* * *
Heavily secured by armed security men, electronic surveillance, and sound/heat/weight sensitive sensors secured the access to the research center’s super computer room. Their computer was the largest and fastest computer in the world. Sid Lahora, the man in-charge, was waiting by the computer room’s steel door.
“Everything set?” Rosenthal forcefully asked Sid the moment he and David entered the room.
“Yes, Sir,” Sid snapped like a soldier.
Rosenthal walked to the lone console at the middle of a large room whose walls were lined with computer drives that were visible behind its transparent doors. He instructed, “Sid, wait outside should we need you.” He watched David escort Sid out of the room and waited for the thick security door to close. He placed the pyramid crystal beside the keyboard and sat on the console's padded swivel chair. He hesitated as he deplored the thought of being made a fool. In a low voice, as though his throat was dry, he said, “Goopersh.”
“Awaiting instructions,” Goopersh instantly replied.
To Rosenthal's relief, the voice came from the crystal that glowed lightly. He quickly straightened himself and said, “Design a portable laser gun with these specifications: Maximum weight, fifty pounds or lighter to include the power source. Maximum dimensions: ten feet long or shorter; and a foot wide or smaller. Range, 16 miles or better. It must have the capability to penetrate, in an instant, a 15-inch armor plate . . . or thicker. Material to use must be presently available or easily built with current technology. Is that possible?”
“Yes. Suggest variable power and automatic range finder.”
Rosenthal was amazed. “That would even be better, and include an operating and technical manual.”
“Request access to your computer.”
“Given and terminate communication immediately after,”
“Downloading design per specification in binary form. Operating and technical manual included.”
The crystal glowed and a light-blue light beam linked it to the computer keyboard that got it to glow too. Lines of computer instructions scrolled thru the monitor so fast it was unreadable. Simultaneously, activity indicators blinked rapidly at random on the computer drives panels that lined the surrounding walls.
Rosenthal stood and walked to David and they conversed.
In less than a minute, the printers started working and a minute after, Goopersh reported, “Transmission complete. Terminating communication.”
Rosenthal got the pyramid crystal and with David went to the adjoining room where the printers were located. Rosenthal went to the graphic printer and watched the printing of the schematic diagrams while David was at the text printer next to it.
David took what was printed. The first few pages were the parts list and assembly procedure followed. He was astonished and relieved to see the parts list in familiar standard company inventory report. He skimmed through the familiar form and said, “We have most of the parts and for the ones we don't . . .” he speedily searched for the reference page then looked at the material and procedures to make the component. He studied it carefully and exclaimed, “I just cannot believe this.”
“How long to build?” Rosenthal said, forgoing David's excitement.
David clipped his excitement and became formal. He took the finished schematic diagrams from the printer; spread it on a table; and studied it. “Overnight with three men working.”
“Get them started,” Rosenthal said commandingly.
The digital clock on the wall read 5:24:26 P.M. “I hope Bill Garner is around,” he said as he punched numbers on a speakerphone.
“Bill Garner speaking,” his voice came through the speakerphone.
“Bill, David here. I need Techs on a high priority, top secret project that needs working immediately.”
“How many?”
“Three.”
“We got two that don’t have top security clearance. The rest, gone for the day.”
Rosenthal intervened, “Bill, Rosenthal,” sounding as he normally does. “Forget the clearance and get yourself and the two working on it. David will bring the blueprints over,” then pressed the phone’s button that ended the conversation. He got the pyramid crystal while David bundled the documentations and rolled the schematic diagrams and blue prints.
Rosenthal said, “David, I want this assembled, tested, and ready for demonstration before 7 a.m. tomorrow,” he stressed.
“It will,” David formally replied.
As they left the Computer Room, David got Sid’s attention, “Sid, please replace all the computer disks to include the backups then bring the system back online. I'll have Security take the disks to the vault,” he said.
“I’ll attend to it,” Sid replied.
“Thanks,” and watched him go back to the computer room.
The word ‘thanks’ and how David communicated got Rosenthal’s attention. It got him to think---‘David gets things done under pressure yet do it without stressing the people that do it for him?’ He remembered his resolution and said in a different manner, “David, for reasons, my son, Lulu, and I must stay for the evening and be kept a secret. Can you arrange that?”
David noticed Rosenthal was unusually polite but unsure if it was deliberate. “That will not be a problem. You can use the executive lounge.”
“This project is very important,” Rosenthal stressed but not in a commanding manner. “Can you stay this evening and make certain everything gets done? It’s that important,” he requested politely.
This time David knew Rosenthal was deliberately being polite. “I planned on doing that. You think you can get the President tomorrow on short notice?”
“I still have to figure that.”
“Want to be present during the preliminary test?” David asked.
“Yes, regardless of time.”
“I’ll call you when it's set,” David said then headed for the other corridor but before he took his second step, he heard Rosenthal call, and he turned.
“David . . . thanks.”
David, caught off-guard, got tongue-tied. He smiled then continued walking down the corridor appreciative of what Rosenthal just said.
Getting the President
As Rosenthal headed for David’s office, he was thinking of a way to get President Smith to come to the Center. He knew the President was attending a well-publicized conference sponsored by the Governor of the State of California the following day at the state capitol in Sacramento. Though Rosenthal personally knew the president and could call directly, he thought it wiser to get men with direct contact to the president to do the convincing. By the time he got to David’s office, he had a plan.
David's Secretary stood behind her desk when Rosenthal entered David's reception room. Before she could utter a word, Rosenthal said, “I'm glad you're around. Pat Shaw, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Sir. David requested me to stay in case you need anything.” She had been with David for seven years and was a bit nervous as Rosenthal was directly addressing her in person.
“Pat, I need you to arrange something then you can go home,” he said nicely. “I urgently need to speak to the Secretary of Defense, Allan Newman, National Security Advisor, Edward Short, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Perkins,” saying it slowly for Pat to write the names down and waited for her to finish. “Got that?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good. Arrange a teleconference with as many of them, as soon as possible. Cite matters of great importance pertaining to national and international securities. Stress its urgency. You think you can handle that?” Rosenthal asked politely.
“Sure can,” replied Pat pleasantly with a smile.
Rosenthal returned a smile and said, “If you need me, I’ll be in David's room.”
Pat watched him enter David's office. She was somewhat surprised how pleasant Rosenthal was and, more so, calling her by her first name. It gave her reasons to think that the stories she heard
of his being bossy, rude, and very demanding were exaggerated.
Rosenthal did not wait long to talk to the three men over the speakerphone. Without mentioning Aliens but mere importance and urgency, he convinced them to come to Center at a minute’s notice. He thought himself lucky, he got all three! He then asked Pat to arrange corporate jets to fly them to Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles where a corporate helicopter would ferry all three to the Center by 7 a.m. the following day.