Fractal Standard Time: The Chronopticus Chronicles, #1

By Michael Galloway

Can Eden be built on another planet? Several pioneers, explorers, and inventors aim to find out by establishing a permanent colony on Mars. One mathematician and scientist, Steven Entner, stakes his career on the idea and inspires several generations to come.

 

As his vision evolves through his descendents, so does the technology to implement it. With the technology comes an increasing mastery over the environment. In the wrong hands that technology may lead to their ultimate destruction.

 

Note: This is book one of a trilogy. Although this first book contains twelve interlinked short stories, the other two books are novels.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Candlepower Publishing House
• Release date: Sep 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9798223239505

Book preview

Fractal Standard Time

Book I of the Chronopticus Chronicles

By Michael Galloway

© 2013 by Michael Galloway. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without written permission from the author.

www.michaelgalloway.net

The short stories in this collection are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, locations or events is entirely coincidental.

fractal (noun): any of various extremely irregular curves or shapes for which any suitably chosen part is similar in shape to a given larger or smaller part when magnified or reduced to the same size.

Tales from the Front

Summer 2029 A.D.

Gordyn and Alyssa held hands together in the cockpit for yet another last time. As they waited for the needle to swing to the right on the charge gauge, their spherical craft fired an array of microjets in order to hold it in place inside of the thunderstorm’s growing electrical field. While the charges continued to build, Gordyn tapped the charge gauge in front of him. He turned towards his wife and smiled.

Ready…keep it steady…now! He said as the charge gauge needle slammed hard to the right.

Alyssa pulled back on the accelerator and worked the steering pedals with her feet. The air outside of their windows simmered with a sea-green glow and the craft shuddered as turbulence overtook them. A second later they accelerated wildly through the thunderhead, plowing through a wall of white and gray cotton as if shot out of a cannon.

Gordyn’s heart raced as a ribbon of bright sea-green light materialized before them. To him, the experience never got old. In unpredictable sweeping arcs they rode along the anvil crawler as if they were on a rollercoaster for the first time. A faint buzz filled his ears as the scent of nitrogen and copper filled the cockpit.

In seconds the ribbon evaporated and they exited the thundercloud into a clear ocean of azure. Beneath them towers of cauliflower-like cumulus punched skyward while above them hung a salmon-colored canopy of mammatus clouds. Gordyn beamed as Alyssa steered the craft through the sky, deftly igniting the microjets to gradually ease the craft back down to a safer speed.

You learn fast, Gordyn said, as he put a loving arm around her shoulder.

I learn from the best, she replied. Shall we make another pass?

He saw by the expression on her face that she was in no hurry to turn the controls back over to him. He admired her green eyes anyway and loved how the late afternoon sun tinged her auburn, shoulder-length curls with a hint of gold.

She pointed at the charge mapper display in front of them, which charted charges building nearby as well as their characteristics. What do you think of that one? Doesn’t that one look fun?

Risky pick. Why not try this one over here? Or even this one? Gordyn pointed to two other nearby charge fields that looked to be more stable and predictable, although up here predictability was relative.

No, I like this one here. She pointed to a charge field that the display marked with a red hue.

Gordyn crossed his arms and rubbed his mustache. That one might fork and send us right into the ground. But if you think you can handle it, give it shot.

With a mischievous grin, she steered the craft right towards a sprawling electric field which had every indication of sending a bolt sideways but also right into the ground. As soon as the charge gauge needle topped out, the windows outside of the craft started to glow. This time the glow had a tinge of vermillion.

In less than a second they were slung down a jagged path that first went horizontal, and then forked towards the ground below. The craft suddenly plunged and hurled itself into a slow spin. Gordyn smashed the microjet recovery button on the top of the cockpit console but it was too late. They hurtled through a green and gray swarm of raindrops and hailstones and soon Gordyn watched as a patchwork fabric of cornfields and farms spiraled before them. The black foam safety harness gripped his chest and shoulders like a pair of angry boa constrictors.

What do I do? What do I do? Alyssa shouted, as she clutched her own harness.

Hang on, Gordyn shouted back. He tried to concentrate on the controls but his stomach pushed up into his chest. He reached over to grab the accelerator lever and worked his own steering controls with his feet. In desperation, he aimed for a lake below. I hope this one’s deep enough.

He felt the reverse microjets kick in and slow their descent. He had built the craft to withstand bolt misdirects, but this one was one of bigger ones. In less than a minute they hit the surface of the lake with a tremendous splash, shaking the craft and causing them both to shut their eyes and hold onto each other tight.

When Gordyn opened his eyes he saw a cloud of silt around them and gasped as the craft’s natural buoyancy propelled them back towards the surface. A flood of daylight filled the cockpit as they bobbed back up to the surface of the water. He held his wife’s hand tight until she opened her eyes. At that, she took a deep breath and undid her harness.

He unbuckled himself and opened the seal on the escape hatch. He peered out and wiped the sweat off of his forehead with the back of his hand. I do believe we’ve landed across the way from my brother. That’s his house up on the hill.

Alyssa giggled and put a hand to her mouth.

What’s so funny?

She shook her head and tried to keep a straight face. In seconds she was laughing again.

You did this on purpose didn’t you? He said.

She stuck her head out of the hatch and waved to their nephew Steven on shore. She turned to Gordyn and winked. I’m ready to try that again. Is that the first time you’ve ridden on a red one?

Gordyn kept a stern face. He waved towards his nephew, who ran out along the wooden dock that jutted out some thirty feet into the lake. Gordyn ducked back inside withdrew a rope.

By this time the wind and the lapping waves pushed the sphere closer to shore. When they came within a few yards of the dock, he threw the rope towards one of the dock posts. His sister-in-law, Anne Entner, had since walked down from her house and out onto the dock. She grabbed the rope as it landed at her feet.

What on earth is that? Anne asked as she tied the rope to the post.

It’s an air machine. We use it to surf anvil crawlers, Gordyn said, climbing out of the escape hatch. His brown boots hit the dock with a thump.

An anvil what?

An anvil crawler. It’s another name for a cloud-to-cloud lightning bolt. We find the bolts in a thunderstorm right before they strike and then travel on them.

You’re going to get yourself killed in that thing.

Nonsense. It’s perfectly safe. I’ve tested it many times myself. Gordyn whirled his stiffened right shoulder around only to hear it crackle in response.

Oh, but it’s really fun, Alyssa chimed in, staying behind in the craft. She set her elbows out onto the craft’s copper-colored outer shell. The surface of the craft continued to hiss and smolder as if it just came out of an oven.

Steven stood at the end of the dock. He reached out with his hand to touch one of the windows.

Oh, dear, be careful, Anne said, as she swatted his hand away.

It’s okay, Mom. This is too cool.

Gordyn knelt down beside Steven and ran his fingers along the copper-colored rivets of the craft. Would you like to take a ride in it? With his hand he gestured in a wide arc towards the sky. Imagine, riding a zipline through the heavens, if you will.

Steven turned his head back towards his mother. Could I? Please?

Anne put a hand to her forehead as if a sudden headache came over her. No, Steven. Not today. You have school tomorrow.

Gordyn stood up and pointed back towards the house on the hill. There’s a bunch of storms brewin’ just over there. Right along a warm front. We could have him up there and back in an hour.

Could I? Please? Steven said as he grabbed a corner of his mother’s sunflower yellow shirt and gave it a sharp tug.

Come on, sis. It’s perfectly safe, Gordyn said after a minute. He felt his shoulder tighten up again.

"But don’t you run