Copyright © 2024 D.W. Patterson
All rights reserved.
Second Printing – February 2025
Future Chron Publishing
Cover – Copyright © 2024 D.W. Patterson
Cover Image – Photo 115346712 / Rocket Launch © Nexusplexus | Dreamstime.com
Previously published as:
Rocket Summer
Rocket Fall
Rocket Winter
Rocket Spring
Contains additional material.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission, except in the case of brief quotations for the purpose of review. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are products of the author's imagination and should not be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events and people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Hard Science Fiction – Old School
Human Generated Content
CHAPTER 10
Star Creek Observatory
Star Creek, Georgia
USA
The camera had not been damaged physically but it had been fried electrically. That meant that some sort of electromagnetic pulse had occurred. Jack, with Janie's help, had worked on cleaning up his experiment room until she had to leave. He had driven her to the airport in Atlanta, a somewhat awkward hug had ensued when they parted.
Before he headed back to Star Creek Jack stopped in to see his adviser, Dr. Tucker.
“Jack, that sounds almost like what happened with the stack you tested at your parent's house.”
“Yes Professor, except that one seemed to take off vertically and this one horizontally before it transitioned to the vertical.”
“That is interesting Jack. Does this confirm anything in your theory.”
“Well, if we can continue to extend the analogy with electromagnetism, then maybe something like a right-hand rule would explain the trajectory.”
“You mean,” said Professor Tucker, “you mean that the resultant force on the stack was perpendicular to the plane of the gravitomagnetic field and the mass-energy current?”
“Yes, roughly in the direction of the gravitational field Professor, except I'll have to work on the theory a bit more to make sure the analogy holds up.”
“Of course, Jack. So, what's your next step?”
“Well Professor, my preliminary impression is that I need to have more fine control over my power supply. But I'm afraid that will be a lot more expensive. How is the departmental budget for supplies?”
“You get me the list Jack and I'll see, it would help if you could write up this latest result, I can then show the department head that we're making progress.”
“Yes sir, I will.”
They talked a bit more before Jack headed back to Star Creek. Since he hadn't eaten, he decided to stop at the pizza place that Janie had taken him to. Sitting there eating his pizza Jack noticed the same smells and same noises as before, but something was missing. Eventually, he realized it was Janie.
Arriving back at the blockhouse Jack checked his messages, there was one from his mom and one from Janie. He opened Janie's.
“Hi Jack, the supersonic got me here okay. I wanted to thank you for taking me to the airport. I just wanted to tell you I missed you at my lunch pizza – Yours, Janie.”
He read the last line again and wondered, he was still thinking about it when he lay down to sleep.