fight.”
But I barely hear him say these last words.
I have an idea. It could be just what I needed to complete the reactor. If can shape the containment field into an ever-shrinking spiral, like a snail shell, this will accelerate and compress the anti-matter and have it reach the core at full potential energy. Power comes out one side of the core and waste out the other.
I need to go to the lab and draw a picture so this thought doesn’t disappear. But Liam and Grace are shuffling into the kitchen. I want to be here when Dad explains the plan. It will help me seem like a co-creator and give me some authority.
“Morning, Dad,” says Grace.
“Oh, yeah. Morning, Dad,” says Liam, like he forgot it was morning or that this is what we say to each other every morning of every day.
“Can I get you two some breakfast?” The old Dad is back. I didn’t notice him clearing the counter, but his papers are gone. I guess being on the adult team means I have to get my own breakfast. Or maybe this is his subtle payback for all those mornings I didn’t acknowledge him and went straight to my lab. I don’t really feel like eating anyway.
“I have something I need to try in the lab. Liam, can you come get me in an hour? And don’t let me say no. We have to go get a few things and I really need your help.” That wasn’t very hard. My parents have been trying to get me to communicate little things like this for years. It doesn’t take any brain cycles, but I still don’t really see the point. I guess it makes the other people feel good about what I am doing? I wish they wouldn’t care what I was doing though. But that’s the old world, this is PAD-3 and I am on the adult team.
The hour goes by too fast. I want to tell Liam to go away and give me a little more time. Why is he so annoying? I’ve reconfigured the containment controller to create a circular shape. I just need another twenty minutes or so to add the logic for spiraling near concentric circles. But I remember telling him not to take no for an answer. I’m on the adult team and I have to avoid confrontation, so I save my work and head upstairs.
In my brain, the reactor is done and functional. I can see the anti-matter reaction and the flow of electrons, neutrons and protons. I know this is going to work as soon as I can finish the task of physically implementing my design. The problem I am trying to solve now is making the power output usable in today’s world.
Current power plants have multiple output channels. Each of these channels, in turn, goes to a power substation where it is run through meters, inductors and transformers. Then it heads out on the wire to its final destination . My reactor doesn’t have multiple channels out, just one. That one channel has the power equivalent of 1,000 power plants. I had always assumed that after I released my design there would be people lining up to help me solve this last problem. Now I have to solve it if we are going to survive.
Thinking about controlling power is helping me with Liam right now.
“We have to go to Stellos Electric and BAE. Do you want to drive?” I already know the answer is yes. Liam has moved from “muscle” to driver. In his mind, it’s probably assistant or even co-inventor for my reactor, but I don’t care.
“Can we take the Cayenne?” Liam says before he turns to walk towards the keys.
“No. Besides making Dad angry, it doesn’t have the cargo capacity of the van.” I’ve just realized the point about cargo, but it makes it seem like Dad and I discussed this and we had a plan.
Before we walk out the door, Grace and Sofie come into the kitchen. They are both dressed in yoga pants and sports bras. I absentmindedly sit down at the table. I have seen Grace in her workout clothes a thousand times. From the dozens of guys that ask me about her, I know she is cute. But she is my sister so I don’t really see it. Sofie, on the other hand, is stunning.
Smooth is not in my
But I barely hear him say these last words.
I have an idea. It could be just what I needed to complete the reactor. If can shape the containment field into an ever-shrinking spiral, like a snail shell, this will accelerate and compress the anti-matter and have it reach the core at full potential energy. Power comes out one side of the core and waste out the other.
I need to go to the lab and draw a picture so this thought doesn’t disappear. But Liam and Grace are shuffling into the kitchen. I want to be here when Dad explains the plan. It will help me seem like a co-creator and give me some authority.
“Morning, Dad,” says Grace.
“Oh, yeah. Morning, Dad,” says Liam, like he forgot it was morning or that this is what we say to each other every morning of every day.
“Can I get you two some breakfast?” The old Dad is back. I didn’t notice him clearing the counter, but his papers are gone. I guess being on the adult team means I have to get my own breakfast. Or maybe this is his subtle payback for all those mornings I didn’t acknowledge him and went straight to my lab. I don’t really feel like eating anyway.
“I have something I need to try in the lab. Liam, can you come get me in an hour? And don’t let me say no. We have to go get a few things and I really need your help.” That wasn’t very hard. My parents have been trying to get me to communicate little things like this for years. It doesn’t take any brain cycles, but I still don’t really see the point. I guess it makes the other people feel good about what I am doing? I wish they wouldn’t care what I was doing though. But that’s the old world, this is PAD-3 and I am on the adult team.
The hour goes by too fast. I want to tell Liam to go away and give me a little more time. Why is he so annoying? I’ve reconfigured the containment controller to create a circular shape. I just need another twenty minutes or so to add the logic for spiraling near concentric circles. But I remember telling him not to take no for an answer. I’m on the adult team and I have to avoid confrontation, so I save my work and head upstairs.
In my brain, the reactor is done and functional. I can see the anti-matter reaction and the flow of electrons, neutrons and protons. I know this is going to work as soon as I can finish the task of physically implementing my design. The problem I am trying to solve now is making the power output usable in today’s world.
Current power plants have multiple output channels. Each of these channels, in turn, goes to a power substation where it is run through meters, inductors and transformers. Then it heads out on the wire to its final destination . My reactor doesn’t have multiple channels out, just one. That one channel has the power equivalent of 1,000 power plants. I had always assumed that after I released my design there would be people lining up to help me solve this last problem. Now I have to solve it if we are going to survive.
Thinking about controlling power is helping me with Liam right now.
“We have to go to Stellos Electric and BAE. Do you want to drive?” I already know the answer is yes. Liam has moved from “muscle” to driver. In his mind, it’s probably assistant or even co-inventor for my reactor, but I don’t care.
“Can we take the Cayenne?” Liam says before he turns to walk towards the keys.
“No. Besides making Dad angry, it doesn’t have the cargo capacity of the van.” I’ve just realized the point about cargo, but it makes it seem like Dad and I discussed this and we had a plan.
Before we walk out the door, Grace and Sofie come into the kitchen. They are both dressed in yoga pants and sports bras. I absentmindedly sit down at the table. I have seen Grace in her workout clothes a thousand times. From the dozens of guys that ask me about her, I know she is cute. But she is my sister so I don’t really see it. Sofie, on the other hand, is stunning.
Smooth is not in my
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