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January 20th, 3014 A.L. — City of Volem Dir in the southern Crescent
Adelstein knew it was nasty and undesirable, but he needed something to calm his nerves. Pressing a nearly-spent Terran cigarillo to his lips, he drew upon its noxious fumes and satisfied the demands of his exhausted body. Looking around his spacious office on the fourth floor of the R&D building, he spotted the electron-chronometer he had hanging over the sliding entry door…it was morning…he had worked through the night yet again. This was becoming a pattern for him.
Adelstein yawned and began to hear sounds of life beyond his office as his staff arrived…likely unknowing that their Director had not even left for the night. He pressed his hands to to his desk and stood up, walking around to stand at the room's southwest wall which was entirely made of translucent plastichrome, he was able to look across much of the city. Volem Dir was beginning to stir from slumber as the yellow Haven sun ascended over the vast seas beyond. The streets were beginning to fill with pedestrians making their way from the Longhouses District to their places of employment. Trolley carts and hoversleds were churning to life and sliding gracefully over the city's meticulously ordered streets.
Adelstein stretched his aching arms over his head before finally slumping back to his desk and reviewing data from the subatomic composite "stress tests" he had run the prior day. These tests were being conducted by his Chemical Engineering division on the second floor. They were accustom to following their Director's whims and sudden bursts of scientific inspiration—-typically because they resulted in some sort of new technological marvel. But this was different for them, he had them continue the experiments for several weeks now, traditionally by this point in time they would have moved to a new project, but instead Dr. Adelstein Valta was continuing to demand nothing but perfection from them. He continued to send them new atomic configurations for them to assemble and run stress tests to see how well a new plastic would perform against such things as heat, radiation, impact, shears, and so on. Everyone in that division knew their director was up to something odd.
In truth, Adelstein was pursuing a new project, but it was being kept highly classified—-something not uncommon at the Valta Processing and Extraction Conglomerate. But this time, he would broker no hints, not even to his top researchers. When asked he would wave a hand dismissively and say, "Soon, soon, you'll see."
Tapping a few keys on the semi-circular computer panel that wrapped around the inner rim of his crescent-shaped desk, he dismissed the image of chemical equations and test results that appeared on a singular computer screen that protruded from his desk. Adelstein sat back down and pressed a single button before speaking calmly to his computer screen: "Indiwave, acknowledge."
Indiwave or "independent security subsystem waveform" was a specialize security program independent from any of the computers or networks linked to the building's that protected their subject systems from intruders, alien or human, through alternating waveform frequency channels—-typically generated by specialized satellites in the planet's orbit. In response to Adelstein's command, a message in yellow text appeared on his computer's screen that read, "Message Acknowledged, Standby." A bar below the message quickly filled as satellite waveforms were being detected. Finally a pleasing artificial female voice came from his computer panel, "Good morning, Dr. Valta. I assume you slept well?"
"No sleep for me, Indi. Initalize security protocol Nine-Nine-Phi-Delta."
The pleasing artificial voice quickly responded, "Vocal identification verified", then she attempted to engage in small talk while a red beam issued from the computer screen to scan Adelstein's retinas, "Sir, perhaps the wiser choice would be for you rest before engaging in further strenuous activity. I am detecting a point zero four percent decrease in your body mass since in the last twenty-four hours. Your synaptic activity has slowed by thirteen units. Your testosterone levels have dropped by eight—-"
"Hey! Don't measure my testosterone!"
"Sir, a decrease in sex hormone levels is a clear indication of—-"
"Alright!" Adelstein sharply declared, "Alright, I will finish up here and then I promise I will get some sleep."
Indiwave must have been satisfied because she then instructed, "Place your hand on the identification panel, sir." A small flat clear tray extended from the side of his desk. He then laid his palm on it for a few seconds until Indiwave said, "All security measures taken, identity confirmed as Valta, Adelstein Eyvind Tyros. Temporary independent subsystem established. Access to GXR39 Defensive Systems Project authorized. All data will be encrypted into primary security archive upon your command or termination of activity."
Suddenly the tint to Adelstein's office's windows changed and grew darker and darker until the morning sun's light was eliminated from the spectrum and Adelstein could count the sunspots on its surface. It was a means of insuring no one could look in or use a light filter scrambler to observe him. There were also several clicks in the walls and the doorway as sound shields and light filter scramblers were activated.
“Indi, lower full visuals," Adelstein said while rubbing his weary eyes. Normally, he would say 'computer' rather than 'Indi' but with the independent subsystem established there was only the Indiwave vocal recognition left. In response to his command, several panels in the ceiling slid away and six dark window-like panes attached to chrome appendages dropped into locations around Adelstein. Blue and green lights were activated upon each of the panes, forming a box with the text of "Awaiting Input" upon each.
“Show me where I left off”, he stated flatly and the panes including his computer screen blossomed with images of atoms arranged into molecular patterns. Some displayed columns and columns of scrolling text; some flickered between images of mechanical components, chemical equations, and cascading mathematical functions.
“You were formulating the newest group of composites for the trilateral folds," Indi replied pleasantly,"You expressed a desire to utilize intercovalent actors as the primary sub-link."
Adelstein nodded and reached into his front pocket, withdrawing the last of his cigarillos. He pinched one end and the microplasma charge on the other started to smolder. Adelstain then drew upon it and exhaled, "Right, right…put that aside for now. I'll give the Chem Lab boys a chance to catch up."
“Very good, sir. Shall we return to the thermodampener designs?"
"No, that will have to be a project for another time", Adelstein rubs his forehead as though he thought it might coax his brain to release some hidden insights, "Instead, lets start on a comprehensive overview of primary and secondary systems. I've spent all my time focusing on the chemistry of the composite material that I've neglected…” He motioned as though to indicate a large circle, "The big picture."
“Yes, sir."
"Show me the assembly as we have it", Adelstein said and the computer screen shifted to reveal the three dimensional outline of a human covered in fitting armor plates, "Alright now show me the power systems.”
“Power systems have not been defined. Immediate plotting shows the following routing to be the most effective", chirped Indi. Lines of a bold red color appeared on the assembly image. Long thick power-flow regulators followed the design of the body itself along the spine, arms, and legs with single thick connecting cables that branched off here and there. The other panes displayed magnified visuals, electromagnetic simulations, and cross sectional views of the regulators themselves.
"No, no, it would be too easy to cause a power failure if there is only one line being used to distribute power." Divide the distribution between twenty-eight flow regulator lines, four for each arm, leg, and the head…and eight for the torso."
The red lines on the image disappeared and a grid of new lines crisscross the body with new information appearing on each of the displays.
"Now, create secondary regulator lines throughout the entire assembly."
New smaller lines emerge from the larger ones, insuring no single part of the armor suit lacked access to power. There was a small alerting ping sound at Adelstein's left and he immediately turned his head to one of the panes that was running electromagnetic simulations. Indi chimed in, offering an explanation, "EM signals are degrading at a rate of twenty-eight point ten nanoquads over forty-four sub-parallel units. Energized fusion power cells lack the requisite protonic bursts to fully power the suit if power regulators are arranged as you have assigned."
Adelstein grunted and nodded in annoyance, "Yes, yes, I'm not done though. First replace the regulator's ultetradite capacitors with…try at polyiridium compound…"
The results of the simulation changed, but their was still an alert sound. Adelstein immediately turned to his right where text was scrolling across down one of the panes offering data on the alert; however, Indi quickly stated, "Degradation has lowered to a rate of nine point eighty-one nanoquads over forty-four sub-parallel units."
Adelstein scratched his beard and took another drag on the cigarillo, inhaling the sweet scent of the Terran Islands' pirikoto leaves. His eyes flicked back and forth as he read the text. Finally, he spoke up saying, "Because the power loss is caused by the lack stable anionic compression…which would be an issue in all known metals…it looks like the best bet will be to treat the problem of protonic bursts."
"But, sir. A standard protonic burst only occurs immediately after nuclear fusion. No such reaction takes place."
"Exactly, Indi", Adelstein confirmed, "So we are going to use a microfusion engine."
"Sir, microfusion engines are highly unsafe if used outside a magnetized ionization absorption chamber. Gamma emissions would induce immediate radiation sickness in the operator. Calculations measure radiation exposure at three-hundred twenty-one point eleven rems. This exceeds the maximum singular exposure limitation as ordered by the Citadel."
Adelstein nodded profusely, ash falling from the cigarillo that protruded from between his lips as he did, "Yes, yes, yes, but you should know me by now, Indi, my dear. I always have something up my sleave."
One of the panes to the left darkened and then a new image reappeared showing a small component which rotated, displaying all sides, "You mean this, sir?"
Adelstein gaped at the pane and exclaimed, "Indi! Have you going through my personal database?!"
There was a moment of silence, almost like the Indiwave system were a child with its hand caught in the cookie jar—-in this case the cookie jar was Adelstein's database of new inventions and notes on personal experiments. He had secured the database behind six firewalls of his own making.
Finally, Indi spoke up in her calm and pleasing tone, "Nine days ago, when you provided me with the results from your spectral fermionic tests, you granted me the ability to access your database. Shall I terminate all memory of said database, sir?"
"Meh, it's fine. Probably more convenient."
"Yes, sir."
Adelstein pointed to the pane with the new design, "This is the most recent update?"
"Schematic listed as 'Dipolar EM Spool' and sub-listed as variation nine."
"That's the right one. So go ahead and integrate one spool component onto each micro-fusion engine," Adelstein said, his voice muffled through lips that clutched his shrinking cigarillo. The image that showed the spool altered as the engine component materialized on the screen. Indi was altering the designs to both of them slightly so the tubules from the spool wrapped around the engine—-the theory was that the magnetic forces generated by the spool coupled with the shielding of its tubules' iridium-osmium composition would absorb any radiation created by nuclear fusion.
Adelstein then spun in his chair to look at one of the panes to the left of his computer display. He touched a few buttons and the pane's display shifted to a human body which flit through displays of a human's circulatory, nervous, digestive systems, and so on. Adelstein nods at the pane and says, "Now, display any unabsorbed radiation from the fusion reaction." The image slightly altered to show a shade of pink around three disc-like objects arranged over each shoulder-blade.
Indi chimes in, "Absorption is at 2 rems per daily cycle."
"Luckily, I doubt anyone will be wearing a suit for a full twenty-four hour cycle."
Adelstein lays the used cigarillo on his desk and leans back in his chair as he examines the read out, "A'ight, so…we can let the fusion engines remain where they are…or….disburse them…."
"Probability of catastrophic power loss has decreased by eighty point two percent if the power sources are dispersed to integral consumption locations."
"Alright", he starts, "Position one at each shoulder and one behind the neck. Two flanking the waist…and one on each ankle." The image changed and seven discs appeared at the locations he stated with lighter pink splotches of radiation around each across. "Good…good, that's all for the power systems for now. We can update it as we go."
"Sir, for optimal performance, the suit should be equipped with a minimum of two fusion-based energy power cells."
Adelstein yawned, this sounded familiar, perhaps he had already thought of it. Unfortunately, his exhaustion was beginning to terminate his ability to recall the connection, "Uh, Indi…what was the…errr…elaborate on that."
"Certainly, sir. It is possible that energy production abilities of the microfusion systems could be rendered unstable should magnetic interlocks fail. Such a failure is known to have happened on three occasions in the past five years. When such a failure occurs, automatic safety systems will shut down the engines and preform self diagnostics."
"Right," Adelstein continued, his understanding returning to him, "And if that happened in the suit…then the soldier would lose all power. I see….right. Ok, then, add four mithdurium battery cells…one on the inner thigh of each leg…they should be protected there. And two under each arm."
He looked at the armor display on his computer screen and saw the addition of the batteries required minor adjustments in the designs of the armor plating. He then looked at the performance test read outs, mumbling to himself and he did the math in his head. Indi then spoke up, "Shall I begin the encryption process?"
"Yes, go ahead and save everything to a waveform encryption."
"Acknowledged, sir."
"Next, pull up the Structural Defense subsystems, that should be more fun."