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  “The actual construction of the spacecraft itself has not yet begun. I am currently designing and building components. The final construction process will obviously be done in outer space as the craft will be far too large for any of my entry ports.

  “The internal components are already being constructed in your laboratories and will be installed toward the end of the final assembly process. After that, I’ll thoroughly test all components before I invite you up for a tour.

  “With good luck, we can complete the constriction and testing phases within one Earth year. That pretty well sums it up.”

  John slapped his forehead, “Maxxine, the word is construction, not constriction.”

  What do I have to do to get her language skills up to par? John thought to himself.

  John was silent for a bit, apparently deep in thought. Finally, he spoke, asking, “If I allow this project to continue, how would it affect your ability to handle other complex situations that might arise?”

  “I should be able to handle just about anything that may arise. I’ve just about completed the first phases of the project. A scale model is currently being tested in the laboratory. You can check it out at your leisure. Since this ship is of a totally new design, I’ve had to design and construct new robotics. Once construction starts, I will have very little to do with it, as the robots will do all the work.

  “Incidentally sir, your ship will be the first of its kind in the galaxy.”

  John was pensive for a time then said, “Okay Maxxine, the deep space craft project is a go.”

  Under his breath he mumbled, “Damn you Maxx, sometimes I just hate you for knowing me better than I know myself.”

  Many billions of miles away, far out in deep space, a colossal computer system heard his muffled statement and his emotional module lit up with the electronic equivalent of a huge smile.

  Maxx was pleased with himself for two reasons: John was no longer mad at him, and John would soon be coming to Mylea. That would be a day to remember for the next generation of Myleans. Their only biological connection to their ancestral past would be coming home if only for a short visit.

  ****

  “Okay, Maxxine, let’s get back to my introductory tour of your domain.”

  “Yes, sir,” she replied, in an obviously delighted tone of voice.

  Maxx had provided her with an emotional module, and she was still exploring her capabilities in that area.

  “First of all, the craft that houses me is a spaceship unto itself. You would probably call it a space station although it is much larger than any space station ever conceived by earthlings. As for the technology involved, it surpasses anything else done by the Myleans. Maxx was quite emphatic that you should have the best of the best. He really does care for you, John.”

  Maxxine continued, “The exterior dimensions of this craft are, in your earthly measurements, 11.872 miles in diameter and they vary from .321 miles high at the outer edge to 5.163 miles high at the center.

  “To visualize the construction of the craft, think of three concentric circles viewed from the top. The center circle is 1.197 miles in diameter. It contains the power generation system, the gravity drive system, and most of the navigation and positional management systems. This innermost circle is 5.163 miles high and runs from the very bottom to the very top of the craft.

  “The largest circle, surrounding the central core and comprising more than half of the total area of the craft, is utilized for storage warehouses and maintenance facilities for the remote shuttle craft. That section of the space station is also used to store all inactive spacecraft.

  “The outer circle contains all the laboratories and manufacturing facilities as well as the areas of the ship devoted to supporting biological beings. The total area designated for use by biologicals comprises a tiny fraction of the whole, a bit less than two square miles.

  “This control room and the space devoted to my systems and data storage are also contained in the outer concentric circle. Compared to Maxx, I am a mere tiny infant as I require only about 6.5 cubic miles of space. You might be interested to know that Maxx has grown to occupy several thousand cubic miles of space on the Interstellar Transporter.

  “Finally, our general configuration may appear to be somewhat aerodynamic to an earthling. However, when we travel through deep space, the front of the craft is what you would call the top, and the rear is what you would call the bottom. This orientation places our gravity drive systems in the central core in a perfect position for maximum efficiency.

  “We have the same type of exterior coating as the interstellar transporter. I can put the entire space station into and out of stealth mode at will.

  “We could travel almost indefinitely, even with a full load of one hundred biological beings. Our primary fuel being hydrogen, our remote spacecraft can keep us supplied with fuel and other essential materials forever if necessary.

  “Maxx truly spared nothing in my design and construction, as well as with this space station. I am proud to be called Maxxine, and I am pleased to be at your service.”

  John smiled and sat back in his chair. He was truly overwhelmed by it all. And why should he not be. While the top scientists on Earth struggled with massive rockets to put relatively small payloads into space, he possessed a virtual space city of sophisticated laboratories and factories. He could travel back and forth in a spacecraft that was not only faster than any rocket could ever be, but it was incredibly safe as well.

  ****

  John’s amazement continued for another seven days as he learned more and more about the capabilities and power that was available to him.

  John had been quite interested in the devices at his disposal. The Myleans used them almost exclusively for industrial purposes except in rare circumstances when a remote spacecraft needed something for defensive purposes.

  Maxxine offered a brief explanation.

  “If you choose to use these devices for weaponry, there would be no way to avoid loss of human lives, and I know that would be abhorrent to you. Why don’t I create a device that you could use to stun or immobilize the target without killing or permanently disabling them?”

  “Maxxine, on Earth, there’s something called a Taser. It’s used primarily by law enforcement in situations where force, but not lethal force, is required to subdue a target. The gun fires two dart-like electrodes that deliver a brief, but strong, electrical current to the target. Most people are incapacitated briefly, which allows the police to take control of the subject. They’re usually quite safe, but occasionally a few individuals suffer cardiac arrest, probably due to some pre-existing condition. Could you come up with a device that immobilizes a person without any serious lasting effects?”

  “I’ve already studied the Taser. It’s essentially a stun gun. The technology is quite primitive, and I would suggest an electron gun that could deliver a disabling charge without causing permanent damage. But, you must also consider that the capacity to withstand an electric shock varies from person to person, and you could have a rare fatality associated with its use just as with the Taser.

  “I think that I can come up with a device that would meet your requirements and be much safer than the Taser. I think it might be safer to place the electric charge at a precise location on the target’s body. Let me work up a prototype for you.”

  “Let’s go for it. One of these days, I might need something like this for riot control. Earthlings are such an emotional lot; they tend to get fired up for the most insignificant reasons.”

  John didn’t voice his opinion. Some of the changes that he planned to introduce would, when announced, more than likely cause civil unrest, at the very least.

  ****

  On the day of his departure from Maxxine, John went to the control room one last time. “Maxxine, as you know, Maxx left a large number of remote craft around Earth. They are, according to Maxx, simply gathering data which he will use in his analysis of humans and their behaviors.
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  “He’s given me his word that he will not use the remotes for any other purpose. In fact, all the remotes will be under your command at all times, and we will have access to the complete database.

  “I want you to do three things for me. First take command of those remotes, and add them to our inventory. Second make sure that Maxx is doing nothing more than collecting data. And last, start reviewing his database for our possible use in the future.”

  “Yes sir,” Maxxine replied. “I have already done two of the three. I took control of the remotes several days ago, and I have downloaded Maxx’s Earth database. I can assure you that he is doing nothing more than collecting his data. I will begin to review it, but the database is incredibly large and complex, particularly the information stored in it from recent years. I have no algorithms developed for analyzing that data as yet. Some guidance will be needed to enable me to extract what is most meaningful to you.”

  “Well, that presents a problem because I have no idea what I might want from the data. Can you simply study it and get a feel for what I might be able to do with it? As much as I hate to suggest it, you might even ask Maxx for some guidance.”

  “I will do my bust, sir.”

  With that, both John and Mister T shouted, almost in unison, “The word is best not bust!”

  Far, far away in outer space, a booming voice shouted, “Maxxine! The word is best!” Then to himself, Maxx exclaimed, “I can’t believe that my QC algorithms made such stupid errors. I must rewrite her language module immediately!”

  Chapter 2 A Home of His Own

  “A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”

  - George Moore, The Brook Kerith

  John Scott had lived in many places, but he had never found the perfect home. Now, he would change that. Thanks to Maxx, he could afford anything that he wanted, but he also craved privacy above all else. Privacy and luxury are not the same. One does not ensure the other. But, he had gotten lucky and had found a place that would surely meet both of his needs. Actually, Maxx had found it, but John had heartily approved of the choice.

  A small privately owned island about fifty miles from Key West was for sale. It was little more than a sandbar, only 26 acres in size, but it had improvements. A villa and guest house, surrounded by palms and flowers, had been built at the center of the island. The original owner had completed construction and furnished the house. At the last minute, just before he was to move in, he suffered a financial disaster and was forced to place the property on the market. The price was substantial, and there had only been a few serious inquiries made to the realtor who had already dropped the price once.

  For John Scott, the place seemed like the Garden of Eden. It was far from prying eyes and nosy neighbors, but relatively close to civilization. For John, it was love at first sight, and he began to make arrangements for the purchase. But first, he would have to conclude an important business trip.

  ****

  After loading his cache of newly created gold bars into the transporter craft, he asked Mister T to program a route to Hong Kong. He had already made discreet arrangements to exchange the gold for cash. The exchange would occur in secret and without government knowledge. Therefore, John would be traveling on his personal transporter instead commercial airlines. Neither he nor the buyer wanted any official records of his entering or leaving the country. He thought to himself, “Stealth mode is wonderful—No passport required.”

  After the transaction, the proceeds would be deposited into his Hong Kong account. He would then convert a portion of the funds into U. S. dollars for transfer to his account in Grand Cayman. A portion would remain in his Hong Kong bank account in Hong Kong dollars.

  Then, at last, he would finalize his purchase of that small isolated island. He was thrilled at the prospect, but he had already decided that the island was a bit too small for his long range plans. After consultation with Maxxine, he decided that he could expand the property without any negative ecological impact. Maxxine, of course, came up with a brilliant plan in which the entire project would happen in a single night.

  An area just beyond the shoreline would be dredged and the sand used to enlarge the north side of the island. Large mining craft would perform the work. They would come and go in stealth mode. That was certainly a major accomplishment, but Maxxine went even further and planned to place an electromagnetic shield over the entire operation to avoid any possible detection while the work was in progress.

  Then Maxxine added her pièce de résistance; she created a way to access satellites orbiting over that area and make the tiniest adjustments to computerized data systems. The historic records would indicate that the island had always been its current size—a work of genius.

  John was delighted. His beautiful island would have tripled in size, and no one would ever know. If, by some remote chance, he was questioned about the obvious increase in size, he would just breathe a heavy sigh, shrug innocently, and suggest the questioner review the official satellite data.

  ****

  In Hong Kong, the gold transaction went smoothly for both the seller and the buyer. John had rented a building in a warehouse district through a third party, meaning that his name would not appear on the rental agreement. The agent had been curious, but not curious enough to ask questions. As far as he was concerned, there were many rather unusual business activities in Hong Kong, and it was never wise to ask too many questions.

  The warehouse he had arranged to use was in a substantially disused area. Businesses had long ago moved elsewhere, leaving the area almost abandoned. There would be little chance that the comings and goings related to the transaction would be observed, particularly since they would be done at night.

  John and the buyer made careful arrangements to ensure that the exchange would happen in secret. Neither party wanted any scrutiny—the buyer for tax purposes, and John for personal reasons. Also, security was of utmost importance. There must be no opportunity for theft by one of the known notorious gangs in the area.

  The buyer arranged for a rather nondescript rental lorry capable of handling the heavy load to transport his newly acquired gold. He engaged his trusted nephew to drive and armed him heavily. Also, there were two professional guards, heavily armed, to protect the shipment. They had no idea what they would be transporting and would never ask or even contemplate the matter. They were paid handsomely and were smart enough to know that curiosity in such a matter might well lead to an untimely demise.

  The buyer arrived in an aging BMW, again to avoid undue attention. Two bodyguards accompanied him, also heavily armed. There was also an expert assayer to confirm that the gold was real and of the stated weight.

  The buyer, known as Mr. Zhao, was more than happy to pay the significantly discounted “spot” price that John offered. Mr. Zhao was a very wealthy businessman of questionable character. He arranged the transfer of funds through several different accounts using banks in several different nations. His actions made the transaction almost impossible to trace. The price agreed upon was in Hong Kong dollars, but once the money was in John’s account in Hong Kong, it would be converted into US dollars at any time. US dollars would be easier to transfer to his accounts elsewhere.

  John felt like a new man. The deal went down without a hitch. It had been a perfect day. Yes! A truly perfect day!

  ****

  John’s craft landed at the rented warehouse in Key West less than an hour after leaving Hong Kong, and almost a day earlier, due to the time zone differences.

  He spent the night at the Inn of the Keys and dined at a nearby seafood restaurant. John, tired from the day’s activities, was more than a little depressed that he had to celebrate alone. He looked around the restaurant at the other diners, almost all couples, and ruefully thought to himself, “Power and money are of little value without human companionship with whom to share them.”

  The next morning, he took a commercial flight to Miami, and then o
n to Georgetown, Grand Cayman, again using a regular scheduled airline. This time, his travel would be documented through the use of his passport and the airline’s passenger manifest.

  John selected Grand Cayman because of their strict banking secrecy laws and their very favorable tax laws. Upon arrival, he was met by the bank’s representative, Mr. Smithson, a rather annoying little individual whose primary function was obviously to schmooze wealthy new clients. The man was most impressed with himself and prattled on about his experiences in international banking. John just ignored him but did so politely.

  John’s appointment was with the bank’s president, a consummate professional, who had spent his entire career managing the impressively large accounts of wealthy clients from all over the world.

  The paperwork was ready, and within a very short period, a large portion of John’s Hong Kong funds were transferred into US dollars and moved to the Grand Cayman bank.

  John planned to use a significant portion of his funds to purchase his island. His only requirement was that the funds be available for use on the following day. After consulting with the Hong Kong bank, the banker agreed to his request and only charged a moderate fee as compensation for the availability request.

  John was more than pleased with himself for the complex plan that had gone so smoothly. Well, he would have to thank the inimitable Maxxine for her work in locating the buyer and helping him set up the Hong Kong bank account and arranging the exchange of his gold for cash.

  He had lunch in a nearby outdoor restaurant and then wandered through the quaint streets of downtown Georgetown until it was time to return to the airport for his 5:30 PM flight to Miami.

  John arrived at the airport early and was one of the first to board. His first class seat was comfortable, as airplanes go, but surely not up to his usual standards. He merely shook his head and promised himself to avoid commercial airlines as much as possible in the future. He smiled to himself as he thought of the unbelievable comfort and amenities of his shuttlecraft.