford was supposed to be on vacation here, this week; not chasing after you.  Your detail is in California waiting on your return from orbit.  I know you think security is foolish but you still have reasons to be cautious, Paul."
I sat down and nodded.  "I know.  I think even more so than you realize."
Alison sat up straighter.  "What do you mean?"
"Someone managed to plant a software virus on the orbiter.  That's why we had to come down at Hill.  It took out some comms and caused an engine issue."
"How is that possible?" Jeryl asked.  "I thought your protocols would prevent something like that."
"I thought so, too.  That's why I called for Sanford to pick me up.  I need Alison to get a crack team of computer forensic people together."
Alison was nodding now.  "We've got some people on retainer.  Were they targeting you?"
"I don't see how.  I wasn't supposed to be on the orbiter.  It was a last-minute crew change and I don't think any software was loaded after I decided to go."
"And that's something we will verify," Alison said.  "I will get a team moving to both the orbiter and the launch prep facility."  She stood and glanced at Jeryl.  "Can you keep an eye on Rose for a bit?"
"Of course," Jeryl said.  
"And you need to be grounded," Alison said to me.  "Until we know what really happened.  Understood?"
I considered arguing but then realized she was right.  
"I do.  I even agree," I said after a moment.
"Good.  I guess that means I won't have to give you a spanking then," she said with a little smile.  She leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek before heading the out of the room.
"But I will if you do something that stupid again!" Jeryl said as she gave me a longer hug.  "You scared me, Paul."
I gave her a kiss.  
"I'm sorry."
*****
"Paul, do you know an Allen Stenzel?" Tamara asked from the doorway of my office in Stanford.  She had some papers in her hand.
"I knew some Stenzels growing up," I said with a slight pang for Wendy.
"I've got a letter asking about job opportunities.  It says you knew his sister."
"I did.  She was one of my first girlfriends.  She died my freshman year."
Tamara's face fell.  She fully entered my office and handed me the stack of paper.  
The top page was a letter, from Wendy's younger brother, Allen.  He had just finished his masters in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois and was starting his job search.  I flipped through his transcript and resume.  He had attended Northwestern for his undergrad and carried nearly straight A's throughout his college career.  He had interned at Motorola and worked summers for DigiNet in Chicago as part of a tower build-out crew.
I sat down and motioned Tamara to take a seat as I re-read his letter.  I remembered the last time I had seen him, at Wendy's funeral.  He was only eight or nine then.  The years had flown by.
"Tamara, go ahead and get ahold of him.  Arrange a trip out here for an interview.  I want you to take lead on it."
"What position?" she asked.
"I don't know.  Find out what he is interested in and get a feel for his strengths.  From the looks of things, he could have gone back to DigiNet and stayed closer to home, so he must be interested in something else.  Find out.  Once you get things arranged, end the day with an hour with me."
She nodded.  "Got it.  I'll get everything set up."
A week later, on a Thursday afternoon, she ushered an all-grown-up Allen into my office.  I rose and came around my desk to shake his hand.  He was a good looking, tall young man with his father's broad shoulders and easy smile.
"Allen, it is good to see you again.  How have you been?" I asked as I guided him to the small meeting table by my windows."
"I'm good, Paul.  I'm almost surprised you remember me."
I smiled.  "Meeting you was a bright spot in some otherwise dark times.  I'm sorry I didn't try to stay in touch."
He waved it away.  "I understand.  We actually moved a couple of years later.  Dad got a promotion that took us to Indianapolis."
"How are your folks?"
"Good.  They're in Pittsburgh now."
"So, how has your day been?"
He flashed his smile again.  "Great.  Tamara went over my background and then took me to meet a few of the start-ups you're investing in down on the first floor.  Then I met with Donna and discussed some of my DigiNet experiences.  I also had a phone conversation with Dr. Freis in Syracuse.  You are doing a lot of interesting things."
I had gotten brief emails from everyone stating what an intelligent and personable young man Allen was, before I met with him.  Everyone had liked him.
"Good.  Everyone was very impressed with you as well," I told him.  
He smiled again.
"I've just got one problem," I said.  "I don't know what position you are actually interested in, here."
His smile faded and he looked nervous for the first time.  
"Um, I know this may be a bit bold but I was wondering if you needed a junior assistant?"
My first thought was to laugh.  My second was to stop and think. Luckily, my first thought never made it to my face.
"That's interesting.  I usually have two personal assistants.  Tamara is one of them.  Joseph is the other.  Did you meet Joseph?"
"The British ex-marine?" he asked.  I nodded.  "Yes, I met him this morning but we didn't say much, other than pleasantries."
I sat back in my chair and thought for a minute.  
"Allen, I'll tell you what.  I'll give you a shot to see if this is really what you want.  You're familiar with our TV show, right?"
His smile was back.  "Oh, yeah.  I watch it every season."
"Okay, you're going to get your very own version over the next four weeks." 
I got up and headed to the door to call Tamara in.  She looked a little bewildered when I had her join us at the table.
"Tamara, Allen is going to be your and Joseph's gopher for the next few weeks.  When I am on the road, he'll be with whichever one of you is my shadow.  If you don't have enough to keep him busy, we'll see what Jeryl has going.  I want him to get a sense for the pace and workload you guys put up with from me.  If he passes muster and still wants the job, he'll become another PA for me."
Tamara actually smiled at the both of us.  
"Just in time to help plan this summer's symposiums," she said with a chuckle.  My annual innovation symposium had grown over the years to almost become an internal research convention.  Tamara and Joseph had insisted on professional event management help but still ran themselves ragged getting ready for it.
"That can be one task.  Do you have a passport, Allen?"
"I do."
"Great.  I've got to be in Dublin in eight days for some meetings with the Power Systems division.  You'll come along for that.  Tamara, where did you put him up?"
"The Four Seasons, but they have a group booking coming in tomorrow, so we'll have to move him."
"Okay, take care of that.  Allen, do we need to fly you home to take care of anything before you start?"
He looked a little dazed.  "Um, no.  But I'll need some more clothes."
"No worries.  Tamara will take you shopping.  She knows what you'll need from a wardrobe perspective."
"Any African trips this month?" she asked with a grin.
"No, but we'll be going to the Lab at least once.  Get him a couple of sets of desert gear so he won't be too hot."
"Yes, boss," she said with a grin.  "Welcome to the madhouse, Allen.  I hope you're crazy enough to enjoy the ride."
I shook his hand before she took his arm and headed him for the door.  It was the first man I'd seen who she did not make look small.  I wondered how they would hit it off over the next month.
*****
"Thanks for making time for me, Kelly," I said as she greeted me at the door of her new house in Georgetown.  Since she had first been elected in a special election, she had been required to stand for reelection last year.  It had been a virtually unopposed run, with the Republican Party candidate only picking up just under forty percent of the popular vote.  
Kelly pulled me in for a hug.  "Like I'm going to tell my little brother I'm too busy to meet with him?" she asked teasingly.  "Or am I such a poor politician I'm going to send the world's richest man away without at least hearing him out?"
I laughed.  "I guess you've got me on both accounts."  I paused to look around her house.  "This looks like a nice place," I said.
"Let me give you the grand tour," she insisted.  
We quickly went through the formal areas of the first floor.  They were not what I would have considered to be her style.  She agreed.  "But I need to entertain and be able to have meetings outside the Capitol or my offices.  The first floor is pretty empty unless I'm hosting something."
The second floor was more to my liking.  It felt comfortable and private.  She showed me into her home office at the end of the tour.
"Before you ask, yes, Alison's folks have been over everything and are handling security.  I think she even added an office here in D.C. for them to work out of and rotate through."
I smiled.  "She told me.  They're actually getting a lot of other discreet enquiries.  Especially after the Oklahoma City bombing.  I guess a lot of the government feels threatened after that."
"It's a mess," she agreed.  "In every briefing, the same questions are asked, and we are told we are safe, but now a lot of my associates are feeling threatened."
"I can't condone his actions, but based on the few things in the press, it sounds like that is part of what he was advocating.  I can almost understand his thinking, but again in the end he was an extremist who did not want to actually live in a democracy."
She nodded.  It was a rehash of our discussions and interviews when the Unabomber had hit our offices.  
"Surely you didn't come all the way to D.C. to check on my security?"  She chided after a pause.
I smiled.  "No.  I've got some meetings in town on Monday and thought I'd check up on you to see how the 104th Congress was getting along."
"Bullshit, Paul.  Don't try that game on me.  I spend eighteen hours a day dealing with people trying to sell me something.  It's almost enough to make me chuck in the towel and come back to the business side of things."
"You're welcome any time," I said.
She waved her fingers at me with our old "give-me" meaning.
I sighed.  I should have known better than trying to ease into the conversation.  We had covered the family and general business aspects during the tour.  She knew I had something that might affect the hill, or I wouldn't have come in person, at least not a full day early for a Monday meeting.
"We're going to be doing some stuff on the show this summer that might raise some questions for your committees."
She had kept her position on the Commerce, Science and Transportation committee for the Senate and also joined the Appropriations Committee as the Chair for the Energy and Water Development sub-committee.  
"Which one?"  she asked as she pulled out a small notebook.
"Both, but the Appropriations one is probably more urgent."
"How so?"
"Several of our challenges are going to involve the desalination plants in California.  Depending on how things go, we might show a pretty stark contrast between what you guys are budgeting and what is really going to be needed to help improve water availability and usage in California."
"And it's going to air as we're working on next year's budget."
I nodded.  "Also, it's pretty likely that some people are going to once again ask why the federal government is getting cheap clean power while their bills are staying the same or going up."
"What do you mean?"
"We're going to have excess power for the desalination plants with the latest generator design.  We'll be selling it on the open grid.  One of our success measures for the interns is going to be how much power is left over from the water creation efforts."
Kelly had been involved enough in the show to understand we weren't talking a couple of kilowatts excess.  "How much?"
I shrugged.  "My initial numbers are that each plant will supply at least twenty megawatts, which is roughly enough electricity for forty or fifty thousand homes.  The Interns are likely to beat that number with the variables they can play with."
"And you can't just make more clean water with it?"
"California is looking at a purchase of thirty stations, partially funded with federal dollars.  That will more than cover the gap in natural production.  If they make excess water, they are going to need fewer plants, than they've already contracted for.  I think the voters are going to want the power to go with their water."
"So, what are your blockers?"
"I've got none.  The public has two; PG&E and the unions.  It's still the same old issues.  It seems like whenever we take one step forward, they push us two steps back."
"So, what do you want me to do about it?"
I smiled.  "If I knew that, I'd just tell you.  I don't know what might have a chance of working.  I do know this could be an opportunity for you to broker a deal that's good for your base and may have national implications.  The Nuclear Regulatory Agency falls under your sub-committee for appropriations.  Commerce and Science is the focus of your other one.  Between the two, you are the only member on both, so if you can think of something, it's a good bet it will have decent support on the floor if it gets out of both committees."
She rubbed her temples and jotted down a couple of notes.  "Any carrots we can use to move things forward?"
"We're discussing back-to-back seasons of the Interns.  We could probably find some way to work in a congressional challenge in the fall taping for spring airing.  It's not much but it might have enough vanity appeal to give you some leverage."
"Why are you doing back-to-back runs?"
"That's the other item.  Next year we'll have a sequel.  We'll keep doing 'The Interns', but a year from now, you'll also see the premier of 'The Interns - Orbital'."
"Which is the other shoe, right?"
I nodded.  "It's got a lot more lead time for the projects, since space is not a very forgiving environment.  We're planning a couple of teaser challenges this season to test out the appeal from viewers but it has already tested well with both the network and the applicants for the show."
"And it's going to require us to revisit the charter?"
"No but there might be a call for it from the viewing public.  Since we're still defining all the challenges, I thought I should give you a heads up in case you needed any political leverage.  Some things are going to have to be done in specific locations but there might be opportunities for other challenges."
"Like what?" she asked.  "Help me understand."
"Well, some of the training could be filmed in Alabama at the US Space and Rocket Center just as easily as Houston or Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.  If you guide us, we can give some interplay with federal or state representatives from those locations.  I would think a few million viewers would have some tourism benefits even if we don't actually have the elected officials on the show.  I'm trying to give you some chips to play with, as we talked about a couple of years ago."
"When will you need to know by?"
"We're looking to lock in the new shooting schedule by the beginning of August.  We should have the list of challenges by the middle of June.  With our current schedule, I thought talking to you now would give you a chance to think about who might be standing for re-election and throwing some positive PR their way or denying them of that opportunity as well."
She was nodding.  "I get it.  I'll have to review which seats are up and if there is an opportunity.  Even the suggestion might be worth some leverage inside the DNC."
"Just keep me out of the actual discussions.  I'll do some favors for you, but as soon as I get a call directly from them or the Republican Committee, I'm going to let Tom and Billy make the decisions."
She smiled.  "I'll make sure anyone I talk to understands that this is a very sensitive and discrete play that I'm making."  It was part of our special arrangement to build her power base without a money trail.  
"Who else are you making this special offer to?"  
I laughed.  "I need to keep a balance, Sis.  One of my meetings is at 1600 tomorrow.  I'll let you infer as you will."
"George is a good politician.  He'll understand and keep the Republicans in line for you."
"And you get the Democrats," I said in agreement.
"Now, why do you think this new show is going to cause problems instead of raise opportunities?"
"Money, why else?  One of the challenges will be selecting a longer-term mission objective.  The dollars are going to be discussed on national television.  What are people going to think about when we are talking about a billion-dollar opportunity?  You and I both know that NASA would spend two billion to bring one home.  You know I won't.  Under the charter, the US of A gets most favored nation status on lift capacity.  They get some modest revenue for import/excise taxes.  They won't get a billion-dollar windfall for the budget suddenly."
"Are you serious about that kind of money?"
I nodded.  "One early concept is asteroid mineral recovery.  Depending on what we find, we could be looking at rare earths or precious metals in large enough quantities to skew the short-term market.  Market impacts are going to be one of the assessment criteria for analysis."
"How do you plan on making that sort of analysis television friendly?"  She asked.
I grinned.  "You'll just have to tune in next year and see."
"You do realize you'll need to manage the timing of that message, right?" she asked with a suddenly serious face.
"I think I do.  Why do you think I should?"
"Next year is an election year.  Bush won't be the man in the oval office in 1997.  Depending on how you present it, you could raise an election issue in the debates.  Be careful, because you might not like the direction the public runs with that sort of opportunity."
"Shit," I said.
*****
"I don't want it!" Jeremy said with the stubborn insistence only a six-year-old boy could muster as I came into the kitchen and he sat at the table looking out the window.
Mrs. Eccles gave me a look, clearly at the end of her willingness to argue.
"What's the matter, sport?" I asked as I sat down next to him.
"I don't want cereal.  I don't like it."
"But that's what you asked for when I gave you a choice twenty minutes ago," Mrs. Eccles chided.
"Is that right, Jeremy?"
"But I don't like it."
"Okay," I said as I grabbed the bowl of cereal and his spoon.  "Go get ready for school.  We're leaving in five minutes."
His eyes got wide at my words and wider as I dug into his bowl of cereal with his own spoon.  I was glad to taste that it wasn't one of the sugar coated, mushy-mouth things they advertised on television but the plain oat squares I usually had.  I swallowed a bite and looked at him.
"Get moving.  You made your choice.  Learn to live with it."
He stared daggers at me before pushing back from the table and stomping away.
Once he was well up the stairs, Mrs. Eccles laughed.
"That's one way to deal with him," she said.
I nodded and asked for a pen and piece of paper.  
"I tried the same trick once, when I was around his age.  It was just after my father died.  We didn't have a lot of choices and Mom only had cereal.  She did the exact same thing and sent me off with a note for the teacher."
I quickly paraphrased that note for Jeremy's teacher.  The gist of it was that Jeremy had made a choice and was being given a lesson in living with that choice.  I also jotted down my number if he caused any problems at school before lunch.
"If it works on him as it did me, he'll never willingly skip breakfast again."
Mrs. Eccles chuckled as I finished eating and then handed her my bowl and spoon before going to check on Jeremy.
It was a quiet ride into Park City to drop him off at school.  Once he was inside, I went to the office and handed them my note for his teacher.  Bethany, one of Alison's people who she had placed at the school read the note over the secretary's shoulder and smiled.  I looked at her and shrugged.  She had enough experience with our kids to know that they got stubbornness from both parents.
I gave her a smile and then headed back out to the Range Rover to make the short ride to the offices.
"Good morning, Paul," Allen and Tamara said in unison.  They were both with me in Park City this week as we finalized some plans for the summer.  It was Allen's last week as an ad-hoc intern.  I waved him into my office and closed the door.  Tamara gave me a thumbs up before turning back to her own tasks.
"How are things going, Allen?"  It wasn't an unusual question.  I had been starting each Tuesday morning with it for the past four weeks.
"They're great, Paul.  I think I'm really getting an appreciation for how much is happening here.  It's a totally different pace than school, that's for sure."
I chuckled.  "We hired my first P.A. just before my junior year.  Kelly and Candace insisted I get a second one when I graduated, since I kept everyone busy even when I was focused on classes."
He smiled at my anecdote.
"You know you and your assistants are legend on a few news boards, right?"
"What do you mean?"
"There are some web sites for the show that have forums that registered users can participate in.  When Tamara showed up in a couple of shots the year after her season, there was a pretty lively discussion going.  Someone strung some facts together that being a PA. for you was better than winning the show from a career perspective."
"How so?"
"Well, Matthew was your first and he became one of the SVPs of your company.  Sheryl and Donna then became CEO and COO of DigiNet.  Tamara actually posted on the site last year stating that while the show taught her a lot, being your assistant was like earning a master's in running a business.  When someone else asked her what her next role would be, she only replied 'Secret'."
I laughed.  I knew Alison paid people to monitor the sites our names popped up on, but I had never paid them much attention.
"Is that why you sent your letter?" I asked.
"Of course.  I like engineering and think it has been a gap in the credentials of your PAs in the past.  I figured the worst that would happen is you'd send me out to interview at one of your partners or divisions.  When you offered a chance at this, I naturally jumped.  Where else can I learn about the business side of things to better leverage my engineering background?"
I at least appreciated his candor.  I said as much.  "But Allen, you need to make sure that what you learn you can apply to your passion.  I've wanted to change the world since high school.  What do you want to do?"
He looked at the floor for a minute and then looked me in the eye.
"I know you lost your father at a young age.  Losing Wendy had a similar impact on me, I think.  I always looked up to her.  When I started college, I had a lot of opportunities, but I kept asking myself, 'what would Wendy tell you to do?' Almost every answer was to seize the opportunity; to not take the safe or easy or usual path.  Then I would read the paper or a magazine or watch the news and see you knocking down barriers and having an impact on the world, and not in a self-aggrandizing manner.  You did things that made you rich, sure.  But you always helped a lot of other people while you were doing it.  I don't know what I want to do, but I want to do it how you did it, by being about doing something bigger than myself.  I don't know exactly what I want to do, but I figure there cannot be a better place to learn how to do it than working for you."
I was humbled.  
I thought back to Wendy, my first love, and how she embodied a zest for life even while facing an uncertain future.  I thought about her teasing about not being 'normal' or a follower, or settling for average.  It was an attitude I had thought about through the years, probably more frequently as I began to have a very comfortable and successful life.  It was so easy to lose sight of.
I nodded.
"Then let's make sure that you're learning the right lessons.  Your probation period is over, today, if that's what you want."
His smile nearly lit the room.
"Really?"
I nodded.
"I thought you were just having my regular weekly touch point."
"Nope.  You've seen some of the most boring, mundane but hectic work we do and done it with a smile.  Everyone that has interacted with you over the past three weeks has only had positive things to say about you.  Even Joseph gave you a thumbs up and he is not easy to please.  The rest of this morning, Tamara will get you through the HR processes and make sure everything is set.  You won't have full access until we get your security clearance from the government, since you'll have access to some military information in your role, but until then, you'll be involved in nearly every aspect of the company."
I thought back to my last PA's introduction.
"Just remember, I don't bite heads off babies.  I don't expect perfection.  I expect you to try hard, do your best, and ask smart questions when you get stumped.  Learn from your mistakes.  Everything else is window dressing.  Alright?"
"Alright!"  he said with a smile.  "Thanks for this opportunity, Paul.  I won't let you down."
"Okay.  We've got thirty minutes after lunch for me to brief you and Tamara on a special project.  You'll need to put those engineering skills to work."
He looked intrigued as I stood and went to the door to get Tamara.  I wondered if he would survive his curiosity until after lunch.  Fortunately, I knew how many forms he would be filling out as we converted him from a contractor to an employee.
Five hours later, they were both back in my office.
"Okay," I said as I pulled two folders out of my desk drawer before joining them at the table.
"We are about to start filming a new version of 'The Interns', much as we have done for the past four years.  As part of this season, we're also going to tease a sequel to the show, tentatively titled 'The Interns - Orbital' unless we come up with a better name."  
They both sat up straighter and leaned in, almost reaching for the folders in front of me.
I smiled.  "I have two jobs that are going to need to be closely coordinated and handled discreetly.  The first is candidate screening.  Tamara, you've been on the show so probably have a better sense of what types of personalities can be successful.  However, this is not a twelve to fourteen-week taping.  For this program, they will actually be employees for liability and security reasons.  We're going to be in production on this for nearly eighteen months.  Our psych screenings from the generator engineering school will form the basis for the background checks of applicants, but we need to be discreet about what is going on so we can keep control of the message."
"So how are we getting applicants?" she asked.
"We've been building an applicant pool from our job postings around orbital operations as well as internal postings.  We need sixteen candidates.  We have a pool of potentials nearly three thousand strong.  Your job is going to be the initial screening process to narrow the field to sixty or so for Tom, Billy, Jeryl and me to select from.  They can't be told about the show until we actually pick them."
"How do we justify the screening?"
"Tell them that they're guinea pigs for our new screening process for potential orbital job assignments.  If they self-select out, that's good to know.  You need to account for physical, mental, and psychological conditions in your process.  Lila in Dublin can help with some of the assessment criteria. Before you get too far down the path, though, I want you both to go through our ad-hoc orbital prep course.  It will take a couple of weeks, but you both need to know what they're going to face once we screen them."
"Orbital prep course?" Allen asked.
"Yes.  It's a regimen that we put together before we sent the lab up and started allowing staff to visit.  It's got centrifuge and weightless training, spacecraft emergency procedures, a full physical, everything.  We cram it into a couple of weeks of eighteen hour days and finish with a hop on one of the orbiters doing either a regular supply run or a delivery launch."
"Cool," he said with a grin.  "You haven't already done it?" he asked Tamara.
"No," she said.  "I was more than a little jealous that Paul didn't include me when he did it."
"Why do we both need that?" he asked before I could continue.
"Tamara needs it so she understands the first steps candidates will experience when we begin filming.  You need to understand it because you are going to help Tom and Billy set the challenges we'll put them through.  The first will be the prep course.  At the end of the season, we have a live launch on our inaugural mission that is more than putting something into orbit.  Determining what that mission is will become one of their challenges, probably around episode five.  I'll be pretty involved in planning that challenge out.  Depending what we come up with, the final mission might be a stepping stone to our long-term goal but this first season will help set that goal."
"Wow," they said together.
"Wow is right.  We start filming the regular season next week.  We will begin filming the second show two weeks after we wrap the regular season.  Tom and his team are already filming some b-roll material during regular operations.  That gives us no more than sixteen weeks to finish putting things together.  Once we get you guys trained, I'll want weekly updates on progress and issues.  We'll probably button everything down for the first three challenges no later than the start of August.  It's going to be aggressive, but I want to get moving on this.  If we hit an insurmountable issue, we have grounds to slide a season, but it's going to be tough enough having two full crews going simultaneously next year that I don't want to do if for two full years.  Questions?"
They traded and excited look.
Tamara spoke first.  "Only about a million.  When do we start the prep course?  I think everything else can wait until after that so we can get our thoughts organized."
"A GX-3 will be taking you both to Ireland tomorrow afternoon.  You'll do the ground portion at the school there and then either back to the Cape or down to Kenya for your final check-out rides."
"Joseph is covering your daily briefings then?"
I smiled.  "He will.  I'm actually taking a little break before we start filming, so we'll handle issues remotely."
"Going anyplace fun?" Tamara asked with a grin.  She had visited most of our properties.
"Actually, we're going someplace new.  We're going to meet my Mom and Jim in Barcelona.  They actually found a rental there that they have been raving about for the past couple of months."
"It's a cool city," Allen said.  "I visited once in high school and once in college.  Your kids should love the Park Guell.  It was an inspiration for Dr. Seuss."
I smiled.  It had also become one of Jim's favorite locations in the city.
*****
"Five more minutes!" Billy called from the side of the pool.
Jeryl and I were in the water with this season's interns, finishing a basic water survival test.  Several challenges were on the water this year, and we wanted them to know we were not asking them to do anything we weren't willing to do.  Tom had insisted we join them since they wanted some group shots of us all in the water, even if it was only used for opening or closing credits.  
Not that I would ever complain about seeing my lovely wife in her bikini, even if it was a modestly cut one.  We had been together nearly sixteen years and married for eight, and she still got my motor running with her sexy looks and playful attitude.  A couple of the female interns looked at her with a hint of jealousy as all the men admired her lean figure before we jumped into the deep end for the swim and drown proofing tests.  We were essentially using the Navy's second-class swim test.  We need to know they could survive in the water if something unplanned happened.  Billy was acting as the proctor, as Tom and the rest of the team filmed the action.
"Time!" Billy called before blowing her whistle.
I was glad to see all the interns had passed.  We had warned them and I guess they had listened.  Jeryl and I hung back, treading water, as they all made it to the side of pool and began climbing out.  Once the ladder was clear, Jeryl swam over and I followed.  I admired her shapely ass as she climbed out and then followed her.  Billy handed us both towels.
"Congratulations," I said as they gathered around.  "This was not a real challenge for the show, but we will be working in and around the water this year, so needed to make sure you could look after yourselves if something unfortunate happened. We have a few other safety items to go over for the season."
Jeryl stepped forward. "We will insist on using the buddy system, anytime we're on the water.  If you're not familiar with it, it means that you're responsible for staying in proximity of your buddy, anytime you're on the water.  What that means is that you'll be no more than three seconds away from them and be able to render assistance if they have a problem.  You don't have to stick with your buddy for every session but we will make sure buddy pairs are in place before we start any evolution on the water.  This system will include our camera operators and staff."
I nodded.  "To be clear," I said  "when our safety staff calls for a buddy check, everyone, including the staff, will get by their buddy.  That includes myself, Jeryl, and everyone else."
I looked around to make certain I had their attention.
"Some of the challenges this year will be on the water with quite a bit of separation.  We need to not take Mother Nature for granted so, we'll do regular buddy checks.  If you are not able to locate your buddy quickly, your team and individual scores will be penalized.  Are we clear?"
Heads nodded.
"Okay.  Things are going to be a little different this year due to some of the logistical challenges of working on the water.  Before we get into the actual work, we need to make sure everyone has several suits and appropriate gear for on the water.  Billy will take the ladies and Tom will take the men to make sure you are properly outfitted.  In addition to regular swim gear, we'll be outfitting you with a new short wetsuit, boat and water shoes, mask, snorkel and fins, and foul weather gear.  When we issue the gear, make sure it fits well.  It will be yours to keep.  Anytime we change locations, make sure you take your water gear with you.  Clear?"
There was a ragged murmur of ascent.  
"Okay.  We have two hours before you are going to be climbing on a bus and heading out to your first challenge.  You should only need your water gear and one set of comfortable after-hours clothing."
I smiled as they exchanged looks.  
"Let's go!"
"Cut!" Tom called, even though I knew he always kept at least one camera rolling.  "Okay folks, let's get going.  We're on the clock now."
They broke into two nearly equal sized groups and followed Billy and Tom away from the pool.  We had nine men and seven women interns this year.  It was, once again, a good mix of disciplines and backgrounds.  During taping of the initial arrival/meet and greet, earlier in the day, several people had been surprised to have three marine biologists and two people with medical degrees in the group.  We felt that those would be useful fields to have for this season.
Jeryl stepped close to me and I put an arm around her to give her a quick hug.
"You look nice in that bikini," I said softly.
She laughed.  "I'll look even better out of it.  Do you want to scrub my back when we rinse off the chlorine?"
"You know I do," I said as I gave her a quick kiss.  We wrapped towels around us and headed to the door to get a ride back to the office about a mile away.  We made use of the shower in the shared bathroom between our two offices and made love under the hot streaming water.  
"We need to do more of that," Jeryl said after we both came and finished cleaning up.
I nodded as I dried my hair and started to get dressed.
"We do.  I think that's only the third time we've used this shower together."
"What are the arrangements for us in Monterey?" she asked.  The first challenge would be improving the anchoring system and pipeline and power feeds from the desalination barge we had towed to Monterey Bay in the week prior.
"We've got a house rented for the summer on the water in all three areas we'll be working.  Tom has a trailer for us that includes a shower that will be by the pier.  We're putting the interns up in shelters near the beach.  Our trailer will be moved down to San Diego and L.A. when we move there."
"I think the kids are getting excited about spending the whole summer by the water.  We really need to spend a little more time with them in Hawaii or Saint Lucia this year.  They both love the beach."
"I know.  Alison has Philip coming over to help cook and keep an eye on them.  Samantha is going down from the house in Utah to watch them, right?"
"Yes.  It sounds like we've got everything covered.  You do know that Ali is going to beg to be able to tag along once she hears about the sailing challenge, right?"
Ali had continued to be fascinated with our sailboats every time we went to one of our island retreats.  At the ripe age of seven, she was already a proficient sailor, though she did not always have enough strength to do everything she wanted.  She had already asked for sailing lessons for her eighth birthday, the youngest age Jeryl had agreed to consider them.
"I know.  I talked it over with Billy and Tom.  They're thinking of letting her ride along on the intro sail that we're planning to use to set up that challenge."
Jeryl shook her head before grabbing a brush.  "You know that's how a star will be born.  If she is in one episode, she is going to want to be in it each year from now on."
I shrugged.  "Hey, if it makes her happy, we can make that happen.  What are we going to do if Jer feels left out?"
Jeremy enjoyed sailing but was much more likely to want to swim than sail.
"Maybe you can take him for some of the b-roll skin diving shots."
"I'm sure we'll think of something.  He wasn't really old enough, last year, to get excited about the shooting.  Ali has been talking about it ever since we told them we were going to be by the ocean for filming this year."
"I know.  She seems to be channeling a lot of her mother and Aunt Jyl," I said with a grin.
I glanced at my watch.  "We'd better get a move on and get makeup applied.  Tom's going to want to start filming the set-up and send-off in less than thirty minutes."
Jeryl laughed and gave me a quick kiss before getting to work restoring her pre-swim wardrobe and makeup.  I got dressed and headed down to the make-up room that had been set up on the second floor for use during taping.
Shortly thereafter, we were back in the intern's bullpen area.
"So, now that we know that no one is going to drown, I can talk about your first challenge." I said, after Tom cued me.  "Some of you may know about the desalination plants we've built in Africa over the past two years.  Those stations not only provided clean water, they also provided power and local school houses for communities along the coast.  As part of that effort, we worked with the local people and governments to bring stability to the land and some prosperity to the people of the region.
"California has a similar need for water." Jeryl said, smoothly, per our internal script.  "We've been working in conjunction with the state to build and test a different solution to aid California or any more industrialized coastal region that needs cheap, clean water."
I picked up the narration.  "Last week, we moved our latest desalination barge to Monterey Bay, where you all will be going.  Since this solution will be housed afloat, your first challenge will be to break into teams of four and identify solutions for some of the various challenges a floating, relocatable desalination barge faces."
"Firstly," Jeryl said,  "we're looking for methods and approaches for safely anchoring or securing the barge at its optimal off-shore position which is near the hundred-fathom curve, which is typically around ten miles off the coast."
"Secondly," I added.  "You need a method to secure the piping that will carry fresh water to onshore connections.  Finally, we're looking to have the minimal impact possible to the ocean environment with your solution.  Since there are some obvious interdependencies on these solutions, each team will have to address all three aspects of the problem."
"You'll have three days before your first review, though Jeryl and I will do at least daily walk-throughs, if there are any questions.  The gear we've provided you and some minimal personal belongings should be all you need.  You'll have supplies on site for taking notes and developing your final recommendations.  A select review board from the Governor's office will be evaluating your recommendations.  I suggest you form your teams on the bus ride down.  We'll see you later tonight and answer any initial questions."
"Cut!" Tom called.  "Okay, let's get this show on the road.  The bus is outside and your gear is already onboard."
They all scrambled to head out to the bus, already sizing each other up to begin forming teams.  Tom had a couple of cameras following them, as well as four cameras on the bus already.  The two hour drive down should give them enough time to get organized. Everyone moved with the excitement that always accompanied the start of the season.
Jeryl and I headed to our rides to the airport.  We were taking one of the GX-3s down to Monterey.  Alison and the kids were already down there, along with her advanced security team.  Hopefully, they would be settled into the rental house by the time we got there after filming for the day ended.
Jeryl and I kept busy on the short ride and flight, reviewing the shooting schedule for the week, along with the notes for the next two challenges.  By the time we landed and were driving to the camp set up for the interns, I was feeling pretty good about our plans.
"What's that?" Jeryl asked as we approached the camp.  There were a lot of people milling about the street.  
Tiffany slowed and grabbed her radio.
"Romeo-one, what's the status at Sand Castle? Over."
"Romeo-one, this is Sand Castle.  We have protesters at the edge of the property, over."
"Protesters?" Jeryl asked as Tiffany turned us down a different street, steering away from the crowd.
I grabbed my phone and called Tom.  They were still on the edge of town, several minutes away.
"Yeah, Paul.  I got a call from the lead team.  Evidently it's a Greenpeace rally demanding we protect the California coastal habitat.  Alison's folks are working the crowd quietly.  We'll call you in, once she gives the all clear."
Nobody wanted a fan or a protester to hurt someone ever again.  
We also had a schedule to maintain.
"I guess it's going to be a long night."



Chapter Forty-Two
Point/Counterpoint
*****
"Who are they?" I asked once security cleared us to edge past the protesters in the wake of the bus carrying the interns.  It had taken long enough that we had swung by the rental house so we could drop Jeryl to get the kids in bed.  "Greenpeace?  The Sierra Club?"
"No," Alison said with a scowl.  "It's a group called 'Save our Shores'.  The leader here is a man named Seymour Xavier."
I nodded.  "And what, exactly do they think we are doing to harm the shores?"
Alison shook her head.  "The best we could determine is they are afraid the desalination plants will damage the marine environment and cause problems where the water and power come ashore.  They are more passionate than precise."
I thought about options for a minute.
"No signs of violence?"  I asked.
"No.  They are even being very controlled of their group to make sure they stay on the green space outside the park, so as to not violate their permit."
"Do we know how long their permit is for?"
"They've got seven one day permits.  They appear to be very well organized."
"Okay," I finally said.  "Let's find out what they really want."
"What do you mean?"
"They probably want some free press for their cause.  Have Tom film me talking to them. Let's offer them some of the free PR to defuse the situation.  We can always leave it on the editing room floor in post-production if we need to. Keep your folks alert."
Rather than give her time to argue, I looked around, spotted Tom and motioned him over.  Alison began talking softly into her radio as Tom and Billy grabbed a couple of camera men.  Naturally, we could not keep the interns from following along as the lights turned on and I walked toward the protesters.
"Is Mr. Xavier nearby?"  I asked when I was about twenty feet from them.  
An excitable looking young woman spotted me and pushed back into the small crowd of protesters.  A moment later, she was pulling a fifty-ish looking gentleman to the front of the crowd.
"Are you Mr. Xavier?" I asked as I closed the distance between us and extended my hand.  He nodded.
"I prefer Doctor Xavier."
"Doctor?" I asked.
"Ph.D. in Marine Biology," he added.
"I'm Paul Taylor.  I'd like to understand what your organization's concerns with our effort are."
His mouth gaped like a fish out of water for a moment as he shook my hand.
I waited for him to compose himself as the camera's continued to roll.
"We want to ensure your and the state's plans are not going to create another mess for our volunteers to clean up.  We helped get the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary established, and we don't want you undoing all of our hard work here."
"Those are admirable endeavors, sir," I said respectfully.  "Could we discuss specifically what you are concerned with so I might be able to address those concerns?  I don't want to do any harm either.  If you think we are increasing risk, I'll be happy to sit down and discuss the specifics.  I don't think having a bunch of protesters in the background of our filming is going to really help either of us achieve our goals.  Do you?"
He looked at the cameras for a moment and then shrugged.  "We can talk."
"Okay.  So, what do you actually know about our desalination effort?"  I knew that they were probably operating under one or more false assumptions.
"You're going to use a nuclear fusion reactor off the coast to desalinate water and pump it ashore.  You're going to be pumping contaminants back into the ocean and potentially damaging this protected marine sanctuary."
I nodded.  "In general, yes, but I want to make certain we are aligned on a couple of points.  How much do you know about our fusion generators?"
"I'm not an idiot.  I know what everyone does.  I'm a marine biologist by profession."
"Very good.  Then I want to correct something you seem to have focused on.  You mentioned 'nuclear' fusion which seemed to imply we were generating radioactive waste byproducts.  You do know that the European Environment Agency has published several peer-reviewed articles stating my generators do not produce any environmentally dangerous waste, especially waste that increases area radiation levels, right?"
He looked a little flustered on camera.  "I have not read those papers, I'll admit."
I nodded. "Have you had a chance to review the CalEPA reports on our proof-of-concept testing for the desalination plants we were testing along the coast for the past three years?"
"Yes, but I'm not convinced they were unbiased reviews since the Governor was pushing for their reports."
"Okay, that's probably a fair concern," I admitted for the benefits of the camera crew.  "How about we get the raw data collected during all of those tests for you to review, to ensure their conclusions are backed up with the appropriate rigor?"
"If we are not monitoring the collection of the data, the readings could have been manipulated to support the conclusions presented."
I paused to think for a minute.  It was bordering on a conspiracy theory, which I knew I did not want to accuse him of on camera, even if we could edit it out.
"How about we start with a review of the report and data and then you tell me what it would take to verify the data to make you comfortable?"
It was his turn to think.
"I could agree to that," he finally conceded.
"Okay, so the next part might get a little technical.  If it does, please stop me."
He nodded again.
"Our plants are positioned on barges instead of built ashore to address some of your concerns.  Specifically, we don't want to contaminate any rich ecosystems, either ashore or in the water.  Our earlier testing helped us determine that our most efficient desalination efforts are when we are taking deep, cold water into the system to start with.  We get that water from below the hundred-fathom level, over six hundred feet down.  We believe that also limits the chance of marine life being pulled into the system and harmed."
He nodded again.
"We have some other safeguards as well, to keep curious critters safe.  Part of the challenge this week is to come up with environmentally safe methods of securing both the barges and the intake piping for the plants.  We then flash boil the water through a process of reduced pressure and high temperature from the fusion generator.  We don't add any agents to the water during the process, so you should agree that when we return the brine remaining after the first pass through the system, that we are not introducing any unnatural pollutants back into the ocean, right?"
"Yes, but you will increase the local concentrations of salt and other distilled by-products."
"Absolutely.  Is it the amounts that trouble you?"  I knew the numbers were so vanishingly small that he would be ridiculed if he agreed.  I really did not want him to look like a fool, so rushed ahead.  "Our calculations are that we could run tens of thousands of these plants at full capacity, for over ten centuries, before changing the salinity of the oceans by even a tenth of a percent."
He looked surprised at that statement.
"I'll be happy to go over the numbers with you," I added.
"I'd like to see that!  If it is truly the case, and you can demonstrate a safe and effective anchoring system, our concerns would be greatly reduced."
"Good.  The final part of our challenge for these interns, is to extend the anchoring system in a safe manner to bring all that fresh water ashore.  I actually think that will be one of the hardest challenges.  I'm particularly worried about that part, since I see us not only having to protect the environment from accidental damage, but also man-made concerns such as marine traffic, and the onshore connections."
He was nodding again.  "I could see how that would be a challenge."  I thought he was actually going to offer a suggestion, but he caught himself with a glance at the cameras once again.
"So, now let's talk about benefits.  I mentioned the brine that is pumped back down the intake piping to discharge near the inlet.  Do you know what we found in our tests when we pumped that warm, mineral rich water back down to six hundred feet?"
His head snapped up.  "You created an artificial bloom?"
"Exactly.  We saw up to a tenfold increase in sea-life around our barges.  It actually made us decide that a barge based system had beneficial advantages over the shore based stations we've deployed in Africa.  The increased habitat created sustainable fishing populations.  Some smart students at U.C. Davis are working on a study to foster fish farming centered on one of our earlier prototypes."
He nodded.  "I've heard about that study.  It's just getting started, right?"
"In the fall.  They are working over their models for data collection over the summer."
"Finally," I said.  "These new plants will offer excess power, since we've managed to make the generators smaller and more powerful at the same time.  That clean power will come ashore in a shielded conduit, attached to the fresh water piping sending water ashore.  I'm pretty sure that power can be used to handle the full distribution of the water into local utility feeds or pump it further inland for introduction to the larger hydro-cycle."
He was nodding again.  "That makes sense."
"So, given all that, what do we need to do to address your organizations concerns?"
He stopped nodding, suddenly seeming to realize that I had painted him into a bit of a corner.  He had agreed with nearly everything I said.
"I'd like to have some of my more experienced folks review the European papers as well as the CalEPA reports and data.  If all is as you state, perhaps we were given some incorrect information that steered us to protesting."
I nodded easily this time.
"Also," he added.  "I'd like to see if CalEPA has looked at run-off concerns if you pump the fresh water further up the hydro-cycle.  Adding foot-acres of flow through the canals and rivers could have a significant impact."
"I agree.  We asked those questions, but never got satisfactory answers. That's why we are targeting local water supplies in the short term."
He nodded in agreement once again.
"Now, I don't want to create the perception that we are buying your group off, but I would be happy to arrange for some additional shelters to be put up and invite you to join the intern's efforts over the week.  I'm sincerely hopeful that we can identify solutions that will meet your concerns for protecting the environment.  I'd even be happy to invite you into the judging to make sure we are in full agreement on the recommendations we take forward to CalEPA for the anchoring solutions."  I had increase the volume of my voice on this last part, and was happy to hear some seemingly genuine applause amongst his supporters.
"I think that could work," he conceded.  "Honestly, if all you've said is true, I'd enjoy looking at your solutions and helping your folks work through the options.  As Californians, the last thing any of us want is drought, water shortages, or higher power bills or taxes."
His words got an even stronger response since many of the cast and crew were residents as well.
"Okay, Dr. Xavier, let's get to work then," I said as I extended my hand to him once again.
*****
"Great television," Tom said after I had introduced Dr. Xavier and several other leaders of the protest to the interns.  
"That wasn't exactly the plan, but I'm glad if you got something you'll be able to use in the show," I said.
"Heck, we won't wait for the show.  I've got Billy sitting on the editor's shoulder putting together a cut version with a voice over.  We'll be sending it, along with the full tape, out to the news agencies.  You just gave us more, better PR to counter the union FUD than I could have imagined."
I thought about it for a minute and then laughed. "I guess I did.  I also did what Jeryl, Kelly and you always try to tell me to do; I kept my temper and opinions of their rhetoric to myself.  Maybe I am learning, finally."
Tom laughed while Alison just gave me her patented arched eyebrow.  
Before I headed home for the night, I grabbed Billy and Alison.  
"Billy, I know you're staying near the interns this week.  Since these guys are going to be around, try to find out exactly who provided the 'incorrect information' that led to these folks protesting.  I'd love to find a smoking gun pointing at the unions or PG&E.  Alison, see what your folks can turn up as well."
*****
"Sometimes the light's all shinin' on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip it's been...."
It felt like The Grateful Dead were singing directly to me as we stood in the crowd at Soldier Field and let the music wash over us in the hazy, smoke filled arena.  Alison thought I was crazy to insist on taking a break from the show to fly to Chicago to listen to a rock band, right after we had taken a break for the fourth of July.  Jeryl had shrugged and said she would watch the kids.  I was the only one who knew that this was not just the final performance of the Grateful Dead with Jerry Garcia, but one of the last times anyone would ever hear Jerry Garcia play.
I tried to stay in the moment, enjoying something I had never experienced in my first life.  While it was not as moving as loving Jeryl or our kids, being at a live show of one of the greatest music groups of the modern era was definitely and experience.  By the time they got through their final encore, I was more than happy.  I let Alison and Sanford escort me out of the stadium, through the slightly buzzed crowd, happy to have been there while I'm sure she was just happy no one had recognized me.
"Did you at least enjoy the music?" I asked Alison as we slowly made our way out of the VIP parking area.
She smiled at me.  "It was different," she said.  "I never knew you were a fan.  This is the first concert you've gone to."
I nodded.  "I've listened to their music for a while.  It always relaxes me while working."
"I wondered about some of the lyrics."
"Jerry Garcia is a master musician and composer.  I always wondered who had more influence on the lyrics.  I like the fact that they have so much improvisation in their shows."
"What do you mean?"
"No two shows are the same.  Even if they played the same set list, they have parts of songs that are pure improv during the show.  They may hit on something in a show that then becomes part of the next version they record, but it might be a onetime sound as well.  That's one reason so many bootleg recordings of their shows are around."
Alison looked contemplative in the slow-strobe of the streetlights as we made our short trip to the downtown Hilton on Michigan Avenue.  We were both silent as we made our way inside and up to our suite.  Once we were securely inside, I was not surprised when she joined me in the bedroom.  
Alison gave me a deep kiss and then proceeded to slip out of the black silk pajamas Jeryl had gotten her for Christmas last year.  She pulled my sleeping shorts down and sucked my cock into her mouth for a long, gentle blowjob.  The feel of her amazing tongue had me to the point of release in a couple of minutes.
After she swallowed my cum, she continued to keep me hard before pushing me back on the bed and climbing atop me.  When I was firmly seated in her pussy, she leaned down and kissed me hard before starting her own ride toward orgasm.  As her pace picked up, she wrapped her hands under my shoulders and pulled hard against me.  Her strong fingers dug into my back as she achieved her own release.
"Thank you, I needed that," she said as we finally parted.  She slid down my body and licked her own juices from my still hard cock.  "Now we just need to take care of you one more time and get some sleep."
I grinned at her.
"You look sexy as hell, but sound as clinical as a doctor.  What's going on?" I asked as I pulled her back up beside me.
"I'm just feeling a little melancholy," she said.  "Maybe it's the music and the marijuana haze we just spent three hours in.  I don't know."
I kissed her softly and then gave her a one-armed hug.
"I love you," I whispered.  "Jeryl loves you.  What do you need to be melancholy about?"
She sighed.  "I'm fourteen years older than you and Jeryl.  It didn't seem to matter a few years ago.  As I watch our kids grow up together, it starts to feel wrong somehow."
I stroked her back and listened to her.
"I've had some of the happiest moments of my life with you two, but I'm wondering how I would ever explain to Rose when she's a little older."
"How would you explain it to your god-daughter?"  I asked.
She actually smiled and slapped me playfully.  "That's your and Jeryl's problem."
*****
"So, Paul, anything you can share about this year's season of 'The Interns'?" Joan Lunden asked.
"That would be telling tales out of school," I replied with a smile. 
We were filming a segment for Good Morning America.  The network had asked that we do a more in-depth piece that they could include in a live broadcast closer to the season premier.  Once we figured out the schedules, Joan had flown out to California to tape the segment.
She smiled for the camera and then looked back at me.  "One of the things that appeals to almost every fan of the show, is the mix of physical and mental challenges you present. What types of hurdles will interns face this year?"
"As we say on the show quite a bit, I think it's better to show, than tell.  How would you like to face one of the challenges they will experience?" 
Her laugh sounded natural and un-forced.  "I'm usually up for a challenge."
"Well then let's get you suited up."
"Cut!" the director called.  We had roughly scripted this introduction.  
"We've got all the gear you'll need," Tamara said as she stepped closer.  She was helping cover this challenge as part of our own run through to make sure everything was set. 
"What torture are you planning for me?" Joan asked as she stood and began following Tamara to her dressing room.
"No torture.  We'll be having the interns do some zero-g work for part of one of their challenges.  We thought it might make a good segment for your show, if we showed you in the same environment.  We don't want to spoil the challenge, but showing you floating and working with Paul to get used to the environment should be a nice teaser for the audience."
Joan looked a little skeptical.
"Don't worry, I did the full training a few weeks ago.  Once your inner ear adjusts, it's kind of fun."
Three hours later, Joan let out a little shriek as she floated away from the wall and found herself unable to get ahold of anything to move under her own control.
"Simulation, my ass!" she said with a laugh.
I reached out for her hand and pulled her back to the small platform we were supposed to stay next too.
"So, as you can see, the interns are going to have to develop some new thought patterns as they work in this type of environment.  They will get a couple of days in zero-g for one challenge and have to learn to not just live, but work up here."
I had arranged for a quick hop to Edwards followed by a launch of an orbiter just for the show.  The cargo bay had been fitted with a large, pressurized habitat that contained the padded training space they would occupy.  Their challenge would be to help improve and finalize the layout of facilities in a zero-g environment, but we did not want to spoil that challenge today.
"I bet they learn to not stray from the handholds pretty quickly," Joan said before deliberately pushing off to sail across to the opposite bulkhead.
I followed her across, nodding.
"I think that is a lesson they will learn quickly."
We finished filming with a couple of mid-air flips before the pilot announced we needed to return to our seats for the start of our de-orbit maneuvers.
"I can't believe you kidnapped me and shot me into space," Joan joked once we were back on terra firma.
"It can't be kidnapping when your producer sends you on the job," I replied. 
"I suppose not.  I think you just made me the first journalist in orbit.  Thank you."
I smiled.  "You are welcome.  I guess I'll see you in New York in a few weeks."  
We shook hands and parted ways. 
*****
"Tell me again how I got roped into doing all these shows?" I asked as Joseph went over my calendar for the rest of the summer.
"It's always like this in the run-up to the premier of the show.  The Emmys are on the 10th and the premier is on the 14th.  Prior to that, you've got the follow-up with GMA on August 28th.  Since you are going to be back east for that anyway, Jeryl suggested we accept the request for you to appear on 'Meet the Press'.  Then the network decided to put you on Leno, later that week, to help build a buzz."
"And is my lovely wife, who enjoys all these things, going to join me?" I asked, looking at her.  We were in our weekly staff meeting that often replaced my morning briefings when we were filming the show.
Tom, Billy, and Joseph chuckled.  Jeryl smirked while Tamara and Allen tried to keep neutral faces.
"I'll join you on GMA and maybe Leno.  You have to do the Sunday show without me.  Alison and Anna will have the kids over in Utah while we're gone."  Anna had shifted from minding our kids to Alison's Rose, but still spent quite a bit of time helping keep our two where they needed to be.
"I figured I'd get the kids home from our summer travels and then fly to New York Sunday afternoon.  We shoot with them Monday, and then hop back out here for Jay and the final challenge critique and wrapping up on Labor Day weekend."
I shook my head because I knew I was committed by her tone of voice.  
"Look on the bright side," Jeryl said.  "I haven't agreed on a time for 'Politically Incorrect' yet."
I shook my head.
"Okay," I said motioning to the agenda.  "Allen, where are we at on the orbital challenges?"
"Hunter and I have fleshed out the initial training episodes and run them by Dr. Culpepper.  Since he's spent more time up in the lab than anyone else, I thought it would be good to get his take on them.  It's going to take nearly a month per challenge.  Tom said that was in the filming budget."
Tom nodded.  I agreed.
"We have eighteen months to film thirteen episodes," I said.  We need to make sure we do it right and safely.  How do they break out?"
He slid a page with descriptions over and the passed out additional copies. I skimmed it.
"We're adding module two to the station on the third episode?  Will that be safe?"
Allen nodded.  "All of the long lead-time items are complete.  This season is finalizing layout recommendations as part of their final challenge.  That gives us two months to modify the module while the new group is training.  They are going to be hands on for the docking and then rotate through initial operational training and certification."
"Tom, you're good with this?" Jeryl asked.
"Yeah.  It's aggressive, but we have to have enough action to keep the audience tuning in.  This set of challenges gets us in orbit quickly enough that we live up to the title.  Allen has come up with a slick idea of splitting and covering two challenges each episode that are complimentary, but different enough to keep viewers engaged."
"How's that work?" Jeryl asked.
"Once module-two is up, we will have two teams of four on it rotating every week or so," Tom said.  "While in orbit, they will be gathering data and building their zero-g scores.  We'll be grading them on their learning and teamwork for various tasks.  The groups not in orbit, will be doing more cerebral work down here, either designing mission profiles, framing orbital experiments, meal planning, ground based equipment testing, that sort of stuff.
"Okay.  Tamara, with this much information, do you have a good enough feel for the types of candidates we need?"
"I do," she answered. "What I don't know is if we want a specific gender mix.  With sixteen interns, we could do some single-sexed teams and some mixed.  Billy thought it might give a different dynamic to the show."
Jeryl was nodding, but I was not.
"I'm not sure I want to stack the deck and pander to gender politics.  If we have enough strong candidates, we can look at the team organization, but let's get the field narrowed before we discuss that."
Tamara made a note and nodded.
"We will have some asymmetrical decisions already," she continued.  "We won't have a doctor on each team, but I want at least two in the overall pool.  Getting a mix of skills and assessing how they work as a team in space and on the ground, is going to be required if we really want to select a final mission team for whatever we pick as the final goal."
Tom nodded.  "We also need to make sure we are running a filming crew selection in parallel, since we will need fully trained operators depending on the challenge."
I nodded. It was a logistics issue we had discussed previously.
"Jeryl, anything on the other operations we need to discuss?"
"Boeing wants a meeting with us.  They have a long-haul aircraft design using a lot of our materials.  They want to talk supplies and I think, make sure you aren't going to disrupt them if they go forward with it.  Also, Lockheed wants a similar meeting around materials capacity lead-times.  Everyone loves the new things you are cooking up with Culpepper and Wilkerson."
"Okay.  Allen, we need a challenge relatively soon after episode three, that focuses on material fabrication processes in orbit.  Tom Culpepper should be able to brief you on them before the end of the week.  It won't be a sexy challenge, most likely, but it will probably pay for the show if Boeing and Lockheed both want the materials."
"Anything else?" I asked.  Jeryl shook her head.
"Tom and Billy, what's up for the week?"
They exchanged a glance and Billy took the lead.  "The Interns should be back in the marina by lunchtime.  We'll have crews filming them.  Once they are all in, we'll get you and Jeryl for the initial debrief."
"When do Nike and Hobie Cat get here?"  
"Wednesday," she said.  "It will be a short week for turn-around of their material, and we need to get them back on the living quarters for the barges by Thursday."  We were initially having them perform habitability reviews of what would become the new crew quarters for the orbital lab under the guise of giving us habitability improvements for the desalination barges optional living quarters."
"And they then learn they are further adjusting on-orbit, two weeks later?"
"That's right.  The second to last episode is launching with the finale being the time in orbit and then debriefing."
Tamara cleared her throat.  "Paul, after that, you know some of them are going to want to be considered for the follow-on show.  Do we let them?"
I thought for a moment.  "For people that are not still in a degree program, absolutely.  With the level of commitment, I think we need to dissuade anyone from missing a full year of school."
Jeryl nodded.  With both of our mothers having been teachers, we knew we would recieve an earful if we encouraged anyone not to finish their degrees.
"Anything else?"  No one said anything.  "Okay, let's get to work."
*****
"We're finally making some headway on the orbiter," Alison said as we sat in my temporary home office with coffee and tea.
"What do we know?"
"It appears three chips were replaced during maintenance.  It was very cleverly done.  They looked identical from the outside, but when we ran them through more detailed analysis, it was apparent they were all custom fabrications that maintained the design interface.  Each chip was running a comparison loop in hardware and sending very small data sets to the other chips.  When certain parameters were met, outbound comms were shut down."
I thought for a few minutes.  Our security protocols would prevent an external spoofing attack, but we always assumed the physical layer, the chips themselves, were under our control.
"How did they get introduced?"
"We're still searching for the techs that last accessed those systems.  It looks like they did the switch.  Both have disappeared.  Neither had families, so we don't know if they were forced and dispatched, or were agents in place.  I've got a team looking at both options."
I nodded.
"Have we checked the other orbiters?"
"Yes.  None of the others have been modified.  We've also instituted a two-person control process for future assembly and maintenance with mandatory rotation so the same pair of technicians are not working together on a frequent basis. Since you have system redundancy in the design as well, we're proposing having different teams manage the complimentary systems to prevent multi-system attacks as well. I've got Lila overseeing those changes personally."
"Any leads on who they were working for?"
Alison shook her head.  "Not yet.  However, I had some folks from operations look at your flight plan that was public and determine where the issue would have occurred if you had not performed the extra maneuvers for the classified retrieval.  We think it is pretty certain you would have been forced to land in eastern Russia, or northern China if you had stuck to your original, published plan."
*****
Billy and Jeryl had prepped me well, and Tim Russet was not going to like it at all.  In filming nearly seven seasons of 'The Interns', I had learned what made good television.  This was going to be 'good television'.  He had just characterized my stance with the unions in general and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in particular as being obstructionist and irrational.
"Tim, I'm going to give you one hundred dollars," I said as I pulled a wad of folded bills out of my jacket pocket.  I counted off three twenties, three tens, a five and five ones.
"Let's say that is the pay I or the union is offering you.  It's the same money being paid regardless of who determined the amount.  It is considered fair pay for the job you are doing, okay?"
I had caught him off guard, but even an intelligent interviewer found it hard to turn down a hundred dollars.
"It's yours.  Take it.  You earned it," I said.
He reached for the stack of bills, and I knew I had him hooked.
I reached out and stopped him.
"But wait.  Let's take out your taxes, first."
I counted out twenty-eight dollars.  "Your hundred dollars is now only seventy-two."
He started to reach for it, and I stopped him again.  
"Let's not forget your social security."  I pulled some more bills and put a little change back to make it correct.
"Now you have sixty dollars for your pocket, right?"
He smiled.  "But you're going to take more."
"I'm not.  Other people are, and I'm just doing the collection and payment for them.  Who else has their hand out for their cut?  How about the state?  Where do you live?"
"Virginia."
"That's another six dollars if we round up to account for property taxes."  
What about your portion of your medical insurance?  What's that run you?"
"I don't know," he admitted.
"For argument's sake, let's call it four percent of your pay, which is roughly what the average union member is ultimately contributing based on our reviews of their contracts."  I took four more dollars.
"How much is left?"
He looked at the two twenties and one ten remaining.  "Fifty dollars."
"Okay.  Are you happy about that?"
"No, but everyone pays taxes."
"Right. Now, since you are representing our average employee, statistically, you will donate between three and five percent to charity, either your church or other good causes.  Let's split the difference call it four."  I made change and took four more dollars back.
"Your actual take home on that hundred-thousand-dollar job is forty-six thousand dollars.  How do you feel about that?"
"A little pissed off, but it's the way the world works."
"Fair enough.  Now remember, the base amount is the same whether you work for me directly or through the union, right?"
"So you say."
"I do.  Now how about paying your union dues?  I'll take one more dollar."
He reluctantly handed me a dollar.  I smiled and gave him back fifty cents.
He looked at the two quarters sitting on the table.
"It's only a half-a-percent.  Don't I deserve it for looking out for your interests every three years?  Why, last time we negotiated, we got you that hundred dollars you started with, right?"
He started to respond but I held up my hand.  "But here's the thing, Tim.  I didn't actually do anything to get you that contract.  The company was offering it and it is actually better than what the union has negotiated for its other members."
"Better how?"
I smiled.  It was almost like he had been in my prep sessions.
"Let's start with our healthcare program." I handed him back two dollars.
"Then let's factor in our matching contributions for retirement savings." I put ten more dollars on the table.
"Since so many of our workers are on overseas rotations, we cover housing costs.  We actually encourage bringing your family with you."  Another ten was put back on the pile.
"We pick up round trip airfare for either a visit home or a visit to you by a family member each quarter.  Oh, and these are first class flights, not us packing you or your loved ones back in coach." I placed another five on the table.
"We also have a cost of living allowance while overseas, to make sure you can afford to live where we ask you to go."
Tim looked at the pile as I slid two more quarters back to him.  
"And you don't pay the union dues, since they did nothing for you."
Then I asked, "Which deal is better?"
"Your deal, it looks like."
I nodded.  
"Now then, I'm looking for engineers who are rational and can manage a complex plant based on facts and data, not emotional appeals.  If I put this offer in front of them, and they insist on still giving away that fifty cents, as well as the other benefits, should I assume they are rational and driven to fact based decision making?  Who is being irrational about union membership in this discussion?"
"But what happens when you change the contract?"
"We live and work in a free economy.  If they are not happy, they can always leave and go work somewhere else.  So far, we have less than a two percent turnover rate for engineers.  We actually can't find and train them fast enough.  We can produce an additional two hundred generators a year.  That's over one point six terawatts of clean power, but we can't hire and train operators and supervisors fast enough to actually run those plants."
"And that's why people here at home aren't seeing cuts in their power bills?"
I motioned to the pile of money still in front of him.  "And even the power workers are getting that higher bill still."
Tim shook his head and then looked at the camera.  "After the break, we'll continue this discussion with Paul Taylor on why his home country is not reaping the benefits of his most significant invention."
Tim shook my hand at the end of the show and thanked me for coming on.  
"You do know that stunt with the money is going to rile up a lot of politicians?  People are going to forget the union discussion and think about how much they are giving to the government."
"Good.  I hope everyone does.  If you guys in the news ever did the same exercise with the tax code, you'd probably start a rebellion."
"What do you mean?"
"Take that same $100 and start looking at where the government spends it!  I don't think most Americans would agree with the distribution of funds.  Unfortunately, the politicians hide their spending too carefully and never talk with plain facts."
*****
"Have you talked to Alison lately?" Jeryl asked as we snuggled in bed after a hectic Sunday of taping and travel.  We were in New York at the corporate apartment on 5th Avenue.
"Nearly every day.  Why?"
Jeryl gave me a kiss.  "Last week, while you were filming and Philip had all the kids down at the beach, she came home and nearly dragged me to bed with her.  Not that I minded, but it was different somehow."
I nodded and told her about our session after the Grateful Dead concert.  We usually all made love together, but had not had a real vacation where we could relax with each other since the previous winter.  
"I'm worried about her," Jeryl said.  "Something is bothering her."
"It's got to be hard on her," I said.  "The two of us are together most of the time.  She is nearly always on the go.  Rose can still travel with her, but maybe she is realizing soon she is going to have to settle down some to give Rose a stable home."
Jeryl shook her head.  "I think it is more than that.  I'm worried that she thinks we are neglecting her."
I sighed.  "It's always been this way.  She has set the parameters of our relationship for all these years.  Maybe she is looking to change that some."
"I don't know, but we need to keep an eye on her."
"You know we will," I said before giving her a kiss on her collarbone.
She snuggled back against me, causing a natural reaction.
"Oh, Jyl is going to visit after the show finishes shooting.  She said she had a couple of days' break and was coming back to California for an interview."
I was only half-listening as her hand reached down and gave me further encouragement to demonstrate my love for her.
"Okay.  Good to know," I said before kissing her again and gently cupping her breast through the silk top she was wearing.
*****
"Welcome back, Jeryl and Paul," Jay Leno said as the applause subsided and we took our seats next to his desk.
"Our pleasure," Jeryl said with a smile.  She sat closer to him than I did.
Jay fidget with his cards for a second, as if toying with an idea.  
"So, Jeryl, I've heard some rumors that you get a lot more screen time this year on your show.  Is that true?"
"I get a little more, but it's really the same level of involvement for me.  For some reason, I appear in more of the shots that made it through the editing process."
Jay grinned.  "I heard it had to do with your wardrobe," he said while leaning in. "Or lack there-of."
I laughed and nodded while my wife blushed.
"We spent quite a bit of time filming on the water," she admitted.  "Most of us got pretty comfortable in our swimsuits."
"Is that true, Paul?" Jay asked.
"Not really.  I think most of the men got a little uncomfortable when Jeryl was on scene in her bikini."
Everyone laughed while Jeryl swatted my arm.  "Behave," she said which just made people laugh harder.
"Well," Jay said to regain control. "We pulled a couple of shots from a commercial spot to see what the fuss was about.  Have a look."
We looked as he pulled out a print from the first day of shooting.  Jeryl was climbing out of the pool with me looking up at her from the ladder.  Based on the angle, it looked like I was staring at her ass, which I had been.
Jeryl finally blushed and shrugged.  "I'm glad I can still get him to look at me that way," she said with a smile.
Jay laughed and put the print down.  "Paul, anything to add?"
"I'm glad she can get me to look at her that way, as well."
We all laughed and then Jay put on his serious face.  
"So, what sort of things were you doing on the water?"
"That was actually the first day of shooting.  You'll see it in the first episode.  We needed to make sure everyone was comfortable in the water and could keep themselves safe, so we did a swim test for all the interns."
"Why were you two in the pool?" he asked.
"Paul and I have always felt we shouldn't be asking the interns to do anything we weren't willing or able to do ourselves.  It's important that they understand that from the outset, because frankly, we are going to ask them to do some crazy things sometime during the season."
"How crazy this year?"
Jeryl and I exchanged a look and a smile.  "That would be telling, Jay," Jeryl said.
He laughed and did a quick lead-in for a clip of the interns testing some of the new Nike water safety products.  It ended with one of the Hobie Cat trimaran sailboats flipping over and a shot of an intern in mid-air as he followed the mast over.
"That does look a little crazy," Jay said as the clip ended to applause.
"And that's not the biggest thrill of the season," Jeryl concluded.
"Paul," Jay said.  "I understand you stirred up the political pot this week after a rather lively discussion about taxes."  Jay would never mention the show was on a different network.  
Either fortunately or unfortunately, the clip had been released to other networks and caused a minor political firestorm.  Kelly had given me yet another earful.
"I just stated facts, Jay.  The discussion became political once everyone understood those facts."
"Do we really spend fifty percent of our money on taxes?"
"Or more," I said with a nod.  
"And with all that money being spent, we can't cut through some of the red-tape and lower our power bills by using your generators?"
"That was part of the conversation," I agreed.  
"So, let me get your reaction to a couple of things that have cropped up in the press and comments this week."  He focused on his note cards.
"From Jack S. in Saint Louis.  'Paul Taylor did more to explain the tax system in a ten-minute segment than my school covered in years of required social studies classes.  Why are we still funding the department of education?'  Paul, what do you think?"
"I think government, as a whole, has gotten too big to effectively manage and solve problems for our people.  At the same time, our people have gotten too used to relying on the government.  Our founding fathers worried about this situation.  We have collectively chosen to ignore their wisdom."
"What do you mean?"
"How many people here think the original United States of America was a democracy, established to get out from under England's control?"
Solid applause filled the studio.
I shook my head.  "We were founded as a republic.  The fact that most people do not understand the real difference between those two types of government echo's Jack's question.  We have chosen to become less self-reliant in favor of promises from the government."
"Promises?" Jay asked.  His other quotes were still in his hands.
"In this case, promises that the standardized tests, curriculums and text books are adequate to educate our children."
The studio audience was quiet.  Jay just nodded and flipped to his next card.
"Here's one from Sara T. in Iowa City.  'Paul Taylor speaks straight facts.  Why isn't he running for President next year to straighten out the problems he sees?"
The audience applauded for this one, which was flattering.  I said as much.
"However, the specific reasons I won't run for President are, that I'm not old enough, I already have a full time job, and that I would never do that to my family and friends."
My last comment got an appropriate chuckle.
"Okay, here's the last one.  Billy C. from Virginia asks, 'Paul Taylor makes more money than anyone else in the world.  Why doesn't he pay our taxes for us?"
I laughed, which caught Jay and the audience off-guard.
"Funny question?" Jay asked.
I nodded.  "It goes back to those pesky facts again," I said.  
"If I'm worth a billion dollars, I could theoretically liquidate and give everyone in the country a portion.  Do you know how much that would put in your pocket, Jay?  About three dollars.  A billion dollars just doesn't go as far as it used to.  Now, even if three bucks was a good deal for everyone, look at the other fact I mentioned.  I'd have to liquidate to pay that.  Do you know what happens when you liquidate a company?  Everyone gets fired.  That would be roughly thirty thousand people out of work and not paying their taxes or spending their money buying things in the economy.  That's going to have a negative impact on the overall economy.  Even though cheap power is still working its way into the US economy, closing my operations would gut the world power infrastructure that has been converted to fusion.  Roughly a quarter of Europe and large parts of Asia would be facing outages and drastic increases to their power bills.  That's going to have a world economic impact.  How about the phones everyone loves carrying in their pockets?  They go away as well.  Is all that worth three bucks?"
The crowd actually booed and shouted "No!".
I smiled for the cameras.  "That's why I have to decline Billy's request."
"Maybe he should have paid a little more attention in those math classes," Jay quipped before going to commercial.
*****
"God dammit, Paul.  Why are you suddenly getting into politics?" Kelly asked over the phone.  "Do you have any idea how many fires you've started this week? I'm getting calls from both sides of the aisle looking for your scalp; not to mention the unions and constituent calls going through the roof.  What in the hell are you doing?"
"I'm trying to frame significant issues for you and your colleagues to focus on.  We both know the campaign for President is starting in a couple of months.  I think fiscal policy, the tax code, and education are great topics for candidates to articulate positions that voters can actually understand."
Kelly was quiet for a moment.  "Do you mean that?"
"Of course.  You taught me about leverage and shaping the discussion when it comes to politics.  I'm trying to set a stage.  It's up to you and your party to take that stage and win it.  I plan on telling the President the same thing, when the Republicans finally force him to give me a call.  We need to stop arguing over school prayer, and argue over actual learning in school.  We need to stop talking about building up or cutting defense, and talk about the tax-and-spend and deficit spending that is going to put our country's economy at risk."
"Anything else I should be thinking about?"
"I'm considering shifting overseas generator payment to a gold standard."
"What?"
"I started out using dollars for purchase and payment of generator capacity and power.  It was to offset the potential impacts to the petro-dollar and our foreign reserves.  I had hoped the politicians would realize it was time to stop just printing money and increasing deficit spending.  They missed that opportunity.  If I shift to gold for generator purchase and power, it is going to send an economic message."
"Paul, that could cause huge problems with the economy."
"I know, but this fiat money game they are playing will create a bubble that is going to burst, sooner or later.  I'm thinking it might be better to take a little pressure out of the bubble now, rather than popping it later."
"Have you modeled it?"
"I've got a small team watching it now.  I think keeping payments in dollars, but moving the initial capital costs to gold, would take our trade balance to roughly zero, which would make the Fed start looking at alternatives to running the printing presses.  If they don't then I'll shift all payments to a gold standard."
The line was silent for a minute.  I knew Kelly was smart.  Pricing generator power in dollars had given us a net export balance from a monetary perspective.  That meant the dollar was stronger overseas, which gave the treasury an incentive to print dollars and issue treasury bonds that foreign countries would buy to have dollars to buy power.   I knew fiscal issues came to a head in about twenty-five years on my first time through.  I didn't know if I could change it, but knew I had to try.  The hyperinflation of 2018 followed by a global depression as the world economy collapsed was my latest target for change.  It already looked like pressure was not building as fast without the foreign wars and dollar diplomacy growing, but I needed to make certain we stopped trying to leverage fiat money that had no material worth backing it.
"Paul, this is going to make you a lot of enemies," Kelly finally said.  
"I know."
"Make sure Alison and Jeryl fully understand the implications before you do anything.  Okay?"
"I will."
*****
"Paul, I've got the final orbital intern pool list to go over with you," Tamara said as she came into my office in Park City.  We had wrapped shooting this season of the Interns and Jeryl and I were getting the kids resettled in school before flying back to L.A. for the Emmy awards this weekend.
"How did we do?" I asked.  The last review had been almost a month ago before Tamara had narrowed the list again.
"I think we've got a good pool, but I need your input on one individual.  I didn't want to bother you if she did not make the pre-screening.  I thought I should get your thoughts before approaching Jeryl."
She had my curiosity piqued.  When she had started speaking, I thought she was putting herself forward as a candidate.
I reached out for the folder in her hand.
I read the name and shook my head before glancing at the clock.  "Let's go through the rest and then we'll drive to the house to discuss this with Jeryl.  I'm not sure I have the guts to make this decision on my own.  Especially right now."
The name on the file was Jyl Salaway, Jeryl's sister.  She was actually at the house with Jeryl and the kids, 'visiting'.
Tamara nodded.  "If we set her aside for a minute, I've got a solid fifteen candidates.  Nine men and six women.  The group includes two MDs, and six others with master's degrees, four mechanical engineers and two electrical engineers.  Six candidates hold private pilot licenses.  Ten of the fifteen have advanced scuba certifications."
"What about the personality profiles?" I asked.
"They all look compatible based on Lila's review.  I also got one of our contract shrinks to perform a group dynamic analysis to identify potential conflicts."
I looked over the data and nodded.  It was a very complete analysis.
"Okay, I'm assuming Jyl is your final pick?"
She nodded.  "What does she bring that the next alternate doesn't?"
"She'd be a third MD.  She scored higher on our physical aptitude and she would provide a better psych balance to round-out the proposed teams.  The alternate would add another electrical engineer and pilot license to the mix, but not be a good a fit for the teams we've penciled together."
"Show me the proposed teams, with Jyl in the mix."
She pulled out a large piece of paper that had annotations from the psychiatrist and psychologists on the proposed team dynamics.  With Jyl in the mix, we would have one team of men, one team of women, one team of two men and women, and one team with a single woman.  Jyl was tentatively on the balanced team of two men and two women.
"What's the risk of having three teams of two each, with one team of all men?" I asked.
"It's a skills overlap issue, primarily." She pulled out another sheet that showed the skills aligned by team.  I thought about it and nodded.  
"And you've got the same views with your alternate in place?"
It was her turn to nod.
I sat back and thought for a minute.  
"Do you have these with no names on them?" I asked as I pointed at the skills sheets.
"Yes.  I've got redacted psych profile sheets as well."
"What does Tom think?"
"He said it had to be your and Jeryl's call.  He's met Jyl, just like I have, but neither of us know the family dynamic.  He thinks it could be good television if they have history that comes out, and family-friendly if they get along great."  She shrugged, "That's why it needs to be your call."
"Okay.  Leave everything that has names on it here.  I don't want to accidentally spill the beans.  If Jeryl asks, we both know a couple of the candidates and you want us to make an unbiased decision.  Okay?"
Tamara nodded and collected a smaller file with only a couple of papers in it.
I called Jeryl to say we needed to get her input today on the intern selection, so we could get them out next week for briefing and all the paperwork.  Since we were actually hiring them this year, the urgency made sense.
Sanford drove us up to the house.  Luckily, Jyl was not present as we came in.  Jeryl wanted to just have the conversation in the living room, but I insisted on going to my office after a quick kiss to say hello.
"So, what's so urgent?"  Jeryl asked as we sat in on the couch together and Tamara took one of the overstuffed chairs.
"Team dynamics," I said before Tamara could speak. "We've got a couple of swing candidates that Tamara wants us to decide between."
Tamara provided the two sheets of paper that showed the skills and psych matches on the proposed teams and spent a couple of minutes orienting Jeryl to them.  We had been using a similar approach for the past two seasons, so she focused mainly on the differences from our standard screening.
"So, you can see that in one configuration, we have three teams of two men and two women with a single team of all men.  The other grouping has one all-female team, one all male team, one team of two each, and one team with three men and one woman."
Jeryl nodded and looked at the two sheets again.
"Are we going to pull up the audition tapes?" she asked.
"That's part of the problem.  You both know a couple of the candidates," Tamara said.  "Tom and Billy have gone through all the audition tapes and think either grouping can work.  I prefer the one with seven women."
"Why?" Jeryl asked.
"I think the aspect of two single-sex teams will create a better dynamic across the board based on the psych profiles."
Jeryl looked at the pages again before nodding.  "Paul, you must be leaning the other way, or you guys wouldn't have brought it to me."
I smiled.  "I think the skills match is better on the other grouping.  I'm not sure we need a third MD in the mix."
Jeryl spent a few minutes looking at the skills chart before shaking her head.
"I can see both sides.  I think we go with the seven women grouping."
"Why?" I asked.
She gave me a small smile.  "Part of the message of the show, intended or otherwise, has been that women are just as good as men at business and engineering.  I'd lean toward a more balanced mix and I like the idea of giving an all-woman team a shot at winning this."
I nodded.  I had taken the contrarian view just to split Tamara and me.  "That makes sense."
"So, we're good?" Jeryl asked.
I gave her a hug and a kiss.  "We are, if you're okay with one other thing," I said.
I reached down and pointed at the slot labeled "16F" on Tamara's chart.  "That is Jyl.  Can you be impartial if she's on the show?"
Jeryl's lips pursed and a scowl crossed her face before she shook her head, grinning.  "That devious bitch.  'I'd love to visit on my way to California for an interview,' my ass!"  I laughed at her air-head impression of Jyl.  In high school, she had used the same tone of voice and flipping of her hair to tease her older sister.
Jeryl got a wicked grin.  "Can I be the one to tell her?" she asked.
I shrugged.  "Sure, why not?"
"When is the official notice to them being done?" Jeryl asked Tamara.
"It's top of my list for tomorrow morning.  I'll be calling them and getting travel arranged for them to be here on Monday."
Jeryl rubbed her hands together with glee.  "That gives me all night to give her a little payback for pulling this stunt."
I shook my head and wondered what she had in mind.  I didn't have to wait long to see.
I asked Sanford to have someone run Tamara back down to the office and then headed outside to find Jeryl watching Jyl play a spirited game of tag with the kids.  I wasn't clear on the rules, but it seemed to consist of the kids tagging Jyl, who had to freeze and count to ten before chasing them.  I was afraid Jer would get frustrated by being the youngest and smallest, but Aunt Jyl was good about moving slowly enough that he could catch her with a little effort.  Ali seemed to have caught onto the game and was doing the same.
Jyl had changed little since high school, it seemed.  She was still in great shape, but had shortened and lightened her hair.  Her tan was a little darker than it had been, and there were a few worry lines around her eyes gained through her residency. She had spent the past year on a hospital ship sailing around the South Pacific, which explained the tan.
We watched them all play for a few minutes before Ali and Jer dropped to the ground and yelled "We win, time for ice cream!" together.  Jyl laughed and stopped chasing them. 
"Okay, kido's.  Mrs. Eccles should agree that we played long enough for a small bowl.  Go see what she's got for us," Jyl said.
They were up off the ground and headed for the house like a shot.  Jyl and Jeryl shook their heads.
"So, 'mom', do you have your work done?" Jyl asked.  I wondered if she knew what we were meeting on.
Jeryl smiled.  "Yep.  We just had to finish the selection for the next group of interns."
"Cool.  Any excitement there?"  Jyl asked, obviously fishing for some sort of hint.
Jeryl shook her head.  "Not really.  Tom, Billy, and Tamara have been winnowing the list down all summer.  This was just the final review of the short list."  Jeryl looked at me and groaned.
"What?" I asked.
"That means tomorrow morning I'll have all those 'thank you for applying, but we regret to inform you that you did not make the show' letters.  You never sign those. I always have to."
"What do you mean?" Jyl asked as we sat down in the shade of our deck.
"We like to send personalized rejection letters.  I have to sign them.  It's always sad to go through the stack of paper and tell people they didn't measure up to our standards.  It's one of the things I hate the most about our process."
"What is the process?"
I nodded to Jeryl.  I wasn't sure how much she wanted to spin this.
"Oh, it's fairly scientific, now.  We have psych screenings, and skill mapping to make the first cut.  That is usually around a fifty percent cut.  Then the associate producers and Tom run through all the interview and audition tapes and screen them for looks and personality.  By the time it gets to this point, we have codes instead of names, and Paul and I use the data to make sure we are comfortable with the overall group dynamics and skills.  It makes it easier not associating names or faces with them until things are set."
Jyl's face fell a little.  "Oh, I guess that makes sense.  So, you don't actually meet them until they show up?"
"Usually.  Once in a while we get pulled into tricky decisions, but Tom typically makes the final cut decisions."
"But you needed to review them today.  Why?"
"Skills and sex," Jeryl said.  "Tom got down to two different groupings.  Tamara wanted more women and Paul wanted more engineers.  I got to be the tie-breaker."
I wondered how long she would string this out.  Knowing some of the teasing the two sisters did when they were younger, I half expected her to keep Jyl on tenterhooks until the official call came, tomorrow.
"How did you decide?" Jyl asked.  She looked sad, as if Jeryl would naturally side with me for more engineers.
Jeryl smiled.  "Oh, I decided to let my sneaky, lying sister join the show, despite her deceitful ways!"

Chapter Forty-Three
Golden Boy
*****
"Jeryl, who are you wearing tonight?"
I wanted to scowl at the rude reporter covering the red carpet going into the Emmy's, but kept a fake, film-friendly smile on my face.
Jeryl pulled it off much better than I did; her smile looked genuine.
"It's Ferre by Dior."  She not only smiled, she did a deliberate turn to show off the plunging back of the translucent lace bodice, proving she had on no bra and a fabulously, femininely muscled, evenly tanned back.
The snapping cameras sounded like locusts in the wheat.
She deftly took my arm as she finished her turn and we continued down the carpet.  I let her handle the fashion questions and just smiled as we made our way through the gauntlet.  By the time we were safely inside, I was relieved.  Every year, Jeryl promised a variety of sexual rewards if I played nice with the cameras and had a happy smile for the crowd.  As the executive producers of the show, we had the dubious pleasure of receiving the award for best prime time reality-competition show for the past two years since the inaugural award.
Tom had laughed at my complaining.  He had been honored to accept the various awards and accolades for directing, editing and cinematography.  I knew those awards had been warranted.  If not for Tom and his team's work, the new category would never have been created.  After improving and reducing the size of the cameras they used, I was proud of the work as well.  We had licensed the technology to Kodak, breathing new life into their film based business with higher quality digital sensors and storage.
"Paul, are you ready to take another walk to the podium this year?" Tom asked as he handed me a drink in the waiting area outside the auditorium.  
I smiled and took a sip.  "Let's not count the chickens before they hatch, Tom.  There are some new shows nominated this year."
He shook his head.  "We're still winning the ratings and critical reviews.  How many other shows can put their contestants in space?" he asked softly, with a grin.  "Can you imagine their special effects bill?"
Last year's finale had included a sub-orbital demonstration flight from California to Australia with a solid ten minutes of zero-g with the interns floating and playing on camera.  The viewer response was tremendous.  Applications for internships on the show had increased twenty-fold and spanned the globe in terms of interest.  It seemed that we had touched on an unarticulated, world-wide dream.
I smiled at Tom and then paused to look at Jeryl, who was returning from the ladies' room with Billy, who had come with Tom.  She caught me looking at her and gave me a stunning smile.  She did look amazing at these things.  This year she was wearing a sleek black gown with a translucent black lace bodice overlaid with black flower silhouettes in a pleasant pattern that seemed to twine up her torso.  Her shoulders were bare, but the lace material formed partial sleeves from just below the shoulder to her forearms. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant bun, highlighting her delicate, strong neck.  
She presented her cheek for me to kiss and deftly plucked the drink from my hand to take a sip.  
"Let's skip this show and go home.  I want to spend a couple of hours slowly sliding you out of that lovely dress," I whispered in her ear.
She laughed.  "You can do that later.  Behave yourself for a couple more hours and I'll give you a trip around the world to remember."
I kissed her again and then turned back to Billy and Tom.  
"So, Billy, do you have some remarks and thank-yous ready, as well?  You've got an executive producer credit this year."
Billy grinned.  "Mine will be quick, since I just have to thank you three."
Tom nodded.  "Mine are the same as Billy and the same as last year."
"Hey," Jeryl said.  "It was originally your idea," she reminded us all.  
"Didn't we have nearly the same conversation last year?" I asked.  It sounded almost identical.  
Ninety minutes later, after a thunderous ovation, we all said our thank-yous.  Jeryl made sure to thank our fans and viewers, while I thanked my supportive, loving wife and Tom and Billy thanked us for believing in them.  Finally, just before we got the hook, I stepped back to the mike.
"One last group of people I am extremely grateful to and who make the show possible.  Thanks to all of our Interns, past, present, and future."
The crowd roared its own appreciation again and we headed back stage.
*****
Jeryl gave me a saucy smile as she sat at the breakfast table in Deer Valley the next morning.  She was in my red silk pajama shirt, which I had worn for all of two minutes last night before tumbling into bed and having her make good on her promises of carnal delight.  The shirt was long enough to cover everything, but she flashed her black panties at me, as if to answer my unasked question.
I smiled and shook my head.
"Mommy, you looked beautiful on TV last night," Ali said.
"Thank you dear.  I'm glad you liked my dress," she said.  "How did Daddy look?"
Ali glanced at me and smiled.  "He looked like a man."
I laughed, glad my daughter was not thinking of men as being pretty or handsome yet.
I looked at a file folder with some clippings Tamara had already compiled this morning.
"It wasn't just the family that thought you looked wonderful, dear," I said.  "You made the top ten best dressed list."
Jeryl shrugged but I could tell she was pleased.  Most of the time, she didn't look for the spotlight.  But the red carpet seemed to bring out her competitive nature.
"So how is school going, Ali?" I asked.
"Good.  Can Katie come over to play this week?  I didn't get to see her all summer."
Jeryl smiled.  "I'll call her mother and see what we can do.  How are your classes this year?"
She shrugged.  "The same.  You and Daddy do more difficult reading and math with me already."
I frowned, as the comments I had made on Jay Leno coming back to me.  "Maybe we should talk to your teachers to get you some more advanced work," I said.
"Daddy! I'm only in second grade.  I don't need harder work to do."
Her serious expression and tone made both Jeryl and me laugh.  I even caught a smile on the corners of Mrs. Eccles' mouth.  
"Okay, but if you cause a distraction in class or school, we will have that talk.  Deal?"
She nodded and resumed her breakfast.  I got up from the table and headed back to the bedroom to get dressed.  I had delivery duty this morning and then we'd both be in the office to meet the orbital interns.  Jyl had left the day before, insisting to be treated like her fellow interns, which we both appreciated.
A couple of hours later, we were in our Park City offices.  We had chosen to build rather than buy here, and had a modern three-story building that included a forty-person auditorium, in addition to a lot of meeting space.  Tom and Billy had their primary offices here, along with the editing crew.  We used the auditorium to screen episodes of the show during the editing process.  Today, it served a different purpose.  Sixteen nervous interns sat in the stadium seating along with a good portion of the crew we would be using this year.  Typically, we captured everything from arrival onward, on camera.  With the extended nature of this effort, we had to do a few things differently.
Tom took to the podium first.
"Welcome, Interns.  I'm Tom Harding, one of the executive producers of the show."
He got some decent applause as he paused for a breath.  Obviously, they were all fans.
"Today is going to be 'off-script' as we like to say, since this show is actually going to be a bit different from our regular season.  Before we get into the details of that, I want to introduce a few other folks that you probably won't recognize and a few you will."
"First, let me introduce a former contestant and the hard-working lady that ran our selection process this year, Tamara O'Donnell."  Tamara waved from the side of the room as Tom continued.  "Tamara will be performing part-time duties this year as a co-producer.  Her full-time job, however, is one of three personal assistants for Paul, who you'll meet in a minute.  If she is telling you to do something, please assume it's coming from myself or one of the other executive producers."
Heads nodded.
"Next is Allen Stenzel.  He, too, is one of Paul's PAs.  Allen has been intimately involved in laying out many of the challenges your teams will be facing in the show.  He also has a master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois."  Allen waved from beside Tamara.
Tom went on to introduce the camera unit leads before motioning to Billy.  
"Billy Salz is also an Executive Producer on the show.  While she will be spending most of her time gearing up for the next regular season, she may also lend a hand on our efforts."
Tom glanced at Jeryl and me before continuing.  "The other two executive producers you should obviously recognize.  Paul and Jeryl Taylor."
Everyone clapped as we stepped forward.  I continued to the front of the room as they settled back down.
"I'll add my welcome to Tom's and explain a little about what is different with this show from our regular show and why it matters."
The crew already knew most of my briefing but I was glad to see everyone was still focused on me.
"Firstly, this show won't premier until the holidays, next year.  With eighteen months to film, you can probably guess some of the differences. The challenges are going to be much harder and require more than just superb individual effort.  We will assign teams that we hope will last for the entire season and beyond."
I paused to let the words sink in before adding, "Yes, beyond."  After a brief pause, I continued with, "Since this will be a nearly two-year process, we will be completing all of the paperwork to make you employees for the duration.  If you and/or your teammates want to continue working together, I'll commit to making that happen."
There was a murmur in the room and I raised my hand to quiet them down.  "We'll have William Hart, the head of the HR department at PT Innovations come in to explain the pay and benefits structure and to answer any questions you may have.  From your application forms, we know that all of you are single.  If there have been any surprise marriages, please let us know."
There was a chuckle in the room.
"Next, Lila Greenwood from our security department will come in to review our standard non-disclosure agreement and talk about security, both in the company and on the projects you will be working on.  Some of the challenges concern, literally, billion dollar ideas.  Please pay close attention to the warnings and procedures that Lila discusses."
"After a fun filled morning of paperwork, you're going to get physicals and have some personal gear issued.  Most of the time I'm not big on uniforms, but for filming and safety purposes, you're going to have fairly uniform apparel.  You don't have to be "in uniform" all of the time but for many evolutions, you will."
"Now then, this is a non-shooting segment.  We normally have cameras going nearly twenty-four/seven but then we film thirteen episodes in right around twelve weeks, so we need all that footage to edit and produce our final cut.  On the regular show, we tell interns to assume there are cameras on them unless they are in a clearly marked no-camera area, like the restrooms.  For this show, the same rules apply during the week days, between six A.M. and ten P.M. Outside of those hours, you will be 'off-camera,' so to speak, unless we are doing a specific evolution we want to capture for the show.  In those cases, we'll let you know before we start filming."
"Now, before we continue, are there any questions?"
A few folks shook their heads but one hand was raised.
"Yes?" I asked the African-American woman with an almost-buzz cut hair do.
"If we're not in uniform, what should we wear?"
"The company dress code will be covered by William but, essentially, we're business casual if outside vendors or partners are meeting with us and California casual the rest of the time.  We've defined California Casual to be shorts, pants, skirts or kilts within two inches of your knees, a collared shirt or blouse, and closed-toed shoes or sandals."
Several people smiled, just as most of our employees did when they heard the policy.
"You may ask 'why closed-toed shoes?', which gets to one of the reasons you'll wear uniforms for some activities.  Safety has to be at the top of mind for you and the crew.  You're going to face some very uncertain environments and potentially dangerous challenges and tasks.  We'll be doing proper safety briefs before any significant evolution that presents a potential risk.  We do these for our filming crew as well as for all of you to make sure we're all on the same page.  If you miss a safety brief or fail to comply with the safety protocols we've established, you may be pulled from your team, the show, and employment.  We have sixteen interns now, and I want the same number going home at the end of filming.  Are we clear on this requirement?"
The faces were somber.  I was glad to see Jyl was taking it as seriously as everyone else.
"Okay.  Once we get through issuing gear and getting you settled into your accommodations, we're going to round out the day with a team fitness test before dinner.  Everything that occurs outside this room, with the exception of your physicals and changing, will be 'on-camera'."
Jeryl stepped up as I stepped back.
"I'll add my welcome to Paul's and Tom's.  We're going to do filmed introductions this afternoon, but I'd like to have everyone briefly stand up, tell us your name and a brief background.  Let's start with you."  She pointed to the person in the second row, at the opposite end from Jyl.
Each person stood, stated their names, and occupation or area of study.  Jyl went last.  No one seemed to connect her to Jeryl's maiden name.
"Thank you.  While she didn't mention it and no one seemed to recognize my maiden name, Jyl Salaway is one of my older sisters.  Since I know it will come out, sooner or later, I'm choosing sooner.  I want everyone to know that she did not try to leverage our relationship to get on the show.  She was selected by the other producers based on her skills as a doctor and personal accomplishments.  If anyone has a concern about her participation, feel free to discuss it with Tom.  Hopefully, you all know enough about the show to realize that one person has very little direct impact on another person's individual scoring.  This is even more true for this show, since you will primarily be judged as a team."  Jeryl paused for a beat.  "And if you want to give her a ration of shit, feel free.  She deserves it for past misdeeds, I'm sure."
People laughed and the ice seemed to be broken.
"Okay.  Let's hit a few rules we like to share with the Interns when the cameras are not rolling." 
I stepped back next to her.
"One, we have safety rules to be followed.  Everything else is more of a guideline," I said.
"Two," Jeryl said.  "You are all adults.  We expect you to behave like one.  If you're indiscreet, odds are it will be caught on camera.  If it's dangerous, we may talk about it.  If it's just careless or embarrassing, you might be explaining it to your mother, your kids or your significant other when it airs on prime-time.  Consider yourselves warned."
"Three," I said.  "The only stupid question is the one you don't ask or find an answer to."
"Four," Jeryl said.  "The only ways to fail are to not push hard enough or to not learn from your mistakes.  We don't expect perfection, but we do expect you to learn and grow."
"Five," I said.  "Your team and teamwork are critical in this season.  The team cannot succeed if all of its members don't succeed; and an individual without their team behind them will never be considered successful."
We let our guidelines settle in for a minute.  
"Now, how would you all like to know what you've really gotten yourselves into?" I asked.
Smiles and a few frowns appeared in the first two rows.
"The reason we are taking nearly six times as long to film this show, is really simple.  Collectively, you will all be defining the first major mission to space beyond orbital placement of satellites or space stations.  Additionally, the winning team will be the primary crew for that mission."
A murmur ran through the group.
"That may sound like a lofty, long-term goal, but I promise you all that you will become some of the most qualified astronauts in the world before Christmas this year, and likely log more days in orbit than most of NASA's cadre before the show is in the can.  Welcome to the inaugural crew of 'Interns -- Orbital".
The lights dimmed and some of the rough cuts from two weeks ago came up on the screen showing the most recent interns floating through the living quarters of module two during their test flights for habitability.   Billy had provided the voice-over to the visual.
"Three weeks ago, the last group of interns performed habitability testing for a new crew quarter module on the PT-One orbital lab.  They spent a total of eight days in orbit, learning to live and perform what should be routine tasks without the aid of gravity.  While this was the final challenge for their series, it will be just the beginning for you.  In less than three months, you and your teammates will be spending nearly half of your time in orbit learning, working, and improving designs and procedures to help build a thriving orbital economy.  You'll be helping mankind take the next step into a bold, new frontier." The shot panned from the interior to a wide window showing a full earth in the background.  "You will be blazing the trail that others will follow.  Welcome to 'The Interns - Orbital'".  
The logo we had created appeared superimposed in an arc around the globe with Billy's words.
Everyone in the room clapped enthusiastically as the screen dimmed and the lights came back up.
*****
"Billy, do you have minute?" I asked as we left the newest interns in Tom and William's capable hands.
"Sure.  What's up?" she asked as she followed Jeryl and me to the elevator.
I waited until we were heading up before speaking.  "How are you set for staff for planning the regular series?"
"I'm good.  Tom and I split the senior folks and have a rotation planned so everyone will work on both shows, just not at the same time."
"You don't foresee any problems with the modified format for next summer?" Jeryl asked.
Billy shrugged as the elevator stopped.  "I'm sure we'll have some snags but what season hasn't?  If you're talking about the global nature, I think we've got that handled in the planning."
Next year, the interns would have a worldlier view, since we were planning on picking about half of the candidates from the pool of international submissions we had received.  I thought it was important to expand the show beyond the U.S. of A.
"Good.  How much spare capacity do you think you'll have for the next couple of months?"
We settled around the table in my office and she looked at us with concern.
"That's a loaded question," she said, finally.  "Fleshing out the challenges and working the location parts should take about half my time between now and February.  Why?"
Jeryl nodded.  "We want you to help organize a digital news room."
"What?"
I jumped in.  "DigiNet has the bandwidth into enough households now to provide some content.  Rather than just licensing or leveraging re-runs, I want to create a new approach to online journalism."
"What sort of new approach?"
"I want to sponsor or hire reporters to cover every state legislature and local news in each of the DigiNet major markets."
She sat back.  "That's going to be pretty expensive."
Jeryl shook her head.  "Not really.  All of our publishing will go directly online, not be printed.  We want to try and create locally grounded national and international news that focuses on traditional reportage, not infotainment that we seem to get more and more of now.  We can home web browsers by market to give them a view of their local weather and news as their home page, with snippets of national and international news as well."
"The technology is pretty straight forward," I said.  "And we have enough market penetration now to start growing our own news network.  Since we're starting with written media, not video, we can keep costs manageable."
"What about ads for revenue generation?"
"I want it ad-free.  We've got Candace and Donna setting up a special trust with some of the generator money that will cover this team's budget.  What we don't have is someone we trust to help create that team and prove the model.  You know the type of news we want to focus on;  the facts over the non-news."
She thought about it for a minute.  "What specifically are you asking me to do?  I want to be clear before I commit.  I'm just a journalism major, for goodness sake."
I smiled. "You're not 'just' anything.  You're a journalism major who has stepped into a PR role managing some pretty big stories for us.  You're an executive producer on an Emmy winning television show.  You're a self-starter who's not afraid to go after the real story, not the non-news the mainstream wants to pursue in hopes of better ratings."
"Specifically," Jeryl said, "we want you to start by going to do some interviewing of the news staff at the BBC in London.  After that, we want you to visit the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post editorial staffs.  Then you'll come back here and come up with a plan for how many reporters we're going to find to build out a state-by-state all digital news room.  We want meaningful stories, not fluff pieces.  The goal is to make the fourth estate meaningful in the national discourse again. You'll need a staff that can go after both parties to try and restore some accountability in government."
"Will they be independent?" she asked.  "I mean, people are going to assume you are putting your message out to counter the mainstream.  How do we prove we are reporting the facts, not Paul Taylor's opinions?"
I nodded.  "Fair question.  That's one reason why we're funding this operation through a trust.  No one can fear for their jobs and livelihood if we do something and it gets reported.  We aren't looking to create sacred cows or taboo topics.  To that end, though, we can't have them in our corporate structure.  This will be a separate entity that happens to get irrevocable funds from our good fortune."
"What about editorial policy?" she asked.
"You and the managing editor will have to figure that out but having a written policy is required before funds are granted from the trust.  I would ask that it be focused on verifiable facts and not opinions."
"Who will be the editor?  I think nearly everyone in the country leans one way or the other on the political spectrum."
"We expect you to help establish that hiring criteria.  Once you get a model defined for operations, we'll discuss it further."
"Okay," she said.  "What if I do all this and decide I'd rather work there than here?"
"Full transfer of salary, time and benefits will be yours for the asking," Jeryl said.  "While we'd love you to stay working closely with us, we both understand if news is more to your liking.  I hope you know we would never stand in your way of growing and taking on new challenges."
Billy nodded again.  "Thank you.  I don't know which I find more exciting.  I guess I can live with that commitment and decide when the time is right.  If I do switch, I don't think it would be before we get the next season finished." She flashed us both a quick smile.  "I really want the top billing for the Executive Producer next year," she confided with a grin.
*****
Jeryl snuggled up next to me as we settled into bed.  
"So, when can you be home for two weeks solid so I can get my orbital indoctrination done?" she asked.
I was surprised.  She had never expressed interest in going to space with me before.
"Why?  I thought you wanted to be home for the kids?"
She kissed me gently.  "You know Jyl and I have always been a little competitive," she said.
"Yeah.  So?"
"Well, you don't think I'm going to let her screw in space and brag about doing it first, do you?"
I laughed.  Then I saw she was serious.
"I guess we'll have to check my schedule and tell Tamara to make it happen.  Are you sure this is smart?  I thought we wanted one of us firmly on ground for the kids' sake.  You do know it's still dangerous, right?"
She nodded.  "Remember what we said on Jay Leno a few weeks ago?  How can I ask my sister to do something I'm not willing to do?  Besides, don't you want me to fuck you silly in orbit?"
The thought of her floating naked with me gave her a physical answer.  I kissed her passionately as she worked to push my sleeping pants down and take her own ride to the stars, right then.
The next morning had us both looking at the schedule for the next few months.
"Just get it done, now." Jeryl finally concluded, after discussing options for nearly an hour.  "If you do these meetings this week in D.C., everyone else can come out here while I'm in Ireland and wherever else you send me."
"Okay," I said.  "Tamara, can you make those changes?"
"I've got them.  None of those are with PITAs.  They'll shift to accommodate you, Paul."
Jeryl smiled at her use of our acronym for Pain in The Asses.
"Then can you get me through the orbital-indoctrination course that you and Allen did?"
Tamara switched to a different calendar before nodding.  "We don't have any other solo candidates for the class," she said with a frown.  "There are a lot of evolutions that require a partner.  I think they like to have two novices working together for those."
It was my turn to nod.  Many of the practices required a buddy.  
"Who else might benefit from the training?" I asked.
"What about Alison?" Jeryl asked with a smile.  
"Are you telling her?" I asked.  "I don't think I'm brave enough to do it."
Jeryl's lips curled into a tight smile.  "So, no one has assessed security for the training or in orbit?  We're planning some pretty sensitive research up there, aren't we?"
I shook my head.  "It's your plan.  You definitely get to tell her," I concluded.
*****
"If you do that, look for the IRS to establish a permanent audit team in your headquarters, Mr. Taylor."
The Secretary of the Treasury was livid after I had spent fifteen minutes outlining my plan to shift payment for generators to a gold standard.
"As your floating currency loses value, my tax burden will decrease, so do your best," I said with a smile.  
The president seemed to be fighting a smile.
"Nick, why are you opposed to Paul's plan?"
The Secretary took a moment to collect himself.  "If the rest of the world is paying for power in gold, they aren't going to have to buy our T-Bills unless we raise the yield, which will mean it costs us more to service our debt.  This is bad for our economy, Mr. President."
"Unless, you stop spending more than you make," I countered.  "Where is our peace dividend?  We've got good job growth, and an expanding tax base, but you keep printing more money and spending dollars you don't have.  The petro-dollar is gone in everything but name, and you thought you could just shift to a fusion-dollar, which I supported to help the world transition away from oil."
The secretary started to speak but the President raised his hand.  "When will you make this change, Paul?"
"All new purchases starting in January.  We'll announce our plans during the market lull in December.  Since we're not publicly traded, we don't think most of the market will notice in the short-term."
"Where are you going to process this gold?"  The secretary asked.
"Switzerland.  We're going to put drawing rights against a gold reserve and will settle accounts quarterly.  I have Lloyds and Barclays over there and they're already working through the process."
"So, in less than six months, we can expect some of the market for treasuries to begin drying up?"  The President asked.
"At the current yields, yes," I agreed.
He turned his gaze to his Secretary of the Treasury.  "Nick, we need to take this as a starting point and get the budget in order.  I want a balanced or surplus budget in two weeks."
"Sir! There is no way we can trim spending that much.  It will never pass Congress before the fall recess."
"Why?  Every American family is expected to balance their household budget.  Why can't we, as a country?  Are working parents smarter than Congressmen or public servants?"  The President paused, as if testing the appeal of his words in his own mind.  "We have a duty to the American people to share the dividends Paul has provided.  Power is one, but this opportunity to create a sustainable, responsible budget should not be squandered."
He paused and looked his Secretary of the Treasury in the eye.  "Two weeks, Nick.  Get it done."
"Yes, Mister President," he said as he rose.
"And Nick," he added, making the man pause.  "No leaks.  Are we clear?"
"Yes, Mister President."
We watched him leave and then the President smiled at me.
"I told you a couple of years ago that I did not like our deficit spending.  You listened, didn't you?"
I smiled back.  "I did, sir.  More importantly, I agree."
He nodded.  "What will this do to the election?  You know we have no hope of keeping this quiet for more than a year, right?  Your sister won't be any too happy, I'm sure."
I shrugged and smiled.  "If you send a balanced budget to Congress and they fatten it with a lot of pork, they're going to look bad in an election year.  If they try to buy votes with promises of increased spending, you'll have enough market data to show the cost of 'free money' is going up, based on T-bill yields.  Then you accuse them of kicking the can down the road to our children when there is no reason for it.  The Democrat candidates can't make a winning issue out of a balanced budget unless you gut their programs."
He was nodding as I spoke.  "When it comes to that, I'll make certain my party is talking about the benefit to the nation that a balanced budget provides and not descend into a mud-slinging match."
He glanced at the clock on his desk.  "What else did you have to ease my day, today, Paul?" he asked with a wry smile.
I considered how to broach the topic.  Finally, I jumped in with both feet.
"Iran, Russia, and China," I said.
The President sat straighter.  "That's a worrisome list."
I nodded.  "Iran is seeking to improve relations with my companies, both for generators and lifting capacity.  Russia and China appear to have similar intent with their generator orders, but one or the other of them may also be targeting my orbital capabilities for industrial espionage."  I gave a few more details so he would know I was serious.
"And what do you want the U.S. government to do about these overtures and concerns?" he asked.
"For the espionage risk, I'd like you to ask a few folks from our intelligence services to pay me a visit in the next couple of weeks.  My team believes they have identified the attack vector, even if we can't definitively determine the origin of the attack.  You know a lot of those agencies use my chips and protocols.  We want to alert them to a potential threat vector.  Also, it's possible the attack was intended to compromise some of our surveillance capabilities.  The attack occurred while we were conducting a covert retrieval mission."
"And you're just coming to us now?"  The President still had some fire in his belly.  I felt bad for delaying the discussion.
"We just determined the vector and possible source last week.  I was not comfortable running this through channels."
He stood and went to his desk and punched an intercom button.  A moment later, an Air Force Colonel stepped into the Oval Office.
"Sir?"
"Colonel, I'd like you to personally coordinate a threat assessment meeting with Mr. Taylor in Utah next week.  Have the director of the NSA assign a point person.  Mr. Taylor can give you a few more details when we finish.  I want this handled very closely. Understood?" 
"Yes, sir!"  
The colonel departed. 
"State has a working group focused on Iran," the president continued as he returned to his seat on the couch across from me.  "They're trying to formulate a plan to re-engage with them and try to keep the region stable, given the declining power of OPEC.  There has been some discussion of how we might be able to leverage your growing relationship with them.  I can have them come visit."
"I'd like that, Mr. President, so long as we can keep it low key.  I have a meeting with Minister Khalil at the end of the month."
"I'll make certain they don't drag their feet." He glanced at the clock once more.  "Anything else I can help with?" he asked with is wry grin.
"No, sir.  Is there anything else I could do for you?"  
He stood and smiled.  "You could add a few more domestic jobs to keep the economy on track," he said with a smile.
"I'll see what I can do, sir," I said as I shook his hand.
*****
"Jesus, Paul, I thought you were going to try to make my job a little easier," Kelly complained as she poured some tea for us in her kitchen.  She had given her staff the evening off after they served us a light dinner.  
I had been filling her in on some of the company moves we were making.  She could see the implication as quickly as the President had.
"I thought you were waiting to move to gold?" 
"We are but that sort of move can't happen overnight.  We'll begin telling people openly in December but a few of our larger customers have actually approached us about it," I said.  "They want to arrange ongoing payment in gold, as well as initial purchase."
She gave me a sharp look.  This was a tidbit I had not shared before.
"Who?"
"Several European countries, along with Russia and Australia."
"But you don't have any large installations in Russia or Australia yet."
"And they don't have large U.S. dollar reserves but they do have gold.  It makes sense from a domestic policy perspective, for them.  Once the word is out, everyone will see it as a way to cut the dollar out of the equation."
"And then the T-bill will tank and our exchange rate will drop without power or oil to float it."
I nodded.  "Possibly."
She stood and began pacing; never a good sign.  "And this is going to hit the mainstream economic press as the campaigns are ramping up."
"Most likely," I agreed.
"What's the President going to do?" she asked.
I smiled.  "You've got the same information that he and the Secretary of the Treasury have.  We'll all just have to wait and see what he does.  I got the sense he is not going to wait too long to take some action."  
I knew better than to betray a confidence, even to my step-sister and former business partner.
"Fiscal policy, for sure," she said as she continued to pace along the kitchen counter.  "You planted enough seeds this summer that he might have to do something about the tax code."
I watched her thinking and pacing for a minute.  I knew we were getting pretty far off the timeline I grew up in, which created new risks to manage, but I could see some opportunities against my prior context of history.
"You need to get ahead of the government spending discussion," I suggested, as she pivoted at one end of her pacing.
She stopped.  "Why do you say that?"
"Democrats are viewed as the 'tax and spend' side of the political spectrum.  If you move some of them to the center, from a fiscal point of view, you could be well positioned regardless of how the economy moves."
She sat down and sipped her tea.  "Tell me more."
"Look, Bush got re-elected because everyone was generally happy.  Clinton could not point at anything that was 'bad' that demanded change.  If the markets react poorly to this shift on the dollar, the economy could be a little bumpy.  You can be the voice of reason, now, and be seen as a visionary during the election cycle.  If things are smooth sailing, you can attract more of the Republican vote based on a sound fiscal policy and focus on the social changes that speak to the Democratic core."
She took another sip of her tea.  
"I don't know if the leadership will see it that way and agree.  I'm still a relatively new player here," she said.
"You know your party is going to trot Bill out as its candidate again.  That is a mistake.  He may be charismatic as hell, but he is no more equipped to deal with this possible new economy than Ali is."
Kelly snorted.  "If Ali's paid any attention to Jeryl and you, she may be better equipped," she said.
She sat silently for a minute before asking, "You think I should run, don't you?"
I shook my head.  "That has to be your call.  I don't know if you should try or not but I know you can at least understand the economic realities we're going to be facing when we can't just print dollars.  You've helped manage a company budget bigger than the Arkansas state budget.  You can be the Democratic voice in this upcoming debate."
She nodded.  "But I'll also have a huge target on my back, since it's my brother who's doing this to the country," she said.
I shrugged.  "It's the World that's doing this, Kelly, not me.  I'm just going along with it.  Dollar politics are bad from a global perspective.  It creates an uneven playing field and is going to cause problems over the long term."
"How can you say that?
"I've had three economists studying it for a couple of years.  Their best-case scenario sees our current fiscal system heading toward disaster within thirty years if we don't change our country's spending habits.  If the floating dollar collapses, we'll have either a full-blown depression or hyperinflation... possibly both.  We need to return to some sort of money that is backed by something of real value."
"Gold?"
"Gold, oil, wheat, or whatever, but something real.  I don't care what it is, but money can't be just paper and ink."
"And you think the American voters are going to understand fiscal policy well enough to make this a meaningful campaign issue?"
I smiled.  "Not right away.  I think you and a few others will make this an issue by explaining why the American voters should care about our fiscal policy."
*****
"Minister Khalil, it is a pleasure to see you again," I said as I was escorted into the sitting room of his suite in the Watergate Hotel.
"May Allah smile on you," the minster replied as he shook my hand.  "Tea?" he asked.
"Please."
We settled into the lush couches in the suite as his guard or butler poured tea for us.  I knew he was in Washington specifically to discuss the reestablishment of normal diplomatic relations between our two countries.  
"I hope your other meetings are progressing well," I said after taking the cup of tea and sipping gently.
He nodded and took up his own cup.  
"We are making progress.  It is nice to be able to meet you here, in your country's capital rather than Geneva.  Yesterday, we reached an agreement in principle to resume missions in each other's countries."
I nodded.  I knew the State Department was maintaining the property that had formerly been the Iranian Embassy here in Washington.  I suspected the sticking point was the need to relocate or rebuild its counterpart in Tehran.  A lot of American pride was at stake in these discussions.
The minister sighed.  "But that discussion is still ahead of us.  Today I wanted to see what we could do to further our talks around commercial agreements."
I sipped my tea.  Over the past ten months, I had used the fact of needing normalized relations between our countries to keep from committing to the proposals he had been making.  If they had reached an agreement, my defense against moving forward might disappear.
"If we are normalizing relations, as you say, I would be interested in exploring commercial opportunities."
It was the minister's turn to nod.  
"We are interested in purchasing generators, as you know, as well as discussing the creation of a launch complex for your orbiters.  As we discussed previously, we are willing to make unique charter provisions for such consideration on your behalf."
"Yes, but I am still unclear on the full benefits for both parties," I said, reestablishing my position in negotiations.  "The generators should be a straight forward transaction once the political climate is stabilized.  I am assuming your reserves will be sufficient for that transaction?"
Minister Khalil had been one of the first potential buyers to ask about purchasing generators with gold.  Due to the history of sanctions imposed on Iran, they had few dollar reserves to leverage and were not interested in buying dollars.  They had struck a deal with several European countries to sell oil and other commodities for gold rather than dollars.  I knew they also had decent natural production capabilities to add to their own reserves.
"Yes, we have more than sufficient reserves of hard currency to secure the purchase and on-going production of electricity using your generators.  As you said, the purchase of this capability should be straight forward as soon as the political hurdles are cleared.  The launch complex, however is what I wanted to discuss in more detail."
I had guessed as much.
"How well do you know your history, Mr. Taylor?"
"Well, I think.  What area specifically are you thinking of, sir?"
"Have you ever heard of the 'Persian Corridor'?"
I shook my head.
He smiled.  "In World War Two, it was one of the methods of delivering supplies from the allies to Russia.  Material was transported from Abadan in the Persian Gulf, north to Tehran, and then further onward to Russia."  He paused to sip his tea.  "Some statesmen from Iran came up with an idea based on this history.  We have reached an agreement with the some of our neighbors to the north to enable transportation through the region.  Once this project is complete, we envision reliable movement of goods from the Gulf, north through my country and those beyond, ultimately to Russia.  Opening this corridor to the mineral riches of the regions will help all of the countries involved."
I nodded.  
"I agree it is an ambitious project and should result in much good for the peoples and countries involved."
"And what of the benefit to the world if one end of such a logistics pipeline was not just ship terminals but an orbital terminus as well?  Our engineers have been watching your work.  We believe there will be many goods you create in orbit that could easily flow north from such a facility with natural resources returning on the same path.  Just as the rail line you support in Africa has generated prosperity and commerce, I see this link opening all of central Asia."
"And putting Iran at the crossroads of commerce once again," I said.
He smiled.  "It is what we are, as a people.  Prosperity will bring peace and foster the re-opening of our country and culture.  This is the benefit beyond money that you asked me about several years ago."
I sipped my tea, glad to have something to delay my response.  I knew nothing comparable had occurred in my past.  This was a truly unlooked-for outcome.
"In principle, the idea and concept intrigue me," I said after a few moments of thought.
Minister Khalil smiled.
"It's the principle that matters now.  There is much work to do, both internally in Iran as well as with our neighbors.  My task today, was to see if the idea had merit in your eyes.  On your word, we will move forward, creating a more detailed proposal for your review, along with those governments that will most likely be interested.  Perhaps we could discuss this further in the new year?"
Four months would probably be just enough time to get the State Department calmed down, I thought.
"That sounds reasonable, sir," I said.
"Excellent.  I'll reach out to you in a month, via normal channels, to fix the date.  I'm very glad you could arrange to meet with me here today," he said.
My smile was genuine.  "Minister Khalil, discussions with you always make my life richer and more interesting.  I look forward to working out details around this proposal."  I stood and shook his hand.
"Go in peace, my friend," he said as we parted.  Never in my life did I expect a Muslim to call me friend.  It made me think about all the things that had changed in my life.
*****
"Special Agent Johnson, you seem to be a long way from Dallas," I said as I saw the agent that I had first met in high school walk through the door of my Park City office.
He gave me a warm smile and extended his hand, as I rose from my desk.  "It's Deputy Director, now, Paul.  Please call me 'Sam', by the way."
"Congratulations," I said.  "What brings you out to Park City?"
"A call from the President, that I understand was made at your request," he said with a grin.  "I'm the director of the Taylor task force within the Bureau now.  When the President said you had a potential espionage problem, they called my team."
"I don't know if I should be worried or flattered," I said.  "I have my own task force?"
Alison had mentioned contacts in the FBI.  I had no idea she was interacting with a task force dedicated to me.  I was bothered, either by the gap in my knowledge, the gap in hers, or her reluctance to tell me what was going on.  I'd be having a chat with her as soon as she and Jeryl were back from their training.
Sam nodded.  "My team has a national security order on you.  We liaise with Alison and your security team to keep each other appraised of potential threats.  Frankly, I'm surprised we weren't notified by Alison about this latest issue.  My very brief, brief made it sound urgent."
"Potentially serious.  That's why I asked the President for assistance."
"Usually, Alison reaches out to me directly," Deputy Director Johnson said with a hint of a proprietary tone.
I forced a smile.  "I'm sure she'll be following up with you but I decided this issue needed to be handled a little differently."  I went on to explain the communications outage and how far we were able to track it.  I then went on to explain the ongoing negotiations with both China and Russia for generators.  
"Putting everything together makes me question what is really going on."
Sam had listened carefully and taken several notes.  "What do you think the Bureau should do?"
"I think we've at least got a missing persons case with potential national security implications.  However, part of the chartering provisions requires me to notify the U.S. Government of any signs of interference from foreign powers, including attempts to obtain undue influence on launch schedules or operations concerning government payloads.  This mission was retrieving a national reconnaissance asset."
Sam nodded.  "Sorry, I forgot how direct you are.  I meant, what steps do you think we should pursue.  I'll have a team start trying to chase down the whereabouts of the technicians, assuming that they are alive.  I'm guessing that Alison has already changed your security protocols.  Do you want us to review her work?  Does she need extra manpower for your personal security?  I'm just trying to ascertain how much help you really want."
I took a breath.  It was hard to forget some past history with the FBI.  I said as much.  He waved off my apology.
"Based on what you've told me, this sounds more like an attempt to get a look at your orbiter or its payload, not targeting you specifically, right?"
"That's what we surmised."
"Okay.  I'll get a few members of the task force working with Gulfstream at their design and assembly plants.  I'll also ask our friends across the pond to check out Rolls-Royce for any warning signs.  Other than that, I'm at a bit of a loss on next steps."
"How about a review of our workers?  Can we discreetly determine if any others might not be who they seem?"
"I can discuss it with Alison when she's available.  I know she has a pretty good vetting process."
"Well, start looking into the background of our two technicians.  If you find anything that should have tripped a flag, we may want you to help us look more broadly."
"That sounds like a plan.  Will Alison be back here soon or should I reach out to her offices in London?"
I smiled.  He seemed awful keen to talk to my head of security.  "She and Jeryl will be back here the day after tomorrow, but she might need a day or two to catch up.  How about you see what you and your team can turn up and we'll get together next week?"
"I look forward to it," he said.  Standing to leave, he handed me his card and added, "Tell Allison to call me if she needs anything sooner." 
*****
"I missed you," Jeryl said as she settled back against me in our soaking tub.  She and Alison had gotten back from Kenya in the late afternoon after completing their orbital indoctrination course.  She had made it home just in time to have dinner and the regular evening activities of homework and a little play time before getting the kids in bed.  Once they were tucked in, she had dragged me to our master suite for a shower and a soak.
"I missed you, too," I said, kneading her shoulders and then kissing the back of her neck.  "It was strange not having you around.  I think it's the first time there were more than a couple of days when you weren't home with me."
She snorted.  "As opposed to me being here while you're gallivanting all over the world."  She patted my thigh beneath the water to let me know she was not being too serious.  
I rubbed my hands down her shoulders and upper arms and then gave her a hug from behind.  She sighed and relaxed against me.
"I can see what the attraction of going up is now," she said after a moment.  "Seeing earth from space on television is one thing.  Looking out the window and watching it whirl past is another thing entirely.  I could have spent our entire flight just looking."
"So, you like the idea of going back up?"  I asked.
"Definitely.  But don't make Alison go."
"Oh?"  I let me hand slip lower and stroke her thighs beneath the hot water.
"She didn't adapt to zero-g very well at all.  The crew was sympathetic, but she was never far from a space-sick kit.  She looked miserable the entire flight."
"I'll make sure she knows it was your idea," I teased.
"Oh, believe me, she knows.  She told me, in no uncertain terms, that I'd be in mortal danger if I made her go to space again because she'd throw me out an airlock."
I gave her another hug.  "It's too bad she didn't enjoy it."
"The flight surgeon checked her out.  She does fine on water, no seasickness, but no gravity seems to really do a number on her inner ear.  The surgeon thought she might acclimate with a long enough flight, but she said she'd pass on that."
"How did you feel?"
Jeryl laughed.  "Alive, like I wanted to do back flips."  She paused and twisted her neck to kiss my cheek.  "And horny.  I can't wait to go back up with you."
I kissed her back and stroked her nipples before nibbling on her ear and neck.  She wiggled back against my rising erection.  I marveled at the feel of her smooth skin and let my fingers trace a path from her nipples to her thighs.  Several trips later, she spread her legs in invitation.  I obliged, tracing her landing strip of pubic hair before circling her clit and stroking along her lower lips.  
"That feels nice," she purred softly as she leaned her head back to rest on my shoulder. 
I stroked her slowly, gently, knowing the water would wash away any natural lubricant.  I was pleased to hear and feel her breathing deepen as her arousal increased.  She reached behind her and placed my stiff prick into the cleft of her ass, easing what was becoming a discomfort.
I continued my ministrations, taking her higher until a small orgasm shook her.  I held her tight as she sighed against me.
"Let's get out of this tub so we can do something more than get clean," she said in a throaty voice before standing.
I grabbed her hips and turned her so I could lick her cute pussy.  She sighed and stopped trying to pull me up as my tongue replaced my fingers and lapped her toward another orgasm.  She took my hand and guided it beneath my chin.  I knew she was looking for a little more stimulation and slipped a finger inside her.  Now, her natural lubrication was present.  I stroked slowly, matching the pace of my tongue as she grabbed my head to support herself. 
I felt her stiffen with her second orgasm and slowed my licking along her clit as my finger wiggled softly within her.  She shuddered and clenched my finger while pulling my face tightly against her.
After a moment, she relaxed.  "Thank you, Paul.  That was wonderful."
I looked up her glistening skin and smiled.  "We're not done yet," I said.
"I should hope not," she replied, pulling me up for a quick kiss.  "I want to feel this inside me."  Her hand dipped to grab my cock.
"And just where do you want it?" I teased.
She stroked me for a moment and then reached over to grab the bottle of oil.  She squirted some in her hand and began stroking my dick, lubricating it thoroughly before turning around and kneeling back on the seat of the tub.  Her ass was just above the water level.
"I want you in my ass.  It's been a while since we've done that.  I want to feel you like I did the first time we made love."
She reached back and applied some of the oil to herself before spreading her cheeks wide.  I stepped up and stroked the head of my dick along her oiled cleft before pressing the head against her rosebud.  Slowly, I pushed in.  She grunted as the head of my dick popped past her sphincter and I held still to let her adjust.
"God, that feels wonderful," she said.  I felt her own fingers reach under her and stroke her clit before I moved forward again.
Our pace stayed slow for several minutes, until she was pushing back against my thrusts.  I grabbed her hips and increased my tempo.  Her third orgasm of the evening pulled me over the top, as her ass clenched around my dick.  I felt myself shooting into her and thrust as deeply as I could, reveling in the sensation.
A few minutes later, we separated.  Jeryl settled back down in the tub and smiled at me.  She wiped my dick with a wet hand before darting forward and sucking it into her mouth and coaxing the last dribble of cum from me.
I lowered myself back into the water and then leaned forward to give her a kiss.  
"I missed you," I whispered, pulling her in for a hug.


Chapter Forty-Four
Flying High
*****
"Do you have it all figured out?" Jeryl asked as she peered over my shoulder at the wire-frame model of PTO-1, our orbital lab.
"I think so," I said as I pointed at the screen. "We'll have to shift some modules, but the re-configuration will give us a lot more long-term growth options."
Right now, we had four types of modules in orbit. One was a junction module, a six-meter rounded cube that had a docking ring, standard power and environmental connectors and a pressure door on each of its six faces. They were the joints in our overall design.
We then had a power module that housed a fusion reactor as well as stanchions for back up solar panels. One of the tricky issues with using fusion for our power needs was that we still needed large shaded areas to radiate excess heat to space. The back-up solar array provided that shade while also generating electricity. The engineering module, as we called it also held our other environmental systems to provide CO2 scrubbing, waste recycling, and other habitation systems. We had settled on a standard size of modules as tubes, five meters in diameter and twenty-five meters long. We repeated the standard docking configuration at each end, allowing us to create longer tubes without a junction module if needed.
The other two modules currently in orbit followed the same size and shape, but one was specialized for research lab space, and the other was our new habitability module. It provided a little better living accommodations for the crew.  Until we had launched the hab module during the last season of the Interns, our lab staff had been using a converted lab module as living space as well. We had kept the crew to two people except when an orbiter was visiting.
The original configuration that we had orbited consisted of two engineering modules, attached together, with a junction module at one end. Two lab modules had formed a T-shape from the junction module.  When our new habitat went up, we had attached it to the junction module, creating a three-armed cross at the top of the engineering stack.  This was fine for testing, but we wanted to provide for better separation of habitat and lab space now that other firms and countries were looking to purchase or lease space from us.
"We'll keep the engineering modules connected with the junction module at the 'top'," I said as I pointed at the diagram. "We'll take two new junction modules up and attach them where the lab modules are now."  I clicked a button on the screen and showed the two modules pulling back as new junction cubes slid into place.
"The labs will connect to one of the new junctions, I'm calling it 'charlie', and the two hab modules will be connected to the other, called 'beta'." The diagram now resembled an 'H' with the engineering modules sticking out perpendicular to the cross member made from the three junction modules. "We'll be able to add up to three more hab or lab modules to beta or charlie, and still have three docks available on the alpha junction module."
"Five hab modules? That's room for up to forty people on the station at once!  Can the two engineering modules support them?"
"Easily. Consumables will be the limiting factor, but we've got pretty reliable provisioning now that the third orbiter is in the rotation. Of course, I won't staff to that level until we get the emergency capsules certified and attached at the end of each module.   We need to make sure the crew can get down if there is some sort of catastrophic issue up there."
Jeryl nodded. "So, when do we do this re-configuration?" she asked with a little smile.
I flipped to another document on the computer. "We're sending the new junction modules up next week and bringing down the lab module that was serving as crew space. That mission will establish the initial re-configuration. Then the following week, we'll take up the second hab module. You and I will be the only station staff for two days until the second, new lab module comes up."
Jeryl gave me a quick hug. "And then we really will do it high above, and all around the world," she said with a kiss.
I smiled and shook my head.
*****
"Do you need me to come back?" Billy asked over the video link. She was in New York after her trip to interview and work with the BBC news staff.
"No, why?" I asked. Her call had been insistent, but I was more than a little confused by it.
"The news."
"What news?"
"The Wall Street Journal is running a story today on the balanced budget proposal being a result of you requiring gold for generators."
"Wow, that happened a lot faster than I imagined. Have you read the story?"
She nodded.
"Is it fair and balanced?"
"As far as I know.  It paints it as a good thing for the country in the long term, but possibly disruptive for the market in the short term."
I nodded. "Okay. Stay out there with what you're doing. I'll avoid the press, and let you know if I need you back. Are you learning much?"
"Yes," she said with real excitement in her voice.  "I've got so many ideas and things to sort out. This is going to be a bigger project than I first thought. The editorial staff is going to have to be distributed as well as the writing staff. There is no way a central editor is going to be able to oversee fifty groups of branch reporters. We might need to have an editor per state, with a couple of reporters rolling up to them. It's one model I'm thinking about."
"Okay, that sounds interesting. Don't fixate on one solution too soon. Keep that as an option, and come up with a couple of other approaches as well."
Billy nodded. "I'll do that. So, no comment I can share while I'm here for other reasons?"
I smiled. "Officially, no comment. If the Journal has questions, you can broker an interview. How's that sound?"
She grinned. "I'll handle it, boss. One other thing, I'm getting a lot of questions about when you'll be filing for an IPO. Any comments I should be aware of?
"No plans at this time," I answered.
"Gotcha."
I ended the call and immediately my phone rang. It was Kelly.
"Hi, Sis," I said as I picked up the handset and headed out of my home office to the patio. It was not yet officially fall, but was cooling off nicely. I sat on one of the chairs enjoying the morning light. Jeryl was spending the morning getting the kids ready for school and had insisted on taking them in after being away for two weeks. I had intended on having a couple of calls with Hunter and the team in Ireland before heading into the office.
"I thought you were keeping this quiet until the holidays," she said, ignoring my pleasant greeting.
"I was. Billy just told me about the story in the Journal. I don't know their source, but suspect it was a politically motivated leak."
She shook her head. "I don't think it was my party. I just got three calls as soon as the papers hit certain steps. They were all pretty pissed off at my dear brother for spilling the story before they had their sound-bites ready. I've got three news vans outside already."
"Interesting. If it wasn't the Dems, it must have been the Republicans. Why would they want to dilute the credit for a balanced budget?"
"You're assuming it was orchestrated. It could have been some staffer currying favor with the press."
I nodded. It was possible. "So why are they camping on your doorstep? No one had reached out to Billy or our PR department yet. It's the politics they want comments on."
It was Kelly's turn to pause. "The Clinton campaign is going to make an announcement today. This story is likely to make whatever they were going to say be second page news."
"Which helps both the Republicans and some Democrats."
"And puts me in front of the cameras before Bill is," Kelly admitted.
"Did your staff make the leak?" I asked. I was a little amused by the thought.
"No, God dammit! I've talked to one person since you and I spoke last, and that was just a hypothetical conversation."
"Who called you this morning?"
"The minority leader of the house, the minority whip, and Al Gore."
"So, the entire Democratic leadership called you as soon as the story hit the streets?  What did they say?"
Kelly was quiet for a moment. "Gore told me to keep quiet until they sorted positions out. Gephardt asked how I thought we should spin the story. Wendell suggested I get in front of it and put a positive light on the change being forced on the country. He had a lot of background on how your early work helped Detroit and made American manufacturing return to the forefront of the world."
"Sounds like he had put a lot of thought into it. It's almost as if he was well prepped to talk to you once the story broke."
Kelly took a sharp breath.
"Why would the senior senator from Kentucky be pushing me forward to become a voice within the party? He has always said he was less focused on national issues than Kentucky issues."
"And yet he is the second most powerful Democrat in the Senate. He knows how to play the game."
"I never thought of it that way," Kelly admitted.
"So, some faction of your party wants you to either defy the leadership by going against Al Gore's directive, or they want you to set a path for the party by going straight to the public."
"Or they want me to fall on my sword by trying to do both.  Shit!"
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know."
"Can I help?"
The line was silent for nearly a minute.
"Is the article accurate?"
I laughed.  "I haven't even seen it, actually."
I could imagine Kelly shaking her head at me.
"Okay.  The part I'm most interested in is the statement that foreign governments approached you with the offer that ultimately resulted in you changing your policy. Is that much true?"
"You know it is."
"So, it is an economic attack instigated by foreign powers," she concluded.
"No. The idea originated in Australia. I told you that."
"I don't think you did. It doesn't matter anyway.   I was thinking through the line the Republicans would have taken if they were having it forced on them. It would be a rallying cry not to give in to foreign influences."
"How is a balanced budget economic war?" I asked.
"It's not.  It a defensive move to an economic attack on the dollar."
"By Australia?"
"By the world.  It's a result of our foreign policy being out-of-synch with the world economy.  We've been pretty heavy handed for the past couple of decades, using economic means to bring about the downfall of the Soviet Union, forcing the petro-dollar on the world economy, stacking the rules of the IMF."
Her rhetoric was a little troubling to me.
"Where is this going, Kelly?"
"I'm getting context. If this is an attempt to make me irrelevant to my party, I need arguments on why it matters. If it is an attempt to make me set a direction, I need to position a balanced budget as being smart in the context of the world stage. A balanced budget is smart fiscal policy. That's a given which politicians like to forget. I need to make the trimming of social programs palatable to the entitled class that forms the base of my party. In World War II, people made sacrifice for the greater good. The Republicans are going to resist cutting the military budget. I can counter that with a 'good of the country' approach, that balancing the budget is the best defense against a new type of conflict."
I kept my fears to myself as she spoke. I could imagine her pacing in her home office as I watched the sun crest the peaks east of our house.
"I can work with this, Paul. It might be messy, but I can work with it."
"To what end?"
"I think to putting me in contention to be on the ticket next fall."
*****
"How is the mission going?" Jeryl asked as we sat in her office having sandwiches.
"Good.  It looks like they have the old hab-lab on the orbiter and have finished the initial reconfiguration. Tom and his lab assistant are the caretakers this week until you and I take up the new hab module on next Wednesday."
"Alison will be back from D.C. on Monday night. You and I will fly out for Kenya Tuesday morning after getting the kids off to school. Who else will be going up with us?"
"Terry and Sam are the flight crew, along with Hunter sitting in the engineer's seat. Tamara and Allen will be crew to assist with the initial connection and check-out. Delilah Simpson will be going along as our remote expert. She's actually done most of the reconfiguration work for us."
"I think I met her during my training."
"It's possible. She is working on cross-training for the engineer's seat as well.   This trip, she's going to monitor and coach Allen.  We need to get some other people experienced in using the robotic arm and RPV pushers."
"RPV?" she asked.
"Remotely Piloted Vehicles. They are little spaceships we attach to the modules to maneuver them into position when the arm is not a good solution. It's still early stages, but we are thinking about using them for some challenges with the space cadets."
Jeryl laughed and made a scolding motion at me. "If you ever call them that on air, they will be 'Space Cadets' forever. We will never be able to call them anything else again."
I winked at her. "It's easier than calling them orbital apprentices."
"Well, remember that they'll have a lot more hours than either of us in six months. Who will be the 'space cadet' then?"
I smiled.
"We had an interesting call this morning," I said.  "Lockheed wants their own lab module."
"Really? What sort of terms are you looking at?"
Straight to business, as always. "It's a little premature, but we're looking at a cost-plus model for fabrication of the module, and then regular commercial terms for launch, habitation and re-supply."
Jeryl thought for a moment. "I think we should reevaluate what we are considering standard for habitation and re-supply. We need to depreciate out the hab module costs, as well as the lifting capacity for the resupply missions. While it's just been our people, we've been keeping the line items separate for tracking, but not really calculating charge-backs to research for them."
I nodded. "What are you thinking?   A day-rate?"
She nodded. "Keep the launch costs of their people separate, but allocate a portion of the depreciation to them. What's our module lifespan?"
"We're assuming seven years before we replace or refurbish them."
Jeryl grabbed her laptop computer and typed for several minutes.
"Shit, that's nearly two-hundred thousand per person per month, just to cover the habitat module costs."
I nodded. "We think we can lower the manufacturing costs, but that sounds about right for now."
"But Paul, that's assuming 100% occupancy of the eight sleeping berths in each module.  We aren't even planning to keep them that occupied, so the money needed to cover our cost is higher."
"For now. I think we can drop the manufacturing costs by 20% by the time we are building our fifth hab module. Also, once we have a baseline on the maintenance and wear, we should know if we can extend the service life before refurbishing. Even if we only get seven years from them, the refurbish costs should be roughly forty percent of the original cost, or less. That brings living volume costs below seventy-five thousand a month."
Jeryl typed some more.
"So, in a new module, we're looking at a three-night stay costing around twenty thousand dollars."
I nodded, assuming her math was correct. "That sounds about right."
"Paul, at those prices, we can sell tourist capacity. We've already started getting enquiries from the millionaire club. Without having a product to sell, we've had offers of nearly a million dollars for a three-night stay on orbit."
"You'd have to look at the total number; training, orbiter costs, hab module costs, consumables, insurance. I'm thinking a million sounds about right."
"Do you think I should talk to Hilton or Marriott?  I think there are enough millionaires to make a market, so long as we already have power and infrastructure on the station. Even selling some of the open berths when we aren't using them might be beneficial."
"How, besides making money?" I asked. Our power sales were already 'printing money' for all intents and purposes.
"Good will, for one thing.  It also makes it cheaper for others who want to buy longer-term research stays in orbit by offsetting some of the manufacturing costs."
I nodded. That made sense. "But how are you going to feel about selling a luxury commodity at those sorts of prices?    I mean, we have our true cost per kilo to orbit below a hundred dollars. Wouldn't we be better off sending an orbiter of tourists up for a day at a time?"
Jeryl got thoughtful. "Let me look at a few possible scenarios and then we can see what we think the tourism business might become. We aren't going to have spare capacity for a little while, but once the orbital apprentices are done, we could have several berths a month open.    I'll work them up and we can talk later."
I smiled and leaned over to give her a kiss.
Four days later, we were in Kenya after a brief refueling stop in Ireland.  Hunter joined us for the next leg of the flight.
"Quite a bit warmer here," Jeryl commented as we debarked from the GS-3. Fall had definitely arrived in Park City with lovely, cool nights. The temperature and humidity at the Kenya facility were both much higher.
"Don't get too used to it," Tamara teased.  "We're only going to be here for a few hours before we're on the orbiter and away."
"Are you excited to go back up?" Jeryl asked as Allen and I followed them down the steps.
"Absolutely. I was afraid Paul was only going to let me go up a couple of times. This will be my third trip to the station."
"One more trip to orbit, and you'll be a 'Space Ace'," I teased.
"Don't I have to shoot someone down to be an 'ace'?" Tamara asked.
"One of the pilots, maybe Terry, coined the term. Make five trips to orbit instead of shooting someone down. Evidently, they have a little rivalry with NASA now. Only a couple of their astronauts have that many orbital missions. Our folks like rubbing their nose in it," I said.  "In a subtle, professional way, of course," I added with a laugh.
"Well in that case, I can hardly wait to be a Space Ace," Allen said. "I've had some dealings with NASA as we've done mission planning. Some of them can be royal pains in meetings."
"We should discuss that after this mission. They are gearing up for some additional missions of their own. We'll take over the ISS resupply missions starting in January. They also are designing some new modules that they want us to lift for them."
"Why don't they just adopt our standard configuration?" Allen asked.
"Good question. Like I said, we'll need to discuss it in a couple of weeks. For now, let's stay focused on this trip."
"Right," Jeryl said. "I'm supercargo.   You guys all have real jobs to do."
"Oh, you have a real job, too," I said with a smile. "You need to apply that critical eye of yours to our procedures and then once we are configured, you're the one doing the habitability checklists to ensure we are ready for occupants."
"But I haven't been checked out on the systems or procedures."
"Exactly. You have no preconceived notions. You own the checklists, and I and the others will perform the steps."
Jeryl smiled. "I can do that." It was just like prepping my race car all those years ago.
We all dropped our stuff in the accommodation shelters and then joined the staff and crew in the dining area for a light dinner. It was good to renew acquaintances and meet some of the new staff, but we called an early night and retired to be fresh for our 3:00 AM wake-up calls to support the 9:00 AM launch.   That would be 0600 GMT, which was the clock we operated on in orbit, and midnight in Park City, where we had woken up.  We needed our sleep.
A few hours later, we were up and prepping for our flight.  As supercargo for the actual flight, Jeryl, Tamara, and I had relatively little to do.  Allen was shadowing Delilah, checking out the diagnostics on the robotic arm and verifying proper storage and fuel state on the four RPVs on the mission.
"Time for final bladder checks," Tamara teased an hour before the launch. In the next thirty minutes, we would take our place in the acceleration couches. On earlier flights, we had full biological support, i.e. urine pouches, adult diapers and pressure suits.    In the past six months, we had relaxed to simple flight suits, but would still be strapped in for launch. Besides, we were still pulling over four-gees, and it was just common sense to go to the bathroom before such a trip.
We made use of the facilities and then climbed into the orbiter. We had changed the configuration quite a bit for crewed launches. The PT-O unmanned orbiters still had a vertical take-off, horizontal landing configuration, but we had finally settled on the HT-HL model for manned flights.    The sleek merger of a lifting body and delta-wing with engines embedded in the lower portion of the wing looked ungainly on the ground, but was a thing of beauty in the sky.
"Let's get everyone strapped in," Terry said as he welcomed us aboard.  The flight crew was already in the cockpit performing pre-flight checks.
We moved to the mid-deck, below the cockpit. It was configured for up to eight passengers, though we only needed four seats for this trip. Everyone stowed their mesh bag of personal items under the seats and then strapped themselves in before donning the light-weight communication caps with the voice activated throat mics.    I could hear the flight crew going over their checks in my left ear. I checked my channel by flipping a thumb switch on the armrest. After hearing the light chime in my right ear, I spoke.
"Passenger comm-check, this is Paul," I said softly.
"Loud and clear, Paul," Delilah said. While she was on the flight deck, she had no pre-flight duties and was tasked with making sure the passengers were checked in. Allen, as her understudy on the flight was performing the in-cabin checks and reporting to her on a separate channel.
It took us less than ten minutes to get settled. Delilah came down once Allen was strapped in and had checked his comms, then double checked everything else.
"Good job, Allen," she said once she was done.  "I'll see you up top once we are in orbit."
"Roger," Allen said.
Then we waited.
"We should add windows," Jeryl said.
"Maybe the next version," I replied. "We're already working on designing a new version."
"If we want to enable tourism, we'll need a view," Jeryl quipped.
"How about a full-on tourist module in the cargo bay?"  I asked.
"But they couldn't see out during launch or landing then," she said.
I nodded. Right now, we had clamshell doors to protect the cargo bay, similar to how the shuttle had operated.
"We've got some options. The doors are only needed if we have to protect the cargo bay. I'm thinking we could pull them off and make the tourism module fit precisely and have it structurally able to withstand re-entry forces."
"I'd like to take a look at what you're thinking," Jeryl said.
"Of course."
"Golf Sierra Niner, you are cleared for taxi and take-off," I heard in my left ear. "Winds are from zero seven eight at two. Airspace is clear."
"Golf Sierra Niner, roger, over," Terry replied.
There was a little lurch as the brakes came off, and we began to roll away from the hangar. While we did not have windows, in some regards we had better visibility thanks to the video monitors showing us the cockpit view plus the outside feeds the control team was using.
We watched in silence as we taxied to the end of the runway and turned toward the sunrise.  Terry did not stop once the turn was complete, but advanced his throttles smoothly and we surged down the tarmac and practically leapt into the sky. Modest gee forces pushed us back against our seats as we continued to accelerate.
Minutes later, we were over the coast and still climbing.
"Control, this is Golf Sierra Niner, we are at angels three-zero-kay. All systems green. Requesting clearance for orbit, over."
"Golf Sierra Niner, this is control. You are cleared for orbit, over."
In my right ear, I heard a chime as the pilot toggled to the all-ship channel.  "We are cleared for orbit.  Standby for acceleration."
I smiled at the phrase. We were already accelerating, but I knew what he meant and why he announced it. I could feel the power to the engines increase as we accelerated and began to nose up. The pressure on our bodies climbed until we were experiencing a little more than four times the force of gravity.
The original PT-O orbiters could get to orbit in just under two minutes, at roughly nine-gees acceleration. We took a slower approach at four-gees, but our ride to low earth orbit was still only a little more than three minutes.
I watched the monitor with one view pointing aft from our wing-tip as the earth receded below us. I knew the procedures we were following, but the sudden loss of acceleration and floating sensation of being in orbit was still a little surprising.
"Engine cut-off," Terry announced needlessly. "Control, this is Golf Sierra Niner. In orbit at angels six zero zero kay.    Orbital checks in progress before proceeding to station, over."
"Golf Sierra Niner, this is control. Copy and concur, over."
Our orbital safety checks took less than ten minutes. We then accelerated again until we were on an intercept orbit for the station. Roughly an hour after launch, we were closing on the station and fully engaged in the procedure to attach the new hab module.
Three hours after we started, the module was attached and we were docked.
"Good job, everyone," I said as we moved into the junction module and looked around the station. It seemed strange to not be greeted by anyone. The regular crew had left with the old hab-lab module last week.    A caretaker crew had been monitoring the station from the ground.
"Tamara and Allen, you have the regular station checks," Delilah said as she handed Allen the plastic-coated check-list.
"Paul and I have the hab modules," Jeryl said as she floated toward me. "We'll start with hab-one. Hab-two is off limits until we check it," she finished.
It was the plan. We would make sure we were fully familiar with the check list by running through it on the module that had been in orbit for nearly two months before moving to the newly attached accommodations.
It took three hours to finish the first module checkout. Partly because we wanted to make sure it was right, and partly because we found ourselves making notes on how to improve the module.   It was the first time either of us had been in it without the benefit of gravity.
"Wow," Tamara said as she saw the pages of notes we had taken.  "It looks like someone will have a lot of work to do before the next module is made."
I smiled. "We'll compare them to the notes from the last intern team that came up with the module. I'm sure there are a lot of duplicates. It's always good to have fresh eyes on things like this as well, however."
Allen laughed.  "You really do the same things you tell the interns to do, don't you?"
Jeryl smiled. "It's worked so far."
We ate quickly, using the hab-one galley area and then were back to work checking hab-two as the rest of the crew finished the housekeeping chores.
"At what point does having a galley and exercise gear in each module become too redundant?" Jeryl asked as we finished our check on hab-two.
Our configuration had a common galley and food storage, as well as mounted exercise bike and treadmill in the center of the module with four individual berthing areas on each side of it.  The eight occupants of the module would each have a private sleeping area with storage. A sanitary facility, with a zero-gee shower and toilet was at one end. The second end had additional storage for supplies and emergency support items.
"I like the redundancy. Right now, if there is a station wide problem, we can support everyone in the unaffected hab modules.   Just like we have solar back-up for the fusion plant, each hab module is a back-up for food and support. Maybe our second station will be different, but for now, I'd prefer to keep the redundancies we have.
Jeryl nodded.
"Then I think we need to start designing that station.  We're going to learn a lot over the next year with this one. Design time is the right time to apply what we learn, not during the next build phase."
"I agree," I said as I tucked the checklist into its holder by the galley station.
I spun slowly toward her and reached out to pull her in for a hug.  She smiled and gave me a kiss before pushing away and floating toward the opposite bulkhead.
"None of that until we're alone," she said with a teasing tone. "Unless you think the zero-gee shower needs to be checked again from the inside?"
I laughed.  We had already checked the shower.  I was pretty certain there was no way for two people to be inside the plastic sleeve at the same time.
"Hey, are you two done?" Terry called from the far end of the module?"
"Just finished," I replied.
"Well, we're all settled into hab-one.  We've unloaded the supplies for that module and the lab. We just need to finish the resupply of the engineering modules in the morning and we'll be heading back dirt-side."
"So, we're on schedule," I said.
"Yep. We actually have some downtime, now."
I stifled a yawn. It had been a long time since getting out of bed in Kenya. "Downtime sounds good," I said.
"I agree," Jeryl said.  "Did anyone bring our stuff over from the orbiter?" she asked.
"I think Tamara did," Terry said with a loose shouldered shrug that made him float slowly toward the 'ceiling' of the far end of the module.
"I'll ask her," Jeryl said as she slipped past me and soared straight down the center aisle of the module toward Terry.
I shook my head at her easy adaptation to zero-gee. When she had said she felt at home in orbit, I had secretly doubted her. I found myself comfortable, as long as I had something else on my mind for the first twenty-four hours or so. After that, I was acclimated, but I was always aware of the sense of falling for that first day.
Jeryl, on the other hand, was flying around the hab modules without a care in the world. When I caught sight of her face during unguarded moments, it was obvious she was in a happy, perfectly natural mood.   If she had been totally honest with me, I knew she was actually horny from the sensation. Tomorrow might be a very interesting day, alone with her in orbit. I smiled to myself and followed after her.
Someone had already dimmed the lighting in hab-one. The navy used red lights at night to help keep eyes dark-adjusted. We had decided to go with simple dimmers instead of shifting the color of the light, and set things up to reduce the candle power by seventy percent to simulate a night-cycle. Tamara was a dimly lit figure at the galley station of hab-one when we got there. Jeryl was already coming back up the passage toward the access hatch by the time I got there.
"Tamara put your stuff in bunk one, and mine in bunk two," Jeryl said as she arrested herself by grabbing a hand-hold near the doorway.
"It seems strange to be in separate berths," I said after letting Terry glide past me.
"There's hardly enough room for two people in a hab-berth, Paul. That is something we'll have to think about if we make a tourism module."
"I suppose we will," I commented as Tamara floated closer to us.
"Everyone else is tucked in for the evening," she said as she grabbed a hand-hold on the wall.
She had shed her flight coverall, and was in what was considered to be acceptable attire in the hab section of the station; a pair of yoga shorts, sports bra, and socks. I thought about what Jeryl would look like in that outfit, and realized I would see her in that, and less soon enough.
"I'll button up the hatch," I said as I turned around to take that safety precaution.   We had an SOP of sealing the airtight doors in the hab modules when crew was not actively up and about.
"Did you already check the other end?" I asked Tamara.
"I did," she replied.
While we had not formally man-rated the escape module, I had insisted that we have them at the ends of the hab modules anyway.  It was a simple capsule equipped with eight crash couches, minimal guidance, retro rockets, a heat shield, and parachutes for landing.  We had tested several, but had run into issues getting fully 'man-rated' by the DOD and NASA. Under the charter, we were liable not only for damages, but penalties if we used them before the certification process was finished. I had taken the stance that it was better to face notional penalties than not have an escape option in the event it was needed. Once we received certification, we would replace the pods with fully certified ones to meet our charter obligation. It was an example of the bureaucratic nonsense we had to deal with as a result of our sometimes-confrontational approach with the government, our chartering agent.
"Well then, I guess it's time to call it a night," I said.  I gave Jeryl a quick kiss and then slipped into berth one, closest to the end of the module.
Sleep in zero gravity had taken a little to get used to, but I liked to think I was acclimated after spending nearly thirty nights in orbit over the past couple of years.  I definitely felt more relaxed in the larger berthing space. The mesh sleeping bag fastened to the bulkhead had just enough padding to keep me from banging against the stiff back and just enough fasteners on the cover to keep me in place without feeling restrictive. I also had much more personal space. The bulkhead of the module wall curved to my left and had a series of mesh covered shelves as well as a few lockable storage bins for personal effects. For this trip, we had not brought much more than a few changes of clothes and personal toiletries.  Longer visits would allow crew to bring much more.
The far wall of the berth was only a couple of meters away, but held a flat-screen display for use with either a computer or to watch live or canned broadcasts and video.  Each module had digital storage for media that could be either beamed up from Earth, or loaded via tapes brought up in an orbiter.  I had lab versions of digital video discs, but knew they were a transitional technology and had encouraged my teams to focus on direct digital video formats. We were already sharing some of the technology with the new Next/Apple teams.
Each berthing compartment also had a private viewport to look out to the stars or the sweeping vista of earth below us. I spent a few minutes looking out at the blue planet, watching it race past far below. It was nearly a hypnotic sight. It was only when another yawn forced me to interrupt my viewing that I pulled the shade down and stripped off my flight suit and fastened myself in bed. Minutes later, I was asleep.
I awoke to the sounds of people outside my door, trying to move quietly. I glanced and the clock by the video monitor and realized it was time to get up.   I got out of bed and quickly pulled on some fresh clothes.  Since Jeryl and I would remain on the station while the others left, I did not see the need for the flight suit. Instead, I pulled on a pair of khaki shorts, a dark blue polo cut Diamond Skin shirt from Nike, and a pair of Nike water shoes. We had learned that the flexible shoes were better than socks or going barefoot.
I unfastened my door and came face-to-face with Jeryl and Tamara floating outside her cabin.
"Good morning, ladies," I said before squeezing past them and pulling myself toward the combined bathroom at the end of the module with my dope kit in hand. Five minutes later, I was back and the women were looking at me with an almost evil glint in their eyes.
"What?" I asked as I stopped myself to keep from running into them.
Jeryl smiled. "Just wondering if I was going to get a kiss this morning," she teased before carefully pushing herself closer for a kiss. "I guess I can understand wanting to brush your teeth first," she said as we parted.
"Did you sleep well?" I asked.
Jeryl nodded.
"I did," Tamara said. "The last time I was up, I had problems, but not so much this time."
"Did you take something?" I asked.
"No, I think I was just a little jet-lagged from all the time zone changes and then a full day yesterday."
"That could be it.  Is everyone else up?" I asked.
"Terry is.  I haven't seen anyone else. I knocked on Allen's door and got a grumbled response," Tamara said.
"I'm up," Allen said from behind me as he opened his door.
"Did we wake you?" Tamara asked with a sweet smile.
"Yeah," Allen said.
"Good," Tamara said with a laugh. "It was time to get up.   We've got a busy morning if we're going to be home on time."
The plan was to finish moving supplies from the orbiter into the engineering module and stowing them. While that was happening, I had some work to do in lab-one.   Part of it was an excuse to set the stage for Jeryl and I to remain behind, and the other was to verify a line of inquiry I had been working on with Thomas. Normally, he would run the experiments up here and we would collaborate when he was on the ground. This time, I wanted to check some ideas out.
After breakfast and once everyone had freshened up, we parted ways. Jeryl went to help with the resupply efforts while I headed to the lab. Four hours later, I was cleaning up a few things when Tamara stuck her head into the lab module.
"We're pretty much done, boss," she said.
"Me too, at least for now," I replied after checking the bench area one last time.  "I've got four hours before I need to check progress."  We were trying a new nanotube production process that had some interesting properties.
"Well, we need you to come help with the final checks before we button up and head home. It's going to be weird for you two to stay up here alone, isn't it?"
I laughed.  "We're calling it a vacation. The last time Jeryl and I were anywhere alone, outside of our bedroom, was when we were still in high-school."
"Wow, I never thought of that.  Why?"
"Mostly security. We have privacy, but it's going to be nice to be really alone with my wife for a couple of days."
"Well, don't forget your chores or that experiment of yours. And don't do anything I wouldn't do," she teased.
I smiled. "So long as you don't tell me you're a virgin, I'm fine with that," I joked.
She spun to look at me, shocked. Then she blushed.
"Like I said, enjoy some alone time."
We joined the others clustered in the docking module. Jeryl was ticking people off of the passenger manifest, pretending to be a gate agent of some sort.
"Watch your husband," Tamara said as she paused by the hatch. "I think he has nefarious plans for you once you're alone."
"Oh?" Jeryl asked as she arched and eyebrow at me.  "I guess that's okay, so long as my nefarious plans get included in the mix," she added with a simple laugh. She leaned in and whispered in Tamara's ear.
For the second time in five minutes, Tamara blushed. She swatted Jeryl's arm and then gave me a look before floating through the hatch and into the orbiter.
I pulled on a comms cap as Jeryl helped swing the outer door shut.  She fastened all the seals and then motioned me over to double check her. I did and then keyed my mike with a thumb switch.
"Control, PTO-1. Golf Sierra Niner is buttoned up. Docking door alpha one is secured and sealed.    Please verify, over."
"PTO-1, this is control, we are showing a green board.  All connections closed. Please clear the module and verify inner door integrity, over."
Jeryl and I moved out of the docking module and closed the inner door from within the junction module the orbiter was docked to. Once it was closed and checked, we repeated the conversation with control.
"PTO-1, control, please relay state, over."
"Control, PTO-1. Two souls on board. We are showing a green board for external connections. Power and environmental systems all operating within normal parameters, over."
"PTO-1, control copies two souls on board, concurs with normal operational parameters.  Control out."
I kept the comms cap on as we moved back to the hab module. We had repeaters within the station so we could use the simple caps for external and internal communications as needed. Jeryl had grabbed one of the caps as she wanted to listen in on the undocking procedures, too. A few minutes later, we watched from the larger windows in the hab-two module as the orbiter gently moved away from the station. I picked up one of the cameras from a handy storage bin and snapped some shots of the orbiter with the sun coming up behind it around the curve of the earth.
We both watched until we saw the flare of the maneuvering thrusters fire to pivot the craft away from the station, followed by a brief thrusting of the main engines to begin their deceleration.
"Okay, time to finish up our chores," I said with a hint of regret.
"What chores, besides getting naked with your wife?" Jeryl asked.
"Cleaning.  We need to run the UV cycle in the unoccupied modules." There was a real risk of bacterial infection in the zero-g environment if humidity and cleanliness were not well controlled. For that reason, each module had its own air purification system including dehumidifiers, along with UV lighting to kill bacteria.
"We can do the other modules now, and then this module when I'm finishing up some work in the lab."
Jeryl gave a dramatic sigh, but then nodded. From her orientation course, she knew it was important.
"Can I at least get naked for it? I've been dying to feel the air on my skin and see what's it like."
"I would never want to tell you not to get naked," I said with a grin.  "But let's make sure the video is shut down before you do."
She made an 'oh' with her lips. "I forgot we had all the video and audio feeds setup for the show. I'm glad you remembered."
We headed to the end of the module and opened up the control panel to disable the feeds. I gave the ground crew a heads up so they did not think it was a malfunction.
Shortly afterward, Jeryl floated into her compartment and then re-emerged without a stitch of clothes.  I marveled as she flew effortlessly back to the galley area, and then did a slow turn in mid-air for me. She was so beautiful. I felt myself getting hard just looking at her.
"How about you stay here for five minutes while I get the UV cycle started. It will probably go quicker if you aren't distracting me."
She gave me a passionate kiss before I finally floated away to get the chores done.
The UV cycle was easy enough to start, but since each module needed to be controlled individually, it took a few minutes to check doors were closed and system settings turned to recirculate before activating it. Once turned on, the UV lights would run for a ten-minute cycle while the air conditioning systems drew down the humidity to less than ten percent. The air purifiers would then kick into high circulation mode to dry out the entire compartment before the UV cycle ran again.    Once that was complete, distilled water was used within the environmental control system to raise the humidity back to normal levels for habitation.
Jeryl was waiting for me as I closed the door to hab-one. She wasted no time in helping me shed my clothes and then spun herself around and engulfed my prick with her mouth while holding my legs. I returned the favor and dipped my own face between her legs. Sixty-nine was a favorite position for us, and felt even better as we floated free, neither of us feeling like we were on top or bottom.
I kept one eye out to make sure we did not drift into anything painfully sharp, but spent more time lapping at her as she expertly swallowed my shaft and applied her talented tongue to my cock. I pulled her up my body a little to give me better access to her pussy and clit. We floated, pleasuring each other for minutes before her sucking increased in intensity as her stomach clenched and her first orgasm in orbit arrived. I continued to lap at her, but soon became distracted as she pulled herself lower on my shaft and let the head of my dick slip into her throat. A moment later, I was coming as well.
"Wow," she said as we finally parted. I kept a loose hold on her legs, as she did mine.
"You can say that again."
"Wow," she said with a giggle.  "I really liked that."
I noticed goosebumps on her arms and carefully flipped her around and pulled her in for a hug.  "I did too, but I think the next round should be away from the air vents."
She clung to me and nodded.
"I want to sleep in your arms as we float tonight," she said.
"We will. I've thought of a few adjustments for the berths that we might want to make."
"How long will that take?"
"A few minutes. I'll show you."
I led her into my cabin and pulled a couple of nylon straps from my small bag of personal effects.  They looked like regular nylon webbing from a camping supply store, but were the same width and thickness as the adjustable straps on the cover for the bed. I replaced the ones on the bed with my longer ones and then used some Velcro to hold the bedding in place against the cover.   After a few minutes, we had a larger cocoon bed to snuggle in.  Jeryl immediately pulled me in.
"This is nice, she said as I fastened the last strap so we would not float away.
Her legs wrapped around me and pulled me close.
"Now you just need a little stimulation...."
She snaked a hand between us and grabbed me. With Jeryl, I was almost always ready to come to a state of arousal on short notice.   This time was no different. She got me mostly erect and then used the head of my cock to masturbate herself to readiness.
A moment later, she had me positioned just right and arched her back against the bedding to force herself onto me.  I felt her cling to me as she worked her legs and then arms until I was fully seated in her hot, moist pussy.
"God, that feels good," she said. "I think actually fucking might take quite a bit of energy, though."
I reached down and grabbed her hips. While we were weightless, we still had mass.   I used my arms to slide her up and down my prick while she flexed her inner muscles in time to my thrusts. She came just as my arms wore out, and her orgasm pulled me over the edge. We clung together, kissing and holding each other.
"Thank you for making this possible, Paul.  I love you for it," she whispered before giving me another gentle kiss.
"My pleasure, ma'am. My pleasure."
*****
"Did you have any problems with the kids?" I asked Alison.
We had landed in California and flown home just in time to tuck the kids in. Rose and Alison were spending the night again, since Rose was already asleep.
"No, of course not," Alison said with her proper English accent. "But there is something we need to discuss."
I motioned for her to continue as I grabbed a bottle of water.  "Should we get Jeryl?" I asked.
She shook her head. "Not yet.   I need to discuss this with you first."
"Uh-oh," I said as I sat down at the kitchen table.
"Uh-oh," Alison echoed as she sat across from me.
"I had a call with Deputy Director Johnson whilst you were away. We've got a problem."
"Okay," I said. "What sort of problem?"
"A Chinese problem. It looks like they are trying to infiltrate your research organization. I suspect they were behind the obiter comms failure as well."
I thought about her words for a few moments. "Tell me more."
"We've uncovered a subtle pattern in several background checks. Nothing we could take to a judge, but enough irregularities that it makes a pretty strong circumstantial case. I think they are trying to get several moles into your teams.    Given their approach, I think they are playing a very long game. It looks like they are willing to wait a couple of years until their agents are in position to steal anything of value."
"How certain are you?"
"I said we did not have enough to get warrants or establish a criminal case," she said a little crossly. "But, I'm pretty certain. The pattern is there, if you assume someone is trying to infiltrate. Sam agrees."
"Sam?" I asked.
She blushed and looked away. "That's the other thing we need to discuss."
Her gaze returned to mine.  It was firm, as if I had done something she disagreed with. "I think I need to stop being with you and Jeryl," she said after a deep breath.
I was shocked.  Jeryl and I both felt she was pulling away, but for her to come out and verbalize our feelings was still shocking.  "Why?" I managed to ask.
"Rose deserves better.  Do you know she asked me if you were her daddy?" Her words came out in a rush. "Just as I need to protect you and Jeryl, I need to protect her. The world is too harsh. She deserves to have two loving parents. I need to find someone who can give her the love and attention she deserves.   I need to be strong for her. I need...."
I stood and pulled her into my arms for a hug.  She resisted.
"You need to be free," I said softly.
She sagged against me.
"I do.  I love you both, but I need some space."
She took a shuddering breath and then returned my hug.
"Do you want to leave?" I asked. "Turn security over to someone on your team?"
She shook her head. "No, but I need to have a life separate from you.   I'm too close right now, to do that. Rose is turning four. In another year, I need to be a bit more settled."
I held her and nodded.  Jeryl had faced a similar choice.
"Okay.  You know we both love you, right? We want what is best for you and for Rose, even if that makes us sad. We're not going to stop loving you, regardless."
She hugged me tightly and then pulled back.
"I know, it still hurts," she said softly.  "It hurts me as well, but it is the right thing to do for me and for Rose."
I nodded. She continued to look at me, weighing her next words.
"I need you to bring it up with Jeryl.  I can't find the right words to start the conversation with her." There was a slight pleading tone in her voice. Alison had never pleaded for anything, as long as I had known her.
"I can mention some separation, but you know you'll have to talk to her about it before she'll accept it, right?"
She sighed. "I know, but I can't start the conversation. Please?"
I nodded. "Give me a couple of days."


Chapter Forty-Five
New Ups and Downs
*****
Life moved on.  Jeryl was not pleased with Alison, but slowly began to understand or accept her decision.  It made for a few tense weeks as our working relationship changed, but we slowly settled into more of a 'dearly loved aunt' or 'older sister' for Jeryl's role.  For me, I looked on Alison with fondness; but having a few extra decades of experience allowed me to move forward and focus on the positive facts, sooner than my wife.
Our schedules stabilized, but were no less hectic.  I spent every other week traveling, usually leaving mid-morning Mondays and returning home Thursday night.  I split time in many of our corporate locations.  Jeryl chided me, but also agreed that I needed to be overseeing some of our operations after I promised to stay home from Thanksgiving until New Years.  Allen and Tamara alternated travel weeks with me, handling my morning briefings and keeping me where I needed to be.
On the weeks I was at home, we spent several days filming with the Interns.  Jeryl and I would make sure to perform reviews and provide guidance.  We also spent time with the start-ups we were incubating, giving them both technical and business advice as part of our investment in them.  Evenings and weekends were filled with Ali and Jeremy activities as they became more active and engaged in their schools and friends.
All in all, it was a very busy time, but equally rewarding.
The week before Thanksgiving, I was ready to be done with traveling.  Allen, Hunter, Cindy and I were in West Virginia, for the ribbon cutting ceremony at our new generator plant.  Before his death, Matthew had taken my advice and had begun carbon nanotube production in coal country, to try and offset some of the negative economic impact fusion would have on the region.  Of course, our processes were highly automated, so manufacturing carbon nanotubes was hardly a jobs program.  Once that fabrication plant was running at capacity, we had broken ground on the generator facility.  At the same time, Hunter had proposed opening another facility, co-located at the plant, to train operators in the US.  Most of the classes so far had been temporary military operators being trained on our systems and procedures.  After the generator plant ramped up, we would be providing nearly a thousand permanent, long-term jobs to the area and be paying quite a bit more in salaries and taxes.  That made the politicians very happy.
Of course, happy politicians have to talk, so I endured a lengthy speech after thanking the politicians for their help and cooperation.
I smiled for the cameras as the Governor helped me hold the oversized scissors to cut the red ribbon.  We finished the cutting the ribbon as the assembled crowd clapped.
The governor returned to the podium with a beaming smile and waved his arms until the crowd quieted down.
"Today not only opens this fabulous plant for operations," he said.  "It also marks the day West Virginia will become a beacon to the country, legislating electricity prices for our hard-working citizens.  With the inauguration of this plant, the surplus energy being produced at this facility will become the benchmark for electricity costs in our great state.  I will be signing our new "Energy Production and Independence Commission" law into effect.  EPIC will ensure that no West Virginian will pay more than 30% more than the cost of production for electricity.  Our local power producers will be the first recipients of generators built here, and our local operators will be some of the first graduates from the training center here."
The crowd's applause was greater, and my smile was much more genuine.  The political machinations to bring this bill to the governor's desk had been complex, but I hoped were worth it.  This would be the first state in the union to start reaping the benefits of much of my work in power generation.  It had also dealt a significant blow to the unions in the region.
"Paul, do you have any comments on the Governor's remarks about the new law he is signing today?"  A reporter asked during the Q & A, after the ceremony.
"I applaud the perseverance of the bill's sponsors and the Governor's Office in getting this legislation passed despite entrenched special interests fighting it on every front.  I hope other states and federal agencies will follow suit."
"Paul, will this plant have capacity to produce enough generators for the country?" another reporter shouted.
"This plant will produce up to four hundred generators a year.  It is up to legislators and power companies as to whether these generators will produce electricity for American citizens, or be shipped to other locations in the world," I replied.
"Paul, will you take your company public?" another reporter asked.
"We've no plans to pursue public listing," I answered.  Some rumors had turned that into a recurring question from the press.  I was getting tempted to open any public remarks with a disclaimer.
Once the 'dog and pony show' was over, I was happy to escape to one of the secure conference rooms in the training facility.  Cindy and Hunter joined me as Allen finished handling the press duties of the day, mostly making sure everyone that was not an employee left on time.
"So, was the Governor right in his statement about this plant's capacity?" Cindy asked.  Despite this being the fourth generator construction facility built, demand was still sharply higher than supply.
"If we have North American based orders, they go to the front of the queue for this plant," I said.
"What about all your special requests?"
I smiled.  "Those originate in the U. S. of A., right?"
She laughed.  "I guess that will at least give me a little relief."
"Don't worry, Cindy, we have one line ready just for engine production," Hunter said.  "That alone should relieve some of the disruption our special orders cause."
"You need a whole line for engines?  What are you two planning now?"
"Not so much planning, as anticipating," I said.  "Lockheed asked for a meeting after Thanksgiving.  They want to pitch us something.  I don't think it will be for electricity."
*****
"Well, that is certainly a surprise," I said as Hunter and I exchanged looks after the Lockheed pitch finished. 
Victor was grinning.  "It's good to see we can surprise you, finally," he said.  "This is a concept a few of us have been kicking around for the past year.  We started with aircraft, but soon realized you weren't likely to give us the engines you have on your orbiters.  That led us to think of other transportation alternatives.  A train concept lets us use stationary generators."
I nodded.  They had pitched us a joint venture to update the approach to rail transport, and partnered with Amtrak to build out a plan that was in line with the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991.  It was a very well thought out plan.  They would start with shifting from diesel to electric right-of-way, similar to commuter trains and some of the European and Japanese rail networks.  The updated carriages would feel more like first class air-travel than traditional trains.  Of course, they wanted to use new motors and some of our other materials in the carriage design.  This would allow them to increase the average speed of existing routes safely.
At the same time, they wanted to leverage some of the new magnetic materials we were making for high-volume, high-speed right-of-ways.  This would be a build-out of dedicated routes supporting intercity commuting.  They were looking at connecting Charlotte, North Carolina, Richmond, Virginia, and Washington DC, with a follow-on phase to reach Atlanta.  Their design goal was for a top speed between 180 and 220 miles per hour.
"Obviously, you want something from me," I said after looking at their route map one more time.  "Otherwise, you could just buy the materials on the open market.  Why do you need my direct involvement?"
Victor smiled and licked his lips.  "We're thinking of a joint venture.  We'd like you to be part of it to ensure we are getting the materials your firm makes for the endeavor.  We'd also like to leverage your connections overseas.  You have contacts in Europe and Africa that could lead to contracts for improved carriages, as well as joint ventures with foreign railways.  You also have some unique political connections that could be beneficial both domestically and internationally."
I nodded.  At least he was being straight with me.  "Any international contacts in particular?"
"We've heard whispers of a new line possibly being built in Eastern Europe and Central Asia."
A new line could mean Iran, or the generator purchase Russia was pursuing for the conversion of the Trans-Siberian railroad to be electrically powered.  They were actually in discussions with our Power division on some new induction motors and different power transfer options to avoid dealing with overhead lines in the harsh winter climates.  Victor would probably want access to that technology as well.
"Which of our portfolios did you use in the analysis and design efforts?" I asked.
The question seemed to catch him off guard.  "What do you mean?"
"I'm curious if you reviewed our full power portfolio of patents when you put together your plan."
Victor glanced at one of the engineers he had brought with him and nodded.
The man licked his lips.  "We mostly focused on your materials portfolio and the spec sheets from CRP."
I nodded.  "You should go back and look at the power systems portfolio.  We've got some solutions for power transmission that could save time and money.  Hunter can help you out there.  Russia is also interested in electrifying some right-of-ways and has been in talks for a couple of months."
Victor's eyes widened, but I continued on.
"I'll take a five percent stake in the joint venture, and give a 3% discount over published rates for licenses and a 5% discount on raw materials."  Those were the numbers Jeryl and I had worked out for similar efforts.
Victor licked his lips.  "Any negotiation room?" he asked.
"We could always go higher," I said with a grin.  "I don't really want a higher stake in the joint venture, but am willing to negotiate if you need lower costs for a reasonable reason."
Victor correctly understood that any further discounts would cost him more of the joint venture.  It would be interesting to see what he came up with as a reasonable trade-off level.
"Let me go back and talk to the other parties involved," he said after a moment's thought.
"That sounds reasonable," I said, "but I should warn you that any negotiation is going to be with Jeryl and Candace.  Make sure you understand your positions before we get them involved."
Victor swallowed.  I knew he had felt that he came out on the losing end every time he sat across from my dynamic duo of deals.
*****
"Paul, have you looked at these?" Jeryl asked as she came through the door between our offices with a handful of papers.
"No, what are they?"
"It's our quarterly forecast.  We need to do something with some of the money."
I laughed.  "Isn't that a good problem to have?"
"I'm talking about the amounts," she said with a scowl.  "I've been working with the folks from Lloyd's and Barclay's on the clearing process.  With the sixteen hundred and forty generators already in service, and generating revenue, we're talking almost six billion a year.  That's four hundred and sixty metric tons of gold a year.  That makes us richer than half of the top twenty countries in the world by next year, and it's only going to go higher."
I knew we were going to impact the world economy, but I had not put it into those terms before.  Even if we did not increase generator production, at this rate, we would have more gold than the US government in less than twenty years.
"Short of giving electricity away, what should we do?"
Jeryl snorted and dropped into a chair by my desk.  "I don't know, but you realize what's going to happen in the next three years, don't you?"
I shook my head.
"One," she held up a finger, "we're going to have huge targets painted on our backs.  People will see us as greedy if they think about these numbers, even if their power bills are dropping."
I nodded.
"Two," a second finger was raised, "we're going to be pulled into politics, whether we want to be or not.  This much money is going to have a power all of its own.  Hell, we'll have more gold than China in a couple of years.  Inside of five, only the US and Germany will have more gold than us.  That sort of monetary power is going to draw political ire one way or the other."
I didn't like where she was going, but could not argue.
"Three," she raised a third finger, "we're going to run out of storage space inside five years, so we'll need something to put our money in, which is going to help counter the first two implications."
"Any thoughts on that?" I asked.
She gave me a smile.  "Nothing concrete, yet; but I've got a couple of ideas I want to explore."
"Like what?"
She shook her head.  "I want a little more time to work them over.  I just wanted to get your input.  If we don't start thinking about this now, it's going to blow up on us."
"Well, we wanted the US government to get their fiscal house in order.  Can we do something domestically?"
"That would eliminate some of the impact we wanted to have.  If we spend domestically, we're going to have to bring the proceeds of gold or profits from sale of gold, onshore.  We'll be taxed pretty heavily.  That sort of revenue stream could make them resistant to getting things tightened up."  She paused for a moment.  "But we could settle our accounts in gold as well, which could work internationally."
"So, we invest more in international infrastructure?  I mean, the Russian and Iranian joint ventures could use a boost of capital, I'm sure."
"That might help in the short term, but that's only going to delay the problem."
I shook my head.  "Who would have thought making too much money would cause such headache."
"But you know it will, right?"
I nodded as I said, "You're right.  We have to get in front of this.  I also think we need to step up what we're thinking with the Space Cadets."
"Orbital Interns," she corrected almost automatically.  "What do you mean?"
"We're going to have to get them thinking much bigger."
*****
"So, you're saying this is an attack on the dollar?" Tim Russert asked Kelly on the set of "Meet the Press".
She had been gaining exposure as the Democratic voice on monetary policy that was unfolding with glacial speed on the talking head circuit.  I felt bad for her, but could tell she was actually enjoying the mental challenges of shaping policy and positioning.
"I would say it is more a realization by other countries, that oil and the petro-dollar are no longer king in the international monetary world.  I don't think any country ever sat down and said, 'this is a way to attack America'.  I think they realized that they could purchase their electrical power without first buying US dollars."
Tim started to respond, but Kelly deftly raised a hand to forego him.
"We, can choose to view this as a threat, or we can choose to view this as a shift in the international monetary landscape.  What we can't do, is just sit on the sidelines and watch!"
"What's the difference?"
"If we view it as a threat, we try to make retaliatory moves on the countries not using the dollar to buy generators.  That is going to have its own repercussions.  It could lead to a trade war or worse.  It will definitely impact our relations with valuable trading partners.  If we acknowledge the change, and get our house in order; we can remain a strong economy, and maintain our leadership in the world markets."
"Several of the candidates from your party are highlighting the fact that your brother is the root cause of this underlying shift in our economic policy."
Kelly nodded and jumped in,  "They like to insinuate that since my brother Paul is shifting to a gold standard, I am to blame as well.  We need to be clear that the things that drove the market to propose a gold standard to my brother, were the heavy-handed monetary policies of prior administrations and policy makers.  Printing money and deficit spending made the dollar an expensive proposition relative to the natural resources several countries had at hand.  They are simply trying to cut out the middleman in the purchasing process, something every business man can understand."
"But you don't deny that he could have chosen to keep on a dollar standard for the majority of his sales, right?"
"Knowing my brother, he spent a long time analyzing his options.  When I was involved in the business, he had a habit of asking what, besides making money, supported a decision.  Knowing his political beliefs, I am almost certain that he was fully aware what his change in policy could, or would accomplish."
"So, he attacked the dollar?" Tim asked with a credulous voice.
"Perhaps," she said with a shrug.  "I'm not saying I know, and I've never discussed it with him; but more than ninety percent of the generators he makes are sold outside the United States.  These are his consumers of product.  They are the ones benefiting from a shift to the gold standard.  Where they are being deployed, consumers are seeing price decreases down to the 'five cents a kilowatt' range.  That's substantially lower than the world average.  At the same time, US consumers have seen prices increase nearly three percent in the past two years.  So, perhaps instead of attacking the dollar, he wanted to level the playing field for other consumers of his product.  Maybe, if we were not mired in maintaining the status quo of lobbyists and entrenched special interests, we would be a large consumer of his product and have a greater influence on his decisions."
"Who can say?" Tim concluded.  "Senator Kelly Daniels, it has been a pleasure to talk to you."
"Wow," Jeryl said from beside me.
We were watching the program in our bedroom, snuggled up with our morning coffee before the fireplace.  Snow was falling outside, adding to the base.  The lifts had opened the week before, and we were hoping for a good accumulation before hosting the family Christmas in two more weeks.
"She handled him well, I thought," I said.
"She did, but I did not think about them accusing you of attacking the dollar."
I shrugged and sipped my coffee.  "It's an election cycle.  They are going to sling more muck before it's all said and done."
"Do you think Kelly is going to run?"
The Democrats had a loose field with three early front-runners.  Clinton, Gore, and Kerry were all in the hunt for a nomination with roughly equal support in the early polls.  The spring was shaping up to be interesting.  The Republican's had pulled together and released a statement that they would not be announcing any candidates until the balanced budget was passed.  They were trying to position all of their members as the smart, fiscal conservatives, that could shepherd the country to new prosperity.  With the final budget vote coming up, I was anticipating a lot of announcements in the next few weeks.
"I don't think she will," I said.  "But I won't be surprised if she is approached for the VP slot by whomever gets their nomination.  I think that's what she is actually angling for.  That way, no one can focus on her relative inexperience in government."
Jeryl nodded.  "I think you're right.  If they are at all smart, they would get someone that can handle the foreign policy and military side of things, and then balance the ticket with her fiscal and business background.  They'd appeal to the female voters with her on the ticket as well."
I smiled.  "And now we're political strategists," I said with a wink.
"Hey, how cool would it be to have a sister as vice president?"
"No cooler than having one who is a pharmacist, doctor, or astronaut," I replied.
"Shit! When you say that, I feel like such and underachiever," Jeryl said with a smile.
"Oh?  Multi-billion dollar deals are no comparison for you?"  I teased.
She leaned in and gave me a kiss.
"I love you," she said just before our bedroom door burst open and Ali and Jeremy ran into our room."
"It's snowing, Mommy," Ali announced.  "You said we could go skiing if we got another three inches.  Is it deep enough?"
Jeryl laughed and got off the couch.  "Let's go look," she said as she walked toward the French doors and our private deck.  We had attached a yardstick to a tree near the trail from our ski locker and visible from the window.  While it was not an official measure of the mountain's base, we had learned how to calibrate it over the years."
"It looks pretty close," Jeryl admitted.  "I think it will be there by the time lunch is done."
"Aw!" Ali pouted.  Jeremy smiled.  Between the two of them, they always seemed to run hot and cold.  When Ali wanted to go faster, Jer wanted to slow down.  When he was anxious, she was calm.  They became good balances for each other, even at the tender ages of seven and six.
"No complaining, Ali.  Look at Jer," Jeryl said.  "He's happy to go skiing today, while you're pouting that you have to wait another hour.  Be happy for what you've got."
Ali looked contrite.  "Sorry."
"Okay, kids," I said as I stood up.  "You guys need to pick up your rooms and then get dressed.  We'll all have lunch and then do a little skiing.  Deal?"
"Deal!" Jeremy and Ali said together.
"Deal," Jeryl added as we watched them scamper back out of the room with as much energy as they had entered.
"What do you think about having another?" Jeryl asked as she gave me a sideways hug.
I turned to her.  "Are you asking, or telling me something?"
She blushed.  "I'm asking.  I've been thinking about it a little, lately."
"I love you," I said.  "I love our kids. I'd love having more, if that's what you want."
Jeryl kissed me.
"Of course, maybe we should start with a little more practice and see what happens after that."
An hour later, we were on the slopes, one happy family.
*****
"God, it's nice to see you guys without a camera hovering over your shoulder," Jyl said as she was greeted at the door with hugs from Jeryl and I.
We laughed and ushered her in.  The Orbital Interns had cut cards to see which two teams got Christmas off and which ones got New Years off.  Jyl's group had been in the first rotation and was happy to join us at our Deer Valley home for a week, off the show.
"I half-thought you would take off to someplace warm and relaxing," Jeryl teased as I grabbed her bag from by the door.
"As if mother would ever let me hear the end of that," Jyl teased back.
Janet and Jerry came up from downstairs at the sound and greeted their middle daughter as Ali and Jer vied for some of Aunt Jyl's attention as well.  The house was transformed for Christmas, with a large tree in the living room standing proud before the windows.  Carols were playing softly in the background, and Mrs. Eccles brought out some hot mulled cider for the adults as we waited for the next arrival.  We had coordinated so everyone was arriving today, December 23rd, the Saturday before Christmas.
Mom and Jim came out and greeted Jyl just as the driveway chime announced the next arrival.  Jeryl and I headed to the door.
"Merry Christmas," I said as Kelly stepped up on the porch.  "Welcome, Senator Daniels," I added with a grin.
Kelly looked good, but tired.  She kissed my cheek and then gave Jeryl a hug.  "No 'Senator' this week, please.  I'm planning on actually relaxing a bit and not thinking about politics or the shit-storms my brother always creates."
I laughed and then grabbed her bag.  "What would your colleagues think if they saw you in the bunk room tonight?" I teased.
"Once they saw your bunk room, I'm sure they'd be jealous," Kelly fired back.  With all of the guests, Jeryl had decided to once again put the single ladies downstairs in the bunk room most of them had shared during our first Thanksgiving in the house.
By the time dinner was ready, everyone had safely arrived.  Alison and Rose joined us for an excellent meal prepared by Mrs. Eccles and Philip, and we all caught up on our lives with each other.
"I can't believe you've spent four weeks in space," Jerry said to Jyl during a lull in the conversation.
Jyl nodded.  "It's amazing.  I swear I could look out the windows at the earth all day long, if my younger sister and brother-in-law weren't such slave drivers."
I laughed.  "I'm pretty sure your team set your own agenda after the second trip.  You guys are the ones driving the schedule."
"What are you working on?" Jim asked.
Jyl looked my way for permission.  I nodded.
"We're working on creating a sustainable biosphere in orbit.  We want to be able to recycle and sustain ourselves with minimal supplies from earth."
"Why?" Janet asked.  "With Paul's orbiters, supplies should be easy enough to come by."
Jyl nodded.  "That's true for earth orbit, but what if we want to do something a little further out?"
"How far out?" Janet asked with the tone of concern only a mother could master.
"Right now, not far," I said.  "It's more about determining what's possible.  We're having the teams focus on the building blocks of getting us truly back in space in a major way.  That's going to require the ability to be relatively self-sufficient."
"Like what?"  Jim asked, obviously interested.
Jeryl took up the answer.
"There are three hypothetical options we've had them evaluating; asteroid mining, establishing a lunar base, and establishing a base on Mars."
"Mars?" Janet was definitely concerned now.
"Not this group," Jyl said.  "We're figuring how it could be done, not planning the journey ourselves.  If we take a couple of Paul's fusion engines, we could move a very large amount of material to any of those three destinations.  But with the volume and mass of material we're looking at, any base of operations we create won't be getting weekly supply deliveries.  That's why my team is figuring out how we can make a sustainable environment.  I'm also working to measure physiological changes from low gravity environments.  That accounts for about twenty percent of my time in orbit."
Janet shook her head.  "How safe is it up there?"
Jyl smiled.  "No more dangerous than flying from here to Europe, really."
Janet looked at Jeryl with a cocked eyebrow.  "That seems pretty specific a comparison," she said.
Jyl laughed.  "It is, because they make us calculate the probabilities of a catastrophic event two or three times in training and then find comparative risks.  So long as we aren't doing any EVA, we're not in significant danger."
"EVA?" Kelly asked.
"Extra-Vehicular Activity.  Space walking."
"And you don't do that?" Janet asked.
"Not yet," I said.  The interns would begin some training evolutions on that after the New Year, but I didn't want to spoil the surprise.
"So, Paul, you've been staying close to home for the past month," Kelly said.  "Any trips coming up?"
"I'll be spending a little more time with the interns after the new year, but Jeryl and I decided we needed to have a little more home time this year.  It feels like we've been running hard for the past few."
"You have," Jim said.  "Based on the shareholder report, you've been going too hard."
Kelly frowned.  Since entering office, I had bought back her shares and she had put her money into a blind trust to avoid any chance of impropriety.  As we had grown our free cash flows, Jim and Mom had also insisted I buy back some of their shares.  They didn't see the point of us paying huge dividends, them paying taxes, and then us paying estate taxes again in the future. 
"Let's just say that the power business is very good," I said with a smile for Kelly.
"How good?" she asked.
"Kelly," Jim warned.  "We've talked about this.  You can't know what the company is doing without creating problems for yourself, or for Paul."
I nodded.  "Let's just say that if you had been able to hold onto your shares, you would be looking at some tremendous dividends and capital gains."
"And most of it is coming from overseas?" she asked.
I nodded.  "Our domestic contracts, including materials and licensing fees are less than ten percent of our revenues now.  We're actually looking for ways to spend some of our profits faster in the future."
"Really?" Mom asked.
Jeryl nodded.  "We're exploring some non-profit options for education as well as healthcare in the short term.  Paul's also in some conversations regarding infrastructure improvements, both here and abroad."
"Infrastructure?" Jerry asked.
"Mostly transportation.  A couple of railroads have approached me for some of my patent portfolio, as well as materials.  I'm also interested in some urban projects.  I'm thinking some of the things we're learning with the Interns could be applied here on earth."
Jyl nodded.  "Waste management could be a start.  Some of the things we're doing could make an apartment complex nearly self-sufficient."
I smiled.  "There is just so much more you can do when power is cheap or nearly free."
"But it's not," Jerry said.  "Our bill on the farm is probably within dollars of the same bill I paid last year at this time.  When are your generators going to help the folks here in the States?"
"Kelly?" I asked.
"No politics," Jim insisted with a smile.  "This is a family vacation.  No working."
Jerry smiled and apologized, as did I.
"How about we adjourn from the table?" Jeryl asked.  "I haven't heard the kids in a little bit.  We should probably be worried."
We chuckled and got up in search of children, and found them downstairs with Anna, watching an animated Christmas movie.  Most of the adults joined them quietly, but Kelly caught my eye and motioned toward my office.  I nodded and we slipped away.  A few minutes later, I handed her a scotch and soda and raised my own glass in a toast.
"Senator?" I asked after a sip.
"Paul, how big are you now?"
It was obvious she had a reason to ask.
"Why?  I mean, why do you need to know exact amounts?  If I'm not already the richest man in the world, I will be within a few years.  We're looking to increase spending by over a billion dollars a year, just to slow our growth rate.  Why do you need specifics?"
Kelly sipped her drink and thought.
"You're making politicians nervous, Paul."  she sipped her drink again.  "A couple of people are starting to talk stupid.  Your money is what they want to focus on, to make you a villain for their proposals."
"Who?"
She shook her head.  "I can't be sure if the people I talked to were speaking for themselves or someone else, but the ideas behind their words were a little scary."
"Like what?"
"Like, maybe privately held firms that have monopoly power on certain segments of the market should have a differing tax structure, or require special oversight.  It could have been aimed at me, but I've heard enough over the past few weeks to make me think that where there is smoke, there's fire.  Someone is going to pull you out of the shadows for their own reasons."
"Democrat or Republican?"
"Could be either.  If I knew more, I'd tell you, but I know they are going to start something soon."
I thought about both my exposure to specific US government oversight and possible counter moves.  We were still producing stealth material.  That was one stick I could use, and a business I would be happy to get out of.  CRP and DigiNet were publicly traded companies that I just happened to be a very significant shareholder of.  I did not see those as being leverage points.  All of my other joint ventures were with companies that would have significant lobbying influence.  I could not see an effective attack from the political sector.  Pursuing the unneeded, but persistent rumor of an IPO would actually increase my exposure.  I said as much to Kelly.
"All I know," she replied, "Is what I've heard.  Something is happening.  I don't want you to be surprised."
I sipped my scotch.
"I hate politics," I said after another moment's thought.
Kelly smiled.  "What are you going to do?"
"I can either wait and see, or I can light a few fires and flush some others out."
"Like what?"
I shook my head.  "Better you don't know ahead of time.  Can you let me know about any other whispers you hear?"
"You know I can."
"Please do.  In the meantime, let's try and relax and enjoy the holiday with our family."
Kelly raised her glass once again and smiled.  "And no more work, right?"
I nodded.  Of course, I could not stop my mind from mulling over the problem.
*****
"What can I do for you, General Baker?" I asked after Tamara handed me the phone.  We were using some of the newer DigiNet technology for the first time, allowing my call to be transferred pretty much seamlessly, even while I was traveling.
"I just received this month's forecast for auction," he said.  "It's about half the volume we expected, Paul."
"Yes, Sir.  I don't know if you noticed that we had about a three percent shrinkage last month.  I've got to take one line down to investigate yields.  I think it might just need some maintenance, but we won't know until we pull things apart."
"Paul, we're at a pretty critical juncture on the F-21 program.  We really need your material to make that program successful."
I knew what the program was about.  The Air Force and Lockheed had come up with a fairly unique design for a high-performance jet fighter.  With many of my newer materials, it could cruise at supersonic speeds and looked like it could out-fly anything else in the sky or on the drawing board.  Of course, they needed my stealth compound to make it all come together.
"Yes, Sir, I'm aware of that; but I need to shut down to half capacity, to figure out why the yields started dropping.  It might get cut further, depending on what we find."
"How long to investigate?"
"A couple of weeks, I'm afraid.  That's why I had them just cut the forecast."
"I assume you're on your way there to take a look?" he asked.
I smiled.  "No, Sir.  Dr. Wilkerson is looking into it.  I've got some other business trips this month."
"Dammit, Paul.  What's it going to take for you for make this a priority?  We really need your material in the next three months or the program's going to slip.  I've gotten calls from a couple of different folks up and down the chain of command asking me to find out what is going on."
"I've told you the reasons, General."
"And there is nothing I can do to speed up your troubleshooting and maintenance?"
"Well, you could try to figure out who is gunning for me."
"What do you mean?"
I explained what Kelly had shared.
"Knowledge of what I produce and enable for the DoD is kept pretty much under wraps.  It might be too tightly controlled, if you take my meaning."
"So, you would shut down the auctions if the politicians go too far?"
"No, Sir; but I would move production out of the US, and start making you settle accounts in gold instead of dollars.  I've bent over backwards to help you out, as well as the country at large.  If they want to come after me, I will change the whole playing field!"
"Don't do anything hasty, Paul."
"I don't plan to, General.  I do, however, suggest you let a few politicians on both sides of the aisle understand what happens if they try to play hardball with me."
"And if I can find out where this strategy is coming from, and stop it?" he asked.
"Well, then; hopefully, our maintenance cycle won't run too long in Austin, Sir."
"Damn!" he muttered.  "Okay, I'll see what I can do.  Where can I reach you if I found something out?"
"This number is fine," I said.
"If I need to send someone to see you, you'll be in your offices in Utah?"
"No, Sir.  I'm actually a little over half way to Australia right now.  I should be landing in Sydney in another hour."
"You're taking a phone call on your experimental sub-orbital?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yes, Sir.  DigiNet has finished most of its low earth orbit constellation.  My calls get switched to wherever I'm at, seamlessly."
I could imagine him shaking his head.
"Okay, Paul.  I'll see what I can find and get back to you.  I'll also put a few whispers in a few ears back here.  Safe travels."
"Thank you, Sir."  I hung up.
I glanced out the window to take in the curving crescent of the globe below us and then looked back at the document clipped to the table before me.  I was hopping down under to close a deal that we had been working on for nearly a year.  Jeryl had been involved, so I knew the deal was sound, but still it was a large commitment for us.  It also had political ramifications that now needed to be considered.  General Baker's call had reinforced that fact, clearly.
I dialed another number.  It was time to put some other plans in motion.
"This is Lila," I heard after a couple of rings.
"Lila, Paul.  How are things going?"
Lila and Hunter were meeting me in Sydney.  They had flown down there after the new year, ensuring final preparations were settled before I flew in to finalize the deal.  As part of our operations with Australia, we were expanding our security operations on the island continent.
"Everything is set.  Hunter and I are waiting for you.  Haven't you left, yet?"
I explained the satellite phone system and instant switching.
"Well, that will be handy," Lila said with a laugh in her voice.  "I'll tell you what, Paul, we love Sydney.  If it weren't such a haul from London, I'd see about moving our offices down here."
I smiled.  I had some fond memories of living in Sydney for a short while.
"How are the offices looking?" I asked.
"All set.  We're in the Central Business District, a couple of blocks from the Opera House."
"Are we signing the deal there?"
"Oh, no!  Our offices are not nearly grand enough for this deal.  We won't make the US news, but this is a big thing here.  We've got a helicopter waiting and then we'll pop over to Government House for the signing.  I've then arranged a launch to take us over to Taylor House."
"What?"
"Well, we've got to call it something.  I figured if 'Government House' was good enough for the Government, then 'Taylor House' sounded good enough for you.  It's a lovely home, by the way."
I wanted to groan, since I knew her name would stick.  When we had realized we were going to be doing a lot of business in the land of Oz, we had purchased a property overlooking Hermit Bay on Sydney Harbor.  The property was a little dated, but a ten-month renovation had taken care of that, turning it into a wonderful home suitable for entertaining and awing our guests from both Australia and Asia.
Instead, I asked, "Are you and Hunter staying there?"
"Of course," she said.  "It's a freaking big house, Paul. Security is good as well.  Philip is down and has a suitable spread laid on for you to invite the business principals, the Prime Minister, the Governor-General, and several other politicians back to the house to celebrate.  I've gotten suitable transportation laid on, along with security."
"Okay.  What about tomorrow?"
"We're all set.  We'll fly over to Learmonth.  Construction there has finished up.  Your little hopper should make the flight in about an hour."
"Just us?"
"I think the Prime Minister wants a junket, but I've not offered a ride.  I figured I'd leave that up to you."
"Thanks.  Maybe I'll let him fly over with you in the GS-3."
"Hey, that's not nice.  I've been down here slaving away for you all week.  Why would you want to make me fly with a politician?"
I laughed.  "Fair enough, Lila.  You can fly with me and we'll let Hunter fly with the politicians."
She laughed.
"Seriously, Paul, it's going to be good to see you again.  It has felt like ages.  I just wish Jeryl was with you."
"Me, too.  Unfortunately, we've gotten a bit too busy.  She and Billy are finalizing plans for the show, and she has to give the Orbital Interns their feedback this week."
"While you get to fly around the world," Lila teased.
"Hey, we did flip for it," I lied.  Jeryl wanted no part in flying to Australia to finalize our deal and then on to Kenya, and Spain.  It was shaping up to be a couple of big weeks in the international business news, if people were paying attention.
"Bing!"  The fasten seatbelt sign illuminated, a bit redundantly.  I had kept strapped in for the entire flight.  A near ballistic shot from Salt Lake City to Sydney did not really give much time to unbuckle and use the lavatory.  Besides, taking a leak in zero-gee was not as simple as people thought.
"Lila, we should be on the ground in about twenty minutes.  I'll see you then."
"We're waiting, Paul.  See you soon."
The connection broke and I put the phone in my brief case along with the papers and then secured it with a holding strap beneath the table.  I then looked out at the fiery glow as we encountered the upper atmosphere and began our descent.  The ride was a little bumpy, but felt much shorter than reentry from orbit.  I knew it was really less than a minute in difference, but it felt a lot shorter, somehow.
I looked out the window when we finally dropped from the high clouds and I could see the coast line below us.  We had demonstrated the Gulfstream Orbital Transport prototype two season ago on the Interns.  The production model I was flying today, was the first off the line in Savannah.  It had the smallest fusion engines Hunter and I had been able to make to date, and allowed us to take sixty passengers anyplace in the world in relative comfort, so long as they could tolerate the three-and-a-half gees it accelerated at.  It was about half the size of a full orbiter and had no significant cargo capacity, but it was a great way to cross the Pacific.
We came in from the east, slowing to normal aircraft speed for our final approach, and were soon down on the runway and taxiing toward the VIP hangar Qantas had provided.  They were leasing ten of the GOTs from my joint venture with Gulfstream in addition to placing an order for twenty of the new GS-4 aircraft for regional use in Australia and New Zealand.  That deal was one of the sets of papers in my briefcase.
Lila was as good as her word and met the flight and quickly escorted Tamara and I to a waiting helicopter after clearing customs and waving to the press.  Our flight from the airport to Garden Island Naval Station, was uneventful, though Sydney Harbor was always a sight to behold.
"Wow, this is spectacular," Tamara said as we came in to land.  The pilot had been kind enough to circle out over the harbor and give us a great view of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge.
"It is," Lila said.  "They know how to roll out the red carpet, as well."
True to her word, we climbed out of the helicopter and were steps away from the limo taking us around Woolloomooloo Bay and past the Royal Botanic Gardens to the stately building overlooking the Opera House and Circular Quay.
"Did you know," Lila said as we took in the view from the small motorcade, "That just signing these agreements at Government House here instead of at Admiralty House or in Canberra has had some political overtones?"
I nodded.  "If we did it at Admiralty House, it would fall under the Governor-General's purview, in some people's eyes.  We actually had a lot of pressure to do it in Canberra, but I didn't want to make it this big of a deal.  If we did it there, all the local politicians would want to be involved, and probably several ambassadors as well.  There's an election coming up, and it has been a bit contentious.  Labor wants to take credit for these deals, and Prime Minister Keating has taken every opportunity to say he brought us to the table.  John Howard, the opposition leader has actually done more to help us actually iron out the details, and wants his own share of credit.  He's actually the one that came up with the idea of having us close the deal in Sydney, at Government House."
"Why's it such a political coup?" Tamara asked.  She had only been involved in the logistics of several meetings, not the substance of them.
"These deals will see Qantas become the first carrier to have our aircraft in commercial use.  Based on the routes they want to fly, that will be a big deal in terms of ease of access to Australia.  Secondly, we'll be starting a couple of production facilities here, including a single line for generator production, and that's in addition to our power contracts.  All in, it will be about twelve hundred high-skill jobs in country.  Finally, we've secured the rights to operate an alternate launch and recovery site at RAAF Learmonth over on the Northwest coast.  It's in the perfect spot for aborts from Kenya and has reasonable shipping access to South-East Asia."
"And they are paying in gold," Lila threw in.
I smiled.  "There is always that.  This is the first major contract using our new gold standard, so a lot of the economic press is watching."
Tamara shook her head.  "Is that's why you're actually wearing a tie for the first time in a long time?" she asked with a smile.
Lila laughed.  They were both in fashionable pant suits, that fit as well as my suit did, but did not require a tie.  I managed to stick my tongue out at them before we stopped in front of Government House and the waiting press.
The formal signing of documents was a laborious process, but took no real thought.  The various aides and lawyers had everything orchestrated.  While John Howard was not a signatory, he did make some remarks despite Prime Minister Keating's condescending smile. Once all the formalities had been taken care of, copies of the signed documents distributed, and the plethora of mandatory press photos taken, we made our escape down to the small water taxi dock by the Opera House and out onto the harbor and toward our newest house.
James Strong, the CEO of Qantas and several of the local politicians joined us for the five kilometer ride out to the house.  They all made appreciative sounds as we slowed near Hermit Bay and saw the modern house of white stucco and glass overlooking the harbor.  Soon, we were all on the veranda, with cocktails in hand and toasting one another and our future endeavors together.
As I mingled and did my meet-and-greet duties, Tamara stayed by my side, replenishing my drink as needed.  I was thankful Lila and Hunter had suggested I have her switch to soda-water and a lime after the first gin and tonic.  I was not brave enough to get into a 'shout' with the well-seasoned Aussie drinkers in the crowd.
"Paul," Hunter said as he guided an Australian Naval Officer toward me.  "This is Leftenant Commander Briggs, of Her Majesty's Royal Australian Navy," he said as the lean, small man in his summer whites, complete with shorts and knee-socks shook my hand.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Taylor," he said.
"Call me Paul, please," I replied.
"The commander," Hunter continued, "has been working over at Learmonth on the docks and station power systems."
"Well, thank you, Sir.  I was not aware the RAN was involved.  I thought Learmonth was a RAAF base."
"Oh, it is; but those fly boys don't know how to handle the water," he said with a laugh.  "Actually, it was a joint project, since we expect to station a couple of patrol craft up there.  We'll probably make it a regular port of call, now that the facilities are upgraded."
"How big of an upgrade was it?" I asked.
"Pretty fair sized.  We can take a large container ship in there now, and still have room for a couple of smaller ships.  When we started making plans, the boffins at fleet headquarters decided it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.  Combine that with the runway upgrades you blokes put in, and it has become a world class facility."
"Well, I was happy we could reach an agreement on the place.  It's not easy to find a five-thousand-meter runway."
"I was surprised you didn't leverage the runways on Diego Garcia," Commander Briggs said.
"We could in a true emergency," I said, "But we decided a commercial port with full civilian access was better for us over the long term.  It gives us a better range of abort options from Kenya and will also allow the transshipment of goods between orbit, Australia, and Asia."
"How much cargo do you see transshipping?" The commander asked as Tamara returned to us with fresh drinks.  He thanked her with a smile and then downed a quarter in single pull.  "I mean, you have sufficient cross-flight capacity that you can just land where you need, instead of trans-shipping, right?"
"We do, but there are a lot of places where we'd rather not land, but still want to do business."
He nodded.
"We've got a few commercial relationships like that as well," he admitted.
I looked at Hunter, curious where he expected the conversation to go.
He smiled.  "I had mentioned to the commander that we were off to Learmonth, tomorrow."
"Aye, he did," Commander Briggs said.  "I was wondering if I could be so bold as to hitch a ride with you."
"I was up there earlier in the week to check things out and make sure the power crew was settled in," Hunter said.  "I gave the Commander a ride here in the GS-3.  He was a little doubtful when I said we'd fly back in an hour."
I smiled.  "I think we'll have room, Commander.  The GOT can carry sixty, so long as you don't pack too heavily."
He laughed.  "Just one small bag for this trip."
"There should be plenty of room, then," I said.
"Paul," Hunter said, "the commander and I have been discussing a few aspects of engine design as well."
"Really?"
Hunter nodded, and I knew we were getting to the real reason he had brought the naval officer over.
"He has some interesting ideas on the MHD side of things."
"Really?"
The commander nodded.  "I did my masters on the things a couple of years ago.  It was just before you introduced your generators.  I was focused on much lower energies, but some of my research might be applicable, especially when you don't have an easy heat dissipation mechanism, like in space."
Soon we were in a deep enough discussion that Tamara decided to interrupt.  "Paul, the Governor-General stopped by and asked to say hello and possibly have a quick chat," She said.
"Commander, if you hang around, we can talk some more, but it looks like I have to play host for a bit," I said.
By the time I got back to Hunter and Commander Briggs, they had moved to my office and were standing in front of my whiteboard, having put new diagrams and equations all over it.  Three hours later, Tamara insisted we take a break.  We treated the commander to dinner at Doyle's in Watson Bay before finalizing plans for the morning.
*****
"Paul, can you talk?" Kelly asked over the phone.  She knew I was out of the country.
I glanced around the cabin.  I was alone at the small table at the front of the cabin.  Everyone else was a couple of rows back, enjoying our ride over to Kenya from Australia.
"Yes.  What's up?"
"I'm getting some calls asking about your special relationship with the DoD.  Someone is whispering things they should not be even thinking about."
"General Baker has been bending a few ears.  I told him production was moving off-shore if the politicians got out of hand."
"I'll warn Alison for you.  You'll have to make sure security is tight, as more people know what you are making for them."
"She knows, already.  How about whispers on the other front?"
"It's dying down.  I'm actually meeting with the front-runners.  You were right about my positioning.  Once the balanced budget was passed, I co-sponsored the balanced budget act. That will require congress to present a balanced budget without there being a full amendment to the constitution. I'm equally admired and hated on both sides of the aisle, now."
I chuckled.
"That must mean you are doing a good job for all of the people, not just your rich brother," I joked.
"Well, I don't know about that."
"Who are you going to campaign for?"  I knew she was not going to be comfortable sitting on the sidelines in this election until her party's convention.
"Not Bill," she said.  "He is a charming SOB, but ever since he made a subtle pass at me, I don't think he takes me seriously as a politician.  I can't imagine fending him off on the campaign trail for three months or more."
"Good.  I don't think he's right for the country anyway."
"I'm leaning toward Kerry, but will meet with Al before deciding."
"Why him?"
"Our skills and experiences are complimentary.  He has a more moderate stance on a lot of the issues, but needs me for the economics side of a balanced ticket.  It's the only pairing that makes me a true partner, not eye-candy near the podium.  Al might change, but he's going to have to win me over before I would commit to his ticket."
"Well, you know I support you, regardless," I said.
"And I really do appreciate it, Paul.  Where are you off to today?"
"Kenya today for some filming, and then to Europe."
"Any opportunities for some camera time on the show?"
"Kissing babies is not enough for you anymore?" I teased.
She laughed.  "Not for me.  I'm thinking of dangling carrots before settling."
"The Orbital Interns won't air before the election, but I can talk to Billy about the regular show.  We start shooting it in May this year and it will hit the air in September."
"That could be perfect timing.  Anything that I might participate in would be appreciated."
"A lot is going to be international this year."
"So? Anything that might bolster my foreign policy credentials could be useful."
"Jeez, Kelly.  Are you really serious?"  I was surprised she wanted such a blatant play for votes.
"I want it subtle, Paul, but yes, I want some air time.  International, domestic, I don't care.  I was a co-producer for how many seasons?  I am your sister.  I have a reason to appear.  Nobody else in the race has an avenue to the top-rated television show in the world.  I need to be able to play that card sometime in the next few months."
I thought about it for a moment.  "I'll talk to Billy and see if any of the planned challenges make sense."
"Thank you.  Anything else I should know?"
"Spain is going to get some jobs.  People gunning for you or me will try to spin it."
"What kind of jobs?"
"Good ones.  We're announcing the opening of two plants near Barcelona.  One will be a CRP plant and the other will begin making assemblies for use in orbit."
"Why Spain?"
"Mostly to get the EU off my back.  They are putting some pressure on us, and placing facilities in Spain will give me a little more leverage against France, who seems to have an axe to grind.  This will give us facilities in Ireland, Wales, Germany, and Spain, in addition to all the power plants we are operating.  That should allow me to keep France in line."
"When are you announcing that?"
"Next week.  I'll be flying there from Kenya."
"Okay.  What about Iran?"
"Talk to me next month.  There are a couple of irons in the fire there, but nothing firm, yet."
"Okay.  Thanks for the update, Paul.  Love you."
"Love you, too, sis."


Chapter Forty-Six
Down Under
*****
The roar of the crowd washed over us as the U.S.  Olympic team entered the stadium.  Jeryl squeezed my hand as Jeremy patted my head enthusiastically while perched on my shoulders to have a better view of the opening ceremony.  I had never experienced an Olympics in person in my first life, let alone imagined having my family with me in the luxury boxes a few seats down from the President.  Our kids were awed by the pageantry of the ceremony.  They had grown restless as the parade of nations progressed, but Jeryl and her mother had taken the kids to the private restroom and kept them occupied until just before the Virgin Islands sailing team entered the stadium.
The kids did not appreciate the history of Muhammad Ali but cheered just the same when his shaking hand lit the Olympic flame.  I knew the kids were tired, but they stood tall for the national anthem and clapped as President Bush declared the Centennial Olympic Games open.  Jeryl kissed my cheek and grinned.  
"I never imagined being at an Olympics," Jeryl said as Anna took the kids and security began herding us toward the exit of the private boxes.  We were held up for the Presidential party and then headed out of the stadium.  Traffic was heavy enough that the kids were sound asleep by the time we got back to the Four Seasons where we were staying for a couple of days.  We made sure the children were settled and then adjourned to the suite's living room, where we joined Billy, Tom, Alison, Lila and Hunter and Tamara and Allen.  Our folks had decided to head for bed.
"Wow," Tamara said.  "That was quite a show.  Thanks for bringing me, Paul."
Others echoed their thanks as well while Allen handed me a scotch.
I smiled and took a sip.  "I'm glad everyone could make it.  I know it's been pretty busy for the past few months and will continue to be busy for the rest of the summer as well but appreciate that we could all come together and enjoy this once in a life-time opportunity."
"Hear, hear!" Hunter said as he raised his glass. 
We all sipped our drinks, at my impromptu toast.
"I wish we could enjoy the games a bit," Billy said.  "But we can't stop filming and still hit our deadlines for the season."
"How's it going?" Lila asked.  "I don't hear much from the security teams working the production."
"It's good," Billy said.  "We've got some logistics headaches this year with more international travel and challenges, but Paul is making his GOT available to us."
Alison arched her eyebrow at me.  "Giving up your newest toy, Paul?  You must really want to keep on schedule."
I grinned at her.  It had taken more than six months for our relationship to settle back into some of our easy banter and teasing.
"You forget, I have to go where the show goes as well, so I'm not really giving up much.  We have a few big hops coming up."
"Where?" Hunter asked.  He and Lila had the least to do with the show.
"Billy's trying to go around the globe this year," Tom said.  "The Interns have made it to Europe already this season and will be going from Stockholm to Mumbai next week.  From India, they'll go down under in Australia for a few weeks, then Singapore, and then back to California."
"Wow, they really will go around the world," Allen said.  He had mostly been focused on the orbital program and some of my own work for the past few months.
"How long are you staying for?" Tom asked Billy.  He had a little more flexibility in his shooting schedule for the Orbital Interns.
"I'm off in the morning.  I never imagined I'd be this busy working the show on my own."
"Well, let me know if you need a hand," Tom said.  "We're into a bit more of a routine on the orbital side.  Editing is going to be a challenge, making it all flow and have a sense of urgency and entertainment."
Jeryl was nodding.  "It's something I worry about.  We have lots of cinematic drama, but not the same sort of interpersonal tension from the challenges."
Billy sipped her drink.  "We talked about that in planning.  Having it be team based is going to cut out some of the things folks love about the show.  Any romances or fights breaking out to create some drama?" she asked.
"You mean any sister's shagging up there?" Jeryl asked with a grin.  We had captured some interesting footage on the station's cameras over the past six months as the teams spent more time in orbit.  Jyl in particular had forgotten the cameras a few times.
"Hey, it's not just Jyl that has gotten frisky in orbit," I said with a look at Tamara and Allen.  They blushed together, and everyone laughed.  
"Be careful of workplace romances," Lila warned.  "There are a lot of security lapses when they happen."  She said with a straight face, but Alison laughed.
"Those two have the worst kept office secret in the firm," she teased.  "At least they are over the secret moon-eyes phase."
Tamara's blush deepened, and Allen moved next to her protectively.
Jeryl decided to defuse the situation.  "Don't let them tease you," she said.  "Everyone in this room has at least had a fling in the office.  If they give you a hard time, I'll share their secrets as well."
A few eyes looked at the floor as Jeryl gave them a challenging stare.  
"Now, while we wanted to get together with everyone for a fun start to the Olympics, we do have a little business to discuss before we scatter to the four corners of the world again."  She looked to Alison, who nodded.  
She had the job of scanning for bugs when we got back to the suite.  
Jeryl looked around to make sure she had everyone's attention.  "Paul and I have decided that once the show finishes filming in September that we'll be spending the fall in Australia with the kids."
"What?" Billy asked.  "Why?"
"Mostly to avoid the politics that Kelly keeps wanting to embroil me in," I said with a grin.  Jeryl swatted my arm.  "Okay, actually it's only partly for that reason.  But it is driven by politics.  Some of the noise in the election campaign is aimed at our enterprises.  If I am noticeably absent during the time the Presidential race is really heating up, we think it will be better for us and the company."
Alison was nodding.  She knew our plan.  Lila was smiling as well.  The others looked a little stunned.
"Lila and Hunter will be joining us down under," Jeryl said.  "Alison is going to move back to Ireland and split her time between there and the London offices.  We expect production for the show to continue as it has been.  Tom, you'll probably shuttle between California, Utah and Australia as we wrap up production of the Orbital Interns.  Tamara and Allen, you need to decide if you want to be away from the states for so long.  We can work something out if you don't want to live in Australia for six months."
"Would we stay at Taylor House?" Tamara asked.
"Yes.  Lord knows it has enough space.  The only question is if you'll take one room or two," Jeryl teased.
Allen gave Tamara a look and a smile.  "I think one room would be excellent," he announced.  Tamara nodded in agreement.
"What about me?" Billy asked.  "I'll be done with this season.  Do I help Tom with post production?"
I nodded.  "Unless you want to shift over to the news side.  You did great work setting that organization up."
Billy looked surprised.  Our independent news organization, DigiNews, had quickly won public acclaim from the markets it served.  It was quickly becoming the standard for fact-based reporting in the United States.  We were considering expansion outside the borders already.  Our national page already got a lot of hits from overseas.
"If I want to stay on the show?" she asked.
"Then you would split time with us and Tom, planning next season," Jeryl said.  "Paul's already got some ideas in mind."  
Billy looked at me.  "Like what?"
"We've got a few concepts and projects in Australia that I think could do well on the show.  The Great Barrier Reef could be a great backdrop for next year."
Billy's eyes lit up.  "Underwater as well?" she asked.
I nodded.  We had discussed the idea of building an underwater lab last year, but not been able to make everything work in the context of the show.  I had been thinking about it ever since.  "People dream of space," I said.  "But the ocean is so much more accessible for most of them.  I think we could do some interesting things."
"Okay," Billy said.  "I'm in.  I like the news, but this sounds much more entertaining."
We all chuckled at her enthusiasm.  
"Okay," Jeryl said.  "Now you all know.  We trust you all, but we want to keep this temporary move very low-key, so please don't spill the beans."
Again, she looked everyone in the eye until they nodded their understanding.  
*****
"My God, it's nice to be able to relax finally," Jeryl said as she finished stripping off her robe and dropping to the lounger on the glass enclosed balcony off our bedroom in the new Sydney house.  We had taken the GOT directly from the Emmy Awards to Sydney.  Jeryl had teased me most of the flight with promises of lying naked by the pool without realizing the season change would make that a little cool today.  I was surprised she was even up, since we had left California around midnight, landed in Australia around 7:00 PM local time.  By the time we got to the house, said hi to the kids who had come down the week before to get settled for school, it was well past all of our bedtimes.
I poured her a cup of coffee and settled on the lounger next to her.  The morning light rising from behind the house, shining down the harbor made for a beautiful morning.  I took a sip of my coffee and sighed.
"It's going to be nice to have a little slower pace for a while."
We had been putting in more than sixty hours a week on filming both shows since the Olympics with another twenty to forty hours of regular work and some family time.  It had been grueling.  
"The kids seem to be excited to make new friends here," Jeryl said.  They had been so excited to tell us all about it last night.  "Thank God we have Anna along to look after them.  We should have planned this out a little better."
"I know.  We seem to have the same problems we had back in high-school.  We really need to commit to not overbooking ourselves."  I sipped my coffee.  "At least we can dodge the political appearances that we've started to be asked for."
Kelly had become the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice President on the new Gore/Daniels ticket.  We had made a couple of appearances in support and had her on the show as a guest judge one week, which meant I had to provide some balanced appearance time on the Republican side to keep all of our political allies happy.  
"Kelly seems to be holding up well," Jeryl commented.
"She does.  I'm curious how Dole and McCain will try to position her.  God help them if they try to call her 'inexperienced'."
Jeryl laughed.  The week she had been on the show had really highlighted the breadth of her experience, both business wise and her legal background.  "I bet we have more lawyers apply for next year's show after that episode airs."
"And if they win the election, all of our budding politicians will apply as well."
Jeryl shook her head.  "I don't think most potential politicians would pass our other screening," Jeryl teased.
"I hope that's true."
We sat in silence for a few minutes.
"It's nice to just be able to relax and watch the city wake up," she said as a ferry left the north shore of the harbor.  
"And it's only going to get nicer as the weather warms," I said.
"Aside from work on the show, what do you have to do for the next few months?" Jeryl asked.
"I want to get caught up on some of the research reviews.  I can do that from here, with maybe a short trip or two.  I might have Dr.  McTavish and some of her team come for a visit."
"What's she doing that's so interesting?"
"She's really doing some groundbreaking work on the fundamentals of electro-magnetism and magnetic fields.  She is driving more than half of our materials research in orbit.  It feels like we are getting close to a breakthrough."
"Of what?"
"High-temperature super conductors."
"High-temperature?"
I nodded.  "Relatively speaking.  High-Temp means we don't have to super-cool it.  Room temperature and above."
"As opposed to?"
"Cooling with liquid nitrogen."
Jeryl smiled.  "Okay, that is quite high when you're using that as the benchmark.  What do you do with it then?"
"I think it's what we're going to need to safely go beyond earth orbit for longer journeys."
Jeryl sipped her coffee and nodded.  "Cosmic rays?"
"And solar flares.  Ionizing radiation is a big concern.  If we can crack this, we really can give our kids the stars."
Jeryl reached out with a hand and squeezed my arm.  I leaned over and gave her a kiss.  
"As much as I'd like to stay and admire the view, I had better go make sure the kids are getting up.  They have school today."
Jeryl gave me a dramatic sigh and then smiled.  "Well, once they are off to school, maybe we can come back here and relax."
"Or maybe we can check out the hot tub," I replied.
"I like the way you think."
*****
"Damnit, Paul!  You need to take this seriously," Alison said.
"I do take it seriously, but what would you have me do?"  
Alison had flown to Australia with Sam Johnson of the FBI, and head of the Taylor taskforce there.  Alison was pacing along the glass doors of our house, separating the living room from the patio surrounding the pool.  Sam was standing to one side, watching us both.  
"You need to be a harder target.  We know the Chinese were behind the attack on you now.  The fact that one of their two dupes is confirmed dead should be enough warning that they are playing for keeps.  We don't know who else they might have infiltrated, or what they are actually trying to achieve."
"We've brought in some experts to try and ascertain their motives," Sam said.  "But it's all guess work at the moment."
"And we have no evidence it was specifically targeted at me, right?"
Alison stopped her pacing and stared.  After a moment, she gave a begrudging nod of her head.
"So, we continue to take security seriously, but don't overreact.  Alison, do you remember our conversation a few years back?  Where you told me having security might be my new normal?"
She nodded.
"And what did I say?"
She actually gave me a slight smile.  "You said it might have been the cruelest thing I could say to you, then."
"But I resigned myself to your wisdom.  We've been careful and balanced our desires and the need for security.  I'm not going to get lax, but I refuse to put myself and my family into virtual prison, even if it does have great views.  Would you lock up Rose to protect her from an unspecified threat?"
We all knew she would not.
"So, again, what would you have me do?"
Alison took a deep breath.  "I want to expand the family detail.  Your kids and parents need a little more coverage."
"Why?"
"If the Chinese are looking for your technology, they will target your facilities and programs.  If they are looking for your influence, they would cast a wider net looking for leverage.  I'm not talking about twenty-four by seven protective details, but some covert oversight to give us forewarning.
"What about Kelly?"
Sam stepped closer.  "She's protected on the campaign and has such high visibility now that we think her current security is sufficient.  We've discussed it with her detail as well."
"How's she doing?" I asked.  It had been nearly a month since we last spoke.
"Good," Alison said.  "She and Gore are statistically tied with the Republicans.  It will be a coin toss in November if something doesn't change.  Trying something against you, could be a change to tip the balance.  Personal sympathy could sway voters her way."
I had not considered that.
"Okay.  We can increase oversight, but I don't want us smothered."
"Paul," Alison said.  "This is not the sort of thing we can worry about after the fact.  You need to have people around that can watch out and react.  They can't fly in from around the world and prevent something from happening."
"I know, but this has been the most relaxed Jeryl and I have been in years.  I refuse to put us into any sort of lock-down."
"I'd like us to brief some folks down here in ASIO," Sam said.  The Australian Security Intelligence Organization was the equivalent of the FBI.  "They may want to increase their own scrutiny of people around you."
I sighed.  I could hardly keep him from it, so nodded.
Alison seemed to relax once I agreed.  She sat down on a couch opposite from me.  I wanted to smile when Sam moved behind her, taking a nearly protective stance.  It was easy to see he cared for her.
"So, what else?" I asked.
"We've got some new faces that just finished our internal training.  They'll start rotating onto your detail.  I've also decided Sanford and Tiffany deserve a little break.  Are you planning anything special for the next few months that we might need to account for?"
"We're heading up to the Barrier Reef in a few weeks.  The kids have a school break and we promised them a visit.  They've each picked a friend whose family will be joining us.  Lila and Hunter will be along as well."
"That should be a good time for new people to settle in.  What about Tamara and Allen?"
I shook my head.  "I'm giving them a joint vacation."  I didn't need to tell her they were going up to PTO-1 together.  They had asked for some time alone in orbit, though I think Jeryl was involved in their planning to some extent.
"Does Jeryl have any special plans?" Alison asked.
"She's been approached by some designer label here.  They got wind of her spending time in Sydney, realized she has been on the Emmy's Best Dressed list for the past six years, and asked if she would be interested in collaborating with them.  She's there with Lila this morning.  She took a bunch of the new material samples DuPont sent down last week.  Nike is also sending some folks down to meet with her."
"Any international trips on the horizon?" Sam asked.
I shrugged.  "Who knows.  I've got some researchers visiting next month and then I may need to visit a few places.  Nothing firm is set right now."
"Keep it that way," Alison said.  "Lila knows the drill.  If you need to make a trip, no pre-announcements."
"Business doesn't always work that way," I said.
"Paul, you are officially the richest man in the world.  You control a significant portion of the worlds electrical generation capacity, and that portion continues to grow every day.  If you need to meet with someone, leave the timing vague, fly there in a GOT, and call just before you enter their building.  They will change their plans to accommodate you."
"Do you really think I'd be that rude?"
Alison shrugged.  "Apologize after the fact, but don't give anyone twenty-four or more hours to prepare a surprise for you.  This is the Chinese government.  They have resources and capabilities greater than the threats you've faced in the past.  You have to keep aware."
It was my turn to sigh.  "I'll consider it.  There are some meetings I can't make as surprise visits, you know?"
"I do.  For those, we'll increase security and prep work."
"Okay."  I wanted the conversation to be done.  "How long are you staying?"  I asked to change the subject.
"A few days, I think," Alison responded.  "Philip is watching Rose, and Sam and I will meet some folks here.  I also want to brief Lila in person."
"You're welcome to hang out here.  Jeryl and Lila should be back in an hour or so.  The kids will be home from school about an hour after that.  If you don't say hi to them, they'll be disappointed, I'm sure."
Alison smiled.  "Of course, I'll stay.  Sam, you can use the security office if you want to make some calls."
Sam nodded and headed out of the living room.  They had dropped their bags in the security office above the garage on the way in, so he knew his way.  It was actually one of the nicer apartments in the house, since we had to maintain a full-time security presence.
I waited until he was gone to continue.  "How is that going for you?" I asked.
Alison's arched eyebrow returned, but she said nothing.  
"It's pretty obvious he is interested in you.  Does he get along with Rose?"
Alison's look softened.  "He does.  She likes him as well.  I'm just not certain I'm ready for that sort of a relationship."
I rose and moved over to sit next to her.  "I know the past year has been hard on you.  Jeryl and I still love you, and care about you.  Take your time and make sure you're comfortable before you rush into anything."
She patted my leg.  "I will.  You've got a big heart, Paul.  I know I hurt you both last year.  I appreciate your support."
"First and foremost, you are our friend.  Don't ever forget that."
She leaned in and gave me a brief kiss on the cheek.
"I won't.  Thanks."
*****
"Wow, you're in really good shape," Chrissy, the oldest daughter of the Tarrignton's said as I finished my run along beach fronting our vacation house north of Cairns in Queensland.  The Tarrington's youngest daughter, Jane, had become fast friends with our Alison in school.  We had dinner with her parents a few times and met them at various school events but had not spent much time around her older sister, Chrissy.  We had insisted on bringing the entire family up for our five-day vacation in the north.  Chrissy had initially presented herself as a typical teenager, hating having to go on a family vacation with her little sister's friend, but quickly decided Jeryl and I were pretty fun.  Of course, flying up in the GOT and going from Sydney to Cairns in thirty minutes had helped.
"Thanks," I said as I slowed my breathing and mopped my brow with the edge of my t-shirt.  "I forgot how hard running in sand is."  
Chrissy was sitting on the steps of the veranda that circled the house.  She was wearing loose shorts and a pink polo shirt with her school crest.  Her blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail and she had the sun-kissed glow of a healthy teenager with shocking blue eyes.  She was going to be a heart breaker, if she wasn't already.
"What has you up so early?" I asked as I reached the porch and proceeded to start my post-run stretching.  
She shrugged, and I noticed the gentle jiggle indicating she had nothing but herself beneath the shirt.
"I just woke up listening to the waves and decided to come out and watch them as well.  Everyone else is still asleep."
It was just a little past sunrise, so coming up on six A.M.  I smiled.  "Well, except for you and me and some of the security folks."
As if on cue, I saw Nicole Bauer, our new security detail head come around the corner of the adjacent house.  She was another attractive woman.  I was amazed at how pretty most of the security folks Alison hired were.  Nicole was a mocha skinned beauty with straight black hair and dark eyes.  She appeared to be a blend of Mediterranean and Arabic features.  While being beautiful when noticed, she also had an uncanny ability to blend into crowds when she wanted to.  It was a very useful skill in the security world.
"Do you work out every day?" Chrissy asked, not noticing Nicole climb onto the security house's own porch and settle into a chair.
"Usually.  I like running.  I have ever since I was your age."
"Really?  How far do you go?"
"Usually six miles.  I did a little less today.  The sand makes it much harder."
"How long were you running?"
"About forty minutes."
"Wow.  No wonder you're in such good shape."
"I mix it up with some other exercises as well.  Swimming and weights, that sort of thing."
"Do you think you could show me?  I dread the idea of inheriting Mum's bubble butt."
I smiled.  Her mother, Camilla had a rather prominent rear end that we all got an eye-full of the previous day when we arrived and hit the beach for a little sun and swimming.
"You should probably ask Jeryl or Nicole for some tips," I suggested.
"Why?  You seem to do pretty well."
"But you don't want my physique.  Women are built different and different exercises have different results.  If it's just about not gaining weight, you need a good cardio routine.  If you want to build muscle and shape your body, you want more than just cardio."
Chrissy stood up.  "What do you think I should focus on?" She turned slowly.
"You're lovely as you are," I said while trying not to let my mind wonder too far.  She was definitely going to be a heartbreaker.  
She gave me a little pout.  "But I could be a lot hotter if I put some effort into it, don't you think?"
"Why do you need to be hotter?" I asked, trying to avoid a hormonal teenage girl landmine?  "I don't know how boys today think, but when I was your age, I was more interested in a girl that was self-confident.  Pretty fades, but intelligence, integrity, and spirit remain."
Chrissy looked at me for a minute.  "So, you won't help me start exercising?"
It was my turn to shrug.  "Sure, I will, if that's what you want."
I finished my stretching and sat on the steps.  She joined me, close, but not touching my sweaty body.
"What do you do for sport in school?" I asked as I scanned the beach and enjoyed the sound of the waves.
"I run some, and we play netball and hockey."
I nodded.  "Those are good.  They both are good cardio workouts for you."
"But they aren't year-round," she replied.
"So, add some running or swimming into the mix and keep that up through your seasons.  Which do you prefer doing?"
"Swimming, I guess.  School doesn't have a swim team, so I don't know how good I am at it."
"You don't have to be a competitive swimmer.  My friend Hunter got me into swimming in college.  When I can, I still swim a couple of miles a week."
"Wow.  I don't think I've ever swam more than a dozen laps at one time."
"Okay, that can be your first goal.  It's October now.  If you apply yourself, you should be able to build up to a mile and a few months.  How long is the pool you swim at?"
"Twenty-five meters, I think," she said.
"Okay, if you can swim a dozen laps already, you're twenty-percent of the way there.  Sixty-six laps is your goal.  If you add a lap a day and swim three times a week, you'll be at a half-mile in seven weeks."
"When you say it that way, it doesn't sound so daunting," she said.
"That's the key.  When I started running, I started with one mile and built my endurance over time.  A lot of people want to jump in and wind up overdoing it.  That's how you get hurt and then you stop exercising."
She nodded.  "So, are you going to become my workout buddy this week?" she asked with a little smile.  
"Remember what I just said?  If we were workout buddies, you'd try to keep up with my pace and might get hurt.  How about I'll watch and give you some pointers where I can."
She gave a dramatic sigh.  "Okay.  With no pool here, how do I swim and start getting better?"
I smiled.  I had fond memories of her bikini yesterday.  "I'm pretty sure Jeryl has a surprise for you ladies today."  I knew she had brought an assortment of new swimwear with her for everyone to try out.  It was her design combined with some of the new materials we were developing with DuPont.  "I think we'll all be doing some swimming today, including some diving on the reef.  At least that was the plan last night."
"Cool.  Do you dive, too?"
I nodded.  
"But the kids can't, right?"
"Technically, they are too young for diving.  It's too easy for them to get excited and then hold their breath.  That's the dangerous part."
"Air embolisms," she said.  "I took an introductory course last year but didn't go back for certification."
"Well, we'll see how you do and maybe your folks will give us the okay to take you down today.  We'll have to see."
Three hours later, after an initial round of snorkeling over a spectacular section of the Great Barrier Reef, Chrissy was asking her mother if she could go deeper with Jeryl and me.
Jeryl's new suits had been a hit with everyone.  We looked a little like a cross between a large extended family and a swim team.  The women had selected from a variety of one and two-piece suits.  Jeryl and Chrissy had on the one-pieces while Camilla and Gina, Jer's friend Scott's mother, had chosen bikinis.  All of the material was black or gray.  and they were fashionably cut.  However, in the water, they all changed dramatically.  The color switched to either deep blue, green, pink, and gold and in Jeryl and Chrissy's case, portions of the suit turned translucent, revealing much more skin than anyone would suspect of a one-piece suit.  
After the initial shock, and Jeryl's laugh, she informed us all that the material was also an effective sunblock.  The kids got what looked like short wet-suits made of the same material, that would protect them from both the sun and any jellyfish. 
The men were in a mix of board-short style suits and more form fitted trunks.  After the initial swim from the boat, I had climbed back aboard and pulled on a new wetsuit to go a little deeper.  Once the kids were settled with a snack with the other parents watching them, Jeryl joined me.  A moment later, Chrissy joined us.
"Dad said it was alright with them, if it was okay with you guys," she said excitedly.
Jeryl gave me a look and a slight nod.  
"Okay," I said.
Chrissy squealed, and then gave both Jeryl and I a quick hug.
"Paul said you had some Scuba experience," Jeryl said.
"Yeah, I did a two-dive introductory course last year.  It was a present from my Grandfather."
"Good.  They covered the safety aspects of diving?"
"Yes.  They constantly reinforced the need to breathe as normally as possible."
"Good.  Our systems are a little smaller and safer than normal scuba, but those basics are the same."
I was already suited up.  Jeryl used me as her training dummy.
"Our system has a much smaller bottle, since it is only for emergency use."  she pointed to the small cylinder on my back.  It was spun nano-tubes the size of a thermos.  "It has enough air to allow a safe ascent to the surface from thirty meters down with time for safety stops along the way."  
She turned me and pointed to another cylinder of the same size on the other side of my back.  "This is our re-breather.  "It takes air out of the water and provides it for breathing.  It also removes the CO2 from the breath you exhale.  Paul can go through the chemical and engineering process if you are interested, but the key is that you don't need to be tied to the air you are carrying.  Instead, you are limited by the power in here," she pointed to the flat rectangular pack on my back between the two cylinders, "And the physiological effects of being under pressure."
"Cool," Chrissy said.  "So, we still have to dive our plan, but we don't need to worry about how much air we're using?"
"Right," Jeryl said.
"You still use a standard mouth piece," I said as I pulled the small bundle of tubes over my shoulder and held the modified regulator in my hand.  "But, since your exhaled breath is run back through the rebreather, you won't be blowing bubbles all the time."
"If you have to switch to the emergency air," Jeryl said as she pointed to the console, "You push this lever up.  Once it's on, you can't turn it off until you are back at normal air pressure on the surface."
Chrissy nodded.
"We also have computers built into the console, to track your depth profile as well as breathing and other information from the system," I said.
"Any questions on the gear?"  Jeryl asked.
"Um, I know I should ask more, but I'm not sure where to start," Chrissy said.
"Let's suit you up, and ask as you go," Jeryl replied.
She helped Chrissy find a short wetsuit that fit her well and then pulled on her own suit.  Next, I held up the modified buoyancy compensator with the rebreather rig built into the back.  Chrissy wiggled in and Jeryl fastened the front of the BC, pulling the straps snug.  I checked the settings on the system and then opened the valve to the emergency air bottle after making sure the bypass on the console was closed.  By that time, Jeryl was in her own BC.
I walked Chrissy through the buddy checks on Jeryl and then had her check my system under Jeryl's watchful eye.  We checked our masks and snorkels before grabbing our swim fins and moving to the diving platform at the back of the boat.  Our other guests were watching us, and we waved and stepped off one at a time before bobbing behind the boat.
We spent the next hour diving along the reef, enjoying the beauty and wonder of the majestic coral facades and colorful sea life of the incredible ecosystem.  We swam through schools of angelfish and saw dozens of clownfish hiding in the anemone.  I used my small dive light to show the differing colorations of the coral under brighter lights.  Chrissy became enthralled with a curious green turtle that swam along with us for several minutes.  Jeryl had to put a restraining hand on her arm when she tried to follow it.
We were all a little disappointed when my computer chimed and told us it was time to surface.  We made our way back to the boat and sat on the bar hanging below it for ten minutes to let some of the nitrogen forced into our blood to be released and then surfaced one at a time to climb aboard.
"That was incredible," Chrissy said as she mimicked Jeryl in the steps of removing her gear.  "Thank you so much for letting me dive with you.  Can we go again?  Mum, it was so cool.  You should go."  Her mother was watching us from the shade of the salon with a cool drink in her hand.
"You'll have to tell me all about it," Camilla said.  "But I don't think I'll be going under.  I've never really enjoyed going any deeper than where I can get to with a snorkel."
I finished rinsing our gear off with fresh water while Jeryl peeled off her wetsuit.  Chrissy followed her example and managed to wiggle her rear in my face as she pushed the thicker wetsuit off.  It was a delightful sight, but I blushed when Jeryl saw the show I was getting.  
"Come on, Chrissy," Jeryl said.  "We should wash off the sea water.  I've got another suit you might want to try on as well."  She grabbed the teenager's hand and dragged her inside the boat.  
"Thank you for showing an interest in Chrissy," Camilla said as I finished stowing the gear and hosed myself off with the fresh water we used for cleaning gear.  "She was so moody before we left, saying there would be nobody for her to have fun with."
I smiled at her.  "She's a good kid.  You and George should be proud of her."
"Oh, we are, but kids these days are different.  One day she wants to be a movie star, the next a scientist, and then the next a surfer.  I don't think I was that flighty when I was her age."
I laughed.  "Jeryl and I weren't that way either, but I had some friends that were."
Camilla smiled and then shook her head.  "Listen to me.  You were already a millionaire at sixteen, weren't you?  You did something with cars, as I recall."
I laughed.  "That feels like a long time ago, but yes, I made my first million around the time I turned sixteen."
"Not that it's about the money," Camilla added quickly.  
I laughed.  "Jeryl sometimes says it's just a way to keep score."
"Well, Chrissy could have worse role models," her mother said.
"She could do a lot worse in the parents and family category as well," I replied.  The Tarrington's were well established in Sydney.  George, who went by "Bluey" with his bright red hair, was an investment banker with the Macquarie Group.  He was quiet until he got to know you and then could be the life of the party if the mood struck him.  They were both a little older than Jeryl and I but seemed very grounded and down to earth once you got to know them.
"Bluey has said the same thing about Ali.  Thank you so much for bringing us along on this trip.  Jane is going to be so sad when you guys return to the states."
"The world is getting smaller," I said.  "It's three hours from Sydney to Salt Lake City.  Maybe you guys can come visit when we go back.  I bet Jane would love to learn how to ski."
"Oh, she knows.  We try to go to Queenstown once a year for some decent skiing.  Jane started two years ago.  She does alright."
"Then we'll definitely have to arrange a visit.  Spring skiing is what Utah is known for."
Camilla smiled and then Chrissy came rushing out.  
"Mum, look at this suit."  She was wearing a pair of bright yellow boy-shorts that clung to her like a second skin along with a green and yellow bandeau top that barely supported her breasts.  She spun around, showing off her body along with the suit.
Camilla smiled.  "It's very nice.  Make sure you put on sunscreen, though, and a hat."
Chrissy stuck her tongue out at her mother and laughed.  Jeryl came out in a similar suit, but in all black.
"I think your suits are a hit," I said as I gave her a quick kiss.
"They are.  Nike is coming down next week to take a look at them.  If they pass, I might launch the line myself.  I've really enjoyed working on them.  My only problem is fit."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the reason Chrissy is wearing a different top is that the matching one doesn't give her enough support, but the bottoms that go with the top are loose on her.  If I was home, I could make them fit perfectly."  She sighed.  "I guess that's why we use a common color palette, so we can mix and match."
*****
"What are you working on so hard?" Jeryl asked as she sipped her tea from a big mug and looked over my shoulder.  "I haven't seen you this involved in a project for quite a while."
I sat up from my drafting board and glanced at the view down Sydney Harbor before pulling her to my side for a one-armed hug.  We had finished our family vacation on the prior Wednesday, six days ago.
"Your comment about fitting suits got me thinking."
"Oh?  I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.  Were you thinking about the fit of my suit or Chrissy's?" she teased.  While no lines had been crossed, Chrissy had continued to flirt with me throughout the trip.  At some points, I thought Jeryl was encouraging her.  I said as much now.
"Well," Jeryl said with a smile, "Lord knows I got the benefit of her flirting at night.  I thought it was a good trade-off.  I supported her as an older friend, teaching her how to catch a boy's  attention, and I got some incredible sex with the person she got all worked up.  I think that's called a win-win in the business world."
I laughed.
"Anyway, I think with some of the new sensors and software we're making, we can not only solve the fit problems, but maybe even streamline the making of those suits."  I motioned to the drawings.  "This tube is like a perfect fitting room.  You step inside, and the cameras and low-power lasers make precise measurements.  We now have a perfect 3-d model of you.  Based on your suit designs, we can then calculate perfect patterns for the model.  I think, as long as the designs aren't too complex, we could then even have a robot sew the suits for you."
"Wow.  That seems awful extreme for a custom swimsuit," she said.
"Custom is the key word.  I did a little checking.  Custom swimwear could go for over a hundred dollars a suit.  If we're charging that, we can build and pay for this system with a couple of hundred suits.  If we just talk about the measurement side, it's a lot less than that.  Once you have your model, you can send the specs anywhere for sewing," I replied.  
"You can do more than that.  Once you have the model, you can use the measurements for any fully tailored piece.  This has a lot of other potential applications.  Paul, you could change how we think about design, fabrication and fashion with this.  When can you build it for me?" she asked.
I laughed.  "I think I can get all the parts sent down within a week for the measurement side.  I'd probably have someone else build the sewing robots.  I don't have much experience on that end of the problem.
"Aren't you funding some robotics research here with CSIRO?"
"Yes, but I'm not sure what areas."
"Make some calls.  Fund some research.  This could be good for so much more.  This could help us with the suit design problem the Interns uncovered.  It could revamp the protective clothing industry.  Hell, Nike will probably want custom protective sportswear for the NFL if we make this work."
I nodded.  I had been thinking about one problem, while Jeryl immediately saw the bigger opportunity.
"Okay, I'll make some calls and get some gear ordered.  We don't really have a lab here.  I guess we can rent some space."
"No.  We'll clear out a spare bedroom or space in the garage if needed.  I want to work on this with you, and we promised ourselves to be here for the kids.  We'll work from home on this."
"Okay," I said as I gave her a kiss.  "You'll be the boss on this one."
She smiled at me.  "For such a smart guy, you miss the obvious sometimes," she said.
"Oh?"
She gave me a quick kiss on the lips.  "I'm always the boss, mister."
Two weeks later, Jeryl stood in the Lucite tube we had settled on for the measurement area.  The Lucite gave us a sturdy foundation for the various sensors to be mounted and had been easy enough to procure, cut a door section from, and then mount on a padded base.  We had discarded a moving measurement approach and settled on fixed sensors after Tamara had joined the project and pointed out that fixed angles in the sensors could let us optimize certain calculations being performed in the software.
"I'm always amazed at how comfortable Jeryl is in her skin," Tamara said as we checked the connectors on the door before starting the scanning process.  Jeryl had insisted on being nude in the tube.  She wanted a precise model of her body for the tests.
"I'm never surprised, but always appreciative," I said as I glanced at her still trim figure.  "She said the best test of fit would be custom bras.  I'm not sure if she was joking or not."
Tamara shook her head.  "I don't know either, but it's true.  No two women are really alike when it comes to bra fits."
"Okay, we're all set," I said.
"Close your eyes, and hold still," Tamara said as she pressed the scan button on her screen.  Three strobe lights fired in sequence from top to bottom.  Rather than lasers, we had determined specific light patterns could be used to keep cost down and eliminate safety concerns.  
"Lift your arms for the second round," Tamara said a moment later.
Jeryl lifted her arms parallel to the floor and the sequence of flashes fired again.
"Last one, with your feet apart and hands on your hips," Tamara said.
Jeryl moved and the lights flashed.
"One more for me," I said as I opened the door and snapped a picture of my lovely wife au natural.
"Hey, pervert, this is for science," Jeryl said with a smile.
"And this is for the scientist," I teased back, brandishing my phone-camera.
I handed her a robe as she moved around to Tamara's work station and watched the 3-d model render on the screen.
Five minutes after the last flash of light, the printer was producing a pattern for one of her swimsuits.
"Okay, Tamara," Jeryl said.  "Now it's your turn."
"What?"  
"You heard me.  Strip down and get in there.  You'll get a nice new suit to tease Allen in."
"I'll go get a drink," I said when she arched an eyebrow at me.  I came back in in time to see her beautiful back and backside before she stepped out and donned a robe of her own.  She definitely had a fine ass.
"I need some more samples," Jeryl said once another pattern was produced.  "Paul, you're up while Tamara goes to get Allen.  This needs to work for men as well as women."
I grumbled as Tamara laughed, but soon we were both doing as Jeryl directed.  Before the kids made it home from school, Jeryl had all of us scanned.
"What is it, Mommy?" Ali asked as she watched a pattern for Nicole come off the printer.
Jeryl explained. 
"I want a new suit, too, and Jane needs one as well."  
Jane and Chrissy had ridden home with Ali from school.  Chrissy was along to walk Jane home after the girls played for a bit.
"Chrissy will have to call home and check with Jane's mum," Jeryl said.  
"I will," Chrissy said.  "But Mum may come over to get a new suit, too."
Jeryl laughed.  "The more the merrier.  I want a bunch of different body types and suit types patterned, so I know it works.  I've already got quite a pile rags where things weren't quite right."
Ali was already stripping off her school uniform.  She had obviously inherited her mother's 'lack of shyness' genes.  "Hurry up, Chrissy, so Jane can have some fun, too."
We all smiled, and my daughter stepped out of her skirt and pushed her plain white underpants down, before charging into the tube.  Jeryl followed her and showed her the three poses she needed to stand still in for the measurements to be right.  By the time Ali was done, her best friend Jane was stripping down as well.
"Mum said it's alright but did want to come over and see for herself what was going on," Chrissy said.  Ali's suit pattern was printing as a naked Jane listened to Jeryl's instructions.  
"Cool," Ali said as the printer with Jane's pattern started up.  "Can we go swimming now, Mom?"
"Go ahead, dear.  As long as Chrissy or someone is watching."
The girls grabbed their things and raced out of the bedroom we were using as a lab.  Chrissy looked torn but followed them out and we soon heard shrieks and splashes through the open balcony door as they jumped in the pool.  
"Mom!" Jer called from outside.
Jeryl pulled the sliding glass door to the balcony opened the rest of the way and stepped outside to look down two floors to the patio and pool
"What's the matter, Jer?" she called.
"Ali and Jane aren't wearing suits."  Jer was still at the age where he didn't fully understand when suits were needed and when they weren't.
"Is there anyone but family and close friends here?"  Jeryl asked.
"No."
"Then 'no suits' is fine.  You don't have to wear yours if you don't want to."
Jeryl came back in, shaking her head.  "In a few more years, he's going to want nobody in a suit," she said with a smile.  "That will be the start of trouble."
I went to the balcony a few minutes later to check on them as Jeryl went downstairs to greet Camilla.  Jer had opted to keep his swim trunks on.  Chrissy had removed her shoes and knee-high socks and was sitting at the edge of the pool with her feet in the water.  
"Paul, I think Camilla would prefer you go somewhere else for a little bit," Jeryl said as I came back inside.  
Camilla smiled at me and blushed.  She was wearing khaki pants and a blouse and looked the part of a fashionable housewife.
"No problem.  I'll go check on the kids.  Camilla, I hope it's alright that Jane is skinny dipping with Ali."
Camilla laughed.  "It's not like they have to worry about pervs here, right?  Besides, we've all been at least topless down at Bondi in the summer.  No harm has ever come from that."
I headed downstairs and joined Chrissy with my feet in the pool. 
"How's swimming going?" I asked.
Chrissy smiled at me.  "If I had my suit, I'd show you.  I found out that I can add more than a lap every other day.  I think I was just being a little lazy before.  I did twenty-four laps yesterday."
"Good for you.  Make sure you stretch before and after, though.  I don't want you to hurt yourself."
"I won't.  Mum has actually agreed to sign me up for some yoga classes with her.  She thinks that sort of stretching might be good for her, too."
I nodded.  Camilla had encouraged Chrissy and joined us in stretching a few mornings even if she settled for a walk on the beach rather than more strenuous exercise.  By the end of the vacation, Bluey had been joining her for longer walks.
"Jeryl does some yoga as part of her regular workout routine.  Have your mom mention it to her, she might have some advice for finding a place."
"I will."
"You know you could go swimming with them, if you wanted to," I said with a smile.
Chrissy blushed and looked at the two younger girls playing some game in the water.
"Are you going to join me?" she asked brazenly.
"Sure.  I've got a suit on," I replied.
"That's not what I meant."
"Well, your mother, father and my wife might have something to say if we were found skinny dipping together."
"Spoilsport," she teased back.
Anna came out to the pool in a sleek one-piece.  "Paul, I'll watch the kids if you've got better things to do," she said before stepping into the water.
"Good," Chrissy said.  "I want a new suit from that machine.  Come on," she said as she stood and pulled me up by my hand.  Her nicely tanned and muscled legs were highlighted by the plaid school skirt.  I caught a flash of white as she raced ahead of me on the stairs.  She was a very attractive young woman.
Jeryl and Camilla were coming out of the bedroom.  Jeryl was in her robe still while Camilla was dressed again but carrying her shoes and socks.
"Am I too late?" Chrissy asked.
Jeryl smiled.  "No.  Tamara is still in there.  She can help you out."
I saw Chrissy's face fall a little.  "Jeryl, how about you give Chrissy the full treatment and I'll get Camilla a drink while she waits."
Jeryl realized she had somehow let the girl down and nodded.  "Of course.  Actually, I think there might be another pattern I that would be perfect for Chrissy.  You're right, dear."
Jeryl went back in with Chrissy and I took Camilla back downstairs.  We decided on a round of gin and tonics and were settled outside at the pool by the time Jeryl and Chrissy joined us.  Tamara had a tube of patterns in her hand and waved as she headed toward the door.
"I can't really imagine getting naked to shop for clothes," Camilla said as we discussed the pattern maker with them.
"That's just it, Mum," Chrissy said excitedly.  "You get naked once, and as long as you don't change, you can use the digital model for shopping.  Jeryl showed me how it can show exactly what a dress would look like on you before you even try it on."
"And since it will be tailored to you, specifically, trying things on should be a thing of the past."
"And you built that thing since we got back from our little vacay?" Camilla asked.
Jeryl laughed.  "Paul spent a week designing it and then a week waiting for parts as he and Tamara worked on the software.  I've been getting naked in it for the past week as we worked out the kinks."
"I bet Paul hated that," Chrissy said with a smirk.
"She lies," I said.  "Most of the time she was in a swimsuit.  We did some tests in clothing as well, but it really threw off the measurements.  Tamara thinks we may be able to adapt the software, but Jeryl insists nude is best for fit and support."
"It's too bad we have to wait for the sewing," Chrissy said.  "Jeryl told me you're working on robots to sew the patterns.  Think about it Mum, you could step into that tube naked, have a cuppa or two, and then wear a new outfit home.  How cool would that be?"
Camilla shook her head.  "You two are going to take us into another new world, aren't you?" she asked as she looked at Jeryl and I.
What she didn't notice was Chrissy's nodding head.
*****
"Resource scarcity is the greatest threat to mankind," said one of the Interns as the Earth spun in the video.
"Environmental overload is the reason to go to space," said another voiceover.
"You never put all of your eggs in one basket," said the next voice.  "Colonization will give us multiple baskets for all of mankind."
"Our dreams have always traveled the stars.  Exploration has always given new frontiers and opportunities.  It is time for mankind to reach for new frontiers."
The image on the screen dimmed, and the lights came up as we all applauded.  We were in Learmonth watching the screening of the Orbital Interns final presentations.  We had given each team four hours to walk through the details of their plans and explain the reason they felt their proposed missions were the best next steps for our efforts in orbit.  Tom and Billy had not only filmed all of the presentations and discussions, they had also done a rough-cut edit and put together the fifteen-minute summary of each that we had just watched.  All of the teams, including many of the filming crew were in the auditorium we had built at Learmonth.
As the clapping slowed, I stood up and moved to the podium.  While we were still editing the show together, this was our last planned filming.  Starting tomorrow, all of the teams would be heading home for some well-deserved vacation time.
"Thank you all for your wonderful work and inspiring visions of the future," I said as I looked around the room.
"You have all contributed years of your lives to this show and the efforts captured as a part of this show.  You have done groundbreaking, or should I say space breaking, work in your various research fields as well as demonstrated new thought-leadership in solving complex engineering and environmental projects.  Finally, you have all demonstrated to Jeryl and I how wonderfully special you all are.  In many ways, you feel like family after so much time spent together; so many adventures we've had."
There was spontaneous applause and smiles from the crowd.
"We chose to hold this final review in private.  We debated doing a live show when this final episode airs, but decided this private setting was more appropriate.  While I will never consider anyone in this room a loser, there can only be one winning team.  You certainly did not make our judging easy.  At the end of the day, while we had teams constantly changing leaderboard positions, it came down to this, your final presentations, for us to pick a winning team from."
People fidgeted nervously.
"The winning team will become the primary leadership crew on the mission they themselves helped define.  That team will be leading us back to the moon."
Applause erupted as one team stood and hugged each other.  Only one team had planned for a permanent return to the moon.  I paused in my remarks to join in the applause.
"Team Luna, please come down here," I said.  Jeryl joined me as the team of one woman and three men joined us by the podium.
"Team Luna," Jeryl said to the grinning team.  "You have set a goal for our company and all of mankind to return to the moon and establish a permanent presence there within the next forty-eight months.  As part of your plan, you will also be establishing larger orbital manufacturing facilities for use by both our company and our partners.  Paul and I look forward to working with you on this endeavor."
With that, she gave each team member a hug and I gave each a handshake.  Meagan Light, the only woman on the team turned my handshake into a hug.  She barely came up to my shoulder, but nearly broke a rib with her hard squeeze.
"We decided," I continued after returning to the podium, "to not announce our final standings, since we really feel Team Luna is but the first amongst equals.  You all did a wonderful job and presented well thought-out plans for your own missions.  One of the details you all proposed was a larger manufacturing and research base in orbit.  As such, Jeryl and I have decided to name a section of that station for each the other teams.  While Team Luna will take us back to the moon, "Astra Station" will recognize the Castor, Pollux, and Artemis sections in honor of the other three teams from the Orbital Interns."
Everyone politely clapped once again.
"Finally, while we've been deliberating on this difficult decision, you all have had a little time to relax and let us know what you wish to do in the future.  I'm very happy to say that all of you want to stay with the company."
People laughed.  During the course of the show, everyone had said they saw their futures in orbit, somewhere.
"Team Artemis, has asked to be kept together to continue working on the ecological and environmental efforts they started on the show.  In addition to the lab space that will be set aside in Astra Station for their research, they will also be opening an Earth-side research lab right here in Learmonth, where I'm certain a wide range of environmental researchers will be joining them as they apply learning from space to problems here at home."  The four women from the team hugged each other and accepted congratulations from their friends.
"Team Castor," I motioned for the all-male team to rise.  "I understand there was a lot of discussion about remaining together, but in the end, you all decided you would rather join other teams to share your unique knowledge and experience across the company as we continue to expand in orbit.  You have my full support.  The list of teams working on orbital aspects is long, so you will each have a challenge in front of you as you have to choose where to work.  I look forward to seeing the impact you have across the company."
"Finally, Team Pollux," I said as the final team rose.  "Team Pollux has decided to split up as well, but not all of them.  Instead of being a fearsome foursome, they are becoming two couples.  Michael Jensen and Ashley Davis have decided to pursue their passion for Environmental Engineering together.  They will take up leadership of the team designing the habitation systems for Astra station."
Everyone applauded.  
"Jyl Salaway, my spinster sister," I teased.  "Will continue her research on the physiological effects of living in low gravity.  I believe her research will be used by everyone in orbit, if not now, then in the near future.  Personally, I'm grateful for her passion and commitment to helping us all stay healthy in space."
Again, everyone clapped.
"And, finally, there's Collin Morrison," I said as I pointed at the handsome engineer standing next to Jyl.  "Collin has asked for a yearlong study project to improve the shielding on our orbital habitats.  He has also decided that the best way to get ahead is to marry the boss's spinster sister."  Everyone hooted and clapped as I made the announcement.  Once the ribbing died down a little, I added, "And Jeryl and I are very happy to welcome him to the family.  Congratulations to you both!"



Chapter Forty-Seven
And Back Up, Again
*****
"I can't believe this," Jeryl said as we watched a live broadcast of the election results from the states.  The estimated electoral counts had shifted one-way, then the other as polls and surveys were published leading up to today.  While we had kept track of the campaigning, watching and waiting for the final outcome was still going to be an emotional roller coaster.
"How many is that?" I asked as Massachusetts flashed from gray to blue, indicating a democratic victory.
"Twelve electoral votes," Allen said.  "That puts Al and Kelly in the lead."
While their campaign was officially the Gore/Daniels campaign, they had embraced the more casual "Al and Kelly" moniker in the fall to position them as more hip and less stodgy than their Republican rivals.  They had immediately picked up several points with younger voters.
"How many to go?" Tamara asked.
"They need 270 to win.  They've got twenty-four right now," Allen answered.
"They'll get California, for sure, right?"  Jeryl said.  
I nodded.  "They should, but the Republicans are going to sweep the mid-west aside from Illinois."
Jeryl laughed.  "Yes, I'm sure the Chicago machine will make certain the democratic turnout is high."
"What about Florida?"  Tamara asked.  "If they clinch it, they'll win."
"Only time will tell.  It's going to be a couple of hours," I said.  "Shouldn't we be doing a little work today?  Last time I checked, November Eighth isn't a holiday."
Allen and Tamara looked at each other sheepishly.  We had gotten back from Learmonth on Monday, two days ago and just generally been relaxing since then.
"Come on, it's a workday and we have things to get ready for next week, don't we?  Working will make the time fly.  By the end of the day, the dust should be settled, and we'll know if we're travelling to DC in January."
Tamara smiled.  "You're travelling to DC in January, anyway.  You've already got meetings scheduled with the Pentagon and NASA.  The only real question is if the family will be going along for some big parties."
I laughed and shook my head at the same time.  "Okay, that's true.  In the meantime, how about you two get some work done."
Allen nodded and looked at his watch.  "We've actually got meetings at CSIRO this afternoon on their new take on the RPV design for use in orbit."
I perked up.  "That sounds interesting.  I didn't think I had that meeting on my calendar."
"You don't," Jeryl said.  "You're helping me with a special project today.  In fact, we've only got an hour or so to get ready for it."
"Uh-oh," I said.  "Special project having something to do with fashion?"
Jeryl smiled.  "See, you are learning.  Tamara, will you be back by three?"
Tamara glanced at her own schedule.  "I should be.  I'm with Allen until two and then have to stop by the offices downtown to pick up some reports.  Lila and Hunter should be coming out to the house with me then.  It might be closer to four," she said with a frown.  "It all depends on traffic."
"Four will be fine but try to be back sooner.  We'll see you then."
I muted the television and cleaned up the table from our morning coffee and tea.  My morning briefings had changed in Australia, to be more informal over coffee, tea, scones and sometimes the morning news.
"So, what's this special project?" I asked.
"Jyl's stopping by.  You'll be taking Collin to lunch while I get her measured in the tube."
"Why?"
"Two reasons," Jeryl said.  "First, I've arranged for her wedding dress to be made by hand from my pattern.  I've been working with a designer here and I think she is going to love it.  The designer will be over in about an hour.  She's almost as excited as I am with the pattern making software."
"And?" I asked.
"And, I think we can use the measurements to make a new type of space-suit.  Jyl and I were discussing it last week.  She has a problem with fit and joint ballooning.  I think a custom fit sleeve might be the answer."
"So, Collin and I will be chit-chatting while you two do serious engineering?  We are both pretty good at that sort of thing, you know?"
"Well, I suppose you can help with that part, but you can't see the dress designs.  Collin has to be surprised.  Nicole will be making sure you don't come home too soon.
I shook my head but went along.  Collin and I went out for lunch and began to go over some of his research.  We then got into a detailed discussion of some of Dr.  McTavish's magnetic field research.  That lead us into a conversation on the materials research, and some of the problems with high-energy particle radiation in orbit, and how that might be leveraged in his work.  The afternoon flew past.  Around one, Nicole told me it was time to head home.  By the time we walked inside, the ladies were all finished, and Collin and I were told to change.
"Change for what?"  I asked.
"We're having a party to see the results," she said.  "Three P.M.  here is eleven o'clock Eastern.  Everyone is coming over in the next hour to watch with us."
"Everyone?  I asked."
"Get changed.  Put on the suit I laid out for you."  I noticed she was already in a lovely blue cocktail dress.  As usual, she looked classically chic.
Guests were arriving as I came back downstairs.  Philip, who I was not even aware was in the country, let alone our house, was serving drinks.  With his usual smile, he handed me a gin and tonic.
"Good to see you, Philip.  I guess this is going to be a bigger party than Jeryl let on."
He laughed.  "I don't know," he said.  "She told me to plan on a hundred and make it good enough for friends and family."
"That means only the best, right?"
He nodded and went back to the bar.  Jeryl came up beside me and grinned.
"You thought we'd be sitting around the TV having a drink, didn't you?"
"I did.  You surprised me.  I thought we were keeping things low-key here."
"We've made some nice friends living down here.  None of them have really turned out to be gold-diggers or bores.  There is a good chance your sister is going to become the first female Vice President of the United States today.  I thought we should go all out.  Besides, this house was made for entertaining."
I nodded.  It really was designed for a party.  I was about to say something when the next guests arrived.
"Bluey, Camilla, I'm so glad you could make it," Jeryl said.  "And who is this beautiful young lady?" she asked as Chrissy stepped out from behind her parents.  She was as lovely as ever but dressed in a black cocktail dress that made her look closer to twenty than sixteen.  She really was lovely with just a hint of makeup.  She blushed as she caught me staring at her.
"Chrissy said you invited her," Camilla said with a smile.  "She said you even made the dress she's wearing.  Isn't it lovely, Paul?"  She asked.
"It's fabulous.  Is this the special surprise you two were working on last week?" I asked.  
Chrissy nodded.  Jeryl took her by the arm.  "It looks perfect," she said.  "There is someone I want to make sure you meet when they get here," she led the girl away while I ushered Bluey and Camilla to the bar.  Soon we all had drinks and were looking at one of the news shows.  They were talking about the record voter turnout in the election.
"You blokes get to decide if you vote?"  Bluey asked.  "That never made sense to me.  Here, we have to vote.  That way we know the winner truly has a majority."
"I know.  The kicker is, that the popular vote doesn't even decide it.  The popular vote in each state decides who gets that state's electoral votes.  The candidate needs 270 out of the 538 electoral votes to win."
"So, your sister's ticket could win the popular vote, but still lose the election?" Camilla asked.  
"It's possible.  That hasn't happened in modern times.  Harrison and Hayes had that happen in the 1800's, I think."
Over the course of the next hour, our house filled with staff and friends.  The kids were kept occupied around the pool and the adults mingled between news updates either near the bar or in the large entertainment and movie room downstairs.  It was the most people we had hosted in the house since my initial visit to Australia many months before.
"ABC is declaring California for Al and Kelly," Jeryl said excitedly.  
I turned to look at the screen as California flashed from gray to blue and the electoral vote counts shifted.  Beneath the campaign picture of Al Gore and Kelly, jumped to 291.  Our friends and family cheered, and I saw Philip pop the cork on a bottle of Champagne.
I made my way outside to a quiet corner and pulled out my phone.  Kelly actually answered on the second ring.
"Congratulations, sis!"
"My God, Paul!  Can you believe it?"  Her voice was a mix of elation and fatigue.
"I can.  I'm pretty sure Gore wouldn't have won without you, so don't forget that."
"I thought we were a long shot.  I couldn't believe it when Florida came in for us."
"I knew you could do it all along.  I know you're going to be swamped in a few minutes, but I wanted to call and give you my and Jeryl and the kid's love."
"It's crazy here.  Mom and Dad are around somewhere, let me get them for you."
"Don't bother.  I'll talk to them later.  I just wanted to be among the first to congratulate you.  You did a great job, Kelly.  We all love you."
I ended the call and went back inside to find Jeryl and the kids.  Ali and Jer were excited to see Aunt Kelly on TV even if they didn't quite understand the importance of the news.  
Alcohol continued to flow, tempered by excellent finger foods prepared under Philip's expert supervision, as we listened first to Bob Dole's concession speech and then Al Gore's speech.  Kelly was on the podium with him and we saw Mom and Dad in several of the shots, beaming proudly at Kelly.  By the time things wound down on television, we were all ready for the weekend, but it was only going to be Thursday.  Jer was invited to spend the night with his friend Scott at the Anderson's.  Anna packed a small bag for him and then agreed to watch Ali and Jane, who was now spending the night at our house.
The adults were enjoying the sunset over Sydney Harbor, conversing in small groups.  I was surprised to see Chrissy by Jeryl, with a glass of white wine in her hand.
"Are you sure you're old enough for that?" I asked in mock disapproval as I stepped up behind her.
Instead of the jump I expected, she turned slowly, lifted the glass to her lips, took a sip and looked me in the eye.  "Yes, sir.  I'm certain I'm old enough for this, among other things."
Jeryl laughed.  "Her mother said it was alright," she added.
Chrissy laughed as well and then gave Jeryl a quick hug.  "Thank you so much for this dress and inviting me tonight," she said with more of her youthful exuberance.  "I can't believe you got me an audition."
"Audition?" I asked.
"More of a casting call," Jeryl said with a wave of her own hand.  "Carry-Anne was here earlier.  Her modeling agency is handling the show at the end of the month for the suits.  I told her I had someone in mind for one look."
I glanced at Chrissy.  She was beaming.  "I'm going to get a chance to be a model.  You are so cool, Jeryl."
Jeryl smiled.  "It was nothing.  I do think you'll look perfect in the suit I've got in mind.  If Carry-Anne agrees, then you'll be on the runway.  Who knows, maybe she'll sign you for more than one show."
*****
"Who's Jeryl's adoring fan?" Billy asked with her signature sarcastic smile as she climbed into a Range Rover for the trip to the airport.
"That is Chrissy," I explained.  "Usually she is in school, but you happened to stop in on a Sunday the week before the big show, so you got to see her trying to become Jeryl's second assistant."
"Second assistant?"
I nodded and explained.  Ever since Chrissy had gotten picked to be in Jeryl's show, she had taken it upon herself to become Bridgette's gopher.  Bridgette was the show coordinator Carry-Anne had assigned to Jeryl for her runway show.  
"Well, at least she isn't trying to become your fourth assistant," she teased.
"That would be your job, wouldn't it?" I replied.
She swatted my arm.  She had matured over the seven years I'd known her.  
"Speaking of jobs," she said after a moment.  "What have you got for me?  You promised something new for the show and I need to get going on planning and candidate selection."
"That's what we're doing.  I want you to see the idea first hand."
"Christ, if we were going to the airport, why didn't you just meet me out there?"
"Sorry, I probably could have, but we get the kids off to school and then have my morning meeting over coffee at the house usually.  I'm trying to keep that schedule as much as possible."
She gave a dramatic sigh.  "You'll just have to make it up to me.  Where are you jetting me off to for pampering and ravishment?"
I laughed.  "Pampering, maybe.  Ravishment, I reserve for my wife."
"Okay, I guess a little pampering will be enough.  Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
Soon we were at the private hangar we kept my personal GOT in.  The gleaming craft was already pushed out and the steps were down waiting for us.  We boarded and settled in as the door was closed and the stewardess ran over the safety briefing.
"You keep a full crew on standby, now?" Billy asked.
"It saves time.  I try to give them at least a day's notice, so it's not like they are sitting around the hangar waiting for me.  I've been making some day trips up to Learmonth and points beyond for the past several months.  I can see the kids off to school and make it home before bedtime for most of them."
"Wow.  I guess that is handy."
We kept quiet during the taxi and takeoff.  Thirty minutes later, we were landing on Hamilton Island in the Coral Sea, surrounded by Great Barrier Reef.  A helicopter was waiting for us, and we were soon flying above the reef, circling several of the scenic beaches.
"What do you think?" I asked over the intercom system.
"It's spectacular.  What does it have to do with the show?"
"I told you I'm thinking about something different.  This year, I think we should shift the focus away from the pure science and engineering aspects and get them involved with the environment."
"Here?" Billy asked.
"And elsewhere.  I think we should give them a season long series of challenges that have a common theme.  I was thinking of 'Our Living Oceans' as a working sub-title.  We would have them spend a little time training over at Learmonth, and then drop them on one of these islands with good kit.  They would have competitive tasks related to gathering data and specimens."
"I'd have to see what sort of challenges they would have.  Science is boring for television, Paul.  You know that."
Unfortunately, I knew she was right.  
"Okay, then how about this?  We set up the challenges along a quest to trace the hydro cycle from the rainforest over there--" I pointed toward the coast-- "To the reef here.  We have them collect water samples along the way.  The samples are part of each challenge, but the science happens off-screen."
"What about business aspects?  Half our candidates and viewership come from people interested in business and learning from you and Jeryl."
"Hold that thought," I said as we came in to land in a sheltered lagoon.  The large pontoons of the helicopter allowed us to float as a smaller boat pulled up alongside.  We managed to climb out without going for a swim and were soon standing on the warm beach sand near a shelter I had flown in the day before.
"Here's your pampering," I said with a smile.  The shelter was one of our standard tropical kits from Innovative Environs.
"How is this pampering?  I've probably spent more nights in one of these than you have."
"Well, you can change into a suit out here then, and I'll go inside."
"Not so fast, mister," she said as she stepped in front of me to block the door.  "Why do I need a suit?"
"Hey, if you want to skinny dip while we scout the reef, feel free."
She laughed and then went inside to change.  I just dropped my shorts and moved to the shade of the trees where our rebreathers and wet suits were hung.  I had put my suit on under my shorts that morning.  Billy joined me a few minutes later.
"So, what business aspects?" she asked.
"How about this gear?"
She did a double-take and looked more closely.  "These are different than the ones we used last year on the show."  She picked up the BC with the built-in rebreather.  "It's about half the weight."
"Good guess.  We actually managed to reduce it by fifty-one percent.  That's mostly battery weight.  At the same time, we extended the life by a factor of two."
"But physiological affects still limit your bottom time, right?"
"Definitely, for surface dives.  But what would you think about setting up an underwater hotel at ten or twenty meters depth?  Would that be a good enough challenge for you?"
"Here?"  
"Possibly, but if we do it right, the goal will be zero impact eco resorts.  Maybe one here on the beach, one out there under the water, one up in the rainforests where the adventure starts?  The scenery here is incredible.  With cheaper, faster flights, this could become a vacation paradise."
"Or it could get totally overrun and destroyed," she countered.
"That's why I want to make sure we are doing it right.  If we build awareness of the ecosystems at the same time we create a desire for tourism, we could change attitudes and standards for exploring our world."
Billy looked at me but did not yet agree.  "Let's look at the scenery under the water and then talk some more."
Nearly ninety minutes later, we were sitting in folding beach chairs in front of the shelter.  The sea life and underwater beauty had sold her on the idea.  "So, you guys are going to be coming here for quite some time, I guess."
I surprised her by shaking my head.  "Not as much as you think.  That's the other thing we want to discuss with you and Tom.  Jeryl and I are probably going to minimize our camera time going forward.  Instead we want prior Interns to take a stronger position.  In fact, I want Tamara to be the host of the show next year."
*****
"We are so very excited to have you and your wife holding this show," Dr.  Markham said as we settled into our seats before the runway set up along the pond of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney.  "Our students are just mad about your scanner.  This is so exciting," she concluded.
"We did not expect it to be quite this big of an event," I admitted to the fashionably dressed academic sitting next to me.  She was the chair of the Design and Communications department, which was as close to a degree in fashion that the school had.  I suspected we would be endowing something more in tune with Jeryl's desire to foster fashion here in the near future.
My wife had not wanted to just show her own work, which Nike had loved.  She also wanted to show the world a new way to think about fashion, design and construction of garments.  To that end, she had shared our 3-D scanner and software with the University of New South Wales School of Art and Design.  A quick design contest had resulted in designers from different years being picked and letting them use the machines under Jeryl and Tamara's guidance to create designs.  With the second and third prototype fabrication robots, a two-week creative competition had been set up.  
Nike had insisted on helping sponsor the event, along with DuPont.  Once corporate interests were involved, the news leaked out and fashion reporters from around the world had flocked to Sydney and clamored for tickets to what had initially been set up as a fund-raising event for the school.
Billy had stayed on and sent for a crew from the show to capture as much on film as possible.  Jeryl was the belle of the ball, but I was stuck playing nice with the leaders from the school as zero hour approached.  Luckily, Camilla had insisted on coming and helping with Ali and Jane.  Jer was home with Anne.
Finally, the music started, ending the possibility of idle talk and everyone around us found their seats and quieted in anticipation.
The music paused and Daryl Somers, an Australian television personality locally famous for hosting "Hey, Hey, It's Saturday", a long running variety show, took the stage to applause.
"Thank you all for coming out today, for this very special, very exciting, show," he said.  "I know you are all interested in seeing some lovelies walking down the runway, but first I wanted to thank the generous sponsors of the show and take a moment to tell you all about what is really driving the excitement."
"Nike and the DuPont company made this show possible," he said.  "Additionally, a partnership between our very own CSIRO and Paul Taylor made the machines responsible for the outfits you are about to see.  These incredible outfits did not exist even two weeks ago," he said with a voice of astonishment.  "In fact, they did not exist beyond sketches even a week ago.  You see, this is the first show to feature outfits that were designed exclusively for the models by a new generation of designers, using new technology where the clothes are made to order, as soon as the designer finishes their design.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you 'Fashion on Demand'."
The music kicked back in and he walked back through the surround of the stage at the start of the runway.  The pulsing beat picked up in intensity and the first student designer began their show.
Jeryl had worked out the parameters with the school and the students.  Each designer would have time to create six looks to walk the runway.  They were not introduced to their models until two days ago.  The scanner and robots had been hard at it for the past forty-eight hours, turning out garments in a random rotation, allowing the designers to apply finishing touches and embellishments to their design without having to do the core fabrication.  The result was an interesting mix of sleek styles.
Even though I was hardly well versed in fashion, I thought the first three students did very well.  The forth went over the top.  The dresses were obviously by the same designer, but the collection as a whole had real impact.  Camilla seemed to agree as she smiled past the two girls who were enthralled by the show.
The fifth collection was all appropriate for the red carpet.  The gowns mixed form-fitting elegance with drama.  I knew that half of the models were students who were anything but size zero toothpicks the regular fashion world loved.  However, every model had a perfect fit in their dress or outfit.  It was really remarkable if you thought about the variety of shapes walking the runway.
The music changed again after the final student show and Daryl's voice came over the P.A.  system.  "And now, for our show finale, with special thanks to our sponsors, I give you the Sea Breeze collection from Nike."
The music paused and then resumed with a different cadence.  The first model appeared, strutting out with a steady gate, showing her long legs and the high-cut one-piece swimsuit in green and gold.  Her tanned skin and blonde hair highlighted the cut of the suit as she walked the runway.  Half way down, the lighting changed, warming to simulate full sunlight, and the suit shimmered showing blue instead of green with the gold turning translucent.  The crowd inhaled at the effect, unsure of what they were seeing.  Before they could register what was happening, the next model appeared.
This one was in another one-piece, but in black and silver.  When she hit the lighting change, the middle of the suit faded, giving her the appearance of a bikini.  Again, the crowd reacted as Jeryl had hoped they would.  The show continued with a mix of one and two-piece suits along with a few cover-ups that had the same shimmering affect with translucent panels revealed in the simulated sunlight.  
Chrissy was the last model, and she was spectacular.  Instead of a swim suit, she was wearing a black gown with a modest neckline and sleeves.  As she hit the lighting change, the gown seemed to shrink with the sleeves, shoulders and cleavage area becoming transparent, along with the plunging back and the now obvious slit up one leg.  The dress was completely transformed with the effect, changing from demure to provocative in an instant.
By the time the models came back out with Jeryl in tow, the crowd was on its feet applauding.  I picked up Ali as Camilla held Jane's hand.  I made pleasant noises to Dr.  Markham as we stepped down the aisle and headed back stage.  Nicole joined us and got us through security without any fuss.  
The models were clustered around Jeryl, hugging her in turn.  I spotted a couple of the Nike and DuPont folks watching with huge smiles.
"Mommy, that was so cool," Ali said as she wiggled out of my arms and ran to Jeryl
Jeryl laughed.  "I'm glad you liked it, Ali.  Did Chrissy look nice?" she asked as Jane rushed Chrissy.
"She looked as beautiful as you do on TV, Mommy," our daughter said.
"Chrissy, you looked stunning," Camilla added as she gave her daughter a hug.  "Did you have fun?"
"Mum, it was amazing," Chrissy said as she held Jane's hand.
Ali moved over and grabbed Chrissy's free hand.  
I glanced around and saw Billy interviewing one of the student designers.  Two photographers were flanking a fashionable woman as she approached.  She had long blonde hair and a narrow face with a high forehead.  Jeryl stepped up and shook her hand.
"Paul, this is Nancy Pilcher, the editor-in-chief of Australian Vogue," she said.
I shook her hand.  "A pleasure to meet you, ma'am," I said.
She smiled.  "Was this really all put together in less than a week?" she asked as she waved her hand across the back-stage madness as models laughed with each other.  
"Well, the clothes were, even if the show was planned for a little longer.  Would you like to see?" Jeryl asked with a glint in her eye.  
I knew where she was going.  We had built two scanners into trailers along with one of the robot sewing machines when we invited the student designers to participate.  I shook my head and made small talk with a few fans of our show before seeing Jeryl return.  Nancy was in a different outfit.  It was of similar cut to the pantsuit she had been wearing, but instead of the white, collared shirt she had on before, she now wore a straight cut neckline t-shirt made of the shimmering gray material.  
Her photographers were snapping pictures as she walked and chatted with Jeryl.
"That really is amazing," she said as the reached us.  "And half of those models weren't models?"  We had printed some interesting facts in the show program.  She had obviously read it.
"More than half of them have never walked a runway before," Jeryl admitted.
"But they were all so confident," Nancy said.
"Perfectly fitted clothes give you confidence," Chrissy said.
Jeryl performed introductions.  "Chrissy is a family friend.  She was one of the first test subjects who volunteered to help us get the fittings right in the software.  This was her first runway show as well."
"You look lovely, dear," Nancy said.  "And you did walk with confidence.  How old are you?"
"I just turned seventeen.  I think this might have been a birthday gift from Paul and Jeryl."
Jeryl and I laughed.  "More of a thank you," Jeryl said. 
"I must say, this whole thing has caught us at the magazine by surprise.  Would you be willing to spend a little time with one of our staff reporters and a photographer?" She asked Jeryl.
"Of course," Jeryl said.
"I'd like them to interview you as well, Chrissy.  I can almost see that quote being the title of the article.  'Perfectly fitted clothes give us confidence'.  It's just the type of statement that we like to make at the magazine."
I smiled as the women beamed.  I had a sneaking suspicion she wanted to scoop the parent publication in New York as well.
*****
"Mother, stop, please," Chrissy pleaded.  
Camilla had been teasing her about chasing boys in the states.  We were getting ready to climb aboard the GOT and head back to Park City.  Our time in Australia was over for a while.  Ali had begged us to let Jane come skiing.  Camilla had agreed, but only if Chrissy went along to chaperon the younger girl.  Once that had been agreed to, Camilla started wondering who would be chaperoning Chrissy!  She and Jeryl had made sure Chrissy's ego remained under control after being shot for the cover of Australian Vogue.  In the end, Camilla admitted that there were more than enough strong-willed women around our house to keep a teenager in check.
"Are you sure you and Camilla don't want to come along," I asked Bluey as the women said their goodbyes.  
"Nah, give us a break from the girls for a week or two.  Spoil them with skiing and we'll just relax in our terrible weather."
I laughed as he looked up at the clear blue sky and held his hands out to bask in the warm sun.  His sarcastic sense of humor suited me well.
"Besides, with all the sheilas around, you'll probably be hopping down under to watch a bit of footy with me before you know it."
I laughed again.  "That does not sound like a bad idea, my friend."
We shook hands as Nicole informed the ladies, again, that it was time to go.  All too soon, we were aboard and taxiing.  Three hours later, we were shocked by the cold air as we deplaned.  Sanford greeted us with heavy jackets and a warm car after we cleared customs.  The drive up to Park City was exciting for the girls who had left the middle of summer and been dropped into a winter wonderland with Christmas lights decorating houses and trees.  They 'oohed and ahhed' as Jeryl showed them the house and Mrs.  Eccles settled them with hot chocolate in front of our own Christmas tree.
The next day was shopping for ski gear for our guests and a new set for Ali and Jer who had grown.  After lunch, we all headed out to the slopes.  The kids joined a ski-school group who had just finished their lunch break.  All three of them were at least good enough for the class.  Jeryl and I took Chrissy out on a few green runs to make sure she was comfortable.  By the time we picked up the younger kids, we were all tired.
"Oh, I don't think swimming is the right way to get in shape for skiing," Chrissy said as we took off our ski boots.  Jeryl laughed and hung her coat in the locker before pulling off her ski pants and hanging them by her jacket.  She helped Chrissy remove her things as well.
"New Diamond Skins, I see," I said.  Nike and DuPont had thinned the material again.  While it kept its impact absorbing and insulating characteristics, it was now thin enough to appear nearly translucent.  Chrissy's breasts and nipples were visible through the material.
"Eeep," Chrissy said as she covered herself with her hand.  
Jeryl laughed and swatted at her.  "You didn't cover up the last time you came over swimming," she teased.  "It's no big deal with family and friends."
Somehow Jeryl had convinced Chrissy and Camilla to swim without suits the last time they were over in Sydney.  She hadn't bothered to tell them I was upstairs working on our balcony and able to enjoy the show.  Chrissy had discovered me when I went downstairs to get a drink.  She really was a lovely young woman.
I shook my head as she dropped her hand than then did a slow turn to show off.  
"Don't be mean about it," Jeryl quipped.  "Come on up and I'll let you use our soaking tub.  That will relax those muscles.  Paul, you can shower in the office."
"Yes, dear," I said.  They laughed and headed upstairs.  
After an early dinner, Jeryl nearly dragged me to bed.  No sooner was our bedroom door closed than she was kissing me and pulling her top off.  I lowered my head to kiss her neck and then worked my way down to her breasts.  
"Oh, Paul," she moaned as I tongued her nipples.  
She pushed me away long enough to pull off my own shirt and then fumbled with my pants before pushing them down and dropping to her knees to engulf my cock with her mouth.  I was already hard but grew harder at her enthusiastic sucking.  As she pressed her nose against my stomach and my dick entered her throat, I knew she wanted my first orgasm to be quick.  Gently holding her head, I thrust into her eager mouth.  She moaned around my cock and the buzz of her throat pulled me over the edge.  I spurted repeatedly down her throat as I held her face against me.  
She pulled off slowly, licking me as she did.  I was still hard by the time she sat back, stood and pushed her own pants down.  
"That was a good start, but now get your ass on that bed," she demanded.  Who was I to argue?
A moment later, she was straddling me.  Slowly she lowered her hot, moist snatch on my cock.  She laid down on my chest once I was fully seated inside her.  Gently, she began rocking her pelvis, thrusting my dick deeper into her.
"Oh, Paul, you feel so good."
I palmed her breasts as she sat up some and ground against me, rubbing her clit down hard.  She flexed her inner muscles, clenching me in time with her own thrusts, trying to force me to come again, but I was at least partially sated from her spectacular blowjob.  
"Oh, I love the way you fill my pussy," she said.  "I love you so much, you wonderful man."  She shifted to a more up and down motion, bouncing on top of me as her own orgasm approached. 
"Oh God!" she moaned as I pinched her nipples lightly and she came.  I felt her shudder around my cock and then pulled her down into a hug, pressing her tits against my chest.  As the shudders slowed, I began thrusting.  Once she began moving with me again, I rolled us over and lifted her legs with the crook of my arms.  Her legs spread wider and I pushed deeper into her.  
""That's it, lover," she said.  "Fuck me harder.  Fuck me good."
I kept thrusting, varying my pace to keep her on a long slow, build up.  Despite my best efforts, I felt her pussy clench me again as another orgasm overtook her.  I fucked through her spasms, as she came again.
"Oh, lover, keep that up, fuck my pussy like you want to fuck Chrissy's, fuck me Paul!"
The words evoked images of me fucking Chrissy while Jeryl licked her magnificent tits.  Suddenly I was coming again.  I thrust into my wife, thinking of our teenage guest with her long blonde hair and deeply tanned legs.  
*****
"Thank God that is all over," I said as we settled into our seats on the GOT to head home from Washington.  
Jeryl shook her head at me and made sure the kids were buckled in while Tamara, Allen, Billy and Tom found their own seats.  Nicole was the last aboard.  Twenty minutes later, we were off on our fifty-four-minute flight to Salt Lake City.  We would actually land before we took off due to the two-hour time difference.  
"How did your other meetings go?" Jeryl asked.
We had done the inauguration events to support Kelly, but I had then been stuck in another day of meetings with the Pentagon and NASA over orbital delivery schedules.  
"Frustrating.  NASA has big plans, but no budget.  DoD has budget, but no enemy to prepare for.  Both of them think I can influence the new President while at the same time believing I can drum up support from the GOP."
"So, typical politics," Jeryl asked with a smile.
I laughed.  "I guess so."
"What else is on deck for the next few weeks?" Jeryl asked.
"Billy and I have to finalize the challenges and firm up the shooting schedule," Tom said from across the aisle.  
"We need that to line up the guest judges and mentors as well," Jeryl added.  "Paul and I want as many former contestants as possible to be on the show."
"I'm worried about the ratings hit," Tom said.  "You guys are a major draw, you know."
I nodded.  "We'll be on as much as we can, but not every week, at least not both of us."
"What do you have cooking?" Billy asked.
"I need to spend a little more time with Thomas on some of the materials formulations.  He's doing some very interesting things in the orbital lab.  If we're going to hit our timeline for Astra Station, we need to finish up some work that I have to review.  Besides, Jeryl is the real attraction.  This year will boost her ratings for sure," I teased.
"No one will look at me if Tamara is helping out," Jeryl said.  "She'll be the thing bringing in male viewers."
Allen laughed.  "So long as they are only watching her, not chasing her."
"So, the first show is still planned for Learmonth?" Billy asked.
"Yes.  We need to get the safety items out of the way, but the challenge there is not defined yet.  We want them to be in the rainforest by the second show," Jeryl said.
"I've got an idea for the first challenge, but I'm not sure the timing will work out.  How long are the safety items and the acclamation course?"
"Right now, we're schedule for four days.  That includes travel to Learmonth."
"How about we plan the first challenge as a short survival course in the bush?  Set them up with some of the new gear and let them use it on camera.  Then we take them straight from their field test into the rainforest?"
"We can make that work, but it doesn't seem like a big opening show from a drama perspective," Billy said.
"What if their survival course starts with a test of the new lifeboats from orbit?" I asked with a smile.
Everyone looked at me.
"That sounds dangerous," Tom said.
"It is.  I wasn't sure we'd have the capsules officially man-rated in time.  That's why I hesitated to commit to it."
"So, they are man-rated now?" Billy asked.
"They will be next month."
Billy grabbed her notebook and flipped to her shooting schedule.  "Four days in-briefing and then we hop to Kenya for a launch?" she asked.
"Or we lift from Learmonth in the GOT.  The station is in its operating envelope."
"Really?" Tom asked.  "Why aren't you using it for missions up to the station already then?"
I grinned.  "We will be next week."
"So, we have them perform a simulated abort from orbit, land in the outback, and practice their survival skills for a couple of days?"
"Yes, except there is nothing simulated about returning from orbit.  We get a full first-person experience with the gear on the lifeboat and the interns come together in their teams."
"That would be a lot of drama for the show," Billy admitted.
"And I'll be on one of the lifeboats while Tamara is on the other.  Once we land, we set the challenge and Tamara and I leave until the two days are up.  Then Tamara takes over as the primary host with Jeryl and I filling in here and there."
Jeryl gave me a slightly worried look.  "Is it safe?"
"If it wasn't, we could hardly use the interns as guinea pigs.  One of us needs to be on the lifeboats."
"That gets us to seven days for the first episode," Billy said, trying to get us back to her point of finalizing the schedule.
"The second episode can be less than a week.  It's really intended to be an introduction to the hydro cycle data collection, and the opportunity for ecological tourism.  The challenges are setting up the automated sample stations in the remote areas.  Since we haven't done it before, they might need some extra time on those tasks."
"We can handle a two-day swing on episodes two through five.  That will get them offshore and to the reef."
Jeryl nodded.  "And episodes six through nine are on the water habitat, right?"
"Yes," Billy replied.
"Well, it sounds like we have a plan to get things moving.  I think you two can flesh it out in the next month," Jeryl concluded.  "What else are you working on, Paul?"
There were some things I wasn't ready to share with everyone, so decided to hedge.  "Orbit with Thomas next week, and then I need a little lab time in Nevada.  After that, I've got a couple of field tests.  In April, we need to start thinking about Nike again.  Their contract is up at the end of the year."
Jeryl smiled.  "That will be easy, as long as we don't get greedy.  They can't afford to let us take our offerings someplace else."
It was my turn to nod.  "They've been a good partner.  We won't get greedy.  Allen and I are also going to have to spend some time with NASA over the next couple of months."
"I thought you said they didn't have budget," Jeryl said.
"They don't but they are thinking about ways to leverage the charter.  They've watched the first episodes of the Orbital Interns.  They are excited about what the show is building towards.  We haven't told them the ending yet, but they raised a return to the moon question this week."
"What would that mean to us?"
I shrugged.  "Worst case, they nationalize our efforts and pay us for the infrastructure.  If they do that, we'll shift our mission to asteroid capture."
"What about Mars?" Allen asked.  He had been a proponent of going to the red planet.
"It's possible, but we have some challenges to overcome first.  For now, let's keep focused on the moon."
A chime sounded, and the pilot's voice came over the PA system.  "Please ensure your seat belts are fastened.  We are beginning our descent into Salt Lake City.  We should be on the ground in about ten minutes."
*****
I found myself distracted by the view outside my office window.  I was spending a few days in the lab in Nevada and was using the office in the house overlooking the canyon and our private, terraced patios.  On my first day in the lab, Nicole had asked if it was all right to use our lap pool.  It was her first visit to the lab since taking on her role in my security team.  She had been suitably awed by the residences set into the cliff-side.
Of course, I had not imagined she would do laps below my office window in the nude.  Her dusky-brown skin contrasted with the blue water and pool lining as she stroked through the twenty-five-meter double lane lap pool we had installed on the lowest terrace.  The mid-day sun provided plenty of light and contrast.  I could admire her well-toned butt and shoulders as she swam.  When she switched to the breast stroke, the sight became clearer.  I looked at the drawing on the drafting table and my pad of calculations, took one more admiring glance at Nicole, and then decided to make a sandwich in the kitchen until she was done.
Five minutes later, she came inside, wrapped in a towel.  
"Good morning, Paul," she said with her lilting accent.  
She was an interesting mix of races.  Her grandparents were from Senegal, England, Italy, and Lebanon.  She blended them together to become an exotic beauty.  I was surprised she was in security rather than gracing a runway somewhere.  I said as much.
She laughed.  "If I had looked this good in my teens, perhaps," she said as she grabbed an orange from the bowl on the counter.  "I was too much of a tomboy growing up.  I loved to swim and run.  I grew up in a pretty tough neighborhood.  I had to learn to defend myself."  She shrugged.  "When the service approached me, I thought it would be an adventure and a chance to see the world."
Alison had provided some her background with MI-6.  Nicole had left after three years.  Alison said it was a bad fit with the role her handlers wanted her to take.  I suspected there was more to it but had never asked.
"So, what do you think of our lab?" I asked.
Her smile lit the room.  "I'm surprised you don't spend more time here.  It's so peaceful.  Thank you for letting me use your pool."
I shrugged.  "We try to keep things very casual here.  Alison and the other security folks like it here since we're so isolated and secure.  They can let their hair down a little and not hover over us all the time.  With the kid's activities, we don't get here as much as we used to."
"That's a shame.  Alison warned me you worked too hard.  You need to take time for yourself."
I laughed.  "Everyone says that, but I feel fine.  After the break in Sydney, I feel almost lazy."
She shook her head.  "Even in Sydney, you were busy nearly every day.  If you were staying home, Jeryl was out and about.  Between the two of you, you kept twelve operators on their toes for six months.  That does not seem to be taking it easy."  She waved her arm to encompass the view behind her.  "Here, you have myself for security and the regular staff watching the property.  You don't go out to meet people, they come to you.  It is a much more relaxed atmosphere.  I think this is a place you should spend more time at."
She blushed and then smiled.  "I'm sorry if I'm too blunt.  It's gotten me in trouble before."
I laughed.  "You and me both.  Don't worry about it.  Aside from all the work we make you do, how are you enjoying the new job?"
"It's been a whirlwind, but I'm enjoying it."
"Well, we've always tried to treat our security folks right.  If there is anything we can do to make things easier or better, let me know.  We might not do it, but we'll at least discuss it."
She smiled.  "Alison and Lila tell us that on a regular basis."
We sat in companionable silence for a few minutes as she ate her orange and I took a few bites of my sandwich.  
"So, what are you working on, if I can ask?"
"We've got a new aerogel formulation that we want to use for a few things, but we introduce a weakness at joints.  I'm working on the joint problem and testing a few options.  My latest attempt is curing in the lab, so I came back here to work on some design ideas if my solution works."
"So, you'll be here for a few more days?"
"If it looks like my solution is going to work, we'd leave the day after tomorrow.  Have you had an orbital indoctrination?"
She nodded.
"Good.  If things work out, we'll hop up to the station for a day or two and then perform a field test of the new compound.  I'd like to get it ready in time for use by the Interns this summer.  You would come back down with the GOT and could take a few days off, if you wanted."
"Where will you end up?"
"Probably back in Australia before heading home."
"So, around the world in eight days instead of eighty?" she asked with a grin.
"Something like that."
*****
"It feels like it's been months since I saw you last," Jyl said as she gave me a hug.
"Where's Collin?" I asked as we parted.
"He's in the apartment reading a report.  He said you would be wanting to discuss it over dinner and he needed to finish his notes."
"Good.  I am here to work, after all," I teased.
"If you two get into it at dinner, I'm going to tell Jeryl," Jyl threatened.
"Oh?  Do you think I'm afraid of my wife?"
Jyl laughed.  "I'm going to tell her you aren't, if you don't play nice.  Come on and I'll show you our apartment."
I didn't want to spoil her enthusiasm, so I tagged along even though I had done a full walk-through of the resident townhouses almost a year ago.  We had always planned on Learmonth becoming a full research establishment for us.  It was isolated and small enough to make it secure.  With our improved transport capabilities, it was easy enough for us to get people to and from.  It also made a nice rotational opportunity for some of the flight teams from Kenya.
Spaced along the beach, we had nine duplexes built for residence staff.  We also had built a block of one and two-bedroom apartments for shorter term transients.  We had broken ground on a two-story office complex that was mostly lab space.  Jyl and Collin had opted to make this their home base of operations for a while.  
Jyl showed me their place and then asked about family as I helped her prepare some dinner.  Collin joined after grabbing a bottle of Western Australian wine for us to enjoy with dinner.
"So how are the wedding plans going from half-way around the world?" I asked as we sat down to enjoy our salads.
"Great!" Collin said.  "Jyl works with her mother and the planner via email and the phone and I get left out of all the decisions."
Jyl threw a small dinner roll at him.  
He caught it with ease and blew her a kiss.  "Thanks, dear."
I laughed and shook my head.  "I have to agree that being kept in the dark is a good thing."
"He's not getting off the hook that easy," Jyl said with a laugh.  "We're going back to the states week after next for the finale of the show and to do the press tour Tom arranged for all the contestants.  At the end of that, we'll be in Illinois to finish the wedding plans."
"You're getting married back home?" I asked.
"The same church you chased Jeryl in," she replied with a smile.  She went on to tell Collin some of the history between Jeryl and I.  Luckily, she edited some of the juicier details.
"I can't imagine growing up on a farm," Collin said.  "This place feels like we're in the boonies, and there are over a hundred people here on any given day."
"It's peaceful.  I enjoyed my time at Stanford but was thankful we could get away from the city on a pretty regular basis.  So, speaking of getting away, do you have plans for the honeymoon yet?"
Collin nodded.  "Jyl's never really spent much time in Europe.  We're going to take a leisurely tour from Italy up to Budapest and then eventually up to Prague.  I visited the area after college, before starting my Masters and loved it."
"I've only been to eastern Europe on business.  Maybe Jeryl and I should take a vacation there after you guys get back."
"That's right, mister; after we get back.  I don't want any surprises during our honeymoon," Jyl said.
"Hey, would I do that?"  I asked in my most innocent tone.
We all laughed and then took dishes to the sink before grabbing some of the fettuccini with chicken romesco on top.  It was a wonderful meal.  I complimented Jyl on her cooking skills.  After dinner, Collin and I began discussing the new materials and what I had learned from Thomas on my brief stay in orbit the previous month.  Jyl said good night around ten o'clock, and I finally headed back to my rooms close to midnight.  
I had just settled into bed when my phone rang.
"Paul," I heard my mother say once I answered the phone.  "Jim's got cancer." 


Chapter Forty-Eight
An Ending
*****
"So, what does the research actually tell us?" I asked as the oncologist finished explaining his approach for Jim's treatment.
"What do you mean?"  It was clear he was not used to patients or their families challenging his assertions.
"I mean, how many times has this treatment been used?  What have been the range of outcomes?  How broad a sample base is there?  I want to know if this is the best treatment regime based on science, not the latest pharmaceutical rep's sales brochure."
He bristled.  "That's a little insulting."
"Really?  It is only life and death, here.  Why are you feeling insulted?  Jim is the one that has to agree to your treatment plan.  He is going to ask my opinion, as well as that of his daughter, the Vice President of the United States, my step-sister who is also a doctor and probably at least one other medical practitioner.  Knowing the detailed outcomes is a reasonable request.  If you feel that is insulting, I'm going to insist he get alternative opinions."
The doctor took a deep breath.  "I'm sorry, you are right.  I have the original research data here somewhere as well as clinical trial information.  You're asking the same questions I would ask anyone new to my staff.  I'm just not used to getting those kinds of questions from patient families."
I nodded as he turned to a file drawer behind him.  We spent the next thirty minutes going over the material he had, and I made several notes to follow up on.
"How are you going to get answers to those questions?" he asked as I recapped my concerns.
It was my turn to smile.  "I'm usually pretty low-key, but I am the richest man in the world.  I'll call the primary researcher on the original study and ask for their raw data results.  I'll then make certain nothing was overstated or omitted in the peer-review process.  If need be, I'll get my sister to call the Surgeon General for a favor.  Jim is very important to me and my mother.  I want to make certain we are doing everything we can for him."
A couple of hours later, I was back in his office.
"Based on my follow-ups, it seems the chemo is of questionable value depending on the stage of the cancer."
"I agree.  That's why we need to remove the growth and assess if anything has spread beyond the colon to the lymphatic system.  I believe we caught it very early.  That's why I want to proceed with the surgical procedure tomorrow."
I was nodding when his office door opened, and a dark suited man entered the room, followed by Kelly.  I caught a glimpse of Alison and another security professional in the hallway.
"Madame Vice President," the doctor said as he stood and shook her hand.  "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Thank you Doctor Waldroop.  Call me Kelly.  I see Paul already has a list of notes," she said with a smile.  "Would you care to summarize, brother?"
I did, quickly covering what we knew about Jim's diagnosis and treatment options as well as what the gaps in our knowledge were.
"How's Mom doing?"  Kelly asked after my summary.
"Worried, but good.  The hardest part is not knowing the extent yet."
Kelly nodded.  "So, surgery tomorrow and then we determine follow-on treatment?"
The doctor nodded.  "That's what we were just discussing."
"What are the ranges of outcomes we should be considering?" she asked.
The Doctor gave me a glance before answering.  "There is always a risk from any surgery.  Aside from that, if we caught it early and there is no spreading, the prognosis is very good.  We will have some treatment options including radiation, chemo, and simple monitoring.  If it has spread beyond the colon, we'll need to determine next steps.  If it is stage one or two, the five-year survival rate is in the eighty-five to ninety percent range."
Kelly nodded.  
"Paul, what do you think?"
"I don't think we gain anything by delaying the surgery, and we will have a much better idea of the severity afterward."
"What's dad think?"  
I smiled.  "He asked me to talk to the doctor and then get back to him.  I was just finishing up here before having that conversation."
"Then I made it just in time.  Let's go convince my stubborn father what's best for him."
I chuckled, since I knew Kelly was the more stubborn of the two.  
By the time we took Mom back to the Hotel, we were all feeling comfortable with the treatment plan for the next few days.  The secret service team ushered us through the lobby of the Marriott close to the hospital and dissuaded any interruptions before we reached the elevator.
"My team was a bit miffed to learn you had taken over the top floor already, Paul," Kelly said in a teasing voice.
"You have a suite up there," I replied.  "I knew you were coming.  I've also got a block of rooms one floor down if you need them."
Kelly glanced at the agent in the elevator with her.  He nodded.
"It's all taken care of, ma'am.  Miss Wilson informed us of the arrangements.  We've also established contact with the local authorities."
Kelly shook her head.  "I guess the days of just hopping on a plane are definitely over."
"If your team is as good as Alison's you'll get used to it.  Lord knows I did."
"But you've been doing it since high-school.  How did you manage to beat me here?  You were in Australia last I heard."
I smiled again.  "It's good to have a GOT.  I came straight here.  Jeryl's still in Utah with the kids.  Alison probably had as long of a trip as I did since she had to wait for a GS-3 to get to her."
"When are you going to sell some of those to the Air Force?"
Our elevator arrived at the top floor and the secret service agent proceeded us off the car.  Kelly and I followed and entered her suite.  Mom and I were across the hall.
"To answer your question, probably never.  The ones we're leasing to Qantas include pilots and maintenance.  I don't see the Air Force going for that."
"Why?  I mean, why did you do the deal like that?"
"Control.  I want to know that we have some control over where and who is flying these.  Put a suicide pilot in one, and you have a hypersonic missile just waiting to hit.  I don't trust the airlines enough to give them that kind of power.  I guess the same can be said for the air force, but the risk is a little different there."
"How so?"
"If I give them to our Air Force, then I'll be asked by our allies for the same consideration.  Pretty soon, we have hundreds of groups hopping all over the place.  We don't have a global air and space traffic control system.  If I'm the only one operating the planes, we can coordinate better."
"I think you had better sharpen your arguments," she said as she poured a scotch for each of us.  "The Air Force is knocking down my door trying to get me to influence you."
I took the drink and gave her a silent toast before taking a sip. 
"I know.  At the end of the day, they are going to insist or try and invoke the charter for leverage."
Kelly snorted and took her own sip before replying.  "Your new show is going to bring up the charter before the Air Force does.  Even if the lunar team doesn't win, the people are flocking to the idea of us going back to the moon.  NASA is spending a lot of time at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, lately, and more than half of congress is lining up behind them."
I smiled, glad that no one had let the cat out of the bag yet.  The finale was two weeks away.
"Maybe we'll have a US only race back to the moon," I said.
"Or maybe they'll decide to nationalize your efforts," Kelly warned.
"You know they can't do that under the charter.  We have specific clauses preventing it."
Kelly nodded, and we moved to the sitting area in her suite.  "I know that, and you know that, but I've heard some crazy talk in the past couple of weeks."
"Well, remind them of the revocation and termination language."
"Do you really want a showdown?" she asked.
"No.  But I won't let them nationalize our efforts."
"They'll hold the Space Treaty over your heads to get what they want," she warned.
"Then I'll relocate to Kenya or Tanzania.  I've still got Iran in play as well.  It's too important to us all to get back into space in a real way."
"So, what can we do to keep it from becoming a showdown or crisis?"
I smiled.  Jeryl and I had spent weeks kicking around ideas.
"Every team has some sort of concept for establishing a larger orbital presence as the start of their plan.  We'll be building a station.  What if we opened space for the US as well as the UN for research in orbit?  Let the bureaucracies decide who and what gets researched?"
"At what price?"
"We're working on that.  I think it will be cheaper than rational minds would consider, but more than government types think.  We've got pretty good cost models now, so can justify the numbers.
"How much?"
"We're looking at twenty grand per person, per day," I said.  "That's exclusive of training and lift costs."
"Shit.  That much?"
"Put it in perspective.  Add up the shuttle costs and then divide by the number of man-days spent in orbit so far.  We're a lot cheaper."
"Really?"
I nodded.  "Orders of magnitude.  Even with lift and training costs, we're a lot cheaper than what the governments are spending."
"What sort of research?"  she asked.
"It will depend on the station design, but if we go with a spoke and wheel shape, I'd be able to offer a whole spoke to give everything from zero to fractional gravity environments."
"That's pretty generous.  What if there is not enough demand?"
"Then I'll use the space.  We've got some new material processes that are going to require room to grow as we ramp production."
"Production of what?"
"Radiation proof habitats for use where ever we go beyond low earth orbit."
She arched an eyebrow at me.  
"Anyplace specific?"
I smiled.  "Sorry, sis.  You're just going to have to watch the show like everyone else."
*****
I sighed.  
My list of divergences between what I knew from my first life and what was happening now was growing apart at such a rapid pace, I could hardly keep track of the differences any longer.  
Part of me wondered if I should even try.
I looked at the notebook page again and began to transcribe some of the key events I recalled to a fresh page.  I then began noting trends across them.  The rise of fundamentalism was much slower than I previously recalled, but not gone.  We just had not had the wars that gave proof-points to those who wanted to promulgate a belief of intolerable differences and hate.  Our environmental disasters had been somewhat abated by cleaner energy, but we still had a long way to go.  We were preventing further decline, but not reversing damage already done.  
"What are you working on?" Ali asked as she came into my home office in Deer Valley.
I closed my notebook and smiled at her.  She was nine now and growing like a weed as the saying went.  Ski season was finished for the year and she had recently become interested in mountain biking.  Jeryl and I encouraged her interest in anything physical.  It looked like she had just come in from a ride.
"I'm just looking over some notes.  What are you up too?"
"Mommy told me to ask you about sailing this summer," she said, as if it was not really her idea.
"Did she?" I asked.
She nodded.
"I suppose we could go sailing a time or two this summer if you want.  How about we go out for each A you get on your report card?"
She smiled.  "How about we go for a week for each A?" she countered.
"Ah, so now we're negotiating.  How many classes do you have?"
"Reading," she said as she raised a finger. "Writing, math, science, social studies, art, and PE. Seven classes."
"And summer break is twelve weeks long.  You want to sail more than half the summer?"
She smiled and nodded.
"Well, how about we compromise?  I offered one week, and you want seven.  What if we get three weeks of sailing in, but not all at once?"
"Only three?" she asked with just a hint of a whine.
"Maybe four.  You know we're doing the show in Australia soon.  What if one of the weeks was sailing there on the Barrier Reef?"
"Could Jane visit and go with us?"
"We'll have to see."
"Okay, let's go tell Mom," she said as she grabbed my hand.
Five minutes later, we were in an ad-hoc family meeting making plans for the summer.  Jer was interested in going back to the reef.  He had enjoyed the snorkeling and playing in the warm waters of the Coral Sea.  He then asked about visiting Nana and Papa, as he referred to Janet and Jerry.  He liked the farm.  Ali agreed that would be nice.
"Well, we need to be at the Farm in June anyway, for Aunt Jyl's wedding," Jeryl added.  She grabbed a large paper calendar and began filling it in.  
"School ends here," Ali said and pointed at the Friday after Memorial Day.  "What's this star for?" she asked when she looked at the weekend before.
"That's mommy and daddy's tenth wedding anniversary," Jeryl said with a smile and a look in my direction.
"What's that?" Jer asked.
Jeryl explained while I took her pencil and jotted in a few of the filming dates that I knew would require one or both of us.  
Soon, we had a rough outline of our summer plans, starting with the first episode of the Interns in mid-May and finishing with Labor Day and the Emmy Awards ceremony on September 14th.
"It looks like another busy summer," I said.  Jeryl nodded.
"Mommy," Ali said as she looked at the calendar.  "Will you call Jane's mum and see if she can visit us here?"  She pointed at the first trip to the reef we would all make.
"I will honey.  I'll see if they can all come for a visit.  If they can't we'll see about stopping in Sydney for a couple of days to see them.  Okay?"
Ali nodded.
I shook my head.  In the space of thirty minutes, I had gone from worrying about a blurry past and future to planning a summer with a family I had never dreamed of having in my first life.  The differences were truly amazing.
*****
"I like that outfit," I said as I admired Jeryl in her black garter belt, hose, and matching bra.  She was standing in front of the mirror in Kelly's Georgetown house with a dress in in each hand, trying to make up her mind.  I was already dressed, wearing a hated tie, but not yet in my jacket.
"Which?" she asked turning to face me.  
"The one in the middle," I said with a leer.  
She stuck her tongue out at me and turned back to the mirror.  
"How was Jim's check-up?" She asked as she alternated holding up the two dresses.
"Mom said his numbers were good and he was pretty much back to his old self."  I admired her panty-clad ass for a minute and then glanced at the clock.  "Go with the green one," I said.  "It's a private dinner, so black might be too formal."
"Okay," she said before ducking back into the walk-in closet to hang the black dress back up.  
"Why do we have to go to this thing?" I asked, though I knew the answer.
Jeryl came back out, wearing the green dress and walked over to me for help with the zipper.
"Because the President of the United States invited you to a private dinner along with your sister and his Chief of Staff."
"I know, but why now?  Did Kelly mention anything?"
"Not to me.  Maybe they're just fans of the show."
The finale of the Orbital Interns had aired the week before and set new ratings records.  We had been doing the morning and late show circuit this week along with the winning team and many of the other participants, including Jyl and Collin.  
An hour later, we were in the residence dining room at the White House, with the Gores, his chief of staff Ron Klein and his wife Monica, and Kelly and her date for the night, Senator Stanley Kim from Washington.  Conversation was light-hearted and non-political over drinks and dinner, aside from some joking around Kelly and Stanley demonstrating bi-partisan partnerships.  Stanley was a Republican, so even a social engagement with the democratic Vice President was fodder for the press and politicians.
"How much time did you actually spend in Space?" Tipper asked Jeryl as coffee was served.
"What was it Paul?  Thirty days over the course of the show?"
"About that.  I think our longest stay in orbit though was only about four days."
"I can't imagine floating like that for four minutes, let alone four days," Tipper replied.
"I actually found it incredibly relaxing," Jeryl replied.  "Of course, not everyone does.  Some folks have trouble sleeping, others never really get their equilibrium in control.  We have about one out of ten people not make it beyond our introductory course."
"I'd love to give it a go," Stanley said.  "Maybe the committee should do a fact-finding mission," he added.  He was on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
I smiled.  "I'd be happy to host the entire committee, if they can pass the physical screening, and so long as it doesn't violate any campaign finance rules."
"Be careful with offers like that, Paul," the President said.  "You'll have half of congress lining up for a ride."
"It's getting easier with the GOT being certified for orbit now."
"Speaking of those, when are you going to sell a few to us?" Klein asked.  "Both the Air Force and NASA want appropriations for them."
"Why do they need to buy them when they are guaranteed MFN rates for transport?"  I countered.  
"I think they want to set their own priority of missions and flights," Klein replied.  "With the current system, they need to submit the profile and you schedule it."
I nodded.  "I also give them priority if they come talk to me.  NASA is pretty good about planning in advance."
"But not the Air Force?" the President asked.
"Let's just say they have a different approach.  I've worked closely with General Baker over the years.  If it's truly urgent, we can usually come to an accommodation."
"Why not just sell him some and avoid the headaches?" Senator Kim asked.
I explained the coordination concerns, which did not seem to be strong arguments.  
"The other reason is we don't want to destabilize anything.  If we sold the Air Force a GOT, we would then be approached by foreign air forces.  If we refused to sell to them, the geo-political balance would be skewed.  I would rather avoid that sort of unpleasantness," I said.
"If they don't like it, they can develop the capability themselves," Kim replied.
"I could say the same thing to the US Air Force," I countered.  That caught him up short.  
"At the end of the day, anyone can buy what I'm selling, or they can go create their own capability at much greater cost.  What I won't let them do, is force me to give away my product, be it goods, services, or intellectual property."
"Well, let's not put a damper on the evening," Tipper said.  "I want to hear more about what's next for the return to the moon."
Jeryl smiled, and I gave her a nod.  
"We'll begin launching the core of Astra Station in the fall," she said. 
"That soon?" Kelly asked.
"We finished filming the show in December.  We've been working hard since then," Jeryl said.   
"It won't be habitable until about this time next year, but we'll start orbital assembly before the new year," I added.
"How big will it be?" Tipper asked.
Jeryl looked back at me. 
"It will be around fifteen hundred meters in diameter." I said.  I saw the shocked looks on people's faces.  
"We want to rotate the station to give some semblance of gravity, but there were studies done by NASA and some others that indicated issues with equilibrium if you rotate something faster than about one RPM.  To get a tenth of a gravity, we need the station rim to be about fifteen hundred meters in diameter.  That will have us rotating about one revolution every two-and-a-half minutes.  We can adjust upward then if needed to create a greater sense of gravity."
The President was shaking his head.  "And you'll have this in orbit and occupied by next year?"
"With a little luck," Jeryl said.  "The plant in Spain is making the modular assemblies for the station.  We'll be connecting modules end to end in orbit to make the arms of the station.  We won't start rotation until the entire rim is built out, but we'll be able to occupy once power and environmental sections are in orbit.  For safety reasons, we'll build the six spokes at the same time from the docking hub.  Three of the spokes will be livable, just like Paul's lab already in orbit."
"We'll actually dock that station to the hub once we've got some of the spokes built out."
"How much total volume?" Senator Kim asked.
"All in, just under two hundred thousand cubic meters," I replied.  I saw the glazed looks.  "Roughly a cube fifty-six meters for each side."
"Or a twenty-story building," Jeryl added.
The other diners were silent for a moment.
"How long to build the entire thing?" President Gore asked.
"Three years with some contingency time," I replied.
"And then you go to the moon?"
"Oh no," Jeryl said.  "We'll go long before then.  The station is for when we start bringing things back."
*****
"Buddy Check!" Tamara called out as we finished our tour of the station.  A few of the new interns groaned, but they all pulled themselves together and got next to their buddy.  It was a safety practice we had drilled them on during the past three days of their orientation briefings, physical tests, water safety course, and orbital indoctrination.  
Once she had made certain the ten pairs of interns were side by side, she nodded to me.
"Okay," I said.  "I hope you have enjoyed your tour of the station.  Hopefully, some of you will be back up here one day.  In the meantime, there is one final evolution we need to do today.  How many of you have been on an ocean cruise before?" I asked.
About a third of them raised their hands.  
"What do they do once they are underway?" I asked to closest hand-raiser to me. 
"Lifeboat drill?" the young red-headed man answered.
"That's right.  We're going to do the same.  You first five set of buddies follow me, and the back five go with Tamara."
I turned and headed to the far end of the second berthing module.  I stopped at the pressure door and checked for pressure on the far side before opening it and motioning them forward.
"Find a seat and get strapped in.  Help each other out.  I'll check you once everyone is settled."
I counted them off as they entered, and followed the last person in.  Thomas watched me from the station as I secured the hatch and pulled on the comms cap before turning to check their efforts.  Each lifeboat was designed to accommodate twelve crew members.  Since a hab module held eight, we had built for a single lifeboat to handle 150% of the crew in a hab module, just like ships were supposed to have at least 150% capacity of their compliment.
"Okay, listen up," I said as I made my way forward.  "These lifeboats are rated for twelve people massing up to 115 kilograms each.  Most of us are much less mass than that, so we have a wide safety margin.  Each lifeboat is equipped with marginal environmental support for those same twelve people for up to forty-eight hours.  The marginal phrase comes from the limited survival rations and waste processing onboard.  In a nutshell, if you have to go, you should have done it before you left."
The acceleration couches were in three rows with two seats on each side of the narrow aisle.  The seats were tucked into each other, so once we were down, heads would be under the calves of the other passengers, separated by the material of the couch.  There were not a lot of frills in our design.  I checked the seat belts and shoulder harnesses of each intern as I made my way back to the hatch.  
"The lifeboats are automated lifting body designs that can survive reentry if needed and have autopilots to get you safely to the ground.  They are also designed to be floatable, in the event a water landing is required.  Are there any questions?"
No one said anything.
I smiled and gave a thumbs up through the small viewport of the hatch.
"Lifeboat Alpha," a voice from the station said over the announcing system as the lighting shifted to red lights.  "Emergency undocking and de-orbit initiated.  Godspeed."
There was a loud thump and we shifted sideways with a hefty kick of acceleration as I slipped into one of the two open seats nearest the hatch.  I quickly got my own restraints fastened as there was a babble of voices in the cabin.
"Okay everyone, remain calm.  Just pretend you're on a great ride at an amusement park and remember your training.  There are comms caps in the seat pocket in front of you.  Pull them on and plug them into the armrest."
There was a flurry of motion.  The red-headed intern was across the aisle from me, so I watched to make sure he was plugged in.
"Check your buddy is strapped in and has a comms hat on.  If you push the button on the arm rest, you will only speak to and hear your seat mate.  If the button is up, it is an open comm channel."
The babble on the channel dropped as they did comm checks with each other.  
"Now let's count off on the open channel," I said.  "Start on the first row, port side, and count across, left to right."
"One. Two...."
I said "Nine," when it was my turn and waited for the last two before continuing.
"Ok, in addition to the comms cap, there is a procedural checklist in the seat pocket.  Pull them out and review them.  We will all watch the checklist and walk through the procedure before we actually execute it.  Any questions?"
"Paul, why do we need to land?  The GOT is at the station.  Why can't it recover us in orbit?" One of the female interns asked on the open channel.
"Good question.  Normally, we would look for an in-orbit retrieval, but we wanted to get you all down for your first challenge.  Now, starting with whoever is in seat one, let's read the procedure."
It took five minutes for us to read through the procedure and the emergency alternative steps.  Once it was done, I had them check their straps one more time and then told them to try and relax until the retro burn started.  It was about another five minutes before we heard the warning tone giving us a thirty second warning.  The tone repeated and then counted down before we were all pressed against our seats as the retrorocket package fired and put us on a de-orbit trajectory.
While it normally took us about three minutes to reach orbit, and close to an hour to reenter the atmosphere in one of the orbiters, the lifeboats were designed to be much more efficient in getting us back on the ground.  Once the retrorockets fired, the computer took control and flipped us into a belly-down orientation to allow the heat shield that formed the belly of the lifting body shape to be correctly positioned for reentry.  We were now more of a shooting star than a spacecraft.  
The interior lights seemed to dim as a glow appeared through the highly insulated viewport of the entry hatch.  The interns were nervous as the roar outside rose and we had some buffeting as we dropped lower into the atmosphere and gravity returned.  We peaked at close to five-gees and then felt like we were flying as the craft made banking turns to slow us further.  Close to ten minutes later, I felt the nose of the craft rise and then we stalled before dropping to the ground.  It was a rougher landing than an orbiter, but gentler than a pure rocket or parachute landing.  I waited a minute to ensure we were stable.
"Okay," I said as I unbuckled and stood up in the aisle.  "Let's see where we are."
I flipped up the protective cover for the hatch release and then opened it to smell hot, dry air of Australia's Northern Territory.  As the Interns filtered out, I pulled out my phone and pressed a button.  It chirped twice, and I knew the helicopter was on its way to pick me up.  
"Hang around close to the lifeboat for now," I said.  "The camera crew is nearby and flying in."
They were closer than I realized as the sound of a helicopter approached from the southwest.  The chopper circled us twice before landing a little distance away.  Three cameramen climbed out and quickly approached us with cameras on their shoulders.  Once they gave me a thumbs up, I turned back to the Interns standing by the lifeboat.
"Welcome to your first challenge," I said with a grin.  "The lifeboat we all just rode down from orbit is equipped with standard survival kits and supplies.  Your challenge will be to split into two teams of five and using the gear provided, rough it until your pickup in a couple of days."
A few people grinned and some groaned as I continued.
"During the time between now and your pick-up, we will expect you to evaluate the gear provided, recommend improvements, give us recommendations on what should be added or removed from the kit, and generally get acclimated to life in the bush. You're going to be roughing it quite a bit over the next few weeks."
"Any questions?"
One hand went up.  It was the red-headed man again.  I pointed at him.
"What about the other lifeboat?"
"They have the same challenge as you do.  They should have come down several klicks from here.  Tamara and I will evaluate your teams based on the completeness of your assessment and recommendations.  Part of your overall score will also be your team's overall health and wellness, so keep that in mind as you settle in.  Good luck."
*****
"Daddy, why aren't there more trees around the farm?" Ali asked as we sat on the grass in the shade of one of the large oak trees in front of the farmhouse.  We were back at the farm, mostly for Jyl and Collin's wedding, but also to deliver the kids for a couple of weeks with the grandparents.  
"Well, the farmers are trying to maximize how much food they grow.  If they have a lot of trees, the trees shade the crops or take nutrients from the soil that are needed.  Both things can reduce how much corn or soybeans are produced.
Ali leaned away from the tree and craned her neck to look up the trunk.  "But there are trees in the pasture," she said.  "Why do you grow them there?"
"In the pasture, they give shade to the livestock during the summer."
"So, it's not that the trees are bad on a farm, it's that you only want them in certain places?"
"That's right."
She leaned back against the tree.  "I think we should plant some more trees."
"Well then, why don't you talk it over with Grandma?  If she agrees, I'm sure you can get started digging some holes for her."
"Me?  I'm too little to do that."
I laughed.  "Well, you can help."
"Okay.  I want to plant apple trees.  I think having fresh apples would be cool."
"Well, let's go talk to grandma.  If we plant trees this year, you might be able to eat the apples by the time you are in high school."
Her face fell. "That long?"
I nodded.  "Trees take time to grow."
"You should change that, Daddy.  Can't you make them grow faster?"
I smiled and thought about her statement.   "Even figuring out if that is possible is going to take some time.  If you work hard in school, you might be able to help me figure it out.  How's that sound?"
"Boring.  I don't want to wait and study.  I want to plant trees now."
"Okay, we can plant trees before I head out next week, but you won't have any apples to eat."
I stood up and pulled her to her feet by and outstretched arm.  She ran ahead, past my old workshop toward the house while I walked and thought about her words.  Until now, I had not put much focus or energy into environmental sciences.  The interns were collecting data in north eastern Australia.  I knew the Great Barrier Reef was a couple of decades away from collapse in my past life.  Maybe now was the time to put some focus on cleaning up the damages mankind had done to the environment, instead of just slowing the collapse. 
It was something to think about.
*****
"Not a bad venue for a production meeting," I said as I sat down at the beach table in front of the newest shelter designed for tropical living.  It's front sun shade extended out from the roof and was covered in solar cell fabric. It gave us a cool place to sit and take in the view.  
We were on a small island on the reef.  A small desalination plant was floating just offshore with power and water coming ashore via a small floating dock that extended from the beach to the plant.  Our shelter was set up on one side of the dock, just at the edge of the tropical tree line to keep coconuts from falling on us.  There was a string of ten shelters set up in a diagonal row, each with its own awning and table.  Billy and Tom had joined Jeryl and I after I got back from taking Ali, Jane, and Chrissy on a sail around the island.  Chrissy was watching Ali and Jane clean off the sailboat.
I realized no one had said anything as I woolgathered.  I looked at Tom and Billy.
"What's up?"
Tom sighed.  "There's no easy way to start this conversation.  I think this should be the last season of the Interns."
I was surprised.  The show had been his idea nine years ago.  I said as much.
"It was my concept, but you two made it an award-winning show.  I talked you into starting it because we wanted to educate the world on a different mindset.  I think we've done that."
"Then why stop it?" I asked.
"Because this version has run its course," Billy said.  "You're lessening your involvement and bringing prior interns into the limelight.  We think it's time to fully shift the focus to the second generation of interns, if you will."
"How so?" Jeryl asked.
"This season, you and Paul will take a little more of the back seat," Billy said.  "But the dynamic between the interns and the priors is really taking on some interesting overtones of mentoring and camaraderie. We are getting more editable content in their evening bull sessions than the actual challenges a lot of the time.  It made us realize there is a better way to grow the legacy of the show."
"How?" I asked.
Tom picked up their narrative.  "We think we take what we are seeing, this interaction between people who have been on the show and the new interns and carry it forward into the new spaces you are building.  We pick a mix of priors and newbies, and give them real problems to solve, like understanding what is happening to the reef here, or helping build a thriving community around the desalination plants in Africa or planning the moon return mission.  We film everything.  We then edit it to build the story around overcoming differences and obstacles to reach a bigger goal."
"It sounds kind of dry?  I think it would be hard to put together on a consistent basis."
Billy nodded.  "It wouldn't be a weekly show.  We want to get five or six programs going and then make a three to six-hour mini-series out of it."
I shook my head.  "I get what you're saying, but won't we lose the masses from a viewership perspective?  Also, we wanted to drive innovation and critical thinking to a younger generation.  If we stop the show, how will that help?"
"You do realize that the interns on the show are only about two percent of the interns you actually hire, right?" Billy asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Across the entire company, we have paid internships for about a thousand college students," Jeryl said.  "We usually have twenty on the show."
"Right," Billy said.  "Those internships are the real education.  The show is more of a recruiting tool.  The new show will still fill that need."
"I don't know," I said.  "I was hesitant when you first pitched me, Tom, but now I think the show is a good thing.  It shows the whole world what young minds can accomplish when they work together.  Forget the specific accomplishments and tell me how that message of cooperation and critical thinking can be communicated to billions of people without a more regular show?"
Tom nodded.  "We think we can still get the message out, but I get what you're saying.  I wasn't sure about this season in terms of you pulling back and the change in focus.  Now that we're getting some editing done, we're seeing a different story emerge.  Maybe we need to think about ways to keep both stories alive."
"What if we made a total break from the format?" Jeryl said.
"What do you mean?" Billy asked.
"The Interns are about science and business and entrepreneurship, but the message was about overcoming obstacles, working together, and experiencing things most people never would have an opportunity to experience.  What sort of show would we make if the last part is what we wanted to highlight?"
I nodded.  "Something like a challenge or race instead of business and technology problems?"
"A race," Jeryl said.  "How many people would watch a race around the world?  Each leg would have challenges, but we would also have incredible scenery and experiences along the way."
I smiled, remembering a show from my own past.  "On each leg, the last team gets eliminated based on arrival order."
"Or they have a face-off challenge between the last two teams, so even if you are last you have a chance," Billy said.  
Tom was nodding.  "It would be much easier to plan and shoot.  If we tie into this concept of eco-tourism that is building in the current season, we could easily transition most of the viewership as well."
"What would it take to get the first season in the can?  If we could premier the show in January, we could plug it on the Interns to make an even stronger connection in the viewer's minds."
Billy was smiling.  "I think the filming could be done.  How do we get contestants?"
"Put up a million-dollar prize for the winners," I said.  "Then advertise.  You should be able to figure out the course and challenges between now and September.  Start filming in September and you can be done by December."
Tom agreed.  "It's doable.  Will you two help with the planning?" he asked.  
Jeryl and I traded a look before she nodded.  "We will, but we won't be on the show."
Billy smiled.  "Executive producer credits only, right?"
*****
"It is very good of you to come," Minister Chen said as he gave a slight bow while shaking my hand.  Jeryl and I had been invited by the Hong Kong government to attend the transition ceremonies as the United Kingdom ceded control of Hong Kong back to China.  The State Department had requested we accept the invitation to show support for the peaceful transition of power, but I suspected the invitation had more to do with our generators continuing to power Hong Kong.
"It's our pleasure, Minister Chen.  Thank you for inviting us."  
Jeryl and I were at a reception at the American Club, being hosted by our local head of operations, Lester French.  Naturally, he had invited the minister and other local officials.
"Tomorrow will be a historic day," the Minister said in accented English.  "My government hopes all of the transition activities will go smoothly."
"I'm sure they will."
He nodded.  "Do you foresee any changes to the operations of your generators with the change in government?" he asked.
I shook my head.  "I don't see why there should be.  Our contract is with the local power company.  If you nationalize them, the contract terms will remain in place.  If you continue to allow them independence for operations, the same still applies.  Why do you ask?"
"We need the power your generators provide.  We have shifted away from the oil and coal plants here.  Restarting such operations would cause great difficulty for the island and the people."
"Well, so long as we have a contract, I will live up to my end of the bargain, I can assure you."  I said.
"Very good.  And what of expansion of the agreement?"
"I believe we have growth language in place already.  We can safely continue to add capacity at the existing plants.  What else do you have in mind?"
"My government would be interested in expanding our agreement.  We are interested in establishing other installations as part of our efforts to modernize our infrastructure."
"We have quite a backlog of orders right now.  We are also working to grow our operations staffing to support more installations.  So long as we can reach agreeable terms for timing and pricing, I see no reason not to expand."
He smiled and bobbed his head.  "Very good.  Very good.  My fellow ministers will be pleased to hear that.  We would also like to discuss other joint opportunities with you as well."
He paused and waved to his assistant, a slim Chinese woman wearing a red cocktail dress with her hair pulled back.  She could have been eighteen or forty, it was hard to say.  Something in her gaze made me think of a tigress.  Chen spoke to her rapidly in Chinese.
"My apologies," he said as the woman responded and moved away.  "I asked my assistant to find someone I would like to introduce to you."
A moment later, the woman returned with an older gentleman wearing a more traditional Mao jacket.  He looked fit and had graying hair, but bright, dark eyes.  He seemed to command attention.
"Paul, this is Minister Sun.  He is a close adviser to the Prime Minister."
I shook his offered hand and gave a bow of my head.  "A pleasure to meet you, Minister Sun."
"And you, Mr. Taylor," he said in well-polished English.  "I have been an admirer of your work for many years."
"Thank you.  Minister Chen indicated there were areas other than power generation the People's Republic is interested in discussing."
"There are.  We have quite a large domestic need for automobiles.  I noted that you have many joint ventures with automobile companies in your own country as well as Europe but have not expanded into the Asian markets for manufacturing capabilities."
"I've not been approached until now.  As you probably know, most of my participation in the auto industry is simple licensing arrangements.  I would be happy to discuss similar approaches for your domestic market or bring some of my other partners into a discussion if that would help, but I have very little direct manufacturing input."
He nodded.  "Yes, we understand, but having you participate may help the discussions.  If you are open to assisting, I would appreciate it."
It was my turn to nod.  
"I have also noted the improvements your work is enabling in rail transportation.  We have extensive rail networks across our country that could benefit from both your power capabilities as well as these fundamental improvements."
"Again, that is primarily a licensing agreement.  I have small stakes in some of the firms building and modifying railways, but that was more of a concession on their part to lower the licensing and materials purchase fees."
"Yes, but if the People's Republic wished to make similar investments in our infrastructure, we would need those materials as well to fully realize the potentials.  We have only had limited success in our discussions with CRP and some of your other subsidiaries.  I thought a more direct conversation with you may assist in our efforts."
I smiled.  "My wife, Jeryl, could help in those introductions and conversations, I'm sure.  She has much greater insight into our CRP holdings and their business direction."
"Yes, she is a remarkable woman.  You are very fortunate to have such a lovely and intelligent partner.  If you were so inclined, I would very much like to meet her."
"Of course.  She is here somewhere.  I'm sure she would be happy to discuss growth opportunities with you."
"Excellent.  We also watched your recent agreement with Australia with great interest," he continued.  "Myself and some fellow ministers are considering ways to better open China to the world and thought your GOT aircraft may have a place in that plan."
And to expanding your military capability, I thought.
"That might be a little more difficult to arrange," I said.  Right now, we have no capacity to expand that offering.  Our production capacity is tied up for quite some time with our efforts to establish an orbital economy."
"Yet you offer ten ships to Qantas," he countered.
"For some significant concessions with the Australian government, and a manufacturing base.  I would never have agreed to the lease and operations contract if not needed for our other efforts in that country."
"Then perhaps we should discuss what other concessions the People's Republic could offer for similar consideration."
His tone was still friendly, but the steel in his gaze made me nervous.  This was a man used to getting his way.
"I would consider any reasonable dialog but would want it clearly understood that my priorities are set for the next few years, and all of the pieces to support them are in place and committed.  I would not be willing to shift those priorities for a new commercial venture."
"Priorities can change," he said with a cold smile.  "But we would appreciate the dialog, none the less."
I nodded.  "So long as that is understood, I am always open to dialog."
*****
"Paul, we've got to talk about the numbers," Jeryl said as she sat down in my office.  "We are never going to break even with these orbital figures."
I sighed.  
"We're not doing it for the money, at least not right now."
"But I can't see us ever recouping costs, let alone making a nickel," Jeryl countered.  "We need something that we can sell.  We talk about an orbital economy, but you need a transfer of goods or services to have an economy.  What are we going to deliver to a market other than lift capacity and living space in orbit?"
"How much of a profit forecast do you think Columbus had?"
"He sold the idea of faster trade routes to expand markets for import and export revenues.  We're going to shell out a ton of money to go to a lifeless rock called the moon."
She had some fire in her today.  I knew she had been looking at the budget numbers coming from Team Luna.  The cost line had only been increasing since their initial plan won the competition.  Revenues were still flat lined.
"Some of the business cases in the seventies had positive returns by using lunar resources to build orbital infrastructure and power satellite capabilities.  With fusion, we don't need that.  So, what will we get from the Moon?"
I sighed again.  It was a fair question that I had been struggling with as well.  
"Okay, what problem are we looking to solve?" I asked.
"Revenue to give us some hope of break-even."
"How do we account for the R&D returns of spin-off technologies?"
"I can't forecast that, since it's unknown.  I'm not going to let you sell smoke and mirrors, at least not to me," she said with a smile to soften her words.
"How many million-dollar vacations can we sell?" I asked.
Jeryl nodded.  "Tourism, we can forecast.  That's a start, but we need to make the team plan for that capability from day one."
I jotted down a note.  "I'm going to meet with them next week.  It probably has been too long since we pulled them up short and made them look at the bigger financial picture.  What's the market for titanium?"
"I'd have to check.  Why?"
"The NASA findings give us a pretty good idea of what we could mine on the moon.  Silicon, and titanium are two of the most abundant minerals from their sampling."
"But would we return it to the global market or use it in place?"
"That's the problem.  I would use it in place most likely, but I'm not sure exactly how and what the return from that would be.  Ultimately, we want to go to the Moon first, to enable the learning and gain experience. We'll need to have successful follow-on missions to Mars and the asteroids, for capture or mining efforts.  That is the ultimate return."
Jeryl shook her head.  "So, I need to get comfortable with us spending a large chunk of our earth-side revenue on long shot exploration?"
"I'm afraid so.  Just be glad we don't have millions of shareholders that we have to convince.  We'd never get off the planet if that were the case."
It was her turn to sigh.  "Okay.  But tell the team that they need to shift some from pure exploration and get some revenue generation opportunities.  Astra Station needs to have tourism capability from day one.  The Moon base needs it as well.  I can sell a trip to the stars."
"I'll let them know.  I'm heading back to Learmonth at the end of the week."
"Ali and Jer will we happy," she said with a smile.  The kids had spent nearly three weeks in Australia so far, this summer, enjoying the sand and surf while Jeryl and I worked. 
"It's going to be tough on them when school starts back up," I said.
"Tough on me, you mean.  I'll be the one here having to listen to their complaining.  You'll still be going down under every couple of weeks, or off to orbit."
"We could do September to December in Sydney again," I said.
"Not this year.  I'm going to have to travel at bit and feel more comfortable if they are in Park City with a full staff around."
"Where are you off to?" I asked.
"We'll need to finish the Nike contract in August, then wrap filming and the Emmy's.  I've been asked to meet with some fashion houses in Milan. Then you'll need me in Seoul in October for the meetings there."
"Shit.  What happened to slowing down a little and spending more time with the kids?"
Jeryl gave me a hug and kiss.  "That was last year, lover."
*****
"So, where are we on the survey mission?" I asked Team Luna as we conducted the monthly program review.
"The modified orbiter is in final assembly," Megan Light, their program manager said.  "The hab module and lab module are in transit to Kenya.  They'll go up to PTO-One with the docking module next month for final check out.  The orbiter is on track for flight test in September and October."  
Our concept was to modify an orbiter with a forward docking collar inside a disposable cowling for launch.  Once in orbit, the cowling would be discarded, and the orbiter docked to one of our standard docking modules with other standard modules attached.  The orbiter was the flight control and engine, and the modules would provide mission support.  For the first survey mission, the modules would be configured in a straight-line configuration.  Hunter had a team looking at the stress loading for more elaborate arrangements for future flights.
"Right now," Megan continued, "We're on track for a November flight with an estimated two weeks in-orbit around the moon and two days transit each way."
"Why so slow?" Allen asked.   With the thrust available, we could get to the moon much faster.
"We took a low-gee approach," Marco Perry said.  He was to be the mission commander.  "This configuration would have required more customization of the hab and lab modules to be livable if we went at a higher gee rating."
I nodded.  "What's our margin on consumables?" I asked.
"We have a two-week margin built into the manifest.  It will be an eight-person crew.  Team Luna, plus two orbiter flight crew, plus two additional specialists.  We're working through selection on the others crew members."
"What specialties?"  
"Geologists primarily.  We've got a couple of former National Recon Office folks in the running as well for their expertise in aerial and photo reconnaissance."
"I'll want your recommendations and alternates next week," I said.  "The flight crew needs simulator time to prep for this configuration.  I also want the entire team checking out the modules in orbit."
Everyone took notes.  
"Where are we at on the lander design?" I asked.  "Phase two is going to be on us faster than you realize."  
The original plan was to survey a location for a permanent base from orbit, but then do a final on-site inspection prior to committing to it.  Our problem was too much power in our fusion engines to make a 'small' lander.  
"We're close to a final design," Todd Walton said.  He was the lead on their team for lunar landing.  "We've settled on traditional rockets for the landing with the fusion core being used for lift-off and return."
"Another modified orbiter?" I asked.  "We need a name for these things," I added as I tried to keep clear the different variations we were planning on.
"OTV-1 and OTV-2," Todd said.  "Orbital Transfer Vehicle will be the engine and guidance orbiter for the first mission.  It will never land on Earth or the Moon.  OTV-2 is the same vehicle with refuel-able LOX and Hydrogen rockets for soft landing up to a quarter-gee."
He fiddled with his laptop and soon projected an image on the large screen in the briefing room.  It was a bundle of seven cylinders connected by a half-dome top.
"We have the core orbiter in the center," he said as he pointed to the projection, "and then three chemical rockets for soft landing attached around it, with three standard size modules interspersed for personnel and cargo."
"That's not coming back to Earth, is it?"  I said as I looked at their design.
"Nope.  That's why we have to build refueling and maintenance capabilities in Astra Station," Todd said.
"Hold that thought," I replied.  "Who's building the landing rockets?"
"Lockheed won the contract.  They committed to test firings in December and production delivery in June next year."
"What about the other three modules?" I asked.
"One standard hab module, one custom lab module outfitted with geological analysis gear, and one custom EVA module with space for suits, airlock, and a rover.  We'll be VTOL, so need a ramp and small lifting arm for getting gear in and out.  We'll have the full designs set by the end of September and begin construction in November."
"And the top end?" I asked, pointing at the dome shape holding it all together.
"It will have a flight deck and comms.  Design on that is already done and fabrication has started.  We needed it fully spec'd out for the landing rocket bids.  All the fabrication is on track to be delivered in May.  We'll begin orbital assembly then with the landing rockets being the last components fitted."
"How are we testing and prepping for orbital fueling?"  Allen asked.
"That goes back to the Astra discussion," Todd said with a look at Troy Norman, formerly of Team Castor, who was now the program manager for the Astra Station construction.
Troy stepped forward.  "We've got the first eighteen spoke modules in final checkout prior to shipping to Kenya.  We also have the primary hub module staged in Kenya for the initial launch."
He connected his own computer to the main display as he spoke.  "Initial launch for these spoke modules, and the hub is scheduled for December.  This will use a custom lifter based on the original GTO-Prime design.  I think it will be the first time we actually challenge the lifting capacity of the platform."
Hunter and I had spent a lot of time with the team working on the logistics of getting the materials needed for the station into orbit. 
"We will have a six week in-orbit assembly schedule for the first spoke segments, connecting them to the hub in a balanced fashion.  Three of the spoke modules will be our orbital maintenance modules."  
The display shifted to show the ten by fifty-meter module with oversized airlocks and RPV hangars.  "These will be connected directly to the hub as the first modules of three of the station spokes.  They will be the first modules attached and then be used for further assembly work as we build out the station."
The image pulled back as the other three spokes had modules attached.
"Engineering and environmental modules will fill the other three arms closest to the hub.  Module two in each spoke will be hab modules or an E&E module in by the OMMs.  These will be the new, larger design set up for tourism and station staff.  The final module in the spokes for this build will be lab space."
He paused as the image caught up with his speech, showing a hub with six spokes, each one hundred and fifty meters long.  Each spoke had a single engineering and environmental module, allowing each spoke to support the entire station if needed in an emergency.
"Our second stage will be the spine, off of the hub, to support back-up power generation with the solar array and our orbital vehicle shop.  This will launch in March of next year.  We have a four-week assembly and check-out plan.  Once complete, we will be ready to support assembly of OTV-2 in orbit.  We'll then resume the spoke buildout with twelve modules every two months."
"And fueling?" I asked.
"We'll have the fuel storage at the end of the spine," he said pointing to the far end of the model.  "The spine is composed of standard modules like those we have on PTO-1.  The last three sections will be non-critical storage, with the most remote section being the cryo-tanks for volatile fuels.  We expect to begin filling those with a series of flights next May.  One flight should provide enough fuel for orbital testing with the second being used for the first lander mission."
"So, July next year?"  I asked?
Several heads nodded.  
"We are targeting July 20th," Todd said.  "We thought it would be a fitting date for a return to the moon."
*****
"So, Jim is doing well?" Jeryl asked as mom settled at the kitchen table and Mrs. Eccles brought tea for them.
"He is," Mom said.  "He's visiting Kelly and will fly out here for the weekend with the kids while you two glam it up at the Emmy's again."  
"Tired of Washington?" I asked.
She gave me a look.  "You know I enjoy those humid late summer days," she said with an eye roll.  "I thought it would be better to come out and get acclimated to the altitude." 
"And our sixty-degree nights," Jeryl added with a smile.  "We really do appreciate you coming out to help with Ali and Jer.  We actually had time to finish taping this year before the Emmy's.  Frankly, it feels a little odd."
I laughed.  "Yeah, we could actually have a wrap party on Labor Day this year.  I think that is a first."
Jeryl nodded.  "It's really a shame," she said, as her phone rang.  She glanced at the number and the smiled.  "Sorry, it's Camilla."
She stood and walked toward the living room. 
"You two had to go to the other side of the planet to make friends you don't work with," Mom teased.
"You visited," I said with a shrug.  "It was different down under.  We could relax and not worry about work too much down there."
"I know," she said after pausing for a sip of her tea.  "I think you both needed it.  I've told you for years that you are working too hard.  Jim and I both worry about you.  Don't prioritize work over family, Paul.  You'll regret it in the long run."
"I know.  We talk about it often.  We've just got such great opportunities right now.  I mean, who would have though Kelly would be a heartbeat away from being the first female President when we started all of this in high school?"
Mom shook her head.  "None of that will matter if you prioritize it over seeing Ali and Jer grow up."
"We won't.  I promise," I said as Jeryl came back into the room.
"Chrissy got accepted at Stanford," she said.  Camilla was calling about staying in our place in January when Chrissy moves up and starts for the spring semester.
I smiled. "That's great.  Did you invite them to come up early for Christmas?"
"Of course," Jeryl said as she resumed her seat.  "Camilla said even Bluey was looking forward to a White Christmas this year.  So, Beth, you were telling us how Jim was doing?"
"He's fine.  I can't tell you how happy I was Paul and Kelly could come last spring.  I was worried then, but between the two of them, they got the doctors to agree and get him the best treatment."  Mom looked at me.  "Paul, I was really scared when I called you.  I know it was the middle of the night wherever you were at, but you were at the hospital the next morning, taking a huge load off my mind.  I don't think I ever thanked you for stepping in so effectively."
"You know I'd do anything to help," I said.  "You should never be afraid to lean on me."
"I know, but I still appreciate it."
"And how is Kelly doing?  Is she still dating across the aisle?" Jeryl asked.
Mom laughed.  "She loves teasing the tabloids.  She'll attend two events with one date and then go out with someone else just to keep them guessing.  I tease her about doing it to keep her face in the press, trying to keep up with you two."
We laughed.
"She can have the press attention, as far as I'm concerned," Jeryl said.  
I nodded and added, "Especially next week."
"Why?" Mom asked.
"This will be the last season of the Interns," Jeryl said.  We had not done a press release yet, but knew it would come out at the Emmy's, if not before.  Hollywood could not keep a secret.
"That's a shame, but I suspect you two have thought it over," Mom said.  
We nodded together.  "We decided, we'd rather go out on top and on our terms," I said.  
"We've got some other shows in the works, but we'll have a lot less of a hands-on role in them," Jeryl added.
"So, you'll keep having a reason to attend the Emmy's?"  Mom asked with a grin.
"Of course," Jeryl replied.  "Paul enjoys it so, I could hardly deprive him."
We all laughed.
*****
"Thanks, Jim," I said as he handed me my laptop bag to put in the Range Rover.  I had survived the Emmy's, weathered the media storm around our announcement to end 'The Interns', and done the talk show circuit to launch our new show, 'The Amazing Race'.  I had tried to come up with a name that was not used in my own past, but the title was just too fitting.  Racing around the world was truly an amazing adventure.  It suited the show.  Billy was working furiously to get the first season in the can before the end of the month.  
"You'll be back Sunday?" Jim asked.  It was his and Mom's second week watching the kids for us.  Jeryl was off to Milan for some fashion work with Alison and little Rose in tow.  Alison said it was the last world hopping trip for a while.  I could understand her sentiment.
"Yeah.  I just need to hop down to Learmonth for a program review and then meet Jeryl in Seoul to talk to the Chinese.  This should be our last major trip for a while."
"Learmonth sounds interesting.  We've heard a lot about the place, but never visited.  Maybe we should take a trip, as interested shareholders, of course," he said with a smile.
I laughed.
"Any time you want.  As long as there are no cyclones, this is a good time of the year to visit.  Let's talk it over when I get back."
He nodded, and I climbed into the back seat as Sanford said something on the radio.  Less than an hour later, I was down in Salt Lake City on the private side of the airfield.  My GOT was on the tarmac, waiting for me.  Three hours later, I was on the Western coast of Australia, sipping coffee with the orbital control team.  Learmonth was fourteen hours ahead of Salt Lake City, so it was just past six in the morning.  My meetings would start around eight.
I looked at the orbital plot and status display.  OTV-1 was conducting flight tests from the station in high earth orbit.  Marco, the mission commander was visible on one monitor.
"OTV-1, this is Orbital Control Actual, over," I said after checking my comms cap.
I saw Marco recognized my voice in addition to the addition of 'actual' to the call sign.
"Control, this is OTV-1.  That sounds like a familiar voice.  Should I be worried? Over," he replied.
I laughed.  "Negative, OTV-1, just down here for my bi-weekly update.  How is the shakedown going? Over."
"We found some normal issues in the first week at the station, but nothing totally unexpected.  We've been in free orbit for four days, changing altitude and exercising the lab gear.  Everything is checking out well.  Over."
"That's good to hear.  You're scheduled to return to PTO-1 in about thirty-six hours.  Once you have successfully docked, I'd like you to hold a brief christening ceremony.  Your team and crew deserve to fly something more nobly named than OTV-1, over."
I saw his smile on the video.
"Roger that, control.  We have some names picked out already.  I'll make sure we get the right one painted on the bow, over."
I chuckled on the open mike.  "That sounds good, OTV-1.  Godspeed.  Actual, out."
The night crew of the control center smiled.  It was hard to not feel that something important was happening in the computer filled command center we had built to control orbital operations.  We actually had three centers.  One here, one in Ireland, and another in California.   Selfishly, we were adding one in Park City as well. While they were all connected with high-speed fiber optic lines and could each operate independently, we used Learmonth as the primary center for operations.    
I chatted with a few people, checking on various status updates before heading off for the full program review.  Allen met me in the conference room and we were soon deep into the reason for my trip.
The morning covered everything except the upcoming mission Marco and his team were prepping for.  That conversation was saved for the post-lunch portion of the day.  Meagan Light joined us via teleconference from orbit with other crew members of the shakedown crew floating behind her in one of the hab modules.  Marco was on a split screen from the command module.
"Over to you, Meagan," Allen said after introductions were made.  Three of the crew were new to the overall team, being geologists and imaging specialists.
"Very good," Meagan said.  "We are on track to complete OTV-1's shakedown the day after tomorrow. All systems are performing within tolerances.  The crew has passed all of our emergency drills as well.  Terry can provide an overview of the drills, if needed."
Terry White, the pilot I had been with during our forced landing at Hill Air Force Base had been promoted to the head of our flight training program.  He was sitting across the table from me.  
"Terry?"
"Nothing I need to say," he said as he pushed a page filled with statistics over to me.  "The crew has performed well and passed all of our standard checks."  
Marco gave a thumbs up on the screen.
I looked back at the camera mounted above the display Meagan was on.  "How about the instrument checks?"
"Tammy Summers is our remote sensing specialist," Meagan replied.  "She has signed off on all the calibration checks on the sensors and instruments.  We probably don't want to let Uncle Sam know how well some of the systems performed," she added with a grin.
"How about life-support?" Allen asked.
"All systems are green," Katie Hicks, formerly of team Artemis said over Meagan's shoulder.  "We've run both the individual modules systems as well as the integrated system.  Even with loss of the fusion plant, we have return to earth capability from solar power."
We had added a low thrust ion engine to the configuration in the event the fusion plant was lost somehow.  If they lost the engine prior to inserting into orbit, they would have a free return, similar to what Apollo Thirteen had used.  If they lost the engine after being captured in lunar orbit, the ion thruster could get them back, but it would be a long trip; several weeks at least.
"How is the crew settling in?" I asked.
"Excellent.  We're ready to go."
I smiled.  "You might want to resupply, first.  You guys have been up there for a week already.  No need to risk running out of consumables."
"Hardly a risk of that," Marco said.  "We could leave now and still be within our margin.  The only reason we're going next month is to have better light conditions when we get in lunar orbit."
I laughed.  "I guess that is a pretty good reason to delay.  Team Luna, and crew of OTV-1, great job.  I'll let you get back to your training evolutions and look forward to seeing some of the imagery and analysis you send back."
The crew waved off and we ended the conference.  I had one last meeting with Collin for the afternoon to review some lab work on a new aerogel formulation he had been working on with Thomas Culpepper.  
"Paul," Collin said.  "This formulation could be just what we need.  We finally got all of the properties we wanted.  The best part is that we think we'll be able to manufacture in place.  The lunar regolith has everything we need in terms of elemental composition.  We'll just have to factor that into our site selection criteria."
"And OTV-1 has the right instrumentation?"
"Yes.  The spectral imagers onboard should be able to handle the job.  I've already checked."
"Now we just have to build a manufacturing capability that will fit in one of the lander modules."
"That might be a problem.  I'm not sure there is enough volume.  Thomas and I can work on the process, but we'll want to build in place, not send a module.  This is a fairly complex process to get the UV translucency and with the radiation protection and strength you want.  Quality is going to be tight."
"Ok.  So how do we bootstrap it?" I asked.
"I don't know yet.  We need a team working on this.  Give me three or four of Thomas's assistants and maybe a post-doc or two and we can figure it out.  It won't be the first thing the base builds, but we'll want to know what the first thing should be."
"Let's start breaking it down," I said.  We were in his office at Learmonth.  I motioned toward the conference room adjoining it.  "I see a pretty good-sized whiteboard in there."
"Let me check if the room's free."
"Collin, I'm kind of the boss.  This is important.  Let anyone else that wants the room find a different one."
Collin laughed.  "I do forget that sometimes.  I've heard stories, but never seen you this focused before.  Let's go."
Jyl forced us to stop around ten that night.  We were back at it the next morning at six.  
"We're close," Collin said as we broke for dinner that evening.  "We may have to ship in carbon for the initial processing of nanotubes, but once we can manufacture the pressure vessels, we should be able to move through the process."
Our diagram on the white board had grown as we tracked dependencies from our end-state back to the initial load for the lander.  We wanted to be able to build greenhouses that would allow us to grow sufficient food for export to other orbital stations and ultimately to Mars if needed.  
"Jeryl wanted to know what we could ship for a profit," I said as we looked at the wall.  "If our plan is right, we'll be able to create a self-sustaining colony in a little over three years.  We should be a net exporter of consumables by year five."
"We need to double check everything and then have independent eyes review it," Collin said.  "I still want a team to actually verify each step either here or in orbit before we think the plan is good."
I nodded.  "We have about a year to verify it.  If the mission back next summer goes well, we'll be back on the moon for good then.  Our contingency timeline allows for six months of further survey work, if needed.  If the mission next month goes as planned, I don't think we'll need that extra time."
"Will we have the resources to work on Astra as well as a full lunar base?"  Collin asked.
"If my discussions with the Chinese go as planned, I think so.  They really want to expand generator purchases."
"Well then, good luck in those meetings," Collin said.
"Speaking of which, I had better get a bit of rest before leaving in the morning.  Jeryl won't be pleased if I show up looking like I worked all night again.  She's spent four days in Milan with the fashionable crowd.  She'll probably look like a movie star.  I had better hold up my end."
Collin laughed.
We cleaned up the remnants of our dinner and then made sure we had copies of our notes and pictures of the whiteboard.  Collin promised to have some assistants come in and document everything as well, to ensure we had it all.  I headed to the small hotel style suite I was in after watching him head toward his home on the beach.  
I showered and climbed into bed, looking forward to a good night's sleep.  
I was woken by my phone, an hour before my alarm was to go off.  
"Paul, this is orbital ops.  We've had a GOT go down."
I sat up, suddenly wide awake.
"Paul, it was the GOT from Milan to Seoul."
It was Jeryl's flight.
 
Chapter Forty-Nine
Repercussions
*****
The world paused while I sat in darkness.
Telling the kids mom was never coming home again was the hardest thing I had ever done, in either life.  Apologizing to Jerry for not keeping my promise to keep his little girl safe was the second hardest.  Putting a brave face on my grief as my step-sister, the Vice President of the United States, gave a moving eulogy before a crowded memorial service was almost trivial in comparison.  I heard her words and accepted condolences from friends, acquaintances, employees and business partners, but none of them mattered.  The only thing that reached me were the hand squeezes and hugs from Ali and Jer, as they tried to work through their own feelings of loss and suffering.  They could almost understand what I felt.
The light of my life was gone.
*****
"Paul," Kelly said over the phone.  "How are you doing?"
"One day at a time, Kelly.  What's happening in Washington?" It had been four days since the memorial service.
"Our ambassador to the UN will be introducing more sanctions against North Korea today.  I don't know if they'll get past the security council or not, but I wanted to let you know we are on your side."
North Korea had launched a 'training' flight of Mig-29 fighters at about the time Jeryl's GOT had taken off from Milan.  At the time, neither South Korean nor US forces took note of the flight beyond routine tracking.  As the GOT began its re-entry over China, the flight had turned Northwest and begun climbing.  Still well within North Korean airspace, no one had paid them much attention.  As the GOT descended over the Yellow Sea and dropped into the sonic range of its operational envelope, the MIG's had turned south and begun a supersonic dash.  No warning had been given as they closed to within twenty miles of the GOT.  Still in international airspace, they had launched a total of eight R-73 heat-seeking missiles.  Six of the missiles had worked correctly, homing on the GOT at their Mach 2.5 operational speed.  There was no targeting radar to warn the crew.  Impact had occurred at 12,800 meters above sea level.  Telemetry from the GOT had stopped seconds after the explosion as the airframe was ripped apart.
Thinking about the malicious planning that had gone into the attack and the pitiful response in the two weeks since, I was infuriated.
"I'll make sure it gets through the security council.  You make sure it is meaningful," I said.
"What do you mean, Paul?  What are you going to do?"
"I want that megalomaniac of a tin-pot dictator to pay for this.  It was a pre-meditated act of war.  If nations can't see that, I can.  Warn your boss to do something before I do."
I hung up the phone.
"Tamara, get Lila on the phone," I said.  I was in the Park City offices.  The kids had returned to school this morning and I could not bear the thought of sitting around the home Jeryl and I had built working or waiting for their return.  It was my first day back.
"She's about to land in Austin," Tamara said.  "I'll have her call as soon as she can."
"Good.  I've got some other calls to make but let me know when she is on the line."
"Will do, boss," Tamara replied.
I looked at my contacts on my computer and found the number I needed next.
"Cindy speaking," Cindy Xavier, head of generator production said as she answered her phone.
"Cindy, what is in the pipeline for Russia, China, Britain, France, and Iran?"
"I'll have to take a look, but I think a couple dozen generators all-told.  Why?"
"Notice them that we are putting a hold on all orders until further notice.  They can contact me with questions."
"Paul, six of them are already scheduled for installation."
"I don't care.  Route them to whoever is next on the list."
"Okay, you're the boss."
I hung up and dialed another number, this one within the US.
"Chairman's office, Master Sergeant Philips speaking.  This is not a secure line."
"Master Sargent, this is Paul Taylor.  Could you deliver a message to General Baker for me?" I asked.
"Certainly, sir," came the crisp reply.
"Please let him know that there will not be an auction next month.  He'll understand."
"Yes, sir.  I'll make sure he gets the message.  Sir, if it's not out of place, I'd like to offer you my condolences."
"Thank you, Master Sargent.  I appreciate the thought."
I ended the call.
"Lila's on Line two, boss," Tamara said as soon as my phone hit the cradle.  I picked it back up and hit the button to connect.
"What's up, Paul?" Lila asked as soon as I said hello.
"Work with Ian to shut down production in Austin.  Make sure all material is delivered per last month's auction, and then shut it down."
Lila was quiet for a minute.  "Temporary or permanent shut-down, Paul?"
"Temporary, for now.  Send all staff, including Ian on a two-month paid leave of absence.  Make sure security is tight even once it is shut down."
"You know the Air Force is not going to be happy," Lila said.
"I've already sent a note to General Baker," I replied as I saw a number flash on my phone.  "In fact, I think he is trying to call me back, now.  Shut it down, Lila."
"Okay, Paul."
I hung up and took the other call.
"Paul, I just got your note.  What is the problem?"
"The problem is a dictator in North Korea, general.  In accordance with the company directive I established at the beginning of the Gulf War, I'm terminating production following an attack by a foreign country.  If the regime that initiated the attack on my family is still in power in two months, I will be terminating the process for good."
"Paul, be reasonable.  This is a tragedy, of course and I can't imagine your loss, but we need that material."
"No, general.  You want that material.  Why should I make it when it is not being used to keep the world or my country safe?  The GOT that was shot down was American flagged, unless you forget.  I've been enabling our military capability for fifteen years.  How has that capability made us safer?"
"Paul, I know you are in pain, but this is not reasonable."
"General, I've worked with you for years.  I have a lot of respect for you, but I'm done being reasonable as long as we let a murderer escape punishment just because he is the head of a country."
"Paul...."
"This is not a discussion, General.  I've told you the auction is off for next month, per my contract with the DoD.  I will tell you now, that the December auction is off as well.  The actions of the government will determine if there is ever another auction.  In January, I will reconfigure my Austin production line for more commercially viable products."
"Paul...."
I hung up the phone.
"Tamara, arrange calls with Minister Khalil, Ministers Sun and Chen, and whomever is their equivalent in Russia, France, and Great Britain," I called out my open office door.
"Individual or together?"
"Individually, please."
"I'll get notes sent and get them set up.  Any time?" she asked from my door.
"As soon as convenient for them.  Don't worry about my calendar.  I'll be up for those calls.  Just get them booked."
She frowned at me and then nodded.
*****
"Terry, I'm not accepting your resignation," I said as my head pilot stood before my desk.
"I failed that crew, Paul.  As much as if I had been at the stick myself," he said.
"How?"
"I trained them.  They should have hit the accelerator as soon as they knew they were in trouble.  They had power to spare and could have gotten out of the missile's envelope if I'd done my job better."
I looked him in the eye.
"You've seen all the telemetry.  What warning did they have?"
He started to respond but I raised my hand.
"By your logic, it's my fault.  I could have put a Doppler radar set on the rear fuselage to give them some warning of a rear-approaching threat.  We're doing that now, but I could have done it sooner, if I'd been paranoid enough.  It's my fault, Terry, not yours."
He shook his head.
"I'm the head pilot for you and designed all the training we put in place for the GOT pilots and crews.  I must have missed something."
I felt his pain.  I had beaten myself up with the same thoughts for weeks.
"How is the 'Tycho Brahe' mission crew doing?" I asked.
The 'Tycho Brahe' was the name Team Luna had come up with for their OTV.  Despite the political turmoil and the disruption the shoot-down had caused within the company, they had continued preparations for their flight.  They were scheduled to depart Earth orbit in two days.
"They're doing fine," He said.  I knew he had monitored their final simulator training that morning.  "What's that got to do with anything?"
"You trained them, too."
"But...."
I raised my hand again.
"Terry, if I let you go, I'm losing the best pilot in the fleet and our most experienced military aviator as well.  We've fixed the design flaw in the GOT.  Every one of them is getting threat receivers and ECCM systems for warning and protection.  Who is going to ensure those capabilities are properly covered in our training plans if you leave?  Will someone with less experience make our crews safer?"
I could see him trying to frame an argument.
"Look," I said before he could argue.  "If you're afraid to step up to the challenge of making sure no one ever succeeds in taking another shot at us, I'll let you go.  Just tell me that is what you're afraid of.  Trust me, I won't judge you.  I'm terrified of missing something like this again."
I thought I might have pushed him too far, as I saw the vein along his jaw throb.  I waited for his response.
After a moment, he shook his head.  "You are one tough son-of-a-bitch, Paul."
I forced a chuckle.  "If I thought for a minute you had any fault in this, Terry, you'd be out on your ass.  You trained me, though, so I know you did nothing wrong.  I've got it on pretty good authority that a shot would have been taken at the first opportunity.  That just meant it was random chance that the first GOT into Seoul was that aircraft, crew and passengers."
"So, what are we going to do about it?" He asked.
"I've been counseled to let the politicians have their chance.  I've applied what pressure I can.  Now, we have to wait."
"I hate waiting."
"So, do I.  I'd much rather create alternatives while I'm waiting."
He looked at me with an arched eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
"I'd like to talk to you about some special flight profiles," I said.  "As well as testing some modification to a GOT.  If the governments of the world aren't effective in acting, I want some alternatives."
*****
"Whap!  Whap!"
The sound of my training gloves hitting the leather of the heavy bag echoed in our home workout room.  I tried to focus on keeping my wrists tight and punching into the bag.  I'd been at it for hours, wishing the bag was a person; either the pilots who had fired on the GOT or the dictator who had ordered it.
"Whap!  Whap!"
A motion caught my attention.  Jer was standing by the doorway in his pajamas, watching me.
"Did I wake you, sport?" I asked as I stopped my footwork and settled the bag with a hand.
He shook his head.
I pulled off my gloves and went over to him, squatting put my eyes on his level.  His were red from sleep or crying.
"I miss mommy," he said softly.
"I miss her too," I said as I pulled him into a hug.  His sobs tore at my heart.
*****
"Minister Sun, you can argue all you want," I said into the speaker phone.  "But at the end of the day, I'm the one selling the generators and the materials; and there is only one thing you can say that will convince me to sell.  Tell me that the regime of Kim il-Sung has been removed from power and that the man that ordered the attack on my wife and friends is either dead or in prison for life."
"Mister Taylor, the People's Republic cannot turn its back on a neighboring power due to one unfortunate incident," the Minister replied.
"Then you should start building expensive power plants, because you'll get none from me."  I hung up the phone.
"Is this really the best course?" Hunter asked.  "You're threatening a lot of people and governments, Paul."
I had held similar calls with the Russians.
"What else can I do?  Don't tell me to grieve and then move on.  I'm going to show that fucker that he is not untouchable.  If the world governments won't police themselves, I'll do it myself."
"What do you mean, Paul?"
"We've got command of the high ground, Hunter.  How about some orbital debris, like a Russian satellite landing on his Presidential Palace?"
Hunter looked at me, trying to judge if I was serious, I'm sure.  "There is a risk of a lot of casualties in that kind of thinking, Paul, not to mention the potential to start the second Korean war.  What would such a move do to you, or Kelly?"
He left hanging the thought that Jeryl would not have approved.  His discretion probably saved our friendship.
"I can't just let it go, Hunter.  How would you feel if Lila had been on that flight?"
My friend looked at me and shook his head.  "Probably just like you feel.  Let's give the governments some time to work before we take any drastic action."
"You know I'm not very good with waiting, right?" I asked.
He nodded.  "Do you want to review the mission to take your mind off it?"
"They've got it handled.  Operations are all set to run out of Learmonth.  Do you want to go over there to supervise?" I asked.
He shook his head.  "I think I'll stay close here.  The team is trained, and we can always monitor from the new control center down in Park City."
We had expanded our offices and established a monitoring station for orbital operations over the past few months.  We now could run orbital operations from Australia, Ireland, Kenya, and Utah.  We also had access to the Cape, Houston, and Edwards for US sponsored missions.
"How about we hop down to the lab?  I think we can do some tuning on the Gen Six engine design."
I shook my head.  "I need to be here for the kids.  I don't want to pull them out of school.  They need their friends."
Hunter sighed.  "Okay, but so do you.  You can't just hide away and throw verbal bombs at the world, Paul.  I understand how you feel, but you can't change what's happened."
His words struck home.
He obviously did not know what I had already changed.
*****
"Despite increasing world tensions and political turmoil following the shoot-down of one of PT Innovation's GOT transports, the company achieved its initial goal of returning to the moon," Peter Jennings said from the television as some of our PR footage played.  "The crew of the OTV-Tycho Brahe, a fusion powered orbital transfer vehicle, entered lunar orbit today at 10:00 A.M.  Eastern time to begin their two-week survey mission.  While conducting the most detailed survey of the moon to date, they will also carry out a host of other scientific trials in preparation for a full return to the moon next year."
He paused as the image of Earthrise played on the screen.
"In more earthly news, another resolution has been passed in the UN demanding the surrender of Kim il-Sung and the officers involved in the ordering of the GOT shoot down.  North Korea has denounced the resolutions.  Russia, China, and the United States continue to apply diplomatic pressure in addition to the sanctions already in place.  There has been continued speculation of military reprisals for the unwarranted attack on the civilian craft.  The UN Security Council will be holding sessions this week to continue working on a member-binding resolution for the crisis.  Let's go now to Carlie Tasker reporting from Guam."
The background shifted to an image of a B-1 bomber taking off from a tropical setting with a reporter standing to one side of the frame.
"Here in Guam, the US forces continue to launch regular air patrols toward North Korea.  While the primary focus has been on enforcing the initial sanctions on the rogue state, forces are ready to defend themselves and retaliate at the first sign of provocation."
The scene cut to a pair of F-15's flying with white missiles evident below their wings.  "US forces have been warned of potential threats in the air as well as on the sea and ground.  One of the biggest threats from North Korea is their vast artillery forces who sit within striking distance of Seoul.  Experts believe the B-1 bombers based here in Guam would target those forces at the first sign of aggression to protect the South Korean population."
The scene cut again, this time to an aircraft carrier and its escorts tied up in Guam.
"Elements of the Seventh Fleet have been diverted from training exercises in Australia to the area to supplement forces based in Japan that have put to sea to assist in enforcing the blockade and Marine forces in Okinawa have been placed on alert."  
*****
"How are you doing?" Kelly asked as she handed me a scotch.
"I'm wiped out," I said.  "Jer threw a fit when we got to the airport.  He did not want to get on the GOT once he realized Jeryl had last flown on one.  If Anna hadn't been ready with a sedative, we'd either be back home or at the hospital.  I've never seen him so worked up."
"You have them seeing a counselor, don't you?"
I nodded and took a sip of the 25-year-old Macallan.
"Jeryl's aunt really helped me.  Are you talking to the counselor as well?"
I shook my head and took another sip.  The peaty iodine fire at the back of my throat kept me from saying anything.
"Paul, you made me take time to grieve.  You need to as well."
I looked at my step-sister, the Vice President of the United States, and remembered when she had helped keep Jeryl and I together in high-school.  I shook my head.
"I'm not ready yet.  I still think I'm going to wake up and hear her coming into the bedroom.  I don't know how to comfort the kids, or her parents, or her sisters, or her aunt, or her cousins.  I've got everything else in the world, and I feel so empty."
Kelly moved beside me and put an arm around my shoulders.
"I know what you are feeling, Paul.  Believe me, I remember the days I wanted to scream at the world but instead buried myself in work.  You forced me to change and pause; to take time and just feel.  Now you need to force yourself.  This is something you get through, not something you get over."
"I'm lost, Kelly," I admitted.  "I had dreams and plans and they all feel like ashes in my mouth, now."
Kelly patted my shoulder.  "I know.  I still think of all the things the three of us talked about and you made real.  I think about the things Jeryl did with your support, and the what you did with hers.  You realize the two of you have done more for our country in the last decade than the historians will ever give you credit for, right?"
"But I still couldn't protect her," I said before taking a convulsive swig of the scotch, reveling in the burn in my throat and stomach.
"Could you keep her from going to Milan for those fashion shows and meetings?" Kelly asked.
"No."  I had not even thought to try.
"Could you keep her from coming to Seoul to help in the negotiations with China?"
I shook my head.  I had wanted her at my side for those conversations.
"So, she was doing what she wanted, and you were supporting her dreams as much as your own.  You have to at least acknowledge that, Paul.  You did not force her onto that plane.  You did not force her to join you.  She was doing what she believed in, and what she wanted to do."
"And some ego-maniacal bastard ordered her to die for no reason," I said bitterly.
Kelly gave me a one-armed hug and then stood and went to her desk.  We were in her private office at the Naval Observatory.  The kids were sleeping, and Mom and Dad were to arrive in another hour or so.  We did not have much to celebrate but coming here seemed like a better plan than going to any of the places we had previously celebrated Thanksgiving.
Kelly picked up a red file with Top Secret stamps on it.
"Paul, would you like to see this?" she asked from across the room.
I shook my head.  "I doubt I have a 'need to know'," I said.
"I'll decide that.  I've already discussed it with Al.  This report has some SCI data in it.  Kim il-Sung was going to shoot down the first GOT that neared Korean airspace.  It documents the rhetoric of his internal conversations.  After the fact, we had all the indicators we needed.  We just could not fathom such evil intent.  His limited exports of coal to China were at risk if you improved power production.  He was feeling the economic pinch already and you were still barely penetrating the Chinese market.  He is already facing severe famine due to mismanagement of production in the face of floods and drought.  Internally, he needed an external threat or victory to cement his leadership.  We have the proof of why.  We can tie the plan to him and a cadre of military planners.  We're working on how to sanitize the information to a point we can share it with the Chinese and Russians to ensure they follow through with the sanctions."
I looked at her.  She obviously had more to say.
"Our forces are moving in place.  We're still solidifying our political front, but we are taking action.  If that idiot so much as sneezes across the border, we'll strike.  I've seen the ROE and some of the planning.  I want you to know that."
I nodded.
"But none of that matters, Paul.  No matter what we do, she is not coming back."
Her words cut me to the core.
"I know that sounds cruel," Kelly continued.  "But you need to hear it.  I needed to hear it when Matthew died.  I didn't want to hear it, say it, or think it, but I needed to.  You do, too, Paul."
I struggled to keep a sob from escaping my lips.  Intellectually, I knew Jeryl was gone from me forever.  Emotionally, I did not want to admit it.
Kelly watched me from across the room, stoically.
"What do you want me to say?" I asked tightly, gripping the glass hard enough to expect it to break.
"I want you to say what you feel, Paul.  I love you.  I love your kids.  You love them as well, and you loved Jeryl.  Let your feelings out.  Let your kids know it's alright to feel sad and miss her, but you have to acknowledge she is gone.  It's the first step to working through this."
I felt tears on my cheeks as the room blurred.
"I'm lost," I said with a shudder.  "I don't know what to do anymore," I admitted.
Kelly cross the room in a few steps and hugged me again.
"You're not lost, Paul.  Your friends and family are nearby.  Your kids are here.  Let us all help carry a small part of your burden.  Trust me, it's the only way through this for you and Ali and Jer."
For the first time in weeks, I cried.  For a heartbeat, I let myself believe I was not alone, and I hated myself for thinking it.
*****
"Daddy, can I ask you a question?" Ali said as she sat down beside me on the family room couch.
"Of course, you can, honey," I said.
"Can I learn to fly?"
Her question caught me totally off guard.
"Why do you want to?" I asked.
"I told Aunt Helen about Jer on the plane," she said simply.
After his fear and loathing of flying out to Washington DC, we had taken a sleeper train home the week after Thanksgiving.  The kids had thought it was a grand adventure, even if it did take much longer to travel.
"And what did she say?" I asked.
"She told me that when we fear something, it is important to face our fears and not let them rule us.  She explained that Jer thought of flying as the reason Mommy died, even though it was just what she was doing when she died."  She paused to see if I was following her.  I nodded.
"I admitted I was a little afraid when we took off and landed, but not as much of a baby as Jer."
"He's hardly a baby," I said.  He had turned eight just before our trip.
"Well, he kind of acted like one.  I told him that, too," she said defiantly.  "Anyway, I thought about what Aunt Helen said.  I think the thing that scared me was I didn't know exactly what was going on.  The first time I went sailing with you, I was afraid, too.  Then you taught me how to sail, and I wasn't afraid.  I want to do the same thing with planes."
I was impressed by her thinking.  She was three months shy of turning ten.
"So, you want to learn to fly?" I asked.
She nodded.
"It's a long process, with a lot of classroom work.  Are you ready to do all that?"
She nodded again.
"I'll talk to Terry, our best pilot, and see what he says.  He might want to talk to you before we decide."
"Thanks, Dad," she said before giving me a big hug.  "I love you."
"I love you, too, pumpkin."
*****
November drifted to December and we all continued to adjust to a life without Jeryl or Alison or little Rose in it.  Lila and Hunter had moved into Alison's place next door to us at Deer Valley since it was company owned anyway.  The kids finished school for the Christmas break and we drove down to the lab for a few days of relaxing in the warmer desert.
Mike Keller, who now oversaw security at the lab, fixed us up with some camping gear and I took the kids into the scrub-oak and sage covered hills for a camping trip.  It was something we had never done before.  Helen had suggested we begin making some new memories, rather than going to the same places we had previously visited.
I had started regular calls with her after Ali shared her conversation with me.  She was planning on coming out after the New Year to spend a little time with Jer.  She was bringing Samuel, Trisha and Richard's youngest son with her.  Jer was excited for the first time in months.  I prayed the kids were turning a corner.  Of course, I knew I would not move on anytime soon.
We returned to Park City amid fresh snowfall and were then snowed in by an early season blizzard.  We got dug out just in time for our holiday guests to arrive.  Ali was excited to see Jane again and ran out the door without a jacket as soon as Nicole pulled up in the Range Rover she had picked them up in.
"Ali!" Jane yelled as she hopped out of the car and embraced her friend.  I grabbed Ali's coat and headed outside to greet our guests.
Camilla was on Jane's heels and wrapped me up in a hug as soon as I was close.  "Paul, we're so sorry for your loss," she said.  I felt her tears on my cheek and fought back my own.
"Thanks, Camilla," I managed to say.  "It's good to see you all again."
She snorted and wiped her cheeks as Bluey moved beside her and patted my shoulder.
"How are you doing, mate?" he asked.
"Hanging in there," I replied.  "Ali, here's your coat," I said as she and Jane finally parted.
Chrissy came around the car and I nearly dropped it.  As soon as her mother was out of the way, she wrapped me in a hug.
"Paul, I'm so sorry.  Jeryl was like the best big-sister I could ever imagine.  I'm so sorry," she said as I tried not stare at her.  She had matured in the past year, filling out some more, but in all the right places.  Her blonde hair was pulled into a pony-tail but fell to the middle of her back.  Even in a heavy goose down coat, she molded herself to me.
I wiped away her tears, surprised that I needed to comfort her.  "Thank you, Chrissy.  She was incredibly fond of you, too."  I gave her a quick squeeze and then moved to help grab bags.
"Let's get you southerners out of the cold," I said with a forced laugh.
Soon we were all inside and our guests were settled.  Jane was staying with Ali, of course.  Bluey and Camilla were in one of the guest rooms, and Chrissy had opted for the bunk room, where she had stayed last year.  The kids were outside playing in the snow while I poured Camilla and Bluey a drink and joined them in our living room.
"I can certainly appreciate some of Chrissy's stories now," Camilla said as she looked at the snow-covered mountains outside.  "This is a beautiful house."
"Thank you."
"And it looks like you put on plenty of snow for us," Bluey added.
"Well, I wanted to make sure you guys could get some good skiing in while you're here."
"Of that, I'm sure," Bluey said.  "Jane and Chrissy have been talking up a storm about it.  We'll need to go get gear rented in the morning," he said.
"No need.  I've got rental gear coming up in an hour or so.  They'll bring everything you need and make sure it all fits before they leave.  We've also already got your lift tickets, and I've arranged for a private instructor for you tomorrow at nine, just to make sure you're comfortable in our snow."
Camilla laughed.  "There go all of your excuses for not skiing tomorrow, Bluey," she teased.  "I think they were really excuses to sit at the lodge and drink a few pints tomorrow."
"Well, we can do that as well," I said.  "Or we can just do it here.  The nice thing about skiing here is there is no pressure.  I've gone out and done two runs and then called it a day before.  I've also skied from the first lift chair until the last.  You guys can go as hard or as easy as you want and then come back here to relax and enjoy the scenery.  We're really pretty low-key."
"Thanks for taking such good care of us, Paul," Camilla said.  "I mean, you brought us over first class and are letting us stay at your place in Stanford to get Chrissy settled in.  Add in the skiing arrangements, and I can't imagine how to thank you."
"No thanks necessary," I said.  "You're our friends.  You were gracious and caring while we lived in Sydney.  I'm just glad things are working out for you all.  Is Chrissy excited?"
Bluey snorted.  "She's been damn near bouncing off the walls for the past two weeks.  She's had the wanderlust ever since you guys introduced her to the world of modeling."
"Has she been doing much of it lately?" I asked.
"Only a few shows and shoots in Australia," Camilla replied.  "The Ford Agency wants to sign her here in the States, but we've put our foot down and said school comes first.  They are still trying to get her under a limited contract."
"I'm sure the boys at Stanford will appreciate having a model in their classes."
"Aww, why'd you have to go and remind me of that?" Bluey said.
Camilla patted his arm.  "She knows what she's about.  You don't need to worry about school boys with her," she said with a glance at me.
"What is she planning on studying?" I asked.
"One day it's mechanical engineering, the next architecture, and then the next it's fashion and design.  She's a teenager.  It changes by the moment, I think," Bluey replied.
"Well, what courses is she taking in her first semester?"
"She's taking some freshman electives and loading up on her math and science requirements in the engineering curriculum.  She actually tested out of the first semester equivalents, so should be able to catch up to the kids that started last fall."
"I'm surprised she didn't take a semester to model and start next fall," I said.
"We talked about it.  She was having none of it.  Once she got the scholarship, she said she was starting at Stanford as soon as she could.  That girl has found some drive," Bluey said with a hint of admiration for his daughter.  "But don't let her know that I approve of that," he added with a laugh.
The girls came in with the ski rental delivery man, who looked totally smitten with a laughing Chrissy.  I shook my head and then played host as everyone got fitted and set for skiing.  By the time that was done, it was dinner time, and then our guests retired from their long day.
I was surprised to find Chrissy on the treadmill when I went downstairs at 5:00 AM the following morning.
"You're up early," I said as I began stretching.
"I'm still on Sydney time, I think," she replied.  "I was tired from the travel yesterday, but still woke up early here."
"I see you've kept up with your exercising," I said.  She was wearing black boy-shorts and a Nike sports bra while jogging at a steady pace.  Her body was toned, and her stomach looked tight with well-defined abs.  I resisted an urge to stare, suddenly feeling guilty as I thought about Jeryl.
"You set me on this path.  Once I started, I found I had a lot more confidence.  Modeling reinforced the need to stay in shape.  I work out at least four times a week now.  I found it helped me study and focus during the day, too."
I smiled.  "All that from our talk on the beach?"
She hit the speed button and dropped her pace to a walk as she grabbed a towel and wiped her brow while starting to cool down.  "It was more than a talk," she said in a serious tone.  "You and Jeryl gave me so much last year.  You treated me like an adult, and I really liked it.  It encouraged me to grow up.  You opened doors for me and gave me the confidence to go through them.  A year ago, I was a good student but not really driven.  You showed me that I could achieve anything, if I set my mind to it and worked for it.  It really opened my eyes.  Now I'm on my way to Stanford on scholarship."
I finished my stretching and hopped on the stationary bike to warm up before doing my regular light weight lifting routine.
"I'm glad we could help you, Chrissy.  You've been a good friend to us as well.  I know Jeryl thought of you more like a younger sister than just a friend."
Chrissy stopped the treadmill, stepped off, and moved closer to me.  "So, does that make me your sister-in-law?" she asked with a smile.
I shook my head and smiled.  Her impish personality made her as attractive as her sculpted body did.
"I suppose you could say that," I replied.
She looked serious for a moment.  "Can I ask you a favor then?"
"Sure," I replied.
"Can you come visit me at Stanford some time?"
"Count on it.  Just give me a call if you need anything."
Her smile lit the room.
*****
My plan and project were simple in concept.  I had shut-down stealth material production in Austin and actually begun dismantling the equipment needed to produce it.  None of my other facilities could produce the first-generation nanotubes needed to make objects invisible to radar.  Of course, I had built the process.  My lab in Nevada had everything needed to produce the material.
Additionally, I had aerogel and CRP material production at the lab.  Throw in components to continue refining my fusion generator and engine designs and it was a straight forward effort to design a new kind of military spacecraft.  Its small size and a fusion rocket gave it incredible acceleration and power reserves.  It could practically turn on a dime at hypersonic speeds, so long as it was unmanned.
The software systems needed to remotely pilot and control the craft were well within my own programming skills.  Continuous communications were simple with the DigiNet global network.  I told a small team of grad students that they were working on a video game.  The software work was done in four months.  They never knew that the 'scene graphics' were nothing more than digitized images.  They thought the simulation quality was amazing.  My own flying skills were developing rapidly enough that I was looking forward to going through ground school with Ali soon.
Armament was simple as well.  I had the best magnetic field manipulation in the history of man at my fingertips.  My only design challenge was the structural bracing, materials design, and the acceleration profile of the electromagnetic projectiles.  The whole craft was a flying support mechanism for the railgun.  My initial design provided for a two-kilo projectile leaving the muzzle of the gun at 2500 meters per second.  I was nervous about testing the full airframe but had done enough static firing tests and computer simulations to feel somewhat confident in my design.  It would at least survive one mission.  My biggest concern now, was final integration and targeting.
My first fully prepped drone was ready for its maiden flight.  We were at the lab.  The kids were asleep after a full day of sun and swimming.  I had ventured out to the test stand after I was sure they were sleeping and used the mechanical lift to move the drone into launch position.
It was a strange looking craft.  It was reminiscent of the GOT, but smaller and sleeker.  The delta lifting body housed the flight systems and single engine.  The railgun ran through the body with a slight downward angle.  It was as short as I could make it but ended up being longer than the engine by just under two meters.  The rear end of the gun ran into the vertical stabilizer at the top rear of the craft.  A small tear-drop half-dome sat at the front of the delta wing and housed radar as well as IR and video targeting cameras.  This would be my first test firing of the gun while in flight.
I wiped my hands on my shorts as I sat down at the control console in the lab.  The pre-flight checklist was not much different than the engineer checklist I used on the GOT.  Pure power would fling the drone into the sky.  With its stealth coating, I was not concerned about prying eyes seeing this launch.  I hit the ignition sequence and watched the craft disappear skyward on a tongue of plasma flame.
The power to weight ratio was unimaginable.  My initial engine pulse of twenty seconds was powerful enough to clear the ceiling of controlled airspace at 60,000 feet.  I transitioned the craft to horizontal flight and put it on a westerly course as I ran initial systems checks.  The drone was flying at nearly the velocity of its cannon, close to two-and-a-half kilometers per second.  If I could not resolve my targeting concerns, I could always use the kamikaze solution.
It took eight minutes to reach the west coast.  I continued west for an additional ten, covering roughly a third of the distance to my real target.  I activated the radar to check for any craft, but knew I was well clear of any regular shipping lanes or flight paths.  I throttled down the engine to its lowest power levels and monitored my altitude as I put the drone into a gently banking circle.
I took a breath and thought through my next test.  I didn't really have a target to aim at which was a problem.  I had briefly considered driving out into the desert and putting up a target to fire at, but could not run the risk of either discovery, or misses near any population.  I had a specific target to kill, not random people.
I flipped up a protective cover on the control panel and pushed the arming switch on the cannon.  An indicator went from red, to amber and then green.  Amber was the pre-firing checks on the computer, making sure there was power and ammunition in the cannon.  Green told me all of the safety interlocks were opened and the weapon was live.  I had tested this logic many times in static tests.
I leveled out and dropped the nose of the drone to a sixty-degree dive.  The view from the IR and video feed were clear.  I turned on the UHF targeting track radar and squeezed the trigger.
The view jumped from the recoil, but the radar screen showed the projectile racing away from the drone.  I had placed a tuned radar reflector at the rear of each projectile.  I watched the blip move away and descend, tracking its actual trajectory relative to the computed track.  It landed within 500 meters of where I expected it to.  Visually, the velocity of the round had slammed into the water and created a geyser of steam from the energy conversion of the impact.  Not bad with an unguided projectile fired from over thirty kilometers away.
I ran a systems check.  Everything still looked good.  My next shot targeted the small cloud tracked against the ocean surface.  Not the best target, but better than nothing.
The second shot was within meters of the man-made cloud I had aimed at.  Better.
However, what I needed was near pinpoint accuracy.  The time of flight and atmospheric variables were not working in my favor.  I could either get closer to my target or produce some guidance mechanism.  It was time to solve the targeting problem.
*****
"What can I do for you, Deputy Director Johnson?" I asked as Sam Johnson stepped into my office.  He had aged since Alison's death.  His face looked drawn.
"I'm sorry about this, Paul, but I'm here to take you in.  I don't know how you could do this to the memory of Alison, Jeryl, and to your kids."
His hand was on his holstered sidearm.
"What are you talking about?"
"Paul Taylor, you're under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder.  You have the right to remain silent.  Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law.  You have the right to consult an attorney.  If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.  Do you understand these rights?"
"Who did I conspire against?" I asked as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs.
"Three hundred and seventy-two American service members who died because you started the second Korean War, you stupid son-of-a-bitch."
I woke with a start, sweating despite the cool night air of our home at the lab.  It was still dark out.  I looked at the desert sky, filled with stars and forced my breathing to slow.  The dream had been so real.
I got up and splashed some water on my face.  It was just before five AM.  I padded down the hallway and checked on Ali and Jer.  They were both sleeping soundly.  I shook my head and went back to my bedroom.  I glanced at the clock again and then stripped before pulling on a swimsuit.  I went out on the terrace and then down to the lowest level to the lap pool.  I flipped on the blue underwater lights and grabbed a pair of goggles before diving in.
I swam the twenty-five-meter length at a steady crawl, did a flip turn, and returned.  Slowly, I let my mind think about the dream as my body settled into its repetitive rhythm.  Would I be discovered if I fired the first shots of a war?  Could I be discovered?  No one knew of what I had built here.  My notes were only on my lab server, and those were protected by the best encryption I could find.  The drone itself was no longer on Earth.  After my earlier test flight, I had boosted it to a parking orbit.  With its stealth coating, no one would be able to locate it.  I had planned on modifying it at Astra Station once I figured out a better targeting solution.  I could keep the drone under wraps I decided.
Of course, no matter how careful I was, taking out Kim il-Sung would trigger some sort of response.  A war was likely.  With the stealth capabilities we had on our side, along with support of China rather than opposition, I thought it would be a short-lived war, but millions of Koreans lived within easy artillery range of the North Korean forces.  Even a short war could kill tens of thousands.
Did I have the right to start such a war?  I wasn't just risking my kids losing their remaining parent, I was risking a lot of other kids losing a loved one.
I swam and thought.
The sky was just beginning to lighten when I finally came to a stop at the end of the pool.  I stood and was surprised to see Nicole lounging near the terrace wall, wrapped in a white robe in one of our heavy teak chairs.
"You're up early," she said in her lilting accent.  "It looked like you were in deep thought, so I decided to wait to start my swim," she added with a smile.
I took the ladder out of the pool and grabbed a towel as she stood and dropped her robe.  Her lithe body was exposed to me.  She had fully embraced Jeryl's habits at our lab home, swimming au natural when she was here with us.  She still had a model's body with lean curves of a dancer and the mocha skin of her mixed ancestry.  I noticed the thick, dark patch of pubic hair as she hopped into the water and began her own swim.  For the first time in months, I felt a stirring in my loins.
She was a beautiful woman.
*****
"How goes Astra Station, Jyl?" I asked as I saw my sister-in-law's face appear on my screen.  She was splitting her time between Learmonth and Astra as she continued to work on the stations budding biosphere and the long-term effects of life in space.
"All life support systems are stable," she said after just a moment pause in the transmission.  "Our new algae-based regeneration modules look to be working very well.  Collin is very pleased with the properties of the new glass you two cooked up."
"It's not glass.  It's much better than glass," I corrected.  We had been working on the formulation via email and the occasional call.  We needed a radiation resistant material that would allow enough UV and sunlight in to stimulate algae growth but protect the simple organisms from harmful radiation.  It had been a tricky problem, especially when we needed to maintain sufficient strength to use it as part of the habitat hull as well.
"Anyway, I'm not calling to give you a progress update," she said.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked.  Our relationship had been strained with Jeryl's death, but the shared grief and continuing work had made our relationship grow afterward.
"I had a standard media relations interview when I got back from orbit this week.  Only it didn't feel standard," she said.
"What do you mean?"
"It started normally.  You know the questions.  What was it like to spend a week in space?  What was I working on?  Why was it important?  Standard stuff."
I nodded.  While we had stopped the show, we still had quite a bit of interest in what we were doing in orbit and planning for the moon.  Billy had staffed a media relations team that kept anyone working in orbit busy for a few days after they came back to earth.
"Then it seemed to take on a different tone," Jyl continued.  "They started asking about some of Collin's materials work and interactions with you.  Then the guy asked about you and how you were doing.  It could have been nothing, but I got a government spy vibe from him, Paul."
"Did you report it to security?" I asked.
She shook her head.  "I thought I'd talk to you first," she said.
"Okay.  Do you have his credential information?" I asked.
"I do.  I'll send it through," she said as she tapped at her keyboard.  I saw an email from her arrive.  "That was the initial interview packet I got from media relations.  It's got everything I know about the guy."
"Ok.  Thanks for letting me know," I said.  A few minutes later, the video call was done.
I looked over the press credentials from the interview packet and then forwarded them on the Lila and Sam Johnson at the Taylor Task Force.  Less than thirty minutes later, I was surprised when Tamara announced Deputy Director Johnson was here to see me.  My dream of a few weeks prior flashed through my mind as he came in.
"What's up, Sam?" I asked as he took a seat across from me.
"That file you sent through.  It was one of ours," he said.
"You're spying on me now?" I asked.
He nodded.  "We're close to entering a shooting war.  You've stopped making a material that a lot of people feel is pretty important to our national security.  You've publicly called for the overthrow of a foreign regime.  Of course, we're spying on you, and checking out your security.  Don't be naive.  You're a national asset, whether you realize it or not.  My team has fifteen new agents on it, all checking over Lila's work as well as keeping a watch on threats toward your family or business interests."
"So why the cloak and dagger shit with Jyl?"
"Loose lips sink ships, Paul.  We have some semi-random chats with a lot of people to make sure you aren't letting things slip.  Hell, I've had some folks from Washington checking on me as well," he admitted.  "They know I was getting close to Alison.  They forced me to take two weeks leave to make sure my head was where it needs to be.  Have you taken any time off?"
I shook my head.  "I've taken as much as I can.  I still feel like I'm working at half speed."
He looked me in the eye for a moment, holding my gaze.
"I've gotten word that something is going to happen soon."
I arched an eyebrow at him.  My sister was the Vice President of the United States, and I hadn't heard any such thing.
"Like what?"
"Like something that would get you shipping generators to folks who really want them," he said.
I thought about that for a moment.
"That would be good," I finally replied.
"It's about time," we then said in unison.
For the first time in nearly five months, I saw Sam smile.
"Any hints?" I asked.
He shook his head, but then added, "They always have a big military parade on their Day of the Sun."
"When's that?" I asked.
"April 15th, Tax Day."
I thought that might be a fitting time for Kim il-Sung's bill to come due.
*****
I adjusted the brightness on my monitor and then adjusted the aim of the targeting camera on my drone.  I had spent the past week tweaking the software after making a short trip into orbit to load new ammunition.  I had not had time to devise a better guidance system but knew that I would simply get closer to my target if needed.  Of course, I planned on waiting to see what the US and other governments did first.
It appeared to be a clear morning in Pyongyang.  Images of crowds starting to fill the square before the presidential palace and line the parade route.  I panned the camera and saw the staging areas for the military parade with tanks, rocket launchers and mobile artillery lined up and awaiting drives.  I briefly considered raining rail-gun projectiles on their parade, but found some patience.
About an hour before the parade was to begin, I saw movement around the military vehicles and pulled back the zoom on the drone camera.  I did not think the Chinese, US, or Russians would strike before the parade, but since I had been unable to learn any specific plans, I did not want to risk missing something.  A moment later, I was glad I had zoomed out.  I spotted a white blur streaking down the parade route.  It seemed to be trailing something in its wake.  I zoomed in to look more closely.
"Papers?" I said aloud.  They were dropping pamphlets of some sort.
"Do they really think propaganda is going to do any good?" I asked myself.
I wondered what the message was.  I zoomed out again to see if anyone was reacting.  At the vehicle staging yards, I could see clusters of soldiers holding the pages.  On the streets, people continued to mill about, though a few did appear to be leaving the route.
Before I could draw any conclusions, several figures I took to be officers were motioning at the clumps of soldiers who hurried to their vehicles.  A large block of men also began filling the square, preparing to march along the route.  I flipped the camera to infrared and saw the plume of heat as engines were started up.  I shifted my focus back to the reviewing stand before the palace.  It was conspicuously empty.
"Brrring!"
The sound of my phone ringing startled me.  The 'Caller ID' number was blocked.
"This is Paul," I said as I answered.
"Paul, this is the President," I heard Al Gore reply.  I was surprised he would call directly.
"I have Kelly here with me, and I wanted to let you know that we have just begun an operation to bring Kim il-Sung to justice."
"Really?" I asked.  It was tempting to ask him how a paper drop was going to accomplish that, but I bit my tongue.
"Yes, really.  We have just had a flight of B-1 bombers drop warnings on Pyongyang that their leader has committed international crimes and must face international judgment for them.  The Chinese were with him at the time of the dropping."
"And?" I asked.
"They put him on notice that they will not support his regime until he has stood trial for his crimes.  The Russians have already recalled their diplomatic staff as well."
"Do you think it will actually matter?  He has thumbed his nose at the world for thirty years."
"We actually think it will enrage him further.  That is our hope, anyway."
"Why?"
"We have another surprise for him during his parade.  If he hides or runs, he will lose face, so these taunts and insults in his mind should ensure the parade happens."
"What sort of surprise?" I asked.
"A deadly surprise.  I have sent notice to congress that I have committed US forces to engage North Korea in military action pursuant with the requirements of the War Powers Resolution and in support of United Nations resolutions on the matter.  My military commanders have been authorized to coordinate with our UN allies in mounting operations to remove Kim il-Sung and his regime from power should he not surrender himself to Chinese diplomats.  I have just been informed that he has refused to accompany them from Pyongyang."
"So, what's next?"
"Watch the news.  We are giving our Chinese allies one hour to exit the city."
"Why the courtesy call, Mr.  President?" I asked.  "Not that I don't appreciate it, but I'm surprised you would call before action was taken."
"Your sister suggested it might be worthwhile.  She hinted that you might have some things in motion as well and wouldn't want us to accidentally interfere with one another."
I wanted to chuckle but resisted the urge.  Kelly knew me too well, sometimes.
"I'm sure I have no idea what she was thinking, Mr.  President.  She asked me to let the political powers deal with this.  I've followed her advice, so far."
"Then you had nothing to do with the Iranians stopping their oil shipments, the Chinese supporting UN sanctions, or the Russians agreeing to intervention?" Al Gore asked in his dry, southern drawl.
"Those were actions taken months ago, Mr.  President."
There was silence on the line for a moment.
"And they were actions that were much appreciated, Paul.  Now I'd appreciate it if you would not stir the pot any further, for a bit."
"I don't know what you mean, sir."
"I mean that when the dust settles, you keep your promises to those countries and resume shipping generators.  You also follow up with your domestic promises.  Is that clear?"
It was a close as I ever expected a President to come to admitting I was pressuring them for a war.
"Crystal clear, sir."
"Very good, Paul.  I'll make sure you get sufficient follow-up from our battle damage assessments to know justice has been served."
"Thank you, sir."
The line went dead, and I turned back to my monitors.  Crowds were still forming along the parade route.  I looked at the clock on the drone and converted to local time in North Korea.  It would not be long.
I had taped the video feed from my drone.  I quickly hit rewind and then scrubbed forward until I saw the diplomatic limousine depart the presidential palace.  I marked the time.  I put the drone into orbit around the capital with the camera slaved to the main reviewing stand.  A separate camera kept the wider city in view.  I watched impatiently as the crowds built and the parade assembled a few blocks away from the primary parade route.
Motion brought my attention back to parade route as the first units moved from their staging yard onto the main road.  At the same time, another movement caught my eye.  I flipped the camera over to IR and saw the distinctive shape of a B-1 bomber glowing gray against the darker foliage it was flying over.  Its wings were in full spread as it circled the city, taking a similar posture as my drone, but at a much lower altitude.
I focused my targeting camera on the reviewing stand.  It was nearly full.  Only the seats front and center were empty.  Even as I watched, people moved down the row and filled those last positions as the first motorized units of the parade approached.
I don't know if it was the circling B-1 or another aircraft that performed the dash inbound.  Whichever it was, the swept wings of the aircraft were distinctive as it darted across my display.  The flash of whatever munition it dropped forced the automatic filters on my own cameras to darken the picture momentarily.  By the time the image returned, the reviewing stand was obliterated in a pile of rubble and flames.
I pulled my drone's camera back for a wider shot and saw other blossoms of color around the city as other strikes were carried out.  It looked like the air defense installations and airport had been hit with a nearly simultaneous strike.
Parade watchers were scattering, seeking shelter even as the aircraft formed up and flew in formation over the city.  I moved my drone toward the major military bases and was surprised to see craters and smoke at nearly all of the artillery emplacements I had scouted earlier.  The air fields were also devastated with runways cratered and planes and hangars burning.
I watched the firefighting efforts for a while, keeping an eye out for any acts of retaliation, and then finally ordered my drone back to orbit.  While glad I had not initiated a war by making a first strike, I still felt a hollow emptiness.  Kelly had been right.  Even retribution would not bring Jeryl home again.
  

Chapter Fifty
Building Momentum
*****
"Paul!"  Chrissy's shout of excitement made me smile.  I stood up and away from the Range Rover and watched her run down the sidewalk toward me.  She was dressed casually, black diamond skin leggings and a loose Stanford sweatshirt, with her hair pulled back in a loose pony-tail, tucked under a red ball cap.  Fittingly, she looked like a model, portraying a prototypical college coed.  
Her hug pushed me back against the car.  
"I'm so happy to see you," she said before kissing my cheek.  
"Ahem," Nicole softly cleared her throat. 
I chuckled, possibly the first un-forced chuckle in nearly a year.
"That's Nicole's way of telling us not to stand around on the street," I said as Chrissy backed off a little.  "What are you up to?"  I asked as I took her hand and steered her toward her dorm entrance. 
"I just finished working out after class.  I've got some shoots this summer and need to stay in shape for them.  What are you doing here?  Why didn't you let me know you were coming?
"I had some business with the University.  I thought I'd drop in and check on you.  I promised your Mom I would but have been a little remiss in checking up on you in person."
Even her frown was cute.  "You had others keeping tabs on me?"
I shrugged.  "Not so much keeping tabs as checking in once in a while."
She stepped back and put her hands on her hips.  "You've had someone stalking me?  That's a big no-no, Paul."
"Stalking is too strong a word.  Like I said, I just had people making sure you were adjusting well to college life.  It's not like I reactivated the security detail I had to have when I went here."
She frowned and then smiled.  "Okay, I guess I'll believe you, but I am going to make you pay for it."
"Oh?  How much is this going to cost me?" I asked only slightly tongue-in-cheek.
"Just time, Paul.  I need an escort this evening."
I genuinely laughed.  "You're a cover girl model.  Surely you have guys pestering you all the time for a date.  I'm way too old for you to show off, around here."
"Hardly.  Besides, the only cover's I've been on have been in Australia, and, you only graduated ten years ago.  You aren't old!" She guided me toward a small seating area just inside the entryway.  "Look, I really do need a favor, and you said I just needed to ask."  
We sat down, almost facing each other, knees touching, and she grabbed my hands again.  Her skin was warm in my hands.
"I have two sororities trying to get me to rush in the fall.  They both have parties tonight.  I need to attend if I want to join either one, but we were told we have to bring a date.  I think they want to see what sort of boys we can bring in.  If you go with me, it will get them all off my back to date the jocks around here."
"Is someone trying to force you?" I asked with genuine concern.  I had avoided the Greek system while attending school but had seen and heard enough to know coercion was not always physical.
She shook her head.  "It's just the expectation.  The Kappa's, that's Kappa Alpha Theta, expect you to only date jocks and leaders on campus.  The Tri-Delts are more laid back, but I think both want me for my own little bit of fame as much as anything.  The fact that they spring having to bring a date on us with only a day or two notice tells me something else is up."
"Are you really interested in both houses?" I asked.
"I've got a couple of friends in both, but I'm not certain I want to join either.  However, I want to make that decision, not have them make it for me."
I nodded.  I understood, or at least thought I did.
"Okay.  How formal is it?" I asked.
"Really?  Thank you!  It's dressy, but nor formal.  I've got a little black dress from my last runway show.  I planned on wearing that.  Do you have a fresh shirt?  You could lose the tie and be just fine."
I smiled.  "How about I run over to the house and see what's there.  We always kept some things here in case we had to stay over unexpectedly.  I need to call home and make sure the kids know I'll be away overnight."
Her face fell a little.  "I didn't even think about them.  How are they doing?"
"Ali is going like gang-busters.  I have to be back tomorrow since we're both soloing for our private pilot's licenses."
"What?  That's insane."
I shook my head.  "Not really.  I'll tell you more later.  Jer is still a bit withdrawn.  He has started drawing a lot more, sketching things around town and the house.  I try to encourage him, but I don't have much of an artistic eye."
I glanced at my watch.  "Now, how long until you need to make a grand appearance at these parties?"
Chrissy smiled.  "They start at seven, but we'll be fine if we get to the second one before nine."
"Okay.  Do you want me to come back and pick you up for dinner, or what?"
She frowned and glanced at the elevators.  "Why don't you call and say hi to Ali and Jer and I'll grab my stuff to come with you.  I can get cleaned up at your place, right?"
I nodded.  
"Great!" she hopped up and kissed my cheek again.  "I'll be back in a jiff."  
I shook my head as she sauntered to the elevator.  She put a little roll in her hips that caught the eye of everyone in the dorm lobby and then playfully glanced back over her shoulder and blew me a kiss.  Her playful smile made me laugh.  She had definitely blossomed since I first met her.  Her playful maturity reminded me of mine and Jeryl's younger days.
I found a quiet corner and called back to Utah.  Both kids were still at their afterschool activities, so I left them a message, chatted with Mrs.  Eccles for a few minutes.  As soon as my call ended, my phone buzzed.  
"This is Paul," I said without bothering to look at the caller ID.  Only people that needed my direct number had it.
"A little advanced planning is appreciated for the security detail, Paul," Lila said.  "I'm glad you're getting out, but is a frat party really a smart move?"  I could not tell from her tone if she was serious or not.
"It's two sorority socials.  It should be pretty low-key.  Nobody knows I'm attending, since I didn't know myself until a few minutes ago."
Lila laughed.  "I got you!"  she said.  "I think it's a good idea for you to do something social for a change.  You've been too cooped up for the past six months."
"I guess I have.  I didn't even think about security.  Nicole is with me, along with a driver whose name I didn't catch.  Is that enough for dinner and two parties?"
"Hardly.  His name is James.  He's a contract driver out there.  But you have more than that with you.  Nicole can introduce you to a couple of folks.  She'll be at the parties with you along with some back-up nearby."
"How do you put together a detail that quickly?"  I asked.
"I just extended them.  They were in place for your trip today to meet with the President of the University.  They might have thought it was a milk run, but they are paid for a full day, so they'll stay engaged.  I'll also let the FBI know."
"FBI?"
"You're a national asset, Paul.  The government finally realized that.  Sometimes it's the Secret Service and sometimes it's the FBI.  We keep them informed of your general movements in the States."
"On who's fucking authority?"
"The President's.  You know, your sister's boss.  The way I heard it, was that every agent assigned should turn in their badges if something happened to you on U.S.  soil.  They've got a detail in Stanford for just when you visit out there."  
I sighed.  
"I guess there's nothing I can do about it," I said.  "At least they're discreet."
"Try to have a little fun, Paul.  Just remember you're going to be surrounded by stupid college kids, alcohol, and probably some recreational drugs.  Keep your wits about you."
"Yes, mother," I said as I ended the call.
"Your mother, or mine?"  Chrissy asked as she stopped next to me with a garment bag and small duffle.  
"Lila," I said.  "I guess I didn't think about some of the risks in going to a couple of college parties."
Chrissy's face fell.  "Does that mean we...."
I held my hand up.  "We'll still go, but a few security folks will be around to make sure we're safe.  I hope that won't put too much of a damper on the evening."
Her smile returned.  "Nicole is cool.  She can pass for a college girl."
We headed out.  Chrissy cleaned up first while I made a couple of more calls.  She looked very attractive wrapped in a towel as she asked me what I was wearing.  I shrugged and pointed to the master bedroom closet.  She examined a few shirts and jackets and then saw me staring at her.
"Go take a quick shower.  I'll lay something out that will look good next to me."
That's how I ended up in a Brooks Brothers blazer and shirt, chinos, and loafers.  She handed me a Chopard watch with a leather band that matched the loafers.  She was in a little black dress and red designer shoes.  I'm sure Jeryl would have recognized them.  I just commented on how lovely she looked.
"I would hope so." she said with a smile.  "I wore this outfit in Paris last fall.  Now, where are we going for dinner?  I'm a poor, starving college student."
I laughed.  "And a poor actress," I said.  "I made us reservations at Wolfgang's, if that's alright."
"Wolfgang's?  I don't think that's a college place."
"Hardly.  It's a rather exclusive steakhouse.  Kelly introduced me to it when we first came out here.  It doesn't really advertise.  They like to say that only people who should know about Wolfgang's, know about Wolfgang's."
Twenty minutes later, we were efficiently escorted to our private table in the storied establishment.  The rich leather booth provided both comfort and privacy.  Many significant deals had been worked out in the booths of Wolfgang's.  I had chosen them, so we could have a little privacy and avoid the publicity dinner together would probably create at a less discrete establishment.
We ordered, let the waiter know we needed to be out the door by seven-fifteen, and then smiled at one another.
"So, what brought you to Stanford, really?" Chrissy asked.
"I was meeting with the President of the University and the board of trustees."
"About?" she asked with a smile.  "It would be much easier if you just told me.  That way I won't have to try to tease it out of you with my womanly wiles."
"I didn't think you had 'womanly wiles' to wield on me," I said, returning her smile.
She blushed and fluttered her eyes.
"So, what really brought you to Stanford today?" she asked again.
"An endowment.  I'm funding a new building and curriculum combining fashion, design and technology."
"Like what Jeryl started in Sydney?" she asked excitedly.  
I nodded.  
"They'll break ground on it after the semester and should have the grand opening before you graduate."
"That's so cool.  I've been leaning that direction on my individualized degree program.  I want to marry technology and design, like Jeryl started doing."
I was surprised to not feel the hole in my heart at the mention of Jeryl.  That absence had its own, unique pain.  Something must have shown on my face.
"I'm sorry, Paul.  You probably miss her more than I can imagine.  She was a friend and inspiration to me.  She was so much more to you.  I'm sorry for comparing myself to her."
I saw the tears in her eyes and reached across the small table to pat her hand in comfort.  
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Chrissy.  She thought just as highly of you.  We can both miss her in our own ways."
The waiter returned with our salads, giving us a needed interruption.  By the time we each had taken a few bites of our salads, we had both regained our composure.  
"So, what else are you up to?" Chrissy asked.
"I've been keeping an eye on Astra Station's construction and doing some design work on the lunar base."
"Everyone in the school of engineering is talking about that.  They're all speculating on what the next mission will be.  You've kept your plans quiet."
"I decided to keep things a little closer to the vest while the political situation was unsettled.  Now that it looks like we're getting back to a more even keel in the world, I'll have Billy start releasing a few more updates on our progress."
She nodded.  "I saw you on the news last week, delivering humanitarian aid to North Korea.  That video surprised me.  I don't think I would be helping them after what they did."
I remembered the images of the strikes against North Korea.
"The people didn't do anything to me.  The leadership did.  Once the U.N.  forces removed the regime, I thought it was important to address some of the causes their leadership was trying to hide from.  There was pretty widespread famine that the political leadership feared would spark a revolution.  Having an external enemy gave them reason to suppress any dissent.  I wanted to ensure those same people received some relief and more than simple words of intent once the military strikes were over."
"Well," she said as she speared a tomato on her salad, "you've got a bigger heart than I would have."
Our conversation flowed easily through dinner.  She told me about her classes and her plans for the next year.
"That's one thing I did want to ask you about," I said as I handed the waiter my credit card.  "I'll be heading down to Australia in a few weeks.  Would you like to hop a ride?"
"When?" My classes finish in two weeks.
"The kids finish school at the end of the month.  I was going to go down then and let them have some fun on the beach at Learmonth while I finish supervising mission preparations."
"I've got to be out of the dorms the day after classes end.  Could you put me up until we go?" she asked.
"Certainly.  Do you want to stay out here or visit us in Utah?  If you're anxious to get home, I can arrange a ticket as well."
"No, I'd rather focus on toning up and saying 'hi' to Ali and Jer.  But I don't want to hang around Stanford for two weeks when most of my friends will be gone.  How would I get to Utah?"
I waved away her concern and signed the check.  "We'll have to coordinate, but I'm back out to the office here about once a week now.  Just let me know the dates, and I'll arrange to fly over, and you can fly back with me.  Ali and Jer will be excited to see you."
James drove us to the first sorority house.  We had switched cars for the evening, riding in one of the new Mercedes with special security modifications rather than the Range Rover.  Heads turned as we pulled up.  I hopped out and came around to open the door and hand Chrissy out of the car.  
"Chrissy!" an attractive co-ed in a black skirt and colorful blouse called as we walked up the sidewalk.
"Betsy," Chrissy said.  "Thanks for inviting me."  They did what I thought of as the Hollywood hug and fake kisses on the cheeks before turning to me.  
"Betsy, this is my good friend, Paul.  Paul, this is Betsy, the rush chairwoman at Kappa Alpha Theta."
"A pleasure to meet you, Betsy," I said.
Betsy gave Chrissy and appraising look.  "You've not mentioned knowing Paul Taylor before, Chrissy.  You've been holding out on me."
Chrissy smiled.  "As I said, we're good friends.  Paul's one of the reasons I chose Stanford for school.  His wife was the person that got me into modeling as well.  I owe them so much."
I shook my head.  "You owe nothing," I said.
"Well," Betsy said, "You need to go inside and mingle.  It's just social right now, but a DJ will be starting in a little bit.  I need to man the door for a while but will catch up with you later."
We went inside, and Chrissy held onto my arm as we faced a throng of people.  The men and boys ogled her curves and beauty.  I hoped no one took notice of me.  That hope was dashed, but not how I expected it.
"Dude," a large, boy-faced man said to me as Chrissy chatted with a couple of the sorority sisters nearby.  "Don't you think you're a little old to be chasing her?" he asked with a tip of his head toward Chrissy.  
"I'm not chasing her, she just invited me along tonight," I said.
"So, you won't mind if I put a move on her?" he asked. 
"It's a free country," I replied.
He grinned and stepped around me.  I wondered how this would play out.
"Chrissy, you're looking as fine as ever," he said with a leer at her cleavage.
"Jack, you're sounding as inane as ever," she replied as she rolled her eyes as she turned to check on me.
"Why don't you ditch the old dude and let me show you a good time?" he asked, oblivious to her body language.
I was surprised when she reached out and patted his cheek with almost tenderness.  
"Jack, you may be a star on the baseball field here, but I don't think you can compete with Paul, so why don't you just give it a rest for once."
He glanced my way, confused.
"What's he got?"
Chrissy laughed.  I could tell it was forced, but it still quieted the crowd near us.
"He's got his own fleet of rockets, several hit television shows, an orbital habitat, a Nobel prize, and more fucking money than most countries.  How's that for starters?"
I had been enjoying a relatively low profile until then.  She moved back to my side and took my arm possessively.  
"I think the Tri-Deltas are having a party tonight as well," she said loudly enough to turn a few more heads.  "Let's go see if they have a few more gentlemen attending."
Chrissy took my arm and turned us toward the door.  I waited until we were back in the car to ask if she really wanted to leave or not.
She laughed.  "If I join a sorority, it's more likely to be the Tri-Deltas anyway.  I've got more friends there.  Kappa Alpha Theta always felt a little more snotty and fake to me.  They want me, I don't necessarily want them."
I shook my head.  Oh, to be young again.
*****
"I'm sorry, Paul, but we just can't get it over the line," Sheryl said.  "I really think a face-to-face meeting with you would get it done."
Sheryl had been the obvious choice of my former PA's and current executives to become PT Innovations COO as Jeryl's replacement.  She had stepped into the head of manufacturing after Matthew's death, and done that along with the CEO role of DigiNet.  She had performed so well, it was easy to forget all she did.
Donna had taken on the joint responsibilities of CEO and COO at DigiNet while Sheryl took over the contractual and deal making responsibilities for our main company.  She hired a new VP of manufacturing but watched them pretty closely.  It had taken nearly six months to settle into a normal working relationship with her as COO.  I had remained focused on orbital aspects of the business as she took on the more regular business aspects.  
"What seems to be the sticking point?  It's usually pretty easy to give money for research.  Has anyone talked to Dr.  Perdew directly?"
Dr.  John Perdew was doing seminal work in density functional theory.  His research and mathematical constructs had been instrumental in my own research in my first life.  He was close to twenty years into his teaching career at Tulane.  I wanted to tap into his keen insight and work with him.  Usually, funding a specific research project was enough to make that happen.  Endowing a research chair was a step beyond that.  We had expressed willingness to do either or both but seemed to have hit a roadblock with the university.
"He has not been in any of the meetings we've held so far.  Honestly, if he was, I don't know that I would understand him if he started getting technical.  I need either you or Hunter in those conversations."
I sighed and looked at my calendar.  Tamara was nearly pulling her hair out as my schedule seemed more hectic than usual.  I had Allen down at Learmonth overseeing the final checks for the lunar mission until I got down there at the end of the month.  We were working globally to get generator production schedules smoothed out again, along with work to re-start the stealth compound production and DoD auctions.  
"Okay, let me see if I can move one meeting and I might be able to make it down there on Thursday or Friday.  I'll have Tamara confirm once I know.  Let them know that if the meeting time is inconvenient for them, I'll be going back to Johns Hopkins or Virginia Tech.  That should let them know they are only hanging by a thread."
"I will.  Do you need Candace or me in the meeting?"
"Since you've been dealing with them, you should both be there.  I'll hop over to Stanford, pick you up, and then be on our way.  I'll let you know details by the end of the day."
"Thanks, Paul.  I'm sorry I couldn't get this done without bothering you." 
"It's hardly your fault.  Take a look at everything else so we know what support you'll need over the next two months.  The GOT makes it easier to get back and forth, but I'd rather not have to be hopping all over the world once I head down to Learmonth."
"Understood.  Thanks," she said.
I ended the call and then briefed Tamara of yet another change in my schedule.
"Well, we can pick up Chrissy when you get Sheryl and Candace," she said.  "That will be one less loose end to keep track of."
"As long as she doesn't mind a visit to Atlanta and New Orleans," I said.  "Let her know what's going on with regard to travel.  If she would rather, we can just send the GS-3 for her and get her back to Utah.  Hell, we can get her a seat on the Frisco-Sydney hop with Qantas if she would prefer."
Tamara had a little smirk but nodded.  "I'll give her the option, but I think I know her preference."
A day later, Chrissy, Candace, and Sheryl were waiting at the airport when we landed.  Our turn-around time at Stanford was less than thirty minutes and then we were hopping across the country to Atlanta.  
"You're looking very chic, Chrissy," Tamara commented as we leveled out for the mid-section of our flight. 
Chrissy was wearing a perfectly tailored charcoal suit with a cream blouse.  She looked more suited for business than I did.  As far as that went, all three ladies looked more dressed for meetings than I did.  I was in what would pass for business casual in most firms; chinos, a blue shirt and blazer with comfortable loafers.
"Are you trying to say I should dress in a suit again, Tamara?"
Sheryl shook her head.  "If she is, I'd disagree.  We're meeting with executives at Delta.  They'll be dressed in suits.  You dressed more casually will put them off-guard.  That will demonstrate who has the power in the meeting more than anything.  They are looking for something from us, not the other way around."
"What do they want?" Chrissy asked.  
"A deal like we did with Qantas," I said.  "They want me to expand my piloting staff to let them lease some GOTs for long-haul global routes."
"Wow.  I guess I'll wait while you guys have that meeting," she said.
"No need.  It's not like it's that big a secret, what they want.  We'll just say you're a summer intern if they ask."
Tamara and Sheryl nodded.  
"Okay, Sheryl, what is our thinking on this deal?"  I asked.
"We've got thirty crews trained and staffed for Qantas, but some of the more senior pilots are also in the running for more orbital work as we build out Astra Station.  Two years from now, when the station is fully operational, we'll need more orbital crews if we ramp up research and tourism flights."
"How many more?"
Tamara jumped in.  "If we figure a flight a day, we would want six crews for operations and another six on stand-by."
"Why so many?" Chrissy asked.
"Notionally, a craft would go to orbit every third day," Tamara replied.  "We would double the crews to allow for illness, vacations, and such so the flight crew would be going every sixth trip.  Since we want training redundancies and what-not, we would then have six other crews doing rotational work and generally available.  It might turn out that we have four crews on for a week and then on the ground for three weeks, depending on training and operational needs."
"Long answer, short," I said, "We need the scheduling flexibility so are planning for that.  So, if we let Delta buy ten routes from us, we would boost the crews for terrestrial routes to sixty and then pick our twelve orbital crews from them over the next two years."
"That makes sense," Chrissy said and then blushed.  "I mean, I understand.  I'm not trying to judge your guys' business acumen.  I'm just a college student, after all."
We all smiled.
"Chrissy," Sheryl said, "If you spend much time around us, you'll learn that Paul insists we all speak our mind and ask smart questions.  When you don't understand things, that is the time to ask a question and keep asking until you do understand."
Tamara nodded.  "We even had TV shows trying to make that point," she added with a smile.
"It's kind of amazing that you guys are planning for two years from now.  I'm lucky to be planning for three months in the future."
"Taking the long view is important.  It's also one of the hardest things to teach," I said.
Chrissy nodded and then sat back in her seat.  I could see she was thinking hard.  We continued discussing options and things we would get from a deal with Delta beyond their funding our crew expansion plans.
By the time we landed at Hartsfield in Atlanta, we were on the same page in terms of what we wanted out of the negotiations.  I got to play the 'bad-cop' for a change but knew it would not be much of a stretch.  I hated posturing and politics.
Sheryl's assertion that my more casual dress would put them off was spot on.  The negotiation team of all men in business suits and power ties did seem to be at a loss when we entered the room; three sharp-dressed women and a man in a blazer.  Leo Mullin, the CEO seemed to be the only one able to stop staring at Chrissy as introductions were made.
I kept my smile to myself and settled into the meeting.  A glance at the agenda told me we needed to put them further off-guard.
"It looks like the agenda has changed," I said as we sat down.  The printed agenda at each place around the large conference table had too much time allocated to background of Delta.
Leo looked concerned and glanced at his corporate counsel.  "What's changed?" he asked the man.
"We thought it would be good to provide a bit more background and context for Mr.  Taylor since he has not been involved in the discussions to date," the man replied.
"I'm fully briefed by Sheryl on the task and expectations for this meeting," I said.  "You want us to lease GOT capacity, operational crews, and maintenance to you in a similar manner to the arrangement we have with Qantas.  Nothing here reflects the fact that Qantas had government backing and concessions they could bring to the table that Delta can't.  Posturing on your history and size does not alter that fact."
The chief negotiator from Delta frowned, as did the CEO.
"So what sort of concessions beyond price would be an enticement?" Leo asked.
"What do you have to offer?  Frankly, I'm not certain I want to expand my flight operations arm right now.  We have plenty keeping us busy as it is."
"What about jobs in Savannah?" one man asked.  "Gulfstream's production book for the GOT is nearly empty.  Don't you want your partner to keep the capability fresh?"
I shrugged.  "They are ramping up production of the new GS-4, so have plenty of work before them.  In fact, I believe you are one of the biggest customers for that new airplane."  
The GS-4 was the size of a regional jet, but with significantly longer and faster legs.  It would let airlines serve domestic and short international routes much more efficiently and in a more cost-effective manner.  Boeing was moving forward with a mid- to long-haul solution as well.  Both relied heavily on my materials portfolios.
"We know your business interests in Asia and Europe could benefit from better, faster travel," Leo said.  "We have tentative approval for routes from our hub in Salt Lake City to Beijing, Singapore, Dublin, Barcelona, and Zurich.  We could service those routes with existing long-haul aircraft, but then your staff would hardly reap any benefits of faster travel."
I nodded.  It was an interesting proposal.  If nothing else, our security team would appreciate the convenience. 
"So, you're offering guaranteed seats on those routes for us?"
"Within reason.  A standard GOT carries sixty in comfort.  We think you could reconfigure to handle more.  If we can arrange the cabin to handle eighty-four or more, we would reserve two seats until 24 hours prior to travel and could cover four seats with four days' notice."
I nodded.  "That could be a start.  What else did you have in mind?"
The Delta team exchanged looks.  
"The other routes we have planned would be based out of Atlanta.  We're looking at South America and Africa routes with possible links to either Amsterdam or London.  We believe we can tie into locations Qantas is serving and create a global network of GOT routes.  We would be interested in creating a GOT alliance with them."
"Another interesting idea.  I can see that being worthwhile, but I'm not sure how it helps my company."
"What about insurance and regulatory assistance?" one lawyer offered.
"Tell me more," I replied.
"Right now, you're indemnified on the Qantas routes.  We could do the same and assist with costs of regulatory compliance and certifications."
"If we're flying your brand, I would expect you to cover those already," I replied.  "But you could take on the airport maintenance side of things.  We would insist on upgraded systems in the air traffic control systems for those routes.  Airspace safety is going to be an issue as more GOT flights are scheduled."
"What do you mean," Leo asked.
"Regulated airspace ends at 60,000 feet.  GOT's go a bit higher than that," I said with a smile.  "We need to have new routes plugged into my orbital tracking systems.  We also liaison with the Air Force and NASA as well as the UN registries."
"What sort of costs would that incur?" Leo asked.
"We have a rough budget of about a half-a-million per location."
He nodded.  "That's doable.  It would be a capital expenditure."
"I'm still not hearing a good reason to expand my flight program.  In Australia, we got land grants for a base, and other domestic agreements.  What does Delta have to offer?"
Leo sighed.  "We know you're still having difficulty in generator adoption here in the U.S.  We would be willing to convert Hartsfield to fusion power and sell excess back to the domestic grid.  We are also in talks with the Lockheed-Amtrak consortium for a station and link here to their high-speed rail line."
"Now that is an interesting proposition." 
*****
"Wow," Chrissy said as we entered the suite in the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans.  "If you always travel like this, I really want to apply to be your intern," she teased.
She had been asking Tamara and I questions on the short flight down from Atlanta.  Candace had stayed in Atlanta to continue working on our deal with Delta.  Sheryl had been buried in her laptop sending notes to Gulfstream and warning Terry to start hiring for more pilots.
"Do we have enough rooms?" I asked.
"Yep.  Since Candace stayed behind, Chrissy will even get her own room," Tamara replied.  "Security is just next door.  Nicole has arranged everything for us."
"Okay.  When's our meeting with Tulane?" I asked Sheryl.
"One, tomorrow.  I wasn't sure what time we'd get in from Atlanta."  
I glanced at the clock.  It was only nine o'clock.  "I need to call home and check on the kids.  Do we have dinner plans?"
"I'll take care of it," Tamara said.  "Is Brennan's okay?"
I nodded.  "Let security know.  We'll head out in thirty minutes."
Everyone nodded.  I headed to my bedroom and called home to see how Ali and Jer were doing.  Once I heard about their day and wished them a good night, I washed my face and then put my jacket back on to head out for dinner.
New Orleans is always an experience.  I had spent time in the city on my first time through and always found the mixtures of culture, food and lifestyles to be fascinating.  It took us nearly fifteen minutes to be driven the five blocks from the Ritz to Brennan's across the street from the Louisiana Supreme Court, but the traffic was worth it.  
We arrived just fifteen minutes before dinner service was supposed to end, but Tamara had played hard on my name and reputation and they kept the kitchen open for us even as the wait-staff ushered the remaining diners toward the doors.  I simply asked the chef to send us out an assortment of appetizers and entrees and we were not disappointed.  Sheryl raved about the turtle soup.  Chrissy swore by the roasted oysters, and Tamara asked what a grit was after falling in love with the Shrimp and Grits.  I had the seafood gumbo.  We ended up sharing our entrees of 'blackened' redfish, a roasted duck breast, and a gulf fish amandine.  Bananas foster prepared table-side was the perfect end to the meal.  
Security frowned when Chrissy suggested a walk down Bourbon Street, but I indulged her.  Sheryl begged off and took a cab back to the hotel, so I found myself escorting two lovely ladies down a filthy street crowded by drunken tourists, with two large security guards trailing us.
"This is so cool," Chrissy said as we listened to some jazz music outside one bar. 
"Shame you're too young to go inside," Tamara teased.  She had ducked into one place to grab a fruity cocktail.  
"I could get in, if I wanted to," Chrissy said.  She looked old enough, though barely.  She had changed into black cigarette pants and a loose red silk top and matching red pumps.  Her hair was down, draped over one ear and her lipstick matched her blouse perfectly.  She was a very sexy young woman.
Tamara looked good as well.  She was dressed in a blue skirt and simple white blouse but turned as many heads as Chrissy did with her height and confident walk.  
"You two need to behave," I chided.  "We've got business tomorrow," I said to Tamara.  "And your mother would not like it if I let you get into trouble," I said to Chrissy.
"Oh, mum expects me to get in some trouble.  She told me that was part of what university was for," Chrissy teased.
I shook my head and put an arm around them both to steer them on down the street.  
"Let's just not make me part of your 'troubles'," I said.
The next morning, we all arrived at the gym next to the spa on the first floor of the hotel.  Tamara was subdued, while Chrissy appeared cheerful and energized.
"Workout buddies at last?" she asked with a grin as we started a warm-up walk on adjacent treadmills.
I remembered our first conversation and wondered how fit she had become.  Her flat stomach and defined abs were evident above her running shorts.  The sports-bra top was clearly going to have to do some work as well. 
"Are you sure you're up for four miles?"  I asked.
"Yep."  She hit the speed button and began increasing her pace.  I shook my head and did the same.  She matched the pace I set and twenty-eight minutes later, was sweating, but still smiling.  We cooled down a little and then moved to the weight machines.  I worked on my back while she focused on her core and did some light arms work.  
"I like working out with you," she said as we finished up and grabbed some water.  "Most girls I work out with at school want to chat a lot more.  You focus."
"You do alright yourself," I commented.  "I like to use the exercise time to think and plan out my day."
"I might have to start working out in the mornings.  Usually, I don't get to the gym until the afternoon, but I see how that could help me.  Next semester is going to be tougher than the spring."
"Have you settled on a major yet?  You mentioned technology and design."
"I love fashion, but don't really want to design clothes.  I enjoy the math aspects of engineering.  I'm thinking about architecture but would have to commit to that next semester if I want any hope of graduating on time.  There are just too many choices," she lamented.
"I'd go with the engineering side," Tamara commented as she joined us.  She had run at a slower pace, but put a few more miles in.  "If you get a degree in mechanical engineering, you can then pick up architecture or design skills as part of it.  Architecture is such a broad field, but the engineering skills will be applicable regardless of your specialization."
Chrissy nodded, but did not look convinced.  
"When we get back to Utah, I can introduce you to my architect.  He might be able to give you some additional advice."
"Your architect?  On staff?"
I shook my head.  "No, but he designed our places in Utah and our offices in Park City.  He can give you advice based on more than forty years of experience."
"Thanks, I'd appreciate that," Chrissy said.
"Okay, ladies, shall we get the business of the day started?"
Tamara nodded.  "I've got your briefing on my laptop upstairs.  We've got a couple of calls before we head to Tulane.  Chrissy, I made a spa appointment for you, so you won't be bored to tears on these calls."
Chrissy smiled, and then frowned.  I suspected the calls were on sensitive matters that Tamara knew we would exclude Chrissy from anyway.
"You can go to Tulane with us if you want," I said.  "But there's no need to sit through the other business.  You'd be lost hearing just one side of the conversation."
Chrissy nodded.  "Thanks.  I quite enjoyed sitting in on the meetings yesterday.  I think I learned more there and on the plane than I did in one or two of my classes this semester.  I'd like to learn a bit more."
"Be ready at eleven," I said.
"But the meeting isn't until one," Tamara said.
"Dr.  Perdew has a lecture at twelve.  I'm going to sit in on it."
*****
"Mum, he is brilliant," I overheard Chrissy saying.  
We had returned from New Orleans and spent a long weekend at the lab complex in Nevada before the kids finished school for the year and then hopped down to Sydney enroute to Learmonth.  Ali, Jer, and Jane were swimming in the pool while Chrissy and Camilla were sitting under the eaves below my office.  Sydney was a lot cooler this time of year than Utah, but the pool was heated, and the kids wanted to burn off some energy.  Camilla had come over to spend a little more time with her daughter since Chrissy had volunteered to watch them while I finished some work.  I had decided to get some fresh air in the office and opened my window.
"I sort of gathered that from his Nobel Prize and the work he's done, hun," Camilla said with a laugh.
"No, not just that, Mum," Chrissy replied.  "I went with him to this physics lecture.  On the way over, he told me a little about what Dr.  Perdew was doing.  I understood the concepts, but knew I'd be hard pressed to follow the math.  About fifteen minutes into the lecture, Paul asked him a question.  It was the first time the professor noticed Paul was sitting in.  They went on to work through some stuff on the board as the rest of the class watched in awe.  As they finished the work, a few students actually clapped.  I was copying everything down that I could, and Paul thanked me.  He said they would likely publish the paper jointly, and my notes would help tremendously, since I had a few of the things they ended up erasing captured."
"What was the work?" Camilla asked.
"As much as I could follow, it was defining quantum states of matter that then corresponded to some of the special materials Paul is developing.  I asked him about it, and he said it would establish the theoretical foundation for some of the materials he and his teams are making in his labs.  He thought it would really help the research teams working on high-temperature superconductivity."
"Before and after talking to this professor, he stared down the CEO of Delta in a meeting I got to sit in on, and then went to the President of Tulane and essentially told him he was funding a research center and Tulane could have it with his conditions, or he would build it someplace else and Dr.  Perdew would transfer and oversee it.  It was heady stuff."
I heard the clinking of a spoon on a teacup and could imagine Camilla or Chrissy stirring their tea.  
"You realize he's fourteen years older than you," Camilla said, almost too soft for me to hear.
"Mum!" 
"I'm just saying, you are gushing on about him like a star bowler or footy player.  Besides, he doesn't look at you that way.  His heart was Jeryl's, and I don't think it has returned to him yet.  I just don't want you to get hurt."
Her words caused my breath to catch.  
"I'm nearly nineteen, mum.  I'm not some flighty girl who swoons and pines away for something she can't have.  I think the world of him and just wanted to share with you, my mother, some of the things I've seen and thought over the past two weeks.  I know you were unhappy I didn't fly straight home.  I'm trying to explain why.  What I saw and experienced are things I would never learn in a class or on the runway.  He even arranged for me to spend two days with his architect to discuss that as a career.  I thought I was worldly, but his world is so much bigger than I could imagine.  That's all I was trying to share."
I glanced at the clock and closed my window as quietly as possible before connecting to my next video conference.  
"Allan, how are the launch preps going?" I asked as soon as I saw his face on the screen.
"Everything is on track.  We'll be kicking off the final mission sim next week once you're up here."
He was already settled at Learmonth, having spent most of the past two months there overseeing ongoing mission work for Astra Station as well as preparations for the moon landing.  As my liaison, he was neck deep in all the details.
"Anything critical we should start with?"  It was the normal question I liked to start his briefings with.
"Nothing critical," he replied.  "Spoke buildout is on schedule.  We've got three more launches before we are ready to transition to the rim work on the station.  My only question is how soon we want to allow access for the commercial spaces in the spokes.  Lockheed is pinging me about once a week for a schedule."
"Three more assembly launches would be October, right?"  We were sending up twenty-four spoke modules every other month, allowing us to extend the arms of the station two hundred meters every other month once the modules were attached to the six spokes radiating from the hub of the station."
Allan nodded.  "That's right.  We're able to attach them and check them out fully before the next group arrives.  After October, we'll extend the hub for the redundant systems.  Spain has already shifted one line to the larger rim modules."
"Okay, let's tell Lockheed their space will be available for occupancy in January next year.  That will give us contingency time.  Any problems on the commercial modules?"
We had modified the spoke module designs to accommodate an access passageway through the length of the module to allow traffic through without providing access to the volume used by various commercial entities.  The reduction in usable volume was negligible, since we did not make the passage vacuum-proof, but it was still an inconvenience.  That was one reason we had also modified our hub design to accommodate our own zero-g lab space.  No one would have even pass-through access to that area.
"No problems.  We've arranged spoke four to be alternating hab and commercial modules except for the standard configuration near the hub.  Lockheed will have space for up to eight researchers and a single commercial module for use."
"What about admin and comms support?"
"We've got separate fiber lines to the main array and they will have their own dedicated downlinks, per the contract.  Thomas will retain overall responsibility for the station."
"That's my concern.  I don't want him tied up on administrative work once we allow more access to the station.  We need to start thinking about the support staff we need up there and on the ground.  Can you and Tamara take on creating a staffing recommendation once we're all at Learmonth?"
Allan grinned.  "You mean, can my girlfriend and I, who both happen to be your PAs, get some work done when we see each other?"
I laughed.  "I guess that's one question we'll get an answer to."
"No worries."
"Anything else we need to chat about?" I asked.
He shook his head, but then went on to fill me in on status and crew fitness for the upcoming mission.  This was separate from the project status meeting scheduled for tomorrow.  This was his insight and observations on the dynamics of the team and their readiness to spend nearly three weeks on the surface of the moon.
I ended the call and then opened up my notebook.  I looked back at the work I had done since the meeting Chrissy had gushed about.  I thought there was something new in the equations.  I had changed my past once before by accident.  There had to be a possibility of changing it again by design.
*****
"You've got to be kidding me," I said.
"We knew this was a risk, Paul," Candace said over the video link.  "Australia debated the Moon Treaty two years ago.  It only failed by two votes for accession.  Your efforts to return to the moon were bound to bring the debate back to the fore."
"But it is not in Australia's best interests to become a member of the treaty now," I countered. 
"Some of their politicians think you're going to reap the benefits and nothing will flow back to Australia.  The treaty requires agreement on the usage of celestial bodies by other states.  The 'common heritage of mankind' clause would exclude you from exploiting the moon."
"No," I countered, "It would just make us shut down operation from Learmonth.  Even the US has not approved the treaty.  This is our only operational base that is at risk."
"I know that.  How do you want to proceed?"
I paced back and forth in my temporary office at Learmonth.  I really wanted to punch something but forced myself to pause and take a breath.
"Call Qantas and let them know their government is putting their GOT contract at risk.  If we can't operate out of here, one of the key considerations for our agreement with Qantas is at risk.  I'll call the Prime Minister as well.  If they are stupid enough to put the tourism dollars at risk, I'm willing to make the risk turn into reality."
"Okay.  I'll get on it," Candace said.  "Now, how do we want to address all of these research bids for space on the station.  Lockheed's deal made the wire last week and now we're getting swamped.  Sheryl asked me to look at our research partner's RFIs first."
"Christ!  We're trying to land on the moon tomorrow.  Do we really need to deal with this shit now?"
Ever since Team Luna had departed Astra Station last week, I had been getting pulled a dozen directions.  Between politics, news coverage, and minor business decisions, I had spent less than two hours a day focusing on the lunar mission.  I was starting to wonder why I even bothered coming to Learmonth for the operation.
"Paul, if you want me to put out a blanket statement that we won't lease any additional space on the station until next year, that's fine.  Just tell me and I'll let Sheryl know as well."  Candace's voice was tight, reflecting my own frustration.
"Do that.  I've got Allen and Tamara working on the operating model for the station as well as defining administrative roles needed on the ground and in orbit.  We'll need your review on those, along with Thomas and Sheryl's input.  For everything else, please just use your judgement for the next week.  I need to focus on the mission for a few days."
"I understand.  It's not easy when the whole world is watching," she said.
She was not mistaken.  We had leveraged our ops center in Park City for most of the U.S.  news agencies, while only the BBC was with us in Learmonth.  Excluding the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from on-site coverage was probably what started the political wrangling in Canberra.  As it was, Tamara was giving mission briefings via video feed to the world while I tried to stay out of the limelight.  
The kids were interested, but only in the exciting parts.  They would rather spend time at the beach or the reef habitat we had built off-shore for testing.  Ali wanted to sail and Jer wanted to snorkel.  After the first three weeks here getting little work done, I had invited Camilla, Bluey, Chrissy, and Jane up to see the landing and provide a little distraction for the kids.  Jyl was helping keep an eye on them, but I also put Lila to work finding a governess that could help me out.
I glanced at the clock and cursed again before heading to the door.  
Our mission control center was a quiet enclave of professionalism.  The flight operations staff was focused on their individual monitoring tasks as OTV-2 'Selene' made its approach to the moon.  Allen was at the desk next to Terry White who had the role of CAPCOM on the flight, even though 'Selene' was hardly a capsule.
"Selene, this is control, we show all systems go for orbital insertion, over," Terry said.
Two-and-a-half seconds later, we heard Marco Perry, the mission commander reply, "Selene concurs.  All systems green.  Eight minutes to LOS, over."
In eight minutes, they would lose communications with us as their orbit took them behind the moon.  During the time they were out of sight, they would execute the orbital insertion burn of their main fusion engine to slow enough for orbital capture.  It was the same maneuver they had made nine months before on 'Tycho Brahe', but it was still a time of tension for those of us on the ground.  We had to wait while they took the risks of the mission.
"How's it going?"  I asked Allen as I grabbed a headset.
"All green.  They did final engine checks about ten minutes ago.  We're all just waiting."
"How about the landing rockets?" I asked.  The liquid fueled rockets that would actually land them on the moon were the only part of the system fully built by outside contractors.  I trusted Lockheed, but not as much as I trusted my own team.
"All green, Paul.  We've got the checklists and have used them.  We're as ready as we can be."  His voice was tight.  
"Sorry.  I feel like you and Terry have had more to do with this mission than I have."  I did not like the feeling of being left out.
"We have," Terry said.  "And that's what you pay us for.  You need to sit back and be the boss, not a worker-bee today."
I nodded.  "What do you need the boss to do?" I asked.  "Besides leaving you two alone?"
Allen chuckled.  "Go talk to the BBC?" he asked playfully.
"I'd rather not have my nerves filmed right now," I replied.
"Then how about getting a cup of coffee and sitting down?" Terry asked.  "Show the rest of the team your confidence in them," he added softly.
I took it as an order and did as I was told.  
Six minutes later, Terry announced, "Loss of Signal," and pulled off his headset.  "We've got about forty minutes until we know how they did on the insertion maneuver."
Tamara came in from the media gallery we had set up similar to NASA behind the control center.  She gave Allen a quick hug and then sat down next to me.  
"Paul, Billy and I think you should start preparing some remarks for the press.  Here's a draft for tomorrow," she said as she handed me a sheet of paper.  "We're going to want you to be on the air shortly after the landing."
"As long as it goes alright," I said. 
"It will.  Stop thinking about things going wrong."
Terry was nodding over her shoulder.  Evidently, I had become the mission pessimist lately.
"You need to be ready," Tamara continued, "to not just congratulate the team and crew, but to also explain what we're hoping to accomplish on this mission."
"Christ!  It's in the press packets already."
She nodded.  "But they want to hear you say it, so it can be broadcast to the world.  Do you really want some talking head to be viewed as your mouthpiece?"
I scowled.  "Ok, I'll do it."
"And no scowls on camera," Tamara concluded.
I nodded.
"Good.  Now, for tomorrow, do you know who all will be in the gallery watching?  We've got more inquiries and requests than seats."
"Ali and Jer, need to be in the front row.  I invited the Tarrington's, so they should be with the kids.  Other than that, you can choose."
Tamara shook her head with a smile.  "Not on your life.  Kelly will be here representing the U.S.  and as your sister.  That means Prime Minister Keating and his wife need seats.  After that, it starts getting difficult."
"How so?"
"How about the opposition leader?  The Ambassador from Kenya has requested a seat, along with his wife.  Victor from Lockheed is down here.  We've got admirals and air force generals here and a couple dozen other big-wigs.  Then there is our local staff who want to watch."
"Shit.  How many seats?"
She pulled out a map of the gallery with some names already penciled in.  I grabbed it and started jotting names in seats.  Family and friends went in the front row.  The next two rows were filled out with our staff.  The last row went to the politicians.
"Tell the politicians, they are at the back, so they can join the press conference after the landing.  That should make them feel a little more important.  How's security?"
"With all the politicos, Lila says we're good.  The Secret Service team is already here, and your sister arrives tonight.  The PM has sent us the Special Air Service as well to keep the entire base secure and the Navy has added two patrol boats here for the month."
"Kelly should feel safe at least."  I shook my head.  "This is a fucking zoo."
"We've got the animals under control, Paul.  You've spent years training all of us to get the job done.  Trust us to do it now," she said.
It seemed to be a recurring theme.  I was in the way.  I sighed and stood.  
"I think I'll go out to the beach and see how the kids are doing.  Will that make everyone happy?"
Tamara grinned and nodded.  Everyone else avoided my gaze.  I shook my head and left.  
It took a while to find the stretch of beach the kids were on.  Ali, Jane, and Jer were playing tag with the waves while Chrissy and Camilla sat on the beach soaking up the sun.  Chrissy looked stunning in a small red bikini.  I felt guilty noticing.
Camilla saw me first and waved me over, causing Chrissy to sit up and then reach for a cover-up.  As soon as she pulled the thin white fabric over her head and torso, she stood and jogged a few steps to give me a hug.
"I was starting to wonder if you were going to visit us after inviting us up," she teased. 
I saw a look of concern cross Camilla's features before she glanced back out to check on the kids.
"Busy times," I said.  "Where's Bluey?"
"Dad went out with the RAN today.  Commander Briggs offered him a tour yesterday, so he's off on a Patrol boat."
Camilla nodded.  "I think he just wanted a chance to hit the wardroom this afternoon and decided that was the easiest way to get invited."
I laughed.  Bluey had sent his family up, but only joined them a couple of days ago.  "He deserves a little break from work, don't you agree?" I asked.
Camilla nodded.  "He does.  I know he works hard.  You do too, Paul.  You need to take a break."
Chrissy was nodding now.
"After tomorrow, I will.  I'm thinking about heading to Ireland for the last part of summer.  The kids haven't spent much time there."
Chrissy frowned while Camilla nodded.  "Bluey and I spent a month in Ireland when we were younger.  It was a nice vacation."
"How about you guys?"  I asked.  "Any more plans while you're on break, Chrissy?"
She struck a pose, popping her hip out and bending a knee.  "I've got two modeling gigs coming up.  Melbourne next week and then Brisbane the week after.  That should be the last of the summer unless my agent calls."
"Good for you.  Have you given anymore thought to your major?"
We all sat back down on the blanket they had and chatted as the kids continued to play in the surf.  Chrissy was still undecided but leaning toward taking Tamara's advice and sticking with mechanical engineering as a major.  Camilla asked about staying in the Stanford house for a week or so when she brought Chrissy back up for school.  I agreed easily.  It was a relaxing break in my routine.
"You really do need to take a vacation," Camilla said as the kids ran up to us and asked for help drying off.  Her tone reminded me of Jeryl.  
All I could do was nod.


Chapter Fifty-One
Landings
*****
"Down two.  Fifteen meters," Todd Walton, the landing pilot on 'Selene' said calmly over the radio.  The image on the screen showed a split view of the landing radar display and the image outside the spacecraft as it neared the lunar surface.
I gripped the edge of the desk and watched the telemetry display on my own console.  With the nearly one-and-a-half second transmission lag, there was little real-time advice any of us at Learmonth could give them.  We all watched intently, trying to will them safely down.
"Down one, ten meters."  Ten seconds to go.
"Contact!" 
We held our breaths.
"Control, Selene has landed!" Marco the mission commander announced.
A cheer went up through the control center.  I glanced over my shoulder to see the gallery on its feet as well.  Kelly was hugging the kids and our friends clapped and joined in the excitement.  I gave them a quick wave and then turned back to the console as Terry walked through the post landing checklist.
"'Selene', this is control," he said a few minute later.  "We show all systems set for surface operations.  Congratulations on a beautiful landing, over."
"Thanks control.  We're all pretty excited to be here, too."
I keyed my microphone.  "Team Luna and crew of Selene, this is Control Actual.    Twenty-nine years ago, the first men landed on the moon.  Twenty-six years ago, the last men visited the moon.  Today, your names will join the list of those twelve who have made that journey before you.  Today, you will step not just from Earth to the moon, but into the annals of history.  Today, we all congratulate you and thank you for returning the dream of the moon to all mankind."
I felt hands pat my shoulder as I released the mic key.  
"Control, this is 'Selene', thank you for giving us all this opportunity and supporting us in this journey.  I speak for the entire team when I personally say thank-you, Paul Taylor, for giving us back our dreams and helping us realize them."
The team in the control center broke into applause, along with the gallery.  I wiped a tear from my eye, thrilled at what we had accomplished, but saddened that Jeryl could not share it with me.  
Terry saw my face and took over comms again. 
"Selene, control, we know you are anxious to begin your EVA schedule but we need to move on to system checks prior to folks suiting up.  Please confirm checklist PL-204 is complete."
It was as if a switch had been flipped and everyone was back to looking at their consoles and checklists.  I took off my comm headset and made my way to the gallery.  Ali and Jer hugged me in excitement as I stepped into the glassed-walled room.  Everyone tried to shake my hand or pat my back.
"Daddy, when can we go there?" Ali asked as I took her hand when Tamara guided Kelly and I to the press room.  
I smiled at my little daredevil.  "How about you get your pilot's license first, so you can fly us there?"  I said.
She nodded seriously.  "Okay."
Tamara and Billy had the press organized and waiting for us.  While our primary media relations efforts were running out of Park City under Billy's supervision, she had insisted I do a session from Learmonth, immediately after the landing.  I read my prepared statement, making sure to thank our Australian host embodied by Prime Minister Keaton, and our charter sponsor represented by Kelly.  We then opened it up for questions.
"Paul, what are the goals of the mission, beyond returning to the moon?" the first reporter asked.
"The mission objectives are to prove our landing capability and conduct geological sampling similar to what the original Apollo program did.  Since we are planning on staying on the lunar surface for a much longer period of time, we expect to cover a much larger set of sampling activity as well as exploring some of the unique geological features of the Aristarchus Plateau."
"What do you hope to find there?" another reporter asked.
"We know from our prior missions that there is a strong concentration of titanium oxide as well as ferrous iron which would give us the ability to generate oxygen on the lunar surface for long term habitation.  If suitable sources are found, we would conduct further evaluations of the site for establishing a long-term base on the moon."
That caused a clamor in the room.  
The questions went on until Tamara signaled an end and I was able to head back into mission control.  Ali and Jer stayed with Aunt Kelly and Aunt Jyl in the gallery as we watched the crew finish their preparations for their first EVA.  
The original Apollo plan had been for landing to be followed by a rest period.  We knew our team was not going to go to bed for even four hours after they landed and had planned accordingly.  We also planned for live coverage of the event with a bit better technology than the original explorers took with them.
Delilah Simpson was the eighth member of the crew and the most experienced remotely piloted vehicle operator we had.  From her control console in the command module of the 'Selene', she deftly unlimbered the robotic arm from its storage compartment and set a remote camera up on the lunar surface outside the primary airlock.  She then used the arm to provide a back-up camera as Megan Light, Team Luna's second in command began the airlock cycle.
The team had decided a man returning to the moon was newsworthy, but that a woman stepping on the moon was historic.  They planned their excursion for its historical impact as well as mission efficiency.  Megan was not identifiable as a woman in her bulky spacesuit, but her voice left no doubt.
"This was one small step for a man," she said, "and a giant leap for mankind.  For Team Luna, it is still but a step; but the first of many on our journey back to the moon."
The next three team members in the EVA team followed her out.  They touched gloves and posed before the cameras and then Marco began getting them back on task with the mission checklists.  Megan began a walk-around of the ship, filming with a handheld camera, as the other members of the team began un-stowing scientific instruments and the battery powered rover for longer range exploration.  While it was exciting thinking about what they were doing and accomplishing, it was not very exciting to watch.  After the initial exuberance faded, I turned my chair over to Victor from Lockheed and headed toward the beach house where we were staying.  The kids held my hands as the Tarrington's, Kelly and her entourage of security followed along.
Philip surprised us with a lavish spread of food and drink as we turned the television on to watch the coverage of our news around the world.  It was surreal watching myself on the set as snippets of my press briefing were incorporated into the coverage.  After an hour or so, I slipped outside and carried a glass of red wine to the sand dune separating the house from the beach proper.
Kelly found me there.
"How are you doing?" she asked as she sat next to me set a fresh bottle of wine between us.
"Numb," I admitted after finishing my glass and reaching to refill it from the fresh bottle.  "This mission has kept me going for months.  I know it's not over yet, but it feels like an ending, not a beginning."
Kelly nodded.
"You need to take a break," she said.  
I sighed.  "I know.  But when I stop doing, I start feeling.  Jeryl was supposed to be beside me for this."
"I know exactly what you mean.  I keep thinking Matthew should be by my side, too."  She sipped her own wine and looked at the breakers rolling into the beach.
We sat for a few minutes.  
"Paul, we never really had a normal sibling relationship since we were both pretty much set in our ways when we met.  I know you've been driven since your early teens.  That drive has made you incredibly successful, but maybe it's time to turn it off for a little bit."
"What do you mean?"
She paused and looked me in the eye.  "Do something just for you.  Don't worry about what Jeryl would think, what the kids will think, what Mom and Dad might think.  Just throw caution to the wind for a month or two and get out of your own head."
I forced a chuckle.  "Go sow my wild oats?" I asked.
"If that's what it takes to get you to unwind, do it," she replied, surprising me.  "Hell, I know twenty attractive women who would line up to just be seen on your arm at an event.  I'm pretty sure they would all screw you senseless by the end of the night as well, except a few that are probably dead-ass fucks."
Her jocularity made me laugh.
"I don't think I need a bunch of gold diggers chasing after me."
"That's what I mean," she interrupted.  "So, what if they are gold diggers?  If they are attractive and pleasant to you, screw them...  or don't.  Just do what you feel like without expectations."
I shook my head.  "Even if I wanted to be that selfish, I have to think about the kids.  Money is no problem, but money can't raise them for me."
Kelly shrugged.  "It's the summer.  Send them to camp.  Hell, if you want to share an adventure with them, bring them along wherever you go, but also bring a nanny or governess so you can do things without worrying about them."
"I hear what you're saying, but I don't know if I can.  I don't think I'm ready to do that sort of thing."
Kelly shook her head.  "You'll never be ready until you've actually done it.  Trust me on this.  I spent a lot of time getting through the loss of Matthew.  You have to learn that it is something you get through, not something to get over."
"I hear what you're saying.  It's hard to do."
"No, it's hard to start.  It's easy to do once you start," she countered.
"So, how do I start?" I asked.
"Go inside, thank everyone for coming, tell the kids they're going to visit Aunt Kelly who is taking a little vacation, grab whatever security you need, and go hop on that rocket plane of yours.  On the flight, tell your team to handle things while you take a little vacation."
"Where would I go?"
"Where haven't you been?"
"Lots of places."
"Then pick one and start there."
I shook my head.
"Stop it," Kelly commanded.  "Don't think, just do it."
I started to say something, but she raised her hand.  
"I'm serious, Paul.  The world won't end if you take a break.  The kids won't hate you or shut you out.  I'll take care of them and then hand them off to two sets of loving grandparents.  If you're not back by the time school rolls around, I'll make certain they get home and start safely.  You did some hard things for me when I needed it the most.  Let me do this for you."
He eyes told me she was serious.  I had seen the pursing of her lips and steely stare in too many business settings to doubt her.  Slowly, I nodded my head.  She gave me a tight smile and then picked up my glass and made a shooing motion.  
I stood, turned and headed back toward the house.
*****
"You look familiar," a pleasant voice said as I sat at a small table in front of a cafe on the Avenue d'Ostende in Monte Carlo.  
I had taken Kelly at her word, thanked all of my guests, kissed the kids goodbye, and flown from Learmonth to Dublin with Nicole in tow.  In Dublin, I had switched from the GOT to a leased GS-3 and flown to Monaco.  That had been a week ago.  
I glanced up from my newspaper and saw a petite, dark-haired, graceful young woman standing before me.  Her eyes were hidden by a pair of designer sunglasses.  While attractive, I did not recognize her.
"Sorry, I don't think we've met," I replied.
"Oh, my!" she exclaimed.  "I recognize you now."
She pulled off her sunglasses, revealing sparkling blue eyes.  "I'm Imogene Larson," she said as she stuck her hand out to me.  "I'm a huge fan," she added.
I smiled at her energy and attitude as I shook her hand.  
"Nice to meet you, Imogene Larson," I said.
"I can't believe I just ran into you on the street here and thought I knew you.  My gosh, I must sound like a complete idiot," she said in a rushed, stream of consciousness manner.  I could not help but smile.
"You sound excited, not stupid.  Would you care to join me?" I asked as I motioned toward the chair opposite me.
Imogene glanced at her watch, looked up the street, and then nodded before sitting.  "Thank you.  I don't want to take up too much of your time, but I still can't believe I just ran into you on the street.  You must get tired of fans mobbing you all the time," she said as she set a soft-sided bag on the ground next to her.
"You're actually the first person to notice me here in Monaco," I said.  "I've been coming out for a late morning coffee all week and no one has given me a second glance."
She smiled broadly.  "I guess the sophisticated Europeans don't want to fawn all over you.  I know a few others from the troupe who would be pulling up chairs if they saw us chatting.  I mean, every one of us has seen you on TV, either on your show, or on the news.  I'm surprised you're just sitting here having a coffee, what with all the things you've got going on."
"Everyone needs a break once in a while.  It's been too long since my last one."
I waved at the waiter and motioned for another coffee and one for Imogene.  
"So, what brings you to Monte Carlo?" I asked.
"We're performing here.  I'm with the American Ballet Theatre and we're performing here at the Les Ballets de Monte Carlo.  We're performing Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty.  I'll be a soloist in it, dancing the role of the Lilac Fairy.  It's my first soloist role on tour.  I'm pretty excited about the opportunity."
I had never spent much time learning anything about ballet, but her enthusiasm was infectious.  I asked what it meant to be a soloist and was soon drawn into an animated lecture on the different roles in the troupe.  
"But enough about me," she said after taking a long sip of her coffee.  "What have you been doing on your break here in dreary old Monaco?" she asked with a laugh.
"Not much, actually," I admitted.  "I've done some of the tourist things, like the beach, and casino, but other than that, not much at all."
"Really?  I mean, we've been here for two days, practicing every day, and I've still done that much."
I smiled.  "It has been a few busy months for me."
She blushed and then her eyes went wide.  "Oh, my God!  I am so sorry."  Tears filled her eyes.  "I always talk too much and think too little."
"It's alright," I said, reaching across the table to pat her hand.  "Honestly, it's nice to have a conversation where I don't think about the past year too much."  
I was embarrassed to realize I had been taking Kelly's advice to heart, and not thinking or feeling for the past week.
"So, when does the production open?" I asked.
Imogene smiled.  "Tonight.  I'd invite you, but they don't give us tickets and it has been sold out for weeks."
I smiled back.  "If I make it through the door, should I bring you flowers?" I asked.
She blushed again and slapped my hand.  "Don't tease me.  I'm sure you have something better to do than bring flowers to a first-time soloist.  Besides, I told you it was sold out."
She looked at her watch again and then gave me a small smile.
"Would you think poorly of me, if I asked to take a picture with you?  My sister will never believe I met you in person.  She's always saying ballet is a dead-end career, despite being envious of the places I get to visit while she works as an accountant."
"I'd be happy to have my picture taken with you," I said.
She hopped out of her chair and grabbed the passing waiter as she pushed a compact camera into his hands.  A moment later, she was back in her seat, holding my hands in hers, and beaming at the camera.  The small flash blinded us before she hopped up again, circled the small table, and draped her arms around my neck for another shot. 
"Thank you so much," she gushed before darting in to kiss my cheek.  "I really am glad I met you, but I have to run.  We've got a final walk-through this morning that I can't be late for."
Before I could say anything, she grabbed her bag, her camera, gave me another quick kiss on the cheek and then raced down the street.  She paused just long enough at the corner to check traffic before blowing me a kiss and prancing across the road.
I looked back at my coffee and paper.  Kelly's words echoed in my head.  I pulled some cash from my pocket, dropped it on the table, stood, and headed back to the Hotel Hermitage, just around the corner.  Nicole greeted me on the short walk.
"You have an admirer," she said as she joined me.
I nodded, not trusting my thoughts or tongue.  
"She is very pretty," Nicole said.
"She's very energetic," I replied.
Nicole nodded.  "Energetic can be good, yes?" She asked with a sly smile.
I shook my head and headed for the concierge's desk inside the hotel.  
Ten hours later, I was the owner of a new tuxedo, and sitting in the Royal box at the Opera House as the lights dimmed for the show.  Princess Caroline was sitting next to me.  Aside from buying a new suit, my day had consisted of being informed by the concierge that there was no hope in getting last minute tickets to the ballet, followed by seven phone calls.  The first had been to Kelly, followed by a call to the U.S.  Consul General in Marseille, followed by a local conversation with the Minister of State for Monaco.  The fourth call had been with Prince Rainier, the fifth with my team in Ireland to direct an order for a new fusion power station in Monaco, and the sixth call with the Minister of State once again.  My final call, received a couple of hours after the sixth, was from Princess Caroline's private secretary, enquiring into his availability to escort Her Royal Highness to the premier of the American Ballet Theatre at the Opera de Monte-Carlo. 
I had been happy to accept the invitation and act as an escort to Her Royal Highness.  
Princess Caroline was witty and refined.  She thanked me for the pleasure of my company while really expressing her thanks for giving her country a sweetheart deal on power.  She asked about my sudden interest in ballet and I deflected her with a description of trying to live a little more by whim and wit than careful plan.  She seemed to understand.
Sleeping Beauty is one of the longer ballets, the Princess explained to me.  Fortunately, we were not going to see the full four-hour performance.  She hinted that sitting through the full show might scare me away from the theatre in the future.  Before I could reply, the lights dimmed, and the show began.  The music was powerful and poignant while the dancers performed flawlessly to my untrained eye.  I was fascinated by the play of muscle and expression, the emotions the dancers evoked through movement.  It was really quite beautiful.
Many local and international dignitaries greeted us during the intermissions.  Princess Caroline laughed back in the box.  "All the tabloids will have us dating by the morning," she teased.  "I really hate the vultures in the press, so don't take it personally when they start reporting our torrid affair and breakup."
I could only shake my head.  By the time the final bows were taken, it was nearing eleven o'clock.  I escorted the princess to the private reception where the troop was introduced to Her Royal Highness, and her escort for the evening.
Imogene, still dressed as the Lilac Fairy grinned at me after curtsying to the princess.  
"I guess you managed to find a ticket to the ballet," she teased.  I then had to explain how I knew the attractive, petite dancer to the princess.
Caroline had mirth in her eyes when she smiled at me.  "You must have made quite an impression, dear," she said to Imogene.  "Mr.  Taylor spent several million dollars to be here tonight."
Imogene's eyes went wide.
"What did you do?" She asked.
I shrugged.  "Nothing much.  I just made some phone calls."
Caroline laughed and handed me off to Imogene.  "I think you should accept an invitation to a late dinner and hear the full tale," the princess said.
Imogene looked at me with big eyes.  For the first time since meeting her, she appeared to be speechless.  
*****
By the time we exited the opera house and strolled toward the casino, her easy smile had returned but her voice was still absent.  She had changed quickly, looking beautiful in a curve-hugging little black dress and three-inch sling back shoes.  While she was petite, she was also perfectly proportioned, and the cinched waist of her dress accented both her thin waist and long neck.  She looked stunning.
"You look more beautiful out of your costume and makeup," I said.
She smirked, and her voice returned with a laugh.  "You haven't seen me out of my costume."  She paused and did a little spin for me before closing to grab my arm.  "Yet," she added.
The only thing that did not go with her outfit was her bulky dance bag.  I motioned to an attendant at the casino entrance, took the bag, and asked if he could have it sent over to the Hotel Hermitage.  I slipped him a 500-franc banknote.  He glanced at the bill and smiled before saying "Oui!" and heading for the door.
"Did you really just give him a hundred bucks to carry a bag two blocks?"
I shrugged.  "I wanted to save you the hassle of carrying it," I replied.
She hugged herself to my arm and smiled.
"So how did you like the ballet?" she asked as we strolled through the casino.
"I really enjoyed it.  You were amazing, by the way.  You are so graceful and talented.  You definitely make me look like a clod."
She laughed.  "Hardly.  You move very well and look so dashing in your tuxedo.  I wish my heels were just a tad higher."
"After spending so much time on your toes, I'm surprised you're not in flats," I commented.
"I'm five-five.  You're at least six-two.  There is no way I'm walking to dinner in some fancy restaurant with you in flats," she teased.  "Besides, I didn't have any flats that went with this dress in my bag."
"Oh?  I thought that was just your dance stuff," I said as we crossed a street and entered a small plaza filled with cafes and shops.
She laughed again.  "No, we're all expected to have at least one decent outfit in case there is a function after a show.  I also have some casual clothes in there in case I want to run out between shows or rehearsal.  I do have a couple of pair of shoes and 'dance stuff', as you call it in there as well.  I also pack snacks and water for the day.  Sometimes I feel a little nomadic since it feels like I live out of that bag and a suitcase during the touring season."
"You must love it," I said.  "I prefer to go someplace and stay put for a while."
"Really?  Every time I hear about you in the news, you're in a different city or country.  I'll need to tour for years to catch up with you."
"It's not really a competition."
She blushed.  "Sorry, but I am competitive.  You kind of have to be in dance.  I started ballet at three.  I've worked hard for every advancement I've gotten.  I still have a lot of hard work to do to become a principal dancer.  Every girl in the corps is looking to take my spot as a soloist or beat me to becoming a principal."
"Wow, I had no idea it was that tough."
"You think dancing on your tippy-toes is easy?"  
I laughed and shook my head.  "What sort of dinner would you enjoy?" I asked.
"I'm sure I can find something to eat wherever we go.  I try to eat healthy but need some protein and decent carbs to refuel after tonight.  Take me where you will."
We continued to stroll along and ended up in Le Grill at the Hotel de Paris.  Imogene seemed more subdued in her conversation, but more than held up her end of it.  When I asked if she was tired, she asked why I would think that.
"You just seem a little less effusive this evening than you did this morning," I said.
She blushed.  "I talk a lot when I'm nervous or excited.  I was really excited to meet you this morning, and pretty nervous about embarrassing myself by acting like an idiot.  Now, I can see that you are a nice, almost normal person."
"Almost?"
"Almost," she said with an affirmative nod.  "Let's just say that someone truly normal would not have gone to such lengths to see a stranger dance."
I smiled.  "Trust me, it was my pleasure.  I've been told I need to try to have a little more whimsy in my life, that I'm too serious all the time.  My sister suggested I take a few leaps of faith."
"Your sister, the vice-president?" Imogene asked.  "Not normal.  But I get taking some risks and leaps.  You saw me leaping all over the stage, didn't you?"
I laughed.  
"And you made it look elegant and effortless."
"Hardly effortless, trust me.  You should have seen me learning.  Hard landings can hurt.  The elegance and look of effortlessness come with a lot of practice.  Maybe you can learn from that," she added with a grin.
By the time we finished dinner, it was quite late.  Imogene took my arm again as we left one hotel and crossed the street to my hotel.  Inside, I was informed that the lady's bag had been sent up to my suite.
"I'm sorry, Imogene," I said as we entered the elevator.  "I wasn't trying to plan anything."
She shushed me with a smile.  "You've been a perfect gentleman.  I trust you to continue being one, even if I come up to your suite for my bag."
"Of course, you'd have a top floor, corner suite," Imogene teased as we stepped into the luxurious sitting room.  Her bag was set on a chair near the door.  She looked at the bag but made no move to pick it up.  Instead, she stepped deliberately to the balcony doors, opened them, and stepped back out into the night air with a sway in her hips.  
I had no choice, but to follow her.  She glanced over her shoulder and smiled.  
"It's a beautiful view," she said.
"Yes, it is," I replied without looking anywhere except her eyes. 
She smiled and turned back to me.  Her arms went around my neck and pulled herself higher as I leaned down and kissed her.  I was gentle, trying to thank her for a wonderful day and evening.  She had other ideas and pulled me tight as her lips parted and her tongue forced itself into me.  I caressed her shoulders and back as my fingers traced down her spine, feeling no hint of anything but her beneath the thin silken dress.  She molded herself against me and breathed me in.  
Finally, we parted.  She looked me in the eyes and smiled.  
"Now," she said as she reached behind her neck.  "You can do one last gentlemanly thing for me."  She turned around as she finished undoing the hook at the top of her dress before looking back over her shoulder again.  "Unzip me, please?"
I reached out and pulled down the zipper, admiring the smooth muscles of her back until the zipper stopped at the top of her ass.  She held the top of the dress against her chest and turned around again.  
"Now, why don't you be done being a gentleman for the night and help me wash after a very long and grueling day?"
By the time I was out of my tux, her dress and shoes were on the floor by the bathroom door and she was in the walk-in shower.  I joined her, and immediately resumed our embrace and kiss as the hot water washed over us.  I soaped up my hands and ran them over the taut muscles, feeling her strength with my fingers.  She pushed me back and down until I sat on the cool marble bench in the back of the shower.  She kissed me again, bent at the waist and kissed the tip of my cock before wrapping her long fingers around my manhood and stroking me lightly.  Her fingers played me like an instrument, stroking from my balls to the sensitive spot under the crown.  Occasionally, she would pop the head into her mouth and suck gently.  
When I closed my eyes, the sensations nearly overwhelmed me.  When I opened my eyes and saw her sculpted back bent over and the swell of her buttocks dancing under the shower spray, it was just as erotic.  Within minutes, I was there.
Imogene sensed my approaching orgasm or saw the tightening of my balls.  Without changing her strokes, she knelt and straightened her back.  Her eyes danced with joy as I spurted across her chest.  She continued to stroke me gently until I was fully spent, smiling the entire time.  
I sat, spent in more ways than one as she stood, kissed me, and then pivoted to wash my spend from her body.  I continued to be mesmerized the play of her muscles as she washed.  After a moment, I grabbed her waist and pulled her to my lap, wrapping her in my arms and kissing her neck.  She melted against me and lifted her feet to my knees.  
I stroked my fingers from her nipples, down her stomach, and along her thighs.  She reached back over our heads and ran her fingers through my hair as I kissed her neck and ears while teasing her body with light touches.  Her back arched as I finally slipped a finger along the folds of her pussy and tapped her distended clit.
Slowly, I stroked her, letting her passion build until she arched back against me, shuddering.  She grabbed my wrist and held my hand tight against her pussy, holding my hand flat as my fingers fluttered against her slick lips.  Her breathing was nearly in gasps as she continued to shudder.  After almost a minute, she started to calm, and I flexed my palm and set her off again.
She pushed my hand away and slipped from my lap, holding onto my knee for balance.  
"My god, what did you do to me?"  She asked as she stood straight and rinsed herself off once again.  
She shut the water off and grabbed a pair of towels for us.  Once close to dry, she dragged me toward bed and pushed me back on it.  She wasted no time in bending down and sucking me to make sure I was fully hard once again before climbing on, grabbing my cock, and pushing it between her legs and against her sopping pussy.  She was tight despite the amount of lubrication we had created and had to slowly work her way down my shaft until I was finally fully seated inside her.
She leaned forward and kissed me hard as another small orgasm rippled through her.  Even after my previous cum, her tightness was nearly too much for me.  She seemed to sense me and forced herself to hold still, barely breathing with her nipples pressed against me.  
"I've never cum with a dick in me before," she whispered.  "You feel incredible inside me."
Slowly, she lifted herself, pulling me with her incredibly tight pussy until I popped free, nearly cumming from the experience.  She reached between us and grabbed the base of my cock, holding it tight to prevent my orgasm.  
"Not too fast, tiger," she whispered.
She rolled off me and lifted her feet over her head.
"I want to feel you thrusting into my tight little pussy," she said.  
I moved around, pausing to admire her long, straight legs as she wrapped her arms around her own knees and her pussy and asshole winked at me.  I lowered my face and licked her from her bum to her clit, thrusting my tongue as deeply into the tight folds of her womanhood as I could before sliding forward until the tip of my cock lodged against her opening.  Slowly, I pushed back into the tight hotness of her pussy.  
Millimeter by millimeter I pushed into her.  It felt like her muscles were fighting me, but she moaned with each inch gained and encouraged me onward.  
"Fuck, that feels good.  Keep going, baby.  I want to feel you all the way in."
Finally, I was pressing my thighs against her, leaning with both of her ankles resting against my shoulder.  I flexed my hips, pulling out less than an inch and then pushed forward again.  She moaned, and I felt her moisture make the passage a little easier.  I repeated my withdraw and push, establishing a slow rhythm.
"Oh, that's wonderful.  Fuck me like that, Paul.  Pound my tight little pussy," she moaned.
I pulled back a little further and extended my strokes.  She rubbed a hand across her nipples and then spread her legs, moving a foot to each of my shoulders, and reached for her own clit with her other hand.  
The shear eroticism of the sight pushed me to the edge.  I thrust into her harder and she pulsed around my cock as she gasped and moaned.  I watched her stomach clench and felt a vice-like grip holding back my own orgasm as she shuddered.  The slightest movement on my part sent her off on another minor convulsion until finally, she pushed me back and out of her.
My rampant cock popped free and then slapped her pussy, sending her into another shuddering orgasm.  I sat back, wanting to fuck her again, but mesmerized by the sight before me.  Eventually, her breathing evened out and she opened her eyes. 
"Shit, I've never cum that hard before," she finally said.  She noticed my still hard dick pointing at her and blushed.  "You didn't cum?"
She reached over for me again, stroking her fingers along the underside of my cock and then shifting to take me in her mouth.  She licked me softly, before sitting back for a minute.
"I don't let guys cum in my mouth, but after what you did for me, I think I might make an exception," she said as she looked me in the eye.
Before I could say a word of encouragement or deny that I wanted it, she lowered her face once more.  She only took a couple of inches of me into her mouth, lavishing her tongue along the base of me and sucking gently.  She reached beneath me and rolled my balls in her fingers and suddenly, I was cumming again.  She stayed on me, sucking and swallowing as I fell back on the bed.  Eventually, I had to push her head away.
She sat up, smiling, and licked her lips.  Her smile was both sexy and sly.  "Not too bad," she said.
I pulled her in for a kiss, surprising her, and held her body close to me.  We managed to slip under the covers before sleep overtook us both.
I awoke to the pleasant feeling of a naked body pressed against mine.  I smiled as I saw Imogene's curly dark hair resting on my chest.  She was an amazing young woman.  I tried to slip out of bed without waking her but was unsuccessful.
"What time is it?" she asked as she sat up and stretched, unashamed of her flawless body.  
"About six-thirty," I said.  "I slept in a bit today."
She flopped back on the pillows and smiled at me.  "Beast," was all she said.
I ducked into the bathroom and took care of my morning business.  When I came out wearing one of the plush white robes, she was still on the bed, but sitting with one leg straight out, bending over and resting her forehead on her knee.
"You can sleep a bit longer, if you'd like," I said.
She sat up and smiled.  "No, once I'm awake, I'm up.  Besides, we need to talk some."  She switched legs and lowered her head again.  "Let me finish stretching out, then we'll have some coffee and breakfast, and then maybe fuck one more time before I have to go."
"Go?"
She sat up.  "That's what we need to talk about."  She put her legs together and bent down again.  
"You might think I'm a total slut by how I acted, but I'm really not.  I don't usually do one-night stands or casual hook-ups.  You're special."
"I thought you were pretty special, too," I replied as I sat on the edge of the bed.
"Thanks," she said.  "But that's kind of the point.  I have a workshop later this morning at the Opera House, followed by a full performance again tonight, then a matinee tomorrow, then straight onto the bus to head to Vienna.  We're on tour and I have a role to play.  If we had met casually in New York and struck up a friendship, we might have gotten to sex after a month or so."
I nodded.  
"But I'm twenty-five years old and working on achieving success in my career.  You have your own business to attend to, and even a couple of kids to worry about.  So, I decided to grab the bull by the horns last night and have a fling with the world's most eligible man.  You might be able to take time and follow me around, but I'm not going to be able to take the time to build a relationship with you.  I thought a lot about this yesterday.  I played the 'what-if' game in my head all yesterday afternoon and decided before I ever saw you in your tux that if I happened to run into you again, I was going to take the kind of leap you were talking about last night.  Then, when you showed up with royalty and I learned what you spent just to see me dance, I knew I was going to fuck you silly."
She looked up from her stretches to smile at me.
"But today, it's going to be back to work for me."
I waited for her to say more, but she stood instead and then slowly lowered herself to the floor in the splits.
"So, you don't want me to extend my vacation and travel to Vienna?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light.
"Nope.  Even if you do, I won't have time for you.  We get in late Sunday night and have rehearsals and workshops on Monday, a performance on Tuesday, then back on the bus to Berlin.  We travel and perform for the next two weeks, ending up in London.  I won't have another free day until our last day in London."
She finished her split stretches and stood, still nude and beautiful.  She started a slow set of lunges, placing each foot deliberately and dipping low enough to touch her knee to the floor.  I could not help but admire her form and power.  I felt myself becoming aroused.
"So," she said once she reached the wall, stood, and pivoted before starting to repeat her lunges back toward me.  "You can enjoy our time together last night and this morning, and we can become good friends in the future, or you can try to sway my ambition and you'll join my small collection of prior lovers."
She nearly reached me, pivoted again, and then stretched forward to put her palms flat on the floor with her ass pointing my direction.  With slow control, she lifted her right leg, flashing her pussy at me as she moved into a vertical split with her head pressed against her left knee.  It was incredibly erotic.
I watched her slowly switch legs and then return to both feet on the ground.  She pirouetted twice and ended facing me.  She put her hands on my knees and looked me in the eye.
"So?"
I smiled and leaned forward to kiss her.  
"I'd be foolish to risk losing a friend, now wouldn't I?"
She grinned and leaped into my lap.
"Goodie!  You had me worried there for a second.  I'm pretty sure you need to fuck me at least one more time."
She wasted no time climbing on my obvious erection and slowly settling herself down, pressing herself lower until she was grinding her pelvic bone against me.  I leaned down and sucked on her nipples as she rode me.  I watched her skin flush and stood up as her legs wrapped around me.  She clung to my neck with her arms.  I turned and bent until her back was resting on the bed.  I started picking up my pace, still amazed at how tight she was.  I felt her orgasm start but continued thrusting this time.  
"Oh, God!" she moaned.  Her heels beat against my back and her hands tried to hold me deeply within her, but I kept my hips moving, pounding through her tightness.  Her back arched as she came and her stomach clenched while her hands slapped at the bedding.  I held her tiny waist and thrust and thrust, finally feeling my own orgasm rise.  She shuddered with me and then collapsed when I finally pulled free, cum still spurting from my cock, released from her velvet grip.
I fell down next to her, totally spent, and then was shocked and worried to see tears on her cheeks.
"Oh, God, Imogene!  Are you alright?  I didn't mean to hurt you."
Her eyes fluttered open and she rolled over to kiss me soundly.
"You didn't hurt me.  You touched me somehow like no one or anything has before.  That was amazing."
I kissed away the salty tears from her cheeks, worried, but believing her.  She snuggled against me.
"Last night and this morning nearly make me regret my ambition," she said softly.
I stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.  
"No regrets," I whispered.  "That was the promise I made to myself for this vacation.  You should live the same way."
*****
"How are you doing?" Lila asked as we sat down in her office in London.  
I had never been to the security firm's London offices before.  Lila had grown and matured since knowing her in college.  She was still beautiful, but there was steel in her gaze now.  She and Hunter were still very much in love, and seemed happy, but I worried about putting too much stress on them.  
"I'm doing well, I think," I replied.  "Monaco was a good break."
She gave me a small smile.  "So, I've heard.  It sounds like a ballet was just what you needed."
I felt myself blush.  I could take umbrage or recognize it as it was intended; a close friend who happened to be my head of security looking out for me.
"I'm assuming Nicole kept you abreast of my status."
Lila nodded.  "I don't really want you getting in the habit of only having one or two security with you."
"I'll try not to make a habit of it."
"Good.  Now, I'm assuming you'll want to visit the ballet again soon?"
I shook my head.  "No.  She's busy with rehearsals, workshops, and performances."
Lila arched an eyebrow.  It reminded me of Alison and Jeryl.  
"Foolish girl," she muttered.  "Ok, so you're heading back to Utah and the kids?"
I shook my head again.  "Not right away.  'Selene' is still on the moon.  I've decided to relax a bit longer and then be wherever we bring them down from Astra Station on their return."
Lila frowned.  "I thought they would land at Learmonth," she said.
"Kelly hinted that Al Gore would view it as a personal favor if we landed them back at Kennedy.  I've also gotten invitations from every other country we've ever operated out of and even from a few we haven't.  If the Australian parliament is still making noise about the Moon Treaty, I won't land them there, that's for certain."
"Ok.  So, what are you planning to do for the next week or two until the landing?  I'd like to give Nicole a break and rotate a few people on your detail."
"I don't know," I said.  "Any suggestions?"
Lila looked at me for a moment and then stood and walked to the map of the world nicely framed on one wall.  She crossed her arms and tapped one finger against her lips as she looked over the world.  I smiled at the image of her scheming and plotting to build an empire and then stood and joined her at the map.
"You've been all over and done so much, it's hard to see you going someplace new," she said.
"I've been a lot of places, but I can't really say I've seen or experienced them all.  You know that I spent a full day in museums in Monaco?  I've never spent a full day not working anyplace I've visited in recent memory."
She smiled at me.  "Jeryl and Alison and I always said you were working too hard.  Now maybe you'll believe me when I tell it to you again."
I looked back at the map.  "Where would it be easiest for security to watch over me?"  I asked.
"Your lab," Lila said without pause.
"Let me re-phrase.  Where, other than one of our properties, would it be easiest for security to watch over me?"
"Do you want to be active or just relax?" Lila asked.
"Either."
"How long?"
"Another week or ten days should be good."
She nodded and went to her computer.
A day later, I joined the Renaissance Cruises in Bergen for the maiden voyage of one of their newest ships around Scandinavia.  The luxury yacht was home to several hundred passengers including six owner's suites, one of which I had taken over.  I quickly fell into a shipboard routine of exercise, taking in the sights of wherever we were visiting, eating fine dining and catching up on my rest.  While the majority of the guests were much older than me, there were a few younger couples, but no single travelers other than myself.  While it was relaxing, it also highlighted the loneliness I'd felt for most of the past year.  After the second day, I found myself working on a stubborn set of equations at night rather than partaking of the social life.  By the time we debarked in Edinburgh, I knew that isolation was not what I needed more of.
Nicole and Lila greeted me as I came off the ship, which I expected.  Both seemed more relaxed than the last time I had seen them.  The surprise greeter was Tamara who I had expected to still be in Learmonth.
"Good morning, Paul," Lila said before ushering me into the waiting car.  "Did you enjoy your break?"
"Yes and no," I replied.  "It might have been fun sharing that with someone but was a little dull experiencing it alone."
Lila nodded.  "Understood.  I guess I'm not cut out for a career as a travel agent.  I'm sorry you didn't enjoy yourself."
I shrugged.  "It gave me time to think and reflect, so it was good in that regard.  How are the kids?"
"Doing just fine with your Mom and Dad," Tamara replied.  "Kelly took them back to DC and then on to Illinois.  They spent time with Janet and Jerry before your Mom and Dad picked them up for a road trip back to Utah.  They got to your home yesterday."
"I'll call them later today, once they're up."  We were six hours ahead of them and it was just ten o'clock in the morning.
"How's the mission doing?" I asked Tamara.
"Right on schedule, boss," she replied with her own grin.  "They'll be back at Astra Station in three days.  We'll have them finish the post-mission resupply once the samples and science packages are off-loaded and plan to bring them down next week.  You just need to let us know where that landing will be."
"Well, once I make a few calls, I'll let you know.  Where's the GOT?"  I asked.
"Still in Dublin.  Should we head over there?" Tamara asked.
"Do we have space in London for a couple of people, Lila?  I'd like to pick up some stuff for the kids."
"Sure.  We also keep a secure block of apartments for staff traveling through.  We can put you up there for a day or two."
I nodded my agreement as Tamara flipped through a folder of papers and notes.  "Paul, if you're staying in London, Minister Khalil sent you a note and an invitation."
"Invitation?  To what?"
"Some embassy function, I think.  I can follow up on it if you're interested."
I glanced at Lila who shrugged.  I typically got invited to quite a few things that Tamara or Allen politely declined on my behalf.  
"When is it?" I asked.
"Tomorrow evening."
"What was the note?"
Tamara handed it to me.  I scanned it and handed it to Lila.  "What do you think?"
Lila frowned.  "I think he is a very clever and very dangerous man," she said.
"Why?" Tamara asked.
"Because he implies he is calling in a favor," Lila answered.  
And only I knew what favor was owed.
*****
"It is good to see you once again, my friend," Minister Khalil said as I was escorted into a private meeting room within the Iranian Embassy in London.  
We exchanged pleasantries as tea was brought.  
"My son continues to thank me for the opportunity you have given him," Khalil said as a younger woman poured our tea and then backed from the room.
"He has earned all the opportunities before him, sir.  You know I don't make a habit of 'giving' such things away."
Khalil smiled and nodded.  "Yes, you are a shrewd trader and wise business man.  I am so glad you were able to bring justice to those that betrayed you and the world without giving your soul away."
I kept my face neutral.  To come to the point so quickly implied Khalil would have whatever payment he wanted from me.  Through him, the Iranians had been instrumental in providing intelligence into the inner workings of the ill-fated North Korean regime.  Before the US intervened, I had funneled his information to the DoD and to several private contractors hired through Lila.  Khalil had not sought his own government's permission to undertake such a risk, putting himself in a precarious position if anything had gone wrong.  In return for his efforts, all he had asked was 'a future favor'.
"With your gracious assistance, justice was served with minimal bloodshed.  Thank you again, friend."
Khalil sighed and sipped his tea.  
"You have been a friend to me and my country, Paul.  You have treated us fairly, even when the world thought we deserved otherwise.  I am always amazed when my colleagues view your questions and negotiations as an affront.  You ask wise questions, and bargain hard, but fairly.  They view their heritage as if they are owed something while you believe in earning it with actions and deeds.  Their thinking worries me."
He sipped his tea again, as if pausing to choose his words.  I suspected he had chosen his phrasing with great care more than a day ago when I accepted his invitation to visit.  Agreeing to meet on his 'home-turf' so to speak must have signaled something, since it was the first time I had set foot on Iranian sovereign territory.
"Is there anything I can do to help with their thinking?"  I asked, hoping to change his cadence if nothing else.
The minister looked up from his tea and met my gaze.  Slowly, he nodded. 
"Yes, there is much you can do, but little I can ask.  For me to ask outright would damn many beholden to me, including my fine sons and their families."
It was my turn to sip and think, my mind spinning at the implications of his phrasing.  
"Tell me of your troubles, friend," I finally said.
He seemed to relax.
"Our cultural revolution continues, of course, with those wise in the ways of Allah directing our next generation of leaders in their studies."
News of the Cultural Revolution had reached the world press from its outset many years ago, with most eastern and western books being banned and hordes of teachers and researchers fleeing the country.  
"You may not know, but the right to education for everyone without discrimination is explicitly guaranteed under Iran's constitution," The minister continued.  "But we are still lagging for our women and few, if any, have opportunities to study further abroad."
I nodded.  
"We also still have many men who are espousing more traditional views for women and marriage."  He took a sip of tea.
"These sometimes-opposing views are driving my problems," he concluded.
"And you think I can help?"
He nodded.  "You can help me, and maybe the country, but I'll ask for only myself."
He sipped the last of his tea, tipping his cup high before returning it to its saucer.  He clapped his hands together sharply and the doors opened.  The young woman re-entered, closed the doors, and moved to stand behind and to the left of the Minister.
"Paul, this is my eldest granddaughter and ward, Rayna.  Her mother and father died, and she has been in my care for most of her life.  She has a keen intellect and has gone as far as she can within our universities.  Her area of specialization is international finance, for which I feel she can best learn under your tutelage.  My favor, my friend, would be for you to take her on in whatever role you feel suitable within your organization and train her as you see fit."
I looked at the young woman, estimating her to be of an age with Chrissy.  She was dressed modestly, with an appropriate scarf on her head and long sleeves covering her arms, but her big eyes and pretty curves were still evident.  She met my gaze for a moment before lowering her eyes.
I looked back at Minister Khalil.  "Trained as I see fit?" I asked.
He nodded.  "As I said, she has a keen mind, but needs some of the tempering living in the wider world will bring.  I'll not ask for her advancement above others unless her efforts merit such advancement."
"What of her care and upkeep?"  I asked.  "I'm not sure where she will start working."
The minister nodded.  "As a member of my household, she has a diplomatic passport, but I've told her she will be held accountable to whatever country's laws she is living in.  I'll not shield her from the consequences of her actions.  For now, she is at the Embassy.  If you see fit for her to work here in London, I will arrange a suitable apartment for her.  If you move her elsewhere, I will cover her initial costs, but then expect her to save and manage her money appropriately.  I'm certain she will not be a burden on you or your company."
I nodded and stood to shake his hand.  He broke into a beaming smile.
*****
"You agreed to what?"  Lila asked.
I explained the situation.  She was aware of much of the intelligence I had received and passed along, so understood that I did owe Minister Khalil a favor.  
Lila shook her head.  "How do you want to sandbox her?  Unless you really want her to have access to your finances."
"We'll start her here, working in your finance department.  Keep a close eye on her for three months and then let me know what you think of her.  If she is showing any promise, we'll rotate her to Donna at DigiNet for a year or so and then to Cindy.  Make sure you and I are flagged on each of her reviews."
Lila nodded.  "Do you think she's a honeypot?"
It was my turn to raise an eyebrow.  I thought about Rayna for a moment and then shook my head.  "If she is, she is a very subtle one.  I'll keep tabs on her, but I'll not work closely with her.  That should protect us.  In the meantime, we'll give her the same chance we gave her uncle to prove herself."
Lila typed herself a note and then nodded.  "I'll take care of it.  I'll let you know if anything turns up in her regular background check.  Now, how much longer are you staying in London?"
"Why?"
She forced a smile.  "Because my husband is going to be wherever you bring that crew down and I'd like to be there with him."
I laughed.  "Sorry," I said.  "He could have come home any time last week but wanted to stay on top of the engine numbers from the control center in Park City."
"I know and have discussed that with him.  Now that 'Selene' is back at Astra Station, he has all the data he needs and can crunch numbers from home during the day and rub my feet at night."
"Okay, okay, message heard.  How about you two take a break?  Take a couple of weeks off and get reacquainted."
"It hasn't been that bad, but I might just take you up on a vacation.  Can we borrow your place in St.  Lucia for a few days?"
"Of course.  Who will be in charge here while you're out?"
"Sanford is pretty much on top of all of our operations now.  He can cover everything and I'm only a phone call away.  Now, answer my question.  How much longer in London?"
I thought about a certain ballet performance happening and then re-considered.  Imogene was just what I needed, when I needed it, but I did have other obligations that I had been away from for too long.  I sighed.
"How soon can you pack?"
"I'm packed," she replied.  "Are you?"
I nodded.  "I'll tell Tamara to have the GS-3 prepped, and we'll be on our way to Dublin today.  I need to check on the house there, and then we can take the GOT back to the states."
"Where in the states?" she asked with the arched eyebrow.
I smiled.  "Utah.  I want to pick up the kids and then we'll all head to Florida for the hero's welcome back from the moon."
*****
"So, you're basically fixing me up on a blind date?" I asked as Kelly fussed with my tie.  "You're going to make me look like a complete putz if I say no and I'm going to have to spend the evening with some slimy politician who is disliked enough that they couldn't swing their own date," I said.
Kelly actually laughed.  
"Hardly.  I'm doing you a favor, I'm doing her a favor, and I'm doing Al a favor.  She supported us on the campaign trail.  She's a beautiful woman, and she actually asked me for the favor."
Our crew had returned safely from the moon over a month ago and immediately embarked on a well-coordinated media tour.  Not wanting to miss out on the popular wave of enthusiasm, the politicians had felt the need to ride the wave and host a gala in the crew and my team's honor.  While I had tried to demur, and let the team take the spotlight, Kelly had insisted on my attendance.  
"I'm likely to not be very good company," I said as she stepped back from me.
"Paul, it's been nearly a year.  I know the anniversary is coming up and it's going to be hard on you and the kids.  Trust me, I really do understand.  But you need to continue to work through this.  You'll never get over it."
I knew she was right and tried to squash the small pile of self-pity hidden in the back of mind.  It was not who I wanted to be.  It was not who I needed to be for Ali and Jer, or for Kelly, or for my many friends and employees.  I nodded.
"Good," she said.  "You look good in that tux.  Is it new?"
I thought about why I had purchased it and smiled.  "Yes, I picked it up in Monaco."
Kelly smiled.  "It looks really good on you.  You're going to impress your blind date, that's for sure."
"Are you 'like, totally, for sure?'" I asked with a teasing whine in my voice.  "I know you never spent time in the valley, where did you pick up the slang?"
She swatted my arm and we headed down the stairs of the Naval Observatory, her official residence.  She had insisted I stay with her.  I had agreed, but still booked a suite at the Watergate since that is where the gala was being held.  I saw no need to traipse to and from the event when an elevator and walk would suffice.  
Her date for the evening was Senator Kim once again.  He had hardly changed in the eighteen months since I had seen him last but did look nicer in his own tuxedo.  He placed an air-kiss near Kelly's cheek and shook my hand. 
"Who are you escorting this evening, Paul?  Kelly told me she arranged someone for you."
I shrugged.  "It's a surprise.  Evidently, I don't get to know until we're at the White House for the pre-reception reception."
Senator Kim laughed.  "It's probably a 'Make-a-wish' date.  Kelly's made a few of those for herself."
Kelly swatted at both of us.  "Let's just get in the car and then you'll both get to see.  Paul, I expect a big 'thank-you' later."
"What about me?" Kim asked.
"I expect a big 'why not me?' from you, Senator."
We all laughed and got into the limo waiting outside for us.  Senator Kim and Kelly kept up the conversation for the drive into D.C.  The police escort made it relatively painless.  I was just glad my own security got an evening off while I was in the care of the Secret Service.
We were efficiently escorted inside and up to the residence for a casual pre-reception where drinks flowed easily, and I was tempted to not even try and pace myself.  Kelly, however appeared to have given the usher specific instructions.  I was back to tonic water after the first gin and tonic.
As soon as I saw Kelly moving toward the door to greet an attractive short-blonde haired woman with a hug, I knew who my blind date was with.  I smiled as they came toward me, admiring the open smile and confident gaze of Cameron Diaz.
"I'm so happy to meet you," she said as Kelly performed introductions.  "And I really want to thank you for agreeing to take me tonight."
"It's my pleasure," I said.  "You look lovely, by the way."  She was wearing a strapless navy dress with a tasteful slit up one side and matching shoes.  "The dress really goes with your eyes," I added.
She beamed, and Kelly smiled.
"Now, I just need to not spill soup all over myself," Cameron said.
Kelly spotted someone else to greet and left us alone to get to know one another.  She was easy to talk to, telling me stories from her latest movie roles.  I was familiar enough with Hollywood that we had some mutual acquaintances.  
"I've been a big fan of your show and more importantly of the work you've done," she said.
"Oh, like what?"
"Your efforts with the environment.  I know you don't advertise, beyond what you did on the show, but you're having an impact on the world with what you're doing.  I mean, SoCal is making water instead of draining it, which is nice, but you're stabilizing swaths of Africa as well.  Your highlights of the hydrocycle and reef in Australia were amazing.  After I watched that season, I just had to go down there and visit.  I really believe we all need to be better stewards of our world.  You're actually enabling that sort of thinking."
I blushed.  "Thank you.  I never really thought of it in those direct terms."  I took a sip of my tonic water.  "I'm sorry, I've been very rude.  Can I get you a drink?" I asked.
Right on time, we were all moved toward the waiting motorcade and transported to the formal reception.  I was actually placed next to the President in the receiving line and had the distinctly un-pleasurable 'pleasure' of shaking hands with more than two hundred guests.  Kelly laughed at me massaging my hand once that chore was complete.  I collected a gin and tonic and then went to find my date for the evening.  I was a little worried when I saw her standing with Tamara, Allen, Lila and Hunter.  
"God, it was priceless," Allen finished as they all laughed.  I suspected I knew the topic.
"Careful about telling stories about the boss," I teased as I joined the group.  They expanded the circle a little to allow me to join them.
"That looked like fun," Cameron said with a smirk.  "It must be nice to be one of the guests of honor." 
I shook my head.  "That's one of the reasons I tried to get out of this shindig.  I'd much rather have a company only party that let the folks relax and let off a little steam."
Tamara shook her head.  "This isn't for the team.  It's for the guests the team brought with them.  You know that, Paul.  After all, you paid for them all to come to Washington for the weekend."
Cameron's eyes got a little bigger at that statement.  "Really?" she asked.
I shrugged. 
"I told them to expense the weekend.  No big deal," I replied.
Lila had to step in then.  "And you told them all to buy suitable attire.  And you arranged sitting services for families that needed them.  You might sign the checks, but your decisions and the culture you've created at work are worth a lot more than just 'expensing' things," she said.
"Careful, Paul," Hunter said.  "Lila will turn into a lioness defending you, even from yourself."
Lila blushed but Tamara and Allen nodded. 
Cameron changed the direction of the conversation by asking Tamara and Allen what they had done during the mission.  Hunter took the opportunity to lean closer and let me know he had a lot of good data on the engines and a few ideas to discuss.  
Lila overheard him and swatted his arm.  "No work talk, tonight," she said. 
Dinner was announced, and we made our way to our assigned tables.  Cameron and I were seated with Al and Tipper.  Meagan Light, the first woman on the moon, and her husband Larry were with us, along with the Director of NASA and his wife.
Meagan was the belle of the ball, or at least of the table.  Dinner was pleasant, and the conversations flowed easily.  Cameron was not shy but also did not try to be the center of attention.  She would answer a question and then deftly turn the conversation back to either the moon mission or our other work.  
Over dessert, Tipper turned the conversation back to Astra Station.  
"Paul, I understand you're starting to allow commercial leasing in Astra Station.  How's that going?"
"Our first tenants will be going up in January, so long as we stay on schedule," I said.  
The director of NASA perked up.  "Does my team have rates yet?" he asked. 
I nodded.
"I'd love to go into space someday," Cameron said, stopping the conversation from turning to business.  "It must be an amazing experience."
"It really is," Meagan said.  "I'll never forget my first trip up."
"No space sickness?" Cameron asked.
"It was weird at first, but I managed to adjust.  There are lots of adjustments you have to make in zero-g.  Lunar gravity was another adjustment.  It's easy to say 'one-sixth gee', but everything still has mass.  You find yourself working hard because your brain confuses weight and mass."
I nodded.  I had learned the same lessons in orbit.
"Muscle strains are one of our biggest injuries in orbit," I said.  "Fortunately, most people only get one before they learn their lesson."
Music saved us from further discussion and many couples followed the President's lead in hitting the dance floor.  Cameron grinned at me when I offered, and she proved to be a better dancer than I was, as we glided across the floor in a sedate fox-trot.
"You dance well," she commented.
"So do you."  I guided her into a turn with pressure on her hand and lower back.
"Mother insisted I take dance and it really helped me with modeling.  What's your excuse?"
"Mom.  She wanted me to be able to navigate a formal dance or be comfortable at a casual cook out.  We also had to take dance as part of P.E.  in middle school."
"Well, you remembered your lessons very well," she replied with a tease in her voice.
"As did you."  
I had to admit to myself it was pleasant ushering an attractive woman around the dance floor.  Cameron moved to my lead easily and had a smile on her face every time I looked at her.
"So, what really made you ask Kelly to have me escort you tonight?" I asked as the song ended.
She stayed in my arms and we waited for the next song.  As soon as we started to waltz, she answered.  
"I told you, I admire you."
I wiggled my eyebrows at her.  "There's admire and then there is admire.  Tell me more."
She laughed.  "I'm not looking to jump into bed with you, if that's what you mean.  After all," she said with mock seriousness, "I have a reputation to uphold."
I smiled.  "So, do I."
"Oh?  I hadn't noticed.  Didn't I see something about you chasing royalty in Europe last month?"
I shook my head.  "I'd never be one to kiss and tell.  That was just a business meeting.  I did a favor for the Prince."
"Oh, a Prince.  So, he took you to the ballet?" she teased.
"His daughter did.  I had never been before.  It was a very pleasant evening.  But enough of your deflection.  You were saying something about dragging me to bed?"
She laughed at my leer.  
"You're a very likable person.  You don't take yourself too seriously.  That's something that never really came across on the show.  I try to have the same attitude."
We finished a turn and then ended together.
"How about a drink and we both get serious for a minute?" I asked.
She nodded.  
Soon, we were alone in a corner, drinks in hand.  We were standing close enough kiss, but obviously were only talking.  I gave Tamara a little shake of my head when she and Allen moved in our direction.  
"I asked Kelly to invite me to be your escort tonight to see if we might do some work together," she finally admitted.  "I've re-thought asking you a dozen times tonight as I've gotten to know you a little better.  I don't want to be one of those kinds of people who are always looking for a leg up.  I believe in earning my way."
I waited for her to take a sip of her drink.
"Okay, one of the things I admire about you most is how you've set up DigiNews.  You must know it's about the only unbiased news outlet today, right?"
I smiled.  "I do.  I'm glad you find it useful."
"It's not just useful, it's the only place were facts reign supreme.  I'm so tired of all the mainstream news organizations only providing one side of what they think is 'newsworthy'.  Don't even get me started on the paparazzi or the tabloids who sit around waiting to ambush anyone who has the slightest claim to celebrity.  I mean, I love making people laugh, and that means I do some silly-assed shit that occasionally makes the so-called news.  It really pisses me off."
I laughed.  "Don't hold back," I said.  "Tell me how you really feel."
She laughed at herself and shook her head.  "Sorry, but they do piss me off.  Anyway, I had an idea to pitch to you.  I want to be in a movie about DigiNews.  I want Tom Harding to help me make it."
"Why?"
"Because people need to know about it.  You don't advertise other than being the home page feed for DigiNet.  You don't sell ads and you definitely don't buy them.  How can we spread unbiased news when no one knows it's there?  The FactBank you set up documenting all the research behind the articles for public review is inspired.  Anyone who wants to know the facts behind the stories can look them up.  Your staff has already earned several Pulitzers, and less than half the country knows about the work, let alone the work behind the work."
"I think a lot of people do know it's there.  But I was asking why you want to be in the movie and why you want Tom's help.  Won't it look a little self-serving if I'm funding a movie about a news service I also fund?  Besides, there's not much drama in what we did."
"That's not true.  Do you know that the research documented there has already been used in court cases?   Facts documented by your teams have resulted in cases being overturned on appeal.  I think it's only a matter of time before it is the goto resource for fact checking by other papers.  And it's educating the next generation to dig and and learn for themselves, rather than just consume pre-digested crap."
She took a breath.  "DigiNews had the only in-depth coverage of the Who's return in 1996 at the Prince's Trust Concert.  The reason I know what the Prince's Trust is about is because my dad loves The Who.  I read that and learned something new and important.  You guys are the only voice covering local politics and shaping the picture of how local and state issues get represented on the national and international stages.  You provide context that is missing in sound-bite coverage."
"But," I interrupted, "is it worth a movie?"
She nodded.  "I think it is.  Look, I've got a lot of offers in the pipeline and a bunch of roles already lined up, but I want to tell this story.  I need your help to do it, and that's why I'm here.  You inspired me to try to make a difference with more than laughter.  That's why I'm here."
All playfulness was gone from her.  
Who was I, to deny a pretty woman asking for a favor?
"Let's set up some time in the next couple of weeks.  I'll talk to Tom and Billy.  She did most of the leg work setting things up, including picking the editors.  She'll need to have a say in the story."
Cameron grinned and gave me a hug.  "Thank you.  Thank you so much," she said.
As much as I wanted to return her embrace, I resisted.  Instead I smiled and said, "You haven't asked what the price is yet?" I said in what I hoped was a teasing voice.


Chapter Fifty-Two
Offices
*****
I was glad to see no mention of myself or Cameron on the DigiNews feed following the gala.
The mainstream press, on the other hand, had descended into tabloid journalism at its worst. From a photo of us leaving the gala they had leaped to her being romantically involved with me less than a year after Jeryl's death. That had taken on a life of its own with mud digging trying to paint me as stepping out with Princess Caroline as well. Somehow, they missed having a picture of me with Imogene in Monaco, but that was probably for the best.
I told Tom and Billy to not engage with the media and stayed on our own properties until it blew over. Cameron sent me a note with a big "I told you so!" in it. Things blew up again when she was spotted in Park City for our meeting with Tom and Billy. After that, I asked her to go on a date with someone, so the tragic break-up story could play out and I could get on with my life. She laughed and told me if she had to live in the limelight, so did I.
I took matters into my own hands, hopped over to Stanford, and was photographed taking Chrissy to dinner. The next day the headlines were "Cameron dumped?" Chrissy laughed when I told her I was sending the cover page to Cameron. Chrissy thought it was hilarious after I told her we were both just 'taking the piss' out of the media.
"If you really want to give those hacks a kick, you should invite me to spend a weekend with you," Chrissy teased.
Her comment on the phone suddenly made me realize I might be playing with fire.
"I think you should focus on school and leave pulling the hack's chains to us older folk," I replied.
"Can I tell Cameron you called her old?" the tease was back in her voice.
"Lucky for me, you don't have her number," I replied.
"I bet I can get it. Elite has me under contract and she used to work for them. I bet I can at least get an email address."
"Now, you wouldn't want to get an old family friend in trouble, would you?" I teased back.
"Paul," her voice sounded serious. "You keep calling yourself old, but you're not. You aren't even thirty-five yet. You need to think young thoughts, not worry about age yet."
I forced a chuckle. If she only knew. "Well, Ali did call me a fuddy-duddy yesterday," I joked.
"I'm serious, Paul. Go tell the tabloids to sod off and go have some fun while I go back to dreary school and homework. If Ali thinks you're a fuddy-duddy, have her call me. I'll set her straight for you."
"Gee, thanks, I think. I'm glad you're settled back in class, and I did enjoy having dinner with you last weekend."
"Me, too. Now I just need to figure out how to get you to take me to some dances this year. Otherwise, the Stanford girls will think you're stepping out on me, too. I never knew you were such a cad, Paul."
I laughed. Chrissy had a way of keeping me off balance and entertained.
"Get back to work on school, youngster, and I'll get my nose back to the grindstone as well."
I ended the call and looked up to see Lila smiling from my doorway.
"What's up?" I asked as I motioned her in. I knew she wasn't on my calendar for an appointment. She and Hunter were working out of Park City this week, before Hunter and I spent some time in the lab.
"I was just checking up on you. I heard actual laughter as I walked by and wanted to make sure you were alright."
"I'm fine. Are you my p-shrink now?"
She shook her head. "No, just your friend."
I nodded. "So, what's up?"
"Hunter and I are going to need a little time off next year," she said without further preamble.
'Really? At the same time?" I had a suspicion as to the reason.
She nodded. "We both think it's important for parents to be around when their child is born," she said with a grin.
"Congratulations!" I said as I stood and came around the desk to give her a hug. "I'm surprised you beat Hunter to the punch in telling me."
She laughed. "He's got fresh data to pour over. Besides, I lost the coin toss, so had to tell you."
"It's great news. I'm happy for you."
"We're happy, too. It's a new chapter for us both. We're probably going to stay in Ireland for a bit."
"Okay. We're all pretty good at working virtually now days."
Lila took a few minutes to lay out how she planned on handling security operations while she was on maternity leave and once she couldn't travel. Hunter would be available right up until the birth but would then stay home for at least a month. As soon as we were done talking, I relayed the good news to Tamara and Allen, so they would manage my calendar appropriately. Lila's due date was the first week of June. I decided then that Ireland would be a good place to spend part of the summer next year.
By the time my day was winding down, I had nearly forgotten my teasing of the media and was fully focused on the next major milestone for Astra Station, the final launch of spoke modules. The last six modules, which were scheduled for the next launch, had special modifications to allow the rim units to attach directly to the spoke rather than through a regular junction module.
"Allen!" I called.
He came into my office.
"How is the test process on the tensioning cables?"
We planned on running a woven nano-tube cable encased in a CRP-like compound from rim-spoke junction to rim-spoke junction to ensure structural integrity in case the station was spun too fast. Our safety margin without the cables was about a 100%, but I wanted a higher level of safety. Over-rotation was a very low-probability event but could have catastrophic impact if it happened. It wasn't a risk I was willing to let slide.
"We're on track. We've gotten all six cables manufactured, and they've all undergone initial stress tests. We've also taken six other cables to the breaking point to ensure it is going to exceed our needs. The lowest rupture was 300 percent of maximum design load, which was at double the current planned rotation velocity."
"How are we testing for radiation impacts?"
We had run the stress tests in a vacuum.
"Dr. Carmichael and his team created signal generators to simulate radiation exposure. We think it was similar to a fifty-year life span of exposure."
I was surprised. I had missed that detail in my review.
"Thanks. I missed that," I admitted.
"No worries, boss. That's what you pay us for."
His cheerful answer made me feel suddenly old once again. I motioned him to sit down.
"How are you and Tamara doing?" I asked.
"We're good. You keep us hopping, but we're adding PAs to all the department heads and pulling two more in as juniors for us. You'll see some new faces soon."
"Before you finalize selections, have the finalists go through orbital indoctrination," I said.
"All of them?"
I nodded. "I want us to have a pool of potential leaders that can work anywhere we need them to. Astra Station is going to have up to two hundred of our people on it. Who knows which departments are going to have a presence up there."
"Okay. Tamara and I will get them all scheduled. We were thinking about selecting and training ten total."
"Ten?" I asked.
"Two to support us, one for Sheryl as COO, one for Candace in acquisitions, one for Hunter, one for Lila, one for Donna at DigiNet, one to support Tom and Billy in PR and media relations, and two extra. We thought we might rotate the spares around the departments of use them on special projects."
"Are all the department heads okay with the plan?"
He nodded. "We talked them all through the idea. Having an assistant to liaison with the corporate structure without getting bogged down in the individual operations is the goal. We've seen a loss of productivity as we've grown. These ten people will almost act as understudies for their assigned bosses, and hopefully keep cross-company dependencies on track."
"Sounds like a fast track to promotion," I said. "Kind of like what you mentioned when you interviewed," I added with a smile.
"That's right. It's one of the reasons we're giving preference to prior intern contestants."
"Good, but I want you to find two or four outside candidates as well. We've had a great record of attracting outside talent. We need to continue that effort."
"Will do. Anything else?"
"How's the plan for administration of the station coming?"
"Good. We've got a review on your calendar for the end of the week."
I glanced at the clock. It was nearly four. The kids would be home from after school activities soon. I nodded to myself.
"Ok, we'll cover it then. Anything else for me?"
"Nope, " he answered.
"Then I think I'll head home and see what the kids are up to. Thanks, Allen."
"No problems, boss."
*****
"I want Chrissy and Jane to come," Ali insisted. We were discussing her upcoming birthday. Jer had only asked for a low-key affair, a sleep over for some of his school friends, while Ali wanted a full ski-weekend. Most of her guests were local, but Jane and Chrissy were far from close by.
"Chrissy has school," I countered. "We'll have to check with Jane and her mother. They might not be able to make it, Ali."
"But I want them to come."
"Just because you want it, doesn't make it so," I replied. "We'll invite them, but I want you to be nice if they can't come."
"You know I'll be nice, Daddy," she said.
I worried when she used that tone. I was starting to understand the concept of 'eleven going on thirty'.
"You'll be nice, but will you behave?" I asked.
She pouted. "Of course. Can I invite Aunt Jyl as well? It feels like I haven't seen her in months."
"You saw her at Christmas, less than two weeks ago."
"But she's fun. She'll keep you from being a fuddy-duddy for the weekend."
I laughed. "You know she's older than I am, don't you?"
"But she doesn't act like it, at least around us kids. Please, Daddy?"
"We can invite them, but that's enough of a guest list. Sundance is wrapping up that weekend, so everyone that's not local is going to have to stay with us. If you girls are in the bunkroom downstairs, you can only have three local friends. Whose feelings are you going to hurt by not inviting them?"
Ali had become a bit of a local social butterfly in her class. I was surprised that she still made time to call and talk to Jane at least once a week, and that was in addition to a regular email exchange. I had a hard time understanding what two girls half a world apart had to talk about but was happy she had friends.
"We're fine." She raised her hand and counted them. "Linda, Monica, Caitlyn, Jane, Chrissy, and Aunt Jyl," she said.
"You're not sleeping in the bunkroom with them?" I asked. There were six bunks.
"Oh, I guess Chrissy can sleep upstairs," she said.
"How about you let Aunt Jyl and Uncle Collin stay upstairs?"
She sighed. "I guess. What if Chrissy doesn't want to stay down there with us?" she asked. "She might have homework, and stuff."
"We have more spare rooms up here. I'm sure she'll be happy just to be invited, but you're right, she may have homework. We'll just have to see. She might not be able to make it, like I said."
"Okay. Can I call and invite her?"
I glanced at the clock and nodded. Ali grabbed her phone and looked for the number. I had gotten both kids the new iPhone for Christmas. Steve Jobs had been resistant to the name at first, but soon embraced it as his own, as was his habit. It was similar to the original device I remembered but launched about a decade ahead of time. DigiNet was the initial, exclusive provider and they were the hottest selling device for the season.
"Hi, Chrissy! It's Ali," she said excitedly. "Can you come visit for my birthday party?"
She paced across my office as she spoke. "It's a ski weekend on the 29th. I'm calling Jane next to see if she can come up. You guys didn't get to ski this year and I haven't seen you since the summer."
She paused for a moment.
"Of course, he does," she said.
"I don't know. Do you want to talk to him?" Another pause. "Here, talk to him, but just for a minute. I need to call Jane next. Bye."
Ali handed me her phone.
"Hi, Chrissy," I said as Ali crossed her arms and waited for her phone back.
"Hi, Paul. Do you really want me to come out there for the weekend? I mean, you didn't take me up on my hint that you could take me to the winter ball out here."
"I'm sorry I couldn't make it out for that. I told you I had a conflict."
Of course, as soon as she had asked, I decided I needed to be out of the country. Her mother's comments still echoed in my ears. I did not want to encourage a schoolgirl crush.
"So, are you going to have a convenient conflict for the Spring Formal if I invite you to that?"
"Do you know the date? I'll pencil it in if you do. Otherwise, it all depends on business. Of course, I still think an attractive model like you should have plenty of suitors chasing them."
"Harrumph! They can chase, but that doesn't mean I'll let them catch me. If I can come, how would I get there. I've got a test the following Tuesday, so need some quiet study time. Actually, I could even use a little help prepping for it. You took Dr. Haskins for materials, didn't you?"
"As a matter of fact, I did. It was a good class. He's a solid teacher."
"So, do you want me to come out?" she asked.
"Ali does," I replied. "She's missed you and Jane."
"I know she does. What about you?"
It was a landmine of a question if there ever was one. Would she be encouraged if I admitted I enjoyed her company? Would she understand there could never be what she seemed to want between us if I invited her?
"Of course, I'd like you to come, Chrissy. I'm sorry if you felt I wouldn't. I've told you before you're always welcome here."
She sighed into the phone. "Ok, but we're going to have a chat when I'm there. If you can arrange a flight, tell Ali I'll be there."
"I'm looking forward to it," I said before handing the phone back to Ali.
More calls were made, none as difficult. I went upstairs and let Mrs. Eccles know of the plans, so she could prepare for a group of pre-teenage girls and other guests. My phone rang as I walked back to my office.
"Hey, stranger," I said when I saw the name of the caller.
"Hey yourself," Cameron responded. We had stayed in touch for both work and as friends over the past few months, exchanging the occasional email and calls.
"Did you have a good Christmas?" I asked.
"Christmas, New Years, fun in the sun. Yes, I did. How about you?"
"It was good. The kids and I had fun. Nothing like skiing on a white Christmas. What can I do for you?" I asked.
"I wanted to ask a favor," she said. "I'm coming up for Sundance this year and my hotel booking got screwed up. How would you like to make the media go crazy again?" she asked with a laugh.
"Well," I said. "It depends on how far you want to push them. I'm going to have a whole harem here on the last weekend of the festival."
"Oh? Do tell."
I explained Ali's birthday party plans and Cameron laughed. "It sounds like fun. Do you have a couch or something I could sleep on? I'll be up there for work, but might take a break for a little fun, too."
"Sure, you can have one of the guest rooms. My sister-in-law and her husband, and our family friend Chrissy will be the other adults riding herd on the girls. What are your travel plans?" I asked.
I jotted down her flight details before spending a few minutes catching up on her life. At the end of the call, I shook my head. Kelly would laugh when she saw the news.
*****
"I think we can have a workable script in another month," Tom concluded.
Billy, Tom and I were meeting with Cameron in my living room, trying to keep a low profile with all the media in town for the Sundance Film Festival. Billy had been working with Cameron on story ideas and pulled Tom in when they started to work on the overall structure of the movie. The three of them were actually co-authoring the script.
"This is going to be a great story," Cameron said as we closed the folders with our notes.
Ali came storming in as we all stood. "They're here!" she yelled, as Jyl, Collin, Jane and Chrissy trooped in behind her.
We all laughed at Ali's enthusiasm and I went to welcome everyone and play host. Jyl and Collin were as jovial as ever, cracking jokes about the cold weather compared to the tropics of Learmonth. Jane and Ali disappeared downstairs after saying hello to everyone. Chrissy was looking a little put out seeing Cameron.
I smiled and gave her a hug. "It's good to see you," I said.
She gave me the arched eyebrow and then reached past me to shake hands with Cameron. "I'm Chrissy," she said. "It's nice to meet you finally."
Cameron gave her a hug. "Don't be shy," she said. "After all, we're sharing a man according to the papers."
Everyone but Chrissy laughed.
Uh-oh, I thought.
"We got our picture taken earlier this week at one of the Sundance workshops," I said quickly. "The story took off in the tabloids again. I thought you would have seen it."
Chrissy blushed. "I did, but I didn't pay any attention to it. Are you going to take me out to throw them off the scent again, Paul?"
She said it in a teasing manner, but I saw some fire in her eyes.
"Better," Cameron said. "We're all going to go out. Do you want to be under his right arm or his left?" she asked.
"Maybe I'll walk behind him, so I can kick his ass. That would be a good picture, don't you think?"
Cameron laughed and hugged her again. "I can see we're going to be friends. I think you're in the room next to me, let me help you get settled in," she said. She grabbed the duffle bag in Chrissy's hands and headed down the hallway with Chrissy in tow.
Jyl watched them for a moment before turning back to me. "Problems?" she asked.
"Worries, more than problems. Chrissy has a little crush on me, I think."
Jyl shook her head. "You need to be careful, Paul," she warned.
"I know. I'm trying to be, but she is a nice young woman. I don't want to hurt her."
"She's going to get hurt unless you have feelings for her, Paul. It's inevitable. Even if you do feel something for her, she's still likely to get hurt."
"I know, but I'm not sure what to do about it," I replied.
"I think you need some sisterly advice," Collin said as he patted my shoulder and grabbed their bags before heading down the hallway to the guest suite at the far end of the house.
Jyl led me into my own bedroom and we sat down on the couch there.
"What's going on, Paul?" Jyl asked.
I explained the time Chrissy and I had shared in the spring and then overhearing Camilla talk to her.
"It's not like we've done anything private or sexual, but I really think she might want to," I said. "Did you see the jealous look when she saw Cameron?"
"Does she have anything to be jealous of?"
"Aside from taking her to the Lunar Gala in September, no," I answered.
"Why's she staying here?" Jyl asked.
"Hotel snafu. She called a couple of weeks ago and asked for a favor. I warned her there was going to be a houseful and she said it sounded like fun. Aside from hitting a couple of panels during the week, I've stayed in. Cameron has been out for meetings, but said she was keeping her lodging situation private. You know she's a very private person. She craves some of the anonymity and security staying here provides."
"She's also very beautiful," Jyl said.
"So's Chrissy. Besides, it's not like it's a competition. I'm not romantically involved with either of them."
"Do you want to be?" she asked.
"Christ, Jyl. How do you want me to answer? Do I get horny? Yes, but not like when we were kids. I'm an adult. I can control myself when I'm around a beautiful woman. I really try not to be led around by my dick."
Jyl actually laughed. "I know you're not. Look, Paul, I understand how you felt about Jeryl. I know how she felt about you. Jeryl's dead. I hate that, but there is nothing I can do about that except to not forget her. You're still alive and I'm worried about you."
I sighed. "It seems like everyone is worried about me, except me. I'm doing fine. Besides, what specifically are you worried about?"
Jyl actually blushed. "Shit," she muttered. "When we were kids, I'd just say it, but now, you're my boss as well as my brother-in-law."
"Just say it."
"I know you and Jeryl had a very active sex life. It's been almost eighteen months since she was killed. You've got two very attractive women interested in you, staying with you. You may not be led around by your dick, but your dick has to be interested in a lead, if you get my drift."
"It's not a problem," I said.
"Paul, I'm a doctor. It is a problem. It's also normal. You need to get back out there sooner or later. You can't replace Jeryl, I know that, and would never even suggest it, but you do so much better when you have a balancing force in your life."
"Are you really giving me a prescription to get laid?" I asked.
"If it comes to that point, yes, I will," she fired back.
I laughed. "Thanks, but I don't need your help there," I said.
"Really?" She had the same arched eyebrow Jeryl and her mother had.
I pulled out my phone and did a quick search. Imogene's picture from the ABT website was on the screen when I handed it to her.
"Who's this?"
I gave her a heavily edited version of my time in Monaco.
"Have you seen her since?" she asked.
"No, by her choice. She's focused on her career."
"Do you love her?"
"No," I admitted, "but I could have fallen in love with her. She was so vibrant and different." I took my phone back and cleared the image.
Jyl was quiet for a few moments.
"So how do you feel about Cameron?" she asked.
"She's a friend," I said.
"How about Chrissy?"
"The same?" I heard the hesitation in my own voice.
"Christ, I don't know. Sometimes I see her and think she is a beautiful, intelligent woman. Other times, I remember her as a lanky teenager who became my and Jeryl's friend. To put it in an even more awkward place, I also see her as the daughter of dear friends. Fuck, it's messed up."
Jyl nodded. "So, you're not sure of your own feelings. You can't act on her feelings until you know your own, Paul. You'll crush her if you let her build you up in her heart and mind and then don't feel the same about her."
"I know. I don't want to hurt her, and that's what makes any decision hard."
"Do you want me to chat with her?"
I thought about that and finally shrugged. "I guess I'll take any help I can get. I've got a feeling she is going to ask me to her spring formal sometime this weekend."
"So, go, but set the ground rules. Keep it as platonic as possible. Don't lead her on and talk to her mother."
I nodded. "I will."
Cameron and Chrissy seemed to be on friendly terms when Jyl and I returned to the living room. I was saved from any pregnant pauses in conversation when our ski valet arrived to get Jane, Chrissy, Jyl and Collin outfitted for the weekend. Ali's other friends arrived in time for a pizza dinner for the kids. The adults, including Chrissy, enjoyed some red wine with the pizza and then I got the younger ladies settled for a movie downstairs. Cameron blushed when they decided to watch "The Mask".
The next morning, Chrissy joined me exercising, wearing boy-short style running shorts and a sports bra top. She was definitely attractive and in excellent shape. I worked with weights and the heavy bag while she ran.
"Did you get much sleep?" she asked as I took a break in my workout.
"Enough. I cut the lights on them around one. As soon as I did that, they all fell asleep."
"Jane was so happy to make some new friends up here," Chrissy said. She had helped me with the popcorn, the late-night ice cream and the second and third movie showings.
"I'm glad you and she could come. Ali almost thinks you're her big sister as well as Jane's."
"Where was Jer hiding yesterday?" she asked.
"He got invited to spend the night with a friend. He'll be home later this morning after the girls are out on the slopes."
"Do you need me to take them out?"
I shook my head. "You're welcome to help, but I can handle it. Ali and the local girls know the mountain. Jane's good enough to keep up with them, and Jyl and Collin offered to help ride herd on them."
"Well, I can't come to Utah and not ski when there is this much snow on the ground," Chrissy teased. "I'll go out for a couple of hours and then get a little studying in. That way I can have my questions organized for you this evening, since you promised to help me."
"Okay. Anything else you want to do while you're up here? Lots of movie stars in town, if you want to go out and be seen."
She laughed. "Cameron has already told me you're taking us both out tonight. One of the clubs on main street has a band or party or something."
"Great, just what I need, two hot women fighting over me at a bar," I said with a laugh.
"So, you think I'm hot?" Chrissy said with a grin.
The weekend flew by. Despite Chrissy's efforts, I managed to only be alone with her during morning workouts and when I helped her study a bit. Cameron played the ditzy girlfriend in public and the good friend in private. Chrissy teased me with innuendos, but otherwise behaved herself.
Chrissy left with Jane and Cameron on Sunday, but not before putting the weekend of her formal on my calendar and making sure Tamara knew the dates. It looked like I was committed to taking her on a date. Jyl and Collin stayed over to do some work from the Park City offices.
*****
"I still think we go back to the Aristarchus Plateau," Marco said. "The 'Tycho Brahe' has more detailed maps of other locations, but other than the chance at confirming ice in the polar regions, I don't like the risk profile on a polar landing."
Since the 'Selene's return, 'Tycho Brahe' had run two additional fourteen-day lunar orbital missions surveying the surface of the moon. I agreed with Marco's assessment, but did not want to cut off the conversation.
"But confirming ice would be so valuable to us for a base," Katie Hicks, the environmental engineer on the team said. "Otherwise, we're going to need to transport a shitload of mass to make water."
"What about the other sites?" Todd Walton, the landing pilot asked.
Bedlam broke out as we rehashed the discussion again. Finally, I looked at Allen and gave him a nod.
"Okay, we have three proposals, all with different risk profiles and reward opportunities. Are there any we should eliminate?"
I spoke first. "I don't like the risks of a polar landing. I'm going to rule it out since I'm not willing to build our first base in permanent shadow with limited LOS back to us. Polar landings need a lot more support. Until we get at least two more landing capable OTV's up, I'm not willing to risk polar operations."
Heads around the room and on the video links nodded.
"So," Allen continued, "It's either back to Aristarchus or some other location. Aristarchus is a huge region. We can land somewhere else on or near the plateau, or someplace else entirely."
"We know Aristarchus already. Do we really think we'll find a better base location?"
"Do we really want a base there?" Katie countered. "We know what it has, but what don't we get at that location?"
"What are the goals of the base?" Marco replied.
They all looked at me.
"Hey, it was your plan as well," I said, trying to get some levity back into the conversation. "Our goals are to establish a permanent manned base on the moon to enable production of materials useful to further the exploration of the solar system."
"But what does that mean?" Marco had learned my trick of asking questions to build consensus and understanding.
"O2 generation first," Katie said. "Then foodstuff production. Aristarchus can support those initial goals."
Thomas Culpepper cleared his throat. "We're getting some interesting results from a material research perspective on the samples brought back. The titanium oxides from Aristarchus can give us not just oxygen through chemical processes, but also titanium to build with. The carbon-titanium aerogel formulation might give us the materials needed to bootstrap construction."
"How long to decide if that's feasible?" I asked.
Thomas shrugged. "A couple of months. It would be easier to test in place."
I nodded. "So, after initial site prep and habitability, we need lab space."
Everyone nodded.
"We knew that. If we make a base at Aristarchus, we can expand out from there with rovers for further exploration, or use 'Selene' for longer journeys," Hunter said.
"So, what is the material benefit of landing somewhere else?" Allen asked.
I was happy to see his growing leadership of the various teams. It was getting on time to give both him and Tamara new offices and titles to go along with them.
Silence hung for a few moments.
Allen turned to Marco, "Commander, I think site selection is complete."
Marco heaved a big breath. "About bloody time. So now, we need to work the load plan for our first building mission, right?"
"Meagan already has it," Allen said. "You guys made the initial plan during the show. She's been updating its monthly since then."
Meagan was nodding. "We're ninety percent complete. We can finalize the remaining ten percent within the week."
Marco glanced at his checklist. "Do we have a secondary mission of exploration on this trip?"
"Limited," Meagan replied. "Our milestone plan is to validate O2 generation capability and to survey building sites. We should not need to travel more than two klicks from the landing site. That's far enough to test out the new rovers. The chassis are the same, but the load-out has changed. We'll also have two with us this trip, one surveyor and one excavator."
Instead of the open buggy design we used on the first trip, the rover had been modified to include room for two astronauts and a sensor package for detailed site surveys. A new rover had also been built that incorporated a hydraulic arm that could excavate with a digging attachment or lift with a claw or hook attachment. If we found a suitable building site, both rovers would remain behind on the moon in a low-power mode until we returned.
"Good," Marco said. "I think we're ready to move to orbit for the next prep phase. We should tentatively depart Astra Station on February 22nd. That will give us a full two weeks of good light on the surface."
We wrapped up the meeting and I headed back to my office. Tamara and Allen joined me a few minutes later.
"So," I said as we sat down. "Are you two ready for a new challenge?"
They both nodded.
"I'd like to finalize the roles for Orbital Operations. I'd like to see one of you be the new Vice President of Orbital Ops."
They exchanged a glance. "What would the other do?" Allen asked.
"Well, I was thinking the other would take on the role of Vice President of Lunar Operations."
They exchanged another glance. "Where would those roles be based out of?"
"Park City for now, but we're getting a little crowded."
Again, they looked at one another.
"Are there other opportunities in the air?" Tamara asked?
That question surprised me.
Allen jumped in. "I want the orbital ops job, but I think Tamara is going to be wasted on Lunar ops for the next year or so. That's going to be the first time we actually have a permanent presence up there. When we worked out the structure, we figured someone from Luna would be in that role."
Tamara was nodding. "I think I'd be more valuable staying as your assistant," she said.
I thought about the organizational structure we had defined. Both operations roles would report into Sheryl as COO. I had been hesitant to give up both of my seasoned PA's but I wanted to give them both the opportunities they had earned.
"Okay," I said after thinking for a minute. "I think you deserve a new title, however. How about Director of Special Projects, and we have the PA's report to you?"
Allen shook his head. "Doesn't she deserve a VP title? She's been your P.A. longer than I have."
"Good point. How about Vice President of Special Projects?"
Tamara frowned. "How about Executive Assistant to the CEO? I don't want to be viewed as just a super project manager."
I nodded. "Executive Assistant sounds good to me. So, who should take on Lunar ops?"
"Meagan Light," Tamara and Allen said at the same time.
"That makes sense. When should we activate both roles?"
"Orbital Ops should be before the next departure of 'Selene'. Lunar Ops after they return," Allen said.
"Okay. How about my new Executive Assistant draft the organizational announcements and run them by Sheryl?"
Tamara nodded with a grin.
*****
"The curves are a bitch," Hunter said as we inspected the module in its loading cradle.
We were at our fabrication center in Barcelona, inspecting the process used to build the Astra Station modules. Hunter had flown down earlier in the week when we saw some quality holds being put on the assembly process once the modules reached orbit.
Each rim module was a fifteen-meter-wide tube, fifty meters long, but curved to suit the diameter of the overall rim on Astra Station. Since the station would spin at just under one rotation per minute, we had to orient each segment so 'down' was outward from the hub. We also had to set the flooring inside the tube to the same curve to keep things uniform from a personnel experience perspective.
"So, what can we do to simplify it?" I asked as Tamara and I looked at the diagram Hunter had spread on the inspection table?
"We can't simplify it. We've pored over the design repeatedly and need every element and every step in the process," he said. "Nobody has been able to figure out a short-cut that will still give us five to seven nines."
We had a requirement of 99.99999% reliability, or seven nines, for vacuum facing fixtures and five-nines for the overall structure.
"Quality takes time," I said as Tamara nodded. "None of the holds have been on exterior elements, right?"
"That's right, and nearly every hold reason had been unique. We've addressed a new root cause after each hold."
"Then I don't think there is much more we can do, except adjust the schedule."
Hunter sighed. "I don't disagree, but I guess I wanted you to make that call, Paul. Sorry I had to bring you down for nothing."
"Tamara wanted to visit Barcelona anyway," I joked.
"I just wanted the new kids to get a taste for your travelling pace," she replied.
The 'new kids' were hardly new or kids, but that's how several people referred to the new PAs. Jody Henricks from season one of The Interns and Kevin Tanner from season two had joined Katiana Rodchenko as my newest assistants. Tamara had brought them all along for the trip and sent them out on tasks around the plant, learning who and what was happening at our operation here. Jody and Kevin were older than Tamara by a couple of years, and Katiana was only two years younger than Tamara. They were all hard workers.
"Well, how about we spend a couple of days here letting them go through the quality checks on a module and then we'll have them pull all of the Root Cause Analyses on the prior hold items for review. Maybe fresh eyes will turn something up that us old-timers missed."
"Works for me," Hunter said. "That will give us a couple of days to check out modules seventeen and eighteen."
Tamara gave me a look of curiosity. "What are those?"
"Seventeen is designated as staff quarters. Eighteen will be administrative space," I replied.
"Administrative space?" she asked.
Hunter laughed. "Paul said he wanted an office with a view!"
Tamara shook her head, clearly unsure if Hunter was joking or not. We followed him to a different clean room with one of the curving sections in another inspection cradle. This module had expansive windows lining the bottom third of the tube and we could see the flooring on the inside. It looked like wood flooring, even though I knew it was a colored laminate.
"How many offices?" Tamara asked.
"We put fifteen in the lower level. Each is about thirty square meters. Paul's is in the middle and spans the width of the module. One side is office space and the other is a conference room. The middle level has twenty-one offices, and the upper has eight meeting rooms and server spaces," Hunter said.
"That's a lot of administration space," Tamara commented.
"We've got to build with the long view in mind," I said. "Once the station starts spinning, we can't really pull a segment out and reconfigure it."
"I know, but it seems strange to be talking about thirty-six people needing offices in orbit. Until recently, we've never had more than twelve people in orbit at once. You're talking about tripling that number just for administration tasks."
"How about the staff quarters?" I asked.
"Plenty of space. We took a page from your lab places and put skylights on the upper level, then put the living spaces on the lower two. Bedrooms are usually on the lowest level. The module will have accommodation for fifty-two people in comfort. It's really an expanded hotel module," Hunter explained.
"Wow," Tamara said. "How did you guys work this all out without Allen or I being involved?"
I laughed. "Why do you think I delegate so much? It's so I can work on fun stuff."
We donned new clean-room booties and masks, and then climbed up the inspection ladders into the module itself. It was strange walking on the curved flooring, but we got used to it as we explored first the office levels, and then the meeting rooms. By the time we were done, I could hardly wait for it to be launched.
"What's the launch schedule?" Tamara asked as if reading my mind.
"These are tentatively slotted for late summer. We won't really be able to occupy them until rotation is started, though," Hunter said.
"And that's not until more than a year from now," Tamara said with a sigh. "That sucks," she added as she glanced at the office next to mine. It had her nameplate on it already.
*****
"No last minute excuses?" Chrissy teased over the phone.
"No," I admitted, though the thought had crossed my mind. I was nervous about taking her to her dance the next day. "I'm flying out to Stanford in an hour or so. I just wanted to confirm a few things."
"Like what?" she asked. Tamara had sent a detailed itinerary to my phone already.
"Wrist or pin?" I asked.
"What?" she replied.
"Wrist or pin. What kind of corsage would you prefer. Tamara said you were wearing white, but nothing more than that. I wanted to get you flowers."
"That's sweet. Wrist, I guess would be best. I'm not sure I could pin it and keep it in place."
"Okay. For dinner, would you prefer going back to Wolfgang's or would you prefer something lighter."
She was quiet for a minute. "Wolfgang's is fine. I won't have a steak, but they had seafood on their menu if I recall."
"They do. Okay, I think that's all I had. Everything else has been organized by my faithful assistants," I said.
Chrissy laughed. "I know. Tamara and I have chatted several times and she has emailed me a dozen times this week."
"Okay. I'll pick you up tomorrow at six," I said.
"It's a date."
I ended the call and glanced at the clock as Tamara came in.
"All set, boss?" she asked.
I sighed. "As set as I can be. Can I ask you a question?"
"You just did," she teased, "but yes."
"What does Chrissy really expect?" I asked. "She said you've been talking to her about this weekend."
"She expects you to wine and dine her, let her show you off, and then give her a kiss good night when you drop her off back at her dorm."
"No other plans?"
"Well, it might be nice if you took her to breakfast or brunch on Sunday, but I don't think she is expecting that. Do you want me to book something for you?"
"Sure. So, you don't think she is looking for more from me?"
"Do you want her to be?" Tamara countered.
That was the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question, of course. I still did not know what I wanted, besides finishing a theoretical math problem that I had been struggling with for decades. I had made progress that opened new theoretical avenues, but did not feel closer to a break-through. That hint of hope kept me from knowing my own mind when it came to my heart.
"She's only going to be twenty this fall. I've got no business wanting anything from a nineteen-year-old," I replied. "Christ, I'll be thirty-five in a few weeks."
Tamara shrugged. "I'm only your assistant, not your shrink. I think you care for her and she has a bit of a crush on you. She may be young, but she's an adult. Maybe you two should just give it a whirl and see if you are good together."
I was surprised at her assessment and said as much.
"Paul, I've probably seen you around more people than anyone else who is close to you. You're a very caring and generous man. If you were in more social situations, every woman would be circling around you like moths to a flame. You're handsome, charming, funny, strong, and rich. You're going to be viewed as a catch no matter what situation you're in, and that's going to bring out the best and the worst in women. You need to get used to it."
It was my turn to sigh. Did I have hope, or false hope? "I guess we'll see. We're back out here Sunday. You know you don't need to travel with me this weekend," I said.
Tamara smiled. "It's not just me. I'm taking Katiana. She'll be shadowing you this afternoon for the incubator walk-around, and then she and I will work tomorrow on your schedule for the next couple of weeks."
I still tried to make it to Stanford at least once a month, on a Friday to do walk arounds with the start-ups we were incubating in our building. Candace and Sheryl did weekly walk-throughs in my absence. I had even sent Hunter and Cindy a few times to get different perspectives on the work.
"Well, we had best get going then," I said.
By seven o'clock that evening, I was reading over notes Katiana had typed up and Tamara had checked over. Sixteen start-ups and it looked like ten of them would actually have a profitable product by the end of the year. So far, we were definitely beating expectations on our funding and growth goals.
"Anything else, boss?" Katiana asked from the doorway.
Katiana had spent four years in the Navy as a cryptologist after graduating from Yale.  She had served ashore and on some surface ships. She was fluent in Russian, French, Spanish, and Romanian in addition to English. She was rapidly becoming Tamara's 'go-to' assistant.
"Not for today, Katiana," I said. "As you and Tamara are working the schedule, I need to sit down with Sheryl and go over the forecasts. It looks like we're building up a pretty hefty cash position again."
"I'll find a time. Have a good night," she said.
I heard her and Tamara packing up and heading out. I saw a single light on in the office, and knew it was Nicole or someone else from security waiting for me. I decided I had accomplished enough for the day and packed up my own things.
The Stanford house held ghosts for me, but I stayed there anyway. Over the past year, someone had cleared out Jeryl's things while leaving mine behind. I still had pictures of her and the kids in my bedroom, but the remainder of the house could have been anyone's home. I fixed myself some dinner, opting for a simple salad with some grilled salmon on it, and then sat out on the back patio to eat.
The yard was still well maintained. I thought of practicing Krav Maga there with Jeryl, or hanging out with Kelly, Jeryl, and Matthew. I glanced and the hot tub and smiled at the memory of Jeryl and Lila there after the Shipwrecked ball. There were a lot of fond memories here, along with the ghosts.
After dinner, I called the kids to wish them good night. Ali asked if we could go flying next week when I got home. She and I had soloed a year ago and were licensed for single engine planes shortly before the Lunar Gala. She was building up hours and wanted to get a dual engine license.
Jer wanted to know when we were going camping again.
"How about we fly down to the lab and then go camping there?" I asked. His fear of flying had faded over the past year.
"Okay. I'll tell Ali. Thanks, Dad," he said.
After the call, I felt maudlin once again. Jeryl would be so proud of our kids. I missed sharing these moments with her.
It was a long night and I was glad when a hint of light brightened the morning sky. I was up for a workout, and then went for a run. The exercise helped settle my mind, and I thought of Tamara's words as I ran.
"Paul?" Chrissy said as I turned a corner by her dorm on campus.
She was stretching out in her own running gear. The same boy-short running shorts and sports bra I had seen in January showed off her fabulous figure.
"Good morning," I said as I stopped my run. "Going out or coming back?" I asked.
"Coming back. I was just stretching out before heading back inside. Karen is still in bed, so I didn't want to wake her with my warm-down routine."
I had heard about her roommate, but never met her.
"I'm surprised you're up this early," I said. "If I had known, I might have tried to meet up with my workout buddy."
She smiled. "I try to exercise every day, even if it's just a run like today. You've been a bad influence on me. I've fallen into your habit of early morning workouts. What are you up to today?"
"Oh, I have this chore to do tonight," I teased.
She swatted my arm. "Jerk," she said with a laugh. "Seriously, what are your plans?"
"I'll head into the office for the morning, at least," I replied.
"Really? You're going to work on a beautiful spring Saturday?"
"Well, like I said, I have a chore to do tonight, so I decided to make the most of my time today."
She stuck her tongue out at me. It was a cute tongue.
"What are you doing?" I asked. "I mean, before you have to attend that dance with some boring workaholic?"
"Well," she said slowly. "I figured I'd pick up some jogger and ask if he wanted to shower with me, spend the day being ravished, and then let some rich guy be seen with me on his arm later tonight."
I looked around. "Sorry, I don't see any joggers for you to shower with," I replied.
"You're a goof," she said. "Seriously, I've got to shower, get some brekkie, and then do some review for my finals next week. I've got a hair appointment this afternoon, and then some cad is picking me up around six."
"Some cad?" I asked.
"Well, he must be a cad if he doesn't want to spend a beautiful spring Saturday with me, right?"
I shook my head. "I know when I'm beat. How about we both get cleaned up, you study a little and I'll work a little, then I'll take you to lunch?"
"How about you take me to breakfast, I study at your office while you work, and then you drop me at the beauty parlor?"
"Okay. I guess it's your day to call the shots."
"Well in that case, let's put the shower back on the table," she said with a grin.
I decided to ignore her comment. "I'll be back in thirty minutes. I'll be hungry, so don't expect me to wait," I replied. I resumed my run, taking a left at the next intersection and heading back to my house.
Thirty minutes later, she was climbing into the Escalade and we were off to 'brekkie' at the local IHOP. We caught up over breakfast and then went to my offices. I got her a visitor's badge and she took over my conference room as I caught up on the overnight email and read a couple of research summaries. Tamara and Katiana showed up at nine and waved. Katiana got sent in to ask me a couple of questions as they worked on the next few week's schedule and then I opened up Thomas Culpepper's latest report on leveraging the lunar materials brought back in March.
"Shit, that looks harder than my review," Chrissy said as she glanced over my shoulder at the report. I had lost track of time as I worked through the material.
"Not really," I said, "but it's not broken down like a textbook, either." I flipped back a couple of pages and showed her the chemical formula that started Thomas' process.
"It all starts with titanium oxide," I said. She nodded and traced the chemical reactions and their by-products. Her fresh, soapy scent was pleasant, but distracting.
"What's this step?" she asked.
I looked where her finger pointed. "That's an annealing process for the titanium after we extrude it into strands."
She continued following the process until she reached the end.
"Wow, you're right. I can follow that if I try. I guess I have learned something this semester. So, what are you planning to use a titanium strengthened silica-hydroxide compound for?"
"Walls, we hope," I replied. "We think this will be a primary building material for the lunar base. It gives us a lot of flexibility in construction and adheres well to itself for binding extensions to the base."
"Cool. And with its pliable nature before it sets, you'll be able to shape it pretty much however you want. Will you use any back here on Earth?"
"Maybe. Thomas, who is heading up the research efforts, wants the next landing mission to bring back a larger sample for testing."
"I don't mean testing, I mean building. It would be cool to be able to cast a structure from this stuff. In fact, I bet you could spray it and build up layers before it set. You could almost print a structure."
She was right. She was also about twenty years ahead of the idea for a 3-d printed building.
"That's an interesting idea," I said. "We'd have to build a few things, and write a lot of software, but we could use this material more easily than concrete."
"You'll need to work out the loading figures before you write the programs. You'll want the robot to know how long a span, or how high a wall can be and still support things safely."
I nodded. We would definitely need some research done.
"You've got Control Systems next semester, don't you?" I asked. I had the benefit of being familiar with the sequencing of her degree program.
"I do. Why?"
"Working on a robot to do this is similar to a project you'll work on next year."
Her eyes lit up. "Really?"
I nodded.
"So, I could work with you on this and apply it in class?" she asked.
"Well, we'd have to be careful," I said. I went on to explain the intellectual property concerns that had kept me from conducting research on campus as a student.
Chrissy smiled. "But I could work on it here, with you, outside of school, and still apply what I learned."
I could tell she was excited about the opportunity to learn. I hated to put a damper on her enthusiasm, but also did not want to lead her along.
"I probably won't work on it myself, Chrissy. I'll farm it out to a team."
"One of your research teams or one of the university contracts you have all over the place?"
"If someplace was already doing work in the area, I'd probably do a university contract. I'd have to talk the concept over with Candace before we decided."
"So, if you stood up a team, you could do it here, as a favor to a friend who happens to be interested in the project, right?"
I laughed. "You're trying to use the 'Daddy' voice Ali has mastered, aren't you?"
She blushed. "It would be really cool to work on one of your projects. This is like the sewing robots, but different enough to need lots of new software and hardware. Would you build it as a stationary system or a mobile robot? How do you handle materials production and mixing?"
She was cute. Her blue eyes were sincere in her interest. Possibly, for the first time, I saw her as a serious student and budding engineer. Yet another view of a fascinating young woman.
She was watching me intently.
"How about I simply say, 'we'll see'?"
She frowned.
"It's a business decision, not a personal one," I said quickly. "If the option you outlined works, or is even close to the next best option, I'll do it as a favor to a friend, but I have to look at it objectively first. You should understand that as an engineer," I added.
She stood up and crossed her arms, unconsciously pushing her breasts at me, sighed, and then nodded. "I get it, and you're right. You have to look at it first. I just really want to work on this. It would be so cool."
She glanced at the clock. "Crap, where did the time go? You need to run me to the hair dresser," she said.
"I'll do it," Tamara said from the doorway. "I was just coming to remind you."
Chrissy shoved her books into her backpack and gave me a kiss on the cheek before departing. I took the report we had been looking at and pulled out a highlighter and notepad. Chrissy had set a lot of interesting thoughts in motion.
"Boss, it's time to head out," Katiana said a couple of hours later. I looked at the clock. It was almost five o'clock.
I shut down my computer and put a couple of files in my briefcase before heading out the door. Ideas were swirling through my head during the short ride back to the house. I took a second shower for the day and got into a charcoal suit with a blue tie. I had been informed that the 'formal' was not 'that formal' so I didn't need a tuxedo.
Nicole gave me a once over and handed me the wrist corsage Tamara had picked up for me. It was a single white rose bud with small blue flowers around it. It matched my tie and I hoped it would match Chrissy's eyes.
There were plenty of nice cars near the front of the dorm when we pulled up, but we still got stares in my Mercedes sedan with an attractive driver. I hopped out of the back and walked up to the dorm. A pleasant young woman was at the reception desk and rang Chrissy's room for me. I heard a "I'll be right down" over the phone and stood off to one side to keep out of the way as several other Saturday night suitors waited for their dates.
There was a collective intake of breath, or at least of my breath, as Chrissy stepped out of the elevator. She was wearing a white spaghetti strapped evening dress, with a loose plunging neckline and virtually no back, open-toed heels that did wonderful things to her legs, and a light blue wrap around her shoulders. Her blonde hair was up, elongating her neck and she had on just the right amount of makeup to look young and fresh, but alluring at the same time. She wore a choker of pearls and held a small white clutch in her hand.
I had to add world class model to my mental image of her.
My face must have conveyed the right response, since my mouth was frozen. She beamed at me.
"You like?" she asked, twirling around to show me her sculpted back and lifting the hem of the dress enough to see her thighs. It reminded me a bit of the classic Marilyn Monroe white dress, but without the halter top.
I managed to nod.
"I do," I said finally. "You look absolutely stunning. I can see why Elite wants you to work more. You are beautiful."
"Thank you," she said blushing. She took my arm and we headed out. Once in the car, she started talking a mile a minute.
"I've been spinning on that idea of a robot building system all afternoon," she said. "I think the material would be fascinating to use to essentially print a whole structure. How long will it take to get the load details worked out? Just think about it, you could have some parts run automatically, like the pattern sewing robot you and Jeryl built, and then other parts could be manually controlled like the remote vehicles you use in orbit."
I grinned at her enthusiasm.
"Don't laugh at me. This is such a cool idea," she said.
"I'm not laughing at you, I'm thinking how alike we are. I spent the rest of the afternoon working on it as well."
"Oh," she said. "Does that mean you're miles ahead of me already?" she asked with a frown.
"Not in the slightest. I was thinking about the team and research needed to define and build a solution. You were thinking about the actual solution. Remember our conversation last year of managing dependencies? I was laying those things out all day. I even sent Allen a note to let him know that we needed more material back here to test with. The next landing mission will make it a priority."
"When will that be? You guys just went in March."
"We've got another landing next month. We're working on a two-week surface expedition every three months right now. That will pick up soon since we've got another OTV lander built at Astra Station."
"That's so cool."
We went into Wolfgang's and were once again seated in one of the private booths. Over the course of dinner, we discussed what steps would be needed to stand up a research team or contract. Chrissy asked smart questions and challenged some of my own assumptions as we worked through a sequence of activities. By the time dinner finished, I had a pretty good idea of what I would need to set in motion in the next few weeks.
We were both on a little bit of an intellectual high as we entered the Tri-Delta's Spring Formal at the Four Seasons. Chrissy had decided to join the second sorority we had visited the year before. She was the only female engineer in the chapter but had several friends that had joined as well. Everyone was polite and well behaved as we danced. Chrissy made a lot of the girls' dates jealous of me. She teased me that I made the guys jealous as well, based on the looks her 'sisters' gave me.
The music was not bad.  They were playing a nice mix of current pop hits and classic rock, along with some down tempo songs for slow dancing. I danced with Chrissy. She also insisted I dance with a couple of her friends, she with their dates, but she was always back in my arms for the slow songs.
"Thanks for making good on your promise to bring me," she said during a break in the music.
"It was my pleasure, Ma'am," I said from old habit. The words echoed in my head. I had used the same phrase so often with Jeryl it had become habit.
"What's the matter," Chrissy asked?
I shook my head. "Nothing. Don't worry about it. Let's just dance and have fun."
She reached out and squeezed my hand.


Chapter Fifty-Three
July Fireworks
*****
"Do you have time to talk to Mitt Romney?" Tamara asked as we headed from a conference room to my office in our Dublin building.
Mitt, the former CEO of Bain Capital, had taken over the leadership of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics following a bribery scandal the prior year.  PT Innovations, as one of the larger employers in Park City, had stepped up as a sponsor immediately after his announcement.  I recalled just enough history to know they would be successful in turning the efforts around and having a very successful Olympics.  I wanted to make sure I gave him whatever support I could but had resisted meeting with him directly or taking an active role in the organization.
"Talk, or meet?" I asked.
"Either, his secretary said."
"What's he want?" I glanced at the calendar on my phone.  I had fifteen minutes until the next call.  "Oh, hell, just connect me to him."
Two minutes later, he was on my phone.
"Paul Taylor, thank you for getting back to me so soon this morning," his rich baritone voice said in my ear.  He was a fine orator, but obviously didn't realize it was late afternoon for me.
"What can I do for the Salt Lake Olympic Committee, Mitt?" I asked.
"We're having some discussions on infrastructure and planning and someone on the team suggested you might be able to help us out."
"How so?" I asked.
"Not you personally, but your organization.  We had the idea to see if you'd be interested in hosting a reunion show of 'The Interns' or re-launching for a season or two with a focus on the Olympic preparation efforts.  It would be just the sort of thing to get us some top-notch talent as well as some publicity."
I glanced at the clock and then at my computer.  "Mitt, let me talk to my folks here.  We've got a lot of irons in the fire right now, but some of my production crew might have capacity to take such a project on.  I'll get back to you by Friday, okay?"
"I can't ask for more than that, Paul.  Thanks."
I ended the call and then briefed Tamara.  "Put Jody on it and have her work with Tom and Billy.  If they think is has merit, we can do it, but I don't want it to be a distraction to our other work."
Jody was at our Park City offices while Tamara and Kevin Tanner were with me in Ireland.  Hunter and I were trying to finish redesigning our engine to optimize it for orbital and lunar usage before Lila had her baby.  Right now, it was a race to see which came first, the engine or the babe.
"I've got it.  Hunter said the updated specs were on the server for you.  He said the simulation looked good, but that you needed to check it over."
I nodded and looked for the model.  We had managed another reduction in size, getting the engine down to a little over three meters long and only one meter in diameter.  The superconductor and magnetic field manipulations we had been able to prototype gave us the ability to significantly throttle down the engine.  I really wanted to eliminate the liquid propellant rockets from our OTV design for the landers.  Lockheed would not be too happy to lose the contract with us, but I wanted better reliability with less risk before we got too far with our lunar plans.
My review of the engine was interrupted by my phone vibrating.  I picked it up and saw a reminder on the screen.  It was lucky I had set it.
"Tamara," I called.
"The car's downstairs, Paul.  You should be fine with traffic.  Nicole said she had Ali taken care of."
"Thanks." I grabbed a light jacket and headed for the door.  I had promised to pick Jer up from his art lesson and take him to a museum exhibit opening this evening at the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks.
Jeremy's drawings had progressed quite a bit over the past two years.  He had always liked sketching things, but the images had turned pretty dark after Jeryl's death.  It was not until he started meeting with his Great Aunt Helen and working through some of his emotions that he had returned to sketching people and landscapes.  Not having much of an artistic eye, I had been surprised when his teacher suggested private art lessons last year.  He had enjoyed them in Utah and asked to find a local teacher here in Dublin for the summer.  At the tender age of almost ten, a local artist had called him 'quite promising' and agreed to guide him for the summer, but only if I agreed to visit some of the artistic scenery and venues with him to broaden his exposure to the world.  Today was our second weekly outing.
"How are you doing, sport?" I asked as we climbed into the car and started the drive to the museum.
"Good, Dad.  We worked on still-life's with charcoal again today."
He flipped open his sketch book and showed me a pair of still life drawings.  Even I could see the improvement in his work.
"Those look good.  You're really developing an eye for perspective and depth of field," I said.  I had started reading about art and drawing to be able to at least have a conversation with him.
"That's what Miss Emily said," he replied.
Miss Emily was his art teacher here.
"How do you like Miss Emily?" I asked.
"She's great.  Did you know that she actually majored in art at school?  She spent two years in Paris as well."
I nodded.  "I did know that," I said; thanks to a full background check on her.  "Did you know that she has a painting at the museum we're going to tonight?"
He nodded.  "I've got homework.  I'm supposed to find it and then find three pieces I think influenced it or were influenced by it.  Will you help me?"
I laughed.  "I'll try my best.  You know I help with homework if you ask.  Of course, I don't know much about art," I cautioned.
He shrugged.  "It's okay.  All my teachers say art is in the eye of the beholder.  You just have to decide what you like."
We spent nearly two hours looking at the exhibit and doing his 'homework'.  By the time we had seen everything and decided on what pieces were influences on Miss Emily, it was time for a late supper.  Our driver was familiar with the city, thankfully and called ahead to get us a table at a local eatery.  We had just placed our orders when I heard a familiar voice a couple of tables over.
"Jer, would you like to help me pull a prank on someone?" I asked.
He looked a little shy.  "Who?" he asked.
I pointed.  "All you have to do is go over and tell her she looks familiar to you."
"But she doesn't," he said.
I thought about trying to explain it to him, and then decided there might be a better way.  "Okay, how about you go over and pick the prettiest girl at the table and ask if you can sketch her while you wait for your dinner?"
He pulled out his sketchbook and a pencil.  "Why can't I just sketch that one?" he asked as he pointed toward one of the women sitting in profile to us.
"Okay.  Can you do it?"
He stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth, and concentrated as he started sketching.  He had to pause when she moved, but he quickly did a line drawing, and smudged out some lines and then shaded her cheeks and neck.  It was fascinating to watch him.  He worked rapidly but was not quite finished when the food arrived.  He looked from the drawing to his food and then looked a question at me.
"You can finish the drawing, just this time," I said.  We had to make a rule about drawing during meals to make sure he actually ate sometimes.  He smiled at me and continued to work.
I chewed a couple of French fries while he worked.
"Okay, it's done," he said as he carefully signed his name at the bottom of the page.
As soon as that was done, he grabbed one of the chicken tenders he had ordered and chomped it down.  Thirty seconds later, after chewing and swallowing, he looked up again.
"Can I go show her?"
"Of course.  I bet they all will want you to draw them after they see it," I said.
Jeremy scooted back from the table, grabbed his book and walked over to the table of four women with bags piled at their feet beneath the table.  The girl he had drawn saw him approach and glanced my way.  I smiled.
"Excuse me," Jer said politely.  His voice was still high and sweet, and his dark hair and blue eyes were striking, I knew.  The girl smiled down at him.  "Could you tell me your name, so I can put it on my drawing of you?" he asked.
The question surprised the girl, but the drawing immediately won her over.  The others at the table asked to see it and encouraged their friend.
"I'll tell you my name," she finally agreed, "if you tell me yours."
Jer nodded.
"I'm Jackeline Fay" she said.  She spelled it out for him as he added it to the bottom of the sketch.
"Thank you," he said when he was finished.  "I'm Jeremy Taylor."
Imogene's head whipped around and spotted me.  It was hard to tell what emotions played across her face.  She finally settled into a smile.
"Is that your daddy?" Jackeline asked after seeing Imogene's reaction.
Jer nodded.
"Did he make you come over here?" Imogene asked.
Jer shook his head.  "He told me I could draw the prettiest girl I could see while we waited for dinner.  Jackeline was the only one I could see in good light, so I drew her."
The table laughed.
"Would you like to draw me?" Imogene asked.
Jer looked back my way.  I wasn't sure if he was looking for permission, or thinking about his food, so I just shrugged at him.
"Can I do it after dinner?  My French fries are probably getting cold," he said.
They all laughed again, and I missed what Imogene told him before he came back over and sat down.  He was three bites into his fries before I could frame a question for him.
"Did they like the drawing?" I finally asked.
He nodded.
"Did they all want you to draw them?"
He kept chewing and nodded again.
"But not until you finish dinner?"
A third nod.
"So that's why you're eating instead of talking?"
Again, he nodded.  I shook my head and then smiled as Imogene walked up to us.
"Your son is very talented, Mr.  Taylor," she said.
I stood and gave her a hug.  "Mr.  Taylor my ass," I said softly.  "Please call me Paul," I added for the benefit of her friends who came over as well.
"It's good to see you again Imogene.  I didn't realize the ABT was in Dublin."
"The ABT isn't.  I'm visiting the National Ballet of Ireland for some summer shows.  We had a late rehearsal around the corner at the Abbey Theater and came here for a bite afterward."
"How have you been?" we both asked at the same time.  We all laughed.  Imogene explained to her friends that we had met in Monaco last summer.  A few of them raised their eyebrows, but only smiled.  I invited them to join us.  They demurred but did invite Jeremy to visit them and draw them at practice some time.
They went back to their table, but I noticed Imogene switched seats, so she could keep an eye on Jeremey and me.  They leaned close and chatted, with occasional glances my way.  Jer kept eating.  When he was about two-thirds complete he paused and took a drink of his water.
"Dad, will you let me go to draw them?" he asked.
"Of course.  Maybe we can even have Miss Emily take you if it's while I'm working.  How's that sound?"
"Good."
"Do you like sketching them?" I asked.
He nodded.  "I have to work fast when they're moving and talking, which makes it a challenge."
"You know they are used to holding poses as part of ballet, right?"
He shook his head.
"Well, maybe we'll have to arrange to go see a performance then."
*****
"I can't believe you did this for me," Chrissy said over the phone.
"Hey, it's just a favor for a friend who happens to be interested in the project," I replied.  The same team that had worked on the sewing robot several years ago had agreed to let Chrissy join them for a few weeks during her summer break to help build a first-generation construction robot.  They coined the term 3D printer themselves.
"Well, I'm glad you do favors for friends like this," she said.
"How is the rest of your break shaping up?" I asked.
"Really good.  I did three shoots since the end of school.  I'll work on this project for the next two weeks and then be flying to Italy for a fashion show and then London for another.  Some show producer said he liked my walk."
"Well that's good to hear.  I'm glad you're keeping busy."
"How about you?" she asked.
"I was busy the first ten days in Ireland.  Hunter and I managed to get quite a bit done before Lila had her baby.  Ian Paul Greenwood is now their primary focus."
"As it should be," she interjected.
"I didn't mean to imply otherwise," I countered.  She laughed.
"Anyway, since then, I've been keeping busy out at the factory fabricating new parts to for the updated design and doing some additional theoretical work."
"That sounds cool.  Any chance a friendly engineering student could get a tour when she's in that part of the world?" she asked.
"Is that a 'Daddy' voice coming out?" I asked back.
"Maybe.  But it would be cool to see.  I mean, your generators and engines have already changed the world and most students have no idea how they work or how they are made.  I'm going to be in London, could I come visit after the show?"
"When is your show?" I asked.
"London is July 8th, a Thursday," she said.
"How about I arrange a few meetings in London and come back here on the 9th.  You can fly back with me."
"What sort of meetings?" she asked.
I wanted to dance around the answer but decided to just be candid.  "Cameron, Billy, and Tom asked me to join them for some studio meetings over there."
"Cameron?  I didn't realize you were working on a film with her."
I was surprised she was unaware.  I had just assumed someone had mentioned it to her.  I told her a little about the project.  "We're in pre-production and need to work through some scheduling for studio space in the U.K."
"I didn't think stars did that sort of meetings," she said.
"Cameron is taking a producer role in the project as well.  The actual idea was hers.  It was the whole reason she asked Kelly to have me take her to the gala last fall.  She wanted to pitch the concept to me."
"I guess I never knew that," Chrissy said.  Her voice sounded a little contrite.
"Why should you, since we were keeping the project a little under wraps.  Anyway, the meetings are scheduled for the week after the fourth," I said.
"It would be nice to see her again," Chrissy said.
"Well, it sounds like the start of a plan, then," I said.
*****
"That was pretty neat, Dad," Ali said as the dancers left the stage.
Jer and Miss Emily had been invited to a rehearsal of the dancers and then invited back for a dress rehearsal at the Abbey Theater.  Ali and I had joined them for the second session.  It was sort of like a private preview of the show.
I had been worried that the three hours would be too long for Ali, but she had been mesmerized by the performance.
"So, do you want to take up ballet now?" I asked.
"Nah, but it looks cool.  Did you see Jer's drawing?" she asked as Jer and Miss Emily joined us.
"I saw some, what did you think?"
"It's really cool that he captured the feeling of motion even without all the detail."
Jer had captured the significant lines of dancers while in mid-air.  Miss Emily had encouraged his impressionistic representations of the dancers in motion.  Over the course of the performance, his strokes had gained confidence and flair.
Miss Emily was nodding.  "Jer did incredibly well," she said.  "I know artists twice his age that could not do as well."
Just then Imogene and a few of the other dancers from the first evening came out.  They all wanted to see Jer's work.  He was happy to show them.  They were all smiles when they identified themselves.  Jer was happy.
"How about you, Ali?" Imogene asked as she moved to my side.  "Did you enjoy it?"
Ali was suddenly shy and only nodded.
"She was just telling me she wanted to take up ballet," I teased.
"I did not, Daddy!" she said, coming out of her sudden shell.  "You were beautiful," she said to Imogene.
Imogene beamed.  "Thank you.  You're pretty cute yourself," she said.  "If you don't want to dance, what do you like doing?"
"I fly.  Daddy and I got our private pilot's licenses last year.  I've got six hundred hours in single engine planes.  As soon as I log a thousand, Dad says I can learn dual engine."
Imogene gave me a surprised look.  "That sounds dangerous for a young lady," she said.
I shrugged.  "We've had some of the best instructors in the world and make sure all the safety checks and maintenance are done.  It's a lot less dangerous that a lot of other things people do."
"I also love to sail," Ali said.  "Daddy taught me how to do that years ago.  It's really cool to go out on the trapeze and hike out on a long reach.  It can almost feel as good as flying.  It's probably a lot like you feel doing those leaps."
Imogene laughed.  "I'm usually worried about landing, not enjoying the feeling of flying.  Leaps can be fun, but only if you land well."
I smiled at her words.  She caught my look and swatted my arm.  The kids looked at us, not understanding, but Miss Emily had a knowing look in her eye.
"How about I take Ali and Jer for some ice cream," Miss Emily asked.  She was in her late forties, a grandmotherly sort of lady who had a passion for art and the local countryside.  "There is a place a few blocks away, near St.  Stephens park."
I spotted Nicole at the doorway and nodded.  "Sure, but please take Nicole with you," I said.
The other dancers headed back stage or toward the door as the kids left.  Imogene stayed with me, looping her arm through mine.  She tugged me toward the stage stairs and I followed along willingly.
"It looks like all your hard work is paying off," I commented as she led me backstage.  "You are the principal dancer here, aren't you?"
She smiled.  "Yes, but only for this summer.  They know I'm back to New York and the ABT in September.  This is viewed as a test and growth opportunity for me.  It's another step on the journey, not a leap to the end," she said.
"Well, I thought you were magnificent," I said.
Imogene gave me a tight hug in thanks.
"Do you mind spending a little time with me?  I know you want to catch up with your kids," she said as we entered her dressing room and she started grabbing her things and stuffing them into her dance bag.
"Miss Emily and Nicole will ride herd on them for a bit.  If they finish their ice cream before we catch up with them, I'll get a call."
Imogene smiled.  "We?  Is that an invitation?"
"Only if you're free.  I'd like to ask you to dinner," I said.  I surprised myself with the invite.
"Where?  I've got nothing suitable in my bag today," she replied.
"We can go casual, or I can pick you up later if that works better.  I took the afternoon off, so can make pretty much anything work."
Imogene finished packing and turned to face me with her bag on her shoulder.  We stood about a meter apart.  She stepped closer, looking at my face and eyes.  I admired her wide blue eyes, and her inviting smile captivated me.  She stepped closer and my arms went around her as I bent down to kiss her.  She hugged me tight and ran her hands down my back.  After a moment, we parted.
"I have to be back to my flat by midnight.  I have to have a good night's sleep before the opening tomorrow.  This is too important for me to slack off on it."
"As you wish, Ma'am," I said.
She leaned against my chest and then stepped back and took my hand.  "I've thought about you a lot over the past year," she said as turned me to the door.
"I've thought of you, too," I admitted.
We were quiet as we walked outside.  We turned and walked toward the park a few blocks away.  I spotted my driver trailing behind us but said nothing to Imogene who seemed happy to walk.  I moved my arm to her shoulder and she snuggled next to me with her arm around my waist.  I had forgotten how petite but strong she was.
"You still haven't told me what you'd like to do for dinner," I said.
"Something simple.  I don't think I want to go out someplace fancy.  It's been a long day."
"I know just the thing," I said.
"What have you been up to, besides continuing to change the world?" she asked.  "I saw some things in the tabloids about you dating models and movie stars last fall."
I chuckled and explained meeting Cameron Diaz and then the fallout from that.  I also mentioned how I knew Chrissy and how we had played the media.  Imogene laughed at a couple of the anecdotes.
Ali and Jer were surprised to see us walking so closely together but seemed happy to see Imogene with me.  Miss Emily stayed with us until the ice cream was finished.  She reminded Jer to finish a couple of the drawings she wanted him to work on, and then thanked Imogene for allowing her to see the rehearsal.
Imogene, the kids, Nicole, and I climbed into the Range Rover we were using today.  It took about twenty minutes to make our way out of the city to our home.
"Wow," Imogene said as we pulled into the estate.  "I keep forgetting who you are."
"What do you mean?" Ali asked.
"I was thinking you had an apartment in Ireland, not a country estate.  That house is bigger than where I grew up," she replied.
"It's not that big," Ali said.  "Our house in Utah is bigger.  This only has five bedrooms."
"In the main house," Jer added from the back seat.
Imogene looked at me.  "The main house?"
"We have three cottages that security and the staff live in and three one-bedroom apartments in the renovated barn," I said.
Imogene shook her head and then climbed out at the front door.  Ali grabbed her hand and took her inside.  Jer raced behind while I grabbed her bag and Jer's sketchbook.  Nicole laughed at me carrying things.
"Where are you going to dinner tonight?" she asked.
"I thought we'd just go down to Cassidy's," I said.  It was the local pub about three miles down the road from the house.  While I was never a frequent visitor there, the locals had gotten to know me well enough to treat me like a normal person.  We'll probably head down there around seven," I added.  "Can you make sure you or Jimmy is available to drive.  We'll have to run Imogene back into the city after dinner."
Nicole nodded.  "I'll take care of it."
I went inside, dropped Jer's sketchbook on the foyer table, but carried Imogene's bag upstairs, listening to hushed voices coming from Ali's bedroom.
"We never spent that much time here," Ali was saying, "so we don't have tons of stuff here.  Mom always let us keep some clothes here, but Dad had to take us shopping the first week since we had outgrown everything."
"I like the horses," Jer added.  "Dad's arranged lessons for us both, but Ali would rather fly."
"I like the horses, too," Ali said, "but would rather fly.  Dad only lets me go once a week over here.  It's going to take forever to get another four hundred hours at this rate."
I stepped into the doorway and the kids stopped talking.  Imogene was sitting on one end of Ali's bed with Ali next to her.  Jer was standing by the window.
"Hey kids, why don't you let our guest freshen up.  She had a full rehearsal and probably wants to change and clean up before dinner."
"She's staying for dinner?" Ali asked.
"No, I'm taking her to dinner.  You two will eat here with Mrs.  Shannon."
Their faces fell.  "But Dad...." Ali started.
I raised my finger.  She knew better than to whine and fell into a pout instead.
Jer just asked, "What are we having tonight?"
Imogene smiled at their reactions.
"Why don't you run down and ask her?" I said.  He moved around me, and I motioned to Imogene.  "Would you like to get cleaned up?  We've got a couple hours before the adults will eat."
She nodded and stood up.
I showed her to the master suite.  "You can take a nice bath in here, if you'd like," I said while showing her to the bathroom with its large claw foot tub.  "Or you can just have a shower.  Whichever suits you," I said.
"A bath sounds divine, but I don't want to be a poor guest and ignore you or your kids," she replied.
I reached past her and turned the hot water on.  "Relax and unwind.  I'd hate for you to not rejuvenate and be ready for tomorrow's premier.  Trust me, I get being focused on a goal."
She smiled and kissed me.  "It's easy to forget that you are a very nice man," she said.
"What do you mean?"
She felt the water temp and then turned on the cold water and dropped the stopper into the drain before answering.
"You're a private person.  Most people only see what is reported on TV or in the paper.  They aren't always complete pictures of you.  I mean, nobody in the wider world knows how much you love your kids.  Nobody really knows how hard you work.  I hardly understand that.  From what I've read about you, you jet around the world and spend a lot of money, which would make most people assume you're just a rich asshole.  You're not."
"Gee, thanks," I said.
"I'm a little of the same," she said as she bent over and pulled off her shoes.  "People see me on stage, dancing, and forget about the ten-hour days practicing or the years I've put into my craft.  I've literally been dancing for twenty-three years, and every year is harder.  Dancers have a limited life span to perform.  I have to take care of my body."
She pulled the loose sweatshirt she was wearing over her dance leotard and tights.
"My usual routine," she continued, "would be to go home, take a bath in a much smaller tub and bathroom, eat dinner and go to bed.  I might watch some television but might just put on some music as well."
She stepped close and hugged me again.
"You understand that I have to be a little selfish to get to my goals.  I almost turned you down, assuming you had an evening of debauchery in mind, and instead, you're giving me a better night off than I could have had on my own.  I really value that," she concluded.
I kissed the top of her head.
"You gave me some much-needed perspective last year.  I do understand how important tomorrow is for you.  I wouldn't do a thing to jeopardize that for you."
"Thanks," she said.  She pulled away and tugged the strap of her leotard over one shoulder, then repeated her move on the other side.  Her breasts were as beautiful as I remembered.  I watched in fascination as she rolled the leotard down and then pushed it down over her tights.
Her nipples were hard when she straightened.  She kissed me again before turning around and rolling the tights down her firm ass and legs.  She tested the water once more before standing and turning around, beautiful and confident even when just in her skin.
She kissed me again before stepping back into the tub.
"You're so good for my ego," she said with a smirk as she lowered herself into the steaming water.  "Now, leave me alone with my naughty thoughts and let me relax and clean up."
"No invitation to wash your back?" I asked with a leer.
She laughed.  "No, because I might not resist your devilish charms.  What would your kids think if you fell into the tub with me?  Besides, I can't risk being bow-legged tomorrow."
I bent over and kissed her before pulling a plush towel out of the cabinet and putting it within easy reach.
"Take as long as you'd like.  No one will bother you in here.  The kids know it's off limits for them."
I closed the door to both the bathroom and the bedroom before going to see what trouble the kids were getting into.
*****
"Thank you for the roses," Imogene said over the phone.
"I hope the premier went well," I replied.  "I'm sorry I couldn't see it."
"Let me guess, you've already provided fusion to Ireland," she said with a laugh.
"Actually, I had already promised to go flying today with Ali.  She wanted to do some cross-country time, so we flew down to Waterford, then over to Killarney, then back to Dublin.  We landed about the time you were finishing the first act."
"That's sweet.  Did you have fun?"
"Actually, I did.  I do wish I had been there for your premier, though."
"What are the kids doing now?" she asked.
"They had best be asleep or pretending to be.  It's after ten o'clock.  Why do you ask?  Fancy a late dinner?"
"I just got home and cleaned up.  I'm sitting here in a bathrobe, not ready to go anywhere.  You've got to give a girl a little more notice."
I could hear the pout in her voice.
"Oh?  I don't seem to recall you needing much notice to look ravishing," I teased.  "Do you get any time off this summer?"
"I do.  Since this is a summer company, we've got a bit better schedule.  I'm off tomorrow and Monday and back at it Tuesday with a performance in Cork on Saturday."
"Would you care to do something tomorrow or Monday?  Tomorrow is the 4th of July, not that there will be much of a celebration here for it."
"I know what I'd like to do tomorrow morning," she said softly.
"What's that?"
"Wake up in your arms again.  Last night was wonderful, and all we did was have dinner.  It really made me want more.  Would you think I'm a slut if I admitted rubbing one out, so I could get to sleep last night?"
After her striptease before getting into the bath, I had nearly needed to take care of myself as well, so I could hardly hold it against her.
"No.  Would you think of yourself as a slut if I picked you up in five minutes?"
"No, but I don't think even you can get here that fast.  There's no runway for your rocket plane in downtown Dublin."
"Be ready in five or less," I said and hung up.  A minute later, I was knocking on her door.
She opened it, surprised.  She had managed to pull on a pair of skinny jeans and a light sweatshirt but was still barefoot.  She leapt at me and gave me a big kiss as she wrapped her arms and legs around me.
"How?" she said when she finally broke our kiss.
"Mobile phones.  I really wanted to see you," I said before kissing her again.
I put her down and she pulled me inside her flat.  The two dozen long-stem red roses were on prominent display on her small table by the window.  I smiled at them as she threw her bathrobe back through her bedroom door.  She shook out her still damp hair.
"What sort of dinner did you have in mind?" she asked.
"Nothing too fancy.  Most restaurants are closed."
"No pub food," she said quickly.  "I can't have that two nights in a row."
I nodded.  "This will be healthy, delicious fare, but not in a fancy location."
"Oh?  Where?"
"Just a little place I know," I said with a smile.  I had arranged for Philip to make a late dinner for us at the downtown offices.  I'd driven into the city after getting the kids to bed.
"Should I bring a bag?" she asked.
"Only if you want to wake up with me," I said.  "We have a company tradition on the 4th of July.  I need to be at our annual meeting, followed by a delicious barbecue."
"Do I need to bring anything?  I'm a horrible cook," she said.
"I've got it covered."
"Do you want me to stay tonight?" she asked shyly.
"More than I can express," I admitted.  "But you don't have to."
She gave me another kiss and then pranced into her bedroom.  Two minutes later, she had her dance bag on her shoulder, shoes on her feet, and was ready to go.
"I didn't know you had offices downtown," she said as she saw the name on the building.
The renovated warehouse we had first built in had started a bit of an urban revival.  The Warehouse district now had many international firms in it, but we had the best view of the River Liffey and the James Joyce bridge with the north side of Dublin lighting the night sky.
Philip had outdone himself, setting up a small table, with fine china and white linens on one of the small terraces on the top floor.  We had a full kitchen next to the terrace.  The terrace was actually an extension of one conference room with retractable roof and windows.  Tonight, the roof was extended, and the table set back from the railing to allow the heat of the building to keep us comfortable.  It was only in the mid-sixties.
I seated Imogene and poured her a glass of wine before sitting across from her.  Even without makeup, she looked stunning in the candlelight.  She asked about the work done here as Philip served a fresh salad and grilled salmon and roasted broccoli for dinner.  After he cleared the plates and presented us with a flourless chocolate torte for dessert, he gave me a surreptitious thumbs up and a smile.
We got back to the house around midnight.  Imogene was quieter than I was going up the stairs.  As soon as the door to the bedroom was closed, she spun and wrapped her arms around me.  I bent and kissed her, pulling her body against mine.  We kissed for minutes or hours before she pulled me toward the bed.  She stepped onto the bed and pulled my shirt up and over my head before peeling off her own sweatshirt.
I leaned in, capturing a nipple with my lips and sucked on her flesh as she moaned and held my head tightly to her.  The smell of soap and roses filled my nostrils as I switched to her other nipple and teased it with my tongue.  I traced my fingers down along her spine until I reached the belt line of her jeans.  Her fingers beat me to the button and zipper on the front, as I pushed them down over her slim hips and muscled thighs.
She had a tiny tuft of pubic hair I had noticed the night before when she stripped for her bath.  A year ago, she had been shaved bare.  I lifted one leg over my shoulder as I kissed my way down her stomach.  My tongue teased her tiny thatch, and then lapped along her snatch as she clenched me to her with her hands and leg.
Somehow, I managed to lay her down without letting my tongue lose contact with her rapidly moistening pussy.  I licked and played with her, slipping a finger into her tightness as I teased her clit with my tongue.  She moaned and grabbed my hair in her hands as her orgasm approached.  I licked her with long strokes and then finally twirled my tongue around her clit as I made a scratching motion with my finger inside her.  She arched her back, grabbed a pillow and screamed into it as her convulsive orgasm spasmed through her.
I teased her each time her pleasure started to subside, until she finally pushed me away.  Her breathing was in gasps and I gave her as long as it took me to finish stripping to recover.  She looked at me with lidded eyes and then spread her legs wide, nearly doing splits as I approached the edge of the bed.
She grabbed my cock and lined it up with her sopping pussy.  I pushed in slowly, reveling in her tightness.  If anything, she was tighter or stronger than I remembered.  She moaned in pleasure and I pushed onward until I was fully inside her.  I stroked her clit with my fingers, setting off a small shudder in her.
"Oh, God!" she said.  She lifted her legs and put her heels on my shoulders.
"I want you to fuck me silly, Paul.  Don't stop until you cum, no matter what," she said.  "I want you to feel as incredible as I do right now."
I leaned down, amazed at her flexibility as her legs bent smoothly.  I kissed her and pushed in a millimeter deeper.  She moaned in my mouth before I straightened a little, grabbed he hips, and started fucking in and out of her.
She was so tight, I had no choice but to set a slow pace.  Her own orgasm built as I slid in and out of her, feeling the rippling grip of her as her breathing quickened.  I shifted my hand and strummed her clit as I buried myself deeply in her.  Her back arched as her orgasm hit.  Her body spasmed and her stomach clenched, but I continued to ease out and into her.  Her head snapped down on the pillow and her hands flailed at my hips as I thrust in.  She arched again, moaning and covered her mouth with her hands as she spasmed.  The exquisite, almost painful feeling of her convulsion pulled me over the edge and I thrust one last time before erupting inside her.  Her clenching pussy milked my cock.  She shifted her legs, wrapping them around me and I leaned in to kiss her soundly again.  She clung to me, making sobbing breaths against my shoulder before we finally both calmed down.
"My God, what do you do to me?" she asked.  "Nobody has ever made me feel like you do."
I smiled and kissed her again as my own heartbeat calmed.
A little later, as we snuggled beneath the covers, she ran a long-fingered hand down my chest and kissed my shoulder.
"I thought last year was a fluke," she said softly.  "I thought I was just horny, and happy, and excited and that made our sex spectacular.  Now, I know it's more than that.  You can turn me inside out with your tongue and fingers and dick.  I just can't help myself once we get going."
I thought about her words.  There was something that seemed to connect us.  I lusted for her with each look.  I could happily spend days lying in bed with her incredible body and scintillating personality.  I enjoyed her company.  But was all of that enough to bridge the differences in our lives?
I stroked her hip and kissed her forehead, wondering what leap we had just taken.
*****
"Fireworks?" Imogene asked again.  "Why would Ireland celebrate the 4th of July with fireworks?"
Ali laughed.  "They don't, silly."
The kids had been happy to see Imogene at breakfast the next morning.  I got a strange look from Ali, but Jer just took it in stride.  After breakfast, the kids had started asking when the fireworks were and when Grandma and Grandpa would get there.
"Then why are you asking when you'll see them?" Imogene asked.
"We always do on the fourth of July," Ali said.  "We're just not going to see them here."
Imogene gave me a look.  "What's that mean?"
"Do you have your passport?" I asked.
"Yes, but I have to be rested and back for practice on Tuesday morning.  I can't fly to and back from the states in two days.  I'd be a wreck."
Ali laughed.  "It's less than two hours to New York," she announced.  "Terry had me work out flight times for Daddy's fast plane.  We can be home from here in two hours.  I could be visiting Jane in Sydney in four."
"You had better work that out again, Ali," I said.  "We could be in Sydney in about two hours as well."
She frowned at me for a minute and then ran upstairs to her room.  She was back in a minute with her flight bag.  She pulled out a notebook and her flight computer and looked up some numbers.
"Four hours and thirty-two minutes," she said firmly.
I smiled.  "Why not accelerate longer and get there sooner?  You used the two-minute burn rule, didn't you?"
Her eyes got wide.  "Oh.  How long could we accelerate?"
"When would you reach orbital velocity?" I asked.
She pulled out another book and looked up a number.  A minute later she said, "About two hundred and fifty seconds."
"So how long to Sydney with that acceleration?"
"Two hours," she said.  She looked up another number and did a little more math.  "So really, we can get anywhere on Earth in about two and a half hours."
"That's right," I said.  I then looked at Imogene.  "And that's how we'll see Fireworks on the Fourth and be back in Ireland early on the Fifth."
"When do we have to leave?" she finally managed to ask.
"New York is five hours behind us, so we should probably let the sun come up there first.  Terry said he'd be ready for us at ten, so we've got a few hours to relax."
"Goodie," Jer said.  "I want to ride this morning."
"Okay.  Mr.  Murray is already at the stables.  You guys can ride for two hours and then get cleaned up to head out."
Both kids were fast to put their breakfast dishes in the sink and race out the door toward the barn.  Mrs.  Shannon poured Imogene and I second cups of coffee and then we strolled outside in the cool morning air to watch the kids ride for a bit.  We had both been up early, worked out in our own manners, then showered together before breakfast.  As we leaned on the rail of the fence around the paddock she pressed herself to my side, happy to be touching me as I was to touch her.
"You are definitely not normal," she said as the kids came out to ride under the tutelage of our Mr.  Murray, who also provided security for the estate.
"Is that good, or bad?" I asked.
"Oh, I think it's good in most cases.  Last night it was very, very good.  This morning it was good, as well, but hopping to New York to see fireworks and then coming back to Ireland seems a bit weird."
"You could stay here," I offered.
"Is that what you want?" she asked.
"No.  I'd like to spend the day with you, but I also have to go to New York.  Mom and Dad may be coming back with us.  Kelly will be up for the fourth, and I haven't seen her since Christmas.  Everyone will be at the meeting and barbecue, except Hunter and Lila, so I kind of have to be there.  It's a tradition."
"Well, I can hardly fight tradition," she said.
I hugged her and then gave her a kiss.
Ali saw us.  "Daddy's kissing Imogene," she yelled, making us all laugh.
Five hours later, but still only eight o'clock on our phones, we were unloading from our ride at the company apartments we kept in Manhattan on the upper west side of Central Park.
"My God," Imogene said as she got her bearings.  "My old apartment is like two stops away on the subway.  You're walking distance to the Metropolitan Opera House."
I shrugged.  I had stayed in our corporate apartment here exactly three nights.  I said as much.  "Maybe," I added, "I'll stay here when my favorite ballet dancer opens in a principal role with ABT sometime soon."
Imogene swatted my arm, and then spotted the secret service men at the elevator.  "Oh, shit.  You said your sister was going to be here.  How could you let me meet the Vice President of the United States wearing this?" she asked.
She was in the jeans she had worn last night, but with a white blouse, red belt and worn tennis shoes.  I thought she looked wonderful.
"Relax, you look lovely.  Kelly won't be in anything fancy either.  Hell, she might be in shorts given the forecast today."
Kelly was in a skirt and blouse and very happy to meet Imogene.  She quickly separated her from me as the kids ran to find grandpa, who always seemed to have a piece of candy for them.  I greeted Mom and eventually managed to introduce her and Jim to Imogene.
"Okay, kids," I said after I finally got them to settle a little.  "We can have a snack and go swimming before a nap, or after a nap, but you'll never make it to the fireworks if you try to stay up all day.  Which will it be?"
They both opted to take a nap, first.  Over the next couple of hours, the rest of our board members arrived.  We actually owned the building and kept the top two floors available for our people.  The penthouse apartment we were in had plenty of space for those staying the night, and once people got settled, we adjourned to the large dining room for our annual meeting.
Kelly entertained Imogene and the other guests that were not part of the corporation.  We had little business to attend to, other than approving our quarterly dividend plan and bonuses for staff.  With all of the cash we were accumulating in generator sales and power, we actually had to pay closer attention to the tax implication on dividends, rather than anything else.  Everyone on the board was easily a multi-millionaire.  Our staff who did not hold shares received quarterly bonus payouts instead.  For them, we had to balance salary and bonus payouts to keep them from paying too much in taxes.
An hour later, we were adjourned, and it was time for the barbecue around the roof-top pool overlooking Central Park.  Imogene begged off swimming with the kids by lack of swimsuit.  I offered to run out and buy her a tiny bikini and was smacked by my sister for my thoughtfulness.
"So," Kelly said when she finally got me alone.  "I finally get to meet the dancer that brought you out of your shell."
I smiled and relayed how we had run into each other in Dublin.
"She's very cute," Kelly said.  "The kids seem to really like her, too."
"We're just getting to know one another," I replied guardedly.
"Not looking to chase her around the world or back to New York in the fall?" she asked.
I shuddered.  I had actually had those thoughts but hated the idea of uprooting the kids from school and forcing them to live in the city.  Besides, doing that would be giving up hope on a specific set of equations.
"No.  She's dedicated to dance, and achieving her goals," I said.
"Well, make sure she remembers that.  I can see you becoming one of her goals pretty easily," she teased.
I gulped.  Whatever feelings the two of us had, I knew her competitive nature would always win out.  "We'll see what the summer brings."
"Yes, we will," Kelly said.  "By the way, I should warn you about a guest I invited tonight."
"Oh, who?" I asked.
"Cameron asked if you were going to be here.  She should be arriving sometime soon."
If Kelly was looking for panic in my eyes, she did not get to see it.  "That's nice.  I haven't seen her in a while.  I'm assuming she will hitch a ride with us back to Ireland?  She and Billy, and Tom and I have some meetings next week in London."
"I don't know.  You'll have to ask when she gets here."
*****
Imogene helped me get the kids into their own beds and then took me to mine.  She wrapped herself around me as we lay naked under the covers.
"Thanks for an amazing day," she said.  "My mom could not believe when I called her from New York.  My sister about had a cow when she heard where I was seeing the fireworks from, and the fact that I'd be back in Dublin today.  It was amazing to meet your family and friends, too.  They were all so nice to me.  Even Cameron Diaz was funny."
"Why wouldn't she be?" I asked, surprised by the comment.
"Well, she had a bit of a look when she saw us together.  I thought there might be some truth to the tabloid rumors that you two were attached."
I hugged her and gave her a kiss.  "We're really just friends," I said.
Imogene laughed.  "Her loss.  If you did to her, what you've done to me, I'm sure she would want to be attached.  She really is beautiful."
"So are you," I said.
"Thanks." Her hand stroked its way down my stomach and her fingers danced along my thickening shaft.  "Do you want me to take care of this?" she asked playfully.
"I'm a little sore from the stretching you gave me last night," she admitted, "but I can do something else if you'd like."
I kissed her.  "I'm fine, unless you'd like me to kiss you better as well," I replied.
She kissed me back and then proceeded to duck under the covers and kiss her way down my body.  As she took the head of my dick between her lips, I slipped her leg over my head and blew gently across her exposed pussy.  We settled into a slow sixty-nine.  She either didn't want to or couldn't get more than about two-thirds of my dick in her mouth.  The few times I reached the back of her throat, she backed off quickly, stroking me with her long, soft fingers instead.
I licked her, admiring the tight muscles of her thighs and rear in the moonlight coming through the window.  I reached up and cupped her ass, gently massaging her bum as I licked.  She hummed around my dick, and I took and extra-long lick, poking her cute, tight rosebud with my tongue.  She scooted forward, taking that target out of reach and sucked on me a little more forcefully.  I returned my tongue to her pussy and she slid backward a little until I could reach her clit.
I felt myself approaching the point of no return, and warned her, but she kept sucking and rubbing my balls gently.  I sucked in a deep breath of her delicious aroma and then started cumming.  She sat up, pushing her pussy against my mouth as I was still spurting between her fingers and then her own orgasm hit.  I finished as she collapsed to the side, shuddering with tiny convulsions.  I kissed her firmly on her pussy one last time and made her cum again.  Her incredible sensitivity fascinated me.
*****
"I can't believe we got Ron Howard to direct," Cameron said as we walked into the London apartments.
We had spent the afternoon at the Pinewood Studios near London.  Tom had managed to land Ron Howard to direct the film and we had spent the day setting up the pre-production needs and timeline with the studio.  Those three had decided to go back to Ron's Hotel for another read-through of the script while I opted to call it a night.  Cameron had accompanied me.
"It's lucky he liked the story, I guess.  He was also between projects right now."
"It's a good story," Cameron said.  "Tom really did a good job.  Billy helped polish it and keep it on point and relatively accurate.  I swear those two have a chemistry," she finished.
I chuckled and punched the button on the elevator.
"Just remember, some chemicals explode," I said.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Billy and Tom have had an on-again, off-again romantic relationship for years.  They keep everything professional and above board until one of the other does something incredibly sweet, or they get horny I guess, and then they're like two love-birds until one of them does something selfish or seems uncaring.  The last season of the show they both worked on, half the crew had a pool on which day the break-up would happen.  That's finally why we moved them apart.  Tom took on the Orbital Interns while Billy stuck with the regular show.  They did the first season of the Amazing Race together, but only because they were not together for most of the filming.
I shook my head and fished out my keys to the apartment.
"Are we in for the night?" Cameron asked as we closed the door.
"Unless you want to go out for some reason.  Why?"
She kicked off her shoes.  "Because my feet are killing me," she said.  She bent over and picked up the heels she had been wearing.  "I need to change, or I'll walk all over the hem of these pants.  I just wanted to know if I was changing into something relaxing or something I could wear out."
"I'm fine staying in.  Why would you wear pants that long?" I asked.
She shook her head at me.  "Fashion.  Besides, I look good in heels.  What are we having for dinner?" she asked as she headed down the hall toward the bedroom she had taken.
"Let's see what's here," I replied as I moved into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
I was still looking around when she came back from her room.  I stopped to stare.  She was wearing white blouse and black panties without a care in the world.  I could easily tell she had removed her bra as well.
"God, that feels better," she said as she came into the kitchen.  "Is there wine in there?" she asked, motioning toward the refrigerator.
"Yes, white.  Do you want some?"
"Definitely.  I'll pour us some while you go get comfortable."
I followed her orders and escaped to my own room.  I took off my suit, but then pulled on a pair of well-worn jeans and an old rugby shirt.  I heard some British pop music start playing a moment after I heard the sound of glasses clinking in the living room.  I slipped on a pair of top-siders and headed back out.
Cameron was curled up on one end of the couch, legs tucked under her with her wine in her hand.  My glass was nearby.  I picked it up and sat at the opposite end, eyeing the overstuffed chair at the end of the coffee table where the wine sat.
Cameron spotted my clothes and smiled.  "Sorry if I put you off," she said.  "I've been 'on' and in meetings for the past two weeks.  Even the Fourth of July, I had to look good to meet the VP," she joked.  "I mean, really who wears Channel to a barbecue on the fourth?  I did.  You didn't even notice," she said with a pout.
"I thought you looked very nice."
"But not as nice as your dancer.  She's cute, by the way.  I can see why you like her.  Tell me about her," she commanded before taking a sip of her wine.
"Not much to tell," I said.  "We're friends."
"Friends with benefits, from the looks of things," Cameron teased.
"Friends, just like you and I are," I said.
"Really?" She took a big gulp of her wine.  "I don't see you offering me flights across the Atlantic unless your sister sets them up first," she said.
I was surprised at her anger.
"Cameron, all you had to do was call and ask.  Just like all you had to do was ask and we started doing business together.  I'm not a fucking mind reader.  How in the hell was I supposed to know you were in New York on the Fourth and wanted to catch a ride across the pond?"
She looked at me in shock.  "I'm sorry."
"For what?" I snapped back.
Tears filled her eyes.  She took another, smaller swig of wine.
"I'm sorry for unloading on you.  Every other man I've ever shown the slightest interest in has been immediately into me, like you are with your little dancer.  I've been trying to get your attention since January, and always seem to be coming in second place.  First there's your little model friend, now a beautiful ballerina.  Is there ever going to be a chance for me that's not just the butt of a joke?"
She had tears in her eyes as she looked up.
"You say, 'just ask' but do you really mean it?"
I nodded, unsure what to say or how to act.  I was terrified of what she would ask, but hopeful she wouldn't.
"Paul, would you kiss me?"
I thought about it for a moment.  She was beautiful and sexy with her bobbed blonde hair and crystal blue eyes, even when they were filled with tears and more than a little fear.
I set my glass down and leaned closer, praying she was not looking for more than I could give her, waiting for her to pull back.  When she didn't, I moved closer and kissed her red lips softly.  Her hand grabbed my head and held my lips to hers.
After a moment, she let me go and I pulled back.  There were still tears in her eyes.
"God, you must think I'm a wacko," she said.
"I think you're a friend in need," I replied.
She wiped away her tears.  "I'm sorry, Paul.  I didn't mean to make you feel awkward.  I'm just so emotionally raw right now.  I guess I've thought I deserve you, or I could land you, or I don't know what.  It sounds ludicrous saying any of it out loud."
I sat back to my end of the couch and picked up my wine.  "What's going on Cameron?  I thought we were friends.  Tell me as a friend what has you so worked up?"
She poured herself some more wine and took a sip before nodding.
"Everything last fall was real," she began.  "I wanted to pitch you about the movie, and I knew you were still mourning your wife.  Kelly warned me you might be stand-offish.  Instead, you were warm and funny and genuine.  I've known enough assholes in the industry to know how rare that is.  I let my guard down with you.  Over the course of the fall, I saw that we really could be friends.  I cherished that.  Then, over Sundance, I started thinking about being more than friends.  I saw you with your kids, your family, your friends.  You really got to me that week, even though we only played around for the idiot paparazzi.  I was thinking about having a serious talk with you right up until I saw Chrissy and her reaction to my being there."
"Chrissy's just a kid," I said.
Cameron laughed.  "Even when you say that, you don't believe it.  I've seen the way she looks at you.  I've seen you avoid getting in a compromising position with her.  She's an attractive, young woman who is seriously in love with you.  And you feel at least something for her," she said.
I sighed.  "Maybe."
"Huh!  So, there I am, feeling like being more than friends with a man who literally has or can have anything, and who doesn't show any sign of having more than platonic feelings toward me.  I flirt with you off and on, and instead of you taking a hint and actually asking me out, you date a younger model and a ballerina."
"I didn't date Chrissy," I argued.  I should have known better than to try and use facts in an emotional argument.
"It sure looked like it in the papers!" she fired back.
"Those same papers we had fun pulling the piss out of last fall?" I countered.
She stopped and sat back.
"Shit, shit, shit," she said softly.  "I'm sorry, Paul.  I'm making a complete ass of myself.  I've always loved making people laugh.  In my mind, laughter is love.  We've laughed together, and I guess I hoped there might be love behind that laughter."
Her tears were back.  I moved closer again and wiped them away with a finger.
"Cammy, I do love you, but we can't be more than friends right now.  I don't know what will happen with Imogene after the summer.  I have absolutely no clue how I'm going to keep from hurting Chrissy.  I do find you incredibly attractive, and fun, and sexy, but we're going to be working together for the next year or two on the film, and I hate mixing business with my personal life.  I don't want to lose you as a friend, and that's the only thing I see happening if I take you up on the offer of a romantic relationship.  I'm sorry."
She sniffed and nodded.  "I'm sorry, too."
*****
"You look beat," Chrissy said as soon as she entered the London apartment.
Cameron and I had talked late into the evening on Tuesday, and then had long days of meetings with Ron, Billy, and Tom on Wednesday and Thursday.  I could tell Cameron was hurting when we were alone at the apartment in the evenings, but there was nothing I could do about it.  Pursuing any sort of romance with her would just end in us both being hurt.  In the end, she had hopped a commercial flight back to L.A.  Thursday afternoon with the others.
"It's been a long week," I said.  "How are you?" I asked as I grabbed her large suitcase.  "Planning on staying for a bit?" I joked as I carried it to one of the bedrooms in the apartment.
"Hey, I've been living out of that thing for almost two weeks.  Besides, you should know us models have to look good all the time.  That takes effort and a suitable wardrobe.
I just shook my head.  "Okay.  Have you eaten?" I asked.
"No, and I'm famished.  You know they don't feed us at those shows.  We have to be slim and trim, and they definitely don't want any food around their outfits.  I could eat a cow," she said with a little laugh.
"There's a pub down the street and a curry house around the corner.  Which would you prefer?  I'm not really up for anything fancier than that tonight."
She picked curry, and we both grabbed jackets and headed out.  Before we had ordered, she was telling me about her time with the research team in Australia and the shows she had been modeling for.  Dinner passed quickly, and I actually felt more relaxed by the time we went back to the apartment.
The next morning, my work-out buddy was up with me.  We joked about sweating out the curry and garlic from the night before but got a good workout in before getting cleaned up and taking the short drive to London City Airport and the waiting GS-3.
It was just a short up-and-down flight to our private airstrip at the generator plant outside Dublin, and I found myself to be in a much better mood as I took Chrissy on a tour of the plant.
"What about the fusion school?" she asked after we finished the tour of the manufacturing plant.
"I've arranged a tour over there for you, but I have to go to some meetings and get a little work done today," I said.  I rang for Kevin, one of the new PAs who was handling things for me in Ireland this week.  He showed up a few minutes later to take Chrissy off my hands for a tour of our school for fusion plant engineers, and I headed to Cindy Xavier's office to catch up on our production plans.
Friday night was a mini reunion for Ali and Chrissy.  It immediately led to Ali asking about visiting Jane, especially since it was only a two-and-a-half-hour flight on the GOT.  I shook my head and told her I would think about it.  I didn't want to let her know Jane was coming up with Camilla to pick Chrissy up in a few days.
Saturday was a busy, but relaxing day with both flying and horseback riding.  It was just what I needed to recover from the drama of the week.
Sunday morning, as Chrissy and I slowed our run and turned into the lane to the house, I was happy to see Imogene waiting near the front steps of the house.  As we got closer, I saw her smile falter as she watched Chrissy running beside me.
I suspected the drama was not yet over.


Chapter Fifty-Four
Blow-Ups Happen
*****
"Cameron last week.  Chrissy this week.  What am I supposed to think?"  Imogene asked.
"You were with me both weeks, and it's platonic in both cases.  Christ, I'm nearly fifteen years older than Chrissy.  Why does everyone think I'm lusting after her?  She could almost be my daughter.  I told you about Cameron this week.  I've been above board and honest with you every step of the way.  Where is this jealousy coming from?"
Imogene had tears in her eyes as we walked along the white gravel drive.  Chrissy had headed straight inside, leaving me to my own defense with Imogene.  We walked on silently for a few paces.
"I'm sorry," Imogene said softly.  "I'm falling for you and fear I'm just being a silly girl who is going to be cast aside by someone more beautiful or more talented, or just available to you.  I can't chase after you on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis.  You're rich, and talented, and handsome, and worldly, and I'm just a dancer."
I stopped and turned her by her shoulders, looking down into her blue eyes.  Suddenly, I had to face my own feelings; my own fears.
"I can only tell you how I feel about you.  I think you are a fascinating lady, an accomplished dancer, an incredible lover, and are becoming a good friend.  I find it easy to talk to you and I enjoy spending what time we can together.  I don't want any of that to change.  But I also am not going back to being cloistered away when you're not around.  I have businesses to run, and I have friends, many of whom are women.  I don't want you to feel threatened by them.  It's not like I'm picking up new girls every weekend at the club scene."
She looked back at me, as if searching my face for some sign.  She sighed, nodded, and then hugged me.
"I'm sorry, Paul.  I am a little jealous when I only get a few hours with you and then end up having to share you.  I've told you how competitive I am.  When I saw you running with Chrissy this morning, I was just suddenly furious.  I can't even explain why I was, but that's what I felt.  I'm sorry if I took those feelings out on you."
I kissed the top of her head.  
"I'm sorry, too."
We turned and walked back to the house holding hands.  I was surprised to see the kids both up and at the breakfast table in the kitchen.  Chrissy had put a sweatshirt on over her Diamond Skin sports bra and was sitting between Ali and Jer.  
Ali saw us first.  "Daddy, can we take Chrissy riding today?" she asked.
"I'm not sure we have any riding gear that will fit her," I said.  "You can ask Mr. Murray, but we might have wait until we can do a little shopping."  
I looked at Imogene.  "Would you like to ride?" I asked.
She shook her head.  "I can't afford to be sore going back to practices, and I don't have anything suitable to ride in, either."  
I gave her an arched eyebrow and smiled when she blushed.
"How about you guys ride and the adults just watch today?" I suggested.
Ali gave a dramatic sighed while Jer nodded. 
Five minutes later, the kids were heading to the stables, leaving Chrissy with Imogene and me.  
"So, what are the plans today?"  Chrissy asked.  "You two probably want a little time alone," she said with a little grin.
Imogene gave her a surprised look and then glanced at me.
I shrugged.  "I had no real plans for the day.  What would you like to do?"
We ended up splitting up after watching the kids ride for a bit.  Chrissy was showered and dressed by the time Ali finished riding.  Ali was excited to take her flying, so they headed out to the airstrip.  Jer wanted to work on some landscape drawings, so I got cleaned up and then he and Imogene and I packed a picnic lunch and took a hike across a field, over a small brook, and up a hill that gave a nice view back toward the house and buildings.  Jer set to work and Imogene and I relaxed on a large blanket.
"Is this a more 'normal' Sunday for you?" Imogene asked as we strolled back later that afternoon.
"It depends.  Back home, the kids usually have friends or other activities they're involved with on the weekends.  I try to spend a few hours with them each week, doing something they want during the school year."
"It's been a nice day.  I'm sorry I nearly ruined it this morning," she said.
"You didn't ruin anything.  It has been a nice day.  Jer's happy.  I'm happy.  Are you happy?"
Imogene smiled at me and nodded.  "I am.  Do you want me to stay tonight?"
It was my turn to nod.  
*****
"But I want to go with you," Ali said.  Jer was nodding along as well.
July and most of August had slipped past.  Imogene and I had fallen into a pattern of spending Sundays and Mondays together on her off days with occasional dates during the week depending on our schedules.  Mondays had shrunk to mornings only when Hunter returned to work, but it was generally an idyllic summer.  
"Hunter and I are going to the lab to work," I told the kids.  They had insisted they go when I told them I'd be gone for several days.  "I'm not going to be able to spend time with you guys.  Wouldn't you rather stay here where you can finish the summer with horses, flying, drawing and relaxing?" I asked.
They both shook their heads.
"I want to go swimming at the lab," Ali said.
"I want to draw the desert," Jer added. 
"School starts in two weeks, Daddy.  Please let us go with you."
It was definitely the 'Daddy' voice Ali was using.
I looked at the calendar.  The summer had definitely gone by quickly.
"You actually have three weeks before school starts," I countered.  "We'll go back to Utah for Labor Day weekend and you start the Tuesday after that.  Hunter and I need to set things up and run our first test this week.  I'll be back Friday and then you guys can go with me next week.  Maybe Imogene can join us since her season here is wrapping up Saturday."
Ali looked like she was going to argue some more but must have seen my mind was made up.
"Okay.  Can I call Jane?"
The change in topic caught me off guard and I just nodded.  She ran from the room and Jer gave me quick hug before leaving with a quick, "Thanks, Dad."
I shook my head and looked at Imogene.  "Would you like to come back to the States with us next week?" I asked her.
She smiled and then laughed.  "I feel like I have to, after all that.  What is your lab?"
I explained about our place in Nevada. 
"It's definitely a change from Ireland," I said.  "I don't want to pressure you, but it would be nice to have you in my desert retreat for a week or two," I added with a leer.
She laughed again.  "I'd love to come.  But only for a week.  I really need to spend a little time back in Texas with my family.  I haven't seen them since March."
"How about we spend a week in Nevada, and then I'll fly you down to Texas.  They're outside Dallas, right?"
She nodded and then gave me a strange look.  "Do you want to come to Dallas with me?  I'm sure Mom and Dad would like to meet you."
"I'd like to meet them as well, but we'll have to see.  Hunter and I are a little behind schedule with some of the re-castings we had to do this summer.  I've also got to consider the kids.  School snuck up on me this year.  I need to make sure they have everything they need to start."
Imogene nodded.  "I understand.  We'll play it by ear.  What schedule are you and Hunter on?"
"We've got two lander configuration OTVs for lunar work right now.  We have to use liquid propellant rockets for the landing since our fusion engines can't be throttled low enough.  Our new design solves that.  At least we hope it does.  That's what we need to test.  If it works, we'll change the OTVs and then start building our lunar base."
"Why wait for the engines?"  she asked.
"We're pretty safety conscious.  We're careful but refueling those engines at Astra Station is a risk I don't like, especially when you consider we have to ferry those volatiles to orbit and store them on Astra as well."
Imogene sighed.  "I guess this is getting to the part of the year where your priorities and mine start falling out of synch.  I've got a few weeks until we start back to five-day-a-week rehearsals for the fall season.  I'll be starting back up my off-day workouts and extra practice.  The first few weeks are critical to the selection of roles for the fall and winter season."
I reached across the corner of the table to take her hand in mine.  "We'll work it out," I said.  "It won't be easy, but I want to make the effort."
She squeezed my hand.  "So, do I."
We sent the kids to see 'The Iron Giant' with Nicole and spent the afternoon in bed.  The next morning, Hunter and I hopped on the GOT and headed to Nevada.  It was still dark when we landed.  The sun was coming up by the time we had our cargo of sub-assemblies moved to the lab and were busy starting the assembly and check-out processes.
Two days later, we moved the engine ten miles and onto our test stand.  
By Friday, we were into final checks before the initial test firing.  We stopped after running through the final post assembly checklist and headed back to Dublin for the weekend.  The kids were happy to see me and then disappointed when I left them at home again to go see Imogene's final performance with the Irish National Ballet.
Sunday was spent packing.  Imogene came back out to the house with two large suitcases and joined us for dinner.  That night, we hopped over to Nevada with Hunter, Lila, and Ian.  
Imogene was awed by the house set into the canyon wall.  She was amazed at the summer warmth after leaving a cool, rainy Ireland.  Ali wasted no time throwing her things in her room and heading for the swimming pool on the lowest terrace level.  The blue light of the pool was a cool, inviting beacon in the red sunset over the far canyon wall.  
"Ali's not putting on a suit?" Imogene asked as my daughter stripped down by the pool and the dived in.
I laughed.  "Ali seems to have inherited a little exhibitionist gene from her mother.  Jeryl loved running around nude here since it's so private and so warm.  She taught the kids not to be embarrassed by skin."
Imogene slipped and arm around me and gave me a hug.  
"You still miss her, don't you?"
"How can I not?  I see so much of her in Ali and Jer."
Imogene nodded.  
"But I see a lot of similarities in you, too," I added.
"Oh?  I'm not ready to strip down and swim right now, if that's what you're asking," she teased to lighten the mood.
I shook my head.  "No, I meant more about your drive to succeed.  Jeryl always knew what she wanted and was not afraid to go after it.  That's a trait I hope both Ali and Jer inherit."
Imogene nodded.  "You have a bit of that trait yourself," she said, smiling.
I kissed her as Ali did a cannonball into the pool.
The next morning, I swam for my workout while Imogene stretched and did her own morning routine on the now-shaded terrace.  She was lounging with her dance leotard rolled down to her waist by the time I finished my laps.  I gave her a kiss and then took her with me to shower off the chlorine.
The next day, I came home to find Ali cajoling her to try sunbathing au natural.  She looked at me for help, but I just shook my head and decided to plan a quick sunset hike with Jer who wanted to draw the sunset with some colored charcoal pencils.
That night, as we recovered from our own evening exertions, she asked me about Ali's behavior.
"What's the friends and family rule?"  she asked.
"Suits are optional when only family and friends can see you swim.  Jeryl seldom wore a suit when we were here, unless new friends were staying in one of the cabins.  This place was designed for privacy and security.  When Ali got old enough to want to copy her mother and aunts and grandmother, we had to have some sort of rules to keep her from stripping down at school to swim.  Jer learned the same rules.  When we lived in Sydney, it was not unusual for the kids to swim naked, though Jer gets shy swimming with girls."
"So, Chrissy swam nude with you?" she asked.
I shook my head.  "Not nude.  Chrissy and Camilla both did go topless at our pool there and on a couple of trips to the beach.  We figured we should never make a big deal out of nudity.  Our culture has enough hang-ups on other things that actually matter."
"I didn't see you swimming laps nude this morning," Imogene teased.
"It's suits optional, not suits forbidden.  I've pretty much always worn a suit swimming.  It's just habit for me.  Besides, Nicole sometimes comes over early to swim in the morning.  I don't really need my bodyguard ogling my limp dick when I get out of the pool."
She laughed.
"You and Jeryl were pretty liberated, sexually, weren't you?" she asked a minute later.
"We were.  We grew up on the edge of the bible-belt, but we both formed our own opinions about sex, independently."  I went on to tell her a bit about our early years.
"Butt sex?" she asked.  "You've touched me there a couple of times, but I thought it was accidental.  I don't think I'm comfortable with that."
"Then just tell me that.  Jeryl was pretty adventuresome.  I always took the attitude that if it did not hurt anyone, why not give it a try?"
"Do you miss it?  I mean is that something you're going to want?"  There was a little fear in her voice.
"I'll tell you the same thing I told Jeryl so many years ago.  I get pleasure from giving pleasure.  If you want to try that, or anything else, I'm probably game, but I'm not going to push you to do something you're uncomfortable with."
She was quiet for a minute, lying on my chest.
"I don't think I'll ever be comfortable with that," she finally said.
"Then we won't do that."  
*****
"Down ten," Hunter said as we throttled back the engine.
"Thrust stable, all temps stable," I said.  We were on our second test firing of the new engine, and the first time trying to throttle it below the prior sustained ignition threshold.
"T-plus eight zero seconds, thrust at twenty percent of peak.  Reducing to ten," Hunter said for our recording.
Our test plan was ignition and stable thrust for twenty seconds followed by a planned reduction and ten second pause between reductions.  Previous throttling efforts had failed at about one-quarter power, so we had already beaten our prior capability.
"T-plus nine zero second, thrust at ten percent of peak," Hunter said.
"Thrust stable, all temps stable.  Ignition recharge power at thirty percent," I said.
"Reducing in one percent increments," Hunter stated.
"T-plus one hundred, thrust at nine percent of peak."
"Thrust stable, all temps stable.  Ignition recharge power at ten percent."
"T-plus one one zero, thrust at eight -- engine cut-off!"
"Thrust at zero, all temps dropping."
We both sat back in our chairs and then grinned at each other.  We knew we had a winner.  Our design goal was to be able to throttle below twelve percent of peak power.  At that level, we had a landing engine.  
"How long for the cool-down?" Hunter asked.
I glanced at the clock.  "I think we're done until morning."  It was nearly six P.M.
We both stood and stretched.
"So," hunter said, "post-checks tomorrow and then try the low-thrust start-up Saturday?"
I sighed.  "How about we start the low-thrust tests on Monday?  I kind of promised Imogene I'd take her to her folks and meet them tomorrow night."
Hunter nodded.  "That works for me.  Who's watching the kids for you?"
"Jyl and Collin should actually be here today. Collin wants to work some on the lunar formulation Tom and I have been hammering at.  We want to put in some test foundations on the next mission to Aristarchus."
"Is Collin going on that trip?"
I nodded.  "Jyl is as well.  She'll be the flight surgeon.  We're trying to expand our experience base for lunar ops.  If this engine proves out, we'll refit the OTV's next year, and start base construction about the same time we're spinning up Astra Station."
We finished our shutdown procedures, made sure the automated telemetry was working, and then headed out of the lab control room and back toward the cabins.  
"It's amazing how fast things are moving, but how long it all takes," Hunter commented.  "We looked at the ring modules in the spring, and it felt like it was going to be forever before we had them in orbit, and now we're talking about starting lunar base construction before that project's even finished."
"I know.  If this engine tests well, we'll be finishing Astra, building Aristarchus Base, and re-engineering the whole GOT line in the next nine months.  To make matters worse, NASA and the DoD are pressuring us to have on-station space in Astra, and NASA is trying to get berths on the lunar missions.  I'm probably going to have to spend a lot more time in D.C. than I want."
"Better you than me," he said, laughing as we parted ways at the door to his and Lila's cabin.  
I continued down the tunnel and entered my place to the sound of laughter.  A naked Ali came running up to me in the kitchen.
"Aunt Jyl's here!" Ali said.
"And Uncle Collin?"
Ali nodded as I came far enough inside to see Jer being thrown through the air into the pool by Collin.  The source of laughter was evident.  I made my way out to the evening sun and said hello to everyone.  Imogene gave me a kiss.  She was in a white leotard or one-piece swimsuit, looking very sexy.
We all caught up over dinner and then got the kids in bed.  Imogene was surprised when Jyl stripped and went for a night swim, and then rejoined us on the outdoor couches with only a towel around her waist.
Jyl laughed at the look.
"Paul's seen me in the buff before, and  Collin knows I'm not going to jump my brother-in-law's bones.  He also knows Paul isn't going to start chasing my naked ass around the house.  I love the feeling of freedom we can get here.  I'm pretty sure Collin will be joining me in the pool tomorrow night after the kids are in bed and you guys are out of here."
I chuckled.  Knowing Jyl, I thought they would be doing more than swimming.
We continued to chat for a while and then we all headed to bed.  Imogene wasted no time getting naked once we were inside the bedroom and made sure I had little reason to lust after Jyl, and absolutely no energy to do so.  I was also rewarded with two of her own spectacular orgasms.
The next day, Hunter and I finished our post firing inspection and set things up for testing the following week, before I kissed the kids goodbye and headed back to the airstrip with Imogene.  Nicole had flown ahead to Dallas to make security arrangements and try to keep my meeting Imogene's family low key in that regard.  I teased Imogene about joining the mile-high club, but she drew the line at some casual kissing and petting.  She seemed pretty nervous about going home.
"What's the matter?" I asked.  "I thought you'd be excited to visit home."
"I am, but I'm also a little anxious," she said.  "I'm the baby of the family.  Mom has always been incredibly supportive, but she forgets I've been out in the world on my own since I was fifteen and won my scholarship to dance in New York.  Dad says outright that I'm 'his little girl'.  You're the first man I've brought home to meet them.  I just don't know what to expect."
"It will be fine."
She snorted.  "My sister brought home a guy from college.  She told me that Mom and Dad put him in the guest room over the garage, not even in the house.  She warned me not to stay at home if I want to be with you."
I laughed.  "It's a good thing I've got space at the Four Seasons then. Are you going to be staying with me there?"
She nodded, and I gave her hand a squeeze.  "I am.  I'm a little addicted to your loving after our summer and the past week.  Mom and Dad are just going to have to let me grow up."
We landed at Love Field and were met by Nicole and a security detail.  Imogene held my hand tightly as we drove to her house in Carrolton.   Her mother and sister rushed out of the house as soon as we pulled up.  Her father followed more slowly.  I half expected him to be cleaning his shotgun based on Imogene's description.  Imogene performed introductions after giving her family hugs and kisses.  I shook her father's hand.
"It's good to meet you, sir," I said as I shook his hand.
"Call me Sam," he replied.  "It's good to meet you finally.  Imogene has been telling us a bit about you over the summer."
"She's told me quite a bit about you all, as well," I said.  "It's so nice to finally put faces to the names and stories."
"Stories?" Gabriella, Imogene's sister asked.  "What stories has she been telling?"
"Nothing serious, I'm sure," Patricia, Imogene's mother said.  "Now, let's not stand outside.  Let's go inside and sit down.  If feels like ages since I've seen my little girl," she said.
The ladies went inside.  Sam and I grabbed Imogene's two large suitcases.  Sam either did not notice or chose to ignore Imogene's dance bag which was left behind.  We dropped the bags at the foot of the stairs in the foyer.  The women were chatting in the living room.  I heard Imogene describing Ireland.  
"Can I interest you in a beer?" Sam asked.
"Sure," I said as I followed him into the kitchen.  He handed me a Shiner Bock bottle and we toasted one another before taking sips.
"This may be old fashioned," Sam said, "but I'd like to know your intentions toward Imogene."
I nodded.  "We're still getting to know each other.  We've spent time together dating over the summer as our schedules allowed and obviously she spent the past week in Nevada with my kids and me.  Unfortunately, we are both about to get busy with our separate lives, so we'll have to see if our relationship can survive some time apart."
Sam sipped his beer again, choosing his words.  "You're not planning on making her your kept woman in New York?" he finally asked.  "I worry about her losing her way up there.  I've tried to be supportive, but those theater and dance folks seem to be a bit flighty.  They have some strange ideas."
I shook my head.  "I understand.  Her friends that I met in Ireland were all nice people.  The work they do to perform at their level requires a dedication and discipline that is pretty amazing.  I don't see Imogene or her friends taking on a risky lifestyle."
"That's good to hear.  How about you? You mentioned your kids, that must keep you close to home."
It was my turn to sip my beer.  
"Yes and no," I finally replied.  "I try to stay close to home and spend time with them, but I can also afford to have help with them and I need to travel some for my work.  Right now, my sister-in-law is watching them in Nevada.  Next week, I'll need to take them back to Utah and make sure they're ready for school.  I like to be home for the first few weeks of school to make sure they're settled but will probably then have a few overnight business trips.  Fortunately, I have some fast planes to get around in."
"How old are they?" Sam asked.
We settled into an easy back and forth, getting a feel for one another.  Sam was a mechanical engineer and understood a lot of the challenges I and my teams were facing.  I was interested in hearing more about his small consulting firm.  We had just opened a second pair of beers when Imogene, Patricia, and Gabriella came into the kitchen.
"You don't have your shotgun out, yet, daddy," Gabriella teased.  "Paul must have said something right."
Sam smiled.  "We were just dickering on how much I have to pay him to take you and your sister off my hands," he fired back, earning a laugh from Patricia and a look of shock from his daughters.  
"I don't think you could afford that," Imogene said.  "He's already got the best daughter, and plenty of money!"
I laughed at them.  
"Well," Patricia said, "Let's get cleaned up and go out to dinner.  We need to welcome Imogene home properly."
I insisted on treating them to dinner at the Four Seasons.  We enjoyed dinner and a lively conversation before finally calling it a night.  Sam had relaxed but looked a little cross when Imogene kissed him goodnight rather than get in the car to drive home with them.  
"We'll see you tomorrow," she said.
Once they were on their way and we were back in my suite, she grabbed me for a kiss.
"Thank you," she said.  "You were wonderful.  I was so worried things would get messed up."
"They love you, and care about you.  So, do I," I said.
"You love me?"  Her eyes were big as she looked up at me.  
I nodded, and she hugged me fiercely.  
"I love you, too.  Thank you for a wonderful homecoming."
*****
"Crap!" Hunter said as our software cycled the engine back down to a pre-start state when ignition failed yet again.
"It's alright," I said.  "At least we know the control software is working."
"But we haven't been able to get initial ignition below twenty-eight percent thrust," he replied.  "Lift-off from the lunar surface is going to be about six gees with the current OTV return mass."
I nodded.  "That's tolerable, but not optimal.  We can either increase the mass, which could have benefits as well, or keep working on the generator programming.  I think we can get the magnetic fields a little tighter.  Look at this run," I said as I pointed to my monitor.
We had been working the problems for nearly two weeks.  I had taken some breaks to get the kids back home and ready for school but had taken to spending days in Nevada and flying home to Park City around four each day.  Hunter, Ian, and Lila were just staying at the lab.
"How can we get that sort of vortex in the fields?" Hunter asked as he looked at the simulation I had built.
"I think we can add three rings of controllers and then program the field matrices.  It should only take a couple of days to install the controllers.  If you want to tackle that, I'll take the field programming."
He nodded.  "I'll get started on the fabrication tomorrow."
"Sounds good.  I'll work from Park City for the rest of the week and get the programming knocked out."
"We need to figure out how to get some more engineers up to speed on this stuff," Hunter said.  "The fabrication side is straight forward, but only you and I have much experience programing the magnetic flows.  I don't like the idea of so much custom work being known only to us."
"That's a good point.  The two of us are becoming a limiting factor on our velocity.  Everything else we do has a team of people working on it," I said.
We looked at each other.  "So how do we fix that?" I asked.
"We can add it as an advanced course of study to the training pipeline," he suggested.
I shook my head.  "I don't think I want our ops teams tinkering with the flows or having an inclination to tinker with them.  We might identify some people to send to training, but this work takes a different mindset.  Hell, I'm probably the only person that can teach it to start."
He was nodding.  
"I'll talk to Tamara and we'll start figuring out how to structure it.  Then I'll just need to clone myself to have enough time to teach it."
Hunter laughed. 
"How are things going with the long-distance relationship?" He asked.  "Maybe you need a clone to take care of that, too."
I scowled.  "Imogene is just as busy as I am.  She's back to practice six and seven days a week.  I was going to hop out there next weekend, but she has no time free."
"I understand.  Lila's going to have to head back to London soon.  I want to get this problem solved.  What's that Chinese curse about interesting times?"
We wrapped up our work and then headed our separate ways.  I thought about teaching on the flight home, jotting down some notes and sending Tamara a note to book some time to discuss.  I spent some time with the kids, hearing about their day and then finished some work in the home office before heading to bed.
All too soon the routine of workout, kids, work, kids, work became the norm.  
Hunter and Lila headed back across the pond after we got the engine start down to eighteen percent peak power.  Billy and Tom were splitting time between the DigiNews movie, and a special season of 'The Interns' in support of the 2002 Winter Olympics.  Allen was growing into his role as head of orbital operations and Tamara was thriving with a group of PAs reporting into her.  All of the business heads were managing their own operations.  I was focused on milestones for our lunar operations and working out a syllabus for generator programming.  
September slipped by.
*****
"Tamara, get me Kelly!" I yelled as I looked at the news article on the DigiNews home page.
Tamara came into my office.  "The Senate is in session.  I won't be able to get a hold of her.  Do you want me to leave a message?"
"Get me that new general at the Pentagon," I snapped.  "If the DOJ is starting up an anti-trust task force on us, I'm going to shut everything down and let them make shit themselves."
"General Patterson, this is Paul Taylor," I said five minutes later.  "Is there any truth to the story that the Department of Justice is looking at anti-trust issues with my business?"
"Paul, I don't know.  This is the first I'm hearing about it.  Give me time to make a few calls and I'll get back to you.  They would not have any standing to interfere in the stealth compound production, and we would squash it even if they did.  We don't want that formula being discussed, let alone produced on the open market."
His confident tone helped calm me down some.  "Please let me know what you find out, General."
I paced in my office for a minute.  "Tamara, where is Candace today?"
"She's in New York.  I've already got a note to her PA.  She should be calling any minute."
Good to her word, my phone rang.
"Candace, have we received anything regarding possible anti-trust probes?" I asked.
"There have been some articles hinting at a case, but they don't really have any basis.  We're a monopoly, for some products, but we're not abusing that monopoly position.  The DOJ would have to prove that for any sort of anti-trust case.  Let me make some calls and see if I can find out what's really up."
I continued to pace, thinking.  
My phone rang.  "It's Sheryl," Tamara said through the door.
I picked up the phone.
"There's some truth to the news story.  It looks like a couple of Attorneys General are complaining to the DOJ about power plant distribution."
"What states?"
"New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, right now.  Candace told me she was heading to the New York AG's office to find out what is going on."
"Okay.  Are we sure it's only about generators?" I asked.
"So far, that's all I've heard.  Why?"
"I just wanted to know what options we have.  All three of those states are heavy union and have been pressured not to have fusion generators installed because of our employment contract.  That's likely to be the monopoly issue they try to raise."
"I'll let Candace know when she calls me back," Sheryl said.  "In the meantime, don't comment to any reporters.  In fact, why don't you go home to the kids or take a trip someplace out of the country.   You pay us a lot of money to handle this sort of thing, Paul, so let us."
I acknowledged her advice and glanced at the clock.  It was only a little after noon, much too early to see the kids.  I sat down and thought for a few minutes.  
"Tamara, how are the California distillation plants doing?"
She pulled up some information and sent it to my computer before coming back into my office with her laptop in hand.
"All fifty are running at capacity.  Why?"
"How about the federal generator plants we still run?" I asked without answering her question.
She typed and pulled up another status report.  "All running at normal capacity.  Again, why?"
"Because those are two domestic instances where we are not exercising monopoly power to produce power.  If Illinois, New York and Pennsylvania want to accuse us of having a monopoly via the DOJ, then I'm going to force the DOJ to sue itself along with the state of California."
Tamara nodded.  "I'll send the data through to Sheryl and Candace.  They've already asked me to keep you from jumping into a media shit-storm."
I laughed, even though I felt like punching a bureaucrat.  
"Sheryl told me the same thing, but more nicely.  She actually suggested I go home or take a trip."
Tamara nodded.
"It's Thursday. You could hop out to New York, see Imogene and then pop over to Ireland for a long weekend with her," she suggested.  "You haven't seen her in more than a month."
"She's busy," I said.
"Paul, take it from a woman.  She may be busy, but she would at least appreciate the gesture of an offer."
"I'll call her first," I said, reaching for my phone.
"You'll leave a message," Tamara countered.  "You know she turns her phone off at practice.  Do that, but then hop on the GOT and go see her.  Trust me."
I thought about it for a moment, with my phone in my hand.  "You're right.  Where is the GOT or the GS-3?"
"GOT is at Salt Lake.  Candace has one GS-3 in New York.  I don't know if it's in Albany or the city."
"Ok.  Call the standby crew.  Can you run by the house and make sure Mrs. Eccles can keep an eye on the kids."
"Of course.  Are you sure you won't need me in New York?"
"If I need a P.A. to visit my girlfriend, I'm either incompetent, way too egotistical, or a complete fool," I replied.
She laughed, and I grabbed my things.
About ninety minutes later, we were on the ground at JFK.  Tamara and Nicole had obviously coordinated, and a car was waiting for me.  We fought through afternoon traffic to the Flatiron district of Manhattan.  My phone chirped at me as we sat in traffic, navigating our way toward the rehearsal studio address.
"This is Paul," I said without looking at the caller ID.
"Are you really coming to New York?" I heard and excited Imogene ask.
"No," I said.  "I'm already in New York."
"Where?" she asked excitedly.  "We just wrapped up and I was going to head home."
I told her what cross street we were at, and then gave the driver some new directions.  We pulled up in front of the building where they were rehearsing.  Imogene and several other dancers came out the doors.
I stepped out for a very warm welcome as she jumped and gave me a kiss.  The other dancers laughed at her and then nodded politely when she introduced me.  After she had shown me off for a few minutes, the other dancers parted, and we climbed back into the car.  
"Where to?" I asked her.
"How about your place for now?"
"Which one?  Ireland, Park City, Nevada...."
She laughed.  "How about someplace we can get to a bit faster, like on the Upper West Side?"
I nodded, and we were on our way.  Twenty minutes later, we were in the penthouse apartment, and she was dragging me toward the bedroom.  An hour after that, we were naked in each other's arms, resting.
"I'm so glad you came to surprise me," she said as her fingers traced patterns on my chest.
"I'm pretty glad I did, too," I said.  "I've missed you."
"Me too."  She kissed my chest, and then kissed my lips.  She smelled of soap and sex, a delightful combination.
"So, how was your day?" I asked.
"It's great now.  I really can't believe you're actually here."
I kissed her again.  "Thanks, but it sounds like things weren't great before I arrived.  What's going on?"
"I guess ABT is having some difficulties.  They're talking about cutting down the fall season."
"Why?"  I asked, worried about her dreams.
"I think they had some mismanagement.  Lord knows they sell out the performances we have.  Anyway, all week it's been 'we need to be better' and 'we need to draw in bigger crowds' instead of just focusing on the dancing.  It's been a very strange environment.  Then today, they cut practice short called a meeting with several of the principals.  I just don't know what's going on.  I'm worried they're going to cut the corps de ballet and reduce the number of soloists and principals."
"Can I help?" I asked carefully.  I knew she did not want to create a chance that I could be seen as buying her a position.
"Just being here helps.  I want to make it on my own.  If that means I have to become a principal someplace else, I guess I'll have to deal with that."
I kissed her.  "I love your determination," I said.  
"I love you, too," she replied.  "How long are you staying in town?"
"I don't know.  I can probably stretch to Sunday.  I'll have to make sure there is nothing going on with the kids."
"I'd like that.  I have to be at practices tomorrow and Saturday, but I can at least see you in the morning and evenings."
"No hot dancer dates?" I teased.
"Like I would tell you about them if I did," she shot back.  She lifted herself up and looked at the clock.  "I need to eat something," she informed me.  What do you have in this giant apartment?"
"I have no idea."
She got out of bed, twirling slowly for my enjoyment and then walked out of the bedroom toward the kitchen.  I almost laughed at her confidence.  A month ago, she had been shocked at Ali and Jyl's casual nudity, and now she was prancing around a penthouse apartment without a stich on.  I grabbed a robe and followed her.
I admired her tight, strong ass as she bent over with her head in the refrigerator.  She gave me a smile when she straightened.  
"I guess you don't want to keep me naked, waiting on you hand and foot for food or sexual favors," she said.
"Why would you think that?"
She stepped around the counter and grabbed the opening of my robe.  "Because you don't have any food here, and you're getting dressed."
"A robe is hardly 'getting dressed'," I countered.  "Maybe if you demonstrate some of those sexual favors, I'll order some food."
She parted the robe enough to bend over and slip her lips around my cock.  Just as I started to stiffen and rise, she pulled off.
"Food first.  I worked hard today."
I groaned and picked her up.  I carried her back to the bedroom and tossed her on the bed.  She writhed sexually, running a finger from her thigh, past her pussy, up to her nipples and then sucked her finger while looking at me through lidded eyes.
"Give me another look like that, and you'll not get any food," I said.
She smiled and then hopped up again.  "I want to get desert from you, but really do need to eat," she said with a laugh.  
We got cleaned up, dressed casually, and headed out for some food.
"So, what are you working on?" Imogene asked after we placed our orders.
"Engines and school work," I replied.
"School work?  I thought you had plenty of degrees already."
I explained about the need for programming the engine controllers.  I left out mention of the boundaries in theoretical math the work was pushing up against.
"To fully understand the programming paradigms, you have to understand the magnetic controllers, and how magnetic fields interact.  You also have to understand the flow of fuel through the generator, which also requires at least some detailed understanding of thermodynamics.  I thought I could design a coding course, but pretty quickly realized this is a specialized curriculum, and probably a graduate level course sequence at that."
"Wow.  How do you even go about thinking of something like that?"
I grinned.  "How do you learn to dance on your tippy-toes?"
She laughed.  "Point taken."
"Is that a pun?"
She laughed again.  "Seriously, how are you going to offer such a course.  It sounds like you need graduates from it sooner than later if you want to offload some work."
"I've got the prerequisites laid out and an outline of two out of three courses or a full semester seminar.  I just need to find someplace to trial the courses at, and then make enough time to deliver them."
"So, you're going to be tied down to a campus for a while?"
I shook my head.  "I'll talk to Stanford and see about having a graduate seminar.  I'll cover all the concepts, but in a single semester.  Once I get the material fully vetted, I can make individual courses for it.  If I can't make it work there, I've got a relationship with Tulane, or I can go talk to MIT.  I think it could be a weekly class at the graduate level, so I could hop wherever for one day a week.  Stanford would be easier for me, but there are things that make Tulane attractive as well."
I went on to relate the help Dr. Perdew could bring with his strong theoretical foundation.  
Imogene shook her head.  "You really are scary-smart.  I feel like a dunce when you get going on this."
"Well, I feel like a klutz when I see you dance, so I guess that makes us a bit even."
*****
Imogene settled astride me and then leaned forward until her breasts pressed against me.  She flexed her hips slowly, grinding against me as she kissed my chest.  I cupped her ass and thrust up into her tightness.
"God, I love the feel of you inside me," she whispered.  "You fill me so full."
We kept a slow, steady pace, both building toward a release.  I felt myself getting close, and stopped thrusting, holding still as her vice-like pussy clenched around me.  She sat up and pulled my hands to her breasts.  I massaged them gently as she rotated her hips.
"Don't you want to fuck me?"  she asked.  "Why aren't you pounding into me?"  
"Is that what you want?" I asked as my moment of crisis receded.
"Yes.  I want to feel you pushing into me as I cum all over your dick."
I pulled her back down to me and then rolled over, pinning her to the bed.  Her legs wrapped around me and her heels locked at the small of my back as I started thrusting again.  Her breathing quickened as I picked up my own pace.  She bit my shoulder and started spasming as her orgasm hit.  I continued pumping into her, but then pulled back too far, and slipped free.
Imogene continued to moan and writhe beneath me.  I reached down to stroke her clit and sent her off again.  Nearly a minute after she started, she pushed my hands away from her. 
"No more," she said hoarsely.  "I'm too sensitive."
Another minute or two passed before her eyes opened to see my stiff dick still pointing at her pussy.  She smiled weakly.  "Keep that thing away from me, you brute."
"You made it this way," I said.  "You should take care of your toys when you're done."
She grinned and released me from her legs before rolling over and tucking her knees under her.  I smiled at her incredible ass as her dripping pussy peaked out from between her legs.
"Ok, brute.  You can fuck me like this, but don't touch my poor clit."
I slipped forward, probing at the soft, wet folds of her pussy while holding her hips.  She reached back and guided me into her.  I pulled her hips back until I was pressed against her muscled ass and thighs.  
Imogene arched her back as I fully penetrated her.  I pulled back and then thrust in, falling into a steady rhythm.  She started cumming again, clenching my dick and shivering as her arms gave out and she collapsed against the pillow.  I thrust again, and then pushed once again as I finally emptied my balls into her.  She continued to shudder as I came.  I held still, my dick still stiff in her hot pussy until she finally relaxed and pulled off of me.  
"My God, you could kill me like that," she said as she rolled over and reached up for me.  
I laid down next to her and reached for her pussy, but she swatted my hand away.  
"You're officially cut off.  I am completely fucked out," she said.  
We had made love a dozen times or more in the past two-and-a-half days.  I worked while Imogene practiced.  Candace had stopped in at the apartment to discuss the DOJ probe on Friday.  I was told to stay out of the media's view as they continued to work the issues.  I actually took her advice and focused on a few other projects.  I also decided to see what I could do the help the ABT.  I didn't want to violate her trust but did not see the harm in ensuring their fall shows were sold out.
"You say that now, but I bet you want me again before I leave tomorrow," I teased.  She had been very amorous in the mornings.  
"Nope.  I'll miss you and want you when you're gone, but your dick is done visiting my little kitty for this month."
I kissed her.  
"So, you want me to come back next month?" 
"You had better be here the first weekend of November when we open the fall season," she replied.
*****
"What's that?" Ali asked as I set a translucent ball of a new aerogel compound on a small pad.
"It's a test," I said, checking the connecting cable from the pad to my computer.
"What kind of test?"
"Wait a minute, and you can see," I said as I scanned over the program I had written one last time.
It looked good, so I typed in the "exec!" command and looked at the ball.
Slowly, it lifted from the pad.
"Cool," Ali said, reaching for the ball.  
I swatted her hand.  "Wait."
Slowly, the ball drifted to one side of the pad, then to the opposite side before returning to the center.  Next, it rose higher, and then lowered gently until it rested on the pad once again.
"How'd you do that?" Ali asked.
"This pad," I said, waving my hand over the ball and pad, "has sixteen thousand microscopic magnetic actuators just like we use in the fusion generators and engines.  The ball is a lightweight aerogel that holds a magnetic charge.  The computer runs a program to adjust the magnetic field by controlling the magnetic actuators to lift and move the ball."
"Why?"
"So, people can learn how to program the magnetic fields without working on a fusion generator."
"Can I touch it?"
I nodded, and she reached out to pick up the ball.  She gave it a little toss and caught it.
"What else can you do with it?" she asked.
I laughed.  Leave it to a child to trivialize months of work with a casual question.
"Well, that's about all, but I suppose I could make things a little more interesting.  How about I make a race track that students have to program and then race the balls around?"
She was nodding.  "That would be fun.  Can I spend the night at Caitlyn's this weekend?"
I suddenly understood her interest.  She wanted to butter me up before asking for something.  I smiled.
"I'll call her mom and discuss it.  You're sure you don't want to go see Imogene dance with me?"
She shook her head.  
"Is there anything wrong with Imogene's dancing?" I asked, wondering if the kids were resenting my time away from them.
"No, Dad, but I know you'll want to do adult things with her and Jer or I would get bored."
"Adult things?" I asked.
"You know, a big dinner out, or some fancy party."
"Okay," I said, not yet ready to discuss sex with my daughter.  "I'll give Caitlyn's mom a call after dinner."
"Thanks, Dad."
*****
"I can't believe you flew Mom and Dad up to see the premiere," Imogene said as we cuddled in bed.  She had danced beautifully in the opening of the fall season at the New York State Theater, part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.  I had surprised her by flying her folks up to see the show.  We had all enjoyed a late dinner, then parted ways with them and come back to the penthouse.
"I remembered how sad you were that they didn't get to see you dance in Dublin.  I figured it was the least I could do," I said.
She draped a sinuous leg over mine and snaked a hand down to gently cup my balls and stroke my dick.  
"You make me feel so good," she said with a little catch in her voice.  "I've been thinking about what I could give you, but you've got everything."
I kissed her.  "You don't have to give me anything, Imogene."
"But I want to," she replied.  "I've talked to some of my girlfriends, about this," she gave me a squeeze, "going someplace besides my little kitty."
"You don't have to worry about that," I said.
"I don't worry about it, but I've been giving it some thought.  A couple of girls said they really enjoy it.  Others admitted to doing it, but not really wanting to do it again."
"Like I said, you don't have to worry about it.  I enjoy everything we do."  
"But we could do more, if we're careful," she said.  
I didn't think she was really serious and decided to play it off.
"Honey, your kitty is plenty tight.  Hell, it's tighter than some asses I've been in," I joked.
She stiffened.
"I thought you had just done it with your wife," she said.
Oops.  I decided I should keep my mouth shut.
"Who else have you done that with, Paul?" she asked.  
"It doesn't matter, Imogene.  I'm with you now, and what we do is plenty pleasurable."
"I want to know," she said, shifting away from me and sitting up.  "You and your wife were high school sweethearts.  Did you cheat on her? I think I have a right to know."
But she really didn't, I thought.
"Look, neither of us were virgins when we met," I said.  "The people in our past are just that, in our past. Jeryl and I were lovers most of her life, but we did have some breaks from each other.  Let's just leave it at that."
"I can't believe you cheated on your wife!"  She was getting worked up.
I considered telling her that I had fucked Jeryl's sisters, with her permission or knowledge, and about Allison, but then realized it was more than that.
"Look," I said.  "I did not cheat on Jeryl.  I did not do anything to be ashamed of, and I don't need to tell you every detail of my past, just like I don't expect you to tell me every detail of yours."
She moved further away from me and pulled her knees up to her chin, looking at me with sad eyes.
"I thought we were moving in the direction where we could tell each other anything," she said softly, with a catch in her voice.  "I wanted to be that close to you."  Tears filled her eyes.
"Crap," I said softly.  "I want to be that close to you, too, but I don't want you to define me by my past, the good or the bad.  I want you to care about me."
"I do, Paul, but I don't know if I can trust you if you lie to me."
"Lie?  I've just told you it doesn't matter.  I haven't denied or lied about anything."
She wiped her eyes and cheeks, swung herself around, and stood up on the side of the bed.  Moonlight outlined her magnificent form as she stood there, naked and vulnerable. 
"I think I should go back to my apartment tonight," she said suddenly.  "I need to think about things.  I'm sorry I spoiled our time together."  She bent over and grabbed her clothes.  
I didn't know if I should try to stop her or let her go.  In the end, I waited too long, and she ran from the room just before I heard her sob.
*****
"Are you alright?" I asked Imogene on the phone. I had sent flowers to her apartment, saying I was sorry, and asking her to call me.  Instead of hearing from her, I was calling her on my way to the airport.  I had waited as long as I could.  At least she had answered my call.
"I am," she said softly.  "I'm sorry I ran out last night, but I needed to think about things.  About us."
"And?" I asked.
She sighed.  "You're right that we both have separate pasts.  I don't know if we can live separate lives and hope to build anything together.  I know it's not fair, but we're so far apart right now."
"Not really," I countered.
"Let me finish," she said.  "I got an offer to be a principal dancer with the Berlin Ballet for their spring season.  I was going to tell you about it last night, but we got side-tracked."
"Congratulations," I said.  I knew it was her dream.  "What does that mean for us?"
"It means I'm going to be further away, and even busier practicing and getting ready.  I'm already feeling the pressure.  I just don't think I can carve out time for us.  I'm sorry."
And there it was.  I suspected last night was about having a reason to break-up, more than about our pasts or trust or anything else.
"I'm sorry, too," I said.  "But I'm very happy for you.  I know how much this means to you."  In my heart, I meant it.
I heard a sob on the phone.  
"I'm sorry, Paul," she said.
"Me, too."
*****
"God-dammit, Kelly!" I was pissed off to no end.  "What do you think you're doing telling Cameron she should call me?" I asked in a tight voice. 
"Paul, I just--"
"You just decided to pimp out your step-brother?  I answered your question about seeing Imogene over Thanksgiving, and ten minutes later Cameron is calling me about maybe spending some time together?"
"Paul, calm down.  It wasn't really like that."
"Like hell it wasn't.  You must have literally called her within minutes of our conversation ending."
"She called me," Kelly said.
"But you didn't have to tell her I had broken up with Imogene, did you?  Do I try to set you up with men?  Do I go out of my way to have friends try and 'spend time' with you?  I appreciate what you did for Jeryl and me when we were teenagers, but you need to stay the fuck out of my love life from now on."
"Paul, I didn't mean to do anything like that," I could hear the distress in her voice.
"You may not have meant it, but that is exactly what you did.  Cameron and I have to work together.  It does not matter if I'm seeing someone else or not.  I won't -- not shouldn't or can't -- but won't date someone I have to maintain a work relationship with.  I told her that last summer.  If I was not clear enough for you, there it is.  I won't cross that line."
"You have before," Kelly fired back.
"And still regret what I've lost," I retorted.   
The weight of losing Jeryl and Alison slammed into me.  My emotions were suddenly as raw as the day I got the news.  All of the healing I thought I had accomplished was ripped away.  My equilibrium was shattered once again.  
"Paul, you need to --"
"Don't tell me what I need or should do," I said tightly, fighting back tears.  "I need to have fewer meddling people in my life.  I need my wife back.  I need the mother of my children here to share the days and nights with me.  I need friends and family who support me, even if they don't agree with me.  What I don't need are arm-chair psychologists or psychiatrists second-guessing my decisions or motivations."
"I'm sorry, Paul," I heard her say.
"You should be." 
I hung up the phone. 
*****
"Paul, this is Allen," I heard over the phone.  
It was the middle of the night, but my phone knew certain numbers it should let ring regardless of the hour.  Over the past week, those numbers had been heavily edited.  Several had been added to route to my PAs voicemail box as well.
"What's up?" I asked.  I had just helped Jer finish some homework, focusing on the kids instead of my own heartbreak and pain.
"We had an incident on orbit," He said.  "No injuries, but some damage to the fuel storage at Astra.  I ordered a complete venting of the volatiles until we can get to root cause."
"What's the damage?"  I asked, heading to my office to log into the station network and get data.
"The refueling shed is exposed to vacuum.  Images indicate an explosive venting from at least one of the LOX tanks.  It was strong enough to introduce a yaw in the station.  We're programming thruster burns to correct that, now."
"Okay.  How many souls on board?"
"Fifteen station staff are up right now.  Everyone is accounted for and safe.  We've locked down all records and telemetry.  I've got a GOT in Sydney on standby if needed for evacuation, and placed a launch hold on the heavies from Spain and Kenya.  We had rim modules scheduled for this week."
I glanced at the clock.  "Where are you running this from?"
"Learmonth was in operational control while we did some upgrades in the Park City control center.  I've got limited capacity here."
"Activate Dublin as primary.  Get whoever you need ready to hop over there in the morning.  I'll have the GOT ready in Salt Lake."


Chapter Fifty-Five
Healing Wounds
*****
"Paul?" Collin asked.  
My mind had wondered.
"Sorry," I mumbled.  "What was that?"
"I asked if you agreed with the analysis on the hardening rates," Collin replied.
We were going over the latest data from the test casting of the lunar building materials we had developed for use in-place on the lunar surface.  The last mission -- before the on-orbit emergency had put a stop to using chemical landing rockets -- had provided more data on the setting process as well as the self-adhesion rates to multistage castings.
I nodded for the video camera.  "Yes, it looks good.  We'll want to re-test and make sure nothing has changed on the next visit, but I think we've got a potential winner here."
Collin nodded and sat back.
"You seem distracted, Paul."
I sighed.  I was distracted.  My nights had become filled with hours of matrix math theory and how it applied to the quantum state in very strong magnetic fields.  I felt I was at a dead-end on my theoretical approach.  I had put more of my free time into the math, knowing there had to be a way to go back once again, but finding little hope in the details.
"I'm just worried we're rushing ahead too fast," I replied.  "Now that we've got a lower thrust fusion engine, I want to make sure we convert the OTVs and do them right.  At the same time, we're chomping at the bit to get back and finalize these findings, so we can break ground on a permanent base, and were hurrying repairs on Astra so we can finish its build out and start it spinning.  We've got a lot going on."
"But we've got a lot of good people watching over everything as well.  Maybe you need a little break.  Why don't you bring the kids down for their winter break?  Spend a little time here at Learmonth.  You know, Jyl and I would love to see them and you.  Besides, when was the last time you really took a break?" 
That brought back memories.  Imogene and I had first met nearly two-and-a-half years ago.  Jeryl and Alison had died nearly a year before that.  Where had the time gone?  When would the healing come?  Was it time to give up hope on a break in theory?
"That might be a plan," I finally said.  "I think Mom and Jim wanted to share Christmas with the kids, so let me see what their plans are."
"Jyl's folks are coming down here," Collin informed me.  "I'm sure that set of grandparents would be happy to play host if you need some help."
That set me of on another string of thoughts.  I'd spent less than three days with Janet and Jerry since the memorial service.  I just could not bear to face them.  The kids still saw them on a regular basis, but my own guilt kept me away from them.  My only job had been to keep their daughter safe.  I had failed them.
"Like I said, let me check with the kids and my folks and I'll let you know.  We've never really done a southern hemisphere Christmas before."
Collin laughed.  "It's like being in Hawaii.  You get used to pictures of Santa Claus in a swimsuit."
I chuckled, and we ended the call.  I stood up and stretched before walking out of my office in Park City.  Tamara saw me and came out from her own office.
"What's up, boss?"
"Just stretching my legs.  How are things going?"
The question seemed to catch her off-guard.  "What do you mean?"
I shrugged.  "How are things going," I said again.  "What are you working on?  What obstacles do you see?  How are the new PAs doing?  How are repairs on Astra going?  You know, what's up?"
"Paul, we covered most of that in the morning briefing.  Are you feeling alright?"  She looked around the office, as if to see who else might be listening.  At the moment, the desks nearest our offices were empty.
"I'm feeling...." I realized I didn't actually know how I was feeling.  "Shit," I turned back into my office and Tamara followed me.  She closed the door behind her.
"What's going on, Paul?  What can I do to help?"  I could hear the genuine concern in her voice.
"I've lost something, some drive, some passion, and I don't know how to get it back," I finally said.  "The new fusion engines were the last big problem for us to solve.  Everything else feels like engineering and management.  We've got a roadmap for the next decade, and none of it requires new research and development.  None of it requires me.  With Jeryl, that would have been enough, but without her, I don't know what to do with myself."
Tamara moved closer and gave me a hug.  She wasn't an employee making a pass or offering something, she was a friend offering support.  I hugged her back, thanking her for her offering.
After a moment, we separated.
"Thanks," I said.
She nodded, frowned, and then gave a little shake of her head, as if debating herself before speaking.  
"Paul, I know a part of you died with Jeryl.  Everyone who saw the two of you together knows that.  I've seen you throw yourself into projects and 'engineering and management' as you call it to give yourself time to not think about what you've lost.  I've seen you throw yourself into a relationship to try and fill the emptiness you feel.  I've seen you grow a more meaningful relationship with your kids, trying to fill two sets of parent's shoes with them.  I've always wondered when you would realize looking outward was not going to answer your needs."
"What do you mean?"
"Jeryl's gone, and not coming back.  You know that intellectually, but still haven't accepted it emotionally.  There is some tiny part of you thinking that you can do something to recapture what's lost, but you don't know what it is.  I think that's why you are pushing some of your closest friends and supporters away; that if you are just free from distractions, you can figure that problem out, but it's not really a problem you can solve."
But I had changed the past once, I thought to myself.
"Who am I pushing away?"
"Jim, your mother, Kelly, Jeryl's family, Lila and Hunter, Billy, Tom, everyone who wants to support you."
"What do you mean?"
"You and Jeryl used to bring everyone together at holidays or for special occasions.  Do you remember the Atlanta Olympics?  You made it possible for everyone to experience something special that few people in the world are given the opportunity to see in person.  It was busy and demanding to make the schedules work, but you did it, and everyone loved you for it."
She paused and took a breath.  "Now, you won't talk to Kelly, you avoid spending any time with Jeryl's parents, you've been in the same location with your mother and Jim for less than a dozen days over the past two years, and you have your closest work friends scattered to the four corners of the world."
I scoffed.  "It's not like that.  We're all just busy."
She shook her head.  "It is exactly like that.  I have requests that show up at least once a week in the morning briefings for personal interactions with you, and you de-prioritize them all.  I thought you were turning a corner with Imogene last Fourth of July, but that all crumbled this fall.  The closest you've come to acting like your old self was some of the guest appearances on 'The Olympic Interns" filming.  For a few minutes, I saw the old spark of you."
"They're a good group of kids," I said.  I had enjoyed interacting with them during the taping, I admitted.  I was actually looking forward to teaching a class in the spring.
"Then do more of that, or something similar.  You need to make time for people in your life, and if you don't have enough of them, you need to find some more friends."
She looked startled at her own words.  
"Okay," I said after a moment's thought.
"Okay?"
I nodded.  She was right, and I knew it when it was pointed out to me.  Jeryl used to do that sort of thing for me.  It was part of what I was missing, part of what I wanted to recapture so desperately.
"It's December sixth.  I want a companywide holiday, with pay from the twentieth through January fourth.  That includes you, Allen, and all the other PAs."
"What about folks on orbit?" she asked.
"They can have the same time off on their return.  Have Allen organize shift work for orbital operations teams.  Maybe have each control location take oversight for a week or something.  That way they can all get a break as well.  Non-essential work in orbit stops, so we should have a manageable risk profile."
She nodded, making some notes.
"Next, arrange a GOT for my folks and Jeryl's folks to head down to Learmonth around the same time.  See what their prior travel plans were and adjust them.  Then get the Sydney house opened up.  Hire local staff and get them vetted, but invite Philip to visit as a family friend, not as a chef."
"What dates for Sydney?" Tamara asked.
I pulled up a calendar.  "Invite Jyl, Collin, Janet and Jerry to join us on the twenty-fourth.  We'll have Christmas in Sydney and then on Boxing Day, we'll watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.  They can stay at the house as long as they want, afterward."
"Okay."
"You and Allen are invited, but I understand if you both want a little break from me," I said.
Tamara smiled.  "Thank you, but we're good.  We're going down to San Diego and spending time with my family.  His folks are joining us as well."
"That sounds nice," I said.
"We've already planned and handled year-end bonuses," I continued, "but I want to send a personal gift to the entire staff.  How many people are on staff right now?"
Tamara pulled up our HR files on her tablet.  "PT Innovations and its wholly owned subsidiaries are just under twenty thousand employees right now."
"Send everyone a two-thousand-dollar gift from me.  We'll have to pay the gift tax on it, but I can afford it," I said with a laugh.
"Paul, that's fifty-five million dollars from your personal funds.  Are you sure?"
I typed a few commands and passwords into a website and then pointed at the amount on the monitor.  "I think I can afford it," I said confidently.  Tamara's face fell when she saw the amount there.  It was all overseas at the moment, but the account I used for large personal expenses had over three hundred million dollars in it.  I had several others of nearly the same size.
"You're the boss," she said.  "And thank you," she added.
"Merry Christmas and thank you for telling me to get my head out of my ass, in a very professional manner."
She grinned at me.  
"One last thing," I said.  "Arrange lunch for me with Mitt Romney.  I want to see what else I can be doing to help the Olympic effort here."
*****
"Nana!" Ali called when she spotted Janet walking down the beach toward us.  My little girl jumped up and ran to give her grandmother a hug.  Jer came out of the water and grabbed a towel to dry off and then did the same.  
I stood up and brushed the sand off my shorts as the kids dragged her closer.  She looked fit, with more wrinkles around her eyes than I remembered.  Her dark hair had a few grey streaks in it.  She had on khaki capris and a colorful, loose blouse on.  I was surprised when she gave me a hug.
"You're looking good, Paul," she said.
"You as well.  Where's Jerry?"  I asked.
"He's still changing and chatting with Jyl and Collin.  I wanted to come down and feel the sand on my feet."
We sat down as the kids told her all the things they had been up to in the fall and since coming down to Australia earlier in the week.  Janet smiled and nodded and asked questions to keep them talking.  I watched in wonder.  She was happy to spend time with the kids, even if I was close by.  Jerry joined us a little later and the kids were repeating the highlights of their tales.
"The kids are growing like weeds," Jerry said as they raced back toward the house while the adults took a slower pace.
"They are.  Every time I turn around, it seems they are taller or more mature.  Ali has started noticing boys, which is enough to keep me up at night."
Jerry laughed.  "Daughters are payback for our younger selves," he said.  "I'm sure Janet can help navigate those waters."
Janet shook her head.  "I don't know that I'm the right person for that job.  I'm not sure I did such a great job with our girls."
"They all turned out great," I said.  
Thinking of Jeryl brought a lump to my throat.  Janet sensed my sudden shift in mood and reached out to give my arm a squeeze.
"I'm so sorry," I said.
"Stop," Jerry demanded.  "We are all sorry about what happened, Paul.  We all miss Jeryl.  But we know what happened was not your fault.  We all need to do what is best for the kids now.  They're not our only grandchildren, but they are our oldest grandchildren.  We know they will want for nothing from a worldly needs perspective, but we know they need more than that."
Janet was nodding.  "We know if you find someone else, it won't diminish your feelings for Jeryl and the kids.  We want you to know that we understand.  We just want to make sure you consider the kids in whatever decisions you make."
"I do," I said.
*****
"How's Kelly doing?"  I asked as Jim and I manned the grill on the patio at 'Taylor House' in Sydney.  
"She's sorry but staying busy.  You really lit into her, didn't you?"  
I didn't hear chastisement in his voice.
"I did.  I'm sorry it got to that point, but she crossed a line."
He nodded.  "She missed seeing the kids at Thanksgiving.  She missed having a chance to apologize to you in person as well."
I shrugged.  
Jim flipped the chicken on his side of the grill.  "Are you going to forgive her?" he asked finally.
It was a good question.  Intellectually, I knew I would, but part of me wanted to stay mad at her.
"I'm sure I will, but I haven't yet," I said finally.  "Let's get the vegetables on to cook and then I'll grab the seafood."
We had a full house and were preparing to enjoy an unconventional Christmas dinner.  Philip stepped outside, looking relaxed in a white polo shirt and khaki shorts.  He had three beers in his hands.
"I was sent to make sure you two didn't burn dinner," he said with a laugh as he handed us beers.  
"You aren't stepping in to cook," I warned.  "You're here as a guest."
"No worries, Paul.  It looks like you two have everything under control.  I really just wanted to come out to get away from all the estrogen inside."
We laughed.  Mom, Janet, Camilla, Jyl, Chrissy, Ali, and Jane were inside getting the rest of the dinner ready.  Bluey, Jerry, Collin, and Jer had escaped down the street to the Tarrington's on some flimsy excuse.  Jim and I had been too slow to escape.  Grilling became the simple retreat.
"What are they plotting now?" I asked as I finished laying the sliced and seasoned vegetables on the grill before taking the beer Philip offered.
"Not plotting, but grilling Chrissy about modeling.  She did that swimsuit shoot for Sports Illustrated over Thanksgiving, and she did a couple of fashion shoots before flying home this week.  She said that's why she didn't go to her winter formal this year, but I think it had more to do with you, Paul."
I groaned.  "I wasn't in the mood to be her escort again."
Jim gave me an arched eyebrow and I explained that I had taken her to several dances as a friend to keep the wolves at bay.
"Such a sacrifice," Jim said, "taking an international model to dinner and a dance to protect her from those college boys."  
His dry, sarcastic delivery brought me up short.
"She's too young for me to be anything other than a friend," I said.
Both men nodded but said nothing.
"Really," I insisted.  
"So, who are you going to date next, then?" Philip asked.
"I'm not really looking to date anyone."
Philip laughed.  "You may not be looking, but trust me, there are plenty of lasses looking at you.  You're officially the richest man in the world and single.  Your name shows up in the papers every time your GOT hops around the world.  I bet half of the names Chrissy is dropping inside would be jumping your bones if you gave them the time of day."
"What do you mean?"
"Chrissy was telling everyone how friendly the other models at the shoot were, and how interested they were in learning more about you, from her."
"Anyone this old man would recognize?" Jim asked.
Philip shrugged.  "I don't know if you follow fashion, but I recognized the names; Kate Moss, Heidi Klum, Carmen Kass, Carolyn Murphy.  Chrissy said she was getting tired of answering their questions by the time the shoots were done."
"Good," I said as I flipped the vegetables and Jim turned the chicken once more.  "Maybe that will be a reason to spend a little less time focused on me, and a little more on her schoolwork."
"She's on the dean's list," Jim said.  "Bluey is very proud of that fact."
"She's a smart kid.  Okay, let's not gossip like the hens in there.  It's time to get the seafood cooking."
The afternoon with family and friends was relaxing and enjoyable.  I kept getting small scowls from Chrissy, but only smiled in return.  Over the course of dinner and cleaning up, she seemed to get over her huff and actually smiled back.
The purpose of the secret trip to the Tarrington's was revealed when water balloons and squirt guns came out in the afternoon as the kids played in the pool.  Ali and Jane shrieked in delight and managed to 'accidentally' target the adults to pull them into the fray.  Twenty minutes later, we were all laughing and soaked.  Fortunately, everyone had swimsuits on under whatever they were wearing for the day.  Jyl and Collin got roped into chicken fights in the pool, so all the kids had an adult to ride as they tried to dunk each other. It looked like the boys were being surrounded by the girls until Collin managed to tip Jane off Chrissy's shoulders without losing Jer from his own. We more sensible, older adults sat in the sun to dry off, laughing at their antics.
Camilla followed me inside when I went to fetch more drinks.
"Paul, can we talk for a minute?" she asked as soon as the sliding door was closed.
"Of course, Camilla.  What about?"
She gave and little frown and then shook her head.  "You know Chrissy thinks the world of you, right?"
"I'm fond of her as well."  I already did not like where this was going.
"She's twenty going on thirty with all the things she has going on," Camilla continued.  
"There were times I felt old at fourteen," I said, thinking back to my teenage years and living them twice.  The second time had been much better.  The second time I had Jeryl with me.
"She is convinced you still look at her as the teenager you met four years ago, before she developed like she has."
I shrugged.  "Sometimes, I do," I admitted.  "Other times, I see her as a promising engineering student.  Other times, like today, I'm forced to see her as a beautiful young woman."  I paused to watch her climb out of the pool.  Her black bikini showing her wonderfully fit body.
I looked back at Camilla.  "No matter what I think of her, though, I always remember she is the daughter of dear friends."
Camilla nodded.  "I'm not saying that should change, mind you, but I also think you might want to consider her being more than a child."
"I'm not sure what you mean," I said.
"Do you know she turned down twenty-thousand dollars' worth of modeling work last summer to be able to work on the robotics project here, for no pay?  She didn't even bat an eye at the amount.  All she wanted to do was work on that project that you had arranged."
"She's a serious student," I said.
"No," Camilla said firmly.  "I mean, she is, but that's not why she said 'no'.  She didn't want to disappoint you.  She told me all about the spring formal and how much fun she had talking shop with you and seeing how she could apply what she was learning, but she wanted to apply it to work that mattered to you.  Ever since she went to New Orleans with you, she's been driven to make you proud of her."
"I'm humbled."
Camilla laughed.  "You shouldn't be.  You've inspired a generation of kids with your shows and your achievements.  Unfortunately for Chrissy, she sees that allure of fame and achievement and at the same time, sees you throwing water balloons like a kid."
"How's that unfortunate?  Surely, she knows I'm just as human and she is," I countered.
"Unfortunate, because she does know you.  You should have heard her bragging to her model friends right up until she realized one of them could catch your eye and not be seen as that gawky teenager from four years ago.  I was with her for the photo shoots earlier this month.  I heard their questions and her responses.  If Carmen Kass hadn't asked if you might be interested in playing a game of chess, I don't think the penny would have dropped for Chrissy."
I shook my head.  I was totally lost.
"Carmen is a pretty keen chess player, evidently.  When she asked Chrissy that, I think Chrissy realized several of them were angling for introductions, not just information."  Camilla sighed.  "Look, I want Chrissy to be happy in life.  I want you, our dear friend, to find happiness again.  If the two of you happen to make each other happy, I want you to know I won't object.  I only ask that you consider Chrissy as a young, adult woman, not a child."
She grabbed the tray of beers we had filled and headed toward the door before I could respond.
*****
"How's the engine refit going?" I asked.  Tamara and Allen were covering our status on the orbital plans and work.  We had broken this update out from my morning briefing since there was so much going on in Allen's area.  I knew he was on top of things but liked having a solid understanding of status before being out-of-pocket for the remainder of the day.  
I was teaching at Stanford in the afternoon.  Katiana and I would be off to the Heber airport after this briefing completed.  The drive to Heber was about twenty minutes while construction on the highway to the Salt Lake Airport was making that drive significantly longer.  The GOT would never land at Heber's strip, but the GS-3 was more practical for other reasons as well.  It could make it to Stanford in less than an hour, was conventionally powered, and I had gotten checked out for the co-pilot's seat after coming back from Australia.  It was a secret I had to keep from Ali, or she would be wanting to do the same thing.  We had bent the rules of the FAA as far as we could getting her a student pilot's license before she was 'officially' old enough.  She had finally started conventional twin engine training with her instructor, but was not going to get a higher rating until she turned sixteen.
"All three OTV's have their new engines," Allen said.  "'Tycho Brahe' is on its way back to lunar orbit as we speak.  'Selene' is scheduled for next week with a limited crew to perform a test landing and return."
"How limited?" 
"Two," Allen answered.  "Todd Walton is pilot in command.  Tucker Winslow, one of the newly certified OTV pilots, is his flight engineer.  Tucker will then rotate to be pilot in command of 'Artemis' for the next full mission."
"How much bigger a load will go on 'Artemis'?"  I asked.  Without needing to have three large liquid fuel landing rockets as part of the OTV configuration, we were able to significantly increase the volume available to ferry gear to the lunar surface on any given mission.
"It works out to about forty percent more mass delivered to the lunar surface," Allen replied.  "'Artemis' will be taking another construction rover and the station generator module."  He pulled out a sheaf of papers and put them on the table.  "Here's the mission plan for setting the foundation and then starting the boot-strap build out.  Power is first, then hab and lab space three months later.  We need to decide timing on the first dual OTV mission, so we have a permanent return option before we start full-time staffing."
"Tamara?" I asked.
"The fall mission at the earliest," she replied.  "Once the rim modules for Astra are all on orbit, we'll have three custom lift and transit modules and take 'Selene' through another re-fit.  She'll be the permanent on-station OTV.  'Artemis' and 'Phoebe' will be the transit vehicles for crew changes.  'Selene' will have a return-to-earth-orbit capacity of fifty-four people."
I nodded.  "We'll need to always have a flight crew be part of the station staff.  I think it's time to move Megan into VP of Lunar Ops, so she can start planning the staff moves for the build out."
"I agree," said Tamara.  "I'll get the paperwork ready.  You'll make the offer to her, right Paul?"
"Yes.  Let's do it before the weekend.  Anything else for Orbital Ops?"
"I think that's it," Allen replied.
We ended the meeting and Tamara handed me my jacket and bag as I headed for the door.  Katiana was bundled up for the cold, waiting.  We left the offices and hopped into the warmed and waiting Range Rover for the drive out of Park City and around to Heber.  
"All of the construction is starting to be a problem," Nicole said from her seat next to the driver.
"Why?"
"It limits our routes.  I don't like having only one option to get from the office to the highway or back to the house," she said.
"I'm not sure we can do much about it," I said.  
Our office complex had been built close to the mountain, behind the golf course.  We had paid the city for road improvements and even paid for a lift up the mountain, so people could ski, in-season, before or after work or even over lunch.  It was one of the most popular perks we offered.  Most of our staff had preempted the building frenzy of the Olympics, greatly boosting the local economy.  Now with the further building of the athlete's village and additional housing for the anticipated staff and visitors, Park City was starting to feel almost crowded.
Pete Welch greeted me professionally, and then handed me the check-list to do the pre-flight while Katiana and Nicole climbed into the jet.  Ten minutes later, we were taxiing and soon pointed west with the throttles advanced.  Pete, who was also my flight instructor, grilled me on aircraft stats and procedures for the entire flight before having me handle the communications for approach and landing.  An hour and ten minutes after leaving the Park City office I was back in a car heading toward Stanford.
"I can't believe you're going to fly out here every week for the whole semester," Chrissy said with a smile.  
She had been waiting as I left the small seminar room in the school of engineering.  It had been a packed room since several faculty had decided to sit in on the introductory portion of the course to learn more about how the fusion generators worked.  I remembered her mother's words and smiled back.
"But no dinner and dancing for you on these trips," I said in what was hopefully a teasing voice.  "I'm faculty now and have to abide by the code of conduct.  Hopefully, I won't have to report you to the dean."
She frowned.
"That's so unfair.  What about spring formal?"
"What's the date?"
She told me.
"The seminar doesn't have a final, so I'll be done teaching the Thursday before hand.  I might be available to escort you to your formal."
She beamed.  
"So, what can I do between now and then?" she asked.  "I guess, I'll just have to throw some of my non-student friends at you and then get them to do the teasing for me.  Maybe I should invite them all back here after the Sports Illustrated launch party," she teased.  She had found out she was in the swimsuit issue and might even be on the cover.  
I put a mock scowl on my face.  "You do plenty well teasing me without bringing in outside reinforcements."
"Oh, no.  If you are going to tease me by treating me like a student, then I'm going to tease you right back.  When are your office hours?"
I hadn't thought about that.
"I guess I'll need to set some up.  I'll have to email the people actually enrolled in the course, and I'll warn them to not tell you, so I don't get roped into helping you with your homework."
She laughed.  "That's a good idea.  It is going to be nice to see you a bit more frequently.  I'd like to discuss the 3-d printing robot with you.  I'm thinking about using some of that for my senior project next year."
"We've got the formulation for use on the moon finalized.  We're also sending up a test fabrication robot on the next mission.  We've got some concerns about dispersal in a vacuum and with only a sixth-of-a-gee field.  Our first structure is going to use an inflatable framework and apply the compound with the robot to cover it."
"Cool.  Any chance I could watch?"
"Have you been through our zero-g orientation course yet?" I asked.
She swatted my arm.  "I mean via remote telemetry, not in person."
"I'll see what I can do."
*****
"We're entering an inflationary cycle," Bob Rubin, the current Secretary of the Treasury said.  
I had been 'invited' to a small group of industry leaders for an economic summit at the White House to discuss the US economy and the President's economic policy as the political machines geared up for another election cycle.
Al Gore and Kelly would run again, obviously.  The Republican Party candidates were already making noise about the economy and rising cost of goods as GDP stayed relatively flat.  That had led to the invitation.  
"What type of inflationary cycle?" Jim McNerney asked.  He was here representing GE.  "Money supply or price?"
"Good question.  We're seeing price inflation."
"So, people can buy less with their dollars," Ted Turner said, "and we can buy less with our profits and investments as well.  What is the Fed doing?"
"Greenspan is signaling interest rate increases," Rubin said, as if he did not know what the Federal Reserve Board would do.  "That might help with domestic prices by encouraging savings and taking some of the supply out of circulation, but it's going to hurt on the trade balance side since a strong dollar will make exports costlier.  The President and I would like to see what policy changes might improve job growth to improve the broader economy and help GDP keep pace to support a dollar valuation."
I wanted to pull my hair out.  It had taken us nearly an hour to get to this point in the discussion.  In my prior life, the US had just survived the dot-com bubble which had provided a cooling effect on the economy and prevented an inflationary bubble.  I had hoped better fiscal policy and the balanced budget act without funding several extended wars would help keep us on an even keel.  While I had some good economists on staff, I also realized economics was not a science.  
"Hell, convince Taylor to sell his generators for dollars again and the trade balance issue goes away," McNerney said.
Everyone looked my way.
"I've got a lot of customers that would not want me to do that," I replied.  "In fact, I've got more customers against such a move than for it."
Rubin looked uncomfortable at that statement.  The unions still had a lot of pull with the DNC.  The Secretary of State, on the other hand was crafting an effective international policy by providing favorable lending terms to countries wanting to purchase generators.  They would loan dollars to a country, have that country buy gold and then purchase power systems from me, and then theoretically pay back the U.S. of A. the principal and interest of the loan.  I wasn't sure how that actually helped anyone but was assured that convertible debt was a sound method of moving countries toward our democratic ideals.  So long as I did not see the extremism rising, I forced myself to believe the experts knew what they were doing.
"Then license them to us, and we'll sell them for dollars," McNerney replied.  "It would at least boost domestic sales."
"We aren't looking for a single point approach," Rubin interjected, looking like he was afraid of losing control of the meeting.  "We want a range of policy ideas that we can evaluate and explore as the Fed changes play out."
"Lending policy," Ted Turner said. "Owning a home is the 'American Dream'.  Make it easier to reach that goal."
I knew that was a bad idea.  The housing bubble had set the stage for government bailouts and then bigger swings in the economy until the collapse of the petro-dollar in my prior life.  The entitled upper class had supported the bailouts, the voting lower class had insisted on increasing subsidies, and the middle-class that formed the backbone of the economy had gotten screwed.  The boom-bust cycle had finally reached a catastrophic point in the 2020's and many people pointed to the dot-com bubble as the first sign. 
"Who's holding the paper on those loans?" I asked.  "A bad loan is bad.  A million bad loans are worse.  Besides, easier access to money for homes is going to drive up property prices and I thought you were trying to slow price inflation."
"Well, they would still need underwriting, and increased property values would drive up property taxes as well, so government funds would increase." Turner replied.
I could almost feel history exerting itself.  I had managed to tilt the field away from some meaningless wars but did not see how to avert a self-inflicted economic crisis that would hurt the whole world.  
I let the discussion swirl around me, thinking about economics and my lack of expertise in the area.  There was no simple formula for the world economy that I could solve.  
Eventually, the meeting ended.  I shook hands with people and then left the Roosevelt Room only to come face-to-face with Kelly.  I had not expected to see her on this trip.
"Paul," she said as I stepped aside to let Bob Rubin through the doorway.
"Kelly," I replied. "How have you been?"  She looked tired to my eyes.
"Busy.  Al and I are gearing up for the campaign trail again.  When I heard you were in town, I decided to get over here to catch up.  Are you done for the day?"
I nodded.
"Good.  Let's chat."  She led me down the hallway and around the corner to her office in the West Wing.  Her aide followed us to the door and closed it behind us.
"Paul," she said after gathering her thoughts for a moment and then facing me.  "I'm sorry.  I stepped way out of bounds telling Cameron about your breakup last fall and I'm sorry I tried to meddle.  I love you.  I love your kids.  I'm sorry I let my own ego hurt our relationship."
I looked at the sincerity in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, too," I finally said.  "I'm sorry I blew up at you.  I know you didn't really mean any harm."
Her shoulders slumped a little, but she smiled and closed the short distance between us to give me a hug.
"I promise I won't ever try to set you up with anyone again."
I held her at arm's length and gave her my impression of an arched eyebrow."
"Really?"
She nodded her head.  "I promise."
I hugged her again.  
"I've missed you," I said as we parted.  "How have you been doing?"
"Fighting the good fight," she replied as she motioned me to a chair and took one herself.  "How did the summit go?"
"It's a waste of my time," I replied candidly.  "I'm not an economist."
"But you are a major employer and global business leader," she countered.
I laughed.  "I'm lucky to have some technology that practically prints money.  I don't have to be a great business leader when I've got a monopoly on fusion power."
"Don't say that word," she said.  "The DOJ might hear you."
"I've been assured that monopolies are not illegal unless they are using their monopoly position to control pricing.  Hell, one of the reasons the power companies here don't want my generators is then they wouldn't have an excuse to keep raising prices.  Their distribution costs would be fixed and the cost to generate power would go down, so you think they would still be happy with wider margins, but that doesn't seem to play with them.  It is almost like they want to be able to point at foreign oil costs as an excuse for management decisions.  Tell Bob to put a 100% tax on power revenues over ten cents a kilowatt and your inflation issues would go away.  Power is a key component of cost of goods."
Kelly looked serious for a minute.  "We'd probably split the unions on that move."
"Take it straight to the people and screw the union politics.  I've been saying that for years.  If the people can be given a voice, they can drown out the unions and politicians.  No offense," I added with a grin.
She laughed.  "I'll pass the suggestion along.  Now, that's enough politics.  Tell me how you've been doing."
We spent twenty minutes catching up on the past six months before her aide tapped on the door and stuck her head in.  Kelly stood without the aide having to say a word.
"Paul, I've got to run to another meeting, but I'm glad we could catch up and clear the air.  Will you be in Utah in a few weeks?"
"I will until the kids finish school.  I'm in Stanford Thursday afternoons and evenings to teach the graduate fusion seminar, but other than that I try to stay close to home.  Why?"
"I'm going to be doing some campaign visits out there. Some DNC strategist insists that we can play on my ties to you and your ties to the state and maybe, for once, land at least a representative for the party.  I'm sure we'll spin it as checking on what the government can do to help preparations for the winter games in two years while reminding all the residents what fine funding and support they've gotten as a result of the Olympic bid, but the truth is the party wants to try and land a Democrat from Salt Lake City in the House and take a seat away from the Republicans."
I smiled at her candor.  It was a side of Kelly I had not seen in years.  
"Well, just let Tamara know when and I'll try to be available for the media circus."
I kissed her cheek and then she strode away.  Another aide or intern was waiting to guide me out of the West Wing.
*****
"Control, Astra station.  Final checks complete.  All rim and spoke modules are clear and secured.  All on station personnel accounted for in the hub.  Ready to proceed with spin initiation," Michael Jensen said via the speaker in our Park City control room.  
Michael Jensen, formerly of Team Pollux, had been selected as the first Astra Station Commander.  He was on orbit in the station with a caretaker crew of seven as we initiated rotation on the station to provide it with one-tenth-gee simulated gravity through centripetal force.
"Astra, this is Control," Allen said.  "Initiating automated sequence in three... two...one...mark."  His finger mashed a button on his touchscreen and a thirty second clock appeared on the main screen in the room, overlaying the image from the GOT standing by the station.
Ion thrusters affixed to the rim modules would begin providing low thrust to initiate a spin on the station.  Once we were up to our rotational velocity of thirteen meters per second, we could maintain the spin rate with two thrusters.  We had twelve in place for redundancy.  Each thruster unit was actually four thrusters, clustered to point in four directions, like a traditional control thruster, but powered by electricity and ionized xenon. Additional station keeping thrusters were positioned in clusters on the hub as well, but they would not help with the spin-up, only with keeping the station's axis aligned to be on orbit.  
As the countdown reached zero, there was no dramatic firing of rockets.  We had considered using higher specific impulse chemical rockets for the initial spin-up but decided to fully exercise the permanent on-station thrusters instead.  While there was no flashy ignition, we did see the rotational velocity indicator on the screen begin to climb.  Combined, the thrusters could accelerate the rim of the station at roughly a millimeter per second squared.  To reach our targeted rotational speed, it would take nearly twenty hours.
"Astra Station, we show rotational velocity at point zero zero seven and climbing, over," Allen said.
"Astra Station confirms and concurs.  Estimated time to thruster shutdown is twenty-one hours, forty-two minutes, over."
"Astra station, begin strain tolerance checks, over."
"Roger, control."
On a small monitor we could see the team moving toward the spoke entry hatches from the hub.  Six of the crew would transit the spokes multiple times over the course of the spin-up, manually verifying strain readings and looking for any deviations from our expected readings.  It was going to be a long, painstaking day for everyone.
An hour later, we were up to three point six meters per second rotational velocity and I decided to call it a night.  We had started the rotation at midnight GMT, which was five PM in Park City.  We'd be up to speed around almost two PM the next afternoon.  I'd be in Stanford starting a lecture as they finished the spin-up.  By the time I got home tomorrow night, the station crew would be settled, and the first long-term inhabitants would be on their way to orbit.
*****
"Is there any interaction between the magnetic flow path and cosmic or solar radiation?" Garth Mcgrew, one of the sharper grad students asked.  
"Good question," I replied.  "Not that we've observed to date, but we also over-engineer the field management in the generators and engines.  We've had a first-generation generator in orbit for five years and seen only small fluctuations in control fields.  Thankfully, we have not seen any large solar flare events in that time.  Of course, our station has always been inside the van Allen Belts as well, so the flares we have seen have been relatively benign."
"The lunar surface is going to be a different environment, right?" he asked.
"Yes.  We've had a fourth-generation generator there for about six months.  I'll have the data pulled and posted on the class shared server for you all to take a look at it.  Next week, you tell me if we need to be worried or not based on the data to date."
The six students scribbled notes to themselves.  Over the course of the semester, they had learned a lot about how the magnetic fields controlled the flow of hydrogen through the generators or engines and made fusion work.  They had also learned a lot of highly parallel programming techniques to control the magnetic actuators that made it possible.
"What other questions do you have?" I asked.
"No final, right?" Harley Dow asked.  He had demonstrated his intelligence during the course, but always seemed more concerned about tests than actual learning.
"No final exam," I said.  "You will need to complete the project analysis and report by the last class to receive credit for the seminar."
Five heads nodded, but Harley scowled.  
"Problem, Harley?" I asked.
He sighed.  "No.  I'm just worried about getting it all done in two weeks."
"Look on the bright side," I said.  "You know it should work.  I had to figure it out one step at a time."
They chuckled politely.
"Okay.  I'll keep an eye on the class server for questions.  Project code and simulator analysis is due in two weeks along with your report.  I'll run your code after I review the simulator results and your write-ups.  Next week, the class will be more of a lab session, so bring questions and your code if you need help."
They all collected their notes and I did the same.  I knew the next week would have dozens of questions as they worked the virtual generator Hunter and I had created to model the magnetic flows and test various configurations.  
Chrissy was in her usual place in the hallway, turning the grad students into tongue-tied boys as they left the conference room.  Brilliant minds brought low by an attractive woman.  It was a little sad for them.
"Good afternoon, Doctor Taylor," she said with her impish smile.  She had taken up her teasing greeting months ago.  
"Hi, Chrissy.  How are you this week?"  I asked as I looked her up and down.  She seemed to always dress to impress on Thursdays.  Today she was in a tailored navy skirt and crisp white shirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail.  Her heels were high, but professional. 
"I'm fabulous," she said with a smile.  Each week she seemed to come up with a new descriptive adjective for herself.  
"And what makes you fabulous?" I asked.  It was little game we had started playing.  The first time I had challenged her assertion that she was incredible, she had been taken aback, but jumped into the teasing challenge pretty quickly.
"Well, I am an engineering student at Stanford on the Dean's list and a cover girl model, so that must mean I'm pretty special," she said.
"Special, yes.  But fabulous?"
She gave a dramatic sigh as we walked toward the coffee shop we had made a habit of visiting.  
"Well, what would make me fabulous in your mind then?" she asked.
I pretended to think for a moment. 
"As you said, you're already pretty special.  I guess you'd make it to fabulous if you could come up with a way to adjust the flow-rate of a viscous fluid in a one-bar atmosphere to simulate performance in a vacuum."
She smiled.  It was the challenge I had set her last week.  It was not as simple as just doubling the outlet pressure to overcome normal atmospheric pressure.  She pulled out a thin sheaf of square-ruled engineering papers and handed them to me.
I looked at them as we stopped outside the coffee shop.   It was all neatly written down with a diagram of a nozzle and the calculations for different fluid density and pressure differentials.  
"Okay," I said smiling at her pensive face, "you're right, you are fabulous."
She laughed, and we went inside to have a coffee and chat before I headed back to the airport to fly home.  
"I'll have you know that Tamara has blocked your calendar for the Spring Formal in two weeks," Chrissy said during a lull in the conversation.  
"I noticed that.  It looks like I'll be working from the office out here after the seminar finishes that week."
"Are you staying through the weekend?" she asked.
"Until Sunday, at least.  After that, it's back to Utah until the kids finish classes."
"Where to after that?" she asked.
"We're still debating the summer plans.  I've already made arrangements to be in Sydney in September for the Olympics.  I'll pull the kids out of school for the opening ceremonies and then have them back up here the following Monday."
Chrissy sighed.  "I can't believe I'm going to miss the games.  It's been such a big deal since we won the bid and now I'm going to be in a senior engineering class up here."
I smiled.  I had planned to offer her a surprise but could see she was really bothered by the thought of missing the excitement in her home city.  
"I just happen to have a spare ticket to a box for the opening ceremony, if you'd like to go."
Her face lit up with her smile.  "Are you serious?"
I nodded. 
"And you ask me now, while you're still a faculty member?  I'd love to go with you and the kids," she said as she grabbed my hand, nearly dumping my tepid coffee.
Then her face fell.  "Are you teaching your seminar again next fall?"
I nodded.
"Bollocks.  If you're going to take a model half way around the world for the bloody Olympics, you should at least get a kiss out of it," she said.
I frowned, trying to suppress a grin.
"I'm giving the seminar at Tulane in the fall," I finally said.
Her eyes got big.  
"If you think I'm fabulous for that math work, just you wait until September," she said with a smoldering look.
*****
"How is your staff settling in?" I asked Mindy Barnett, the inaugural General Manager of the Hilton Orbital on Astra Station.
I was taking a day trip up to see our office space.  Allen was settled in along with the first group of permanent station staff.  Collin and Jyl were also aboard in their new apartment in our living section.  I had looked at my own apartment but was not staying overnight.
"It takes some getting used to," Mindy replied as we stood in the small lobby of the Hilton module.  "We have sixteen Hilton executives and their guests arriving tomorrow for a soft-launch of services.  With a planned normal two-night stay for our introductory package, we think we have enough activities to keep them occupied.  I bet a good portion of them want to enjoy the feel of a tenth-gee and enjoy the view rolling by below.  Once the novelty of that passes, my guess is recreational sex will fill their time."
I laughed.  I had heard some stories of new staff enjoying the pleasures of the flesh in both the rim modules and in zero gee in the hub.  Tamara already had a team working on a new hub module with small private rooms for guests.  
"Try to keep the guests out of the rest of the station's hair.  They may be paying a premium for an excursion up here, but the rest of the station should be trying to get some work done."
"We will.  Every guest and staff member receives a comms bracelet.  They can't leave the hotel module without it tripping an alarm.  If they remove it once out of our module, it squawks and alerts my staff as well.  We understand the risk and security concerns your other tenants have."  
"So, how long are you up here for?" I asked.  
"My contract is for a six month stay with a mutually agreed auto-extension of another six months."  
I smiled.  "You'll have more time on orbit than nearly anyone in NASA by the time you head home."
"Won't everyone who works up here be able to say the same?"
"Most of them already can.  You and your team are one of the first truly 'civilian' teams up here.  Lockheed has had a presence for a while but rotates people in and out on a regular basis."
"We have a rotational plan as well, but I'll be staying for the duration.  My two assistant managers will rotate every few weeks, so we build staff experience.  Our chefs will as well.  They have to change a lot of habits to cook up here."
"I think everyone is going to learn some new skills," I replied.  "A tenth of a gee is just enough different from zero-gee to screw up your reflexes.  Anyway, I was just checking in while I'm up here today.  Don't hesitate to reach out to Michael if you have any problems."
She smiled.  "I know Michael very well.  He was the lead instructor in the orbital orientation course for the hotel staff."
I thought there was more to her smile than her words implied, but decided they were both adults, and that it was not really any of my business.
I thanked her for her time and moved on through the hotel module to continue my journey around the rim of the station.  Walking in a tenth-gee took some getting used to.  It was more of a gliding step, since pushing off the floor with the full force of your leg could easily send your head to the ceiling.  Luckily, we have placed some padded material on the top of the hallways to try and minimize injuries.  We would keep and eye on it and decided if we needed to up the rotational velocity and increase outward force at the rim.
Someone in our design team had thoughtfully placed small "Main street" signs along to main thoroughfare that looped completely around the rim.  I was walking in the spinward direction and had started from our office module.  The hotel module was directly opposite from our offices, so I was about half-way around the nearly five-kilometer rim.
All of the rim modules were powered, but not all of them were occupied yet.  We had our offices and hab spaces on one side of the station, connected to the hub via spoke one.  The Hilton modules were flanking the terminus of spoke four.  There were sixteen modules between each spoke, so we definitely had room to grow.  Roughly a third of the module volume was reserved for hydroponic food production.  The remainder was configured as a mixture of hab space and working space with various configurations.  Allen and Megan were already arguing about allocation of volume as we tried to balance lease agreements with our own needs for staff space to support lunar operations.  
By the time I made it back to our office space, I thought any bickering over space was silly.
"Allen, Megan, Michael, Tamara," I called as I went into my office.  "Let's talk about staffing."
The four of them were in Allen's adjacent office and came in quickly.
"Megan, what's the rotational plan for the lunar base?"
"What do you mean?  During the ramp up or once it's built?"
"Both.  How many people to you plan on having on Astra on a monthly basis? during build-out?
"I'm planning for one OTV on Luna in standby, with a max capacity of fifty-four.  That means until we get to that capacity on base, we would never have more than thirty people in Astra.  Once we hit full safe capacity on base, we might have a slightly higher number of transients, but it would only be for a few days."
"Okay. We've got a hab module next door that has fifty apartments.  That should more than cover the Lunar operations team and transient staff, right?"
"Yeah," Allen said.  "That is the plan."  
"This module should handle our staff on orbit as well, right?"
Allen nodded.
"Then we have another fifty apartments in the next module on the other side of the spoke, right?"
"Yes.  Our research staff is there," Tamara said.  "But it's only got fifteen occupants right now, so plenty of room to grow."
"Right.  So, for every fifty occupants, we need how many staff to support hydroponics and maintenance?"
"We've budgeted three," Michael said.  "That way we have twenty-four by seven coverage and some redundancy since we could probably manage with two per fifty in a pinch."
"Okay.  Tamara, do we have that support staff included in our lease budgets?"
She nodded.
"Then I want us to drive expansion for the module sections between here and spoke two.  Lockheed has contracted for a single module next to spoke two, but I want more tenants to fill the space between."
"What sort of tenants?"  Michael asked.
"Researchers, government agencies, universities, anyone who thinks they want to lease space," I replied.  "We need to ramp up occupancy to start generating some revenue and excitement about the opportunities up here."
"If we want some buzz, Billy and Tom should get involved," Tamara said.  "Get the Amazing Race to come up for a visit on a leg, or something."
"We could do a reunion show for the Orbital Interns," Michael suggested.
"Those are good ideas.  Tamara, let's discuss that with them when we get down.  What else can we do?"
"What's the driver?" Allen asked.  "We weren't so focused on leasing six months ago?  We always talked about building for the future."
"I think the total volume of what we built just hit me.  We can set aside four modules for ourselves, and still have plenty of room for growth.  We have a total of ninety-six rim modules on the station.  Right now, we're using or have plans to use less than ten.  We're only at ten percent capacity."
"But just adding people up here is not the point, right?" Allen challenged.
"No, but I can't help but believe we have a marketable commodity to sell right now.  Think about the spin-offs from the original Apollo program.  It gave us Teflon and biomedical sensors and tons of other breakthroughs.  What will be built or discovered if we get more people on orbit looking at problems to solve?  I want us to open this whole frontier, and getting more people engaged up here is the first step."
They all nodded.  
"Okay, we'll get a leasing office opened and start outreach to interested parties," Allen said.  
*****
"Paul, you need to listen," Kelly warned over the phone.  "NASA is taking a hard line on the most favored nation status in the charter.  They believe it applies to the station as well as lift capacity.  You need to get in front of this."
"Kelly, everyone is getting most favored nation pricing right now.  Once we are over seventy percent capacity, my rates may go up and NASA may have some reason to squawk, but right now the rates are rock-bottom for space in space.  China did not bat an eye at the price and is signing a ten-year lease on for ten apartments and work space in rim modules with access to zero-g lab space as well.  What is NASA really after?"
I could hear her sigh over the line.  I was riding from the Sanford airport to the final seminar session of the semester.
"They want to be top-dog on the station.  They think they have the knowledge and expertise to be in charge.  I really think it comes down to that, and there is no way they can match the Chinese's billion-dollar lease."
"So, why's that my problem?  How much have they already spent on the International Space Station?  I'll give them cheap flights to it, and they can keep building it and staffing it with three or four astronauts as long as they want.  That would be such a wise expenditure of the tax payer's money when I'm offering a much more cost-effective solution."
"I know.  I've told the director that as well.  You know he's worried about NASA becoming a footnote in history.  His best staff is already leaving in droves to work for you.  Where do you think most of your mission control teams came from?"
"I know.  I can't say that they are sorry to get out from under the bureaucracy NASA has either.  About half of them are applying for our limited orbital or lunar positions.  If the government doesn't want to fund their real passion, they're happy to let me do it."
"Paul, I'm worried that this is all going to blow up on you.  You're making some enemies inside the beltway."
"I know, but I refuse to let those small minds limit me.  Look, I've got to go teach a final class and then have plans for a few days.  Why don't you get a bi-partisan group of Senators to come through the orientation course with you and come see the station?  We talked about that years ago.  If we get them up there, maybe NASA can get the funding it needs, and everyone can be happy.  It's an election year, so I'm sure some politicians would like to make the news for being up there."
"I don't know if that is a good idea or not, but I'll think about it.  In the meantime, can you try to keep from stirring up any more problems for me to deal with?  As you said, it is an election year."
"I'll try, but you know that sometimes I just can't help myself."
Kelly laughed, and we ended the call just in time for me to head into the conference room for the final session of the seminar.  
All of the grad students were on time for the class and came prepared to turn in their final work, even if the most significant items were posted to the shared server I had set up for them.  Rather than review any work or approaches, I turned the first hour into a feedback session on the course content and then solicited feedback on how Hunter and I could improve the simulator for the next round of classes.  We ended nearly an hour early, getting me out of the building before Chrissy arrived to torment myself or the seminar students.
I thought about trying to intercept her on her way to the class room but decided to head home instead.  I wasn't really trying to avoid her, but I did not want to make her pursuit of me too easy, either.  Besides, I had not yet completely given up hope on a breakthrough in understanding the equations that riddled my own trip back in time.  
My driver had returned from taking Jody, this week's travelling PA to the office, and was waiting, so I hopped in and decided to head to the Stanford house rather than into the office.  It would be nice to be able to do a little work without distraction, I decided.
I opened the door to the house and immediately smelled delicious aromas.  Whoever was on the security detail must have taken up cooking, I decided.  I heard music from the kitchen and headed that way to let them know I was going upstairs to work.
"Paul!" Chrissy exclaimed as I came through the doorway.


Chapter Fifty-Six
Seductions
*****
"What are you doing here so early?  I was planning on meeting you in an hour." Chrissy was wearing a fashionable white dress with a deeply scooped neckline and a demure hemline just above her knees, protected by a totally unfashionable apron.  Her hair was pulled back and I noticed her feet were bare, but a pair of heels were sitting by the back door.
"We finished early, but don't you think I should be the one asking the questions?"
"No," she said as she walked around the counter and stopped me from coming further into the kitchen.  "I'm working on a surprise for you, and you're going to spoil it."
Her blue eyes were flashing with anger.
"Where would you have me go?" I asked.  "I mean, it's not like this is my house or anything," I said.  Part of me wanted to snap at her, but more of me wanted another of our teasing exchanges.  I hoped my tone told her that.
Her look softened.  "How about you go upstairs and work in your office for a bit.  I'll let you know when you can come down. Please?"
I nodded.  "Okay, since you asked so nicely."
She smiled and gave me a quick hug before turning back to the kitchen.  I thought about how nice her body felt pressed against mine as I trudged up the stairs.  I took off my blazer and rolled up my sleeves before laying out the seminar project notes on my desk.  I had decided on the drive over to skim the write-ups first before jumping into the simulations.  I suspected I knew who would do the most thorough write up and decided to read his paper last.  
I made it through two papers before there was a light knock at the frame of the doorway.  Chrissy stood, watching me.  Her apron was gone, and her hair had been let loose from its ponytail and now wreathed her face with blonde waves.  Her lips were pink, and she had touched up her eyes.  She had her heels on now, and a leg cocked slightly.  She looked every inch the fashion model.  
"Safe to come out now?" I asked with a smile.  
Her lips parted, and she nodded.  "Yes, but that's not how you normally greet me after your seminar, is it?"  Her teasing tone was back, but there was something more there as well.
I stood up and stretched.  I had been hunching at my desk, which was unusual for me.  She entered the room and moved behind me, reaching out to rub my shoulders.  Her fingers worked on knots I had not even noticed.
"Thank you," I said a few minutes later.  "So how are you today?"  I asked.
She looked me in the eye.  "I'm captivating," she said softly.  She moved closer and kissed me lightly on the lips.  In the past, she had been playfully intimate, hugging me, holding my hand or arm, kissing my cheek, but she had never intentionally kissed my lips.  This kiss was full of intent.  
Her lips were soft and moist.  She reached up with one delicate hand and held my neck while the other squeezed my shoulder.  My hands cupped her shoulders of their own volition.  The kiss lasted only a moment but left me breathless.
It took a moment to regain my focus.  She was smiling.  I wanted to kiss her again but resisted. 
"I think I can agree with the description," I finally managed to say.  "You are definitely captivating."
She beamed.  She took my hand and led me out of the office toward the stairs.  
"You should have argued," she teased.  "I was ready to do that again to prove my point."
I laughed.  "Sometimes, I'm too honest for my own good."
"I thought it would be much more fun teasing you all the way home from your class, but this will work just as well," she said as we passed through the kitchen.  
She had set a lovely table for two on the back porch.  A white table cloth, unlit candles, a bottle of white wine, and small salads were already on the table.  The place settings were at an angle to one another rather than across from each other, so both places could take in the lush greenery of the back yard.
She motioned me to the far seat as she lit the candles and then bent at the waist while reaching for the bottle of wine and pouring us both some.  I caught a glimpse of a lacy white bra as she poured.  She caught my look and gave me a coy smile as she finished pouring and then sat down.  
She lifted her glass for a toast.  "To the end of the semester," she said with a smile.
I touched my glass to hers and took a sip of the chilled French Chablis.  It was light and fruity, with a hint of oak.
"I thought the drinking age was twenty-one here," I teased after setting my glass back down.
"Luckily, the owner of this place has a nice wine cellar.  I used my womanly wiles to appropriate a bottle or two," she replied, as she reached out and caught my fingers in her hand.  "I told you, I'm captivating."
"I agree."
"Good," she replied.  "I know about your reservations, your resistance to being more than friends, your concerns about the differences in our ages.  You've joked about me snapping my fingers and having a dozen men trailing after me.  It's true, but I don't want dozens of posers chasing me.  I want you."
Her statement hung in the air for a moment.  I did not know how to respond.  In the moment, with the early evening light spilling through the leafy trees, it would be easy to give way to my feelings for her.  But at the same time, this was the first house Jeryl and I lived in.  Jeryl had found it and made it our first home.  This was part of my past and reminded me of my loss.  Those memories fueled my hope late at night as I worked to solve complex equations and esoteric matrix transformations.
"I want you," she said again, "and I think you want me, but you're afraid."
She paused and took a sip of her wine.  
"I'm afraid, too, Paul.  I'm terrified of being too bold, or not being bold enough.  The butterflies in my stomach are nearly enough to make me sick, but I won't give into them.  I want you to know how I feel, and what I want.  I don't want any confusion in where I stand.  But, we're not going to move beyond this courting stage until you want the same thing."
Her statement startled me.  I half believed she was preparing to drag me into the bedroom.  Now she said we were courting.
"I...."
She raised her fingers to my lips, stopping me from saying anything else.
"This weekend, I'm going to be affectionate and flirty, and try to have a good time with you.  I'm not going to pretend to just be your younger friend.  You've already offered to take me to the Olympics in the fall.  I'm going there, on your arm, not with my family.  Between now and then, we'll be seen together, in public.  I want to spend time with you in private as well, but I think you need to come to realize that I'm not the gawky teenager you met years ago.  I'm not as worldly as you, but I've been out in the world and modeled on the international stage.  I'm not as accomplished as you in the world of engineering, but I love what I'm learning and what you are doing.  I want to bring those world views and experiences together, with you."
She held my gaze as she spoke.  Her eyes were nearly glowing, and while her voice was even and soft, her cheeks were slightly flushed, as if she was either embarrassed or excited.  Perhaps it was both.
I nodded.  "I think I would like that," I managed to say when she dropped her finger from my lips.
*****
"Paul, what do you have to say about that?" the reporter from the Times asked.  
Kelly had invited me out with the kids for a visit over the Memorial Day Weekend.  She had insisted it was family time, not politics, but we ended up getting cornered by a few reporters after visiting Arlington Cemetery.
"I think the time and place to discuss the budget and the global economy is not here and now," I replied.  "Today is about honoring the men and women who died and bled for our country.  While my sister may feel obligated to answer the occasional off-topic question yelled at her, I do not."
Nicole stepped up and opened the door on the car as Kelly's press handlers moved to intervene.  More questions were shouted as we got back into our cars.
"Shit," Kelly said as the door slammed shut.  "I'm sorry about that."
"Are you going to hold up Aunt Kelly's allowance, Dad?"  Ali asked with a grin. 
We had a rule that I docked the kids allowance if they used 'bad' words.  Ali's innocent smile made me laugh.
"I should, but her boss would have to do it, not me."
Kelly smiled at the exchange.  "Sorry.  I shouldn't let my temper drive my mouth all the time."
"It happens," I said.  "Do we have other outings planned that I should be ready for sand-bag journalism at?"
"No.  You said you wanted the kids to see Arlington.  How about we go back to the Naval Observatory and just relax for the rest of the day."
"How about the Georgetown house instead?" I asked.  "There's more for the kids to do there."
An hour later, the kids were in the pool behind the Georgetown property we still owned and maintained.  Kelly and I sat in the shade watching them play.
"No hot dates this weekend?" I asked playfully.
Kelly smiled.  "We're on the campaign trail, as those idiot reporters reminded us.  That puts me off-limits for any dates right now.  How about you?"
She had been very circumspect in asking about my personal life lately.  I appreciated the change.
"Last weekend I took Chrissy to her spring formal again.  Other than that, I've been too busy to go out much.  Flying to Stanford every week took a bit of a toll on my time."
I chose not to mention Chrissy's exchange with me, or the fact that she choreographed the entire weekend, from our intimate dinner Thursday night, to workouts and breakfasts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings.  She had brought things to the house from her apartment and spent the weekend, though nothing sexual had happened.  Saturday, after the dance, she had even slept with me.  She had looked adorably cute in her white silk pajamas.  Other than a passionate kiss goodnight, she had only snuggled up next to me and slept.  I was definitely not thinking of her as a 'little girl' when we woke in the morning.
"I can imagine, but you've always been a traveler.  How did your course go?"
"Very well.  Two of the students really surprised me.  I'm working on getting them on board full time now to work with Hunter and me."
"And you're giving the seminar again next fall?" she asked.
"Yes, except I'll do it at Tulane instead of Stanford."
"Why there? " she asked.
"Dr. Perdew has some promising ideas.  I want to get him up to speed and then see if he can offer a parallel course there.  That means I need to give it once or he needs to take a sabbatical to spend time with me.  I like New Orleans, and want to log some longer flight time, so decided to go to him."
"Log, as in you're flying?" She asked with an arched eyebrow.  I had not told her everything about the hobby Ali was driving me to pursue.  
"Yes.  I spent this semester as co-pilot.  Next semester, I'll be the pilot with my instructor in the right-hand seat.  Heber to New Orleans is right at two hours in the GS-3."
"And how long before you're hopping around in the GOT?" she asked.
"Next year."
"Why?  It seems awful risky to me."
I shrugged.  "I enjoy it.  So, what is this shit about the budget they were pestering you about?"
Kelly gave a sigh and sipped her iced tea before answering.  "The Republicans are trying to use the fear of inflation and the limits in the budget act from a few years back to paint us as being fiscally irresponsible.  Quite a few economists are saying that you are limiting our economic growth with your position on hard currency for generators and power.  They say you're effectively tying the dollar to a gold standard."
"You know that's not what we're doing though, right?"
"I sit in all the meetings, Paul.  It feels like you are, sometimes."
"How is settling accounts in grams of gold different than settling those same accounts in dollars or the new Euro?"
She gave me a sharp look.  "You're not thinking of going to a Euro standard, are you?  That would play hell with the voters."
I shook my head.  "That's exactly my point.  If we were settling in Euros, we would have to convert local currency to Euros to settle and then convert back to whatever local currency we were purchasing goods or paying wages in.  We would get hit on the exchange rates on both sides, in and out.  We still get hit with market fluctuations using gold, but the buyer has to eat that conversion cost.  Also, since gold is climbing in price, we don't have our holdings being depreciated when we convert to a local currency to buy goods.  It's not like we are paying US wages in grams of gold, we buy dollars and then put them back into the economy here.  How is that moving us to a gold standard domestically?"
"Explain all that in a sound-bite," she replied.  "The people here see their power bills rising.  The politicians say it's because of the rising cost of gold, and that we have to buy gold to buy your generators."
"You know that's not true.  Power prices could drop if the government would force some deregulation.  Hell, I've been tempted to just pump power into the grid and sell meters, but never collect on the metered amount."
"You'd just give power away?" She asked.
"Why not?  At five cents per kilowatt hour, one generator makes three point five million dollars a year.  At that rate, I'm on track to bill nearly twenty billion dollars this year just on recurring revenue.  The thing is, the US domestic market is charging consumers a lot more than five cents per kilowatt hour.  For our orbital leases, we don't even factor in power costs.  We're billing pretty much straight depreciation on the station and ongoing life-support.  We don't break out power as a separate line item on those bills.  If we come close to reaching carrying capacity, we'll just add another engineering module to support the load."
"If only it were that simple down here," Kelly lamented.
"Then make it that simple.  You know we supply our own power at our facility in Barcelona, right?"  She nodded.  "We pump about fifteen percent of our generated capacity into the local grid for free.  Our agreement is that the local government uses special meters and does not pay for that usage.  We could do the same thing here.  Hell, Navy Reactors is running sixteen generators at federal installations already.  Give federal projects, like housing projects, those same types of meters and let the local power companies cry while you provide a clear benefit to people that could use some relief.  If you guys would stop thinking about the rhetoric and start thinking about the simple ideas that could make a difference, you could change the whole campaign dynamic.  You know the Republicans are not going to 'give' anything away.  You can take the moral high ground here."
She was nodding.  "I can see how that would play out.  If we had done this in the spring, it would have been better.  Unfortunately, this would put the government in competition with local business, which could cause other problems at the polls."
It was my turn to shrug.  "Do something.  Don't wait until the fall, or you won't get credit for it at those polls."
*****
Chrissy ran her fingers over the back of my hand and said, "This is so cool.  Thanks for giving me this opportunity."
We were strapped into the GOT and had just leveled off for the pre-orbit checks.  It had taken some convincing, but Jer had finally agreed to go through the short orbital orientation course and go up to visit Astra Station.  Ali had demanded the new, longer course that was geared toward our new orbital tenants to prepare them for life on the station, as opposed to a visit.  She really wanted to do the full crew course, but I had convinced her to take one step at a time.  Once Jer had heard Ali was doing a more advanced course, he had demanded to join her.  It had snowballed from there to include an invite for Jane, which led to one for Camilla, and then Chrissy was not to be denied the opportunity.
I had flown them all to Ireland after the kids got out of school.  They had spent the past week in the new course which was built as a step up from the short course for transient visitors.  The short course was designed to ensure graduates would do no harm to themselves, the station, or the orbiter.  The full, long-course was to prepare students to be functional members of the crew.  This new version was designed for longer-term inhabitants of the station.  We expected them to be able to look after themselves until fully trained personnel could get any problems under control.  
Having a ten-year-old boy in the course had worried the staff, but Jer had taken to zero-g like a champ.  I had been worried most about him.  It wasn't really that surprising since all of my special testers in the course had experienced free fall before on many GOT flights.  
"Well, I'm not doing it just for you," I teased as I captured her fingers in mine.  "You did sign that model release, so we plan on using your stardom for promotional materials."
She grinned.  "Is that why I got a tailored flight suit?"
I shook my head.  "No special tailoring for you," I replied.  "We custom sew all of the flight suits.  You should know that."  It had been one of the earliest applications of the scanning and sewing technology Jeryl helped develop.  "We like to make sure everyone is comfortable and safe."
Our flight suits were made from one of our special materials similar to Diamond Skins.  The inner lining was snug, to give some protection against low-pressure environments.  Testing showed it could increase survival time, if you didn't hold your breath during a loss of pressure.  The outer layer was flame resistant and the whole suit included air bladders that could be used for water survival if needed.  Much of their training had been how to leverage the suit in an emergency.  
"Well, I like how it looks on me, even if it isn't 'special'," she said.  "Tamara said most people shift out of the flight suits once they're on the station."
Tamara had been auditing the new course to make sure it was ready for the first tranche of tenants going through it in two weeks' time.  Our next block of leases started on July first, and the tenants were anxious to take up occupancy.  
"Most people shift to shorts and shirt-sleeves in orbit.  Some prefer pants and a shirt.  You'll see the Hilton Blue flight suits on many of their guests, but few permanent staff wear flight suits unless they're travelling away from the station."
"I like the pockets," she admitted as the acceleration notice sounded.  
We nosed up as the engine roar increased and we were pressed into our seats.  About three minutes later, acceleration stopped, and we floated against our seat belts.  
"How long until we can see the station?" Ali asked.  
"About thirty minutes," I said.  "In the meantime, you guys can all unbelt and check out the view."
The GOT had much better visibility for passengers than our regular orbiters.  Soon, each of the kids had moved to a separate window and they were ooh-ing and ahh-ing as the globe spun below us.  Camilla gave me a smile and nod as the Western coast of Australia slipped into view.  I left them to their sight-seeing as Tamara floated over.
"The daily from Atlanta just left the station," she said.  "Hilton has asked if you'd like to join some of their VIPs for dinner tonight."
"I thought they were all VIPs."
"Some pigs are evidently more equal than others," she replied with a grin.  "The CEO of Hilton is up for three days with his wife.  He's hosting dinner for some of the guests.  You know at least one of them."
"Oh?  Who?"
"Princess Caroline is on the station with her new husband."
I smiled.  Caroline had been a delightful companion during my brief ballet encounter with her.  
"Would you like to meet some royalty?" I asked Chrissy.  
"Is she a real princess?" Ali asked before Chrissy could answer.  I was going to have to remind her about eavesdropping and butting into conversations.  She was rapidly developing some less than admirable teenage behaviors.
"Yes, she is.  Do you want to meet her too?"
"Yeah!"
Chrissy nodded as well.
"How about we make arrangements to offer Princess Caroline and her husband a tour of the station?" I suggested.  Tamara nodded.  "I'll call before we dock and make the offer."
"Are we staying at the Hilton?" Ali asked.
"No, we have our own place on the station.  I think it's much nicer than the Hilton, too."
The Hilton rooms were just that, individual rooms and small suites.  Our apartment was a full apartment with three bedrooms.  Camilla, Jane, and Chrissy were staying in our module as well in one of the transient apartments.
"Can we go on the tour with the princess?" Ali asked. 
I nodded.  "If you want to.  Or you guys can go on a separate tour with Aunt Jyl.  She and Uncle Collin are on the station as well."
"Cool.  I want to meet the princess but would rather have Aunt Jyl take us around."
Jer nodded his agreement.  
"How about you guys?" I asked Jane and Camilla.
"I think that would be nice.  Jyl is probably a lot more fun that a stuffy old princess," Jane said.
I laughed.  "Well, Chrissy, are you going to hang out with family or tour with the stuffy old princess?"
She gave me one of her dazzling smiles.  "I think I better keep an eye on you and any gold-digging VIPs in the Hilton crowd.  I heard a rumor they were shooting some of their own promotional materials this week.  If they're using who I heard, I don't want her latching onto you."
"Who's that?" I asked.
"Carmen Kass.  She and I worked together last fall.  She is the one who wanted to play a game of chess with you," she said.  "She's such a big geek she was offering to waive some of her fees for the opportunity to get up here on Hilton's dime."
"Supermodels in orbit," I joked.  "I'll have to alert Billy to roll cameras for our stay."
We all laughed.  
Soon, we were smiling for cameras.  Billy and Tom had spent some money to train a pair of official photographers and documentarians for the station.  Bryce Tilden and Joy Goodwin had their cameras ready as we came aboard.  After we had floated into the hub in a gaggle, they sent us back to do it again for individual shots.  Then the kids all came out together for yet another take. Finally, Chrissy was sent back for more takes.  Tamara took the rest of the group down Spoke One to our part of the station while I waited for Chrissy to finish up.
"You look fabulous," Joy told her after the last shot.  "We wanted to get you shot up here today before your face starts getting puffy as you adjust to zero and low gee.  We all seem to go through a cycle of fluids shifting around as we adjust."
Chrissy laughed.  "At least it's not a bikini shoot," she said.  "I don't want to do that in a bloated state."
The photographers looked at each other as I snapped my fingers. 
"Darn, I thought we were going to recreate the SI looks in orbit," I said.
"You wish," Chrissy snapped back with a laugh.  "I've got some casual clothes, but you're not paying me enough to put on a bikini for this shoot."
We collected our small traveling bags and followed the rest of the group down the spoke as Bryce and Joy packed up their equipment.  
"How much work do you expect from me today?" Chrissy asked as we reached the far end of the spoke.
"However much you want to give us," I replied.  "How about we let them document the VIP tour with Princess Caroline and whoever else is on the Hilton VIP list, shoot you before dinner tonight, and then put you in some of the hab and lab spaces tomorrow?  We'll keep our last day on the station free to just let you enjoy the view."
"That sounds like a plan.  I'd like to spend some time with the lunar team and discuss their habitat fabrication process.  I saw some readings in that report you shared with me that I'd like to follow-up on."
I smiled.  She was beautiful and smart.  It was a very powerful combination.
"Of course.  I've got some time with Megan tomorrow.  I'll set it up for you."
She pulled herself against me in the low-g and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.  "Thanks.  I really mean it.  This is a trip of a lifetime."
"My pleasure, ma'am," I said in reply.
*****
Later that evening, after a day of photos and VIP tours for Princess Caroline, her new husband Ernst August the Prince of Hanover, and Her Royal Highness Victoria the Crown Princess of Sweden, we headed back across the hub to the Hilton for dinner hosted by the CEO of the company.  Dinner was a delicious blend of Asian flavors paired with French white wines.  Stephen Bollenbach, the CEO, shared tales from the chef on how cooking in low-g had created some challenges for his traditional cooking techniques.  
Over a desert of fresh berries from one of the hydroponics gardens, the conversation finally turned to more serious business.  
"So, what are the real opportunities for investment on the station?" Crown Princess Victoria asked.  "Companies in Sweden seem to be torn as to whether they should be buying space up here, pushing the ESA to buy space up here, or just ignoring this frontier until a real economy emerges.  What do you think?"
It was a very candid question, one I wish the rulers in the rest of the world would think about.  I had been surprised no one raised the questions on the tour.
"I think volume in Astra has several opportunities," I replied.  "Firstly, we can support research for fabrication of materials that can't be made in a full gravity environment.  My own research teams can only pursue about one in ten of the ideas they come up with.  So, fundamental research is always an option, but it has an inconsistent pay-back and most would view it as highly speculative.  On the other hand, I believe your country is highly rated in business creativity, so an investment in research and applying that research to business problems on Earth may be prudent.  Medical and pharmaceutical research may be an area of particular interest to some of your businesses."
I sipped my coffee.  
"Second, there is tourism, such as Hilton is already embarking on.  I don't know which European operators will be the first to move into competition, but it would surprise me if it took very long before that happens.  Hilton is already booking a full flight through Delta every third day."
"I think you should look at that proposition for a very long time before moving in that direction, your highness," Bollenbach joked.  Everyone laughed politely.
"Finally, there will be future opportunities for import and export businesses.  We're established here but are only getting a toehold on the moon.  In the next seven years, my teams plan to have permanent bases on the Moon and Mars.  We believe we can start exploiting the mineral wealth of asteroids in that timeframe as well.  In the short term, you have firms that may want to lease space here for future orbital construction and assembly opportunities."
"But what of the Outer Space treaty?" Victoria asked.  She was obviously well prepared for this discussion.  
"Right now, we are operating under the charter we have with the United States.  They are the overseeing government for our activities under the Outer Space Treaty.  However, we also can operate from Kenya or Tanzania, which are not signatories of that treaty, or the Moon treaty.  It may mean that we will need to trans-ship materials through one of those countries, but I fully intend to pursue the dream of colonizing locations beyond the Earth's atmosphere."
"That's a very bold vision," Prince Ernst said.  "If we think about those areas, interests in Monaco and other parts of Europe could see immediate opportunities."
Princess Caroline nodded.  "Even the tourism aspect has appeal to our immediate interests."
"At the end of the day, I would suggest you look at the global and orbital economy from first principles.  Decide what the demands you can foresee outside the earth's atmosphere will be and then assess if you can become a supplier for those needs."
"And you would enable competition for your own services?" Princess Victoria asked.  "I mean, you would lease us space if we entered the orbital construction arena and built a competing station?"
"Absolutely," I replied.  "If there is that much demand for habitat space up here, I would encourage the growth.  If I don't have to staff and manage that construction, I can focus elsewhere."
"And you would sell us generators to power new stations?"
I smiled.  "We would need to discuss that, but conceptually, yes."
She nodded.
"You've given me very much to think about, Paul.  I appreciate the insights as well as the tour today."
"It was my pleasure," I replied.
*****
I woke to a delightful feeling of a soft, warm body pressed against me with my hand being held tightly against a firm breast.  Only a thin layer of silk separated my fingers from the bump of Chrissy's nipple.  My cock was nestled into the cleft of her ass, pushing at the two layers of silk separating us.  My fingers moved of their own accord and I felt her nipple harden, even as my own dick stiffened.  It was tempting to nuzzle her neck beneath her blonde hair and kiss her awake.
Instead, I laid there quietly, enjoying the feeling of lightness from sleeping in a tenth of a gravity with a warm, witty woman in my arms. I struggled to decide if I should feel happy or ashamed.
Chrissy had continued her open flirtations with me throughout our stay on Astra.  Our first two days had been mostly business, focused on the VIP tours and photoshoots for our own marketing materials.  Carmen Kass had finished her shoot with Hilton, and then taken Tamara up on an offer to stay and do some promotional work for us as well.  She and Chrissy had teased me that I should either join them in the photos or bring up some male models to give a little variety to the shots.  In the end, I had joined them, but tried to be more in the background as a researcher or worker.  Collin and some of the other station staff had been volun-told to help as well.  Bryce and Joy had been very pleased with the images and video footage they captured during the long day.  That second night, Chrissy had moved into my room. 
"Mmmmm," Chrissy purred as I tried to scoot away from her.  "Don't leave me," she said without opening her eyes.  She pressed my hand against her bosom and wiggled her bottom against me, raising the temptation to do much more with her.
"Someone seems to want to stay where they are," she said teasingly as my dick twitched and grew slightly.  It was possibly the most overtly sexual thing she has said, to date.
I kissed her neck.
"Sorry, but nature calls," I said as I slipped free of her and padded to the bathroom with the black silk boxers she had gotten for me tented in front of me.  I resisted temptation and came out, dressed in my flight suit five minutes later.
"Oh, you were supposed to come back to bed," she said as she sat waiting for me.
I smiled at her disheveled hair, the shimmering white silk pajama top with her own tenting obvious, and her full lips, parted slightly in a smile.
"As much fun as that might be, I've got some work to do before we leave today."
She bounced up out of bed.  "What are we doing?"  she asked.
"You're doing house chores, since you moved in here.  I need you to make sure the kids get up and packed and then get the linens stripped.  I've got two hours with Thomas to review a material process in the hub.  We should be back on the GOT by eleven and then we'll head home."
"What sort of material process?  Anything interesting?"  She pushed her pajama bottoms off, making certain to flash me a nice view of her naked ass as she did.  I was more than a little disappointed that the top was long enough to cover her as she turned back around.  Of course, I suspected she knew exactly what she was doing.
"I'm sure you would be interested, but Megan is stopping by with a couple of her team in forty minutes to chat about their building process.  You asked for that meeting."
"Really?"  
I nodded.  She must have been excited, because she covered the few feet between us in an energetic bounce, forgetting the light gravity and her lack of underwear.  I caught a delightful glimpse of dark blonde hair as she hopped into my arms and kissed me soundly.  In low-g, she could easily support herself with her arms around my neck, but my natural inclination led my hands to cup her warm, bare ass and hold her up.  Her kiss deepened at my touch.
"I think we better get on with the day," I said a breathless minute later.  
"I thought we were getting on," she teased as she wiggled in my grasp.  "But, I suppose you're right."  She kissed me one more time, and then dropped back to stand on her own feet.
The memory of her, both the image seared on my eyes and the sensation of her smooth skin in my hands, stayed with me going up the to the hub.  I knew I wanted her, but is that all I wanted?  I suspected if it was, she would willingly give it to me in the hope of more, but was that fair?  She wanted more.  She had told me that.  Did I?
Thomas was waiting for me in the EVA module and took me through the suit-up procedure.  He was working on some vacuum fabrication processes using some new synthetic materials.  We thought it could give us a much more efficient method of orbital fabrication.  
It was only my third Extra Vehicular Activity, so I made certain to double check all the items on our checklist.  A bad day on an EVA could be your last day, as our staff continually reminded folks.  Space was deadly.
An hour later, we were back inside.
"I think we need to try a thinner base and then add a thicker one," I said as we pulled off the hard-shell suit tops.  "A thinner base should cure almost instantly on the frame and set up the lattice for the thicker coating to align and adhere too," I added.
Thomas nodded.  "The problem is going to be getting a thinner base.  It's not like I can just add water," he said with a grin.  "I'm going to have to find something that will actually ensure molecular structure alignment while sublimating or boiling off.  That's not going to be easy."
"Well, let's get some of the new post-docs coming up here next month working on the problems.  If we can make larger-scale structures with this process or something similar, we can start thinking about some interesting options for materials capture and exploration."
Thomas nodded.  Of all the prior Interns, he was the one that probably understood me best from a scientific mind-set.  Nano-tubes and aerogels had been a start with him.  Fusion and magnetic field theory was a sideline.  Space was his passion, ever since coming up to the first lab complex.  He wanted to give mankind the planets and stars.
"What if we used an aerogel frame, and established the base layer on the inside with very low pressure?" I asked.
He gazed at the wall, thinking.  "You mean like we make a balloon, and then establish the base on the inside, then pop the balloon and start building up the thickness on the outside?"
I nodded. 
"It would allow us to control the first setting process for the base.  We might not have to make it thinner for that to work."
"See what you can do with the concept.  Better yet, assign the approach to a post-doc."
"I can do that," He said, as we finished getting out of our suits.
"Daddy!" Ali called playfully as I entered the docking vestibule.  "What were you doing this morning?"  she asked as she flew across the room the give me a hug.  She, Jane and Jer had spent most of yesterday in the zero-g section of the station.  She was more than confident after nearly a full day of flying about.
"I was taking a stroll outside," I said.  
She looked at me as if I was joking.  "Really?"
"Really," I said.  "Thomas and I had to put on space suits and go look at some of his work."
"Ah, cool.  Can I do that?"  she asked.
I shook my head.  "I think you're dangerous enough inside the relative safety of the station.  Besides, we don't have a spacesuit small enough for you."
"But when I'm bigger, can I go outside?"
"We'll see," I said.  "Where is everyone else?"  I asked.  
"They're coming.  Once we got part way up the spoke, I kicked off and flew on up.  It was fun.  I really like it up here."
"I'm glad.  How is everyone else this morning?"
"They're good.  Are you going to marry Chrissy?"
"What?"  The question caught me off-guard.
"Are you going to marry Chrissy?"  She asked again, in slower diction.  "I mean, she stayed in your room last night, and was always holding your hand, and watching you.  I'm not a little girl.  I know you and she want to do more than hold hands," she said.
"Well...."  I caught site of movement near the hatch.  "How about we talk about this later? Company is here."  
"Promise?"  she asked as she looked over her shoulder.
I nodded.  My potential love life was not a conversation I really wanted to have with my daughter.
*****
Orbit to Sydney to Salt Lake City to New Orleans, was not exactly a quick trip home.  Camilla and Jane got off at Sydney International Airport.  Chrissy had announced she was going back to the states with me.  Camilla's look was either warning or relief, but I was not certain which.  Jer and Ali left me at Salt Lake City, being picked up by Nicole and driven back to Park City after a hug good bye from both myself and Chrissy, even though Chrissy had obviously thought we would all be getting out in Utah.  Ali gave me a look as she climbed into the Range Rover, promising a long talk, soon.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Philip waiting with our car and driver as Tamara, Chrissy and I debarked the GOT.  
"What are you doing here?" I asked as I shook his hand before climbing into the car waiting for us.
"Lila called and asked me to check out your new place here.  I decided to stay and spend a little time helping out Emril."
"New place?" Chrissy asked.
"Paul bought a place uptown when he decided to do his seminar at Tulane in the fall.  It's been being remodeled for nearly three months," Tamara said.  "I'm glad it's finally done so I can stop asking the contractors about it."
"Where is it?" Chrissy asked.  "What's it like?"
"It's just off campus, uptown, on Audubon Boulevard," Philip answered.  "It's been tough living there the past couple of weeks," he added with a grin.
Tamara chuckled.  We had both seen the pictures.
"I thought that was a private street," Chrissy said.
"Part of it is," I replied.  "You saw Tulane's President's mansion in the gated part of the street.  My place is on the opposite side of campus, in the residential section near the athletic dorms and the parking area where the former Tulane Stadium was."
"No private street for you?" Chrissy asked with a grin.
"No, much to Lila's and Philip's chagrin, I'm sure."
Philip shrugged.  "It's not so bad.  The lots you bought gave the architect options from a security perspective.  We don't have high fences, but it's pretty secure, none the less."
"Tell me about it," Chrissy insisted.
Philip shrugged.  "You should wait a few minutes and see for yourself.  If I tell you about it, you'll be thinking a fortified kitchen since those are my areas of concern.  I don't want to spoil it for you."
I laughed and grabbed her hand.  It was easy to forget the enthusiasm of youth.
Forty minutes later, we were pulling into the driveway of my newest house.  It captured the flavor of antebellum architecture with large pillars and a full wrap-around balcony on the second floor.  The covenants on the street had been as much of a headache as the building inspectors, but as soon as I walked inside, I knew it had been worth the effort and expense.  
"Wow," Chrissy said as she looked at the entry foyer with its dual oak staircases curving to the upper floor.  "I know a couple of photographers that would die to do a shoot here," she added.
I smiled.  "Feel free to give them a call, so long as they feature you in the shoot."
"Really?" She seemed to think I was joking.
I shrugged.  "Sure.  Just do it when I'm not here."
I was surprised by her impulsive hug and kiss.  
The general contractor was waiting for us.  I shook his hand and then began the tedium of the final walk-through.  Philip had already been over the security details and the kitchen.  Tamara had made several trips down to review progress and sign-off on the accommodations.  This was really just a formality for me.
"Six bedrooms, and seven-and-two-half baths seems like a nice little place in the Big Easy," Chrissy teased as we ended up in the gourmet kitchen sitting around the marble topped island while Philip poured us drinks.
"I wanted something smaller," I replied, "but was overruled by Lila and Tamara.  They insisted that the scale had to fit the lot after the two outbuildings for a garage and apartment for security were designed.  The architect agreed.  What was I to do?"
We all laughed and then I signed off with the contractor and took possession of a set of keys.  I knew it was a formality, since Philip and the security team already had full sets of keys, but it felt nice.
"So, this is where you'll be 'roughing it' one night a week next fall?" Chrissy asked.
"Most Friday's, it looks like.  The seminar runs from two until five on Fridays.  I've got office hours from five until six with Dr. Perdew following each seminar session.  If the kids have something early Saturday, I'll fly home, but most likely I'll wait until the following morning.  Why?"
Chrissy grinned.  "I'm a college senior.  I planned my Friday classes accordingly.  I was thinking about Mardi Gras, and Halloween, and Jazz Fest, and St. Patrick's Day, and every other crazy party they have down here."
I shook my head.  "And here I thought you were a serious engineering student," I said mournfully.
We all laughed.
"So, what's on the agenda for this evening?" I asked.  We had left Astra Station at noon, GMT.  After nearly seven hours of flying and ground time at both Sydney and Salt Lake City, it was just after three in the afternoon in New Orleans.  With the travel and the muggy humidity of the city in summer, I was ready for a break.
"I've made arrangements," Philip said.  "We'll be eating at Emeril's at seven.  He's looking forward to meeting you."
"I've heard good things about his food," I said.  
Chrissy nodded.  "I think I might need a workout beforehand, so I won't feel guilty about eating," she said.
"That sounds like an idea.  Audubon Park is on the other side of campus. Care for an afternoon jog?"
Twenty minutes later, Chrissy, Tamara, and I were jogging through a mostly empty campus and across St. Charles Avenue to the park.  I opened up my stride goading the ladies who laughed and kept at their steady seven-and-a-half-minute pace as we ran in the afternoon sunshine beneath the Spanish-moss draped oaks lining the circular path through the park.  I would get just far enough ahead of them to be able to detour to the interval stations near the path, getting in some core and arms work.
By the time we got back to the house, we were all drenched in sweat as well as the muggy humidity.  I decided to christen the indoor lap pool on one side of the first floor while Chrissy unrolled a yoga mat and worked her core.  The exercise felt good.  It was nice to see Chrissy at the pool side, working her own poses when I turned.  I tried to think about my feelings for her as I swam.
She was gone when I finished my swim.  I hopped out, toweled off, and then took the wrought iron circular stairs up to the second floor.   The details in the house were amazing.  It kept the southern plantation house charm but had all the modern conveniences I had grown accustomed to.  Chrissy was in the black-and-white bathroom, wearing a thick white robe with her hair in a towel.
"Your timing was a little off," she teased.  "I just got out of the shower a couple of minutes ago."
"That might have been too much for my old heart after all the exercise," I replied.  
Her smile was devastating.   While my heart and mind were not yet in full agreement, her continuous touches, looks, and occasional kisses were definitely holding my attention.  
She leaned in and gave me a kiss on the lips but danced away when I tried to pull her closer.  "No way.  I just got cleaned up.  Go wash the chlorine off before you try to accost my nice clean body," she said.
"So, I can accost you when I come out?" 
Her eyebrows went up, but she recovered quickly.
"You missed your chance this morning on the station.  Get cleaned up and we'll see if there is time for any accosting."
I decided to play her own game.  I dropped my towel and walked into the large shower, turned the water on, and then dropped my suit with my back to the glass door.  Five minutes later, I reached out for a fresh towel.  She was there, still in her robe, holding a towel for me.  I glanced at the hook it had been hanging on minutes before.
I stepped out, reaching for the towel.  She smiled and handed it to me as she stepped close.  I grabbed her wrist and pulled her in, kissing her hard.  She melted against me, flicking her tongue across my lips.  I hugged her close, cupping her ass through the thick robe.  She moaned softly before pushing her hands against my chest, pressing the towel against me.
"Let me dry you off," she said softly, looking at me with her bright blue eyes.  
I nodded, to nervous to speak.
She took the towel and rubbed it across my chest and shoulders before signaling me to turn around.  She worked up from my waist to my neck and then dried my hair before dropping to dry my ass and then each leg in turn.  I could feel her bent behind me when she put her hands on my hips and turned me once more.  My dick was at half-mast.  She looked up at me with a smile and then gently finished drying me.
Her cheeks were flushed when she straightened.  
"You know, I haven't yet thanked you properly for all the wonderful dates you've taken me on," she said softly.  
"You don't...."
"Shh," she said as she pressed a finger to my lips.  "I told you a few weeks ago that I'm not going to just be a friend, and I'm not going to let you think of me as only that, even if it's a 'friend with benefits' type thing."   She slipped her hand down to hold my still stiffening dick.  "I'm your girlfriend."  She looked me in the eye as she said it.
"I also realize you're going to kid yourself about it for a while longer, so I'm going to help you get past that block.  I want you to know that I don't feel I 'have' to do this."  Her hand began stroking my shaft lightly.  "I'm doing it because I want to.  I want to show you how I feel about you."
She pulled back a little, and then moved me to the black marble counter.  She captured my hands and placed them on the edge of the counter with my back to the mirror and sink before stepping back and untying her robe.  She shrugged it off, revealing her flawless breasts and flat stomach.  She wore a pair of black panties and a smile.  She took the towel and dropped it at my feet before grabbing a bottle of lotion.
I could not tear my eyes from hers as she poured some lotion into her hands and warmed it before kneeling before me and grabbing my cock once again.  Her grip and stroke were more assured now, as she twisted her hands and let me fuck between her fingers.  The feeling as she squeezed the base of my head and gently cupped my balls was intoxicating.  I knew I was not going to last too long with this.
She smiled, as if knowing the affect she was having.  "We've dated enough that I think my boyfriend deserves a nice reward, don't you?" she said as she paused her motion and smiled up at me.  "Unless you want me to stop," she added with a slight squeeze of my dick.
"No," I managed to say.  
Her stroking resumed.
"See, I knew you were smart," she said with a smirk.  "Can you imagine how many men and boys wish they were you right now?  They probably dreamed of this as they did themselves to my pictures in Sports Illustrated, but you get the real experience of me kneeling almost naked in front of you, stroking your dick and thinking about sucking it."  She paused and leaned in to kiss the tip of it.  "But that has to wait.  This lovely thing isn't going inside me until you know why you're doing it, and right now I don't think you're thinking that clearly."
She sat back on her heels a little, making certain I could see her breasts and smile as she picked up her pace.  Her right hand stroked me steadily as the fingers of her left cupped and teased my balls.  I could feel myself getting close.  She could tell as well.
"Are you going to cum all over me?" she asked seductively.  "I want you to, but only if you really want to.  Do you want to paint me with your cum?" she asked as she pressed up behind my balls and tightened her stroking grip.
It was too much.  My balls tightened, and I shot a thick stream of cum out, catching her at the collar bone and across her wonderful breasts.  She worked her fingers, jacking me as I shot again, and again.  My stomach clenched at the sensations she brought forth and I threw my head back, gasping for breath.
When I recovered, she was still kneeling at my feet, her chest and torso covered with my spend, and a radiant smile on her face.  She stood gracefully, picking up the towel and using it to wipe herself clean before leaning in to kiss me again.
"I'm glad you enjoyed that boyfriend benefit.  Just think of how much more fun we can have when you make up your mind to think of me as your girlfriend, too."
*****
"Dad, it's Chrissy," Ali said as she pointed at the TV.  We were back in Park City, settling into a summer of activities.  For the first time in a long-time, we were not planning on going oversees for any long stays.
"Turn up the sound," I said as I looked up from the report I was reading.
"The Sports Illustrated fan favorite and muse for Roberto Cavalli wowed the runway crowd in the strapless black dress and thigh high leather boots," the announcer said.  "Cavalli said her long legs were part of his inspiration for the look."
There was a short clip showing Chrissy walking down the runway.  Her legs did look fabulous in the long boots that rose to mid-thigh showing about three inches of silky flesh between their tops and the hem of her dress.  Her hair was shorter, in an off-the-shoulder look with bright pink lips and subtle, smoky eyes.  She looked stunning even with her serious 'runway' face in place.
"Rumors from the show are that Chrissy has a new beau, but she is keeping quiet on who that is.  Speculation has it that she is spending more time with her family's long-time friend, billionaire Paul Taylor."
Ali laughed.  "Chrissy and Daddy, sitting in a tree...."
"You might be living in a tree if you aren't careful," I teased with a mock scowl.
Ali just laughed more.
"Seriously, Dad, is she your new girlfriend?"
Jer had stopped drawing and was looking at me intently.  
"I don't know.  She wants to be.  How do you guys feel about that?"
Ali grinned.  "Cool.  When you get married, that will make Jane and I like sisters."
"Hold onto your horses, kiddo.  Firstly, that would make Jane your aunt, since she is Chrissy's sister.  Secondly, Chrissy and I are not even close to talking about getting married.  We're just deciding if we want to date for real, instead of just having me take her to some dances."
Jer stared at me for me for a minute.  Then he nodded and started sketching again.
"What's that mean, Jer?"  I asked.
He looked at me.  "I like Chrissy.  She's fun.  She can visit, and you guys can date, if that's what you want."
His response was a little troubling, but I decided it was enough for now.  
"How about you, Ali?"
She glanced at Jer and then gave me a little shrug.  "I like Chrissy, too.  She's cool and beautiful and fun.  But how much can you date if she's in California at school or modeling God knows where?"
"Well, we aren't planning on spending every day with each other.  She has some more modeling gigs this summer, so she's staying in the States until school starts.  Then she's going to Sydney with us for the Olympic Opening Ceremonies in September.  After that, we'll see what our schedules tell us."
"Is she going to come here?" Ali asked.
"Maybe, if I invite her."
"Cool.  Can she come to some of my soccer games?"
Ali was signed up for summer soccer while Jer was in soccer and Little League.  Their summer schedules were a primary reason we were staying put for the summer.
"I'm sure she'll want to see you play," I said.
"Okay.  Where is she now?"
I glanced at my phone.  Tamara had thoughtfully put Chrissy's travel dates on my calendar.  When I had accused her of playing match maker, she had just laughed at me and insisted it was to preempt my asking where Chrissy was at on any given day.
"It looks like she is in New York until tomorrow.  I'm not sure what her plans are before she has a photoshoot in LA next week."
"Call her, Dad."  It was a command, not a request.  "You don't want some boy-toy model trying to catch her eye, do you?"
It was my turn to laugh.  I stood up and walked outside to the balcony with my phone in hand.  It shouldn't be too late in New York since the sun was just dropping in Utah.  I hit her contact and pressed dial.
"This is Chrissy," she said after the third ring.  There was a fair amount of noise in her background, but no blaring music, so I doubted she was out partying.
"Hi, beautiful.  I liked your boots in the show," I said.
"Paul!" her excitement sounded genuine.  "They were some killer boots.  Roberto gave me them and the dress.  He called me his muse in a bunch of interviews.  Cavalli has booked me for two more shows and three fashion shoots before the end of the year.  Isn't that great?"
"It is.  You're beautiful, incredibly smart, and very sexy," I said.  "I hope the new bookings aren't going to make you too busy for a visit or two over the summer."
"Oh?  Does my answer portend an invitation?"  She had moved somewhere a little more private based on the lessening of the noise on the line.
"If you're still free until next week, I was thinking I could send a plane for you and you could relax in Park City for a few days."
"As a friend?" she asked.
"As my girlfriend," I replied.
I was smart enough to hold the phone away from my ear.  It saved my hearing as she squealed.
"Are you sure?" she asked a moment later.  "I mean, I don't want you to think I forced you into something you're not ready for."
"I'm ready," I lied.  "More importantly, Jer and Ali think I'm ready.  What do you think?"
She was quiet for a moment.  "I think I'll have to see how you actually behave before I'll know.  I'd love to come visit for a few days before going to LA, but you don't have to send a plane.  I can get on a flight through the agency."
"It's no problem.  I know several pilots and have several planes.  Unless you want to spend time with your adoring fans in an airport and on a flight," I teased.
"I only want to spend time with one adoring fan," she replied.  "When should I be at the airport?"
"When would you like to be here?"  I countered.
"As soon as possible, but I'm also a little tired.  Can I be at the airport around noon?"
"I'll make arrangements.  Teterboro for a noon departure.  I'll have someone pick you up at Heber and see you when I come home from the office."
"How about I come to your office?  I'm your girlfriend, not your hide-away mistress."
"As you wish," I replied.
"Oh, I might wish to be your mistress in private, but we're still dating and working on those sorts of details, so I'll see you at your office tomorrow afternoon.  Please don't plan on working too late."



Chapter Fifty-Seven
Encounters
*****
"Paul, there is someone at the door for you," Nicole said.
We were once again at the annual Fourth of July corporate barbecue at the penthouse in New York.  I had originally planned to hold the board meeting in Park City, but it was under a fireworks ban due to the summer heat and I had decided to give everyone the week off instead.  The kids wanted to see fireworks, of course, and Chrissy had to be in New York for a photoshoot on the seventh, so I had decided to hold the meeting in the Big Apple once again.
"Who is it?  Just invite them in," I said.
Nicole shook her head.  "They didn't want to come in," she said.  
I shrugged and headed inside to the door. 
I was shocked to see Imogene standing in the foyer.  I stopped short.  She was as beautiful as ever.  Her only imperfection was the sad smile she wore.  Her light, bubbly personality no longer touched her face.
"Imogene, it's good to see you again," I said.  "What are you doing here?"
"I wasn't willing to let a call go to voicemail, and I thought this might be the only chance I could talk to you, so I stopped by on the off chance you were here.  When I saw the Secret Service downstairs, I knew you were.  Luckily, I got referred to Nicole when they didn't have my name on the access list."
I moved closer and gave her a tentative hug.  
"I'm glad you stopped by.  How is Berlin?  Are you back in New York permanently?"
"Berlin is wonderful, but I really think of New York as home now.  I came back for a workshop with the ABT."
She looked up at me with her expressive eyes and took a deep breath.
"I just wanted to apologize in person, Paul.  I didn't treat you fairly last fall. I'm so sorry."
I hugged her again, trying to find the right words to say.  She had hurt me deeply, but the reality was I had hurt myself just as much.  
"I'm sorry, too," I said.  "But you were always very clear on your goals and ambition.  I understood that.  I would never want to stand between you and your dreams of being a principal dancer.  I hope you know that."
She had tears in her eyes, but nodded.
"I do.  Now, I think back to all the support you would have given me if I had just been honest and braver.  I know I drove you away.  I could have done something less than cut you out of my life.  Now you probably hate me."
I stepped back, putting my hands on her shoulders.  I suspected she wanted something more than just apologizing.
"I don't hate you, Imogene.  We broke up because we were on divergent paths.  It's not like we became blood enemies or something."
She smiled and bit her lip.
"Is there any chance we could maybe try again?" she asked softly.
I shook my head immediately.  
"I don't see how, Imogene.  I've just started dating someone else, and I'm pretty tied down with the kid's summer activities and work in Utah.  We may not have parted with our best behavior, but the obstacles we would have faced are real enough.  I'm sorry."
She sighed and nodded.
"I had to try," she said.  Her tears were on her cheeks now.  "I'm sorry I bothered you."
I pulled her in for a hug again.  "It's not a bother.  I still think of you as a friend and wish you the very best.  Why don't you come in and have a little fun?"
She clung to me for a moment, but then pulled back.
"No.  I'm sure your new companion is here, and I would feel awkward.  Tell Jer and Ali, I said hello.  Thanks for seeing me, Paul."
She gave me one more brief hug and then turned and left.  I watched the door close and shook my head.  It was really the last person I had expected to see.
"Is everything alright, Paul?" Chrissy asked as she came around the corner.  "Nicole told me you had a visitor."
I gave her a quick hug and kiss, before slipping my arm around her and guiding her back toward the party.  "It was just an old friend saying goodbye," I said.
*****
"What are those?"  Ali asked as Chrissy came into the kitchen in our Park City home with a pair of inline skates.
"Roller-blades," Chrissy replied.  "It's one of my new favorite work-out routines.  It really works your legs without impacting your knees as much as running."
"Cool," Ali said as I stood up and grabbed one of the bags on Chrissy's shoulder.
I was rewarded with a quick kiss, which made Jer make a gagging sound while Ali rolled her eyes.
Chrissy just smiled at them both.  "How are you guys doing?" she asked.  
"Good," Jer replied. "How long are you staying for?  I've got a little league game tonight." 
"I should be here a couple of days.  I've got a shoot in Las Vegas on Tuesday."  It was Friday afternoon.
"Are you coming to my game?"  Jer asked with a look at me.
"Of course," Chrissy replied.  "Why do you ask?"
Jer actually blushed.  "Some of the guys wanted to know when you were coming again," he admitted.
I grinned.  Chrissy had been a big hit with the fathers of several players in her shorts and bikini top at the last game she attended.  Some of the mothers had been less pleased.  Chrissy had laughed it off and pointed at the other, slightly younger teenage girls dressed in a similar fashion.
"How about you, Ali, what are your plans for the weekend?"
"Soccer tomorrow and Sunday, but I want to get some flight time in as well.  I need to practice my touch and goes and get a little cross country time in."  She had soloed in a twin engine plane and was keen to take a transition course to jets.  Terry and I were trying to slow her pace, but only having limited success.  She was actually a very good pilot.  I knew it would get a little easier once she turned fourteen, and could officially hold her student pilot's license under a regular waiver.  Until then, she was chafing under the restrictions we put on her.
"Maybe you can fly me down to Vegas on Monday," Chrissy suggested.
Ali's eyes lit up.  "I can call Pete," she said.  "Dad promised I could get a familiarization ride in the GS-3 soon."
I knew I was beat.  "I'll give him a call today," I promised.  "Now, how about you guys finish up your lunch and let Chrissy get settled a bit before we head out to the game?"
Both kids nodded and I led Chrissy to the master bedroom so she could unpack a few things and freshen up.  The freshening included a much more passionate kiss that gave me an opportunity to hug her close.  We were affectionate, and enjoyed each other's company, but had not gone much further than the handjob she had given me in New Orleans.  While she shared my bed, she was always in her favorite white silk pajama tops and bottoms.  She teased me incessantly.  While frustrating at times, I also tended to agree with her argument, that a relationship between us based only on sex would never last.  She insisted on playing the long game.
I was coming to think of it as the 'long, hard game'.
*****
"Welcome home, darling," Chrissy said in a playful tone as she greeted me at the door to the New Orleans house with a kiss on the cheek.  
I could see several travel crates in the foyer behind her, evidence that the photoshoot was wrapping up.  I spotted a young man coming in from the back, moving to grab another box of gear and was strangely jealous of him.  Chrissy had been down in the Big Easy for a three day shoot with Patrick Demarcheilier.  The house had been their last set of the shoot.
"How did it go?" I asked as I stepped into the cool, air conditioned interior of the house.  August in New Orleans was brutal from a humidity perspective.
"It was fabulous.  You just missed Patrick and the other two models.  Raul is just getting the last of the gear out of here.  I thought you'd take a little longer getting in from the airport," she said.
"Maybe I was anxious to see you," I teased.
She gave me a kiss.
"I missed you, too."
It had been several weeks since our schedules lined up to spend some time together.  The kids had activities nearly every day, and I wanted to support them.  If not for the need to meet with Dr. Perdew and finalize course arrangements, I might not have spent much alone-time with Chrissy until the Olympics next month.
"What are your plans for this whirlwind visit?"  Chrissy asked.  "I have to head back to Stanford next week."
"I've got meetings tomorrow, and then planned on spending a little time with my girlfriend, before flying her back across the country on Friday.  Ali has a soccer tournament on Saturday and Sunday.  If you want to join us, I'll fly you to Stanford Sunday night and then pick you up Friday for the long weekend."
Chrissy hugged me.  "That sounds like a great plan.  I'm so glad you made it down here before I had to fly out.  Remind me to thank Tamara for managing your time so well," she added with a grin.  Her playful attitude made me smile.
"So, you're all done modeling for the summer?" I asked as we moved toward the kitchen.  
"Almost.  I've got one more show before school starts up."
I frowned, and she laughed.
"It's a private showing of some naughty things for my boyfriend."
I shook my head, and asked, "What sort of naughty things?"
She grabbed a couple of bottles of water and handed one to me without answering.  She took a sip, taking the time to suggestively wrap her lips around the bottle, before setting it down and reaching for the buttons on her navy blue blouse.  She looked me in the eye as she slowly undid two buttons, revealing the edge of a white lace bra.
"You know," she said with a msile.  "Naughty under-things."
I swallowed and then took a sip of my own water.
"I think I'd enjoy that show," I finally managed to say.
She had been flirty and affectionate, and initiated a lot of kissing and handholding, but had not really done anything so sexually overt since our first visit to this house. Now, she seemed a little more agressive.
She smiled and undid another button.
"It's so muggy in New Orleans.  I love the feel of a cool breeze on my skin after being outside," she said.  "I've been dreaming of being able to run around this big house feeling the air conditioning on my skin."
She reached the bottom button I could see and proceeded to pull her blouse out of the polk-a-dotted skirt she had on.  I sipped my water and stared.  It was all I could do.
She finished untucking the blouse and then opened the last two buttons until her top hung open, exposing her tight abs and lace-encased breasts.  She had a crooked smile on her face, teasing me.
"You're so beautiful," I managed to say.
"So you want to see more?" she asked playfully.  She didn't wait for an answer.  She unfastened the clasp on her hip and slowly lowered the zipper on the side of the skirt before letting it drop to the floor.  She had on matching white-lace panties that hugged her hips, but clearly showed a darker patch in the front.  She licked her lips and then slowly pushed her blouse off her shoulders, revealing her bra fully before dropping the blouse off her arms to join the skirt on the floor.  
She stretched her hands over her head and took a deep breath to great effect.  She was wearing no less than she had in several swimsuit photoshoots, but standing so close, sharing the moment just with me, it was a totally different experience.  
I set my water down and moved closer, putting my hands on her hips and then trailing my fingertips up her sides and around her back to pull her to me.  I kissed her fully on the lips and her own hands dropped to my head and held me firmly against her.  Our tongues danced and I let my fingers tease their way lower until I could gently cup the soft but firm cheeks of her ass.  I traced the edge of the lace panties across the top of her waist and then let them dip along the cleft of her ass, imagining the sight of the thong back disappearing between those glorious globes of flesh.
Chrissy moaned into my mouth.
I decided she deserved much more than kissing and petting.  I raised my hands and lifted her easily until her butt was on the granite counter, still kissing her madly.  Then I let my fingers trace along her spine again, moving slowly lower as I moved my kisses from her lips to her neck and collar bone.
I kissed and licked my way to the strap of her bra, and then kissed my way lower until I reached the cup with my lips.  I teased my tongue along the line of fabric, and ran my fingertips around until I could feel her hard nipple, still encased in silken lace.  Chrissy wiggled on the counter as I slipped the strap from her shoulder, loosening the bra enough to move the cup down and apply my tongue to her tit directly.  She grabbed my head again as I kissed and sucked on her.  
I undid the clasp of the bra and moved to her other breast, taking my time to enjoy the feel of her and slowly build her pleasure.  
"God, you're making me hotter than August in New Orleans," she moaned a few minutes later.
I took that as my sign to try and cool her off a little.  I kissed between her breasts, rising for a slow kiss to her lips, and then began making my way lower.  She stiffened as my kisses dropped below her breast, tracing the indentation of her stomach muscles as I slowly outlined the definition of her abs.  Her fingers ran circles in my hair as I inched lower, trailing my fingers to her hips as my lips reached the next lace barrier.  
I tugged her panties as she lifted her ass from the counter.  Her aroma was intoxicating and I smiled at the dark blonde, neatly trimmed bush I saw before me.  I urged her to lean back, and lifted her feet to the edge of the counter as I kissed my way to her center.  Slowly, I licked along her well moistened folds and felt the grip of her hands in my hair tighten.
Her breathing picked up pace as I licked and poked with my tongue, teasing her clit and then shifting back to kisses along her inner thighs.  I glanced up and smiled at the look of pure lust on her face.  I kissed lower, pushing her legs wide and licked from her ass to her clit.
Chrissy moaned, and grabbed my head to hold my lips on her clit.  I licked and sucked as she grunted and clenched her stomach.  Her breathing stopped, as she shuddered and clenched.  I tapped her clit with my tongue and she gasped and twitched.  Finally, she relaxed and sagged down, lying on the counter and breathing deeply.
"My God!" she said.  "That was incredible.  Thank you."
I gave her pussy one more kiss and then stood up.  She reached for me and pulled her self up with my help before scooting to the edge of the counter and kissing me deeply on the mouth.  I smiled, wanting to do more, to say more, but still holding back.  One thing was certain, I was not thinking of her as a little girl anymore.
*****
"I can't believe your sister is staying with you," Chrissy complained as we slowed from our breakneck skating pace around Centennial Park.  
We had hopped down to the lab over Labor Day weekend with the kids and made some inline skates with CRP and aerogel compounds.  Chrissy was thrilled to get some hands-on experience with advanced materials, I had enjoyed spending time with her in the lab, and we had all gotten some new skates.  Chrissy said it really gave her butt a good workout.  I just admired the view from behind as she sped around the park in tight shorts.
"What's the big deal?  It's not like there haven't been others around when you've visited all summer," I replied, moving from my favorite observational skating position -- behind her -- to coast alongside her.
"I wanted a little more private time with you," she said.  "We haven't really been alone-alone since New Orleans.  I had some special plans to thank you for bringing me to the Olympics."  She looked and me and wiggled her eyebrows.  I had a very strong suspicion of what she had in mind.  Mutual masturbation had become a mainstay of our limited time alone in bed lately.  
"What's stopping you?" I asked with a grin.
She took my hand and we glided along for a few seconds.  
"I guess it's one thing to try and rock your world with Ali and Jer in the house.  It's totally different when the Vice-President of the United States and her Secret Service detail are around.  I thought about dragging you down the street to Mom and Dad's, but that felt weird, too.  I just really want you to know how much I appreciate you and all you've done for me and my family.  I mean, how cool was it to see the opening ceremonies in the same box as the Prime Minister and the head of the IOC?"
I laughed.  
We had left from Stanford at four o'clock on Thursday after Chrissy finished her classes and Kelly landed in Air Force Two.  The GOT had almost felt crowded with nearly forty passengers once security, the kids, Mitt Romney and his wife, and Kelly and her entourage had gotten settled.  With the eighteen hour time difference, and the two hour flight, we had landed in Sydney just after noon on Friday.  
Chrissy had been thrilled to see her family.  Ali was excited to see Jane.  Jer was happy to be skipping a day of school and had a fresh sketch book to fill with Sydney and the Olympics.  Cars were waiting to take us into the city for a little nap before we made the trek to the stadium and the opening ceremony.
For me, the ceremony had been a little melancholy.  I could not help but think of Jeryl and the first Olympic Opening I had seen in Atlanta, with her, just before we brought the kids down to Australia for the first time.  Kelly, who had not been with us then, sensed my mood and squeezed my free hand.  Chrissy held my other, distracting me nicely with comments about the program and people in the box and the occasional teasing kiss.
In the end, it had been a wonderful evening, despite the crowds, the security, and the politics in play that I continually tried to avoid.  By the time we got home, it was nearly One A.M. local time.  That was when Chrissy realized Kelly was staying next door to the master bedroom, and that a Secret Service agent was going to be right outside the door to my bedroom.   
"You don't have to thank me or do anything as a reward," I said.  "I can't imagine being here and not having you with us.  It's going to be hard dropping you off at Stanford when we go back," I admitted.
She smiled.  "That was what I was hoping to take care of, so it wouldn't be quite 'so hard'," she teased.  
"Are you sure you're ready for that?"  I asked.  Despite the more intimate acts we had done to one another, she still resisted any penetration, oral or otherwise.  I was not sure I fully understood her, but was not going to force anything on her either.  That was not an action I was willing to contemplate.
"Oh, I'm ready.  I think you are getting there as well," she replied.  "It's not like either of us are virgins, you know?"
Her statement was a little of a surprise to me.  I had half-suspected she was a virgin.  She must have seen the doubt on my face.  She smiled and slowed us some more, holding my hand as we transitioned into an easy pace to talk.
"I haven't been a virgin since high-school," she admitted.  "Shortly before we went to the reef that first time, I slept with a boy.  It was okay, but definitely nothing special.  After I saw you and Jeryl together, I wanted more of that kind of relationship.  Jeryl helped me a lot, and even encouraged me to try some of my seduction skills on you as practice."
My face betrayed me again.  She laughed.
"She never told you any of that, did she?"
"No."
"I told you she helped me a lot.  Anyway, as I got into modeling and my confidence grew, I could get laid pretty much anytime I felt I needed to get an itch scratched.  But then I started to realize it was still not the type of relationship you two had.  I  wanted that."
"You just need to find the right guy," I said, dreading the thought that she would go find someone else.
She shook her head.  "No, the right guy would have to find me, I decided.  You two fit together because of all you could share, beyond your bodies.  I need someone who can see me as a model one minute and an engineer the next.  I want someone who can challenge me mentally and physically, and support me emotionally.  So far, I've only met one man that can have a hope of doing that."
We skated on for a pace.  
"Are you sure I can do all that?"  I finally asked.  I did not believe I could do it.
"I'm not certain, but I think you will know if you can, soon.  Even if we discount any physical activities, the best days of the past few years for me have been time spent with you.  Last semester, the highlight of my week was teasing you after your class and spending a few minutes or hours with you."
I thought about her words, and my own feelings on the matter.  I agreed that the highlight of my week while teaching had been seeing her after the class.  I tried to imagine what it was going to be like this semester, not seeing her on a regular basis.  It made me sad.  Then I thought about the summer, and time on Astra, and our two visits to New Orleans.  I did love her, but felt guilty for admitting the feeling to myself.  I had not yet given up hope on figuring out how I had traveled back in time once before.  Even if it was fading, I still had hope that I could right the wrong in my new past.
"I know you still miss Jeryl," Chrissy said, as if reading my thoughts.  "But feeling something for me is not going to diminish your feelings for her, or your memory of her."
I stopped us.  Chrissy looked up at me with a hint of fear in her eyes, as if she had overstepped with her comment.
I pulled her for a close hug.  She was right.  I needed to stop living in fear.  I kissed her, feeling her relax against me.  Our lips parted and I looked into her crystal blue eyes.
"I do love you," I said.  "Thank you."
*****
"What can I do for you, General Patterson?" I asked.  He had replaced General Baker as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  It was different dealing with a Marine Corps mindset, but I had worked hard to limit my direct involvement with the DoD over the past decade.
"Straight to the point, I like that," he said over the phone line.  "I wanted to ask you to perform an independent analysis of a compound another vendor has created to assess if it is truly the same as your product."
That caught me by surprise.
"Someone else is producing nanotubes at the 50 micron length?" I asked.  "Who?"
"Lockheed.  They say it is the same, but it is from their in-house process.  I need to know if it is the same before I allow them to participate in the auction process.  Given the highly sensitive nature of the compound, I can't really send two samples out for testing and comparison."
"I can understand that."  I glanced at my calendar.  "Send the sample to me by courier and I'll run the analysis with Dr. Wilkerson.  When can you have it here?"
"Where are you?" he asked with a chuckle.  "No one in my office knows where you'll be when we call your number with all the back-and-forth travel you do."
"I'm in Utah until Friday morning, then New Orleans.  If you can have the sample in Austin, I can stop there on Saturday and take a look before coming home."
"Will do.  I'll have a courier meet you in Austin at 9:00 AM."
"That should work.  How formal of a write-up are you looking for?"
"The next auction is two weeks away.  I need a verbal answer before then, and would appreciate a write-up on the analysis and differences before the November auction, if possible."
I thought about that.  Ian should be able to handle most of the write-up.  
"That's doable.  I'll give you a call as soon as we take a look at it."
"Thank you, Paul.  I appreciate it."
We ended the call and I sat back to think for a few minutes.  If Lockheed had finally figured out how to make the stealth compound in volume, I could exit that line of business.  It was lucrative, but the security headaches were not really worth the costs anymore.  While the bootstrap revenue had been helpful early on, it was a pittance compared to generator and power revenues now.  
It was a business I was actually looking forward to exiting, I decided.
I looked at my calendar again and began shutting down for the day.  Ali had her last soccer game of the season this afternoon, and I had promised to be there.  
"Good, you're nearly ready to go," Tamara said as she came into my office.  "Nicole has the Range Rover coming around to pick you up."
"Thanks," I said.  "Anything urgent for tomorrow?"
"Nope.  You've got your regular call and then most of the day blocked for the base review."
I nodded.  I wanted to go over the details of the planned base layout for Aristarchus Base.  We had the initial short-term facilities in place to handle power and limited habitability space along with some lab space, but had not yet begun major construction as we finished our OTV fleet building.  
"Okay, then I guess I just have to think about girl's soccer for a few hours."
Tamara smiled and agreed.  Together, we headed out.
The game was close, but in the end, Ali's team lost.  She seemed a little down when she made her way over to the sidelines after congratulating the other team.
"That was a tough one," I said as I looked at her sweat streaked face and grass-stained knees.  She had played a hard game.  
"Thanks, Dad.  I guess I'm glad Chrissy didn't waste a trip to see it."
Chrissy was consumed with classes.  She had flown back with us from the Olympics at the end of September.  I had managed to take her on one date in Stanford since then and she had come out to Utah for a weekend two weeks ago.  We made it a point to talk a couple of times a week.  Ali always wanted a few minutes to chat with her as well.  I was glad they were building a relationship.
"Dad, can Caitlyn come over this evening?"
Caitlyn Mckenzie was Ali's closest local friend lately.  She seemed to come over three or four nights a week to do homework or hang out with Ali.  
"Sure.  Do you guys have a school project or something?"
"No, but I really want to soak in the hot tub and maybe take a sauna.  Caitlyn probably feels the same way.  We were running all over the field today."  She turned and waved to Caitlyn who was a dozen yards away talking to her parents.  I put my hand on Ali's shoulder and guided her over.
The adults exchanged greetings while the girls whispered to each other and then giggled.  I sorted out the logistics while they headed off to the Range Rover.  A short while later, we were driving home.
We dropped the girls at the house and then I rode along with Nicole to pick up Jer from his afternoon art class.  He was taking private lessons three times a week with two different teachers.  I was a little worried that he was not socializing enough with kids his own age, but Helen had cautioned me not to force him to choose between his art and more normal play-time.  I started trying to think of something we could do for his upcoming birthday.  Maybe a camping trip with some of his friends and their fathers.  
By the time I got Jer home, the girls were down in the hot tub after eating.  I went out on my bedroom balcony to check on them.
"You wouldn't dare," I heard Caitlyn say.  They were neck deep in the frothy bubbles of the jacuzzi. 
"Why not?" I heard Ali reply.  "It's not like we haven't been in the shower at school at the same time, and nobody else is here.  It's friends and family, like I said."
I was a little worried by what I heard, suspecting what my daughter was getting up to.  Of course, I tended to agree that there was no harm in sitting naked in a hot tub, either.
"What if your dad or brother comes out?" Caitlyn asked.
"So what.  Do you think they're going to attack you or something?  Come on, I'll show you."
I saw Ali wiggle beneath the water and then saw her swimsuit top tossed onto the patio, followed a minute later by her bottoms.  
"See.  You can't see anything beneath the water.  Besides, I like the jet hitting directly," she added with a giggle.
Caitlyn watched her move around for a minute and then sat a little higher and pushed the straps of her one-piece suit off her shoulders.  She was back to being neck deep when she finished pulling off her own suit and tossed it out next to Ali's.
"Now," Ali said, "slide around until the jet hits you in the good place."
I listened to them giggling and then get quiet.  Part of me wanted to go down and tell them to stop, but it was really no different than a lot of things I knew a lot of girls did.  I listened for a little while, but then let them be.  I went back inside and decided to call Chrissy."
"Hi," she said cheerfully.  "I'm so glad you called.  I really need a little study break."
"I'm glad I could be a suitable distraction for you," I said.
"When are you coming out again?" she asked.  "I've got a big test next week, but would love a little break after that."
"You mean before you have to be in New York for the winter Cavalli show?"
She groaned.  "What was I thinking when I agreed to do those shows?  I'm going to have to study the entire time I'm out there, except for when I'm actually on the runway and getting fitted.  Shit, I need a break."
I laughed.  "I remember those days.  I thought I was crazy my senior year working on a double major. You can do it, I know."
"Thanks.  So tell me what you've been up to."
I relayed my past couple of days and mentioned Ali's behavior to her.
"You need to have a talk with her, Paul.  Masturbating is no big deal.  Even exploring with her friend is fine, but she'll start thinking about boys and other things soon.  She needs to know she can come to you or me and talk things over.  You might want to invite Jyl up for a visit to talk to her about the medical side of things, too."
"Damn, she's only twelve.  I thought I had a little time before all that started," I confessed.
Chrissy laughed.  "I know a lot of girls that gave it up when they were thirteen or fourteen.  Not all of them, but quite a few more than you would think.  Dad used to say, 'with a boy you worry about one penis, with a girl I worry about all penises'.  It's a pretty apt statement."
I sighed.  I knew time was not going to stop just because I didn't want my baby to grow up.
"How would you like to have a little company in New York?"
"Ali has school," she teased.
"I meant me, silly.  How about I fly from New Orleans next Friday night, then we hop the GOT to New York for your show, have a nice dinner out, and I'll get you back to Stanford Sunday?  I'm pretty sure a certain someone has a twenty-first birthday soon."
"I need to be out there Friday for fittings and walk-throughs.  How about you fly up to New York and we go out Friday night and Saturday before you bring me home?"
"That sounds like a wonderful plan," I said.  
"Good, because I really want some alone time with my man.  I think we should plan dinner in on Saturday night."
"As you wish," I replied.
We chit-chatted a bit longer, before ending the call with soft 'I love you's.  I stuck my head back outside, and saw the hot tub was off.  I shook my head and headed downstairs to put the cover back on.  Ali knew better than to leave it off.
"I can't wait until my boobs get bigger," I heard Caitlyn say as I came down the stairs.  I turned the corner into the workout room and found two naked, pre-teen girls looking at each other in the mirrored wall.  
"Eek!" Caitlyn shrieked as she saw me in the mirror and ducked to cover herself.  
Ali nonchalantly picked up a towel and handed it to her friend.  "It's just dad.  I told you it was no big deal with friends and family."
"Ali," I said, trying to ignore her naked friend.  "You need to put the cover on the hot tub when you're done."
"We will Dad.  Sorry," she actually sounded contrite.  I wondered if it was an act for her friend.  
"Caitlyn," I said.  "You can wear whatever you want in the hot tub.  Don't let Ali, or anyone, pressure you to do something you're not comfortable with."  I gave Ali a glance.  "You are both growing up, and it's important that you understand it's alright to say 'no' to anything you're uncertain about doing.  Peer pressure isn't worth putting yourself in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation, okay?"
Both girls nodded.  
"Okay, then.  Put the cover on if you're done in the hot tub.  If you're not going to wear your suits, hang them up so they dry out.  Caitlyn, your mom is picking you up in an hour."
I turned to head back upstairs, and felt a damp Ali wrap her hands around my waist.  
"Thanks for being cool, dad."
It made me smile, despite my discomfort.  I suspected Jeryl would have been proud of me.
*****
The camera flashes nearly blinded me as we stepped outside the New York Public Library by Bryant Park.  The fashion show had been inside with a temporary runway and seating provided.  Chrissy hugged my arm and slowed my pace as the cameras continued to flash.  She had worn the finale piece in the winter Cavalli collection, and looked stunning in the soft leather pants, the loose camel top with a plunging neckline and the forest green jacket.  Once again, she had been gifted with the outfit and now wore it proudly.  
There were a few shouted questions which we both ignored with smiles and small waves before climbing into the car and starting the short drive toward the apartment.  Chrissy laughed at the look on my face and gave me a passionate kiss once we were away from the curb.
"Thank you so much for coming out this weekend," she said.
"I missed you, too," I replied.
"Missing me and coming to New York is one thing," she said.  "Putting on a suit and letting me parade around on your arm last night and tonight is entirely different."
I had flown up after class at Tulane on Friday and taken her to see Aida on Broadway and then had an intimate, late dinner in a pretty upscale eatery.  Saturday she had been swamped with final fittings, hair and makeup before the photoshoot and show in the early evening.  I had been given the VIP treatment at a pre-show reception and met more people from the fashion and publication industry than I had ever wanted to meet.
"I'm glad you're happy," I said and gave her a quick kiss.
"And I have every intention of making you happy this evening as well," she said with a smile.  "We'll finally have a night completely alone."  
She scooted closer and slipped my arm around her shoulders and snuggled in next to me.  "I've really missed you," she said softly as she ran her hand across my chest."
I turned just enough to kiss her.  We stayed that way until we pulled up in front of the apartment building on the Upper West Side.
Five minutes later, we were in the apartment, but not alone yet.  I had arranged through Lila and Nicole for a chef and a one person serving staff to cater dinner.  The candlelit table was set next to the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the terrace.  I helped Chrissy with her coat and then led the way.  Soft music played in the background.
I held her chair for her, and a woman about Chrissy's age came out from the kitchen and poured us each a small glass of white wine without saying a word.  I lifted my glass and gave her a small toast.  Her smile was radiant.
Dinner was long, with seven small courses, but we never felt like we were waiting for anything.  The private chef came out and introduced each course as well as told us the wine he had paired it with.  By the time we finished with berries in a pastry cup, we were both full, but not stuffed, and had the barest hint of a buzz.
"I think you might be trying to get me intoxicated," Chrissy said as she sipped the last of her white port wine.  "But you forget that I'm an Aussie and can handle myself after a few drinks."
"I was hoping I could handle you after a few drinks," I teased back.
"I do believe that can be arranged," she said with a smile.  "Right after I handle you."
I leaned over and kissed her softly.  A minute later, we were in the bedroom, the city lights outside the window, and in each other's arms.  I was willing to go slowly, enjoying the soft feel of her lips, her skin, drinking in her scent, but she had other ideas.  
"I want to feel your skin against me," she said in a low voice as she worked on the buttons of my shirt.  Like teenagers, we fumbled to undress each other.  As soon as we were both naked, we hugged one another again, kissing.  She broke our kiss and dropped down, engulfing my cock in a hungry slurp.  It was the first time she had taken me in her mouth, or anywhere elese.  I let her turn my back to the bed and followed her lead as she pushed me to the edge and then sat me down.
She lavished my shaft with her tongue and took her time, licking my balls before sucking me into her mouth once again.  She fell into a pattern, taking me to the edge, and then backing off to catch her own breath.  I tried to coax her onto the bed, to put her beautiful body within my own reach, but she just smiled coyly and returned to her task.  After what felt like the twentieth time, I felt myself getting close.  Instead of backing off this time, she used her fingers to play gently with my balls and suddenly I was thrusting upward, coming hard.
Chrissy caught it all in her mouth, swallowing before sucking me in deeply and licking the last of my spend from my still-hard shaft.  When she finally lifted her mouth from me and looked up, she was smiling broadly.
"I guess you liked that," she teased.  
I nodded.  "Now it's my turn," I said.
She hurriedly climbed onto the bed next to me and we kissed before I rolled over and began my own oral exploration of her magnificent breasts.  I kissed and tongued them, making her nipples stand proud before dipping lower to tease her belly button and then lower still.  I licked along the blondish brown landing strip of her pubic hair and then teased my tongue along her lower lips before kissing her protruding clit.  
Chrissy moaned as I slipped a finger inside her while my tongue continued to trace circles around her clit.  I slowly established a rhythm, pausing as she had when I thought she was building up too fast.  She grabbed my hair, trying to hold me against her, but I braced myself on my elbows and stopped moving until her grip relaxed.  Only then would I resume my delicious torture on her.  I built her up several times, and then took her right to the edge before tapping her rosebud with my finger and sending her over the edge.  
"Oh God!" she cried out as she lifted her pelvis against me and I watched her tight stomach spasm.  I would lick her carefully as she came down, sending another delightful shudder through her.  Eventually, she pushed my head away.
"You had better be ready to go again, lover, because I've waited way too long for you," she said as she pulled me up for another kiss.
I was ready. 
She grabbed my cock and lined it up with her sopping pussy, as I slowly lowered my hips, thrusting into her.  The first contact was electrifying.  She shifted a little, wrapping one leg around me until her heel was at the small of my back.  Her leg urged me forward into her.  She was tight, but not painfully so.  I slipped forward, kissing her until I was fully seated, reveling in the feeling of her silky smooth pussy.  I rocked forward, pressing our pubic bones together and she moaned into my mouth.  Slowly, I made love to her.
*****
"Aunt Kelly won again!" Ali said.  
Ali and Jer had been less interested in the election four years ago, when we lived in Sydney, but this time, they were both discussing it in school and tracking the results on election night.  It was fun as we watched the early results.
"You do know it's not just Aunt Kelly, right?"  I asked.  Neither of them ever mentioned Al Gore, even though they had both met him at least twice over the summer.
"Yeah," Jer said, "but he's only with her because he couldn't get elected without her."
I laughed and went to fetch some more water for us all.
"Florida's declared for Kelly!"  Ali called out as I got back to the family room.
"They're going to win easily," Jer added.  Florida was usually a late reporting state.  The fact that the turnout had been high and the districts had overwhelmingly voted for the democratic ticket on the Presidential race was telling of Al and Kelly's popularity.  I looked at the other state results and noticed there was very little change in the state's representatives, but it looked like one of Florida's senate seats would change hands.  
"Any news from Ohio?"  I asked.
Ali shook her head.  "The news is being pretty cagey since it looks so close.  If Aunt Kelly wins Ohio, they will pretty much clinch it, won't they?"
While I agreed, I cautioned Ali not to count her chickens before they were hatched.
"When she wins, does that mean we get to go to the inauguration again?" 
"If we get invited."
"Are you going to take Chrissy?"
"It depends on her schedule and getting invited."
"Is she coming with us for Thanksgiving?  Where are we going to have it this year?" Jer asked.
"That is a good question.  Where would you guys like us to have it?"
"How about Maine?  We haven't been there for ages," Ali said.
Her suggestion caught me up short.  It was another place filled with ghosts for me.  We had not been there since Jeryl's death.  
"I think Maine would be cool," Jer added.
"Okay," I said.  I would have to overcome my own fears, I supposed.
"And you'll invite Chrissy?" Ali added.s
"I will.  Why are you so anxious for her to be there?" I asked.
Ali looked away and I saw a little color blossom on her cheeks.  
"Dad, sometimes it's just nice to talk to a girl.  Besides, you like her, don't you?"
My daughter was getting too good at deflecting conversations.
"I do.  Now, Jer, what are we doing next weekend for your birthday?" I asked.
"I thought we were going camping?  We asked Kyle and his dad to go already."
"Just making sure we were still on the same page," I said.  "You're ready to do a little back-packing?"
He smiled.  "It's going to be cool."
I knew what he meant, but did not think he fully appreciated the weather.  "No, it's going to be cold.  There's a chance of snow in the mountains next week.  We've got some new gear to keep us warm.  We got stuff for Kyle and his dad as well.  We'll hike to the first yurt Friday after school."
"What's a yurt?" Ali asked.
"It's like a permanent tent," I said.  "That way we don't have to carry some gear with us."
"And I can't go?"  Ali asked with a little pout.
"Did you include Jer in your ski weekend or other birthday activities?" I asked.  
We all knew she had not, despite the fact the Jer would have bowed out if asked.  Ali shook her head.
"Well, there you have it.  You might want to think about how you'd like others to treat you next time you plan something that excludes them."  
Jer gave her a look and nodded without smiling.  I stifled a laugh while Ali gave a dramatic sigh.
"Look!" Ali exclaimed as she pointed at the television.  "They called Ohio for Aunt Kelly."
*****
"I'm worried about security," Lila said.  
We had just come through the security checkpoint into our newest powerplant in Atlanta co-located at Hartsfield Airport.  Delta had funded construction while we provided generators and operations staff under our agreement with them.  Right now, the plant had two generators, but we had built it with sufficient space to handle sixteen, so we could scale from producing 1,600 MegaWatts of clean power to 12.8 GigaWatts as demand increased.  With Atlanta's growth, the connection to the new Atlanta high-speed rail link up the East coast, and Delta's commitment to clean energy at their major hubs, we were planning on adding a generator every six months until we reached full capacity. 
"It's your job to worry about security," I said in what I hoped was a teasing voice.  "It feels pretty secure here," I added.
The facility felt more like a bunker than a power plant.  We had placed it at a far edge of the airport land, excavated below grade, insisted on a meter of reinforced concrete and put a full-time security team in place to control access.  Entry was through two controlled checkpoints and even the shipping bay had two sets of heavy blast-proof doors that could not be opened at the same time.  
"It's meant to be a hard target, Paul.  But I still worry.  We've seen a few up-ticks in protesters and we still get occasional picket lines here as well as at the Virginia plant.  You know this will be newsworthy, so it will become a focus point for the discontent."
"Which is why we have separate access to this plant rather than from the airport.  We literally have the best security money can buy, and as soon as people find they can buy a PT Powermeter at Home Depot and see a cut in their power bill, we'll have the people on our side."
Lila sighed.  We had debated this enough that she knew I was not going to budge.
"Are we taking the same approach at the Salt Lake airport?"  I asked.
"Of course.  Delta is negotiating with New York and Seattle as well.  They have seen their savings in Amsterdam and on the continent.  They've become believers and advocates for you."
"It's about time," Jody, this week's travelling assistant said.
We continued our tour and visited with the staff for a bit before heading off to our meeting with Home Depot.  Since we were selling excess power on the open grid, both from Atlanta and via our California desalinization  plants, we had struck a deal to allow purchase of a meter that was installed by a Home Depot technician and then billed against the excess power we sold.  It was a more complex agreement than what I would have wanted, but it allowed us to start giving people relief on their power bills.  I knew corporations would be the first adopters, since we had already seen that trend in California.  The utility companies were trying to run up the rates for infrastructure, but the individual Public Utility Commissions were on our side.  If the companies raised those parts of the rates, more consumers would buy our meters and give a one-finger-salute to the power companies.  I had Sheryl working on getting a couple of distribution only companies into our corporate structure.  I had no problem hiring union electricians for those operations.
After Home Depot, we had a photo session with the Delta executives, the governor of Georgia, and the mayor of Atlanta.  Lila had been right that the start up of the power plant was going to be deemed newsworthy.  While everything went well, I felt like it was only a matter of time before the next shoe dropped.
From Atlanta, we hopped up to New York.  We were planning to spend the night in the city before a board meeting with CRP and then it would be time for a long Thanksgiving weekend in Maine.  Philip and Anna were bringing the kids out, along with Chrissy, Tamara, and Allen.  Mom and Dad were making their own way up, and Hunter was already there with Ian and the regular security detail.  Lila's dad and a woman he had started dating after retiring were joining us as well.  We also had the Secret Service team on the island since Kelly was joining us this year.  I found I was looking forward to having family and friends together again with no public or business obligations scheduled.
"Do you have plans for the rest of the week?" Lila asked Jody as we relaxed after dinner in the apartment in New York.
"A few of the other PA's and I are taking friends down to Paul's place in St. Lucia.  We all debated which island to warm up and relax at," she joked.  
I had offered them St. Lucia, Hawaii, or Maine.  I think Tamara had suggested they not follow me to Maine.  I said as much.
"No, it was more about the fact that we all decided we wanted to unwind a bit without the bosses seeing us," Jody replied with a smile.  "Besides, If we're going to relax with a friend or significant other, we decided we would rather do it on a warm beach."
"Fair enough," I said with a laugh.  
The next day was the board meeting, followed by some negotiations on a few new materials that we were making on Astra.  CRP had rights to the materials portfolio, but could hardly build a new plant in orbit.  We had volume in Astra, but would have to construct additional zero-gee sections off the hub or spine for some of the processes.  Those construction costs could be handled a number of ways, which became the heart of the negotiation, along with lift and return capacity.
By the end of the day, I was more than ready for a break.  I took left seat on the GS-3 flight up to Maine, enjoying the focus of flying to let my mind clear and start unwinding.  It had been a busy month since Chrissy's photoshoot; work, family, work, camping, more work, it was starting to wear me down.  Maybe it was time to make some changes, I thought.
"Daddy!" Ali called as I walked into the main house on our Maine island retreat.  
"Ali!" I replied, throwing my arms wide as she ran up to me.  Our big greetings had faded at some point in the past, but had recently retured.  I smiled as I picked her up and spun around.  
She laughed and I set her down.
"Have you been behaving?"  I asked.
She gave a dramatic sigh.  "Of course.  How could I misbehave when Philip and Anna watch me like a hawk.  Chrissy is getting to be nearly as bad.  She actually made me finish homework on the plane coming out."
"So now you're done and don't have to worry about it," Chrissy said as she came into the entryway and gave me a hug and a kiss.  "Just like I finished my work on the flight so I can relax a little as well," she added.
"That's good," I said.  "You know grandma and grandpa will tell us no business or work this weekend, those are the vacation rules.  Grandpa set those rules when I was nearly your age, and they make a lot of sense."
"Does that mean Jer can't draw?"  Ali asked with a sparkle in her eye.
"Is it homework for him, or just him relaxing?"  I asked.
Ali looked a little crestfallen.  "Just him being him.  You know how he is."
I smiled.  "A lot like you with flying?"  I asked.
Chrissy laughed at her look and hooked my arm.  "Jer and your mom and dad are on the porch.  This house is so neat," she said as she guided me toward the back of the house.
Jer was sketching the breakers hitting the bluff below the house, lit by the spotlights we had installed while Mom and Jim sat on one of the love seats with drinks in hand.  Jim spotted us and stood to shake my hand.  I was surprised to see a small frown on my Mom's face as we crossed closer to them.
"How are you guys?" I asked as I shook Jim's hand and then leaned down to give my mother a kiss on the cheek.  Her natural smile returned by they time I straightened, but I knew there was something on her mind, and suspected it had something to do with me.
"We're good.  It seems like it's been ages since we've seen you," she said.  "Even though it's only been a few months.  The kids seem so much more grown up than they did in September."
"Tempus fugit," I said.
"When's Kelly get in?" I asked.
"She should be here in the morning," Jim replied.  "She's staying in the closest cabin.  She did not want her security detail bothering the rest of the family."
I shrugged.  "I'm sure Philip and Lila would keep them in line.  Speaking of Philip, where is he?"
My mother laughed.  "In the kitchen, of course.  You would think he was your personal chef rather than security."
"He likes to cook.  You should have seen him in New Orleans at Emril's.  I swear he could get a job there in a heartbeat."
"Turned it down," Philip said as he came onto the porch and handed me a mug of something steaming.  "I like cooking and learning about food and drink, but enjoy the sense of adventure travelling around for you gives.  Cheers!"
We toasted each other and I took a careful sip of the drink.  Luckily it was only a sip, since it was some sort of buttered rum drink.  
"Wow, that's got a bit of a kick to it," I said as Philip smiled at me.
"Hot buttered rum with a few other things in it," he said.  "I thought they would help everyone start to relax.  Lila and Tamara shared your schedule since the Olympics with me.  You deserve a break.  So does this young lady," he said with a wink toward Chrissy.
"So tell us about this house in New Orleans," Mom said.
Soon Chrissy was showing her the spread from Vanity Fair that they had shot in the house.  I was glad Mom's frosty look had thawed.  Jim caught my eye and motioned me toward the far end of the porch, closer to the pot-bellied stove that warmed the far end.
"You know we really like Chrissy," he said without preamble.  "But your Mom is concerned.  There's a lot of less than flattering things in the tabloids about you two."
I scoffed.  "Like I care, or she should care about what those idiots print.  What is she worried about?"
"Just the rumor-mongers.  The fourth estate paints you as a cad chasing young women and her as a gold-digger.  I know neither is true, but we see so much of it that sooner or later is starts to get to your mother."
"Well, she needs to figure out how to get over it," I said.  "I don't know where Chrissy and I will end up, but we're going to get there on our own terms, not based on whatever the pulp-journalists think or print."
Jim was nodding.  "I agree.  It's just hard when we see some sordid accusation about our son and his friends every other week in the checkout line of the grocery store."
I laughed.  Then I realized he was serious.  I literally could not remember the last time I had been in a check-out line for anything.  It was a sobering thought.  My life-style was sheltered and perhaps I was jaded by it.  It was something to think about.
"Jim," I said.  "I love you guys and respect your opinions, but in this case, you are way off base.  Chrissy is as driven to succeed as I was at her age.  She is not about to ride my coattails for that success.  Look at her modeling career.  She could be making millions of dollars if she wanted to model full time.  Instead, she is finishing her degree in mechanical engineering and wants to work with me to help the world build a better future.  She loves me, my kids, my family, and I love her.  Isn't knowing that enough to forget tabloid journalists?"
Jim nodded.  "It is.  Most of the time, I remind your mother of all that and she realizes she is being silly.  Lately, it's been harder for her to forget some of those facts, is all."
"Well, hopefully she'll see the reality of our relationship between now and Sunday and realize any worries are in her head and other people's small minds."
"I certainly hope so," Jim said.
*****
"I'm taking you up on your offer," Kelly said as we walked toward her cabin.  She had asked me to walk her the short distance back after we finished eating Thanksgiving leftovers and watching a holiday movie with the kids.
"Oh?  Which offer?" I asked.
"Next spring or summer, I'll be looking to bring some Senators up to Astra.  Maybe even out to your lunar base.  I wanted to give you some warning."
I nodded.  "Why?"
She laughed and we stepped onto the enclosed porch of her cabin.  
"Why the warning or why am I doing it?"
"The warning," I said.  "I hope you are doing the visit to make it clear to your friends on the Hill that you have means and access to things the country needs, and they need you to be in the White House four years from now to have similar access."
She smiled in the dim light.
"And I don't want you getting upset by any of my plans.  I'm going to be taking a more visible role in our space and economic policy for the next four years.  If we can keep the economy strong and establish a real frontier of hope, I should be a shoe-in when Al's time is up."
"You'll have my vote," I said, "If you keep the economy from blowing up."
"What do you mean?"
"That summit and Al's campaign promises.  I'm worried about the housing market blowing up with the cheap loans being promised.  Have you looked at that structure?"
"Not in detail," she admitted.  "What worries you?"
"The bill being crafted has variable rate loans in them.  They are getting the banks to bet that cheap money now will not drive foreclosures in seven years when the rates balloon.  That's betting against the nature of man.  I think it's going to create a debt crisis, and it will be either in the election year, or your first term in office."
Kelly looked at me.  "I assume you've had someone studying this?"
I nodded.
"Send me the write-up.  I'll see if I can sway some opinions before the bill gets moved on.  Thanks for the warning."
I smiled.  "What are little brothers for, if not keeping their big sisters out of trouble?"
She laughed.
*****
"Are you teaching your seminar at Tulane again next semester?"  Chrissy asked as we snuggled under the covers in my apartment on Astra Station.  
She had asked that we get away from everyone for a night before diving into Christmas visits and family events.  Janet and Jerry had the kids at the farm, spending time with that part of the family before I joined them for a small town Christmas before flying down under for New Years. 
"Yes, why?"  I asked.  
"I miss seeing you every week," she said as she stroked a hand down my chest.  "It was really nice spending Thanksgiving with you and then having you pick me up after my last final and flying away.  Making our schedules synch up once a month is not nearly as nice as knowing I'll see you every day or week."
I stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.
"I know.  I don't like spending too many nights away from the kids.  That limits me some."
"And I'm not asking you to," she replied.  "I don't want to compete with them for your time.  I guess I'm just feeling a little sorry for myself."
I hugged her.
"You can feel however you want.  I remember how stressful my senior year was.  This semester is going to be the same way as you finish up and prep for your P.E. exam.  You are going to sit it, aren't you?"
"Of course.  I've got a feeling I couldn't do what I want without that little piece of paper."
"Oh?  And just what do you want to do when you graduate?" I asked.
She slapped my chest.  "You know, or at least you should.  I want to go see the builder-bot on the Moon and work on that fabrication process with you."  She was quiet for a moment.  "You know that some of my classmates accused me of having some sort of unfair advantage last semester, since I had already worked on the 3-D printer and control system for that robot?  It really pissed me off."
"What did the professor say?"  I asked.
"He told the class my work was superior, but then some of the assholes said he had to say that or you would pull funding from the school.  They said he couldn't afford to put the Sallaway School of Design at risk."
"You know I wouldn't do that, right?"  The department and building I had funded in Jeryl's name and memory was soon to be opened and would hold classes starting in the fall.
"Of course not.  In the end, they're just jealous.  I get that from sorority sisters, women on campus, and classmates, but it still gets under my skin some."
"I know the feeling.  When I was in school, most of my classmates knew at least some of what I had already done.  Jeryl got to stay somewhat anonymous.  It wasn't until about this time in college that her professors even knew how much she had accomplished."
I went on to describe her case-study on the Nike Diamond Skin deal and how she and Lila had challenged the professor's assumptions and thinking.
"After that, she had a lot of the same behavior you're seeing aimed at her," I concluded.
"How did she handle it?" Chrissy asked.
"She just laughed it off."
"I bet you helped her laugh it off," Chrissy said.  "What did you do to help her not care about it?"
"Little things,"  I did not want to mention vacations with Allison or just raw, naked time together.  "In the end, we both realized we did not really need to care what strangers thought about us.  By that point in our lives, we had both been shot at and run for our lives, so we had a little perspective."
"What?"  
I gave a highly edited version of our troubles with the French and the KGB.  Not being able to discuss the material at stake made it sound more like a spy-novel outline than something that really happened to us.
Chrissy was quiet after I finished.
"You had something the government wanted that was so valuable people tried to kidnap you to get it?"  She shook her head.  "I guess that does put some whinging by college students into perspective.  Thanks for telling me about that.  It actually helps."
"I'm glad."
"Do you know what would really help me put it out of my mind?" she asked.  
Her hand wandered lower to give me a clear idea of what she was thinking.  I kissed her hard and easily pulled her on top of me as I rose to the occasion.  In the tenth-gee field, she had to consciously slip her heels under my knees as she settled onto my cock, before rocking back and forth and pulling my hands to press against her firm breasts.  The feeling of making love in the light-weight environment as the earth spun below us was incredible.  She leaned down, kissing me firmly as a small shuddering orgasm washed over her.  I cupped her ass, feeling the quiver of her muscles and then began thrusting up into her again, causing delightful shudders inside her as she clenched my dick with her velvety sheath.  She ground down against me, trying to coax another cum from me.
I kissed her hard and then rolled over.  Once again, the low gravity made moving us both around easy.  I flipped her onto her stomach and grabbed her hips before slipping my cock back into her.  She reached beneath herself and cupped my balls before fingering her own clit as I picked up my pace of thrusting.  
"Oh, Paul, fuck me good," she moaned.
I took long strokes, nearly slipping free from her before plunging back into her depths, holding her hips and pulling her against my thighs.  She began thrusting back, her hands moved to the sides of her head to give more leverage.  I looked down at our joining, watching myself slide in and out of her as her cute ass wiggled against me.  She flung her hair to one side, lying on her cheek to look back at me.  Her little smile and look of trust and love gave me the final sensation I needed, and I came inside her, hard.



Chapter Fifty-Eight
Faster, Higher, Further
*****
"Damn, this looks like a pig," Hunter said as he paused inside the new hangar in Kenya and admired my latest project.
Our base in Kenya had changed over the years, growing from an emergency field to our primary heavy lift base.  Most personel went to orbit on GOTs, but our heavy lifters  were based here in Kenya.  Our shelters had been replaced with permanent huts and houses, built along traditional lines, but with modern materials.  Staff now enjoyed easy access to Nairobi via train, plane, and the occasional automobile, but seldom needed to venture to the city since most of the modern conveniences were now present on the base.  
New mission needs and our smaller, more efficient engines had formed the basis for my idea.  An off-the-cuff comment to Ali had put more specific wheels in motion.  Now, nearly three years later, I was showing the completed project to someone for the first time.  I had not built the vehicle alone.  I had designed it and sent components out to various partners and expert firms.  I had rotated assembly teams through the complex, hopping down from Park City on a infrequent, but regular basis, to check and verify the work.  Security had been kept tight.  Tamara had been instrumental in coordinating the various assembly activities.  Terry White had been involved in the design and ground testing. But no one had experienced the thrill of walking into the darkened hangar and seeing the white curves of a new orbiter before.
It reminded me of rolling out 'the beast' from my garage for the first time so many years ago, only not nearly as pretty a vehicle.  The ship was essentially a dome based on a circle fifty meters wide and twenty-five meters tall.  Eight of our newest engines were placed in pairs around the circumference of the craft, pointing upward in their bullet shaped cowlings.
"How in the hell did you manage to build this without me finding out about it?"  Hunter finally managed to ask as we walked closer and the scale of the ship hit him.  
I smiled.
"You've been kept busy and I've been careful."  While I had been splitting time teaching and working on other projects, Hunter had been working with the medical research field to determine how our better control of magnetic fields could improve medical imaging technology.  
"This thing looks powerful.  The GOTs are sexy, but you can tell this ship is going a lot further than orbit.  Have you named it yet?
"How right you are," I said as I patted him on the shoulder.  "This will be our new workhorse in orbit.  This first one is dubbed 'Orion'," I added.  "It can be flown by two people, but configured to support  twelve astronauts for up to a six month mission with a pretty significant cargo capacity.  We could pretty easily re-configure the interior storage to support passengers, if we absolutely had to."
I stopped at an airlock door near the stubby landing strut and pushed a button to open the door.  "We have four airlocks down here, each set forty-five degrees between the engine mounts.  We have another up on the top of the dome that includes a standard docking collar, so we can connect to the station or an OTV in orbit.
We stepped inside and through the lock door into the three meter wide corridor running around the circumference of the ship.  
"The first deck is forty-four meters in diameter, with eight meter ceilings.  We have a pretty standard cargo pallet system in there for equipment load-outs and what not."  I guided him up a ladder in the passage way, leading to the first hab deck.  
"This is hab-one," I said as we stepped through another set of pressure tight doors.  "We made this deck pressure tight from the cargo area since we wanted the option of opening the cargo space to vacuum for easier loading and unloading.  Here we've got the primary EVA support rooms, engineering and environmental support and pressurized storage areas and lab space."  We walked through several rooms, before climbing up to the next level.
"This is hab-two.  Living quarters, galley, recreation spaces and some additional labs are on this deck.  Hab-three is similar."  We took our time exploring the spaces as we climbed higher. 
"The command deck has our flight controls, RPV controls and mission sensor stations in addition to access to the top docking airlock and associated EVA storage and suit-up areas."
"This is impressive," Hunter said as he ran a hand across the acceleration couch at the pilot's station.  "And you can crew it with two people?"
I nodded.  "Most of the actual piloting is done by the computer.  You'd want someone experienced for exploration and emergencies, but a pilot and co-pilot engineer are all you have to have.  We debated getting it down to a solo configuration, but wanted some safety interlocks requiring two-person control."
"You're going to use this to ramp up lunar production, aren't you?" he asked.
"The moon, Mars, and beyond," I replied. 
"What about flight testing?" Hunter asked as he glanced at the two auxiliary consoles and acceleration couches.
"We start tomorrow.  That's why I wanted you to come over."
He stared at me.  
"I want you to help with the ground control aspects.  We're doing the flight testing ourselves, initially."
"Who's piloting?"
"Terry insisted.  I'll be in the right-hand seat."
"Have you talked to Lila or Chrissy about this?"  The concern was obvious in his voice.
"Lila knows, and doesn't like it.  I'll let Chrissy know after we're done with the initial testing profile."
"Which will be when?"
I smiled.  "Before I take us all out for Valentines Day."
*****
"Capacitors at full ignition charge, engines one and two at standby," I said.
We had spent a week on ground tests, followed by an inaugural flight, and then a series of short hops, lifting off and touching down immediately to verify systems and back-ups.  Even at our lowest power setting and shortest engine firing time of a half-second, we had hopped seven meters into the air.  Luckily, our landing strut shock-absorbers had been designed to take hard landings.  We were shaken, but not broken in those tests.
NASA or the Air Force would have taken six months to get us to the point we were at.  Terry insisted on two weeks of daily tests, climbing steadily higher and landing gently once engines and sensors were fully calibrated.  Everything had checked out so far.  Today was the 'big' test.  We were going to orbit and beyond, assuming things checked out.
"Landing shocks fully charged," Terry said as he flipped the last switch on the console and completed our pre-take-off checklist.  
"Control, this is Orion, requesting permission to launch, over."
"Orion, this is control.  Winds are from two-two-sixer at seven.  Airspace is clear.  Launch path is clear to orbit.  Orion, you have permission to proceed, over."
"This is Orion, roger, out."
Terry gave me a thumbs up and then put his hands on the control sticks at the end of his arm-rests.  Once he did, the engine ignition light on my panel shifted from amber to green.  I pressed the start sequence and braced myself.
The countdown reached zero, and we were pushed down firmly with growing force as we leapt into the air.  Ten seconds into the flight, we watched our gear indicators flash green as the landing gear was retracted and the insulated doors closed tightly.  By that point, we were both breathing shallowly, clenching our diaphragms while keeping our movements to the minimum needed to ensure a safe launch.
"Orion, control, all systems are go. T-plus thirty seconds, velocity at one point seven kps, altitude twenty-six klicks, over."
The numbers corresponded to our onboard readouts.  
"Control, Orion, concur, over."
The pressure was unrelenting as we continued to climb out of the atmosphere.  We both watched the mission timer on the console as it counted up to sixty.  The pressure cut off on queue and we both surged forward against our straps as we breathed deeply
"Orion, control.  T-plus sixty seconds, velocity at three point five kps, altitude 106 klicks, over."
"Control, Orion concurs.  Standing by for orbital insertion checks, over," Terry said.
While we were in space, we were not yet in orbit, having stopped our acceleration over a minute before we would achieve orbital velocity.  We were technically on a ballistic trajectory that would end up hitting the Indian Ocean if we did nothing.  Of course, we had a plan to do something.
We had lifted off with all eight engines firing at minimal thrust, flinging us skyward at six-gees.  Now we were lowering our thrust by using only four engines, and would then reduce it to two, pairing thrust from opposite engine sets to keep us moving in the direction we wanted.  If it worked as we planned, we would have the comfort of one-gee travel.
"Initiate acceleration," Terry commanded.
I obeyed and we felt ourselves pushed against our backs once again.  Sixty seconds later, we were moving nearly eighteen hundred meters per second faster and had climbed another fifty-two kilometers.  
"Shifting to two engine configuration," I said as the computer cut-off two engines.
Another sixty seconds passed.  
"Control, this is Orion.  Mission time t-plus four minutes, eighteen seconds, all systems are green, acceleration is stable at nine point eight meters per second.  Course heading confirmed, ETA to mid-flight turnover is one hour, forty-three minutes, over."
"Orion, control concurs.  Standing by for telemetry checks, over."
Terry and I got busy running through our telemetry checks, then verifying key controls at their local stations to ensure everything was tracking to our plan.  The time flew by, and we soon were strapped back into our control couches as the mission timer counted down to a controlled shut-off of the engines.  I held my breath.  If we failed to turn and restart our engines, Terry and I would have the distinction of being the first human travellers to go beyond lunar orbit, since we were traveling much too fast to be captured by the weak lunar gravity.  We floated for a moment in zero-gee and then watched the programmed maneuvering thrusters rotate us end for end until our engines were facing in our direction of travel.  A moment later, the computer re-started our engines and we returned to a feeling of normal gravity.
"Control, Orion, mid-point turnover complete, over."
We had just confirmed we would reach the moon safely, in under four hours from lift-off.  We would end up on a free return trajectory, but had no intention of taking the slow road home.  We would once again flip and accelerate.  
Fly to the moon and back?  All in a day's work, I thought.
*****
"No, the math doesn't work that way," John said as we stood before a well-used chalkboard.  I had watched him lecture in a graduate class espousing what would become known as the Jacob's Ladder strategy for building improved density functionals.  It had triggered a thought for potentially coupling a vector within the magnetic field to the quantum ground state.  It was the first hint at a new direction I had been able to identify in my infuriating calculation paradox. 
After our fusion seminar and the class office hours, I had asked if he was free to take a look at something potentially new.  He had easily agreed.
"Look," I said as I scribbled out the linear fusion field theory calculation I had first tried, with the imaginary number along the tau or time axis.  
"This matrix transformation solves the equation and conforms to the observational data."
I wrote another matrix transformation.  "This also solves the equation and accounts for observations."
I continued, writing a third.  "And so does this one.  If I set any two of these equal to the other, I should be able to resolve to a common vector through the matrix, but I can't.  They solve the same problem, account for the observed phenomena, but can be proven to not be equivalent.  How is that possible?"
John stepped back and looked at my equations.  It was the first time I had ever been willing to review them with another physicist. My fear that they truly were insolvable was what finally forced me to let go of my hubris and share my thinking.
He took his time, walking through the equations and double checking the matrices defining the magnetic fields in the generators.
"If these are all correct, there has to be some function translating each solution, but derived from a common equation."  He lined up the equations and began canceling common factors, as I had done a thousand times.  He stopped a step earlier than I usually did, pausing.
"If we expand the matrices, we could isolate the variables...." his voice trailed off.
"No, the matrix is in five dimensions, maybe more," he said.  "These solutions are in four.  You need to determine the integral of the matrix these are all derived from," he said excitedly.
"I know," I said exasperated.  "That's what I was trying to do, using an approach similar to what you were talking about earlier today, and thinking about a density function that would build to give me the function to explain this."
He stopped pacing again and stared.  "Paul, this could touch on a grand unified theory.  If you can link the magnetic forces to space-time and then gravity, you could be looking at another Nobel Prize.  This is really an amazing set of observations and calculations.  We have to figure this out, and then test it.  It could mean so much to the field."
"I've been trying for years," I finally admitted.  
"But this is different than the equations you published originally," he said.
I nodded.  I wrote a fourth solution down.  
"This solves the equation as well, and also accounts for the observed phenomena.  It has no unwieldy negative imaginary numbers on the tau axis, no changes in the fundamental constants, no mysteries to solve.  It fits the bill for publication and provability."
"Then that is constant.  Just like the integral of a constant is the constant times a dimensional value, we need to build up , like you said, taking a density function approach, and reaching to these higher dimensional variables and the unifying equation beyond."
"But we're going to need to build some experiments to point us in the right direction," I added.  "Just getting the math right by guessing at those variable is not going to work."
"I agree," he said as he began writing another matrix transformation on the board.  "If we treat this base matrix as the final derivative, we can at least quantify which dimension is easiest to experiment on."
I watched him for a few minutes.  He was coming at the problem from a different angle than I had ever taken.  It took him nearly five minutes, but he ended up with a new matrix transformation.
"This couples the simple state to electromagnetism," he concluded.  "That gives us a transform matrix that goes from four dimensions in space-time to five.  Kaluza-Klein theory supports this interpretation."
I knew string theory would be built atop KK-theory and had some testable attributes in the future, but had never seen or heard of this approach to KK-theory.  I had never liked the convoluted nature of string theory as it had grown in complexity over time to account for divergent observational data.  It had tried to become the fifth force of nature in my first time, but never been provable.  
"Paul, this is going to take time to think about and build up.  This could be a lifetime's work.  How long are you in town for?"
I actually laughed.  I could imagine him spending every waking moment working on this for the next year until he cracked the problem.  I had been tempted to do just that, but knew I would fail.
"John, I have to fly home in the morning."  He looked crestfallen.  "We will take our time and work through this.  I'll get a private workspace set up online for us to collaborate through.  I can't help but feel this approach, combining your density field theory with the fusion equation and its field matrices is going help take physics into a whole new realm."
Later that night, as I climbed into bed in my New Orleans house, my mind spun at the implications of the math we had managed to work through.  John was correct that this might be a lifetime of work unless we could devise some experiments to point us in a correct direction.  I had at least one observational point that I had not shared, because it was still unclear how my mind and memories had been transplanted into my own past.  
There was more than physics involved here, since my body had not jumped into my own past.  We were touching on something that transcended science as we knew it.  We were going to try and quantify mind and possibly what most would consider the soul.  It was a terrifying, exciting thought.
It also rekindled hope that I might be able to fix another wrong in my recent past.
But at what cost?
*****
"You seem distracted," Chrissy said as she draped her arms around my neck.  
I was, but did not want to tell her why.  Her spring break coincided with part of the kids's break and I had brought us all down to St. Lucia.  The crystal blue waters of the bay and the towering peaks of the Pitons brought back memories for me of my own final spring break, coming here with Jeryl, dreaming of the future.  Now, fourteen years later, I was back.  
"Just remembering my own final spring break down here," I admitted.  It was more than that distracting me, however.
"Tell me about it," Chrissy said as she moved around to sit next to me on the balcony couch.  
The kids were down below us, playing in the low surf on the beach with Nicole acting as life-guard if they decided to go out in the water.  I glanced at them and then at Chrissy.  
"Jeryl, Kelly, Matthew, Lila, Hunter and I were down here.  I conspired with Hunter to sneak Lila's passport and surprised them all with a trip down.  We were all so young and wound up from our final semester and work.  It was good to relax a little.  Alison was like the responsible aunt or older cousin, watching over us and joining in our fun once in a while."  
I paused, remembering those passionate times, the fun times, and the relaxing times we had shared.
"Now, it's so different.  Matthew, Alison, and Jeryl are dead, but Ali, Jer, you, and Ian are here with us.  Who will be around in another fourteen years?  Will anyone here today be back at this house, playing on the beach, in another fourteen years?  I guess I'm just a little maudlin this morning."
Chrissy gave me a hug and snuggled up next to me.  "Tell me what you did on that trip," she said gently.
I smiled, remembering, and told her some of what we had gotten up to.  She laughed at my telling of sailing to get out of shopping.  Her laugh helped me.  I gave her a kiss.
"Tell me another memory from then," she said as our lips parted.
I talked about the jeep tour into the rain forest and hiking among the Pitons.  She kissed me again, and then asked for another.  I told her about the first, and then second shopping trip where we men had been more pack mules than companions.  
She laughed.  "That gives me some ideas," she teased before kissing me again.  
"I know how much you love Jeryl," she said.  "I hope you don't think I'm trying to replace her in your heart," she added.  "I believe there is more than enough room in there for both of us."  
I kissed her once more.  "Thanks.  I think you might be right about that."  
I had loved Jeryl and Alison.  Alison pulling away from us had not diminished the feeling of love.  Falling for Imogene had not diminished those feelings within me, even though our breakup had hurt.  Likewise, loving Chrissy had not tempered the feelings or memories.
Further conversation was interrupted as Ali came barreling out onto the balcony, stripping off her bikini and hopping under the outdoor shower in the far corner.
"I love the beach, but hate the sand," she announced as she stepped out from under the water.  She was starting to develop the same trim curves her mother had once had; another reminder of the past.  
Chrissy laughed at her and stood, fetching a towel for her to dry off with.  "Maybe you shouldn't roll around in it then," she said.  Jer and Nicole came through the doorway.
"What are we doing today?" Jer asked.
"I want to go sailing," Ali demanded.
"I want to go back to the rainforest on the jeep," Jer replied.
"What do you want to do?" I asked Chrissy, ignoring my demanding children for a moment more.
Chrissy smiled.  "I don't see why we can't do it all.  Let's go to the rain forest this morning and then come back for a late sail and a bonfire on the beach."
"Cool," Ali and Jer said at the same time.  I nodded and stood.  
"Ali, you need to get dressed if we're going out," I added.
She stuck her tongue out at me, laughed, dropped her towel and ran inside.  
So like her mother, I thought.
*****
"Traditionally, a graduation speaker is expected to extoll the values of your education and encourage you to reflect on the past and what you've learned.  If you don't learn from your past, you are destined to repeat it, according to historians and philosophers.  Hopefully, I have learned from my past."  
I was wearing full regalia, standing at the podium I had walked past fourteen years prior, addressing the Class of 2001 at Stanford's School of Engineering graduation ceremony.  
"But, looking back is only informative, not definitive.  Actions define us.  You see, I was not the honor graduate in my class, but I was driven to try and fail, and try again, to continue pushing forward, and to learn from those hard lessons inside and outside the classroom.   Of course, I also tried to learn from other people's hard lessons, and their successes, as well as my own.  But today is not about my past or my path since graduation."
"Today is about your futures and I believe they are futures full of promise and prosperity, so long as you choose to make it so."
"I say make it so because the future is not set; every choice we make helps build it, every day forward presents a choice.  We can do the minimum to get by and have one future, or we can take risks to maximize our opportunities and have an entirely different and richer life.  We may not always overcome our trials and tribulations, but we will all be richer for the attempt.  The path will not be easy or straight forward.  It will challenge you and you will struggle.  From each struggle, learn and grow and try again.  You may fail and curse the choice, but that's life.  Learn from it.  Pick yourself up, and try again."
"Greater speakers than I have said the same.  'Failure is not falling down, but refusing to get back up' was a quote from Teddy Roosevelt.  Walt Disney said, 'Everyone falls down.  Getting back up is how you learn to walk.'  Michael Jordan has been quoted as sying 'I have failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.'  And there is a Japanese proverb that says, 'Fall seven times, stand up eight.'  
"No matter who your heroes are, it is likely they have learned this lesson of not giving up, of not settling.  You have been equipped by your teachers, family and friends to make choices wisely; given the tools you need to succeed.  There is nothing I can teach you today, but there is much you will continue to learn.  So here is my challenge to the class of 2001; when you are faced with a choice between the easy path or the harder but more rewarding path, choose wisely."
"To paraphrase one of our greatest presidents, 'We choose the harder paths, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because they will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone.'  Graduates, faculty, and guests, please join me in saluting the class of 2001 and encourage us all to face those challenges!"
The applause was rewarding, even if it was for a re-hash of my high school graduation speech.  Hadn't I told them to learn from the past?  I would have been foolish to not take my own lesson to heart.  
I sat through the remainder of the ceremony, smiling broadly as Chrissy crossed the stage and received her diploma.  After the recessional, I joined Camilla, Bluey, and the rest of our entourage outside the auditorium for pictures and congratulations.  Following photos, we were back to the house where everyone changed and then into San Francisco for a celebratory dinner and night on the town.  
I had been surprised Chrissy did not want to spend more time with her classmates, celebrating, but she had demurred.
"I caught up with them all last week," she said.  "I don't need to go to big parties.  I'd rather spend time with you, and mum and dad, and the kiddo's."
"Whatever you want," I had replied.  
The next day, we were all off to Ireland.  Ali had finally worn me down and was taking the longer spaceflight orientation course with Chrissy.  Jer was reconnecting with Miss Emily.  He was happy to go up to Astra Station, but did not want to do the longer course. Bluey, Camilla, and Jane stayed for a few days, then hopped over to London, and finally headed home to Australia.  
I continued to work on esoteric math and managing my sprawling businesses.
"Did you see this?" Tamara asked as she held a report in her hand.
"What is it?"
"The DoD auction.  They've lowered the minimum bid."
I nodded.  "We'll be cutting production.  If Lockheed's process can deliver the volume they want, I'll shut the line down.  I'd rather be rid of it, personally."
Tamara looked at me with surprise in her eye.  "Why?"
"It's a security headache and isn't really contributing that much to the bottom line anymore.  It's a nice bit of business, but it isn't really helping us with anything else.  It's not like we need the money."
She shook her head.  "You're the boss.  You do know that most business experts would scoff at your attitude, right?"
"That's why I never pretend to be an expert in business.  This is the right move to make, however.  Now, how are we doing on the next Orion?"
In the five months since our inaugural flight, we had started construction on a second vessel, while the Orion itself had been fully certified and pressed into service accelerating our lunar base build out.  The ship's cargo capacity dramatically increased how much material we could move to the moon, but it exposed other bottlenecks in our overall supply and logistics chain.  Getting other manufacturing processes ramped up was taking time.
"It's on track for trials in October," she replied.
"Good.  Let's get a team put together for mission planning."
"For what?"  she asked.  We were beyond the original Team Luna plan now.  
"I want us to consider Mars, and an asteroid mission.  Once we have plans and objectives for each, we'll hold a review and decide which direction we will go."
"What time frame?"
"I'd like to be in Park City for the Olympic Games next year, so we should be planning a mission launch after that."
"Less than a year for planning two interplanetary mission profiles?  You're killing me."
I smiled.  
"You know you love the challenge.  Let's get status on the planning included in my daily briefings."
Tamara groaned, but nodded.  
*****
"Paul," Kelly said after we exchanged greetings on the phone.  "What have you done to stir up the DoD?  There was a rather heated discussion in today's security briefing."
I sighed and told her about cutting stealth compound production with an eye on phasing out that production line.
"Lockheed isn't going to be able to maintain the volume the DoD wants," she said.
"Then the DoD shouldn't have signaled otherwise.  How did they expect me to react to a lowering of the starting bid point?" I countered.
"What did they do?"  My accusation seemed to catch her by surprise.
I explained.  "Look," I added.  "We needed the money that production provided years ago.  Right now, I don't see the need for it.  The government prevented me from patenting the material or process, and gave Lockheed plenty of time and incentive to try and copy my material.  I'm not really interested in being their safety net now while they refine their process."
Kelly sighed.  "I can tell your mind is pretty firm on this.  Is there anything I can do to change it?"
I thought about it.  "I don't think so.  From a business perspective, the money from last year's auctions was less income than the power we sold on the open energy market.  That material has one unique property that the government rightfully does not want sold on the open market.  I agree with that concern.  Think about the efforts I undertook to help keep that property secret.  I just don't want the security hassles that go with ongoing production.  I've got too many other things on the drawing board to manage that distraction."
"Would you be willing to spin out that production to the DoD directly?  For a hefty buy-out?"
That suggestion surprised me.  I thought about it.
"I don't think the staff that knows the process would be that intersted.  I'd rather not sell the Austin plant, since we do produce other materials there.  It would turn into a purchase of intellectual property more than anything."
"That was my thinking as well.  Would you consider it?"
"How would we negotiate that?  I can't walk through the process in the negotiation process without giving away the particulars."
"Let me worry about that.  I have some ideas and used to be a pretty good lawyer," she joked.  "Would you consider it?  As a favor to me?"
I thought for a moment.  She must have been thinking further out than I was.  "You want a win with the DoD?  You're thinking about the next election, aren't you?"
"You know I didn't move into politics to just ride someone else's coattails, Paul.  I'm going to need the support within the establishment to succeed.  You've made the NSA's life much harder with your stance on strong encryption.  You've ruffled the feathers of the DoJ with your generators and union stances.  You have a love-hate relationship with the Department of Energy.  NASA has a love-hate relationship with you as well.  I need to smooth some of the waters with these departments over the next couple of years.  Hell, the only people that like you inside the beltway are us baby-kissers looking for campaign contributions and HUD.  They love the low-cost power initiative you prompted us to launch."
I nodded.  "I understand.  For you, I will entertain a spin-out offer, but I'm not giving the process away."
"I wouldn't expect you to.  In fact, I want you to negotiate hard.  I want this to be seen as a win from inside the government."
"Have them reach out to Candace and Sheryl to open negotiations.  I will let them bring it to me."
"Thank you, Paul.  Now, how can you help me with NASA?  They're going to ask about Most Favored Nation status for some big lifting capacity on your new spaceship.  They might even get funding approved in this session."
I pulled up a spreadsheet.  
"Right now, I can stand by a $150 per kilo price to low earth orbit.  The same would hold for lifts to Astra. If they want to go further or higher, I'll have to run the numbers.  What are they thinking?"
"They want to go back to the moon," she replied.
*****
"I thought you were going to let me pilot us to the moon," Ali said as we strapped into the Orion.
"The computer does most of it," I replied.  
Terry nodded in agreement.  
Chrissy, in the acceleration couch to my right smiled.  "I'm just happy to be going," she added.  "I've been waiting to get up and see the base and the build-bot.  I've been working on aspects of this for over two years."
"And I've been learning to fly for nearly three," Ali countered.  "I'm just saying, Dad challenged me to get my license so I could fly us to the moon.  That's one of the reasons I've been spending so much time learning and flying."
I forced a chuckle.  "Like you haven't been having fun getting type qualified for the the GS-3 and sitting in the GOT simulator."
Ali gave a dramatic sigh.  "Ok, it is fun.  This just feels a little anti-climatic."
"Let's see if you feel that way at six-gees," Terry said.  "Now, let's keep the chatter down for launch, please."
We all buttoned our lips and let Terry and Tucker Winslow get on with the final pre-launch checks.  
Chrissy and Ali had finished their training course along with several of the new station crew.  Ali had been excited about being fitted for a full EVA suit.  She would likely need a new one before she ever came back to the moon again, but I could not put her off any longer.  Once she heard Chrissy was going out to the lunar surface, I knew I was not going to be able to keep her inside.  Thankfully, she was taking the safety measures very seriously.
Ali had a copy of the flight procedures and followed along as the checks were completed.  She was nodding as they made the final checks with control and started the thirty-second countdown clock.  
Five minutes later, the hard part of the journey was over and we were heading to the moon at one-gee.  Chrissy and I unbuckled and went down to help the new station staff carry out post launch checks on the cargo.  We had pallets of supplies and construction materials, including two new rovers equipped with our 3-d printing arms and material tankage.  As we climbed over the rover, Chrissy excitedly explained some of the changes she had recommended that had been incorporated into the final design.  Her enthusiasm was contagious.
By the time the warning chime sounded for the mid-flight flip, I was looking forward to seeing the rover working nearly as much as she was.  
We spent the second half of the flight walking through the rest of the ship.  Chrissy playfully suggested we have a little romantic time in one of the staterooms.
"Don't you want to be able to say you 'took me over the moon'?" she asked with a grin.
"I think that might have to wait until we have a little less company for that," I replied.
"What, you didn't put locks on the stateroom doors?"
I gave her a quick kiss.  "Yes, the doors lock, but I want to spend more than an hour 'taking you over the moon', so we don't really have time to do it properly."
"You say the sweetest things."
We were back on the flight deck as we entered lunar orbit.  Chrissy held my hand as we began the landing process.  Less than four hours after taking off from Earth, we were landed and listening to the post-landing checklists being completed.  
Moving in lunar gravity took a few adjustments, but we all adapted without issue.  I watched Chrissy and Ali carefully as we suited up and prepared to leave the ship.  Ali grabbed my gloved hand as we stepped into the airlock.  Station crew were opening the larger equipment doors, but we were going out through one of the personnel locks a quarter of the circumference from those hatches.  Once I had a red light on the lock indicator and got a thumbs up from Chrissy and Ali, I told base control and the ship we were exiting and then I opened the hatch.
Our helmet visors cut the unfiltered glare on the harsh landscape and I heard sharp breaths as the door swung fully open.  The stark lines of rocks and rilles were striking and had a beauty  reminiscent of some of the desert landscapes on earth.  
"It's beautiful," Chrissy said as she stepped forward.
Ali was curiously quiet.  I checked and saw her staring at the moonscape.
I tapped Chrissy and motioned her forward.  "Ladies first," I said.
She stepped to the door and held the handrail by the door.  The ship was just over a meter off the compacted lunar soil that had been mixed with our building compound and fixed in place to keep the dust under control.  Chrissy looked disappointed that she would not leave a footprint on the surface where she first stepped off.  Ali came out of her daze and hurried to follow.  I was the last to step down, taking in the view.
I scanned around.  The curve of the Orion blocked the activity of unloading happening nearby, but we could see the edge of the base.  We had taken a fairly utilitarian approach to our building.  A short distance from the landing pads, we had excavated several meters of lunar soil, reprocessed the material with our 3-d printing mix, and then used it to lay foundations in the excavated space.  
Pre-fabricated ribs were then placed arching over the broad trench and a polymer sheeting was unrolled up and over the arch.  Eventually, the ribs and possibly the sheeting would be fabricated at the base itself from lunar materials.  That process was one I planned to spend some time looking at on this trip.  
Once the covering was complete, temporary end-caps were affixed and a low pressure was applied to hold the structure rigid; then more 3-d material was sprayed over the structure, building up layers of strength and protection.  After the castings had fully cured, the endcaps were removed and permanent end-walls were put in using a similar process.  The final step was cutting doorways and window openings before installing airlocks for access and specially constructed and sealed windows before pressurizing the structure.  
The end result resembled a series of quonset huts, with several connected end-to-end by small pressure corridors. 
"Should we take a look around?" I asked on our private channel.
I saw Ali's head nod slightly.  She was still strangely silent, almost reverent.  She continued to hold may hand.
"Yes.  I want to see everything," Chrissy said.
"Well, we only have consumables for a couple of hours right now, so let's take a walk around the Orion and then head over to the base.  I imagine there are some people that are going to want to chat," I said.
I knew that Meagan was on base this week and would want some of my time and attention.  Part of the reason for our visit was to layout the next building phase, based on the survey work her teams had already completed.  
Moving across the surface was interesting.  We had more mass than we expected, but less weight, which forced us to hop with a shuffle, more than walk.  By the time we circled around the Orion, we were at least accustomed to the gait, even if not fully comfortable.  I made certain we stayed out of the station crew's way as they worked to unload the cargo hold.  In addition to the new rovers and consumables, we had new building struts and other materials that they were unloading.  Our standard operating procedure was to unload all cargo as soon as practical to ensure the ship was ready in the event of an emergency.
"Paul, welcome to Aristarchus Base," Meagan said as we finished cycling through the airlock and began pulling off our helmets.  
"It's nice to be here finally," I said with a grin. 
"It's quite a feeling, isn't it?  How long are you staying for?" she asked.
"How much room do you have?" I countered.
"Plenty, so long as you stay on the Orion.  Normally we keep her here for two days.  With that much power and those short flight times, we have plenty of flexibility."
"We'll probably keep it to two days," I said.  "Let's get through your agenda and do a little more sight seeing, and then I'll decide if we need longer.  You've met Chrissy before, but I don't know if you've met Ali," I said motioning to my daughter.
"It's nice to meet you, Ali.  Please promise me you'll be careful and follow all the protocols," she said in a serious tone.
"I will, ma'am.  I know how careful I have to be.  It's just like flying," Ali said seriously.
Meagan smiled.  "Thank you.  How would you like to tag along with me as your dad and Chrissy go talk to the build team?"
"What are you doing?" Ali asked.
"I'm going to start pulling up the surveys and building plans to go over after lunch.  How would you like to see where we're thinking about putting the first lunar hotel?"
"Cool."
The rest of the morning was spent working.  Chrissy got handed off to the build-bot team and was soon immersed in discussing control system changes with them.  I bowed out and did a quick tour of the new hydroponics units.  We were still getting our first full crop growing, and the station staff mentioned how much they were looking forward to having some fresh produce in the next month.  
I met Ali and Meagan for lunch and then looked at the detailed surveys and the overlay with building options for the next three phases of our planned development.
"Have any architects back on Earth reviewed the hotel placement?" I asked as I looked at the two different proposed locations.
"They've signed off on both, but they haven't walked the ground.  Both positions should have good Earth views.  I like the first option because it has a shorter connecting tunnel from the hangar here near the landing pads to the hotel itself," she said.
"Shorter build time overall, or just a shorter tunnel?" I asked.
"Both.  But the second position would likely have a better view of the crater rim.  Earthrise over that rim would be spectacular."
I looked at the maps again.  
"Let's plan an EVA tomorrow to look at both.  How much longer would the build time be for the second option?"  I asked.
"We wouldn't be able to directly connect that location to the hangar without a hell of a long tunnel.  I think we'd build a second vehicle bay by the hotel if we go with that location.  Either way, we need a pressurized transport to move tourists from the ship to the hotel or vehicle hangar."
I nodded.  It made sense.  "Okay, we'll look tomorrow and then decide.  Good work to everyone on this.  I'm impressed how fast things are going up."
Meagan laughed.  "We're about a year ahead of schedule, thanks to that new big lifter of yours.  We'd not even have the first farm section built if we had to use the OTV's for everything."
"It's a good thing we're expanding, though," I said.  "NASA wants their own base.  By the time they can get funding, we should be well positioned to lease them space at a better rate.  I'm kind of counting on it."
"Why?" Ali asked.
"Because I don't want them wasting my tax dollars building something they can just rent or buy from me.  NASA needs to focus on the science and leave the infrastructure to us.  We need to be ready to make that point before the summer is out, Meagan," I said.
"Why this summer?" she asked.
"So we are ready for the pitch when the Vice-President brings a gaggle of Senators up for a 'fact-finding' visit."
Meagan blanched.  "You wouldn't," she started.
I raised my hand.  "Not my call.  I got you as much lead time notice as I could."  
"God," she said.  "I remember the dog and pony show we had to put on for them when they came up to Astra in 2001.  How many are coming here?"
I smiled.  Kelly's idea of a small fact-finding trip had ballooned into a full GOT of Senators, staffers, and security.  We had re-christened the training GOT as the new and improved 'Vomit Comet' following their training and visit.  The full Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation had started the short training course.  About half of them and their designated staffers had passed and gone to orbit.
"I told Kelly we would accomodate twelve passengers.  She's working with the committee leadership to identify ten members or designated staffers to come up."
Meagan scowled.  "Paul, if I had wanted to go into politics I would have joined NASA, not your team.  Promise me this will be the last boondoggle I have to oversee."
"I wish I could," I concluded with a chuckle.  "Do you think we should ask NASA to staff up a liaison post for us?"
*****
"We need to publish," John Perdew said as we stood before the chalkboard once again.
We had been slowly working on a unifying theory and the associated math to support it for over six months.  The evenings after the seminar class had become long, drawn out debates on different approaches and formulations.  I was both energized and exhausted at the end of each meeting.  We would then part ways, and communicate via notes, calls and software until we were back at it again the next week.
"We need experimental evidence that supports at least the first part of our ladder of assumptions.  Theory might be good, but nobody is going to agree without evidence."
"Do you know what it would cost to build a repeatable test for this?" John asked.
"I've estimated we could prove coupling to the electroweak force for a little more than a billion dollars," I replied. 
Dr. Perdew looked up sharply.  "I thought it would be more than that."
"I've actually come up with an idea of how to do it in orbit, to make it as cheap as possible while giving us the opportunity to run tests in a varying gravitational field."
"That would allow us to possibly couple it to the gravitational force.  We would just have to figure out the strong nuclear force interaction then.  How would you test it in space?"
I moved the the board and erased some space.  We had already taken pictures of our work.  I drew a circle around a hub.  
"Just like we built Astra, I would assemble a hub, but instead of full spokes, use cables to fan out magnetic controllers." I added small circles like a string of pearls on the larger circle.  "We could spin it to help alignment rather than generating a sense of gravity, but the positrons or electrons would be in free space, racing through the controllers until we brought them together for collision at one of the control and measurement modules."
"How much power?"
"I think we could beat the LHC at Cern.  If we design the nodes correctly, we could always widen the radius of the collider and boost the energy by adding reactor modules.  Computing power might be an issue for the sensors, but I think it is possible to build."
"Who would fund it?"
I smiled.  "The whole world, but through me.  I think this is important."  I did not add that I was forecasting more than twenty-two billion dollars in power generation revenue for the upcoming year.
Dr. Perdew nodded.  "How long to build it?  Cern's on a seven year plan, and no one believes it will be done on time.  Can we wait seven years?"
"They had a lot of construction and structural work to do.  We'll skip all that.  We also won't have any of the red-tape involved with managing a consortium of interests and countries.  I can staff up an engineering team in the next six months.  We can begin orbital construction by this time next year.  I'd be surprised if we could not build it in a year."
"And you'll really spend your own money on proving this?  Why?"
I pointed to the matrix with the imaginary number in the tau component.  "If that's real, I might be able to fix something that was broken several years ago."
*****
"Dad!" Ali screeched as she recovered from the shock of a cold snowball hitting her face. 
Chrissy, Jer and I laughed.  Ali had been complaining most of the day as we snowshoed through the fresh powder on the way to a yurt for the night.  Jer had wanted a family camping trip for his birthday.  Ali had wanted to bring a friend, but Jer insisted, just family.  It was not missed by Chrissy or I that he included her in that definition.
Chrissy and I were definitely in a relationship, and I loved her, but I also was not going to try and replace Jeryl in my heart or as the kid's mother.  She was their older friend who happend to share their Dad's bed and life.  We had traveled together and separately over the summer, but once school started, Chrissy had joined us in Park City.  She worked in our offices there, interacting with the build-bot team virtually with the occasional trips for in-person meetings.  She still did a few modeling gigs and occasionally accompanied me to New Orleans when I visited Tulane for a seminar session, but was more likely to stay home with the kids.  She shared some of their conversations with me, keeping me abreast of Ali's growing interest in her own body and in boys.  She told me of Jer's shy request to draw her and I had been greatly impressed with the sketches he had done.  Essentially, we had settled into a domestic tranquility I had never expected to feel again.
"I'm gonna' get you for that!" Ali bent and scooped up a handful of snow, only to be hip-checked by Chrissy, sending her sprawling down.
We laughed again as she rolled over in the snow, sputtering.
"You guys all suck," she said before flipping a handful of snow at Chrissy.
Soon we were in a full-blown snowball fight.  Jer and I became a team against the girls until they all turned on me for starting the fracas.  In the end, we were all tired and a little damp, but all smiles as we pulled out camp stools and circled the fire outside the yurt.
Nicole and Lila had signed off on the trip, assuring me we were safe, and watched, but not sending security with us.  I trusted them and let it go.  I did find myself taking on a lot more of the chores on this trip than I had in the past, but was fine with that as well.  I checked the pot of water by the fire and then pulled out some tin cups and cocoa packets.
"It's so cool that we have some decent snow this year," Jer said as I handed him a cup of steaming hot chocolate.  Ali was anxious for the second cup, blowing on it eagerly after I passed it over to her.
"You didn't have snow last year?" Chrissy asked.
"A little, but not nearly this much.  I think the mountains know the Olympics are coming and want to put on a good show."
We all laughed.  I hoped he was right and this was not just an early snow that would melt away.
We enjoyed our cocoa and then had a hearty stew from a dutch oven on the fire.  It was simple and rustic, but filled us up as night fell and the stars made an appearance.  As the temperature dropped we moved inside the yurt with its Franklin stove and oil lanterns.  Bed was early, but I think we were all a little tired from the hike up and over the mountain ridge.  Ali was the first in bed, soon followed by Jer.  I put out two lanterns, stoked the stove for heat, and then dimmed the last lantern as Chrissy pulled off her clothes and slipped into the sleeping bags she had zipped together.  I followed suit, shivering a little as we snuggled down.  
"This has been a wonderful day, Paul," she whispered as she held my hands against her breasts and wiggled her bottom against me.  "Thank you."
I nuzzled her neck and kissed her ear.  "Thank you," I replied.
*****
"Your sister doesn't have any guards outside the door at these games," Chrissy said as we got home from the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.  
"Oh?" I asked.  "Why do you mention that?"
Chrissy smiled and glanced at the stairs we had just descended after making sure the kids were settled.  While we had a full house, with her parents, my parents, and Jyl and Collin staying with us, there was not a soul near the master suite in my house.  I stepped into the bedroom with Chrissy right behind me.  Her hands were dancing along my shoulders.
"Because I've been thinking of the reward I wanted to give you after the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony all day," she said.  
I turned and faced her, pulling her in for a hug and a kiss.  She wasted no time running her hands up under my sweater and slipping them from my back to my abs, and then descending toward my belt.  
"I want you to take me," she said in a husky voice.  "I've been thinking about being naked with you since we got in the car down in Salt Lake City.  I want to feel you against me."
I moved my own hands under her outerwear as she spoke, always fond of the idea of spending naked time with her.  Soon, we were both bare and on the bed.  I started to kiss my way down from her lips to her breasts, but she pushed me away.
"No slow love making tonight, Paul.  I want you to pound me and take me," she said as she rolled over and scooted her knees forward to raise her ass.  I grabbed her hips and pulled her back and moved between her feet as she reached under herself to grab me and line me up.  
I was needlessly worried she would not be ready.  I slipped into her hot moisture as she moaned and thrust back.  I held onto her hips and pushed into her tightness before pulling out slowly. 
"Uhg, no, don't go slow.  I need you so bad," she said.  I could feel her fingers rubbing herself as I thrust forward.  She caressed my balls for a moment and then returned them to her own clit as I started to pound into her.  
It was not my favorite position, so I knew I could go a while.  I held on tightly and picked up my pace, thrusting as she moaned and wiggled beneath me.  I slipped one hand back along her marvelous ass, and pushed down on her tailbone, lowering her slightly.
"Oh, yeah!," she said.  "That's amazing.  Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me," she chanted to the rhythm of my thrusts.  
I slipped my hand back, using my thumb to keep myself from slipping from her as I lengthened my strokes.  I gathered some of the moisture from her and then shifted my thumb higher, probing her ass gently as I savaged her pussy with my prick.
Chrissy moaned loud enough that I was glad for the sound proofing and distance from the other rooms.  I picked up my pace again, and moved my hand back to her hip, pulling her into my thrusts.
"So close," she grunted.  "Put your hand back," she gasped as she pushed back.  "Play with my ass again," she begged.
I did, tapping her rosebud as I pounded into her.  She arched her back, moaning into the bedding as I approached my own climax.  She shuddered, stopping her movements and surrendering to me as she came, clenching me tightly.  I slipped the tip of my thumb inside her back passage and thrust once more as deeply as I could, before joining her in orgasm.  She continued to shudder and milk me with her internal muscles as we both gasped for air and slowly came down from our frenzied high.  Eventually, we parted and collapsed next to each other.
"Christ, that was amazing," Chrissy finally managed to say with a smile in the soft light of the bedroom.
"Yes, it really was.  Thank you," I replied.
"No, thank you.  I love making love with you, but every once in a while, I want to just be taken like that.  I love feeling you pound into me, making me yours."
"Is that what I did?"  I asked in a playful tone.
"Oh, yeah," she said with a smile.  "When you are pounding my pussy like that, I don't want it to end.  I know you are mine and no one is going to steal you away.  I feel so loved right now."
I kissed her.  
"I do love you, Chrissy."
"I know.  Right now, I especially know.  I love you, too."
*****
"Minister Khalil on line one, Paul," Tamara said.  I was a little surprised.  I did not have a call scheduled.
"Minister Khalil, to what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked as I picked up the call at my desk.
"It is good to hear your voice, my friend.  I just wanted to call and thank you.  When you agreed to train my niece and let her advance within your company, I had no idea you would let her make history.  Thank you."
I was nearly speechless.  I had no idea what he was talking about.  Lila had forwarded Rayna's reviews to me and done spot checks on her performance over the past few years, but her name had never crossed my desk in anything I would regard as ground breaking.
"I'm sorry, Minister, but you've got me at a disadvantage.  I'm not sure what you're talking about," I admitted.
"What?  She just talked to me. If she was lying, I will have her beaten."
"Let's not be hasty," I said.  "What exactly did she tell you?"
"She is to be the first Iranian astronaut!"
A connection was made.  "Ah, she must have been selected for the management team on Astra," I said.  "I did not know she had applied."
"Yes, she was very excited to be given the opportunity.  So it is true?  She'll fly to space?"
"She will.  Her office will have a lovely view.  She must have done very well in her positions and with the screening process.  You have every reason to be very proud of her."
"I am my friend.  I mentioned some of the cultural challenges she faced at home.  This will open more eyes than I could have ever hoped."
"I'm glad for you, sir. Perhaps we can arrange for you to visit her once her tour up there starts?  I think you would find it a very stimulating visit."
"That is an offer I would be happy to take you up on, Paul.  Just let me know the details," he said.
"I will.  Thanks for letting me know Rayna is making you proud."
"Not just me, Paul, but all of Iran.  Thank you!"
I shook my head as the call ended.  What a different world I was living in, I thought.  
And what would become of it all if I left? I wondered.  
Dr. Perdew and I had made some progress.  We had a framework for experimenting, but it did not feel elegant enough to be correct yet.  One thing that was common in all of our theoretical work was that time could not be linear for any of our approaches to be correct.  That supported some of the theoretical concepts of a multiverse.  If I had come from a future, it was a totally different universe, or rather I had traveled to a new universe that had not advanced quite as far along the timeline as my original one had.  That implied that if I were ever succesful at going back again, it would be a one-way trip.  There was no hopping around time fixing things like Dr. Who on television.  It was a sobering thought.
Instead of a daydream of preventing Jeryl's death, I was contemplating the reality of leaving my kids and family behind, abandoning them.  In this universe, I would be dead, most likely.
It felt like we were years away from having experimental validations of any sort, but I was starting to see a mechanism to right another set of wrongs in my recent past.  However, I also had to accept that it would only be myself that knew things were fixed.  In this universe and time, there would still be two children who lost their mother.  There would still be parents who lost a daughter.  If I could correct that, abandoning them might be worth it, but I would be fixing it for beings who did not even know the loss these versions of themselves had experienced.   
Unless I could communicate with my different self, I would be abandoning people I cared about.  We were touching on the metaphysical as part of our effort to unify theories and measurements.  It was a truly mind-bending thought, and right now, only the two of us were aware of the theories, and only I knew there might be a practical application to our work.  
Do two wrongs make a right?  Was saving a version of Jeryl, Allison and Rose for myself worth the pain I would potentially inflict on Ali and Jer here? How would Lila and Hunter react, or my mom and Jim and Kelly?  What would Chrissy think and feel? 
Was I risking pain for everyone else in my life to assuage my own guilt and sense of loss?

Chapter Fifty-Nine
Shadows
*****
"What do you need, Paul?" Jyl asked over the video link.  Her hair was lighter than usual, and it looked like she had just come in from the beach at Learmonth.
"No chit-chat or catching up?" I asked with what I hoped was a sorrowful look.
Jyl laughed.  "It's working hours for you.  It's Saturday for me.  I don't think it's a social call."
I sighed.  "Okay, you know me too well.  Can modern medicine explain why we have deja vu's?"  I asked.
"Wow, you don't ask simple questions, do you?"  She cocked her head for a minute and pondered.  Her lips, pursed in concentration, reminded me of Jeryl.  
"There are some theories about it being associated with strong memory function, but there is also some evidence of it being linked to temporal lobe epilepsy.  I guess the short answer is that we don't really know the cause, yet.  Why are you interested in it?"  She asked.
"I've always been curious about it," I lied.  "But we're doing some new designs on MRIs using our latest actuators to map out the body.  We've had a couple of incidents of test subjects saying they felt they had undergone the scans before, even when it was their first test.  It piqued my curiosity."
Jyl leaned in, closer to the camera.  "That is interesting.  Where are you doing the studies at?"
"Hunter has been working with some folks at Siemens in Ireland.  Why?"
"How about I go over and talk with them?  I'm not that interested in neurological research, but I do want to understand if there are memory related impacts of being close to the actuators, we use all over the place.  Hell, what if there is a relationship to the shielding fields we use on the station, ships, or base?" she asked.
"That's a scary thought," I replied.
"No kidding.  what if you thought you had performed some safety check before, so skipped it?"  She frowned.  "The more I think about it the more urgent I think it is we understand what is happening in your new MRIs, Paul."
"I agree.  I'm glad I called.  How about you head up to Dublin on Monday and meet with the researchers?  I'll let them know you're coming."
"Okay.  I might want to pull in a couple of other folks in the field.  My specialty is not neuroscience, after all."
"Do you have anyone in particular in mind?" I asked.
"Let me think about it and check a few things," she said.  "I'll send you a list of potential candidates.  This could become very interesting to a bunch of people pretty quickly," she added.
"Then, let's keep it close to the vest until we think it through," I cautioned.  "We've only got two of the machines right now."
"I will," she replied.  "Give the kids a kiss for me," she said as we ended the call.
*****
"What are you working on, sport?"  I asked as I walked downstairs and found Jer laying out several drawings.
He gave me a glance and shrugged.  "A portfolio project," he said.  
I moved closer and looked over the back of the couch at the drawings he was arranging.  They were all vibrant colored charcoals and water colors.  One was obviously the desert view from the lab.  Another was the green hills of Ireland, still another was a view out of one of the picture windows from Astra Station.  Even to my untrained eye, they were wonderful.  I leaned in and focused on the first in his ordering, the view from the lab.
It definitely captured the sense of a warm sunset.  He had embellished the water color painting with deft lines of charcoal and pencil, adding depth and sharpness to the image.  The only discordant note was a dark shape in the lower left corner of the image.  I looked closer.  The lines could be confused for a stick figure at first glance, but then I noticed the dark charcoal had been applied over a subtle gold figure, making a shadow with a hint of a halo surrounding it.  The shape was barely human, but the lines tugged at me.  The posture of the figure hit me.  It was Jeryl, basking in the sunset's warmth.  The lines were her posture, stretching upward.  I could imagine her smile and pleasure letting the sun's final rays of the day warm her up.
I looked at the other pictures.  In each, there was a hint of Jeryl watching.  One was the view of a ballet from a box with the dancers caught mid-flight as they leapt across the stage.  The dark, haloed image was barely visible in the wings of the stage.  Another was an image of a stylized jet, either a GS-3 or a GOT, leaping from the runway.  The figure was standing on the tarmac, watching it depart.  Another was an obvious graduation ceremony, with most of the scene filled with mortarboard covered heads.  The figure was off to one side, watching the crowd, but less distinct.  Only the halo of golden yellow identified her.
"What do you call the collection?" I asked as tears filled my eyes.
"Mother," Jer whispered.
I crumbled inside.  Five years after her death, Jer was still haunted by the loss of his mother, my wife, our family.  I cried, letting my tears flow as I moved around the couch and sat next to him.  He stiffened at my first hug and then looked at my tears and sagged against me.
"I miss her so much, but her memory is fading," he sobbed.  "I don't want to forget her, Dad."
"You won't.  We can't.  She was and always will be your mother, Jer.  She would be so proud of these," I said with a wave toward his art.  "I'm so proud of you.  You've captured her spirit here.  You've shown how much you love her and want her to be watching over you.  It's a testament to what a wonderful mother she was."
"But you're replacing her," he said.
"No.  I'm not.  I will always love your mom, Jer, just like I will always love you and Ali.  Nothing can change that."
"What about Chrissy, then?"
That was a question.  I sighed.
"Jer, do you love your sister?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Do you love me?"
He hesitated but nodded again.
"So, you can love more than one person, right?"
"I guess, but how can you love Chrissy and still love Mom?  You can only have one wife."
I nodded.  "You know that's not really true, Jer.  Your friend Scott has two moms'."  Scott's dad had divorced his first wife, Scott's mom, and married again.  Scott called both women 'mom', but seldom saw them at the same time.
"But Scott's dad doesn't love them both."
"Of course, he does, but he loves them differently, I'm sure."  I sighed, wondering if a thirteen-year-old could understand the complexities of the human heart.  There were times I didn't understand it, and I had over ninety years of experience.  
"Jer, you're at the age where you are going to start thinking you love more than one girl.  Your hormones are going to drive you to distraction, if they aren't already.  That's a feeling of physical love that you are driven to by biology.  You can't control the chemicals in your body that will make you feel that way.  It's natural.  As you continue to grow, you'll learn that those physical feelings aren't the only, or even the most important aspects of true love.  Your mind and spirit will come into play.  You could have a fabulous physical relationship with a partner, but not have an intellectual connection.  You may have an intellectual and physical relationship with someone, but just not feel they are your true match.  When that happens, I hope you'll be brave enough to move on, and keep searching for the type of connection your mother and I had.  Once you experience that, you'll understand."
"So, is that how you feel about Chrissy?" he asked.
I wiped a tear from his cheek. 
"I don't think so, Jer, but I still love her."
*****
"Paul, we're getting too much pressure to allow us to sign-off on this trip," Kelly said.  "If you go to Mars, and NASA is not involved, Congress is going to have to take action under the charter."
"We won't be operating under the charter, Kelly.  Why do you think I've never used one of the Orions in the states?  They were built in Kenya.  I established a totally separate company to manage their construction.  I don't see how anyone can argue that these operations fall under the purview of the charter."
"You're planning a trip to Mars, Paul.  Legalities won't matter.  You've had the backing of the people here in all of your space endeavors.  The American people want to be part of the next step.  That's what is driving the pressure on the administration and will force congress to act.  I'm trying to warn you."
I sighed.  "NASA wants control," I said.  "I'm not going to cede it.  What might work for political purposes, that is less than them running the mission?  Hell, they would delay us five years just with mission planning, crew selection, and training.  They've already said as much."
"Negotiate a compromise," Kelly said.  
I wanted to scream in frustration.  I was not the negotiator.  "How can I negotiate when they're being dumb shits?" I asked.  "They want to wait five years so they can find and train some replacement astronauts, because they have no one on their roster with nearly as much experience as my folks.  They let their best and brightest come over to work with us, and now have no bench.  That goes double for their operations staff and administration."
"So, you would take some of them as crew if they were qualified?" Kelly asked in a reasonable voice.
"I would, but they don't have the qualifications of my current selection pool."
"So, start there," she said.  "Put some NASA folks on your selection committee.  Make them come to the same conclusion.  That will at least engage them in the process and take some of the heat out of the rhetoric."
"I can do that," I said with a sigh.
"What about the PR aspects?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You got the people of the world behind you to go back to the moon with 'The Orbital Interns'.  How are you doing the same with the trip to Mars?"
"We're documenting as we go, but no contests or anything like we did for the show," I admitted.
"Change that.  You saw what happened when I took those senators to Astra and then up to Aristarchus Base.  They all got a nice bump in their poll ratings.  The three that were up for re-election won by landslides after getting some space PR.  You need to tap that people power.   Hell, you're dating a supermodel.  Put her on the show and the male half of the population will tune in at least once.  The fact that she is a competent engineer is an added bonus.  Get Billy and Tom on it.  One of them should be in the candidate pool, maybe a few others that know how to work a camera as well.  You've talked to me about getting the people on our side for fusion power, and we've taken steps in that direction.  You need to do the same with this, Paul, or things are going to deteriorate on the political front."
I sighed.  I knew she was right.  I just did not want to think about a show that did not involve Jeryl.  
*****
"Minister Sun, what can I do for you at this late hour?" I asked.  It was early by my time in Utah, but late the next day for him in China.
"Thank you for taking my call, Mister Taylor," he replied in is accented English.  "The People's Republic wants to discuss increasing our generator orders for the next year and have been told your production lines are at capacity.  I thought I would discuss it with you personally."
I sighed.  "Our plants are operating at capacity," I said.  "We've been looking at ways to improve production rates, but it is not as simple as adding a new plant."
"Why not?  Perhaps if you were to open a plant here, in China, we could find means of improving throughput."
"Generator assembly is not the bottleneck," I countered.  "The materials needed for the sub-assemblies are the current limitation.  To increase that production effort, we also have to improve other material manufacturing.  It is a very complex process."
"What would it take to move our orders up in priority?" he asked bluntly.
"You know that we have always worked on a first in, first out order process, Minister.  Right now, we're taking orders for the next two years.  We may be able to accelerate the installation of the last dozen units as more capacity is created, but we can't just push your order to the head of the queue."
"You have prioritized North American production from your West Virginia plant," he said.  "That does not seem like a first-in, first-out approach.  Your contracts with Delta have been opened well after some of our orders and they are being filled faster than our generators are being delivered.  The PRC does not appreciate being treated like a second-class customer, Mr.  Taylor."
"I believe someone has not been correct in their assessment, sir.  Right now, that plant is producing nearly two hundred generators a year that are going outside North America.  Some of the new Hong Kong generators originated from there.  While I understand your desire to accelerate delivery, I would ask that you remain patient and know that we are doing everything we can to accelerate production."
"We will not tolerate second-class treatment, Mr.  Taylor.  It is best you remember that as you discuss your production issues."
The call ended without another word.  I sat and looked at my phone, stunned.
*****
"Christ on a crutch," Allen said as he closed the door to my office.  We were on Astra, working through crew selection.
"What's up?" I asked, having a strong suspicion.
"NASA wants to base some selections on 'total life experience' rather than objective criteria.  They're trying to argue that some of the geriatrics they still have on staff are better suited because of their general experience, while ignoring that we have similar aged people who also have real time in space and on the moon, not just simulator time in a big pool."
I sighed.  
I had taken Kelly's advice and included NASA in the selection process, against my better judgement.  I had also gotten Tom and Billy involved, documenting all aspects of the process.  As I had predicted, they were slowing down our velocity, debating what our criteria should be with NASA angling to create some circumstance that they could use to name crew members or preferably, the mission commander.
"How do we prove their hypothesis is wrong?" I asked.
Allen sat down.  "Proving a negative is a logical impossibility," he said.  "What we would have to show is that our counter-hypothesis is stronger and provable."
"How?"
"A competition?" he asked.  "I mean, the show gave us a competitive dynamic that really did pit individuals and teams against one another.  What if we mirrored that approach and then used the objective criteria for grading them?"
"You're really thinking about re-launching the show," I said.
He nodded.  "I think it makes a lot of sense.  We can split the candidate pool into four teams.  We'll let NASA pick one team, we'll pick one, and then we use a hybrid approach on the other two with slightly different selection criteria."
"Is the candidate pool big enough?"  We were planning on an eight-person crew to go to Mars.
"We would have to expand it some, but that would make NASA happier as well."
"Let's not limit our thinking to NASA," I said.  "We should invite the ESA to participate as well as the Chinese."
"Do you think that's wise?" Allen asked.
"I do.  Let NASA have to deal with international pressure to be objective.  It might help us level the playing field more."
Allen nodded.  
"Do we advertise and tape it all?  Billy is chomping at the bit to formalize a production schedule and get the networks bidding for a show."
It was my turn to sigh.  "Yes, let's do it, but I want you and Meagan and Tamara to be the hosts of the show."
"The public will want you involved," he countered.
"I will, from time to time, but my girlfriend will be a participant, so I can't let there be a hint of bias.  You guys can run with it."
"Will you at least help with the challenge planning?"
"That, I can do," I replied.
*****
"But, Dad...."
I cut Ali off with a look.  
"You are not flying to Sydney on your own.  I know you've soloed in jets before, and I know you've gotten type certified for the GS-3, but you are still a fourteen-year-old high-schooler."
We were in Learmonth for a week before heading back to Park City for summer activities.  Ali thought nothing of wanting to fly down to visit Jane.  Her sense of entitlement had grown over the past year.  She had tried to get Chrissy to go for a visit 'home', but Chrissy was fully engaged on the Mars mission planning and had simply said she didn't have time right now.  That had led to alternative scheming by Ali.
"Can Pete go with me?"
"What's so important about seeing Jane," I asked.
Ali blushed.  I had suspected she and Caitlyn had done more than running around our house nude together.  They had been a little less circumspect than they thought since their encounter over a year ago.  Both were attractive young women.  Ali had been acting strangely the last week of school when Caitlyn had announced she was going out with a junior boy.  Ali had gone into a sulk for the first few days of the trip and then suddenly decided she had to go to see Jane.
"I just miss her," Ali finally said.  "It seems like ages since we saw each other."
It had been at the Winter Olympics.  Jane and Camilla and Bluey had come up for the opening ceremonies and part of the first week of the games.  We had all been so busy, I did not know if the girls got up to anything, but they had both stayed in Ali's room.
Chrissy was so much better at these types of conversations, but it was my job as the parent, I decided.
"And you want to do something with Jane that you can't do over the phone?" I asked gently.
Ali blushed harder and looked away.
"Honey, I know you're at a difficult age.  I understand what your body is going through, at least as well as any man can."
She looked up, searching my eyes for something.
"You and Caitlyn and Jane make each other feel good, don't you?"  I asked.
She held my gaze and then nodded, once.
"There's nothing wrong with that, Ali.  But you can't just turn up and expect people to make you feel good, how you want them too, when you want them too.  Caitlyn has a boyfriend and you're feeling jealous and left out a little, right?"
"I suppose," she admitted after thinking about it for a moment."
"That's natural," I said.  "But what happens if you show up and Jane has a boyfriend, too?  You are all getting to that age," I admitted.
"She doesn't," Ali said.  "Though she does like one guy."
"If she likes him, why are you so sure she'll be able to make you feel good, how you want to?"
Ali sighed.  "I guess I can't," she said.  "But what if she is feeling lonely and...." she stopped herself, but I suspected 'horny' was the next word.
"Feeling that way is part of growing up, Ali.  It's okay to feel that way, but how you act on those feelings is what will define what sort of young woman you grow up to be.  Demanding people please you is going to lead you to a hollow emotional life.  You need to find someone that wants to be with you, not that you demand will be with you."
"But how do you know?"  she asked.
I pulled her in for a hug.  "That's that hardest part, knowing the difference between what your body wants, what your mind needs, and what your heart seeks.  When you can balance those three things, you will be grown up."
*****
"What are you going to do without me?" Chrissy asked with a smile.  She was packing in our bedroom at Deer Valley.
"I'm sure I'll find something to while away the hours on," I teased back.  "I've heard there is a supermodel on a show we're doing.  Maybe I'll try to pick her up during breaks in taping."
"As long as you don't distract her from her job," she replied.  She gave me a serious look.  "I really want to do well on the show," she said seriously.  
"I believe in you," I said.  "But I can't be a judge of you."
"I know.  So, seriously, what are you going to do for the next couple of months?"
"Dr.  Perdew and I are finishing up designing some experiments to explore some theories we've been working on.  I'll probably spend time between here, New Orleans, and our plant in Barcelona where we're we are building components."
"What sort of components?" she asked as she finished putting some clothes in her bag.
"Magnetic controllers and sensor packages.  We think we can build a super-collider in orbit and not have all the tunneling and infrastructure buildout we would have to do here on earth."  I went on to explain the concept.
"Where in orbit will you build it?" she asked.  "You have to worry about outside influences, like solar wind and cosmic rays, don't you?"
"We're looking at putting it at L-4," I said.  The Lagrange Point 4 in the Earth-Lunar orbital path was a stable point, sixty degrees ahead of the moon, that balanced gravity between the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun.  "We think our controller design will create sufficient field strength to shield us from outside influences, but that will be part of our start-up testing."
"I kind of wish I could be involved in that," she said.  "You're doing so much cool stuff.  It must be nice to pick and choose where to focus."
I laughed.  "Like you haven't?" I asked.
She blushed.  "Okay, I guess I have," she admitted.  "But, in my defense, I think the lunar hab construction work I've done, the experience I've gained, is going to be needed for establishing a Mars base."  
"I can't disagree.  I just don't know how I feel about you being away for that long," I admitted.
"On an Orion, it's only a three-day trip," she countered.
"That's travel time, one way.  We're looking at a much longer mission duration."
"How long?" she asked.
I shook my head.  "Sorry, but you'll find out those details when your team does."
She got a thoughtful look.  "So, it has something to do with one of our challenges.  I guess it is good that I'll be staying in the crew dorms for a while.  Otherwise, I might be tempted to use my womanly wiles to ferret out those types of details."
Putting action to words, she stepped around the bed and came into my arms.  I kissed her, enjoying the feeling of her next to me.  I was going to miss her over the next few months.
*****
Katiana knocked on the side of my opened door and stuck her head into my cabin.  
"Are you decent, boss?" she asked.
I waved her in, and she floated into my office space in the Orion we were using this week.  I had decided to run a test on the magnetic controllers we were planning on for the orbital accelerator.  These were not the full-size models we would use in another year, but the concept was the same.  The quick and dirty hub and reel configuration I had worked out was scaled down to fit into the cargo bay of the Orion.  Once we had the payload built and configured, I had decided a test at L-4 made more sense than something in orbit near Astra.  We did not really need that many prying eyes yet.
"What's up?" I asked.
"I was wondering how long we plan on loitering here," she said.  
We had been at L-4 for almost two days. 
"Probably another day.  Why?"
"We've deployed the baby accelerator and run the tests on the reel configuration for spinning it up and extending the controllers multiple times.  You've already identified some stability issues in the plane of rotation, so I was just wondering if we were going to try and fix them while here or go back to the drawing board.  They are pestering me for you to make an appearance on the show," she said.
The 'they' were Allen, Tamara and Meagan.  I had told Katiana not to think of Tamara as her boss when it came to scheduling me around the filming.  I was keenly interested in the selection process they were filming but wanted to give Chrissy her best un-biased chance at winning a spot on the crew.  I also did not feel much like being the referee for the NASA members of the selection team.  At least the Russian, ESA and Chinese representatives seemed reasonable.
We had been forced to broaden the selection committee, but I still felt we could control the narrative on tape.  Given the four government sponsored agencies, I had put four of my people on the committee; Terry, Jyl, Allen, and Meagan.  Tamara was the formal host of the show, and I was the designated tie-breaker, if needed.  So far, historical political positions had played in our favor to keep the four from forming any sort of voting bloc.  
"Is there a stalemate on something?" I asked.
"No.  They just think you should be a little more present and visible."
I sighed.  "What is their next challenge?" I asked.
She glanced at her notebook.  "Lunar habitat construction," she said.  "They'll depart Kenya in about forty hours."
"How did they all do in the jungle?" I asked.
Katiana smiled.  We had mixed the challenges to include core teamwork and survival aspects as well as orbital and lunar activities.  The most recent involved the crew travelling unassisted through parts of the African landscape, living off the land with rudimentary survival gear.  They also had to develop a detailed map of the terrain they traversed.
"All teams survived.  The committee is still evaluating their route maps, but I don't think the NASA team did as well as the others," she said with a smile.  
NASA had insisted on putting a 'seasoned' team together.  The leader of the team, while fit, was still fifty-two years old.  The team's average age was close to fifty.  They had also averaged less than two months total time in space.  Our lead team, in contrast had an average age of thirty-two and close to eighteen months' time in space.  The objective results were beginning to paint a pretty compelling picture to the entire selection committee.
"You're right.  I'm not going to try and fix our design up here.  We're going to need to spend some simulator time to get it right.  I suppose we could be wrapped up by tomorrow," I conceded.  "We could beat them to Aristarchus Base by several hours."
"That would at least get Tamara to stop pestering me for a day or two.  Can I tell her we'll see her there?"
I nodded.
Katiana smiled.
"Is there anything else?" I asked, seeing she was not making a move to leave.
"When will you be picking your crew?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
She waved her fingers around.  "All this.  You're building something for a special task.  I get the science aspect, but you don't do 'just science'.  You are always working two or three things at once.  Sometimes, I can see the dots and connect them, but this is beyond me," she said.
I hoped it was beyond everyone until I knew for certain what I was going to do.  
"What dots do you think you see?"  I asked.
"This experiment has something to do with the equations you're working on with Dr.  Perdew.  That's pure science.  I can understand that, but I think there is more.  Then there is the MRI work Hunter and Jyl are covering for you.  Aside from the magnetic controllers, I don't see an intersection.  Then there is the journey out here.  You brought crew that are not candidates for the Mars mission, and you've been training them hard for this whole week.  It's like you have another task in mind for them."
I nodded.  She had parts of plans and was trying to link them when they might not actually be connected.
"Start with the end," I said.  "The crew is larger than you expect, right?"
She nodded.  We had twelve people on the crew, plus ourselves.
"How many times did we deploy and recover the testing package?"
"Four times.  You had different combinations of crew on each evolution," she noted.
"So, forget about the MRI stuff for now.  If you string those two facts together, what do you suspect?"
She thought for a moment.  "You're performing your own crew selection process, and it involves deep space construction type activities."
I smiled and nodded.
"And," she continued, "you'll have your crew ready about the same time as the Mars mission, so most of the world won't even notice."
I nodded again.
"So, whatever the mission is, you don't want the world to know about it," she concluded.  
"The next few evolutions will be more work in orbit and out here," I said.  "Once we have two crews jelled, we should have a few targets for them to go take a closer look at."
"Asteroids?" she asked.
I gave a non-committal shrug.  It had always been one of the alternatives we had in mind.
She pursed her lips.
"The radiation shielding is the link to the MRI work, right?"
I was surprised she made the connection, but happy that she did not know the other details.
"We've seen some things that made me want to take a closer look at the effects from being inside the field created by the actuators.  That's the MRI linkage," I admitted.  It was at least part of the truth.
"So, how long until you have answers?" she asked.
"A few more months, or less, I hope.  Why?"
She smiled.  "I think you need some personal oversight on that mission.  I want to volunteer."
*****
"We can make this smaller," I said as I slid out of the MRI machine.
Jyl laughed while Hunter shook his head.
"We've got designs..." Hunter started but Jyl raised her hand to stop him.
"Do you have a sense that we've discussed this before?" Jyl asked.
"No, this is my first time seeing this thing," I replied.
"So, you're not prone to deja vu right now?"
I shook my head.
"Okay, you two can go back to engineering discussions then," she finished.
I chuckled.  "Okay, you've made your point.  How has the study been going?"
Jyl had been collaborating with Hunter and the team ever since I asked her about the possibility of our magnetic actuators and sensors having something to do with the few reported deja vu incidents from some test subjects.  The fact that we were using much more finely focused and tuned magnetic fields for the system seemed to enable greater interactions with tissues in the brain and the electrical signals neurons generated.  We had dialed the power down to the minimum and stopped having any reports of deja vu from test subjects.  
"We've started raising power settings while keeping the focus as tight as possible.  We're getting good scans at about one percent power," Hunter said.
"And we get some reports of memory impact at what?" I asked.
"The lowest power setting anyone reported a memory change or deja vu was eleven percent," Jyl said.
"And what power were we initially using?" I asked.
"We started originally at twenty percent, which was about as high as our first power supply could drive it."
"Why that high?"  I asked.
Hunter grabbed a marker at the white board in the lab.  "Our power to resolution curve looked like this in the first model," he said as he drew a curve showing image resolution as a function of power.  It was obvious higher power gave tighter control.
"Higher power also allowed us to scan more quickly, since we could move the focus point faster while maintaining resolution," he concluded.
"I had them drop power as part of the deja vu work," Jyl said.  
"That led to a change in our algorithms for creating the image.  We've been working the software angle while establishing a baseline of power to memory function," Hunter said.
"Paul," Jyl said, "We are really starting to touch on new areas of neuroscience.  The fact that we can impact memory on higher power settings is kind of creepy-cool.  I really think a full research team should be established on this."
"I agree.  Let's get a preliminary paper published on it and see who we can find to take on a principal investigator role.  Where should be do this at?" I asked.
"Keep it here in Dublin," Hunter answered.  "We've got better research laws regarding medical devices.  In the meantime, we should limit the power supply and leverage our partnership with Siemens to start producing these machines.  They are a significant improvement over the current state of the art."
"Okay.  What do you need to make that happen and get yourselves out of the middle of it?"
"Candace can handle the licensing and contracting part, or someone on her team," Hunter said. 
Jyl sighed.  "I guess I can write the research paper.  There are a couple of residents we've been working with here that can do most of the leg-work on that, I think."
"Good.  Once that is moving, I'd like you two to collaborate and see if we can make a smaller version of this.  It would be a great bit of kit to put on the Orion's for diagnostic usage on longer trips."
Jyl nodded and her face lit up.  I knew she was really interested in getting back to work on orbital medicine.
"I'll give you a couple of weeks to get things organized and then have Tamara start slotting updates into my regular briefings.  How's that sound?"
"Christ, you are a slave driver," Jyl teased.  "You need to get your girl-friend off the TV and go do some selfish billionaire things to give us all a break," she said with a smile.
"I'm pretty sure you're a multi-millionaire in your own right," Hunter replied.  "How much indulgent vacation have you taken in the past year?"
It was a question we all blushed at when we considered the answer.
*****
"I want to go dancing," Chrissy announced as we lay together, recovering from our reunion celebration.  
I chuckled.  "There aren't a lot of fashionable dance clubs in Park City," I teased.
She rolled over and raised her head on one elbow, daring me to look at her eyes instead of her marvelous breasts.  
"So, let's go to New York," she said.  "I'm serious, Paul.  I want to celebrate.  Our team made the first hurdle and survived the cut-off.  I want to celebrate."
Chrissy's team had had been in the top two when the selection committee finally made a decision.  The other two teams were now being dissolved and incorporated into the Mars mission support staff, taking planning or operational positions on our other teams.  Even NASA experts had agreed that the selection process was fair and impartial.  As a result, Chrissy had two weeks of vacation before going on to the next selection evolutions.  
The sixteen remaining team members would now be paired up into four-person teams and we would go through another winnowing process for twelve weeks.  The final eight-person crew would be selected from those teams with the other eight people taking back-up roles.  The back-up crew would be the second mission to Mars.  Chrissy was actually torn on which crew she wanted to end up on, since the first would most likely be doing survey and scientific work rather than habitat construction.  I hadn't chosen to correct her faulty assumption on that yet.  She would get plenty of hab construction practice in the very near future.
"I can't just jet off to New York," I protested.  "The kids are in school, and I have to be back in New Orleans on Friday already."
Her look turned a little steely.  "Paul, I don't usually ask for much, but I am now."
"Why?  Explain why it's important to you?"
She sighed and flopped back on the bed.  
"I guess I'm a little insecure.  I've never asked for any sort of commitment from you.  I don't want to try and replace Jeryl in your heart, but lately I've been feeling like I'm just your sex toy, or eye-candy on the show, or a junior engineer on a team.  I want to feel like you want to be part of my life, I guess."
"And dancing plays into that how?"  I asked gently.
"I am a model, and I'm on a top-rated TV show.  I'll get noticed if we go out.  People will notice you with me.  We'll at least be linked in the public eye.  I know you kept things a bit at arm's length for the first part of the show to demonstrate you were impartial to the selection process, but it's starting to feel like you are pushing me away.  I don't like that."
She took a quick, sharp breath.  "Are you trying to push me away?" she asked with a quiver in her voice.
I hugged her quickly.  "No," I said before giving her a gentle kiss.  "I'm not trying to push you away, at least not consciously.  I've just fallen into old habits while you've been tied up on the show and the selection process.  Jeryl used to have a way of pulling me out of my obsessive work focus.  I guess you're learning the signs and coming up with your own way of getting my attention and telling me to get my head out of my ass.  I'm sorry."
I kissed her again.
"If you want to go dancing, we will go dancing."
I glanced at the clock on the nightstand.  It was almost six P.M.  
"If we hurry, we could be in New York by ten.  That should be about the time the cool clubs start getting a crowd, right?"
*****
"Do you really think this is a good approach?" Allen asked as I finished telling him my idea.
"The Orion's give us a lot of flexibility, but it's still a three-day trip from Earth to Mars.  If we build an outpost on Phobos, we can have a back-up team staged there, just in case."
"That means the second crew in the show will be the back-up team on Phobos?" he asked.
I nodded. 
"What sort of base?  I mean, with an Orion, they could be just as effective sitting in orbit without the danger of a close approach on a relatively unstable moon.  Phobos isn't solid rock, but we don't know that much about its composition."
"That's a good point.  I was thinking more about the lead team establishing a staging base on Phobos and then the second team occupying before the first team makes its landing."
Allen was shaking his head.  "From a risk perspective, a two-ship mission makes more sense.  The second Orion can park in a geostationary orbit above the landing site and we would have much better communications with the folks on the surface."  He moved to the whiteboard in my office and drew a diagram.  
"Hell, we could have three Orions involved if we want.  One could be the in-orbit command and control ship, once could be on the surface as we build out a base, and the other could be a ferry to and from Earth.  Of course, we'd rotate the ferry ship and the lander, and keep the orbital ship ready for emergency evacuation until we were ready to have an Orion tied up on the surface for emergency evacuation needs."
"We'll only have four Orions in service by the time the mission is ready," I cautioned.  "I have plans for two of them."
He arched an eyebrow at me.  "Oh?"
I nodded.  "One will be performing our first asteroid mission.  I'll have the other at L-4, or on the Moon."
My answer required some further elaboration.
"Why do them all at the same time?" Hunter asked after I gave him the overall mission parameters.
"I want the world watching Mars when we make our first asteroid flight.  You and I both know that it's going to be much easier to exploit asteroid resources and use them here on Earth or on Mars.  Mars is a long-term investment.  The asteroid mission is a short-to-mid-term capability we need, but it also has much less public relations appeal.  The collider mission is purely scientific at this point.  It's a nice engineering challenge, but most people aren't going to care about it."
"I don't like running three missions at once," he said.
"Ops is already managing dozens of missions at once, if we count all the flights Qantas and Delta have going, along with our lunar and other orbital activities.  By planning these as parallel operations, we can keep them out of the limelight with some organizations that may be too curious for their own good."
"Like who?"
"NASA is the least of my worries right now.  I'm concerned they would be all over this for control and management if we let them know.  Then it would become political.The DoD falls into that camp as well.  If we are running these operations in the background, we establish as a fact that not everything we do falls under the purview of the charter.The election cycle is starting back up, so we have to consider all the angles.  The L-4 mission is pure science, but if we find any exploitable material on the asteroid mission, people are going to start looking at the Outer Space Treaty again and try to control what we do with our discoveries.  That is going to be a world-wide political hot potato."
"It will be."  He sighed.  "I guess I understand your thinking, but I still don't like the risk profile.  I'll need to account for multiple mission emergencies in the training plan for ops.  I assume you want me to keep the specifics quiet?"
I nodded.
He looked at the whiteboard with the crude orbital drawing.  "What if we start one Orion ferrying supplies to the moon?  If we have them park in orbit for a couple of days on each trip, we can then use it for crew training, as well as ops training.  We'll just have to come up with a plausible cover story for it."
"What cover story?  Put the Mars teams on it for zero-gee challenges.  If we're going to use two Orions on the actual mission, we'll have to add EVA training in orbit to have realistic preparation for emergencies.  Orbital rendezvous, un-docked transfers of people and cargo, and docking procedures will be all the cover you need.  Any of those can be used to train your ops teams for emergencies as well."
It was his turn to nod.  "I can make that work," he said, seriously.  Then he smiled.  "You never make my job easy, do you, boss?"
*****
"What can I do for the Department of Defense, General?" I asked once introductions were completed.  
General Patterson, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had come out in person for this meeting.  The small group of generals with him made me a little nervous.  The military had never brought so many stars for a visit.  The security they had requested for the meeting was also formidable.  Lila had personally overseen the electronic sweeps prior to their arrival.
"We have a couple of topics we'd like to discuss.  Not everyone is cleared for both discussions, so if we could start with your nano-tube production, I think we can reduce the audience for our second topic," the General said. 
He was a personable enough fellow, but I did not like the hard look in his eyes.
I nodded.
"We'd like to know what it would take for you to resume production of the nano-tubes at your prior volumes," the Air Force general in the entourage asked.  I had taken an instant dislike to the man.
I looked at him.  "At a hundred dollars a gram, I'm a producer of the material.  Below that, I'm not interested in running a production line."
Faces around the table fell.  The last auction price has started at sixty-five dollars a gram.  We had submitted a no-offer when we heard the price.  Lockheed could only meet about a quarter of the demand the DoD had for the material.  
"But that's higher than the price a year ago!" the Air Force General exclaimed.
"It is, but that's what I would need to be able to re-allocate the lab space and entice my employees to continue the production process.  We're all interested in other opportunities right now."
"Paul," General Patterson said.  "You've been very reasonable with us in the past.  Why are you taking such a hardline on us now?"
I looked at him.  "My revenue off that line was roughly a billion dollars a year," I said.  "But my costs off that line, due mainly to security concerns was triple my next highest material production process.  You gentlemen set up the auction process and the rules I've played under for the past fifteen years.  In the last auction, you and Lockheed assumed I would fill the initial order at the sixty-five-dollar price-point, and that they would then take a higher bit for the next allotment, driving down the overall average price and sticking me with the shortfall."
The Air Force general started to protest, but I raised my hand.
"In the rules you set up, I did not have to accept the bid.  I didn't.  Since I have no obligation to produce material that I can only sell to you, I'm choosing to shut down production.  You can either blow your budget at $100 a gram, or you can get the politicians to approve the IP buy-out that we've been negotiating for over a year."
"But that just gives us the IP," the annoying general protested.  "It's going to take us years to stand up our own production or run an outsource bid, given the security concerns."
I shrugged.  "That's a problem of your own creation.  You can buy what I'm selling, or you can wait until Lockheed can scale up production."
General Patterson gave me a hard look, as if expecting me to back down.  I looked him straight in the eye.
"Is there anything else on this topic?" I asked politely.
He glanced at the other generals and then shook his head.  "No, I kind of figured you would have a ready answer for us.  As usual, you did not disappoint me.  Others, maybe, but not me.  Gentlemen," He said with a nod toward the door.  Everyone except an army general I had not met before stood and exited the room.
"Paul, this is General Holland from our Medical Corps.  He would like to discuss some of your research, and I'd like you to answer his questions plainly."
The request was strange.  I nodded.
"We're interested, " General Holland began, "In your MRI research.  The paper your team published relating to memory has caused quite a stir in certain areas.  We'd like to discuss how we could work with some of your researchers."
"I'm open to collaboration, General.  What did you have in mind?"
"We'd like to participate in your studies.  I'm willing to assign several doctors and nurses to your project if you could arrange briefings and some of your scanners for them to work with."
I thought about that for a minute.  "You mean you would run your own test protocols and share results?" I asked.
"Unclassified results, certainly."
His ready answer gave me pause.
"What types of results would be classified?" I asked.
"Any that had military application," he countered.  
"Cut the pussy-footing around, Holland," General Patterson barked.
"We think there could be some interesting interrogation applications, that would be completely harmless to the subject, if memory can truly be affected by your scanners."
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this discussion," I said.
"It's not what you think," he said quickly.  "We really just want to stay in the loop initially.  As your own testing plays out, we may see opportunities, but we know that attempting to tamper with the mind raises ethical concerns."
Kelly's words about the PR battle came to mind.  I really did not want to work with the Army on this but knew I had just figuratively punched the DoD in the nose on the material production side.
"What if we started with a memorandum of understanding to put some of your researchers on our project?  So long as they are aiding the overall effort, with regular peer reviews, we could keep the arrangement in place."
"That could work," General Holland said with a nod.  "If we start to see a possible classified application, we could discuss a separate effort."
"So long as we have a mechanism to see all the results," I said immediately.  "We started this effort out of concern of unintended consequences to our operating personnel.  We need to see all of the data to know that our people are safe."
"I think we can work something out," The general replied.
"Then I think we can make an arrangement."
I hoped I did not regret the concession to them.
*****
"It looks like the dual tethers are helping with the stability issue," Katiana said as we watched the team deploy the re-engineered accelerator for the second time this trip.
She had taken lead on the L-4 mission oversight for me, making sure the crew was trained and the engineering work was progressing as the accelerator nodes were built and tested.  In the six months since the first test flight, she had become immersed in the planning for both of our less public missions.
"Do you think we should fire it up this time?" I asked.  While the prototype was scaled down, I had insisted it be functional.  I really wanted a hint of direction for Dr.  Perdew and my work.  The smaller nodes would not reach the energies we ultimately thought we needed, but they would still be as strong as most of the particle accelerators already in existence.
"Once they finish the deployment cycle, and we verify everything is stable, I think we can risk some smaller tests," she said.
"Good.  How is the other crew doing?" I asked.
We had made initial crew assignments with a six-person crew of engineers and geologists picked for the asteroid mission.  That team was actually on the moon this week, practicing their field geology and generally making NASA and a lot of scientists on Earth anxious for their findings.  
"They finished their third day of sample collection and analysis.  This afternoon, they'll do a short hop to Tsiolkovsky Crater for the second round of EVAs."
"Jack Schmitt is going to be happy seeing those findings," I said.  
The former astronaut and senator was now lobbying NASA and the administration heavily to take advantage of cheap costs to orbit and the moon.  He had actually sent in a well-written proposal for a rationale to explore Tsiolkovsky.  It had swayed a lot of opinions on the team.  
"Allen is okay with communications to the far side?" I asked.
"He signed off on it once we had teams deploy seven lunar micro-sats to relay communications.  No place on the lunar surface is out of contact now." she said.
I nodded.  Allen and Meagan had insisted on improved command and control as we stepped up operations on and around the moon.  We even had a full-time traffic control center as part of Aristarchus Base now.  Gene Kranz, the famous flight director from Apollo 13 had joined our organization to oversee the creation of the teams and procedures for managing orbital control across Allen and Meagan's organization.  It was always interesting to get his perspective on operations.
"How long until the accelerator is spun up and ready for a test?" I asked.
Katiana looked at her checklist.  "Six hours should do it."
"Okay.  Call me then.  I'm going to catch up on some emails."
Email had become the best way to communicate across our widely spread operations.  The one point three second delay on verbal communications between the Earth and L-4 or the Earth and the Moon could be tolerated if it was urgent, but the lag only got greater with distance.  The two Mars teams were preparing for the twelve-to-fourteen-minute communications lag they would need to overcome.
Emails filled an hour, but then I was at loose ends, waiting impatiently.  I wondered if personally overseeing this was a good use of my time.  I sighed and closed my eyes.  I could hardly flit back to the Moon or Earth before the evolution was finished.  I picked up my notebook and reviewed the latest math John and I had worked through.  If we could get a simple test run of the accelerator with just three variables in the profile, we could possibly make a huge leap forward.  No one on the crew here knew exactly what we were trying to do, just that this was of particular interest to me.  I wondered if any of them would understand the math or concepts.  
I forced myself to concentrate.
"Paul?" Katiana said from my doorway.
"Is it time?"
"Not quite," she said.  "One of the crew, Tim Sykes, has a fever and abdominal pain.  We're not sure if it is the flu or appendicitis, but I think we need to head back to get it checked out."
"What does he think?" I asked.  Based on the clock, we were an hour or two away from being able to test the accelerator.
"It's not his call.  I'm the mission commander.  I've talked to Jyl back at Astra.  She does not want to risk appendicitis.  I've told the crew to prep for return.  The deployment process will finish as programmed, but we won't have time to retrieve the package."
I nodded.  "You're right.  Let's get headed home.  Make sure the encrypted data channel for remote operation and monitoring is checked before we go, please."
"It's already happening," she said.  
I could see she was relieved with my support.  I smiled.  "It's no fun having to make these kinds of calls, is it?" I asked.
She shook her head.  "Making the call is easy.  Telling your boss is the hard part."
I laughed and we headed toward the command deck.
*****
"I'm telling you to reconsider, Paul," Kelly said.  "Land your Orions in the States and announce the crew decision here.  You've got the public backing.  Give them a public acknowledgement."
The final selection of the Mars landing team was to take place at the end of the current training mission, in three weeks.  Our original plan had been to land them in Kenya and then handle the debrief and announcement in Learmonth.  Billy and Tom wanted a live broadcast.  I had mentioned it to Kelly on a call and she had jumped on the idea.
"I don't suppose you would want to be present for the announcement, would you?"  I suspected she did, since it was a foregone conclusion that she would be announcing her run for the Democratic nomination in the next couple of months.  
"That's very nice of you to suggest," she said sweetly. 
I laughed.  "You know that will irk my Republican friends," I warned.
"Screw them.  If you want to invite the two ranking senators from the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, that might be a shrewd move as well.  They would be the ones who would have to argue for - or against - anything in the charter."
I groaned.  "Look, that's a reason to do this in Kenya and away from the U.S.  I don't want to acknowledge that the charter even applies."
"You know that's not realistic.  Your sister is going to be President while you are out exploiting the solar system.  Someone somewhere will complain about unfair advantage or something like that.  You need to accept it is going to happen and prepare for it.  Having goodwill in the bank will help."
I sighed.  I knew she was right but did not want to deal with it.
"You can't hide from facts, Paul," she said as if reading my thoughts.
"Okay, suppose we did this.  Where would we do it?"
"NASA would love it if you used the Cape.  The Air Force would love it if you used Edwards."
"It's still hurricane season, so we'd have to keep an eye on the weather to land in Florida.  Maybe we should just plan on using Edwards, but I don't like tying the first public landing of an Orion to any sort of military operation, even if it is just using their base."
"That's a good point," she conceded.
"I might need a little more control over the site as well, what with all of our fans and the possibility of having some high-profile visitors on hand," I added.
"What are you suggesting or thinking, Paul?" she asked in a concerned tone.
"Maybe the lab in Nevada would be the best spot.  It's in the States, but isolated and secure."
"I think you want something a little more accessible, don't you?  Besides, do you really want to show the world your secret lab?"
"I don't know.  It would solve a few other problems.  The Orions are not actually designed to move around on the ground on their own.  In Kenya, we have four huge mobile landing pads.  Anyplace over here is going to be shut down as long as the craft are there.  I'm going to have to spend some time on the logistics of this if you really want me to land in the States."
"I'm sorry, Paul, but I really do.  I also think it's the best thing for you to do as well.  Give it some thought and see what you can come up with.  You are a genius, after all."
I laughed as we ended the call.  It was easy for her to say, since she had neatly landed her problem of PR in my lap.
*****
"What's that?" Ali asked as I looked at the sketch, I was filling in.  
"It's just something I'm thinking about," I said, closing my notebook.  How do you explain to a near-fifteen-year-old that you are looking at all the factors that lead a crazy dictator to order missiles to be fired and kill your mother?  
I had been working through the deja vu research and marrying it to the field theory Dr.  Perdew and I were continuing to evolve and realized that if I decided to attempt to change the past again, I could not assume I would be able to control when I would enter the alternate timeline.  That meant I could go to any point from the day before yesterday, to the day of the shoot-down to even further back to grade-school.  I would need a plan before contemplating such an experiment.
I brought my focus back to Ali.  She was looking more and more grown up, reminding her of her mother.  
"What's up with you?" I asked.  Ali had matured since entering high-school.  I was always surprised by her expanding outlook on life, but also always a little suspicious of her motives for some actions.
"Well, you know there is a dance next weekend, for homecoming, right?"  
I nodded.  I still tried to do something with the kids each week.  Lately, it had been a round of parent-teacher conferences and school activities.  Ali had become more involved in high-school sports, earning a starting role on the girls' soccer team and joining the cross-country team.
"Well, Jimmy Thomas asked me to go with him, but I said I had to check with you first."
I smiled.  "Do you want to go with Jimmy?"  I asked. 
She blushed and nodded.  
"Okay.  Do you have his home number?  I'll call his folks and make sure we coordinate getting you to and from the dance."
Ali smiled, obviously relieved at my answer, and then caught herself.  "Is Chrissy coming over this weekend?"  She asked.
I nodded.  The teams had started training in earth and lunar orbit for both missions, the Mars landing team and the orbital support team.  We tried to make certain they got some earth-side time at least every other week.  This weekend, Chrissy would be on the ground.
"Why?"
"I kind of thought she could help me find a dress.  I mean, she is a model and all that," Ali said in a rush.
"I'm sure she would be thrilled to help you," I replied.  "Why don't you send her an email asking her?  I bet she would like to hear from you."
"But don't you send her a note or talk to her every day?" Ali asked.
"I do, but you are the one asking for a favor.  You should ask her instead of getting me to do your dirty work.  I'm sure she'll want to hear some of the details about Jimmy and what kind of dress you're looking for and a bunch of other things.  Just write her a note."
"Okay, I guess that makes sense.  Thanks, Dad."
A few hours later, my phone rang.
"This is Paul," I answered without looking at the caller ID.
"And this is Chrissy," I heard in response with a playful giggle.  "I was going to try my phone sex voice but decided I didn't really have time for a real conversation along those lines," she teased.
I smiled, even though she could not see it.
"Busy day planned?" I asked.  It was five in the morning in GMT, which Astra and the lunar base operated on.  I knew she was on Astra last night.
"These slave-driver producers have us 'going-going-gone' all the time," she replied.  "Anyway, I had a note from Ali asking about taking her shopping for a dress on the weekend."
"That's right," I said.
"Okay.  I just wanted to make sure you knew she was going out on a date and were alright with it."
"Well, I'm as good as a father can be when his daughter starts going to dances with boys."
Chrissy laughed.  "Like you aren't going to have security watching over the whole dance.  The boy must have pretty big balls to ask the daughter of the richest man in the world out," she teased.
"And they had better stay just as big," I fired back.  Of course, I knew Ali was going to be sexually active at some point.  I just hoped it was not in two weeks.
Chrissy went on.  "Let Ali know I'd be happy to go shopping with her.  I should get back down the gravity well by eighteen hundred your time on Friday.  Tell her to plan on a Saturday morning shopping extravaganza."
I groaned.  "How about you reply to her email and take me out of the middle."
She laughed.  "Oh, I will, but I wanted to hear your voice as well.  I've got to run and get some brekky before we start our next training evolution.  I love you, Paul."
"Love you, too," I said as the call ended.
I set my phone down and leaned back at my desk for a minute.  Her enthusiasm lifted spirits I had not realized were down.  It made me think.  Ten years ago, I'd have been next to the teams, watching and guiding them.  Now I was literally a world away, worrying about my teenage daughter's upcoming date.  It made me feel old.  



Chapter Sixty
Alison’s Legacy
*****
"Chrissy, are you disappointed?" the interviewer asked.
"Disappointed?  At what?  I'll be in the first dozen people to set foot on Mars and my team will be the one to establish a permanent base on the Martian surface.  Why should I be disappointed?  It makes perfect sense from a mission perspective to have the first team conduct surface surveys while we remain in orbit performing analysis of the possible locations.  Once we select a suitable site, we'll land and start the construction phase."
I smiled at her comment.  I had been worried about the live interviews following our  finale for the show.  We had side-stepped the request to land the Orions in the US for the finale by filming the final training debriefs on Astra Station and then landing all the candidates at Cape Kennedy in Florida.  Kelly and the entire Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation had attended the dog-and-pony show of a mission review taping where we unveiled the planned mission profile and then we announced the staffing decisions in a live show.  Now we were into the follow-up section of our plans.
"Are you ready for this, Paul?" Kelly asked.  She and I were in the 'green room' for interviews.  We, along with Senator John McCain, the ranking Republican on the committee and Senator Breaux, the chairman of the sub-committee on Science, Technology, and Space were waiting our turn to go out and discuss the announcement.  Chrissy and the other astronauts were being interviewed individually by different on-air personalities, but we would partake in a panel discussion that would be taped and then edited for broadcast this evening.
"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" I replied.
"I think a lot of fans wanted to see Chrissy on the first landing team.  I'm just wondering if anyone will ask you about it."
I shrugged.  "She just articulated the answer I'd give as well.  It makes no sense to build at the first place we land.  There were seven moon landings and a hell of a lot of surveys before we selected the location to build there."
"Why build a base on the first mission?" Senator McCain asked.
"How about we wait until we're in-front of the cameras," Kelly said politely.  "I imagine a lot of other people want to hear that answer."
John McCain nodded, as did I.  Ten minutes later, after some soft-ball opening questions and now sitting in a plush chair on the set, he asked his question once more.
"My team and I collectively decided that we did not want to perform a media stunt and just land on Mars," I replied.  "We intend to go to Mars and establish a permanent presence there, not just a series of publicity opportunities.  The survey crew will be prepared to investigate up to ten locations on the surface of Mars.  The build crew will be ready, once a site is selected, to land and establish a habitat for a team of up to twenty engineers and explorers to operate from.  We aim to establish a foothold and then expand, not just take some pictures and collect samples and come home."
The audience applauded spontaneously.  We had run a lottery for fans during the course of the show and given away free trips and accommodation to nearly a thousand fans from around the world to attend the finale and associated 'media fair'.  
Peter Jennings waited until the applause subsided and then looked at Kelly.  "Vice President Daniels, given the intent your brother has, how does the Administration propose to regulate his activities, and do you see yourself being put in a conflict of interest here?"
Kelly smiled for the cameras.  "There would only be a conflict of interest if our interests should come into conflict," she said warmly.  "Right now, the administration sees no such conflict.  Paul is planning on establishing a scientific outpost.  He has always published his findings and encouraged collaboration and the open exchange of ideas.  With regard to regulation, these activities would fall under Senator Breaux and the Committee on Science, Technology, and Space to assess and provide guidance, not the executive branch."
"So, you're stating there is a hands-off policy?" Tom Brokaw asked.
We had invited the three nightly news anchors to participate in the panel.
"The committee is hardly 'hands-off'," Senator McCain said.  "Senator Breaux's sub-committee provides regular updates on Mr.  Taylor's space-based efforts.  We also have periodic hearings with the NASA administrators and their liaison officers assigned to PT Innovations."
Kelly nodded.  "With regard to policy," she added, "President Gore works within the structure of the charter established under the SHARE Act.  There may come a day when we expand that legislation or revisit it for some reason, but currently it meets our country's needs."
"What about other countries?" Dan Rather asked.  "We know that China has expanded its presence significantly on Astra Station.  We see private companies growing in prominence at Aristarchus Base.  How are these actions enriching the lives of American taxpayers, and how will expansion of the same model to Mars help them?"
"The SHARE Act, which passed with very strong bi-partisan support," Senator Breaux said, "ensures that Americans and American companies are given strong incentives and consideration for the peaceful exploitation of space."
"But only PT Innovations and Mr.  Taylor's other companies seem to be taking advantage of those provisions," Peter Jennings said, turning the panel into more of a debate.
"America is supposed to be the land of opportunity," I interjected.  "We ensure that all nations have the same opportunity to contract for our lift services and to lease space on Astra or at Aristarchus Base.  As part of the charter, we ensure that the United States government receives the best lift rates we offer and have gone so far as to make accommodations for dedicated NASA liaison officers at our operations, both here and in space.  Fourteen U.S.  companies have taken advantage of that, in addition to the government itself.  There are a lot more companies in orbit and on the moon, besides mine," I concluded.
"Fourteen?" Jennings asked with a raised eyebrow.
I nodded and raised my hand to count them off.  "Lockheed, General Dynamics, Westinghouse, Corning, IBM, Hilton, Marriott, Bell Labs, Apple, Intel, Dow Chemical, Abbot Laboratories, Bristol-Meyers, and Merck and Company.  That's in addition to CRP, DigiNet, and other firms I've started, run, or have a significant interest in.  My CFO estimates that we have created over ten thousand domestic jobs tied to our expansion into space.  There are another fifty-thousand jobs world-wide that have come about as we build infrastructure and components for delivery to our space operations."
"What about the Chinese and European presence on Astra and now expanding to the moon?" Dan Rather asked.  "It's our understanding that America will soon no longer have the majority of space-based residents."
Kelly was shaking her head.
"This question has come up from multiple sources, but it is simply wrong," I said.  "The Chinese government has purchased long-term lease space on Astra and is in negotiations for habitable volume on the moon, but even if we build everything they want, they would be less than twenty percent of the people working outside Earth's atmosphere on any given day.  It could be less than ten percent, if the US government formulated a realistic plan and chose to expand its orbital or lunar operations."
"Senator McCain," Brokaw began, "what sort of policies are the Republicans looking at to put America first in space?"
McCain smiled at the cameras.  He was the unofficial front runner for the Republican party for the next election, just as Kelly was assumed to be the Democratic favorite.
"We would look at our overall national goals and then look at the best way to exploit our 'Most Favored Nation' status within the Charter that Paul's companies operate under.  I personally believe that just as the United States has a leadership position amongst the great nations of the world, we should demonstrate a leadership position as we expand beyond our world.  Obviously, we would need to build out specific strategies and programs to meet those objectives and gain budget approval through Congress to enact those efforts."
I wanted to roll my eyes.  It was a lot of words that I would have summarized as "we'll see".  Of course, I needed to stay publicly neutral in the debates, since I had to work with both parties.
"Vice President Daniels, how would the Democratic leadership answer that question?"
It was Kelly's turn to smile.  "We believe there are immediate, tangible benefits to leveraging the charter.  We have established programs with NASA and NOAA to greatly expand our terrestrial monitoring via satellite.  We will be placing fourteen satellites in orbit over the next five months to improve this data collection effort and have teams of scientists ready to start analyzing the data provided.  We know that better understanding of weather and climate can be used to help many people, domestically, and abroad.  We are establishing programs within NASA to scientifically and systematically explore the Moon and, when appropriate, Mars, but first are looking at robotic missions to survey more of our solar system.  These programs have gained wide bipartisan support in Congress," she concluded.
"So, neither of you would be advocating for an expanded NASA management role on the moon or Mars?" Rather asked.
"To what purpose?" Kelly asked as McCain nodded.  "The United States of America is leading the way through the charter Paul operates under.  Does anyone really believe a government program will establish a toe-hold on a new world faster, and cheaper, than we are seeing happen right now?"
We all chuckled, though Senator McCain had a little scowl.  He was trying to position the Republicans as the fiscally responsible party.
"Paul, you have four of your Orion spacecraft built and operating," Jennings began.  "Two will be used on this mission to Mars.  What are the other two going to be doing?"
I forced a smile.  "We still have a growing base on the Moon that needs regular supply and we will continue to train our expanding cadre of astronauts for operations beyond Earth-orbit.  Other than that, I'm not ready to commit to any specific missions," I lied.
"Beyond Earth-Orbit?" Jennings asked.  "What might those opportunities be?"
"Vice President Daniels mentioned robotic exploration missions.  I'm a strong proponent of sending robots out first, but my team wants to be trained and ready to follow-up on interesting findings.  What if a mission to Jupiter finds liquid or frozen water on one of its moons?  We could have a follow-on mission enroute with real scientists and complete labs in weeks instead of years.  Being able to seize those kinds of opportunities takes training and preparedness."
"Senator McCain," Jennings said.  "Would the Republican leadership support such an approach?"
McCain nodded.  "It is a very practical plan, that Paul is going to do whether we support him or not.  Why would we fight something that makes that much sense."
"Senator, do you think NASA should have a say in the matter, especially if their robotic mission makes the discovery?"
"Under the existing international treaties, the discovery of something, such as water or even gold, does not confer ownership rights to it.  This is a murky area under international law that we are going to have to work through on the global stage.  I just hope Paul does not give us reason to rush into such work."
The panel continued for nearly two hours and once we finished, I was surprised to see Kelly and John McCain shake hands for the cameras.  Then it dawned on me that we had just filmed the first Presidential debate for the next election.  I managed to corner Kelly afterwards.
"You set that whole stage, didn't you?"
For a moment, the facade of her innocence held.  Then she smiled.  
"Of course, I did.  I wanted to make sure I was the thought leader out there, not John.  He had to react to everything you or I proposed or said.  People will pick up on that and realize a younger, more dynamic sort of thinking is needed for the future.  It is going to be me on the ballot next fall."  She gave me a spontaneous hug.  "Thank you."
I hugged her back.  
"You know," I said as we separated, "you had better get your policy team on that whole ownership thing McCain mentioned."
She gave me the arched-eyebrow look of inquiry.  "Why?"
"If we find something exportable on Mars, we're going to export it.  If we find anything anywhere else, we'll be doing the same.  Have a plan ready, Kelly, or you'll be looking surprised and reactionary instead of the Republicans."
*****
"What in the hell have you done to this thing?" Lila asked from the door of my lab, startling me.
I had taken to spending the majority of my days in Nevada and hopping home to Park City in the late afternoon.  I had been modifying one of the original MRIs used in the deja vu study in my lab, doubling the power output and focus by creating a three-dimensional layer of magnetic actuators.  It looked something like a giant white sarcophagus.  I had crawled inside, working on the hand-held controller that would eventually allow me to operate it while inside the tube.
"Playing around with some enhancements to the MRI work Hunter was leading for me," I said as I climbed out.  "What brings you down to Nevada?"
Lila smiled.  "It has been a while since I did a surprise visit down here to check security.  I decided to fly down and make sure we were still keeping things secure."
"And?"
"Everything looks good.  It makes me wonder what I'm missing."
I laughed.  "We've got good people here and some well-established procedures.  I'm pretty confident my work here is secure.  I worry more about the plant in Barcelona and Ian's lab in Austin."
"Those both get regular reviews.  This place, on the other hand, gets visited by you frequently but only gets a full security audit once a year.  I realized it was a bit of a blind-spot for us from a security perspective."
"Good to know it's all safe and sound."
"Well," she hedged, "It's secure, but I think if you really want to keep something secret, you should move it to Astra or even Aristarchus.  This place was on the show for how many years?  I know they were always careful to not show any of the security features, but people still know it's here, and they know you do research from it.  That makes it a target."
I sighed.  "I know, but it's so easy to hop down here and get some quiet work done.  Is there a specific reason you decided to check down here?"  I asked.
Lila gave me a terse nod.  "The FBI asked us if there was anything sensitive happening in Nevada.  They had some sort of tip.  When I followed up with them, they indicated there was some 'Asian interest' in your lab work.  DoD asked that we do an audit on anyplace you were working to check for possible leaks or infiltration."
"Well, nobody is going to just wander in here," I said.  "What do they think someone is looking for?  Hell, I don't do anything dangerous out here anymore, not since Hunter and I finished the last round of engine design work.  We've moved all of that to Ireland now."
"It's not engines or generators, according the government.  The only thing I could come up with was possible applications of the deja vu research, like what the Army was interested in.  I could see some governments or independent organizations being interested in messing with people's memories or having the capability to erase them.  That is powerful stuff."
"Which is why we changed the power supply and MRI design last year," I countered.
"Except for this machine in your lab, and the original one in Ireland.  That's what concerns me.  Add in the fact that you have shown a personal interest in this area, and it makes sense that someone else might have their curiosity piqued."
"When you put it like that, I can see why people might be interested.  What do you suggest?"
"I think we should run some penetration tests on the lab here.  If my folks can't get in without tripping alarms, I'll feel a lot better about it.  After that, maybe some of our friendly spooks from Langley can give it a try, or the boys and girls from Fort Meade can try to get some information out of here.  If all of that fails, then we can relax a little."
"But won't that level of trying raise interest as well?" I asked.
"Possibly, but it's better to know we are as secure as possible rather than just hope no one gets in."
"Okay, but let's not do anything when I've got the kids down here."
She noddedI  her agreement.  "I'll set some things up to try while we're all in St.  Lucia for Christmas.  How's that sound?"
*****
"You are nuts," Chrissy said as she laughed at me.  "It's going to take you longer to get into the city from the airport than it will take to fly from here to New Orleans."
We were at the St.  Lucia house for the holidays and Chrissy had jokingly said she wished we could have some beignets with our morning coffee.  I had offered to take her there in the GOT before we sent it to Illinois to pick up my parents.  I was a little manic after a call with Steve Jobs.  He had confided to me as a board member of Apple-Next that he had cancer.  I had offered all the support I could, but knew that even on this timeline, he had a struggle in front of him.  Hopefully, he had listened to me when I had told him to skip the alternative treatments and get to the hospital.   
"We can call and have them brought out to the airport.  By the time we get the helicopter to the airport here, and pre-flight the GOT, they should be able to get from Cafe du Monde out to the airport."  It was a six-minute flight for the GOT to go from St.  Lucia to New Orleans.  
"How about you just ask Philip to make some here?" Chrissy replied.
I gave a dramatic sigh.  "Okay, if you want to take away all my fun, I suppose we can do that."
"Oh, if it's fun you want, I've got a better idea for you than flying," she said with a smile.  She stood up and untied her robe, giving me a peek at her smooth skin as she stepped around the table and hugged me.
I kissed her and slipped my hands inside her robe.
"Ahem," we heard from the doorway.
Chrissy closed her robe before turning.  Tamara was standing at the door leading back into the master suite.
"Sorry to interrupt, but Katiana called and asked that I deliver a message for you, Paul."
"Okay but remember that we are all on vacation as soon as my folks arrive."
Tamara smiled.  "Like that will mean anything this year," she teased.  "I might not be working on your stuff, but I've got a lot of wedding planning to get done during the next two weeks."
Allan had finally popped the question at Thanksgiving, and he and Tamara had decided to get married on Valentine's Day in two months.  
"That's fine.  I bet Chrissy and my Mom will be happy to give you a hand sorting things out."
"Humph!" Chrissy said.  "I plan on relaxing and getting some unfiltered sun, not poring over wedding dresses and looking at invitations," she said.  "I've been run ragged in training by you guys for the past year.  I need a break!"
Despite her words and tone, she was smiling at Tamara.
"So, what was the message?" I asked.
Tamara glanced at her notes.  "Target selected is (29075) 1950 DA.  Team will commence approach for survey by January fifteenth."
I processed that for a minute.  Katiana and her team had been narrowing their selection of possible asteroid targets for the past month.  They wanted to perform a fly-by mission to survey a potential target before beginning final approach and sampling training in the spring.  I had approved the plan, with a few safety caveats.  One of them was that the survey had to be accomplished before February to ensure adequate prep time for a summer mission.  
Of course, Chrissy wanted to know what the message was about.  That led to a discussion about overall safety, similar to the one I had with Allan last spring.  By the time Chrissy and Tamara were finished asking me questions, it was time to head to the beach, since Ali had insisted on a sail before our other guests arrived.
Mom and Jim arrived in time for a late afternoon meal overlooking the beach and spent until sunset catching up with everyone.  The asteroid mission was pointedly ignored until we were snuggled in bed.
"Are you going with them?" Chrissy asked as she rested her head on my chest.
"No.  I've been overseeing their training and preparations, but Katiana is going to be in-charge on the mission."
"Good.  I know how dangerous space is.  I'm not sure I could focus if I knew you were out doing something risky while I was supposed to be building a habitat on Mars."
I stroked her hair and then kissed the top of her head.  "Don't worry, I'll keep my feet firmly on the ground for most of your mission, though I reserve the right to hop up to Astra or Aristarchus if needed."
She sighed and kissed my chest.  I didn't have the heart to tell her my Earth-side plans were looking just as risky.  
*****
"Where did this come from?" Katiana asked as she looked at the modified drone, I had built in a fit of depression six years ago. 
I had nearly forgotten my folly and reckless undertaking, having parked the drone in orbit.  With its stealth coating, no one was going to find it accidentally.  Last week, Katiana's team had speculated on how to better evaluate the composition of their target asteroid, or any asteroid for that matter.  It had gotten me thinking.
"I built it several years ago," I said as I looked over my latest modifications.  
I had been pleased to see it respond to activation commands and piloted it to Astra.  I felt a little guilty lying about why I had built it to several people but moved beyond that as soon as I had it in our largest airlock/work bay and had started updating its systems.  One of the first things I did was add a new coating of material to eliminate its stealth characteristics.  Thomas had provided a new, harder material that would also provide protection from cosmic rays.  
He and I had taken turns coming up with crazy ideas to make it a better probe for asteroid prospecting.  We kept the delta wing configuration, I was using the surface area for mounting sensors and instruments.  The railgun had been pulled out, re-worked, and put back into the fuselage, this time bore-sited down the probe's axis.  I had enlarged the fuel tank and then begun upgrading the computer hardware and software for flight control.
"And how will it help our mission?" Katiana asked.  
"These," I pointed to the new forward-facing instruments on the wings, "are high resolution cameras across the full spectrum.  We also have a small, high-power laser aligned along the axis in addition to a high-energy rail gun.  Thomas and I think we can use the railgun to penetrate an asteroid and use the sensors to identify the material vaporized by the impact.  The laser can be used to perform more spectrographic analysis of materials."
Katiana frowned.  "How will you pilot it?  Communications lag is going to be a problem."
I nodded.  "It is.  I think you might want some of your team trained up on piloting it remotely.  I've got some autonomous software loaded, but it would be better to have a live operator."
I motioned her over to the large screen displaying a diagram of the drone.  "We should be able to build another drone once you test this configuration out.  I think we can mount two of them on your mission Orion without impeding more than one of the airlocks."
"We'll need to add more than pilot training.  We'll want to refuel in free-space and that's going to be an all-hands evolution."
"Good point.  What do you think?  Is it worth the impact to your schedule?"
She thought for a moment and then nodded curtly.  "Is this one ready to shake down?  We have a training mission to L-5 later this week.  There might even be some small asteroids or fragments there to test it on, but we can at least work through launch and recovery operations."  
"And if you have a problem, that is close enough to fly it back to us if needed.  You are scheduled for the original fly-by the week after next, so if it works in the shakedown, you can take this one with you to use on the fly-by.  I like that plan."
Katiana studied the diagram and glanced at the drone again.  Then she looked at me.
"I'm glad you chose not to use this, Paul.  It would have been a big mistake back then."
I looked her in the eye, trying to muster some anger, but I knew she was right.  
Rather than say anything, I nodded and smiled.
*****
"So, you're saying you don't have a preference?" Oprah asked.  "Last fall, following the selection of the final Mars landing team, it seemed that you were a fan of your step-sister."
I was in the television studio once again, and not too happy about it.  There were plenty of other things I could be doing.  However, Kelly's staff had asked that I accept the invitation for Chrissy and me to appear on the show.  I had demurred at first, but Chrissy and Billy had badgered me into accepting.  Jer being invited to Chicago for a possible art exhibition had sealed the deal.
I smiled for the cameras.  "On a personal level, I would be happy for Kelly if she achieves her dream of being the first woman President of the United States.  I would be as proud and excited as any brother would be for such an accomplishment.  As a businessman, I have to remain neutral, since I have to work with the powers elected."
Oprah smiled.  "So, there is no truth in the rumors circulating in the press that you would be unwilling to work with a Republican administration?"
I laughed.  "My senator is a Republican.  I have great admiration for Senator McCain.  He has a grit that we could use more of in Washington, in my mind.  But Kelly is my sister and brings her own view and strengths to the nation.  I know who I will vote for, but that is a personal choice, not an endorsement."
"What sort of strengths do you see your sister bringing to the office?" she asked.
"My leadership team has just finished negotiating a renewal of our deal with Nike for the Diamond Skin product line.  That is a multi-billion dollar deal that Kelly had a hand in negotiating back while I was still in high-school.  She was heavily involved in the work to license my first patent portfolio to automakers here and around the world.  She knows how to balance conflicting forces and work for an optimal outcome.  She has a vision for guiding the country forward, engaging in domestic and international partnerships that are what I think the nation needs.  We are just starting to become fair stewards of our planet.  Kelly will expand that while being a good steward to our country and its people at the same time."
It was Oprah's turn to laugh.  "That certainly sounds like an endorsement," she said.
I played it off, waving my hand at her.  "She's my sister.  Of course, I think highly of her."
"Okay, so let's bring this back to something more personal.  You and Chrissy have been seen together frequently.  How do you develop a relationship while you are negotiating huge business deals and she is training to go to Mars?"
Chrissy gave my hand a squeeze.  
"We've become very adept at time management," I quipped.  "It's one of the reasons I initially declined your invitation to come on the show.  In the past month, Chrissy and I have been out on three dates, two of which were just dinner on Astra Station.  If we hadn't needed to perform some maintenance activity on the two Mars Orion craft, there is a good chance you would have only gotten me here today."
"Chrissy, how does having such limited time with Paul make you feel?"
Her smile for the cameras and audience looked much more natural than mine had felt.  
"For all the time I've known Paul, our time together has been at a premium.  First, he was just an occasional figure in my life, so when I finally had the opportunity to spend more than a few hours with him, I decided to focus and enjoy the time we could have together rather than be upset about the time apart.  I think like any relationship, our attitudes toward each other are the key to making it work.  Neither of us can take the other for granted if we want to be together and build a lasting relationship.  I think many relationships fail when either party lets that happen."
Oprah nodded as Chrissy spoke.  "That sounds like good advice, but how do you actually make that happen?"
"Communication is key.  Once last fall, I felt a little insecure and neglected.  I could have let that bother me and then tried to punish Paul by making him feel the same way.  Instead, I told him how I felt and why I felt that way.  Once it was said, Paul acted on it and changed to make more special time for us when we could be together."
"You're making me feel badly for impinging on your time for this show," Oprah said.
"Oh, you shouldn't," Chrissy replied.  "It got me a nice shopping trip in Chicago," she said with a laugh.
"So, what exactly are you and your team doing to finalize your preparations to go to Mars?" Oprah asked, getting the interview back on track.
"Last week, the team was working on practicing our building process on the Moon.  We know the materials we'll have access to on Mars will be different than those available on the Moon or here on Earth, but we need to practice adapting our process to what we find at hand."
"How do you do that?" she asked.
"The mission planning team decided we would start here.  We practiced in the Utah desert first, using the materials there to mix into our process and then build a test shelter.  We then did the same thing in Hawaii, using a completely different soil type.  We repeated that twice more, here on Earth, and then went and did it on the Moon.  We're getting pretty confident that we can use any material we have access to on the Martian surface."
"So, you're ready for anything on Mars?" Oprah asked as she leaned forward.
"Not everything, but we know our mission parameters now.  Our work has been used for primary site selection by the initial landing team.  They know exactly what parameters we need in the soil on Mars.  They will perform their exploratory missions, looking for what we need.  Once we have a suitable site, we'll commence construction and establish an operating base for further exploration and expansion."
"And Paul," she said, bringing me back into the conversation, "What will you be doing while you have teams making history on Mars?"
I gave a dramatic sigh.  "I've been told that I'm too valuable to be hopping all over the surface of a new world."
Chrissy shook her head while Oprah cocked her head and raised an eyebrow at my comment.  "Oh?  By whom?"
"Chrissy, for one," I answered with a smile.  "My parents and Kelly have been quick to remind me about being a single parent and the responsibilities that go along with that."
"Such as?"
"Intimidating teenage boys who have the temerity to ask my sixteen-year-old daughter out on a date."
The audience laughed at the joke, while Oprah only smiled.  
"How do you handle those encounters?" she asked.
"Poorly, I'm sure," I quipped.  After another short laugh from the crowd, I continued.  "I try to handle it the same way any parent does.  I gauge the boy, grill him about his intentions, and then try to instill the fear of god in him.  I've got some very effective methods of intimidating them.  Rockets, space stations, unplanned trips to the Moon without the benefit of one of those rockets.  You know, standard dad threats."
Everyone was laughing finally.
"Seriously?" Oprah asked once things calmed down.
"Okay, seriously, I tell them to treat each other with respect and try to act like the adults they want to be treated like.  Ali, my daughter, has learned that actions have consequences.  I gently remind her of that fact and trust her judgment.  That, and keep my fingers crossed."
I was surprised by the applause of the mostly female audience.  I guess they thought I was doing something right.
"What about your son?" Oprah asked.
"Jer hasn't quite worked up to the dating stage yet, though I doubt it's far off.  Right now, he is worrying about his art."
Chrissy leaned forward.  "Jer is actually in Chicago with us.  He has a collection of works being considered for inclusion in an exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art," she said.  "He's incredibly talented."
"I know Ali is very interested in flying and space, which makes sense given your backgrounds," Oprah said.  "How did Jer get interested in art?"
"He has been a drawer for years.  He seemed to migrate from crayons to charcoal and pencil, straight into painting.  Fortunately, I've been able to encourage and support his passion."
"I should think so," Oprah said.  "You also support a lot of other children's dreams through your scholarship funds and endowments," she added.
"I do.  My mother, and my wife's mother, were both teachers.  Back in high school, when I first realized how much money my inventions were making, we started scholarship funds and endowments for schools.  I think every child deserves the opportunity of a great education."
"That's an interesting choice of words," Oprah said.
I nodded.  "It's very specific.  I'm not willing to pay for administrators who think time in the classroom is the only way to learn.  Some of the programs I fund don't have a classroom, per se.  They are wilderness courses that teach self-reliance and self-discipline.  We've seen people earn a scholarship to those courses, take them, and then have much greater academic success afterward.  I have other programs that recognize academic achievement, but never weigh only 'book learning'.  We try to make applicants understand that being a one-dimensional student is not the best way to succeed in life.  That's why Jer gets encouragement and training in art, but still has to do his regular school work and plays baseball, goes camping and skis.  Opportunity means you are ready to seize it, if it is offered, not that you are owed it.  That's how I view all of my educational efforts."
"In all of the interviews you've given and all the press coverage about you, I don't think I've ever heard anyone else probe you on your thoughts around education," Oprah said.  
"No one has asked before," I replied.
"Chrissy, you were nodding as Paul spoke.  Obviously, you agree?"
"Not only agree, but I have my own examples of it working.  When I first met Paul and his wife Jeryl, they showed me, through their actions, that it took real work and effort to make dreams come true.  They didn't just talk about what was possible, they rolled up their sleeves and did the work to make it happen."  She went on to explain examples of the body scanners and sewing robots, and how witnessing those efforts shaped her own thinking.
"Well, I wish we had more time to talk," Oprah said as the director motioned from beside the camera to wrap things up.  
Twenty minutes later, after saying our goodbyes to Oprah, we were on our way to meet Jer.
*****
"Heat it," Thomas said as the debate bounced back and forth between Allen and Katiana.  
The survey mission to asteroid (29075) 1950 DA, nicknamed "the nugget" by the crew and team, had revealed what they suspected was a fairly typical carbonaceous chondrite or C-type asteroid.  That meant it probably did not have significant amounts of metal, but should contain good quantities of carbon, phosphorus and sulfur that would be beneficial in establishing a soil base for food production.  Since this was right up Dr.  Thomas Culpepper's area of expertise, he had joined us to discuss options.  Of course, we still had a fair discrepancy in our observed mass and our calculated mass based on the spectrography, so there was definite research to do still.
"What will that do?" Katiana asked.  She had been disappointed that the team had failed to target a higher density S-Type or even a rare M-Type asteroid that could hold untold mineral wealth.  We still had a mass discrepancy, but it did not appear to be as dense and rich as the astronomical community had first assumed.  Once we published our findings, it would probably be worth reviewing the methods that had led us to assume a higher density.
"It should release any hydroxyl, which is one atom of oxygen bound to one atom of hydrogen.  Add some hydrogen or take it through a catalytic process and we have water and oxygen.  In fact, three hydroxyl atoms should be able to give us one water molecule, one oxygen molecule, and one hydrogen atom.  The residue from the heating should be good to use in establishing a viable biome on Mars.  I think it's worth figuring out how do this at scale."
"So, an asteroid capture and return mission is still a possibility?" Allen asked.
They had been debating what 'mining' an asteroid really meant.  Allen thought mining metals in situ was riskier for a crew, but smarter from an operations perspective.  Katiana wanted to alter the orbit and bring a rock back to earth where it could be fully exploited and studied.  I had listened to their arguments, and then made them argue for the other person's proposal.  It was a technique I had used many times to build consensus and understanding of alternate viewpoints.
"I think so," I replied.  Thomas was nodding.  I could imagine he wanted to have the complete asteroid to experiment on and with.
Allen sat back and sighed.  "That's a much trickier mission profile.  Do we even think we have the technology to do it?"
Katiana was nodding.  "Thomas has been working on a material and deployment system.  Since the nugget is tumbling, we can anchor the material to it from a safe stand-off distance and let the natural motion deploy it from the spindle.  We move the ship to let the rock wrap itself thoroughly.  The resin on the material should self-bond and then harden in a vacuum.  That should give us enough structural cohesion to tow or push the rock wherever we want it."
"When did you start working on that?" Allen asked with a look in his direction.
I smiled.  "A couple of years ago.  We wanted to have some alternative construction techniques for orbital builds and came up with a cross between one of our aerogel compounds and a nano-tube fabric.  Thomas and I worked on the spindle and deployment process last year some."
"My crew has practiced in the simulator, but we haven't had a real target to test on yet," Katiana said proudly.  "We can be ready by summer.  We could probably be ready before the Mars Mission leaves, if we wanted to."
I shook my head.  "Let's not get the cart before the horse.  We weren't certain what the survey would find.  Now we know.  We can begin planning and training for this now, and we'll assess readiness in May.  Tentatively, we will deploy from Aristarchus Base in June, around the same time the Mars Mission takes off from Astra."  
Katiana smiled before I held up my finger warningly.  "But," I said, "The final go decision will only come if ops, the crew, and I all agree the mission is as safe as feasible, and we all agree the crew is ready.  There is no real time pressure on this mission.  Understood?"
She frowned but nodded.  Allen did as well.
"What about operational security?" Allen asked.  "Who can we in-brief on the mission?"
"Let's keep it internal for now, no press leaks, but other than that, whoever you think needs to know.  Have legal get the project NDA's created.  Tamara can coordinate that for you," I said.
He nodded.  "So what return point should we train for?  Mars or the Moon?"
"Have the crew work up both options.  Part of the final assessment has to be the orbital safety considerations.  Putting an asteroid in orbit around the Moon might require too close of a pass to earth to make the politicians or talking heads happy.  If that's the case, we'll make Mars primary, but we need to know both options."
"What about L-5?" Katiana asked.  "We've talked a lot about it being a stable orbital point."
I nodded.  "Work out all of the alternatives.  I don't really want it at L-1, but L-2 or L-5 might make sense."  It went without saying that L-3 on the opposite side of the sun in Earth's orbit made little sense.
"Okay.  I'll get the team working on it.  Bi-weekly reviews?" she asked.  She knew me well.  
"Yes.  Make them on alternating weeks with the Mars updates.  Allen, have your ops leads in both sessions.  Hold a kick-off meeting before the first regular review."
Allen was taking notes.  They had both been through the high operational tempo of filming the Orbital Interns and follow-on shows.  They understood things were going to get busy.  We sorted out a few last details and I ended the meeting.
"You've got about two hours left up here, Boss," Tamara said as Allen and Katiana left my conference room on Astra.  "Meagan had an issue come up on Aristarchus that she needed to attend to, so you have a break."
"Anything serious?" I asked.
Tamara shook her head.  "Personnel issue.  She wanted to discuss it with the medical folks while it was fresh in everyone's mind.  I suspect they're going to change their rotational policies and she wants a recommendation before meeting with you."
I frowned.  It must have been a fight or something.  "Anything I or legal need to be involved with?"
"I'll let you know as soon as I hear some details.  No injuries were on the medical logs, so I doubt it, but I'll keep an eye on it," she replied.
"Well, in that case, I'm at loose ends.  What haven't I visited for a while?"
Tamara glanced at her pad.  "Telemetry from L-4 is in.  It's being sent down to Dr.  Perdew."
I thought about going up one level and over to the small office where we were remotely monitoring the L-4 collider and the experiments being run there and then shook my head.  John would pour over the data and we would discuss it next week in New Orleans, so there was little I could do to help.  I'd just be in someone's way.
"You could--" Tamara's words were interrupted by the staccato ringing of my phone.
I frowned and pulled it out.  By the ring-tone, I knew it was Kelly, who was supposed to be on the campaign trail.  As soon as I answered, she spoke.
"Paul, are all of your generators accounted for?" she asked sharply.
"As far as I know.  Why?"
"NORAD just monitored a pretty big heat bloom in China.  They sent an alert up the chain.  We thought it was a launch of some sort at first, but now they think it is a fusion engine firing.  Do you know anything about it?"
"Let me check with Hunter, but all of our generators and craft were accounted for this morning."
Tamara was nodding as I spoke.
"Can you send me any details?"  I asked.
"I'll see what I can do.  We may want you to drop into chat."
"When and where?" I asked.
"The Pentagon.  I'm heading back to D.C.  now.  I'll call and update you as soon as I can.  If you can be ready to hop out for a visit, it might be a good idea."
"I can meet you at Andrews or be in National before you are," I replied.  "I'm in Astra.  I can be on the ground in an hour."
"Meet me at the Pentagon," Kelly ordered and ended the call.
*****
"It's not a generator," I said firmly.  "It's an engine, and a damn big one."
The generals and admirals looked at me as I shot down their latest idea of the Chinese having a generator testing failure.
Kelly had failed to join me in the pentagon, foisting me off on the brass while she moved on to another campaign stop.
"Why, Paul?"  General Patterson, the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff asked.
"It was a sustained event.  The observational bloom lasted for nearly three minutes.  That's a burn, not an accident.  The data indicates it was a very consistent burn as well, in terms of intensity and size.  If it was an accident, it would have shut down much faster, or been more chaotic."
"So, they have enough know-how to make a fusion powered rocket engine?" One of the Air Force generals asked.
"So, it would seem.  Do we have any other recon information of the site?" I asked.
The large screen in the deeply buried conference room lit up to show imagery from one of the arsenal of spy satellites that had captured the event.  I looked at the collection of neatly arranged rectangles connected by what appeared to be roads.  One building, the one emitting the flare of brilliant white light that had to be a fusion rocket, was roughly three times the size of the standard buildings nearby.
"Do we have a scale?  How big is that building?" I asked.
"The larger building is about eight hundred meters long, seventy-five wide.  The others are two-fifty by seventy-five," a colonel sitting off to one side replied.
I nodded.  "Then that is a huge rocket.  Do we have IR of the building?"
The picture changed.  A brighter area was exposed in the building, a lighter shade of white in the image, running down the center of the building, covering about two-thirds of the length.  I pulled out my phone and flipped to its calculator functions.  I punched in numbers and then looked back at the image.  
"Temperature gradient on the pixels?" I asked.  The same colonel provided an answer.  I punched the numbers in and looked at the result.
"Whew," I whistled softly.  "They are making it a lot bigger than they need," I said.
"What do you mean?" General Patterson asked.
"I'm making educated guesses based on the plasma bloom and the approximate heat signature, but that rocket is not very efficient.  It's generating about half the power of my first-generation generator and is roughly two orders of magnitude larger.  It's not a flight ready prototype."
Several sets of shoulders relaxed at my pronouncement.  
"Are you certain, Paul?  Is this solid enough to take to the President?" Patterson asked.
I nodded.  "There is no way they are building a spacecraft around that engine.  Even if they did, it would be too massive to hide.  Heck, even this test was too big to hide.  They had to know we would see such a large thermal bloom."
"Maybe," an Air Force general said.  "The initial spotting was made via one of the Black-Eyes when the site was conveniently outside the footprint of the Keyholes."
I gave him a questioning look.  He glanced around the room and licked his lips.
"The Black-Eyes are very low-observable," General Patterson said.  "They were built by Lockheed," he added.
I nodded again.  The stealth nanotube coating had obviously been used on them.  I was glad I had finally sold the process to the government.  
"So, you have to decide if asking the Chinese questions is worth tipping your hand."
It was the general's turn to nod.  
I thought for a few moments.  
"What if I ask them about the test?"
"Astra was out of position to observe it as well," the Air Force colonel said.
"Astra was, but at least three DigiNet birds would have been within range of it."
"Your communications company has visual observational capabilities?" General Patterson asked?
I smiled.  "You do remember the first network customer of DigiNet's orbital capability, don't you?  I paid a lot of money to put generator safety monitoring in place for any location on the globe.  Of course, I wanted to be able to track generator movements and incidents as well.  I wanted near real-time intelligence if we had to go in and recover a compromised generator.  You'll want us to pull our own imagery, but I can take proof in hand and ask some questions."
General Patterson looked me in the eye.  "I think we need to brief the President and Vice President before we can let you volunteer to have that conversation, Paul.  
*****
"You, a western business man, cannot dictate the areas the People's Republic can choose to explore and research," Minister Sun said with a clipped voice.  I thought my opening statement had been very non-confrontational.  
"I'm not suggesting any such position, Minister.  I simply suggested you may want some advice on your efforts.  Based on my team's observations, your fusion rocket test was not very efficient."  His face got ruddier as I pulled out the photos Lila and her team had pulled from our satellites and placed them on the table between us.  "This building looks to be significantly larger than any engine test facility I've needed to build.  In the spirit of peaceful cooperation, I simply am offering to have some of my folks review your work and provide suggestions."
"Your suggestions are not needed or desired," he said curtly.  "Our scientists have recreated part of your work.  You only want to see how long you'll be able to continue selling us power and holding our exploration efforts back through your prohibitive monopoly on orbital launch capacity."
His bluster was not something I had considered as I had prepared for this meeting.  I had suspected they would deny their efforts, or accept my review, but never thought they would take a hard-line approach.
I looked the minister over for a moment.  His face betrayed actual rage, not just posturing.  I suspected he had some personal involvement in the efforts.  I realized I was not going to get the outcome I had hoped for.
"Very well, Minister Sun," I said as I collected the photos and put them back in my briefcase.  "I'm sorry I wasted your valuable time trying to be of assistance.  Thank you for your time."
I stood and gave a small bow before leaving the meeting room.  Minister Chen, from Hong Kong was hovering outside the room, and walked with me toward the lobby of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore where we were meeting.  
"Paul, will there be trouble from Minister Sun?" he asked.
I stopped and glanced back at the closed door behind us.  "What sort of trouble?" I asked.
"We have eight more generators going online in the next six months.  I need to know that the power requirements of my office will be met," He replied.
"So long as you fulfill your part of our contract, I'll fulfill mine," I said.  "This was only an offer to help your country's efforts to build a fusion rocket.  Minister Sun declined my assistance.  Why should that imperil generator delivery?"
He sighed and relaxed a little.  "Minister Sun has a great deal of face at stake in our internal fusion research," Chen admitted.  "Some people believe the resources being spent there could provide greater gains elsewhere."  He stopped, as if realizing he may have said too much.  
I reached out and shook his hand, as the door behind us opened again.
"Chen!" Minister Sun said.  His next sentence was in Mandarin.  Based on the look on Chen's face, it was not pleasant.  I turned and left the two ministers behind.  
Lila joined me on the walk to the lobby.  
"That did not sound pleasant," she said as she tapped her earpiece.  I had kept my phone on during the meeting for Lila and our friends in Washington.  
"I don't know enough of the internal Chinese politics to make an assessment," I said, "But it was definitely not what I expected.  Something else is going on."
"We've activated our response team command post in Ireland," Lila said as we climbed into the limo to head back to the airport and our waiting GOT.
"Our what?" I asked.
"We have procedures.  Alison established them back when you started selling generators.  Part of our security team is standing by for rapid response if needed and we've got a monitoring station watching the feeds from the DigiNet birds.  Our original plans were to have a forty-eight-hour response from generator compromise to a recovery team on the ground.  With the orbital capabilities we've got, we're pretty sure we can cut that goal in half or more if we need to.  If the Chinese try to take over a generator, they're going to be in for a surprise."
"Shit, Lila, that would be an act of war!"
She shook her head.  "All of our contracts have very specific language that we have the right to intervene to safeguard generators or engines that may be compromised, as well as to protect the people who manage and run them.  We spell out a lot of the monitoring capabilities, and the penalties of trying to circumvent our monitoring.  Most people seem to assume they are just words in our contracts."
"Why haven't I heard about this before?"  I asked.
"Alison said it was need to know only.  She decided I had a need to know.  Until there was a real concern or credible threat, we didn't think we needed to bother you with the details.  Now, however, there is a nation state that we do business with that has shown a rather worrisome face to you and your technology.  Better to be prepared than surprised."
"Jesus Christ," I muttered.  
"I think we should also consider a personnel review," she said.
"What?"
"They are getting their intelligence on how your engines work from somewhere.  Our folks don't think they could get this far just on the published papers.  You've been very cagey about keeping some of the details on how the magnetic actuators work.  I want to make certain we don't have any compromised employees.  You do remember they tried to bring you down once before, don't you?"
Her cold, dispassionate tone was as troublesome to me as the arched eyebrow.  
I nodded.
"Good.  I'll also being beefing up the team around the house and kids."
"Christ," I said again.  "We just got rebuffed by a senior bureaucrat, not threatened by a country.  Besides, trying to kidnap me or the kids does not seem like a Chinese solution to their problems."
She shook her head.  "Until we know it was one man speaking and not a plot or policy, we're going to be cautious.  We got complacent once on thinking about threats.  I'm not going to let it happen again.  That test site was a military complex, not a civilian manufacturing site.  For all you know, Sun has made some plan with the PLA.  If the scientists and engineers can't deliver on his promises, they will try something else."
"Okay, do what you think is needed," I finally said.  I suspected she would anyway.
"How long until you and the kids can take a little time away from Utah?" she asked.  It was mid-May already.
"Two more weeks.  Why?  Where do you think we should be going?"
"We've got more resources in Ireland, but Astra or Aristarchus would be significantly safer for personal security."
"Ali is going to throw a fit if we spend the whole summer in orbit or on the moon.  You should remember what teenage girls think about during summer break."
"Then let's rent a boat and have you take a family trip around the Med," she suggested.  "What sixteen-year-old girl doesn't want to parade around in a bikini and catch the eye of some Italian men?" she said.  I wasn't sure if she was teasing or not.
I sighed.  "Put together some options.  I'll talk to the kids when I get home and try to get a feel for what they thought the summer was going to be like."
"If things start to get tense, maybe I can offer a baby-sitting job to Ali to get her out of your hair.  Ian is turning five this year.  That would probably put a damper on her love life as well," Lila teased.
I just shook my head and looked out the window.
*****
"Philip!  What are you doing here?" I asked as I caught sight of Philip dressed more flamboyantly than I had ever seen him before.  I was in the Stanford office for the day, meeting with some of the incubation teams.  Philip was wearing a chef's jacket with a rainbow patterned scarf tied around his neck and neon orange pants.  I had never seen him dress in such an outlandish manner.
"I'm checking out the new kitchen upgrades here," he said in a slightly effeminate voice as he closed with me for hug and air kiss near my cheeks.  "This is the last facility to get a makeover, and Tamara and Sheryl insisted I come by to make certain everything was ship-shape."
Tamara gave me a look, and I knew she was as surprised by Philip's behavior as I was.  I suspected Lila's hand was behind it rather than Sheryl or Tamara's.  Philip was not widely known to be filling a security function.  Most people only saw him helping cater parties.
"And how do the improvements look?"  I asked, almost afraid to hear his answer.
He sniffed.  "They'll do, but don't expect me to visit very often and use them.  The kitchens in Ireland and New Orleans are my favorites.  Maybe the one in Maine as well," he added.
"So, you're saying it's a good thing I seldom eat here?" I asked in a light-hearted tone.  Lila's warnings lurked in the back of my head.  I did not want to tip anyone off that we had more security than met the eye.
"Well," he said an a long, drawn out syllable, "I could probably whip something more than edible up for you, but then the regular staff might feel slighted.
I laughed.  "I'm only here for the day.  If you are finished with your review this afternoon, why don't you come back to Park City with me?  I'm sure Mrs.  Eccles and the kids would like to see you."
His smile turned genuine for a fraction of a second.
"That would be lovely.  I should be finished my inspection by 4:00."
"I'll make certain we find you," I said as I shook his hand.
"Paul, I didn't...."  Tamara began as we walked away.
I waved her off and nodded.  "Let's just not forget to take him back with us," I said, not wanting to discuss security in the open office sharing space we made available to our incubating start-ups.
Tamara led me to the first team we were meeting with and I put Philip out of mind for the afternoon.
Later that evening, after a playful greeting by the kids and Mrs.  Eccles, a hearty dinner filled with laughter, and adjourning to the balcony in the cool spring twilight with a scotch in hand, Philip and I had a chance to catch up.
"China?"  I asked as the last rays peaked over the mountains.
Philip nodded.  "We found enough irregularities in our initial review to warrant a closer look at all the places you frequent.  Stanford is the easiest point of infiltration.  It's also where almost no one knows my real job.  I decided to have a little fun touring as your personal chef."
"What sort of irregularities?"  I asked.  "Anything I should worry about?"  I glanced at the lights in the upstairs bedroom windows.  
Philip followed my gaze.
"No, nothing like that.  All of the hints we've found indicate industrial espionage, not kidnapping or coercion.  Of course, we're going to be careful none the less."
I sipped my scotch and thought.
"Do we still have a liaison with the professional spooks?"  I asked.
Philip chuckled.  "Lila's never told you?"  he asked.
"Told me what?"
"Alison's Legacy," he said softly.
"What do you mean?"
It was Philip's turn to sip his scotch and think for a minute.  
Eventually, he sighed.  "It's not really my place, but I think you should know," he began.
"Shortly after you bought Alison's company, she plowed a lot of her own money back into the firm.  She made it a point to build relationships and dossiers on a lot of people.  Those dossiers led to contingency plans and rapid response procedures.  You know she would not just let plans sit, filed on paper."
I shook my head.  "No, she would have tested them to make sure they were good enough."
Philip nodded.  "Some of the practice raised a few eyebrows.  Rather than create a rift with the man powering the world, some of the powers that be secretly approved having trained teams and contingency plans in place.  That was the start of Legacy."  
I could hear the capitalization in his careful enunciation.
"Legacy," he said before taking another sip of scotch.  "It became the codename for our special relationship after North Korea."
"Tell me about it."
"We have private, encrypted channels and servers in the DigiNet network and data centers to handle most of our intel sharing.  You yanks provide the majority of our technical intelligence compliments of the NSA.  MI-6 and Mossad provide most of the HUMINT, with some contracted work.  Your friend Khalil has even made some introductions, unknown to him, with some of the Islamic agencies.  Of course, they don't know who all we work with, just that it's about safeguarding fusion power for the world.  North Korea made it obvious that we needed more than reaction plans.  That was when we named the effort and got serious about tracking capabilities and intentions more globally rather than just being ready to react."
"And?" I asked.
"And, I want you to understand how many resources kicked into high gear after the little confrontation in Singapore.  That's how we know Minister Sun is over extended within the PRC.  It's all second or even third hand still, but we've heard Sun has committed to expanding China's energy independence and showing the world that they can compete with you and the capitalistic West on their own terms."
"What's that mean?"
"The leadership is more concerned with the growth of an independent middle class that might question their policies than they are with actual progress.  We think Sun has convinced them that the leadership needs control of the power infrastructure.  That means you need to be cut out of the loop for controlling power generation."
I nodded.  "That would explain some of the personal animosity, but they are clearly working on an engine, not a generator."
"You started with a generator and made it into an engine.  They might have decided the containment and extraction of energy can come after they get a sustained engine firing."
"But it can't be cost effective for them," I said.
Philip shook his head.  "They don't care about that.  They're sitting on some pretty large gold reserves.  How do you think they can afford to keep ordering generators from you?  Legacy has hints that they are spending double what they're paying you on their internal research efforts.  The fact that Sun is controlling both budgets should tell you the kind of power he and his block hold.  We're trying to get a picture of the other factions and how we might influence them, but that is going to take a little more time."
"So where does that leave me and my security teams?"
Philip chuckled again.  "Not just your teams any longer.  The FBI and other three letter agencies are increasing their oversight.  You are still a national asset, even after selling that process to the DoD.  You're also on the Commonwealth's special protective list when you travel to Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand.  No matter where you or the kids go, there will be professional eyes on you and a quick reaction team nearby."
"Ali is going to appreciate that at her prom next week."
"She won't notice anything different if you don't tell her.  The team members here have gone out of their way to blend in or befriend her.  She knows we're around for her protection, not to spy on her."
"What's that mean?"
"Alison told me about her interview with you and your folks, and how she answered the question about letting you be protected while also letting you be alone.  Ali has had similar conversations with the team here."
I frowned.  "I'm not sure I want to know that," I admitted.
"It's hell growing up, isn't it?" Philip asked.  "At least it's hell letting kids grow up."
"It's tough, until they make you proud," I admitted.
"You've got a lot to be proud of, Paul.  I hope you know that.
I nodded and sipped my scotch.


Chapter Sixty-One
Growing Up
*****
"Dad, can we talk for a minute?" Ali asked as I settled into a lounger on the sunny deck of the Lumiere, a luxurious yacht I had chartered for at least the first part of our summer vacation.
The fifty-meter floating palace had comfortable accommodations for twelve, though we were only counting on having eight to ten guests aboard, since at least one stateroom would be reserved for a security team traveling with us.  I had planned on spending at least three weeks aboard in the Mediterranean, sharing a beautiful part of the world with Chrissy, the kids, Mom and Jim, and the Salaways, though not all at the same time.  We had embarked in Monaco and were now sailing along the coast to Portofino where Mom and Jim would join us.
"Sure, honey.  What's up?" I asked.
One of the crew came over and offered me a drink.  I opted for a glass of white wine and tried to keep my face neutral when Ali asked for the same.  The bartender-slash-steward looked at me for confirmation before going to retrieve our drinks.
"So," Ali said as she watched me take a sip of the cool white wine.  "What do you think Aunt Kelly's chances are for election?" she asked.
The topic surprised me.  I shrugged.  "I think she'll win.  I just don't know whether it will be by a little, or a lot.  Why?"
"Well, ever since spring break, I've been thinking about flying and what I want to do next year, and for college."
Ali was a great daughter, but had gone through quite a short-term, self-centered phase after her 'sweet sixteen' birthday.  I had known she had a strong sense of entitlement, and finally took steps to try and get her a little more grounded.  Terry and a few ex-military staff members had helped out under the guise of 'survival training'.  Having to fend for herself in some cold mountain terrain had given her a bit of a wake-up call.  I had tried to reinforce some lessons by sending her to help at some of the desalinization stations in Africa over long weekends.  She had gone as a worker, not as someone of privilege.  I think those visits had finally gotten through to her.  Since then, she had actually been thinking and working toward a future she wanted instead of assuming I would hand it to her.
"That's good," I said before taking a sip of wine.  "What's that got to do with Aunt Kelly and the election?"
She took a tiny sip of wine and then smiled at me.  My heart melted a little.  She reminded me so much of her mother.
"I know I can fly on my own and probably learn more, faster, than anywhere else, but I'm worried that I'll only be viewed as your daughter instead of as a fully qualified pilot."
I nodded.  
"So, I was thinking that if I want to be taken seriously as a pilot and to have the experience that others will recognize, I should look at going into the Air Force or the Navy."
I was shocked.  I wasn't opposed to the idea, but I was totally surprised by her interest and thinking.
"And you don't want to get accepted just because your aunt is the President or your dad is, well, me?"
She nodded and took a gulp of her wine.
I considered her for a minute.  Chrissy came up to the sun deck in a stunningly small bikini, saw Ali and I talking and then decided to sit at the aft end of the deck.  She smiled and gave me a little wave before I responded to Ali.
"My recollection is that you have to win a nomination on merit before you gain an appointment from a congressman, senator, or the Vice President.  I think the President can only appoint qualified applicants who have an active duty parent, so that should not be a problem."
"That's true, but I'm still worried that I'll be singled out because of who you two are, not because of what I can do."
"It's possible, but neither of us will disown you, so you'll have to figure it out if that situation arises.  You're going to face that situation no matter where you go to school.  You know, even if you get into one of the service academies or take an ROTC scholarship, there is no guarantee that you'll get slotted to flight school, right?"
She nodded.  
"It's a risk, but if that happens, I'll put in my four years, get out and pay my own way through one of the commercial programs.  Either way, it will give me some credibility of achieving something on my own."
"You've already passed what most of those programs would teach you, Ali.  You're sixteen and have a lot more hours logged than you need for a commercial license.  We bent a lot of rules with your instruction, getting you a student waiver license at fourteen, so a lot of people will assume influence was used rather than hard work.  Technically, you only qualify for a student license right now."
"But as soon as I turn seventeen, I can get my full private pilot's license, and then when I turn eighteen, I'm qualified for a commercial license.  Then I'm just marking time until I'm twenty-three and can test for my ATP.  I figure, if I have my private or even commercial ticket before going to school, I can stay current on breaks and build up hours even if it's on my own time.  What can I do for six years that will make me a better, more qualified pilot?  That's what I've been considering."
I was impressed.  She had thought things through, at least. 
"Okay, so you think having military experience will help you.  I get that and can't really disagree.  Do you think you can get in?"
She nodded.  
"I've got the academic requirements covered as long as I keep my grades up.  Extracurriculars should be good with soccer, cross-country, field hockey, the National Honor Society, and French Club.  Add in my flying and I think I can make it.  Especially if you let me do a few other things," she finished.
"Oh?  Like what?"  I asked, knowing this was the other shoe dropping.
"I want to work some this year, starting this summer."
"Okay.  Where do you think you can get a job?"
I suspected she was going to ask me to give her one.
"I've done some checking and can count time working in the family business for my application," she said with a smile.  "I was going to look at working retail at the Nike Store in town but thought Lila would nix that for security reasons.  I didn't really want to have to beg you for a job, but when I realized I would have to account for security, I figured I better talk to you about it."
I laughed and shook my head.  I was neatly boxed in.  I could ensure her safety by giving her a job.
"Well, I don't like the idea of you working directly for me," I hedged.  "I have a hard-enough time making sure I'm not giving Chrissy preferential treatment.  If you are around all the time, I worry that everyone will just assume you are going to tell on them if they don't do what you want them to."
"Dad!  I wouldn't do that," she protested.
"It wouldn't matter if you did or not, some people would think it.  Other than flying, what are you good at?  What ideas have you already come up with?"
She took another sip of her wine.  
"I'd like to do something related to flying but know I can't actually fly people around with my student license.  I suppose I could work in the mail room or be someone's gopher in a worst-case scenario."
I shook my head.  "I'd rather deal with the security headaches than give you a make-work job.  Let me give it some thought and discuss it with Tamara and the P.A.'s.  They know all the crappy little jobs that you might be able to handle."
She blew me a raspberry and then finished her glass of wine before giving me a hug.  "Thanks Dad.  I knew you would be able to help me come up with a plan."
*****
"I really hate this part," I muttered as Allen and I sat in the control room on Astra, waiting for the Mars mission update.  Depending on the orientation and relative positions of Earth and Mars, the communications delay could be as little as four minutes, or as great as twenty-four minutes.  We had scheduled the landing time to give us about six minutes of lag, knowing it would shrink during the duration of the mission, and then expand again before they departed to return to Earth.  
"Believe it or not, you get used to it," Allen said as he sipped his coffee.  "We've had to develop the mindset of dealing with reports and issues as they arrive and accept that we may not be able to do anything more than watch as events unfold out there.  Multiple missions with different time-lags drove us a little nutty at first."
"Control, Mars-One in stable orbit, pre-landing survey complete."  Todd Walton's voice was clear on the comm channel.  He had moved up in the organization, from a lander pilot in the OTV days of lunar operations, to commanding this mission for the landing team.
"Control, Mars-Two in stable orbit, emergency response check-list complete," Marco Perry, Todd's former boss added.  He and his crew, including Chrissy, would be monitoring the landing of the first Orion spacecraft and follow them down if there was a catastrophic emergency.  Everyone hoped that would not be required, of course.
"Control, Mars-One, commencing landing operations at eighteen-hundred GMT, over," Todd said.
I glanced at the clock.  They had already started.  We were now prisoners of the transmission lag.
The main screens in control showed three large views.  One of them showed the control room on Mars-One, the other a view of Mars-One from the nearby Mars-Two spacecraft, and the third showed a view of the landing target.  Smaller displays surrounded the main screen, showing the interior of Mars-Two, the control room on Aristarchus Base, the control rooms and media galleries in Learmonth and Park City, and several mission status telemetry and tracking screens.  I forced myself to smile for the cameras I knew Billy and team would focus on me, and wished the crews safe passage, knowing it was entirely out of my hands at this point.
At 18:05:45 GMT, we saw the flare of engines on Mars-One as they began their deorbit burn and began the descent to Mars.  I knew the evolution would not last long.  Kicking them out of orbit was a fairly short firing sequence.  The total ride from orbit to landing would be roughly seven minutes.  Collectively, we held our breaths and watched the video relay unfold.
"Deorbit burn complete," Todd's voice said.  "Adjusting to reentry orientation."
The view from Mars-Two showed the landing craft pivot to a nose-up position even as it fell away from its orbiting sister-ship.  The image dwindled rapidly as the team descended.
"Velocity at fife-point-two K-P-S.  Altitude is seven-niner klicks.  All systems green, over."
Our landing profile was faster and steeper than the Viking landers had been but would also leverage the massive power available for the final landing rather than rely on parachutes or other atmospheric breaking strategies.  I watched the velocity and altitude numbers on the telemetry screen.  The fact that this was an easier landing than one on earth did not comfort me much.
"Velocity at fife-point-zero K-P-S.  Altitude is fife-one klicks.  All systems green.  Commencing braking, over."
For the next twenty-five kilometers, Todd would be firing the engines in a series of burns to slow their descent.  If everything went as planned and programmed, they would be slowed to about a kilometer every two seconds at about ten thousand meters above their landing zone.  This would give them sufficient time to examine the area selected for the first landing and adjust for any features revealed by the landing radar or imagery.  This potential abort point had been named 'Hold Foxtrot' in the mission plan.  It was the final programmed holding point prior to touchdown.
"Velocity at zero-point-fife K-P-S.  Altitude is one-one klicks.  Hold Foxtrot, over."
Delilah Simpson, our most experienced remotely piloted vehicle operator would launch one of the small drones at this point.  She would have ten seconds to separate the RPV from Mars-One and do a system check while getting a video lock on the ship.  She would visually confirm the modified landing struts were deployed.  She would then have an additional five seconds to get a separate scan of the landing area with the RPV radar and video.  Once that final check was complete, they would be within five hundred meters of the surface and either commit to landing, or manually initiate an abort to orbit.
"Gear down," Delilah said over the circuit.  "Zone clear of obstructions," she added.  
"Mars-one, go for landing," Todd replied.
We held our breath as the screen displayed the outside view from the lander.  The dusty red landscape was stretched out with a hazy, dim sky.  As the image of the horizon rose, we could see the edge of Hebes Chasma in the distance before the engines began kicking up too much dust.
I watched the altimeter.  At ten meters, I held my breath.
Intellectually, I knew they were already down, and we were just waiting for the signal.  That did nothing to relieve my anxiety.
"Touchdown!  Engines off," Todd called.  "Mars-Two, Control, this is Mars-One, landed north of Valles Marineris on Mars!"
The room erupted into cheers.  Allen slapped my back and I gave him a one-armed hug.  Tamara wrapped her arms around both of us.  I stood up and moved over to the wall where Jer and Ali were watching from.  They gave me a big hug and I pulled them back to the control desk I had sat at.  
"Mars-One, this is Mars-Two.  Congratulations!  Beautiful landing.  We track your position at  two degrees,  fife minutes, one-fife point three-one seconds south, seven-seven degrees, one eight minutes, three zero point zero niner seconds west, over."
Mars-two, this is Mars-One, we concur with location.  All struts stable and locked.  Post-landing checklist in progress, over."
"Paul," Tamara said before I could resume my seat.  "Billy is waiting for you on video channel three in your office."
I wanted to groan but nodded.  It was time to face the media.  I followed Tamara to the office and pulled up a hard-copy of my remarks and the soft-ball questions we had provided.  Allen, Tamara and I had gone over them several times in the past two days, so I was confident I could deliver them.  It was the open question and answer period that I suspected would be entertaining.
It only took a few moments to get my light weight headset on and for Tamara to align the small camera to frame me at my desk with the spectacle of the Earth passing below visible outside my office window.  Billy had thought it would be a great background for the interview.
"Joining us now, from Astra Station, Paul Taylor," I heard Dan Rather say in my earpiece.  Outside the camera view, I could see the broadcast feed, so I waved and smiled as I had practiced.
"Hello, Dan," I said.
"Paul, thank you for joining us.  We've just watched your team make history once again, expanding the frontier of mankind to Mars, but we know this is only the first step for them.  What can you tell us about upcoming events?" he asked.
"The crew of Mars-One is finishing their post-landing checklists which will ensure all systems are ready for a return to orbit and that their exploration tools are fully operational."
"And how long will these checks take?" Dan asked.
"In training, we typically completed these checklists in under thirty minutes."
"So, mankind will be setting foot on another planet within the hour?" he asked.
"That's right.  Once they are cleared for EVA, they will use the two rovers embarked to perform a series of geological observations and sample collection sorties from the ship.  We chose the first landing site for the diversity of the environment as well as its suitability as a potential outpost construction site."
"Yes," Dan said.  "They have landed roughly between the Perrotin Crater and Hebes Chasma.  What is special about this location?"
"Dan, the Hebes Chasma is geologically unique and some scientists believe its base is characteristic of a lake with sediment deposits representative of liquid erosion.  We'd like to ascertain if that is true or not."
"You mean there could have been water on Mars?"  he asked.
"We don't know.  That's one of the reasons we want to look and study this region.  The Perrotin Crater is nearby and appears to be a fairly typical, but old impact crater.  We believe it will give us an interesting contrasting view of the geology of the region.  We targeted a landing site about fifteen kilometers between the two features.  Our rovers will take three crew to each area for closer observation."
"How long will these missions take?" Dan asked.  We were moving off the prepared questions now.  It was clear he was interested, or the people in his ear were doing a great job of prompting him.
"We have budgeted three to five days for this site," I said.
"Surely they can't learn everything in such a short time," he replied.
I shook my head.  "Their mission is to do a rough geological survey and collect bore samples down to three meters depth.  With the rovers, it should take them about six hours to obtain six bore samples and return them to the ship.  We have complete labs there, ready to run the chemical analysis on the samples and to preserve the bores for further review.  We believe we'll find some very high concentrations of silicon in this region, which would be good for use in building our outpost."
"And if they find signs of a liquid or liquid water past, will they extend their stay?" Dan asked.
"No.  We're planning on building a scientific outpost on the surface.  If they were to find signs of water, this location would jump to the top of the list for the base location, but we don't want to pick from the first place we look at.  I and the team have planned for a minimum of three site surveys.  We may build at this first site, or we may not build until the sixth site.  Mars-One is equipped for up to ten survey landings."
"Paul, this is quite different from how the initial lunar missions were managed.  Is this safe?"
"Dan, we have dramatically different technology and infrastructure from when NASA first went to the moon.  Then, we had no on-site lab capability, limited consumables, and no rescue capability.  Now, we have a truly massive ship that holds special labs and analysis tools.  We have loaded consumables sufficient for a six month stay with up to a two-month contingency reserve.  And finally, we have a ship just as capable already in orbit to assist if there is any sort of emergency.  We planned this to be as safe of a mission as possible."
"But your astronauts will be exposed to a truly hostile environment," he said.  He held a note card in his hand.  "The days on Mars could reach a temperature of ninety degrees Fahrenheit, and then plummet to a hundred and thirty-five below zero at night.  The atmospheric pressure is so low, their blood would boil if they went out without a spacesuit."
"That's right, Dan.  There won't be any beach parties on Mars, but we've trained long and hard to make sure our people are ready and have the best equipment to carry out their mission."
"And what is that mission, in the long-term, Paul?"
Here was the unscripted part of the interview.
"Right now, it is to establish a long-term base and learn about the planet and environment.  Once we know a lot more about Mars, we can determine what direction that mission takes.  Perhaps it will only be a research outpost, but I suspect that many people from Earth will want to at least visit the Red Planet.  If there is a business case for it, we'll build accommodations and schedule regular tourist trips.  Right now, we don't know what the playing field will look like, we only have hopes and dreams.  Time will tell us," I concluded.
"And, given it is an election year, what role do you see the United States of America playing on this new playing field?" he asked.
I smiled for the cameras.  "My orbital lift business operates under the charter with the government.  We'll obviously ensure we comply with the requirements of that charter.  With regard to Mars, and the Moon for that matter, we are guided by principles not codified by a charter or policy.  While I hope the governments of the world would acknowledge and codify such principles, until they do, we'll continue to operate and learn all that we can."
"What sort of principles do you mean?" he asked.  This was a much different tack than I had publicly shared before.
"I and my team operate under a few general principles.  Firstly, we believe in learning and exploring the worlds around us.  We believe in sharing our findings in a free and open manner.  Secondly, we believe that mankind is destined to spread beyond the friendly grasp of Earth.  As such, we want to prepare for that future.  Thirdly, we believe that the Earth is too fragile of an ecosystem for us to continue exploiting her finite resources.  With that in mind, we will seek out extra-terrestrial resources and determine safe and efficient methods of bringing those resources to market."
My gauntlet had been cast down.  I hoped Kelly was ready for it.
*****
We were all back in the control room, watching the first EVA on Mars.  Delilah had the RPV hovering for a beautiful shot in the Martian morning with the primary EVA hatch in focus as it slid open and a ramp extended from the interior of the ship.  Todd Walton as the mission commander was leading the first EVA with Noah Walsh, one of our seasoned extraterrestrial geologists, and Bryce Tilden, the mission documentarian.  Together, they stopped at the top of the ramp, waved at the RPV and its camera, and then descended to stop a step away from the edge.
"I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary," Todd said clearly.  "I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was.  Today, there is no doubt that I and my crew mates live extraordinary lives.  We all want to thank the thousands of people that allowed us to make this incredible journey.  Your support has meant everything to us.  Finally, we take these steps for everyone on our home world and hope they are footsteps a world of people can follow in."
He stepped down, with his two companions only a half-step behind him.  They all paused and posed for the camera.  Cheers erupted in the control room, and I saw similar reactions on the news coverage on the displays from around the world.  We had decided to not plant any flags or exchange any congratulations due to the time-lag involved, so they were soon busy carrying out the first sensor package that would be left on-site, while Bryce documented the scene and their work.
"Team," I said into the internal communications channel, "this is Paul Taylor, and I want to echo Todd's comments.  None of this would have been possible without your perseverance and passion to send a mission to Mars.  I am personally thankful for all of the hard work.  Remember this moment and the part you have played in it.  Be proud, be confident, and know that we have all been part in making history."
More cheers filled the control center.  
"Paul, the networks are requesting you again," Tamara said.
I shook my head.  "I'll go back on once the rover is deployed.  Let them know they can have 15 minutes while the team moves to the first survey site."
She nodded.
"Mars-One, Mars-Two, this is control," Allen said.  "Congratulations on being the first manned mission to Mars.  Here are a few words Paul Taylor just shared with us all here, over."  He then sent the compressed audio file to them.  I gave him my best dirty look and shook my head, but he just grinned.
"They deserve to know how proud we all are of them," he said.
"Whatever," I replied.  "The telemetry on the rover looks good," I said, trying to get him focused back on the mission.
"The team is handling all that.  You know we can't really micromanage them with twelve minutes for a back-and-forth exchange, right?"
"No.  How's the other mission going?"
Allen glanced down at his console display.  "They've set their anchor and are starting the wrap process.  Katiana sent a video clip update a few minutes ago."
The mission to 'the nugget', Orion-three, was occurring in a different part of the Solar System, but nearly as far away as the Mars teams.  Rather than general broadcast communications, such as the people of Earth were watching from Mars-One, Katiana's team was using tight-beam communications and relying predominantly on email-type communications.  They were sending their data and communications to the Moon where they were forwarded to our internal network.
I pulled up her message and clicked "play" on the video file.  It opened in a small window.
"Control, this is Orion-three," Katiana said to the camera.  "All systems are green.  We have completed setting the anchor and have begun deploying the wrapper for the nugget.  Current spool rate is point one-four-four meters per second, as projected.  Our estimated wrap time for the first wrap layer is one-hundred days at the current rate.  We are preparing for positioning maneuvers that should allow us to triple our wrap speed but will wait until tomorrow to begin those maneuvers.  Crew morale and health is good.  Once the wrap is complete, we will initiate the minor orbital correction as planned.  We have determined that there is more dense material present than previously projected.  We're continuing spectrographic and chemical analysis and will report more once tests are complete.  Orion-three, out."
I thought about her report and pulled up our planning notes.  The wrapping process was slower than I liked.  If they ran into problems and could not up the speed, it would take nearly three months to completely enclose the asteroid and make it ready for retrieval.  I drafted a note for Thomas and forwarded it along with the video report to him for review.  
"Allen, I think we need to build some more RPVs that can help with the wrapping process," I said.
He looked at me and nodded.  "Can we wait a few weeks to start designing and building?  We're just a little busy right now."
I gave him a dramatic sigh.  "I suppose.  In the meantime, I see the rover is deployed.  I guess that means I have to go talk to the newsies again."
Allan laughed.  "You'd better hurry before Tamara or Billy hunt you down."
I shook my head and decided to take his advice.  Who knew sitting on the sidelines would be such draining work?
*****
"Dad," Jer said as I came back into the apartment on Astra.  "Where are we going to be for the Fourth of July this year?"
I moved over to the couch he was sprawled out on in front of one of the panoramic windows with the Earth on glorious display below us.  
"I hadn't really thought about it, why?"
He licked his lips and glanced out the window.  "If we're going to be in Park City, I want to invite someone to wherever we watch the fireworks from."
"What if it's too dry again and they have a fireworks ban?" I asked.  "We'd probably go to New York then."
He looked at me.  "If we do, I'd still like to invite someone, but her mother would probably have to come too, then."
I tried not to smile.  I knew Jer liked girls.  I was just wondering when he would finally work up the courage to ask one out.  He was growing into a fine-looking young man.  He had my broad shoulders and dark hair, but his mother's chin and strong cheekbones.  I could imagine a lot of young women being attracted to him.  I could also imagine a lot of unscrupulous women or even mothers trying to take advantage of him.  His artistic nature was often too accepting and forgiving.
"Who's this mystery guest?" I asked.
"Gillian Grey," he said.  
"Have I met her or her mother?" I asked, trying to place a face with the name.
Jer nodded and pulled out his sketchbook.  He flipped to the middle of the book and showed me a pencil drawing of a young woman, looking back over her shoulder at him.  She was attractive in a girl-next-door way.  Once I saw the picture, I knew I had seen her and her mother at a couple of the baseball games last summer, and at some school functions.
"Do you think they would be able to go to New York with us?  I mean, you haven't been around Park City since school finished up."
He nodded.  "Yeah, I've been trading emails and IMs with her for the past month.  She's been jealous of me a little.  If they went to New York with us, she might not mind that I've been boating in Europe and up here since school got out."
"Well, why don't we plan on watching fireworks from the New York apartment.  I'll make sure there is room there for them or on the floor below.  If you want to ask her, and she says they can go, just let me know.  I'll have Tamara arrange everything."
"Thanks, Dad."  He looked at his drawing again.  "Do you think I'd be able to take her to the Guggenheim or MOMA while we're there?  She really likes art."
I smiled.  "I'm certain something can be arranged.  We'll make it a nice trip for everyone." 
*****
Dearest,
I was going to start this with 'Dear Paul', but thought that sounded too much like 'Dear John' and I definitely don't want to send one of those letters, especially via email.  I miss you, and I miss being able to pick up my phone at the end of the day and chat with you, even if it's just for a few minutes.  
The trip out, entering orbit, and even the landing of Mars-One was exciting, even if we weren't the ones in the limelight, but now that we're onto the third survey site, a bit of boredom has set in.  You know all of the mission details, and we are still doing our job, but somehow doing a job that is all analysis gets a little 'routine'.  We dutifully analyze the cores after each site survey but are finding pretty much the same things.  We'll be able to build at any of the sites.  I suspect we'll end up choosing the one with the highest amount of accessible water, since we're learning there is some present, though not much, at each site.
We perform emergency drills and rescue simulations every day, and take our turns standing bridge watches as well, but it seems like we are twiddling our thumbs until it's time to land and start building.  
Sorry if I'm whining.  Riley, as our botanist, must be going even more stir crazy.  She can't even start any real experiments given the relatively small sample sizes we're using.
I have gotten to like zero-gee for sleeping.  I just wish I had someone to snuggle up with while floating around.  I miss you.  I love you.  Say hi to Ali and Jer for me.
Love,
Chrissy

*****
"This sucks," Ali said as we slowed at the park entrance.  
We had returned to Earth on July first after nearly three weeks on Astra for the Mars missions.  After four survey missions, the original landing site had been selected by the team as the preferred building site for a base.  Yesterday, Mars-Two had landed and begun construction activities.  I had promised the kids a trip to New York for the Fourth of July, and then decided that spending more time watching computer screens was really a waste of my time.  We came down from Astra to Salt Lake City, stopped by the house to pick up odds and ends and different clothes, collected Gillian Grey and her mother Vivian, and then returned to Salt Lake City for a quick hop out to New York.  By the time we got into the city and settled, it was too late to do much more than go to bed.
I had been surprised when Ali was up by six to join me for a morning run in Central Park.  I had planned on running the full loop around the park, just over six miles, but decided to cut it short when Ali started flagging.
"My endurance is totally shot.  I can't go back up to Astra for so long again, Dad."
I laughed.  "You mean you can't lounge around on a yacht for three weeks and then go to Astra for three weeks and think twenty or thirty minutes on a treadmill is going to keep you in shape, right?"
She stuck her tongue out at me, but then sighed as we walked toward the crosswalk.
"I suppose that's one way to look at it.  How do you do it?  I mean, you could have done the full six miles, right?"
I nodded.  "You'll notice I was up everyday before you and spent quite a bit more time running the rubber on the treadmill.  I also use the resistance machines for a mixed cardio workout.  I can show you some routines, or we can get you a trainer to get a program suited to you."
"Thanks.  I guess I need to make time for it if I really want to go to Annapolis or the Air Force Academy."
"Yep.  You need to make fitness part of your daily life.  There are probably a few other things you should get exposed to, as well."
"Like what?"
"Some sort of martial art, some more camping and hiking, and maybe a little shooting."
"How am I going to fit all of that in and keep on top of school, flying, and getting a job?" She asked with the exasperation only a teenage girl can muster.
"I guess you're going to have to prioritize.  I think that might be part of the reason they look for extracurriculars that applicants have.  You're going to find college, especially one of the service academies, requires a lot of prioritization.  They want to know you can put important things ahead of personal desires."
She sighed as we crossed the street and headed toward our apartment.  She started to ask me something else and then noticed the tourists who had spotted us.  
"Let's jog a little more," she suggested as we both saw a woman trying to work up the courage to ask for an autograph or a picture with us.  
I quickly agreed and we broke into a slow jog away from the crowd near the park.
Our peace and quiet only lasted until we got off the elevator and through the door of the penthouse.  Sheryl was waiting for us with a tablet in her hand.
"Paul," she said before the door had even closed behind us.  "Are you serious about this dividend per share?  It's going to cost me over a million dollars just in capital gains taxes.  We've got to find a way of sheltering some of the dividend, or re-think how we allocate and pay them."
I grabbed a towel from a hook by the door and motioned her toward the patio where I could cool down a bit more.  I waved good morning at Jer, Gillian, and Vivian and wished I could join them for breakfast rather than talk business with Sheryl.
"I know what you're thinking, but I don't have any legal means to shelter that money.  We're only giving a dividend of one percent.  If we ever get audited, someone is going to have a heart attack when they see we are rolling over nearly twenty-three billion dollars into our company investment accounts."
"Even the interest on those accounts is getting problematic, Paul," she said.  We had almost a quarter-of-a-trillion dollars from prior year revenues and investments on the balance sheet, and that was after funding a lunar base and an expedition to Mars.
"Jeryl and I always tried to find things the company could spend excess money on.  We started to realize, it was just not possible.  Even giving it away has too many unwanted side effects.  Look on the bright side, my taxes on the dividend are going to be nearly fifty-seven million dollars."
She looked at me in shock.  It was one thing to know I held almost eight hundred shares of the thousand shares outstanding.  When you multiply a quarter-million per share dividend times that number, taxes grew quickly.
"Well, you could always grant a few more shares," she suggested with a smile.  "I mean, a million dollars in taxes doesn't sound that bad when you look at it in that light."
I laughed.  I had long ago come to realize I was better off emotionally to just pay the tax and forget about it.  I didn't have to like it but fuming over it was pointless.
"So, do you have any concrete suggestions, Miss COO?  We've got a day before the board meeting if we want to get organized."
She sighed.  "No, I guess I just didn't think about the personal impacts when we discussed a one percent of earnings dividend.  You would think I'd have gotten used to it by now."
I nodded.  "It shocks me every year as well.  Maybe you and Cynthia should get together and re-look at the B-Share concept from a few years ago.  I don't really want an IPO, but a private share offering for employees to buy into might be a way to move some earnings around."
"I'll work up a proposal for the board to vote on.  It will only be an approval for exploratory work for future board review."
"That's fine.  The other thing we need to approve is the bonus pool for employees.  Did you figure out a number?"
"Yes.  Four percent puts the pool right around one point one billion dollars.  For the seventy-five thousand employees currently on the payroll, that works out to an average opportunity of just over fifteen thousand each.  Based on the structure of the bonus plan, the lowest tier will have at least a ten thousand opportunity."
"Good.  That means most of the operations staff will have fifteen to twenty-five thousand-dollar payouts."  We paid well above market on their base salaries already, but a twenty-thousand-dollar bonus still sounded nice for the work they did.  "What else do we need to cover?"
"Do you want to go over any of the earmarks for the reinvestment fund?  We're going to be approving an additional one point six-five billion to it."
"If we're asked, I'll address it.  Right now, those moneys are paying for the Orion builds, the asteroid mission, and the capital costs of the Mars and Moon bases.  If we add another two Orions to the fleet this year, we're going to get close to running that account low."
"I'll keep a close eye on things," Sheryl said.  "We have profits to reallocate if we need to."
I shook my head.  "We need to cover the other operating and manufacturing upgrades from those funds and keep a cash reserve.  We agreed that the reinvestment fund is for much more speculative work.  That's why we used it for the new space craft a few years ago and the capital costs of going off-planet."
"Well, some of those investments are starting to pay returns," she said.  "Astra will be running in the black this year.  Rents at Aristarchus will take us cash-flow positive there by year-end as well.  DigiNet is turning into a cash machine as well, just an order of magnitude less than power generation.  CRP and the other joint ventures and incubators are all humming along as well.  We're just making too much money, as I said."
"I guess we'll need to have some management team talks about spending more, then.  Cindy and Donna, Cynthia, you, and I should sit down over the weekend and kick around some ideas."
"I think you should pull Tamara and Allen in as well," Sheryl said.  "Even if they have to join virtually from Astra."  Allen was not about to leave while the Mars mission was still actively building the base.
"We'll include Tamara.  Allen can kick in his thoughts on the first group review.  Should we include Lila or Hunter?"
She thought about it for a moment.  "I think you should have some separate follow-up discussions with them and other small groups.  Not everyone knows all the different revenue streams we have."
"That's a problem," I thought out loud.  "Are you and I setting the company up to fail if something happens to us?"
"Yes, and no.  If something happens to you, we're taking a blow regardless.  If something happened to me, Cindy or Donna could probably step up to the COO role with your support."
"Then that should be something we address.  I think we need to start thinking about a real succession planning exercise.  The board is going to have to agree with whatever we propose."
"You are the majority shareholder," she countered.
'But what happens if my shares are out of the equation?  If something happened to me, say I'm incapacitated, Jim holds my proxy, but he is going to want everyone's agreement before moving forward with whatever we propose.  Let's discuss it with everyone at the meeting.  Anything else?"
"Lila wants to provide a security update."
I nodded.  "Make sure she talks about the threat assessment.  I still don't know what China may be up to.  Everyone should be briefed and aware, even if they can't do anything about it."
"I agree.  That should do it.  I think we can get through with ninety minutes or less."
"Good.  Personally, I think the only reason we can get most of the shareholders here is for the food and fireworks anyway.  The majority would be happy if you and I did the work and just sent them the dividend checks."
She laughed.  "I'd be happy if you could do all that, and just send me the check as well."
I headed inside, cool enough now and greeted Jer and his guests as they finished their breakfast.
"Paul, I can't thank you enough for inviting Gillian and me this weekend," Vivian said as I poured myself a cup of coffee.
Vivian was an attractive enough woman, but something about her made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.  She was a medium height dirty-blonde divorcee.  Her ex-husband was a corporate lawyer and she seemed to be more than capable of swimming in that social pool of sharks.  She had a pleasant tan that mostly covered the cosmetic work she had done to look younger than her forty-four years.  The security team had provided a complete dossier on her before we picked them up for the trip yesterday.
"It's my pleasure," I replied as warmly as I could.  I turned my attention to Jer and Gillian.  "What do you two want to do today?" I asked.
"We were talking that over," Jer said, looking at the young woman sitting next to him.  "We'd like to start with the Guggenheim."
"Okay.  I think they open at ten.  How about I get cleaned up and then we can walk over through the park."
Vivian gave me a shocked look.  "Central park is too dangerous to just walk through," she said.
I smiled.  "It's safe enough during the day, and we'll have some security with us as well.  Ali and I were just there for a jog.  It's going to be a nice day in the park."
She did not look convinced.  "I suppose," she said.
"Great!" Gillian said.  "I've always wanted to see the Guggenheim.  It's such an iconic building."
"I can't wait to see it again.  I think I'll enjoy the abstracts more this visit," Jer added.
"Well, I had best hop in the shower than and get ready to go."  I really wanted to get out from under Vivian's gaze.  I also had a phone call to make.  Tamara had made arrangements for the curator to guide us through the museum.  I needed to call and let her know we would arrive a little before they opened to the public.
That evening, the kids were happy when we finally returned to the penthouse.  Gillian, who wanted to be an architect, was bubbly and fun all day while her mother was more interested in shopping on Fifth Avenue.  I had been saved when Ali decided she wanted to shop some as well, and they had departed with a pair of the security team.  That had left me with Jer and Gillian to roam two museums, stop by Christie's for a preview of an auction scheduled for the following week, and a second stroll through the park before dinner.  It had been a fun day.
I made myself scarce when I heard Ali and Vivian returning with armloads of packages.  The next day, Ali joined me for a jog once again, and this time was able to complete the circuit around Central Park.  Vivian and Ali decided to lounge in the sun by the rooftop pool while I took the younger teens out once again to do some more tourist type things.  Since it was the third of July, the city was packed.  Gillian was surprised when we took the subway downtown to Battery Park, but excited to get VIP treatment on a private water taxi out to see the Statue of Liberty and then visit Ellis Island.  We ended up at the Brooklyn Bridge and walked across it back to Manhattan where a car picked us up to drive back uptown.  By the time we got in, they were both tired but happy.  I had made sure to give them plenty of space during the day, and had smiled as they held hands, taking turns pointing out interesting sights and talking with their heads close together.  
Vivian and Ali joined them that evening to see Frozen on Broadway.  I begged off, wanting to catch up on the Mars mission before the board meeting the next day.  Philip found me in the penthouse's office and forced me to come out for a bite to eat after the tourists had left for the evening.
"Are we all set for tomorrow?"  I asked him as I finished off the sandwich he had provided.
"Catering is well in hand.  Your folks are settled downstairs.  The Secret Service is all set up for Kelly and our own teams have the top three floors locked down.  How's the mission going?"
I smiled at his succinct answer. 
"Good.  Mars-Two has the foundations set for the fusion generator.  They should power up tomorrow.  Once they have local power, they'll start some real building."
"How's Chrissy doing?" Philip asked.
"Great, now that they're actually doing what they went there for.  She was getting a little impatient with the waiting.  She sends me an email almost every day."
"She's been good for you," Philip opined.
I nodded.  "She is good for me.  I'm still not sure I'm the best thing for her, but I'll hang on as long as she lets me," I replied.
Philip laughed.  "I guess I should start planning a wedding menu, then, because she is not going to let you get away."
I gave him my own version of an arched eyebrow and then sighed.  "We'll see after she comes home," I finally conceded.  "She has things she wants to accomplish on her own, you know?"
Philip nodded.  "I do, but she wants to accomplish them to prove herself worthy of you."
He held my gaze when my eyes snapped up to his.  I had not considered that take on Chrissy's attitude before.  I knew she wanted to make me proud, but I had never considered her 'unworthy'.  In so many ways, I felt I was the unworthy one in our relationship.  
I was still trying to figure out how to abandon Chrissy and save Jeryl.  
*****
"Paul, are we releasing a statement about McCain's speech?" Billy asked from the doorway of my office.
"Huh?" I asked.  I had been going over some of the build reports from Mars as they finished the second habitat structure and prepared to pressurize it for testing.
"McCain just gave a speech outlining a goal for the U.S.  to establish a scientific outpost on Mars.  He says the charter must be modified to make such a mission possible and that it was in the national interest for the nation to establish a leadership role in the exploration of the solar system."
I thought about that for a moment, then shook my head.  "Let's see how Kelly and her team respond.  No comment should work for now.  If it doesn't, remind whomever is asking that he's not elected yet, so there is no policy to comment on."
Billy frowned.  "Are you feeling alright?" she asked.  "Usually, you'd be all over a politician making stupid remarks like that."
I shrugged.  "He's trying to buy votes from the military-industrial complex.  Like I said, he's not elected yet."
"Okay, you're the boss."  She moved the rest of the way into my office and sat down across from me.  "Now that I know I'm not running out to cover that, should we discuss this other assignment?"
"Which one?"  She was heavily involved in the collection, editing, and distribution of the Mars mission updates and coverage, but I doubted that's what she wanted to talk about.
"The one about going to an asteroid without anyone knowing it," she replied.
I had created a private storage site and dumped all of the video, planning, and mission updates from Katiana's mission there and asked her to use it to tell a story.  It had been pretty vague direction, but I had my reasons.
"How's the story shaping up?"  I asked.
"That's just it, I'm trying to figure out what the story is.  If you just want to document what a brilliant group of engineers and scientists you have, I can do that, but I don't think that's the 'story' you want."
"What do you think the story should be?"
"It could be how you're thumbing your nose at your public statements of sharing findings and things openly, or that you're risking catastrophe by trying to change the orbit of a dinosaur killer sized asteroid."
I frowned.  "Are either of those what you think the story is?"
She sighed and seemed to let go of some of her anger.  "No, but I don't know what you want me to say.  I wasn't involved in any of the planning or capture of the video recordings, or anything."
I smiled.  "And that's what pissed you off?" I asked.  I continued before she could respond.  "Do you think a lot of people are going to feel the same sense of anger when they learn what we've done, or can do?"
Her mouth opened in a silent 'oh'.
I nodded.  "Good.  Now we can talk about the story that will put a pin in that balloon of anger.  That's the story we need to tell, because somebody is going to realize we're moving an asteroid sooner or later.  They're going to get scared and then pissed that we did it without permission or consultation.  Given McCain's speech, I'd guess that a lot of people are going to not be happy with us.  I want you to be ready to get in front of the story and shape the narrative."
"Christ on a crutch, Paul.  The time to shape the narrative was during the planning, not after you've already changed the orbit of an asteroid.  When do you think anyone will notice?"
"I'd rather notify the astronomical world prior to them discovering it on their own.  Orion-Three will be landing in Kenya the day after tomorrow.  Be there with a crew and film the landing and debriefs.  Talk to the crew.  Then go up to Astra and talk to Thomas.  Once we see how Kelly responds to McCain's speech, we'll decide when we want to put out a press release."
Billy shook her head and stood up.  "You never make this job easy, do you?"
I smiled and waved her toward the door.
*****
"I'm not officially the party nominee yet, Paul.  I can't take that direct of an aim at the Republicans," Kelly insisted.
John McCain, the Republican nominee had followed his speech arguing for a U.S.  base on Mars with a proclamation that the American dream of home ownership would be easier to realize under a McCain/Bush administration.  Their policy paper called for a change in the consumer credit mechanisms currently in place at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  I knew it was the same loosening of credit checks that had led to the housing bubble and recession of 2008 in my original life.  That had been the first snowball at the top of the hill in the global economy that had triggered an avalanche two decades later and a massive collapse of the global economy.  
I had fought against such policies at the economic summit years ago, but the bankers wanted to expand the mortgage market so they could make more money from their loan businesses.  
"Look," I said, trying to sound reasonable.  "You know their plan is bad fiscal policy.  You know what it is going to do if banks fail and the FDIC has to step in."
"Paul!" she cut me off sharply.  "They aren't in office yet.  Our convention is next week.  I'll address their policy positions once I have the nomination, but I'm not going to start a fight before then."
I took a deep breath.  "You're right.  I'm sorry.  They are saying shit that defies common sense.  I just want to make sure you understand that."
"You told them to get a plan on national television nearly a year ago.  They don't have a foreign enemy to point at, they don't have a bad economy domestically to point at, they are going to try and make some issues to get their base to come out and vote.  Don't let their machinations get to you," she counseled.
"Okay.  How are you holding up?" I asked.
"I'm great.  Are you and the kids going to be here with Mom and Dad on Monday?"
"Yes.  Tamara has everything arranged for us.  We'll fly in on Friday.  The kids have never really seen Boston before."
"It's going to be crazy for me," she said.  "I don't know if I'll be able to spend much time with you before or after."
"Don't worry about it.  We've got a private tour along the Freedom Trail and Jer wants to visit the Institute of Contemporary Art.  I've also told both kids we'll take a tour of the Harvard and MIT campuses."
"MIT is going to try and get you to hold your fusion seminar up there sooner or later," Kelly quipped.
"Not happening," I countered.  "It's bad enough going to New Orleans on a regular basis and I have a house there.  I'm not hopping to Boston that often."
"It's a short flight from Maine," Kelly said.
"But a long flight from the kid's schools.  Ali would kill me if I told them we were moving now."
"Oh?  Boyfriend?"
"I almost wish that were it.  You know she's decided to apply for the service academies, right?"
"You mentioned it," she said.
"Well, she has her next two years of school and extracurricular activities fully planned out, and they don't include moving across the country."
"I heard she got a job," Kelly said in a teasing voice.  "You're such a meany to make her work for her allowance."
"Hey, now.  I don't make her work, she wanted a job.  Security dictated that I couldn't just tell her to get a job bussing tables."
"So, what is she doing?"  
"She's got an internship with Terry applying NOTAMs to our digital flight notice system and learning simulator operations in Park City."
"Would those be the same simulators she is learning to fly the GOT in?  That's quite a hard job you found for her," Kelly said.  I could imagine her smile.
"Terry is not afraid to make sure she works.  I couldn't be sure of that anywhere else, except maybe under Gene Krantz, and he is more a senior consultant than a manager."
"Well, it sounds as if you are keeping busy nearly as much as I am, Paul.  I'll see you next week, and maybe we can both take a breather before the end of the year."
"Well, you'll be busy until November at least," I said.  "I should get a break by the end of September when Mars-One returns."
"What about Mars-Two?" she asked, knowing Chrissy was on that ship.
"The station crew needs an abort ship on standby.  Those staying up there will have access to the base and Mars-Two, everyone else will be coming back on Mars-One."
"Including Chrissy?"  Kelly asked.
"Including Chrissy," I confirmed.
"Good.  You know how good she is for you, right Paul?"
"I do.  I like to think I'm good for her, as well."
"You are, but I think you're getting the better end of the bargain," Kelly said with a laugh.
I heard something or someone in the background.
"Paul, I'm out of time.  I'll try to spend a little time chatting with you next week, but if I don't have a moment, give my love to the kids and let's plan on being all together at Thanksgiving."
"Will do, Kelly.  Good luck, not that you'll need it."
*****
Dearest,
We've gotten four full structures built out finally and are starting the checklists for returning home.  I can't say that it is overdue.  I miss you.  I'm glad I've been here, part of the team, and helped build this base on Mars, but I'm looking forward to being back in your arms.  
The Martian landscape is hauntingly beautiful, and I hope you see it first-hand someday, but I'm missing the blues and greens of dear old Earth.  I really want to feel some warm sand on my toes and smell a salty breeze in the air.  Do you think that might be possible for a few days when I get back to you?  Maybe we can go down to Sydney and see Mum and Dad for a bit.  
Marco just called for all hands in base ops, so I've got to run.
I miss you.  I love you.  Say hi to Ali and Jer for me.
Love,
Chrissy

*****

Chapter Sixty-Two
New Moves
*****
"You can see the engine's flame in the sky now," the announcer said in the background as the long-range cameras picked out the actinic flare of the fusion engines high in the sky.  
We were in Kenya, awaiting the return of Mars-One.  Kelly had tried to insist on a U.S.  landing, but I had firmly vetoed that.  The large Orion spacecraft was coming down where we needed it to be for a complete check-out and re-fit, not playing a part in some political posturing.
She had been similarly disappointed  when I refused to immediately send the returning astronauts to Washington or New York for a spectacle.  They were all going into isolation per the protocol developed by NASA decades before.  Another week in isolation with a select medical staff was a smart precaution, even if I really wanted to join them to see Chrissy.
"Vector looks good," Terry, the acting Capcom, said over the circuit.  "Angels twenty-mike, descent velocity is two hundred meters per second."
If they did not slow, they would impact in one hundred seconds.  Of course, the fact that the engines were visibly firing meant it would be longer, and that they would be moving much slower soon.
"Emergency crews standing by," Terry said.  "Medical teams and isolation vehicles standing by.  Angels fifteen-mike, velocity one-eight-zero.  ETA is two minutes.  Commence pad flooding."
With the heat produced by the engines in their final breaking maneuver, we needed to insulate the huge, mobile, reinforced concrete landing pads we had built for the Orion fleet.  Each pad was roughly one hundred meters square.  A mesh of high-temperature superconducting materials was laid on top of the pad, allowing the rapid dissipation of heat.  Additionally, we were now pumping tens of thousands of liters of water across the pad, to keep the intense plasma from damaging the mesh. 
"Angels seven point four - mike, velocity 100 meters per second."
We could all see the massive ship with its curved white hull balancing on the bright spears of light from its engines.  It was visibly slowing as it clawed is way down from the sky.  
"One thousand meters, velocity niner-two meters per second," Terry said.
"Six hundred meters, ninety meters per second."
I held my breath.  They were still moving too fast, but I knew the final deceleration burn was programmed for five seconds.
On cue, the engine plasma increased and the giant ship slowed further.
"Eighty meters.  Fifty meters."  Terry continued to count down the distance.
"Two meters.  Engine cut-off.  Touchdown!  Mars-One has landed."
We all cheered.  
"Mars-One, control.  Welcome home," Terry said after looking my way for any comments.  I had waved him off.
"Control, this is Mars-One.  All systems green, engine shut-down complete.  Post landing check-list PL10 in progress, over."
"Mars-One, Control, roger.  We're estimating about ten minutes to cool the landing surface and prepare for debarkation, over."
"Roger, ten mikes.  We'll be ready.  It's been a long strange trip for us and we're looking forward to seeing you all," Todd Walton said.
I sat back and watched the news coverage on the monitor as most of the major networks broke into whatever they were showing to announce the safe landing of Mars-One.  While hardly surprised, I was a little disappointed that the Chinese news agency, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, was the only major channel not covering this news.
My phone rang.  After glancing at the caller-ID, I smiled and hurried to answer it.
"Welcome home, Chrissy," I said.
"It's so good to hear your voice again without any transmission lag," she replied.  "I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too.  How are you feeling?"
"I feel fine.  We kind of got used to one-gee again on the way home.  That landing was a bit rough with the final braking, but not too bad.  How are you feeling?  What are you going to do to show me how much you've missed me?" she added in a husky voice.  I could tell she had cupped her hand over the mouthpiece of her phone for a modicum of privacy.
"I thought I'd look at you via a window for a few days and call you a couple of times a day," I teased.
"That's just cold," she replied.  "Who came up with these quarantine requirements, anyway?"
I laughed.  "Blame NASA and Jyl.  Then look on the bright side.  I got them to reduce it down from a planned twenty-one days to only a week.  I'll be waiting for you a week from today and promise to show you how much I've missed you."
"You had better make good on that promise, mister, or there will be some trouble in River City."
"Mars-One, this is control, ground power connected and we're ready to connect the isolation vehicle to airlock one, over," Terry said over the radio.
"Control, roger.  Checklist PL10 is complete.  We are powering down all internal power and operating systems.  Mars-one, signing off."
"Paul, it looks like I've got to go and get ready to disembark," Chrissy said.  "I love you."
"I love you, too.  I'll see you soon."
A few minutes later, I watched on the internal cameras of the isolation transfer vehicle as she walked out of the airlock and moved to one of the comfortable seats on the airconditioned bus.  She immediately grabbed a fresh orange from the tray of produce we had provided and sat down with a smile as her crew mates joined her.  She looked good in her green flight suit.  Her blonde hair and blue eyes shown and it looked like she had lost a little weight, but that might have just been her tiny waist being accented by the cut of the suit.
Todd Walton, the mission commander, was the last off of his ship.  The airlock doors were closed behind him, and ground crews began the atmospheric purge even as the bus-like transport pulled away.  
Terry White turned around from the workstation in front of me and grinned.  "Fourteen souls sent to Mars, and the first six are back safely.  I think we've done a pretty good job," he said.
"We definitely have.  How is the base crew doing?"  Eight of the astronauts had remained on Mars at the base to begin establishing a sustainable habitat and start exploring the Martian landscape.  The three geologists and one botanist that made up our core scientific team there had already published several initial reports on the soil structure near the base.
"We just sent the tape of the landing to them.  It will be a while to hear their reactions, but their morning report indicated everything was fine.  We'll need to get the ship cleaned and inspected, then get going on the re-stocking and loading procedures.  I'd like the re-supply mission to go before Thanksgiving."
"Agreed, but let's not cut any corners.  They have plenty of consumables to last them until the new year, if needed.  Let's not set a specific date until we're done with the mission debriefs and everyone is out of quarantine."
He nodded.  "I was thinking the same thing.  Now that all of the excitement is over, maybe you should head back up to Astra.  Orion-three will be docking up there tomorrow, and I suspect you're going to want to sit in on those debriefs in person."
I smiled and nodded.
*****
"Do we really have a choice?" Jyl asked as we sat on Astra brainstorming ideas to make the long-term zero-gee environment of a deep space mission more tolerable.
We had seen significant muscle loss and bone density drops in the crew on Orion-three during their extended stay at 'the nugget' to deploy the wrapping material and then nudge the orbit of the rock to guide it someplace useful.  We had known it was a risk, and agreed it was tolerable for one mission, but it was now obvious we needed to do something different.
"So," Allen said as Billy jotted notes down.  "We can either design and build a new ship configuration, tie up two Orions and make a tether hub they can both dock with, and then spin around to build up some semblance of gravity, or we can refit them with improved zero-gee exercise equipment and institute a monitored physical regimen for the crew to lessen the impact of zero-gee?"  He looked my way.  "Are we sure the ROI is there for a new ship design?"  
I looked over at Katiana.  "Have the assay figures changed?"
"We've got some higher percentages of rare earths in the cores, but I don't know what that does to the ROI figures yet.  I need to spend a little time with Thomas getting my head around that."
"Terbium and Dysprosium concentrations are higher," Thomas said.  "We don't know how uniform the interior is yet, since the overall density is lower than expected.  It could be a sticky aggregation of rocks that we'll need to fully process to understand."
"Which we have to do in a zero-gee environment as well," Jyl said, bringing us neatly back to the first question at hand; how to keep people healthy in a zero-gee environment.
"Okay, we have all of the first principles down for a station or a tether configuration.  How long do we have until we need a final answer?" I asked.
"The nugget will get to L-5 late next year," Katiana stated.  "We expect the braking to take less than a month, so we don't really have a deadline until we want to go after another asteroid, or start processing the nugget."
"Give me a guess on value," I challenged Thomas.
He pulled out his calculator and punched some numbers.
"For Dysprosium alone, there's probably at least four million dollars worth in the nugget.  Terbium is likely close to the same.  The other rare earth elements will probably add up to three or five times that.  We need to heat it all down and process it.  Capturing the hydroxyl and any other gasses is going to be tricky, but I'm guessing we'll have to solve that anyway."
"So, Allen, the short-term ROI is not going to make sense to even pay for the R&D on a new ship, let alone capital costs.  Luckily, we don't need to make a profit on this right out of the gate.  The rare earth elements will be useful in our own actuator production."  
I did not add that the Chinese would not be happy if we had an alternate source to those elements.  We had seen a slow, but steady price increase over the past year.  Lila and team were watching that, along with hundreds of other Chinese variables, trying to figure out what Minister Sun was up to.
"Then you want to build a new ship?" he asked.
"Yes, and no.  I think we should use the OTV design and a tether approach to spin them for some semblance of gravity."
"That's going to be a long tether.  Also, do we need to be able to move from ship to ship without suiting up?  It's more than a tether if we do," Allen said.
"Balance and spin rate are going to be an issue as well," Thomas said.  "We're using the sewage and water systems here on Astra to keep things in balance without over-using the station keeping thrusters.  Two ships may make that less of a problem," he added.  "I'll have to look at that."
"Okay, Tamara, can we get some of the engineering team in Barcelona looking at a tether configuration based on the L-4 collider design?  I'll work with Thomas, Katiana and Jyl on the OTV configuration for us."
"We still need to reconfigure any Orions we plan on using for the Mars run, if the mission profiles are going to keep them in zero-gee for extended periods of time," Jyl said.  
"Let's pull Terry and Megan into that discussion.  I'm not sure that we'll have extended zero-gee ops around Mars for a while."
Allen was shaking his head.  "The build plan has them spending less than a day in orbit for the next few trips.  If they are doing a site visit, they'll still drop pretty much straight in and then return any samples to the base rather than evaluate them in orbit like we did for the first mission.  We should be good there."
"What about other deep-space research missions?" Katiana asked.  "I don't really think spinning a couple of OTVs makes sense if you're moving around much under acceleration."
"True," I replied.  "How about we share the data with NASA and get them to make recommendations."
Jyl scrunched her nose at me.  "They are going to take forever to give us a recommendation."
"Probably, but they can at least feel involved that way," I countered.
"How about we make a preliminary recommendation and ask them to recommend changes or enhancements?  That way, we can reconfigure Orion-Three and Four and have them ready for your next mad-cap mission."
"Okay.  I can agree to that," I said.  "Anything else for today?"
Tamara re-capped the agenda, decisions, and follow-up items for us all and then we adjourned.  I was surprised to see Thomas remain sitting at the conference room table, lost in thought.
"Thomas?" I asked.
He looked up.  "How many people do you think will be involved in the mining activity?" he asked.
I shrugged.  "I haven't given it that much thought yet.  What do you think?"
"I think it could be a lot, in the long-term.  Short term, I can see it being less than a hundred.  I'm wondering if it makes sense to start building a station at L-5 for that work.  Using tethered ships is not going to give us much lab space to work on processes.  We're going to be bouncing back and forth between L-5, Astra, Aristarchus, and Earth to work through the engineering problems we're likely to encounter.  We need to start thinking longer-term."
I sighed.  "I don't disagree, but it's not going to be cheap or quick to build a second station.  We're just getting to break-even on Astra from a fully depreciated perspective."
"What if we moved Astra out to L-5?" he asked.
I thought about that for a moment.  "Hilton might not be happy, but I don't think most of the research firms leasing space here would care much.  Let's keep pushing on evaluating the tether concept, and I'll have someone work on numbers for a second station.  We could always build here, and then move either out to L-5."
"It's going to take more than a year to build another station.  That's when the nugget will get to L-5.  I really want to be able to get going on breaking that down."
"I know you do, my friend.  I want you to as well, but we can only move so fast.  You realize the Chinese are not going to be happy if we determine asteroids can give us an abundant source of rare earth elements, right?"
Thomas scowled at me.  "I let you deal with that bullshit.  I just want to get going on figuring out how to process that thing.  Fusion makes heating it simple, but we're going to have to spend a lot of time with engineers to construct something that lets us heat it without rocketing all around the solar system.  I've got some ideas, but need to get building to test them all out."
"Get an engineering team put together," I said.  "Give me a list of skills or people you need and a week and I'll get a team established and reporting to you."
He shook his head.  "Have them report to Katiana and make her the program manager.  I don't want to deal with people headaches."
I smiled, understanding his desire, and agreed.
*****
"Oh, my, God," Chrissy said as she recovered from her third orgasm in less than thirty minutes.  "I've missed your loving so much, but I need a break," she gasped as she fell back against the bed.  
I smiled down at her.  She was as beautiful as ever.  Her blonde hair had grown out from the shorter cut she had left Earth with, and her tan had faded some, but the dusting of freckles across her nose and piercing blue eyes still made me smile.  I slipped from her and fell to the side before hugging her.
"I've missed you, too," I said.  "I'm glad you're home safe."
She squeezed my hand.  "It feels like home," she replied.  "Before, I felt like we were always at 'your place', wherever that might be, but now I feel at home wherever we are together.  I love you, Paul."
I kissed her.  "I love you, too."
She snuggled into me and pulled my fingers to her lips for a soft kiss.
"What do we have to do today?" she asked.  "I'm assuming you're not going to let me keep you in bed and just fuck you silly all day."
I laughed.  "Much as I would enjoy that, I think your Mom and Dad plan on joining us for lunch in an hour or so."
We were at our Sydney house, less than a block from her childhood home.  We had flown from Kenya last night, African time, when the quarantine had ended for the returning astronauts.  The eight hour time difference had gotten us into Sydney around four a.m.  and Chrissy had dragged me to bed as soon as we got to the house.  We had made love furiously, twice, before falling asleep.  Breakfast and a morning shower had been delayed by another, gentler round of love making.  After having a quick bite to eat and cleaning up, Chrissy had pulled me back into bed for another go.  I had enjoyed giving her two wonderful orgasms with my fingers and tongue before finishing with her long, muscular legs wrapped around me and her heels pulling me closer as I joined her in her final orgasm.
"Well, I guess you had better shower by yourself this time," she said playfully.  "That's what tripped us up last time."
"I will, in a minute," I said as I slipped my hand across her still tight nipples and then trailed my fingers down to her sopping, sensitive pussy.
She grabbed my hand.  "No more of that," she chided.  "I'll never make it to lunch if you get me started again."
I laughed, kissed her, and then slipped from bed to head for the shower.
Later, we were both presentable when the doorbell rang and her parents joined us in the kitchen.  Chrissy gave each of her parents big hugs.  Camilla gave me a peck on the cheek, and Bluey gave me a rough hug and pat on the back before we all settled around the table.
Lunch was filled with stories of Chrissy's adventures in space and on Mars.
"It was exciting," she said at one point, "but also a bloody lot of hard work.  I'm proud of what we accomplished, but there is a lot more to do up there before we have anything close to a sustainable base."
"What do you mean?" Camilla asked.  "You're not going back right away, are you?"
Chrissy and I shook our heads at the same time.  
"No," I said.
"Not right away," Chrissy added.  "But I am going back.  I want to be on the build team for the next major expansion.  For now, we'll add a few more accommodation and lab modules, but the plan calls for some significant habitat building in a year or so.  I want to be there for that."
Bluey gave me a questioning look.  "What's the difference?" he asked.
"Right now," I said.  "We've not tried to build hydroponics spaces or anything to allow us to establish an approach to self-sufficiency.  Eventually, we want to minimize the consumables needed to sustain the base.  We did the same thing at Aristarchus, and are just getting to the point were we could curb the supply missions substantially."
"I helped build those facilities on the moon, and want to be involved in the build out on Mars, since I think we can improve on how we did it at Aristarchus," Chrissy said.
"We probably did over-engineer things for the first build-out," I said.
"Plus," Chrissy continued, "if we are going to offer tourist accommodations, I think we'll do some really special building with a view of either Hebes Chasma or Perrotin Crater."
"That would put those accommodations pretty far from the base," I said.  "Hebes Base is about mid-way between the two."
Chrissy was nodding.  "Fifteen klicks, roughly.  We'll need either a hell of a subway, or more reliable rovers that can move through a dust storm, but the views at either would sell a bunch of tickets, if we built it."
"I thought you might be done going up there after this trip," Camilla said with concern in her voice.
"Mum," Chrissy said.  "It's hard to explain, but building things up there, on the Moon or Mars, is so much more rewarding than designing and building down here.  Up there, I know I'm one of a handful of builders.  Down here, I'd just be another construction worker, or architect, or engineer."
"It makes you feel even more special," Bluey said with a nod.  "We just happen to think you are pretty special already."
Chrissy grinned and leaned over to give her father a quick kiss on the cheek.  "Thanks, Dad.  I think everyone here is pretty special as well."
"Hear, hear," I agreed as I raised my glass.  We all had mimosas on the table, even if we had not drunk much of them.
"So how long are you home for?" Camilla asked after downing a good portion of her drink.  "Are we going to see more of you than what is broadcast on the telly?"
Chrissy looked at me.  "That depends.  Paul hasn't gotten around to discussing missions and plans with the crew yet."  She raised an eyebrow in invitation to me.
"Well," I drawled out.  "There are some options.  We're planning the next Mars rotation for November or December.  That will mostly be re-supply and rotating some scientists and engineers.  We won't do any major expansion until we have some results back from the geologists and botanists up there.  But we do want to finish the Hotel at Aristarchus, and NASA is lobbying for a radio telescope on the dark side of the moon.  We've also been looking at surveys from Tsiolkovskiy crater and might want to go back there for some more work."
"But what will Chrissy be doing?" Camilla asked.
I didn't really want her parents to be influencing her decisions, but continued.
"Well, first all of the crew has a mandatory two weeks of recovery leave.  That means, she is off-duty for at least that long.  After that, it's likely she'll be offered the lead position for the Aristarchus construction.  We've decided to run a pressurized tunnel from the landing area to the hotel on the crater rather than run rovers between the two."
Chrissy smiled at me while Camilla frowned.  Bluey kept a neutral expression, but finished his drink in a long gulp.
"I don't know if...."  Camilla began.
"Mum," Chrissy interrupted.  "It's my decision," she said forcefully.  
She looked at me.  "Dearest, what if I didn't want to work on the tunnel?" she asked sweetly.
I smiled back.  "We've got lots of other work in progress.  I'm pretty sure you can have your pick of assignments."
Chrissy and Camilla laughed, but Bluey gave me a strange look.  
"You know," Bluey said a few minutes later.  "You're going to have to tell all your stories again tonight at dinner, for Jane."
"Assuming she comes home for dinner," Camilla said in a tone of frustration.
"Problems?" Chrissy asked.
"Boy problems," Bluey said.  "She thinks some wanker footy player is more important than family.  We offered to let her stay home from school to see you today, and she turned us down flat because she wanted to see Brad after school."  His tone said more than his words.  He obviously was not a fan of Brad.
"Who's Brad?" Chrissy asked.  "She never mentioned him in any of her emails to me."
"He's just a boy," Camilla started.  "But Jane's been acting like a git since she started dating.  Paul, is Ali the same way around boys?"
I shook my head.  "She's actually pretty well behaved.  Of course, knowing security is nearby might have something to do with that.  We had some entitlement issues a while back, but I think she's gotten her head screwed on better recently.  She has decided she wants to apply for the service academies next year."
Bluey shook his head.  "I wish Jane would set a goal on something like that.  I guess we got lucky with this one," he added, pointing at Chrissy.
"I'll talk to her tonight and see what's going on," Chrissy said.
"Good luck.  I think half of her antics are aimed at trying to show up her big sister in some way."
"That's not good," I said.  "Why do you think that?"
"It seems that every time Chrissy's face was on the news or on the show, Jane would do something foolish, usually with some boy.  Brad is just the most recent," Camilla said.
"And the worst," Bluey added.  "I'm almost of a mind to just up and move away from Sydney, but I don't know that she would behave differently anywhere else."
It was an interesting statement, and something I needed to discuss with Bluey, but in private.  Instead, I asked, "What's she want to study?"
"No direction.  I think that's the biggest problem.  Chrissy, if we end up kicking her ass out, don't let her lean on you."
"Dad, it can't be that bad," Chrissy said.
That evening, it became apparent it was.  Jane was late to the dinner Camilla invited us to, and had plenty of attitude to justify her tardiness.  Before we even sat down for dinner, the conversation was strained.  She demonstrated a lot of the same behavior that Ali had, last spring.  By the time the port was poured, both Chrissy and I were ready to escape Jane's hostile glares and sniping comments.  
"Jane!" Chrissy finally said sharply.  "We were always told if we don't have anything nice to say, to shut our gobs.  I've had about enough of your bullshit tonight."  She stood up as Jane looked at her in shock.  "Mum, Dad, thanks for a wonderful dinner.  Next time, we'll have you over, but let's leave the little shit here."
Without another word, she turned and headed out the door.  I thanked Camilla and Bluey and hurried after her.
"God, she has turned into a complete shit in the past year," Chrissy said as I caught up to her.
"Hormones?" I suggested.
"Just a bad attitude.  I'm really glad Ali isn't around her for both of our sakes."
"Well, Ali was a bit of a problem in the spring," I reminded her.  "You never really got the full brunt of her then."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"You were training.  I think you were on the Moon when I finally had enough.  Her spring break was no break.  Terry got her a familiarization ride in a helo.  He had it set down in the High Uinta's and had a little chat about her attitude.  Then he handed her a survival pack, and literally kicked her ass out for a crash course in survival.  Mike Keller was holed up nearby to keep an eye on her, but let her sort things out on her own.  He didn't reveal himself for nearly three days.  After that, he had a few more heart-to-heart talks about growing up and appreciating what she had.  By the time she came back, she had a different attitude.  I sent her off on a few long weekends in Africa to reinforce how privileged she was."
"Christ, you never told me that.  Why not?"
It was a good question.  
"I didn't want to distract you.  I also knew it was a life lesson she needed to learn.  You saw how much better she has behaved since then."
"But I didn't think you had anything to do with that," she countered.
I shrugged.  "I didn't have much to do with it, other than letting it happen.  Terry and Mike and Tamara had the hard conversations with her."
"Do you think we could enlist them for Jane's sake?" She asked.
I shook my head.  "Ali's issues were about entitlement.  It seems like Jane is jealous and lacking ambition.  I thought it was just your mother exaggerating, but she was nasty to you, your Mom, and your Dad, and barely civil to me.  I don't know that the same approach would work for Jane."
Chrissy sighed.  "She needs to grow up.  She's sixteen going on thirty.  She's going to learn the world doesn't owe her shit, and if she doesn't learn it soon, it's going to land on her like a ton of bricks."
"Well, I think Ali did get a sense of that from her experience," I said a moment later.  "Maybe we should mention a few of the wilderness programs I fund to your folks.  It might not be as drastic as what I sent Ali to, but it might at least get Jane's attention."
Chrissy looked at me.  "I think the one in Kenya and Tanzania might open her eyes," she said after a moment's thought.  "I bet they even give some school credit.  Let me talk to Mum in the morning.  Thanks," she finished before giving me a quick kiss.
Then she got a steely look in her eye.  
"But don't keep something like that from me again.  There is no reason you should have to carry that sort of burden alone."
I could only nod.
*****
"Hey, Chrissy, welcome back to Earth," Jer said with a smile as he came into the kitchen at the house in Park City.  I was surprised when he walked over and gave Chrissy a hug.  "It's good to see you here again," he said.
Chrissy beamed. 
"It's good to see you, too.  You're growing up," she said as she stood and checked his height.  "You've shot up since June."  
Jer blushed, but nodded.  He had gained a couple of inches in the past two months.  I suspected he would top out around six feet tall, but still had a few inches to go.  
"Maybe you can take him shopping for some better fitting, and looking clothes," I said teasingly.  "He has about worn out all of his sloppy sweat pants and keeps insisting he doesn't need anything else while he's still growing so fast."
"Dad," he protested.  
I just laughed.  "It's not like I can't afford to put you in some decent clothes.  Besides, you're going to need some gear to wear camping in a couple of weeks," I added.
"Are you going with us?" Jer asked Chrissy as he grabbed a glass of milk and joined us at the kitchen table.
"I'm not sure.  Where are you planning on going?"
"Dad promised we could do a long weekend in Zions or Escalante.  I want to capture the fall colors and the landscape down there."
We had talked about and put off camping in some of the National Parks in southern Utah for a couple of months.  We had finally identified a weekend in the middle of October that had no other school or work activities planned, and penciled in the date for a decent camping trip.  
"Is Gillian going?" I asked.
Jer scowled and then looked at Chrissy.  "Her mother might let her if someone besides Dad and I are going, you know, like a female chaperone."
Chrissy looked at me.
"I guess Ali doesn't count as a chaperone, and Vivian, Gillian's mother, is not the camping sort."
Jer snorted.  "She could camp out in front of Sax if there was a sale happening, but that's about it."
I laughed.  
"How about you introducing Chrissy to Gillian and Vivian tomorrow morning and inviting Gillian to go clothes shopping with the two of you?  That might let Viv get used to the idea of Gillian joining us.  We'll have a boy's tent and a girl's tent, if Vivian asks."
Jer gave a dramatic sigh and then agreed.  "I suppose it is worth it, but we have to make sure Gillian has the right gear," he insisted.
"And that you have the right fitting gear."
"You're going to have to go with us, though," Jer insisted.  "If I have to go clothes shopping, you need to as well."
"Hey, I've done plenty of my share of shopping," I insisted.
"But not with me," Chrissy countered.  "I can think of a few things I'd like to see you in."
"Careful," I teased, "or I'll take you off my Christmas card list."
We all laughed.
"Where's Ali?" Chrissy asked a little later as Jer headed upstairs to give Gillian a call.
"She had better still be at work," I said with a glance at the clock.  "Terry usually keeps her hopping until five."
"How's that working out?" Chrissy asked.
"Better than I hoped.  Terry has her upgrading simulator software this week.  Ali really has matured in the past year.  I can't help but think about how much she is growing up."
"Any steady boys in the picture?" Chrissy asked.
I shook my head.  "She seems to be taking after her aunts at this age.  She dates a guy for a bit and then moves on to the next boy.  I've asked her about it, and she just says she knows its only a high school romance, not a lifetime commitment, so she doesn't want to take anything too seriously.  She insists she isn't interested in a long-term relationship until she completes flight school after graduating from either Annapolis or the Air Force Academy."
"How do you feel about that?" Chrissy asked.  We had talked about it after she first announced her desire, but were not sure if it was a phase or a serious intent on Ali's part.
"So long as she is driven to succeed, I'll support her.  If she reverts to thinking it is something she is entitled to, I'll do everything I can to stop her from going."
"How about Jer?  Is he starting to think about college?"
"He really enjoyed his visit to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago last spring when we were on Oprah.  He's started looking at a few other Fine Arts programs but has a couple of years to decide."
"It's hard to believe he has two works in major museums already, at his age."
I smiled.  "You really need to see some of the impressionist landscapes he did this summer.  Even my untrained eye knows they are good."
"I'll make sure I ask to see them," Chrissy said.
*****
"Dad, what do you make of this?" Jer asked as he handed a letter to me.  
I skimmed it.  
"Well, it looks like you've impressed someone with your painting in Chicago," I replied.  It was from a gallery in New York asking if he had a portfolio of work and if he would be interested in having an exhibit at their gallery in the spring.
"But is it legit?" he asked.  "I mean, I'm not even fifteen yet.  Are they really interested in my work, or do they just want to build on your and Aunt Kelly's fame?"
I nodded.  "It's something you'll have to consider whenever you get these kinds of offers.  Do you think your work is good enough to take someone's money for it?"
The question gave him pause.
"I think my stuff is pretty good, but I don't know what sort of value collectors would put on it," he answered.
"Well, there is only one way to find out.  I can have Lila or Tamara check out the background on this gallery if you're interested.  But, if you don't want to show or sell your art, then we can just let it go."
He took the letter back and read it again.  "Can I think about it for a few days?"
"Of course.  You know I'll support you either way, right?"
He nodded.  "I do.  Thanks, Dad."  
He folded the letter back up and tucked it neatly back in the envelope it had been mailed in.  
"Can I talk to you about something else?"  He asked a moment later.
"Sure.  What's up?"
"Are you going to marry Chrissy?" He asked.
I was surprised.  
"I don't know, Jer.  Why do you ask?"
He shrugged.  "Gillian asked.  When her Mom wouldn't let her go camping with us, I guess they argued.  Vivian evidently made some nasty comment about Chrissy hardly being a good role model, which set Gillian off."
Gillian and Chrissy had hit it off on our shopping trip, discussing engineering and architecture most of the day while Jer and I had been trying things on, feeling like dress-up dolls for the ladies to outfit.
"When Gillian told me about it, we just got to talking and it made me wonder what you guys were going to do."
It was a very good question.
"I love Chrissy, Jer, but I still think about your mother an awful lot.  I know it's probably not fair, but I'm a little stuck in my feelings I guess."
"I can understand that," Jer said.  "I feel that way with Gillian sometimes."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I like being around her and talking to her, but I'm not sure we'll keep dating through high school, and I know we won't go to the same place for college.  Most of the places I've looked at so far don't have engineering or architecture programs."
"Jer, you've got two-and-a-half years of high school left.  Is it possible you're putting the cart before the horse?  Your Mom and I were exceptions to the rule when it comes to high school romances."
He gave a dramatic sigh.  "I know, but Gillian seems to think that if we aren't planning on being together 'forever', then maybe we shouldn't keep dating, and stuff.  Her mother keeps saying stuff about nobody buying the cow when the milk is given away for free.  It kind of pisses me off when Gillian parrots that stuff back to me."
I guessed it was the 'and stuff' part that had Jer's attention.
"She might be right," I said.  "Remember a few years ago when we talked about the three parts of a relationship?"
"Physical, mental and spiritual," Jer said with a nod.  "I remember that."
"Right.  It sounds like you might be experiencing that with Gillian.  You might have two of the three elements, but seem to be missing a third part."
"So I should just break up with her?" Jer asked.
"I didn't say that, son.  You need to decide if what you have now is worth continuing.  While you realize it is not going to be the love of your life, she may have different dreams.  You should talk it over with her."
"But if I tell her what I'm thinking, she will probably just dump me," he said.  "I mean, I want to do more with her, but she keeps putting me off.  If I say that, even in my own head, it sounds like a douche move."
I tried not to chuckle.  
"Have you had a candid conversation about it with her?" I asked.
"No.  I don't know how to bring it up."
I nodded.  "It can be hard to talk about, especially when you are both in the situation for the first time.  Do you like her enough to take a risk on her?"
"Of course," he answered immediately.
"Then you need to decide if its worth waiting until she is ready for more, Jer.  I wish I could make it easier for you, but that's about the only advice I can give."
"Is that what Chrissy is doing with you?" he asked slyly.
It was another good question.
*****
"Bluey, it's not just because of Chrissy being involved with me," I said into the phone.  
We had started a conversation during our visit in Australia, but I had not fully formulated what my questions were driving toward.  Now, after another review with Sheryl, I had a better handle on what I needed to talk about with a friend who happened to be associated with a premier investment bank in Australia.
Unfortunately, when I had finally sprung our idea on him, he had jumped to conclusions as to why I was talking to him.
"Are you sure about that, Paul?" he asked over the phone.
"Yes, damnit.  Look, we've got way too much capital sitting around.  I have only a couple of avenues to leverage that capital, and even that won't really deplete it that much, since so much more is coming it.  Sheryl and the lawyers have laid out a plan for a private, international bank, but I need someone from that industry to review it and tell me if it makes sense.  If it does, I need someone I can trust to be straight with me to run it.  Nobody in my organization has the experience I need.  You do."
There was silence on the line for a few minutes.  "You could bring it into the firm," he said.
"I don't want to be one set of assets under management, Bluey.  I'm not sure you understand the numbers we're talking about.  I'm richer than some countries.  If I wanted a normal approach, I could just buy your company and then promote you to run it."
Bluey actually laughed at that.  "Fuck, you don't want to give all the old boys at the top of the pyramid a reason to jump into their golden parachutes, do you?  It would be a waste of good money to do it that way."
"That's the same conclusion we came to.  I'll tell you what, how about you take a vacation from the Macquarie Group for a week or so, hop up to Geneva and talk to the team we've got working on this?  After a week, give me your evaluation and a bill for consulting, or we'll sit down and talk about making this happen."
"I'd kind of be an idiot if I didn't at least take you up on that offer," he finally said.  "How soon do you need me to hop up there?"
"I'd like to know which direction we're heading before the holidays," I replied.
"Ok, I can do that, but you have to agree to come down under for Christmas.  Camilla wants to see some more of our other daughter over the holidays."
"I can do that.  Jody is my P.A.  on point for this work.  I'll have her coordinate details for you.  Thanks."  I ended the call.
*****
"You're going to sweep the west coast," I said confidently as Kelly paced in the hotel suite at the Watergate in Washington D.C.  "As soon as the polls out west close, you should be ready for a concession call from John."
It was election night and Chrissy and I had flown east to support Kelly.  It was a school night for the kids, but I knew they would be staying up late to watch the results.  While a few states were still counting ballots, Kelly was in a commanding lead and just needed a couple of dozen more electoral votes to clinch the election.
"Just winning California will put you over the top," Jim said.  "And, you lead all of the polls there by a pretty hefty margin."
"I know, but I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop," Kelly said as she stopped her pacing for a moment.  "I guess it's just nervous energy."
Kerian Stewart, Kelly's campaign manager came in without knocking.
"Kelly, we're forecasting Arizona going to John, and you taking California, Oregon, and Washington.  That will put you well over the top," he said.
"How's the popular vote looking?"
"You've got a solid lead.  Right now the stats guys are saying it's going to be a double-digit win on the popular vote and even bigger for the final electoral count.  You should start practicing your victory speech."
"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves," Kelly cautioned.  "We've got another hour until the polls close."
"You're going to win," I said.  "You need to be ready to be the first female President of the United States of America, Kelly.  I'm very proud of you."
Jim had a tear in his eye as he nodded.  "You're an incredible woman, Kelly.  Give yourself permission to be happy with this accomplishment.  It's going to happen."
Kelly smiled and gave her dad a hug.  She gave me one as well.
"I just wish Matthew were here for this, too," she whispered in my ear.
"And Jeryl," I echoed softly.
Two hours later, the campaign headquarters in the same ballroom we held the Lunar Gala in was filled with excited staff and news teams as Kelly delivered her victory speech.
"I remember when we watched her and Al Gore win eight years ago," Chrissy said after the speech as drinks were poured and we watched the well-wishers flock around Kelly.  "It was the first time you looked at me like a woman, instead of a kid," she added.
I pulled her closer with my arm around her waist, not sure what to say.
*****
"What're you working on?" Chrissy asked as she came into the master suite.  
"I was just finishing up some notes on Dr.  Perdew's latest," I said as I closed my notebook and looked at her sweaty outfit.  She was in blue running shorts and a white, crop-top t-shirt that barely covered her jogging bra.  She looked very good, to me.
Chrissy had asked if we could host Thanksgiving in New Orleans since she had such fond memories of the house and most of the family had not even visited it.  I realized she was right, that the kids had only been there for a couple of days and no one else in the family had even seen the house or grounds.  Kelly's secret service detail liked it as well, though they admitted they preferred the Maine property for security.
"Anything interesting?" she asked as she peeled the t-shirt off and then kicked her running shoes toward the closet.
"We think we're making progress," I said.  "Unfortunately, we aren't sure if we are looking at a new unified theory or just a different mathematical approach to support existing theory."
"How will you know the difference?" she asked as she turned back toward me and ran her fingers along the elastic band at the waist of her shorts while checking her stomach out in the mirror.
"If the math reveals something new, that is testable, we'll know we have something more than a different formalism.  But enough about math and physics.  Why are you working out a second time today?"
We had swam together this morning before I headed out to meet with Dr.  Perdew.
"The Sports Illustrated shoot is in two weeks, before Christmas.  I lost some definition on the mission, and want to look good for my return to modeling," she said as she turned to look at her rear end in the mirror.
"I think you look perfect," I said.
She smiled at me.  "You have to say that, if you want to see what's under my outfit in a few minutes."
I laughed, stood, and crossed the room to take her in my arms.
"I'm all sweaty," she protested.
"So, I'll help you get cleaned up," I said as I kissed her.
She resisted playfully for a moment, and then melted against me, returning my kiss passionately.
"I love you," she said as our lips parted.
"I love you, too," I replied as I ran my fingertips up her spine.
She kissed me, this time.  I let my hands drift back down her spine, and cupped her ass as she wiggled against me.
"Thank you for having Thanksgiving here, this year," she said as our lips parted again.
"My pleasure, ma'am."
She gave me one more quick kiss.  "You know I kind of think of this house as 'our' house?"
"They're all 'our' houses," I replied.
She shook her head.  "Until this week, this house has only been yours and mine.  I think having family here with us for a holiday will make it 'ours'."
I kissed her again.  "Chrissy, I hope you know how much you mean to me," I said.  "All of my properties are yours, if you want them."
She shook her head.
"Deer Valley is yours and the kid's home.  The lab is your retreat.  All of the others hold ghosts for you, I know.  This house is just ours," she replied softly.
I felt a lump in my throat.
"This is the place," she continued, "where we first started a physical relationship.  This is the place I first realized you were going to start thinking of me as a woman, and stop thinking of me as a little girl.  That's why I think of this as 'our' place."
*****
"How's the transition going?" I asked as Kelly settled into a comfortable chair in my study at the New Orleans house.  
While her secret service detail had people here even before we arrived, Kelly had just flown in the evening before Thanksgiving.  She had been greeted by and caught up with the rest of the family for the past ninety minutes, before asking for a moment alone with me.  As soon as we were in my office, she had pointed toward the bar and asked for something simple, to help her unwind.
"Things are looking good.  I knew some of the changes I wanted to make as early as last summer," she said before sipping the scotch I handed her.  "Being the VP has had some definite advantages.  I think I'm even going to keep a few of the sitting secretaries if they want to continue."
"That is unusual," I said.
Kelly shrugged.  "They are still the right people for the job.  I do want to talk to you about one person, however."
"Oh?" I was worried.
"I want to ask Billy if she wants to be my press secretary."
I was surprised, but paused long enough to consider what Kelly said.  "I don't want to lose her, but I can see why you would want her."
"Are you going to put a big dollar raise in front of her when I make an offer?" she asked.
I thought about it.  I knew Billy better than most people, having met her the day Jer was born, and worked with her closely on the shows and with launching DigiNews.  I did not think she would want to move to D.C., but also was not going to stop her if that's what she wanted.
"Nope.  If she wants to try the political scene for a bit, I'll let her.  I might have to buy back a share of the company from her, if the GAO insists, but other than that, I'll just wish her well."
"What's a share worth, nowadays?"  Kelly asked.
"One share dividend last summer was about a quarter million dollars," I said.  "I'll have to talk to Sheryl about the valuation if I have to buy Billy out."
"Holy shit," Kelly said.  "She'll never take the pay cut for what I can offer her."
I shrugged.  "I'll check with the legal folks.  We might be able to hold the shares in trust for her, putting the proceeds into a blind trust until she leaves government service.  That's what we did with the one share you still hold."
"What?"  Kelly was genuinely shocked.
I nodded.  "Jim and I set it up when you won your first election.  You can't vote the share, and the money goes into your trust when we pay out dividends.  We got it all cleared through government review before you took office in the Senate."
"How could I not know?  Do you know what people will say if they find out?"
"They had better say that it was all legal and handled properly," I replied.  "Unless they want a lawsuit on their hands."
It was Kelly's turn to pause and think.  Finally, she sighed.  "I guess you're right.  I just thought you had bought me all the way out when I left the company."  Then she gave a little laugh, "And my investment advisor took the credit for the great returns on the trust.  I think I better find a trust manager."
"I've got one you can use.  He handles the kids' trusts for me.  I make sure he is not speculating and taking on much risk."
"Do they already have shares of the company?" Kelly asked.
"No.  I've still got seven hundred and ninety shares, after buying back from Mom and Dad over the years.  They'll get half each if something happens to me.  In the meantime, I've put most of their trust into the derivative companies we've started.  They hold CRP and DigiNet, and the shares of Apple I bought for Steve several years ago.  Mostly, I've directed the advisor to put things into index funds, and treasuries to keep the risk low."
"What about Chrissy?" Kelly asked.  "Have you made provisions for her?"
The question caught me off guard.  "I thought we were talking about your transition, not my personal finances."
Kelly smiled.  "I just want to make sure my brother is doing alright," she said.  "Chrissy is good for you, Paul.  I can see how you look at her, and how she dotes on you.  the kids seem alright with your relationship, so I was just wondering how permanent it was going to be."
I took a sip of my own scotch.  "I'll stay with her as long as she'll have me," I said.  "But we haven't really talked about anything beyond that."
Kelly shook her head and pursed her lips.  "You know I love you, right?" 
I nodded.
"Don't wait until she is too fed up with you to tell her how you really feel."
*****
"You've really turned into a royal bitch," Jer said dispassionately.
We had decided to have an antipodal Christmas, so we could spend some more time with Chrissy's family.  We had flown down after the last day of school, spent a few days in Sydney, and then hopped up to the reef to take over one of our exclusive eco-resorts.  
Jane had been surprisingly pleasant for the first day at the secluded island with its white sand beaches and rustically luxurious accommodations.  Her nasty side had returned on the second day, usually taking aim at Jer or Ali.  Ali finally had enough, and had told her friend off a few minutes before, when Jane had accused her of just wanting to show off when Ali asked if anyone wanted to go for a sail.
Jane had tried to turn the cutting comment back on Ali, but looked more like a child caught doing something they weren't supposed to.  Camilla and Bluey had stood up just before Jer spoke.  Jane turned from them to Jer, fury showing on her face.
"It's no wonder you can't keep a boyfriend with an attitude like you have," Jer finished.
Jane's look of rage turned to shock.  Jer had never said an unkind word to Jane in the past.  
"You little shit!" Jane screamed.  
Jer shrugged, while Camilla stepped quickly and grabbed Jane's arm.
"Have you forgotten your manners?" Camilla asked sharply.
Jane jerked free of her mothers grasp, turned and fled up the beach.  We all watched her go.  
Camilla turned to Bluey.  "What are we going to do?"
Chrissy gave me a look, but I shook my head.
I was surprised to see Jer rise.  "I'll go after her," he said in the same tone of resignation he had in is voice a moment before.  "Mr.  and Mrs.  Tarrington, I'm sorry I spoke to her that way," he said as he grabbed a bag of beach stuff, his sketch book and started after her.
"No, Jer," Bluey said.  "I'm sorry you were the one that had to say it.  Don't let her off easy," he added.  "She definitely does not deserve it."
I saw Nicole discretely move toward the tree line of the beach and the path that would take her across to the next inlet Jane had headed for.
Bluey and Camilla sat back down.  "Sorry about that," Bluey said.
I shook my head.  "Let's just chalk it up to kids being kids, and not let it put a damper on the day."
Bluey pulled a cold can of VB from a handy ice chest and nodded.  "We definitely should not let it spoil the day," he said as he popped the tab on the can.
"Well," Ali said.  "I still want to go for a sail.  Anyone game to join me?"
"How about a race?"  I asked.  "I bet Chrissy and I can get around that other island and back before you and whoever crews with you."
"Oh, Dad, I didn't think you were ready to go senile yet," Ali teased.  "How much of a head start do I have to give you to make it fair?"
Bluey laughed.  "I think if you have Cammy and I as crew, that will be handicap enough.  I think a nice sail sounds like just the thing to lift the mood.  Let's go."
Minutes later, we were pushing off from the shore and catching the light breeze in our sails.  
We didn't get back until nearly sunset, and enjoyed a lovely dinner grilled over an open fire on the beach before calling it a day.  I did manage to have a private conversation with Bluey about the work I wanted him to do.  He agreed to let me know his decision in the morning.
The next morning, Jer was waiting for me after Chrissy and I finished our morning run on the beach.
"Got a second, Dad?"  he asked.
"Sure, sport.  Is it alright if we walk down the beach a bit to let me finish cooling down?"
He nodded and we began to stroll toward the cove he had followed Jane toward yesterday.
"What's on your mind?"  I asked after a few steps.
"Jane," he said.  "Do you think I could borrow Pete and a plane for a couple of days?"
I was surprised.  Jer almost never wanted to go off on a flight by himself.  I said as much.
"Jane needs to grow up, and I think hoping over to Learmonth and then Kenya would help a lot."
"What are you thinking?"
"She has no self-confidence, Dad.  She sees Ali, you, and Chrissy doing all kinds of neat things, but feels that she can't, because she'll never have the opportunity here.  When I finally got her talking some, she tried to accuse me of the same thing, but I told her I hadn't even done the long visitor course for going to the moon, or left the base in Kenya when we've been there.  I told her that I'd do them with her, if she was just looking for an expensive thrill."
"What else did you talk about?" I asked.
Jer blushed and then smiled.  "Sex, a little," he said.  "She seems to think sex is the end-all-be-all of high school relationships.  I used some of the advice you gave me.  When she tried to put me down as being too young to know, I reminded her that I would be one of the richest people in the world once I finished college and got access to my trust fund, and despite that, was still a virgin.  I might have implied that I could be fucking just about any girl I wanted if I was an asshole about it.  She seemed surprised.  That's when she finally started to listen, I guess.  Then we talked about always having security and de facto chaperons.  I think she finally realized Ali and I and even you and Chrissy can't just do what we want on a whim, which is what she believed.
"And then you came back here and skipped dinner?" I asked with an arched eyebrow.  
"I might have kissed her a little to make her know I was serious about being a virgin by choice, not lack of opportunity," he said.  "I suppose you got a report from security?"
I shook my head.  "I've given the security teams very specific instructions to let me know if you're doing something dangerous, but I try to give you guys as much privacy as I can.  I was only a little older than you when I had to start considering security.  You've grown up with it, and handle it as well or better than I did.  I don't spy on you or your sister."
It was his turn to nod.  "So what do you think?"
"What do you want to do at Learmonth?"  I asked.
"I want to run through the intern indoctrination course, then spend a day or two on the sea lab.  After that, I want to go over to one of the desalinization plants in Africa and help serve Christmas dinner at one of the villages.  Aunt Jyl suggested it when I called her last night."
Those activities would definitely show Jane how much work and effort went into some of the adventures we showed on television, and how grateful we should all be for what we have, but I wasn't sure it would change her attitude that much.
"How about you do that, and then go to the base in Kenya.  Orion-four is making a delivery run to Aristarchus Base next week, before New Years.  I'll make arrangements for you two to go along.  You won't be able to do an actual moon walk without the EVA training, but you can say you've been to the Moon.  I can guarantee nobody in her high-school will be able to say that."
"That would be cool," he admitted.
"But, Jer," I stopped walking to look him in the eye.  "I want to make sure you're doing this to help Jane, not take care of your frustrations with Gillian.  Sex can be very pleasant, if that's what you're after, but Jane is going through some other stuff as well.  If you mess with her head, making her think more is going on than a separate vacation, you're going to hurt her."
"I wouldn't do that, Dad.  I used to like her, and still do when she is being herself.  She's pretty, but it goes back to what you've talked to me about.  We have some emotional connection from being friends years ago and interacting some since then, but we don't have a mental or spiritual connection.  We might make one, but I'm not going to bet on it.  I just want her to find her way, kind of like Aunt Helen helped me find mine after Mom died."
I wondered what the right answer was and realized it was not a decision I could make on my own.  "I'll tell you what," I said as I turned back toward the lodge area.  "I'll talk it over with Bluey, Camilla, and Chrissy.  If her parents agree, I'll say yes."
With luck, this would not be the only think Bluey agreed to this morning.
*****
Walking the red carpet with a beautiful woman should be easy, but it never seemed to be.  The flashing bulbs, shouted questions and requests to 'turn this way', as well as hosts and hostesses with microphones and cameras made it feel like running a gauntlet stuck in low gear.  Add in security screening, and the inaugural ball for Kelly was off to a horrible night.  Rather than let on, I smiled and nodded as Chrissy and I made our way into the ball.
Chrissy was a lovely distraction from what would have otherwise been an annoying evening.  She was decked out in a vivid red gown with a perfect fit that left her shoulders and back bare but highlighted her strength and confidence and culminated in a prominent bow at her neck.  I smiled at the discrete flight pin from her Mars mission that adorned the ring collar of the dress.
"You know, it's not very nice to show up the new President at her inaugural ball," I teased as we finally made it into the ballroom.  
"Behave," Chrissy said with a smile.  "I happen know that the President's super rich brother sent several couture dresses to his sister to pick from for tonight.  She's also going to be the belle of this ball, even if she is wearing a potato sack."
I started to make a witty reply, but was interrupted as several Senators spotted me and closed in.  Lila and Hunter closed ranks with us and Tamara moved to intercept the approaching Senators while we made our way through the room to a private bar area.  
"Thank goodness we don't have to attend all of the balls," I said as I looked over the crowded room.  "Kelly can have this mess to deal with."
Lila laughed.  "You're the richest man in the world, and she's now the most powerful woman in the world, and you're probably both complaining about the crowds of idiots you have to deal with.  Relax and enjoy the evening, Paul.  You know it's only going to get crazier for the next year or so."
Kelly had delivered her inaugural address with style.  In it, she had extolled the virtues of the American work ethic and laid out a brief vision of using our intellectual capital with that drive to reignite the beacon of freedom for oppressed people, and to build unity and lead mankind beyond our world.  It was great rhetoric and lite on specifics, but I knew she would follow-up on the intent of her speech.  She was determined to make a difference for the world.
"NASA is already asking about launch schedules for some deeper survey missions, as well as lease-operating models for lunar flights," Tamara said as she joined us.  "And HUD is asking about more PT PowerMeters and our domestic energy capacity."
"Our friends in the power industry are going to lobby like hell about that," I cautioned. 
"And the Chinese won't be happy if you decrease the rate of shipping generators their way, or start buying less rare earths to help them settle their accounts," Lila added.  
"It's going to take six or twelve months for all of that to settle out.  A speech is one thing, but getting actual legislation through Congress is something else.  Remember the mess with the SHARE Act?  And it had pretty broad-based support.  Giving power credits and a new meter instead of welfare checks is not going to be an easy pill to swallow for a lot of different reasons," I said.
We all managed to get a round of drinks in our hands before heading to our table and making polite small talk with the political movers and shakers that just wanted a minute to chat.  I felt like I needed to take a shower by the time we sat down and ate a mediocre dinner.  I guided Chrissy around the dance floor a couple of times once the music started.  Kelly was ushered in to the strains of "Hail to the Chief" and thanked all of her supporters and the ball attendees before dancing half a dance with Jim and another half-dance with me.  Jim joked that he was happy I was there to relieve him.  He was attending all of the balls with Kelly and dancing with her at least once at each as her semi-official escort for the evening.  I smiled when I saw Senator Kim standing along the side of the room, watching Kelly with a smile.  
Once the official dance with Kelly was done, I pulled Chrissy to the dance floor once again and enjoyed the feel of her in my arms.  We moved very well together.  A few braver souls tried to cut in, but she declined them all to stay with me.  I felt ten feet tall as the night wound down.  Lila had been right, I needed to just enjoy the moment and let things unfold as they would.  
Chrissy seemed to sense my mood and smiled.  She leaned in to whisper in my ear.  "You do know that this dress doesn't have any room in it for silly things like underwear, right?" she asked.
"Let's get your coat, and go then," I replied instantly.  
She smiled and let me lead her from the floor.
We were nearly to the exit when Tamara and Lila caught up to us.
"Paul, Allen just got a call.  We've got a problem on Astra."

Chapter Sixty-Three
Reaction Time
*****
"What's the status?" I asked as soon as I was in a hastily cleared room outside the ballroom.  Lila's team had been using the room, but now was spreading through the hotel to ensure there was not a missed threat here as well as on Astra.
"We started getting some spurious signals on the control network as the intra-day checks ran," Allen answered.  He was still plugging into our network via a laptop, and had a comms headset on getting live updates from his ops teams.
"Two sets of thrusters began firing, slowing station rotation.  We cut out the automated control systems and have local control keeping things stable for the moment, but we are also starting to get alarm indicators on some of the hab systems.  They look to be spoofs, but we're still tracing them."
"How many souls on board?" I asked.
"Two hundred and twelve staff and tenants, fifty-eight guests at the Hilton.  Two GOTs docked right now.  One OTV six hours out," he answered.
"Paul, right now, eighteen of the Hilton guests are Chinese nationals," Lila said.  "We have more Chinese on station now than we ever have had before.  I don't think it's a coincidence."
Given that they had shown a capability of spoofing some of our hardware systems before, I had to agree with her assessment.
"What are our options?"
"I think we send the generator quick reaction team up and ensure a safe evacuation of the non-essential personnel from the station, starting with our Chinese guests and tenants."
"Make it all commercial tenants, just to be safe," I said after considering things for a minute.  "Let's also stop all commercial comms from the station.  The GOTs should be able to get a majority of folks down easily."
"We're on it," Allen said as he typed on his keyboard.  "We'll verify evacuation with on station staff and do another sweep once the QRT is aboard.  What sort of ETA, Lila?"
Lila was already on her phone.  She held up her finger asking for a moment.  Finally, "They'll be departing Dublin in thirty minutes.  They'll do a direct launch and approach, and should be ready to dock within the hour."
"Good," I said.  
I pulled out my phone and hit Sheryl's number.  It took several rings before she answered sleepily.  "What's up, Paul?"
"Under the charter, who do we notify if there is an issue on Astra?"
"Shit."  She was awake now.
"You've got a couple of options.  Purely informational reports go to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.  We can route that through the NASA liaison."
"My guys will get ahold of Stanley, per SOP," Allen volunteered.  Stan was the liaison officer our Park City offices.
"What about under security concerns?" I asked Sheryl.
"DOD or FBI liaisons.  What's going on?"  
"Get up and plugged in," I said.  Tamara will call back with details.  Get Tom and our media team up as well.  I don't know what we're going to have to release or when."
I ended that call and punched another.  
"Sam, this is Paul Taylor," I said when I got Sam Johnson's voicemail.  I did not know were he was physically at, but suspected someplace close to D.C.  It was getting late as far as local time went.  "We have a possible security event underway on Astra Station.  Please contact Lila Greenwood as soon as possible for a full briefing."
I looked at Hunter.  "Do we have a watch number for anyone at the DOD?"
He shook his head.
I looked through my contacts and then hit the number for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff number.
"Chairman's office, this is an unsecured line, Master Sergeant McNeil speaking, how may I help you?"
"Master Sergeant, this is Paul Taylor calling for the Chairman.  We have a security incident in progress on Astra Station that may have national security implications.  We don't have any watch officer numbers to report the incident to," I concluded.
"Sir, can a watch officer contact you at this number?" The Master Sergeant asked.
"Yes."
"You should be contacted within fifteen minutes, sir."
The line went dead and I handed my phone to Hunter.  "Answer it if anyone calls," I said.  He nodded.
"Okay," Allen said as he stared intently at his screen.  "We've got rotational thrust under control.  We're below our standard rate, but it has stopped slowing."
"What about the other alarms?" I asked.
"We've routed critical systems to the back-up internal network.  Mike has two staff members in our server room and is unplugging the primary network from the routers to keep whatever is happening isolated."
"Have them unplug our research servers as well.  Get Thomas to isolate anyone allowed physical access to the R&D data up there.  I want them off the station ASAP and in a controlled environment."
Lila looked at me.  "What are you thinking?" she asked quietly.
"A network intrusion affecting the housekeeping and station keeping systems of the station might be a distraction.  How well vetted are all of the researchers we have up there?"
She started to answer and then stopped herself and nodded.  "When Sam calls, I'll get him double checking everyone with access.  I'll keep my team focused on the tenants and guests for now."
I nodded and saw Hunter answer my phone.  A moment later, he handed it to me.
"Paul, you couldn't even give me a first evening without a crisis?" I heard Kelly ask after I announced myself.
"Well, Madame President, we wanted to keep you on your toes," I joked.
"Seriously, what the hell is going on?"
"We're still working through it.  Some sort of hack is occurring on Astra.  We think it's a little suspicious that we have more Chinese researchers aboard than usual, and have a large contingent from China at the Hilton up there when our network starts acting funny.  We're handling it."
"Why the call the the JCS staff then?"
"After getting reamed by one of your predecessors for not reporting a possible action against my I.P., I figured I should let someone in the five-sided funny farm know something was going on."
"What is the risk?" She asked.
"We're doing a lot of R&D up there.  We also manufacture some of our newer materials on station and ship them down the gravity well.  I'm guessing industrial espionage is the goal."
"What do you need from me?"
"Lila could use some help from the FBI," I said even as she answered her phone and then waved her hand at me.  "But, I think her liaison contact is on the line with her now."
"Okay.  I'm going to have the V.P.  contact your team with the Secretary of State for a follow-up once you have all the facts straight.  If this is government sponsored, it could be a test of my administration.  I need facts before I react, Paul, but I also need to know if there is more going on than industrial espionage."
"I'll keep your folks informed.  Try to put a good face on the last balls you need to attend.  I'll work with the DoD and FBI to get you an update as soon as possible."
I paced in the small room, wanting to take some action, but recognizing that everyone here was in the same spot.  We had some data, but the people that could actually do something with it would not appreciate arm-chair quarterbacking right now.
"QRT is launched," Lila said.  "ETA is eighteen minutes to Astra."
"Delta GOT-Four is loaded with researchers and commencing departure from Astra," Allen said a few minutes later.
"How long until the other GOT is ready to depart?" I asked.
"It's mostly loaded," Allen replied.  "I've got station staff making a final sweep to ensure everyone we want off the station is aboard before they depart.  Where do you want them brought down at?"
That was a good question.  I looked at Lila and arched an eyebrow.  
"Kenya or Learmonth," she said.  "I'd prefer Kenya."
I wanted to ask why, but resisted the urge.  Something must have shown on my face.  
"It's more isolated and we'll be able to fully debrief everyone as they debark.  I've already got a good team at the base and we have sufficient shelters there for emergency accommodation if needed."
"Okay," I said.  
"In the meantime," Lila continued, "I want to get out of this hotel and to a better location.  We've got a twenty minute window to get to your Georgetown house.  Security there is already set up and tight.  We'll go in two shifts.  Allen, I suggest you and I stay here with some of the detail until Paul is online from there."
I was not given much choice and found myself hustled out a side entrance and into a waiting Range Rover with Chrissy, Tamara, and Hunter.  
*****
"How is that possible?" I asked.  
Astra had just reported that all spurious signalling on the primary network had stopped.  In the twenty minutes is had taken to move from the location of the ball to my Georgetown property, the Quick Reaction Team had docked at the station and begun a final sweep of to ensure all non-essential personnel were on the final GOT.
"I'm guessing," Lila said over the video conference link, "that our Chinese friends had to unplug whatever they were using when they finally evacuated."
"How do we confirm that?" I asked.
"We need to get a specialist team up there to look in their living and work spaces, she said.
"Wait a second," Sheryl chimed in.  "We need more than suspicion to break our lease agreement.  We need some indicator or probable cause to violate the privacy restrictions on their sections of the station.  We open ourselves to all kinds of penalties if we go in there uninvited."
"Shit."  I ran my hands through my hair and thought.  "Allen, is the station stable?" I asked.
"Affirmative.  We're still a little low on our rotational speed, but I don't want Michael to do anything until we know root cause on the incident."
"Agreed," I said.  "Has the GOT departed?"
"It's undocked, but has not begun de-orbit procedures yet.  They're a couple of klicks from the station."
"When, exactly, did the signals stop?" Lila asked.
"They stopped when the GOT broke away from the dock.  Why?"
"The last think to be separated is comms," I said, following Lila's train of thought.  "It's like someone was piggybacking on that comms line.  Is that possible?"
"We're going to need help to determine that," Lila said.
"What sort of help?  We need to make sure everybody is safe before we let anyone back on the station."
"I think we need some folks from the Puzzle Palace to help out," she said.  "Any chance you can ask the DoD for some assistance?"
"I can ask," I replied.  I glanced at the clock on the screen.  "Let's have the operational team document the timeline of events.  We'll reconvene at 6:00 AM my time, and then I'll chat with the government.  In the meantime, let's get some statement ready for the press."
"I'm on it," Billy said.  She had joined the video conference from Park City.  In the moment, I was very glad she had not taken Kelly's offer.  "We'll release a statement on DigiNet that we've evacuated the station as a precautionary measure and that we expect the resumption of normal operations shortly."
"Good.  Lila, how are we planning on handling debriefs in Kenya?"
"I've got a team scrambling to head down.  Local crews are getting shelters set up.  Base ops is going to meet the GOT and ask everyone to write out their experience as the start of the debrief.  We'll collect those and then start doing interviews under a post-mortem guise."
"If we don't see anything damning," Sheryl said, "We'll have to arrange transportation once we conduct those interviews."
"Can the FBI help with the interviews?" I asked.
Lila looked like she was considering it.  "Not a bad idea.  I'll call Sam if you can handle transportation for them."
"My GOT is here at National.  Let me know when his team can be there."
Lila nodded and I saw her video channel mute as she raised a phone to her ear.
"Okay, we have a plan.  Let's work the plan and try to get answers by the morning.  Thanks, everyone," I said.
Chrissy moved behind me as I ended the video call.  She was still in her stunning red dress.  I had removed my jacket and she reached up to rub my shoulders.  
"What do you think this means?" she asked after working at the tension in my back and neck for a few minutes.
I reached up and patted her hand.  "I think this means the Chinese are getting desperate, but I don't know for what or even why.  It's troubling."
"Let me know what I can do to help," she said softly as she leaned down and wrapped her arms around me to give me a hug.  
I turned and kissed her before standing and pulling her into my arms for a hug.  She felt wonderful pressed against me.  I let my fingers slide down her back and she pushed away from my slightly.
"You have to be back up in less than four hours, Paul.  Shouldn't you get some rest?"
I kissed her, hard.  "I think I might have trouble sleeping with all this on my mind," I said a moment later as I undid the clasp of her dress and dropped my hands to the short zipper at the small of her back.
She purred.  "I might be able to help with that," she said a moment later as she reached for the buttons of my shirt.
*****
"Our computer forensics team found it," Shaun Bowman, the liaison to the DoD/NSA team said.  We were in our morning status meeting, five days after the Astra incident.  We were looking at a packet dump from the logs of the network routers.
"It's a very subtle approach," Shaun continued.  "It requires at least two entry points with the right signals to initiate the data transfer."
"Wait a minute," Hunter said.  "You're saying that someone initiated these signals from two network nodes, and then the router controllers began sending out data?"
"Not data," Shaun replied.  "It looks like they began systematically scanning the network and trying to find specific endpoints as well is intermediate control paths."
"How is that possible?" I asked.
"We think they had to subvert the manufacturing process for the router chips themselves.  Your FLO interfaces ensure communications integrity, so for this data to be exposed, it has to be coming from within the hardware.  The only way this set of data could be exposed is if the internal routing tables of the network were exposed.  Those are stored on-chip in your network."
"Christ, I thought we had procedures to keep people from swapping chips ever since the incident back in '95," I said, looking at Lila.
"We do, on the orbiters," she replied.  "We pulled the chip-sets from the initiating node in the Hilton module.  We don't see any sign of replacement.  We're tracing the supply-chain now."
I straightened up.  "You're saying all of the chips in our internal network may be compromised?"
"That's what we're trying to determine.  Those modules were assembled and installed in Barcelona when the station assemblies were being outfitted.  If we don't see any irregularities there, we'll look at the component suppliers.  The fact that the interfaces passed QA seems to indicate there is something embedded in the actual chips that remains disabled until the trigger is sent or detected."
"What do we do while the investigation unfolds?" I asked.
"We've got the original specs and designs for the chip-set," Tamara said.  "We're reviewing those, to make sure the design itself does not support this, and then we can get another run of them to swap out with the stations infrastructure."
"How long?" I asked.
"Three weeks, minimum," she replied.  
"Can we fab them ourselves?  I don't want to go back to a vendor that might be compromised," I said.
"Maybe.  It might take longer," she answered.
"Get me an assessment on it for tomorrow."
She nodded in acknowledgement.
"Were the same chips used anywhere else?"
"We're still assessing, but we have to assume they were.  They're almost identical to the commercial sets, just hardened for more extreme environments."
"So networks across the world could be compromised?"  Sheryl asked via her video feed.  "What's our exposure."
I wanted to snap at her that the cost didn't matter, but stopped myself.  She was right, we could be exposed if we manufactured or designed the chips.
"The design is common," Tamara replied.  "We only sourced hardened chips for our non-terrestrial networks.  We didn't produce them or supply the design, so we should not have any liability, but a lawyer should review."
Sheryl nodded.
"Shaun, what should we be doing next?"
The government man looked over at Sam Johnson of the FBI.  "I'd be looking for network hardware on the evacuated personnel."
Sam shook his head.  "No such luck.  Almost everyone had personal electronics, even if they were just phones.  We can't take another look at everything, since we wrapped up the exit interviews two days ago.  Everyone is scattered beyond our reach now."
"Sheryl, I'm assuming we have permission under the lease agreements to go through private spaces for critical system updates and repairs?" I asked.
"Yes, especially if there is a safety concern."
"Shaun, how do some of your folks feel about getting a short-course orbital indoctrination?  I'd like some of your experts looking over our shoulder as we start the on-site assessment."
He grinned at me.  "I always wanted to be a space man.  How many people do you need?"
"Let's keep it small," Allen said.  "Lila's team is three people.  If we can buddy people up, we should keep from stepping on each other's toes."
Shaun nodded.  "I'll find two more volunteers."
"Get five, incase anyone has issues in the training.  Lila, has your team been through the course already?"
"No," she answered.
"Get them all going through together.  Have your next two alternates included.  I'll tell Dublin we have a rush course starting the day after tomorrow."
Everyone nodded.
"Do we have any idea what they were after yet?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"Do we have any proof it was the Chinese?" I asked.
"It's all circumstantial at this point," Lila replied.  "If we find out how they compromised the chips, we'll know, but until then, there is not sufficient proof to take any action against them."
"Lila, let's assume it is the Chinese and start a working group to assess counter-moves," I said.  I saw the government representatives perk up.  "Sorry, gentlemen, but that will be all we need for today's meeting.  We'll reconvene tomorrow at the regular time."
I ended the video conference and saw Lila giving me a dirty look from across the table.  
"You should have ended the meeting before you mentioned any retaliation," she said.
"I know.  I wanted word to get back to Kelly that we were going to be ready to do something once we had proof.  Keep them out of our sandbox as we come up with plans."
"What range of options do you want?" she asked.
"As you said, a range.  The low end could be poor commercial terms going forward, to generate stoppages.  The high end could be termination of business with them.  Let's look for realistic options we can execute, and then we'll figure out the proportionality of them if we get proof they are behind it."
"If a chip manufacturer was compromised, it's pretty damning proof that a nation-state was involved," she said.
"Unless it was a really powerful company," I countered.
*****
I was pacing in our large conference room in the Park City offices.  It was getting near lunchtime.  We had held our morning status briefing via video conference and then rolled into contingency planning in person at the offices.  
"So, there are three concerns we need to plan around," Allan said, recapping much of our morning discussion.  "Firstly, we need to ensure all the bad routers are replaced with secure ones.  Second, we need to ensure no other orbital assets have been compromised and if they are, swap those out as well.  Finally, we need to decide which retaliatory options we want to pursue once we have proof China was behind this attack."
"How far out are the new communications chips and routers?" Sheryl asked.
"Three days for the first batch of five-hundred," Tamara said.  "But we need to think about how we handle the replacements.  What happens if a tech does the changeout and 'accidentally' puts the old one back in service?  There are a lot of nodes on Astra."
I nodded.  "Good point.  How do we know who we can trust?"
Lila paled.  We had found quite a few possible points of infiltration when we took a harder look at the entire supply and assembly process.  
"Interns?" Allen asked.
I caught his meaning, even if others didn't.  "All of the Orbital Interns have a vested interest.  Are they all trustworthy, Lila?"
"Maybe, but they aren't all available," she answered quickly.  "Also, there are a lot of routers to change out, just in Astra."
"Over twenty-six hundred," Allen provided.
"And we need to coordinate changing certain sub-nets," Michael warned via video.  "We can't just work the problem in a linear fashion, module by module."
"Do we have a protocol identified yet?" I asked.
He nodded.  "I want to change the station control primary net first.  Once we complete that and verify it, we can shift back to the normal network for control and then adress the back-up network.  Then we do the same thing with the monitoring systems.  Commercial communications for tenants would be the last networks updated."
"Thomas, what do you think?" I asked.
"I agree with Michael.  Let's make sure we're not going to have any more attitude control issues, then ensure life-support and normal operations.  I want to keep the research network offline until we are certain its not compromised."
"We need to make it a completely segregated network.  I'm not sure how we overlooked linking it into the other networks."
"That was likely a result of ops tempo," Tamara said.  "We got in the habit of bouncing people around locations which required access to data remotely.  Sooner or later, that touches the core network for transmissions down here, or to Aristarchus."
"Do we have spare fiber runs up there?" I asked.
Hunter nodded.  "We built for growth," he said.  "In the primary conduit runs there should be spare fiber bundles already strung."
"So we could turn up a parallel network instead of replacing the primary?"
People exchanged looks.  "In theory," Michael said.  "Why?"
"If we are committing to not having remote control, it would be more secure to have a dedicated, on-station network for your teams."
"It would be a lot more work," Tamara cautioned.  "We'd need to install the routers, verify connectivity, then unplug all the actuators and thrusters from the old primary network and plug them into the new network, then go back and swap the back-up network routers and the old primary network routers.  We don't get any efficiencies doing it that way."
"But it would be much more secure," I countered.  "Tamara, work with Michael on a full failure-mode analysis of both approaches.  Having a fully redundant, isolated control network might be a good insurance policy going forward."
"How long to decide?" Michael asked.  "We've got a lot of people who would like to get back to work sooner than later."
Sheryl was nodding in agreement.
"I'd rather we ensure station safety than rush anything.  Allen, while they're focused on the station, I want you and Hunter to figure out how we handle all the other orbital assets.  We need to inventory and identify where else this attack might work.  Lila and Sheryl, the three of us will look at retaliatory measures.  I've already told Cindy that we're publicly increasing prices for generators.  If we have proof of one country being behind this, everyone else can have discount back to current rates.  That's about the least impactful measure we can take, and I want us to have immediate options if needed."
"How do you feel about using the bank?" Sheryl asked.
"What do you mean?"
"The Fusion Bank is uniquely situated to provide incentives or punishment," Sheryl said.
Based on Bluey's review in the fall, we had begun moving forward with establishing a new private bank based in Switzerland.  It handled the generator sales settlement of gold based purchases and then put the income from sales and operations back to work as loans.  In some cases, we planned on purchasing sovereign debt to enable them to issue bonds locally, purchase generators and power, and then retire the loan over time.  
"It's probably too early, but we should include it in the mix of ideas."
Sheryl nodded.
"Anything else for today?" I asked.
When there wasn't, we adjourned.  Allen and Tamara followed me on the short walk back to my office.
"What's up?  Not enough work to keep you busy?" I asked.
They both shook their heads.  "Just the opposite.  We've got too many irons in the fire, even with all the PA's moving to shift work in teams."
"What can we do?  Until we know Astra is safe and stable, I can't slow down."
"We want to pull prior interns back in to assist," Tamara said.  "Maybe they can be used for the network repairs, but there are a ton of other tasks we could use some proven, action-oriented thinkers on."
"Like what?  I want to keep the retaliation plans very closely guarded," I said.
"Not that, but pretty much everything else.  If we had a team we trusted up on Astra, we could start pulling the primary control network routers.  We could have a trusted team handling the inventory of the other comms networks, in orbit and down here.  We could train up another station watch team and rotate Michael's folks to get them some rest.  Right now, our critical resource is trust," Tamara concluded.
"Makes sense.  How far do we extend the trust?"
"Our folks that were orbital interns or Mars candidates, would be the first group.  They all had so much vetting, if we can't trust them we are truly fucked.  The only people that would be better would be shareholders, and there just aren't enough of them that aren't already involved in this."
"Okay.  What are the operational impacts of pulling those folks in on this going to be?"
"We'll try to minimize them," Allen said.  "We've got another Mars supply run and crew rotation early next month.  Other than that, we hold expansion efforts until all the reviews and refits are done."
"It's probably a six month delay to the overall plan," Tamara added.
"Six months?"
They both nodded.
I sighed.  "Okay.  Let's do it and keep me posted on any issues."
*****
"You know the hardest part of all of this?" Bluey asked as we looked at a shared spreadsheet over the video conference.  "I have to keep checking that we're handling the conversion from millions to trillions correctly.  Christ Paul, this will be the fifth largest  private bank in the world this year based on assets under management.  We've already got a hundred and twenty trillion dollars on the balance sheet."
"That's why I want to make sure we're using the money appropriately.  Our operational accounts take thirty percent of revenue right off the top.  Then we pay bonuses and dividends.  You're looking at the remainder that we have not tapped for capital expenses in the past few years."
Bluey had accepted my offer to join the organization and become the head of the Fusion Bank, as we had decided to charter it.  Camilla had been bittersweet about moving from balmy Sydney to Geneva in winter, but Jane had been nearly ecstatic about it.  Jer and Ali were keeping in touch with her and were begging for some European skiing for their spring break.  Chrissy and I were considering it, depending on the status of our work.
"You know," Bluey said, "your gross revenues are going to surpass the projected GDP of the States next year.  If you don't spend too much, the bank will be the biggest in the world.  You really are the king of the world, aren't you?"
I laughed.  "It sure doesn't feel like it most days.  Besides, we're probably going to be spending a pretty chunk of change on the final Aristarchus build out this year, as well as Mars.  Thomas is pushing for a station at L-5 as well."
"What in the hell is L-5?"
I explained the Lagrangian points, our asteroid mission and what we wanted to do at L-5.
Bluey shook his head.  "I can't believe all the shit you've got going on.  It's no wonder the Chinks are trying to steal something from you, you passed their economy a couple of years ago."
"That might be part of their concern, if they really did this to us.  We'll see what the experts come up with.  How are we positioned to leverage all that cash you're sitting on?"
"I've got a couple of plans and connections getting firmed up.  First is Taiwan.  We can be ready to float them essentially a free loan of up to a quarter trillion dollars at your say-so.  Nominally, they'll secure it with bonds, but the interesting thing is that they have a fair chunk of Hong Kong debt they would like to get off their accounts.  If we took those bonds in exchange, you would have some direct leverage with Beijing.  I think a loan to them would be our easiest way to rattle the folks behind this.  We can sort out the securitization after we sign the deal."
"What else?"
"There is a bunch of Chinese corporate debt outstanding.  If it gets into a real economic battle, we can do a debt swap and be holding a lot of paper on them.  Most of it is coming due in the next twelve months.  It won't be a quick squeeze, but it would give us leverage.  If they can't service or retire the debt, they're rating is going to tank and they won't be able to buy on the international market."
"Okay, go over those two options with Sheryl and then get your new legal team fully onboard with them.  I've got a feeling we'll have some sort of proof within the week.  Anything else for today?"  I had committed to daily touchpoints with him as he got settled in and built out his staff and finished the chartering process for the bank.
"Yeah, the IMF has finally caught wind of what you're doing.  I have a request for meetings with some of the buggers from Washington."
"Any idea what they want?" I asked.
"I'm guessing, but you've got more assets than they have in the balance of payment pool, and you are not contributing to their pool of assets.  As soon as two countries settle payments through us instead of them, they are going go crying to the U.N.  or your sister."
"Why?"
"Because we'll be a buffer or alternative if they try to throttle any of their member economies.  A lot of countries don't like some of the conditions an IMF bailout might come with."
I snorted.  "I don't think they'll like mine, either."
"Well," Bluey said.  "They won't like some of our restrictions, like securitization with tangible assets, but we don't really want to be easier to do business with then the IMF for national economies."
"No, but we could become a global clearing house for international business.  Keep me posted on what the IMF wants.  In the meantime, go home and see your family.  It's getting late there."
Bluey smiled and waved at the camera before ending the call.  Almost immediately, my screen announced an incoming call from the White House.
"This is Paul," I answered quickly.
"Please hold for the President," a voice said over the line.
"Paul?" Kelly asked a moment later.
"Madame President, what can I do for you?" I asked.
"The Chinese ambassador had a meeting with the Secretary of State today.  They wanted to know what the U.S.  government, as your chartering authority, was going to do about your refusal to deliver their researchers back to Astra station."
"Those fuckers," I said.
"I know," Kelly replied.  "We'll stand behind your position of safety concerns, since those are specifically called out as part of the oversight we owe under the Space Treaty.  How long do you think it will be before you can allow them back up there?"
"We're estimating two months for the system repairs to the network gear up there.  It might go faster, but I have to do the work with trusted teams.  We can't swap gear out that has the possibility of the same vulnerability being present.  We might be able to go a little faster, but I'm not counting on it."
"When will the repairs start?"
"Next week, so long as the new gear passes QA down here," I replied.
"Ok.  I get weekly updates, but don't hesitate to let me know if you learn anything significant."
"There will be one announcement this week," I said.  "I'm not sure if you want to mention it, but we're going to launch a joint FAB with Intel, Juniper, and Cisco to build communications and network gear domestically.  This has really shown us a gap in our communications security."
"So the chips were compromised during fabrication?" Kelly asked.
"That's what it looks like.  We're still working backwards to determine exactly how, but it looks like our entire production run of the hardend chip-sets for use off planet was compromised.  After that, it just took two agents on the network to initiate the attack."
"Did they get anything valuable?" Kelly asked.
"We don't think so.  In fact, I kind of hope that whoever did it was surprised by the side-effects that raised the alarm.  We won't know for certain until the forensic team finishes."
"And still no way to pin it on the Chinese?" she asked.
"Not yet, but I'm going to be amazed if it wasn't them."
"Give me solid proof, not supposition, please."
"From your lips to God's ears," I replied.
*****
"Are you coming to bed?" Chrissy asked from the doorway of my office.  "I'm off to Astra tomorrow, and could really use a warm body next to me before I go."
I nodded, stood and moved to give her a hug and kiss. 
"Sorry.  I'm not ignoring you, but I'm still trying to figure out what the Chinese are after."
She giggled as I turned off the light and we headed upstairs.
"What's funny?"
"In all the meetings, you're always the one that says 'if they did it,' and now that we know we can't prove it, you still assume it is them," she said.
"We know someone changed out the final plans for the microcircuitry on the chips at the factory and had enough help that the QA scripts were also slightly modified so nothing amiss was reported.  The fact that we can't pin it on a specific agent doesn't mean I think it was someone besides the Chineses, it just means I can't punish them for it."
We paused the conversation as I ducked into the bathroom and got ready for bed.  Chrissy met me under the covers.  The feel of her warm skin made me stop thinking about espionage for a moment.
She kissed me.  "Thank you," she said as she ran her fingers along my arm.
"For what?" I asked.  
"For trusting me enough to send me up for this.  I know you'd rather go up yourself, but you are letting me run the teams doing the change-out up there.  I know that takes a lot of trust from you in me."
I kissed her lush pink lips and gave her a hug.  When we parted, I traced her cheek and jaw with a fingertip.  "I do trust you.  You're also the best person for the job up there.  You've proven yourself in all the training.  You are a trained engineer.  You know exactly what is at stake, and you're beautiful, which is likely to make others underestimate you."
"So, you're going to miss me?" she asked with a playful smile.
"Oh, yeah," I replied before kissing her again.  I brushed her hair behind her ear and then kissed her long neck as she let out a soft sigh.  My lips moved lower, following along the bump of her collarbone and then to her shoulder before I pealed back some of the covers and kissed my way back to her breast and engorged nipple.  She wrapped her hands around my head and held my lips against that sensitive nub as her breathing got deeper.
"I want you," she said in a husky voice.
Without much more effort, she shifted and rolled me onto my back before throwing a leg over me and sitting up.  I massaged both of her breasts as she reached between us, grabbed my cock, lined me up, and slipped her pussy down and around me.
"God, I love the feel of that," she said as she leaned down to press her chest to mine.
She flexed her hips, rolling her pelvis, and moving me in and out of her in slow, steady strokes.  We continued that way, kissing occasionally for several minutes before she increased the pace and sat up straighter once more, driving me deeply into her.  She looked down at me through lidded eyes and smiled before reaching back and fondling my balls as she bounced up and down.  
I held off as long as I could, and just felt the start of her orgasm as I gave in and released myself, shooting into her.  She suddenly held still, except for her clenching pussy, and then fell forward against me, still shuddering delightfully.  Her breathing was deep and rapid as she kissed my face and hugged my shoulders.  She stayed atop me as we both recovered.
"You had better plan on coming up to visit," she said softly.  "I don't think I can stand the thought of not doing this again for three more weeks."
I kissed her again.
"Don't think you're getting out of bed that easily," I teased.  "We have all night together."
*****
"So we'll end up with three control networks?" Tamara said.  
"That's right.  Chrissy's team is connecting the new fiber links and equipment in a new, on-station only network that will be local control.  We're calling that the 'charlie' network.  While they're doing that install and checkout, we'll have another team pulling all the old routers from the former primary network, which we will call the alpha net.  After the 'charlie' net is connected to the station keeping systems, we will finish installing the new 'alpha' network routers and test it.  That way, we'll have two networks in place and checked out before we re-wire the current operating network, designated 'bravo'," Hunter said.  He had taken point with the engineering teams as we planned the network upgrades.
"We're also limiting the connectivity of Alpha and Bravo to the main comms relays sending data back to earth," Thomas said.  He was with us in Park City, waiting impatiently to be allowed to head back to orbit.  "Once operations are solid, we'll then put in a new 'delta' and 'echo' network for our own research and communications.  It won't share anything with the public network up there."
"And that data, as well as the 'alpha' and 'bravo' network terminus will be rerouted to the new communications antenna we'll take up next month," Hunter concluded.  "That means no guest or tenant comms traffic will even be in the same transmitter in the future."
"And all of these command and control security measures will be in place for the next station," I said.
"Which we will start building components for when?" Thomas asked.  My team needs a place to work once we get the nugget to L-5."
"Katiana's crew is training for the mission in two months.  We should have the Barcelona plant ramped back up to full station module production by the time the take off.  We should have the hub and spoke modules in place before the end of the year.  The Rim is going to take another twelve months," Hunter said.
"We can live in the hub and spokes to start our work," Thomas said.
"Only if you maintain the exercise regimen," Jyl replied.  She was one of the few people I trusted that was not up on Astra working on the network changes, due to the fact she was six months pregnant with her and Collin's first child.  
"Okay," I said.  "Let's get back on track for today."  
Tamara blushed.  She had asked a simple question after the initial progress report that we had started the meeting with.  "Sorry," she said.
"Not your fault," I replied.  "Now, let's talk options regarding our Chinese friends."
"They have too much plausible deniability for us to take direct action," Sheryl said firmly.
"Unfortunately, I have to agree," I added.
"We still don't know what they were after," Lila said.  "That means its hard for us to do more than plan to react to them."
Her words gave me pause.  I held my hand up to stop the conversation for a minute.
"We know the Chinese take a longer view on things than we do, right?" I asked.
Heads nodded.
"What if the original attack on the orbiter was a proof of concept?  They tried something that worked, even if it did not deliver an orbiter to them, almost at decade ago.  What if this was just another step in their plan?"
Lila looked up from her notes.  "What did they learn from this?" she asked rhetorically.  "The learned how fast we could react.  They learned how we communicate and respond.  If the attack was not intended to retrieve hard data, they still got a lot of information from us."
I nodded.  "So what about our SOPs do we need to change now?"
"We need a second QRT trained up," Lila said immediately.
"We need a dedicated delivery vehicle for them," Allen added.  "It was just luck that there was a GOT in Dublin for them."
"What if the next emergency is at Aristarchus or even Mars?  Let's assume they wanted to see how we would react to a diffuse threat, like a cyber attack.  Why would they want to see how we responded?"  I asked.
We brainstormed ideas and concepts for the next hour.  We got some glimpses into possibilities, but no firm theories we could test or plan for.
"Paul, we need some broader thinking on this," Lila said as our own ideas began to peter out.  
"What sort of broader thinking?" I asked.
"DoD, State Department, maybe even the CIA.  We should sponsor a simulation to evaluate things."
"You mean wargame it out?" Hunter asked.
"It's a good way to explore possibilities and counter moves," Lila replied.  "It's just going to be a bitch to create the scenario, since we don't actually know what the objective is."
"It has to be more geopolitical," I theorized.  "If we had proof of their complicity, they would be looking at no more generator purchase and possibly the loss of current generators."
Lila was scribbling notes.  "No, we shouldn't guess about the motives.  We can use the same simulation process to get broader thinking on that as well."
Several people looked puzzled, so I asked, "What do you mean?"
"Given all the things we know about China," Lila replied.  "What would they be willing to risk their power and economy for to gain?  Let's give that question to the government think-tanks and experts.  Their answers will let us know more possibilities of what the Chinese are after.  Then we can use the highest probability goals as the scenario drivers to threat and reaction planning."
"It's going to be hard to get the resources from the government to help with this," Sheryl cautioned.
"Maybe," I said.  "Maybe not, too.  Let me make a few calls and we'll see.  In the meantime, let's come up with a plan to improve our reaction times for any incident.  We need to look at having a second Quick Response Team, including delivery options.  We also need to create some cybersecurity staff spots on the operations team.  I don't want to have to call in the NSA next time we have an incident."
"Do you think we will be attacked again?" Allen asked.
"I don't want to assume we won't be.  So let's get ready for the next unknown and unexpected attack."
*****
"Do we need to wait for anyone else to join?" Michael Jensen, our commander of Astra Station asked as Lila and I pulled out some notes and arranged ourselves in one of the private conference rooms in our module of the station.
"No," Lila said.  "We want this discussion to be very closely held.  You have a need to know, but nobody else up here does.  In fact, we're the only three that will know the full plan we're laying out.  If it leaks, one of us is responsible."
Michael nodded and glanced at me.  "So what's happening?"
I motioned to Lila.
"Before we start," she said, "We want to ensure you have secure, physical storage up here.  My team is installing a safe in your office as well as monitoring circuits that will be tied into the the charlie command network up here.  We'll want you to keep these operational plans in that safe."  She passed over three sealed envelopes.  
"Those lay out pre-planned responses in case Lila or I are not in communications with you," I said.
"Is this really all necessary?" Michael asked.
"We've got a long timeline of potentially hostile action from the PRC against us," Lila replied.  "It started with the compromised custom chips on the orbiter almost a decade ago.  They killed the people they duped into swapping out those chips.  We countered that attack vector, and they subverted the manufacturing plant that did our hardend chip manufacturing for this station and other orbital assets.  That effort had to be at least five years in the making.  The PRC has undertaken their own fusion engine research, which we discovered last year.  We aren't sure exactly what they are after, but one theory we've short-listed is that they want to create a rapid on-orbit capability, and then force evacuation of the station.  They could then quickly launch and occupy the station for a clean sweep of our research, or hold it as an 'abandoned' or 'salvaged' property similar to a maritime claim."
"Like hell," Michael said.  "Our SOPs would never completely abandon the station.  Even if something catastrophic happened, we would standby in a ship nearby."
I nodded.  "We know that, but they might not.  That's just the strongest scenario we've come up with so far."
"So, how do we counter that sort of thing?" He asked.
"That's what we're here to discuss," Lila continued.  "We're going to be adding staff up here.  Think of them as your local fire and police department.  They'll be trained in emergency procedures and have other areas of expertise to be able to handle a broad spectrum of situations."
"Okay," Michael said, drawing the word out to nearly two syllables.  "Will they be in the regular watch rotation?"
I shook my head.  "They'll have a new, separate schedule.  It will be a nine person team, with three of them on watch at any given time.  They will monitor the networks up here, as well as be a second set of eyes watching the environmental and attitude control systems.  We're going to build out a separate living space and watch station from your current facilities here in module one."
"Where?" Michael asked as he got up and moved to the diagram of the station on one wall.
"We're thinking it will be in module forty-two, roughly on the opposite side of the station from here," I said.  "Right now, that module is hydroponics and overflow accommodation for tenants."
Michael nodded.  "It's close to the Hilton modules, but nearly a quarter of the rim from the other tenant housing."
"Right," Lila said.  "We want them to be able to respond to threats or emergencies from the hotel area, or get up to the hub using a different route than most of your regular teams would need.  We debated having them stationed in the hub itself, but that space is going to be too valuable to squander."
"What do you mean?"
"We're going to add a module or two up there for some manufacturing needs as we start building out another station for use at L-5," I said.  "We'll also be adding a docking module and keeping a GOT on station up here."
"How's Delta or Quantas feel about that?" Michael asked.
"It will be ours, not theirs," I replied.  "It's expensive, but we want to have a GOT available for our use at all times, incase we have another emergency situation.  It was just luck that two were here when the incident started."
Michael nodded and sat back down.  "So what's really going on with this team?"
Lila smiled.  "They're all ex-military, and heavily trained.  We'll actually have six teams and rotate people on a regular basis.  We want to be able to have resources on standby that we can deploy here or anywhere on the globe in less than two hours.  By basing some of them up here, with a GOT, we can ensure a thirty minute response globally, if needed."
"And if they are not needed, they just lounge about up here?"
I shook my head.  "Like Lila said, they'll have monitoring and emergency duties up here.  They'll be checking the network lockers every day to ensure there is nothing being tampered with.  Two will respond to any medical or security needs across the whole station.  While only three will be on duty at any specific time, the others will be on-call.  With that sort of op-tempo, we'll have to rotate teams frequently."
"What do I tell the rest of the station staff?" Michael asked.
"We think we should just say they are a guest and tenant support team, not part of the operational staff, but we need you to agree with that title."
Michael thought about it for a minute before nodding.  "Let's just say they are the tenant tiger team, then."
*****
"I heard a rumor you were on Astra, and did not come find me immediately," Chrissy teased after she gave me a public hug and kiss.
I smiled.  "You were busy, on the other side of the station.  How's it going?"
"Good.  Charlie network is finally fully installed and tested.  Collin and I finished about an hour ago."
"Thank God," I said.  "Jyl is getting a little testy with Collin being away."  
Collin and Jyl had relocated to Park City for the last part of her pregnancy, but my sending Collin up with Chrissy to work on the network had not won any favors from my sister-in-law. 
"Since you guys actually finished a day early, I thought I'd come fetch you home for a long weekend."
"Where are we having this long weekend at?  And why isn't it more than a weekend?" Chrissy asked.  
"It's a surprise," I said with a smile.  "It's only a weekend because you need to be back up here next week for the install of the alpha routers.  All the old gear was pulled, so it should be just like what you and Collin did for the past two weeks."
"Who else is helping?  We could go faster with another team pitching in," Collin said from over Chrissy's shoulder.
"Tamara will be up here to replace you, Collin.  Jyl is grounding you until the baby is born."  He looked ready to argue, but I held up my hand.  "That's one fight I am not signing up for," I said.  "Tamara will take your place and we'll also have the former Team Artemis helping.  That should let us get the alpha network up in a week, and then tear-out and update the bravo network in the following two weeks.  That will coincide with the delivery of the new comms antenna and control module for the hub."
Chrissy sighed.  "You're such a slave driver," she said with a grin.  "It's a good thing I love you and know how important this work is, or I might be ticked off at you."
I smiled, appreciating her willingness to put in the effort we needed.  "I could always work up here and let you deal with the politicians and press," I said.  "In fact, that might be an excellent idea."
She stepped away and swatted my shoulder.  "Stop teasing.  You know we all have jobs to do.  I'm just anxious to get this wrapped up so I can head back for the build of the farming spaces on Mars.  I really want to help with that."
I nodded.  We had added four more modules to the Mars base, and the botanists were itching to get the larger space established where they could start trying to grow real food-stuffs for the base.  Even with Chrissy putting in twelve and sixteen hour days working up here, I had seen a flurry of emails from her to the construction team concerning the large span and loading requirements we would have for the farming spaces.
"You will be on that mission, I promise," I said.  "In the meantime, why don't you grab your stuff and we'll head back down the gravity well for a well-earned break."
"If I have to be back up here next week, I'm ready to go now," Chrissy replied.  "Collin, you had better get a move on or we'll leave you behind.  It's vacation time."
Collin hurried off and eventually met us on the GOT for a quick trip back to Earth.  We dropped Collin in Salt Lake City and loaded the kids and some security before departing again, this time arcing north and east over the globe.
"Switzerland?" Chrissy asked as we landed in Geneva.  "I guess we're skiing."  There was delight in her voice.
"Well, I thought you might want to check in on your family, and maybe do a little skiing.  Your Dad and I have a meeting tomorrow, but then the rest of the weekend is wide open.  What do you think?"
She gave me a hug and kiss as Ali and Jer rolled their eyes at us.  "I think it is a wonderful idea."
The next day, Bluey and I were in the new offices of the Fusion Bank, waiting for our guest to arrive.
"It really looks like you are getting settled in here," I said as I admired his view from the business district of Geneva.
"It does not suck, Paul," Bluey said with a laugh.  "It doesn't hurt that you bought a great building for us and have thrown lots of other perks my way.  It's almost like you want something from me."
I smiled.  "How about security?" I asked.
"We're solid.  Lila has established a fulltime team here.  Jane doesn't complain about being driven to school in an armored limo, and Camilla is getting used to our minders.  It's hard to believe what all has changed since Christmas."
"Well, if there is anything else you think you need, just let me know," I said.  "Getting you settled and productive is a priority for me."
"There is one thing I'd like to ask," Bluey said after glancing at his watch.  We had about ten minutes before our meeting was to begin.
"What's that?"
"I'd like to poach Rayna Khalil from your finance team."
"Why?"
Bluey snorted.  "She's bloody sharp, is why.  With the flap going on on Astra, she ended up temporarily assigned here.  I didn't know her from Eve, but she started jumping into the middle of things and really getting us organized.  She's driven, smart, and has a great grasp on international monetary policy."
"What position are you thinking of using her in?"
"I'll start her off as my executive assistant.  I could see her running research or operations for us in a year or two," he said.
"If you want her, and she wants to work for you, I'll make it happen.  What do you have her doing now?"
"She's my temporary assistant.  This will just make it a permanent position.  Besides, she's going to be sitting in today already.  Maybe you can talk to her after the meeting."
I nodded.  We were meeting the consortium looking to build a high-speed train line from Tehran to Moscow, as Minister Khalil and I had discussed many years previously.  The Fusion Bank was providing the funding, as our first major international infrastructure project.
"I'm still not sure why you want to build landing facilities in Iran," Bluey said.
The consortium's plan was to build a rail link from Tehran south to the Persian Gulf port of Bushehr and north to first Baku, Azerbaijan, and then ultimately to Moscow.  Many of the interim cities along the route would receive regular service via high-speed freight trains.  The planning and political coordination for the effort had taken years to accomplish.
"They haven't ratified the Space Treaty.  If we build a landing facility there, we'll have an open port of entry for orbital goods with a solid rail link to the rest of Europe.  Once the line is connected to the Trans-Siberian railroad for shipments to the east, and the European rail system to the west.  This is going to open up a lot of the world to our goods."
"I guess you've looked at it," Bluey said.  "How many generators are going to be used to power this thing?"
"A lot," I said with a smile.  "And all that money will come right back here along with the consortium's loan repayments and interest."
We were interrupted by a knock on the door and soon were busy with greetings and introductions as the consortium members and the political representatives were ushered into the room and the meeting began.
Three hours later, our deal was done.  Most of the consortium left to celebrate the signing, but Minister Khalil stayed behind, pretending to catch up with his niece as the room cleared.  Finally, it was just the four of us.
"Paul, it is a great thing you have done today," he said with is broad smile.  "It is also another favor I am in debt to you for."
I smiled.  "Not at all, my friend.  You have repaid any perceived favors owed.  Especially, when you consider Rayna's efforts on your behalf."
Rayna looked slightly shocked.  "I've done nothing," she insisted.
I waved her concern away.  "You've proven the wisdom of your uncle many times, Rayna, and I have been happy for it.  I don't know what would have become of you in Iran if you had not joined us, but I know we would have been poorer for it.  In the few weeks you've been assisting Bluey, he has seen the same exemplary performance from you.  If you and your uncle had not proven the worth of your people, I doubt this deal would have been completed," I concluded.
Rayna, always a stylish but reserved young woman actually blushed at the praise.  "Thank you."
"No, thank you," I said.  "Are you finding your time here intersting?" I asked.
"Very," she said as she nodded.  
"Bluey would like you to transfer to the bank and stay on permanently.  Would you be interested in making your position here your full-time focus?"
She looked surprised again, but then nodded.  "I would, if you and Bluey think I could do a good job."
"Consider it done, then.  I'll get the paperwork sorted out next week.  Minister, you should feel free to continue bragging about your niece.  This job may not be in space, but it will have a much bigger impact on the world than anything she would have done up there."
*****
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Lila asked.
"No, but I have to agree that she has earned the opportunity," I said.  We were in my office, and Ali had just dropped off two packets and asked Lila and I to review them.  They were her applications for the Air Force Academy and Annapolis.  
"The application process opens next week.  You could take the weekend to review these," Lila suggested when I hesitated to open the files and start looking at them.
"It's not that," I said.  "I'm just wondering where the time has gone.  She just turned seventeen in January.  A year from now, she'll be getting ready to leave home, whether its to one of the academies, or to college.  It seems like just yesterday we were worried about a nanny and everything else going on in life."
Lila reached across my desk and patted my hand.  "I know it's hard.  Ian's going to be six this year.  Time goes so fast."
I sighed, and opened the first folder after handing her the second.  I knew Terry had gone through them both as well, but I wanted to make certain Ali had the best chance of chasing her dream.
It did not take long.  All of the required documents were in order and present.  I swapped folders with Lila, and saw the second application was just as complete.  Part of me wanted to find something missing, but it seemed that my little girl was growing up.
"Okay, I don't see anything missing," I finally said.  "Do you want to give them back to her?"
Lila nodded.  "I'll route them through Terry.  He may have thought of something else she should included.  After all, I was just a ROTC midshipman, he went to Colorado Springs."
"Thanks, Lila, for everything."
She smiled and left the office.
I glanced at my calendar, noticing I had time until my next meeting.  Time.  In one instant I had too much, and another I had not enough.  I toyed with the research I had done with John Perdew.  We knew the multiverse we existed in was fractal in nature and time was fractal as well.  Other universes had a different flow.  If only I could talk to my other selves and remind them how precious our fleeting moments were.  
I sighed.
I thought I had a method of broadcasting, but there was no receiver in those other worlds.
Or was there?

Chapter Sixty-Four
Houston….
*****
"Congressman, I don't understand the question," I said into the microphone at the table sitting before the House Science Subcommittee on Space.  
We had not been able to keep quiet the news of the incident on Astra, even though we have kept all the details as quiet as possible.  Just as we thought we had those concerns allayed, someone finally paid attention to the stories Billy had been seeding regarding the nugget and its journey to L-5.  A diligent reporter had managed to learn we had restarted our production line in Barcelona for the building of station assemblies.  Suddenly, the U.S.  Congress decided they did not have enough to do and wanted to stick their nose in my business.
"Mr.  Taylor, it is a simple question.  What would be the damage inflicted if your efforts to capture the asteroid termed 'the nugget' fail?" 
His new phrasing, without the two minutes of rambling speculation and spurious supposition was simple.  It was just flawed in its underlying assumptions.
"There would be no damage, Congressman," I answered.
"I find that hard to believe.  You stated that this asteroid massing over four million tons would not cause any damage if it were not captured after you altered its orbit to bring it closer to earth?"
Congressman Philips had been hounding me on the dangers of space and 'meddling' with the natural order of things for nearly thirty minutes.  I would not mind answering relevant questions, but their lack of understanding on science and engineering was wearing thin.
"Sir, if we fail to capture asteroid 1950 DA when it arrives at our L-5 target, it will continue in its present orbit for approximately six years and then we will attempt to capture it again.  After our initial capture efforts and orbital changes, its chance of intersecting the Earth's orbit dropped from a one in eight thousand chance to zero."
Congressman Philips sat back in his chair as the structure of his argument for more oversight was wiped away.  Several other members of the committee tried to conceal their grins.  I was glad I had some friendly faces looking back at me.
The chairman of the meeting asked the Congressman to yield the questioning.  Congressman Calvert, the chairman of the committee took the prerogative to ask questions.
"Mr.  Taylor, what resources do you anticipate mining from asteroid 1950 DA once you do capture it?"
I read off the prepared list of materials our cores and early analysis had indicated we would find.  I also reinforced that developing the techniques for processing the asteroid could take years to fully develop.
"So, sir, is it fair to say that you have undertaken a significant R&D effort betting against the future economic return on your investment?"
"Yes, sir."
He nodded.  "And what will be the impact on jobs here in the United States?"
"While it is too soon to have firm numbers, we expect that our materials processing plants and semi-conductor partnerships will gain significant numbers of jobs locally.  Additionally, it is my team's hope that the materials from our mining efforts will accelerate building on both the Moon and Mars as we continue to expand our outposts and operations there."
He nodded again.  "Economically, what is the benefit of mining an asteroid rather than mining the material here on earth and lifting it to either of your bases?"
"In the grand scheme of things, the economics are marginal, given the capital investment required to build the capability to process the asteroid.  However, I believe there is significant benefit to not mining those same materials within the biosphere of Earth.  We will not have to handle pollution from our mining or any hazardous by-products that may be generated as part of our processing.  Additionally, some of the elements we expect to capture in significant quantities are rare here on Earth and have only limited supplies."
Several members were nodding and appeared happy to get the conversation back on a positive track.
"Can you elaborate for the members what some of the uses of these materials are?"
"Yes, sir.  Most importantly, for my efforts, they are used extensively in the micro-magnetic controllers for fusion power generation.  They are also used to a lesser extend in the processors used for controlling the generators."
"And will having a greater supply of these materials allow you to increase production of generators?"  Congressman Calvert asked.
"Again, it is years before we will have access to this supply, but once we do, it will not necessarily let us build generators faster, but it will keep the price and pace of production steady for a longer time."
He looked at his watch and then looked at the other members of the committee.  "I believe the questions relating to the safety of operations regarding asteroid 1950 DA have been answered, which was the primary point of this investigative hearing.  Since I understand you have testimony scheduled with another committee on broader matters, I think we can close this session.  Do I have a motion?"
Ten minutes later, I was standing in the hallway as Katerina finished a call and a senate staffer fidgeted nearby.
Katerina ended her call and then joined me.  "Senator Hutchison would like to invite you to lunch," she said.  "She would like a briefing on some of the documents we provided prior to your testimony tomorrow."
The staffer stepped closer.  "Mr.  Taylor, I'm on Senator Hutchinson's staff and did the initial review of your materials.  I can take you to her offices."
I motioned him to lead on and fell in beside him.  "What types of questions do you have for us?" I asked, fully expecting him to deflect or dissemble.
"I'm mostly interested in the logistics chain you've used for building your heavy lifters, as well as Astra Station."
I was surprised, both by the straight forward answer, and the question itself.  "Why?  I asked.
"I'm interested in international law," he said as we stepped outside the Rayburn House Office Building and headed toward the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
"And?" I prompted.
"It seems to me that all of your orbital construction efforts have originated outside the United States, but your command and control systems are run from here, along with about half of your training."
"That's right.  What's the question?"  I asked.
"Under the Space Treaty, it seems like we might not have jurisdiction over your orbital operations.  At least that's how I see it.  The Senator is concerned you might be trying to avoid our proper oversight and the due diligence we have an obligation to perform from a chartering perspective."
Part of me wanted to groan.  Part of me wanted to smile.  Someone had finally looked at the big picture.  
"I wouldn't say I'm avoiding oversight, but I can't disagree that the U.S.  Senate and our government may lack jurisdiction to regulate activities that do not originate from U.S.  locations."
"But under the charter, there is an implied oversight role.  The language is a little ambiguous, but the intent seems to be that your operations are sanctioned by us.  The senator wants to understand if new legislation is required to close the gap."
That was a worry.  I was intentionally skirting the language of various treaties and laws.  I had hoped my time in Washington would be limited.  It looked like that might be wishful thinking, now.  
*****
"Are you done for the day?" Chrissy asked as she shaded her eyes from the bright sun just starting to descend toward the west.  
She was stretched out on a lounger, nude, enjoying the privacy of the house at the lab.  She was on a week break from her training for another trip to Mars now that the Astra incident had been fully resolved.  She had worked a little with Billy and Tom to provide some PR coverage on the re-opening of Astra but negotiated my agreement that she would get back to her 'real job' once those junkets were finished.  I had agreed, mostly to get out of having to do the press tour myself. 
I smiled down at her, wiggling my eyebrows at her.  "I'm done with work, but don't think I'm 'done' if you're going to lie out here like that."
She laughed and flipped her hair back out of the way as she rested her head once again.  "Well, I could probably use a little help with my sunscreen, if you're going to be that way," she said.
I pulled off my own polo shirt and grabbed a towel and the sunscreen from nearby.  I knelt at the foot of the lounger and started with her legs.  
"I wouldn't want you to burn and miss anything next week," I teased as I rubbed lotion into the tops of her feet and around her ankles before working up the fronts of her calves.  Next week was the Fourth of July and our annual shareholders meeting.  She didn't know it, but I was giving the six people who had helped re-network Astra a share each of the company.  I expected we would be allocating a quarter-million dollar per share dividend in the same meeting.
She parted her knees slightly as I worked lotion higher up her legs.
"And what do you expect me to do next week?" she asked with a wiggle of her hips and a smile.  "Something nasty?"  There was desire in her voice as I skirted around her pouting pussy lips and massaged her hips before moving to her side.
"Oh, I don't know," I teased as I squirted more lotion on my hands and began rubbing it into her arms.  "Maybe I'll ask you for a favor when we're in New York."  I had decided to just make the Penthouse our home for the week, since we always seemed to end up there regardless of other plans.  Jer was excited to be visiting some new galleries.  This time, he was actually taking a full portfolio with him.  
"What kind of favor?" she asked as I circled my hands on her stomach and then moved higher to gently massage her wonderful tits with lotion.  I took the opportunity to kiss each nipple to proud attention before rubbing lotion on them.
"Maybe it will be a sexual one," I said softly as I massaged lotion into the thin strip of hair before stroking along her engorged pussy lips.  She lifted and spread her knees to give me even greater access.
"That sounds like a good plan," she said as I flicked a finger across the top of her slit, stroking her clit.  She lifted her hips, trying for more contact, but I playfully slapped her thigh.
"Roll over, and I'll get your back," I commanded.
She did, stretching her arms above her head.  I went to work applying lotion, spending time tracing my fingers across her skin and then rubbing firmly into her muscled back and ass.  Once again, she spread her legs, letting me easily stroke from her pussy all the way up to the base of her spine.
"Have you ever tried anal?" she asked out of the blue after my fingers danced around her asshole.
I applied a little more lotion to a finger and slipped it between the smooth mounds of her ass before answering.  "I have.  Why?"
She shuddered as my finger played with her rosebud, pushing gently inward, but not actually penetrating her.
"I like the feeling of you playing back there.  I guess I'm just a little curious.  I'm not sure I want to try it, but I kind of wonder about it."
I pulled my fingers away and leaned down to kiss her shoulder.  "It can be hot and good, but it can also be painful and gross, if you aren't careful."
"Do you want to fuck my ass, Paul?" she asked.
"Do you want me to?"
She rolled on her side and pulled my face to hers for a kiss.  "Yes, but not today.  Right now, I just want you to fuck me here in the sun and come deep inside me."
I hurried to comply.  
The lounger was not the most comfortable bed to screw on, but it was better than the sandstone tile of the porch area.  Chrissy scooted down the chaise on her stomach and lifted her hips to make it easier for me.  I lined up and thrust, sinking deeply into her.  I grabbed her hips and started to thrust.
She looked back over her shoulder, smiled, and then dropped her head and began thrusting back against me.  All too soon, I felt myself starting the climb toward an orgasm.  I paused, wanting to savor the feelings and regain control of myself.  Chrissy did not want to stop and kept her thrusting.  
"Don't stop, I'm so close," she begged.  
I tried to resist but couldn't.  My motion resumed.  Luckily, my pause had been enough to give me a moment to recover control.  A minute later, Chrissy shuddered on my cock and stopped her thrusting.  This time, it was my turn to continue the motion.  Her clasping pussy increased its resistance to my thrusting, creating more friction, and the tight vise of her cunt pulled my own orgasm from me a few strokes later.
I plunged into her as far as I could, feeling my seed pump deeply into her.  After three strong spurts, she seemed to wake from her own feelings.  She slipped forward, turned, and then sucked my coated cock into her mouth.  Her tongue and suction kept me from softening completely.  She then flopped back on her back and spread her legs to show me the creamy mess seeping from her.
"That was a good start, but you said you weren't done working yet," she said mischievously.  I smiled and lined my dick up once more.
Later, as the sun actually approached the horizon, we laid on the chaise, with my arms wrapped around her.  We had made love three times, including the passionate fuck that had started it all.
"This feels wonderful," Chrissy said softly.  "I've really missed our alone time together, you know."
"Me too," I said.  "It seems like we are both too involved in separate projects."
"You need to change that," she said.
"Oh?  Do you want me to ground you?" I asked jokingly.
"Only if it's like Jyl got grounded," she replied.  
I was shocked.  Jyl had grounded herself for the last trimester of her pregnancy.  Chrissy and I had never talked about children, other than the two I already had.  I wasn't certain what to say.
"You know I love you," I temporized.
She patted my hand which was cupping her breast.  "I know you do.  I love you, too.  That's why I'm mentioning it.  I'm going to be twenty-six in the fall.  I should be back from Mars in the new year.  I think that's when we need to start making some plans," she said.
She turned in my arms to look me in the eye.  "I've been patient, and I haven't asked for much from you, Paul, but I love you and I want a little piece of you that will be just mine sometime soon.  Is that so much to ask?"
*****
Candace slid her notepad in front of me with a date circled.  I glanced at it and nodded.  We were before of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for the third time in as many months.  The first had been in April, following my testimony to the House committee.  That had stirred up some news and controversy when the politicians finally realized I had not ceded as much control to them as they thought in the SHARE Act and our associated charter for operations.
I had been back in June, following the inaugural launch of our fifth Orion spacecraft from Kenya.  This time, they had focused on the ongoing management and operations of our international flight control teams.  Fortunately, we had a spotless record interacting with the FAA and other parts of the national air traffic control infrastructure.  Delta had lauded us for the upgrades at the airports we operated from.  
Now, they were coming at me from an insurance angle, since their remit covered legislative oversight for insurance as well.  
While there were plenty of friendly faces on the committee, there were some trying to stir up opposition to my operations or support for their own legislative efforts.  The cat and mouse game of veiled accusations and mis-represented answers was wearing on my nerves.  It did not help that Chrissy was away training for her next trip to Mars or that I seemed to be spending too much time in Washington even when not testifying before Congress.
I forced myself to focus on the question.
"Senator," I said, "there are no actuarial tables for most of what we do in orbit and beyond.  Given that, it is imprudent to talk about insurance."
"But if there were some incident that landed here on Earth, and it was a flight that originated from the U.S.  we could have liability for it under the Space Liability Convention."  It was a fair point.
"The U.S.  government would only be liable for damages if I was not able to cover those damages, sir."  I said.
"But you just said you don't have insurance," he countered.
"I self-insure, sir."
He shook his head and pulled out a page of his notes.  "My staff has estimated that a catastrophic event on Astra could result in trillions of dollars in damages if major parts of the station landed on earth.  How can you self-insure for such a possibility?"
It always seemed to come back to money.  
"I maintain sufficient reserves in the Fusion Bank to offset and stand ready for such a possibility, sir."
"Trillions of dollars?" he asked skeptically.  "And you'll double that amount when you launch your second station, which we know you are preparing to do without seeking chartering approval?"
Here was where the date Candace had circled came into play.  We were on track to launch the hub and first eighteen spoke modules of the L-5 station in another month.
"I will maintain sufficient reserves for such a possibility, however, with our second station being located at Lagrange Point Five, the risk of an incident resulting in debris striking Earth is vanishingly small."
"But the risk is real for Astra, correct?"
"Our systems are designed to limit those sorts of possibilities," I countered.
"But you can't eliminate them all, can you?"
"No, sir," I admitted.
He sat back as if he had scored a major victory.  I was not certain it was much except a possible sound bite in the future.
"Christ, they seem to have an axe to grind," Candace said as we left the Dickerson Building where the hearing had been held.
"We need to get ahold of Lila," I said as Tamara hurried to catch up to us as we walked toward our car.
"Why?" Candace asked.
"Someone here has an agenda beyond votes.  Senator Blain was leading the questioning.  He's after something specific, but I don't know what."
"He seemed awful proud of his play regarding liability for Astra," Tamara said as we hustled into the car.
"We need some political operatives here.  I really want to know what in the hell is going on.  This should have been an easy year with Kelly in the White House and lots of jobs being created from our spin-offs and new capabilities."
Candace gave me a funny look.  "Blain is a Republican.  He is trying to position himself as a watchdog for your Democrat sister, who happens to be the President."
I shook my head.  "It seems like there is more at play than that."
Tamara handed me a phone. 
"What's up, Paul?" Lila asked.
"The team here in D.C., does it have any non-security operatives?" I asked.
"Maybe," she replied.  "I'd rather not discuss it over the phone.  How about I have Tiffany come by and talk to you?"  
Tiffany had been promoted a few times from my security detail and now ran the D.C.  office. 
"Do that.  Thanks, Lila."
I hung up and handed the phone back to Tamara.  I thought about options for a few minutes as we idled through the heavy afternoon traffic.
"Tamara, I've got a special job for you," I said several minutes later.
She opened her ever-present notebook.  "What's that, Paul?"
"I want you to go visit your husband."  Allen was up on Astra this week while we were supposed to be in Washington.  "I want you to pull Thomas in as well as Hunter.  We've got three weeks until we launch hub two.  I want us to see what it would take to dock hub two to the Astra Hub and move the whole station to L-5."
"What?" Candace and Tamara asked at the same time.
"Two wheels was a design we looked at early on but moved away from for the first station.  Having counter-rotating rims would eliminate some of the station-keeping required due to precession, but we did not think it was worth it for the first habitat.  If we took that approach, and moved the whole place to L-5, whatever Blain is angling for becomes meaningless."
"That seems like a pretty drastic action," Tamara said.
I shrugged.  "We're not committing to that path, but I want us to know our options.  I'll talk to Tiffany and we'll see what we can find out about Blain and his possible agenda before we decide, but we can't squander three weeks while we're waiting."
Tamara nodded.  "I'll get on it as soon as Katerina can get out here to take over for me."
It was Candace's turn to nod.  "We know better than to let you run around on your own," she quipped.  
*****
"I'd rather not have to move the whole mass at once," Michael, the commander of Astra, said.
"I agree," said Allen.
We were debating how we would relocate Astra to L-5 if we needed to. 
"Okay," I said.  "So, we proceed with assembly of the L-5 station out there and have an Orion fitted as a tug for Astra?"
Hunter nodded.  "That gives us the greatest margin of safety and also gives us a lot of mission and timing flexibility.  How soon are you thinking you want to move Astra?"
That was the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question.  If the politicians behaved, we did not need to move the station.  However, I suspected they would not behave.
"What if we just proved the capability by raising it to a higher orbit?" Tamara asked.
Everyone looked at her.  
"That's an interesting idea," I said.  "We're at about six hundred klicks right now.  How high could we go without upsetting traffic or radiation exposure?"
"The inner Van Allen belt starts about one thousand klicks," Michael replied.  "We'd have to check on orbital paths, but we should be able to raise our orbit by one or two hundred klicks."
"How long to map out the orbital path and verify these structural numbers?" I asked.
The plan they had come up with required an Orion to dock with the 'north' end of the hub, on the opposite side of most of the zero-g manufacturing areas we had built along the spine.  
"We can orient the station with the station keeping thrusters," Hunter said.  "Then we just need the Orion for thrust."  He was punching numbers into his computer.  "I'll want several eyes to validate the assumptions and calculations, but our initial estimate was a minimal thrust burn for about fifteen minutes to keep acceleration low enough to not be noticeable in the station."
"Home much advanced notice do we need before we move station?" I asked and looked at Sheryl.
She shook her head.  "Nothing in the contract specifies the orbital height we'll maintain, so you can move it to a higher orbit without telling our tenants.  Hilton is in the same boat.  You'll have to coordinate flight plans with the carriers coming up here, but Allen's team does that today."
"Okay.  Let's get a plan together to triple check all the calculations.  Tamara, I'll want you to work with Candace on whatever notices we have to provide the UN under the Registration Convention."
"What about the Senate?" Tamara asked.
"The station was not launched from the U.S.  and the Orion we'll use to move it wasn't either.  We don't have to tell them anything."
"Is that wise, given the current environment on the Hill?" Tamara asked.
I shrugged.  "I'm not sure I care."  
*****
I recognized the emissary from the Chinese embassy, even though I had only seen her once many years before in Hong Kong.  I stood up and moved to shake her extended hand as Tamara closed the door on my temporary office in Washington.  I was really growing to hate the town.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Mr.  Taylor," she said as she shook my hand.  "I don't believe we were ever formally introduced.  I am Yuan Yuhan."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yuan.  We met briefly in Hong Kong, correct?"
"Yes.  I was at the reception with Minister Chen.  I was his assistant then."
I smiled.  "And now you are with the embassy here in Washington?"
"Yes.  I was posted here last year."
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" I asked.  I was wary when it came to the Chinese lately, even if they were beautiful women.
She smiled.  "Straight to the point, as Minister Chen warned me.  I am here on behalf of my former boss.  He hoped that your prior working relationship would help bridge any misunderstandings that we may have."
Her phrase puzzled me.
"I'm sure Minister Chen could have just reached out to me and asked whatever is on his mind," I said.
She gave a slight shake of her head.  "That would not have been prudent, given his new role," she said.
"Oh?  I was not aware he had moved positions," I replied.
"Yes, about the time I received this assignment, he was promoted to oversee the Ministry of Railways.  While he still keeps an eye on the power needs of several provinces, including Hong Kong, he is primarily concerned with improving our internal transportation networks now."
I thought about that.  Moving from responsibilities just in Hong Kong to a much wider remit sounded like quite a promotion.  I said as much.
"Yes, it was a significant change for him, but he has settled in and is working at bringing change to this critical industry.  He has watched the work your companies did with Russia to upgrade the Trans-Siberian railway with envy.  He reached out to me when the new Persian Corridor railline was announced."
"And what, exactly, is Minister Chen looking for?" I asked.
"He only asked that I open a dialog with you.  It is our understanding that you are a significant partner with the organizations that built much of the rolling stock and right-of-way being used in Russia.  Minister Chen understands that fusion power gives us options to eliminate the diesel engines being used on many lines today.  At the same time, changing the rolling stock to more modern electric engines could improve the rate of transport throughout China.  Finally, if we adopt the same standard used elsewhere, it would be possible to tie into the Russian network and create a capability to ship from Asia to Europe in a cost-effective manner."
I nodded.  "Yes, that all makes sense.  However, other than introductions to the principals involved in that work, I'm not certain what I can do to help you."
She gave me a small smile.  
"You also have a new bank that has shown its interest in helping fund such vast infrastructure projects.  Minister Chen asked that I broach that topic for your consideration."
I sat back and thought about her statement.  Something did not seem quite right.  Then I realized Minister Chen did not want to discuss financing over the phone.  That would be the only reason for a personal outreach.  But what did that imply?
"We have only done a single agreement in this space, so far," I said while thinking furiously.  "And that agreement took years to lay the groundwork for it.  Is Minister Chen willing to take such a long view to upgrading your railways?"
Yuan tipped her head, but it was not a full nod.  "Minister Chen believes that the preliminary work can be begun, and that discussions regarding surety of funds can be had if both parties decide to move forward."
She paused for a moment, licked her lips, and then continued.  "The Minister feels that you would want to ensure stability and security of any financing agreement and understands you may have hesitations in that regard.  He believes he can help address those concerns in the short term as a working relationship is established."
I was certain Kelly or even Candace would be able to parse that non-promise better than I could.  It sounded like he was offering...intelligence.
"I would welcome such discussions," I said.  "Would you help facilitate those?"
She nodded.  "While I have certain obligations in Washington, I can travel as needed to represent Minister Chen in this regard."  
*****
"I don't like it," Lila said.  "They got caught with whatever they were trying on Astra, even if we can't prove it, and now they want to establish a back-door agreement to talk to you?  It seems fishy."
"But only if we assume there aren't two or more factions in the mix," I countered.
"Paul, just because you want something to be true, doesn't make it so.  If I can't talk you out of meeting with her again, you have to agree to go slowly.  They need to re-earn even the smallest ounce of trust with some real intelligence."
I nodded.  "I don't disagree.  It took us five years to hammer out a deal with Minister Khalil for the Persian Corridor project.  We'll have time to work through this, too."
"But we already know they are playing a long game, Paul.  Five years might be perfect timing for whatever they have in mind.  That's what I'm trying to say."
I ran my hands through my hair.  It had been a long day.  "Look, I hear what you're saying, but right now we have zero information on their intent.  Working to get anything solid is in our best interest.  We'll do just like you've warned me, and only trust what is verifiable, but nobody in our government is getting any solid data either.  We need to develop something."
Lila sighed.  "I know it's just frustratingly slow but rushing ahead could get us in more trouble.  If we don't double check everything, we could get surprised.  I mean, Christ, who would have considered compromising a chip-set production run to plant a future capability.  We're going to have to practice being more paranoid for the foreseeable future."
I paused and took a sip of coffee.  It seemed that some bad habits from my past were creeping up on me.  Caffeine this late in the day was a sure sign I needed a break.  Lila seemed to think the same thing as she eyed my coffee mug.
"You miss having a project to take your mind off things, don't you?" she asked.
"What do you mean?  I've got plenty to do."
She shook her head.  "You used to dive into the science and engineering aspects of a project.  Now you're stuck playing business man and politician.  You need to take a break and focus on some of the things you get joy from.  You're getting almost as tense as you were around the moon landing.  Where's Chrissy at this week?"
I snorted.  "Are you saying I need to get laid?"
Lila gave me an arched eyebrow, as if to say, "if the shoe fits".
"Chrissy is at Aristarchus.  They're casting a test structure up there.  The pressures are obviously different, but they decided if the structure holds in a full vacuum, it will also handle the partial pressures on Mars.  Besides, Meagan wants her own farm up there as well."
"When does she come home?"
"When they're done.  You know they need to test things out before finalizing the load-out for the next Mars building team launch."
"Which means she'll come home for a few days, you'll be worrying over the L-5 hub launch and all of this congressional bullshit, and then she'll be finalizing preps to go back to Mars.  You run the entire company, Paul, take some time and be selfish so your girlfriend can enjoy a little R&R with you."
"What have we found out about Blain?" I asked to change the topic.  It wasn't that she was wrong, but I wasn't about to be that selfish with regard to Chrissy's drive and dreams.  Of course, the comment about grounding her was still something I had not sorted out in my own mind.
"Nothing yet.  It hasn't been a month yet.  It takes time.  Now, stop dodging the question and tell me how you're going to take a break."
"Fine!  Chrissy has a show and shoot in Milan at the end of the month.  We'll go to Kenya for the hub launch and then up to Italy for her show.  I'll take a week off after that, Okay?"
Lila cracked a small smile.  "It will be okay if you actually do it.  Until then, I'm going to hold you to that promise to take a break."  
*****
Walking around the GOT-Prime Heavy always imparted a sense of smallness in me.  The modified VTOL design Hunter and I had helped come up with years ago had a simple premise; use a full sized, unthrottled engine to fling a stunning mass into orbit.  All of the Astra modules had been delivered via the automated system.  We were repeating that process now for the L-5 station.  Eighteen, fifty-meter-long spoke modules were bundled around the shorter hub modules on the eighty-meter hexagonal base platform.  An aerodynamic cowling covered the mass to reduce drag for the atmospheric portion of the trip.  The platform was supported by six sturdy landing legs that held it five meters off the ground to provide room for the first-generation fusion engine that powered the beast.  
Even fully loaded, as this launch was, it would rocket skyward at nearly nine gees.  I had only watched launches from the control room in the past.  This trip, I would be in the newly constructed outside viewing stands at our Kenya base.  For the first time, we were making this a political event.  Billy was herding the press around the base while Tom Harding had two film crews working to broadcast live feeds.  Chrissy and I were playing host and hostess to various politicians from around the world.  
"How many of these launchers do you have?" Senator McCain asked.  He was hear on a 'fact finding' mission as part of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
"Just one, Senator," I answered.  "Our production line for the modules is the bottle-neck in building the station.  "Each of our production lines in Barcelona can turn out a station module in ten days.  It takes us about a week to pass QA on the module and then another week to ship it down here for loading, which takes about another week."
"So, a month from start of production to ready to launch?" he asked.
"That's right," I said.
"And how many production lines are building your modules?" Vice President Kerry asked.  Once the Senate committee had decided to come watch, Kelly had sent her VP  to ensure 'the optics' were right in the press.
"We've got four lines running in parallel with a fifth line working on special modules like the hub and some of the future spine facilities.  This lift represents about ten percent of the total station volume in terms of modules."
"So, you're looking at nearly five years to build your new station at that rate."
I nodded.  For some reason I didn't feel the need to mention the three additional lines we were setting up, or the modules we had already built and stock-piled.  Our goal was to be fully assembled in two years.  The station would actually be operational before then, with Thomas's mining teams working in zero-gee as they started figuring out the best methods of extracting material from the asteroid that Katiana's crew had maneuvered into its new orbit at L-5.
"So, you don't use the Orions for station construction?" Senator McCain asked.
"That depends on what you mean," Chrissy said as she came up and took my arm.  "The Orions are for people.  This lifter is for material.  Once it is in the proper orbit, we can drop the load and let the lifter come back here.  Crews in the Orions will manage the initial assembly on orbit of the hub, and this set of arm spokes.  Once they are assembled and checked out, the station build crew will move into this part of the station and use it as a base for the remainder of the build-out."
"What's it like to live on an Orion for three months?" Vice President Kerry asked.
Chrissy had taken them on a tour of Orion-six, our newest ship, earlier in the day.  They had been fascinated with her tales of going to Mars.
"It's no worse than what Navy crews here on earth put up with," she said, knowing both men had served in the Navy.  "With the Orions, you have enough room for a lot of different mission profiles.  They're very versatile."
"Ah-ooh-ga!  Ah-ooh-ga!" sounded over the base loud speakers to grab everyone's attention.
"Attention, all base personnel and guests.  We are at T-minus ninety minutes from launch.  Please clear the field.  All base personnel report when on station."
Chrissy and I herded the politicians onto the large electric bus we had shipped in for the VIP tour.  I watched members of the security team move out in pairs to perform the final sweep from around the lifter.  One pair came onto the bus and counted all the riders.  I knew they actually had small scanners to track that not only were the expected number of guests aboard, but that their guests' badges matched the faces of the riders.  Once all members of the party were accounted for, they stepped off the bus and we headed back to the observation stands.
"You take security seriously," Senator McCain said from the seat behind me.  
"We do," I replied.  "This is the first launch we've allowed this many visitors on the base for.  Usually people watch from the edge of the base.  The locals like to set up a camp there and sell food and souvenirs.  We have quite a few tourists that stop by when we're making a scheduled launch."
"How much closer will we be?" he asked.
I smiled.  "We built the observation stands near the control tower.  We'll be about a mile and a half from the launch, which is about three times closer than the edge of the base.  It's going to be close enough that we'll insist everyone have on ear and eye protection."
He smiled.  "Kind of like sitting next to the catapult on a carrier, I guess."
Chrissy continued her charm offensive as we debarked the bus into a covered pavilion for refreshments before guiding everyone to the viewing stands.  I was happy to see Minister Khalil chatting with both Senator McCain and Vice President Kerry during the interlude.  I spent a few minutes checking in with the control bunker before joining the guests in the stands as the countdown continued.
I let Chrissy carry on the chit-chat as the launch clock wound down.  Finally, we were close.  We all donned sunglasses and ear protectors at the two-minute warning.  I lifted a pair of small binoculars to my eyes and focused on the lifter.
"T minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five," came over the PA system.  "Four, three, two, one--" Light flared under the orbiter-- "Zero."  The massive launcher shuddered as flame and steam surged out from the edge of the base platform.  "Lift-off!"  The sound of the massive engine washed over us a second later as the vehicle leapt into the air and we  felt the rumble of its power vibrate the stands.  
Chrissy grabbed my arm and grinned at me.  The noise was too loud to speak over, but she mouthed the words "I love you" as she turned back to watch the launcher rapidly ascend.  
The noise diminished rapidly, but everyone in the stands remained silent as we watched the lifter recede leaving a twisting tail of cloud behind it.
"My God," John McCain said once he saw me pull off my ear protectors.  "That was incredible."
Vice President Kerry was nodding, and Minister Khalil had a grin to match Chrissy's.  We barely made it out of the stands before the next announcement came over the P.A.  "GOT-Prime Heavy engine cut-off confirmed.  The ship is in orbit at six hundred and two kilometers.  All systems are green." 
There was a ragged cheer in the crowd, and I motioned the waiters to bring out the champagne.  The launch was a success, now it was time to turn on the politics."  
*****
"We will be at the cross-roads of the world," Minister Khalil was saying to the U.S.  representatives.  The Russian and German contingents were listening politely.  "When we open the Persian Corridor railway, we will be able to bring materials from Astra to Moscow in less than three days, in bulk.  They will be a day or two away from Germany as well.  Who knows what wonders the largest manufacturers of Europe will produce with Paul's incredible materials?  Some of those goods will flow back to us along the reverse route.  You all saw the power of that launcher," he motioned toward the field outside the pavilion.  "The Orions are less powerful, but still, they are not going to be welcome at an airport.  The goods will flow on traditional routes, and our joint venture with Russia's railway system will be critical to that flow of goods.  Transportation will become the new oil for the world's economies."
I saw several of the European observer's nod.  Khalil was only saying what they were already thinking.  The U.S.  contingent did not look as pleased.  It was dawning on them that they could be left out of this flow of goods too easily.
"But most of Paul's revenue in orbit currently comes from leasing space and tourism," Vice President Kerry said.  "Transportation in that regard is coming from the GOT's that can access any airport."
Minister Khalil waved away their concern.  "Moving people, you can have," he said with a shrug.  "Regular folk will ride our train, but it will be paid for by heavy goods.  Where will the next generation of CRP materials be cast?  In orbit, of course.  They are already doing amazing things in their labs up there.  Once they begin mining that asteroid, it won't be people being shipped down and riding our railway, it will be minerals and other things that are going to require transport.  We will be ready when that flow begins."
One of the Russian politicians nodded.  I could not remember his name, but knew he was one of the men responsible for upgrading the Trans-Siberian right of way.  "Moscow will easily switch goods from the Persian lines to either Europe or the Far East.  We are already seeing trips from Moscow to Vladivostok averaging less than two weeks."  He looked at the Vice President and smiled.  "While you were holding hearings, we were building.  Our rail line and power grid are already paying dividends to Mother Russia.  This new effort, will only continue to grow our economy."
"Look at all of the jobs being created in Europe," Minister Warnke from Germany said.  Since first meeting him after unveiling the fusion generators to the world, he had moved from his role in Germany to being one of Germany's permanent representatives to the EU administration.  "Barcelona is really only the main assembly plant for these station modules.  Parts and sub-assemblies are built in seven different E.U.  nations.  We estimate nearly fifty-thousand jobs have been created here on Earth as Paul moves mankind into space.  How many jobs do you have off-planet, Paul?"  he asked, dragging me back into the conversation.
"Less than three hundred," I said.
"So, more than one hundred and fifty to one," The minister said.  "America seems to worry about the one, I'd much rather have the one hundred and fifty."
Heads nodded around the space.
I was happy my guests had made the point I wanted them too.  It was obvious they would be happy to continue gaining economic advantage if the US decided to try and pressure or control my operations.  Senator Blain was not part of the dog-and-pony show I was paying for, but I knew he would hear my message loud and clear.  
*****
"Are you in vacation mode yet?" Lila asked as I answered my phone.  
"I'm half-way there," I replied as I took a sip of my coffee and glanced out into the glass covered arcade of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.  Chrissy's fashion shoot had started in the plaza in front of the Milano Cathedral and then moved inside as the day got warmer.  The glass-vaulted arcades were busy with shoppers, tourists, and members of the photo shoot's supporting cast.  After having too many pictures taken of myself, Tamara and I had managed to sit in one of the restaurants to get some lunch followed by an espresso.  Chrissy had given my bowl of pasta an envious look and then scowled in my direction as she walked over to her changing area for a new outfit.
"Well, if you are only half-way there, then I can tell you some business news," Lila said.  "We saw a certain senator visiting with some folks from the Chinese embassy yesterday."
"Oh?  Was it Yuan?" I asked.
"No, it was with two of their relatively junior attaches.  One is listed as an assistant to the Chief of Economic and Commercial Affairs.  The other works in the science and technology section.  I've got a team digging a little deeper on both attaches and am upping the effort to get some inside information from the Senator's staff."
"Use cash," I said half-jokingly. 
"I doubt we'll need to do that, but I might dangle a few job openings out there.  Most of his staff do not seem to like the Senator."
"That's good for us.  How patient do I need to be?"
"This is our first break.  By the time you finish your vacation, we might have some other information.  I just wanted you to know we finally learned something about him that might be motivating his positioning."
"How did he react to the launch?" I asked.
"His office issued a statement about your 'flagrant disregard' for the charter, but it was pretty much ignored once McCain issued his policy statement."
I had been surprised how quickly John McCain's staff had circulated a paper amongst the committee listing the benefits the EU was gaining as a result of a more liberal association with our space efforts.  After the fact, Billy had admitted to ghost writing a large part of the paper.  She had evidently hit it off with one of his staffers in Kenya.
"Okay.  I'll only be half-off for the next couple of days, so if anything does break loose, let me know."
"Enjoy Italy, Paul," Lila said before ending the call.
Tamara looked a question at me, but I waved her off as Chrissy came close to the railing we sat by.
"You could look like you at least want to feed your poor, starving girlfriend as she sweats and toils," she said with a smile.
I laughed.  "When I see her sweating and toiling, I'll consider it."
"You're just being mean, since I asked you to come out for the shoot, aren't you?"
I shook my head.  "I've actually enjoyed just relaxing a little while you do all the work."
"Don't you feel the least bit guilty about that?" she asked.  There was a sincere tone in her voice now.
"I suppose I do, but only a little," I replied.
"Good.  Then you can go with Carmen and put on a suit.  They want to take some pictures of us together," she said with a grin.  
Carmen, the assistant fashion editor over-seeing the shoot tapped me on the shoulder.  Tamara laughed at me.
"Shit, I walked into that one, didn't I?"
"Don't worry, boss.  I'll check the pictures out before you sign the release," Tamara teased.
"He is a celebrity.  I don't think we need a release," Carmen said in a lilting accent.
I knew I was beaten and stood to go get a suit on.  At least the tailor they had on hand to nip and tuck the suit was efficient.  Less than thirty minutes later, Chrissy was strolling next to me in a fashionable aqua dress that reminded me of something from the twenties, a bodice covered with long strands of fabric and weighted with a small bead.  It shimmered and shifted with every movement and made for a fascinating contrast with her even tan and blonde hair.  
The tourists took notice of us as we walked the length of the arcade, pausing for the photographer in front of the Louis Vuitton store.  I tried to keep a pleasant look on my face while Chrissy beamed.  At one point, she leaned in and gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek.  The buzz of the camera shutters clicking in the crowd let her whisper in my ear.
"I'm naked under this dress, and can't wait to fuck you silly," she said softly.
I grinned and the sound of snaps increased.
"Perfect," Carmen said.  "Whatever you said to get that look was perfect, Chrissy.  Now let's get the blue dress on and change Paul's tie," she said.  
I tried to follow Chrissy to her changing area, but she laughed and peeled away from me as Carmen took my other hand.
After three more outfit changes, we were done.  Tamara was waiting with the car and driver for us and we soon were headed out of the bustling old city toward our hotel on the edge of the fashion district.  We had a couple of hours before we needed to attend a reception Roberto Cavalli was hosting.
Chrissy practically dragged me straight into the bedroom as she peeled off her dress and then attacked the shirt I had on.  She kissed me hard and pressed her bosom against my bare chest.  Her tongue battled mine and I reveled in the feel of her skin as my fingers traced down her spine and then cupped her delicious derriere.
She wasted no more time on foreplay.  She undid my pants and shoved them down before lifting her leg and wrapping it around my thighs as she reached and lined me up to fuck into her.
"I told you what I wanted," she said huskily.  "Now fuck me silly, please."
I obliged her, kicking my feet free of my pants while lifting her up and settling her fully on my stiff prick.  I moved toward the doorway to the bathroom and pushed her back against the wall to give me more support as she rode my cock.  We kissed passionately as I pushed in and out of her.  She clawed my back and writhed in my arms.  Much sooner than I expected, she was cumming.
I held her against the wall, paused my thrusting, and watched her shudder as her eyes clenched shut.  A moment later, she relaxed and slumped against me.  Even though I was still hard, I bent my knees and let her slip down to put her feet back on the ground.  She kissed me again, and then slid down my body until she captured my cock between her sweaty breasts.
"Do you want to titty-fuck me or would you rather I just suck you clean?" she asked as she stared up at me.
"Your pleasure," I managed to say as I drank in her blue eyes and smile.
She bobbed her head down and captured me in her lips before plunging my dick to the opening of her throat.  She sucked me gently and cupped my balls.  I was already close from our vigorous vertical fucking, and her tongue made short work of me as she rolled my balls in her hand.  In a moment, I was spurting into her.
She caught all of my spend, and then gave me a long, slow sucking withdrawal from her pouty lips.  "Thank you," she said with a genuine smile.  "That was just what I needed," she added as she stood up and gave me a kiss.  I hugged her tightly and then followed her into the bathroom.  We showered together, taking our time ensuring each other was clean.  By the time we finished, we just had time to get dressed and head back out for the reception.  
Chrissy stayed glued to my side, whispering naughty thoughts in my ear anytime I started to get bored.  I realized she had some sixth sense, or I had some mannerism, that indicated I was turning off.  Toward the end of the evening, she leaned in and nibbled on my ear for a moment.
"Are you going to screw me silly again when we get back to the hotel tonight?" she asked playfully.
"I just might, if you don't keep me here too long," I replied.
She smiled.  "I guess we should say our good-byes then."
The next day she was up early, packed, and off to the runway show she was walking in.  I got to relax at the hotel.  I had passes for the show, and had promised to attend to support Chrissy, but wanted to take care of a few errands while I was alone.  Of course, alone was relative.  
Tamara could hardly contain her grin when we stepped into a jewelry store near the Domo.  Her eyes got even bigger when I stopped at two more jewelry houses on the way to our lunch appointment.  
"Don't say a word," I cautioned.  "I'm only considering it, not buying anything immediately."
She smirked but nodded.  "My lips are sealed, I promise," she said.  "Of course, if you need any advice, I'm here for you, boss."
I laughed.  "It's not my first rodeo, you know?"  
Our time in Milan passed quickly with Chrissy doing a total of two photo shoots and three runway shows.  By the time she was finished, we were all ready to head south into the Tuscan countryside.  We had to detour past the airport to pick up Jer who was joining us for the weekend, and then were driven south to San Gimignano where I had rented one of the historic towers that had been converted into a historic residence.  
"Ali is going to flip that she missed this," Jer said as we all sat on the panoramic terrace at the top of the forty-meter tower and took in the sunset over the magnificent hills.
I shrugged and squeezed Chrissy's hand.  "She was offered the chance.  She didn't want to miss her cross country meet," I said.  Even as I spoke, Jer was settling in with his sketchbook, and I knew he was not even listening.  Chrissy just smiled and shook her head.
"It's nice to be able to relax in such a beautiful setting," she said.
"You've been going hard," I replied.  "It seems like forever since we had a break together."
"It's that slave driver boss of mine," she said with a grin.  "Of course, since I'm now a part owner, I guess I can only blame myself."
"Hey, everyone that helped get Astra re-wired deserved what we voted to give them.  I can't tell you how important it was to me to know that job was done by people I could trust."
Chrissy beamed and squeezed my hand again.
Our weekend with Jer was nice.  The following week, alone in a more traditional countryside farmhouse, Chrissy and I just relaxed.  We would still exercise together in the morning, usually jogging along the winding roads lacing the rolling countryside.  Then we would have a relaxing sauna or bath before lunch.  We had massages and day trips into Florence, doing whatever struck our fancy.  Dinner was cooked in the massive hearth kitchen and eaten al fresco on the patio with a bottle of local wine.  Occasionally we would venture out to a local restaurant.  It was idyllic and relaxing.
Chrissy sighed as we laid together in bed after making love on our last night together.
"What's the sigh for, love?" I asked.
"I'm going to miss this.  It's been such a great week off.  I just started thinking about heading back to work tomorrow.  I'll be off to Learmonth and you'll be in Park City or God knows where.  We're probably not going to have a night alone again until Thanksgiving, and then I'll be off to Mars again for two months.  It just kind of sucks," she concluded.
"I could ground you," I teased.
"Not yet," she replied after a moment.  "But soon.  Once the farm is built on Mars, I think I'll be ready to stay here for a while."
"Here, or on Earth?"
She rose up on an elbow and looked at me.  "Wherever you are, silly.  Is that alright?"
"That sounds excellent, ma'am," I replied. 
In my heart, I knew I meant it as well.  
*****
Two months later, I wished Chrissy were with me, whispering naughty distractions in my ear.  Jer had finally decided to accept an offer for a small show at an exclusive gallery in New York.  We had flown out two weekends in a row.  The first weekend he had spent time with the gallery owner and manager deciding which of his pieces to display and where they should be placed and how they should be presented.  I had tried to be supportive but found myself spending more time on the phone than doing anything substantive.  
On the second weekend, we had left on Friday afternoon to allow a final dinner with the owner and some prospective buyers.  It was nearly midnight by the time we got back to the penthouse.  The next morning started early as Jer had to make sure everything was perfect for his showing.  I left him to it, opting to send Jody and a security detail with him while I handled some calls.  The day had turned into a mini-crisis management session when it was reported that we had some possibly compromised environmental control sensors in the parts for the L-5 rim modules.
I was already tired by the time we had to go join Jer at the gallery.  Now, I tried to stay in the background as the rich and pretentious tried to strike up conversations with me when the focus was supposed to be on Jer and his art.
"You must be very proud of him," a middle aged, but attractive woman said as she tipped her champagne flute in Jer's direction.
"I am.  He is very talented, but I suppose all parents think that," I admitted.
She gave me a smile.  "In this case, I suspect it is more than justified."  She shifted her glass to her other hand and extended her now empty hand to me.  "I'm Agatha Sandsbury.  I'm an art critic with the Times."
I shook her hand and smiled.  "It's a pleasure to meet you.  So, you think Jer is good, too?"
She nodded.  "I'll have a review of this showing out tomorrow, but I have to say his work is incredible, regardless of his age.  His use of color and capturing light is incredible.  You usually don't see such refined technique in such a young artist.  Of course, it's not just technique.  His impressionistic approach to a scene is stunning.  He creates a moving narrative with minimal effort."
I smiled again.  "I will have to take your word for it," I admitted.  "I've learned some as he has grown up and taught me about art, but I fear I'm a bit of a philistine."
She laughed.  "I doubt that, some how."
We continued discussing art and some of Jer's pieces.  Agatha deftly led me from piece to piece.  
"I know you don't need to worry about money," she said at one point, "but have you noticed the small blue dots next to each plaque?  Those have all sold.  Your son just shy of sixteen has just sold out his first show.  If that doesn't convince you that he has talent, I don't know what will.  And despite that, we're all still making second and third passes to make sure we've seen everything.  Your son is a new rising star, Mr.  Taylor.  You should be proud of him."
I was surprised by her observation.  I had not paid enough attention.  I glanced around the room and saw she was correct.  One of the small blue dots was present on every piece.  I looked around again and saw Jer standing with a small crowd of much older folks, talking animatedly.  
"I guess I should go congratulate him," I finally managed to say.  
Agatha gave me an encouraging smile.  I was half-way to Jer when my phone rang.
I pulled it out by habit.  "This is Paul," I said, pausing my walk toward Jer.
"Paul, it's Allen.  We have a problem."  

Chapter Sixty-Five
…We have a Problem
*****
"Paul, it's Allen.  We have a problem."
My blood chilled.  The fact it was Allen calling and not a watch officer told me it was serious.
"Talk to me," I said as I turned away from Jer and headed toward a quiet corner of the gallery.
"Mars-One performed it's mid-flight turn over and cannot re-start engines.  No immediate danger, but we've got a problem."
I tried to think through the failure modes of the engines on an Orion.  
"Connectivity checks are good?" I asked.  It was the first troubleshooting action for something affecting all of the engines.
"All of our troubleshooting checks look good, but commands from the central control cores to the engines don't seem to go down the wires.  We've been working the checklists for nearly an hour," he said.
"Okay.  Is Terry in ops?" I asked.
"He's on his way.  He was enroute home from Learmonth when the incident occurred."
"Call me back once he is there.  I'm at a thing with Jer but will head out ASAP.  Where are the other Orions?"
"Mars-Two is in Kenya, prepping for the building mission on Mars.  Orion-three is at Aristarchus on a supply run.  Orion-four is docked at Astra.  Five and Six are at Kenya for loading the L-5 build-out crew."
"Ground them all until we know what's going on.  Get Lila's team tracing the supply chain for the networking gear we used on the Orions.  Have we checked local control on the engines?" I asked.
"Negative local control, but all the engine check diagnostics pass.  The crew is a little stymied.  Wait one while I get no-fly orders to the other Orions."
I gave him a minute as he talked to someone near him or on another line.
"Okay, the Orions are grounded," he said as he came back on the line.
"What else is flying?" I asked.
"Only GOTs from Qantas and Delta, plus yours in New York," he said.
"Issue a notice to report any engine concerns.  We have totally different engines in the GOTs, so we should be safe.  Get our engineering team in and ready for some long shifts to try and isolate and remediate.  Is there an OTV at Astra?" I asked.
"Affirmative.  Selene is docked at Astra, why?"
"It's got an older control configuration.  If Mars-One's engines are working and it's a control problem, we might have to deliver new gear to them, and I don't want to use an Orion if we aren't one hundred percent certain we've resolved the issue.  Freeze Selene at Astra until we know what we're dealing with and have the flight control group start developing a thrust profile for rendezvous with Mars-One."
"I'm on it," Allen replied.
"Okay.  Let me take care of Jer, here, and then I'll get on my way.  Where will the engineering team be staffing up?"
"Dublin.  Most of the design for the Orion control systems was done over there."
"Okay.  You stay on top of things in Park City, get Terry in there as well, and I'll take charge in Dublin.  Anyone else we need to alert right now?"
"No, but we probably need to be ready to talk to NASA in the morning, if we don't have things resolved."
"Agreed.  I'll call as soon as I'm on the GOT for any updates."
I ended the call and turned to spot Jer again.  Agatha was standing nearby, listening to him discuss his work with a buyer and the gallery owner.  I wanted to give him time to revel in his success but had to get moving.  I walked over.
"Jer," I said at a slight pause in the conversation.  "I've had something come up that Allen needs me for."  I did not need to say there was a problem in orbit, Jer knew Allen's role.  His face fell a little, but he nodded stoically.  It was sad to realize he assumed I was prioritizing my work over his.  
"Can you ride back with security when you're done?" I asked, wanting to give him all the time he needed.
His face brightened a little.  "Sure, Dad."
"Okay.  It was a pleasure meeting you all," I said to the small cluster of people nearby.  "I wish I could have joined the conversations for a bit longer."
I extracted myself quickly after that, pulling on my coat and stepping outside to the cool autumn night.  I hopped in our car, and told the chase car to stay and wait for Jer.
"We'll call for another backup vehicle," tonight's security said.
"Send it to the gallery," I instructed.  "We're heading to Teterboro.  Call ahead and have the GOT prepared for a hop to Dublin."
We beat the co-pilot to the airport, so I decided to sit in the right-hand seat and not delay further.  Forty minutes after leaving the gallery, we were taxing for takeoff.  Forty minutes after that, we were landed in Ireland.
*****
"Un-fucking believable," Hunter muttered over the video conference link.  
He was still in Park City operations with Allen and Terry and the ops team while I was in Dublin with the systems control engineering team.  Both sites, as well as the crew in Learmonth, had been reviewing systems and software for nearly twelve hours straight.  Even the Mars-Two crew in Kenya had been involved performing software dumps on the systems there.  After over twenty man-days of effort crammed into twelve hours, we thought we had found root cause.
I rubbed my eyes, having no words better than Hunter's disbelief.   
"How is this possible?" Lila asked from beside him.
"It doesn't matter for the short-term," I replied.  "The control software has been tampered with, as well as the engine ignition parameters.  We need to focus on how to rectify this and get Mars-One back on the ground, safely."
"We practice software dumps and reloads as one of the emergency scenarios," Terry said.  "Can't we transmit the code up to them and let the crew have at it?"
I shook my head.  "I wish it were that simple.  We could if the problem was isolated to the main computer core, but it is more like half a virus there, with the other half in the engine controllers.  Those were designed as sealed systems," I added.
Hunter was nodding.  "We would need to shut down all the software in the core, break the comms linkages, shut-down the controllers on the engines, update both systems, reboot them independently, and then re-enable control handshakes.  It's going to be more than the crew can handle alone, especially the engine reloads and reboots."
"The engine reload will actually have to be a ROM swap out," I added.  "That's EVA work."
Allen was nodding on camera.  "The crew could handle the EVA portion, but not everything else as well.  We've only got three souls onboard coming back from Mars."
Mars-One had departed with a full complement, but only Todd Walton and Joel Lamb, the pilot and engineer on the outbound leg, were returning.  Bryce Tilden, one of our documentarians was also coming back as a supercargo on this leg.
"We need to go help them," Terry said.  "We can perform all the changes on Orion-Six in Kenya as practice and then take off to rendezvous and fix Mars-One."
"We're not time critical," I said.  "We'll perform the fixes on the Orions in Kenya, using them to practice, and then go help Mars-One.  How long to get clear ROMs for the engines?" I asked the team around me in Dublin.
"The code is straight forward," one engineer said.  "We just need to make sure it is only the designed instruction set burned onto the ROM.  We can burn them, dump them, and perform a full audit in a couple of days."
"Okay," I said.  "How about the control system software?  How long to take this crap out and clean it up?" I asked as I waved my hand at the offensive subroutines, we had isolated in the systems.
"Three days, but then we have to test the shit out of it," a different engineer said.  "I also want to audit the code for anything else that might try to connect to the internal comms busses.  That looks like how they propagated across the three command nodes."
We had designed the system for redundancy and correctness, taking a note from the shuttle flight systems.  The three command nodes all had redundant code bases, each performing the same function, but coded by different teams.  For all critical activities, two of the three nodes had to agree that the commands being issued were correct.  That control code had been subverted from one node with the offensive code then propagated to the other two nodes, so they were in synch on issuing engine commands.  The only command that currently synced was a null-start command, which invoked some of the security features on the engine controllers.  As a result, the engines might get a signal to initiate a start, but when they checked with the control systems to verify, all three nodes told them to not start.
"Let's get started on both tasks.  Terry and Hunter, can you start writing out the procedures and checklists we're going to need for the shutdown, changeout, reboots, and system verification?"
"We're on it," Hunter replied.
"Lila," I said.  "We're going to need your team tracking how this was done.  We've now had three instances of hardware attacks that show a pretty high level of sophistication.  I want our case laid out for the government.  If they won't do something this time, I want some options of our own."
"I've got a response team in Dublin, down on the first floor.  I'll get them on it and then hop a flight over.  Some of this, we need to talk about face to face."
I nodded.
"Allen, have the teams in Kenya and Learmonth go off-duty to get some rest.  We'll run the training for the crew through those two sites while your team provides oversight.  What am I missing, folks?"
"News and PR?" Tamara asked.
I nodded.  "Get Billy and Thomas on it.  We need to take a little more aggressive stance on this.  Two attacks within a year.  I want everyone wondering who is doing it.  Lila, send them the reports on the Astra incident so we can start shaping the narrative.  Anything else?"
Lila started at me out of the screen.  "Paul, you need to get some rest as well.  You're going to get a call as soon as this leaks outside our staffs.  You need to be thinking clearly when it does."
As much as I wanted to argue with her, I knew she was right.  I nodded.  "I'm reachable for emergencies but will be sacked out in an office here until I've gotten some sleep.  Everyone needs to step up and let people know when you need a break.  We are in control of the situation now that we know the cause.  Don't make anything worse by pushing yourselves too hard."
*****
"Absolutely not," I said reflexively.
Chrissy's eyebrows went up as her lips tightened into a firm line and her chin dropped.  It was not what I would consider an attractive look.
"You had best pick your next words carefully, Paul," she said, barely opening her mouth and keeping her tone low.  It was not the voice of someone arguing with their boss, it was the sound of a woman correcting her man.  We were in a small conference room in Kenya with Terry and Tamara as we made crew selection and assignments for helping Mars-One.
"I have as much zero-gee EVA experience as anyone on the team, and more total EVA time than anyone else we have here to select from.  It goes without saying that I have more experience than you and Terry combined when it comes to working in a suit."
I saw Tamara nodding slightly.
"You bent-over backwards to make sure you didn't show a bias in the original crew selection.  You need to do the same now, when I am heads-and-shoulders the most qualified person for the job," she concluded.
Terry broke the tension we all suddenly felt with a loud, dramatic sigh.
"Chrissy is right, Paul.  She has more EVA hours logged than anyone else available.  We'd be adding risk to the mission to not use her."
I wanted to scowl, but decided discretion was definitely the better part of valor.
"Okay, I'm sorry for how I came across.  Who's her buddy out there?  And who will their back-ups be?"
"Katie Hicks will lead the back-up team.  Katiana will be Chrissy's partner.  She's fully trained for zero-g EVA from prepping for the nugget mission," Terry said.
I nodded.  "Then let's get both teams going over the checklists and prepped for training.  We'll walk-through the process here, on Orion-Six and then hop over to Learmonth for the tank to practice it in suits."
Tamara nodded and glanced at her tablet.  "Hunter is getting the engine mock-up set up over there and we've got old control modules that we can use underwater for training.  We obviously won't be able to perform a post swap reboot in the tank."
We had a large, freshwater training pool, similar to the ones NASA used, at Learmonth for zero-g familiarization.
"Okay, how about a final run-through in orbit?" I asked.
"We don't have any space large enough on Astra to do a full trial," Tamara said, "but we could put an engine housing in the manufacturing bay and test the process.  Other than being more comfortable, I'm not sure it's worth it."
Chrissy shook her head.  "Our experience on the builder rovers was that the pressure suit is more difficult to maneuver in than worrying about zero-g.  If the orbital test runs are not in vacuum, they just add to our timeline without really giving us additional benefit."
Terry was nodding.  "That sounds right.  How long to have all the parts ready to go?"
"That depends," Tamara said.  "We need eight modules for the engines, which will be ready tomorrow, but how many back-ups do we want to take?  QA for another set of eight is going to be two more days."
I shook my head.  "We need to take the week.  The first eight units will go on Orion-Six.  Then I want Terry and I to run a full shakedown on it and the revised control software.  We need to know the fix is solid before we head out to Mars-One."
Chrissy's scowl returned.  "Are you sure two should be doing that test flight?  If there's a problem, you both need to be looking at changes to the fix, not being potentially stuck in orbit."
"Crap.  We're getting too thin on experienced staff again," I said.
Terry and Tamara both nodded.  We had been through growing pains on the staffing of flight crews and mission specialists before.  The fact that we had let the bench get too lean again was our fault.
"Charles and Madison should be able to handle that test," Terry said.  Charles Madigan was slotted to pilot Mars-Two on the next build mission.  He had been Katiana's pilot to the nugget.  Madison Wakeman was one of our more experienced Orion flight engineers. 
I nodded.  "Where do you want them to do the test-flight work-up, Terry?"
"Let's do those at Learmonth as well.  We'll also train them up on the software purge and reload for the main mission.  They'll be our back-ups for the real thing," he concluded.
"Okay.  Tamara, do we have all of the assignments taken care of?"
Tamara checked her list of slots again before nodding.  
"Anything else before we go face the troops?" I asked.
After a moment, with no words spoken, I stood up.  "Okay, let's head to Orion-Five and talk everybody through the process before we head off to Learmonth for the real training."
I had decided, in consultation with Hunter and Terry, that we needed the primary and back-up crews to see the process first-hand on an Orion.  That had gotten us all to Kenya.  Once everyone knew the broad outlines of the process and had seen what was involved first hand, we would break down into the more detailed simulations and hands-on training at different locations, but mostly in Learmonth.  Once the training was passed, we would let the orbital crew actually perform the fix on the Orion-Six before its test flight.  Once we knew it was solid, we would then take Orion-Six out to rendezvous with Mars-One, dock, and perform the repairs.  We had decided that the Mars-One crew would fill a supporting role, since we wanted the whole evolution to be tight before we had to do it for real on a ship in solar orbit.
By the end of the day, Chrissy was at least smiling at me as we headed toward the GOT that would take most of us over to Learmonth.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier," she said after we were buckled in and taxiing toward the runway.
"I'm sorry I spoke without thinking," I said.  "Maybe I'm a little too protective of you," I admitted.
She smiled.  "I like that, but I am the most qualified person for the job, you know?"
I nodded.  "I do, when you and Tamara and Terry all remind me of it.  I'm sorry."
She leaned in and gave me a kiss on the lips.  "Apology accepted," she said before kissing me again.
As we surged skyward, she rested her head on my shoulder.  As I thought back on the past ninety-six hours and what my instinctive response to putting her in danger was, I realized it was time to make some changes in my life...soon.
*****
"I'm surprised to see you in person," I said as Lila guided me into a conference room on Astra.  Two men already seated at the table rose unsteadily as we entered.  One had the uncomfortable bearing of a military man who wasn't sure what rank they should consider me.  The other seemed more of a politician or bureaucrat.  Sam Johnson, of the Taylor task force at the FBI was there as well but remained seated.
"We didn't want to risk a compromise," Lila said as she closed the door.  "Paul, this is Joshua Waters," she said, indicating the bureaucrat, "from the State Department Special Services Division."
I shook his hand.
"And this is Colonel Franklin from the NSA."
"Welcome to Astra," I said as I shook his hand and motioned them to sit.  I waved and smiled at Sam.
"I assume this has to do with China," I said as I took a seat.
Lila nodded.  "We've finally got some hard proof.  Colonel?"
Colonel Franklin cleared his throat and began.  "In the Astra Incident we saw a capability demonstrated to infiltrate semiconductor fabrication plants and modify chip design sets, as well as quality control procedures.  Our initial assumption was that the infiltration was performed covertly, without plant management or corporate oversight being aware of the issue.  With this latest incident, we looked for a broader attack vector.  What we have uncovered is classified Top Secret - Ethical Owl."
I nodded, understanding I would be signing a document acknowledging I had received the information.
"We have used national assets to trace communications to and from the compromised FABs.  While we can't break the actual encryption on the calls, we have applied methods of traffic analysis to the data and come up with a very high correlation that paints a pretty damning picture."
"What sort of correlation?"  I asked.
"Let's start with the FAB in Taiwan that manufactured your network chipsets for Astra originally," He said as he pulled out a folded stack of papers.  He unfolded them until a timeline was revealed running nearly the length of the table.  He pointed to the far end.
"This was an initial inbound call from the Chairman's office in Beijing to the General Manager of the plant.  It lasted roughly six minutes.  The day after that call, the GM's cousins who still resided in the mainland were all arrested with the exception of his great-aunt.  She called his personal phone here."  His finger pointed to another annotation on the timeline.
"Two days later, the Chairman's office contacted the GM once more.  This was three weeks before the start of your fabrication runs."
Waters took over at this point.  "We know that the three individuals that actually perpetrated the act were hired at the plant here, three days after that call.  Our initial investigation showed their backgrounds were unremarkable, but that they all left the company six months after the manufacturing run and quality checks were run.  They seemed to disappear without a trace after last being seen boarding three different flights back to the mainland."
"An outbound call from the GM to the original number was placed a week after those three left the country," Franklin continued.  "And a week later, the GM's cousins were released from wherever they were being held."
"So, you think this was orchestrated by the Chairman?" I asked.
Franklin shook his head.  "We only know the calls originated from that switchboard.  However, our associates in Langley were able to confirm your Minister Sun has offices that use that switchboard."
Waters spoke again.  "We then started looking at communications data from China to your European FAB that handles sub-components for your engine systems.  We found a different pattern of calls there, but this time they were from China to various Chinese embassies.  We then had to go through thousands of contact reports and field operations reports to find the pattern.  It looks like they were not able to compromise the actual chip fabrication on the engines, thank God, but did managed to do something with the interface chip-set used for the Orions.  They then spent nearly a year infiltrating the QA team of your software group where they were able to plant the virus routines that are causing your current issue."
"Do we know who did it?" I asked, looking at Lila.
"We do," she answered.  "We've detained them with the help of MI-5 and are holding them pending further investigation.  It looks like they were subverted after hiring.  We're still trying to figure out what leverage was used on them.  So far, it does not look like money was the driver."
I nodded.  "But we know they had contact with a Chinese agent?"
Franklin, Waters, and Sam all nodded.
"So how many other systems do we think are compromised?  They've obviously developed a flair for fucking things up in our fabrication processes," I said.
"We're running a wider search," Franklin said, "but honestly, it will be pure luck if we find something.  It took us a lot of digging to put these two together."
"Sam, you're awful quiet today," I said.
He nodded.  "Your security and personnel screening process is tight.  We don't have any reason to believe anyone else is compromised, but we're going to need to run a lot more re-checks to regain confidence in everyone.  Lila and her teams are already moving forward on that, with limited assistance from the FBI.  If they find anything leading to criminal behavior or espionage, we'll obviously become more involved."
"But other than embarrassment and re-work, what are they trying to achieve?" I asked as I looked at the timeline.
"We still don't know," Lila said.
"But we have a few ideas," Waters added.  "I liaison with a team in State that has been looking at the Chinese economy and the impact your generators and your other high-tech materials are having.  A few of the folks there believe you are making the Chinese political power structure unstable.  Minister Chen is a rising star, and the inability of the Premier's shadow minister, Sun, to match your technological accomplishments is creating a sense of conflict within the party.  There is also a belief that the old guard take issue with your stance on encryption and other technologies that prevent them from exercising the type of control over information they desire.  Add in the vast resources they are investing in your generators and their own fusion R&D efforts, and we expect some slowing of their manufacturing economy over the next five years.  That will hit their trade balance as well.  We know China wants the status of joining the IMF and having greater economic clout for diplomatic reasons.  You appear to be threatening that without even trying to."
I sighed and looked at the time.  "Okay, so for the short-term, what can I do besides fix my spaceships?"
"State will be briefing the President tomorrow," Waters said.  "It will likely impact our trade policy with China," he added.
"DoD is increasing the peacetime alert status for Pacific units," Franklin said.  "We don't think there is much more we can do until they make a bigger move."
"Well, then I guess I had better get back to my team and go fix Mars-One."
*****
I felt my phone buzz and looked at the display.  Only a few people were set up to notify me when they sent something.  I was surprised to feel it vibrate while several light minutes from Earth.
The message was from Tamara.  "Urgent contact needed.  Situation escalating."
I typed a terse reply.  "Middle of repair process.  Will contact once Mars-One is up."
No sooner had I hit send than another buzz hit my phone.
"Generator compromise.  Protocols in action."  It was from Lila.
"Shit, shit, shit," I muttered.
We had defined security protocols in place for responding to various threats to the generators or their operating teams.  I knew Lila and Hunter would manage those procedures until I was closer to Earth.  I was confused that Tamara would send a separate message.
Unless there were multiple issues happening while I was out of touch.
"Crap," I said loud enough for Todd Walton and Joel Lamb to look at me.
"Problems, Paul?"  We were waiting for the EVA team of Chrissy and Katiana to finish the ROM swap outs on the four engine clusters.
"Not here," I replied.  "But once we get the repairs completed, I need to get on the horn to Earth.  It looks like we have multiple situations there to deal with."
"Orbital Ops has been updating the return course parameters every hour."
I nodded, but added, "Message them to have a two-gee option calculated for Orion-Six to get me back ASAP."
"Ouch," Todd said after punching in some numbers to his flight calculator.  "Forty-six hours at two-gee is not going to be fun."
"No, that's why everyone but Terry and I will be dead-heading with you back to Earth.  If I thought it was worth it, I'd try a higher-gee profile.  Maybe I'll have to after I talk to them back there."
"Command," Chrissy's voice called out over the loudspeaker on the flight deck.  "We've completed swap on engine cluster three.  Moving on to cluster four."
"Roger, swap complete on cluster three," Joel said after keying his microphone.  
"I'll run down to local control and check it out," I said.  "Let Terry know we need to plan for a high-gee return, please," I added as I headed out.  The flight deck was near the top of the Orion, just below the upper EVA deck.  Terry and our back-up EVA crew were in Orion-Six, docked nose to nose with Mars-One.  
I was the only 'rescue' crew member on Mars-One right now.  Terry, as pilot in command, had to stay on the Orion and the back-up EVA team was suited up and standing by for any emergency that Chrissy and Katiana might run into.  It was my job to verify signals were transmitting through the new module to the actual control circuits, without firing the engine, after each swap was made.  The devious attack had actually been simple in concept but incredibly tricky for the Chinese to execute.
Normally, the software told the engines to ignite and throttle to a specific setting.  The reality of those commands was much more complex.  The virus software in the main control computers had modified one of those commands.  The modified firmware in the engine control systems had then been locked to a no-start command that we used in testing.  By replacing that bit of firmware, we were able to issue the correct commands to the pair of engines in the cluster.
My job during this part of the procedure was to verify that a no-start command could be initiated from local control of the engine cluster and that both engines sent acknowledgment of the command back out.  If that step worked, I could then initiate diagnostics on the engine circuitry.  With the faulty firmware in place on the clusters, even the diagnostic commands had been locked out, since essentially every command was replaced with the no-start signal.
I got down to the local control panel, unlocked it, and was pleased to see the no-start and diagnostics ran as expected once again.  I double-checked the diagnostic results, ran a copy from the panel to my laptop, and then buttoned everything back up again.  I made my way back up to the flight deck.
"How are they doing?" I asked.  I had been gone about twenty minutes.
"They just got the housing opened," Todd said.  "Probably another twenty minutes to swap it out and button things back up."
"Okay.  I need to use a stateroom to make a call to earth.  Call me if they finish before then."
"Will do," Todd replied.
I commandeered an unused stateroom and connected my laptop to the shipboard network.  It took a couple of minutes to get connected to Tamara.  With the six-minute time-lag, video was not worth the trouble.  
"Tamara, this is Paul," I began, wanting to get my full message across as succinctly as possible.  "I got Lila's alert.  She can manage the protocols on whatever is happening.  What is your urgent escalation?  Over."
I then sat back and looked at my backlog of email.  There was a note from Tamara.
I read quickly, to see what was going on.  It appeared that one of the power plants we had built for the Trans-Siberian Railway upgrades had been attacked with two generators taken.  I immediately wished for more information.  While the structures we had demanded be built to house the generators were hardly bunkers, they weren't simple sheds, either.  Getting the generators out of them would not have been a simple task without some pretty heavy equipment.  They had also been built with the Russian winter in mind.  
As soon as the generators had been taken off-line, their secondary trackers had been activated.  We had been careful about how much information on the control circuitry was ever published.  Every country we did business with knew that the generators would only work if they connected to our network and confirmed their location.  What almost no one knew was that we had secondary and tertiary locators on them as well.  Part of that design decision had been driven by my concerns over weaponizing the generators.  Another factor had been the need for asset control and tracking of components while shipping generators around the world.  My team liked to brag to me that they knew were every generator, in transit or on station, was to within fifteen minutes of time and fifteen meters of location accuracy.  It was a point of pride with them now.
Evidently, the two generators had been moved by road or rail south-east.  They had stopped just over the border into China, and then began moving again, apparently following the Chinese Eastern Railway route toward Harbin.
Per our contracts, Lila had initiated follow-up with the Quick Response Team.  Here, another change in our standard operating procedures had kicked in.  Instead of scrambling the team from Dublin, part of the QRT on Astra had been deployed.  They were on the ground in Siberia within three hours of the theft and were within visual tracking range by the time the units crossed the border into China.
China had refused permission for my team to enter and retrieve the generators.  
"Paul, this is Tamara," her voice said over the comms link.  "China has stolen two generators and refused entry permission for recovery.  Lila has told them that if the government is aiding and abetting the theft, they will also receive the punishment.  We're ready to initiate a generator kill order to all generators in China but need your agreement.  The White House has called following an escalation by the Chinese Ambassador to your sister.  Given the political escalations, it's critical you get back in real-time comms range ASAP.  Allen is sending high-gee flight paths to Orion-Six.  At two-gee's, you're two days out.  Lila has given them a five-day countdown.  Kelly wants a briefing before the deadline expires.  State has all the facts to-date and is preparing a briefing for the U.N.  Security Council, but China will veto an action.  It is turning into a mess, over."
I glanced at the clock.  "Tell Lila to initiate 'Stop-Gap'.  She'll know what that means."
Ever since the Astra Incident, we had laid out a growing series of counter moves and escalations on the assumption we would need to react quickly to whatever the Chinese were planning.  'Stop-Gap' was the simplest of measures, but also one of the more visible approaches.  There were two parts to the response.  
Firstly, all shipments of generators or goods produced directly by PT Innovations or its wholly owned subsidiaries to China would stop.  We would also release a press statement to that effect.  We knew this would hit the stock market hard for Chinese companies, which led to our second step.
Bluey, through proxies, would begin buying the dip on Chinese companies that were publicly traded.  At the same time, he would be announcing more production loans to Taiwanese companies, and also some public debt purchases from the Republic of China.  The loans and debt purchase by the Fusion bank would also be publicized.  This would likely further depress the Chinese mainland companies stock prices, which we would continue to buy.  
We expected this effort to take several days to fully unfold, so that should be completed by the time I was back in communications and we decided on the next steps to take.
"Paul," Todd called over the intercom.  "Engine cluster four is swapped out and they're waiting on your check-out before closing out the EVA."
"On my way," I called out as I grabbed my laptop.  By the time I was done with those checks, Joel was standing by for the core program reloads.  I monitored them as he did the actual work.  Within the hour, we had positive diagnostics on all of the systems.  The EVA teams were transferred over to Mars-One as Terry and I prepped for a rapid return to Earth.
"I'm glad you didn't invite me along for this ride," Chrissy said as she cornered me in the docking tunnel connecting the two spacecraft.  She was sweaty and delightfully disheveled from her four hours of EVA but looked as sexy as ever.  
I pulled her in for a kiss.  "I'll see you when you guys get back.  Great job up here.  I love you," I said.
"I love you too," she answered.  "Be careful at two-gees, Paul.  "I don't want you hurting yourself flying home to the rescue."
Ten minutes later, we were undocked and watched Mars-One perform a live engine test.  As soon as they had verified all four engine clusters ignited, Terry and I were strapped in and it was our turn to accelerate.  The initial climb to a single gravity of thrust felt good after being in freefall for nearly half a day.  As our weight increased to double what we were used to, it began to feel like this trip was going to be a real workout.
"We're going to have to take some pauses for bio-breaks," Terry said from his control couch, through gritted teeth.  
"How many?" I asked, trying to focus on my breathing. 
"Let's try every three hours," he replied.  
It was going to be a long flight home.
*****
"Despite all their talk about win-win efforts, China is a strong competitor who views technology achievement as a zero-sum game," Zachary Hamilton from the Department of State Bureau of Intelligence and Research said.
Kelly shot the Secretary of State Cooke a look.  He had brought Zachary into the meeting with me and several other high-level officials, including her Vice President, John Kerry.
"Zach," Tyler Cooke, his boss, interrupted.  "The point?"
"Whatever they say publicly, they want the technology and would prefer we don't have it.  We need to ignore what they say and look at what they do."
That made sense to me.  "Chen has been a straight-shooter with us," I said.  "Minister Sun has always worked a second or third agenda in our dealings."
"But he helped with North Korea," Kelly countered.  "I would say he was instrumental in those negotiations."
"But what did he take away from the outcome?  They were already lessening the need for Korean coal, and China advanced their diplomatic standing pretty significantly by not supporting North Korea," John Kerry said.  "I would say they stepped aside so we could remove a close-to-home problem for them."
Several heads nodded.
"Okay, so what other actions can we point to?" Kelly asked.  She looked much better than I felt.  I had landed in Kenya, had time for a shower and a hot meal, and then hopped on a GOT for Washington.  I'd worked most of the flight, getting brought up to speed by Tamara and Lila.
"We know they either took the generators or allowed them to be taken to their fusion research plant in Northern China."
"Are we certain they went there?" Admiral Isaacson, the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff asked.
"Yes, sir.  When we were forbidden entry to China in pursuit, Lila, my head of security, ordered one of the drones we used in our asteroid missions to be deployed from Astra.  We visually tracked the train they were using to the facility and watched them take the two generators into large buildings there.  That is also when we lost the secondary trackers built into the housing frames."
Several people frowned.
"Earlier this morning," I continued, "We got fresh location data from the primary ignition system on one generator, stating the device was within ten meters of its expected operating location.  At the same time, the encrypted data from the secondary and tertiary sensors were sent as part of the data package.  They both show the facility in China as being the last location they were connected at."
"Can you explain that?" John Kerry asked.
I nodded.  "Our secondary locators update via DigiNet GPS signals if they are activated or move more than one hundred meters.  They were active when they were moved into the lab facility.  They then lost their signals.  Our protocol has them append the last confirmed location to the data sent through as part of the handshake for ignition.  That data puts them in China.  The security lock in the firmware of the generator looks for an active location from commercial GPS systems and compares that to parameters set at the time of install.  If they aren't within a certain margin of error, they won't let the system ignite.  If the process fails three times in a row, the control circuitry is fried by a fail-safe."
"But you said it reported itself as being back in Russia," he said.
I nodded again.  "We believe they put the generator in a giant Faraday cage so it could not get outside transmissions.  We think they are spoofing the expected GPS signals inside the cage, so the generator thinks it is in Russia.  That would also explain why the other locators are not able to transmit or resolve their position."
"That's a pretty big assumption to potentially start a war over," Isaacson said.
"We don't want a war," I countered.
"I've got a range of remote shut-down options and will use those first.  That won't recover the generators but will make them ineffective for whatever China is trying to use them for."
"Let's get back on point, please," Kelly said.  "China has responded to your threat of terminating their generator contracts for cause.  They are rattling their saber pretty loudly, Paul, and it has a few folks concerned."
I was glad to see the Admiral scoff.  "It's just noise," he said.  "Militarily, they are not a match for the forces we have in place.  Besides, what would be their military objective?  Their argument is with a multinational company, not a country they can attack and hold."
"But the threat to their economy is real," Secretary Cooke said.  "And it's got their politicians nervous.  The Hong Kong stock market crashed and looks to only be on life support as everyone waits to see what happens.  That definitely got their attention.  Taiwan's announcement of several lucrative contracts that were expected to land on the mainland also rattled them.  Their trade balance is going to be way out of whack for this quarter, and maybe longer.  They don't have the capital reserves to be a net importer for long."
"Which will lead to what?" Kerry asked.
"It could trigger significant inflation," Cooke said.  "Maybe even hyper inflation.  Depending on how the masses reacted, that could jeopardize the government.  Do I need to remind anyone that hyperinflation in 1921 is considered a significant contributor to the rise of the Nazi party in Germany?"
Most of the people in the room scoffed openly, but Kelly lifted her hand and nodded at Cooke to continue.
"Their central government has two responses possible, if they start to see rapid inflation," he said.  "Both are military in nature.  They will either use the PLA to exert control and prevent barter overtaking approved methods of exchange, essentially forcing people to accept the value of heavily discounted currency, or they will use the military to take what they need or want.  Taiwan, Korea and Burma could be overrun easily from a military viewpoint.  They could threaten Japan and points south, all the way to Northern Australia if they had some early victories and we were slow to respond."
"What would such a war gain them?"
Admiral Isaacson spoke up.  "An external threat to distract the population would be the immediate gain.  The fact that they could paint Mr.  Taylor as the external, imperialist perpetrator of their problems would play well in such a scenario, I imagine."
Kelly gave me a sharp look.  
"If they take that route, I hope you publicly disavow my actions," I said quickly.  "You might want to do that before I take any steps.  If this is an intellectual property and contract dispute, you can have good standing with your allies if they try to find a military solution."
"Just what actions will I be disavowing?" Kelly asked. 
"Right now, it will be a PR effort.  Of course, if those two generators try to start-up again, they will have their circuitry fried.  The only reason we did not initiate that the first time was we wanted the location and start-up data from them."
"And that's all you'll be doing?  You'll fire up your media team and kill the two stolen generators and that will be it?"
She knew me too well.
I kept my face neutral.  Her pursed lips matched my own expression.  She looked around the room.
"Gentlemen, let's take a break for a few minutes," she said.
She stood, as did we all, and she headed for the Oval Office.  She motioned for me to follow her.
"What is your plan, Paul, and don't bullshit me," she said once we were alone.
"I can't tell you, Madame President."
"Cut the crap, Paul.  I need to know so I can respond."
I shook my head.  "Disavow my actions and state that you directed me to stay within the letter of the law.  I will, but you can't react honestly if you know what my moves are going to be.  I'll tell you that we routed those contracts to Taiwan.  We also shorted the Asian markets when this all started, so we definitely helped fuel the crash they had."
I did not mention our buying significant stakes in some key Chinese companies at greatly discounted prices.  That was for the future.
Kelly stared at me from behind her desk in the impressive office.
"What is the most you can do under your contract with them?"
I shook my head.  "You should have someone well versed in international contract law read it over and give you an opinion.  They should spend a lot of time looking at the termination language there."
She sighed.  "You're going to make them eat crow in public, or try to, aren't you?"
I shook my head again.  "That's not my goal.  I just want my two generators back.  However, you heard that Zachery guy.  They are thinking in terms of win-lose here.  They feel they are denying me or the West something by stonewalling us.  Or, they think they are gaining some other advantage.  If you guys figure out what, exactly, I'd like to hear that, but otherwise I think you should keep me at arm's length."
She looked at me.  "Thanksgiving might be a little awkward then," she teased.
I sighed.  "I'll send the kids, but I think I had better not be coming back here.  It can't go well for you if the Chinese blame you for anything that they cause to happen."
"Any chance this will play out before Christmas?" she asked.
"God, I hope so," I answered.  
She nodded and stood back up.  "Give the kids my love and say 'hi' to Chrissy," she said.  "If you re-think anything and want to talk, call me."
She came around the desk and gave me a hug.  "Make sure Lila is keeping in touch with my security folks," she said with her lips near my ear.  It wasn't really a whisper, but it was pretty close to one.
That last comment made me more nervous than anything else we had discussed.
*****
"Where are the kids and my folks?" I asked Lila as we headed back to the airport.
"The kids are in Park City.  I've expanded the detail at the house and the school.  I've also got extra shadows on them outside those to places."  
I knew several of the 'locals' that were usually nearby Park City were used on occasions to provide additional coverage in and around town.  Several were also deputized by the local law enforcement and helped them out during peak tourist season.  Lila liked to call them her 'shadow cops'.
"Your folks are in Illinois, at Jim's place.  I've placed a small team there as well.  I also put a three-person team at the farm to keep an eye on your extended family and the Salaways," she said.
"Good.  Where are we running this from?" I asked as the cabin door was shut and we moved to comfortable seats and buckled up.
"We'll run it from Park City.  No need to spread security any further.  We've double checked communications to the other sites and ensured we're only routing over DigiNet circuits.  If they managed to do something to any of the other commercial networks, we should be isolated."
The fact that they had managed a compromise of our network equipment on Astra had given rise to the scary thought that other equipment could have been compromised on a broader basis.
"Okay.  What do we need to do first?" I asked as we felt the engines start and the GOT began the process of taxiing away from the private hangar area at National.
"You need to get some real sleep," Tamara said.  "You still look like hell from your speedy return."
Lila nodded.  
"I'll sleep," I said as I tried to ignore the fatigue I felt.  Two days at two-gees was not pleasant.  The fact that neither Terry or I had managed much sleep aside from the small cat-naps had compounded the seeming length of the journey.
"But before I do, I want to know the game plan for the next couple of days," I said.
"The deadline I gave the Chinese was the day after tomorrow," Lila said.  "Per our contracts, they have been served notice of violations potentially putting them in breach.  Candace is working with our international legal team, laying out all the language and handling the formal process.  The killer clause is the one dealing with harboring stolen or otherwise illegally acquired generators or any of their proprietary technology."
"Minister Sun probably thinks he can get away with ignoring that section of the contract," I said.  "The more I think about it, the more I believe they are looking to figure out how the magnetic flow controllers in the MHD generator portion works.  That part has some tricky engineering, materials, and programming pieces that would be very hard for them to develop on their own.  We know they have the initial fusion ignition part working, even if it is not as efficient as ours."
Tamara and Lila both nodded as we were pushed back into the seats as we accelerated down the runway and leapt to the sky once again.
I waited until our initial climb was complete before continuing.
"So, the kill signal for those two generators will be sent on the next start-up handshake, right?"
Tamara answered.  "Yes.  We already triggered the command in the master security servers.  Any communication to the network will trigger the message, not just the start-up process."
"But that won't keep them from having the generators themselves, and I think it is unfettered access that they are really after."
"So, we can't recover them without a diplomatic flap?" Lila asked rhetorically.
"Tamara," I said, "Get Candace and team to render an opinion on what level of action we can take to 'deactivate' the generators."
"What are you thinking, Paul?" Lila asked.  
"We've got orbital delivery systems.  What if I drop a rock on that facility?  Just the building the generators are in, of course," I added.
"How many lives would that cost on the ground?" Lila countered.  "The political fallout would be huge."
"What other options do we have?"
"If we can't avoid any political fallout, I'd go with the least level of violence needed to get the job done.  The QRT can infiltrate and destroy the generators."
"At what risk to the team?" I asked.  "I don't want to have our people risk life and limb trying to avoid giving insult to the Chinese that started this mess."
"We've got some projections and estimates," Lila said.  "Mike Keller thinks he can get a team to the facility without being discovered.  We know from the drone observations that they have relatively mundane security.  It looks like PLA infantry which means not very highly trained."
"But they have a lot of them," I countered.
Lila opened her laptop as we leveled out and began cruising west.  "The main barracks and support camp are nearly five klicks from the lab section of the facility," she said as she pulled up some of our recon photos.  
"Mike believes he can get a nine-man team to this location, undetected," she put a marker at the edge of the facility.  "We then need a diversionary measure to draw attention away from the shielded lab.  That might be where a demonstration strike would be handy."
"What does that mean?" Tamara asked.
"We hit an unpopulated chunk of wilderness near the facility with something and send a formal message of warning via the PR machine."
"Won't they take that warning and just move the generators?" I asked.
"Mike's QRT moves in immediately after the strike.  Unless they are standing-by to move them, we'll be in and out before the political machine can determine a course of action.  It's all about being inside their decision-action cycle.  We'll have the initiative."
I thought for a moment.  "Do you really think a strike like that will get them looking the wrong direction?" I asked.
Lila moved her cursor to the opposite side of the base from Mike's staging area.  "We have real-time visuals of their fences and patrols.  If we obliterate this section of their perimeter, they will be focused on that.  The building security probably won't react since they'll be far enough away, but they will know something is happening over there.  If we do it at night, the flash will likely destroy their night vision.  We've got non-lethal means of subduing the guards, and I venture to say that our team is better trained by an order of magnitude or two."
"When do we need to put the pieces in place to do this?" I asked.
"We need to give Mike the green light to infiltrate in the next six hours if we want them in position when the deadline expires."
"Let's get a quick answer from Candace, and then I'll give the go-ahead," I said.  "While we're waiting for that, I'm going to catch a nap."
I closed my eyes, hoping for a little sleep.
*****
"You're looking better," Lila said as I came into the hastily built command conference room in our Park City offices.  
The former conference room now had three large screens on the longest wall of the room and four desks set up with workstations installed.  A small cluster of comfortable chairs was at one end, along with a whiteboard.  The back wall had coffee and refreshments.  The air conditioning was running at full to keep the area cool.
We had landed in Salt Lake City and I had been directed to go home and sleep for at least eight hours.  For once, I had not argued with those orders.  I did feel much more alert and like myself when I finally made it into the office for the first time in several weeks.  While we prepared to shake up the world, it had been strange to go home and have dinner with Ali and Jer.  The dichotomy was a little troubling to me, but no more so than having memories of a future that would no longer occur.
"How are things looking?" I asked as I grabbed a cup of coffee.
"Mike is in place.  We've issued the notice to airmen regarding the airspace around the facility.  We set the perimeter at fifty klicks, all the way to the top of controlled airspace.  That got some folks attention," Lila said.
"The White House," Tamara said, "has issued a statement that whatever is happening with regard to that notice is not known to, or condoned by the U.S.  Government.  China has stated that they will bring their concerns to the U.N.  Security Council."
I snorted.  "Let them.  The UN has no jurisdiction over companies.  We've got the U.K.  and Russia behind us on any action regarding the theft of the generators on Russian soil.  Kelly's hands can be clean and any resolutions will still be blocked."
"Mars-One is back at Astra, but Allen is holding all personnel on station until this operation is complete.  All of our vehicles are accounted for and we're closely tracking the Qantas and Delta GOTs.  Our observation drone is on station," she added as she waved a hand at the left-most display.  It showed a false color image of the Chinese facility.  We could make out vehicles moving in the night.
"And the strike drone?" I asked.  One of the newer drones had been stripped of everything except its control and observation systems.  The support pylons had then been modified to hold manufactured rods of carbon encased steel.  Each rod was only a kilogram in mass.  We would use the drone in a steep dive, lining up on the target and then releasing a rod with small guidance fins as a kinetic weapon.  It would not be moving at orbital velocity, but even a fraction of that velocity would do the job. 
"It's in place, standing by."
"What sort of blast are you expecting from that?" Lila asked.
"Our calculations are a little loose, but we can call it about a half-kiloton on impact, depending on the soil type at the point of impact.  It will get their attention."
"And our accuracy?" she asked.
"Good enough.  It will only be in free flight for ten seconds or so.  There will be very little drift."
"I wish we had time to put a guidance package on them," Lila said.
I shrugged.  I was confident enough in our work and did not think we would be too far off.  So long as we monitored the roving patrols, we should not have casualties from the strike on their perimeter.
"How long to go?" I asked.
"Thirty minutes," Tamara said.  
"What are we forgetting?" I asked.
"The brown-out," Tamara said.
I nodded.  "Let's get that started."
Our plan was to distract the political machine further from the facility.  They knew we had threatened shutting down the generators in China and Hong Kong, but thought it bluster.  I wanted to disabuse them of that notion, since restricting service to a country in breach of our contract provisions was clearly spelled out.  
Tamara typed on her computer and glanced at me before hitting enter.  With that command, ten percent of the active generators in China shut down.  Since it was the middle of the night, most of the population would not notice if they lost power, but the trains and factories would.  
"Can you put it up on the display?" I asked.
Tamara typed again and in a minute a window appeared on the larger monitor showing a listing of all the generators in the region, their loads, and status.
"Let's drop another ten percent in five minutes," I said.  "Then ten more ten minutes before the deadline."
Lila chuckled.  "They'll assume we are starting a full blackout on them when the deadline hits."
"Do we have a way to monitor their reaction?" I asked.
Lila nodded.  "We've got four DigiNet satellites over China right now.  We'll have visuals of Beijing in a few minutes."
"Put them up on the main screen until it's time for the strike."
A few minutes later, we could see the nighttime lights of the city.  Large areas were in full darkness.  More went dark when Tamara triggered the next set of generators to be shut down.
"They must be shifting power to industry," Lila said.  "Ah, looks like they shifted power back on at the government buildings as well."
I nodded and sipped my coffee, which had gone cold.
"Has any news picked it up yet?" I asked.
"DigiNews Asia reported the notice to airmen and re-released the photo evidence of their complicity in the generator theft," Tamara said.  "The state agencies denounced the actions.  Nobody is saying a peep about power yet."
I watched the scene and thought about how different my actions were now when compared to my anger at North Korea.  Then, I had resisted taking action.  Now, I was looking forward to it.  I wasn't certain what that said about me, or who I had become.
"Let's do it," I said.
I moved to one of the desks and took control of the strike drone.  I was not going to have anyone else fly the strike.  If something went wrong, it would only be my hands involved.  
I ran through the system checks and then initiated a de-orbit burn.  The drone was not really in an orbit, since we had programmed it to maintain position high above the facility, but I needed to change its flight vector and get it lined up on the target area.  Once we were lower in the atmosphere, the lack of clean streamlining would be a little problematic, but we had run simulations on it for the past two days.  It was not flawless, but I had gotten a handle on it and felt confident I could get close enough to the target.
I focused on the screen, watching the drift as the facility came into view.  With a one hundred kilo mass, I needed to be descending at roughly seven kilometers per second to achieve our half-ton strike threshold.  The drone could accelerate at twelve gees.  With the drop and separation maneuver, it would take eleven seconds of thrust to counteract the descent velocity and another twenty seconds to climb back outside controlled airspace.  We planned on releasing the rod at fifteen seconds from impact. 
Altitude numbers wound down as velocity increased to our strike speed.  
"Area is clear," Lila said.  She was watching the roving patrols at the base.
I held my breath as we hit the threshold.
"Separation," I called out when the indicator went green and the picture jerked as the programmed maneuver was executed.  I let the software worry about the drone and looked up to see our other display.
The flash was on target, even though the strike was too quick to spot the exact point of impact.  As the image cleared, we could see the gaping hole in the perimeter fences.  From a wider view, we could see several of the motorized patrols turning toward the strike to investigate.
"Mike's moving in," Lila said.
The QRT under Mike's command was outfitted with the best gear we could provide.  The custom outerwear incorporated thermal camouflage that hid them well.  We could not see them even with the drone's sensitive instrumentation.  Now it was all in their hands.  As much as I wanted to be in the loop on this part of the operation, Lila had insisted that we only listen, not direct the team unless they asked a specific question.
"Post one is down.  Two souls secured.", we heard a voice from the team say.  They were using burst radio transmitters that compressed and encrypted their whispered commentary and beamed it back to us via the DigiNet satellites.  The effect eliminated most of the tonal differences between speakers, so we could not tell who was telling us the status if they did not use their call signs.
"Post two is down.  Two souls secured.  OP established."
Our plan was to subdue the exterior guards quickly and then use whatever force was needed to penetrate the building.  The secondary entrance team had the best view of any reaction forces approaching, so it would establish an observation point rather than enter the building.
"Breaching charges on door one."
"Clear."
"Fire in the hole."  We saw a flash, much smaller than our strike had been, on the side of the building housing the generators.
"Relay in place."  The team's plan included putting a communications relay at the breach under the assumption the entire building was a faraday cage.
"Entering."
"Any signs of reaction aimed at the building?" I asked.
"Negative," Lila replied.  "They're being cautious about approaching the strike location.  That had to look like a hell of a bomb going off from the ground."
"Interior guard post secured.  Seven souls secured."
Lila gave me a look of relief.  One of the biggest unknowns in our plan was how many guards would be inside the building.  Based on the traffic pattern from the barracks, we had guessed that there were twelve to fifteen guards there at any one time.  
"Visual on the targets," a voice said.
"Placing charges on tango one."
"Paul, we've got connectivity to the generators," Tamara said.  
"Location data?" I asked.
"Everything.  It looks like they have power to the control systems, probably trying to figure out how to bypass security protocols.  We've got primary, secondary, and tertiary tracker data," she said.
"Record it all.  We will need it for the press release."
"Placing charges on tango two," we heard.
"Rover subdued, one soul secure."
"Team, this is actual.  Begin exfil.  Charges are armed."  That had to be Mike, as the team leader.  We knew the thermite charges were in place on the generators and that the team would now fall back to clear the area.  We had planned on a six-minute timer for the charges.
"Team clear, twelve souls on the ground."  The team had pulled the captured guards from the building.  We knew the Chinese might shoot them for failing to stop us, but we had video of them safely unconscious as we left the area.
"Any reaction yet?" I asked Lila.  She shook her head.
"Team is in the clear.  We're heading to extraction point Charlie."
"How long to get there?" I asked Lila.
The extraction point was nearly twelve klicks from the facility.  Our Russian friends, who were not very pleased with their Chinese neighbors at the moment, had arranged for a special forces team to aid in the insertion and removal of our QRT.  They had helicopters waiting for us on the ground.  Once the team made it to point Charlie, they would fly to the border and then we would pick them up on an Aeroflot GS-3 for transport to Vladivostok.  
"We budgeted four hours."
"Let's trip the charges," I said.  "If they are clear, there is no need to wait."
"Let's let them go on time," Lila said.  "The longer it takes for them to learn what happened, the better it is for the team."
"Okay."
We continued to watch the building.  When it finally happened, it was barely noticeable.  A glowing light spread from the area we had breached as the thermite ignited and began burning through the stolen generators.  It took nearly fifteen minutes for the light to fade and by that time, the base knew it had a problem.  Emergency vehicles surrounded the building, but we did not see many bodies trying to enter.  I allowed myself a smile.
"Tamara, let's turn all of the lights back on, please."
She nodded and I saw the generator status changed as we ended the brown-out.
"Lila, I want to know as soon as the team is in the clear," I said as I stood up and stretched.  I felt as tense as I had been after hours at two-gee.
"Where are you going?" she asked as I moved toward the door.
"I'll be with Billy and Thomas, working on the press release.  Tamara, I'll need video and that location data.  Can you send it over?"
She grinned.  "I'm on it, boss."
Now the public side of our plans needed to be orchestrated and executed.

Chapter Sixty-Six
King
*****
"Let's remember who acted illegally in this situation," I said, looking directly at the host, Larry King.  Billy had orchestrated this interview largely due to Larry's direct but non-confrontational interview style.
"Let me restate that," he said quickly.  "China has accused you of an illegal act of aggression against them.  How would you characterize the events?"
"I would say that the Chinese government, or individuals illegally using the power of that government, undertook activities targeting my companies, intellectual property, and business activities.  The latest attack was provable beyond a reasonable doubt that the Chinese government was actively involved in the efforts.  In their attack, they crossed international boarders, took military action against a peaceful, civilian installation on Russian soil, and stole two fusion generators from the facility.  They moved those generators to a Chinese research facility that was guarded by elements of the Peoples Liberation Army, presumably under the assumption that the world would not risk a confrontation with them."
"But it wasn't the world that responded, was it?"
I smiled for the cameras.  "No."
"Why didn't you let the politicians work to recover your property?"
"As much as I like some of our politicians, the reality is they would be blocked so long as the Chinese government was complicit in the activities around stealing my intellectual property.  Additionally, thanks to the language that is in all of my company's generator lease agreements, I had authority to act."
"How so?" he asked as he leaned closer to me.
"Our lease agreements are very favorable to the lessee but do come with certain obligations.  One of those obligations is the need to protect the operators of the generators and the intellectual property involved in their construction, operations, and security.  If these obligations are not met, I have the right to intervene."
"Let's come back to that intervention in a minute," Larry said.  "First, I'd like to hear a little more about these obligations, and how you are certain they apply to China."
I nodded.  "Our language clearly states that the protections of the contract apply to all generators owned or operated by my company, not just the ones within the country we have the lease with.  China ignored this and attacked and seized generators in an adjacent country.  This immediately put them in breach of their own lease agreement.  With just that fact alone, I had several options including the cessation of all power plant operations in China.  About fifteen percent of their country could have woken up with no power as soon as we learned who was involved in the theft of our property.  Instead of taking that action, we gave notice to the Chinese government and gave them five days to remedy the situation.  They rejected our request immediately and then endeavored to shape the political arena to suit their narrative of the events.  That was when I knew we would need to take alternative action."
It was Larry's turn to nod.  "And that action was decisive."
I smiled.  "It was.  We knew we could not recover the generators, so we took alternative measures to protect the intellectual property held within them."
"I think we've all seen the video you've posted of the raid on their facility.  They are accusing you of using privately controlled weapons of mass destruction.  How do you respond to that accusation?"
"I think, just as they are trying to change and manipulate the facts of their own actions, they are trying to change and manipulate the definition of a WMD," I said.
"According to military experts, a WMD is any weapon that causes death or bodily injury to a significant number of people through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals, disease organisms, or radiation.  What we did near the Chinese base does not meet any part of that definition.  We caused no deaths or injuries.  We did not release any chemicals, biological agents, or radiation."
"What did you do?" he asked as he leaned in closer once again.
"We dropped a hundred kilos of steel about a hundred meters outside their perimeter fence to create a distraction," I said.
"A hundred kilos of steel?" His tone was incredulous.  "It's been reported that it was in the half-to-one kiloton range of a distraction."
"That is an exaggeration. It was moving pretty fast when it touched down," I said with a smile.  "We could have dropped it much harder or used a much larger mass if we wanted to flatten the building that had our generators.  I did not want the risk to life that such a strike might create."
"So, you sent a team in to destroy the generators?" he asked, leading me to where I wanted to go.
"Yes.  I had a small team of security contractors willing to penetrate the facility and subdue the guards so that the generators could be destroyed."
"Contractors?  Where do you find contractors like that?  Military experts have said the raid was executed with a precision of some of the best special operations forces in the world."
I shrugged.  "I try to hire the best, regardless of the role we ask them to fulfill."  I didn't see the need to mention that there were nine new millionaires in the world as a thank you for the members of the team.
"At the same time, there are reports of significant blackouts happening across the industrial zones of China and Hong Kong.  That was you as well?" He asked.
"It was another distraction.  We did not want them just looking at the facility we were raiding."
"Don't you worry that they will take action against your generators inside China now?  You sort of took the gloves off, didn't you?"
This was the one thing we wanted to make sure all of the Chinese government understood.
"I don't think we took the gloves off," I said.  "I think we hinted at what a full response could look like if they want to escalate further.  They have conducted industrial espionage efforts against me for years.  They escalated to a clearly illegal act by stealing generators operating in Russia.  I responded with a very limited demonstration of what we could do in response.  If they are considering escalating further, I'd suggest they go look at what a kilo of steel did to some unpopulated land near their facility.  If the individuals within their government continue to endorse theft and piracy over fair trade and open dialogue, I won't hesitate to stand toe-to-toe with them."
Larry looked at me.  "I believe you," he said before looking into the camera.  "We'll be back right after this break."
*****
"How do you do it all?" David Letterman asked Chrissy as I watched from the green room with Billy.
Following our PR releases of the deep-space repairs on Mars-One, Chrissy's popularity had surged, and we were carefully managing her appearances as part of our overall China narrative.  I was fortunate she had shown herself to be a real trooper as we orchestrated to keep our viewpoint in the news.
"What do you mean?" she asked with a smile.  "I'm sure you work as hard as I do."
"But I don't do things in the orbit of Mars, or on Mars, or on the Moon, and I definitely don't spend time as a fashion model when I get back to Earth," Dave jibed.
"I guess I'm lucky enough to work with a great team and have incredible support from friends and family," Chrissy said with the flash of a smile for the cameras.
"But you do a lot of hard work," Dave said.
Chrissy leaned forward a little and I wondered if she was purposefully pushing her shoulders forward to highlight her cleavage.  Her wardrobe was a tasteful navy dress, with a scoop neckline that hinted at well-formed breasts.
"I do work hard, but I'm not kidding about the teamwork needed.  For the three build specialists we had on Mars, we had another twenty working on the rovers on the Moon, and a team of nearly sixty engineers here on Earth.  I wasn't the leader of the team, but I became one of the hands-on-experts and made it through the entire selection process.  On this latest mission, I was chosen to be the primary person performing repairs because of all that training I had done for Mars and the work I'd done in vacuum on the Moon.  But I was partnered with another astronaut up there, and we also had a back-up team with us."
Dave nodded and pulled up a picture of Chrissy and Katiana on the side of Mars-One working on one of the engine clusters.  We had covered their operation with an RPV, so had a large collection of imagery to use in our PR efforts.
"So, you and your partner spent more than four hours in space, working on these engine repairs, and this is less than two months after you were working as a model in Milan," he flipped pictures to show Chrissy in an ad campaign she had shot for Roberto Cavalli.  "You definitely get around more than most models or astronauts," he said with his signature smile.
"It was not normal," Chrissy admitted.  "My modeling work in Milan was planned out nearly six months in advance with my agents and myself, making sure I would be on Earth for it.  Then this issue with Mars-One came up while I was in training for our next Mars building project.  Since I was available and experienced, I was selected for that role."
"How do you manage modeling when you're so busy in your other job?" Dave asked sincerely.
"You know, I almost said I was done modeling," Chrissy said.  "I mean, I am incredibly busy and staying in shape for modeling and everything that goes into that is not a small-time commitment.  But I realized that I like breaking down the stereotypes of being some sort of bimbo who only looks good.  I realized a while back that modeling and doing my work off-planet provides proof that women can do more than look pretty, or that smart women can't also be beautiful.  Like I said, I've been blessed to be given the opportunity to do both, so I kind of think I have an obligation to show that I can."
"So, what's next for you?" Dave asked.
"Well, the Mars-One incident has caused some problems with our schedule, so I'm not one-hundred percent certain.  We were performing work-ups to build a larger hydroponics and farming section on Mars.  That was to include a test build of a similar structure at Aristarchus Base before the new resort opens there.  If we stick to that plan, and just adjust the schedule, I'll probably be on the Moon within the month."
"And this new resort, it's going to be accessible for everyone?" Dave asked with interest.
"It might be a little expensive for everyone, but I know Paul is trying to get the economics to work so it's comparable to an Earth-side luxury vacation.  He believes that getting more people to experience what we're building is a key goal for our overall efforts."
Dave smiled.  "He's been in the news quite a bit lately.  How does it feel to be with the man some people are calling 'the king of the world'?"
Chrissy laughed it off.  "He would be the last person to call himself that.  I enjoy being with Paul, the man.  When he is being all business, he's as driven as anyone, but even then, he is always approachable and open to feedback.  Everyone has seen him on the Intern shows.  He really is just like how he appears."
Billy was nodding next to me.  "She nailed that," she said.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I coached her about the 'king' comments cropping up.  We want to reinforce that you are at best, first among equals when it comes to interactions and business.  The Chinese are beginning to realize how isolated they are politically in this mess.  They are behind the 'king' comments, so we want to immunize people to their rhetoric."
"If I were king of the world, we wouldn't be in this mess.  I could just remove Sun and his likes from power," I said.
"Which is what you are doing, or trying to do, if you think about it.  Just because you don't claim the title doesn't mean you don't have the power they are ascribing to you.  It might not be divine right, but you demonstrated you have the power of the heavens behind you.  We need to walk a very fine line until this gets resolved."
I nodded and looked back at the monitor.  Chrissy was laughing at something Dave had said and then they went to a break.  I watched Chrissy rise and shake Dave's hand before she headed off-stage.  I was looking forward to holding her in my arms.  It had been nearly a week since I had been alone with her.  It was enough to make me worry about her heading back to the Moon and Mars again soon.
*****
"But we certainly did not authorize the creation of such a weapon," Senator Blain said as he pandered for the cameras.  "You took it upon yourself to weaponize your spacecraft and use it to attack a world power!"
I reached into the satchel sitting beside my chair.  Security had raised a few eyes when they saw what was inside it but passed me through the metal detector and X-ray machine regardless.  I pulled out a large crescent wrench and sat it on the table before me.
"What is that, Mister Taylor?" he asked.
I lifted the wrench.  "This is the weapon I used on China, Senator.  We smelted down several chunks of steel into a rod with small guidance fins attached.  It was the roughly one hundred wrenches in terms of mass and composition.  I'd ask how you plan on monitoring every piece of equipment my crews take to orbit?  I do not believe the charter concerns itself with mass delivered to orbit other than the fact that the United States of America is entitled to receive the lowest commercial rates I offer for such service."
There was a murmur in the panel and audience attending yet another hearing.
"You're saying you dropped a wrench on them?"
"The equivalent of a wrench, yes.  Granted, sir, it was moving at a velocity of nearly seven thousand meters per second, but it was only a hunk of dumb metal."
"It was still an attack on a sovereign nation undertaken without consensus or authorization by our government."
"I was not aware the government was empowered to authorize military action in relation to a commercial dispute, Senator."
He got red in the face.  "Don't mock me, sir!  You know good and well we are the authority governing your charter to operate in orbit.  If you refuse to follow the letter of that charter, it can be revoked!"
I smiled.  "Sir, if the Senate moves to revoke the charter my company operates under, so be it.  I have firm commitments from three other countries to immediately offer charters of similar or more advantageous structures to me."
That caused more than a murmur in the gallery behind me.
The chairman of the committee rapped his gavel to restore order.
"Mr.  Taylor, are you refusing to acknowledge the rights and obligations this committee has with regard to your operations?" Senator Blain asked once it was quiet again.
"No, sir.  I'm simply stating that the rights and obligations you are alluding too are not actual points of fact in the charter as it exists or in the SHARE Act the charter is established under."
This caused the other Senators on the committee to mutter.
"And just what do you think is covered in the SHARE Act?" His tone of derision was evident.
"The SHARE Act establishes the legal structure for private companies to operate with limited oversight in the upper atmosphere and near-Earth orbit.  It requires the chartered company to provide guarantees of prudent safety oversight and risk management in return for representation in the event of a dispute with other international parties within the structure of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967.  In return for that representation, the United States is entitled recompense specified within the charter.  In my company's case, that is most-favored-nation status for lift as specified in cost per kilogram to orbit," I said.
I took a sip of water, in case he wanted to interrupt me yet again.  When he did not, I continued.
"This panel has been briefed on the actions taken against my company by either the Chinese government, or individuals receiving patronage from that government, which imperiled the safety measures this committee and the administrators of my charter have previously agreed to.  When those external violations occurred, this body did nothing.  Most recently, actions taken placed three lives in jeopardy of slow death in deep space, and this body did nothing.  Now, in a matter unrelated to the safe operations in space, concerning a separate business operation, this panel suddenly wants to get involved in international politics and posturing?  That is the authority I question, Senator."
The chairman's gavel was pounding before another word could be exchanged.
"Mister Taylor," The chairman said.  "We will adjourn this session until the morning," he said abruptly.  "Members of the committee will remain to discuss the scope of our review in closed-session."
He rapped the gavel once more.
I rose and lead Candace outside to the hall.
"That went well," she muttered as we got a little space around us.
"I thought it did," I replied.  "Our position is clear for them, now.  Where's Billy?"
I looked around the hallway, expecting Billy to be nearby with some reporters.  Instead, I saw Tamara approaching.
"Billy has the press outside," she said, anticipating my question.  "It's cold enough to keep questions short," she added.
"How about the other release?" I asked.
"We're set for a three-thirty delivery," she said.  Candace frowned at me.  I knew she was not a fan of our planned next steps.
"Should we hold off on that until we get through the hearing tomorrow?" I asked as we started heading for the exit.
"I think you should hold off longer than that," Candace said.  "You know what this could trigger, right?"
I nodded.  "We've debated this for almost a week.  I can see your points, Candace.  Based on how Blain was acting in there, I'm not sure we can wait."
"Then give it to the FBI," she said.  "Let them bring the charges rather than you advocating for the censure or expulsion of a sitting Senator."
"Tamara, let's hold on those plans until we know where the committee stands," I said.
"Okay.  You had better put your coat on, there is a bitter wind out there," she said as we paused by the doors.
Less than an hour later, we were back at the Georgetown house, much warmer and sitting in the office reviewing plans.
"Yuan Yuhan managed to contact me in the Senate Office Building," Tamara said as she wrapped her hands around a cup of tea.  "She asked that I let you know Chen is advocating for a formal apology but does not have the numbers within the party to force the issue."
I waved her comment away.  "Lila's right.  If there is not action and proof, it's just words right now.  What was she looking for?"
Tamara shook her head.  "Nothing.  She made the trip over to the Dixon Building and called me from outside.  I ran out for five minutes to chat with her.  She only seemed to want to ensure we knew Chen was still trying to support us."
"They're playing a future card," Candace said.  "They are assuming you may prevail and want to stay on your good side.  I wouldn't read anything into it," she concluded.
"Okay, enough politics and intrigue for a moment.  How is our overall schedule looking?"
"We lost somewhat over a month with all the inspections and re-work on the Orions," Tamara said.  "We needed three, five, and six to be delivering materials to Aristarchus, to be ready for the greenhouse build adjacent to the resort space.  We can't cram enough deliveries into the current time window to hit the planned opening before Christmas."
I had suspected as much.  "Any chance of a limited opening for New Years?" I asked.
"How limited?"
"What can we do?  I'd really like to be able to have something to show Starwood."
"About that," Candace said.  "We're fine with them on the contract and management side, but the delay is going to stall their staff training as well."
"How is that tied to the greenhouse project?" I asked.  "They should be up there training now, or right after Thanksgiving."
"They will be," Tamara said.  "But our original schedule had us modifying an Orion for a bulk passenger delivery.  Getting them up there on the OTVs while we finish lifting build materials is the problem."
"How long to swap configurations on the Orion?" I asked.  Our plan was to use the cargo handling system in the lower deck to move palletized passenger pods into the space.  We could easily take a hundred people on the short trip to the Moon.
"Two weeks, each way with safety checks," Tamara said.
I sighed and closed my eyes, visualizing the timeline and overall plan.
"Okay, let's pull Six out of the lift rotation and configure it for passengers to get the resort staff up there and working.  Let Allen and Meagan know, and then we'll adjust the other plans.  We'll have to keep Orion-Six in the passenger configuration.  That moves Five to the primary carrier for the Mars greenhouse training with Mars-Two still designated for the actual mission, right?"
Tamara nodded and I watched her fingers dance across her tablet.  "That puts Mars-Two departure in March, at the earliest, if nothing else slips."
"Let's make sure nothing else slips on that front.  We can slow L-5 construction if we need too, but let's get Mars Base back on track if we can."
"You're the boss.  I guess this means Chrissy will be around for the holiday's," she added with a grin.  "Anything special planned?"
*****
"Senator Kim, it's good to see you again," I said as I shook Stanley Kim's hand.  I knew Kelly still dated the senator, even though he was from the other party.  I was a little surprised to see him in the Residence for the Christmas party at the White House.
"And you, Paul.  Or should I call you 'your highness'?" He teased.
Despite our efforts to control the story in the media, some phrases took on a life of their own.
"He prefers 'benevolent dictator', if you have to call him something other than Paul," Chrissy teased as she surprised Stanley with a kiss on his cheek.
"And your sister, our esteemed President, insisted that we not discuss politics in general and China in specific tonight," he replied.  "So, I promise to not raise that issue, other than thank you for finally shutting up Blain.  I liked the DigiNews posting of the photos and that timeline of events showing how he began going after you after those meetings.
I laughed.  After our last round of testimony before the Senate Committee, we had turned over a rather large file of photographs and surveillance tapes to the FBI where the senator featured in conversations with known Chinese agents.  Having him on tape being told to target me was only the beginning.  While we could not hand-over some of the evidence we had obtained, since it was of questionable provenance, we did point investigators on a path.  We had also released some documents to the press.  DigiNews had done a particularly damning recitation of facts.
"I understand the Senate Ethics Committee might have some interesting meetings after the new year," Stanley concluded.  He was one of the members on the committee.
"That is your job, not mine," I replied.  "Of course, I'll be happy to cooperate in whatever manner I can."
"Well, if we get facts like those laid out in that article, I won't shield him, even if he's from my party.  Unbelievable what some people will do for their own advancement."
I felt someone behind me and turned to find Kelly at our shoulder.
"That sounded a little like politics, gentlemen," she admonished.  "I don't need any loose lips telling stories to the press about the President and the King of the World colluding over Christmas cocktails, now."
I laughed and gave her a hug.  Chrissy did the same and then we moved toward the bar to find one of the cocktails she had mentioned.  After we all had a drink, I smiled as Stanley stood at Kelly's side.  They did make an attractive couple.  Of course, the same could be said of Chrissy and me.
"Where are the kids?" Kelly asked, moving us away from politics for the moment.
"They're are the house in Georgetown.  Chrissy's family is over from Switzerland as well, so they're all catching up while we had to go to this political dinner," I teased.
Kelly swatted my arm, just as she had when we were both younger.  "You could have brought them all.  It's a party, not a political dinner.  Mom and Dad are staying here and should be down in a little bit," she added.
"I know.  I talked to them this morning.  We missed everyone at Thanksgiving," I added.
Kelly nodded.  "I took your advice on keeping my distance, and am glad I did, 'oh mighty king'," she said.
I shook my head.
"Chrissy," Kelly said to change the conversation once again, "How long are you sticking around for?  I thought you were training for Mars once again."
Chrissy smiled at me before answering.  "We had a little scheduling delay, so it looks like our mission is pushed back a bit.  I told Paul he should build more Orions last year, but he did not listen to me and now my team has to pay the price."
I looked at Stanley.  "This is how I know I'm no king," I quipped.  "I get less respect than Rodney Dangerfield."
We all laughed, and tension I had been almost unaware of left our small cluster.  We continued to chat until Mom and Jim came in, then made our way over to greet them.  Drinks drifted into dinner.  Chrissy and I shared a small table with Kerian Stewart, who had become Kelly's Chief of Staff and his date, a Miss Conner.  After dinner and much well-wishing, we had adjourned upstairs with Kelly, Stanley, Mom, and Jim.
"Are you coming over here Christmas morning?" Mom asked.  "We've got some gifts for the kids."
"I don't know.  Chrissy's family is with us in Georgetown.  I don't know if Kelly has enough beer for Bluey here," I joked.
"Oh, behave," Chrissy chided.  "I'm sure they'd all love to come over here.  How many people can say they opened Christmas prezzies at the White House?"
"Well, if you want us here, Madame President, we'll of course come when you call," I said with a laugh.
Mom just shook her head at me.  "You might have gotten older, but I'm not sure you've grown up all that much," Mom said.
"Do you have plans for New Years?" I asked, changing the subject.
Jim looked at my mother and shook his head.  "No, why?"
"We're going to a soft launch of a new resort.  We've got room if you want to come along," I said.
"Would that be the resort you've partnered with Starwood on?" Stanley asked.
I nodded.  "I don't think you and Kelly can come, however.  The Secret Service would not appreciate the transportation or location, I'm sure."
Kelly quirked an eyebrow at me.
"We're opening the St. Regis on Aristarchus after the New Year.  We're going up there with the kids and a few folks to be pampered on the twenty-ninth," I said.
Kelly frowned.  "You're right.  I can't do that, no matter how safe you tell everyone it is."
I was happy to see Stanley pat her knee for comfort.  I worried about Kelly being alone in office and in her life.
"I don't know if I can make that trip," Mom said.  "Your GOT is one thing but going to the Moon is a different kind of trip."
Chrissy shook her head.  "We're taking an Orion.  We'll leave Kenya and be landing on the Moon four hours later.  An hour after that, we'll be sipping a cocktail looking over the crater rim from the penthouse suite," she said.
"It's sounds like you've been there already," Jim said.
Chrissy grinned.  "I have, but Paul hasn't.  I went up last week with some of the staff and the Starwood media team for their print ad campaign.  Since Paul delayed the Mars mission, I needed to find something to keep me busy."
We all laughed, and then Kelly joined my efforts to get Jim and Mom to accompany us.
Two days later, we were back at the White House, this time with just the family, including Chrissy's family.  We had an early brunch before exchanging gifts.  Ali was excited to have a set of POTUS sweats while Jer got a small portfolio case embossed with the Presidential seal.  Mom and Jim gave the kids their traditional gifts of clothes but included the surprise of a set of lift tickets for Taos and the invitation for them to come down with them for a few days before heading to the Moon.  Jane was included in that gift as well.
Chrissy and I both got professionally put together scrap books chronicling the year in photos and news clippings.  There was a bit of overlap in the coverage, but Chrissy had more fashion photos while I was covered in more news articles.
Everyone looked a little surprised that there was no new jewelry on Chrissy's hand.  When the questioning looks came my way, I just smiled and looked at the diamond and pearl necklace I had given Chrissy the night before.
After the gift exchange Kelly deftly separated me from the crowd and got me in a quiet corner.
"China is in trouble, Paul.  What are you going to do?"
In the month since their market crash, little had improved on the Chinese mainland.  the political fallout from their failed attempt at stealing the manufacturing processes that made fusion practical continued to plague them. Countries and companies that had their own grievances around stolen intellectual property were no longer remaining quiet.  Many were following our lead of embargoing sales to the regime until the theft was stopped.
"We're watching it, just as I know your folks are."
"But what are you going to do next?" she asked.
I shook my head.  "Nothing.  The ball is in their court.  I've laid out the case I have and the proof of their actions.  Until their politicians take action to address their prior acts, they are going to feel the isolation of their economy."
Kelly sighed.  "We could get very good terms on human rights and some other trade issues if we acted as the intermediary," she said.
"Or you could get left holding the bag.  They've been acting this way for a decade or longer.  They want their currency in the SDR basket on the IMF.  It's more likely that I get a seat at the International Monetary Fund table than China, right now.  Their economy is geared for the exploitation of their own people and our IP.  Something in that equation has to change if they're going to have a sustainable role in the global economy."
"I hope you know what you're doing," Kelly said after staring at me for a minute.  "You know you were supposed to stay in the shadows for my first year in office, not cause the most significant problems for my administration."
I smiled.  "Your poll numbers are better than ever.  You've addressed the needs of millions of people with your HUD power initiatives.  You're well on the way to having some sort of universal health-care coverage.  This economic issue with China will shake out sooner or later, and you're going to be well positioned when it does."
She snorted.  "You say that, but my own record is getting in the way of some of that.  I want the universal health coverage but need to find a way to pay for it that I can get bipartisan support for.  Even the hint of universal coverage, combined with the housing and power programs, is driving up illegal immigration.  My party wants to allow everyone in, the Republicans want to keep everyone out, and I'm stuck square in the middle.  It's not going to be easy to get meaningful legislation passed for me to sign."
"I have faith in you.  Besides, didn't the HUD bill include language you can use for constraining coverage for healthcare as well?  Something about proof of citizenship required for the benefits?"
She nodded.  "Unfortunately, denying someone subsidized housing and free electricity is one thing, turning them away at an emergency room is entirely different."
"Well," I said.  "I'm sure you'll figure something out while I deal with China."
*****
I looked out the panoramic windows of the St.  Regis' Garden Terrace.  The contrast of the carefully maintained carpet of grass before the windows with the stark landscape of Aristarchus Crater outside was calming in an entirely unexpected way.  This had become a favorite meeting place during our visit to the Moon, with comfortable wooden chairs and tables placed on the cool grass.  I had not been surprised when Chrissy had spent an extra three days of her vacation time here with the Sports Illustrated crew to shoot a spread for the swimsuit edition.  I suspected she would be featured on the cover this year.
Our family time over the new year had been a resounding success.  Jim and Mom had raved about the feelings of being years younger in the forgiving one-sixth-gee of the moon.  I had been surprised when they insisted on doing the resort EVA course and actually going outside for a guided tour of a well-maintained trail along the crater rim.  That had definitely been a highlight for everyone.
Jer and Jane had snuck away a few times, and I saw the nude sketches he had drawn of her, lounging in a window seat of one of the suite's rooms with the crater rim in the distance and Earth peeking over the edge.  They were stunning drawings.  I hoped he turned them into paintings.  Jane's confidence and demeanor had improved significantly over the past year.  Her family's move to Europe and the change in her worldview had done wonders, according to Bluey and Camilla.
Now, everyone was home.  The kids were back in school.  Bluey and Camilla were back in Switzerland, with Bluey continuing to punish the Chinese market through careful stock purchases and sales, and debt purchases.  China was finding it very difficult to gain any new business except in the lowest end of manufacturing.  Anything touching high-tech was being carefully evaluated over IP concerns.  India, with our financial support, was ramping up its high-tech manufacturing capability as rapidly as it could.  The announcements from the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had to be getting the attention of the Chinese government.  Combined with the press releases coming out of Taiwan, they must understand that business leaving China would not be coming back quickly once they left.
To try and stem some of the commentary in the States about taking all our work off-shore, I had even agreed to fund a manufacturing facility for custom orbital components.  After extensive conversations with Lila and team, we had decided total control of critical components was needed.  The facility would offer nearly a thousand high-tech jobs in Pennsylvania.  The workers at that plant would all be heavily vetted and monitored.  I did not want to ever have compromised control systems again.
"I thought I'd find you here," I heard from behind me.
I turned around and saw Mindy Barnett, formerly of the Astra Hilton, smiling at me.
"How do are you liking your new hotel and brand?" I asked as I shuffled over and shook her hand.  Moving in one sixth gee required more of a shuffle rather than a normal stride. Starwood had recruited her away from Hilton with the promise of running this newest property.
"I love it.  I really enjoyed Astra, but this seems more like a true destination resort."
"You had a significant hand in making it so," I said sincerely.  She had been involved since the initial design had been finalized.
"So," she said as we sat down at a table near the windows.  "You came all the way back to look at our view?" she asked with a tease in her voice.
"No, I came all the way back so you wouldn't have to come to me," I replied.
"You know I would have, right?  Starwood has sold-out the bookings for the entire year.  They even want to discuss adding a sister property either here, on Astra, or even on Mars.  Some of the marketing folks think a grand tour encompassing Astra, Aristarchus, and a future property on Mars would sell out at a hundred grand a week."
I nodded.  I suspected it would as well.
"No, I wanted to go back over the notes I and my family made while we were here.  I think there are some areas we should either modify, or at least monitor closely as other guests arrive."
She looked concerned.  While it was a Starwood property, it was not owned by them.  Our arrangement was that I owned the property but leased it out to them for a five-year term.  Mindy understood that I was not Starwood management, but was very vested in how this place ran.
"What areas?" she asked cautiously.
"Nothing significant, but things will take a bit of time to figure out.  Everyone loved this area, by the way.  So much so that I'm considering adding a similar space on the other side of the main lobby.  We'd have to coordinate your guest schedule with that build activity."
Mindy nodded.  "This is a favorite area of the staff as well.  Everyone comments on the Heinlein-esque grass carpet here.  In fact, we just got the obelisk in this week," she said pointing to the newest addition to the space.
A chunk of lunar basalt had been cut and machined to a smooth cuboid in the ratio specified by Arthur C. Clarke's Space Odyssey, but at a much smaller scale, so it was only 180 centimeters tall.  Near the top edge, we had engraved a line from Heinlein's "Green Hills of Earth":
We pray for one last landing
On the globe that gave us birth
Let us rest our eyes on the fleecy skies
And the cool, green hills of Earth.
"You know, that is going to become the most photographed part of the property, right?" I asked.
Mindy nodded.  "I find myself and my staff coming out here looking at it with the green grass here and the Earth over there.  It's almost a shrine for the staff already."
"You'll have to keep an eye on things when visitors start coming."
She nodded.  "We will.  We've already got security cameras in here and have staff nearby."
We both looked at the monolith for a minute before she shook her head and looked back at me.  "So, what other feedback do you have?"
"I want us to expand the EVA program.  Everyone loved the time outside, but wanted more, longer options.  The training and trip took up most of a day, but the next day we were a little bored.  What do you think about adding a rover journey option?  We would be able to get folks further away from the hotel and base and let them get out of the rover for short guided trips."
"I think that would be great, but we have to manage the staffing.  How many guides to guests?  I could see things getting out of hand if we needed one-to-one monitoring.  The risk profile goes up a lot if we let groups get too big or go their separate ways."
I nodded.  "Yeah, we would have to work through all of those details.  Do you have anyone that could start a plan and them we can get Meagan to review it based on her greater experience up here?"
"Sure.  I'll have Mahi, my activities director, draft something.  She used to work for Meagan over at the base."
"I think if we had a full day trip or two planned out, it would add a lot to the experience up here," I said.
"I agree.  It's like on Astra, after you get over thrill of being there as a guest, you start to wonder what to do.  This is a good idea."
"Okay, that's the only EVA related feedback.  If we start there, we'll see what future guests have to say about the programs."
"What's next?" she asked as she jotted down a note.
"Indoor entertainment," I said.  "We all loved the spa, but I think we need to have some additional activities and possibly expand the lounge areas over time."
"Mahi agrees," Mindy said.  "She already has some plans for cruise-like guest activities.  We think an educational program on the history of the moon would also be well received.  I sent a note to Billy and Tom about getting some material edited together that we could run on the entertainment system."
"That's fine.  I'll make sure it gets some priority.  I think you should have some content that is not streamed to rooms, though.  I think we need to create a sense of community and shared experience.  It's way too easy to slip away with your thoughts around here.  I want us to force some interaction of the guests, if possible."
"How do we do that?  You can't make people leave their rooms," she said.
"Well, we have a pretty decent profile based on the guest screening.  What are the common themes and attributes?  They all are pretty far out on the Openness attribute if they are coming here," I said.  Part of the guest profile included a survey based on what were known as the 'Big Five' personality traits.
Mindy nodded.  "They also skew higher on the Agreeableness attribute.  Now that you mention it, if we give them an opportunity to interact or do something new, they'll probably flock to it."
She paused for a minute.  "You know, having some semi-regular stars appearing that they could interact with would be a huge draw," she said with a smile.
"Hold that thought," I said, guessing what she was really asking.  "That touches on another thought I had.  What if we attached some private residences to the resort."
"Staff areas already are private residences," she replied.
"No, I meant something more than staff quarters.  I'm thinking about putting in ten apartments beyond the grotto," I said with a head nod toward the far end of the terraced area.  Where the windows ended, we had built a natural looking cave area that appeared to meander into the side of the crater and wind down and under the terrace.  It had several private areas with individual windows and a few with heated pools as well.  While thoroughly sealed, it gave the feeling of walking through a lunar cave without needing a spacesuit.  The kids had been particularly appreciative of the space and had spent several hours exploring its passages.
"Who would be in these apartments?" she asked.
"I'd keep one reserved for me, but the others would be used for various visitors.  Jer thinks we should have an artist in residence program, and Jyl wants a permanent research area for the study of low gravity on aging.  We can't really offer space at the base to geriatrics, so I thought an apartment or two here might be a solution.  We could also make a month stay here part of the crew rotation program, so folks from Mars or L-5 could be astronauts in residence to interact with guests."
Mindy smiled.  "That would get folks out of their rooms, I'm sure.  Especially if we don't pre-announce who will be here.  I'd actually like a couple of artists.  I could see art classes, or photography workshops being popular.  What about studio space?" She was clearly excited about the prospect.
We continued to chat, having an easy back and forth on ideas and concepts for over an hour.
"I'm glad I came up in person to talk to you," I said after we re-capped the best ideas and next-steps.  "This is probably the last time the terrace will be this quiet."
She nodded.  "I think we should make a similar space and mandate it as a quiet or meditative place.  It's a great place to get your thoughts and mind in order."
I nodded.  "I agree.  In fact, that's one of the reasons I wanted to come back alone and chat with you.  I've only felt this sense of relaxation before on a vacation in Italy last year.  Fostering such relaxation should be part of our goal here, I think."
Mindy nodded again.  "I can agree with that, and on that note, I'll leave you for some peaceful reflection.  How long are you here for?"
I glanced at my watch.  "A couple more hours.  I've got things dirt-side I need to take care of.  Thanks for your time."
She left, and I walked over to look at the monolith.  While I had not had much alone time lately, there had been a few hours here that helped center me.
My research with Dr.  Perdew was progressing toward a grand-unified theory of a multi-verse, with test results to support it.  I had reconciled myself to time being fractal, which meant I could not travel to my own past, but there was still a thought of sending a message.  I had stolen minutes over the past year working on that idea, but it was potentially dangerous.  Unfortunately, I was nearing the point of either trying my approach or conceding and giving up all hope.  I knew Jeryl was lost to me in this universe, and that still hurt more than I could admit, but did I owe all of my other selves the opportunity to avoid such pain?  Was the potential risk to my kids, my family, myself worth that opportunity?
Over the past year, I had come to realize that my kids were both on good paths for their futures.  I didn't need to worry about them, but I also didn't want to cause them any more pain.  I sat on the grass and stared at the Earth peeking over the distant crater rim.
It was time to make some decisions.
*****
Aristarchus to Kenya to Washington; it made for a long day of travel.  I was happy to take a shower and climb into bed in Georgetown before rising early to workout and get dressed.  Kelly had summoned me.
Tamara was in the kitchen having a second cup of coffee when I came downstairs in a suit and tie.  She grinned at me as I fidgeted with the knot at my throat.
"You really do hate wearing those, don't you?" she asked in a teasing voice.
"Hate is too strong of a word," I replied.  "I just get irritated when I have to put one on, since I wear them so infrequently.  So, what do we know about our summons?"
"China.  The President's Chief of Staff called while you were at Aristarchus and told me your presence was required today to meet with the Chinese Ambassador and the President.  He wasn't willing to make a firm guess as to the purpose of the meeting, but I get the sense something is going on in Beijing."
I thought about the options.  We had run multiple scenarios for different reactions from the Chinese government.  Some of our responses were dramatic, some were subtle.  All of them had different consequences for us, for China, and for the world.
"Okay, let's make sure Lila, Candace, Bluey, Sheryl, and Billy are standing by.  We'll call them as soon as we know the lay of the land.  I'm assuming they won't let you in the office while we discuss whatever is on the agenda.  I want you to have the conference call established while we meet.  You can brief the team if we learn anything in advance."
Tamara nodded, efficient as always.  "I've notified the PA network and have those folks prepped for an immediate call.  I'll join the bridge as soon as you go into the office.  Any preparatory moves?"
I thought about some of our plans.  Our worst-case contingency was China trying to nationalize the generators.
"Have Hunter and Allen prepared for Striker-four.  I hope we won't need it, but if we do, we'll need it fast."
Tamara paled a little.  Striker-four was our plan to evacuate operations personnel from China and destroy all of the generators after we performed a remote shutdown on them.  Our plan to destroy them was predicated on precision strikes from our drone once we knew the facility was clear.  It would be a dramatic and irreversible step.
"What time do we need to leave?" I asked as I glanced at the clock.
"Soon, with morning traffic.  The meeting is supposed to be at ten," she said.  "The car is outside already."
We headed out the door and then crawled through the morning traffic on the way to the White House.  By the time we cleared security and were escorted to the waiting area outside the Oval Office, I realized I was really ready for this drama to be over.  I wasn't going to roll over and let them steal my inventions, but I was also incredibly tired of the cat-and-mouse game they seemed to be playing.  We thought we had circumvented all of their machinations, but we were also getting ready for another major mission on Mars.  The thought of my actions and decisions putting Chrissy in greater risk danced at the back of my mind.  Not considering the improbable had cost me Jeryl.  Was a confrontation or escalation with China worth a similar cost?
Kerian came out of the office behind a couple of Air Force generals I did not know and motioned to me to come in.  Kelly was behind her desk, reading from an open folio.  She smiled as I entered.
"Thanks for coming, Paul," she said, rising to greet me with a kiss on the cheek.  "I think this might be a pleasant meeting," she added.
"Oh?"
She nodded.  "I have some information that leads me to believe change is afoot in the Peoples Republic."
Further conversation was halted as Kerian opened the door again and greeted the next guests.  I had seen pictures of the Ambassador from China, but never met the man.  He had a stiff posture and a dour look on his face with silver-gray hair.  He nodded as he shook my hand in greeting.  One of the two other visitors, I knew.
"Minister Chen, it is a pleasure to see you again," I said as I shook his hand.  His appearance had aged since I last saw him.
"And you, Mister Taylor," he said.  His eyes darted to Kelly, whom he hurried to greet as I shook hands with another man, Trade Minister Tian.  He looked even less pleased to be in the Oval office than the other two.
"So, Mister Ambassador," Kelly said after the photographer snapped pictures and a few pleasantries had been exchanged.  "To what do I owe the honor of your visit.  I was a little surprised when you asked that I invite my brother to this meeting."
The Ambassador looked like he had sucked a lemon.  He glanced at the trade minister and then spoke in nearly flawless English.
"My government has asked that you intercede on our behalf with your brother, Madame President, to put an end to the commercial conflict we find ourselves embroiled in due to the unfortunate decisions and actions of rogue individuals operating within our Government."
Kelly kept her face neutral, while I'm certain mine showed some level of surprise.
"And the unauthorized actions you are speaking of are?" Kelly asked more sharply than I would have.
The Ambassador's face was red now.  "An individual in a position of authority illegally initiated a covert operation aimed at stealing two fusion generators from neighboring Russia and transporting them to a facility under his control in China.  Those generators were destroyed by Mister Taylor, which is when the full crimes of the individual came to light.  After a thorough internal investigation, Minister Sun was arrested, tried, and found guilty of treason.  He was executed yesterday."
Such action was a surprise to me.  I had expected them to continue to rally behind the Premiere's hatchet-man and advisor.  For them to have turned on him, something within the party must have come to light.
Kelly was nodding.  "And what of the other claims coming to light of rampant theft of intellectual property within the various technology factories in your country?"
The ambassador glanced at the Trade Minister.  "If you will allow Trade Minister Tian to explain?"
Kelly nodded.
The trade minister cleared his throat.  "Our central trade administration has undertaken a review of the claims and found that there is merit to many of them, to our great shame.  We will be sanctioning the companies involved and will allow the dispute settlement process of the WTO to arbitrate the final disposition of each claim.  We recommend that the TRIPS Agreement from that organization be used as the basis for evaluating the validity of each claim."
Kelly glanced at me.  "And what do you think I can entice my brother, Mister Taylor, to do as a result of these actions?" she asked.
The trade minister looked at the Ambassador, seeking permission to continue.  He got a nodded response.
"We would ask, after we announce the findings of our internal investigations and the actions we will undertake, that Mister Taylor issue a public statement that the dispute has been resolved.  Any statement beyond that with regard to resuming business relationships with China would be appreciated, but letting the markets know that our issues are settled is sufficient," he said with hope in his eyes.  "We would also ask that your State Department host meetings between Minister Chen and Mister Taylor and other interested western companies regarding the continued upgrading of our transportation and public infrastructure.  Given recent history, having the U.S.  Government help broker any agreements is desired to ensure everything is open and above-board, as you say."
I thought about it for a moment.  "I can do that," I agreed.  "I don't know that I'll resume any manufacturing efforts until I see some outcomes and evidence of change, but I can announce an end to our dispute," I said.
Kelly nodded.  "I will direct Secretary Cooke to assign a special envoy to facilitate these meetings.  I thank you for suggesting this approach to ensure fair treatment for all parties," she said.
The Ambassador seemed to relax a little, as if this was what they had been driving for.  The trade minister nodded.  Minister Chen gave me the barest hint of a smile and a slight nod of appreciation.
With the major points of the meeting resolved, we all stood, shook hands again and let Kerian usher us out the door.  Kelly stopped me with a touch on my arm, so I held back and let the others leave.
Once we were alone, she said, "We had some intel that Sun had been shot.  I suspected they would give way to reason with him out of the picture.  Now, I need you to play fair with them, Paul.  That especially includes any market manipulation you might have been doing via the Fusion Bank.  Am I clear?"
I was surprised anyone in the government had caught on to that aspect of our efforts but kept my face as neutral as I could.
"Market manipulation sounds nefarious, Madame President," I said with a forced grin.  "Surely you don't think I would do anything like that."
She swatted my arm, gave me a quick hug, and then pushed me toward the door.
Minister Chen and his former aide, Yuan, were waiting with Tamara.
Chen was visibly more relaxed now.  He grabbed my hand for another handshake.  "Paul, thank you for agreeing to our modest proposal."
I shrugged.  "It was the least I could do, given the efforts you and your government undertook," I said.
Chen snorted.  "Our government blustered and stonewalled until you destroyed those generators.  Then they started seeing business contracts being terminated.  I finally got them to do some honest math on the costs of Sun's gambles.  He was promising them riches but had no contingency plan.  Even if he had succeeded, we would have been economic pariahs, which would have crippled our economy.  As it is, we have been set back significantly in our goals for manufacturing.  The plants being built and opened in Taiwan and India will see to that."
"Well, I'm satisfied with this resolution," I said as an aide motioned us toward the hallway and exit.
Chen walked close to me, leaning in and lowering his voice.  "The Trade Minister and I were summoned yesterday.  We watched Sun's execution and then were told, if we did not have a resolution to the mess he had created, we would face our own trials."
I was shocked.
"Then I am glad we were able to resolve this," I said sincerely.
He nodded.  "Yuan will be my special representative to the negotiations, and I'll be visiting in person as much as possible," he said.  "While this effort could have destroyed me, it appears I will be promoted instead.  I will have additional responsibilities to ensure our revised infrastructure plans meet with the central committee's plans and objectives."
"Then I guess congratulations are in order," I said.
"Thank you.  I hope my country will now behave as fairly toward you as you have to us, Paul."
"I hope for the same, Minister Chen.  You have always acted with honor, so I will trust your word."
We parted ways at the entrance.  Tamara was grinning as we pulled out of the White House.
"We have the conference bridge open," she said as she took her phone off mute.
"Thanks everyone.  We should begin plans to execute our option 'olive branch'," I said.  "Billy, I'll call you back with what we need to do with regard to a press release, but assuming the Chinese follow through with their own news, we might have resolved this dispute once and for all."  
*****
"I'm going to miss you," Chrissy said as she wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her breasts against my back.  We were enjoying a hot soak in the master bath in Park City.  While she had used the soaking tub often before, this was the first time I had joined her in it.  It brought back memories for me.  It was her last weekend on Earth before her next Mars Mission.  "It wasn't this hard last time," she added.
I nodded and stroked her hands.  "I know.  It wasn't as hard for me, either."
"When I get back, I expect you to ground me.  You know that, right?" Her voice was serious.
"Consider yourself grounded, then," I said, trying to lighten the mood.
"You know what I mean.  I promised myself that I would not try to replace Jeryl.  I've never tried to be a mother figure to Ali or Jer, but I do want to be a mother, Paul.  I expect you to be the father.  You don't have to marry me, or anything, but I do want to be a mother."
"We'll talk about it when you get back."
She stiffened, tightening her grip on me.
"You can talk until you are blue in the face, boy-oh."  Her voice was soft, but insistent in my ear.  "My mind is made up.  You have three months to get used to the idea.  I'll be twenty-seven in November, and if I'm not preggers by then, we'll both be going to a doctor who isn't your sister-in-law."
"I love you, Chrissy, but I...."
She put her finger to my lips.  "No buts, Paul.  I love you, too.  If you mean it as much as I do, you'll do this for me."
I nodded before twisting around to give her a quick kiss.  That turned into a much longer embrace.  By the time we got out of the water, thoughts of argument or debate were gone.  Instead, we just enjoyed one another for the time we had left together.
It wasn't until the next night, when I was getting ready for bed, that I noticed her package of birth control pills sitting on the counter.  
*****
"Dad!" Ali yelled as she came into my office in Park City.  "Why didn't you tell me this came?" she asked as she waved a letter around.  I was working late, but she had obviously been home and come back to the office.
"I don't know what that is?" I said with a smile.  "Good news, I assume?"
She rushed around the desk and gave me a huge hug.  "Yes.  I got an appointment.  I'm going to Annapolis," she said.
"The Navy rather than the Air Force?" I asked.  "Don't you want to wait to see if you got one there before you decide?"
She smiled, making me think of her mother once again.  She was becoming a beautiful woman.  "Don't tell Terry, but I think I'd go Navy even if the Air Force offers a spot.  I've been looking at the numbers.  The Air Force will send a larger percentage to flight school, but the Navy has more female opportunities for the kind of flying I want to get into.  I don't want to be in the Air Transport Command.  That's not going to be the right kind of experience for hustling a GOT or whatever next vehicle you make.  Something with carrier ops experience makes more sense."
"Are you sure about that?" I asked.  "Even an ATC billet would ensure your full Airline Transport Pilot license."
"Like I said, I've been looking at all of the numbers.  More than half of the Air Force billets will be in ATC type aircraft.  When I account for that, both pipelines have roughly the same number of slots for fast-movers that I want to fly.  The Air Force appears to still have some issues assigning women to those roles, but the Navy is doing better."
I was happy she had looked at things so thoroughly.  I told her as much.  "In the end, honey, it's your life and your decision.  I just want to know that you've thought it all through."
"I have, Dad.  If I don't get a flight assignment, I think there are better options in the Navy as well."
She gave me another hug and then asked when I was going home.
"How about now?" I asked.  "I think this is news that deserves a little celebration.  Let's grab Jer and go out for dinner tonight.  You pick where."
She got a gleam in her eye.  "You know that restaurant we went to at Fisherman's Wharf last year?" she asked.
I laughed.  "You want to hop over to San Francisco for dinner?  Oh, darling, you are going to hate being a midshipman, I fear."
Despite my protest, I spoiled my daughter and son with a quick trip for a very tasty dinner in San Francisco.  Ali was as happy with flying the left-hand seat of the GS-3 as she was with dinner and her appointment to the Naval Academy.
*****
I was alone for the first time in a long time, watching the sunset from the porch of the lab house in Nevada.  The kids had not wanted to come down two weekends in a row, choosing to study for finals with friends instead.  I needed to tinker with a few things in the lab, so had hopped the GS-3 down, and spent most of Friday night in the lab working on the power supply for the enhanced MRI here.  With the microcontroller changes I had made, the resolution was incredible.  By boosting the power well beyond the safe limit our deja vu research had determined, I thought I had a way to create the transmission needed to breach the barrier of the multi-verse.
Of course, it was only a transmitter.
I had thought long and hard about my own experience and the math Dr.  Perdew and I were still unraveling.  If a strong magnetic pulse had transmitted my consciousness before the explosion in my Chicago lab had killed me, it was possible that my own brain in a different universe, in this universe, had been the receiver.
It fit all of the observational data I had.
It fit the math we were still working with, if I had enough power to create the very fine field in just the right places within my brain.
The only questions remaining were if I could produce sufficient power in the device, and if I was mad enough to try it out.
This weekend was about determining if I could build a suitable power supply.  Earlier in the day, I had proven the answer to that question.
Next weekend, I would have to see if the second could be answered.  Somehow, it felt fitting.  It would be the 19th anniversary of my marriage to Jeryl next weekend.  I wasn't trying to be melodramatic, but I knew I needed to try, if I was going to try, before Chrissy returned in June.  She deserved an answer and a real commitment from me.  Unfortunately, it was one I did not think I could make if I did not at least try to set right some wrongs in the larger universe.
I sipped my Scotch and thought about Jeryl taking in the sunset from this very same balcony.  I thought about the past nine years of living without her by my side.  I thought about how much I missed her, the woman I had lost, loved, and lost again.
As the sun settled below the horizon, I finished my drink and went inside.  I needed to arrange a few more things before next weekend.  It would be hectic and busy, but if I went through with the experiment, I had to make preparations.
*****
I looked at the control console settings for the third time and then climbed into the machine.  Based on everything we had discovered and surmised, this should work, but I also knew it could be the end of me.  How would Ali and Jer and Chrissy feel if my calculations and assumptions were wrong?
I took a deep breath and slipped the cover in place over my head and upper chest.  The neck cradle pressed against my spine as I wiggled to get situated.
Would they hate me?  I could not help but wonder if I was being selfish or caring.  The past years had weighed heavily on me.  There had been moments of great joy and comfort, but also deep bouts of depression and anger.  On my first pass through, I had lived alone, isolated, with no real friends or family.  In many regards, the end had been a blessing, even if I had not been sent back to an earlier time.
Of course, now, I knew I had not been sent back, rather cast out and landed in an entirely new timeline or dimension.  Dr.  Perdew and I had struggled for years to understand what this strange multiverse of varying time rates might mean or how it originated but were still only able to guess at this point.  Maybe, sometime in the future, we would understand more fully.
I did not fully expect to be part of that future.  I had made time-released preparations for just such an outcome over the past week.  Perhaps I would stop those communications from ever being sent.  I hoped so, but I knew it was a very real risk.
I closed my eyes against the soft blue glow of the machine and pressed the thumb switch to activate it.
I tried to keep my breathing steady as the pressure cuff across my forehead inflated and held my head firmly in position.  I knew the software was controlling a preliminary, low power scan to ensure proper orientation of the projectors and sensors.  All I had to do to stop this was lift my thumb.
I thought about Ali and her pride at being accepted to the Naval Academy.  I might not see her graduate.
My thumb stayed against the button.
I thought of Jer being surrounded by collectors older than I was at the show in New York.  He had sold out the gallery and was being called a new age Reginald Pollack and was thought to have the commercial appeal of Peter Max.  I might never see another of his paintings.
But I knew both kids would be fine.
Chrissy would take it hardest if things did not go as planned.  She had become such an integral part of my life over the past few years.  She was loving and kind and never pressured me for anything more than the relationship we had, but I knew she secretly longed for more.  Until I knew for certain that I could not change the past, I could not give her what she really deserved.
I squeezed the controller more tightly.
I heard the actuators hum as the power increased.  Now was the time.  The moment was nearly here.  I held my breath.
Blinding white light and a tsunami of sound washed through and over me.
*****
The machine wound down and I realized it was the sound of my own gasping breath that filled my ears.  I opened my eyes and saw the same soft, blue light around me.  I fumbled for the controller, realizing I had dropped it alongside me.  The pressure of the head-cuff relaxed, and I took a deep breath.  I pushed the cover release and then slid the top out of the way before sitting up.
I was still in the lab.  Everything looked just as it had a few minutes earlier when I entered the machine.  Nothing looked out of place.
I sighed.  The experiment had failed.  I was still here.  Nothing had changed.
Slowly, I climbed out and went to the control panel.  The massive charge was still displayed, showing how the magnetic fields had interacted with my body and mind.  I re-ran the monitoring, slowing the speed.  I watched the display showing the field front traveling through my head, probing and pinching, as if compressing the very electrical fields that composed my thoughts and feelings.  The torus-shaped field expanded and became more defuse as it washed over the Parietal lobe and then tightened and re-focused as it pulsed through the occipital and temporal lobe.  That had likely triggered the sense of light and sound in my brain.
I continued to watch until the replay ended.
I sighed and opened a terminal window on the network.  I typed a few commands, stopping the time-released communications I had set up.  No one would read this story of my journey, at least not yet.  No one would know of the folly I had danced with here today.
Once that task was taken care of, I backed up the replay and ran the last seconds once more, slowing it even more.
There was a hint of a second field pinching off and then evaporating.
I checked the calibration and sensitivity readings.
Some sort of resonance had occurred, but I did not know what it meant.
I re-wound and played it again.
In real-time, it lasted less than a millisecond.  It was the barest hint of a flash or waver in the field of my brain.
I wondered what it meant, if anything.  Of course, I would never actually know.  The math told me that.
I sighed and stretched when I glanced at the clock.  I needed to head out soon.  Chrissy would be landing in Kenya and the kids were anxious to see her, as was I.  It seemed that my grand experiment, with all of its emotional angst and consideration was over.
Part of me was glad.
I could not change what had happened in my past.  Whatever had allowed my first trip through had to have been a fluke of nature or a lucky happenstance.  This test had proven my theories wrong.  Part of me was glad for it.  A chapter had ended.
At least, now I knew.
I powered down the equipment and pulled the enhanced power supply I had built.  I replaced it with a standard part, rendering the machine to be only a high-resolution MRI.  I'd need to get rid of it sooner or later but decided the next trip to Nevada would be soon enough.  No one else would be crazy enough to test this device on themselves, and I wouldn't let it be used on another.  It was an ending, a final technology sacrifice on the altar of my hubris.
I flipped the lights off and headed out of the lab.
*****
"Paul!" Chrissy called as she debarked from the Orion once it had cooled and all of the post landing checks had been completed.  It had been three months since I held her in my arms.  A long time for both of us.
I abandoned my usual reserve and jogged to meet her with Ali and Jer on my heels.  I grabbed her in a hug and kissed her soundly as the kids and her crew mates watched.  A few of them applauded.  Tamara and Allen were at the back of the group, holding hands.
"Wow, you must have really missed me," Chrissy teased as our lips parted.  I grinned at her.
"I did," I said as I grinned at her.  "I've missed you a lot lately.  Maybe I should go to the doctor and get checked out."
She gave me a serious look.  "If you're suggesting the doctor, I should be worried."
"Oh, I don't know," I said as wrapped an arm around her and guided her off to the grass alongside the road leading to the landing pad.  Tamara and Allen joined us there.  "I already know what the doctor would say, so I can probably skip that part."
"And what, pray tell, would the doctor say?" She asked with a smile.
"She'd tell me to stop screwing around and ask you."
"Ask me what?"
"To marry me."
Chrissy nearly tackled me as she jumped into my arms.  I heard Ali and Jer cheering and felt friendly slaps of congratulations on my back, but only cared for the sound coming from Chrissy's lips.
"Yes, oh, yes, oh, yes."
Somewhere, I knew, Jeryl was smiling her approval.
*****
Something startled me awake.  I sat up on the couch and looked at my watch.  I had the strangest sense of deja vu.  I stood and then heard a muffled thud.  It sounded like someone was trying to bust open the door into the lab area from the Physics building.  I heard another thud, this time accompanied by the subtle sound of glass cracking.
I raced back to my lab and saw the accumulators were fully charged.  I slapped the pre-programmed initiation button and then made sure the data was streaming to my cloud storage as I heard more breaking glass.
I grabbed my pad and phone and headed toward the emergency exit.  Somehow, I knew the sounds were the only warning I would have to get away.
I raced down the stairs and out the fire exit.  It was a muggy, smog filled evening.  I slipped my particle mask over my face and headed away from the building, across the quad.  I glanced at my phone and its remote display of the experiment.
I ducked around some shrubs as I heard the door open behind me.  I glanced at the phone again.
Victory.
The data was there.  It was the same result as my first run.  I had a working fusion generator.  My dream was real.
*****
I awoke slowly, not opening my eyes, but feeling lightness on them.  I was in a bed, not in the machine.  I rolled my shoulders.
Was it a dream, or was I dead?
I cracked open an eye and decided the answer was something else entirely.  I was in my room.  Not in bed in Nevada or Park City, but my bedroom on our family farm.
My memory was sharp.  The blinding light and crashing wave of sound.  But my hand was empty; there was no controller nearby.  I opened my eyes and saw the clock.  Six-ten.  It was time to get up.  I knew chores were waiting for me.  I also knew I had a lot of work to get started on.
And I knew today would be the start of winning Jeryl once again.
*****
I opened my eyes.  It had been the strangest dream, I thought.
I felt a warm body snuggled behind me.  How had I gotten from the lab to bed?  I wondered.  Had I been in the lab?
I rolled over, expecting to find Chrissy, and seeing a brunette head I had thought lost to me forever.
My heart raced and my breath caught.  I reached out carefully, running a finger along her cheek.
She opened her eyes and gave me a sleepy smile.
"Hi, lover," she said softly.
I leaned in and kissed her.
"I do love you," I whispered back.  "Now and always."
She smiled more broadly.
"I think you're just trying to get a blow-job before I go today."
"Always," I replied, "But that doesn't mean I don't love you now and forever."
She sat up, letting the sheet fall from her and then leaned over and kissed me.
"I love you, too," she said as she straightened.  "But I need to get moving.  Alison and Rose will be by soon to head to the airport."
"About that," I said as I sat up as well.
"What?"
"I'm canceling the meeting in Seoul.  How about we tell them to meet us all in Milan?"
She smiled.  "You've never wanted to go to Milan with me before," she said.
"Let's make a trip of it.  Milan for your work, then we can meet with the Chinese, and then we can take a few days or weeks in Tuscany.  I think you need a break as much as I do."
"But the kids," she began.
"Mom and Jim will be here.  I bet your folks would come out for a visit as well.  Let's just us, get away for a bit.  It feels like it has been years since it was just you and me, together.  I've missed having time just with you."
Her smile returned.
"I'd love to spend more alone time with you, Paul, now and always."
*****
Afterward

This brings Paul’s story to its conclusion.  Thanks for coming along for the ride.  While there are many possibilities for the tale to continue, the journey has run its course in my mind, so I have no plans to revisit Paul and his complex life.  While there may be further adventures amongst other characters on one of the many timelines Paul has created, for now those stories will only exist in the mind of the author and readers.  
*****
I have enjoyed the opportunity to play a healthy game of “what-if” with the characters and readers of this tale.  A few stray thought have been introduced as I recoiled this story for publishing in ePub format online.  While I will not commit to writing additional stories here, I will share a few additional thought starters for my readers.
Is it possible Paul’s dream in Chapter Forty-Nine has been sent from an alternative Paul on a different timeline?
Will the new young Paul try to change his own history again by doing something to save Wendy?
Would Ali become a pilot without Jeryl’s death and a different timeline?
Would Jer be driven to art without Jeryl’s death?
Would Chrissy still end up in Paul’s bed, even if Jeryl was still alive?
*****
Writing a book involving real and imagined events, co-mingled, is always a challenge.  This book is no exception.  While parts of the tale do not dramatically differ from the historic timeline, later chapters differ greatly from our current records of history. To help situate the story in our real history while providing some insight into the diverging paths Paul’s actions create, a timeline of the tale is provided in the appendix. 
Thanks for reading,
-Charlie

An Interlude
Interlude on an Island
*****
This scene originally started as part of Chapter Sixty-Two, but there was no way to present it without Paul being a creepy dad and spying on his son and his girlfriend’s sister.  With the point of view the scene required, it did not really fit in the story as a whole, but it does help explain a couple of minor plot points within the larger tale.
I hope you enjoyed this little interlude and a glimpse into some of the other character’s heads and thoughts.
Thanks for reading,
-Charlie

*****
"You've really turned into a royal bitch."
Jane sat on the warm sand and looked at the surf through tear filled eyes.
How could Jer be so mean?
How could his tone be so cold and emotionless?  His pronouncement had sounded like he was saying it was going to be a warm day, or the sky was blue.
He had no right to call her that, she decided.
Of course, no one had defended her.  They all must have agreed with his assessment.  That stung as much as the words.
She flopped back on the sand and beat her fists against the unsatisfyingly yielding surface.  Her feet and heels joined in the futile effort to inflict something on the world around her.
"I guess that's what sailors mean when they tell you to pound sand," Jer said from someplace behind her.
She immediately stopped her motions and sat up, turning to lash out at him.
"I'm sorry I called you a bitch," he said as soon as she looked at him.
She wiped tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.  "Go away," she managed to say before pulling her knees up, wrapping her arms around them, and staring at the ocean again.
"Running away doesn't solve anything," Jer said, closer to her now.
"What would you know about it?" she said.  "You get everything.  You and Ali can have anything you want, be whatever you want, go anywhere you want, do whatever you want.  You're not like normal people who have to deal with problems."
He sat down next to her, clearly ignoring her desire to be alone.
"You mean like growing up without a mother?" he asked softly.
Jane felt like she had been slapped.
Jer had always been the easy-going member of their childhood trio.  Ali and she had vied for the leadership of mischief while he had normally just gone along with their plan or gone off to do his own thing.  She tried to remember the last time he had stood his ground in any confrontation with her or Ali.  Jane had long ago classified him as a follower, not a leader.
She glanced at him, but he was not looking at her.  Instead, he had flipped open his ever present sketchbook and pulled a pencil out while looking at the ocean.  He seemed to be so mature, even though she knew he was a year younger than her.  Last year when she had seen him, he was still a little kid, at least to her eyes.  Now, if he were in a school uniform, he would blend in with the juniors and seniors easily.  He had an even tan and had lost the last baby fat in his face.  He had grown up and filled out across the shoulders.  His unruly black hair looked a lot like his father's and he had those cold blue eyes that would make him a dreamy boyfriend; if he were older.
Unless he thought you were a bitch, she thought.
She put her chin back on her knees and listened to the surf and the scratch of his pencil.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.
She glanced at him again.  His eyes were still on the surf and his sketchbook.
"About what?" In her own ears, her voice sounded shrill compared to his gentle tone.
"Whatever happened since the Winter Olympics," he replied.  "When you came up for the games, you were still you.  You and Ali laughed and had fun.  You listened to what other people said and didn't try to put everyone down.  You were pleasant to be around.  I can't believe you just woke some time after then and decided to be nasty to everyone."
She straightened and looked at him.  "That's none of your business."
Jer finally looked at her.  He had a sad smile on his face.  Those blue eyes had a hint of masked pain in them.  He turned back to his drawing.
"Your Mom assumes it's just hormones and that you'll grow out of it.  Your Dad worries it’s something more," he said.
"Like my parents talk to you about me," She put as much derision in her voice as she could.
"I watch things.  I listen," he said.
"Just leave me alone," she insisted.
The worst part, to Jane, was that he was right.  Something had changed after visiting for the Salt Lake City Olympics.  She tried to put it out of her mind.  She couldn't change the past.  Unfortunately, it wasn't just in her past.
They sat there for minutes.  Jane felt the sunshine and heat of the sand soaking into her as she listened to the surf and his damned pencil.
A sound broke the peaceful tableau.  She looked up to see two sailboats out past the point, sailing away from the island.  It was a faint sound, but she heard the laughter over the waves and a faint call of "Ready, about!"
Bile rose in her throat.
"Once again, Ali gets her way," she said bitterly.
Jer looked up at the distant sailboats and then at Jane.
"You don't like sailing?" he asked.
"It's not that.  It's just that Ali always seems to get what she wants," Jane replied with resignation.
Jer nodded.  "I know it looks that way, but you might be surprised," he said.
"What do you mean?"
"Ali used to always wheedle and whine to get what she wanted, but Mom and Dad never really let her get away with that.  Almost anything you think she's given, she has had to earn.  Dad, especially won't let her get away with crap anymore."
Jane shook her head.  "I sure don't see that.  She wanted to sail this morning, and now everyone else is sailing."
"You didn't want to?" Jer asked.
"It's not that.  It's just she never asks what other people want."
"That's not true.  I seem to recall the conversation starting with her asking what everyone wanted to do today.  Our parents all just shrugged, and you were silent.  Ali then asked if anyone wanted to go for a sail, and you blew up.  What did you want to do?"
Jane paused.  She had been ready to argue with him, but realized he was correct in his recollection of the events.  She had offered nothing to do as they sat in the morning sun.
"I just want to sit in the sun on the sand, maybe swim a little, and relax.  This is supposed to be a vacation for me, too."
Jer nodded.  "Then why didn't you just say that?  I'd agree with that plan, and anyone who didn't would have just left us behind."
"But I'm tired of being left behind!"
Jer actually closed his sketchbook and looked at her.
"Nobody is leaving you behind," he said.  "You're choosing to not go along."
"Why should I have to go along with what everyone else wants to do?"
"It's not a yes-no kind of world, Jane," he said softly.  "You could have said you'd rather sail later, or you could have offered your alternative.  Lashing out at everyone just isolated you and made them stop listening.  Is that what you really wanted?"
"No, but nobody listens to me anyway, so what difference does it make?"
"I listen to you."
"Really?  Then why are you still here?  I told you to leave me alone!"
Jer shook his head.  “No.  You spoke those words, but what you really told me is that you're hurt by something and need a friend who won't judge you or shut you out when you are angry."
"Oh, just shut up!"
Jane thought about getting up and moving away from irritating Jer, and then realized he would probably just follow her again.  Maybe he did care about her feelings a little.  Ali certainly didn't, and her parents were just as bad.  Instead of getting up, Jane flopped back on the sand, sat up again, pulled off her coverup and then flopped down again.
She could feel Jer's eyes on her, but refused to open hers and look at him.  After a few minutes, she heard him moving a little and then the scritch-scratch of his pencil resumed.
*****
Jer looked at his drawing and smiled.  It was obviously the small cove they sat in, but not from his current perspective.  Instead of just drawing what he saw, Jer had moved his mind's eye several feet and imagined Jane in a slightly different position.  The waves and the palm trees were in the background now, while Jane was stretched out between his viewpoint and the surf with the foliage on the arm of the small cove in the distance behind her.  He thought he had done a good job of capturing the curves of her body and the lines of her bikini.  Her hair had been a challenge to get just right, since it was so light and he only had a dark pencil to work with.  He liked the hint of muscle in her abs and the gentle swell of her breasts beneath the bikini top.  She would never be a voluptuous as Chrissy was, but she was very attractive in her own right.
He glanced up at the sky, noting how high the sun had climbed and glanced at Jane's light skin and freckles.  He smiled at her open lips and the small strand of drool starting at the corner of her mouth.  He reached out to gently stroke her shoulder.
"Jane," he said softly, "do you want some sunscreen?"
She shifted at his touch and then opened her eyes and looked at him.
She had lovely eyes, he realized.
"How long did I sleep?" Jane asked as she sat up and looked around.  Her eyes saw his drawing and stopped to stare at it.
"Maybe an hour," Jer said.  "I just didn't know if you had sunscreen on or not."
Jane was silent, staring at his work.
"Is that how you really see me?" she asked a minute later.
Jer nodded, but she wasn't looking at him.  "That's how you look, not how I see you," he said.
Now she looked at him.
"You made me look beautiful," she said softly.
"You are beautiful," he replied.
Jane shook her head.  "Chrissy is beautiful.  I'm just plain Jane."
"I don't think so."
She pulled her knees up to her chest again and frowned.  "At school, boys see pictures of Chrissy on telly or online or in magazines and get all stupid about her.  When they talk to me, it feels like they're only interested in getting a chance to meet her.  Then they see a picture of Ali, and I hear the same shit, but worded differently.  Nobody thinks I'm cute or desirable."
"I do," Jer said.
"You're just saying that," she countered.
Jer reached to his sketchbook and flipped back a few pages to show another drawing.  It was one he had captured on their first evening on the island.  In this one, he had more than a single dark pencil.  Her honey-blonde hair showed highlights with the glorious tropical sunset behind her.  Her hazel eyes had a glint in them as she smiled at something and her lips looked fuller and redder, more than she usually thought of them.
"When did you do this?" she asked.
He told her.  "It was just a quick sketch at first, but then I finished it later that night.  I loved the way the light of sunset hit your hair and the hint of a smile on your lips," he said.
"Wow.  I guess you do see things other people don't."
She looked at the drawing for another moment, and then flipped back to the newer sketch.  She stared at it and then looked up at him.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"My pleasure, ma'am," Jer said with a smile.
"Can I look at some others?" she asked as she reached for the book.
"Sure."
She dropped her knees to the sand and pulled the sketchbook to her lap.  She jumped back to the start of the book and looked at each drawing in turn.
"Where's this?" she asked when she saw one of a couple watching the sunset over wild red rock formations.  At a glance, she knew it was Paul and Chrissy.
"It's in Utah.  We went camping for my birthday a few months ago.  Dad and Chrissy were sitting on the ledge, watching the sunset and I thought it looked beautiful.  They added just enough foreground interest to make the picture," he said.
Jane nodded.
"What about this one?  I didn't think you went to Washington for the election," she said as she looked at the drawing of Aunt Kelly behind a podium.
"I did that from the television.  I've seen Aunt Kelly enough that I could draw her face from memory.  I wanted to do a picture of her delivering her victory speech.  I did a cleaned up version of that as s gift for Grandpa."
"You're so talented.  I wish I could do something that well," she said.
"It just takes a lot of practice," Jer replied.
"Hurumph!  There's not enough hours in the day to make me that good at something."
"What do you like to do?" Jer asked.
Jane gave a sigh.  "I guess I'm a nerd.  I really do like school, but get tired of some of the crap I seem to have to put up with."
"What's your favorite subject?"
"Easy, anything science related.  I think biology is my favorite class this year.  Mr.  Delamont is pretty cool as a teacher."
Jer asked more questions about what made him a good teacher and then asked follow-up questions, never letting her fall into a yes-no answer.  He could see her relaxing as they talked, losing some of the tension in her shoulders and demeanor.  He smiled when she started asking about his classes.
"I think we had better take a dip to cool off," he said as the sun stood directly overhead.  "It's only going to get warmer this afternoon."
*****
Jane stood and brushed the sand off her legs.  She and Jer had been talking for nearly an hour, and it wasn't like talking to a boy at school.  She knew he thought she was attractive, based on the pictures he had drawn.  His interest in what she liked about school was refreshing as well.  He wasn't just interested in the famous people she knew, or trying to get in her pants, like so many 'boyfriends' were.  He also wasn't petty and bitchy like some of her friends at school.  For the first time in a long time, she realized she felt comfortable alone with a boy.
"Is it still friends and family rules?" she asked impulsively.
Jer grinned at her.  "I suppose.  Why?"
Jane smiled and reached behind hereself to pull at the tie on her bikini.  "I don't need any tan lines, and you already think I look nice, so let's be a little daring."
Jer licked his lips as she pulled the top off and dropped it on her coverup.
She put her hands on her hips and then looked him in the eye.  "Your turn," she said before plucking at the loose t-shirt he was wearing.
Jer pulled the hem of his shirt up and over his head, revealing a well muscled chest with a few curls of dark hair.  His long swim trunks were riding low on his waist and she took a moment to admire his firm abs.  She had seen him swimming early in their stay, but had not really paid that much attention to him.
"It looks like you're taken up working out like your Dad," she said as she reached out to trace a finger down the dividing line of his stomach muscles.
"Ali and I both take martial arts now, and I really like hiking and camping.  It's good exercise in the mountains," he said.
She put her hand back on her hip, and glanced at his swimsuit again.  "So?" she asked.
Jer blushed and then pushed his trunks down.  She was surprised at the size of his dick.  It was as large as any she had seen before, hanging from his dark pubic hair.  She smiled and licked her lips as she saw it stir and start to stiffen.
"Your turn," Jer said, looking at her eyes.
Jane was suddenly nervous.  When they were younger, skinny dipping at the pool at their Sydney house, Jer had almost never joined in.  She also had only had the barest hint of hair on her pussy the last time she had been naked with Ali in front of him.  She licked her lips and then pushed the bikini bottoms down, letting them fall to the ground before stepping out of them.  She felt her cheeks warming as Jer looked at her, but she refused to meet his eyes.  Instead, she kept her gaze lower, just high enough to see his prick stiffening.  She smiled at the compliment and was about to say something when he turned and jogged toward the surf.
"Come on," called over his shoulder.  "It's hot out here."
Jane giggled and followed him.  She noticed his flapping dick and balls as he high-stepped over the slight surf and then dived into the water.  He swam out far enough to avoid the breaking waves and then turned to watch her as she slowed at the surf line.  Suddenly, Jane realized he was looking at her nakedness as she paused at the water's edge.
"Are you perving on me?" she asked as she felt the waves wash across her feet.
"Drinking in your beauty," he replied.
She smiled and then ran deeper into the water before following his lead and jumping over the breaking waves and then swimming to slightly deeper water.  She got close to him, bobbing on the swells so her toes just touched the bottom after a swell moved past them.
"Do you really think I'm beautiful?" she asked hesitantly.
"You saw my drawings," he said.  "Now you're just fishing for compliments."
Jane smiled and felt her cheeks blush again.  "You're pretty nice looking, too," she finally managed to say.
Jer gave her a goofy grin and splashed some water at her before swimming away toward the point at the end of the beach.
"Hey!" Jane yelled before starting a more leisurely breast stroke after him.
They played in the warm salty water for a while and then Jane announced she was going back to the beach.  Jer followed behind her.  She glanced over her shoulder as they stood in the shallows and let the small waves help them ashore.  As soon as he saw her looking, she noticed his dick getting firm again.
"I don't think the friends and family rules account for that," she teased as she gave his crotch a pointed look.
"The last time I saw you and Ali swimming naked, I was embarrassed you would see my reaction."
"And now?" she asked.
Jer smiled.  "Now's better.  You're much prettier than you were back then, and I can appreciate it much more so."
Jane felt her blush return.  "You're not looking bad, either," she said.
"Good thing I brought some towels for us," Jer said as they reached the dry sand.  He grabbed his beach bag and pulled some towels out and handed one to her.  They dried off and then spread the towels and laid down on them.  Jane was a little disappointed that Jer chose to lie face down.  She followed suit.
"So," Jer said after a few minutes.  "Why don't you think you're attractive?  You must have a ton of guys chasing after you."
"Not the right ones," Jane said without thinking.
"What's that mean?"
"Um," she had not meant to talk about this with anyone, let alone with Jer.
She thought about what a pleasant day it had turned into after her less than thrilling start.  Jer had been kind and friendly when she felt she needed a friend.  She glanced at him and saw his blue eyes staring at her has he rested his head on his arms.
"You promise you won't tell anyone?  Not Ali, not Chrissy, not my folks?"
"If you don't want me to, I'll keep it to myself," he replied earnestly.
Jane thought about what she had gone through and felt over the past eighteen months.
"There was a guy that liked me, or I thought he did," she finally said as she closed her eyes and let the sunshine warm her skin.  "His girlfriend took exception to his interest in me."
She glanced at Jer again.  He was watching her, but remained silent.
"When he asked me out, I was on cloud nine.  He was a senior.  He took me out to Coogee to a place a bunch of us used to hang out.  It was pretty isolated.  His girlfriend and younger sister and a couple of other guys were there, waiting for us."
Jane felt her voice catch.
"Keri, his girlfriend, was a real nut job, but popular.  She stormed up to us as soon as we were out of the car, and slapped me so hard, my head spun.  Then she was punching me and I couldn't catch my breath.  It was horrible."
The memories came flooding back again.  She felt tears in her eyes, but forced herself to continue.
"They did most everything but rape me," she finally managed to say.  "I had to blow the boys, and she made me go down on her and his sister.  It was horrible, when it was supposed to be sexy.  When they were done, she told me if I was ever on a date with anyone she did not approve, it would happen again, and I believed her.  After that, I became a toy for her and the senior cronies.  His sister was only a year older than me, and she took up the mantle of telling me who to be with and what I had to let them do.  I'm just a plaything for them now, and I can't see a way to get out without ruining my life."
*****
Jer was stunned by Jane's revelation and uncertain how to respond.
"Thank you for telling me," he finally managed to say.  "I'm sorry you went through that alone."
Jane remained lying on her towel, crying.
After a moment, he stood up and grabbed his shorts to pull them on.
"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
Jer looked down at her.  "I think you could really use a hug, but after what you told me, it didn't seem right for me to do that without anything on," he said.
"Oh," Jane replied.  She looked up at him, turning and exposing herself without realizing it before she sat up on her knees.
Jer dropped to his knees next to her and wrapped her in his arms.  At first she was stiff, resisting his strength, but after a moment her own arms wrapped around his waist and she pressed her breasts against stomach and her cheek against his chest.  Her tears resumed as Jer held her.
*****
This is how it should feel, Jane thought.  Having strong arms around me feels good.  Knowing they belong to someone who actually cares about me feels even better.
She lifted her own hands along his back and returned his hug, even as she felt tears on her cheeks again.  She was embarrassed as she sobbed against his chest, but felt herself calming as he hugged her more tightly.
“You’re safe,” he whispered softly, barely audible over the sound of the surf.
She felt herself relax again.  It felt wonderful in his arms, even if he was younger.  She turned her head, pressing her ear against his chest and hearing the slow, steady thump-thump of he heart.  
They stayed that way, holding each other as she sorted through her thoughts.  Minutes or moments later, she pulled back from him, separating, but not ending their hug.
“I’m sorry I was a bitch,” she said.
He smiled at her.  
“I’m glad I told you about it,” she added a moment later.
His eyes got darker.  For the first time ever, she could imagine Jer hurting someone.  The thought of him hurting someone for her made her appreciate him even more.
“If you tell me their names,” he said a moment later.
Jane shook her head.  “It’s their word against mine.  If I accuse them of anything, it will get out at school and I’ll be a social pariah.  I just need to get through the next two years.  Once I take a gap year or go to Uni, I’ll be free.”
Jer stared into her eyes.  
“Having to live in hell for two years hardly sounds like a plan.”
Impulsively, she pulled herself higher, lifting her knees from the towel, and kissed him.  
The first kiss was hard and fast, a very personal thank-you, more than a romantic overture.  At least, that’s how she had meant it.
After Jer’s first look of surprise, he slowly leaned down and returned her kiss.
The second kiss was much more than a thank-you.
Jane felt his soft lips pressing against hers.  She dared to relax into him, feeling his strong arms and chest once more embrace her.  She felt her nipples stiffening as their lips parted.
“Wow,” she said.  “You don’t kiss like a sophomore.”
He grinned at her. 
“I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did,” he added.
Jane felt herself blush.  “I did,” she admitted.  “I liked it quite a bit, actually.  You’re such a better kisser than that trash at school.”
Jer smiled at her.  “I’ve had a little practice at it,” he said.
“Really?” she asked.  “I don’t recall you having much to do with any girls before.”
He grinned.  The difference between his smile and his grin was surprising.  When he smiled, she felt warm and cared for.  When he grinned, she knew the mischievous boy she had grown up with was nearby.  Both looks made her happy.
“I’ve had a sort of steady girlfriend since the summer.”
“Sort of steady?  What’s that mean?”
Jer pulled away from her and flopped back down on his towel.  
“It means I’m not sure if we are really going to be going steady when I get back.  I’m trying to decide if she is interested in me or my Dad’s money.  We’ve had fun together and made out some, with lots of kissing, but nothing more.”
Jane shuddered.  “You can’t force her to do anything, Jer.  Trust me, it is so wrong to force something.”
Jer nodded.  “I know, and I wouldn’t.  But it’s a sign that we are in different places.  She is firmly under her mother’s thumb, and I know the mother is a gold-digger.”
“Tell me about her,” Jane said as she laid down next to him.  
He was staring at her eyes, making it hard for her to concentrate and just listen as she thought about his arms around her again.  She rolled over, putting a little distance between them to lie on her back.  She closed her eyes.
“Really,” she said.  “Tell me about this maybe girlfriend.”
*****
Jer looked at Jane’s body as she lay back and asked about Gillian.  He desperately wanted to kiss her again, or draw her again, but forced himself to speak instead.  He found it was easy to talk when she was not looking at him.  
He told her about his thoughts and feelings for his maybe-girlfriend and then talked about his conversations with his father regarding love.  He confided in their final conversation before he had left for the holidays.  
“So, you aren’t going to pressure her?” Jane asked without opening her eyes.
“No,” he answered.
“Are you sure?  It kind of sounds like you’ve told her to put out or break up,” Jane said.
He shook his head, even though she could not see it.  “No.  I was very clear that it was not like that, but that I wanted to know where she thought our relationship was going.  I don’t know what she really feels for me other than enjoying my company and the fact I can take her places she won’t be able to go on her own.”
“It sounds like you are pressuring her, even if you don’t mean to do it,” Jane said. 
Jer thought about it.  
“Maybe, but I didn’t mean it that way.  The situation is pressuring us both.”
“So, if you got off, would that pressure be relieved for you?” Jane asked.
Jer noticed her eyes were still closed, but there was a little smile on her lips.
It was his turn to flop back and stare at the blue sky.  
“I don’t know.  I think I want to feel closer to her, and I guess I don’t really know how to do that,” he said after a few minutes.
He felt Jane move and turned his head to look at her.  She had rolled onto her side, facing him.  He could not help but glance down at her freckled breasts and dusky nipples.  She was smiling when his eyes returned to hers.
“If I asked you for a favor, would you do it for me?” she asked.
“Most likely,” he replied without thinking.
“Kiss me,” she commanded.
He rolled to face her and reached out to trace a fingertip along her jaw.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked softly.
He saw something flicker in her eyes and regretted his words.  Instead of saying something else, he leaned in as he pulled her head toward his.  Their lips touched again.  The earlier awkwardness, the fear of reacting poorly and scaring her was gone.  He reveled in the feel of her lips against his.  Their lips parted slightly, and tongues dueled.  Even as he though it, Jer knew it was wrong, they were not fighting, but dancing.  
Jane pulled herself closer, letting her fingers stroke along his bare arms before reaching to hold his head and lips to hers.  She definitely seemed to want more.  Of course, given what she had confided in him, he was not going to risk hurting her by pushing her to do something she did not want to.  He had refused to do that to Gillian and he had no intention of doing that to Jane.  Instead, he just closed his eyes and concentrated on their kiss.
Finally their lips parted.  
Jer opened his eyes to see Jane smiling at him.  
She waited a moment, looking him in the eye, and then spoke.  “Yes, I’m sure that’s a good idea.”
Jer laughed.  
“I’m glad I could do you that favor, ma’am,” he said.
Jane surged forward, kissing him again and forcing him to roll back.  She pressed her lips to his aggressively, kissing, then licking his lips and face as she nearly climbed on top of him.  Jer stroked his fingers down her spine, tracing along her ribs as she squirmed atop him.  He felt the delicate soft flesh of her rear and spread his hands to cup her buttocks and kneed them gently.
Jane moaned into his mouth and then moved her hands to his shoulders.  She lifted herself up, dragging her now-hard nipples across his skin just before their lips parted.  She was still smiling.
“This is how it should feel,” she said softly before darting in to give him another quick kiss.  “This is how I expected a guy to treat me.  Thank you.”
Jer hugged her tight.  
“I’m glad you are enjoying it as much as I am,” he said a moment later.  
“I am,” she said.  “I know you’re not just trying to use me.  If anything, I’m using you.”  She wiggled her bottom, grinding her pussy against his hard-on which he was sure she could feel through his shorts.
“I might want to use you a little more,” she said after another kiss.
Jer wrapped her in his arms and rolled back over to her towel, lying over her, but supporting himself on his elbows so she did not feel trapped or held down.  He kissed her on her lips again and then began kissing the path his fingers had traced previously.  
His lips traced her jawline to her ear.  Jane moaned and writhed beneath him.
His lips dipped lower, along her neck and then to her collar bone.  Jane made more encouraging sounds.
He kissed his way in toward her sternum and then dipped lower to capture her nipple in his lips.
“God, that feels good,” Jane said in a husky voice as she grabbed his head and held him to her breasts. 
Jer alternated his kisses from one breast to the other, teasing her nipples with his tongue and gentle suction from his lips.  Jane’s hands slipped from his head to his shoulders, gently urging him lower.
As Jer kissed his way lower, he had a moment of panic.  He had dreamed of doing this with Gillian.  He had read about doing this online.  But, he had never actually performed this act anywhere except within his head.  He hesitated.
Jane misunderstood his pause.
“Please,” she said softly, begging hime to continue.
Jer went lower until his lips were greeted with by the soft, blondish-red hair above her pussy.  He could smell her arousal as he tasted the salt on her skin.  He shifted back, allowing him to go lower, and smiled at the sight of her delicate lips, highlighted with a traced of moisture as they swelled from his kisses.
Slowly, he traced them with his tongue.
“Oh, God,” Jane said as her fingers gripped his hair.  
He licked her with long, slow strokes, drinking in her flavor and feeling her excitement grow.  She spread her legs wider, giving him greater access.  He poked and probed with his tongue until he hit a spot at the top of her cleft and she jumped.
He smiled to himself and then lapped that spot as she flexed her stomach and butt, matching the cadence his tongue began tapping.
He was surprised when she arched up against his face and held him tightly against herself.  Jer could see her stomach spasm and smiled at the flush spreading down from her breasts.  
“Oh, God.  Oh, God,” Jane moaned as she shook beneath him.
Moments later, she relaxed and released her grip.  Her eyes opened and she looked down at him.
“Thank you, so much for that,” she said.
“My pleasure, ma’am,” Jer replied.
*****
Jane decided to not be shy about kissing Jer’s glistening lips again as he slid back up her body.  She had never tasted herself, but now understood why Keri had enjoyed forcing Jane to service her in that manner.  If someone had to do it, it would still be nice.  Jer wanting to do it made it incredible.
She hugged him down onto her, loving the feeling of his chest pressing into her.  As they kissed, she became once again aware of his stiff prick hidden in his shorts.  She knew she would be doing something about that.  She wondered if it would be better since she wanted to do this for him, as opposed to almost every other time she had felt a hard dick pushed in her direction.
She kissed him and gently guided him to roll over and off her.  She followed in his arms and then leaned back enough to grab the top of his shorts.
“You don’t have to,” Jer said softly.
She kissed him while her fingers found the button fastening.  
“I want to.  Maybe for the first time, I want to do this to a buy,” she managed to say before pulling his shorts down and smiling at the sight if his manhood, standing straight along his stomach and surrounded by dark curls.
It wasn’t the biggest dick she had ever seen, but it definitely wasn’t the smallest either.  She reached out and brushed her fingers along its veined side, barely making contact with him, but was impressed to see him twitch at her touch.    She continued to play gently as she shifted and lowered her lips toward the bulbous pink head.  
She kissed it.
The warmth of his skin and his musky scent made her smile.  This was so different.  He wasn’t just trying to jam it in her mouth before he came.  He wasn’t trying to degrade her, or worried about some other guy wanting his turn.  She focused on her lips and how his hot skin felt as she kissed him slowly.
Eventually, she licked along his shaft and then swirled her tongue around his head before trapping him between her lips.  She sucked softly, rubbing her tongue along the sensitive underside of his dick.
“Oh shit!” Jer groaned.  He grabbed her shoulders, begging her not to pull off, but seeming to resist the urge to push her head down around him.  
So different, she thought as she took him deeper.
Before she had gotten him fully insider her mouth, she felt him stiffen.  A moment later, he was erupting inside her.  She swallowed and sucked as he spurted again and again.  His body shook as she sucked him dry and lifted her lips from his still hard manhood.
She smiled at the dazed look on his face.  
“I’m guessing you liked that,” she said teasingly.  She crawled back up his body and was surprised when he pulled her in for a kiss.
“Do you always kiss the girl after she does that?” Jane asked.  It was first for her.
“I guess I do,” Jer said.  “You’re the first girl that’s done that for me.  Thank you.”
He kissed her again and she let herself relax against him.
“I’m surprised you would want to do that, after what you told me,” Jer said a few minutes later.
Jane shrugged and snuggled to his side.  “It’s the first time I’ve wanted to do it, as opposed to had to do it.  After what you did for me, I really wanted to return the favor.”
The laid silently for a while.
“I wish we could just spend some time together instead of going back and being with our families,” she said.  “You seem to understand me when they don’t or can’t.”
“I called you on your bullshit, you mean,” he said lightly.
She laughed and swatted his chest, enjoying the feel of muscles beneath her hand.  “No, it’s like you didn’t have expectations of me, so I could let the past go.”
Jer stroked the back of her arm with his finger, smiling at her.
“Maybe you need to just let go of all of the expectations,” he said a moment later.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t give into other kids expectations when you get back to school.  I know you’ve got a stubborn streak inside you.  Stand up for yourself.”
Jane snorted.  “Easy for the son of the richest man in the world to say,” she said.  
“Don’t paint me in a corner,” Jer replied.  “Do you think I haven’t had to learn to stand on my own two feet?” It was his turn to snort.  “If I hadn’t, Ali would have always steamrolled me.  You have to decide what you want to do, then do it.  That’s what I try to do.”
Jane was a little taken back.  He was suddenly being awful forceful for a guy who had just gotten his first blow-job.
“You don’t understand,” she said.  
Jer pulled back. 
“Yes, I do.  I know how it can feel easier to go along and let others set the stage and control the pace, but it obviously isn’t making you happy.  What will?”
Jane thought for a moment.  His gaze was intense.  She could imagine him capturing the frown on her face and drawing it later.  She forced herself to relax.  It was a fair question.  What did she want?  What would make her happy?
“I think I’d like to spend a little more time with you, alone,” she said finally.  Then, before he could mis-understand, she hurried to add, “Not naked and alone, though this has been fun.  I want to get away from Ali and our parents.  I want to try some of the things I’ve heard Chrissy brag about.  How do you think we could make that happen?”
Jer looked at her for a minute and then nodded.
“Let me talk to my Dad this evening.  In the meantime, what do you want to do with the rest of the afternoon?”
She glanced down at his semi-soft dick and smiled.  Then she leaned in for a quick kiss.
“I think we should get some sunscreen on before we both have funny sunburns to explain.”
*****

Camilla handed Bluey another beer and then settled back into the half-chair and stretched her legs out on the still warm sand.  It had been a fun day sailing and relaxing.  The fact that Jane had stormed off early in the day only made it nicer.  There had been no drama to put up with.  At least she had been pleasant when she and Jer returned after dinner.
“I think I want to take Paul up on his offer,” Bluey said after taking a long pull on his beer.
“Oh?” Camilla said.  “Why have you changed your mind?”
Bluey had taken two weeks vacation in the Australian spring to go to Switzerland and talk to Paul’s finance team.  Ever since then, they had exchanged calls on a regular basis about a job offering.
Bluey took another sip of his beer.  “Do you know what doing that job would mean for us, Cammy?  I could help him change the world.  He’s going to find someone to run that bank, and if it’s not me, it might be somebody who he can’t really trust.”
“What do you mean?”  His tone was scaring her a little.  She had not seen her husband think and act with such intensity in a long time.
“He and Chrissy are going to be together for a long time.  I can see that now.  He is going to turn the world on its head again with what his Fusion Bank will do to the world economy.  We could be part of that, instead of just reading about it in the papers or watching it on the telly.”
“What about Jane? Is it worth uprooting her for the last two years of school?”
Bluey snorted.  “Given her act over the past year, I’m not sure I care.  Maybe uprooting her his just what she needs.”
Camilla took a sip of her own beer.  Jane had looked happy this evening, and she had been pleasant to them all, even if she only briefly said good night.  Maybe she did need a change from Sydney and her school mates.
“How about we both talk to Paul,” Camilla said.  “Maybe a little trip would do us all some good.”
*****


Appendix: Timeline
Timeline

Preview of A Cosimo Story
In the Red Wing
This is an expert from a complete, but unpublished work that I am updating and modifying.  It introduces another young man with a unique background and perspective in a totally alien environment and culture.  I will be looking to publish this tale once then next installment of Survivors is published.  I hope you enjoy.
*****
"This is a bad idea," I said softly as we walked toward the grand entrance of the Amorperdita Club.
Elaine squeezed my hand and gave me her shy smile.  She was the reason I had agreed to this visit.  We had been dating for most of our senior year and while we were not yet what I would consider lovers, she clearly thought we were.  I knew she was going to be disappointed soon and had decided to give in to this request.
Lexi and Trevor walked in front of us with the arrogance of high-school royalty.  They were the reason I thought this was a bad idea.  Elaine nearly worshiped Lexi, and would do almost anything the tall blonde asked just to stay in her good graces.  Trevor was a typical jock boyfriend of the prettiest girl in school.  They both looked down on Elaine and me when they thought we would not notice, or maybe they just did not care if we knew what they thought.  I just shook my head.
Elaine had guessed that my family were aristo.  Normally, her guess would have had repercussions, but my parents had simply shrugged and said I only had two more months until graduation, to not directly confirm anything until I was eighteen, and then try to get Elaine to keep it quiet.  I understood their thinking.
In our stratified society, aristos were near the top of the hierarchy.  We had reasons to pretend to be guilders.  It was part of our family's special status.  I had been raised mostly as a commoner.  My first school years were in a distant city, interacting with plebes and guilders as my parents lived the humble life of a plebeian couple.  By year five, we moved and they became guild members and I learned the social norms for low and high guilders as I developed a new collection of school friends.  Year eight had us moving again and taking up the facade of high guilders in a much nicer neighborhood in the capital city.  I knew once I enrolled in a collegium, we would take our rightful place as aristos, and mother and father would move back to the house in the district that we had visited infrequently over the years.
They had carefully explained why I was raised as I had been.  I now understood why it was important that I be able to move across the levels of our society.  I also knew that graduation would be the end of many friendships and relationships, including that with Elaine.  Father had suggested ending it when she guessed our real stature.  Mother cautioned against that, suggesting instead that we let the summer separation be the break we needed.  By waiting a few more weeks, no other classmates would learn and try to take advantage of our status.
Of course, Elaine had her own ideas.
She wanted to show Lexi up, I think.  She'd made a few comments in school.  Nothing obvious, but hints that I could get things and go places most of our classmates could not.  Then I think she became a little jealous when I was whisked away for my birthday weekend by my parents.  Last week, Lexi had decided to call her bluff.
"If you really are what Elaine claims," she had said haughtily, "Take us to the Amorperdita Club.  Guilders and Plebes are only allowed as guests.  If you take us, I'll believe Elaine's whispers."
I was surprised Elaine had said so much.  I must not have been paying attention closely enough since my birthday.  It was a lesson to consider.  Lexi also did not really know what she was talking about.  Guilders with enough money could buy membership in the club she wanted to visit.
Lexi leaned in to me in the school hallway.  "And if you can't take us, I'll know she is just a jealous low guilder and her life in school will reflect that station."
Lexi was vindictive enough to do it.  For a moment, I considered ending my relationship there and letting the chips fall where they may.  I might have done that smart thing if Lexi had kept quiet, but she didn't.
"And everyone knows what happens to pretty low-guilder whores.  Trevor's team would like a new plaything, I'm sure."
I had arched my eyebrow at her and then gave her my best cold stare.  That had been on second-day.  Now on the evening of eighth-day, we were walking up the marble steps of the club as slave doormen hurried to open the heavy wooden door for us.
I guided Elaine around Trevor and Lexi as they stopped and stared at the towering statue that filled the entryway.  It was a beautiful sculpture of a naked man and woman, embracing with hands and arms entwined above them, kissing with abandon.  Elaine looked up in awe as well but kept moving as I spotted the concierge and guided her toward him.
"Good evening, sir.  How may I assist you?" he asked.
I handed him a small chip of silver and onyx.  He smiled and nodded.
"Very good, sir.  You and your guests are expected.  If you would collect them and come with me."
Lexi and Trevor had arrived just in time to hear him call me 'sir' in his deferential tone.
I motioned them forward to follow the man into a small alcove that hid an office door.  The office was just as luxurious as the entry hall, but on a smaller scale.  He moved behind a desk and motioned me into a chair to his side.  The others stood before him.
"You are aware of the rules, correct?" He asked me.
I nodded.  It was not my first time at the Club.  Also, my parents had made clear their expectations when I told them of this evenings plans.  We had a station and a quiet reputation to maintain.
"And do your guests understand?" He asked, looking at my schoolmates and girlfriend.
"Perhaps you would review them," Elaine said softly.  She looked nervous.  Lexi on the other hand was eyeing me suspiciously.
"Your patron tonight is responsible for you, and you will be here at his discretion only.  As guests, you do not have any rights, except what he allows.  Is that understood?"
The three nodded.
"Also, as guests, you will place yourself at the disposal of members and other patrons.  If they direct you to do something, you will do it, unless your own patron intercedes.  Understood?"
Trevor and Lexi looked nervous now, but nodded.
"Very good.  Now, part of his intercession for you will be to determine your own limits and levels.  We will then ensure you are attired correctly, so other members and patrons know what is permissible for you."
"I don't understand," Lexi said.  "What do you mean by limits and levels?"
"Are you a virgin?" he asked coldly.
Lexi blushed but shook her head.  Trevor smirked while Elaine became a little paler.
"Pity.  If you were, and wished to remain so, we would place a limit protecting that gift unless you wanted to leave here without it.  I will question you each to determine the limits and levels and then we will get appropriate attire for you, so others know your station."
He glanced at me, and I nodded.  I had undergone the same questioning when my mother first brought me to an Amorperdita Club.
"Very well, my dear.  We'll start with you.  You've said you are not a virgin, but we like to be clear here.  Oral, vaginal, or anal?"
Lexi's blush deepened.  as she replied, "I've done all three."
The concierge nodded and made a note on his tablet.  "And during your visit, what areas will you be exploring?"
"What do you mean?" she asked.
I raised a finger.  "We'll stroll past the white, green and blue wing, but most likely end up in the red wing," I said.  My mother had given me an assignment for the visit.
The Concierge nodded.
"Very good.  Any limits?" he asked.
"We have school next week, so nothing that would prevent attendance."
"Very good.  And you, sir," he asked looking at Trevor.
"What?"
"Are you a virgin and do you wish to remain one?"
Trevor smirked and glanced at Lexi.  "No.  I've done it all as well," he said.
I suppressed a smile.  Trevor was an athlete, and attractive, but not always the smartest.  He answered what he thought the question was.  I decided not to correct his mistake.
"Very well.  And you, my lady?" he asked Elaine.
"Um, yes and maybe?"
"Yes, you are a virgin?"
She nodded.  "I've done oral," she said softly.  "But that's it."
"And do you wish to remain in this state?"
She glanced at me.  "Maybe?"
The Concierge gave her a moment and then nodded before turning to look at me.  "Black and Gray for these two," he said as he waved toward Lexi and Trevor, "And blue and gray for her?" he asked.
"I think so."
"Very good.  This weekend is Bacchanalia.  I would suggest traditional garb for your guests.  Your attire is suitable as is," he said.
"What's he mean?" Trevor asked.  We were dressed similarly in slacks, shirts and blazers, though mine was of a finer cut and finish.  The girls were in fashionable dresses, suitable for a cocktail party or a regular Guilder club.
"Only members and patrons wear street clothes, here," the Concierge said.  "As his guests, you will wear the appropriate costume to let other members and guests know your status, limits and levels.  Did you not explain this to them, sir?"
"It might have slipped my mind," I admitted.  "If you don't want to follow the rules, we can always go somewhere else," I said.
"No," Lexi said.  "I may never get another chance to see an Amorperdita Club."
I glanced at Elaine.  She smiled and nodded.  I shrugged and nodded to the concierge.
"Very well, sir.  If your guests will disrobe, I'll fetch appropriate accoutrements."
"What?" Elaine asked in shock.
I nodded.  "You'll find hangars for your dresses and clothes over there," I motioned to the wall of the office.  "Along with cabinets for your other belongings.  It is quite safe.  I'll be leaving my phone and wallet as well.  No electronics are allowed inside."
"I'm not stripping while we wait for him," Trevor said.
"He won't return until you are all nude," I said.  "If you want to leave, we can."
Lexi straightened at the implied challenge.
"You've got nothing to be ashamed of, Tre," she said.  "And neither do I."
She walked to the wall as she reached behind her to undo the clasp of her dress and work the zipper down.  Trevor watched her with lust as she stopped and pushed the dress off her shoulders, baring her well-toned, and lightly tanned back and panty clad ass before stepping out of the dress and reaching for a hangar.  She looked over her shoulder to make sure she had our attention before pushing down her panties, stepping out of them, and then bending straight-legged pointing her ass at us as she undid the buckles of her pumps.
"Come on, Elaine.  I don't want to stand here all alone in my all-together," she said as she kicked off her shoes.  "You too, Tre.”
*****

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