Astrid Maxxim and Her Amazing Hoverbike (6 page)

Astrid sat down but had to wait only a few minutes until the board room door opened and the board members began filing out.  Mrs. Cuttyhunk gave Astrid a thumbs up as she passed.  Last to leave was her mother, who wrapped her arm around Astrid and led her toward her office.

“
That was an excellent presentation
,”
she told her daughter.
 “
Perhaps I do
n’
t say it enough, but
I’
m proud of you
.
”

“
So, w
e’
re going into the battery business
?
”

“
Yes
.
”

“
And where is the factory going to be
?
”

“
Here of course, in the Industrial Park
.
”

“
Aunt Lauren was right on the one hand
,”
said Astrid.
 “
We could make more money and get the product to market faster if we made them in China
.
”

“
The board would never vote that way.  Roy Dillanson wants to ensure jobs in Maxxim City, Marisela Elisandro wants to ensure jobs for Santa Maria, and Saul Smith wants to ensure jobs for the Indian Reservation
.
”

She turned and wrapped her arms around Astrid.

“
Besides
,”
she continued
,“
your grandfather purchased and surveyed these 180,000 acres so that Maxxim Industries could be here, not scattered around the globe
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re not even a blood relative
,”
said Astrid.
 “
Yo
u’
re a daughter-in-law like Aunt Lauren.  How come you protect Grandp
a’
s master plan when Uncle Carl, his own son, does
n’
t seem to care about it
?
”

“
Tha
t’
s not for me to explain.  You can ask your father.  If he wants to tell you, he can.  But I made a promise to your grandfather, and I always keep my promises
.
”
 
She gave Astrid a quick squeeze.
 “
Now run along.  Your friends should just be getting out of school when you get there
.
”

Saturday again found Astrid working in her lab.  She was doing a few simple experiments and logging the results in her journal when Denise, the two Valeries and Austin Tretower walked through the door.

“
Hey Astrid
,”
called Denise.
 “
W
e’
re going bike riding and wondered if you wanted to go
.
”

“
Sure
,”
replied Astrid, setting down her digital tablet.

In addition to the monorail line and some roads, the many separate complexes on the Maxxim Industries campus were linked by bicycle paths.  Though seldom used as transportation from one section to another, they were used for traveling from one building to another within a section, as well as for recreation by the employees and visitors.  The bike paths behind the R&D building looped around in a rather sloppy figure eight shape, in and around a lovely desert garden and small park area, branching off here and there towards other buildings.  On the bottom floor of the big building was a small garage where bicycles could be checked out.  The five kids checked out four bikes, the two Valeries sharing a bicycle built for two.

Riding on the path behind the R&D building was always fun, since it had short steep up slopes where one pedaled hard and then long downward slants on which to coast.  All in all, it seemed like there was far more downhill than uphill, though Astrid knew that this was impossible.  As they rode, the girl inventor pulled up beside the two Valeries.

“
So, how are you making out, Valerie
?
”

“
Same as always
,”
Valerie replied.

“
No, I meant Robot Valerie
.
”

“
Same as always
,”
Robot Valerie replied.

“
Well that ca
n’
t be true
,”
said Astrid.

“
Yes, I guess yo
u’
re right
,”
said Robot Valerie.
 “
I
t’
s weird, you know.  Sometimes I feel like I want to eat something, but then I remember
I’
m a robot now and I ca
n’
t eat
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re not a robo
t‘
no
w’,”
corrected Astrid.
 “
You always were a robot
.
”

“
If you say so, but it does
n’
t feel that way.  I still have to sleep though.  My body does
n’
t seem to get tired, but my brain does
.
”

“
Of course
,”
said Astrid.
 “
The human brain needs time to process its experiences.  Yours does too.  Do you dream
?
”

“
Yes
,”
replied Robot Valerie.
 “
I keep dreaming of that time in seventh grade when your cousin Gloria locked us out of the house in our underwear
.
”

“
That was
n’
t you
,”
Astrid pointed out.

“
Do
n’
t pick on her
,”
said Regular Valerie.

They went up a hill and the bicycle built for two shot ahead.  Austin caught up with Astrid and rode beside her.

“
My grandma told me this story all about how your dad built a motorcycle and rode all over the country on it
,”
he said.

“
Really?  I wonder why he said I was
n’
t allowed to have one then
?
”

“
Maybe you could invent something even better, like a flying bicycle
.
”

“
Tha
t’
s a really good idea, Austin
.
”

Astri
d’
s mind was spinning ideas the rest of the ride, and when everyone was done, Astrid had Austin bring the bike he had been riding up to her lab.  Then she got on the phone.

“
Mrs. Purcell
?
”

“
Yes, Astrid
.
”

“
Do you have any idea how many hoverdisks my dad has
?
”

“
He had at least fifteen made up
,”
she replied
,“
though a few of them were broken in testing
.
”

“
Could you have someone send a couple up to my lab please
?
”

“
I’
ll get them right over, Astrid.  Bye
.
”

By the time a lab technician arrived with a rolling cart holding two of Dr. Maxxi
m’
s hoverdisks, Astrid had the bicycle up on her workbench, had removed both wheels and had built a pair of simple brackets in their place.  The hoverdisks were two and a half feet in diameter and six inches thick.  She attached one hoverdisk to each bracket.  Finally she connected one of her large test batteries to the two levitation devices, securing it to the bike frame with duck tape.

“
Alright Austin
,”
said Astrid, with Robot Valeri
e’
s help, setting the bike on the lab floor.
 “
Would you like to be the first person to ride on a flying bike
?
”

“
You bet
!”
he shouted, climbing into the seat.
 “
What do I have to do
?
”

“
Just try to keep your balance
,”
said Astrid.  Then she turned on the hoverdisks.

The bicycle immediately rose from the floor, at first just a few inches, then a foot, and then it continued upward.    The girls shouted excitedly, but no more than Austin, who looked to be thoroughly enjoying himself.  The hoverdisks were humming quietly, slowly pushing the boy higher and higher.  Then suddenly he was at the ceiling and he had to tilt his head to the side.  Immediately the bike flipped over.  Austin flailed his arms, as the now inverted hoverdisks drove him into the floor.

Astrid quickly jumped forward and disconnected the battery.

“
Are you alright
?”
she asked the boy.

“
Did you see me?  I was flying
!
”

“
Do
n’
t move
,”
she ordered, and got quickly back on the phone.
 “
Mrs. Purcell, would you send a medical team to my lab please?  And call Mr. Brown.  Tell him to get here as quickly as he can
.
”

“
What do you want my dad for
?”
asked Denise.
 “
Yo
u’
re not planning to crash me into the floor too, are you
?
”

“
Your dad is the best designer in the business
,”
said Astrid
,“
and I need him
.
”

A pair of medics arrived, checking over Austin, and though he seemed to be fine, they decided to err on the side of caution since he had landed on his head and shoulders, and put him on a gurney for transport to the infirmary to get an x-ray.  The two Valeries went with him to keep him company.  They had just left when Mr. Brown arrived.

“
Hello Sweetheart
,”
he said, giving his daughter a hug.
 “
Wha
t’
s up, Astrid
?
”

“
Look here
,”
she said, pointing to the upturned cycle.
 “
We just built a flying bike
.
”

“
I did
n’
t have anything to do with it
,”
said Denise.
 “
It was all Astri
d’
s fault
.
”

“
Clearly it needs work
,”
said Astrid.
 “
We need a mechanism to control the tilt of the hoverdisks for steering, maybe a smaller version mounted in the rear for forward momentum, a computer, several tilt sensors, and a series of gyroscopic sensors.  Of course, w
e’
ll need servo drive motors for balance and propulsion control
.
”

“
This is exciting, Astrid
,”
said Mr. Brown.
 “
I see some kind of sleek, futuristic, scooter design
.
”

“
Or we could go with something more nostalgic
,”
replied the girl inventor.

Mr. Brown pulled a notepad and pencil from his pocket and began sketching.  Two minutes later he whipped the pad around, displaying his sketch of a sleek flying cycle, looking like something halfway between a jet-ski and a motor scooter.

“
I knew you would know the best design
,”
said Astrid.
 “
How soon can you have a prototype ready
?
”

“
I’
m already thinking of several design variations
,”
he said.
 “
If
I’
m going to make one, I might as well make all of them.  That way we can see which one is most functional and which one you find most esthetically pleasing
.
”

“
Great
,”
said Astrid.
 “
Get started right away.  Say, build at least seven prototypes, even if you have to double up a couple
.
”

“
Understood
,”
said Mr. Brown, with a smile.

“
I’
m going to get started right now on the control systems
,”
Astrid continued.

“
But Astrid
,”
said Denise.
 “I’
m hungry.  I
t’
s past lunch, and I ought to get to go to lunch with either you or my dad, not watch both of you work
.
”

“
You have to eat too, Astrid
,”
said Mr. Brown.
 “
Why do
n’
t we all go downstairs to the cafeteria and have some roast beef sandwiches
.
”

Astrid stared at her workbench longingly for a moment, but at last agreed.

“
Can I have hot chocolate with my sandwich
?”
asked Denise.

“
Sure Honey
,”
said her dad, as the three of them left the lab and headed toward the elevator.