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| Joined: | Mon Nov 21st, 2005 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 6399 |
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825 South First Ave
Barstow, Ca 92311
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josf.kelley@verizon.net
Helium-3
by
Joe Kelley
The Chinese took over space early in the 21 century because their leadership had invested for the long haul. That long haul brought Helium-3 to China from the moon. Having deftly defending against The West’s Imperial Crimes of Aggression, by playing the money game better and forcing The West to withdrawal from Iraq, and the boarder of Iran, the Chinese gained control of Global Oil and Credit. The power taken from The Dollar Hegemony fueled the Chinese effort to mine the new energy source from the moon: Helium-3. The last great leaders of The West: The NeoCons had ruined the American economy during their criminal reign of terror. Once the flow of political power transferred and once Helium-3 entered the Chinese economy the Chinese never looked back. There was no longer any need for the tortured and false history polluted into being by the twisted minds of the Western Legal Criminals, their power evaporated in the Big Dollar Crash that led to the new age of prosperity for all who commanded the wisdom to join in Human Power Independence. Oil, Dollars, and the Major Media Falsehood Factories were out, like an old shoe, and the new age of accurate reason commenced. The Helium age erupted with brilliance never before seen in human time.
Jack Harkin began his career at CPC, the Chinese Power Corporation, as an Earth bound freight pilot flying electric Super Tankers dubbed The Pregnant Albatross. He flew the Hong Kong to Tokyo circuit. In those early days the Chinese were hiring American aviators to fill in the gaps as more Chinese pilots went into space flight. Fat Chinese pay-checks were almost criminal to Jack compared to non-existent pay rates a home in America where the ceaseless depression left pilots begging and stealing airtime so as to qualify for jobs overseas. Gas shortages at home ground almost all traffic to a halt beyond the essential shipments ordered by the American Relief Authority.
Jack was hired by Chinese businessmen straight out of the military in Brazil after he left the U.S. Air Force on a technical visa malfunction which authorized a one way trip from the American hell hole to new opportunities in the Brazilian Air Force, flying new electric fighter planes. AWOL didn’t mean anything once outside the legal reach of American style despotism, which wasn’t far, not even in American, not after The Crash. The Chinese, Jack often said, made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Jack loved flying fighter planes, but no sane pilot alive could afford to turn down a job with the CPC. Flying in America was poor, flying Fighters for Brazil was fun, but the Chinese had Helium-3 and real money.
Jack began a campaign to improve his odds of moving up into space as soon as he landed in China, since everyone – well – thought Jack: ‘Everyone who is anyone’ wanted to go to the moon. While the Chinese government concentrated on Lunar Energy Extraction, the Chinese private corporations, hybrids compared to the outdated American dinosaurs with their back stabbing ‘dog eat dog’ mentality, focused on developing the Lunar Tourist Trade. The Chinese economy could afford leisure investments due to the exponential economic growth benefits of Helimum-3 power production and consumption. Power in China was flowing like clean air and clean water, so cheap, so abundant, and so economically beneficial as to reduce the prices of almost everything Made in China, including desalinized water and filtered air. Helium-3 powered China lowered the prices of everything except human labor. People who needed people to work now had to work to get them to work. The Chinese boom included an exponential increase in Chinese consumers looking for fun.
Jack first met Bruce Chen at a Bar in Hong Kong. Chen and Jack hit it off right from the start, in part due to Chen’s unfashionable respect for American pilots, which set Bruce Chen as an outcaste among his fellow Space Pilots in the Chinese Moon Express Club; MEC. Chen liked to drink and so did Jack when their down time left them grounded. The abundance of pilots available allowed employers to force extended vacations and thereby limit high Pilot Fatigue Scores which pushed up insurance costs. Down time meant leisure time and leisure time for Chen and Jack was party time.
Jack didn’t think Chen looked like a Bruce; despite Chen’s references to Bruce Lee the 20th century movie star. Chen didn’t like Jack’s ignorance, ‘Stupid Jack’. They both liked flying fighter planes, a common passion. Jack and Chen managed to adjust their schedules to coincide and thereby have more time to carouse the night life together in Hong Kong where Jack was stationed or haunting the bars in Beijing where the main Space Ship Port employed Chen. Both cities thrived with tourists from all over the world except America. America was still under siege by its own backwards criminal government, while the Chinese economic Boom lost sight of any boundary; the sky wasn’t a limit.
“There is an opening on the first cycle run. It is yours if you still want it.” Chen leaned back on his bar seat to look over at the women on stage; he expected a round of questions from Jack that would rival a Party Tax Auditor’s inquisition.
Jack was hurt. “Dude, that puts me out of phase. What am I going to do while your up, and don’t tell me you have plans while I’m gone.” Jack stared through his rap around shades trying to bore a hole in Chen’s brain; challenging their friendship.
Chen remained distracted and unconcerned, despite Jack’s unexpected lack of passion for the job offer. “This offer expires at midnight.” Chen commanded and then added: “Earth time.” Chen’s head still faced the stage.
“You know I want it, God Damn it, when was the last time you had to skim the earth in an Albatross?” Jack’s glare remained fixed on Chen, not realizing his expression was hidden and, in fact, un-motivating; certainly not able to motivate the stoic Chen.
Chen’s eyes were also covered by space glasses. His head flipped from right to left as a waitress passed behind him. “I won’t ask again.”
Jack insisted. “You have my answer; it’s always the same answer. Get me in.” Jack’s stare was now focused on the back of Chen’s head. That would not do. Jack pushed back from the bar and looked behind Chen to follow the waitress too.
“You got it…dude.” Chen enjoyed playing the part of an American version of a Chinese despite the cost in acceptance in China. “I’m taking my fighter to Berlin tomorrow. Wanna go?” Chen flipped around to meet Jack’s stare. Chen owned an old F-14 Tomcat and used it for transportation.
Jack kept his eyes on the waitress. “You bet, and I know where we can get some fuel for the return. Remember that Brazilian guy in Nepal?”
“Sure. The Brazilian said he was heading to Germany…Berlin?” Chen began to smile and that caught Jack’s eye.
“See how you are, dude, you can’t get on without me. You had no fuel to get your precious F-14 back from Berlin. Did you?” Jack saw the smile fade back into Chen’s poker face. Jack repeated: “Did you?”
Chen stood up. “Let’s go.” He pulled two pills from his shirt pocket. “Here take one of these and we will be sober by the time we reach the Space Port. I have influence inside the MEC and you are now my second seat to the moon; dude.” Chen didn’t smile, not Chen, he rarely smiled.
On the way to the MEC flying the fighter Jack ran Chen through the Cuban Eight maneuver until both pilots couldn’t stand any more g load and Chen gave out first with an abrupt change of heading to Beijing Air Space at the local heading and into ground control at the authorized altitude. The F-14 burned almost a full tank of fuel. Once down the two briskly strutted along their way while discussing the relative merits of a Cuban Eight in combat.
Jack maneuvered each hand around to illustrate. “The Columbian didn’t have a chance, see here, once my nose was pointed down gravity gave me the edge and I turned inside for the shot. He was going up and…” The two waved the cab over.
American backed Columbian drug companies began escorting their illegal drug trade through Brazilian no fly zones after the Dollar Crash and Jack’s extensive experience in American Air Combat Training paid off during his brief stint in the Brazilian Air Force.
Chen was managing to appear disinterested. “Did you pull power?”
Jack had shown Chen how pulling power decelerated the aircraft mass quicker and increased turn rate down to the stall. “Not that time. The Columbian was green. I really didn’t need to showboat; it was all over before it started.” Jack replayed the maneuver with his hands and followed Chen over to the waiting cab. “Just like that, guns man, no missiles; not over populations. That will get you drummed out faster than explosive diarrhea after eating a Chinese Burrito.”
“We don’t make burritos.” Chen said stopping at the open cab door.
“Are you tellin’ me something I don’t know?” Jack asked while grabbing his behind and walking off stiff legged.
The two took the E-Taxi Shuttle from their fighter port through the CPC freight terminal complex where they then boarded a lift to the MEC Earth Base Command. Chen told Jack to shut up while they entered Chen’s section office. Chen introduced Jack to the receptionist, politely, and then demanded time with the day officer who Chen knew.
“Just keep your mouth shut unless you are asked a specific question and then be very precise with your answers, do not wander into colorful language. Got it?” Chen took Jack aside into a reception room stepped down from the reception desk and through open glass doors. Chen looked back and waved to the receptionist while escorting Jack away. Chen looked back at Jack. “Take off the shades.”
They both took off their shades and sat down stiff and quiet. Jack began to consider the possibilities of flying to the moon, and the pay. The increase in pay rate also meant more time off, just like Chen – thought Jack. More time to fly the fighter plane. Five days to the moon. Five days back. One day unloading and loading, one day on the moon. Jack thought; was the moon made of cheese? Jack chuckled. Chen shot Jack a look. Jack knew Chen meant business. Jack fixed his composure.
Nina Prikolov stepped down into the reception room and offered her hand. “I am Nina, please; Chen has told me all about you Jack. I am very please to meet you.”
Jack didn’t have a chance to stand up as Nina moved close to Jack, so he took her hand lightly while seated and it was a firm handshake, but quick. Nina was already moving out with Chen as Jack responded. “Thanks.” Jack didn’t get up immediately.
“Please follow me Jack. We have to schedule your tests and get all the paper work started.” Nina returned to Jack’s seat and took his hand back. It was almost like a mother commanding a little boy. Nina was slim, young, and easy on the eyes, thought Jack, and he wanted very much to speak out, except for Chen’s glare.
“Nina.” Chen said, as Chen also returned to gather up Jack. “Please forgive Jack; he is an American after all.” The Russian and the Chinese looked at each other with a knowing or even secret look that caused Jack some discomfort. Jack didn’t often pay much attention to what people thought of him, but this was business. This was serious business. Jack felt beside himself.
The three proceeded out of the reception area and then down a hallway. Jack didn’t mind having his hand held, not at all, and when they approached a door where Nina let go, Jack actually missed the contact. Jack gave Chen a look that pleaded: ‘Can I talk now’?
“Nina flew Combat.” Chen spoke as a matter of fact.
Nina responded: “Yes I flew the Mig during the Alaska campaign.” Nina opened the door and ushered the men into the room. “Didn’t Chen tell you about me?” The question was sincere and expressing vulnerability as if Nina felt left out. Both men went in and stood waiting as Nina closed the door and walked around to her desk seat.
Chen spoke directly at Nina. “You are my secret. You are my secret kept from Jack here, he is an animal.” Chen was not being funny. Jack and Chen sat down as directed by a wave from Nina.
“Well…now the secret is out.” Nina sat down. “Calm down Jack. Russia has no interest in America these days, if that is what you are thinking, as far as I am concerned we can be glorious friends, the three of us, or not. It matters not to me.” Nina pushed forward a folder and opened another file with a key press on her keyboard. “Get those filled out immediately and you must be at the address listed on page 1 at eleven hundred hours tomorrow.” She looked at the computer screen and then faced Jack. “Please confirm that on page 1.”
Jack dumped the pages from the folder into his other hand and found the time and date to be correct. “1100 on July 5, 2025” He conformed while looking at the pages and then he looked back at Nina directly.
“That is it.” Nina got up and walked around to offer her hand to Jack again. Jack took her hand again and felt like a little boy being introduced to the principle on his first day at school. “Chen will get you in order and I will see you next on your first trip to the moon.” Nina led Jack to the door. She stopped and waved the two men out letting go of Jack’s hand.
“I can’t believe I’m going to the moon; finally.” Jack stood outside Nina’s office as the door closed and Chen grabbed Jack’s arm forcefully directing Jack down the hall with a push.
“Right, you are in. Well done. You had me sweating in there.” Chen began to pick up the pace down the hall and Jack followed in close formation.
“You don’t sweat” Jack separated the papers from the folder and then stuffed the papers back in the folder while walking forcefully and he wondered what was going on, besides going to the moon. Chen doesn’t sweat.
“She tests people, didn’t you notice? If you are not right, according to her, you don’t go. I was sweating. I could have warned you, earlier, but I’d have sweated even more for that.” Chen wasn’t sweating.
“You don’t sweat, dude, come on man; you don’t sweat.” Jack insisted.
“Ok. I don’t sweat. You passed. You’re in.” They both stopped at a door at the end of the hall. “Let’s go to the moon.” The Chinese opened the door.