Superwomb

CHAPTER ONE

20th of April 2013 Six days to the explosion. Holly was just coming out of her room when she saw her father hurrying out the door and she rushed after him. “Wait dad you promised you would come with me to the arts exhibition today” Holly said looking confused “I am very sorry sweetheart, something really urgent just came up at work and I need to see to it.” Max has not been the best dad that he could be for Holly his daughter and as he uttered those words of disappointment, Holly’s countenance fell and she looked at her father with disbelief. “No no sweetheart I did not mean it that way” he beckoned but she was already on her way back to her room and she slammed the door with such force before he could say more.

            The traffic was annoying all the way down to his office and Max Dean could only think of one thing as he drove down to frost-bane tech. This was the voice message of his senior assistant, Stanley Cole. “good morning sir, I regret to inform you that our tech guy Oliver has reported himself Ill and would not be showing up for work today. Please be early, there is something you must see.” Max could not understand why such emergencies are beginning to occur rather frequently when he was this close to completing and launching his artificial space and show the world what a technology as such could do once it was tested and working fine.

            When Max got to frost-bane and entered his office, the thought of Holly and their father-daughter relationship which was currently on a downward slide flooded his head and as he thought of a way of making it up to her for his most recent behaviour, he heard a knock at the door. “Come in” his voice was coax and his senior assistant Stanley could only imagine why, as he stepped into the office. “Hey Max, what’s up with the long face?” Stanley asked. Max and himself, were good friends apart from their working relationship and seeing the look on his friend’s face, he could not help but ask what the problem was. “Yeah it’s nothing” Max said attempting to wave off the long face and put on a more familiar one. “Hey come on I have seen that look before and it is not nothing” Stanley insisted. “What is going on” “Well” Max started to say desperately while demonstrating with his hand. “It’s Holly, she... she...” he stammered “actually, I am....” they were interrupted with a loud knock on the door and a voice, “excuse me there is something you both need to see”

            Max and Stanley abandoned their discussion and rushed outside his office following the hallway down to the elevator. When the elevator door opened and ushered them into the 6th floor, Max stared in amazement as the hologram of the superwomb along with the artificial space was in display with all its features, everything it could do and exactly as it would look like when completed. The artificial space is a flawless representation of the actual space as we have it up there. It has nine planets and a perpetual dark background that allows the sun to be visible at all times. Looking at it from a recorded mobile device, you would think someone has gone to space and took pictures. The amount of heat emitted by the Sun in the artificial space is equal to that emitted by the actual sun. The only difference is that, that of Max is contained in a square like machine referred to as the Superwomb extending to width of 27.165 inches or 69 centimetres and heights of 11.3 feats.

            Everything was going smoothly and Max could only think of a few times when he had been more happier than he presently was. “Hey” Max nudged Stanley and got his attention just as they were exiting the 6th floor. “Was this why you wanted me to be early?” he asked. “Of course not, this display can be repeated a hundred times over” Max was lost trying to think of what could be more important than the display they’d just seen. “You do remember our friend from NASA don’t you?” Max thought for a while and said “Mike is it?” “Exactly well first of all Rita told me she got in touch with NASA and inquired about Mike and was told they sent no one to frost-bane on any account. Secondly, he has been quite busy and Rita just confirmed that he was at the world tech development diner two days ago and only God knows who he might have spoken to and what he might have said in view of our last meeting with him” “God” Max sighed “I never did liked that guy the first time I saw him” “guys like that are always desperate and sooner or later, he would fall so badly and I just hope we would not be anywhere near him when he eventually falls.” Stanley said.

Mike had entered frost-bane technologies on the 20th of April 2013 that was six days to the launching of the Superwomb and requested to see the CEO. When he was cleared and sat in Max’s office with Stanley present, he told them how disturbed some “very powerful” people were about the artificial space he (Sam) was building. Max assured him that their doubts would be cleared in six days time. Mike got serious, stood up and told the CEO of frost-bane. “You do not seem to understand me. These people are involved in all levels of government and they most certainly do not play nice. You might be in danger if you continue with your project. “Now let me tell you something Mike” Max said “frost-bane is a fully recognized establishment by the government so if I am in danger, I think I would have known by now.” Max said with a tone of warning. Mike looked at the pair and walked to the door then turned and said “You do not really think you can build an artificial space and enclose it in a box now do you?” “Of course I can and I will. Just give me six days” Max said with a firm voice looking directly at the stranger.

By this time, Max and Stanley were walking gently back to Max’s office having stepped out of the elevator moments ago. “Hey” Max said looking up at Stanley “you mentioned Rita earlier. “I did?” Stanley claimed not to remember already knowing where it was headed. “Yes you did” Max maintained and asked. “She’s still playing hard to get?” Stanley knew Max was not the best person to talk to when it comes to women but what could he do. Max was almost grabbing his shirt to make him talk. So he said. “well yeah but you know things like this are not rushed and I am trying my best to give her the space she is non verbally seeking but she’d come round eventually.” “She is your employee” Max said, “I told you to leave her alone” he continued. “Since when do I ever listen to you” Stanley countered and they laughed loudly as they entered Max’s office but as soon as they were in, the smile on Max’s face disappeared and he looked around suspiciously. “What is the problem” Stanley asked him. “Someone was in my office.” Max said.