The Search for Tesla: Book Number Three of the Sci-Fi Series

By Donald Krueger

Earth and the planet Centauri were created as identical, differenced now only by the direction of technology and unified government. Centauri has but one country and one language. Earth, of course, has multitudes of both. The primary contrast of the Centauri populous, due to a perfect immune system, is a life span of nearly one thousand years.

This book is the third in a series, and the principle characters are the same as in the first two books. The story encompasses happenings from both planets and how they interact with one another.

Foremost in this book is the genius Tesla. He thought himself unappreciated on Centauri and, on a whim, ventured to steal a tiny light-speed spaceship to seek proper recognition on the primitive planet of earth. It happened three hundred years ago, and the story progresses to the present.

Life for Tesla was a frustrating struggle. He didnt fit in as the ageless thing was a detriment. He finally made a contribution when he was influential in the upbringing of his grandson, Nikola Tesla. Still, when the boy became a man, the two drifted apart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524550257

Donald Krueger

Donald Krueger Sci-fi author Donald Krueger is a retired airline pilot. His airline career had him flying transports starting with the DC-3 and ending with the DC-10. He lives in the pleasing climate of Southern California and enjoyed numerous interests other than flying, including music and sculpture. Currently is his interest in writing. The 'Snows of Shangrila' is book five of his science fiction book series. It spans a dozen years of research plus a vivid imagination. The stories have a rich mixture of imagination and actual history. More than once the reader will find his/herself pondering, “I didn’t know that”, yet on checking find the occurrences are factual.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

E arth and the planet Centauri were created as identical. Differenced now only by the direction of technology and unified government. Centauri has but one country and one language. Earth of course has multitudes of both. The primary contrast of the Centauri populous, due to a perfect immune system, is a life span of near one thousand y ears.

This book is the third in a series and the principle characters are the same as in the first two books. The story encompasses happenings from both planets and how they interact with one another.

Foremost in this book is the genius Tesla. He thought himself unappreciated on Centaur and on a whim ventured to steal a tiny light speed spaceship to seek proper recognition on the primitive planet of Earth. It happened 300 years ago and the story progresses to the present.

Life for Tesla was a frustrating struggle. He didn’t fit in, as the ageless thing was a detriment. He finally made a contribution when he was influential in the upbringing of his grandson, Nikola Tesla. Still when the boy became a man the two drifted apart.

Tesla would like to return to Centauri although he would certainly be imprisoned for the theft of the spaceship. Although he can dream about it, the likelihood is nil. Technology on Earth is centuries away from space travel. A revelation comes when he meets the Downs Family. These are persons from his own genus. Renewed hope and a challenging adventure emerges.

CHAPTER ONE

It’s never one mistake

The Planet Centauri 1731

T esla was looking at the three little space ships sitting in the completion yard of Randal Industries. The vessels are affectionately named Bambino One, Bambino Two, and Bambino Three. With an automatic program Bambino One had sped to Earth at light speed some four light years distant to deliver six Centauri babies at the doorstep of a Catholic orphanage on April 5,1711 of the Earth calendar. Under complete automation the little ship returned to Centauri 20 years later. Upon its return the sojourn was heralded as a great success and the little ship is now being prepared for a permanent place in the Atlantis Museum of History. Tesla was the primary designer of the little vessels but his name was never mentioned. Randal Industries was all over the museum dedication placard along with high praise for the Council of Centauri, with the names of all six members. The oversight hurt Tesla deeply. He craved recognition. Perhaps that primitive planet that the Council made such a fuss about would appreciate him. A new life on Earth began living in his mind. Starting out as a fantasy, temptation swelled in Tesla’s mind until becoming an obsession. Each day he went to work with little details evolving into a plan.

Tesla can’t get Earth off his mind. All he read from the ancient expedition reveals an identical but primitive species in comparison to Centauri. He could show them so much. Here on Centauri he’s just another engineer but on Earth just in the field of electricity he could make demonstrations that would astound them. He could be heralded as some sort of God or at least a King.

On each of these machines he had tested the gravity engine in the docking mode. A mode, which could throttle the effects of gravity from attract to repel. He would rise up a couple hundred kilometers and back down. Each time he was tempted to make the jump to light speed but it was a risk that Randal Industries was not willing to take. Light speed was not just cruising around the neighborhood. It involved sophisticated guidance and equally sophisticated obstacle avoidance technology.

So Tesla would go through the test routines in the envelope of the docking mode. It normally took less than an hour to check all the systems and he would head back down. Piloting the craft using just the viewing screen was very difficult so rather than looking like a drunk coming in he would use the automatic positioning feature to put the little vessel back on the pad. (mistake #1)

Tesla was also fascinated by the history of another expedition several hundred years ago. The expedition had visited Earth, a planet only four light years away. But for the most part the expedition was considered a failure. The ancient ship was slow and they were gone 200 years. Only half the crew survived. The other half could not to be awakened from hibernation.

But today hibernation technology had improved dramatically. Yet without a planned mission in space there was no need for it. The hibernation cubicles, once charged, were completely self-sufficient. Of course there were temperature limits. Extreme heat or extreme cold would render them useless. The freezing and boiling temps of water were those limits and easily maintained by the vessel’s power source.

Tesla is free to do most anything he wants in the testing section. He files the customary report that he will be making another test flight, this time in Bambino Three with a full payload. What determines the payload is not required on the test report. Two thousand kilograms is what the vessel will carry so he elects to load a hibernation cubicle. No one will be the wiser. The standard one weighs 1300 kg when charged but the captain’s model is more because it has the activation features inside so to accommodate the last person to hibernate. He himself weighs 90 kg and he must have 400 liters of water. That weighs about 400 kg. Then 100 kg of food brings the payload to near the max. He would like to have Randal’s latest surface scanning equipment that was used for the baby delivery but a request for that would raise questions. He’s certain he can find a suitable place to land by just going in a low orbit and viewing the surface. (mistake #2)

He will set the hibernation cubicle to wake him two weeks before arrival. This should be ample time to get his body functions operating normally. (mistake #3). Although cramped he figured tight movements of his arms and legs should be adequate. Then a few days in orbit checking out the land. This is where he’ll be using his water and food supply. He will have to be very selective because this is a one-way trip. Returning to Centauri is out of the question; he would certainly be arrested so no calculations for a return were entered in the vessel’s guidance program.

With the plan firmly set in his mind he came to work the next morning like he did every day. He carried a small case with a few changes of clothing tightly packed. He went straight to the Bambino Three. He advised the attendant that he’s going to do another test. There is no question. He has done this a many times before. He closed the door and activated the engine. He rose slowly to avoid a boom. At 100 kilometers up he hovered and carefully programmed the guidance system. He loaded the same guidance protocols that were used on Bambino One. He has gone over it several times in his mind. There are several safeguards and cross checks that must be entered perfectly and rechecked. When he activates the light speed mode it will go on automatic and there is nothing to do but wait for four years. At 100,000 kilometers from Earth the vessel will slow and revert to docking mode. It will enter an orbit 100 kilometers above the surface and remain there indefinitely.

Now he glanced once more at his birth planet. It’s decision time. He can still return to the surface and go on with his life as in the past or he can activate the mode for light speed. If he does that he’s committed to Earth and a new adventure. Earth it is and he activated the light speed mode (mistake #4). Nothing left to do now except climb into the hibernation cubicle. Once again it had been pre-programmed. He checked again the awake time for two weeks before arrival. He hit the start button and the lid closed. He felt the sleep state coming. It was very relaxing.

At the Randal Industries test section the attendant was concerned. Tesla was usually back in an hour and now it’s close to noon. He decided to report to his supervisor who in turn headed directly to Randal’s office. He explained the situation to the secretary and she ushered him right in. Randal looked up from his desk and saw the alarm on her face.

What is it?

Sir, Tesla took off on a test flight 3 hours ago and has not yet back or been heard from.

Which ship?

Bambino Three.

Randal grabbed his phone and called his security section.

Did you get a flight plan from Tesla this morning?

Yes sir. The plan stated an hour for test purposes.

Did you track him?

Yes sir, until 9:30 and then he just disappeared.

Do you have any report of crashes?

No sir.

Okay, alert all services to stay on continuing search for reports of a crash.

Yes sir. We’ll start right now.

Randal looked up at the supervisor and his secretary who was still in the room with wide eyes. Randal is thinking out loud.

Sudden disappearance makes no sense unless he crashed in the ocean or jumped to light speed. Holy shit I bet the fool made the jump.

Where would he go?

Not a clue, maybe a suicide but I think we can write Tesla and Bambino Three as MIA. At light speed turning around is impossible. Thank goodness Bambino One is okay. It’ll be heading for the museum in a couple months.

The secretary asked if the news services be notified.

No no no.

I’ll notify the Centauri Council and we’ll take the matter up. But for now I don’t want the populous to get excited. Test flights go wrong all the time. I don’t want my government funding to be in question. So say nothing to anyone unless you run it by me. That goes for both of you and the section attendant. Okay?

In a few weeks the return of Bambino One faded from the news services. The Council meetings became pretty dull. Cyrus considered canceling the monthly meetings in favor of a ‘call up’ basis. But now this disappearing ship has got everyone on edge. At the following meeting Bandar is first to speak.

What was this guy doing testing space ships? He’s an engineer and designer, not a test pilot.

Randall answered.

These things aren’t meant to fly like a pilot flies, they’re meant to respond to computer programs. That is what he was supposed to be testing.

Bandar again.

Well, I know we run extensive background checks on people who operate our high tech and unproven devices. How did an engineer get the job?

He did more work on the Bambinos than any other engineer. He knows the systems backward and forwards.

Shawnis had a question.

Is there any chance that he could find my babies?

Randal.

I don’t think he could even find Earth. But even if he did, we have only developed one scanner with that capability and he didn’t have it on Bambino Three. He wouldn’t have prayer of finding that same location.

Shawnis had another thought.

Does the man have any family? If so I think they have a right to know about this.

Randal called his office.

Please pull the personal file of Tesla and call me right back.

While waiting Wendum offered a thought to the group.

I think this is a lost cause. It’s logical that he jumped to light speed and if so there is nothing more to discuss. It would be chasing a phantom.

Randal got a call on his device.

Tesla’s records indicate no family. He is 250 years old and from a cloned origin. If he has a mother, she is not listed. He has a master’s degree in the field of gravity enhancement. He was very instrumental in the development of the gravity power system used on the Bambinos.

Cyrus was still trying to figure a reason.

Randal, these Bambino ships have a special meaning to us. They’re our first success at a light speed craft. Losing one is a big deal. Why don’t you put a memo to your employees about the tragedy and ask if anyone knew Tesla and may have knowledge about his mental condition or if he ever contemplated suicide?

Good idea. I’ll post the memo, but you know soon as I do this the news media will know also. How should I handle that?

Cyrus hesitated a moment.

Have your PR department leak the news to one of your news sources and word it in a manner that omits it was a Bambino ship involved. Simply state the incident occurred while testing a prototype. Accidents happen and I doubt if any reporter will try and blow this thing up.

All agreed that this is the sensible path to take. Cyrus asked for another meeting in a month to discuss possible repercussions and then adjourned the meeting.

CHAPTER TWO

Earth the Beautiful

Time line 1736

T esla woke to a stagnant smell. He can’t remember where he is. He felt like he was in a coffin. Then the lid of the hibernation cubicle opened and the air is fresh. His recall is returning. Yes that’s it, he’s approaching Earth. He must get out of the cubicle and look at the information screen but he could hardly move. He moved