The Mercury Anthology: A Collection of Sci-Fi Short Stories

By G. C. Conrad

“The Mercury Anthology” is a stimulating, entertaining, collection of sci-fi short stories. The author, G.C. Conrad, explores human nature through fanciful settings and unique personalities. The protagonists in Conrad’s stories are thrown into a mix of science mystery and wonder, involving natural and unnatural settings. The alien and human characters strive to overcome their challenges as they are confounded by unknown forces generated from within the cosmos.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Dec 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781698703992

G. C. Conrad

G. C. Conrad is a retired former army officer and research scientist. When he is not writing, Conrad loves spending time with his wife of forty-seven years and his children and grandchildren in Florida and Colorado.

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Copyright 2020 G. C. Conrad.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

ISBN: 978-1-6987-0398-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6987-0400-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6987-0399-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020921790

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Cover image from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

Trafford rev. 01/28/2021

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CONTENTS

Willie

The Window

Safe Harbor

Call Now

Transfer

Creator

Talk Radio

Time Doctor

Devil Dog

Inseparable

This book is dedicated to George and Agatha King. They are an inspiration to me in their patriotism, Christian beliefs, and love of their children and grandchildren. It was clear when we first met, that our friendship would be joyous and long lasting. I have been blessed.

G.C. Conrad

WILLIE

D r. Frank Wilson sat on the old heavy wood table with his feet hanging down toward the floor. His white hair cut short like in the 1950’s, crowned an aged and wrinkled face that showed the wisdom and confidence that comes with a highly successful engineering career built up through his soon-to-be sixty-five years. He had a slight smile as he cast his steel blue eyes toward the center of his shop class.

The ancient linoleum tile on the floor sometimes curling at the edges, was still waxed and buffed to perfection every month by the school janitorial staff. On this morning, the just polished surface reflected the bright 10:00 am April sunlight through the hand cranked windows. Frank could tell this day was going to be special, much more than the other such days, now that one of his special students was on stage.

At a sturdy oak table in the center of the lab room stood this student, William Willie Mortenson, age ten. With total silence, Willie went about his task, assembling a device of his choice using a random sample of materials and electronic parts and an assortment of wires placed on each student’s desk. It was supposed to be nothing more than the typical daily project given to each shop class student at Conroy High School. Alistair ‘Al’ Tillman, an old friend and former NASA rocket propulsion engineer, who upon retirement became the school science teacher at a neighboring high school, walked over quietly and stood next to Frank.

Together they both had worked at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, in Huntsville, Alabama retiring from there a few years earlier when the manned space flight programs were canceled. The termination came after the effort to return to the moon had ended in a lander crash and loss of its three-man crew. Weak-kneed politicians and an indifferent President buried the effort preferring to spend tax dollars on social engineering i.e. buying votes for the next election, rather than advancing human civilization. As young talented engineers, Al and Frank were both part of the 1970’s team that took the Saturn rocket’s J-1 engine from the late 1960’s moon program and converted it for use of the Space Shuttle as the new main engines. Now they were both doing something they always wanted to do – teach young minds what could be done with a few parts and the right smarts to put them together.

He’s doing it again isn’t he? said Al.

Frank responded as he tensed, gripping the edge of the table with his still strong hands, Yea, but there is something different about today, something in him I haven’t noticed before, an intensity, as though he is on a tight schedule. I don’t think it’s our science open house in two days. Perhaps….

Frank ended his speculation, not wanting to fully disclose his inner thoughts prematurely.

Without asking permission and as if by command, the rest of the twelve students began to gather around but not too close to Willie’s work. The tallest among the students, and informal class leader, stood near Willie stretching out his muscular, long arms. This motion sent a firm message to the class to give Willie plenty of operating space.

Who is the big fellow, asked Al?

Ah yes, began Frank. That’s Zach Crossman. He is not only an athlete but bright too. He won the state science fair the previous year and is Willie’s best friend, filling the role as a surrogate big brother. Willie is the younger brother Zach never had. They are a good match. Also, the Crossman farm is close to the Mortenson farm. Their parents are good friends as well. And at six feet four and 220 pounds, no one is going to mess with Willie or touch his experiments. Zach is quite the bodyguard for Willie and a heck of a right tackle on the football team.

As he spoke, Zach glanced at Frank and got the approving nod that it was OK to forego their own projects and watch Willie. Zach quietly told the rest that it was fine to see Willie’s work and once again warning them quietly as if to say, But stay back! They immediately obeyed.

Willie said little in his blue and white checkered shirt, buttoned to the top, blue jeans and polished brown shoes with neatly bow-tied shoe strings. He paid hardly any attention to the observers around him. His freckled face was topped off by this straight brown hair that was close cropped. His deep, intent brown eyes focused on the work at hand as his delicate young hands moved quickly to build a yet–to-be-finished device that Frank, Al and the class were all too eager to see get turned on to perform some as yet unknown purpose.

The students mumbled to each other trying to guess where Willie was going this day with his latest creation. Frank spoke to Tillman again.

"He has progressed so rapidly it’s getting hard to keep up with him. In the past class science lab periods, he constructed electro-mechanical devices with widely varying purposes, each one more technically advanced than the one before.

His first project was a simple D cell battery powered strobe light, albeit an extra-large sized one. It looked like a large one - foot diameter eggshell with most of the inner workings hidden from view. Willie lifted the cover two weeks ago. He flipped a switch and an eerie deep blue and white light began to throb slowly coming directly off the skin of the shell. It made a dull roaring sound that seemed to grow in intensity as the light grew in rate of brightness and speed while switching from blue to white and back again. Before the device could reach an ear splitting crescendo, I yelled at him to shut the damn thing off. With one click on his little handheld remote controller, the whole thing went silent, to everyone’s joy. Just to be safe I unplugged it from the wall socket."

So, what was the device for, asked Al.

Willie said it was for a replacement light for the top of police cars but still had a few bugs to work out. A bit too sophisticated for a simple flashing light if you ask me. Just in case, I asked Willie to hold on to the power cord so no one in class would try to turn ‘the egg’ on.

I see, said Al. But what about these other devices he brought in today?

Frank answered, I don’t know yet. Willie has his own workshop at his farm and does most of his work there. He then brings his final pieces in here and does final assembly for all to see. His last two class projects have been well,…even more mysterious. One is just a plain black box with no apparent openings. It is the one on the heavy wood table there in the center of the room. It is nonetheless a hefty 50 pounds at only one square foot. Zach is the only one able to lift it onto the worktable. The other students argued that it was Willie’s try at humor and was nothing more than a box full of lead fishing weights or ball bearings or iron rocks from the old quarry. When he brought it in, he said it was a special sound amplifier to be used by the high school band. Curiously there was no power cord leading up to the box, but by then everyone was taking Willie at his word that somehow it would work. He said he would demonstrate it in front of his parents during our school wide open house Wednesday.

Frank continued as he pointed to a tall device standing on the floor near the black box.

The third contraption from Willie’s mind is among the more elaborate and artful. It’s a collection of circular rims you see there about the central pole. They spin within each other. Willie’s explanation for this five foot diameter piece was it could be a version of a wind mill that could spin and generate electricity without the noise of more common wind mill type power generators that some farmers in our county have set up on their land. The class liked this one – it was something they could relate to. The path that brought Willie to this day has been as much a puzzle as the latest project he is so intently pursuing.

"How is it that a ten-year old came to be the most intriguing science student in the state?’ inquired Al.

It’s quite a story, started Frank. "But well worth repeating. It will help explain why an average ten-year old has become a genius in just a few months and somewhat of national science curiosity. Dr. Stephen Langford, our principal, and the doctors at the county hospital and John and Sally have given me all the pieces of this tale. Here is why and how we have come to this point:

Six months ago, Willie had been just like any other fourth grader. His parents, John and Sally Mortenson have been continuing a farming heritage by pursuing their own dream with a recently purchased 400 acre spread twenty miles west of Huntsville. However, their son Willie and younger daughter Elmira Laurel Mortenson, Ellie for short, were their dearest most valued possessions.

"The past year, unfortunately, has been a tragic one for the entire family. Willie’s parents, John and Sally Mortenson had planned a birthday party with a picnic for Willie’s tenth birthday. It was to be a memorable one with fun at a riverside park, made all the more special with Willie’s favorite meal, a basket of fried chicken, potato salad and pecan pie. At the picnic area, Willie pestered his dad with his usual request to play catch. John was all too happy to play catch whenever Willie asked. He could see Willie’s penchant for sports was maturing. Since his grades in school were usually C’s or C-’s, it was clear he would never win the Nobel Prize. His father could see focusing on sports might be a good back up plan.

Willie was filled with boyhood enthusiasm for life. He loved his Mom and Dad and since Ellie’s birth had been her personal best friend and protector. He was the kind of son from which every parent would find the greatest affection and pride. The joy of the outing and birthday celebration, however, would be cut short as they drove home at the end of the day.

How are you two kids doing in the back seat? asked John.

OK, said Willie.

Remember Willie. It’s your job to take care of your little sister.

I will Daddy, said Willie. He reached over and held Ellie’s hand softly. I will always take care of you sister, Willie said with warm assurance.

"Not ten minutes into their return home, as they approached a blind intersection, a speeding truck came out of nowhere and slammed into them. In the terrible crash, the young teenage truck driver who was hurrying home for a big date that night, did not see the other car until it was too late. He swung hard right to avoid the collision. In so doing, his truck’s rear became the battering ram that plowed into the side of the Mortenson’s car. The truck’s bed was full of heavy construction equipment; tools, nails, and a big old power generator. For several months prior, the heavy generator had lain atop of a box of bright shiny large ten penny nails, now all completely magnetized by the compressor’s motor.

"The compressor and nails were sent flying through the air from the energy of the impact. They all flew full force into the window where a helpless Willie sat watching the unfolding collision. The nails and tools hit the window like a shotgun blast. One of the large nails plowed deep into the back of Willie’s head as he instinctively turned away. Willie and Ellie had their seat belts on, but it was not enough protection for the violence of the crash. The Peterson’s car was thrown off the road rolling several times before it came to rest in a farm field drainage ditch. As the car rolled hard into the ditch Ellie’s side of the car struck a huge culvert pipe that propelled her car door into her legs.

The young truck driver never made it to his evening appointment. He had no seat belt on and was thrown twenty yards from the road slamming into a cluster of trees. His back was broken. He died there within a few painful minutes. John broke his wrist and a few ribs. Sally had a host of bruises and a broken arm. The rear of their car and their children unfortunately took most of the force. Sally called 911 from John’s phone. The EMT’s got there quickly and transported the family to the county hospital.

"An excellent team of doctors and nurses immediately went to work on the family with special attention paid to saving Willie and Ellie. The docs were amazed at the unbelievable X-ray picture of a large ten penny nail imbedded deep in Willie’s skull. Only the head of the nail was visible. But something was still wrong; very wrong. A rapidly developing infection had begun to spike his temperature. The nail was starting to do damage to the brain as Willie began violent seizures. The nurses plugged his mouth, giving him a shot to halt the convulsions while holding him down.

"Ellie’s situation was different, yet just as serious. A full team of experts from the county hospital and experts brought in from others spent two days of surgery on her. When they were done, she still had both her legs but the attending surgeons would soon tell John and Sally the heart sinking news. Ellie would never walk again.

"Willie and Ellie’s tearful parents were struggling to walk themselves the first few days. They were put into adjacent ICU beds and had their own problems to deal with though their prognosis was good. They would both spend a week in the hospital. During that time their only questions were always the same. How were their children?

After two hours of surgery to treat Willie’s injuries, the doctors considered removing the nail from Willie’s brain but gave up on the idea. They thought the risk of removing it before Willie was stabilized might make the situation worse. The