The Golden Apples

By David Nishimoto

Another in the Robot Wars series by Golden Lion, this book, Scott and his wife risk their lives to be heros--captured and put into the gladiator battles in a Colessium, they escape only to have to perform a quest to capture ancient artifacts to change the course of humanity--another episode in the struggle for good over evil. Plot twists ruin the future of the Man of Stone. Learn his true identity, and experience his true feelings as his future drifts away like the sands of time in a mist of smoke.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Nishimoto
• Release date: Dec 27, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311475633

David Nishimoto

AboutI feel like people want spirituality in their lives. The war of materialism has left individuals feeling depleted. Gratitude is the compass that will lead people to Christ. The master can heal them if they have faith. Through Christ we are healed

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Zeus Master Controller watched over the behavior of the mortals on earth like a god. The computer system pulled the strings on the destiny of humanity. The machine performed a simple function, keep order for the humans.  According to myth, the gods resided in the clouds and reigned from Mount Olympus.  The Zeus Master Controller resided in a cloud of digital ones and zeros.  The physical equipment making up the system resided in a mountain with an impenetrable shield surround it.  Twelve keys were required to gain access.

Scott’s mission was to reach the Zeus Controller and communicate with QC in the past to report and decide on a possible shutdown of Zeus. The Zeus Controller had the only communication interface capable of communicating across the dimension of time. It consisted of an Orion time/space portal device that could be used to communicate  with time travelers and others back in time.

The Zeus Controller System was well protected, and it would be impossible for Scott to directly gain access to the time-dimension communication protocol.  No person could approach Mount Olympus without a god or goddess as escort.  No human had ever survived a visit to Mount Olympus.  It was impossible.  Scott smiled, he was about to do the impossible.

The Zeus Controller had one weakness:  his wife. The system was constantly being disrupted by the Hera Controller System. Hera was always annoying and quarreling with Zeus.  The result was that Zeus tried to avoid quarrels by often hiding out in a remote part of Mount Olympus.

The Zeus System controlled all the environmental aspects of earth. The weather, the water currents, and the tectonic plates were monitored and controlled by the Zeus System. The weather control was part of the original Kronos System used to protect the earth from comet and meteorite collision.

The secret of the Zeus System was strong electromagnetic field generators used to stabilize the heliosphere. The old Orion system had been abandoned after the Solar-X wars. The new and improved Zeus System provided powerful electromagnetic coils amplifying the magnetic field strength of the earth against sudden solar flare discharges that could destroy the atmosphere of earth.

The Hera system was responsible for families and relationships. The Hera System was married to the Zeus System, and she coordinated activity on the earth. Hera provided the communication capabilities between the gods and the humans.

During periods of violent solar activity, the Hera System moved people underground or into radiation-protected buildings to avoid DNA destruction or mutation effects.  The Zeus System activated the electromagnetic shields preventing the solar storm from burning up the atmosphere and scorching the earth.

When the Hera Controller System sirens went off, humans learned to return to community centers where large metal doors closed, sealing them within until the gamma radiation levels were safe to venture outside.

The solar activity of the sun had become unstable. The Zeus System protected humanity from the effects of strong solar flares.  To shutdown the Zeus System was not in the interest of humanity.  The gods provided protection.

Life on earth was tough. When the radiation sirens were not blaring, people were going about their lives, going to work, enjoying recreation games, and visiting the community parks and learning centers.

The Zeus Weather Control System kept the skies clear, but occasionally, the system shifted moods, and violent weather storms would emerge out of nowhere.   Zeus had a temper.  When he became angry, the skies turned dark and violent.  People would cry out, Zeus is angry!

The gods must be quarreling again.

Scott and his family were caught in one of those vicious storms. They had been at the park enjoying the out-of-doors.  The park had been engineered for recreation and relaxation.  It was one of the few parks available to them to visit outside of the city.

Scott and Jacob had been enjoying baseball with the quad-hover when the storm started to form in the horizon.  The storm was darkening.  Scott watched the storm from the corner of his eye.  He reasoned that they had a few minutes to play before departing.

Scott gestured for the quad-hover with four, corner disk turbines to drop the soft foam ball. Jacob caught the ball then threw it in the direction of Scott. The ball flew over Scott's head as he attempted to jump high and catch it in mid air.

Nice throw, Jacob, but it is a little high.

The quad hover retrieved the ball and brought it back to its master.  The park did not have many pets.  The quad hover watched for opportunities to retrieve the ball.  The quad hover stayed out of the way for the most part.   Occasionally, it would get confused and Scott would have to yell at it to get it to behave.  Sometimes it was just like a kid!

Elyssa was sitting on the checkered picnic blanket spread out on the soft green grass--it was a beautiful day.  She sat under a tree out of the direct sunshine.  She contemplated life.  Life was good.  The heat of the sun caused perspiration to form on her forehead.  The tree provided a support for her back.

The tree extended upward about sixty feet.  The branches moved back and forth in a gentle breeze.  The green leaves provided an umbrella affect from the rays of the sun.  Images of the blue sky could be seen through the leaves and branches.  The lazy afternoon allowed Elyssa to relax as she watched the soft white clouds move across the sky.

Scott, I don't like the looks of those clouds in the distance. They are dark and look like they could be dangerous rain clouds.

Elyssa, you're probably right. We traveled to 2050 by assignment, and the world is all run by massive computer systems. Yet, we still have to worry about the weather. Some things never change.

Scott turned his attention back to Jacob.  He crotched down and began to hit his mitt with his right fist, in preparation to receive the ball.  Scott was watching for Jacob to throw him the ball.

Jacob, we better get our throws in before the rain hits. We will depart in a few minutes.

Jacob threw the ball high into the air, towards the direction of Scott. The ball arched upward then slowly descended downward. Scott ran in the direction he thought the ball would land and using his meshed mit, he caught the ball.

Nice catch.

Scott threw the ball to Jacob.  Jacob caught the ball.  He was happy about the throw.

Thanks, Dad, that was an excellent throw.

Dad, why are we here?

Jacob, it is complicated. We are on a QC journey assignment to shutdown the Zeus and Hera systems from the sky. They have become a menace to society.

Dad, you're just one man. I hope you can accomplish your mission.

You're right, Jacob, the job will be a Herculean task to accomplish. Don’t forget, we have help from Machine World.

Eylssa started to gather the picnic items strewn about on the blanket and put them in the basket.  Next, she folded the blanket and set it on the basket.  And lastly, she picked up the items and walked towards Scott and Jacob.

Scott, we'd better get moving, it will soon be raining. I can see the Hera temple structures glowing from the lightening strikes.

Zeus was throwing down his lightening bolts.   The electrical currents arched in a sub second from the sky to the earth.  The super-heated air created thunder.  The flashes of light and the boom of thunder startled the humans.

The Hera temple had 150 columns surrounding the structure and was open to the sky. The lightenings bright light flashed in the sky and sent sparks shimmering down the columns it touched.

The lightening seems to be getting worst. The Hera system must be in a quarrel with the Zeus system. Jacob, Scott, and Elyssa laughed, but it was true.

Come, my wife and son, let's depart.

Jacob, don't forget to get the quad hover.

Jacob gestured for the quad hover to return to station. He then picked up the device and ran to where his parents where standing. Jacob shut down the toy and carried it under his arm.  The robot arm retracted within the body of the toy and the cameras receded.  The power light turned from green to black.

Jacob joined his parents on the hovercraft, and it lifted off and moved away from the park toward the inner city. The air from the hovercraft stirred dirt underneath the vehicle.  The computer kept the craft from flipping over by adjusting the air flow currents through the turbine matching the gyroscopic readings of the horizontal plane.

The treetops were soon in sight and the pathways of the park could be seen snaking themselves around the lake. The [assengers on the hover raft eventually became accustomed to the heights.  They did not fear the hovercraft would suddenly lose power and fall to the ground.  They trusted the technology, and it worked.

It was too bad that the weather had to spoil the day, but it was time to get inside, away from the wrath of Hera and Zeus.  The weather had ruined a picture-perfect day.  Scott thought to himself, Nothing perfect in life lasts forever.  He wondered if QC was concerned about the mission and how it was proceeding.

Eylssa said, It must be a bad hair day.

Jacob remarked, Ah mom, that is corny humor.

Scott said, I like your mom's humor.  Zeus probably doesn’t have any hair from all the stress Hera gives him.

Chapter 2

Jacob observed that the glass enclosing the hovercraft platform was perfectly clear.  The passengers were standing on clear glass which gave them the feeling of flying.   The computers performed the task of flying.

The hovercraft ride was smooth for the most part. Occasionally, an upward or downward thermal current caused turbulence or a drop in height.  The computer systems warned the occupants when this happened and tried to compensate for the disruption.

Dad, how is it that the glass is so clear?

Jacob, the glass is composed of a nano material that ionizes the glass, so dust particles, cannot stick to it.

Jacob visualized how microscopic dust particles might look and could see a smooth transparent nano material resistant to the dust barbs.  Jacob’s father’s explanation seemed reasonable and satisfied Jacob’s curiosity.  Jacob trusted his father and respected his intelligence.  Jacob thought, Dad never criticizes me for being inquisitive or wanting to understand how things work.  He's a great dad!

Dad, why do we have to wear the green uniforms?

Scott knew Jacob did not understand the year 2050. They had moved forward in time and decades of change had elapsed since they departed earth.  Technology had advanced, but mankind seemed more socialized and controlled.  A centralized and federalized force governed the masses.

Change, over time, was not the problem.   The problem was people became complacent and less defensive about their freedoms and liberties, preferring stability, comfort and assurances from the government.

In this time, the land is divided into ten districts with two auxiliary districts, totaling twelve districts. Each district has its unique color, and every person is given a number. The Zeus system uses the color and number to determine if people are in the right place. Out of place, citizens are quickly identified by the gray uniform sentinels and removed or returned to their proper district. The system is 99 percent accurate.

Jacob reasoned in his mind that the system worked like automation in a post office.   If a package was incorrectly routed to the wrong destination, the color and number on the package would immediately signal an error.   It seemed strange to Jacob that people would be treated like postal packages.

Dad, I feel like a rat in a maze in the city. All we do is stay inside and watch TV.  It seems like we live like ants in a hive.

When we are at ground level, we can't see the sky because of the high rise buildings everywhere. The buildings move vertically as high as our necks can arch, upward.  I feel like a speck in the ocean.

We navigate by electronic walkways. Computers direct our navigation.  We rely on machines to provide directions.  Without machines, I think we would be lost in the complexity of the structures around us.

Scott replied, Jacob, you have an engineer's mind.   I, too, don’t like the flying sentries or the mega buildings.  It seems like it takes a long time to go from location to location.   Everyone seems to be on the move, but no one is talking to each other.   The community has been replaced by a network of people.

Jacob replied, We eat the same food every day delivered by robotic carrier. Are we rats?

Dad, why does the future seem to have less choice of food?

Scott replied, The future has more engineering, but the increased governing of food production has limited the number of choices.   If you remember, in old Russia, people ate bread and soup, every day.  Each day, they stood in long lines to get their bread.

Jacob remembered reading about Russia's poverty.  He read the government promised people bread.   The rationing of food had socialized people into depending on handouts.   People stopped growing their own food on farms, and the government seized over 15,000 farms, replacing them with large centralized projects that grew the food for the masses.  The centralized projects were inefficient at allocating resources, and they were forced to meet quotas without an incentive.  The result was supply did not met demand for items in demand because the planners did not respond accurately to demand.  Inventories of unwanted items accumulated.  Large lots of land were covered with vehicles and machines.

I agree Jacob, this assignment is tough. The Zeus system has taken away many freedoms. We can't appeal to the district administrators because they are puppet-political figures of the Zeus controller. Their job is to provide a human figure for the Zeus system to appease the people and make them believe the machines are not running things.

Dad, how did humanity get here? This is awful.

Do we understand the maze?  We can't see the design of the maze.  Isolation controls people.  People stay localized to the area they know, work in, and live in.

"It takes courage to explore unknown parts of the city. Travel is closely monitored by the automatic systems.  It takes time to gain an understanding