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Authors: D. L. Harrison
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it.
“Al, turn off the gravity emitters in the shuttle please,
shut down the dark energy reactor.”
The black hole just collapsed, like a bubble popping.
Nothing happened, it was decidedly anticlimactic.
A second later Kristi sighed, “This is boring, it isn’t
doing anything at all. At least the black hole was a…”
The shuttle exploded in an expanding ball of fire and
gases. After waiting a few seconds and verifying nothing happened to the
missiles did I relax and sit back a bit in my chair.
I turned to Kristi with a smirk, “You were saying?”
Kristi was speechless, so I ordered, “Analysis please Al.”
Al replied, “I think it was the ship moving slightly.
Even at all stop there is some movement. While the black hole is active,
it drags the dark energy along with it, contains it relative to the sides of
the reactor. I believe if the shuttle had been stationary, the dark
energy would have eventually dissipated without harm. The delay was
because the ship moved slightly, but the dark energy didn’t, when it encountered
the walls of the reactor, it overcame the forces holding matter together,
releasing a nuclear explosion.”
I frowned, that was really specific.
“What data are you basing that on Al?”
Al replied, “The delay before the explosion because the
sensors saw the ship’s drift rate, and the radiation indicating a nuclear
reaction detected by the missiles’ scans, and the scan that detected the
missiles EM shields holding back the explosion. I am also sure the EM
field around Earth, or any life sustaining planet, could easily block that
radiation. It was not that high a yield due to the materials involved.”
Kristi grunted, “Well, at least we won’t destroy any planets
on accident. Note to self, don’t use plutonium for reactor containment.”
I snorted a laugh and nodded, “Also, unless there is
catastrophic failure, and we have some warning that the singularity is failing,
we can safely eject. I suspect catastrophic failure is only likely if our
ship is being blown up, which kind of renders the point moot. What do you
think?”
Kristi nodded, “I’d say patent your new converter and
wormhole generator, and start the upgrade on our ship at least, for those two
things and my plasma cannons, or do you not trust it enough to sit on one yet?”
I shrugged, “I think it should be fine. The nanites
keep the gravity emitters in constant top condition, and we’d need to lose over
half of the emitters before we were screwed. Since they’re powered from
the black hole itself, and also have a very large and proven fusion reactor to get
it started and as a backup in case the energy converter fails, I can’t see a
reason to wait. Al, submit the patents and start all upgrades on this
ship.”
Kristi grinned evilly, “Plus it will make your admirals
jealous when you have twenty-four turrets, and wormholes, so they’ll help fight
for the upgrade.”
I snorted, “That’s so wrong, but true. Even better, if
I turn out to be wrong about it being safe, we’ll never know it. Unless
of course, there’s an afterlife. Want to get some food? Not sure
when Al will be done with calibrations.”
Kristi nodded and got up, “Explosions always make me
hungry.”
As we walked out I asked, “Al, put my toys away please, from
the shuttle test?”
Al replied, “Recalling shield missiles to lab ship.”
Kristi shook her head, “That’s uncanny.”
I nodded, “I’ve been challenging him, part of the
test. It kind of proves he can figure out what I really mean, the old Al
would have patiently said he didn’t understand the command. Understanding
figurative speech is fairly impressive.”
Al interrupted Kristi’s response, “Started fabrication, and
patents are pending. I’m not finished testing yet, but I have a few
recommendations regarding the wormhole drive.”
I lifted an eyebrow, “What are they?”
Al replied, “There seems
it.
“Al, turn off the gravity emitters in the shuttle please,
shut down the dark energy reactor.”
The black hole just collapsed, like a bubble popping.
Nothing happened, it was decidedly anticlimactic.
A second later Kristi sighed, “This is boring, it isn’t
doing anything at all. At least the black hole was a…”
The shuttle exploded in an expanding ball of fire and
gases. After waiting a few seconds and verifying nothing happened to the
missiles did I relax and sit back a bit in my chair.
I turned to Kristi with a smirk, “You were saying?”
Kristi was speechless, so I ordered, “Analysis please Al.”
Al replied, “I think it was the ship moving slightly.
Even at all stop there is some movement. While the black hole is active,
it drags the dark energy along with it, contains it relative to the sides of
the reactor. I believe if the shuttle had been stationary, the dark
energy would have eventually dissipated without harm. The delay was
because the ship moved slightly, but the dark energy didn’t, when it encountered
the walls of the reactor, it overcame the forces holding matter together,
releasing a nuclear explosion.”
I frowned, that was really specific.
“What data are you basing that on Al?”
Al replied, “The delay before the explosion because the
sensors saw the ship’s drift rate, and the radiation indicating a nuclear
reaction detected by the missiles’ scans, and the scan that detected the
missiles EM shields holding back the explosion. I am also sure the EM
field around Earth, or any life sustaining planet, could easily block that
radiation. It was not that high a yield due to the materials involved.”
Kristi grunted, “Well, at least we won’t destroy any planets
on accident. Note to self, don’t use plutonium for reactor containment.”
I snorted a laugh and nodded, “Also, unless there is
catastrophic failure, and we have some warning that the singularity is failing,
we can safely eject. I suspect catastrophic failure is only likely if our
ship is being blown up, which kind of renders the point moot. What do you
think?”
Kristi nodded, “I’d say patent your new converter and
wormhole generator, and start the upgrade on our ship at least, for those two
things and my plasma cannons, or do you not trust it enough to sit on one yet?”
I shrugged, “I think it should be fine. The nanites
keep the gravity emitters in constant top condition, and we’d need to lose over
half of the emitters before we were screwed. Since they’re powered from
the black hole itself, and also have a very large and proven fusion reactor to get
it started and as a backup in case the energy converter fails, I can’t see a
reason to wait. Al, submit the patents and start all upgrades on this
ship.”
Kristi grinned evilly, “Plus it will make your admirals
jealous when you have twenty-four turrets, and wormholes, so they’ll help fight
for the upgrade.”
I snorted, “That’s so wrong, but true. Even better, if
I turn out to be wrong about it being safe, we’ll never know it. Unless
of course, there’s an afterlife. Want to get some food? Not sure
when Al will be done with calibrations.”
Kristi nodded and got up, “Explosions always make me
hungry.”
As we walked out I asked, “Al, put my toys away please, from
the shuttle test?”
Al replied, “Recalling shield missiles to lab ship.”
Kristi shook her head, “That’s uncanny.”
I nodded, “I’ve been challenging him, part of the
test. It kind of proves he can figure out what I really mean, the old Al
would have patiently said he didn’t understand the command. Understanding
figurative speech is fairly impressive.”
Al interrupted Kristi’s response, “Started fabrication, and
patents are pending. I’m not finished testing yet, but I have a few
recommendations regarding the wormhole drive.”
I lifted an eyebrow, “What are they?”
Al replied, “There seems
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