drones. They’re using a special nickel coated polymer which gives them a much higher storage density. I may be able to get you a few.”
“Really?” Lee and Juan looked at each other excitedly.
“Really. They even have one that’s a similar size. I might be able to get some overnighted. You may just have time to work it in before the trip.”
“That would be amazing!”
Caesare shrugged. “Don’t mention it. As a matter of fact, if you print up the schematics for your board and the processor, including the frequency you’re using, Clay and I can take a look and see if there are any other areas where we can help reduce electrical draw. Our Electronics and Signaling group back in D.C. does this all the time. Between some frequency modifications and the prototype batteries, I bet you could increase your operating time quite a bit.”
“That would be fantastic.” Lee turned back to Juan, who was already at the computer looking for the schematics.
“So, I presume you guys are taking a server when you go out, to handle the translation.”
“Three, as a matter of fact,” Lee said. “IMIS does the heavy lifting, but we can offload the basics onto some smaller servers. Very much like we did last year on the Pathfinder with Mr. Clay. Of course, the vocabulary is more advanced now and we have the wireless bit.”
“And a more reliable boat,” Caesare teased.
Lee laughed. “Yes, definitely a more reliable boat.”
“Cool, I’m looking forward to hearing how things go. This is pretty exciting.”
“Oh, yeah, very! It’s too bad you can’t come with us.”
Caesare smiled, thinking of his joke earlier to Alison. “Unfortunately we’re in the middle of something.” He reinserted the battery and laid the corner of the vest back down, now thinking of the Forel sub and the reason they had to get back. He hoped Borger had a little insight into the data they had sent him from Belem.
He was about to find out that Borger had much more than that.
12
Clay stared through the side window and watched the Mercedita runway fall away as they climbed over the south end of the island, banking to the left. The late sun reflected brightly over the crystal blue Caribbean water, and Clay gazed down wistfully at the dozens of sailboats below them.
He’d loved the ocean since the first day his father took him out on the boat. It was just a small daysailer, but he loved every minute of it. From then on, it was something they did religiously, every time he visited his father in Florida. Ultimately, it was that very same relationship with the ocean behind his enlistment in the Navy. Now he looked forward to the day he could cast off for good, traveling the globe through the blue water with nothing but a sturdy boat, stars in the sky…and of course, a woman to share it with.
Clay leaned his head back and thought of Alison, letting his lips crack into a smile. She seemed as happy to see him as he was to see her. After a few minutes, he took a deep breath and reached down for his pack on the floor.
Caesare sat across from him, studying the schematics Juan had printed out. He noticed Clay pull a shiny object from his bag. Caesare glanced up to see a small silver brick, reflecting brightly from the incoming sunlight. It was about the size of a deck of cards and Clay sat gazing at it curiously.
“You still carrying that souvenir around with you?”
Clay didn’t look up. He simply nodded and flipped it over, rubbing it gently with his thumb.
“Any idea how it works yet?”
“Not exactly.”
He’d had the device for over a year, since a harrowing event which nearly ended in a global catastrophe. In the end, few people knew what really happened. That was the way it always was when the government was involved.
Clay turned the object over again in his hand. “Borger and I put it under an electron microscope but couldn’t
“Really?” Lee and Juan looked at each other excitedly.
“Really. They even have one that’s a similar size. I might be able to get some overnighted. You may just have time to work it in before the trip.”
“That would be amazing!”
Caesare shrugged. “Don’t mention it. As a matter of fact, if you print up the schematics for your board and the processor, including the frequency you’re using, Clay and I can take a look and see if there are any other areas where we can help reduce electrical draw. Our Electronics and Signaling group back in D.C. does this all the time. Between some frequency modifications and the prototype batteries, I bet you could increase your operating time quite a bit.”
“That would be fantastic.” Lee turned back to Juan, who was already at the computer looking for the schematics.
“So, I presume you guys are taking a server when you go out, to handle the translation.”
“Three, as a matter of fact,” Lee said. “IMIS does the heavy lifting, but we can offload the basics onto some smaller servers. Very much like we did last year on the Pathfinder with Mr. Clay. Of course, the vocabulary is more advanced now and we have the wireless bit.”
“And a more reliable boat,” Caesare teased.
Lee laughed. “Yes, definitely a more reliable boat.”
“Cool, I’m looking forward to hearing how things go. This is pretty exciting.”
“Oh, yeah, very! It’s too bad you can’t come with us.”
Caesare smiled, thinking of his joke earlier to Alison. “Unfortunately we’re in the middle of something.” He reinserted the battery and laid the corner of the vest back down, now thinking of the Forel sub and the reason they had to get back. He hoped Borger had a little insight into the data they had sent him from Belem.
He was about to find out that Borger had much more than that.
12
Clay stared through the side window and watched the Mercedita runway fall away as they climbed over the south end of the island, banking to the left. The late sun reflected brightly over the crystal blue Caribbean water, and Clay gazed down wistfully at the dozens of sailboats below them.
He’d loved the ocean since the first day his father took him out on the boat. It was just a small daysailer, but he loved every minute of it. From then on, it was something they did religiously, every time he visited his father in Florida. Ultimately, it was that very same relationship with the ocean behind his enlistment in the Navy. Now he looked forward to the day he could cast off for good, traveling the globe through the blue water with nothing but a sturdy boat, stars in the sky…and of course, a woman to share it with.
Clay leaned his head back and thought of Alison, letting his lips crack into a smile. She seemed as happy to see him as he was to see her. After a few minutes, he took a deep breath and reached down for his pack on the floor.
Caesare sat across from him, studying the schematics Juan had printed out. He noticed Clay pull a shiny object from his bag. Caesare glanced up to see a small silver brick, reflecting brightly from the incoming sunlight. It was about the size of a deck of cards and Clay sat gazing at it curiously.
“You still carrying that souvenir around with you?”
Clay didn’t look up. He simply nodded and flipped it over, rubbing it gently with his thumb.
“Any idea how it works yet?”
“Not exactly.”
He’d had the device for over a year, since a harrowing event which nearly ended in a global catastrophe. In the end, few people knew what really happened. That was the way it always was when the government was involved.
Clay turned the object over again in his hand. “Borger and I put it under an electron microscope but couldn’t
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