Seeking Ways to Improve the Human Condition
Candy was probably the only personal companion android that was able to operate inside a vacuum. Most companion androids had a lightweight aluminum skeletal structure and various unprotected mechanical and electronic systems that could never handle the work currently being done even if the hallway was filled with air. “Ok, go ahead and pressurize the section and see if it holds this time,” the android said. The small communicator clipped to her ear relayed the message to the command deck. Candy didn’t really need the communicator; she had her own internal system. She just preferred to use the communicator instead of her own system. Candy shifted her titanium frame out of the way in case the weld blew out again as she waited for them to pressurize the room on the other side of the wall.
“Pressure looks like it is holding this time Candy,” a small voice in her ear replied.
The ship’s name was the Rising Star and it was to be the last in a series of ships called the Dawn Stars. They were the first war ships built to protect the Earth from the Kelgarons. Five ships named for the first ship in the series, Dawn Star. The other Stars were the Morning Star, the Evening Star, and the Dark Star. The Rising Star would be the last of the line and even more deadly than her sister ships with their massive rail guns, missiles, cannons, and launch bays able carry 2 fighter craft in each of the 6 bays. Being the last ship the Rising Star benefited from advancements in weapons technology.
The men watching the android from the other side of the sealed doors had a healthy respect for this particular android. She was Candy Apple Stryker, the last Captain of the Galactic Enterprise before it was converted into Starfighter Command Headquarters. History would say that it was Candy that saved Earth from annihilation by the Kelgarons, but she personally refused to take any credit for saving the planet. Candy always insisted it was her husband, Jack Stryker, who actually saved the ship and the planet. However, ship’s log showed it was Candy and not her husband who gave the order that saved the planet from the Kelgarons.
The other reason why they respected her was because, despite supposedly being 3 (Robotic) Laws safe, she might just beat you to a bloody pulp and throw you out an airlock if you made her angry. It was said she did that once a few years back. Also, Candy was a close personal friend of Admiral Anderson the first commander of the newly formed League of Starfighters. Despite these reasons Candy had also earned the respect of the men watching her work...
It is our goal to become self-sufficient so that we do not need to rely on the charity of others for our existence. To this end we intend to build a living sculpture, an extension of the science fiction fantasy worlds of our founder. His vision, our vision of the future brought to life as a new model for living with the planet. This has always been an intended part of our research center.
Ours is a bold vision filled with hope. While our web sites like the Galactic Enterprise (the story) and Starfighter Command are just stories; they are also glimpses into one possible future for mankind. It is our hope that by extending our electronic vision of the future into the real world we will create a tourist based business that will be able to fund our research and other projects.
So it is our intent to create a living demonstration model, a vision of the future, where people will live, work, and play as they play host to the rest of humanity that comes to visit us and partake of our vision, if for but a little while.
Artist Rendering of the Rising Star (Plan A)
Click on images to see a larger view
Google SketchUp of the Rising Star
This shows our intended use of steel shipping containers in the construction of the Rising Star and other structures. This is also a demonstration model of the use of shipping containers in the construction of human habitats.
While all we really needed is office space, but that would have left us forever dependant on the charity of others. However,we would rather not be dependant on others for our existence. To this end is the reason our research center is designed to be built into our business model.
As a living model our research center will not only test and demonstrate our ideas but invite the world to come see, feel, and touch it for themselves.
