Peacekeeper

By J. D. German

Scientists Alexis Tesla and Derek Flynn are hired to develop a high energy laser that can reflect from satellite mirrors to destroy anything or anyone on earth that threatens peace. But the multi-billionaire bankrolling the project, Edwyn Elliott, decides to use the laser for his own corrupt purposes. When the two scientists realize that Elliott has become a megalomaniac they escape the secret base in a Colorado coal mine seeking to stop his madness. As their relationship grows into romantic love, Elliott’s thugs and the FBI chase them across the country to shut them up.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. D. German
• Release date: Jan 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463325544

J. D. German

J. Dee German, a retired physicist and engineer, spent much of his 43-year career in research and development of lasers for a variety of applications, including high power systems designed to destroy aircraft and missiles to low power personal protection devices. As part of President Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ program he investigated the effects of electromagnetic pulses (EMP) and lasers on various satellite designs. Dee currently lives on a lake in southwestern Georgia and divides his activities between part-time consulting, writing, and serving God.

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Prologue

Spring 2017

Alexis was the kind of person who seldom got rattled. Even as a child she was the one who kept her head when others were running in confused circles about some overblown crisis. She was cool, calm, and self-assured – a natural leader in her job as a research and development (R&D) director for a large aerospace firm. After graduating from MIT with a PhD in laser physics and another in philosophy, she rose quickly up the promotion ladder until now, at age thirty-five, she directed the country’s latest high-energy laser weapon development project – a ten megawatt monster that could destroy aircraft, missiles, and even satellites at ranges up to 150 miles. The project had encountered several setbacks, but for Alexis it was a challenging and exciting job – at least it was until she was fired two months ago.

The new American President had campaigned on a platform that included reducing unnecessary’ expenditures on scientific research that didn’t directly benefit the American people. One of the first cuts was the HELLEOS project – the High Energy Laser via Low Earth Orbit Satellites contract – the program she was in charge of. Because other Government work on big lasers had also been shut down over the past few years, Alexis was out of a job at the age of 48 in a field where jobs didn’t exist anymore. The half dozen resumes she sent out had all received negative responses.

Finding a new research job wasn’t about the money; she had plenty of that from the exorbitant salary the aerospace firm paid her. It was about keeping her creative mind busy. She was a Type A personality whose brain ran at ninety miles an hour so boredom and inactivity drove her crazy. She had just about given up hope when she received a letter from the PeaceKeeper Foundation requesting that she appear for an interview. There was no information about the position, salary, or work location; just an 800 number to call to set up an appointment. Mostly out of curiosity she called, and was now waiting for a car to pick her up at her home in Lancaster, California, twenty-five miles southwest of Edwards Air Force Base, where HELLEOS had been under development.

All she knew about the trip was that she would be flown to some location in Colorado for an interview. Her current state of unrest was due to the unknown details of the trip and the job to be offered. She didn’t like this unusual feeling of not being in control. Her reverie was broken by a knock at the door. When she opened it a man in a suit announced that her car was waiting. She looked over his shoulder and saw a Mercedes Benz limousine parked at the curb.

Two hours later Alexis, or Alex as she preferred to be called, was in an Eclipse Aviation 550 business jet flying at thirty-four thousand feet above Grand Junction, Colorado. When she boarded the small lightweight plane she asked the pilot where they would be landing but he just smiled and asked her to please turn off her cell phone and put it in the metal box he held out for her. She hesitated, realizing this would be her last chance to change her mind about a trip that was getting weirder by the minute, but her curiosity about where it would lead caused her to hand over her only connection to the rest of the world. I should have told someone about this trip. I could disappear from the face of the earth and no one would know where to look. Of course I don’t even know where I’ll be, so what could I tell them, she thought.

She looked out the window at the beautiful Rocky Mountain peaks below and guessed they might be headed for Denver since that was the only major airport nearby. But twenty minutes later she felt the plane begin to descend. She looked out the window, expecting to see a city below, but there were only mountains and valleys with an occasional narrow highway. Her view seemed to zoom in on the sight below as they gave up altitude, which alarmed Alex. When she heard the wing flaps extend she hoped there was small local airport a short distance ahead or else they were going to hit a mountain. They were already below the surrounding peaks and giving up airspeed rapidly.

Excuse me, pilot, but what’s happening?

When he ignored her she realized he couldn’t hear above the engine noise, especially with headphones on. She heard him say something into his microphone and gripped the arms of her seat, bracing for the impending crash. The mountains were closing in on both sides . . . Then everything went dark.

Chapter 1 – Edwyn Elliott

When Edwyn Elliot dropped out of Cal Tech after his sophomore year his parents were devastated. They had hoped that his dislike of the education system would end if he was sufficiently challenged by a first-class university, but he was still smarter than all his teachers, just as he had been in high school. When he announced he had found a source of funding to pursue a new revolutionary idea his father’s response was Yeah, yeah. We’ve heard that before and this will end up in the garbage heap of useless technology just like all your other brainstorms. We’re through supporting you – find a real job.

But their rejection hadn’t dampened his creative energy one bit. The venture capitalist who was funding his project had the vision to realize the true potential of Elliott’s idea. He provided the research facility and support staff needed to demonstrate that Elliot’s idea not only worked, but could be easily adapted to a huge commercial market. His idea? A device that would connect the human mind directly to a computer. A keyboard, mouse, and trackball would no longer be needed to communicate with a personal computer, tablet, or smart phone. The user could just think what they wanted the device to do and it would do it! The slowest link in the human/computer interface had just been eliminated. A person could communicate with computer-based hardware at the speed of thought.

Elliott’s investors immediately patented the idea and soon anyone with an electronic device and $650 to spare could put on a headband and join the new revolution – the fusion of the human mind with computer software. Within a few months, about the time he would have finished his senior year of computer engineering at Cal Tech, Edwyn Elliott was worth over two billion dollars from the sales of the NeuroLink product.

Like some of the recent technology geniuses before him – Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk – he used his newfound wealth to extend the frontiers of science and engineering. His first project was to develop an entirely new form of space launch vehicle – a high-speed aircraft that could transition from high-altitude Mach 6 flight directly into low earth orbit to deliver a satellite, and then return to earth to repeat the process – autonomously, with no humans on board. It took his select team of scientists and engineers less than four years to achieve that goal, and now his company, Earth to Orbit, was contracted by governments and private corporations to put a variety of satellite payloads into orbit. Although NASA researchers had been working toward the same goal, the bureaucratic bullshit that blocked their progress allowed Elliott’s company to get it done before NASA could even get their design off the drawing board.

After this success Edwyn Elliott disappeared from public view, leading many to speculate that he was working on a new, secret program to revolutionize another field of technology. But the truth was that Elliott had launched an entirely new enterprise focused on one goal – to bring peace on earth.

Chapter 2 – Colorado Coal

Summer 2017

Tom Norton was the lead engineer on the Gunnison River Coal Restoration Project. The mines in the central mountains of Colorado had closed down over a decade ago, primarily because of the previous president’s efforts to curb global warming by drastically reducing fossil fuel use. But when the new administration realized that fossil fuels played only a minor part in global warming and that unemployment in the mining industry was over forty percent, the old prohibitions were relaxed and legislation was passed to provide federal funding to bring coal mines back into operation all over the country. Tom’s job was to visit the reconditioned mines in central Colorado to make sure that the new installations met current Government regulations. Tom worked for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), a part of the Dept. of the Interior tasked with enforcing environmental standards for coal mine reclamation.

For the past month he had been spending most of his time at the Hi-Tech Mining Corporation’s (HTMC) Tall Pines Canyon site. The company was bringing six underground coal mines surrounding the canyon back online using new technology to once again bring them to profitability. Soon several long trains of coal would leave the valley every day, shipping the high-quality, low-sulfur anthracite coal to power plants throughout the region. But for now the trains carried incoming building materials, heavy machinery, and rails for the coal haulers to bring the coal out of the mine. It was this last item that bothered Tom.

Modern coal mining techniques had discarded in-mine rail transport in favor of low-boy trucks with fat tires to haul out the coal. So why was HTMC going back to the old way of doing things. And the rails they were bringing in were heavy duty stuff usually reserved for large loads – six inches in height and width weighing sixty pounds per foot – four times the normal size rail for this application. He knew the federal regulations had no problem with such large rails, but he wondered why the company would go to the extra expense of larger rail.

The other thing that seemed strange was that one of the mine openings was being enlarged. The six-foot high by twenty-foot wide dimensions that used to be standard entrance dimensions for the old operation had been increased to ninety feet high by two-hundred feet wide. Why in the world would they need an opening that large? He added that to his list of questions for HTMC. He was on his way now to the mine site now to meet with Lucas, review the construction progress, and ask some questions.

Norton had another surprise when he encountered a security gate at the entrance to the valley. As he approached the lowered barricade a uniformed guard stepped out and held up his hand in the universal gesture for stop, then motioned for him to roll his truck window down. The tall, muscular man came with clipboard in hand came over to talk.

Good afternoon, sir. May I see some identification please.

What for? This is a public road and you have no right to block it.

I. D. please.

Tom pulled his driver’s license from his wallet and held it up for the sentry to see, but the man snatched it out of his hand and returned to the guard shack with it where he scanned it into a computer. After a few moments a printer spit out a visitor’s badge with Norton’s picture on it and a list of site areas he was allowed to visit.

Here’s your visitor’s badge Mr. Norton. Keep it visible at all times. Mr. Lucas will meet you in front of the headquarters building over there. The man pointed to a two-story metal structure in the middle of the small valley. Norton drove into the parking lot by the main entrance and got out of his pickup. As he started walking toward the building another guard came through the door and ordered, Stop where you are. Hold your hands out to your sides and kneel down.

I will not! Tom exclaimed as he started toward the door again.

The armed guard drew his sidearm and pointed it at him. One more step and I will shoot! Get down . . . Now!

Tom stopped where he was and started to kneel when Gerald Lucas ran out and told the guard to stand down. With his gun still pointed at Norton he replied, This man is not wearing a visitors badge. I’m following procedure here.

Lucas looked at Tom. Didn’t they give you a badge at the gate?

Yes, but I left it in the car.

O.K.. Go back to the car and get it. That’s the only way this guard will back down.

The guard gave Lucas a dirty look but allowed Tom to retrieve his badge. After examining it the guard stepped aside and let him pass.

As soon as they were inside the building Tom started peppering Lucas with questions. What the hell is going on here Lucas? A road block, armed guards, and security badges. What does any of this have to do with coal mining?

Calm down, Tom. I’ll answer your questions in my office upstairs.

Lucas poured a liberal amount of Wood’s High Mountain Bourbon over ice in two glasses and handed one to Tom. After they enjoyed their first couple of sips of the native Colorado whiskey he turned to Tom and said, O.K.. Now I’m ready to answer your questions. But I have to warn you ahead of time that much of what we’re doing here, our revolutionary high-tech mining techniques, are heavily guarded corporate secrets. With Elliott’s help HTMC has invented ways of processing coal that almost doubles the productivity compared to other coal mining operations, and the company still has patents pending on the machines and procedures that make this possible. I cannot disclose any of this information. With that understanding, what’s your first question?

Your incoming trains seem to be hauling a lot of materials and equipment for building and construction. I’ve never seen that much building done in a coal mine before. Why is that?

Ahh, that’s an easy question to answer. Our new technology is based on preprocessing the coal inside the mine. We have washers and scrubbers to clear out the coal dust, and machines to crush the coal into the small pieces needed by power companies before we ever load it on the train to carry it out of the valley. These operations are usually done outside the mine, sometimes even after it’s delivered. With our approach the train cars will be loaded inside the mine then delivered to the customers No coal company had ever done this before.

I guess that answers my next question. I have seen steel rails delivered to your site that far exceed those usually employed underground. But if you’re going to load the coal trains inside the mine then the larger rails are needed.

Anything else I can help you with Tom?

Well, there is one other thing. I’ve seen on incoming flat cars what appears to be components of prefabricated buildings – and lots of them. What could you possibly be using those for?

That’s another twist of our new mining process. All the employees will live in prefabricated dormitories built inside the mine, to keep them close to their work location and minimize time lost due to travel this far out in the mountains. We’ll construct small towns underground. All of our mines are cut horizontally back into the mountain, not down mine shafts. Some of the work sites are as much as seven miles back into the coal deposit. We can move the portable dormitories right to where the latest coal mining is taking place.

Wow, I had no idea your operation was this advanced. I can’t wait to see it. When can I make my first inspection tour?

Um, that’s a problem, Tom. Until our patents are approved by the Government we can’t let any outsiders see what we’re doing. It’s all proprietary at this point. But once we have the patents locked down, then you can come in for a look.

That won’t work, Gerald. The regulations require that I make regular visits into the mines before I can certify them for operation. There’s no way around that.

We have lawyers working on that now, Tom, and expect to have it resolved soon.

Tom downed the last of his drink and rose to leave. I see some problems here, Mr. Lucas, that will have to be dealt with before you can open your mines here. . . . Oh, and by the way, you have no authorization to block the road and restrict entry to he valley. This is public land.

Actually that’s no longer true, Mr. Norton. We have recently been granted a forty year lease from the Government for this entire valley. So yes, we do have to right to restrict entry to our leased land. Not only are we permitted to add a security gate at the entrance but we are in the process of installing a ten-foot high security fence around the entire valley.

Tom paused while he took this latest surprise in. I don’t think you have heard the end of this, Mr. Lucas. I’ll be in touch.

Have a nice day, Mr. Norton.

Chapter 3 – The Young Genius

Twenty-five years earlier - 1996

The young Air Force captain knocked on the office door of Col. Alice Benton, head of the Directed Energy Division at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her one word reply was loud and clear. Enter.

He hesitantly turned the doorknob and peeked in. He had never entered a military officer’s office before so he was uncertain of the protocol. He had been conscripted by the Department of Defense shortly after he graduated from MIT with a PhD in applied physics. He asked the captain who cornered him outside his apartment if he had a choice and was told, Not really. The Air Force scholarship paid for your education and now we want to cash in on our investment. Here are your orders and an airplane ticket. Report Monday morning.

So here he was, halfway through Col. Benton’s door, wondering if it was time to salute. Do I call her sir or ma’am? I wish they had given me some kind of orientation about military life. I feel like an atheist appearing before the Pope.

Come in, Capt. Flynn. Have a seat. She motioned toward a chair perfectly aligned in front of her desk. He entered and was ready to sit down when he remembered. When do I salute, sir . . . er . . . ma’am . . . . . . . Colonel.

This is the scientific side of the Air Force, Captain. We’re not big on formalities. Unless we’re outside or have visitors from higher headquarters. Then you salute. Sit.

Derek replied Thank you, ma’am, as he sat down and watched her study a file folder on her desk. After several minutes he started to feel uncomfortable. Did she forget I’m sitting here? He used the time to study her more closely. She was close to six feet tall, but it was hard to tell when she was sitting down. Light brown hair, deep blue eyes, a few wrinkles showing on her face, which meant that she was at least in her early forties. He looked at the wall behind her desk and saw a photo of a younger version of her standing in front of an F-16 fighter jet with a helmet under her arm. He reappraised her and realized that she had kept the trim figure from her flying days. He saw a glint that drew his attention to the diamond wedding ring on her finger.

Finally she looked up.

You’re probably wondering why you are here, Captain.

Yes ma’am. When I accepted the Government financial aid for my education I didn’t read the fine print . . . The part that said I would be drafted as soon as I finished.

You weren’t exactly drafted – the U.S. military doesn’t do that any more.

Then why am I sitting here instead of working for a high-paying Government contractor?

Col. Benton paused as she decided how much to tell him. Here at the Weapons Lab we are engaged in some top secret research to develop a directed energy device with the potential to destroy ballistic missiles. Looking at your file here you have some critical skills that are essential to the success of the program. To use a trite phrase, your country needs you.

Derek pictured one of the WW2 posters of Uncle Sam with the caption ‘Uncle Sam needs you!’

What if I refuse?

Then you can spend the next two years sitting at a desk shuffling papers . . . or you can spend it working in the latest state-of-the-art laboratory playing with technology you’ve never seen before.

Derek paused for a second or two then replied, You said directed energy device. Does that mean lasers?

I can’t say any more until your top-secret security clearance comes through.

And when will that be?

It usually takes three or four months but I’ve had yours expedited. You should be cleared by the end of the week.

The following Monday Derek once again sat in Col. Benton’s office, now fully cleared to hear all about the program.

Good to see you again, Dr. Flynn. Let me give you a quick briefing on the research program then I’ll send you down to the lab to see what I’m talking about. First of all, you were correct in assuming this project involves lasers – very powerful lasers. In fact, when it is finished it will be the most powerful laser ever built.

How do you know that to be true? Couldn’t the Russians be working on an even bigger one?

No, not any more. After President Reagan drained their military budget with the Start Wars program, they were forced to abandon their laser weapon research.

So what kind of laser is your group developing?

I was just getting to that. The device uses hydrogen fluoride (HF) for the lasing gas instead of carbon dioxide like the previous experimental devices. We found that the upper limit for CO2 lasers was about 300 kilowatts – not enough to achieve the long ranges we needed. The new HF technology puts out ten times that far at a wavelength that doesn’t interact as much with the atmosphere.

Wow! That’s three megawatts . . . but what about the mirrors you need to generate the beam and direct it to the target? Even if you could make mirrors that were 99.9% reflective, the remaining three kilowatts would be absorbed and melt the surface.

Aha. Now you see the problem – and why you were drafted, so to speak. She held up a two-inch thick bound document. In your doctoral research, described in your dissertation here, you developed a new kind of multi-layer reflective mirror coating that absorbs only one-thousandth of one percent of the laser light – in our case that only leaves 30 watts for the mirror to absorb. We can easily protect the mirrors from that by adding cooling water channels behind the mirror surface.

I still don’t see why you need me. My recipe is in that document; you can coat the mirrors using my technique.

What’s the largest mirror you have ever coated?

I was using gold-plated aluminum mirrors three inches in diameter. If the samples were any larger we couldn’t get the coating uniform over the entire diameter. Why? How large are your mirrors?

Twenty-four inches in diameter. And that’s why I need you on my team.

Chapter 4 – The Retired Genius

Back to the Present – July 2017

Derek Flynn walked back to his small lakeside home in southwestern Georgia after retrieving his mail – three letters and four advertising flyers. The flyers were from local businesses advertising the usual July 4th picnic food and fireworks, while two of the letters were monthly bills for electrical power and cell phone service. The third one, with a return address he didn’t recognize, was probably from a company trying to sell him insurance or get him to enter the latest sweepstakes.

He stopped on the porch, looked out over the lake, and once again gave God a quick thanks for providing this terrific retirement place. The house, surrounded by pine and live oak trees draped with spanish moss, was on a dirt road where on a busy day only five or six vehicles – mostly old pickup trucks – passed by. The grassy front lawn sloped down a hundred feet to the water’s edge, where Derek had built a covered boat dock shortly after he moved in two years ago. His small pontoon boat, a vintage twenty-foot Riverside with a 1957 Johnson outboard attached, was good for leisurely rides on the lake and fishing, but it wouldn’t break any speed records

As he opened the door he took one last look back at the lake, just in time to see an osprey swoop down to catch a fish, which promptly wiggled free and splashed back down into the water below. After getting a Coors from the refrigerator he sat down to read the mail. Since he wasn’t planning to have an Independence Day picnic he tossed the flyers in the trash and opened the letters. No surprises in the bills – they were for