Chapter 12: At the Skunk Works

Friday morning saw us up at five, and in the air just after six o'clock. Susan and I had spent the previous three days making sure that the drive we had was complete. By that I mean it had the drive itself and the controlling gyroscopes. We had the computer and the software and a twenty foot connecting cable. What we did not have was a power source and we also lacked a controlling joystick. I got over this last problem by borrowing one from the Colonel's youngest son.

We landed at Palmdale, just before eight o'clock. The air controller was a bit taken aback when we told him that we had come to see Mr. Paulsy of Lockheed Martin. He normally would not have been in work before nine o'clock. A quick phone call and we were told that he would be with us in twenty minutes. Fifteen minutes later a car raced past the end of the runway onto the perimeter and up to where our aircraft was standing.

After greeting him, we unloaded our packages into the trunk of his car. He repressed his curiosity and took us to the Skunk Works cafeteria. Paulsy explained that he hadn't had time for any breakfast and I, for my part was ready to eat something again. It seemed a long time since breakfast and lunch seemed an even longer time into the future.

After eating, Paulsy escorted us to one of their aircraft workshops. We were invited in with a flourish. My first thought was they had acquired a prop shuttle from NBC. The design was the same.

Paulsy said, "Here it is. As you requested this one is constructed of titanium. It's as near the production model as we could make it. All it lacks is the drive."

"Do you have a power supply for it yet?" I asked.

"We have hydrogen power cells, but they're only set for a domestic output voltage."

"Would it surprise you if I told you that we brought a small drive unit with us?"

"Really?"

"Yes. It's in the back your car."

"Do you think it's possible to install it?"

"I'm prepared to give it a try. Let's see the inside of your shuttle."

Paulsy led us into the shuttle. The control panel at the front of the craft was unadorned except for a computer display. The walls and roof of the craft on the inside were also plain. There were compartments built into the walls.

"We've fitted the sampling and measuring equipment that your specification called for. The radar systems are also installed. All it lacks is the drive and control gear. We put in a cable duct and space for the drive."

He indicated the deck, which had a strip of removable panels between the control panel and a box-like protrusion in the center of the craft. Paulsy went to this protrusion and opened it.

"Is that going to be enough room for the drive?"

I could see that it would do, without the need to measure the inside dimensions.

"It certainly is. Can you get someone to collect the drive from your car? It's in the crate. The box with it contains the cabling and control gear. How about radar?"

"Its built into external compartments just like you showed us at the conference. The data from there is fed to a computer built behind the control panel. We weren't sure how you fed the data into your control computer, so we left the arrangements flexible."

Half an hour later, the drive was bolted into place and the connections made to the computer.

"Right. If you would be so kind as to switch the power supply back on, we'll test the system out."

I loaded the software into the computer that Derek had provided and confirmed that the radar data was in the format that we used in the Enterprise. At last I was ready and switched the computer to perform a restart.

With the power back on I watched as the computer booted up. The software started up in a diagnostic mode. When it reported that all was well it went into flight mode, waiting for the pilot instructions.

Derek Paulsy had left the large workshop doors open when the drive was brought in. The opening was wide enough for the shuttle, so I lifted six inches off the ground and turned the shuttle towards the door. Inching forward, we glided outside the building. The controls seemed a mite rougher than those on the Enterprise, but I reminded myself that I was using a control joystick borrowed from the son of the Colonel at Holloman.